Facebook testing Photo Sync feature on iOS 6 users
Facebook has begun testing its new automatic photo upload service on a small sample of iOS app users.
The Photo Sync feature, which was tested on some Android app users in September, will upload all photos taken with the device's camera to the social network as soon as the picture is taken.
While that may be a terrifying prospect for those snapping more than just beautiful landscapes, cats and cheesecake, Photo Sync will not post photos directly to the user's Timeline without approval.
Instead all photos will be stored in a private folder within the Facebook user's photo albums, where the decision can be made on whether to make them public or share with pals via direct message.
Less fiddly
The idea is to simplify the process of uploading photos to the social network and takes its lead from the Google+ Instant Upload feature. "Only you can see the photos you've synced from your phone. Your photos are saved privately in a section of your Facebook Photos that only you can see. When you view your synced photos, you can choose shots to share or send in a private message," said a post on the Facebook help pages. Photo Sync works over both Wi-Fi and mobile internet, but the data-conscious user can also configure the service to sync only using Wi-Fi. To check if you're one of the few users currently able to test the feature, open the Facebook app, load the left-sided list menu, scroll down to Apps and select Photos. If you see 'Sync' at the bottom of the page, it can be enabled.
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UK's £530m rural broadband plan gets go-ahead
A government scheme to improve broadband in rural areas will now begin in earnest after state-funding was approved by a European Commission.
Back in January, the UK submitted plans for a £530m project that would bring faster internet to the most remote areas of the countryside.
As the project was to be funded by state aid, the government required approval from Brussels, which culture secretary Maria Miller has earned a month ahead of schedule.
The improvements in rural areas are part of the coalition's long-standing plans to give the UK the best broadband network in Europe.
90 per cent superfast
The first areas to benefit from the improved connectivity will be Surrey and Wales, while Cumbria, Rutford, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire will follow, with BT carrying out all of the work. Mrs Miller MP said: "Britain is in a global race today. To succeed in that race we must have the infrastructure to match our aspiration, providing people who work hard with the tools they need to get on and prosper; this green light will benefit both businesses and communities across the UK. "Our broadband plans are hugely ambitious – to connect 90 per cent of homes to superfast broadband and ensuring the rest have access to at least 2Mbps. The Government will not allow parts of our country to miss out on the digital age."
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Galaxy S4 rumors point to quad-core A15 chip, 13MP camera
Given the success of Samsung's Galaxy S3, a Galaxy S4 must be on its way, right?
Samsung isn't about to admit as much, though, meaning we've got to rely on rumors until official word makes its way down the pipeline.
Rumors like, say, Tuesday's report that Samsung's Galaxy S4 will sport the device maker's Exynos 5450 chipset with a powerful Cortex A15 quad-core processor and an equally impressive 13-megapixel camera.
In addition, one report on Tuesday claimed that the Galaxy S4 launch will go down in February, though the exact source of that prediction is unclear.
Galaxy S4 release date
The Samsung Galaxy S4's release date has been the subject of much speculation since whispers flitted about in September claimed that the Android smartphone would be unveiled at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in late February. Samsung quickly refuted that rumor, though. More recently, a report from last Friday claimed that Samsung will unveil a new device with a gorgeous 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display at January's CES 2013 conference, and speculation points to that device being the Galaxy S4. That's yet to be confirmed, though, and SlashGear reported Tuesday that the February launch at Mobile World Congress may still happen, despite Samsung's claims otherwise.A long road to the Galaxy S4
With Samsung's Galaxy S3 mini only recently revealed, it may still be some time before the Galaxy S4 surfaces in any official capacity. And a Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus may even appear before then. But until the S4 is announced by Samsung, the rumor mill will doubtless keep chugging. TechRadar has kept abreast of all S4 rumors and news, so check out our complete what we'd like to see round up for all the latest (plus some wish-list items).
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Firefox 17.0 launches with integrated Facebook Messenger
Mozilla has released the latest Firefox update, version 17 by its count, which adds a new social API.
The social API allows for a persistent social sidebar that gives users direct access to chatting with their social networks while surfing the web.
As a partnership between Mozilla and Facebook, the first social feature for Firefox 17.0 is Facebook Messenger.
Turning the Facebook Messenger feature on opens up the Facebook chat sidebar on the right side of the browser along with notifications at the top for incoming comments, photo tags, and other notifications.
What's new in Firefox 17?
While Facebook Messenger is the only social sidebar out for Firefox 17 right now, the social API will make it possible for other social networks to build their own similarly integrated tools. Also new in Firefox 17 is the click-to-play blocklisting feature for plug-ins. With the feature, Firefox will no longer automatically run web content that uses an out-of-date plug-in, such as if the computer's version of Flash needs to be updated. Users can still manually click on content to run using older plug-ins, or allow Firefox to try and install a newer version of the plug-in. The other big change in the new version of Firefox is that Mozilla has finally cut off support for Mac OS X 10.5. Safari dropped Leopard support last year, and Chrome followed suit a few weeks ago, making Opera the only major browser to still support the legacy Apple OS. Mozilla also recently overhauled Firefox for Android, making its mobile browser compatible with nearly 250 million more Android smartphones on the market. Mozilla is banking on social features to make Firefox fit more easily into its users' lives. Facebook Messenger is a good start, while Twitter and Reddit sidebars can't be too far behind.
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Rep reveals Asus is working on Android 4.2 for tablets
Asus may have only just rolled out Android 4.1: Jelly Bean to its Transformer Prime and Transformer Pad Infinity a few months ago, but the company is already working on the next Android upgrade.
According to new reports, the manufacturer will bring Android 4.2 to its Transformer tablets soon.
The news of the update was actually revealed to a consumer by a customer service representative who said, "We are currently working on the development of Android 4.2 for our tablets."
While it's unclear at this time just which Transformer tablets Asus is planning to update with Android 4.2, the change will certainly be welcome to any and all users looking forward to new features and improved functionality.
Transforming the tablet
Android 4.2 has plenty of interesting features it adds to the existing Jelly Bean OS to make it a worthwhile addition to Asus' Transformer lineup. The most obvious addition is the option to create multiple user profiles on one device, which even offers full customization options to make the tablet distinctly unique for each user. There's also Gesture Typing included, which allows users to swipe their fingers across the letters to create words, rather than typing in a traditional sense. Of course, the overhaul Google Now will receive is also a big deal, as it adds a slew of new functionality and new cards into the mix. Android 4.2 is already available on a variety of devices such as the Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and Nexus 4, and it will certainly be welcome on even more tablets when Asus is ready to roll it out.
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The NBN: Everything you need to know
Introduction
No technology has quite changed the way we interact with each other like the internet has. From email to Facebook, from Twitter to Quickflix, people are spending more and more of their time online. Not only are we spending more of our time online, but we're downloading more and more stuff every day. More than four billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube, while there are over a billion monthly active Facebook users. But it's not just social. Businesses are moving to the web en masse, creating an industry worth billions. The convenience of shopping from home, or accessing your favourite media instantly via the web has seen more and more startups and services launch businesses specifically for the web. All this demand for content has put a strain on the infrastructure that connects homes all over Australia to the internet. For the most part, that infrastructure consists of ageing copper wires, owned by Telstra and in need of upgrading.
So in 2009, The Labor Government announced its plans for the National Broadband Network. A nationwide, fibre to the premises network that serviced 93 per cent of Australian homes, with wireless being used to reach the remaining seven per cent.
Run by a government funded company - NBNCo - the NBN would offer wholesale fibre services to ISPs to sell on to the end user.
A massive undertaking, both in scope and in price, the NBN quickly became a political football, kicked between the government and the opposition to score cheap political points.
But while it continues to be a controversial expense for the government, the rollout has continued, with NBN services being switched on all over the country.
History
Following its victory in the 2007 elections, the Rudd Labor government called for private companies to offer proposals to build a nationwide super-fast broadband network. There were six submissions in total, including one from Telstra that was excluded for not complying with the application requirements. The Telstra application was in fact a half-submission, doing its best to dance around the potential issue of structural separation, where the government would force Telstra to split its wholesale and retail arms into two businesses. In the end though, none of the applications met the government's requirements. More of an issue was the timing - in the middle of 2009, the world had just hit the Global Financial Crisis, and none of the companies that had submitted a proposal could raise the necessary capital to fund the project. What's more, the government discovered that should it go ahead and build a Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) network - as was being pitched at the time as a more affordable approach to the NBN - it would end up having to pay Telstra between $15-20 billion in compensation to access the copper wires connecting the node to each home. This fact more than anything else spurred the government to create its own solution to the issue of nationwide broadband, in the form of the NBN.The launch of the NBN
In April 2009, the Government formally announced its plans to bypass Telstra's copper network entirely by building a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, and supplementing it with additional fixed wireless and satellite services for remote customers. To build the network, the government established NBNCo, and announced a trial deployment of the network in Tasmania. Before the dust had even settled from announcement, NBNCo had kicked off the hard part of building the Tasmanian network, starting work on July 1 2009. In March 2010, NBN Co announced the first five mainland sites to have the NBN built. Armidale, Kiama Downs and Minnamurra, Brunswick, Aitkenvale and Mundingburra and Willunga - five sites totalling approximately 14,000 homes - had the NBN rollout commence in 2010. In July 2010, the second stage of the NBN rollout was announced, adding 14 towns across the country to the national network. Work commenced in this second stage rollout the following month, in August 2010. The first mainland NBN service was officially switched on in Armidale on May 18, 2011. Since then, services have gone live all around the country, with 32,295 premises passed by fibre as of September 2012.Continuing the rollout
In March 2012, NBN Co announced its three year rollout plan for its FTTP network. The plan outlined the plans to construct the fibre network in over 1500 communities and past 3.5 million homes between now and June 2015. To coincide with the announcement, NBNCo released an interactive map detailing what areas will be getting what level of NBN within that initial three year rollout period. NBNCo has stated that it plans to complete the construction of its fixed wireless and satellite services by 2015, while the fibre component will continue to be built until 2021.Telstra, Optus and the ACCC
The NBN was initially conceived as a way to work around Telstra's monopoly of copper telecommunications infrastructure. Yet as part of the NBN construction process, NBNCo and Telstra formed an agreement that involved the leasing of Telstra exchanges, ducts and pipes and currently unused fibre infrastructure to the NBN. This arrangement, worth more than $9 billion to Telstra's bottom line, ensured that NBNCo would be the only wholesaler of fibre broadband in Australia, while getting Telstra to migrate its customers away from its copper network and onto the fibre one. Similarly, an agreement with Optus worth about $800 million will see the telco switch off its HFC network and move to the NBN. After some initial caution about potential anti-competitive behaviours, the ACCC approved both the Telstra and Optus deals, allowing NBNCo to speed up its planned rollout by using Telstra's infrastructure.The technology
The NBN will use three different technologies to bring high speed broadband to Australians across the country. 93 per cent of the population will eventually have access to a fibre to the premises broadband connection, with the remaining seven per cent being connected to a fixed wireless or satellite service.
The reason for the different technologies comes purely down to cost. While the bulk of Australia's population lives in cities, the cost of running fibre to remote parts of the country is far from cost effective.
By using fixed wireless and satellite services, NBNCo is able to manage the expense of building the network, while providing rural Australians with an internet connection speed that is actually usable.
Fibre to the premises
Fibre to the Premises, or FTTP, is exactly what it sounds like. Optical fibre runs from the local exchange to the house directly, allowing for super-fast broadband speeds. By contrast, Fibre to the node (FTTN) only delivers the optical fibre to the local node, relying on a pre-installed copper connection to connect each house to the network. While there are definite speed improvements for FTTN over a complete copper connection, it still suffers from many of the problems faced by current copper infrastructure. At present, NBNCo is making its FTTP network available with download speeds up to 100Mbps and upload speeds of 40Mbps. But the company has already announced its intention of upgrading that to 1Gbps download speeds before the network is completed.Fixed wireless
Roughly four per cent of the population living outside the fibre footprint will get access to broadband using a fixed wireless service. But what does that even mean? For the NBN, fixed wireless will use a version of the LTE 4G technology, running on the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz spectrums. Unlike the 4G services from Telstra and Optus, the NBN fixed wireless technology will deliver a set amount of bandwidth to a set amount of people. Where mobile networks can have lots of different people accessing the network at the same time, slowing the network down, NBNCo can effectively guarantee enough bandwidth for each user by having a pre-determined amount of people on its fixed wireless network. It also won't be affected by changing distances away from the mobile towers like your 4G smartphone. Initially, NBNCo's fixed wireless service will be limited to theoretical maximum speeds of 12Mbps. It has stated that it will improve those speeds in the future, although no timeframe has been given for the upgrade. NBN Co purchased a chunk of spectrum from Austar in early 2011, plus an extra bit of spectrum from the ACMA in July that year to help deliver its fixed wireless network.Satellite
About three per cent of Australia's population lives in areas so remote that the only realistic way to offer a broadband connection is via satellite. Satellite technology is hardly an ideal solution for broadband delivery. The interim offering currently available from NBN Co can only deliver up to 6 Mbps download speeds. The current solution involves using bandwidth bought from Optus and IPstar satellites, but NBNCo has also made plans to build and deploy its own satellites. Due to launch in 2015 by Space Systems/Loral, the two Ka band satellites will deliver 80 Gbps worth of bandwidth each, and will deliver peak speeds of 12Mbps to the 400,000 premises outside both the fibre and fixed wireless areas of the NBN.The connection
During the rollout, NBNCo will be installing an NBN connection to every home in Australia, unless that home "opts out" of the service. Given the NBN will see the current copper network decommissioned, opting out probably isn't the smartest move. The installation process involves NBNCo workers running fibre optic cable either underground or overhead on powerlines, depending on the current infrastructure. It will be free for all households during the initial rollout, but if you decide to opt out and then change your mind later, you'll be forced to pay for it. When the NBN installer connects your home to the network, there will be a box installed on the outside of your house called a Premises Connection Device, which is where the fibre optic cable will connect to your home. Inside your home, another box called a Network Termination Device (NTD) will be installed. This is like the box that will allow you to plug devices in to the NBN, from your television to your wireless router and your telephone. There are four data ports on the NTD and two telephone ports for multiple phone UNI-V phone lines. The data connection ports on the NTD can be used to deliver IPTV as well. The NTD requires a dedicated power source, which is also installed inside, and plugs into a standard 240V power point. It also includes batteries as a back up for the telephone in case of a blackout. The power source cannot be connected to a powerboard, extension cable or double adaptor, so it's worth considering where the internal connection offerings will go in your home and having an extra power point installed if need be.Phoning it in
The NTD features two dedicated ports for phone connections. It's important to note that they aren't just for two phones, but for two connections - you will be able to have multiple phone lines from different providers delivered in your home with the NBN. Because phone calls will be made over optical fibre, which cannot carry power, the connected power supply unit will include batteries for making phone calls during blackouts. The batteries provide between two to three hours of continuous power to the phone line to make calls. It's important to note that data connections are automatically switched off when mains power is lost in order to extend the battery life for the phone connection. Also, when battery power reaches 50 per cent, it automatically switches off, requiring a manual switch on should you need to make a phone call.
