Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 09-11-2013

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Opinion: Innovation's back at Apple and it's about bloody time Sep 11th 2013, 14:00, by John McCann Innovation. Once upon a time you couldn't utter the word without making a connection to a certain fruit-based company. But ever since it decided that "resolutionary" was a word (it's really not, okay?) it's gone down hill in the innovation department and Apple seems to have past its best before date. The last big innovative change from Apple - in the iPhone department at least - was way back in 2010 with the iPhone 4. It brought a new design along with a host of new features including a super fast processor and Retina display. Well played Apple. Go past this though and the iPhone 4S was hardly ground breaking, and sure the iPhone 5 rocked up with a bigger screen, but please, that's not innovation. Just not trying anymore I can't berate Apple for launching incremental upgrades every 12 months while we're locked into two year contracts, because everyone's doing it - just look at the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 or the Optimus G, G Pro and G2. What I do take issue with is the fact it feels like Apple has just stopped trying - happy to rest on its incredibly loyal fan base who'll lap up anything new. Of course you could argue: why should Apple do the extra leg work? Sure it's making a ton of money and what's not to love about that? But what are we, the consumers, getting from it? A smaller bank balance and a "new" phone that your friends will think is the one from last years when you try and show it off. Thanks a lot, Apple. The saving grace All may not be lost, though. While the iPhone 5S made me shudder when it was confirmed and I feared for another unflattering incremental upgrade - which for the most part it is - there was one shining ring of hope. That silver ring wrapping that iconic home button. Hello, what's this: Touch ID? Surely it's not really a fingerprint scanner? What, it is? It actually is! Well colour me intrigued. Find out about Apple's Touch ID Now before you jump down my throat with, "But fingerprint scanning has been around years", I'm aware of that, thanks. The innovation here is it's implementation - remember Apple is rarely the first to a technology, but it's usually the best when it comes to integration. There's no ugly square scanner like the ones you find on laptops - the sleek installation into the iPhone 5S' home button means you barely even know it's there. With the reader supporting multiple angles you're not left swiping your finger constantly until it finally registers - a quick placement over the button and you're done. At the moment Touch ID only lets you unlock the handset and authenticate purchases in iTunes and the App Store, but considering you can register multiple fingers we wouldn't be surprised if future iOS updates see your finger power become more involved. In short, it's a great little feature and I've no doubt that the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG will be bringing finger scanning tech to their next smartphones - undoubtedly set to be dubbed "copycats" by anyone connected to Apple. There's more to do But Touch ID is not enough. Apple is still plugging a handset design which arrived over three years ago and other than the scanner it's pretty poor it couldn't come up with anything more than an updated camera and quicker processor. The eye-tracking and hand-waving controls on the Galaxy S4 are questionable, but they at least show willingness to develop new features. Even Nokia is arguably doing a better job when it comes to improving smartphone cameras. So good job, Apple. It's nice to see you've finally woken the innovation team from their slumber. But stick the kettle on, these guys clearly need coffee before they can properly get going. Here's what we thought of Apple's big iPhone launch event: FutTv : Xb5G9eV2b27ad In Depth: 7 things you'll hate about the iPhone 5S Sep 11th 2013, 13:13, by Gary Marshall Some people believe that the iPhone 5S is the best iPhone that Apple - or for that matter, anybody - has ever made. They may well be right, but that doesn't mean it's perfect, and it certainly doesn't mean that Apple's latest i-device is flaw-free or beyond criticism. There are plenty of reasons to love the iPhone 5S - here are seven reasons - but you won't find them here: right now we're the haters, and haters gonna hate. 1. It's even more expensive The iPhone has never been the most affordable smartphone, and the iPhone 5S is the most expensive yet: it starts at a whopping £549 for the 16GB version, which is £20 more than the outgoing (and obsolete) iPhone 5. And that's for just 16GB of storage, which isn't really enough any more. The sensible choice, the 32GB model, is £629 in the UK. It'll be a bit cheaper on contract, of course, but it's still quite hefty. 2. It's ruined the trade-in value of your iPhone 5 Here's how the smartphone Circle of Life is supposed to work. Apple unveils a new thing, you trade in last year's new thing, you put the money towards the new thing. Easy. Here's how it worked this year. Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S and discontinued the iPhone 5, causing recycling sites to rush to their computers and brutally slash their iPhone 5 trade-in rates so severely that a mint iPhone 5 will soon be worth less than a packet of mints. And as we've already mentioned, the iPhone 5S got a sneaky price hike too, which just adds insult to injury. 3. It should be scratch-proof, but it isn't Apple can call the dark coloured one Space Grey all it likes, but its real name should be Scratchy McRubbish: that anodised aluminium casing is so prone to scratching that you can scuff it by playing an episode of Itchy and Scratchy in iTunes. The white one's a bit better, but only because white is closer to the colour of bare aluminium and as a result, the scratches aren't as obvious. The gold one should be fairly scratch-resistant too, because gold is comparatively easy to anodise. Hang on - did someone mention the gold one? 4. Apple's gone bling iPhone. iPhone 3G. iPhone 3GS. iPhone 4. iPhone 4S. iPhone 5. What do they all have in common? That's right. NONE OF THEM ARE GOLD. There's a reason for that, and that reason is simple: gold things are for magpies, old people and idiots. Don't believe us? Sit back and imagine the kind of people who would just love a gold iPhone. Are you thinking Robin Thicke? Russian gangsters? The cast of The Only Way Is Essex? Of course you are. 5. There's a bigger, better one due next year The networks would really like you to take your iPhone 5S on a two-year contract, but we all know Apple's modus operandi by now: the big hitters come out every two years with a new design and lots of new goodies, and the S models are relatively minor upgrades released in the years in between. This is an in-between year, an "S" year, and we know what that means: a bigger, better iPhone 6 this time next year that will make you rue the day you put a cross in the box of that two-year contract. Just imagine what it might do. If an S-model iPhone can read your fingers, maybe the 6 will be able to read your mind, or make your pets levitate. To be honest, we'd be quite delighted if it just had better battery life and a slightly bigger screen. 6. The irrational fear that somebody's going to steal your fingers, or maybe photocopy them Now that Apple's embraced fingerprints to unlock your iPhone and authorise iTunes purchases with Touch ID, try not to imagine somebody stealing your phone and then coming back for your fingers so that they can unlock it. That's far-fetched to say the least, of course, and we'd just dismissed the whole paranoid possibility when Newsweek writer Peter Jukes mentioned on Twitter that criminals would be able to 3D-print replacement fingers. Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean that you shouldn't fear the Fingerprint Thieves. 7. You'll have to wait for it If you've already decided you want an iPhone 5S, nothing here will change your mind - but that doesn't mean you can just order your iPhone 5S today and embark on a new life of gadget-fuelled cosiness. Nope: you'll have to wait until 20 September, or longer still if you don't live in one of the nine launch countries (the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK). There's a flipside! Here are seven reasons you'll love the iPhone 5S In Depth: 7 things you'll love about the iPhone 5S Sep 11th 2013, 13:11, by Gary Marshall It's here - or at least it nearly is: Apple's latest and greatest iPhone, the iPhone 5S ships on the 20th of September. It might look like an iPhone 5, but there are stacks of improvements: it's the smartest, most powerful iPhone that Apple has ever made. Here are the seven things that you're going to absolutely love about it. And here are seven reasons you'll hate it 1. It's the fastest iPhone ever While the cheaper iPhone 5C makes do with Apple's A6 processor, the iPhone 5S benefits from the most powerful processor Apple has ever put into a phone. The iPhone 5S has the brand new A7 processor, the first 64-bit processor to power a smartphone, and that means it's twice as fast as its predecessor. Apple says that the iPhone 5S's performance is 40 times faster than the original iPhone, and its graphics performance is an incredible 56 times faster - and while you should always take manufacturers' figures with a hefty dose of salt, there's no doubt that this is the fastest iPhone ever made. 2. It knows what you'll do next summer The A7 isn't the only new chip you'll find inside an iPhone 5S. There's a new motion co-processor, the M7, and it's designed to do something very useful: it continually monitors movement, so for example it can track your steps while the main processor sleeps. That's great for several reasons: it enables a new generation of health and fitness apps to track what you do each day; it can tell your iPhone whether you're sitting, walking or in a vehicle and tailor apps accordingly; and it can do its monitoring without having to power up the main phone - so you get all the benefits of smartphone fitness apps without any of the battery drain. Apple has opened up the M7 processor to app developers, so we should see all kinds of interesting new apps - not just fitness ones, but apps that use the M7's senses in interesting ways. 3. It won't make anybody look like a zombie Previous iPhones - and many rivals - make do with a single LED flash, but the iPhone 5S has two. Apple calls it a "true tone flash", because that sounds more interesting than "twin flash", but what it does is very useful: it has one cool white LED and one warm amber one, and it can mix the light from the two flashes to get the right colour balance. Where normal flash photos tend to look like the subjects have just been dug up, true tone flash photos should look much more realistic - and a lot more flattering. 4. It has a really clever camera The iPhone 5S has a brand new camera, and it's clever in all kinds of ways. The lens is a new, five-element lens of Apple's own design, boasting an impressive aperture of f2.2. That means it's good for low light, as does the improved backside illumination that makes the sensor perform better in dim lighting. The sensor itself is 15 percent bigger, which improves picture quality, and the camera software has been updated to take full advantage. It automatically sets the white balance and exposure, takes multiple photographs and chooses the best, and you can shoot using the new burst mode and slow-mo modes. The camera can also record HD video at 120 frames per second. 5. It can feel your fingers Fed up with fiddly PINs and passwords you can never remember? Why not give your phone the finger? The iPhone 5S's home button contains a fingerprint sensor, which Apple calls Touch ID. It scans and securely stores your fingerprints, and you can then use the sensor to unlock your phone and to approve iTunes purchases. In the long term, app developers might use fingerprint authentication for their own apps - so you might approve payments with your fingerprint rather than a crackable password. 6. You get iWork for free, and iOS 7 too Apple's iWork apps are superb tools for home and business use alike, and every iPhone 5S buyer gets the lot for free: presentation program Keynote, word processor Pages, spreadsheet app Numbers, image editor iPhoto and video editing app iMovie. That A7 processor should mean they're silky smooth no matter how big the projects you throw at them. The iPhone 5S also runs iOS 7, the latest and most useful version of Apple's mobile operating system. 