As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.
- Mozilla adopts plain-vanilla password sign-in for Firefox sync
The open-source browser today uses a complicated method to let people sync bookmarks, tabs, and other settings. Now Mozilla is trying a more ordinary username-password approach.
- Coca-Cola 'America the Beautiful' Super Bowl Ad Celebrates Diversity, Twitter Racists Explode (VIDEO)
Coca-Cola generally draws on cuddly polar bears and other heartwarming imagery for its Super Bowl commercials and this year was no exception — or was it?
Coke’s stirring “It’s Beautiful” spot featured Americans of all different backgrounds singing “America the Beautiful” in a variety of languages. Whether singing in English, Hindi, Arabic, or Tagalog, the ad’s singers proved that America’s diversity is one of its most important assets.
Sadly, many on Twitter appeared to differ, as social media was soon deluged messages of anger and ignorance directed at the commercial.
Still confused as to why they were singing about America in all those foreign languages in the Coke commercial. We speak English…
— Anna Langley (@annalangleyy) February 3, 2014
Coke having a commercial with an American song in other languages… not cool. Coke. GTFO with that.
— KYBlackoutTFM (@KYBlackout) February 3, 2014
@vonzion @KAFosterSowell @CocaCola I will never drink another Coke product as long as I live
— Jerry Stephens (@runlong01) February 3, 2014
Hey #coke we speak English in America #AmericaIsBeautiful … Awful commercial
— alexander c (@theAFAUSTshow) February 3, 2014
Anybody else hate that they just sang the song of America, half in Spanish and there were about 2 Americans in the commercial? #Coke
— Shelby Gould (@ItsShelbyGould) February 3, 2014
Well.. I won’t be drinking #coke anymore. We speak English in the #USA. Get over it.
— Stephanie Weaver (@stphniwvr) February 3, 2014
Of course, this resulted in a backlash of its own, as people across the Internet rallied to the commercial’s defense.
Apparently this is a thing? A super racist thing RT @DRichardson94: Some terrorist were singing our song in that coke commercial #superbowl”
— Kat Merrick (@MerrickKat) February 3, 2014
You know what? Our diverse country… #itsbeautiful. Thank you #coke, because they knew they’d get backlash from xenophobic jerks.
— Megan King Womack (@MegJinsunmi) February 3, 2014
Best ad of the first half: #Coke celebrating the immigrant spirit of patriotism in #AmericaIsBeautiful
— Eric Liu (@ericpliu) February 3, 2014
That #Coke commercial is everything that’s right with America
— Matt Millar (@MMillar93) February 3, 2014
- Briefly: Moshi's SenseCover for iPhone, Playstation 4 app updated
Mobile accessory maker, Moshi, announced earlier this week the release of its flip cover case for iPhone 5s and 5c, the SenseCover. Allowing users to swipe to answer phone calls or silence alarms without exposing the iPhone’s touchscreen, Moshi’s touch-sensitive plates within the front cover offers a design similar to what is seen from Samsung’s S-View flip cover for Galaxy handsets. Its cutout near the top lets the caller identification information be visible. When access to the touchscreen is desired, the cover can be folded back and kept open by its rear-mounted magnetic clasp.
- 27 Best Vines Of The Week In 1 Video: Jan. 25 – Jan. 31, 2014 (VIDEO)
Vine, Twitter’s micro-video social network, is perhaps the best form of entertainment by and for Generation Distraction. With a limit of six seconds per video, Vine provides a steady supply of hilarious, surprising and inventive mini-movies showcasing users’ art, comedy, pets, pranks and general Internet weirdness.
To celebrate this relatively new medium, we’ll be doing a weekly compilation of our favorite Vines. This week, we offer everything from a trust fall gone wrong to an exploding watermelon, and of course, a cat who really doesn’t want to be kissed. If you see something you like, we encourage you to follow its creator on Vine. If there’s something you don’t like, well, just wait a few seconds and it will be over.
- GoDaddy 'I Quit' Super Bowl Spot Features Real Employee Quitting On National TV (VIDEO)
In an interesting move for GoDaddy, the Internet-hosting company featured a real employee quitting on national television.
The commercial introduced “Gwen,” a mechanical engineer who has always dreamed of making puppets for a living. With a little help from actor John Turturro, Gwen told her boss she was quitting her job during the commercial, so she can pursue her unconventional dream — with the help of GoDaddy, of course.
