iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C: the official TechRadar reviews are in
The iPhone fans among you may be facing a quandary after Apple's big iPhone event last week: do you go for the top-end iPhone 5S or save a few bucks and opt for the colourful iPhone 5C?
For some it will be a no-brainer: "LOOK AT THE PRETTY COLOURS" or "LOOK AT THE 64-BIT CHIP ON THAT" depending on your priorities.
But you'll still need to know if either are worth your money given that even Apple's 'budget' option doesn't exactly come cheap.
Definitive
Enter TechRadar. Our phone experts have been putting both handsets through their paces since they were announced and we're confident you won't find a more balanced or comprehensive review of the iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C anywhere on the web.So (spoiler alert!) what are the scores on the doors?
Our Mobile Devices Editor Gareth Beavis made merry with the iPhone 5S, proclaiming it to be "A step far and above what we expected from Apple with its usually boringly iterative update" and awarding it 4.5 out of five.
- Read the full iPhone 5S review here.
- Read the full iPhone 5C review here.
- Read everything you need to know about iOS 7 here.
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2013 Nexus 7 with LTE lands on Australian Google Play store
Aussies awaiting the launch of the 4G-ready iteration of the new, 2013 Google Nexus 7 tablet can finally whip out the credit card and snap up the speedier version.
Following last week's launch in its US homeland, Google has extended the availability of the LTE-toting, 7-inch slate to a whole range of countries, including the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Korea and Spain and, of course, Australia.
The 4G version is only available with 32GB of storage for $439 via the Google Play store and arrives unlocked, enabling it to be paired with all of Australia's current LTE networks.
Google is also promising speedy shipping within 1-2 business days.
Options
Naturally, the device boasts dual-band Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, meaning there's plenty of options for those who aren't seeking to sign up for a 4G contract just yet.The Wi-Fi-only version of the 2013 Nexus 7, made by ASUS, was launched by Google in late July before it was released via Australian retail channels last month.
It brings a 1920 x 1200 HD, 1080p display (with 323 ppi), a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box.
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Adobe Project Mighty, Project Napoleon to leave a mark in first half of 2014
Adobe announced today that it is moving into the hardware business by signing on the dotted line with Project Mighty and Project Napoleon.
The company's cloud pen and digital ruler have graduated from "technology exploration" to "planned project" and the pair are scheduled to be released in the first half of 2014.
This is great news for freehand artists who are looking for a pressure sensitive digital pen that is able to draw natural and expressive lines on an iPad canvas.
The pen was first demoed at the Adobe MAX conference earlier this year with the ability to carry personal digital assets, application settings, colors and brush across devices.
Adonit drawn in
Adobe, known primarily as the software company behind Photoshop, partnered with Adonit to put its pen (and ruler) to digital paper.Adonit is manufacturing Adobe's Bluetooth smartpen and ruler having created a line of Jolt smartpens for the iPad.
Adobe, meanwhile, is focusing new iPad software to work with its "little ruler," Napoleon. Project Parallel is a drafting app, while Project Contour is described as Adobe Kuler for shapes.
Contour will allow Napoleon wielders to take a photo of a favorite object or shape on an iPhone and access it with Napoleon on the iPad to simplify architectural line sketching, drawing and ideation.
Adobe Creative Cloud subscription numbers
As Adobe unveiled new creative hardware tools, it announced that its software business is no slouch.Creative Cloud subscriptions have reached over one million in the third quarter of this year, according to the company's latest fiscal earnings press release.
With an increase of 331,000 subscriptions in just three month, it's drawing in a healthy number of users even before the more exciting hardware tools take shape.
- Speaking of hardware, read about the iPhone 5s launch supply being extremely limited
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Updated: Samsung's BBM for Android app set to rain down in Africa on Friday?
Update: Samsung Nigeria may have jumped the gun a bit.
Victoria Berry, BBM communications director at BlackBerry, sent a statement to CrackBerry clarifying that "no one will have an exclusive on offering BBM.
"We'll be bringing the app to Android and iPhone users across the globe soon."
While Samsung may lack an exclusive claim to BBM in Africa, we all should be in for some messaging goodness before long.
Original article...
The first official implementation of the BlackBerry Messenger platform on Android devices could arrive in Africa this Friday, exclusively for Samsung Galaxy phones.
According to a ZDNet report and a tweet from Samsung Nigeria's Twitter account, the South Korean tech giant may have snagged access to BBM three months before it arrives for other Android devices in the region.
As per an existing marketing agreement between Samsung and BlackBerry in Africa, the launch of the BBM platform for Galaxy devices will see it integrated within Samsung's own messaging hub application.
BlackBerry is launching its time-honoured app for iOS and Android sometime this year with the clear aim of becoming the world's No. 1 messaging platform, but as of right now the apps remain in private beta.
As yet, despite the odd hint hint here and there, there's no clear indication of when BlackBerry will pull the trigger on its BBM expansion project. However, the developments in Africa suggest it cannot be far away.
Bargaining chip
With the launch still pending, BBM has become a pivotal discussion point behind the potential sale of the Canadian smartphone manufacturer, which is currently welcoming offers as part of a strategic review.The popularity of the free BBM app helped to keep the company's phones popular with the younger crowd long after the slump had commenced and is one of the most valuable chips BlackBerry possesses.
It may prove a target for potential buyers looking to pick the bones, or it may be a division that remains under Waterloo's control as other parts of the business are sold off.
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Blip: BitTorrent and Madonna join forces to stick it to the man
In a strange partnership not many saw coming, BitTorrent and Madonna have teamed up for a film about, what else, free speech.
Specifically Madonna will be using BitTorrent to freely distribute a short David Klein-directed film titled "secretprojectrevolution" - which will serve as a precursor to Madonna's new online project Art for Freedom (where she asks the world to submit various multimedia pieces protesting "global intolerance").
OK, so maybe a duet isn't too surprising considering Madonna is all about "expressing yourself" and BitTorrent's latest project, BitTorrent Bundles for Publishers, allows artists control over their own content.
Plus, it doesn't hurt to work with big names to help promote the fact that the site is trying to show it's "not a force for evil."
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Mozilla delays Firefox's 'return to the dark ages' on Windows 8
The metro-style Firefox release has been pushed back from December to January, according to Mozilla.
