Updated: Hey, Presto! Foxtel's Netflix rival launching March 13
Updated March 12, 2014: With Presto launching tomorrow, Foxtel has announced every new subscriber will be offered their first month for just $4.95 rather than the usual $19.95 per month charge.
The company also announced that starting from April 10, Presto customers will also have access to a new channel, Foxtel Movies Disney, which will include classic and contemporary Disney films, as well as Disney-Pixar titles.
Original article below...
Months after it was officially announced, Foxtel's movie streaming service Presto has finally been given a proper launch date.
From March 13, Australians will be able to stream Foxtel's complete suite of movie channels via PC, Mac and compatible iPads for $20 a month, with no lock in contract.
The service offers both a live stream of Foxtel Movies Premiere, Foxtel Movies Comedy, Foxtel Movies Romance, Foxtel Movies Thriller, Foxtel Movies Action, Foxtel Movies Family, and Foxtel Movies Masterpiece, as well as on demand movies from these channels.
Anyone want to Play?
Presto is being offered alongside Foxtel's other streaming service, Foxtel Play, which means that anyone hoping for a true Netflix experience of movies and TV shows is likely to be disappointed with the Presto lineup.To counter this, Foxtel also announced today its plans to offer some special pricing on its movie package on Play, adding the Showcase channel for HBO programming at a discounted price.
Whether this appeases Game of Thrones fans disappointed by the pay TV operator's plans to block competitors like Quickflix and Apple TV streaming the program when season 4 launches in April, is yet to be seen.
- Hey Presto! It's a Foxtel Play review for you to read!
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All New HTC One processor, battery subjects of latest leak
The All New HTC One is coming into focus ahead of its suspected March 25 unveiling, and in addition to the unique dual cameras, we now have a better indication of its internal specs.
For example, the follow-up to last year's HTC One is supposed to boast a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, according to a brochure obtained by GSM Arena.
That's a step up from the previously rumored Snapdragon 800 chip that was thought to be powering the device and can be found in the current LG G2 and Google Nexus 5 smartphones.
Also, beneath its expected 1080p 5-inch display, the New HTC One has been tipped to be packing a 2,600mAh capacity battery.
Leaked specs comparison
These New HTC One specs, if accurate, would be in line with its Android KitKat competition for 2014, including the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2.Both phones use a Snapdragon 801 system on a chip from Qualcomm, while the HTC One 2's 2,600mAh battery life is close to its rivals.
The Galaxy S5 includes a removable 2,800mAh li-ion battery capacity, while the Xperia Z2 crams in a non-removeable 3,200mAh battery.
It's unknown whether the New HTC is destined to have a removable battery, but that wasn't the case for its predecessor when it launched last year.
The final interesting detail from the brochure indicates that the HTC One for 2014 will include a nano SIM card and slot vs the typical micro SIM configuration.
- Pair that All New HTC One with our Google Glass review
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UPDATED: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact crams in flagship power with a lower price
Update 12 March 2014: Telstra has revealed that the Sony Xperia Z1 Compactwill be available from 18 March in black, white and pink. You'll be able to pick it up for $552 outright or on one of Telstra's new plans.
Telstra will be giving customers who pre-order the handset a Sony wireless headset valued at $199.95, as well as a chance to win tickets to the 2014 FIFA World Cup as a guest of Sony.
While the phone will be exclusive to Telstra for two months, other telcos and retailers are expected to range the phone from mid to late May.
Original article below...
Step aside HTC One Mini and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is here... and it's got a spec sheet which will blow your tiny circuit boards.
Following in the footsteps of other cut-down flagships, Sony has mustered up the Xperia Z1 Compact, but as well as borrowing the name from the Japanese firm's high-end handset it also sports several other key elements.
For starters there's the same 2.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 4G support and microSD slot that'll you find in the Sony Xperia Z1.
- Read our hands on: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact review
Camera credentials
There's more good news round the back of the handset, as nestled into the rear cover of the Xperia Z1 Compact is Sony's impressive 20.7MP camera with G Lens - consider its Samsung and HTC rivals don't get over 8MP (plus they're both dual-core), and you can see the spec-gulf widening..As seems to be tradition with Sony's smartphone these days the Xperia Z1 Compact is also dust-resistant and waterproof, plus there's a dedicated shutter button on the side and the almost obligatory ability to use the touchscreen whilst wearing gloves.
The sticking point for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact could be its price, as it's unlikely to be as cheap as the One Mini or S4 Mini - but we'll have to wait and see on that one.
Telstra has confirmed that it will be bringing the Xperia Z1 Compact to Australia starting from April, and will announce its pricing closer to the date.
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Amazon Prime music service may put the pinch on unlimited song streaming
Amazon is rumored to be launching a music streaming service for its Prime subscribers, but it might feature time-limited playback of songs.
The online retailer is in negotiations with major record labels that don't want this "free" option to compete directly with subscription-based services, according to the Wall Street Journal.
That's to the benefit of paid services like Spotify, Beats Music and Google Play Music All Access, all of which offer unlimited streaming for a monthly average of $9.99 (£9.99, AU$11.99).
Over a year, that's more than an Amazon Prime subscription, which comes with other benefits like two-day free shipping, Amazon Instant Videos and the Kindle Owners Lending Library. Hence the dilemma.
Compared to iTunes Radio
Amazon's music streaming plans are said to be more akin to Apple's iTunes Radio service that launched alongside iOS 7.It's a promotion-heavy route that encourages users to buy songs eventually. The path could benefit the online retailer, which began selling DRM-free music in 2007.
Of course, it's not completely altruistic of Amazon to include a music streaming service in its members-only subscription plan. It admitted to wanting to increase the price of Amazon Prime in January.
Launching new Amazon Prime features in addition to the price increase would certainly reduce the chance of a mass exodus, though many subscribers are likely to want its various underutilized features split up.
- With all of this streaming services, better take an internet speed test.
