Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 10-12-2013

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Sony outlines plans to rule mobile in Europe and Japan before US conquest Oct 12th 2013, 15:03, by Chris Smith Sony's recent line of Xperia Android smartphones have more able to compete with the top Apple, Samsung and HTC releases, but unfortunately critical acclaim hasn't translated into comparable sales figures. The company plans to establish itself, at least initially, as the third-placed manufacturer, but global supremacy is will take time, according to CEO Kaz Hirai. For now, the Sony boss plans to focus its attentions on the Japanese and European markets, which account for 60 per cent of its smartphone sales, before tackling the trickier United States market. Hirai told journalists: "[Europe and Japan] are the most important areas for us and we'll put substantial resources there. But not yet for the U.S. and China. It's not realistic to try to do everything at once. In the U.S. we'll start gradually." Standing out from the crowd Despite launching some much-improved devices in the last couple of years, exemplified by the newest Xperia Z1 handset, Sony has struggled to differentiate its handsets from the Android crowd. The Xperia Z1 boasts a 5-inch, 1080p Full HD screen, a 20-megapixel camera, powerful quad-core processor and is also waterproof and packs it all into a super-slim premium design. Impressive. However, the Android market is saturated with devices making similar high-spec promises, such as Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, the HTC One and the new surprisingly impressive LG G2. With that in mind, Sony's desire to walk before it starts to run in the U.S. is probably wise. In Depth: Top 10 tech you'll need to survive a zombie apocalypse Oct 12th 2013, 00:46, by Lily Prasuethsut Top 10 tech you'll need to survive zombies You've seen Night of the Living Dead, and maybe that sad excuse of a "zombie" movie with Brad Pitt. You've read Max Brooks. You've played Left 4 Dead. Heck, Robert Kirkman is probably your hero. Thanks to pop culture, you're a bona fide expert on zombies and post-apocalyptic earth, right? So the real question is: would you be ready to survive against an undead mob? Probably not, considering most of the fictional people barely made it out alive (nothing personal, we're not counting on ourselves either). But you might have a fighting chance after checking out our handy list of the top ten tech you'll need to survive a zombie apocalypse. Aside from the obvious - firearms, blunt objects, sharp objects, first aid kit, more weapons and so forth - you'll need a lot of gear to help you stay alive in a world rife with hungry dead guys. Tech is probably the last thing you'd think of packing, but just because the world's in ruins doesn't mean you have to give up your love of gadgetry, especially if each item is endlessly useful. Plus we love technology, so of course we're going to hoard tech-y stuff against, well, the zombie hordes. This list is definitely debatable so we want you to sound off below in the comments and tell us your top pieces of tech you'd use to survive an undead infestation. 1. Iridium Extreme There are a few things on our list that make more sense for the early days of the zombie plague when there's still hope for rescue. The satellites should still be up and running meaning an Iridium Satellite phone would be pretty dang useful to call for help. The Iridium is sturdier than your average Apple or Android device so you can chuck your iPhone 5S or HTC One out the window since there's no way either one would survive an apocalypse. You can drop the Iridium phone without worry, dunk it in water (to an extent like the Sony Xperia Z) and speak into a wind resistant mic, but the battery is alas, not solar. So dial with care and caution unless you thought ahead and have the next item on the list. 2. Eton FRX3 An Eton FRX3. What is this contraption you ask? Several things. Firstly, its a weather alert radio and just a plain normal radio. There probably won't be a bunch of storm warnings, but you can at least tune in for news updates. Secondly, it's a portable charger that can charge your mobile device through a USB port - and if you're wondering whether or not it takes batteries, the answer is yes - but you can also use the hand crank as a manual charger, or the sun for solar energt. Nifty! Since a contingency plan is key in the event of a zombie attack, a shortwave radio wouldn't hurt either as you make your way towards a safe location. 3. Griffin phone and tablet case OK, even though you'll have a satellite phone, we're thinking you'll still have a hard time parting with your dinky smartphone or tablet - so the next best thing to do is protect those suckers with some heavy duty cases. Griffin Technology provides ample durability with an aptly named case: the Survivor. The company even consulted with the Department of Defense's military designs to make sure the cases perfectly hug your device in a zombie proof way. Oh, and the cases are dust, shock, dirt and waterproof too, because you want your precious Apple/Android stuff to last through everything if you've kept it this long. 4. Olympus TG-2 Yes, a camera is on our list. Why? To document your feats of heroism of course! Or to leave behind a record of your last days … either way, a good durable camera like the Olympus TG-2 oughta do the trick. There's a built-in GPS that records your location and landmark info on photos, and an electronic compass which could come in handy. And if you feel like doing a full-on recording, the TG-2 also has 1080p high-def movie mode so whoever finds your camera can see the bags under your eyes and your dirt-crusted face. It's also helpful that the camera is waterproof down to 50 feet, shockproof for drops from up to 6.6 feet, freeze-proof down to -10C (14F) and crushproof up to 22 pounds. Basically, the Olympus TG-2 is a tough mother, and can withstand a lot. Just remember you'll eventually run out of memory. 