iOS 7: What it needs, and what it won't be getting in video 
Which features does iOS 7 desperately need, and which will Apple probably not bother with? That's the subject of the video you can see above, so click play to see what we anticipate from the next iteration of iOS.
What would a Jony Ive-led redesign look like? Will we get a kids' mode to stop younglings blowing your hard-won cash on Smurfberries? And is the power to change default apps a plausible reality -- or just wishful thinking? Continue reading...
Alt-J open for Soundhalo app, lets you instantly buy gig footage
Mobile PhonesSoundhalo is a new Android app that means you'll never have to hold up your phone and record grubby bootleg footage again -- or go to a gig for that matter.
The app, which is currently in beta but readily available on the Google Play store, launched last night at a gig by Mercury Prize-winning acoustic jazz-dubsteppers alt-J. Continue reading...
Android 4.3 rumoured for 10 June launch
Mobile PhonesAndroid 4.3, the next update to Google's world-conquering mobile software, will come out on 10 June, according to Android and Me's Taylor Wimberly.
Wimberly went hands-on with the heavily tipped but so far unannounced white version of the Nexus 4, and whichever unnamed Google-related bod had the snowy blower revealed that 4.3 will start rolling out next month. Continue reading...
iTunes 11.0.3 is out, gets its head around multi-disc albums
SoftwareApple has released an update to its iTunes music software, which should make the program run faster and grants you the power to see multi-disc albums in a more sensible fashion.
The 11.0.3 update is available to download now, and brings a revamped MiniPlayer. Apple says the new player -- which gives you a minimised snapshot of what's currently playing -- sports a "beautiful new view that showcases your album artwork". Continue reading...
No iPad version of iOS BBM at launch, report says
SoftwareBlackBerry's upcoming BBM app for iOS won't be getting iPad support, with a BlackBerry exec apparently confirming that the app is the exclusive preserve of iPhone owners -- at least for now.
"At this point it is iOS and Android, and that's iOS phones running iOS 6 and higher," a BlackBerry exec reportedly told Trusted Reviews, allegedly going on to say, "For us right now the absolute focus is getting BBM onto smart phones." Continue reading...
50 billionth iOS app downloaded, bloke wins £6,550 gift card
SoftwareLucky chap -- Brandon Ashmore, from the sleepy lakeside town of Mentor, Ohio, has just won $10,000 (£6,550) in Apple App Store credit after he downloaded the store's 50 billionth app.
The 50 people who downloaded apps after Brandon's milestone also bagged $500 (£330) gift vouchers. Continue reading...
Google I/O roundup: S4, games, music, maps, chat and more
SoftwareThe three-hour keynote speech that opened Google's I/O developer conference last night was a sprawling epic, chock-full of new products and announcements from the Big G.
It's hard to get your head around all of the news, so here's a handy list of the most important stuff for the average tech fan, with links to CNET articles where you can find out loads more. Continue reading...
Google whistleblowers inform Parliament on UK tax situation
SoftwareWhistleblowers inside Google's UK arm have given confidential evidence to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which is investigating whether the search giant should be paying more tax here in Britain.
Margaret Hodge MP, the PAC's chairperson, grilled Google UK boss Matt Brittin this morning, saying she had evidence from whistleblowers that Google was making far more money in the UK than it was admitting, and thereby avoiding tax here. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 'Google Edition' runs pure Android, out in June
Mobile PhonesIn a shock move, Google has revealed a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that's running pure Android, just like one of Google's own Nexus gadgets.
The officially confirmed device, which is yet to be officially named but was dubbed 'Google Edition' in an earlier rumour, is a dream device for many Android fans, as it offers the high-end hardware that Samsung brings to the table, but none of Samsung's apps. Continue reading...
Android hits 900 million activations, Google boasts
SoftwareAndroid has hit 900 million activations, a growth spurt that Google calls an "extraordinary achievement".
The Big G confirmed that nearly a billion devices running its robot-powered operating system had been powered up -- that's nearly one Android device for every seven humans on the planet. Continue reading...
