Articles by Jonathan Charles
Centz Provides Rewarding Incentive For Student Loan Management
A new app called Centz aims to help students to pay off their student loans faster by actually being paid to pay off the loan. The app was the winner in a competition sponsored by the U.S. Treasury Department, beating 300 other apps for the distinction.
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Halo 4: Metal Gear Meets Halo - 343 Industries Unveils Halo 3 Remake
Halo 4 developer 343 Industries said that one map would be a remake from a past Halo game, though it did not reveal the map. A new trailer from the studio reveals that the map is Valhalla from Halo 3, revealed along with a new Metal Gear-esque vehicle.
Windows 8: Analysts Say Microsoft Is Taking Long-Term View On App Development
Analysts are remaining cautious about Windows 8's likelihood of convincing developers to adopt the operating system. Some have suggested that Microsoft is thinking about building quality apps in the long-term, perhaps avoiding immediate impressions at launch.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Unofficially Available For Galaxy S3, Almost Perfect
Waiting for manufacturers and carriers to approve software updates for mobile devices often causes users to head to unofficial update sources, notably XDA-Developers. The hacking community recently provided Jelly Bean for Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S3 ahead of Samsung's expected release.
Wii U: Darksiders 2 Sets Precedence For Third-Party Ports
Many of the Wii U releases expected this November will be titles whcih have already been released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Most of the Wii U versions will include all the current downloadable content for each title, which may account for the $60 price on most of the games.
Is Nokia Pricing Itself Out Of The Smartphone Market With Windows Phone 8?
Nokia revealed pricing for its Lumia 920 and 820 smartphones. Pricing for Nokia's newest offerings matches that of the highest-end iPhone model and eclipses that of top-end Android devices.
Halo 4: Free Avatar Comes After Obama-Romney Presidential Debate
Microsoft redesigned its award program to offer longtime Xbox Live players meager discounts on marketplace titles. Players can also earn a Halo 4 Spartan avatar costume as a reward for watching the 2012 Presidential Debates.
Wii U: Retro Studios Potentially Unveiling New Title At E3 2013
The next Retro Studios project, long rumored, remains unconfirmed, but an executive company recently revealed that its unveiling could happen next year, especially at E3 2013.
Windows 8 Survey Reveals 22 Percent Of Users Like Modern UI
The internet's largest Windows 8 forum recently asked its users for their opinions about Windows 8. The reception, overall, seems to be positive, though some new features in the platform drew criticism.
Halo 4 Goes Gold, 343 Industries Signs Off (For Now)
After three years of development, Halo 4, developed by 343 Industries as the latest installment in the Halo franchise, has reached the certification process, a stage of development known as "going gold." The developer announced the news accomplanied by a host of new screenshots, which showed the game's graphics in high-definition and confirmed features like th return of the Flood in multiplayer mode.
RIM: Loss Reveals Ongoing Troubles; BlackBerry 10 Taking Smartphones To 'Next Level'
RIM recently announced its quarterly earnings, revealing ongoing losses, but in the same announcement, the company took the opportunity to promote BlackBerry 10. RIM Chief Executive Officer Thornsten Heins claimed that the platform reboot will take smartphone operating systems to the "next level."
Google Play: 75 Percent Off Sales Coincides With New Download Landmark
Google recentlyannounced that Google Play, its app platform, reached 25 billion downloads, proving the Android platform's competitiveness with iOS. The company is also launching an 75 percent off sale in the app store to mark the occasion. The sale is planned to last for five days, with high-demand games available at budget prices.
iOS 6: Why We're Not Satisfied With The New iOS
A new survey from On Device reveals a small, but significant, drop in user satisfaction with iOS 6. A new survey from On Device reveals a small, but significant, drop in user satisfaction with iOS 6.
