| Exclusive: Windows Phone still a no go for Sky Go in UK Nov 28th 2013, 11:13, by John McCann 
Windows Phone users may have got a little excited after news from Italy confirmed that Sky Italia would be providing Sky Go support for the Microsoft platform. Unfortunately we've been brought back down to earth with a bump, as BSkyB in the UK has confirmed that it does not have any similar plans at this time. A BSkyB spokesperson told TechRadar: "Sky Italia and Sky are separate companies operating in different countries. We as BSkyB are currently prioritising bringing support to additional Android tablet devices." Bumpy rideSky Go had a bit of a bumpy ride since its launch, with just a handful of Android devices gaining support for the live streaming application, and while Sky is committed to rolling it out to more tablets, its pace still feels a little slow. It does, however, give full support to Apple's range of iPhones and iPads, with the iOS platform a lot easier to develop for thanks to the lack of fragmentation with plagues Google's OS. Windows Phone integration isn't completely out of the question though, as the spokesperson confirmed that "we will continue to monitor the marketplace and should we see an uptake by our customers of Windows phones will explore support."        |  | HTC One with microSD slot destined for UK Nov 28th 2013, 10:57, by Gareth Beavis 
The five star HTC One may be about to get even better as word that the dual-SIM version is heading to our shores, complete with microSD slot. We didn't find much wrong with the HTC One when we reviewed it, but one of the minor points against the handset was the lack of expandable storage - but that's about to be rectified. The dual-SIM HTC One has been available in Asia since the handsets launch, but only now has the Taiwanese firm made the decision to roll it out to other countries. However, that additional functionality will come at a price - the back cover will be removable, which has the effect of making the phone feel less well-packaged, as we saw on the supersized One Max. Why, exactly?The dual SIM offering is an interesting - HTC reckons there's a large amount of users who are carrying two phones for international reasons, or just want to have a work and home phone. Here's the weirdly good news: there will be very little price difference between the two models, with the HTC One dual SIM coming for the same price as the original HTC One, according to HTC's official store. It will also be coming to the high street as well as be available through online retailers in the new feature, as HTC is touting that fact it's talking to a number of outlets at the moment. In terms of the HTC One dual SIM release date, we're a little in the dark. The model launched in China quite soon after the announcement of the original One, so it's not a case of getting production up and running. Here's hoping that HTC has opened its eyes and realised there's still a huge appetite for expandable storage on phones - will the HTC One Two follow suit?        | | Updated: Nexus 5 price and release date: where can I get it? Nov 28th 2013, 09:55, by Gareth Beavis 
Blimey Nexus 5, we were starting to wonder if we'd ever see you. Now that Google has gone official with the Nexus 5, which is the first device to come packing Android 4.4 KitKat, the good news is that you don't have long to wait to get your hands on its chocolatey goodness. So we've pulled together a list of networks and retailers who will be offering up the handset. Keep an eye on the list though, we'll be updating as we hear more... Google Play StoreAs expect, you can buy the Nexus 5 straight from the Google Play Store. It's available for £299 for the 16GB model in black or white, or £339 for 32GB. Carphone WarehouseCarphone was originally selling the Nexus 5 SIM-free. But sadly the retailer has informed TechRadar that it only had limited stock for SIM-free sales and they are now all gone. You snooze, you lose folks. It's still stocking the Nexus 5 on pay monthly deals though, and for no cost if you join a £32 per month, two year 3G contract on O2. That includes unlimited calls and texts and 1GB of data. Oh, you can get it on a 4G contract for £37 per month, which will lump on an extra 2GB of data fun. O2While Vodafone and EE aren't getting in on the Nexus action, O2 is offering the phone directly, but only in the larger 32GB variant. Available on O2's Refresh tariff, the phone is free on a £32 per month deal, which gives you 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB of data. You can now also get it on PAYG, but don't do that - it's still £429.99, which is a tad expensive when you compare it with how much Google is offering it for. ThreeData friendly network Three is also stocking the Nexus 5 and it has confirmed the handset will be supported by its 4G service which is due to roll out in December. You can bag yourself unlimited data (plus 500 minutes and 5000 texts) on the Nexus 5 from just £29 per month, although you'll need to stump up £49 at point of