| In Depth: The 5 phones that made Nokia worth buying Apr 25th 2014, 14:40, by David Nield 
It's official: Microsoft has bought Nokia's phone and services division for £3.2 billion, taking on the development of its Windows Phone series and giving the company a stronger foothold in the fight against Google and Apple in the mobile marketplace. While Nokia's star may have waned in recent years (though the latest batch of Lumias have made at least a few sit up and take notice again), this is a company responsible for a galaxy of classic handsets. So we've looked back and picked the devices, past and present, gave Nokia the power and momentum that saw it manage to stagger on through some tricky times, and expertise that Microsoft couldn't resist getting its hands on. 1. Nokia 3310
Cast your mind back to late 2000: Bush and Gore were battling for the keys to the White House, and Nokia replaced its hugely successful 3210 with the 3310, which went on to scale even greater heights. Not everyone had a mobile phone in the early 2000s, but if you did, chances were it was a 3310 or its immediate predecessor. It made Snake II the most popular game of the age, came in a variety of colours and all-encompassing cases, let you customise the ringtone and even let you send texts above the 160-character limit. It was one of the first phones to match the blueprint for any successful handset: powerful, versatile, and a pleasure to use. 2. Nokia N95Get into a conversation with anyone who once owned an N95 and you won't have to do much prodding to get them singing its praises. This was the most feature-packed feature phone in existence before the iPhone turned up, offering cutting-edge capabilities such as GPS and online mapping, an MP3 player, Wi-Fi and 3G support (something the first iPhone lacked), and a 5 megapixel camera that was ahead of its time (recording both images and video). It had a big, bright, colourful screen and a slide-out design that meant you could hide away the keypad when you didn't need it – in short, it was everything that the iPhone wasn't and caused throngs of users to fly all over the globe to pick it up. Sadly, it was also the start of the downward trend for Nokia, as the brand failed to recognise that consumers would become less interested in power, and more about ease of use… but it still remains an iconic phone nonetheless. 3. Nokia 1110
The Nokia 1110 remains the company's best-selling phone of all time. In fact, at 250 million units shifted, it's the best-selling handset in history (unless you want to lump all the editions of the iPhone together), so keep that in mind for your next pub quiz trip. Like most of the classic Nokias, it was user-friendly and simple to operate, and it helped the company expand worldwide into developing countries that it previously hadn't touched. You didn't get much besides the basic functions with the 1110, and it ran out of juice after five hours or so, but it remains one of Nokia's most important devices in terms of spreading the company's influence and getting its name recognised across the globe. 4. Nokia N9
The N9 wasn't the most successful mobile phone handset that Nokia ever launched — its chassis was stolen from it in the UK market to be used for the Windows Phone-powered Lumia 800 — but it provided evidence that the company could still innovate and provide fresh ideas of its own given half a chance. The MeeGo mobile OS appeared just as Nokia switched focus to Windows Phone and actually had a lot going for it (including intelligent multi-tasking, a really slick UI, decent Web browsing and a combined notifications system), and it was all wrapped in a stylish-looking chassis that gave a few nods to where Nokia would be heading next (from the brightly coloured casing to the high-spec Carl Zeiss integrated camera). We doubt Microsoft is going to ever want to fragment its mobile phones operations at all, but at least is shows that Nokia knew how to make a decent OS, and that's going to be gold dust when it looks to polish Windows Phone. 5. Nokia Lumia 925
Back to the present day, and while Nokia has been caught out by the explosion of iOS and Android devices, the Lumia range — and the Nokia Lumia 925 in particular — shows clear signs that Nokia is ready to fight back. Impressive build quality, a great camera and a top-notch suite of integrated apps (particularly for managing your contacts and social media accounts) makes it the best Nokia phone of the moment. The only piece of the puzzle missing is third-party app support, and if Microsoft can solve that problem, then hardware like the Lumia 925 and its successors should give it more than half a chance of making Windows Phone a mainstream mobile operating system.        |  | Updated: The outspoken chief exec who engineered Microsoft's Nokia takeover Apr 25th 2014, 14:00, by Mary Branscombe 
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop was a favourite to replace Ballmer, even before Microsoft announced that it was buying Nokia's phone business. For many people that's because of his bold approach at Nokia, from his "burning platform" memo to mocking Samsung at the Lumia 920 announcement for announcing a phone they couldn't even demonstrate. Satya Nadella pipped him to the post for that coveted position in February. The acquisition of Nokia's devices and services arm by Microsoft and its change of name, to Microsoft Mobiles Oy, will also mark the return of Elop to the fold. He can be outspoken: back in 2009 he called the idea of putting everything in the cloud instead of using software on a device "hogwash." But his record on predicting trends is generally better than that statement suggests: at the same time he talked about consumer technology and social networks arriving inside companies, and both are commonplace now. He's certainly pragmatic. Faced with operator complaints about Skype undermining call revenue, he cleverly turned it into a way of working with the networks: "Instead of them just complaining about Skype, we can have a conversation. Some operators are looking at bundling Lumia, Skype and their own services with higher-bandwidth allotments to actually charge the consumer more and generate more revenue." But he also managed to turn around Nokia's culture, which ranged from paranoid (a Nokia developer once told me the company couldn't open source its LifeBlog software because people hated Nokia and wouldn't participate) to stodgy. In 2011, Elop described Nokia as "reliable, durable, trustworthy. We comb our hair neatly each morning, we pick you up after school when we say we will, we always send you a birthday card." He managed to get the reserved Finns to speak up in meetings and to make firm commitments, and there's a new excitement among even long-time Nokia employees. 