Gwen’s new business can be found at PuppetsByGwen.com.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- RadioShack Goes Back To The 80s For Nostalgic Super Bowl Commercial (VIDEO)
Oh RadioShack, the 80s called!
In a clever play on a classic insult, RadioShack shows it pays to be able to laugh at yourself in its 2014 Super Bowl commercial.
The funny spot pulls various 80s stereotypes together, from Hulk Hogan and Chucky the demon doll to Alf and Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Rhetton, all of whom converge on the electronics store to steal throwback electronics like VHS players.
RadioShack’s point is they’ve reinvented their store. But the real point is that the 80s were amazing, obviously.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Oops, Windows XP gains in January but so does Windows 8.1
The staying power of the aging-out Windows XP was evident in January, according to Net Applications. The much maligned Windows 8.1 gained some ground too, though.
- U2 Teams Up With Bank Of America For Super Bowl Commercial, AIDS Fundraising (VIDEO)
U2 and Bank of America teamed up for a good cause this Super Bowl to raise funds and awareness to fight AIDS.
The rock group promoted its partnership with Bank of America and the AIDS nonprofit (RED) by singing new single “Invisible.” The flashy music video, filmed in black and white, featured thousands of flashlight-waving fans and a crowd surfing Bono.
For the first 24 hours after the video was unveiled, “Invisible” will be available for free on iTunes, and Bank of America will donate $1 to nonprofit (Red) for each download, (up to $2 million.)
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Hyundai Genesis Super Bowl Commercial Features A Dad's 'Sixth Sense' (VIDEO)
A dad’s ability to protect his kids from danger gets the slapstick treatment in a cute Super Bowl commercial for Hyundai.
The spot, which is an advertisement for the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, uses the cute factor to highlight the Genesis’ Automatic Emergency Braking system.
“Remember when only dad could save the day?” the commercial asks. Well, now your car’s fancy braking system can pick up some of the slack.
Directed by Frank Todaro, the spot has been getting high marks so far. Adding a bit of celebrity punch, Jeff Bridges narrates and Bruno Mars sings the background track.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Ellen Degeneres Stars In Beats Music's Super Bowl Commercial, Shows Off Dance Moves (VIDEO)
Ellen, you’ve still got it!
One of the reigning queens of comedy, Ellen Degeneres is known in part for her propensity to break it down anywhere, any time. The colorful talk show host’s dance moves were front and center in the Beats Music Super Bowl commercial this year, which took inspiration from the Goldilocks fairy tale. Like Goldilocks before her, Ellen had to sample a variety of different things — in this case, music playlists — before finding the tunes that were just right.
After using Beats Music’s app to find the perfect mix, Ellen started a dance party with a family of bears that arrive just in time to join in on the fun.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Turbo Tax Super Bowl Ad Reminds Us To Rise About Past Prom Date Disasters (VIDEO)
Wish your team was playing in the Super Bowl?
Turbo Tax plays off the feeling of frustration so many fans feel each year who have to sit and watch a team they don’t care about play against another team they don’t care about.
The clever ad equates the feeling of having to watch other teams play for glory in the big game with having to watch a rival dance with your high school crush at prom.The ad’s eventual message is that Turbo Tax can help you feel better by enabling you to easily do your taxes. Or something.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- VIDEO: Getting to grips with 'RealSense'
Later this year, chip giant Intel will incorporate a new technology into laptops, PCs and tablets.
- Chevy Silverado 'Romance' Super Bowl Commercial Has A Man, A Truck — And A Sexy Cow (VIDEO)
A man, a truck and a lonely cow take center stage in the Chevy Silverado Super Bowl commercial this year.
The funny spot, which features the 1970s Hot Chocolate tune “You Sexy Thing,” begins with a rugged cowboy and his equally rugged Chevy truck. It then introduces the man’s cow, a male cow referred to by the narrator as “one eligible bachelor.”
By the end of the spot, the bull has been introduced to a field full of a female cows. Helllllllo ladies. The point? When you drive a Chevy, everybody wins apparently, even horny bulls.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Maserati Ghibli 'Now We Strike' Super Bowl Commercial Features Quvenzhané Wallis (VIDEO)
Car commercials can be kind of run of the mill, but this ad from Maserati for the 2014 Ghibli is actually pretty epic.
