Saturday, 26 July 2014

Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 07-26-2014

TechRadar: Phone and communications news
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Apple iPhone 6 to finally embrace NFC to power new mobile wallet service?
Jul 26th 2014, 15:33, by Chris Smith

Apple iPhone 6 to finally embrace NFC to power new mobile wallet service?

The next iPhone handset will be the first to support Near Field Communications (NFC) technology according to reports this weekend.

French site Nowehereelse.fr is claiming to have obtained pictures of a bare iPhone 6 logic board, which apparently proves the forthcoming device will offer NFC support.

According to the site the iPhone 6 will also see an upgrade to 802.11ac Wi-Fi, meaning faster connectivity over wireless broadband networks.

However, the photos themselves don't appear to offer conclusive proof of those claims.

Embracing mobile payments

The report comes just days after rumours Apple is planning to launch a mobile wallet service to allow iPhone users to pay for goods using their device.

An NFC-powered iPhone would go a long way to facilitating that service.

Until now Apple has chosen to eschew NFC to power mobile payments, choosing instead to go with its Passbook service which houses users' store cards, vouchers, event tickets and airline passes.








Search for a job as you'd search for a date with Tinder-style Weave app
Jul 26th 2014, 14:05, by Chris Smith

Search for a job as you'd search for a date with Tinder-style Weave app

The Tinder app has unquestionably revolutionised the concept of online dating with its swipe-to-like interface. However, if you're a more career-focused smartphone user you may want to check out Weave.

The new iOS and Android app for professionals allows users to log in through their LinkedIn accounts and see a list of nearby people who're willing to meet up for face-to-face networking meetings.

When users encounter a profile, they simply swipe 'yes' or 'no' to register interest; just like Tinder. Swiping right for yes will enable the chat portion of the app where meetings can be arranged.

According to the makers of Weave, 100 people are day are already meeting through the application, which launched in January for iOS and a month later for Android.

Location, Location, Location

The idea behind the app is that people seeing people are close enough by for a coffee meeting will improve the chances they'll meet up rather than just exchange emails as they may do through LinkedIn.

"There still hasn't been a way to replicate … coffee meetings online," Weave founder and CEO Brian Ma told VentureBeat. "Location is a key factor in people meeting in-person."

The more people use the app the more they'll show up in other people's feeds, the founder says.








Cell phone unlocking is one step closer to being legal
Jul 25th 2014, 22:23, by Michelle Fitzsimmons

Cell phone unlocking is one step closer to being legal

The ability to unlock your phone and use it on the carrier of your choice took one step closer to being legal today as the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill allowing just that.

The bill, approved by the Senate last week, is headed to the president's desk. President Obama shouldn't put up a fuss in signing the bill into law.

"The bill Congress passed today is another step toward giving ordinary Americans more flexibility and choice, so that they can find a cell phone carrier that meets their needs and their budget," Obama said in a statement.

The Library of Congress, which controls US copyright law, effectively made cell phone unlocking illegal with a 2012 ruling. As it stands, those who unlock their cell phone without permission, even when their current carrier contract expires, are breaking the law and are subject to penalties, including jail time.

Carriers banded together with the FCC late last year to make it easier for consumers at the end of their contracts to unlock their phones. Over 114,000 people petitioned the White House to allow consumers to take their mobile devices to other networks.

In addition to legalizing cell phone unlocking, the legislation asks the Library of Congress to reexamine their rules next year, potentially opening the door for tablets and other devices to join their mobile phone brethren in unlocked-dom.

  • This means you could unlock your iPhone 6!







Verizon's 4G LTE service is about to suck a lot more for some
Jul 25th 2014, 19:30, by klee

Verizon's 4G LTE service is about to suck a lot more for some

In just a little over two months Verizon will start throttling the connections of its heavy-use unlimited 4G LTE mobile customers.

Verizon announced it will expand initiative called Network Optimization, or a euphemistic way of saying mobile speed throttling.

The change goes into effect on October 1, after which the carrier will begin slowing down the connections for unlimited customers who enter the top five percentile of data users eating up 4.7GB or more a month.

