Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 06-16-2014

TechRadar: Phone and communications news TechRadar AU latest feeds

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Samsung and LG readying next-gen smartphones already Jun 16th 2014, 14:33, by John McCann It looks like 2014 could be the year of the flagship variants, as we hear yet more news on manufacturers adapting their top-end handset. This time both Samsung and LG are in the picture, with GforGames reporting that the South Korean firms are looking to stick Qualcomm's next generation processor - the Snapdragon 805 - into variants of the Galaxy S5 and G3. We were expecting the first Snapdragon 805 devices to turn up towards the end of 2014, with possibly the Galaxy Note 4 being one of the first to sport it, but according to the new leaks we may not have to wait that long. The F word There's a chance that the 805-toting Samsung device could be the much rumoured Galaxy F we've been hearing so much about, but the sources picked up by the Korean media have failed to make that assertion clear. Meanwhile the model number LG-F460L was spotted in code for Android OS, and apparently reveals a codename of "Tiger6" and the present of Qualcomm's chip. In terms of a name for the handset, the now increasingly familiar "Prime" moniker it being tacked onto the end of the LG G3 brand. The LG G3 Prime then. The bad news is if these supercharged smartphones exist, they may never make it out of Korea, as the reports suggest they could be being developed solely for the Korean LTE-Advanced networks. What we know about the Samsung Galaxy F Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to pack a pixel punch as QHD screen 'confirmed' Jun 16th 2014, 13:52, by Hugh Langley The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be bringing a QHD screen with it to IFA this year, according to a discovered user agent profile. The Note 4 will be leaping from its current 1080p status to a 2560 x 1440 resolution, following in the footsteps of the LG G3, revealed last month. The user agent profile, which holds this tasty new information, was spotted on Samsung's own website. Note 4 rumours so far have suggested that the phone carries the model number SM-N910, which makes us believe this QHD-rocking SM-N910A is the Android device we're looking for. Crystal clarity The phone is also mentioned by Indian import/export tracker Zauba which references a 5.7-inch display, suggesting Samsung won't bump up the size of the Note 4 from the Note 3 - it'll just cram in more pixels for your pennies. Last week we reported word that the Note 4 will come in two flavours: one with a curved screen and another with a standard flat display. While its appearance on Zauba suggests we're not too far away, all eyes are on IFA 2014, where Samsung may also announce the premium Galaxy F. The LG G3 has a super screen of its own - but what's the early verdict? New alliance could help UK become first to get 5G speeds Jun 16th 2014, 11:53, by Hugh Langley The UK's 4G rollout has been embarrassingly slow, dragging well behind the US (and rest of the world) in both coverage areas and the devices capable of enjoying faster speeds. But it won't be seen making the same mistake again. To ensure that Europe is in pole position this time, the EU is teaming up with South Korea to research and develop 5G. The two parties will not only share a knowledge hive but will also make sure that radio spectrums are properly aligned this time around. Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the EU Commission, said the plan is to "speed up and win [the] global race to create 5G". Sharing the know-how The new dynamic duo will also be researching the Internet of Things, which will obviously become a bigger deal as data speeds increase. It should make for a formidable alliance. South Korea is currently pushing to get 5G up and running by 2020, and Samsung has already said it's had success with testing key 5G technologies. There's no word on when we might see 5G a reality in Europe - don't expect to see anything for some time yet - but Brits will be at least glad to hear that they might be among the first to get their hands on it when it does. You can read the whole press release, complete with all the nitty gritty details, right here. Video streaming over 4G: which service is best for you? Samsung Galaxy F gets a Prime leak, and this one has a golden touch Jun 16th 2014, 10:35, by Hugh Langley It seems almost certain that Samsung is making the S5 premium with the Galaxy F. Now we've got a look at what claims to be the first press render of the Quad-HD variant handset looking all sparkly and golden. This one comes courtesy of none other than @evleaks, so you can see why we're willing to invest a bit of faith. As ever, the trusty leakster doesn't give much other information, but does continue to refer to it as the "Galaxy F" in a "perfect golden" hue. The brushed metallic back can clearly