Amazon to develop 'Zombieland' TV show for Prime Instant Video
Amazon will develop a TV show adaptation of the hit movie Zombieland for its Prime Instant Video service, it was reported on Monday.
The company is seeking, like its big rival Netflix, to supplement its on-demand offering with original programming, rather than just archive movies and TV shows.
Netflix is currently miles ahead in that game with the likes of Lilyhammer and the forthcoming House Of Cards and new episodes of Arrested Development, but it looks like Amazon has now landed a noteworthy show of its own.
BroadcastNow reports that the adaptation of Zombieland, which starred Woody Harrelson and Jessie Eissenberg in the post-apocalyptic full-length comedy, was scheduled to air on the CBS network before Amazon picked it up.
Original crew
The report suggests that the half-hour episodes will feature the members of the original un-dead slaying crew, but it's likely to be a while before the show goes into production, let alone appears on Instant Video. While the news mainly pertains to Amazon's US-only on-demand service, it is possible that the company could also screen Zombieland through its UK-based Lovefilm service. Last last year Amazon picked up six comedy projects that will air as pilots through Prime and Lovefilm. Viewers will get to vote on which they like best, and that show will be commissioned for a full season.
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Atari files for bankruptcy in United States as it seeks freedom from French
The North American arm of troubled video game legend Atari has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it was emerged on Monday.
Atari Inc, which pioneered home video gaming in the 1970s with games like Pong and Asteroids, hopes that the filing will free it from its French parent company S.A., which is struggling to manage its debt.
The application for bankruptcy, which also included three of Atari Inc's affiliate companies, was made in New York late on Sunday night.
The iconic company now hopes that it can find a buyer to take it private and start again with a "modest business model" based on developing for mobile platforms, reports on Monday claimed.
Shedding baggage
The New York-based arm of the company is said to be making a profit - $4m in fiscal year 2012 - by repackaging its classic catalogue for the smartphone and tablet era. However, growth opportunities are limited due to its debt-ridden owners and the expiration of a $28m (UK£17.6, AUD$26.6) credit facility with London-based financer BlueBay. The company fell into French hands in the year 2000, when it was bought out by the Infogrames company, which soon changed its name to Atari S.A. in a bid to capitalise on its more illustrious acquisition. The LA Times reports that, if the bankruptcy proceedings go in Atari Inc's favour then it could emerge with limited debt and its own cash to spend on developing titles new and old.
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Sergey Brin takes Google Glass for a ride on New York subway
Google's Project Glass Augmented Reality specs have made another appearance in the wild, this time on the bonce of company co-founder Sergey Brin.
The company executive, 39, took the glasses for a test run on the New York City subway last week and was snapped wearing those by fellow passenger Noah Zerkin.
Ironically, Zerkin is an augmented reality fan with his own projects in the field, insists that the meeting was coincidental and that the pair did not know each other.
Speaking after the pair's brief conversation, Zerkin seemed to be sensing a missed opportunity. He said: "Come to think of it, perhaps I should've mentioned my projects to Mr Brin. Or given him my card."
Rare public outing
The last time Brin, who oversees Google's top secret X Labs innovations, was last seen sporting the specs was at a charity event in April last year. A month later, CEO Larry Page wore them at an event in London. The Android-based glasses will feature a display that sits in front of the users eye and a camera to pick up the world around, and will likely be controlled by voice commands and/or a virtual keyboard. It is thought that the ultra-futuristic tech is still in the development stages won't be available to the general public until 2014. It seems likely that we'll learn more about the availability and launch features during Google's annual I/O conference which is coming up in May.
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Blackberry Z10 appears side-by-side with iPhone 5 in comparison video
RIM's yet-to-be-announced BlackBerry Z10 handset has come face-to-face with the iPhone 5 in a new comparison video.
The all-touchscreen BB10, which is all set for a grand unveiling at the end of January, has been leaked more times than we care to remember, but never in this much deal and never next to its chief nemesis.
German blog telekon-presse.ak has provided a hands-on with what is all-but-certain to be the Z10, comparing design, build, software and features with Apple's latest and greatest mobile handset.
According to the hands-on comparison, the BB10 voice control system does a better job than Siri during a request to send a message. It was more accurate and faster on the Z10 than the iPhone 5.
What's left to see?
The video also shows how the respective operating system deals with incoming text messages and offers a neat look at BB10's Peak View feature, which gives users a quick look at items in the BlackBerry Hub. Other highlights include a look at the different ways multitasking is handled by the OS, and how app icons are presented while it also shows how to kill active apps and offers a look at the respective Twitter apps. You can check out the interesting video comparison below. At this rate RIM will have nothing left to reveal on January 30, when it holds launch events around the world.
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Rumoured HTC M7 leaked again ahead of expected MWC launch
Two separate leaks on Monday reportedly gave smartphone fanciers another look at what's expected to be HTC's next flagship phone.
The HTC M7, with Android Jelly Bean and the new Sense 5.0 UI, is tipped to arrive at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in late February.
Firstly, Pocket Now has picked up a new render of the purported device, very different to the one that appeared last week, which, according to two HTC sources who've seen the device, is "spot on."
The new render appears to look a little like the HTC Windows Phone 8X handset, although the M7 is expected to be slightly smaller, with a 4.7-inch 1080p display.
The real deal?
Following the leaked render on Monday, the Android Police site joined the party, claiming to have laid its paws on snaps of the real thing. Both leaks seem to show a very similar handset, although the 'real' hardware photo, doesn't appear to be as complete as the elaborate render. It is possible, that the picture is of an earlier version of the handset, while the render shows what will be the finished article. Other specs are said to include a 1.7GHz quad-core processor and a 13-megapixel camera. It looks like we'll find out for sure at MWC in a month's time.
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In Depth: Why Microsoft should have copied Google's mobile model
Microsoft has a lot of catching up to do. While there's no doubting the company's might, it seems increasingly ossified and unimaginative compared to its rivals.
Last November, it posted a 22 per cent fall in profit. Although that still left a not-inconsiderable profit of $4,47bn, the question remains: can Microsoft change its strategy before it's completely eclipsed by Google?
When Google launched its first own-brand mobile device, the HTC-made T-Mobile G1, there was a lot of scepticism about the search giant's ability to build a competitive smartphone.
However, as Android matured, improved devices such as the Nexus One began to present a serious challenge to the iPhone at a time when Apple offered one of the few viable smartphone options.
Up until recently, Google has only had limited success in selling hardware directly on the Play Store, as most of the vanilla Android-bearing Nexus phones had only really appealed to the Android army or app developers.
Nexus 7 has changed that. Delivered by Asus with an astoundingly low price-tag and excellent specs, it's really caught on with those seeking a more affordable alternative to the dominating iPad. More recently, Google's LG Nexus 4 has been almost permanantly sold out - as you'd expect for a very desirable phone at half the price of the iPhone 5.
Through all of these devices, there has been one constant principle: Nexus devices are fully approved by Google and sold directly as well as through network partners. By taking this route Google has shown itself equal to the only other major phone manufacturer to sell its devices directlto the consumer - Apple.
Microsoft plays it safe
So what has Microsoft been up to while Google has built a solid foothold in the smartphone market? Not as much as you'd think - tentatively allowing established partners to develop phones with their fledgling software on board, and then allowing networks and retailers to do as they like with them. When it re-imagined Windows Mobile with Windows Phone, MS had the perfect chance to launch its own phones or tablets and go for broke. But for reason it has never disclosed, Microsoft failed to take control of its own product range. Instead of putting the Microsoft name on the hardware, it looked to long-term partners HTC and Samsung to help deliver new Windows Phone-powered handsets to market. Although many were excited by the new design direction of Windows Phone 7 (which has continued with Windows Phone 8), the initial hardware selection was truly uninspired. Microsoft languished behind the competition. As far as tablets were concerned, Microsoft was still trying (and failing) to convince people that the traditional desktop experience was really usable on a smaller touch-screen. Unfortunately, most of the equipment manufacturers were doing little to help Microsoft, with silly ridiculous price-tags attached to hot, heavy disappointments. With the arrival of the Microsoft Surface RT tablet and Windows 8 however, Microsoft has taken a step in the same direction as Google and started selling the devices directly. But MS has not been able to match the success of the Nexus devices, and the Surface has had only modest sales in its first month on sale, with projections for a million units shipped in Q4 2012. Contrast this with the Nexus 7, which is said to be topping a million sales per month. While it may not be as profitable as the Surface, at this stage Google is happy to do all it can to gain market share safe in the knowledge it has a well established store and advert model.Where does Microsoft go from here?
