LG's Optimus G Pro makes a good first impression

• It really is a shame the Optimus G Pro is an AT&T exclusive, because LG's latest Android offering is a device that deserves to be noticed.
  
• I've been using the Optimus G Pro -- launching on AT&T this Friday -- in place of my own personal phone for the past few days. I'll be putting together a full review soon, but for the moment, here are some initial impressions based on my time with the device thus far:
  
• The Optimus G Pro is a big phone. Like, really big. It's that way by design, of course: The device is meant to compete with the Galaxy Note II in the supersized smartphone (no, I won't call it "phablet") market. That size category is very much a love-it-or-hate-it sort of thing; you'll definitely want to spend some time in a store holding the phone and seeing how it feels in your hand to figure out if it's right for you.
  
• Speaking of the Note II, there's no getting around it: The Optimus G Pro looks and feels like a Samsung device. Honestly, if you picked up the phone and didn't see the branding, you'd probably just assume it was a Sammy-made handset -- from the plastic casing and removable back all the way down to the hardware Home button with capacitive Back and Menu keys.
  
• While I'm not a huge fan of the hybrid button approach, LG did do something cool with the concept: It made the Home button double as an LED indicator. The button itself glows a rainbow of colors when the phone boots up; it then acts as a traditional indicator during use, flashing different colors to alert you of missed calls or other notifications. It's subtle but eye-catching and a clever way of implementing LED functionality.

• Another nice touch is the Optimus G Pro's QuickButton -- a customizable physical button on the upper-left side of the device. By default, the button loads the phone's QuickMemo function, but you can set it to open anything you want -- the camera, Google Now, or any other app. Pretty useful addition.
  
• The Optimus G Pro's display is superb. It's 5.5 in., like the Note II, only it's a 1080p LCD screen instead of a 720p AMOLED. As a result, text and images pop with awesome clarity and details are visible even in direct sunlight (an area where AMOLED tends to suffer).
  
• Performance? Top notch. Snappy, speedy, and not an ounce of lag. No complaints whatsoever so far.
  
• LG's current software, based on Android 4.1.2, is one of the few manufacturer-modified takes on Android that doesn't make me want to gouge my eyes out. The company did make its share of arbitrary UI changes (and to be sure, they aren't all worth celebrating), but for the most part, using the Optimus G Pro feels a lot like using a custom launcher -- and a pretty decent one at that. LG kept the same basic feel as stock Android and added in some interesting flourishes and opportunities for customization without needlessly complicating things or creating a sense of visual overload. It's a far superior setup to the messy and convoluted UIs we've seen on other recent devices.
  
• There's a lot more to be said about the Optimus G Pro, and fear not: We'll get there soon. I'm still using the phone full-time and getting a feel for how it fares in the real world. I'll delve into the specifics of the software -- along with the pros and cons of the phone's construction, camera, battery, and all that other fun stuff -- later this week.
  
  
  
• Stay tuned for my full review -- and for more Optimus G Pro discussion in the meantime, be sure to come join me over on Google+. It's home to a huge community of Android enthusiasts, and we're always chatting about all things Android.

Windows Blue wish list: 15 must-see improvements

For all the grief it gets, Windows 8 brought a wealth of welcome improvements to Microsoft’s seminal operating system. In fact, once you stop worrying and learn to love (or at least ignore) the Live Tiles, the Windows 8 desktop is nothing short of the best Windows desktop ever—fast, useful, and all-around awesome.

But the devil is in the details, and Windows 8’s brand-new modern interface gets a lot of those details wrong.

Usually, we’d have to wait for an infrequent service pack to fix the little mistakes, but Microsoft’s new focus on continuous improvement gives the company an opportunity to slap bandages in hurting areas much more quickly than it ever did before. In fact, a major update dubbed Windows Blue (or Windows 8.1, if you’re being pedantic) is barreling down the pipeline, bringing a bevy of changes to make Windows 8 much more palatable.

An early leak of Windows Blue revealed several much-needed enhancements, including beefed-up syncing options, deeper Start screen personalization, and some simple yet effective interface tweaks.

Still, that’s just scratching the tip of the iceberg. Above and beyond the tweaks already found in the leak, here’s our wish list of 15 potential Windows Blue improvements that could help make Windows 8 twice as nice as it is now.

1. Boot to desktop

One design decision that particularly rankles desktop diehards is Microsoft’s insistence that users must boot to the modern Start screen. You can boot directly to the desktop, but only by downloading a piece of third-party software or fiddling around in the Windows Task Scheduler, a power tool few everyday users have even heard of. Fortunately, recent rumors suggest Microsoft may actually implement a boot-to-desktop option in Windows Blue.