sale. The 16GB Nexus 5 is also available on PAYG, but at £399.99 it's extremely expensive so you'd be better off going via Google direct. Phones4UThe Nexus 5 has popped up over at Phones4U, but it seems stock is hard to come by, as it's currently listed as 'unavailable'. However, the great news for fans of funny finger shapes is that the Nexus 5 will be appearing back on the shelves shortly - it's just been nabbed by too many hungry fans. Mobiles.co.ukThe 'secret' arm of Carphone Warehouse (as in, it's owned by the high-street retailer) has the Nexus 5 on most networks, and it's relatively cheap, starting at £17.94 on contract, although sadly there's no PAYG price. MobilePhonesDirect.co.ukA relatively similar deal here - with the phone costing £18 on a two year deal as the cheapest monthly option. You can also pick up the phone SIM Free, but be warned: it's a pointless £454.99 to do it.        | | Clues about YouTube's Music Pass streaming service found in Android app Nov 28th 2013, 09:53, by Hugh Langley 
We reckon YouTube might be gearing up for a big announcement, as evidence of a music streaming service continues to mount. Android Police has torn open the APK of the latest version of the Android app and found a number of pretty explicit clues that YouTube has a service named Music Pass in the works. Not only was there a name, but some helpful clues as to what features are in store. For one thing, it mentions "Offline playback: take your music everywhere". If the info is to be believed, Music Pass will also offer "Background listening" to let you keep rocking when using other apps. Music to our earsIf that wasn't promising enough, the APK also mentions "Uninterrupted music" with "No ads on millions of songs", though this will only come with the paid service. Talk of YouTube moving into music streaming started some time ago when rumours of a Spotify-style service began to swirl. Right now there's no indicator of how much YouTube might be charging for Music Pass. YouTube also recently announced that it will be letting users cache videos and watch them offline for up to 48 hours. There was more evidence of this in the APK teardown, suggesting that we'll be able to cache entire playlists offline.        | | Apple's minimalist iPhone 5S allegedly takes 600 workers to build Nov 27th 2013, 23:39, by Matt Swider 
Apple is known for being a minimalistic company, but the number of assembly line workers it takes to build an iPhone is becoming increasingly complex. The more intricate iPhone 5S is said to have 600 assembly workers on each production line at Foxconn manufacturing facilities, according a report by the Wall Street Journal. "We have been churning out about 500,000 iPhone 5Ss everyday, the highest daily output ever," said an unnamed Foxconn executive to the paper. By comparison, the less complicated, Touch ID-lacking iPhone 5 and the unapologetically plastic iPhone 5C are said to need 100 fewer workers. That's still a staggering 500 people per production line. Wait times dropWith around-the-clock assembly lines producing one million iPhone 5S units every two days, the wait times for the new iPhone have dropped significantly. You can now find an iPhone 5S in just about every Apple Store and it's available to ship within three to five business days online after quickly selling out at launch. Even the once-precious gold model is readily available thanks to Foxconn's 500,000 a day figure, which is said to have put the plant at full capacity. The supply has caught up to demand so much that we're starting to see certain retailers drop the price of the more expensive iPhone 5S ahead of Black Friday deals.        | | Nokia, BLU debut impressive smartphones for budget buyers Nov 27th 2013, 18:59, by JR Bookwalter 
If there's one thing the Motorola Moto G has taught us, it's that budget-priced smartphones make for good headlines - a lesson Nokia and BLU Products are taking to heart this week. CNET reported today that Nokia has quietly debuted a sequel to its Lumia 520, a Windows Phone 8 handset that has found a niche as a favorite among prepaid and off-contract smartphone buyers around the globe. Nokia's followup is the previously leaked Lumia 525, which checks off nearly all of the same specs as its predecessor, while doubling the operating RAM from 512MB to 1GB - enough to run pretty much every game offered in the Windows Phone Marketplace. Unfortunately, North American buyers may have a long wait ahead of them - Nokia is targeting the Lumia 525 at Africa, Asia Pacific and Middle East countries first, after which time it will presumably wash ashore on this continent. Life in BLUSpeaking of budget-minded smartphones, BLU Products announced (via Engadget) the latest Android handset in its Blue Life series, the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean-powered Blue Life Pro. Operating on quad-band GSM networks with 4G HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity, Blue Life Pro has the distinction of being one of the few smartphones with a 5MP front-facing camera capable of taking higher-resolution selfies than ever before. Only 6.9mm thin with "premium aluminum construction design," the handset also includes a 12MP rear camera and the usual raft of wireless connectivity including 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, built-in personal hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0. Blue Life Pro features a five-inch IPS HD display powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6589T processor; the handset is will be available unlocked from Amazon and select dealers across the US, Brazil and Mexico for $299 (about UK£184, AU$330).        | | Buying Guide: Best cheap smartphones: PAYG mobiles compared Nov 27th 2013, 17:36, by John McCann 
