| Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to sport clone of Google's photo sphere? Apr 10th 2013, 11:39 
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumour mill is beginning to move up through the gears, with the latest leak suggesting the Korean firm is working on its own camera tech for the super-sized handset. According to Android Geeks a software engineer has spilled the beans on the S Orb camera feature which is apparently destined to debut on the Galaxy Note 3. This isn't the first time we've heard rumblings about the S Orb functionality, and there were several reports earlier this year which suggested the tech would find its way onto the Samsung Galaxy S4 - only for those rumours to fall flat on their face. From what we know of S Orb so far the system seems to work in a similar way to Google's own photo sphere function which is baked into the latest version of Android Jelly Bean - functionality that was actually developed by LG, which made the Nexus 4 handset which debuted Android 4.2. All for Orb and Orb for all!It does make us wonder why Samsung would bother making the 360 panorama tech considering Google has already done the leg work, but the engineer in question says S Orb is all about clever Facebook integration as well. Apparently other high-end Samsung handsets will also be treated to S Orb in the firm's Key Lime Pie upgrade which is expected to be pushed out to the likes of the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. It's not clear whether the software engineer is who he says he is, so we're taking this report with the recommended dosage of salt. In terms of when we could potentially see the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, a launch during IFA 2013 in September looks the most likely for now.     |  | iPhone 5S and budget iPhone may sport an array of hues Apr 10th 2013, 10:17 
Black and white are so last year - luckily Apple could well be moving with the times as a new report suggests its next handsets will arrive in a variety of shades. Previous iterations of the iPhone have stuck rigidly to the somewhat uninspired colour palette, but now Japenese blog Macotakara suggests the iPhone 5S and hotly rumoured budget iPhone will arrive with more than the two bland options. It's the budget iPhone which is apparently in line for the widest colour palette with the unnamed source revealing it will come in five different hues - potentially blue, red and yellow which accompany the black and white on Apple's current range of iPods. This isn't the first time we've heard that a cut-price iPhone will arrive in various colours, with DigiTimes reporting the same thing last month. Three's a companyThe iPhone 5S won't be getting quite the same range as its cheaper brother, but according to the source Apple's seventh generation smartphone will turn up in three colour options - although they didn't reveal what these would be. The final nugget of information the mystery know-it-all* had to offer was to do with the announcement of the next batch of iPhone handsets, suggesting we'll see them hit the market in July/August. This points towards Apple's WWDC event, which we expect to take place in June, for the potential launch of the iPhone 5S and budget iPhone, although we find all of this pretty hard to believe so you probably shouldn't get carried away with this news. *although they may actually know nothing     | | Interview: Why the new Xbox and PS4 are key to Now TV success Apr 10th 2013, 09:00 
The announcement of Sky's pay-per-view Now TV last year was intriguing on a number of levels - not least because by launching with just Sky Movies, its timing was clearly intended to be disruptive to Netflix's UK launch. Now a more mature service, the arrival of Sports recently afforded TechRadar the chance to talk to Now TV head Simon Creasey about the enhanced offering, next-gen consoles like the new Xbox and the PS4, and why being on platforms that Sky would consider rivals makes perfect sense. Creasey is clearly excited about the arrival of Sky Sports content, allowing fans who don't fancy a subscription to check out a Super Sunday of Premier League football and/or the Formula One - and with Sky's premium entertainment programmes like Game of Thrones on the horizon, believes that Now TV's model will become a success. But first he is quick to insist that Sky is not worried about cannibalising its own audience by offering a non-subscription model. "The service is definitely not for existing Sky customers," he says. "It's for a new audience that want to dip in and dip out of premium content. "If the price was ridiculously low then it could [cannibalise], because clearly it's the same product. We're bringing [things like] Sky Movies to a new audience and our role isn't to go to existing customers, it's about repackaging for a new audience. "My role isn't to worry about the pricing. It's about getting the right product and putting it into the hands of the right audience and to push that forward." 
