| Samsung Galaxy S5 will match iPhone 5S on power Sep 12th 2013, 12:30, by Hugh Langley 
The Galaxy-iPhone war shows no signs of halting with Samsung confirming that it's looking to match the iPhone 5S 64-bit processor chip in its next smartphones. Whatever comes after the Samsung Galaxy S4 – the Galaxy S5, we assume – will boast the same level of power according to Samsung co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun, who spoke to the Korea Times. However he said we shouldn't expect this to appear too soon, which figures as we probably won't see the Samsung Galaxy S5 until next March and the Apple shot first with 64-bit on Tuesday, with the iPhone 5S A7 chip marking the world's first smartphone with such a processor. Fight! Fight! Fight!Samsung's also not convinced that Apple can go big in China (namely in the iPhone 5C), adding that it's unlikely Cupertino will threaten its 20 percent market share in the country. "Apple believes that it can boost its market share in China thanks to stronger brand awareness," said an unnamed Samsung exec. "However, with better pricing, a diversified product lineup and solid partnerships with local channels, Samsung plans to keep its current momentum in China. "We have no reason to allow Apple to steal market share from us."        |  | Opinion: Apple's Touch ID: genuinely useful or passing gimmick? Sep 12th 2013, 11:01, by Craig Grannell 
Seconds after Apple's 2013 iPhone event ended the inevitable chorus of doom-mongering began. High-velocity complaints and entitlement missiles were fired at millions of eyes, with payloads of "no surprises *sadface*" and "Apple didn't add NFC/a six-inch display/my random tech fantasy hardly anyone else cares about" (delete as applicable). Instead, they bellowed, all we got was a blingphone with a fingerprint sensor! Imagine! Leaving aside Apple's newfound infatuation with 'gold' (which could be a smart move in upping the iPhone's appeal in the likes of China and India), idly waving away the fingerprint sensor as a trifling distraction is the preserve of someone who doesn't get Apple, how the company approaches technology, and also how typical consumers approach digital security. Horror stories abound regarding passwords, with security companies regularly revealing the top-spot goes to 'password', the runner-up often being the imaginative '12345678'. Apple forces a more complex mix of characters for your Apple ID password, but you can be sure most people use the simplest, easiest-to-remember combinations. Additionally, although anyone can set a four-digit passcode to block unwanted access to an iOS device, not everyone does. Constantly tapping it in when unlocking a device is deemed a hassle - people have enough codes to remember in their lives without adding another. Invisible authorisationA fingerprint makes authorisation interactions almost invisible. Apple's Touch ID system therefore showcases the company's focus on user experience over technological fads, and that it cares more about systems that will get immediate widespread adoption than merely being 'cutting edge' in some manner that might make a select group of techies excited. With a little thought, it's easy to see why Apple would prioritise Touch ID over the likes of, say, NFC. The latter is gaining ground but remains somewhat niche, whereas the former can make every iPhone 5S more secure, with very little effort on the part of the user. Beyond merely unlocking an iPhone 5s or buying apps more rapidly, Apple also talks about enrolling multiple fingerprints, to cater for "the people you trust". It's therefore a small, logical step towards user-friendly multiple accounts on iOS or, at the very least, a system where someone can use their device however they like and also be sure their young child only gets suitable content when they unlock it with their own digit. (In the meantime, kids won't be able to sneakily unlock a device they shouldn't have access to, unless they somehow clone their parent's hand and keep it alive in a jar under the bed. We imagine such mini-maniacs/geniuses can probably figure out ways of getting their own iPads, though.) Extrapolate logically into the near future, and the sensor won't be solely an iPhone 5s thing, but present across Apple's entire line. Combined with the iCloud Keychain, this could bring a mightily powerful usable personal security layer to Apple's entire range. Questions and concernsThere are, of course, obvious questions relating to Touch ID technology. Beyond whether it'll actually work in the wild (you can almost hear the 'fingerprintgate' engine revving up), there are security and privacy implications. Apple states the data is stored in encrypted fashion on the A7 chip and is never sent to iCloud. Also, as explained in depth by Rich Mogull on TidBITs, the system Apple uses "can't be faked out with a photocopy of a fingerprint". It also, says Mogull, in reality stores a 'template' of your fingerprint; this means a stolen or hacked device contains an