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http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Press/5S%20fancy%20colors-470-75.jpgApple has unleashed iOS 7.1 into the wild, bringing a number of changes and additions to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. Chief among the features riding along with the update is CarPlay, Apple's "iOS experience designed for the car." There are no CarPlay-capable cars on the road right now, but those in the market for a new Ferrari (or Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes or Volvo) will be able to integrate their iPhone apps with their roadster some time this year. Users will also notice UI changes, squished bugs and faster animations and transitions, among other improvements. What's new in iOS 7.1The iOS 7 update brings with it a few Camera add-ons, such as an indicator when auto-flash will kick in and a new auto HDR mode for the iPhone 5S. Siri is seeing some love too as she now supports push-to-talk. FaceTime call notifications will vanish automatically once a user answers a call on another device. There's also a fix for a bug that "could occasionally cause a home screen crash" as well as improvements to Touch ID fingerprint recognition. Further changes include more accessibility options, new button borders and a toggle to turn down "harsh white elements" throughout the system. The green of Messages, FaceTime and Phone apps is no longer as radioactive, either. Users will also have the option to toggle the Parallax options on the lock screen wallpaper. Finally, the keyboard has managed to see a design tweak between iOS 7 and iOS 7.1. iOS 7.1 is available over the air through the Software Update section in Settings, or via iTunes on a Mac or PC. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/38025ee0/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5HpTzsrT3lk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/iPad/apps/iAd_iPad_engagement-470-75.jpgBlackBerry isn't the only smartphone maker generating headlines for their mobile advertising initiatives this week: Apple is said to be working on iAds that automatically play video in full-screen mode on iOS devices. Ad Age dug up a scoop on Apple's forthcoming plans for its mobile iAds which may soon see those relatively innocuous banner ads exploding all over their display with full-screen video playback - whether users like it or not. According to the usual "people with knowledge of Apple's plans," iPhone, iPod touch and iPad owners may no longer have to voluntarily tap on a banner-based iAd to make it play. These so-called "interstitials" are rumored to catch a user's attention while they are in the process of jumping to another level of gameplay or after reading an article, rather than disrupting whatever they happen to be doing at the time. Lights, cameras, iAds?Launched in 2010, Apple's iAds generated a lot of buzz but never really took off with advertisers, who balked at the initial asking price of US$1 million (about AU$1.99 million) per buy. Although Apple doesn't report iAd revenue, the iPhone maker is said to have steeply marked down the price of such ads to a more reasonable US$100,000 (about AU$109,890) in the years since. According to IDC data, iAds added another US$125 million (about AU$137 million) to its already overflowing coffers in 2012, but that's a pittance compared to Google-owned AdMob, who advertised its way into US$243 million (about AU$267 million) during the same year. Apple has yet to comment on its future plans for iAds, but Cupertino is expected to offer full-screen video interstitials through a rumored ad exchange, where space is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Check out our completely iAd-free review of the iPad Air!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37e23d13/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.pnghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1mJLiraxhrM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/BlackBerry/Z10/Press/Z10-Press-05-470-75.jpgThe next update for BlackBerry's ever-improving BBM app for iPhone and Android, will soon bring group photo messaging into play, the company has confirmed. In a blog post this weekend, the Waterloo-based firm said it was continually looking to add new features in order to keep customers happy and photo messaging within group chats is next on the agenda. "We know customers want to be able to share pics with multiple people in a chat. The next release of BBM will support photo sharing in multi person chats," Jeff Gadway, the firm's head of product and brand marketing wrote on the BlackBerry Blog. The support will come as BBM looks to make up ground on other popular messaging apps like Google Hangouts, Apple's iMessage and Facebook-owned WhatsApp, which already have the ability to distribute photos to more than one person. Bigger filesAdditionally, the company is upping the maximum file size users are able to share from 6MB to 16MB. That's 16 seconds of 1080p HD video, according to BlackBerry, or more pertinently, the difference between sharing a full resolution photo taken with a DSLR and one taken with a smartphone camera. "What this means is that you'll be able to send bigger pictures, larger documents and longer videos," Gadway added. The company didn't reveal when the update would be dropping, but considering the frequency of the changes so far, then it's unlikely to be too far away from launch. BBM to collide with Facebook Messenger on Windows Phone later this year!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37b3b337/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531215960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b3b337/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531215960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b3b337/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531215960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b3b337/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531215960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b3b337/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531215960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b3b337/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/vqgvGS_p1XI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/Android%20apps%20iOS%20should%20have/KitKat_landscape-470-75.jpgWe know. We know. You went for iOS because of its superior ease of use, because of its it-just-works reputation and lack of device fragmentation, because of the iOS-exclusive apps and because the hardware's pretty tasty. And that's great, but let's be honest: Apple's "It's Apple's way or the highway" approach sometimes means that the things that delight users of other platforms don't always make it onto iOS. Why can't we change our keyboards, count our Bitcoins or install from our iMacs? These are the Android apps and app features we'd love to see on our Apple devices. What about you? 1. Swypehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Android%20apps%20iOS%20should%20have/swype_tasker_blockchain-420-90.jpg Don't like Apple's on-screen keyboard? Tough: you can't change it, and that means you're excluded from the many joys of Swype. Swype's scribbly-input is close to magic, and once you've got the hang of it it's incredibly fast. Things are improving in iOS input land - the excellent SwiftKey is now available on iOS as a stand-alone app - but we'd love to be able to swap out the default keyboard altogether. 