| Roundup: 10 best Galaxy Note 2 apps: great apps for your new Note May 17th 2013, 13:50 
Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 is literally heaving with apps from the off, thanks to Samsung loading it up with its TouchWiz user interface, a whole separate collection of tools to make use of its S Pen stylus, and plenty of other third-party apps to help you hit the ground running and more than a little bewildered by the choice. Then, once you've worked out what everything does, there's the small matter of around 700,000 other apps available on Google's Play Store, all designed to add further functionality to a phone that's already more functional than a Swiss Army Knife taped to the top of a universal remote control. To help you sort your way through the amazing amounts of chaff available on Google's app shop, we've picked out ten of the best apps that compliment Samsung's whopping great telephone, making best use of its unprecedented, size, power, and versatility. 1. AirDroid 
One of the most impressive Android apps out there and something of a modern tech miracle, AirDroid lets you remotely access your Note II or almost any Android phone from the comfort of a desktop web browser. There's a small amount of tedium involved in installing the phone app, registering an account and making sure you've applied the relevant permissions to make it all work, but one that's done you have access to a browser control panel of your phone system, from where you can download and upload stuff to your computer, send SMS messages and even control the phone's cameras and take shots from within the browser. It's properly impressive tech in action. And it's free. 2. Go Launcher EX
Samsung's TouchWiz user interface is very clever, stylish and responsive, and we mean no disrespect in suggesting this, but sometimes you just fancy a change. The beauty of Android means you can simply replace and change the entire Home screen and app management system as easily as you might download an app, with plenty of these replacement launchers available on Google Play to radically reboot your phone's appearance. One of the most popular is the Go Launcher series, which, once installed, lets you add additional plugins to boost its functionality, making is as slim and fast or as rammed with extras and widgets as you like. It's similar to getting a new phone, only without having to sign away the next 24 months of your life. And you can switch back to the original launcher in seconds if you hate the change. 3. Rando 
Samsung's not exactly shy when it comes to providing ways to share and distribute photos via the Note II, but we can't help being charmed by newcomer Rando. It's a stylish and simple app, which does one thing -- shares "live" photos with strangers and sends you one back in return. There's no cheating by loading an image from your phone's memory, as the system demands you take a shot there and then, approve it, then upload it. Wait a few seconds or minutes and you get someone else's Rando back at you, giving you a weird glimpse into the life of a bored smartphone user somewhere else in the world. Which is oddly captivating, as you know they've also taken the shot just a few seconds ago. 4. Netflix 
You're going to have to take sides in the great Netflix/LoveFilm battle at some point. Netflix currently lets users stream an immense amount of film and TV content to mobile, with the Note II's power and immense display meaning you get to enjoy media on the equivalent of an 80-foot cinema screen if you hold the phone up right in front of your face. There's the £5.99 monthly subscription fee to stomach, but this payment open up access to its entire archive, making it a simpler proposition to understand than Amazon's weird, segmented LoveFilm charges, which always seem to want mo' money for some better content or to remove some arbitrary restriction. 5. Google Drive
Google arrived a little late to the cloud storage party, but is making up for it by trying very, very hard to ensure Google Drive becomes as ubiquitous and popular as its rival Dropbox. What's unique about Google Drive is the way you're able to integrate Google documents within the app, making it a simple way to fire up a word processor file, edit on your phone, then turn it off, safe in the knowledge Google's data elves will have saved a copy to the cloud that you can continue accessing from desktop at a later date. Plus it supports Google's clever group-editing features, so several people can work on the same file. Only they're at a desk and you're in the garden using your phone and therefore BEST at being a modern person. 6. VLC for Android Beta
The popular desktop media player's been tagged as a work-in-progress on Android for over a year now, with its keen coders gradually piecing together one of the best performing and most feature-packed mobile media players out there. It's ideal for Note II users who are looking for a way to play some of the more exotic movie files they may have downloaded over the years, also supporting network movie streams, separate subtitle files, letting you manually adjust the aspect ratio and much more. It's loads better and more robust than the self-effacing Google Play listing suggests. 7. Sky Go
