Best Buy puts iPhone 5C on sale for $50 just two weeks after launch

Sometimes it pays to wait. A mere two weeks after the iPhone 5C launched nationwide, Best Buy is offering the device for only $50 today through Sunday. It's not exactly a straightforward price cut, as the company is throwing in a $50 gift card to trim down the iPhone 5C's regular $99 cost. But the end result is the same: you'll walk out with Apple's colored plastic iPhone for half off.

Other than Sprint's free promotion, this ranks among the better deals we've seen on the 5C, besting offers from Target and Walmart. If you've decided you don't need all the "forward thinking" features of Apple's flagship iPhone 5S, it's probably worth making a trip to Best Buy at some point this weekend. In fact you'll have to, since the iPhone 5C isn't available for online shipping orders
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He may be a high-ranking officer of S.H.I.E.L.D., but Samuel L. Jackson isn't very good at keeping insider secrets.

The man known to Marvel fans as Nick Fury unilaterally gave Wall Street Journal readers a top-secret security clearance (probably much to Marvel's dismay) when he let slip that Elizabeth Olsen has joined the cast of one of the most anticipated sequels of all time, "Marvel's The Avengers: The Age of Ultron."

Jackson, who made a cameo appearance as Fury in this week's episode of NBC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," mentioned Olsen's involvement when asked about the status of Joss Whedon's highly guarded comic book epic.

[Related: The 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Cast on What's Next: 'Wait Till You See Episode 2']

"I know we're shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen, but I don’t know what she's doing, if she's on the inside or the outside," said Jackson. "I haven’t seen a script."

Olsen, the younger sister of legendary child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, burst onto the scene with her harrowing performance in 2011's "Martha Marcy May Marlene." The fanboy rumor mill has been churning in recent months with talk that the younger Olsen had been slated for a role in the "Avengers" sequel. Many have speculated that she'll be playing the Scarlet Witch, one half of the "brother-sister act" that Whedon first mentioned at the premiere of "Iron Man 3."

Twin siblings Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, and Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, made their comic book debut in "X-Men" No. 4 in 1964. As the offspring of Magneto, they were portrayed as bad guys for a few issues before switching sides and joining up with the Avengers in 1965. Scarlet Witch is gifted with the power to manipulate probability and reality via her "hexes," which usually manifest as cool-looking "hex bolts" or "hex spheres," while Quicksilver is able to move and think at super-sonic speeds.

This isn't the first time that Samuel L. Jackson has let a Marvel-related scoop out of the bag. During the press conference for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at this summer's San Diego Comic-Con, Jackson mentioned that the upcoming political thriller will feature an interesting new character arc for Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

[Related: Mutant Twins Mania! Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch Confirmed For 'Marvel's The Avengers 2']

"She might have something of a 'whistleblower' in her future," said Jackson, to which the Captain himself, Chris Evans, responded with a playfully incredulous "SAM!" and told him to shush.

Before we supposedly see them together in "Avengers 2," Jackson and Olsen will appear together in Spike Lee's "Oldboy," which opens on November 27. "Age of Ultron" will begin production next spring with a likely release date of May 1, 2015.

Red Cross: War crimes in video games should be punished

While you typically play a hero in military shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield, some of your actions aren't exactly heroic. You've likely partaken in more than a few actions that international law would frown upon, to put it mildly.

If so, the Red Cross wants a fitting in-game punishment for your crimes.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is calling on game publishers to penalize players who violate real-world international war conventions. But before you start complaining about "censorship" or "overreaction," the Red Cross wants to make it clear that they're not looking for these moments to ripped out of games.

"We're not asking for censorship, we don't want to take any elements out of the games," said spokesperson Bernard Barrett. "We're not trying to make games boring or preachy, but we’re hoping that the ones that offer a realistic portrayal of a modern battlefield can incorporate some sort of reward or penalties depending on whether they follow the basic rules of armed conflict."

