32GB Nexus 7 seemingly picked up at stateside office supply store
The mythical 32GB Google Nexus 7 appears to be very real and has made its way into the wild.
After a series of Big Foot like reports about the pumped-up Android tablet surfaced, a reader named Shaun tipped off The Verge with photos "proving" his new 32GB Nexus 7 exists.
He was able to score the Asus-made tablet at a Staples in Kissimmee, Fla.
The 32GB model runs $249.99 (UK£156/AU$242), but Shaun was able to trade in his 8GB model and pay the difference for the upgrade.
In the end he had to pay about $50 (UK£31/AU$48) for the new tablet, according to pictures of his receipt.
From the photos he sent, it looks like the new Nexus runs Android 4.1.1 and has about 28GB of available space. Also there was no $25 (UK£16/AU$24) Google Play gift certificate included.
What next for Nexus
There have been questions about how the 32GB Nexus 7 would fit into Google's tablet lineup when rumors of its existence were circling the web earlier this month. The tablet debuted with a 8GB model priced at $199 (UK£124/AU$192) and a $249 (UK£156/AU$242) 16GB version. Some thought the 32GB Nexus 7 would replace the 16GB version since they are now at the same price point. But Android Police dredged up an internal photo from Staples that look to show that the 16GB model will be bumped down and Google will do away with the 8GB model. But how much the newly branded 16GB Nexus 7 will cost now is unclear at the moment.Bye-bye 8GB
The photo also suggests that the 8GB model will go on clearance on Oct. 30. Good news for those looking to snatch up the low-end device for a low price before it disappears.
But it looks like the 8GB versions will be hard to come by in physical stores, according to Android Police.
Not many brick and mortar stores carry the 8GB Nexus 7 anymore, so those looking to get a good deal will have to do call a few office supply stores to track one down.
Google might sell the 8GB model online, but that seems unlikely.
TechRadar got reports that the 32GB Nexus 7 was accidentally shipped to a few customers just last week. We also saw the high-end model pop up on a few retailer sites. One site even had an Oct. 24 ship date for the product.
Google has stayed mum on the whole issue. But the search giant is expected to break the silence during its Oct. 29 Android event in New York.
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Sony wants to keep cumbersome '4K Ultra High Definition' name
Sony is continuing its long-held trend of picking different names for industry-wide products by sticking with the 4K Ultra High Definition name as the successor to High Definition.
This company's announcement came one day after the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) chose to rename 4K screens "Ultra High Definition.
The CEA, in addition to picking the simpler marketing moniker, made it a rule for UHD to have a 3840 x 2160 pixels minimum resolution, and at least one digital input cable that can deliver a 4K signal and display 4K natively.
Sony isn't sounding off on these minimum specs, just the limiting nature of the new name.
Sony's many reasons
"As a leader at the forefront of new display technology such as HD, 3D and beyond," Sony began in a statement to The Verge, not sounding smug at all, "Sony lauds the CEA's efforts to come up with a common language to describe the next generation high-definition technology." After the compliment, the company explained why it has disjoined the naming consensus. "However, to ensure clarity for consumers and delineate between today's and tomorrow's technology, Sony will continue to use the 4K moniker for its products and will market its future products as 4K ultra high-definition (4K UHD)." There's another reason Sony could be arguing to keep 4K in the name: the company is expected to announce PS3's successor next year, the PlayStation 4. The name PS4K would be catchy, and Sony has used its PlayStation brand to push its home theater products before.From Blu-ray to Betamax
Sony has a history of offering the same or very similar products with its own brand of names. Blu-ray is the most recent example, which rivaled Toshiba's HD-DVD. Sony eventually triumphed with its version of the high-definition successor to the DVD format thanks to PS3. Not as popular was i.LINK, Sony's take on the IEEE 1394 interface, better known as FireWire, to Apple owners. Interestingly, Apple would dominate the iDevice name years later. The company also saw limited success with its never-universally-compatible Memory Stick format, as SD memory cards dominated the camera scene. As of 2010, new Sony cameras have started accepted SD cards. Sony's determination to be different dates back to Betamax, the 1970s rival to VHS, another fight that saw the company on the losing end of the format war.
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T-Mobile to host Oct. 29 event as info on changed data plans emerges
T-Mobile is joining the parade of Oct. 29 events as Friday it announced a rather ambiguous happening for the last Monday of the month.
Microsoft and Google are each hosting events then as well, though the Softie's party is in San Francisco to showcase Windows Phone 8 while the G-men are hosting an Android affair in New York.
Just what T-Mo has up its sleeves is much harder to gauge, though chances are we'll see announcements pertaining to the carrier's fall/winter lineup fall out.
Pricing and exact availability for devices like Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 are still unknowns, so getting details for that and the Nokia Lumia 810 are big probables.
TechRadar is attending the T-Mobile event and will bring all the news and device reviews to the fore.
Data changes
In other T-Mobile news, TmoNews has dug up a change to the carrier's smartphone data requirements, finding that the minimum now rests at 2GB a month, up from 200MB. The change occurred Oct. 10 and now has customers paying $20 a month for 2GB of data. Before, the minimum amount was a paltry 200MB for $10 per month. T-Mobile's apparent explanation is that 200MB is eaten up in a flash by modern cellphones, and the change makes sense for modern usage. 2GB, the company reasoned, keeps customers from paying unwelcome overage charges or throttling.
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Facebook to host Nov. 1 Gifts event at FAO Schwarz in New York City
Facebook new and improved Gifts has rolled out to a small number of users so far, but that's likely to change at the top of next month, when the social network site holds a Gift-focused event in New York City.
