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Jailbreak iOS 7 – 7.0.4 Untethered On iPhone 5s, 5c, 5, 4s ,4 , iPad And More With Evasi0n 7 [Video Tutorial]

2013-12-23T02:06:00.001-08:00

Jailbreak iOS 7 – 7.0.4 Untethered On iPhone 5s, 5c, 5, 4s And More With Evasi0n 7 [Video Tutorial]

As you might already know by now, Evasi0n 7 iOS 7 – 7.0.4 jailbreak is out already. Here you can find a complete tutorial on how to jailbreak iOS 7 through iOS 7.0.4 on all the supported iPhone and iPod touch devices.

Please read everything carefully before proceeding with the jailbreak.

Supported Devices:

As mentioned in the previous post, all iOS devices are supported, including the latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Apple TV though is not supported yet.

Supported iOS version:

7.0
7.0.1
7.0.2
7.0.3
7.0.4

Requirements:

The latest version of iTunes must be installed on your Windows PC or Mac.Download iTunes 11.1.3 from here.
It is highly recommended you Restore to the latest iOS 7.0.4 on your device through iTunes (NOT OTA) before running Evasi0n 7. Download iOS 7.0.4from here.
Make sure there is no lock screen passcode or Touch ID set on your iOS device. You can disable Passcode lock from: Settings –> General –> Touch ID & Passcode –> Turn Passcode Off
Backup your data to either iCloud or your PC via iTunes before jailbreaking.

How-to jailbreak iOS 7 / 7.0.4 (instructions + video tutorial):

Step 1: Download iOS 7 – 7.0.4 Jailbreak Evasi0n 7 for Windows or Mac.

Step 2: Connect your iOS device to your computer and start Evasi0n 7.

Step 3: Now click on “Jailbreak” button to start the process.

Evasi0n will now perform the jailbreak in a series of automated steps. Just sit back and don’t do anything silly. Allow it to complete the process. It may take a few minutes to complete.

Step 4: Once done, Evasi0n will inform you that you need to unlock your device and tap the new ‘evasi0n 7’ app icon found on the home screen of your device to continue. Tap the app icon and keep your device connected, it will automatically restart.

Step 5: Once the reboot is complete, Evasi0n will continue to apply final touches before asking you to unlock your device again. Once you unlock it, it will reboot again, followed by ‘Done!’ screen.

Step 6: Cydia should now be on your iOS device home screen. Quit the Evasi0n 7 application, disconnect your device from your computer and start Cydia!

That’s it! Happy jailbreaking!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos.

Mac and iOS users can now gift iBooks

2013-12-18T02:04:00.001-08:00

Your chances of buying tangible gifts for the holidays may be fading fast, but your digital options are now wider than ever. Apple has just enabled full gift support on the iBookstore for both iOS and Mac users; you can buy someone a specific book rather than giving them iTunes credit. As with apps and media, it's simple to either time the gift delivery or attach a message. An iBook may not be quite as elaborate as a present under the tree, but we doubt that many iPad-toting readers will mind.

Real Racing 3 finally gives players a taste of live competition on iOS

2013-12-18T02:02:00.001-08:00

Real Racing 3's time-shift multiplayer mode was a great addition to the game, but the latest update for iOS makes playing with friends even better. Now, aside from being able to face the car ghosts of your friends' pasts to beat their records, four players can hit the virtual tracks for some real-time racing. As a nice plus, both the refreshed Android and the iOS apps now include playable digital counterparts of the McLaren P1 plug-in hybrid and the next-gen Lamborghini Veneno, though they cost a pretty (in-game) penny. If you're hankering to digitally drive certain BMW and Ford models, it may be best to look elsewhere -- otherwise, head over to iTunes where the game remains free to download and play.

Google Chromecast wins the Time Magazine Gadget of the Year

2013-12-11T02:48:00.001-08:00

There have been other technologies and gadgets to wirelesssly “cast” your content from a device to your television – DLNA, Bluetooth, Apple AirPush, Miracast – but none of them have become a widely popular industry standard. When Google announced Chromecast , it didn’t revolutionize an industry, but it quite possibly earned more fanfare than any new tech product in all of 2013- and non-coincidentally has been named Time’s 2013 Gadget of the Year.

Why the fanfare? Why the Gadget of the Year? What’s so great about Chromecast? And for those wondering… what IS Chromecast?

Chromecast is a $35 dongle, about the size of your thumb, that you plug into the HDMI port of your television. From there, an easy setup process asks you to connect both your device (laptop, phone, etc…) to WiFi and your Chromecast to Wifi. Voila! You can now select a “Cast” option (provided you’ve downloaded the corresponding app) and play/stream content from your device on your TV!

It’s more evolutionary than revolutionary, but Chromecast has some simple features that make it well worth the praise:

At only $35, almost any one can afford it, practically making it an impulse purchase
It works based on two standards that anyone with a modern television will already have: HDMI and WiFi. Rather than fight for proprietary control of your digital life, Google is leveraging commonly owned technology to let consumers quickly enjoy new functionality
It’s flexible: you can stream almost anything to your big screen. While it was first limited to flinging in-browser content to Chromecast, in the near future you’ll be able to use Chromecast to play and watch almost anything you own from any device.

There’s no doubt that Chromecast gained such high awareness and huge praise because it was launched by Google. Had another company launched a similar product, it may have silently withered and died with little attention, but Google’s reach and ability to drum up unparalleled excitement brought the Chromecast to the forefront of the tech world. And with Chromecast now in millions of homes… the real fun and potential begins.

So what other devices made Time’s list of Best Gadgets? Here’s the full list:

Google Chromecast
iPad Air and iPad Mini
Oculus Rift Development Kit
Pebble Smartwatch
iPhone 5S
Xbox One
Kindle Fire HDX
Nest Protect
Leap Motion Controller
Nokia Lumia 1020

Let me know your oppinion by leaving a comment below.

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iphone luv

JBL playUp Portable NFC speaker

2013-09-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

JBL PlayUp Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia

Nokia have teamed up with JBL to create the JBL PlayUp Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia. This brightly coloured portable speaker makes life a lot easier, thanks to it having NFC, you can effortlessly connect your phone to the speaker and start playing music wirelessly by just hovering your phone over the speaker.

This speaker is co-created with JBL for higher quality sound and bass, compatible with any device with Cyantooth.

This stylish and vibrant speaker is available in 4 colours including white, black, Cyan, and yellow.

Features of the JBL PlayUp Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia

⚫Uses NFC Technology
⚫Official Nokia Accessory
⚫Co-created with JBL
⚫Available in a verity of colours

http://www.nokia.com/global/products/accessory/md-51w/

Everything You Need to Know About the Next iPhone

2013-09-07T00:52:00.001-07:00

Everything You Need to Know About the Next iPhone

"When is the next iPhone coming out?" "

Yes, Apple is rumored to be releasing not one but two iPhones this year.
For those who have questions about the next iPhone, when it is coming and if you should wait, you've come to the right place: Here's a guide just for you. Yes, you. Here's everything we've dug out about Apple's next phones, keeping in mind that Apple has declined to comment on all of the following reports or speculation.

