Announced in October as a new feature for the iPhone Mail system, Intro didn't seem to impress very many people.
The LinkedIn blog doesn't exactly specify the reason Intro is shutting down except to say, "We are making large, long-term investments on a few big bets, and in order to ensure their success, we need to concentrate on fewer things."
The app will officially disappear from iPhones on March 7, which gives you exactly a month to follow steps to disable the service or, according to The Verge, your email accounts will cease to function properly.
Next steps?
The company seems like it will continue to experiment with email services to look for "ways to bring this kind of functionality to our members" - with "this" referencing LinkedIn's network.
There isn't anything more specific beyond that but we can look forward to another perhaps, better experience from LinkedIn later.
HTC and Nokia can finally take a break from their rivalry
The war is over - at least for HTC and Nokia.
The two phone makers have reached an agreement that ends years of pending and ongoing patent litigation.
This truce comes just two days after a German court handed Nokia a decisive victory that might have required HTC to redesign several of its phones.
As part of the agreement HTC will pay Nokia an undisclosed amount, presumably for patent licensing, so it doesn't have to go back to the drawing board.
Best friends forever
But the agreement doesn't only cover patents, and it appears Nokia and HTC are about to become closer than ever.
This deal also covers a "technology collaboration agreement," according to an announcement made by Nokia.
That means the companies will be working together, on HTC's portfolio of LTE patents and on "future technology collaboration opportunities" - whatever that means.
"We are very pleased to have reached a settlement and collaboration agreement with HTC, which is a long-standing licensee for Nokia's standards essential patents," Nokia Chief Intellectual Property Officer Paul Melin said in the company's statement.
Likewise, HTC is "pleased to come to this agreement, which will enable us to stay focused on innovation for consumers," HTC general counsel Grace Lei said.
The Patent Hammer of Truth (patent pending)
Nokia began whacking HTC over the head with the Patent Hammer of Truth in 2012, and has since won victories in the US, England, and Germany.
Can you really blame HTC for wanting to settle things amicably? After all, it's no Apple or Samsung, to wage a never-ending and pointless war over nothing.
iPhones have had controller support baked right into the operating system since iOS 7 launched last year, but the pickings are still slim and developers have yet to adopt any widespread support of these devices.
So how are iPhone gaming enthusiasts to decide what iOS 7 controller, if any, to invest in at this early stage?
There are three main contenders: the SteelSeries Stratus, the Moga Ace Power controller, and the subject of this review: the Logitech PowerShell.
All three are very different devices. The PowerShell, compatible with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, and 5th-gen iPod Touch (thanks to an included attachment. No iPhone 5C though), has some advantages over the other two, but overall it's hard to recommend for most players.
Design
In terms of overall build quality, the Logitech PowerShell is surprisingly solid. It feels heavy, but not overly so; it's actually the perfect weight to give it some heft, like an Xbox 360 controller, so it feels weighty and substantial in your hands.
Its rubbery surface is well-suited to a gamer's grip, as well, and the back has been shaped with a pair of well-placed ridges where your fingers will rest. The back and triggers have a great-feeling textured pattern as well.
Slotting the iPhone into the PowerShell is also rather ingenious. It doesn't slide apart like the Moga controller, so you'd think it might be a pain to jam the phone inside. But the PowerShell's lightning connector input jack rests in a pivot that swivels upward, so the parts don't strain when you snap your iPhone into the controller or take it out.
Once in, your iPhone or iPod Touch fits snugly into the PowerShell's frame. The device's speaker is amplified via a hollowed-out aperture in the PowerShell's face that funnels the sound directly to your face. But you can also still access the headphone jack with the included connector cord.
The phone's home button is still accessible, of course, and surprisingly so is the lock button on top - sort of. There's a small tab on the PowerShell's face, connected to a lever, that you can push sideways to reach the lock button. It's not exactly convenient, but at least it's there.
The Logitech PowerShell is slim, and that may be the one feature it has over the other iOS controller options. It could, theoretically, fit in someone's pocket. Not everyone's, but someone's. Better yet, you can throw it in your purse, backpack or briefcase and it won't take up much room there, either. The phone still retains its full functionality, and thanks to the PowerShell's slim and flat profile you can pretty much use it normally without too much added inconvenience.
Controls
But all of that is pointless unless the Logitech PowerShell is also a great game controller, and sadly this is where the gadget falls well short.
The first and biggest complaint is obvious: the PowerShell only features a single D-pad, lacking the dual analog sticks of its SteelSeries and Moga competitors (or even a single analog stick, for that matter). In the early days of iOS gaming, when 3D environments were rare, this may not have been a problem, but these days it's a make-or-break type omission.
