Tech giant, Apple announced their earnings statement during their conference call and they broke lots of their previous records. 51 million iPhones were sold between November 2013 and January 2014 – an all time quarterly record – up from 47.8 million in the same quarter last year. iPad sales also came in at record highs at 26 million, up from 22.9 million from the same quarter last year.

Mac sales weren’t left out in the record-breaking party either, coming in at 4.8 million sold from November to January, up from 4.1 million same quarter last year. Finally, Apple’s quarterly revenue was also record-breaking at $57.6 billion.

Although, lots of records were broken with Apple’s main devices, the iPod took a huge hit with year-over-year sales down by a huge 52 percent. This could be a sign that maybe the iPod that once took Apple to new heights may have nearly reached the end of its life. iPod sales aside, it was a great quarter for Apple as they continue to reach new heights.

If you are in the market for a new Retina Display Macbook Pro and you are not ready to shell out all the cash for it, then you’re in luck as Apple started selling the refurbished versions of the latest ones.

Apple announced its latest line of Retina Display Macbook Pros in October 2013 which are more powerful and pack the latest technologies inside. The equivalent version of the refurbished version on sale is selling for $2,299 while the refurbished is selling for $1,949 saving you about $350. You can use the money saved to pick up some nice accessories or even an iPad Mini if you are in the mood for that.

You can head on down to http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac to browse the refurbished deals.

The Android platform for example, has a lot of controllers but letting those controllers work with games has always been a matter between game developers and the controller hardware manufacturers. Of course this means that fragmentation doesn’t make it easy for controller manufacturers. It took a long time for MOGA and similar companies to build up a strong library of games that work well, but now, it’s a pretty good experience.

The pioneer controllers retail $100 each, which makes playing games on your iPhone somewhat of an expensive hobby. First up is MOGA’s Ace Power, instead of the usual retractable arm that holds the phone just above the controller, the MOGA Ace Power splits in half and clamps the phone in between the two sections. The controller connects to the phone via Lightning connector rather than Bluetooth.

Touch Arcade has a hands-on report detailing the device, the report shows that they are unimpressed by MOGA’s new flagship controller.

The hollow feeling of the MOGA Ace Power, the clicky buttons, how little it weighs, the texture of the plastic and the loose rattle of the sliding mechanism when it’s not fully extended with an iPhone or iPod touch inside all work against the device feeling like a $99 piece of kit.

However, with surprise comes disappointment, and the main source of that disappointment is how incredibly obvious to us that all of the developers out there releasing updates to add iOS 7 controller support are doing so without actually testing on a controller. For instance, Dead Trigger 2 [Free] comes with default sensitivity settings that were so high there’s no way any human could play that way. Similarly,LEGO Lord of the Rings [$4.99] has controller support, but you can only move using the D-Pad, not the analog stick. Strange little inconsistencies like that are everywhere, and I’ve yet to find a game that recognizes analog button presses.

The MOGA Ace Power has large potential, future iOS controllers will follow it’s layout and much like every new device it can only get better from here.

Logitech’s controller is called PowerShell, a slightly wider competitor to MOGA’s Ace Power that retails at $100. This controller also connects via Lightning port. Just to be clear both the Ace Power and the PowerShell are for non-iPad iOS7 devices. Analog sticks are absent on the PowerShell and all the buttons are analog. Similarly unless you have very deep pockets, throwing the nearly eight-inch PowerShell into your pocket might be a daunting task.

That said hands-on reports at TechRadar and SlashGear show that the PowerShell is a much sturdier product in comparison to the Ace Power. However in practice most the same problems that affect MOGA’s Ace Power also affect the PowerShell, and since it’s been barely a week I’m pretty sure that nothing has changed with Apple’s MFI APIs and Lightning software support. The keyword here is “potential”.

So what can you play with these controllers, MOGA and Logitech share a list of 300+ titles and still growing. Dead Trigger 2, LEGO Lord of the Rings and The Walking Dead are popular games out now with MFI controller support. Limbo, Terraria and The Cave are coming out soon and major publishers are bringing some of their hit franchises to the scene. Eidos’ Deus Ex: The Fall, Ubisoft’s Trials Frontier and Electronic Arts’ Dead Space are all slated for 2014. There are also old hits ranging from Pac-Man to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. 

iOS has grown as a gaming platform, more people own iOS devices than Xbox consoles now, it’s a good time to own an iOS device.

Apple’s latest Mac operating system is now available to the public and they have gone forward to make OSX Mavericks a FREE download from the Mac App store as long as your system passes certain criteria’s.

In this post, I’ll help you check and if you are eligible for the upgrade and share some tips for a successful installation.

1.     Check your Mac hardware

To get details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, choose About This Mac, then choose More Info.  If your Mac matches one of the listed ones below then it will be compatible with OSX Mavericks.

• iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
• MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminium, or Early 2009 or newer)
• MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
• Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
• Xserve (Early 2009)

2. Check your OS X version.

While you have the About This Mac window open, check what version of OS X your Mac is running. You’ll see it listed beneath your serial number.

