| At last - the battery that will keep your phone going for weeks Apr 19th 2013, 13:22 
Self-charging batteries might still be a few lightyears away, but a team of US scientists claim to have cracked a new technology that will give lithium-ion batteries 30 times more power. The batteries can also be recharged 1000 times faster than competing technologies, according to the scientists who used 3D-electrodes to build "microbatteries". As their name suggest, these will offer a smaller version of what is current commercially available. But they can also be built to standard size and offer more juice than we currently get. A lot more. "This is a whole new way to think about batteries," said a statement from Professor William P. King, who led the research. "Now the power source is as high-performance as the rest of it." Better, faster, strongerKing says that current battery technology has "lagged behind" and we couldn't agree more. Despite the intense pace at which our smartphones continue to evolve, the battery is the one aspect that continues to evade real leaps forward, despite gentle progress over the last few years. According to King, the new technology could be available to consumers in "perhaps 1-2 years", and our gadgets will be the first to reap the benefits. "The first applications of this technology will be to replace supercapacitors in radios and personal electronics," he said.     |  | LG Optimus G2 confirmed and set to do battle with Galaxy S4 Apr 19th 2013, 10:24 
LG has confirmed that its next flagship device will be the Optimus G2 - something which was teased at its MWC press event, although the name itself wasn't mentioned. Speaking to Trusted Reviews, LG's Head of Mobile Communication for Europe, Won Kim revealed, "The LG Optimus G2 is coming in Q3." It seems LG isn't keen on giving anything else away, with Kim saying, "We don't want to hide everything but similarly we don't want to promote everything about the G2 in advance. "To some extent we have to tease the features and specifications through channels, it is somewhat premature for me to talk about the G2 in terms of specifications. Around the world"[The] G2 is going to be something different, something unique and we have needed to be very creative." LG has shied away from launching its high-end handsets on a global scale, with the Optimus G only getting into more markets in the past few months and the Optimus G Pro is currently only available in a limited number of regions. Kim was able to confirm the LG Optimus G2 would make its way to the UK and a number of other global markets, although it may arrive under a different name with a company spokesperson saying, "We haven't made a final decision on naming." There's a fierce rivalry between LG and its Korean counterpart Samsung, and the Optimus G2 is apparently set to do battle with the Galaxy S4 as well as the iPhone 5 - and we'd assume the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z too. We will be keeping close tabs on LG and the Optimus G2 to see if this is the handset to propel the Korean firm back into the high-end smartphone mix.     | | ZTE's Tegra 4 powerhouse has impressive spec sheet leaked Apr 19th 2013, 09:42 
We already knew that ZTE will be the first to stick Nivida's Tegra 4 processor in a smartphone, but now we may know which phone that will be - the ZTE N988. According to GSM Insider the N988 has taken a stroll through the Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center MIIT in China, where it apparently gained the necessary approvals to be unleashed on the general public. The ZTE N988 is claimed to pack a 5.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution, 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 4 processor, 2GB of RAM and comes running Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2. Wafer thinRound the back appears to be a 13MP camera and a single LED flash, and the N988 is reportedly a svelte 6.9mm thick and weighs a feather-light 110g - which would make it lighter than the iPhone 5. 
