| New Swiftkey 4.3 hits beta, you can download it now Oct 17th 2013, 14:00, by Kate Solomon 
Swiftkey has launched its latest version, 4.3, as a beta that you can now download to your many and varied Android devices. The update is intended to improve how you use your keyboard: you can choose between various layouts that you can then resize and move to any part of a device screen. There are three presets: 'compact' for large-screened phones so you can type with one hand, 'full' for large screens when you have two hands available and 'thumb' that splits the keyboard into to thumbable halves. That means that you can choose a specialised layout for a specific situation, then switch back to a regular layout when you have more elbow-space. Beta bandCunningly calling it a beta means that you may encounter bugs and problems that you can report to Swiftkey and the team there can say, "Hey, it's a beta! What're you gonna do?" And hopefully also "Thanks" and "we'll get that fixed for the full software roll out, don't you worry about a thing." If you fancy giving it a go, you can now download the Layouts for Living beta from Swiftkey's beta website.        |  | Samsung offering free Galaxy S4 battery replacements Oct 17th 2013, 10:38, by James Rogerson 
Samsung has packed a whole lot of tech into its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone but it seems to have let some battery issues slip through the cracks. Following reports of widespread battery problems, which seemed to particularly affect German Galaxy S4 users with as many as 30% experiencing issues according to German site MobiFlip, Samsung has announced that it will replace faulty batteries free of charge. The issues range from a fast-draining power pack to the lithium-ion units actually swelling up and pushing against the case of the phone, something we've seen BlackBerry devices do in the past. The statement was made to TrustedReviews and ends by assuring customers that Samsung remains "committed to providing the best possible user experience for our customers." Old for newThe full statement reads: "We are aware of this issue, which has affected a limited number of customers. "We ask all affected customers to please visit their nearest Samsung Electronics service centre, where they can receive a replacement battery for free of charge. We remain committed to providing the best possible user experience for our customers." If you find that your Samsung Galaxy S4 battery is playing up, Samsung urges you to bring it in to your nearest Samsung Electronics service centre, where a replacement battery will be provided. Whether the new batteries will be any more reliable is unclear, but at least you can always go back and get it replaced again if you're unlucky enough to have two faulty batteries.        | | New Nexus 5 release date touted and LG G Flex on the way Oct 17th 2013, 09:58, by James Rogerson 
As if we didn't already have enough dates for a potential Nexus 5 launch another has now popped up and this time it's October 30. The new date is courtesy of a listing on Amazon for a Nexus 5 case which is set to ship on October 30. Now that the original October 15 date has been and gone with no announcement, the most recent date we'd heard prior to this was October 31, so this new potential date of October 30 isn't a million miles from that. Whether the seller has inside information or is just guessing is unknown and it could equally be that the idea is that the case will be available to ship one day before the announcement so that those who are quick off the mark can have the case in their hands from day one. Whichever scenario turns out to be turn this is, if nothing else, further evidence that the Nexus 5 is likely to be announced at around the end of the month. Flexible funKorea's ETNews has even gone on record today saying that the Nexus 5 will be with us by the end of the month, further stoking the Android shaped fire. The site additionally stated that a Firefox OS smartphone and the 6-inch LG G Flex will be launched next month, so we may be about to have our first taste of a flexible phone, since Samsung's Galaxy Round is apparently just a prototype. Whether the Nexus 5 ultimately arrives on October 30 or October 31 it looks like the wait should nearly be over. If the Nexus 5 (and by extension Android 4.4) do arrive on October 30 or 31 they'll likely be sharing the limelight with Apple's iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2, which are rumoured to be launching around a week after their October 22 reveal. In other words we could be in for quite a showdown. As for the LG G Flex, it's probably wise to wait till next month to launch, as flexible screen or not it's going to have a hard time competing with Google and Apple. - We've got more nuggets of Nexus 5 news right here.
