IT News Head Lines (Techradar) 09/04/2014

Samsung Galaxy S5 gets Telstra's 'Blue Tick'

Ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch later this week, Telstra has given the handset its Blue Tick accreditation.
The Blue Tick represents "superior coverage performance" in regional and rural areas, or performance that is better than average in those regions, indicating which phones Telstra recommends for use in rural areas.
According to Telstra, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the first flagship Galaxy smartphone that will carry the Blue Tick, although the Galaxy S4 Mini also received the accreditation.
The Galaxy S5 also joins other Blue Tick handsets including the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and the Nokia Lumia 625.

Friday release

The Samsung Galaxy S5 will be on sale from April 11 from Telstra and other major Aussie telcos and retailers, though pre-orders began late march.
The new Galaxy S5 features a 5.1-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen, and is powered by a 2.5 GHz quad core processor, a 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
There's also a microSD card slot and the phone comes running Android 4.4 KitKat. You'll also find a fingerprint sensor embedded into the screen and a built-in activity-tracking app called S Health, while on the back there's a 16-megapixel camera.
The handset comes with an RRP of $929, though you can probably find it outright for cheaper from most outlets. The Samsung Gear Fit, Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches will also be available from Friday, April 11.

• To find out more about the handset itself, check out our Galaxy S5 review

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HP debuts new pair of eye-popping DreamColor displays

Most of us toil away on a computer display capable of showing only a fraction of the color detail being thrown onto it, but two new offerings introduced by HP promise to bring out all the colors of the rainbow, without breaking your budget.
HP has announced two new pro-level computer monitors for Windows, Mac and Linux users, each capable of displaying up to 1.07 billion colors on screen with an error rate lower than what the human eye is actually capable of seeing.
According to HP, the new DreamColor Z27x and Z24x feature 60% more pixels while being capable of displaying a color palette of up to 4,000% higher, all while reducing the thickness of the displays by as much as 57%.
Priced at US$599 (about AU$646), the entry-level Z24x costs 25% less than its predecessor and features a 10-bit accuracy, one-button access to a full range of built-in presets and easy connectivity to desktop and laptop systems.

Built for pros

At the higher end of the scale, the HP Z27x introduces built-in support for third-party measurement hardware with remote management via Ethernet and a full software development kit (SDK) for software integration.
Going for US$1,499 (about AU$1,617), HP claims the Z27x offers three times the color accuracy of its previous generation 27-inch display, making it the most affordable color-critical display on the market capable of 4K resolution.
As part of an ongoing "technology collaboration" with DreamWorks Animation SKG and other leading Hollywood studios, the HP Z27x has been built from the ground up for content creators ranging from film and video post-production to product design, animation, graphic arts and photography.
HP also announced a pair of real-time collaboration tools today for its HP Z Workstations with 256GB or 512GB PCIe-based solid-state drive (SSD) storage as well as updated HP Remote Graphics Software 7.0, which debut in May and June, respectively.

• Discover the 10 best tablets of the year in our exhaustive report!

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Kickstarter-backed Micro looks to bring 3D printing to the masses

While most gadget fans would confess to a sense of intrigue when it comes to 3D printers, the financial reality of acquiring one has ensured that eventuality remains a distant dream for some ... until now.
A Kickstarter project offering a compact 3D printer for just US$299 (about AU$322) has smashed its modest US$50,000 goal (AU$54,000) just minutes after going live on the crowd-funding site.
The Micro, which its creators at MD3 say is "the first truly consumer 3D printer," is just 7-inches tall and can print items 4.6-inches in size, making it ideal for printing jewellery, figurines and other small objects.
The plug-and-print device will come with its own custom design software, which the firm say is ideal for beginners and experts alike. It also offers auto-levelling and auto-calibration tools.
Filament spools can be snapped up at the pledge stage for US$12 (about AU$12) a pop, making this an entirely affordable endeavour altogether.

Early birds

The company had been offering an early bird special printer US$199 (AU$214) for the those lucky 250 punters who spotted the listing in time. All told, backers have kicked in over US$460,000 (AU$496,000) on day one alone.
At the time of writing, there are around 1,600 left available at $299, which appears to be the RRP for the production version of the device.
Once they run out, Kickstarter backers will only be able to jump on board by chipping in US$599 (about AU$645) or more to secure a 3D printer from the initial batch.

• Plastic fantastic: Why 3D printing is heading to a home near you

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Samsung's next tablet tipped to sport 10.5-inch, high-res AMOLED display

Samsung might have a new Super AMODLED 10.5-inch tablet waiting in the wings.
A specifications sheet for a new Samsung tablet with the model number SM-T800 was spotted by SamMobile. The document details a new tablet sporting a 10.5-inch, 2560 x 1600 resolution Super AMOLED screen.
It will also supposedly be powered by a quad-core Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the tablet will likely come running Android KitKat 4.4.2 stored on 16/32/64GB of storage.
Other specs include an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing sensor, a microSD card slot, and a 7,900mAh battery. The new Samsung tablet was also specified to be a Wi-Fi only model.

Pixels ahoy!

It's been a few years since we saw Samsung's last AMOLED fronted tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 from 2012.
With such a high-resolution screen the SM-T800 tablet would give even the 2048 x 1536 resolution iPad Air a run for its money. The rumored Samsung device also matches the Kindle HDX 8.9's resolution.

A banner year for tabs

This year could be another arms race for tablet displays. A new Apple 12-inch iPad has been tipped in multiple rumors and could come with an unseen-before 2K or even 4K display panel.
Meanwhile, early reports have pinned the possibility of a new Nexus 10.1-inch tablet for a reveal at this year's Google IO.
While it's suspected we won't see any increase in screen resolution, the previous Nexus 10 already had a gorgeous 2560 x 1600 resolution display. What's more, the new iteration is rumored to have improved contrast ratio and color rendering.
The one leg-up Samsung has is the Super AMOLED nature of the screen, which should allow the display to show off richer colors and deeper blacks than a normal LED panel.

• Before a new influx of tablets comes out check out our top picks.

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'Gear Solo' may be a standalone Samsung smartwatch that makes calls

One of the main weaknesses of the current crop of smartwatches is that they rely too much on wearers' smartphones, but leave it Samsung to potentially have a solution.
The company has reportedly applied to trademark the term "Gear Solo" with the Korean IP Office, and word is that will be the name of a standalone smartwatch with its own USIM.
The Gear Solo will be a variant of the Gear 2, like the Gear Fit or Gear 2 Neo, but will be able to make and receive calls on its own, according to Patently Apple.
The site notes an unspecified "Korean news source" who said Samsung and SK Telecom are currently prepping the Gear Solo for release.

Leave your phone home

A standalone smartwatch that doesn't need to sync with a smartphone could be a powerfully attractive gadget if it means users can leave their phones at home (or ditch them entirely).
But while it's a fact that Samsung filed for "Gear Solo" with the Korean trademark office, many of these details - including the device's final branding - are up in the air.
According to another source within SK Telecom, the Gear Solo may release first in Korea, though a wider launch will likely follow.

iWatch Spy

Meanwhile Patently Apple also reports that Apple is still working on the long-rumored but never-seen iWatch.
The president of the watches and jewelry division of the luxury brand LVMH (Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton) apparently caught Apple recently attempting to poach employees from him to work on Cupertino's own wrist wear.
But as the site points out, there's no indication that wearables are a priority for Apple. In any case whatever Apple introduces in this space - if it ever deigns to do so - will provide some stiff competition to anything Samsung has or will put on the market.

• Phones are still cool for now, so check out TechRadar's Galaxy S5 review

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The YouTube for Xbox One app is about to become much more useful

A forthcoming update to the YouTube app for Xbox One will finally allow for direct uploads of Game DVR clips to the video sharing site.
The new version, which will begin landing on consoles Tuesday, will feature a 'My Uploads' menu that will enable gamers to access their captured and edited footage.
The change comes after calls from gamers frustrated by having to use OneDrive as a middleman for YouTube uploads.
Now they can simply enter YouTube and go to work to show off their gaming prowess to the watching world.

Snap to it

Alongside the new upload functionality, the YouTube update also brings support for the Microsoft's snap mode, allowing users to enjoy videos while performing other tasks on the console.
Interestingly, it'll also be integrated with the OneGuide platform, meaning users will be able to add their favourite YouTube channels to sit alongside Live TV listings.
Additionally, Microsoft has announced the launch of the GoPro channel for the Xbox One.

• After long delays, the Twitch streaming service is now available on Xbox One

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Raspberry Pi bites into business with super-small Compute Module

Raspberry Pi has classically been made for tinkers and makers of DIY electronics, but now the computer-on-a-stick slinger is coming out with a unit specifically for businesses and industrial users.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation announced its plans to release a Compute Module that will be available sometime after June. Similar to the original Raspberry Pi board, the Compute Module is a low-powered and self-contained miniature computer.
As such it comes equipped with a low-powered Broadcom BCM2835 processor and integrated GPU. Additionally there's 512MB of RAM as well as a 4GB eMMC Flash device for storage.
All the components come attached to a printed circuit board no larger than a laptop memory module, which also plugs into a DDR2 SODIMM RAM connector.
But while it might look very similar to a laptop module, it's actually meant to plug into the computer boards of industrial products, consumer electronics and sensor devices. The Raspberry Pi Foundation's engineering team said the Compute Module is primarily designed for those who want to create their own PCB.

