What Can We Expect From iOS 8

Apple’s iOS 7 software has only recently been launched but like every good technology geek, we’re itching to know what’s in store for iOS 8. 

Well, we have some good news, some rumours have surfaced about what might be included in Apple’s newest software.  Enough information has been dropped over recent weeks for us to get some sort of idea what we can expect. 

There is no definitive release date for iOS 8 but like most new versions of the iOS software, Apple could announce the launch at their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The date for this is June 2, so we will have to see if Apple are going to break a trend here or not. 

Although it is likely that the release date will be announced here, we will have to wait a little longer to have it on our iPhones and tablets. 

One of the features Apple look to be working on is health and fitness capabilities, following in the footsteps of their rivals, Samsung.  A number of sources suggest we could see a ‘Healthbook’, similar to Passbook, but instead it will monitor steps walked, distanced travelled, calories burned and overall weight loss. 

Another thing Apple will no doubt look at is their maps. Apple Maps have had some criticism for a while now and Apple could pick the game up this time around to keep up at least with Google’s offering. 

According to more rumour-led sources, we can expect to see directions for trains, subways and buses to be incorporated into the Maps. 

Siri could be something else Apple turn their attention to. An iOS update is not the same without an update to Siri and the software could be able to interface with third party apps once iOS 8 is released. This means some of our apps could be compatible with Siri without Apple’s help. 

We could also see something similar to what can be found on OS X; Preview and TextEdit. On Mac versions, these two help to edit PDF’s, images and text files, whereas we expect these to help you open documents that you have stored in your iCloud. 

Some possible new features in store that could make the iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 a very interesting prospect indeed. 

Apple & Microsoft collide - And it's Brilliant!!!

We’re often found blogging about all sorts here at Appware, from the latest in technology through to the continual battles involving the big names in the gadget world, and this news covers both bases.

Microsoft have taken a step that many gadget-lovers have been waiting for, arguably since the first release of Apple’s iPad in 2010 – the introduction of their Office suite onto the iPad. This is pretty big news and a move that could benefit both parties.

This means that all of those hard-working professionals that tend to opt for a tablet that is a bit better for work productivity, can now enjoy an Apple product for work and play. But, why has the move taken this long to happen we wonder?

Well, after the release of the iPad, the iPad 2 followed with what felt like indecent haste and soon after that the generation of tablets just exploded. This also bought along with it the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) revolution within businesses.

So, Microsoft being Microsoft tried to compete with Apple every stretch of the way to challenge their iOS software and they came up with the Surface.  Although the Surface has been fairly successful and is extremely good at being a work-savvy tablet, it hasn’t been anywhere near as popular as Microsoft had expected it to be – hence this new move.

Another reason behind the move is PC sales are nose diving, especially with such high performing tablets available on the market today. Microsoft even created Windows 8 in order to help revive PC’s, but unfortunately that hasn’t helped the situation either.

With these things in mind, the move by Microsoft may not have come at a bad time at all, in fact, it could be perfect timing. Microsoft showed that it didn’t really have the skill to create the tablets to compete with Apple, but like the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them!” and that is exactly what they have done.

Office for iPad seems like a clever move and a move that will ensure Microsoft still have a leg in the race for the best tablet on the market. But, what do you think? Good move for Microsoft or not?

More Wearable Tech Than You Can Shake A Stick At

We’re fans of all types of technology, as we’re sure many of you know, so when we saw this array of technology, we couldn’t help ourselves but write about it.

We have featured wearable technology on more than one occasion but it’s always good to check in with the latest crazy ideas companies come up with. vrAse is one of these crazy ideas and is a 3D experience on your head. Crazy as it may sound, you simply slide your smartphone into the front of this ‘goggle-like’ headset and watch your favourite movies, music videos and games all hands-free. You might not look like the coolest kid on the block but you’ll feel like it.

Another interesting wearable is one for businesses and professionals who tend to scan a lot of barcodes - the BarcodEye. Very similar in appearance to Google glass, this clever piece of kit is looking to replace the standard scanners found in many supermarkets with a pair of specs that do the work for you. Although, apparently this is still in the early stages of development so we could be waiting a while until we see the finished product.

You’ve heard of Dre Beats headphones and other extremely expensive headgear but The Intelligent Headset looks to live up to its name by claiming to be the first headset with 3D audio. We’re not entirely sure how this will work but apparently we will be able to hear sounds differently dependent on how we are positioned. It sounds strange but thanks to the headset’s location-aware technology it picks up on sounds around you and gets louder when it hears louder noises. What’s more, you can even use the headphones for movement during a game too, so when you move left so does the character or object, and vice versa.

With the first day of spring just a couple of days ago, we thought it’d be quite apt to feature the Sunfriend. We probably shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves by saying that it could be a sunny year here in the UK, but we hope it is so we can wear this piece of Intel that lets us know how much sun we’re getting and when we have had enough. Toasty!

A lot of stuff to get excited about this year and not just in the smartphone or tablet world either. Wearables are on the up and we’re all for it!

Going Beyond 3D

Technology has come a long way in a short space of time and we can never be sure what lies around the corner. This last 12 months alone we have seen the rise of the 4K TV, the smart watch and a whole host of impressive smartphones and tablets.

Technology just never seizes to amaze us and The Immersive Technology Alliance aim to do it again. They have plans to rebrand the former Stereoscopic 3D Gaming Alliance, which will form a new virtual reality technology.

The Immersive Technology Alliance (ITA) is a new supergroup created by the biggest and smallest companies around the globe that specialise in gaming, who have all come together to improve ‘augmented reality, virtual reality, stereoscopic 3D and everything in between’, according to their official website.

This group is made up of companies likes Electronic Arts (EA) who are known for their influence in the gaming industry, so it is a real forward-thinking group that want to continue improving the industry and the technology on offer.

