Carrier says Apple controls 4G LTE approval for iPhone 5

In the eye of Apple

The iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE phone, but carriers are only able to take advantage of its high-speed capabilities upon Apple's approval of the network, according to one carrier.

"Apple only enables 4G access after testing their device on an operator's live network," telecom company Swisscom told Telecoms.com.

Swisscom said it began shipping the iPhone 5 to its customers on Sept. 28, but that it still doesn't have 4G switched on for Apple devices.

This means that the iPad 3 and iPad 4 running on the Swisscom network are also affected and have been restricted to its slower 3G speeds.

Reversal of typical policy

This policy, rumored since October, call but onfirms that Apple is the one making decisions about 4G access, not the networks.

"Apple have put themselves in the driving seat; it's really changing the game," said NorthStream founder and CEO Bengt Nordstrom to Telecoms.com.

The head of this mobile consultancy said he was "shocked" to find out about the policy and that it proves "who is running the industry."

4G transition requires software patch

When a network with the iPhone 5 is restricted to 3G speeds, it must wait for a patch from Apple to switch on the faster 4G speed.

No release date has been announced for an iPhone 5 or iPad 4G patch on Swisscom's network, but the company says that there's one on the way.

"Apple will provide a software update in due course for customers with an iPhone 5 or one of the new iPads," Swisscom promised in a press release this week.

It seems as if the distribution of the iPhone 5 patch, just like the judgement of the network's 4G capability, is in Apple's hands.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/carrier-says-apple-controls-4g-lte-approval-for-iphone-5-1116585

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iPad Mini vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nexus 7: In-depth comparison

The iPad mini has been announced, but how does it stack up against its rivals? We compare it to the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 to find out which tablet might be the best bang for your buck.

If you’re hunting for a small tablet then you’ll have the wares of Apple, Amazon, and Google on your radar. Which is the best small tablet for you? We compare the iPad mini, Nexus 7, and Kindle Fire HD to help you choose.

Size isn’t everything. As smartphones have grown larger, tablets have been shrinking. The 7-inch tablet market was already competitive before Apple unleashed the iPad Mini. It was a hotbed of budget Android temptations like the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7. So how do these high profile tablets measure up? Let’s take a look at the iPad Mini vs. Nexus 7 vs. Kindle Fire HD.

(For more information, check out our full reviews of the iPad Mini, Nexus 7, and Kindle Fire HD.)

Price

It may seem unusual, but we’re going to start with price because there’s a big gap here and it informs all the other comparison points. The Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD have extremely slim profit margins and you can pick up the 16GB versions for $200. The 16GB version of the iPad Mini costs, on the other hand, will run you a clean $330. All three of these tablets are Wi-Fi only.

The more expensive versions are harder to compare directly because they don’t offer the same connectivity. The top of the line Kindle Fire HD is 32GB and you can pay to remove the adverts, which results in a price of $264. For a 32GB Nexus 7 with HSPA+ cellular connectivity you’ll pay $300. Only the iPad Mini supports 4G LTE connectivity, but the 32GB version with cellular is $560.

While 32GB is the maximum for the two Android tablets, you can throw down another $100 to get a 64GB iPad mini with 4G LTE for a whopping $660.

Display

(Credit: iMore)

Tablets are all about content consumption and so the screen is important. The iPad Mini has a bigger display than its Android rivals at 7.9 inches, but a lower resolution at 1024 x 768 pixels. Both the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD sport 7-inch displays with a 1280×800 pixel resolution. But it should be noted that most of the difference in resolution comes from their aspect ratio. Both the Nexus 7 and Fire are widescreen, while the Mini has a more square-like 3:4 aspect ratio

You’ve got a lot more screen real estate to play with on the iPad Mini, but the picture on the Android tablets is sharper and more detailed. This could be particularly important if you intend to read a lot on your tablet. Text is definitely sharper on the Android offerings, especially the Nexus 7.

All of them use IPS technology for wide viewing angles. Amazon has also equipped the Kindle Fire HD with anti-glare technology, but it’s tough to see much difference between it and the Nexus 7 in direct sunlight. The iPad Mini is more reflective, but it remains perfectly legible most of the time.

