Windows 7 finally more popular than XP, OS X advances past Vista

Windows 7 logo

Taking the spot as the world’s most widely used operating system, Windows 7 has been crowned the new king prior to the launch of Windows 8.

Just seven weeks before Windows 8 will be released by Microsoft, market research firm Net Applications has noted that Windows 7 is now more popular than Windows XP. According to previous data just two years ago, Windows 7 was used by approximately eighteen percent of the market while nearly 62 percent continued to use Windows XP at work and in the office. By the end of August 2012, Windows 7 is now being used by nearly 43 percent of the market while Windows XP is still holding fairly strong at 42.5 percent. As a pre-release preview, Windows 8 is being used by approximately a quarter of a percent of the market, but that figure should change significantly during late October.

Mac OS XAs Windows 7 rose in popularity, Windows Vista continued to sink and bleed market share due to constant issues with performance, privacy and security. Over the past two years, Vista has fallen from about fourteen percent market share to just over six percent. In addition, the total market share of Mac OS X versions 10.4 through 10.8 are now outpacing Windows Vista.

Regarding share by desktop, Windows users make up approximately 92 percent of the market while Mac users come in at seven percent and Linux users make up the remaining one percent. Internet Explorer is still the most widely used browser on desktops with over half of the market, but Google and Mozilla are attracting about one fifth of the market each with Chrome and Firefox.

Regarding operating system share by mobile devices, Apple is the champ in this category with nearly two thirds of the market. Android users make up a little more than a fifth of the market and the remaining thirteen percent include devices like BlackBerry phones, Windows phones and the Kindle. Regarding browser share with mobile devices, Safari is used by approximately 66 percent of the market and Android is around twenty percent. Other popular mobile borwsers include Opera Mini, BlackBerry and Chrome.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

RadioShack announces new wireless service free of contracts

RadioShack

Ideal for anyone that dislikes being stuck in a lengthy wireless contract, RadioShack is rolling out a no-contract wireless service.

Detailed within the Wall Street Journal earlier today, RadioShack is partnering with Leap Wireless in order to offer a new mobile phone service called RadioShack No-Contract Wireless. Available at stores starting tomorrow, RadioShack customers that want a standard cellular phone will be able to choose between two different, no-contract wireless service plans that both offer unlimited text messaging as well as unlimited data. The main difference between the two plans is the amount of minutes offered to the user. The $25 plan offers 300 minutes for voice calls and the $35 plan offers 1000 minutes per month. In addition, anyone using RadioShack’s new service won’t have to sign up for a one-year or two-year contract. This is ideal for customers that aren’t interested in being locked into a specific carrier for an extended period of time. It’s also helpful for anyone with a poor credit history. 

Huawei Mercury IceHowever, RadioShack customers that are interested in a smartphone will have to spend more money each month. While the two service plans for smartphones both offer unlimited voice minutes as well as unlimited text messaging, there are data caps in place. At the $50-a-month service level, users have 1GB of 3G data usage before the data is throttled by Leap Wireless. Additional data at full speed can be purchased at a price of $1 per 50MB of data which translates to $20 per 1GB of data.  

At the $60-a-month price, users get to utilize 2.5GB of data each month before data throttling kicks in. In addition, users get extra features like unlimited 411 directory assistance, mobile hotspot tethering and unlimited international texts. Users at the $50 level can use 411 directory assistance and international texting, but at an extra cost.

Along with the launch of the no-contract wireless service, RadioShack will be selling the Huawei Mercury Ice and the Huawei Pillar to go with the service. At a price of $149.99, the Android-powered Huawei Mercury Ice offers a 4-inch display, a 8-megapixel camera and a 1.4-GHz processor. The less-advanced Huawei Pillar will be sold at a modest price of $39.99 and offers a built-in camera, full QWERTY keyboard and mobile Web access. RadioShack representatives are also planning on launching two more phones before the end of the month.

Leap-WirelessAccording to the Journal, RadioShack is attempting to take advantage of the large demand for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets despite the small margin of profit.

With thousands of retails locations in the United States, RadioShack management hopes to leverage the company’s visibility to attract more wireless customers. Both RadioShack and Leap Wireless are in a position where each company needs to increase profitability over the next year to appease investors.

With the RadioShack No-Contract Wireless service, RadioShack will be going up against companies like Virgin Mobile. For instance, Virgin Mobile offers more competitive pricing on no-contract smartphone plans. Customers can get unlimited data and texting with Virgin Mobile for as little as $35 per month. Even with enabling a mobile hotspot on a HTC EVO V, a Virgin Mobile customer could spend as little as $50 per month without signing up for a contract.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia offers free streaming music for Lumia owners with Nokia Music

Nokia Lumia 800 - Magenta music

Nokia Music is Nokia's second attempt with launching a free music streaming service, this time offering curated playlists and zero cost of entry for Lumia owners.

Nokia has been building hype around its Nokia 920 and 820 debuts tomorrow at Nokia World. To add to the flames, Nokia has announced that it will be launching a playlist-style, free music streaming service in the United States.

This won’t be its first foray into tunes: Nokia once boasted a now defunct music streaming service, Ovi Music Unlimited. The service had the support of music from EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Music, and with the purchase of select Nokia smartphones, owners were offered a free 12-month subscription to the service. Unfortunately for Nokia, with Spotify, Pandora and other streaming services, Ovi Music Unlimited never took off.

The new steaming music service, Nokia Music, will be made available completely free of charge for its users, and can be downloaded onto the Nokia 900 and 710 from Marketplace. It will be absent of subscriptions and registrations and users won’t find a hint of advertising on the service. Other music streaming services typically require users to pay a small fee to rid of the advertising. In addition to these perks, users can listen to music offline.

There’s even a geolocation feature that has been integrated into the service. Based on a user’s current location, the platform will discover live concerts, gigs and other shows that are happening around their position.

“The USA is the most vibrant and competitive digital music market in the world — by a wide margin. We have worked extra hard to ensure our service meets the expectations of the demanding, active and inspired music fans in the USA,” Jyrki Rosenberg, VP of Entertainment at Nokia, said in a statement.

The service has its limits however. Most notably, users will not be able to select specific artists, or songs. Instead, Nokia Music users will have to resort to listening to music from among the 150 playlists that are curated by Nokia’s expert music staffers in the United States and musicians like Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga and Rhianna. 