In the online notes from its latest meeting (why issue press releases when you can publish raw bullet points?), Mozilla revealed that a "decrease in average team velocity" has caused the Firefox for Windows delay.
Firefox 26 for Windows is being designed specifically for Windows 8, with the system's touchy-feely, tile-based UI at the forefront of the browser's look and feel.
That's despite Mozilla's claims from last year that Windows 8 marked a "return to the dark ages."
T-t-touch me
The new, multitouch-friendly, "modern" Firefox was pegged last month for a Dec. 10 release, but the latest Firefox notes make it clear that the tiled browser will appear next year at the earliest.This version of Firefox for Windows features a boxy, tile-based interface and features designed specifically to play nicely with Microsoft's latest OS, including versions on touch devices.
The exact reason for the delays is unclear, but this special version of Firefox has already been in development for at least a year - preview builds appeared as early as 2012.
Not much in the Windows 8 world has changed since then, though Windows RT is looking less and less relevant and Windows 8.1 will be out in mid-October.
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Microsoft reveals price of Windows 8.1 for those who aren't upgrading from W8
Microsoft revealed pricing for Windows 8.1 today with figures that should look familiar to purchasers of its predecessor, Windows 8.
Windows 8.1 will be available as a free download to current W8 users starting Oct. 17, but for those still running an older version of Windows, Microsoft will charge you $119.99 for Windows 8.1 and $199.99 for Windows 8.1 Pro.
Microsoft noted in a blog post pricing varies by market, but straight conversions bring us to about £75/£125 and AU$128/AU$213.
The U.S. pricing is right in line with what Microsoft currently charges for Windows 8, so choosing between an out-of-date yet cheaper OS or a current yet more expensive version won't be a conundrum customers have to face.
Making the Windows 8.1 switch
If this update launch seems to fall instep with that of Windows 8, Microsoft noted that unlike the older OS, Windows 8.1 will ship as a "full version software," meaning it won't require a previous version of Windows for install.The Windows 8 on the market now is an "upgrade version."
According to Microsoft, the shift in how it's releasing Windows 8.1 should allow for "more flexibility for customers in specific technical scenarios" while also serving as a response to customer feedback, something it seems to be taking seriously lately.
Users who jump from Windows 7 to W8.1 will be able to pack their files, but they'll need to reinstall their desktop apps, including Office, Microsoft explained. Uses running Windows XP or Vista are urged to boot from the DVD instead of downloading Windows 8.1.
Files, settings and programs won't transfer during an XP/Vista to W8.1 switch, Microsoft pointed out.
Lastly, Microsoft advised that users who buy a device running Windows 8.1 will be able to pick up a Pro Pack for $99.99 (about £62, AU$106). Users of Windows 8.1 Pro will be able to buy the Windows Media Center for $9.99 (about £6, AU$10).
Look for Windows 8.1 to land everywhere on Oct. 18 at the Windows.com or in retail stores.
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2013 Nexus 7 with LTE now available from UK Google Play store
Brits awaiting the launch of the 4G-ready iteration of the new, 2013 Google Nexus 7 tablet can finally whip out the credit card and snap up the speedier version.
Following last week's launch in its US homeland, Google has extended the availability of the LTE-toting, 7-inch slate to Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Korea and Spain and, of course, the UK.
The 4G version is only available with 32GB of storage for £299 via the Google Play store and arrives unlocked, enabling it to be paired with the UK's growing array of 4G LTE networks.
Google is also promising speedy shipping within 1-2 business days.
Options
Naturally, the device boasts dual-band Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, meaning there's plenty of options for those who aren't seeking to sign up for a 4G contract just yet.The Wi-Fi-only version of the 2013 Nexus 7, made by ASUS, was launched by Google in late July before it was released in the UK at the end of last month.
It brings a 1920 x 1200 HD, 1080p display (with 323 ppi), a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box.
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Major Google Wallet update hits new carriers and almost every Android
Google announced today that a majorly updated Google Wallet app has been released for every Android phone in the U.S. running Android 2.3 and above.
That's an overwhelming percentage of Android phones - in July research from OpenSignal found that just 6.3 percent of Android devices were still on 2.2 or below, and that number has certainly continued to decrease since then.
Prior to today's update Google Wallet was available on just a handful of phones with Near Field Communication built in, but the app just got a lot more inclusive.
It also gained some important new features that will help it take on competition like Paypal.
Join the party
Today's update also makes the Google Wallet app available on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, the three major U.S. carriers that previously blocked it.That said, All Things D reports that users on those carriers still won't be able to use the NFC functions like tap-and-pay.
It's been speculated that those three carriers' lack of Google Wallet love stems from their support of competitor Isis.
Though we haven't heard much about Isis in a while, we've seen nothing to refute the theory, and the continued lack of support for Google Wallet's NFC functions is troubling for customers.
But All Things D did get a hint about Google Wallet coming to iOS at some point: "We want to bring Google Wallet to all smartphone users, and we're working to do that as soon as possible," a Google spokesperson told the site.
Change is in the air
The new Google Wallet app can send money from a user's bank account or existing Wallet balance directly to any U.S. adult with an email address. Users can also use a credit or debit card, though Google charges fees for that.Using this feature also grants early access to sending money through Gmail, though.
The Google Wallet app can also scan, store and update loyalty programs like those from grocery stores, airlines, hotels, restaurants, and more, with more options rolling out in future updates.
And savings and coupons from Google Search, Google Maps, Google+, and Google Offers will all appear in Google Wallet. Couponing sites like Valpak will be added later this week, and Google said it's working with more partners.
Finally, the app keeps track of all your purchases and activity, including those made using tap-and-pay on NFC-enabled Android devices.
Stay safe, kids
Google said in today's announcement that it takes security seriously.To that end all Google Wallet transactions are monitored for fraud, all users are 100% protected against unauthorized use, and the Google Wallet app can be disabled remotely if a phone is lost or stolen.
And Google reiterated that users should choose strong passwords and enable two-step verification.
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TVCatchup now with added catch-up thanks to new deal with iPlayer et al
Live TV streaming site TVCatchup has announced official tie-ins with the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 and is now offering links to the broadcasters' on-demand platforms.
The legitimate streaming site, which brings the UK's free-to-air channels in one place, now links out to the iPlayer and co for achieved content within its TV Guide.
