Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 03-31-2014

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Google Now's bill-paying skills to put squeeze on Siri Mar 31st 2014, 14:41, by Hugh Langley Slowly but surely, Now is proving to be one of Google's biggest weapons against Apple (just look at Android Wear), and Mountain View looks set to make is predictive assistant even more functional in the next update. The latest rumour, plucked from the mouth of a source speaking Android Police (and some spotted code), is that Google Now will soon remind you of upcoming bills and offer quick links to pay them online. On top of that, it's likely that you'll be able to ask Google questions like "what is my next bill?" to see a list of your due payments, be they credit cards or utilities. This joins rumours that Now will also soon be able to automatically create calendar entries based on mentions of events, and provide contact-based reminders based on your proximity to another person. Not got a Nexus 5? You can still enjoy the Now love with the new Google Now launcher Apple's iPhone 6 phablet could be even bigger than expected Mar 31st 2014, 13:17, by Hugh Langley It's that time of year again – when the 'next iPhone' rumours start picking up in frequency and, hopefully, more credence. The latest couple, however, are sending out some mixed messages. An image of what is reportedly the schematic design of the iPhone 6 have been put onto the web by Japanese publication Mac Otakara. Rumours of two different iPhone 6 handsets being launched – a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch – refuse to die, but the first of these images suggests the larger phone will actually measure 5.7 inches. The 4.7-incher will 66mm wide (the iPhone 5S is 58.6mm) and 70mm thick, while the 5.7-inch iPhone will be 77mm wide and 6.7mm thick. However, the source claims this is the iPhone 6C, and given the single LED flash and rectangular volume buttons, we'd be surprised if this was the flagship device. Does this mean there will be two flagships and two Cs as well? We need to go bigger But then things get a little confusing. French site NoWhereElse has published a different image sourced from China, showing the back of an alleged iPhone which disagrees with the aforementioned dimensions. This one lists the width at a mammoth 85mm, making it wider than the HTC One Max's 82.5mm body. It would also give the phone a diagonal display measuring 5 inches. This one feels a lot less likely than the first. It would be a phenomenal jump in size and make for a pretty unwieldy device. iPhone 6 - everything you need to know right now Via Macrumours iPhone 6 could take big leap in resolution as 5.5-inch screen rumoured again Mar 31st 2014, 10:59, by Hugh Langley The iPhone 6 may come in both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions, and it's possible that we've just glimpsed the larger of the two potential displays. Japan Display has announced a 5.5-inch Quad HD display (1440 x 2560) which will begin mass production in April. Now, this is of particular interest as Japan Display is one name that's been thrown into the pot of names rumoured to be manufacturing the iPhone 6 display. I can see clearly now Japanese publication Nikkei claims that JDI has the job of building these screens and that production will start in the second quarter of the year – which matches the announcement of this 5.5-inch screen. Fanning the flames even more is Nikkei's claim that the new iPhone's resolution "is expected to be significantly higher than that of current models." QHD ought to do it, though that would be a crazy big jump on the current 640 x 1130 resolution. Plus, all of this may just be a coincidence, so don't get your hopes of a super-sized QHD iPhone up too high just yet. What should the iPhone 6 look like? TechRadar's got it covered FutTv : IZrksBKedN09a Updated: iOS 8 release date, news and rumors Mar 31st 2014, 10:35, by James Rogerson iOS 8 release date, news and rumors iOS 7.1 has only just launched but already we're itching for iOS 8 and we're not alone, as rumors of what the new version of Apple's OS might include have started circulating. Enough have dropped for us to start to get an idea of what form iOS 8 might take, so without further ado here's what we've heard so far. Release date New versions of iOS tend to get announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and there's been no suggestion that iOS 8 will break the trend. As yet it's not known when WWDC 2014 will take place, but it normally happens in June. However while iOS 8 will likely be announced then it probably won't actually launch until later in the year, making its debut on the iPhone 6. Again, this is all based on Apple's past iOS launches. FutTv : n4950K8zVLF4m Cut to the chase What is it? The next iteration of Apple's mobile platform When is it out? Probably sometime in September 2014 What will it cost? iOS 8 will be a free download Healthbook Apple, like Samsung, seems to be pushing the health and fitness capabilities of its products and the next step of that is likely to come with iOS 8. According to unnamed sources who spoke to 9 to 5 Mac, iOS 8 will come with a new app dubbed Healthbook. Supposedly it will have a similar interface to Passbook, but will track steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and weight loss. So in other words it's doing the same job as stand alone fitness trackers like the FitBit Force, which makes sense since Apple already built an M7 motion co-processor into the iPhone 5S to track just those sorts of things, so it might as well make the most of it. However apparently it will also go way beyond that and track hydration levels, blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar, nutrition information and respiratory rate, taking it a step beyond existing fitness trackers. 