Nokia has lost the massive market share it used to have; that was a trend that started long before he arrived there, and while selling the phone business to Microsoft can't have been what the Nokia board originally hoped for, you have to give Elop and Nokia credit for most of the success for Windows Phone 8 (since over 80% of all Windows Phones sold are from Nokia). When Nokia head-hunted him in September 2010, he was running Microsoft's Business division; that included Office and unified communications – Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, Project and Dynamics, as well as the Office applications. He was running Office when Office 2010 and the Office Web apps launched, and Office 365 was still in development. The Office Web apps weren't an immediate hit, but they were an important step in putting Office tools on more platforms than just Windows and Mac. At the time, Elop said the danger for Microsoft wasn't competition from free tools like Google Docs but resting on its laurels and not innovating enough. "We have to be out innovating the competition; at the end of the day if we provide more value we'll win." Elop's team has gone on to successOther products were definitely successful. SharePoint 2010 was one of the key milestones for the product and Exchange 2010 was also a significant launch, especially as it was followed by both Google and Apple (and indeed Nokia) licensing the Exchange ActiveSync protocol. At that point, the Exchange team was run by someone who's worked with Elop a lot since then: former Windows Phone head Terry Myerson, who is now in charge of all operating system development at Microsoft. In fact, a number of people who worked for Elop in the Business division have gone on to senior positions inside Microsoft. Kirill Tatarinov now runs Dynamics, Microsoft's software for running businesses (that's what Delta is using to power the Lumia handsets that cabin crew now use for all on-board sales). Antoine Leblonde is a Corporate Vice President in the Windows division (looking after the development of Windows) and Amy Hood recently took over from Peter Klein as Microsoft CFO. It's not clear how much of a mentor he could have been in a little under two years, but it certainly emphasizes how important the Microsoft Business division has been as a place for key Microsoft leaders to prove themselves. 
Microsoft recruited Elop from network hardware vendor Juniper; he only stayed there for a year as Chief Operating Officer, but it was good enterprise experience. Before that he ran Adobe's sales, support and marketing groups, a job he took after successfully negotiating the merger of his company Macromedia with Adobe (he had spent seven years working his way up to CEO, earning the nickname 'The General' for his no-nonsense approach). Macromedia brought Adobe both the Flash player that made them ubiquitous (which Elop had pushed Macromedia to develop for early mobile phones) and the expertise in web development tools that will allow Adobe to replace Flash with HTML5. Before that he had a tastier job; CIO at Boston Chicken and Einstein Brothers Bagels (now the US fast food chain Boston Market). Despite the way he killed off projects like Meego that many at Nokia had pinned the company's hopes on, Elop has few detractors. Perhaps it's his down-to-earth attitude and the way he's seen as a steady pair of hands. Tributes to him are usually along the lines of 'very smart' or 'very hardworking'; when Elop left Microsoft, Ballmer called him "a good steward of the [Office] brand." Or perhaps it's the way he tends to roll up his sleeves and join in; at university he helped lay 22km of Ethernet cable to create one of Canada's first Internet-connected networks. With Windows Phone a solid number three in the phone market and Surface sales languishing, he's going to have to roll up his sleeves and get down to work again now he's back at Microsoft.        | | Updated: Best business smartphones: 10 top handsets for work Apr 25th 2014, 13:15, by John McCann 
Best smartphones for business: part 1Once upon a time there was only one firm on the lips of any business' IT team when it came to company phones – BlackBerry. A lot has changed since then and BlackBerry's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, leaving the door wide open for rivals to court the enterprise business. Now the rest of the pack is hot on its heels, if not already overtaking it, with the likes of Apple, Samsung, Nokia and HTC all vying for a piece of the business pie. This is great for any potential business buyer, as you now have a wide choice of handsets to choose from, allowing you to select the best phones for your company's requirements. In no particular order, here are the top 10 smartphones for business use and business users: HTC One M8It's been heralded as the "best mobile phone in the world", and rightly so, as the HTC One M8 fuses superb design with excellent functionality. If you're looking to make a statement the next time you enter a meeting the One M8's full metal body puts it up there with the iPhone 5S in terms of premium style and boardroom presence. The full HD, 5-inch display is beautiful to look at and the punchy quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM ensures you'll never be short of power. 