       | | Vodafone gives 4G to prepaid users Oct 17th 2013, 05:35, by Farrha Khan 
Vodafone prepaid customers may have noticed faster data speeds today as the telco begins pushing prepaid users onto its 4G network. New prepaid customers, however, will need to wait until mid-November to access Vodafone's LTE network. "We're rewarding our existing prepaid customers by transitioning them to our superfast wide-band 4G network first. Some have been with Vodafone for many years and we want to ensure their move is a smooth one," said Kim Clarke Vodafone Australia's Chief Marketing Officer. Vodafone launched its 4G network earlier this year, being the last of the big three telcos to switch on the faster data network after lengthy network upgrades. At the time Vodafone had only migrated existing post-paid customers on to the LTE network as well, later opening it up to new customers. A data boostVodafone also announced that it was giving its $40 prepaid plan a bit of a boosts in terms of data and voice call allowance. Previously, the telco offered 750MB and $650 worth of voice calls with unlimited SMS on the prepaid plan, but it has now been increased 1GB of data and $750 worth of calls. Vodafone noted that to access the new 4G network, customers may need to change the settings on their 4G-enabled phones. You can also check out if you are in a 4G coverage area or not.        | | CommBank to bring NFC payments to Android and iOS Oct 17th 2013, 01:36, by Farrha Khan 
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) is poised to be the first bank in Australia to offer NFC payments with the release of its new app. The new app will merge CBA's current CommBank and Kaching apps into a new CommBank app, allowing customers to pay for things up to $100 using their smartphone device at retailers that support tap-and-go payments. However, the app isn't yet available, with CBA Executive General Manager for Cards, Payments, Analytics and Strategy Angus Sullivan saying only that it will be made available "in the next coming months". For NFC payments, the app use the secure element built into Android devices, with Sullivan saying when the app is released, they will announce which handsets will be able to support this payment option. For iPhone users and other Android devices that don't have NFC inbuilt, CommBank will be also offering a "smart" PayTag, which is basically a sticker that can be placed onto the back of your phone (or anywhere, really) with NFC built in. The CommBank PayTag will then work similar to a credit card with a chip in it at terminals, with the added function of it being tied to the new app. Again, the PayTag's availability will be announced in coming months, probably around the app's launch date. The app tie-inThe new CommBank app will allow you to turn enable or disable NFC payments, as well as switch the account it is tied to. For anyone worried, CBA says that security remains a top priority for the bank. In any case, all CommBank transactions will be backed by its 100% money back guarantee. "As the only Australian bank with an NFC payment solution for both iPhone and Android devices, this will transform the way our customers make everyday payments," said Sullivan. Sullivan also explained to TechRadar that while the new app will be free, for customers to access the NFC payment option, whether with NFC touting handsets or with the PayTag, it will cost a one-off fee of $2.99. Other new features of the app includes new swipe gestures that moves between 3 "pages", the first being a login screen to access payment options throughout the app, the second shows a quick view of the balance in a nominated default account, and the third shows ATM and branch locations. The app will also give you the ability to pay bills via QR codes, quick fund transfers between accounts, activate a card or change a card's PIN number within the app, and Kaching payment options, which allows you to pay people via email, Facebook or a phone number. The app will be available to iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 users, but Windows Phone 8 users will miss out on the payment options.        | | Galaxy Round reportedly a prototype, even has a limited run in South Korea Oct 17th 2013, 01:12, by Matt Swider 
The Samsung Galaxy Round is available to buy right now in South Korea, even though it looks like an odd-shaped prototype that the company is testing out. Well, truth be told the "world's first curved smartphone" is actually being considered a prototype inside Samsung, according to the dedicated fan blog SamMobile. The report cites an insider that said the South Korean electronics giant intends to produce only "limited quantities" of the peculiar device. The lack of inventory may not be that big of a problem, however. The Galaxy Round is rather expensive with a price that said to be over $1,000 (about £627, AU$1,047). A Note 3 that flexes a lotThe Galaxy Round could be a sign of future curved display smartphones to come that are meant for the mainstream. Samsung has done this sort of limited testing phase before when it launched the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE, noted today's report. Or it may be a one-off that Samsung doesn't get behind after polling public opinion. While this "prototype" is not being sold outside of South Korea right now, anyone bent on owning a smartphone with the same basic specs - minus the bend - can pick up the Galaxy Note 3. The two devices use a similar phablet-sized nearly 5.7-inch display. It's just that one is curved and the other is not. Unless of course you drop the Note 3.        | | In Depth: Smartphone photography tips and tricks you should know Oct 16th 2013, 21:35, by Marc Flores 
Smartphone photography, iPhoneography, mobile photography or whatever you want to call it, it's clear that taking great pictures with a phone has become a thing now. What does that mean, exactly? It means that folks are creating works of art from the smartphones, and those pieces also go up in galleries or are made into prints. That's the extreme end, of course, but on the other we have Instagram photos that look totally killer. 