The Red Cross in concerned that some game situations can trivialize violations of the Geneva Convention. And it worries that in doing so, it could open the door for those actions to be considered acceptable on the battlefield.

Among the areas of concern: Torture sequences, shooting civilians and killing prisoners.

Barrett also noted that the agency's concern was focused on games that mimic contemporary armed conflicts, though he stopped short of naming the obvious candidates: Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Medal of Honor. Other genres, like fantasy games, weren't a focus, he added.

While the request might take some of the spontaneity out of modern action games, it could potentially give them bragging rights in the ongoing fight over which games is more true-to-life.

"It’s just making it more realistic, the same way the military has rules on the battlefield, then gamers have the same rules," says Barrett.

Of course, previous studies have yet to determine a causal link between in-game and real-world violence, which could derail the Red Cross's argument. Observers are keeping a close eye on a study by the CDC, however, as the issue continues to simmer on the political radar.

Windows Phone OS is Threatening the Big Fishes

Every decade has a particular technology at a boom. The decades of 80s to 2000, it was the boom of the computer technology. Each day of that era witnessed some kind of revolution of revolution in the field of computer technology. When that technology reached to almost the perfection, the geniuses turned their faces towards the mobile technology. Smartphone is no doubt the thing to look for. The progress that this smartphone technology is making is simply unmatched. A few years back, the cell phones were compared upon the battery backup, the games or even funnier the quality of the tunes. Isn’t it? Now, the trend has changed.

The technology regarding cell phones was revolutionized by none other than the genius Steve Jobs in 2007. The CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs introduced the world with the first Smartphone to the world that had touch screen technology in it. The mobile phone was called the iPhone. The invention took the world by surprise. After that, many companies rolled their sleeves and got ready to compete in the market of smartphones. Now, bounce over 6 years and see the world of smartphones now. We have an iPhone 5S in our hands, which is definitely far more refined and groomed than the first iPhone. But, Apple is not the sole runner in the race of mobile technology, Samsung is running right beside it, or even have a tiny bit of lead from Apple.

Although, there are competitors in the market, but, the industry is not yet near to saturation. HTC is somehow hanging in the competition, other than HTC, ZTE, Blackberry and Huwawei are companies that are producing some amazing smartphones. But, these companies are so small that they are not threatening the big fishes such as Samsung and Apple. Nokia also almost died, but, Windows Phone operating system gave it a new life. Nokia made a comeback in the ongoing competition of smartphone industry, and they are going pretty well. But, the real strength of Nokia is not its own technology, but, the Microsoft’s Operating System.

One of the core reasons of praising the Windows OS is that it has the modern user interface. Microsoft first called it the philosophy Metro, but, they dropped that when they were sued by the Metro group. The Windows Phone Operating system is quite distinct from the current available, the style of tiles on the main screen that are completely customizable are great. You can choose the colors of your tiles, the size and place according to importance. Experts rate the Windows OS as the most stable one and the easiest for technophobic people. However, the only problem that the world clearly sees with the Microsoft’s OS is the lack of applications.

But, this problem is also seems to be solved as many developers are encouraged to develop apps for the Windows Phone. One of such wonderful app is Folder Lock for Windows Phone. The app provides your data that is saved in your Windows Phone a comprehensive security. You can protect every kind of files by using this security app. As you all know data breach is a growing universal problem and smartphones are contributing big time.

For more information please visit:

http://www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock/windows-phone/

Dan Seifert, The Verge:

The big phone category is well, bigger than ever, but the Galaxy Note 3 proves that Samsung still owns this arena. The wealth of iterative improvements over last year’s quite-capable model are more than welcome, and the overall experience is better than ever. It feels nicer, runs faster, lasts a long time, and is just a better device overall than the Note II. If you really liked the earlier models, you’ll love the Note 3, but it probably won’t convert those that never bought into the idea. Samsung didn’t reinvent the wheel here, it just gave it a smoother ride.