2. The Start button

We get it, Microsoft. You want us to spend a lot of time in the modern UI. But erasing the Start button from

the desktop was just plain mean, not to mention antiproductive. It may not be gone for good, though, as the whispers mentioned above also say that Microsoft is actually considering bringing the Start button back to the desktop. Be still, my restless heart—it’s still just a rumor.

3. Dynamic interface switching

All these desktop and Start screen woes could be fixed with one tweak: dynamic interface switching. If Windows 8 boots and finds a keyboard and mouse running, boot to the desktop. If it detects a touchscreen as the primary input, boot to the Start screen. Boom! Initial headache solved.

4. Better UI hints

Yeah, like that! But permanently, and maybe make it a touch smaller.

Interface experts lambast the modern UI for its secretive nature. Dropping users into a whole new environment and hiding critical controls in “hot corners” certainly isn’t intuitive. A permanent on-screen indicator, perhaps some sort of glow or even icons in each corner (similar to what appears when you mouse over hot corners now), would do wonders for the Windows 8 UI. And while I’m on the topic, it’s too easy to forget about the central features buried in the charm bar. Can we get an option to permanently pin the charm bar to the side of the screen?

5. Improved default apps

Microsoft dumped its tried-and-true desktop defaults in Windows 8, swapping them out for modern-style apps such as Mail, Calendar, People, and Maps. And, sure, the new apps are pretty, but they’re missing crucial features that severely inhibit their usefulness. (Heck, the Calendar app-themed Outlook.com calendar packs deeper options than the Calendar app itself.)

A recent spate of updates added some additional functionality to Windows 8’s baked-in apps, but they still have a long way to go before they’re ready for everyday contention. Bring it, Blue.

6. The ability to run modern apps in desktop Windows

If Stardock’s ModernMix can do it, why can’t Blue?

Stardock’s absolutely stellar ModernMix program gives you the ability to run modern apps in desktop Windows, so the technology backbone is definitely there. If Microsoft truly wants to encourage desktop diehards to dip their toes in the modern waters, letting us run apps as part of our usual workflow is a lot less obnoxious than forcing us to boot to the Start screen all the time.

7. App syncing

Windows 8 already offers a tremendous number of syncing options, allowing you to keep your wallpaper, settings and other elements constant as you bounce from device to device. And buried deep in the Blue leak were even more new sync features. The one I’m pining for most is missing, however: The ability to automatically sync whole apps across devices, so that you can transfer all of the apps installed on your primary machine to new pieces of hardware headache-free. Basically, what Android does.

And while I’m on the topic, some finer-grained wallpaper syncing options would be nice, to prevent the crappy stock wallpaper found on every laptop I sign in to from jumping over to my primary machines.

8. More Snap customization options

Windows 8’s Snap—which lets you lock an app to one-quarter of the screen while running another app in the remaining portion—is nothing short of a killer feature, but that 75/25 limitation hurts. The Windows Blue leak already includes 50/50 screen sharing for two apps, but why stop there? Give us the ability to resize Snap proportions as we see fit.

As my colleague Alex Wawro said when I asked him for wish list suggestions, “Customizable Snap view ratios is a potential minor improvement for Windows Blue that would radically change how I feel about Windows 8.”

9. Better DVD support

Windows 8 won’t play DVDs out of the box, even if you’re using Windows Media Player (which is included with the OS, but is buried behind the Music and Video apps, which are set as defaults). Sure, you can download a third-party program like the superb VLC to unlock DVD viewing capabilities, but Average Joe doesn’t know that.

Even if Microsoft decides against this for economic reasons—it has to pay licensing fees to enable DVD support, after all—it could allow users of the standard version of Windows 8 to download the $10 Media Center pack, which enables DVD playback. Currently, only Windows 8 Pro users can partake in optical disc fun.

10. A modern file explorer

Even if you fully buy in to Windows 8’s vision of a touchy-feely future and pick up a device with multidigit support, the lack of a modern-style file explorer means you’ll have to dive into the decidedly un-finger-friendly desktop mode to sift through your files. That’s a major design flaw. Hey Microsoft: If you’ve coaxed someone into the Start screen, don’t give ’em an excuse to leave!

Fortunately, yet another recent Windows Blue leak suggests some sort of file explorer interface is indeed coming to the modern UI.

11. Beefier PC Settings

The Windows Blue leak’s PC Settings options: Better than Windows 8’s, but we still want more.