The lack of the Retina display on the iPad Mini is definitely a disappointment, especially if you’ve used a Retina iPhone or full-sized iPad. It doesn’t look as good next to its Android competitors.

Design

The iPad Mini is slightly taller than its competitors, but it is also slimmer and lighter. It’s one of the most comfortable and well-built tablets we’ve ever used. The Kindle Fire HD is the widest, thickest, and heaviest of the bunch, to a fault. The Nexus 7 actually has the lowest width, making it easiest to hold with one hand, but it is still quite weighty. Despite the larger screen, the iPad Mini has a thin bezel and a slim form factor that makes it very portable.

The rubberized, dimpled backing on the Nexus 7 is good for grip, but the aluminum construction and the light weight of the iPad Mini make it more comfortable to hold and better looking than the plastic and glass Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7. When it comes to design and feel, it is our favorite.

Specs

Take a look at the chart for the complete rundown of specs and we’ll just highlight the key differences.

Performance is fairly similar across the board, despite the use of different innards, though the Kindle Fire lags behind in overall speed. For watching movies, playing games, running apps, and web browsing you should have a good experience on all three, but the Nexus and Mini stand a leg ahead.

The Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 only have front-facing cameras, so if you want to take photos, the iPad Mini is the obvious choice, but who buys a tablet for taking photos?

The Kindle Fire HD also lacks Bluetooth, but Amazon claims that the dual antennas and MIMO support makes the Wi-Fi up to 40 percent faster than the competition. If you do a lot of content streaming then that could prove important.

The iPad Mini has a proprietary Lightning connector which means you’ll probably need to splash out for adapters to use it with existing accessories or to hook it up to your TV’s HDMI port (Lightning to HDMI adapter is $50). The Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD both have standard Micro USB connectors. However, the Nexus 7 does not support HDMI or MHL out, so you can’t hook it up to your TV to watch content on the big screen. The Kindle Fire HD has a Micro HDMI port so you can plug it into your HDTV and watch content hassle free with a Micro HDMI to standard HDMI cable (you can get one for under $10).

Ecosystem and content

Most people buy a small tablet for consuming content. Amazon and Google are banking on that. Their tablets are essentially sold at cost because the companies plans to make money through content sales. Does that mean it offers the best content? We’ll split this into three distinct areas to compare.

Apps and games

The iPad Mini has a clear advantage here. There are loads of apps and games optimized specifically for the tablet in the App Store. There are also more premium apps and games in general on iOS. You will find a much greater choice of polished games and classic ports. You’ll also find more stylish, top quality apps.

Android is catching up, so the Nexus 7 does have access to a good range of apps and games through Google Play. You’ll find a higher percentage of free options than in the App Store, but overall quality is not as high and few are designed specifically for the tablet. Integration with Google services is better on the Nexus 7, but you can also access some of them on the iPad Mini.

Amazon has limited access to the Amazon App Store on the Kindle Fire HD and that means a much smaller subset of apps and games than you’ll find via Google Play. The advantage is more quality control and a Free App of the Day promotion.

Movies, TV, and Music

Content is king. Amazon is pitching the Kindle Fire HD as a window onto its content and it has plenty to offer. There are 140,000 movies and TV episodes to rent or buy which compares favorably to iTunes or Google Play. However, you can get access to all of Amazon’s content on the iPad Mini or the Nexus 7, as well. You can also access Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, and many other services on all three devices.

Since you can’t access Google Play or iTunes on the Kindle Fire HD it’s actually the most limited for movies, TV shows, and music.

In terms of services and cloud storage, Amazon offers free, unlimited cloud storage for all of the content you buy on your Kindle Fire HD. For other content, Amazon Cloud Drive gives you 5GB free and an extra 50GB will cost you $25 per year. With the iPad Mini you get iCloud, but that only offers 5GB of free storage. For an additional 10GB, you’ll pay $20 per year; an additional 20GB will cost you $40 per year; and an additional 50GB will cost you $100 per year. Google Drive also gives you 5GB for free and you can add up to 16TB of extra storage. An extra 100GB will cost you $60 per year.