7. It's a phone for grown-ups As much as we like the brightly coloured cases of the iPhone 5C, when we're dropping serious money on a smartphone we'd prefer not to end up with something that looks like it came from Toys 'R Us. The anodised aluminium of the iPhone 5S comes in three distinctly sober colours: silver, gold and what Apple likes to call "space grey". Even the gold one looks relatively restrained, especially when you compare it to its sibling's exuberant neon hues. Where the iPhone 5C is a phone to make you smile, the iPhone 5S is a phone to take seriously. Wait! Here are seven reasons you'll hate the iPhone 5S In Depth: iPhone through the ages: just how much has it changed? Sep 11th 2013, 12:00, by David Nield It was January 2007 when Steve Jobs took to the stage of the Moscone Center San Francisco to announce the arrival of the iPhone, which went on sale worldwide later that year. If you find it difficult to remember that far back, Leona Lewis was number one in the UK with A Moment Like This and people were flocking to the cinema to get teary-eyed at Will Smith in The Pursuit Of Happyness. While our pop music and movie choices may not have improved much, smartphones were changed forever: from that point on, touchscreens, apps and digital media were the way forward. iPhone 1 (first generation) Launched: June 2007 (US), November 2007 (UK) Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone as three devices in one: a touchscreen iPod, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a truly mobile web browser. Now we take touchscreens, digital media playback and Web access for granted, but in 2007 the iPhone was unlike anything that had appeared before. Its 3.5-inch screen had a 320 x 480 pixel reoslution (one of the best displays of the time), with a 2MP camera built-in, and up to 8GB of storage. Third-party apps were not yet allowed on "iPhone OS". In the TechRadar review, we noted that despite several shortcomings, the phone had "changed the mobile device landscape... multitouch will prove to be a model for interfaces in the future." iPhone 3G (second generation) Launched: July 2008 High-speed connectivity was big news in 2008, which is why the second generation iPhone included 3G in its moniker (rather confusingly, as this was the second generation iPhone). It also brought with it a thinner shape, a plastic back and - crucially - support for the newly launched App Store. The app store model worked so well you'll now find it replicated in everything from your smart TV to your Windows 8 laptop, and the change helped Apple's phone really start to gain traction. We said in our iPhone 3G review promised that buyers would be "amazed by the function and feel of this handset." The iPhone era had begun in earnest. iPhone 3GS (third generation) Launched: June 2009 The iPhone 3GS upgrade was viewed as disappointingly minor at the time, but look at the detail and a different picture emerges: as well as faster performance, the new handset offered a better 3.2MP camera (that could now record video as well as take photos), extra storage options and voice control (the precursor to Siri). The display was the same 3.5-inch 320 x 480 screen, and the device's appearance remained largely unchanged from the 3G model. TechRadar's take on the unit praised the multimedia and internet capabilities while still finding niggles with the camera, call quality and battery life – this was the first of the more iterative updates to the iPhone but did enough to keep users happy. iPhone 4 (fourth generation) Launched: June 2010 If the 3GS was a minor upgrade, the iPhone 4 was a serious step up - a new, flat design with an integrated antenna (although questions were raised about how you held the device) a high-resolution Retina display (640 x 960 pixels) that showed the rest of the world how it was done and a superior 5MP camera (featuring HD video recording) on top of internal performance improvements. The competition was catching up, and Apple had responded in brilliant fashion. We were certainly impressed, despite some reservations about the high price, saying "it's intriguing to see record-breaking numbers queuing up to pick up this device - but after playing with it for a few days, you can see why." iPhone 4S (fifth generation) Launched: October 2011 Apple pulled out the "S" tag again for the fifth generation handset, indicating a minor upgrade rather than a major overhaul. The design of the iPhone 4S was the same, but inside was Apple's new A5 processor, vastly improved graphics capabilities and an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording. iOS was evolving at the same rate as the hardware, of course, and Siri began life as an iPhone 4S exclusive. The improvements were enough to persuade us to describe it as "the best thing Apple has ever created" in the official TechRadar review. iPhone 5 (sixth generation) Launched: September 2012 Six handsets later, Apple finally decided it was time to tweak the iPhone's screen size and aspect ratio. Coming in at 20% lighter than its predecessor, the 2012 iPhone adopted a 4-inch screen running at 640 x 1136 pixels. Otherwise, despite the usual speed bump and a stronger antenna, it was very much business as usual in terms of the design and capabilities. Our biggest gripe in our iPhone 5 review was with the aging iOS, but with iOS 7 arriving on September 18 that issue is very much negated, which will please a number of iPhone 5 users who've been holding onto the handset for nearly a year. iPhone 5S/5C (seventh generation) Launched: September 2013 The big step in the seventh stage of the iPhone's evolution is the arrival of the iPhone 5C, a slightly cheaper, plastic-backed model to help battle Android in the busy mobile middle market. The signs were there already — remember Apple has kept the iPhone 4 and 4S on sale during the iPhone 5 era. Apart from the plastic shell and larger battery though the iPhone 5C is a carbon copy of the iPhone 5 in terms of specs - which was retired to make way for the two new handsets. As for the flagship iPhone 5S, it's a case of under-the-hood improvements again: more power, a better camera, and a fancy fingerprint reader hidden under the home button. The bigger changes are arriving with iOS 7, the most radical revamp of the mobile operating system since the App Store arrived back in 2008. In Depth: Touch ID: is your finger the key to the future? Sep 11th 2013, 11:01, by John McCann Apple's latest and greatest iPhone 5S comes with an integrated fingerprint scanner to prevent unauthorised access and make it easier to get into the iTunes Store - is it another game-changer from the Cupertino company or a needless gimmick? We take a look at the history of fingerprint scanners, the tech underpinning Apple's new toy and asks how much of a difference Touch ID will make to our mobile-powered lives. How does it work? The new Touch ID capacitive sensor sits under the familiar Home button, making it slightly less concave as a result. The button itself is made of laser-cut sapphire crystal (to avoid scratches) and surrounded by a stainless steel detection ring that can tell when you're trying to log in and when you're just trying to launch Siri (you don't actually need to press down to use the Touch ID technology). The sensor is 170 microns thin (thinner than a human hair) and can scan your fingertips at a resolution of 500ppi in any direction. It's also able to scan sub-epidermal skin layers — in other words, it'll still work in less-than-perfect conditions (with hands made raw from the cold British winter, for example). Once your iPhone has a scan of your finger, it stores your fingerprint in a secure encrypted format on the integrated A7 processor. Apple is promising that the data is not passed to third-party apps (at least not yet) and doesn't leave your device - it isn't backed up to iCloud or stored on Apple's servers in any way. Whenever you match the fingerprint that's stored, you're in. It's a bold move, if not a completely original one. Carolina Milanesi, Research VP at Gartner, thinks Apple's move can be a success: "Apple seems to have put a lot of work into the Touch ID - they absolutely know that it has to work flawlessly for users not to be put off. "I think linking it to the iTunes login is a nice touch, no pun intended. Apple's timing is, in more cases than not, not a coincidence so I am sure we will see more biometrics in their devices." Keep your eyes on the new range of iPads. Haven't we seen this before...? Fingerprint-scanning technology has been in consumer devices for some time. IBM was rolling out fingerprint scanners in its laptops back in 2004, and we've seen it used in Microsoft's line of mice on and off since 2005. 2011's Motorola Atrix 4G had an integrated sensor in it until the unit was withdrawn due to poor sales. Apple hasn't come up with this technology all by itself, either: you might remember it acquired biometric security experts AuthenTec in June 2012 and the fingerprint authentication company Microlatch later in the same year. AuthenTec's fingerprint scanning expertise has been seen in the past in handsets such as the waterproof Fujitsu F-01A. Two weaknesses in the technology up to this point have prevented it from gaining serious traction: firstly, it hasn't always worked with any great degree of accuracy, leading to users jabbing at their handsets in frustration. Secondly, it has been known to be easily fooled in the past (using plasticine or photocopies for example). If Apple can overcome these problems — and early hands-on impressions from the launch event are that it has a good chance — then we might eventually see sensors such as the one in the iPhone 5S replace passwords and passcodes for good. Tony Cripps, principal device analyst at Ovum, spoke to us about Apple's implementation of the technology: "The word from the event is that the Touch ID system actually works very well. The risk with many fingerprint ID systems historically has been their failure to recognise repeatedly and consistently the fingerprint registered on them. "First impressions imply Apple has overcome this problem, which could lead to wider acceptance in other CE devices and by other device makers." Fingerprint sensing security isn't perfect, and we don't know yet whether a lifted fingerprint (from the back of the case, perhaps) would be enough to unlock the iPhone 5S. Your average pickpocket doesn't carry a forensics kit along with him, but we'll have to wait and see how robust Touch ID is — brace yourselves for plenty of in-depth hacking attempts in the tech press over the coming weeks ("How To Unlock An iPhone 5s With A Biro And Sellotape"). At this stage, we just don't know how strong Apple's tech is — our initial impressions are that Touch ID works "incredibly well", but it's still early days. Will it make a difference? Apple is touting Touch ID primarily as a more secure version of the passcode and according to Senior Vice President Phil Schiller only half of us ever bother setting up a passcode anyway. The next time someone steals your phone in the street, they'll either have to take your finger along with them or force you to unlock it first. It saves you from forgetting your passcode and reduces the security risk caused by users who set up the same code on all of their devices and services for convenience's sake. Even if hacks to circumvent Touch ID eventually come to light, it's still a significant upgrade in terms of the security of your iPhone. However, it's also about ease-of-use and unlocking your mobile with one press rather than four or five. With its tight iTunes integration you'll be able to get new apps, movies and music without having to enter your Apple password each time. Further down the line we might see Apple embedding the technology in iCloud, on your Mac or even in high street retail stores to let you prove you are who you say you are. From there, it's obvious how the principle could extent to banking or mobile payments (think Passbook, for example). Ian Hogg, Director of Mobile Analysis at IHS Electronics & Media, explained that iOS7 has a big part to play too: "Mobile security that protects a handset is important to secure the information that users have on their device - banking passwords, purchase histories, email addresses, contacts. "Apple is adding significant new features that make it harder for a thief to circumvent 'find my phone' and 'remote wipe' features." For the time being though a revolution in biometrics is still some way off. For now, Touch ID makes it easier to use your iPhone and keeps it more secure at the same time. Only if and when the technology expands beyond your personal handset will its safety be seriously called into question. "The concern some users may have, as with the current furore over online services," adds Tony Cripps, "is more that Apple itself might volunteer user information seemingly protected behind that fingerprint to government agencies. How consumers ultimately choose to respond to such concerns in the long run is yet to be seen." It