Windows: Unlike iTunes for iOS devices, there is no official desktop client to manage Android phones and tablets. MoboRobo is as good as any you can hope for, and it works with iPhones and iPads too.
Connecting your Android or iOS device to MoboRobo for the first time is a drawn-out, but simple process. The first connection needs to be via USB, but thereafter, Android devices can connect through a Wi-Fi network using the MoboRobo Daemon app. You can also do that withweb-based app AirDroid, without installing software; but MoboRobo has more powerful features, as you will see. There is no wireless connectivity for iOS.
Once your device is connected, MoboRobo has a large number of things you can do. It acts as a backup and restore client for contacts, messages, phone logs, gallery, files, apps, and even app data. We didn't test it extensively, but it restored game saves for a few titles.
On both Android and iOS, you can also import, export and edit phone data (contacts, messages), manage files on your device (including copying music from iPhone to hard drive), and add or delete multimedia. Of course, the iOS part is restricted to what Apple allows. Android users can also manage and install apps, including APKs stored on your hard drive. Both iOS and Android devices can be connected at the same time, but direct transfers don't work.
The iOS 8 Beta 3 is set to arrive in developers' hands on July 8, according to reports.
Apple is set to release the third beta version of the new iOS 8 next week. The two previous beta versions were released on June 2 and 17, respectively. Reports added that the upcoming beta version will be the final beta update of the mobile software before it will release the official version of the iOS in the fall.
iOS 8 Beta 3 includes updates and fixes from the previous version. The beta versions are meant for developers to develop or update their apps to run smoothly to the new iOS.
Apple provided a preview of the new iOS 8 last month at the Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC) and the new OS is bound to arrive in the fall.
Some of the software features included in the new iOS are updates to the photos, iMessage and the keyboard applications. The search function, Spotlight, and iCloud will also be improved. iOS 8 will also pack the much awaited Health application to manage the health information of the user such as heart monitor, BMI and track medications.
However, there are some users who were itching to run their devices to the new OS, which is not advisable since the OS is still in testing stage and users may come across bugs and issues that may cause the breakdown of their devices, especially if they are not tech savvy to save their units.
Meanwhile, Apple is currently rolling out the iOS 7.1.2, which brings bug fixes and security updates. The software update also fix issues on iBeacon connectivity and stability, data transfer for some 3rd party accessories, including bar code scanners, and data protection class of Mail attachments.
Apple users can go to Settings > General > Software Update to check out iOS 7.1.2. Users can also update their devices manually by heading to iTunes. The update is available to iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPad 2, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Mini Retina, iPod Touch 5th Gen. source
UPDATED Many think iOS 7 is good. We think it can be even better.
When Apple unveiled iOS 7, CEO Tim Cook called it the "biggest change since the iPhone". The OS received a major visual and interaction overhaul, along with a slew of new features.
The OS should arrive in the hands of consumers around October 2013, and in the meantime Apple has already released several beta versions, one of which radically altered the system's typography.
One clue as to what will be on offer in iOS 8 came in the form of an Apple Maps patent, which would see new interactive layers applied to the dogged Maps app.
We've also heard a lot of chatter about Healthbook, an app that Apple is supposedly readying to come pre-installed in iOS 8. Word is that the app will monitor and store fitness information like steps taken, miles walked and weightloss etc. Does that mean it could play nicely with the iWatch?
Still, there are many other things we'd like to see Apple change by the time iOS 8 rolls around later in 2014 - although in some cases we've gpt a sneaking suspicion Apple would disagree.
1. Change and hide default iOS apps
We'd love to be able to choose non-Apple alternatives for handling email, browsing and maps, but doubt it'll happen. However, Apple not providing the means to hide preinstalled apps you don't use is an irritant that goes back to the very first iPhone.
Even if there was a similar 'parental controls' trick for hiding apps to the one on the Apple TV, that'd be good enough.
2. A guest/child account
Apple's mantra is everyone should own their own device. That's lovely, but not everyone's pockets are as deep as those of Apple board members.