Unfortunately, in this case it's more break than make. The PowerShell might have been salvageable if the D-pad was a decent replacement, but it's far from that. It's practically unusable - and it was a deliberate and well-meaning design decision on Logitech's part that made it that way.
The PowerShell's directional pad is analog. Theoretically that should make it an acceptable replacement for an actual analog stick, but in reality the analog D-pad makes the PowerShell a literal pain to use for any extended bouts of gaming. In most of the games we tested the D-pad required far too much pressure to register any input, and your thumb will get tired after just a half hour of wrestling with it, trying to get your vehicle, character or other avatar to move.
Many user reviews on Amazon note much the same thing, and a Logitech support account has taken to replying to these users with messages like the following:
"The reason the D-Pad feels that way is because it is a fully-analog input: It can detect both the button press and how hard you're pressing the button. Depending on how developers set up their individual games, they may require either more or less force for the button to be detected. That said, your feedback is valuable to us. We'll make sure to pass you message on to the PowerShell team."
That makes sense, but like many of the problems plaguing iOS 7 controllers, it's also unclear where to lay the blame. Is Logitech at fault for failing to explain how its D-pad works to developers? Are game developers to blame for ignoring the directional pad's analog nature and programming it like a traditional D-pad? Is it really Apple's fault for not having tougher or more uniform standards?
Whatever the reality, the PowerShell's lack of analog sticks and its poorly implemented analog D-pad make for a game controller that barely works. Many games, especially 3D ones, simply need an actual analog input to perform best. And even when a game should work better with the PowerShell, like a 2D platformer, you have to press the pad in so hard that you'll be fatigued in under an hour. That's simply unacceptable.
That one glaring gripe is even more unfortunate because the rest of the buttons are solid enough; the four face buttons are clicky and responsive, and the triggers too - when they're not getting stuck in the pressed-down position, that is. The left trigger is particularly prone to getting stuck - OK, forget it. It's clearly more than just the D-pad that's an issue.
Connectivity and battery
If you can ignore the control issues - and let's be clear, if you're spending $100 on a game controller then you shouldn't - the ease of connectivity and the added battery life the Logitech PowerShell provides your device will be a selling point.
Unlike the SteelSeries Stratus, the PowerShell doesn't require a Bluetooth connection, so you won't have to wrestle with that. Simply plug in your iPhone or iPod Touch and it's ready to go - the device will detect it automatically.
There's a small switch on the side to turn on the device-charging function. On average it charges about 10 percent in five minutes if you're not using your phone; with the screen locked it should get you up from a low battery to fully charged in under an hour.
As for the PowerShell itself, Logitech's official position is that its battery life will vary depending on the games you play. Frankly my thumb couldn't take playing it long enough to run it down, but it did last for over three hours of continuous play before we gave up.
Games
The list of games that support the Logitech PowerShell includes high profile names like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Sonic the Hedgehog, Anomaly 2, Asphalt 8, Bastion, Galaxy On Fire 2, Limbo, Minigore 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Knights of the Old Republic, Tomb Raider, and others.
There are dozens more, and that list will only increase as MFi program grows and iPhone controllers become more prevalent. That much has become clear in the months since iOS 7 was introduced.
I tried out several of them with the PowerShell. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 used it best, though like the others it suffered from the inescapable D-pad problem. Asphalt 8 and Into the Dead, a racing game and a first-person endless running game, respectively, were practically unplayable because of how hard you have to press the pad.
Games like Galaxy on Fire 2 and Air Wings Intergalactic work better in the sense that they accept the D-pad's analog inputs, so you don't need to press it so hard; but they'd still work better an actual analog stick, since using even a D-pad to control a ship moving in 3D space is awkward, even if it's an analog D-pad. Same goes for Eternity Warrior 2, a Diablo-like game that works better with an analog stick.
Minigore 2 and Dead Trigger 2, on the other hand, are games that really need a second analog input, whether it's a virtual one on the screen or the actual second analog stick that the SteelSeries Stratus and Moga Ace controllers possess. Minigore 2 lets you use auto-aim, but then you're just moving around and holding a button down - that's no fun. With Dead Trigger 2 you can move using the D-pad (still difficult), but you have to aim using the touch screen still, awkwardly stretching your right thumb over - so why bother at all?
We liked
When you first pick up the Logitech PowerShell and hold it in your hands, it feels like something you're going to like. The build quality is superior to the Moga Ace and the SteelSeries Stratus; it simply feels solid, like something you can use or throw in your bag without needing to worry about whether it's going to break.
We disliked
The analog D-pad sounds like a good idea until you realize it means every game that doesn't actually use analog controls makes you press it to its fullest depth, i.e. really hard, to do anything.