Pete Pachal, Mashable:

The Galaxy Note 3 is the best Samsung phone you can buy — with a beautiful full HD display and stylus functions that are truly useful — as long as you can get over the humongous screen.

John McCann, TechRadar:

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a great phone and if you were to own one you wouldn't be disappointed. It provides a great onscreen experience - as long as your hands are big enough to reach across it - and its stuffed full of tech to almost warrant its lofty price tag. Its size will be a real stumbling point for many and we'd recommend going into a store and just holding the Note 3 for a while to see if it's something you can cope with.

...This is the best Galaxy Note smartphone to date and if you're a fan of the range then you'll love the Note 3 - but if you're looking for the best smartphone in the world you'll need to look elsewhere.

Brian Bennett, CNET:

Once Samsung commits to making a product, it plays to win. The company may not get things right the first time around, but it patiently persists until it creates a truly seductive piece of hardware. The third time is indeed a charm, because the Galaxy Note 3, while certainly a niche gadget, is the most compelling phone/tablet mashup Samsung has ever created, and the best I've ever used...

I admit a few of its attributes won’t appeal to some people. Its sheer size is hard to ignore, or squeeze into tight pants pockets. The handset’s textured imitation leather backing and retro styling will be a stumbling block as well. Frankly, though, I’m completely in love with the Note 3’s aesthetics, especially in its classy black hue (it also comes in white). To me it harkens back to the venerable Galaxy S2’s design as well, one of my favorite phones of all time.

...That’s why if you consider yourself a power Android user who'd rather not spend extra on a small tablet like the Nexus 7, or just want the most phone you can buy, the Galaxy Note 3 is the clear choice.

Brian Klug, AnandTech:

The Note 3 is an iterative product, that’s absolutely true, but the improvements in the Note 3 are pretty dramatic. It really does feel better, thinner, lighter all while having a bigger, more usable display. The silicon inside is incredibly quick, easily the fastest in the Android camp. It's also good to see Samsung on the forefront of RF technology here, implementing an envelope power tracker alongside Qualcomm's 3rd generation LTE modem. The combination results in a fairly robust, very high-end platform that is modern on both compute and modem/RF fronts. Given my affinity for the latter, I'm happy.

...Whereas previous Notes felt like a strange alternative to the Galaxy S line, the Galaxy Note 3 feels more like Samsung's actual flagship. It equals the Galaxy S 4 in camera performance, but exceeds it pretty much everywhere else. There's a better SoC, better cellular/RF and even better industrial design. I suppose next year we'll see the Galaxy S 5 play catch up in these areas, but until then it's clear that the Note 3 is the new flagship from Samsung. Although you could argue that the improvements within are incremental, the Note 3 really defines what incremental should be.

Brent Rose, Gizmodo:

Do you like really big phones? Then [you should buy a Note 3]! This is the best big phone out there. Do you hate big phones? Then no, of course you shouldn't get it because you will drop it on the ground and cry. That's pretty much the long and short of it, at least for now. Oh, except for the price.

...We still long to see Samsung get it together on the software side. As it is, the software on the Note tends to get in its own way, which has long been a Samsung tradition. Less is more, Samsung, even on a phone this big.

Chris Burns, SlashGear:

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is far and away the most mature smartphone of this size on the market today. More than that, Samsung has outdone themselves in this category – with the likes of Air Command, the S Pen suite becomes a solid experience that I’ll no longer have to explain to relatives is just for writing notes and drawing pictures. Here there’s a real solid draw.

Zach Epstein, BGR:

The Galaxy Note 3 is the best smartphone Samsung has ever made. In fact, the Note 3 is one of the best Android phones ever, period. It’s fast, it’s very capable, and unlike most smartphones these days, the S Pen and Samsung’s related software suite give the Note 3 genuinely compelling differentiation. This phone does things your phone can’t. Important, useful things that make your life easier.

