Apple sends out Apple Campus 2 brochure to new neighborsApple has reportedly sent out a shiny brochure to their new neighbors, detailing aspects of the futuristic campus they’re planning to build on the old HP lot. Apple has reportedly sent out a shiny brochure to their new neighbors, detailing aspects of the futuristic campus they’re [...]
Hello, I am going to factory reset my phone. However, my question is, since this is a complete reset will it also rollback to the version of Android that the EVO was launched with? For example, I know have version 2.3.5. Will it roll it all the way back to 2.1? I just want my data erased, I want to keep all my system updates including whatever updates Sprint sent. Do I have anything to worry about?
Also, the EVO I'm resetting is deactivated. Once the reset is complete will I be able to fully use my phone without the need of a Sprint connection? I have Wifi so that will do.
We're glad you asked! We get this one a lot, and we can see why the term factory data reset would make one think it was being returned to the factory, out-of-box condition. Thankfully, it's not. A factory reset will erase all user settings (things like home screen customizations, Wifi networks, sound settings and the like) and delete all apps downloaded from the Google Play store. It won't touch anything that's part of the system files, so your worse case scenario (and actually the likely scenario) is that system apps that have been updated from the Google Play store (things like the Gmail app or Maps) will just need updated from the Play store again. You'll still be on the latest 2.3.5 version, but the rest will be clean like a new device.
As for it working without Sprint service, everything but calls and SMS/MMS will work just fine. I've had my EVO 4G unactivated for over a year now and use it to keep little ones occupied when they come for a visit. Using Wifi, all your Google services, including the important one — the Google Play store — will still work just fine. Good luck, and have fun with your new EVO PDA!
Have a question you need answered? (Preferably about Android, but we're flexible.) Hit up our Contact Page to get in touch!
Motorola yesterday updated its device update schedule, with the crux being that we'll finally start to see some phones get Ice Cream Sandwich in the next month or so. Specifically, that's the Droid RAZR/MAXX, with the Atrix, Atrix 2, Droid 4 and Xyboards getting it in Q3.
Have a Droid 3 or Droid X2? Sorry, you're out of luck. And today Motorola expanded on why, saying:
"… obviously we want the new release to improve our devices. If we determine that can’t be done—well then, we’re not able to upgrade that particular device."
Interesting choice of words. What it probably means is that Moto determined that the cost in time and effort to update those older phones to ICS outweighs the benefit of Ice Cream Sandwich, which indeed sucks given how young those phones are. But that's the crapshoot we all enter into these days, unfortunately.
Good luck convincing folks that Ice Cream Sandwich won't improve their phones, Moto.
You can get the full statement at the source link below.
There’s a funny cartoon out there of some cows in a pasture eating grass. One cow’s head is lifted up with a sense of horror on his face and the caption reads, “Hey wait a minute! This is grass! We’ve … Continue reading →
Compared to all the drama stateside surrounding the customs woes of HTC's new handsets, it was a fairly quiet week for international Android news. But even a quiet week here in the Android world has its share of phone launches, update news, release announcements and the like, so let's dive right in.
We got our first peek at the HTC Desire C this week, as HTC prepares to launch its successor to the Wildfire S. With NFC, ICS and Beats Audio on-board, the Desire C looks like a surprisingly feature-packed little device, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on it in the near future for a full review. Speaking of reviews, we wrapped up our Motorola Motoluxe review this week — Richard found it to be a well-built entry-level handset, albeit one that's limited by Moto's slightly janky software additions.
And the countdown to the Samsung Galaxy S III launch continues — T-Mobile UK announced its pricing for the device, and we heard that some stores in the UK will be opening the evening before the official launch day to give eager pre-order customers the chance to pick up their handsets.
We also got a release date for an Android flagship from another manufacturer — LG revealed that it'll launch the Optimus 4X HD in Europe starting in June.
Check out some choice cuts from the past week's international Android developments below, and if you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.
