Download Google I/O for Android

With Apple’s 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference all done and dusted for this year, the residents of San Francisco could be forgiven for thinking they could get back to a little bit of normality without a plethora of developers and programmers buzzing around. Unfortunately for them, they may need to wait a little longer as iOS and Mac OS X developers have left, the Google I/O conference is about to descend on the Moscone Center in seven days time.

Google I/O 2012

SIM Unlock Galaxy S III

Although, when initially manufactured, smartphones are designed to work with a particular type of SIM, the carriers narrow things down by locking devices down to their particular network. The process of trying to unlock can be difficult indeed, and as such, consumers look to the expert developers and modders to offer a solution.

Picture the scene. You upgrade your device on one carrier, let’s call them, for argument’s sake, AB&B, but your daughter – who is far more technologically-orientated than yourself, wants your shiny new device, to which you begrudgingly oblige. Unfortunately, your daughter is contracted with another carrier – Dash – and of course, you both want the new device to work with her carrier. Herein lies the problem.

Voodoo Galaxy S III SIM Unlock

First Look At Windows Phone 7.8

Winzip for Android

The tablet market is heating up, folks! The iPad continues to dominate it because of its sweet starting price and strong feature-set and now, other manufacturers are trying to come up with ways to beat it. Whether its Microsoft’s promise of a desktop-level experience with Windows 8 Pro on its Surface tablet or Amazon cutting down on extraneous features to get the starting price down to $199, everyone’s trying something.

We’ve been hearing of a pure Google Nexus tablet for a long time now. The earliest post about it was published more than six months ago in December, 2011 where it was rumored that Google would come up with a tablet of the “highest quality” to compete with the iPad. Six months later and we still keep hearing all kinds of rumors and reports.

WinZip for Android

Google's Siri is "Majel"

Revealed in late 2011, Siri the personal assistant has become one of iOS’ most recognized features at least on the latest iOS devices. It was updated recently at WWDC 2012, bringing new features such as being able to take queries regarding sports and movies, Facebook integration and support for the new iPad.

Other mobile device manufacturers are working towards their alternative to Siri. Samsung recently introduced S Voice as part of their Galaxy S III smartphone which look and works a lot like Siri. Google has been long-rumored to be working on their Siri competitor codenamed ‘Majel’ and now we’re hearing that the company has accelerated development of their voice-based personal assistant to ready it, perhaps, for the upcoming Google I/O event. Details after the jump!

Google's Siri

Download OS X Lion

If you happen to be one of the many individuals that are involved in development for one of Apple’s extremely popular platforms then you will no doubt be thoroughly enjoying things at present thanks to the recent release of iOS 6 beta and the fourth developer preview of OS X Mountain Lion. Although still in beta stages, the releases offer developers the chance to not only interrogate their own software and apps but to also inspect the builds for bugs and potential showstoppers.

HTC One X Smartphone

As you may or may not be aware, I picked up an HTC One X last week. I wanted an Android phone to compliment my iPhone 4S. Not to replace it, but to offer something different to the iOS life I have lived almost exclusively for the last few years. Basically, I fancied a change without giving up the iPhone that I have grown to love, but also grown a little tired of. Variety is the spice of life, after all!

The handset I chose was the HTC One X in white. Whether you like white handsets or not, you have to admit that the phone itself does look absolutely gorgeous. The curved chassis makes the screen appear curved too, even though it isn’t. It’s an optical illusion that really stands out with the white casing, and I still say white is the color to choose, especially given the fact the only other choice is a rather dull grey, not black. I’m sure which color is best will be argued for some time, though.

HTC One X Smartphone

Downloads iOS, Android Apps

Although Apple’s mobile operating system iOS is still leading the app-downloading market, Google’s Android platform is keeping up pace with its rival, according to a new infographic.

App Annie, a provider of app store analytics and intelligence for iOS, Mac and Android publishers, highlights in an infographic that shows iOS makes up 71% of global revenue for app downloads — compared to Android’s 29% share — but both companies are growing 14% year-over-year in revenue for app downloads.

“iOS publishers are undoubtedly making more money than Android publishers,” an App Annie spokesperson told Mashable. “But Android has shown impressive growth in the global market.”

Swype adds voice recognition

Nuance has announced the latest iteration of its Swype software, adding voice recognition and handwriting smarts to the alternative onscreen keypad.

Using Nuance's Dragon voice recognition software, the latest Swype beta is able to transcibe sentences as you speak them, and promises to learn your voice for more intelligent messaging. The INQUIRER managed to get its hands on the updated Swype beta software, which managed to transcribe our dictations, impressively without any hiccups.

Handwriting recognition is another new feature, although Nuance's senior solution architect John West told us this add-on is unlikely to take off here in the UK, instead being aimed mainly at asian markets. One feature that is likely to take off however, is Swype's ability to launch apps. Dragging your finger across "FB", for example, will rapidly launch Facebook.

The latest Swype beta also uses Nuance's XT9 multi-model text input solution, rather than T9, making for a more intelligent and speedy imput system. Next word prediction has also been added, similar to that which is set to come baked into RIM's Blackberry 10 software, alongside a smarter onboard dictionary, which learns new words as you use them.

Latest Swype Beta adds voic recognition

Price Will Make or Break Microsoft Surface

Microsoft needs to hook customers with better pricing if it wants to capture market attention with its new Surface tablets, analysts said Tuesday.

Microsoft said it will roll out the Windows RT version of Surface with prices in line with Windows RT machines from makers such as Asustek Computer. Asus has shown a Windows RT tablet, but has not announced pricing or availability.

The Windows 8 Pro version of the Surface will be priced in line with Intel-powered ultrabooks by other vendors, Microsoft said. Those guidelines could put the Windows RT Surface at more than $600, and the Windows 8 Pro at more than $700, and possibly higher, several analysts said.

But those prices are too high to win favor with buyers who might be intrigued by the innovative Surface tablets with their attachable keyboards that double as covers, analysts said.
Guestimating the Costs

Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates, said that $600 for a Windows RT Surface tablet would be a "non-starter." Even $500 would probably be too high unless that price includes a cover/keyboard, he said.

"I think the Windows RT version needs to be in the $400 range to compete with older iPads and the new Android devices," he said. The new iPad starts at $499.