ITA plan to meet at the annual Game Developers Conference next week (March 18th) in San Francisco. Although it seems like it is all about gaming, it’s not. In fact, the ITA is a not-for-profit and it also aims to be a ‘non-proprietary representative’ for the whole VR industry, which also includes a number of film makers as well as game studios.

With such a vast blend of big names and interesting skills, we could be looking forward to an interesting future for gaming. Gaming, similar to other forms of technology, has grown tremendously over the last couple of years, with the likes of Sony and Microsoft creating high-spec consoles. But, the ITA aim to go beyond playing games with a hand-held controller, they want gamers to experience their gaming as if it were real life.

Exciting stuff, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, the Game Developers Conference next Tuesday is only the launch of this supergroup, so we will have to wait some time before we can enjoy playing real-life simulator-type technology in our living rooms. Still, the future of gaming looks bright!

Apple Vs Google.....Again

Apple and Google are two giants in the technology world, and they’re at it again, only this time it is to be crowned king of cars.

Apple has unveiled plans to launch its rebranded in-car iOS functionality Apple CarPlay, an operating technology you can use in your car to rival the equivalent version from Google, the Android Projected Mode.

The two techno-giants will battle it out once again to see who can turn their hand away from smartphones and tablets, to in-car operating systems.

One of the main battles, that Google may have already won, is the field of mapping and navigation which is not going to prove hugely important in this fight.  Google maps, as we all know, is miles ahead of Apple maps with its broader track record in automotive tech, including driverless cars. That’s not all, with the promise of Google Glass also having an effect on in-car technology, Google is putting forward a very strong case for people to favour it over Apple’s CarPlay.

Although Google may boast this advantage, the two largely do the same thing, namely sync a mobile device with the car’s integrated infotainment system. This will enable drivers to control features, functionality and the on-screen interface.

One function that will be very appealing to phone users and car owners is the ability to upgrade the in-car technology every time you replace your handset, which is a much cheaper option than having to replace the car. Another great aspect is that all of your necessary data, i.e. contacts and music, will be transferred across so drivers will not need to go through a draining process of adding them manually.

These all-singing, all-dancing in-car systems will have to overcome some issues though, namely which automotive manufactures they will team-up with and the obvious concern of driver distraction. Another difficulty is the ups and downs of mobile internet – if a smartphone drops its signal whilst you are walking the streets of London, it is not such a huge problem, but if you’re driving from Brighton to Leeds and the signal drops, you could have a problem.

Let’s not let these technicalities overshadow the possibilities that these two impressive technologies bring and just lets appreciate that the driving experience just got a whole lot smarter.

Did You 'Ear' Apple's Plans

First, Apple bought us the iPod, then the iPad, and more recently plans have been shared about the iWatch, but Apple have also outlined plans for an EarPod.

Just when you think you’ve seen or heard it all, the bigwigs at Apple dropped another technological bomb. The EarPod is a clever little fitness tracker system fitted inside a pair of sports earphones so you can track a number of statistics during a workout.

Apple confirmed the patent application was granted last week and has discussed how skin-sensing technology will be able to monitor heart rate, perspiration levels and even body temperature. This isn’t all though, the device could feature a volume control that is controlled by a tilt of the head. We’re also led to believe there will be accelerometers that will assist with the activity tracking, which will send data to an iOS device – cool huh?

The filing for this idea was actually submitted in 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point, but we are still unsure of when we will actually be seeing the product available to buy. In fact, we can’t even be sure Apple has started producing it yet.

The iWatch is expected to be released sometime this year and there is a lot of speculation surrounding this product and whether it will feature some kind of fitness-focussed tracking. It could well be that this is not the case anymore given the news about the EarPod and the focus on that being a sole-fitness device but with the iWatch likely to be released first, this is not off the cards.

Either way, 2014 could be a brilliant year for Apple to jump on board the wellness trackers bandwagon, given the popularity of them and how useful they are already proving to be for people who own them already.

This could be a very busy year for Apple, and a year that could bring a great deal of excitement to budding technology enthusiasts … and gym fanatics too.

What To Expect From MWC 2014

It’s that time of the year again (well, it will be come Monday) and the Mobile World Congress is back.

MWC 2014 kicks off on the 4th February in Barcelona and is hosted by none other than Mark Zuckerberg, where we get a chance to see what smartphones are coming in the year ahead.

This annual mobile technology event, where virtually every mobile phone company will share their latest models for the following spring/summer contract renewal market, is likely to be jam packed with some interesting technology.

So what can we expect? Well, Samsung have been dropping subtle hints for some time now that they could be giving us a glimpse of the Galaxy S5. They have sent out invites in advance of the event covered with little number 5’s, we’re no rocket scientists but it’s pretty nailed on we’ll get to see that.

What we’re unsure of though is whether they will show us one variant or two.  Rumours are saying we could see one encompassing a metal frame with a high-resolution screen and the other a polycarbonate version that follows the traditional 1080p display.  Other rumours are dropping hints at Samsung bringing the Galaxy Gear sequel to the event too – exciting stuff!

Nokia are another company we are interested in seeing. After partnering with Microsoft and having a couple of successful months since releasing the Lumia 1520 and Lumia 2520 tablet, we could end up seeing a few more tricks from the sleeves of Nokia. One smartphone heavily tipped to feature is the Nokia Normandy and this is the big news to come out of Nokia according all of the people in the know.

The third company we are hoping to see is HTC. HTC used to be a banker during the MWC but it turned its back on the event in 2013, so we hope they will change this in 2014. We’re not entirely sure what they will unveil at the event but we just hope they turn up and bring some interesting gadgets.

So, some interesting technology is expected to come out of the Mobile World Congress 2014 and we can’t wait.