be seen working its stuff, however we're not sure if this will be full metal or just a plastic back with a finish. Unhelpfully, @evleaks says the phone will launch in 2014. But rumours are that Samsung is planning to go Prime in September, maybe just in time for IFA. Samsung's going Prime, and here's what you need to know iPhone 6 images are 'real' and it'll have a QHD display Jun 16th 2014, 10:24, by John McCann It's still not clear how Taiwanese star Jimmy Lin got hold of the handset he claims is the iPhone 6, but according to reported Apple sources it's the real deal. The media in Hong Kong have quoted Apple employees saying Lin is indeed holding an iPhone 6 Beta handset, several of which have been sent out to various facilities around the world. That's not all the employees had to say though, as the same sources apparently revealed that Apple will be sticking a QHD display in the iPhone 6 - it's unlikely this would be on the smaller version as a 4.7-inch screen with a 2560 x 1600 resolution is a very hard thing to make. No more Retina display? It isn't clear if the high resolution display will feature in both the rumoured 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models, or whether it'll be reserved solely for the larger of the two (if it exists at all). We're expecting Apple to bump up the resolution of the iPhone 6, as the 640 x 1136 Rertina display on the iPhone 5S is beginning to look a little pathetic against the 1080 x 1920 Galaxy S5 and the QHD-toting, 1440 x 2560 LG G3. It would be a surprise if Apple did take the leap from Retina to QHD, as a more gradual step up to 1080p would suit the firm's history of iterative updates better. We'll have to wait until September to find out if the QHD rumour has any legs, but if it does the iPhone 6 could be a very tasty proposition. Everything we know about the iPhone 6 Blackphone is about to sidle stealthily into the mainstream Jun 16th 2014, 09:07, by Patrick Goss For those of you champing at the paranoid bit to be more phone secure, your wait is close to being over: the much-hyped Blackphone is just three weeks away from becoming widely available. The Blackphone hit the headlines at the time of the Prism revelations, and was widely touted as 'NSA proof'. That's almost certainly a very large slice of journalistic licence, but what the Geeksphone and Silent Circle collaboration does bring is a medium-spec handset with a gunboat-load of encryption apps. So, for $629 (around £370, AU$668) you'll get security and control that you are unlikely to see on a mainstream handset any time soon, along with a 2GHz quad-core processor, 720p 4.7-inch display and a far more interesting phone than your friends. When we got our hands on the Blackphone back at MWC 2014 we asked 'what's the price of security?' and the answer is, of course, very much dependent on the individual. And also $629. What does internet founding father Vint Cerf think about privacy? We found out iPhone 6 mockups show two new screen sizes again Jun 16th 2014, 09:04, by John McCann We've already see a variety of images claiming to show off the iPhone 6, and now more photos have appeared revealing not one, but two models. Several rumours have already suggested that Apple will launch two sizes of the iPhone 6 later this year, and the 4.7 and 5.5-inch options (probably) leaked by Sonny Dickson on his site and Twitter feed fall in line with those reports. There's not a whole lot of information to accompany the volley of images, with the two Twitter posts simply saying "Hello! #iPhone6" while the website starts that the unit in his hand is a "mock up" - so these may well be nothing more than an artist's impression. Go compare What Sonny Dickson has done is put his claimed iPhone 6 model (we assume around 4.7-inches in screen size) up against a range of previous iPhones, an iPod Touch, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. If the mockup is a proper representation of the actual iPhone 6 - he did leak what turned out to be correct shots of the iPhone 5S - then Apple's upcoming smartphone will look more like the iPod range with a rounder, slimmer build. It'll be smaller than the S5 and One M8, unsurprisingly thanks to the smaller display, while also being considerable thinner than the 7.6mm iPhone 5S. Of course the "mockup" tag attached to these images means we're not totally convinced on their accuracy, and we'll have to wait until September for the iPhone 6 launch to know for sure. Everything we've heard so far about the new iPhone 6 In Depth: 15 best World Cup apps for Brazil 2014 Jun 16th 2014, 01:42, by Chris Smith World Cup apps: Follow There are more ways than ever to keep up with the action at the World Cup, wherever you are. Just pray it doesn't go to penalties. The World Cup 2014 kicked off late last week, and it will run, pass and dribble its way to the final on July 13. During this time you'll be able to keep up with all the action minute-by-minute without being tied to your sofa or your TV thanks to the wealth of apps available - even if you miss a game or few. In the four years since the last World Cup the number of people using smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices has exploded and there's no better way to follow your team or watch matches live even if you're out of the house. 