abstraction of your most important identifier, not a direct copy of the real thing. In a post-Snowden world, though, people are very wary of large corporations and any promises they make regarding private data. On Twitter, author and technologist Suw Charman-Anderson remarked: "You only have one set of fingerprints. You have to look after them." Similar sentiments have been expressed quite widely by people concerned about 'giving up' their fingerprints to the Cupertino machine, or even the broader normalisation of fingerprint ID should Apple itself be entirely above board. But this still ignores the context surrounding user experience, personal security and human nature. Give someone a reliable fingerprint sensor and they'll likely use it and possibly even enjoy it. "It's just like Star Trek!" Task them with defining complex passwords and activating pass codes and they'll probably get bored, confused, or just have another game of Angry Birds, leaving their devices, data and accounts less secure.        | | iPhone 5S fingerprint Touch ID - more details revealed Sep 12th 2013, 10:45, by Hugh Langley 
The Touch ID fingerprint reader found on the iPhone 5S is undoubtedly one of its most intriguing new features, but there have been a lot of questions about just how useful it's going to be. While there are certainly a few more queries to be answered, Apple has opened up a little bit more about how secure the sensor-based gateway actually is, stating that you'll need to also create a backup passcode if you're planning to use the Touch ID function. If you haven't unlocked the phone within 48 hours or reboot the device, you'll have to use that password to get in, solving the problem of pesky thieves breaking through the touch-based security wall. But the touch reader won't play nice if you're in a sweaty state as liquids on your fingers will occasionally prevent the device from detecting your touch. In touch with realityAnd the good news is that if any bright spark thinks cutting off someone's finger (or, less gruesomely, just making a fake fingerprint copy) will get around the security wall on their victim's iPhone, this won't fly either. We're told that the sensor looks for vitality signs to make sure that the finger belongs to a living, breathing person. Apple also insists that it won't be letting any third-party apps to use the scanner, and that the fingerprint data will only be store in the phone itself - not fed back to Apple.        | | Monster Nokia Lumia 1520 release date pegged for September 26 Sep 12th 2013, 09:11, by John McCann 
We may be treated to the first phablet from the Finnish firm before the month is out as word of a Nokia Lumia 1520 release date gets out. The slip was made via the @evleaks twitter account - a highly rated source of mobile leaks - with a simple message "Nokia Lumia 1520: launches 9/26." Nokia is yet to reveal whether or not it is indeed working on the rumoured 6-inch Lumia 1520, which is thought to have been codenamed Bandit, but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill going into overdrive. We've seen various specifications and pictures claiming to reveal the Lumia 1520 from a variety of sources and they all seem to be banging the same drum. Full of firstsIt's being suggested that the Lumia 1520 will be the first Windows Phone handset to pack a full HD display, and Nokia could well break into a new screen size if the 6-inch reports turn out to be true. While its name may be similar to the 41MP toting Lumia 1020, the Lumia 1520 is said to arrive with a less brash 20MP snapper as well as a quad-core processor (another Windows Phone first) and the same polycarbonate design we've become accustomed to with Nokia. There's apparently an update in the pipeline for Windows Phone 8 too, version 8.1, which the Lumia 1020 is hotly tipped to run out of the box. Now we're not getting too carried away just yet, as nothing is set in stone and Nokia hasn't shown any signs that such a handset is in production. We'll just have to sit tight for two weeks.        | | 700MHz 4G will make some wireless mics illegal in 2015 Sep 12th 2013, 05:03, by Farrha Khan 
With the Australian government's first round digital dividend auction over, the Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) earlier this week released updated information about all of its current spectrum projects, which has further detailed how some wireless mics could become illegal in 2015. Over the last few months, Telstra and Optus both announced their plans for how they will be using the 700MHz spectrum band for their 4G networks in the future. Optus will be looking to combine the 700 MHz low-band 4G frequency with the 2500 MHz high-band spectrum to increase network capacity for its multi-band TD-LTE network. Telstra, on the other hand, will glue together blocks of spectrum in the 700MHz and 1800MHz bands to enhance its new LTE-Advanced 4G network. Of course, none of this will happen until after December 31, 2014, when the ACMA will officially allow