The Pebble Android app definitely needed this update
The PebbleAndroid app has been updated to version 2.0, which adds several important features, including access to the Pebble smartwatch's watchapp directory of apps.
Now users on Android can browse apps with ease and install them to their Pebble watches with a single tap.
In TechRadar's Pebble review in December we suggested that the inexpensive and highly customizable wearable is "the Linux of smartwatches," and having access to that smartwatch app directory on your phone makes it even easier to make it your own.
Available apps include Foursquare, Yelp, eBay, Plex, Runtastic Pro, and others, and users can browse categories like essential apps and popular watchfaces.
Better late than iOS-exclusive
These improvements were added to the iOS app in February, and Android users have had to wait almost a month.
But the smartwatch's app directory isn't the only improvement in the Pebble 2.0 app.
Android users' Pebble notifications are now stored on their phones as well so they can scroll back through prior alerts, and they can also now browse their downloaded and installed Pebble apps in the watchapp locker.
In addition the UI design has been "completely revamped and improved."
Pebble's Android app store beta got off to a rocky start, but it sounds like the latest update might be exactly what it needed.
Waterproof, powerful and big... but is it good enough?
Regardless of what the naysayers may think, the Galaxy S5 marks another notable step forward for Samsung.
The company has brought to the table a device that takes everything back to basics, stripping away unnecessary gimmicks and focusing solely on the core ingredients that make a top-of-the-range smartphone.
There's been the inevitable outcry from some, bemoaning the lack of metallic gloss and similar iPhone-besting features. But once you really dig down into the S5 and take a look at what's new, what's improved and what's been chucked altogether, you begin to realise that it's actually a handset perfectly in keeping with the Galaxy ethos.
In this week's Phone Show, Gareth Beavis and John McCann take an in-depth look at Samsung's latest offering, and explain why this is an Android handset worthy of your time.
Windows Phone 8 is over a year old now, yet we still know very little about Windows Phone 9.
Originally it was expected to be with us by the end of 2013 as it was thought that Microsoft may adopt the annual software cycle made popular by Apple in an attempt to keep its mobile OS fresh and, more importantly, relevant.
That didn't happen, but from the information that we've been able to gather so far it looks like Windows Phone 9 could be a massive overhaul, so it's not surprising that it's taken over a year.
Before 9 however it looks like we're going to get Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft looks set to announce 8.1 at its Build conference in April 2014, while further leaks highlight that Windows Phone 8.5 may also be on the cards.
We're scouring the web everyday to bring you all the latest on Windows Phone 9 and we'll be constantly updating the information below to give you the best picture of what's to come.
Windows Phone 9 release date
Initial rumors suggested that the Windows Phone 9 release date would be sometime in 2013, with reports claiming it would arrive just in time for Christmas, but as you might have noticed, Christmas has been and gone and we're now in a Windows Phone 9-less 2014.
Other reports reckon Microsoft will kill off Windows Phone 8 by September 2014, giving an indication that while it didn't make it out the gates in 2013, version 9 could well be on its way very soon.
That seems more likely and not only because it wouldn't require time travel to be true. The most recent release date rumors come from Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin, who posted to Twitter that Windows Phone 9 will launch in the second half of the year. He correctly predicted Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia, so he could be worth listening to.
The update was also being referred to as Windows Phone Blue, a development name which mirrors an update to Microsoft's new Windows 8 desktop platform - but it's turned out that Windows Phone Blue is actually Windows Phone 8.1.
As we've already mentioned, 8.1 is set to appear this spring according to an announcement from Microsoft's Vice President Joe Belfiore at MWC.
Windows Phone 9 or just Windows 9?
We're seeing reports that suggest Microsoft may look to ditch the divide between its smartphone platform and the one it uses for tablets and PCs - rolling them all into one tidy bundle called Windows 9.
One suggestion is that the Windows Blue upgrade will see Windows 8 merged with Windows Phone in an attempt to tackle Google's Android/Chrome combination which is growing ever stronger.
Alternatively we could instead get the aforementioned Windows 9 all-in-one system after a Microsoft employee stated "currently testing Windows 9 OS on Nokia, HTC and Qualcomm device" on their LinkedIn profile.
Eldar Murtazin has something to say on this subject too, tweeting that Windows Phone 9 will be the same on phones and tablets, replacing Windows RT, though he made no mention of Windows 8, so presumably that will still be separate.
Windows Phone 9 features
Murtazin also has some insight into the design of Windows Phone 9. Apparently it will be a complete overhaul which will remove the tile based Metro interface that Windows Phone is currently known for.
That would make sense if Microsoft plans on using the same interface for both phones and tablets. Murtazin went on to say that the interface would be more influenced by Android than iOS.
Windows Phone 9 devices
One of the big issues with Windows Phone 8 was that you couldn't get it on your Windows Phone 7 handset, instead you were lumped with Windows Phone 7.8.
