 | Updated: Possible Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom camera sample comes into focus Apr 17th 2014, 13:44, by James Rogerson 
Update: Hold up - all is not what it seems. TechRadar has been flagged a Flickr page of a remarkably similar looking image, although the EXIF data here suggests it was taken with a Sony DSC-H200 camera in January. Of course there's no guarantee the EXIF data on this post hasn't been faked, but it does raise suspicions of foul play. Thanks to Krzysztof for the tip. Original story... We're getting a pretty clear picture of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom when it comes to its design, but this is a phone that's all about the photos. That's why we're particularly intrigued by a new image doing the rounds which was supposedly shot on the S5 Zoom. The photo was sent to Dutch site KopenGalaxyS5.nl with an EXIF tag of SM-C115. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is the SM-C101, so that's close enough that it's likely to be its successor. Happy snapperThe photo is a close-up of some leaves and, well, it's hard to make any firm conclusions based on a single image, but it certainly seems reasonable quality, at least by smartphone standards, though the background is more in focus than the foreground. From previous rumours we're expecting the Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom to have a 20 megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom, a 4.8 inch screen and a significantly smaller footprint than last years model.        | | New leak sheds light on the design of the LG G3 Apr 17th 2014, 10:16, by James Rogerson 
So far most of the LG G3 leaks have been focused on the specs, but now we're getting word on how the phone might look. The latest leak comes from an unnamed source who spoke to the Bulgarian blog Nixanbal and claimed that the LG G3 will have a polycarbonate matte back, but that the look will be similar to the brushed metal of the HTC One (M8). Speaking of the back cover, it's apparently removable, which could mean a microSD card slot and battery swapping potential. Slim fitThe source went on to say that the buttons will once again be on the back, but that they'll be smaller than they were on the LG G2 and that the power button will have an LED in it. The camera is said to be positioned just above those buttons, with a dual-LED flash to its right and another sensor, thought to be infra-red, to the left. Apparently the camera will have a 13 megapixel resolution, just like the LG G2, which matches other recent rumours. It's yet again tipped to have a Quad HD 5.5 inch display, but apparently the bezels will be very small, such that the LG G3 is only around the size of the Samsung Galaxy S5, despite having a bigger screen. N Nixanbal handily created a mock-up based on this new information, which can be seen above, though as with all such rumours it should be taken with a pinch of salt for now. - Looking for something a little smaller? Check out the LG G2 Mini.
       | | iOS 8 may come with baked-in Shazam so you can ask Siri what's playing Apr 17th 2014, 10:09, by Hugh Langley 
Apple has plans to bake Shazam's music-recognition service directly into iOS, an interesting new report claims. The plan is to incorporate Shazam into the software in the same way that Facebook and Twitter are, and to allow users to ask Siri what song is playing without opening the Shazam app. Shazam declined to comment on the matter to TechRadar, however WWDC 2014 is just around the corner and it's possible we could see the new feature included in iOS 8 when it's revealed. Integration stationIt's unclear right now whether Apple plans to offer up a new first-party app for all this music recognition data. The information comes from sources speaking to Bloomberg, one of which also claimed that Apple's iTunes Radio is currently gearing up for a global release. It was also reported that Apple is chewing over the idea of putting out iTunes Radio as a standalone app, rather than as just a feature built into the iTunes store as it currently stands.        | | 3 million Aussies to take up mobile contactless payments by 2015 Apr 17th 2014, 05:16, by Farrha Khan 
Alongside its water and dust resistant body, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is also one of the first Australian smartphones to come with NFC contactless payment. For Commonwealth Bank and Westpac customers in Australia, this means that at retailers where tap and pay PayPass or PayWave machines are available, you'll be able to simply tap your smartphone to pay - just like your Visa or Mastercard. "The Australian banks, including Westpac, have invested heavily in this area and partnered with the major card providers to provide this innovation to customers," said a Westpac spokesperson, speaking of contactless payments. "Customers have embraced the fact that this is a quick and easy way to pay, and by having widespread acceptance, they use it more often." With the groundwork for contactless payments already laid out and technology now available straight out of the box for Galaxy S5 users, Westpac says that nearly $3 billion worth of contactless mobile transactions will be made in 2015 according to industry-wide forecasts. The bank anticipates around 3 million Australians will adopt the technology next year as well. "With contactless transactions now becoming available on people's mobile phones... we believe it's going to make transactions even faster and more convenient for customers." The mobile walletContactless payments for Commbank customers have been available to Galaxy S4 users as well as other Android and iOS users through PayTag - a sticker with an NFC-enable chip that can be attached to the backs of smartphones - since late last year. According to a survey conducted by CommBank, 73% of Aussies expect mobile wallets to replace their entire physical wallet, including cards and cash, in the next seven and half years. "As a nation, we've been at the forefront of the contactless payments revolution and Australians appear keen to lead the world into the new era of the mobile wallet," said Angus Sullivan, Executive General Manager for Cards, Payments, Analytics & Retail Strategy at Commonwealth Bank. "While there may always be a need for different payment methods, such as cash for emergencies and cards for travel, it's clear the mobile wallet is set to become a part of many Australians' everyday lives," he said. Sense of securityWhile ease and convenience may end up being the main driving force for the uptake of NFC mobile payments, security issues may still worry users, especially with news of bugs such as Heartbleed. "Paying with a mobile is just as secure as a card, with all payments backed by Westpac's Fraud Money Back Guarantee," Westpac said. As an extra step for security, you can also choose to sign in to the mobile banking app before each purchase, and you can disable mobile payments in the phone's NFC settings at any time. Currently, contactless mobile payments are currently available for Westpac customers that have Galaxy S5, with the S4 rollout to follow. CommBank customers that have iOS or Android can purchase a PayTag sticker, while those that have the Galaxy S5 or S4 don't need the tag.        | | Vodafone extends Roam Like Home to Brazil just in time for the FIFA World Cup Apr 17th 2014, 03:18, by Farrha Khan 
