Cook says Apple is working on a secret project, most likely the Apple iWatch

At Apple's stockholders' meeting on Friday, CEO Tim Cook might have been talking about the Apple iWatch when he mentioned a "secret project" that he wasn't at liberty to discuss. The project came up when the executive was questioned about U.S. made projects and Cook mentioned the plant in Arizona that a supplier is using to produce sapphire glass for Apple. The executive quickly mentioned that other companies in the U.S. produce glass for the iPhone.



Last month, we told you that despite test runs of sapphire glass screened iPhones produced by Foxconn, yields have not been that great which ...

Apple to offer paid chat for devices out of warranty as soon as next week?

A published report on Friday cites sources close to the project, who say that Apple is about to offer paid chat to help those with a broken device that is out of warranty. Rumored to be starting up as soon as next week, those with a device still within the warranty period will be able to access free chat at getsupport.apple.com. Others will have to fork over a "pay per incident" fee or buy an extended warranty via AppleCare.



Online chat support had been free, although back in August, Apple posted a $19.99 per incident fee for the technical support. Still, Apple has not yet charged for the ...

Yes, Nokia's X phones are Android-based, but will regular users know, or care?

Since the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is free for everyone to take, use and modify, any manufacturer can build a custom OS based on it - with or without Google services included. The result could be great, mediocre, or downright terrible. Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets are an example of how you can build a successful Android-based device that doesn’t make you think it’s running Android.



As you’ve surely heard, Nokia unveiled a brand new family of smartphones built on AOSP at MWC 2014: the Nokia X, Nokia X+, and Nokia XL. Just like Amazon’s tablets, these handsets ...

Pre-order pricing suggests no price cut for the Samsung Galaxy S5

Amid talk that the recently unveiled Samsung Galaxy S5 might launch at a lower price than the Samsung Galaxy S4 at its launch, U.K. retailer Clove posted its pre-order price for the phone. The 16GB Samsung Galaxy S5 is priced at £499.99 ($838 USD) or £599.99 ($1005 USD) after tax. Amazon Spain is asking €730 ($1009 USD) for the same exact phone.



This pricing is actually higher than the launch price for the Samsung Galaxy S4, which was $650 to $700 globally. The latest build of Sammy's flagship Android device will launch in 150 countries on April 11th.



The Samsung Galaxy S5 is coming ...

Apple to launch iOS in the Car next week?

According to a report out of the U.K., Apple is expected to launch its in-car OS, iOS in the Car, as soon as next week. The first three car brands that will support the service are Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo. The launch comes amid rumors that Apple could be interested in buying electric car manufacturer Tesla. Previous speculation had iOS in the Car being made available as part of the release of iOS 7.1.



Putting a version of iOS in a car manufactured by a third party represents the first time Apple has allowed its OS to be used in a product not branded Apple. The buzz is that the Cupertino ...

Apple stockholders hold annual meeting

Apple's stockholders' meeting today was supposed to include voting on Carl Icahn's non-binding proposal, suggesting that Apple buy back $50 billion of its shares. But Icahn recently withdrew the motion, which took the excitement out of the meeting. The highlight turned out to be shareholders re-electing eight board members, including former Vice President Al Gore.



CEO Tim Cook made some interesting comments. Comparing the first OG Apple iPad to the Apple iPad Air, he called the former tablet "embarrassing." And after bragging about the all-time tech record of $171 billion in revenue that ...

Here is when Android 4.4 is coming to your Asus PadFone

Own the Asus PadFone? Asus has scheduled updates to some of its PadFone models that includes Android 4.4 and the new Zen UI. Keep in mind that these are pretty broad time periods and are not exact dates. As we get closer to the actual update, Asus said that it will narrow down the time period to a more narrow band.



Those with the Asus PadFone 2, Asus PadFone Infinity (in Russia and Asia) and the Asus PadFone A80 in Europe will receive the update during the second quarter of 2014. All other new Asus PadFone Infinity models will receive the update in the third quarter.