There are plentiful amounts of bells and whistles on the HTC One M8 and the Android KitKat operating system allows for a wealth of customisation - although HTC has heavily skinned it with its Sense 6 overlay. You may find that overlay gets in the way of core business functions, so it's worth checking out the HTC One M8 before hand, but if the interface is manageable you'll be more than happy getting this out in meetings. The One M8 is also HTCpro certified, which adds additional encryption and mobile device management tools to the handset especially for enterprise customers. Sony Xperia Z2If you're looking for something a little more understated, yet still premium and powerful the Sony Xperia Z2 is just the ticket. A sleek, industrial design coupled with powerful specs including a quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 5.2-inch full HD display and an impressive 20.7MP camera means the Xperia Z2 is a high performer all round. Built in noise cancelling technology means calls will be clearer, and your music tracks crisper when you find yourself in noisy environments. 
The Xperia suite of business apps including Email, Calendar and Contacts are also present on the Z2, allowing you to keep working even when you're away from your desk. Sony has also built in a host of security features for businesses into the Xperia Z2 including device, network and storage security. iPhone 5SMore and more businesses are turning to Apple's smartphone offerings, and while it produces great looking, powerful devices, they certainly come at a price. The iPhone 5S is the latest in Apple's line up, and while it only builds fractionally on the iPhone 5 it continues to turn heads in every circle. Apple offers a wide range of enterprise resources on the iPhone 5S with support for SSL VPN and data protection APIs, enabling third party app makers to produce fully secure solutions. 
There's even a fingerprint scanner hidden beneath the home key on the iPhone 5S, adding another layer of security to the handset. On the topic of apps, the iPhone family is best placed when it comes to business focussed software, with thousands of applications available on the App Store aimed at making work easier - not to mention Apple's own fleet of business software which is now available for free. You also get Siri, your own personal digital assistant who listens to your voice and brings you whatever you need, from meeting reminders to the latest footy scores. The iPhone 5S runs Apple's latest software, iOS 7, which features a fresh new look allowing it to keep pace with the rapidly evolving Android platform. If your company has already upgraded to the iPhone 5 there really is no need to make the switch to the 5S, you're better off waiting for the iPhone 6 at least. Sony Xperia Z1 CompactIf your budget can't stretch to a fleet of the latest iPhone and the last thing you want is a load of 5-inch+ smartphones stretching jacket pockets and employee's palms then the pint-sized Z1 Compact is the phone for you. The Xperia Z1 Compact packs in the same power as its bigger brother, the Xperia Z1, but it comes in a smaller package with a 4.3-inch display. It may not be a full HD display, but the 720p resolution is fine at this size and it means the Z1 Compact is infinitely more pocketable than its high-end Android rivals. 
As well as impressive quad-core power and 2GB of RAM the Z1 Compact also features Android KitKat, a 20.7MP rear camera, plus a dust and waterproof chassis. Not bad for a smartphone which is just a touch larger than the iPhone 5S. Samsung Galaxy Note 3Working on your smartphone is usually problematic due to the restrictive screen, but manufacturers are looking to ease the issues with supersized handsets. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 arrives with a huge 5.7-inch, full HD display and its very own S-Pen stylus, merging the line between smartphone and tablet. If your business is creatively minded then you may find the accuracy of the S-Pen and the ability to draw a real advantage. 
You can also annotate documents, emails and anything else on screen using the stylus, allowing you to provide instant feedback to colleagues. Multitasking has always been tricky on smartphones, partly due to the screen size and the fact that it's not really possible to have two apps on screen at once. Samsung has overcome this problem on the Galaxy Note 3 by allowing you to run two apps side by side on the screen, so you could be looking at the latest financials while tapping out a quick email to the shareholders. Of course, the size of the handset may hamper some as it isn't the most pocket friendly of devices, nor is it the lightest. Also, some of the applications, especially those designed for use with the S-Pen, are overly complicated in places so intensive training may be required for some staff. Best smartphones for business: part 2Nokia Lumia 1520Fancy a bigger screen and super slick Windows integration? Then the 6-inch Nokia Lumia 1520 has you covered. The Lumia 1520 has the biggest, highest resolution display of any Windows Phone device and its 2.2GHz quad-core processor also means it's one of the most powerful to rock Microsoft's mobile platform. Once again you get Microsoft's Office software which sync wirelessly to the cloud, allowing you to easily move work between computer and phone and the increased screen size makes editing easy on the Lumia 1520. 