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New Office for Mac suite due in 2014, Microsoft confirms
The last time Microsoft updated its Office for Mac suite in 2010, the Lakers were good, Miley Cyrus wore clothes and Americans were arguing about health care reform. Well, at least some things never change.
The latest word out of Germany is that Microsoft will finally revamp the Mac OS X iterations of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more before the curtain comes down on 2014.
That's according to Microsoft executive Thorsten Hübschen, who oversees the Office portfolio in Germany. Hübschen revealed the plans to Computerwoche at the CeBIT 2014 trade show, currently ongoing in Hanover.
He said separate development teams are working on each component of the productivity suite, with news on the release coming in the second quarter of 2014.
Office team 'hard at work'
A second quarter announcement would mean Microsoft would miss the reported spring 2014 release target, with an arrival later in the year more likely for Mac users.Following the report, a Microsoft spokewoman confirmed the new version is indeed on the way. In a statement she wrote: "The team is hard at work on the next version of Office for Mac.
"While I don't have details to share on timing, when it's available, Office 365 subscribers will automatically get the next Office for Mac at no additional cost."
Unfortunately there was no news on when full versions of Office would arrive on iOS and Android, but Hübschen apparently identified them as 'possible future targets.'
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Updated: Twitter crashes, 'most users' feel the impact
Trouble scrolling through your Twitter feed earlier today? You weren't not alone.
According to the social network, "most users" ran into issues accessing the service on the web and via mobile apps starting at 11:01 a.m. PDT (6:01 p.m. GMT, 5:01 a.m. AEST).
"We're looking into it," Twitter concluded in a brief service issue message on its Status page.
The status was later updated to reveal that during a planned deploy of a core service, "unexpected complications" arose, rendering Twitter "unavailable for many users." A tweet from the Twitter Support account said "most users were impacted by a service outage."
The birdie bunch rolled back the change as soon as it ID'd the issue and began a "controlled recovery to ensure stability of other parts of the service."
It's sorry for any inconvenience, by the way.
What a cute bug!
While the outage was short lived - though perhaps long in Twitter time - it introduced a new "fail" creature.It's so long fail whale, hello fail caterpillar. And ice cream cone, apparently.
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Flappy Bird could soar again as creator says he's 'considering' a comeback
The maker of axed smash hit mobile game Flappy Bird has hinted the addictive title could one day return to the App Store, following the self-imposed exile.
Developer Dong Nyguyan removed the game last month, seemingly overwhelmed by media attention, accusations of Mario thievery and even guilt over how much time users were spending playing it.
At the time, Nyguyan claimed to "hate" the game that had "ruined his simple life," but in an extensive interview with Rolling Stone, he admitted to pondering its eventual return to the nest.
"I'm considering it," he told the magazine, before adding that any return would come with a "warning [to] take a break!"
Addictive-yet-infuriating
Since Flappy Bird went into hibernation, iOS devices with the game installed have appeared on eBay for thousands and many clones have emerged seeking to replicate the addictive-yet-infuriating experience.Those fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to possess the game are still generating massive wads of cash for the Vietnamese developer who was reportedly bringing tens of thousands in ad revenue during the game's peak.
As a result, Nyguyan has quit his day job to focus on full time developing. He's got an untitled cowboy shooter, a vertical flying game called Kitty Jetpack and an "action chess game" called Checkonaught coming this month.
All of the games will feature those 8-bit inspired graphics combined with extreme levels of difficulty, according to the interview. Great! There goes another sheet of Gorilla Glass!
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Gary Marshall: iPlayer paved the way for Netflix, now Netflix is setting the pace
We're big fans of the iPlayer, and so is everybody else: the BBC's excellent entertainment app kick-started the online TV boom and helped pave the way for Netflix and the rest of the streaming services that define the way we watch TV today. The latest version is the best yet - and it's interesting not just because of what it can do, but also because of what it represents.
The latest iPlayer is two things: it's the BBC coming full circle, taking ideas from the services that followed in its wake, and it's a blooming great nail in the coffin of traditional TV.
The iPod of TV
The BBC is the Apple of internet TV: it didn't invent the technology, but it looked at the sorry job everybody else was doing and came up with a better way of doing it. In much the same way the iPod popularised digital music, here in the UK iPlayer popularised online TV. Not only that, but it also laid the pipes that services such as Netflix use today.No, not literally. But iPlayer did drive demand for decent broadband. It sounds odd now, but back in 2008 some ISPs were kicking and screaming about the massive bandwidth demands of catch-up-crazed BBC viewers. They had a point: as Plusnet blogged at the time, the iPlayer had a massive effect on the way people used their internet connections - and ultimately that changed the kind of internet connections people bought.
iPlayer made Netflix possible, and now Netflix has shown iPlayer some tricks: the BBC's revamped service has more emphasis on some of the features Netflix users already take for granted, such as discovery and personalised recommendations, and watching across multiple devices.
Shifting times
The BBC says it's moving iPlayer "from TV online to online TV", and of course the latter kind of TV is something Netflix knows a bit about. If you're going to borrow ideas, you might as well borrow from the best.The new iPlayer isn't just about the Netflixification of the BBC, though. It's part of something more fundamental. The BBC is shifting its emphasis, and as Stuart Houghton wrote last week, "the iPlayer model will become the norm, not the exception."
TV, like music before it, is fragmenting - and it's fragmenting because we've moved from scarcity to abundance. Three decades ago the launch of Channel 4 was impossibly exciting - then, everybody watched the same thing because there was literally nothing else on. Now we have instant access to pretty much everything, whether that's people torrenting True Detective, Netflixing Breaking Bad or buying old episodes of NYPD Blue on Amazon.
TV is no longer something that tells you what to watch and when. It's becoming something that comes to you when and where you want it, time-shifted and caught-up and on-demand instead of broadcast through the ether. It's TV with recommendation engines instead of the Radio Times, where viewers choose programmes on the basis of Facebook Likes, not listings.
We'll still watch the really big stuff on live TV, the football matches and the talent show finales and the huge news events, but we'll be streaming everything else. When you look at the iPlayer, you're looking at the future.