Continuing that thought: The original Windows Blue leak contained a bulked-up PC Settings menu packed with goodies like new SkyDrive and display resolution options—but that’s not enough. Everything you can do in the desktop control panel, you should be able to do in the modern UI PC Settings. As much as it sucks to be dropped into the Start screen while you’re mouse surfing, it’s far worse to have to navigate the desktop using a touch display alone.

12. Run Internet Explorer and Chrome simultaneously

If you set a third-party Web browser such as Firefox or Chrome as your default desktop browser, Windows 8 won’t let you use the modern version of Internet Explorer. That’s stupid.

13. A clock tile

While we’re talking annoyances, why does the Start screen lack any sort of time indicator unless you open the charm bar? That’s stupid too, especially since the charm bar is one of those frustratingly hidden interfaces. There’s a reason a clock app has graced both PCWorld’s "Best Windows 8 tablet apps" and "10 best Windows 8 apps to download first" roundups—it just plain makes sense.

14. Better system integration for charms

When PCWorld contributor Ian Paul recently spent time navigating Windows 8 using the modern UI alone, he found the system integration of the oh-so-crucial charms severely lacking. The Search charm went wonky when he tried sifting through a massive downloads folder, and he wasn’t able to Share a file he found using Search, either. When searching for files (rather than apps), the Search charm frequently says "No results found."

The tools are there, they just are not working right, and an unreliable tool is no tool at all.

15. More Live Tile customization options

The Windows Blue leak is already on this case, packing new sizing options that allow you to make Live Tiles itty bitty or ginormous. But again: Why stop there? Give us the ability to select tile colors, Microsoft. Give us the option to choose an image for a tile, or add a bit of text!

It would be nice if Windows 8 tried to intelligently position new Live Tiles among similar apps—automatically dumping Twitter into a Social column, for instance—rather than plopping new programs at the far end of the Start screen.

But most importantly, give us an option to disable the creation of Start screen tiles for desktop apps. Every time you install a desktop app in Windows 8 it looks like a geometric bomb went off on your Start screen, as every single possible shortcut associated with the program gets a tile of its own. Main program? Tile! Uninstall options? Tile! Help files? Tile! Program settings? Tile!

The madness has to end.

What else?

Whew! That’s a lot, but it’s all I’ve got. Everyone has theories on what could fix Microsoft’s contentious new OS, though. What do you want to see in Windows Blue? Sound off below.

Windows Blue Rumored to be the Return of the Start Button

Microsoft’s next update to its flagship operating system is codenamed “Windows Blue,” or “Windows 8.1,” and is anticipated for release later this year. Rumors began circulating today that Windows Blue will reintroduce the classic Start Button that every version of the OS prior to Windows 8 featured.

With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft gambled on a drastically altered interface. The tiled start screen of Windows 8 is optimized for touchscreens, a response to the proliferation of mobile devices and the decline in desktop PC sales.

Since the release of Windows 8, dozens of smartphones and tablets carrying the OS have been launched, including models from HTC, Samsung, and Nokia. Backed by cutting-edge hardware including Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, these Windows 8 mobile devices have gained market share over the past months, particularly in some international markets.

Supposedly, Windows Blue will offer a dual-boot-up option, where one can bypass the Windows 8 tiled interface and go directly to the Start Button homescreen that legacy Windows users are more familiar with. If this ends up being the case, this update may be particularly attractive to enterprise users or others who aren’t typically using Windows on touchscreen devices.

Microsoft has carefully monitored sentiment around Windows 8 since its release in August of last year, and the extent of the Windows Blue update will give insight into whether or not the tiled, touch-optimized interface is taking over, or the legacy desktop version will stick around for a while longer.

PCWorld

Windows Blue may bring back boot-to-desktop, Start button

With Windows Blue, Microsoft may concede that not everyone wants or needs the new modern-style Start screen.

Citing unnamed sources, both ZDNet and The Verge say that Microsoft is considering a boot-to-desktop option in Windows Blue, an update to Windows 8 that’s expected to arrive this summer. This option, disabled by default, would allow users to bypass Windows 8’s modern-style Start screen when turning the computer on.

Signs of a boot-to-desktop option were also spotted earlier this week in one of the operating system files in a leaked version of Windows Blue. Presumably this option would be simpler than the existing workaround, which involves using Task Schedule to open Explorer on startup.

However, reports conflict on whether Microsoft will bring back the Start button. ZDNet says that Microsoft has considered it, while The Verge says Microsoft will retain the “hot corners” that bring up the modern-style Start menu and the Charms bar.