The Asus PadFone ...

Get the Apple iPhone 5s for $1 today and tomorrow from Best Buy

If you're looking for the Apple iPhone 5s, you're not going to get a better deal than the one offered by Best Buy today and tomorrow. For those two days, the big box retailer will give you a minimum $150 for your working Apple iPhone 4s or Apple iPhone 5. And that credit can be immediately applied against a brand spanking new 16GB Apple iPhone 5s priced at $149.99. Actually, Best Buy will charge you $1 for the newer model after the trade.



The deal is good only today and tomorrow. Once the doors close on your local Best Buy store on Saturday night, you're too late. The deal requires a signed ...

Surprise: here's the All New HTC One / M8 for Verizon

Earlier today we saw an AT&T-bound HTC All New One / M8. Now - surprisingly or not - a Verizon variant of the unannounced smartphone also made an appearance, thanks to the same @evleaks.



Unlike AT&T’s silver-colored All New HTC One, Verizon’s model comes in dark gray (as you can certainly see above). However, both carriers will probably release the handset in multiple color versions.



Rumors have it that Sprint and T-Mobile will also release HTC’s next generation flagship smartphone. While we haven’t seen these versions (and can’t confirm their existence), ...

iOS State of the Platform Part 3: 2014 iWatch, iPhones, and iPads

In Part 1, we took a look back at the iOS platform in 2013. Part 2 began our look ahead towards what we can expect for Apple's platform in terms of market share, as well as the upcoming iOS 8 update. Now, it's time for the big issues: iOS hardware for 2014, including the iPhone 6, iWatch, possible iPhablet, and new iPads...Hardware

What and when

Now, it's time to move on to the main event, because 2014 is expected to be all about new Apple hardware. We'll start off broadly, because there is a lingering question regarding just how much new hardware we see. It is almost a certainty that we ...

iOS State of the Platform Part 2: 2014 market share and iOS 8

If you missed Part 1, check out our review of the iOS platform in 2013.

When you take on the task of looking ahead at what's to come with Apple, you're dedicating yourself to wading through a lot of crap. The rumor mill is always active in the mobile ecosystem, but the Apple rumor mill is a never-ending flood of hopes, dreams, misinformation, and more than anything else: analysts that want to keep getting those checks. Because of all that, we can't go through every rumor that exists, and we have to try to focus in on the most plausible rumors based on some basic rational ...

iOS State of the Platform Part 1: 2013 review

Last time, we took a long trip in order to cover the major changes we saw over the past year in Android, and what to expect in 2014 for Google's system. Surprisingly, the look into Apple has taken an even longer journey (both in how long it took to write and in overall length of the piece), because while we skimmed over Android hardware for the most part, it is impossible to do the same with Apple. This means there s a bit more to cover in terms of where Apple's platform has come from in 2013, and what to expect from iOS in 2014.

Just as we did with Android, we'll be looking ...

Lenovo to team up with Ashton Kutcher on a range of new phones

Steve Jobs is teaming up with Lenovo on a new range of handsets. Ok, it really isn't Steve Jobs, but is Ashton Kutcher, the actor who portrayed the late Apple co-founder in the movie "Jobs". You might recall that the Chinese manufacturer signed the television and film star as a design engineer back in October, to work on the company's Yoga Tablets.



Lenovo Chief Marketing Officer David Roman said on Friday that Kutcher won't be designing the actual circuitry that goes into the phone, but the UX of the device will certainly have his fingerprints all over it. The actor is known to be a savvy ...

Update could greatly improve iPhone 5s fingerprint scanning accuracy

While the Touch ID fingerprint scanner for the iPhone 5s has been an impressive addition to the handset, some users have had issues with accuracy and reliability. The concerns have been growing louder, because it seems the problem has been one that gets worse over time. But, a new rumor says that Apple is readying a fix for Touch ID.