If you have a Sky account, you'd be mad not to download the Sky Go app. It lets you access your TV packages on the go, bringing the joys of the Sky One daytime TV schedule to your office Wi-Fi connection. All the movies and sports channels are joined by up to 300 live TV feeds (depending on how many your Sky account lets you access), plus there's a selection of slightly old (but useful to have in an entertainment emergency) films to stream on-demand as well. You have to pay more to access the Sky Go Extra additional feature that lets you download and cache stuff to your phone for offline viewing, though, which sours the experience a little. Still, it's good for using your Note II as a spare TV when there's Big Important Sport on and it clashes with what's being watched elsewhere in the house. 8. Antivirus Security - FREE
We're not going to go down the road of suggesting Android's a piracy hell that enables clever Chinese hackers to access your phone and steal your bank account login details, as that's not really true in the slightest. However, if you're in the habit of downloading apps from sources other than the official Google Play store, it won't hurt to give apps a cursory scan before install -- as accessing apps from external sites is the weak point in Android's defences that can cause you trouble. Also, Android AVG includes a phone location and remote wiping service, which is genuinely useful for peace of mind, regardless of your thoughts on the much talked about Android malware situation. 9. Snapchat
A weird one, this. Seemingly aimed at the marital infidelity market, Snapchat lets users send each other messages within its locked-down system, with a time limit attached to each so they expire once the reader's read them. The idea being it's good for messages you don't want passed around the school, office, home, or local police station. As the app's listing suggests, though, it's not impervious to being beaten, as Android lets you take screen captures of what you're looking at, and the Galaxy Note II then lets you augment these and share them in a multitude of ways, so... it's still best to keep the sexy and secret stuff to handwritten letters you can later burn. 10. Real Racing 3
EA's "console quality" mobile race game stirred up quite a bit of controversy with its in-app purchases and ludicrous "grinding" approach to earning enough stuff to actually play the game, but... it's free. If you can live with some of the more miserable aspects of how big corporations are trying to monetise mobile games, you can at least see what the fuss is about when it comes to the look of the thing. It's extremely polished, akin to a top drawer PS2 game, great fun to play and looks dazzling on large screens. Just expect the fun to be regularly punctuated by pauses and requests to pay for nonsensical car upgrades. Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II     |  | AppTec makes MDM software free for up to 25 users May 17th 2013, 12:10 
Mobile device management (MDM) start-up AppTec is releasing a free version of its new Mobile Enterprise Management (EMM) 2013 solution for small and midsized businesses. Up to 25 users can take up the free version, which can be deployed in AppTec's cloud or as an on-premise virtual appliance. The latter has a multi-client architecture, with one version of the software installed for all users. Other features of EMM, which supports iOS and Android, include blacklisting of applications, security encryption and the ability to wipe data on lost devices. Devices can be managed through a web-based console, which features a self-service portal for users, a dashboard for first-level IT support and the ability to change policies through a drag and drop interface. Sanjay Patel, CEO of AppTec distribution partner AiVirtualisation, told TRPro that EMM retails for £20 per user after the the 25 licences are used up. Simplicity"Companies driving BYOD adoption say cost and complexity are the main factors when choosing a mobile device management solution, so AppTec's simple and cost-effective product is a no brainer for SMBs," he said. "Its multi-tenancy architecture means IT is always in control of the solution too, which can help prevent downtime." Patel said AppTec is bundling a 'bring your own device' security application by Winfrasoft with MME in the coming weeks, which provides pattern-based authentication. "The brain is hardwired to remember patterns, like when people go to the cash point they see a PIN-code pattern, rather than a number," he says. "BYOD security is an issue, and patterns are practically unhackable, so we expect it to be a big push for us." He added: "We're expecting Winfrasoft to give out licences for five users for free, but any single licence allows a user to add up to 10 devices, such as an iPhone, iPad or desktop." A recent survey by Spiceworks shows that SMBs trail on mobile device management adoption, despite strong awareness of the security risks posed by growing support for BYOD movements.     | | EU digital chief says single telecoms market on the way May 17th 2013, 11:43 