This is a fundamental design flaw that every single game developer would need to take into account for it to no longer be a problem, and with other, better options already available that's probably not going to happen.
Final verdict
The fact is this: if you care enough to buy a $100 iOS controller, you care enough to want a second analog stick. Or a first one, for that matter. This lacks features that are essential to its target audience, and thus is fundamentally flawed and impossible to recommend, despite some strong design in other areas.
Ahead of its Mobile World Congress debut, Samsung Galaxy S5's hardware spec sheet has leaked out with a set of benchmark shots.
HD Blog spotted leaked AnTuTu benchmark testing screens revealing Samsung next flagship phone will out speed the Galaxy Note 3.
Before you say "well duh," what's interesting is the screens confirm that the phone will indeed skimp out on the rumored 2560 x 1440 AMOLED screen. Instead it will feature a full HD 1920 x 1080 display with a 480 pixel-per-inch density.
It will also have a slightly bumped up 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, although there's no confirmation if it will be 64-bit. Meanwhile other elements of the phone's system hardware include an Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the upcoming device is the 16-megapixel camera on the back. Up front it will also include a two-megapixel sensor.
One (sad) saving grace
The hardware revealed in the latest AnTuTu screenshots fall in line with our earlier concerns that the Galaxy S5 would be the most underwhelming Samsung handset yet.
Despite the unimpressive screen and internal hardware, the Samsung Galaxy S5 might still have some things going for it. One of these is a swiping fingerprint scanner that's purported to be better than the Apple iPhone 5S'.
We'll soon know if the Samsung Galaxy S5 is as boring as it seems on paper when it gets its big reveal at MWC 2014. Stay tuned for more!
Nokia and HTC ended their prolongedlegalwar with a patent and technology collaboration agreement. The partnership ends all pending patent litigation between the two companies. Its full terms are confidential.
According to the official press release, HTC will make payments to Nokia, but the exact amounts haven't been disclosed. The Finnish company on the other hand will gain access to HTC’s LTE patent portfolio, thus further expanding its own expertise. Furthermore, the companies will look into future technology collaboration opportunities.
Unsurprisingly, representatives from both Nokia and HTC are pleased with the agreement. By staying out of court and sharing patents, both companies will be able to focus on making products which can better compete in today’s crowded marketplace.
Samsung device owners learned long ago that holding one's breath while awaiting an Android would almost certainly result in their permanent demise.
However a lifeline, in the form of Android 4.4 KitKat, may be on the way for those rocking gadgets like the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy Note 8.0 Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Mega.
Those handsets, as well as the Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy Tab 7.0, Galaxy S4 Active are on a list of ten Samsung devices in line for KitKat, according to a purported update roadmap, obtained by Phandroid.
Although the site claimed to have procured details on which legacy devices will eventually receive the latest version of the operating system, there was no word on when and where that might happen.
So although that's good news for S3 and S4 Active owners, it's not really time to party just yet. As you were, Samsung fans, as you were.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook dropped another hint that new types of products are on the way.
Sitting down with the WSJ's Daisuke Wakabayashi Cook said, "there will be new [product] categories we're not ready to talk about it, but we're working on some really great stuff."
When prodded on the rumors of a larger 12.9-inch iPad Cook declined to comment. Instead the Apple CEO went on elaborating that any "reasonable" person would consider what Apple is working on to be a new category.
From Cook's answers, the outlook on Apple's future device portfolio is about as clear as muddy water. By saying the new products would interest any reasonable person leaves speculation open to anything from a dedicated smartwatch to an Apple iTV set.
Non answers
The real question on consumers and investors mind is whether Apple still can innovate. Proving doubt is on the minds of everyone, Apple's stock value has fallen to a current $521 reaching a $700 high in mid-September.
It's clear Apple has to move out of its comfort zone and develop more devices than the music players, computers, smartphones, and the tablets it currently produces.
Early reports suggest Apple is already making big shakeups with its next iPhone to be an even bigger departure than the half-inch screen extension seen on the iPhone 5.
The iPhone 6 is likely to be an even larger 4.8-inch handset. Potentially, we may also see a new phablet sibling as the Cupertino company's first handset to break the five-plus inch barrier.
Apple has a lot to prove by promising new products and hopefully we'll see some exciting announcements to back up all the hype we heard so far.
Having apparently squeezed every drop of potential sales out of its seven-inch tablets, a rumor straight from Google's supply chain in Taiwan claims the 2014 model will attempt to woo consumers with a slightly larger screen.