2. TaskerTasker could well be the poster child for Android apps: it's a little intimidating at first, but the things it can do are incredible. It takes the same "If This, Then That" approach as the IFTTT web service, but it applies it to your device - so you might say "if I plug in the headphones start playing music", or "if it's 3pm on Friday I'll be in a meeting so silence the ringer and text anyone who calls to say I'll get back to them afterwards". It's like the Automator app you'll find in OS X, and like Automator it's really a programming language masquerading as an app. 3. BitcoinThis month Apple upset a whole bunch of Bitcoin miners by booting Bitcoin apps such as Blockchain from the App Store. The move demonstrates a strength and a weakness of Apple's app curation: on the one hand Apple's policing does remove malware, rip-offs and the very worst apps, but on the other it can mean Apple deciding to block legitimate apps that it doesn't approve of. 4. NFChttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Android%20apps%20iOS%20should%20have/locale_golauncher_cover-420-90.jpg Apple's ongoing dismissal of NFC in favour of its own alternatives (AirDrop and iBeacons) means that NFC apps on iOS aren't looking very likely, and that means iOS users are missing out on fun tag-related tomfoolery such as automatically switching to car mode when getting in the car, sharing contact information or triggering Tasker scripts. 5. LocaleLocale goes way beyond Apple's "remind me to get milk when I'm near Tesco" location awareness and its Do Not Disturb mode. Locale can turn off battery-hogging features when the battery is low or remind you to find a charger, it can change display settings - including wallpaper - according to where you are, and you can use it to create profiles that disable the ringer or turn off Bluetooth or anything else you fancy. 6. Go Launcher EXAs the outcry over iOS 7 demonstrated, not everybody agrees with Apple's design choices - and on Android, they can make their devices look and work however they want. There are stacks of Android customisation applications to choose from, including Go Launcher EX, although fans of irony may enjoy the news that Google briefly pulled one of them, Themer, because it made Android look too much like iOS. 7. Coverhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Android%20apps%20iOS%20should%20have/flash_timely_applock-420-90.jpg The Lock Screen is another bit of iOS many people would like to customise, and once again on Android there are all kinds of apps that Apple owners can only envy. One of the most interesting is Cover, which learns the apps you use in particular places and customises the Lock Screen accordingly - so it displays your entertainment apps at home, your working apps at work and your travel apps when you're on the move. 8. FlashYeah, we know, over Apple's dead body - and even Adobe's lost interest in making Flash for mobile devices. But there are times that Flash is still useful, such as when you're trying to read a restaurant's menu (why are they always in Flash? Why?) or play a Flash game. 9. TimelyTimely is an alarm clock, but it's not just a pretty clock face. If you're a little too handy with the snooze button you can get it to set you challenges before it'll switch off the alarm, and cloud sync means you can share settings and alarms across all of your devices. It's a superb little app. 10. App Lock (Smart App Protector)The Play Store reviews suggest that it's a little buggy on some devices, but the idea behind App Lock is excellent: it offers locking not just of key phone features but individual applications (with individual passwords, if you want to keep things complicated), and if someone gets the login wrong it'll take a photo that you can use to identify and/or shame the culprit. The gesture lock is a particularly nice touch. Other App Lock apps go even further, with geofencing that works out where you are and enables or disables phone features and apps accordingly. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/372869d8/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530574967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/372869d8/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530574967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/372869d8/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530574967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/372869d8/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530574967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/372869d8/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530574967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/372869d8/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/QUxmjFyWK80

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/ios7_main-470-75.jpgWe know. We know. You went for Android because it offered superior customisation, because it didn't patronise you, because it delivered more bang for your buck. And that's great, but let's be honest: sometimes you'll see an iOS app and the word WANT flashes through your brain in 50-foot letters of fire. These are the iOS apps we'd really like to see on Android. Is there anything great we haven't included, or do you use excellent alternatives? We'd love to know your thoughts. iA Writerhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/writer_fantastical_tweetbot-420-90.jpg The iOS App Store is packed with writing apps, and one of the most popular is the simple and superb iA Writer: it's designed to help you concentrate on what you're writing and nothing else, and as a result it's deliberately stripped down so that you can't procrastinate by messing around with fonts or formatting. You can sync via iCloud or Dropbox, and on iPads there's a nifty focus mode that only displays three lines at a time. FantasticalAndroid isn't short of calendar apps either, but - wait for it - Fantastical is different. It looks good and its natural language input means you can enter things such as "London Grammar 7pm tuesday calendar gigs" or "todo buy dog food at 5pm". It's good with repeating events too. Tweetbot 3http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/paper_iftt_fuelband-420-90.jpg Tweetbot is the Twitter power user's app of choice: it's fast, friendly and it boasts lots of features for taming the Twitter firehose. There are mute filters that enable you to block users without unfollowing them - brilliant for sporting, news or entertainment events you don't give a toss about - and support for multiple services including Instapaper and Pocket, and it's as happy handing multiple accounts and lists as it is running a single account while you swear at Question Time. Facebook PaperAndroid users aren't the only ones excluded from the Facebook Paper party: for now it's US-only too, although both international and Android versions are incoming. Paper may well be the future of Facebook: it delivers a much more beautiful version of your News Feed with an emphasis on video and photography. IFTTTAmazingly, the excellent If This Then That trigger-action service hasn't made its way to Android yet: the best you can hope for is third-party apps such as LIFTTT. The app is coming, but in the meantime Android users can only drool over the iOS app's ability to automate services such as Facebook, Gmail and Twitter, and devices such as Belkin's WeMo switches and Philips' Hue bulbs. Nike+ Fuelbandhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/mailbox_reeder_clear-420-90.jpg This is an odd one: you'd think a firm with the global reach and deep pockets of Nike would ensure its Fuelband fitness kit worked as well with Android as it does with iOS. Nope. Nike says that the