In a big year for premium sports services like Sky Sports - with Ashes cricket, Lions Rugby Union and the obvious big football games all on the slate - the arrival of this content on Now TV changes its nature from a pure movie offering, and will look to attract a whole new audience "Having Sky Movies was great but being able to bring in Sky Sports to a whole new audience is really exciting," he says. "We already have a great offering that people subscribe to but the aim is to bring the sport to people who, for whatever reason, don't want to subscribe to a full sport package. Bringing them more flexibility. "Last year was a pretty big year for things like the Olympics on free-to-air, but this year is really all about Sky Sports with the Lions, Ashes and all the Formula 1 stuff, so its a great year to do it." 
One of the big targets for Sky's Now TV has been console owners - which of course benefit from being connected and plugged into a television. With the new Xbox on the horizon and the PS4 already announced, Creasey is hoping that gamers will be looking to Now TV. "My job is to bring this to the widest possible audience so thing like the next generation of consoles and Smart TVs - we're looking where the audience is and we will respond to that. "Consoles are definitely the ones that people are currently streaming on, that's where the current audience is. "As Smart TVs proliferate, then the market will change but right now the big players are the connected consoles. "Whenever they launch a new console it gets traction pretty quickly with the gamer base moving on from one to the next. There's a big audience and it's not just about gaming - the hardcore is about gaming at the start, but entertainment streaming through those console is growing fast. "More and more consoles are now connected, and it's on a big TV which we know is still really important. People want to watch sport and movies on their main television." 
HD consoles and HD televisions should suggest a move to HD streaming, TechRadar suggests - but Creasey insists that the priority is stability. "What we have heard from consumers is that first and foremost they want a smooth streaming experience so we have to get basics right like adaptive bit rate. We're up to 720p HD on the Xbox and we'll continue to push where we can." With Game of Thrones proving a big draw for Sky. the prospect of entertainment content arriving later this year will give NOW TV another string to its bow, although Creasey is quick to point out "We literally just launched sports!" when we raise the question. "We are straight onto next thing, which is entertainment. Within this year we'll be bringing Sky's premium entertainment to the service as well and that will happen with the Sky Atlantic first-run [programmes], latest and best [American series] that we are known for. "We will bring all that and complete the set for our service." Sky's hierarchy are apparently pleased with uptake of Now TV for so far, but the arrival of sport and then entertainment makes this an increasingly complex product. You can't help but feel that the next 12 months - rather than the last six - will represent the toughest test of Sky's pay-per-play service.     | | Apple, Yahoo said to be in talks to slather the latter in iOS Apr 10th 2013, 03:46 
Who said Google gets to have all the fun on iOS? Word from the Wall Street Journal is that Apple is chatting with Yahoo on ways the latter's services can have a more prominent role in iPhones and iPads. iOS phone owners already have Yahoo Finance and weather apps baked into their handsets, while some data, like sports stats, circulate in Siri, but the Journal's sources are talking about an even deeper integration. One facet of the discussions reportedly centers around packing iDevices with expanded sports stats, info from Yahoo News, and other Yahoo web properties or possibly stuffing more Yahoo goods into Siri. Google gone? Increasing Yahoo's presence in iOS isn't too earth shattering, but apparently Yahoo has contemplated a loftier takeover, one that could get it into more mobile devices while also helping Apple put a longer arm between it and a certain Mountain View firm. Though "still a long shot," Yahoo has reportedly pondered ways it could provide search results to replace Google in iOS. There are a few hitches to this happening, not least of which is Yahoo's 10-year deal with Microsoft's Bing to power its search service. What's more, Google has done its part to stay relevant - and in demand - on the competing platform by bringing a host of its apps to iOS, making unseating it and making Apple less antsy all the more unlikely. One interesting wrinkle in the Journal's report is that the publication noted Eddy Cue, senior vice president of internet software and services at Apple, has joined other execs in saying they aren't willing to sacrifice the quality of Google search in the company's products. However, Bloomberg reported late Tuesday that Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Cue have met to discuss a deeper relationship between the two firms, though those talks seemingly center around bringing more Yahoo services to iOS and not necessarily on search. No deal is imminent and so far the discussions look like little more than hot air, but we'll keep you posted on any and all updates.     | | The Hobbit will be the first film in Australia with an UltraViolet digital copy included Apr 10th 2013, 01:46 