Nokia has a lot riding on the success of its smartphone business. The Nokia 900 phone, its first Windows Phone, wasn’t exactly the smashing success Nokia expected and needed. Now with its stock prices dropping into penny-stock territory, much of its future in the smartphone business is rides on the success of the 920 and 820. Whether incentives like Nokia Music will lure Android iPhone users to these new devices remains to be seen. 


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Bad Piggies is Rovio’s new franchise and successor to Angry Birds

angry birds 2

What do you do when you realize you can't remake Angry Birds forever? You make Bad Piggies, a new game about Angry Birds' bad guys.

Rovio, realizing that there might be a limit to how many times it can re-release Angry Birds and trick people into spending another few dollars on the same levels, has announced a successor to the king of mobile games: Bad Piggies.

That’s right. Innovation in the land of Rovio is making a game about the bad guys from Angry Birds. It will be downloaded million upon millions of times.

Speaking with Fast Company, Rovio VP Petri Jarvilehto said, “We consider this the launch of a new franchise [rather than a sequel].” Does Bad Piggies distinguish itself? Seems so. Rather than destroy structures as in Angry Birds, the goal here is to build vehicles and tools to help the pigs reach those delicious eggs they’re obsessed with.

The game will be out on Sept. 27 and cost 99-cents just like ye olde Angry Birds did when it first came out.

Excitement for the game isn’t at the fever pitch you’d expect based on the profitability of the Angry Birds series. The YouTube teaser for Bad Piggies has clocked just over 365,000 views since Aug. 30. The first teaser for Angry Birds Space has nearly 2.9 million. Maybe people are still angry at those pigs.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

No one gets out of Supermassive’s Until Dawn alive

Until Dawn the game

Supermassive Games looks back to the sub-genre of teen slasher flicks, and hopes to scare gamers Until Dawn.

Horror movies have remained popular in Hollywood, especially with the success of low-budget “found footage” movies like Paranormal Activity and Apollo 18. But there remains an infatuation with classic horror slasher films with remakes like Last Cabin in the Woods, Halloween, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That success has permeated through to video games. Resident Evil has become a household name, while franchises like Silent Hill and Dead Space have the potential to have some crossover appeal. Now Supermassive Games is bringing this teen horror genre to the interactive realm in the PlayStation 3-exclusive Until Dawn. Will Byles, executive creative director, explains how this new game, which debuted at Gamescom 2012, was developed to take advantage of PlayStation Move in this exclusive interview.

What were your goals heading into this game?

We wanted to bring a brand new experience to PlayStation and make a truly playable teen horror game. Until Dawn is unashamedly a teen horror experience. We use teen horror tropes, brought up-to-date, to make it scary, sexy, and funny. It’s important to us that the game is as watchable as it is playable, so we’ve been working directly with a Hollywood horror legend to bring that classic horror movie feel to the story and the script. We also use some talented young American TV actors to get those scripts performed in a way that’s true to the genre. Obviously, in the movies you, the viewer, have no control over who lives or dies in a teen horror, and there’s always a significant body count. In Until Dawn, you’ll play each of the eight teenagers as they attempt to make it through the night and the script adapts according to the way you play. The number of characters that survive the night really comes down to how you play.

Until Dark the game

What Hollywood films did you draw from for inspiration?

Teen horror is a great sub genre of classic horror with its own conventions and lore. There is a host of great examples from which we took our inspiration, including the classic late ’70s and ’80s slasher movies like Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street, as well as more recent films, like Cabin in the Woods, Scream, and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Teen horror is scary, sexy and funny, and we are no different. We want this game to be as watchable as it is playable so that people can enjoy it in groups as well as on their own. Keeping it true to the genre is immensely important to us and a big part of that is the dialogue so we went to great lengths to find the best writers from the world of horror movies to write for us.

What horror games did you look at?

We looked at as many as we could find — Fatal Frame, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, etc. All of us on the team are big horror fans so it makes the project a lot of fun to work on, but we also wanted to create something new so we haven’t relied too heavily on established tropes.

How did the PlayStation Move open things up for the survival horror genre in this game?

Supermassive Games has some great expertise now with PlayStation Move, so this was a great opportunity to bring our skills to a unique experience. In Until Dawn you play as the teenagers in a mountain lodge miles from anywhere and the power is out. We need to give the characters a way to move and see in the dark — we do that by giving them a flashlight and we map the movement of the flashlight to the PS Move controller. It’s a perfect fit.

until dawn

Can you talk about the challenges of making games scary?

Making something scary requires immersion. We need the player to be involved and part of the action, rather than an onlooker. If something scary happens in the game, we make sure it happens to the player while they’re playing and not to a character in a cut scene. This, together with super intuitive controls, keeps the player immersed. We also tested the scariness of the game by wiring up test subjects and measuring their biometric responses while playing.

What’s the story in this game?

Without giving too much away, the story is about a group of friends revisiting an isolated, luxury mountain lodge; the same location where two of them had gone missing the previous year. One by one they are stalked and killed off.

How do you play with people’s knowledge of horror conventions in this game?

If you’ve seen any teen horror over the past few years then you know what you should and shouldn’t do. Everyone has thought “why would anyone… ever… do that?” while watching a horror movie and now you can find the answer.

How do you feel you’re pushing gameplay forward with this title?

We’re pushing a number of areas with the PS Move controller to make the experience as unique as possible. Making the game watchable as well as playable allows us to give the players a tiered experience. If you want to get deep into the narrative, there’s a full clue system with which you can engage — you don’t have to, but if you do, things may be turn out a little different. The same goes for exploration — adaptive endings based on how you play the game are all there. But, you need to tread carefully because if you die in Until Dawn, your character is gone and the story adapts with you playing as someone else.

Until Dawn gameCan you talk about what types of horrors players will face off against in this game?

Discovering what is going on and why you are all dying is a big part of the overall experience — that’s about all I can tell you right now without giving away too much away.

At this point in its life cycle, what are you able to achieve graphically on PS3 to immerse players in this game world?

