| Fighting Talk: Google: the Nexus 5 has lost your X Factor Nov 8th 2013, 15:17, by Phil Lavelle 
What's the point in Google's Nexus device program these days? I mean that literally - what is the point in it? I used to know, but now, I just don't get it. Is it a developer device? Is it a consumer item? Is it both? What day is it? Google's only just announced the new Nexus 5 and for the first time since the Nexus One joined the party, I wasn't excited in the least. I know that puts me in the minority because the Nexus 5 section of this site was getting some serious hits in the build up to the announcement and launch, but WTF?! When the Nexus One came out, it was like a smartphone revelation. Quick history lesson for those who don't remember almost four years back: this was a phone for those who were dedicated. Not one for the masses. One for those who were prepared to put the time and effort in. You didn't just pick one of these up on the high street - you had to buy direct from Google in California, get it shipped over, and if you lived in international climes pay customs taxes and then wait for the postman to bring it during an incredibly snowy January when most of them refused to step on icy driveways. Man, that was a long wait. And the Nexus One wasn't cheap. I'm still paying it off now. In fact, it did get a little consumer appeal through limited networks who cottoned on to its popularity and sold a few on contract. But this remained a device for the elite. The reason was simple. This was pure Google. But now everyone's getting them. The Nexus line's lost its exclusivity. How am I supposed to feel special now, Google? HOW? One true loveThis week, a friend of mine who isn't even a tech head had the audacity to ask if I thought he should get a Nexus 5 because he'd read about it in the paper, saying: 'yeah, it looks quite cool.' If I'd had a Nexus One nearby, I'd have smacked him around the head with it, shown him that this is a device for the chosen few, not every Joe Bloggs and sent him on his merry way. But the fact is that the Nexus 5 is now a device for the masses. It's not solely a tinkerers' toy anymore. And that saddens me. I'm not saying Google has made a mistake with the Nexus 5. It had to do something, go mainstream to keep control of its system, especially given Samsung's strategy seems pretty clear: become the number one Android retailer, get people used to Touchwiz, then migrate them to Tizen, which looks the same, and hope they go peacefully. In other words, give Google a sloppy kiss while simultaneously nicking the family silver. Not unlovedI'm well aware that I'll be castigated for moaning about success of a range, and I'm fine with that. This is a rant about missing the 'good old days' of smartphone use, when you had to WORK for the love. You may say that tinkerers don't really need their own device any more. Which is probably true. Over on XDA forums you can download Frankenstein versions of any ROM under the sun and stick them on nearly any Android device you can get hold of. There's no need to have a virgin OS when you can pretty much make one yourself any time you like. But I miss feeling like I've got my hands on something that shows I'm a true fan, someone that cares about this technology. Even the Google Play editions of the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 aren't that hard to get. The Nexus 5 is a great device. And it's going to sell incredibly well, no doubt. But as for its relevance, that's not so high anymore. And the likes of the developers, those who like to have a good play, may well end up looking at some of the new operating systems, like Jolla or... whisper it... Tizen.        |  | Gary Marshall: Apple: it just works (eventually) Nov 8th 2013, 11:42, by Gary Marshall 