problem is reliability: it can't guarantee that any Fuelband app would work consistently well across several hundred handsets. "We have nothing against Android," Nike VP Stefan Olander told The Next Web in late 2013. "We just want to make sure that when we do it, it works well." Mailbox Email can be pretty horrendous sometimes, but Mailbox makes it much more pleasant: it's designed to clear your inbox quickly, archiving stuff you don't need to bother with and scheduling stuff you do. It's currently iOS-only with support for just Gmail and iCloud email, but its recent purchase by cross-platform sharing kings Dropbox suggests a brighter future. Reeder 2Silvio Rizzi's RSS reader is an absolute joy for news fiends: Reeder connects to the major RSS and sharing services (Feedbin, Feedly, Feed Wrangler, Fever and Readability plus the usual Send To services), it's lovely to look at and it's very fast. Where apps such as Flipboard try to make the news look pretty, Reeder concentrates on delivering the information you need as quickly as possible. Clearhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/nosycrow-420-90.jpg When the developer's called Realmac Software the likelihood of an Android version is pretty remote - and the lack of an official Android version might explain why there's an almost identically named Android app with an almost identical interface and an almost identical icon in the Play store; no, we're not linking to it. It's a shame the real one hasn't made it across, though. Clear's clever, intuitive interface couldn't be simpler, and that makes it a very fast and useful way to record anything you need to remember: notes, to-do lists, shopping lists… Nosy Crow appshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/infinityblade-420-90.jpg Nosy Crow's interactive picture books have won shelves full of awards, and with good reason: they're absolutely delightful apps for younger children. The firm did dip its toes into the Android market back in 2012 with some releases for the Barnes & Noble Nook, but since then it appears to have retreated again and its latest apps are iOS-only. Shame. Infinity Blade 3http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/iwork-420-90.jpg Android gamers can usually count on the big names releasing games for their platform - *cough* Flappy Bird! *cough* - but Epic's famous hack-and-slash epics remain iOS-exclusive. While Epic Citadel delivers the same world, exploring streets isn't quite as entertaining as getting all stabby. iWorkhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/iOS%20apps%20Android%20should%20have/garageband-420-90.jpg No, we're not being funny. Apple's iWork suite is great, and while both Google and Microsoft offer perfectly good mobile office suites in the form of Office 365 and Google Docs they aren't as nice as Apple's apps. Keynote in particular is fantastic. GaragebandApple's iLife apps - iMovie, iPhoto - are pretty good, but Garageband is stunning: it's a really useful music creation app, and its synchronisation with the desktop version (whose files can in turn be read by the pro music app Logic Pro) means it's a great mobile tool for dabblers and professional musicians alike. Check out the 90 best iPhone apps in the world right nowhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37220519/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530611144/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37220519/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530611144/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37220519/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530611144/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37220519/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530611144/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37220519/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530611144/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37220519/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/SULYFTp2m8A

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/ApplevSamsung/iPhone5GalaxyS3/iPhone5GalaxyS3-03-470-75.JPGA new year, another set of flagship handsets from the twin titans of smartphones, Apple and Samsung -- but will this finally be the year such devices can shake off the bezel in an effort to slim down even further? The Korea Herald reported Tuesday that Samsung and Apple may face another rivalry in 2014 as speculation runs rampant the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6 may each feature bezel-free, edge-to-edge displays. Korean mobile giant Samsung Electronics appears likely to launch the initial offensive later this month when the manufacturer is expected to announce the Galaxy S5, which unnamed industry sources claim will be the model to finally ditch a hardware-based home button. Samsung is also rumored to be following Apple into the fingerprint scanner market, which will reportedly be offered on the bottom left and right sides of the bezel-free screen. Begone, home buttonApple is also said to be testing a prototype of this year's iPhone 6 with a larger, bezel-free display that could also move the Touch ID fingerprint scanner found on the iPhone 5S onto the actual display itself. The eventual goal of both companies appears to be an edge-to-edge screen offering button-free fingerprint scanning from anywhere on the display, but "technological hurdles" remain that could delay such a feature until the second half of the year. Now that Apple has staked out the early fall season for its smartphone launches, that could give the iPhone maker an edge over Samsung, who is expected to begin selling the allegedly slimmer Galaxy S5 much earlier in the year. Samsung is also reportedly hard at work on touch panels that would allow its Galaxy devices to be used even while wearing gloves, part of a bezel-free initiative launched in 2012 under the code names "Project B" and "Galaxy B." It may have a bezel, but our Samsung Galaxy S4 review shows it's still a fine handset!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36fb1d3b/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674758/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d3b/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674758/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d3b/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674758/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d3b/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674758/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d3b/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557674758/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d3b/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IwqH5pPJSbw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Apps/Eminem_iTunesRadio-470-75.jpgApple's iTunes Radio service is now officially available in Australia, marking the first time the customised radio service has been available outside of the United States. The company announced the availability of the new service on devices running iOS 7, as well as set top boxes, PCs and Macs with the latest version of iTunes. The internet radio service, which rivals similar offerings from Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and more, rolled out in the US on September 2013 alongside the launch of iOS 7. It allows users to create ad-supported, free radio stations based on songs and artists, as well as access stations created by Apple and guest musicians. There's also "first listens" where albums from the likes of Eminem have made debuts and gives users the opportunity to add songs to an iTunes wishlist where they can be purchased to own. Down Under loveSince Apple launched iTunes Radio in the United States, users have patiently waited for the international roll out. There have been a few false starts, with the service becoming briefly available to a few iTunes users in the UK and Canada in recent weeks. While this makes it a little surprising that Australia is the first to receive the service outside of the US, Apple said that it will launch later in 100 countries, including the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Users can download the iTunes Radio app from the App Store, and Apple has said customers that subscribe to the iTunes Match cloud music storage service, which costs $34.99 annually, will get iTunes Radio ad-free. Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" Radio looking to take the fight to iTunes Radio. It's another Apple vs Google showdown.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36f74209/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/7RijSub67aE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Steve_Wozniak_Steve_Jobs-470-75.jpgApple co-founder Steve Wozniak has suggested a novel way for the company to combat the march of the Android army... start building Android phones! Speaking to Wired, the flamboyant computing whiz Wozniak said there's nothing keeping Apple from making Android phones that would out-style options from best-selling manufacturers like Samsung. "There's nothing that would keep Apple out of the Android market as a secondary phone market," he said. "We could compete very well. People like the precious looks of stylings and manufacturing that we do in our product compared to the other Android offerings. We could play in two arenas at the same time." Being Steve WozniakNaturally, there's no chance of that ever happening unless things take a serious turn for the worst at Cupertino, or Eric Schmidt totally Tim Cook. It's also unlikely the brazen statement will bother too many folks at Infinite Loop. Wozniak, whose only real involvement with Apple these days is collecting his dividends cheques, is known for his occasional jaunts to the other side of the tracks when it comes to towing the company line. In the past, he's urged Apple to bring iTunes to Android, criticised the new range of iPads, asserted that the iPhone had fallen behind the competition and called Windows Phone 'more beautiful' than iOS. Beyond his latest wind up, Woz was super positive about the company's recent times, refusing to criticise the company's decision for the slow bleed of new iPhone features, amid Samsung's desire to cram their handsets with everything but the kitchen sink. "If you have something really good, don't change it; don't screw it up. You pick up a Samsung phone and say smile and it takes a picture, but how much innovation is that? That's just throwing in a lot of features, he said. Woz loves a wind-up. Here are six of the best we pulled together way back in 2009.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IuJvArSXUfY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%207%20hands%20on/ios7_main-470-75.jpgThe public release of Apple's iOS 7.1 could just just a few weeks away, with reports claiming the company has no plans to release more beta versions of the software to developers. BGR reports the company's beta testing of the first major update to the revamped OS is complete after five beta versions, with only a Gold Master version to arrive before it becomes available to consumers. According to the site's source, Apple plans to drop iOS 7.1 in early March, which ties into previous speculation. Months in the makingiOS 7.1 has been almost five months in the making and will offer some visual refinements and potentially introduce a few new features, such as iOS in the Car. The company also hopes the update will fix the random reboots, app crashes, and general sluggishness experienced by some users since the iOS 7 update fell in September 2013. It has not yet been suggested that the Apple plans to address the startling drop-off in battery life experienced by older iPhone owners since upgrading from iOS 6. What would you like to see Apple introduce or fix with iOS 7.1? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Will iOS 7.1 allow iPhone owners to delete those massive, space-hogging OS installation files?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b83f63/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8B1NNAgFqgc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Hands%20on/HandsOn3/iPhones5S-HandsOn-14-470-75.JPGNo one outside of Cupertino is really sure what Apple's next smartphone might offer, but supply chain leaks can occasionally offer a glimpse at what's in store - or send rumor seekers completely off the beaten path. G4Games reported Tuesday that Apple may be looking to wow iPhone owners again this year by further improving upon the camera optics introduced with last year's iPhone 5S model. Already widely hailed as one of the most-used smartphone cameras, this year's alleged iPhone 6 could make the leap to 10 megapixels "or more," capable of packing even more image quality into those mobile images. Of course, Apple executives have frequently reminded us that megapixel count alone isn't everything, so next-generation iPhone buyers could have some other goodies to look forward to as well. ARTON or bustAccording to an unverified report on Chinese website IT168, the so-called iPhone 6 could also benefit from a wider f/1.8 aperture capable of throwing even more light onto its image sensor than last year's model. More intriguing, the same report cites unnamed sources from within Apple's Taiwanese supply chain who claim a Japanese company called JSR will be providing "interchangeable resin lenses" for the very same camera lens. Such lenses would reportedly be made from a new, transparent resin known as ARTON, which JSR says offers superior "optical characteristics" and "dimension stability" that are "best suited for optical applications." Lending credence to the last bit of this rumor is the fact that Apple was recently granted two patents for interchangeable camera lenses for the iPhone, although it's too early to know if they'll actually make their way onto this year's model. Check out our full review of Apple's latest iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/EAQEgYFT3j8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/av_accessories/iTunes%20Radio/macbook%20and%20iphone-470-75.jpgApple's iTunes Radio streaming service could be set for an imminent launch outside the United States, with the service reportedly showing up on iOS devices in the UK and Canada. AppleInsider brings word from readers on both sides of the Atlantic who've seen the iTunes Radio service show up within the Music app on their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. In the UK, the users say they're able to stream music using iTunes Radio, while the Canadians who're seeing the service are as yet unable to use it. Apple has not made any announcement regarding the international launch of iTunes Radio and it is thought the company has been working on the licensing deals necessary for a roll-out outside the U.S. Customise it...iTunes Radio was announced at WWDC in June last year, as Apple's answer to Spotify and other dedicated online radio services like Pandora. The service allows users to play custom radio stations based on songs, artists or genres, or choose from playlists curated by Apple or guest DJs. If users take a liking to particular songs, they can add them to their iTunes library