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In Depth: Best SMS text messaging apps for Android
5 great SMS alternatives to Google Hangouts
It's all very exciting having the latest version of Android install itself on your mobile, but what happens when it makes changes you don't actually like?That's the situation owners of phones like the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 found themselves in recently, as Google's exciting new Android 4.4 KitKat release arrived – and forced upgraders to use Google's own Hangouts app as the default SMS app.
Aside from no one really liking being told what software they have to use, the change was also a bit unsettling. The SMS tool is one of the most basic, reliable and unchanged features of any phone, with even the most backward of tech users usually able to work out how to send a simple text message.
But in Hangouts? Even experienced smartphone users struggled to work out how to send a simple text. Not only that, the term 'hangout' is a dreary, predictable piece of brainstorming nonsense.
So if you fancy rebelling against Google's forced use of the Hangouts app and going your own way, here are five alternative SMS apps to install and bring texting back to basics on Android.
1. Hello SMS
Plenty of customisation options await in this Android SMS app, with Hello SMS letting users choose if they want a standard notification or the entire screen to light up when messages arrive. Plus there's a night mode layout option with a dark background to supposedly save your eyes and battery when texting late.
The design is pretty jazzy, with a list of SMS threads down the left, plus a wider layout when viewing your texts in landscape mode.
Replies are threaded, albeit in a subtle, bolded highlight way, and it's a fast, simple app to open and use. A long-press on the message icon lets you delete an entire conversation, while the attachment option is a swish combined gallery and camera app, splitting the screen between existing shots and a viewfinder for capturing and attaching live shots.
View this app on the Play Store
2. Handcent SMS
Handcent's been around for a long time on Android, and it shows. The design's not particularly thrilling, offering a white and blue colour scheme that looks like it's been ported from iPhone.
Still, beneath the clunky layout there are absolutely stacks of features in Handcent, with this texting app letting users add doodles to messages as image files, attach screen captures of the phone's display, spellcheck messages before sending and, if you have a clear non-regional accent, input text via Google's speech-to-text tools.
The sending of messages can even be scheduled, if you need to establish a watertight alibi. It's a proper hardcore texting app for people who use their 3,000 SMS allowance each month.
View this app on the Play Store
3. EvolveSMS
EvolveSMS goes all-out on design, with a stylish layout that incorporates a swish landscape option, multiple font and text size options, Emojis and more.
A nice pop-up reply box makes responding simple, plus there's a pattern lock and the ability to set some conversations to private while leaving others unrestricted, and a choice of Home screen widgets.
You can also snooze incoming text message notifications for a set period of time, in the unlikely event you've got something better to do than look at your portable telephone.
And as nice as it looks, the appearance can further be amended by installing themes and other customisation packs.
View this app on the Play Store
4. Textra SMS
Textra bravely claims it's a "beautiful" texting app, and, if you like Android's old grey, boxy layout, it probably is.
To make it less pretty there's a custom Textra Emoji plugin that can be downloaded for free, if you like expressing yourself via silly emoticons, plus there's a built-in audio recording tool, for sending people clips of you speaking when typing's too much of a chore.
In terms of customisation, there's much to play with. It supports pop-up message notifications, the changing of the notification LED colour (if your phone supports it), with users also able to customise the pulsing of the notification vibration – for the ultimate in stealth text alerts.
View this app on the Play Store
5. TextSecure
TextSecure has a bigger selling point than the rest: security.
On a basic level it restricts Android from taking screengrabs of messages, plus, if you demand more control and reassurance that the wife/government isn't reading everything you say, there's the option of locking the app down with a passphrase. And, for yet more protection, conversations between two users can be kept private with end to end encryption.
In terms of customisation, TextSecure delivers some fun consumer toys, with SMS delivery report tools, LED colour and blink pattern toggles for at-a-glance notifications, enter key modification and more.
View this app on the Play Store
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Oculus Rift dev kit sales bite the dust
After selling a virtual boatload of Oculus Rift units, Oculus VR has announced it's temporarily ending dev kit sales.
In a blog post, the company behind the virtual reality headset announced it was quickly running out of stock for Rift kits and is shutting down sales in most regions.
Oculus VR went on to state that "[a] handful of the hardware components are no longer being manufactured, and as a result, we're ramping down production and distribution of the original kits."
Oculus VR claims it has sold a whopping 60,000 VR headsets. At $300 (about £182,AU$333) each, video game developers and curious geeks have spent a collective $18 million (about £10m,US $19m) on development kits alone. This is without the headgear being on sale for the general public.
Next-gen VR
It's not surprising Oculus VR is cutting sales given that the first-run development kits have been on the market since December 2012 as part of the project's original Kickstarter campaign.Since then the company has moved on to introduce a new HD 1080p Crystal Cove prototype, which also eliminated the headset's motion blur problem and added motion tracking
Whether this move is meant to pave the way to manufacturing production units or development kits of newer hardware prototypes remains to be seen. But the company teased there would be "more news coming soon."
With the Games Developer Conference happening next week and PAX East at the beginning of April, we're bound to hear what Oculus VR has planned any day now.
The company has also announced Atman Binstock, one of the lead engineers behind Valve's virtual reality project, is now chief architect at Oculus. Should make for interesting times ahead for both firms pioneer the VR gaming space.
- For the complete virtual experience grab a fake gun and run on the Virtuix Omni
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OpenText prescribes dose of digital for NHS trust
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has announced that it is to digitise all of its paper care records across the organisation.
The move is aimed at ensuring that records are available where and when they are needed and is part of the Department of Health's NHS Digital Health Strategy to make the NHS paperless by 2018.
Records being digitised include legacy case notes such as X-rays, MRI scans and blood tests and the Royal Free is working with Enterprise Information Management (EIM) provider OpenText to complete the process. OpenText's cloud-based EIM platform, Content Suite, will be used to store, manage and make available digitised records in a secure way.
