Nokia Takes The Fight To Samsung And Google With A Well Placed KitKat Ad

Nokia is in between a big transition and in the process of being fully acquired by Microsoft over the coming days, but that isn’t stopping its German arm from having a bit of run on the way down.

Posting to its official Twitter account, Nokia Germany decided to take a pop at Google’s just-announced new version of their mobile operating system, codenamed KitKat – or Android 4.4 KitKat as it will also be known.

The not-so-subtle dig at Android – and indeed Samsung, as it turns out – came in the form of a photo that featured the famous KitKat slogan of “Have a break, have a…” Instead of finishing the sentence with the usual ‘KitKat,’ Nokia replaced the chocolate with a photo of a Galaxy S4 snapped in two in the same way KitKat shows its chocolates being separated. Cunning! Very,very cunning indeed.

The picture made us giggle more than these things usually do, and top marks to Nokia Germany for their quick thinking. Hopefully the folks at Samsung and Google will take in good humor, too.

With Nokia being acquired by Microsoft, the pair are no strangers to poking the competition when advertising their own wares. Nokia has placed Apple firmly in its sights when advertising its Windows Phone devices in the past, and Microsoft has done similar things when trying to extol the virtues of its Windows 8 tablets over their iOS counterparts.

Google’s newly announced, and still in development iteration of their mobile operating system, Android 4.4 KitKat is the first to receive a name that follows a brand, and not just any brand, but a big name brand. What it does is enable all kinds of cross-advertising, with special KitKats now being sold that offer the chance to win both a Nexus 7 and Google Play Store credit. We’re told no money has changed hands, so this is simply a mutually beneficial situation that the two companies have found themselves in.

Let’s just hope this doesn’t become too much of a habit.

What do you think of the pop at Samsung? A bit on the harsh side, or a well-timed dig? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

(Source: NokiaDeutschland [Twitter])

Install WhatsApp On iPad And iPod touch Without Jailbreak [VIDEO]

As smartphone adoption continues to increase around the world, cross-platform messaging has never been of higher importance. The most popular cross-platform instant messenger remains to be WhatsApp, and for good reason. WhatsApp is a fantastic application, with seamless integration for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and other devices. With that being said, one thing which WhatsApp continues to disappoint with, is support for any other iOS device other than the iPhone. Users of the iPod touch or iPad cannot currently download and activate the application, and will be presented with an ugly error if they try.

There is a way of getting WhatsApp to become fully functional on both Apple’s tablet, the iPad, and their iPod touch range. The best thing about this, is that no jailbreak is required. You simply need a computer, and brief access to an iPhone for the activation part of the setup.

Simply borrowing a friend’s (and then annoying them when you delete their WhatsApp app) will suffice. We’ve put together a full video tutorial for the entire process, and it can be found below:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos.

I demonstrated this process using an iPod touch, but as you saw at the end of the video, WhatsApp is fully functional on my iPad as well. It follows the exact same process, so you shouldn’t have any issues. I also used a Mac throughout this tutorial, but a Windows PC will work just as well. I’ve outlined the few differences below.

There are a only few minor differences between the process depending if you’re on a Mac or PC:

• You’ll need to download the specific version of iFunBox for your operating system. Either Mac, or PC. You can download it from: i-funbox.com
• On your Mac, the file directory to find the WhatsApp ipa is as follows:~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Mobile Applications/
• Whereas on Windows, the file directory to find the WhatsApp ipa is:C:\Users\Username\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications\

There we have it. By simply following along with the process outlined in the video, you’ll be able to have a fully functional version of WhatsApp Messenger on your iPod touch or iPad. I’m running iOS 7 on both of these devices, so I have no reason to suspect it is incompatible with Apple’s newest software, it should work with any software version that WhatsApp itself supports.

If you’re jailbroken, then you might want to give WhatsPad for iPad a try. The tweak is free, and provides an easy way around the process which we’ve outlined above.