We've also been given a glimpse of the upcoming handset thanks to an image appearing alongside the leaked specifications, revealing the N988 will likely sport a design similar to that of the firm's flagship Grand S. With such a large screen and powerful innards the N988 would see itself go up against the likes of the Sony Xperia Z, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 as well as challenging the likes of the Galaxy Note 2 and Ascend Mate in the super-sized phone category. There's currently no word on a potential N988 release date or price, but ZTE said it expected its first Tegra 4 handset to be on sale by July 2013 - so watch this space.     | | More people are now watching iPlayer on tablets than phones Apr 19th 2013, 09:32 
If the tablet's growing position as our go-to media device was ever in question, the BBC is here to quell slate-fans' fears: for the first time, it's seeing more people using tablets to watch iPlayer than smartphones. The iPad and its ilk were responsible for making 200,000 more requests to iPlayer than their mobile counterparts, with tablet-watchers mainly opting for TV viewing rather than radio catch-up. If you take both radio-listening and TV-watching on iPlayer into account, tablets and mobiles are even stevens at 15 per cent each. And it's worth noting that computers are still the dominant iPlayer device of choice, accounting for 47 per cent of requests in March - but their share is dropping all the time. Tablet talesIn total, the BBC says there were 272 million requests made on iPlayer throughout the month which is on a par with January's stats - January was a record-breaking month which was mainly attributed to all the shiny new tablets Brits got for Christmas. The corporation reckons that there's a fairly settled male/female ratio of iPlayer users but it "remains strongly under-55". So get your gran a tablet for her birthday this year, why don't you? Let's see if we can't up the average.     | | Blip: Durex Funderwear thrills long-distance lovers with smartphone vibrations Apr 19th 2013, 04:06 
This cunning invention from one of the biggest names in adult aids falls into that classic category of "so simple, why didn't they think of it before?" King of condoms Durex has come up with a clever way to help long-distance lovers feel closer, pairing a smartphone app with vibrating knickers. The result is an experience for mummys and daddys who love each other very, very much. To bring the experience to life, the tech team behind Funderwear looked to the actuators in today's smartphones responsible for haptic feedback. User input on the app creates signals which are transmitted over the internet and replicated within the garments. The app is smart enough to determine the pace or intensity of the input and the vibration matches this. Sadly, it doesn't seem like Funderwear is planned as a commercial product just yet, but Durex is giving away gift sets via its Facebook page. It is calling it the "future of foreplay", though, so perhpas it is just a matter of time before you find Funderwear on the shelf at the store beside the white, cotton Y-fronts. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qb7DN3kpl2oMore blips!Cheer yourself up with some more bite-sized news nuggets - hey look! Something about Ironman 3!     | | Google Glass teardown reveals Games Center-like service Apr 18th 2013, 23:52 
A teardown of the Google Glass companion app, MyGlass, has revealed a comprehensive Google Games feature list today, including multiplayer services comparable to Xbox Live and Game Center. However, the functionality may have less to do with Google Glass and more to do with the Android platform in general, suggests Android Police. This is because the Google Glass Explorer Edition glasses cannot run sophisticated programs beyond apps like the camera, maps, and Google Now right now. The Android application package file, in contrast, includes both real-time and turn-based multiplayer that would be ideal for first-person shooters, racing games, and fighting games. Xbox Live-like serviceThe Google Games service still gives developers a preview of what the company is working on in the backend and may include in the Android operating system in the future. The files suggest that Google will handle "all that scary net code and matchmaking stuff on their servers," postulates Android Police. "That would be a dream come true for developers." Additionally, the MyGlass companion app code reveals turn-based multiplayer that incorporates notifications service for slow-paced Android games that are played between two or more people back-and-forth. In-game chat files point to sending and receiving voice messages during real-time gameplay, while achievements, leaderboards, invitations and lobbies round out the games app suite. Google I/O reveal for Games service?Google Games, which seems like it was an accidental leak through the MyGlass app, certainly exists for some reason, and the Android community may know as soon as next month's Google I/O conference. Glass may be a couple of iterations away from playing games that require such functionality, and the same goes for other files found in MyGlass' backend like wallet, panorama and app search. But Android gamers and developers could certainly make use of a complex games service like Xbox Live or Apple's Game Center to tie everything together.     | | Now Larry Page is talking up Motorola's upcoming products Apr 18th 2013, 23:42 