Best budget phones: 10-6With the mobile marketplace teeming with a multitude of highly priced smartphones, one might wonder whether cheap phones still have a place in the mobile infrastructure. With massive innovation in both hardware and operating systems, phones now do a lot more than just let you talk and text, with handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and iPhone 5S stealing headlines around the world these days. Sadly all this innovation isn't cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. So, is there such a thing as the 'best phone on a budget'? FutTv : 7eb7QVy1vNdj0We've been through our extensive mobile phone reviews to find the best cheap phones at the moment, so if you're looking to pick up a decent handset for not much wonga (under £180 in fact), these are the best budget phones going. 10. ZTE Blade V
PAYG: from £81.99 ZTE might not be the most well known smartphone manufacturer out there, and while it's top-end handsets have failed to hit the mark it does a good job at the opposite end of the market. The ZTE Blade V is the Chinese firm's latest stab at dominating the budget handset arena, and with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 5MP rear camera, 4-inch display and Android Jelly Bean it's a strong contender on paper. In practice the Blade V isn't the slickest operator, which is a little disappointing considering the specs ZTE has crammed inside, but for the price it doesn't really do a lot wrong. For those that are after a cheap handset to take to school, or as a back up to something a lot more powerful - just note, it's only available on Virgin Mobile. A potential deal breaker for some. 9. HTC One SV
PAYG: from £179.95
Pay monthly: FREE from £29 per month Are you taken by the UK's 4G boom, but don't fancy splashing a huge amount of cash on a top end handset? If so you'll want to meet the HTC One SV. As you may have already guessed the One SV comes 4G enabled as well as boasting a 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, 5MP camera and Android Jelly Bean wrapped up in a pleasing body. It is one of the more expensive handsets on our budget phone list, but recent price cuts means it's now under that magic £200 mark. Battery life is impressive, internet browsing is speedy and the pocketable design means the HTC One SV is also easy to carry around. 8. Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
PAYG: from £139.95
Pay monthly: FREE from £16 per month Sure the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini may be over a year old, but that just means you can pick it up for less - resulting in a pretty nifty deal. The Galaxy S3 Mini never came close to matching the flagship Galaxy S3 in terms of specs, but for £140 you can now snaffle a handset which gives you a 4-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, the Android Jelly Bean OS and a 5MP rear camera. We really liked the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. It ticks all the right boxes, and now comes in at a very decent price. The addition of a microSD slot is always a bonus in our book and it's a well built handset. If the Galaxy S3 Mini takes your fancy then don't hesitate to snap it up at this price - although you might want to finish reading this article first! 7. Sony Xperia U
PAYG: from £79.99
Pay monthly: FREE from £14 per month The Sony Xperia U oozes style and sophistication. Featuring a well-built form and traditional black Sony style, it will help you get the look on a budget. As well as it's fashionista tendencies, the Xperia U doesn't disappoint on specs either. A large 3.5-inch touch screen give good access to all your apps, and Ice Cream Sandwich offers plenty of choice when it comes to games and productivity (although it's not as slick as Jelly Bean) - plus a dual-core 1GHz processor isn't bad for the price. A front facing camera will let you video call at VGA resolution, whilst on the back you will find a decent 5MP camera for your snaps. The Xperia U doesn't offer any expansion slots, and comes with a slightly meagre 4GB storage. This is plenty for day-to-day use, but you might still need a standalone media player if music or video is your thing. 6. Nokia Lumia 620
PAYG: from £99.99
