Facebook testing $1 Messaging service..

In addition to Facebook-owned Instagram threatening to use shared photos in advertisements, and talk that Facebook itself may open the doors to 15-second video commercials in news feeds, the social network has announced that an experimental feature is underway that allows strangers to pay for delivering their virtual letter to your Facebook Messages Inbox.

"Today we’re starting a small experiment to test the usefulness of economic signals to determine relevance," the company said. "This test will give a small number of people the option to pay to have a message routed to the Inbox rather than the Other folder of a recipient that they are not connected with."

According to Facebook, the idea is to discourage unwanted messages and facilitate delivery of messages that are relevant and useful. The current test is designed to address situations where neither social nor algorithmic signals are sufficient.

Typically the Facebook Messages service relies on two "signals" that tell the system where a message needs ot go: into the Inbox or into the Other folder. Social signals such as friend connections go straight to the Inbox whereas algorithmic signals filter out spam based on friend of friend connections, people the user might know, and so on.

Now there's a new economic signal that will essentially allow a message to be sent straight to a recipient's Inbox if the sender coughs up a whole dollar per message. "For example, if you want to send a message to someone you heard speak at an event but are not friends with, or if you want to message someone about a job opportunity, you can use this feature to reach their Inbox," the company said. "For the receiver, this test allows them to hear from people who have an important message to send them."

Facebook said this new routing feature is only for personal messages between individuals here in the States. The number of messages a sender can have moved from the Other folder to the Inbox is one per person per week... at least for now.

In addition to the paid service, Facebook has also added two new filters to help sort the incoming messages: Basic and Strict. With Basic selected, users will see mostly messages from friends and people they may know (formerly "Everyone"). The Strict filter only allows messages from friends (formerly "Friends"). Users of Messenger for Android – who don't have a Facebook account – can still send a message to someone with the Basic filter on.

"If you see a message from someone you don't want to hear from in your Inbox, you can always select 'Move to Other' or 'Report Spam' from the Actions menu," Facebook said. "You can also block people that you don’t want to hear from on Facebook."

Facebook has seemingly become the next America Online, only on a global scale. Like the popular online Internet network of the late 90s, Facebook has become a networking service with its own email system, chat client, internal web sites, games and more. What's missing is a dial-up connection, an integrated web browser, and a monthly subscription model.

Six IOS Apps you need right now

Six iOS apps you need right now
by Jason Parker November 26, 2012
If you're going to be buying (or receiving) a new iOS device over the holidays, you're going to want to grab the hottest apps to see what the App Store has to offer. But with close to 750,000 apps available, it can be a bit daunting to figure out which ones to choose.

To get you started, I put together a list of apps that include both all-time hits and up-and-coming new software. Each of these is available for iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, and give you a sampling of what your new iOS device can do.



This post was updated on December 19, 2012, to include Google Maps and Evernote.

PhotoToaster
There are a ton of photo-editing apps in the App Store with some made for social networks such as Instagram, and others that offer more features for tweaking your images. But in a sea of photo-editing apps, PhotoToaster is a great place to start.

PhotoToaster has long been a favorite of mine with easy-to-use basic editing tools, tons of effects you can preview by tapping your finger, and other handy tools to enhance parts of your images for the best look possible. When you're finished tweaking your photo, you can save it, e-mail it, send it via text message or to one of many social networking sites, and even make it into a physical post card.

Evernote
This app for iOS is just one part of an excellent, access-from-anywhere note-taking system that syncs your notes, images, and more so you have access to them no matter what device you're on.

The latest version of the app has a completely redesigned user interface, with better access to all your notebooks, tags, and places so you can find exactly what you want quickly.

If you've ever experienced not having the latest version of your notes, or just want an excellent way to transfer info between devices, Evernote is an excellent free app.

Angry Birds Star Wars
Angry Birds is easily the most popular game of all time on iOS devices and -- once you play this cute and addictive sequel -- you'll immediately see why. The simple concept of flinging birds into structures and causing the most damage possible is easy to understand and enjoy whether you're 8 years old or 80.

While an Angry Birds game might be an obvious choice for a list like this one, Angry Birds Star Wars really impressed me beyond what I thought it could using more than just a "Star Wars" backdrop. New "Star Wars"-themed bird types, music from the movies, and intricately designed levels make this game an excellent choice, even without the popular gaming franchise that came before it.

Netflix
Like the Angry Birds games, Netflix has been available for a long time, but it's simply way too good to pass up on a new iOS device.

While you only get the limited streaming library from Netflix, having instant access to TV shows, movies, documentaries, and more on your iOS device is amazingly useful. Whether you're out and about, on a trip, or just want to catch a quick episode of your favorite show, Netflix streams are high definition and smooth for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Google Maps
Google Maps is finally back. With a complete redesign, intuitive controls, and turn-by-turn directions with voice, it is our choice as the best navigation app for iPhone.

Whether you want to find an address, get driving directions, or do a local search for restaurants, Google Maps lives up to its legacy. Searching for an establishment gives you all the pertinent info on one screen (such as address and phone number) and lists out user reviews so you can see what other people are saying with only a few swipes. Along with great search tools, smart interface elements (such as swiping sideways to see more results) make for a great way to browse through restaurants and other businesses.

If you liked the version of Google Maps found on the iPhone up until iOS 6, you will love this latest version, with several more features and an elegant new interface.

FIFA Soccer 13
Coming from a long line of console soccer games, FIFA Soccer has seen a number of improvements over the years to make it the best in the genre. But this "football" game is not just good -- it might be the best all-around sports game for iOS ever.

Not only can you play as any of 500 fully licensed teams, with more than 15,000 players, across 30 leagues, the gameplay is silky smooth as you try to make a play for the goal. New skill moves in this latest version are much easier to pull off as you fight your way through difficult defenses in tournaments, championships, and other game modes. If you like soccer or really any team sports, this game is a must download.

Google Working with Motorola to create Ultimate Android Phone Named 'X'

Ever since Google acquired Motorola Mobile in early 2012, Android enthusiasts have been waiting anxiously to see what kind of amazing super-phone the combined companies would create. Well, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal, we could be finding out as early as next year. According to some insider sources, Google is working very closely with Motorola to build the ultimate superphone, code named “X Phone”. Larry Page is said to have told the Motorola team to “think big” and has promised significant funds for the device. Dennis Woodside, Motorola’s chief executive has said that the company is currently “investing in a team and a technology that will do something quite different than the current approaches.” What is this “different” approach that the X Phone will be taking? It’s anyone’s guess really, but the fact that the phone is called the “X Phone” could be an homage to Google’s super secretive, super forward thinking “X Labs”, a branch of Google engineers that develop hardware and ideas that will change the future.