It’s also unclear whether Microsoft would bring back a pop-up Start menu for desktop users, allowing them to avoid the modern-style interface entirely. That would make sense, as the main point of a boot-to-desktop option is to let business users adopt Windows 8 without making major changes in workflow. However, Microsoft may be skittish about letting those users abandon the modern-style interface and Windows Store so easily. The company insists that most users are quick to adopt the new features of Windows 8.

Without a classic Start menu, users would still have to go through the Start screen to launch any apps that aren’t pinned to the taskbar or placed as shortcuts on the desktop. Alternatively, users could continue to rely on third-party options, such as Start8 and Classic Shell.

In any case, Microsoft reportedly hasn’t made up its mind. “Until it ships, anything can change,” ZDNet’s anonymous source said.

PCWorld

Mobile PowerPoint Viewer for Android

Android has reached more than 200k applications recently, and PowerPoint users may found interesting to open their PowerPoint documents in Android.

Fortunately there are many tools that you can use to view your PowerPoint files ppt or pptx in Android. One of these free tools is Mobile Document Viewer for Android.

You can download Mobile Document Viewer for Android from Android Market and install it in your Android device. This tool helps you opening and viewing document files in your smartphone, and not only PowerPoint files but also Word and Excel files.

Another tool but in this case you need to pay for it, is Thinkfree Mobile for Android. It allows you to View/Edit/Create Office documents in your smartphone.

Lasty, if you need free Mobile PowerPoint templates then we recommend you to browse our free collection.

PDF and PowerPoint viewer for Google Chrome

Google Chrome has some interesting extensions that you can use for educators, business people or general purpose. One of these useful extensions is definitely Google Chrome PowerPoint viewer and PDF viewer. This free extension let you open PDF and PowerPoint files directly in your browser.

By clicking on a link for a supported document format like .pdf or .ppt you can open the document directly in Google Docs Viewer, the online viewer from Google that let you open documents in the cloud. This way let you avoid downloading large PowerPoint files and launching another application just to view it. This is maybe the best advantage of using this tool online.

The Google Docs Viewer does not work on files that require a login to view so it is desirable that you click on publicly available files or information in the internet. Fortunately when we are browsing the net we can find almost all documents online without accessing a login page, except if you are behind an Intranet or firewall.

You can use this plugin for example if you want to download our free PowerPoint backgrounds and see it in your browser. On the options page you can also disable any file formats you don’t want to use the Viewer for. Notice that Chrome now has a PDF viewer which is separate from this plugin. If you prefer to use Google Docs to view PDFs then you can enable that in the options. This is a great tool if you want to preview PowerPoint in the browser.

Good news! New 7.10.8862 update DOES fix live Tile bugs, also rolling out now

Yesterday Microsoft started an aggressive rollout of the 7.10.8860 update which we were disappointed to find out did not in fact fix the battery draining and data gobbling Live Tile bugs found in the first version of Windows Phone 7.8.

Now we have had several tips that Microsoft is rolling out a second new update, build 7.10.8862.144, which does in fact fix stuck tiles and other issues.

According to the Microsoft change log (above) this is the one and only true Windows Phone 7.8 update and besides the “many other improvements to Windows Phone” it also “Fixes performance issues from a previous update”.

We have had reports from Canada, Norway and India that the new update is rolling out, so it seems to be following hot on the heels of the last one.  It is still a mystery why both are being sent out but have the latest (greatest) version hit your phone yet? Let us know below.

Bad news– 7.10.8860 does not fix Live Tile bugs

We had hoped the 7.10.8860 update currently rolling out would fix the Windows Phone 7.8 Live Tile issues.  Unfortunately it appears this is not the case, which makes us wonder why Microsoft bothered to roll it out world-wide.

Jaxbot tested it, and reports “I tested it, as seen above. My server is spammed with requests,” referring to the battery-draining infinite loop buggy live tiles can  get caught in.

Apparently the update, which dates to the 19th January, only includes “the quartz framework” and “some provisioning settings in there for syncing Google accounts” which is rather disappointing considering the deal-breaking bug which Microsoft is still spreading to fully functional WP 7.5 handsets.

Windows Phone 7.8 update resumes, rolling out to fix bugs

It appears Microsoft has resumed its roll-out of Windows Phone 7.8, this time with a slightly updated version of the software.

Windows Phone 7.8 build 7.10.8860.142 is now available, with a reader reporting it has come to his Nokia Lumia 800 in Denmark on top of an existing WP 7.8 install.  Others have reported it on their Nokia Lumia 900 and even a Samsung Omnia 7 in the Netherlands, UK and India.

