Apple patent could spell trouble for Android
Apple's latest patent is quite the doozy, and could mean more legal battles to come with competing smartphones.
The patent, issued as patent #8,223,134 in the U.S., covers Apple's interface for displaying documents, lists, text messages, emails, and more on a smartphone screen.
Specifically, it concerns the method of scrolling through those documents and lists.
On an iOS device, scrolling through documents or lists causes a bar to appear on the right side of the screen which shows your location in that list. It isn't directly a scroll bar, but gives users an indication of how far they have scrolled down a document. It is that method that Apple patented.
A tech lawyer's dream
It appears to be an innocuous patent at first. However, a seemingly similar method for scrolling through lists can be found in both Android and Windows Phone operating systems.Apple first applied for the patent in 2007 then again in 2008. The firm filed another application for the patent this past March, and it was awarded yesterday, July 17.
In 2007 smartphones were still predominantly button-based, with the iPhone setting a precedent for touch interfaces.
That precedent spread and was built upon by other companies, with this patent potentially giving Apple a way to fight back.
If Apple chooses to use the patent against Google and Microsoft, and the patent's definitions are deemed vague enough for Android and Windows Phone to infringe it, then it could become a powerful tool in stifling smartphone progress through endless litigation.
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Windows 8 release date confirmed as October 26
After last week confirming that Windows 8 will arrive in late October, Microsoft has now revealed the exact launch date as October 26.
Windows President Steven Sinofsky has just made the official announcement at Microsoft's annual sales meeting.
That long-awaited operating system will be available in all of the major territories as a downloadable upgrade or to buy in store on that launch date, a mere 14 weeks away.
Success story in the making?
Earlier this month Microsoft revealed that it would be passing the final build on to manufacturers in August to allow them to fit hardware with the new OS before the October launch.Microsoft will offer only three versions, two for Intel-based PCs (Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro) and Windows 8 RT for ARM-based tablets like the Microsoft Surface.
The new OS offers both a traditional desktop interface and the Metro-style touch-friendly UI.
All indications are that Windows 8 will be a massive success story for the software giant. Check out our in-depth Windows 8 hands-on review for a closer look.
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YouTube adds face blurring tool to protect anonymity
Google has incorporated a neat face blurring feature into YouTube in the hope of protecting the anonymity of protests in videos posted to the site.
The video-sharing site says it is adding the tool following a recent observation from human rights campaigners WITNESS that no prominent sites offered the technology.
The feature can be turned on by ticking the Blur All Faces box within the video enhancements tool on the site.
YouTube uses the example of the Arab Spring protests in Egypt in a post on the YouTube blog.
Protecting children
The company says, as well as safeguarding the identity of activists, the tool allows uploaders to avoid the potentially sensitive issue of uploading childrens' faces for the world to see."Whether you want to share sensitive protest footage without exposing the faces of the activists involved, or share the winning point in your 8-year-old's basketball game without broadcasting the children's faces to the world, our face blurring technology is a first step towards providing visual anonymity for video on YouTube," said the blog post.
YouTube points out that the tech is still in the development stages, so may not be 100 per cent accurate immediately. It advises unsatisfied uploaders to keep their videos private.
Visual anonymity
The company says it is proud to be a home for activist videos and says its a new tool may encourage people to speak out against oppression without fear of reprisal."Visual anonymity in video allows people to share personal footage more widely and to speak out when they otherwise may not," the blog post continues.
"Because human rights footage, in particular, opens up new risks to the people posting videos and to those filmed, it's important to keep in mind other ways to protect yourself in the people in your videos.
"YouTube is proud to be a destination where people worldwide come to share their stories, including activists."
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Apple must advertise Samsung didn't copy iPad, orders UK judge
Reports of uncontrollable laughter from Samsung's UK HQ remain unconfirmed following a court ruling ordering Apple to publicly advertise that the Galaxy Tab did not copy the iPad.
Judge Colin Birss said today that Apple must place a notice on its own UK website for six months and advertise in UK online and print media explaining that Samsung did not infringe on its patents.
The order follows a July 9 ruling that absolved Samsung (at least in the UK) of Apple's allegations that it 'blatantly copied' the Apple iPad with its own range of Android-powered tablets.
The advertisements, which will cause red faces at Cupertino, must be worded so as to repair any damage done to Samsung's reputation as a result of the allegations, Birss said.
Throwing up a doozy.
Apple must now publish advertisements in the Daily Mail, Guardian Mobile magazine, Financial Times and, interestingly, our sister publication T3.Apple has been granted permission to argue the July 9 verdict, while a Samsung motion to prevent Apple saying it copied the iPad was rejected by the judge, who said Apple was entitled to its opinion.
Most of the time these incessant global patent wars are about as exciting as watching paint dry, but occasionally they throw up a real doozy.
Last week the same judge said the Galaxy Tab wasn't "as cool as the iPad" so this order is a nice little kidney punch for the Samsung camp.
We can imagine those ads will be framed in its offices around the globe.
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ITC-ordered ban won't stop Motorola from selling devices
A ban on several of Motorola's Google Android devices is scheduled to go into effect today, but the smartphone manufacturer said it has no plans to remove the offending devices from store shelves.
The US International Trade Commission issued a limited exclusion order banning the devices from being imported to the U.S. in May.
The ITC determined that the Android devices infringe on a Microsoft patent that concerns the ways they create and schedule meetings.
But Motorola and Google haven't stood by idly waiting for the ban to take effect.
Motorola's been proactive
A Motorola spokesperson issued a statement explaining their inaction in the face of today's scheduled ban."While we can't share specific details, we have employed a range of proactive measures to ensure there is no continuing infringement under the ITC's interpretation of this single Microsoft patent," the spokesperson said.
Many of the Motorola Android devices that are supposed to be banned today are outdated anyway, and would be difficult to find for sale, sales ban or no.
The banned devices include:
- Atrix
- Backflip
- Bravo
- Charm
- Cliq
- Cliq 2
- Cliq XT
- Defy
- Devour
- Droid 2
- Droid 2 Global
- Droid Pro
- Droid X
- Droid X2
- Flipout
- Flipside
- Spice
- Xoom
On the other hand, Microsoft also offered to license the technology to them, as they've already done for Samsung, HTC and LG.
Motorola may have lost this particular patent battle, but they may yet win another, this one also with Microsoft, to have the tech giant's Xbox 360 banned for a different infringement.
