Tag: iOS

Google updates Search app for iOS with new voice search functionality
Never thought that day would come honestly, when Apple allows direct Siri replacements in Apps. The new Google Search App for iOS brings expanded voice search alongside the iPhone 5 compatibility.

While at first glance it seems quite responsive and does a good job of understanding the Indian accent. Download it for yourself and see if you like the UI refresh.

[quote]Improved Voice Search
- Simply say what you want and get results without typing.
- Faster and significantly improved voice recognition with text streamed on the fly.
- Get answers spoken directly back to you with web results tailored to your questions.
- Want to see types of questions that work well? Visit http://google.com/support/mobile/?p=gsa_voice.
Other Google Search app features
- Faster: get to search results faster than by searching from a browser
- Beautiful full-screen image search
- Swipe away webpages to quickly return to search results
- Search within a webpage using the built in text finder
- Google Goggles: Snap a photo of what you see to find more information about products, landmarks or famous paintings, and even solve Sudoku puzzles[/quote]
[iTunes]
October 31, 2012
Apple Launches new iPad Mini with a 7.9 Inch display

Apple at its iPad Mini special event has finally launched a new iPad Mini with a 7.9 inch display boasting a resolution of 1024 x 768 px. The new hardware is 7.2mm thick, .68 pounds heavy and has been manufactured with a new process with the same anodized edges as the iPhone 5. The iPad Mini has a Dual-core A5 processor, FaceTime HD camera and 5-megapixel iSight camera on the back with 1080p recording. Apple is also claiming a 10 hour battery Life. The new iPad mini will also come with a cellular LTE capable modem, basically a separate variant.

The 16GB is the smallest configuration with WiFi, priced at $329. 32GB mini is $429, 64GB for $519. $130 each additional for LTE connectivity similar to the older siblings.

Both the iPad 4th and the Mini will be up for pre order on the 26th of October, shipping 2nd November.

October 23, 2012
iPhone 5 Passes Samsung Galaxy S III in Web Traffic

The new iPhone 5 has topped the Samsung Galaxy S III’s Web traffic in just 18 days, according to stats from mobile ad firm Chitika.

Chitika based its findings on millions of mobile ad impressions from the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III across its U.S. and Canadian network between Oct. 3-9. By Oct. 9, about 56 percent of impressions were from Apple’s new smartphone, while 44 percent were from the Galaxy S III.

[quote]Following the release of Apple’s iPhone 5 on September 21st, Chitika Insights was interested in comparing the Web usage rates of the newest phones from both manufacturers. To quantify our latest study, we conducted a user agent analysis on millions of mobile ad impressions, spanning a 7-day time frame from October 3rd through October 9th, 2012. Looking solely at impressions coming from the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III, we were able to observe the difference in Web traffic volume between the two devices, depicted in the figure above.[/quote]

Earlier this month, mobile-app analytics firm revealed that Galaxy S3 sales are growing. When the iPhone 5 was announced last month, Galaxy S3 sales grew by 15 percent. At the end of September, sales growth was at 9 percent.

October 13, 2012
iPad Mini will launch Oct 23rd according to All Things D

iPad Mini is all set to launch on the 23rd of this month according to a report by AllThings D. The Apple iPad Mini is said to be a stab at success stories behind the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 type tablets. The iPad Mini will be, if at all, Apple’s first foray into this size segment. Weather or not the tablet will fit the size bill is unknown.

You might want to take this news with a pinch of salt as there is really no confirmations surrounding it. Recent reports have been in agreement that we should expect a 7.85-inch iPad with Apple’s new Lightning connector, and an “ultra-thin” design.

[All Things D]

October 12, 2012
Google+ App Update For iOS, Android Brings iPhone 5 Support, New Widget

Google+ for iOS and Android now seem to be iterating at the same pace, after months of what seemed like preferential treatment by Mountain View for the latter version.

The most recent update adds Pages administration abilities, so you can add, view and comment on posts if you own a company or a brand. This is one of the most helpful new additions, as it doesn’t you to your computer when performing social media-related work duties. Facebook already has a separate app for its Pages administration.

Google+ for Android also received a new widget design (above), while iPhone 5 users can now stretch out in front of your 4-inch display. iOS users can now edit posts, while both versions have gained the ability to search for people and posts.

October 11, 2012
Google Maps Street View Web App Launching Tomorrow, Will Work On iPhone, iPad

Google will add its popular Street View feature to the Google Maps web app, accessible on iOS devices, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper said the feature will be rolled out on Thursday, and tech correspondent Walt Mossberg has already tested the new version of the browser-based service.