It is also quite possible that the “X Phone” name could be a hint that this phone will be the next Nexus device, since the Nexus logo is essentially an X. Other insiders are reporting that the phone will be followed by an X Tablet, also produced by Motorola. Unfortunately, the development of the hardware has supposedly hit some obstacles in the manufacturing and supply-chain process, which has caused Google and Motorola to have to rethink some of their original plans for the X Phone. As of now, we have no word on when the phone will be released, but the source says that it’ll be some time in 2013. That’s a big window, but hopefully they mean January 1st! Any of you have any theories about the “different approach” the X Phone will be taking when it comes to hardware?

Apples Latest update for IPhone fixes one problem creates another

Earlier this week, Apple released a small software update for iPhones.

The update fixed an issue with iPhones that were experiencing a poor Wi-Fi connection. While the Wi-Fi issue may have been solved, AppleInsider is reporting that some users are claiming the update has made their battery life worse.

Battery life has always been a huge complaint for iPhone users, but users are claiming substantial battery drain after this update.

You can read the full thread of complaints on Apple's official support forums.

Have you been experiencing poorer battery life after you updated to iOS 6.0.2? Let us know in the comments.

Apple's profit surmounts entire PC industry.

Despite missing Wall Street Journal expectations for two successive quarters, Apple managed to acquire profits of $41.9 billion throughout the last four quarters.

According to figures deriving from Statista, that figure represents $7 billion more than the combined net profit of Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Yahoo and eBay. It was previously revealed that the iPhone by itself managed to generate more revenue than all of Microsoft.

Apple's profits is double the combined $19.4 billion generated by computing firms Intel, IBM, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, HP and Dell. Consequently, the iPhone and iPad creator is twice as profitable as the entire PC industry.

Statista, which gained its statistics from official company filings, compared Apple with key smartphone and tablet rivals, but the Cupertino company is still the clear winner.

Samsung has seen its profits increase ten-fold during the past twelve months, but when it's combined with RIM, HTC, and Nokia, the total equates to just over a quarter of Apple's yearly earnings -- $12.8 billion.

Apple's total sales for 2012 has thus far equaled $156.5 billion, while its cash pile has reached $121.25 billion. It's currently the richest company on the planet.

Google Quickoffice brings MS Office on IPad

Google has launched a new Quickoffice iPad app so that users of Apps for Business can open and edit Microsoft Office documents on their iPads.

The new capabilities were announced in a 19 December post on the Google Enterprise Blog by Jonathan Rochelle, director of product management for Google Drive.
Office on iPad
"Starting today, the Quickoffice iPad app is available for free to all Apps for Business customers, and iPhone and Android versions are on the way," wrote Rochelle. "With the app, you can open and edit any Office files you've stored in Google Drive right from your iPad."

This iPad app for Quickoffice automatically syncs with Google Drive and supports two-factor authentication, according to Google. With the app, users can open and edit any Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint file stored in Google Drive right from their iPads.

Versions for other devices, including iPhones and Android devices, will be released for Google Apps for Business customers in the future, according to Google.

"Whether you're converting Office files to Google documents or you just need to make a couple quick edits without converting, it should be easy to get work done whenever you need to, on any device," wrote Rochelle.

Since Google's acquisition of Quickoffice in June, it has been making improvements to the Quickoffice offerings. Quickoffice allows users to work with their legacy Microsoft Office files by converting them into Google documents or by editing them directly in Quickoffice.

One of the benefits of the new iPad app is that it can make it easier for users to make quick edits to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files without having to convert them to Google Docs files, according to Google.

Quickoffice apps enable users to view, create, edit and synchronize documents on devices using any of the leading mobile operating systems, including Apple iOS, Android and Nokia Symbian. Quickoffice is compatible with Microsoft Office and includes apps for creating documents, spreadsheets and presentations similar to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, respectively.

Google engineers have continued to refine their Google Apps for business products throughout 2012 as the company seeks to grow its user base for the online office suite, which is accessed through the cloud from anywhere.
App Changes
Earlier in December, Google announced that it was ending its free version of Google Apps for Business after deciding that most business users have been quickly outgrowing it and signing up for more fully featured paid accounts that offer additional services.

The move came seven years after Google first began offering the free Google Apps services.

The paid Google Apps for Business accounts began in 2007 when Google began charging $50 (£31) per user annually, a fee that provided larger inbox mail storage and access to Google APIs to allow businesses to build custom apps and other extra services. Google also added apps versions specifically aimed at governments, universities and schools.

All businesses that now want to use Google Apps for Business will have to pay for the service, but they will get expanded services, including 24/7 phone support for any issue, a 25GB inbox and a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee with no scheduled downtime.

The changes, however, won't affect existing business users, who will be permitted to keep using their limited-capacity accounts in the future.

In October, Google added some key benefits - phone and email support - for paying customers of its Google Apps services when they are accessed through Google's Chrome Web browser. That means that Google Apps for Business, Education and Government customers can get direct support on Chrome installation, functionality, security, browser policy settings and Google Apps interoperability for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Customers with free Google Apps accounts are not eligible for phone or email support but can continue to use Google's free online help services and forums.

How well do you know Google’s secrets? Try our quiz.

Apple Inc. . Top Stories UK . iPad . QuickOffice . Microsoft Word
Read this article on the web

Install Whatsapp On PC..

On one of my previous guide I have explained you guys how to install and setup whatsapp on pc by using an android emulator called youwave. That article seems very popular and read by more than 500 people daily on this blog.
However there is one constrain on that method. It is that youwave is a commercial software and the free version only lasts for 7 days as I explained there. But you could always uninstall and reinstall after 7 days to get it working for 7 days more.

But now there is this software called bluestacks app player. Which emulates android apps better than youwave and most of all its free.


1-Download and install bluestacks app player

2-Download ans install bluestacks app player from here .
It is a web installer so it requires internet to fetch the files and install.

3-Install whatsapp inside bluestacks


4-This process is very easy and self understandable. Navigate to “Social” tab inside the window and you will find whatsapp. click install button



Done

5-Next steps are the same which you would do to setup whatsapp on your mobile phone or tab.
6-Complete the verification by giving your mobile phone number which can receive an sms. And enter the number to activate whatsapp and enjoy

Adding contacts To Whatsapp....



No option to add contacts is a major problem which people face when using Bluestacks app player. Specially when running programs like whatsapp on bluestacks app player, you need to have a contacts list in order to chat with them. When using youwave to run whatsapp this is not a problem because its a general android emulator which includes all the default android functions like dialer and contacts. But Bluestacks app player is different than youwave and it doesn’t include contacts app by default.

A lot of people who read my guide about installing whatsapp on PC with bluestacks app player . Asked me about how to add contacts to app player to use those with whatsapp. On this guide I’m going to explain the most easy way to do this by using android app “Go contacts EX”


Open Bluestacks App Player and click “App Search”








Click the App search button and type in “Go Contacts EX” and hit install button.



Open up “Go Contacts EX” on bluestacks menu and start adding contacts






Its just easy You can add contacts of people who you need to whatsapp and hit the save button. Now when you go to whatsapp it will show the contacts, if not refresh the whatsapp contact list and it will appear on whatsapp contacts list.