OS X-style user accounts are unlikely, but it can't be beyond Apple to provide a single-tap child account or a guest account that doesn't affect your settings and data, and doesn't retain settings or data of its own.
3. Better iOS app management
As of iOS 7, Apple automates app updates, but it should go further. Devs wrestle with iCloud app data, but this should be child's play to save and also (optionally) restore whenever you reinstall an app.
And the App Store itself should offer trials and paid version updates (rather than devs being forced to use IAP or 'replacement' apps as a workaround).
4. Stronger inter-app communications
One of the weakest elements of iOS is inter-app communication. If a service bumps you to another app, you're not always returned when you've finished performing an action.
Worse, when making document edits across several apps workflow can be a nightmare with document copies in various states strewn throughout individual app sandboxes.
5. Better document management
Following on from the previous point, iOS should introduce at least some kind of centralised access to documents. Right now, Dropbox is a surrogate file system because iCloud is a bunch of silos.
It's absurd that you can't easily attach documents within Mail in an OS that boasts a version number of 7. The lack of collaboration opportunities within iCloud document workflow is also disappointing.
6. Group FaceTime calls
This isn't specifically tied to iOS, but Apple's mobile platform is where FaceTime began life, and although the one-to-one model is great, it's about time you could call several people at once, rather than a group having to crowd around an iPhone.
7. iOS notifications like in OS X Mavericks
In OS X Mavericks, notifications are interactive - get a message and you can deal with it there and then, rather than leaving the app you're in. This is even more important on iOS, and so we hope Apple adds similar functionality on mobile. Google does it with aplomb, so we want to see the same here.
8. More Do Not Disturb options
Do Not Disturb gained extra power in iOS 7, enabling you to silence notifications only when a device is locked. Bizarrely, it still retains only a single schedule though. Is it beyond Apple to enable you to at least set one for weekdays and a separate one for weekends?
9. Better text manipulation
Apple's text-selection, cut, copy and paste seemed elegant when it was introduced, but only compared to disastrous equivalents on competing mobile systems.
Today, it comes across as awkward, and it's a barrier to usability for far too many people. We'd like to see a rethink from Apple and more usable and intuitive ways of dealing with text.
10. Two-up apps
We love the focus iOS provides, but there are times when we'd like to work with two apps at once. Much like messing with default apps, we doubt Apple will ever go down this path, but OS X Mavericks now has a more powerful full-screen mode for multiple monitors.
So there's perhaps the slightest hope a multi-screen mode might one day arrive for the iPad or a larger iPhone, and would be one in the eye for all those Samsung owners out there.
The SteelSeries iOS controller hasn't even hit store shelves yet,
and the company has already discounted the price by $20, it's now $79. That
makes it $20 cheaper than the Logitech and Moga controllers, which both have
their own flaws. The first one that comes to mind is that they're both $20 more
expensive than the SteelSeries controller, and have either fewer controls or
flimsy construction. The Moga and Logitech controllers both are also cases for
your iPhone, but the Steelseries will work for any iOS device. With this price
drop, the Steelseries Stratus seems to be the controller to get, at
least right now. Unfortunately, the controller isn't available just yet, and
it's unknown when it will be available. Source: TUAW
UPDATED Everything we've heard so far about iPhone 6
The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have been announced. So what does that mean for the iPhone 6?
Well, we'll tell you. Or, at least, we'll tell you what we can glean from rumor and speculation - some reliable, some not so much.
Given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - so it was no surprise the 5S was first and so we're looking at the second half of 2014 for a new iPhone 6.
One thing is for sure, with potential refreshes of such super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z1 and HTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game.
iPhone 6 release date
The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014, although exactly when that will be in the year is still a little unclear.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek says that there will be a June 2014 release for the iPhone 6. We reckon it will be later than that, around a year after the 5S.
Interestingly, in May 2013 Stuff reported it received a photo of the till system at a Vodafone UK store (which it has since removed along with the reference to Vodafone), with '4G iPhone 6' listed.