The system will work with any regular home phone, although cordless handsets won't work during a blackout as the base station requires its own power connection.
Getting online
Once everything has been installed and the service has been activated in your local area, your direct dealings with NBNCo are finished. To get online, you'll need to sign up to a plan with an ISP. It's important to note that there is no need to pay for line rental like there is with ADSL plans. That said, companies like Telstra are charging more for data and offering discounts when you bundle your internet access with a phone plan. There is no obligation to have a phone plan though, so those who are content with mobile phone coverage and broadband don't need to pay for something they won't use.The cost
The biggest argument against the NBN from the federal opposition revolves around the network's cost to build. However, in almost every case, the information delivered by the liberal party is either being misrepresented or misconstrued. Whether that's done intentionally for political gain or mistakenly through a fundamental lack of understanding about the economics of the network is irrelevant. The biggest source of confusion seems to be the idea that the network is being funded by taxpayers dollars, and is therefore costing the general public a lot of money. It's not. To fund NBNCo, the federal government borrows money and gives that money to NBNCo to construct the network. The idea is that once the network starts operating and selling its wholesale network, it can begin to pay back the government with money from its customers. In other words, it works almost exactly like a regular business loan from a bank, except with much bigger numbers.
The opposition spent a lot of time arguing against the fact that the NBN isn't classified as an expense as part of the federal budget. But the government's accounting decision was justified by a research note from the Parliamentary Library of Australia, which explained that "Australia has adopted internationally accepted accounting standards, and these are applied in the budget treatment of the NBN."
Build cost
The other myth that continually flies around arguments about the NBN is the cost of building the network. While the Liberal party is more than happy to throw around the number $50 billion, the truth is that the cost of the network has never come close to that figure. The capital cost of building the NBN is $36 billion. Of that amount, the government really only needs to raise around $26 billion, as once the network reaches critical mass, the network will start making enough money to cover the cost of completing the rollout itself. The other factor to consider is that the network is going to cost $36 billion to construct over the course of at least 10 years. It is not an up front expense that needs to be paid for in full.The future
From the outset, the NBN has been a political football, bruised and battered as politicians from both sides of parliament do their best to kick it in their favour. The Labor government and its supporters claim it is the best way to deliver super fast broadband to all Australians, while the opposition claim it is too expensive, and similar results could be attained with a FTTN network for a much lower cost. This bickering has led to some question marks about the future of the network, should there be a change in government in the 2013 federal election. The Liberal party has had a slightly shifting position on exactly what it will do with the NBN should it come into power. Initially, they planned to scrap the network completely. More recently, they have claimed they will put the network on hold, or try and work out some alternate arrangement. Whatever happens, it will most likely be messy. Over the past three years, NBNCo has signed a lot of contracts. Some of them have large compensation figures written into them should it be decided that the network won't go ahead. In other words, it's unlikely the network will be scrapped outright should a coalition government be voted in, purely for the fact it will cost them too much money to cancel. It may not continue in the same way, but the initial attempts to "demolish" the NBN won't happen.Faster speeds
One of the best things about the NBN's fibre build is that it will be upgradable over time. Initially delivering a theoretical maximum download speed of 100Mbps, NBNCo has already announced plans to upgrade the network to 1Gbps. Recently, British researchers have developed a way to realistically deliver 20Gbps speeds over fibre, potentially upgradeable to 40Gbps. in other words, the infrastructure put in place by the NBN's fibre build is future-proof, scalable to adapt to growing data consumption on the network in future decades.
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Skype 3.0 for Android launches with new tablet-friendly UI
Skype has revamped its user interface for Android tablets like the Google Nexus 7 and Asus Transformer Prime.
Skype 3.0 for Android appeared on the Google Play store Tuesday with a brand new look focused on making use of the extra screen real estate offered by slates.
Much like the desktop client or iPad application, the new Android version offers a two-column approach aimed at simplifying multitasking. For example, users can now easily access IM messages without leaving a video call.
The app caters full screen video calls, regardless of the display size, while the device's rear camera can also be used to showcase the world around the user.
Microsoft login support
Skype for Android now lets users log in to the app using their Microsoft account, following Skype's recent amalgamation with the now defunct MSN Messenger app. It also brings support for the company's SILK audio codec, which promises enhanced audio quality for voice and video calls. You can see the new Skype for Android app in the video below, while the upgrade is now available from the Google Play store.
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Sony 4K TV shipping with world's first Ultra HD content delivery system
Consumers concerned Sony's KD-84X9005 4K Ultra High Definition television won't have a wealth of native resolution content to enjoy upon its delivery at their houses can worry a bit less now.
Sony announced on Tuesday the first customers who pre-ordered the massive television will gain exclusive access to what the manufacturer called "the world's first 4K Ultra HD delivery solution."
The device will come pre-loaded with 4K Ultra HD content, which Sony assured is much more than just demo footage made to show off the capabilities of the KD-84X9005.
TechRadar got the chance to review the television last month, so it's good to hear that the set's outstanding Ultra HD imagery, 3D pics and audio won't go to waste.
What to watch for
One of the big advantages Sony has when it comes to 4K Ultra HD is it owns its own production company, and makes 4K Ultra HD cameras and projectors used by many films today. As a result, Sony has a wealth of in-house 4K Ultra HD content it has produced that is ripe and ready for home use with its new display. The content provided by this new content delivery system along with the first 4K Ultra HD TVs Sony sells will include some of these full-length Hollywood productions. Though Sony was tight-lipped about just what kind of content would be included, it did reveal the content would be exclusive. Whether that exclusivity will be in the realm of Panasonic's deal for Avatar 3D, or a limited exclusivity until 4K Ultra HD media becomes more commonplace, remains to be seen. Sony has promised to reveal more details about the specific content to be included before the set arrives later this year. With the KD-84X9005 retailing for $25,000 (UK £25,000, AUD$38,765), the offerings will have to be pretty impressive to make the investment worthwhile.
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Reports oust Mac mini's inability to download latest OS X
Remember the Mac mini, the downsized computer that saw refreshes for the 2012 launch next to the iPad mini last month?
If you own one and you've run into insurmountable obstacles attempting to download the latest version of OS X Mountain Lion, then the mini is certainly on your mind.
Several users recently took to Twitter to bemoan the computer's inability to install OS X 10.8.2.
"After 5 hours and four reinstalls…I find out the 2012 Mac mini cannot be upgraded to 10.8.2," one tweeter vented. "#WTF."
What's going on?
CNET reported Monday that the OS X update isn't available through the App Store's Software Update service. Downloading it with 10.8.2's manual updater doesn't work either, as this message appears after a failed attempt: "Error: OS X Update can't be installed on this disk. This volume does not meet the requirements for this update." Apparently, the hitch is that the new Mac mini requires a special version of the 10.8.2 update. Apple actually posted one on the App Store, but pulled it last Friday without offering up a replacement. Cupertino's stayed mum on what's going on, while new reports also point out that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display and new 21.5-inch iMac can't receive the 10.8.2 update either. This isn't the first news of an update flap at Apple this week: Apple TV owners are also reporting that their TVs are shutting down after downloading the latest 5.1 software update. From the looks of it, something rotten is going on with Apple's software systems.
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Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus coming in 2013?
Samsung is reportedly returning to the Galaxy S2 smartphone well with a new and improved version slated for next year.
SamMobile is reporting that a Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus handset is being prepped for a Q1 2013 release.
According to the site, the phone would come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box and the latest version of the TouchWiz UI, along with 8GB of storage and a choice of two colours - white or blue.
The report does not speculate on whether there will be improvements in the engine room such as the addition of a quad-core processor or improved memory.
Strange timing
The speculation comes six months after Samsung succeeded the Galaxy S2 with the all-conquering Galaxy S3, so it would be an interesting move if the predecessor was pushed back into the limelight. Samsung also launched the downsized Galaxy S3 mini in the last month, while recent tech gossip has been trained on a potential Galaxy S4 launch at CES 2013. The original S2 is still selling well with some mobile carriers and is clinging to the top ten in TechRadar's 20 best mobile phones in the world today chart, over 18 months after it launched. If Samsung does launch a Galaxy S2 Plus it may risk blurring its brand clarity, an issue which HTC has admitted caused confusion among customers and saw the start of its fall from grace in 2011.
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Lenovo website divulges ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch with Windows 8
A new product popped up on Lenovo's website Tuesday, an Ultrabook the company has apparently let out of the bag before making an official announcement.
Called the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch, the book looks to be a Windows 8-optimized take on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
Touch, you can tell, is a hallmark feature.
According to its posting, Lenovo is preparing this W8 device for a December launch.
Forthcoming
As the image above reveals, the X1 Carbon Touch is a 14-inch device equipped with what Lenovo is calling an "HD+" display and carbon-fiber assembly. Other than highlighting its Windows 8 touchpad gesture capability and thin and light build, there's not much to go on for the new Lenovo Ultrabook. TechRadar gave the ThinkPad X1 Carbon high marks for its stellar battery life, solid performance, great build quality, generous SSD drive and inviting keyboard, though it wasn't without its faults. With a touch-less sibling hitting a lot of high notes, let's hope Lenovo won't sacrifice quality simply to throw another Windows 8 product on the market.
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Latest Apple TV update causing growing user grief
A thread on Apple's support forum has been filling up with complaints of a software update leaving many Apple TV players without network connectivity - or worse yet, bricking the hardware entirely.
Although the issue dates back to September when the Apple TV version 5.1 software update was first released, an increasing number of users appear to be afflicted by an issue that renders their media streaming box useless.
AppleInsider reported Tuesday that afflicted users posting to Apple's Support Communities website describe the problem as a black screen shown on the connected HDTV, while the light on front of the Apple TV continually blinks.
For those lucky enough to get their Apple TV to actually boot up, many are discovering the media play is unable to connect to their network after applying the latest update.
Downgrade workaround
As users continue to flock to the support thread to complain about the issue, others have proposed a temporary solution. Apparently, manually downgrading an afflicted Apple TV to an earlier version of the software appears to get things working again - at least until Apple comes forth with an official remedy to the problem. Apple forum member the FeverDog posted links to the previous Apple TV 5.0.2 update for both second and third-generation models, but that version doesn't include support for Shared Photo Streams or sending audio-only content to AirPlay-enabled speakers. To install the downgrade, users must first download an IPSW file from Apple's servers, which can then be used to restore the Apple TV via iTunes on a Mac or PC with a micro-USB cable.
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Review: Updated: iPad mini
Introduction
Apple has gone where we never thought it would, with the iPad mini bringing the Apple tablet experience to a brave new budget world. The new tablet comes in at a wallet-friendly £279 for the basic version, with 16GB of storage on offer for the Wi-Fi version. You can supplement the mini-slate with up to 64GB of space to chuck movies and music, as well as 4G LTE connectivity, but that will set you back an eye-watering £529 for the top model. But then again, the iPad mini release isn't about the top end specs with a whopping price tag – it's about beating the likes of the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD in the budget stakes.
The two competitors have been getting many column inches so far thanks to the super cheap prices and the impressive specs on board – although with both only offering a 7-inch screen compared to Apple's 7.9-inch offering, the Cupertino board is confident its device will win the day when it comes to capturing consumers' hearts.
However, the more frugal shopper, and especially one buying for a loved one, may not agree with this idea, as the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD costs around 40% less and when faced with a choice between the three might opt for the familiar Amazon brand or the sheer power of the Nexus 7, with its mightily impressive spec list and legions of Google apps.
That said, Apple fans need not worry too much when it comes to whether the iPad mini is a worthy addition to the iBrand, as it comes with enough power and reams of Ive-inspired design to make it a worthwhile addition to the range – this isn't a shrunken down iPad, it's a whole new product again.
Be it the larger screen size, the impressively low weight or the alternative design compared to the competition there's a lot to chew over with the iPad mini – but is it worth spending your hard-earned when more cash will get you a fully-fledged version of Apple's tablet?
Features and design
The iPad mini is one of those devices that exists because the market started to dictate its presence…but that doesn't mean Apple doesn't want to put its own spin on things. To that end, the screen is larger at 7.9 inches, the design is completely different to the likes of the new iPad or the Google Nexus 7, and the whole ethos has been created from the ground up partly under the stewardship of Sir Jony Ive, according to Apple.
None of that matters though – what is important is the fact it's a superbly-designed device that at least gives a measure of why it costs so much more than the likes of the Kindle Fire HD.