While the massive size and plasticky build would prevent me from ever carrying the Note 3 personally, the size is a big draw for millions of smartphone users across the globe. And when it comes to supersized smartphones with screens that measure more than 5 inches diagonally, there is simply nothing on the market right now that can hold a candle to the Galaxy Note 3.

John V., Phone Arena:

True, most of the new software features aren’t new, as it borrows many things from the Galaxy S4 before it, but the new stuff primarily centers around the S Pen and multi-tasking aspect of the phone, which is something that continues to make the Note 3 very different from other smartphones. Business oriented folks will surely appreciate all of these features, but even for the everyday Joe, it’s something that offers more diversity than other things. Some argue that the exorbitant amount of features might end up confusing, and possibly alienating users, but it simply goes to show how rapid Samsung really is when it comes to expanding its experience.

On top of all that, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is simply one balanced performing smartphone! At $300 with a 2-year contract, there’s no denying the fact that it’s an expensive cost, but as we’ve come to learn, the hefty pricing does come with some perks. The phablet category saw some new entrants into the space this year, but the Note 3 continues to be the best in its class.

Jamie Lendino, PCMag:

Should you get a phone or a phablet? Samsung isn't making the decision easy, thanks to its sheer number available devices with all manner of screen sizes. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Mega steps up to an even larger 6.3-inch display, but it's lower in resolution, and the Mega's dual-core processor is significantly behind the quad-core, next-gen chip in the Galaxy Note 3. Heading back down in the other direction, the Galaxy S4 still has a substantial 5-inch display, and since it's also 1080p, its pixel density is even tighter. The LG G2 splits the difference, with its 5.2-inch screen, and it has the same processing powerhouse internals, but it's not quite in the same league software-wise.

All told, the Galaxy Note 3 is the best phablet you can buy right now, and it's an easy Editors' Choice. There wasn't much wrong with the Galaxy Note 2 that a spec bump and software refinements couldn't fix, and we basically got them here.

James Trew, Engadget:

To use a term of phrase borrowed from that other mobile giant, this is Samsung's best Note yet. It's better in pretty much every way, with the possible exception of that speaker. The display is bigger, but it never makes the device feel inflated, which is some sort of dark magic in its own right. Either way, we applaud Samsung for consistently making this series better and better. But, like most good things, it does come at a price...[The Note 3 is] not the cheapest phone, but those who have already converted to the way of the Note will likely see it as a necessary evil. If you're thinking about making the step up, we say get it while it's hot.

Samsung Galaxy Gear

Vlad Savov, The Verge:

A smartwatch the Galaxy Gear is not. Frankly, I’m not sure exactly what it’s supposed to be. Samsung describes it as a companion device, and the Gear is indeed chronically dependent on an umbilical link to another Samsung device, but it never left me feeling like it was a helpful companion. The notifications are Orwellian, the media controls are exiguous, and the app selection has no substance to underpin the hype. Samsung’s attempt to turn the Gear into a style icon is also unlikely to succeed, owing to the company’s indecision about its target demographic. Trying to please all tastes has resulted in a predictably charmless and soulless product.

The Gear’s camera and phone calls are both surprising and delightful, but they’re unfortunately isolated highlights. When all is said and done, I expect the Galaxy Gear will be looked back upon as a rough first draft that helped the Korean chaebol steer a better course en route to the goal of producing a real smartwatch. As it stands today, though — unintuitive, oversized, overpriced, and in constant need of a Galaxy guardian — the Galaxy Gear might have been better off staying on the drawing board.

Christina Warren, Mashable:

There are a lot of good ideas with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, but the execution feels unfinished and the overall experience is searching for purpose.

Andrew Hoyle, CNET:

If a watch is to be truly smart, it needs to be able to provide a window into all the smart functions of your phone. E-mail and social networking are both absolute musts and voice control that works properly every time is essential. The Galaxy Gear falls down on all of these points.

