Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 07-15-2014

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Microsoft pushes Windows Phone 8.1 update to Nokia handsets Jul 15th 2014, 14:45, by John McCann Microsoft Devices has announced that it's starting the rollout of the Lumia Cyan update to all Nokia Lumia devices running Windows Phone 8 from today. Included in the upgrade is the Windows Phone 8.1 OS update which launched on the Lumia 630, 635 and 930, bringing with it a raft of new features including a pull-down notification bar with quick settings, word flow keyboard and an optional extra column of live tiles on your homescreen. If you're lucky enough to be in the US you'll also get Microsoft's new personal virtual assistant - Cortana - who will be going head to head with Siri and Google Now. It will be heading to other countries later this year. Cortana vs Siri vs Google Now Nokia-specific As well as Microsoft features, the Cyan update is Nokia-specific with enhancements to the camera and camera roll, the option to record in surround sound (on the Lumia 1520 and Lumia Icon), the ability to install apps on a microSD card and more. Full details of what the Cyan update entails can be found on the Nokia Conversations blog, although Microsoft does highlight that it will take a few weeks to reach every handset. So if you're rocking a Nokia Lumia 925, the budget-focussed Lumia 520 or any Lumia in between head over to Settings -> Phone Update to see if Lumia Cyan is waiting for you. Read our in depth Windows Phone 8.1 review Has your OnePlus One display got yellow fever? You're not alone Jul 15th 2014, 13:25, by Hugh Langley From the start, the OnePlus One has been a bit of a 'too good to be true' phone, and for some users that's very much the case right now. A number of OnePlus One owners are reporting that their new handsets are showing a yellow tinge towards the bottom of the display. There have also been some complaints of dead pixels, although it's the 'yellow tint' problem that seems to be the most prevalent right now. OnePlus told TechRadar: "The warm calibration experienced by some users is not isolated to a batch of Ones; all OnePlus Ones are identical. Should any users feel dissatisfied with their OnePlus Ones they are free to return it within fourteen days. "Any users who have concerns over the quality of their device can get in touch with our Customer Support for diagnosis. Each claim will be specially looked into by a member of our support team." Let down It also told us that customers who return the handset within the 14 day period will get a full refund. However it has not specified whether this will include courier costs. In one email, posted over on the OnePlus forum, a customer service rep asked the user to pay for the postage to send the phone back to China - which isn't cheap. Shame, because we really like the OnePlus One The chip that could slash the price of flagship smartphones Jul 15th 2014, 12:00, by John McCann When it comes to flagship Android smartphones there's really only one chip vendor in play, Qualcomm, but the new MediaTek MT6795 is looking to challenge that dominance. You'll find a Qualcomm chip inside all of 2014's big handsets including the Galaxy S5, One M8, Xperia Z2, LG G3 and even the affordable OnePlus One and Windows Phone-toting Nokia Lumia 930. MediaTek then, has a serious uphill battle on its hands, but it reckons its MT6795 System on Chip (SoC) for Android is just the ticket for high-end handsets with a 64-bit true octa-core (yes EIGHT cores) processor plus Cat 4 LTE and 2K display support. Strangely, MediaTek is touting the MT6795 as the SoC "with the world's first 2K (2560 x 1600) display support" but a quick look at the product page for Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 processor which features in all the Android devices we've just listed suggests otherwise. 2K confusion You'll find the text "2560 x 2048 + 1080p and 4K external displays supported" under 'display' on the 801 page, which makes MediaTek's claim slightly baffling - although it is the first 64-bit chip to support 2K. With a 64-bit architecture and octa-core setup the MT6795 is certainly future proof, and opens the door to Android handsets boasting more than 4GB of RAM and some seriously powerful applications. It also supports 480fps, 1080p full HD Super-Slow Motion video capture and Ultra HD (4K) video playback - although the Cat 4 LTE isn't a match for the Cat 6 support on the Snapdragon 805. The key selling point for the MT6795 however could be its price, as it's expected to come in cheaper than Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 805 and in turn that could make for a flurry of cheaper flagship devices. That said, the big companies are pretty entrenched with the Qualcomm setup, so it will be interesting to see if MediaTek can win over some hearts. HTC supercharges Dot View case with all-new wallpapers and powers Jul 15th 2014, 10:49, by James Rogerson HTC's eye-catching Dot View case has just got a little better, as the accompanying app has been updated to add a boatload of new features. Now you can choose a custom wallpaper from 18 default themes or use one of your own photos or images. You can also now view the last three calls by swiping upwards, or swipe left or right to view email, text, voicemail and call notifications, all of which wasn't possible with the previous version, which was mostly there to look nice and let you answer calls / find out the weather. One of the problems (that security locks stopped this information popping up) has been fixed with the ability to bypass the security when in Dot View mode. All this gives the Dot View case a much-needed injection of personalisation and the custom wallpaper in particular could make your HTC One M8 stand out, which is surely the whole point when you have such a stylish phone and unusual case. However, it doesn't fix one of the big issues: that the case doesn't fold around the