It is reported that Apple not giving permission to NSA to Access or hand over user Data and the CEO want you to know the truth about Apple :)
Earlier it was reported that NSA has all access of iOS users which is now denied by Tim Cook
The Conversation taken From TechCrunch B/w David Muir & Tim Cook
Earlier it was reported that NSA has all access of iOS users which is now denied by Tim Cook
The Conversation taken From TechCrunch B/w David Muir & Tim Cook
David Muir: “What is your biggest concern — with the surveillance program here in this country?”Source:Gsmarena,Techcrunch.
Tim Cook: “I’ve been pushing very, very hard to open the books and be totally transparent. Much of what has been said isn’t true; there is no back door. The government doesn’t have access to our servers. They would have to cart us out in a box for that. And that just will not happen. We feel that — strongly about it. But I do want to be transparent, because I think transparency would help put everything in perspective.”
David Muir: “Do you think Americans, Tim, would be more at ease if you could tell them more?”
Tim Cook: “I do.”
IPhone 6 reported launching with 4.8 inches display
Its been a confusion that how large will be the screen of iPhone 6.i has now reports are that it will be launching with 4.8 inch large display..
That will also include higher-speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity.
Source:Cnet
HTC announced One Max with Fingerprint Sensor Feature
After numerous leaks over the past couple of month, HTC One Max was the phone that everyone was looking forward to.
HTC finally has unveiled its HTC One Max phone, and guess what? There is a Fingerprint Sensor too – a trend started by Motorola by introducing it in its Atrix phone, which has recently embraced by Apple in its Iphone 5S.
Beside the fingerprint sensor, the One Max is notably the same thing the techies were anticipating, including first true “phablet” features, a humongous 5.9-inch high definition screen.
The device also has 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor (same as in the One), 2GB of RAM, and it runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) with Sense UI on top.
The One Max is radically a large version of the HTC One, released earlier this year, but few gripping changes have been made. Firstly, the back cover of One Max is removable, and as aforementioned, there’s a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone that lets the user unlock the phone.
Besides unlocking, Fingerprint sensor could also be used to access various applications by assigning unique Finger for each of the App. Miserably, there doesn’t seem to be any functionality to enter your fingerprint as a password like you do in the iPhone 5s.
The phone is also running HTC’s new Sense 5.5 software. Sense 5.5 allows you to further customize HTC’s BlinkFeed menu and offers integration with services like Instagram and Google+.
The removable back cover will let you insert a microSD card for up to 64GB. However, You can’t remove the 3,300mAh battery, although HTC is offering an additional Power Flip case with a built-in 1150mAh battery.
One implied deadfall on HTC’s One Max is its weight. The One Max peaks the scales at a staggering 217 grams. Yes, you get a very big screen, but Samsung has already showed that it can create a 5.7-inch phone at 168 grams, which in my view is a lot more portable.
Other than that, this phone is pretty much the same thing as HTC One, with the same UltraPixel rear camera and BoomSound front-facing speakers.
The new device will compete against the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note 3, LG G2 and the upcoming Nokia phablet.
Here are the specs again:
- CPU: Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300
- Chipset: Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon 600
- OS: Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean)
- Design:
- Dimensions: 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.3 mm
- Weight 217 g
- Display:
- Capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
- 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.9 inches (~373 ppi pixel density)
- Memory:
- Card slot: microSD
- Internal: 16/32 GB, 2 GB RAM
- Connectivity: GPRS, EDGE, HSPA+; LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth, NFC, Infrared, microUSB v2.0
- Camera:
- Primary: 4 MP, 2688 x 1520 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
- Secondary: 2.1 MP, 1080p@30fps, HDR
- Non-removable Li-Po 3300 mAh battery
- Battery:
- Stand-by: Up to 585 h
- Talk time: Up to 25 h.
BlackBerry Messenger for Android exclusively pictured for the first time
This would have been a much bigger deal a couple years back, but BlackBerry Messenger is indeed coming to iOS and Android
later this year, and we now have the first photo of what it will look
like. This picture is of the login screen on a Samsung Galaxy S3 —
unfortunately we can’t show more due to identifying marks, though we are
told that the software “isn’t bad” and should be released in the
not-too-distant future. BlackBerry has publicly announced that
BlackBerry Messenger for iOS and Android is set to be released sometime
before the end of summer. BGR exclusively reported that BlackBerry was building BlackBerry Messenger for iOS and Android over two years ago.
Is this the camera module of the cheaper Apple iPhone 5C?
The iPhone 5C was initially expected to be not only a more affordable version of the current iPhone series, but also one that is less powerful. That might not be the case and while some speculated the iPhone 5C would get only a 5-megapixel camera, this latest rumors coming straight out of Chinese IT168, pegs the camera at 8 megapixels and provides an image to prove this.
More and more evidence points out that the iPhone 5C’s biggest difference from the current iPhone 5 will be the in the materials used and the visuals. The iPhone 5C is made out of plastic and comes with colorful back plates, while the current generation iPhone uses the more premium aluminum. The new iPhone 5C is also expected to be slightly thicker at 8.2mm and heavier at 130 grams. In comparison, the current iPhone 5 measures 7.6mm thick and weighs 112 grams.
Apart from that, though, the two devices might be very, very similar. We’ve already heard whispers about both featuring 4-inch ‘Retina’ displays and 8-megapixel cameras.