If you own a smartphone made in the last year, chances are it has a pretty damn good camera on it, too. And if you're reading this article, perhaps you're curious about taking better pictures with that smartphone. Before we dive into it, just know this: learning and knowing how to do it is the easy part. The hard part is creating something magical with that knowledge, but by knowing how to get there, your chances of making pretty pictures improve. Smartphone photography appsYou might be thinking that any old photo can be made to look nice with all the photography apps out there. It's sort of true, but at best they can make bland photos look somewhat interesting. But that's not what you want - you want control over how your images look, and that's what apps should help you do. The first thing you'll need is an app that helps you control focus and exposure of your camera. Some smartphones will allow you to do this by default, like the Nokia Lumia 1020. Other phones give you the option to set focus and exposure at the same time, but not independently, like the iPhone 5S. However, there are plenty of apps out there that will allow you to do both, like Pro Camera 7 or Camera+ for the iPhone. That's what you'll need as a good starting point for taking good photos. 
After all, if you can't control your exposure or where your camera focuses, you might as well give up and buy a proper camera. The next set of apps you'll want are the ones that will allow you to control basic things like contrast, white balance, color saturation and brightness. Most photos straight out of camera are flat, so you'll want apps like Snapseed or Photoshop Touch to fine tune them. Here is a list of apps you should start with if you're on the iPhone, but you'll find very similar ones - if not their exact counterparts - on Android, too. 1. Learn to use your camera softwareThis might seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at just what your smartphone camera can do. Perhaps you're familiar with some of the basic operations, like switching between the camera and video modes, or turning your flash on and off or putting it on auto. But did you know that your camera likely has some scene modes, too? Or panorama and HDR features? Don't be afraid to tinker with your iPhone or Android device's camera. It has plenty of memory for photos, so you can play with the different features, effects and settings and snap lots of photos. Soon, you'll know your way around the camera software like it's second nature. And that's exactly what it should become - you don't want to miss any moments because you're busy fumbling with your camera's settings. 2. Learn compositional basicsThis might sound boring, but learning the basics is tried and true. There are plenty of resources out there for this, but here are a few things to keep in mind. First, we'll start with the rule of thirds. If you're just starting out, think of it as a hard rule before you start breaking it. With the rule of thirds, imagine a grid of lines on your smartphone's display, dividing it into thirds both horizontally and vertically. In fact, most smartphones come with an option to display that very grid. 
With the grid up, try placing your subjects along those lines or at the points where the lines intersect. It will make the photos much more interesting than being smack dab in the middle of your frame. You can do this with subjects like lighthouses, people, flowers and everything else. But it's also a good idea to do this with your horizon lines, too, so that your horizon never cuts through the center of your frame. Once you get into the habit of following the rule of thirds, you'll start to have a better sense of a photo's balance. When you're at the stage where you think you're getting the hang of it, start breaking the rule and see what works and what doesn't. 3. Learn how to see lightIf you're going to go out and make pictures that impress your friends, you're going to need good light. What is good light, exactly? Good light is the kind of light that gives a scene shape, depth and makes things look interesting. Generally, shooting indoors with artificial light or outdoors midday or with overcast skies is bad, flat and boring light. You'll know flat light when you see it - there are few shadows, if any, and everything looks evenly lit. Look for light with some kind of direction and color. This type of light happens naturally at just before sunrise and at sunset. Alternatively, window light is great because it has direction and it's often soft and a little diffuse, so it's not harsh on your subjects. 
Good light is especially important in mobile photography because you can't create much more interest with different focal lengths and varying depth of field. You're stuck with one focal length, and one aperture setting. It's a very good exercise in shooting light and finding good composition. 4. Find an interesting momentSay you're at a beautiful location, the light is gorgeous and everything is ripe for a great photo. But nothing's happening. It's like looking through your Instagram or Facebook feed: there are hundreds of sunset photos with nothing but just sunsets. That's it. Instead, find something to complement the scene if you can. Maybe it's just someone walking by. Wait until the shape of the walking person balances the photo and is at peak action, then snap away. Sometimes, there are no moments. Nothing is happening. There's no one around, and it's just a pretty scene. It won't hurt to take the photo. Do that and keep it for yourself or share it with close people and tell a story along with it. 