So why is Microsoft still flagging? Firstly, because MS doesn't really offer anything exclusive on its Surface Tablet that couldn't be done by other manufacturers such as Dell or HP. Sure, the keyboard options are innovative, but not really ground-breaking considering what Asus was doing with its Transformer tablets 18 months previously. There aren't any software exclusives to draw in the early adopters, and so it's left having to convince people that it has made a great piece of hardware as the main selling point. And while many will agree that the Surface is indeed a great bit of hardware, it's not accompanied by a smartphone sibling that would give MS the unified range of devices it so sorely needs to compete directly with Google. It must be said there are some excellent Nokia Lumia and HTC Windows Phone 8 handsets out there, such as the HTC Windows Phone 8X. But without MS branding on the devices, it is yet again relying on third-parties to deliver the results, and MS isn't directly benefiting from any of it.All about the ecosystem
For the mainstream to jump ship and embrace the Surface as well as Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8, Microsoft needs to offer an ecosystem that's recognisable across multiple devices, much like Google's. With Microsoft, it's hard to know where to start. Hotmail is still a hugely successful webmail service (although Gmail finally overtook it last year), but Microsoft has been trying to rebrand it as Outlook in order to tie it in more closely to Windows 8. Cloud service SkyDrive is also a distinctly average affair - possibly deliberately so in order to protect Office. And as for media, it's hard to know exactly what is on offer. The only exciting thing MS has up its sleeve at the moment is SmartGlass integration with Xbox. If implemented properly, this could be a really attractive feature for Windows Phone and Surface users, acting as a second screen and user interface extension for the hugely popular Xbox Live gaming platform. Microsoft are still a long way from offering a consumer-friendly cloud service that unifies files, settings and other stuff across all Windows devices. Windows Phone 8 takes further strides towards this - and alongside Windows 8 certainly lays some of the groundwork for a brighter mobile future - but you can't help feeling that Microsoft is trailing in Google's wake.
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Xbox 720 gets extensive octo-core spec leak
Another day, another Xbox 720 mega-leak - this time an in-depth system overview with some serious specs to boot.
Gaming leak-friendly site VGLeaks.com has been sent a host of information about Microsoft's next Xbox, code-named Durango.
The site reckons that the new Xbox will offer an 8 core CPU running at 1.6GHz, 8GB of RAM, an 800MHz graphics processor with 12 shader cores, Blu-ray disc drive and gigabit Ethernet.
These specs jive pretty nicely with what we've heard before - last week developer sources mooted the 8GB of RAM, for example.
Durango unchained
There has been a fair amount of speculation about the Xbox 720's release date, with most people plumping for an E3 2013 reveal but some suggesting that Microsoft will opt for an all-singing all-dancing launch event around GDC in March. What seems more certain is that the new console will be on sale in time for Christmas 2013. VGLeaks isn't done yet though - it promises "Next… Orbis". That's the codename for the PS4, in case you were wondering. Stay tuned.
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Review: Nikon D5200
Introduction
Ever since Nikon put a 24 million effective pixel sensor in the D3200 we've been expecting this pixel count to reach a little further up the manufacturer's DSLR lineup. So the announcement that the Nikon D5200 - which usurps the Nikon D5100 from its position immediately below the Nikon D7000 in the range - has a CMOS sensor with 24 million pixels wasn't really a surprise. However, some may raise an eyebrow when they learn that the Nikon D5200 doesn't have exactly the same sensor as the Nikon D3200. The Nikon D5200 uses a new 24.1 effective megapixel sensor that has not been seen elsewhere and, according to Nikon, we can expect the new device to have a more extensive dynamic range.
Priced at £819.99/US$899.95/AU$1,047 with a 18-55 VR kit lens, the Nikon D5200 is in the same kind of price bracket as the Pentax K-5 II and Fuji X-E1, among others.
Features-wise the Nikon D5200 is a blend of the Nikon D3200, Nikon D5100 and Nikon D7000, since it has the same pixel count as the Nikon D3200, for example, albeit with a different sensor. It also has an articulating screen like the Nikon D5100 and the same metering and AF systems as the Nikon D7000.
The new camera's control layout, however, is very similar to the Nikon D5100's, and is more streamlined than the Nikon D7000's.
Nikon has paired the D5200's 24.1 million effective pixel CMOS sensor with its EXPEED 3 processing engine, and this enables a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400. If light levels are very low, this can be expanded upwards to the equivalent of ISO 25,600.
Whereas the D5100 has Nikon's Multi-CAM 1000 AF module with 11 focus points, including one cross-type, the Nikon D5200 has the Multi-CAM 4800 DX unit that is also found in the Nikon D7000.
This means that it has a total of 39 AF points, with nine being cross-type, which should make the Nikon D5200's AF system considerably more flexile and effective than the Nikon D5100's.
This may make the Nikon D5200 more attractive to photographers wanting to try their hands at sports photography, and these users will appreciate the fact that it can shoot at a maximum continuous rate of 5fps, up 1fps on the Nikon D5100.
Another feature borrowed from the Nikon D7000 that improves upon the Nikon D5100 is the 2016-pixel RGB sensor for light metering and white balance assessment.
This feeds information into the improved Automatic Scene Recognition system that attempts to match the exposure settings, autofocus and white balance to the scene.
According to Nikon UK's Simon Iddon, product manager for DX products, the size of the minimum recognisable target for the Automatic Scene Recognition system has been reduced, making it more precise. Its tracking performance has also been improved so that the camera is better able to expose faces across the frame.
Like the Nikon D5100, the Nikon D5200 has a collection of Special Effects and an in-camera HDR mode that combines two shots to create one image with greater shadow and highlight detail. Unfortunately, both modes can only be used when shooting just JPEG files.
Naturally the Nikon D5200 is capable of recording Full HD videos, like the Nikon D5100, but the frame rate range has been expanded to include 60i and 50i as well as 30p, 25p and 24p. This should make for smoother footage of moving subjects, and gives scope for creating slow motion movies.
Build quality and handling
Most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the Nikon D5200 and the Nikon D5100, since they look almost identical, although the new camera has a drive mode button on its top-plate and the Nikon D5100 doesn't. In addition, the specification sheets reveal that the cameras' three dimensions each vary by 1mm (0.04 inch) and that the Nikon D5200 is 5g (0.18oz) lighter than the older camera.
This weight reduction hasn't been made at the cost of build quality, however, because the Nikon D5200 still feels nicely put together and doesn't protest when squeezed in the hand.
Those with small hands will find there's just enough room on the rubber-coated grip to accommodate three fingers, but most users will find it more comfortable to curl their small finger under the camera body while they hold the camera with their index finger on the shutter release.
Nikon has stuck with the same 3-inch 921,000-dot variangle LCD screen seen in the Nikon D5100 for the Nikon D5200.
This is useful for composing images from a wide variety of angles - even table-top still life images can be shot more comfortably, because there's less neck craning. But it's a little disappointing that the company hasn't made the screen touch-sensitive.
While the control layout of the Nikon D5200 is the same as that on the Nikon D5100, the graphic user interface (GUI) has been updated, and it looks cleaner and more modern.
Also like the Nikon D5100, there are relatively few buttons on the Nikon D5200, and most settings adjustments are made via on-screen controls.