by purchasing the song from within the Radio portion of the music app. Have you seen iTunes Radio appear within your Music app yet? Let us know in the comments section below. Google is taking the fight to iTunes Radio with "I'm feeling lucky" radio on iOS...http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3653cb78/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580624/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb78/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580624/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb78/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580624/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb78/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580624/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb78/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186529580624/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb78/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/uK6a4aaO2ZU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Hands%20on/Hands%20on%202/iPhone%20_5s_review_11-470-75.JPGApple is reportedly investigating the possibility of launching its own mobile payments service, which would allow iPhone and iPad users to pay for goods and services using their Apple ID accounts. The Wall Street Journal reports Apple is looking at 'leveraging' the millions of credit card details its customers currently use to buy apps, games, movies, books, music and more, to launch a wider service. According to the 'paper's sources, Apple CEO Tim Cook has placed its senior vice president of Internet Software and Service Eddy Cue in charge of getting the service up and running. The report claims Apple is discussing the plan with other companies in the tech industry. Look out, PayPal...If it were to eventually come to fruition, iOS users, for example, could pay for their groceries using their mobile devices, charging the payment to their registered iTunes accounts. Apple has been researching mobile payments for years, but a fully fledged service would see the company take on the likes of PayPal, Square and Google in the increasingly populated sector. Would shopping with your Apple ID make things simpler for you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Apple in 2014: What to expecthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3653cb7c/sc/21/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580623/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb7c/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580623/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb7c/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580623/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb7c/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529580623/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb7c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186529580623/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3653cb7c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KPXNCvgC0Mo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone-Patents/Patently_Apple_iPhone_sapphire_sketch-470-75.jpgWhile Apple's focus may be on the Macintosh today, a few casual remarks from the company's CEO substantiates at least some of what Cupertino might have under its sleeve at a new Arizona manufacturing plant. ABC News posted a brief snippet of an interview with three Apple executives today as part of a Macintosh 30th anniversary celebration that attempted to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding the iPhone maker. The conversation soon turned to Apple's US-based manufacturing ambitions, which include the previously announced Mac Pro facility in Austin, Texas and a new plant in Mesa, Arizona where GT Advanced Technologies is rumored to be producing sapphire crystal glass for Cupertino's products. Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook confirmed the Arizona investment in sapphire glass during this week's interview, but dodged questions about when the glass might roll off the assembly line and whether it was intended for a rumored big-screen iPhone 6. Revenge of iRing?Cupertino appears well on their way to a sapphire future after dipping their toes in the water with the camera lens cover on the iPhone 5 and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor for last year's iPhone 5S. According to Patently Apple, Taiwanese partner Foxconn recently began testing assembly of "sapphire substrate display covers" for an unspecified iPhone, successfully packaging as many as 100 such devices so far - but it's unclear how those efforts fit into Apple's big picture. ABC reporter David Muir attempted to connect the dots between sapphire glass, iPhone 6 and even the rumored iWatch during his interview with Cook, who deflected each query with his usual Southern charm. "It's for a ring," Cook quipped, apparently in reference to the rumored "iRing" device that became the butt of many jokes early last year in conjunction with Apple's mythical iTV television set. Check out our full review of Apple's latest iPhone 5S!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36517bbe/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187556866810/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36517bbe/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187556866810/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36517bbe/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187556866810/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36517bbe/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187556866810/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36517bbe/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187556866810/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36517bbe/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/_522T_KR0V8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Apple_Sep_2013/iwork-for-free-470-75.jpgApple has released the latest update for its iWork for iCloud web application, sprucing up its interface and adding new editing and security options. The three apps that make up iWork, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote have all received a visual upgrade to their template chooser and document library. The main document layout, however, remains unchanged. The update brings a slew of new editing features, such as formatting for floating tables, rich formatting of text in table cells, page numbering, footnoting, and styling of anchored and inline images, shapes and text boxes. An important new feature is the addition of password protection on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Passwords can be applied to files in all three apps. Quality of life changesOther changes include improvements to VoiceOver support for body text and document manager, new keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to view files shared by another user. The update also fixes a slew of bugs. However, it may have also introduced some new ones. 9to5Mac reports that some users are having trouble opening iWork for iCloud documents in iWork for Mac or iOS. Apple raised the ire of some users last year when it unveiled its revamps of iWork on all three of its platforms.The software was rewritten from the ground up, resulting in some features being left out of the initial release. It has restored some and promised to restore more, but the omissions do lend weight to Microsoft's claim that iWork is "watered down" compared to Office. Find the best office suite for OS Xhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3650d89f/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529589960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3650d89f/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529589960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3650d89f/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529589960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3650d89f/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186529589960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3650d89f/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186529589960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3650d89f/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ah1diowxaAA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Hands%20on/HandsOn3/iPhones5S-HandsOn-07-470-75.JPGA report from security assessment firm IOActive suggests that most mobile banking apps for iPhone and iPad are full of flaws. IOActive researcher Ariel Sanchez recently studied the security features of 40 mobile banking apps for iOS, including the apps used by some of the world's leading financial institutions. All of the apps that Sanchez tested could be installed and run on jailbroken devices, which have been modified by the user to accept apps unauthorized by Apple. Running an app on a jailbroken device lets attackers circumvent the security features built into iOS and access the restricted resources of other apps on a user's device. In an IOActive blog post outlining his research, Sanchez noted that 40 per cent of the apps tested had compromised transport mechanisms and 90 per cent had non-SSL links. This leaves app users susceptible to 'man-in-the-middle' attacks. In such attacks, users may be redirected to malicious sites where their login information can be stolen. Attacks at the coffee shop?These attacks are more likely to happen on untrusted networks like WiFi hotspots, which makes mobile banking from public locations like coffee shops less of a convenience and more of a nightmare waiting to happen. In his blog post, Sanchez notes that phishing attacks that utilize cross-site scripting have become very popular lately, often resulting in the theft of a victim's login credentials. In a typical attack, the user might be asked to re-enter his or her username and password "because the online banking session has expired." Such an attack can give cybercriminals full access to a customer's bank accounts. Sanchez offered some recommendations for developers of mobile banking apps to consider in the future. These include tightening the security of transfer protocols for all connections made, enforcing SSL certificate checks by the client application, encrypting data using iOS's own data protection and removing all development code from the released application. Are smartphones a weak link in security?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/35e4a636/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186528841484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35e4a636/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186528841484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35e4a636/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186528841484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35e4a636/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186528841484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35e4a636/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186528841484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35e4a636/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/YCwEOk0jcQU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/SnappyCam_app-470-75.jpgApple has reportedly purchased the company behind the photography app SnappyCam, which enables the iPhone to take continuous, full-res pictures at higher speeds than the native camera Following the app's recent disappearance from the App Store, TechCrunch brings word that the one-man SnappyLabs operation is now under Apple's command. The SnappyCam app, made it possible for the iPhone's camera to snap full resolution shots at between 20-30 frames per second, depending on the iPhone model and up to 60fps at lower resolution Naturally, that's significantly faster than Apple's own iSight camera software, and allowed the app to become a hit among iPhone users in many countries. Interest from the big gunsAccording to TechCrunch's sources, the SnappyCam app had attracted interest from "most of the major players," but it appears that Apple has won the day. The likelihood now is that Apple will fold SnappyCam's functionality into the iOS camera at some point, or will have the developer work on future iPhone camera tech. Terms of the deal have not been confirmed and Apple has not commented on the reports. However, the girlfriend of founder John Papandriopoulos, posted on Facebook to congratulate her partner, which, we suppose is as close to confirmation as it comes. Papandriopoulos is reportedly an electrical engineering phD at the University of Melbourne, but student or not, the Fosters will probably be on him tonight. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/35820491/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842745679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35820491/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842745679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35820491/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842745679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35820491/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842745679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35820491/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/184842745679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35820491/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rjbAg_N5daE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Siri/Siri-01-470-75.jpgApple is planning to widen the scope of its hit-and-miss personal voice assistant Siri, in order to include iPhone owners' photo libraries, judging by a newly published patent application. The filing, spotted by AppleInsider, speaks of "a method for tagging or searching images using a voice-based digital assistant." Users would be able to tag the photos as they take them, with one example quoting a user saying "This is me at the beach" with other photos in the same geographic location tagged accordingly. According to the application, the tech would also recognise faces, buildings and landscapes to apply tags to photos in the iOS Camera Roll. Call 'em upNaturally, users would then be able to call up those photos at will by using Siri to say "show pictures of me at the beach." The company is already grouping like minded photos together within the iOS 7 Photos app, so adding Siri to this wouldn't be too much of a stretch. The application itself was published in March 2013, so if Apple plans to follow through on the feature, it's somewhat surprising the functionality wasn't built into iOS 7. Siri hasn't reached its potential yet, but here are 10 ways Apple could make Siri brilliant.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/353ad62c/sc/21/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842284473/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/353ad62c/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842284473/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/353ad62c/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842284473/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/353ad62c/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842284473/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/353ad62c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/184842284473/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/353ad62c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FuKrh1Xz560