The European Commission is looking for ways to ensure telecoms providers can compete with each other throughout Europe, rather than in a bunch of national markets. Neelie Kroes, Vice President responsible for the Digital Agenda, said in a speech at the European Business Summit that she wants to knock down barriers to a single EU market, and that the European Commission is working on proposals to make it happen. She didn't provide any details, but claimed she has no intention of retiring until the job's done. Roaming chargesKroes said that, with operators currently confined to providing services for individual countries, they are not reaching their full potential to innovate and businesses are facing extra costs. She pointed the finger in particular at roaming charges. "Today many businesses find roaming charges a costly irritant," Kroes said. "That will be yet worse in a world of machine to machine communications, where everything is connected, from your car to your wallet." The move would have an influence on the broadband market. She said telecoms and cloud computing were among the areas that could be sharply affected by a single market, and that small businesses are growing twice as fast when they are operating online.     | | Roundup: 10 top how-to apps for Android May 17th 2013, 11:04 
Don't Panic! Whether you need to wire a plug or style a pug, there are how-to guides galore to turn your Android device into a veritable Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. If you've got the question, these apps will tell you the answer to life, the universe and everything... 1. wikiHow
The sheer quantity of articles contributed to wikiHow (150,000 and counting) means quality can be an issue, but this is the place to go for articles on everything from "how to be faithful" to "how to make fake dog poo". 2. Instructables
Packed full of step-by-step DIY and craft tutorials, this is the place to go for a hands-on project. Thousands of makes include gadgets, gardening, cookery, keepsakes and clothes, and it's easy to add instructions for your own creations, too. 3. iFixit
Always worth a look before you dropkick a dodgy device to the kerb, this bumper repair manual offers fixes for a wide range of everyday electronics including PC and Apple laptops, consoles and mobile phones, with more guides added every week. 4. Jamie's 20 Minute Meals
Look beyond the annoyingly matey language and the unhyphenated title that implies a rundown of tiny dinners, and you'll find a slick step-by-step guide to more than 60 easy meals, plus 21 videos to help you master everyday kitchen tasks. 5. How To Tie A Tie
There are probably more how-to apps on this subject than any other, but this is one of the few to tackle the genuinely tricky art of tying a bowtie. Available offline, it's ideal for weddings in the middle of nowhere. 6. SAS Survival Guide
Ideal for when weddings in the middle of nowhere go bad, this app based on the teachings of former commando John 'Lofty' Wiseman includes a handy tool for turning your phone into a Morse code signalling device (rather than a phone). 7. First Aid By British Red Cross
It'll eat up 40MB, but it's worth it to have this offline info at your fingertips should you find yourself in an emergency. Step-by-step guides are invaluable in the heat of the moment, as well as for brushing-up in advance. 8. Photography Trainer
Get to grips with digital SLR photography with this app's easy-to-follow advice on shutter speed, aperture, ISO and more. Tips and tutorials cover plenty of conditions and are all available offline, so its easy to go wherever your lens leads you. 9. Cocktail Flow
If you're always in the kitchen at parties, why not make yourself useful with this step-by-step miscellany of mixology? Type the name of a drink to find the recipe, or select the ingredients you've got for a range of options. 10. iKamasutra
The original how-to guide comes in all shapes and sizes on the Google Play Store, but only this one boasts "soothing sitar music" to accompany its 110 positions. A free version offers 30 of these, which frankly seems like a bargain. Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II     | | iPhone 6 to gain pro-photography powers? May 17th 2013, 10:14 
Apple has filed a patent that could make the new iPhone a much more exciting proposition for would-be photographers. The patent, found by Apple Insider, documents a system whereby the main iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices, in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. What's interesting though is that this isn't limited to 'slave' devices, which traditionally are flash bulbs that work from an optical signal from the main camera. According to the patent filing, other iPhones, iPads or third party devices could be used to provide additional lighting and dramatically enhance the quality of the scene you're shooting. This might not sound like a big deal, but in the same way Samsung Galaxy S4 devices can become a virtual surround sound system by connecting together to play the same tune, so could an array of iPhones be used to make a much better-lit scene when out getting down with chums. I flash for you, O Master!The patent describes other cool elements too: the master device can take a test shot and then information to the other units to give position instructions to improve the quality of the picture. This means your friends will get an on-screen notification on how to angle the shot, thus making sure it's as high quality as possible. It's easy to see third party options being made available that can do this automatically too, thus making a photographer's life easier. 