Without more commitment from developers, the Gear's usefulness is limited. If proper apps are made to let you receive e-mails, send tweets, and use the other smart services that have made our phones such important tools in our lives, the Gear might stand a real chance of becoming a similarly important tool.

It's perhaps surprising that Samsung would admit its own product lacks something special before it's even on sale, but it's certainly not wrong. With such a high price, a limited number of useful functions and a tiny number of compatible devices, the Galaxy Gear is not Samsung's exciting entrance into wearable devices that we hoped it would be.

Brian Klug, AnandTech:

Ultimately the Galaxy Gear isn't the perfect solution to wearable computing, but rather a first attempt. It's more a proof of concept that you can own. If we look at Samsung's history in nearly every market we've followed it (SoCs, SSDs, smartphones), the company has a tendency to show up early with the wrong solution, but iterate aggressively to the point where it ends up with a very good solution.

In terms of interim improvement - I'd love to see more/better watch faces, broader compatibility with Samsung phones and a persistent clock. Let's start there and see where it takes us.

Brent Rose, Gizmodo:

Only if $300 means nothing to you. If you can drop that kind of money to satisfy a vague curiosity, then sure. Actually, make that $600, since you'll need to buy a so Galaxy Note 3 as well (or shell out more for the Galaxy Note 10.1 2013 Edition tablet) to get any use out of it. Let us save you some money, though: It doesn't do enough, well enough, to be worth it.

Chris Burns, SlashGear:

As it stands, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is an interesting device – a rather unique device at that, and a high-quality addition to the Galaxy collection of Samsung smartphones, cameras, and future line of wearable devices. Samsung proves here in the Galaxy Gear that they’ll be ready to roll when the time comes for them to create a stand-alone smartwatch: hardware, software, and a developer backing that reflects the already surprisingly diverse support this first iteration has seen.

At the moment, with a market limited to those looking to purchase the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Gear is more of an exercise in paving the way for future devices. Samsung has already done a fine job with the software and the hardware this device comes packed with – now the way is made more than ready for a beastly follow-up.

Zach Epstein, BGR:

In the end, the Galaxy Gear feels like a product that Samsung rushed to market in an effort to get a head start in the category many are calling the next big thing. Had rumors of Apple’s forthcoming “iWatch” not popped up late last year, the Galaxy Gear would almost certainly not exist. And if it did still exist, it wouldn’t exist as it does today.

Samsung’s first shot at the smartwatch category everyone is calling the future is hopelessly stuck in the past. It’s a tiny 1.63-inch window into a handful of basic smartphone functions. It brings nothing new to the table. It does not innovate or even try to. The Galaxy Gear is a “we were here first” device that feels like a half-baked response to an Apple product that doesn’t even exist.

If smartwatches are the future they will be nothing like Samsung’s Galaxy Gear.

John V., Phone Arena:

When it comes down to it, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is simply trying to do so much in such a short period of time. We’ll mention that it’s a good starting point, but it’s still very far from being perfect. Visually, the Galaxy Gear is a gorgeous looking thing – something that surprises us, especially from Samsung. At the same time, though, we still can’t get our heads over the fact that it isn’t water resistant, which means that we need to be conscious about it at all times. Also, its app support is limited at the moment, but it’s even worse knowing that the Galaxy Note 3 is the only compatible device.

Finally, the $300 cost is a bit excessive considering that you can seemingly purchase an inexpensive smartphone, buy a wearable fitness tracking gadget, and a Bluetooth headset to get almost the same experience as we would with the Galaxy Gear. Quite frankly, it still requires some tinkering in the software and experience to make it a standout offering. Maybe version 2.0 of the Galaxy Gear will be it? Unless you buy or own the Note 3, there isn’t much of a reason to pick it up right now. Like we said folks, it’s a wonderful first stab by Samsung, but it lacks direction and depth to make it a no-brainer companion.