A judge recommended the Xbox 360 be banned from sale in May, shortly after the ITC's decision to ban these Motorola devices, though Microsoft was granted a reprieve in July pending further consideration.
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Photos of first iPad prototype revealed
It looks like the endless cycle of lawsuits between tech firms is finally good for something after all, as photos of the first iPad prototype were revealed in court documents that were recently made public.
As part of the ongoing case between Apple and Samsung, Apple's senior VP of industrial design, Jonathan Ive, gave a deposition last December. The full transcript was sealed, but a portion of it recently resurfaced in the case as public record.
The photos date back as early as 2002, revealing 035, an early mockup prototype of the device that would much later become the iPad.
"My recollection of first seeing it is very hazy, but it was, I'm guessing, sometime between 2002 and 2004, some but it was I remember seeing this and perhaps models similar to this when we were first exploring tablet designs that ultimately became the iPad," Ive's testimony said.
Digging into iPad's past
Even in its early form, the 035 mockup looks very much like a jumbo-sized iPad. It is outright fat by today's tablet standards, but for its time the 035 mockup is rather slim, seemingly about the same thickness as the original iPod.Unlike the tablet it would become, the 035 mockup is all screen. The signature iDevice home button hadn't made its appearance yet nor even a power switch and volume control. There is a headphone jack though, along with the iPod charging port.
Though the 035 mockup was not quite ready for prime time, it inspired a shrunken version that later released as the iPhone in 2007. Apple then revisited the device's tablet roots to finally launch the iPad in 2010, eight years after its first prototype was built.
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Review: OnLive Desktop
Introduction
OnLive helped pioneer the idea of cloud-streaming video games, letting you play slick, modern titles without a PC or one of the major consoles. They've since expanded this technology letting you play next-gen titles on smartphones and tablets via a steady Internet connection, and they have since put that idea to new use with the innovative OnLive Desktop.What OnLive Desktop does is provide a remote version of Windows 7 for use on an iPad (an Android tablet version is also available), offering up free access to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as 2GB of cloud storage for moving files between devices.
Moreover, the company has since introduced OnLive Desktop Plus, an optional paid service with additional features.
Utilizing the standard, free version of OnLive Desktop is as easy as downloading the app from the App Store and signing up for an OnLive account within; your OnLive gaming account will also work, if you have one.
Within moments, your iPad screen will take the form of a Windows 7 desktop, with access to the noted Microsoft Office apps, Windows Media Player, Adobe Reader, Paint, Calculator, Notepad, Wordpad, and a touch-based photo collage app. Internet Explorer is listed, but only the OnLive website is accessible through the free service.
Upgrading to Plus
Curiously, the OnLive Desktop app makes no mention of the Plus service, which is priced at $4.99 a month. Loading up the OnLive Desktop webpage from within Internet Explorer on the app similarly offers no details, nor is it noted on the App Store listing. To sign up for OnLive Desktop Plus, you'll need to log into your account on the OnLive website and opt-in from there.
What OnLive Desktop Plus does is provide priority access to servers, which is more than a token promise. Before switching to Plus, we were unable to access OnLive Desktop on multiple occasions due to overstuffed servers. We did not encounter the same issue once the Plus service was enabled.
Plus also opens up Internet Explorer to access the wider web, and does so with Flash enabled – something that isn't available natively on the iPad. As such, you'll be able to watch Flash videos and play games, both of which work well through the browser.
The core feature set is otherwise identical to the free service, though Plus essentially guarantees access to servers and brings Flash-based browsing into the equation, which may be enough to warrant the upgrade for consistent users.
Features and usability
Windows 7 is solidly navigated with touch commands, with just a single tap needed to open applications and files. Some of the icons within the Office apps prove a bit small, so multiple taps may be needed at times (notably with the red X used to close programs in Windows) to execute tasks. Gestures can be used to zoom in and out, plus you can tap and hold to access right-click menus.
As the Windows 7 install does not run natively on the iPad, OnLive Desktop is unable to utilize Apple's built-in keyboard. Instead, the app provides its own version, which looks very similar but must be called up manually from the command bar as needed.
The virtual keyboard is functional, though hardly as responsive as the built-in option we're used to, which can prove a pain while trying to type up extensive documents in Word or Notepad. Moreover, the layout is different in some ways, including access to numbers and symbols, which can irritate.
Luckily, Bluetooth keyboards are supported, but one of the early standout features – the ability to input writing with your finger or a stylus and have it converted to proper text – seems to have been dropped since OnLive Desktop debuted earlier this year.
Files saved to your OnLive Desktop can be accessed from the OnLive website on other devices, with 2GB of cloud storage available through both the free and Plus versions of the service. Dropbox access is also available for Plus users, allowing additional cloud storage as needed.
Annoyingly, the app closes out your connection when switching to another app or the iPad home screen, meaning you'll have to sign in again each time, even when only swapping away for a moment.
And with OnLive Desktop, you get exactly what you see and little more. Additional apps cannot be installed – the promised OnLive Desktop Pro service, still on the horizon, aims to add that feature – and any changes made to the Windows install aren't maintained upon next login.
Performance and verdict
While an ever-so-slight delay in input recognition is part and parcel with the cloud-based streaming approach, Windows 7 runs admirably on the iPad via OnLive Desktop. The lack of Retina support is unfortunate, and occasional visual artifacts will appear; during scrolling, in particular, parts of the screen may become blurry and distorted for a moment.
Still, the ability to access a Windows 7 install – albeit a very simple, feature-limited one – at a moment's notice can be incredibly helpful for business travelers who need quick access to Office or a Flash-enabled browser on the iPad.
Problem is, the OnLive service itself isn't reliable enough to support much more than brief usage, as we frequently encountered Network Errors and unexpected service drops that disrupted the flow of use.
It wasn't often clear why the service would struggle to maintain a connection using a high-speed Wi-Fi network that otherwise performed admirably on the iPad and other devices. The little hitches are more prevalent than full-on service drops, but still manage to put a crimp in the action.
Verdict
OnLive Desktop makes Windows 7 usage on iPad an unexpected reality, and at its best, the service proves capable of serving up relatively speedy access to Office and a Flash-based browser.
For professionals on the go, or those who simply need occasional use of Windows programs on an iPad, OnLive Desktop can fill that void, but not without frustration and notable limitations. Brief connection drops are the primary concern, though the service does occasionally sputter out entirely, forcing you to restart the app.
