Google Maps return to iPhone with new mobile app

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Maps has found its way back to the iPhone.

The world’s most popular online mapping system returned late Wednesday with the release of the Google Maps iPhone app. The release comes nearly three months after Apple Inc. replaced Google Maps as the device’s built-in navigation system and inserted its own map software into the latest version of its mobile operating system.

Apple’s maps application proved to be far inferior to Google’s, turning what was supposed to be a setback for Google into a vindication.

The product’s shoddiness prompted Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue a rare public apology and recommend that iPhone owners consider using Google maps through a mobile Web browser or seek other alternatives until his company could fix the problems. Cook also replaced Scott Forstall, the executive in charge of Apple’s mobile operating system, after the company’s maps app became the subject of widespread ridicule.

Among other things, Apple’s maps misplaced landmarks, overlooked towns and sometimes got people horribly lost. In one example brought to light this week, Australian police derided Apple’s maps as “life-threatening” because the system steered people looking for the city of Mildura into a sweltering, remote desert 44 miles from their desired destination.

Google Inc., in contrast, is hailing its new iPhone app as a major improvement from the one evicted by Apple.

“We started from scratch,” said Daniel Graf, mobile director of Google Maps. Google engineers started working on the new app before Apple’s Sept. 19 ouster, Graf said, though he declined to be more specific.

Digital maps are key battleground in mobile computing because they get used frequently on smartphones and can pinpoint a user’s whereabouts. That information is so prized by advertisers that they’re willing to pay much higher rates for marketing messages aimed at a prospective customer in a particular location, said Greg Sterling, an analyst at Opus Research.

Google’s mapping app for the iPhone doesn’t include ads, but that will likely change, based on the steady stream of marketing flowing through the Google maps app on Android phones.

The additional tools in the free iPhone app include turn-by-turn directions. Google’s previous refusal to include that popular feature on the iPhone app —while making it available for smartphones running on its own Android software— is believed to be one of the reasons Apple decided to develop its own technology. The increasing friction between Google and Apple as they jostle for leadership in the smartphone market also played a role in the mapping switch.

Google’s new iPhone mapping app also offers street-level photography of local neighborhoods, as well as three-dimensional views, public transit directions and listings for more than 80 million businesses around the world. The app still lacks some of the mapping features available on Android-powered phones, such as directions inside malls and other buildings.

All those improvements are positives for Apple too, Sterling said, because the availability of a more comprehensive mapping option makes it less likely that iPhone owners will switch to Android devices.

“The irony is that Apple ended up getting a better version of Google Maps on its system by booting it off,” Sterling said. “At the same time, you could argue that Google is making a triumphant return to cheering crowds. So, in a way, everyone wins in this situation.”

Investors didn’t see anything positive for Apple. The company’s stock slid $9.31 to close at $529.84, while Google shares crept up $5.14 to finish at $702.70.

There still isn’t a Google mapping app for Apple’s top-selling tablet computer, the iPad, but the company plans to make one eventually. Google, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., declined to say when it hopes to release an iPad mapping app. For now, iPad owners can use the maps in an iPhone mode. That won’t be the best experience, but it still may be better than Apple’s offering on the iPad.

In an indication of iPhone owners’ exasperation with Apple’s maps, Google’s new alternative was already the top-ranking free app in Apple’s iTunes store early Thursday morning. By noon EDT, users had chimed in with more than 10,000 reviews of the Google app. Nearly 90 percent of them gave Google maps a five-star rating — the highest possible grade.

The return of Google’s map app may even encourage more iPhone owners to upgrade to Apple’s latest mobile software, iOS 6. Some people resisted the new version because they didn’t want to lose access to the old Google mapping application built into iOS 5 and earlier versions.

After initially omitting Google’s new navigation tool, Apple added the app to its list of maps for the iPhone late Thursday afternoon.

Apple, which is based in Cupertino, Calif., declined to comment about Google’s map app.

Graf said Google isn’t hoping to make Apple look bad with its new mapping app. “On maps, we have a friendly relationship,” he said.

Samsung Galaxy S3 – Release Date, Price, Design and Features Round-Up

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is to be the successor to the hugely popular Samsung Galaxy S2 and rumours surrounding its release date, features, design and price are rife, here we take a look at what has so far been confirmed and what we can expect from this new high-end smart phone.