Ready for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Vodafone has now included Brazil in its list of Roam Like Home countries. Vodafone introduced Roam Like Home last year with its Red plans, giving you the ability to use your phones overseas as if at home for a $5 cap each day the phone is used, as long as you keep within your monthly plan allowance. Now up to 47 countries where this is available, Brazil joins the US, UK, New Zealand, most of Europe, along with China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Thailand. Roaming frontierRoam Like Home, which was previously only offered on three post-paid tiers, is now offered to all post-paid customers, including business customers. Vodafone also allows for 4G roaming in countries the faster network is available, and simplified call charges in over 200 countries where Roam Like Home is not available. Beyond this, the Aussie telco has indicated previously that it will continue to add more countries where $5 capped roaming is available to customers.        | | Yahoo hoping to wean Apple off Google with new mobile search engine? Apr 16th 2014, 22:45, by Chris Smith 
Yahoo wants to replace Google as the default search engine on Apple's iOS devices, according to a report Wednesday. Recode has brought word from a Yahoo insider claiming the web company is focused on building a 'viable' mobile search engine, with the primary aim of wooing Apple away from its reliance on Google. The report said Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Adam Cahan (SVP of mobile and emerging products) is planning a pitch to Apple and has already created images of how the offering might look. Apparently Mayer has already made overtures to Apple's Jony Ive, but hopes more serious discussions can take place soon. Grabbing pole"This is the aim of the whole effort here, to grab the pole position in iOS search," the Yahoo employee working on the search drive reportedly said. "It will take more than pretty pictures though to convince Apple to give up Google, given its focus on consumer experience being top-notch. But Marissa wants it very badly." Yahoo already has a pretty decent foothold within iOS with the Weather and Stocks apps both powered by the company. Yahoo search is currently an option, but Google is the default provider. The report alleges that search is the Holy Grail for Yahoo as it seeks to expedite its recent turnaround as it could net the firm a billion dollars a year in fees from Apple. The problem lies in convincing Apple and consumers that any new offering would be superior to Google, a field Yahoo, for all of its previous efforts in search, has rarely fared too well in.        | | Google Camera app brings Nexus photo fun to all Android 4.4 devices Apr 16th 2014, 20:33, by Marc Flores 
The new Google Camera app finally brings features that were once only available on Nexus devices to every other Android snapper out there. Well, as long as those Android devices are running KitKat, that is. Two of the app's biggest features are Photo Sphere and Lens Blur. If you're remotely familiar with the Nexus 5, or even the Nexus 4 that came before it, Photo Sphere is definitely not a new trick, but it was very limited in terms of who could use it. Photo Sphere allows you to create panorama-like images with a 360-degree field of view. That means you're not limited to just panning straight across a scene, but you can move your phone camera up or down to include more of the sky and foreground. The stitching job on the 360 panoramas is pretty good, or at least as good as it can be on a really difficult image to piece together. And you'll be able to view them in full on your Android device or on Google+ if you want to share the photos. Blurry like a DSLRThe next notable feature is Lens Blur, which is similar to what you'll find on the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S5. Basically, you select your subject and everything else gets blurred out so the focus is mostly on your subject. It's like shooting with shallow depth-of-field on a DSLR. These photo blurring effects sometimes work very well, and other times they seem very artificial. When it's done right, the results can be dreamy and natural. On the other hand, if it's a little overdone - like it is on the HTC One compared to the Galaxy S5 - it can look a little gimmicky. However, if you use it sparingly and carefully, you can get pretty good results and really show your subject and get rid of all the clutter in your photo. In the end, the Google Camera app is pretty simple, and the UI is designed to make taking photos easier. You can download it via the Play Store now if you're sporting a device with Android 4.4 KitKat. Enjoy!        | | LG G3 tipped to come gilded in gold, pack first-rate resolution Apr 16th 2014, 20:21, by Michael Rougeau 
LG's next flagship Android phone, the LG G3, could be the latest major smartphone release to go for the gold. The G3 will come in a gold variant in addition to the standard black and white choices, according to The Verge. The tech site got ahold of a photo allegedly showing a gold-hued LG G3 retail box, and it says the color of the box is no accident. And in addition to the photographic evidence, sources reportedly confirmed with the site that the G3 will indeed come in a gold hue. Gold rushIt looks like LG's G3 will follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5S, the Galaxy S5, the HTC One, and other smartphones that have been colored gold and hawked to bling-loving consumers. Even LG's own G2 had a gold variant, and the recently released HTC One (M8) is reportedly getting gilded as well. But the G3 is making more original strides in other ways, like its 2560 x 1440 resolution, which LG reportedly confirmed with The Verge is a for-real spec. On the other hand that could be just one variant of the G3, with another coming in at 1080p, according to past reports. Either way we'll find out soon, as the G3 is expected out by July this year. - This is everything TechRadar knows about the iPhone 6
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