Facebook's press event is scheduled to take place on Nov. 1 in the home of high-end toys, FAO Schwarz.
Yes, that's the same Fifth Avenue retailer at which Tom Hanks danced to songs on a giant floor piano.
While there's no word as to whether or not Mark Zuckerberg will perform "Heart & Soul" and "Chopsticks" on the famous keyboard, the Facebook CEO should go into great detail about the new physical gift-giving program.
Ho-ho-ho
Facebook Gifts is expected to get a big push ahead of the holidays, as it's seen as a new way for the company to make money on mobile platforms (we've never written that sentence before). More than half of its traffic accesses the site from mobile's hard-to-advertise-on screens. Partners like Starbucks, Happy Socks, The Honest Company and Cheryl's Cookies by 1800 Flowers are also hoping to benefit from the new giving-and-receiving initiative and the now-one billion users who populate Facebook.Facebook 'Questions' will go unanswered
With the advent of one new product comes with the demise of another: Facebook Questions for users. A Facebook representative confirmed to TechRadar that the company is retiring its user-based questions-and-answers feature to "focus efforts elsewhere." "Pages and Groups will still be able to ask Questions," noted the Facebook representative. "People will also still have access to their old questions via timeline." This comes at a time when there are more than a dozen question and answer competitors out there. The most notable rival is Quora, which, interestingly, was started by two former Facebook employees, Adam D'Angelo and Charlie Cheever.
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Nokia, HTC front and center on Windows Phone 8 invitation
It's really official now: Microsoft will unveil its Windows Phone 8 operating system at an event in San Francisco the morning of Monday, Oct. 29.
While we knew the date was going down, Microsoft has interestingly (though not surprisingly) decided to imbed event details in depictions of four WP8 devices on the invitations.
The invite TechRadar received is swathed with a yellow Lumia 920, Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 8 device though one Microsoft didn't exactly fawned over upon release.
That attention was placed heavily on HTC, with the software-making Softies teaming up with the Taiwanese manufacturer to announce the Windows 8X and Windows 8S.
Microsoft even called the Windows 8X "the signature of the Windows Phone 8 brand."
Plenty of Windows Phone 8 to go around
Though the two companies are pitted against one another in the market, Microsoft is sending a clear message that it isn't playing favorites, at least not during the OS's announcement. By splitting the spotlight between the two carriers, Microsoft is setting the stage for an all-encompassing Windows Phone 8 love-fest a few weeks from now.
The relations between HTC and Nokia haven't exactly been fuzzy, with reports surfacing late last month that Nokia was considering a lawsuit over the 8X's design.
TechRadar will be front and center at Oct. 29's event, bringing you all the Windows Phone 8 news and reviews for each and every phone, OS and whatever else Microsoft throws our way.
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Google might drop French media from search results over proposed law
Google may stop linking to French media sites if the country adopts a law forcing search engines to license content they direct web traffic to, a new report indicates.
Google France sent a letter to French ministries earlier this month telling officials it "cannot accept" such legislation and it would simply remove French media from search quires. The search engine posted the letter last night explaining its views on the matter.
"The web has led to an explosion of content creation, by both professional and citizen journalists," Google wrote in a post about the note.
"So it's not a secret that we think a law like the one proposed in France and Germany would be very damaging to the internet. We have said so publicly for three years."
The news in France
In September, French newspaper publishers urged the government to pass a bill that would force search engines to pay each time a user reads an article they find through a search. They said Google snatches up ad dollars they would have otherwise gotten. The law takes its lead from a similar measure making its way through German legislative bodies. The bill is reportedly an attempt to buoy struggling media outlets which have had a hard time profiting through internet ad sales. On the other hand, Google hasn't had any trouble monetizing the billion of searches it performs each day thanks to sponsored links and ads. French lawmakers seem to think it's only fair that Google pays French media sites a slice of the revenue it earns from linking to content posted by the entities. For its part, Google said it does enough to help media across the globe. In its letter, Google told lawmakers the new regulation "would be harmful to the internet, internet users and news websites that benefit from substantial traffic" the search engine sends to the sites. The company said it redirects four billion clicks per month to French media URLs. It also said the law would be similar to "asking a taxi driver to pay for taking a customer to a restaurant," and threatens the search engine's very existence.Google vs France
French legislators said they were surprised by Google's tone. "You don't deal with a democratically-elected government with threats," French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti told Agence France-Presse. Filippetti defended the law saying it's "a tool that it seems important to me to develop." Interestingly, Google already has a licensing deal with Agence France-Presse. The French newswire sued Google in 2007 for copyright violations when the search engine started using clips from AFP. For the rest of the French media, the publications might find feuding with the internet's biggest search engine isn't an easy ride. Just last month, U.K. paper The Times opted back into Google after it decided to block all traffic coming from searches. However, about 30 to 40 percent of The Times traffic came from searches, and after two years in the cold it decided to come back. Google France representatives were scheduled to meet with Franco officials Friday to discuss the law as well as concerns that Google is running afoul of European Union privacy regulations.
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Another photo, new details on LG Nexus 4 emerge
Considering the device isn't even officially acknowledged yet, there's a surprising amount of information available about the LG Nexus 4.
What's likely the new flagship Android device first popped up in early October, when it was rumored that the LG Nexus 4 (then known as the LG Optimus G Nexus) would appear alongside Google's Android 4.2 update in November.