There's little needed in the way of training, as the Windows Phone 8 (soon to be Windows Phone 8.1) interface is incredibly intuitive and doesn't offer up the multitude of confusing options that Android does. Size and weight were always going to be an issue with the Lumia 1520, but considering it can replace the need for a tablet, and even at times a laptop, for a lot of tasks it's definitely a handset you should be considering. Samsung Galaxy S5The Samsung Galaxy S5 has more features than you can shake a stick at, from a fingerprint scanner on the front to a heart rate monitor on the rear. Its slick Android KitKat interface, responsive and bright 5.1-inch full HD display and powerful quad-core processor means the Galaxy S5 has the vital statistics to make it a great business tool. Add to that its highly adaptable email and note-taking applications, a host of connectivity options and on-device encryption to make sure all your top secret files are safe and secure, and you'll want to seriously consider this device. 
In terms of style the Galaxy S5 is trumped by the all metal iPhone 5S, One M8 and Xperia Z2, but Samsung's handset is arguably more versatile. Android is far more adaptable and customisable than Apple's iOS system, meaning that if you have some technical boffins in your ranks you will be able to tweak the Galaxy S5 to suit your firm's exact needs. The Galaxy S5 also comes with Samsung Knox, a mobile solution built specifically for the business sector to ensure handsets are fully secure, from application and platform security to device management. BlackBerry Q10If you're still a fan of the traditional QWERTY keyboard on your smartphone the BlackBerry Q10 offers the best on the market. Fully touchscreen smartphones are great for numerous reasons, but when it comes to the simple task of typing you won't find anything better than a physical array of keys. With a 3.1-inch 720p touchscreen and the BlackBerry 10 operating system the Q10 is built for business, and it's unlike any BlackBerry handset you've owned before it. 
The big advantage with the BlackBerry Q10 is its excellent support for business users. IT departments can take control of the handset using BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10), with security provided by BlackBerry itself ensuring all your emails and messages are fully encrypted. The Q10 has a feature known as BlackBerry Balance which allows you to flip quickly between work and personal profiles on the handsets, allowing you to keep the two separate with work controlling the business side while you have full control over your own area. When it comes to watching videos, playing games or using apps the Q10 isn't quite so useful, as it's square screen makes these exploits rather tricky. Google Nexus 5If you want the best features to price ratio from your smartphones then you'll need to take a look at the Android KitKat running Google Nexus 5. Manufactured by LG the Nexus 5 sports an impressive 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 4.95-inch full HD display and the latest version of the powerful Android OS all wrapped up in a package which will set you back just £300. The Nexus 5 is beautifully designed, has more connectivity than a BT Telephone Exchange and even excels in the simple matter of making telephone calls. 
It is slightly hampered by only being available in 16GB and 32GB sizes with no microSD slot and the camera isn't the strongest here, but that's a minor issue for a business device. Perhaps Android isn't the best mobile business solution, and the Nexus 5 lacks the additional enterprise features Samsung has added to its devices. But at such a low price it is definitely worth considering. BlackBerry Q5The Q10 is still quite expensive, so if you're desperate for a fleet of business focussed handsets which won't break the bank take a look at the mid-range BlackBerry Q5. It doesn't look as stylish, nor feel as premium as the Q10 and the isolated buttons on the keyboard are very much a marmite feature, but the Q5 is still a highly capable smartphone. With the same 3.1-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, BlackBerry 10 OS and 4G connectivity as its more expensive brother the BlackBerry Q5 will still make mincemeat of your emails, text messages and BBMs. 
Another big advantage of all BB10 handsets are their web browsing ability - pages load in a matter of seconds and it's one of the most fluid surfing experiences you'll have on a smartphone. As far as affordable smartphones go with a focus on messaging, internet and business the BlackBerry Q5 is one of the best in its class.        | | In depth: Best portable battery: 10 top portable batteries for smartphones and tablets Apr 25th 2014, 12:01, by Jamie Carter 
Best portable battery: 1-5There's no more tragic first world problem than a flat battery on the commute or, worse, while halfway up a mountain. However, portable batteries are now getting small enough to stow in a pocket or bag so easily – and cheaply – that it's worth carrying one, if only for emergencies.
Choose carefully and know what you're buying. Smartphone batteries, and those fit for using with a tablet, can be different. The former are usually small, and feature a USB output for fuelling the 5V battery of a phone, or almost any low-power device. But not a tablet.
Tablet batteries require a 2.1 amp-rated USB output if a recharge of their 12V batteries is to be successful. Many batteries have both types of USB, and so claim to be offer 'dual charging' or 'super-fast' recharging. Don't be fooled: without that second 2.1-amp USB they're useless for tablets.
To help you make your mind up, here's our pick of the best portable batteries around. 1 Powermonkey Discovery £45 ($75/AU$79)
This is easily the best-looking portable battery. With its a 3,500mAh lithium polymer battery, the Powermonkey Discovery from UK company Powertraveller seems a perfect fit for the latest smartphones, but its sole USB slot is a 2.1-amp version, opening it up to the world of tablets, too.
