Sony Xperia ion for AT&T ICS update is now available

The LTE flavored Sony Xperia ion for AT&T's has finally left the land of Gingerbread. The handset's long overdue Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update is now available to download directly from Sony. The update to Android 4.0 brings a number of features to the smartphone. They include tabbed browsing, offline reading, desktop mode, etc. Of course, users...

Read More

Google Play hits 25 billion downloads, celebrates with app sale and special collections

The Google Play store hit 25 billion downloads this week. To celebrate, the online store is offering a bunch of 25-cent apps from some major developers throughout the week. The Google Play store, home to more than 675,000 apps and games for Android-powered devices, hit 25 billion downloads this week, less than four years after opening for business. To celebrate...

Read More

iPhone 5 users report 'purple halo' camera glitch

iPhone 5 (left) vs iPhone 4S (Image credit: Mashable) Following days of reports centred around misfiring Maps, scratched aluminium and leaking light, the iPhone 5's iSight camera is apparently next in line for a roasting. Users on the AnandTech forums are reporting that a purple halo, haze or flare is appearing on photos taken with the 8-megapixel snapper,...

Read More

Street View coming to Google Maps mobile Web app in October

If you're really missing Street View on your iPhone since you upgraded to iOS 6, you may be pleased to know that in a couple of weeks Google's Maps mobile Web app will include the feature. When Apple launched Maps as part of iOS 6 recently, users were largely pleased with the look but disappointed with its usability – which is kind of important when it comes...

Read More

‘Secret’ update adds Netflix remote controls to your smartphone

Too lazy to use a PlayStation 3 controller? Now thanks to an unheralded update, you can control the console's Netflix app via your phone. An update recently hit the iOS and Android iterations of the Netflix app that seemed to simply offer stability improvements and boosts to the program’s overall functionality. That’s always welcome, but this particular...

Read More

HTC One X+ makes Twitter appearance

Lookin' mighty mighty (credit: @evleaks) An image purportedly of the HTC One X+ popped up Wednesday, giving for the first time a face to the device that's been making the rumor rounds. There's not much to the image, which was posted on @evleaks Twitter page, other than a basic black bezel, though it does appear as hefty as reports have indicated it will...

Read More

Leaks reveal Xbox Music Pass cloud playlists and pricing

There may even be a free option to challenge Spotify (credit: Engadget) Supposed new leaks from the latest Xbox 360 dashboard update beta and the Windows 8 music app have revealed potential pricing and cloud playlist details for Microsoft's Xbox Music service. Xbox Music was first announced at E3 in June, and rumors later that month claimed that the service...

Read More

4 ridiculous deaths for the iPhone 5 [videos]

Apple's new iPhone 5 is a pretty piece of equipment. But these four videos show how to change all that in no time. With each year’s release of a new iPhone, YouTube fills to the brim with videos of people (and companies) “testing” the durability of Apple’s handset. This year is no different. While so-called drop tests (like this one) can be useful for (clumsy)...

Read More

Report: Apple ditched Google maps over turn-by-turn directions

Talks between Apple and Google broke down over voice-navigation Much has been made about Apple's decision to eschew Google's map app that had been a default feature of iOS until the release of iOS 6. Apple's replacement, Maps, has suffered its fair share of criticisms in the early going, and Google has since moved on to improving their maps for Android....

Read More

Texas Instruments backing away from mobile business

Future Kindle Fires likely to be impacted by TI change of direction Despite the explosive growth of wireless mobile devices, particularly smartphones and tablets, at least one longtime chipmaker looks to be shying away from that market. Reuters reported that Dallas-based chipmaker Texas Instruments has started to expand its business beyond investments in...

Read More

Report: Samsung, Google execs to meet in Seoul Thursday

Is Samsung calling in the big guns? Two of the technology world's top executives are meeting in Seoul for a high-level meeting Thursday, according to the Korea Times. Though those people could be just about anybody we read about daily, this pair happens to be Shin Jong-kyun, Samsung's president of mobile communications business, and Eric Schmidt, executive...

Read More

Microsoft leaks Xbox Music Pass pricing model, and no surprises here, it looks exactly like Zune Music Pass

Many Xbox Music features will be ported from Zune Music, and based on the Xbox dashboard update for beta testers, the same applies to the cost of the service. No surprise here: Microsoft’s leaked Xbox Music service pricing model is no different from every subscription music service out there. Unlimited streaming music on Xbox will cost £8.99 (about $14.50)...

Read More

iPhone 5 (Verizon) review

iPhone 5 (Verizon) review While the handsets may look identical between networks, your choice of provider for the iPhone 5 can result in picking up (or losing) some very helpful perks, many of which seem to fall in the favor of Verizon. Notably, Verizon allows iPhone 5 users on any data plan to use FaceTime over 4G LTE without an additional charge,...

Read More

The Sony Xperia Tablet S – designed to fit your life

What CAN'T you do with the Tablet Xperia S? Sony has brought the Xperia name to the tablet brand for the first time with the new and innovative Xperia Tablet S. Featuring a cutting-edge processor, superb screen and the new level of Google's Android OS, the Tablet S is the device to fit your life. Coming pre-loaded with a host of applications to enhance...