I love this part of the cycle, when a console reaches maturity, when we have great shaders, deferred rendering and exhaustive VFX. We can utilize all of the innovation that has gone on before and build upon it. It’s also great having a game where light and dark are intrinsic to survival and exploration. In addition to making the game as beautiful as possible, we want to make the first person horror experience as immersive as we can by losing on screen assists and HUD and keeping everything you need in game so all of the horror is happening to you the player.

What are you most looking forward to players experiencing in Until Dawn?

We want players to experience fully what it would be like to be in a teen horror film. While we want to scare the pants off you, we want to do it while you’re grinning from ear to ear.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Leaked HTC phone rumored to have 1080p display

Leaked HTC phone rumored to have 1080p display

Could this be the new flagship Android phone?

Images of a new HTC smartphone leaked online over the Labor Day weekend, sending the rumor mill into overdrive.

The Chinese PhoneHK forum where the leaked images originated has since taken the pictures down, but not before the blurry shots had a chance to spread across the web.

First the facts. The leaked handset has a slim black form factor with red accents along both sides of the device, consistent with the design of HTC's past Android phones for Verizon.

A blurry Beats Audio logo can also be seen on the back of the mysterious smartphone, confirming its advanced sound capabilities.

Sadly, that is all that can be gleaned from the leaked shots, but that doesn't mean that the speculation stops here.

Could it be HTC's rumored 1080p handset?

The prevailing rumor is that the timing of the leaked handset matches up nicely with earlier rumors of a 1080p capable HTC device.

The HTC6435 was recently revealed through a benchmarking site, notable for offering 5-inch display supposedly capable of full HD resolutions.

It's also rumored to pack a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 chip with an Adreno 320 GPU.

However, the initial benchmark stats suggest it outperforms traditional S4 processors, suggesting it may be a modified version or even the next generation of chips.

It's still unknown if there is any connection between the leaked HTC handset and the powerful HD device rumored earlier this year.

If it turns out to be true, the mysterious smartphone could become a new flagship Android phone for Verizion to help balance the excitement over the rumored iPhone 5 and new Windows Phone 8 devices.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Best Android tablet apps

best android apps tablet

We put together our first list of some of the best Android tablet apps including TweetCaster and Craigslist HD.


We’ve been recommending our favorite Android apps for years, but as of late, the Android Market Google Play store has been getting more and more apps built from the ground up for tablets. As such, we give you our first five recommendations for the Best Android Tablet apps. We’ll update this list on a semi regular basis with new picks. Let us know which tablet apps you like, don’t like, or recommend in the comments below. Please, however, don’t just plug your own app. That’s not classy. For the rest of you: enjoy!

Check out our list of the best Android tablets so you can enjoy all these sweet apps.

news360 for tablets icon rss reader android tablet google playNews360 for Tablets

Price: Free

This is the ultimate news aggregator, pulling in the stories you want to read from over 20,000 separate sources. The great thing about News360 is that it learns about your preferences through your social media accounts and apps like Evernote and Google Reader. You can access live news streams and share the stories that matter to you quickly and easily. The app is ideal for consuming news on tablets.

news360 for tablets screenshot android google play

netflix icon android tablet streaming video google playNetflix

Price: Free

As long as you have a Netflix subscription you can enjoy the service on your Android tablet. You can stream TV shows or movies, and you can browse and rate what you watch. The tablet friendly interface is simple, and it enables easy navigation to the content you want, whenever you want it.

 If you want to watch movies and TV shows on your Android tablet, and you have the right subscriptions, then you’ll also be interested in the apps from Comcast and HBO as well. Check out Xfinity TV and HBO GO.

HBO GO is another streaming content app that allows you to watch sports, TV shows, and movies. Xfinity TV is a bit different in that it allows you to use your tablet as a remote control, check TV listings, and schedule recordings.

netflix streaming video instant play android tablet google play

crackle icon android tablets google playCrackle

Price: Free

If you don’t want to bother with subscriptions, but still want movies and TV shows on your tablet then check out Crackle. This ad-supported app offers up free content for you to enjoy. The content is updated every month and naturally most of it is dated. The app is actually owned by Sony and you can always check out the line-up at the Crackle website before you decide to download. There is a dedicated version of this app for Sony tablets called Crackle for Sony Tablet. 

crackle screenshot android tablet streaming video google play

zinio icon magazine app android tablets google playZinio

Price: Free

Access to thousands of magazines from across the world is what Zinio has to offer. You’ll get discounts on subscriptions and you can sync your latest copies across devices to enjoy them on your smartphone and computer as well. Tablets are ideal for reading magazines and Zinio has the best choice around.

If you don’t like magazines then you might want to check out Comics. It’s basically the same thing for comic books, giving you access to all the latest releases and allowing you to subscribe, buy single issues, and access a selection of free comics.

zinio screenshot magazine app android tablets google play


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is Square-Enix’s next Final Fantasy

lightning returns final fantasy xiii

Confusing its fans even further, Square announced Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy, the sequel to Final Fantasy XIII-2.

For almost 20 years, there was a formula: Each generation of consoles would get a Final Fantasy trilogy. The Nintendo Entertainment System had Final Fantasy IIII, the Super Nintendo had IVVI, the PlayStation had VIIIX, and the PlayStation 2 had X XII. It was a good system, a reliable way to track the series progress through different creators and technology. You’d think that since this console cycle with the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 has gone on for 7 years, much longer than average, we might have seen the cycle broken by expansion. Maybe four games instead of three. Nope. Not happening. The PS3 and 360 will have a Final Fantasy trilogy, just not the one anybody wanted—Here comes Final Fantasy XIII-3.

Actually, wait a second; that title isn’t awkward enough. Here comes Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

During Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary event, the company announced the teased third Final Fantasy XIII entry. Expected out next year, this game puts you back in control of XIII’s moody protagonist Lightning, the lady that was actually on the cover of Final Fantasy XIII-2 but only appeared in the game for about twenty minutes total.

Lightning Returns may seem like the least creative game Square could possibly make at this point in time, but the game sounds quite strange considering its lineage. The game will put you in control of Lightning solo, with no pets or party members to speak of as you explore the world. The battle system is similar to that of the other XIII games, with Lightning taking on different roles specializing in weapons or magic, but it will play much differently with active moves like attack and block assigned to buttons rather than choices in a menu.

