| More Moto X snaps surface, Motorola denies July 11 launch Jul 9th 2013, 11:56, by Hugh Langley 
Just hours after the the leaks of the Moto X's back and front panels, more pictures of the customisable handset have revealed themselves online. Put together with the pictures we saw from the weekend, the new images, leaked on Weibo and passed onto Nowhereelse, help paint a better picture of the handset - assuming that they're real, of course. For one, they give us a clear look at the rear of the casing on the black handset that looks set to come in a matte finish, while we're expecting the front to have a nice glossy touch. The white case, on the other hand, has a textured finish to its back. While we can only see the black and white variants right now, Motorola is expected to offer the phone in a large spectrum of colours. After all, what's a customisable phone if you can't choose your hue? Take your pick, but not on July 11However, it turns out that the guessed July 11 unveiling is a definite no-no. Android Community has been informed directly that no such event will be taking place, and the fact that the two people in the advert are posed like XI - the Roman numerals for 11 - is nothing more coincidence. Unfortunately we won't be able to customise the handset's specs. Leaks have suggested that the phone will have a 1.7GHz dual core MSM8960 Pro chip, 2GB of RAM, a 720p display, 16GB of storage, a 10-megapixel camera on the rear, and a 2-megapixel on the front. Guy Kawasaki, advisor to Motorola, recently suggests that you'll be able to customise the Moto X as if it were a classic Porsche, and we expect the phone will be available in a large range of possible colours.     |  | Polycom builds videoconference stations for Lync Jul 9th 2013, 11:36, by Mark Say 
Polycom is launching two 360-degree videoconference stations built to work with Microsoft Lync. The Polycom CX5500 and CX5100 Unified Conference Stations have been developed under its strategic alliance with Microsoft to align with the latest version of the communications platform. Mayur Pitamber, Solutions Product Marketing Manager for Polycom, told TRPro that that the CX 5100 is made to work exclusively within a Lync environment, with the 2010 or 2013 versions. It provides video and audio capabilities and can be plugged into a USB port on a laptop. It doubles as an session initiation protocol (SIP) audio conference phone. The CX5100 can be used for videoconferencing with Lync or any communications systems using SIP, which includes any from BT or Virgin. Both models deliver 1080p active speaker video that automatically tracks the flow of conversations at 30 frames per second, and can be used with the recently announced Lync Room System, which brings together 360-degree cameras with touchscreen monitors and a tabletop touch controller. Both are due to be available in the fourth quarter of the year. Future releasesPitamber said that Polycom's alliance with Microsoft is likely to play an important role in its future product releases. "Lync is being deployed by more and more enterprises and SMBs, and it makes sense for us to work closely with Microsoft," he said.     | | Updated: It's not over till it's over: BB7 lives on in newly leaked Bold 9720 Jul 9th 2013, 08:47, by JR Bookwalter 
Update: BlackBerry has confirmed to TechRadar that a new BBOS7 handset is indeed on the way. "We intend to launch one additional product this year to support the BlackBerry 7 segment", a spokesperson told us. BlackBerry 10 may be grabbing most of the headlines, but it's the older BlackBerry 7 devices that appear to be keeping the company afloat, as details of a new model recently poked out. A user agent profile (UAProf) document spotted last week shows some deets for a device called the Bold 9720. It's powered by the company's older BB7 operating system instead of the shiny new BlackBerry 10. The existence of the phone should come as no surprise: BlackBerry Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins said during the company's dismal June 28 quarterly earnings report that sure enough, another BB7 handset was due. A new BB7 handset may seem like the wrong direction for BlackBerry until you consider that only 2.7 million of the 6.8 million handsets shipped last quarter were actually running the BB10. Same as it ever wasAccording to the UAProf document posted by Twitter user @Bla1ze, the BlackBerry Bold 9720 appears to be a fairly typical addition to the manufacturer's Bold lineup. Running the elder OS 7.1 and sporting the company's legendary QWERTY hardware keyboard with a 480 x 360 screen resolution, the latest Bold seems destined to excite only the BlackBerry faithful. However, images leaked on the ThaiBBClub show the 9720 borrows a few design cues from the recent BlackBerry Q5, mixed with classic Curve style. Although BlackBerry has confirmed the existence of the handset, there's no word yet exactly on when and where the Bold 9720 will wind up in the coming months, not to mention for how much.     | | Blip: Jelly Bean finally takes Android top spot, just in time for Key Lime Pie Jul 9th 2013, 08:31, by John McCann 
Hold the (smart)phone people, we have a new Android king as Jelly Bean has finally toppled Gingerbread in its OS dominance. That's right: the most used Android operating system is now Jelly Bean (which was launched a year ago), breaking the prolonged cycle of the now two year old Gingerbread, aka Android 2.3. Latest figures out of Google reveal Gingerbread accounts for 34.1 per cent of Android devices, while Android 4.1 & 4.2 Jelly Bean can now lay claim to 37.9 per cent, with Ice Cream Sandwich at 23.3 per cent. Now, who fancies some Key Lime Pie? More blips!Your stomach now rumbling? Then feast your eyes on some more amazing blips.     | | 41MP isn't the only Lumia 1020 spec to pay attention to Jul 8th 2013, 23:49, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