And Apple would use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals to initiate the light function of the other units, replacing the erratic optical system used today. Of course, this is another Apple patent, which means it will probably never see the light of day – plus the iPhone camera would have to be dramatically enhanced, either through a better sensor or decent third party add-ons, to make it into a camera worth all this hoo-ha. Still – new stuff is always fun to look at, right – even if it was first filed back in November 2011. And you would lose your mind when trying to rig up a light array of your friends at 3AM in a dingy club: "NO, move it THAT WAY! The shadow is STUPID!"     | | Week in Tech: Google tools up against Spotify, Facebook and WhatsApp May 17th 2013, 10:08 
If there's one thing Google CEO Larry Page hates, it's stories talking about Google versus other companies. Unfortunately he said that after Google introduced a whole bunch of things to take on Spotify, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and WhatsApp. That can only mean one thing: it's Google IO time! Google IO is Google's developer conference, but it's still a place where it reveals a lot that's interesting to all of us. There wasn't much on the hardware front this year - last year we got the Nexus 7 and the ill-fated Nexus Q - but we did see a Nexus-ised version of Samsung's Galaxy S4: this Google S4 dumps TouchWiz, runs Android 4.2 and costs $649 unlocked. 
This year's Google IO was all about services - and "the end of search as we know it". Google doesn't just want to answer your questions. It wants to anticipate your needs - so for example if you search for the population of India, Google knows your next question might well be how that number compares to other countries. You won't even need to use your fingers: in the Chrome browser and Chrome OS you'll be able to bark Glass-style commands: "OK, Google," followed by whatever you're looking for. As Matt Swider and Michelle Fitzsimmons explain, it's really very clever: "While traditional search typically relies heavily on keywords, the future of Google's core business will attempt to define 'it'. For example, with as little information as 'how far is it from here', voice search can collaborate distance and directions with current traffic conditions highlighted as well." Hang with GoogleGoogle+ is getting a massive makeover too. There's a radical redesign, hashtags for finding related content, a new Hangouts app and significantly improved photo features - including Auto Highlight, which judges your photos and picks the best ones, and Auto Awesome, which can create collages, panoramas and animated GIFs. The Hangouts app is going to be a big deal: it's the project we knew as Babel, and it's going to replace Google Talk - not just on Android, but on iOS and in Chrome too. It combines text, photo and video, moves from device to device and includes the all-important Emoji characters too. 
Google Play Music has been upgraded as well. The new and terribly named Google Play Music All Access service is "a music service that's about music", which we think sounds like a much better idea than a music service that isn't about music. It's a Spotify-style music subscription offering and it'll cost US$9.99 (around AU$10, £6) per month. You've got to feel sorry for IO attendees - at over three hours, the keynote was a real bum-number - but the Google goodies did keep on coming. Fancy better Maps? Google has better Maps! The new Maps app brings Google's iOS design to Android, the app to iPads, real-time traffic improvements for everyone and much more information on the desktop - and unlike Apple's maps, when you ask for directions to the shops you won't end up on the Moon. We particularly liked the new Photo Sphere, which can provide 360-degree tours of landmarks - so you might virtually wander around a gallery to check out the masterpieces. Nokia light upDid someone say "masterpiece"? Yes, us, just there - and that's the word Nokia's using to describe its new Lumia 925. Does it make Nokia the Michelangelo of mobiles, the Stravinsky of smartphones, Leonardo Da Vinci with da Lumia? No! But it's very good. As Gareth Beavis explains, it's "a tricky beast to rate... but there's no doubting that it's going to be a market-leading cameraphone." We'll get our hands on it properly in June, so watch this space.     | | Google IO: Did a white Nexus 4 with Android 4.3 hide out at Google IO? May 16th 2013, 23:18 
Google's opening day the IO keynote was heavy on the dev news and upgrades yet light on major announcements, and pushed hardware to the back burner in a rather intriguing fashion. Yet there may be a bit of kit hiding in the Moscone Center's halls, an alternately hued handset we could see launch as soon as next month. According to Android and Me, the rumored white Nexus 4 was more than just a keynote no-show at this year's conference, appearing behind the scenes as a clone of the current version yet in an alabaster shell. How does the site know? Because Taylor Wimberly, the publication's founder, claims he laid hands on the glittery gadget. The post-IO showIn Wimberly's words, the phone is a "carbon copy" of the black model, and will arrive on the Google Play Store June 10 with Android 4.3 on board. We know, that's a lot to take in. What little there is to know about Android 4.3 indicates it won't be an earth-shattering update, but it should bring Bluetooth Low Energy support. It may also support OpenGL for Embedded Systems 3.0, shepherding advanced graphics capabilities along with it. Google apparently scrapped 4.3 from its keynote in favor of showing off its ability to introduce new services and APIs without bumping up Android firmware, a perspective courtesy of Android and Me's Google sources. We did get Google's Galaxy 4 running stock Android 4.2, so perhaps we're in for some more Nexus news before mid-year.     | | iPad and Android tablets not invited to BBM's big coming-out party May 16th 2013, 23:18 