Overall, rumors point out that while the bill of materials (BOM) for the iPhone 5 comes in at between $210 and $320, the new iPhone 5C would have only a slightly lower BOM price of $180 to $200. Despite that relatively small price difference, Apple is expected to sell the iPhone 5C drastically cheaper. The iPhone 5C is said to retail for between $350 and $400 off contract, while the iPhone 5 prices start at $650.
Apple unveiled its
vision for the future of mobile computing last week and the Internet
erupted. A new feud was born, not between iOS fans and Android fans or
between Apple fans and Samsung
fans, but among iOS users themselves. On one side, a legion of iPhone,
iPad and iPod touch users were fawning over the redesigned software
shown off by Jony Ive and company. It’s a breath of fresh air… it’s
amazing… it’s “positively mind-blowing.” On the other side, iOS 7
was panned. Many longtime Apple fans watched in horror as Apple peeled
back the layers on its new iOS interface, and all the great features
were instantly overshadowed by Apple’s controversial new design. Is iOS 7
a brilliant push forward? Is it a tragedy in the making?
It has been a week since iOS 7 debuted and now that the
rush-into-print, knee-jerk reactions are behind us, let’s take a closer
look at the future of Apple’s mobile devices.
Apple has never created anything that looks like iOS 7 before. Never,
ever. This is important, because many longtime Apple users were
blindsided by the bold new look.
As a company, Apple is known for many things. Design sits somewhere
near the top of the list. Apple’s hardware is gorgeous and unparalleled,
and its software is sleek and beautiful — even when it fails miserably.
As rivals try desperately to catch up and as they spend billions on new
product development, no notebooks are as sleek as Apple’s, no tablets
are as striking as the iPad, and no smartphones are as stunning as the
iPhone.
Apple has been matched or even surpassed by rivals in some areas, but design is not one of them.
So it is easy to see why longtime Apple fans find iOS 7 so jarring.
The look and feel of iOS has been so widely praised over the years that
many people are having trouble letting go. iOS also sparked a
fundamental shift in the way companies design smartphone interfaces. In
fact, one Apple rival loved the iPhone so much it created a 132-page document to help its engineers copy many aspects of iOS pixel by pixel.
But now, many of the core characteristics that defined iOS for six years are gone without a trace. Panic was inevitable.
The dust has settled since Apple took the wraps of iOS 7 last week,
and opinions seem to be leveling out to an extent. Bloggers and pundits
who exploded with rage have since backed up a bit. Starry-eyed Apple
fans who squealed with excitement have calmed down as well. So now, we
can finally all take a deep breath and talk about iOS 7.
At its core, iOS 7 is a fundamental departure from earlier versions
of iOS in terms of user experience. Historically, navigating iOS was
very linear. Open an app, close an app. Open another app, close another
app. iOS 7 is all about layers, however, and I have a feeling that this
is something we’ll see Apple really start to run with in future versions
of its mobile platform.
Navigating iOS 7 is different. Panels open on top of apps and
transparency effects provide a unique visual reminder that other parts
of the OS lie beneath the current view. Apple really built on this
concept, too. For example, each key press on numbers in the new Phone
app or on the lock screen provides a fleeting glimpse of the wallpaper
that sits beneath the app. It’s a very cool effect that does not go
unappreciated, and there many are other small design elements that show
Apple is still a company that sweats the little things.
There are also new transition animations when navigating
iOS. Transitions zoom in and out of icons when opening and closing apps,
adding another element to the layering concept. In iOS 7, everything is
connected. It also has a very bouncy feel to it.
I find that some animations are overly complex though, such as the
transition when closing the task manager, and this makes the user wait a
few extra beats in between functions. Apple is moving in the wrong
direction here — but we’re talking about an early beta so hopefully the
release version will see these transitions get out of the user’s way
much faster.
Apple’s new user interface appears to be quite similar to earlier
versions on the surface, but it is in fact a complete departure from the
UI found in iOS 6 and earlier builds.
Beyond the home screen, which indeed looks much like earlier iOS home
screens, lies a completely redesigned experience. Every single Apple
application has been rebuilt from the ground up, and some apps have
undergone such drastic overhauls that they are barely recognizable.
As had been rumored in the weeks leading up to WWDC, the iOS 7 user
interface is flat. All of the textures and skeuomorphic elements that
have characterized iOS for more than half a decade are gone. But “flat”
is only half the story here.
The interfaces in new Apple apps aren’t just flat, they are
completely different from the apps they replace. Some applications bear
absolutely no resemblance to their predecessors. And even the ones that
carry forward the same basic layouts as older apps, like Messages, have
such a minimalistic new look that the resemblance isn’t always
immediately apparent.
Put it like this: You will have no problem transitioning from iOS 6
to iOS 7. Your parents, on the other hand, probably will. But just as
they did when they first transitioned from a flip phone to an iPhone,
they’ll get over it.
For the most part, iOS is still very logical and easy to use. There
are areas where the interface falls apart a bit, but the “beta 1″ label
says it all — many, many things will change before iOS 7 reaches the
public this fall. In its beta form though, there are some real missteps
in iOS 7 that are pretty shocking. Here’s one example:
Apple, a company defined by design and collective smarts, made a pretty elementary design snafu right on the iOS lock screen.
“Slide to unlock” sits near the bottom of the display on the lock
screen and shimmers, as it always has. But the simple slider button
graphic is now gone. Instead, just beneath the words “slide to unlock,”
sits an arrow pointing upward. Sliding upward doesn’t unlock iOS though.
Instead, this arrow is meant to alert the user to the presence of the
new Control Center, which provides quick access to several settings and
controls. To unlock an iOS device, the user still must swipe from left
to right.