The aluminium chassis shares the same colouring as the iPhone 5, with the darker black slate and white silver options both bringing a touch of class to proceedings.
At 308g it's twice the weight and then some of the iPhone 5, but compared to other tablets on the market (and combined with the aluminium chassis) it gives a very lightweight feeling the hand.
The screen is something of a worry though – with the 1024 x 768 resolution in the expansive display we're only getting a sharpness akin to the iPhone 3GS. While the display is better than that, thanks to improved IPS LCD technology, its still light years behind the Retina display on the bigger brother new iPad.
If you own a modern iPad, you'll notice the difference straight away. But then again, if you have one of these, then you won't want to buy the iPad mini.
Where the tablet will struggle to impress is when users who own an iPhone are checking it out, as it certainly doesn't have the wow factor of other devices.
In a side by side test of the same movie running on the iPad mini, the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD, the iPad looked the least impressive (although the contrast ratio was certainly more than decent in our eyes).
Then there's the issue of holding the actual tablet. As Apple says, it's as light as pad of legal paper, and there's definitely no notion of this causing undue wrist strain. However, there is an issue with actually holding it, as the iPad mini doesn't really lend itself that well to any manner of grip.
The most comfortable and safe-feeling way to hold a tablet is to grip right around the back – something Apple thinks you can do easily according to its promotional materials.
Well, you're wrong there, Cupertino-gadget-people. It's just too far to stretch around comfortably for those with average-sized hands, so you're forced to hold it in the corner, covering part of the screen. It's good that Apple has chucked some technology in there so this doesn't register as a touch, but it's not the most comfortable way to browse.
In landscape with two hands, the iPad mini is a much nicer device to hold, with the aluminium covering giving it a really lovely back. However, the covering in aluminium in the same way as the iPhone 5 has led to another design problem: scratching.
The handsets have been getting criticism for exposing the silver metal below with minimal scratching, and this has begun to happen within a day on the iPad mini – which is all the more confusing seeing as it doesn't live in the pocket with keys and coins.
It's something we hope Apple would have changed in the manufacturing process already, and means you'll need to keep a real eye on how you look after the tablet.
The top and the bottom of the bezel are also wide enough here to rest your hands comfortably, and the likes of landscape web browsing and accelerometer-based gaming are excellent.
The rest of the design is predictably ergonomic when it comes to tapping the minimal level of buttons. The volume rocker keys are close to, but not too near, the mute switch on the top right-hand side.
This is near the power button, which is intuitively placed to always be easy to hit when you want to reactivate the iPad mini… although many will just hit the home button to achieve the same thing.
That traditional Apple home key is predictably here again, and it's shrunken somewhat to fit into the smaller chassis. However, during our testing we found it just as easy as ever to hit, despite the dinkier dimensions.
It's interesting that Apple has popped the headphone jack at the top of the iPad mini, given it's put so much effort in chucking it down at the bottom of the iPhone 5... but we do love it staying above the screen.
The speakers are at the bottom of the iPad mini, flanking the Lightning connector, which offers faster speeds of data transfer and can be connected either way round that you fancy, which is handy when charging before bed and can't be bothered to put the light on.
The speakers provide decent enough sound, but in landscape mode really create a distorted sense of audio, thanks to it firing quite mono-directionally.
The processor being last generation, in the shape of the Apple A5 effort, may worry some but it's likely to be enough for most actions, coupled with 512MB of RAM. It's miles away from the raw grunt of the Google Nexus 7 or the new iPad with its A6X processor, but Apple reckons it helps it hit a sweet spot in terms of price.
Interface and performance
When it comes to the interface on the iPad mini, it's not going to be a shock to any long-time Apple users, with the same iOS 6 method of displaying icons still as prevalent as ever. This means the transition to the smaller size of device will be easy for most, as although the iPad layout, with more space between the icons on the home screen, is prevalent once more, it shrinks down nicely. Holding the iPad mini in portrait mode is easy enough thanks to the weight, and prodding the icons on screen isn't too difficult nor does it feel like you're going to push the tablet out of your hands and onto the floor, waiting for that heart-stopping moment when you see a crack slide across the display like demon fingers reaching into your wallet.
The iOS interface is simplicity itself, so any users not familiar with Apple's mobile operating system will pick it up in no time at all. The icons are laid out in a 4 by 3 grid, and unlike on the iPhone they will rotate when you move the tablet into landscape format.
The ability to place icons in the bottom dock means you can have the apps you want pervading around the home screen, while dragging and dropping said apps on top of one another will allow you to create folders with ease, which you can rename anything you want.
As we expected with a device running iOS 6 there are no widgets to speak of, which means the only app you can really control from the home screen is the music player, which can be accessed by double tapping the home button (which activates the list of recently-used apps) and swiping left for access to the music controls.
What is also nice here is you can alter the brightness of the iPad mini from the same screen, as well as change the speaker output if you're using AirPlay... little things but the direction Apple needs to take to make iOS a little more modern. It's nothing new, but it works very well on the smaller tablet.
The lock screen is a slightly different matter; for those au fait with iOS on the iPad, this will be old news, but for the newcomers: if you double tap the home button here you'll be presented with access to your music controls again, along with album art displaying when you're listening to music.
And there's also the option to have the lock screen as a slide show of all your favourite pictures, which is started up by pressing the photo icon at the bottom - it's these little tweaks that have brought joy to so many Apple users over the years, and we're still impressed by them today.
However, this is still iOS 6 running, and that's becoming something of a problem in our eyes. Not so much at the moment, as there's enough simplicity and function on offer to not make us too worried, but it's a system that is starting to show its age.
For instance, one of our main bugbears is through controlling settings - this is still only really possible through the main 'Settings' app, which means if you want to tweak mail settings, music or apps themselves you'll need to jump out of whatever you're doing and head into another menu from the home screen just to make a small alteration.
However, Apple is still catering for the iPad owners with some handy gestures to make things easier to move around. Instead of double tapping the home button to switch apps, touching the screen with all five fingers and swiping left and right will move you through the most recently-used apps, and pinching all digits together will return you to the home screen.
This is really helpful when using the tablet on the move, as it means you don't need to shuffle the palm around to hit the home button - and it's really cool too. It's an even more intuitive system on the iPad mini than the iPad 'proper', as it somehow fits the screen size better.
We still like the Facebook and Twitter integration – being able to post thoughts directly from the notification centre (available anywhere by dragging from the top of the screen)
Apple might be criticised for bringing last year's technology to the iPad mini, as the A5 chip with 512MB of RAM doesn't sound like a lot when you can buy the quad core Google Nexus 4 smartphone with 2GB of RAM for the same price as the mini, and with the same amount of storage too.
However, in practice it's really rather hard to fault Apple's interface performance when using the device in day to day use. It's definitely not got the grunt of the larger new iPad 4, as when we were setting up the device and downloading all manner of music and settings the whole thing melted down and wouldn't let us move around menus or see what was going on with other apps.
But that was a rare situation, as only apps getting snarled up and shutting themselves down caused us any consternation in day to day use. This isn't a regular occurrence, and to be fair happens a lot less on iOS than it does on Android, as Apple's quality control is a tad higher when allowing apps into its marketplace.
And let's not forget about real world use - we tested this side by side with a number of other tablets, including the quad core competition, and when it came to browsing speed we were impressed to see the iPad mini coming up trumps in the speed stakes on a number of occasions. Benchmarks confirm that it can ripple along as well as the competition, and validates Apple's decision to stick with the older processor to keep 'costs down' (or margins up)...
The only real gripe, and it's one you'll hear time and again from us throughout this iPad mini review, is the fact that the screen is too low-res. It simply saddens us to see menus we're used to on both iPads and iPhones not having the same sharpness as before... and we're certainly not used to seeing Apple take a step back in quality.
If you've never used a top end smartphone or tablet, this won't be an issue as the display is fine, and technically still HD in terms of pixel count. But it's definitely the trick Apple is holding up its sleeve for the iPad mini 2 - that Tim Cook is a sneaky one, isn't he?
Messages and contacts
The way the iPad mini handles messages is two fold: through the impressive email client and now with iMessage on board. When it comes to emailing, there aren't many better clients on the market, with an expansive view and the ability to see your messages differently in both portrait and landscape mode. You can have multiple accounts set up on the device, be it through Exchange or a web-based service like GMail, and then you're able to see these individually or together in a unified inbox. Either offers an excellent view of your message, with it being easy to delete emails as a batch or as single missives.
But it's the little tweaks that make this option a decent choice for a work-based tablet, if you're one of those types that move around a lot when doing business things.
It's not going to change the world, but there's a lot we like here: the power draw of the email client is relatively minimal compared to older Apple products, you can easily manage folders and see specific emails through the search function and it just makes everything easier than competing products on Android.
And little touches, like being able to swipe right and pull out the inbbox make it a real winner in terms of usability.
The keyboard on the iPad mini was an area we were interested to drill into, as given the smaller proportions of the device we wondered if it was going to be any easier to type on than the larger iPad.
Well, in normal portrait and landscape modes it's a little bit odd. With its bigger brother (and most large screen tablets) you can place them on your lap in landscape mode and rattle out messages at a fairly rapid rate thanks to the bigger display.
That's not possible on the iPad mini really, and holding the device in portrait means you can't type one handed either. However, if you use Apple's clever split dock keyboard, the whole system is much better. This feature is available on the bigger 'Pad, but with the larger size the weight made it hard to hold and type with.
For the iPad mini, typing on the move is an excellent experience once you spend some time practicing - entering text on tablets has always been hard, but this is as easy to use as the impressive SwiftKey on Android, bar the clever auto-prediction of text.
It's obvious Apple would include iMessage on this device, allowing you to send messages between other Apple devices for free (in most cases, depending on how lenient your network is) in the same manner as RIM's BBM.
It's a simple system, and without the extra confusion of a phone number to worry about it doesn't get in way of actual SMS messages, which was a problem on the iPhone 5. If you're someone who has others in the family set up on an Apple device, you'll find yourself using this feature out and about a fair amount, especially if you've picked up the LTE iPad mini.
FaceTime
One of the 'magical' features for the iPad mini is the ability to call people using FaceTime, which won't come as a shock to many of you, given Apple is certain people need to see their cats before saying goodnight when away on business trips.
The service is much unchanged on this model of iPad, although the HD front-facing camera is an excellent choice for chatting with people using your head rather than just your mouth.
The service was slick (with a strong enough Wi-Fi connection) and although we wish the contacts menu made it clearer who was rocking an Apple device and would thus be ready for FaceTime, the overall experience was smooth and the on-screen power impressive.
Contacts
When it comes to contacts management, Apple has never been the most impressive, and that continues on the iPad mini. While the service is perfectly acceptable in terms of storing names and numbers, the rest of it isn't too intuitive. For instance, with the involvement of Facebook on iOS 6 you can now see your buddies with phone numbers in your Contacts list, as well as those from iCloud and other services you've connected in, like Exchange.
However, while on other devices (mostly Android) there are clever suggestions to help you link them together, and automatic options in many cases, there's no such thing on the Apple front.
You have to dig into the contact, edit the listing, then tap a tiny '+' icon to call up another list of people to join together. It's not a huge problem, and if you can't be bothered with it you'll just end up with a messy list of associates, but it's irksome when it's so much better implemented on rival platforms.
The app itself isn't the most attractive out there either, simply because in portrait mode Apple hasn't stretched it out to take up the full amount of the screen. It seems curious that the company that prides itself on such elements of design would take this approach, rather focusing on the landscape version of the app, but at least the UI is attractive.
A special mention should be made for the list of letters on the left-hand side, allowing you to skip to the people you want to get hold of easily. This part is really sensitive but also manages to register the letter you're after time and again. It's the little things that please us, and make Apple products so attractive to so many people.
Internet browsing
Apple led the way when it came to mobile browsers back in 2007, and five years later the same structure is still giving a decent mobile experiences on a multitude of screen sizes. The iPad mini Safari browser is an excellent implementation, despite its age; while it lacks some of the impressive bells and whistles of its competitors, the simplicity of being able to scoot between web pages with ease is enough of a trade-off for many.
The browser is fast enough too, although the A5 processor isn't able to match the speed of its bigger new iPad 4 brother over the same Wi-Fi connection, which can render pages a few seconds faster in our tests. It's no slouch, but in the pantheon of top-end devices (including the Google Nexus 7) can all chuck the text and pictures we want to see together in a much more impressive time.
The display resolution isn't too bad for the browsing experience thankfully; with the low-res effort we were worried zoomed-out text would look illegible until we double-tapped or pinched to get closer, but it's good enough for those without eyesight problems to be able to see effectively.
As we mentioned, the iPad mini browser is fairly feature-light, but what it does have is useful. For instance, sharing a web page, printing it out (as long as you have an AirPlay printer connected) and sending the link via mail or Facebook is a simple as tapping the icon, and the integrated nature of the tablet means there's no confusion over what it's doing.
Similarly, we loved the offline reading function - while, again, this isn't a new feature on a mobile device or an Apple product, the portability of the iPad mini puts it in a lovely spot between the iPhone (which can be too small for reading longer articles) and the larger iPad (which can be a hassle to get out on the train compared to the pocket-size of the iPad mini... well, large pockets, that is) for reading the things you don't have time to.
The list is easy to view when trying to find the article you want to read, and the icon to save for offline reading is again easy to hit (in the sharing section).
The other feature, and one that's been around for a while is the Reader option, where tagging the feature in the URL bar will give you a cut-down version of the article you're reading without all the unnecessary features that mobile advertising brings.
Again, the iPad mini is the best device for reading the articles you really care about on the go, and beats its budget tablet competition hands down in this area.
Apple should be commended here as well for sticking to its guns in the mobile video arena and eschewing Flash - while its reasoning for not including it previously as a standard in its web browser was suspect, the upshot is we now have a cleaner video format for mobile devices that isn't as convoluted to use.