seems everyone agrees that we need a safer replacement for passwords. Tattoos and pills have been touted as possible personal identification solutions of the future, but the launch of the iPhone 5s has put fingerprint sensing technology back in the spotlight. Only when the phone is out and being put through its paces will we know just how well it works and how far users are ready to trust it. Here's everything you need to know about the iPhone 5S: FutTv : pSGJqz1pqCDeo In Depth: The 10 apps to supercharge your iPhone 5S Sep 11th 2013, 09:33, by Simon Hill At first glance some might dismiss the iPhone 5S as a clone of its predecessor, but look closer and you'll find a few subtle differences. There's a faster processor, better camera and fancy fingerprint scanner to name but three. There's not long to wait before you can get your hands on the new device (it arrives on September 20), but to whet your appetite we've put together our tailored guide to your first iPhone-5S-powered trip to the App Store, bringing you the best apps that will keep you gazing lovingly at your new toy when you feverishly rip it from the box. Flipboard (Free) Serving up fresh batches of filtered news in a stylish way, Flipboard is the ideal window onto the web. Sprinkle in sources you like, from the BBC, to Talk Sport, to Tech Radar; there are thousands of RSS feeds out there. If you don't know where to start, then check out some of the popular curated magazines on offer. You can also fold in your social media accounts for a complete real-time picture of the stuff you care about most. Private Photo Vault (Free) We don't need to know why you have photos on your iPhone that you'd rather keep private; it's none of our business and Private Photo Vault keeps it that way. You can safeguard private albums behind a password, PIN, or pattern. The app lets you view, edit, share, and transfer photos as normal, it just doesn't let anyone else in. Sadly developers can't get access to the fingerprint scanner, so you won't to be able to protect you pics with a digit. You can even set up a decoy password, and capture a photo and GPS location when there's an attempted break-in. TurboScan (£1.49) We've all got an old flatbed scanner gathering dust under the desk, but thanks to TurboScan it can be relegated to the car boot pile in the garage. This app transforms your iPhone into a document scanner. You can capture letters, or sign contracts, and then convert them into PDF or JPG files to store or send by email. It's quick and easy to use, the scans are sharp and clear, and it supports AirPrint too. TuneIn Radio (Free) For a steady supply of music or chat, TuneIn Radio is all you need. We're talking about access to over 70,000 radio stations worldwide, and more than 2 million podcasts or shows, all wrapped up in an accessible package. Everything is neatly divided into categories and genres, so you can let your mood guide you, search for something specific, or you can trust in the pack and check out the recommended and trending lists to discover something interesting. Zeebox (Free) If you want to make sure that you don't miss any episodes of your favourite TV programmes then zeebox can serve as a handy reminder service. It provides listings for seven days in advance. You can also use the app as a remote control for your Sky+, Virgin Tivo, and some models of TV (provided they're connected to the same Wi-Fi network). You'll find the app provides loads of extra info and real-time social network commentary on whatever you're watching. Evernote (Free) An elephant never forgets and Evernote is your very own iPhone-based elephant. Write down shopping lists, record voice notes, take photos and annotate them; whatever you need to note down, this app serves as your notebook in the cloud. It can sync across all your devices, and you can share notes easily via email and social networks. Spend some time getting to grips with Evernote's impressive feature set and you'll find it's the only note and to-do list app you'll ever need. Camera+ (£1.49) You'll find a bucket load of extra camera-related features in Camera+. You can select from various modes that will help you fine-tune your camera settings to capture the very best shots possible. There are also effects and filters you can apply, and a range of editing tools for cropping and applying borders or captions. It's so intuitive to use that you don't need to have any real photography skills to feel the benefit. You'll be sharing your creations in no time. Change4Life Meal Mixer (Free) There's a whole series of Change4Life apps from the NHS. They're designed to help us all get a bit healthier. The Meal Mixer is focussed on healthy recipes and it's especially useful for busy families. You'll find over 100 calorie-counted recipes within, you can search by ingredient to generate ideas for using whatever's in the cupboard, and there's an option to add recipes directly to your shopping list. This is all about budget-conscious, tasty and healthy options for everyday use. LogMeIn (Free) Of all the remote desktop apps on the market this is probably the easiest to use. LogMeIn lets you remotely control your PC or Mac on your iPhone via Wi-Fi or your mobile network connection. That means you can grab, or even edit, files that are on your desktop at home, wherever you happen to be. You have full access to remotely run software. This is also a great remote control solution if you have an HTPC setup or media server. Snapguide (Free) Seizing on the wholly-positive potential of the Internet to enable us to do just about anything for ourselves by following someone else's step-by-step instructions, Snapguide is a truly great idea. For the most part you'll find easy to follow recipes with insider tips that elevate your results, but there are loads of categories within and how-to guides for just about anything you can think of. You can even earn yourself some karma by creating a guide for others. Ruslan Kogan contemplates new growth avenues Sep 11th 2013, 07:05, by Farrha Khan With Kogan Mobile coming to an end last month, Aussie online retailer Kogan has enlisted KPMG to assess potential growth strategies for the company. According to the Australian Financial Review, Ruslan Kogan didn't say what exactly he was looking for, but he did confirm that he was not looking to sell the company. "I have no plans to exit the business, but we do have plans to grow the business to the point where it's the biggest consumer electronics retailer in the country," he told AFR. As Ruslan Kogan currently owns an 80% stake in the Kogan business, with 20% belonging to David Shafer, it seems probably that Kogan may be looking to sell part of his own stake in the company, and use the money from the sale for a new venture. The Kogan future While Kogan claims the short-lived Kogan Mobile was pushed out of the market, the technology retailer is still looking to see a turn over of $350 million this year, with sales on the site passing $1 million daily. It passed its 2 millionth sale early in June, and over the years has introduced significantly lower-priced Kogan-branded smartphones, tablets, TVs and action cam alternatives to the market. And though it seems unlikely that Kogan would take another stab at the MVNO market, we expect its next venture will also try and shake-up the consumer tech space. Either way, Ruslan Kogan is determined to stick around and expand his business, which can only be a good thing for us gadget-hungry buyers. Telstra testing 4G tech with 450Mbps speeds? Sep 11th 2013, 05:16, by Farrha Khan While most Australians catch up to the current bare-bones 4G networks available in Australia, a new report is claiming that Telstra is currently trialling LTE-A technology that would allow for downloads speed up to 450Mbps in "certain conditions". Although we knew that Telstra has been trialling LTE-A for its 4G network already, 450Mbps is a lot higher than what it had said about speeds on its "next generation" mobile network – which would be theoretical speeds up to 150Mbps using Cat4 devices. The Australian Financial Review says this information comes from a strategy briefing that it had obtained, which stated that it would using carrier aggregation technology to push mobile download speeds to an astonishing 450Mbps. Next-gen 4G Telstra's current 4G network can give users download speeds of 40Mbps. The telco has already revealed that for its LTE-A network, the company is using carrier aggregation that basically glues two spectrums (the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands) together to create a broader channel for data to travel through. Telstra is not the only carrier in the world trialling LTE-A technology, with SK Telecom in South Korea also developing its LTE-A network. Telstra has also previously said that it will use the 700MHz spectrum band when it frees up in 2015, and pair it with the 1800MHz band to deliver speeds "nearing 300Mbps" – which is still not quite near the 450Mbps this new report is claiming. Of course, with the speed being achieved in "certain conditions", it may not reach these speeds for every day, real-world use any time soon – not even in 2015. In any case, we look forward to an evolved, speedier 4G future. The new iPhones may hit a snag in 2015 due to Australia's planned 700MHz 4G future. iPhone 5S, 5C won't support Optus and Telstra's new 700MHz band Sep 11th 2013, 01:15, by Farrha Khan While today is all about Apple and its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, we've noticed one little detail that may leave you questioning whether it's worth signing up for a new 24 month contract. Remember when the Australian government auctioned off some new wireless spectrum freed up from analog TV being switched off this year? Remember how Optus took home two lots of 10MHz (20Mhz total) in the 700MHz band and Telstra took on a heavier slice of two lots of 20MHz in the 700MHz band during the Digital Dividend? Now, if you look carefully at the Australia iPhone 5S and 5C specs, you'll notice that the two new iPhones have some difference, but one similarity is that with both of them, the 700MHz in band 28 is not included in any of the new iPhone variants. Which means that if Telstra and Optus switch on their 700MHz network when it becomes available in just a little over a year from now on January 1, 2015, the iPhone 5S and 5C won't actually be able to connect to it. A 4G evolution stumble This is not say that you won't have access to the network or 4G services at all through Optus or Telstra. Both Telstra and Optus also use 1800MHz in spectrum bands 3 and 7 for FDD-LTE, which is supported by all iPhone 5S and 5C variants - with Apple even throwing in 4G bands compatible with Optus' multi-band TD-LTE network. The concern lies in the fact that Telstra has plans to combine larger blocks of spectrum in the 700MHz and 1800MHz bands to enhance its new LTE-Advanced 4G network. Meanwhile, Optus indicated that it was looking to combine the 700 MHz low-band 4G frequency for strong coverage and 2500 MHz spectrum high-band spectrum to increase network capacity after it announced the rollout of its multi-band TD-LTE network. So while the 700MHz spectrum band is currently missing in the new line of iPhones, this doesn't mean it won't be included in next year's probable iPhone 6 launch. But it is still a concern for those wanting a future-proof iPhone upgrade this year that will be compatible with the best of what our telcos are planning for the future of 4G networks in Australia, especially when most people will be signing up for 24 months to get their hands on the pricey phones. Here's a roundup of the Australian details for the iPhone 5s and 5c launch. Early view: Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 Sep 11th 2013, 00:00, by Dean Evans When Apple released the iPhone 4S, the masses moaned that it wasn't a significant technological leap forward from the original iPhone 4. But is the same true of the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5? Will the internet clog with the festering opinions of disappointed Apple fans? Apple's commitment to iterative product development suggests so. The question is: where is the 5S better? Screen? Processor? You'll find the answers in the comparison review below... Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Build At first glance, the 5S looks identical to the old iPhone 5 and, sure enough, a quick read of the spec sheet reveals that their dimensions and weight are identical - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm and 112g. The only physical differences are the redesigned Home button, which incorporates the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor and is surrounded by a thin stainless steel ring; and the dual LED flash (one white light, one amber light) around the back. Where the iPhone 5 was available in two color choices - black or white, the new 5S has silver/white, 'space grey'/black and gold/white options. The gold version is either snazzy or ridiculous, depending on your point of view. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Display The iPhone 5S and the now discontinued iPhone 5 both feature the same 4-inch Retina display with the same 640 x 1136 pixel resolution. We've seen bigger and better - the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 5-inch 1080 x 1920 display, while the HTC One has a 4.7-inch 1080 x 1920 screen. But the iPhone 5S/iPhone 5 panel is still good enough for gaming, video-watching and flicking through those Jonny Ive-produced iOS 7 menus. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Camera While both phones feature an 8 Megapixel camera on the back and a 1.2 Megapixel lens on the front, that doesn't tell the whole story. Apple has made some improvements to the iPhone 5's camera, including adding image stabilisation, live photo filters and a new Burst mode that takes 10 shots per second and automatically suggests the best one. Where the iPhone 5 had a bog-standard LED flash, the iPhone 5S has a dual LED (True Tone) flash to reduce the intensity of the light and help you take better photos. Apple has also improved the image sensor, lens cover and f/2.4 aperture - the iPhone 5S camera has a 15 per cent larger sensor and an improved f/2.2 aperture to let in more light for brighter results. Finally, the iPhone 5S can take better 1080p video too. The main 8MP camera now has a slow-motion video feature plus video stabilisation to reduce unwanted camera wobble. The front-mounted iSight camera also features an improved backside illumination sensor (BIS) for better performance when FaceTiming in the gloom. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Connectivity With the iPhone 5S heading for China Mobile and NTT Docomo, plus a range of different countries around the world, it supports more LTE bands than the iPhone 5. It's the only real difference between the 5S and its predecessor. Both include 3G/HSDPA and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO support, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There's also a version that supports the TD-LTE technology that's beginning to pop up around the world. No NFC this time. Perhaps Apple is saving that for the iPhone 6... Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Processor New iPhones, especially flagship models, typically get a speed boost and the iPhone 5S is no different. Where the iPhone 5 has an A6 processor, the 5S debuts Apple's 64-bit A7 chip - the first 64-bit processor to appear in a smartphone. With over one billion transistors (twice as many as the A6), Apple claims that the A7 is twice as fast as the A6 and 40 times more powerful than the original iPhone. The A7 also includes an M7 co-processor designed to monitor the data from the phone's accelerometer, compass and gyroscope. This data will help future fitness apps more accurately track your movements. But in the short-term there are other benefits - the Maps app can switch to walking directions if it detects you aren't driving, while the M7 can reduce network activity if the sensor data tells it that your phone hasn't moved for some time. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Software While the iPhone 5S comes with iOS 7 pre-installed, iPhone 5 owners can sleep safe in the knowledge that they can upgrade their phones to match. What they won't get is the Touch ID app, which offers fingerprint security and works with the fingerprint sensor built into the iPhone 5S Home button. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Storage The iPhone 5S takes its capacity cues from the iPhone 5, offering the same three storage options - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Battery Life In terms of battery life, the spec sheets tell us that the iPhone 5S just edges out the old iPhone 5. It's rated at 10 hours of talk time on 3G, while the iPhone 5 can only muster 8 hours. Standby time is calculated to be 250 hours for the 5S and 225 hours for the iPhone 5. Average usage is much the same - 10 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback. That doesn't sound impressive until you consider that, thanks to the A7 processor, the iPhone 5S is twice as fast. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5 - Early verdict If you crave a new iPhone, then the 64-bit iPhone 5S is a decent upgrade. It may not have a better screen or more storage, nor does it have a significantly superior camera or vastly improved connectivity. But since the announcement of the iPhone 5S and the lower-spec iPhone 5C, the original iPhone 5 has disappeared from the Apple Store, never to return. The 5S is pricey though - on a two year contract, the 16GB model will cost $199, the 32GB model $299 and the 64GB 5S $399. Ouch. iPhone 5S and 5C Australian launch details revealed Sep 10th 2013, 23:30, by Nick Broughall It takes a lot of commitment to get up at 4am to watch a live stream of a new phone launch. So if you decided to sleep in this morning instead of watch the Apple iPhone announcement, here's everything you need to know from the Australian perspective. iPhone 5S The new flagship of Apple's range, the iPhone 5S delivered pretty much everything we expected. Integrated fingerprint scanner, 64-bit A7 processor, improved iSight camera with dual LED flash - there wasn't a lot in the way of surprises. While you can catch up on the 10 essential things you need to know, or simply read the review of the new iPhone, there are pertinent questions every Australian has to ask. The phone is coming in three colours (gold, silver and space grey) and in three capacities (16GB, 32GB and 64GB). The outright prices for these three phones will be $869, $999 and $1,129 respectively. Apple has confirmed that Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile and "select Apple Authorised Resellers" will sell the phone from Friday September 20. Confusingly, Apple has five different variants of the iPhone 5S launching around the world to support different network standards. At this stage it's not clear which versions will be launching in Australia, but looking at the phone's tech specs page, it's interesting to note that the A1530 version supports both FDD-LTE and TD-LTE technologies. That means that Optus may get a version of the iPhone 5S that supports its TD-LTE network in Canberra. It also means that we can expect different variants of the handset for different carriers, which should make grey importing the phone slightly more confusing. Other iterations of the handset all support the LTE bands currently used by Telstra and Vodafone, meaning there shouldn't be any issues connecting in the short term. iPhone 5C Just like the premium iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C will be launching in Australia on September 20. If you need a primer on what makes the 5C different, it's worth checking out the essential 10 things you need to know, as well as our superb hands on review of the low-cost iPhone. There are only two capacities launching for the iPhone 5C. SIM-free, you can expect to pay $739 for the 16GB and $869 for the 32GB version. All the major telcos are getting in on the 5C action, as well, with plan pricing to be confirmed in the lead up to launch. While the 5C bears more similarities to the iPhone 5 than the 5S, Apple has also updated the LTE band support in the newer model. That means that like the 5S model, there are five versions for different networks around the world, with the A1529 version supporting Optus' FDD-LTE and TD-LTE 4G networks. Early view: Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C Sep 10th 2013, 22:52, by Dean Evans Apple launched two new phones on September 10 - the high-end iPhone 5S and the not-so-low-end iPhone 5C. How do the two models compare? What technology do they share? Find out in in our comparison below. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Build The two phones couldn't be more different in terms of their look and feel. The iPhone 5S retains the classic good looks of the iPhone 5 and is available in three aluminum color combos - silver/white, "space grey"/black and gold/white. It has a premium polish that the plastic iPhone 5C, with its five bright color options, obviously lacks. In terms of size and weight, the iPhone 5S is exactly the same size as the old iPhone 5 - a neat and stylish 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm. Although there are only millimeters in it, the iPhone 5C is bigger in every respect - measuring 124.4 x 59.2 x 8.97mm. There's a more noticeable difference in the weight. The iPhone 5S is a mere 112g, while the iPhone 5C (with a reinforced steel structure hidden beneath the polycarb plastic) is 132g. You'll also notice that the classic Home button on the iPhone 5S has been redesigned to incorporate a revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint sensor. A thin stainless steel ring now encloses the button - the iconic rounded square is gone. Around the back, the iPhone 5S also features a dual LED flash. The iPhone 5C doesn't. More on this later. FutTv : 259KEG99lf9Gv Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Display As expected, both new iPhones feature the same 4-inch touch-sensitive Retina display that debuted in the iPhone 5. The resolution remains unchanged at 640 x 1136 pixels and, although the pixels per inch rating of 326 means that the screen is crisp and clear (iOS 7 looks fantastic), it lags behind rival phones with bigger screens and fuller HD resolutions. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Camera When it comes to photo prowess, iPhones have been good, but never quite as good as Nokia's Carl Zeiss-equipped Lumia handsets. Rather than bump up the raw Megapixels to 13, the iPhone 5C makes a few improvements to the Apple designed lens - notably a new camera app that auto sets white balance, exposure and creates a dynamic local tone map each time you snap a photo. There are also live filters and video stabilization to reduce camera shake. Plus an improved backside illumination sensor in the 1.2MP front iSight camera, which should compensate for any poor lighting during FaceTime calls. The iPhone 5S makes further improvements, adding a dual LED "True Tone" flash, a Sapphire crystal lens cover and 15% larger sensor (with an f/2.2 aperture) that lets more light in - the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5 have a f/2.4 aperture. Alongside the existing face detection and panoramic features, there's also a new Burst mode, which can snap 10 photos per second and intelligently pick the best one. Both phones feature 1080p video capture, but the 5S also includes a fun Slo-mo option. This shoots 720p video at 120fps so you can capture the finer detail of key moments. FutTv : 5fxPl20HpQ3Ca Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Connectivity Both new iPhones feature wider support for LTE, as well as 3G/HSDPA and CDMA2000 support. There's still no NFC in either iPhone, but wireless connectivity is well served with 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Processor Performance-wise, the iPhone 5C uses the same dual core Apple A6 CPU that appeared in the iPhone 5 that it replaces. However, the iPhone 5S debuts the new A7 processor, a revolutionary 64-bit chip that Apple says offers twice the performance of the A6. Technical details on the A7 are sketchy, but it runs OpenGL ES 3.0 for fast, detailed 3D graphics and has an M7 motion co-processor, designed to monitor the various sensors in the iPhone 5S. Expect future fitness and health apps to take full advantage of this. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Software Both phones come with iOS 7, but it's worth pointing out that the 5S will run a 64-bit version of Apple's operating system and should be twice as speedy. We've already noted that there's a new camera app and iOS 7 makes Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie and iPhoto apps free of charge. The iPhone 5S also includes the Touch ID app, enabling owners to use the built-in fingerprint sensor to unlock their phone or to approve iTunes purchases with a simple press. Another revolutionary feature that's unique to Apple's new flagship handset. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Storage As for storage, Apple hasn't chosen to venture into 128GB territory. So there's a familiar choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB iPhone 5S models, while the iPhone 5C is available in 16GB or 32GB capacities. Choose wisely. Unlike many rival Android phones, Apple refuses point-blank to include a microSD slot for iPhone owners to expand the default internal storage. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Battery Life According to the specs, both phones will manage up to 10 hours of talktime, up to 250 hours on standby, up to 10 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Pricing As expected, the iPhone 5S isn't cheap. Sign your freedom away on a two-year contract and the 16GB model will cost $199, the 32GB model $299 and the 64GB 5S $399. Compare this to the iPhone 5C on a similar two year deal - the 16GB model will set you back $99, while the 32GB version costs $199. Apple iPhone 5S vs. Apple iPhone 5C: Early verdict The iPhone 5S is easily the better of the two phones and it's no more (and no less) than we expected, considering Apple's iterative release policy. If you were hoping for a bigger, higher resolution display or NFC, you'll need to wait for the iPhone 6. For now, the 5S is a souped-up iPhone 5. It impresses with its fingerprint recognition sensor and its all-new 64-bit A7 processor, which comes with an M7 co-processor that Apple undoubtedly have big plans for. A test-bed for a body monitoring iWatch? Only time will tell. Apple says app developers won't get paws on iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor Sep 10th 2013, 22:20, by Chris Smith Apple has no current plans to open up its new fingerprint sensing technology to third-party app developers, the company's Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller has confirmed. The new Touch ID tech, announced on Tuesday for the new iPhone 5S handset, enables users to unlock the handset and authenticate iTunes purchases by placing a finger on the revamped Home button. The dual functionality has immediately led to speculation about what else the sensor could be used for, but Schiller told AllThingsD Apple has shut down the possibility, for now at least. When pushed on whether devs could get access in the future Schiller declined to comment, potentially leaving the door open for a future roll out. Apple CEO Tim Cook was a little more forthcoming when asked by the same site. He said: "You can probably imagine a lot of [other] uses," but wouldn't be drawn on the company's future plans. Security concerns? The Touch ID tech, which blends right into the new Home button, utilises a sensor that's 170 microns thin, and scans sub-epidermal skin layers using a 500ppi resolution sensor. In order to conserve battery, the sensor is only active when it knows your finger is present and has 360-degree readability so you won't have to reorient your finger every time you wish to use the device. The company has also promised that all of your fingerprint data will be stored locally on the device and will never be uploaded to iCloud or the company's servers. It's surely those security precautions that would prevent Apple opening the Touch ID tech up to its army of iOS developers. Naturally, users would not want that data fed back to app developers alongside email addresses, high scores and more. Still, as Cook intimates, its fun to imagine potential users for the tech in gaming, educational and entertainment based-apps. Lend us some of your thoughts in the comments section below. What is Touch ID? Bring yourself up to speed with Apple's new pass code killer. AppleCare+ for iPhone, iPod hits UK, accidental damage fees hiked in US Sep 10th 2013, 21:33, by Chris Smith On the day it launched its iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S handsets, Apple is giving butterfingered Brits the opportunity to insure their handsets against those fatal drops and spills, for the first time. The company has rolled out its AppleCare+ scheme to the UK (as well as Italy and France), providing additional coverage for upto two years beyond the purchase date. For an initial payment of £79 iPhone owners will get unlimited telephone support and additional hardware cover for two incidences of accidental damage. However, if you drop your iPhone down the toilet or run over it with your car you wont get a completely free replacement, there's a £55 excess you'll need to cover. Price hike for American users Stateside, where the scheme has been running for the last two years, Apple has chosen to raise the excess for accidental damage from $49 to $79. The plan itself remains at $99. As well as extending the program to Europe, Apple has also added iPods into the mix for the first time, which is a plus for those accident prone users. Earlier this year it was rumoured that AppleCare subscriptions would be modified to cover all of a user's Apple devices, but there's no sign of that just yet. Early view: Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5 Sep 10th 2013, 21:12, by Dean Evans The "C" in the new Apple iPhone 5C stands for "Color" and its bright design is what sets this unapologetically plastic phone apart from the iPhone 5 that it replaces. You can buy it in white, pink, yellow, blue and a garish green, with iOS 7 wallpaper to match. How much better is it than the iPhone 5? Is it actually any better than the iPhone 5? Find out below. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Build Check the specs and you'll notice that the iPhone 5 is a shade slimmer at 7.6mm, compared to the 8.97mm waist of the iPhone 5C. The 5C is also wider, measuring 59.2mm to the iPhone 5's 58.6mm, and taller, although the margin (124.4mm to 123.8mm) is so slight you probably won't notice it unless you place the two phones side-by-side. There's a more obvious difference in weight - the iPhone 5C tips the scales at 132g, while the discontinued iPhone 5 weighs 112g. The 5C's extra weight is undoubtedly due to the reinforced steel structure that provides the strength behind the wraparound polycarb shell. It's a smart-looking design, too. The entire back and sides are reportedly made from a single part, so there are no seams or joints. The various buttons - volume, sleep/wake, the ring/silent switch - neatly match the plastic color scheme. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Display There aren't any improvements to speak of here. The iPhone 5C uses the same 4-inch (640 x 1136) Retina display as its predecessor. The panel crams 727,040 pixels onscreen, which works out at 326 pixels per inch. It's good, but it's still way behind smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 (440 PPI) and the Sony Xperia Z1 (440 PPI). Expect a screen upgrade when the iPhone 6 comes along next year. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Camera If you expected a vast improvement in the iPhone 5C's camera, you'll be disappointed. But while it uses the same five-element, 8MP lens (with an f/2.4 aperture) as the older iPhone 5, Apple has thrown in some extra goodies to keep us quiet. There's a brand new camera app for starters, which lets you shoot square images and features eight live filters so you can mess with your photos as you shoot them. The iPhone 5C matches the iPhone 5's 1080p video capture capabilities but with added video stabilization. It also improves on the 1.2MP front iSight camera. The Megapixels remain the same but there's an improved backside illumination sensor (BIS) for better performance in low lighting conditions. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Connectivity At first glance, the two phones are identical - both support 3G/HSDPA and CDMA2000 networks, as well as 4G/LTE if your chosen carrier supports it. Apple does point out, however, that the iPhone 5C supports more LTE bands than the iPhone 5. Hardly surprising considering the global roll-out and the 5C's ultimate availability in far East markets such as Japan and China. In terms of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, both handsets come with 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Still no NFC. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Processor The iPhone 5C doesn't enjoy a speed boost and is based around the same A6 processor that drives the iPhone 5. This consists of a custom-built 1.3GHz dual core ARM processor with an integrated PowerVR SGX 543MP3 GPU. It's still a fast chip, although its performance has now been surpassed by the A7 processor that features in the iPhone 5S. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Software The iPhone 5C comes with iOS 7 installed, which offers a love it/hate it makeover of Apple's aging mobile software. However, it doesn't give the 5C an advantage over the old iPhone 5, as iOS 7 can be installed on iPhone models ranging all the way back to the iPhone 4. The good news is that iOS 7 makes Apple's iWork suite - Pages, Numbers and Keynote - plus iMovie and iPhoto available for free. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Storage Apple is offering the Apple iPhone 5C with 16GB or 32GB of storage. It's one less option than the iPhone 5, which also had a top-end 64GB version. As usual, Apple hasn't chosen to break with tradition and include an expansion slot to boost the internal space. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Battery Life In terms of battery life, we're going on what the spec sheets tell us. Again, there's not much of a difference between the two phones. The 5C offers 10 hours of talktime on 3G; the iPhone 5 was rated at 8 hours. The 5C's battery can last for around 250 hours on standby, compared to the 225 hours for the iPhone 5. Average usage is much the same - 10 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback. Apple iPhone 5C vs. Apple iPhone 5: Early verdict Bar the vivid design overhaul, the iPhone 5C is much the same phone as the old iPhone 5. The core features - processor, screen, connectivity - are the same, while the camera only has a few extra features. The 5C is a little fatter and heavier than its predecessor. There's also no 64GB version - you'll need to trade up to an iPhone 5S for that. But the bright colors and low(ish) price point (16GB is $99, 32GB is $199 with two-year contracts), make the 5C a decent if unspectacular replacement. Opinion: Pass on the free iPhone 4S and get the iPhone 5C instead Sep 10th 2013, 21:02, by Marc Flores With the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C announcements, bargain shoppers and deal hunters must have been salivating at the possibilities of cheaper or free iPhones. That option is here with the free iPhone 4S, but we're warning you against that route. When Apple announces its new iPhone model each year, it usually means a previous version becomes cheaper. The older models are generally a good deal, but this time around it isn't. Slap the word "free" onto the iPhone 4S and suddenly you have an enticing deal. It has a retina display, a nice camera and solid battery life. But alas, it also comes with only 8GB storage, which is practically nothing these days. iPhone 5C vs. iPhone 4S: You'll want the extra memory Think of all the photos and videos you'll shoot, or the fun apps and games you're going to be downloading. Where do you think all that stuff will go in an 8GB smartphone? Nowhere, that's where. In terms of specs, the iPhone 4S is a bit antiquated now, too. Think about it, for just $99 more you can get what's essentially an iPhone 5 with a plastic, candy-colored shell in 16GB or 32GB variants. That amount of money is worth saving you the headache of running out of space in the long run. One lesser factor to consider is resale value: you're more likely to get more cash for an iPhone 5C down the line than you ever will for an 8GB iPhone 4S. These days, it seems like even 16GB isn't enough storage for a smartphone. Camera resolutions are increasing, and so is video quality. That means we need more storage along with our apps and the other junk we stuff into our phones. Few things are more irritating than finding yourself trying figure out which apps, photos and videos you keep, and which ones you should delete to save space. Sometimes you hit that wall just a few months after purchasing a new phone. When it comes to iPhones, when you commit to a certain storage capacity, you are committed to it. Neither the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5C have expandable storage (i.e. microSD card slots for more memory). If you want an 8GB phone now just because it's free, make sure it's the same 8GB you can live with two years from now when you can upgrade again. Perhaps we're getting a little too preachy, but if budget is your deciding factor when buying a new smartphone, give the iPhone 5C more consideration. You're getting a newer phone with better specs and more memory for - in the grand scheme of things and the duration of your contract - hardly any money at all. Some of us spend more on coffee each month than the contract price of a phone. Free iPhone 4S is a lose-lose situation Between the two non-iPhone 5S smartphones that you can buy on September 20, the 5C is really your best bet. But if you don't think you're going to be downloading a ton of apps, and you never shoot photos or videos on your phone, the iPhone 4S might be a decent shot. After all, you're still getting a quality device for nothing