On the surface, this might not seem like a big deal. Think about it
from a new iOS user’s perspective, however — and this is very important,
considering how many new iOS users there will soon be if Apple is indeed prepping a new low-cost iPhone.
You tap the unlock button for the first time on your new iPhone or
iPad, and your attention is immediately drawn to the shimmering “slide
to unlock” directive near the bottom of the display, which is situated
directly above an arrow pointing upward.
You place your finger directly on the words and slide up. Nothing
happens. You try again from the center of the display. Nothing happens.
One more attempt, this time beginning right on the up arrow itself. A
panel of various buttons and sliders appears, but you still can’t find
the home screen.
It’s a stupid mistake. And Apple doesn’t often make stupid mistakes
when it comes to design. It’s akin to placing a traffic sign showing an
arrow curving to the right on a street just before the road ahead curves
to the left.
On the other side of the coin, iOS 7 has many changes that are absolutely fantastic.
While the new OS doesn’t address all of the major complaints surrounding iOS,
it definitely tackles a healthy number of them. Multitasking will
finally be kicked into high gear now that third-party apps can perform
more processes in the background without battery life taking a major
hit, and the new Control Center finally provides easy access to key
settings and utilities.
The updated Mail app has big improvements and searching actually
seems to work now. Safari mobile is much improved as well, with a great
new interface and a unified address and search bar. AirDrop is a great
new alternative to NFC-based file-sharing, the new Notification Center
features are nice (though Apple really took a step backwards by
eliminating the weather widget and replacing it with a text-based
forecast for the current day only), and iTunes Radio is a welcome
addition to Apple’s entertainment portfolio, though there are definitely better options out there for users seeking a more comprehensive solution.
I also love the new task manager UI in iOS 7, which was shamelessly
stolen from webOS. Thumbnails featuring screen captures of each open app
in its most recent state are lined up on the screen. Tapping one will
open the related app and flicking one upward will close the app. As
someone who was a big fan of the webOS platform before HP sent it away
to live on a farm, I think the new multitasking interface is a big step
in the right direction, even though Apple engineers couldn’t be bothered
to come up with their own solution.
But as mentioned earlier, there are plenty of things I haven’t been
able to get past. I find the new icons to be absolutely hideous, for
example. They’re juvenile in all cases and downright ugly in some
instances, and I’m fairly surprised that this is work that left the
drawing board at Apple. I would be embarrassed to have been involved in
their creation. There are also a number of surprising omissions, an
example of which might be the lack of any kind of indication in the
Calendar app on days that have scheduled appointments. I would expect
that issues like this will be addressed prior to launch, however.
And yes, it’s still always sunny in iOS, I’m afraid.
IOS 7 isn’t about today, it’s about tomorrow.
This is important to keep in mind while reading about iOS 7 in the
coming months and while using it yourself beginning this fall. There
might be a “7″ in the name of this software, but it’s really version 1
of Apple’s new vision for the future of mobile. This is the foundation,
and Apple will look to build from here.
Not everyone will like iOS 7 right away. In fact, some people might
never like the changes introduced in iOS 7, wishing instead that iOS
could have stayed the same forever. Of course, we have all seen how well
that worked out for Nokia, BlackBerry and Microsoft.
And the beauty of iOS, of course, is that regardless of how you feel
about all of these changes — many of which are quite drastic — one of
the main things that makes iOS so fantastic remains: There is still a
massive ecosystem of great apps.
Third-party apps are the lifeblood of Apple’s mobile devices, and all
your favorite apps will still exist on your device in iOS 7 as they do
in iOS 6. Many of them will undergo some cosmetic changes as developers
look to mirror iOS’s new design identity, but their core functionality
will live on. Actually, many of them will get even better thanks to all
of the new APIs Apple is making available to developers with iOS 7.
Beyond that, keep in mind as you read about iOS 7 in the coming weeks
that Apple really rushed to get the first beta of iOS 7 out on time.
Apple’s programmers and designers were in such a rush that they couldn’t
even finish the iPad build in time for WWDC. The final version of iOS 7
that ships this coming fall will be quite different from early beta
versions, and you can count on that.
My biggest problem with iOS 7 is the same problem I had with iOS 6, which was the same problem I had with iOS 5: Apple’s mobile platform just isn’t getting any smarter.
A fear I had leading up to WWDC was that Apple might be spending all
of its time and resources on a visual redesign, which could have meant
exciting new features and important enhancements would be few and far
between. Reality ended up being a bit less grim, but Apple certainly did
not strike a balance between renovation and innovation. iOS 7 does
include some important new functionality, of course, but the emphasis
was clearly on design.
What meaningful, innovative functions can iOS 7 perform that iOS 6 could not?
Many Apple pundits keep making the same argument over and over again. Apple
doesn’t have to innovate every year. Apple is the most profitable
smartphone vendor in the world. The iPhone 5 is the best-selling
smartphone on the planet. iOS gets better all the time. And so on.
But how much longer will this argument work before people start to want
more? How much longer will we be happy with the same core feature set
underneath a few new functions borrowed from other platforms?
As I noted, iOS 7 is the beginning of the next chapter in the book of
iOS. This is the foundation that Apple will build on in iOS 8 and
beyond. And truly I hope Apple has some surprises in store for us — some
real innovation — because based on what I’m hearing from well-placed
sources at one of Apple’s biggest rivals, things are about to get pretty
exciting in the smartphone industry over the next few Years...Source
photos of iPhone 5S front panel show new sensor array
The photos might not be genuine with the workers on the line sleeping on the job and not wearing masks.