Open-source roots

The Compute Module comes with a bootable copy of Raspbian, a variant of the Debian Linux distribution optimized for the Raspberry Pi hardware, baked in.
However, for users who want to dive a little deeper into its programming, the foundation is also coming out with a Compute Module IO Board. The larger module is a breakout board that users can plug the Compute Module into.
Once slotted in, the IO board provides enough juice to power on the Compute Module and grants users the ability to reprogram its flash memory or throw on a completely different OS.
The Compute Module IO Board also features a number of USB and HDMI connectors for connecting the Pi device with external monitors and other electronics.
These kits will be available for order directly from the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the hacker shop, Element 14, for $30 (about £18, AU$32) in batches of 100. There are also plans to sell units in smaller, individual volumes "but the price will be slightly higher," the foundation wrote in its blog post.

• Record all your hacking adventures with a Google Glass

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EE, Orange and T-Mobile customers hit with 2.7 per cent price hike

EE, Orange and T-Mobile customers in the UK today received word their monthly tariffs would be going up by nearly 3 per cent at the end of next month.
Users of the UK's largest 4G network and its old school 3G predecessors will be hit with a 2.7 per cent hike on May 28, on top of what they're already forking over to the company each month.
It may not sound like much but, for those customers on a £42 a month 4G contract with EE, their base bill will be £43.12.
On top of that, users will also pay more every time they step over the their monthly allowances, with the company saying all fee increases are in line with inflation.

Crafty

However, the company has decided not to raise the rates on customers who upgraded or signed their new agreement after January 23.
That allows the firm to circumnavigate new Ofcom guidelines that allow customers to walk away from their contracts, without termination fees, if the deals were signed after that date.
As thus, there's no way out for anyone who agreed their deal before that date.
In an FAQ on its website, EE says: "If you wish to cancel your contract. "You'll need to pay any cancellation charges that may apply."
"As stated in your terms and conditions you may cancel your contract without penalty if we increase your monthly plan charge (the recurring amount you pay each month) by more than the current rate of RPI. This increase is in line with RPI and therefore cancellation charges will apply."

• Did you know EE is now letting you take 4G speeds on holiday?

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Twitter takes Cover, the contextual Android lock screen app, but why?

Twitter has purchased the Android lock screen app Cover for an undisclosed sum, the two companies announced on - where else? - Twitter.
"Cover is joining Twitter! Excited for the future of Android and what's to come," tweeted Cover's official account. Twitter welcomed it "to the flock" in reply.
But what exactly is to come? What does the future of Android involve, according to Twitter and Cover?
And does Twitter really think competing with Facebook Home is important enough for it to buy its own Android lock screen?

Cover up

Cover was created and launched by former Google employees in 2013.
"We started Cover a year ago because we believed in two things: 1) the untapped potential of the supercomputers we carry in our pockets, and 2) the amazing power of Android," the company wrote in a blog post discussing the acquisition.

The lock screen replacement displays six apps contextually on users' devices based on their actions and locations.
So if you're driving to work it might show Spotify and Google Maps, while if you're sitting at home it could swap Flipboard or Feedly in.
The company says the app has been used by "hundreds of thousands" of people since October last year.

Home sweet home

Even though Cover has its own calling card, comparisons to Facebook Home are inevitable.
The house that Zuckerberg built made a play at the Android lock screen early in 2013, turning users' lock screens into glorified Facebook feeds.
It's not a bad looking overlay, but its reception was not exactly overwhelmingly positive. It seems that won't stop Twitter from making its own play, though.
"Twitter, like Cover, believes in the incredible potential of Android," Cover said. "They share our vision that smartphones can be a lot smarter - more useful and more contextual - and together we're going to make that happen.
"We'll be building upon a lot of what makes Cover great, and we're thrilled to create something even better at Twitter."
The existing Cover app will remain available in Google Play for now, but that might change as the companies' plans progress.

• These are the 10 best Android launchers

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F bomb: Rumored new Samsung Galaxy drops in leaked photos

The long wait for Samsung's latest flagship Android smartphone officially ends this Friday in select markets, but the wait has only just begun for the company's next-gen handset with a 2K resolution display.
BGR has rounded up some details on the so-called Samsung Galaxy F, which is widely rumored to become the Korean manufacturer's first foray into an ultra high-resolution screen capable of displaying 2560 x 1440 pixels.
Although details have made the rounds prior to today, a pair of leaked images posted by WindyLeak on Twitter April 4 and Sunday would seem to confirm Samsung's plans for a 2K resolution display.
While the actual device casing appears to be concealed from view, a fairly clear image posted Sunday nicely reveals the rumored 5.2-inch quad HD display.

F for fantastic

Samsung's mythical Galaxy F first popped up on the radar last fall, when hopes of something other than a plastic shell for the new Galaxy S5 were seemingly dashed.
That's because the Galaxy F is said to be housed in a metal frame packing a quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and a whopping 3GB of RAM, necessary to help push all those pixels onto the screen.
Those specs, coupled with a rumored 16MP rear camera, would make the Galaxy F a more premium device than even Samsung's Galaxy S series, and presumably at an even higher price tag.
Reports at the time pegged the Galaxy F launch for last month - a target date Samsung clearly missed, but that was presumably to give the Galaxy S5 a clear runway for its long-awaited April 11 release.

• Take a walk down memory lane with our review of the Samsung Galaxy S4!

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Round Up: 10 essential accessories to supercharge your Ultrabook

Thick-and-heavy laptops are becoming more of a niche product line (think portable workstations, gaming station and mobile servers) as the market share and the sheer amount of SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) of svelter and more attractive Ultrabooks and other thin and light notebooks swell.
But these do come with a number of compromises - like a sore lack of connectors. We've put together a list of accessories that can not only dramatically augment the capabilities of an Ultrabook but also transform it into a veritable powerhouse.

• Best Ultrabook: top thin and light laptops to choose from

If you want to know what makes an Ultrabook and give the above a click.

1. Android KVM cable

From a distance, it looks like a standard USB cable with a microUSB connector on one end and a bigger-than-average one on the other. But look closer and you will see that it is a mirroring and KM (keyboard and mouse) sharing accessory.
Sold by Lindy for £40, the KMC6105 allows you to view and interact with your Android device regardless of the brand and platform (i.e. tablet, chromecast, smartphone) as well as sharing your keyboard and mouse.
Perhaps more importantly, it charges your Android device while in use, something that the previous generation model did not offer. Unlike that one, it allows you to use your smartphone as an additional screen. It also offers copy/cut and paste as well as drag and drop across the platform.
You will need to install a small executable file that is located on the device itself. Otherwise it will only behave like a standard (expensive) cable. You will need to enable Developer Options in newer smartphones by clicking seven times on the "build number" menu.
Subsequently, you will need to allow USB debugging which is how the KMC6105 works its magic. The installation process will also download the device's driver where necessary. Note that the device carries a standard two-year warranty and is USB 2.0 only.

2. USB Stereo Audio Adapter External Sound Card

Audio has historically never been a forte for laptops and that hasn't changed a lot for Ultrabooks especially for those at the lower end of the spectrum.
Which is why something like an external sound card comes in quite handy. USB devices in general usually carry a performance penalty mostly because they use the host's processing power. They also have a small impact on the battery life.
However, given how powerful the recent crop of Intel-based processors has been, that shouldn't be an issue. Startech sells an audio adaptor that plugs in a free USB port and essentially adds a 5.1 sound card.
The device, which is about the size of a lighter, has two 3.5-inch jacks for headphone and microphone (some Ultrabooks like the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro only have one port).
Startech's £18 external card comes at the end of a rather long USB cable, uses a C-Media CM108AH chipset and is capable of sampling audio at up to 96kHz. Available in black or white, it does support Sony's PlayStation 3 gaming console and comes with a two-year warranty.

3. Wireless 2.5in External SATA Hard Drive HDD Enclosure w/USB & WiFi AP

If you ever wanted to share a hard disk drive wirelessly, there are a number of proprietary solutions available but few can do it as simply and as cheaply as this solution from Startech.
This wireless 2.5in External SATA Hard Drive HDD Enclosure w/USB & WiFi AP costs £88 and is essentially an empty enclosure that can accommodate a 2.5-inch HDD.
You can connect to it via a USB port or Ethernet (if wired) and wirelessly over Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) thanks to a Ralink RT3052 chipset.
It can be used as a NAS (Network Attached Storage), a dumb storage device or as a wireless hotspot (to share internet access). It is unfortunate though that the device is only compatible with USB 2.0, which will affect data transfers adversely.
Unlike some of its competitors, the device doesn't have a card reader nor does it have an extra USB port to plug in external hard disk drives.
It supports HDDs up to 1TB in size, has an extendable antenna for enhanced connectivity and offers FTP, SMB and UPnP functionality.

4. USB Mini Blu-ray Burner

Optical disk drives were the first component to be dropped as Intel put together the specifications for Ultrabook devices (although Acer did try to bring them back in an unconventional Ultrabook design).
If you want to read or write to an external blank media (or boot for one), then you will need an external model like Sandberg's USB Mini Blu-ray burner, available from Amazon for just over £78.
There are cheaper models around especially if you don't mind dropping writing capabilities. This one though comes with a longer-than-average warranty.
As expected, it has a USB 2.0 rather than USB 3.0 interface and is a native plug-and-play device (no drivers required). It can write to double-layer discs and draws power from the computer's own USB ports.
The device worked flawlessly and didn't produce any coasters when I tried to fill up a few blank DVD. Read and write speeds were decent enough, nothing to write home about.
Ultimately, optical disk drives are bound to become a thing of the past as technology moves on, fast internet connectivity becomes ubiquitous and computer magazines drop cover discs.

5. USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet Converter

You will be hard pressed to find an Ethernet/RJ-45 port in the new Ultrabooks. The drive to produce something thinner and lighter than the previous generation means that these chunkier ports are the first to be shunned.
However, for those yearning for one (and provided they have a free USB port), a USB-to-Ethernet converter, preferably a USB 3.0 to Gigabit model, should be part of their essential accessories kit, especially if, like us, you attend events where Wi-Fi can be patchy.
Lindy's model (available for £35) is a bog standard one that comes with a two-year warranty and even a useful extension cable that can be used for other devices.
The device is plug-and-play (a leaflet suggests that you install the appropriate drivers from the accompanying CD first) and on my Windows 8.1 Ultrabook was automatically detected with the right drivers downloaded.
I didn't have any issues speed-wise. We recorded ping times of 9ms, download speeds of 97Mbps and upload speeds of 66Mbps respectively on Speedtest.
Bear in mind though that using USB means that there will be some compute overhead (i.e. the adaptor will use some of your CPU resources), however it is likely to be minimal.

6. USB hub with smartphone sync

It is not easy to innovate when it comes to bog standard USB peripherals that often retail for 99p at your local pound shop.
Sandberg did that however with a USB hub that has only 3 ports (rather than the usual 4) but also offers a micro USB plug as well which can connect to a smartphone.
The actual connectors are at the end of cables which means that they can be more freely moved around compared to traditional solutions.
While it sounds like a rather interesting idea, in practice one would probably wish for a better thought product.
It is not USB 3.0 compatible, has four cables protruding from one USB hub (which may make it flimsier than traditional 4-port hubs) and it doesn't provide with enough power to charge even a standard smartphone (I tried the Motorola Moto G). So don't count on it for anything other than
That said, it does cost a mere £11, is plug-and-play, has a built-in overload protection and a 5-year warranty. Note that this product is also available with a 30pin iPhone connector.

7. USB 3.0 Hard Disk Box 2.5in

It is a no-frill hard disk drive enclosure that comes with an SATA connector and is compatible with all mainstream operating systems.
This is Sandberg's 2.5in USB 3.0 caddy, an unexceptional, uncluttered and unambitious piece of kit with a relatively affordable price tag (just under £15 at Amazon).
The empty case uses a non-standard cable for connection, which is a shame but if you can live with that, then you've got yourself a good deal.
It uses aluminium as the main material, which improves heat conductivity and gives it a nice finish. Its slightly oval profile means that it is not advisable to lay a couple of them one on top of another.
Such an enclosure is ideal for those looking to recycle an old internal laptop hard disk drive or if you have a spare one looking for a second life.
I didn't manage to test it but there's no reason why it should be a disappointment. Also Sandberg backs this product with a five-year warranty, something that in my eyes make it stand out from the rest of the competition.

8. USB 3.0 docking station

The prevalence of ultra-portable laptops means that docking stations are often offered as optional accessories by most vendors at the point of sale.
However not only do they tie you as these, more often than not, come with a proprietary connector, they are also more expensive.
Many independent vendors like Startech and Lindy however have compelling alternatives. The latter stocks a USB 3.0 docking station that comes with a bewildering array of front and rear connectors.
Physically, it is a tall rather than flat model, one that is white rather than the more conservative charcoal colour of its competitors.
Connectors include four USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, DVI, LAN, HDMI and audio ports which should be more than enough for most users.
Installation is remarkably easy, though you will need to install the latest Displaylink driver . After that the user only has to plug a single USB 3.0 cable to his or her laptop.
Lindy's solution is not perfect though. It is a vertical peripheral which means that, although it has a much lower footprint, connecting devices could cause it to topple down.
Then there's the fact that you still have to connect the power supply unit to it and it is unfortunately not 4K compatible.

9. USB 3.0 Dual Head Graphics Adaptor

The arrival of USB 3.0 was seen as a boon for bandwidth-hungry applications like file transfer. However, an unlikely beneficiary of the new technology was display.
With up to 5Gbit/s, daisy-chaining high resolution monitors suddenly became feasible, relatively affordable and painless to install.
Startech has come up with a nifty little box called the USB 3.0 dual head graphics adaptor (USB32HDDVII) which allows two monitors to be connected to your computer, offering the tantalising option of having three monitors running concurrently on a laptop.
The online retailer quotes a suggested retail price of well over £100 but shipping around means that you can get one for just over £76 from Dabs.
That little box is actually pretty powerful. It comes with a DisplayLink DL3900 chipset, 1GB of RAM and a DVI-I and a HDMI connector.
The maximum resolution for each display is 2048 x 1152 pixels and it does support audio on the HDMI output. The product is compatible with USB 2.0 although USB 3.0 is what you need to get an optimal performance.
You can connect up to three adaptors to your PC which allows up to six displays to be used at the same time (plus anyone connected to the actual graphics module/card).
Speaking of installation, it is always advisable to download the latest Displaylink driver. It is regularly updated and might help to solve any nagging issues you encounter. Sadly enough, it doesn't support Linux distributions.

10. Mini DP to VGA, HDMI and DVI-D adaptor

If you have only one mini DisplayPort output (like on the Apple MacBook Air) and want to connect it to a display through a standard size port, then it might be worth considering the Lindy Mini DisplayPort to HDMI/DVI/VGA adaptor (currently on sale at Novatech for £29).
The device comes handy to connect mDP-equipped devices with legacy monitors, television or projectors without the need for any additional investment in cables or converters.
You can only connect one port at a time and the adaptor supports 5.1-channel audio over HDMI. Note that it does source its power from the host (your laptop in this case) which means that it will drain your battery.
The Lindy adaptor is about the size of a Tic-Tac box with a white glossy finish and a 15cm lead; it doesn't need any driver as it is truly plug-and-play.
Note that you can also plug it in the Thunderbolt port and that the maximum resolution supported is full HD (1920 x 1080) @60Hz.
Using it was seamless. Like most accessories in that feature, it didn't require us to install any drivers or restart our device.




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Hands-on review: Updated: Samsung Gear Fit

Hands on: Samsung Gear Fit review

We're currently putting the Samsung Gear Fit through our in-depth review process, so while you wait here's our updated hands on.
Even though Samsung is rolling out its new pair of Gear smartwatches (the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo) for 2014, it knows that there's also a lot of life in the humble fitness band.
With that in mind it's also putting out a third Gear sibling in the form of the Gear Fit, a wearable band that aims to be as much about fitness style as it does fitness function.
Most of that style comes in the form of a curved 1.85-inch OLED screen, which can't be flexed but looks absolutely gorgeous. Truly, it's stunning, and a tad futuristic with its silver border.

But more importantly, it also feels incredibly comfortable on the arm. I don't have the biggest wrists and the Gear Fit is a tad more chunky than the likes of the Garmin Vivofit and the Nike Fuelband SE.
Even with that considered, it's surprisingly more comfortable than a lot of its competitors - in fact it's so light that after an hour of wearing it I forgot it was even there.

The interface is also a stark opposite to the Garmin Vivofit (which opts for a much simpler always-on, mostly monochrome LCD) or the Jawbone Up24 (which doesn't have a display at all). It's beautiful, vibrant, and even offers the ability to change the wallpaper if you so wish.
Gliding around the OS is as smooth as butter - swipe right from the screen and keep swiping to move through the different applications, and then just tap to start one up.
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGgsY9v9Xco
So far I've found that the touchscreen can be a tad too sensitive though, which can make jumping around the settings a little more fiddly than it should be given the size constraints. It's very easy to hit the wrong icons.
Move to the top of the device and you've got a single button to turn the screen on or off. One little feature I'm particularly fond of is Double Press, which lets you assign a function of your choice that can be instantly opened from sleep by tapping the button twice.

Useful for seeing your notifications in a flash, or getting a quick update of the amount of steps you've taken so far that day.
The functions this Bluetooth 4.0 LE device can perform might be rudimentary, but they are all relevant and worthwhile. You can control media from the smartphone (with no onboard music streaming here, unlike the Gear range) and reject calls with a text message, the options for which you can set in the all new Gear Fit manager on your smartphone.

In my brief play time so far I've had a tiny bit of quality outdoors time with the band. Knowing all too well that the screen gives off a lot of glare, Samsung lets you dial up the brightness from one to six.
Six is "Outdoor mode" - so you're guaranteed to always have a clear reading and a nice vibrant screen in the daylight.
After 5 minutes at maximum brightness the Fit will turn the dial down to 4, which helps Samsung keep the battery life at 3-4 days. Or at least that's what it claims - I'll need to put that number to the test.

On the downside, the screen isn't always on - as obviously that would obliterate the battery - but the Fit can be woken up to check the time with a 90-degree turn of the wrist. It's a nice addition but you'll probably find yourself more frequently using the button.
After the screen, the other big feature here is the heart rate monitor which you can access from the menu or enable when you start a run.