Slogans are powerful things, but they can often become sticks to beat their creators with: how many times do you think Google's execs wished they'd never come up with "don't be evil"? Apple's equivalent is probably "it just works", which pretty much everyone on the planet is familiar with. Other firms' products require endless patches and cause endless irritation, but Apple's stuff just works. ...except when it doesn't. Maybe this is an unusually bad week, but today alone our front page has two stories of Apple stuff that didn't just work: there's a Mavericks update to make Gmail work properly in Mail, and Apple has also issued a software fix to stop MacBook Pros from freezing. That's not all. I was one of very many Mavericks upgraders whose initial installation refused to finish, citing terrible hard disk damage, and others seem even unluckier: some Western Digital external drive users have seen their data disappear. And then there's iWork, the exciting new update that took away stacks of features that power users had come to depend upon. Apple has since published a support document detailing the missing features it's going to put back in. And lots of people are pretty unhappy with iOS 7 too. Have we gone from "it just works" to "it might work"? Damaging the brand?It's tempting to accuse Apple of slipping quality control, but then Apple has dropped the ball before. Remember iOS 6 Maps, or the furore over Final Cut Pro X? And before anyone invokes the increasingly annoying "this would never have happened under Steve Jobs" mantra, we need to throw in the launch of MobileMe, the buttonless iPod Shuffle and the cracking - literally - G4 Cube. Perhaps the truth is simple: Apple has always messed up, but today it appears to be messing up on a much bigger scale because it's a much bigger company with a much bigger profile, catering for a much wider variety of customers in a much wider variety of configurations and circumstances. It's not any less competent than before. It's just under much more scrutiny. That may be true, but even if it is it's a worry: Apple's entire brand is based on being better, on delivering a premium experience and charging accordingly, and if it breaks that promise the brand image suffers as a result. You buy Apple stuff because it doesn't throw a strop halfway through an OS installation, wipe your external drive and refuse to play nice with your documents. You buy it because it doesn't produce mysterious errors or shut down or freeze for no good reason. You buy Apple stuff on a promise, and that promise is "it just works". If it doesn't, what exactly are you paying a premium for?        | | Week in Tech: Samsung folds, Apple's gold and the greatest console story ever told Nov 8th 2013, 11:00, by TechRadar -470-75.JPG)
If you haven't read our round-up of the best tablets in the world yet, we'd advise you do it now, because we're about to spoil the ending. For the first time in history, we've given the full five stars to a tablet. And no, it wasn't the Argos MyTablet. Of course the recipient was Apple's spanking new iPad Air. As Gareth Beavis explains, it's a lovely and very powerful thing, and his review was so persuasive that we promptly spent money we didn't really have on an iPad we really didn't need. It's that good. Put it this way: when was the last time you read a device review that talked about "joy"? The iPad Air wasn't the only thing we lusted over this week, though. We're pretty keen on the new Nikon Df too. Angela Nicholson reckons it's "superbly retro" while boasting state of the art technology, and while it's pricey at £2,649.99 (about US$4,650, AU$4,500) - Nikon used the 99p because £2,650 would have looked expensive, ho ho - the "considerable excitement" appears to be entirely justified. Camera dealers say that if it's as good as it looks, it will "fly off the shelves". The greatest console story ever toldWith the launch of the next generation games consoles mere days away, it's time to ask the big question: who won this generation's console wars? Was it the PS3? The Xbox 360? Or, um, the Wii? Phil Iwaniuk reckons it's the Sony console, and he's certainly convincing. "Any fool can see PlayStation 3 ends the era victorious," he says. While Microsoft had "an open goal" in the early days, "PlayStation 3 cunningly built a wall of fantastic first-party titles in front of that goal in the six years that followed." 
