We know it’s sometimes hard to be an Android user in what must seem like an iOS-dominated world — at least where new apps, or updates to current ones, are concerned. Yes, most new apps and updates appear for iOS first. But at some point, and that gap is narrowing all the time, the app or update comes to Android.

Case in point today is the extremely fun and useful app Flipboard. We use it all the time on our iPhones and iPads and have even gone so far as to create a few magazines to highlight our interests. And now Anrdoid users can get in on that fun with the latest update to Flipboard for their OS.

In addition to the magazine feature, the app also had several other updates including the following:

• Integrated Android share: add content from the Gallery & other apps to your magazines
• Bookmarklet to add items to your magazines from a browser
• Get notifications when people like, comment or subscribe to your magazines
• Share magazines via email or social networks
• Personalized recommendations for more to read
• Search is now front & center, with improved results

Get the brand new Flipboard for Android over at Google Play.

Even though they don’t release updates quite as often as a company like Microsoft, Apple does tend to update its products pretty often. In fact, they just issued an update today.

Today’s update is for iOS and the iPhone 5 and brings the software on that device to version 6.1.4. In typical Apple fashion the notes for this up;date don’t really tell a whole lot what the update actually contains.

In fact, ion this particular case, they only contain one sentence: Updated Audio Profile for Speakerphone.” Heck, maybe that’s all it does? Although, it’s kinda hard to believe Apple would got to the trouble to release this update for only one issue.

Still, you never know. iOS 6.1.4 is available from Apple immediately as an over the air (OTA) update. It should also be available for download through iTunes soon.

Google is a major player in the tech world. So much so that they have their very own convention, called Google I/O. At this convention, which takes place in San Francisco from May 15-17, developers and other Google-enthusiasts gather to discuss, learn and get a glimpse of what Google has in store for Android and its other ventures.

As of late yesterday, the company has posted the full list and schedule of sessions avilable at Google I/O. With ove 120 choices ranging from Android and Chrome to developing for Google Glass and Google Wallet.

In short, if you’re a developer (or a Google-enthusiast) you won’t have any trouble finding something interesting and informative to see and do.

Sadly, if you don’t already have a ticket to Google I/O, you’re out of luck. They’re sold out. However, you can be sure most of the major sessions and keynotes will be available live via streaming or later online at Google’s Developers Live.

Even though we’re big Apple fans, we’re very interested to see what Google unveils at this event. They do create some pretty cool stuff.

Could be pretty exciting indeed.

If you’re a developer of software for Mac OS X or iOS, the event you probably want to go to is Apple’s WWDC in San Francisco. That is, if you can get a ticket.

Turns out tickets went on sale today and sold out in minutes. That’s great for Apple and those who managed to complete their purchases without errors, but what about the rest of the Apple developer community that’s been left out in the cold?

Fortunately, there’s an alternative. It’s called AltWWDC, is organized by the folks behind Appsterdam, runs June 10-14 and best of all, it’s free.

Some of the folks expected to speak at the event include Mike Lee, Saul Mora, Steve “Scotty” Scott and a couple of my old TUAW colleagues, Brett Terpstra and Victor Agreda, Jr. The event takes place at the downtown campus of San Francisco State University, which is only a block from Moscone Center where Apple’s WWDC is held.

Continue Reading →

As fans of Apple and its products, we love things like this. Sure, these kinds of results should be taken with a grain (or three) of salt, but still, it’s kinda cool to see and makes us love Apple stuff even more.

What are we talking about? Well, this week ZDNet reports that based on a new study from Soluto, which uses “data from its massive online database of PC crashes, hangs, and performance metrics to identify the 10 most reliable Windows PCs you can buy today”, the most reliable Windows PC in the world is a 13″ Retina MacBook Pro running Windows via Boot Camp.

How abou that? According to the study, the MacBook Pro is “at the top of the list” with other hardware like the Acer Aspire E1-571, the Dell XPS 13, the Dell Vostro 3560, the Acer Aspire V3-771 and Apple’s 15-inch Retina-equipped MacBook Pro taking the next spots.

