ios

Motorola adviser hints at custom-built smartphones

The next generation of Motorola smartphones may allow for custom designed handsets, if ongoing chatter is to be believed.

According to a recent AndroidAndMe post, the rumored X Phone is actually part of a larger brand and approach that includes user-defined configurations for color, storage capacity, ringtones, apps, and more.

If that weren't enough to whip fanboys into a frenzy, a source close to the blog suggests that memory, processors, and carrier support may be customizable as well. Reportedly, Motorola will guarantee one-week delivery for custom devices.

While the casual smartphone observer might find the rumors just a tad &… Read more

Facebook Camera gives you direct photo access

Facebook is all about giving its users a one-stop-shop for all of their social needs, and Facebook Camera is another facet of that. The app lets you take pictures and immediately post them to your Facebook account. While it's not really necessary considering there are so many other ways to share photos on Facebook, it's fast and performed without a hitch.

Once you're logged in to Facebook Camera, all the photos in your News Feed from your Facebook friends appear on the screen. And just like any other status update or post, you can Like or add … Read more

Apple releases iOS 6.1.3 with fix for lock screen bug

Apple today launched iOS version 6.1.3 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users.

The latest update fixes a security flaw that allowed someone to gain access to an iPhone by getting past the lock screen.

By following a specific series of steps, including making an emergency call, a person could get around the passcode and make phone calls, listen to voice mail, or check contact photos.

iOS 6.1.3 also adds improvements to Apple's Maps app for users in Japan.

iOS users can update their devices over the air by opening the Settings screen, tapping on … Read more

The Galaxy S4's Key Lime Pie problem

The new Galaxy S4 features cutting edge hardware.

Too bad its operating system will be out of date about four weeks after the phone hits store shelves.

Samsung Electronics' latest phone, which will debut in April at the earliest, will run Android 4.2.2, also known as Jelly Bean. It's also the latest version of Android -- for now.

The problem is another version of Android, widely believed to be called Key Lime Pie, will likely make its debut at Google's I/O developer conference in May.

With the first carriers expected to get the Galaxy S4 … Read more

The killer iOS 7 feature the iPad needs: Touch-pad support

It took using the Microsoft Surface Pro to make me remember an article I wrote a year ago, about productivity on an iPad.

I love using the iPad. I also love some of its keyboard accessories. As a product, it's superior to a Surface Pro. But that doesn't mean it's the perfect laptop replacement. And that's still, in my opinion, largely because of one little touch pad. Or, a lack of it.

The iPad never claimed it was a laptop replacement. It stands in its own, hard-to-define "post-PC" territory. Yet, accessories have sprung up … Read more

Apple quietly updates Maps in Japan

Apple this week quietly made behind-the-scenes changes to its mapping service in Japan, fixing a handful of shortcomings.

Chief among them are changes to pronunciation during turn-by-turn navigation, a key feature introduced in Apple's own mapping service in iOS 6. The app now also alerts drivers to toll roads, and has better point-of-interest labels for things like subways, freeways, and hospitals.

Other tweaks include 3D buildings for some Japanese landmarks like Tokyo Station and Tokyo Tower, as well as changing the freeway color to green.

The changes rolled out without an additional software update from Apple. That's because … Read more

Tablet shipments now expected to hit 190 million this year

A predicted surge in sales of smaller, lower-cost tablets will bump up the number of shipments this year, according to a new report from IDC.

The research firm now expects global tablet shipments to rise to 190.9 million in 2012, up from its prior forecast of 172.4 million. IDC also sees an average rise in shipments of 11 percent from now through 2016, leading to more than 350 million tablets shipped by the end of 2017.

"One in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size," IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani said … Read more

Researchers highlight potential security risk to iOS users

Android usually gets smacked around for playing host to mobile malware, but iOS isn't totally immune, according to researchers at Skycure Security.

iOS profiles, aka mobileconfig files, are used by mobile carriers to configure key settings for e-mail, Wi-Fi, and other features. But these files could be abused by attackers to sneak past Apple's normally tight security and and hijack a mobile device, the security firm revealed in a blog post today.

The process would be similar to that of a typical malware infection.

An attacker might tempt users to visit a malicious Web site by promising something … Read more

Mozilla says no plans to return to iOS

AUSTIN, Texas -- Mozilla's Firefox browser will have no place on Apple devices so long as Apple continues its unfriendly attitude toward third-party browsers, Jay Sullivan, vice president of product at Mozilla, said today.

The nonprofit Mozilla, which pulled Mozilla Firefox Home from Apple's App Store in September 2012, is not currently building a version of its Firefox browser for iOS, nor does the company plan to, said Sullivan, speaking on a mobile browser wars panel at South by Southwest Interactive moderated by CNET Senior Reporter Seth Rosenblatt.

The sticking point for Mozilla is not being able to … Read more