| In Depth: The exciting technology that's making driverless cars a reality Jan 22nd 2014, 12:30, by Jay McGregor 
As BMW enters the race to build a fully functional driverless, and with this year's CES giving away 140,000sq ft of exhibition space to the concept, it's no longer a case of if, but when will these vehicles arrive on our streets. Had too many Jägermeisters? No worries, get yourself some kip and let the car do the driving. Can't find your vehicle in the parking lot? Don't sweat it, the car will come to you. This isn't fantasy − tech companies and car manufacturers are teaming up to make it a reality. The idea is that your car is merely another jigsaw piece in your 'connected living' lifestyle, with your phone acting as the control centre. Traffic, weather and damage reports will be beamed directly to your phone long before you get close to your car in the hope that you're better prepared for potential inconveniences. Yes it's fascinating, but how soon will this be a reality? And what will a driverless car future look like? The future is (almost) hereGoogle's fleet of experimental drone cars have already completed over 500,000 accident-free driverless miles around San Francisco. BMW unveiled a driverless car that can drift and slalom around obstacles at CES this year. Audi showed us its new automated-parking feature, which is controlled via a smartphone app and a 3G connection. And, in a self initiated game of pious one-upmanship, Nissan made petrol heads feel briefly bad about the destruction of the planet by introducing a driverless version of its (relatively) super-selling electric car, the Leaf. The fact is, driverless cars are happening. The technology has existed for some time but governments haven't been so quick to respond. Thankfully that's changing. Legislation is being carefully considered across the EU and North America. In the US, Nevada enacted legislation in 2012 recognising and authorising driverless cars in the state, and the Department of Motor Vehicles can now officially issue driverless car licenses. In the UK, the National Infrastructure Plan has ring-fenced a £10m prize-fund for any city that wants to be a test bed for new driverless car technology. Milton Keynes has already begun a driverless car programme and it hopes to have 100 'pods' − or, on closer inspection, 'humiliating oblong death-traps' might be a better name − very carefully tearing up Milton Keynes roads by 2017. 
Forward thinkingMajor manufacturers and tech giants are teaming up to bring us a pleasant and mildly entertaining Knight Rider future, and not a disturbing Minority Report 'Tom Cruise is still famous and eating placentas' future. "It will happen in stages," says Futurologist and BBC talking head, Tom Cheesewright. "By 2017 the next iteration of adaptive cruise control will be widespread. Not only does it keep you a safe distance from the car in front, it keeps you in your lane. Add this to self parking and sat nav and you're not far from an autonomous vehicle." But he doesn't think we'll be buying them outright. "It's far more likely that you'll be renting a driverless car, rather than buying one. With all the telemetry on board it will be very easy for manufacturers or third parties to lease them out and charge you based on your usage and how much you abuse the car. When it comes time for a service, the car could just take itself off to the garage and a replacement make it's way to you." The benefit of these partnerships is the subsidiary technology that comes out of the developing projects. Car manufacturers make cars (wait, what? Slow down, Einstein) but tech companies do just about everything else. This is why Google and Nvidia have teamed up with GM, Honda, Audi and Hyundai − because they need each other. Car manufacturers want to get their cars into your home (figuratively, not literally − although this self-folding car might not have gotten the memo) and tech companies want their systems in your car. This is the 'connected living' vision of the future. 