Logistic challenge
Will Smart, the director of information management & technology at the Royal Free, explained that accessing accurate and timely patient data is key to to delivering quality patient care and that the aim of using OpenText is make such data easily available to front-line staff."For a complex hospital environment like ours, managing patient care using paper case-notes has been logistically very challenging," explained Smart. "Tracking and moving paper case notes across a large physical estate has made it difficult to ensure that these are available where and when they are needed and has required a large administrative team. By digitising these case-notes we have the opportunity to improve the quality of the services we provide whilst reducing costs."
OpenText is itself in the process of encouraging organisations to prepare their EIM for the future with it "2020 Agenda". The scheme takes into account the customer experience, workplace systems, digital supply chain and governance.
"By 2020, there will be a number of disruptive forces converging including, new technologies such as 3D printing and wearable technology; digital disruption surrounding how consumers and organisations buy through new supply chains; and a new kind of workforce, 50 per cent of which will be digital natives," said Mark Barrenechea, president and chief executive officer at OpenText. "Our customers must now transform their businesses, digitising every process, to maximise competitiveness and effectiveness."
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Instagram for Android app gets first major makeover in nearly 2 years
In its first major visual overhaul since it launched in April 2012, the Instagram app for Android is sporting a cleaner look and faster feel, one that elevates the 'gram's game on Google's mobile OS.
"We wanted to focus in on our Android users," Phillip McAllister, engineering manager at Instagram, told TechRadar. "Android is a first-class citizen for us and we wanted to provide a better design."
This means a faster, richer Instagram Android app, one designed for the Google-powered operating system that stays true to the photo sharing service.
"This new design is both uniquely Android and uniquely Instagram," McAllister said. "It's more in harmony with the Instagram platform and will have the familiarity Android users enjoy."
It's also about giving a nod to the blossoming global market; according to Instagram, more than 60% of its users are located outside the US. Almost half of its overall users come by way of Android.
By paring the app down, including chopping its size by half, Instagram aims to make it chummy with the wide array of Android devices used in regions around the world.
What's new with Android's Instagram
Users will notice a crisper, more streamlined look to the Android app. The redesign has extended down to the fonts and icons, giving the overall app an up-to-date appearance. Don't look for a host of new features here - this overhaul is all about capturing greater visual appeal and keeping most of the app's functionality intact.
Though McAllister said the company strives to keep its Android offering on par with its iOS counterpart, there's undoubtedly some design carry-over from the Apple version, which saw its own overhaul late last year.
For one, the blue orb that lets users take a picture in Camera in the iOS app is now beaming for all droids to see. It has a bit of a twist on the original monotone blue circle, as do some of the other rejiggered icons, but the overall look of the Camera UX is in line with iOS.
For McAllister, the most noticeable changes are to be found in the Camera and Sharing screens. The makeovers allow for more room for the Camera's tools, and make "better use of the screen space for richer and fuller photos."
The changes aren't limited to the Camera layout, though these are generally more subtle.
Profile pages are largely the same except for a few design tweaks, namely the disappearance of dividing lines, and the Explore tab touts the app's new iconography.
The Edit tab has undergone a tweak that sees all commands pushed to the bottom, leaving the photo to take up most of the screen space. Some fresh air was breathed into the Feed, though again the changes aren't radical (take a peek at the time-posted clock and colored hearts to see what we mean).
Get up and gram
Despite focusing on the app's aesthetics, there are some functional improvements as well.In addition to cutting its size down (amounting to faster download times and less space on storage-starved devices), the app will also now better fit varying screen sizes, whether large phablet or petite Mini, by self-identifying the display's dimensions and adjusting accordingly.
Finally, the Android app is noticeably faster than previous iterations; McAllister said there's a 20% speed difference on some devices and the profile tab is capable of loading almost two times faster.
"The feeling of the app is a lot faster," he said.
The new look will be available in Instagram for Android version 5.1, and ready for downloading today in the Google Play Store. All you need is Android 2.2 and up to give it a whirl.
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iPhone 6 may be an iPhone 5C and iPod Nano hybrid
Rumours are swirling that Apple's iPhone 6 is set to be a phablet-sized handset, and according to the latest insider claim, the phone will be taking some design cues from the iPod nano.
The source is Japanese blog Macotakara, which has been on the money with several previous predictions, including its claim that the iPhone 5S would come with a dual LED flash.
Now it reckons that Apple has chosen 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch displays as final candidates for its next two phones, and in terms of design both will be a cross between the iPhone 5C and the seventh-generation iPod nano.
Criss-cross
The iPod nano comes in a range of colours but also has an anodized aluminium body, so don't start panicking that Apple's going plastic for its high-ender.The sources claims that the 4.7-inch iPhone will measure 14 x 7cm and the 5.7-inch model at 16 x 8 cm. Both are said to have the same rounded back edges, volume and mute buttons as the iPhone 5C.
The final detail is that the larger handset will be 7mm thick, meaning the rear camera would have to protrude slightly, however the source says the phone could still be made thicker in order to stop that being the case.
While Macotakara has got a decent track record with its claims, we'd still advise a cautionary dose of salt with all of this.
- What do we think of Apple's colourful iPhone 5C?
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CeBIT 2014: OCZ tackles Big Data with SSD range
OCZ has demonstrated its range of Solid State Drives (SSDs) suitable for Big Data at this year's CeBIT conference in Hannover, Germany.
Among several other products, the Toshiba-owned firm showed off the 2.5-inch Vector 150 and Vertex 460 SSDs with SATA 3.0 and 19nm NAND flash.
Both drives come in capacities of 120GB, 250GB and 480GB. The Vector 150 has a sequential read speed of 550MB/s and a sequential write speed of 530MB/s. The Vertex 460 has a sequential read speed of 545MB/s and a sequential write speed of 525MB/s.
The former comes with a five year warranty, while the latter has a three year warranty.
It also showcased its recently unveiled Z-Drive 4500, with capacities up to 3.2TB and a read and write speed of 2,900MB/s and 2,200MB/s respectively.