Pressing the 'I' button on the back of the camera brings up the information screen, which displays 14 features that may be adjusted - depending upon the shooting mode.
Settings changes are made by navigating to the desired feature, pressing the OK button and then selecting the desired option.
While this a simple and effective approach, many enthusiasts may prefer to have a few more direct controls.
If the screen was touch-sensitive it would also make changing the on-screen settings quicker.
Performance
Given its high pixel count, we would expect the Nikon D5200 to be able to resolve plenty of detail, provided that image noise is controlled well. Happily Nikon's new DSLR doesn't disappoint in this respect. Predictably the amount of detail that is recorded drops at the highest sensitivity settings, with a significant drop at the top native sensitivity setting (ISO 6400). This is generally within acceptable limits, but we recommend reserving the expansion settings for emergencies and staying to ISO 3200 or below where possible.
Even at ISO 3200, the size at which some images can be used may be limited by the presence of slight banding in some of the darker mid-tones.
On the whole the Nikon D5200's 2016-pixel RGB Matrix metering system does an excellent job with most scenes, and it isn't easily tricked into under or over-exposure. In most cases it can be left to its own devices, but in extreme situations - so for example in snowy conditions - it may be necessary to dial in a little exposure compensation.
Nikon has had issues with some DSLR screens showing colours inaccurately, but we found that the Nikon D5200's screen consistently shows colours as they appear in the captured image. This makes it much easier to assess white balance.
On that subject, in the Standard Picture Control mode the Nikon D5200 generally delivers accurate and vibrant colours, but the automatic white balance system can make images shot in shade look a bit lifeless and under-saturated.
This is easily addressed by setting a custom white balance, which warms things up considerably - in some cases a bit too much.
We also find that the Landscape Picture Control mode over-enhances blues and greens so they look unnatural. The Monochrome mode, however, produces some nice results.
And, because the Picture Control modes can be used when shooting raw and JPEG images simultaneously, it's possible to produce a monochrome JPEG as well as a raw file with all the colour information.
With 39 phase detection AF points, the image frame is fairly well covered, but the outer edges are still beyond reach. However, we found the system very responsive, and subjects were brought quickly into focus even with the 18-55mm kit lens mounted on the camera.
Compared with the average compact system camera's, however, the contrast detection system available in the Nikon D5200's live view mode is slow. It's no different from most other DSLRs', but it can't be used with moving subjects, and live view remains best reserved for use with still subjects and when the camera is on a tripod.
We're a little surprised that Nikon hasn't made any changes to the special effects modes available on the Nikon D5200 via the mode dial. It's the same seven that are available on the Nikon D5100: Night Vision, Color Sketch, Miniature, Selective Colour, Silhouette, High Key and Low Key. These are still JPEG-only options for stills photography, unfortunately.
Such effects are a matter of personal taste, but we could give most of this selection a miss. The Miniature and Color Sketch effects are good fun, though.
The good news is that the new processing engine makes the Live View feed a little smoother than on the Nikon D5100 when these modes are selected, although there is sometimes still some lag.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Nikon D5200, 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 Nikon D5200 is capable of resolving up to around 28 (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:JPEG
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
ISO 100, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800, score: 16 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600, score: 14 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Raw
ISO 100, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 28 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600, 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 Nikon D5200 with the Pentax K-30, Nikon D5100, Canon EOS 650D and Nikon D7000.JPEG signal to noise ratio
These results show that the Nikon D5200 produces a similar signal to noise ratio in its JPEG images to theNikon D5100 and Canon EOS 650D, but a weaker ratio than the Nikon D7000 at most sensitivity settings. At lower ISOs, the D5200's JPEGs have a weaker signal to noise ratio than the Pentax K-30, but at ISO 6400 and above, the Nikon takes the lead.
Raw signal to noise ratio
The signal to noise ratios of the TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Nikon D5200 are slightly stronger than its JPEG images, sitting above the Nikon D5100 at most sensitivities, and above the Nikon D7000 at ISO 400 and ISO 3200-12800. It also beats the Pentax K-30 at ISO 400 and above. The Canon EOS 650D beats the D5200 at every sensitivity.
JPEG dynamic range
Results for dynamic range are competitively stronger than those for signal to noise ratio, with the Nikon D5200's JPEG images showing the greatest dynamic range at lower ISOs, before slipping below the Nikon D7000 at ISO 1600 and above, and then dropping off more at ISO 3200 and above, where it also falls slightly below the Nikon D5100 and roughly level with the Canon EOS 650D. It stays roughly level with thePentax K-30 at ISO 3200-6400, before beating it at ISO 12800 and above.
Raw dynamic range
Dynamic range in TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Nikon D5200 are very impressive, beating the Pentax K-30, Nikon D5100, Canon EOS 650D and Nikon D7000 throughout the sensitivity range, except at ISO 25600 where it drops ever so slightly behind the Canon.
Sample images
Click here to see the full resolution image
The Nikon D5200's automatic white balance system has overcompensated for the warm tones of this subject and has produced a low-saturation image.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Setting a custom white balance value has produced a much warmer and more pleasing result.
Click here to see the full resolution image
With the correct white balance selected, the Standard Picture Control setting produces nice vibrant images that are a good match for the scene.
Click here to see the full resolution image
These dark cherries fooled the Matrix metering system into overexposing a little, and -1EV exposure compensation was required to get them looking just right.
Click here to see the full resolution image
This shot was taken at the highest sensitivity expansion setting, equivalent to ISO 25,600. It looks good at small sizes, but as you start to zoom in - or make it larger - slight banding is visible in some areas (see below).
Click here to see the full resolution image
Sensitivity and noise images
JPEG
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
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 12800
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 25600
Raw
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
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 12800
Click here to see the full resolution image
ISO 25600
Verdict
It's a bit disappointing that the Nikon D5200 doesn't introduce anything new apart from the sensor, and it is a fairly predictable upgrade to the Nikon D5100 that borrows features from the Nikon D7000 above it in Nikon's DSLR lineup. It would have been nice if Nikon had added a few new special effects, perhaps a high-contrast black and white mode, and made these effects available when shooting raw and JPEG files, rather than just JPEGs. We'd also have liked to have seen a touchscreen and Wi-Fi connectivity built in, since these could be hot features in 2013. Provided you are happy not to have an array of buttons and dials giving you very quick access to key features, the Nikon D5200 looks like a great option for enthusiast photographers looking for a small, versatile camera, as well as those wanting to step up from an entry-level camera such as the Nikon D3100.We liked
The Nikon D5200's 24.1-million-pixel sensor is capable of recording lots of detail, especially in raw files at low sensitivity settings, and the articulating screen makes it easy to compose still life, landscape and macro images as well as to check critical focus by magnifying the on-screen image.We disliked
Nikon's smaller DSLRs are in competition with compact system cameras (CSCs) for the attention of photographers looking for something better than a compact camera. Many CSCs now have touchscreen control - often backed up by a healthy collection of buttons on the camera body - and this makes them quick and easy to use, especially by the smartphone generation. Wi-Fi connectivity is also starting to come built-in to CSCs to enable sharing of images direct from the camera, as well as remote control of the camera. Including Wi-Fi connectivity rather than making it an optional extra, and adding a touchscreen, would have made the Nikon D5200 seem a little more of the moment.Final verdict
The Nikon D5200 is a solid performer that delivers images with well-controlled noise and plenty of detail, albeit with slight banding in some images taken at IS0 3200 and above. It's also a nicely constructed camera, and the limited number of buttons and dials make it unintimidating to novice photographers, while enthusiasts will find that they have all the control that they want within easy reach.