First of all, Samsung may have accidentally already revealed the Galaxy S3 in a video launched at the recent CES event this year which shows a larger handset than the S2 with a much bigger touch screen and slimmer bevel surround, the display is likely to be 4.6 inches or more based on the manufacturers last two release.

These include the Samsung Galaxy Nexus which sports a 4.65 inch display and the Samsung Galaxy Note which packs the largest touch screen currently available at a massive 5.3 inches, the Galaxy S3 will most definitely use Super AMOLED Plus technology and offer HD support at 1080p as this is already available on the Samsung Galaxy S2.

The camera will most probably turn out to be a 12 mega pixel lens although Samsung did out a 16 mega pixel unit in October of last year there has been no talk connecting it with the Galaxy S3, the camera will be enhanced with face recognition, smile detection, LED flash, image stabiliser, auto and touch focus and 1080p video capture.

When it comes to a definite release date there is no confirmed knowledge at this time, originally tipped to be launching at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona the manufacturer has now confirmed that will not be the case. Reports suggest that it may be a while longer as the company want to avoid the staggered release scenario of the Galaxy S2 which saw a significant delay in launched the product in America after hitting the UK market.

It has also been rumoured that it could coincide with the release of the new Apple iPhone 5, the S2 was launched around the same time as the iPhone 4 and has gone on to outsell Apple’s previous model in the UK, the newer iPhone 4S has also failed to make much of an impact on Galaxy S2 sales figures.

In terms of overall design, the Samsung Galaxy S3 looks to be following a similar stance to the S2 with a lightweight, slim and sleek form which makes the iPhone look a little bulky, the main touch screen dominates the front of the handset and touch sensitive buttons may be removed.

This is mostly due to the new phone shipping with the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich edition operating system which negates the need for both physical and touch buttons, it also introduces lots of new features and updates such as better task management, facial recognition unlock, live effects for video, advanced NFC sharing features and improved email and web browser.

Powering this new flagship phone could well be the first ever quad-core processor as the manufacturer; Qualcomm have now confirmed that these are available, this could increase speeds to between 1.6GHz and 2GHz making the Galaxy S3 one of the fastest smart phones available.

As for price, it is widely expected that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will cost a little more than the S2 did when it was first released, this would mean that a free phone would probably be available with contract deals of between £36 and £41 line rental costs per month.

Kindle Fire 2 Release Date: Amazon Tablet Joins iPhone 5 & Windows Phone for Big September

As the Kindle Fire 2 release date is scheduled to be announced in just a few days from now, Amazon’s latest tech gadget is set to join a huge lineup of other gadgets in September. Among them are brand new devices from Apple, Nokia, and Microsoft.The i4U.com website reports that the big gadget announcements will start on Wednesday, September 5th with Nokia World 2012 as well as a Motorola and Verizon Press Event the same day. Those will be followed when Amazon takes center stage on Thursday, September 6th, to reportedly announce their new Kindle Fire 2 tablet and possibly some more Kindle Touch devices. Then on Wednesday, September 12th comes Apple’s huge press event which many are waiting for. While it’s not yet official, it’s expected that’s the big day when the new iPhone 5 gets unveiled. The wise move by Amazon was to strategically position itself ahead of the big iPhone 5 announcement, yet in the middle of all this big news. They’re basically the only known new tablet to be announced in the middle of a bunch of new smartphone announcements. With that in mind, if they have some sort of “wow factor” in terms of a new feature or design, or specs, they have a good shot to capture plenty of early pre-orders. Nonetheless, all of these companies, along with several others such as Google and Samsung, stand to benefit from a huge upcoming holiday season in terms of gadget shopping!

(Image Source: Amazon.com)

Why an IPhone 4S Overheats

When the iPhone 4S overheats, it displays a written warning that reads: “iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.” Many iPhone owners get a little worried when they see this message and its accompanying yellow exclamation point graphic, but usually the problem is usually an easy fix.

My own iPhone 4S recently started displaying the overheating error during a long car ride while simultaneously playing music from an online service and tethering a 4G connection to my laptop. This is consistent with a problem that many users had after upgrading to iOS 4.3.1, which had issues with constant streaming data access according to blog Tuaw.