Since then, multiple sources have suggested that the device will go by LG Nexus 4, and supposed photos of the LG Nexus phone (here's some more) and hands-on reports have emerged as well.
On Friday, new details, along with another photo, emerged once again.
@evleaks at it again
The Twitter handle @evleaks has shed light on devices ranging from the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 to, more recently, the HTC One X+. So it was no surprise that the latest LG Nexus 4 leak came by way of the @evleaks Twitter account as well. The photo appears to show a simple view of the back of the LG Nexus 4, and it looks to match earlier images.
More importantly, the details in the tweet reveal some previously unknown data about the device's measurements: it reportedly weighs in at 139 grams and measures 9.1 millimeters, with a 4.7-inch screen.
LG Nexus 4 specs: what we think we know
Those details, as well as the 1.5GHz APQ8064 quad-core processor, 1280x768 resolution, 2GB of memory, 8-megapixel camera and 8GB-16GB of storage mentioned in the tweet, support previous rumors about the LG Nexus 4. The @evleaks tweet also mentions a 2,100mAh battery and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. As was previously reported, the LG Nexus 4 sticks closely to the LG Optimus G's innards, while apparently bearing a striking external resemblance to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. With a Google Android hardware announcement scheduled for Oct. 29, an official unveiling of the LG Nexus 4 seems just around the corner, so all may soon be revealed.
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Free standalone Google Calendar app out now on Play
Google has finally released a standalone Google Calendar app in the Google Play store, giving users a host of convenient time-keeping features as a result.
While a Google Calendar app was already available for select handsets, like the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, the free download is now available to all Android users running either Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 and above or Jelly Bean.
The app can connect with and manage all of a user's calendars, including non-Google ones synced to the Android handset.
Users can add, edit, and delete events, respond to event invitations and generally perform anything that could be done with the built-in Android calendar.
App pourquoi?
So why use a standalone Google Calendar app instead of the built-in one? The new app has a few unique features that help it stand out, like the ability to set a home time zone to eliminate travel confusion and an extended sync period, allowing users to recall events up to a year old. Users can also interact more directly with event notifications, such as pressing snooze to have the notification show up again later. The ability to send quick responses directly from an event notification, like when running late or stuck in traffic, is also a handy, face-saving feature of the new app.Future-proof your calendar
The real benefit of the new Google Calendar app, for both Google and consumers, is that it's no longer tied just to the Android OS. As a separate app, Google has a lot more flexibility to update and add new features to Google Calendar without needing to send out an entire OS version update. Google has done the same thing in the past with standalone apps for other built-in Android features, like its Google Maps and Gmail apps. Android users still running Ice Cream Sandwich will already get the benefits of that update flexibility. The Google Calendar app gives ICS users the full Jelly Bean calendar suite of improvements ahead of carrier releases for the OS update. Android users looking to keep their schedules as up-to-date as possible can find the free Google Calendar app in the Google Play store now.
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Report: 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display price revealed
Even though Apple hasn't said a word about a 13-inch MacBook Pro revamp to include a Retina screen, that hasn't stopped speculation about the rumored device from continuing to sprout up.
Reports of the new laptop first surfaced this summer, though no such device was released alongside the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro when that product launched last June.
More whispers of a 13-inch model continued to arise, with the latest indication pointing to Apple gearing up for production earlier this month.
Adding more fuel to the fire are reports Friday of actual pricing for the smaller MacBook Pro, indicating Apple may be ready to formally introduce the new laptop.
Base model to start at $1,699?
Sources speaking with 9to5Mac are reporting the price for the 13-inch Retina MacBook will start at $1,699 (UK£1,061, AU$1,645). That would make the new model some $500 (UK£312, AU$483) more expensive than the standard 13-inch version, but would also start it out at the same amount less than the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Those same sources also indicated the higher-end model of the 13-inch laptop will come in at $200-$300 (UK£124-£187, AU$193-$290) more, which would still keep it under the base price of the 15-inch version. Many believe the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will debut along with other smaller devices like the iPad Mini and possibly a new Mac mini at an Apple event Oct. 23. Any new laptop announcements would certainly take a bite out of Microsoft's own Oct. 26 Windows 8 release. With a few short days to go until Apple's event, we won't have much longer to wait to find out what Cupertino has in store.
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'Microsoft design style' may be latest, and final, Windows 8 UI rebrand
Microsoft admitted it was abandoning the "Metro" name to describe its design language for Windows 8 in August after threats of a potential lawsuit from a German company surfaced.
At the time, Microsoft claimed "Metro" was merely a codename used during W8's development, and that it would switch it to a broader term closer to launch was always part of the plan.
Since then, Microsoft has adopted terms like "Windows 8-style UI," "New User Interface," "Windows 8 design" and "Windows 8 application" in place of "Metro."
Now, new information has surfaced indicating Microsoft is once again flip-flopping on the name of its UI design in the wake of ditching "Metro."
Microsoft design style
Based on terminology discovered in Microsoft's app design guidelines for Windows 8, it appears the company is opting for "Microsoft design style" as the final replacement for "Metro." Any and all mentions of "Metro" have been seemingly stricken from the record, as Microsoft readies itself for the consumer launch of Windows 8 on Oct. 26. Curiously, the new term isn't capitalized, giving some credence to the thought the title is more of a descriptor than an actual branded name. For now, consumers and developers are stuck with this new branding, which doesn't exactly speak to simplicity like "Metro" or Windows 8 and Windows RT. Having already gone through nearly half-a-dozen different names just to describe the look of the Windows 8 user interface, it wouldn't be that surprising to see yet another change happen in the future.