Warner Bros will be the first cab off the rank with Ultraviolet in Australia, pairing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Blu-Ray and DVD with a code to redeem the digital license for the film and access to download or stream it. Customers picking up The Hobbit will be able to log into Ultraviolet through Flixster: an app for PC, Mac, iOS and Android that currently marries movie reviews with showtimes. From May 1, the app will expand to include Ultraviolet content in a "My Movies" tab. Warner Bros says that while it can't control pricing in individual stores, it is not charging extra for the digital license for The Hobbit, and that it expects its retail partners to follow suit. Once the digital license is redeemed, films can be streamed to compatible devices, or downloaded and watched offline. The file downloaded is targeted to a particular device. For example, The Hobbit downloaded to a PC is just over 2GB in size, while on a smartphone it is 1GB. Users can nominate 12 devices to a single UltraViolet account and can stream up to three movies simultaneously. An expected digital journeyDespite being a milestone in Australian multimedia, this is not the global introduction of Ultraviolet. The platform launched in the US in 2011, and now counts over 9,000 titles within its system. Ultraviolet is a service is borne out of the collective interests of some of the biggest names in cinema and technology. Facing a need to digitise content, movie studios like Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony and 20th Century Fox (among 74 collaborating companies) have created Ultraviolet as a common platform for rights management that all parties can use to offer digital versions of their content to the public. As such, The Hobbit will be the first of many release in 2013 featuring an Ultraviolet digital copy in the box with a physical disc. Warner Bros intends to use Ultraviolet throughout the year, with films like Man of Steel and Pacific Rim, and TV shows including Fringe and The Big Bang Theory. Though none of the other studios have announced UltraViolet content yet, it is expected that all will begin including redemption codes with physical discs in the coming months.   | | Google Play Music launches in Australia, offers storage for 20,000 tracks Apr 10th 2013, 00:55 
Google has lifted the shutters on its Play Music service for Australia, bringing the great southern land up to pace with the US and Europe, where the service has been available for some time. Australians can now buy music through the Play Store and store up to 20,000 tracks in a free "music locker". These tracks are available on all devices using a Google login and a Play Music app, including Android phones, Chrome web browsers and PCs. Google charges AU$2.19 for individual tracks in Australia and prices ranging from $10 to $20 for complete albums, with most new albums for $15.99. There are discounts on back-catalogue titles, with some tracks for AU$1.69 and albums for as little as $7.99. Music in the cloudYou don't need to buy 20,000 new tracks to fill up your online storage quota, though. Using the Play Music PC software you can upload versions of the music you already own and access it via the cloud. Tracks for sale can be previewed through a web browser on a computer, or through the Play Store app on Android phones. Play Music rounds out Google's service offers in Australia, joining Magazines, Movies and Books which all rolled out separately over the last 18-months. It's hard to gauge whether Aussies will get behind the service, though. Google's pricing isn't especially competetive next to existing services like iTunes and BigPond Music. It will also face stiff competition from the growing list of streaming service in Australia, all of which offer access to a similarly sized catalogue of music for under $15 per month.   | | BlackBerry Q10 queuing up for April 30 Canadian debut? Apr 10th 2013, 00:20 