Compared to all the drama stateside surrounding the customs woes of HTC's new handsets, it was a fairly quiet week for international Android news. But even a quiet week here in the Android world has its share of phone launches, update news, release announcements and the like, so let's dive right in.
We got our first peek at the HTC Desire C this week, as HTC prepares to launch its successor to the Wildfire S. With NFC, ICS and Beats Audio on-board, the Desire C looks like a surprisingly feature-packed little device, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on it in the near future for a full review. Speaking of reviews, we wrapped up our Motorola Motoluxe review this week — Richard found it to be a well-built entry-level handset, albeit one that's limited by Moto's slightly janky software additions.
And the countdown to the Samsung Galaxy S III launch continues — T-Mobile UK announced its pricing for the device, and we heard that some stores in the UK will be opening the evening before the official launch day to give eager pre-order customers the chance to pick up their handsets.
We also got a release date for an Android flagship from another manufacturer — LG revealed that it'll launch the Optimus 4X HD in Europe starting in June.
Check out some choice cuts from the past week's international Android developments below, and if you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.
That shy crispy chicken wanted to hide! It’s small. But what do you expect for a dollar? Anyway, thanks to this cross section, we can verify that there is indeed chicken in there. More from The Stir: Burger King’s Fab … Continue reading →
Recently, HuffPost blogger Lisa Turner offered five religiously inspired rules for eating: 1. Eat mindfully, being aware of the food and your body.2. Eat for the purpose of nourishing your body; treat your body as a temple.3. Eat only fresh, … Continue reading → Source: http://www.55230.info/rachel-marie-stone-the-antinomian-religious-diet-2/ Yahoo Yahoo Xilinx Western Digital Volt Information Sciences Vishay [...]
Regulators in China have approved the multi-billion dollar purchase of Motorola Mobility by Google. The particulars have already been approved in the US and elsewhere, and China has been the lone holdout. With that bit of dirty business behind them, the deal can now go forward. In statements released to Bloomberg Motorola and Google both confirm the news, and are looking forward to getting the loose ends tied up in short order.
We expect things to stay unchanged between Google and Motorola, as we've heard numerous times that Motorola will remain an independent entity. Only time will let us know how that turns out. It will be an interesting summer, that's for sure.
Motorola yesterday updated its device update schedule, with the crux being that we'll finally start to see some phones get Ice Cream Sandwich in the next month or so. Specifically, that's the Droid RAZR/MAXX, with the Atrix, Atrix 2, Droid 4 and Xyboards getting it in Q3.
Have a Droid 3 or Droid X2? Sorry, you're out of luck. And today Motorola expanded on why, saying:
"… obviously we want the new release to improve our devices. If we determine that can’t be done—well then, we’re not able to upgrade that particular device."
Interesting choice of words. What it probably means is that Moto determined that the cost in time and effort to update those older phones to ICS outweighs the benefit of Ice Cream Sandwich, which indeed sucks given how young those phones are. But that's the crapshoot we all enter into these days, unfortunately.
Good luck convincing folks that Ice Cream Sandwich won't improve their phones, Moto.
You can get the full statement at the source link below.
Hello, I am going to factory reset my phone. However, my question is, since this is a complete reset will it also rollback to the version of Android that the EVO was launched with? For example, I know have version 2.3.5. Will it roll it all the way back to 2.1? I just want my data erased, I want to keep all my system updates including whatever updates Sprint sent. Do I have anything to worry about?
Also, the EVO I'm resetting is deactivated. Once the reset is complete will I be able to fully use my phone without the need of a Sprint connection? I have Wifi so that will do.
We're glad you asked! We get this one a lot, and we can see why the term factory data reset would make one think it was being returned to the factory, out-of-box condition. Thankfully, it's not. A factory reset will erase all user settings (things like home screen customizations, Wifi networks, sound settings and the like) and delete all apps downloaded from the Google Play store. It's won't touch anything that's part of the system files, so your worse case scenario (and actually the likely scenario) is that system apps that have been updated from the Google Play store (things like the Gmail app or Maps) will just need updated from the Play store again. You'll still be on the latest 2.3.5 version, but the rest will be clean like a new device.