Pay monthly: FREE from £11 per month There's not a whole lot that the Nokia Lumia 620 does wrong. As an all-round, jack of all trades budget handset it does a great job. We'd love it if the screen was slightly bigger or it had a little bit more RAM, but for the price we can't really complain. The range of brightly coloured covers will likely attract the youth of today, and their tough plastic construction should keep the Lumia 620 in good nick, even after the occasional drop. The only real issue is the battery, and that's an issue to some extent with every Windows Phone 8 right now but if you fancy a little more screen real estate and a non-Android experience then this is a decent shout over the smaller Lumia 520. Best budget phones: 5-15. Huawei Ascend Y300
SIM-free: from £99.95
Pay monthy: FREE from £7.50 per month Huawei have built a solid touch screen device in the Ascend Y300, and for around £100 it's perfect for people on a tight budget that want the same features as many of its competitors. The camera in the Ascend Y300 isn't going to blow you away, although it does the job and includes editing features that don't come as standard on competitors. If you are willing to compromise a little and want to keep some money in your pocket, and fancy embracing a device that has not been produced by the established big boys in the industry, then the Huawei Ascend Y300 could be for you. 4. Sony Xperia SP
PAYG: from £179.99
Pay monthly: FREE from £15.50 per month The Sony Xperia SP is a phone that's flown a little under the radar, but one of the main draws is the 8MP camera. There are a range of settings and the quality of the images it produces were well beyond what we would expect from a smartphone at this price. There are other things we really dig on the SP too: the inclusion of a microSD slot is always welcome, and the Walkman app makes a mid-range handset really shine for the music lover. It's also packing 4G connectivity for speedy data on the go, which again is really rather nice for the price - in short, it's a handset that outperforms its price tag. 3. BlackBerry Z10
PAYG: from £159.95
Pay monthly: FREE from £10.50 per month "Hang on a minute, didn't this launch as a flagship smartphone less than a year ago?" we hear you ask. Well yes, it did - but the BlackBerry Z10 has seen one of the most dramatic price drops in smartphone history. While that is due to the firms various financial issues the result is a fantastic deal for you, the consumer with a 4.2-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a meaty 2GB of RAM, 8MP rear facing camera plus a 2MP front snapper - look at the price and you'll see it's a great deal. Of course there are questions about BlackBerry's stability, but it's not going to disappear overnight so you won't be left high and dry if you plump for the Z10. You'll need to get to grips with the new BlackBerry 10 platform, but any business users out there looking for a messaging machine the Z10 is now an excellent choice. 2. Nokia Lumia 520
PAYG: from £69.95
Pay monthly: FREE from £8.50 per month The Nokia Lumia 520, much like its big brother the Lumia 620, is a jack of all trades and a master of none - although it really manages to make a good fist of everything it tries, for the price. It looks good, it's got a decent screen both in terms of size and resolution, it rarely stutters or slows down, it's great for calls and messaging, reasonable for media and okay for photos. To achieve a lower price point the 520 has had to strip away a few things - there's no NFC, compass, camera flash or front facing camera here. The Nokia Lumia 520 certainly isn't an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy beater - but it's a superb Windows Phone 8 device that you can pick up for under £100. If you're a fan of a simple interface with some quality add-ons, then you should definitely look at Nokia's latest attempt to win over the smartphone naysayers. 1. Moto G
PAYG: from £119.89
Pay monthly: FREE from £11 per month What's this, a Motorola topping a "best of" list? Your eyes do not deceive you, Motorola is back and the Moto G is a cracking handset. In fact the Moto G is the best budget handset currently on the market, and if you're looking for maximum bang for your buck look no further. Take a gander at the spec list and the Moto G simply blows the rest of the phones here out of the water. It's rocking an excellent 4.5-inch, 720 x 1280 HD display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera and 1.3MP front snapper. The camera isn't particularly brilliant, and there's no NFC or 4G to speak of, but those are minor concessions in what is otherwise a top notch smartphone. In terms of operating system it's running the latest version of Jelly Bean - Android 4.3 - and Motorola has already guaranteed an Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Moto G by January 2014. Looking to pick up a new mobile? Check out our mobile buying guide first: FutTv : X07b7PVMTE6VW  | | Samsung Galaxy S5 to arrive in metal and plastic forms by April? Nov 27th 2013, 14:29, by Thomas Thorn 