5. LightCap 300 With water in short supply, you'll need to pack up as much as you can carry and sip sparingly to make it last, which means you'll need a canteen. But who needs a normal canteen when you've got a LightCap 300? Not only does it hold your water, it can be used as a solar powered lantern. Like we said, we like our tech to serve more than one purpose and this does the trick nicely. The LightCap can give off eight-hours of light with four LEDs on a full charge and has a daylight sensor to prevent accidental battery drain. It's also only a liter but if you're by a body of freshwater you can use the following item to make sure you're safely stockpiled with water. Top 10 tech you'll need to survive 6-10 6. SteriPen A water purifier is imperative and having a SteriPen could be the difference between life and death. The SteriPen company has a decent sized collection of UV water purifying pens but the Freedom SteriPen looks like your best option. In case you're not sure how the pens work, UV light is used to destroy harmful bacteria and viruses living in the water, making it safe to drink. The Freedom is lightweight, compact and features an internal, USB-rechargeable battery that allows you to power up from an outlet, or the more survival appropriate portable solar panel. Just remember that the pen only provides 8,000 treatments. 7. Casio Pathfinder Solar Powered Watch Who needs to know what time it is when you're on the run, right? However, you can't go wrong with the Casio Pathfinder Solar Powered Watch for those days when you feel the urge to reconnect with human patterns and pretend dinner is still at 7:00 pm. On the practical side, it's also worth noting that the Pathfinder is capable of being an altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer, timer (and more) that's all wrapped up in a nice waterproof package, making it a pretty sweet deal. Plus there's no need to worry about changing the batteries so it's one less thing you'll have to remember when raiding stores (or bodies) for supplies. 8. Night Vision goggles and binoculars It's nighttime, the scariest time of all because you can't see if that building is empty, or what's lurking in that open field. Traveling during the day is best, but you might find yourself faced with nighttime excursions, and as always, it's best to be prepared. Flashlights are for the naive fools and draw too much attention. It's debatable dead eyes can see light, but you're trying to hide from hostile humans too. Get your hands on a pair of night vision goggles and you'll get pass anything (if you're stealthy enough). Night Owl Tactical Series Night Vision Goggles is a mouthful that sounds a bit intense and looks like something out of a Tom Clancy video game, but hey, you'll have the last laugh after sneaking around a bunch of zombies, right? Having night vision binoculars would also be a lifesaver and good addition to your supplies. Bonus: you can use both of these pieces of tech in the day too. 9. PowerPot Thermoelectric Generator Don't think we've forgotten about food! Zombies want to eat you, but you've gotta eat too. Non-perishables are your best bet in avoiding starvation, but you're definitely going to find food that needs to be cooked - like whatever animal you just killed. The PowerPot Thermoelectric Generator is simply perfect for this situation. Not only will it cook your food, it's waterproof, fire-resistant, works any time in any weather condition - and it's super portable. On top of that, the PowerPot is capable of cooking and charging electronic devices, simultaneously! OK, so you'll still need to put the pot over a heat source, but at least it has more use than a tin can. 10. Voltaic Array Solar Charger You're probably wondering how all your electronics are going to stay juiced up when you're already busy worrying about finding a safe haven. Well, the Voltaic Array Solar Charger takes care of two of your problems by providing decent backpack space for all your supplies on this list, and solar charging your tech. It's not the biggest pack you can have, but mobility is essential and a huge bag would just weigh you down (though there are other options out there). Besides, the additional ten watts of charging would help quite a lot. Though if you feel like a bigger pack is needed, the solar section pops off and can easily be attached to something else. You'll need a bit of time to charge up the panel itself but since you'll be trekking outside all day, that shouldn't be a problem. In Depth: MobileCon 2013: what to expect from this year's conference Oct 12th 2013, 00:37, by Michelle Fitzsimmons It's with a pang of sadness - a very small pang - that we prepare for MobileCon 2013. That's because this is the final CTIA fall show before it and its springtime twin are combined into one event. The super-CTIA is going down Sept. 9 - Sept. 11, 2014 in Las Vegas, but that's neither here nor there. For now, we look ahead to what we can expect from the fall MobileCon's last hurrah. Going down Oct. 16 - Oct. 18 at the San Jose Convention Center, organizers