The site's users can view episode details, other episodes available and more before hitting the deep links to carry them directly to the broadcaster's site.
TVCatchup says the new feature is a return to the company's roots. It's cloud PVR feature had previously allowed users to record shows online to be viewed at their convenience.
App updates also on the way
The new feature is currently available only through the browser version of the site, but the company says an update to its smartphone and tablet apps in due course.Alex Guest, marketing director of TVCatchup, said: "Just as we stream the best selection of linear channels in the UK, we are also bringing together the best collection of on-demand TV programmes. Viewers today want one place to find all they want to watch and we're making it easy for broadcasters to reach their public."
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Updated: iPhone 5S supply could be severely limited on launch day
Friday may be a disappointing end to the week for iPhone 5S hopefuls if reports of constrained new iPhone supplies prove as bleak as they sound.
According to a number of reports, launch inventory of the 5S is far below expected volumes, at least at U.S. carriers. There's no word on where international supplies stand, but the U.S. may not be alone in having a limited 5S offering come Sept. 20.
"We will have grotesquely unavailable inventory," one U.S. carrier source told AllThingsD, which reported today the message is the same at multiple U.S. carriers. Another carrier source noted that though shipments are paltry, demand for the Touch ID-equipped iPhone may not be very strong either.
While there shouldn't be a problem picking up the iPhone 5C on launch day, supplies of the 5S are "severely constrained," according to a BGR source.
The site reported Apple hasn't been able to pump out enough 5Ses to fulfill the first wave of demand, which may be behind the decision not to take advance pre-orders.
We've asked AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint for comment on these reports. AT&T responded by saying it has nothing to share at this time while Sprint said it's not commenting on iPhone 5S supplies.
iPhone 5S release woes
Pre-orders for the iPhone 5S opens at 12:01 a.m. PT Sept. 20, or 8:01 a.m. London time and 5:01 p.m. in Melbourne.Apple Stores will start selling the iPhone 5S at 8 a.m. local time, and lines are already forming for it and the iPhone 5C.
Bucking the international trend, reservations for the iPhone 5S opened in China and Hong Kong earlier today, however nearly all storage models and all colors sold out within minutes, reported 9to5Mac.
The site separately reported that of the new iPhone supplies at large U.S. Apple Stores, about 70%-80% of the phones are the iPhone 5C.
The space gray iPhone 5S model is expected to be the most popular and therefore the most in stock, while the white and gold models will be much rarer finds.
To pacify what could be some cranky customers, Apple is supposedly preparing an Apple Store app update that will tell customers when new iPhones are available at their local Apple Store. The update is expected to arrive by next week.
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No iPhone left behind as Apple offers older app versions through App Store
Apple is in the process of rolling out a new feature for iOS devices running older versions of the software, which allows the last compatible version of apps to be downloaded.
Apple's new iOS 7 software becomes available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners on Wednesday, but for handsets like the iPhone 3GS it's the end of the road when it comes to software updates.
With developers busying themselves with updating the apps for re-imagined software, the new feature will give those owners incapable or unwilling to use iOS 7 the ability to continue using their favorite apps.
According to reports on Tuesday, the new notification pops up asking if users wish to install the last compatible version when they attempt to download an app that's not supported by their version of iOS.
New lease of life
The decision to make the older versions available, first spotted by a Reddit user on Tuesday, keeps devices like the iPhone 3GS and original iPad alive and kicking, despite their incompatibility with iOS 7.It could even encourage some estranged iPhone users to dig the old handset out of the closet and give things another whirl.
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Instant Video adds AirPlay support, but Amazon may have bigger TV fish to fry
Amazon Instant Video added Apple TV AirPlay support today, but the e-tailer may have another project cooking to take Apple's set-top head on in the living room.
Let's start with the Instant Video app update. Now app owners can stream content from their mobile device to a television via AirPlay. It's not an earth-shaking update, but a function Apple TV owners are sure to welcome.
Users were previously able to switch from watching content on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to viewing on a Kindle Fire HD, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac or a number of connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Throw Apple TV in the mix and you've got a growing Instant Video network that should force Hulu and Netflix to take notice.
Instant Video is free with an Amazon Prime subscription, though non-Prime members can buy or rent videos from the company's catalog. Today's update also brings with it some new IMDB goodies, including cast and director info, ratings, "goofs," trivia and quotes.
Amazon TV coming in October?
While today's Instant Video update is an incremental step in Amazon stomp into the living room, AllThingsD has word that we could see the company seriously encroach on Apple TV's turf as soon as next month.According to the site, Amazon is planning on releasing its own set-top box in the fall. Developer sources indicate the launch date won't happen until mid-October at the earliest, but that's really only a month away.
Amazon would join a growing connected TV space, shouldering next to the likes of not only Apple but Roku, Sony, Google, Microsoft and, eventually, Intel. With an Amazon phone likely in the works too, seems Amazon is preparing to hit a lot of top contenders where it hurts.
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Microsoft puts a fresh coat of paint on Bing, but will users bite?
With Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Xbox and Office, Microsoft is working hard to unite its products and services under the same shingle, but this week the company offered a peek at how Bing will fit into its new vision of the future.
Microsoft's Bing Blogs announced a rebranding of Bing.com that offers a reinvention of the service's visual identity, starting with a new logo and brand elements intended to stretch across all of the company's products.
Featuring a clean, modern design, Bing's new logo cleverly matches the color palette used in the lower right quadrant of Microsoft's latest corporate branding, but the change is about more than just looks.
"Bing is no longer just a search engine on a web page," explained Bing Senior Director, Brand and Creative Scott Erickson in a blog post. "It's a brand that combines search technology across products you use every day to help empower you with insights."
The right search
In addition to the new look, Microsoft is rolling out a new Bing.com web portal today that's billed as "faster, cleaner and more visually appealing."New to the service is Page Zero, a feature that attempts to guess what a user is looking for as they type a search query, while intelligently offering multiple choices for queries that have more than one option available.
Other changes include "Pole Position," which displays answers front and center for queries where Bing has a high confidence in the results, as well as combining existing Snapshot and Sidebar features for better integration with social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
The new Bing is available today as a preview, and Microsoft claimed the design was created with every kind of device in mind - from big-screen TVs to future smartwatches and everything in-between, from PCs, smartphones and tablets.