99$ Nexus 7 rumors continue to Swirl

We started hearing rumors of a $99 Nexus 7 several months ago, and whether they are true or not, I’m sure it will happen sometime in 2013 based on the competition between Amazon, Google, and Apple. The latest comes from DigiTimes, and they are telling us to expect to see it sometime in the 1st quarter 2013, or more likely the 2nd quarter.

This information comes from the fact that O-Film started shipping what’s called glass-film-film (GFF) screens for the Nexus 7 this month. These GFF displays will not only help cut production costs for this cheaper version, but it will also make it thinner. Although it’s expected that the tab could come in at $99, other experts are questioning if it can even be done, and think $129 to $149 is more likely. For initial shipment estimates, Google and ASUS are shooting for 500,000 to 600,000 units with mostly likely the majority of them going to emerging markets.

source: digitimes

Whatsapp arrives on Windows Phone 8

Whatsapp is now out for windows phone 8 device
The news comes after a version of the application finally arrived for Windows Phone 8 users. It too adopts the free for a year, $0.99 per annum thereafter business model. Perhaps that's the plan with the iPhone version eventually too.

Nonetheless, if you want a free way to send SMS-style messages to friends and families, but without the massive battery drain of applications like Skype, WhatsApp Messenger is available for free on iTunes now.

Whatsapp is Free for a limited time on IPhone!!

The wildly popular message client known as WhatsApp is now free for all to download on iOS. This mobile application usually goes for 99 cent, but for a limited time, users will get it free of charge. WhatsApp is a cool way for users to avoid SMS fees in mobile phone plans, as it lets users send messages to other members of the service over the internet. Although the app is free for now to those rocking an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, folks on Android will continue to get it free, with a $0.99 yearly fee kicking in after the first 12 months.

It’s crystal clear to us that the popular cross-platform messaging client is making a play to grab new customers during this holiday season. However, it will be a challenge to grab iOS users who are attached to Apple’s iMessage or Facebook Messenger.

That being said, this holiday push for next year may be all for not, as rumors of a Facebook takeover have swirled for months. It makes perfect sense for the biggest social network to focus on a potential acquisition of a major competitor such as WhatsApp.

Do any of you use WhatsApp? If not, which message client do you prefer?

[via The Verge]

Five big tech stories to watch out for in 2013..

Five big tech stories to watch for in 2013
by Jim Kerstetter December 20, 2012
We were dazzled by an array of smartphones. We were fascinated and then disappointed by Facebook's initial public offering. And we held our breaths as we awaited the verdict in the Apple v. Samsung trial.

But all that's so 2012. Let's talk 2013. Will we still be paying attention to patents, smartphones, and IPOs? The answer is "yes, yes, and yes," but not in the way you might imagine. The great thing about writing about the high-tech industry is its constant march forward. New companies get built on the bones of old companies, and new faces emerge while others fade. It's what keeps us going and sitting on those hard, wooden courtroom benches.

So what can we expect next year? We've been talking and writing about it a lot here at CNET, and we're running reporters' predictions on their beats through the rest of the year. But here are some predictions on the big tech trends we'll be writing about next year:

1. The competition reels in Apple
It was inevitable, and in a way it's amazing Apple dominated for as long as it did in high-growth markets. But Samsung finally overtook Apple for the lead in smartphone sales. While that could reverse with a full quarter of iPhone 5 sales, it's indicative of where the market is heading next year. Apple is one company, and it can't beat back forever an array of just-as-resourced competitors building off the Android mobile platform.
This isn't meant as a dig toward Apple. And I find myself grudgingly writing this on a MacBook, while listening to music on iTunes as an iPhone sits on my desk. Rather, it's an acknowledgement that the competition finally has its act together. We've seen challenges to the iPhone's dominance come and go. HTC looked strong for a while. But collectively, the Android collection (and maybe the companies building on Windows Phone 8) will be an overwhelming if profit-challenged mass. And, yes, by the end of 2013, we could be saying about the iPad what we're now saying about the iPhone.

"This is a huge platform change; this is of the scale of 20 years ago -- Microsoft versus Apple,"Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said in a recent interview with Bloomberg. "We're winning that war pretty clearly now." Schmidt added: "The core strategy is to make a bigger pie," he said. "We will end up with a not perfectly controlled and not perfectly managed bigger pie by virtue of open systems."

In other words, as we wrote yesterday, Google is gleefully doing to Apple what Microsoft did two decades ago: Bit by bit, closing the quality gap and flooding the market with cheaper competitors. Courtroom dramas or not, that's only going to accelerate next year.

2. The IPO market heats up again, but not for consumer tech
Facebook's less-than-dazzling entree into the public markets likely cooled Wall Street's enthusiasm for social media and consumer tech. It didn't help, of course, that overhyped companies like Zynga and Groupon (unlike underhyped companies such as LinkedIn and Yelp) looked so wobbly.
Does that mean Wall Street isn't hot for tech? Not at all. The big tech stars of the last decade have created big problems and opportunities for the next generation of tech startups. We're talking less gee-whiz apps and more behind-the-scenes types working on big data, cloud apps, and open source.

As they say, follow the money. And in tech, you follow the venture money. Acquia, a Massachusetts company that's building quick-to-deploy content management systems built on the Drupal open-source project, is one of those companies. It closed a $30 million investment round at the end of November, bringing its venture funding total to $68.5 million. It grew about 100 percent last year and should grow another 80 percent next year, topping out at 400 employees. Executives hope to go public within the next 12 to 24 months.

"In 2010 and 2009, it was almost impossible to get venture investors interested in enterprise software. Some of them said it was dead," said Acquia CEO Tom Erickson. "Now you've seen a reversal of that trend.

Acquia isn't alone. In Bellevue, Wash., SmartSheet, a company that's taking spreadsheets and other types of business collaboration into the era of cloud computing, landed a $26 million funding round last month. And just two weeks ago in Silicon Valley, Cloudera, which has built big-data analytics technology based on the Hadoop Apache open-source project, raised $65 million.

They may not be sexy, and the people who start them are probably the last who will ever have a Bravo reality television show about them, but they're indicative of the future. The tech industry's fashion swings between consumer and business tech. Next year, expect it to swing a little further back toward the back office.

3. Things get even more interesting at Microsoft
2012 should have been the year we were talking about the big Microsoft comeback in consumer markets. Windows 8 was all lined up. So was Windows Phone 8. There was a nifty new tablet in the works. The gaming business was still going strong, and so was that vast enterprise-software business to which few pay much attention.
So what the heck happened? It's too early to grade sales of Windows 8. But early returns seem to indicate so-so. The same could be said for the Surface tablet, which has received mediocre reviews. Even more noticeable: Steven Sinofsky, the guy responsible for both, will be teaching at Harvard Business School next year instead of running the Windows division.

Yes, Microsoft finds itself in an unaccustomed role: It's the undisputed leader of a market that's not expected to grow, PCs. Yet it's the upstart in two fast-growing markets, smartphones and tablets.