Most users will likely find the free service enough to get the job done, though the fact that server access isn't guaranteed is disappointing. Paying $4.99 a month adds access to the Flash-enabled Internet Explorer and priority access to servers, but with the limited overall feature set and performance issues, that's bound to be a tough sell for many users.
OnLive Desktop's core conceit is brilliant, no doubt, and unmatched on the App Store. That alone makes it a worthwhile download for those occasional moments when Windows access is needed in a pinch.
But the service has lingering issues, and the Plus service isn't a significant upgrade over the free option, despite the added expense, aside from guaranteeing server access for regular users. Perhaps the still-to-come Pro service can sort out some of hitches while adding functionality, though that remains to be seen.
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Exclusive: ZTE planning own Android skin and new form factors for 2013
ZTE has stated it will bring its own Android overlay to new phones over the next six months.
ZTE's director of mobile device operations Wu Sa said the company is planning to gradually introduce a range of new functionality to Android to help differentiate the company in a crowded smartphone market.
"I think there will be a period before the consumer will fully recognise and accept our brand value; we don't want to impose a completely new thing on them straight away.
"We would rather support what the consumer is used to [in this case, stock Android 4.0 on the ZTE Grand X] and then gradually start to fulfil the multi-dimensional ZTE brand value, adding additional layers of value to the smartphone."
Multi-dimensional brand values
Sa said that while ZTE was in a period of 'brand recognition' – and therefore focused on bringing its name to the market with stable designs – the company was planning a variety of new form factors of phone in the next few months:"Clearly we do see the form factor as very important to the customer experience, so following [the Grand X], between the end of 2012 and 2013 you will start to see more ZTE-branded devices with attractive, unique designs.
"We are here to support the mainstream consumer needs to establish our brand, but on top of that we will focus on anything we think will be innovative too."
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Exclusive: ZTE to launch Tizen-based handset in 2012?
ZTE has told TechRadar it is working with a third party on another mobile OS to join Windows Phone and Android in its portfolio.
Speaking at the UK launch of the Grand X, ZTE's director of mobile device operations Wu Sa confirmed that in addition to its Windows Phone and Android phones, the manufacturer was researching other options.
Although Sa refused to be drawn on which platform this might be, he was keen to state the company was looking at alternative platforms as there could be space to thrive alongside Android's smartphone dominance.
"We are excited and intrigued to participate in, if not drive, the alternative choice for the consumers. I'm trying to refrain from mentioning a specific platform, because consumers are not buying a platform, they're buying an experience.
"We are here to give them an alternative experience to Android, if we think it's the right thing to do."
Nokia good, Tizen better?
Sa pointed out that the company's tie in with Microsoft for Windows Phone has yielded both benefit and pressure, through being able to work with vendors such as Nokia, but ZTE is also keeping an open mind when it comes to other options.The most likely option is the new Tizen OS being developed by Intel, with ZTE previously stating it would be looking to release an Intel-powered phone in the future.
"Our R&D team is also working with a third party on another alternative platform," added Sa.
"Ultimately, when it comes to deciding what will be announced and released to market, it's important to link that with market demand.
"We also recognise that we're not Apple and can't just create a platform and launch it. We have to be very careful and listen to market demand, and launch the platform that supports it."
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AT&T's shared data plans launch in August
AT&T announced today that its shared data plans, known as Mobile Share plans, will become available to customers in August.
The Mobile Share plans will allow customers to access a single "bucket" of data from multiple devices, so that a separate data plan will no longer be required for every mobile data-enabled gadget they possess.
The plans will also include unlimited talk and text messages, as well as tethering, and will be offered to business customers, too.
AT&T's new shared data plans may be a good idea for individuals or families with multiple data-ready devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices (like Sony's PS Vita).
But there are a few options to consider before making the jump to the new Mobile Share plans.
The nitty-gritty
AT&T's existing plans will remain available for the time being, but customers jumping to the new plans won't even have to extend their contracts, making the Mobile Share plans all the more attractive.Customers can first choose how much data they want per month; 1GB for $40, 4GB for $70, 6GB for $90, 10GB for $120, 15GB for $160, or 20GB for $200.
Then customers can add up to 10 devices, and each comes with a different price tag.
For those with the 1GB plan, adding a smartphone will cost an additional $45 per month. But a smartphone costs only $40 on the 4GB plan, $35 on the 6GB plan, or $30 with 10-20GB.
Non-smartphones will cost $30 monthly to add, laptops et al are $20, and tablets and gaming devices will be $10.
"Today we think of people's smartphones and tablets sharing a bucket of data. But in the future we'll see health care monitors, connected cars, security systems and other devices in the home all connected to the mobile Internet," AT&T Mobility's Chief Marketing Officer David Christopher said in a statement.
"Our Mobile Share plans are simple, easy and a great value for individuals or families with multiple mobile Internet devices."
AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson said last month that mobile plans will be data-only within two years, meaning all voice and text will be carried over data connections.
Shortly after that, Verizon announced their own shared data plans, which also allows customers to connect up to 10 devices to one "data bucket."
But customers on any carrier who are still "grandfathered" into unlimited data plans should always be wary when switching plans, because many carriers take every opportunity to eliminate unlimited data.
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Next iPhone now in third testing stage, confirmed for 4G LTE and NFC
Despite rumors suggesting Apple may already be manufacturing the iPhone 5, a new report on Wednesday claims that production actually won't begin until later this summer.
According to "a trusted source," Apple is still moving the iPhone 5 through a series of "engineering verification" test stages, currently in the third of these known as EVT3.
Although things appear to be moving right along, the handset has yet to enter the "design verification" test stage, better known as DVT.
This new report throws cold water on an earlier, seemingly random report that the iPhone 5 could launch in early August, which now seems impossible given that actual manufacturing has yet to begin.
Fine details
Despite being a few months away, the report also revealed a few details about what the next iPhone will feature besides the iOS 6 software Apple previewed back on June 11.An engineering sample of the 2012 iPhone is being tested with 1GB of RAM, a nice twofold increase from the current iPhone 4S with 512MB.
The next iPhone also features 4G LTE, which will presumably take advantage of both Verizon and AT&T networks, if not also Sprint now that they've started rolling out their faster data speeds.
Last but not least, a near-field communication (NFC) chip appears to be confirmed for the iPhone 5, although it's unclear right now exactly how Apple intends to use it.