Telstra and Optus to begin using the 700MHz band. Danger micBut worth noting, however, is that along with the 700MHz band being reallocated for 4G mobile data networks, the 694MHz to 820MHz spectrum will "no longer be available for use by wireless audio transmitters from 1 January 2015," according to the ACMA. In its update this week, the ACMA announced that it will be finalising a plan to transition wireless devices out of the spectrum. As the spectrum (including the 700MHz band) is far reaching and is able to penetrate buildings, these wireless devices could cause interference. This move is to help prepare the use of the spectrum for mobile use and help prevent dropout zones for users. Get out of my spectrumThe ACMA has said that it will finalise a proposal for suppliers of wireless audio transmitters that can operate in the spectrum to include a written statement about the limitations of its use after December 31, 2014. It will also put together a proposal to give suppliers "a three-month transition period to stop supplying such transmitters into Australia". "The main frequency band available for these transmitters after that date will be the 520–694 MHz band," the ACMA said. "The ACMA has also made changes to give users access to the 1790–1800 MHz frequency band, which was previously not available to them." Who is effected?Devices effected by the proposal includes wireless microphones and in-ear monitoring systems used, for example, by schools, surf lifesaving groups, musicians and other entertainers, community groups, tourism, fitness and even for karaoke. A report by the Australian Financial Review has said that the continued use of wireless devices in the spectrum could lead to $5000 fines and jail time. Audio industry group the Australian Commercial and Entertainment Technologies Association (ACETA) has said that more than 150,000 devices will be effected. The main concern of the lobby group, however, is that the majority of the people effected will not know that their wireless devices will in fact be illegal. "Most users will continue to use their existing equipment. They will likely be unaware of the need to shift to a different spectrum," ACETA wrote on its website. However the ACMA's website now says that it "has planned targeted education and outreach activities so that as many users and suppliers of wireless audio transmitters as possible are aware of the changes". ACETA is also arguing that it will not be financially possible for most community groups and schools to transition to new wireless devices. "Those who are aware will be unable to do so due to financial constraints or will be unconvinced of the reasons to move."        | | Updated: iPhone 5C release date: where can I get it? Sep 12th 2013, 00:30, by Kate Solomon 
After months of guesswork, the iPhone 5C is official and it's basically an iPhone 5 in plastic coating. But that won't stop you (or perhaps your kids) wanting one when you see the colourful array of finishes the handset comes in - green! yellow! white! pink! etc. The good news is that there isn't long to wait: the iPhone 5C release date is September 20 while pre-orders open on September 13. We've had a quiet word with all the networks to find out who's stocking what, but we'll update this page when we get more info on plans and pricing. Let's do this: - But wait! First decide if the new handset is worth your money with our hands on iPhone 5C review
OptusYes, Optus will be stocking the iPhone 5C and it will be running on its 4G network (and probably on its dual-mode TD-LTE network). No word on contract prices yet, but you can pre-register your interest. TelstraTelstra will also have the phone available: but on which plans is currently anyone's guess. Eager beavers can pre-register interest for the phone. VirginThe big red confirmed that it will be taking pre-orders from Friday, September 13, and said that it will be stocking the phone come September 20. Again, no word on prices or plans yet. Virgin MobileVirgin Mobile has also committed to selling the handset, but we haven't heard anything official just yet. AppleIf you're ready to shell out $739 for the 16GB iPhone 5C or $869 for the 32GB model off-contract, you can buy directly from Apple.        | | Apple puts finger on iPhone 5S Touch ID privacy concerns, flaws Sep 12th 2013, 00:06, by Matt Swider 