9to5mac has even recreated some images of how the app will supposedly look. Obviously no existing Apple hardware has the relevant sensors to track most of that stuff, but there's been talk recently that the iPhone 6 might have an array of new sensors, plus some of it may rely on Apple's unconfirmed iWatch. Apple Maps Apple Maps has had a bit of a tough time so far. Its launch was as far from smooth as possible and while it's no longer putting train stations in the middle of the sea it still lags some way behind Google's offering. That could be about to change though, as 9 to 5 Mac claims to have spoken to "sources briefed on the plans" and learned that public transport directions for trains, subways and buses will be added to Maps, initially for major US cities, with a wider roll out likely to follow. The same sources also claim that it will be more accurate than it is now and new points of interest and labels will be added for things like stations and airports. The appearance of the app has apparently been improved too, making streets more visible. Supposedly Apple is also working on an augmented reality feature, which will allow you to see points of interest on your camera viewfinder, though it's thought that this feature won't make it out in time for iOS 8. Late last year Apple patented some major new ideas for Maps, which would add a whole new level of interactivity beyond even what's currently rumored. It would allow users to tap a road for example and see information relevant to just that road, such as any junctions on it, or to tap a restaurant and get a menu. This functionality might be some way off yet, if it emerges at all, but we live in hope that it might make an appearance in iOS 8. Siri Apple could hardly release a new version of iOS without updating everyone's favourite personal assistant. According to tech site The Information, Apple wants Siri to be able to interface with third party apps. Currently it's compatible with a number of popular third party apps, but only because Apple worked directly with the developers to add the functionality. In future any and all app developers might be able to make their apps compatible with Siri without Apple's help, which would vastly increase Siri's usefulness, allowing you for example to use third party messaging apps and calendars to send messages and set reminders. There's also talk that Siri might be able to contextually launch specific apps in future, so for example if you start jogging it might automatically launch RunKeeper, rather than you having to ask it to. iTunes Radio Apple looks to be putting more weight behind iTunes Radio, if sources speaking to 9 to 5 Mac are to be believed. The sources claim that it will be given a separate app for iOS 8, as currently it's part of the Music app. Supposedly other than becoming its own app it's going to remain exactly as it is now, which isn't so surprising as it only launched last year, but by giving iTunes Radio its own app it will be more noticeable to users and better positioned to take on other streaming services like Spotify. Preview and Text Edit We recently got our first glimpse of what might be iOS 8. Based on the image it unsurprisingly looks a lot like iOS 7, albeit with a few new apps on board. There's an icon for the aforementioned Healthbook and one for Tips, which is likely a user guide, but there are also Preview and Text Edit icons. If those names sound familiar it's because they're existing pieces of software for OS X, but now seemingly iOS is getting its own versions. However while the Mac versions are used to edit PDF's, images and text files, the iOS versions are apparently optimized to simply let you view any such documents that you have stored in iCloud. It's questionable how real this screenshot even is, 9to5Mac claims to have confirmed its veracity with several sources, yet it would be easy to fake, especially as the Text Edit and Preview icons are identical to their Mac counterparts. App updates There are whispers of various minor updates to a number of apps. According to an unnamed source the Notification Center is getting streamlined for iOS 8. The update completely removes the "Missed" tab, so everything can be found on either "Today" or "All". The Messages app is apparently having a new option added, to allow you to automatically delete threads after a certain period of time and Voice Memos may be getting a new button arrangement. Apple is also supposedly removing the requirement for a Lightning cord when using CarPlay, allowing it to work wirelessly instead. Apps may also be able to better communicate thanks to a new developer API which is rumored to be in testing. Known as an "XPC" service, the API would allow apps to share data, which among