Forrester: the iPhone is still most-used smartphone

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 1, 2013

Yet another study throws a spotlight on the differences in how Apple and Android smartphone owners use their devices, with a heavy emphasis on 'use'. Both in apps and overall smartphone usage, iPhone owners rank higher than owners of Android handsets.

After surveying both U.S. and European smartphone owners, researchers not only found owners of the Apple device more frequently use apps, but conduct more tasks suitable to smartphones, such as browsing the Internet. This despite Android's advantage both in number of handsets out there and in sales.

The dichotomy just reinforces our Android in a Drawer theory, which says many owners of the Google-powered devices see their handsets as just a spiffier version of dumb feature phones, ignoring most of what makes smartphones smart...

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BlackBerry Messenger beta for iOS and Android invites rolling out

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2013

The long-rumored BlackBerry Messenger is finally launching on iOS and Android before the end of summer (so before September 22). It looks like the software is coming along nicely as Canada's embattled smartphone maker has started rolling out invites to a small number of users on its Beta Zone website, asking them to test out the Android and iOS versions of the software...

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Here’s Asphalt 8: Airborne gameplay footage

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2013

Mid-June, French games maker Gameloft released first screenshots depicting the upcoming eight installment in the Asphalt racing franchise, Asphalt 8: Airborne. The high-quality game is coming to iOS and Android later this summer, priced at just 99 cents.

Earlier this week, the prolific publisher posted a new teaser trailer, along with a dev diary video from earlier offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Asphalt 8, including interesting looking gameplay footage. I've included both videos for your viewing pleasure just after the break...

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Cobook Contacts makes your address book work for you

Lory Gil ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

We are connected in so many different ways to so many different people in this age of technology that it is hard to keep it straight. In my days (because, you know, I’m so old), you had one address book and everyone you had a contact for was in the same place. Now, you can connect with people through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, phone, and so much more.

Cobook Contacts combines all of your social networking contacts with your iOS device’s contacts and the best part is that the app has been completely redesigned in the likeness of iOS 7…

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iOS 7 includes fix for malicious charger exploit

Cody Lee ∙ August 1, 2013

Back in June, a group of researches discovered a flaw in iOS that would theoretically allow an iOS device to be hacked  using a malicious USB charger. Their proof-of-concept allowed them to invisibly install malware on non-jailbroken iPhones and iPads.

The results of the experiment were called 'alarming,' and brought to the attention of Apple in hopes for a quick fix. The Cupertino company must have gotten the message, because according to a new report, the exploit has been patched in the latest iOS 7 beta...

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Rovio’s ‘Bad Piggies’ game goes free as App of the Week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Great news gamers! Rovio's popular Bad Piggies game has been named App of the Week by Apple, meaning you can download the iPhone and iPad versions of the title for free during the next 7 days.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Bad Piggies is fairly different from Angry Birds and Rovio's other titles in that it revolves around building contraptions to get your pigs safely through levels...

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Apple ordering Retina displays for new iPad mini, contemplating colored backs: WSJ

Cody Lee ∙ August 1, 2013

And the back and forth continues. Hot on the heels of a report this afternoon that iOS 7 contains references to an A6 iPad mini with a non-Retina display, comes a story from The Wall Street Journal that Apple has begun ordering hi-res screens from Samsung for the tablet.

Today's clash is just the latest in a long line of conflicting reports regarding Apple's next-gen 8-inch slate, which is set to debut this fall. Previous speculation has suggested that a Retina iPad mini would be nearly technically impossible, but tonight's story says the contrary...

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AT&T’s 4G LTE coming online in more places

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 31, 2013

Just a week after adding seven new markets, the nation's second-largest telco today announced its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless service is now available in an additional ten U.S. cities.

With Verizon's LTE now blanketing 500+ markets, AT&T certainly has some catching up to do. Customers in select cities located in the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Massachusets, Georgia, Arkansas and West Virginia should start experiencing increased download speeds using their LTE-enabled gear...

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In another major Maps push, Apple seeking dozens of Ground Truth specialists

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

A bunch of job ads surfaced earlier today on Apple's website, advertising positions on the company's Maps team. The iPhone maker is seeking so-called ground truth specialists around the world to help correct address and landmark inaccuracies.

Apple is looking for people "with a passion for mapping, great testing skills, and deep regional knowledge to help us build better and better maps".

Ideal candidates will be responsible for the quality assessment of Apple's Maps in their region, including both data and map services...

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Imgur iOS app: all the web’s memes, right in your pocket

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 31, 2013

Soon after users on Reddit and Digg began spreading viral images through it, Alan Schaaf’s image-sharing service Imgur blew up in no time.

Be it funny images that'd gone viral, animated GIFs or simply the fact that it was conceived (in 2009) from the onset as an image hosting service that didn’t suck - users are now uploading more than a million images to Imgur every day.

Announced for iOS (and released on Android) back in June, the official Imgur iOS app finally hit the App Store early-July. At least that's what AppShopper says - earlier today, I received a media release celebrating the app's iOS launch so...

Much like the beloved web service, the iOS app allows you to browse the ever-growing collection of viral images, comment and vote on them, upload your own photos and lots more...

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Popular Dolphin browser updated with ad blocker, themes and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

The mobile Safari browser that Apple includes with iOS is probably ok for the average user, but it's lacking a ton of features. This has forced a lot of folks to seek a third-party alternative with more to offer. I, for example, use Chrome.

Another popular choice, though, is MoboTap Inc.'s Dolphin browser, which happened to receive a big update today. The new version includes a number of improvements, such as a new ad-blocking feature, themes and better downloading...

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