Apple has launched the last few iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money is on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's arrival.
That said, the June date has cropped up again, with fresh reports claiming that Apple will break the tradition of its software-centric WWDC eventin June by launching a 4.7-inch iPhone 6, followed by a larger model later in the year.
iPhone 6 home button
According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included". It will surely include Apple's new Touch ID finger print tech though?
iPhone 6 screen
The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.
Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display.
The same report suggests that Apple will release multiple handsets throughout the year over and above the iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to us.
Patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
That said, there's still a small possibility of the iPhone 6 sporting a flexible wraparound display after more patents were uncovered, but we reckon that's more likely to feature on the iPhone 7 or 8 instead.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes the new iPhone will have a bigger screen. Different sizes also seem rather likely to us - the word on the street after WWDC 2013 was that there would be 4.7 and 5.7-inch versions.
More rumors in September 2013 pointed to a 6-inch display, with further talk of a phablet sized 6-inch iPhone claiming it might arrive as early as May 2014.
A couple of months later word of a 4.9-inch prototype iPhone 6 hit the web, and at the start of 2014 we heard that Apple will launch a 4.7-inch and a 5.7-inch iPhone 6, not once, but twice - just to keeping us all guessing.
iPhone 6 casing
It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich.
He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL (these look rather like the iPhone 5C variant though). However, as ZDNet rightly points out, different size variants aren't exactly easy to just magic out of thin air.
You can expect more premium metal to come your way with the iPhone 6 too, and Apple patents for liquidmetal 3D printing suggest there may be a new way to form the sultry chassis on the new iPhone.
Writing in early January 2014, MacRumours quotes a batch of liquidmetal patents reportedly filed by Apple employees.
That chassis could well be the thinnest yet - with word that Apple will slim down the svelte 7.6mm 5S body for the iPhone 6, and if leaked images of the phone's case are legit the handset may well be shockingly slender.
Credit: C-Tech
The iPhone 6 will finally do NFC
About time too. Well, that's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. Many Android phones now boast NFC and Apple appears to have been happy to be left behind here.
iPhone 6 storage
We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff.
See our video below on what Apple needs to do to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4
The iPhone 6 will run iOS 8
With iOS 7 heading out of the traps now, who's betting against the next iPhone coming with iOS 8?
We'd expect a September or October release date for iOS 8 in line with previous releases.
iPhone 6 processor
Not a huge surprise, this one: the next processor one will be a quad-core A8 or an evolved A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life.
Anyone hoping for some juicy Samsung technology hidden under the iPhone 6 body will be disappointed though, as reports suggest Apple is looking to push its Korean rival further out of the iPhone picture with its eighth-gen handset.
Apple is apparently cutting the amount of A8 processors it is having made by Samsung, although it hasn't severed ties completely just yet.
iPhone 6 camera
Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality. But that's not what everybody thinks.
The China Post, quoting a tip from the country's Nomura Security, claims that the next iPhone won't go for a 12 or 16-megapixel sensor, instead sticking to the existinh 8-megapixel unit. Expect optical image stabilisation and improved autofocus though. And maybe a better flash.
A patent confirms this, saying Apple's aim is to use "voice coil motor actuators" to move the lens around the optical axis.
An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices - extra flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. Interesting stuff.
Will the iPhone 6 be handy for pro photographers? [Image credit: Apple Insider]
iPhone 6 Sapphire crystals
GT Advanced Technologies provides crystal grow equipment and materials for consumer electronics, among other industries and has announced that it's signed a multi-year supply agreement with Apple to provide sapphire materials.
Sapphire has figured prominently in recent Apple products - the iPhone 5S' Touch ID fingerprint reader features a cut sapphire crystal cover and the iPhone 5 was the first to feature a sapphire crystal lens.So what will we see in the iPhone 6? Certainly the Touch ID fingerprint reader, but also other scratch-proof materials. GT says it will own and operate the machinery to produce this stuff at a new Apple plant in Arizona.
iPhone 6 eye tracking
One thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the massive movement towards eye-tracking tech from other vendors, especially Samsung. It seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably from uMoove.
iPhone 6 wireless charging
Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable.