It’s worth noting that Google Music also allows you to store up to 40,000 songs, Gmail offers 10GB, and you can store as many photos as you like in Google+.

If you have a mixed collection that you want to add to your tablet and you want to store more than 5GB of content in the cloud, then the Nexus 7 is the best choice. Google’s cloud services are the cheapest and the most reliable, followed by Amazon. With Apple you will pay more. Even adding your existing music to iTunes will cost you $25 per year for iTunes match.

The displays on the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 are better for watching movies. When it comes to audio, you should really use headphones for the best experience, but the Kindle Fire HD beats the Nexus 7 with Dolby audio, dual-driver stereo speakers.

Books and Magazines

Amazon has the biggest library and the most experience with books, but you can get access to it on your Nexus 7 or iPad mini as well via the Kindle app. The Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD offer the best reading experience because of that higher resolution and better anti-glare.

There are some good magazine apps available on all three and you can manage subscriptions through the various stores, but the iPad mini and the Fire HD offer more magazines. You may prefer the extra space and the 4:3 aspect ratio of the iPad mini for reading them.

Battery life

The iPad Mini edges the win on battery life, but the other two are not far behind. They should all get you through a day of normal use. If you do a lot of gaming, then you’ll notice the iPad Mini’s superiority. For streaming video, you should get about 9 hours out of each.

Little Extras

It is worth mentioning Amazon’s Prime service. For just $80 per year, you get access to 30,000 movies and TV shows, 180,000 books for free with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (one per month), and free two-day shipping on eligible Amazon purchases.

Amazon also offers the X-Ray feature for books and movies which gives you extra information on what you’re reading or watching, such as the actors on screen with links to IMDB profiles. Whispersync allows you to switch between devices and keep your place in the book you are reading or the movie you’re watching. You’ll also find Kindle FreeTime which gives you an easy to use set of parental controls.

If you get the Kindle app on your iPad Mini or Nexus 7 you’ll also have Whispersync (it only works for Amazon content though). You can also get apps for the Nexus 7 and iPad Mini that will give you a reliable and easy to use set of parental controls like FreeTime.

In terms of Kindle Fire HD exclusives, that just leaves the Kindle Lending Library and the X-Ray feature.

Decisions, decisions

Before you buy one of these tablets, consider what you want to do with it. If you already use Amazon a lot and you want the tablet for movies, TV shows, music, and reading, then the Fire HD with Amazon Prime could be your best bet. But just realize that the iPad Mini and Nexus 7 have access to most Amazon content as well through official apps.

The iPad Mini wins on dedicated apps and games. It is a better tablet in some ways, but you pay a premium for that quality. It also makes the most sense if you already have an iTunes library of content, but the extra cost will be enough to turn off a lot of people. It’s not just the upfront price either, you also have to factor in the accessories, content, and cloud services. Though the Apple App Store has more apps, they are also slightly more expensive than Android.

If you’re looking for the most versatile, well-rounded tablet for the cheapest price, we recommend the Nexus 7. It runs the latest and greatest version of Android, has the best integration with Google services, and a great range of free and affordable apps and games. Any of Google’s 700,000 Play Store apps will run on the Nexus 7.

Are you going for Android, Apple, or Amazon? What gets your vote? Post a comment and tell us.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/ipad-mini-vs-kindle-fire-vs-nexus-7-spec-showdown/

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More than half of Americans hoard old mobile phones

Likely piling up in a drawer somewhere, Americans are keeping their old mobile phones rather than selling, donating or recycling the mobile devices.

Detailed on Lockout’s official blog, the mobile security company detailed a new study about the volume of old mobile phones that are still in the possession of consumers based within the United States. Conducted through the Google Consumer Survey program, the company discovered that sixty-two percent of U.S. consumers have a stash of unused mobile phones that were retired for newer models. According to the results, forty-one percent of the respondents have between one to two unused phones, nine percent have three unused mobile phones and eleven percent have four or more unused mobile phones stored at home.

