| TV watching on a phone and tablet to get Nielsen recognition Sep 20th 2013, 14:15, by Marc Chacksfield 
US ratings service Nielsen has announced that it will be adding watching live TV on a mobile device to its show ratings, bringing it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The television monitoring service has slowly but surely been playing catch up with the modern age. Earlier in the year it announced that it would be throwing streaming services such as Netflix and Xbox into its statistical mix and now it has revealed that TV watching on a phone and tablet will also be counted. There are a number of caveats, though. At the moment it will only be linear television that is counted. So, if you are in the US and are watching live content through apps such as the WatchABC service, then your view counts. If you are watching through catch-up then this still won't be noted by Nielsen's system. According to Variety, which broke the story, this new way to analyse TV viewing has been the culmination of three years' work and will help advertisers figure out where people are watching what. App viewingIt's certainly not a perfect system, though. If a network wants to be part of the Digital Program Ratings system then their app will have to have a special code embedded that will track data for Nielsen. So far, a pilot of the scheme, has seen ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, A&E, CW, Discovery, Univision and AOL all sign up. Given the changing ways the world is watching television, giving advertisers the best knowledge on how shows are watched is essential. Netflix and Lovefilm have always kept their numbers a secret but there are some areas of the TV world where mobile watching is known. In the UK, iPlayer offers up a monthly update on how many people are watching on tablets and smartphones but this is because it is a publicly funded service. Nielsen's Digital Programs Ratings system is set to launch in 2014, but it already has a rival. ESPN has been pushing its own ratings service called Project Blueprint.        |  | Ballmer's biggest regret was ballsing up mobile Sep 20th 2013, 11:38, by John McCann 
Soon to be ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has admitted that his greatest regret while in charge of the Redmond firm was missing out on the early days of the smartphone. Speaking at an analyst meeting in Washington, Ballmer opened up about his time in charge of Microsoft and what happened when smartphones first entered the fray. "I regret that there was a period in the early 2000s when we were so focused on what we had to do around Windows that we weren't able to redeploy talent to the new device form factor called the phone," he explained. As iOS and Android begun to take off, Microsoft was still focussing on its PC business. It did have its Windows Mobile platform, but that was never capable of challenging the new offerings from Apple and Google. Better for Windows"That is the thing I'd tell you I regret the most, because the time we missed was about the time we were working away on Vista and I now wish we had our resources slightly differently deployed during that time. "It would have been better for Windows and better for our success in other form factors." Windows Phone wasn't launched until late 2010, several years after its rivals, putting Microsoft on the back foot immediately and since then we've witnessed it struggle to get a solid foot hold in the market. The recent takeover of Nokia by Microsoft signals intent from the firm that it's taking mobile seriously and it will look to cement its third place in the mobile market - although it's still some way off the top two.        | | Week in Tech: GTA 5 rocks up in a week of Apple news Sep 20th 2013, 10:47, by Gary Marshall 
Week in Tech would like to start this week's episode with an apology: if you hate Apple, Apple products, Apple operating systems, people who like Apple products, people who have been inside Apple Stores or just the word Apple, you're only really getting a paragraph in this week's episode, so let's be quick: GTA 5 is out! It's the most successful UK game launch ever! There are so many Easter eggs you'll never find them all! The tech behind it is interesting! And that's your lot. Stop! Apple time! You saw the fancy videos, but how does the iPhone 5S stand up in the real world? Is it the best phone ever, or just the best iPhone ever? There's only one name to call, and that name begins with "G" and ends with "areth Beavis". Our smartphone supremo is all over the 5S like a finger on a Touch ID sensor. As he rightly points out, a minor price hike means that the iPhone 5S is "one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G price plans." The smartphone world is very different these days, and the iPhone has some very credible rivals. Is it still worth the extra cost? 