As for it working without Sprint service, everything but calls and SMS/MMS will work just fine. I've had my EVO 4G unactivated for over a year now and use it to keep little nes occupied when they come for a visit. Using Wifi, all your Google services, including the important one — the Google Play store — will still work just fine. Good luck, and have fun with your new EVO PDA!
Have a question you need answered? (Preferably about Android, but we're flexible.) Hit up our Contact Page to get in touch!
Compared to all the drama stateside surrounding the customs woes of HTC's new handsets, it was a fairly quiet week for international Android news. But even a quiet week here in the Android world has its share of phone launches, update news, release announcements and the like, so let's dive right in.
We got our first peek at the HTC Desire C this week, as HTC prepares to launch its successor to the Wildfire S. With NFC, ICS and Beats Audio on-board, the Desire C looks like a surprisingly feature-packed little device, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on it in the near future for a full review. Speaking of reviews, we wrapped up our Motorola Motoluxe review this week — Richard found it to be a well-built entry-level handset, albeit one that's limited by Moto's slightly janky software additions.
And the countdown to the Samsung Galaxy S III launch continues — T-Mobile UK announced its pricing for the device, and we heard that some stores in the UK will be opening the evening before the official launch day to give eager pre-order customers the chance to pick up their handsets.
We also got a release date for an Android flagship from another manufacturer — LG revealed that it'll launch the Optimus 4X HD in Europe starting in June.
Check out some choice cuts from the past week's international Android developments below, and if you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.
On April 17, the California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616) — more commonly known as the California Cottage Food Bill — passed the California Assembly Committee on Health, bringing small food operators in California one step closer to being able … Continue reading →
Over at The Eater, Talia Baiocchi is a bit offended, or at least disheartened, that America’s most powerful wine buyer doesn’t believe that wine is much more special than toilet paper or tin foil. Talia, a keen observer of the … Continue reading →
Motorola yesterday updated its device update schedule, with the crux being that we'll finally start to see some phones get Ice Cream Sandwich in the next month or so. Specifically, that's the Droid RAZR/MAXX, with the Atrix, Atrix 2, Droid 4 and Xyboards getting it in Q3.
Have a Droid 3 or Droid X2? Sorry, you're out of luck. And today Motorola expanded on why, saying:
"… obviously we want the new release to improve our devices. If we determine that can’t be done—well then, we’re not able to upgrade that particular device."
Interesting choice of words. What it probably means is that Moto determined that the cost in time and effort to update those older phones to ICS outweighs the benefit of Ice Cream Sandwich, which indeed sucks given how young those phones are. But that's the crapshoot we all enter into these days, unfortunately.
Good luck convincing folks that Ice Cream Sandwich won't improve their phones, Moto.
You can get the full statement at the source link below.
iMore picks of the week: Flipboard, N.O.V.A. 3, olloclip Every week iMore’s editors carefully cull through hundreds of thousands of iPhone and iPad apps and games, and countless accessories, to find the three most interesting, innovative, and attention worthy iOS products for you to check out. They might might be the latest and greatest or the most newly updated, or they might be classics or hidden gems. The only constant is, they’ll always be among our very favorites, and they’ll join the exclusive ranks of iMore’s picks of the week. This week we have an old social favorite with new social hook, the sequel to the sequel of one of the best shooters ever, and way to give your iPhone an incredible new set of eyes…
Every week iMore’s editors carefully cull through hundreds of thousands of iPhone and iPad apps and games, and countless accessories, to find the three most interesting, innovative, and exciting iOS products for you to check out. They might might be the latest and greatest or the most newly updated, or they might be classics or hidden gems. The only constants are, they’ll always be among our very favorites, and they’ll worthy to join the exclusive ranks of iMore’s new picks of the week.