The iPhone 5S

The iPhone 4S is to the iPhone 4 as the iPhone 5S is to the iPhone 5. No, this isn't the SATs, but just as the iPhone 4S had a similar design to the iPhone 4 but with a few new features, the iPhone 5 is expected to follow a similar pattern. Don't expect a bigger screen on iPhone 5S, even though Apple seems to be cooking that up too. According to various reports, the iPhone 5S will have a very similar design to the iPhone 5, but will have the following changes.

Fingerprint sensor

Siri was the standout feature of the iPhone 4S, and all signs point to a fingerprint sensor as the standout feature of the 5S. According to various reports, including one recently from 9to5Mac, the iPhone 5S will have a fingerprint sensor in the circular home button.
And there's more supporting evidence for this. Last year Apple bought AuthenTec, a biometrics reader and mobile security solutions company, and a folder called "biometrickitUI" was recently found in the iOS 7 software code. "A fingerprint that changes color during the setup process" was also written in the software.
The iPhone 4S is to the iPhone 4 as the iPhone 5S is to the iPhone 5
Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac wrote this week that according to his sources, the reader would be in the home button and work better than some competing solutions that have appeared on other smartphones, such as the Motorola Atrix.
But here's a question: Why would you want to have a fingerprint sensor on a phone, iPhone or not? The hardware feature would be a way to "authenticate" you and offer another way of securing your phone. It would also likely offer an alternative to entering a PIN or password. Apple has also already said that iOS 7, the next version of the iPhone software, has more security or authentication features to protect against iPhone thefts or Apple picking. For instance, one feature requires you to input your Apple ID before resetting the device.

Improved processor and camera

Much less is known about the other hardware improvements, but according to some sources, the phone will have a new version of Apple's processor (presumably called the A7), which will naturally be faster and more efficient, aiding with battery life. It's also expected to pack an improved camera, which Apple Insider reporting that will have an a better flash for taking better photos in low-light conditions.

Gold

According to various outlets, including Techcrunch, AllThingsD, iMore, and 9to5Mac, the next iPhone will come in a new color. A gold model will join the current black and white iPhone models. It seems, though, that this being Apple, we're not talking a gaudy, blinged-out gold but a more tempered champagne color.

But that's not all we're going to hear about colors. There is speculation that there will be another, more affordable iPhone: the iPhone 5C. The C is said to stand not for cheap but for colors. According to various leaked photos, the iPhone 5C is made of plastic and will come in various hues, including green, pink, white, blue and yellow. Australian blogger Sonny Dickson has published a number of photos of the purported back shell of the phone.
Because the phone is made of plastic, versus the aluminum and metal materials used for the iPhone 5 (or 5S), it is expected that the phone will be more affordable than the 5S, which will presumably start at $199 with a two-year contract. Apple experts, including John Gruber of Daring Fireball, have suggested that the 5C will replace the lower-cost iPhones on the market, such as the iPhone 4 or 4S. (Apple usually drops prices on older phones when a new model is released.)

The Software

Apple has not commented on any of the aforementioned hardware rumors, but it has mentioned something that is coming to the iPhone: iOS 7. In June, Apple showed off the completely revamped version of its iPhone and iPad operating system. The software has been given a complete face-lift, with new icons, animations and features.
Specifically there is a new Control Center area, finally making it easier to get to frequently used settings, including Wi-Fi and screen brightness. The multitasking view is also new, with a card view that lets you swipe to close apps.
We've highlighted a few more of the new features coming to iOS 7 here. And don't just swipe away the importance of the software this year. Even if you don't buy a new iPhone, the new version of iOS will change the look and feel of older models.
The Release Date

"When is the next iPhone coming out?"

Ah yes, the big question I have been asked for months. According to AllThingsD, Apple is planning to hold an event on Sept. 10. If all follows Apple's past scheduling, that would put the iPhone on shelves a week and a half later, around Sept. 20. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Apple was on schedule to ship a "new high-end and low-end iPhone in early September."
But, of course, until Apple takes the stage most of this is just rumor and speculation. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple's Senior Vice President of Design Jony Ive have the real answers to the flood of iPhone questions I get every year, but I'm confident in saying this: A new iPhone is coming and, yes, you should wait.

New Apple iPhone 5s Video

2013-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is a 3d rendered video about the new iPhone 5s, Check it out its supper cool.

Here are some latest news about the new iPhone

Apple’s new iPhone: shops prepare for three products on two dates
With Apple widely expected to launch a new iPhone this month, shops are being told to prepare for three products, which will arrive at two separate times.

Many shops, either run by mobile phone networks or independent retailers, currently feature displays showing both the iPhone 4S and the newer iPhone 5. They’ve now been told to prepare to display three products instead, sources close to the industry have said.
While the new configuration could indicate simply that Apple now wants to use retail space to emphasise a new 5S model as well as the 5 and 4S, the fact that shops are also being asked to prepare for two separate deliveries indicates that the company is preparing to launch two new devices.

Although Apple has not yet sent out invitations to any press conference, it is widely expected to take place next week, with invites expected later this week to spoil Samsung’s much anticipated Galaxy Gear Smartwatch.

The new displays could however also relate to Apple’s much-rumoured intention to introduce a new ‘champagne gold’ colour, or to its intention to launch a new, less expensive iPhone.

Until now, Apple has only offered the iPhone in black and white, (or 'slate' and 'silver' for the iPhone 5). However, a report in TechCrunch claims that Apple plans to add a gold colour option for its forthcoming iPhone 5S, citing multiple sources.

Braided fabric smartphone cables

2013-08-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Eastern Collective tangle free cables.

If you're gadget person and have been fed up with all the tangled cables, here is good news. Check these cable out i bet you gonna love it.

Eastern Collective's collection of braided fabric smartphone cables are as useful as they are attractive. The fabric wrapping makes the cord more durable, tangle-resistant, and totally unique. No more mixing up your cables with those of your friends and family! We have four cable options, each three feet in length: 30-pin & lightning for Apple fans, MicroUSB for just about everything else, and Aux for miscellaneous connections (not to be confused with Craigslist's missed connections).