On the iPad mini, while the video experience isn't as good as it could be thanks to the screen resolution, for web video and clips its excellent, and the speed of loading is more than acceptable. It means sites like the BBC offer nearly all its online content with ease, rather than the frustrating 'Flash is not supported on your device' message we all sadly had to get used to.
There are a few things that irk us when it comes to the web browser on the iPad mini - and not just the slower speeds, which aren't necessary when you consider that the cheaper competition is able to provide a much speedier experience.
Not being able to perform functions like reflowing text to fill the screen as you zoom in are elements we wish Apple would offer, despite knowing that it never will. It would add to the experience immensely, and give a good reason to consider the competition. Of course, you can re-jig the text size in the Reader view, but that's a few steps we don't want to make. We want to see zooming in make the text go bigger automatically.
But overall the iPad mini web experience, while a smidge last-gen, is still one of the best around. It brings ease of use and acceptable speeds while providing an excellent wide screen size to actually see and read the things you want to, either on the sofa or on the go.
Movies, music and books
When it comes to the iPad mini, it's clear Apple is doing what it has always done and made it into a multimedia hub for the 'modern user on the go'... which in today's terms is the same as every tablet out there. However, very few can cope with the raw power and breadth of offering available in the iTunes library, which brings a smorgasbord of music, video and books to the device - and that's before you even get into the subject of using third party apps to extend the experience.TV and Movies
The iPad mini suffers from the same thing that all the other iPads do: namely that the 16GB version, which is the poster child of the new cut-size range, is too small to really pack with the movies and apps that you want. With the release of the Retina-imbued new iPad, the size of apps like iMovie has soared, so combine that with a whole series of HD video or your favourite movies and you can see why it makes sense to pay a fair bit more to get more storage on your tablet.
It's a pretty big issue that plagued the first 'new' iPad, and although the lower-res display of the mini doesn't need as many pixels, the sizes for download are still the same.
Comparing a TV show download from the iTunes app in SD and HD quality should't be that different - or so you'd think. In reality, the HD quality videos are much more impressive on the iPad mini, meaning you'll always be tempted to fork out a little more to get the extra sharpness.
And there's another problem: the cost of downloading things through the iPad mini. An HD TV series can be purchased for around £35, but in 'real life' (as in, on the shop shelves or Amazon) it can be over half that for a Blu-ray version of the same episodes.
It's not just Apple that charges these high prices, but in reality it's a real issue - you want to power up your new tablet with loads of video, and unless you want to find a way to get access to files without heading through the iTunes store, which many won't, we can see many new iPad users being frustrated by this limiting access.
There's the other issue here: the lack of file compatibility. The iPad mini will play .mp4 files fairly easily, but if you fancy chucking on a DivX or AVI option then that's out of the question. There are third party applications you can use, but these can be extremely buggy and cost extra to put on your tablet.
But that's the griping out of the way - as a video player, the iPad mini is very good. It's just the right size and weight to hold two-handed in landscape mode, and if you're OK with it not feeling as secure in one hand, a decent heft to hold with a single set of digits.
The headphone jack is also well-placed - holding it with the Home Button to the right will keep it completely palm free, and if you choose the other direction you'll find it's just clear enough to not get in the way all the time.
The screen is far too glossy though, meaning if you've got any kind of light source behind your head, you'll be seeing more of that than what's on screen. The standalone video app isn't great for non-iTunes content, meaning if you've lobbed on a few videos of your own you'll have no idea which one you were watching last or how far you are through it.
There's also a weird issue watching anything over Bluetooth headphones, but we'll get to that in the connectivity section of the review.
We will admit that not being able to hold it in one hand securely will be an issue for some, and Apple shouldn't be pretending that it will be a comfortable experience for many, but the wider screen is so much better than on the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD that we can't really be annoyed too much.
The ability to fine tune how you slide through the video to get to the section you want, the ease with which you can jump in and out of episodes or movies or the simple one-touch option to fire the movie out to a bigger screen through AirPlay is all intuitive and impressive. There might be an issue getting what you want on the iPad mini, but once it's there it's one of our favourite devices to use for video.
Music
Music is also well-placed on the iPad mini, with a simple to use interface and a much better price range for new songs should you want to keep up to date with the latest and greatest of the hit parade.
Before the first iPad made its debut we wondered how Apple would increase the size of the interface to make use of all the space on the screen, and while it's a little expansive on the larger version, the iPad mini revels in the larger amount of room to show albums and tracks but also makes it much easier to hit the buttons on the screen.
Like with the video option, the AirPlay function is easily accessible, but only when available, which makes it a much easier system to use if you want to pump your tunes around the house.
The sound quality through headphones is, as ever, excellent, although when playing it through the speakers the fact they're chucked down one end of the device does mean the sound quality isn't as good, especially if it's placed with the connector facing downwards (obviously).
The sound is rich enough to get away with should your DJ be taken ill an hour before the party, but it's not going to win any audio quality contests.
Overall though, and especially with wireless headphones, the iPad mini is great for tunes, in terms of being able to choose new songs through the store from the Music app to high-res album art playing on the lock screen - as well as the aforementioned widget controls it gets from the multitasking menu.
Books
With the smaller screen size, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this may be an e-reader above all else – well, no, as the iPad mini is no better for e-books than its larger brother. It's superior in terms of portability and ease of holding, but the main advantage dedicated e-readers like the Kindle PaperWhite have is the fact the display is passive, and therefore doesn't cause as much eye strain. The iBooks app is decent enough, with a fun bookshelf layout and an easy to use interface that means you can swipe or tap to head through the tomes. However, given many people now have Kindle accounts, the dedicated app from Amazon is superior in our view. It seems odd that iBooks isn't actually pre-installed on the iPad mini, as it seems to be a core feature of the device at the screen size, but you'll be prompted to download it when you head into the App Store for the first time. The reading experience is fine, but as with many LCD screen-based e-readers longer sessions aren't as pleasurable as they are on the e-ink devices, simply because the screen quality causes more strain on the eyes. The lower resolution means that words aren't displayed as sharply on the screen, which is a shame, but it's not the end of the world… just another area where the cost savings have been met.Gaming
The gaming prowess of the iPad mini has been called into question slightly, as the onboard chip certainly isn't the most powerful Apple has ever cranked out. That worry was confirmed when firing up some higher-power games, such as Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy, which looks phenomenal on both the iPad 3 and new iPad 4.
Graphics were much blockier, although the gameplay was smooth enough and the three-axis gyro made playing shooting games a little more fun – this coupled with the smaller dimensions of the device but with a larger screen made some games a heap more playable than before.
Apple has crafted the iPad mini to attract the casual gamer; while others will work fine on the device, don't expect to be wowed by the gaming prowess.
Apps, maps and gallery
There are now over 700,000 apps on the Apple App Store, with nearly 200,000 available as dedicated for the iPad itself. In terms of the dedicated Apps Apple is touting for the iPad, check out our new iPad 4 review for the more in-depth look at what can be achieved on the iPad mini. However, it's worth taking note of the fact that the likes of iMovie aren't as impressive on the iPad mini, as the lower processor and the less-sharp screen mean that rendering movies takes a bit longer than we're used to nowadays. Of course, if you've never really used a more powerful device then you won't feel the difference, but then again you probably won't be that bothered about iMovie or the speed of it and its app-brethren anyway.Maps
You've probably heard about the Apple Maps fiasco with iOS 6, and it's the same situation with the iPad mini, with no general upgrades for the new tablet.
It's a similar system as seen on the likes of the iPhone 5 – Flyover is an option for many cities, and the rest of the things you'd expect, like traffic info, are also present and correct.
It's not the end of the world missing out the functionality, but it's a big selling point of Apple's Maps, and it's a shame to not see it there.
We're not going to get into the accuracy of the app, as while it's still a long way off in terms of getting things in the right place (Luton still defaults to the small village in the south-west of England) things are improving day by day as faults are reported and updated.
There's no doubting that Google Maps (and Nokia Maps) are by far the superior options, Apple Maps at least looks impressive and will be getting better and better.
The navigation option is also good on the iPad mini, with the larger screen making it a very easy tool to use in the car. It's also impressive that it still works without a connection, as long as you've set the information before you leave, so you can even get away with doing things without the LTE version.
However, given there's no GPS chip on offer in the Wi-Fi only version you'll have to be really happy with having some pretty sketchy directions read out to you on the way, although they do work on the lock screen as well, with the iPad mini coming out of sleep mode when you approach your next turning.
Overall, Apple has a long way to go in terms of putting the confidence back into its mapping function, but the app is far from horrendous aside from that.
Gallery
The gallery app on the iPad mini is as good as it's always been, with the smaller screen size making it very easy to manipulate images, such as being able to crop and enhance what's on offer. We found the speed of doing this to be more than acceptable despite the lower-spec processor, with the smaller screen making cropping photos even easier than on the iPhone. There are a number of other features, such as being able to geo-locate photos and see them on a map within the app being a really nice addition in terms of bringing your snaps to life. And as before the Twitter and Facebook integration is right there, so sharing photos is simple in the same way as on the internet.Siri
Oh, hello Siri – what are you doing here? Surely given the iPad 2's processor, which is the same as in the iPad mini, can't handle Siri (according to Apple) then it shouldn't be on the new device, should it? But, there it is, and nicely incorporated too, as the little pop-up window that gives access to the voice recognition is nicely unobtrusive. The accuracy is also much improved over the first iteration of the software, and the range of functionality also enhanced.
With the ability to tell you if your football team is winning or losing, the weather in Paris or open an app on command, the iPad mini has the same implementation as the iPhone when it comes to Siri…and therefore as much use.
There's no way you'll ask it to book an appointment for you, because a) it doesn't always work, and you'll wish you had just typed it in and b) you're likely to be with someone, and the risk of failure and looking stupid in front of them is too high to try it.
The Google Now cards on Android Jelly Bean are much better when it comes to information, as being told what's going on with your team is much easier than having to ask for it. Both are different systems, but Siri is never going to gain mass appeal until it finally becomes almost unerringly accurate at recognising what you're saying.
We still like the little pop-up window, though.
Camera and video
The camera on the iPad mini is a fairly standard affair, coming in with a 5MP camera sensor on the rear of the device. It's not the strongest camera on a tablet by a long way, but does come with some features to help bolster its performance, such as backside illumination to improve the light sensitivity of the sensor and the same five-piece lens that helps filter the light more efficiently. But in practice, well, you've guessed it: it's an average camera on a tablet, and people shouldn't really be using such a device for photography unless it's an absolute emergency. Simple as that. There's also no HDR mode here, which is usually necessary to help enhance the quality of your snaps on the go – we're upset that Apple has shorn the iPad mini of the functionality, but it's nowhere to be found. There's no flash here, so while the low light sensitivity is improved, it's a long way from usable in the real world. The same autofocus elements are in place though, so face detection and focus/exposure locks are available (the latter by long pressing the portion of the picture you want in focus and brightest). The front facing camera is actually a little more usable, as the 1.2MP sensor helps take some above-average profile pictures, if that's what you're into. It's obviously better for FaceTime games, but it's a surprisingly high-spec sensor in a budget Apple tablet. Check out our samples to see what we're talking about – but if you really don't want to use a phone or dedicated camera for snapping, this isn't the tablet you should be turning to.Video
The video capabilities of the iPad mini are alongside the camera in impressiveness. While it can take 1080p video and stabilise video as you go, the lack of video light makes it a little hard to use in many situations. You can at least focus the scene during the video shooting, which helps improve snaps in a constantly moving scene… but that's about the most impressive thing we can say about it, other than it's a decent alternative when you've got nothing else to shoot with and you can rest it securely on a surface to minimise judder.Battery and connectivity
Apple devices have historically had issues with battery life, but in recent years the iRange has been stepped up in terms of power performance, and the iPad mini is following in that trend. The battery life was a hot topic at launch, as many suspected that the lack of a high resolution screen was to help manage the power consumption as much as give Apple the specs for the iPad mini 2 next year. In practice this seems to have worked, as the battery life is pretty darn low.
We tested two usage scenarios: one with full brightness, high power apps running constantly and movies being played over and over, with downloads running in the background. In this case the iPad mini managed to last nearly six hours, which was more than acceptable in our eyes.
In low power mode it was a whole different case. Powering the display right down to the minimum brightness, keeping it turned off and locked and jumping onto Airplane mode from time to time led to an astonishingly low battery consumption, with the unit lasting well over two days with 50% still remaining (on the Wi-Fi only version).
Given that the device will mostly be in the bag or pocket (at a stretch) we can see you'll only need to keep the charger handy every two or three days to keep things juiced - barring a marathon gaming session or email reply storm.
In short, the battery life won't ever give you any nasty surprises on the Wi-Fi version - while we haven't tested the LTE option as yet in our time with other iPads rocking the cellular signal there wasn't a huge amount of power consumption difference, so we're pretty hopeful the same will be true of the smaller-screened iPad mini.
Connectivity
The iPad mini's two specifications, 3G and Wi-Fi only, and they differ quite a lot in terms of what's on board. The latter is pretty sparse, with only dual-channel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 on board. We say 'only', but in truth that's quite a decent option for the things you'll want to do with it.
The former has everything under the sun: most LTE bands, DC-HSPA for sub 4G speeds that still impress, GPS and GLONASS for on the go mapping (providing you get the courage to do use such a function with Apple Maps).
The Bluetooth 4.0 integration is one that's impressed us over time, as it means low power sensors (such as those in healthcare or fitness) can be used with the more portable tablet, which will be great news for doctors who can't convince their patients to buy an iPhone or lug around a larger tablet.