When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S Sept. 10, the standout feature was undoubtedly its Touch ID fingerprint sensor that unlocks the smartphone through biometrics. It's inevitably led to those concerned with privacy to start poking at the company's tech, and not in order to test out the smartphone's scanner. Apple, anticipating conspiracy theories, reiterated today that the iPhone 5S won't actually store users' fingerprint images on the device, according to the Wall Street Journal. Instead, Touch ID keeps fingerprint data encrypted within its A7 processor. It's locked away on the device itself, not on Apple's servers or iCloud. Touch ID data encryptionFingerprint data, according to the Sept. 10 presentation, includes a fingerprint's arch, loop or whorl classification and individual ridge details smaller that the human eye can see. The Touch ID system goes as far as capturing minor variations in ridge direction caused by pores and edge structures. Because there isn't a stored fingerprint image on the device, it's unlikely someone could reverse engineer your fingerprint even if they cracked the the A7 system-on-a-chip, according Journal's report. Apple also reiterated that third-party applications are not able to make use of the fingerprint scanner right now. Fingerprint sensor flawsThe other fear is that the iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor won't work consistently or at all for people with impairments. Apple admitted to the paper that testers with sweat and moisture-laden digits were incompatible with the Touch ID system in some cases. Likewise, the fingerprint sensor may be unable to pick up on fingers scarred by accidents or surgery. The solution here is to use the still-available four-digit passcode - the other kind of digits. The passcode isn't going anywhere, according to Apple. In fact, setting up a backup passcode is required when enabling Touch ID and only this code works after a reboot or 48 hours of inactivity, preventing hackers from buying time to find a way to circumvent the fingerprint scanner. Even if Apple hasn't put to rest these two chief fingerprint sensor concerns for you, it's always possible to opt for the plastic iPhone 5C. It has just as much Touch ID technology as aluminum in its body. Meaning none at all.        | | Updated: iPhone 5S release date: where can I get it? Sep 11th 2013, 23:52, by Hugh Langley and Farrha Khan 
The anticipation is over - Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5S to the world and announced it will be available September 20. But now we're onto the next question: where can we actually pick one of these up and which 4G networks is it compatible with? Well, we have the inside information on who will be stocking the new iPhone and when you'll be able to grab it. Here's the 411 - and though no plans have yet been released, we'll update this page as we get more info. Apple StoreIf you're looking to pick up the iPhone 5S SIM-free, the Apple store has the handset available for $869 for the 16GB version, $999 for the 32GB and $1129 for the 64GB. OptusOptus will be stocking the iPhone 5S and will have the handset available from September 20, though you can register you're interest for the phone from now. As Apple has a TD-LTE compatible iPhone 5S variant, we assume that the multi-band handset will be available to customers to use on Optus' TD-LTE network. But as Optus has indicated that it will be looking to use its 700MHz spectrum band allocation to further develop its 4G, it may effect the iPhone model in the future from 2015 as Apple has not included 700MHz compatibility in the handsets. TelstraTelstra has also put up a registration page for the iPhone 5S and has confirmed that it will have the iPhone available from September 20. The iPhone 5S will be compatible with Telstra's current 4G FD-LTE network, as well as with its developing LTE-Advanced network. However, as Telstra has also said that it will be using its 700MHz allocation to develop its LTE-A network, it may face similar issues as Optus with the 700MHz band not included in the iPhone 5S and 5C. VodafoneVodafone told us that you can pre-register your interest from them now too. Vodafone will have the phone available from September 20 as well, and it will also be available on its 4G network. Virgin MobileWe haven't heard from Optus subsidiary Virgin Mobile yet, but Apple has confirmed that it will be available through the telco. As Virgin Mobile uses Optus' FD-LTE network, all the iPhone variants will work through Virgin Mobile just fine. FutTv : pSGJqz1pqCDeo       | | Windows Phone 8.1 leak hints at notification centre, multi-tile select tool Sep 11th 2013, 19:57, by Chris Smith 
Pictures claiming to show a leaked build of the as-yet-unreleased Windows Phone 8.1 update have appeared online, bringing word of potential new features. The shots, posted by Windows-Phone.pl show a Notifications Live Tile on the homescreen of a Windows Phone handset, suggesting an Apple-style Notifications Centre is in the works. The leaked shot also showcases ticks applied to multiple Live Tiles at the same time, which suggests users will have the power to move around more than one app at a time, or perhaps even group them into folders. The folks at WPCentral reckon it's the former rather than the later, as multi-tile selection is a feature launching on the Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 RT desktop updates coming next month. But before we get to that...However, it's not the first Windows Phone update we've stumbled upon in the last few days. Just this weekend screenshots of the GDR3 update - likely to predate the launch of WP8.1 - leaked onto the web. Judging by the screenshots, that update will bring a new driving mode to mute all calls and alerts when a Bluetooth headset is connected. It'll also enable users to close apps from the multitasking view and allow users to choose whether they want their screen to appear in portrait or landscape mode. That final feature is said to be designed with the rumoured 6-inch Nokia Lumia 1520 (codenamed Bandit) specifically in mind. We've no word yet on when either of these new OS updates are liable to drop, but we'll have the latest when anything official turns up.        | | Opinion: Innovation is one thing, but how about some openness from Apple? Sep 11th 2013, 19:13, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