About the same size as an old Nokia handset from a decade ago, the Powermonkey Discovery's aluminium styling is thoroughly up to date. It weighs just over 100g and uses a micro USB cable to recharge itself. It takes almost three hours to charge, and managed to refuel an iPhone 5S, and feed an iPad Mini 2 with a charge of just over 30%. 2 Mophie Juice Pack Air £89 ($99/AU$190.95)
In terms of the battery power it gives you, Mophie's stylistic triumph is actually pretty poor value.
However, since the 1700 mAh battery inside the Mophie Juice Pack Air drip-feeds an iPhone 5/5S and essentially doubles the life of the handset without any need for cables and extra devices, it's understandably popular.
It's not always obvious how much power is left inside the case, and it's also slightly annoying that it needs a micro USB cable to recharge. There's a fiddly headphones slot, too, which precludes the use of headphones that lack a super-slim 3.5mm jack. There really should be an adaptor in the box.
Despite these grumbles, the 1401x66x16mm Juice Pack Air – which adds only 75g to an iPhone 5S – is perfect for anyone who just can't leave their phone alone (i.e. everyone under 40 years old).
3 Innergie PocketCell Duo £99 ($165/AU$176)
Here's a nice middle way between carting around a huge battery and a pointlessly small one, but it comes at a high price.
Eschewing the £10-per-1,000mAh of battery that most portable products stick to, Innergie is arguably being cheeky by asking for £99 for its 6,800mAh battery. However, the design is particularly great; rounded edges to the 94x43x23mm Pocketcell Duo make it easier to stow than most, and it's got two USB slots.
Weighing-in at 132g, the PocketCell Duo takes about three and a half hours to charge-up, then fully charges an iPhone 5S thrice over.
An unusual all-in-one cable combines mini USB, micro USB and a 30-pin Apple connector, but that won't impress owners of newer Apple devices.
4 Veho VPP-002-SSP Pebble Smartstick £11 ($18/AU$19)
This is the ideal handbag life-saver with a unique design and concept – and it far outperforms most other batteries. Housing a small-sounding 2,200mAh battery, it's super-efficient and gives up to a 50% charge to a smartphone, which considering its lipstick-shaped size (22x86mm, 70g) makes it remarkably good value.
In our test it took a flat iPhone 5S to a stunning 79% without warming-up at all. The Veho Pebble Smartstick charges-up via a micro USB slot that sits just above the USB slot it uses to refuel any non-tablet device. As well as a black and grey 'sock', it comes with a tiny, clever cable that's terminated with USB at one end, and a 3.5mm jack at the other; in the box are adaptors to match almost any device, including pin tips for Sony Ericsson and Nokia as well as micro USB, mini USB and an Apple 30-pin connector. Note the lack of Apple Lightning, though let's not get upset; just use your own Apple cable, as with all the other batteries featured here. Brilliant value. 5 Powermonkey Extreme £120 ($200/AU$213) 
By far the most outdoorsy battery available, the Powermonkey Extreme is also the only solar-powered portable. The main unit, which houses a huge 9,000mAh capacity battery, weighs 242g and measures 152x59.5x28mm; it's here that devices can be attached to its two USB (one for smartphones, one for tablets) slots for recharging. Meanwhile, the 214g, 18x171x90mm solar unit takes about 14 hours to charge-up, crucially even in overcast conditions; it can then recharge an iPhone 5S about three times, or an iPad Mini 2 to 90%. There's a Powermonkey Aquastrap available for an extra £20 for anyone wishing to make the two units waterproof while in charging position. That's ideal for walkers. Campers, yachters and sunbathers. There's a plethora of adaptors to pack, too, making this a bulky – if brilliant – choice. If you're going off-grid with your Garmin, tablet, GPS watch or Kindle – or you just want to make your smartphone sustainable – the Powermonkey Extreme is the way to go. Best portable battery: 6-106 Devotec Fuel Micro Charger £19.99 ($33/AU$35)
It's only good for a tiny charge; this novelty charger for Android phones and Kindles is all about the look. Weighing just 19g and measuring 38x27x13.5 mm, this red or green device is shaped like a jerry-can and features a micro USB tip that needs to be 'poured' into a smartphone. At a mere 220 mAh the battery is only going to send 10% – tops – into a smartphone, but that could be enough to get you out of a jam (or give you an extra couple of days' reading on an E-Ink Kindle). The upside is that it only takes a few minutes to fully recharge itself from any USB slot.