This week we have an old social favorite with new social hook, the sequel to the sequel of one of the best shooters ever, and way to give your iPhone an incredible new set of eyes…
App of the Week: Flipboard with SoundCloud
Flipboard is a dynamic, up-to-date, but highly personalized magazine created from everything being shared to you from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Reeder, LinkedIn, Flickr and most recently added, SoundCloud.
That’s right, now you can enjoy amazing sounds created and shared by your friends and people you follow on SoundCloud as well as explore dozens of recommended audio feeds in new Audio category in the Content Guide.
Using Flipboard is joyous. You simply flip through the different stories in your feeds that are displayed with big images and an expert of text. When reading an article, advancing through pages also requires the act of “flipping”. It’s actually pretty fun.
This week, there was really only iOS game worth talking about: Gameloft’s N.O.V.A. 3. The franchise has long been meeting the needs of hardcore Halo fans looking for something similar on their iPhone, and over time, N.O.V.A. has very much come into its own.
You play the role of Kal Wardin, a reluctant (and supposedly retired) military man who’s the only one with the skills to fend off the usual intergalactic threats. Your standard assortment of shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, grenades, and missile launchers are supplemented by superhuman abilities like slowing time, telekentic force pushes, and freezing enemies. Though there’s a 10-level single player campaign, the real game takes place online, where you fight 6 v 6 across a variety of classic game modes, like team deathmatch, free for all, and capture the flag. As you play, win or lose, you gain experience points and level up, which unlocks new weapons, equipment, and add-ons to spawn with. One of the most exciting elements of multiplayer is the ability to hop into a variety of awesome high-tech vehicles, like walker mechs and jeeps.
This sci-fi first-person shooter boasts Retina-optimized graphics for both iPhone and iPad, but be warned new iPad owners – the price for razor-sharp textures is steep. In order to keep the framerate up, you’ll be sacrificing lots of cool effects like depth of field and motion blur. Gameloft is also trying to push in-app purchases for guns, which is a trapping generally left to free games, but luckily you can earn all the in-game currency you need through regular gameplay.
N.O.V.A. 3 provides top-notch action, great multiplayer, and graphics that you will have a hard time finding anywhere else on iOS. Although many scoff at dual-stick shooters on mobile, I find Gameloft has done a great job at integrating gyroscope control since Modern Combat 3, particularly for fine aim adjustments. I also take zero issue with the “inspiration” they pull from sci-fi games on other platforms; if Halo isn’t ever going to find its way to the iPhone and iPad, then more power to Gameloft for bringing it here. For action game fans, N.O.V.A. 3 is a no-brainer.
The olloclip is a compact, convenient lens system that easily slides over your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S camera and turns it into a fun, flexible, photography powerhouse. The olloclip contains both a fisheye and wide-angle lens, and you can unscrew the wide-angle to reveal a macro lens as well. That’s 3 extra options in one small package.
We used the olloclip extensively at both CES 2012 and Macworld|iWorld Expo 2012 and it worked fantastically well. The fisheye let us fit multiple people into frame for video interviews, and the macro let us get in really close for details. We even used the macro to capture the Retina display comparison shots for our new iPad review.
Combine it with the killer tips in our iPhone photography column and you’re on your way to one fairly incredible ultra-mobile photo kit.
Sexy Long Hair Styles for Summer by BecomeGorgeous.comAccentuate your features with one of these sexy long hair styles for summer. Ask an experienced stylist to grant you with one of these ultra-voguish hair designs. Hair / Newest Trends by Ikonomakis … Continue reading →
Regulators in China have approved the multi-billion dollar purchase of Motorola Mobility by Google. The particulars have already been approved in the US and elsewhere, and China has been the lone holdout. With that bit of dirty business behind them, the deal can now go forward. In statements released to Bloomberg Motorola and Google both confirm the news, and are looking forward to getting the loose ends tied up in short order.