Apple's inflated ego shone bright yesterday, brighter than the gold iPhone 5S. The company's new iPhone and iPhone 5C announcement was as boring and uninspired as they come. It was the same song, punctuated by droning commentary from a taped Jony Ive and a visit from Elvis Costello. Apple's decision not to live stream its iPhone keynote was particularly puzzling. The lack of an immediate, "I'm there" connection to these new major products that Apple is taking into the holiday season (primetime in the consumer tech world) was off-putting. It stands in direct contrast – and perfectly highlights – a key difference between the two kings of the mobile operating system, iOS and Android. Closed orchardAndroid is (all together now) open, inclusive and growing globally at breakneck speed. iOS is far less open, plenty would say difficult, exclusive and stalling in many markets. Apple's always had an aloofness about it, an attitude that's kept it interesting from the sheer fact that no one is quite sure what's going on behind its IL doors. Not in Apple's innermost circle? Wait with bated breath like the rest of the world to see what we have to wow you. There's a certain cache that comes with that, but increasingly that approach is not only out of touch but alienating. Even during its most recent event – the announcement of Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 – Google kept it intimate but still streamed it to the masses. The information was immediate, unfiltered and ready for consumer digestion. Yesterday, those not sitting in Apple's conference room or at a Berlin store or locations in Tokyo or Beijing – where Apple reportedly just replayed the Cupertino event - were left to find their information elsewhere. Not that there aren't plenty of news resources (shameless TechRadar plug) and Twitter to glean what's going on at Apple, but doesn't that do even more to take message control away from the company? Straight talkApple operates servers galore and more technical resources than I can count, and yet it couldn't be bothered to throw up a video on its Events page? It couldn't create a stream to bring information directly to customers, the people who are going to buy these products and will keep Apple's coffers and investors fat and happy? Message control is hugely important to Apple, and perhaps there were copyright issues or embedding concerns that it factored in its decision not to broadcast the keynote. Mitigating factors and control freak-ness aside, there are a zillion avenues for people to get the latest, so why not eliminate the question of authenticity, look square in the camera and say, "Hey consumers of the world, here are our new iPhones. What do you think?" In creating a limited, exclusive viewing experience, Apple isn't only creating a self-imposed mystique around its product launches. It's creating a barrier, a wall between it and consumers. Adjustment neededPerhaps Apple was trying to capture the allure stolen by the infinite leaks it can't seem (or isn't trying) to stymie. I can't blame Apple entirely for much of the air being sucked out of yesterday's event thanks to slips, but I do point a finger at the narrow scope through which it insists it must be viewed. My colleague John McCann astutely wrote about the glimmer of innovation we see in the iPhone 5S' Touch ID, but argued "Apple is still plugging a handset design which arrived over three years ago...it's pretty poor it couldn't come up with anything more than an updated camera and quicker processor." I couldn't agree more. Apple no longer warrants the exclusiveness it imposes. Other phone makers are still up and coming compared to Cupertino, and therefore have a stake in being accessible. However, in a quickly saturating market, being closed off isn't going to do Apple any favors in winning more customers. Instead, it will look as lame as it did yesterday, where it peddled a tiresome attitude over real innovation. With a new iPad announcement expected in October, I hope for its own sake Apple decides to open up its virtual doors. Even more so, I hope it delivers something that at least starts to justify its aloofness. Because that approach is rapidly wearing thin.        | | HTC One Max rumored to get large and in charge at Sprint Sep 11th 2013, 18:17, by JR Bookwalter 