Building it into the device (something TomTom also decided to do this year for its Cardio Runner) is a very welcome move and means you'll no longer have to worry about strapping any monitors to your chest.
Mostly it picks up your heart rate pretty quickly, however it does requires you to keep your wrist almost perfectly still.
My first few attempts at getting a pulse proved futile as the Fit kept telling me off for moving. But once I'd nailed it the readings aligned accurately with the S5's, which is good news, however I'll need to compare it against a separate heart rate monitor before being able to draw any broader conclusions on accuracy.

Of course, there's also a pedometer inside, and once running it'll continue to track your movement throughout the day. A bare-bones feature of any fitness tracker, but worth mentioning that it's in there.
So far, the smartphone notifications are proving a nice additional extra too and continue to blur the divide between "fitness band" and "smartwatch". So how you feel about this aspect of the Fit will depend on whether you like the idea of smartwatches in general.
I paired mine up with a Galaxy S5, and connecting to the Gear Fit Manager app didn't take too long. You'll need to set up a Samsung account if you haven't already got one and enter your height, weight and a few other personal details into the S Health app before you get started.

As for the non-fitness notifications, it's nice being able to read my emails and SMS messages on the display, but the shape of the screen means it's not exactly ideal, demanding a fair bit of scrolling.
There's also a handy "quick reply" option that lets you fire back a pre-tailored response, although it's not an idea I've ever been keen on - very rarely do I find myself using the same generic responses to multiple messages.
One very welcome smartwatch-common feature that Samsung has thrown in is a media controller. As someone who needs music on a jog, I'm all too used to the the pains of having to get my phone out to change tracks/search/change the volume. So I'm pretty thankful to Samsung for that one.

Early verdict

I need to spend a bit more time with the Gear Fit before I can cast a proper judgement but so far it's making for a nifty fitness companion. The limit to Samsung devices will be a bugbear for a lot of people, especially when they see how nice that screen looks on the wrist.
However, if you've got a Samsung and you're tempted by the Gear 2 or Gear 2 Neo, but aren't sure you want to pay for the full parade of features, the Gear Fit was made with you in mind.
I'll be updating this review with more thoughts once I've had some longer, quality time with Samsung's new fitness band.

Hands on gallery

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date, news and rumors

Note 4 release date, screen, power and camera

As inevitably as summer follows spring the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will follow the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
The Note 3 came out last year and the Galaxy S5 has already broken cover, so it seems safe to assume that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will arrive before too long.
So far news and rumors about the device are pretty slim on the ground. We expect they'll pick up steam once the dust has settled on the Galaxy S5, but we have heard a few things, from the possibility of a 64-bit processor, to a curved screen and more.

• 10 best mobile phones in the world today

Cut to the chase
What is it? Samsung's fourth gen phablet
When's it out? Probably September/October
What will it cost? A lot, even more than the pricey Galaxy S5

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date and price

There's no word yet on exactly when the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 might be released, but Samsung mobile chief Lee Young Hee told Bloomberg that it would be released in the second half of 2014.
The previous two Notes were announced in the first week of September at the IFA show in Berlin, so there's a fair chance we'll see the new one then too.
There's been absolutely nothing about the price yet, but this is a premium phone so expect it to be at least £550 / $800. Better start saving.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 screen

First up, screen size. The original Note rocked 5.3 inches, the Note 2 showed up with a 5.5-inch display and the Note 3 pushed things to 5.7 inches.
Going by this logic the Galaxy Note 4 should come with a 5.9-inch display, which would see it match the HTC One Max and LG G Pro 2, while still falling short of the 6.4-inch Sony Xperia Z Ultra.
Samsung's done well with Super AMOLED, but there's a suggestion that it might ditch the technology for the Galaxy Note 4 and use PLS LCD instead.
A report by ET News claims that Samsung is "considering" using the technology in future as it could apparently cut costs by as much as 20% by doing so. But Samsung is apparently only considering it in any case, so there's hope for Super AMOLED yet.

A more positive potential change is that the Galaxy Note 4 might have a curved screen, but not in the way we've seen on the Galaxy Round. Instead the bulk of the display would be flat but it would curve off at the edges so that there'd be no visible bezel.
This particular rumor stems from a patent filed by Samsung late last year, which shows a very Note-like device as the subject.
As for the resolution, nothing's known yet, but with 2K (Quad HD) display's starting to emerge we wouldn't be surprised if one found its way onto the Galaxy Note 4, especially as it's likely to be one of the few phones with a screen big enough to benefit from it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 power

So far Apple is the only mobile phone maker that's using 64-bit chips, but Samsung is set on joining the party. Kyushik Hong, vp of marketing for Samsung's LSI business told CNET that Samsung is "very actively working" on 64-bit right now.
So, while we didn't see one in the Galaxy S5 there's a chance that 64-bit chips might make their Android debut in the Galaxy Note 4.
The Note series is usually where we see a bump up in RAM from Samsung, and with the Note 3 packing 3GB we could well see the Galaxy Note 4 rock up with a tasty 4GB under the hood.
Both the Note 3 and Galaxy S5 sport the Adreno 330 GPU, which leaves the door wide open for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to enter the fray with a beefed up graphical processor - could this be the best gaming mobile to date?

Samsung's Note smartphone family
Galaxy Note | Galaxy Note 2 | Galaxy Note 3

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 camera

The Galaxy Note 4 might be in for quite the camera upgrade, as a report from ET News claims that Samsung is developing a 20MP sensor, due for release in the second half of the year.

With the Galaxy Note 4 also due to be released later in the year it seems a prime candidate to benefit from the lens.
The Galaxy Note 3 only has a 13 megapixel camera and even the Samsung Galaxy S5 has just a 16 megapixel sensor, so the Note 4 could be Samsung's best camera phone yet.

Note 4 OS, S Pen, chassis and what we want

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 operating system

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will almost certainly run the latest version of Android, which is likely to still be Android KitKat.
Presumably it will also be overlaid with some version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface, likely to be very similar in form to the new version which adorns the Galaxy S5.

Waterproof and wireless

We'd put money on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 being dust and water proof (or at least resistant). It's a key feature of the Galaxy S5 so it's unlikely that Samsung would remove it for the Note 4.
Besides which Samsung has reportedly ordered a large batch of High performance In-Mold antennas, which are easy to waterproof. They weren't in time to be used in the Galaxy S5 but Samsung must be planning on using them in something, so the Galaxy Note 4 seems likely.
Wireless charging is starting to pick up steam but it's yet to hit the big leagues. That could all change with the Galaxy Note 4 as ET News reports that Samsung is working on an improved resonance charging solution.
Magnetic resonance charging is a kind where the device doesn't even need to be in contact with the charger, so it could have some extremely versatile applications.
There's no confirmation that Samsung's take on the technology will make it into the Galaxy Note 4 but according to the report it might be ready to go by the middle of the year, which would make the Galaxy Note 4 a good test bed for it.

S Pen improvements

It's the S Pen which makes the Galaxy Note series standout from the rest of the supersized smartphone crowd and with every iteration we see Samsung upgrade its capabilities in some way.
The inclusion of a stylus with a fully touchscreen smartphone is still a little hit and miss, but we're coming to accept the S Pen and the additional features it provides.

The S Pen's handwriting feature could be getting a whole lot more useful, as a patent shows it being used to launch applications.
The image filed with the application shows it being used 'call mom' by, well, writing 'call mom' on the lock screen, but it's easy to see how it could be used to open apps, send text messages and more.

What we'd like to see

As rumors are pretty thin on the ground at the moment here are a few things that we'd like to see from the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

1. A premium build

Samsung has stubbornly refused to move away from plastic handsets and the faux-leather of the Galaxy Note 3 just doesn't cut it.
The perforated skin of the Galaxy S5 is a little better but we want to see a truly premium design from Samsung. Something which would make even HTC and Apple look twice.

2. Less bloatware

Sometimes less is more and that's a lesson which Samsung could do with learning. A cleaner, stripped back interface with less half baked features and more focus on the important things would suit us fine.
Or the option to just hide/delete any of theunnecessary apps like you can in HTC's Sense overlay - it's not much to ask.

3. A better battery

Samsung is leading the way with battery technology and the Galaxy S5 in particular looks like it should have a lot of staying power, but there's still room for improvement.
It might not be realistic to expect all week battery life from the Galaxy Note 4 but we want it to at least be able to last several days of moderate use between charges.

4. A QHD display

We're seeing smartphones boasting 1440 x 2560 resolutions over in China, but on screens ranging from 4 to 5 inches the improvements aren't exactly easy to see.
The big winner when it comes to Quad HD (also dubbed 2K) displays are phablets as their increased screen size makes the result appear a lot more impressive - and let's face it, we'd all much rather watch a movie on a Note rather than an iPhone.









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Industry voice: Why 3D printing is an unmissable opportunity for aerospace and defence

The ability to innovate and produce replacement components more quickly and efficiently, using the latest '3D-printing' technology, is about to cause a 'seismic' shift in the aerospace and defence sector's supply chain.
The technology is also already being used to streamline product innovation for new aircraft, while bringing added value benefits by making precision-engineered parts that are lighter, thus boosting fuel efficiency.
However, in order to benefit from the technology and make the most of the competitive advantage it could bring, companies will need to radically change their supply chain strategies. The aerospace and defence industries are structured around just a small number of OEMs whose needs are fulfilled by an established global network.