BlackBerry will primarily target smartphones with the momentous expansion of its BBM messaging service for iOS and Android devices. The company announced at its BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday that the celebrated instant messaging app would be leaving the sanctuary of its own ecosystem for the first time. However, the company told TrustedReviews the focus would be purely on smartphones, while tablets like the iPad, Google Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 will not be supported at this time. The reasoning? BlackBerry believes smartphones are more suited to BBM due to the on-the-go nature of the app, whereas user behaviour changes when switching to slates and desktop computers. Engagement and activityVivek Bhardwaj, head of the BlackBerry Software Portfolio said: "Smartphone is our real focus and again it comes back to what BBM is. If you look BBM and the engagement and the activity, it's because it is mobile, because people are on the go." "When you start looking at tablets, computers and other screens, the usage model changes and behaviour changes. For us right now the absolute focus is getting BBM onto smartphones." Are you a long-time iOS or Android loyalist who's excited to try BBM for the first time? Or are you already more enamoured with the new Google+ Hangouts app? Let us know below.     | | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 said to share same body as Galaxy S4 May 16th 2013, 19:58 
Samsung fans may still be elated that an unlocked version of the Galaxy S4 will be sold by Google in the U.S. in June, but those still waiting out a new and improved Galaxy Note 3 may want to have a seat. While rumors of a major redesign for the phablet have run the gamut to include flexible displays and a full metal chassis, it looks like Samsung is going to continue along the beaten path with its next iteration of the Note. According to sources speaking with SamMobile, the Korean manufacturer will be once again following the design aesthetic of the Galaxy S3/S4, and will release the Galaxy Note 3 in a similar polycarbonate case. Though the look of the follow-up phablet may disappoint some Samsung users, the innards of the device still sound quite impressive. Demanding audienceThe decision to use the same style of casing on the Note 3 was reportedly made because Samsung is concerned it won't be able to satisfy demand for a metal-cased version. Rather than delay the production of the Note 3 to accommodate an increased availability for a metal design, Samsung is believed to be moving ahead with the device in its plastic case, which will continue to keep the Galaxy phone line uniform in look. Initially it was believed Samsung might switch to metal based on the positive response to the rival HTC One, but since Samsung is already responsible for the vast majority of Android sales, the company clearly feels it can turn out a profit with a case of diminished quality. Fortunately, all of the specs rumored for the Note 3 appear to still be fine, regardless of the flip-flopping Samsung has done on the outer shell. The same sources indicated the Galaxy Note 3 will feature a 5.99-inch AMOLED HD screen, and is still planned to include the octa-core design, which features a quad-core 1.9GHz Cortex A15 and a quad-core 1.6GHz Cortex A7 processor. There will also be a 13MP rear camera, and the Note 3 will supposedly use Android 4.3, rather than Android 5.0 as originally believed. Though it's possible Samsung still could be moving ahead with a metal Note 3, consumers have shown performance matters more than design, which could be all the reason it needs to keep the Note 3 in shiny, happy plastic.     | | New BlackBerry Q5 handset won't break the bank at £20 a month May 16th 2013, 19:16 
BlackBerry has confirmed that its new mid-range Q5 handset will be available on contracts around £20 a month. The QWERTY-packing device was unveiled at BlackBerry Live on Wednesday with a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4G connectivity, 8GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. Rocking the new BlackBerry 10 OS, it'll sit below the flagship BlackBerry Q10 device and will allow a different breed of customer to experience the crucial new operating system for themselves. Speaking to TrustedReviews, Rob Orr, BlackBerry's UK managing director, said it'll be available on "the kind of £20 odd per month tariff." Smartphone democracyOrr added: "The Q5 brings the BlackBerry 10 proposition and democracies that proposition in to the mid-teir of the market." BlackBerry is yet to reveal when the device, which launches in pink, white and red, will go on sale in the UK, but Carphone Warehouse has confirmed that the handset will be available from July. The mid-range device is BlackBerry's best chance of regaining a little of the marketshare it enjoyed during the previous decade when it dominated the teenage market.     | | iPhone 5S internal overhaul hints at new features and colours May 16th 2013, 16:34 
So far, all signs point to the iPhone 5S (yes, we're expecting Apple to follow its normal naming formula) looking pretty much identical to the current iteration. But it turns out that a lot more may be going on beneath the surface. BGR has obtained more (and clearer) photos of some of the organs we've already seen, and they seem to further confirm that the internals on the next iPhone will be making room for something new. A particularly interesting image from the selection shows two different SIM card trays, one of which is of a golden/beige colour. This could be more evidence that the iPhone 5S will come available in a range of different colours as rumoured. 