Canopy For iPhone Adds A Bunch Of Handy New Features To Mobile Safari

With so many third party Web browsers available on the iOS App Store, and one of those being the ever popular and constantly improving Google Chrome, Safari is leading something of a charmed life for many iOS users. In fact, if it wasn’t for the inability to change the default browser on non-jailbroken devices, it’s arguable whether some of us would ever use Safari on iOS at all.

If you do happen to be a big fan of Apple’s own Web browser though, then adding a little more functionality is never a bad thing, especially if some of that functionality is something that you’ve been crying out for. Jailbroken iPhone users who find themselves in that particular boat may want to check out a new tweak that is just popping up in Cydia, going by the name ofCanopy.

Costing a dollar, Canopy adds new features on top of the existing Safari installation that you’re already using, rather than installing a new app completely. Configuration is handled via the Settings app too, so Canopy really is as transparent as possible. But what does it actually do?

Once installed, Canopy brings additional Safari functionality to the table, some of which is borrowed from Google’s Chrome.

One feature that could be a favorite amongst some is the ability to add all currently open pages to Safari’s Reading List, as well as a feature that allows those items already there to be marked as read or unread, allowing additional link management for those that require it.

Tapping and holding on certain elements also offers new options, so holding on a bookmark for example brings up sharing options amongst other things. Holding on an item in your History makes it possible to add it to the Reading List, or maybe your bookmarks too. If that’s something you’ve been hankering after, then your dollar will be well spent on Canopy.

The app is currently in its early release stages, so it’s possible that it will change as bugs get squashed and new features requested. It’s a good start though, and if you’re a Safari user with a jailbroken iPhone, Canopy is well worth checking out.

You can download Canopy from the BigBoss repo, which is one of the default sources in Cydia unless you’ve opted to delete it.

Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Apple To Reportedly Announce New Apple TV At September 10th Event

With September 10th fast approaching and Apple now officially confirming that it will hold an event on that date, all the focus and attention is squarely on what will be announced at the company’s Cupertino HQ. Up until now all the talk has been about the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, both of which are expected to be shown off publicly for the first time on the 10th, with a release happening less than two weeks later. But there may be more to it than that.

Another Apple product that is overdue a refresh is the humble Apple TV. Long called a hobby by Apple, the device has been growing in features with each software update, and with iOS 7 just around the corner that is set to continue. You can only do so much with software however, and eventually you need to beef up the internals to really get things moving. Is Apple going to drop a new Apple TV on the 10th, too?

New York-based global trade intelligence platform Panjiva believes that it just might, after it used its own shipment search tool and found the original bill of landing data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Intrigued? We thought you might be.

According to Panjiva, that information suggests that on the 25th of August, Apple took delivery of a shipment labeled as containing a “Set Top Box with Communication Function.” Coming from BYD Precision Manufacture in Shenzhen, the shipment certainly raises the eyebrows.

A week before that, on the 18th, a similar shipment arrived, this time labeled as ‘Set Top Boxes.’ The previous week saw the first delivery from BYD, and the first mention of the “Set Top Box with Communication Function.”

Now obviously this doesn’t prove anything, but the timing is interesting and with theSeptember 10th iPhone event around the corner it’s possible to deduce that the Apple TV will see a refresh on the 10th. We’ll find out soon enough, but with two new iPhones coming out of the same event, we wonder whether anyone would even notice a new Apple TV being announced on that day.

Apple is also going to host another iPhone event in China on September 11th, on which, it is expected that it will announce the new iPhones for China Mobile.

(Source: Panjiva)

Surface Pro 2 Specs Leak: Intel Haswell, Extra RAM For Power Users And More

Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet mightn’t have caused the level of fuss that the Redmond company was hoping for, but there’s no doubting that it is a very capable device. Offering the Windows experience as the software maker intended, the tablet-plus-notebook has almost hit the end of its shelf life some nine months after its initial release, and with IFA now underway, talk of its successor has been rife. Today, Neowin has gotten hold of some interesting details pertaining the Surface Pro 2, which will get the customary spec bump as well as a newly-designed kickstand. More information can be found after the leap!