Constantly connectedWe've seen endless articles about fleets of driverless cars, blah blah blah, reduced emissions, blah blah, and fewer road accidents. That's all fine and important. But the real interest, outside of the powerpoint presentations for politicians, is the symbiotic relationship between your car and your phone − and whatever else in your home that's connected to the internet. Manufacturers want you to be constantly engaged in a seamless ballroom dance with your car. If there's a traffic jam on the way to work, your car will wake you up via a phone alert and suggest an alternative route or an earlier start. If you've got a big trip planned for tomorrow and your car is sitting in a driveway low on energy, then it will take itself to one of the many automated charging points in your area. The fridge is empty, you're stuck at work and you've got a dinner party planned for that night? Your car will go and pick up your online shopping, presumably with the aid of a human loading the car up − we're not at Transformer stage quite yet, and even if we were, you wouldn't use your multi-million pound gadget to pick up a bag of courgettes and some asparagus from Walmart. Tech manufacturers want your car to automate not just the driving but the experience too. Your car should sense your mood when you step in and change the lighting and music accordingly. The route to your destination changes depending on whether or not you fancy taking in a view, or getting to point B as fast as possible. You should be lathered with suggestions for local eateries and interesting places to visit. This is the driverless car tech-companies envisage. The real driverless car rivalry will come not in the car technology, but which system is going to act as your in-car butler - Android or iPhone? More car tech stories        |  | Updated: Sony Xperia Z Ultra morphs into Wi-Fi-only tablet Jan 22nd 2014, 12:26, by Hugh Langley 
Updated: A Sony spokesperson has told TechRadar that there are currently "no plans to make this available outside of Japan". Sorry folks. Original story below... Just as we'd finally come to terms with the idea of phablets, Sony's mixing things up even more by launching a "tablet" version of its large Xperia Z Ultra. What does that mean? Simply, it's just a Wi-Fi version of the handset, but Sony is acknowledging this version of the super-sized phone as a tablet in the press release before you start the "is it or isn't it?" arguments. The Wi-Fi version appeared in a leak on Sony's website earlier in the week but the announcement is now official, however the handset is only available in Japan for the time being. Pha... tabulous?The specs of the handset are exactly the same - 6.4-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. It's still as waterproof as ever, too. But coming in at around $499, £300, AU$560 it's a fair bit dearer than rivals such as the Nexus 7. We asked Sony whether we might see this handset break out of Japan but it declined to comment. It wouldn't surprise us if we see this one closer to home in the near future, and hopefully with a more attractive price tag.        | | Samsung Galaxy S5 may finally abandon that physical home button Jan 22nd 2014, 11:55, by Thomas Thorn 
As the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5 edges closer, we have been treated to leaks of what the UI may look like, yet what the handset will look like has remained a mystery.. until now. A patent granted by the USPTO contains designs for a buttonless smartphone, first filed on July 20 2012, signaling a major design change for the Korean manufacturer. Samsung handsets have traditionally incorporated a home button and soft keys below the screen, and while it's been said that Samsung is keen to move away from the design of the Galaxy S4 as many (including ourselves) saw it as too similar to the Galaxy S3 - the patent suggest the overall design won't be radically different. What about retina?More interestingly the patent doesn't seem to show any sign of the oft rumored retina scanner, although the design eludes to the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner. An unexplained rectangle appears in the back of the handset, conveniently sitting in an ideal spot to scan your digits as you hold the device - perhaps it's the volume rocker, but that appears to be in its standard location on the side of the device. We'll have to wait and see just how much of this design actually makes it to the final Galaxy S5, so keep your eyes peeled here for the latest news.   | | HTC M8 incoming? Two new handsets get the green light Jan 22nd 2014, 11:17, by Hugh Langley 
The mythical beast known as the HTC M8, rumoured successor of the HTC One, is getting ever closer. Two as-yet-announced handsets have just been given certification by the Indonesia equivalent of the US FCC, as spotted by GSMinsider, hinting that an announcement isn't far off. The HTC M8x and HTC D310w received their certification on January 13. It's a safe bet that the M8x is the M8 or at least a variation of the upcoming phone. Of course, we expect that HTC will be giving the device a more attractive name for launch. Undisclosed desiresThe identity of the HTC D310w, on the other hand, is a little less certain. Right now there's speculation that this could be the next phone in the HTC Desire series, possibly aimed at emerging markets. So when might we see these the M8 show its face? There have been whisperings that a launch is set to take place towards the end of March, though there's a chance we could see it revealed at MWC 2014, complete with a full HD display and Android 4.4. - What else is new with the HTC M8?