phone properly. Here's hoping that gets fixed soon too! The Dot View isn't the only good HTC One M8 case. Sand may be the key to longer lasting batteries Jul 15th 2014, 10:40, by James Rogerson There's all sorts of battery research in progress aimed at making them last longer and in turn hopefully making our smartphones last longer than a day or two, but one study suggests that the answer may simply be to use sand. Essentially these batteries would be very similar to the ones we use now. They'd still be lithium-ion, but instead of using graphite for the anodes they'd use sand, or more specifically beach sand that's been milled, purified, heated and had salt and magnesium added to it, ultimately creating pure silicon. Cheap and cheerful This approach is affordable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly as well, importantly, allowing for batteries that can theoretically last three times as long as a standard lithium-ion juice pack, as the silicon created in this way is very porous which makes it more efficient and in lab tests it led to a threefold increase in energy density. The breakthrough, which was made by researchers at the University of California and the Bourns College of Engineering and reported on by nature.com, is still in the lab stages unfortunately, so for now we'll have to file it away with all the other promising battery research which is yet to make it into commercial products, but it certainly sounds good. This isn't the only battery research doing the rounds. Think you're a genius? Prove it and you'll get Project Ara early Jul 15th 2014, 09:59, by James Rogerson Got a great idea for a Project Ara module and the skills to make it a reality? Then now's your chance, because Google will soon be handing out the hardware to developers. It's offloading a limited number of developer boards and this isn't just a first-come, first-served system, no, you need to make an application and requests will be prioritised based on technical experience and the strength of your module concept. So while technically anyone can apply only genuine developers with thought through ideas are likely to get one. You'd also better get in quick, as the first application period ends on July 17, though a second runs from July 18 to August 17. Modular mayhem Project Ara, if you've not been keeping up, is a modular smartphone, where individual modules can be swapped out to create a custom handset. For example maybe you want a module with a heart rate monitor, or maybe you'd rather have one with an extra battery. Similarly when you're ready to upgrade, rather than buying a new phone you could just upgrade any modules that you consider to be outdated. So what Google's looking for is developers to build new modules. We just hope someone steps up and makes our dreams of a popcorn maker module a reality. Project Ara is hitting stores early next year. Samsung Galaxy F may have an iPhone 6-matching 4.7-inch screen Jul 15th 2014, 09:23, by James Rogerson Rumours of the Samsung Galaxy F are refusing to die down, so as unlikely as a second Samsung flagship this year seemed (or a third if you count the Galaxy Note 4), it looks like it's happening. The latest rumours are a little different though, as while it was largely expected to have a Galaxy S5-matching 5.1-inch display or above, the Korea Herald is reporting that it will have just a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen. By Samsung's standards that's pretty small, especially for a flagship and we'd heard previous rumours of a QHD display, which seems unlikely at that size point. But it makes some sense, as that's exactly the same size as one of Apple's iPhone 6 models is rumoured to be and with reports claiming that the Galaxy F will arrive in August it could turn up just in time to sway buyers from Apple's alternative. Small and slim That would then leave the Galaxy Note 4 to tackle the rumoured larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6. So it makes some sense. That's not all the Korea Herald had to say though. Apparently the Samsung Galaxy F will also be metal clad, as expected, and come in at a super-slim 6mm thick, which would make it substantially thinner than the 8.1mm Samsung Galaxy S5. It's also said to come with an Exynos 5 Octa processor and will reportedly be called the Samsung Galaxy S5 Alpha or the Samsung Galaxy S5 F when it launches, although the Korea Herald claims that it's internally referred to as the 'card-phone' due to its slenderness, according to industry sources. We'd take all this with a pinch of salt though. 6mm is awfully slim and this is the first time there's been any mention that it might have a 4.7 inch display. HTC was rumoured to be working on a superphone too, but it may not be happening after all. Mobile wallet comes to Coles credit cards Jul 15th 2014, 06:26, by Farrha Khan Aussie retailer Coles has launched its own mobile wallet, with NFC stickers and a new app giving Coles-branded credit card customers contactless mobile payments. Currently available to iPhone and Android users, the new Coles Mobile Wallet app and Coles Pay Tag also links up your Flybuys loyalty card program. The new mobile wallet is only available to Coles MasterCard customers, who can request an NFC-enabled Pay Tag to attach to the back of their smartphone that can be used in Coles and any other terminal where MasterCard's PayPass functionality is supported. The Coles Mobile Wallet is free and can be used to access and manage your account, view Flybuys points and offers, and to turn the Coles Pay Tag on or off. Going mobile Coles began trialing the technology last year, which found that 77% of the participants found the Pay Tag more convenient than the traditional credit card. "We understand that Coles customers are doing even more from their mobile devices... With this in mind, it is exciting to launch the Coles Mobile Wallet, which puts customers in control of their spending and introduces Australians to an entirely