Some users have noted that the accuracy of the Touch ID would "fade" over time. A workaround to the problem would be to simply retrain the system, but the issue has been persistent, so you would end up having to retrain the system with your fingerprint ...

Sony Xperia Z2 in-depth video hands-on

The Samsung Galaxy S5 might have been our favorite smartphone from MWC 2014, but it's impressive closely-matched it was by the Sony Xperia Z2. Indeed, Sony has crafted an incredible handset, and since we're sure that the Xperia Z2 will have millions of fans across the globe, we're delighted to present you with our in-depth hands-on video with it.

Samsung Galaxy S5 coming to Boost and Virgin next quarter

Pre-paid carriers Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile both announced on Friday that they will be adding the Samsung Galaxy S5 to their respective lineups. Both carriers are owned by Sprint, which comes into play since the Galaxy S5 offered by both Boost and Virgin will support Sprint's tri-band LTE service known as Sprint Spark. This service uses circuitry in the phone to determine which of three LTE bands is more suited to your task, and provides faster data speeds and superior indoor penetration of signals.



Both Boost and Virgin said that the just unveiled Samsung Galaxy S5 will be available ...

Samsung UK lets you win a Galaxy S5 and Gear Fit

The new Galaxy S5 won’t be released before April 11, but Samsung is already offering customers the chance to win it. Earlier this week, we told you that T-Mobile and MetroPCS are giving away an S5 in the US.



Now, Samsung UK also announced a contest that will allow participants to win not just a Galaxy S5, but also a Samsung Gear Fit. Of course, to enter this particular contest you must reside in the UK (and be at least 18 years old). The contest lasts until March 27, and will end with “two lucky winners”, each getting a Galaxy S5 and a Gear Fit. The latter, as ...

LG executive knocks Apple and HTC while revealing a new line of metal phones

In an interview with a Russian blog, LG's Chul Bae Lee casually tossed out some interesting observations about the competition, while revealing that the Korean manufacturer has something planned for those who want their smartphone encased in metal. Lee, who is the vice-president and head in the direction of mobile communications in the design center of LG (imagine fitting that on a business card), was asked why LG has not used a metal casing for its phones. He asks, if metal is such a great design, why isn't HTC number one in the market?



Another point he makes is that metal makes getting ...

State of the Platform 2014: iOS

Last time, we took a long trip in order to cover the major changes we saw over the past year in Android, and what to expect in 2014 for Google's system. Surprisingly, the look into Apple has taken an even longer journey (both in how long it took to write and in overall length of the piece), because while we skimmed over Android hardware for the most part, it is impossible to do the same with Apple. This means there s a bit more to cover in terms of where Apple's platform has come from in 2013, and what to expect from iOS in 2014.

Just as we did with Android, we'll be looking ...

Sony releases pricing for mid-range Sony Xperia M2

According to a published report on Friday out of the Netherlands, Sony has announced the MSRP of the mid-range Sony Xperia M2. The Japanese manufacturer has priced the handset at 289 EUR ($399 USD). Additionally, Sony said the model will make a worldwide launch in April. The phone is the sequel to last summer's Sony Xperia M.



The device offers a 4.8 inch screen with resolution of 540 x 960, for a 229ppi pixel density. Under the hood is a quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 with the Adreno 305 GPU on board. 1GB of RAM is included with the phone, which comes with 8GB of native storage, 5GB of ...

Leaked memo reveals March 6th release date for Verizon's LG G Pad and Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2

A leaked internal memo reveals that a couple of eagerly awaited tablets will be launched by Verizon on March 6th.The two tablets are the LG G Pad 8.3 (LG-VK810) and the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 (SMP905VZKA). The memo notes that stores would soon be receiving the devices, demo units and accessories for the two slates.



With an 8.3 inch screen and 1920 x 1200 resolution, the LG G Pad 8.3 is the first 8 inch tablet to offer an FHD display. The combination works out to a pixel density of 273ppi. A quad-core 1.7GHz CPU is driving the tablet, which comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of native storage. ...

