 | Exclusive: Acer: people blindly follow Apple, but we can change that May 1st 2014, 10:49, by Hugh Langley 
Acer's just unveiled some new tech for 2014, but CEO Jason Chen had something bigger to shout about at the company's New York event: Acer is changing its image. Speaking to TechRadar, Acer's director of product marketing John Miedema outlined the company's plan a little more clearly, telling us that it'll be less about quantity with the focus instead on fewer, higher quality products. "In 2008 we were very focused on market share and entry level products. Now we're stepping away from that," said Miedema. "We're walking away from the unprofitable stuff." Moving away from reliance on PCs and entering areas like wearables with the Liquid Leap will be a big part of that, but the most important thing is changing the brand image. Build it higherAcer's plan, according to Miedema, is to chip away slowly with fewer products that are "a bit less techy" and more in line with the likes of Apple when it comes down to the user experience. "In a blind test, people associate the Aspire S7 more with Apple than Acer," he said. "But still you'll see a lot of people not considering Acer or still buying the Apple product because it's Apple. "This is somewhere we're [working on] slowly but steadily to gain a bit more credibility, a bit more brand value to be able to slightly enhance our product portfolio and occupy the higher price points." Even sprucing up its Iconia One 7 with a bunch of colourful paints is a step in the right direction to a more friendly, less techy personality, but it's going to be a slow process to work up to those more premium devices, Miedema admits. Right now everyone is "fighting for the 30 or 40%" underneath Apple and Samsung, and Acer is firmly in that battle. "As much as we like to compete on anything else but price, the harsh reality is that this is the main factor being looked at."        | | HTC One M8 Mini to ditch Duo camera and M8 moniker? May 1st 2014, 09:22, by James Rogerson 
While a mini version of the HTC One M8 seems pretty likely, not a whole lot is known about it yet. But with not one but two snippets of information appearing today the floodgates might finally be opening. First up we've got some images supposedly showing the handset. The photos, revealed by nowhereelse.fr, show the HTC One Mini 2 in a case, so unfortunately we don't get a clear view of the back or sides, but you can see enough to tell that the phone looks to have the same aluminium construction as the One M8. However it's lacking the Duo Camera set up of the HTC One M8. It has a dual-LED flash but only one sensor, so you won't be able to mess with the depth of field. 
No more UltraPixelsThis sort of lines up with previous rumours stating that the HTC One M8 Mini would have a 13MP snapper rather than the 4 UltraPixel camera found on the One M8. Having a 13MP lens doesn't prevent the addition of a second sensor, but if HTC is making such big changes anyway it's not surprising that the Duo Camera found its way to the chopping block. The other new piece of information is that according to Twitter tipster @evleaks the One M8 Mini will in fact be called the 'HTC One Mini 2', with no M8 in sight. It looks like the HTC One Mini 2 might show up in May, so one way or another we should find out how accurate all this is soon.        | | Optus first to Xperia the Z2 in Australia May 1st 2014, 02:02, by Nick Broughall 
Sony has been on the warpath with its flagship handset releases. Just six months after it released the Xperia Z1, it's doubling down with the launch of its new masterpiece, the Xperia Z2. The handset, which combines the waterproof design of previous Xperia Z models with new 4K video recording and noise cancellation technologies, is competing head to head with the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 for your shiny new-phone dollar. While we already know this is the best phone Sony has ever built, and one of the best phones in the world right now, it's good to finally get an Australian release. Beat it, this phone ain't BadOptus is the first telco to launch the handset, with the Z2 arriving today on a range of plans. You can expect to fork out $16 a month in handset repayments on a $60 Optus plan though, which includes 1.5GB of data. Optus is also throwing in a free pair of Adidas trainers worth $190 for customers who get the phone and claim before the end of July. Vodafone customers can grab the handset from May 7, with handset repayments of $10 a month on the $65 plan, which includes 1.5GB of data as standard. Telstra customers can register their interest for the handset, although no official release date has been confirmed. Everyone else can grab the handset outright today for $759 through Sony direct channels. There's also a spot of good news for Michael Jackson fans, as every Xperia Z2 owner can grab a copy of the late king of pop's new album XSCAPE via the Xperia Lounge app on the day the album is released. If that doesn't sell you, we don't know what will... - Want the best plan for the new Xperia Z2? Check out these deals.