What about other vendors like Toshiba, Lenovo or market leader HP? Yeah, they don’t even crack the top ten. Sad, but true.

So, if you need to run Windows and are looking for the best, most reliable hardware out there to run it on, guess you should get a Mac. We’re not really surprised. We could have told you that.

Another day, another software update for one (or more) of our devices. This time it’s from Apple in the form of an update to iOS, which brings the software to version 6.1.3.

According to Apple, iOS 6.1.3 fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the passcode and access the Phone. Bummer. It also provides improvements to iMaps in Japan. Well, that’s nice for Japan, but what about here in the U.S.?

Maybe next week, right Apple? Meantime, we’re liking Google Maps just fine in iOS, thank you.

The download is 17 MB in size and can be found by going to System Prefs> General on your iOS device. We’re updating now and will report back if anything breaks or, more to the point, improves.

Yes, even Apple has security problems sometimes. They also have problems with other things, like maps. Still, that hasn’t stopped them from becoming one of the biggest tech companies in the world and one of our favorite companies too.

Even if we do love all-things Apple (well, most of us anyway) that doesn’t mean we won’t tell you when the company has a problem. Case in point this time is a security vulnerability recently discovered in iOS 6.1.

This vulnerability allows an iPhone’s unlock passcode to be bypassed, giving unauthorized users access to the device’s Phone app, contacts, voicemail and photos. Yeah, that’s not cool.

Recognizing that they have a problem, an Apple spokesperson confirmed to the website AllThingsD that the company is aware of the issue and plans to release a fix in a future software update.

And yes, there’s also video of this vulnerability in action. If you want to see it, check it out after the break.

Continue Reading →

Today, Twitter released it’s new iOS app called Vine, which allows users to shoot video clips and then share them by embedding them in tweets.

Vine videos are limited to a maximum of six seconds, and play in a continuous loop. They are shot using the Vine app, which you can get right here.

In a post, Vine co-founder and general manager Dom Hofmann wrote: “Posts on Vine are about abbreviation — the shortened form of something larger. They’re little windows into the people, settings, ideas and objects that make up your life. They’re quirky, and we think that’s part of what makes them so special.”

According to many, this is supposed to be “the Instagram of Twitter”, but it reamins to be seen if people will take to it in such rabid fashion as they have to Instagram. With many users already signing on to try the service, one complaint we’ve already heard is that the videos playing in a continuous loop, much like GIFs, is kinda annoying.

Yeah, we can see that. Get the new Vine app for free over at Apple’s App Store. Let us know what you think.

As is often the case with software, it needs to be updated. Apple’s iOS is no exception. So, with that in mind, we’ll let you know that Apple release an update to iOS today and it’s now available for download.

Apple’s iOS 6.0.1 update contains, as is usually the case, the infamous “various bug fixes. It also contains a patch which fixes the iPhone 5′s inability to update itself over the air. That’s a bit embarassing to be sure.

If you have an iPhone 5 you will need to download a patch update first, then iOS 6.0.1 update. Other iOS devices can just update over the air normally.

Continue Reading →

Today at a press conference in San Francisco, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced some new hardware that’s sure to be on many kids (and kids of all ages) Christmas lists this year. Among the most anticipated announcements was Apple’s new iPad, dubbed the iPad Mini, a smaller verson of its mega-selling iPad.

The company also announced new, improved iPad, updated iMacs, updated Mac Mini and much more. The biggest announcement, of course, was the ipad Mini. The new, smaller, iPad is only 7.2mm thick, 25% thinner than the larger iPad, and weighs just 0.8lbs.

It comes in black and white models, and it’s screen resolution is 1024 x 768 just like the first iPad and iPad 2, but the screen size is 7.9-inches. 4G LTE support is available for the cellular model, an Apple dual-core A5 processor, a FaceTime HD camera on the front, and 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back with 1080p HD video capture.