DigiTimes reported Friday that Google and Asustek Computer are eyeing an 8-inch display for the third-generation Nexus tablet, which could potentially arrive in late April.
Although the partnership has by all accounts produced two critically acclaimed Android tablets using the seven-inch screen size, the report claims last year's second-generation Nexus 7 sold fewer than three million units by the end of 2013.
Those so-so sales figures are being blamed on "intense price competition" in the seven-inch tablet market, which is typically more price-sensitive than 10-inch models such as Apple's latest iPad Air.
8 is great
According to unnamed sources in Google and Asustek's supply chain, an eight-inch version of the Nexus 7 has the potential to offer a competitive edge for the third-generation tablet.
The report also cites five- and six-inch "phablet" style smartphones as encroaching on the Nexus 7's market share as consumers seek handsets large enough to also offer some of the benefits of a dedicated tablet.
It's unclear whether Google plans to confuse its branding by retaining the Nexus 7 name or introduce the new hardware under something more obvious, such as Nexus 8.
One thing apparently won't be changing: Google and Asustek will remain partners for this year's model, despite recent speculation to the contrary.
Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 mini were spotted with a faux leather back a couple days ago and now, the company has officially introduced the new variants of its flagship smartphones on its global site. .
We have already lost count on the number of Galaxy S4 editions out there, but the newest one is arguably the best looking, joining the latest trend in Samsung devices. We rather like the leather-like textured covers, but if Samsung continues pumping devices with it at the same rate, it might start to wear out soon.
The Black Editions of both Galaxy S4 and S4 mini will feature new wallpapers for the home screen as well as the lock screens and will be equipped with several new and exclusive ringtones. Furthermore, all the accessories in the retail packages such as power adapter, data cable and headphones have been painted black to match the smartphones.
The minor design changes aside, the Galaxy S4 (review) and Galaxy S4 mini (review) remain identical to their original versions. Samsung says that the gorgeous looking Black Edition of Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 mini will go on sale in selected markets in the next couple of days, but there is no word on how much they will cost.
The Sofica team, makers of the CamSpeed camera benchmark, spotted the Nokia RM-980, a.k.a. Nokia X, a.k.a. Normandy in their database of results. They shared some specs that were recorded but are not normally displayed with the benchmark results.
The Nokia X that did the benchmark was the dual-SIM version and the detected camera was a 3MP fixed-focus shooter.
Nokia RM-980 (Nokia X dual sim) spotted in CamSpeed, Camera 2048x1536 Fixed focus, Android 4.1.2 https://t.co/KJky2CZAsb
Rumors until now claimed a 5MP camera, meaning they could be wrong or the single and dual-SIM versions have different cameras. It's also possible that unfinished software prevented the benchmark from detecting the camera resolution properly.
The Nokia X ran Android 4.1.2, though it won't be pure Android but will feature Nokia customizations. Other specs for the phone include a 4" WVGA screen, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 4GB storage and a microSD card slot. Unfortunately, there's no info on what kind of video the camera will record.
Imagine if you were followed around all day by a little man who kept asking you for money.
Not with menaces, just a wee fellow who would occasionally stick his head around the door and rattle a collection tin at you. Sometimes he might whisper a brief reminder about your responsibilities and that he could help. Really, he could make them all go away... for a price.
Well, thanks to the wonders of modern smartphone technology this entertaining scenario can be yours.
All you have to do is download EA's new free-to-play game, Dungeon Keeper and you too can experience a daily shakedown for loose change in the name of retro gaming 'fun'.
Everybody's free
Dungeon Keeper, you see, is a Free-to-Play game. In the wacky, topsy-turvy world of gaming, this means that it will cost you money and you can't really play it otherwise. Free-to-Play (F2P hereafter, I'm getting annoyed even typing it) is the business model that is killing gaming. Not for games publishers, mind. Just for players.
When you download an F2P game you are usually presented with a cut-down or limited version of a game that you can enhance by making in-app purchases.
Sometimes these microtransactions just make the game a bit easier (an early example being the level-beating Mighty Eagle from Angry Birds) or more aesthetically pleasing (you might buy a new outfit for a character, say). Increasingly, however, developers are making in-app purchases the only way to ensure that the game is playable.
The original Dungeon Keeper was a PC strategy game that put you in the role of a stereotypical Dark Lord who had to stock His dungeon full of monsters and traps to repel any heroes who might come a-callin'.
The mobile remake takes that basic template and tries to 'update' it with the same kind of F2P mechanic found in games like Clash Of Clans and Candy Crush - a series of timers that slow gameplay down unless you spend an in-game currency to speed things up again.
These in-game currencies (Gems, in the case of Dungeon Keeper) can only be found in short supply in the game proper, meaning you have to top them up with actual, real-life currency to avoid frustration.