Sony cuts 1000 US jobs, puts former Tokyo headquarters on sale

Although Sony hardly ever shows signs of weakness, its consumer electronics business isn't as glossy on the inside as it seems on the outside. According to a WSJ report, Sony is looking to sell its former former headquarters and surrounding buildings in central Tokyo. In addition, Sony plans to cut around 1000 work positions in the USA - a one fifth of the company's planned global staff reduction for 2014.

As unfortunate as it may seem - Sony is basically putting its birthplace for sale, and people will be losing their jobs, the company must be commended for fearlessly disposing of its ...

MWC 2014: PhoneArena Awards

Friday game and app deals

What better way to start off the weekend than getting some of the best games and apps for a fraction of their price? Some of our favorite Android and iOS games are now on sale for a limited time, and you’d better hurry up and get these deals while they last.



This time around, we have a ton of productivity apps and tools that have gone down in price, along with some great games. The highlights that you should not miss are apps like DocumentsToGo and MathStudio that are in our list of must-haves and now available for much less than their original price.



Gamers should also be more than ...

Poki, a Pocket client for Windows Phone, updated with a ton of new features

Poki is one of the most popular Pocket clients for the Windows Phone platform. Pocket, if you do not know, allows its users to easily save articles and web pages, which can be viewed later.



Thanks to a recent update, Poki received lots of new features, which make this Pocket client more user-friendly and convenient to use. Now, the app comes with video support on board – it is compatible with both YouTube and Vimeo videos, which can be viewed alongside other saved articles.



Another new perk of Poki is the added support for websites with multiple pages. Up until now, the Pocket client ...

FIFA 14 is now available for Windows Phone devices with at least 1GB of RAM

Hey, soccer fans, gather around! A Windows Phone version of FIFA 14, the latest addition to one of the most popular soccer simulators, has finally been released. The iOS and Android versions of the game landed on the respective app stores back in September 2013.



FIFA 14 features more than 16,000 real soccer players from 34 different leagues. Players can choose among 600 licensed teams to play with. Of course, a bigger portion of these comes directly from Europe.



A completely new feature has also found its way to the popular game. FIFA 14 is the first mobile game of the FIFA series ...

Acer Liquid S2 Review

Introduction

There are smartphones out there that need no introduction. The Acer Liquid S2, however, is not one of them, and so far it appears that the Taiwanese company's premier phablet device has mostly failed to gain some serious traction. But should that dissuade you from considering the Liquid S2 when you go phablet hunting some time in the foreseeable future? Absolutely not, for Acer's top-shelfer packs quite a punch under its massive hood. At a price.



Does the Liquid S2 have what it takes to make it through the testing grounds? Let's find out.



In the box:



Wall ...

Maps ok to read on cellphones while driving, says California's 5th district Court of Appeal

A California state appeals court threw out a $165 ticket given to Steven Spriggs back in 2012, for looking at his Apple iPhone 4 while behind the wheel of his car, stuck in traffic. Spriggs was in a traffic jam created by construction, when he grabbed his smartphone to find an alternate route using a map on the handset. A California Highway Patrol officer spotted what he thought was an infraction of California's strict law prohibiting cellphone use behind the wheel, and wrote Spriggs the ticket.



But in an 18 page decision handed down Thursday by the 5th District Court of Appeal in California, ...

'S'up, space pilot?' Roid Rage Android game review

Developer: Butterscotch ShenanigansDownload: AndroidCategory: Arcade & ActionPrice: Free, with in-app purchases

Longing for some good ol' arcade asteroid dodgin' ? Roid Rage just popped up in the Play Store, and with a developer like Butterscotch Shenanigans, you know it's bound to be sweet. Looking refreshingly oldfashioned, Roid Rage reminds you of your wasted youth, with the countless hours (and money) spent at the local arcade game joint, shooting alien objects hurtling through space.