Alleged photos of iPhone 5S front panel
Still, if they are the real deal, then they show a different arrangement for the sensors around the earpiece. From what we’ve seen from previous leaks, the front-facing camera on the iPhone 5S will be in the same position, but will use a different ribbon cable.
The hole for the screen seems to be exactly the same, which goes against all the rumors that the next iPhone will have a larger display. Unfortunately this black panel tells us nothing about the potential third color option or a lower-end iPhone model.
Analysts think a low-cost iPhone might launch before the proper iPhone 5S and the WWDC, which starts tomorrow might be where it debuts. The event is sure to bring the next iOS version, but we’re doubtful we’ll see a new iPhone.
Source
iPhone 5 with gold and diamonds releases, costs $15.3 million
Stuart Hughes, a Liverpool-based jeweller had earlier built a diamond iPhone 4, Platinum MacBook Air and Gold iPad 2. Now, the enthusiast has built an iPhone 5 with gold and diamonds, making it the world's most expensive smartphone.The iPhone with gold and diamonds
According to the designer, the custom made iPhone 5 took him 9 weeks to build and the complete device has been made by hand. The outside casing of the smartphone is said to be made up for 24-carat gold, while the home button consists of 26-carat black diamond.
The Apple logo and the corners of the smartphone are built using the white diamonds. The device is encrusted with 600 precious stones, out of which, 53 are housed in the Apple logo at the back. The world's most expensive smartphone was ordered by a Chinese based businessman, who owns the black diamond that went into the construction.
The latest iOS 7 concept reveals an enhanced lock screen and connectivity toggles
Apple’s next major version of the iOS has been enjoying quite a lot of time in the spotlight lately. After iOS 6 was criticized for lacking real innovation and causing the platform to lose market share, iOS7 is looked upon to bring Apple back on top of the smartphone game.While it’s still pretty much a mystery what exactly does Apple have in store for the next major release of its platform, its fans have come up with a pretty sweet idea that we wouldn’t mind becoming a reality.The latest iOS 7 concept we got shows an enhanced lockscreen and improved notification center and generally looks pretty great.
iOS 7 Concept
Source
‘PUK’ for iPhone and Android game review
There are big, complicated games, with guns, cars and
explosions, missions to complete, stories to follow and characters to
remember. Then there are simple games with just one objective where you
have to do one thing over and over again till you get it right. PUK
falls in that latter category.
In PUK, you hit larger circles with smaller circles before the time runs out. That’s basically all you do. But despite the simple premise, PUK is fiendishly addictive and one of the best games to have come out on mobile in recent times. Let’s see what makes it so good.
In PUK, the screen is divided in two parts. The lower part has the smaller circles, which I shall refer to as ‘strikers’, whereas the upper part has the bigger circles, which I shall refer to as ‘bigger circles’ because I can’t think of a better name. Anyway, to shoot the strikers towards the bigger circles, you have to pull them in the opposite direction and then release them, which catapults them forward towards your target. When you pull the striker back, you see a dotted like appear in front of it, indicating where it would shoot once you release it. The strikers can only be shot once they are in the lower portion of the screen.
Each level starts with you having a bunch of strikers at the bottom of the screen and an equal number of bigger circles above. Your job is to hit all the bigger circles with the strikers before the time runs out. Yes, there is a timer for each level and that’s what brings the tension and excitement in the game. The timer is ridiculously stringent, which leaves almost no room to dawdle around. You will see the bar near the bottom of the screen that splits it in two fills up as the timer runs. If the two ends meet, your time is over and if you still have any circles left, it’s game over for you and you have to start from the beginning. On the other hand, if you manage to complete a level before the timer crosses the first line on the bar, you win a medal for that level.
There are a 1000 levels in total. Yes, one friggin’ thousand. And the game doesn’t follow a particular order for the levels, so you get different levels every time you play. Of course, the levels have varying difficulty and the game won’t throw the difficult ones at you from the beginning. But even though it compartmentalizes the levels based on difficulty and offers them as the game progresses the levels of a particular difficulty still appear at random so when you replay the game, which you will be doing quite often, you don’t feel like you’re playing the same levels again and again.
What makes the game so fun is the sheer addictive nature of the gameplay. You’d think flinging circles around all the time would get boring but it doesn’t. The game gives very little time for you to make your move and the resultant urgency is what makes is to exciting. You don’t have all the time in the world to line up your shot and you have to fling as fast as you can. In the initial levels, you don’t even have to aim properly to hit something. Even if you aim vaguely in the right direction, the strikers would end up bouncing around and manage to hit something.
As you progress in the game and play more levels, things start getting more difficult. You often have to guide the strikers around walls to hit the bigger circles, often by bouncing them off the wall. At times, you will find just one striker at your disposal, with one on the screen and you have to hit the second striker with the first so that the two bounce off of each other and hit the respective bigger circles. This is where the game goes from mindless flinging to precise shooting. The timer, however, continues to be strict, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t manage to get too far in the game even after several tries. It’s not just you; the game really is frustratingly difficult at times.
The Android version of the game, however, comes with its own set of frustrations that almost manage to break the game. As mentioned before, you have to pull the strikers down to shoot them, which are placed at the bottom of the screen. On an iPhone, this is not an issue. You can pull your finger close to the bottom edge of the display and even beyond without worrying about hitting anything (there is no way you’d press the Home button simply by sliding over it). On Android, this is a pretty serious problem.
Every Android phone has keys below the screen. Several, these days, have it directly on the screen. With that in mind, imagine pulling a striker down and then running your thumb over one of these keys. Depending upon the key you touch, you could either end up ending the game or landing directly on your homescreen.