Google Maps leak offers a 'tailored map for every search'
SoftwareGoogle is giving Maps a major overhaul, promising a "tailored map for every search", according to a sign-up page that inadvertently went live ahead of its official launch at Google's developer conference, I/O.
Spotted by Droid Life, the pages give a taste of the new features the Big G is adding to its cartographical service. "The new Google Maps draws you a tailored map for every search and click you make," the page promises. "So whatever you're trying to find or wherever you're trying to go, you'll always have a map highlighting the things that matter most." Continue reading...
Windows 8.1 confirmed as official name for Blue update
SoftwareWindows Blue will be called Windows 8.1, Microsoft has confirmed. The first big update to the controversial Windows 8 software will officially have a numbered moniker when it arrives later this year.
Speaking at an industry conference in Boston today, Microsoft's two-hat-wearing CMO and CFO Tami Reller confirmed the numbered name. Up until now, the update has been codenamed Windows Blue. Continue reading...
Key Lime Pie and Nexus absent from Google I/O, exec hints
SoftwareThe next version of Android could be entirely absent from Google's upcoming I/O conference, the man in charge of the robot-powered operating system has hinted, also suggesting that we won't see any new Nexus hardware.
Google has traditionally used its annual developer bash -- which kicks off in the US on Wednesday -- to showcase its most exciting new hardware and software, dangling enticing new apps and gadgets in front of our eager faces like a SeaWorld trainer gripping a kipper. Continue reading...
Google Play Games fights iOS Game Center in leaked pics
SoftwareGoogle is getting serious about games, as newly leaked photos reveal an upcoming app will bring achievements, leaderboards and more to Android.
Dubbed 'Google Play Games', the new software may have a truly uninspiring name, but it shouldn't lack for features. Android Police claims to have received a leaked copy of Google's new Services app from Google headquarters, and has dissected the gaming-centric app, divulging its numerous features along the way. Continue reading...
Microsoft defends Windows 8 changes as reacting to feedback
DesktopsWindows 8 has come in for plenty of stick in its relatively short life, but now Microsoft has gone on the defensive, slamming its detractors.
Articles this week in the Financial Times and The Economist accuse Microsoft of backtracking, pointing to the return of the Start button as evidence its latest operating system is a failure. This prompted Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft's corporate vice president of corporate communications, to accuse such publications of providing "stark black-and-white caricatures" rather than "shades-of-grey reality". Continue reading...
Vikings TV show raids UK as Lovefilm streaming exclusive
SoftwareNorse-em-up TV series Vikings is landing in the UK, but will only be available to those who own a Lovefilm subscription.
Amazon-owned Lovefilm, which competes with Netflix through its 'Instant' streaming service, has snapped up exclusive rights to air the show in our green and pleasant land. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy phones get new ITV app in exclusive tie-up
Mobile PhonesITV has given its ITV Player catch-up app a revamp, but only Samsung devices will get access to the new service -- at least for now.
The refreshed service, which apparently will boost playback performance, is exclusive to Samsung's range of smart phones and tablets, including the newly-minted Galaxy S4 smart phone. Continue reading...
New laws improve your rights for faulty apps and games
SoftwareEver bought an app, game, or anything else that broke your phone or didn't work like it should? The government is bringing in new laws to make it easier to claim a refund or compensation for anything bought online that turns out to be faulty.
In today's Queen's Speech to Parliament, Her Madge outlined the principals of a new Consumer Rights Bill. Included in that is protection for you if an app, game, song or film you've downloaded freezes or doesn't work. Continue reading...
Viber desktop app puts phone chat on your computer
SoftwareMessaging app Viber has added a desktop app to its software roster that'll let customers continue their phone chit-chat on their computers.
If you already use the Viber app on your smart phone, you'll be able to sign into the desktop client -- which is available for PC and Mac -- and keep talking to your pals. Continue reading...
Sir Alex Ferguson retires, sparking 1m tweets in an hour
SoftwareSir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United for 26 years, has retired, sparking a frenzy of social media reaction from across the globe.
The official Manchester United Twitter feed broke the news this morning with the simple words "Sir Alex Ferguson retires. #thankyousiralex" -- and Twitter exploded. Continue reading...
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