Hasta La Gadget!

Starting tomorrow, iOS users will be prompted to update their devices to the newest iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system. As difficult as it is to believe, we’re already onto the sixth version of the OS, which continues to be updated with new features on a yearly basis. After pushing out so many upgrades critical to plugging a few major feature holes, the vast majority of its 200 advertised enhancements are strictly granular, as Apple continues to polish its popular OS.

That doesn’t mean, though, that this build is coming to the masses without any jarring UI changes: Apple has declared independence from Google by adopting its own Maps, added a few nice features to Mail and iCloud, thrown Facebook integration into the mix and introduced the Passbook for paperless tickets. The question is, how does it stack up against previous refreshes? Read on to find out.

Continue reading iOS 6 review

Filed under: Software, Mobile

iOS 6 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that the iPhone 5 is officially out of the bag, it’s time to talk software. Apple hasn’t exactly kept its cards close to its chest in regards to iOS 6: Cupertino teased the software at WWDC, letting us in on the direct Facebook integration, the new Maps application, Passbook and “Do Not Disturb” in the process. Today the OS gets official, and Scott Forstall demoed the software on the iPhone 5.

Not too much new here, but the software is out of its beta phase and ready to ship. One of the most hyped additions to iOS 6 has been the Maps application, which includes Siri navigation, 3D building view and satellite imagery. In Safari, there’s now a full-screen mode and you’ll be able to share tabs from your desktop with your phone (dubbed iCloud Tabs). We’re also seeing Passbook in action once again, bringing up a plane ticket at the lockscreen when you get to the airport, for example. One new thing here: Delta is confirmed as a partner for this digital ticket service.

As we’ve already known, on the Siri front you can bring up sports ranking and Rotten Tomatoes movie ratings via the voice assistant. And, of course, one of the most welcome new features is FaceTime over cellular — no mention of whether that will be supported on all carriers, but it certainly looks that way. iOS 6 will be available on September 19th (also when the iPhone 5 will go on sale), and it’s coming to the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, new iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch.

Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

iOS 6 gets official debut on the iPhone 5: Maps, Passbook, iCloud Tabs and more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Just two years ago, Google TV paved a way for Android to enter the television via integrated sets, Blu-ray players, dedicated TV add-ons and pay TV set-top devices. For now, the product may almost be as much of a hobby for the purveyor of questionable eyewear as Apple TV is for Apple, Google’s mobile OS competitor. But it’s clear that the platform isn’t all things to all couch potatoes; the last several weeks have seen the launch of two new, contrasting approaches to getting Android on the big screen in the home.

Continue reading Switched On: Android’s TV Triple Threat

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software

Switched On: Android’s TV Triple Threat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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