4G access creates a much more significant draw on the phone’s resources than other forms of Internet access, and in most cases, recurring overheating issues occur when you ask your iPhone to access 4G or 3G data for an extended period of time. Here are a few steps to take that will help you avoid the problem.

1. Only access the Internet through a single program at a time. If you read the Internet on your phone while listening to music and downloading email attachments, you’ll run the risk of seeing heat errors.


2. Connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot whenever possible. This will take some of the strain off of the iPhone’s mobile Internet chip without limiting your access to the Internet. You can turn Wi-Fi on or off in the iPhone’s Settings menu.


3. Close apps when you aren’t using them. If you’ve never closed iPhone programs before, it’s a pretty easy process. Go to the home screen. Now, double-tap on the Home button to bring up a bar with running processes. You can hold your finger on any of the icons for a few seconds to cause it to wiggle, then click the little red minus sign to close it. Alternately, you can restart your iPhone to close everything at once.


4. Use unapproved apps sparingly. My overheating error occurred when I used Tether, an app that allows the iPhone to function as a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s not an Apple-approved app, and it occasionally causes problems with the iPhone if used for hours on end in conjunction with other Internet-based software.

If you use these programs or if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone 4S, remember to give your iPhone a chance to rest every few hours, particularly when tethering.
4. Don’t plug your iPhone in while using it. If you’re using the 3G/4G chip constantly with your iPhone plugged into a power source, you’ll run a serious risk of overheating.

Most importantly, pay attention to your iPhone. If you ever feel it start to warm up, give it a chance to rest. The device can sustain serious damage if it passes its temperature threshold regularly, so play it safe by touching it occasionally to make sure that it’s at room temperature.

Have any tips or questions about overheating iPhones? Post below.

Extract iPhone Backup File And Recover iPhone Data in Steps

iPhone Backup Extractor: Extract and Recover iPhone Data

Here all the content in the backup file has been displayed, and you can preview and check them one by one. After preview, check those you want back and hit to “Recover” and save them.

STEP3. DO BACKUP WELL

To avoid losing data from your iPhone, do remember to backup it on your computer well.

For Windows users, you can use Wondershare Dr.Fone to perform the backup extracting in similar steps. Additionally, this Windows version enables you to directly scan and recover data from iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS.

Having The Apple Iphone 4s

Nowadays, the word Apple is nearly synonymous with high-quality computers, mobile phones and other devices. Its recent creation is the iPhone 4s, a touch screen 3G smart phone. A direct successor to the iPhone 4, it features a lot of high-quality applications and software, making it one of the best and most technologically advanced devices in the world. Like contemporary devices made by Apple and other companies, it is distributed in stores located in different parts of the globe. And though the Apple iPhone 4s price and specifications may seem to be too high to afford, getting it is definitely worth it in the long run. An AI Who Understands In many ways, the Apple iPhone 4s has surpassed other mobile devices produced by rival companies. And one of the main reasons for this as well as for the many positive Apple iPhone 4s reviews is Siri. Siri is the software featured in the Apple gadget and it acts as the phones operating system and AI secretary. Unique among other OS, it literally has a voice of its own and a female one at that. It listens to the iPhone user and can understand whatever it hears, calculating the command it needs to execute. It can also manage the schedule recorded in the device as well as its message and call settings. And it is completely adjustable to suit the owners needs. Say Cheese The Apple iPhone 4s price and specification list does not end with Siri. Another feature that made the Apple a popular gadget is its camera. Apple prides itself for producing high-quality devices and applications and the camera in their new model is the best among these by far. With this feature, iPhone users can take high-quality photos and videos to show to their friends. It has a maximum resolution of up to 8 megapixels and its lens has an aperture of f/2.4. The camera also includes certain modifications that allow the user to enhance the captured image and recorded video. These include an upgraded illumination sensors, face detection and automatic white balance. Simple Elegance Yet another feature mentioned in various Apple iPhone 4s reviews is the simple elegance of the device. Its interface has embedded graphics and it can operate seven times faster than those of other mobile phones. This makes all the applications of the Apple iPhone more engaging and fun. And there is no need for the user to worry about power since the device comes with a special battery that is twice as long-lasting as batteries from other phones.

