Discounted iPhone 5 hitting regional U.S. carriers tonight

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 27, 2012

The iPhone 5 launches in 22 new countries tomorrow, in addition to at least six regional U.S. carriers. We previously told you that regional wireless operators Cricket, C Spire, GCI, Bluegrass Cellular and Appalachian Wireless will be landing the iPhone 5 on Friday, September 28.

Joining these five carriers is nTelos Wireless, according to a new report, who will be offering the entry-level sixteen gigabyte version of the iPhone 5 for just $149 with a two-year contract. Other regional carriers are also reportedly slated to start carrying the device tonight...

Read More

Schmidt on patent wars: Google is friends with both Apple and Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 27, 2012

Google chairman Eric Schmidt is in South Korea to help with the launch of Nexus 7 in the country. As always, the outspoken executive defended Google's position on patents and addressed Apple's legal victory in the high-profile patent infringement case against South Korea-based Samsung.

Long story short, Schmidt is dissatisfied with Apple's efforts to fight Android backers in the courtroom, insisting that companies should compete with products. Of course patent disputes are hurting consumer choice and preventing innovation, Schmidt underscored. According to one patent expert, Android has infringed upon a total of 17 valid Apple and Microsoft patents. Plus, don't miss out on Schmidt dancing in Korea, Gangnam style...

Read More

Amazon asks judge to drop the ‘App Store’ claim

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 27, 2012

Online retailer Amazon has asked a federal judge to throw out Apple's legal maneuvering seeking to challenging Amazon's use of the "Appstore" term due to similarities with Apple's App Store trademark. The contention erupted in March of last year, when Apple sued Amazon over the App Store moniker. The online retailer was using the ‘app store’ term in their developer portal and other marketing materials, with Apple arguing the similarity with its own App Store name may have led to customer confusion...

Read More

Rovio’s Bad Piggies hit iOS, Mac and Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

As promised, Angry Birds maker Rovio today released a new physics-based game that turns the famous formula upside down in that it focuses on the green piggies who must protect the eggs grabbed from the birds. After a string of content updates and sequels, some feel the Angry Birds series has run its course.

Rovio is clearly banking on the success of Angry Birds here, but Bad Piggies is anything but yet another Angry Birds sequel. Gameplay footage and more info right below...

Read More

Screens updated for iOS 6

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Screens — one of our favorite VNC clients for the iPhone — has been updated with iPhone 5 support. Now, obviously, all apps will eventually be updated with iPhone 5 support, so why single out Screens? It's because the added real estate benefits the app in a major way, seeing as it's a remote desktop client.

Take a look inside as we showcase a couple comparison screenshots of the newly updated Screens.

Read More

Street View coming to Google Maps mobile web app in two weeks

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

I just read through David Pogue's freshly published article on the Mapgate situation and noticed a couple interesting revelations. The New York Times technology columnist says that in two weeks, you’ll be able to get Street View in the Google Maps mobile web on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Right now, you can use Safari on your iOS device to navigate to maps.google.com and use Google's maps on the web, though without spoken directions (you'll get written directions instead). More tidbits right below...

Read More

Streamweaver lets you jointly record multi-angle video with friends

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

If you are a fan of iPhone photography (and perhaps are following our iPhoneography series), you're gonna love this little gem. Streamweaver is a new multi-angle video app with a novel approach to mobile video recording. First, invite a bunch of friends to use the app. Then, each one of you gets to record the same scene from a different angle.

Finally, the program combines your uploaded video streams and plays them back in a single split-screen video that shows all the angles together. It's simple, clean, straightforward and works as advertised. Best of all, Streamweaver is provided free of charge...

Read More

Voice navigation was a deal-breaker in the Apple-Google maps talks

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

The Verge reported yesterday that Apple could have kept Google Maps until iOS 7 as Google's contract to keep the maps app on the iPhone had more time remaining. A new report sheds more light on the matter, with sources claiming that talks between the two Silicon Valley technology giants crashed over voice-assisted navigation.

Long story short, Google fought hard to bomb the deal as it wouldn't hand over the data needed to bring voice-guided navigation to a competing platform. Instead, the search Goliath continued to offer advanced location and navigation features on Android, widening the gap as it differentiated its platform from Apple...

Read More

Low-light shootout: iPhone 5 vs Lumia 920 vs Nokia 808 PureView vs HTC One X vs Galaxy S III

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

The biggest change in the iSight camera found on the back of the iPhone 5 is not its sapphire lens cover, the new panorama mode, faster performance, better video stabilization or crisper photos stemming from enhanced post-processing capabilities provided by the heavily customized, Apple-designed A6 chip.

It's its markedly better performance in low-light situations. The difference between the iPhone 4S and 5 camera becomes readily apparent on photos taken under artificial light, poorly lit scenes or no light at all.

By way of Engadget, we are now able to compare night shots taken on the iPhone 5 against those snapped up using Nokia's newly introduced Lumia 920, Nokia 808 PureView device, HTC's flagship One X and of course, Samsung's Galaxy S III. Who do you think came on top?

Read More

How to get live filters back in Instagram on the iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 8, 2016

Intstagram pulled a Skitch with yesterday's update in that the company has removed live filters from the iPhone 5. As Instagram fans could tell you, the live previewing feature is pretty popular because it lets you quickly apply Instagram's trademark photo filters right before hitting the shutter button, so you can see what the photo being taken would look like with the desired effect.

Though Instagram confirmed that live filters will be phased out from both the iOS and Android apps, developers left a stealthy workaround in place to re-enable live previewing on the iPhone 5...

Read More