| Long-range wireless charger will power your phone from across the room Aug 7th 2014, 13:01, by James Rogerson 
Wireless charging has been slow to take off, but a new technology, called uBeam, could change that. It involves changing electricity into audio, which is then sent through the air over ultrasound, and when it reaches a receiver attached to a portable electronic devices, such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop, it's converted back into electricity to charge said device. It was invented by Meredith Perry, who explained to the New York Times that "this is the only wireless power system that allows you to be on your phone and moving around a room freely while your device is charging. It allows for a Wi-Fi-like experience of charging; with everything else you have to be in close range of a transmitter." So essentially your device could be charging all the time as long as you're in the same room as a uBeam charger, and with no wires or physical connection it can be in your pocket or in use with no restrictions. It's also capable of transmitting secure data, which could make it a boon to the internet of things, where devices will increasingly need to share data. The charging stations are designed to be no more than 5mm thick, so they could potentially be attached to walls or made into decorative art without looking out of place. Get ready for a new household namePerry aims to have uBeam products on shelves within the next two years and envisages flooding the market with them, so that as well as selling them to consumers they'll be found in coffee shops, hotels and offices. Once (and if) they're everywhere, Perry points out that the need for large batteries in smartphones might be gone, as your phone could potentially be charging any time you're inside. However it's not a perfect wireless charging solution, as the ultrasound waves can't pass through walls, so there would need to be a charger in every room of a house or office, otherwise you're still limited in where you can power your device. There's also a question of efficiency. This wasn't brought up in the original article but one of the reasons that existing wireless chargers are so short range is so that they can charge quickly and efficiently without wasting too much energy. It's not clear whether that will be an issue with uBeam as well, but on the whole it sounds promising and, most importantly, it apparently already works, which is always a good start. - Wondering why wireless charging isn't everywhere yet? So are we.
       |  | Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact draw closer as handsets leak again Aug 7th 2014, 09:53, by James Rogerson 
A phone believed to be the Sony Xperia Z3 has already passed through the FCC in the US and now a handset carrying the same model number has popped up on the Russian equivalent, this time alongside what might be the Xperia Z3 Compact. The listing was spotted by Russian site mobiltelefon.ru and mentions the Sony D6633 and D6603, both of which are believed to be versions of the Z3, as well as the D5803, which is thought to be the Z3 Compact. There's also mention of a D2403, which is rumoured to be a water resistant version of the Sony Xperia M2. Other than adding further evidence to support the existence of all these handsets and suggesting that they might be launching soon this listing doesn't reveal much, but separately some new images, possibly of the Xperia Z3 Compact, have emerged. Side-onThey were posted to Baidu and spotted by XperiaBlog, but despite looking similar to earlier images of the Z3 Compact they're tagged simply 'Z3'. They don't look quite the same as other images of the Z3 though, so it's likely that 'Compact' was just missed from the name, or failing that it could be a prototype. 
In any case the images show the sides of the device, highlighting a micro USB port on one side and a microSD card slot and SIM slot on the other, all of which have flaps to cover them. 
The latest rumours suggest the Xperia Z3 Compact could be quite an exciting device, with talk of a 4.6-inch full HD display, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 20.7MP camera, making it the best equipped 'mini' around. The full fat Z3 on the other hand sounds like less of an upgrade, with rumours suggesting that it will be just a minor improvement over the Sony Xperia Z2. - The Z3 might have the iPhone 6 for company when it launches.
       | | Here's a volley of potential iPhone 6 specs and features Aug 7th 2014, 09:07, by James Rogerson 
There are already loads of iPhone 6 rumours out there and, well, now there are a few more, along with an apparent confirmation of some of the existing ones. A source speaking to Venture Beat has detailed all sorts of information, including that the iPhone 6 will be made from a very hard material, tougher than Gorilla Glass, but not as hard as sapphire, which could explain why it failed a sapphire-safe scratch test. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The source also claimed that while the 4.7-inch model will ship in mid-September, the 5.5-inch handset will be several weeks to a month later, which ties into existing rumours about production issues. Power upThey also 'confirm' that the iPhone 6 will have a new A8 chip, clocked at 2.0GHz per core, which will apparently allow for a noticeably faster response time and graphics rendering, compared to the 1.3GHz A7 chip found in the iPhone 5S. Interestingly the source also says that NFC will be in, allowing the phones to be used for mobile payments, which is an idea that's popped up before. Other nuggets of information include that it will apparently support faster Wi-Fi than previous models, support Category 6 LTE, allowing 4G speeds of up to 300Mbps and that it will have a slightly faster, more accurate fingerprint reader. The source adds that Apple has been 'playing around' with technology which would authenticate Beats headphones on iPhones using the lightning connector, though didn't say whether this would actually make it into the phone. The source finished by saying that changes sometimes happen at the last minute, so some of these features may be subject to change, which is probably true, but it's also a handy way of covering their back if this all turns out to be nonsense. Still, it largely lines up with what we've heard already, so you never know, they might be on to something. - We're hearing rumours about the iPad Air 2 as well.