What We Like About BlackBerry 10 From Third Beta
RIM Chief Executive Officer Thornsten Heins announced the third beta of BlackBerry 10 on Sept. 25 along with a developer device, expected to encase an actual for-release BlackBerry 10 smartphone. Videos of the operating system present interesting features; here is what we liked.
Street View Comes To Safari As Google Takes Dig At Maps
The problems with Apple's new Maps app do not seem likely to go away in the short-term. Apple recently released statements describing Maps as a long-term service. Google, developers of the former Google Maps app for iOS, will be implementing StreetView into Safari for iOS.
Halo 4: Promethean Trailer Shows Off All-New Weapons From Mysterious Enemy
As Halo 4's November launch approaches, developer 343 Industries is ramping up trailers for the game, on show at London's Eurogamer Expo this week. The developer's current trend is to focus on weapons from the game; having covered UNSC and Covenant Weapons, the Promethean arsenal closes out the trio.
Wii U: Launch Lineup Misses Out Most Anticipated Titles
Nintendo's "launch" window covers a period from the U.S.'s Nov. 18 release to March 2013, meaning that some of the most anticipated titles will not arrive on the console until months after release. With less than eight weeks to go before the console's launch, Nintendo revealed which titles will be arriving on launch day alongside Wii U.
BlackBerry CEO: BlackBerry 10 Influential Over Next 10 Years, Devices Q1 2013
BlackBerry Chief Executive Officer Thornsten Heins headed a meeting to the press Sept. 25 in San Jose, California, during which he claimed that BlackBerry 10 will renew the influence BlackBerry wielded over the previous decade.
Wii U: Region Lock Means Players Restricted To Native Region Titles
Nintendo confirmed that Wii U, its next-generation console, will be region-locked when it launches in November. This means that players will be restricted to buying games from their home region.
Eric Schmidt: We Cannot Force Apple To Keep Google Maps
The controversy over Apple's new Maps app continues, most recently with the news that the company is hiring Software Engineers to work on the service. According to numerous interviews, Apple had a year left on its deal with Google, and the latter is building a Google Maps iOS app.
Bayonetta: Original 'Failure' On Wii U, Nintendo Exclusivity Not Surprising Given History
The announcement of Bayonetta 2 as an exclusive to Wii U caused controversy among fans, with comments even stretching to killing the developers. Developer Platinum Games, speaking to Edge Magazine, said that the deal with Nintendo should not be a surprise.
Windows 8: Not Ready According To Intel Boss, But Good Move
Windows 8's scheduled release on Oct. 26 may be too early, according to Intel's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Otellini. Otellini made the comments at a company meeting in Taipei on Sept. 25.
Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE: Jelly Bean Arriving October?
Reports suggest that the LTE-equipped Samsung Galaxy S3 is getting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the latest version of the operating system, after September, alongside the phone's launch. Photos of the device come from Android Central, though the sources confirming the update were not specified by The Droid Guy.
Blizzard: Mists Of Pandaria Demonstrates Commitment To Great Content
In an interview with The Orange County Register, Blizzard co-founder and President Mike Morhaime spoke on Mists of Pandaria, the future of World of Warcraft (WoW), and Blizzard's "Titan" project.
Nokia 'Asha' Phones Essential For Grabbing First-Time Users, Analysts Claim
Nokia's Lumia 820 and 920 smartphones grabbed media and consumer attention, but the company also launched two low-end "Asha" phones. Nokia's Lumia phones target the mid- and high-end markets, but the Asha devices target low-end consumers, a market Nokia is struggling to capture; analysts agree that Nokia needs to focus on this demographic.
'Maps' Problems: Apple Hiring Software Engineers As Woes Continue
With major problems in its new Maps application drawing criticism, new postings on Apple's career website reveal that the company is hiring software engineers to work on Maps.
Apple To Remove 20GB Of Free Storage From MobileMe Transition From Sept. 30
Apple temporarily gave MobileMe users 20GB of storage, but it will be revoked on Sept. 30 as part of the introduction of iCloud and the removal of MobileMe.