The short answer is "hmmm". It's a 'tweener model - the S iPhones are always relatively minor improvements, with the big changes happening when the phones get a brand new number - but nevertheless it's "one of the most cutting-edge smartphones around, imbued with a top-end camera and a really innovative feature with Touch ID." Touch ID is going to be a very big deal, we suspect, and that M7 motion processor is interesting too. That's the good. The bad? Price, the relatively small screen, price and price. It's a lovely thing, but "we can't see what lives in the iPhone 5S to justify being the most expensive phone on the market." That said, if you like this sort of thing then this is the sort of thing you will like. Plastic surgery
That doesn't bode well for the iPhone 5C, which is essentially a plastic iPhone 5. It wasn't as cheap as many hoped, so is this a cheap iPhone or just a cheaper iPhone? It's an important distinction. Over to Mr Beavis, who favours "cheaper" over "cheap": the iPhone 5C is "slightly more affordable. Slightly being the key word." The whole thing leaves Beavis rather puzzled. As a device it's nice enough, but "its price tag, overall design and lack of glass-based, premium feel leaves a slightly unpleasant taste." Apple hasn't gone downmarket to slug it out with no-name cheapies, but the price isn't that much lower for a device that "lacks that premium feeling we've become accustomed to from iPhones... does it feel like it's worth the money you're paying? In all honesty, no." The iPhone 5C may be cheaper than the iPhone 5S, but it's more expensive than the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Nokia Lumia 925. We can't help thinking that where previous iPhones were all about the devices, the 5C is all about the marketing. Operational issuesBoth the iPhone 5S and 5C run iOS 7, the latest and possibly greatest version of Apple's mobile operating system. So if you're thinking of upgrading, just how different is it really? We've put together a quick list of the major differences between iOS 7 and iOS 6, so you can see whether your favourite features have been affected. Not all of its goodies are immediately obvious, though, so we've also provided you with a list of our favourite iOS 7 tips and tricks too. As you'd expect, we've also looked at it in great detail and posted our thoughts online. "While previous iOS updates were largely a case of install-and-get-on-with-it, iOS 7 takes a bit more getting used to" - but "Apple isn't hurling babies out with the bathwater here. The iOS we know and largely love is still there, but it's been given one hell of a makeover." The visual changes are largely effective - although the Music app is pretty hideous and the new look is sometimes just too bright: "using Safari on an iPad in a dark room after a long day is really quite unpleasant." But the most important changes are functional. 
The new Control Center makes it much easier to access key features such as Bluetooth and Airplane Mode, the new Notification Center is handy, Safari and Mail are much better and the whole thing feels much more modern and efficient. Many of the changes owe obvious debts to Android, WebOS and - yikes! - even Windows Vista, but the important issue isn't who thought of them first but whether they make your life happier, and in iOS 7 they do. It's not all good, though. Maps is good but not great and definitely not as good as Google, Siri alternates between being absolutely wonderful and utterly infuriating, and as with iOS 6 you shouldn't expect all-day battery life if you actually plan to use your device for anything other than the odd email check. If you're a die-hard Android fan there's nothing here that's going to make you reconsider your life choices and jump aboard the Apple train. If you're already an iOS user, though, it "will make your device feel brand new all over again. We think you'll like it a lot." Are we right? Let us know in the comments.        | | What's next for Windows RT? Smartphones, apparently Sep 20th 2013, 10:09, by John McCann 
Windows RT tablets haven't exactly set the world alight, and with the full Windows 8 slates faring better in the market it's left Microsoft with a little bit of a problem. All is not lost however, as Microsoft's Terry Myerson explains the merging of smartphones and tablets will mean the ARM-based Windows RT software will raise its head again, and hopefully provide users with a better app experience. Speaking at a Microsoft financial analysts meeting Myerson said: "The ARM devices in particular in phones have incredible share given their battery life and the connectivity options available with the system-on-a-chip ecosystem. "Windows RT was our first ARM tablet. And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, and Windows ARM tablets in the future." APPetite for successMicrosoft is also looking to unify its application offering across devices, with the aim of having one app which is available on smartphones, tablets and computers. "We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices," Myerson explained. One of the strong selling points of Apple's ecosystem is its library of applications that work seamlessly on both iPhone and iPod as well as the bigger screened iPad - and it's clearly something Microsoft is attempting to mimic. With applications which play nicely with both the Windows Phone 8 based smartphones as well as the new tablets, it may spark interest in the Windows RT brand after all - and about time too. - What's all the fuss about RT? Take a peek at our in depth Windows RT review and find out.