The question remains: Will users flock to the new Bing or stick with the search engine (a.k.a. Google) they're used to? At least the refresh is better than another "Scroogled" ad.
- Get a hands-on look at the new Windows 8-powered Asus Transformer Book T100!
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Plusnet offers up half price business broadband deal
Yorkshire-based ISP Plusnet is halving the cost of its monthly business broadband packages for six months for new customers.
The catch? You'll have to agree to a 24-month contract and sign up before November 7 at Plusnet's website quoting the code 'bus6' or 'bus6fibre'.
The deal is available for the following services:
- Plusnet Business Broadband - £5 a month for six months (then £10 a month)
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Broadband – from £7.50 a month for six months (then from £15 a month)
- Plusnet Business Fibre – from £12.50 a month for six months (then from £25 a month)
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Fibre - from £17.50 a month for six months (then from £35 a month)
Long-term value
Totting up the total cost over 24 months, Plusnet claims that the deal makes both its fixed usage or unlimited options among the cheapest on the market.Plusnet Business, its fixed usage package, will net you up to 17Mb download speed wth a 25GB monthly data usage limit for £210 over 24 months.
That's compared to XLN Telecom's £238 (with up to 24Mb down and 20GB data), BT Business's £264 (with up to 17Mb down and 10GB data), and TalkTalk Business's £360 (up to 24Mb and unlimited data).
If you plump for the unlimited option, it also ends up being the cheapest option over 24 months at £315 for up to 17Mbps downstream and no data usage limits.
That compares favourably to XLN Telecom's £358 (up to 24Mbps downstream and unlimited data), BT Business's £384 (up to 17Mbps down and unlimited data), and TalkTalk Business's £360 (up to 24Mbps down and unlimited data).
You may be asking yourself: what's the right business broadband for you?
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In Depth: The five phones that EVERYBODY loved
There was a time when phones used to be a bit different from each other. Buyers used to have choices that extended a little further than whether they'd like their featureless new rectangle to run iOS or Android, with the phones of old having quirkier appearances and more unpredictable features.
Nokias were nothing like Panasonics, Sony had some bonkers ideas, Palm existed and LG pioneered with some weird touchscreen models way before Apple worked out how to make them feel nice and actually work properly.
Many older handsets came with their own operating systems and therefore had different personalities. Some had games, some didn't, some had chunky little aerials to fiddle with, and it was always, always possible to work out which way up they were in your pocket by feel alone.
We miss the days when phones weren't all homogenised into the same form factor by the one huge factory in China that makes everything, so here are the five finest phones that made us love them by being different and proud of it.
Nokia 3210
- Year: 1999
- Launch Price: £400
We were empowered with the ability to adjust meeting times and dates while on trains, we could send text messages when a full conversation would be needless or awkward, while T9 text input had us texting with ease on the keypad.
It had three games and you could choose the sounds it made, plus you could purchase after-market covers to jazz up that staid exterior. Cutting-edge tech that changed lives.
*Subject to contract, terms & conditions apply.
Sony Ericsson K800i
- Year: 2006
- Launch Price: £400
Its burst mode photo tool was innovative back then too, letting users capture nine shots and pull out the best of them to keep - a system most modern smartphone makers are still trying to pretend to have invented themselves today.
And while we may laugh at its clunky candybar looks now, just seven years ago this was the phone used by gadget king James Bond to text his East European lady friends in product-placement motion picture bonanza Casino Royale.
Nokia N95
- Year: 2007
- Launch Price: £450
Phones weren't quite as smart in 2007 as they are now, but the S60/Symbian OS was the hackable Android equivalent of its day. A 5MP camera was a thrilling thing to have on a phone back then, which Nokia coupled with GPS, Wi-Fi, a decent web browser and HSDPA radio support.
It was the nerd's phone of choice, thanks to Nokia managing to push it as a powerful computer inside a chunky little sliding case.
It wasn't quite that, but it had all the elements of today's smartphones in place - just working a bit slower than they do now.
BlackBerry Bold
- Year: 2008
- Launch Price: £500
It was slimmer than previous BB models, supported the full-speed HSDPA mobile data connections, and incorporated all of today's smartphone must-haves like GPS, Wi-Fi, a camera, SD card memory upgrades and more.
The Bold was solid (with an erotic leatherette back), the keyboard a dream, the display large and clear. It was a winner. Shame about what came next for BlackBerry (nee RIM).
HTC Desire
- Year: 2010
- Launch Price: £500
It was brown for a start, had chunky silver buttons and even came with a glowing red Terminator eye inside its clickable track sensor, a feature that would soon disappear from the Android spec sheet.
With a 1GHz processor inside, the old Desire still functions pretty well as a smartphone today, although HTC never took it past a DIY upgrade to Android 2.3.
- You've seen the past, so now see what Mozilla reckons is going to be the future of Smartphones.
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In Depth: A GALAXY of taste: using the S4 or Note 8.0 in the kitchen
With so many superb food festivals celebrating the world of great cuisine taking place across the UK these days we decided to round-up the best GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0 apps to take advantage of all the great produce on offer and to turn you into a digital masterchef.
So get your Samsung GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0 into the kitchen and let it help you hunt out local produce, find and organise recipes, choose the best accompaniments for meals or just put handy kitchen tools at your fingertips, helping you to make light work of even the most fiendish recipes.
Sourcing and choosing ingredients and finding recipes
1. Boskoi
Free - get it hereForaging is all the rage nowadays, seeking out wild, seasonal produce to create great-tasting meals. To help you in your own foraging quest there's the Boskoi app, which lets foragers add reports of where you can find local food in your area to create a map of the edible landscape.
Each report lets you navigate to the location marked using Google Maps, describes what food can be found there and will even have a link to the relevant Wikipedia page so you can learn more about the ingredients if you are unfamiliar with them. It's an open source project reliant on people tagging food they've found, so results will vary according to where you live, but it's well worth a try to help you source free ingredients.
2. Evernote Food
Free - get it hereSeen an ingredient, technique or recipe you want to remember? Just whip out your GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0 and using the high-definition camera you can capture the moment, add a note or record a quick voice reminder. With Evernote Food at your fingertips, you'll never forget a great restaurant meal or a food festival cooking tip again.