Jamie Lendino, PCMag:

All told, if you're hell-bent on getting smartwatch now, you're better off with the Pebble. If you can wait, hold out for the inevitable revisions to the Galaxy Gear. Some pundits theorize the Galaxy Gear makes using Samsung's huge-screen phones more palatable, but I don't think that's going to be a driving factor here. Really, it's just that $300 is a lot to spend on something that could have used a longer development and QA cycle, and is more frustrating than enjoyable to use. The Galaxy Gear is definitely cooler than I expected, but it's not worth buying yet.

Brad Molen, Engadget:

The Galaxy Gear is a solid effort from Samsung, but it needs time to grow and develop. The things it does, it does well, and it's certainly more feature-rich and involved than any other smartwatch we've used so far. But it's the shortcomings that cause us to look at the big picture: it's only compatible with two devices at launch (soon to expand to five); the ecosystem is still brand-new and isn't open to all developers yet; notifications could use a bit of work; and S Voice isn't truly hands-free yet. These are all problems that should hopefully be resolved by the time the next Gear comes out (that is, assuming the series will continue next year). Still, they were frustrations that hurt our user experience so far.

The Gear isn't bad for a first-generation Samsung product, and it'll get better as the ecosystem grows. Of course, that's if the watch catches on and developers decide it's worth their time to produce a special app for it. Of any Android manufacturer, Samsung stands the best chance of gaining support. If it doesn't succeed, however, the $300 retail price will be even harder to swallow than it currently is, and no assortment of hot colors will change the fact that it's little more than a glorified time-telling device.

Kieran Alger, T3:

Smartwatches or ‘companion devices’ have to answer a few key questions. Do they look cool? The Samsung Galaxy Gear does. Is it comfortable to wear? Yes. Would I want to wear it everyday? Again, on first impressions, it’s a yes.

But perhaps the toughest test is will it genuinely be useful? From what we’ve seen so far the Gear has enough tools to sway us. The camera is genuinely innovative and fun while the potential for more apps is an appetite whetter. As ever what will make or break it will be the price.

Christina Bonnington, Wired:

...Galaxy Gear just isn’t something most folks need. It’s not even something I wanted to keep on my wrist all day. While the feature set is more advanced than any other smartwatch, the technology and its uses are clearly in their infancy. I imagine that later generations of Galaxy Gears, with a trimmer design, lighter weight, speedier processor, and maybe even a better camera, might be a slightly easier sell. Yes, it’s a noble attempt at innovation. But for the most part, the end result is too clunky and awkward for true appeal beyond being a brief conversation piece on your wrist. For now, the Gear remains a $300 smartphone accessory.

Disney Offers Full-Time to Park Staff as Obamacare Starts

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) is offering full-time positions to 427 part-time employees at Walt Disney World in Florida who worked enough hours to qualify for health benefits under the Affordable Care Act.

The offer was made to staffers who put in more than 1,500 hours in the past year, the threshold at which employers will be required to offer coverage, said Ed Chambers, president of the Service Trades Council, which represents 37,000 at Disney parks in Orlando. Other companies are reducing hours to avoid the mandate.

While Disney's proposal is good for employees, it presents a dilemma for the six affected unions because some who qualify have less seniority than others in line for full-time jobs, Chambers said. Representatives of the unions, which operate under the Service Trades Council umbrella, are requesting more information from Disney and plan to meet again on Oct. 7.

"Disney wants to be proactive," Chambers said yesterday in a telephone interview. "Disney is way out in front on this."

Roughly 27,000 full-time employees at Walt Disney World get health-care benefits that meet the requirements of the act, Chambers said. Part-time workers who don't qualify for coverage under the act get more limited benefits.

A spokeswoman for Walt Disney World in Florida had no comment.

Insurance exchanges designed to provide medical coverage to 48 million uninsured Americans began offering plans yesterday for service that would start Jan. 1. As the marketplaces opened,the U.S. government partially shut down for the first time in 17 years after Republicans sought to delay the law.