What can be an annoyance in some games has here been turned up to eleven, making Dungeon Keeper less of a game and more a sort of siphon you can attach to the side of your wallet in return for its measly offerings of mobile entertainment.
Advanced dungeon keeping
"You can pay out a gem or two to avoid the wait. And you do because, well, who wants to wait?"
To build a world-class Dungeon there are certain things that you need to do. You have to dig out spaces to fit special rooms like a Hatchery (to breed chickens, your minion's favourite food) or a Library that you can use to research spells with which to confound your enemies.
Helpfully, there are several open areas already visible on the game map that you could use for this, but you still have to dig out corridors through the earth and rock in order to reach them. The problem with this is that almost every action in the game has a timer attached. Summon a demonic helper or a heavily armed Troll to defend your gates and you must wait a short while - a few seconds perhaps, or a few minutes - for it to arrive. You can pay out a gem or two to avoid the wait, though. And you do because, well, who wants to wait?
Digging tunnels takes longer depending on the kind of rock your Imp helpers are chipping away at. Just a short while after I began playing properly (having already been charged a fair few gems during the tutorial) I started to dig my way towards a suitable room for a Hatchery when I noticed that the timer for one of the blocks read '1d'. Not one old Penny, one actual day of real-time play. Or I could just pay a few hundred gems to get things moving..
HTC has started rolling out Android 4.4.2 KitKat update for the Verizon's HTC One, as well as the HTC One, One mini and One max for Malaysia.
Verizon's users should be getting the update notifications any moment now. The update weighs about 620MB and will bring the latest Android release and a bunch of new home-baked goodies by HTC to your One.
HTC One, One mini and One max sold in Malaysia are also getting the 4.4.2 KitKat update. Save for the carrier specific stuff, the releae brings pretty much the same improvements and new features.
The official HTC KitKat ROM will update your One device with the latest Android version and its proprietary optimizations. It will also improve the Blinkfeed service, the location settings, the Gallery and Music apps, the Do Not Disturb mode and will make your lockscreen widgets easier to configure. New Bluetooth profiles and Cloud Print Service are also in tow.
The European HTC One, plus its Google Play Edition, have been already updated to Android KitKat.
Samsung's upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S5, has allegedly leaked through the popular Android benchmark AnTuTu. The system information indicates the presence of a 16 MP primary shooter and a Snapdragon 800 chipset with a 2.5GHz Krait CPU.
What is missing, however, are most of the sensors that are expected to be present in the upcoming flagship. Also, a lot of the cool rumored features we've been hearing about are also absent. This indicates that this is likely an engineering device given to carriers prior to release for testing purposes.
Such devices usually come with unfinalized hardware both internally and externally, and as such shouldn't be used to evaluate the actual expected performance of the Galaxy S5 upon release.
Speaking of release, Samsung has announced its next Unpacked event will take place MWC 2014 later this month. Ominously titled "Unpacked 5", there's a good chance we'll see something flagship-esque get announced there.
Going on the latest evidence, it looks very much like Apple is on course to put sapphire-crystal displays in its future iPhones, including, quite possibly, the iPhone 6.
The gang over at 9to5Mac uncovered evidence that Apple placed a big order for furnaces and chambers designed for building sapphire displays.
According to the report, Apple will have enough machines to build between 103 million and 106 million displays every year, with more machines said to be on their way that would push that number up to 200 million.
Apple's not getting smashed
This certainly isn't the first we've heard about Apple's possible plans to go big on the tougher material on its next iPhone, and the TouchID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S already uses laser-cut sapphire crystal.
By using a sapphire material, Apple's screens could become highly scratch-resistant and a lot less likely to break from any unfortunate drops.
We could also see sapphire used on the iPad Air 2, of course. in the meantime, here's a video to show just how touch a sapphire screen could be.
Everything else you need to know about the iPhone 6
The LG G Pro 2 was initially expected to come at the MWC at the end of February, but it now appears that the Korean phablet will be debuting sooner. LG has sent out invitations for an event in Korea that will take place on February 13 and its second gen phablet is the most likely star of the show.
Given that LG has no other high profile products expected to debut this month, it will be a surprise if the G Pro 2 doesn't embrace officialdom at the show. The successor of the Optimus G Pro has already appeared in a couple of live photos, showing its back-mounted keys and what the rumor mill says is a 6" 1080p screen.
Back when it was announced in early 2013, the Optimus G Pro was the best phablet on the market, but LG took way too long bringing it to the market and the device never reached its full potential. Hopefully the Koreans have learned their lesson this time and there will be no hiccups.