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Late to the game, Verizon to offer Google Play carrier billing
Verizon just arrived fashionably late to the Google Play party. The wireless company announced Thursday it will start supporting carrier billing for the online media store.
But hold up: don't rush to your phones and start buying games, music, movies and books for your mobile device just yet. Verizon is rolling out the new billing process sometime in the next few weeks.
The news came over the Twitter wire, where the playful media magnet let Verizon users know they will can soon charge purchases through the carrier to that will show up on their phone bills.
"Hey @Verizon Customers! Pay for Google Play apps, music and more on your phone bill. We're rolling this out over the coming weeks. Enjoy!" the tweet read.
Verizon finally arrives
Other than that the details are pretty scarse on the deal, though there might be a $25 per month limit on how many digital good users can charge through their phone bill. However, if you hit that limit, there is always a good old fashioned credit card. Google rolled out a similar carrier billing plan for the Android app store a while ago, and Verizon is the last major carrier to pick up Google Play. Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile were among the first carriers to support the billing option back in May, making Verizon five months late. The move is interesting since Verizon customers can purchase items off Google Play through Isis, a digital wallet app. Isis is a joint venture backed by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. However, the app is still in its trial stages, though look for it to start hitting customers in select cities next week. Maybe Verizon just couldn't wait any longer to start offering customers episodes of "Mythbusters" and subscriptions to GQ. We'll see how the details unfold when the service officially rolls out.
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Surprise! 3G Samsung Chromebook also available for $330
Samsung unveiled its next generation Chromebook laptop Thursday, and in all of the hubbub another string to the story got lost in the shuffle.
An Amazon listing, as well as a stealth appearance in Samsung's online store, shows a 3G capable model of the new Chromebook, with the company accepting pre-orders for an affordable $330 (UK£206, AU$319).
The 3G Chromebook includes a two-year data plan with Verizion offering up to 100MB per month.
3G is always a welcomed addition for laptops, but it comes as especially handy with the cloud-based Chrome OS under the hood.
Cloud computing on the go
Aside from 3G capabilities, the new Samsung Chromebook is identical to its Wi-Fi reliant cousin. Users will get a lot out of their 3G connection with the 11.6-inch Chromebook's slim Macbook Air-like form factor measuring 0.8 inches thick and weighing 2.5 pounds. It also features the Samsung Exynos 5250 ARM-based processor, 2GB of RAM and a VGA webcam, plus one HDMI port, one USB 3.0 port and one USB 2.0 port. 16GB of internal memory is also complimented by 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years. Google claimed the new Chromebook can power up in just 10 seconds thanks to Chrome OS's reliance on shortcuts to Google's online apps rather than installed programs. The Chromebook also has a battery life of around 6.5 hours on a single charge. Those looking for an ultra-slim notebook and who are eager to put all of their computing in the cloud may also consider the non-3G model, available to pre-order now for the even more attractive price of $250 (UK£229, AU$240).
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Samsung Galaxy S3 goes contract-free on MetroPCS for $499
Wireless customers who don't like lengthy and expensive contracts will likely rejoice at their chance to take Samsung's Galaxy S3 for a spin, as Friday prepaid carrier MetroPCS announced the phone will join its offerings.
The contract-free wireless provider revealed that it will soon begin selling the Galaxy S3, one of the most popular Android phones, sans contract.
Naturally, the Galaxy SIII will cost a little more since it's not subsidized through a contractual carrier agreement - it will go for $499 on MetroPCS, with monthly rates reportedly ranging from $30 to $70.
When the S3 debuted over the summer, it went for anywhere from $149 (on AT&T) to $229 (on T-Mobile) with a two-year agreement.
Prepaid still the way to go
Mobile carriers in general are losing contracts, but gaining prepaid customers, a report claimed earlier this year. With the Samsung Galaxy S3 headed to MetroPCS, that trend seems likely to continue. The May report claimed that the seven largest U.S. carriers lost 52,000 contract subscribers during the same period that they gained two million prepaid customers. One reason for this shift is that, simply put, contracts are expensive - the same report claimed that AT&T customers pay on average $64.46 per month when under contract, but only $11.52 when not on contracts.Time to upgrade
The powerful and sleek 4.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S3 couldn't even be toppled from TechRadar's top spot by Apple's iPhone 5. With the S3 now available with or without a contract, it's the perfect time to upgrade - especially if the T-Mobile-MetroPCS merger goes through (despite the best efforts of MetroPCS's shareholders). With T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom in charge, who knows how things might change at MetroPCS?
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Google filling in 25 million brand-new building footprints in Maps
Google rolled out an initiative to fill in the blanks on its Maps app, one that should help even the most directionally challenged navigate where they need to go.
The move will see 25 million new building footprints join the service on both desktop and mobile for major metropolitan areas across the U.S.
Those regions include Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and the San Francisco Bay Area.
"This expansion is part of our ongoing effort to provide you with maps that are as comprehensive as possible," the announcement on the Google Lat Long blog said.
Fill 'em in
Buildings, the blog said, provide helpful orientation as local landmarks, and Google's even included height detail in the structure outlines. The new footprints are "algorithmically created by taking aerial imagery and using computer vision techniques to render building shapes."
Users can contribute to areas they are familiar with through the Google Map Maker, insuring building footprints are accurate and up-to-date, the post said.
Google has also offered the option of assigning "your favorite local business to an existing building" or by drawing the footprint for that business via the Map Maker.
Even if the change seems relatively minor, it still puts Google's maps service leagues above Apple's dismal, though improving, native maps outing.