Despite continued fiscal troubles at the corporate level, almost everyone seems to agree the HTC One is a fine handset - so could an even bigger model win the hearts and minds of Sprint customers in the U.S.? That seem to be the case, judging from a Twitter post on Monday from the @evleaks account, a frequent source of solid information on the latest handsets and when they might arrive on carriers worldwide. "HTC One max is Sprint-bound," the exceptionally brief tweet reads, offering no further clues as to when the giant-sized phablet might actually stomp its way into the nation's third-placed wireless carrier. Previously known under the codename "T6," the HTC One Max began popping up on the radar back in June, first with blueprint designs and later with a number of up close and personal photos of its mammoth 5.9-inch 1080p HD display. Go, go, GodzillaFor readers who follow the exploits of super-sized smartphones, the HTC One Max display size matches up nicely against the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which the rival manufacturer confirmed earlier this month. Rumored to be powered by a quad-core, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the HTC One Max could also harken back to days of the ill-fated HTC Flyer by including a stylus. Sadly, one of HTC's most highly-anticipated One Max features may have been overshadowed by Apple's iPhone 5S announcement on Tuesday: A rumored fingerprint scanner may wind up looking like a "me too" feature by the time the handset finally arrives. Assuming Sprint gets first dibs on the HTC One Max, Americans who favor Verizon Wireless, AT&T or T-Mobile may have a bit of a wait ahead of them until any carrier exclusivity deal expires. - Catch all the latest news on Apple's iPhone 5s!
       | | Three names 46 cities in line for 4G LTE roll-out by end of 2014 Sep 11th 2013, 16:47, by Chris Smith 
Three has served up a few more details regarding its impending 4G network launch, adding a new city for 2013 and listing 42 more it plans to add before the end of next year The network, which is the last of the major UK networks to go live with the next-gen speeds, has revealed a launch in Manchester, London and Birmingham in December, but has now added Reading to those plans. However, it's not just those city dwellers who'll receive the enhanced mobile connectivity. It'll also stretch to surrounding areas like Oldham, Wolverhampton, Dudley and West Bromwich. Then, next year it'll be upgrading its network in 42 more cities around the UK, a list of which can be found on the network's website. Unlimited data and no price bumpDespite its later launch, Three is already winning the battle for hearts and mind by automatically moving existing customers with 4G-ready devices on to the 4G LTE plans at no extra cost. The company is also refusing to cap data for its customers and will not insist on them signing a new contact. Indeed, the wait looks like it'll be worth it for Three subscribers. In a post on its website, the company wrote: "We think everyone should enjoy the wonders of 4G, with no catches. So when we start rolling out 4G, we'll nudge up our customers who have a 4G Ready device at no extra cost. No hefty price tag. No extra charges. No expensive new phones or contracts. And no fuss. Great news."        | | Updated: iPhone 5S release date: where can I get it? Sep 11th 2013, 16:00, by Hugh Langley
The anticipation is over - Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5S to the world and announced it will be available September 20. But now we're onto the next question: where can we actually pick one of these up and which 4G networks is it compatible with? Well, we have the inside information on who will be stocking the new iPhone and when you'll be able to grab it. Here's the 411. Apple StoreIf you're looking to pick up the iPhone 5S SIM-free, the Apple store has the handset available for £549 for the 16GB version, £629 for the 32GB and £709 for the 64GB. EEEE will be stocking the iPhone 5S, as it announced via a tweet soon after the reveal, and will have the handset available on 4GEE, Orange and T-Mobile from September 20. You'll be able to pre-order on September 13 and those of you with eligible devices can upgrade via EE's new 'swap' program (conveniently announced yesterday) if you're six months or longer into your contract. ThreeThree has put up a pre-registration page for the iPhone 5S and has confirmed it will have the iPhone available for pre-order on September 13 and will make it available from September 20. It also told us that both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will be compatible with its 4G network. VodafoneVodafone was one of the first to tell us that it will be stocking the new iPhone 5S but isn't giving any specific details on price and availability just yet. However Apple has confirmed that the 5S will support 4G on Vodafone's network, and there's a page for you to "register interest" over on Vodafone's site. O2O2 