I'm not sure whether it's down to the fast-moving nature of technology, or our insatiable requirement as tech enthusiasts to be presented as something new, but whenever a new product - hardware or software - hits the market, it seems no sooner do we become acquainted with our new bit of kit than we look ahead to what's coming up next. Thus, with Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 having begun trickling out to the Samsung-manufactured Galaxy Nexus among others, it's only fair we turn our attentions to the upcoming dose of Android - 4.2 - right?
Over-the-air, or OTA updates make the process of reeling in new features and security patches a great deal easier on mobile device users. The rigmarole of connecting a device to a computer while the magic happened was a common occurrence just a few years ago, but such is the fast-moving nature of the mobile field, that any update can now easily applied with a few simple taps - whether at home or on the fly. For those rocking the Galaxy Nexus or a Nexus S, an airborne bundle of joy is heading your way, and if it hasn't already reached your device, we'll show you how to pluck it from the skies.
Mobile gaming has evolved in leaps and bounds over the past five or so years, and although our smartphones and tablets now offer vast libraries of titles on a scale surpassing any other platform, the likes of iOS and Android still struggle to shake off the "casual" gaming tag thanks to the high volumes of simple-yet-addictive pick-up, put-down offerings.
The elusive iPad Mini is, despite the setback of the announcement date having been incorrectly predicted, set to be arriving in the coming weeks, and although the specification of the device has seemed relatively assured for some time, pricing hasn't. With the smaller slate supposedly preserving Apple's dominance in fending off the growing list of cheaper tablets, the cost of the iPad Mini will be a large attributing factor to wither it serves its purpose, and a leaked snap of a German retailer's internal database appears to have shed a little light on the matter.
As part of the next unique press event that will be organized to introduce us to the smaller mid-range iPad, Apple will also be announcing the much-anticipated 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. The information regarding the intention to announce the new MacBook is coming directly from a well-placed source within a high profile retail outlet in the United States and is said to be consistently accurate with the information that is provided.
The big release of Windows 8 and its many, many affiliated products and services is drawing strikingly close, and with tidbits of info arriving straight from the Redmond-based horse's mouth on an almost daily basis, Microsoft has today updated the world on the ins and outs of Xbox Music.
The new and extremely useful Passbook app has now been an official part of iOS for nearly a month, and although a number of high profile companies are starting to create their own virtual coupons and cards to be used within the app, it could really do with some high profile support to give it the boost that it deserves. It looks as if that boost could arrive quite soon, with the news that Apple themselves are extending their in-store payment capabilities to support their own Passbook creation for iOS 6 users.
There are plenty of dev-teams and individual enthusiasts spending the majority of their time looking for new loopholes and gaps missed by Apple's security team, and as well as often highlighting potential threats to users, the work is also done for the purpose of jailbreaking and unlocking.
Users of iOS 6 will be more than aware by now that Google's powerful Maps app is no longer part of Apple's plans, with the latest iteration of the company's mobile operating system shipping with their own mapping solution in place of it. It doesn't really matter what your personal opinions are on the subject and whether you love or hate the Apple’s very own Maps app, the fact remains that competition always breeds innovation and having an official Google Maps app on the App Store can only be a good thing for iOS users.
With less than two weeks to go until Windows 8 is officially available to consumers; Microsoft has kicked off the countdown by lifting the lid on the first video in what is sure to be a very high profile and expensive advertisement campaign. We've had wind of some speculation in the last few days regarding a potential Microsoft advertising campaign, as well as a leaked set of videos that were said to be official Microsoft creations, but to top that off; the first ad has officially landed today that gives an indication of what is to come.