The app also has loads of great recipes to browse for inspiration, a restaurant locator plus a cookbook section for you to store your favourite recipes in. If you already have an Evernote account your recipes and notes will be backed up there too.
3. Epicurious
Free - get it hereEpicurious is a comprehensive recipe listings app with contributions from top chefs, restaurants and food magazines. If browsing a food festival has put you in the mood to create something extravagant, then choosing the "I cook like a pro" option will filter the 280,000 recipes listed on Epicurious to those that will really challenge you in the kitchen.
Epicurious also offers categories like 'Weeknight dinners' and 'Decadent desserts', and lets you save recipes you really like to a Favourites menu. Also, if you've just bought a fancy ingredient from a farmer's market and aren't sure what to make, the Epicurious search function will find you a recipe by keyword, and it will save the other ingredients needed to create a shopping list too.
4. ChefTap
Free - get it hereWouldn't it be great if you could collate all your favourite recipes together in one place, no matter how or where you found them? ChefTap does exactly this – you can import recipes from any website, import recipes stored as text files, import recipes from a URL, or just copy and paste them in directly. It can even search your Chrome bookmarks for recipes.
It takes three taps on a browser to save a recipe (tap the browser Menu button, tap Share, tap ChefTap) and the app will import the recipe on the page, images and all. You can also edit anything if you want to amend it, add your own notes, or correct it. A truly impressive recipe organiser.
5. Hello Vino
Free - get it hereGot a new favourite meal but don't know which wine will make the perfect accompaniment? Hello Vino is your friend. You can find the perfect wine for anything from roast turkey to Pad Thai and the wine suggestions are listed along with tasting notes and other food pairings, plus the ability to add the wine to your favourites.
It's a US-centric app – the prices are in dollars – but with such an extensive wine list, the detailed recommendation engine and wine reviews collated from numerous sites and blogs, this app is highly recommended to help you find that perfect drink/meal combination.
Hello Vino can help you pair drinks with meals too, recommending what meal to cook with your favourite wine.
6. Cocktail Flow
Free - get it hereNot a wine drinker? There is no better aperitif/accompaniment for a meal than a well-made cocktail, and Cocktail Flow comes with handy instructions on how to make many famous drinks for free (you can add additional cocktails linked by theme, for example New Year, by buying extra recipe bundles).
It will also match the cocktail recipe to the drinks you have available. You can search for cocktail recipes by spirit, cocktail type and even by colour. You can also download a non-alcoholic cocktail package for free, for those who don't want a sore head the next morning.
Cocktail Hero is also free and well worth a look, if only because of its much more extensive cocktail list.
Kitchen tools
7. Kitchen Dictionary FREE
Free - get it hereTo cook like a pro you have to speak the lingo, and there are a lot of terms you need to understand if you are to become a culinary master. Now you need never get confused by a cooking term again with this free kitchen dictionary that covers everything from Al dente (neither soft nor over done) to Zushi (seasoned rice used for sushi).
The entries are all spelled out in plain English, with a quick A–Z look-up, so you have no excuse for not recreating any of the fancy menu terms you may come across.
If the ads are too much for you, you could upgrade to the paid version for the princely sum of 64p.
8. Recipe Calculator
Free - get it hereIf there is one thing you need to get right when creating culinary masterpieces, it's ingredient amounts, but recipes often come in a bewildering variety of units. Step up the free Recipe Calculator app. It has a typical calculator layout but with additional buttons for fractions as well as specific conversion buttons built in, meaning you can quickly convert recipe instructions like 1/3 of a cup into millilitres.
It also lets you upscale recipes, so if you have a recipe for four people but need to make it for six, you can convert the ingredient measurements to the correct amounts needed. For ease, you can also set the app to always start up with millimetres or cups as the default unit.
9. Ratio
£3.19 - buy it hereThere are some that say there is a magic formula to cooking, and this is the basis of cookery writer Michael Ruhlman's book Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind The Craft Of Everyday Cooking, which this app is based on.
Michael believes that perfect cooking is based on 32 basic ingredient-to-ingredient relationships. He argues that once you understand these ratios, you can create a fantastic dish every time no matter what's in your food cupboard.
This app does all the hard calculations for you, so you can build any recipe to match what you want to cook and eat. Seasonal cooking just got scientific.
10. Kitchen Timer
Free - get it hereA good kitchen timer is essential in the kitchen, and this one has a large visual display so you can easily keep track of how much time you have left – especially so on the generous screen of the GALAXY Note 8.0 or S4. It also has a digital readout on the screen above the dial.
Just move the cursor to the time you want, adjust it by the handy +30s or +1m buttons at the bottom and press play when you want it to start (you can also type in the exact time you want).
Swiping left lets you set a second timer, so you can have two things on the go at once. The app also comes with a choice of alarm sounds, and you can set the volume to suit the noise level in your kitchen.
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In Depth: 10 great GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0 apps for the theatre lover
Thanks to the GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0, finding what's on at the theatre, reading the latest reviews or even writing plays on the go has never been easier.
As this month saw the launch of York Mystery Plays, we decided it was the ideal time to round up the best S4 and Note 8.0 apps that every theatre fan needs to know about.
Finding plays, reviews and theatres
1. UK Theatre Web
Free - get it hereThe UK Theatre Web (UKTW) has been offering listings, news and reviews on the latest theatre releases since 1995. The UKTW app lets you search for a play by venue, town or person.
Whether you're searching for something specific, or you just want to check the top performing arts listings (arranged by top 20 London and regional shows), UKTW really is the place to find, read about and buy tickets straight from your GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0. It also offers a price comparison service and occasional exclusive discounts for UKTW app users, so you can pick up a bargain.
2. StubHub
Free - get it hereIf you like to plan your theatre visit down to the last detail, then the StubHub app is just what you need. With one of the world's largest ticket marketplaces (where you can buy and sell tickets) StubHub goes that little bit further and shows you venue plans plus pictures of the views of the stage, so you can be sure of the theatre experience you are buying before you spend a penny.
Anyone who has found a theatre ticket bargain online, only to discover later that the reason it was so cheap was because there was a large pillar obstructing the view, will find just the reassurance they need from StubHub.