expect over 8,000 attendees to mill through this decidedly enterprise-focused show. One hundred-plus exhibitors will take over the convention center's halls, and the usual keynotes and roundtables are slated throughout the three days. While we know there will be lot of talk on things like "optimizing M2M connections," "vertical solutions" and BYOD, we do expect some news, hardware and software concerning the average consumer. We won't kid ourselves - this isn't the conference to break out big announcements but rather get a read on trends in the industry and maybe hear and see something we haven't before. Take a look below for what you can expect from this year's conference, and start thinking about what you want to see at CTIA 2014. We'll try to pass a word on for you. The ol' network dominance line Network dominance is a perennial talking point of the spring and fall CTIA shows. With Verizon President and CEO Dan Mead (pictured below) participating in the Day 1 keynote panel, we expect him to drop a line or two about Big Red's network dominance at the first chance he gets. Given T-Mobile's recent figures on its nationwide 4G LTE roll out and its new international roaming plans, it would be particularly timely of Mead to stick it to its upstart magenta competitor. Sprint will also haunt the convention halls, and we plan to pin the No. 3 carrier on whether it plans to speed up its own 4G roll out now that it's lagging behind T-Mo. Where's my mobile wallet? Mobile payment systems are a recurring theme of these shows, and with the Day 1 afternoon keynote session devoted to the topic, you can expect plenty of talk about how this can finally (maybe) get off the ground. Mead will join Isis CEO Michael Abbott, American Express Group President of Enterprise Growth Dan Shulman and Jamba Juice CEO James White in a "Mobile Commerce" panel on Oct. 16. The first three fall into the "usual suspect" line, but White may have a fresh (and health-conscious) angle to lay on the crowd. Panelists posed during MobileCon 2012 that mobile wallet success equates to one in four U.S. citizens using such a service in 5-8 years. Are we any closer to hitting that goal, or will this year's panelists offer a different view of what mobile payment success looks like? We expect an answer closer to the latter. It will be particularly interesting to hear how Verizon sees the mobile wallet space now that it offers the Google Wallet app, though it still lacks tap-to-pay. And how secure does Isis, a mobile payment system supported by all major U.S. carriers, feel with Google Wallet's recent expansion? Day 1 could hold a few insightful, and terse, sound bites. Isis inbound? Speaking of Isis, Abbot reportedly showed off a refreshed Isis app during a mobile payments show on Oct. 8. Though his demo was said to be plagued by glitches, we could be in for a glitch-free demo or at least more details on Iits plan to launch nationwide with the retooled app. "In a few weeks," Abbot, as reported by Credit Union Times, "we will introduce consumers to Isis in thousands of locations." Are we in for more specifics at MobileCon, Mr. Abbot? The CEO went on to claim that, "By the end of 2014, there will be 30 million Isis devices in the U.S." According to Fierce Wireless, Isis plans to launch an NFC-capable iPhone case (iPhones don't aren't NFC-capable) and an iOS app to bring tap-to-pay to Apple handsets. MobileCon could be the place to bring these cases and iOS app to life. A new something from Sprint? Probably It's been par for the course that Sprint announces a new phone, tablet and/or hotspot joining its lineup during the spring and fall editions of CTIA. We don't expect this year to be any different. We don't expect a flagship device but rather something like a new mobile hotspot or a solid first or second tier phone. New rumors point to Sprint getting its own Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini as well as the Galaxy Mega 6.3. Perhaps the week of MobileCon is the perfect time to unleash these beasts, big and small? Facebook addresses mobile engagement Rose Yao, senior product manager at Facebook who worked on Open Graph, is due to take part in an all-female panel discussing "innovation through mobile engagement." We don't expect any FB news bombs, but Yao should give us some insight into how it views its current mobile strategy and perhaps even give us an idea of the social network's vision for future mobile engagement. Privacy, always an issue that follows Facebook everywhere, will hopefully find itself on the table as well. Digressing ever so slightly, seeing an all-female panel tackle mobile engagement issues and solutions should provide a unique perspective on the perma-hot topic. We expect some astute insights not worth missing. Speaking of Verizon, check out the phones we recommend from the carrier. Sony sees wearable tech 'real estate' as a zero sum game Oct 12th 2013, 00:24, by Matt Swider You have beachfront property and don't even know it in the eyes of Sony's Kaz Hirai. The company's CEO equates the race to outfit consumers with wearable gadgets like the Sony Smartwatch 2 or Google Glass as a zero sum real estate game. "I look at it like a real estate business because you have limited real estate to establish your beachfront," said Hirai, according to the Wall Street Journal. He figures that once that beachfront property has a flag planted in the ground by a manufacturer, the barrier to entry for anyone else is rather high. "Once you're committed to a particular product then I don't know if you want