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20history/iOS6_AppleMaps-470-75.jpgApple CEO Tim Cook has said the company acquired 15 companies in 2013, but only 10 have been revealed. Now it seems two more may have been uncovered. The Apple fan site 9to5Mac has unearthed a pile of evidence that suggests that Apple bought the mapping data company BroadMap and the location-based Evernote competitor Catch. BroadMap specialized in map data processing, which Apple could conceivably use to improve its own Apple Maps app. Catch, meanwhile, was a note-taking app that could use location data to conveniently sort text and multimedia notes. But it appeared to shut its doors in August for mysterious reasons. Catch thisAccording to a source 9to5Mac spoke with, Apple acquired BroadMap in the first half of 2013 so that Apple could mine the company for talent, not necessarily technology. And according to the LinkedIn profile of BroadMap CEO Daniel Perrone BroadMap was acquired by a "Fortune 5" company. None of the top five Fortune 500 companies in 2013 have a use for mapping tech, but Apple sits near the top of the list at number six. And several former BroadMap executives list Apple as their current employer on LinkedIn, though Perrone does not. That all points to one thing: Apple having bought BroadMap. But the case for Apple having similarly acquired Catch, on the other hand, is slightly more tenuous. Catch shut down in August after its executives decided "to take the company in a different direction." They had just launched an enterprise service called Catch Team. But Catch was promoted heavily in Apple Store locations, on Apple's website, and at Apple events. And sources reportedly told 9to5Mac that many former Catch employees, including the company's co-founder, are now at Apple working on iOS software. That's not confirmed, but it's not implausible that Apple would buy the company out apparently growing so fond of it. So what?What might Apple do with these technologies? The former BroadMap executives' LinkedIn profiles claim they're now on Apple's maps team, so it seems their talents are being used to improve the company's oft-maligned Apple Maps. Catch might be used to improve iOS and OS X's native note-taking apps, though the location capabilities could also factor into anything from Apple Maps to Siri. What's certain is that as always, 2014 is going to be an interesting year for Apple. Need to do any last-minute shopping? Refer to TechRadar's holiday gift guide for all your tech- and game-gifting needs!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/35261dc3/sc/21/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842118640/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35261dc3/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842118640/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35261dc3/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842118640/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35261dc3/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842118640/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35261dc3/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/184842118640/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35261dc3/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/HN2_bVLKMds

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/AllCast_Android_app-470-75.jpgA powerful app which allows Android device owners to stream photos and videos to a host of connected devices is now available on the Google Play store. A full version of the AllCast app has landed within Google's download portal, following a brief period in beta, bringing streaming power to compatible devices like the Apple TV and Roku set-top boxes. The app, which plays nice with devices on the same Wi-Fi network will also beam content to the Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles, as well as Samsung and Panasonic Smart TVs. At the moment the app streams photos and videos, stored both locally and in the cloud, but creator ClockworkMod's Koushik Dutta has promised support for music will be coming soon. CastableAs for Google's own streaming device, the Chromecast dongle, well AllCast doesn't support it yet and won't until Google relaxes the rules in the new year. Most Chromecast compatible apps are landing as the weeks go by, but it is thought Google is preparing to facilitate compatibility with all Android apps, with hundreds of developers expressing interest in embracing the platform. "Our broader goal is for Google Cast to be established as a standard," Google VP of Product Management Mario Queiroz said recently. "There will be an expectation from consumers that any and every app will be 'castable.'" In the meantime, you can see what AllCast is all about in the video below. " width="420">YouTube : Apple TV vs Chromecast: Which is better?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/35251cf5/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842095414/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35251cf5/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842095414/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35251cf5/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842095414/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35251cf5/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184842095414/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35251cf5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/184842095414/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/35251cf5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/WgCQp7WEhPs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/PlayMusic_iOS_feeling_lucky-470-75.jpgGoogle's perennial attempts to turn Google Play Music into a force against iTunes have been boosted by the arrival of 'I'm Feeling Lucky Radio' within the company's iOS app. The random radio feature comes to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch two months after it was rolled into the Android version, while an iOS 7-inspired UI has also been introduced. The feature, like its search engine forebear, allows users to access a selection of music the app thinks they will like, auto-generating a radio station based on previous listening habits. The app will automatically bring tunes from the users most listened-to genre. Big Thumbs Up!The revamped iOS app also offers access to auto-generated playlists (such as Thumbs Up) for the first time and All Access subscribers will also have the opportunity to search genres within the app. The new Google Play Music features come into competition with Apple's own iTunes Radio platform, which is yet to launch outside the United States. It's a streaming throwdown: Google Play Music vs Spotify http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3514cc63/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184841990989/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3514cc63/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184841990989/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3514cc63/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184841990989/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3514cc63/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/184841990989/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3514cc63/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/184841990989/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3514cc63/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/oCyeuPVRtiA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Amazon/KindleFire%202/Kindle%20Fire%20HD/IMG_1871-470-75.jpgThe