The story is also a weird shift. Lightning Returns takes place a few hundred years after XIII-2 in an archipelago called Novus Partus, which has come down with a case of the Majora’s Mask blue. Like in that Zelda game, there’s a doomsday clock clicking down to the inevitable end of the world. Everything Lightning does brings the apocalypse one step closer to reality. That is to say, it’s the feel good game of the year.

It’s not too late for this console cycle to get a proper Final Fantasy trilogy. The PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIV is set to debut at the Tokyo Game Show and there are rumors that Final Fantasy Versus XIII may be turned into Final Fantasy XV. (If that sentence confused you, I apologize. Blame Square.) The sooner Square stops trying to convince people that Final Fantasy XIII is great, the happier everyone will be.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia trumpets new free music service in US

Nokia trumpets new free music service in US

Get ad-free streaming music on you Lumia smartphone

Nokia has unveiled a new free music service for the US, aptly called Nokia Music and available now.

The core of Nokia's free service provides over 150 playlists to browse, curated by a group of US expert "musicologists." Along with the expert selection, playlists created by various artists will also be available from the likes of Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, and Rihanna.

Users hoping to put a more personal touch on their music selection can also use the Nokia Music create feature to generate a playlist based on a particular artist, drawing from millions of songs in the Nokia Music library.

Nokia makes streaming music local

Nokia is making a good case for users to try out its Spotify rival, making the service available both for free and ad-free with the ability to still access playlists offline.

Nokia Music also offers a "gig finder" feature, using location data to discover live music shows and concerts happening nearby.

"The USA is the most vibrant and competitive digital music market in the world - by a wide margin," said Nokia VP of entertainment Jyrki Rosenberg.

"We have worked extra hard to ensure our service meets the expectations of the demanding, active and inspired music fans in the USA."

The only catch is that Nokia Music is exclusive to the company's own smartphones, currently only running on the Lumia 900 and Lumia 710 handsets. However, the imminent onset of Windows Phone 8 devices next month should bring a slew of new Nokia Music capable smartphones to take advantage of the streaming service.


Source : techradar[dot]com

GameStop says Xbox 720 and PlayStation won’t both release in 2013. Who’s waiting until 2014?

Will the Wii U face competition from Microsoft and Sony next year? GameStop says either the Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4 is sitting out 2013.

 playstation 4 2013

Anyone that slipped into a coma circa 2008 isn’t going to recognize GameStop’s business by the end of 2013. The company that built a multi-billion dollar retail business on aggressive sales of used games, particularly new releases re-sold at wild profits, has branched out as consumers increasingly spend on digital downloads. GameStop’s trying to get into used digital game sales, it’s trying to branch into the vintage games market—Anything to survive. The lonely time travel will have one familiar crutch though: Either the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3 will still be on shelves.

GameStop’s CEO Paul Raines said in a recent interview that Microsoft and Sony may no longer be in a rush to join Nintendo in the next generation of the console wars. One of the heavyweights is going to sit out 2013.

“The Wii U is going to be the first in line, and we’re excited about the launch,” Raines told Polygon, “I’m getting a lot of rumors that are very interesting about 2013. We have not been expecting two more consoles in 2013. We’re expecting Wii U this holiday, another one next year, and another one in ’14. These rumors change every week, but we’re hearing more about next year.”

Who will play caboose in the next console wave? Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter told CVG that the Xbox 720 will be 2014’s new console. “We have heard no word yet from Microsoft or Sony about their plans to launch new consoles, but both manufacturers are widely expected to launch consoles by year-end in 2013, although we believe that Microsoft could delay a new console launch until spring of 2014 in order to accommodate what is certain to be overwhelming demand among hardcore gamers.”

Pachter has repeatedly said that he believes Microsoft is playing the long game when it comes to releasing the Xbox 360’s successor. He said in June that he expects Microsoft to wait not just to have a stockpile of consoles ready to meet demand, but until it has a partnership with a cable company in place. The expectation is that the Xbox 720 will retail for just $99 alongside a 2-year contract for monthly payments with access to entertainment services like cable TV through a revamped Xbox Live. Time Warner, Verizon, and Comcast are potential partners.

So no, GameStop won’t look very familiar in 2013, even if the Xbox 360 is still on shelves. Console holders are diversifying more than ever before. Wii U will continue to cater to crowds that love Nintendo’s games while Xbox 720 will shove game consoles into the future as all-encompassing living room entertainment hubs. What will PlayStation 4 be up to in 2013 though? Streaming gaming.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Firefox Marketplace Finally Leaked, Utilizes Minimalistic Approach

Google’s Android is starting to get caught up in legal battles against Apple. Many feel Apple is too bossy, pushy and is too locked down with iOS. There is a lot of people on both sides, here. Some say Apple is evil, some say Android (and Samsung) are reaping what they sow.

Many are in the middle and aren’t taking sides. While Android and iOS might not be in an immediate danger when it comes to their solid position in the mobile market, now is probably the best time to prepare an alternative to both iOS and Android. None of the alternatives will likely kick Android or iOS off their perspective thrones, but they could still a little bit of their thunder- and customers.

Sure, there will be readers that say “Nah, I still stick by Android”, and some who say the same about Apple. But there will be those that are just buying whatever phone looks coolest. Some of these people are also sick of the drama between Apple, Samsung and, to a lesser extent, Google.

This is probably why any news about Windows Phone 8 devices have been met with a lot of views and comments. People aren’t necessarily sold on switching to another platform but they are curious. Windows Phone 8 and the upcoming BB10 might be getting most of the attention when it comes to alternative OSes, but they aren’t the only upcoming player.

Mozilla is preparing to launch its own mobile platform, FireFox OS in 2013. We’ve already seen some pictures from nightly test builds, but we have little information about the look or feel of the app store- until now.

The pictures above paint a very similar store that is designed to get in-and-out as quick as possible. It’s not super detailed, but it has a minimalist charm to it. Is this how the store will actually look when we finally see Firefox OS land on smartphone hardware? It’s hard to say for sure. The release is still a half year or more away, that’s plenty of time for it to change.

What do you think of the “Firefox Marketplace”, based on the limited screenshots you see here? Like the look, or not?



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

HTC to host September 19 event

HTC to host September 19 event

HTC's September 19 event will reveal what's next

With confirmation that Apple and Amazon will be holding events this month, it comes as no surprise to learn another competitor in the mobile market will be hosting their own event.