The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones. Here are more details on the iPhone 6 wireless charging patent.
Meanwhile, a further Apple patent seems to imply that future iPhones will be able to adjust volume as you move them away from your ear. Follow us on Facebook Here and twitter @findjawad
A brand new iPhone 6 concept emerged that many would hope it's real and even something that Apple can possibly approve of.
The newest concept design is allegedly made by French experts according to Value Walk. Many concepts have come and go in the past several months due to its being very unlikely to happen. The designer named as Frenchsoft seemingly got their inspiration from the iPad Air that was launched in 2013.
The French iPhone 6 concept design showed a thin design at 6mm with a bigger display at 4.5 inches. It also featured an 8MP camera located on its upper corner with an upgraded version of the iOS 8 because the icons looked like a tweaked version of the iOS 7. Other features in the newest concept also include the fingerprint scanner.
On other news, latest iPhone 6 reports include the possible earlier release date of the device which is possibly by May 2014, IBTimes AU stated. This may be for the potential reason that the iPhone 5s and 5c is not doing well in luring the Android and Windows users to turn their interest to the iPhone OS instead. The Kanta Worldpanel attested that both the recent iPhone smartphone devices may have shown considerable growth since the time it was introduced in September 2013, but its move higher to the ladder of growth seems not enough to win over Android.
However, so far as iPhone 6 rumors are concerned, what's for sure is that Apple will bring better features for their next flagship phone. The News Tribe made a good comparison of the iPhone 5s and the upcoming iPhone 6. As per the latest rumored iPhone 6 features, it is set to have an A8 octa-core processor, the retina + IGZO display, a 4GB RAM and even the tipped iOS 8.
Source : Latinpost
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NEW YORK — Nobody is ever going to confuse me with LeBron James, much less a bench warmer at some junior high school game. I love watching basketball, but it's not a sport that comes naturally to me as a player. Still, I'm working to improve my ball-handling and shooting skills just the same, using the hoop in my driveway and a brand new "smart basketball" called 94Fifty, so named because of the dimensions of an NBA or college court (which are 94 feet by 50 feet). Yes, you read right, a smart basketball. So what makes what appears to be an ordinary round, regulation-size synthetic leather indoor/outdoor basketball "smart"? For starters, wireless Bluetooth technology. Hidden inside the ball are nine sensors that communicate with a companion app on your iPhone or iPad. Six of those sensors can measure the amount of force applied to the ball, says Mike Crowley, founder and CEO of InfoMotion Sports Technologies, the company behind the ball. The three additional sensors serve other functions. 94Fifty lands exclusively in Apple Stores on Tuesday and at Apple Online Stores a week later. Unfortunately, you may need an NBA contract to afford one — the ball fetches about $300, or roughly six times the cost of an equivalent-quality basketball without the smarts. As you dribble or throw up shots, the app provides instant visual and audio feedback, with a "coach" that pushes you hard. ("Snap that dribble, faster, faster…") Crowley says there are 17 pre-defined drills in the current app, with difficulty levels that go from Playground to PrepStar to CollegeStar to Pro. Drills cover such things as your dominant hand speed, weak hand speed, crossover speed and behind-the-back speed. The app can count the number of dribbles, and detect when you've lost control of the ball. In one drill I had to dribble 60 times within 20 seconds while maintaining 80% ball control. I passed, so there's hope for me yet. Then again, I didn't fare as well in a catch-and-shoot drill. You can choose to work on various skills, or compete head to head against other players through up to 34 different challenges. You can set up the app with four custom players, plus a fifth "guest" player." You enter the height of each person who is competing. To even things out if you're competing, say, against a much younger person or someone who is at a very different skill level, you can add a handicap to a score. My two small kids were engaged, and they were excited when they improved their scores after repeating dribbling exercises. It was fun for me, too (and I got a decent workout). On the shooting side, you can see how well you fare firing off shots when you are 15 feet away from the basket and standing