We're packing our bags in preparation for Nokia's event on Thursday, but we may have little surprises left by the time we arrive in New York City. Bits and pieces of the handset that Windows Phone Vice President Joe Belfiore tittered on Flickr as the Lumia 1020 have been leaking out for some time now, and this afternoon we have even more to hang our hat on. In a render of unknown origin picked up by WP Central, we see what's purported to be the phone alternately known as Elvis, EOS and Nokia 909 in yellow, white and black. The phone's ginormous camera sensor is front and center, stamped with "41 megapixels." WP Central claimed the snapper comes with both a Xenon and LED flash, plus packs optical image stabilization (OIS). The addition of the latter, which was missing from the PureView 808 yet introduced in the Lumia 920, is designed help produce sharper images in low light. Open your shuttersTo round out the camera kernels, the handset is said to take images in both 32MP and 5MP with an aspect ratio of 16x9. The 5MP snap is "over sampled," with seven pixels dropping into a single "super pixel." If super pixel makes you think UltraPixel, we're right there with you. The 1020 can also supposedly take an image at 38MP with a ratio of 4:3. As for the rest of the specs, we're possibly looking at 2GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage with no SD card and NFC. Two gigabytes of RAM would be a leap above most Windows Phone 8 handsets, by the way, and should leave ample room for high-res pics. Camera callOK, now back to the mainstay of the device. In addition to OIS, the 1020 also reportedly houses an F2.2 aperture. The Pro Camera app we've heard about before should feature settings for ISO, white balance, manual focus, shutter speed and flash. 
Russian site Izvestia spotted what looks to be a camera grip to outfit the new Lumia with, though the accessory is expected to cost an additional $70 (about UK£46, AU76). For the price, users not only get a way to hold their Lumia with one hand, it's supposedly equipped with a 1,020 mAh battery for on-the-go charging plus microUSB for extra juicing. There's also a slot to insert a tripod mount and a shutter button. If the 1020 sounds like a phone you want to slip into your pocket (though "slipping" may be more like jamming with that camera sensor), shipments could land in Microsoft Stores as early as July 22, with shipping dates posted later that week. WP Central noted U.S. carrier AT&T is expected to sell the Lumia by the end of the month. Off-contract pricing sits at $602 (about UK£402, AU$658), the website said.     | | iOS 7 beta code hints at offline dictation to rival Android Jul 8th 2013, 22:31, by Matt Swider 
Offline dictation could finally make its way to Apple devices, as code from the iOS 7 beta hints at a local voice-to-text feature. This contrasts with the cloud-based iOS 6 dictation process, which requires an internet connection to upload a user's speech and download the words in text form. Consequently, the current process makes it impossible to use dictation in airplane mode. It also introduces load times and eats up precious data on cellular-based iPhone and iPad hardware. Apple is testing this offline dictation functionality on internal devices, according to 9to5mac, so while some code is present in the iOS 7 beta, the actual feature isn't in developer builds right now. The Siri theoryOfficially, Apple hasn't confirmed whether offline dictation will be a part of iOS 7 when the update launches this fall, but then, Apple doesn't tend to confirm anything until it's good and ready. However, the mere hint of the feature is already leading to speculation that the technology could makes its way to Siri, which also requires use of Apple's cloud instead of processing everything on the device. Offline dictation and Siri would certainly help the company keep up with Google, which already includes offline dictation on its Android devices. iOS 7 beta 3 out nowMost iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners have to wait until Apple releases the final version of iOS 7 to experience the new look and features. Developers, on the other hand, are playing around with the latest beta today, iOS 7 beta 3. The release notes for this over-the-air update indicate bug fixes for a number of known issues rather than any new features over what was announced at the WWDC this summer.   | | Are these the front and back panels of the heroic Moto X? Jul 8th 2013, 21:34, by Michael Rougeau 
Motorola still hasn't shown off its next flagship, the Moto X, but the Android phone's front and back panels appear to have surfaced in a good ol' fashioned leak anyway. Shots of the Moto X's detached face and backside appeared on G for Games, which hollered out that the Moto X is "a new concept" for a smartphone. The Moto X is expected to kickstart a new era for Motorola under Google with unprecedented levels of customization, though so far we've only heard word of cosmetic customization and not the ability to mix and match internal specs or software. Those looking for it on Thursday may be disappointed however, as AllThingsD reported an event being held by Motorola adviser Guy Kawasaki that day is a private affair and not meant to herald the debut of the new flagship. Have it your wayThe Moto X has been called "the first smartphone you can design yourself," though again it's not yet confirmed just what that means. Kawasaki previously suggested that you can customize the Moto X like a classic Porsche, and a pouring of information from last week suggested consumers will be able to choose from a palate of colors as well as have engravings carved on the back. 