We all know that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is coming, but speculation to when is varied. The January launch we reported on before is wrong, at least according to the news coming out of Korea today. Citing 'industry sources', ET News reports that January will instead play host to the beginning of the Galaxy S5's production, rather than its launch. A total of 800,000 to 1 million devices are expected to be produced in the first month, reaching 6 million by the end of February. This puts the release date around March or April, which is still a month or two earlier than the launch of previous Galaxy S models - the Galaxy S4 launched in May 2013. Metal or plastic or both?Apparently Samsung is at least toying with the idea of releasing two versions of the Galaxy S5; a premium metal framed version with flexible 5-inch OLED display and a more standard plastic cased 5-inch AMOLED model. In what direction the display is set to bend, we have yet to find out. Will it curve like the Samsung Galaxy Round, or will it be more akin to the LG G Flex. We'd pin our money, and our hopes, on the latter. We are left a little bemused by the need for 2 models, we'd suggest that the two different models will cater to different markets, similar to the quad/octa-core models of the S4. The idea of getting both models in western territories is a little dubious (unless we are to see an iPhone 5C scenario) as we know Samsung likes to release 'Mini' versions of its handsets such as the Galaxy S4 Mini. One specsy handsetThe Korean site also provides information on more specifications, including another mention for that 64-bit processor and 3GB of RAM. A 4000mAh battery will apparently sit inside the Android 4.4 KitKat toting handset, meaning the Galaxy S5 battery would be 53% larger than the current Galaxy S4, and 25% larger than the Note 3. We've already heard that the Galaxy S5 may ship with Samsung's newest 16MP ISOCELL camera, which is quoted again in this report. Interestingly, the Korean firm is only targeting 70% of sales in comparison to the Galaxy S4. This could down to the earlier release, meaning that those on 24 month Galaxy S3 contracts will still be tied down. We should also advise a word of caution, as 'industry sources' have a habit of being hit and miss. We won't know anything for certain until Samsung make the Galaxy S5 official in March, April, or January. Take your pick Samsung.        | | Samsung Galaxy Gear 2: lighter and launching with S5? Nov 27th 2013, 13:44, by John McCann 
The Galaxy Gear smartwatch has hardly got out the blocks but we've already heard a fair bit about its successor, the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2. Korean site ET News has reportedly spoken to an unnamed Samsung official about future devices and as well as spilling the beans on the much rumoured Galaxy S5 they apparently also mentioned the Galaxy Gear 2. If the official is on the money then the Gear 2 may rock up "about 15% to 20% thinner than previous production", which would certainly make it a more palatable device for your wrist. Galaxy S5 with Gear 2?The Samsung spokesperson is also quoted as saying that you'll be able to use the Galaxy Gear 2 with the Galaxy S5 smartphone, which could mean the smartwatch rocks up alongside the Korean firm's next flagship handset. We could potentially see a bundle deal where you get the S5 and Gear 2 as a package, much in the same way the Galaxy Note 3 and original Gear have been sold. It appears that the Galaxy Gear 2 will be far more integrated with the Galaxy S5 too, with the source revealing that you'll be able to use the smartwatch for games, entertainment and health care functions - although it's not clear what features this includes. This could see Samsung attempt to span both the smartwatch and popular fitness band demographics, offering one device which covers both areas. In terms of a Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 release date the official didn't offer anything, but the links to the Galaxy S5 means both could launch at the same time - possibly in March/April 2014 - or perhaps the watch will follow a little later with a raft of other peripherals and accessories.   | | Best internet phone: how to make the most of the web on the go Nov 27th 2013, 12:42, by Thomas Thorn 
Best Internet PhonesThe latest figures from YouGov show that 59% of the UK population now own a smartphone, with 99% set to upgrade to a smartphone when their contract expires. Given surfing the web is one of the most popular things to do on your diminutive device, which is the best phone to do it on? Given that the history of the mobile web is still relatively new, many can still remember the basic WAP service from the turn of the century, beginning with the Nokia 7110. Like it or not, we have to give a lot of credit for the rise of the mobile web to the influence of Apple and the iPhone. With a mobilised version of Safari on the original iPhone, Apple showed things didn't have to be a snail-paced monochrome experience. 