Google has been apparently working on adding this integration to the HTML5-based app since the launch of iOS 6, and the feature will be compatible on the iPhone and iPad through Mobile Safari. The addition is a precursor to what most pundits believe is a push to add a dedicated Google Maps app to iOS, like Google just did with YouTube.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said in September that no standalone mapping app has been submitted to Apple’s App Store, and declined to elaborate on the company’s future plans regarding and iOS version of Google Maps. Such an app is believed to be in the works, however, as Google wants to keep a strong presence on Apple’s mobile platform, evidenced in the recent introduction of a standalone YouTube app.

October 4, 2012
60% Of iPhone Users Running iOS 6

A new study says most iPhone users have updated to iOS 6, Apple’s latest operating system, despite a number of flaws that have plagued its launch.

After only two weeks on the market, iOS 6 is running on over 60% of iPhones, 15% more than on iPads. Chitika, an ad network and analytics firm, put together the study.

Apple is known for having fast adoption rates for its operating systems, but it wouldn’t have been surprising if iOS 6 bucked that trend after suffering from a plethora of problems that have embarrassed the Cupertino tech company since its launched.

iPhone users are adopting iOS 6 faster than iPad or iPod Touch users, likely because most iPhones support the upgrade, whereas the iPad 1 and iPod Touches before the 4th generation won’t be updated past iOS 4 or iOS 5.

In particular, the iPad 1, due to its limited 256MB of RAM, was not able to update past iOS 5.1, leaving many owners angry that their first-generation product is now obsolete. While most apps will still run fine for another generation or so on iOS 5, many developers will begin enforcing iOS 6 in the coming months.

October 4, 2012
Finally! Jetpack Joyride Arrives for Android Smartphones and Tablets

It’s been a long time coming, but one of the most enjoyable “freemium” games for iOS, Jetpack Joyride, is now available on Android.

The game runs really well on the latest hardware and looks great on larger screens. It’s a one-touch platformer with a great sense of humour and a lot of cool weapons and gadgets to use. And, unlike many freemium games, Jetpack Joyride never insists on you paying for extra items, and the player doesn’t feel at a disadvantage for it.

The game first launched on the iOS App Store last year, coming to Facebook back in May. During its exclusive tenure on the iOS App Store, it was the recipient of a bunch of different awards, including mobile game of the year from a handful of different websites. It’s safe to say that Jetpack Joyride has taken the mobile gaming world by storm, even if it isn’t quite as popular as Angry Birds.

It is now available for download at the Google Play Store.

September 29, 2012
iOS 6 starts pushing out to iOS devices all over the world. (Changelog)
Apple has started pushing out iOS 6 as we speak, while we download and update our iOS devices, you can check out the full log below.

The iPhone 4S version is about 626 MB OTA.

iOS 6 Software Update

This update contains over 200 new features, including the following:

• Maps
- Apple designed vector based maps
- Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (2nd and 3rd generation)
- Real-time traffic information
- Flyover for photo-realistic, interactive 3D views of major metro areas on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation), and iPod touch (5th generation)
- Local search results with Yelp photos, ratings, reviews, and available deals
- Siri integration for requesting directions and finding places along a route
• Siri improvements
- Sports: scores, player stats, game schedules, team rosters, and league standings for baseball, basketball, football, soccer and hockey
- Movies: trailers, showtimes, reviews and facts
- Restaurants: reservations, reviews, photos and information
- Send a Tweet
- Post on Facebook
- App launch
- Eyes Free in supported automobiles
- Local search available in Siri supported countries (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
- Additional country and language support for Canada (English and Canadian French), China (Mandarin), Hong Kong (Cantonese), Italy (Italian), Korea (Korean), Mexico (Spanish), Spain (Spanish), Switzerland (Italian, French, German), Taiwan (Mandarin), US (Spanish)
- Supported on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation)
• Facebook integration
- Single sign-on from Settings
- Post from Photos, Safari, Maps, App Store, iTunes, Game Center, Notification Center and Siri
- Add location and choose audience for any post
- View up-to-date Facebook profile photos and contact information in Contacts
- View Facebook events and birthdays in Calenda
- Like content and see your friends’ Likes in App Store and iTunes Store
• Shared Photo Streams
- Share selected photos with the people you choose
- Friends can view shared photos in Photos app, iPhoto and Apple TV
- Friends can like and make comments on individual photos
• Passbook
- One place for boarding passes, store cards, movie tickets and other passes
- Barcode display for boarding flights, buying coffee, getting into movies and other actions
- Passes displayed on Lock Screen based on time or location
- Passes can be automatically updated
- Supported on iPhone and iPod touch
• FaceTime improvements
- FaceTime over cellular support for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation)
- Receive FaceTime calls, sent to your iPhone number, on your iPad and iPod touch
• Phone improvements
- Do Not Disturb to suppress incoming calls and notifications
- ‘Reply with message’ option when declining a call
- ‘Remind me later’ option based on time or location when declining a call
• Mail improvements
- VIP mailbox to quickly access mail from important people
- Flagged email mailbox
- Insert photos and videos when composing email
- Open password protected Office docs
- Pull down to refresh mailboxes
- Per account signatures
• Safari improvements
- iCloud tabs to see open pages on all your devices
- Offline Reading List
- Photo upload support
- Full screen landscape view on iPhone and iPod touch
- Smart app banners
- JavaScript performance improvements
• App Store and iTunes Store improvements
- Updated store design
- iTunes Preview history
- Complete my season
- Complete my album
• Game Center improvements
- Challenge friends to beat high scores and achievements
- Post high-scores and achievements to Facebook and Twitter
- Friend recommendations based on your Facebook friends
• Accessibility improvements
- Guided Access to limit device to one app or restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen
- VoiceOver integration with Maps, AssistiveTouch and Zoom
- Support for Made for iPhone Hearing Aids for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S
• Improved privacy controls for Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Photos and data shared over Bluetooth
• Reminders can be reordered in the Reminders app
• Custom vibrations for alerts on iPhone
• Clock app for iPad
• Clock alarm with song
• Search all fields in Contacts
• Automatic movie mode for improved video sound quality
• Definitions of a selected word for Chinese, French, German and Spanish
• New keyboard layouts for French, German, Turkish, Catalan, Arabic and Icelandic
• Keyboard shortcuts shared across devices via iCloud
• Bluetooth MAP support
• Global network proxy for HTTP
• Features for China
- Baidu web search
- Sina Weibo integration
- Share videos to Tudou
- Share videos to Youku
- Improved text input for handwriting and Pinyin
• Bug fixes