The panels shown off in these leaks are reportedly all for the Moto X, despite the two front panels - white and black - looking somewhat different. The logo appears on the black one, for example, but not on the white. The back panel (below) appears to be made of a soft, rubbery material, though that may turn out to be a customizable feature of the Moto X. Image credit: G for Games Motorola's heroIf there's one thing that's not customizable on the Moto X, it may be the device's specs; a previous leak suggested that it will sport a 1.7GHz dual core MSM8960 Pro chip, a 720p display, 2GB of memory, 16GB of storage, 10- and 2-megapixel back and front cameras, and Android 4.2.2. 
The Moto X was previously referred to as the Motorola X Phone, but Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside revealed its real name in May. That's when he called it Motorola's next "hero" phone, adding to the belief that the Moto X will be a major milestone for the company and its Google overlords.     | | Under the HUD: Garmin's new nav system displays instructions on windshields Jul 8th 2013, 19:49, by Lbrown 
Garmin is once again bringing luxury technology to the masses with its latest advancement in portable navigation. Dubbed the Head-Up Display (HUD), Garmin's new device will work in conjunction with your smartphone navigator to provide turn-by-turn directions right on your windshield. With HUD, gone is the clunky display unit you might use to hold your current nav system in place, and in its stead will be an overlay of where you're supposed to go next right in front of your eyes. "HUD redefines the navigation experience by allowing drivers to find their way without taking their eyes off the road," said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales, in a press release. "Head-up displays currently have their place in select high-end cars, but HUD makes this technology available as an aftermarket accessory for any vehicle, at an affordable price." Keep your eyes on the roadThe HUD communicates wirelessly with your smartphone's compatible Garmin or Navigon app, and displays information like distance to next turn, which direction to go, and your estimated time of arrival on a transparent film on the window or on the attached reflector lens. The turn-by-turn audio navigation is still handled by your smartphone, though you'll no longer need to look to its screen if you happen to miss what's been said. Should you need to take a phone call, HUD will continue displaying instructions for the current route uninterrupted. HUD also tracks speed limits (when available) and your car's speed, and will notify you when you are driving above the limit. It's also got the ability to inform you of where traffic safety cameras are located. Since it's connected to your smartphone and isn't relying on a default map program, HUD can also update you with traffic delays, and can advise you when to change lanes for you next maneuver. 
