| Jony Ive has designed an iPhone made completely of glass Jul 9th 2014, 11:12, by Hugh Langley 
Arriving just in time for all these iPhone 6 sapphire screen rumours, Apple's latest idea is to build all-glass iPhones, iPads and iMacs. Cupertino has just been awarded a patent for a manufacturing method that can fuse glass structures together while containing all the internal circuitry. Importantly, the proposed design will be durable (no more cracks, hopefully) and lightweight - as well as being obviously nicer to look at. In fact, the only downside we can see to an all-glass iPhone is that we might be prone to losing it. Jonathan Ive is listed as one of the inventors of the technology, and with sapphire glass (probably) tough enough for the challenge, there's a very real chance that Apple might see a promising future in glass.        |  | You might already own the best way to make 4K videos Jul 9th 2014, 10:46, by John McCann 
Smartphones and tablets sporting 4K displays will be with us in 2015, and Qualcomm reckons there will be loads of 4K content for you to consume on them - because you'll be creating it. Speaking at a special event in London, Qualcomm Europe President Enrico Salvatori explained that the world is already ready for 4K. "The biggest generator of 4K content could be in your pocket already. Mobile devices will be the entry point for 4K content into the market." There are already a number of devices capable of capturing 4K video, from the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which arrived towards the end of 2013, to the more recent Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2. In fact the minimum requirement for a smartphone camera to capture 4K content is 8MP - a sensor we're seeing on the majority of mid-range devices and which is slowly infiltrating even the budget end of the market. While these mid- and low-end phones don't offer 4K video recording yet, the signs are good for future devices at all price points. Couple a compatible camera with a QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K (3840 x 2160) display and Qualcomm believes you've got the critical features to spur on the 4K boom. With mobile devices leading the charge in 4K, content providers will develop more 4K TV shows, films and games to keep up with development and demand from the technology in your hand. Supercharged LTETo properly utilise and share all this 4K content there will need to be a high-speed network, and that's where LTE Advanced CAT 6 comes in. The Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A launched in Korea this year as the world's first CAT 6 enabled smartphone providing speeds up to 300Mbps - standard 4G maxes out at 150Mbps - as well as sporting a QHD display. Speaking at the same event EE's Director of Network Services, Tom Bennett, expects a range of high-end CAT 6 devices to arrive over the next 12 months. 2015 then, looks to be a big year for mobile, with superfast networks, dazzling displays and a wealth of 4K content for you to enjoy in the palm of your hands. Seems pretty good to us.        | | Is Google killing off its Play editions to make way for Android Silver? Jul 9th 2014, 09:56, by Hugh Langley 
Google's up to something fishy at the moment - and the disappearance of some Google Play edition devices from its store is only adding to our suspicion. The HTC One M7, Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z Ultra, and LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play editions all showed up as out of stock for a long period of time, and now Google has taken three of them off the Play Store entirely. Android Police has spotted that the Z Ultra, G Pad and M7 have all vanished - so what's going on? We've asked Google for an explanation but one likely answer seems to be Android Silver. Silver fish(y)Silver is said to be an initiative that will see Google working more closely with top manufacturers to create Android phones to match particularly premium specifications. Specifications that, if met, will mean the phone or tablet can be sold as an 'Android Silver' device. But with rumours suggesting a Silver launch in 2015, and confirmation that we'll still get a new Nexus this year, the removal of the Google Play edition devices seems a tad premature. And we're still waiting on that Samsung Galaxy S5 Google Play edition... Of course, if you're in the UK then this won't affect you so much given that Play editions haven't made it to British shores yet. But we reckon Android Silver might be more of a global affair.        | | Crazy John's to be retired September 30 Jul 9th 2014, 02:35, by Farrha Khan 