You can upgrade to OS X Mavericks from Snow Leopard (10.6.8), Lion (10.7), or Mountain Lion (10.8) but will need to upgrade to the latest versions of those ones before you can then upgrade to Mavericks.

3.    Download OS X Mavericks

Open the Mac App Store and click OS X Mavericks. Click the Download button. Then follow the onscreen instructions to install it. If you don’t have broadband access, you can visit any Apple Retail Store to get help with downloading.

Tips:

• Make sure you have backed up your entire system preferably with Time machine.
• Close all applications and prevent any interruptions.

Upgrade and tell us what you think about this new OS X.

Today at the Apple event which featured the release of the iPad Air as its star attraction, the company showed some love to its MacBook Pro line up.

The upgrade which for the 13-inch version is now thinner at 0.71-inches and weighs 3.46 pounds and the 15-inch model came with upgrades such as improved graphics processors, a new Intel Quad-Core processing system, improved battery life (up to 8 hours), and new 802.11ac WiFi.  The MacBook Pro line now has in it the Haswell CPUs which has proved to offer significant improvements to battery life and comes out of the box with OSX Mavericks which is now available Free at the App store.

The flagship MacBook Pro with Retina display retains its very high screen resolution, which results in crisper text and clearer photos (2,560×1,600 for the 13-inch model, 2,880×1,800 for the 15-inch model).

The 13-inch MacBook Pro starts with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, while the 15-inch version defaults to 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD (which Apple described as “a quarter terabyte”). Both models are available NOW!

At 7.5mm thin, the iPad Air is the thinnest tablet on the market. It weighs exactly 1 pound and is 28% lighter than the previous iPad. The screen size remains 9.7 inches.

It runs Apple’s iOS 7 and without doubt, it’s one of the most beautiful mobile operating systems out there.

Like the iPhone 5S, The iPad Air is powered by Apple’s 64-bit A7 processor as well as an M7 processor for motion tracking. This makes it twice as fast as the previous iPad.

Battery life on the iPad Air is the same as all iPads and stands at 10 hours.

Here are photos of the iPad Air. Click the images to enlarge them.

For faster WiFi connectivity, Apple has implemented the MiMo technology as well as combining two WiFi antennas. This means the IPad Air is two times faster on a WiFi connection than the previous iPad. More LTE bands have also been added so you can connect to a wider range of LTE networks when you buy an iPad Air with WiFi and cellular connectivity.

The iPad Air comes in Space Gray and Silver. Pricing starts at $499 for a 16GB WiFi only model and $629 for a 16GB WiFi + cellular model. You can see full pricing details on Apple’s website.

It’s been almost a month since Apple announced the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Apple’s Nigerian site doesn’t show official availability or pricing for both phones(or any iPhone for that matter) but we’ve done a short surf of the web and we’ve found sites you can order the iPhone 5S and 5C from.

Konga

Konga lists the Space Grey 16GB iPhone 5S at ₦164,990 and all colours of the iPhone 5C at ₦140,000. They promise to deliver within 3 working days and they claim both variants are in stock.

Jumia

Rocket Internet owned Jumia, lists the Space Grey 16GB iPhone 5S at ₦160,995 and the white iPhone 5C at ₦115,995. Jumia promises delivery within 5 working days.

CHECKOUT: iPhone 5S Versus iPhone 5C, Which Should You Buy?

It’s clear what the cheapest option is. We’ve seen Konga and Jumia battle in pricing before and we hope to see it again. If you’re looking to buy a coloured iPhone 5C, Konga is your best bet but if you’re looking for a Gold or Silver iPhone 5S, you might have to wait for any of the retailers to stock them.

Know anywhere else where the iPhone 5S and 5C can be bought in Nigeria? Leave us a comment

Design

All new curves on the iPhone 5C

The iPhone 5C has an all new curved and plastic design that reminds us of Nokia’s Lumia range. It’s also available in 5 different colours – green, blue, yellow, pink, and white. The iPhone 5S retains the same metal design as the iPhone 5 but is available in silver, gold, and space gray.

Weight and Dimensions

The 5S is a couple of ounces lighter than the 5C. The 5S weighs 112 grams while the 5C weighs 132 grams. Of course, you won’t notice the difference in weight until you hold both of them. The iPhone 5S is also the thinner of both phones at 7.6mm. The iPhone 5C has 8.97mm of thinness.

Processor

The iPhone 5S has an all new A7 processor with 64-bit. The 64 bit architecture allows it store more in its memory than any other phone on the planet. Great for gaming buffs. The 5S also features a special M7 motion processor. This processor tracks your motion without affecting the battery of your phone so much. If you’re obsessed with your fitness and movement, you should get the 5S.

The iPhone 5C on the other hand has an A6 processor – the same processor as the iPhone 5. This isn’t so great for hardcore gaming. If you’re obsessed with fitness, this phone won’t last long enough for you to track an entire day’s worth of movement.