1 FIFA Official App Price: Free Availability: App Store | Google Play FIFA's official app covers pretty much all football but it will be featuring all the World Cup action too of course. Follow your national team's progress with access to the match schedule, exclusive destination guides and team profiles. Add your local and national team to your Favourites in the app to quickly jump to news and results related specifically to them. 2 SBS On Demand Price: Free Availability : App Store | Google Play More of a catch-up app than anything else, SBS On Demand is the app to turn to if you've missed a game or just want to rewatch your favourite moments. In Australia, SBS is the official broadcaster of the 2014 World Cup, so along with the matches, SBS also has its own FIFA World Cup Show, which you can also catch up on. SBS will have all 64 matches available for catch-up viewing through it app, so you don't have any excuses to miss a game! 3 ESPN FC Soccer & World Cup Price: Free Availability : App Store | Google Play Another app that covers all aspects of football around the world, this one has its own dedicated World Cup tab where you can go to find all the latest news, scores and stats about matches. There's video content too, with highlights including goals and key action clips, as well as reaction and analysis from on the ground in Brazil. You can set up personalised scores and live game details – just tailor it to show you the stuff you want to see. 4 World Football Finals 2014 Price: Free Availability : App Store | Google Play Truly one for the football obsessive, this app provides loads of information on matches including live results. You can view the match schedule, results, lineups, yellow and red cards, match stats, player information and set up favourites to customise the experience. With push notifications and city and stadium information, plus in-app purchases that unlock the ability to add matches to your calendar, it's a football fan's dream come true. 5 World Cup 2014 Brazil Price: Free Availability: Google Play If you're a fan of statistics you'll find much to love in this Android app. With a schedule of all the matches in the championship and full data customisation you can track just your chosen teams, groups, matches or conferences. Get match details like scorers, lineups, subs, cards and referees and even browse in offline mode for when you don't have a connection. Access historical results for comparison and see news about future World Cups. It's even green and yellow, which we'll just assume is to cheer on the Socceroos. 6 2014 Table Price: Free Availability: Google Play Sometimes you just want to cut straight to the chase and not worry about lots of peripheral information. This app, ideal for journalists or news writers, simply shows you the results in an easy-to-read table format. Get information about the match results of qualified teams, tables, groups, draw, fixtures, playoffs, schedules, dates, times and stadiums where the games will be played. It even auto updates with the latest results. 7 LiveSoccer World Football Cup Price: Free Availability: Google Play Track live matches from more than 300 worldwide soccer leagues and also the World Cup, with customisable push notifications of live events as they happen. Get text-based live updates and commentary from journalists as well as Head2Head match analysis, statistics and player information. The app has a rich user interface but is slick and friendly to use, and will keep you abreast of everything that's going on in realtime. 8 Sofascore Price: Free Availability: Windows Phone App Store | App Store | Google Play With a slick, pared-down Windows Phone look, this app is ideal for Windows Phone users looking to keep track of their team's performance whether it's in national or international leagues. Get live updates and create custom lists to stay up to the minute on the latest action from the World Cup and other tournaments. 9 Squawka Price: Free Availability: App Store The tech-savvy football hipster's dream, the Squawka app gives fans a chance to back up any point they make in the pub with cold hard stats, with an assist from those good folks at Opta. It has a dashboard full of updates and stats tailored to your team, while live match centres ensure you're fully up to date with shots, cards, goals and substitutions, while every pass and tackle is logged during the game. 10 TeamStream Availability: App Store Price: Free TeamStream is a news and information service from US sporting giant The Bleacher Report that lets you choose your favourite teams and then scrapes stories and tweets from around the web. It's a good looking one-stop-shop for football news and it'll be a great tool to round up the reaction to your country's World Cup games. 