Facebook has evolved into something much, much more than what it was when the social networking platform entered the arena. The service has today become the most popular, almost viral social network, and no matter what they say or do, and no matter how many controversies they face, Facebook’s user base continues to grow. On their own part, the Palo Alto company continues to improve the feature set that the web app has to offer. That includes their mobile applications for Android and iOS as well, which are a large means to access the platform for a majority of users.
After much speculation, Samsung Electronics today have finally confirmed that they are ready to introduce the world to the next-generation Galaxy device. The technology world has been discussing the potential aesthetics and technical specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S IV for quite some time, with the South Korean company confirming that a dedicated event will be held on March 14th to announce the device.
As anybody who spends a great deal of time at a computer will be able to vouch, the timing of GTalk, Facebook, and other notifications received on a desktop, and the time it takes for that same notification to be pushed to a mobile device, are rarely in sync, with a delay of around three or four seconds occurring in extreme cases. However, a fix for this issue has been developed by a member of the XDA-Developers forum, and although it doesn't guarantee that notifications will arrive at the same time as they do on your desktop, it does make the retrieval of notifications much more streamlined.
With March 14th looking increasingly likely to play host to the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S IV, the anticipation level is approaching fever pitch. That day, incidentally, is the day before rival HTC launches its new, impressive 'One' handset to market, which makes the prospect of the fourth Galaxy S device landing on the 14th to bag some thunder even more likely. According to reports surfacing today, the Samsung device may follow in the Taiwanese company's footsteps by placing significant emphasis on the camera, with some reading into Android 4.2's Photosphere feature as a sure sign Samsung wishes to implement its 'Orb' technology to the forthcoming smartphone.
Whenever a significant new mobile device is set to hit the market, the case makers are never far behind - frantically trying to outdo each other on those all-important dimensions and get that crucial step ahead of the game. With the Samsung Galaxy S IV set to be announced in less than a month if recent reports are to be believed, and UK mobile accessory pusher MobileFun has gathered some purported cases sourced from a “trusted” Chinese accessory manufacturer which supposedly offers an insight into the handset's design.
Canonical had promised the availability of its fabled (and much anticipated) Linux operating system for mobile devices, christened Ubuntu Touch, for Android-based Nexus devices starting February 21, and they have made good on their commitment. The developer preview of Ubuntu Touch was made available for download a few hours earlier, and when we reported that for you, we, too, made a promise for a guide on how to install the preview on your Android powered Nexus device. Well, without further ado, here we go. This article will lay down the steps for getting Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview up and running on your Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, 7 or 10.
As promised, Canonical has delivered its Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview to a bunch of Nexus smartphones and tablets. In the same week that also saw the announcement of a version tailored specifically for tablets, Canonical really seems intent on driving its easy-to-use Linux flavor to both of the mobile realms, and if you've a spare Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 lying around (plus, a little know-how), then you can now get started with the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview.
As smartphones have gotten better and more powerful, this has naturally had a knock-on effect with regards to battery life. The designers of the high-end handsets have had to think long and hard about how to keep the increasingly demanding feature set as juiced-up as possible, and although there have been some improvements from the early days of iOS and Android, devices seldom hold up beyond a day of moderate to high use. Chip maker Qualcomm, which develops processors for a fleet of Android and Windows Phone devices, has developed an app by the name of BatteryGuru which, it claims, will extend battery performance. As well as better battery retention, the app, which is still in beta, also purports to "improve overall user experience by intelligently making changes that optimize Snapdragon device functionality."
Today, I headed over to the official launch of the HTC One down in London's Oxford Street, and got a hands-on look at the Taiwanese company's latest and greatest smartphone device. There's no debating that, on paper, the device is a monster, but what's it like to hold? Is the build quality up to scratch? And does the "Boom" factor in the speaker or the "UltraPixel" element of the camera make any notable difference, or is it marketing jargon? I'll be answering all of these questions, and offering my initial reaction to the device after the break.
For HTC and Android enthusiasts everywhere, the HTC One, previously known as the HTC M7, has been a great source of excitement over the last few months as more information leaked onto the Web almost on a weekly basis. At last, the new phone was announced at two simultaneous events in both London and New York, confirming many of the previous leaks and rumors.