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Analyst says iPad Mini could spell end of iPad 2
The iPad Mini is very likely meeting the world Tuesday, and while the wonderment mounts, one analyst sees the 7.85-inch slate's coming as the death knell of another Apple tab.
According to Rob Cihra, an analyst at Evercore Partners, an independent investment banking advisory firm, Apple will streamline its offerings following the tiny tablet's arrival.
That means phasing out the iPad 2, Chira said in a note to investors, a device that's less than two years old.
Ever since the new iPad hit its stores, Apple has sold the second-gen iPad at a $399 (UK£249, AU$386) price point, a $100 (UK£62, AU$96) drop from the iPad 3.
Make way for the Mini
Many expect the upcoming iPad Mini to be a smaller version of the iPad 2, though with an upgraded processor and perhaps more RAM. The Mini likely won't have Retina display, but its probable 1024 x 768 resolution will match the iPad 2's specs. With that, Apple's likely going to pack more pixels per inch in the new tablet, making the screen sharper than its ancestor. Chira also noted Apple could see around seven million tablets by the end of the year and 27 million iPads in all during the holidays. TechRadar has reached out to Apple for comment on these reports and will update this story if and when the company responds.
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Microsoft Stores offering reservations for Surface launch day buyers?
Microsoft begins selling the Surface RT next Friday, but if you're concerned about the $499 and up tablet selling out on launch day, you might be able reserve one at a Microsoft retail store.
CNET reported Friday that an eager Surface buyer was able to procure a reservation pass from his local Microsoft Store in Oregon.
The pass guarantees a tablet then as long as the purchaser shows up prior to 12 p.m. PDT Oct. 26.
Online, there's currently a ship date of three weeks for the cheapest model the after initial batch of preorders sold out.
Your tablet, reserved
According to Windows Phone-centric website WPCentral, a member of its forum was able to pick up the reservation pass, which promises "your Surface will be ready for you to purchase" before noon on launch day. The same forum member claimed the Microsoft Store employee who assisted in making his reservation had a stack of between 150 and 200 passes, with the lucky poster nabbing number 002. Microsoft has yet to comment on how it plans to handle reservations, so it's unclear if this particular store was acting on its own or following corporate policy. While the entry-level $499 32GB Surface RT is sold out online, bundles for the $599 32GB and $699 64GB models, which come complete with Touch Cover, are still showing delivery by October 26. The Touch Cover alone costs $119.99 and while the Type Cover, home to more physical keys, is bumped to $129.99. Eager Surface buyers might want to call the Microsoft Store in their area before venturing out to pick up a reservation pass, especially with only 23 stores spread over 14 states.
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Hands-on review: GoPro HERO 3: Black Edition
This week GoPro held an event in and around San Francisco to introduce the world to their latest creation, the GoPro HERO 3: Black Edition. Described by the company as the world's first 4K-capable action cam, everyone in attendance was given their very own HERO 3: Black Edition to put the little camera to the test.
With an MSRP of $399.99 the GoPro Hero 3 is 30% smaller and 25% lighter than the Hero 2 and offers 4K video capture at 15fps. For those in the know, 15fps is probably not gonna cut it for the more hardcore would-be filmmakers but the GoPro HERO 3 boasts myriad capture modes iincluding the new resolution of 2.7K at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, 1440p at 48fps, 960p at 100 fps and 720p at 120fps.
In addition to that the GoPro HERO 3 is also capable of capturing 12MP stills at 30fps, and it also sports improved low light performance compared when compared to its predecessors.
We tested our GoPro HERO 3 at Sonoma Speedway just north of San Francisco where we used to the camera to record footage of various motorsports. We drove an Audi R8 around the track with a camera attached to our helmet as well as one mounted on the roof of the $180k sports car. The in-car footage was super smooth and did a great job of showing what it was like to be behind the wheel. In addition the improved audio with the GoPro HERO 3 made it possible to hear the conversations we were having in-car as well as with the instructor who was guiding us via radio. That said, audio quality is still an issue with these cameras.
The roof-mounted camera likewise did a great job of expressing what it was like to speed around the track at upwards of 100mph. And GoPro sells so many top-notch mounting options that we easily were able to attach the camera to the roof of the car via a suction cup.
In addition to driving the Audi R8 we also mounted the HERO 3 to a motorcycle helmet and were taken around the track on the back of a sports bike while a professional racers tried and successfully scared us to death. The images picked up by the camera are stunning.
As far as specs are concerned the HERO 3 has built-in Wi-Fi for which lets you stream footage live to your computer or smartphone. In addition to that, the HERO 3: Black Edition ships with the $79.99 LCD Touch BacPac. This makes it much easier to set up your shots. Prior to hitting record, we would frame our shots with the LCD Touch BacPac and then turn it off to conserve battery power. The GoPro HERO 3: Black Edition also ships with a Wi-Fi remote that can control up to 50 cameras simultaneously.
One downside with GoPro's cameras is the lack of an easy-to-use UI. And while this is still an issue with the HERO 3 the LCD Touch makes this much easier.
Simply put, if you're an action sports fan that does anything from surfing, cycling, skiing or you just like to record yourself diving fast, you'll no doubt be pleased with the GoPro HERO 3: Black Edition.
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Hands-on review: Updated: Asus Taichi
The Asus Taichi is a prime example of the new and varied form factors that are springing up from every manufacturer in the lead up to the release of Windows 8.
In a market that's as far from the generic clones that are plaguing the Android tablet market, there's no way that Asus will be beset by claims of copying with the unique Asus Taichi.