As we approach the end of 2013, we can now marvel at what today's modern smartphones can put in our hands. Powerful quad core (and a laptop-esque 64-bit chip in the iPhone 5S) hardware as well as large Full HD screens show off the mobile, and even not so mobile, web in all its sparkling glory. Advancements in web technologies, ever improving mobile battery life, coupled with the rise in free and public Wi-Fi access mean that now mobile internet browsing is not just an alternative to desktop browsing, but is often the first port of call. The rise of super-fast 4G has also managed to help speed things along. Whilst it might still be in its infancy in the UK, it has grown across the globe and now dominates international markets, like the US and many parts of Europe and Asia. There are also a wide variety of third party browsers, meaning that you don't always have to stick to what's on offer. There are even mobile browsers that are compatible with smart watches, so the burning question is: in this modern world of these gadgets and smartphones, just which is the best phone out there to access the web? To answer that, here's our selection of the best phones to browse the mobile web, with selections for the best user experience, the greatest screen, the futuristic 4G technology, a super speedy processor or just an amazing browser. Best Internet Phones: The competitionWhen it comes to buying a phone for internet browsing, there are a lot of things to consider. Whether it is the screen that is most important to you, or a really decent browser, we have you covered. We should also mention before we go any further that all the phones listed below are 4G capable, with the right data plan. 4G is already largely in use across the globe, the UK is rapidly playing catch up, and the speeds offered are dramatically better than 3G. 
Best screen clarity: Samsung Galaxy S4One of the key features that we'd suggest when looking at buying a new phone in general, let alone one specifically for the internet, is the screen. When looking at a phone specifically for web browsing, the screen becomes incredibly important. When it comes to mobile screen technology, there's one company that manages to pop its head up again and again: Samsung, with its Super AMOLED screens considered amongst the best on the market. We loved the 5-inch screen on the Samsung Galaxy S4 so much that we dedicated a whole section of our review to it. With a 1920x1080 Full HD screen, meaning 441PPI, the Galaxy S4 screen is the best mobile screen that we have seen to date. What does that actually mean, though? As we put in our review, "It's simply superb, and makes everything from web pages to video look brilliant." What more could you want from an internet phone, other than one that makes those web pages sparkle and shine, and give those mobile videos that added ping? Part of the reason fr this is that Samsung's Super AMOLED screen offers very high contrast ratios, however this can been toned down using a natural mode. It also makes blacks darker, as OLED tech turns off the pixel, whereas LCD screens come backlit. The high resolution means that text is easy to read, both zoomed out and zoomed right in, and the brightness means that you can view pages even whilst out in direct sunlight. If for some reason the Samsung Galaxy S4 makes things seem a little unreal, with the OLED making the contrast too high,why not try the LG G2? The 5.2 inch screen is also 1920x1080 Full HD, although the added screen size means that it is theoretically fuzzier, with only 424ppi. 