Bigger and better
OCZ said its SSDs are suitable for the high-end mobile and desktop markets, database and server applications, and virtualised enterprise environments."The top theme at this year's CeBIT show is the future of Big Data, which is an ideal fit for OCZ's commitment to solid state storage innovation and the introduction of solutions that enable our customers to capture and manage the countless bytes being generated daily, and leveraging the opportunities brought about by effectively utilizing these large volumes of data sustainably," said Alex Mei, CMO for OCZ Storage Solutions.
OCZ is demonstrating its new SSDs, along with the Intrepid 3000 Series and other enterprise offerings, at CeBIT 2014.
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Updated: Build 2014: what to expect from Microsoft's developer conference
Microsoft Build 2014 will take place in San Francisco from April 2 - April 4, 2014. Registration has sold out for interested developers.
The show will mark the public debut of Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella.
During Build 2013, Microsoft officially launched Windows 8.1 and discussed the convergence of its various device platforms. Look for much more of the same at the next Build, where we're sure to get an earful on everything from the Xbox One to Windows Phone.
Perhaps Windows 8.2, a.k.a. Threshold, will rear its head? Or could Microsoft abandon the debacle of Windows 8 altogether and give us Windows 9 instead? That's certainly been one of the recent rumours.
It's actually going to be a little less revolutionmary than that for users of desktop Windows though - Windows 8.1 Update 1 will appear during Build 2014 after a previous goof already let it out of the bag. It's the leakiest update to Windows yet and is fairly underwhelming.
The new update features improvements to the Start Screen including the ability to boot straight into the Desktop, the return of shutdown on Start and a more familiar taskbar to unify the old and new user interfaces. It's 700MB in total and almost all the updates acquiesce to disillusioned desktop users.
The leak occurred as Microsoft strived to get the update into the hands of partners, developers and its own employees.
The Windows 8.1 Update 1 release date is April 8.
Microsoft is also set to talk about DirectX 12 at GDC 2014 and may provide further details of this at Build. Details were leaked on Twitter from a supposedly official account.
A new Windows Phone
Microsoft should have quite a few tricks up its sleeve for this year's conference. In terms of phones, there are intriguing questions after recent acquisition of Nokia (and its new-found devotion to Android) and we're also expecting Windows Phone 8.1 update for early this year.There has also been some buzz around a mythical Windows Phone 8.5, a as-yet-unannounced version of Windows Phone seen in an emulator.
A mini Surface?
There have also been rumours that a new Surface Mini or Surface 3 may pop up at the conference, which might debut alongside the updated operating system.TechRadar previously reported that the launch of a Surface Mini may have been held up because Microsoft had to draft in developers to help with the Xbox One.
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iOS 8 en route to make Apple Maps the service Google should fear
Like the changing of the seasons, iOS 8 arriving in 2014 is a certainty, and we're hearing that it's set to give Apple Maps a significant overhaul.
Since its disasterous launch, the mapping service has been lagging behind Google's own, but according to 9 to 5 Mac, quoting "sources briefed on the plans", Cupertino is hoping to close the gap with the next update.
The sources say that Apple plans to add public transit directions, for transport including "train, subway and bus", which will make it much easier to get from A to B. It'll also be adding improved directions to public airports.
The feature is said to be rolling out for major US cities to begin with, and will then move beyond that – and potentially internationally – soon after.
On track
That's the biggest new feature said to be hitting Maps, but the same report also claims the app will also have more enhanced data to improve accuracy, while new points of interest and label, such as airports and train stations, will also be added.It's also claimed that the overall look of the maps have been improved "to make streets more visible".
Finally, Sources say that Apple is already working on an augmented reality that will let you see highlighted points of interest on top of your live camera feed, though it's unlikely that we'll see it as soon as iOS 8.
iOS 7 was very much a visual update, but it's sounding like iOS 8 could be bringing a lot more functionality. Especially if there's any truth to the rumours of Apple's Healthbook app making its way into the new OS too.
- In the meantime, here's everything you need to know about the latest update: iOS 7.1
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TechRadar Deals: TechRadar Exclusive Deal: 8% off all HP Slate tablets
If you're in the market for a new tablet we've got an exclusive deal on HP's Slate range that will save you some serious cash.
From today until Sunday 23rd March you can save 8% on HP Slate tablets, an offer exclusive to TechRadar readers.
The voucher code to use is TRTAB8 - it will get you 8% off the entire range but here are our pick of the bargains.
We particularly like the look of the HP Slate 10 HD Bundle.
It comes with 16GB of storage, a 10-inch HD screen, a neoprene zip-fasten sleeve and, best of all, two whole years of 3G data to keep you connected on the move.
There's a 250MB monthly limit on the data bundle but with no contract or overage charges it could be ideal if you're looking for a safe 3G tablet option. The package costs £229.08 (RRP £249).
At the 7-inch end of the range you've got the HP Slate 7 HD that's powered by a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad core processor - perfect for gaming - and a rich, vibrant HD display. You can buy one for £118.68 (RRP £129), saving well over £10.
Don't forget this voucher is exclusive to TechRadar and is valid until 23 March 2014.
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Intel develops 800Gbps cable to supercharge the cloud and big data
Intel has developed a new type of optical cable that looks set to replace higher-grade copper types used to transfer data between data centres.
Detailed in a company blog post, new MXC cables use light and lasers to move data between servers, storage, networking and other resources at 800Gbps, far outpacing the 10Gbps ones commonly used today.
MXC cables are smaller, more durable and resistant than copper ones and boast a longer range of up to 300 metres, according to Intel. The company reckons that cloud and big data companies will be among the first to express interest in the tech.
Blistering speed
Each cable can have a maximum of 64 fibres, and each fibre can transfer data at 25Gbps.The new tech could change the way servers are designed. Optical light speeds mean that differing components of a server could be connected via expansion boxes, while the hyperspeed transfer rates may benefit supercomputing and database applications.