The next iPhone isn't expected before the end of September or more likely, sometime in October.
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Dropbox security fears, following spam email attack
Users of the online data storage solution Dropbox have reported high levels of spam email, sparking fears personal information may have been compromised.
TechCrunch reports that email accounts created exclusively for the service have been besieged by junk emails, mostly from a European organisation called "Euro Dice Exchange," whatever that is.
Dropbox says it is looking into the issue, which is only affecting European users, and says a resolution is its 'number one priority.'
'Bear with us'
In a statement that company says: "We're aware that some Dropbox users have been receiving spam to email addresses associated with their Dropbox accounts."Our top priority is investigating this issue thoroughly and updating you as soon as we can.
"We know it's frustrating not to get an update with more details sooner, but please bear with us as our investigation continues."
As the account is specific to the user's Dropbox account, it may be a result of a leak or hack at Dropbox itself. Stay tuned for more.
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Hands-on review: ZTE Grand X
Those that wonder where the Mimosa X from MWC earlier this year went – well, it's now the Grand X.
It's getting pretty long in the tooth, even at launch, but still packs a decent Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor and a large 4-inch screen – all for just £189.99. But is it worth the cash even at the budget price bracket?
The first thing you'll notice when picking up the Grand X is just how much it resembles a Samsung Galaxy Nexus – to the point that if the Korean firm had sent it to us and called it the Galaxy Nexus Mini, we'd have nodded and then wondered why the icons on the front had changed.
And also why it had a ZTE badge on the front.
Other than that, the curved effect of the chassis, the minimal overlay on top of Android 4.0 and the stylised soft keys all look very similar indeed – except that the softkeys are actually part of the chassis.
The overall design of the phone isn't too bad – sure, it's got a rather plastic feel to it, and the mesh feel on the back evokes that from a number of Samsung phones – namely the Samsung Galaxy S2.
It's also not the thinnest phone on the market, and the lip and the bottom adds a lot of heft to the aesthetic. But it's solidly built, has a removable battery cover and a microSD slot that allows for hot swapping, which is so often neglected.
In the hand it certainly feels chunky, but not overly so – it more just fits with the price you're paying.
The interface is, somehow, less impressive than that on the Galaxy Nexus, despite being standard Android Ice Cream Sandwich. That's partly to do with the lower-quality LCD screen, which we're happy to accept given the much lower price tag of the device.
Use under the finger is very smooth indeed, with minimal lag when flicking between applications. This is the level most dual core phones should manage, but we've often seen it not happen time and again.
The user interface is as basic as can be, with the dual-loading Apps and Widgets menu allowing access to home screen customisation and all the app pre-installed as well as a modest offering of widgets.
The messaging options on the ZTE Grand X aren't much to write home about either – if you'll allow the (excellent) pun.
The TouchPal keyboard is a nice touch, thanks to letting users resize the height of the keys and integrate different languages. However, the accuracy is pretty poor – just because this is a budget handset doesn't mean we should be subjected to a difficult method of text integration.
HTC makes a much better fist of it with the Desire C, which also comes with Ice Cream Sandwich but also the still-innovative Sense overlay to open up additional functionality.
It doesn't have the grunt or slick user experience of the Grand X, but does come in at nearly £70 cheaper, which may appeal more than the CPU for the budget user.
Internet
The internet browser is definitely a big plus with the Grand X, thanks to the large, high res screen being teamed with a fast experience.
We're often confused to see phones that have the requisite power still struggling to load the simplest of websites, even when tested side by side with other equally handsets than manage the same task with aplomb.
Thankfully the Grand X comes with a qHD screen and all the wizardry Android 4.0 can afford on the mobile browsing experience.
This means the ability to save pages, request desktop versions of sites and a neater tab system for messing about with multiple pages.
Media
This is an odd one – the media experience seems to precede even Android Gingerbread, let alone the latest version the Grand X is rocking. The music player is as basic as it could be, reminding us of when we first saw it on the HTC Hero.
It allows you to surf albums, artists, songs and playlists, and not much else… and it can't seem to always pick up tagged album artwork.
It's a far cry from the overhauled option that comes with Android 4.0, so we're perplexed as to where that's actually gone.
Video suffers the same fate – slow to load and nothing more than a list of thumbnails with title, and asking the user to wait to load footage that can be rather choppy at times.
It's not a bad experience, but the lack of quality contrast ratio really shows here, as videos appear pretty washed out.
Dolby Mobile is on board, but isn't accessible through the Video Player – you can alter the effects directly from the Music portal, but the changes are still fairly minimal, and certainly not in the same league as the enhancements found in (admittedly far more expensive) phones like the Samsung Galaxy S3.
Early verdict
The ZTE Grand X would have been a fantastic phone for the price three or four months ago, but when it's matched with the likes of the Orange San Diego, powered by Intel's chip, it struggles slightly to compete.For the price, coupled with the fast response and impressive internet browsing, we're hopeful this could wow a few consumers that may have previously not known what ZTE is all about.
There are some serious compromises having been made to reach the price point, but for a solid Android phone with a recent version of the platform, this is a great choice.
The media and design grate slightly, as does the way some media struggles to be read quickly, but overall it's a good effort from ZTE. We'll be bringing you the full ZTE Grand X review in the next week, so check back to get more on the camera, interface, messaging system, contacts and lots, lots more.
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In Depth: Best iOS browser: Safari vs Opera Mini vs Chrome
Best iOS browser
Despite heavy hints from Apple - refusing to let users change the defaults; banning third party rendering engines from the App Store; taking an eternity to approve browser apps - rival browser makers would really like you to use their products on iOS, and the arrival of Chrome means the big guns of Google are taking aim at your iPhone and iPad.Has Google got it right, or would you be better off with Opera Mini and its cloud-based browsing and acceleration? Is Safari the best iOS browser, or is Apple using dirty tricks to protect its position on your phone? There's only one way to find out. Let's see what the three big-name iOS browsers can do for you.
Safari vs Opera Mini vs Chrome: appearance
To our eyes Chrome is the best-looking browser here, its unified search and address bar freeing up space for other buttons (back, menu/bookmark and tabs) so there's no need for a second toolbar - although it'd be nice if the address box scrolled away when you're viewing content.