new way to pay," said Richard Wormald, Cole's General Manager of Finance Services. In terms of security, Coles says that its Pay Tags and Mobile Wallet are covered by MasterCard's Zero Liability and have Falcon fraud technology. The CommBank was the first to offer mobile NFC payments Apple now offering iPad and iPhone trade-ins to Aussies Jul 15th 2014, 05:34, by Farrha Khan Apple's popular trade-in program, which gives you store credit for your old iDevice, is finally available in all Apple stores across the country. Those who trade-in an old iPhone can get up to $250 in credit, while an iPad could get you up to $215, however it should be noted that the credit can only be used for buying a new iPhone or iPad. Apple Geniuses will determine the trade-in value by assessing the overall condition and generation of the iDevice. Trading in The latest iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, and iPad Air are not eligible for trade-in, and the much older first-gen models like the first iPad and the iPhone 3GS are also not part of the program - though Apple will still recycle old devices for free. Apple launched its trade-in scheme in the US just before the launch of the iPhone 5S/5C, before expanding the program into the UK a few months later. It is also available in Canada, Germany, France and Italy. Waiting for the next iPhone before you trade-in your old phone? Here's everything we've heard about the iPhone 6 so far Future iPhones, iPads and MacBooks could run for weeks thanks to fuel cells Jul 14th 2014, 20:32, by Michael Rougeau Gadgets of the future might run for weeks without needing to be charged, and Apple might help usher in that future with upcoming iPhones, iPads and laptops. British company Intelligent Energy announced recently it had acquired a set of patents in partnership with an "international electronics company," and "senior sources in the US" told the Daily Mail that the company is in fact Apple. The two companies are working together and hope to put fuel cells that can keep electronics charged for days or even weeks at a time in laptops and mobile devices "within in a few years," the report says. According to the Mail, Intelligent Energy's fuel cells are both green and highly efficient, a welcome combo for users looking for long-lasting and environmentally friendly gadgets. Friendly neighbors There's more evidence for this partnership than just the hearsay of some anonymous sources, though. Apparently Intelligent Energy's Chief Operating Officer Joe O'Sullivan used to be an Apple exec, and the energy company recently opened an office in San Jose, Calif., a short drive from Apple's Cupertino headquarters. Intelligent Energy already supplies tech to companies including Suzuki and Boeing, but the pipe dream of fuel cell-powered consumer electronics has yet to be realized. Apple was talking about putting fuel cells in MacBooks as early as 2011, though, so it's about time that idea came to fruition. Read TechRadar's latest MacBook Air review! Possible Google Play Store redesign follows Android L's lead Jul 14th 2014, 18:30, by klee Google promised to reshape the entire look of its OS with the advent of Android L, bringing the flat, almost paper-like Material Design scheme announced at this year's I/O to each of its properties. Now, it seems the new look will indeed extend to the Google Play Store, if leaked photos from an Android news site are grounded in reality. Android Police got ahold of some screenshots showing off a flatter and more streamlined Google Play Store. From the leaked shots we can see the interface has been reconfigured for a simpler look, with fewer frames containing images and text. Rather than splaying out app information across a device's whole screen, the Material Design rehash looks like it will move everything to a centralized pane. On smaller smartphone screens, it seems Google also plans to bring a greater focus to apps themselves. From the purported preview, we can see the description has been bumped to a higher position on the page, while moving stars and sharing options to a lower section. Made for media Media on Google's virtual store, including movies and music, will supposedly get the biggest overhaul. While looking at films, users should be able to play a trailer attached to the top of the page. Music albums meanwhile will have their artwork blown up to stand in as the background for the entire page. Overall it's a much cleaner and more attractive look than the busy webpage aesthetic of the current Play Store. The new look will match the redesigns the search company made to Google Plus and Drive - just keep in mind these are leaked shots from pre-released software. Anything and everything could change before Google actually pulls back the veil on any of these redesigns. Have you met Android Wear, Google's other new OS? Sony Xperia T3 goes exclusive in the UK as pre-orders kick off Jul 14th 2014, 10:32, by John McCann The Sony Xperia T3 was announced at the beginning of June, offering up a big screen and 4G speeds for a mid-range price tag. We now have more details on the price tag as Carphone Warehouse has announced it will be stocking the Xperia T3 exclusively (and if you pre-order it'll chuck in a free Sony Smartband). You'll be able to pick the handset up for free on 24 month contracts starting at £21, with the Sony Xperia T3 release date pegged for July 24. Spec showdown The Xperia T3 sports a 5.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera, 1.1MP front snapper, Android 4.4 KitKat and a 2500mAh battery. In terms of connectivity Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are joined by 4G, NFC and a microSD slot to expand on the 8GB of internal storage. The closest competitor to the Xperia T3 is the HTC Desire 816 which sports a similar price tag on contract, a slight larger display, higher res cameras and a touch more power. Read our in-depth HTC Desire 816 review

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