Fingerprint scanner incoming?As for what the new internal components could be, this is anyone's guess. There have been rumours of a better processor and even a fingerprint scanner, among other things. PayPal's chief information security officer, Michael Barrett, may have further dropped a bit hint during a recent keynote speech. "There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year," he said. "Not just one, multiple." There's no guarantee that he was referring to Apple here, but he did acknowledge the rumours that Cupertino is readying the technology. Apple's purchase of AuthenTec last year also threw fuel on the fingerprint fire.     | | SMBs trail on mobile device management adoption May 16th 2013, 15:27 
Small and midsized businesses are passing up mobile device management solutions despite recognising the security risks posed by 'bring your own device' trends, according to a survey of 991 SMB IT professionals conducted by Spiceworks. The study, titled As BYOD Becomes Mainstream, Complexity Increases for SMBs, reports that over half (61%) of SMBs taking part in the survey have implemented a BYOD policy or initiative for employee-owned smartphones. However, just 17% of these are actively managing mobile devices using a mobile device management (MDM) solution and a further 20% have plans to address this in the next six months. Moreover, over half (56%) currently have no plans to implement an MDM solution. Of those businesses that have not deployed an MDM solution, 49% say they do not perceive big enough security threats to warrant the investment despite recognising their existence. Additionally, more than a third (36%) of respondents claim they lack the knowledge to proceed with the implementation tof a MDM technology, and 34% cite budgetary concerns. BYOD 'headache'When asked how well their BYOD policy works for some devices, responses are mixed. One-third of IT professionals say it works well for some devices and poorly for others, while 23% say it's a headache for their department, and only 17% fully embrace the trend. The study found that smaller businesses with fewer than 250 employees are the most likely to have a BYOD policy, with 69% saying they support a BYOD policy today. Companies with more than 250 employees have a higher adoption rate of MDM technoligies, the survey found, with 21% having already adopted or currently implementing and another 25% planning on doing so within six months. Kathryn Pribish, Voice of IT Program Manager at Spiceworks, said: "It's clear BYOD support will continue to grow so the industry conversation must evolve from 'whether to how' IT organisations can better manage and secure the devices employees bring to work each day."     | | Opinion: We don't need Nexus phones any more May 16th 2013, 15:14 
With the launch of the stripped down Samsung Galaxy S4, Google can finally give up on Nexus phones. Before the Google Nexus 4 came along, I was always baffled by the Nexus project given the search giant was always just trying to make sure its Android system was as widely used as possible. The Nexus One was proclaimed as the reason Android smartphones went mainstream, but it was really just a re-tooled HTC Desire. And that phone, the one that took HTC to its highest standing in the phone industry, was a much better phone: it got rid of the pointless trackball and made everything a lot simpler. The same with the Google Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus - both good phones, but expensive and obliterated in terms of sales by the Galaxy S and S2, which were the more mainstream variants. And why continue with Nexus devices at all now Google is on three in every four smartphones? It should have ended years agoWhat's most interesting is what Eric Schmidt said in 2010: ""The idea was to do the Nexus One to move the phone platform hardware business forward. It clearly did. "It was so successful, we didn't have to do a second one. I called up the board and said: 'OK, it worked. Congratulations - we're stopping'." Of course, this was just before it launched another Nexus phone, but Google has always been in and out of love with making its own hardware devices - and this move with Samsung hints that it would prefer to just make a vanilla version of the decent hardware that's being spewed onto the market. There's a (relatively small) band of users that adore stock Android - when I heard about the move, the first thing we did was see if HTC was going to do the same thing to combine the best hardware and untainted software, but it confirmed it had no plans to do so, showing that Google isn't being picky about which phone its software is used on. We don't need Nexus phones any more - the hardware race is such that whatever Google specs out is bettered within a month, and subsidising the phones costs money and brand reputation for whoever makes them. Remember the flak LG came under for hawking the Nexus 4 at full price in other territories? Move on, MotoAnd that's perhaps another reason why Google isn't so set on making a new Nexus phone: it's constantly been at loggerheads with the biggest manufacturers over skins (the user interface that each manufacturer plops on top of basic Android to add in its own services), but now it has Motorola in-house it can concentrate on making