Not so fast, says Jon Hicks: the winner has to be the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 is "the most influential console on the market", "king of the hill" and the bestest console ever. Hugh Langley reckons they're both wrong. There can only be one winner, and it's the Wii. "Did it have the graphical might to stand shoulder to shoulder with the PS3 and Xbox 360? Hell no. Did it have the hardcore library of the GameCube? Nope. Did it have a stupid name? Yeah, we sniggered. And guys, it couldn't even play DVDs." Wait, everyone! There's a twist! The Wii did "something much, much bigger: it got the whole world playing videogames." The Wii wasn't just a souped-up version of an existing console: it was new, and different, and amazing, and it had Super Mario Galaxy. Game over! Samsung foldsSadly the Wii is no more, and it looks as though BlackBerry's going the same way after yet more bad news - so let's cheer ourselves up with something positive to look forward to. Say hello to Samsung and its amazing bend-o-phone. The phone doesn't actually exist yet, but it will - and soon. As James Rogerson reports, Samsung has been showing off prototypes of devices with folding screens - so your phone could become a tablet, and maybe an aeroplane or a beautiful origami swan - and they could be on sale as soon as 2015. We're with Rogerson, who says "it's an exciting prospect… it could also remove the need to have both a phone and a tablet if it can effectively combine the two." It would also mean phones could be phone-sized and tablets tablet-y, heralding the end of the worst word technology has ever seen. That's right, Samsung appears to have announced the imminent death of the phablet. Now that's something that deserves the five-star treatment.        | | LG G Flex and its hefty price tag headed for Europe after all Nov 8th 2013, 10:00, by Kate Solomon 
We're still not sure if the LG G Flex will make it to the UK, US or Australia, but we now know that it will hit French shores next month after launching in Korea. So the signs are good for a possible December release - although it's not good news for your bank account, with the LG G Flex pricing revealed to be 999,900 Korean Won which is about $940 in the US, £583 in the UK and AU$992. Its curved OLED ways will hit South Korea on November 12, with 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera and a Wolverine style scratch-healing coating on the back of the device. G upBut the headline feature is that curved, slightly bendable screen which, it has been confirmed, does actually flex. Flexible phones look set to be the next big tech thing, with Samsung's Galaxy Round also doing the, er, rounds and rumours of bendy batteries starting to proliferate.        | | 64-bit chip for Samsung Galaxy S5 looking more likely than ever Nov 8th 2013, 09:43, by Hugh Langley 
It's looking increasingly likely that Samsung will push out a 64-bit chip on its phones next year, and we suspect it might even appear on the Samsung Galaxy S5. Digitimes, admittedly not always the most reliable of sources, is reporting that Samsung Display and Japan Display will "begin volume production of WQHD displays soon" and that Samsung will also pack 64-bit CPUs into its smartphones for 2014. According to the same report, the phones will additionally have 16-megapixel cameras, following Samsung's confirmation that 2014 will be the year of 16MP snapper. Power to the peopleOn Wednesday Samsung outlined its plans to develop an optimised version of a 64-bit mobile chip, following in the footsteps of the iPhone 5S. Stephen Woo, president of System LSI at Samsung Electronics, said that Samsung will first offer a 64-bit chip based on ARM's core, before putting out an optimised version. This means that if the Galaxy S5 does arrive as early as January, it might not see Samsung's more ambitious chip. However if the Galaxy Note 4 sticks to Samsung's habit of an IFA unveiling, it'll likely offer up the optimised mobile processor.        | | Buying Guide: Best Vodafone phones: 5 we recommend Nov 8th 2013, 03:17, by Farrha Khan 
If you're looking to renew your contract with Vodafone and are hungrily scoping out its current range of smartphones; we're here to help. Below is our top picks for the best handsets on the Vodafone network. Generally, Vodafone has cheaper handset repayments than Telstra and Optus, and the telco has also launched its 4G network and introduced new Red roaming plans. If you're still not sure, it's also worth remembering that Vodafone continues to offer a 30-day guarantee with all long-term contracts, so you can try the network before being fully committed to paying for it month after month. Apple iPhone 5S
If you're really not sure which phone to choose, especially if you feel intimidated by the idea of smartphones in general, we suggest you grab an iPhone. The iPhone 5S is amongst the most expensive phones in the Vodafone range, but it is worth it for its slick design, a much more powerful processor than the iPhone 5, excellent camera and new Touch ID, with iOS 7 bringing lots of new flavour to the somewhat tired OS. For a handset that is upwards of $869, Vodafone is offering the iPhone 5S with much cheaper monthly repayments than both Telstra and Optus. On the other hand, if you want to jump on to the iPhone bandwagon, don't want to be left too far behind in specs, but can't afford the 5S, then the iPhone 5C is your best option with repayments starting from only $2. Nokia Lumia 925