The BlackBerry Q10 release date in Canada is April 30, according to a leaked Rogers document that listed the QWERTY keyboard-equipped smartphone. The alleged memo from Canada's top carrier, dripped on the aptly named Mobile Syrup, makes good on BlackBerry's promise to release the BlackBerry 10 phone "in April." It also gives the company formerly known as RIM a second BB10 smartphone on the market following the all-touch BlackBerry Z10. On cue, Rogers began taking BlackBerry Q10 pre-orders today, selling the phone for $199.99 with a three-year contract, and $649.99 to buy it off-contract. That's Canadian currency, by the way. So far, Rogers is the only Canadian carrier to offer a white Q10 in addition to the black model. More Q10 pre-orders in CanadaWith the Rogers' BlackBerry Q10 marketing launch date pegged at April 30, other carriers have started taking pre-orders for their new and existing Canadian telecom customers. Telus is selling the phone for $199 with a three-year commitment, and $700 to buy it outright, according to an updated Mobile Syrup story. This carrier advises that while BBQ10 devices will begin shipping on April 29, it may take two or three business days for delivery. Bell will bring the BlackBerry Q10 to the market for roughly the same price, give or take a few Canadian pennies: $199.95 for three-year contract and $699.95 if paid in full. Bell hasn't started pre-orders yet, but plans to do so on April 19. The final carrier to announce prices today, Fido, is the only provider marketing the BBQ10 with a two-year contract, selling it for $350. An option to buy the phone is $650. Canadian retailers join pre-order partyBest Buy-owned retailer Future Shop is accepting pre-orders with a $50 deposit, telling Mobile Syrup, "BlackBerry Q10 will be available at Bell, Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile Canada networks in the coming weeks." Best Buy itself has the same $50 down payment deal in place, but it's also offering a 20 percent discount on accessories to BBQ10 pre-orderers. BlackBerry should receive a nice reception in Canada, where the smartphone manufacturer is based and where BlackBerry faithful have been waiting for a QWERTY version of a BB10 phone for some time. As for the rest of us, pre-orders for the handset are already underway in the U.K., though we're still waiting on an exact release date.In the U.S., the Q10 isn't expect to arrive for a few more months, possibly not until June.     | | Google axes 60K rubbish apps in massive Google Play purge Apr 9th 2013, 21:58 
Google hit a record high for removing rubbish apps from the Google Play store in February, deleting around 60,000 spam, low quality, or otherwise crap apps. That marks the biggest purge Google's digital app store has ever seen, according to TechCrunch. Compared to Apple's iOS app store, the Google Play marketplace has always been a bit of a wasteland, without the strict vetting system that Apple has in place. The cream Android apps have always tended to rise to the top of Google Play, but there was always that seedy underbelly of sour milk. Not anymore?TechCrunch's report came yesterday by way of "a company in the mobile app industry which has insight into changes like this." TechCrunch told TechRadar that the company requested anonymity. The site also reported that Google's automated algorithms to detect spam apps have been steadily improving. The Google Play Android app store is great for developers who don't want to bother with Apple's strict guidelines and sometimes bothersome approval process, but that same system also opens the door for less reputable app makers to flood the space with rotten creations. The recent purge of garbage Android apps could be simply due to Google getting better at detecting them, or it could be part of a concentrated effort on Google's part to spruce the place up. In fact, the change in policy could have something to do with rumors of the Google Play 4.0 redesign arriving alongside Android 5.0: Key Lime Pie, possibly by summer. Either way, it seems the Google Play marketplace is only getting better.     | | Your Sony phone could soon have DualShock controller support Apr 9th 2013, 21:56 
DualShock 3 PS3 controllers could take mobile gaming on Sony Xperia smartphones to the next level thanks to native wireless support, according to one report. "Sony has created a piece of software for its Xperia smartphone range that will let you connect a DualShock 3 wireless controller just like on your console," said Tom Randall, who demoed the functionality in a YouTube video. "[This will allow] you to play hundreds of titles optimized for gamepad from either the Google Play Store or PlayStation Mobile." Randall proved this by playing Conduit HD, Alien Breed, and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 on Sony's forthcoming Xperia SP handset using a PS3 controller instead of the touchscreen. Previously, devices needed to be