Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 03-14-2014

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Premium Samsung Galaxy S5 dreams dashed as CEO says no Mar 14th 2014, 11:30, by John McCann In the run up to the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch several rumours suggested the Korean firm would release two variants of the flagship smartphone, one of which would be a premium metal-clad offering. Sadly however, that appears to be false. Korean site KBench is reporting that Samsung CEO J.K. Shin has told the media that it won't be producing a premium model of the Galaxy S5 - a handset which was referred to as the "Galaxy F Series" in various rumours. Design is still an area of contention for Samsung's high-end smartphones as it prefers to use plastic over more premium materials such as glass and metal. This gives the likes of the iPhone 5S, Sony Xperia Z2 and potentially the upcoming all new HTC One an advantage as they can garner interest from consumers with their sleek looks. Take Note Shin did hint that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would be arriving in the second half of 2014 - hardly a surprise as the Korean firm has kept a tight annual schedule on its phablet reboots. Will the Galaxy Note 4 sport an all-metal body? Well Shin didn't provide any more details, and we'd think it's unlikely - but not totally out of the question. Check out our hands on Samsung Galaxy S5 review Gaming for the cure: players complete 6 months of cancer analysis in a month Mar 14th 2014, 11:22, by Kate Solomon Step aside, wearable tech: there's a new medical marvel in technology. In just one month, mobile gamers have helped Cancer Research to decode six months' worth of DNA data. Instead of a lone scientist sitting alone decoding the data for eight hours a day, five days a week over the course of six months, Cancer Research turned the painstaking analysis work into an intergalactic space adventure called Play to Cure: Genes in Space. It requires a human eye to spot patterns in the data because computers aren't precise enough to pin-point them, and by turning it into a game the charity spread the work far and wide. Cancer batting In the month since the app launched, players around the world have made 1.5 million classifications by playing for over 53,000 hours, thus speeding up researchers' work towards a cure for cancer. Hannah Keartland, Cancer Research UK's citizen science lead, said: "You don't need to wear a lab coat to be a hero. It's still early days but we believe the collective force of global gamers could have a massive impact and speed up our life-saving research." If you want to be part of the solution, you can download Cancer Research's app for Android or iOS. And next time your parents tell you off for using your phone at dinner you can be all "Well excuse me for curing cancer!" and flounce off. If you want. Meet the hunter-killer antibodies chasing down cancer Exclusive: Motorola: Google is Android's bodyguard and that's fine by us Mar 14th 2014, 11:22, by Patrick Goss Motorola exec Steve Horowitz has explained that Google's role in defending the Android ecosystem is hugely important to the platform. Given that Android is the most popular mobile platform on the planet you would be forgiven for thinking that it doesn't need protection, but the ongoing battle around patents had brought Google to the fore. The search giant's purchase of Motorola allowed the company to take ownership of some of the key patents in the mobile phone world, and when it sold the manufacturer on to Lenovo it did not include those precious documents. Lawsuits Speaking to TechRadar, Motorola's software guru Steve Horowitz explained that this allows Motorola to focus on the product and leave the lawsuits to Google. "Nobody likes facing battles in the courtroom, right?" he said. "What Google is successfully doing is taking the role of protecting the entire ecosystem so we can all stop looking at each other and pointing fingers and instead just compete in the marketplace. "We have a licence from Google for our patents so we have no problem with Google consolidating and bringing the strength to defend itself. "The Android ecosystem is a great place for us to be." Video: Here's how the iPhone 6 should look Mar 14th 2014, 10:01, by Owen Hughes Now that Sony and Samsung have set the smartphone pace for 2014, all eyes are on Apple. But we're not ones for waiting around so we've put together a concept video of the iPhone 6 based on rumours and our own wishlist for what the handset will look like. Something like this, please Apple. Please? When it comes to the design, some