       | | Jony Ive reveals work only began on iOS 7 back in November Sep 20th 2013, 09:12, by Marc Chacksfield 
In a rare interview, Apple's Jony Ive has spoken to USA Today about his thoughts behind iOS 7 and has revealed that it was a liberating experience to rid the operating system of skeuomorphism. Speaking alongside Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, Ive explained his thought processes behind iOS 7 and how there was no need to refer back to the real world in its OS as consumers have finally become accustomed to touchscreen phones. He also noted that him and his team only started working on the iOS 7 in November 2012. Given that it was shown off at WWDC in June this is quite a quick turnaround. "When we sat down last November [to work on iOS 7], we understood that people had already become comfortable with touching glass, they didn't need physical buttons, they understood the benefits," said Ive. "So there was an incredible liberty in not having to reference the physical world so literally. We were trying to create an environment that was less specific. It got design out of the way." Ive been speaking a lotExplaining a bit more about how he came up with the design for iOS 7, it seems that Ive distilled what what was needed on the system to just the essentials. "I think a lot of people see simplicity as the lack of clutter. And that's not the case at all," said Ive. "True simplicity is, well, you just keep on going and going until you get to the point where you go, 'Yeah, well, of course.' Where there's no rational alternative." Although Ive gave nothing away about what Apple was working on next – he even went as far to say "I'd lose my job" if he did – he did note that the addition of something such as Touch ID to the iPhone 5S was perfect Apple behavior as it showed how the company can integrate complicated technology into its products in a seamless way. "This right here is what I love about Apple, this incredibly sophisticated powerful technology that you're almost not aware of, it absolutely blows me away," said Ive. "You can't get this without working cross-functionally." He also reveals the non-tech product he would like to redesign the most. And it is... the humble cup. Read the full and fascinating interview at USA Today. - Want to know more about iOS 7? Check out our in depth iOS 7 review.
       | | Apple 5S and 5C sales begin in Australia Sep 20th 2013, 03:25, by Farrha Khan 
Today saw the first global sales of the iPhone 5S and 5C begin at 8am on Australia's eastern coast, with fans queuing up from midday yesterday in Sydney. Thanks to the International Date Line, Jimmy Gunawan and Chris Maloney became two of the first people in the world to pick up the iPhone 5S. At Sydney's Apple Store on George Street, Jimmy Gunawan told TechRadar he had been waiting in line since midday September 19 to upgrade his iPhone 5. 
"[I've been waiting] for nearly 20 hours," he said, adding that he was hoping to get the 32GB 5S as the 16GB was too small and 64GB too big. Across the road, at Telstra's store, Chris Maloney told TechRadar he had been lining up for the iPhone ever since the release of the iPhone 3. "I've been lining up since 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon… I'm pretty excited right now," Maloney said. iHype over iPhone
Though Telstra's line didn't quite stretch as far as the Apple Store's – which wrapped down the side of the block, and then down again some metres – Telstra had a bit more fanfare for their customers, with a DJ, goodies, food and blankets passed around to queuers. When asked about the hype across the globe surrounding the launch, Telstra's Director of Device Management Andrew Volard explained that for new iPhone launches, there's always a level of anticipation. "I think that the iPhone launch is seen as 'what's coming out next', 'what are they up to next', 'what are they coming up with next'," he said "And they have such an enormous fanbase and so many customers that everybody just wants to see. I think it's really great." AFL and NFL stars Adam Goodes and Robbie Farah were there to present Telstra's first iPhone 5S to Maloney. Optus also organised activities for the launch as well, offering queuers giveaways, goodies and other "comforts" in six keys stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, South Australia and Perth. Selling fast!