other things would hopefully make it easy to keep files synced up across different apps. Goodbye Game Center While there are a lot of new things rumored for iOS 8 we might also be losing some things. Apple's Game Center app is rumoured to be for the chopping block according to 9to5Mac, with the functionality being moved directly into games themselves. iOS 8: 10 things we want to see So we're starting to get an idea of some of the major changes in store for iOS 8, still, there are many other things we'd like to see Apple change by the time iOS 8 rolls around later in 2014 - although in some cases we've got a sneaking suspicion Apple would disagree. FutTv : n4950K8zVLF4m 1. Change and hide default iOS apps We'd love to be able to choose non-Apple alternatives for handling email, browsing and maps, but doubt it'll happen. However, Apple not providing the means to hide preinstalled apps you don't use is an irritant that goes back to the very first iPhone. Even if there was a similar 'parental controls' trick for hiding apps to the one on the Apple TV, that'd be good enough. 2. A guest/child account Apple's mantra is everyone should own their own device. That's lovely, but not everyone's pockets are as deep as those of Apple board members. OS X-style user accounts are unlikely, but it can't be beyond Apple to provide a single-tap child account or a guest account that doesn't affect your settings and data, and doesn't retain settings or data of its own. 3. Better iOS app management As of iOS 7, Apple automates app updates, but it should go further. Devs wrestle with iCloud app data, but this should be child's play to save and also (optionally) restore whenever you reinstall an app. And the App Store itself should offer trials and paid version updates (rather than devs being forced to use IAP or 'replacement' apps as a workaround). 4. Stronger inter-app communications One of the weakest elements of iOS is inter-app communication. If a service bumps you to another app, you're not always returned when you've finished performing an action. Worse, when making document edits across several apps workflow can be a nightmare with document copies in various states strewn throughout individual app sandboxes. Hopefully this is set to improve if the new API for data-sharing makes it into iOS 8. 5. Better document management Following on from the previous point, iOS should introduce at least some kind of centralised access to documents. Right now, Dropbox is a surrogate file system because iCloud is a bunch of silos. It's absurd that you can't easily attach documents within Mail in an OS that boasts a version number of 7. The lack of collaboration opportunities within iCloud document workflow is also disappointing. 6. Group FaceTime calls This isn't specifically tied to iOS, but Apple's mobile platform is where FaceTime began life, and although the one-to-one model is great, it's about time you could call several people at once, rather than a group having to crowd around an iPhone. 7. iOS notifications like in OS X Mavericks In OS X Mavericks, notifications are interactive - get a message and you can deal with it there and then, rather than leaving the app you're in. This is even more important on iOS, and so we hope Apple adds similar functionality on mobile. Google does it with aplomb, so we want to see the same here. 8. More Do Not Disturb options Do Not Disturb gained extra power in iOS 7, enabling you to silence notifications only when a device is locked. Bizarrely, it still retains only a single schedule though. Is it beyond Apple to enable you to at least set one for weekdays and a separate one for weekends? 9. Better text manipulation Apple's text-selection, cut, copy and paste seemed elegant when it was introduced, but only compared to disastrous equivalents on competing mobile systems. Today, it comes across as awkward, and it's a barrier to usability for far too many people. We'd like to see a rethink from Apple and more usable and intuitive ways of dealing with text. 10. Two-up apps We love the focus iOS provides, but there are times when we'd like to work with two apps at once. Much like messing with default apps, we doubt Apple will ever go down this path, but OS X Mavericks now has a more powerful full-screen mode for multiple monitors. So there's perhaps the slightest hope a multi-screen mode might one day arrive for the iPad or a larger iPhone, and would be one in the eye for all those Samsung owners out there. Windows Phone 8.1 may launch on April 23 with new hardware in tow Mar 31st 2014, 10:13, by Kate Solomon Microsoft's next phone OS, Windows Phone 8.1, is reportedly set to launch on April 23 alongside a handful of new phones. The news comes from WPCentral which has the inside track with "various sources" who say that this is the case and that the software is already with the phone makers. Unfortunately these shady tipsters didn't mention exactly which phones we can expect to see announced in April, but it seems likely that at least one will be a Nokia - the Lumia 630 seems a safe bet. Building up to it We're hoping that Microsoft will at least give us a Windows Phone 8.1 rundown at this week's Build conference. Since the company is keen on aligning its mobile and desktop software, this doesn't seem outside the realms of