Best large screen: Sony Xperia Z UltraScreen size is very important for surfing the web, as it means that you can see more, which is especially important if you plan to do a lot of browsing desktop sites. This leaves us with phablets. When it comes to talking about phablets, there are numerous handsets that we could mention here such as the newly announced 5.9-inch HTC One Max, or the one of the world's most powerful phones, the 5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3. These seem a little diminutive compared to the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. The 6.44-inch screen borders on tablet size, meaning that it will only appeal to those that truly value the added real estate that it provides. The sheer size is not all that the screen provides, though. Sony has fitted its Triluminos display in the Xperia Z Ultra, meaning a greater range of colours. This means that the range of shades is more accurately reproduced, appearing far more natural. The X-Reality display also helps fill in missing pixels on standard definition images. The display analyses the pixels, sharpening up those that are lacking. The Xperia Z Ultra even has you covered if you like browsing the internet in the bath, as it comes with IP55/IP58 certification. If you really think big is beautiful, but the Sony is not quite to your tastes, why not try the Samsung Galaxy Mega? The Galaxy Mega comes with only a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, and 1.5GB RAM, making it slightly slower. This is reflected in the price. TouchWiz also lets you make the most of the 6.2 inch Galaxy Mega screen, with MultiWindow. You can browse the web and message at the same time, meaning you don't have to flick between multiple apps to share what you see. 
Best 'mini' handset: HTC One MiniIf you're not planning on doing a lot of intense desktop browsing whilst on the go, you can probably get away with using a slightly smaller device. That isn't to say that the 'mini' versions of handsets can't handle it. So if you've decided that the full strength full flavour handsets are either too pricey, too big or too something-or-other, then why not sample the Mini versions; we recommend the HTC One Mini. There is a reason that the HTC One was only the third phone to ever get our coveted 5 star review, and HTC has taken an awful lot of the features over to the HTC One Mini. So what do you get in the trade off in terms of size and power? The HTC One Mini screen is no longer Full HD, but comes with a 720p screen that is still vibrant enough on the 4.3 inch screen. It also comes with a really fast built in browser that comes with an (optional) Flash player installed. HTC has also not omitted some other key features that make mobile browsers so impressive, such as the automatic text reflow whether double tapping to zoom, or pinching to zoom. The HTC One Mini won't be for everyone though; whether its a design choice, a dislike of the UI or a need for a microSD card. If so, why not take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini? It takes a lot of what made the Samsung Galaxy S4 so impressive, omitting a lot that can be deemed unnecessary. The Super AMOLED screen is still bright and crisp, although only qHD which means only 75% of the sharpness of the 720p HD One Mini. 
Best handset browser: iPhone 5SThere is a long legacy attached to iPhone 5S, with the mobile Safari app launching on the original iPhone all the way back in 2007 to reboot the way we thought about browsing on the go. Since then, Apple has spent its time refining its precious handset, with Safari often getting a refresh. When iOS7 came along it packed in a whole raft of new features. A URL bar that minimizes itself as you move around the page and disappearing navigation buttons are just some of the features that makes Safari so intuitive. Speed is a major factor on the iPhone 5S, with it topping the Google Octane, Mozilla Kraken, Sunspider and Browsermark benchmarks, meaning you'll zip around the web in no time on the new iteration of the device - crucial to many consumers. Safari also takes cues from Google Chrome, with iCloud tabs now allowing you to move between iDevices with far greater ease. A Reader mode also allows you to scroll through an article, without being distracted by the rest of the page. One of the biggest things that Apple browsers are famed for is that lack of Flash. If this means that the iPhone 5S isn't for you, then you should try the HTC One. Its native browser comes with a Flash player built in, and is one of the best we have seen, although these days Flash is dying and isn't something consumers are necessarily drawn to when looking at a new phone. But then again, the One also got 5 stars in our review in part due to its slick browser with clever text reflow that will re-jig itself as you zoom in - that's something we still sorely miss on the iPhone. 