Clean classy look with iPhone 5

Product Specifications:

-Braided fabric smartphone cables
-Easily tell your cables apart from everyone else's
-No more tangles thanks to the braided fabric design
-Four colors:
Galaxy (blue/white)
Killa Bee (black/yellow)
Ronald (red/yellow)
Arctic (white/blue)
-Four types: 30-pin, lightning, MicroUSB, Aux
-30-pin: All iPhone 4S & earlier, iPad 3rd gen & earlier, iPods made before 2012
-Lightning: iPhone 5, iPad mini, 4th Gen iPad, and 5th gen iPod Touch
-MicroUSB: Most Android phones, e-readers, and other electronics
-Aux: All devices that use the standard 3.5mm audio jack
-Length: 3 feetNote: The Aux cable has male 3.5mm (1/8") connectors on both ends
Buy from Thinkgeek

iOS 7 Makeover for iCloud.com Beta

2013-08-16T01:41:00.002-07:00

Here is the new Look , iCloud having its iOS 7 Make over.
All the Pages have been changed to match the iOS 7 look, below you can find screen shots from some of the pages that i have taken. sorry I cant put all the pages due to privacy reasons.

iCloud Beta iOS iCal View

The new redesign brings in whole new web browsing experience from smooth text to colorful graphics blurred animated HTML 5 back grounds and of course the simple dynamic layout. Let me know your comments and views on the new design by replying on the comment sections.
Beta login address https://beta.icloud.com

iCloud Beta iOS 7 Login Page

iCloud Beta iOS Navigation

iOS 7 Beta 6 Rolls out

2013-08-15T21:54:00.002-07:00

iOS 7 Beta 6

Here is the new iOS 7 beta update hopefully the next one will be the golden master. Apple just released the 6th release of iOS 7 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The small 13.5MB update is available via Software Update and contains the usual bugfixes and improvements.

This update addresses an issue with iTunes in the Cloud, where some purchases may download or play unexpected items. If you have any devices running previous versions of iOS 7 beta, you must:
1. Install iOS 7 beta 6
2. Install the ResetMusicAndVideosLibraries configuration profile
3. From Settings > Music, tap the Reset Media Library button
4. Restart the device

iPhone 5S release date, news and rumours

2013-05-16T04:28:00.001-07:00

The iPhone 5 may only be around six months old, but we're already hearing information about a successor. In keeping with Apple's naming convention this should end up being called the iPhone 5S.

The early arrival of the iPad 4 and the iPad mini - just eight months after the release of the iPad 3 in March - has meant that Apple still has the ability to surprise and we could well see an iPhone 5S appear during the summer.

Nevertheless, it's more likely that the iPhone 5S will hit stores in the latter part of 2013, following the trend set by the iPhone 5 and 4S. It's even possible that Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and hop right on to the iPhone 6, though there is little suggestion that this would be the case.

iPhone 5S release date

Any new phone from Apple will almost certainly be the 5S rather than an iPhone 6. Many analysts believe we won't see an iPhone 6 or cheap iPhone until 2014 (although, of course, not everybody agrees with this!). The iPhone 5S release date could be as early as June. However, we believe it's still likely that we'll see another iPhone later in 2013, probably around the September/October timeframe. That will pit it up against rival Samsung, who will surely introduce the third generation of the Samsung Note, theSamsung Note 3, at IFA 2013.

But that's not what everybody thinks: many sources claim that full commercial production of the rumored iPhone 5S has begun already. That's borne out by further rumors suggesting that manufacturing begain in March, followed by a late-year release.

A discount on the iPhone 5 by Verizon also added fuel to the 5S rumours on May 7.

iMore rumours in early March pointed to the 5S being out in August 2013, something Digitimes then agreed with in late March 2013. It then came up with the startling revelation that the new handset would appear in Q3 2013 (probably September).

The iPhone 5S will have iOS 7

We're expecting a September or October release date for the accompanyingiOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll almost certainly see a reveal atWWDC in early June. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X".

However, it may be delayed depending on what Apple decides. Whatever, it seems certain iOS 7 will have a big redesign, possibly introducing a flat appearance like Microsoft's Metro design language.
iPhone 5S display

iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will include a Super HD screen display and cameraaccording to new reports in December 2012. The China Times says a 'Touch On Display' panel is being developed by Taiwanese supplier Innolux with 10 point multi-touch and a 0.5mm thickness. Apparently the site spoke to sources inside Apple's supply chain.

It's been reported that the handset would have a Retina+ Sharp IGZO display, which would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.

iPhone 5S casing

According to further rumours, the iPhone 5S might not be the only Apple handset we see this year - rumours abound about cheaper, plastic iPhones, while Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch in June, apparently called the iPhone Math. Some analysts believe that the new iPhone will come in multiple sizes, though we're not so sure.

Reports suggest that a cheap iPhone 5S would mean Apple diversifying manufacturers from Foxconn, perhaps leading it to turn to Pegatron. An analyst estimates Pegatron could be responsible for 75 percent of low-cost iPhones.

According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera.

The new, larger, lower-cost handset could be aimed at emerging markets such as China.

However, it remains likely that the iPhone 5S will simply use the iPhone 5 shell given Apple's penchant for doing this with the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S. But the 5S will have "more than two colour options" according toMacotakara via MacRumors.
iPhone 5S camera

In January 2013 iLounge received information that indicated the handset would sport the same design as the iPhone 5 with the key difference being a beefier camera and larger flash on the back.

That's hardly ground breaking from Apple, with the touted 13MP camera on the 5S hardly bucking the trend considering the Sony Xperia Z already has this and we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy S4 to offer up something similar.

New rumours from January 2013 pointed towards the iPhone 5S having a 13MP camera as well.
Have we already seen the iPhone 5S?

It was reported on 6 December that images of a purported next-generation iPhone have surfaced on French website Nowhereelse.fr, revealing an exterior virtually identical to the current iPhone 5 but with slightly different interenals

Phones Review suggests that a dual-SIM iPhone 5S could be released, hot on the heels of a rumoured Samsung Galaxy S4.

More parts appeared in photos shown by BGR towards the end of January 2013.
iPhone 5S NFC

Rumours have abounded for years that the iPhone will incorporate NFC at some stage, but this has proved unfounded. Indeed, Apple decided to incorporate Passbook into the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 as a way to provide a similar, if different, feature.

Now, according to the often-wrong China Times, Apple is rumoured to be equipping the 5S with NFC in addition to a fingerprint scanner for added security. We're really not sure about this one, though rumours of fingerprint scanners and NFC support in Apple's devices trace back to last July when Apple bought mobile security firm AuthenTec for $356 million (UK£238 million, UA$346 million).

It's possible, then.
iPhone 5S wireless charging

According to CP Tech, Apple filed a patent application last month for Wireless Power Utilization, a wireless charging system with near-field magnetic resonance (NFMR). That means we'll get wireless charging at last.

Needless to say, TechRadar will be keeping a close eye on all the iPhone 5S rumors and will bring you the latest developments as they emerge - on this very page.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes the 5S will also have a featureoriginally destined for iPhone 6: a fingerprint reader.

http://http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5s-release-date-news-and-rumours-1111911

If you own a iPhone and you use it in your car then you gonna love this

2013-05-04T01:42:00.001-07:00

cartunes music player($4.99 → Free, 582.3 KB): A beautifully simple app that allows you to control every aspect of your music listening experience via gestures. You can tap to play and pause your music, swipe left and right to change tracks, swipe up and down to change volume, swipe with two fingers to shuffle, pinch to play the current album, and even swipe down with two fingers to tweet what you’re listening to. The app also includes full-screen album artwork, colors and visuals that adapt to your music, and background audio support.