3. London Official City Guide
Free - get it hereArguably the home of UK theatre life is in London, and the London Official Guide App (made by the people behind the popular VisitLondon.com website) offers you comprehensive listings for the capital.
The 'What's on' section lists highlights and free attractions, gives you directions and allows you to book tickets as well as read overviews and reviews, and you can even see video previews of the plays available.
This really does offer you a succinct but informed view of the London performing arts scene. Another great free app to check out if you want to find out what's on in the capital is the "Things to do: London" app from Time Out.
4. AroundMe
Free - get it hereAroundMe is a business location device to help you find what you want when you are travelling. It's particularly useful for those with more than a passing interest in the arts.
Clicking on the Theatres category not only locates local theatres, showing them on Google Maps (with photos and descriptions of the venues pulled in from Foursquare), it also lists places where you can learn theatre crafts – including theatre schools and places offering music and singing lessons.
5. WordPress
Free - get it hereWant to write your own reviews about the plays you've seen? There is no faster way to get your opinions up on the web than creating your own Wordpress site, and the WordPress app lets you update it straight from your GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0.
With a smooth and intuitive interface and a handy side menu that helps you get where you want straight away, it's so easy to get blogging you could post your review about the play you just saw from the theatre bar afterwards.
Writing plays
6. Fade In Mobile
£3.11 - buy it hereFancy not just reviewing plays, but writing your own? Then screenplay editor app Fade In Mobile may well be what you need. Specifically designed for touch interfaces, it lets you add standard script styles and has automatic script formatting as you type. It also helps out with character and location names.
If you have a Dropbox account you can back up your masterpiece to that so you can work across multiple devices. The one downside is that it will only save your work as .fadein files, so they can only be opened within the app or the Fade In desktop application.
There is also a free version which only lets you work on one project at a time, which is a good way to test whether it's worth splashing out for the full app.
7. MyScreenplays Pro
£1.94 - buy it hereMyScreenplays is another screen-writing app which is slightly simpler (and cheaper) than Fade In Mobile, with the bonus that you can export your work into various file formats – PDF, HTML or Word document – and you can also back it up to Google Drive.
This is a non-linear writing app, allowing you to rearrange plot elements (dialogues, actions and sequences) by clicking on arrows to move them around. It also autoformats the text into screenplay format and auto-completes character names as you type. There is a free version to try before you buy, too.
Working in theatre
8. The Stage Jobs & Auditions
£1.79 - buy it hereAny aspiring theatre writer, director or performer should always be keeping an eye on what jobs are available within their sphere of interest. The Stage has been providing job listings for those keen to get involved with the arts since 1880, so if anyone can find you your dream theatre job, it's this title.
Don't want to pay? The GALAXY S4 and Note 8.0's generous screen sizes makes browsing The Stage's website a pleasure, and it gives you access to the same job information the app has for free.
Reading or listening to plays
9. BBC iPlayer Radio
Free - get it hereOf course, you don't need to go to the theatre to experience a play. The regular play slots on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 provide a wide variety of free performances, and the dedicated BBC Radio iPlayer makes finding them and listening to them on the move a breeze.
Just click on the "Drama" category to see a list of all the plays available for you to stream to your GALAXY device. If you are worried about the data costs of streaming radio to your phone or tablet on the move, some shows are included in downloadable podcasts, which you can keep stored on the GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0 to listen to later.
10. Shakespeare Complete Works
Free - get it hereIf you're not in the mood for watching or listening, how about just reading a play? And what better place to start than with William Shakespeare? As all the plays are out of copyright, there are numerous places where you can download the complete works of Shakespeare onto your GALAXY S4 or Note 8.0 to read at your leisure.
One of these is the Shakespeare Complete Works app, which lets you access (almost) all of his plays and sonnets for free. It includes Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Richard II and Richard III.
You can also read 40 of Shakespeare's plays and all 154 sonnets for free on this Shakespeare (Beta) app. Google Play Books also has a lot of older out-of-copyright plays from the likes of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and Molière – all for free.
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Updated: Nokia Lumia 1520 reveal looks set for October 22
Update: Nokia has just tweeted a teaser for the event, outing the date as October 22. There's also a picture of what looks like some Abu Dhabi sand dunes. Could be an interesting location for a Nokia event to take place.
Original story below...
Until now we were expecting to be treated to Nokia's rumoured phablet handset, the Lumia 1520, on September 26. Sorry folks, but it looks like that's just changed.
The suspected 6-inch device is now scheduled for around mid-October, according to sources speaking to The Verge.
The event was originally set to take place in New York but apparently the location may have also changed, though we're not told where to.
Illuminating information
Of course this may well have something to do with Microsoft's recent massive buyout of Nokia's handset business.We've told that the Lumia device will be the first Windows Phone device with a full HD display, and expected to arrive in red, yellow, black and white.
It might not be the only device on the Nokia horizon either, with its first tablet - codenamed Sirius - said to be about to break cover.
- Can Nokia combine the best of both smartphone and camera worlds in the Nokia Lumia 1020?
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Opinion: Pointless Google Glass has already crippled itself with worry
Revolutionary technology almost always comes at a cost - the internet brought a new and horrible way for nastiness to find an audience, splitting the atom brought nuclear weapons and email introduced us to the world of spam.
But, for me, it's important to point out that every one of these revolutionary technologies was introduced without the inventor calling in focus groups to make sure that nobody was going to be upset by the invention.
Truly revolutionary ideas always bring the full gamut of humanity - every silver lining might well have a cloud, but nobody should suggest that this negates the need for precious metal.
Which brings me to Google Glass: the prospect of an always-on computer that can see what you can see, hear what you can hear and therefore supply contextual data is a fascinating one.
It's also fundamentally disturbing when you think too long about the repercussions.
An always-recording device is the ultimate Big Brother tool - combine that with nascent tech like facial recognition, machine translation and algorithms that try to guess what we want and it runs the risk of becoming an Orwellian nightmare.
I understand the importance of protecting our privacy but I also think that by attempting to assuage our fears at this early stage, Google Glass has rendered itself pointless.
Searching for a point
If Google's creators had worried too much about the repercussions of their search engine back in the '90s - allowing people to find virtually anything good or bad - would they ever have got the backing to revolutionise our internet lives?If they had worried about suicide and anorexia sites, pornography, illegal downloading and instructions on how to carry out mischief, would they have ever got to the stage that they are now?