From afar the Taichi looks like a standard 11.6-inch ultra-portable laptop. There's no swivelling, docking or sliding as we've seen from the likes of the Asus Vivo Tab, the Samsung Ativ Smart PC or the Sony Vaio Duo 11.
On closer inspection, however, you'll notice that the Asus Taichi has a second screen embedded into the lid, so when the laptop's closed, it becomes a tablet PC.
This second screen enables it to be used as a standard laptop while open, held as a tablet when it's shut, and even be used by two people at the same time.
Powering this unusual Asus tablet-laptop hybrid is an Intel Core i5-3317U processor clocked at 1.7GHz with 2.6GHz available at full load. This offers plenty of power to multitask over the two 1080p IPS panels.
Having not one but two Full HD screens is staggering, and the rest of the lineup is none too shabby either. There's Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, 128GB SSD, and 4GB of RAM.
What's more, the size and weight of the Asus Taichi is impressive, without acknowledging the serious amount of technology packed inside. It weighs just 1.1kg (2.5lbs), which is far more than a tablet, but ranks among one of the lightest full form laptops we've ever seen.
Visions of complex Windows commands being required to start using the rear panel were thankfully dispelled, and opening the slim chassis revealed a blue hotkey that shone out from the array of compact black buttons.
Press this button and the screen is dimmed before a horizontal bar appears on the screen for icons for four distinct settings: Notebook mode, Tablet mode, Dual-Screen mode and Mirror mode.
Notebook mode just switches off the second screen and Tablet mode enables you to use the top screen while the laptop is closed, just like a tablet. Mirror mode 'mirrors' whatever is on the laptop screen onto the lid, and Dual-Screen enables you to use both screens independently.
The early pre-production model we had time with was still far from finished, and there were plenty of issues with the software still to be ironed out.
This is understandable, since the system has to decide which way to orientate the display as you hold the tablet and open the screen. Switching was also laborious, but it's obviously a long way from being finished.
In our brief hands-on test we couldn't find any performance issues with the Tegra 3 chip, and Windows 8 remained responsive while multitasking apps and switching between them.
The clear benefit is the ability to carry your laptop and use it as a tablet on the move, opening it up when the keys are required for typing longer emails or working on documents, but enabling you to surf the web and check your email.
However, it still remains a niche product, but one we hope isn't resigned to Asia only, or a muted execution by CES 2013.
Weight is important with any device that's supposed to be used as a tablet, which is still an early build, but we were assured that the thickness, weight and build is extremely similar to the Asus Zenbook.
Other concerns are with battery life, and having an Intel Core processor powering two screens will struggle to cope with anywhere near all-day use. We'll have to wait for more details to emerge before working out whether the Asus Taichi will see the light of day.
We're still dubious whether this will see a genuine release of the Asus Taichi, because it's hard to see how the cost of production can match with mass appeal to become a mainstream product.
Asus has been there before, notably with the Asus Padfone, which has recently been given a proper global release with it's second iteration, the Asus Padfone 2.
Whatever happens to the Asus Taichi, Asus should be applauded for testing the boundaries of what can be achieved with Windows 8.
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Updated: How Microsoft Office web apps are catching up with Office 2013
Office web apps catch up with Office 2013
The preview of the free online Office web apps gives them the same Metro look as the Office 2013 desktop apps and a handful of the same features, including the Touch Mode button for spacing icons out to make them easier to tap with a finger and turning on the finger-friendly context menu. The most useful might be the new Recent files section in SkyDrive, where you can see documents you've opened from SkyDrive recently, whether you used desktop Office or the Office web apps – and whether they're on your SkyDrive or shared by someone else. Sharing is real-time in all the Office web apps. You can now edit all your SkyDrive documents at the same time as someone you're collaborating with, whether you're using the desktop or web versions of Word, PowerPoint or OneNote. You can collaborate in the Excel web app, as long as you're both using the web app; if one of you opens the spreadsheet in desktop Excel, you're the only person that can edit it though.
If you're collaborating on a Word document or PowerPoint presentation, you can leave comments and replies in the web apps. In PowerPoint web app you can see the comments while you're editing your presentation; in Word web app you have to be in the preview rather than editing the document, although you can mark comments as completed the way you can in the desktop.
The Office web apps team is considering a fix but suggests having the document open in a second tab as a preview to see comments (although we found we had to reload the document to see new comments rather than having them appear live).
There are some long-awaited features like word count in the Word web app (amazingly, the web app team said they were surprised at how many people wanted this) and changing page layout. OneNote finally lets you search within a page, but you can't search all your notes at once the way you can on your PC or even in the OneNote phone apps (and the SkyDrive-wide search still only finds keywords in the names of documents, not the contents).
More features
Both the Word and PowerPoint web apps have more formatting tools, although what you get is still only a fraction of what's in the desktop apps (and the spelling checker in the desktop apps is still smarter). We like being able to add transitions in the PowerPoint web app, but the only options are fade and push. You can apply a Picture Style like a preset border, but if you've used a shape effect on a text box, you can see it but not change the colour. You can insert images from the Office.com clipart collection by searching and browsing from your document, but you can't add images from your SkyDrive, Flickr account or from a Bing search as you can in the desktop apps, and you can't insert online video clips (although you can play videos in documents in the web app preview). There are also odd inconsistencies between the two web apps. You can create SmartArt diagrams in PowerPoint web and insert, resize and rotate shapes; you can't do either in the Word web app and if you have shapes in a Word document you can't even see them in the web app editing view – you can see SmartArt diagrams but only as static images. This is only a preview so perhaps Word web app will catch up. On the other hand, Excel web app gets features that aren't in the desktop app, like the tool for making a survey and collecting the results in a spreadsheet, as well as lots more tools like PivotTable editing and more slicers for analysing data. The Outlook web app isn't part of SkyDrive; you get it if you have Exchange or Office 365. It actually had more of a Metro look than most of Office 2010 already but it gets lots of Office 2013 features, including support for Apps for Office like the one that can turn an email into a meeting in your diary. Some features, like linking duplicate contacts, are actually easier to find in the OWA interface. It's also the first of the Office web apps to get offline functionality, but that depends on which browser you're using.