       | | Canonical confirms it's no longer hot on Ubuntu for Android Apr 30th 2014, 20:12, by Michael Rougeau 
Ubuntu for Android was an ambitious project, but now it's all but over, Canonical has confirmed. Following reports that Ubuntu for Android isn't "in active development" anymore, the Ubuntu maker sent a statement to Android Authority confirming as much. This rumor initiated when Canonical designer Matthew Paul Thomas posted a bug report, since taken down, on launchpad. According to OMG Ubuntu, it read: "[The website] describes Ubuntu for Android as 'the must-have feature for late-2012 high-end Android phones. Ubuntu for Android is no longer in development, so this page should be retired, along with [the features section]." From the maker's mouthCanonical's statement says the company still believes that Ubuntu for Android was "a great product concept and that consumers would welcome the feature," but "to take the development further requires a launch partner in order to make the necessary modifications on the Android side." "We are currently not in concrete discussions with launch partners, but we are still very much open to such a partnership," the statement continues. "We are focused on Ubuntu for Phones at the moment, therefore we are not actively pushing for Ubuntu for Android. "However, if a prospective partner steps forward, we are very much open to launching Ubuntu for Android." Everybody needs somebodyIntroduced in 2012, Ubuntu for Android sought to make high-end Android handsets into hybrid devices that would transform into full-fledged Ubuntu desktop computers when plugged into a monitor. It worked in part because Ubuntu and Android are both Linux-based operating systems, but it never caught on, apparently in part thanks to a lack of interested parties on the Android side of things. With Canonical focusing on Ubuntu for Phones, it may be a very long time before we see another hybrid Android/Ubuntu effort - if ever.        | | Like or dislike, Facebook announces 'Audience Network' mobile ad system Apr 30th 2014, 19:51, by Lily Prasuethsut 
During Facebook's F8 developer conference, Deb Liu, product marketer for Facebook announced that the new mobile ad network, called the "Audience Network," will be rolling out in the coming months. The Audience Network is a tool for devs that allows Facebook to help with selling and targeting ads, payment and measuring engagement. So far, 60% of the company's revenue comes from mobile ads and $3 billion (about £1.7b, AU$3.2b) of Facebook's transactions come from ads alone. The social network has dabbled with various ad platforms before and tested a newer version of the ad network earlier this year, but it looks like the Audience Network is the final step and is ready for developers, meaning Facebook users will start seeing more ads in their mobile feeds soon. 
Ads all day, every dayLiu noted that the best way to engage Facebook users involves "ads that are integrated, not disruptive." With Facebook's "world class targeting system" also in play, it's likely you won't see ads that aren't relevant to you. Similar to how Instagram's photo ads work, Facebook's system may actually not be too intrusive despite being displayed front and center in the news feed. You can also look forward to the three different types of ad formats showing up on Facebook mobile: banner, interstitial and native. 