[Apple]
September 19, 2012
The new iPhone 5 will have new A6 chip, LTE and 802.11 b/g/n Dual Channel WiFi for speeds upto 150 Mbps

Phil Schiller is on stage and has just announced that the new iPhone 5will have not only a new two times faster A6 chip, HSPA+, EV-DO, EDGE and LTE networks but will also have dual band WiFI b/g/n for a faster browsing and sharing experience.

More developing …

[Images]

September 12, 2012
Apple Launches the new iPhone 5, new A6 Chipset, 7.6mm thin, LTE, 4 inch 1136 x 640 Retina Display – (PR)
Despite the fact that the iPhone 5 may be the most leaked iPhone in the history of Apple launches, At the Apple event at Moscone center in SF, Apple has announced the new iPhone 5.

Apple claims it to be the thinnest and lightest iPhone yet. Here is a run down of all the new features.
- 7.6 millimeters thin
- weighs just 112 grams
- 8MP iSight camera
- 1136-by-640 resolution 4 inch 326ppi Retina Display
- LTE + HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA.
- Dual-band 802.11n wireless connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
- Assisted GPS and GLONASS
- New Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic
- Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G / LTE
The most exciting news is likely the addition of LTE. There’s still HSPA+, EV-DO, EDGE, but it’s the true 4G that is really generating excitement.The fact that companies like Airtel and Government providers are already testing 4G and LTE networks in India makes it truly worthwhile. A new dual band 802.11 a/b/g/n antenna should help improve wireless connectivity.

NFC is still missing, which had been rumored to make its Apple debut with the iPhone 5, but is nowhere in sight.

The iPhone 5 does add EV-DO rev. B to the mix and keeps both GLONASS and GPS for navigating your way around the globe.

The new iPhone 5 will go up for preorder on the 12th of September 2012 with deliveries starting 21st of September 2012. the unlocked price has not been given out in the US, but will go for British Pound £529 for the basic 16 Gb version, seems too pricey to us!

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Thinnest, Lightest iPhone Ever Features All-New Aluminum Design, Stunning 4-Inch Retina Display, A6 Chip & Ultrafast Wireless

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today announced iPhone® 5, the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*-all while delivering even better battery life.** iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook® organization; and even more Siri® features and languages.

“iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast A6 chip, ultrafast wireless, even longer battery life; and we think customers are going to love it.”

iPhone 5 is the thinnest smartphone in the world, with an all-new 7.6 mm anodized aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S. Designed with an unprecedented level of precision, iPhone 5 combines an anodized aluminum body with diamond cut chamfered edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish.