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Hands-on review: Updated: BlackBerry 10
Hands on: BB10 review
Update: BlackBerry 10 (or BB10) is still under development and not yet a finished product, but we've checked out an almost-final version of the user interface, which is pretty close to perfection, according to RIM - but we'll let you be the judge by checking out our findings below. Delayed until early 2013, the first BB10 devices should land in January– although we're now hearing it could be as late as March and RIM is now saying it will arrive during the first quarter of the year. We saw the near-final version of BlackBerry 10 running on the new Dev Alpha B handset, building on the other test units and newer devices we've seen in the past.
We've also heard about the first Dev handset to sport RIM's famous Qwerty keyboard. Known as the Dev Alpha C, this will be the first handset with physical keyboard to run BlackBerry 10.
1,500 Dev Alpha C handsets will be winging their way to the hardcore BB10 developers before the official launch on January 31, so apps can be tweaked to work on the smaller screened phone.
BB 10 sees the implementation of a whole new user interface, with RIM doing away with the familiar BlackBerry system we're all used to, in favour of something which resembles the likes of Android and iOS, although with its own unique features.
With BlackBerry 10, RIM has merged homescreens, widgets, app lists and a unified inbox into one slick interface, offering up an easy-to-navigate user experience.
Lock screen
The lock screen shows notifications for alarms and unread messages on the left plus your upcoming meetings as well as the date and time, with a button to launch the camera straight from the lock screen to grab a quick snap.
You unlock the phone by sliding your thumb up the screen and from there slide from anywhere on screen and the handset starts to draw in around where you slide so if you just want a quick peek at the information in one area of the screen, you can just drag to show it and then let go – with the device remaining locked (more on that in 'Peek' mode below).
Home screen
The main homescreen comprises of 'Active Frames', technically mini-applications, which give you an overview of information from a particular app and launch the full version when tapped.
Users can select up to eight of these active frames, which arrange themselves in order of most recently used, with the latest app appearing in the top left position.
A maximum of four frames are shown on the screen at any one time, and if you scroll down and you'll be able to view the others – the display in order of use allows you to jump quickly between your recent applications.
RIM tell us that any application, even third party ones, will be able to appear as an 'Active Frame' on the BB10 homescreen, which is excellent news for anyone left frustrated by the limited widget options on Android or live tiles on Windows Phone.
For those of you who may be concerned that these 'Active Frames' could be both data and battery intensive, Research in Motion assures us that this is not the case, with the QNX core of BlackBerry 10 providing efficient power management, and the frames only downloading the minimum amount of data required for them to update.
Interface
Swiping from right to left will take you to the app list, with 16 apps on the screen at any one time – if you have more than 16 apps additional pages are added and can be accessed by swiping the same way again – familiar territory for iOS and Android users.
At the bottom of both the homescreen and app list you'll notice a shortcut bar, with quick links to the phone, search and camera applications – allowing you to quickly jump to these regularly used features.
There's a pleasant fading animation as you flick between pages, and you'll see the previous page of apps fade away to the side of the screen, to be replaced by the new page.
The idea behind BB 10 is that it Flows... which is the phrase RIM is using mercilessly to describe the new OS.
Further screenshots of the BlackBerry 10 interface have appeared online, showing off official social networking apps from all of the big players, plus a voice control feature which will likely challenge Apple's Siri and Google Voice on Android.
Notifications
The whole Flow concept really comes to life when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen – this minimises the current app/screen you're viewing and shows new notifications counts down the left hand side, including new emails, BBMs, texts and social media messages.
If you continue the slide to the right, the unified 'Hub' application can be previewed – allowing you to 'peek' at your messages.
Complete the slide and you'll open the hub fully, otherwise you'll be returned to the page you were viewing before the little red light on your handset started to flash.
This means you can easily see who has just messaged you without having to close down your current application, and knowing who it's from allows you to make a decision on whether or not to answer them straight away or continue with what you were doing originally.
BlackBerry Hub
When we say all, we mean all, as the unified inbox, or the 'Hub' as RIM likes to refer to it as, can deal with multiple email accounts, text messages, BBM, call history, third party messaging apps such as Whats App and a whole host of social networks including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Of course, with so many accounts feeding into the handset, the more popular among us will be quickly inundated with notifications from various different channels, and this is where the peek idea makes it easy to see when you've got anything new to look at.
To make the reams of messages easier to manage place your finger on the title in the bottom left corner of the message centre and pull across to reveal a list of all the accounts you have linked up and then select the one you're interested in – this will then populate the Hub which notifications from just that source.
There are also various options which can be selected for a particular message, hold down on the communication in question and a slim column of tools will pop up to the right for you to choose from, including reply, forward and delete.
Drag down from the top of the message centre and the Hub will automatically pull in your calendar events for that day in the top half of the screen, allowing you to quickly see what you've got on without having to launch the full calendar app.
Peek
Peek works much better when you get your head around all the gestures - however it may prove to be overly complex for some users, although RIM will be providing video tutorials on its BB10 handsets during the initial set up phase when you switch the phone on for the first time.
Having the 'peek' idea work the same way in so many applications helps you get used to it as well (though we don't yet know how well third-party applications will be able to do the same thing, although RIM has said it's developed nearly every API asked for when it comes to developers, and they have full access to the Peek code).
When you do get into a message or an appointment, you can see more information about the people involved in a way that will be familiar to BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 users; you can see who you know in common, what messages you've exchanged or recent social network updates.
It's a new look for the 'flow' between different apps and information sources that BlackBerry has always been good at, but with a fresh modern look on a much larger screens.
Personal and Work modes
Sweep down on the home screen or an app list page and you'll see Personal and Work buttons that let you switch between the two BlackBerry Balance modes. In Personal, you can install any apps you want, send any email, save any file and so on, working in a partition that's encrypted for privacy but not locked down in any way.
If you use your BlackBerry for work though, you'll also have a Work partition that's also encrypted but completely separate and can be locked down if that's what the company wants.
Drag down on the screen, pick Work mode and all your personal apps disappear – so you can't accidentally copy a work file into your personal cloud storage account.
Your company can have complete control of this work section, giving you as much, or as little freedom within this area as they see fit – and everything in Work mode is fully secured, with remote wipe available just it case your handset goes astray.
However work won't be able see what files you have on your personal area when they're managing it, because your personal partition is encrypted.
Select Work mode and you'll be prompted to enter a password before gaining access to your protected area, which means prying eyes won't be able to steal a glimpse at all your company secrets. Phew.
Work mode still features the same UI as found in Personal mode, with all the flow and peek activity present, allowing you to perform some slick, one-handed operations.
Other apps use the swipe-down motion in a different way, allowing to function like a menu key - for instance the mapping app allows you to change accounts or settings with a quick finger flick.
Cascades
Then there's Cascades, a new navigation system cooked up by RIM especially for BB10, allowing for quick multitasking from within applications.
The example we've seen is in the messaging app - open an email it will display full screen, but drag your finger from left to right and the message will slide with you, revealing the inbox below.
This means if you get a new message in the middle of reading an email, you can check who it's from without having to close the application – similar to the notification bar on Android and also now iOS.
If you were to open an attachment from the email, a PDF document in the case of our demo, pulling to the side to view the cascade will show the app's layers stacked up – a more visual paper trail, if you will.
It's certainly an intuitive feature that we found to work smoothly on the development handset – but it will be interesting to see how this feature is embedded into other applications and if it will have the same pleasing results.
New App world
BlackBerry App World is also getting a makeover with a cleaner, more intuitive design ready to show off all the apps RIM is pushing developers so hard to make in time for launch.
As well as offering applications, the new App World will also provide music and videos to purchase and download – allowing BlackBerry 10 handsets the chance to compete with the likes of Google Play, iTunes and the Apple App Store.
There's a sperate version of BlackBerry AppWorld where your company can offer specific work apps – like an app that uses the NFC chip in your BlackBerry to unlock the door to the office, as well as locking out applications they don't deem suitable for using while at work.
