Apple

Samsung ads lampoon iPhone 6 screen, battery, multitasking, Apple Watch and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 11, 2014

Galaxy maker Samsung on Thursday published a series of advertisements on its YouTube channel. The commercials have been designed to ridicule Apple's latest announcements.

The six-installment series, which Samsung is running under the 'Note The Difference' tagline, targets pretty much everything, from Apple's botched live stream to the iPhone 6's screen size, multitasking and battery life to — funny you should ask — the star of the show: the Apple Watch.

I've included the videos for your viewing pleasure right after the break so watch them now and join us in comments.

Viber rolls out video calling

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 11, 2014

Viber, the once promising VoIP service, on Thursday introduced video calling across its mobile apps for the iOS and Android platforms.

Now available in the App Store as a free download, the new Viber 5.0 lets you place or receive video calls over Wi-Fi and cellular networks to your Viber contacts who use the service on their smartphones or desktop.

This release also includes enhancements to stickers, improvements for adding friends, better media forwarding and more.

Apple’s free U2 album is automatically appearing in your Music app

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

U2's first studio album in five years, Songs of Innocence, is automatically appearing on users' iPhone and iPads on Wednesday evening, following Apple CEO Tim Cook announcing it will be available for free on iTunes, only from Apple until October 13th. You may have thought you'd get to choose if you'd want to place the album in your iOS device's Music app. But no, when we say automatically we mean automatically.

Apple facing delays launching iPhone 6 models in China, still hasn’t gained approval

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple informed the top-three carriers in China on Wednesday it would not be offering the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on September 19, leaving them caught off-guard, the New York Times reported. China is seen as the company's fastest growing market, so it's definitely an odd move, as China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom and customers in the area are eagerly awaiting the launch alongside the US and other countries worldwide.

Apple to use new Reservation Pass service for retail iPhone 6 launch

Cody Lee ∙ September 10, 2014

Apple is looking to utilize a new reservation system for customers lined up outside of its retail stores for the iPhone 6, reports 9to5Mac. According to the site, the company has been handing out training materials to employees for the new system, which is called "Reservation Pass."

Reservation Pass is described as a virtual queue of sorts, allowing Apple employees to manage crowds and stockpiles more efficiently on hectic launch days. The system tracks customer line position, and syncs with a store's inventory to make sure there are enough devices in stock.

You can now make voice calls from Hangouts app

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 10, 2014

As suspected, the Internet giant Google on Wednesday has finally gotten around refreshing its free of charge Hangouts mobile application for the iPhone and iPad with the ability to make phone calls to anyone on your Hangouts contact list, using the new voice-calling feature.

As part of its staggered shuttering of the Voice app, “starting today you can make voice calls from Hangouts on Android, iOS and the web,” wrote the search giant in a post over at the Official Google Blog.

Calling landline and mobile phone numbers in the United States and Canada is free, with the international calling rates starting at a ridiculously low one cent per minute.

Apple Watch: water resistant, not waterproof

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 10, 2014

The newly-introduced Apple Watch, the Cupertino firm's long-expected foray into smartwatches, is actually water-resistant, not waterproof, technology columnist David Pogue has found out.

According to his hands-on article for Yahoo Tech, even though you can wear the device on the rain, when washing hands or cooking, you'll need to take it off before hitting the shower.

“Sweating, wearing it in the rain, washing your hands, or cooking with it are fine,” reads his write-up. “Take it off before you swim or get in the shower, though”.

Samsung uses Steve Jobs quote against Apple: ‘no one is going to buy a big phone’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 10, 2017

Always eager to respond to Apple's latest moves swiftly and boldly, Samsung of South Korea took to Twitter following yesterday's iPhone 6/Apple Watch/Apple Pay press conference to share an interesting banner which uses Steve Jobs's own words as a weapon against Apple to dismiss its decision to make bigger iPhones as long overdue.

“No one is going to buy a big phone,” reads the quote on Samsung's snarky anti-iPhone Galaxy Note 4 banner. “Guess who surprised themselves and changed their mind,” another line reads.

The attached image is accompanied by the following message on Twitter: “Big improvements and innovation come with change - even they thought so”.

Apple Watch requires daily charging, battery life could improve for launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 10, 2014

The Apple Watch, when it starts shipping next year, will require daily charging, suggesting the device's built-in battery lasts about 24 hours, Re/code journalist John Paczkowski said Wednesday. Apple is reportedly ”not happy“ with the battery life and is working to improve it before the product's early-2015 debut.

Regardless, Apple still expects users will charge their Apple Watches once daily. At no point during the yesterday's unveiling did Apple specify or mention how long the device's battery will last.

Even Apple's promotional images don't appear to show the battery indicator on the device's Home screen.

Spotify gains support for Ford SYNC AppLink

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 10, 2014

Spotify, the popular Swedish music-streaming startup, on Wednesday refreshed its free iPhone and iPad application with improved music discovery and support for the Ford SYNC AppLink platform.

When browsing albums in Spotify for the iPhone and iPod touch, you can now easily check out more releases from the artist in one tap.

More importantly, owners of Ford vehicles outfitted with the car maker's proprietary SYNC AppLink platform can now use Spotify in their car.

Apple confirms that left-handed users can invert Apple Watch to wear it on their right arm

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 10, 2014

Left-handed users needn't worry because Apple's newly-introduced smartwatch can be inverted and worn on the right arm for left-handed use, an Apple spokesman has confirmed to Business Insider on Wednesday. Apple's promotional videos and all the images used on the Apple Watch webpage depict the device being worn on the left arm and used by right-handed people.

That the Apple Watch is friendly to the lefties should come as a relief to the approximately ten percent of the world's population who are more skillful with their left hands when performing tasks.