Intel is opening the tech to companies, and it's working alongside the Facebook-sponsored Open Compute Project.
Backers for the new connector include Microsoft and Huawei.
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New HTC One leak explains dual cameras, promises 'more depth'
A leaked ad for the all new HTC One has shed some light on why the handset will rock double cameras on the back.
The idea behind "HTC Duo Camera" is to let your phone take photos "with more depth", it says.
The two lenses allow for better low-light photography, as well as letting you switch the focus of a photo after you've taken it and add in 3D effects.
Going down under
The ad comes from a Telstra brochure, from which we've deduced that the Australian network will be offering the handset when it launches.Other features detailed in the ad include HTC BoomSound, Sense 6.0, an all-metal chassis and 5-inch full HD scratch-resistant screen.
It all seems to fall in line with previous leaks, but we'll find out for sure when the new HTC One launches on March 25.
- Get ready for the launch by boning up on everything you need to know about the new HTC One
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Samsung begins 20nm DRAM mass production
Samsung has begun mass production of new DDR3 memory chips using 20nm process technology, which it claims is the most advanced DRAM of its kind.
The 4GB chips employ a new scaling technology that uses modified double patterning and atomic layer deposition. Samsung had to use this approach to overcome scaling limits with DRAM compared to NAND Flash.
Samsung also improved its manufacturing productivity by switching to 20nm DDR3. Productivity is up by 30 per cent compared to 25nm chips and more than twice as much compared to 30nm designs.
Energy-efficient
The smaller process technology is good for the environment too, with Samsung touting a 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption compared to previous memory chips."Samsung's new energy-efficient 20-nanometer DDR3 DRAM will rapidly expand its market base throughout the IT industry including the PC and mobile markets, quickly moving to mainstream status," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive VP of memory sales and marketing at Samsung.
Samsung's new modified double patterning technology also sets the stage for production of 10nm DRAM in the future, effectively future-proofing its investment in this area.
With revenue in the global DRAM market expected to grow to $37.9 billion (£22.8 billion, AU$41.9 billion) this year, according to Gartner, Samsung is well placed to cash in on its growing memory portfolio.
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Updated: iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors
Release date and design
The new iPhone could be one of the most pivotal devices in the Cupertino brand's history - with the the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6.As per usual, the internet is awash with rumor, speculation and downright lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spend our time trawling through each nugget of info, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read hub for all things iPhone 6.
Some of you might have been expecting the iPhone 6 to have debuted in 2013, but given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we were never going to get the 6 until 2014. In fact, it will technically be the iPhone 8 by that point... but hey, who's counting these days?
One thing is for sure, with the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One 2 and Sony Xperia Z2 just around the corner, Apple will need to be on its game with the new handset - and many believe a bigger screen is simply a must.
Cut to the chase
What is it? A major revision of the iPhone including entire design
When is it out? September 2014, maybe as early as June for a larger 'iPhablet'
What will it cost? Expect premium pricing for a premium smartphone
What is it? A major revision of the iPhone including entire design
When is it out? September 2014, maybe as early as June for a larger 'iPhablet'
What will it cost? Expect premium pricing for a premium smartphone
iPhone 6 release date
The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014, although exactly when that will be in the year is still a little unclear.Here's what we think is most likely to happen: at WWDC in June this year we'll see the obvious release of iOS 8, but also a larger-screened iPhablet as Apple looks to bring itself to the fore in Asian markets and rivalling the likes of the Galaxy Note 3.
We'd have usually given this kind of rumor a wide berth, but multiple reports have spoken of a larger device from Apple at the June event, so we're starting to give them some credence. At the very least, Apple is definitely testing it, but may not bring it to market.
After that, Apple will launch the iPhone 6 in September, along with the iWatch and the first view of iOS 8, to allow it to both bring a new product to market as well as keeping its schedule safe. This is backed up by KDB Daewoo Securities, which does have a decent record in Apple early leaks.
Apple has launched the last few iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money is on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's arrival but won't be the only mobile hardware we see from the firm this year.
Lost home button?
According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included." It will surely include Apple's new Touch ID finger print tech though?The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market - with both being a lot thinner thanks to big improvements in LED backlight technology to reduce the thickness.
We reckon there will be two screen sizes and resolutions, as mentioned above. A Full HD display makes perfect sense for the iPhone 6, especially if it grows to a 4.7-inch screen as mooted, and the iPhablet will push things even further to preserve the Retina experience on a larger display.
In other areas, patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
That said, there's still a small possibility of the iPhone 6 sporting a flexible wraparound display after more patents were uncovered, but we reckon that's more likely to feature on the iPhone 7 or 8 instead.
Back in September last year, rumors pointed to a 6-inch display, with further talk of a phablet sized 6-inch iPhone claiming it might arrive as early as May 2014 - which jives nicely with the above chat on an iPhablet.
Case and healthcare
iPhone 6 casing
It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich, and that makes sense seeing as the iPhone 5C will need a sequel.He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL (these look rather like the iPhone 5C variant though).
However, as ZDNet rightly points out, different size variants aren't exactly easy to just magic out of thin air.
You can expect more premium metal to come your way with the iPhone 6 too, and Apple patents for liquidmetal 3D printing suggest there may be a new way to form the sultry chassis on the new iPhone.
Writing in early January 2014, MacRumors quotes a batch of liquidmetal patents reportedly filed by Apple employees.
This has been doing the rounds for a while though, and apparently it's a tricky material to work with.
That chassis could well be the thinnest yet (thanks to that LED backlight we mentioned earlier) - with word that Apple will slim down the svelte 7.6mm 5S body for the iPhone 6, and if leaked images of the phone's case are legit the handset may well be shockingly slender.
Apple has now been officially granted a patent for a flexible, curved handset design which sports a screen which wraps round the sides of the device.
It's highly unlikely that the iPhone 6 will bear the fruits of this patent, as we expect the technology is still a few years off coming to market - but it could just be the curve ball Apple is looking for to inject the iPhone range with.