Safari's getting on a bit, and it shows: the interface hasn't changed much since the days of iPhone OS, and while it's perfectly functional it's due a bit of a polish (which is coming in iOS 6). Its address and search boxes disappear as you scroll down, but the toolbar at the bottom of the window remains, providing access to bookmarks, sharing, new tabs and navigation buttons.
Opera takes a similar approach - its separate address and search boxes scroll away, with a permanent toolbar at the bottom - but you can enforce single column viewing and text wrapping as well as set the default zoom level, and there's a fullscreen mode that replaces the lower toolbar with just two buttons, a back button and one to bring the toolbar back. It's okay, but the black interface doesn't exactly blend in with the rest of iOS.
Safari has a manually activated Reader mode that strips out page furniture such as ads so that you can concentrate on the content. Chrome doesn't have that, but it does have a Request Desktop Site option for sites that insist on serving up cut-down mobile versions.
Safari vs Opera Mini vs Chrome: features
All three browsers have private browsing modes, although Safari's is the hardest to access - where Chrome and Opera keep the on/off switch in the browser, for Safari it's buried in Home > Settings > Safari - and all three browsers enable you to synchronise bookmarks with your desktop PC or other devices. Chrome has the best such system here: where the others only sync bookmarks, Chrome can sync open tabs from device to device provided you sign in with your Google Account.
Safari has Reading List, which you can use to create a quick "read later" list that syncs between your devices via iCloud, and Opera enables you to save pages locally for offline reading.
There are differences in the way each browser handles tabs. Opera has Visual Tabs, a little drawer that appears with thumbnails of your open tabs, while Safari zooms out to show each open tab as a separate document. Chrome does a bit of both, shrinking and stacking the tabs so you can see their contents easily. Chrome also enables you to switch between open tabs without invoking the tab bar by swiping quickly from the left or right margin of the current page, a feature we soon found ourselves missing in the other browsers.
Opera has Speed Dial, which enables you to store your favourite websites in a simple grid layout for easy access. Chrome has the same, but it's implemented in a nicer way: when you choose the New Tab option you can swipe between your Speed Dial-esque favourites, your bookmarks, or the open tabs on your other Chrome-using devices.
One of Chrome's most interesting features is voice search, which enables you to - yes! - search using your voice. It works very well, and unlike Apple's Siri it's not exclusive to the iPhone 4S.
When it comes to standards compliance, Safari and Chrome scored 324 points (with nine bonus points apiece) out of a possible 500 at html5test.com, with Opera achieving a disappointing 63 with no bonus points. That was reflected in the way websites were displayed: for example some mobile sites, including ours, looked lovely in Safari and Chrome, but a bit odd in Opera.
Safari vs Opera Mini vs Chrome: speed
Apple's rules mean that browser apps - other than its own Safari - must use Apple's UIWebView browsing component, which means they can't turn up with their own JavaScript engines or use Apple's own Nitro engine. That gives Safari an enormous advantage when it comes to JavaScript processing: it whizzed through the SunSpider benchmarks in 3,650ms on an iPhone 4 while, on the same device, Chrome took 11,908ms (Opera Mini doesn't execute JavaScript locally - it's a cloud-based browser - and as a result it can't run SunSpider).
JavaScript benchmarks don't tell the whole story, however, because JavaScript performance is much less important on mobile devices, which spend less time in web apps and considerably more time waiting for the network to deliver web pages than their desktop equivalents. All three browsers felt similarly speedy in real-world browsing, and in search - the most common thing most of us actually use our mobile browsers for - Chrome's first-class voice search and search auto-completion meant that it delivered results more quickly than its rivals. You can disable both features if you want to, but they make a big difference to everyday use.
Opera's big draw is its compression, which promises to reduce both download times and file sizes. That's a boon if you're browsing on a pricey data plan, if you're roaming abroad or if you can't get 3G, but on 3G there was no noticeable difference between browsing speeds in Opera and Chrome. On Wi-Fi Chrome was faster, as its page preloading kicked in; the feature defaults to Wi-Fi only so you don't accidentally burst through any 3G monthly data limit.
The big problem for Chrome and Opera is Apple's refusal to let anybody change their default browser. That quickly becomes an enormous pain in the backside, with every link in an email, Tweet or RSS feed launching Safari. The "swear / select URL / copy URL / close Safari / open other browser / paste URL / go" routine gets old and annoying extremely quickly, and while Google has published code for third party developers to offer an "Open with Chrome" option that's not going to appear in core iOS apps such as Mail.
Safari vs Opera Mini vs Chrome: verdict
Safari is the fastest browser here, as the benchmarks prove. However, in everyday use Chrome often feels quicker, especially when you're tab switching or searching, and it's hard to shake the feeling that if Apple didn't deliberately limit other browsers' performance and iOS integration, Safari would have a real fight on its hands.Opera is a nice enough browser, but it feels old in this company, and unless you spend a lot of time travelling and/or using crappy mobile connections the data compression isn't enough of a draw here. It doesn't feel as fast as its rivals, and it suffers from the same (Apple-enforced) lack of OS integration as Chrome does.
Unless you jailbreak your device that means it's an easy win for Safari, especially if like us you get a lot of your URLs by clicking in other apps such as email and Twitter clients, or by saving links as home page icons. Apple's insistence on Safari as everybody's default browser means that, fairly or unfairly, it's still the most convenient browser on iOS.
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Online fraud: too many accounts, too few passwords
Cases of online fraud have increased threefold compared to 2010, partly due to consumers having a large number of web accounts, according to new research.
Credit-checking firm Experian found that for an average of 26 different online accounts, users had only five different passwords. 25-34-year-olds are the most prolific, with no fewer than 40 online accounts per person on average.
Online criminals have illegally traded 12 million pieces of personal information between January and April this year.
Of this, 90 per cent consisted of password and login details, which comes as little surprise after 400,000 Yahoo! Voice passwords were stolen and Nvidia and Android forum users' passwords were illegally accessed last week.
Another statistic says two thirds of people have inactive accounts which they have not closed down, leaving them vulnerable.
Security conscious
Graham Cluley, security expert and senior technology consultant at Sophos, blames the online firms themselves for comprising the security of their customers and users."I think [password hacks] send a clear message to consumers that even if they take great care over their choice of passwords, all that good work can be undone if online companies are sloppy with their security," he told TechRadar.
Users' data is sensitive information that needs to be stored securely to prevent break-ins, according to Cluley.