to be switching all the time." The race to the face, wrist Sony isn't the only tech company looking to strap its wearable gadgets onto consumers interested in quantified self. Samsung recently launched its Galaxy Gear and Fitbit added an OLED with caller ID functionality to its Fitbit Force activity monitor. Likewise, Apple is heavily rumored to be launched an iWatch and Google may do the same with a Google Gem smartwatch. "The jury is still out on what the consumer expects from a wrist device," said Hirai. Battery life is a serious dilemma for smartwatches that have limited room to work with. "All of these discussions are still out there. But that makes it an interesting space to be in and a lot of companies are looking at it." Life's a beachfront Making a cross-platform compatible smartwatch may indeed be the first step. While consumers may want to be locked into a wearable ecosystem, according to Hirai, he suggested that they're more tolerable of switching phones every now and again. Right now, the Sony Smartwatch 2 and Galaxy Gear are only compatible with a handful of Android devices. Apple's iWatch would presumably stay inside the iOS walled garden. The key to his analogized beachfront "real estate" may be allowing consumers to bring their own operating system infrastructure instead of being limited to one particular choice. Check out the new suspected Galaxy S5 release date. Samsung Galaxy S5 release date in January to stem Galaxy S4 sales slump? Oct 11th 2013, 21:44, by Matt Swider It may be a party of five in the next three months, as the Nexus 5 smartphone that's expected to be announced next week could be joined by the Galaxy S5 as soon as January. Samsung is said to be moving up the release date for the successor to its flagship Android, the Galaxy S4, due to the phone's "sales slump," according to Korean-language web portal Naver. The suspected mid-January announcement could coincide with Samsung's presence at CES 2014. However, we know that Samsung literally likes to do its own song and dance when introducing a new Galaxy S smartphone. And that may be the case early next year. Naver say Naver? January is always a tricky month to launch refreshed technology because companies often tout their previous generation gadgets during the holidays a month prior. Customers could feel burned. However, the source, Naver, is a site made up of ex-Samsung employees, and we do know that the Korean electronics giant really wants to upgrade its smartphone to compete with the iPhone 5S. The Galaxy S5 is expected to level the processor playing field with a 64-bit chip that's eight cores in all countries this time. It's also thought to be Samsung's first major all-metal smartphone, ditching the cheap plastic of the S4 and the faux-leather plastic casing found in the Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy S5 may also run Android and Tizen. Samsung's homegrown Bada mobile operating system was previously thought of as a backup to Android. Since Bada development was rolled into Tizen, this may be Samsung's first baby steps away from Google's dominate Android operating system. We may find out at the start of the new year. Read: How much will the Nexus 5 cost? Supposed Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 photos reveal some major changes Oct 11th 2013, 19:44, by Michael Rougeau A new series of leaked Nexus 5 photos traveled all the way from Italy to reveal some of the aesthetic and functional changes coming in Android 4.4 KitKat. The LG-made Nexus 5 appears to be running the new Android update in images from Italian site Tutto Android, and it looks like the OS has been reworked to make Google Now more prominent and reduce clutter. For one thing, the black bars Android users are used to seeing at the top of the screen (for notifications) and the bottom (for capacitive buttons on phones like the HTC One) now reportedly fade into the background or become more transparent when not in use. And the icons, wallpapers and lockscreen have all been overhauled to varying degrees, by and large becoming more colorful and flat, not unlike the recent changes in Apple's iOS 7. Peas in a pod The Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 have been closely tied together since the new LG flagship appeared in a commercial for Google's latest OS update. Leaks of the new Nexus with the new OS version installed appeared throughout September as well. They're expected to release at the same time, possibly even very soon. More changes Today's leak revealed changes in the way settings are organized as well. There now appear to be three options for location detection: "device sensors," which use just the GPS sensor; "battery saving," which uses only Wi-Fi and mobile data; and "high accuracy," which uses all three. In addition, NFC is more prominent in the settings menu with a "tap & pay" option front and center. That could indicate a greater focus on Google Wallet coming up. Finally, the Android Messaging app is conspicuously absent in the homescreen shot, though Google Hangouts is prominent - which lends credence to the idea of SMS and MMS being folded into Hangouts like Google Talk just was. The latest rumor holds that the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat could be released in just four days! AT&T axing all but Mobile Share plans for new customers Oct 11th 2013, 19:08, by Michelle Fitzsimmons If you've thought about heading over to AT&T but don't want to pool data between devices, we recommend signing up before Oct. 25. It's then that AT&T will give new customers