Breaking the chain

While breaking this chain won't be easy, this is exactly what '3D printing' technology is now challenging the industry to do and the first movers stand to secure a significant competitive advantage.
Among the early adopters are General Electric and United Technologies – both have been using 3D-printing for prototyping for some time. Airbus has also recently signed a cooperative agreement with China's Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) to explore ways to extend 3D-printing technology to the commercial aviation sector.
The first step to making the most of the 3D-printing opportunity is for OEMs to rethink their supply chain strategies and adopt a 'super local' model. This model would comprise an eco-system of innovative local suppliers who are close enough to fulfil demand for replacement parts at short notice.
Currently, if a component on a UK-based in-service aircraft needs replacing, the airline operator has to order the replacement part from what is often a single, approved supplier.
If it turns out that the required component is a 'legacy' part, and is stocked by neither the OEM nor their supplier, it would need to be manufactured, a process that could take months, especially if the supplier is in another part of the world. During this time the aircraft could be out of service.

Other advantages

There are many advantages of 3D-printing technology but the main one for this sector is that precision-engineered replacement parts can be printed in situ and in a matter of hours. This means the new part could be installed and the aircraft ready-to-fly same day.
Other benefits include the fact that there is no need for OEMs to stock pile a wide range of spare parts, just in case they are required at some point in the future. Instead, they will have to nurture local supply relationships spanning a wider geography to ensure their 3D capabilities can be used wherever and whenever need arises.
The full impact of 3D-printing technology on the aerospace and defence supply chain is yet to be fully realised and it is likely to affect developed markets first.
Developing markets are still very much driven by volume over choice, due to their rapidly growing economies and increasing consumer demand. For this reason, most manufacturers serving such markets find mass production and low labour costs are still appealing.
In developed markets, however, the reverse is true and there is growing demand for more personalised, customised products and services. This requires a more agile approach, which many manufacturers have been adopting. For this reason, we expect the take up of 3D-printing technology to happen more quickly in these markets.

• Michael Minall is the Aerospace and Defence Director at Vendigital

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Updated: Nokia X release date, news and features

Nokia X release date and OS

Nokia's Android ambitions have come to fruition and if you want to see what we think so far you can head straight on over to our hands on reviews of the Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL.
If you fancy getting to know the trio of handsets at once, stick around and we'll reveal the specs, the design, the release dates and the price of each of these unusual handsets.
It started out as a pie-in-the-sky rumour: Nokia is making an Android device. Surely not, given the Finnish firm has only recently been acquired by software giant (and the Windows Phone peddling) Microsoft. So why would Nokia jump into bed with the enemy?
While many eyebrows were raised, and eyes rolled, when news of the Nokia X first took to the web (under the moniker Normandy), the sheer deluge of leaks added more and more credibility to the handset's existence.
And then it was made official. At MWC 2014, Stephen Elop took to the stage to announce the arrival of the Nokia X, X+ and Nokia XL.
The Nokia X and Nokia X+ are bedfellows – all that separates them are the amount of RAM they have.
The Nokia X has just 512MB, while the Nokia X+ has a slightly more generous 768MB and comes with a 4GB microSD card in the box. As for the Nokia XL, this is a low-cost phablet with a 5-inch screen.

Cut to the chase
What is it? Nokia's first smartphone to run Google's Android OS
When is it out? Now, in selected markets (Nokia X+ and XL arrive soon)
What will it cost? It's cheap: €89, €99 (X+) and €109 (XL)

Nokia X release date and price

Announced on February 24, the Nokia X was revealed by Stephen Elop, who said that the new device was indeed Android but with a difference. "The Nokia X is built on Android open source software. We have differentiated and added our own experience," he said.
We did learn that the Nokia X would be launch first, and cost just €89 (around £75, $120, AU$135). It's now on sale in India for Rs8599, which equates to around £85, and is available in Kenya for roughly the same price too.

The Nokia X+ and Nokia XL will be arriving in selected markets during the second quarter of the year for €99 (around £80, $135, AU$150) and €109 (around £90, $150, AU$170) respectively.
While these devices will come to more developed markets in the future, we're still waiting for Nokia to outline its exact launch plans for places like the UK and US.
We got hands on with the Nokia X+ at MWC 2014:
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYO5VFyCYTA

Nokia X operating system

The single biggest feature on the Nokia X (X+ and XL) is its operating system. Nokia is heavily invested in the Windows Phone platform for its Lumia range, while its Asha devices run its own, in-house Asha OS.
The Nokia X range runs Android. But not the Android you know (and perhaps love). This is a heavily modified version that is built on Android open source software, although it does use Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 as the base.
This isn't an Android that comes with the Google Play store. This is an Android that has been moulded and contorted into an operating system that runs and looks more like Windows Phone.
There are live tiles just like Windows Phone, but you will be able modify the handset a little more freely than on Windows Phone.

Essentially it marries the design language of Windows Phone to the more open nature of Android with a touch of Asha thrown in for good measure.
For example its uses a version of the Asha "Fast Lane" feature, which shows all your recent activity, from new messages to the last apps you used and it can be customised to hide specific information so it only shows you what you want to see.
Nokia has put its own Android store on to the device (giving you a more limited selection than Google Play) and there will be a number of apps pre-installed on to the device.
Unsurprisingly these are mostly Microsoft (OneDrive, Skype etc) and Nokia (HERE Maps, HERE Drive and Mix Radio) offerings - with some apps only available on the Finnish firm's version of Android.

This is definitely a forked version of Android with Elop noting that the Nokia X takes people to Microsoft's cloud and not Google's.
The lack of Google Play could be a major stumbling block for the Nokia X and its brethren as Nokia's own store is likely to be comparatively lacking for a long time to come.
But you can also use third party app stores and Elop does say that Android devs can bring their apps to Nokia X - it only takes a few extra hours dev work - and people can sideload applications using a microSD card.
The fact that porting apps is so easy also means that the Nokia X range could quickly end up with a greater selection of them than any Windows Phone handset, even if it's not likely to deliver the full library of Android apps.
Enterprising users needn't be limited at all as the Nokia X has already been hacked to run Google Play and Google apps.

Nokia X screen, design and past rumors

Nokia X screen

The Nokia X was tipped to sport a middle of the road 4-inch display with a mediocre 480 x 854 resolution. And this is exactly what we got.
The official specs explain that the Nokia X screen is a PS LCD WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen capacitive 4-inch display. It's not something that is going to set the world on fire but it is in keeping with the low-cost nature of the handset.

It's not the best screen around but it's responsive and has vibrant colours and deep blacks, making it surprisingly good for such a low end handset.
The Nokia X+ has exactly the same screen, but the Nokia XL as the name suggests sports a larger 5-inch 800 x 480 display.
Of course by upping the size without increasing the resolution the end result is far from the sharpest screen on the market.

Nokia X design

All the leaked screenshots that came out of the Nokia X, hinted that it was on course to be more of the same from the Finnish firm. And this is indeed the case.
A unibody design in a range of bright colours is status quo at Nokia at the moment and the Nokia X trio are almost identical to the firm's latest range of Asha smartphones.

The official colours for the Nokia X and Nokia X+ are: bright green, bright red, cyan, yellow, black and white, while the Nokia XL will be available in orange, blue, yellow, green, black and white.
When it comes to thickness and the like, the dimensions of the Nokia X and Nokia X+ are: 115.5 x 63 x 10.4mm and they weigh in at 128.66g.

The Nokia XL unsurprisingly comes in a little bigger and heavier, at 141.3 x 77.7 x 10.8mm and 190g, making it a fairly chunky beast.

Nokia X Rumors

Here's what the leakers tipped for the Nokia X before launch – they were pretty spot on.

The Nokia X was teased by Twitter leaker @Vizileaks, who posted the following snap online with the "and the waiting game begins..." - oh, you tease.

Then there was @evleaks who showed off six color options (green, white, yellow, blue, red and black) as well as a single key below the screen - the same as the Nokia Asha 503.

If that wasn't enough in terms of colours, a picture of an orange handset claiming to be the Nokia X has also appeared online - although even the site that picked it up said "authenticity [of the images] is far from proven."
It seems that this was indeed a fake, as while the Nokia XL is coming out in orange the closest we have to orange for the Nokia X is Red. Unless the red and yellow handset had a baby that we don't know about, the below picture is a piece of rubbish plastic and nothing more.

There were also more leaks apparently showing the Nokia X on and working, revealing Here Maps will be included on the device, and potentially pointing towards a lack of Google's own suite of apps such as Maps and the Play Store.
Again, those leakers were exactly right: there is no Play store.

Nokia X specs

The Nokia X was tipped to sport a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, Adreno 302 GPU and 512MB of RAM - hardly worth writing home about, but once again it reinforces the "budget" angle.
And these specs hit the mark. It is indeed a 1GHz Snapdragon S4 processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB eMMC.
The Nokia X+ and XL have almost identical core specs, but they have a slightly beefier 768MB of RAM. In our time with the phones so far we've found that they can all handle any task you throw at them, but there can be some stuttering.

Although there were rumours that the Nokia X would come with a 5MP snapper capable of 720p HD video capture, this wasn't the case. It comes with a 3MP fixed-focus camera, as does the Nokia X+, but those rumours weren't totally wrong as the Nokia XL actually does have a 5 megapixel camera. It also has a larger 1/4" sensor, compared to the 1/5" sensors on the Nokia X and X+.