You can apply this to so many of the big steps in technology: the written word was potentially deadly to authority spreading ideas to the populace, the printing press, cinema and television brought with them massive negatives as well as huge positives.
Not to underestimate the importance of these things, but surely the mechanisms to tame the Wild West arrived after the goldrush. You don't hire the sheriff before you find the mine and incorporate the town.
Glass cut
I'll give some specific examples of how Google Glass is compromising its potential.Firstly, it is not an always on device. In fact, it's barely ever on, requiring a tap of the frame to wake it.
And that means that this is not a perpetual recording device, a transcriber or - let's be honest - a particularly contextual device.
Instead we have the equivalent of a mobile phone stuck to our heads - at the moment, it requires as much user input as any other device. It's not far enough away from a device in the hand to make any sense at all.
A device that can recognise people and supply important information ('It's their birthday today' or 'his son's name is Kevin' etc) is a step forward.
But if I have to touch the fram, or fiddle with it, or talk to it to get this information, it would have been more subtle for me to fake receiving a text to check their Facebook page.
I can see the wisdom of it being obvious when the device is recording, but having it off for 90% of the time won't help me see a transcription of that amazing interview I did, or search for that conversation during which my wife actually did tell me that I should ring the dentist.
I can see the usefulness of being able to Google search my life or look at a video of a thing that has already happened before I could ever press record.
But Google Glass in its current incarnation? I just don't see the point.
I'd like to understand just how powerful Google Glass can be before the controls are put in place that limit its use and ability.
It would be crazy for me to advocate people creating tech without thinking about the repercussions - there's a reason father of the Atomic bomb Oppenheimer lamented, 'Now I am become Death' - but to cut your invention off at the knees for fear of offence seems crazy.
What will stop Google Glass flourishing isn't privacy issues or the hardware - it's the fear of upsetting our sensibilities that renders it pointless.
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BlackBerry Z30 set for Asian unveil next week
BlackBerry's much leaked new flagship, the BlackBerry Z30, is set to be unveiled at an event in Malaysia on the September 18.
According to a source speaking to Pocket Lint, the new flagship handset will go on sale in Asian stores soon after.
Simultaneous events are being held in France and India, so it's likely that the BlackBerry Z30 will make an appearance at those too, but it's the Malaysian event and an Asian launch which have specifically been mentioned.
Following its launch in Asia, the BlackBerry Z30 is supposedly going to launch in the US two to three weeks later, though as yet BlackBerry hasn't confirmed any of this and so far there's no word on exactly when it will hit the UK.
All change for the Z
The BlackBerry Z30 (previously known as the A10) aims to replace the BlackBerry Z10 as BlackBerry's premier non-QWERTY smartphone. Numerous leaks have sprung up, suggesting that the handset will be substantially larger than its predecessor, with a 5 inch 1280 x 768 Super AMOLED display.That extra size supposedly allows it to have an extra row of icons on the homescreen, giving it five rows rather than four.
Previous leaks suggest that the BlackBerry Z30 will have a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 2,880 mAh battery. It's also said to have 16GB of built in storage along with a micro SD card slot, while an 8MP camera looks likely, backed up by a 2MP front-facing one.
The BlackBerry Z30 will ship with BlackBerry 10.2, a brand new build of BlackBerry 10, while it's also rumoured that it will support Qi wireless charging and NFC.
The new handset is likely to push the BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10 down to mid range positions and leave the BlackBerry Q5 as an entry level handset, giving consumers access to BlackBerry 10 at more price points.
The BlackBerry Z30 is arriving at a dire time for BlackBerry, as the company is actively looking to sell itself, having failed to generate much consumer interest in its latest range of smartphones.
It might be optimistic to think that the BlackBerry Z30 will turn things around for the struggling company, but it certainly looks like a decent successor to the Z10.
- It hasn't always been doom and gloom for the Canadian firm - take a look to see just how the fortunes have risen and fallen over the years.
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Exclusive: Rockstar 'would love to explore' other countries after GTA 5
Aside from a brief visit to London, the Grand Theft Auto series has remained comfortably based in the US, but that may change in the near future.
Speaking in an interview with TechRadar, Rockstar North's art director Aaron Garbut explained that he was interested in exploring a number of other places around the globe, though American culture has continued to appeal greatly to the team.
"That's not to say we'll never explore more of the globe," he said. "There are so many amazing locations I'd love to explore that have incredible amounts of character."
Stars and stripes
Garbut fleshed out a little more about why the Grand Theft Auto franchise has been so fixated with America to date."Many of us making the game grew up when American culture and American TV were all encompassing." he said. "America was entertainment and we were massive consumers of American culture through film, music and TV.
"Thanks to the success of American cultural export it's also a common ground for the rest of the world, it's something we can all relate to in some way."
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Opinion: How gamers are leading a revival for the desktop PC
If you believe much of the mainstream media, and the recent figures from IDC, then PCs are a thing of the past. If you understand how these sources are defining the term "PC" then you are certainly less confused by these statistics than we are. As we understand it, a PC is generally a desktop computer, and very likely includes laptop computers.
If you took the phrase "personal computer" literally, though, you could easily include smartphones and tablets in the mix. But it's these devices that we're now assured are going to take over the world and make desktop and laptop computers obsolete.
Sure, if all you do is vegetate on a sofa reading Facebook or Buzzfeed all day, then you probably have no real place or use for a fully-fledged computer.
If, however, you're one of the ever increasing legions of content creators - be it a writer, animator, digital artist or YouTube unboxing genius - then the likelihood is that you would struggle to fulfil your potential within the limitations of mobile operating systems.
PC gaming snobs
Primarily, though, there's also an ever-increasing PC gaming fraternity that wouldn't be seen dead getting their full-time gaming kicks from the poor man's alternative that is the console, or even worse - devices capable of running Candy Crush.What the creators and the gamers have in common is that they're not particularly well served by pre-built computers. Yes, when it comes to laptops there's little choice other than to buy a pre-built machine from one of the well-known manufacturers. But when considering a desktop PC, it's more likely that you'll find a custom-built behemoth taking pride of place instead of an off the shelf machine from Dell or the like.