Best all rounder: Samsung Galaxy Note 3If there is no one particular feature that you are crying out for when it comes to looking for your internet phone, you will probably be looking at what device makes the best use out of all the key features that we have mentioned. Of these we would have to mention the Galaxy Note 3, for a number of reasons. The screen size isn't going to appeal to many, but for those looking for a decent mobile experience will find the 5.7 inch screen is a decent size, and the Full HD Super AMOLED screen is crisp and clear. Being the world's most powerful phone also means that web pages launch really quickly. The 2.3GHz quad-core processor and the 3GB RAM combine to load pages quickly, and the 4G connection aids things when out and about. That said, the Galaxy Note 3 was never going to be the best 'Mini' handset, given its size but as an all rounder for the internet you definitely can't go wrong with the Note 3. As a decent all rounder, we could also suggest the Google Nexus 5. The LG built, Google branded handset offers Mountain View's version of what a handset should be. It packs in 4G LTE technology that was missing from the Nexus 4, as well as a bright 5-inch screen, and Google's own UI that has Google Now at its heart.   | | KitKat's 'Project Svelte' could signal the end of Android fragmentation Nov 27th 2013, 10:50, by Hugh Langley 
For Google, Android 4.4 KitKat was all about getting rid of the excess bulge and having the OS running on as many devices as possible. As revealed in an interview ReadWrite, Google did this by enacting Project Svelte, buried in the updated OS, to ensure it could run on devices with just 512 MB of RAM. In the run up to KitKat we'd heard that Google was looking to support low-end devices, but now we have confirmation that this was the master plan all along, and will be a biggy for Google in eliminating the problem of Android fragmentation. Svelte (adjective): Slender and elegantIn fact, Google even used a special Nexus 4 with half the processing power, 512MB of RAM and a 960 x 540 qHD display. This isn't Google's first attempt to smooth things over. Project Butter in Android 4.1 was all about providing a more elegant, crash-free experience, though it wasn't so focused on reducing system demand. So now we know - despite the fact that KitKats are substantially bigger than jelly beans, Google's updated OS has been shrunk quite significantly. Here's hoping this is the beginning of the end for Android fragmentation.   | | LG bellows battle cry as it promises smartphones are going nowhere Nov 27th 2013, 10:13, by Thomas Thorn 
Rumours that LG is planning on moving away from the smartphone business are completely unfounded, according to the South Korean firm. Korea's ET news had reported that the company was moving resources away from the mobile arm of its business, towards the smart television market, as that's where it saw a greater chance for profit. Understandably (given its recent slew of impressive devices), LG has refuted the claims, with the story having since been removed from the site due a lack of supporting evidence. In a statement to Mobile World Live, LG said "We are more committed than ever to making the LG brand a major player in the mobile space and we think our products this year speak for themselves." Up, not outIt would certainly be a surprising move from LG, given its strong mobile presence in the forms of the LG G2, Nexus 5, the older Nexus 4 and possibly the upcoming Nexus 10 tablet. This has helped it sell 3.05 trillion Korean won (£1.69bn/$2.7bn/AU$2.85bn) worth of mobile devices, a whopping 24% increase from the previous year. LG phones might be remembered for the likes of the LG Chocolate, but LG will look to the success of the LG G2 and the upcoming G Flex to push the brand even further. There might even be an octa-core processor for the LG G3. We'll have to wait and see...   | | BLIP: No sex please, we're too busy Facebooking and emailing in bed Nov 26th 2013, 21:06, by Chris Smith 
The explosion of mobile technology has resulted in less fireworks in the bedroom, according to a new survey which suggests of-age Brits are doing the old mattress mambo with decreasing regularity. From a poll of 15,000 Briton's, the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles found those aged between 16-44 are having sex five times a month, down from more than six in 1990-91 and 1999-2001. Dr Cath Mercer of University College London reckons the fall in fornication can be partly attributed to the amount of social networking, web browsing, game playing, emailing and viewing on-demand video apps at bedtime. She said: "We think modern technologies are behind the trend too. People have tablets and smartphones and they are taking them into the bedroom, using Twitter and Facebook, answering emails." Will this make you think twice before bring your tablet to bed with you in future? More blipsDon't read this saucy array of blips with a hopeful partner lying beside you...   | |
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