When asked why they were still holding on to those older mobile phones, twenty-seven percent of the audience said they simply had no idea what to do with the old phones.

Seventeen percent said they hadn’t erased personal data from their old phones and six percent wanted to hang on to the older phones in order to access applications as well as information still stored on the devices. Thirteen percent of the respondents were concerned about someone else seeing personal information on the old devices, so they ended up keeping the phones in storage for safekeeping. 

Of course, someone that wants to ditch their older phone should plug the device back in to check for data such as old contacts or photos still stored on the memory card. If they plan to sell the phone on eBay or Craigslist, it’s a good idea to revert the phone back to factory settings and remove the SIM card to avoid any future issues.

Other popular places to sell old mobile phones online include Amazon, Gazelle, Glyde and Nextworth. These sites typically require the owner to assign a quality rating to the current condition of a phone as well as include items such as original packaging, charging cables, instructions and headphones. If a mobile phone has been damaged significantly and no longer functions correctly, those older mobile phones can be dropped off at organizations that offer mobile device recycling. 

Over half of the respondents stated they wouldn’t mind giving up their old phones if it went to good cause. When a Verizon customer upgrades to a new phone, the wireless provider sends out a white plastic bag with prepaid postage for returning old mobile phones. These phones are reconditioned by the Verizon Hopeline project and may be redistributed out to shelters for battered women.

According to the company site, Verizon has collected nearly nine million old mobile phones since the project started. While some of the phones are sent out to victims and survivors of domestic violence, the majority are resold in order to generate funds to keep those phones in operation.

Another good cause for donating older mobile phones is the Cell Phones for Soldiers project. This organization has recycled over ten million mobile phones since 2004 and sends out approximately 12,000 minutes of prepaid calling cards per week to help troops place free calls back home. The group recently expanded the project to help returning veterans communicate with their loved ones. Called Helping Heroes Home, the program also provides assistance to veterans in regards to “physical, emotional and assimilation hardships.”

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/half-of-americans-keep-old-mobile-phones/

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Carrier says that to get 4G iPhone 5, must pass Apple test

In the eye of Apple

The iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE phone, but carriers are only able to take advantage of its high-speed capabilities upon Apple's approval of the network, according to one carrier.

"Apple only enables 4G access after testing their device on an operator's live network," telecom company Swisscom told Telecoms.com.

Swisscom said it began shipping the iPhone 5 to its customers on Sept. 28, but that it still doesn't have 4G switched on for Apple devices.

This means that the iPad 3 and iPad 4 running on the Swisscom network are also affected and have been restricted to its slower 3G speeds.

Reversal of typical policy

This policy, rumored since October, confirms that Apple is the one making decisions about 4G access, not the networks.

"Apple have put themselves in the driving seat; it's really changing the game," said NorthStream founder and CEO Bengt Nordstrom to Telecoms.com.

The head of this mobile consultancy said he was "shocked" to find out about the policy and that it proves "who is running the industry."

iPhone 4G transition requires software patch

When a network with the iPhone 5 is restricted to 3G speeds, it must wait for a patch from Apple to switch on the faster 4G speed.

No release date has been announced for an iPhone 5 or iPad 4G patch on Swisscom's network, but the company says that there's one on the way.

"Apple will provide a software update in due course for customers with an iPhone 5 or one of the new iPads," Swisscom promised in a press release this week.

It seems as if the distribution of the iPhone 5 patch, just like the judgement of the network's 4G capability, is in Apple's hands.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/carrier-says-that-to-get-4g-iphone-5-must-pass-apple-test-1116585

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iPhone 5 carriers must pass Apple test to enable 4G LTE

In the eye of Apple

The iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE phone, but carriers are only able to take advantage of its high-speed capabilities upon Apple’s approval of the network.

“Apple only enables 4G access after testing their device on an operator’s live network,” telecom company Swisscom told Telecoms.com.

Swisscom says it began shipping the iPhone 5 to its customers on September 28, but that it still doesn’t have 4G switched on for Apple devices.