All three handsets can shoot 480p video at 30fps and while neither the Nokia X or Nokia X+ have a front facing snapper the Nokia XL one-ups them here too, with a 2 megapixel camera on the front.

Word of 4GB of internal storage was rather disappointing (especially as the operating system will take up a chunk of it), but the Nokia X will also rock a microSD card slot as was leaked in this spec list and the Nokia XL has the same storage potential.
There is also the Nokia X+. This is set to come with the same amount of built in storage as the X and XL, but there's also a 4GB microSD card included in the box.

For any battery fans out there the Nokia X was rumoured to have a 1500mAh juice pack, which turned out to be completely true. This is more than enough to keep the average screen and processor chugging along. The Nokia X+ has exactly the same battery and the Nokia XL boosts the size to 2000 mAh, but it's likely to need that extra juice to drive its 5 inch screen.









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Three may have shown your personal details to a total stranger

Mobile operator Three has admitted there was a security flaw in its website which meant during "a very unique set of circumstances" a customer's personal details could be viewed by a total stranger.
The issue was highlighted to TechRadar by a concerned Three customer who received a telephone call from a stranger at the other end of the country after his details appeared on their computer.
What happened was two people with the same name entered their details into the "register for updates" form on Three's website within 10 minutes of each other.
The site's cache stored the first person's data and then served it as auto-fill data to the second, including their name, email address and telephone number.

"An unusual situation"

A Three spokesperson told TechRadar: "We take safeguarding our customers' data very seriously and have thanked the customer for drawing this to our attention.
"This is an unusual situation that we have investigated thoroughly to ensure it won't happen again. We have apologised to the customer and resolved the issue." Three did offer compensation to the customers, but only after it was requested.
Have you witnessed any peculiar activity while using Three's website? Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks Michael!









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Analysis: Understanding Bitcoin and crypto-currency

In the beginning

Bitcoin and other "crypto-currencies" have been touted by their followers as the money of the future. However, the last 12 months have shown the pluses and minuses of the technology.
Crypto-currency is an attempt to replace money transactions with a digital medium of exchange using peer-to-peer networking. The first one, and still the most successful, was Bitcoin, which was created in 2009 by the mysterious developer "Satoshi Nakamoto."

• Bitcoin explained: what is Bitcoin?

It was first suggested in 1998 by Wei Dai on the cypherpunks mailing list and it was built around a philosophy that money is any object accepted as payment.

Virtual money, real impact

The idea is that you use cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money, rather than relying on central authorities.
Since the success of Bitcoin, there have been others which are starting to make names for themselves such as Ripple, Litecoin, Peercoin, Mastercoin, Namecoin and Quarkcoin. Even publications like Arstechnica and local councils in the UK like Hull, have come up with their own crypto-currencies.
Many other crypto-currencies have just died because no one used them. Non-Bitcoin crypto currencies are collectively known as altcoins and they are more or less based on the same idea.
Their success depends on how much "cash" (the total value of transactions) they have running around the peer-to-peer network (i.e the virtual economy). Since Bitcoin is open-source, anyone can develop their own crypto-currency using the same technology.

A short lesson in scarcity

Bitcoins derive their value partly through their scarcity, which is defined by a cryptographic lottery. You can buy Bitcoins on online crypto currency exchanges or you can earn them through "mining."
Bitcoin mining programs compute an encryption function called a "hash" on a set of random numbers. Coins are awarded every 10 minutes to whichever miner happens to compute a number below a certain threshold.
A few years ago, Bitcoin mining was handled by standard PCs with powerful graphics cards, but as the hash difficulty has gone up, the only way to mine Bitcoins is to employ a Bitcoin ASIC, a chip that has been designed specifically for this task.
This lottery favours those with the biggest and fastest machines and by 2014, there will be about 12 million Bitcoins in circulation. Note that the total number of Bitcoins in (virtual) circulation will never exceed 21 million because of the way the system was designed.
As the Bitcoin network gets bigger, the hash gets more complex and miners, they get fewer Bitcoins for their trouble, hence they always need better hardware and higher Bitcoin prices to make it worthwhile.
The running of this lottery is what powers the financial transactions behind the network. In theory, it means that it is highly secure, untraceable, fast, and practically free.

Anonymity Guaranteed?

However, the few years that it has been running as a currency have revealed a few flaws which show that Bitcoin is an efficient proof-of-work for transactions which is cheaper and faster than any other method.
As a currency, it is not doing so well. For a currency to work, it needs to derive its value from efficiency and mainstream use. This is beginning to happen now with various online stores accepting Bitcoins and other crypto-currencies but is still widely regarded as a niche market.
Unfortunately, it also makes it possible to launder money and buy illegal products. Since Bitcoins can be spent on the Internet without the use of a bank account, they offer a convenient system for anonymous purchases. Since there is no money stored anywhere, accounts can't be frozen by police or PayPal administrators.
Nermin Hajdarbegovic, a freelance journalist and regular CoinDesk contributor, points out that Bitcoin should not be viewed as a currency, but rather as a low-friction payment technology that also happens to include its own currency.
"As a payment service, as a decentralised network for low-cost transactions, it's pretty clever and promising for micro-transactions, remittances, content monetisation and so on," said Hajdarbegovic. "As an everyday currency and a mainstream alternative to national currencies, Bitcoin has a fair share of shortcomings, especially on the regulatory front."

Ideal for small transactions

This makes Bitcoin useful for small electronic payments for things like magazines and in-app purchases, since it is difficult to transmit small amounts efficiently using existing payment systems.
With a content monetisation system based on the Bitcoin protocol, you could run up against a paywall, the site would display a WR code, and you would be able to scan it and pay $0.25 or even less to read to piece if you are interested. The same transaction with a credit card would cost a couple of dollars in fees.
Goldman Sachs, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and UBS have published reports saying that the technology works, but implementing it without regulation is next to impossible.
In its report entitled All About Bitcoin, Goldman Sachs said that crypto-currency was less vulnerable to cybercrime and was an "innovative payments technology but was unlikely to become a real currency unless it overcame some important problems."
The biggest problem was the volatility of Bitcoin prices which exceeded the volatility of other currencies and gold. Because its supply was ultimately limited, prices will need to vary to accommodate shifts in demand, not the other way round. Unlike gold, Bitcoin also has no intrinsic value from alternative uses that could anchor its price.
Goldman Sachs's view on the security of Bitcoin as a system also took a battering when in March, Mt. Gox, once the world's biggest Bitcoin exchanges, filed for bankruptcy after claiming it lost $400-million of its customers' Bitcoins following a hack attack. It turned out some were stored in an "old wallet".

Not fit for business?

As a currency, Bitcoin is not stable enough for most businesses. The value of a Bitcoin fluctuates dramatically and because there are no controls there is nothing to stop money vanishing if the price tanks.
Bitcoin payment processors offer a way of getting around this problem, as they convert the transaction to hard currency almost instantaneously. Many companies want regulation to provide them with some security that they are not going to lose a fortune on it.
The chief executive of the Bank of Montreal Bill Downe summed up the view of the financial industry that he would be open to dealing in Bitcoin transactions if the virtual currency becomes more clearly regulated.
In Europe Yves Mersch, Member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank said digital currencies are still too small to have an impact on retail payments and central banks.
The only danger to the financial system is that they do pose a risk for users, particularly those who have been using them for speculative investments. For now, the ECB is just keeping an eye on things rather than calling for new rules, Mersch said.
European pressure for regulation appears to be coming from Europol, the European Union's top law enforcement agency. It wants greater powers to identify criminal activities online, including digital money laundering.
Irish lawmaker Patrick O'Donovan has also called for a parliamentary probe into digital currencies and their effect on illicit financial transactions.

Bitcoin's future

There are some signs that governments are starting to look at regulations and this is clearly proving difficult.
All these things will probably keep Bitcoin locked out of being a significant currency. Bitcoin's market capitalisation currently stands at about $5.5bn, which means the value of all Bitcoins on the market is less than the M2 money supply in Guatemala.
Goldman Sachs thought it was more plausible that Bitcoin could have a significant impact in terms of its innovation on payments technology, "by forcing existing players to adapt to it or co-opt it."
However, the report said that Bitcoin's "biggest hurdle" will be maintaining its cost advantage in the face of greater regulation, higher operating costs, and competition from entrenched players which are almost certain to come.
Fitch Ratings came to a similar conclusion as It found that Bitcoin stands to lose much of its appeal if Bitcoin companies are forced to deal with the added cost of regulation, rendering the near frictionless Bitcoin network much less cost-effective than it is today.
It seems that the sheer success of Bitcoin which seems to have jumped from a shadowy entity to an all-star one overnight has hurt its long term viability.

• Now read how the Internet of Things mines for Bitcoin rivals

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Qualcomm reveals the chips that will power 2015's smartphones

Just got a new smartphone? Congratulations, it's already obsolete. Qualcomm has just unveiled its newest chipsets which should hit phones in early 2015.
There are two chips to get to grips with. The Qualcomm 810 can handle cameras with up to 55MP image sensors, 4K video and Ultra HD displays, high-speed LPDDR4 memory and offers beefed up Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC connectivity.
The chip's Adreno 430 GPU is 30% faster than its predecessor which is nice to know since there aren't even any phones out yet with the already out-dated Adreno 420 GPU in them.
You can expect to see the octa-core 810 start to show up in the very high end phones and tablets at some point next year with Ultra HD screens on board.