awesome Android phones of its own. The X Phone is a long time coming, but it's still got the interest of a lot of the industry. Google's most successful Nexus devices are the most recent: the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. The reason? Both have excellent hardware and a rock-bottom price thanks to heavy subsidies from Google. The Nexus 4 is a relatively average phone in some ways, but has two USPs: it's half the price of its competitors and it runs stock Android. That's a model that makes a big statement for Google: this is the hardware we want, and this is how good our services can be. In the phone world, there's now plenty of choice to prove that; in the tablet arena there's more of a dearth, which is why it's likely Google will keep plugging away with awesomely cheap tablets. I'm not a fan of the vanilla Google experience - I think it's too basic, and the "magic" of reviewing phones is in finding out where the companies are providing innovation. But while I'm surprised Samsung agreed to do the clean version of its phone, I'm happy that it did: the S4 has so much innovation, it's in danger of making things too complex for users. Google doesn't need Nexus phones - the hardware to make the best use of Android is already out there. If it can convince more brands to do what Samsung is doing, then it's got everything it set out for in the first place. We all know this Android-only version of the S4 will sell a fraction of the standard model, so Samsung doesn't need to worry there. By all means, keep making tablets - there aren't enough decent devices out there. But there's no win to be had in competing in the phone world, so Google should just concentrate on poking Android onto every phone, car, fridge and lightbulb... although I would totally buy the Nexus microwave.     | | Samsung is scooping up 95% of Android profits even without S4, says analyst May 16th 2013, 14:48 
We're always a little sceptical about analyst claims (we'd advise you don your pair of scepti-goggles for this one) but the latest word is that 95 (well, 94.7) per cent of Android phone sales in Q1 have gone to the big Samsung. If true, it's an impressive number. According to the calculations of Strategy Analytics, Android raked in $5.2bn (around £3.4bn/ AUS $5.2bn) for its global business, $5.1bn (around £3.3bn/ AUS $5.2) of which went straight to Samsung. Yowza. LG was then in second place with a paltry 2.5 per cent of the sales share, while "others" took the remaining 2.7 per cent. Strategy Analytics reckons that Samsung makes more profit from Android than Google itself, which could earn the South Korean phone company a lot of leverage in the future Paranoid Android?But with the likes of the HTC One making their 2013 appearance, competition is clearly rising, so now is not the time for Samsung to take its foot off the pedal. Still, the Galaxy S4 will not doubt prove a big winner for Samsung's profits as we enter the second quarter, and could even push that number above 95. New IDC figures have also given us a clearer idea of how the smartphone race is going, with good news for Windows Phone, which has rocketed into third place, but not-so-great news for BlackBerry.   | | Updated: iPhone 6 release date, news and rumours May 16th 2013, 13:29 
When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, the reaction was a bit muted: where previous phones were massive leaps forward, the iPhone 5 was a bit longer and a lot easier to scratch. So what can we expect from the next iPhone, the iPhone 6 or 5S? Let's see what we can glean from the varying sources of the internet - some reliable, some not so much. One thing is for sure, with the release of such super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game. iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5S are two different phonesThe rumour mill doesn't seem too sure whether the next iPhone is going to be the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6. Given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we'd bet on an iPhone 5S first and an iPhone 6 a while later. It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich. He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL. Could we see both an iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 this year? Some reports suggest a new 5S in the middle part of the year before a revamped iPhone 6 towards the end of the year or very early in 2014. iPhone 6 release dateMany pundits predict a summer iPhone 6 release date. It's quite likely that Apple is moving to a two-phones-per-year upgrade cycle, but we'd bet on a springtime 5S model and a bigger, iPhone 6, update in the Autumn, probably September. Digitimes reckons predicts a summertime reveal for Apple's next generation phones, which again fits with a WWDC unveiling. In May it became clear that US carrier Verizon introduced an iPhone 5 price cut of as much as $100 USD. Reports in April also suggested that Foxconn has added as many as 10,000 assembly line workers per week to its Zhengzhou plant as it readies itself for the iPhone 6 release date. But Jefferies analyst Peter Misek reckons we'll see an iPhone 5S first, with a June 2014 release for the iPhone 6. Citi's Glen Yeung also believes that we won't see an iPhone 6 or cheap iPhone until 2014. 