But if you really want to get the good stuff, find a good moment. Maybe it's people peacefully relaxing in the park - sleeping, eating, chatting, reading. Or maybe it's a quarrel on the street (just be safe). Keep your eyes open for movement and always try to find some way to balance the photo compositionally. Without moments, you're probably just shooting still life most of the time. It's too easy, and we can all agree that there are more than enough food photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram these days. 5. Work the sceneWhat does it mean when a photographer tells you to work the scene? It means almost that - work it! Don't just stand there, compose and snap one photo and move along. Maybe a better shot will come along in a minute, or in five minutes. Or perhaps you'd get a better photo of your subject by standing closer, or further away. Maybe the photo would look better from a lower angle, or a higher one. Or you can compose the same scene in a different way, or three different ways. Taking a good photo means giving it some thought. Otherwise you're just taking snapshots, and unless you get really lucky, your chances of getting a good photo that way are slim. Don't be afraid to take many photos. You can always delete them later, and you have plenty of memory on your smartphone. When you see something that really catches your eye, work that scene. And if there is a moment about to happen, shoot through it. That means keep shooting photos until the moment is over, then pick the best one. In fact, smartphones like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S have excellent burst modes that can capture photos as fast as 10 frames per second. Use it! 6. Don't stop shootingYou can't expect to practice the piano once a week and play a Chopin Etude by the end of the year. At least, most of us wouldn't be able to do that. And you can't expect the same from photography. If you only take photos once in a blue moon, it's going to take you a very long time before you can start taking photos that impress your friends. Try shooting a little every day. If you're lacking inspiration some days, shoot anyway. Shoot what's in front of you, even if it could end up being another dreaded food photo. Why not try to make it look more interesting than the clichéd straight-down-from-the-top photo that has become the norm these days? Find a better angle, shoot it macro, just make it interesting. And that's what you'll end up doing most of the time. Unless you're out on the hunt for perfect light, interesting settings and great moments, you're going to be forced to turn mundane, everyday objects and scenes into something interesting. If you can make your friends and family say, "Wow, I've never seen it that way before," then you're doing something right. You're being creative, rather than just a passive observer documenting what he or she sees without second thought. That's it! Now go out there and impress us all.        | | The next big Windows update allegedly won't arrive until 2015 Oct 16th 2013, 20:53, by Michael Rougeau 
Windows 8.1, the first major update to Windows 8, will be released tomorrow as a free download for existing W8 users. So what's next? ZDNET's sources said in a report published today that the next big Windows update won't arrive until spring 2015. That puts more than a year between the Windows 8.1 release and the next big overhaul - plenty of time for Microsoft to whip up something good. And plenty of time for Windows users to dissect and critique every single aspect of Windows 8.1, which they'll no doubt do. Windows Phone 8.1: another puzzle pieceBefore that, though, Microsoft will reportedly release a smaller Spring 2014 Windows 8.1 update to coincide with the launch of Windows Phone 8.1. Some expect the next major Windows update to arrive fall 2014, but today's report said that's looking unlikely. When the big Windows update does arrive in 2015, it will supposedly further unify Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. That could be when the combined Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 app store, previously rumored for Spring 2014, will arrive as well. And as ZDnet pointed out, the recent rumor about Windows Phone 8.1 devices growing up to 10 inches makes more sense if Windows Phone and Windows RT eventually merge; otherwise they'd encroach on one another.        | | Galaxy S5 will reportedly launch without powerful new chip Oct 16th 2013, 20:26, by Michael Rougeau 
Just 24 hours ago we heard that Samsung's Galaxy S5 will pack a powerful new chip, a 14-nanometer 64-bit Exynos CPU, but word today is that won't happen after all. Unwired View claimed that there's simply not enough time for Samsung to mass-produce a 14nm chip. That's because, as we've heard before, the Galaxy S5 release may be set for January, moved up from the previously expected March release for the S5. The Galaxy S5 might still sport a 64-bit CPU, but the site said mass production of 14-nanometer chips is still months away. Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5The same report alerted us to data from Counterpoint Research that claims Galaxy S4 sales dropped to 5 million in August from a 7 million peak in June. The Hong Kong research group said the S4 was the top-selling phone in August, though for some reason it counted the iPhone 5 16GB and 32GB models as two separate phones. The two iPhone versions took the second and third spots on the list of top-selling phones that month, so combined they likely beat the Galaxy S4. And keep in mind that was just before Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, when iPhone 5 sales may have slumped due to anticipation for the new devices. Mobile market on the riseHowever, despite the new iPhones on the market, Galaxy S4 sales will likely rise as the holidays approach thanks to price cuts and promotions from Samsung. Counterpoint's research said high-end phone sales are dropping off while mid-tier options like the Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S duos and others pick up the slack. Overall, the mobile market is growing 40 to 50 percent year over year, the group said.        | | Google teases us with Android KitKat 'signs' Oct 16th 2013, 15:19, by Thomas Thorn 
We're still none the wiser on the Android 4.4 KitKat release date since October 15 has been and gone, but Google's Kit Kat Google+ page is full of hints. We reported earlier that it could be that the US government shutdown is to blame, causing delays in the approval process. If indeed that is the case, it seems like the delay could well be only a few days, or less. Yesterday, a post on the Android KitKat Google+ appeared showing the chocolatey Android dancing, with the title 'Everybody dance now'. Android Community - among others - have mooted the theory that the C+C Music Factory Hit was 4 minutes and 4 seconds long, tying in with the Android 4.4 moniker, while pointing out that the songs release was October 18, 1990. Make your own mind up if you think it points to a launch this Friday. 