Garmin's device is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8, and HUD's power adapter also includes a USB port so you can charge your phone while using the device. The smartphone's audio directions can be set to play through your car via a Bluetooth connection, and any music playing in the car will be dialed down when a new direction prompt occurs. HUD will be available this summer for $129.99 (UK£129.99), and the Garmin website claims orders will be fulfilled in five to eight weeks. For what it's worth, Garmin's site also makes note that the HUD hasn't been approved by the Federal Communications Commission yet, and can't be sold in the U.S. until such approval is granted.     | | Nikon wants to 'change the concept of cameras,' teases mystery product Jul 8th 2013, 19:00, by Michael Rougeau 
Sales of point-and-shoot cameras are falling thanks to the rise of camera-equipped smartphones, but Nikon is not about to go down with that particular ship. Its expensive digital SLR cameras are doing just fine after all, Nikon President Makoto Kimura told Bloomberg last week. More importantly, Nikon's got big plans that will "change the concept of cameras," the president said. Whether that means a Nikon smartphone or something else entirely for now remains a mystery, but Kimura had a little more to say. Change is hard"We want to create a product that will change the concept of cameras," said Kimura. "It could be a non-camera consumer product." A "non-camera" product that "will change the concept of cameras?" If that's not a Nikon smartphone he's hinting at, then we wonder what other consumer products Nikon's engineers are busy strapping cameras to in a secret lab below the Earth's crust. At least, that's how we imagine the company's R&D facilities. "Rapid expansion of mobile devices is a change in business environment given to us," Kimura further teased. "Our task going forward is to find an answer to that change." Low expectationsNikon is probably not alone in that struggle; Kimura said point-and-shoot camera sales in April and May of 2013 fell a full 25 percent across the industry from the same time in 2012, and that the compact camera market will shrink 12 percent this financial year. Nikon doesn't divulge quarterly specifics, but its estimates for the first quarter this year were reportedly "fairly low." With a mysterious ace up its sleeve, could Nikon turn things around? A Nikon smartphone with a high-end camera inside might struggle to make a mark, especially with devices like Nokia's rumored Lumia 1020 - with its 41-megapixel camera - on the horizon. That might end up being the phone to own for photophiles. According to Bloomberg, Nikon may expand further by following Canon, Sony and Olympus into production of medical devices. - Compact cameras may be on the decline, but they're far from dead - check out TechRadar's list of the best high-end compact cameras available now!
    | | In Depth: 10 tips to use the GALAXY Note 8.0 as the ultimate communicator Jul 8th 2013, 18:34, by Your Mobile Life 
Having a separate phone and tablet is the common mobile tech set-up for many of us in 2013, but there are plenty of perks to having just one clever does-it-all device like the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0. 1. Enjoy one deviceThe most tangible benefits are the time and money saving. After all, having just one SIM card means you don't need a data connection for both your phone and tablet and therefore only need one contract. Any hardcore mobile gamers out there will also be familiar with the frustration of having two game saves for the same game, one on your phone, and the other on your tablet. The Note 8.0 means one set of game saves, one lot of game settings and one game download – so you can spend less time fussing and more time playing, surfing and talking. 2. Hands free kitSpeaking of talking, if you're thinking about using the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 as a primary phone, talking on it is probably the biggest ergonomic challenge that springs to mind. 
But it shouldn't be. A simple hands free kit will save you from holding anything to your ear whatsoever. The Note 8.0 can be coupled with a wired handsfree kit such as the Samsung Stereo headset with mic for just £20, so pick one up and you can hit the ground running. We would also suggest investing in a Bluetooth headset such as the Samsung HS3000. Costing just £29, this subtle earpiece sits pretty, wire-free, so you can stow your tablet in your bag or purse, and still get calls loud and clear. 3. Bluetooth receiverTaking Bluetooth to the next level, stereo Bluetooth headphones combine talking with tunes. 
A pair like the Samsung HS6000 will set you back £79 RRP, and pair with your Note 8.0 to deliver stereo audio, perfect for movies and games. What makes the combination even better is the fact that both the Note 8.0 and the HS6000 support aptX lossless audio code. This means wires or no wires, you can enjoy high quality music from your Note 8.0 on the go. 4. MightytextIf you don't love typing on a touchscreen as much as we do, Mightytext is one app you have to check out. 
Available for free on the Google Play Store, with Mightytext, you can send SMS and MMS messages remotely from a your computer's browser using a full-sized keyboard. Downloadable as a Chrome extension, Mightytext syncs with your Google account, importing all your contacts automatically so you can get sending in a flash. The Chrome extension offers multiple views, the option to star text messages and even sports a battery indicator. Definitely one of the best Android apps on the scene. 5. How to become an SMS/MMS ninjaWhile we're on the subject of text and multimedia messaging, it's worth mentioning, Samsung's messaging has some nifty advanced functionality on the Note 8.0. With support for Air View thanks to the on board S Pen, you can even preview long messages with a hover. The tablet's larger-than-phone keyboard is also a piece of cake to type on. It supports gesture input and there's handwriting recognition on-board too for the most natural writing / texting experience out there. 6. WhatsApp Doc?WhatsApp's meteoric rise to IM supremacy seems to have happened overnight on phones, but you need a SIM enabled device to get the chat app working on tablets. 
