| Making Smart Moves in 2014 Jan 10th 2014, 10:15, by Gary Veale 
Garry Veale, president of Avaya in Europe, places his bets on the communications trends he thinks will make it big in 2014. Connected GenerationIn my mind, the trends we'll see emerging in 2014 will be driven largely by the desires and expectations of a new kind of workforce. This workforce doesn't know a world without the internet, expects answers instantly, seeks constant engagement, and is comfortable with "connected" technologies like no other generation. It will have a profound impact on business and the way it operates in the future. Businesses will start to appreciate the limitations of mature networks. To accommodate this hyper-connected generation, networks need to be fully prepared. Typical working environments weren't built to withstand the consumerisation of IT, BYOD, and BYOA, and enterprise technology often isn't capable of delivering the experience we're used to getting at home. Next year more businesses will come to realise that relying on existing, and often mature networks will limit their ability to communicate in ways now expected. The network is key to enabling device and application flexibly and businesses will focus increasingly on creating environments that are flexible enough to embrace and enable the new era of communications. To do this, they must put in place clear and effective strategies that enable them to achieve simplicity of deployment and management. Network demandsThe Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games is a prime example of this: the 75,000 mobility-hungry, hyper-connected spectators visiting the park each day will place unprecedented demands on the network. This requires a flexible, secure and robust infrastructure capable of carrying vast amounts of data and coping with huge spikes in traffic during flagship events. Society's appetite for cutting-edge technologies will impact infrastructure investment at all levels – whether that's an Olympics or a small business implementation. Regardless of the scale and profile of the project, organisations of all sizes face many of the same challenges, and that's the key takeaway for 2014. We'll see the emergence of smarter offices through communications-enabled technologies. 
Getting more doneWe're progressively moving towards much more functional and productive ways of working. Concepts like the 'Internet of Things' or 'machine to machine communications', which are trending now, will soon become major influencing factors in the future of business. In fact, communications-enabled technology will begin to enforce change on business processes as companies are presented with more timely and relevant information about customers. Technology and networks that are self-aware will rise up the agenda as the cost of the sensor technology which enables this reaches an all-time low. In fact, Gartner predicts that we'll soon reach the point where it's cheaper to have a communications-enabled system than not. This will lead to a fundamental change in the way companies work – from new ways of developing technology, to better facilities management through an increase in pay-as-you-go billing models for office utilities. Video starVideo will come to be recognised as a real cost-saving tool. One of the most talked about communications technologies, video has been rising up the agenda for some time now. I think in 2014, however, we'll really start to see businesses realising the cost and productivity benefits of video solutions. In fact, we've already started to see that happening in 2013. Video is benefiting from more advanced hardware, employee hunger for collaboration, more sophisticated networks, and more interoperability. Solutions are now accessible and affordable and the advantages of lower travel costs and higher productivity are grabbing the attention of more and more customers. In addition, videoconferencing is no longer reserved for typical office-based businesses; it's also filtering through vertical industries such as retail. If we take the example of SPAR UK, the successful convenience store chain, it chose Avaya's Scopia solution because the company needed a reliable, scalable, collaborative video solution to ensure that employees of all seven business units were able to communicate effectively without losing time and money to travelling for meetings. SPAR UK saw an immediate return on that investment as employees no longer have to commute from branch to branch for meetings, and they're now more organised and productive in those meetings. We're starting to see a true democratisation of video and this trend will continue in 2014. The contact centre will adapt even more to the next generation Well connectedThe rise of this hyper-connected generation will continue to impact the contact centre in a major way. Consumers who contact companies via digital and social channels expect outstanding customer service regardless of the platform they choose. The customer service industry is changing dramatically as a result; businesses need to have the capability to allow customers to move seamlessly from one channel to another, without losing the thread of the interaction. And they need to provide a consistent service across all channels. We'll see this trend persist in 2014 as it forces companies to re-evaluate their customer experience strategy to include those new platforms. Companies are already looking to the contact centre to find ways to generate additional revenue without adding cost to the operation. Similarly, they are looking at how to automate more of the customer services model and drive more customers to self-service options to reduce time. Integration and application development will therefore be an area of rapid growth in 2014, particularly as companies look to develop a customer service experience on new devices such as mobile applications, video or social networks. Moving into 2014 – as our uptake of smart devices, and digital and social applications continues to intensify – I believe businesses will above all need to focus on investing in technologies that embrace and enable the new era of communications we live in today. It's an exciting time for the communications technology industry, and I'm eager to find out what next year has in store.        |  | Exclusive: Sony still in discussions with Microsoft over Windows Phone Jan 10th 2014, 09:00, by Gareth Beavis 