iPhone 6 casesMultiple rumours say Apple's working on plastic cases for its next iPhone, mixing plastic and metal in such a way that "the internal metal parts [are] able to be seen from outside through special design." It's unclear whether such cases would be for the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, or if Apple is simply considering making cheaper iPhone 4s to sell when the iPhone 3GS reaches the end of its life. Speaking in March 2013, a KGI analyst said it believed Apple would turn to manufacturer Pegatron to make up to 75 per cent of low cost iPhone products. 
The iPhone 6 will finally do NFCThat's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek: it'll have a better battery too, he says. Many Android phones now boast NFC. See our video below on what Apple needs to do to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4 FutTv : 92l21W4GmvvIdThe iPhone 6 will run iOS 7 Developers are seeing new iPhone model identifiers in their server logs: the device identifies itself as the iPhone 6,1 (the iPhone 5 is 5,1 or 5,2) running iOS 7, and its IP address is an Apple one. We're expecting a September or October release date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll almost certainly see a reveal at WWDC in early June. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X". 9to5Mac spoke with several sources who said the new iOS 7 will be attractive to new iOS users but may alienate older iPhone addicts. Described as "very, very flat" by one source, another said the interface is without gloss and shine and is rather like Microsoft's Metro design language on Windows Phone. iPhone 6 storageWe've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff. iPhone 6 home buttonAccording to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included" - more on that shortly. Mind you, it was mooted that Apple would dump the home button in time for iPhone 5, but it never happened. iPhone 6 screenThe Retina+ Sharp IGZO display, would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market. Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display. The same report suggests that Apple will release multiple handsets throughout the year over and above the iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to us. Patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not. Could the touch screen even be transparent? Emirates 24/7 sin't the first source we'd turn to for bone fide rumours about a new smartphone, but it claims that an ultra-sensitive transparent touchscreen will make it into iPhone 6. The site also believes the display will be made by Sharp, which wouldn't be so surprising. One thing's for sure - a potential wraparound screen is probably a pipedream. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes the new iPhone will have a bigger screen. 
iPhone 6 processorNot a huge surprise, this one: the current processor is a dual-core A6, and the next one will be a quad-core A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life. Expect to see it in the 2013 iPad first, and expect to see an improved A6 processor, the A6X, in the iPhone 5S. iPhone 6 cameraApple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality. iPhone 6 eye trackingOne thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the massive movement towards eye-tracking tech from other vendors, especially Samsung. It seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably from uMoove. The new iPhone will have better 4G LTEOn its UK launch, just one UK network had 4G LTE: Everything Everywhere, which currently offers 4G on the 1800MHz band. In 2013, all the other big names will be coming on board, offering 4G in other frequency bands. International iPhones already work across different 4G bands to the UK, so you can expect the UK iPhone 6 (and possibly the iPhone 5S) to be more promiscuous than the iPhone 5. By the time the iPhone 6 emerges, iOS devices should also have "nonclassified communication approval" status from the US FCC, which means they won't need to go through a lengthy approval process. iPhone 6 Wi-Fi may be 802.11acApple likes to lead Wi-Fi standards adoption - its Airport really helped make Wi-Fi mainstream - and there's a good chance we'll see ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi in Apple kit this year. It's faster than Lighting, and not very frightening. iPhone 6 wireless chargingWireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable. The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones.   | |
No comments:
Post a Comment