Hopefully the update addresses all the issues with the broken Live Tiles with WP 7.8 and will roll out rapidly worldwide.

Is anyone else getting the update? Let us know when and where below.

Mophie announces new, thinner Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5

Fans of Mophie’s popular Juice Pack Air line will be happy to hear that the company has just announced a new, thinner model for Apple’s latest handset. This is the first significant update to the line in two years.

Aside from the prestige of its highly-regarded creators, the major selling point for the new Air is its size—it’s both thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring in at just 0.63-inches thick…

This isn’t Mophie’s first run at an iPhone 5 case. Earlier this year it introduced the Helium Juice Pack, which is fairly similar to the Air in size, though the Air is a hair bulkier at 2.60in x 5.54in x 0.63in and 2.68 oz.

But that extra bulk is put to good use, as the Air comes with a bigger battery than the Helium—1500mAh vs. 1700mAh—meaning longer up-time. Mophie says its new case should double your handset’s battery life.

Interested? The new Mophie Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 5 is available for purchase on Mophie’s website for $99. It comes in 3 colors, red, white and black, and starts shipping within the next week or so.

Do you plan on grabbing a new Juice Pack Air?

A simple Lock screen that displays the local weather forecast

The iPhone Lock screen has not changed since 2007 and it is certainly boring, even outdated. Everyone loves a good Lock screen and we wanted to give a quick how-to for a simple tweak. Getting things looking fresh on your iPhone can be a jumbled mess while plowing through Cydia, looking for the right packages. A few days ago we had users submit their favorite Lock screens, screen shots, and tweaks, which led to this post. While this initial posting is simple, we hope it inspires you to construct your own beautiful Lock screens…

Forecast

To make your iPhone look like the image above, inspired by a submission from iDB reader @CarsonFlores, follow the steps outlined in the article below.

How to replicate this Lock screen

Step 0: WinterBoard - To begin most all Lock screen theming, one must first locate and install “WinterBoard.” WinterBoard allows the majority of theming manipulation and keeps track of all compatible themes downloaded from Cydia in one location. It is a free package and the beginning of your journey.

Status bar:

Step 1: Signal Dots - This tweak changes the cellular band and Wi-Fi signal to black, white, or gray dots. Once installed via Cydia, turn it on in the theme section of WinterBoard.

Step 2: Springtomize 2 – Notice, the lack of cellular provider? Springtomize allows the user to eliminate a carrier or customize the text where the carrier information is traditionally located. It also provides a way to turn off the battery icon. Once installed, head to the “status bar” category and turn off/on the features you prefer.

Step 3: IntelliScreenX – Among many other features outlined in Jeff’s review, ISX provides the status bar new mail notification. Once installed via Cydia, head to Settings.app and locate “IntelliScreenX.” Inside, you will find a long list of features. To manipulate the communication icons, find “Status Bar Icons” and turn on/off either missed calls, unread texts, unread email, or silent mode.

Lock screen:

Step 1: Forecast - This is the actual weather tweak, as the name suggests. It replaces the time on the Lock screen and taps into Weather.app for local weather information. At most, it will refresh every 15 minutes to prevent battery drain. Note that this tweak does not appear to play well with “Lockscreen Clock hide,” which some users install to remove the default Lock screen clock. Whichever tweak you install last, whether Lockscreen Clock Hide or Forecast, the second will remain on your iPhone and the other is deleted or overwritten. It appears that Forecast still has the built-in ability to terminate the Lock screen status bar clock.

Step 2: Glasklart - This theming tweak, controlled in Winterboard, is a giant package allowing the user to theme almost any part of the iPhone. For the sake of this Lock screen modification, once installed, head to Winterboard and turn Glasklart Weather on, then respring. It also manipulates the weather in Notification center.

Step 3: Springtomize 2 – The slider text is manipulated using the Custom Label Mode in the Lock screen settings section. Turn on Custom Label and type your string in the field below.

The wallpaper can still be set from the Settings.app, with default system settings. Unlike some other Lock screen tweaks, this particular one does not require any user adjustments to change the background image.

Lock screen modding

As you can see from the above steps, Lock screen modification can be a bit cumbersome. While the overall visual change for this particular option is minimal, there are a decent amount of mods necessary to make the slightest visual change.