CarTunes Music Player is available for free for a limited time. It has a 5-star rating with a total of 45 ratings.

Go grab it while its free!!!

CarTunes: Gesture-Based Music.app

Bloomberg: Jony Ive iOS 7 Changes Are So Major They're Causing Delays

2013-05-03T06:26:00.002-07:00

We're already confident that the next release of iOSwill be full of Jony Ive, but now Bloomberg is reportingthat his software overhaul is so massive it could cause iOS 7 delays.

Citing sources "with knowledge of the matter", Bloomberg suggests that Ive's demands could see the software "at risk of falling behind," as he pushes to scrub all traces of Forstall. Indeed, the sources explain that he's been massively revamping iOS, "shunning realistic images" and "exploring more dramatic changes to the e-mail and calendar tools." It sounds like, in other words, a major "screw you" to skeumorphism.

That fits with rumors that circulated earlier this week, when 9to5mac suggested that the next iteration of the mobile OS would banish real-life elements (iBooks looking like a wooden bookshelf, say), but also remove all elements of gloss and shine, too. The idea, so the rumors have it, is to make the software more sleek and usable going forwards, but, apparently, leave enough to be "familiar".

Bloomberg also reports that Ive is methodically reviewing each and every new design for iOS 7, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of theclusterfuck that was Apple Maps last year. Combine that—unsurprising—attention to detail with a complete overhaul, though, and it's no shock to hear that the project is at risk of being delayed.

In fact, while according to the sources Apple still believes it can turn out iOS 7 by September, Ive has been pushing internal deadlines for testing later than previous releases, and has even shuffled part of the OS X team over to the mobile wing to increase productivity. It's not the first time that's happened, though—Apple shifted its Mac workforce to help prep the original version of iOS before the launch of the first iPhone, too.

While it seems likely that Ive's touch will do good things for iOS, there are almost certainly some sweaty palms and sore heads in Cupertino right now, if these rumors are to be believed. But if Apple's recent travails have taught us anything, it's better to get it right than to get it fast. [Bloomberg]

Instagram Launches 'Photos of You' Feature, Lets Users Tag People

2013-05-03T05:56:00.002-07:00

Instagram today updated its iOS app to version 3.5, adding a feature called “Photos of You.” The new functionality allows Instagram users to tag people in photos and introduces an additional Photos of You profile section where tagged photos are aggregated.

The tagging works similarly to Facebook tagging, but it is limited to the original photo taker, disallowing for third party tag suggestions. The new profile section will not be publicly visible until May 16, allowing users time to approve tagged photos and to adjust privacy settings. In addition to tagging people, Instagram users can also tag specific brands.

Apple Begins Countdown to 50 Billion App Store Downloads

2013-05-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Apple has posted a new contest on the App Store [Direct Link], offering a $10,000 gift card to whomever downloads the fifty billionth app from the App Store, similar to previous promotions. Apple said during its most recent earnings call that the company has surpassed 45 billion app downloads.

Apple's most recent contest was for 25 billion downloads back in February 2012. This time around, Apple is also giving $500 gift cards to the next fifty people to download apps after the fifty billionth.

Apps have revolutionized the way we play video games, consume news, do business, educate, communicate, create art, and so much more. As we approach 50 billion app downloads, we'll be awarding a $10,000 App Store Gift Card to the lucky customer who downloads the 50 billionth app, and a $500 App Store Gift Card to each of the next 50 people to download an app.The download count currently stands at just over 49.2 billion.
+CNET +VEVO

Twitter updates iOS and Android apps, lets users see what's trending around the world

2013-05-02T03:59:00.003-07:00

Twitter's developers are a busy bunch, (allegedly) working on an app for Glass and updating code for Macs in the last week. Today, they released yet another round of new software for iOS and Android, bringing some new functionality along with the requisite bug fixes and unnamed "improvements." After updating, both sets of users will be able to see trends from around the world, as opposed to just those happening in the immediate area.

Additionally, iOS users can now invite friends to join Twitter from within the app -- in case anyone still knows an unfortunate soul who's not already pecking out 140-character missives -- and both author and retweeter names will be included in replies to RT's. Meanwhile, Android users also received easier access to swap between accounts and change settings using the menu button. If you haven't grabbed the update already, well, you know the drill, your download awaits.

Shop Amazon - Perfect Gifts for Mother's Day

Google Search' for iOS Updated With Google Now

2013-04-29T09:07:00.001-07:00

Last month, Google briefly leaked a video showing that its information aggregation tool Google Now would be coming to iOS. Several weeks later, Google chairman Eric Schmidt was asked about Google Now for iOS, and he noted that "you'll need to discuss that with Apple", although it was later confirmed that Google had not submitted a version of Google Now to the iOS App Store.

Roughly a month later, Google Now has now appeared in the App Store as part of a revamped version 3.0 of the company's Google Search app.

Get just the right information at just the right time with Google Now.

- weather and traffic conditions before you start your day
- updates on your favorite sports teams and breaking news stories as they happen

The Verge has a brief preview of what users can expect from Google Now on iOS:

The look and feel of the app is virtually identical on both platforms, a testament to Google's newfound ability to make well-designed apps on iOS. The main differences between Android and iOS are few, mainly in that iOS can display fewer different kinds of cards. "The types of Google Now cards available are largely the same on both platforms," says Baris Gultekin, Director of Product Management for Google Now.

On iOS, the Google Search app can't be launched with a system-wide shortcut (unless you are a jailbreaker) and it can't do the same kind of background sync that Now can do on Android. However, Google tells us that it will support the iOS background location feature, so that at least it won't need to spend as long hunting for your position when you open up the Search app.

Google reports that 22 of the 29 card types found on the Android version of Google Now are making their way to the iOS version, with airline boarding passes, Fandango, and local events being among those not making the transition.

Google Search with Google Now functionality is available now in the App Store. [Direct Link]

How to Make iTunes Awesome Again

2013-04-29T01:05:00.003-07:00

Tear it all down. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired

A decade ago, iTunes was amazing. Now the music/app/video/iOS wrangler is a bloated mess.

The iTunes Store turns 10 on Sunday, and during this decade, Apple has sold billions and billions of songs and apps out of its electronic storefront. But all those videos, apps, and songs have crippled the once-great MP3 player.

Before there was iTunes, there was SoundJam. It was the MP3 app of choice for Mac users, and when Apple decided to get into the music game, it purchased the program and re-skinned it as iTunes. Two years later, Apple opened the iTunes music store and the app began its long descent into the bloated Microsoft Word of media players.

With each iteration of iTunes, we hoped and prayed that Apple would make iTunes useable again. And like the second season of Heroes (no one watched the third season), we were once again disappointed every time something new happened. NBC might’ve been unable to save the cheerleader, but Apple can still save its media player–if it follows our advice.

