New book says Steve Jobs saw the iPad as Android repellant

Apple's iPhone may have forever changed the world of mobile communications but by 2009 Apple was starting to face some serious competition in the smartphone market from Google's free-to-use Android operating system. According to a new book written by Fred Vogelstein that's been excerpted by Wired , Jobs saw the dangers that Google's platform presented and came up with a bold plan to hold off the Android barbarians that were banging on Apple's gate. In short, he decided that the best way to maintain iOS's relevance was to make the iPad.



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Posted in 2013 at 03:10PM, November 05

REVIEW REDUX: I can't stand how gigantic the Galaxy Note 3 is… but I also can't put it down

I have a love-hate relationship with Samsung's smartphones. I love the displays and, feature spam aside, many of Samsung's software enhancements offer great features on top of Google's Android platform. But I hate Samsung's plasticky housings that make the phones feel like cheap toys compared to devices like the HTC One and iPhone 5s, and I also often find Samsung's phones to be oversized. The Galaxy Note 3 changed none of that; the screen is gorgeous, the Note-specific software features are great, the build feels cheap and plasticky, and the device is far too gigantic to be used comfortably. So why can't I put it down?



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Posted in 2013 at 03:10PM, October 25

Siri is still being ignored by iPhone users, even after iOS 7 makeover

Apple's personal assistant has received some significant upgrades in its transition over to iOS 7, but is anyone actually using Siri? According to a survey by Intelligent Voice , a surprisingly small number of people on iOS 7 have used Siri even once, much less used it on a regular basis. Intelligent Voice interviewed 2,330 people for the survey, and only 15% of respondents said that they had used Siri. In a related survey, nearly half of a much smaller pool of respondents said that they believed Apple had "oversold Siri's voice recognition capabilities." Smartphone manufacturers have been attempting to perfect voice commands for years, and no matter how effective Siri truly is, many users just don't want to take the time to learn a new method of interaction.

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Posted in 2013 at 03:10PM, October 23

This free tool will notify you INSTANTLY when your local Apple Stores receive new iPhone 5s shipments

Apple's iPhone 5s launched three weeks ago now, but it's still ridiculously hard to come by in many regions. Lines continue to form each day outside Apple Stores in cities around the country, and even space gray iPhone 5s units are in short supply now in many areas. We recently told you about a great free tool that saves users time and voice minutes on their cell phone plans by instantly checking all of your local Apple Stores for iPhone 5s stock. The tool is already incredibly useful, but it just got even better thanks to a new notifications feature.



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Posted in 2013 at 03:10PM, October 11

Rogers has a change of heart, will now carry BlackBerry Z30

In what has been a tragically difficult year for BlackBerry, the cell phone maker deserves a reprieve and Canada's Rogers Wireless is just the company to provide one. After reports last week declared that Rogers would not be carrying the BlackBerry Z30, Rogers customers seem to have made themselves heard. The company released a statement on Wednesday to inform the public that it will now be carrying the Z30 "[in] response to customers’ feedback and excitement about the device." Of the many words one might choose to describe BlackBerry's current situation, "excitement" might not make the list, but the Canadian BlackBerry fans are apparently the exception to the rule. Rogers full statement follows below.



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Posted in 2013 at 03:10PM, October 10