       | | Good news, parents: multiple user accounts coming to Android phones Aug 6th 2014, 20:24, by Michael Rougeau 
There are some apps you just don't want your kids to use, even if they otherwise have free run of your smartphone. And Android phones currently have no feature to accommodate that. But that's changing with the introduction of multiple user accounts in upcoming versions of Android, a Google employee confirmed in a thread on the Android issue tracker. Having multiple user accounts on a single device essentially lets you lock certain apps behind a password. Unless your kids, co-workers or other snoopers know the password to your account, they're not getting into anything you don't want them to. This feature debuted on Android tablets in 2013, but Google has waited until now to put it on smartphones too. Just don't forget your passwordHowever it's unfortunately unclear exactly when or how multiple user accounts will arrive on Android phones, despite this Google project member's promise that it will arrive "as a a part of the next public build." Does that mean the next public build of the current public release of Android - which would be Android KitKat - or of Android L, the new version launching this year? We've asked Google to clarify, and we'll update here if we hear back. Until then don't get too excited about all the things you can do on your phone when you're guaranteed to be the only person who can access certain apps.        | | Timex's first ever wearable has its own data service and GPS Aug 6th 2014, 19:33, by klee 
Timex is jumping into the wearable game and it's starting off with an ambitious GPS smartwatch fitted with a 3G radio. Meet the Timex IronMan One GPS+ smartwatch. It connects directly with AT&T's 3G network and can handle basic email messaging all on its own. The watch also comes with a free year of data, after which users will have to enroll into a mystery plan the blue carrier has yet to announce. Timex teamed up with Qualcomm to develop the connected wearable. On top of always being connected the time band features an always-on Mirasol display and a touch-based, icon-laden homescreen. There's 4GB of storage on-board to play music pushed to a Bluetooth headset. Timex says users can expect to get up to eight hours of battery life with GPS turned on or three days of standby time. Pricey, priceyYouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l15wf3qjMHcUsing the GPS component of this smartwatch, runners can track their route, distance and speed. One GPS+ Users can also activate a "Find Me" mode with a single button press to send out a message - Timex's own suggestion: "Help! I am being chased by a bear." Coinciding with its IronMan brand, the device has been made for athletes who want to analyze their workout sessions and upload it directly to the web with the built-in radio. The watch is also ruggedized and can go underwater up to 50-meters deep. What's the damage for all this Timex wearable goodness you ask? $399.95 in black or gray. It's also $449.95 with a bundled bluetooth heart monitor. Definitely not one of the most affordable smartwatches and activity trackers, the One GPS+ is still one of the few on the market that can work on its own without being connected to the phone aside from the Pine Smartwatch.        | | Sprint swaps CEOs, apparently gives up on T-Mobile merger Aug 6th 2014, 18:24, by JR Bookwalter 
Sprint apparently plans to walk away from a potential merger with T-Mobile, but that's only the beginning of changes being made behind-the-scenes this week at the nation's third largest carrier. The Wall Street Journal reported late Tuesday that Sprint's board of directors appears to have thrown their collective hands in the air over a planned acquisition of rival T-Mobile US, leaving the Japanese-owned carrier to once again fend for itself against Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Although no formal announcement of the failed merger has yet to be made, the scrapped $32 billion deal was expected to face the same kind of regulatory scrutiny AT&T experienced in late 2011. That deal led T-Mobile US to come back fighting hard that ever with an ongoing series of consumer-friendly "Uncarrier" initiatives, changes larger competitor Sprint have largely failed at implementing since last year's acquisition by Japanese carrier SoftBank. Fresh bloodIn a separate report this morning, The Wall Street Journal also confirmed rumors that Sprint Chief Executive Officer Dan Hesse would be replaced by Marcelo Claure, the founder of international mobile phone distributor Brightstar. The executive shuffle, which takes place next Monday, appears to be only the beginning of shakeups taking place at Sprint in the wake of the abandoned merger, which leaves the third-placed US carrier more vulnerable than ever as T-Mobile continues to snatch customers from the competition. "While we continue to believe industry consolidation will enhance competitiveness and benefit customers, our focus moving forward will be on making Sprint the most successful carrier," said Sprint Chairman (and SoftBank CEO) Masayoshi Son. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Claure's Brightstar was acquired by SoftBank back in January, shifting the executive into an ideal vantage point as part of Sprint's board of directors to slide right into the now-vacant CEO position. - Get your (virtual) hands on Oculus Rift in our hands-on review!