Keyboard
BlackBerry handsets are famous for their physical boards and RIM is keen to bring this typing experience to its BB10 touchscreen smartphones with its own offering. Visually the keyboard looks similar to the stock Android offering, but each row of keys is separated with a silver line, or 'fret' – which is supposed to reflect the metal strips between buttons on the Bold range, such as the Bold 9790 and Bold 9900.
Next word prediction, auto-correct and spell check are all common features on smartphones today and RIM has spent some time developing its own system to offer an efficient typing experience.
It sees next-word suggestions appear above the character the word begins with, and if it's the word you want to use, you just need to swipe up over the word and it will be added to your sentence.
As with many offerings these days, the keyboard will learn your style of writing, meaning it will be able to suggest better words the more you use your phone.
RIM reckons that heavy users will quickly see a marked improvement once they start using the keyboard, as BlackBerry 10 will only take a couple of days to learn their style of writing.
Another interesting feature is that the keyboard can support up to three languages at any one time, so if you're writing in English it will offer up English words as suggestions, but suddenly switch to tapping out French, even in the same message, and the BB10 board can detect the change in tongue and adjust its recommendations accordingly - smart.
We found the keyboard to be fairly accurate and relatively well spaced, but for those of you used to the physical buttons of a traditional BlackBerry it will take some getting used to.
Camera
RIM is making a big song and dance about its BB 10 camera application as well, especially the 'Time Shift' feature, which allows you to select the perfect smile of your subject after taking the photo. Fire up the camera app (from the lock screen if you so wish), which was relatively quick to open on the Dev Alpha B device, select 'Time Shift' mode and snap your subject, and the app will then search for faces in the image.
Once a face is located in a photo, you can tap it and literally roll back time to find the point at which your friend had their eyes open and the perfect grin.
If there are multiple people in your snap, you can individually adjust each person, however during our demo we found 'Time Shift' struggled in lower lighting conditions, subjects face's need to be illuminated well for the camera to detect their mugs.
'Time Shift' did take several seconds after the photo was taken to detect faces and offer us the chance to tweak the image, but this could be down to the fact it's running on a development build of the BB10 software, and speed could be improved in the final product.
Of course the camera can take standard photos and record video alongside the 'Time Shift' function, which itself is an impressive function, but we wonder how much we'd actually use it day to day.
Browser
The BlackBerry browser has also had a refresh for BB10, bringing it in line with the minimalist style of current offerings on other devices, and the location of the URL bar at the bottom of the page is reminiscent of Internet Explorer on Windows Phone.
Even though Adobe has already ditched future support and upgrades of its Flash platform, RIM has made sure it's built in support for the dying format, allowing you to access all your favourite Flash built sites and videos of Korean men dancing on invisible horses.
There seems to be a partnership with a particular search engine, allowing you to search via the URL bar, as well as pulling info into other applications, but RIM are currently not in the position to disclose whether they've opted for Google, Bing or something a little more left field.
Sweep from left to right while in the browser and the 'peek' functionality comes into play again, this time showing various internet-centric options such as History, Bookmarks, New Tab and currently opened tabs.
There's also a Reader mode built into the new browser, which lifts article text and images from a web page and displays it in a more manageable and easy to read format, stripping out fancy ads, menu bars and any other clutter which gets in the way of actually reading something.
Comparison tests have shown the BlackBerry 10 web browser to be faster than its equivalent on Apple's iOS 6 and the new version of Windows Phone - we'll reserve proper judgement until we have a final handset in our sweaty palm, but at least this is a positive sign.
Battery life
As we've mentioned briefly earlier on, RIM is promising that BlackBerry 10 will help to deliver decent battery life, even with the big touchscreen and those lovely 'Active Frames'. RIM has even gone as far to say that's its two BB 10 launch devices, one fully-touchscreen and the other sporting the famous Qwerty keyboard, will offer up a full days battery life, thanks to a lot of hard work by the QNX team on power management in the core of the BlackBerry 10 platform. Obviously we were unable to put this claim to the test during our brief hands on viewing, but we'll be sure to push the new BB10 devices to their limits once we get our review units in.
Early verdict
Although the BlackBerry 10 operating system is in development, we must say that we were impressed with how smooth and slick the interface felt under out fingers – seamlessly zipping around without fuss. BlackBerry assured us that is smooth experience would still be present in the final product, thanks to the clever integration of the HTML 5 system, which optimises the performance of the software. We certainly hope they're right. There are plenty of features of BB 10 that are exciting - the gestures work very, very well after a few minutes, the powerful messaging ecosystem is still there and even the on screen keyboard is great. What does strike you about the new OS is how the phone is so integrated - Facebook, Twitter, Email are all available, connected to your friends or easy to share to throughout the phone. It's a much more complex OS than iOS or Windows Phone, but there are only so many ways to re-invent the smartphone wheel; in the case of BB 10, RIM has gone for usable power over rows of easy to use icons. It's a bold move, and one technophiles will love. If the hardware is decent too, there may be enough BB fans out there willing to use the finger-flicking platform... but with so many things to learn, it will take some serious and quick eduction to get users up to speed.BlackBerry 10 release date and devices
BlackBerry 10 release date
Initially RIM was planning to launch BB10 before the end of 2012, with at least one flagship device running the operating system arriving in time for Christmas. However CEO Thorsten Heins confirmed in July that BlackBerry 10 will be delayed until early 2013, as the company continues to fine tune the software, to ensure it launches in the best possible state. The official BlackBerry 10 launch event has now been set as January 30 2013 where we expect to see the new BB 10 platform rolled out alongside two handsets, the fully touchscreen BlackBerry Z10 (L-Series) and the QWERTY-keyboard toting BlackBerry X10 (N-Series). TechRadar will be in attendance at the launch event to bring you all the news as it happens and instant reaction on the new BB10 OS, handsets and RIM's chances of survival.BlackBerry 10 devices
The first BlackBerry 10 devices are expected to be unveiled at the January 30 launch event, and RIM has confirmed that it will offer both full-touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard handset options. The latest reports suggest that the handsets will launch under the names BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry X10, replacing the London and Nevada monikers we saw in leaked BB10 roadmaps. The BlackBerry Z10 is set to be the first fully touchscreen handset to run BlackBerry 10, sporting a 4.2–inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of memory, 16GB of storage, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and a 1,800mAh battery.
For those of you whole love a physical keyboard then it's the BlackBerry X10 that you'll want to check out.
Less information has leaked out on the X10, but what we do know is that it will have a smaller, squarer touchscreen above the famous BlackBerry keyboard.
The same leaked roadmap also shows RIM isn't going to be giving up on the tablet market after the poor performce of its PlayBook, with another slate, codenamed Blackforest, scheduled for release in the middle of 2013 running BB10.
It's thought that the Blackforest will also sport a larger screen than the 7-inch PlayBook – possibly putting it in contention to challenge the new iPad and 10-inch Android crowd.
Heins said BB 10 phones will use the same HDMI and USB connectors as past BlackBerry devices, noting "we can all save some money" - a cheeky dig at Apple and the new lightning port on the iPhone 5 right there.
The RIM CEO reckons the display on the new touchscreen BB 10 device is going to be top notch: "The display in full touch will be beyond what iPhone 5 launched with, it will actually be true HD."
And the leaks don't stop there: the BlackBerry Aristo will apparently pack a (*takes breath*) Qualcomm Krait quad-core processor, LTE connectivity a 4.65-inch OLED touchscreen and 2GB of RAM as well as 16GB flash memory with a MicroSD slot, with NFC, micro HDMI out, DLNA and Bluetooth 4.0.
Not to mention an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording and a 720p 2MP front-facing snapper too - if these specs come to pass it at least show's RIM's serious about boosting the power on the hardware side too.
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Samsung chief confirms Galaxy Note 8 will show up at MWC 2013
Samsung's head of mobile has confirmed that the rumoured Galaxy Note 8 will make its first official appearance at MWC 2013.
JK Shin has reportedly told Korean news outlet iNews24 that this is the case; as Engadget points out, the same site got wind of the Galaxy S3 Mini from Shin before its launch too making it a lot more credible than, say, Digitimes and its upstream supply chain sources.