808s and heartbreak

Only slightly lower down the scale is the six-core Snapdragon 808 with its 2K display support and speedy Adreno 418 GPU for WQXGA displays. That means next year's mid-to-high-range smartphones could well be rocking 2560x1600 screens.
The 808 is also down with 4K out-put via HDMI and LPDDR3 memory and the improved Wi-Fi connections. Both are 64-bit chipsets and Qualcomm says they should be smaller, lighter and offer better battery life than their forefathers.

• Speaking of future phones, how about that iPhone 6 then?

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Review: Spotify

Spotify was already the best music streaming service on the planet.
But the April 2014 update which just added a new look, new features and new ways to explore music has seen it finally become the brilliant, comprehensive service we always wanted it to be. I think Spotify just came of age.
In Europe at least, Spotify's success had already been unparalleled up to this point. The service has become a by word for music streaming, and its star has risen fast, taking the subscription music model into the mainstream.
For a few years the lack of competition meant that Spotify's life was relatively easy, and its biggest worries were turning its free users into paid-up Spotify Premium subscribers.
However, things now aren't so simple. The likes of Google Play Music All Access, Napster, Deezer, Xbox Music, Nokia Music and now even Beats Audio muscling in on Spotify's action means life has never been tougher. To stay ahead, Spotify will have to continue to innovate.

Changes

So what has changed with the recent updates? For a start there's a new look which is mirrored across all the various versions of the app, and perhaps more importantly, the 'You Music' section, a new home for your playlists where you can also permanently keep track of all the music you want to 'own'.
The upshot of this new section is that you can now build your own music library within Spotify instead of having to rely solely on a mishmash of playlists, keeping a permanent record of all your favourite bands, albums, singles and songs.
And finally, there's also newly-added Spotify Connect support, a new feature designed to embrace the wireless music movement, enabling you to control music from different sources around your home and play them through different speakers. I'll come back to that.

The catalogue

Spotify's 20 million+ track catalogue was once the envy of the streaming word, and it still edges the competition in 2014.
But line up the main players of Napster and Google Play Music All Access and compare song for song, and you won't find much difference. The selection offered by streaming services is frankly awesome, but Spotify's super strong brand does give it the edge.
You often find that when albums launch, Spotify will provide the deluxe versions with extra tracks and sometimes even a version with 'director's' commentary from the band or producer. It's little extras like that that make Spotify such an exciting place explore.
And while there used to be quite a few glaring omissions from the library, these are slowly but surely being dealt with.
Last year, for example it was revealed that Spotify had secured exclusive rights to the catalogue of long-time digital dodgers Led Zepplin. The company also won rights to Metallica and Pink Floyd ahead of its rivals, and showed that being the big player has huge benefits.
It's a tough call but Spotify's catalogue, coupled with its power to win high profile exclusives and penchant for delivering multiple versions of even obscure indie albums certainly gives it an advantage over its rivals. But with the line-ups of its competitors also looking strong, there's more to a service than just the selection.

Desktop app

The premise of Spotify is simple. Search for the music you like, and click to play it. If you're a free user you get to add songs to playlists and listen to them in shuffle mode with advertising every couple of songs.
A premium subscription costs £9.99 a month, and gets rid of ads and the playback restrictions.
Spotify's traditional point of entry has been the desktop app which has been overhauled as part of the new update. Like the mobile apps that sit alongside it, the desktop app now has a 'dark' new look, designed to look super-snazzy with album art at the forefront.
With dark colours, clean lines and Spotify's iconic lime green trim, it's a great new look which would be largely aesthetic were it not for the new You Music section.
It's not perfect though. Search is still a disappointment, with 'search by genre' still conspicuous by its absence.

Your Music

Yes, at long last, you can now keep track of your favourite artists and albums in ways that transcend the convoluted list of playlists that has typified the Spotify experience up to now.
You can essentially now build yourself a music library by clicking 'Save' on albums you like. Artists and tracks in these albums are also added to your 'Artists' and 'Songs' sections so it's always super easy to find what you're after.
Your albums can be sorted by Artist, title, recently added and most played. And what that means is that you can now explore the music in Spotify entirely on your own terms. This is the feature that Spotify fans have been waiting for, it works and it's awesome.

Web player

Spotify's web player is one of the more recent addition to its aural army of offerings and it provides a way for people to get access to their music when they can't install the desktop client. It's a big plus for workers who use corporate machines, and overall, it's excellent to use.
The layout is clear and simple, and has been redesigned to match the look and feel of the new desktop and mobile apps. Spotify is a much more feature-rich and mature service than Google Play, and the web app reflects this.
There's no HTML5 streaming feature like there is with Google Play, which means music can stutter a bit depending on what you're doing on your machine or in the same browser particularly. But you do at least get access to the Your Music section where your playlists and albums are stored.
Functionality is a tad limited - it's also almost impossible to manage playlists in the web player. It's very much a music playing option so should not be depended on to optimise your Spotify experience.
You also can't sync music for offline playing using the web app – a feature that has been included in the Deezer web player for some time. Generally though, it's an excellent way of getting Spotify running without having to install anything.

Mobile app

Spotify's mobile app used to be the preserve of Spotify Premium users only, but the service has now opened up music on the move to everyone. However, those who pay out do still get the best mobile deal, as you can 'offline sync' playlists so you can listen to them without the need to stream.
Free users can still only listen to playlists in shuffle mode.
The apps are all stable and easy to use and are offered on iOS, Android and Windows Phone. They've also just been completely redesigned using the same themes as the desktop and web apps. At the time of writing, the iOS apps are currently lacking the new Your Music and Connect features – we've spoken to Spotify this morning and have been assured that the features will be added 'shortly'.
Apps for each of the mobile platforms are quite a bit different and work in different ways, reflecting the differing ways each platform works – some employing swipes and taps, others long presses and context menus. Overall, we feel Android phone users get the best deal but frankly, all the apps do a good job.

Spotify Connect

Spotify Connect is Spotify's answer to the wireless music revolution. The idea is that you can now stream Spotify straight to speakers in your home without having to hook up via Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable each time. The catch is that these speakers need to either be wireless-enabled with Spotify Connect built-in or attached to a mobile device running the Spotify app.
Spotify Connect allows your mobile devices to talk to each other, with one acting as a remote control over another. For example, we hooked an HTC One Max up to some speakers and played the new War on Drugs album.
Opening Spotify from another device – in this case our Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – we can see what music is playing on the HTC One Max and change it remotely from the Note.

Social

While Spotify's catalogue and app collection place it as one of the best music streaming services, it's the integration of social that crowns it king.
Social features run through the service like musical blood, but instead of being a cheap gimmick it makes the service special.
Users are linked by Facebook accounts, which means you'll quickly have a ready made community comprised of your existing friends without having to create a whole new online persona. You can then send tracks and albums to any of your friends, and things that you receive are added to your inbox.
It's vibrant, simple and works. Music's about sharing, and unlike the bland sandboxes of Napster and Google Play Music All Access, Spotify mixes the right amount of social features without going overboard.
You can send links to tracks and playlists and subscribe to any other user's, too, and sites like ShareMyPlaylist.com have created sub-communities full of new music to discover.
When diligent user spend hours creating playlists of game and film soundtracks like the True Detective playlist earlier this year, they spread via Twitter and Facebook like wildfire. They become worldwide events supported by Spotify.
Of course, some aspects of Spotify's social features aren't quite so good. You can follow artists which helps the recommendation system, but it's half-baked and has no real benefit.

Offline syncing

You can download playlists and albums inside Spotify to guard against network outages, but you can only do so with three separate devices. A fourth device will revoke access to your first device without warning - something worth considering if you're using a laptop, phone, tablet and more to access Spotify.

Bitrate

You can choose to stream and sync at different quality settings. The higher the quality, the more battery your music will consume when you play it and the more storage it will take up. Extreme, the highest available setting, is a pleasing 320kbps.

Verdict

Spotify is still the undisputed king of streaming, and its reign doesn't look like ending soon with these recent updates.
The new look and the new features take what was already a brilliant service and add the level of polish and comprehensiveness to make it a 5-star product. Your Music is the feature Spotify had been missing, and its flawless implementation and integration into the general experience has made things a lot better.
Its fantastic catalogue, ability to use its brand to win major exclusives and superb (and unrivaled) social features make it the obvious choice for anyone looking to take the plunge with streaming.









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Samsung makes graphene breakthrough for flexible wearable computing

Samsung has made a major breakthrough in its graphene synthesis method, which will lead to new flexible and wearable electronics.
The Korean firm made the discovery at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), which partnered with Sungkyunkwan University. The research was published in Science Magazine and ScienceExpress.
The researchers found a new method to growing large area, single crystal wafer scale graphene, overcoming a previous obstacle of deteriorating electric and mechanical properties through multi-crystal synthesis.
The discovery moves Samsung closer to commercialising the material on a large scale.

