Starting with the Camera app, it adds a new shooting mode: square. It sounds just like it is — the photo you capture will be square in size. Now you can switch between four different modes: regular photo, video, panorama, and square. Additionally, you can now add one of eight photo filters within the app similar in style to Instagram. Some give the photo a vintage feel while others add contrast. There’s something for everyone.

Once you’re done taking photos, you can browse through them in the new Photos app. Previously, the Camera Roll was just an endless list of thumbnail images. In iOS 7, the app automatically organizes your photos into collections based on time and location. Getting even more specific with time and location, Moments are smaller divisions of Collections. For instance, you could have a Collection of a trip to Hawaii and a Moment of one day at the beach.

All of these new features are wrapped in the brand new UI present in Photos, Camera, and throughout iOS 7. The developer beta of the OS is available today and regular iOS users can download the update for free in the fall.

[via Apple]

BlackBerry succeeded by answering the bell with two quality devices: the Z10 and Q10. I’ve been spending a lot of time with both the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 to find out which is best. So I happily gave my perspective in a brief breakdown. Enjoy!

Under the Hood (Specs)

As you can see from the chart above, the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 are almost identical when it comes to specs. However, I found the Q10 offered a better quality screen that also provided more impressive viewing angles. This is due to the Z10’s lesser quality LCD display that only pumps out a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels, while the Q10’s S-AMOLED 720p screen flourishes above. It’s not even close.

What I didn’t mention in the chart was the difference in battery capacity. For some odd reason, BlackBerry decided to go with a smaller 1800 mAh battery inside the Z10. The Q10 comes with a 2100 mAh battery that’s also removable. The battery life is noticeably different — edge goes to the Q10.

Look and Feel

To no  surprise, both the Z10 and Q10  share superb hardware. These devices aren’t plasticky or cheap, instead, they represent a past where a phone’s build quality was a top priority. Still, after handling both phones I’d have to give the advantage to the Z10. The Z10 just feels better in the hand than the Q10. Hell, this year’s touch screen BlackBerry 10 device resembles the iPhone in many ways, as it gives off a feel much similar to the iPhone 5.

Yet, there’s something to be said about the nostalgia that overcomes you once you feel a physical keyboard in your hands. Suddenly, you feel more important, more business-like — I can’t explain it. However, the reality is, QWERTY keypad phones are a relic in time gone by. Do I believe they should stay around? Sure. Just like I how I feel vinyls or CD’s should stay around.

What’s the best choice?

In the end, I came to the conclusion that the handset that appeals to the larger majority of smartphone customers is the Z10. This device represents what people are accustomed to in the year 2013, while the Q10 appeals to a shrinking customer base that prefers a physical keypad over a virtual one.

In addition, smartphone buyers are becoming more attracted to devices with bigger screens — just think the Galaxy S and Note series. A 3.1-inch display won’t make people come back to BlackBerry. The Z10 is BlackBerry’s re-entry into a market that appeals to those thirsty for a decent sized touchscreen smartphone that can handle day-to-day tasks.

So it’s simple. If you don’t want to upgrade away from the style and feel of your old BlackBerry handset, go with the Q10. But, if you want a change, I’d recommend you give the Z10 a shot.

[UPDATE 2: BlackBerry has confirmed to TheNextWeb that BBM will not be launching for iOS or Android on June 27th]

iOS and Android users are in for a treat later this month. Those who have been longing for BBM to finds its way to the world’s two most popular mobile operating systems will soon have their wishes granted on June 27th.

T-Mobile UK tweeted the following earlier this morning:

Great news – BlackBerry Messenger will be available to download on iOS and Android from June 27th! #BBM twitter.com/TMobileUK/stat…

— T-MOBILE UK (@TMobileUK) June 6, 2013

Not only was the T-Mobile UK Twitter account nice enough to show off the Samsung Galaxy S III running BBM, but also announcing the June 27th release date. We knew it was going to be happening soon, but at least people who are excited about using the service on iOS or Android can start their countdowns.

Many people have been wanting BlackBerry’s messaging service to become available on more platforms, but it still remains to be seen as to how well BBM will do when it debuts. Whenever Google Hangouts receives SMS integration, BBM may end up being too little, way too late.

What do you think? Are you excited for BBM on Android and iOS?

[Via: TheVerge]

Relying on BlackBerry’s existing infrastructure, the new Software Update Management for Automotive service facilitates machine-to-machine (M2M) communication directly between the automaker and the vehicle, making it seamless for automaker to provide software updates to vehicles in the field. In addition, with BlackBerry’s M2M service, car companies will also be able to add new apps to the in-vehicle infotainment systems, along with the ability to get the status of functional systems in a vehicle.

According to a Gartner study, 40% of US vehicle owners either “definitely want to get” or at least are “likely to get” the ability for wireless software updates in their next new vehicle. This in turn makes this capability the third most demanded automotive-centric web application and function.

The development of OTA services is described as a part of BlackBerry’s broader mobile computing strategy, which obviously wants to see BlackBerry OS running in as many devices as possible. We’ll see whether the Canadian company can pull this off…

[Via: Cellular-News]

While we still have no official confirmation on when the device will be hitting store shelves, the device is rumored to be debuting in November, which would pit it directly against the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, as well as any new device that Apple may be releasing around that time.