Sony has confirmed to TechRadar that it is actively looking into the possibility of launching a Windows Phone as it seeks to move away from being a single OS manufacturer. Pierre Perron, head of Sony Mobile Europe, told TechRadar it didn't want to offer only one flavour of mobile OS, stating: "We are continuing our discussions with other partners, including Microsoft, as part of our partnership with this company on the broader Sony spectrum. "[Working with Microsoft] is an interesting proposition for us in the PC environment, and we continue our engagement with them. "We are exploring this as part of our discussion in mobile space too. One thing is using the platform [Windows Phone] itself, and another is 'what can we deliver on top of it'?" There have been rumours that Sony is planning a comeback in the Windows Phone space for a while now, and this statement echoes a similar one made by Perron in 2012. However soon after that CEO Kunimasa Suzuki moved to quash such speculation, saying the company had no plans to release a Windows Phone device. Coming back aroundThe two brands do have history in the mobile space, with the Xperia X1 launching with Windows Mobile coming in 2008. However, the X2 sequel was launched but never released, and Sony has since then been focused solely on Android smartphones. Given the success Sony is slowly achieving with Android power, it could seem odd that the brand would look elsewhere, but Pierron believes this is as much about safety in a changing market as it is about offering consumer choice: "We don't want to be a single OS manufacturer, I don't think it's a viable position in the long term," added Perron. "We enjoy very much a good collaboration with Google, we've been working with them for a long time and have a level of maturity with that discussion, that's good. But at the same time, Google has a relationship with direct competitors." Perron declined to give a specific date on when we might see a Windows Phone, stating that the discussions were tentative at the moment (and clearly have been for some time) , but given the steady rise in popularity for Microsoft's OS, it seems that perhaps there may still be others looking to launch on Windows Phone too.        | | CES 2014: Mophie Space Pack gives your iPhone more juice, memory Jan 10th 2014, 00:16, by Marc Flores 
The mophie space pack is coming, and it's the sort of product that had us thinking, "This is so obvious - why didn't anyone do this sooner?" We've all known mophie for its excellent battery packs and battery cases, but with the space pack, we're getting more storage space, too. If your 16/32/64GB iPhone isn't cutting it for you, you can add an additional 16GB or 32GB, plus 1,700mAh of juice to your iPhone 5 or 5S. And the big news for mophie is that it just got the Made for iPhone certification from Apple, too, hence the big CES 2014 announcement. 
The mophie space pack is almost exactly like the mophie juice pack air, except it's 3mm longer and it features the new "Space" hardware inside that works in conjunction with mophie's Space iOS app. You'll feel right at home with the Space app since it's designed to look and function like a native iOS 7 app. From there, you can access your files, photos, videos and anything else you store within the mophie space pack. 
You can also see your usage and available space via a pie chart or a line graph that looks like the iTunes usage graph. It's really great and there is virtually no learning curve in using this thing if you're already familiar with iOS 7 and iTunes. 
One neat feature is the way file management is handled: you can transfer files between the iPhone and space pack, send files via e-mail, messaging, AirDrop, Dropbox and more from space pack, and you can arrange/delete/transfer files on the space pack via your computer. 
Mophie gave us a quick demo of the Space app, and we were impressed with just how easy it is to use. We're definitely looking forward to reviewing the mophie space pack next month. We were reminded again why we gave the mophie space pack a Best of CES 2014 award. 
As far as the hardware goes, it will be familiar to any mophie user with the addition of a new feature for that silver button in the back. The button will allow you to use Space when you open up the app, and the reason for the button is so that it conserves memory and battery life when you're not using Space. You just press the button again to activate it when you're in the app. 
We can't stress enough just how useful the mophie space pack is, and why no one has thought to do this before. The downside is that it supports only the iPhone 5/5S right now, so if you're a mophie user with a Galaxy device, you might have to wait a bit longer. The mophie space pack will become available March 14 in 1,700 mAh 16GB and 32GB variants for $149.95 and $179.95, respectively, but you can pre-order them now from mophie.        | | Nokia Lumia Black update brings App Folders and Refocus camera tool Jan 9th 2014, 18:53, by Chris Smith 
Nokia has revealed a significant software update for its range of Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices, bringing a host of new features into play for owners of handsets like the Lumia 1020. The Lumia Black update allows users to group like-minded apps into folders within a single Live Tile on the homescreen, making it easier than ever to customise the Windows Phone Start screen. Also along for the ride is Nokia's neat Refocus camera app (here, go play with it!) which, like the Lytro camera, allows users to take a picture and then choose the image's point of focus. For keen photographers there's also the introduction of the Nokia Camera interface for WP8 users. So far that software has only appeared on the company's PureView handsets. The Storyteller mode, which arranges photos by date and place, is also included. Nice BeamerThe Lumia Black update, which is rolling out worldwide for Lumia 1020 and Lumia 925 today and "in the coming weeks" soon for other Nokia WP8 devices, also includes the Nokia Beamer screen mirroring tech. Other new features include Nokia Glance, which gives users a quick indication of pending notifications, while 'Black' will also unlock Bluetooth LE connectivity for all applicable devices. The update can be downloaded over the air and you can check if it's available yet by heading to Settings > Phone Update.        | | HTC Desire 601 touches down in UK with 4G at an affordable price Jan 9th 2014, 14:15, by John McCann 