Employer Mandates

Companies across the U.S. have been reviewing their health plans in light of employer mandates that take effect in 2015. Individuals are required to sign up for coverage starting in January.

In August, United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) said it will drop coverage for employed spouses, while Walgreen Co. last month told 160,000 workers they must buy insurance from a private exchange rather than have the company arrange their coverage.

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (SEAS), based in Orlando, last month reduced its cap on weekly hours for part-time employees to 28 hours next year from 32. The company said it will add full-time employees at its 11 parks next year. Those positions will include medical benefits, while part-time jobs won't.

SeaWorld has about 22,100 employees, including about 4,400 full-time, according to a regulatory filing in May.

Disney, the world's largest theme-park operator, advanced 0.5 percent to $64.83 yesterday in New York. Shares of the Burbank, California-based company have climbed 30 percent this year, compared with a 19 percent gain for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

To contact the reporter on this story:Christopher Palmeri in Los Angeles atcpalmeri1@bloomberg.net

iOS 7 in Review

Last week Apple released iOS 7, an update that CEO Tim Cook called the biggest change to the platform since the iPhone was introduced. Available for free for every iPhone after the iPhone 4, the latest iPod Touch, the iPad 2 and later versions, and the iPad mini, millions will be seeing iOS 7 in the coming weeks. Here’s what you can expect.iOS 7 in Review

The most dramatic change is visual: everything looks different. Icons for core functions like Photos, Settings and Newstand have new images, there’s a new palette of colors and everything looks brighter. Icons appear flat while visually layered over the background to give the illusion of floating over the wallpaper image. As you move your device, the icons float slightly to match your movement (Apple calls this the “parallax effect”), making it look like the wallpaper is moving.

Many love the new look, while others complain that it seems cartoonish and overly bright. If you hate it, you can update your background image to one that’s more sedate and reduce the brightness of your screen via Settings – Wallpapers & Brightness. You can turn off the parallax effect by going to Settings – General – Accessibility – Reduce Motion.

You’ll be using finger swipes more than ever before. While the Notifications menu is still launched by swiping down from the very top of the screen, if you place your finger lower on any icon screen (not from within an application) and swipe down you’ll now launch the search function (known as Spotlight). This was previously accessed by swiping left to right on your home screen.

Swipe up from the bottom of your screen at any time to launch another new feature, Control Center. This semi-translucent menu gives you quick access to Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, brightness and locking the screen’s orientation. You can also control your audio player (to pause or restart music and change volume, for example) and quickly access the flashlight, alarm, calculator and camera. All that functionality crammed into one menu makes it a bit cluttered, and you can’t customize it to choose the features that you want quick access to, but it’s an improvement over having to launch Settings to modify these commonly accessed functions.

Double click the home button to view open apps, as usual, but instead of seeing just a bar of icons at the bottom of the screen you’ll now see a preview image of each app. Swipe left or right to find the app you want or swipe up on a preview image to close the app.

Apple has added the option to have apps automatically install updates (previous versions of iOS require that you launch the App Store and manually install updates). You can control which apps you allow to auto-update. Apps can also refresh content when they’re not running so that you don’t have to wait for info to update upon launching the application (this can be turned off via Settings – General – Background App Refresh).

The camera now includes integrating filters that offer tints and image customization effects that you previously needed to use a third party app to get. Photo organization has also been overhauled, now grouping photos by date and location.

Siri can control more functions than before. Change settings like Bluetooth or brightness, play voicemail or have your latest text message read to you, though integration with 3rd party apps is still lacking. You can even change Siri’s voice.

All these new animations, movement and apps that can update themselves independently comes at a cost: many have noted that battery life seems remarkably diminished. Some 3rd party hardware like non-Apple chargers, Bluetooth keyboards and printers may not work as smoothly until the manufacturers release driver updates for iOS 7.