Keep in mind, if you have never changed your Lock screen in the past, it is a tedious process. Pay close attention to which switches you are flipping on and off in your newly installed tweaks and I recommend doing it one at a time. Taking the extra step will help you learn each individual function, as opposed to flipping lots of things on at the same time, never truly grasping how each function manipulates your iPhone.

Could Samsung Unveil S IV March 14th in New York?

Covering Android news is always going to come with a lot of rumors attached as well, it might not be to everyone’s tastes but it’s something that a lot of us get pretty excited about. If there’s a smartphone launch that is going to be surrounded by rumors more than anything, it’s Samsung’s Galaxy S IV. We saw it with the Galaxy S III and after the success of that smartphone, there’s no doubting the excitement and speculation that will continue to swirl around the mysterious phone right up until its launch.

Rumors are one thing but, they often don’t come with a lot of weight and they can be easily brushed off of your shoulder. However, every now and then comes a rumor that not only sounds right but, comes from a fairly reputable source. Eldar Murtazin, might just be one of those sources that carries a little weight in this game, he might well be a little crazy to some of you but, he’s been doing this for a while now and he always manages to get insight where everyone else is seemingly absent. Eldar has been on Twitter again and his latest tweets strongly predict that Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy S IV on March 14th in New York.

Do I believe him? Not 100% but, it does sound pretty likely. After all, Samsung will want to capitalize on the success of the Galaxy S III, which is still selling pretty well. HTC are announcing their latest and greatest tomorrow and while we all pretty much know what’s coming, they might have a surprise or two up their sleeve. Last year, the One Series was announced by HTC quite a bit before the Galaxy S III and I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung want to make that gap a lot smaller in order to catch all of those on the fence concerning HTC’s new device.

The rumor mill has had a lot to say about the Galaxy S IV but, we only really know one aspect of it to be true, there is going to be a smartphone from Samsung with a 5-inch display at a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Concerning the processor inside the phone, there’s been a lot of speculation as to whether it’ll be a 1.9 Ghz Snapdragon S4 Pro but with word that LG’s Optimus G Pro will be shipping with a Snapdragon 600, we’d think Samsung have something better up their sleeves.

We’ll find out in a month or so, I don’t think Samsung are going to wait with this one, regardless of how long we have to wait or what the S IV has to offer, it’s still going to sell like mad.

iOS 6.1.2 reportedly will roll out next week to squash 6.1 bugs

The update, which would fix the Exchange syncing issue and the passcode hack in iOS 6.1, could come before Wednesday, claims a German blog site.

Apple may be prepping iOS 6.1.2 for launch early next week. At least, that's the claim from German Apple blog site iFun.

In a blog out today, iFun cited evidence that the next iOS update would probably be available before Wednesday.

Courtesy of Google, the English translation of the German page reads a bit rusty. But the information was apparently based on checks with different mobile carriers, according to 9to5Mac.

This sounds like something strictly for the rumor mill. However, iFun correctly pegged the launch of iOS 6.1.1 based on intel from the same sources, 9to5Mac added.

iOS 6.1.2 would resolve at least a couple of glitches introduced with version 6.1.

One bug due to be squashed keeps iOS 6.1 devices from syncing with Microsoft Exchange servers. Another flaw lets someone get through the iPhone's passcode through a specific series of steps, allowing that person to use the phone and listen to voice mails.

In both cases, Apple said it was aware of the issue and was working on a fix.

iOS 6.1.1 was released Monday, but only to iPhone 4s users, in an attempt to fix problems with cellular performance. Since then, several iPhone 4S users have complained that the battery drains faster after updating to 6.1.1.

Cinemagraph And Smart Shoot Camera Features Coming To Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 7.8 Devices

In a Hangout with users about Nokia products, David Akinjise, Product Manager at Nokia revealed that Cinemagraph and Smart Shoot camera features are coming to Lumia Windows Phone 7.8 devices. Even though he mentioned that Windows Phone 8 lens feature will come to Windows Phone, I think it is not possible with Windows Phone 7.x platform. I think it will be an update to Nokia Camera extras app which is there already in the Windows Phone Store, users will be able to access these new feature through the menu in the view finder.

As Windows Phone 7.x devices are here to stay for some more time, Nokia is working on delivering the services to its customers.

Microsoft reportedly starts rolling out Windows Phone 7.8 update

Reports have been flooding in detailing an update for Windows Phone 7.5, which can only mean one thing - Microsoft has begun rolling out Windows Phone 7.8 for those who own previous generation hardware. Windows Phone Central readers, as well as WP7.nl have received notification of an available release on the Lumia 800.