       | | Motorola boss hints at a super cheap smartphone Jan 22nd 2014, 10:39, by Thomas Thorn 
It seems that Motorola isn't resting on its budget based laurels, as it looks to crush the Moto G in the price stakes. Talking to TrustedReviews, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside questioned a need for higher price points saying "why can't these devices be $50? There's no reason that can't happen so we're going to push that." This would give the potential device a price tag of about £30 (AU$56), a saving of approximately 75% over Motorola's cheaper handset, leaving it to compete against the more expensive feature phones and super budget smartphones. The Moto G was expensive?Unfortunately, we might not see the baby Moto G reach our shores as it may be targeted at emerging markets, with Woodside commenting "in much of the world $179 is a lot of money so there's a big market at a price point of less than $179". Details as to when we might be able to see this super cheap handset, or just what could be inside are also missing, but needless to say we're not expecting a massive HD display or a bundle of cores. Woodside may also have let slip a few more details regarding further customization and Motorola's Project Ara modular smartphone, saying "Today you have colors and beginning of materials but you don't have screen size and you don't have functionality and we're going to bring all that in in the next year or so."        | | Is this the new UI for the Samsung Galaxy S5? Jan 22nd 2014, 05:57, by Farrha Khan 
A new leak hints that Samsung will be overhauling its UI - and it could be ready in time for the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch. Evleaks tweet two images showing a widget heavy UI (pictured above), though the widgets themselves sport a look that is somewhere between Windows Phone's Tiles and Google Now's Cards. Besides the widgets, the app icons also receive a new pastel and slightly transparent look, though Google's native apps still look familiar. MagazinesIf anything, the purported new UI and home screen looks very much like Samsung's Magazine UX, showcased in its latest Galaxy Note Pro and Galaxy Pro Tab. That alone has us inclined to believe that this very well could be what we'll be seeing on the Galaxy S5. But while Evleaks is reputable in its leaks, we're still going to hold on tight to our grain of salt until we hear more from camp Samsung.        | | Have a cracked iPhone 5C screen? Apple Stores will now fix it for you Jan 21st 2014, 23:38, by Kevin Lee 
Apple is now replacing cracked iPhone 5C screens at local stores near you. Last week a report suggested that in-store screen replacement for iPhone 5C would come as soon as Monday. Turns out the rumors were spot on; an Apple representative told TechRadar the $149 (about £90/AU$169) in-store screen repairs for the cheaper new iPhone began January 20. We were also told customers with devices enrolled with AppleCare+ protection plan get a discounted fixer-upper for $49 (about £29/AU$55) - a lump to pay for a new sheet of Gorilla Glass, but it's better than walking around with a clearly broken phone. Cracked 5Cs can be brought in store for display repair or complete replacement. The Apple rep also pointed out that while the screen is a simple fix, Geniuses will have to take a consider alternatives for seriously damaged handsets. If there are additional broken parts like a cracked plastic shell, it could mean extra fees and possibly sending out the phone to dedicated repair facilities. Don't drop itShattered screens have been a bane for Apple mobile users since the first iPhone, but now users have the option of in-store repairs for two handsets: the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5. Formerly, owners of shattered screens were left with the data-losing option of replacing their entire handsets. The Apple rep told TechRadar the on-site maintenance is rolling out to Stores in all territories.        | | LG may fling a fingerprint scanner on G3 and G2 Pro smartphones Jan 21st 2014, 23:37, by Lily Prasuethsut 
Fingerprinting scanners are making waves in the phone world, with Apple's Touch ID pulling the bandwagon forward and the HTC One Max following. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S5, which most likely won't have biometric tech, it seems LG doesn't want to be left behind. Reports from Korean site ETNews point to the forthcoming LG G3 and LG G2 Pro as the phones the Korean firm will equip with fingerprint-reading tech. According to the report, the LG G2 was allegedly supposed to have a fingerprinting sensor but was scrapped due to time constraint and low yields. But where to put it?If LG is indeed thinking about placing a fingerprint reader on its next-gen phones, it's unclear where it would go. The back of the LG G3 makes the most sense since its predecessor already has the power button and volume controls there - but it may be a little unwieldy and, ultimately, too crowded. It's expected that we'll see the G2 Pro drop in February - which is coincidentally when MWC 2014 takes place - and the G3 in May.        | | Nokia Lumia 929 'Icon' leak takes the stage on carrier's own website Jan 21st 2014, 18:32, by Michael Rougeau 