While this rules out most tablets, it doesn't rule out the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 3G. In fact, the Note 8.0 is WhatsApp's perfect companion. To recap on the app's core functionality, it lets you send pictures, video and voice clips in addition to emoticon-heavy messages. This takes full advantage of the keyboard and input methods mentioned earlier, but also maximises the power of the S Pen. Paired with S Note, Samsung's Note taking app, WhatsApp provides the perfect messaging platform to send doodles, hand written notes or works of art created on the tab itself. 7. Voice controlSamsung and Google both have pre-loaded voice control services on the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 – Google Now and S Voice. While there's a lot of overlap across both voice apps, they have some marked differences. 
To access Google Now, you'll need to press and hold the menu button. The app should be your go-to for voice searches. With a handsome interface, search results are presented in a card style system, and the app even works with British accents. Samsung's voice app, S Voice can be activated with a double tap of the home button. Ask it the weather, it will give you an answer; ask it to take down a memo, it'll do it; ask it to make a call or send a message, you guessed it – S Voice is up to the challenge. 8. TetheringJust because you don't have a smartphone, it doesn't mean you can't tether. To clarify, tethering is when a phone or 3G tablet turns into mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. Not all mobile contracts allow tethering, so you'll want to check with your network operator before you start. To activate it, jump into your settings, choose 'Network' followed by 'Tethering and portable hotspot'. You can flick tethering on in the following menu, or tweak your tethering settings by changing your network name and your password. 9. Usage meterWith tethering in mind, your contract will more than likely pack a data limit of between 500MB to 1GB. 
Tablets tend to chew through data quicker than mobiles thanks to the form factors lending themselves to richer content. Tethering to a laptop is also a sure fire way to rack up those MB. In order to stay on top of your data usage, hop into the settings. Here, you'll be able to set a data limit so you never have to worry about any nasty data surprises in your monthly bill. 10. SkypeBeyonce wrote a song about it so it must be cool, right? 
Video phone apps. There's no shortage of them on the Google Play Store but Skype is still the people's choice. Available across platforms, Skype both works as a chat app with plain text and also takes advantage of the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0's front facing camera for video calls. You can video phone a computer, a mobile phone or another tablet and do so over Wi-Fi or 3G. The app even supports file transfers, striking the perfect balance between work and play. So whether you're looking for a quick natter, to see a loved one face to face or send that all important document, Skype for Android is the last app on our list to help transform your Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 into your primary smartphone.     | | Bored of Galaxy S4 variants? Samsung may have four Note 3s planned, too Jul 8th 2013, 18:16, by Chris Smith 
Reports emanating from Samsung's South Korean homeland have claimed the company will launch four versions of the forthcoming Galaxy Note 3. ETNews suggested the range, expected to arrive in September, will launch with various spec options; from a high-end, limited-edition model, to a budget model with a scaled back LCD screen. Top of the range, the report claimed, will be a Galaxy Note 3 featuring a 13-megapixel camera, constructed from "high-quality materials" and boasting an "unbreakable" AMOLED screen. This may mean Samsung has listened to the masses and moved away from its reliance on plastic in favour of a new material that could challenge rivals like the iPhone 5 and HTC One in terms of build quality. Cameras and screensETNews said the rest of the models will keep the plastic body with the second in line also offering a 13-megapixel camera, but rocking a traditional AMOLED screen. Next up would be a device with 13-megapixel camera and an LCD screen, while cheapest of all would be a device with an 8-megapixel camera. The report mentions not whether processors, RAM and other specs could vary with each model, but it would be relatively safe to assume there'd be options in that department too if the reports came to fruition. Spoiling the broth?While we're treating this report with a healthy dose of scepticism at the moment, it would certainly be no surprise to see Samsung flood the market with Galaxy Note 3 variants. The company has released multiple versions of its flagship Galaxy S4 handset in recent months, including the outdoor-themed S4 Active and a Frankenstein's monster-style Galaxy S4 Zoom cameraphone.     | | Vodafone hides crafty PAYG price hike behind 'simplified' per-minute charges Jul 8th 2013, 17:34, by Chris Smith 