Big Red will also restrict users' data speeds if they are trying to access a congested cellphone network such as those in a densely packed metropolitan center.

Network Optimization is actually an older program Verizon put in place originally in September 2011 but it just affected 3G customers at the time. Now it will expand to 4G LTE users and Verizon will begin sending out messages to customers informing them of the coming change starting August 1.

Pay your way data

Network Optimization is actually an older program Verizon put in place in September 2011 but it only impacted 3G customers at the time. Now it's expanding to 4G LTE users and Verizon will begin sending out messages to customers informing them of the change starting August 1.

Once users have been tagged with throttled service, they'll experience slower speed through the rest of the monthly billing cycle. Worse yet, an updated policy page on Verizon's website explains that throttled service could extend onto a customer's next month of service.

To help customers avoid getting hit by Network Optimization, Droid Life reports Verizon has suggested a few solutions. One tip is for uses to watch their data usage closely with a variety of tools Verizon offers or migrate from their unlimited plans to a MORE Everything contract. Clearly, neither solution is ideal.

It seems truly unlimited plans are on the way out at Verizon, but it isn't the only carrier. Sprint also announced it was throttling speeds for its heaviest data users in May and called the initiative "congestion management."








Wood paneling makes a return in latest Moto X+1 leak
Jul 25th 2014, 18:10, by klee

Wood paneling makes a return in latest Moto X+1 leak

After a series of Moto X+1 leaks it looks like we may finally have our first good look at Motorola's next flagship smartphone.

Newly leaked images sent to Android Police show a purported "near-final prototype" device from Motorola. Judging from previous leaks the phone's dual speakers and custom wooden back strongly suggest this could be the Moto X successor.

From the front we can see the original Moto X's substantial chin has been shaved down. It seems the Moto X+1 will also do away with any capacitive touch buttons.

Around the rim it appears the Moto X+1 will be fitted with a metal edge to complement the phone's mostly plastic build, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Motorola, Moto X+1, Android, Smartphones, Newstrack

What would you Moto make?

Around the rear there's a wooden back with two holes for a plastic Motorola logo and the camera. The camera is situated in the center again, but it looks as though the dual-bulb flash has been moved to the sides of the lens – this would explain why there was no separate cut out for the flash on the leaked bumper case for the handset.

Motorola, Moto X+1, Android, Smartphones, Newstrack

Along with the wooden back the same source who leaked the images claims the handset will come in other shades of plastic including black and white as well as custom leather finishes in blue and purple.

One thing the leaker didn't mention was whether the device will also sport a Kevlar-patterned back inherited from the Droid Ultra Maxx.

Spec it out

Other rumors suggest the Moto X+1 will sport bumped up specs in every respect starting with a new 5.2-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution screen. The phone could also have a faster Snapdragon 800 processor. 2GB of RAM, and 24GB of storage.

A higher spec 64GB model has also been rumored to come with a microSD card slot not found on the regular model.

Camera-wise the Moto X+1 said is to feature a 12MP rear sensor coupled with a 5MP front snapper.

  • How will the Moto 360 integrate with Motorola's new smartphone?







Fighting Talk: For Beta or for worse: Android Wear is untimely
Jul 25th 2014, 15:38, by Phil Lavelle

Fighting Talk: For Beta or for worse: Android Wear is untimely

Being an early adopter sucks. It's like being a smoker - without the health risks.

You know the feeling, when you just can't help but spend cash on half baked products because the thought of being without them leaves you shaking with cold turkey.

So I'm counting myself really lucky here. I've had a lucky escape. I have not succumbed to Android Wear. Yet.

Wind up?

And there is one simple reason, Google - it's because it looks like you screwed this up. And if it wasn't you, then it was someone else.

Regular readers will know I love a smart watch. A few months back, I drooled over Samsung's latest wrist-dwellers. I thought Samsung had nailed it. And I felt bad for them when I heard Android Wear was on the horizon.

Not so bad now though.

Here's the thing: Android Wear doesn't need to be bad. In fact, it should be freaking awesome. But it just doesn't feel finished, like a beta product without the disclaimer.

