After Apple rejected Sparrow's iPhone 5 update earlier in the month, critics cried foul and commentators happily pointed out Apple was attempting to derail the popular email client for iOS devices and Macs. There was little hope left for new features after Google acquired Sparrow in June. Plus, the search giant acknowledged as much when it said the Sparrow team would move to Google's Mountain View offices to work on new Gmail features. It's a welcome sign, then, that a new version of Sparrow just surfaced on the App Store. Though short of features, it does bring out two major nice-to-haves: support for the iPhone 5's taller display and Passbook integration...
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U.S. National Transportation Safety Board drops BlackBerry for iPhone
Last month, the U.S. Immigration and Customer Enforcement agency and government consultant Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. both announced plans to drop BlackBerry smartphones and deploy iPhones and Android devices instead. The Pentagon is also prepping to deploy Apple's and Google's platform.
The Defense Department is conducting search for a contractor that will build a system to manage and secure a fleet of 162,500 iPhones, iPads and Android devices. And now, rubbing salt into the wound, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board confirms it will be making the switch.
In a document posted last week to a federal website, the agency dissed BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, writing its devices have been “failing both at inopportune times and at an unacceptable rate”. Ouch!
Review: iZON Wi-Fi video monitor and its companion iOS app
Like the Lidless Eye of Sauron, iZON stares unblinkingly into your home, taking note of all within. Scary, right? Well, not exactly, as there are many uses for a Wi-Fi enabled video monitor in the home, office, or abroad. The iZON, pronounced "eyes-on," provides a single video feed across a wireless network that streams through the iZON server system, giving the user access to the feed anywhere in the world with your iOS device. If there is a need for you to be two places at once, the iZON can be your eyes and ears whether watching your newborn, crazy pet, or the front door...
AT&T reportedly extending FaceTime over Cellular to all customers
AT&T rustled some feathers back in August when it announced that it would only allow its subscribers on its new Shared data plans to utilize the FaceTime over Cellular feature in iOS 6.
Then earlier this month, the carrier said that it would be opening up the feature to legacy data plans. And as it turns out, it looks like this might actually include unlimited plans as well...
Clever Lotto tracks your lucky numbers
Personally, I am no gambler and have never played the US Mega Millions or Powerball drawings, but there are plenty of people out there tossing in a few dollars just to strike it big. If you are looking for a quick, easy way to track those lucky numbers, look no further than Clever Lotto, which keeps track of everything automatically. There is no longer a need to look up the winning numbers or stay up late with your fingers crossed. Clever Lotto will send a push notification to your iPhone every time there is a drawing...
Apple airs two new iPhone 5 ads, ‘Turkey’ and ‘Orchestra’
With the holidays rapidly approaching, it's no surprise that Apple has started to ramp up marketing for its iOS products. Yesterday, new iPod ads started popping up around the web. And tonight, two new iPhone 5 commercials began airing on television: 'Turkey' and 'Orchestra.' As always, we have both of the spots for you after the break...
Netatmo’s Urban Weather Station is for the weather guru
I love the weather. No real reason in particular, but fascination started as a young child when I would rush home from school to track Hurricanes on the Weather Channel, despite living nowhere near the coast. When I first read about the first iOS specific Netatmo Urban Weather Station a month back, I was fascinated with the ability to monitor the temperature, both in and outside my house. A weather nerd at heart, I think this is an awesome piece of hardware. To the weather novice, it is still a great addition for your connected home. Below, we take a look at the personal weather station that just received CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award honoree in three categories...
Kids want an iPad for Christmas – and nothing else
Listen up, parents. Your kids want an iPad. Don't be swayed by the Microsoft Surface commercials or the Nintendo Wii U chatter. No matter whether your child is 6 or 16, the iPad is at the top of Christmas wish lists for 2012, a new survey has it. According to Nielsen Wire, the top four out of five most-wanted gifts for children and teens bear an Apple logo.
Even more intriguing are the changes in what Apple products are wanted this holiday season versus last year. If anything, the trend can be summed-up in one word: tablet...
Gartner predicts Lenovo will become China’s #1 smartphone brand in 2013
China is fast becoming a key market for Apple and other smartphone makers looking to cash-in on the nation's enormous population. However, the top player in 2013 could come from closer to home. Lenovo is expected to become China's leading smartphone brand next year, up from its current #2 slot, one research firm announced Tuesday.
According to Gartner, Lenovo's share of the smartphone market rose to 14.8 percent in the third quarter of this year, a dramatic increase from a year ago, when the company held just 1.7 percent of the market. That puts its Android-powered LePhone within striking distance of Samsung, which is the leading smartphone maker in China with 16.7 percent of the market.
What advantages does Lenovo have? Name-recognition and reasonable pricing, the latter being of the utmost importance in China...
T-Mobile says it cannot afford the iPhone
T-Mobile is the furthest behind of the four major U.S. telcos in 4G LTE deployment and it's been losing customers to AT&T, Verizon and Sprint over its ongoing inability to offer the iPhone. Though the Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier offers free support and Nano SIMs to unlockers, it stopped using the iPhone name to drive sales.
As things stand now, a much-needed deal with Apple continues to be just a wishful thinking. Optimists amongst analysts are positive 2013 will be the year the iPhone lands on T-Mobile's network. Others point to the $10 billion dent in carriers' profits over high iPhone subsidy, which is estimated to an average of $425 per handset. And now, T-Mobile's op-chief re-iterates that his company won't be able to afford the iPhone unless Apple budges on its asinine position...
The iPhone 5 Lightning Dock review
As most of you probably know by now, Apple has no plans to create a first party dock like it has for previous versions of the iPhone. That's unfortunate, since I rely on a dock for doing videos and such, and I know plenty of others miss it as well.
The only recourse us iPhone 5 owners have, is to opt for a third party product. One such product is The Lightning Dock, a dock comprised of a solid piece of aluminum, which can be ordered in one of four configurations.
After ordering my Lightning Dock back on October 5th, I finally received it in the mail yesterday via USPS. Needless to say, I was stoked to finally have a dock that could function with new Lightning enabled devices like the iPhone 5, iPod touch 5th gen, and even the iPad mini.
Take a look inside for our hands-on video walkthrough and review...
Nokia’s Here Maps app hits the App Store
Last week, Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop told reporters at a San Francisco press conference that Nokia was rebranding their mapping service to Here Maps, and would be releasing a native iOS app for the service within a few weeks.
Today, Nokia has made good on that promise, as its Here Maps app has just been spotted in the App Store. The HTML5-based software includes walking and public transportation directions, and many other features...