If you want something other than an Android of Apple phone, Vodafone has the Lumia 925 up for $0 handset repayments as well. An update to the Lumia 920, the 925 offers a solid Windows experience, with an excellent camera and a more premium build quality that looks superb. You also get Nokia's HERE Maps and HERE Drive navigation apps, which are brilliant additions to the stock Microsoft offerings, and it also does a great job of contacts, messaging and social network integration. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The Note 2 proved to be a wonderful phablet, and the Note 3 just gets better with more power, more screen real estate and a much more premium look. Even Samsung's S-Pen stylus attachment gets an overhaul, making it a more useful tool rather than just a fancy gimmick. Vodafone also sells the handset bundled with the new Galaxy Gear smartwatch. OK, you might think the Gear a little useless at the moment, but we definitely suggest you at least consider the Note 3. You never know, you may just fall in love. HTC One
For every Apollo Creed, there is a Rocky Balboa. For every Dr Claw, there is an Inspector Gadget. Samsung's Galaxy S4 was always going to be a strong phone to compete against, but HTC delivered this remarkably good phone to make this year interesting. The HTC One is designed the way many have wanted the iPhone to be designed for many years. It's brushed aluminium frame is more reminiscent of a MacBook Pro than any of the plastic phones in HTC's recent history. The One has a 1080p screen that is at least as good as the screen in the Galaxy S4, not just in pixels, but in the way it reproduces colours and the crispness of text. HTC has also redesigned the Sense UI, giving it a more mature aesthetic and adding some great new features. It's a few months old now, but from our perspective, the HTC One is top dog still. Samsung Galaxy S4
The Galaxy S4 is one phone that is able to keep Samsung in our top 5. Expectations were high prior to Samsung's announcement of the phone and its features, and in most ways, it lives up to the hype. It sports a 1080p display with loads of tricks, like "air gestures", "eye tracking" and health monitoring tools, while its 13-megapixel camera has more modes and editing tools than any Galaxy phone before it. And it has also spawned a whole family of smartphones, like the Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy S4 Zoom. While HTC encases its flagship in sleek brushed aluminium, the plastic chassis of the S4 will be a setback for some. However, those who look past the cheap feeling plastic frame will discover one of the year's best phones below the surface. Not only that, but Vodafone is offering a Cat 4 LTE variant of the device, so you'll be downloading the latest Simpsons episode in no time.        | | Google rolls out Hangouts with SMS, Android KitKat keyboard to all Nov 8th 2013, 01:32, by Matt Swider 
Owners of the new Nexus 5 got a head start with the new Hangouts app that integrates SMS and MMS messaging into the conversation, but now the update is spreading to other Android devices. Hangouts 2.0 rivals Apple's iMessages app, allowing Android users to finally import, send and receive text messages in Google's native chat app. It's available for devices running Android 4.0 and above. Like it or not, it also adds animated GIFs to the mix, "cute kittens and all," joked Google in the app's official release notes. Optional perks include the ability to share your location, what device you're on, whether or not you're on a call, and your current mood. Android keyboard updateWhen writing an SMS or sending a standard Hangouts message, Android users can type it out the updated keyboard. The new Google keyboard, also reaching version 2.0 coincidentally, tries to out-cute Hangouts' cat GIF ability with quick access to emojis. So far this new button is only available to devices running Android KitKat 4.4 and above. Emoji frowny face, for sure. Turn that frown upside down, as all Google-powered devices are included when it comes to the new keyboard's other perks: space-aware gesture typing and a simplified mini-keyboard. Both updates should appear in the Google Play store for all Android users with compatible phones and tablets.        | | Smash your iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C? Apple stores may fix it for you Nov 7th 2013, 22:32, by Michael Rougeau 