Vodafone has angered its UK customers by announcing a switch from per-second to per-minute call charges, which are likely to cost subscribers more money. From August 1, the Guardian reports, if a Vodafone pay as you go customer makes a call to a landline or mobile lasting, for example, 1:02, they will be charged for the two minutes. In real terms that means a call that previously cost 26p will now cost 50p - a 92 per cent price hike. The struggling operator is, of course, dressing this up as a benefit for its subscribers, claiming the simplified charges will help users know exactly how many minutes they have left in their accounts. Gee. Thanks, guys! Straightforward price hikeA post on the Vodafone website reads: "Calls on Pay as you go are getting simpler from 1 August 2013. No more complicated pricing by the second – just clear, straightforward per minute charges. "So if your call is a minute and 37 seconds long, it'll be charged as two minutes. That way, you'll always know exactly how many minutes you have left." Posters on the Vodafone support forum called the move "patronising," while others accused the network of insulting the intelligence of its customers. One post read: "Please don't patronise us. This is being introduced to make more money for Vodafone, pure and simple. It doesn't make anything simpler other than the fact that PAYG customers will essentially pay more for calls." Are you a Vodafone customer affected by the transition to per-minute call billing? Feel free to vent your spleen in the comments section below.   | | In Depth: GALAXY Power User: 10 reasons why the Note 8.0 and S4 trounce the competition Jul 8th 2013, 17:33, by Your Mobile Life 
While speed and specs are what many a smartphone and tablet manufacturer traditionally turn to when they want to make an impact, sometimes you have to go beyond these to truly innovate. Samsung has blessed both the GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0 with an abundance of specs appeal, but these devices manage to go way beyond mere specifications. Here we showcase 10 ways the devices are true pioneers, offering features that forge a path in the tech sphere. 1. Dream screenThe screen on the Samsung GALAXY S4 is a true innovator. 
Yes, its specs are similar to those of other smartphones around on the market – 1080p, 5 inches in size – but Samsung's display tech has been backed by some truly brilliant boffins. DisplayMate, a worldwide leader in video diagnostics, used its lab tools to conclude that the GALAXY S4's screen was whiter than any other smartphone, and noted that there was a 25% improvement on power consumption when compared to the GALAXY S3. Couple this with one of the highest PPI counts around, at 441 per inch, and it positively dazzles. 2. True multi tasking with Multi WindowNow this is really clever: while other phones let you multi-task by, for example, playing music and a game at the same time, the GALAXY S4 smartphone and Note 8.0 tablet allow for true multi-tasking with Samsung's marvellous Multi Window feature. 
Your Samsung GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0 will essentially let you run two apps simultaneously on your device in a split-screen view. So, if you fancy watching a video, you can do this and check Twitter or your emails at the same time. It will also work with things like messaging and Google Maps. Perfect, then, for those who fancy a bit of true multi-tasking, rather than merely walking and typing on your phone! 3. WatchON on the S4 – a televisual revelationSamsung's WatchON app on the S4 is something of a televisual revelation. 
It is essentially a new search-and-recommendation service that stops you endlessly flicking channels, and it helps you to find TV shows and on-demand video content faster and easier. WatchON does this by searching through myriad VoD channels and it will also recommend movies and TV shows for you to watch. Couple this with all the info you need about actors, as well as reviews, and what you have is your one-stop shop for TV content. 4. Innovative features: Smart Scroll and Smart StayThere are plenty of eye-opening GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0 features to choose from – but one that literally uses the eyes is eye-tracking, or Smart Scroll as Samsung has named it on the S4. 
An innovation that can only be found on Samsung devices, Smart Scroll eye-tracking tech allows you to scroll through the web without once prodding your handset. Samsung's Smart Stay tech also appears on the GALAXY Note 8.0, as well as on the S4, which detects your eyes with the front camera so that the screen stays on whenever you are looking at it. Dead handy for movie fans and catch-up TV aficionados! And if all of that wasn't enough 'hands-free' magic, there is also Samsung's Air View touchless gesture control tech – a true head-turner when down the pub with your mates on a Friday night! Turn Air View on and you can scroll through certain apps without touching the screen. Again, this is something unique to Samsung's GALAXY device repertoire. 5. S Health softwarePhones and portable tablets aren't just for communicating any more, these are also devices that can change lives. 
Well, they are if they are the Samsung GALAXY S4. That's because Samsung has baked – healthy baking, obviously – S Health software into the phone, which will chart your daily fitness. It will count the steps you have walked in a day (trust us, it is a lot easier to let the phone do the counting for you) and help you to become a fitter person. 6. The S Pen on the GALAXY Note 8.0It is not just the Samsung GALAXY S4 that innovates – the Note 8.0 does as well. One of the most obvious ways it paves the way is with Samsung's pioneering S Pen. 