If more ads will just make you angry, at least Facebook is coming out with a new way to login and new mobile functions like the ability to (finally) like something on a mobile device.   | | Motorola's next 'priced for all' smartphone launches May 13 Apr 30th 2014, 19:30, by klee 
Motorola's next phone is set make its grand entrance on May 13. The Lenovo-bought company has sent out invitations for an event in London hinting that it will introduce a smartphone "made to last" and "priced for all." On April 19, we heard rumors of a lower-spec Moto G called the Moto E that could come at an even more affordable price. This low-cost handset has been rumored to house a 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 5-megapixel camera and Android Kitkat 4.4.3. To help keep costs down, the handset will also supposedly only come with 4GB of internal storage, a 1,900mAh battery - and like the Moto G - 3G-only connectivity. Motorola's +1Alternatively, with Motorola suggesting that this will be a handset made to last, this yet-to-be-announced device could be a ruggedized smartphone. Given the recent trend of waterproof handsets with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z2, Motorola may be looking to broker its own hardy handset. Recently there have been early reports of a new Moto X+1, the follow-up to Motorola's customizable flagship phone. The Moto X+1 branding first showed up at the beginning of April and five days ago a new benchmark spilled the beans on almost all of its specs. The Moto X+1 could come with a 5.2-inch 1080p HD screen, a Snapdragon 800 processor, 1.7GB of memory, 24GB of internal storage and Android 4.4.3. It'll be interesting to see what kind of handset Motorola reveals given these rumored forks in the road. Who knows, maybe Motorola will reveal two phones at once. Whatever happens, stay tuned to this space as we bring you all the developments on May 13. - It might not be cheap or waterproof but the HTC One (M8) is one of the best Android phones money can buy right now
       | | Google debuts standalone mobile apps for Docs, Sheets Apr 30th 2014, 18:50, by JR Bookwalter 
Microsoft recently upped the ante for mobile productivity with the debut of Office for iPad, and today Google is responding with a pair of its own apps for editing and creating documents or spreadsheets from virtually anywhere. The Google Official Blog today announced the release of Google Docs and Google Sheets, a pair of free standalone mobile apps for Android and iOS which allow smartphone and tablet users to stay productive while on the go. Now available from Google Play [Docs] [Sheets] or the App Store [Docs] [Sheets], the free Sheets and Docs apps allow owners of mobile devices to find, edit and create files stored on the search giant's Google Drive service. Best of all, Google has baked offline support into each app, allowing not only viewing but also creation or editing of documents and spreadsheets even when an internet connection isn't available. Presentations incomingOver the next few days, Google will prompt Drive users to download the new Docs and Sheets apps whenever they create or edit files, although the Drive app itself can still be used to view and organize documents and spreadsheets. The standalone Docs and Sheets apps also make it easy to find recently edited files, presenting them again at launch to cut down on the amount of time needed to scroll and search for them. Google also hasn't forgotten about its own cloud-based presentation software, promising that a standalone app for Slides will be "coming soon," without elaborating on how soon it might arrive. The launch of dedicated Docs, Sheets and Slides apps will certainly be viewed as a shot across Microsoft's bow, given the Windows maker's recent Office for iPad apps require a paid Office 365 subscription to do anything more than view existing files. - Find out the best tablet to use with your new Google Docs and Sheets apps!
       | | In depth: Watch Dogs joins second screen revolution, could be best companion app yet Apr 30th 2014, 17:46, by Lily Prasuethsut 
There's a growing list of video games out there involving second screen play on tablets and mobile phones but so far, they seem a bit limited in terms of actual multiplayer participation. Sure you can check your stats in comparison to friends and play mini-games (which aren't that great sometimes), but so far, you can rarely play with other people. Battlefield 4's Commander Mode comes the closest to letting you play real time and in-game on a mobile device, but even then, you're mostly assisting and dropping in missile strikes - which is still fun but remains slightly removed from the other players. After all, how often do you hear "the Commander is online" during matches? Ubisoft has created an app that allows a little more connectivity to the people on your friends list and lets you really challenge them when you're away from a console or PC. With the rise of second screen gaming, Watch Dogs is showing that companion apps can be less about checking stats and more about actual mobile multiplayer gameplay. Joining the chaosThe multiplayer experience of Watch Dogs, and the gameplay itself, promises to be more next-gen than any other open world game out there - and it may or it may not be to you, but the game is definitely taking a few leaps and bounds to make multiplayer as seamless as possible. Watch Dogs lead gameplay programmer, David Therriault explained that the cross-platform play is basically "part of the philosophy of the game." The Montreal team wanted the game's immense connectivity mirrored outside of the fictional world, which is where cross-platform comes into play. He added, "This whole cross-platform thing fits into that kind of philosophy; with the tablet [mobile] gaming, it's exactly the same. We tried to push some new asymmetrical gameplay aspects to the game that were not possible with PC and console gaming only." So what's the ctOS app like?The Watch Dogs app lets you "hack" into another person's game to essentially sabotage their route across a map. Like all the other multiplayer modes, if the other person accepts your invitation (and vice versa) you can begin the match. With the ctOS app, your opponent has to race through four checkpoints within a time limit while it's your job to hack steam pipes, traffic lights, bridges and more to make sure they crash and burn. 