We do have a slight problem with the Bluetooth connection to headphones - weirdly whenever connecting up wirelessly the sound would fall out of sync, before locking back into step with the video in a few seconds. However, every new chapter saw the problem happening again, which was really, really irritating when the same headphones showed no issue on the Nexus 10 tablet.
There are other devices that have the same functionality, of course, but Apple always likes to put in the minimum amount of technology when designing devices, so this shows it really believes in the technology.
Benchmarks
The GeekBench score is what we usually use to tell if any new Apple product is up to much, and you'll be glad to know that it's… exactly as powerful as the iPad 2 and the iPad 3.
The latter isn't really a fair test as it's got a much improved GPU running the show to help power all those pixels, but it shows that in terms of CPU grunt there's not a lot to worry about here.
Also, the SunSpider tests revealed that the iPad mini is as powerful as quad core options throughout the industry, giving some very pleasing browser results.
However, it is under half as powerful as the new iPad 4, which is able to ripple through web pages and apps in a much shorter time… Apple always gives you something to update to, right?
Hands on gallery
Official photography
Verdict
We often struggle to sum up an Apple product. We can ask the same question of the iPad mini that we've asked nearly every mobile device that Apple has made: How much more should consumers pay for a well thought out OS and more impressive design over the competition? Usually, the answer is 'not as much as is being charged'... but in that case that's not as true as normal. Yes, the iPad mini is once again too expensive - why is it so much more for a device with lower specs than the competition when Apple has other devices with more grunt, and when Apple is making at least 43% profit on each device, according to iSuppli? And it's especially irksome that Apple has pointed out it's making a lower profit margin on this device - rather than make us say 'well done' for taking the hit to enter a new market, it just makes us think that the company could charge less for other devices and stop its cash mountain threatening to topple over and kill Apple employees. It is worth noting here that the likes of Google and Amazon, while both haven't explicitly said so, are making no money or even using the likes of the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD as loss leaders to claw back money on apps and content, a strategy Apple has no intention of deploying, but may give consumers pause on the high street.
But forget all that for a second, and focus on this: the iPad mini is the best iPad Apple has created to date. We fell in love with its design, the way the screen seems so much more expansive than the Google or Amazon competition or just the way the smooth aluminium feels in the hand.
We liked
We liked a lot. A whole lot on the new iPad mini, and although the price is a little high (and you should REALLY think about the 32GB option for safety if you're thinking of getting one) Apple has just about justified it with the way the device sits in the hand. The larger screen might not fit fully in a single palm, but from the smooth back to the Smart Covers designed specifically for the model, we're fans - pure and simple. The speed of the processor is perfectly acceptable and lag-free for all tasks, the UI is actually better-engineered for this 7.9-inch screen compared to its bigger brother and we're chirpy indeed about the battery prowess through harder use.We disliked
The lack of a Retina display is so, so frustrating as that's the killer feature (along with, perhaps, a slightly faster processor) that would have meant we gave the iPad mini our first five star tablet review. It's that good. But the screen is too fuzzy at times compared to the likes of the new iPad or iPhone 5 to consider it a dazzling display, and that's a real shame. The low-power GPU is going to be an issue for some, even for the price point - although that's more for future proofing as in our tests the iPad mini performed as well as the quad core variants. And while we've long given up on looking for expandable storage or a removable battery on these devices, 16GB of storage isn't enough for the plethora of large apps and HD content we're interested in downloading onto this device.Verdict
Can we see someone owning an iPhone 5, iPad mini and new iPad 4? Actually, maybe...and not just the pointlessly rich. The iPhone is the perfect device for hopping in and out of content, giving you the internet all the time and generally allowing you to play more simple games. The iPad mini is perfect for a train ride: it's just the right size for a few TV episodes when packed nose to nose with fellow commuters before slipping it back into a bag or pocket when leaping for your platform. And the new iPad 4 is great for longer sessions and more involved gaming - air travel is so much more improved by its presence and no matter what game we were playing or which content-rich website we wanted to view, it was always the larger device we reached for. However, this is a really ridiculous scenario for only the super-fanboy to adhere to - we're just pointing out that there is a space in the range for the iPad mini. We've said it already, but we'll say it again though: the iPad mini is the best iPad Apple has ever created. It offers better value for money, sits more pleasantly in the hand and can handle all the tasks you want at least adequately and many times better than you'd expect. If you're thinking about which tablet to buy a loved one and money isn't an issue, we'd recommend the iPad mini every time for it's more impressive design compared to the swathes of plastic offered by its competitors. It's still overpriced, the CPU and display aren't as strong as they could be, but we can safely say this is the gift we'd like to see Santa put under our tree over the rest.
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Why your business needs Unified Communications
A lot of businesses and home-workers will be familiar with the concept of IP-telephony, because of applications like Skype, which facilitate low-cost, or free voice calls through the Internet. Unified Communications (UC) takes this model and expands it to incorporate other types of communication as well.
The business benefits of Unified Communications
The big idea behind UC is unification. By combining telephony and business data on the same network, it gives firms the ability to combine and use voice, data (and video) information in their common business applications, saving and forwarding whole instant message streams, faxes, e-mails, voice phone calls or videoconferencing sessions as chunks of data. And being data, UC software can encrypt, in other words scramble, the information that is being sent across the network, so it can't be intercepted and read by the wrong person. This is particularly useful for sensitive information, whether it's being held in a fax, video conferencing session, or phone conversation. But the unification concept doesn't stop there. It also means that the employee can use a single phone number or handset and a unified inbox for all their communications, making life simpler. UC differs from standard telecoms systems because it uses server-based technologies, and digital IP (Internet Protocol) networks (the same type of network that routes Internet traffic). And unlike analogue telephone systems, it sends voice information over the network as digital packets, much the same way as an e-mail.Advanced telephony
UC is designed to help employees carry out their work more efficiently and in a timelier manner, whilst being free to work from anywhere. To start with, it offers advanced telephony functions. These include short-number dialling, which eliminates the use of area codes, and is particularly helpful with businesses that are located across geographical areas. UC also offers advanced call forwarding to different types of devices, and hunt groups, where incoming calls can search for an idle extension in a department. UC can also offer multiple device rings where the desk phone, desktop, and mobile can ring simultaneously, regardless of their location. The aim of this is to help the caller get through to the right person at the right time. Phone users can also benefit from having a single number for all of their phone devices; and companies can keep the same geographic number across properties and mobile phones. For someone using UC, they can start a phone call from their desk phone, and continue the call seamlessly on the mobile as they walk away from the desk and out of the office. So, in terms of continuing the business phone call and completing the task in hand, it means that you don't need to tell the person you'll call them back later. A single voicemail with a unified voicemail box is another feature of UC, and this works for multiple communication devices, such as a desk phone, home phone, mobile phone, or VoIP (Voice over IP) phone, connected to a computer.Cheaper calls and simplified billing
Being based on a digital network, UC can also offer cheaper calls than traditional telephony. With voice and video being carried as data over the public network, there is scope for businesses to lower their phone bills by using a unified system. Another attraction for businesses is that UC systems can simplify billing and systems administration, and potentially lower the overall costs of conferencing by combining disparate services through one vendor. UC can also give the business predictable bills, so they know what their monthly spend will be.Presence and knowing when you can take a call
UC also brings Presence technology, which allows colleagues and business associates to quickly see the availability of, and best way to contact an individual. Like the status indicator used in social networking applications, Presence can indicate whether the recipient is available on their mobile, home phone, desk phone, and so on; and whether they are in a meeting, working from home, or driving between meetings. The Presence indicator can also carry a comment from the user, saying they are working on a time-critical project, or have been called into an open-ended meeting, for example. Another business benefit of Presence is that it enables an employee to locate and involve the right expert in a timely manner. For example, in a situation where urgent medical knowledge is required, a UC system that has medical experts working as part of the team, could find an expert colleague quickly, who has the required knowledge, and involve them immediately. In a situation like this, the communication between colleagues might begin as an SMS or instant message conversation, but be escalated quickly to a voice call, or even a video call, enabling a deeper level of communication and collaboration. UC also provides a platform that incorporates a range of web-based applications, including instant messaging, video conferencing, and data sharing through web-connected, interactive whiteboards.Unified communications and contact management
Finally, UC can provide contact management integration - a single, easily-accessible phone book for all business contacts, which can be accessed from multiple devices and locations. This is possible because UC information is held on a central server, which can be accessed over the network. UC used to be targeted at large businesses, but is increasingly being offered to smaller firms, through lower-cost equipment from the likes of Cisco, with UC software platforms available from Microsoft and IBM. Telephony firms, including BT and Vodafone Business, also offer Unified Communications applications and services, with bespoke packages and different levels of commitment available for different sizes of organisations. UC packages can vary greatly between vendors in terms of what they offer out-of-the-box, but can be a starting point to use these technologies to aid teamwork and collaboration, lower telephony costs, and give employees a single user interface across multiple devices and applications.
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Leaked videos show Microsoft knew the Kin was terrible
Focus group videos filmed ahead of the launch of the Microsoft Kin show that the company knew the handsets struggled to do basically everything.
If you don't remember the Kin range, let us refresh your memory: it was a short-lived line-up of semi-smartphones launched by Microsoft in 2010.
It's fair to say they did not do well, and were pulled from shop shelves after just a few weeks on sale, despite natty adverts featuring hip young youths. The handsets did not even make it across to the UK before the project was killed.
Wired has got its hands on some internal focus testing videos that prove that Microsoft knew the Kin handsets were lacking in basic usability, but pushed ahead with the launch anyway.
'Kin hell
"Annoying", "frustrating" and "useless" are three adjectives used to describe simple scrolling on the phone, with one tester saying, "This phone would have gone back if I'd paid for it." Even making a call using any of the Kin phones was a disaster as the testers struggled to even enter a phone number adequately. It makes for frustrating viewing; we can't imagine how annoying it must have been to actually do. Microsoft's mobile strategy pre-Windows Phone was questionable at best but to knowingly launch and let people buy sub-standard hardware? Madness. At least the company seems to have improved on its hardware strategy with the Windows RT-running Microsoft Surface tablet; just as well, given the rumours of a Surface Phone in the works.
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Updated: Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie release date, news and rumours
Android Key Lime Pie news
Google's showing no signs of slowing its pace of Android development, with Android 4.0 appearing on the Galaxy Nexus late in 2011, followed in July of 2012 by the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean release that arrived powering the super Nexus 7. But, forward-looking, update-obsessed people that we are, we can't help but imagine how Google's going to maintain the pace of innovation in its next version of its mobile OS, which, if it follows the patterns of previous years, ought to arrive on a new Nexus-brand mobile at the end of 2012. All we know thus far is that Google's working away on the K release of Android, which it's developing under the dessert-related codename of Key Lime Pie. Regarding the version number, it's likely that the Key Lime Pie moniker will be given to Android 5.0. We thought we might find out on 29 October but as yet there is no official word from Google. Rumours of a new Nexus handset started trickling in during the third quarter of 2012, as we reported on 1 October 2012. There was speculation that this phone would be sporting Key Lime Pie, but sources who spoke to AndroidAndMe correctly claimed that the handset, which turned out to be the Google Nexus 4 would be running Android Jelly Bean. So now as we wait on official news of the Android 5.0 release date and features, we can start to pull together the Key Lime Pie rumours from around the web, with the first sighting of Android 5.0 on a benchmarking website, apparently running on a Sony smartphone. There has previously been speculation that Sony is in line to produce the next Nexus phone, which may lend some credence to this rumour. As we scour the web for more news, we've also been thinking about what we want to see in Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. Hopefully the new mobile OS will feature some of these things...1. Performance Profiles
It's bit of a fuss managing your mobile before bed time. Switching off the sound, turning off data, activating airplane mode and so on, so what Android 5.0 really needs is a simple way of managing performance, and therefore power use, automatically. We've been given a taste of this with Blocking Mode in Samsung's Jelly Bean update on the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Note 2 but we'd like to see the functionality expanded. Something like a Gaming mode for max power delivery, an Overnight low-power state for slumbering on minimal power and maybe a Reading mode for no bothersome data connections and a super-low backlight. Some hardware makers put their own little automated tools in, such as the excellent Smart Actions found within Motorola's RAZR interface, but it'd be great to see Google give us a simple way to manage states. Another little power strip style widget for phone performance profiles would be an easy way to do it.
2. Better multiple device support
Google already does quite a good job of supporting serious Android nerds who own several phones and tablets, but there are some holes in its coverage that are rather frustrating. Take the Videos app which manages your film downloads through the Play Store. Start watching a film on one Android device and you're limited to resuming your film session on that same unit, making it impossible to switch from phone to tablet mid-film. You can switch between phone and web site players to resume watching, but surely Google ought to understand its fans often have a couple of phones and tabs on the go and fix this for Android Key Lime Pie?3. Enhanced social network support
Android doesn't really do much for social network users out of the box, with most of the fancy social widgets and features coming from the hardware makers through their own custom skins. Sony integrates Facebook brilliantly in its phones, and even LG makes a great social network aggregator widget that incorporates Facebook and Twitter - so why are there no cool aggregator apps as part of the standard Android setup? Yes, Google does a great job of pushing Google+, but, no offence, there are many other more widely used networks that ought to be a little better "baked in" to Android.4. Line-drawing keyboard options
Another area where the manufacturers have taken a big leap ahead of Google is in integrating clever alternate text entry options in their keyboards. HTC and Sony both offer their own takes on the Swype style of line-drawing text input, which is a nice option to have for getting your words onto a telephone. Get it into Android 5.0 and give us the choice.