And since Sinofsky left, Microsoft is climbing up this hill without a clear leader of Windows development. Don't be surprised if Microsoft's center of gravity shifts further toward Xbox and Skype, which seems underutilized by Ballmer & Co. since it was acquired in 2011. Could that be more deeply integrated into other Microsoft products without scaring away longtime Microsoft users?

Most of all, you can expect pressure to mount on Ballmer to prove his company is more than a middle-aged titan looking more and more like a slightly smaller version of IBM. And you can expect investors to start asking if, with Sinofsky gone (and it's doubtful he was ever a realistic alternative), there's any sort of management succession plan.

4. Facebook will continue to tick us off and we will continue to love it
Perhaps this is what a difficult love affair looks like: A company upsets its users, they lash out and swear they'll never use the company's product again. The company apologizes (sometimes it says it was just misunderstood), and everyone forgets about it a few days later.
Welcome to Facebook's sometimes dysfunctional relationship with its users. I say "users" rather than "customers" because, as CNET's Nathan Bransford wrote two days ago, Facebook's users are its product. It's real customers are the advertisers. The latest dustup was over what exactly Facebook's Instagram unit could or would do with users' (not customers') photos. Facebook ended its community voting system because of anemic turnout. In a case of cyberlife imitating real life, it seems we like to complain but we don't like to do much about it.

Here's a bet: There will be at least three more of these confrontations in the coming year. Facebook is a publicly traded company now. Wall Street expects growth, and once you've topped 1 billion users, the law of numbers is bound to catch up with you. So Facebook will continue to tweak and sometimes tick off as it searches for more profits. And why shouldn't it? We'll keep coming back.

5. Patents will still plague us, but solutions will emerge
Tuesday afternoon, I finished a year-in-review piece that said patents were the big story of 2012. Wednesday morning, I helped write a story about how a consortium of companies ranging from Intellectual Ventures and RPX to Apple, Google, and Microsoft was spending $525 million to acquire Kodak's imaging patent portfolio. Do you see a trend here?
There's little reason to expect anything different next year. Apple and Samsung have another trial scheduled for 2014. Lawsuits involving called nonpracticing entities (that's a nice way to describe a patent troll) will continue to increase, and big tech outfits will continue to spend billions to acquire patent portfolios. There is nothing on the radar that indicates this will change. Heck, the outgoing head of the U.S. Patent Office even thinks all these lawsuits indicate the system is working just fine.

It would be easy to complain about the patent system and how it needs reform. But here's the reality: It was reformed last year, and by the time years of negotiations became law, the solution was a watered-down compromise that didn't make much of a difference. The conundrum facing patent reformists is pretty simple: There are "twin sisters" of tech. One is high tech and the other is biotech/pharmaceuticals. On the high-tech side, allowing a patent owner to sit on a patent without doing anything with it doesn't make much sense.

Related stories:
2012: A year of patents, mobile fights, and one big IPO
Finally, the iPhone we've always wanted
Samsung Galaxy S III
But on the biotech side, it makes perfect sense. High-tech folks often forget, in their rush to keep up with product cycles that rarely last more than three years, that biotech product cycles can be measured in decades. Moving an invention through regulatory approval and testing is a long, expensive process, and patents are often the way to offer hope of a return on that big investment.

Should software and Internet concepts be unpatentable? Interesting idea, but unlikely to happen, and do you then disallow the many software and Internet patents that have already been granted? Regardless, any regulatory change will take years.

There is, however, a market solution any techie libertarian would love. You may have noticed in the Kodak sale announcement that a company called RPX was mentioned. RPX, in San Francisco, is trying to act as a clearinghouse for patents. Yes, like Intellectual Ventures, it acquires patents. But unlike Intellectual Ventures, it promises not to sue. Companies subscribe to RPX and pay a rate based on their size and income. Big companies pay more than little ones. Seems fair, right?

By the end of next year, we can hope that RPX and companies like it start bringing some sanity to the state of tech patents. It's a classic tech opportunity: A problem in need of a solution. And no one should expect the government to solve it.
Source-Cnet

Amazon release fluid IMDB app for IOS

Amazon-owned movie database company IMDb has overhauled its iPad app, pushing live a new update that comes complete with a revamped user interface that is designed to showcase more movies, TV shows and celebrities that previous versions of the app.

Upon opening the updated app, it’s clear to see that there are more movies listed at first glance. The app uses horizontal scrollers to list new and popular trailers, movies that are coming soon (matching them to your location), film news, celebrity birthdays, theater listings, popular TV shows and featured photo galleries — all on the front page.

Improving the personalisation features within the app, you can sign in to get movie and TV recommendations individually tailored to your taste, while quickly tapping the + sign on the top of every movie and TV show poster adds its to your Watchlist.

The new full-page Watchlist provides options to order and edit the films and shows you want to watch, ordering them by release date by default.

The IMDb app now lists the Top 250 ranking of a movie inside its dedicated page, while the IMDb logo itself operates as a menu selector, opening a menu drawer that allows you to select different items within your profile and other information relevant for you.

The drawer acts as your key navigation tool, providing lots of menu choices no matter what you are viewing within the app.

While much of the focus is on the new iPad app, Amazon has also ensured that the iPhone app has been given a few new features.

Now, in both the iPad and iPhone apps, you can now sharing using the Facebook sharing functionality built-in to iOS. TV episode information is also listed inside a person’s filmography and you can select and browse image galleries by tapping a photo or a poster in any part of the app.

➤ IMDb

Pudding Monsters:new game from Cut The Rope Creators for IPhone & IPad

Jelly-tastic
ZeptoLab has released a new game that it hopes will be the start of a new lucrative franchise, after its enormous success with Cut The Rope. Pudding Monsters is again an intuitive puzzle game with cute, vibrant cartoon characters and backdrops, and it's available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad today.

Like Cut The Rope, Pudding Monsters requires forward planning and trial and error to score perfectly on each level. It presents you with several jelly-like puddings on a set grid and you have to swipe them in the correct directions in order for the individual "monsters" to join up.

Read:?APP OF THE DAY: Cut The Rope Experiments review (iPhone and iPad)

There are obstacles and collectables along the way, plus, stars are placed on the grid which will give you perfect scores if you manage to land your expanded creation on all three by level end. It's fun, remarkably simple to pick up, yet difficult to master. A typical ZeptoLab game then.

Pudding Monsters will also be available on Android through Google Play soon, but for now iDevice users can get it on the App Store for 69p, with the iPhone and iPod touch version different to the iPad one - Pudding Monsters HD.

Tags: Apps Gaming Pudding Monsters Cut The Rope iPhone apps iPad apps iPod Touch apps

Tumblr For IPad releases Finally

Now that Tumblr’s blackouts are behind it, the company is back to focusing on its product — particularly its mobile one. Days after adding support for Android tablets, the company has announced that it updated its iOS app, adding compatibility for both the iPad and iPad mini.