Including a lanyard for attaching to a keyring, the Devotec Fuel Micro Charger is by far the easiest battery here to travel with – it's so tiny – but there are better value approaches to portable power. A version with an Apple Lightning adaptor will follow later this year. 7 Patriot PCPB90002 FUEL+ £65 ($108/AU$115)
If you're constantly on your smartphone and are heavily using a tablet every day, too, it's probably time to … get some exercise, but start by hunting down the Patriot PCPB90002 FUEL+. Though the brand makes all kinds of different shaped and specc'ed portable batteries, this flagship product houses a giant 9,000 mAh battery. With a couple of USB outputs for simultaneously charging a smartphone (through its 5V-capable slot) and a tablet (via the 2.1-amp slot), the Patriot PCPB90002 FUEL+ is a little weighty at 190g and 114x93x25mm. However, since it's capable of charging-up a smartphone three or four times (it can fill-up an iPad Mini 2 from scratch), the Patriot PCPB90002 FUEL+ is the one to hit on for long haul flights. It's also one of very few portable batteries that isn't black; the Patriot PCPB90002 FUEL+ comes only in white with a red flash. 8 Energizer XP4006 Portable Power Tab Charger£39.99 ($66 /AU$71)
For a battery to be portable, it needs to be lightweight and slim, but it's normally a trade-off with capacity. Not so on the Energizer XP4006, which weighs just 110g despite offering a 4,000 mAh battery. As adept with a tablet as a smartphone, dual USB outputs make it handy when travelling with two touchscreens; the Energizer XP4006 can re-charge an iPhone 5S from scratch and lends an iPad Mini 2 a 40% blast. Best of all, the Energizer XP4006 is shaped like a big-screen smartphone, and at 21mm slim it's primed for a jacket pocket. 9 Proporta TurboCharger 7000 £55 ($92/AU$133) 
This 7,000 mAh battery is all about value. Pound for pound one of the most attractively priced portable batteries of all, the Proporta TurboCharger 7000 has a smooth silicon shell – most are shiny and fingerprint-hungry – and a charging button on its top side. It weighs just 180g and measures 119x73x12mm, but it's easy to travel with in other ways, too; Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Apple 30-pin and mini USB adaptors are supplied in a small travel pouch, though any device using USB is compatible. Better still, the Proporta TurboCharger 7000 ships with two retractable USB cables – one for charging-up the battery, and one for connecting to those adaptors – thereby promising tangle-free trips with your gadgets. 10 Monster PowerCard £35 ($39.99/AU$62)
How about filling a credit card slot in your wallet with portable power? At just 19mm slim, Monster's effort is rather too chunky for most wallets, but this is still the ultimate in convenience. Better thought of as pocket-sized (it's ideal for a shirt pocket), the PowerCard has a 1,650mAh battery so is good for around a 50% charge of an iPhone 5S/5C.
Though it doesn't play nicely with tablets, the PowerCard claims to supply a quicker than usual charge by dint of its 1.5-amp USB output. In our tests it wasn't faster, taking about 50 minutes to completely discharge.
Unfortunately the PowerCard makes a bit of a fuss as it recharges flashing blue LEDs on and off, so it's best not used overnight in a bedroom.
Still, the PowerCard in silver, black or red is a good valuer on-the-go portable battery to get you through the commute home.
       | | Elop: 'The possibilities are endless' now that Microsoft and Nokia are one Apr 25th 2014, 11:45, by Kate Solomon 
The Microsoft buyout of Nokia's devices and services divisions is done and dusted. Stephen Elop may not have bagged the top spot as CEO of Microsoft, but he's not letting that get him down. The ex-Nokia leader has written an open letter thanking Nokia's fans and generally opining about how great everything will be from now on. He also reiterated Microsoft's commitment to the Nokia Lumia range of Windows Phone handsets, as well as feature phones in the Asha family and the Android-based Nokia X range. One loveRead the full letter below: "Six months ago, we announced our plans to bring the best of Microsoft and Nokia Devices and Services business together," he writes. "Today is an exciting day as we join the Microsoft family, and take the first, yet important, step in our long-term journey. "At our core, we are passionate about building technology that will change the world. From the early vision of Microsoft of placing a PC in every home and on every desk, to Nokia connecting billions of people through mobile devices, we have empowered generations. But we could not have achieved any of this without our fans around the world. "Your support has created strong momentum for Nokia Lumia smartphones and they continue to grow in popularity around the world. Last year alone, the awards, accolades and fan-generated rave reviews offered proof of the growing number of champions for our phones and tablets. "And we are committed to continuing our support for feature phones, the Asha family, and the Nokia X family of devices, announced at the Mobile World Congress in February. "Whether you want to read more, capture more, watch more, listen more or get more done, Nokia mobile devices have been and are your go-to choice. "As Microsoft and Nokia Devices and Services come together as an expanded family, we will unify our passion, dedication and commitment to bringing you the best of what our joint technologies have to offer. "Together, we can connect and empower people with one experience for everything in their life in a world where it is mobile first and cloud first. "From today onwards, the possibilities are endless. As now, we're one!"        | | Week in Tech: Week in Tech: Apple TV grows, iPad slows, and Facebook explodes on mobile Apr 25th 2014, 10:00, by TechRadar 