possibility. And since Nokia was all "hashtag more Lumia" in its Build 2014 teaser, we'd say it seems pretty likely that Windows Phone 8.1 has something to do with it. We got a nice glimpse at the Windows Phone 8.1 software supposedly running on the Lumia 630 just last week in a video that showed off the updated interface, new Action Centre notifications and new camera software. What else should you expect from Microsoft's Build 2014? In Depth: Hotel of the future: how your phone will be your room key Mar 31st 2014, 09:35, by Mary Branscombe Welcome to the hotel of the future You can check in for your flight on your phone and get a digital boarding pass. So why should you have to show your credit card at hotel reception when they already have your booking details? A few hotels such as Hyatt have put check-in kiosks in the lobby where you can swipe your credit card and get your key, but as NFC locks become more common on hotel doors, you could soon be skipping that step entirely. You could check-in on your phone before you even arrive at the hotel, and then use the NFC chip in your phone as your room door key. Skip the queue Travellers could skip the line and walk straight into the hotel and go right to their room. Hotels would appreciate it because not only would it make their customers happier, they would also avoid having to cover the expense of lost and unreturned key cards. Like hotel keycards that are rejected by door locks after your checkout date, the app on your phone would just delete the NFC code for the room when you checked out. You could even do this from your phone, instead of using the TV remote to check your bill and laboriously type in your email address. Hotels could also offer extra services through the app, like letting you pick a specific room from what's available, so you could choose what floor you want and how close you want to be to the elevator. Guests could rate specific rooms in the app and you could look back to see if a room you'd been happy with on a previous stay was available. Popular rooms could become like exit row seats on a plane – reserved for frequent travellers or available for an upgrade fee – and the hotel could sell you a room upgrade or a faster internet package at the same time. Set the temp You could set the air conditioning temperature at the same time, along with any other room controls. The Aria hotel in Las Vegas already puts a Control4 room control tablet on the nightstand. This lets you open and close the curtains and blackout blinds, change the light levels around the room and choreograph wake-up and goodnight sequences that control the lights, curtains and TV to help you wake up or drop off more easily. That would be easier on your phone than on the clunky tablet or TV remote, and you could do it whenever you wanted, rather than when you're tired and just want to jump into bed. Hotels want you to install their phone apps and keep them on your phone after you leave, so they can carry on reaching you with special offers that might keep you coming back. The more useful the app is while you're actually at the hotel, the more likely you are to keep it. And if you have the incentive of a faster check-in, you're more likely to actually install the app. The app would also let you order room service, book a treatment at the spa or pay for a drink in the hotel bar, not to mention give you a map of where the pool is. Some apps let you book a table at a nearby restaurant – and the hotel gets a cut. Dual investment Making phone check-in workable needs two investments by hotels. The first is fitting hotel rooms with NFC. You won't find them in a budget motel like a Travelodge (yet), but NFC locks are already in a wide range of hotels. Business hotel Hyatts also uses NFC in the room card to send the lift to the right floor for you automatically, which saves time and electricity by putting people going to the same floor in the same lift. Nordic Choice Hotels was the first chain to let guests select and unlock rooms with an NFC phone back in 2010, and started putting NFC locks into its hotels in 2013. Even mid-price chain hotels like Best Western have them installed in many locations already. NFC also involves connecting apps up to room management systems that know which rooms have been cleaned and are ready to use. Micro PMS is working on this for its own management service, which is also used by Marriott, Four Seasons, Omni and about 75% of all three-star hotels. That's what travel app creators like Ve-Go are counting on, but they're going to face stiff competition from hotel brand apps. Currently the mobile check-in in Marriott's app lets you check-in the day before you arrive. It then gives you a message when your room is ready so you can pick up the pre-made keycard at the reception desk (and check out from your phone at the end of your stay). With NFC, you won't need to stop in the lobby to grab the keycard. Monkey wrench The flaw in the plan is the iPhone, which doesn't support NFC. Despite persistent rumours, Apple doesn't seem interested in the technology. Rather than expecting iPhone users to snap on an NFC-enabling jacket, hotels and hotel lock-makers will probably have to invest in Apple's iBeacon technology to work alongside NFC locks. That's why Starwood is using Bluetooth on your phone