HTC has sent out invites to a New York event to be held on September 19, where they promise to reveal "what's next."

There's no indication of what exactly HTC plans to show off at the event in two weeks, but with rumors about new HTC devices piling up in recent months, there's certainly no shortage of possibilities.

A new phone? A new tablet?

HTC has already revealed they've been developing a new tablet, though very little about the device has been shared beyond the acknowledgment of its existence.

A benchmarking for the HTC Vertex was discovered earlier this year, which may indicate HTC was planning to compete against the Nexus 7.

It's possible the Vertex is the tablet on display in these leaked photos, however no new concrete information about this mystery device has come to light.

Additionally, a few short weeks ago, photos of the HTC Proto were discovered, giving us the first glimpse at the new 4-inch phone.

Whether or not either of these two devices will be on hand remains to be seen, however HTC obviously has something important up its sleeve that they can't wait to show off.

No matter what HTC brings to the table, September is gearing up to be a very crowded month for reveals, so they had better bring their "A" game if they want to stand out from competitors.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple has LTE patent war chest prepared for iPhone 5 threats from Samsung

Apple has LTE patent war chest prepared for iPhone 5 threats from Samsung

Apple tools up as Samsung prepares legal challenge

Apple has pulled together 434 LTE patents in order to counter a legal threat from Samsung, according to reports on Tuesday.

Samsung has vowed to sue the bejesus out of Apple if, as expected, if unveils an LTE-enabled iPhone 5 during the launch event now confirmed for September 12.

Anticipating this, Apple has been acquiring and developing enough LTE patents to combat the legal challenge, according to the Chosun Ilbo website.

The company had no such patents last year, but now owns 318, according to the site, 44 of which it developed itself.

Patent enforcers

Apple also owns a majority stake in the 'patent enforcement firm' Rockstar Bidco, which has another 116 at its disposal. That brings Apple's total to 434.

Samsung, on the other hand, has a whopping 819 LTE patents and we're pretty sure the company's lawyers are sharpening their claws as we speak, following last month's legal mauling.

Are y'all ready for the next round of Apple vs. Samsung? Coming to a courtroom near California.


Source : techradar[dot]com

iPhone 5 update: Nano-SIMs begin hitting retailers ahead of launch

iPhone 5 update: Nano-SIMs begin hitting retailers ahead of launch

A nano-SIM found at T-Mobile may very well power the next iPhone

Apple scored a swift victory by having its proposed "nano-SIM" adopted as a new standard earlier this year, and we may not have to wait long to see the fruits of that labor.

The new, smaller SIM card standard was reportedly spotted at a T-Mobile retailer in Germany along with a letter from corporate promising details to come about "the latest generation of smartphones" available "in the near future."

Rumors have been flying in recent weeks that the iPhone 5 will be the first handset to include a nano-SIM.

Now that Cupertino has officially announced its Sept.12 media event, the writing appears to be on the wall.

First nano-SIM device

A translation of the nano-SIM letter from T-Mobile makes no reference to the iPhone, which analysts are expecting the company to be unveiled next week.

"Dear partners: You will receive today a new generation of SIM cards for the latest generation of smartphones that come in the near future on the market," the letter reads.

"Sort your SIM card please first not in their cards in hand and give it not out to customers. We will inform you shortly about how to proceed," the instructions conclude.

Apple's nano-SIM standard is smaller than even the micro-SIM used in the current iPhone 4S and new iPad, measuring only 12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67mm.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Amazon distributor says Nintendo Wii U release Nov. 11, price $249

nintendo wii u release date

With 9 days to go before Nintendo hosts the Wii U's coming out party, conflicting reports of the console's price and release date emerge.

In nine days, we’ll know precisely when the Nintendo Wii U will be out, what games will be available, and just how expensive those games, the console, and its peculiar touch screen controller really are. Nintendo’s holding an event in New York City on Sept. 13 special just for that. Do you know what this means? We only have a little more than a week left for rabid, insane speculation and fanboy baiting! Oh no! We better start making baseless assumptions based on hearsay from the Internet or we’ll have to wait years for the next Nintendo console release!

The latest: Amazon.com says the Wii U will be out on November 11 and cost a cool $249.

Not Amazon directly that is, but Video Product Distributors, the company the provides Amazon and other electronics retailers in the US with their goods. VPD  has three mysterious postings for Nintendo’s new machine, suggesting the Wii U will join the modern age with different models on shelves come day one.

The listings are:

WIIU SYSTEM—GM—11/11/12 $249.99

WIIU SYSTEM W/—GM—11/11/12 $299.99

WIIU SYSTEM 349 W/—GM—11/11/12 $349.99

A retailer on NeoGAF confirmed that VPD has had a listing for the Wii U for some time but this is the first time that different bundles at varying prices have popped up.

The following assumptions aren’t totally baseless, I admit. First, we can assume that the $250 Wii U bundle will be the basic package, like the original $250 Wii package that released in November 2006. This will include the console and one controller. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said as much at an investor Q&A session in June. He did now however commit to having a pack-in game like the Wii had with Wii Sports in the US. As that game’s inclusion was vital to the Wii’s success though—and since the Nintendo 3DS’ $250 launch without a full game fueled that machine’s initial failure—it’s safe to assume that NintendoLand will be a part of that $250 package.

What will be in the $300 and $350 packages then? Controllers. Nintendo’s home console business has been built around playing with others these past ten years. The $300 package will likely come with a Wii remote wand and nunchuck while the $350 package will come with a second tablet controller. That way, all Wii U SKUs offer a full experience with some real value adds in the more expensive packages.

That or VPD’s listings are incorrect. An accessory company said Wii U will be out on Nov. 18 just last week. So…

Only one more week of CRAZY RUMORS!

Source: NintendoLife (via VG247)


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Report: Nano-SIMs begin hitting retailers ahead of sixth-gen iPhone

Report: Nano-SIMs begin hitting retailers ahead of sixth-gen iPhone

A nano-SIM found at T-Mobile may very well power the next iPhone

Apple scored a swift victory by having its proposed "nano-SIM" adopted as a new standard earlier this year, and we may not have to wait long to see the fruits of that labor.