The new 4-inch Retina display on iPhone 5 delivers even more pixels than iPhone 4S, making the already incredible Retina display even better. By making the screen taller, not wider, iPhone 5 is just as easy to use with one hand so you can tap, type and scroll the same way you always have, while enjoying even more of your content including amazing apps optimized for the larger Retina display, widescreen HD video, a full five days of your Calendar and more of every web page.

iPhone 5 supports ultrafast wireless standards including LTE and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content even faster. To support the latest LTE technology, Apple has pioneered a unique single-radio LTE solution that provides blazing fast speeds while fitting perfectly into the new remarkably thin design. iPhone 5 features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps.***

The all-new A6 chip was designed by Apple to maximize performance and power efficiency to support all the incredible new features in iPhone 5, including the stunning new 4-inch Retina display-all while delivering even better battery life. With up to twice the CPU and graphics performance, almost everything you do on iPhone 5 is blazing fast for launching apps, loading web pages and downloading email attachments.

The 8 megapixel iSight® camera is the most popular camera in the world and with iPhone 5, it’s even better. The new camera is completely redesigned with incredible optical performance, yet amazingly it’s 25 percent smaller than the camera in iPhone 4S. The new iSight camera in iPhone 5 features a sapphire crystal lens cover that is thinner and more durable than standard glass with the ability to provide crystal clear images. The new panorama feature lets you capture jaw-dropping panorama images of up to 28 megapixels by simply moving the camera across a scene in one smooth motion. New video features include improved stabilization, video face detection for up to 10 faces and the ability to take still photos as you record. A new FaceTime® HD front facing camera makes FaceTime calls incredibly clear and can also be used for self portraits and recording 720p HD video. iPhone 5 also allows you to share photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPhone 5 features the new Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the previous connector. The all-digital Lightning connector features an adaptive interface that uses only the signals that each accessory requires, and it’s reversible so you can instantly connect to your accessories. The Lightning-to-30-pin Adapter is also available to connect iPhone 5 to legacy 30-pin accessories.****

iPhone 5 introduces new enhanced audio features including a new beam-forming, directional microphone system for higher quality sound, while background noise fades away with new noise canceling technology. iPhone 5 now includes support for cellular wideband audio for crisper word clarity and more natural sounding speech. Wideband audio will be supported by over 20 carriers worldwide at launch. iPhone 5 comes with the new Apple EarPods™ featuring a breakthrough design for a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.

iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new user features including: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover™ view; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center; Passbook, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place; new Siri features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings;***** Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari® and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud®.

Pricing & Availability

iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5 beginning Friday, September 14. iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract.****** iOS 6 software will be available on Wednesday, September 19 as a free software update.

iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.

** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

*** Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.

**** Sold separately.

***** Not all features are supported in all countries.

****** Availability varies by carrier.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

[/toggle_box]
September 12, 2012
Apple Confirms iPhone Event on Sep 12, 10:30 PM IST

Apple has invited members of the Press and media to attend, what is supposedly going to be the next iPhone Launch, at San Francisco. Several rumors and leaks despite the lock downs by Apple, seem to have shaken the world of technology. Apple products have by far been the best kept secret, but this time around it just seems everyone knows what to expect. Although rumours of a separate iPad -Mini event seem to be doing rounds, we are still skeptical of any such announcement.

The event starts at 10:30:00 PM IST on 12 September 2012 , we will bring you all the dirt and coverage as we can.

September 4, 2012
Evernote introduces Evernote Business, Updates its applications on iOS

Evernote today announced their new revision, Evernote has now been designed to work with companies, small and medium, right out to the system. Evernote Business will be launching later this December, but the company is taking active early applicants

[Evernote Business]

August 25, 2012
Google+ Update lets you open iOS links in Chrome, Allows Androids to join Hangouts on Air.

Google has let out a sly update to their Google+ apps on Android and iOS. The biggest addition is now allowing, Android phones to join Hangouts on Air, a feature we might use as soon as Today.

For iOS the app, it now allows you to open links in Chrome instead of Safari, making the dreams of a default chrome browser more real than ever.

What’s in this Android version:

– Teens can now create and join Hangouts from mobile
– Join Hangouts on Air from mobile
– Floating timestamp in photos view
– Shortcuts for post creation
– Ability to report abuse in Events

What’s in this iOS version :

? Web links in posts now open in Chrome (if installed)
? Teens can now join and create Hangouts
? Instant Upload bug fixes to improve performance

[App Store] [Google Play]

August 17, 2012
Instagram updates apps to 3.0 adds Photo Maps, infinite scrolling and speed improvements

Instagram has updated their iOS and Android Apps to major V. 3.0 . Now Using the geotagged images Instagram allows you to look at your photo map. It overlays photos with a map underneath, giving people a far more visual look at what they were seeing at a given point on Earth.

The app now displays bigger grid photos to make it easier to browse large collections of photos and see them too. You’ll find bigger grid photos on user profiles, the Explore tab, as well as on hashtag and location pages.

Also a lot of UI changes allow users to enjoy the new refreshed upload screen, and security allows you to moderate comments and flag users.

August 17, 2012