It starts at $329 for the Wi-Fi model and goes up from there. Still, not bad for what you get.

Continue Reading →

Not one of the ones who get a new iPhone 5 and are using a Galaxy Nexus smartphone or one of those fancy new Nexus 7 pads? Well then, this is your lucky day.

Why? Well, the kind folks at Google have released an update for your devices which brings them to Jelly Bean version 4.1.2. It’s a somewhat minor update that provides various bug fixes, improved performance and stability.

It also brings landscape mode support to the Nexus 7 when it’s on the home screen. The Android 4.1.2 update is reportedly rolling out now to Google devices like the Nexus 7 tablet and unlocked Galaxy Nexus smartphones. Lucky bastards.

When it comes for the rest of you, who knows? We’ve updated some of our devices already and so far, so good. Let us know if you have any trouble.

Hoping to avoid issues when the new iPhone 5 arrives on Friday for those who pre-ordered it last week, Apple will release the next version of its mobile operating system for other iOS devices (the iPhone 5 comes with it already installed), dubbed iOS 6, today at 1 PM Eastern. Or, for those of you on the West Coast, that’s right about now.

If you already have a device capable of using iOS 6 and are looking to update your OS, Apple makes it pretty simple. Just go to Settings > General> Software Update and it will ask you if you want to update. Of course, as you probably do, go ahead and say yes. The process will take some time, and may even stall a few times, but be patient as it will eventually work.

You can also get the update by connecting your device to a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes 10.6.3 or later. iOS 6 is compatible with the following devices: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4th and 5th Generation, iPad 2 and the New iPad.

We’ve been running iOS 6 for awhile now and so far, it’s a great update. If you decide to update, let us know how it goes.

Even if you’re an iPhone and iOS user, you have to give props to Google and Android in at least some areas. One such area is Maps.

Google has been doing maps for a long time and has really gotten them right, especially in its more recent versions of its Maps application for Android. Now they’ve updated the app to version 6.10 and have included even more useful features including full schedules for more than 1 million transit stops across the globe.

In addition, the updated app now has a more polished UI for viewing transit schedules and a new Transit map layer so you can filter by bus, train, tram or subway. They also added more info to My Places, location history, and included area borders during searches.

This is a great update and makes the Maps app even more useful, especially to those on the go. It’s almost enough to make me regret not using an Android-powered smartphone as my primary device every day. Almost.

The update is now live so go forth and, well, update. Let us know if you find any other cool features.

Until today, if you used Apple’s Apple TV device, you were pretty much limited to programming via iTunes or Netflix. One other service that was conspicuously absent was Hulu Plus.

No longer. AS of today, according to a mention over at Hulu’s blog, the Hulu Plus service is now available to users using the new Apple TV. It also features detailed instructions on how to enable the service on the device including a way to set up the charge for the service using your iTunes account.

Hulu Plus streams a variety of TV shows including current and old series from ABC, NBC, FOX, The CW and Univision. It’s not as great for movies but the selection has been improving over the last few months. Perhaps it’s time to give it a try again?

It’s hard to remember the last time I used a Microsoft Office product to get any of my work done, but as it’s still the most popular suite of office apps out there so someone must still care about it besides Microsoft. Following that logic, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today unveiled the company’s next generation Office Suite during a press conference in San Francisco.

The new product, ingeniously called Office 2013, includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. It is available today as public “Consumer Preview” (or what anyone else would call a “Beta”) if you’re using Windows 7 and Windows 8. Users of older version of Windows (of which there’s probably a lot) will have to wait.

“We are taking bold steps at Microsoft,” Ballmer said at the press conference. “The new, modern Office will deliver unparalleled productivity and flexibility for both consumers and business customers. It is a cloud service and will fully light-up when paired with Windows 8.”

Click through for the full press release from Microsoft. But really, does anyone still use Office. . . for anything?

Continue Reading →