The other Office web apps work well in a really wide range of browsers, including Chrome, Firefox and Safari as well as IE; they don't need ActiveX, Flash or even Silverlight any more. They're all HTML5 so they work well on tablet and smartphone browsers.
But if you want to use OWA offline (looking at emails, contacts and calendar appointments or writing messages to send when you're online), you need Internet Explorer 10 or later, Safari 5.1 or later, and Chrome 18 or later. That means no offline access on an iPad or an Android tablet (or a phone) until their browsers add more of the HTML5 standards for storage.
In the final release of Exchange, offline access works perfectly with Metro IE10. In the preview version we could set up Offline access from both the desktop and Metro IE browsers but it only worked consistently in the desktop browser.
Now you get offline access to email (up to 400 messages in the Inbox, drafts and any other folder you've opened recently) and a year of calendar appointments, plus you can create new messages and appointments when you're offline and have them send automatically when you go back online. That means that Surface RT and other Windows RT tablets that can't run Outlook can still give you more of the Outlook experience than any other tablet.
There are some odd choices in the Office 2013 preview of the Office web apps, but the new features are all useful. And although they're labelled as a preview, you can start using them straight away, whether you're trying out the Office 2013 preview or not.
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One More Thing: Optimus G fights Galaxy S3 to the battery death, wins
Battery strife - LG's not having anyone thinking it's not as good as Samsung just because Samsung's sold more phones and that. It pitted the LG Optimus G's 2100mAh battery against the Samsung Galaxy S3's 2100mAh battery and the Optimus G, conveniently, came out on top. [The Korea Herald]
Tall tab tales - Carphone Warehouse reckons the Nexus 7 has become its best-selling Android tablet ever, proclaiming "record numbers" sold and, incidentally, here's some marketing spiel. Sadly it failed to respond to our requests for clarification, so we don't know if that's by percentage ratio or sheer volume, we don't even know a ball-park figure for how many have been sold and we have no idea what the second- and third-best-selling Android tablets are at Carphone Warehouse. Also on the list of things we don't know is how the Nexus 7 sales compare to iPad sales at the outlet. Not all that favourably, we'd wager. [PR]
To the cloud! – Pirate Bay has made a tactical move to the cloud, using several cloud hosting providers around the world. It'll mean less downtime and cut costs – oh, and make the site almost impossible for the police to shut down. Bonus. [Torrent Freak]
Instagrammatically correct - These clever clogs made a stop motion film entirely out of Instagram images – and it's not even all that twee! Worth three minutes of your time, we'd say. [Vimeo]
BEP-boop - Ubisoft is suing the Black Eyed Peas, something many of us have wanted to do for a long time. Rather than claiming damages for the band bringing that song (you know the one) into the world, the games maker wants justice after it developed The Black Eyed Peas Experience for iPad and iPhone and the band failed to give or deny approval. Where is the love, guys? Where is the love? [BBC]
Story time - Twitter is running a fiction festival for no obvious reason and you – yes you – could take part. If you've got an idea for a story that you could tell over Twitter, pitch it here. Then tune in to five days of fictional fun from November 28 by tracking the hashtag #twitterfiction (or blocking it if you think it sounds lame). [Twitter]
Game on - OMT doesn't know what you look for in a videogame these days, but if it doesn't let you dress up as a giant chipmunk and kill people, well, then we don't want to play it. [Eurogamer]
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No Jelly Bean for Sony Xperia phones until 2013
Sony has confirmed that its flagship Sony Xperia T handset won't be getting the upgrade to Jelly Bean until February 2013 at the earliest.
Also getting the Android 4.1 update at around the same time is the Sony Xperia V.
The company hasn't explained what the hold up is, but it does add that Android 4.1 will be coming to a host of other Xperias.
Getting the sugary update at some point next year are the Sony Xperia S, Xperia acro, Xperia ion, Xperia P, Xperia Go and Xperia J.
There's no time-frame for this yet, and roll-outs will vary by country.
Play 'em out, keyboard cat
Unfortunately for those of you with older Xperia phones, the Jelly Bean dream has crumbled and died. In the same blog post, Sony announced that "after thorough evaluation, we have concluded [the 2011 Xperia portfolio] will not be upgraded beyond Ice Cream Sandwich". There was a bit of a hoo-hah over the 2011 Xperia line-up when it appeared in July that the company had given up on them, leaving them to languish on Ice Cream Sandwich forevermore. Then Sony changed its mind, saying that the Xperia Arc S, Xperia Mini Pro and the rest of the 2011 gang could yet get Jelly Bean as the company was "actively investigating" what was what. But it turned out that what was what was that there is no hope of an official update for the older handsets. Time for a new phone?
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Open Thread: iPad mini: What do you want to see?
The iPad mini release is nearly upon us – but what does Apple need to do to make a smaller tablet a success?
