Mobile software

The Android style guide was updated to include Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean Holo theme variations, and this is (thankfully) causing many apps to update their user interfaces. Change is good -- well, most of the time -- but what if you want to take a look at reviews that are only pertinent to your device? Or maybe you're only interested in opinions about the latest version? That's why the Google Play Store has filtering options, even though they're kind of hidden.

Here's how to access them:

The newest version of Spotify's mobile app now features a NFC (near-field communication) sharing ability. This new feature allows users to share albums, artists, playlists, profiles, or search results by tapping NFC-enabled Android devices together. However, it's worth noting that to get the best use of this feature, you'll want to be on a Premium Spotify membership so any shared music content can be played.

To get started, you'll first want to make sure that NFC is supported and turned on for both devices. To do this, press the menu button and then Settings. When the … Read more

Groupon Payments, the daily-deals provider's answer to Square, is going nationwide.

The company announced on its blog yesterday that its merchants across the U.S. will now be able to sign up for Groupon Payments. Upon doing so, they'll be able to accept major credit cards by simply popping the Groupon card swipe accessory into an iPhone or iPod Touch and installing the associated iOS app. According to Groupon, payments processed through its service are deposited directly into merchant accounts overnight.

Groupon Payments users might find cheaper rates than they would with Square. The latter takes a flat … Read more

Good news for all you Nikon D800 owners who have a third-generation iPad or are about to buy an iPhone 5: the new iPhoto 1.1 iOS app now can handle your 36.3-megapixel images.

iPhoto 1.0 for iOS, or version 1.1 on earlier iPhones and iPods, could handle only 19-megapixel images, which ruled out its use on photos from higher-end cameras such as Canon's 5D Mark II and Mark III and Sony's NEX-7.

The support for images up to 36.5 megapixels is one of a slew of features and fixes in the iPhoto 1.1 update … Read more

Webcams are useful for chatting with family, colleagues, or even a client. However, if you want a Webcam right now and don't have an extra $40 to $80 laying around for one, why not use your Android device instead?

You won't need to worry about having a front-facing camera on your device, since this method will employ the use of the rear camera. Though, if you'd like, you can use the front camera if the back one isn't functioning properly (or if you enjoy lower-resolution video?).

Using your Android device as a Webcam will do some … Read more

With Microsoft SkyDrive recently touching down on Google Drive's territory, it's only fitting we take a look at how the two cloud storage and file-syncing Android apps fare against one another. On the one hand, we have Google Drive: the incumbent and the darling of the Android platform. And on the other hand, we have SkyDrive: Microsoft's offering and somewhat unexpectedly, the new kid on the block. Each app has its strengths and weaknesses, and we take a look at how they compare.

Microsoft SkyDrive (free) Similar to Google Drive, Microsoft's SkyDrive lets you store files … Read more

By now, you know that today's Apple event gave us the iPhone 5, iOS 6, iTunes 11, and a couple of new iPods. But what you may have missed were the revamped apps that also made appearances at the show. Here's an overview of the impressive third-party titles that got some screen time at today's big Apple event.

Clumsy Ninja Developed by gamemaker Natural Motion, Clumsy Ninja is a silly, Talking Tom Cat-style game with a bit of unique artificial intelligence under the hood. It features a silly-looking ninja standing front and center, where you can … Read more

CNET's review for the iPhone 5 is here! Make sure to check back and see our review of iOS 6 as soon as it becomes publicly available.

Editors' note:This First Take was originally posted on June 11, 2012, at the time of the WWDC Keynote. We are updating this post with changes to the iOS announced today at the Apple event.

During the Apple event today, the company announced the latest version of the operating system that powers its popular mobile devices. Scott Forstall, Apple's SVP of iOS, promises that iOS 6 will bring 200 new features, including tighter Facebook integration, an empowered Siri voice assistant, and the capability to conduct FaceTime calls over a cellular network.

Yet, it's Apple's new Maps app that was easily the star of the show. Created by the company, the app finally adds turn-by-turn directions along with info cards for businesses, a "flyover mode" when searching for an address, and a full 3D satellite view that displays buildings, terrain, and landmarks. There will be much more, of course, but even at this early point it's clear that Apple has filled a few gaping holes on our iOS wish list.… Read more

Acer has inked a deal with China's largest e-commerce company, Alibaba, to use its mobile operating system in an upcoming smartphone.

Dubbed the CloudMobile A800, Acer's new smartphone will run Alibaba's Aliyun operating system. The cloud mention fits with Aliyun's deep Web integration, offering everything from Internet-based e-mail, Web search, weather updates, and GPS navigation tools. In addition, Aliyun synchronizes and stores call data, text messages, and photos in the cloud for access across other devices, including PCs.

Alibaba made some waves in the mobile space earlier this week after its chief strategy officer, Zeng Ming, … Read more