With this remarkably advanced digital input device you can scribble and write, as well as using it for setting up handy shortcuts and previewing things without even touching the screen. Whether you are an artist or a business person (or both!) you will soon find out that holding an S Pen is the only surefire way to truly get the best out of your handheld tablet device. 7. Reading ModeOne of the popular things to do with any handheld device is to read. But prolonged reading on a digital screen can be something of a strain... until the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0's Reading Mode came along. 
An innovation for digital screens, Reading Mode automatically changes the brightness of the screen to make sure you bathe your eyes in the best light. Not only that, you can annotate your ebooks through this feature, too. 8. IR featuresAny couch potato will be pleased to know that the Note 8.0 comes with its own built-in infrared LED, which means that by the use of magic – well, a light-emitting diode – you can use the device to change the channels on your TV. 
If this wasn't revolutionary enough, then there is also an app – Samsung Peel Smart Remote – that allows you to control myriad TVs in your house. This essentially means that you will never have to worry about losing the TV remote ever again, and it will also make finding your favourite TV shows a blast. 9. Group PlayIt may be called Group Play but this service offers up some seriously good technology, allowing you to share and collaborate on content, sharing your favourite tunes with your mates at house parties or work documents between your S4 and the Note 8.0. 
Unique to the latest GALAXY devices, Group Play is ideal for those who are using tablets and smartphones for work, with collaboration clearly the theme of this app. You can also use it for entertainment purposes, though. For example, if you want to share a song to listen to simultaneously with a bunch of friends, Group Play is the ideal way to do this. 10. DropboxSamsung's collaboration with Dropbox is one of the many things that elevates it above the competition in the increasingly busy smartphone and tablet markets. 
With selected GALAXY devices you get a whopping 50GB of free Dropbox storage for two years. Not only is Dropbox one of the best ways to share files with others, having the free 50GB means that you can truly use the service as a power user and not worry about your allocated memory being eaten up. Work this in unison with the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 or S4 and what you have is a truly innovative service that will cost you absolutely nothing for a good few years.     | | Flickr holds answer to Nokia Lumia 1020 naming mystery Jul 8th 2013, 16:29, by Hugh Langley 
Photos snapped by Windows Phone VP Joe Belfiore seem to confirm that the 41MP Nokia Windows Phone we're all expecting to arrive in New York this week will indeed be called the Nokia Lumia 1020. Some light detective work revealed that at least two pictures within the photo stream from June 29 have "Nokia Lumia 1020" listed as their source in their EXIF data. One of the discovered photos has a resolution of 2947 x 1658 pixels (almost 5 megapixels), and the other 2352 x 1568 (3.7 megapixels), suggesting that like the Nokia 808 PureView, the camera is able to shoot at multiple resolutions, as well as following the PureView's tendancy to oversample. A flickr of truthThe name of Nokia's PureView successor has been the subject of much back-and-forthing, with the Nokia 909, Nokia Lumia 1020 and Nokia EOS all being thrown around as potential monikers. The data could, of course, be fake, but the fact that the pictures are now hidden from Belfiore's main page makes us suspect otherwise. TechRadar will be at the July 11 Nokia event, where Nokia promises "41 million reasons to zoom in", so keep all eyes on the site for the news as it breaks. Oh Joe Belfiore, you were so close too.     | | In Depth: How the GALAXY Note 8.0 is the ultimate e-reader Jul 8th 2013, 14:50, by Your Mobile Life 
Tablets are almost perfect reading devices. They pack big, bright screens, plenty of reading apps as well as fast, wireless connectivity. This means that reading on them is never less than a pleasure, with support for multiple file formats and instant access to thousands of superb downloadable books whenever you're connected to the internet. We would even go so far as to say the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 is arguably the ultimate e-reader. With a more portable form than the 10-inch tabs on the scene and a lighter, thinner body, Samsung's pre-loaded reading software and support for the wealth of reading apps Android offers, it's got it all. GALAXY Note 8.0 design: a hand's best friendMeasuring just 7.95mm thick and weighing only 340g, the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 is a hand's best friend. After all, we all know avid readers spend hours on end with good books, so what good is a book replacement that can't be held for more than fifteen minutes without causing wrist-ache? Above and beyond being thin and light, the Note 8.0's ergonomic curves means that sharp angles won't dig into the hand. Plus, one final bibliophile bonus, Samsung's super-portable tablet will also fit virtually anywhere a Kindle or thin paperback might. So whether it's a handbag, outer compartment of a laptop bag or backpack, or even a glove box, the Note 8.0 will stow where 10.1-inch tablets simply won't. Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 screenThe WXGA screen on the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 is also perfect for reading. With LCD screen technology, it produces crisp, pure whites and plenty of detail. 