We heard tell that the Galaxy Note 8.0 would pop up at MWC just last week when a spec sheet made its way on to the big bad internet, promising an 8-inch Super Clear LCD screen, 2GB of RAM, a 5MP camera and a 4,600mAh battery.
Competition
With the iPad mini, Google Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD proving that the mid-size tablet is the latest tech battleground, Samsung clearly needs something a bit beefier than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 to compete. After a lacklustre CES 2013, all eyes are on the Barcelona trade show for the launch of some big-name mobile devices, including an LG Optimus G sequel, a new HTC Android line-up and some new lust-worthy toys from Asus. As usual, we'll be hitting Barcelona in a military formation designed to eke every last tech tidbit from the show floor at MWC 2013 - so stay tuned for the news as it breaks.
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RIM could sell off hardware side if BB10 fails
The company behind BlackBerry has hinted that it could sell off its handset division if things continue on their downward trajectory.
Thorsten Heins, who has been CEO at RIM for a year now, said that although the company is confident in BlackBerry 10, it is keeping its exit strategy options open.
He told German paper Die Welt, "We do not want to limit our options… including the sale of the hardware production as much as licensing our software."
Cash rich
"The strategic review is still running," he went on, adding that the pressure is off now. Despite poor PR to the contrary, RIM is doing pretty well as Heins tells it. In fact, rumours of RIM's demise seem to have been somewhat exaggerated: he said that RIM is "debt-free" and has "$2.9 billion cash available" - so, er, hey, lend us a fiver will you, RIM? Heins has talked about potentially licensing out BlackBerry's OS before; but then again, he's also rejected the idea of selling out before too so who can say what the future holds. One thing it definitely does hold is BlackBerry 10, apparently still on schedule for release at the end of the month.
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HMV to accept gift cards again from Tuesday
Here's some good news for those of you who got HMV giftcards for Christmas: the beleaguered retailer will start accepting them again tomorrow.
It was a dark day for anyone left holding an HMV voucher when the retailer announced it was going into administration last week and would no longer be honouring the cards.
Many were angry that HMV had continued to sell the vouchers over the Christmas period, when it must have known that it would soon be unable (or unwilling) to accept them.
Money talks
Deloitte, the company overseeing the music retailer's slow descent into bankruptcy, said it can now accept the vouchers having looked at HMV's books again. Meanwhile, the business vultures are circling with around 50 companies and consortiums interested in picking up what's left of HMV. Game, the struggling games retailer, is one, while a group of music labels and film studios are said to be looking into bidding as well.
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Review: Lenovo ThinkPad Twist
Laptops are for serious work and tablets are for consuming media. That's the general consensus when it comes to modern computing. A consensus that's easily disproved, but one which, as a general rule of thumb, sums up our attitudes to these two separate ways of using the latest technology.
At least, that was the general idea before Windows 8 came along, which meant that Lenovo could release a machine just like the ThinkPad Twist.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Twist squeezes a lot out of its sturdy design. As the name suggests, unlike laptops that are restrained by a single clamshell action, the screen on the Twist can be easily rotated so that it ends up facing away from the keyboard.
This transforms it into a versatile tablet whenever you need it, like showing off a presentation. It also means you can use the machine easily when sat on the sofa, then twist it back round to turn it into a fully-fledged laptop.
This is a Lenovo machine, and one carrying the venerable ThinkPad name, which means that it's a workhorse PC first and foremost. It's designed to last and serve you well, and is exceptionally robust.
This build quality extends to the twisting mechanism itself, which is elegant, but holds the screen at your chosen angle well and clunks reassuringly into place when you flip the screen back to its laptop form.
The core specification of the ThinkPad Twist is a no-nonsense affair, boasting one of Intel's third-generation Core architecture processors, the Core i5-3317U. This is a dual-core processor that can handle up to four threads at the same time.
This makes it a powerhouse with the right software - particularly for media encoding. The default speed of 1.7GHz may not seem like much, but it ramps up to 2.6GHz when required, which means you'll rarely be waiting for it to respond.
The processor is also responsible for the system's graphics capabilities, its integrated HD 4000 GPU looks after media acceleration, 3D rendering and even the odd game. Admittedly you're not going to be playing the latest gaming blockbusters, but some older titles work well.
Benchmarks
Battery life performance Imtec Battery Mark: Minutes: Higher is better LENOVO THINKPAD TWIST: 298 SCAN 3XS GRAPHITE LG5: 192 CPU performance Cinebench R11.5 Index: Higher is better LENOVO THINKPAD TWIST: 2.37 SCAN 3XS GRAPHITE LG5: 2.48 DirectX 11 performance Heaven 3.0 Index: Higher is better LENOVO THINKPAD TWIST: 14.2 SCAN 3XS GRAPHITE LG5: 45.9Fast and smooth
Lenovo has packed in 4GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly, and for permanent storage this model has a 500GB hard drive. This isn't your standard laptop drive either, it's a desktop-speed drive running at 7,200rpm as opposed to the far more common 5,400rpm, which means it feels sprightly in use.
This is helped even further by a small 24GB cache drive, which helps keep the Pro version of Windows 8 fast and responsive. You can choose a faster SSD if you need the speed, but overall this is a good solution for the money.
The 12.5-inch Gorilla Glass screen is the main draw of the ThinkPad Twist and boasts a standard resolution of 1,366 x 768. This handles HD movies easily and still has plenty of room for more serious work.
Something the machine is more than capable of thanks to the roomy keyboard and versatile options for mouse control. Not only do you have a touchpad and TrackPoint inputs (the small red nub on the keyboard), but you can, of course, use the touchscreen as well.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Twist is well designed, sturdy and a strong performer. It'll also last you a good while, racking up over three and a half hours of battery use under moderate conditions. It's just as happy acting as a powerful tablet as it is a laptop, and while a little heavier than normal laptops, the versatility on offer makes it a machine worth considering if you're looking for a serious workhorse.
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LG Optimus G Pro takes another step towards reality
The LG Optimus G Pro looks more and more likely to be the Korean firm's next flagship handset, but don't go thinking it will be full of groundbreaking tech.
According to a couple of Korean news agencies, LG has confirmed that the Optimus G Pro will arrive in Asia during the first quarter of this year.
It will sport a full HD 5.5-inch display, pitting itself against the Sony Xperia Z, Huawei Ascend D2 and ZTE Grand S, plus possibly the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S4.
Ain't nothing more than a G
Dazzling resolution and larger screen aside, the Optimus G Pro looks to offer little more over the original LG Optimus G, quashing rumours that it could be the much talked about Optimus G2. The Optimus G Pro will apparently run the same quad-core processor found in the G, but user experience will be ramped up – whatever that means. Hopefully it means a bigger battery to keep that bigger, snazzier screen going but who knows. We've contacted LG to see if we can garner any official comment regarding the Optimus G Pro and details on its availability and price.
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Google: we're just scratching the surface of search
Impressive though it may be, Google's search engine is still in its infancy according to head of search Amit Singhal.
Speaking extensively with The Osbserver, Singhal explained that even Google is amazed at how far search has come in the past ten years, but that the best is yet to come.
Pointing to his childhood love of Star Trek as inspiration, Singhal said, "I deeply believe now that shaped my thinking.
"The fascination with flying through galaxies and talking to a computer that could answer any question was always there for me. But of course I never imagined those problems would begin to be solved in my lifetime at all."
Then he whips out his phone and asks Google - using his voice - what the population of London is, and how tall Justin Bieber is. And Google - using voice - answers.