fans will cry, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" But the fact remains that the iPhone has stuck to a very similar look throughout its existence, with arguably the only notable evolution being the one between the 3GS and iPhone 4. Regardless of whether you love or loathe the iPhone's looks, Apple needs to stay fresh if it hopes to stay ahead of the game. With the Cupertino firm remaining understandably hush-hush on its next iPhone outing, we're really hoping for a swish new handset a little like this: YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y6ZAH8c1MM Updated: Samsung Galaxy S4 goes back to black from today Mar 14th 2014, 09:43, by Chris Smith Update: You can now buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Mini in black over at Phones 4 U. It's not Midnight Black or Vortex Noir, just plain old Black. That is some sensible colour-naming which we applaud. Original story continues... The Samsung Galaxy S5 is likely to be unsheathed in less than three weeks, but that hasn't deterred the Korean company's efforts to squeeze a little more life out of its popular Galaxy S4 range. With the S4's inevitable passing as Samsung's flagship handset nigh, it's perhaps apt that the firm has outed a new version of the device (and it's Galaxy S4 Mini counterpart) in a fetching black tone. Available in the US, UK and other markets this month, the Black Edition devices feature the "leather-like" (meaning faux leather) rear casing, black bezel and exclusive themed wallpapers and ringtones. For those whose inner darkness cannot be expressed simply through handset colour tones alone, the power adaptor, microUSB, cables and headphones also adopt the same gloomy shade. Abyss of blackness, but no KitKat Beyond that abyss of blackness there are no other differences to report. The specs all remain the same, while both devices will ship with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean rather than the newer KitKat OS. Official pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed, but it seems like it surely will be before Samsung reveals the long-awaited Galaxy S5, almost certainly at the Unpacked event at MWC 2014 on February 24. The Phone Show: Is Samsung preparing us for a disappointing Galaxy S5? Vodafone adds new $65 mobile broadband plan Mar 14th 2014, 05:33, by Farrha Khan Vodafone seems determined to announce something new every week, this time introducing a new tier mobile broadband plan. The new plan will cost $65 a month for both 12-month and 24-month contracts and will give you 12GB of data allowance. Vodafone said that the addition of this plan is due to customers telling the telco that their need for data has increased since the launch of 4G on the network mid last year. "The way we are using data is changing rapidly so we are refreshing our plans to include larger download allowances," said Kim Clarke, Chief Marketing Officer at Vodafone. More data for more 4G While the new $65 joins plans that begin at $20 a month (giving you 2.5GB of data allowance), you'll still need to add either a pocket wi-fi or USB modem. For a 24-month contract, a Category 4 LTE enabled USB will cost $3 a month extra or $84.50 outright, and up until April 29, the pocket wi-fi modem is half priced at $3 a month, or $84.50 outright. On a 12-month contract, Category 4 LTE enabled USB and pocket wi-fi modem costs are higher, at $6 a month for the USB modem, while again the pocket wi-fi modem is half priced at $5 a month or $84.50 outright up until April 29. Here's our guide to the best 4G network in Australia Virgin Mobile doubles up on data Mar 14th 2014, 04:35, by Farrha Khan Starting from today, customers signing up for a new Virgin Mobile plan will be eligible for double the usual data allowance for the life of your plan, similar to the promotion run by Vodafone from late last year. Except unlike Vodafone's promo, which included all three of its Red plans, the new Virgin Mobile promotion is only valid for its $60 and $90 plans. Virgin Mobile's promo will run until May 11 and includes SIM-only plans. A privileged pair Virgin Mobile currently has seven 24-month contract plans starting from $30, which has a 200MB data allowance, with the $60 and $90 plans sitting just under the highest tier $140 plan. Doubling the data will bring the Virgin Mobile's $60 plan up from 1.5GB to 3GB of data allowance, while the $90 plan's data allowance will go up from 3GB to 6GB. This brings the $90 plan's data allowance up to the same as it's Irresistible $140 plan, with the $90 plan also sharing unlimited standard calls and SMS allowances as well, though not the Irresistible plan's