11 BBC Sport Price: Free Availability: Google Play The BBC Sport app is already an essential app download, but the World Cup additions see the Beeb bring the big hitters off the bench. There'll be live text commentary for all of the games as well as alerts every time someone enters World Cup folklore by finding the back of the net. Although there's no live radio commentary on games from within the app, there will be access to regular Radio 5 bulletins. Combined with the iPlayer, the BBC Sport app is the perfect companion for the greatest showpiece on earth. 12 FourFourTwo Stats Zone Availability: App Store Price: Free If you take your football more seriously than those halfwits who spout half-baked observations based on tired cliches, FourFourTwo Stats Zone is the app for you. It offers full analysis of all the World Cup games, from the basic shot count and possession to full pass maps and work rates of the players. It's not just a pool of meaningless information for football geeks, as it can also be used for evil, adding insight to your fantasy football teams, weekend sports betting and pub trivia. World Cup apps: Play 13 Panini Collectors Availability: App Store | Google Play Price: Free Anyone who remembers real Panini sticker albums has probably seen a few World Cups come and go. Save yourself all that tedious mucking about with bits of paper and go digital with this free collector's app. Use your phone's camera to scan your stickers and collate them into a list, plus you can set up lists of "got, need and swaps" always in your pocket, share lists with friends and track missing or duplicate stickers easily. Prove that sticker collecting isn't dead – it just grew up. 14 Football Manager Handheld 2014 Availability: App Store |Google Play Price: $12.99 If you think you can guide your nation to World Cup Glory, now's your chance. A game for true football fans, Football Manager Handheld 2014 is a portable port of the classic PC game, which has sapped millions of collective hours from our youth. It's made with footy-mad commuters in mind, and while it's lighter on the options, it retains all the compulsive enjoyment of its fully-featured predecessors. The best thing about it isn't the breadth of teams or smooth learning curve, both of which are excellent, but that it can be picked up and put down easily, making it ideal for short journeys to work. 15 Score! World Goals Availability: App Store | Google Play Price: Free The App Store is filled with footy games which let you flick and swipe balls into the net with varying degrees of majesty, but Score does it best. Why? Because each of the wonder goals hammered home by your index digit are re-enactments of the finest strikes in international football and World Cup history. The game's made better by the rating system of the goals, and you need to get them perfect to unlock the next set; think Angry Birds does football and you're there. Love these? Then check out these other great football apps UPDATED: Cortana's man cools iOS and Android talk, promises UK launch within weeks Jun 15th 2014, 17:22, by Chris Smith UPDATE: Responding to a Twitter question, Marcus Ash said Cortana will be arriving on Windows Phone devices in the UK and China in "weeks, not months." Original story continues below... Microsoft's personal voice assistant for Windows Phone, Cortana, is not currently in line for a port to iOS and Android, despite hints suggesting otherwise this week. The lead developer on the project, Microsoft's Marcus Ash has moved to clarify the feature's future after earlier this week admitting Microsoft is "actively talking about" unleashing the Siri rival on other platforms. In a series of tweets posted over the weekend, Ash reaffirmed that establishing the product on Windows Phone is the company's only focus right now, with a potential expansion to Windows 8 a possibility. He wrote: "Our top priority is to make Cortana great for Windows Phone customers. Get her out to more countries, continuing to push innovation." Microsoft first He followed that up with: "Real plan is about Cortana on Windows Phone. Make it so good that Windows Phone customers get everyone they know on Windows Phone." Ash added that once Microsoft has established the platform on Windows Phone, it will consider a roll out for Windows devices, ensuring more Microsoft customers get to experience 'her.' He said regardless of the possibilities of an expansion to other platforms, the best experience will always be on Microsoft devices. So, with that being said, we should all probably calm down about the possibility Cortana hitting iOS and Android anytime soon. Not that many folks were that worked up about it in the first place... Cortana vs Siri vs Google Now

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