I tested the game on a Galaxy S III, which thankfully has only two capacitive keys to worry about. While the menu button is innocent as it has no function assigned, the back button kills the game every time. The current version of the game has this ridiculous bug where if you press the Back button while playing, the screen goes black after the current level is over. That’s it. It just goes blank. Only option after that is to end and play the game from the beginning.
Out of every five games I played, approximately three ended because I pressed the Back button. I imagine things would be significantly worse for those who have the keys directly on the screen, such as the Nexus devices. I can’t imagine how the game managed to pass through testing stages with such an enormous oversight. It almost makes the game unplayable on Android.
There is also one feature in the game where, if a striker manages to stop in the upper portion of the screen (remember, you can only shoot them when they are inside the lower portion), you can shake the phone to move it around a bit, hopefully to hit a bigger circle before the timer runs out. Either I was doing something terribly wrong or this feature simply does not work. I shook my phone every way possible when the icon appeared on the screen and it did absolutely nothing. Several others have also complained about this, which tells me it’s not me who’s doing something wrong.
Another bug weird bug in the Android version is that you can’t adjust the volume once the game starts. Makes me wonder if the developers actually played the game on an Android device before publishing it.
The music is equally cool. The continuous electronic music hums along throughout the game, picking up pace just when things start getting exciting while the movements and attacks of the circles are punctuated with distorted bass notes. Like the gameplay and visuals, the music maintains simplicity and minimalism but manages to be superb nonetheless.
The overall audio-visual design of PUK reminds me heavily of Hundreds. Incidentally, that game also dealt with circles and had a simple gameplay style. One would be fooled into thinking the same developer made both these games.
Rating: iOS: 9/10; Android: 6/10
Pros: Addictive gameplay, a thousand different levels to play that appear in a different order every time, minimalistic yet wonderful audio-visual presentation, inexpensive
Cons: Android version has a major design flaw, several bugs and glitches, bright orange theme can get overbearing after a while
Download: iPhone | Android
In PUK, you hit larger circles with smaller circles before the time runs out. That’s basically all you do. But despite the simple premise, PUK is fiendishly addictive and one of the best games to have come out on mobile in recent times. Let’s see what makes it so good.
Title
|
PUK
|
|
Developer
|
Laser Dog Games Ltd.
|
|
Platform
|
iOS (iPhone only)
|
Android
|
Release Date
|
March 2012
|
March 2012
|
Content rating
|
4+
|
Everyone
|
Size
|
12.3MB
|
18MB
|
Price
|
$0.99
|
Gameplay
If you thought the gameplay description for PUK (I have no idea how to pronounce the name) in the previous paragraph was just a gross over-simplification, you’re mistaken. You really do shoot large circles with small circles. But there is a certain way of doing it.In PUK, the screen is divided in two parts. The lower part has the smaller circles, which I shall refer to as ‘strikers’, whereas the upper part has the bigger circles, which I shall refer to as ‘bigger circles’ because I can’t think of a better name. Anyway, to shoot the strikers towards the bigger circles, you have to pull them in the opposite direction and then release them, which catapults them forward towards your target. When you pull the striker back, you see a dotted like appear in front of it, indicating where it would shoot once you release it. The strikers can only be shot once they are in the lower portion of the screen.
Each level starts with you having a bunch of strikers at the bottom of the screen and an equal number of bigger circles above. Your job is to hit all the bigger circles with the strikers before the time runs out. Yes, there is a timer for each level and that’s what brings the tension and excitement in the game. The timer is ridiculously stringent, which leaves almost no room to dawdle around. You will see the bar near the bottom of the screen that splits it in two fills up as the timer runs. If the two ends meet, your time is over and if you still have any circles left, it’s game over for you and you have to start from the beginning. On the other hand, if you manage to complete a level before the timer crosses the first line on the bar, you win a medal for that level.
There are a 1000 levels in total. Yes, one friggin’ thousand. And the game doesn’t follow a particular order for the levels, so you get different levels every time you play. Of course, the levels have varying difficulty and the game won’t throw the difficult ones at you from the beginning. But even though it compartmentalizes the levels based on difficulty and offers them as the game progresses the levels of a particular difficulty still appear at random so when you replay the game, which you will be doing quite often, you don’t feel like you’re playing the same levels again and again.
What makes the game so fun is the sheer addictive nature of the gameplay. You’d think flinging circles around all the time would get boring but it doesn’t. The game gives very little time for you to make your move and the resultant urgency is what makes is to exciting. You don’t have all the time in the world to line up your shot and you have to fling as fast as you can. In the initial levels, you don’t even have to aim properly to hit something. Even if you aim vaguely in the right direction, the strikers would end up bouncing around and manage to hit something.
As you progress in the game and play more levels, things start getting more difficult. You often have to guide the strikers around walls to hit the bigger circles, often by bouncing them off the wall. At times, you will find just one striker at your disposal, with one on the screen and you have to hit the second striker with the first so that the two bounce off of each other and hit the respective bigger circles. This is where the game goes from mindless flinging to precise shooting. The timer, however, continues to be strict, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t manage to get too far in the game even after several tries. It’s not just you; the game really is frustratingly difficult at times.
The Android version of the game, however, comes with its own set of frustrations that almost manage to break the game. As mentioned before, you have to pull the strikers down to shoot them, which are placed at the bottom of the screen. On an iPhone, this is not an issue. You can pull your finger close to the bottom edge of the display and even beyond without worrying about hitting anything (there is no way you’d press the Home button simply by sliding over it). On Android, this is a pretty serious problem.