Here ...

Apple is named the world's most admired company; Google finishes third

Fortune Magazine named its ranking of the world's 50 most admired companies. On top, for the seventh straight year, was Apple. The Cupertino based tech titan is not only the most admired company, but is also the most valuable brand. The company was ranked in nine key areas of reputation, and finished first in innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long term investment and quality of products/services. It came in second in global competitiveness and fifth in social responsibility.



Swapping spots from last ...

Attention! HTC is on the hunt for a Spanish biker that saved CEO Peter Chou from being late for MWC

HTC CEO Peter Chou is desperately trying to find a certain Spanish biker, who made him a giant favor on the first day of the MWC, and compensate him for the good deed. Why, exactly?



In the early morning of February 24, Peter Chou was riding a taxi on his way to the Fira de Barcelona exposition center, where the MWC took place. Unfortunately, the cab got stuck in traffic. The CEO of HTC had an important appointment and could not afford to run late. Fortunately, Peter Chou spotted a motorcyclist, riding a small green scooter, who passed by the stationary cab. As his time was running out, the ...

Best smartphone of MWC 2014: PhoneArena awards

MWC 2014 was a tremendously exciting expo, and that's mainly thanks to the impressive flagship smartphones that got announced. Thinking about it, we can easily distinguish three top-shelf handsets that undeniably managed to make the biggest bang at the show. Those are the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Sony Xperia Z2 and the LG G Pro 2.



So, which one should we give the "Best smartphone of MWC 2014" award to? Geez, that's such a tough call! The G Pro 2... will not be our choice. It's a bit of a more niche device with its larger than life display, but it's also failed to bring as much innovation ...

Best tablet of MWC 2014: PhoneArena awards

Sony didn't have anyone to beat with the new Xperia Z2 Tablet, but itself. After releasing the world's thinnest, lightest 10" slate last year with the Tablet Z, at the MWC 2014 expo it surprised us once again with another slim boomerang, that takes those same superlatives away from its predecessor. Moreover, Sony managed to still keep the tablet waterproof, and with IP58 certification at that, meaning you can watch movies in the bathtub with no worries again.

Clocking in at the breathtaking just 0.25" (6.4mm) girth, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is also the lightest ...

Best wearable of MWC 2014: PhoneArena awards

Wearable devices are all the rage this year, and there were quite a few of them at Mobile World Congress, but was there really any single break-through one? We looked through all the announcements and picked the very best wearable of MWC 2014, and this symbolic award goes to… the Samsung Gear Fit.



The Gear Fit is the first wearable device with a flexible AMOLED panel and it looks really novel and sleek, like a timepiece from the future. Its colorful 1.84-inch display (it has a resolution of 432 x 128 pixels) will definitely draw the eyes of passers-by, but it’s also touch-enabled ...

European Comission meets with Apple and Google to end misleading in-app purchases

On 27 and 28 February, the European Comission is meeting with national authorities and large technological companies (including Apple and Google) to discuss in-app purchases. The EC estimates that, at present, over 50% of the EU online and mobile games market consists of games advertised as “free”, although they often entail, sometimes costly, in-app purchases. Often consumers are not fully aware that they are spending money, because their credit cards get charged by default. This makes children particularly vulnerable to marketing of "free to download" games which are, however, not "free to play".

EU ...

HTC's Jeff Gordon: "We will continue doing what we do best, regardless of the Galaxy S5" (interview)

At MWC 2014, we took the opportunity to interview Jeff Gordon, Senior Global Online Communications Manager at HTC, who shared with us some interesting details regarding the company's experience with the HTC One and the customer feedback that it has received since the smartphone's debut. Also, we did not miss the chance to mention the recently announced Galaxy S5 during the conversation and to get a clearer picture as to what makes the HTC Desire 816 a "flagship mid-range". Do we have your attention already? Then just hit that "play" button and enjoy the interview.