An unbreakable display
Here's an interesting one: Apple looks like it's signed a big deal to use a lot of sapphire glass in its phones, with the company buying up the technology to use the super-hard technology for its displays.Sapphire is already used by the Cupertino brand for its TouchID sensor cover and the camera glass, so extending it out makes a lot of sense. Whether it will be cost effective remains to be seen - but given iPhones are one of the top device for broken screen repair, reducing this problem would go down nicely.
However, there's an issue here: it's really expensive, and as such seems like it would bump up the cost of the phone too much for Apple, even though its customer base expects to pay a premium. Canonical's CEO thinks that the Cupertino firm has been buying up swathes of the material - could this be for the iWatch? Seems more likely than an entire phone screen.
And it could even self heal, with Apple trying to patent a special screen coating that could heal to dramatically enhance the appearance of the iPhone 6, as well as other Apple products.
And what's this? NFC in an iPhone? About time too. Well, that's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. Many Android phones now boast NFC and Apple appears to have been happy to be left behind here, so we can't see it suddenly rocking the contactless technology when it appears to be on the wane.
And what about a bit more space to sling our content? We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff.
It could save your life - with iOS 8
With iOS 7 heading out of the traps now, who's betting against the next iPhone coming with iOS 8?We'd expect a September or October release date for iOS 8 in line with previous releases - although it's likely we'll see what the new software will entail from June this year.
And owning one could definitely make you healthier, as Apple has apparently met with the FDA, according to the New York Times, to chat about the increased health-tracking software it will use in iOS 8. This will very likely be in association with the iWatch, which should debut at the same time as the new platform.
However, the new iPhone will need to be a posterchild for the technology too, so from tracking your prescriptions to monitoring your health levels, we very much expect Apple to bring its new handset to the healthy fore as well.
iPhone 6 processor
Not a huge surprise, this one: the next processor one will be a quad-core A8 or an evolved A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life.Anyone hoping for some juicy Samsung technology hidden under the iPhone 6 body will be disappointed though, as reports suggest Apple is looking to push its Korean rival further out of the iPhone picture with its eighth-gen handset.
Apple is apparently cutting the amount of A8 processors it is having made by Samsung, although it hasn't severed ties completely just yet.
Camera and wireless charging
The best iPhone camera yet
Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality. But that's not what everybody thinks.The China Post, quoting a tip from the country's Nomura Security, claims that the next iPhone won't go for a 12 or 16-megapixel sensor, instead sticking to the existing 8-megapixel unit. However, with more recent rumors believing that Apple has signed up to use a new material that will dramatically improve the quality of light trickling into the phone, a 10MP+ sensor could be possible.
But why go for more megapixels if the pictures won't be any better? The notion that Apple will stick with an 8MP sensor might not be so good for marketing, but the news states the iPhone 6 will have an f/2.0 aperture and dramatically enhanced image processing, your snaps will look so good that most won't even care that the numbers are down.
And you shouldn't - 5MP is enough to blow up a photo to A3 size, so when are you going to need more?
On top of that, more impressive tech will also help make your snaps stand out. A patent confirms this, saying Apple's aim is to use "voice coil motor actuators" to move the lens around the optical axis.
An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices - extra flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. Interesting stuff.
iPhone 6 Sapphire crystals
GT Advanced Technologies provides crystal grow equipment and materials for consumer electronics, among other industries and has announced that it's signed a multi-year supply agreement with Apple to provide sapphire materials.Sapphire has figured prominently in recent Apple products - the iPhone 5S' Touch ID fingerprint reader features a cut sapphire crystal cover and the iPhone 5 was the first to feature a sapphire crystal lens.So what will we see in the iPhone 6? Certainly the Touch ID fingerprint reader, but also other scratch-proof materials - as we said, possibly the display, which makes a lot of sense.
GT says it will own and operate the machinery to produce this stuff at a new Apple plant in Arizona - and as we mentioned above, Apple has bought a lot of this material, despite it being so goshdarn expensive that it might not be cost-effective to bring it as a screen cover.
Apple has also filed a "Sapphire Windows" patent (discovered by Appleinsider) which details the numerous methods of growing, harvesting and polishing transparent sapphire wafers, then cutting them with advanced lasers.
![Sapphire Windows: coming to an iPhone near you [Credit: Apple Insider]](http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iphone-6-sapphire-glass-patent-420-100.jpg "Sappire Windows")
iPhone 6 wireless charging
Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable.The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones. Here are more details on the iPhone 6 wireless charging patent.
Meanwhile, a further Apple patent seems to imply that future iPhones will be able to adjust volume as you move them away from your ear.
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IBM man thinks Windows Phone is best for business
An official at Big Blue has told of how many of its enterprise customers overwhelmingly prefer for their employees to use Windows Phones.
Jim Szafranski, senior vice president of Customer Platform Services at IBM, said that enterprises would like to see their workers using Windows Phone due to its integration with Microsoft systems. Windows Phone is still being outpaced by iPhone and Android devices though, with just 3 per cent of the market.
It was the strong IT interest that caused IBM to add Windows Phone to its product lines. The company's new MaaS360 suite, which will include WP compatibility, lets IT separate personal apps and data from enterprise software and info on the phone.
Match made in heaven?
Windows Phone 8 also features enterprise-orientated features, like secure boot protocols, app sandboxing, and BitLocker tech that can encrypt the entire device."IT likes Microsoft and likes Windows. They've made a lot of investment in things like Active Directory and Exchange and as a result they have a lot of interest in seeing Windows Phone used by employees," Szafranski told RedmonD Magazine. "I don't think anyone is going to be all Windows on mobile, but enterprises do want it and I think they have a strong opportunity when it comes to the enterprise side of purchase decisions."
Whether IBM has put its hat in the ring for the mobile device war is unknown. Big Blue could certainly be a powerful ally for Microsoft, even with their previous histories.
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Samsung Knocks On LG's door with new smartphone unlock idea
Apparently being able to use a fingerprint, password, PIN, face or pattern to unlock a smartphone isn't enough as Samsung has now patented a new method.
