"FIFA Friday," as it is unofficially dubbed, has been and gone for this year, and FIFA Soccer 13 has already sold in the millions for Xbox, PlayStation, and iOS. It may be the most popular on the market, but it's certainly not the only soccer simulator one can purchase, and the Real Soccer series does have its fair share of admirers.
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?
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.
Quite a few months ago, we learned Google could be plotting to release a bunch of Nexus branded devices this fall (as many as five), and the way rumors and speculation have been flying around with regards to a number of would-be Nexus OEMs, that forecast is looking more and more on the money. Sony is the latest company to join the rumor mill, and its supposed "Nexus X" device has now allegedly been spotted in the wild.
Although a lot of developers are yet to accept it, it isn't a coincidence that the most popular and well-received apps for mobile devices are ones that look great and are simple and intuitive to use. Smartphones and tablets generally provide a limited landscape and usage area, and it is important that the user-interface lends itself well to the functionality of the app to provide a great experience for the user. After all, they are the ones who matter most. The HoloNotes note-taking app for Android-powered devices is one such example on Google's mobile platform that definitely ticks those boxes.
Whenever a friend asks me to recommend them a smartphone, one of the first questions I ask is if they’re a fan and a regular user of Google’s services and products – Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome etc. If they are, I point them towards an Android smartphone like the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Nexus. This is because the apps for these services work best on Android.
The last few months have produced a veritable feast of fantastic and powerful smartphones for consumers to choose from, and the fast-paced industry shows no signs of slowing down as the world's largest smartphone vendor has lifted the lid on their latest creation. In a press announcement coming straight from Seoul, Samsung Electronics have officially announced the Galaxy S III mini smartphone that we have been hearing so much about over the last week, with it being billed as "compact yet powerful smartphone".
One of the biggest advantages of buying a Nexus smartphone / tablet is direct support from Google so you can get major updates for Android faster than other Android devices on the market. While the Motorola Photon 4G with its dual core processor and 1GB of RAM from mid 2011 isn’t even going to be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, even the 18+ month old underpowered Nexus S recently received the update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
The smartphone industry is currently enjoying a much appreciated and welcome boom at the moment with various manufacturers pushing out multiple handsets to the market that allow a whole host of choice for consumers. If the iPhone 5, Galaxy S III, One X+ or the Windows Phone 8 powered Nokia Lumia 920 doesn't entice you in, then maybe the next Google Nexus smartphone is the one you have been waiting for.
If mobile gaming happens to be your thing and iOS or Android is your mobile operating system of choice then be prepared to be blown away at some point this month as we gear ourselves for the release of the latest title in the Need For Speed franchise. The official Need For Speed Twitter account has pointed us in the direction of a YouTube trailer from EAMobileGames that treats us to twenty-four seconds of a simply breathtaking example of mobile gaming at its finest.