Look for the signs...Google hasn't stopped there, with an image posted today showing KitKat bars making up the phrase "This is it" and with the teasing message "sometimes you have to look for the signs..." Speculation also abounds here, with many suggesting that the number of KitKat fingers, there are 16, in the image could mean that today, October 16, could be the Android 4.4 release date. 
Then again, a lot of comments are leading to suggest that maybe October 28 is the day we should all be looking out for in the off chance this is a subtle film reference. Until the actual release, it is all speculative and perhaps a little tenuous, so there is a certain level of caution to be taken with these things. Maybe, just maybe, Google are trolling us, messing with our heads. We hope not. We want our update soon.        | | Samsung may power Galaxy Note 4 with long distance wireless charging Oct 16th 2013, 15:14, by Hugh Langley 
Samsung could be about to get serious about wireless charging, with a report that the South Korean tech titan is experimenting with something new. ET News says Samsung is looking at a better version of wireless charging technology that uses magnetic resonance, which it will apparently build into future smartphones. Magnetic resonance wireless charging, for the uninitiated, simply means the device won't need to be in contact with a "source" object in order to power up. Instead the charge flow will be able to reach the device as long as its within a certain distance. According to the same report Samsung could start using the technology from mid-2014 so, while this could be optimistic thinking, we're hoping it won't be long before our phones can charge while they're tucked in our pockets. Yeah Samsung! Yeah Science!This means we probably won't see the awesome new technology in the Samsung Galaxy S5, as the new flagship is expected to arrive early next year. However, we also expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 appear well into the second half of 2014, and it could be the first Samsung device to come harnessing the power of true wireless charging. We'd also like to point out how useful this would be for the Galaxy Gear as battery power is one of the real difficulties with smartwatches. We know Samsung is working on further watch-based developments, so here's hoping it can put this on then agenda.        | | Is this the Cyan Nokia Lumia 1520? Oct 16th 2013, 14:38, by Thomas Thorn 
There is less than a week to go until we jet out to Abu Dhabi to see what Nokia have been shouting about. This means that it is high time for a flurry of leaks and rumors surround just what Nokia might be launching. We're expecting the official announcement of the heavily rumored Nokia Lumia 1520, the firm's new flagship Windows Phone 8 phablet device. Blue is his house with a blue 'little' windows phoneToday's leaked press render comes from a previously unknown source, by the name of Moroleaks. We're advising an unhealthy dose of the old NaCl on this one, as there are only 7 tweets from the feed, with 5 of the others being of the fabled Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet that have, possibly coincidentally popped up on evleaks before hand. It does, however, appear to match previous photographs that we've seen before. If this does turn out to be the Lumia 1520, it shows that it will come in a few colors a la iPhone 5C, or nigh on every Nokia Lumia device. Needless to say, we'll have the full news on to you as soon as we can, until then we'd suggest checking out what we already know, or at least think we know.        | | Dell supercharges KACE 1000 Management Appliance with free mobile app Oct 16th 2013, 14:16, by Kane Fulton 
Dell has launched a free mobile device management (MDM) app to help IT administrators track and secure the growing number of employee-owned devices being brought into workplaces. The company's free Dell KACE K1000 GO app allows admins to access Dell's KACE K1000 Management Appliance from a smartphone or tablet. They can then carry out a range of tasks that include reviewing and responding to service desk notifications and deploying apps and software updates remotely. The app, which is available to download from Google's Play store on Android (version 4.0 and later) and Apple's App store on iOS (version 6.0 and later), also provides users with real-time ticket alerts of events through push notifications on both platforms, according to Dell. 
Scale upAimed at the midmarket and above, Dell's KACE K1000 Management appliance starts at £8,000 and includes one year of support. Jim Docherty, UK Public Sales at Dell KACE, told TRPro that the appliance, along with the new mobile app, can help rapidly growing businesses keep track of devices while simplifying management tasks. He says: "We know of a local education authority running 13,000 devices across 160 sites using a single appliance, which sounds scary, but they're helped by the fact that they can do anything that they might need to remotely."        | |
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