besides a two-year contract. Let's not forget that just a little over a year ago, the 4S was Apple's flagship device. In the end, we strongly feel that anyone who wants a smartphone isn't ever going to be content with just 8GB of storage. You may try to reason with yourself now since free stuff is hard to pass up, but your needs will change along with new trends in the industry, and you'll end up kicking yourself for it. Oh, and one more thing: There is also a good chance that app developers won't support your phone anymore. You wouldn't want to be left behind with no memory to spare, would you? Opinion: iOS 7 is just days away - will you be ready for it? Sep 10th 2013, 20:09, by Marc Flores Apple announced the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on September 10, and told us that iOS 7 will arrive on September 18. The newest version of iOS is arguably the most radical in terms of design and function, but it's a welcome change to an aging platform. Many of you might already be familiar with iOS 7 since it has been available to developers for several weeks now. If you haven't already installed the beta version on your iPhone, perhaps you've seen all the videos and screenshots that have been flooding the web. Its icons are a little larger, rounder and "flatter" (i.e. no more 3D-like gradients). Aside from new design elements and UI animations, Apple adds some welcome new features, too. iOS 7's Control Center, for example, is long overdue. With a quick swipe of the thumb, you get instant access to features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, Clock, AirDrop and more. A few apps have either been refreshed or overhauled, as well. Safari, for example, has a completely new look, and tabbed browsing looks different, too. With all the new features and tweaks, iOS 7 feels like a brand new OS - and it sort of is - but will also be very familiar to current and former iOS users. What's more, the way you interact with the OS is the same, and apps and UI features will also behave the same way as iOS 6. The idea was to make it new enough, yet familiar enough, so that iPhone users would transition to the new platform smoothly. But is iOS 7's new makeup and bag of tricks enough to sway someone struggling to choose between it and Android? iOS 7 vs. Android: How will you decide? Android had the edge over iOS for some time with its notification tray, widgets and endless customization options. In fact, iPhone users still don't get the latter two. With Android, users also get to choose from a number of smartphone form factors from several manufacturers. As of the time of this writing, iPhone users will only get to choose three: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. Aside from having more hardware options, there is also the customizability of Android. With many Android handsets, you can choose the number of homescreens you want, select from static or animated backgrounds and add or remove live widgets from any of the homescreens. If you really had to get picky, the choice between Android and iOS 7 gets tricky. While the latter has been updated to include a number of overdue features, Android still has the edge on customization and choice. However, iOS 7 beats Android's apps by some margin, and its performance is always consistent. It's true that Android apps have become more polished over time, but having reviewed hundreds of handsets over the past six years, it's still evident that iOS is just more consistent. iOS app selection still tops Android, and when it comes to new apps and services, iOS users tend to get first dibs. iOS 7: Learn to love the new features For those of you who are already committed to the iPhone, be prepared for iOS 7. Many of our close friends are already dreading its release, with a handful of them promising they won't update because they just don't like it. We'll admit that it took us some time to get used to the new platform, but after a week or so we couldn't imagine going back to any previous versions of iOS. Having quick access to notifications and oft-used features is a blessing. Many of our frustrations with iOS have been alleviated by version 7. We even prefer the new look of the icons, messaging and e-mail apps and the phone app, too. Everything is more modern, less antiquated. One thing Apple always does well is refinement. If you look at the iPhone 5S design and compare it to the iPhone 4, you'll find that they don't appear to be all that different despite the number of years between them. Apple took a design that worked and made it better, and it does that with its OS and apps, too. iOS 7 could stand to gain a little polish and better speed all around, but we're content with it at the moment. We can do without all the crazy and confusing apps that Samsung throws into its Galaxy smartphones, or the weird hardware features that have been in Android phones over the years (e.g. poorly functioning fingerprint scanners, 3D cameras, etc.). Besides, if you're an iPhone user and you're planning on staying an iPhone user, you're going to have to learn to love it. In Depth: iPhone 5C: 10 things you need to know Sep 10th 2013, 20:04, by Hollin Jones So the rumors and leaks were true and Apple has split the iPhone product line into the flagship 5S and the new, multicolored 5C model. The 5S has some nifty new tricks but the iPhone 5C is hardly "entry level" itself, using similar or even in some cases upgraded hardware from the iPhone 5 it replaces. So what are the key things to know about it? Painting the phone many shades This is the first time Apple has made a colored body version of the iPhone that isn't just black or white. The 5C comes in green, white, blue, pink and yellow versions, though each retains the same black fascia. They are made of hard coated polycarbonate plastic which means they should be rather more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 5 they replace. Obviously, this doesn't mean you won't still need to take care of it. Remember, always wear protection Apple created some of its own cases with "soft feel silicon rubber" just for the iPhone 5C. These are interesting to look at, with a series of holes in the rear surface to allow the color of the phone to show through. Since the 5C is a slightly different size and shape to the iPhone 5, existing cases almost certainly won't fit but you can expect to see a slew of new 5C cases on the market very soon. Do bear in mind the cost though - each one will set you back £25, $29, $AU39. You do get six colors to choose from though. It's hard as nails The iPhone 5C may look cuddly but it's actually made of a single piece of polycarbonate plastic inside which is placed in a steel reinforced structure that provides strength and also works as the phone's antenna. On the exterior it's treated with a multiple finishing process including a hard lacquer coating, so it should be pretty good at resisting smaller knocks and scrapes. Decent specs inside The iPhone 5C has broadly similar internal components to the iPhone 5, using the same A6 processor and a 4-inch Retina display. That means that even though it's now Apple's more entry-level fullscreen phone, it has essentially the same power as the flagship model it has just replaced. Even though the new 5S with its new A7 chip looks like it is really quick, the A6 is still a very snappy processor and will provide a great user experience for the vast majority of people. Better battery life The iPhone 5C has a slightly larger battery than the iPhone 5 it replaces. This is partly because Apple doesn't necessarily feel the need to keep slimming down this particular model, guessing correctly that many people actually value better battery life over extreme thinness. This is great news for any 5C owner since it should mean more standby, talk time, browsing and general use before you have to recharge. Feel free to snap, happy The iPhone 5C uses the same 8MP camera as the recently discontinued iPhone 5. That's a pretty great camera, with a hybrid IR filter, backside illumination and a five element lens. The camera app in iOS 7 also has some new capabilities so the camera will continue to be one of the best you can get in this kind of price range. Time for FaceTime The 5C has a new FaceTime HD camera that uses a higher resolution and also supports FaceTime Audio, a new feature coming in iOS 7 that will allow audio-only calls over wireless or cellular networks. So no more video calls at funny angles unless you want them. A higher quality FaceTime camera means smoother and clearer video chats, and other software like Skype should be able to take advantage of this, too. There's lots to connect you 4G / LTE networks are the coming, delivering faster on-the-go data connectivity. The 5C supports more LTE bands than any other smartphone, has dual band Wi-Fi and also uses low power Bluetooth 4.0 - perfect for low-power communication between devices. This could possibly include Apple's rumored Smart Watch in the future. Faster Wi-Fi is great because it means you can use 5GHz as well as 2.4GHz networks for faster file transfer or browsing. It's tailored to you, sort of iOS 7, which the iPhone 5C will ship with, has been specially designed to integrate with the new phone models. So for example, the wallpaper will change to match the color of your phone's body. It will also allow all the great software features you'd have got on the iPhone 5 like AirDrop, for quickly transferring files between devices by using an ad-hoc wireless network. When, where, how much? The iPhone 5C will be available to pre-order on September 13 and available to buy on September 20 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and six other territories. If you want a SIM-free iPhone 5C it'll set you back $549, £469, AU$739 for the 16GB version and $649, £549, AU$869 for the 32GB model. Carriers will offer them for the iPhone 5C for less if you sign up for an 18- or 24-month contract, which effectively subsidizes the cost of the handset. FutTv : 5fxPl20HpQ3Ca In Depth: iPhone 5S: 10 things you need to know Sep 10th 2013, 19:56, by James Rogerson The iPhone 5S is one of the most anticipated tech launches of the year and so it's no surprise that it was subject to months of rumor and speculation in the run up to its official unveiling. As notoriously tight lipped as Apple is about upcoming products, a lot of information on the iPhone 5S still managed to slip through ahead of time and as it turns out a lot of it was right. But now with the iPhone 5S officially announced and the details confirmed, here are the 10 things that you really need to know about it. It is in fact called the iPhone 5S: In a move that surprises absolutely no one, Apple has confirmed that the new iPhone is called the iPhone 5S. That follows the standard iPhone convention of following up a numbered model with an improved "S" version. It's a little bit colourful: While the shape and design is the same as the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5S is available in a few new colours. Specifically silver, 'space grey' (is space grey?) and a bling-tastic gold model. It's got an improved camera: Somewhat surprisingly Apple has stubbornly stuck with 8MP for the camera in the iPhone 5S. That's not to say it's not been improved though. It has a 15 percent larger sensor area which allows for bigger pixels and better quality pictures. It also includes a new flash called "True Tone" which aims to make colour tones look more natural and avoid clashing colour temperatures. Plus it can shoot slow motion video at 120fps and can stitch together shots to create 28MP panoramas. It's got a fingerprint scanner: Rumours of a fingerprint scanner have been buzzing around for a while and it turns out they were true. The iPhone 5S has a fingerprint reader built into the home button, it's called Touch ID and it gives you a new way to keep your handset secure and/or endlessly show off to all your friends who are stuck tapping out a pin to unlock their phones. It can also be used to authenticate iTunes purchases and you can operate it simply by placing your finger on the home button - you don't actually need to press it. It will be out very soon: Apple tends to have new products on the shelves shortly after announcing them and the iPhone 5S is no exception. It's been confirmed that the handset will be available to buy in the U.K. and U.S. on September 20, so if you want to be among the first to get your hands on it you might want to start queuing now. It's not cheap: The iPhone 5S is going to set you back at least £549 (US$649, AU$869 SIM-free) for 16GB of internal storage. Meanwhile the 32GB version is £629 (US$749, AUD$999) and the 64GB version is a wallet shredding £709 (US$849, AUD$1,129). It's got a shiny new A7 processor: A processor upgrade was always likely and it's come in the form of the new A7 chip. It's a 64-bit chip, making