Apple

Microsoft introduces Windows Phone 8

As expected, Microsoft has just taken the wraps off of Windows Phone 8 — the latest iteration of its mobile operating system — during a nightclub-themed media event in California.

Similar to Apple's WWDC keynote, Microsoft took this opportunity to go over a handful of new features in the software. And so far, it looks fairly solid. Should Apple be nervous?

Poll: should Apple hit the panic button because of Microsoft’s Surface?

The mobile landscape on Monday became a tad more interesting place with the announcement that Microsoft was going to enter the race with its own tablet product marketed under the Surface moniker.

We're now less than an hour away until another major Microsoft presser, this one concerning Windows Phone. With that in mind, iDB thought it'd be interesting to gauge our readers' opinion on the Surface vs. iPad dilemma...

Acer: Microsoft’s Surface is just a ploy to drive Windows 8 adoption

When Microsoft out of the blue announced on Monday it was entering the tablet race with its own Surface-branded product, many industry watchers and, more importantly, Microsoft's hardware partners were taken aback and left scratching their head.

Just what the hell Redmond thinks it's doing, many OEMs now wonder. Aggressive pricing (think $199 or below) is seen as key to Surface's chance of success and OEMs can't exactly compete with Microsoft on level ground because their already thin margins are stretched even thinner as they pay license fees to Microsoft to use Windows on tablets.

But Microsoft may not be in it for the money or hardware sales, warns Acer founder Stan Shih who has commented that the Surface is just a ploy to drum up excitement and drive Windows 8 adoption...

Official game for 2012 Olympic Games hits iOS

The official game for 2012 Olympic Games is out now for the iOS platform, available both in ad-supported free version. and as an ad-free download priced at threee bucks a pop. You can train your athlete and compete in nine Olympic events: 100M, 110M Hurdles, 100m Freestyle, Double Trap, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, 100m Butterfly, Kayak (K1) and Archery. Here's your trailer...

China Unicom in talks to extend Apple partnership

It looks like folks who were worried about Apple's progress in China can rest easy. Thanks to "better than expected results," China Unicom is in talks with Apple to extend its current 3 year partnership.

The Chinese telco is the tenth largest carrier in the world, and was Apple's first iPhone partner in mainland China back in 2009. And it appears that the relationship has been equally good for both parties...

Chevy Sonic, Spark to be among first Eyes Free adopters

A few days ago, we found out a little bit more about the mysterious Eyes Free feature that Apple unveiled last week. The Siri component will allow vehicles to offer native, in-car support for the digital assistant.

Today, we've learned some information regarding those cars. According to a new report, GM is looking to be a frontrunner in the Eyes Free adoption race. And it plans to start with its Spark and Sonic models...

WWDC 2012 developer sessions now available for download

Folks who couldn't make it out to WWDC last week will be happy to hear that Apple has just posted videos of all of its developer sessions online. The clips are available for viewing on both the developer website, and in iTunes.

The collection of nearly 200 videos covers a wide array of topics — for both Mac OS X and iOS developers — ranging from "how to integrate Facebook into your app," to creating passes for the new Passbook application...

Microsoft to make major Windows Phone announcement tomorrow

Apparently Microsoft isn't ready to give up the spotlight this week. Just 24 hours after unveiling its new Surface tablet, the company has sent out media invitations for a Windows Phone-related event.

Microsoft is set to hold its developer summit in California over the next two days. But the invites, which read "A sneak peek of the future of Windows Phone," specifically mention tomorrow morning...

Case-makers starting to buy into recent iPhone “leaks”

Despite Tim Cook's vow to "double down on secrecy," we've seen a surprising amount of information regarding the next-generation iPhone in the past few weeks. We know its screen size, resolution, and even have a good idea of what it looks like.

Or do we? Perhaps the amount of data floating around is actually a sign that we don't know anything. Maybe everything we've seen to this point has been fake, or a misdirection. If so, this case manufacturer is about to throw away a ton of money...

What fragmentation? Apparently iOS 6 SDK allows for intelligently-scaling apps

One of the major staples of Android development's always been the operating system's ability to automatically scale apps up and down in order to accommodate whichever form factor they're being used on.

Apple's approach to form factor fragmentation has traditionally been the opposite one. As in, Apple requires app developers to target each screen size with a pixel-perfect user interface. Though iPads can pixel-double tiny iPhone apps, Apple wouldn't degrade user experience by letting iOS stretch apps' hard-coded interfaces.

It would appear that iOS 6 introduces a diametrically opposite approach, one letting developers construct interfaces that can intelligently adapt to different screen resolutions without looking plain fugly.

This is not just convenience, but a necessity given that rumored taller iPhone and an iPad mini, both allegedly due around September or October of this year...

Google’s iPad-killer launches next Wednesday?

Piggy-backing on Google chairman Eric Schmidt's last December revelation that his company was working on own tablet, an Asian trade publication claims an Asus-engineered device marketed under the Nexus moniker launches at the Google I/O developers conference, which runs from June 27 through 29 in San Francisco's Moscone West.

It's gonna cost just $199 and feature a seven-inch display, the word on the street has it. The publication also offers tidbits regarding launch plans for Google's first branded tablet...