Hide and seek. Screenshot: Roberto Baldwin/Wired

Fix Search

Search used to be great: You typed a word into the search field and items that met that criteria appeared. Simple–it’s how search works everywhere else in the digital world. Now iTunes crams a list of items that relate to your search in a drop down menu instead of the player window. That’s not better. It’s confusing. If you choose an artist it pushes you into the Artists view. Not so helpful if you’re looking for a certain song by an artist where the list view would be a quicker search solution. Roll search back. Simple is better.

Leave the Tunes in iTunes

Imagine if iPhoto was part of iTunes. Ridiculous right? So why are videos stored in iTunes? Even in iOS, Apple has separated videos and music. Stuffing all the media into the app has led to bloat. Video felt tacked on when it was introduced, and that hasn’t changed. The video controllers in iTunes are about as advanced as a VCR. Meanwhile the DVD Player app has far more advanced controller features, and is still with every Mac. Use the DVD app as a starting point for a video player that handles all of your moving pictures.

Apps, on the other hand, already have a place to reside: The Mac App Store. It already showcases the best features of the app store bundled into iTunes. Just move those iOS apps to the App Store app. If you’re looking for apps, you go to the app store. Surprised this hasn’t happened before. Plus, if a developer has an app that’s available for Mac and iOS, both versions can reside on one page. This makes sense, right? I’m not crazy?

Shut ‘er Down

Apple wants iTunes to be open at all times. Why else would it make you get up off the couch when you fire up the Apple TV to watch a video stored on your computer only to discover that iTunes isn’t currently running on your computer in the other room. iTunes shouldn’t need to be on for iOS devices to grab media stored on a computer. A tiny low-RAM footprint helper app should do the trick.

Discover Discovery

Apple’s Ping social network only shared songs you purchased or actually shared on an individual basis. If a friend was grooving to a certain track or album, you had no idea unless they took the time out of popping and locking to share the track on Twitter or Facebook. Streaming service Rdio has the right idea. It presents the albums that your friends are currently listening to without them having to do anything.

But Cupertino shouldn’t buy Rdio. Instead, it should do what Apple has done for years. Look at a service or product and make it better. For example, in addition to Rdio’s Heavy Rotation feature, iTunes could show the top three albums and/or songs listened to by your friends. When you go to buy an album, you can see if your friends are listening to it and your their reviews are surfaced to the top. Plus, the ability to shut off notifications from friends whose musical taste doesn’t mesh with your own. Sorry mom.

Make music discovery better, not worse. No one listens to the radio anymore, we rely on our friends to share new music with us. Rdio understands that, Apple should too.

Build a Separate Device Manager

Finally, iTunes has been playing the bridge for Apple’s iOS and iPod devices since Steve Jobs showed us the first iPod back in 2001. It made sense when there was one device and all it needed to do was manage music. Now each time you plug in an iPhone or iPad, iTunes starts to choke. It’s okay iTunes, they’re asking to much of you. A standalone app that handles all the Apple devices you plug into your computer would free iTunes of this arduous task. And it would give Apple the opportunity to create something that breaks out of the iTunes look and feel and really tackles the individual features of each device on the market.

Before you jump into the comments and complain that all these new apps would cause confusion. Only one new app is being proposed. There’s already an app that plays videos (okay DVDs but you get the point) and the consolidation of the app stores should have happened when the Mac App store was introduced. The only truly new app being recommended is a device manager. Something the iOS platform desperately needs. Of course, you have your own ideas on how to fix iTunes. Go ahead, share them. If Apple is listening, together we’ll make a better iTunes world.

Netflix to Charge $12 to Make Sharing Your Password a Better Experience

2013-04-29T00:47:00.003-07:00

Netflix is reaching out to all the “families” butting up against its current two-simultaneous-streams limit with a plan that shows the streaming service understands how viewers actually want to use it. It knows we want to share, and that in fact sharing can be good for Netflix too.

In today’s first-quarter earnings letter (.pdf), Netflix announced a $12-a-month plan that doubles the current limit of two simultaneous video streams to four simultaneous feeds plan. Netflix says that the plan best serves large families that have butted up against the two simultaneous-stream limit. It also says that it expects less than one-percent of members to take advantage of the plan.

“The core focus is on the immediate family. We don’t think there’s much going on with sharing password with a marginal acquaintance,” said David Wells, Netflix CFO during the earnings call.

While it’s nice of Netflix to recognize large families, in reality the subscription model is probably aimed more towards roommate situations, families with kids at college and the Netflix users that have shared their password with half of their circle of friends.

While sharing your account details with friends that don’t live in your home makes you amazingly cheap (seriously, it’s only $8 a month), sharing an account with your live-in roommates makes sense.

This new four-stream subscription would allow households with up to four viewers to watch different videos while hiding out in their bedrooms. Roommates are already sharing the electric, cable, and internet access bill. Paying a bill that allows everyone in the household watch Netflix without being concerned about a video stopping mid-scene makes sense.

This plan could also reduce future drop-off rates as it allows college students to continue to use their parents’ account while away at school. These kids are probably more likely to be converted into paying customers at some point if they have a great Netflix experience, rather than hitting a wall every time they’re the third stream.

So while publicly Netflix says this new subscription plan is for large families, in reality, the company is probably making sure that its subscription service reaches as many people as possible while charging a slight premium to help pay for all those episodes of House of Cards.

iPhone 6 specs, release date, news and rumours

2013-04-23T23:25:00.001-07:00

All of the rumours and speculation turn out to be true, it would appear that the next Apple smartphone will be an iPhone 5S, an update to the existing iPhone 5. All of the major changes are likely to come next year with the release of the iPhone 6.

Regardless of names, there's plenty to suggest that Apple needs something brand new, as the iPhone 5 wasn't met with the same rapturous applause of the previous releases, both because of the hardware and the problems with Apple Maps. With the competition getting a lot tougher, such as with the Samsung Galaxy S4, it could mean that Apple needs to up its game with a brand new phone.

iPHONE 6 RELEASE DATE

Initial reports where that the iPhone 6 would be with us this spring, following an earlier release date of the iPhone 5S. However, recent doubt has been cast on this, with now 2014 seeming more likely for the latest smartphone.

The main problem at the moment appears to be that the iPhone 5S is going to be delayed.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jeffries, recently visited Apple's Asian manufacturing partners to find out what was going on. While there he found an advisory note warning that the iPhone 5S was facing pre-production issues. The exact problems weren't detailed, but it appears as though there are problems perfecting the mass production process for the iPhone 5S.

This will have a knock-on effect for other Apple products. So, a delay in the iPhone 5S also means that the iPhone 6 will be delayed, with Misek now saying that there's no chance of seeing the new smartphone until 2014.