Vodafone MVNO Crazy John's will finally shut down mobile services on September 30, with less than 100,000 users still remaining on the network. Crazy John's will be contacting the remaining customers during the course of July to inform them of the deactivation process. Some customers will be transferred to Vodafone on replicated matching plans, and these customers will be required to activate new Vodafone SIMs before the end of September. However Vodafone has also warned that not all Crazy John's plans will be replicated by the telco, and to contact either Vodafone or Crazy John's to see what your options are. Of course, customers can also choose to move to another network entirely - you won't be charged any cancellation fees and you can keep your Crazy John's handset. No more CrazyLast year, Crazy John's stopped signing on new customers and ended its prepaid services as Vodafone announced it would be retiring the brand. With services to be deactivated on September 30, the telco is warning users to move onto Vodafone or another network soon. "Customers will not be able to make and receive phone calls, send and receive SMS, or use data services from 12:01am on 1st October 2014," Vodafone said. Users will still be able to port their numbers for a "very limited time" after September 30 if they haven't already done so, but if you miss this window, you will lose your number.        | | Sony plotting swift post-IFA release for Xperia Z3 and Compact companion? Jul 8th 2014, 19:20, by Chris Smith 
The rumoured Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact smartphones will be on shelves before the end of September, according to a new report. Now you'll have to bear with us a little bit here, but the tidbit of news comes from purported leaked details of a competition being held by Vodafone in Germany. OK, are you ready? Basically the network is said to be holding a raffle between July 1 and September 30. Two of the devices you can purchase in order to earn points for the raffle are the as-yet-unofficial Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact. So, it stands to reason that those devices would have to be on sale, at least in Germany, by the last day in September, right? IFA-bound?The smartphones are expected to be unveiled at the IFA tech show at the beginning of September, where Sony has traditionally launched its flagship mobile phones in recent years. Early leaks have pointed to a slight Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor bump for the full-size Z3, a 1080p display and a 7mm thick chassis, along with an upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat. At this point, the Z3 Compact looks like it may be the winner with a more powerful 2.5GHz quad-core processor, a larger 4.5-inch display, 2GB of RAM and a 20.7-megapixel camera.        | | iPhone 6 sapphire display escapes knife attack without a scratch Jul 8th 2014, 18:44, by Chris Smith 
The rumoured sapphire crystal display on the iPhone 6 will be virtually scratch-proof and shatter-proof judging by a video claiming to show it under attack from a sharp knife and a bunch of keys. YouTube user Marques Brownlee claims to have obtained the almost impossibly thin 4.7-inch display part, and proceeded to stab and scratch at it with the knife and the mobile phone's most troublesome pocket pal. Much to his, and indeed our surprise, the component shows no ill effects of a clash with its metallic foes. Even when Brownlee, who said he acquired the part from notorious iDevice leakster Sonny Dickson, used all of his might and his shoes in an attempt to snap the display in two, failed miserably. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R0_FJ4r73s#t=217Later, screen protectorsUnfortunately, as the component wasn't part of a phone, Brownlee wasn't able to perform a drop test. However, if the part proves to be genuine, it may end the need to acquire an overpriced screen protector, one that peels off after a few clashes with the jeans pocket. The iPhone 6 is expected to arrive in September this year in 4.7- and 5.5-inch iterations.        | | iOS 8 Health app will track your steps and your caffeine intake Jul 8th 2014, 18:15, by JR Bookwalter 
While most mobile fitness apps are focused on wrist-friendly wearables, Apple could be planning to tap into the smartphone that is already in your pocket to record footsteps and other data. 9to5Mac has done some digging into Apple's latest iOS 8 beta 3, released July 7, and found it includes several improvements to the built-in Health app that made its debut during WWDC 2014. Starting with the latest beta, the Health app now appears to tap directly into the M7 motion tracking hardware included in the iPhone 5S to source fitness data. There's no need for the fabled iWatch or other fitness devices worn by the user. Using nothing but the handset, the Health app is now capable of reporting the user's motion in a Steps counter tab. The tab includes a full week's worth of data that can be sorted by Day, Week, Month or Year, similar to other health-centric apps. 
Watch that caffeineAccording to the report, the Health app works quite well using nothing more than the new on-device support, adding that tracking works for both steps and distance. In addition to tapping into the M7 sensor, Apple's Health app has also added caffeine intake to a long list of nutritional categories the software can track, a welcome addition for frequent java or tea junkies. Last but certainly not least, the Medical ID section of Health has been tweaked with a red navigation bar that makes the emergency card feature of the app a bit easier on the eyes. iOS 8 beta 3 was released to developers along with a third release of OS X Yosemite 10.10 for the Mac, which delivers iCloud Drive signup, Wi-Fi calling for T-Mobile iPhones and improvements to QuickType, Photos and FaceTime.        | |
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