You'll be playing as a handy little helicopter that you drag across the screen to follow your opponent - which also shows up on their screen with its searchlights beaming down on the driver. You can also call out police cars and SWAT vans to chase and intercept the other player depending on how many points you've racked up, though if you've run out of points, you can keep your beam trained on the car to keep causing damage. If your hacking is successful and the other player dies, the game keeps going with the driver spawning again until time is up and they lose, or they make it through the checkpoints and you lose. What makes it different?The game sounds simple but was pretty stress-inducing (and really fun) on both sides. Therriault told me that being an "omni-God person" present in someone else's game brings a new, challenging perspective, which I definitely experienced and enjoyed. I didn't think playing on a tablet would be as rewarding or difficult but when I was the hacker, I had to constantly, and quickly, anticipate which object to hack because there were multiple ways my opponent could avoid my traps and gain health. It's also great that there's the option to play with someone on PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4 plus the Wii U in the fall - meaning the player pool is wide open and you can game with whichever friend you want. 
The simple interface is to be expected because you're playing on a mobile device but it feels like you're really having an effect on your opponent; seeing the cop cars pile in, the driver twisting and turning to escape, making sure your helicopter is hovering perfectly - all of it adds up to create a genuinely fun mobile experience. Other cross-platform apps kind of pale in comparison next to it. The mass availability of the app, which will be free on iOS, Android mobile devices and the Kindle Fire HD, and the wide player pool is certainly appealing as well, making Ubisoft's ambitious goals to be the ultimate next-gen game seem actually possible. The main campaign will take around 30-40 hours; with the five multiplayer modes (Intrusion, Decryption, Tailing, Racing and Free Roam) plus the mini-games (Chess, Drinking Game, Shell Game NVZN) and the Digital Trips (Spider Tank and Madness), there will definitely be over a hundred hours of gameplay. With the tablet and phone app, you can probably tack on even more hours. There will probably be more multiplayer modes coming out in the future if the current ones do well. According to Therriault it's "too soon to tell" but he says that Ubisoft will keep its ears to the ground and for now "the multiplayer package now is a nice starting point and we're going to see how it goes after that."        | | HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition should please Sprint audiophiles Apr 29th 2014, 15:04, by Michelle Fitzsimmons 
Sprint's managed to nab its very own special smartphone, the HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition. Sound is of course the highlight of this HTC phone flavor, and Sprint touted its real FM tuner, Sound Sessions access and more. But for all the HTC One (M8)'s speakers and do-dads, the secret sauce in this special phone really rests in the software. Harman's Clari-Fi app is installed in the hardware, restoring and "rebuild[ing]" music fidelity that's squeezed out during audio compression. Essentially any compressed digital track - like an MP3 download - is enhanced thanks to Clari-Fi. The phone, which is decked out in a "unique" black finish and champagne highlights, also features Lossless HD Audio music reproduction thanks to a 24bit/192kHz DAC, capable of delivering close to six time the info of a CD and 60 times the data of an MP3. Sprint's exclusive HTC One M8 edition will come bundled with a pair of Harman Kardon AE-S headphones, worth $149. Finally, customers who pick up this version of the phone will be treated to a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio speaker system, normally $399.99, for $99.99. The new Harman Kardon phone will be available online or via Sprint's 800 number on May 2, with in-store availability starting May 9. Spotify for all (Sprint customers)Tuning into its new passion for music, Sprint also teamed with Spotify to cut its customers a premium access deal. Starting May 9, all Sprint Framily plan members will get six months free of Spotify Premium. Once those six months run out, Framily customers will still be able to enjoy a discounted price. Framily plans with 1-5 members will pay $7.99/month and those with 6-10 Framily members will lassoed in at $4.99/month. Unfortunately for customers, these pricing terms are only good for 18 months. When the time runs out, customers are due for the full $9.99/month charge. Non-Framily customers will also receive a three month free trial followed by the service's standard fee.   | |
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