Apple’s MacBook Air range is already reaping the benefits of the Intel Haswell processor, and with the MacBook Pro range also set to follow suit in the near future, it looks as though the next Surface will be able to benefit from the new energy efficient chips. Like its processor, the Surface Pro 2 will be of the Intel Core i5 specification, allowing users to readily complete tasks with ease, and with the Haswell effect bringing an additional two hours of battery life on top of the five already offered by the current model, it’s a general win for productivity.

Notably, it’s looking like there will be two RAM options available to prospective Surface Pro 2 buyers – the standard 4GB and 8GB for the power user. This is not, at this stage, guaranteed, but it looks as though the next-gen slab will carry a very strong list of specs.

Aesthetically, it will probably be more of the same, with a reworked kickstand being the only noteworthy alteration. Essentially, the new prop-up contraption will allow the device to sit in two different positions for added comfort, but overall, those hoping for a radical redesign will have to wait this one out.

Still, the Surface Pro 2 will be a significant enough upgrade, and while the RT model of the current Surface has taken its fair share of flak, Microsoft is sticking with it – for now. Apparently, its successor will ditch the “RT” moniker and instead be named just the “Surface 2,” but whether this changes its fortunes is really anybody’s guess.

We’ll keep you informed of any developments, so stay tuned!

(Source: Neowin)

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch: Features, Price, Release Date

Whether smartwatches are going to be a real growth market or something of a damp squib remains to be seen, but that isn’t stopping Samsung from jumping into the arena with both feet. By announcing the Galaxy Gear at today’s IFA briefing in Berlin, Samsung has not just launched a new product, but it’s also managed to pip Apple to market. With the iPhone maker repeatedly tipped to have a smartwatch of its own in the works, getting there first could be a major coup for Samsung.

Of course, if you’re an iPhone user already then you’re not going to be buying a Galaxy Gear, because the new device is only compatible with Samsung’s own Galaxy range of devices, with the Galaxy S4, S3 and Note 2 set to get software updates to add the required software at some point in the next few weeks. If you’re currently in the market for a new high-end smartphone though, and are deciding between the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5S for example, the Galaxy Gear may just have a part to play in that decision. At launch though, Galaxy Gear will be only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 and the new Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014).

Features

Packing a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320×320, the watch isn’t small, but it certainly looks svelte enough from what we’ve seen of it. Any smaller and we’d argue that it wouldn’t be big enough to be useful, and any bigger and we’d worry that it would be too obvious, or just get in the way. Until we’ve had one on our own wrists though, we’re just kinda guessing – but the videos of the device floating around the internet certainly give us cause to be optimistic about its proportions.

Built into the Gear’s strap is a 1.9-megapixel camera and a speaker. The device can record 10-seconds of HD video, or take still snaps should you so wish. The speaker is obviously there for making hands-free calls, but we’re not sure we’d be able to do that without feeling like an idiot. Still, they said the same about mobile phones thirty years ago, so we’ll reserve judgment on that.

Galaxy Gear has apps too, up to 10 at the same time. The apps can be installed using your Galaxy Note phablet or tablet. And it comes in a plethora of colors too, in case you’re looking for options.

Wondering about battery? Things aren’t looking that good here. The Galaxy Gear goes one full day on a single charge under regular usage circumstances.

Price

Of course, the biggest question surrounding the whole smartwatch market is whether anyone will actually buy one, and that’s where the price comes into play. Samsung will be asking for a dollar shy of $300 when the device goes on sale in a matter of weeks. We’d like to see what apps are built for this thing before we decide whether that’s too much, but if the email we just received from Pocket is anything to go by, apps will be forthcoming. It’s not cheap, but then neither is that $600 smartphone or $500 tablet you’re using, either.