Apple will soon begin offering iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C repairs in its retail locations, according to new reports. Currently Apple offers repairs only for the iPhone 5, but that's expected to change before the end of the year. Apple has not issued an official edict, but 9to5Mac and AllThingsD both confirmed with sources in the last 24 hours that Apple will soon be able to replace iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S screens and issue other minor repairs in its stores. The machinery necessary to calibrate new screens and perform other repairs have reportedly already begun arriving in Apple stores. It could be worseScreen replacements for the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S may cost customers $149 (around £92, AU$157). That may sound like a lot, but it's much less than the cost of buying a new iPhone entirely. In addition to iPhone screen replacements, technicians in Apple stores will reportedly also be able to replace things like the volume buttons, vibrating motor, rear-camera and speaker system. Part replacements due to defects will be free for those with Apple Care warranties. For those without, the costs will vary depending on what needs fixing or replacing. If the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are as easy to repair as the iPhone 5, then replacing screens and other fixes shouldn't take longer than an hour, which is exactly what these sources said. With the necessary equipment and training manuals allegedly already arriving in Apple retail locations, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S repairs should begin soon. It's unclear whether these options will be available in Apple stores outside the US. We asked the company for official word and will update if we hear back.        | | Sweet treat for Xperia owners as Sony outs Jelly Bean, KitKat roadmap Nov 7th 2013, 20:45, by Chris Smith 
It's that time again; when Android smartphone and tablet owners cross their fingers in hope that someday their device will be chosen to join the elite few on the newest version of an operating system. On Thursday, Sony lived up to last week's promise and delivered its roadmap, not just for Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, but for the handsets that'll eventually be rocking Android 4.4 KitKat. Here's the long and short of it: In the next months, the Japanese giant will begin bestowing Jelly Bean on Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1. The Xperia T, V and TX will go straight from 4.1 to 4.3. The zees have itSony stopped short of offering a timeframe for Android 4.4 KitKat updates, but the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1 are the first in line for the roll-out whenever that may be. Given Sony is taking some services straight from Android 4.1 to 4.3, some users might be asking why the aforementioned devices can't go straight to Android 4.4. Of course, Sony would probably answer by regaling us all with tales of the vigorous testing that must take place before each update can be rolled out. Google, on the other hand, seems keen for as many devices as possible to end up on KitKat and has designed the new OS to play nice with lower memory devices.        | | Nokia Lumia 1520 UK release date tipped for November 25 Nov 7th 2013, 19:51, by Chris Smith 
Nokia Lumia 1520 fanciers get that sharpie at the ready and draw yourself a circle of hope around November 25, because that may well be the day the 6-inch handset will be landing on UK soil. Third-party retailer Unlocked Mobiles is now taking SIM-free pre-orders for the Windows Phone 8 device, asking for £600 and is "expecting" to ship on the aforementioned date. While nothing official has been announced by the Finnish manufacturer, Carphone Warehouse is also touting a November release, while Vodafone says it's coming soon. The Lumia 1520 is the first Windows Phone to pack a quad-core processor and a full HD 1080p screen and will also arrive touting a 20.1-megapixel camera. Closing the gapThe handset, which is likely to be Nokia's last before it ends up in the hands of in the hands of Microsoft, was revealed last month at Nokia World, alongside the Lumia 2520 tablet and a lower-end Lumia 1320 phablet. It's Nokia's largest smartphone yet, with the company's sights set firmly on taking down devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC One Max. Microsoft, on the other hand will be hoping a top-spec handset in the tablet space will help its ever-growing share of the European smartphone market and draw it towards lessening the iOS and Android duopoly.        | | Samsung Galaxy S5 confirmed as packing an all-new 16MP camera Nov 7th 2013, 19:16, by Michael Rougeau 