"It's clear that some online firms are being extremely careless with customer information, and are failing to even follow security best practices which were established 30 years ago."
It had happened to them
Geologist Alexander Lerche was working in Liberia in 2010 when he realised his card had been blocked. On calling his UK bank, he learnt someone in Bulgaria was using his Amazon account to buy high definition TVs."It got caught because it tried to take out over £3000 in one transaction and then repeated it twice. The second one actually blocked the card but the first time it raised a flag," he says.
"Amazon said that my password must have been easy to crack or that I had written it down somewhere public which I told them was completely impossible since I had more than 10 different passwords and they had never been written down anywhere."
Lerche believes it could have been a leak in Amazon's system that caused his account details fall into a third party's hands, although it may have been through a well-disguised phishing email or other method. He was eventually credited back with £6000 that his bank had been holding after the illegal transactions had taken place.
Preventive measures
Sophos' technology consultant Cluley believes that not only must users make their passwords "hard to crack and not easily guessable", but to lie on their password reminder forms."Usually, the security question involves your mother's maiden name. You should lie about that and say it's Mother Theresa or Xena Warrior Princess."
"It's a matter of public record, so it can be found out online," Cluley says, adding that it is a method hackers often use to gain access to accounts.
Freelance journalist Will Coldwell received an email from PayPal in February last year about account activity and a transaction he did not remember performing.
"I'm not sure how it happened, but I only realised when I received an email saying 'Your Payment Has Been Sent', and I hadn't used paypal for months," Coldwell says.
An amount of £350 had been taken out of his bank account via PayPal. But a quick email to PayPal's fraud team resolved the conflict straight away, freezing the transfer and returning the amount within three days.
Coldwell doesn't know how his account details were found out. "I think I am pretty good when it comes to avoiding dodgy links… I hadn't changed my password on it [PayPal] for years, and didn't use it that much so perhaps that made it more of a target."
One solution suggested by Cluley is using password management systems such as KeePass, Lastpass.com and 1Password. In turn, he suggests using a strong password to keep this programme secure.
"It's only a problem if there are too many passwords. I don't even know my eBay password because I use a management system."
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Opinion: Texting overtakes phoning – and we're supposed to be surprised?
Ofcom's announcement this morning that texting is now a more popular form of communication than the phonecall is one big non shocker.
What's surprising is that this didn't happen earlier because texting has been the way many of us have flirted, made and broken plans and drunkenly confessed our undying love for each other for years. Even if today texting means emailing from our phones, IMing, Facebooking or Tweeting, the medium hasn't changed much.
Communications. Is there a less delicate word for what most of us use the text message for? Anyone who says that texting is impersonal can't possibly have sent or received many.
I'm not talking about those two-word logistical back-and-forths ("On my way", "Running late", "Wine pls"), I'm talking about the post-date afterglow, the short late-night note that lets you know someone's thinking about you, the in-jokes and even the outlandish ones that make your throw your phone across the room in frustration.
As a teenager, I literally transcribed my favourite messages from friends and boyfriends into a notebook which I swore to keep forever (I lost it, of course).
These little nuggets of thoughts and feelings were a lifeline to the people I thought were the most important people in the world. You can say things in a text message that you can't say out loud, especially when you're caught up in that heady cocktail of hormones and boredom.
Hanging on the telephone
Actually phoning someone has become rather an intimidating prospect for those of us brought up on a steady diet of text-based communications. I suspect it's a generational thing but as the first wave of people to grow up with mobile phones permanently in hand gets older, are we in danger of forgetting how to make a phone call?Of course, the answer is no - that's as ridiculous as if someone had suggested that generations before us would forget how to write a letter.
But we've come full circle and we will again - it's not difficult to imagine how intimidating our parents' parents' found the original telephone after communicating only through letters and face to face.
Picture that big expensive mess of wires and handsets and speaking posts, a disembodied operator promising to connect you and then suddenly a voice you recognise in your ear talking to you in a whole new way. Then there's the awkwardness of both speaking at once and the delay of the crackling line causing a conversation consisting of not much more than repeated 'Pardon?'s.
Just as your first video call is intimidating and fairly embarrassing, those first phone calls must have been quite a thing to experience.
Writing letters may not have been forgotten but it has been cast aside, and being able to converse well over the phone is a skill that email, texting, IMing and social networking has displaced in the same way. But before long, something new will come along and we'll do the whole dance all over again.
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Samsung launches second 'multiview' camera
Samsung has launched the MV900F, a follow up to last year's Samsung MV800.
The most obvious feature of this camera is its flip-up screen, designed to easily capture self-portraits from a number of different angles.
Joining the increasing number of Samsung cameras to incorporate Wi-Fi, the MV900F also features an f/2.5 bright lens and a 16.3-million pixel CMOS sensor.
Really trying to appeal to party goers and family snappers, the MV900F includes a number of other features designed especially for that audience.
So, joining the flip up screen is Gesture Shot, which uses motion sensor technology to judge when the shutter release should be fired or zoom should be deployed.
A "virtual make-up bag", or Samsung's new Beauty Palette feature, enables ten different make-up options to be added, including the ability to smooth, brighten and add colour to profile shots.
Lens
The lens, as well as having a maximum aperture of f/2.5, also features a 5x optical zoom and is 25mm (equivalent) at its widest focal length.As the camera is Wi-Fi enabled, instant connectivity to social networks and devices is available via the Smart Link button.
Other features include a touchcreen, full HD video recording and a range of colours.
A Samsung MV900F price and availability date has yet to be confirmed.
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O2 announces significant compensation for recent outage
Anyone still seething about losing a day's mobile use from O2 last week will be receiving a reduction in their bill.
O2 suffered a big blow last week when part of its core network failed, resulting in up to a third of users being without signal for nearly 24 hours.
While voice and text services were restored relatively quickly, O2 has moved to placate its customers to thwart any potential abandonment to other networks:
"The issue we had was unprecedented and we recognise that this caused inconvenience and frustration for those who had a disruption in service," a spokesperson told TechRadar.
Sorted
"We have now identified all those customers directly affected (those whose devices could not connect on our system) and are giving them the equivalent of three days back for the disruption as a gesture of goodwill and to say sorry:- Pay Monthly customers will receive 10% off their July subscription which will be applied on their September bill, which is equivalent to 3 days back
- Pay & Go customers will receive 10% extra on their first top-up in September
Is it enough? Many O2 customers will be thinking not, as the outage caused widespread consternation throughout the UK. However, it's worth noting this large fault was rectified pretty quickly – at least it's not in the same league as the BlackBerry failure of last year…
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Raspbian OS arrives for Raspberry Pi users
It may still be tricky to get hold of a Raspberry Pi computer, but when you finally do there is now a recommended operating system to pack onto an SD card and make it work.