The new, smaller SIM card standard was reportedly spotted at a T-Mobile retailer in Germany along with a letter from corporate promising details to come about "the latest generation of smartphones" available "in the near future."

Rumors have been flying in recent weeks that Apple's next iPhone will be the first handset to include a nano-SIM, and now that Cupertino has officially announced its September 12 media event, the writing appears to be on the wall.

First nano-SIM device

A translation of the nano-SIM letter from T-Mobile makes no reference to the iPhone, which analysts are expecting the company to be unveiled next week.

"Dear partners: You will receive today a new generation of SIM cards for the latest generation of smartphones that come in the near future on the market," the letter reads.

"Sort your SIM card please first not in their cards in hand and give it not out to customers. We will inform you shortly about how to proceed," the instructions conclude.

Apple's nano-SIM standard is smaller than even the micro-SIM used in the current iPhone 4S and iPad, measuring only 12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67mm.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Check out 3D Ms. Pac-Man at New York’s Museum of Art and Design

3D Pac-Man Babycastles Summit

At Babycastles Summit, visitors experienced a new realm of video games including a 3D Ms. Pac-Man set that covered every wall of the room.

Lots of museums in New York City offer interactive exhibitions where visitors can play with the installations and experience the sensory first-hand. But none were quite as geeky and awesome as this 3D Ms. Pac-Man game that takes up the space of an entire room — ceilings included. If you happened to be in the Big Apple this past month, a visit to the Museum of Art and Design in midtown afforded you the opportunity to take the widely-loved 8-bit game to a new dimension.

Created Keita Takahashi, the mastermind behind the wacky game Katamari Damacy, the playable 3D Ms. Pac-Man requires player to physically move their bodies as they play. As Ms. Pac-Man runs off one wall and onto the other, you’ll need to make the correct turns and keep your eyes on the other walls to ensure you don’t accidentally run into a ghost. Remember to watch out for the special fruits as well if you want to make the high score!

The installation is part of Babycastles Summit, a collaboration between the social video gaming group and Takahashi, to bring the arcade world to life size. Other exhibitions include a two-player controlled Super Mario Bros. that looks more like ball drop game for weight trainers, and Defender-style game that requires players to run from room to room to catch the movement of their characters on separate but connected computer screens. The latter takes side-scroller games to a literal level, and makes the game feel more interactive. Who wouldn’t want to jump into a ball pit after completing a level? Unfortunately, this option isn’t very doable in New York City-sized apartments for us gamers in the metropolis… which is why a day at the museum makes perfect sense.

If you’re visiting New York and want to learn more about video game history and some interactivity, don’t feel bad that you missed this summit. A short trip to the Museum of Moving Image in Queens also allows you to explore some background behind gaming technologies and play with vintage arcade booths. This is the same museum that, back in 2007, had an exhibition for a projector screen-sized Star Wars shooter game so you can certainly expect tons of nerdy fun no matter how many times you visit.

Check out the videos from Babycastles Summit, a giant adult playground, thanks to Kotaku.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Apple officially announces September 12 iPhone 5 event

Apple announces September 12 iPhone 5 press conference

It's official: Apple will hold a press event on September 12, where it is expected to unveil the iPhone 5.

The rumor was true: Apple sent out invitations today to a press event that will take place on September 12. As usual, the event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Festivities will begin at 10am PT.

Apple is expected to debut the sixth-generation iPhone, commonly referred to as the “iPhone 5,” at the Sept. 12 event, which was first reported by iMore on July 30. The new iPhone will reportedly go on shelves on September 21, nine days after the event. That rumor is based on the fact that Verizon Wireless retail sales staff are forbidden from taking vacation from Sept. 21 through Sept. 30.

While the text of the invitation provides little hint as to what Apple will announce next week, a closer look shows a clear “5″ in the shadow of the “12,” a blatant indication that the so-called iPhone 5 will be announced at the event — and, much to our surprise, a hint that it might indeed be called “iPhone 5.”

The new iPhone — whatever it may be called — will reportedly sport a larger, 4-inch touchscreen, and a new 8-pin dock connector. Leaked photos and video show that the speaker and microphone grills have also been updated, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device. Whether the leaked iPhone 5 and the real iPhone 5 are one in the same, well, we’ll just have to wait until next week to find out.

Apple is also expected to hold a second event in October during which it will reveal the long-rumored iPad Mini, a smaller version of the world’s most popular tablet that has a 7.85-inch screen, as opposed to the 9.7-inch screen of the first three generations of iPads.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Steam Box Resurrection? Valve enters the hardware business

valve steam console

Valve's year of expansion continues as the company seeks an industrial designer to bring the Steam company into hardware.

It hired a full-time economist named Yanis Varoufarkis. It opened a Kickstarter-style service to promote indie games named Greenlight, letting people choose which games they want on Steam. It announced last month that it would start selling non-gaming apps. Valve has expanded in expected but profound ways across 2012, but up until this week, it has insisted that it won’t start selling its own hardware.

Not anymore though. Valve is taking on Alienware, Apple, and every other PC maker on the market according to a new job listing on its site. In the past, Valve has said that if it ever produces any official hardware, it would work with a partner. As with so many other things, Valve has decided to strike out on its own after all. In a job posting seeking an industrial designer, Valve explained that the reticence of other companies to innovate is forcing its hand.

“Valve is traditionally a software company. Open platforms like the PC and Mac are important to us, as they enable us and our partners to have a robust and direct relationship with customers. We’re frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we’re jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There’s a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked.”

Rumors ran wild in March that Valve was preparing its very own console or gaming-centric PC called the Steam Box. Rather than just a vessel for its own Steam community and digital retail businesses, Valve’s machine would support other digital retailers like Electronic Arts’ Origin service. At the time, Valve’s console was said to sport 8GB of RAM, a Core i7 CPU, and a NVIDIA GPU. It would also support HDMI output so as to be living room ready.

The company staunchly denied that it was looking to make such a device itself. Valve founder Gabe Newell said at the time that Valve would rather let a third party handle manufacturing and design. “We’d rather hardware people that are good at manufacturing and distributing hardware,” said the outspoken designer, “We think it’s important enough that if that’s what we end up having to do, then that’s what we end up having to do.”