The Nokia Lumia "Icon," what many have known as the Lumia 929, has appeared on its own product page on one American carrier's website. The newest Lumia handset has yet to be officially announced, so needless to say it was a surprise to see it appear on Verizon's official landing page. The listing has since been taken down, but when it was up it featured a product photo of the Lumia Icon, a full specs sheet, and a placeholder price of $777 (about £471, AU$882) on- or off-contract. We expect that price will take a plunge before launch, however. Interestingly, the specs perfectly match the Lumia 929 specs that leaked in November 2013. TwinsiesAccording to its now-missing product page, the Nokia Lumia Icon will feature a 5-inch full HD display, a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip, 2GB of memory, 32GB of storage, NFC, and a 20-megapixel PureView camera. That's exactly what the rumors back in November said - although they also mentioned wireless charging and a choice of black or white, the only parts that haven't been confirmed by Verizon's leak. The product page also mentioned that the Lumia Icon is comprised of a metal chassis, a polycarbonate unibody, and Gorilla Glass 3. Though it manifested itself on a US carrier's website, we wouldn't be surprised if the juicy-sounding phone made it in some way, shape or form overseas.        | | Verizon's latest Share Everything plan is the cheapest (and smallest) yet Jan 21st 2014, 00:44, by Michael Rougeau 
Verizon has added a new lowest tier to its "Share Everything" plans, offering customers 250MB of data for just $60 per month. Verizon's Share Everything plans also come with unlimited talk and text, and the data can be shared among multiple devices - including tablets for $10 extra each per month, LTE hotspots for $20 month, and other devices for $5 a month. But Verizon's new $60 Share Everything plan, 25% cheaper than its $80 500MB plan, only has 250MB to go around, so you might be stretching that data pretty thin. Verizon says these $60 plans will only be available for a limited time, so if you think you can survive on just 250MB a month then jump on this while you can. It gets even cheaperVerizon's new plan is clearly aimed at those who don't use their smartphones for much other than calling, and those with basic phones. In fact, users with feature phones will only have to pay $50 a month - $30 for the data access and $20 for talk and text, whereas smartphone users are paying $40 for data access. Verizon introduced its Share Everything plans in 2012, and it shortly reported that customers were flocking to them in droves. Around the same time it axed most of its other plans, funneling most customers into the Share plans. Most of the moves the big carriers have been making lately - like this and Sprint's "Easy Pay" plans - can be attributed to T-Mobile's "Un-carrier" shakeup of the mobile carrier business.   | | AT&T will offer the LG G Flex for pre-order a week before Sprint release Jan 20th 2014, 21:30, by Michael Rougeau 
AT&T has announced that it will offer the LG G Flex for pre-order beginning on January 24. However, there's no word on when the curved G Flex will actually ship out and/or hit shelves. We asked the carrier if it's willing to divulge any more details, but a spokesperson replied that it has nothing more to share right now. AT&T will sell the LG G Flex for $299.99 on a two-year contract, or monthly payments of $26.74 per month with an 18-month AT&T Next plan or $34.75 per month with a 12-month AT&T Next plan. New year's resolution: be more flexibleAT&T announced in early January at CES 2014 that it would carry the LG G Flex, though at the time we had no idea how soon. It's the second carrier to announce dates for the flexible G Flex, the first being Sprint, which put the phone up for pre-order in mid January and will ship it out by January 31. Meanwhile, Sprint's LG G Flex will hit store shelves on February 7. The G Flex is notable for numerous reasons, like its curved, flexible frame, its rear-mounted button, and its large 6-inch HD OLED display (though the screen didn't impress us in our LG G Flex review). The G Flex also features Android 4.2: Jelly Bean, a 2.26GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of memory, 32GB of storage, 13- and 2.1-megapixel cameras, and a 3,500mAh battery.   | |
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