While the Apple Store queue slowly shortens, Aussie carriers have already started running out of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C stock (at the time of writing). Optus is already out of stock of all 16GB 5S models, as well as 32GB and 64GB gold and black models. It does still have both 32GB and 16GB 5C models available in all colours except for yellow. Telstra only has the black iPhone 5S models available across all 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants, as well as all variants of the 5C. Virgin mobile has not listed any of the models as out of stock, but Vodafone is listing the 16GB 5S silver and gold models, 32GB grey and silver models, and grey and silver models as having a 2+ weeks wait. Vodafone has also listed just the 32GB yellow 5C as having a 1+ week wait. The Apple store has the 5S gold model in any variant not available until October.        | | iOS 7 lockscreen bug opens up even iPhone 5s users to attack Sep 20th 2013, 00:39, by Matt Swider 
While iOS 7 gave Apple's mobile operating system a new paint job, but it still suffers from an age-old problem: another lockscreen glitch that could give someone unwanted access to your device. The iOS 7 bug allows a person with physical access to your phone to a limited amount of data, even when the four-digit passcode is enabled. This only happens when Apple's new Control Center feature is accessible in the locked state, as first reported on by Forbes. But since Control Center can be launched in this locked state by default, most people will be vulnerable, even iPhone 5S owners with their fancy fingerprint sensor. How it's doneTesting it out, we found that launching the alarm clock app, holding down the sleep button and then canceling powering down the phone frees an attacker up to multitasking their way into the phone. All they have to do is press the home button twice. This makes a limited number of apps like Mail, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr are accessible. 
Temporary fixWhile Apple works to fix this iOS 7 glitch, worried users can remedy the Control Center vulnerability by disabling the new feature's use in the lockscreen. Navigating to the settings menu, selecting Control Center and and turning off "Access to Lock Screen" prevents this new iOS 7 exploit.        | | Microsoft now wants your iPhone, Android devices for trade-in program Sep 19th 2013, 22:31, by Matt Swider 
Microsoft is getting with the trade-in program by accepting iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices in exchange for a gift card. This trumps last week's iPad trade-in program also by Microsoft in which the company was offering at least a $200 (about £126, AU$215) Microsoft Store gift card for Apple tablets. This new trade-in promotion not only broadens the scope of smartphones and tablets that can be turned in, it also comes very close to giving consumers real money by way of a Visa gift card. That's much more valuable than a Microsoft Store gift card, and the program is now open to online exchanges so you don't have to step foot in one of the company's few retail locations. Microsoft's iPad-for-a-Surface trade-in program only applied to the U.S., and we're waiting on official word from Microsoft if the same goes for this one too. Fair valueMicrosoft is promising up to $350 (about £218, AU$368) through this trade-in program and is suggesting, but not stipulating, that everyone use that credit to upgrade to a Surface tablet, Windows 8 PC or Windows Phone 8 smartphone. The company is also promising to recycle your smartphones and tablets responsibly through Clover Wireless, which it says has 20 years of experience valuing used electronic equipment. "Clover Wireless reconditions for resale or recycles all the devices they receive during this program," wrote Microsoft on the FAQ page of its trade-in website. "Clover Wireless employs a zero-tolerance landfill policy ensuring all electronic waste is shredded and/or smelted in the U.S. to be repurposed in the creation of new material." Devices not destined for the System-on-a-Chip chipper are frequently sold overseas where there is greater demand for previously-owned electronics. The recycling company said it also reserves the right to donate smartphones and tablets to needs-based services. So you may be sticking up for a good cause while walking away with some plastic cash.        | | Redmond gets real, admits Windows Phone is 'distant third' to iOS, Android Sep 19th 2013, 22:31, by Chris Smith 