5. A video chat app
How odd is it that Google's put a front-facing camera on the Nexus 7 and most hardware manufacturers do the same on their phones and tablets, yet most ship without any form of common video chat app? You have to download Skype and hope it works, or find some other downloadable app solution. Why isn't there a Google Live See My Face Chat app of some sort as part of Android? Is it because we're too ugly? Is that what you're saying, Google?6. Multi-select in the contacts
The Android contacts section is pretty useful, but it could be managed a little better. What if you have the idea of emailing or texting a handful of your friends? The way that's currently done is by emailing one, then adding the rest individually. Some sort of checkbox system that let users scroll through names and create a mailing list on the fly through the contacts listing in Android Key Lime Pie would make this much easier.
7. Cross-device SMS sync
If you're a constant SIM swapper with more than one phone on the go, chances are you've lost track of your text messages at some point. Google stores these on the phone rather than the SIM card, so it'd be nice if our texts could be either backed up to the SIM, the SD card, or beamed up to the magical invisible cloud of data, for easy and consistent access across multiple devices.8. A "Never Update" option
This would annoy developers so is unlikely to happen, but it'd be nice if we could refuse app updates permanently in Android 5.0, just in case we'd rather stick with a current version of a tool than be forced to upgrade. Sure, you can set apps to manual update and then just ignore the update prompt forever, but it'd be nice to know we can keep a favoured version of an app without accidentally updating it. Some of us are still using the beta Times app, for example, which has given free access for a year.
9. App preview/freebie codes
Something Apple's been doing for ages and ages is using a promo code system to distribute free or review versions of apps. It even makes doing little competitions to drum up publicity for apps much easier, so why's there no similar scheme for Android? It might encourage developers to stop going down the ad-covered/freemium route if they could charge for an app but still give it away to friends and fans through a promo code system.10. Final whinges and requests...
It's be nice to be able to sort the Settings screen by alphabetical order, too, or by most commonly used or personal preference, as Android's so packed with a huge list of options these days it's a big old list to scroll through and pick out what you need. Plus could we have a percentage count for the battery in the Notifications bar for Android 5.0? Just so we know a bit more info than the vague emptying battery icon.
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Review: Updated: Sony NEX-6
Introduction
Sitting between the high-end Sony NEX-7 and beginner-to-enthusiast level Sony NEX-5R, the 16.1 million pixel Sony NEX-6 is compact system camera aimed at DSLR and DSLT customers who are looking for high image quality in a much smaller body. A couple of key features distinguish the Sony NEX-6 from the Sony NEX-5R below it. First up there's a 2.359k dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) built in, offering an alternative to the 3-inch 921,600-dot LCD screen for composing and reviewing images. The Sony NEX-6 also has a pop-up flash (GN 6 @ ISO 100) that can be used to provide a little extra illumination when needed, as well as a hotshoe that uses a more standard design so that it can accept third party flashguns. Extra contacts at the back of this shoe also make it useful for accepting other accessories.
Like the Sony NEX-5R, the Sony NEX-6 has Wi-Fi technology built in to enable images to be shared direct from the camera via a computer, smartphone or tablet.
The camera is also compatible with apps that can be downloaded from Sony's PlayMemories camera apps service. This include apps such as Picture Effects, Remote Control and Direct Upload (to Facebook or PlayMemories Online). More apps will become available over time.
Being aimed at enthusiast photographers, the Sony NEX-6 has program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure modes, but there are also options to suit less experienced photographers, including a collection of scene modes.
Images may be saved in raw and/or JPEG format, and sensitivity can be set in the range of ISO 100-25,600.
As usual now there's a collection of digital filter effects (Picture Effects) that can be applied to images as they are captured (with a preview in the EVF or LCD), but disappointingly they can only be used when shooting JPEG photos, not raw files.
Videos can be shot in any exposure mode, and it's possible to change aperture during filming, but you can expect to pick up the sound of settings changes being made, since there is no external mic port.
A new 16-50mm power zoom lens has also been announced in conjunction with the Sony NEX-6. This is roughly half the size of the standard 18-55mm kit lens that has previously accompanied NEX cameras.
With a full price of around £769/AU$1,099/US$849.99 body-only or £899/AU$1,299/US$999.99 with the kit lens, the NEX-6 competes with cameras such as the Panasonic G5 and perhaps the Olympus OM-D.
Build quality and handling
Sony has employed its now familiar flat body and deep grip styling, making the Sony NEX-6 instantly recognisable as a Sony NEX camera. There's also the high-quality feel that we have come to expect from this level of camera. The textured covering of the grip and the back of the camera is very effective and it, plus the deep finger-hold, makes the Sony NEX-6 extremely comfortable to hold one-handed. In fact, we carried the camera by the grip for a few hours during one stage of this test, and had no use for the strap.
Unlike the Sony NEX-5R, the Sony NEX-6 has a mode dial on its top-plate for selecting the exposure mode. This dial has a high quality feel, and although it doesn't have a lock, its action is stiff enough to prevent it from being knocked too easily between settings.
Beneath the mode dial is another dial for adjusting settings such as aperture and shutter speed. This falls conveniently within reach of your right thumb and has click-stops that make it clear when you have made a setting change, but some people may find that their thumb rubs on the mode dial when they are using it.
As well as the 3-inch 921,600-dot LCD display, there's a 2,359,000-dot electronic viewfinder. Although its colour and contrast doesn't always match the main screen's, it provides a pretty decent view in most situations, and is very useful in bright sunlight.
That said, we found that the 3-inch screen provides a clear view, and when set to its brightest or to its Sunny Weather option, it is even possible to see images on it in direct sunlight (at least in UK October sunlight).
However, we struggled to see the active AF point on several occasions, since it doesn't stand out very well on the display in bright light.
It's worth noting that as well as brightening the screen, the Sunny Weather setting increases the LCD's local contrast, boosts its saturation and warms the image to the extent that we had to double check that there wasn't a Picture Effect selected.
Helpfully, there is a sensor that detects when the camera is held to the eye, and the EVF is turned on while the LCD is switched off. Sony says that it has worked on the speed of switching between the two, and we found it very quick.
Despite this, it doesn't switch to the EVF too easily, which is good when you want to shoot from the hip and the camera is close to the body.
There are three disappointments with the Sony NEX-6's LCD screen. Firstly, it's a tilting unit rather than a fully articulating device, so it's no help when shooting upright images from awkward angles.
Also, it can't flip right up over the camera like the Sony NEX-5R's screen, so it doesn't enable you to compose self-portraits (although there is a remote viewfinder app available if you have a smartphone).
The final issue is that it's not touch-sensitive. This seems very odd given that the Sony NEX-5R's screen is touch-sensitive. It would be very useful for inputting Wi-Fi and Facebook passwords and so on, as well as for setting the focus point.
Sony's new 16-50mm powerzoom kit lens gives the Sony NEX-6 a nice, neat profile, and is perfectly sized for the camera. However, we found that we accidentally zoomed in on a few occasions because the zoom switch falls under the natural resting place for the thumb.
There's also a lens ring that can be used for zooming in or out and adjusting manual focus. Perhaps it would have been better to have a push-pull arrangement with this ring to avoid the accidental focal length adjustments.
The menu is typical Sony NEX and pretty extensive, so it takes some getting to grips with, but it is generally logically arranged.
The metering, white balance, dynamic range optimisation, Creative Styles and Picture Effect settings (to name just a few), are all found in the Brightness and Color section.
There's a separate Image Size area for aspect ratio and image quality, and controls over things like the focusing and drive mode are found in the Camera section.
Apps can be downloaded and accessed via the Application section of the menu.
If you want to change the brightness of the LCD screen or the information it displays, you need to look in the Set-up menu.
A Function (Fn) button adjacent to the camera's shutter release button can be used to access up to six of the commonly used settings.
Since it's not possible to use the picture effects when shooting raw files, we assigned the Picture Effects and Image Quality options to the function menu so that we could quickly make the necessary changes. We also accessed the HDR and DRO options via this route.
Two buttons on the back of the Sony NEX-6 are also customisable, but we've found that the lower one defaults back to the AF point selection mode in some AF modes.
Sony's PlayMemories camera app service is now up and running, and we found it easy to access and download apps. There aren't many available yet, but there should be more coming over time.
Direct Upload is useful for uploading images to Facebook direct from the camera, while the Remote Control app enables you to compose images on your smartphone screen and adjust exposure compensation remotely.
Performance
On the whole, images direct from the Sony NEX-6 impress. They are well exposed, vibrant and full of detail. Noise is well controlled up to around ISO 3200, but we wouldn't recommended going above this value if you want to make A3 prints, unless you are prepared to process the raw files post capture.
At ISO 6400, JPEGs look slightly soft at A3 size, and inspection at 100% on the screen confirms that the noise reduction system has smudged out some details. If the raw file is processed post-capture, it's possible to produce a sharper image, with a gritty texture that we think is preferable.
We found that the Sony NEX-6's hybrid autofocusing does a good job of locking onto the subject quickly, only struggling occasionally with particularly low contrast subjects.
During this test we primarily used the 1200-zone evaluative metering in its multi-purpose evaluative mode, and found it very reliable. It's not overly fooled into under- or over-exposing, and manages to produce correctly exposed images even when there are quite large bright areas within the scene.
That's not to say that we didn't occasionally resort to using the exposure compensation control, but no more frequently than we would expect to.
When the scene has very high contrast, the Dynamic Range Optimization (DRO) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) modes come in very handy. The DRO can be left to its own devices or you can specify the level, but even pushing it to the max (Level 5) results in natural-looking images.
It has the strongest impact on the shadows, brightening them quite dramatically. In some instances we saw no impact on the brighter parts of the image, or they got a little brighter still.
Setting the HDR exposure difference to its maximum setting of 6EV produces a more classic HDR effect, but it's well done and is a hand-holdable option, despite the multiple image capture.
Colours are vibrant straight from the camera, and although they may be a little too saturated for some traditionalists, they suit the current vogue for punchy images.
The automatic white balance system copes well with most conditions, but we found it best to use a custom white balance setting in indoor shaded conditions and in mixed light.
Fortunately this is very easy to achieve, you just need to select the correct setting and photograph a white target.
Video from the Sony NEX-6 has high visual quality, but the sound is limited by the internal mic, which is prone to picking up camera and operator noises.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Sony NEX-6, we've shot our resolution chart. If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Sony NEX-6 is capable of resolving up to around 24 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files. For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts. Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
ISO 100, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600, score: 16 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below. A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image. For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests. Here we compare the Sony NEX-6 with the Panasonic G5, Sony NEX-7 and Olympus E-P3.JPEG signal to noise ratio
These results show that the Sony NEX-6's JPEG files have a similar signal to noise ratio to those from the Panasonic G5, Sony NEX-7 and Olympus E-P3 at lower to middling sensitivities, but they achieve significantly better results at ISO 1600 and above.
Raw signal to noise ratio
The signal to noise ratios of the TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Sony NEX-6 are stronger than those from the other cameras at all sensitivities. The Sony NEX-7 was the next strongest performer, followed by the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic G5.
JPEG dynamic range
JPEG results for dynamic range less impressive than those for signal to noise ratio, with the Sony NEX-6 producing weaker images than the Sony NEX-7 at all sensitivity settings. It also falls below the Olympus E-P3 at lower ISOs, before overtaking it at ISO 800 and above. Its JPEGs show a greater dynamic range than the Panasonic G5's, except at ISO 200.
Raw dynamic range
TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Sony NEX-6 have a greater comparative dynamic range than the JPEG images did. The Sony NEX-6 beats all of the other cameras throughout the sensitivity range, except at ISO 200, where the Sony NEX-7 produces stronger results. The NEX-7 was the second strongest performer here, followed by the Panasonic G5, then the Olympus E-P3.
Sample images
Click here to see the full resolution image
This close-to moving target proved a little tricky for the NEX-6's AF system and every now and again it focused on the background.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Using the High Contrast Black and White Picture Effect has enhanced this graphic image of a stack of chairs.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The Selective Colour Picture Effect can be fun and produces some interesting results.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The AF system got its target every time here and there's plenty of detail in the near swan's head.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The tilting mount is great when you shoot horizontal format images, but it's no help when you shoot upright shots like this from a low angle. Fortunately the screen has a wide viewing angle so you can see the foreshortened image on it.
Click here to see the full resolution image
We had to dial in -0.7EV exposure compensation to get the colour and brightness of these roses correct.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Shot using Green as the selected colour in Selected Colour Effect.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Taken without Dynamic Range Optimisation (DRO).
Click here to see the full resolution image
Using DRO at it's highest setting has boosted the shadows well, but with a hint of haloing around the statue.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
At its highest setting the in-camera HDR mode produces a decent result. You can tell that its an HDR image, but its not too over the top.
Verdict
Sony had lots of critical success with the NEX-7, while the cameras in its NEX-5 range have always proven quite popular. Here the company appears to be combining the high quality of the NEX-7 with the popularity of the NEX-5. The Sony NEX-6 manages to extract a lot of information from its 16.1 megapixel sensor, and delivers images with lots of detail and attractive colours. It's also an enjoyable camera to use, with the EVF providing an alternative means of composing images for those who prefer it or when the lighting conditions dictate it. And there are some fun Picture Effects. However, the fact that the LCD screen isn't as versatile as the one on the Sony NEX-5R is odd. It's a shame that it's not a fully articulating device. Having a tilting screen encourages you to shoot from more interesting angles, but it only helps with landscape format images. A touchscreen would also make it much easier to add login details and select AF points.We liked
Being able to add functionality to the camera with apps and share images directly via the Wi-Fi connectivity makes the Sony NEX-6 seem very up to date, but it would be pointless if the images were of a low standard. Fortunately the image quality is high, and there are picture effects that replicate the creative effects we see being used everywhere these days.We disliked
The Sony NEX-6 is so close to being a fantastic camera, the only thing that is really holding it back from being bang-up to the minute is that the screen only flips up rather than twisting around, and it's not touch-sensitive.Final verdict
Sony has produced a very likable, capable camera that is complemented well by the new powerzoom lens. Its controls can be customised to suit the photographer, it has helpful technology borrowed from a smartphone and it delivers images of impressively high quality. For many photographers that is more than enough, but some like us may look at the likes of the Panasonic G5 and ask why the Sony NEX-6 can't have a similar screen. We want all the toys.