John Legere - the hero Wireless deserves, but not the one it needs right now

There are a lot of epic ways we can refer to T-Mobile's John Legere - the Un-CEO of the Un-carrier; the AT&T Party Crasher; the one who got 80 000 customers to send break-up letters to their carriers on Valentine's Day; the one who hears users "loud and clear" while laying some of the sneakiest Twitter jabs out there; the one who said his main competitor's network is "crap" on camera without batting an eyelid; the nastiest Santa the other US wireless carriers never hoped to see dropping from their chimneys; But it's not only his renegade antics that keep entertaining us. Right off the bat, ...

Galaxy S5's stellar battery life might be due to Lucid Logic's battery saving tech

Remember Lucid Logic's battery-saving optimizations that we wrote about not long ago? At the time we mentioned that Samsung has inked a deal for implementing the PowerXtend battery saving algorithms in a yet-unknown device. Well, that mystery handset turns out to be none other than the Galaxy S5 flagship.

The PowerXtend suite comprises of three proprietary algorithms, called WebXtend, NavXtend, and GameXtend. All of them rely on better hardware management and load-balancing, that are supposed to extend the battery life on Android devices. GameXtend is the most interesting here, ...

First Vivo Xplay 3S batch released: Quad HD screen, camera samples and battery life get a review

Vivo unveiled the first phone with a Quad HD (1440x2560 pixels) display, to much fanfare not long ago, and the Xplay 3S is now gradually trickling down to early reviewers. The handset has been thoroughly examined by a Chinese tech blog, with somewhat unsurprising results.

While the reviewers praise the 6" Quad HD screen's brightness, clarity and sharpness, they say that the difference between a "regular" 1080p display, and a 1440p one, is not at all visible when watching video, for instance. That's not hard to explain, given that most videos you'd load on or stream, are of the ...

“We’re the ones getting the calls from customers.” - BB CEO John Chen retaliates against another “ditch your BlackBerry” offer

Since taking the rudder at BlackBerry last year, John Chen has established himself as a confident, outspoken leader with strict character. He is chiefly seen boasting about BBM, plotting strategies, unveiling new phones, and arguing with other CEOs who publicly depreciate the company with their practices - intentionally or not. So far, his forthright delivery hasn't failed to provoke a desired change.

Not long after he made T-Mobile amend its BB-undermining promotion, Chen once again stood up to secure his company's image. This time, it's Good Technology's good-lookin' CEO, Christy Wyatt, ...

Sony Xperia Z2 display analyzed: large color gamut, excellent color accuracy

Sony has just unveiled its new flagship Android smartphone, the Xperia Z2, at MWC, with one huge improvement - a better display. While earlier Sony top-shelf devices like the Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z had the same design language and were pretty top notch in terms of hardware, they both had underwhelming screens with poor viewing angles.



This time, Sony has decided to change all that with a brand new, IPS display. The company uses a slightly larger, 5.2-inch display incorporating its Triluminous technology for wider color gamut. The resolution has not changed - it is the same 1080 x 1920 ...

What is lossless zoom and how does it work in the Lumia 1020 and Xperia Z1?

Smartphone cameras have been improving at a rapid pace, and while the field owes credit to many, it is Nokia, and as of late -- Sony -- that are at the helm. Every year, we're treated to larger sensors, more and bigger pixels, larger apertures, OIS, and more features than we can count. But one thing has been missing for a long while now, and that's proper zoom. After all, many a situation necessitate that you either get closer, or miss the shot, and in those cases you're pretty much done for if you have to rely on the traditional digital zoom. Sure, the objects do appear ...

Motorola: "Google wanted us to be successful but never needed us to"

Motorola, until recently a Google company, held a low-key session at MWC 2014, during which it shed some light on the time it spend under the search giant's ownership. This has been something of a question mark for all of us in the industry, as many have been wondering whether the creator of Android isn't giving Motorola a special treatment in terms of access to the world's most widespread mobile OS. It certainly made some sense.