Time Warner Cable app has launched on Kindle Fire tablets ahead of an expected launch on Apple TV. The app allows TW's cable subscribers to access live TV and on-demand programming on their devices, something Apple TV users have long hoped to gain access to. It grants users access to 300 live cable channels and 5,000 on-demand titles. Time Warner's app is already available on PC, Roku, Xbox 360, Samsung smart TVs, iOS and other Android devices as well. Looks like Apple TV is the odd platform out on this one. Out with the old, it's a win-winTime Warner Cable's soon-to-be CEO Rob Marcus reportedly hinted last week that the TWC app would land on a new platform. Apple TV users have been expecting to see the app on their platform for a while, so it's understandable if anyone jumped to that conclusion. With its live TV and on-demand app Time Warner no doubt hopes to stave off the cable cord-cutters currently abandoning traditional TV-viewing business models for streaming services and video marketplaces. It's all good for consumers - now between Time Warner and Aereo some cable subscribers might be doing all of their program viewing on devices that aren't TVs. No more blackouts due to inter-company quarrels? We're all for it. Just one week to go - check TechRadar's holiday gift guide for all your holiday shopping needs!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/34fbb2d0/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.pnghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/fYJfllHYLfI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Google/Eric%20Schmidt%20Google-470-75.jpgGoogle's executive chairman Eric Schmidt kindly gave up his weekend to write a lengthy step-by-step guide for iPhone users who are thinking of switching to Android. Big Eric says loads of his friends are making the transition from iOS and enjoying better, larger displays and a 'much more intuitive interface.' In the post on his personal Google+ page, Schmidt said that an Android phone would be "a great Christmas present to an iPhone user!" He said: "Like the people who moved from PCs to Macs and never switched back, you will switch from iPhone to Android and never switch back as everything will be in the cloud, backed up, and there are so many choices for you. 80% of the world, in the latest surveys, agrees on Android." You got me, what?!The series of Schmidt tips advises new Android phone owners on how they can make use of iCloud and Gmail to get iPhone contacts onto the new phone. It also explains how users can get iTunes music onto the Android phone, by using Google Music Manager and syncing to the company's cloud locker. Are you an iPhone user? Would you welcome an Android phone in your stocking this Christmas? Or would be aghast that a loved would even consider it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. Find out why everyone on the internet is turning into Eric Schmidt?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/340ed6f1/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264973817/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/340ed6f1/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264973817/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/340ed6f1/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264973817/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/340ed6f1/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264973817/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/340ed6f1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264973817/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/340ed6f1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/wcCo6wooXOU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/internet/Google/Gmail/Gmail_icon-470-75.jpgApple's free OS X 10.9 Mavericks update has caused plenty of headaches for people - not least Gmail users who have had to put up with misbehaving inboxes since taking the plunge. The Cupertino-based company has outed a free patch to fix problems related to its Apple Mail app and Gmail accounts, which include mail being unintentionally duplicated and unread message tallies seemingly being plucked out of thin air. According to Apple, the 32.46MB update fixes an "issue that prevents deleting, moving, and archiving messages for users with custom Gmail settings" and "addresses an issue that may cause unread counts to be inaccurate". To install it, you'll have to head on over to the Mac's App Store, where it should be ready and waiting. Coming unstuckApple has also issued a software fix for its brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display laptops after users complained of freezing keyboards and trackpads. And there could be more Mavericks-related patches in the works. According to 9to5Mac, Mavericks' iBooks 1.01 and Safari 7.01 updates are due to bring improved performance for new features introduced in Apple's (for now) temperamental OS. Unfortunately, some Mac owners are still stranded in no-man's land after installing the latest version of OS X, including Western Digital external HDD users that have seen data destroyed after upgrading from Mountain Lion. Probably worth reading our Mavericks review again to see if it's all worth ithttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3372c547/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FzE2qu5fZTk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/Watches/iWatch/Apple_Bluetooth_hotspot_patent-470-75.jpgWi-Fi is great, but there are plenty of places where it's not available. This could be where a new Apple patent for short-range connectivity between two devices using low-power Bluetooth comes in. AppleInsider reported that Apple's latest published patent filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) could be bound for future devices that lack a built-in radio transceiver, such as the fabled "iWatch" Cupertino is widely believed to be working on. The latest application entitled "Network access using short-range connectability" allows devices such as the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to not only connect to another gadget without a built-in radio, but also share a local network. Exactly such a scenario is what Bluetooth technology is intended for, but Apple's patent places emphasis on making such connections happen with as little user intervention as possible, all while conserving precious battery power. Quacks like a duck?Originally filed with the USPTO in March, the short-range communications patent application makes no specific mention of a smart watch. "Users can leverage their mobile radio communication devices, such as their cell phones, to provide network access to their other devices without having to manually enable such connections," the patent description read. "In turn, the other devices can benefit from the network access while remaining in low-power mode during a short-range connection that uses a low-power enabled connection." The report theorized that such technology could be used for brief hotspot pairings between iOS devices and the rumored iWatch - just long enough to receive push notifications, iMessages, news or even emails. Who needs an iWatch when you can read our full review of OS X Mavericks?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336c273c/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/hsRGOYvIesY