rooted in order to get the DualShock 3 controller to work with Android-powered smartphones. DualShock 3 Android compatibilityDualShock 3 smartphone compatibility seems to be limited to the Xperia SP so far, according to a tweet from Randall. "It's not an app," he clarified on Twitter. "It's preinstalled settings software inside Sony's overlay. Will be available on #XperiaSP from launch." Of course, there's still a chance that Sony could make this overlay available for other smartphones like the Xperia Z and the Xperia T. "One would hope so mate," said Randall, replying to that very question from eager Xperia owners. "Trying to find out at the moment. Will share with you when I know." Sony Mobile hasn't gotten back to TechRadar's inquiry about the DualShock 3's smartphone compatibility or verified Xperia SP support, but this page will be updated when that happens. DualShock 3 Xperia setupThe setup for using a DualShock 3 controller on an Xperia device is fairly easy now that the entire phone doesn't need to be rooted. The connectivity process starts in the setting menu under the Xperia tab where a new DualShock 3 wireless controller setup wizard appears. Besides a PS3 controller and a USB-to USB mini cable, Xperia owners will also need a USB On-The-Go cable handy to complete the gamepad's connection to the device. Once that initial link is made, the DualShock 3 can be untethered, as it will work wirelessly via Bluetooth, and it can be turned on and off via the PS button without need to manually connect again. While everyone's attention is on PS4 and, to a lesser extent, PlayStation Vita, Xperia devices with full DualShock 3 support could remind smartphone consumers that Sony has mobile gaming hardware, too. You can scope Randall's video below: YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Z3QnXWZm8  | | We've lost visual: Apple confirms FaceTime and iMessage outages Apr 9th 2013, 20:54 
Users of Apple's iMessage and FaceTime applications for iOS and Mac OS X are experiencing downtime, the company has confirmed. Following a host of complaints from users on social media, the company has updated its System Status website to confirm an issue with both apps, which it said is only affecting "some users" A number of iMessage users are unable to send messages at all, while iPhone users have claimed that the usual Apple-to-Apple free messaging service is defaulting to regular text messages over cellular networks. Some FaceTime users are reporting that they're currently unable to make calls, rendering the service useless. No resolution yetAccording to the company, which has not offered a reason for the outage, the issues began shortly around 8 p.m. GMT time on Tuesday (3 p.m. EDT). At the time of writing, the issue has yet to be resolved. TechRadar has asked Apple for an update and will provide more details when a response is forthcoming.     | | Want the view from Windows Phone 8 to be in 1080p? It could happen soon Apr 9th 2013, 20:44 
Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 will support 1080p displays by the end of 2013, claimed a new report today. Unnamed sources who are "familiar with Microsoft's Windows Phone plans" told The Verge that the mobile operating system will be updated before the end of the year to include support for hi-def 1080p resolution screens. According to the sources, the addition of 1080p support will be part of Microsoft's third General Distribution Release update for Windows Phone 8, or "GDR3," which previous speculation says will arrive in time for the holidays. Full HD display support will likely arrive with a wave of new Windows Phone 8 handsets to take advantage of it, though the major players in the WP8 game haven't yet announced any 1080p devices. The best-laid plansAccording to The Verge, Microsoft's GDR3 Windows Phone 8 update will also add support for new Qualcomm processors that will allow for quad-core WP8 devices. As the site pointed out, HTC was at some point planning to release a Windows Phone 8 handset called the HTC Zenith or HTC Elation that would have included a quad-core chip, but the 4.7-inch phone was supposedly axed due to the OS's resolution limitations. A 720p display would have put it at a disadvantage compared to similarly sized Android phones. If today's report proves accurate, HTC could already be planning a similar device with full HD resolution, though nothing has been announced. Nokia will likely jump at the chance to release a 1080p Windows Phone 8 handset as well, if it holds to its recent prediction that Microsoft's mobile OS could become the biggest in the world. Even Samsung may want to get on board, despite the company's disappointment with Windows Phone 8 device sales. TechRadar asked HTC, Nokia and Samsung for their takes on 1080p support coming to Windows Phone 8, and we'll let you know if any firm feels like sharing.     | | Google rolls out new Android Play Store app Apr 9th 2013, 16:01 