We expect things to stay unchanged between Google and Motorola, as we've heard numerous times that Motorola will remain an independent entity. Only time will let us know how that turns out. It will be an interesting summer, that's for sure.
Hello, I am going to factory reset my phone. However, my question is, since this is a complete reset will it also rollback to the version of Android that the EVO was launched with? For example, I know have version 2.3.5. Will it roll it all the way back to 2.1? I just want my data erased, I want to keep all my system updates including whatever updates Sprint sent. Do I have anything to worry about?
Also, the EVO I'm resetting is deactivated. Once the reset is complete will I be able to fully use my phone without the need of a Sprint connection? I have Wifi so that will do.
We're glad you asked! We get this one a lot, and we can see why the term factory data reset would make one think it was being returned to the factory, out-of-box condition. Thankfully, it's not. A factory reset will erase all user settings (things like home screen customizations, Wifi networks, sound settings and the like) and delete all apps downloaded from the Google Play store. It's won't touch anything that's part of the system files, so your worse case scenario (and actually the likely scenario) is that system apps that have been updated from the Google Play store (things like the Gmail app or Maps) will just need updated from the Play store again. You'll still be on the latest 2.3.5 version, but the rest will be clean like a new device.
As for it working without Sprint service, everything but calls and SMS/MMS will work just fine. I've had my EVO 4G unactivated for over a year now and use it to keep little nes occupied when they come for a visit. Using Wifi, all your Google services, including the important one — the Google Play store — will still work just fine. Good luck, and have fun with your new EVO PDA!
Have a question you need answered? (Preferably about Android, but we're flexible.) Hit up our Contact Page to get in touch!
That shy crispy chicken wanted to hide! It’s small. But what do you expect for a dollar? Anyway, thanks to this cross section, we can verify that there is indeed chicken in there. More from The Stir: Burger King’s Fab … Continue reading →
It seems like some sort of cruel joke that the warm-weather season’s tastiest drinks — thick and creamy milkshakes, rich blended frappes, and the like — can be some of the biggest threats to your swimsuit figure (Photo Credit: BrandEating.com). … Continue reading →
If you're in the UK and have a high-end HTC phone or tablet, you'll want to check the bundled HTC Watch application this weekend. HTC has 200 movies available to rent for just 5p this weekend, as part of its HTC Watch 5p Weekend Special. HTC Watch has grown considerably since it first appeared on the Sensation last year, which means there's a surprisingly good selection of flicks on offer as part of the 5p deal (we've got the full list after the break.)
Unfortunately we're not seeing any sign of any similar deals on our US-bound HTC devices, but if the promotion proves a success on this side of the pond, there's a chance we may see it expanded to other territories.
Check past the break for the full list of movies on the 5p rentals list.
The May 18 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Qmadix Metalix Snap-On Cover for Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX. The durable but lightweight, textured polycarbonate border on the case helps to keep a firm grip on your device and aluminum alloy accents enhance the look for the RAZR MAXX without adding bulk or unwanted weight. Comes in black, blue, red, and purple.
On April 17, the California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616) — more commonly known as the California Cottage Food Bill — passed the California Assembly Committee on Health, bringing small food operators in California one step closer to being able … Continue reading →
The May 18 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Qmadix Metalix Snap-On Cover for Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX. The durable but lightweight, textured polycarbonate border on the case helps to keep a firm grip on your device and aluminum alloy accents enhance the look for the RAZR MAXX without adding bulk or unwanted weight. Comes in black, blue, red, and purple.
Samsung's teasing it on its Facebook page today, but the full advert's already leaked out on Twitter — David Beckham's doing his thing for Samsung and the Galaxy Note. Some folks in the forums have opined that we're looking at a "new" Galaxy Note (and indeed the "new Galaxy Note with "Premium Suite" upgrade" is mentioned, but it more to us like Samsung's just promoting that "Premium Suite" upgrade that includes Ice Cream Sandwich and started pushing recently. The description on the teaser points to something going down May 22, so stay tuned. (Our guess: More with the Olympic torch, which Becks helped welcome to the UK today.)