Despite a recent spate of bullishness, Microsoft has seemingly conceded what the rest of the tech world has known for a long time: Windows Phone is still miles away from competing with iOS and Android. During a financial analyst meeting on Thursday, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner reportedly called the OS a 'distant third' to the Apple and Google-made smartphone software. According to Microsoft blogger Paul Thurrott, Turner said there was still 'lots of work to do' before the big two can become a big three. Microsoft's market share has improved in the last year, without putting too much of a dent in its rivals' virtual duopoly. ConsternationTurner also admitted that Microsoft had endured some teething problems during its transition from a software company into the PC and tablet hardware market. In particular, Microsoft annoyed its manufacturing partners by launching the Surface tablets to showcase its new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems Thurrott tweeted: "Turner: OEM channel had 'consternation' when MS entered the HW business with Surface." We can imagine those same manufacturers were probably more upset with Windows RT falling flat on its face than anything else.        | | Reach out and touch Ubuntu Touch mobile OS on Oct. 17 Sep 19th 2013, 22:21, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
Not to get lost in the iOS 7 shuffle, the Ubuntu Touch mobile operating system finally has a launch date. Canonical, the company behind the failed (for now) Ubuntu Edge mobile phone, revealed this week that on Oct. 17, the device-jumping Ubuntu Touch will be ready for consumption. It will launch alongside Ubuntu Linux 13.10, the latest version of Ubuntu for desktop. In a post, Canonical QA community coordinator Nicholas Skaggs wrote about the company's goal to bring about a downloadable installer of Touch by mid-October: "As part of [Ubuntu 13.10's] release, Ubuntu is committed to delivering an image of Ubuntu Touch, ready to install on supported devices," Skaggs wrote on Sept. 17. Released, but limitedA developer edition of Ubuntu Touch was launched in February, workable on the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, and currently those are still the only supported devices. While the OS will launch as a download next month, PC World noted the first discrete devices running Touch won't be out until late 2013 at the earliest or early next year. Install details still aren't clear, but those should come to light closer to Touch's launch. Canonical has taken up the standard of converging computing, pushing to create a way to turn phones into the brains of PCs. Ubuntu Touch is essentially the mobile edition of Ubuntu - plug your mobile device into a monitor and the desktop version gets kicking. The company wants users brave enough to test out the developer edition to send it bugs in the meantime, ideally leading to a relatively harmless release next month.   | | Looks like iOS 7 beat iOS 6 in day one adoption Sep 19th 2013, 20:27, by Michael Rougeau 
iOS 7 is one of the biggest changes yet for Apple's mobile operating system, but based on the day one adoption numbers it seems it paid off. Monitoring from ad network Chitika found that on Sept. 18, the first day that iOS 7 was widely available, 18.2 percent of iOS devices that accessed the sites it tracks in North America (the U.S. and Canada) were already running the new OS version. 
In comparison, iOS 6 was present on just under 15 percent of the iOS devices Chitika detected during its first 24 hours a year ago. Granted, iOS 6 had its problems, and the publicity for iOS 7 so far has been almost entirely positive. Positive changesFor one thing, iOS 7 finally lets users tuck that worthless Newsstand app away into a folder where it can't offend anyone's eyes anymore. Beyond that the OS's aesthetic is drastically altered, with new flattened, candy-colored app icons taking the place of the old ones. Altered animations for unlocking devices and opening apps making things prettier, and new functions like the control panel let iOS 7 users adjust more options, like brightness, airplane mode, and bluetooth, on the fly (yes, like Android). Read TechRadar's full iOS 7 review for the complete run down of every new feature and change.        | | Tim Cook on Nokia: A reminder of what happens when you don't innovate Sep 19th 2013, 17:40, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