Science fact
Talking about Google's fledgling Knowledge Graph, he explains that the search engine needs to know loads to answer even those simple queries - it needed to understand that Justin Bieber is a person, what tallness is, what metric to answer in and, of course, where to get that information from a reliable source. So instead of just delivering a list of pages that mention the words you're looking for, Google Search has, in Singhal's words, "begun to learn how to understand the real world of people, places and things". "Nuance," he added, "is what makes us human." But it doesn't exactly play nice with machines' black-and-white processes.Lazy bones
Having all this precise information literally at our fingertips isn't making us Google any more accurately; we're getting lazy, says Singhal: "The more accurate the machine gets, the lazier the questions become. So actually our lives get harder." Poor Google. Anyway, we're sure it'll be fine. The Knowledge Graph, which was launched in May 2012, aims to provide you with more answers than simply links to pages and Google's dream is to "reduce every possible friction point between [the user], their thoughts and the information they want to find." To this end, it now puts every search through over 570 million references, with 18 billion factual connections between them - all to help you find out how tall Justin Bieber is. He's 1.7m tall, by the way.
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Many SMBs don't understand cloud
A significant number of small and midsized businesses are unsure about cloud services or think they are only for large companies, according to research by Opinion Matters for internet security company AVG Technologies.
It shows that 31% of the companies questioned in the UK had heard about cloud services but did not understand them, while 22% thought they were only for large firms.
Only 21% said they had had deployed some form of cloud service and the same percentage were considering adopting it in the next 12 months. 52% said they deal with their IT themselves.
Other factors standing in the way of using cloud services were cost, cited by 23%, lack of trust (17%) and a belief that the services were too complicated (10%).
Mike Foreman, general manager for SMBs at AVG, told TRBC that companies need to be more ready to take up cloud services.
"They're probably using it without knowing it, from simple things like booking a train ticket, filing an online tax return or email. But the really big advantage would be that they could have the type of thing that was only available to a big enterprise, such as mobility, working outside the fixed office network.
"To do it before you needed lots of firewall and VPN equipment to punch a hole through your office network. Cloud has ripped all this apart; small businesses now have all that functionality and the ability to work on the go.
"The applications they want to run are now hosted in the cloud."
The survey covered 505 companies with 100 employees or less in the UK.
AVG has just released version 2.1 of its CloudCare security platform, which includes anti-virus and content filtering managed through a console run on the cloud. New features include more refined filtering, a check-in box to remove other security systems from a computer, remote virus vault management and a personalised component installation.
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Intel goes the extra nanometre to celebrate Hawking's birthday
Intel has gone the extra nanometre in its celebration of Professor Stephen Hawking's 70th birthday, presenting the iconic scientist with a custom silicon wafer.
The chip giant felt that good old cardboard and glitter wasn't nearly good enough for Hawking - and decided that it would inscribe the message 'Happy Birthday Stephen Hawking' hundreds of time on a one-off 300mm wafer using its 32nm manufacturing process.
That meant using nano-scale copper lines for letters ten times narrower than a human hair.
Icon
Hawking is, of course, recognised as one of the scientific luminaries of our time, winning the Einstein Award, penning A Brief History of Time and theorising that black holes emit radiation. Intel, describing Hawking as 'extraordinary', was obviously also keen to highlight that Hawking's Centre for Theoretical Cosmology uses a Cosmos Mk IX with Intel inside. The chip giant is also working with Hawking on improving his communications - allowing the genius to communicate his ideas faster despite the motor neurone disease that has left him disabled.
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Updated: iPhone 5S release date, news and rumours
The iPhone 5 may only be a few months old, but we're already hearing information about a successor, which may be known as the iPhone 5S.
The early arrival of the iPad 4 and the iPad mini - just eight months after the release of the iPad 3 in March - has meant that Apple still has the ability to surprise and we could well see an iPhone 5S appear earlier than expected.
iPhone 5S release date
That means the iPhone 5S release date could be as early Spring 2013. However, we believe it's still likely that we'll see another iPhone later in 2013. But that's not what everybody thinks: the Chinese-language Commercial Times estimates that full commercial production of the rumored iPhone 5S will begin as early as Q1 2013. That's borne out by further rumors suggesting a March manufacturing start date, followed by a mid-year release. Digitimes reckons the iPhone 5S release date will be a little later, citing predicted sales targets of relevant component manufacturers. "Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013... Component orders placed by Apple, which climbed to high levels prior to the iPhone 5 rollout, will rise again between March and April, the observers indicated."iPhone 5S rumors
Some sources claim that Apple has is ploughing ahead with the next iteration of the popular handset, due to low yield rates of the iPhone 5 on the assembly line at Foxconn. Apparently, because of the fragility of the parts used to make the device, many break before they even see the light of day. The leaked handset has already been referred to as the iPhone 5S, in keeping with Apple's naming convention for updates to the outward appearance of its iconic device. Some developers contacted The Next Web in early January to say they had seen a new iPhone6.1 identifer in logs - a device running iOS 7. iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will include a Super HD screen display and camera according to new reports in December 2012. The China Times says a 'Touch On Display' panel is being developed by Taiwanese supplier Innolux with 10 point multi-touch and a 0.5mm thickness. Apparently the site spoke to sources inside Apple's supply chain. According to further rumours, the iPhone 5S might not be the only Apple handset we see this year - rumours abound about cheaper, plastic iPhones, while Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch in June, apparently called the iPhone Math. According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera. The new, larger, lower-cost handset could be aimed at emerging markets such as China.Have we already seen the iPhone 5S?
It was reported on 6 December that images of a purported next-generation iPhone have surfaced on French website Nowhereelse.fr, revealing an exterior virtually identical to the current iPhone 5 but with slightly different internals.
Phones Review suggests that a dual-SIM iPhone 5S could be released, hot on the heels of a rumoured Samsung Galaxy S4.
Nevertheless, it's more likely that the iPhone 5S will hit stores in the latter part of 2013, following the trend set by the iPhone 5 and 4S. It's even possible that Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and hop right on to the iPhone 6.
Needless to say, TechRadar will be keeping a close eye on all the iPhone 5S rumors and will bring you the latest developments as they emerge - on this very page.
iPhone 5S wireless charging
According to CP Tech, Apple filed a patent application last month for Wireless Power Utilization, a wireless charging system with near-field magnetic resonance (NFMR). That means we'll get wireless charging at last.
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Sony Xperia S Jelly Bean update screens leak ahead of release
We already know the Sony Xperia S will be updated to Android Jelly Bean and that day looks to be edging closer as screenshots appear online.
Launched almost a year ago, the Xperia S was the first in a new wave of handsets from Sony after it ditched Ericsson to go solo.
The screenshots in question popped up on the XDA Developers forum showing the LT26i (that's the model number of the Xperia S) running Android 4.1.2.
Look, new stuff!
There's a new lockscreen to play with as well as some new features such as Find My Xperia, Screen Mirroring and Power Management to get your teeth into.
A powerful device, it impressed in our Sony Xperia S review and there was no surprise when Jelly Bean was confirmed for it, but an upgrade date is still unknown.
The folks over at Xperia Blog reckon the Android 4.1 rollout for the Xperia S will begin in April, but we're still trying to get some form of confirmation from Sony.
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4.8-inch iPhone Math to arrive alongside iPhone 5S?
Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch alongside the iPhone 5S in June, apparently called the iPhone Math.
According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera.
Instead of replacing the iPhone 5S the iPhone Math will be part of a dual release by the Cupertino-based firm as it looks to offer consumers a wider array of handsets.
iPhone Math = iPhone 6?
If the larger screen size is to be believed then the Math may make it to market under the moniker iPhone 6 sporting Apple's usual premium price tag, while the widely rumoured iPhone 5S may carry a more attractive price. Of course this is speculation from us on a report which has questionable sources and it would be a massive shift for Apple to launch two handsets side by side – although we were initially sceptical about the iPad mini and look where that ended up. That's not all though, as the same report suggests Apple will launch further iPhone models throughout the year, with a handset sporting a 12MP camera arriving just in time for Christmas. We're not convinced, are you?