We've got the teaser and the full video after the break. Check it out before it gets pulled.
Recently, HuffPost blogger Lisa Turner offered five religiously inspired rules for eating: 1. Eat mindfully, being aware of the food and your body.2. Eat for the purpose of nourishing your body; treat your body as a temple.3. Eat only fresh, … Continue reading →
With all the recent news about forcing customers to use shared data plans we saw this week, T-Mobile wanted to let everyone know their stance on the situation. Posting on the company's Issues and Insights blog, Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president of marketing, says "T-Mobile believes that consumers today do not want a ‘one size fits all’ approach to shared family data plans, nor would they benefit from that model". ?Reading through the sentiment in the comments on the recent Verizon news, and one would have to assume he is right.
Reading and watching David poke at Goliath is fun (in some twisted kind of blogger way) but there's one big variable still not defined — how much shared data, and how much will it cost. With a reasonably high cap, at a reasonably low price, I can see the benefit in a shared data poll across multiple devices. Saying goodbye to a 5GB plan for your phone, your tablet, and your data card or hotspot, and hello to a shared 10 GB plan at half the cost is an offer many would jump on, even if the cost per kilobyte increases.
One thing Sherrard is saying that I think most would agree with is that "Customers who pay more, should get more". There are many ways for Verizon (and AT&T, who surely won't be far behind) to make this a change for the good. Until we see the plans and pricing, I'm not ready to crucify anyone just yet. If everything holds true, we'll know more in about a month.
The Weather Channel for iPhone review The Weather Channel for iPhone is the most popular alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app and it recently received a complete makeover. It still has all the great features of the previous design, but the new UI is much more beautiful and user friendly.
The Weather Channel for iPhone is the most popular alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app and it recently received a complete makeover. It still has all the great features of the previous design, but the new UI is much more beautiful and user friendly.
The main screen of the Weather Channel displays the location (with zip code) and the temperature in a nice big font. In smaller letters underneath the temperature, you’ll find what the temperature “feels like” and the high and lows for the day. If you tap the + sign, you’ll find more detailed information for wind, humidity, UV index, dew point, visibility, pressure, and sunrise and sunset times.
The background of the home screen will change depending on the time of day and current weather conditions. You can also customize it with your own photo.
In addition to the current conditions, The Weather Channel also has tabs for the hourly, 36 hour, and 10 day forecasts.
The other sections in The Weather Channel are Map, Video, Social and In Season.
The Map tab lets you layer radar, clouds, radar/clouds, temperature, feels like, 24-hr rainfall, 24-hour snowfall, and UV index over the map. There is a key at the top so you know what the colors on the map represent.
The Video section is filled with must-see, local, and world videos as well as videos that are on TV.
The Social tab lets you read tweets about the weather both nearby and regionally. You can also check out photos taken by other Weather Channel users in the iWitness section.
From the In Season tab, you can check pollen, hurricane, and tide forecasts. The pollen and hurricane forecasts include maps and diagrams and are very informative. The marine section breaks the down sea, waves, wind, and high tide information into a nice, easy-to-read 2-day forecast broken down into separate morning, afternoon, even, and night sections.
The good
Much better design than before
Current, hourly, 36-hour, and 10-day forecasts
View maps of clouds, radar, and more
Videos
Read tweets about the weather
View photos taken of the weather
Check pollen, hurricane, and tide forecasts
The bad
Ads are annoying. I would gladly purchase an upgrade that removed them.
The conclusion
The Weather Channel for iPhone was always a good weather app, but now it’s a great alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app. The new UI is much better — both on the eyes and to use.