It's that wonderful time that happens every three months, when firms out how much they made (or lost) and assure investors that yes, we're not squandering your money. Google chimed in with what it earned (US$14 billion in revenue, up 31 percent year-on-year) during the first quarter of 2013, though Motorola continued to be a drag on its operating costs. You can get the full breadth of Google's financials from the company itself, but a few interesting points stood out from its earnings call, hosted by CEO Larry Page, CFO Patrick Pichette and CBO Nikesh Arora. Like Eric Schmidt did earlier this week, Page touted Motorola's upcoming products, which will likely keep investors off his back about when they'll start receiving dividends from the purchase of the company. "I've seen Moto's upcoming products myself, and I'm really excited about the potential there," he said. "In a year, they've accomplished a lot and have improved velocity and execution." Still not clear what's comingPage touched on themes he brought up during the company's last earnings call: the need for a durable phone with long battery life, water resiliency and the ability not to shatter when dropped. So while it doesn't have a product to announce, Google wants you to know it's working on a sturdy phone you won't have to charge constantly that also withstands spills caused by your kids. There you go. The gathered executives also stuck up for Google Fiber, which Page called a project pushed by co-founder Sergey Brin, saying it's riding the next chapter of the internet and that it's still in its early days. In other words - don't freak, investors, there's method to what might seem like madness. The CEO also said that Google hasn't hit on what Andy Rubin, former head of Android, will do for the company moving forward. "We're not going to make news on that today," he warned. As for Google Glass, Page was sure to note he doesn't view it as a luxury device, despite it's US$1,500 current price tag. And yes it runs on Android, in case you weren't sure. Google will have the world's ear at a bend come May 15 - May 17 during Google IO, so look for more out of Mountain View's favorite wild child shortly. Maybe we'll finally get some specifics on what's so great at Motorola.     | | Nokia's Elop reveals new Lumia will be a hero, more top handsets on the way Apr 18th 2013, 22:19 
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has dropped a new hint regarding the heavily rumoured Lumia 928 Windows Phone 8 handset, which has been the subject of several leaks in the last couple of weeks. Speaking with investors following the company's latest earnings call, Elop touted the merits of a forthcoming device, while also promising a wealth of new products for the coming year. The Lumia 928 is widely expected to be an exclusive on the Verizon Wireless network in the United States and an alternative to the Lumia 920, which is an exclusive on the rival AT&T carrier Stateside. After announcing the company's best quarter of Lumia sales yet, Elop said: "Later this quarter a new Lumia device is anticipated to have hero status with a leading US carrier." More to comeWhether the Lumia 928, which speculation suggests will have a 4.5-inch OLED screen and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, will launch internationally or not, remains to be seen. Elop also remarked that the newest Windows Phone handset would "mark the beginning of a season of new product introductions." Those newcomers could be a the Lumia Catwalk device which, judging by more leaked snaps, will be a high-end, perhaps aluminium-bodied flagship handset. Nokia is also reported to be working on Windows Phone handset featuring its advanced PureView camera technology and a bigger-screened rival for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet.     | | Samsung flexible screens reportedly warbled by delay Apr 18th 2013, 20:29 
There's been a lot of hubbub surrounding flexible displays this past year, but now it looks like one of the technology's main advocates may have hit a snag. According to the Korean site etnews, Samsung Display's efforts to get flexible displays out to market have been stalled by problems with the displays' encapsulation technology. Encapsulation technology helps protect displays from damage from moisture and air, but the encapsulation process patent that Samsung purchased from a company called Vitex Systems in 2011 reportedly takes too long in the manufacturing stage. Samsung is looking to replace the technology with a more efficient process, etnews said this week, which means it could still be a while before flexible displays take off commercially. Flexible displays: the future?According to the Korean site, Samsung's biggest flexible screen obstacle previously was related to its plastic substrate technology, but that problem is a thing of the past. The encapsulation manufacturing problem is an unforeseen complication, though, and Samsung is looking to replace its current Vitex Systems technology, according to this week's report. Samsung began pushing its flexible phone agenda in earnest this year, introducing its Youm brand flexible OLED displays at CES in January. Since then, rumors have emerged that Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 will be the first commercial flexible smartphone, though more recent leaks could contradict that. Oddly, etnews published a statement from Samsung Display that appears to contradict its own report: "As we have accumulated expertise in this field, progress is being made in substrates as well as encapsulation technology. We have developed a new technology than [sic] can shorten the encapsulation process to less than 2 minutes by using the Vitex System-developed encapsulation technology." We've asked Samsung to clarify that statement, but so far we haven't heard back.     | | Archos confirms three new Android smartphones, following earlier leak Apr 18th 2013, 17:41 
Archos threw its black beret into the smartphone ring, on Thursday, by launching a trio of very affordable Android handsets of varying size and shape. The French manufacturer, which has focused its attentions on Android tablets and media players in recent years, officially rolled out the handsets following a leak earlier today, which has proved to be inaccurate. Headlining the trifecta of handsets is the new Archos 50 Platinum, which brings a 5.0-inch,
960 x 540, 220-ppi display, a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. It's also rocking an 8-megapixel camera, has dual-SIM capabilities and its running a completely unskinned version of 'pure' Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Cheap as French friesThat's joined by a larger 5.3-inch iteration, the Archos 53 platinum, which brings a larger 2800mAh battery, but other than that, specs remain the same. Rounding out the group is the Archos 35 Carbon, a low-end, 3.5-inch handset which rocks Android Ice Cream Sandwich, VGA cameras and 512MB of RAM. The trio will be available to own at the end of May and will arrive unlocked. The flagship Archos 50 Platinum will be £179.99, while the Archos 53 Platinum will be just £199.99. Understandably, the 35 Carbon is the lowest priced at £79.99.     | | Could this be the rear shell for the cheaper Apple iPhone? Apr 18th 2013, 16:29 
Persistent rumors of a new, cheap iPhone model got a shot in the arm this week as a photo began circulating of what appears to be a plastic rear shell for such a handset. MacRumors reported today that an image of a white plastic shell featuring the iconic Apple and iPhone branding has surfaced. The leaked image comes courtesy of accessory manufacturer Tactus, which earlier this week shared a number of photos claiming to be case molds for the next-generation iPad 5. Judging from the latest photo, the rear shell of the alleged iPhone appears to be made of plastic, lending credibility to persistent rumors that Cupertino is preparing a less-expensive iPhone, presumably aimed at emerging markets or pre-paid carriers. Echoes of the pastIf the white casing looks familiar, it should: The design largely echoes the earlier iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, Apple's second and third models. The key difference here is the back appears to be completely flat, with the edges curved sharply onto the sides, where the earlier models sloped more gradually. According to Tactus, the cheaper entry is rumored to feature a 3.5-inch Retina Display with a 5MP rear camera, with an A5 chip powering it. It's said to be available in five colors (black, white, blue, red or yellow). Finally, the case manufacturer puts its reputation on the line by claiming the budget-priced iPhone will launch Oct. 15, priced to move at only US$300.     | | Opinion: In defence of Twitter Music Apr 18th 2013, 16:16 
The launch of Twitter Music has seen internet cynicism levels shoot to new heights. Spotify plug-in We Are Hunted brought the latest sounds from hipsterville to a new audience of uninspired Spotify listeners, and now it's bending its algorithmic know-how to Twitter's will and hoping to help you discover your new favourite band in the process. What's so wrong with that? I don't know, but plenty of people seem to be falling over themselves to find Twitter Music a laughable attempt at solving music discovery. Let's take this to an imaginary conversation: Well, look Kate. My friends don't listen to the kind of music I like This is the main complaint leveled at Twitter Music and I hear you - I do. I follow at least one person who likes David Guetta so I know pain, man. But the people you follow only has an effect on the Now Playing tab - you can just ignore that and focus on the Suggestions and Emerging tabs which are much better populated, in my short experience. I'm not saying that's solved the problem because I do share musical tastes with plenty of people I follow and I'd like to plagiarise their tastes as much as possible, so the Now Playing tab is a missed opportunity. Only five songs are currently showing in Now Playing for me and one of them is by Emeli Sande. That's largely because it requires people to tweet using #nowplaying to show up, and that's the kind of behaviour that makes me unfollow people. It keeps telling me I'll like Lenny Kravitz/The Killers/One Direction/Ke$ha