Missing link

My first feeling when I got to play with LG's effort was 'where's the rest?'? It's full of nuances that just don't fit. It feels like an unfinished idea right now, and you know what happens when we get them… they rarely go the distance.

Don't believe me? Look at the general consensus from all the reviews online - you'll find barely any good ones, apart from the people who've bought one on Amazon and now want to justify their expensive ASBO tag on the wrist by saying how they feel like Dick Tracy.

See, that's the thing - these devices aren't cheap. As much as £169/$229? No thanks.

This is part of Android's problem - the hardware and software aren't designed in synergy.

So when Apple's iWatch eventually lands, you know it'll have been put together with hardware and software in tandem and at least be aesthetically pleasing.

But here, LG and Samsung have squabbled like cat and dog to be first to get theirs out. LG with its button-less G Watch (yes, there is NO button!) and Samsung with its Gear rebadge.

Neither looks particularly elegant. Who would have thought to remember a watch is a fashion accessory? Nobody in South Korea, it seems.

They've grabbed the OS from Google and run away with it as fast as they can to the production line. Which doesn't make sense - there was no need to hurry something out. Smartwatches are not exactly a new concept.

Minute details

I'm wondering if Google is its own worst enemy, not thinking to get the package right with this new breed of smartwatches, instead of just concentrating on getting them out the door. Or maybe it did and it just didn't care. Either way, I can't see anybody salivating over the LG G Watch or Samsung Gear Live in a shop.

Anybody who's thinking of investing in the eco-system is waiting for the Moto 360, which Motorola is quite cleverly keeping back until its ready.

Google's miss is a shame; there's so much potential here and Android Wear could have been a roaring success from the start.

But it lacks the finesse of Apple when it comes to new products. The iWatch launch is bound to be a roaring success.

You may like to be a little rougher round the edges than those coiffered Cupertino sheep and it shows here. But not in a good way.

Time out.








Windows Phone 8.1 update to begin rolling out Down Under this weekend
Jul 25th 2014, 02:51, by Farrha Khan

Windows Phone 8.1 update to begin rolling out Down Under this weekend

Microsoft has finally announced that it will begin pushing its latest Lumia Cyan update out to all Aussie and New Zealander Windows Phone 8 users beginning this weekend.

Starting from tomorrow, the update will see all Windows Phone 8 handsets bumped up to Windows Phone 8.1 OS, which launched on the Lumia 630, 635 and 930,

Microsoft has said the update is expected to become available for other Lumia handsets in the "coming weeks".

The Windows update

The Lumia 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.

It also features a pull-down notification bar with quick settings, word flow keyboard and an optional extra column of live tiles on your homescreen.

While there's new business support, unfortunately Cortana doesn't make her appearance in our region. More details of the Cyan update entails can be found on the Nokia Conversations blog.


Tesco Mobile upgrading PAYG customers to 4G at no extra cost
Jul 24th 2014, 17:16, by Chris Smith

Tesco Mobile upgrading PAYG customers to 4G at no extra cost

Tesco Mobile is now offering 4G LTE speeds to its pay-as-you-go customers without hiking up the cost.

The mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which offers a service using O2's spectrum, will move all pre-pay users data plans to the new speeds as of today (July 24).

New customers will also be able to sign up for 4G tariffs, which range from 500MB to 8GB a month, at the same prices it had offered for 3G.

Users who don't want a specific monthly allowance each month can simply choose to use data as they please at a cost of ten pence per megabyte.

No premium on premium speeds

Tesco had already been offering 4G speeds to its monthly contracted customers at no extra cost, so now everyone under the supermarket's banner has access to the next-gen speeds.

Robb Kerr, mobile phones expert at consumer champion USwitch.com said Tesco is showing the way forward for other operators.

"Tesco's new free 4G pay as you go offering now gives it the edge on the competition of the other MVNOs, Giffgaff and Virgin Mobile. Crucially for mobile users, it makes 4G well and truly affordable, even for those not on contracts.

"No premium for 4G has to be the way forward, even more so as we slowly approach the two-year anniversary of its arrival in the UK. Bigger inroads of affordability need to be made."


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