Tumblr’s mobile channel is growing and, by the way, has recently helped to propel the blogging platform to more than 20 billion monthly pageviews. The company last updated its iOS app in November to improve user experience, speed, and engagement on the iPhone by making the app “native” — i.e. integrating it more deeply into the iOS experience.

For those who’ve already been Tumbl-ing on the iPhone, the new support for iPad will be familiar. First and foremost, because the app has “native” support for the iPad, it means that you no longer have to deal with the slow load times of your local browser. So, because of that, the user experience is more frictionless, more responsive and just feels more, well, native.

Like Tumblr for the iPhone, the new app includes familiar features like one-touch re-blogging, pinch and zoom to enlarge photos (and larger photos in general), multi-blog management, offline support, and so on.

However, the upgrade also brings some new iPad-specific additions as well, like its new navigational sidebar, which remains in-view as you peruse the Tumblr universe. A new Path-esque pie menu pops out of the sidebar, allowing for enhanced posting options, as well as landscape and markdown support.

Tumblr developer Bryan Irace tells the Verge that it only took the company “a few weeks” to develop its iPad app, but the main reason it’s been so long in coming is that Tumblr spent the summer working on its recent iPhone upgrade. Once it had optimized the user experience for smartphones, it was free to turn its attention to the iPad.

After a few minutes playing around with the new app, it’s easy to see that Tumblr is well-suited for the tablet. The blogging platform has always championed simple design, focusing the attention on the visual experience provided by its millions of content creators. That’s part of the reason why it has become one of the go-to channels for posting video, images and GIFs — really for any content that requires more than 140 characters, more space, or that doesn’t immediately need to be blasted to your entire social graph.

Because it already lends itself so well to images, video and multimedia content, Tumblr looks great on the iPad, as images appear in high-resolution without being limited by the smaller screen size. It’s a pleasure to tap around your high-res dashboard and, overall, offers a far more responsive experience than viewing Tumblr on your iPad’s browser. Plus, there’s less friction around creating new content, which is a plus.

Maybe even a holiday miracle.

Check out Tumblr for the iPad here.

Apple is testing the Apple TV , no rush to launch

Much has been saidabout a potential Apple TV set in the past few years, but it would appear that a source out of Foxconn has said that testing is already underway on Apple’s HDTV. The source, speaking under the condition of anonymity, explained that Apple is using LCD panels ranging between 46 inches and 55 inches.

However, don’t get too excited just yet. According to FocusTaiwan, which spoke directly to the source, a 2013 launch is less than likely.

Rumors of an Apple TV set have been flying around for years, despite the company calling it more of a “hobby.” Since, Tim Cook hinted publicly that Apple certainly has plans for a TV set, but didn’t go into too much further detail.

We’ve heard thus far that Apple has started testing designs of the TV, but this would be the first leak out of Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer that develops most of Apple’s iconic products, such as the iPhone and iPad.

But again, don’t get too amped. Apple TV set top boxes are essentially flying off of Apple shelves, and until they have a product that blows Samsung’s TV offerings out of the water, there’s still time to wait.

See, Apple and Samsung compete on just about every consumer electronics front, but the TV is the key. Users are not necessarily looking for the best product in a single arena, but rather a connected experience across electronics. With Samsung and Apple holding the greatest market shares in mobile, the real war begins in the living room.

Apple IPad Mini retina display nearing production!!

What’s a morning without any new Apple rumors? Well, there’s speculation that the tech giant is readying production of another iPad mini with a Retina display within the next few months, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Doug Freedman.

In a research note, Freedman said the “iPad Mini Gen-2: Apple’s gen-2 iPad mini is getting pulled-in, and is likely to have several new suppliers, with TXN gaining content.” Supposedly, the term “pulled-in” means that Apple plans to push up the next iPad mini’s launch schedule. This isn’t surprising if consider what the company just did with releasing a revamped version of the fourth-generation iPad, only eight months after its predecessor.

Of course, like most rumors, take this with a grain of salt. We don’t have any specifics on an exact time frame for release — not to mention — the first gen iPad mini hasn’t finished its global roll out yet. So if these rumors are true, we should expect the next iPad mini to be announced late spring or early summer. An early release will certainly cause users to think twice about getting the mini that’s out now.

Regardless, we can expect the next iPad mini to launch sometime in 2013.

[cnet; via bgr]

Apple IPhone 5 order cut not a worry...

Worries over a decrease in iPhone 5 orders from Apple have been overblown, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz.

In an investors note out today, Moskowitz points out that recent reports have indicated a 20 percent cut in Apple's March-quarter supply chain orders for the iPhone 5. That news has some analysts fretting over Apple's near-term prospects, but Moskowitz believes it's much ado about nothing.

Though the analyst can't confirm the specific reason for the cut, he believes it could simply be the result of an improvement in production. Apple may have initially pushed its suppliers to ramp up manufacturing of the new phone, and the downshift in orders may be just an aftereffect.

Apple releases 6.0.2 software update for IPhone 5 and IPad Mini

Apple has just released iOS 6.0.2 for the iPhone 5 and iPad mini.

iOS 6.0.2 Software Update

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

• Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

You can find download links for the new firmware here:

● Where to Download iPhone Firmware Files From

● Where to Download iPad Firmware Files From

Note: We're having some difficulty getting Software Update on the iPhone to work so you may need to update via iTunes.

Next Wii U update in late December promises better features..

The Wii U launch didn't go quite as smoothly as consumers would've liked, with a major update to sit through right after unboxing, and support for various video streaming services absent on day one. Well, head honcho at Nintendo Satoru Iwata has taken to YouTube and announced from his cream studio that the next system update is due late December. It's primarily being pushed out to improve the frustratingly slow software loading times on the new console -- an issue we highlighted in our review. Iwata only makes a fleeting appearance at the beginning of the video before it moves on to talking up the latest Dragon Quest iteration, but if you've got a decent knowledge of Japanese, the embed awaits you below.







Source: GoNintendo

Instagram apologises says it won't sell your photos

After announcing changes to its terms of service that suggested it could sell your photos without consent, Instagram is issuing an apology. In a blog post, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom said this controversy that led to user’s deleting their accounts was a misunderstanding. He clarified the company stance that it wants to pursue advertising opportunities, but it will not sell user’s photos.

Our intention in updating the terms was to communicate that we’d like to experiment with innovative advertising that feels appropriate on Instagram. Instead it was interpreted by many that we were going to sell your photos to others without any compensation. This is not true and it is our mistake that this language is confusing. To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos. We are working on updated language in the terms to make sure this is clear.

Instagram is working on a revised version of its terms of service that will “answer your questions, fix any mistakes, and eliminate the confusion.”

Google Maps for IOS hits 10 million downloads !!!

Google's Maps app for iOS 6 is proving very popular among Apple users, after it garnered more than 10 million downloads in the first 48 hours after it became available in Apple's App Store 13 December.