This job posting is hardly confirmation that Valve will actually release a Steam Box console. Maybe Valve is interested in the sort of innovation that Phantom has traded in these past few years. The posting is, however, the start of even bigger changes at the house of Half-Life.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nexus 7 Vs. The World: Our favorite cheap tablets

The battle for your budget tablet affections is really ramping up. Which 7-inch tablet should be commanding your attention?

If you’re in the market for a small tablet (say around the 7-inch mark) then you are spoiled for choice right now. There are some great options on the market, persistent rumors about some impending new releases, and prices are getting competitive. Let’s take a look at the contenders, kicking off with the Android platform. 

All three of these Android tablets are priced at $200 (for the 8GB versions) and they all have 7-inch displays. You can see a full comparison table in our Nexus 7 vs. Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: $200 tablet showdown.

Nexus 7

google nexus 7 android tablet review

Our Nexus 7 review makes it pretty clear that Google’s 7-inch Jelly Bean tablet is a beauty. It’s cheap; it’s feature-packed; and it runs the very latest version of the Android platform. With a class-leading quad-core processor and a high resolution IPS LCD screen (1280 x 800 pixels), what’s not to like? The lack of a microSD card slot disappointed some people, and the Nexus 7 depends on Wi-Fi (there’s no mobile network option), but beyond that it’s an impressive piece of kit.

Kindle Fire

amazon-kindle-fire-hand

Amazon’s offering has been around for a while now. It’s a solid device and Amazon is able to link in a great selection of content, but specs-wise it pales in comparison with the Nexus 7. If you primarily want an e-reader then go for a cheap Kindle. If you want a tablet then go for the Nexus 7. The Kindle Fire simply isn’t the best at anything at the moment, though that may change this week. Amazon is rumored to announce a new Kindle Fire.

Nook Tablet

Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet review

The Nook Tablet is almost identical to the Kindle Fire when it comes to specs, which puts it behind the Nexus 7 too. It does boast a microSD card slot and slightly longer battery life than its competitors, but is that enough? At the moment, it’s tough to beat the Nexus 7.

Other Android tablets

You may also consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) which is freshly available on Verizon’s 4G LTE network, but at $350 we think it has priced itself out of the market. You could pick an older entry in the Samsung Galaxy tablet range for less and there are other options out there including the Acer Iconia Tab range, but none of them measures up to the Nexus 7 when it comes to bang for your buck.

On the Android horizon

There have been various rumors about a Kindle Fire 2. It could be a larger tablet to compete with the iPad, or perhaps it will be another 7-inch tablet with upgraded internals. We’ll have to wait and see, but a Kindle Fire upgrade seems imminent. Amazon enjoyed enough success with the original to make a follow up a foregone conclusion.

We also know that Barnes & Noble is working on a new Nook device. The release date is uncertain, but we can expect something capable of carving out a niche in this competitive space.

iPad mini

7.85-inch iPad mini concept by John Anastasiadis of iMore

Is the iPad mini fact or fiction? We still don’t know, but all those iPad mini rumors just won’t go away. If Apple was to release an iPad mini then there’s no doubt it would represent a real challenge for all these 7-inch Android tablets. The deciding factor could be pricing. Suggestions of superior specs and a comparable price tag simply don’t add up. If Apple was to drop an iPad mini for around the $200 mark and accept a slim profit margin in order to strike out at its competitors then it would certainly do well. We’re not convinced that’s really Apple’s style, though.

The wealth of iPad apps available and Apple’s legion of loyal fans would make it successful even at a higher price point than the competition.

BlackBerry PlayBook

RIM’s original tablet release didn’t set the world on fire, but the software has been updated since then, and the price has fallen. Check out our BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 review to get a feel for what it can do. The latest PlayBook supports 4G, but it certainly isn’t cheap. 

What it offers over the Nexus 7: Well there’s a rear-facing camera that can record HD video, but not much else. The price of the U.S. version of the latest BlackBerry PlayBook has not been announced yet, but it could be north of $500 off-contract and that’s way too high to compete.

Microsoft Micro Surface

Microsoft Surface Tablet display screen apple ipad killer

There were rumors about a 7-inch Microsoft tablet prior to the Surface being announced, but the new tablet turned out to be sporting a 10.6-inch display. The Microsoft Surface was unveiled but there was no word on pricing. If you look at the specs and size, you might wonder why it’s mentioned here at all. Well, Engadget reported that an anonymous source told them that the Surface would ship in October for just $200. That would mean Microsoft would make a loss on each one so it seems unlikely, but if it turned out to be true then the Surface would be a really strong contender.

What should you buy?

It’s a predictable answer, but if you want to buy a budget tablet tomorrow then it has to be the Nexus 7. If you’re willing to wait a while then the next Kindle Fire is likely to be worth a look and there’s always an outside chance that the iPad mini will make an appearance. It will also be interesting to find out what the Surface will cost.

We’ll make sure you know about it if something better than the Nexus 7 comes along.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Fuzzy BlackBerry L-Series photo reveals apps, not much else

Fuzzy BlackBerry L-Series photo reveals apps, not much else

Will this be the first BlackBerry 10 handset? (credit: n4BB)

One of RIM's first BlackBerry 10 handsets, the BlackBerry L-Series has sprung a fuzzy photo leak.

According to N4BB, the site that acquired the photo through no doubt nefarious means, the L-Series will be the first BlackBerry 10 handset to launch, followed closely by the N-Series.

The titular L may come from the BlackBerry London and Liverpool codenames which have petered out of use over the past few months.

Colourific

The site's sources think the handset will launch in a posh-sounding gun-metal grey finish, while the photo shows a number of apps.

Because there's not a great deal else to say about the photo, we're going to list them for you: contacts, browser, calendar, BBM, text messaging, App World, a memo app, docs, pictures, music, videos, 'story maker' (video editing, presumably), Facebook and maps.

There's also a page marker along the bottom of the screen which speaks of around ten screens of apps, one with a grid icon that could possibly be something to do with multitasking.

To be honest, the hardware doesn't look that different to the kit handset we saw in July when we formulated our first thoughts on the new OS in our hands on BlackBerry 10 review.