Free Classic Galaga Game for the iPhone

The sounds of the arcade classic, Galaga, resonate deeply with anyone who was an arcade fan back in the early 80s. The space shooter’s laser sounds, explosions, and famous musical fanfares were all part of the heady time when the videogame industry was new.

Namco’s Galaga Remix Lite brings a reminder of those halcyon days of the 1980s to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring both an exact copy of the original game, and a new updated version with more modern graphics and sounds, this is a free App Store download that’s worth checking out for fans of old school arcade action.

Galaga Remix Lite Features

  • Original Game and Modern Updated Version
  • Various control options to take advantage of iPhone interface
  • Limited gameplay is a teaser for the pay version

An Accurate Old School Galaga

The original version of Galaga in Remix Lite is pretty much a pixel-perfect copy of the original arcade version. The sounds are the same. The graphics are the same. Even the enemy motion patterns are the same. While the graphics are bit too small on the iPhone, it’s still possible to get an old school Galaga fix.

Galaga Remix Lite gives the user three different control schemes for the iPhone version of the game. One option uses virtual direction buttons and a separate fire button. Another uses a slider at the bottom of the screen to move the ship with a screen tap providing firing functionality. Finally for motion-sickness fans, there is a scheme based on the iPhone’s accelerometer, with iPhone tilts moving the ship back and forth with a separate fire button.

The Remixed Version of Galaga

While the nostalgic version of the original Galaga works well, the newer remixed version of the game is a better gaming experience. The basic premise is the same: scroll left and right while firing at attacking alien spaceships weaving back and forth from the top of the screen.

The graphics in Galaga Remixed are significantly better than the original version. One obvious difference is the landscape orientation of the game screen when compared to the portrait orientation of the original game. The extra width of the new game screen works well. Other than the extra graphical and sonic sheen (the original music gets new orchestration), the gameplay is quite familiar to longtime Galaga fans.

Since the Lite version of Galaga Remix is a free download, the game doesn’t continue beyond the first few waves of enemies. Since the full version of the game is only a $2.99 download, Galaga Remix Lite works best as a demo for the full game. It’s a recommended download for fans of old school arcade action.

iPhone users interested in other free iPhone games or apps should also check out the Suite101 profiles of a free mini golf game, a free racing game and a free music synthesizer for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Apple iPhone 4 review: Best features of the new iPhone

Now that the iPhone 3 has officially been announced and the world knows there are 1500 upgrades or new editions present in this model, what most people really want to know is which ones are important, when they can get their hands on one, and how much it is really going to cost. Without doubt the iPhone 4 has jumped over everything else available by leaps and bounds, but when you really break the iPhone 3 down, what is important and what is fluff? Most importantly, does it make financial sense to own it? As sexy and fun as the new model is, for some people it may not be necessary to upgrade yet.

The iPhone 4 has a totally new design highlighted by the stainless steel band that serves as the antennae and the front and back glass Apple is touting as being around 7x more durable than plastic. It is the thinnest smartphone on the market, and also among the lightest at a little over 2 grams.The volume buttons were separated which may not sound like a big deal, but when it comes to ease of use it really is huge. A secondary mic was added for noise suppression, and the 5 mega pixel camera with LED flash capable of 720p video is a significant upgrade.

The secondary video call camera is what is going to allow you to use Apple’s new “Face Time” feature which is just another name for video calling really. The drawback is it will only work iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 right now, but Apple does plan to expand this somehow. The Retina Display upgrade is a tremendous leap forward in graphic clarity and quality. So far as the outside goes, this is a sweet unit.

Cracking the iPhone 4 open, the A4 chip which is the same one used on the iPad is what knocks your socks off. Among all the things it will do which are awesome, the thing you will really notice is that the power management feature it has is going to extend the battery life which has already been beefed up independently. Having 7 hours of call time is going to be nice without any doubt. The gyroscope is going to take gaming to a whole new level, but if you aren’t a gamer that won’t matter.

A big change is ditching the SIM card for the microSIM. You can’t transfer your old SIM card unless you shave it down which is a pain and not something everyone can necessarily do and not jack things up. The iOS  4 looks like it will be a killer platform. The multitasking actually worked in the demonstration Steve Jobs made and all demonstrations after his keynote speech at the WWDC so this is perhaps