Samsung has not yet unveiled the Galaxy S5 or Note 4, but it did speak officially this week about the new camera tech that those devices are likely to sport. Throughout 2014 and 2015, Samsung's flagship handsets will feature a 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensor, the company told around 350 analysts at a conference in Seoul November 6. The ISOCELL sensor is Samsung's new innovation in mobile cameras. The company said it improves picture quality by physically isolating individual pixels. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 expected to drop next year, it seems safe to assume that the ISOCELL sensor tech will indeed make it onto those devices. Explaining ISOCELLSamsung's new 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera was first mentioned in rumors last month. The Korean company confirmed its existence to analysts this week, but we still haven't seen it in action. According to Samsung, ISOCELL provides for better shooting in low-light conditions as well as higher color fidelity. It's the evolution of the BSI (back side illumination) sensor, which itself evolved from the FSI (front side illumination) camera. In the ISOCELL sensor, Samsung has reportedly erected a literal, physical barrier between every pixel. That amounts to less overlap in what the pixels absorb, creating higher-quality, sharper images. The original rumor claimed that a Samsung device with the model number S5K4H5YB will be the first to carry the ISOCELL camera, but it will only be eight megapixels on that model. Something missingThe Galaxy S4 and Note 3 are great, but their cameras are not very impressive next to recent efforts from companies like Nokia. Samsung is likely feeling pressure to step up its phone camera game, and it sounds like ISOCELL might be just the thing when it arrives next year. Of course, Optical Image Stabilization would be nice as well, and Samsung reportedly made no mention of that at its analyst conference this week. We're hoping to see the Galaxy S5 as CES, and the Note 4 is even farther off, perhaps coming next fall.        | | Forget 4G, Vodafone still missing 3G coverage obligations, Ofcom reveals Nov 7th 2013, 18:19, by Chris Smith 
Vodafone is the only major UK network not to live up to its obligation to provide 3G mobile data coverage to 90 per cent of the UK, Ofcom revealed in a report published on Thursday. Under the terms of the 2100MHz 3G spectrum license held by EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone, the networks are required to provide coverage for 9 in 10 Brits. The other three have held up their end of the bargain, according to Ofcom's findings, but Vodafone has received a public dressing down for falling just 1.4 per cent short of the target. For its part, Vodafone has agreed to make up the shortfall by the end of 2013 by upgrading exiting 2G sites to 3G, which should be enough to surpass the magic number. Ofcom throws a Voda-boneIn the report, Ofcom wrote: "Ofcom's assessment of each operator's compliance with the coverage obligation is that EE, Three and O2 have met this obligation but that Vodafone fell 1.4% short of the 90% coverage requirement. Following discussions with Ofcom, Vodafone has put in place a plan to bring itself into compliance with the 3G coverage obligation by the end of 2013." In a statement to TechRadar, Vodafone also pointed out that it'll have 98 per cent of the dripping in lovely 2G, 3G and 4G coverage by 2015, which is two years ahead of Ofcom's demands. The network wrote: "Our 3G licence includes an obligation to cover 90% of the population and Ofcom is fully aware of our plans to ensure compliance by the end of this year. "Our network investment stands at more than £900m this year alone and we remain on track to deliver indoor coverage across 2G, 3G and 4G to 98% of the population by 2015, two years ahead of the regulator's deadline."        | | Apple could use Bluetooth hotspot for wireless sharing with iWatch Nov 7th 2013, 17:30, by JR Bookwalter 
Wi-Fi is great, but there are plenty of places where it's not available. This could be where a new Apple patent for short-range connectivity between two devices using low-power Bluetooth comes in. AppleInsider reported that Apple's latest published patent filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) could be bound for future devices that lack a built-in radio transceiver, such as the fabled "iWatch" Cupertino is widely believed to be working on. The latest application entitled "Network access using short-range connectability" allows devices such as the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to not only connect to another gadget without a built-in radio, but also share a local network. Exactly such a scenario is what Bluetooth technology is intended for, but Apple's patent places emphasis on making such connections happen with as little user intervention as possible, all while conserving precious battery power. Quacks like a duck?Originally filed with the USPTO in March, the short-range communications patent application makes no specific mention of a smart watch. "Users can leverage their mobile radio communication devices, such as their cell phones, to provide network access to their other devices without having to manually enable such connections," the patent description read. "In turn, the other devices can benefit from the network access while remaining in low-power mode during a short-range connection that uses a low-power enabled connection." The report theorized that such technology could be used for brief hotspot pairings between iOS devices and the rumored iWatch - just long enough to receive push notifications, iMessages, news or even emails. - Who needs an iWatch when you can read our full review of OS X Mavericks?
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