Nokia once sat on top of the phone maker heap, but those days are long gone. Though the company still ships oodles of handsets, there's a cautionary tale to be found in its story arc. Or that's the thinking of Apple CEO Tim Cook, who in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, offered a pointed remark about its Finnish competitor. "I think [Nokia] is a reminder to everyone in the business that you have to keep innovating and that to not innovate is to die," Cook said. Many would argue that Apple has lost its innovative edge. For example, while the iPhone 5S' Touch ID fingerprint reader shows a glimmer of technological inspiration, the days of Apple truly wowing us are, like Nokia's dominance, a fading memory. New vs rightOn the flip side, Apple has prided and marketed itself as a company that may not be the first to do something but pulls it off the best. As software head Craig Federighi said in the same interview, "New? New is easy. Right is hard." When asked about Apple's stock drop post iPhone 5S/iPhone 5C revealing, Cook said that while he's not happy about it (hear, that investors?), he aims to look at the bigger picture, one not defined by market fluctuations. "You have to bring yourself back to, 'Are you doing the right things?' And so that's what I focus on, instead of letting somebody else or a thing like the market define how I should feel." Did Apple do the "right" thing with the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and iOS 7, which launched Sept. 18? When the new iPhones go on sale tomorrow, we should have a much clearer idea.        | | Holy app stores! Users may hit 102 billion downloads this year Sep 19th 2013, 17:33, by JR Bookwalter 
It may have felt like the entire world was trying to download iOS 7 all at once Sept. 18, but that pales in comparison to the number of mobile apps users will download over the next year or two. IT research and advisory company Gartner revealed today that annual downloads from mobile app stores will reach 102 billion in 2013, nearly twice the 64 billion users racked up last year. Mobile app revenue will also increase from $18 billion (about UK£11B, AU$19B) in 2012 to $26 billion (about UK£16B, AU$28B) this year, although free apps are expected to make up a whopping 91% of all downloads. If that news isn't depressing enough for gamers who prefer to pay up-front for their mobile apps, in-app purchases are forecast to account for 48% of all revenue by 2017 - an 11% increase over last year. Reaching its peak?Gartner also predicts in-app purchases will account for 17% of developer revenue this year, increasing to a hefty 48% over the next four years. Although free apps currently make up 60% of the offerings in Apple's iOS App Store and 80 percent for the Android-based Google Play, the party is expected to plateau after next year. "We expect strong growth in downloads through 2014, but growth is forecast to slow down a bit in later years. Over time [users] accumulate a portfolio of apps they like and stick to, so there will be moderate numbers of downloads in the later years," explained Gartner research director Sandy Shen. Gartner's Brian Blau calls in-app purchases "a promising and sustainable monetization method" since users only shell out hard-earned cash when they feel it's worth it, which also offers developers additional incentive to create apps with "good design and performance." - Check out our extensive review of Apple's new iPhone 5S!
       | | Exclusive: iPhone 5S stock confirmed as scarce, iPhone 5C struggling too Sep 19th 2013, 17:26, by Gareth Beavis 
Sources have confirmed to TechRadar that the iPhone 5S release day could be disappointing for many. We'd already heard word that the iPhone 5S was going to be in short supply when released tomorrow, but a source within the supply chain has now confirmed to TechRadar that the UK will almost definitely suffer the same fate. We've also been sent a document from a reader that apparently shows EE has an internal list of stores that have 50 or more of the flagship iPhone 5S, with the likes of London, Manchester and Birmingham the best stocked. The fact that a network would be plumping up stocks in its biggest stores isn't a surprise – but the fact that so few (only around 80) will have a decent whack of iPhones to go around confirms this. Are you sure?We spoke to our source about stock levels, and they stated that they were 'surprised' that so few iPhone 5S units were going to be available, and while there would be plenty of the iPhone 5C devices to go around, the demand for these hadn't been as strong. However, before this gets labelled as a real failure on Apple's part, the company does have form in this area, with most iPhone launches inevitably seeing the same 'stock levels low' story being touted around in the days after release. Let's face it, nothing stimulates demand like the notion a consumer could miss out. And should the demand be too high for stock fulfilment (which seemed inevitable when Apple declined to make the iPhone 5S available for pre-order) then we can't help but think some will be attracted by the cheaper and available iPhone 5C. - Want to know whether you should even bother buying one? Check out the web's most in-depth iPhone 5S review, or see the same thing in a plastic case (and some other changes…) in our iPhone 5C review too.
Thanks to Ethan for the tip!        | |
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