With word that Google has been internally testing a new design for its Play Store app, we knew we'd soon see it surface – and the company has announced that it will be here today. The Play group product manager, Michael Silski, posed on the Android blog that the 4.0 update would be rolled out starting today. So what's new? A lot of focus on the visual side of things, with bigger pictures, and similarly themed content now grouped together. Checkout's been given a tweak too, and you'll also get content recommendations as you scroll down the page, making life a bit easier. Go PlayThe update is available for any Android phone or tablet running Android 2.2 or better, and will bring it in line with the rest of its Android system. "People around the world should see it over the next few weeks," Silski added, so we've no guarantee as to where it will hit first. But so far there's been no sign of the update here at TechRadar. We expect to see it appear in the coming hours/days/weeks and will update as and when we do.     | | Apple's latest patent allows you to buy music without an internet connection Apr 9th 2013, 14:42 
You could soon be able to buy music on an iPhone or iPad without needing an internet connection thanks to Apple's latest patent. The new patent would see iTunes storing top recommended songs to your phone, tablet or computer, but keeping them locked until you click 'buy'. To buy the songs, you'd need to have pre-paid credit on your account - if not, iTunes will tell you "Insufficient credit - please connect to the internet to purchase this song". Another way to take your moneyThe number of songs stored on your device ready in case you feel like buying them will depend on both the amount of credits you have pre-paid for, and the amount of space you have available on your gadget. Obviously you'd need an internet connection to your device at some point - be it a phone, tablet or computer - but you could feasibly buy new music when you're on a plane or underground. We sort of remember a time when not needing an internet connection to buy music was the norm. We think there might have been some kind of street in the middle of every town where you could go into a specific building and swap money for music without any kind of access to the information superhighway, but it's a bit hazy. Who knows when - or if - Apple's latest invention will make it to our iTunes accounts - could it be a feature of the supposed iRadio streaming service that's supposedly set to launch soon? If so, memo to Apple: we'd like to see the songs iTunes chooses to offline for you be based on your listening habits rather than being just generic chart-fodder as the images seem to show. Still, it'll be good to know that if there's a nuclear winter and the internet goes down forever, you need never be without The Fray's chart-bothering You Found Me or the latest heartbroken missive from Taylor Swift.     | | HTC One release date for T-Mobile said to be April 19 Apr 9th 2013, 00:30 
The HTC One release date for T-Mobile is said to be April 19, meaning it'll arrive in stores and to pre-ordering customers the same day as the AT&T and Sprint versions. At least, that's what Best Buy indicates on the HTC One T-Mobile product page of its online store. The U.S. retailer will match the HTC One price of T-Mobile's rival carriers and sell the highly anticipated Android smartphone for $249.99 with a two-year contract. This was the same initial price as the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, which begins pre-orders three days prior to the HTC One release date. Wisely, AT&T recently announced that the entry-level 16GB model of the Galaxy S4 will cost just $199, meaning HTC One will be priced $50 higher. Differs from the contract-free planT-Mobile will price the HTC One in a very different way than Best Buy in its own stores. The self-described Un-carrier plans to sell a contract-free HTC One with a $99 down payment and $20 a month for 24 months. T-Mobile is doing similar no-contract deals for the Galaxy S4, BlackBerry Z10, and iPhone 5. That works out to be $579 at the end of two years for T-Mobile customers who want a smaller upfront payment. They can also take advantage of the carrier's web-only special offer of a free HTC One carrier kit while supplies last. More than HTC One optionThe T-Mobile HTC One contract-free pricing and the Best Buy standard two-year agreement will give customers a choice. Either way, they decide, the HTC One should help the Taiwanese phone manufacturer see some much-needed profits again.   | |
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