But who are we to judge? We'll have to wait and see what RIM's officially got up its sleeve when it launches its BlackBerry 10 line up in January 2013.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Inebriator, the Arduino-powered cocktail robot, is your personal bartender

The Inebriator robot bartender arduino

With a lot of time and a few gadgets, some crafty creatives at home built a robot bartender powered by Arduino microcontroller.

Bartenders can be tricky to deal with. You always want to shop around to find ones that mixes a generous ratio of liquor, but it’s an added plus if he or she is also fun to talk. It’s even better if they throw you a free drink or two after a long night. While it can be hard to find all these qualities in one bartender, the Inebriator comes close. This Arduino microprocessor-powered robot can make you the perfect drink every time — and you don’t even have to tip or leave your home.

The setup is simple: rows of spirits lined up upside down, ready for pouring. When you order a drink, the robot moves the glass horizontally across the machine to obtain the calculated parts of a cocktail — making the drink with the exact same ratio each time. If you drink comes with a mixer, an external cooler attached to the machine spritz the final touches to complete your order. Did we mention a cool glow of lights changes colors each time a new drink component is thrown in?

The inebriator robot bartender backThis home project relies largely on the tiny Arduino board, an inexpensive processor similar to Raspberry Pi. While it doesn’t have the functionalities or capacities like Raspberry Pi, Arduino is relatively inexpensive and fun for programmers to experiment with in order to whip up something as creative as the Inebriator. From the looks from its website, putting the robot bartender together was no easy feat. Among the gadgets required, a Hitachi HD44780 compatible display, a stepper motor, RFID sensor, and LED lights were just some of the items used in the making.

The Inebriator creators are currently working on a second version which should hopefully hide the cords in the back of the machine and also heed to the recommendations from a recent Reddit forum. Some of the ideas discussed include a pressurized CO2 system to keep mixers carbonated as necessary. Our other suggestions are to figure out a way for the robot to grab a glass of ice itself, or adding a tumbler so the robot can shake and mix the cocktails to perfection.

No words on whether the Inebriator is meant to be made for commercial use or if the creators will release a tutorial for the curious programmers at home. While you ponder, here’s a video of the cocktail robot in action.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Vivogig brings its concert photo-sharing app out of beta: Location, song preview, hashtags, and more

Originally introduced at SXSW, Vivogig brings its concert-focused photo app to the massive in a much more complete package.

Last year at SXSW, Vivogig released its concert photo-sharing platform just before the beginning of the festival’s Music Week. Admittedly, the launch was pushed out the door in order to make the show, and founders Tanner Moehle and Daniel Senyard both explained to be what I was seeing was a very surface version of what they hoped to do with it.

Now, the team is ready to push a big update that will enable a whole new host of functionality and features that the currently dead-simple beta version of Vivogig hasn’t had up to this point. Now the app will include a find your friends tool, location stamping, an upgraded interface, big, screen-filling photos in the stream, song previews via iTunes integration, hashtags, and the ability to follow other users as well as featured artists and a VIP section with behind-the-scenes content from performers.

Other improvements include a streamlined shooting experience, making it faster to shoot and share, “So you’re spending as little time as possible looking down at your phone,” the team tells me, something they also emphasized back in March. The fun and fancy of Instagram is the filter-choosing process, but that also means you’re stuck staring at a screen instead of, say, a concert. This is what Vivogig wants to prevent, while still creating a concert-focused photo experience.

Niche? Absolutely – but any good Instagram addict knows that concerts and events are some of the most popular photos shared on the application.

Given its position, I had to ask Vivogig if there we’re Instagram-like filter plans in the pipeline. Last time I asked this question, the duo spoke about getting eyes off screens and on the stage, but Moehle says that if they do choose to introduce filters, they’ll do it differently. “Something that shows off the lighting,” he says.

And what about video? Given that Vivogig is focused on social, live performances, and media, you’d imagine that the undeniably hot (and confusing) social video market might hold some intrigue for the startup. But you’d be wrong – for all the reasons critics keep bringing up: That even powerful smartphones can’t compete when it comes to A/V. “We didn’t find one band that like the idea of crowd-sourced video,” veteran music industry exec and chief strategy officer for Vivogig Raymond McGlamery tells me. “Labels will want their performance rights the minute we start uploading videos – they will pull stuff like that down.” Clearly, video and audio quality suffer when taken from a smartphone and bands and their management don’t want anything less than the best circulating out there. “Even as video gets better and better, audio won’t ever be able to get there from a stationary source that you can still make phone calls from,” McGlamery points out.

Since Vivogig’s initial launch in Austin, the startup has managed to raise 300,000 and is closing its angel round now. The partnerships Moehle and Senyard talked to me about at the time are still in the works, and together with McGlamery (formerly of Ticketmaster and Warner Bros), to talk with venues, media companies, labels, and managers about using Vivogig as a means to promotion. Specifically, McGlamery mentions concert hall holding contests for best user-taken photos, and getting bands to directly promote using Vivogig and weaving their into their branding. Of course, before this next phase is fully launched, the team wants to solidify the app itself.

“The original is great and it works, but it doesn’t have the functionality that will benefit people we’re talking to and we’ll have some big announcements in that department soon,” McGlamery says. 


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Firefox OS Marketplace - leaked images emerge

Firefox OS Marketplace - leaked images emerge

Mozilla sets out its market stall

The app marketplace for Firefox OS has finally been revealed in a series of leaked images.

Although developers have been sinking their teeth into Firefox OS and all that comes with it, there's been little word on what the mobile operating system is to look like.

We know it is an update to the company's Boot to Gecko software but the leaked pictures show a storefront that's wholly different from what has come before.

Firefox OS Marketplace

For a start, it looks nice and simple. Oh, and did we mention simple? At the top of the leaked screens, there are a number of apps to choose from – Solitaire makes an appearance – while underneath these apps are the categories.

The categories on show are: Books and Reference, Business, Education, Entertainment & Sports, Games and Health and Fitness.

It's certainly not as flashy as Google Play but is a decent, functional approach to app discovery.

Interestingly, the Firefox OS Marketplace looks nothing like the app store that currently resides in the desktop version of Firefox; it seems that Mozilla is treating them as wholly different beasts.

Handsets brandishing Firefox OS are set to land in 2013, so expect more leaks and hopefully some official shots in the coming months.


Source : techradar[dot]com

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