free return flights to Fiji, New Zealand, or Vanuatu. The $60 plan has $700 of included value for calls, though standard SMS and calls to Virgin Mobile numbers is unlimited. Going for the plan but want to know which mobile to get? Here's the 20 best mobile phones in the world AT&T given go-ahead to lap up Leap Wireless Mar 13th 2014, 22:21, by Michelle Fitzsimmons One of the nation's largest carriers just got the green light to grow even bigger. The FCC put the stamp on AT&T's bid for Leap Wireless, a deal that engulfs pre-paid carrier Cricket Wireless. AT&T also scores 4.6 million customers, spectrum and network equipment. All that's left is the Department of Justice's approval, and the rich get richer. We'll need some things from you first It's not as though AT&T sailed through the approval process without having to make a few concessions. The FCC attached a number of stipulations to the acquisition. The agency is requiring AT&T divest some spectrum in certain southern Texas markets as well as deploy LTE in some parts of the state. Ma Bell has to maintain Cricket's current CDMA-based roaming rates, offer certain low-cost plans and hold up a device trade-in program that covers smart and feature phones. Finally, AT&T has to light up LTE on Leap's unused spectrum. These conditions should leave the competition minimally impacted, the FCC maintained. LTE in America The FCC also reasoned the deal, conditions and all, will benefit customers as they're able to jump on AT&T's 4G LTE network. The news comes hours after T-Mobile announced it plans to upgrade its 2G network to 4G LTE this year. The magenta carrier also took aim at Verizon, saying it will take legal action against Big Red to halt it from using its network coverage maps in advertisements. T-Mobile maintains Verizon's maps only show LTE, not 4G HSPA+. Tits-for-tats aside, more high-speed network is generally a good thing for consumers. Here's the best internet speed test round up you need. Amazon smartphone may land in 2014 at 'a fraction' of iPhone price Mar 13th 2014, 21:05, by Chris Smith Amid all that talk of a potential TV set-top box and games console, longstanding rumours of an Amazon smartphone have taken a backseat just lately. However, the prospect has regained the spotlight, at least temporarily, with reports claiming the company will launch a 5-inch, Full HD phone this year at a "fraction of the cost" of the Apple iPhone. The Information claims to have obtained documents referring to the device by the codename "Project Aria," revealing discussions with potential manufacturing partners in EU and China went down last spring. The documents speak of strategies for distributing the device across the United States, Europe and China this year. Hardware form The report's hint of an affordable price point is little surprise, given Amazon's previous hardware form with Kindle Fire tablets and ereaders, as well as the current direction of the smartphone industry. Rumours late last year suggested the phone will also have 3D gesture and eye tracking, a 13-megapixel camera and a Snapdragon 800 processor. Not exactly budget specs. However, with Amazon increasing the price of Prime to $99 (about £59, AU$109) a year in the US, perhaps it can afford to launch a cheaper smartphone? Hmm, "Project Aria" sounds mighty close to "Project Ara" Is this our first glimpse of iOS 8? Mar 13th 2014, 16:37, by Hugh Langley We've been hearing a few whispers about iOS 8 recently, but now we've got something to actually feast our eyes on. The screenshot above was posted on a Weibo account, claiming to be of iOS 8, and 9to5Mac says it has confirmed its legitimacy "with several sources". As you can see, the rumoured Healthbook app is sitting on the top right, while Preview and TextEdit are also present. iSpy According to "sources in the know" Apple is optimising versions of Preview and TextEdit for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, which would explain their appearance here. These versions will reportedly be made for the purpose of viewing files that are synced to iCloud by OS X, but not editing. If this picture is real, Apple clearly still has work to do on the icons, as Preview and TextEdit are just copies of their Mac counterparts right now. The same Weibo user also posted a picture allegedly of the settings screen, which shows the version of iOS to be 8.0. As convinced as 9to5Mac is that these pictures are the real deal, it would be very easy for someone to knock out a photoshop job like this in no time at all, so we'll remain a tad cautious. 10 things we want to see in iOS 8

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