no other option than to sign-up for a Mobile Share plan, doing away with offering a traditional data plan to newbies. "[We're] streamlining the plans we offer new customers," the company said in a blog post. "Our customers have expressed an overwhelming preference for simplified options that allow them to share data across multiple devices." According to AT&T, Mobile Share "is the most popular plan that new customers choose when coming to AT&T." "In 95% of the new customers scenarios, Mobile Share offers the same or better price with additional value." Data do's AT&T's move follows rival Verizon, which requires new customers to sign-up with a Share Everything plan. Existing customers can keep their current plan and won't be forced to switch to a Mobile Share, even if they upgrade to a new device. Mobile Share customers can connect up to 10 devices in a single Mobile Share plan, adding a new device for anywhere between $10/month (tablets and gaming devices using shared data) to $30/month (basic and messaging phones with shared data and unlimited talk and text). Data plans start at $50/month for a basic phone and $70/month for a smartphone, each with 300MB of data and unlimited talk and text. Because everything is better in pictures, check out AT&T's infographic explaining its Mobile Share option. T-Mobile is at it again, this time with free unlimited international roaming and texts. Fighting Talk: Samsung, have you gone around the bend? Oct 11th 2013, 16:03, by Phil Lavelle Samsung, we get it. You've had an idea. You want to tell the world about it. You have something you have perfected, it's time to show everyone before the others join the crowd and dilute the experience. But sometimes you have to take a step back, think and then just say "no" to yourself - and that's just what you should have done with the Galaxy Round, your first phone imbued with the flexible screen. Have you gone around the bend, Samsung? OK, God loves a trier. Celine Dion STILL sells records. Vince Vaughn. Enough said. And Samsung has gone from being the underdog in mobile land a decade ago to one of the biggest manufacturers in the world by now. Hats off. But gloves off too: you've done this because you want to stay looking like a leader, where really it actually leads to a worse experience. Few people looking at this curved screen monstrosity are thinking 'What a great idea'. More like 'what the f*ck?!' Twisted logic There's no doubt that the technology is evolving. And maybe one day we'll have a use for a phone with a curve in the screen. Maybe when we've all got telegraph pole shaped heads. Maybe when... .. Actually, I can't complete that sentence because I can't think of a single other reason to have a phone shaped like that. It'd create a bulge in the pocket (hello!) but the thought of flicking Angry Birds on a screen with extra trajectory blocking prospects. Those birds are gonna be angry. And I don't blame them.. And how on earth are you going to type on it? Samsung is a world leader in innovation. And for that, we salute you. For every stupid idea (like that motion tilt browsing rubbish on the S4), there is a good idea being worked on in the South Korean labs. But sometimes, an idea can be rushed out when it probably isn't ready. And right now, for all its innovation and success built around the likes of the S4 and Note 3, it's starting to look less like the cool neighbour who drives a convertible and more like the crazy lady who lives down the street. This is a company that recently had to admit, days after launching a innovative product in the Galaxy Gear, that "there's still work to be done." Seoul to Seoul At the moment, it looks like the Galaxy Round is only being shipped to those in South Korea, a market more welcoming to the more insane of technological ideals. Remember the polyphonic ringtones that Samsung and LG devices used to be loaded with? The South East Asian customers loved them. The more conservative customers would rather nail themselves to a fridge door than let people hear them. Maybe that's what's coming next.. A phone that doubles up as a hammer. Would certainly be more useful, Samsung. Outlook.com app for Android gets out of office replies Oct 11th 2013, 15:39, by Kane Fulton Microsoft recently peeled the cucumber face mask off Windows 8.1's Mail app to reveal a fresh new look, and now the company has done the same for its Outlook.com app for Android devices. It claims that 68% of Outlook.com's 400 million users now access the service on a mobile device, and has stocked the app's feature cupboard with 150 user requested improvements as a result. The most notable addition is server-side search, which lets you search through all email messages including those that haven't yet been downloaded to the phone. All the mail It appears alongside a new option to download every email you've ever received or sent (probably best to do this over Wi-Fi), as opposed to those just from the last month. The updated app, which is compatible with devices running Android 2.2 and above, also gets an 'out of office' feature that preps automatic replies when you're sunning yourself in the Caribbean (or just going for a sandwich or something). It's also been given a new lick of paint to match Windows 8.1's new Mail app. If the default blue, white and grey colour scheme isn't to your fancy, there's 11 different palettes to choose from, including a shade of green that matches Android's UI. Want some free Android games to go with your new mail app?

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