Author Archives:
Switch view

Got a new Google Settings icon on your Android smartphone? It’s fine

by 48 comments

You may have been surprised today to see a new app icon in your drawer, the Google Settings, getting you access to previously unseen dashboard of settings.

While the more tech savvy among us might suspect some hidden malware is at work, what’s actually at play is a silent update to the Google Play Services app. Read more »

Angry Birds cartoon to make its web debut on March 16, watch the trailer now

by 24 comments

Rovio, the makers of the hugely popular mobile game Angry Birds, announced Angry Birds Toons, a web cartoon series based on their game title.

Angry Birds Toons will feature weekly episodes that looks to answer perhaps the most burning question of all – namely, why are the birds so angry?! Read more »

HTC One uses Broadcom’s new 5G WiFi modem

by 33 comments

The latest HTC flagship, the HTC One, holds inside it some impressive WiFi horsepower in the form of Broadcom’s new 5G WiFi chip.

The BCM4335 is slated to deliver more bandwidth and higher range, all at significantly lower battery costs. Read more »

Play To arrives to Lumia phones with Windows Phone 8

by 13 comments

Nokia has announced that a beta trial of its DLNA streaming app Play To will be available for Windows Phone 8-powered Nokia devices.

Like similar streaming apps, Play To lets you wirelessly share photos, music, and videos to DLNA-enabled devices, including TV’s and receivers. Read more »

Nokia integrates Maps and Drive into HERE location services, makes them available to all WP8 devices

by 87 comments

Maps and Drive have long been one of the staples of Nokia Windows Phone devices, and today they’re being rolled as part of Nokia’s HERE cloud location service.

Also integrated are the Transit and City Lens apps, which allow for quick access to public transit information and nearby POIs in addition to the cartography and navigation features provided by Drive and Maps. However, the services will no longer bear the Nokia branding. Read more »

Windows Phone Store now hosts more than 130,000 apps, Elop says

by 52 comments

At Nokia’s press conference here at MWC, CEO Stephen Elop announced that the number of available Windows Phone apps has reached and surpassed the 130,000 milestone.

Popular new additions include the WhatsApp cross-platform messaging client, as well as the re-branded HERE suite of navigation and mapping applications. Read more »

Lenovo unveils the A1000, A3000, and S6000 entry-level Android Tablets

by 10 comments

Today, Lenovo outed a few new lower-midrange Android tablets, including a 10-inch 1.2 GHz quad-core model with a 8.6mm waistline.

The A1000, A3000, and S6000 will all run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and give users access to affordable tablets starting in Q2. Read more »

The Samsung Galaxy Express enters our battery test gauntlet, comes through with flying colors

by 50 comments

Samsung’s just-released LTE-toting midranger, the Samsung Galaxy Express, is the company’s first dual-core Krait offering for the international market.

It not only offers LTE connectivity for emerging LTE markets in Europe and Asia, but also comes with a beefy 2000 mAh battery, which churns out some great performance when combined with the latest Android Jelly Bean. Read more »

Nikon licenses Microsoft patent to use in Android-enabled cameras

by 69 comments

Amidst all the recent patent cases revolving Android and smartphone operating systems in general, Microsoft has been able to get in on the action thanks to a patent it owns dealing with all portable devices running Android.

Nikon has recently come to terms with Microsoft in regards to current and future Android-based cameras which will likely require the renowned photography giant to pay an undisclosed royalty fee for every device sold. Read more »

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 rumored to launch in March, priced to compete with iPad mini

by 130 comments

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has leaked so frequently in the past couple of months (heck, even Samsung’s head of Mobile Communications confirmed it), that the device may as well be out already.

The latest news about the compact tablet is that it’s set to hit retail in Europe at the end of March for around €359 for the WiFi only version (€449 if you throw 3G into the mix). Compare this to €329 for the iPad mini (€429 with 3G), and you can see that Samsung aim to directly compete with the smaller iPad with their upcoming product. Read more »

HTC Butterfly lands in our office, check it out before the review ninjas take it away

by 45 comments

The HTC device which made a big name for itself by being the first with a 5″ 1080p screen from a major manufacturer has finally arrived in our office.

We were able to snap a few pictures and even get a quick video of the device in action before sending it off to reviewland, so join us for our first impressions of the HTC flagship and its FullHD screen. Read more »

ARM Q4 profits exceed analyst predictions

by 32 comments

British-based chip designer ARM posted a pre-tax profit of roughly $125.9 million, up 16% in the fourth quarter.

The popular ARM Cortex series of processors can be found in the vast majority of mobile devices and tablets out there, which explains the higher than expected quarterly profit. Read more »

Google maps out the Grand Canyon with over 9500 pictures

by 4 comments

Google Maps has gotten down and dirty in Arizona by mapping out over 75 miles of trails and roads in one of nature’s most impressive wonders.

The initiative is part of Google’s new Trekker program, which puts the famous 360-degree, 15-lens street view cameras in on a wearable backpack, allowing Google maps to give you up close and personal views of areas accessible only on foot. Read more »

Facebook gets twice as much advertising revenue from mobile ads in Q4

by 8 comments

Facebook was able to double its advertising revenue from its mobile ad platform during last years’ holiday quarter.

This is an indicator that their migration to handheld devices in the form of mobile applications is going pretty well so far. Read more »

YouTube looking to offer paid channel subscriptions as early as Q2

by 55 comments

According to several sources, YouTube hopes to begin offering paid subscription channels which will offer premium, produced content.

In an attempt to lure producers away from the traditional television avenues of content delivery, Google is looking to become the first production company for online content capable of reaching such broad audience. Read more »