That shy crispy chicken wanted to hide! It’s small. But what do you expect for a dollar? Anyway, thanks to this cross section, we can verify that there is indeed chicken in there. More from The Stir: Burger King’s Fab … Continue reading →
Regulators in China have approved the multi-billion dollar purchase of Motorola Mobility by Google. The particulars have already been approved in the US and elsewhere, and China has been the lone holdout. With that bit of dirty business behind them, the deal can now go forward. In statements released to Bloomberg Motorola and Google both confirm the news, and are looking forward to getting the loose ends tied up in short order.
We expect things to stay unchanged between Google and Motorola, as we've heard numerous times that Motorola will remain an independent entity. Only time will let us know how that turns out. It will be an interesting summer, that's for sure.
This Saturday, May 19, will be the first-ever global Food Revolution Day. I can not tell you how proud I am that we have more than 500 cities in 57 countries around the world standing up for real food. And … Continue reading →
Born in a former Soviet Union country, Georgia, I never actually knew anything about volunteerism and community service, until I spent a year in the United States as an exchange student. It absolutely changed my life and my views. I … Continue reading →
The Weather Channel for iPhone review The Weather Channel for iPhone is the most popular alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app and it recently received a complete makeover. It still has all the great features of the previous design, but the new UI is much more beautiful and user friendly.
The Weather Channel for iPhone is the most popular alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app and it recently received a complete makeover. It still has all the great features of the previous design, but the new UI is much more beautiful and user friendly.
The main screen of the Weather Channel displays the location (with zip code) and the temperature in a nice big font. In smaller letters underneath the temperature, you’ll find what the temperature “feels like” and the high and lows for the day. If you tap the + sign, you’ll find more detailed information for wind, humidity, UV index, dew point, visibility, pressure, and sunrise and sunset times.
The background of the home screen will change depending on the time of day and current weather conditions. You can also customize it with your own photo.
In addition to the current conditions, The Weather Channel also has tabs for the hourly, 36 hour, and 10 day forecasts.
The other sections in The Weather Channel are Map, Video, Social and In Season.
The Map tab lets you layer radar, clouds, radar/clouds, temperature, feels like, 24-hr rainfall, 24-hour snowfall, and UV index over the map. There is a key at the top so you know what the colors on the map represent.
The Video section is filled with must-see, local, and world videos as well as videos that are on TV.
The Social tab lets you read tweets about the weather both nearby and regionally. You can also check out photos taken by other Weather Channel users in the iWitness section.
From the In Season tab, you can check pollen, hurricane, and tide forecasts. The pollen and hurricane forecasts include maps and diagrams and are very informative. The marine section breaks the down sea, waves, wind, and high tide information into a nice, easy-to-read 2-day forecast broken down into separate morning, afternoon, even, and night sections.
The good
Much better design than before
Current, hourly, 36-hour, and 10-day forecasts
View maps of clouds, radar, and more
Videos
Read tweets about the weather
View photos taken of the weather
Check pollen, hurricane, and tide forecasts
The bad
Ads are annoying. I would gladly purchase an upgrade that removed them.
The conclusion
The Weather Channel for iPhone was always a good weather app, but now it’s a great alternative to Apple’s built-in Weather app. The new UI is much better — both on the eyes and to use.
Motorola yesterday updated its device update schedule, with the crux being that we'll finally start to see some phones get Ice Cream Sandwich in the next month or so. Specifically, that's the Droid RAZR/MAXX, with the Atrix, Atrix 2, Droid 4 and Xyboards getting it in Q3.
Have a Droid 3 or Droid X2? Sorry, you're out of luck. And today Motorola expanded on why, saying:
"… obviously we want the new release to improve our devices. If we determine that can’t be done—well then, we’re not able to upgrade that particular device."
Interesting choice of words. What it probably means is that Moto determined that the cost in time and effort to update those older phones to ICS outweighs the benefit of Ice Cream Sandwich, which indeed sucks given how young those phones are. But that's the crapshoot we all enter into these days, unfortunately.