This means that the iPad 3 and iPad 4 running on the Swisscom network are also affected and have been restricted to its slower 3G speeds.

Reversal of typical policy

This policy, rumored since October, confirms that Apple is the one making decisions about 4G access, not the networks.

“Apple have put themselves in the driving seat; it’s really changing the game,” said NorthStream founder and CEO Bengt Nordstrom to Telecoms.com.

The head of this mobile consultancy said he was “shocked” to find out about the policy and that it proves “who is running the industry.”

iPhone 4G transition requires software patch

When a network with the iPhone 5 is restricted to 3G speeds, it must wait for a patch from Apple to switch on the faster 4G speed.

No release date has been announced for an iPhone 5 or iPad 4G patch on Swisscom’s network, but the company says that there’s one on the way.

“Apple will provide a software update in due course for customers with an iPhone 5 or one of the new iPads,” Swisscom promised in a press release this week.

It seems as if the distribution of the iPhone 5 patch, just like the judgement of the network’s 4G capability, is in the hands of Apple.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5-carriers-must-pass-apple-test-to-enable-4g-lte-1116585

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Let the age of home app creation begin

At this point, it’s almost a cliché to talk about the growth and potential of the app economy. We can all rattle off reports about the number of jobs this market has created or the likelihood of how much further it will reach – but really, it’s just fact now. Apps are the avenue for our digital lives and the job growth the lies behind them is unstoppable.

But that makes for a flood of products, some good, some bad, some hidden at the bottom of app marketplaces never to be seen. Which is why if you’re going to create an app, you best get serious. Creator platforms like Swebapps, AppsBuilder, TheAppBuilder, and AppMakr have been in this business for awhile, but a handful of new outlets with innovative ways to take you from idea to launch continue to surface.

Really, who among us doesn’t have a brilliant app idea? Not to get too meta on you, but here are some of the best apps to help you build apps.

SellanApp

SellanApp has been building noise for nearly a year now. The idea behind the platform is to create a community around app building that includes everyone – from developers with extensive knowledge, to “big picture” people, to beta testers.  SellanApp is an iPad-based program that allows you to make simple mockups and app prototypes via tablet. From there, you can invite others to test it with you and export it to the SellanApp platform – which is where the real work starts. Here, you start building interest around your app idea and try and court developers. There’s a crowdsourcing element as well, in which users, if you allow it, are able to come in and help fund the project.

“There are a lot of people who have app ideas,” SellanApp co-founder Milan Van Den Bovenkamp told me earlier this year. “We want to make app ideas happen, and that means you need a lot of people who can believe in a concept. If people believe in a community that wants to have ownership of the app and app ideas happen in a social way, then they can become a reality.”

The way revenue is split is that developers get paid first, then the producer or creator – whoever came up with the idea – gets second dibs, and anyone who pledged above a certain amount will also share in a designated percent of the profits.

Ooomf

Ooomf launched this past fall as both a creation and discovery platform. “Our ambition is to help anyone considering building a mobile product, whether they’ve created multiple mobile apps already or are just getting started on their first project,” CEO and co-founder Mikael Cho says.

Getting started with creating an app is as easy as entering your email address, your app’s name, and then you’re launched into Ooomf’s step-by-step guide to getting your idea up and running. These are bracketed into different areas, taking you from idea, to design, to push, all the way through launch day.

Ooomf helps you target specifics like how to create an engaging splash page and make a demo video, as well as how to get press for your app. Now you’ll have to come to Ooomf with the code of your app developed – think of this tool as a way to fine tune all the little details that lead to a successful launch. There is, however, the Ooomf Toolbox, which provides a bevy of useful tricks and guides for app developers of all skill levels. Of course, if all you have is an idea, there are options as well. “We allow people to participate in the creation of an app,” Cho said at launch. “So if you have an idea or a prototype or a design, you can put it in Ooomf and let the community vote on features and participate in [making] it.”