Release Date

Galaxy Gear will be available on September 25th in 149 countries. And worldwide in October.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Announced: Features, Price, Release Date

Samsung has just announced the new and improved iteration of the Galaxy Note series, the third revision of its massive Android based phablet. The redesigned device will now feature a 5.7 inch screen (as compared to the 5.3” version of Note 2), and sports a faux-leather back while being a shade lighter at 168g. Details to follow.

The improvements in Galaxy Note 3 are marginally more than what Note 2 had to offer, and Samsung is hoping to attract buyers through a slew of software improvements that will make the phablet experience better, whilst making the device more catchy and glamorous. Let’s break it down feature by feature.

Features

Hardware

On the hardware front, Note 3 looks and feels pretty similar to its early two predecessors, although the faux-leather back adds a completely different feel to the device. The display size has been increased to 5.7”, featuring a full HD Super AMOLED display (that’s 1080p in case you’re wondering) and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core processor. The on-board RAM has been increased to a whopping 3GB DDR3 variant, while the camera unit now packs 13-megapixels to keep up with the modern day smartphones. The front facing camera is of the 2-megapixel variety, which we’ve said on many occasions, is more than enough for video calls / chats.

The device this time is thinner, packing at a mere 8.3mm, which is a feat considering the powerful innards. Weight, too, has seen a slight reduction, now lying at 168g to feel lighter in your pocket. The device will come in 32GB and 64GB storage modules, alongside microSD expansion slot. And as you’d expect from any Note series device from Samsung, it does have the S Pen.

On the wireless front, the Galaxy Note 3 features CAT4 wireless technology, with support for more wireless bands than ever before.

To keep things ticking for a while, the Note 3 features a massive 3,200mAh battery.

Now, here comes the awesome part regarding the camera: it records 4K video. Though the screen is only 1080p, but if you have a few extra thousand dollars to spare on an Ultra HD TV, then you’re future proof with the Note 3.

Software

This is the division that has seen the largest improvement. Samsung has brought in some really cool Note-exclusive apps that would make the whole smartphone experience much better. First in the line is Air Command, which basically pulls up a menu as soon as the stylus is removed from its housing. The same menu also activates when the digitized stylus is hovering above the screen and the button is clicked. This Air Command menu lets you pull up dedicated features like Scrapbook, S Finder, Pen Window etc.

Next up is Action Memos, which is basically Samsung’s way of killing the on-screen keyboard, and for good. These turn any scribbled text into actionable items, allowing you to, say, write a number and call it directly from the Action Memo. Then there’s My Magazine, which is Samsung’s version of Flipboard and HTC BlinkFeed combined, allowing a news aggregation method that’s both slick and neat.

Improved further is the Note 3’s ability to operate more apps in multi-window mode, including maps and browser. This goes up even a notch further by allowing you to run multiple instances of the same app side by side. Pen Window is the icing on the cake in this area, allowing you to literally draw on screen a particular area where a floating app would be confined. Neat, isn’t it?

The best part of the whole software package is Samsung KNOX, which is basically a new security protection provided by Samsung. KNOX is a suite of apps that allow you to not only run apps in an isolated “container” environment (say hello to all those suspicious games), but also advanced malware protection thanks to Lookout being bundled in the package. The Find My Mobile feature has also been improved, with better user authentication and remote tracking, alongside others.

Galaxy Note 3 features Android 4.3 right out of the box, hence you can rest assured that your device would be running the latest and greatest version of Android at the point of purchase.

Release Date

Galaxy Note 3 will be made available September 27 in 149 countries as a preliminary launch (that’s a lot, isn’t it!), followed by a worldwide availability in October. In the US, official carrier partners will include AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular.

Price

As of this writing, pricing details are not available. But Note 3 is expected to cost on the same lines as the current Note 2. We will update as soon as we hear more on pricing.