       | | Updated: We're another step closer to crystal clear, buffer-free smartphone video calls Aug 6th 2014, 11:22, by John McCann 
4G is great for superfast data speeds on your smartphone, but it's rubbish when it comes to phone calls - although that's about to change as networks, including Vodafone, look to bridge the gap. In fact the Big Red has announced that it's just completed its first successful Voice over LTE call at its UK lab in Newbury, Berkshire - following in the footsteps of rival network EE. Make a call on your 4G smartphone today and it will switch to an available 3G, or even 2G, network as the LTE service can only handle data. That means if you've got something downloading in the background and then make a call it will either slow right down, or stop altogether while you're on the blower. The differenceWith the ability to make Voice over LTE calls any downloads or other data activity won't be affected if you fancy a chat, but that's not the only benefit to the service. Customers should benefit from increased call quality, connection speed and performance, while anyone who's partial to some video calling action will be able to enjoy high definition calls without any buffering or pixelating. Voice over LTE is also more power efficient, so you may see an improvement in battery life on your smartphone too when the technology launches. Vodafone hasn't given any idea of when its Voice over LTE service may roll out to customers, but with the first tests in the bag we're hoping we won't be left waiting too long. A Vodaphone spokesperson told TechRadar: "We'll be happy to communicate our commercial plans once we've completed full testing of this new technology. We don't have a specific date to share with you at the moment. "Voice over 4G is a new technology that will become a common feature on 4G handsets over the next few years."   | | Nook Glowlight takes the fight to Kindle Paperwhite, again Aug 6th 2014, 07:30, by John McCann 
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is arguably the king of the ereader world, but Barnes & Noble is not backing down without a fight and the US book giant has just released a new competitor in the UK, the Nook Glowlight. In terms of the name things have been streamlined from the Nook Simple Touch Glowlight, which launched almost two years ago, with the clunky middle suffixes being dropped for a cleaner approach. The new-look Nook Glowlight has actually been available in the States for a while now, so it arrives in the UK without the benefit of the very latest technical advances. New super screenThat said it's still an enticing proposition at just £89, making it £20 cheaper than its Amazon rival while boasting a 15% brighter backlight that the Paperwhite. 
The screen also boasts sharper text over its predecessor with 62% more pixels shoved into the 6.5-inch display, and the E Ink technology has been given a boost by Barnes & Noble with the elimination of full page flashing, making for smoother page turns. It's slightly heavier than the light-up Kindle at 175g (vs 170g), but that shouldn't be an issue, and it has enough storage for 2000 texts - again one-upping the Amazon option which can hold just 1,400. 
The Nook Shop has also been improved, offering over 3 million books, magazines and newspapers, a range of new content and personalised recommendations. Battery life should be good for around two months, depending on how liberally you use the backlight, and you can pick up a Nook Glowlight from today from a number of retailers including Argos, John Lewis and Sainsbury's.   | | Instant messaging booming among Brits and it's because we're incorrigible flirts Aug 5th 2014, 19:54, by Chris Smith 
The use of instant messaging applications is set to double in the UK in 2014, according to new research claiming some tap-happy users are sending up to 100,000 messages a year. The study from Deloitte claims Brits could send a total of 300 billion messages by the time Christmas is over, up from the 160 billion sent across the nation in 2013. And, according to the experts, the surge comes as users are increasingly relying on 'free' services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and iMessage to further their romantic interests. "A constant among humans is courting and they use different tools to do it. It used to be hanging on the phone, now it's instant messaging," said Deloitte technology, media and telecoms research chief Paul Lee. Texting in declineThe volume of IMs, which often include messages consisting only of emoji, being sent now far outweighs traditional text (SMS) messaging in the UK. Deloitte reckons British smartphone users send 7 text messages a day, while racking up 46 instant messages via web-connected services. This year texting is forecast to fall for the first time since its invention in 1992, dropping from 145bn in 2013 to 140bn this year. Do you find yourself doing most of your flirting via instant messaging? Or do you keep it retro with the text? Share your methods in the comments section below.   | | Aldi's first smartphone sucks, but it's just the start Aug 5th 2014, 10:45, by John McCann 
Low-cost supermarket Aldi has announced it will start selling its first smartphone from August 7, in the form of the Medion Life E4001. At just £79.99 SIM-free the handset is certainly affordable, but it looks less appealing when you check out the specs. The 4-inch 480 x 800 display is the bare minimum we expect from phones these days, while the 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB internal storage, 2MP camera and 1300mAh are nothing to write home about. Rather more disappointingly is the fact the Life E4001 is stuck on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - an operating system that's been usurped not once, but twice - and will be another generation older come September/October with the arrival of Android L. 
For around the same price you can get the Lumia 520 or Lumia 630 - two Windows Phone with newer operating systems and better feature sets - the Moto E, the excellent Moto G or the 4G-enabled EE Kestrel. In short, you're spoilt for choice at this price point. Only the startWhile Aldi's first foray into the smartphone market may not make many waves, it does show intent from the supermarket chain - imagine if it struck a deal with the likes Oppo, OnePlus or even Motorola - the latter of which is owned by the same outfit as Medion, Lenovo. Suddenly low cost phones from Asia could flood the UK market, making it a lot easier for consumers to get hold of high-spec, yet affordable handsets, giving Samsung, Sony, HTC and LG something to really think about. Of course this is all speculation, but while we recommend you skip this particular handset it's probably worth keeping an eye on Aldi for the future.   | |
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