Every Android phone has keys below the screen. Several, these days, have it directly on the screen. With that in mind, imagine pulling a striker down and then running your thumb over one of these keys. Depending upon the key you touch, you could either end up ending the game or landing directly on your homescreen.
I tested the game on a Galaxy S III, which thankfully has only two capacitive keys to worry about. While the menu button is innocent as it has no function assigned, the back button kills the game every time. The current version of the game has this ridiculous bug where if you press the Back button while playing, the screen goes black after the current level is over. That’s it. It just goes blank. Only option after that is to end and play the game from the beginning.
Out of every five games I played, approximately three ended because I pressed the Back button. I imagine things would be significantly worse for those who have the keys directly on the screen, such as the Nexus devices. I can’t imagine how the game managed to pass through testing stages with such an enormous oversight. It almost makes the game unplayable on Android.
There is also one feature in the game where, if a striker manages to stop in the upper portion of the screen (remember, you can only shoot them when they are inside the lower portion), you can shake the phone to move it around a bit, hopefully to hit a bigger circle before the timer runs out. Either I was doing something terribly wrong or this feature simply does not work. I shook my phone every way possible when the icon appeared on the screen and it did absolutely nothing. Several others have also complained about this, which tells me it’s not me who’s doing something wrong.
Another bug weird bug in the Android version is that you can’t adjust the volume once the game starts. Makes me wonder if the developers actually played the game on an Android device before publishing it.
Graphics and Sound
Along with the gameplay, the audio-visual presentation of the PUK is another great aspect of it. The game has a very minimalistic visual design, consisting only of orange and white colors. The screen is predominantly orange and the circles and text are white. While it does look very pretty the orange color can get overbearing after a while, especially on an AMOLED display. The UI animations and design, however, are very slick.The music is equally cool. The continuous electronic music hums along throughout the game, picking up pace just when things start getting exciting while the movements and attacks of the circles are punctuated with distorted bass notes. Like the gameplay and visuals, the music maintains simplicity and minimalism but manages to be superb nonetheless.
The overall audio-visual design of PUK reminds me heavily of Hundreds. Incidentally, that game also dealt with circles and had a simple gameplay style. One would be fooled into thinking the same developer made both these games.
Verdict
PUK is simple, fun and pretty. At $0.99, it’s also cheap. The Android version of the game, unfortunately, comes with a major oversight as part of its feature list but even then the game somehow manages to be enjoyable. If you have an iPhone then it’s a no-brainer; you have to play this game. If you have an Android device, I’d suggest you try it out for a while to see if you can work around the controls otherwise refund it. Chances are, you probably won’t.Rating: iOS: 9/10; Android: 6/10
Pros: Addictive gameplay, a thousand different levels to play that appear in a different order every time, minimalistic yet wonderful audio-visual presentation, inexpensive
Cons: Android version has a major design flaw, several bugs and glitches, bright orange theme can get overbearing after a while
Download: iPhone | Android
Source
iPhone said to be too pricey for many European shoppers
France Telecom Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard, head of one
of Europe’s largest wireless carriers, said the increasing frugality of
customers is threatening sales of pricey phones such as Apple’s iPhone,
Bloomberg reports. “We are in a period of changing consumer
behavior,” Richard said this week during an interview at Bloomberg’s
headquarters in New York. There are fewer shoppers in search of the
latest and greatest gadget, and more of them are seeking lower prices on
wireless service, he said.
The shift has been especially severe in Europe, where more customers are keeping the same phone when they switch carriers. Amid a slumping economy and mounting competition, France Telecom has seen prices drop 25 percent over the past three years, squeezing profit margins and its stock price. Its cheapest plan now provides unlimited calls and texting and 3 gigabytes of data for about 20 euros ($26) a month -- about half the price of T- Mobile USA Inc.’s $50 plan, which is touted as a U.S. bargain.
The persistent belt-tightening in France and elsewhere in Europe has decreased the number of consumers who buy the latest phones at top prices, Richard said. Without a carrier subsidy, the iPhone typically sells for about $600, making it too pricey for many shoppers, he said.
The change may be felt when Apple introduces its latest iPhone this year, Richard said. The product’s annual refresh has traditionally drawn long lines and a frenzy of anticipation since it first debuted in 2007.
“There are fewer early adopters, and probably with the next release of the iPhone this will be evident,” Richard said. “Selling a phone for $600 is getting more and more difficult.”
The shift has been especially severe in Europe, where more customers are keeping the same phone when they switch carriers. Amid a slumping economy and mounting competition, France Telecom has seen prices drop 25 percent over the past three years, squeezing profit margins and its stock price. Its cheapest plan now provides unlimited calls and texting and 3 gigabytes of data for about 20 euros ($26) a month -- about half the price of T- Mobile USA Inc.’s $50 plan, which is touted as a U.S. bargain.
The persistent belt-tightening in France and elsewhere in Europe has decreased the number of consumers who buy the latest phones at top prices, Richard said. Without a carrier subsidy, the iPhone typically sells for about $600, making it too pricey for many shoppers, he said.
The change may be felt when Apple introduces its latest iPhone this year, Richard said. The product’s annual refresh has traditionally drawn long lines and a frenzy of anticipation since it first debuted in 2007.
“There are fewer early adopters, and probably with the next release of the iPhone this will be evident,” Richard said. “Selling a phone for $600 is getting more and more difficult.”