Its arrival is widely seen as satiating many iOS users who have been scrambling for help since Apple's maps fiasco in September.
Positive Reception
The status report on the new Google Maps release was announced by Jeff Huber, senior vice president of Google's Commerce & Local business, in a 17 December post on Google+.

"We're excited for the positive reception of Google Maps for iPhone around the world," wrote Huber. "Congratulations to the Maps Team on the recognition for the passion and hard work they poured into it, for this release and over the last 7+ years."

Apple had dropped the built-in Google Maps app from iOS 6 when the new operating system launched in September, and the move turned out to be a huge embarrassment for Apple when the replacement Apple Maps app left legions of users disappointed with the app's performance and accuracy.

But that changed 13 December after Google finished its native Google Maps app and Apple allowed it to be listed in the App Store. Many iOS 5 users never even upgraded to iOS 6 when it was released because they'd lose access to the native built-in Google Maps app that was missing until now.

Google Maps for iOS 6 users are being encouraged by the company to send back any feedback they have about the app by posting their comments in Google+ on Huber's page or by simply "shaking" their iPhone to report feedback.

The Google Maps app for the iPhone was gone for only three months, but its return is a major boon for frustrated iPhone users who can again use it easily on their devices without having to use the Google maps Website or another Web-based alternative.

Dozens of Apple iPhone users rushed to comment on Huber's announcement on his Google+ page.

"I'd love to see numbers on how many people upgraded to iOS 6 once this was released," wrote John Doherty. "It was the only thing keeping me from updating my Apple products."

Toby Watkins agreed. "Hooray I can finally upgrade my iPhone OS!" wrote Watkins.

Another user, Wei Wu, wrote "what a win for 'focus on the users and all else will follow!'"

Jeremy Meiss sarcastically wrote about the arrival of the Google Maps app. "People don't want to get lost ...," he wrote, referring to the many stories shared by users about accuracy problems with Apple Maps after its initial release.

"Great App," wrote Clemens Mezriczky, with one caveat. "Access to my Maps in the App would be helpful ... "

Stephen Reeves had a related concern, though. "Where's the iPad version??" he wrote.

Bill Fairchild had his own concern about the new app. "Bring voice search to the maps app," he wrote.

User Bryan Matias was happy about the release of the app. "SALVATIONNNN," he wrote.

Alessio Sangalli had a small peeve with the new app. "I wonder, can I disable the annoying '3D view' and keep it normal 2D while using the turn-by-turn directions?"

Francesco Uggetti was philosophical about the new app. "Apple without Google, you lose the way."
Turn-by-turn
Available through Apple's App Store portal online, Google Maps offers local search, voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transit information, Street View and live traffic information. The application also features a sign-in option that allows users to call up previous searches and directions made from the user's computer.

Apple had replaced the application with its own in-house maps app that was met with derision upon its release, eventually forcing a public apology from company CEO Tim Cook and a restructuring of company management. In a recent interview with NBC News, Cook admitted the app failed to meet customer expectations and their own, but Apple was throwing the "weight of the company" behind correcting it.

One feature the Google application does not have is Flyover, an Apple invention that was designed to provide a 3D, photorealistic view of city landscapes. However, even that impressive-sounding feature was criticised by Web reviews after screenshots of a collapsed-looking Brooklyn Bridge and other less-than-realistic renderings surfaced.

RIM confirmed to launch 4g devices,UK major carriers offer support

RIM’s evangelists appear to have done their job in the UK, as all of the major UK operators have announced they will offer the company’s new BlackBerry 10-powered smartphones when they launch in early 2013.

For the first time, it has been confirmed that RIM will offer 4G BlackBerry 10 devices, after the UK’s first 4G operator announced that it will offer devices capable of connecting to its “superfast” 4GEE service to both consumer and business customers from launch.

EE will also offer BlackBerry 10 devices via its T-Mobile and Orange brands and are joined by O2, Vodafone and Three, which have also confirmed that they will offer smartphones running RIM’s overhauled mobile OS when devices go on sale in the UK.

RIM has scheduled its global launch event for January 30, where it show off two new BlackBerry 10 smartphones. We have already seen leaks of RIM’s new L-Series device in the past few weeks.

In October, RIM opened app submissions for BlackBerry 10 devices, alerting developers to the fact that their apps would be available when the mobile operating system launches in the first quarter of 2013. According to RIM, it may have as many as 70,000 apps available at launch.

With the UK’s major operators pledging support to the platform, it is likely it will be followed by US carriers very soon.

Apple || game karateka gets remade on ios to hit stores midnight

Jordan Mechner is perhaps best known for creating Prince of Persia. That wasn't, however, his first game.
Five years before Prince of Persia was released, Mechner published a fondly remembered Apple II beat-'em-up called Karateka.
Earlier this year, Mechner (and developer Liquid Entertainment) completely remade the game for consoles. Now, that HD reboot is available on iOS.
YOLO
This new version has a clever way of dealing with difficulty. Remember: in the original Karateka, you had just one life, and if you lost a bout, you'd be sent back to the start of the game.
In this new edition, you have three lives, personified as three different characters. If the first hero falls in battle, he'll be replaced with the Monk, and then with the Brute.
Anyone can beat the game as the Brute, but you'll get a crap final cutscene if you do. To get the 'proper' ending, you need to keep the first hero - Mariko's true love - alive in every fight.

The game's also got lush new graphics from The Batman artist Jeff Matsuda, and a dynamic score from Civilization IV composer Christopher Tin.
The combat is all rhythm based, and you'll fight using different touchscreen taps and gestures.
Play video
Whether you wasted your youth on an Apple II computer or you hadn't heard of Karateka until this very second, it's something to check out.
The game will hit the App Store at about midnight. You'll need an iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, fourth-generation iPod touch, fifth-generation iPod touch, or any iPad to play it.

Is Polaroid making interchangeable lens for android devices??

Nikon and Samsung have already given their first shot at making an Android camera, but they’ve been quite disappointing so far, with Nikon being the biggest offender. Nikon, who apparently doesn’t understand the “smart” part about the camera, and therefore Android, used Android 2.3 in their camera, when Samsung used Android 4.1. Using Android 2.3 made it undesirable by default for many Android users that may be looking at this camera.

In the same time, while Samsung made a very pretty camera with great display and Jelly Bean, it wasn’t that good as a camera, definitely not for the price they were asking for it – $500. I think Samsung’s mistake here was that they focused too much on the smartphone parts, and too little on the actual camera. I think they need to focus at least 60-70% on the camera itself, and making sure it’s very good for the price.

The new rumored Polaroid camera may do just that, as it seems it will have higher quality Nikon lenses, which will also be interchangeable. Being able to change the lenses means that you’ll be able to prolong the camera’s life, and also to increase the image quality of its pictures.

