Articles by Jonathan Charles
Omnibot I-SODOG is an Intelligent Robot Dog Controlled by an iPhone
Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy has revealed a 4x6-inch, ¥31,500/$400 robot dog called the I-SODOG weighing 400 grams (0.8lbs) and is "considerably smaller" than Sony's now-dead AIBO. More than a toy, the dog can dance to music and even act as your personal bodyguard - putting the dog on your diary will cause it to bark when others try to read the contents.
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Samsung Denies Report It’s Developing Facebook Rival, Dubbed ‘Samsung Facebook’
Reports Thursday, June 14, suggested Samsung was working on a Facebook rival for its devices. The company has since said the rumors are simply not true.
Nokia No Longer Pushing ‘Meltemi’ Mobile OS for Low-End Smartphones
AllThingsD reports Nokia’s cuts have led to the demise of the Linux-based, low-end smartphone mobile operating system called “Meltemi.” Nokia cut 10,000 jobs as its quarterly forecast was revised.
iOS Dropbox App Updated with Automatic Uploads, Ability to Earn Storage
Dropbox, the cloud storage service, has updated its iOS app to version 1.5 and more closely matches the Android version. News features include automatic uploads, gallery view - a better way to view content - and the option to earn more storage.
Players Will Want To Protect New Lara Croft
Players have immediately noticed that Lara Croft in the "Tomb Raider" reboot, releasing 2013, doesn't portray the sexual image she was known for in the past. Rather than being a gun-blazing explorer, players will "want to protect" the new Lara Croft.
iOS 6 Features Apple Glossed Over: What You Need to Know
The iOS 6 announcement had plenty of headline-grabbing features, notably turn-by-turn navigation and Facebook integration. However, there are worthwhile - and less notable - features that Apple didn’t explain.
Amazon Working on iTunes Match Rival, Launching in Weeks?
Amazon Music is increasingly being seen as a credible alternative to iTunes, enhanced by the company’s Cloud Player app for iOS. Despite receiving criticism for not working out deals with record labels at the time of launch, Amazon is now reportedly doing just that.
My Xbox Live App Launches for Android, Brings Remote Xbox 360 Control for iOS
My Xbox Live, Microsoft's in-house app for iOS that allows Xbox 360 owners to view information remotely, has arrived on Android. The app now has remote capability, which has been untouched since Microsoft offered a remote during the Xbox 360's launch.
Nintendo: Dual GamePad Support is Coming 'Well After' Launch
One of the unanswered questions regarding the Wii U is whether Nintendo will allow titles to support two GamePads simultaneously from launch, which has been confirmed by the company. Titles supporting the feature won't be available at launch, or soon after.
iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 Not Getting Turn-By-Turn Navigation and Flyover Features in iOS 6
The iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 won't get turn-by-turn directions and the flyover feature found in Maps, Apple's alternative to Google Maps. They will also not be getting the Siri, which will be coming, however, to the new iPad. However, Apple is still bringing iOS 6 to iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 and continues to market the 3GS as a budget device.
iPad Smart Case: More Protection, Less Design
Among the hubbub of iOS 6 and Apple's Retina display MacBook Pros, the company quietly unveiled a new product (and not during the conference): the iPad Smart Case. The Smart Case is an upgrade from the Smart Cover, Apple’s front-only case which covers the screen, and has a sleep/wake function.
Diablo 3 Auction House Finally Launches, America Only For Now: What You Need to Know
After log-in errors, across-nation disputes and stolen accounts, Blizzard has managed to release its real money auction house for Diablo 3. The service is currently U.S.-only.
Ping to be Axed with Next iTunes Release?
Rumors from All Things Digital claim Apple is to cut its music-based social network, Ping, after largely being considered a failure since its 2010 launch. The service was designed to bring artists and fans together, but never really caught on as a viable alternative to Facebook and Twitter.