still, or 15 feet away and on the move. Since the app has no way of knowing on its own if you actually sink your shots, you do have to manually enter the number of times you make a basket, which is a bit of a drag. But the app can measure other factors automatically, including how fast you get off shots, what kind of backspin you have on your shot, and what kind of arc you have when you throw the ball up toward the hoop. You bounce the ball against the ground four times to activate it, but the ball goes to sleep to preserve power if you don't use it for a while. And, yes, you can use it just as a plain basketball, if you decide not to use the app. Crowley explains that basketball weights can vary, with balls used at the college and pro level weighing 580 to 650 grams — this one comes in at 600 grams, making it a full-size regulation basketball. The company says the app can go about eight hours off a single charge. Charging the app is as simple as placing the ball on a wireless charging pad that comes with it. Added bonus: You can use that wireless pad to juice up a cellphone capable of wireless charging, which I was able to do with a Google Nexus 5. The ball has a one-year warranty. In heavy usage, Crowley says the skin of the ball would likely wear faster than the embedded electronics. It's basketball and iOS for now, but InfoMotion — which reached its Kickstarter funding goal earlier this year — plans to apply its technology to soccer balls and eventually to also have an Android app. Source : USATODAY
Apple could be planning on making the move to 64 bit processors with the iPhone 5S and new iPad. Very basically speaking, the change would allow the apps and OS to use more memory, and therefore run faster. Animations, like those introduced in iOS 7, could be more complex and more smooth. 64 bit processors can run 32 bit apps, so developers wouldn't have to do much, although they may wish to tweak some of their code and recompile for 64 bit processors. Basically, it's a move that wouldn't require much work from developers, but would make iOS faster.
Finally, details are starting to emerge on the processor that will power future iOS devices.
According to Clayton Morris, a reporter at Fox News, Apple's new A7 processor will be about 31% faster than the
Craig Hockenberry, a developer at IconFactory (Twitterific) did a survey of developers. Of the 575 developers surveyed, nearly 95% responded that they were updating their apps for iOS 7. That's a large number of developers making an app for an operating system that isn't even out yet. Perhaps what's most surprising though, is that of the developers questioned, 284 said they were making apps that would only be for iOS 7. That's about 49.4%.
On any other mobile platform, this would be suicide for an app. Most Android users are still using a version of the app that is two versions old. However, on iOS, at least 95% of people are using the latest version of iOS. Within the first month of an iOS release, most users have already updated. Going off of this trend, developing apps for a brand new operating system is a safe bet. With the heavy interest in iOS 7 from users, it's very likely that the adoption rate for iOS 7 will be higher than any other iOS release. With iOS 7, public interest was at incredibly high levels, and many average users went so far as becoming registered Apple developers or buying licenses from developers to download the update as a beta. One thing's certain, when iOS 7 is released, there will be plenty of apps optimized for the new look and new features of the OS. Source: iDownloadBlog
Android fragmentation was supposed to start becoming less of an issue when Google started offering "pure" Android devices. However, it seems as though Android fragmentation is actually becoming worse. A study done by Open Signal showed just how badly the Android platform was fragmented. Most users aren't using the latest version of the operating system, in fact very few are. There are hundreds of screen sizes, and a flood of devices on the market. It's a pain for both developers and users. Developers have a harder time creating apps that work properly on such a wide range of devices, screen sizes, and operating systems, and users see lower quality apps, few updates, and become obsolete
Survey after survey places Apple products far ahead of their competitors in terms of customer satisfaction. It's never even a true contest, iOS devices and Macs consistently come it on top by a wide margin. So it seems fitting that the iPhone would have the highest retention rate out of any platform. In fact, 78% of all iOS owners were iOS owners beforehand. 27% of current iOS users switched from Android. People aren't leaving Android in droves, however. 67% of