The Nikon and the Samsung cameras looked more like higher-end phone cameras or like point and shoot cameras, but it seems this Polaroid one wants to go higher into the mirror-less camera territory, at least when it comes to pricing and image quality (it might not actually be mirror-less, but you get other benefits).

The Polaroid IM1836 camera will have an 18.1 MP sensor, a pop-up flash, a 3.5″ touchscreen, and Android 4.0. As expected, they seem to have focused a little bit less than Samsung on smartphone features, but more than Nikon, while also increasing the camera quality. So far there’s no word on when this camera will appear on the market, but we might learn more about it at this year’s CES.

[Via AndroidCentral]

Apple offers free next day shipping on everything in the store

Apple has announced free next-day shipping on everything in the store for those looking to get products in time for the holidays.

Unfortunately, many of its more popular items are already unavailable before Christmas even with the free next-day shipping.

Check out the chart below for more details...

Read More

BestBuy offers 100$ iTunes gift card for 85$

Best Buy offers $100 iTunes gift card for $85
by Don Reisinger December 18, 2012
Best Buy is once again offering a deal on iTunes Gift Cards.

The brick-and-mortar retailer's Deal of the Day is a 15 percent discount on an iTunes gift card. For $85, Best Buy's online customers will receive a $100 iTunes gift card, which can be used for music, movies, television shows, apps, and other digital goods available in Apple's marketplace.

Best Buy offered a similar deal in June, offering a 15 percent discount on its full range of iTunes gift cards. The company did the same last month for holiday shoppers.

This time around, Best Buy's deal is available only on the $100 option. And because it's a Deal of the Day item, Best Buy is offering the special pricing until the end of the day and is limiting the offer to one card per order.

Kindle fire on sale 139.9$

Killer holiday gift alert! While supplies last, Best Buy has the second-gen Kindle Fire (8GB) tablet for $139.99 plus tax. Amazingly, it's new, not refurbished.

The only catch is that although you can order this online, you can't have it shipped -- you'll have to pick it up in your local Best Buy store. But at least you can make sure it's waiting for you when you arrive; it's not like you have to go racing over there this minute in the hopes of snagging one.

Also, when I clicked Check Stores on the product page, I found that pretty much every Best Buy store in metro Detroit had them in stock. YMMV, of course, but for the moment it looks like there's inventory aplenty.

Purchased directly from Amazon, the Kindle Fire would cost you $159 shipped. When you factor in sales tax and the cost of time and gas to get to Best Buy, the savings might amount to only a few bucks.

Of course, that few bucks might be enough to buy you a case -- like, say, this multi-angle viewing stand/case for $5.99.

Even with tax and whatnot, I can't help liking this deal, only because the Kindle Fire at $139.99 is without question one of the best tablet deals ever. It may lack a few of the Fire HD's bells and whistles, but overall it's a winning product in my book -- especially at that price.

Granted, as CNET pointed out in its review, this Fire lacks HDMI, a camera, and an expansion slot. If those are deal-breakers, then by all means look elsewhere. But if you simply want to play games, consume media, run apps, browse the Web, check e-mail, and so on, this is $140 well spent.

Bonus deal: Calling all music-loving Mac users! StackSocial just kicked off a new bundle, one that's well worth a look. The Ultimate Music Bundle comes with eight apps and services for $39. Combined value: $355. Among the highlights: iTunes music library organizer/fixer TuneUp (which normally costs $50 all by itself), DJ music mixer MegaSeg DJ, and one year of online backup (up to 50GB) from SOS Online Backup.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Google in 2013:5 things to watch out for

Google in 2013: Five things to watch for
by Casey Newton December 18, 2012
With just a handful of days left in 2012 -- and a fighting chance we will avoid the Mayan apocalypse -- it's time to start forecasting what awaits us in 2013. Google had a big 2012, rolling out scores of new products while making countless adjustments to its old ones. In 2013, it will continue to face competition on all sides -- and here are five things to keep an eye on as the New Year ramps up.

1. What's next for Nexus? This year Google introduced its Nexustablets to generally strong reviews, along with a Nexus 4 smartphone that showed a high-end smartphone can be sold, unlocked, for a highly competitive price. But while Apple trumpets millions of iPhones and iPads sold, we don't have a clear sense of how many Nexus devices are selling. Shortages of Nexus tablets have been reported, and the Nexus 4 has been difficult to keep in stock. And yet absent a big marketing campaign or mainstream buzz, the Nexus devices are still at risk of looking like also-rans in a mobile world dominated by Apple and Samsung.

Google I/O is returning to the month of May this year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the next version of the Nexus 7 unveiled around that time. (The original launched at I/O this year.) The Nexus 10 is only a couple of months old, but we would also expect a refreshed version of the device sometime in 2013. As for the Nexus smartphone -- it would be nice to see it able to access LTE networks. But getting U.S. carriers to pick it up will likely be a challenge.

2. Will developers go Android-first? It was in December 2011 that Google's executive chairman predicted most developers would soon choose to develop for Android first. More than a year later, there's little evidence that's the case. Whether because of Android users' reputation for being harder to monetize, or concerns about developing for the fragmented ecosystem, or other intangibles, big venture-backed startups often launch first with an iOS app. There are signs that this is starting to change. By some measures Apple and Google's app stores are now roughly tied in the number of apps available on their platforms. But will Android become the premiere platform for app development? It's something we'll be watching closely in 2013.

3. How will the world respond to Google Glass? In 2013 Google will ship the developer preview of its head-turning wearable computer. Google Glass Explorer Edition, which was available for pre-order by Google I/O attendees this year for a mere $1,500, is set to ship early in the year. Since its existence was revealed, Google Glass has faced skepticism over why we would want to wear a computer on our heads. Explorer Edition will offer the first real answer to this question, with a device that lets users take photos and videos, send text messages, and (naturally) search Google. Better yet, developers will get access to a software development kit that lets them build their own software for Google Glass. Many analysts believe wearable computers are the next big battlefront in consumer technology, and early in 2013 we may see Google fire the first real shot.

4. Ray Kurzweil and the future of search. The heart of Google remains its unparalleled search engine, and the company took dramatic leaps in 2012 to enhance its core product. The Knowledge Graph it introduced in May has tripled in size in seven months, and all indications are that it will continue growing quickly in 2013. It's all part of an effort to build a "Star Trek" computer -- one that can answer any question you might have, instantly, using natural language. Google says it's still in the early stages of that effort, but the hiring of Ray Kurzweil in late 2012 suggested those efforts are about to ramp up. Kurzweil, the famed futurist and popularizer of the Singularity, has long worked on artificial intelligence projects. Now that he's bringing his work on machine learning and natural language processing to Google, that "Star Trek" computer could be a step closer to reality.