Alleged iPhone 5S prototype pictured, Is it to have a curve shape or Just Rumored?
We received some interesting pictures of what is allegedly a prototype of the next Apple iPhone (5S, perhaps).
While the pictures aren't of the best quality or taken in studio conditions they do reveal a lot about the pictured smartphone. For one it sheds off the iconic home button and replaces it with a real edge-to-edge display (although we can't see the actual screen underneath).
Then there's the design - it's sloped towards the edges, which coincides with a patent application from the Cupertino company that was approved last week.
The sketch from the Apple patent application
However, we have to note that this kind of design isn't typical of Apple. The company tends to favor more squarish designs, which allow it to make full use of the space within the smartphone's chassis and create more compact devices.
Alleged iPhone 5S prototype (click for larger images)
We urge you to take these photos with several pinches of salt as the device pictured above could either be photoshopped or even digitally rendered altogether. Even the guy who sent them in couldn't swear by their authenticity.
There's one scenario that might make sense here - what you are seeing could be a prototype on which Apple is working. All major manufacturers consider and test a number of different designs before settling on the final version. It might also be a case specially designed to conceal the look of the Apple iPhone 5S, but that seems too much effort - these dev units are usually simple plastic rectangles.
While the pictures aren't of the best quality or taken in studio conditions they do reveal a lot about the pictured smartphone. For one it sheds off the iconic home button and replaces it with a real edge-to-edge display (although we can't see the actual screen underneath).
Then there's the design - it's sloped towards the edges, which coincides with a patent application from the Cupertino company that was approved last week.
The sketch from the Apple patent application
However, we have to note that this kind of design isn't typical of Apple. The company tends to favor more squarish designs, which allow it to make full use of the space within the smartphone's chassis and create more compact devices.
Alleged iPhone 5S prototype (click for larger images)
We urge you to take these photos with several pinches of salt as the device pictured above could either be photoshopped or even digitally rendered altogether. Even the guy who sent them in couldn't swear by their authenticity.
There's one scenario that might make sense here - what you are seeing could be a prototype on which Apple is working. All major manufacturers consider and test a number of different designs before settling on the final version. It might also be a case specially designed to conceal the look of the Apple iPhone 5S, but that seems too much effort - these dev units are usually simple plastic rectangles.
iPhone 5S to reveal on June 20, go on sale July, claims report
Source
A report from Japanese Web Site MacFan seems the first to suggest a specific date for the launch of the next iPhone.
(Credit:
Apple)
Apple will unveil its next iPhone on June 20 and kick off sales in
July. At least, that's the claim from Japanese Mac enthusiast site
MacFan.Marking its 20th anniversary as a Mac-oriented Web site, MacFan suggests that the next-generation iPhone will take the stage at a Apple event on Thursday, June 20. The new iPhone will then go on sale a few weeks later in early July, as reported by Electronista.
The report further claims that Apple will launch the much-rumored low-cost iPhone in August and target it as a pre-paid device for developing markets such as China and India.
Electronista dubs the rumor plausible but doesn't indicate where or how MacFan got its information.
A June or July launch timeframe for the iPhone 5S has been proposed by other Apple watchers and even a couple of analysts. Apple did release the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4 during the June and July period and only switched to fall for the iPhone 4S and 5.
How does MacFan's claims stack up with other recent rumors?
- Apple analyst Gene Munster expects the iPhone 5S to launch in late June, followed by the low-cost model in the September quarter.
- KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will announce the next iPhone in June and offer it for sale in July.
- Japanese Apple blog Macotakara said earlier this month that production of the next iPhone had already gotten off the ground.
A June 20 event would come hot on the heels of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which typically runs throughout the second week of the month. In the past, Apple actually used WWDC to announce new iPhone models, including the iPhone 4, 3GS, and 3. So, if Apple returns to a June iPhone launch, an announcement during this year's WWDC seems the more likely timeframe.
Apple launched the iPhone 5 last September in large part to end its September quarter with a bang.
But the company then proceeded to unveil a new iPad, the iPad Mini, a new iPod Touch, and other refreshed products in October. If Apple continues to stack all its product launches in the fall, it leaves the company with little to announce the other three quarters of any given year.
Apple could generate even more attention for its new products if it spaces out the launches throughout the year, in essence a return to its older strategy.
But the company then proceeded to unveil a new iPad, the iPad Mini, a new iPod Touch, and other refreshed products in October. If Apple continues to stack all its product launches in the fall, it leaves the company with little to announce the other three quarters of any given year.
Apple could generate even more attention for its new products if it spaces out the launches throughout the year, in essence a return to its older strategy.
The next iPhone Rumored to be a marginal update
Sources from the Apple supply
chain are at it again. This time the rumors circulate around the end of
May arrival of components, which would point to an arrival of the next
iPhone in the the third quarter of this year.
According to said sources the next iPhone will allegedly be a marginal upgrade of the iPhone 5 (perhaps called the iPhone 5S). The next-gen iPhone should come with an improved processor, perhaps a higher-megapixel camera with new module or even a redesigned flash ("Smart Flash") with white and yellow LED's in order to improve color reproduction.
Foxconn Electronics chairman Terry Guo has noted that he expects company performance to start picking up after April or May, which could coincide with the beginning of the production of the latest iPhone.
According to the sources if the components supply goes smoothly the next-gen i Device could be delivered to retail channels in 1 to 2 weeks time, which would mean a realistic Q3 launch (Apple needs to gather up stock as the production rate is far lower than initial demand).