The patent explains that users will be able to wake up or unlock a phone when the screen is off by drawing a shape with at least one intersection in it.
If that sounds familiar it's because LG has just launched a new unlocking method of its own called Knock Code, which again works with the screen off, but rather than creating a shape you tap out a series of knocks.
Muscle memory
According to Samsung's patent it doesn't matter what size, shape or orientation the pattern has, so it should be easy to draw.
All that matters is that it has at least one intersection and by saving multiple patterns with different numbers of intersections users would be able to jump straight to specific apps or phone functions by entering a different pattern.
So for example one intersection might just unlock the phone, while two intersections would launch the camera and three would take you straight to the web browser.
At the moment this is just a patent, so it's anyone's guess if and when it will actually be implemented into the Galaxy S5 or any future Samsung phones, but on paper it makes a lot of sense, even if it is suspiciously close to LG's idea.
- Curious about Knock Code? It's on the LG G Pro 2
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PlayStation Gamer: The new Metal Gear Solid asks: where do we place the value in videogames?
Where is the value in video games?
Here in the land of share buttons, beanie-donning antiheroes and actual 1080p gaming, the talk of the town is Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.Specifically: it's short. So short the developers can speedrun it in five minutes, which is less time than you'll spend typing out a caps lock-laden response to that smug 1080p bit a few lines back.
Most people who've played it are reporting it took them about an hour and a half to complete.
They're also reporting that it's an incredible hour and a half, representing a successful marriage of Metal Gear legacy, modern day sandbox gaming and scintillating next-gen visuals (alright, so it's ménage à trois).
So should we hike Big Boss up on a stick and throw rotten fruit at him for ripping us all off, or just enjoy the magnificent, movie-sized portion of entertainment on offer? It's a genuine dilemma.
How much are games worth?
Konami probably thought they'd squared it all away when they announced a price cut for Ground Zeroes, slashing it from $40 to $30 (which will inevitably equate to £30, because publishers think we don't know how exchange rates work).Obviously they didn't come right out and say "Yeah, it's really short. Feels weird charging full price so let's call it £29.99, yeah?"
No, it was more about "providing as many people as possible an opportunity to experience Kojima Productions' new FOX Engine and the first installment in the two-part Metal Gear Solid V experience".
Which, if anything, deepens the dilemma. Because there was a time when developers provided an opportunity for many people to play their game by releasing a demo version. A completely free demo version.
Metal Gear Solid 2's tanker demo is a shining example of this archaic practice, a vertical slice of tactical espionage action still spoken about with the reverence of a holy scripture in some circles.
At first it seemed like a straightforward few minutes of sample gameplay, but each time you went back you found new content, hidden jokes, endless depth. Which is exactly what people are saying about Ground Zeroes.
Series creator and prolific meal photographer Hideo Kojima even talks about the game in demo-like terms: "[It's] a tutorial. We wanted to allow as much freedom as possible within this one small world so that people can easily learn how to use our new systems".
So is Konami charging £30 for the kind of content you used to get free with a magazine a few years ago?
It ain't free, babe
Thanks to the advent of DLC, episodic gaming, and Kickstarter, it's not that easy to make cut and dry conclusions.The industry's still trying to figure out how to price content that doesn't fit the traditional, £40 boxed copy 8-hour campaign model, and more often than not it's arriving at a lovely new model where you keep your wallet out long after you've taken the game home.
For example: I sucked at NBA 2K11, and there was nothing I could do about it. I still suck at NBA 2K14, but now there's a glimmering 'purchase virtual currency' button on the menu, leering at me, promising to shower my player in stat upgrades if I...just...press...confirm.
I'll spend £17 on slightly improved stats in a sports game, so it's not unreasonable for publishers to expect I'll pay £30 for a standalone piece of playable content, regardless of size.
No fate but what we make
The going rate for DLC season passes, which give you access to the entirety of a game's post-release content, is widely accepted as somewhere around the £19.99 mark.Meanwhile, episodes of Telltale's Walking Dead And The Wolf Among Us are going for less than a fiver - it's basically the wild west out there.
There are simply no precedents for certain types of content. Imagine being the person who has to price the UK version of Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day, which is a five-piece collection comprised of four short animated films (one of which was nominated for an Oscar this year) and one half-hour long side-scrolling platformer.
Go on, slap a price on it. £4? £40? Publishers are looking to us for direction, and our purchasing habits directly inform the pricings for games like Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes.
The future of game prices
There's a tipping point; of course there is. Other publishers will be particularly interested on its release to see if Ground Zeroes has reached that point where it's priced itself out of the market.But as the gamer's age demographic continues to widen and those with narrow windows of opportunity for play time are continually recognised as a viable market, movie-sized games will take root deeper into the industry.
And ultimately, we'll make the call on whether to buy those titles based on their quality, not length.
If we really held longevity in higher esteem than level design, storytelling and smart mechanics, tedious 40-hour JRPGs like Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland and Tales Of Xillia would be international chart-toppers and not relatively obscure titles I've brought up for effect.
Further to that point, Lars Von Trier's provocative Nymphomaniac parts I & II opened in cinemas worldwide last week.
Reviews were largely positive, praising its bravery, dark humour and strong performances.
But with a combined running time of over four hours, I didn't see any reviews praising its value for money...
Phil Iwaniuk is games editor of Official PlayStation Magazine UK. He has a non-ironic love for saccharine 3-hour epic Titanic, and is probably never going to finish Metal Gear Solid 4.
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Blip: Robots still can't beat us at table tennis
If robots are going to rise up and enslave the human race any time soon, they'll have to be sent back from the future T-800-style.
Because, in the ultimate battle of man and machine, table tennis champion Timo Boll took on Kuka's Agilus robot, and it was a win for the human race - at least according to the dramatic game footage below.
Then again, even if the video was edited to hide that Boll actually lost, it's not like the robots could say otherwise. Hahaha, stupid robots.
Blips: activate
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