And once you’ve gone through the Ooomf process of perfecting your app, you also get to enjoy the discovery element it has to offer. It’s an engaging, personal way to explore the iOS App Store and see everything new hitting the market – and given the state of iPhone app discovery, it could be a boon to your project.

Tiggzi

The most convincing part about using Tiggzi for your app creation purposes is its drag and drop functionality. The cloud-based program was originally a tool for UI creation, so that developers and designers had an accurate, easy way to image what their projects would look like. From there, the Tiggzi team decided creation as a whole should be similarly engaging and visual.

Don’t be fooled by Tiggzi’s icon-heavy looks, though: This is a serious development tool you’ll need a decent amount of coding knowledge to use. You’ll need HTML, Javascript, and CSS background to effectively get started with Tiggzi. From there, however, you’ll find that the process is incredibly streamlined thanks to the ability to see your project working in real time.

Better yet, Tiggzi runs in-browser with no download or install needed – and it’s an incredibly versatile system that allows you to create HTML 5, Windows Phone, Android, and iOS apps (Windows 8 support was also recently added). For all of the complexity Tiggzi allows you to add to the backend of your app, the process is refreshingly simple, flexible, and visual.

AppThwack

While AppThwack isn’t a platform for creating apps, it serves an incredibly important and far too neglected service: Cross-device testing. At the moment, AppThwack is only available for testing Android and HTML 5 apps, although given the former’s issues with fragmentation, it’s not a bad place to start. At PIE Demo Day this fall, however, the team said iOS testing is on the way.

The process is fairly literally: The AppThwack labs have an impressive inventory of smartphones and tablets they use to run your app and then provide you with easy to read reports documenting any issues. There’s further customization to these reports available as well, like adding team members or testing multiple apps. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/let-the-age-of-app-creation-begin/

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Facebook sells the farm and renegotiates its partnership with Zynga

In 2011, Facebook relied on FarmVille studio Zynga for 12 percent of its total revenue. At the end of 2012, Zynga is a fast shrinking business with a equally shrinking audience. The social network and the game company have renegotiated their partnership.

FarmVille studio Zynga’s precipitous decline over 2012 has affected both individuals and massive corporations. On the micro scale, numerous employees at Zynga’s Austin, Chicago, and Boston offices were laid off at the end of October. On the macro, Facebook reported that revenues from its gaming business dropped 9 percent between the beginning of April and the end of September. Since Zynga accounted for 43 percent of the $176 million Facebook earned from its payments and fees segment, the studio’s fall has more than a little to do with the social network’s earnings trouble.

That’s no doubt why Facebook is no untangling its business from Zynga. Develop reported on Friday that Facebook has ended its exclusive agreements with Zynga that saw the game maker receive preferential treatment over other companies hosting games on the network. From this point on, according to an SEC filing detailing the new deal between the two companies, Zynga games will “be governed solely by Facebook’s standard terms and conditions for game developers.”

In 2010, Zynga signed an exclusive five-year agreement with Facebook that gave them undisclosed advantages compared to other social game makers, but it was suspected that Facebook shared more revenue than it did with others. Facebook agreed to those terms because at the time Zynga was responsible for a huge portion of the social network’s revenue. In 2011 alone, Zynga’s games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars accounted for 12 percent of Facebook’s total revenue.

The new deal isn’t just beneficial to Facebook. While the social network is freed from having to share a larger portion of revenue with Zynga than other publishers, Zynga no longer has to exclusively use virtual currency like Facebook Credits in its games. With user numbers down for Zynga games, its questionable how much the studio will want to rock the boat by introducing a new virtual currency.

In the short term, Zynga certainly came out on bottom in the new deal as it further shook investor confidence in the company. Shares in Zynga dropped 12 percent following the news.

Zynga’s short-lived empire was never sustainable. Its games grew popular in tandem with Facebook, and while it borrowed most of the ideas for its games, it benefitted from being so recognizable. Now its competition has overtaken it in every way and its audience has stopped growing. Zynga’s CEO Mark Pincus should invest in innovation rather than mass imitation next time.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/facebook-sells-the-farm-and-renegotiates-its-partnership-with-zynga/

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