Finally reports are mentioning a cheaper, plastic-made iPhone too, but as we are getting the "cheaper iPhone" each year we take those rumors with an extra pinch of salt. Besides, every time the new iPhone comes out last-year's model gets discounted, technically making it the "cheaper iPhone".
According to said sources the next iPhone will allegedly be a marginal upgrade of the iPhone 5 (perhaps called the iPhone 5S). The next-gen iPhone should come with an improved processor, perhaps a higher-megapixel camera with new module or even a redesigned flash ("Smart Flash") with white and yellow LED's in order to improve color reproduction.
Foxconn Electronics chairman Terry Guo has noted that he expects company performance to start picking up after April or May, which could coincide with the beginning of the production of the latest iPhone.
According to the sources if the components supply goes smoothly the next-gen i Device could be delivered to retail channels in 1 to 2 weeks time, which would mean a realistic Q3 launch (Apple needs to gather up stock as the production rate is far lower than initial demand).
Finally reports are mentioning a cheaper, plastic-made iPhone too, but as we are getting the "cheaper iPhone" each year we take those rumors with an extra pinch of salt. Besides, every time the new iPhone comes out last-year's model gets discounted, technically making it the "cheaper iPhone".
Rumors:Apple, Samsung to Announce wireless phone charging
Both companies will add wireless charging capabilities to their new smartphones this year, says DigiTimes.
(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)
Owners of the iPhone 5S or Galaxy S4 will be able to charge their phones wirelessly, claim the folks at DigiTimes.Based on "industry sources," Taiwan-based DigiTimes said today that the next-generation iPhone will use wireless charging technology developed by Apple. But the sources couldn't say whether the phone would be built with the wireless charging feature or rely on an attached accessory.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 is expected to support the Qi wireless charging technology, which already is used by Nokia and other mobile vendors. The S4 may not include the capability itself but instead require users to buy a back cover that can access a charging pad.
DigiTimes has a history of hits and misses as far as reliability goes, so this report should be taken with a grain of salt.
Apple, at least, doesn't seem to be sold on the idea of wireless charging.
In an interview with AllThingsD last September, Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller questioned the convenience of wireless charging systems since they still need to be plugged into a wall outlet. In contrast, the current USB cables can be plugged into computers, outlets, and even on airplanes, he added.
"Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Schiller told AllThingsD.
For those enamored with wireless charging, third-party products like the Powermat and Energizer Qi already provide the technology for many smartphones and other devices.
Court rules Apple is to pay $330K a day over Facetime patents
Taken From Gsmarena
Last November a jury in Texas decided
that Apple was to pay VirnetX, a firm that holds patents relative to
Apple services FaceTime and iMessage, royalties that amount to $368
million. On Tuesday evening that ruling was upheld and the four patents
in question were reaffirmed as infringed. The patents relate to creating
a virtual private network between two devices (or VPN).
The judge on Tuesday evening also ruled that until some sort of
patent licensing agreement has been reached between Apple and VirnetX,
the Cupertino-based company has to pay $330 thousand a day to the
plaintiff.No injunctions were issued but the judge did appoint a 45 day period in which the two companies need to reach an agreement before a final ruling will be enforced.
By applying simple math here - if Apple doesn't find a way to settle the patent dispute in the 45 days it would owe Virmex another $14.85 million. It's more than possible that Apple will pay even more before this whole thing is over.
Apple's case last November was that the patents in question relate to a very small part of the products in question (FaceTime and iMessage) and VirnetX shouldn't be entitled to any royalties.
of course, any normal person would expect Apple and VirnetX to reach some sort of patent licensing deal before the 45 day period has expired but legal battles have their mysterious ways.
Apple loses iPhone trademark in Brazil -- report
The
company found out today from Brazilian regulators that it could not own
the trademark originally registered to Gradiente Eletronica.
(Credit:
Josh Lowensohn/CNET)
Apple has lost its iPhone trademark in Brazil, a new report claims.The BBC is reporting today, citing conversations with employees in the country's regulatory body, the Institute of Industry Property (INPI), that Gradiente Eletronica's registration for the name in 2000 has been validated. Apple, therefore, has no right to use the iPhone name in Brazil.
The INPI confirmed to the BBC, however, that Apple is planning to appeal the ruling.
The INPI ruling comes a little over a week after reports out of the country said that the regulatory body was planning to award the exclusive iPhone trademark to Gradiente.
Despite filing for the iPhone trademark in 2000, Gradiente did not actually put out its own product bearing the name until last December when it started selling Android-based handsets -- a wrinkle that Apple believed, would help it win the rights to the branding. Gradiente has said that it owns the exclusive rights to the iPhone name in Brazil through 2018.
Apple is certainly no stranger to battles over trademarks. In early 2007, the company settled a trademark-infringement case with Cisco Systems, which originally owned the iPhone moniker. Apple last year settled another lawsuit with China-based company Proview over the use of the iPad trademark. Proview netted $60 million in that deal.
It's not clear whether Gradiente is looking to settle the case and net millions or maintain the exclusivity of the iPhone branding. However, a report last week quoted a company official who said Gradiente would be "open to a dialogue" with Apple.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment on INPI's ruling. We will update this story when we have more information.
This story has been updated throughout the morning.
A newly found iOS 6.1 glitch allows you to bypass the passcode lock
The latest edition of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system hasn’t exactly has the smoothest of rides. First it was network connectivity issues and now it’s this glitch, which lets you bypass the passcode lock.An observant user found a way to enter the menu of a pass protected iPhone in a just a few easy steps. According to the tipster, the exploit works on all the iPhones running on iOS 6.1.