5. What becomes of the Q? A minor question, maybe, but one I find myself thinking about all the time. Will the Nexus Q, that odd streaming-media device that Google shelved shortly after its introduction, ever see the light of day? In theory, the good-looking Q could function as a powerful streaming device that could compete with Apple TV, Roku, and others. Google has said nothing about the device since it got that early "feedback" -- namely, near-unanimous critical reviews asking Google why it planned to charge $300 for a device that could only stream content from the Google Play store and YouTube. (The New York Times'David Pogue: "I can think of only one class of customer who should consider buying the black Nexus Q sphere: people whose living rooms are dominated by bowling-ball collections.") And yet there's evidence the Q might not be gone for good. For starters, Google has maintained a product page for it on the Play Store, where it is listed as "not for sale at this time." Then there's the considerable investment Google made in building the device -- and price and capabilities aside, it's a good-looking and potentially powerful product. Finally, efforts like Google TV show the living room remains a high priority for Google. All of which suggest that 2013 could see the return of the Q. I'll be watching.

Those are some big questions about Google in 2013, but there are others. How will its rumored settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over antitrust issues play out? What's the next chapter in its evolving relationship with Apple? Will it start reaping some benefits from its purchase of Motorola? Will it sell the set-top box business? Will it make another big purchase? Can Google+ compete with Facebook as a destination? Will I see the inside of a self-driving car?

Good questions, all. And I'm looking forward to learning the answers.

Sony's unofficial flagship smartphone for 2013 named"YUGA" revealed

Another day, another tidbit of news regarding the suddenly not-so-secret Sony “Yuga” smartphone. After seeing some teaser photos of the superphone yesterday, we are now treated to a an actual preview of the device, complete with all the spec details you can handle. Thanks to our friends at Mobile Reviews, we now know the “Yuga” will come fully loaded with a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip, 2 gigs of RAM, a microSD card slot, LTE and 12MP camera. In addition to the premium hardware features, the smartphone will come preloaded with Android 4.1 and Sony’s custom UI slapped on top.

So now that the cat is just about out of the bag, it’s just a matter of time before Sony comes out and gives up the deets. Q1 2013 can’t come here soon enough!

source: Mobile Reviews

Windows phone 8s by HTC:Affordable,beautiful but no surprises

Affordable, but no surprises
With the HTC 8X taking the top spot of HTC's Windows Phone 8 collection, the HTC 8S, or Windows Phone 8S by HTC as it’s officially known, sits a step or two down from the top. It's an entry-level Windows Phone and comes in at entry-level prices.?

It's part of that relatively exclusive club, offering the latest software from Microsoft, promising a simpler approach to smartphones, a people-centric experience, with less time faffing and more time being productive.

But can the HTC 8S stand up against the devices from Nokia, which add more on the software side and will this relatively low spec device give you a Windows Phone experience it savour? And will it stand up against the sort of experience you'll get from the abundance of affordable Androids?

Design
The Windows Phone 8S by HTC is a good-looking phone. The two-tone colour scheme, pairing blues, might not be for everyone, but we like the slim profile, the light weight and the tactile finish.

It's a compact handset, thanks to that 4-inch display, with dimensions of 120.5 x 63 x 10.28 and weighs only 113g. At that size, it nestles nicely into your hand, so it's easy to grip and slips easily into any pocket or bag.

The build quality is good, it feels solid enough, but perhaps loses out on some of the quirks that Nokia offers, like changeable covers for example. Instead, the HTC 8S is a sealed unit, with only the bottom of the phone popping off to reveal slots for the micro SIM and microSD cards.

The phone exhibits the hallmarks of HTC design, with micro-drilled speaker holes at the bottom rear of the phone along with HTC and Beats Audio branding. The soft curves of the rear makes it look at little like the iPod touch fourth-gen, with a simple elegance to the lines, making this a phone we can help but admire.

Hardware and display
Marking this out as an entry-level phone, however, is the hardware specs. Sitting at the core of the HTC 8S is a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 chipset, with 512MB of RAM. That’s a little on low side for a modern Windows Phone, the result being that it noticeably lacks the snap of the top devices.?

Equally you only get 4GB of internal storage, but as mentioned, you can expand this with microSD, so it's worth picking up a high capacity card too to remove your storage woes.

The display is a 4-inch Super LCD with a pixel resolution of 800 x 480. That was the resolution of the first run of Windows Phone 7 handsets and doesn't compete with some of the sharper displays out there visually. But Windows Phone's big bold tiles mean that resolution isn't a huge priority in many daily tasks.

Where it does become more limiting is in things like webpages, where you'll have to zoom regularly to resolve fine detail on pages. The text isn't as sharp as those 720p displays that are on the top handsets.

However, the colours are nice and strong; blacks could be deeper and the whites brighter, but otherwise viewing angles are good and there's plenty of brightness on offer to remain visible outdoors.

We had no problems with reception on the HTC 8S, the call quality was great with no concerns reported from callers and plenty of volume on offer. We found the battery performance to be good too, the 1700mAh getting us through a typical day without the worry of going flat. Of course, this depends on your usage.

Windows Phone 8, with a dab of HTC
Unlike Android, Windows Phone is designed to be very much a uniform user experience across devices. Manufacturers can add to what Microsoft offers and for HTC that means you get access to an HTC app with weather, stocks and a news feed, with corresponding live tile.?

You also get a Photo Enhancer, lifted straight from the HTC Android experience, that will let you add effects to an existing photo, but that's all, although Windows Phone 8 has it's own physical photo editing options, such as crop, rotate and auto correct.

We've reviewed Windows Phone 8 in detail previously, so we've not going to repeat all the details here: it's well worth reading our full Windows Phone 8 review if you're new to Microsoft's mobile platform.?

READ: Windows Phone 8 review?

Where iOS on the iPhone takes a rather static approach, with its grid, or folders, of icons, and Android gives you customisation galore, Windows Phone is distinctly different. The live tiles give you an at-a-glance user interface on your homepage, so you can see what's going on quickly and easily, very much as you can with Android's widgets.?

It's big, bold and interesting, a playful take on an OS that was once very business-oriented. But although we're now dealing with a user experience that is much simpler and immediate - ideal for consumers - many of those core Microsoft experiences provide the backbone of this mobile offering.

Not only have you got great integration to Office, with SkyDrive across the device, but with the birth of Windows 8, there's a feeling that Microsoft's ecosystem is now more universal and attractive. The phone gives you some of the experiences you'll take from the Xbox, with branding like Xbox Music, swinging in to reinforce the message.?

The result is an OS that feels more complete within its own universe. It might not match everything that Google offers through Android, or Apple offers through iTunes, but there's a refreshing elegance to a lot of what's available. The app design on Windows Phone 8, for example, often visually trumps that of Android and iOS.

If we've one gripe, it's that the search button is a Bing button, rather than context sensitive as Android's was/is. It means that whenever you want to search you have to us the in-app searching. It's a minor point and simply one of preference.

Apps, however, are something of a contentious point on Windows Phone 8. It's difficult to read a review of a Windows Phone 8 device without finding some criticism of the app offering. That's not entirely unjustified, as apps are very much a core part of a modern smartphone and there's a noticeable disparity between iPhone and Android and Windows Phone 8.