Debian – a free Linux and GNU based OS – has been the most used offering to date, but the arrival of the brilliantly-named Raspbian distribution is now being touted.
"We are pleased to announce the release of our first SD card image based on the Raspbian distribution," explains the Raspberry Pi blog.
"This is the result of an enormous amount of hard work by Alex and Dom over the past couple of months, and replaces the existing Debian squeeze image as our recommended install."
Quicker, faster, more productive
The new OS allows better use of the Raspberry Pi's hardware and should allow faster web browsing."Users who are still using Debian squeeze will definitely want to switch to this, as it contains numerous tweaks and performance improvements to the firmware, kernel and applications, adds the blog.
"Those who are using the recent Debian wheezy beta will also see a very worthwhile, but somewhat smaller, improvement."
The Raspbian distribution is available from the Raspberry Pi downloads page.
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Opinion: Is Kickstarter's crowdfunding bubble bursting already?
Mashable has an infographic pointing out that "only" 25% of Kickstarter projects deliver on time.
Sounds like the crowdfunding bubble is already bursting. Or is it?
Let's take a look at projects outside of Kickstarter. According to this report 33% of software projects are late. This one says that 75% of IT projects generally are late. And it might even be as high as 95%.
So Kickstarter projects are actually between 2 and 15 times more likely to be on time than other projects, at least in IT.
Second, the main covariant the study identifies is the amount by which a project is overfunded. But generally, an overfunded project means that it goes into 'stretch goals', which are more ambitious things that they couldn't consider doing without the extra money. Like developing for multiple platforms, or adding extra features.
In the case of the Twine, that I backed for my dad's Christmas birthday present, they got 15x the funding they originally asked for.
Since almost all of that funding was in the form of pre-orders, they needed to make 15x the number of units. Their original plan of hand-casting the cases out of acrylic was completely impractical at that scale and they needed to switch to injection moulding, which took a lot more time to set up. I believe that's most of why they are currently six months late.
Held to account
I'm not just being a Kickstarter apologist here. I recognise the value of holding a new phenomenon like this to account, just to keep everyone honest.But I think there's a "kick Kickstarter" bandwagon developing among the cynical blognoscenti.
Any social phenomenon, whether it's Kickstarter or Harry Potter or Apple, that rapidly jumps from obscurity to big success, makes a very attractive target for the naysayers.
Kickstarter is certainly a risky funding model, and we still need to wait for some of the first round of large, high-profile projects to deliver before we can make firm judgements on overall reliability.
But to suggest that a late project percentage of 25% is bad, or in some way attributable to the funding model, is pretty disingenuous. 25% is actually something they should be proud of.
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Massive rise in ebook readers, and it's making people read more
The ebook reader has proven to be a huge smash for the UK audience, with an astounding one in ten of us owning the device and book reading on the up as a result.
With tablets also growing hugely, the UK public is clearly expanding out from traditional media, and the ebook reader has become a firm favourite.
Just 3 per cent of people owned a digital book reader in 2011, so the double figures reported by Ofcom represent a startling increase in the past 12 months.
Middle-age spread
As well as one in ten of us owning an ebook reader – and Amazon's Kindle remains the firm market leader – the figures rise to 15 per cent among 35-44 year olds.Brilliantly, the ebook reader is encouraging owners to read more, and we'd hope at least some of that is non Shades of Grey-esque literature.
"Ebook readers have a positive impact on the amount people read," said Ofcom. "Forty-one per cent claim to read more since owning an ebook reader.
"This trend is most prominent among 18-34 year olds – 53 per cent claim they have read more since having an ebook reader
Portability
As you would expect, portability is a key factor, allowing people to port their holiday books without taking up valuable suitcase real-estate."Fifty-three per cent of owners say they bought an ebook reader because it is easy to carry around, 50 per cent so they could easily carry lots of books on holiday, and 45 per cent as it is lightweight."
Last, but not least, 29 per cent of people are looking beyond books, and using their ebook reader for papers and magazines as well.
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Intel has 20 Windows 8 tablets on the way
Intel may be facing bleaker-than-expected finances but it's far from down and out, promising 20 Atom-based Windows 8 tablets and 140 Ultrabooks are in the works.
It seems that Intel's MacBook Air-competing Ultrabook project has been quite a hit with manufacturers, at least, with 140 Ivy Bridge loaded designs currently in development.
Talking about Ultrabooks, CEO Paul Otellini said, "We are very pleased with the level of innovation and invention being brought into this category, and are now tracking over 140 Ivy Bridge-based designs in the pipeline.
"Of those, more than 40 will be touch-enabled, and a dozen will be convertibles."
Elusive
He went on to add that Intel is "confident" that Ultrabooks will hit the elusive $699 (about £500) price point in time for this Christmas.Of Windows 8 tablets, he said, "We are also tracking more than 20 Windows 8 tablet designs based on our low-power and low-cost Clover Trail Atom SOC, in addition to a number of Core-based tablets."
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Pre-ordered Google Nexus 7 shipping dates confirmed
Google has announced the dates it will ship Google Nexus 7 pre-orders to settle the minds of eager customers anxiously twiddling their thumbs.
First things first, you'll get a notification from Google Play as soon as your device ships, complete with tracking number so you can keep tabs on it.
In the UK, all Nexus 7 8GB orders will ship by July 20 (Friday), as will all 16GB orders that were placed by June 30.
All other UK Google Nexus 7 16GB pre-orders will ship next week.
Please Mr Postman
All device-only Nexus 7 8GB orders have already shipped in the US so you should be receiving delivery imminently if you haven't already.All standalone 16GB orders placed in the Us by July 11 should be shipped by the end of the day tomorrow (July 19) – Google has upgraded these orders to overnight shipping to make up for the slight delay.
All other 16GB orders in the US will ship by the end of next week with overnight shipping to boot.
All orders in Australia will be shipped by the end of July 19 and arrive in three to five days, while in Canada all 8GB orders have shipped and all 16GB orders will be sent in one-to-two weeks.