That's something that analyst Glen Yeung agrees with, as reported on Newsday. According to Yeung, the iPhone 5S is going to suffer from "volume production issues". This is likely to have a knock-on effect with other Apple products, including the iPhone 6.

There have also been other rumours about key Foxconn staff leaving, causing the problem. According to reports, important members of staff have left, which could be one of the reasons for a delay. However, we don't buy this at all. Foxconn's a massive company that simply can't afford to create manufacturing delays because a couple of members of staff have left. Apple simply wouldn't tolerate this kind of problem, either.

We can believe that technology problems and supply chain issue can cause delays, but we're not entirely sure that Apple can afford these problems and it appears to be doing everything it can to make sure that production goes ahead. Recent reports have shown that Foxconn has been taking on 10,000 production workers per week since the last week of March in order to meet orders.

iPHONE 6 SCREEN

Apple has always been known for its high quality screens and it's going to be interesting to see what it can do with the iPhone 6. What's particularly interesting is Apple's definition of its Retina screens. Simply put, it means that you can't see individual pixels when you use the smartphone from a normal distance. In other words, using the same screen size as the iPhone 5 would mean that there's no point in upping the resolution. So, it could be that Apple's now going to up the screen size to get more resolution. This would make a lot of sense, particularly because large-screen Android phones are proving so popular at the moment.

Larger screen competition also means that Samsung, Sony and HTC are all producing phones with Full HD resolutions of 1,920x1,080. Apple really needs to keep up if it wants to win specifications wars.

One option is to ditch its definition of Retina and simply update the screen resolution, in order to compete on specifications alone. However, a more sensible thing to do would be to go for a larger screen size, do that more pixels are required.

Currently doing the rounds are the rumours that the iPhone 6 will have a 4.8in screen, which would make the phone similar in size to the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. At this screen resolution, Apple could then move to a Full HD (1,920x1,080 resolution) or even go beyond.

While Apple has not previously made a large-screen phone, upping the screen size for the iPhone 6 makes a lot of sense. It means it can compete with the large-screen phones from other manufacturers and keep the iPhone 5S as a smaller alternative, giving iPhone users more choice.

Apple can also do what it can to keep the size of the phone down. A thinner screen, as discussed above, will make a 4.8in iPhone 6 feel less chunky. Ditching the home button, as rumoured, would also mean that the phone can be made a bit shorter, using the front of the phone purely for the screen. To see what a 4.8in iPhone 6 with no home button would look like, check out the concept video below.

Apple may also be considering the screen technology that it uses, with a Sharp IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) screen top of the list. This new technology allows for screens that use less power and are considerably thinner. Rumours certainly picked up when the Sharp IGZO technology was demonstrated at CES 2013.

Sharp has also started manufacturing a super-sensitive touchscreen, which you can write on with a pencil and even operate with gloves on. Given Apple's relationship with Sharp, rumours have linked the new technology to the iPhone 6.

The new screen technology has eight times the sensitivity of existing models, is scratch resistant and is also thinner than existing screens. In other words, it would be hard to see why Apple wouldn't want this technology.

iPHONE 6 FLEXIBLE DISPLAY

It's also been rumoured that Apple is investing flexible screen technology, which would allow it to create a new smartphone that looks completely different to any previous iPhone.

Recently, Apple posted a job advert for an engineer with experience with flexible screens.

The job summary said: "Apple Inc. is looking for a Display Specialist to lead the investigation on emerging display technologies such as high optical efficiency LCD, AMOLED and flexible display to improve overall display optical performance."

This follows a patent application for a phone with a wrap-around AMOLED screen. With both the job advert and patent filing, it could mean that the iPhone 6 is the most radical redesign of the iPhone we've ever seen. However, from experience, we'd say that working with a completely new technology and getting it right, as well as proving reliability, would mean that flexible displays are likely to be used in later models.

The iPhone 6 could have a flexible wrap-around screen

iPHONE 6 CAMERA

One of the most important part of any smartphone is the camera, with people generally preferring their phone over a compact camera. With the competition putting a lot of effort into the quality of their cameras, Apple has slightly fallen behind, with the iPhone 5's quality not matching that of the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One.

Recent rumours, reported by MacRumours have stated that the iPhone 5S will get a 12-megapixel sensor, up from the 8-megapixel version on the iPhone 5. It stands to reason that the iPhone 6 will get the same, or better, sensor.

Upping the sensor resolution can introduce problems with noise, though, as there's less light per pixel. Apple will be keen to counteract problems like this, so a lens with a faster aperture would make sense. Currently the iPhone 5 has an f2.4 lens, but an f2.2 or f2.0 lens would mean better low-light photography.

iPHONE 6 STORAGE

In terms of storage, 64GB has been the top model for a couple of years, so we'd expect the top model to now be 128GB. This has been predicted by Misek, who believes that the iPhone will offer more storage than before. Whether or not this means a new top-end model or whether the entry-level 16GB model hasn't been confirmed, but we'd expect Apple to ditch the low-end and stick with its current pricing.

The rumours of a 128GB version would seem to be true, as we know that Apple now has that capacity, thanks to the recent launch of a 128GB iPad 4.

The new model doubled the maximum capacity of the previous high-end iPad (64GB). This update was said to be about increasing the variety of uses for the tablet, with Apple stating that more storage was good for large files for use in applications such as CAD and music production. It's also a more useful amount of storage for photos and videos.

The update to the iPad 4 was a completely new model with a new price, so we'd expect the same range of capacities and prices to be available from the iPad 5: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. With Apple now using 128GB storage in its tablets, the question is whether or not it will provide the same range of capacities in its iPhone and iPad Mini range, too.

Given that the capacity is now available to Apple and that the smartphone market is even more competitive, we'd say that a 128GB version of the new phone is more than likely.

IPHONE 6 INDOOR MAPPING

Apple has recently bought indoor location tracking start-up WifiSLAM for $20m, fuelling a rumour that the iPhone 6 will have indoor mapping.

Apple has bought the company outright, so it's likely that its technology will be integrated directly into iOS products, rather than being available for third-party use.

While GPS is brilliant, it requires line-of-sight to satellites, meaning that it doesn't work accurately indoors. WifiSLAM's technology is designed to use alternative radio beacons (WiFi networks, RFID tags or specialist transmitters) to track people inside a building.

That may sound a little odd, but inside large buildings, such as museums, shopping centres and airports, the technology could be really useful.

It may be that the iPhone 6 gets this technology, so that it's in-door ready. However, as indoor mapping requires additional technology to work properly, it could be a while before a lot of buildings are supported.

IPHONE 6 LUMINANCE SHOCK

Not all of the new features destined for the iPhone 6 are about making it faster, more attractive or improving the screen. Some, such as the mooted luminance shock eye protection, are about making it more comfortable to use.

Luminance shock is when you're say in a dark room and a message or notification pops-up on your phone, shooting the screen to full brightness, temporarily creating a vision impairment. Now Apple has won a patent for a luminance shock avoidance.