has confirmed that it will be stocking the iPhone 5S and that it will work on the network's 4G. There's currently a registration page and O2 has said pre-orders will be made available on September 13 before a September 20 release. In terms of contracts, O2 told us that the iPhone 5S will be available on its Refresh tariffs, which will let owners upgrade to a future handset without shelling out for the remainder of the contract. You'll be able to get the 16GB iPhone 5S for £36 a month with a £119.99 upfront cost, which includes unlimited minutes and texts as well as 1GB of 3G data. Or if you're hankering for some 4G action, you can pay the same upfront cost but for £47 a month you'll get 5GB of data at superfast speeds on top of the unlimited texts and talk time. FutTv : pSGJqz1pqCDeo       | | Asus PadFone Infinity to take off on September 17 Sep 11th 2013, 14:44, by Hugh Langley 
Asus sure loves to confuse us all with its naming schemes, but fans of the PadFone Infinity are in for a treat with the company announcing that the phone-cum-tablet is getting an update next week. In Taipei on Tuesday Asus will make the new PadFone Infinity official, it announced today, and we're expecting the new vessel to come with a 5-inch full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC and the option of an all-white version. For those unfamiliar with the PadFone's hybrid concept, it's essentially a smartphone that tucks inside a tablet to form an extension of the screen. It seems to be proving a winner for Asus too given that it's pushing ahead with the device. And beyond?Asus has posted a teaser video showing the phone rocketing out of the tablet, just in case you're still puzzled by how this all works. There's also a website up featuring a countdown to launch. Aside from the spec upgrades we've already mentioned, the overall design looks set to stay much the same. Oddly, Asus chose not make the announcement at its IFA press conference last week. But then it did have about a gazillion other things on the bill to get through, including the new Transformer Pad. YouTube : www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDd6gINBv3s       | | In Depth: 7 things you'll hate about the iPhone 5S Sep 11th 2013, 13:15, by Gary Marshall and Farrha Khan 
Some people believe that the iPhone 5S is the best iPhone that Apple - or for that matter, anybody - has ever made. They may well be right, but that doesn't mean it's perfect, and it certainly doesn't mean that Apple's latest i-device is flaw-free or beyond criticism. There are plenty of reasons to love the iPhone 5S - here are seven reasons - but you won't find them here: right now we're the haters, and haters gonna hate. 1. It's even more expensiveThe iPhone has never been the most affordable smartphone, and the iPhone 5S is the most expensive yet: it starts at a whopping $869 for the 16GB version, which is $70 more than the outgoing (and obsolete) iPhone 5. And that's for just 16GB of storage, which isn't really enough any more. The sensible choice, the 32GB model, is $999 in Australia. It'll be a bit cheaper on contract, of course, but it's still hefty. 2. It's ruined the trade-in value of your iPhone 5Here's how the smartphone Circle of Life is supposed to work. Apple unveils a new thing, you trade in last year's new thing, you put the money towards the new thing. Easy. Here's how it worked this year. Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S and discontinued the iPhone 5, causing recycling sites to rush to their computers and brutally slash their iPhone 5 trade-in rates so severely that a mint iPhone 5 will soon be worth less than a packet of mints. And as we've already mentioned, the iPhone 5S got a sneaky price hike too, which just adds insult to injury. 3. It should be scratch-proof, but it isn'tApple can call the dark coloured one Space Grey all it likes, but its real name should be Scratchy McRubbish: that anodised aluminium casing is so prone to scratching that you can scuff it by playing an episode of Itchy and Scratchy in iTunes. The white one's a bit better, but only because white is closer to the colour of bare aluminium and as a result, the scratches aren't as obvious. The gold one should be fairly scratch-resistant too, because gold is comparatively easy to anodise. Hang on - did someone mention the gold one? 4. Apple's gone blingiPhone. iPhone 3G. iPhone 3GS. iPhone 4. iPhone 4S. iPhone 5. What do they all have in common? That's right. NONE OF THEM ARE GOLD. There's a reason for that, and that reason is simple: gold things are for magpies, old people and idiots. Don't believe us? Sit back and imagine the kind of people who would just love a gold iPhone. Are you thinking Robin Thicke? Russian gangsters? The cast of The Only Way Is Essex? Of course you are. 5. There's a bigger, better one due next yearThe networks would really like you to take your iPhone 5S on a two-year contract, but we all know Apple's modus operandi by now: the big hitters come out every two years with a new design and lots of new goodies, and the S models are relatively minor upgrades released in the years in between. This is an in-between year, an "S" year, and we know what that means: a bigger, better iPhone 6 this time next year that will make you rue the day you put a cross in the box of that two-year contract. Just imagine what it might do. If an S-model iPhone can read your fingers, maybe the 6 will be able to read your mind, or make your pets levitate. To be honest, we'd be quite delighted if it just had better battery life and a slightly bigger screen. 