Windows Phone 7.8 is a major update that Microsoft announced alongside Windows Phone 8. The release is to implement new features on legacy hardware, including the new start screen Live Tile layout and other goodies. Those who have managed to receive and apply the 7.8 update have noticed a new splash screen and Xbox Live Tile that are present on Windows Phone 8.

According to WP7.nl, the update process for the Lumia 800 includes a number of builds as well as a Nokia update. Reported OS version 7.10.8773 is bumped to 7.10.8779.8, and is then proceeded with the update to 7.10.8783. This then prepares the device for the final update to 7.10. 8858.136. Welcome to almost-Windows Phone 8.

We're yet to get our Windows Phones to register the update, so be sure to let us know if you've received the one in the comments, along with which Windows Phone you're using and carrier (if applicable) you're with.

[Note: This could be a staggered rollout, dependent on carriers and OEMs, so don't get your hopes too high just yet. Microsoft has yet to announce anything official about this occurring, meaning this is still limited to just a few users and phones.]

Plingm - Free Calls and Messaging Worldwide!

Join the Plingm community and say goodbye to phone bills. Call and message for free within the Plingm network, or use Plingm Out to call those who haven't joined yet - it's up to you. We're all about freedom of choice and we believe that communication should be simple and fun. Welcome to our community!

Free Calls : Plingm to Plingm calls are always free, and unlimited. Calling for free has never been simpler. All calls between Plingm users are free of charge, no matter what country you are calling or where in the world you find yourselves. Calls are free simply because they are connected through the internet (Wifi or 3G.)

Better yet- Plingm is portable. Not only can you make free calls worldwide - you can also use one and the same account for all your devices: iPhones, iPod Touch, Androids and soon iPads. Immediately after your contacts have downloaded our app, you will see the Plingm icon next to their name so that you can easily recognize them. The more people you invite to join Plingm, the more people you can call for as long as you want, for free.

Free Messaging and Group Chat

Plingm to Plingm messaging is free and flexible. Send messages to individual Plingm contacts, or gather a group together to start a group chat. Group chats can be conveniently labelled so that they are easier to keep track of.

Plingm Out

Plingm Out will never limit you to calls within the Plingm network.

Plingm Out is a low-cost way of keeping in touch with people outside of the Plingm network. This optional feature forms a great complement to the free Plingm to Plingm calls. Plingm Out packages are in-app features, and since the purchases are routed through Google Play or App Store, topping up is simple and hassle-free.

When registering, you will get a few Welcome Minutes which can be used to test our Plingm Out service. These minutes can be used to call over 40 destinations, pick one or more to experience our amazing sound.

High Definition Calls
Crystal clear connections make communication fun! Switching over to our super HD sound is like switching from a broken record to a CD. SuperHD has such a high bit rate that all the nuances of the voice are captured. The SuperHD sound is so natural and clear that it doesn’t matter if the person you’re talking to is halfway around the world, or right there in the same room.

Connect to LinkedIn and Facebook
Importing your social connections is two taps away. You can use your Plingm account to connect to two major social networking sites with our Social feature. As soon as your contacts also connect their Plingm accounts to Facebook and LinkedIn, you will see the Plingm icon appear next to their name, and know that you can call them and message them for free. Let Plingm do the work for you - that way you can spend extra time catching up with old business partners and speaking with new Facebook friends.

Untethered jailbreak tool evasi0n downloaded 7 million times, beats old records

The evasi0n untethered jailbreak tool may have been released just a few days ago, but a relatively huge number of people have already used it – about 7 million, to be more specific. Word comes from Jay Freeman, who is credited for being the man behind Cydia. His storefront, which is known for its selection of apps made for jailbroken iOS devices, has been visited from over 5.15 million iPhones, 1.35 million iPads, and 400,000 iPod touch media players running a version of iOS jailbroken with evasi0n. 

All these figures make evasi0n the most successful in terms of adoption rate jailbreak tool ever released. Even the web-based JailbreakMe released back in 2011 wasn't adopted that fast as it reached "only" about 2 million users during the first four days of its existence.  

In addition to being the most popular untethered jailbreak tool ever released, evasi0n is also the one that took the longest to arrive. That's not much of a surprise considering how tight the security measures implemented in iOS have been getting with each new release. Jailbreaking iOS 6.1 took 136 days, which is considerably longer than the 98 days that were needed to crack the iPhone 4S. In comparison, the iPhone 4 received its untethered jailbreak only 38 days after release, while the iPhone 3GS was dealt with in only 2 weeks' time.