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Android 5.0 benchmark suggests Sony Nexus handset exists
Android 5.0 has popped up on a benchmarking website, apparently running on a Sony-made smartphone.
Dubbed Key Lime Pie, the next iteration of Android is expected to be a big one, taking a significant leap forward from Jelly Bean and Google will want a shiny new handset to show off its latest platform.
Now a benchmark result has appeared on the Nenamark site, claiming to show stats from a Sony LT30i – a relation to the Sony Xperia T – running Android 5.0.0.
In the running
In the run up to the launch of the LG-made Google Nexus 4 announcement, there were rumours that the search giant was in talks with various manufacturers and Sony was one of the names bandied about as a possible provider of the next Nexus smartphone. So the suggestion that Sony could be trialing a new version of the Android mobile OS isn't that far-fetched - but these results are by no means a sure thing. Benchmark results should always be taken with a heavy dosage of salt, so we aren't getting carried away over here at TechRadar. The Key Lime Pie is not necessarily about to come out of the oven.
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Review: Sigma DP1 Merrill
Introduction
Better known for its lenses than cameras, Sigma has been producing both compact cameras and DSLRs for decades. The Sigma DP1 Merrill is the latest in a line of compact cameras, and, similar to the previous DP models, it's not your average compact.
With a fixed 19mm lens (equivalent to 28mm), no built-in flash and only VGA quality video, it lacks many of the features you'd expect in a compact camera, especially one with a premium price-tag.
But it's what lies inside the Sigma DP1 Merrill - priced at £799.99/AU$950/US$999 - that really makes it stand out from the crowd.
At the heart of the Sigma DP1 Merrill is the same APS-C sized Foveon X3 sensor as the Sigma SD1 Merrill DSLR, which is quite unlike the Bayer sensor design used by almost every other digital camera on the market.
Instead of separate pixels sensitive to red, green and blue colours, which are then processed by interpolation to make a full-colour image, the Foveon sensor is made up of three layers.
This means that each pixel is effectively capturing all three colours, so the image doesn't have to undergo any interpolation to render a full-colour result.
This sensor also doesn't require an anti-aliasing filter, which can reduce the amount of detail a normal Bayer sensor can resolve.
This Foveon X3 sensor design makes it difficult to compare the resolution to other cameras. You'll see that the resolution is quoted as 46MP, but it's not quite that simple, since when you open an image from the Sigma DP1 Merrill you'll find that they are actually 4704 x 3136 pixels.
So, in traditional terms the images are 15MP, but because each pixel is made up of three layers, the effective pixel count can be considered as 46 million.
The 19mm lens offers a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which isn't the widest maximum aperture available on a compact camera, but does offer a reasonable option for low-light shooting.
The lens also has a manual focus ring, with a distance scale displayed on the rear LCD screen, along with nine individually selectable focus points for the autofocus.
If you don't need the wide-angle capability of the Sigma DP1, the Sigma DP2 Merrill offers the same facilities with a 30mm (equivalent to 45mm) f/2.8 lens.
As you'd expect of a camera at this price, you get a full range of exposure modes, including Fully Manual.
There are also three metering modes, with the option of Spot and Centre-Weighted, along with the default Evaluative mode.
The range of ISO settings available are 100 to 6400, and the 19mm lens offers an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/16.
There is the option of shooting raw, JPEG or both together, with seven colour modes including Vivid, Neutral, Portrait, Landscape, Black and white and Sepia available in JPEG images.
The raw files are Sigma's own X3F format, which can only be opened using the supplied Photo Pro software, since even older versions aren't fully supported by any other software.
Build quality and handling
It doesn't have the retro, rangefinder style of cameras such as the Fuji X series, but the body of the Sigma DP1 Merrill is simple, plain and smooth, with only the large protruding lens breaking up the square, boxy design. There are small textured areas on the front and rear of the camera. This does make the camera as compact as possible, but we'd rather sacrifice the small size for a more reassuring handling of a handgrip.
Otherwise the basic handling is good, with a simple button layout, and easy access to most of the useful settings through either direct buttons or the QS (Quick Set) button on the back of the camera. You can also customise the functions accessed through the QS button to suit your preferences.
Being able to access the most useful functions through this button is a great idea, since the menu system can be slow to use as you have to scroll through each menu screen in turn.
There are two main controls on the Sigma DP1 Merrill that you use in most shooting modes, a dial around the shutter release and the left/right buttons of the four-way buttons on the back of the camera.
Normally the dial is used to change the aperture or shutter speed in aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes respectively, and the buttons change the exposure compensation.
While in manual, the dial controls the shutter speed and the aperture is changed using the buttons. In all of these modes the function of the dial and buttons can be swapped over as well.
With no optical viewfinder as standard, although there is an accessory viewfinder that fits into the hot shoe, you have to rely on the 3-inch LCD screen to compose your images.
The screen itself is clear and pretty easy to use, even in bright conditions, but it's a little disappointing that the optical viewfinder isn't a standard feature.
Even though the basic layout and operation of the Sigma DP1 Merrill is simple and neat, there are a couple of issues that spoil the overall experience.
The first is the time it takes to write images to the memory card. Despite having dual TRUE II processors, the Sigma DP1 is frustratingly slow when writing images to the memory card. When shooting individual images you can't change settings for a second or so after each shot, as the camera starts writing the image.
You can continue to take shots during this time, but after the initial preview has disappeared the review facility is locked until the camera has finished writing. This can be three or four seconds for each image, which seems like an age compared to most current cameras.
The other frustration is the battery life, which in normal use with some reviewing of images, we found would go flat after as few as 65 shots.
To help overcome this, the camera is supplied with two batteries, but even so it's not a camera that you can take to locations where you don't have access to recharging facilities at the end of each day.
Performance
Much like the overall design of the camera, the results from the Sigma DP1 Merrill are a mixture of the sublime to the frustrating. Let's start with the good news, which is that in the right light at ISO 100 and 200, the Sigma can produce amazing quality images. The combination of the Foveon X3 sensor and fixed focal length lens combine to produce sharp, colourful and detailed images. It's not quantifiable, but the images in these circumstances have an almost three-dimensional quality to them. The colour rendition is also more than a match for even the best digital SLRs on the market.
But start shooting outside of the Sigma DP1 Merrill's comfort zone and the results are much less impressive. At ISO 400 the images are still good, but they can't compare with the images from most other cameras at this ISO setting.
Go above ISO 400 and the noise, colour saturation and detail deteriorate very quickly. The results at ISO 1600 and above are very poor, with very low saturation, high levels of noise and quite noticeable colour banding.
The autofocus is also quick and accurate in most conditions, although it can hunt a little in low light and when faced with low-contrast subjects, while the manual focus is easy to use.
The 19mm lens on the Sigma DP1 Merrill produces impressive results. In the centre of the frame, images are sharp at every aperture.
As you'd expect, the edges at f/2.8 aren't quite as sharp as the centre of the frame, but they are still very good. There's also very little distortion, and flare is well controlled.
There is some chromatic aberration visible in raw images processed without the lens corrections applied, although they are virtually eliminated when shooting in JPEG mode or when the corrections are applied to raw conversions.
Converted raw files also reveal a little more detail and sharpness than in-camera JPEG images, although there is a slight increase in noise.
The automatic white balance is good in daylight, but it struggles a little to produce accurate colours in artificial light and mixed lighting.
Similarly, the evaluative metering is reliable in most conditions, and on the rare occasions that you need to override the exposure in high-contrast lighting, it's extremely quick to use.
Although it's not strictly a feature of the camera, shooting images in raw mode means that you'll have to use the Sigma Photo Professional software to process your images.
The basic layout and features are fine, but it's not as user-friendly as other raw processing software.
While this is an improvement over the software supplied with previous Sigma cameras, it's still slow to use and processing multiple images is a time-consuming and laborious task.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Sigma DP1 Merrill, we've shot our resolution chart. If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Sigma DP1 Merrill is capable of resolving up to around 24 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files. For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts. Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
ISO 100, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below. A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image. For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests. Here we compare the Sigma DP1 Merrill with the Panasonic LX7, Fuji X100 and Olympus XZ-2.JPEG signal to noise ratio
These results show that the Sigma DP1 Merrill's JPEG files have a low signal to noise ratio when compared to those from the with the Panasonic LX7, Fuji X100 and Olympus XZ-2, coming in just above the Olympus at ISO 100-200, and bottom of the pile at the higher sensitivities that it was able to reach.
Raw signal to noise ratio
The signal to noise ratios of the TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Sigma DP1 Merrill are slightly stronger, beating the Panasonic LX7 throughout its whole sensitivity range, and the Olympus XZ-2 at ISO 100-200. It produced weaker results than the Fuji X100 at every ISO setting, however.
JPEG dynamic range
For dynamic range in its JPEG images, the Sigma DP1 Merrill sits at the bottom of the pile, with the Olympus XZ-2 coming out on top, followed by the Panasonic LX7, then the Fuji X100.
Raw dynamic range
This chart indicates that TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Sigma DP1 Merrill are second-strongest at ISO 100-400, sitting just below the Olympus XZ-2 and above the Panasonic LX7 and Fuji X100. It comes out top at ISO 800, the top of its measurable range.
Sample images
Click here to see the full-resolution image
Even shooting into the sun the metering gives good results, and the lens resists flare well.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
Although the Sigma DP1 Merrill's fixed focal length lens isn't ideal for close-ups, the 20cm close focus is good enough to produce basic close-ups.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
In good lighting, the Sigma SD1 Merrill produces bright, punchy colours such as the reds and greens in this shot.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
The evaluative metering generally does a good job when faced with high contrast subjects, maintaining a good balance of highlight and shadow detail.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
The Foveon sensor is capable of recording loads of fine detail, such as the veins of these autumn leaves.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
This raw image shot at f/11 (processed using Sigma Photo Pro) shows that the 19mm lens has good edge to edge sharpness.
Click here to see the full-resolution image
Landscape picture mode
Click here to see the full-resolution image
The landscape picture mode boosts the colours, although there is a little more noise in the blue sky compared to the standard picture mode.
Sensitivity and noise
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 100
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 200
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 400
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 800
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 1600
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 3200
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 6400
Verdict
The Sigma DP1 Merrill is both brilliant and frustrating, depending on the shooting conditions and also your expectations. The images in good light, at ISO 100 or 200, and especially shot in raw, are nothing short of superb, as the Foveon X3 sensor can reproduce detail and colours that even the best digital SLRs can struggle to match. But that's only half of the story, as there's more to a camera than simply producing stunning results at low ISOs. The results at ISO 800 and above are disappointing, and it doesn't offer many of the features or performance you'd expect of a compact camera. The slow write times and short battery life can spoil the picture-taking experience, and the reliance on Sigma's own software for processing raw images can also be a time-consuming and less-than-ideal solution if you've got a lot of shots to go through.We liked
The image quality at low ISO settings, particularly from raw files, is as good as many more expensive cameras, while the compact size, simple design and basic control layout are all impressive.We disliked
Above ISO 400 the image quality is disappointing, and the slow write times, battery life and reliance on Sigma's Photo Pro software for raw processing can be frustrating.Final Verdict
Despite the simple, compact appearance, the Sigma DP1 Merrill isn't really a point-and-shoot camera. It's much better suited to a more considered approach to picture taking, and if that suits your needs you'll struggle to find a camera that will produce better images, even if you spend much more cash. If you can put up with the fixed focal length lens and slow write times, and want a compact camera that will produce amazing quality images at low ISO settings - especially from raw files - then the Sigma DP1 Merrill is a great choice.
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Review: SuperTooth Crystal
You're in the car. You need to use your phone, but you want to do it safely and without breaking the law and accruing a fine. You need a hands-free kit. And as luck would have it, that's exactly what we're reviewing here.
The SuperTooth Crystal is a hands-free kit that's a little bit different to what's gone before - it acts as a speakerphone on your sun visor, and also pairs with your phone's GPS to give you voice directions (similar to the TomTom Hands Free Car Kit), and plays music from your phone. It's svelte, portable and a breeze to install and use.
Is it the perfect companion for the connected driver though? Perfect may be a bit strong, but it's certainly worth considering.
The SuperTooth Crystal itself is remarkably easy to pair with your phone over Bluetooth - simply hold the power button down while the device is off and it'll enter pairing mode. Enter the default code of 0000 if prompted, and you're good to go.
You can pair the SuperTooth Crystal with up to eight phones, although it can only monitor two phones at once - which is more than enough for practical uses.
The only thing that's easier that pairing the device is installing it in your car. Inside the pack you'll find a small metal clip that hooks over the edge of your sun visor. Once in place the SuperTooth Crystal attaches firmly using the magnet on the back of the speaker unit, and you're done.
If you need your sun visor down, then you can simply slip the speaker around to the other side.
The benefit of this location, beyond its obvious ease of installation, is the fact that the unit is near your head. That's great for when you're actually using it as a hands-free kit, since it picks up your voice clearly and the person you're talking to comes out clear as well.
Answering calls is straightforward, via a single button push, and doesn't require you to take your eyes off the road. And it's the same for volume controls.
We do have a couple of issues with the design, though. The first is pointed at the power cable, which is a standard USB jack that won't reach in the vast majority of cars.
On the plus side, the SuperTooth Crystal does hold its charge well (offering standby for 1,000 hours of use and talk time of 20 hours). Plus you're more likely to have the charger connected to your phone, so overall we won't knock it for that.