And do you? No! Hey, One Direction are not that bad. Unfortunately, Twitter's being pretty secretive about how it's generating suggestions for you, other than by looking at what artists you follow and what "engagement" you've participated in. Going by my own suggested songs, I imagine it puts a fair amount of stock in the artists you follow on Twitter. Mine includes a lot of dark, woozy guitar music which is largely because I only follow about four bands and one of them is The National. So I'm sorry, I don't know what you've done to give Twitter this warped view of your music tastes. Are you absolutely sure you're not a secret Ke$ha fan? Yeah but I like Spotify Social/the radio/grubbing about in record shops/when new bands come to me in dreams Why does it have to be either/or? You can use Twitter Music as well as kicking it as old school. If you prefer rocking up to tiny gigs in dive bars in the hope of discovering the next big thing then you don't have to stop doing that. But at the very least, Twitter Music an elegant solution for those boring Thursday afternoons when you're all at musical sea and don't know what you feel like listening to - and that's all it claims to be. The suggested artists tab isn't all killer no filler, but it certainly had a good feel for at least one genre of music I like and threw up some artists I wasn't already familiar with - which is exactly what I want from it. 
No one's claiming that Twitter Music is the world's greatest recommendation engine - Last.fm is roundly agreed to be more accurate and there's no replacing friends who know your music taste inside out. But solving the recommendation problem has long been the aim of music streaming services and this is just another attempt. Presumably Twitter Music will only improve with time. Okay, but look at the trending tab! It's terrible Yes, well, I agree with you there but plenty of people don't - that's how these artists get to be trending. And if you ever need to be down with the kids then hey, guys, here's a shortcut! That's the glass half full view, champ. 
If you like Twitter Music so much, why don't you just marry it?
All right, calm down. I do like Twitter Music, but it's far from perfect. If you don't subscribe to Spotify or Rdio, you can only listen to 30 second snippets of songs through iTunes. And if you decide you like a song, there's no way to add it to your library or star it for later - you have to physically go into Spotify or Rdio to search for it and add it to a playlist that you've made yourself, which is very unwieldy. There's no offline mode so it won't be so much of an on-the-go mobile app for many people as a play-through-your-speaker-system or just-use-the-web-app option. The app is only optimised for iPhone, not iPad, and there's no Android app at all yet. If you decide you don't like a song, there's no way to feed that back so you don't get similar recommendations in the future. A lot of the "emerging" music shared on Twitter comes from Soundcloud, which isn't integrated (although we suspect it will be in the near future), and YouTube, which isn't part of the app either. It's not clear if artists that don't have Twitter accounts are excluded from the service altogether. We've asked Twitter about all these things and received only stock replies that shed no extra light on the matters. This closed-door approach doesn't really help anyone. If we knew how Twitter Music was forming its view of us, we could guide it so our recommendations were better and we'd all be happier. So… what you're saying is… What I'm saying is that this fairly laboured conversation device has run its course. Just as no one realistically listened to the We Are Hunted Spotify app all day every day, I suspect that very few people are going to start listening to Twitter Music as default. I certainly won't be. But it's a nice-looking app that has the potential to be great after a few tweaks and a bit more clarity about how it generates your personal recommendations. In the course of just one afternoon, it has reminded me about a band I used to really like and led me to four songs by artists that I wouldn't necessarily have discovered otherwise. And isn't that the point?   | | In depth: LG vs Samsung: the story behind the biggest rivalry in tech Apr 18th 2013, 15:11 
The rivalry between Korean tech giants LG and Samsung is well known, but it took a visit to LG's headquarters in South Korea this week for the true nature of the conflict to become clear to us. Both Seoul-based, the two companies have been in competition for nearly 50 years, and they're somewhat obsessed with one another. We've all read the stories about the skullduggery between them: secrets have allegedly been stolen, accusations have been made, court cases have dragged on. Even in the last few weeks, the companies have re-locked horns in patent disputes over their OLED technologies. Police recently raided some Samsung facilities in order to secure evidence after LG accused its neighbour of spying. It's a familiar story in these parts. The upshot of the situation is that passing through buildings owned by these companies is like getting through security at an airport. Bags are scanned. Cameras are confiscated. Lenses on phones are taped over. USB storage devices are not allowed. Security cameras are everywhere. 