The 1280x800 resolution means its aspect ratio is slightly wider than 16:9 when held in portrait. This additional width more closely resembles a book than narrower tablets out there making for more words to a line and a far more comfortable reading experience. Finished off with fantastic viewing angles and punchy, vibrant colours, whether you're reading a book, a comic or a web page, the Note 8.0 will look sensational. Samsung software optimisationsPull down the Note 8.0's notifications bar and you'll see a toggle to activate Reading mode, exclusive to the Note 8.0. 
Adjusting, colour, contrast and brightness, Reading mode works with certain apps to deliver the most comfortable reading experience you can expect from a tablet. It's worth jumping into the settings to see the apps Reading mode is compatible with. To do this, open the 'Display' sub menu within settings. You can also toggle reading mode off and on here. To pull up a list of compatible apps, just tap the text next to the toggle. 
Samsung's GALAXY Note 8.0 also comes loaded with a Samsung's own Learning Hub app, which, if you're in the mood for firing up those neurons will help you get your head around a range of subjects. With a number of free samples to choose from not to mention plenty of content you can buy, it's a great way to learn on the go. Google Play reading appsSamsung's hardware and software separate the GALAXY Note 8.0 from the rest of the Android pack in terms of reading supremacy, but Google's stock reading apps are also worth a mention – bolstering the Note 8.0's e-reading appeal. 
The most obvious Google reading app is Play Books. Connected to your Google account as with all the apps in this section, Play Books opens books downloaded through the Google Play Store. Google's collection of literature is growing fast with plenty of free and paid content already on board. You can browse for books either on your phone, or using a full web browser and enjoy your library on any Android device connected to your Google account or through a web browser. Google Play Magazines is one more app Google provides which turns your tablet into a bona fide library – this time, for slightly more frivolous reading. Whether you're in need of catching up with the latest fashion faux pas to avoid or choosing your next digital camera, Play Magazines offers such renowned titles as Vogue through to What Digital Camera. The interface is snappy on the Note 8.0's very capable hardware and subscriptions mean you can get magazines automatically delivered to your phone at reduced rates. Ultimate convenience for the ultimate tablet, but we're not quite done yet. Other reading appsThe Google Play Store is a veritable vault of e-reading apps that claim to be the dog's dinner, but there are a select few, which never disappoint. 
Amazon Kindle is a classic go-to. With a brand that spans hardware and software, the Android app turns a Note 8.0 into the perfect replacement or companion for your Kindle reader. Offering Amazon's full library of Kindle books, Kindle for Android can be used in isolation, but it's the Kindle app's Whisper Sync feature that really helps turn the app into something standout. Whisper Sync saves the last read position of a book to your Amazon account. You can finish reading on your Note 8.0, then, for example, pick up at a later time on your Samsung GALAXY S4 from exactly where you left off. So, no more time wasted re-reading the same section of your book twice. And plenty of tech-age cool-factor! Comic Book GuysFor any comic book fans out there, both Marvel and DC have their own apps on the Google Play Store and they look fantastic on the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0's eye-popping screen. 
The apps themselves are free and come complete with some complementary reading material included, though if you want to get down and dirty with the latest superhero exploits, you'll have to buy new issues. 
PDFs? Easy…Reading a PDF is a piece of cake with the GALAXY Note 8.0's preinstalled Polaris office app. While PDFs historically grind Android phones and tablets to a stutter, with its powerful processor, the Note 8.0 instantly shows off perfectly formatted documents.
While Polaris should serve the PDF needs of most users, for anyone in need of PDF editing, ezPDF (£2.55) is the app for you.
Opening files quickly thanks to the Note 8.0's super speedy processor and rendering files accurately is just part of the fun. You can flick through pages with realistic page turn animations and mark-up documents with the Note's S Pen. You can try out ezPDF Lite for plain Jane reading, and if you want to try your hand at a bit of mobile marking up you can buy the full version. And that's why the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 is the ultimate e-reader; because the hardware, software and Samsung's unique S Pen functionality come together to deliver something unique and a cut above the rest.     | |
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