as a keycard replacement instead of NFC, although it only has mobile checking at a handful of Aloft hotels so far (it will offer it in high-end W hotels this year). Because NFC works both for familiar keycards and on phones, it gives hotels more options – but the iPhone is too popular to ignore, even though accommodating it could prove an inconvenience for businesses. The future of facial recognition: big brother or our new best friend? Apple and Samsung's latest court clash could cost you Mar 31st 2014, 09:27, by Kate Solomon Doesn't look like those mediation sessions worked: Apple and Samsung are back in court today as the iPhone maker accuses Samsung of copying some of its software and wants $40 per device sold as restitution (that's around £25 or AU$45). If the courts find in Apple's favour, the ruling could cost Samsung around $2 billion (about £1.2bn / AU$2.2bn), but Samsung hopes to bring Google into the fray to detail how Samsung came up with the elements of its Android overlay software of its own accord. If Apple gets its way, we could see Samsung Galaxy device prices hiked up to cover the shortfall. Systematic Just under two years ago, courts ruled that Samsung had infringed on some of Apple's iPhone and iPad related patents, ordering the Korean company to cough up $900 million in damages (which Samsung is still contesting). Earlier this year, the court continued to find in Apple's favour. This time around, Apple says Samsung has "systematically" copied its devices, alleging that more recent Galaxy ranges infringe on five of its patents. These include slide to unlock and the concept of tapping a phone number or address that appears in web search results to call that number or open the address in a mapping app. Not to be outdone, Samsung says Apple is using two of its wireless tech developments that speed up data exchange on iPhones and iPads. Today sees the two companies begin the jury selection process - which proved problematic in the last round of court battles because so many people in the San Joes area have ties to one or other of the companies. Maybe they should call in some rural jurors. Fruits of the Apple tree: 20 tech marvels that came from former Apple staff Updated: HTC One (M8) vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Early view Mar 30th 2014, 22:25, by Simon Hill HTC One (M8) vs Samsung Galaxy S5 Samsung is the reigning heavyweight champion on the Android scene, and the Galaxy S5 looks like a return to form after the slightly disappointing S4. The Taiwanese contender has a proud Android pedigree and last year's HTC One was our pick of the smartphone bunch. The HTC One (M8) isn't the catchiest name we've ever heard, but even if the ungainly tag sticks, this is a beautiful-looking device. If any Android smartphone can mount a credible challenge to Samsung's dominance this year, it's got to be the HTC One (M8). Must read: HTC One (M8) review Headline features Duking it out for the affections of the mass market means producing phones that have a really wide appeal. All the top Android phones have plenty in common, but the HTC One (M8) does offer a few standout features. Opting out of the megapixel war with ultrapixels, HTC is not afraid to be different. The HTC One (M8) has dual cameras on the back. There's a 4.1 ultrapixel camera with a depth perceiving camera above it, which gives 3D effects and, more importantly, the ability to refocus after taking a shot. That reassuringly expensive feel and aesthetic will win the One (M8) a lot of friends, and it retains the smart front-facing BoomSound speakers which were universally praised in its predecessor. A redesigned Sense interface with a stark, flat icon look and a host of time-saving gestures brings HTC bang up to date. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLo6GolisY The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a lot going for it. The company really took the criticism of the S4 to heart and responded by scaling down the huge list of features and dubious software enhancements to focus the S5 on what people really want. That's why there's a 16MP camera capable of snapping a shot in 0.3 seconds. Samsung also added real-time HDR and a handful of other modes and effects, which have resulted in a very strong-looking camera. Another big trend in mobile tech right now is fitness tracking. Samsung has improved the S Health app from last year, and added a heart rate sensor - decide for yourself whether that's something you'd want. Following Sony's lead, the Galaxy S5 is IP67 rated, which means dust poses no threat and it can be submerged at a depth of up to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. Design Its predecessor certainly turned heads and the HTC One (M8) has a similar aluminium body with a really precise, premium feel. HTC understands how to make a gorgeous smartphone that people will fall in love with on sight. It is 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35mm and it weighs in at 160g. Samsung's decision to stick with the same design language as its galaxy of Galaxy models has grown is harder to justify. The complaints about a cheap, plastic feel now stretch back years, and if you think the textured back resembles a sticking plaster, you're not the only one. On the other hand, the S5 is lighter and