As of this writing, the iOS 6.1 untethered jailbreak is still possible using the evasi0n tool and the recent 6.1.1 update doesn't fix the cracks exploited by the hack. It is only a matter of time, however, until Apple patches the system, thus rendering the jailbreak tool useless. 

source: Forbes

Path Creator Gets Fined By FTC

The Federal Trade Commission has recently made it clear that they are serious about protecting your privacy.  It has just been announced that the creator of the Path social networking app has been fined $800,000 as a part of a settlement.  The FTC has charged that the Path illegally collected personal information from users, including personal information from children without parental consent.

The Path is a social networking service where you can share journals, photos, songs you are listening to, and even your location.  If you were to sign up for the Path, it would give you three options for inviting your friends.  You could either invite friends through your contacts, through Facebook, or through SMS or email invitation.  However, regardless of what option a user chose, and without a user’s explicit consent, Path still collected and stored personal information from your address book, including the first and last names of your friends, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, user names, and dates of birth. The FTC alleged that  in collecting this data from mobile address books without the knowledge or consent of the user, the Path acted deceptively.

Additionally, the FTC charged that the Path violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act(COPPA).  As the name suggests, COPPA was enacted as a means to protect the privacy of children online.  COPPA prohibits the collection of personal information from kids under 13 without directly notifying parents of collection practices and directly obtaining parental consent to solicit personal information from minors.   The FTC specified that Path collected the personal information, including their precise locations, of approximately 3,000 children under the age of 13.  This was all done without parental consent.

For their part, Path released a statement on their website, downplaying the settlement, and stating that they had closed a “very small number” of accounts that were affected by COPPA.  They also seemed to indicate by their statement that any wrongdoing was due to a glitch in their system, which did not automatically reject users when it was indicated that a user was under 13.  Interestingly, the FTC announcement regarding the settlement was announced on the same day that they announced new recommendations for mobile privacy practices.  The timing certainly makes it clear that the FTC considers online privacy to be a serious matter.

Metro UI Tweaker for Windows 8 satisfies the tweaking needs of early adopters

Windows 8 may not have been released yet, but there is the developer preview version available for free download by anyone who has an interest in the upcoming version of Microsoft’s operating system. No version of Windows would be complete without a selection of tweaking tools to enable users to stamp their mark on the software, and Metro UI Tweaker for Windows 8 is one of a small but increasing number of such utilities that are starting to creep out.

This is a fairly basic and limited program, but as the name would suggest, it has been designed only with the aim of allowing for tweaks to the Metro user interface. Despite the fairly limited number of options available, Metro UI Tweaker for Windows 8 includes a number of settings that are likely to be of interest to any early adopters.

If you have failed to fall in love with the Metro interface and ribbon toolbars that are to be found throughout Windows 8, this handy tool enables you to disable them altogether. While for many people, these features are the reason to install Windows 8 in the first place, for others they are merely eye candy.

The Start menu can also be tweaked by adding options such as Log Off, Sleep and Shut Down, or by adding links to any programs that you use on a regular basis. While these settings could be put in place by tinkering with system files or the registry, but turning to this tweaking tool eliminates the need for this.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the software by paying a visit to the Metro UI Tweaker for Windows 8 review page

Azure Media Services opens to the public, helping developers deliver streaming video to any device

Today Microsoft announced the general availability of Azure Media Services, a new set of tools and analytics to help developers build massively scaling media delivery services involving real-time video. For example, Microsoft claims that “Last year several broadcasters used Windows Azure Media Services to stream the London 2012 Olympics.”

That in mind, Azure Media Services isn’t precisely new, but is instead now open for general use. Microsoft is offering a 90 day demo period to drive early adoption.

Happily, the product is relatively end-user agnostic, with the capability to stream to “HTML5, Flash, Silverlight, Windows 8, iPad, iPhone, Android, Xbox, Windows Phone and other clients” in several formats. In short, if you need to deliver video of any sort to any device, Microsoft wants you to use Azure to do so. For the listed platforms, Microsoft has SDKs and players ready to go, so developer strain should be minimal.

Azure a PaaS and IaaS cloud offering from Microsoft is rapidly becoming on of its crown jewels, as the company positions the tool in the middle of its ‘devices and services’ plan.

For a technical look at Azure Media Services, Microsoft’s Scott Gutherie has a graphical run-down here that is of good use. I’ll spare our non-technical readers the specifics. Key to the product is price, with Microsoft touting that it allows for “very cost effective” creation of media services.

For more on Azure, and its rising profile in its home company, head here.

Top Image Credit: Robert Scoble