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Lovefilm gains on Netflix with new Channel 4 comedy line-up
Peep Show, Spaced, The Inbetweeners, Friday Night Dinner, Father Ted, The IT Crowd and more are coming to Lovefilm's streaming line-up thanks to a new deal with Channel 4.
Heading Lovefilm-wards in a specially branded 4OD section of the site, the Channel 4 programmes will boost the Amazon-owned streaming service in the television department.
Comedy line-up
A report issued at the end of last week showed that while Lovefilm is ahead of Netflix in the movie-streaming stakes, the newer-comer takes gold for TV content. Indeed, Netflix has had the Channel 4 line-up available to stream for some time now. As well as newer shows like Peep Show and Friday Night Dinner, the deal brings a few Channel 4 classics with it, including Spaced, Queer As Folk, Teachers and Father Ted. And all available to stream for just £4.99 a month. As Mrs Doyle would say, "Ahh go on, go on, go on, go on, go on." But then again, in the words of Father Jack, "Feck! Arse! Drink! Girls!"
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Why your phone network would be in dire straits without Huawei
A massive 45 out of the top 50 network operators in the world rely on telecommunication services from Chinese mobile giant Huawei.
The stat was mentioned during the Chinese firm's annual financial results, where it also announced that it's doing pretty well for itself.
In fact 70 per cent of Huawei's profits came from its work with network operators, while its consumer smartphone business accounted for just 22 per cent.
Are you Apple in disguise?
Several firms have been battling to balance the books recently including the likes of HTC, LG and Nokia, but Huawei is on the up with net profits raising 33 per cent year on year – the sort of performance we've come to expect from Apple. Huawei wants to become one of the top three smartphone manufacturers in the world and while handsets such as the recently announced Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate show the firm's drive, it still has a way to go before it can properly challenge Samsung and Apple. Looking to the future Huawei predicts that data traffic will be the big sticking point, so it's focussing efforts on improving the system by creating pipes with larger bandwidth allowing for "massive date flow."
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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, Android 5.0. All we know so 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.Android 5.0 release date
Google has announced that its next developer conference - Google IO - will take place from May 15 to May 17 2013, a month earlier than 2012's June dates. Given that Google announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at 2012's IO conference, it's not unreasonable to expect to see Android 5.0 at this year's event.Android 5.0 phones
While the Nexus 4 didn't appear with a helping of Key Lime Pie, speculation that we reported on 21 January 2013 suggests that the Motorola X Phone is the Android 5.0-toting handset that will break cover at Google IO. According to a post on the DroidForums website, the phone will also feature a virtually bezel-free, edge-to-edge, 5-inch display.Android 5.0 features
Key Lime Pie features are yet to revealed, but as we scour the web for more Android 5.0 news, we've 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. UPDATE: Google heard us and this feature appeared in Android 4.2.
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: Dell XPS 13
The world of laptops is moving fast, and the end of 2012 saw a raft of new designs that aim to get the best from Windows 8.
The Dell XPS 13 was one of the highlights of last year, so it's no surprise that Dell has continued with its flagship Ultrabook and given it the Windows 8 treatment.
The Dell XPS 13 is a pleasure to look at, and at first glance it's hard to see the differences between it and an Apple Macbook. The lid is adorned with aluminium giving it a solid and high quality finish with rounded edges and minimalist design.
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Inside, however, is a soft rubber coating, reminiscent of the interior of an expensive car. It's light too, weighing just 1.4kg, but it's not quite as thin as the likes of the Acer Aspire S7 or the Macbook Air.
Those are its closest rivals in terms of price and design, but unlike those models, the Dell XPS 13 packs in blockbuster specs that deliver incredible performance.
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Multitasking made easy
There's an Intel Core i7 processor, which is the best chip you'll find in any Ultrabook. It will handle pretty much anything you can throw at it; video and picture editing are all staples of the XPS 13's diet, as is multitasking all kinds of desktop and Windows 8 apps. There's also a whopping 8GB of RAM, which help to keep the system responsive, and a massive 256GB solid state drive. This last addition is one of the big selling points, as it marries incredible speed with a realistic amount of storage for all your files and programs.-420-90.JPG)
The £1,199 price tag isn't small change, but Dell is treating customers who buy into the premium Ultrabook experience to a host of great specs that simply can't be found in competitors' machines.
Battery life is staggering; we looped an HD video for 325 minutes before it ran out of power, which is one of the best laptop performances we've seen. This puts the Dell XPS 13 in the same league as most dedicated tablets for longevity, and means it's a great buy for anyone who wants a reliable companion on the move.
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Low-resolution
One slight disappointment, however, is the screen. Dell has been adding wonderful full HD screens to its XPS 12 and XPS 15 products, but the XPS 13 only gets a 1,366 x 768 panel. This is something of a letdown when you consider that Sony, Asus and Acer have all made 1080p panels a fixture of the Windows 8 experience. Not only is the panel lacking the resolution boost that we've come to expect from Windows 8 machines, there's also another glaring omission. Windows 8 is designed to work best with touchscreens, and this has led to a raft of tablet/laptop hybrids, like Dell's own XPS 12, and standard laptops like the fabulous Asus Vivobook S200. It's a natural evolution of the laptop and really works with Windows 8's large, tiled interface and apps.-420-90.JPG)
Unfortunately, the Dell XPS 13's panel is as touch-friendly as a starving hyena. The result is a user experience that feels dated and flat. We sorely missed being able to pinch and zoom web sites using the screen, and couldn't get the most from the apps on the ever-expanding Windows Store.
Of course, not everyone wants to embrace the touchscreen future, and many people prefer the simplicity of the traditional laptop experience, and fortunately, the XPS 13 excels in this area. The chiclet keys are wonderful, with plenty of travel and wonderful cushioning which makes it easy to type on for long periods.
The trackpad is adorned in the same rubber material as the rest of the XPS 13's luxurious body, and is accurate and responsive, offering a wonderful experience whether you're sat at your desk or working on the train. The Dell also excels if you spend a lot of time working on the move.
There's no wasted space, with the 13-inch screen crammed into the dimensions you'd expect from a 12-inch machine. It's tiny, yet spacious, with no bezels to add unnecessary bulk.
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The Dell XPS 13 is still one of the best laptops you can buy, offering top performance, brilliant battery life and excellent build quality. However, in 2013, touchscreen technology is no longer an expensive luxury. It's the bread and butter of the Windows 8 experience, and Dell has let us down by not offering the option on its flagship Ultrabook.
While we love the Dell XPS 13, we'd recommend holding off for a touchscreen version, or trying the Acer Aspire S7 if you want to get the most from Windows 8.
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Competition: WIN! One of five devolo dLAN 200 AV Wireless N starter kits
devolo and TechRadar have teamed up to offer five lucky readers the chance to win a dLAN 200 AV Wireless N starter kit worth over £100.
Setting up a high-speed network around the home is made easy using powerline network adapters which can piggy-back signals over your existing mains electrical system when inserted into a conventional plug socket.
devolo adapters currently offer transfer speeds of up to 200MB/s, which is more than enough for distributing high-speed broadband or streaming high-definition video.
If you want wireless networking in another part of the house that your router doesn't cover this is where the Wireless N comes in.
Effectively, it functions as a remote wireless access point with the main Wi-Fi-capable adapter sitting in a plug socket in one room of the house being fed signals from your router in another using an additional adapter provided.
The main adapter has a four-LED status display and a WPS button for setting up an encrypted wireless network. It supports the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard and three Ethernet ports allow for direct cable connection to network compatible kit.
The dLAN 200 AV Wireless N can fix Wi-Fi 'not spots' in and around your home, so obstacles such as thick walls can be tackled. It can even be used to connect a shed, outbuilding or garage space to your home network - anywhere that has an electrical output.
To find out more about the dLAN 200 AV Wireless N or to find more information on all devolo products, visit www.devolo.co.uk.
To enter the competition click here.
Please note that this competition is only open to UK residents over 18 years of age.
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