This week's been all about the numbers: Apple's sales figures, Facebook's user numbers and Lytro's new camera which delivers 1080 x 1080 pixels of light ray goodness. That's not all: Sony's released a superb smartphone, Nike's nixed the Fuelband and details of Windows 9 are beginning to emerge. Here's what matters this week. Apple: 20 million Apple TVs but iPad sales slowingIt's time for Apple's latest results, and while it remains a mind-bogglingly profitable company the news wasn't all good: iPad sales have slowed, and we're still waiting for the exciting new products Tim Cook has been banging on about for ages. Facebook on mobile breaks the billionMore big numbers, this time from Facebook: the social network now has 1.01 billion monthly users on mobile, a 15% increase over last year, and almost as many people as use Facebook the old-fashioned way. To celebrate, it's going to stuff your news feed with even more auto-playing video ads. Thanks, Facebook. Thanks a bunch. OnePlus One is one to watchHere's a phone with a unique selling point: the OnePlus One phone is the first smartphone to officially run CyanogenMod, the alternative and highly customisable version of Android. It's "the most surprising smartphone of the year," says John McCann, noting the "impressive specs," "fluid Android interface" and "a price tag which quite simply blows the competition out of the water." Farewell to FuelbandIt's the end of the road for Nike's Fuelband, but while the fitness firm is pulling the plug on its fitness band its wearable adventures will continue. With Tim Cook on the board and an Apple wearable imminent, it's pretty clear what's going on: as Chris Smith says, Nike wouldn't leave the fast-growing fitness hardware market "unless it has bigger plans afoot." Plans like leaving the hardware "to a specialist and a friend like, say, Apple." Xperia Z2 makes number 2The Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone is here and it's a beauty: while it doesn't boast much in the way of gimmicky features or bold design choices, it's packed with features, boasts a great screen and has a fantastic camera. We reckon it's the second-best smartphone money can buy. Snoop doggy DogsWith just over a month to go, excitement is building over Ubisoft's next-gen game Watch Dogs - and Lily Prasuethsut reckons it's entirely justified. Hugh Langley agrees: it's "a fascinating look at the terrifying potential of technology" and more real than you might think. Windows 9 takes shapeAlthough Windows 8.1 has addressed some of the criticisms of Microsoft's OS, Microsoft "still has a long way to go to produce a unified OS," Joe Osborne says. Windows 9 might be what the world is waiting for: with an expected release in 2015 it promises an improved UI, more apps and maybe even gesture control. Tripping the Lytro fantasticWe're fascinated by Lytro's light field technology, which enables you to refocus images after you've taken the photo, but it's currently a curiosity rather than a mainstream product. That might change with the Illum, or at least it might when the price comes down: the 40-megaray camera goes on sale in July with a price tag of US$1,599 (about £950 Au$1,708).        | | Verizon Galaxy S5 camera issues leave owners SOL Apr 24th 2014, 22:26, by Marc Flores 
Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 owners have a lot to be excited about when it comes to their choice of smartphone, except one thing: the camera. For some reason, the Galaxy S5 on Verizon has a wonky camera - and by wonky, I mean it doesn't work. After a few days of perfectly fine function, the camera app stops and gives the error message, "Warning: Camera Failed." This is definitely frustrating, as the camera is one of the biggest used features of a smartphone if Instagram and Facebook are good indicators. What to do?At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a fix for the issue. Restarting and factory resetting the Galaxy S5 doesn't seem to help the problem, either. At this point, your best bet is to exchange your device at a Verizon retail store (or wherever you bought your device) and hope you don't get another troubled unit. If or when this problem becomes more widespread, we can expect Samsung to issue either a software fix, or a hardware recall. Some Galaxy S5 owners on Verizon are saying it's a hardware problem, so we'll soon find out. Until then, how is your Verizon Galaxy S5 holding up? Are you affected by the camera issue? If so, how long did it take before the problem hit, and do third-party camera apps help? Let us know! Via XDA        | | Hulu Plus debuts Chromecast-like remote for Xbox One, PlayStation Apr 24th 2014, 21:50, by Michael Rougeau 
Hulu Plus got a little more convenient today with the addition of more remote functionality to the service's mobile app. The app can now enable your smartphone or tablet to act as a remote control for the Xbox One, PS4 and PS3, just like it does for Chromecast. That means you can control playback using your iOS or Android device, but that's not all. You can also search for your next clip or show while the content you're already watching continues to play on your TV, then "cast" it to your device when you're ready to switch, and switch seamlessly between playback on your mobile device and your game console. 'Only the beginning'To use the Hulu Plus remote experience with your game console, make sure you're logged into the same Hulu Plus account on both devices. The app should automatically detect your game console once you turn it on, and you can pair them using the "cast" button. "At Hulu, we are always in search of providing great experiences for watching TV," Hulu Senior Development Lead Mitch Walker wrote in a blog post. "We launched the remote control functionality with the goal of finding and consuming your favorite content easier than ever," he continued. "And this is only the beginning - we will continue to add remote control functionality to more living room devices over the coming months." - TechRadar laid it all on the line and named the best tablet
       | | Is it a phone or a tablet? Next Samsung Mega may size up to 7 inches Apr 24th 2014, 21:43, by klee 