According to the abstract supplied by Apple, "The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited."

In other words, the phone will use the ambient light sensor built into the phone to see how dark it is. It will also monitor to see if the phone's turned on or not. If the phone's off and the room is dark, the algorithm kicks into action when an alert comes in and only raises the screen to a pre-set brightness level, avoiding luminance shock.

The patent then goes on to explain how, after a set period of time, the handset would then raise the brightness of the screen to the set brightness level, slowly ramping it up and giving your eyes time to adjust.

Apple's patent also describes using a gamma shift to change the screen to red wavelengths, which the eye is less sensitive to, moving it away from the blue/green light.

One of the key things about the patent is that it's a luminance shock avoidance algorithm, which means that Apple can implement it in software. That means that the iPhone 5S could get it, as well as existing iOS devices, such as the iPhone 5 and iPad 4.

NFC

One of the omissions from the iPhone 5 was NFC, but with the technology starting to appear in most new Android phones, we'd expect this in the in iPhone 6. With Apple pushing its Passbook App, for storing store cards, tickets and coupons, integrating this with NFC would make a lot of sense. An Apple phone with NFC would also help push the technology, as retailers are more likely to take it seriously with this handset on board.

iPHONE 6 SMART BEZEL

One of the things that attracts people to the iPhone is its ease of use and simplicity. However, iOS has barely changed since launch, so Apple could well introduce new ways to interact with its phones in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Patently Apple managed to dig up information on a new patent for a smart bezel. This will use a secondary display system, which could be embedded around the primary screen or even on the back of a device to provide new controls that light up when needed.

According to Patently Apple, "Apple intends to use the secondary display to introduce a new set of illuminated indicators that would be able to morph into various controls for work and play. Illuminated gaming and productivity controls could be built into the face-side of the bezel and/or selected back-side areas of iOS devices like the iPad."

Smart bezel will use a secondary display system that illuminates controls when they're needed

That sounds pretty cool to us and could negate some of the negative point of iOS, such as having to scroll all the way to the top of an SMS thread to call the contact.

iPHONE 6 PROCESSOR

Judging what Apple will do with the processor is harder, but we'd expect an updated model in the iPhone 6. Currently the iPhone 5 has a dual-core Apple A6 processor, but a quad-core Apple A7, using ARM Cortex A15-based cores, sounds plausible to us.

It also seems more than likely that Apple will use ARM's big.LITTLE architecture. This allows a processor to have low-power cores that save on battery life, when not much CPU power is required, switching to full-power cores when more intensive tasks are required. Apple's always been hot on battery life, so this move would make sense, particularly as it's something that ARM's really pushing at the moment.

There are already quad-core phones from Apple's competitors and there's now theSamsung octa-core Exynos 5 chip. However, it's important to note that more cores doesn't been better performance and the iPhone 5 is still the smoothest and fastest smartphone that we've used, despite having 'only' two cores.

With that in mind, Apple will only use the hardware that its phone requires, rather than going all-out to get the most number of cores into a phone.

The latest information suggests that the Apple A7 processor is now being finished by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing company. It appears as though, the final design will go in March, then move to risk production in May-June.

With that kind of schedule production of the new chip would happen in 2014, meaning that this processor will definitely be for the iPhone 6, while the iPhone 5S is more likely to get some kind of tweaked A6 processor.

Recent rumours have suggested that the iPhone 6 process will be manufactured by Intel, rather than Samsung.

With Intel's core market of desktop and laptops contracting, the company is looking to expand its business by offering contract manufacturing. It makes a lot of sense, as Intel has the capital investment in global fabrication plants, which means it should be able to offer competitive prices. It also means that Apple can move away from Samsung, reducing its reliance on its main competitor.

This shouldn't be read as a move to Intel-based technology, though. Although Intel has a smartphone chip, it hasn't been used in a lot of phones, with manufacturers preferring ARM. ARM has the dual benefits of low power requirements, which are important on battery-powered devices, and the fact that it licenses its technology, so manufacturers can easily build their own custom chips.

iOS 7

One of the constants of the iPhone has been iOS 6, which as barely changed. In fact, with iOS 5, which was introduced with the iPhone 5, the OS barely changed, bar the introduction of the disastrous Apple Maps app.

With Android offering Widgets and Windows Mobile 8 a cleaner interface, it's fair to say that iOS is starting to look a bit dated. We'd bet money on Apple working on a successor with a different interface, but whether or not this is iOS 7 and whether or not it will be released with the iPhone 6 is yet to be seen.

The odds of iOS 7 being ready on time have slipped, with news that the project is now behind schedule. According to recent reports, Apple has had to take developers away from OS X 10.9 in order to get its mobile OS back on track. So, where does that leave us? Well, the smart betting is that iOS 7 will be released with or shortly after the iPhone 5S, iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2. Current information has the iPhone 6 releasing next year, so we wouldn't be surprised if it were to get a tweaked version of iOS 7, perhaps with some unique features for this handset.

iPHONE 6 CONCEPTS

Working off the discovered patents and leaked information, a lot of iPhone 6 concepts have been released. At the moment, the most interesting one is from InventHelp's Nickolay Lamm.

"I feel that the sales success of the iPhone 5 overlooks the fact that it was a pretty boring phone," Lamm said. "I looked at all of Apple’s recent patents and chose four which Apple may include in the iPhone 6 or later version. I then hired a 3D graphic designer to illustrate each of these patents so that the illustrations were as realistic as possible. I gave him very specific guidelines to follow."

The shot below shows a possible version of the phone, along with the Smart Bezel highlighting controls on the screen. The finished iPhone 6 will most likely look different, but it's interesting to see how Smart Bezel could work.

This iPhone 6 concept shows how the new phone could look, complete with its smart bezel

iPHONE 6 PRICE

Apple typically releases its new models at the same price as the old ones, and we can't see it introducing a more expensive phone into this tough market. If that holds out, then, and assuming that the 16GB model is dropped, we'd expect the 32GB model to cost £529, the 64GB model £599 and the 128GB model £699.

This is the smartphone of the future

2013-04-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

Smartphone of the future – intro

Even before this year's round of new smartphones arrived, it wasn't hard to guess what their spec sheets would look like. And sure enough, when the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z were announced with varying degrees of pomp and circumstance, they came packing 1080p screens, 4G connectivity and quad-core processors (or Octa-Core in the S4's case). So far, so predictable – and with mobiles' screen resolution now approaching the limits of the human eye, there's little room for improvement in that area.

Is innovation in phone tech reaching a plateau? We take a look at forthcoming innovations that could add some spark to your future smartphone.

Smartphone of the future – battery life

The number one gripe with our pocket-dwelling telephones is their inability to keep up with us all day – battery life needs improving. While it might leave battery pack manufacturers in the lurch, new discoveries in lithium-ion mean we could soon go weeks without a recharge – and when we do juice-up it’ll only take a minute.