So there you have it – if you don't receive your pre-order in the ascribed time, Google says you should get in touch with its support team and adds, "Thanks for your patience".
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Intel drops expectations amid Windows 8 and tablet talk
Intel has confessed that it is unlikely to hit its targets this year, exacerbating talk that consumers are increasingly looking to tablets rather than PCs or waiting for Windows 8 to launch.
Intel had previously suggested 'high single digit growth' for its revenue in 2012, but has slahed that to between three and five per cent.
The company has insisted that other factors are to blame, but the talk is inevitably about tablets and Windows.
"Emerging markets, especially China and Brazil, are still growing nicely but are moderating due to GDP adjustments and currency fluctuations," Intel chief executive Paul Otellini told analysts on a conference call.
Windows and tablets
The rise of the tablet has been well documented, with Intel playing catch-up to a host of competitors in the mobile chip market, many of them using ARM designs.Another factor is the impending launch of Windows 8, which could be preventing businesses and consumers from making a PC purchase until it launches later this year.
Even this could be less of a win for Intel than it has proved in the past, with the next generation of Windows also making an appearance on ARM devices, breaking away from the Intel x86 platform for the first time.
Regardless of what is causing the problem, Intel is aware that the landscape in computing is changing hugely, and the company's big challenge now is to make sure that its dominance of the chip industry does not wane.
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Tech-tastic Volvo V40 takes the fight to Audi, BMW and Mercedes
A triple whammy of style, technology and unparalleled safety. That's the plan for the new Volvo V40, including industry firsts like pedestrian airbags as standard across the range and a slick new all-LCD instrument cluster.
According to Volvo, it's also their most important new car for a generation. It's a chance to take on BMW, Audi and Mercedes in the burgeoning premium hatchback class. That's a tough task. Is the new V40 up to it?
Forget about the Focus
The V40 basics involve a conventional five-door hatchback layout. Whisper it, but the underpinnings are derived from the Ford Focus. That's a hang over from Volvo's days as part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group.Volvo is now owned by Chinese outfit Geely, but the V40 project started under Ford ownership. It's likely the last new Ford-derived Volvo you'll see. Well, apart from additional new variants spun out of the V40 core.
Not that being based on a Focus is a bad thing. It's provides one of the best hatchback platforms ever conceived, including sophisticated independent rear suspension. Engines, meanwhile, are the usual mix of turboed-up four cylinder petrol and diesel lumps.
What about the tech specs?
Anywho, we're all about the tech here on TechRadar, so let's get started. Starting with one of the more impressive elements, Volvo has cooked up an new LCD display to replace conventional analogue instrument dials.
Digital instruments have been tried repeatedly during the history of the car and usually come up wanting. But recently, a few manufacturers have used LCD panels to create virtual dials. That's Volvo's ruse, too.
The main benefit is configurability. Volvo offers three main modes for the display – ECO, Performance and Elegance. They're pretty self explanatory, but check out the video below to see exactly what's on offer.
Apart from the ability, for instance, to switch the central dial between speedo and rev-counter duties, the LCD display also allows other information to be delivered to the driver, such as warnings for local speed limits.
Reading the signs
On that subject, the V40 generates those speed limit prompts courtesy of a camera mounted in windscreen above the rear-view mirror. Cleverly, it reads road signs as you blatt along.However, what the system doesn't have is a database of local speed limits built into the navigation system. Nor does the system have any kind of internet connectivity to download data.
Which brings us neatly to the broader subject of in-car infotainment and the Volvo Sensus platform, which is perhaps the V40 weakest point. The good news is that what Sensus does, it usually does well.
The Bluetooth interface, for instance, is very simple to set up and works flawlessly for both voice calls and streaming audio. The navigation system is likewise intuitive and accurate and the onscreen element of Sensus is clean, unpretentious and easy to use.
There's voice control, too, which is about as functional as anyone else's, which is to say not hugely. But overall, Sensus in the V40 feels like a well developed system.
Connectivity conundrum
What it is not, however, is cutting edge. There's no integrated internet connection nor support for piggy backing on your smartphone's connection. So that means you can forget about things like Google Local Search or Google Send to Car. The same goes for internet radio or social networking apps, which are just beginning to take off in-car.
Notably most if not all of those online features are available in some form from what Volvo would like to think is the core competition, namely the Audi A1, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class.
Still, if there are some holes in the V40's infotainment clobber, it looks pretty much impregnable when it comes to driver aids and safety tech.
Seriously safe
We'd need half a hard drive to cover all the features. But there are three highlights that give a great flavour of what the V40 is capable of and why it stands out. The first is the pedestrian airbag system.It addresses the main danger to pedestrians, hard points. You may be surprised to learn that things like bumpers, bonnets and windscreens offer reasonable levels of energy-absorbing give. Essentially, they deform upon impact.
No so for windscreen pillars, which are super-strong to provide protection to passengers during impacts and roll-overs. So, the idea with the pedestrian airbag is to out something soft between the pillars and pedestrians. It's standard on all V40s.
It's got frickin' laser beams
Next up is City Safety. The headline news here is using front-mounted lasers to detect and prevent imminent collisions. It's not a unique system, but it is the first time we've seen one that works up to 50kph (a little over 30mph). Most have a limit of 30kph.
Finally, there's Cross Traffic Alert. The idea here is to make backing out of parking spaces safer by detecting passing traffic. Basically, the system sounds an alert if any vehicles are approaching. Unlike the pedestrian airbag and City Safety, this a feature we could try out ourselves and we can confirm it both works as advertised and seems genuinely useful.
So, the V40 is exceptionally safe and well equipped, even if the infotainment kit is off the pace in terms of connectivity and apps. But what's it like to drive? On the upside, it's a very refined and competent drive. All the engines are well isolated, as is wind noise on the motorway.
The cabin is a very pleasant place to spend time thanks to decent build quality and Volvo's understated Scandinavian design. What the V40 isn't, however, is a dynamic masterpiece. It suffers from the classic symptoms of occasionally choppy ride combined with patchy body control that signify a chassis ever so slightly out of sorts.
Try before you buy
To be clear, the V40 is by no means bad. It's just not as polished and resolved as the very best. And the Volvo Sensus platform needs an upgrade for the full TechRadar recommendation.
But Volvo's new premium hatchback still has an awful lot going for it. If its particular mix of features and qualities grabs you, we recommend you give it a try. For the record, UK prices kick off at £19,745.
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