We're a little less forgiving when it comes to the quality of the speaker, though. For voice calls and GPS directions it's fine, but you can't say the same when it comes to playing back music.
It's distorted, muddy and, well, pretty rubbish to listen to. Which detracts from this being a single device that covers all your in-car hands-free needs.
Verdict
Having said that, if all you need from your hands-free kit is the ability to talk to people while driving, then there's a lot to recommend the SuperTooth Crystal. There are cheaper options available than this, which is priced at £49.99//AU$79/US$69, but this does at least feel like a quality piece of kit.
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Buying Guide: Top 12 gifts for PS3 owners
Best PS3 gifts for Christmas
Nothing pleases gamers more than being given something to help them get more from their plastic pride and joy. To help out with what to pick, we've rounded up 12 of the best PS3 gifts that are guarantee to be warmly received. There's a lot more to the PS3 than just games, of course, so we've got PS3 accessories to make the most of the PlayStation's web capabilities, media and Blu-ray capabilities, too. There's something for just about everyone available below.1. PlayStation Move Starter Pack - £34.99
In TechRadar's PlayStation Move review, we were highly impressed by Sony's new motion sensing controller. Grabbing someone a Move Starter Pack is a great way to introduce motion gaming.
Of course, there are lots of accessories for Move itself you could pick up, including the Navigation Controller (£7.99) and the official Charging Station (£12.48).
- Buy the Sony PlayStation Move Starter kit from Amazon
- Buy the Sony Navigation Controller from Amazon
- Buy the Sony Charging Station from Amazon
2. Wonderbook: Book of Spells - £22.99
Wonderbook: Book of Spells combines PlayStation Move and Harry Potter into one package. It's an augmented reality game, where you summon spells using the PlayStation Move as a wand, with the results shown via the PlayStation Eye.
There's also a PS Move Starter Pack with Wonderbook: Book of Spells bundled in for £49.99.
- Buy Wonderbook: Book of Spells from Amazon
- Buy PS Move Starter Pack with Wonderbook: Book of Spells from Amazon
3. Logitech Driving Force GT - £89.99
It was a long old wait for Gran Turismo 5, but any fan of the driving sim fan will know that the only way to play is with a racing wheel, and this Gran Turismo branded steering wheel is just the ticket.
Featuring force feedback, accelerate and brake pedals, a sequential gear shift lever and an adjustment dial for control over all the finer options in your car, you'll know the only reason for poor performance in races is between the sofa and the wheel.
4. Venom VX Comm's 2 Bluetooth Headset, £8.99
This Bluetooth headset is designed to be lightweight, so you'll barely notice it, but provide crystal clear sound to make sure you hear everything you need to in an online match.
5. Elgato Game Capture HD - £121.63
While some games now have built-in ways to share videos of your most audacious feats online, that's certainly not true for all of them. The Elgato Game Capture HD can capture footage from any game to your computer, and can even live-stream it to the web, if you want people to watch as you play.
You don't even need to remember to record the whole time – as long as it's connected, it'll store your gameplay, and you can go back and find the moment you want to record.
6. Official Sony Blu-ray Remote Control - £14.95
One of the best things about the PS3 is that it's actually a damn good Blu-ray player. However, the standard Dual Shock 3 controller isn't exactly ideal for media playback. Not to worry: Sony's remote control enables users to play and fast forward their dics in a more dignified manner.
7. Duracell Extender - £19.12
TheDuracell Extender not only acts as a storage and charging case for controllers, but it attaches to the PS3 Slim and provides additional USB ports and an SD card slot. Guide rails attach it to the PS3, and it has charging indicators on the front, so you can see how the controllers are doing with having to open it.
8. Giotek DF-1 DualFuel Ammo Box - £17.99
If you want a tidy way to store and charge your PS3 controllers, look no further. This mains-connected box can store and charge two controllers at once, keeping them hidden away with its military-style exterior. LEDs on the outside let you know if the controllers inside are charged.
9. Official Sony PS3 Wireless Keypad - £34.25
If you've ever tried typing a message of any length on any console using just the on-screen keyboard directed by the game pad, we probably don't need to mention to you how infuriating it is. This add-on for the standard PS3 controller puts a full QWERTY keyboard at the user's fingertips, without having to put down the controller. Ideal for sending quick messages to friends in between multiplayer rounds.
10. Hori Fighting Stick 3 - £13.99
For a true fighting game fan, then it's pretty much impossible to look at the authentic arcade-style layout on the Fighting Stick and not come over a bit funny.
There's no shortage of great fighting games around at the moment, and with Tekken X Street Fighter still to come, we can't think of a better way to get your Shoryuken on.
11. Hori Tactical Assault Commander 3 - £72.56
Struggling to get the precision you need to dominate online matches when playing shooters on your PS3? Perhaps this PC-Style setup will improve your rankings. Swap your DualShock 3 for this to get mouse control in one hand and a full set of PS3 controller keys in the other. You can even adjust the sensitivity to ensure you're getting exactly the level of precision you want.
12. PSN Cards - £25/£35
Of course, if you want to give someone something to use with the PS3 that doesn't take up yet more living room space, why not go for a PlayStation Network gift card?
You can buy in £25 or £35 denominations, and the recipient can use them to buy games, DLC, movies and anything else that takes their fancy from the PSN store. It's the gift that keeps on giving (until it runs out).
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Nokia Here maps app hits iOS
Nokia hopes to beat Apple at its own shaky mapping game with the Nokia Here maps app hitting iOS today.
You'll be able to get the free Here app on iPhones, iPads and iPod touches running iOS 4.3 and above.
Approving Nokia's app may have been a hard pill for Apple to swallow, given that it has had a few, er, teething problems with its own iOS Maps App.
Here, there, everywhere
The headline features of Nokia Here are offline map caching, a pretty darn good sat-nav option and integrated reviews from tourist guides like Time Out and Lonely Planet. You'll also be able to save places of particular interest to you and restore them on Nokia Here on other devices and platforms, provided you're logged in. For now, that means you'll need a Windows Phone device or to use the maps in-browser; however Nokia Here will be hitting Android in the months to come. Nokia has bragged of its long and illustrious history of cartographical prowess and we're certainly impressed with Here when compared to There – and by There we mean Apple's iOS Maps. But Nokia will have a bigger challenge on its hands when the more powerful Google Maps for iOS finally hits the App Store – that's expected to land at some point in the next few months.
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UK's first 4G SIM-only plans finally appear
EE, the UK's first network to offer 4G has finally launched its SIM-only tariffs, almost a month after the superfast network strode onto the scene in Britain.
Plans start at £21 per month on a 12-month contract – no rolling 30-day deals here – which gives you unlimited texts and calls but just 500MB of data.
If you need more data each month, EE offers 1GB, 3GB and 5GB tariffs, priced at £26, £31 and £36 respectively.
Worth it?
While EE will argue that you'll be getting superfast speeds, allowing you to download apps and videos in a flash while you stroll down the street, it's hard to ignore offers elsewhere for the data hungry among us. Over at giffgaff, for example, you can pick up 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet for £12 a month – there's no 4G, but at almost half the price of EE's cheapest offering it's well worth considering. The good news is EE does provide nano-SIMs if you fancy picking up a new iPhone 5 SIM-free and then going down the 4G SIM-only route for a year. Plus you can use your handset to tether your web connection to other devices - although this will likely see you chomp through your allowance in double quick time.
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Microsoft investigating Windows Phone 8 issues
Microsoft has said it is looking into reports of issues with some Windows Phone 8 devices.
Owners have been complaining of unprompted reboots and email sync issues, with HTC and Nokia users appearing to be the main victims.
Microsoft announced in a statement: "We are currently investigating reports of these incidents."
Given we usually get around 1000 compaints at the launch of any new handset or operating system, the fact Microsoft has acknowledged it at all shows there may be a kernel of truth in the claims.
Skype to blame?
Some users point to the Skype for Windows Phone 8 preview app as the culprit, claiming that uninstalling the application resolves the issues. However, others report to have been experiencing problems before the release of the Skype preview last week. So far, Skype has made no comment regarding these reports, instead referring queries to the Windows Phone 8 team. Early adopters of the Nokia Lumia 920 have also complained of battery life issues, as well as handsets becoming 'bricked' when attempting a factory reset of the device. Nokia has yet to make an official statement on the matter.
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In depth: 7 car tech nightmares that will haunt your dreams and ruin your life
The intelligent, connected car is an idea we love on TechRadar. But wherever there's new tech, there are bad guys to exploit it or things that can go wrong.
So, don your tin foil hats and start worrying. Here's TechRadar's top 7 car-tech nightmares.
1. Cars will become as (un)reliable as computers
Bill Gates allegedly once claimed that if Microsoft made cars, they'd cost $25 and do 1,000mpg. To which Jack Welch, head honcho of US car maker of GM, later retorted that if Microsoft made cars they'd crash twice a day and the airbag would ask if you're sure before deploying. That was then. Today, cars and computing are on a convergence - you could say collision - course. Some cars have up to 150 or more computer chips on board. Renault, to take just one recent example, has chosen Google's Android OS to power its in-car kit. The implication, then, is that cars will become increasingly reliant on computing for everything they do. And our experience of computing in just about every other walk of life is that it's far from 100 per cent reliable. How soon before an operating system crash turns into one that hurts more than just a few files?
2. Malware takes on a whole new meaning
If cars could soon be crashing due to sheer computational complexity and human error in design and engineering, what about the scope for good old malice? With cars becoming increasingly computerised, internet-connected and also sharing software platforms with more commonly used computing devices, can it really be long before viruses and other malware begins to target cars? Also, more and more cars are internet-connected, so an infection could happen at almost any moment. If you start to think laterally, all sorts of sinister opportunities arise, and not just the apocalyptic, life-threatening sort. Imagine a future where all tyres are have RFIDs. Could a tyre company send out a virus that detected tyres from rival companies and then hack the target vehicle to encourage faster tyre wear? If you can imagine it, maybe it's possible. We've spoken to engineers at several car makers and they assure us that the way systems are compartmentalised and firewalled means it simply isn't possible for a virus to migrate from, say, the entertainment kit to a more safety-critical system like cruise control or lane departure correction. But isn't that what they always say – that it could never happen – just before Armageddon strikes? You know it's true!
3. Your car will get nicked by cyber thieves
The happy news is that this is already happening. Due to legislation drawn up with the best intentions and pertaining to easy access to the on-board diagnostic port, it's now possible to smash a a quarter light, plug in a cable and gain full operational access within a few moments. If that's today, the nightmare scenario for tomorrow's connected cars is thieves doing the same job wirelessly over the internet, avoiding the need for any kind of break in. They simply hack and prime the car from a remote location and nip over when it's ready for pinching. WIth self-driving cars on the way, it's not inconceivable that thieves might find a way of driving your car away without even being present at the scene. Already, cars from several brands can be unlocked remotely via a cellular connection. Seriously, people, it's going to happen.4. Your bunny-boiling ex will track you via GPS
If that sounds like a bad movie plot, try this for size. A self-contained GPS device that attaches to cars in an instant courtesy of a magnetic pad can be had for as little as £100. The Back2you personal GPS tracker is a perfect example. Smaller than a pack of cards, it has both GPS and a GSM/GPRS cellular adapter. Simply slap it onto a target vehicle – any steel bodied car is a suitable target – and then all that's required is a call to the device's mobile number. It will then reply with a text revealing its current location and speed. It will even drop its dastardly master a text when it's running low on battery charge.5. Black boxes will become compulsory
Black boxes or devices that record various operational parameters and activities are generally seen as a good thing. They're commonly used in commercial aviation and provide crucial insight into the cause for any crash. The same could very soon apply to cars. The technology is relatively simple. Indeed, some insurers are already experimenting with the idea with a view to setting premiums based on driving style. It's not a big step from there to imagine black boxes becoming compulsory. On the face of it, the safety argument seems pretty compelling. On the other hand, do you really want electronic eyes watching your every move? It's the classic personal freedom versus broader public safety argument and we've an inkling the latter will eventually win out.
6. Cyberjams and worse
Stories involving dunderheaded drivers who sheepishly follow satnav directions hundreds miles off course, into rivers, over cliffs and worse are already common place. It's classic one-last-thing local news bulletin material. But in a world where cars are increasingly connected and automated, the scope for serious carnage increases. Take, for instance, the débâcle of Apple's own mapping software introduced with the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Users reported widespread errors in mapping data. Then factor in a future where in-car system are increasing powered by smartphones. Already, models from MINI, Vauxhall, Mercedes and others are already available with smartphone-powered nav. You're then in a situation where a cloud based mapping error or an OS update could instant render thousands or millions of handsets and in turn cars with incorrect data. That could cause traffic chaos, or worse. On the subject of traffic, with in-car nav systems increasingly fed with streaming traffic data, what happens if there's a data glitch or someone hacks the data provider for nefarious reasons? Record breaking traffic jams or, worse, pile ups could ensue. And you could achive that with a single hack, rather than having to target individual cars.7. Say hello to your new four-wheeled overlords
This is it, the global catastrophe. The Skynet moment. Self-driving cars, you see, are on their way. They're inevitable and they're coming whether you like it or not. Now, for the most part, self-driving cars will be a very good thing. They won't be perfect. But then they don't need to be to improve upon the horrific standards of most human drivers and in turn dramatically reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads. They'll also have a dramatic positive benefit on all manner of modern life. For more on that, hop on over to our feature here. But with millions of fully automated cars running around, the scope for cataclysm whether by accident or malicious intent is pretty epic. To be fair to cars, this falls into a broader category involving robots and perhaps event artificial intelligence too. But while a murderous robo-vacuum might be little more than amusing, millions of cars hell bent on destruction is another matter altogether. Anyway, keep thinking happy thoughts and maybe it will never happen. Either that or think twice when you vote in that robotic-car referendum 15 years from now!
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