An August report from Jon Peddie Research (JPR) suggested that despite overall PC sales being on the decline, PC components are on the up, and that's largely thanks to the gamers.
"PC gamers continue to buy and build with a fervency that could be compared to motorcycle, 4 x 4 and sports car enthusiasts, always looking for more speed, power, utility, and handling," the report says.
It seems that for PC gamers the "that'll do" attitude of those purchasing tablets in their droves just doesn't quite cut it when it comes to desktop computers. These enthusiasts want the latest components and the fastest computers, both for self satisfaction and also to provide bragging rights over other PC gamers.
For many it's a hobby (or an obsession or a passion) that doesn't stop at their latest game of choice running at high settings, and that in itself is the driving force behind the continued expansion of the build-it-yourself market.
"A major component of this situation is that many games are placing increasing demands on the CPU. The result is that swapping out the graphics add-in board is not enough this time around, and gamers are building (and ordering) overclocked PCs from the ground up," JPR says.
Consoles helping PCs
Another major supporter over the coming years that isn't highlighted by JPR is the next generation of games consoles that are due to launch later this year.This may sound a little backwards, and on the surface you'd think that a new range of games consoles from Microsoft and Sony would likely drive PC sales down even further, but unlike the previous generation of consoles, both the Xbox One and PS4 are based on AMD architecture that is almost identical to their APU units that are proving very popular with lower-budget PC gaming builds.
With this in mind, it's very likely to make things easier for game developers to ensure that PC games are what everything is based on. Over the last few years, the biggest thing harming the PC gaming industry was that a lot of new games were nothing more than half-hearted ports of console versions. This hurt mainstream PC gaming, though it was also probably responsible for the astronomical rise in indie gaming on PCs.
Now that developers will all be working on x86-based platforms, no matter whether they're developing primarily for PC or console, it will put PC gaming back at the forefront of developers' minds. With this renewed focus, developers will want to show off the pinnacle of graphical possibilities - and despite the hugely powerful new console contenders, that means leading on PC.
News of Jason Holtman joining Microsoft has made PC gaming's future feel assured. Having spent years at Valve turning Steam in to the default download choice for PC gamers, Holtman has been poached by Microsoft, where it's reported that he'll be doing all that's possible to ensure Windows continues to thrive as a relevant gaming platform.
So, the PC market isn't dying. It's evolving into a DIY market where customisation, top specification and rivalry between PC gamers is flourishing.
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Virgin Media Business targets simplicity with 4G services
Virgin Media Business is aiming to woo companies with a thirst for faster mobile speeds by launching new 4G services on the back of EE's LTE network.
The company claims that the partnership will let businesses reduce costs by allowing them to take out 4G, telecom and other 'over the top' internet services, such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP).
In addition to providing standard voice and data services, it says the packages simplify life for businesses by offering fixed and mobile communications through one supplier.
They come with additional features such as mobile email services, the ability to route calls from a landline to mobile (or vice versa), online portals for support and billing, and telephone support for users and administrators.
Virgin Media Business is giving companies the option of using its 3G network if they don't want to pay extra for 4G.
Handset choice
The service will be available on a number of handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE, Samsung Galaxy S III LTE, Sony Xperia SP, Sony Xperia Z, BlackBerry Q10, HTC One SV LTE, HTC One Silver, HTC One XL, Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820 and Huawei's Ascend P1 LTE.A Virgin Media Business spokesperson told TRPro that the new services will be offered at part of wider business packages from the company, and that contract lengths and pricing will vary as a result.
EE was the first mobile operator to roll out a 4G network in October last year. It aims to cover 70% of the UK population by the end of 2013 and 89% by the end of 2014.
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News feed and mobile clever route to growing Facebook apps
Top Facebook executives have dished out free advice to start-ups on how to build, grow and promote their mobile and web apps by tapping in to Facebook's vast quantities of users and data.
Yesterday's seminars at fbSTART London ran for five hours and were delivered by some of the company's leading employees, including original news feed creator Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth.
They centred on ways that start-ups can use Facebook Platform, the company's framework for third-party app developers, to take advantage of emerging opportunities presented by the social networking giant's growing mobile user base.
According to Facebook, the service now has 24 million daily active users in the UK, with 20 million of those accessing the service on a smartphones or tablet. It says that users access its service an average of 14 times per day on a mobile device.
Mobile shift
Eric Edge, Head of Marketing Communications EMEA at Facebook, said: "Facebook is at the centre of the shift to mobile, a claim we couldn't have made 12, eight or even seven months ago."Today we can because we know that one out of every four minutes on a mobile is spent with Facebook or Instagram.
"Facebook is about giving people the ability to access information, people and things that they care about in a way that's convenient to them, and that happens to be mobile."
Social platform
Facebook Platform provides start-ups with tools designed to help extend the reach of their social apps and content, which in turn provides them with more data to target potential customers and run customised marketing campaigns.They include social plugins that let people 'Like' content on websites, Requests that display invitations that users can choose to accept or refuse, and log in forms that can be embedded into apps that allow them to log in using a Facebook account.
The day's speakers frequently referenced Parse, Facebook's cloud-based platform that it claims removes the pain of managing servers by allowing developers to store their data, users and notifications in the cloud.
Driving growth
Julian Codorniou, Director of Facebook Platform EMEA, told TRPro that start-ups should use such tools to drive organic growth (people sharing content) and paid growth (such as advertisements) to get their apps and content displayed on more users' news feeds.He said: "Distribution is the most important thing as when a user is engaging with your application, they'll bring their friends to the app too, which is how the gaming companies operate.
"Start-ups should also consider making mobile app install ads and look at what their competitors are doing when asking the question of how they can get their content on news feed."
Evolving platform
Zaggora founder and CEO Malcolm Bell told TRPro that his sports clothing company has evolved along with Facebook Platform.He said: "While it was all about organic communication and getting people excited about fitness products in the early days, now we find that we can drive a very strong direct response message and an insane amount of traffic at a massive scale from Facebook.
"That's down to it giving us the opportunity to advertise in 50 different countries on a daily basis and reach people that frankly we would never have been able to reach otherwise."
He added: "We love to try new features, whether that's the format of a post on newsfeed, the new link ads that they have, or targeting capabilities such as partner categories or forming audiences from existing customers."
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