Discoveries in Korea that use graphite, or more recent tin tech findings in Zurich, aim to improve current lithium-ion batteries. While you probably update your phone before its relatively cheap battery manages its last charge, electric car batteries are more expensive. Now that electric cars are becoming more developed lots of money is being thrown at creating quick-charging, long-life, cheaper batteries.

Those discoveries should find their way into mobiles, meaning smartphones of the future will leave us marvelling at the days when we were umbilically attached to chargers.

Smartphone of the future – storage

Sure cloud storage is already near limitless. But while data connections are less than reliable the instant storage of local disks are still sought after. You don't see many Chromebooks around yet, do you? But now that many mobiles, like theHTC One, are doing away with memory card expansion options we want more internal storage.

That’s why Samsung’s newly developed SSDs are exciting. They use – big breath – super-compact three-bit multi-level-cell 10 nanometer process technology. That, essentially, means we can look forward to more storage, with super-fast 400-megabit connections. Try doing that in a cloud. Although we do concede that when cloud connections are good enough local storage, for anything other than buffering, may be a thing of the past.

Smartphone of the future – controls

While keyboards like SwiftKey help smartphone typing, nothing is as good as a real keyboard. But with gesture controlled Leap Motion and Kinect interactionleading the charge on the keyboard and mouse throne, gadget interaction may change drastically soon. And if the impending smartwatch revolution is going to happen then some nifty new way of interacting with a small screen is a must.

We know voice works to a certain extent but that won’t cut it in most situations. That’s why direct virtual object controls, like the Microsoft 3D transparent screen controls, are what we expect to see soon. Imagine looking at your mobile through Google Glass and seeing hovering objects that a Kinect or Leap Motion style sensor lets you physically interact with. Suddenly reality and the virtual world could be linked physically better than the aging mouse or keyboard could ever manage.

Smartphone of the future – build

Your future phone could be 3D printed – to your exact specifications. Nokia has already released the CAD file for its Nokia Lumia 820 smartphone shell, allowing 3D printers to fire out a new case as needed. Once all smartphone parts are available online you'll be able to pick and chose the specifications of your smartphone and simply print it out. If anything goes wrong you can just print out a spare part and slip it into your easy-build future phone. But nothing should go wrong with new super strong materials like Sapphire Glass, which is already here.

Smartphone of the future – screen

E Ink has reached mobiles in the YotaPhone, to save battery on displays. But anApple patent for a hybrid screen that can switch between LCD and E Ink is the future you'll see on your smartphone. Ultimately a colour E Ink screen that can refresh as fast as a current display and match that 1080p resolution would be ideal – but from speaking with E Ink it doesn't look likely. So a dual screen that lets you watch films on the LCD and read books on the E Ink could be the battery saving solution to always-on mobiles.

Smartphone of the future – conclusion

Your smartphone puts more power in your pocket than the world’s most powerful supercomputer did just 20 years ago – and that took up a whole room. So with all that processing power in your pocket. That'll continue to improve, but the real shift in performance will bring us enough power, storage and control for anything.

Implanted contact lens displays, brain memory expansion, human energy powered charging and enhanced, software-controlled health systems are all around the corner – once our smartphones shed their shells and join our fleshy forms once and for all. But you might have to wait just a bit longer for that lot.

Read it at Stuff

Yahoo Weather for iOS May Be the Most Beautiful Weather App Yet

2013-04-23T00:44:00.004-07:00

Yahoo just released a new weather app for iOS whose interface puts other weather apps to shame. It's easy to use, filled with information, and as gorgeous as they come.

Say what you want about Yahoo, but sometimes they nail it. The new weather app uses Flickr to find photos of your current city with its current conditions to display the weather on its home page, with a big temperature indicator for quick-glance weather. Scroll down and you'll see everything else you could possibly want to know: the daily forecast, the weekly forecast, an expandable radar map, wind and pressure, and even information on sunrise, sunset, and the moon phases.

Plus, the whole thing is so easy to navigate that your chihuahua could do it, which is more than we can say for a lot of weather apps. It may not be as feature-filled as our current pick for best weather app on iOS, but it's completely free and more than most people will need in their arsenal. Hit the link below to check it out.

Yahoo! Weather | iTunes App Store via Cult of Mac

The Sennheiser OCX 685i Is a Great Set of Workout-Oriented Headphones

2013-04-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

We've talked about a lot of great headphones and earbuds before, but when you're going for a jog, you need something a little different. Our friends at the Wirecutter picked the Sennheiser OCX 685i as their favorite workout earphones. Here's why.

When you're looking for exercise headphones, you need more than just good sound. You also want something that's durable, stays on your head when you move around, and gives you some situational awareness (so you can hear cars coming before you turn into a road pancake). After reviewing a bunch of different earphones, Seamus Bellamny at the Wirecutter found the OCX 685i to be the best:

The 685i Sports produced, clear, crisp audio, with excellent highs and mid-range sound as well as the deep thumping bass you’ll want to keep your cadence up while doing road work or sweating yourself thin on a treadmill. . .
Not only do they sound great, the OCX 685i also offer a great amount of situational awareness so you can avoid getting run over by traffic. With the volume on my iPhone 5 set to approximately 60%, I was still able to hear cars coming up behind me from about a half block away. I was also able to carry on a conversation with my personal trainer while she tried to kill me with some time on the recumbent bike at the gym.

The 685i earphones cost $63, but if you're looking for something cheaper, the Wirecutter has a list of the best options in a number of different price ranges. We haven't tested these ones ourselves, but you can hit the link below to check out the Wirecutter's very, very detailed review to see more—as well as the other great workout 'buds they recommend.

The Best Exercise Headphones | The Wirecutter

Nike+ FuelBand app for iOS

2013-04-23T00:17:00.001-07:00

Where's the fun in owning an exercise tracker like the Nike+ FuelBand if you can't lord your healthiness over others? Nike must have wondered the same thing, as it just updated the FuelBand's iOS app to add Nike+ Friends. Wearers can now learn where their step count places them relative to their peers and share the results for all to see. Should there be any doubters, owners can attach photos, locations and mentions of nearby friends to back up their boasting. Yes, it's an upgrade that's primarily focused on oneupmanship, but it's good in our book if it makes us walk just a bit further each day.

Read at Engadget

Nomad 3-Inch Lightning Cable Now Available for Preorder, Shipping in June

2013-04-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Nomad Lightning Cable, a 3-inch Lightning to USB cable, was a spectacular successwhen it hit Kickstarter back in November and now it is available for preorder for $24.99. Orders placed now are expected to be shipped in June.

A 3" Apple certified lightning USB cable for your key ring. Sync/Charge capability. The Nomad cable is perfect for use at work, in the car, at home, or anywhere on the go - it's there when you need it!

The team behind the Nomad worked directly with Apple, which means this is a fully Apple-certified Lightning accessory. The USB side of the Nomad locks into a keychain adapter, which makes it convenient to carry in a pocket alongside a set of keys.