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 review The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 showed up at MWC 2012 in February and slides in at the lower end of Samsung's range, but it's not the firm's bargain basement offering. Replacing the original Samsung Galaxy Mini, the Galaxy Mini 2 can be picked up for around £150 ($200) SIM-free and you can get it for free on contract starting at just £10.50...

Read More

Samsung issues software fix for Galaxy S3s affected by malicious USSD hard reset exploit

Samsung has issued a fix for Galaxy S3 phones vulnerable to code that could remotely wipe a device simply by clicking a link. Here’s the scary version of the above headline: “One line of HTML code could remotely wipe your Samsung phone, and it could be hidden in the very next link you click.” Eeek! The idea that a small piece of code embedded in a website, QR...

Read More

Instagram evidently phasing out live filters with iOS 6 update

The update for Instagram on iOS 6 is here, and while it fixes the resolution issue, you'll notice one big feature missing: Live filters. Those who have purchased the iPhone 5 may have already noticed that several apps that have not received their iOS 6 updates are often cut off in display, leave a large chunk of black blocks to fill in the shorter display...

Read More

Google Maps + Google Earth = Google iOS 6 app

Google will reportedly combine Google Maps and Google Earth in its forthcoming app for Apple iPhones and iPads -- but you may have to wait a while to get it. Apple iPhone users, rejoice! Google is building a new Google Maps app for iOS 6 that will reportedly combine the features of the old app with the whiz-bangery of Google Earth, according to a report...

Read More

Mobile developer Red Robot Labs snags industry vet John Davison

Mobile games developer Red Robot Labs welcomes their new Director of Content and Publishing John Davison. His history with the gaming industry bring a lot to the table for the start-up. Mobile games developer Red Robot Labs focuses many of its games on location-specific elements, but with its latest hire, the company may be looking to relocate itself to...

Read More

Google Play hits 25 billion downloads, offers discounts galore

All play and no work working pretty well for Google Play Over 25 billion apps have been downloaded from Google Play, and Google's so happy about it that it's offering some discounts to celebrate. The Android app store currently plays host to 675,000 apps and games, according to Google, and some of these will be reduced down to 25 cents in the US store over...

Read More

Court drama: Apple wants more money, Samsung says trial was unfair

The courtroom battle between Samsung and Apple continues as Apple seeks $707 million more and a Galaxy S3 ban while Samsung alleges juror misconduct. The continuing saga of the Apple vs Samsung patent war is far from over. In the aftermath of the California trial which ended with a verdict awarding $1.05 billion to Apple, there have been various filings...

Read More

Texas Instruments withdraws from smartphones, goodbye OMAP

Texas Instruments is dropping from the system-on-chip for smartphones and tablets manufacturing and will give up on its OMAP lineup. The company’s OMAP boards are less and less popular among mobile manufacturers – most of them bet on Qualcomm, while Samsung and Apple are developing their own solutions (Exynos, A6). The major disadvantage of the OMAP chipset is the...

Read More

iPhone 6: what you want to see

The new screen is a lovely thing, but its extra height isn't ideal for smaller hands It seems that for many people, the iPhone 5 is a disappointment - so what's missing? We asked for your suggestions and scoured the online reviews, and the results are below: it's your ultimate iPhone 6 wish list. iPhone 6: design Many of you weren't sold on the iPhone...

Read More

Samsung updates Galaxy S3 and co to block killer code

Danger averted Samsung has confirmed that it's resolved any issues surrounding the "killer code" which threatened to wipe some of its handsets. We reported yesterday that several Samsung handsets including the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S Advance were vulnerable to a potentially malicious line of code, which would force handsets running the TouchWiz...

Read More

BlackBerry 10 beta 3 released, shows revamped UI

At a special event yesterday RIM unveiled the BlackBerry 10 beta 3 running on the company's new test device, the Dev Alpha B. The UI look and feel of this latest BlackBerry 10 build is what RIM will be putting on its final BB10 devices in early 2013. And according to those, who've tried it, it really has the potential to grab people's attention. Let's start with...

Read More

RIM reckons BlackBerry 10 will be number 3 mobile OS

RIM reckons BB10 can take bronze Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM) is pretty bullish about the chances of its upcoming, and it hopes company-saving, operating system BlackBerry 10. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins took to the stage at the firm's Jam Americas event in San Jose California yesterday to declare that the delayed BB10 can topple Windows Phone 8 and...

Read More

A look inside the new proprietary Apple A6 chipset

Ever since the iPhone 5 announcement, it's been a mystery what exactly makes the new A6 processor tick. We've already seen its impressive performance benchmarked, but now we get to take a closer look at the architecture itself. A new microscopic examination of the chip not only shows the custom dual ARM cores side-by-side, but also lets us see the unique triple-GPU...

Read More

Apple ditched Google Maps a year before its contract was up

Mapple Apple's controversial new iOS 6 Maps App could have had another year's gestation as its deal with Google Maps had at least another 12 months to run. According to two sources, Apple decided to run with its own maps app quite some time before WWDC in June. It seems the Cupertino crew weren't happy that Google's iOS Maps app was falling behind its...

Read More

RIM CEO filled with optimism over BlackBerry 10, but still can’t nail down a release date

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has delivered his BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas keynote, where his enthusiasm for BlackBerry 10 was palpable September 25 saw the beginning of the BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas conference, where CEO Thorsten Heins took to the stage to entertain and encourage 1,500 attending developers and partners. He began by talking about what BlackBerry...

Read More