it the first of its kind to ever grace a smartphone. It's roughly the same size as the A6 chip despite containing around twice as many transistors, the upside of all this? Both its CPU and graphics are twice as fast. It's also got a new "M7" motion co-processor which continuously measures and keeps track of motion data. Essentially it's gunning for the fitness tracker market, allowing the iPhone 5S to (in combination with apps) take on the likes of the Nike FuelBand. It will ship with iOS 7: We've already had a good look at iOS 7 but it's going to make its proper debut on the iPhone 5S (and the iPhone 5C). As well as adding new features it gives the interface a complete and much needed visual overhaul, freshening up an operating system that was in danger of looking stale. Its battery has been given a boost: Battery life is the bane of most smartphones and the iPhone 5 was no exception so it's nice to see that the battery has been given a boost for the iPhone 5S. While Apple hasn't confirmed how big the iPhone 5S battery is, they have announced some stats for it. It can manage up to 250 hours of standby time, 10 hours of talk time on 3G, 10 hours of internet, 10 hours of video or 40 hours of audio. Almost all of that is up from what the iPhone 5 could manage. Early View: iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2 Sep 10th 2013, 19:27, by Thomas Thorn So the iPhone 5S is finally with us, in a move that shocked absolutely no one. Apple's latest device launches itself into a very crowded flagship market, populated by the five-star rated HTC One, as well as the incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG's new flagship, the LG G2. We all know what we're hoping for from Apple, we hope for it every year, a revolutionary handset that matches the original iPhone in terms of game changes. We know that's not going to happen, and time and time again Apple's iterations have proven that evolutions can be as popular as revolutions, and make just as much money. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Operating System Of the four devices, the two biggest names in mobile operating systems are left to fight it out, with iOS 7 appearing on the iPhone 5S, and Android Jelly Bean on the HTC, Samsung and the LG. iOS 7 brings across a whole new unified design, albeit in the same grid pattern that we are all used to. It also packs in some really useful features, such as the Control Center for improved multi-tasking and a full screen notifications for the iPad. The Android toting HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG G2 both come with Android 4.2, though each OEM has skinned the OS with their own user interfaces. HTC Sense on the One brings BlinkFeed, a mish-mash of content from varying social feeds, whereas Samsung's TouchWiz feels a little more android-y. Both have the ability to populate home screens with widgets, have access to Jelly Bean's superb notifications bar that encompasses access to quick and full settings. The LG G2 also has an custom UI based on Android 4.2 but we have yet to see a name for it. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Processor Apple is really pushing the boat out with the iPhone 5S processor, popping in a 64-Bit A7 chip. According to Apple, this is 40 times faster than original iPhone. Beneath the hood of the HTC One is Qualcomm's quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip, backed up with 2GB of RAM to help move things along. Similarly, underneath the Galaxy S4 sits 2GB of RAM, this time with a 1.9GHz quad-core chip (although a few markets have the 1.6GHz octa-core). There is also a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip inside the G2, although this is the newer Snapdragon 800 chip, giving the LG a whole 2.26GHz of quad-core goodness. This is all backed up with 2GB of RAM. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Screen Screen technology is a hot topic when it comes to the modern smartphone, and the Retina display on the front of the iPhone 5S is testament to that - providing a 1136 x640 resolution that's 326ppi more than 4 inches. For the Android phones it's a Full HD experience, with 4.7 inches at 468ppi on the HTC One, 5 inches of Super AMOLED at 441ppi on the Galaxy S4, and a whole 5.2 inches at about 424ppi on the LG G2. All the devices were very impressive, but we must recommend checking out the Galaxy S4 screen page here. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Storage If you think that the iPhone 5S is going to support microSD, you'd be very wrong. That would have been a really impressive "One More Thing," but was never going to happen. What you do get is 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage backed up with iCloud. HTC's One is another device that doesn't come with microSD support, disappointingly so as it's very much supported by Android. What you do get, is 32GB or 64GB of internal. Even the LG comes without expandable storage, leaving only 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. However, the Samsung Galaxy S4 does come with microSD support - up to 64GB - to sit alongside the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB offerings, meaning up to a potential 128GB of storage is available. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Camera Smartphone cameras are growing increasingly popular, so all four smartphones have had some level of special attention paid to them. The iPhone 5S comes with an upgraded 8MP camera, with an f/2.2 aperture, True Tone flash and a 15% larger sensor area than the iPhone 5. According to Phil Schiller, bigger pixels make for a better picture. Bigger pixels, better picture. Sounds like HTC's UltraPixel sensor. The HTC One comes with a diminutive sensor measured at "only" 4MP. That's where the UltraPixels come in, with each pixel being larger, allowing more light in. It also records Full 1080p HD video, and has HTC Zoe on board to bring your gallery to life. The 2.1MP front sensor is also no slouch. Samsung's offering brings a 13MP sensor on the back, with a 2MP sensor on the front. Amongst the Galaxy S4's camera features are Dual Shot, Sound and Shot, Animated Photo and Drama shot. The Samsung also records Full HD video. Completing the group, the LG G2 also comes equipped with a whole 13MP. It matches the HTC on the front sensor count, at a whole 2.1MP. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Dimensions Being an iterative update, the footprint of the iPhone 5S is identical to that of the iPhone 5. Measuring in at 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm and at 112g, the 5S is by no means a heavy being. The HTC One is the heaviest of the four, weighing in at 143g. It's also considerably larger than the iPhone, at 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is 13g lighter at 130g. It's also shorter and thinner, at 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm. The LG G2 measures in at 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9mm, putting it around the same size as the other Android handsets. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Build and Colours When it comes to build quality, Samsung has often been criticized for their plastic chassis, something that has made it across to the Samsung Galaxy S4. The LG G2 is also built out of plastic, matching its Korean brother. The G2 only comes in black, with the S4 being available in black and white, as well as blue. Both the HTC One and the iPhone 5S come built out of aluminium, with the HTC available in Black, Silver, Red and Blue. The iPhone 5S comes in gold, silver and "space grey." iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Battery In sheer size, the biggest battery is in the LG G2, clocking in at 3000mAh. It's also removable, like the Samsung Galaxy S4, which has the second largest juice pack at 2600mAh. The HTC One comes in third, 300mAh smaller at 2300mAh. True to iPhone tradition, the battery size hasn't been officially confirmed, however 10 hours of 3G call time, and 10 hours of LTE browsing don't smack of something low key. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Connectivity Being flagship handsets, all four devices come packed with Wi-Fi and 4G for web browsing, Bluetooth 4.0 and A-GPS and GLONASS for location systems. DLNA streaming is available on all handsets, barring the iPhone, which comes with an AirPlay app. NFC is also unavailable on the iPhone 5S, but is available on the Galaxy S4, One and G2. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Extra Features Apple, keen to take an initiative before it kicks off elsewhere (perhaps the HTC One Max), has fitted the iPhone 5S with a finger print scanner. Thankfully, Apple doesn't back the data up to its servers or iCloud. It does, however, mean that the you can unlock and make iTunes purchases using your fingers. Apple has also got a new M7 chip in the iPhone 5S, which is a motion coprocessor that continually manages data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. This will lead it to creating a whole load of health apps, with Nike announcing the Nike + Move app. Health apps have long been around, with Samsung having the S Health app. Samsung has also created a range of smart covers, something that LG has copied. HTC's killer features on the One are the dual frontal Boom Sound speakers, and the Ultra Pixel technology in the camera coupled with its Zoe image capture. iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Early verdict It takes a bold man, or a crazy man to say that the iPhone 5S will fail. That is purely because it won't. Apple have a knack when it comes to releasing new devices, a knack to make them so appealing. Yes its charm has worn off a little, with certain communities becoming a little disillusioned that the iPhone isn't a TARDIS or a working alchemy kit. What the iPhone 5S is, is a fantastic bit of tech that builds further on the iPhone brand. As for the competition provided by the new iPhone 5C, we shall have to see what happens there. A cheaper iPhone will always sell. Apple will have a fight on its hands, given that the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 have already established themselves, but to many, September 20, 2013 is a day that will be marked and heavily ringed on the calendar. The iPhone 5S will sell in droves, but whether it will get the five stars that the HTC One got is another matter, you'll have to check out our upcoming iPhone 5S review. While you wait, why not check out how the Galaxy S4 managed 4.5 stars, how the HTC One went one better, or our early look at the LG G2. Reaction: TechRadar Reacts: iPhone 5S Sep 10th 2013, 19:00, by TechRadar The cat's out the bag - Apple has revealed the iPhone 5S to the world, complete with dual LED flash and that much-rumoured fingerprint scanner in the form of Touch ID. So what does the TechRadar team think of Apple's souped-up flagship? Does that S stand for Super or do we think that Cupertino's dished up disappointment? Well you're about to find out, complete with our knee-jerk scores out of five. Want to know more about the iPhone 5S? Follow us this way, please Kate - News Editor (UK) Struggling to get excited about this, to be honest. I like the iPhone 5S just fine. A better camera is always nice, the fingerprint scanner is a cool addition although I can totally live without it. The A7 64-bit processing power is cool but since I don't play video games and I'm not that into streaming stuff on my phone, it's not going to bother me not to have all that grunt. I'm more excited about getting iOS 7 back on my iPhone 5. Also, a gold iPhone? How gauche. Knee-jerk score: 3.5 Follow Kate on Twitter Patrick - Editor in Chief (UK) Well it's not changed everything...again, but the iPhone 5S looks pretty cool to me. It's not like Apple has been able to sneak anything big past the rumor mill for a few years now so obviously we're not blown away by everything - but that doesn't mean this isn't a fine phone. Camera improvements are welcome, but I'm really regretting having my fingerprints burned off. Knee-jerk score: 4.5 Follow Patrick on Twitter Hugh - Staff Writer (UK) Having reported on endless fingerprint sensor rumours for months it's nice to see that it wasn't all in vain. For me, the Touch ID is most interesting thing here as it's a whole new feature that Apple is trying out. As an iPhone 5 owner I won't be in any rush to upgrade (although apparently I've just been phased out anyway - thanks Apple) but as is the usual way, this is really aimed at owners of the phone two iterations before it - the 4S in this case. And with that 64-bit A7 chip it's looking pretty powerful. As a whole, a good package, but there's nothing but the Touch ID that really stands out for me. Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Hugh on Twitter Marc F - Mobile Devices Editor (US) There are no surprises here. It seems like Apple can't keep a lid on its secrets anymore. We knew the A7 chip was coming, the fingerprint sensor was expected and event he camera module and flash didn't hold any surprises. However, Apple managed to give a solid presentation on what seems to be a solid smartphone. I'm tempted to upgrade from my iPhone 5 for the better camera, the better security and faster performance. Apple says that graphics performance is remarkably better than the iPhone 5, and that battery life manages to do better, too. Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Marc on Twitter John - Phones and Tablets writer (UK) We knew the iPhone 5S wasn't going to blow us away with a barrage of new features, but I'll be honest, I'm pretty disappointed with what it does offer. A slightly bumped up camera and a couple of new colours. Wow Apple, you're really out doing yourself here. Yeah it's got a new processor, no surprise, but the same screen, same body and it'll run iOS 7 just like the now defunct iPhone 5. Its one saving grace however is that fingerprint scanner. We've questioned Apple on its lack of innovation during the past couple of years, but with Touch ID we're once again seeing the genius that it has locked away. Knee-jerk score: 3.5 Follow John on Twitter Michelle - News Editor (US) While there was little surprise with the iPhone 5S announcement, the phone is a worthy replacement for the iPhone 5. It's loaded with tech that would actually make me consider buying an iPhone (I've never owned one), which is saying something. Apple's not doing a whole lot new, and I'm making no argument (yet) that this is the innovation Apple needed to score a big win over Android, but all in all this looks like a really nice device that I want to play with at the Apple Store. I'm intrigued by Touch ID, though I wonder how much of a gimmick it will turn out to be. Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Michelle on Twitter Lily - Assistant Editor (US) The iPhone 5S is like the sophisticated, cigar smoking, older brother to the iPhone's angst-ridden 5C. It's also definitely an upgrade on the iPhone 5 but I'm still not completely sold. I've never really liked fingerprint sensors on my laptops so I'm wondering if I'll like them on my phone - though I am curious to see how well it will work. I guess I'm most interested in what the 5S camera can do since the normal iPhone 5 camera is really simplistic. To sum it up, I didn't get the 4S because I wanted to wait for the 5, so I'll probably stick around and wait for the iPhone 6. Knee-jerk score: 3.5 Follow Lily on Twitter Total knee-jerk score out of five: 3.9 What else has been deemed worth of a TechRadar reaction? Well, the iPhone 5C for one thing. FutTv : p0j8Nn661p5n6 iPhone 5C - a colourful success? Samsung's Galaxy Gear: perfect or pointless? Was Nokia a mug to sell out to Microsoft? Reaction: TechRadar Reacts: iPhone 5C Sep 10th 2013, 18:50, by TechRadar After months of rumour, leaks, speculation and down right making stuff up, Apple has finally lifted the lid on its first cheap-ish phone. Yes, the iPhone 5C is here in all its rainbow-hued glory - but has Apple, the golden child of mobile, succeeded where most other manufacturers have failed: has it made a cheap phone that doesn't suck? Let's find out what the team thinks, complete with knee-jerk scores out of five. Take it away, team: For more in-depth thoughts on the handset, check out our hands on iPhone 5C review FutTv : K8cv0ux544H6e Kate - News Editor (UK) I have a perfectly good iPhone 5, but now I sort of want an iPhone 5C and I don't know why. Because they're basically the same handset. I have that handset. But I do not have that handset in yellow. Why do I want it in yellow? I don't know. Have I been brainwashed by subliminal Apple marketing? Probably. Luckily, my reluctance to pay that much (£469/$549) for a kind of out-dated plastic phone is going to win out this time. Nice try, Apple. Knee-jerk score: 3.5 Follow Kate on Twitter Marc F - Mobile Devices Editor (US) Apple tends to wait on features and products without rushing anything, and it looks like the wait for the iPhone 5C might have been worth it. The variety of colors in 16GB and 32GB options gives a nice range of options for picky buyers, and the fact that its parts and performance are comparable to the iPhone 5 make it a solid buy without serious compromise. I think the iPhone 5C is going to sell well, especially to those who have always wanted to buy an iPhone without spending too much money on one. With that said, would I buy one? Well, I'm not exactly the target crowd for this particular iPhone model. Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Marc on Twitter Hugh - Staff Writer (UK) Firstly I'd like to point out that, despite the haters and doubters, I've been a strong believer in the 5C name since it first appeared in that blurry picture. The more you think about it the more it makes sense and I'm loving the way its colours blend with the new iOS 7. OK, we knew what the deal was thanks to all the leaks, but this was always going to be the more interesting proposition. Let's hope it helps Apple to widen the net. I'm growing fonder of those colourful cases too… Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Hugh on Twitter John - Phones and Tablets Writer (UK) Out of the two new iPhones Apple has announced the iPhone 5C has piqued my interest the most. There was still a question mark over whether Apple would go down the cut-price route, and it means fanboys won't be able to point and laugh at the plastic Samsung's quite so much. The key thing here is the price. An iPhone which is pretty much the same as the iPhone 5 yet with a lower price while still retaining the new iOS 7 operating system and decent Apple engineering. Sure it's plastic, but that hasn't put us off in the past. Paint us interested. Knee-jerk score: 4.5 Follow John on Twitter Michelle - News Editor (US) I'm confused by the iPhone 5C. On the one hand, it's specs are respectable, especially when paired with a $99/$199 price tag. It's almost a really nice smartphone, but misses. On the other, it's not quite "cheap" enough – especially off contract – to convince me that it's going to successfully target the audience Apple wants it to. Apple just didn't go low enough or bring its specs high enough for me to be smitten with what it has to offer. Like a Porsche Panamera, I see why it exists but don't buy into it. Knee-jerk score: 2.5 Follow Michelle on Twitter Patrick - Editor in Chief (UK) It's interesting to see Nokia take a sly dig at the 5C so quickly, because this has the power to be a big new competitor in the upper middle market of phones. Owning an Apple product could well prove a powerful alternative to the Android and Windows Phone offerings out there and the range of funky new hues is definitely going to prove attractive to a certain market. I do think that Apple has missed a trick by not getting the price even lower. Knee-jerk score: 4 Follow Patrick on Twitter Lily - Assistant Editor (US) The $99 price point is probably the most appealing aspect of the iPhone 5C, because honestly, it's about time Apple. I also don't mind the fact that it's "cheap" because it's plastic as long as its innards are decent enough, plus the colors definitely scream Nokia so it's nothing to jump up and down about. Other than that, it's basically a "cool" phone parents can get for their whiny Disney teens without worrying about shelling out another hundred backs if (when) they smash the phone - so either way, it just means more dollar bills for Apple's pockets. Knee-jerk score: 3 Follow Lily on Twitter Total knee-jerk score out of five: 3.6 What else has been deemed worth of a TechRadar reaction? Is the iPhone 5S a hit or a swing and a miss? Samsung's Galaxy Gear: perfect or pointless? Was Nokia a mug to sell out to Microsoft? Opinion: Is the iPhone 5S the final nail in the coffin for compact cameras? Sep 10th 2013, 18:30, by Amy Davies The rise of smartphones has seen some ringing the death knell of compact cameras for, well, years now. Despite the fact the iPhone is neither the world's biggest selling smartphone, nor the best camera phone (by some stretch), it's always the launch of the new iPhone that gets us questioning if there really is any point in the compact camera anymore. (And by "us", I mean both we at TechRadar and we the general tech-interested population) The Apple iPhone seems to be the smartphone of choice for those who consider themselves photographers. Flickr's most popular "cameras" are the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. Compact cameras don't even get a look in. Nor do other phone manufacturers. But what is interesting is that if we exclude cameraphones from the equation (and that's not to say that Flickr is by any means a definitive measuring stick, especially not these days), we can see that the most popular "point and shoots" are highly specced, advanced premium compacts. The Sony RX100 tops the charts, followed by the Canon G12 and the Canon S95. These are cameras with full manual control and a high price point. Meanwhile, sales of low-end compact cameras are definitely on the wane. Why carry an extra device when you phone can easily match picture quality and has the added advantage instant sharing to Instagram (other social networks are available)? We've even seen some camera manufacturers, such as Olympus, announce that it will be concentrating its energy on the higher end of the market - probably a smart move. True What? As we might have expected, the iPhone 5S has taken a decent leap in terms of quality and specs - at least on paper. Apple is sticking with its trusted 8 million pixel resolution, but it has made the sensor 15% larger than the one found on the iPhone 5. It's also got some other interesting specs that you probably won't find on the average point-and-shoot - namely 10fps shooting, and a panorama mode which captures 28 million pixel images and adjusts exposure as you're panning. Nifty. With everybody banging on about low light, it's only natural that Apple has not only made the sensor size and pixels bigger (they're now 1.5 microns), but it's also included what it's dubbing TrueTone flash. That's two LED flashes, one amber, one white - supposedly for more accurate colours. Even bearing those new specs in mind, smartphones don't offer everything that a dedicated imaging device does. It's in this realm that the latest batch of devices are desperately trying to compete. So far, there's nothing that truly meets that mark and makes the camera dispensable. We've seen headline grabbers such as the Nokia Lumia 1020 (with its "41 million pixel" sensor) and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom (with it's unwieldy 10x optical zoom - it's basically a camera that can make calls). The Nokia Lumia 925's advertising strategy went all out to highlight its low light capability. On the other hand, Sony's camera sector is being incredibly innovative. This month saw the launch of the Sony Xperia Z1, with a 1/2.3 inch 20.2 million-pixel sensor. That's the same size sensor as you might find in a decent compact camera, and much larger than those found in the standard smartphone. It's also an Exmor R, which means it's backlit and should be pretty able to deal with low light conditions. Not only that, but the Sony QX100 and QX10 have just been announced - fully featured compact cameras that don't have a screen... that's what your smartphone is for. That's an example of a company attempting to fight the smartphone onslaught by working with them. Putting aside any of these specs, which are undoubtedly improving, one pretty crucial area where smartphones struggle is battery life. Having an amazing camera is only as good as the battery life that allows you to use it, after all. Last shot for compacts? So does the 5S finally end the case for compacts? Not quite, though there's little hope that the lower end of the compact camera market will do anything but dwindle further in the next few years. That said, there are still some people (though we don't know any of them) who don't have smartphones, and for those people, the budget compact camera market is still pretty interesting. It's also true that the dodgy battery life and the zero optical zoom of the average smartphone puts the kibosh on using it as a decent holiday snapper, so that market also still remains firm. What is likely is that compact cameras (or at least, what we think of as compact cameras) will start to change, offering more and more than your smartphone can't. We're talking high zooms, large sensors, low light capability, a decent battery life and more. This mid-range and above seems safe ... for now at least. Join us for the next iPhone launch when we'll no doubt ask this question all over again.

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