Good luck convincing folks that Ice Cream Sandwich won't improve their phones, Moto.
You can get the full statement at the source link below.
Cuboid for iPhone review Cuboid is a fun 3D puzzle game for the iPhone and iPad of flipping and rolling a cuboid through a maze-like puzzle placed in the setting of mystic, ancient ruins.
Cuboid is a fun 3D puzzle game for the iPhone and iPad of flipping and rolling a cuboid through a maze-like puzzle placed in the setting of mystic, ancient ruins.
Cuboid is available on the iPhone and iPad as a universal app, but the screenshots in this review will be from an iPhone, only.
For those who may not know, a cuboid a rectangular solid that is in the shape of a box. In this game, if you were to cut the cuboid in half (longways), the result would be two cubes.
The goal of the game is simple, roll the cuboid through the puzzle so that you get it to fall through the square hole. It’s possible to roll the cuboid off the board, so be careful!
As you progress through the game, new elements such as buttons and teleports will be introduced to the game. When this happens, Cuboid has you play a simple tutorial level so that you understand how the new addition to the game works.
Once you succeed, you will receive 1-3 stars based on how many moves it took you to reach the goal. If you complete the level in the least number of moves possible, the level will also be marked as “etalon”. (An etalon is actually a physics device used to measure wavelengths, so I’m not really sure why this word is used.)
If you’re stuck and can’t figure out how to beat a level, Cuboid includes a hint button that will quickly show you how to beat the level from the cuboid’s current position. You are only given a few hints for free, though. If you want more, you must purchase them from the Cuboid Store.
Which brings me to the parts of Cuboid I do not understand. As you play the game, you earn coins. If you tap the button that says how many coins you have, or you tap the hint icon when you don’t have any left, you are taken to the Cuboid Store. I was expecting to be able to purchase hints with the coins I’ve earned. Nope. My choices are to buy hints or to buy coins… but I can’t figure out what I can do with my coins! Why do I want to buy 1500 coins for $4.99? As far as I can tell, these coins don’t actually have a purpose.
The other horrible thing about Cuboid is ads. Not so much the ads themselves (all ads are always horrible), but the fact that it’s not clear how to get rid of them. I’ve searched through every menu and there is no obvious method of purchasing an upgrade to remove the ads. However, through some trial and error, I discovered that if you tap the X on an ad, you’ll get the offer to remove ads for $0.99. It’s well worth the $0.99, in my opinion, but I can’t believe how difficult it was to find this in-app purchase.
In general, everything except the actual gameplay is very poorly done. There’s no written directions to be found (and that’s a shame, because I’d really like to know why HeroCraft is using the word “etalon” when perfectly beating a level). I would also like to know what all the icons mean in Settings. Music, sound, and hints was easy enough to figure out, but I’m not really sure what the movie icon is for. Despite the ample space on the Settings screen, there is no written description for what settings are actually being changed.
When tapping the ribbon on the main menu, you are taken to the ranking section in Game Center for Cuboid, but there doesn’t appear to be any way to exit this screen. It turns out that the “Done” button is just invisible. If you tap in the upper righthand corner, it briefly appears and activates.
The good
Awesome graphics
Addicting
Challenging
Universal for iPhone and iPad
The bad
No clear, written out directions
To purchase the upgrade for no ads, you must tap the X when an ad pops up
Not sure what the movie icon in settings represents. Again, no words to describe what it is
Game Center ranking page has an invisible Done button. You can’t see it, but if you tap in the upper righthand corner, it briefly appears and activates.
The conclusion
Luckily, none of the bugs I experience affect the actual gameplay of Cuboid. Cuboid is a very fun game and I really like how they’ve added a star value to each level. This allows the game to be played leisurely with the goal of just passing each level, or competitively with the goal of reaching “etalon” status for each level. With that said, HeroCraft does have some serious issues they need to address, mainly the horrible discovery of upgrading to no ads and giving an actual purpose to coins.