If you're looking for a 4G phone which doesn't cost the earth you may want to check out the HTC Desire 601 which has just touched down in the UK. Rocking 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a 5MP rear camera it's hardly going to set the world alight - but it's the inclusion of 4G which is of real interest. There are very few 4G enabled smartphones currently on the market which are reasonably priced, but you can now add the Desire 601 to that line up. Full of HTCYou also get Android 4.2.2 on board, which has been covered in HTC's Sense 5.0 overlay, providing you with an excellent user interface including the firm's BlinkFeed offering as well as HTC Zoe with video highlights and BoomSound speakers. Update: The Desire 601 can be picked up for £239.99 on PAYG, or for free on two year contracts starting at £17.00 per month. There's no charger in the box though - so make sure you've got one at home. O2 has an exclusive deal on the Desire 601, so if you're on any other network you'll either need to switch to the bubbly carrier or look at other handsets.        | | All Windows Phone 8 devices will get 8.1 update Jan 9th 2014, 10:47, by James Rogerson 
Good news Windows Phone 8 users, your devices should be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8.1 when it launches later this year. That confirmation came straight from Greg Sullivan, Windows Phone director of public relations at Microsoft, in an interview with Computerworld. There had been rumours suggesting current Windows Phone 8 smartphones wouldn't get the upgrade to 8.1 - the same way Windows Phone 7 devices were left out of WP 8 - but those fears appear to have been laid to rest. Future-proofHe even went so far as to say that "we won't run out of head space on Windows Phone 8 any time soon", suggesting that users will likely be able to upgrade their devices to versions of the OS beyond 8.1 too. The only thing that could stand in the way of an upgrade to 8.1 is your network, as it will need to distribute the update. Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to land in April and will likely include Siri-like voice interaction, a swipe-down notification centre with access to quick settings and notifications and other tweaks such as separate media and ringtone volumes.   | | iPhone 6 image leak points towards super slim design Jan 9th 2014, 10:15, by James Rogerson 
While people are still flocking to buy the iPhone 5S, Apple is surely already hard at work on the iPhone 6 and it may be taking a shrink ray to the components. The first photographic evidence of that may have emerged in the form of two blurry pictures of what appears to be a very slim metal smartphone frame. There's precisely zero proof that these photos are of an iPhone, beyond the fact that Apple leaker C-Tech claims they are, so take it with a huge pinch of salt for now. Slim pickingsOn the other hand it wouldn't be that surprising if they were legitimate. Apple has already slimmed down the iPad for the iPad Air, so it's not unreasonable to think that the Cupertino company might have similar plans for the next iPhone - maybe it'll even call it the iPhone Air. The size seems about right too, as while it looks bigger than the 4-inch iPhone 5S, other recent reports suggest that Apple is working on 4.7-inch to 5.5-inch handsets. That's all we have to go on so far, but if Apple really is working on bigger, slimmer handsets then that's a pretty huge change in itself. Anything else will just be the icing on the cake.   | | Quatre-G: mobile signal to hit Channel Tunnel by summer Jan 9th 2014, 08:50, by Kate Solomon 
When you're popping over to France this summer to stock up on du vin, du pain and des fromages, you'll be able to use your phone in the Channel Tunnel for the first time. Only if you're on EE or Vodafone, though, as the rival networks will switch a 3G and 2G network on in March 2014, with EE adding 4G by summer 2014. Strangely, the networks will only be available in the north tunnel which runs from the UK to France for now, with plans for the south tunnel to be connected at a later date. En vacancesThe Channel Tunnel runs 100m below sea level, so getting signal down there will be no mean feat for EE and Vodafone, both of which have committed to a 10-year agreement with Eurotunnel. Stuck for ideas of what to do with your new found connectivity for the 35 minutes under the sea? EE has some suggestions: "The time underground can be spent online preparing for meetings, checking emails, planning travel routes, researching a holiday destination or watching streamed movies." Other internet-based activities are available.   | | Vodafone promising to deliver Moto G on contract complete with Android KitKat Jan 8th 2014, 18:50, by Chris Smith 
For the SIM-free price of £130, the Moto G represents perhaps the best value ever offered by a smartphone manufacturer in the UK, but Vodafone still reckons it can snare some buyers on contracts. The company has announced it'll be stocking the upper-mid-range handset in the near future (no firm release date yet), and may have an ace up its sleeve in the form of the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update. Moto is reportedly testing KitKat for those who bought the device outright but is yet to roll it out, so if Vodafone can steal a march, it may enjoy some success by serving up the latest Android update first. However, it's perhaps more likely that the KitKat bump will be available to all Moto G users imminently with Vodafone set to piggyback in for its version of the device. OS parity?If there's OS parity between the SIM-free and Vodafone marketed devices, it may work out cheaper for consumers to buy the device outright and select cheaper SIM-only deals, than accept a network subsidy. Regardless, the Moto G represents great value for the smartphone buyer, with a 4.5-inch 720p display and a quad-core processor. Add the latest version of Android into the mix and it may just be the best tech deal on the market right now. In a recent TechRadar review, the device earned a rare 4.5 stars out of a potential five, not just for the value on offer, but for the performance and functionality of the handset. Will you be snapping up a Moto G on contract? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.   | |
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