BlackBerry was under pressure to announce the A10 at last month’s BlackBerry Live conference, but Heins kept the device a mystery as to not take the wind out of the release of the keyboard touting Q10, which is set to roll out on multiple carriers in the near future.

Will the A10 keep BlackBerry afloat, or will it come too little too late for the company?

[Via: CNET]

Here is an official statement from the Chicago Sun-Times:

“The Sun-Times business is changing rapidly and our audiences are consistently seeking more video content with their news. We have made great progress in meeting this demand and are focused on bolstering our reporting capabilities with video and other multimedia elements. The Chicago Sun-Times continues to evolve with our digitally savvy customers, and as a result, we have had to restructure the way we manage multimedia, including photography, across the network.”

According to a tweet from Robert Feder, a former media reporter for the Sun-Times of 28 years, Sun-Times reporters “begin mandatory training today on ‘iPhone photography basics’ following elimination of the paper’s entire photo staff.”

This move highlights a huge shift in the way traditional media is being replaced by so-called new media, which focuses on shorter news stories and more multimedia elements. Not only is it difficult to snap quality photographs while reporting on a story, many photographers who were laid off had long-standing relationships in the community, which allowed them to gain access to areas and situations in which they could capture interesting photographs and intimate information.

“The photographers they fired were not button-pushers, they were journalists and trusted members of their communities. Some of them were deeply connected to areas of Chicago in ways that a freshly minted multimedia journalism graduate from New York will never be. Everyone in the city, it seemed to me, knew John White and Brian Jackson. I couldn’t walk up to a crime scene or a neighborhood center without them receiving slaps on the back and having doors thrown open. Scott Stewart had deep access to firefighters and fire officials in the city, on a first name basis…” – Chicago Tribune Photographer, Alex Garcia

Time will tell how this move works out for the Chicago Sun-Tribune, and if and when other news media outlets follow suit.

[Via: iClarified]

“A special edition of the new HTC One running stock Android will be exclusively available through the Google Play store in the United States starting on June 26th.  This edition pairs the all-metal unibody design, low-light capabilities of the UltraPixel camera and dual front-facing stereo speakers of the new HTC One with the stock version of the latest Android software, Jelly Bean 4.2.2″

The handset will become available on the Google Play Store on June 26th for $599. Not only will the handset receive timely updates like any other Nexus device, but users will also be able to unlock the bootloader via the standard method and not through HTCDev.com

The HTC One Google Edition supports the following bands:

HSPA/WCDMA: 850/1900/2100 MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
LTE: 700/850/AWS/1900 MHz (US)

Running on Android 4.2.2, the HTC One Google Edition will receive much faster updates than non Nexus or Google Edition handsets. So, whenever Android 4.3 or Key Lime Pie are unleashed, owners of the handset won’t be waiting months to be on the latest and greatest version of the OS.

We’re pumped to see the HTC One get the stock Android treatment. Will you be grabbing the HTC One Google Edition when it hits on June 26th?

[Via: HTC]

A report from ETNews today gave fuel to the rumor, stating that not only will it feature a 13MP camera, it will also have optical image stabilization and potentially 3x optical zoom. “Optical” anything in a smartphone is usually a big deal because manufacturers typically use lesser-quality digital technology like digital zoom, which degrades the quality of the photo the further you zoom in. Optical zoom alleviates this worry.

Also in the news for possible Galaxy Note 3 enhancements is a larger screen — either 5.99 or 6 inches, up from the 5.5-inch display on the Galaxy Note 2 — and a new Exynos 5 Octa processor. The design of the phone is expected to pay tribute to the Galaxy S4, too. We don’t know for sure yet because the Galaxy S4 itself hasn’t leaked out. There’s still plenty of time left for that to happen though.

If you’re eager to get your hands on a Galaxy Note 3, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. The phone won’t launch until September at IFA 2013 in Berlin. The release should follow a few weeks after.

[via Gotta Be Mobile]

Flickr’s site has looked pretty tired for a long time, with lots of blank white space and annoying navigation. Originally intended for photographers to share their work, the metadata for each pic is prominently displayed, something casual users could care less about. In recent years, Yahoo owned Flicker has been losing out to image sharing platforms designed with smartphones in mind like Instagram -which was acquired by Facebook last year. The new update fills up nearly all the blank space with a mosaic of images with large, high res photos prominently displayed. The navigation is revamped as well and the whole thing looks and functions like a dream.

Of course, if this doesn’t bring the masses back to Flickr, the Free Terabyte of Storage will! It’s an amazing amount of space to hand out, and it put’s Google’s 15 GB to shame. Yahoo must know most users won’t come close to using this, at least not yet. But the new Flickr will host full resolution images and the sensors in all of our devices are only growing, so this huge amount of storage might not seem so big someday.

Which leads me to the updated Android app. The iPhone got a refreshed Flickr app a few months back, and now Android phones and tablets can join in the party. The design is similar to the website. The photos are dynamically resized and placed in the same type of tiled layout. Also, the photos aren’t cropped, but presented in the full aspect ratio.

“The new Flickr for Android maintains your photos’ original quality, so every image you take, edit, share, or view on your phone or tablet looks spectacular,” CEO Mayer wrote in a Tumblr post announcing the Flickr update. She wasn’t kidding, it looks incredible. We might just have a contender here, Instagram, especially those of us who prefer sharing our pics uncompressed and without filters.

[Via: Wired