As it turns out, however, nothing like this took place. In fact, several high-ranking Motorola execs noted that Google was neutral at best, and never ...

Samsung Galaxy S5 could be designated as "medical equipment" in Korea

One of the new features introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a built-in Heart Rate Sensor. This lets you measure your heart rate just by placing your finger on the back of the handset, next to the camera’s LED flash where the sensor is found.



The new feature allegedly determined South Korea's health agency to review the S5 in order to determine if it can be designated as “medical equipment.” According to Yonhap News, Samsung will be able to launch the S5 as scheduled, regardless of the review’s results.



"Even if it is designated as a medical device, ...

Motorola Active Display and Motorola Assist are updated in the Google Play Store

Motorola posted some of the custom features on its handsets, in the Google Play Store as individual apps. This makes it easier and quicker for Motorola users to update them. On Thursday, two of the apps, Motorola Active Display and Motorola Assist, were updated. The pair are available for the Motorola Moto X, and Motorola DROID devices powered by the X8 chip.



The update to the Motorola Active Display honors the system vibration settings. You can turn vibration on or off by going from Settings -> Sound -> Vibrate on touch. It also offers the proverbial bug fixes. Active Display puts ...

Academy Award to be streamed live to Watch ABC app

The 86th Academy Awards will be streamed live this Sunday to those using the Watch ABC app. But ABC will only offer the entire program to those who are subscribers to certain cable-TV networks in specific markets. Those cable networks taking part in the live stream include AT&T U-verse, Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Google Fiber, Midcontinent Communications and Verizon FiOS. The locations where the live stream will be available include Los Angeles; San Francisco; Fresno, Calif.; Houston; Chicago; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Philadelphia and New York.



Samsung ...

Google Hangouts v2 for iOS gets an iOS 7 redesign and iPad support

Every week, there are new app updates from Google, and most are little more than bug fixes and minor updates. But, this week Google has already pushed out an impressive app update that added a number of features to the Photos section of the Google+ app for Android, and now we're getting a major redesign of the Hangouts app for iOS.

The update brings Hangouts to version 2.0. The redesign is one that was expected, and makes Hangouts look more at home with the new iOS 7 UI. The app is flatter and layered. Also the redesign has added full iPad support for the app. In addition to ...

Apple Maps keeps sending skiers to granny's house

For the last 18 months, Apple Maps has been sending iPhone wielding skiers to a grandmother's house in rural Pennsylvania, instead of the ski lodge that they were seeking directions for. Apple Maps directs skiers looking for Roundtop Mountain to go through Beaver Creek Road. The only problem is that this happens to be a dead end.



Judy Saltsburg, who lives at the end of the dead end, told television station WGAL that several times a day, she has to come out of her house and explain to travelers that they received incorrect information. She said that three carloads of skiers had just driven ...

Sony "not worried" about the fact that Samsung's Galaxy S5 is water resistant

MWC 2014 is now over and, among many other things, the fair brought us two new, high-end water resistant Android smartphones: Sony’s Xperia Z2, and Samsung’s Galaxy S5. As you may know, Sony was the first to introduce a high-end smartphone that features a water resistant body: it was the Xperia Z, released in early 2013. But now, with the Galaxy S5 coming soon, Sony may feel that the uniqueness of its Xperias is being threatened. Or maybe not.



According to Ravi Nookala, President of Sony Mobile Communications USA, the company is “not worried about it” - it being ...

Nokia X+, Nokia XL, available for pre-order in Spain

While these are not meant to be representative of the pinnacle of the smartphone world, Nokia’s new line of Android based handsets attract a lot of attention.



The attention is worth it too because few companies have been through what Nokia has endured in such a short period of time. From the “burning platform” memo to the acquisition by Microsoft, Nokia looks like it is going to come through this journey better equipped to take on some seriously heavy hitters in the mobile space.



Now, the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL are available for preorder on Amazon.es, with a pre-sale price guarantee ...