We all remember Steve Jobs' claim that a 7-inch wouldn't work (although it appears his opinion may have changed over time, given an email during the Samsung trial that showed he was receptive to the format) there are some that never thought we'd see the day when an iPad mini launch was in the offing.
But with Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD coming for a rock-bottom price with some pretty impressive specs, Apple has got its work cut out to match the budget level with the iPad mini price.
It's up to you
Enough about the negatives though – let's throw the floor open to you guys: what are the iPad mini features that are must have on the new device? Should it be packing NFC? A Retina display? 128GB of storage for all the HD films you want to watch? Or does it only need 32GB? We'll be bringing you our in-depth findings with our hands on: iPad mini review in the coming days (unless Apple has sold us a dummy and there's no such thing as a smaller iPad) so until then let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Updated: Windows 8 release date and price: all the latest details
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Microsoft has revealed the Windows 8 release date is 26 October 26 - that's Friday!
The Windows 8 release date - known as Windows 8 General Availability, or GA - is in line with the Autumn 2012/Fall 2012 release date we were expecting - indeed, we had thought it would be launched the day before, on October 25.
However, we have been playing with the new operating system for a little while - make sure you check out our in depth Windows 8 review.
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.
- 50 Windows 8 tips, tricks and secrets
- Windows 8 on ARM: Steven Sinofsky speaks
- Windows 8 tablets release date, specs and prices
- Making sense of the Windows 8 versions
- All our Windows 8 content
Windows 8 price
Microsoft is offering Windows 8 upgrades priced at just $39.99USD/£24.99 for anyone using an existing product. The offer will be open until January 31 and after that the OS will cost a higher price. If you're currently running Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP on your PC or laptop you'll qualify for a downloadable copy of the top-level Windows 8 Pro for the knockdown price. You will also get Media Center as an additional free download. A Windows 8 upgrade assistant wizard will walk you through the process. Microsoft says the upgrade process as easy as possible and will also extend to buying a physical disc in store, although that option will cost $69.99/£49.99. New Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs will be available to buy and upgrades will also be available starting in October - Microsoft Surface will also be released on 26 October. Windows 8 will be available in 109 languages across 231 markets worldwide.Windows 8 upgrades
A post on the Windows 8 blog explains which files and settings users will be able to bring with them, depending on the pervious version of the OS in question. "It will ask you what you want to keep from your current Windows installation," the post reads. "You will be able to upgrade from any consumer edition of Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro and bring everything along which includes your Windows settings, personal files, and apps. "If you are upgrading from Windows Vista, you will be able to bring along your Windows settings and personal files, and if you are upgrading from Windows XP you will only be able to bring along your personal files. Of course, if you want to start fresh, you can choose to bring nothing along."Windows 8 release date announcement
The announcement of the October date came during the main keynote at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2012. Windows chief marketing officer Tami Reller stated the Windows 8 release date was set for "late October". Windows President Steven Sinofsky subsequently made the official date announcement at Microsoft's annual sales meeting. RTM took place in August; that means release to manufacturing, essentially the date at which the bods at Microsoft shout "it's finished", the code goes gold and it gets sent to the disc pressing plants. 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. Reller also revealed Microsoft has sold 630 million Windows 7 licenses to date - 30 million extra sales over the company's previous announcement in June.
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1&1 adds web apps for ecommerce and social
Web host 1&1 Internet has launched a free suite of off-the-peg web applications available for use within its MyWebsite package.
The 100 new web apps include apps for eCommerce that integrate with Amazon, PayPal, and eBay to help businesses create sophisticated one-stop shops with just a few clicks of the mouse. For example, within a few clicks, a restaurant can now integrate a table booking application for its customers to use, without having to pay any additional costs and without any developer help.
In addition to the ecommerce apps 1&1 MyWebsite now also offers a range of communication and social media applications such as Skype and Calendar Wiz, Google+1, LinkedIn and Pinterest as well as productivity apps like Slideshare, Website Translator and Statistics Summary.
The Web Apps are integrated within a MyWebsite, and remove the need for website visitors to be diverted away to external URLs.
The apps are also localised for each country, so if you are selling to Europe and beyond your customers will see the most relevant app to their country. For example, UK restaurant customers are offered Open Table and Yelp Reviews Web apps, whilst hoteliers can incorporate reviews from Trip Advisor and photo streams from Flickr.
Available from £9.99/month+VAT, the new apps are available now.
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Google Nexus 10 pops up in Picasa EXIF data
A photo has popped up on a Google-owned photo-sharing site that states it was taken on a Google Nexus 10.
Spotted on Picasa, the not-exactly-Bailey-standard snap is nothing to write home about, but take a look at the EXIF data and you'll see what's got our interest piqued.
If you look at the photo on Picasa (soon to be retired in favour of Google+), the listed model name of the photo in question is "Nexus 10", while the camera is listed somewhat suspiciously as "Google".
But if you check it out on Google+, the camera is given as Nexus 10 and there's no model number to speak of.
Back to Picasa now, and under software the code "JVP12C" is given (possibly a build of Jelly Bean), while the pixel resolution stats also imply a 5MP camera (2560x1920).
Leg pulling
EXIF data is not the particularly reliable; it's relatively easy to fake this data so we could just be having our leg well and truly pulled here. But it's not the first time we've heard tell of a Google Nexus 10 – rumour has it that old faithful Samsung is behind the upcoming slate, which will come rocking an iPad-beating 2560x1600 display. Will Google unleash the Nexus 10 on us at its Android event on October 29? We're not sure our letters to Father Christmas can handle it...
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