The Samsung Mega of yesteryear was already a massive 6.3-inch handset, and soon the Korean smartphone maker could be readying an even larger 7-inch phablet. Mobile Geeks (via SamMobile) first spotted the 7-inch "phone" certified as the SM-T2558 by TENAA, China's regulatory telecommunications authority. Along with the model name, the certificate divulged the device would feature a 720p display and an 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM. Additionally the device looks to come equipped with 8GB of storage that's expandable with a microSD card. On the back, smartphone photographers will find an 8MP camera along with a 2MP front-facing snapper. Mega-sizedThe Samsung Mega 7.0's specs, if legit, set it right in the mid-range class of devices. While Sammy's new phablet won't blaze any trails compared to today's flagship handsets like the HTC One (M8), lovers of big screens will appreciate the tablet-sized display. Until the next generation of pocket-bulging handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, start to arrive, phablets users are still looking at options from last year such as the Nokia Lumia 1520 and Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G. Big phones seem to be a theme in 2014; we expect to eventually see a new HTC One (M8) Max and the release of the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 either this year or next. - Samsung fans who want a smaller handset might want to check out the Galaxy S5
       | | Revamped dialer leak suggests Android 4.4.3 may bring new features after all Apr 24th 2014, 19:15, by Chris Smith 
A leaked screenshot purportedly showing a revamped Android dialer has emerged online, suggesting the feature may be included in the forthcoming KitKat update. The picture, unearthed by the XDA developers forum, showcases a colourful card-based UI complete with contact photos or, in the absence of a photo, the contact's first initial. The new UI mirrors that of the Gmail app, but it appears Google is bringing the cleaner, less cluttered experience to Android KitKat calls. Within the screenshot, the contact search bar remains at the top of the screen, while the blue action bar still sits at the bottom. Bye-bye bugsIf the redesign is deployed within Android 4.4.3, it's likely to be one of few aesthetic changes brought by the update. The forthcoming KitKat boost is largely expected to tackle bugs such as random rebooting of devices along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity issues. Just last weekend Google issued an update for one of its education-friendly apps bringing support for Android 4.4.3, suggesting the rollout could be imminent.        | | Apple's looking to cram a bunch of sensors into a future iPhone or iWatch Apr 24th 2014, 15:39, by James Rogerson 
We've previously heard rumblings that Apple might be planning to add various sensors to the iWatch and iPhone 6, and a newly unearthed patent certainly points further in that direction. The patent is for 'Electronic Devices With Environmental Sensors' and describes sensor components which could include temperature, pressure, humidity or 'other' sensors which would share the same ports as the speakers or microphone in a device, avoiding the need for additional openings. Sense-sationalA second filing from Apple details 'Electronic Devices With Temperature Sensors' which would involve building a thermal sensor into a button or switch. This could then measure the temperature of anything that touches it, be that the air or a user's finger, so it could essentially be used as a thermometer. There's no guarantee that we'll see either of these things in Apple's next raft of products but it's certainly a possibility and if not this year then maybe next, as it looks more and more like Apple is seriously exploring sensors.        | | Sprint plans to make all devices unlockable by February 2015 Apr 23rd 2014, 18:55, by Kevin Lee 
Come next February, Sprint customers will be able to unlock any new phone or tablet they've purchased from the carrier. The yellow carrier recently updated it phone unlocking FAQ page and among the tweaks, wrote it's "working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015 are capable of being unlocked domestically." When the service kicks off next winter, Sprint customers will be able to request an unlock code for any device that's not longer under contract or requires payments. Some restrictions may applyWith the device unlocked, users will be able to take their mobile phones to any other carrier as long as it's equipped to work their network. Sprint phones can switch to other CDMA-based networks such as Verizon. Alternatively, smartphones equipped with multiple radio types, such as the Nexus 5, could move over to GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. Sprint is also quick to note that "all device features or functionalities will be fully or partially operational" even if the device is ported to a different service provider. Other devices such as the iPhone 5S and Apple's older generation smartphones won't be on list of unlockable smartphones due to built-in manufacturer restrictions. (Next) winter is coming In the same FAQ, Sprint spells out that it currently can't unlock certain phones due to the manufacturers' device designs. Meanwhile, those that can be unlocked might come away missing some of their functionality. However, last December US carriers - including Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon - struck a deal with the FCC to remove restrictions on cell phone unlocking. This new open policy to unlock phones just happens to be among the six new principles added to the Consumer Code for Wireless Service. Essentially Sprint is required to unlock phones when asked, which is good news. The other carriers will have to eventually follow suit, so stay tuned to this space as all the wireless providers are sure to update their phone unlocking policies in the near future. - The HTC One M8 might not be unlockable next year, but it's one of the best phones out there
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