The entrance lobbies are full of metal detectors and bag scanners just like departure lounges, but unlike an airport, you don't have to worry about this on the way in - it's on the way back out again that the stringent security measures are deployed. They want to make sure you're not trying to steal any secrets. As a visitor, it's a fascinating curiosity. For the people who work here, it's just everyday routine. We're currently travelling on a bus heading north towards the border with North Korea. This is where LG's enormous LCD plant is based. We're due to take a tour and we've already been told to expect even more stringent security measures when we get there. 
It's not hugely surprising - both companies are leading innovation in display technology and seem to be zigging and zagging in unison. Both are bringing out similar products at the same time. Which Korean brand brought the "world's first curved OLED TV" to CES this year? Both of them, naturally. Why you'd want one is up for debate, especially given that only 200 standard OLED TVs have been sold by LG total in Korea - but LG says the curved version will hit the shelves later this year regardless. They'll be available first at the LG Best Shop megastore in downtown Seoul, which appropriately looms ominously right across the road from the equally sized Samsung superstore 
More than techBut LG or Samsung is far more than a technology choice for many people in South Korea. It's a lifestyle - a way of life. And for many of the 200,000 or so people employed by these companies, it's an allegiance that will last their entire working life. Unlike many conglomerates in Europe or America, big businesses in South Korea feel a responsibility to the viability of the nation's economy. As part of that, they take on many graduates every year as a matter of course and the vast majority of these young men and women will then never work for another company from that day until the day they retire. Careers are made and broken within. People simply don't leave. This hiring process is fierce in itself: both LG and Samsung want to hire the best people, but there's a talent shortage in Korea, so there aren't enough skills to go around. If you're a gifted software engineer and you speak Korean, there's a well-paid job waiting for you in Seoul. 
Surf and turf warsThe relationship between these brands goes deeper than mere rivalry, too. The companies are both obsessed and repulsed by each other in equal measure. Samsung has been mentioned a lot by our LG guides this week, and not disparagingly - LG clearly has huge amount of respect for what Samsung has achieved in the last few years. But at the same time, there is no love lost when it comes to the workforce. Both brands have their own social territories locally and internationally. Restaurants, hotels and bars are divied up between them. Samsung employees know not to go to certain places and it's the same the other way around - they don't like to mix socially. It's very similar to the way sports fans in the West know which pubs they should go to for a match, and which they should avoid. This even plays out at the big tech shows around the world - there are unwritten rules about which Korean restaurants it's OK to go to during CES in Las Vegas or IFA in Berlin, depending on which company you work for. Both look over at the other's turf with envious eyes. Appropriately, both LG and Samsung own their own self-titled Baseball and Soccer teams in Korea – sports clubs run at a loss to promote the brands and fly the flags. Employees of both companies can apply for tickets to watch the games - the local derbies being the hottest ticket in town. 
Next time you're in Seoul, perhaps you'd like to head down to the Jamsil Baseball Stadium to watch the LG Twins hit all the homeruns, or to the Suwon World Cup Stadium to see the Samsung Bluewings play soccer. Of course, the majority of Koreans have no affiliation to either brand - this is a nation of over 50 million people, while LG employs 80,000 people total. But most people still seem to have a preference. We asked random Seoul citizens the question: LG or Samsung? Most people smiled. Some laughed. But they all still gave an answer.     | |
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