Amazon Cloud Player for iOS: The Credible iTunes Alternative
Somewhat surprisingly, Apple has approved the Amazon Cloud player app for iOS which provides an alternative to iTunes in terms of a music store and player. So, how does it compare to Apple’s established model?
Seagate Backup Plus HDD Unveiled, Syncs to Facebook and Flickr, Offers up to 4TB Capacities
Seagate has announced the series of Backup Plus drives aimed at online storage and social networking. The hard drives sync and share files to Facebook and Flickr, with more services covering both areas coming soon.
Pikmin 3 Will Not Go Online, Miyamoto Cites Latency Issues
In an interview with IGN, Shigeru Miyamoto talked deeply about Pikmin 3 and the decision making process of deciding if the game should be on the Wii or Wii U. Miyamoto also revealed the game won’t have online play, which could be a worrying sign for future games.
Facebook-OS X Mountain Lion Integration Not Arriving Until Fall
Apple made the anticipated announcement that iOS 6 would bring Facebook integration, in a similar implemented to Twitter where users can call a pop-up windows and share a status. The desktop integration, and for OS X Mountain Lion, wasn’t announced at the conference: it’s coming in the “fall.”
iOS 6 Brings Facebook Integration, Safari Improvements and New Apps: What You Need to Know
Apple kicked off WWDC 2012 with plenty of announcements, chief among them being the debut of iOS 6. Some of the unveiled features were expected, while others were unexpected, and here’s what you need to know.
Apple Maps for iOS 6 Ousts Google Maps, Brings 3D Browsing and Turn-by-Turn Navigation
At Apple's keynote at WWDC on Monday, the tech giant unveiled the new Map for iOS devices and revealed features such as 3D view - Flyover - and the long-requested turn-by-turn navigation.
iPhone 5: High Resolution Images Suggest Similar, Refined Design
Leaked parts of the upcoming iPhone 5 claim the smartphone will feature a 4-inch screen, but will largely remain the same as the iPhone 4 and 4S. Apple appears to have favored elongating the screen, perhaps to preserve the slim form factor, rather than widening.
Facebook Abandons User Voting on Policy Changes: Was it Ever Committed?
On Friday, June 8, Facebook stopped taking votes on its new data use policy and new statement of rights and responsibilities. The company had encouraged users to vote, but the awareness simply didn't seem to be there.
OmniPlan for iPad Brings On-the-Go Productivity
OmniPlan, the developers behind the desktop productivity app of the same name, has launched an iPad app to complement its OS X version. The app features a visual timeline, syncing capabilities and scheduling tools.
343 Industries Answer Fan Questions on Halo 4: What You Need to Know
Even with 2012’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) over, the hype for Halo 4 - which was considered best game of the show by some - is at an all-time high for some fans. Multiplayer Designer David Ellis, and Lead Multiplayer Designer Kevin Franklin, took questions from the fans over the weekend and here's what they had to say.
Upcoming iOS 6 Beta Leaked Ahead of WWDC 2012 Announcement?
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference starts Monday, June 11, and the company is holding a keynote at 10AM PDT. It is expected to preview iOS 6, and possibly unveil a new line of MacBook Pros and/or the iPhone 5, and builds are reportedly waiting to go live.
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed Has No Blue Shell
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing was well received, providing a credible alternative to the Mario Kart series and - to the relief of some fans - didn’t feature a blue shell equivalent where a player in first could be punished moments before finishing the race.
Google Updating Maps Service Ahead of Apple Rival Announcement
One of the rumored features in iOS 6 is a new maps service, as Apple aims to offer an in-house rival to the currently-used Google Maps. Google is rumored to be offering an updated version of the service ahead of WWDC on June 11.
iOS 6: What Apple Needs to Introduce at WWDC 2012
WWDC - the Worldwide Developers Conference - begins Monday, June 11 and opens with Apple’s annual keynote. While an iPhone 5 reveal is possible, the announcement of iOS 6 - and its changes - is highly anticipated.