slimmer than its competitor. It weighs 145g and measures 142 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, but lacks that premium feel that we love on the One (M8). UI Both devices feature Google's biscuity goodness in the shape of Android 4.4 KitKat. The One has HTC's Sense 6.0 on top, with some handy new gesture shortcuts and a flatter icon design. The S5 has Samsung's TouchWiz, which offers a huge list of settings to play with (though you might not find all of them very useful). HTC eschews separate buttons beneath the screen, opting for Google's preference of onscreen keys that can fade away when not in use. Samsung decided to stick with the physical home button and its touch-sensitive wing men. Both are decent overlays in their own right, in our opinion, and while we're getting used to having all keys on screen, we do like a physical home button. Screen The HTC One (M8) has a 5-inch display with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution. The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch screen which is also full HD at 1080p. Technically the One should be slightly sharper, but it isnt easy to tell the difference. The HTC goes for a Super LCD3 option, where Samsung has stayed true to form and gone with a bright and vibrant Super AMOLED HD option instead - this leads to higher colour saturation, but can be tweaked to your own preference. CPU and RAM The Samsung Galaxy S5 is packing an impressive 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor backed up by 2GB of RAM. The HTC One (M8) is almost exactly the same with 2GB of RAM, and it's also powered by the quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, although it's clocked at 2.3GHz. We need to put them through their paces and check the benchmarks, but a major gap between them in terms of speed would be a surprise - despite HTC running ahead of the pack in our benchmark tests. Battery You'll find a 2,600 mAh battery in the HTC One (M8), while the S5's battery is slightly bigger at 2,800 mAh. The slightly smaller screen and the lower clock speed might help close the gap here. Both phones have a special power-saving mode that will help you prioritize when the battery gets low and squeeze the maximum use from your dwindling juice. The battery in the S5 can be swapped out, but the One (M8) is sealed. Camera The cameras are a headline feature for both phones, but the approaches are very different. We have the dual rear camera setup of the HTC One (M8) with a 4.1 ultrapixel camera and a distance measuring camera above it. There's also a 5MP front-facing camera for top quality selfies. Samsung has gone for a 16MP main camera and a 2.1MP front-facing camera. The S5 is also capable of recording 4K video, while the One tops out at 1080p, something that could prove important to anyone who's taken the 4K plunge with a new TV. Price Price-wise, there isn't much of a difference. If you want to own either of these smartphones then you'll need to be prepared to part with $929 for the Samsung Galaxy S5 or for $30 less, the HTC One (M8) will have a price tag of $899. Contract deals will vary on telcos, and the difference will be only a couple of dollars in favour of the HTC. Early verdict The HTC One (M8) and the Samsung Galaxy S5 are both impressive, and they need to be. The top of the Android tree is a very competitive space and it's not just HTC aiming to knock Samsung off its perch: Sony, LG, and others are releasing compelling smartphones too. Few devices can match the Galaxy S5's hidden depths, but if you want a piece of tech that even iPhone owners will drool over, the HTC One (M8) cannot be overlooked. Will the HTC One (M8) follow its predecessor to the top of our best smartphones chart? LG G2 Mini arrives in Europe with a not-so-mini price-tag Mar 30th 2014, 13:38, by Chris Smith When LG finally jumped on the little brother bandwagon with its "me too" LG G2 Mini smartphone at MWC last month, it left us a little cold. Not only was it not-that-mini at 4.7-inches, but it also promised specs that paled in relation to handsets like the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and the long-standing HTC One Mini and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. What leaves us colder still is the just-announced European pricetag for the device, revealed by retailers before it goes on sale at the beginning of April. In multiple European countries (the UK not being one of them), the phone is up for grabs for $350, that's around £289 in proper money and it's somewhat steep for a phone offering lower mid-range specs. Today's standards... The LG G2 Mini brings a lower end 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon (Cortex-A7 CPU) processor into play, while the screen resolution is only qHD 960 x 540. There's also, by today's standards, a miserly 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage, an 8-megapixel camera and a 1.3-megapixel front facing snapper. UK pricing is yet to be confirmed, but smartphone fans get more bang from their buck from the budget Moto G phone, let alone the Xperia Z1 Compact or those other, more diminutive, devices from the big boys. For all its sins the LG G2 Mini does bring Android 4.4 KitKat to the party. Check out our review

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