The commercial’s tag line, “Now we strike,” is a little ominous, but the overall effect is surprisingly cool.
Cinematic in nature, the Maserati spot also features the ever-amazing young actress Quvenzhané Wallis, of “Beast of the Southern Wild” fame.
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Ford's Super Bowl Commercial Stars James Franco Topping Rob Riggle (VIDEO)
Ford is attempting to do something a little bit differently this year, creating a long-form Super Bowl commercial starring James Franco and Fox NFL Sunday host Rob Riggle.
The ad, which confused some viewers with its odd early teaser, features Riggle talking about the Ford Fusion Hybrid, followed by Franco trying to outdo Riggle’s excitement.
There’s also a tiger.
“Rob will be playing himself in part of it, and then I’ll be playing a version of Rob in the other part,” Franco told Entertainment Weekly. “Super Bowl commercials are almost like little movies nowadays. …In the ad, a lot of the little things in Rob’s portion will have doubles in my portion, but everything will be much grander. He has a chihuahua, I have a Bengal tiger.”
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2014 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most unforgettable from the past.
As the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks battle for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl advertisers compete for another prize: your attention. Each time that FOX cuts away from Super Bowl XLVIII to pay the bills, another group of blockbuster commercials and movie trailers was unveiled (although many had been teased or released in advance). Take a look around your Super Bowl party. Are people paying closer attention during the game or the commercial breaks?
CLICK HERE to visit our Super Bowl Live Blog to check out the latest on-field action.
- Super Bowl Commercials 2014: Watch Ads Aired During Broncos, Seahawks Matchup (UPDATING)
For many Super Bowl viewers, the game between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks was just something that happened between breaks in commercials. The blockbuster ads unveiled each year have further established the NFL’s big game as must-see television, even for those who don’t know Peyton Manning from Bruno Mars.
SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH 2014 COMMERCIALS
With the trend of early releases continuing before Super Bowl XLVIII, several spots generated buzz and, in some cases, elicited “awwwws” before kickoff. Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” ad set the standard for adorable long before FOX began its coverage on Super Bowl Sunday, but the cuteness quotient in promos by Cheerios and Coca Cola made it clear that heartwarming was the way to go in 2014.
CLICK HERE to watch the 50 Greatest Super Bowl commercials ever.
Of course, no slate of Super Bowl ads would be complete without some controversy. The 2014 group of promos wasn’t an exception. Long before Manning threw a pass — or an interception — against the vaunted Seahawks defense, Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream were dodging potential censors and controversy. FOX reportedly rejected the company’s ad because it ended with Johansson saying “Sorry, Coke and Pepsi,” according to USA Today. Rather than hope its banned status would lead to viral success, SodaStream apparently altered its ad in order for it to air.
CLICK HERE to watch 20 banned Super Bowl commercials.
WATCH below to see this year’s slate of Super Bowl commercials. Stay tuned as we’ll be adding commercials to the gallery after they air during the game.
- Microsoft's Super Bowl ad might make you cry (in a good way)
In an ad featuring a voiceover from former NFL player Steve Gleason, who now suffers from ALS, Microsoft surfaces empowerment that might remind some of an old Microsoft campaign.
- Briefly: LensFX photo editor, Carrot Fit talking weight tracker
Photo editor app for iOS, LensFX, was released this week, offering users a variety of ‘Hollywood’ effects. LensFX features over 130 effects to add to an image, such as explosions, aircraft, fire and dinosaurs. Each effect can be applied as individual or multiple layers, and can be moved, resized or rotated independently. Realistic color correction, filters and lens textures are also included, that render as high resolution images.
- Companies Back Fast Internet-In-Schools Initiative
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it’s lined up private support for President Barack Obama’s pledge to connect 15,000 schools and 20 million students with high-speed Internet service over the next few years.
A White House education event Tuesday will focus on his ConnectED initiative.
Chief of staff Denis McDonough, tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that companies are going to commit more than a half-billion dollars so schools have the technology for students to “compete in this economy.”
The Education Department says about 80 percent of schools have Internet capabilities that are too slow or limited to places such as front offices and computer labs. Obama says American schools are falling behind those in other countries with better broadband access.
The Federal Communications Commission is considering ways to increase connectivity in schools.