6. The irrational fear that somebody's going to steal your fingers, or maybe photocopy themNow that Apple's embraced fingerprints to unlock your iPhone and authorise iTunes purchases with Touch ID, try not to imagine somebody stealing your phone and then coming back for your fingers so that they can unlock it. That's far-fetched to say the least, of course, and we'd just dismissed the whole paranoid possibility when Newsweek writer Peter Jukes mentioned on Twitter that criminals would be able to 3D-print replacement fingers. Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean that you shouldn't fear the Fingerprint Thieves. 7. You'll have to wait for itIf you've already decided you want an iPhone 5S, nothing here will change your mind - but that doesn't mean you can just order your iPhone 5S today and embark on a new life of gadget-fuelled cosiness. Nope: you'll have to wait until 20 September, or longer still if you don't live in one of the nine launch countries (the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK).   | | What the iPhone 5S tells us about Apple's future plans Sep 11th 2013, 09:09, by Gary Marshall
Apple Kremlinologists are used to hunting for clues, reading tea leaves and looking for omens, but this week they didn't need to: when Apple launched the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, it dropped three great big hints about the future. Two of the hints were processor-shaped, and the third was the lack of a feature lots of people have been clamouring for. The missing feature was, of course, NFC. NFC-enabled Androids are ten-a-penny, but anyone who was desperately waiting for an NFC iPhone will be disappointed as they were by the iPhone 4, 4S and iPhone 5 - and they'll probably be disappointed with the iPhone 6, and the iPhone 6S, and the iPhone 7 too. Apple has already decided on its preferred short-range wireless technology, and it's bet on Bluetooth - not just for Airdrop file sharing, but for the kind of things NFC is currently used for such as contactless payments. As Hari Gottipati says on GigaOM, Apple's plans for its Bluetooth-based iBeacon "makes the internet of things a reality and might kill NFC". The Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5S only authenticates iTunes for now, but it isn't hard to imagine Apple positioning it as the gatekeeper to an Apple-powered payment system that works anywhere. That's not the only world domination plan Apple has up its sleeve. Did somebody say iWatch?The iPhone 5S boasts not one but two new processors, and it's the least powerful one that's potentially the most interesting. The new M7 processor *iWATCH* is designed to monitor movement *iWATCH* without waking up the more powerful and more energy draining CPU, and the *iWATCH* potential for health and fitness apps and *iWATCH* location awareness apps is obvious. It's the sort of *iWATCH* processor you could easily imagine in a wearable *iWATCH* device *iWATCH* *iWATCH* *iWATCH*. Apple's A7 is notable too, because it's getting awfully close to a desktop-class processor. It's the first 64-bit ARM system-on-a-chip to appear in a smartphone, which seems rather unnecessary, and as Apple pointed out, it also delivers "console-level graphics". Those consoles may be current-gen rather than the next-gen PS4 and Xbox One we'll see in two months, but the thought of A7-powered iPhones - and eventually iPads and iPods too - with their more affordable games and spendthrift users should give Nintendo and Sony a few more things to worry about. It also makes the Apple TV more attractive as a games platform. ARMoured MacsWhat's really interesting about the A7 is where it - or more likely, its near-future successor - might end up. Apple currently runs two kinds of processors: Intel in its Macs and ARM in its iOS devices. Given Apple's ongoing aim of controlling the key technologies in its products, putting its own ARM-based processors into Macs makes a lot of sense. You know Apple's at least thinking about it. When Macs ran PowerPCs, Apple secretly developed Mac OS X for Intel and we know that since Macs have been running Intel processors Apple has been exploring OS X for ARM. If nothing else it's insurance against an Apple/Intel fall-out, but it could be something more: while Macs and mobile devices are currently separate lines running different OSes, that might not be the case forever.   | |
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