Operating System

Both phones run Apple’s new iOS 7. iOS 7 has a whole new interface, with new icons, a better notification bar and better options when switching between apps.

CHECKOUT: APPLE UNVEILS iOS 7

Fingerprint Identity

Fingerprint recognition is only available on the iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S isn’t the first phone to feature fingerprint recognition but it’s the first to get it right. Fingerprint recognition allows you login to your phone, make payments and close other transactions with your fingerprint. An extra security layer on a phone isn’t a big deal to us but if you’ll rather lay your fingers on a phone instead of typing a regular password, you should go for the 5S.

Fingerprint recognition is lacking on the 5C. To protect your iPhone 5C, you’ll need to enable a screen unlock password.

Display

The iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C have the same display. The screens are 4-inch (diagonal) Retina displays with a resolution of 1136-by-640 pixels which gives them 326 pixels-per-inch.

iSight Camera

Apple has equipped the last 3 generations of iPhones with its iSight Camera. The iPhone 5S features an 8 megapixel camera with 1.5µ pixels. It features true tone flash which ensures the proper skin tone of a person is captured. It also features autofocus, face detection, panorama, auto image stabilisation and a burst mode. The 5S is the better camera for photography.

The iPhone 5C’s camera is an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash. It also features autofocus, face detection and panorama but lacks auto image stabilisation and burst mode. The pictures from the 5C are just good enough.

Video Recording

Video Recording on the iPhone 5S is up to 1080p HD quality. It captures video at 30fps and allows you make use of its True Tone flash. It has an improved video stabilisation feature over the 5C and allows you record video in slow motion.

On the other hand the 5C also boasts videos of up to 1080p HD but lacks improved video stabilisation and a slow motion feature. The winner here is the iPhone 5S due to its advanced features.

Front Camera

Both phones have the same front camera and support the same features. They both allow you take 1.2 megapixel photos at a resolution of 1280 by 960. Video recording up to 720p HD video recording. There’s also a mew backside illumination sensor.

Battery Life

Battery Life on both phones are the same. Apple says talk time is Up to 10 hours on 3G with a standby time of up to 250 hours. Internet use will make the battery last up to 8 hours on 3G, 10 hours on LTE and Wi-Fi. Video playback would last up to 10 hours as well. Audio playback on both devices can be up to 40 hours.

Pricing

The iPhone 5S is the more expensive option. It starts at $199 for the 16GB model on a contract while the iPhone 5C starts at $99 on contract for the 16GB option. If you’ll like to buy the unlocked and contract free version, the iPhone 5S starts at $649 while the iPhone 5C starts at $549 for the 16GB version.

Which would you get?

If you’re on a budget and you’re not phased by fitness, slow motion video and hardcore gaming, the iPhone 5C is a strong suit. However, if you want to play graphic intensive games without them hanging, track your movements all day and make your videos look professional, you should go for the iPhone 5S.

Leave us a comment below and tell us whether you’re getting the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 5C.

On my commute today, I kept getting an error message from the app, and I thought it was just a bug until I had this message pop up where my directions are meant to be:

My guess is Apple is merging Hopstop’s services into iOS Maps and no, they don’t want Android users in on it. Doing so would give Android users a one up over iPhone users who already use Google Maps instead of the one that comes pre-installed.

Anyone else using Hopstop on Android? What do you guys think?

Alongside the colorful, plastic iPhone 5C, Apple revealed the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S is a direct upgrade to the iPhone 5 which was released around this time last year.

The iPhone 5S sports a few new improvements from last years iPhone 5. It comes packed with an all new 64bit A7 processor which Apple says doubles the performance from the previous iPhone and is up to 40 times faster than the original iPhone. According to Apple, this will make gaming and graphics processing on the iPhone 5S much better and faster. In addition to the A7 chip, the M7 chip is a motion processor for the iPhone 5s, which allows the phone to track your movements much better without pulling too much resources from the main A7 processor.

The iPhone 5S also has an improved camera that sports a whole lot of improvements, it has an F/2.2 aperture which allows in more light than previous iPhone models which in turn allows the 5S to take better pictures. It also has what Apple calls True Tone Flash which is essentially a dual flash system that allows for better pictures to be taken in low light situations. Another addition to the camera is the ability to record videos in slow motion, you can also edit videos that have been recorded and slow down a certain part of the video.

Perhaps the most innovative feature on the iPhone 5S is its new fingerprint recognition system called Touch ID which allows you to unlock your iPhone by simply placing your finger on the home button. Touch ID will also be used to buy apps, music and books from the various iOS marketplaces.

The iPhone 5S maintains an identical look to the iPhone 5, so all the cases and accessories for the iPhone 5 should work just fine with the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S will be available in Space Grey, Silver and Gold colors. It will be available for preorder starting on the 13th of September and will start shipping on the 20th of September. It will be available in 100 countries by December.

So what are your thoughts on the iPhone 5S? Are you anxious to get your hands on this iPhone? Or is it just another drab iPhone upgrade? Let us know in the comments below.