It's thought that Windows Phone 9 won't be so restrictive, with Windows Phone 8 users in line to get the upgrade which means you shouldn't have to worry about picking up a Nokia Lumia 1520 or HTC 8X.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the latest challenger from the South Korean brand to launch into an ever more crowded market, but at least this time the phone has focused on what users might actually want rather than useless gimmicks.
The Galaxy S4 was a strong phone in spite of the insistence that being able to wave your hands over a phone or scroll with your eyes was a good thing.
The Galaxy S5 takes the DNA of that handset and improves on it in most areas. It's a quiet improvement though, which may disappoint a lot of people looking to see the world's highest-res display and an all new metal chassis, but it's one that at least delivers where consumers need it.
If you're looking for a phone that reinvents the smartphone again, in the same way the Samsung Galaxy S2, HTC Desire or iPhone 4 managed, you're going to be rather disappointed with what's on offer from South Korea.
However, if you're after a better camera, a brighter screen, a faster processor and a more solid design, then the Galaxy S5 will mostly deliver all you'd be looking for.
The company explained to me what it considered to be the core tenets it stuck to when creating the Galaxy S5, and they show a renewed focus over the predecessor: a better camera, faster connectivity for web browsing, personal fitness tracking, protection, and a 'modern and glam' look (its words, not mine).
Design
It's actually a little redundant to talk about all the technology inside a phone before dealing with the key question: does it look attractive?
Yes and no. You can't call it ugly, because Samsung does know how to put a phone together well. But at the same time it's the same tired story on the design front: taking some elements from the predecessor, adding in some bits from the current Note and calling it all new.
The 'metal' surround is almost identical to the Note 3, to the point I was looking for an S Pen to start poking out. But the back is the main change, and I'd go as far as saying it's lovely.
No more shiny plastic or laughable attempts to make it look like a leather notebook – while it is still plastic, it's a lot more grippable and feels a lot, lot nicer in the hand.
The overall construction is again more solid, but the device is markedly bigger compared to the Galaxy S3 and S4. There's a lot more Note DNA in the Galaxy S5 than ever before, that's for sure.
In fact, the design of the Galaxy S5 is one that evokes the S2 more than anything else, as it's more rectangular in shape. It's certainly a departure from the 'inspired by a blade of grass' creation of the S3.
It's actually pretty disappointing on the design front, as I kept thinking I was looking at the first two Galaxy models when taking pictures of the larger device - if you held the first model from 2010 and then picked this one up, you'd think Samsung had done very little with its evolution in that time.
The original Samsung Galaxy S
But the main thing to answer is how it feels in the hand – and the good news is it feels solid, well made and less cheap than ever. Samsung will have disappointed many by not releasing a full metal version, and it's true that this isn't what I was hoping to see, but it's more than adequate.
The other big deal is that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is waterproof and dustproof to an IP67 rating, which means it's almost completely resistant to dust and waterproof to a depth of 1m for 30 minutes – more than enough time to fish it out when thrown down a toilet.
Yes, it's not a new trick, but the only port cover on show is the one holding the USB 3.0 socket closed – it's got a nice lip to it as well so it's very easy to open.
What's more impressive is that this phone still packs a removable cover and battery – while yes, it is a really fiddly cover to clip back on, to be able to access the power pack and microSD card slot is a really good move.
The only worry I've got, and it's a fairly big one here, is that the cover will show small gaps if you've not got it absolutely flush to the back and totally clipped in. It's very easy to miss a clip, which could make things a trifle wet if you throw it in a pint to impress friends.
Samsung's busy putting the S5 through the compactor
Even if you're not the gambling type, you can bet your mortgage* on Samsung putting out a Mini version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 in the near future, and we've just stumbled on another clue that it could be on the horizon.
A not-totally-mysterious phone called the SM-G870 has appeared on Indian import site Zauba, which looks like it could be the smaller variant of Samsung's new flagship.
While details are thin, Sammobile points out that the price ratio between this phone and the S5 is similar to that between the Galaxy S4 and the S4 Mini.
Small fry
That doesn't make it a sure thing, but it's looking quite likely that this is the anticipated smaller variant.
Samsung waited two months after the announcement of the S4 to announce the S4 Mini, however previous rumours have claimed that the S5 Mini won't be unveiled until June - so it might be a while before anything goes official.
It's also been rumoured that the S5 Mini will get a Super AMOLED display and come running Android 4.4 KitKat.
The Google Play store is two years old today and Google is celebrating this fact with discounting the thing that everyone in the world hates - in-app purchases.
From today you can get a multitude of slashed in-app discounts - including a free cat's eye for Bejeweled Blitz, premium Dungeon Keeper for a limited time, and the ability to adopt a toddler in Sim FreePlay. Which isn't that free to play as you spend all of your money on in-app purchases.
There are also some cheap movies if you can pry yourself away from Dungeon Keeper and music, possibly to drown out the screams of "these discounts are rubbish, Google" from disheartened Android users.