So long, silicon

Graphene is widely heralded as the replacement for silicon, the ubiquitous material for semiconductors today. It has one hundred times the electron mobility than silicon, and yet it is more durable than steel, with higher heat conductibility.
"This is one of the most significant breakthroughs in graphene research in history," said the laboratory leaders at SAIT's Lab. "We expect this discovery to accelerate the commercialization of graphene, which could unlock the next era of consumer electronic technology."
The wearable computing sector is beginning to boom, with predictions that it will be worth $30.2 billion (£18.1 billion, AU$32.7 billion) by 2018, according to BCC Research. Any improvements in flexibility will give companies like Samsung significant advantages over other rivals in the industry.
Via GigaOM

• Graphene: the miracle material explained

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In Depth: 10 ways tech would change the Game of Thrones universe

In case you weren't already aware, Game of Thrones season four started yesterday. And while Game of Thrones might be set in pseudo-medieval times we think it would benefit from some tech. After all, they spent thousands of years building a giant wall to keep themselves safe, so you'd think they'd perhaps at least consider also spending some time, you know, inventing stuff.
We've already covered what phones we think the characters would have, so here's a list of what technology they need and how it would help the world of Westeros and beyond.

1. CCTV

Big brother is always watching, and in a place like King's Landing that can only be helpful. The city is full of criminals, brothels and ne'er-do-well schemers. The justice system would be infinitely improved by the addition of video evidence.
Expect to see more heads on spikes and prisoners taking the black. Of course, Ned's head wouldn't be on a spike, since the CCTV would have made it easier for him to solve the murder of Jon Ayrrn and prove the Lannister twincest.

2. Instant messaging and emails

Messages sent by ravens have a certain sense of morbid charm but they are very slow, not to mention entirely unreliable. Bad storm? Sorry, your raven is dead or off course. Hungry peasants? Your message is toast. Theon Greyjoy with a bow? Yeah you guessed it, dead. Why enslave a species of bird when you can use your new iPhone to send a quick message.

3. UV lights

Fear is for the long night, when snows fall a hundred feet deep and everyone has a vitamin D deficiency. If you think the short days of winter are miserable just imagine one long winter night that lasts for years, if not decades. UV lights would provide a bit of healthy artificial sunshine. It could also be used to grow food, getting around that pesky peasant starvation problem that tends to come when you can't farm your frozen lands. Just don't put them inside Littlefinger's brothel.

4. DNA Testing

When Jon Snow and Ned parted ways he was promised that next time they saw each other they'd have a nice long chat about his mum. Well Ned's dead and so is everyone else who knew about Jon's birth (probably). But with DNA testing Jon could start tracking his heritage and since he's half Stark he needs all the family he can get.
Other positives include: finding the rightful heir, proving Joffrey's bastardry and providing more evidence in those CCTV assisted court cases.

5. Social Media

If you have trouble keeping up with the numerous characters and alliances in Game of Thrones can you image how hard it would be to be part of that world? Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin would let everyone know who you were friends with, who you weren't and you could share pictures of your cute new direwolf puppy. If Robb Stark saw Roose Bolton friending Tywin on Facebook you can bet he'd be a bit more suspicious and a bit more alive.

6. Oculus Rift

Virtual reality could solve so many problems in the Game of Thrones universe. Want to pick a fight with someone, but don't want to risk dying? Challenge them to a virtual fight. Got a penchant for watching prostitutes beat each other bloody, but want to keep your satin sheets clean? Virtual prostitute torture. Want to visit a prostitute and not almost murder them? Well aren't you a good person! You can do that with VR tech too. (Two out of three of these examples were about prostitutes because as we all know prostitution is popular activity in the GoT-verse.)

7. GPS

Daenerys screaming "where are my dragons?" throughout season 2 got pretty irritating for all involved. Before that she was lost in the Red Waste without a map. If she just wants to go home then she needs GPS, because she's taking too damn long without it. Attach a GPS tracker to her dragons and they'll never be lost again. Get a GPS maps systems and find the quickest route to Westeros. Problem solved, kingdom conquered, peace restored.

8. Spotify

Ramsay Snow messed up Theon pretty good last season, and we can't say he didn't entirely deserve it. But imagine all of that, and being subjected to Rebecca Black's Friday constantly on repeat (probably played on the lute). This is the sort of terror Ramsay could wield if he had access to Spotify. We imagine it would mostly be filled with renditions of the Rains of Castamere, uploaded to appease Lord Tywin.

9. Google glass

Imagine all of Varys's little birds sneaking around not only listening but also recording. The Master of Whisperers is already a powerful man but he'd be unstoppable with a legion of spies armed with Google Glass. Of course then they'd stick out like a sore thumb, which somewhat defeats the point.

10. Siri/Google Now/Cortana

Siri and other smartphone assistants would certainly give Jaime a hand now he's missing his right one. He could ask questions such as "is Cersei free this afternoon?", "what are the negatives of inbreeding?" and "is my son a psychopath?" like some sort of twisted magic mirror. Also, since he can only hold the phone in one hand any messages and calls he needs to make would have to go through voice activation. The rest of the world could use it too, for example Ser Davos could dictate notes to it (since he can't write). Just don't give it to Hodor.









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Updated: Sony Xperia Z2 release date, news and features

Sony Xperia Z2 release date, news and features

January 2013 saw the arrival of the Xperia Z at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, which was followed in September 2013 by the Xperia Z1 at IFA in Berlin - and now the Sony Xperia Z2 has arrived at MWC 2014 - alongside the Z2 tablet.
Sony is once again bigging up its own technologies in the Z2, just as it did with the Z1. The "best of Sony in a smartphone" tagline was again used in the press conference at MWC.
Compare Sony's product cycle to the likes of Samsung or Apple - where we see an annual reboot of flagships such as the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S and, while the cadence is quicker, you can start to see what the company is doing. After all, Sony knows it has some catching up to do in the market.

• Check out our Hands on: Sony Xperia Z2 review

Cut to the chase
What is it? Sony's next flagship, the follow up to the Xperia Z1
When is it out? April/May 2014 (it's been delayed)
What will it cost? From £545 (around $600, AU$900) SIM-free

Sony Xperia Z2 release date and price

In the UK the Xperia Z2 is up for pre-order for a whopping £599 SIM free on Sony's site, while in Australia it's about AU$899.95 and the in the US you're looking at around $600.
The Xperia Z2's global release date is April 2014 and the handset has been announced on UK networks O2, Three, Vodafone and EE as well as by retailers such as Carphone Warehouse.
There is a problem though. The Xperia Z2 has been delayed, possibly until May, unless that is you pre-ordered the handset in which case Sony reckons you'll still get your device in good time.
A Sony spokesperson has told TechRadar: "We are working tirelessly to maximize stock levels in April but currently we do not expect to meet the high demand across all our sales channels."
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqrqC4AKt_4

Xperia Z2 specifications

The Sony Xperia Z2 includes Sony Digital Noise Cancelling – a first in a phone – and as is becoming the norm for Sony, it's dust- and waterproof as well.
The handset is one of the first (along with the One M8 and Galaxy S5) to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and it boasts four 2.3GHz Krait CPUs in addition to 4G LTE, 3GB of RAM and a high capacity 3,200mAh battery, which in combination with Sony's Battery STAMINA mode should keep it going for quite some time.

On the storage front there's 16GB built in along with a microSD card slot which supports cards of up to 64GB.
As you might expect from any worthwhile new flagship phone, it's also running Android KitKat with Sony's light interface skin placed on top.
That makes it a moderate upgrade over the Sony Xperia Z1, which has a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM.

Xperia Z2 camera and audio

The Z2's key technology sell is the ability to shoot 4K video, so that's four times the pixels of HD and twice the resolution at - 3,840 x 2,160 pixels at 30fps.
The camera is a 20.7MP unit, with the mobile version of the proven Exmor RS image sensor and Bionz processing engine alongside Sony's G Lens. Using built in apps, you can also shoot Timeshift video, while there's also an AR app, too.
The Timeshift video mode lets you shoot in 120 frames per second and select individual scenes to slow playback.

Another new app enables you to defocus the background and adapt a shallow depth of field – you can capture two photos at different focus settings and blend them together.
Backing up the main camera there's a 2.2MP snapper on the front which can shoot 1080p video at 30fps.
Sadly there's no optical image stabilization, but the Xperia Z2 does have SteadyShot digital image stabilization, which similarly aims to counter camera shake.
You can also buy an additional STM10 stereo microphone should you need enhanced sound quality for shooting 4K video.

Speaking of sound, Sony's put the speakers on the front of the handset this time around, aiming to muscle in on the HTC One's territory with what it's calling S-Force Front Surround.
Sony's MDR NC31EM noise cancelling headset comes bundled with the handset and unfortunately you have to use this specific headset if you want to take advantage of the fancy noise cancelling features of the phone.

Xperia Z2 display

The 5.2-inch IPS LCD Triluminos display is Full HD 1080 x 1920 with a pixel density of 424 pixels per inch. The Xperia Z2 uses Sony's X-Reality technology, to optimize colors, contrast and sharpness while reducing noise.
Sony is also claiming it has the best color reproduction of any smartphone on the market with its Live Color LED tech.

Our full review will put that claim to the test, but it's certainly an impressive display, particularly in comparison to the Z1, which looks washed out and lacking in detail when put side by side with this.

Xperia Z2 design

At 8.2mm thick and 163g, the Z2 is 0.3mm thinner than the Sony Xperia Z1 and 7g lighter, despite having a larger screen and more powerful innards.
It's an evolution of the same aluminum design, which Sony calls OmniBalance.

In fact it looks almost identical to the Xperia Z1, with the same metal edging, glass back and large bezels above and below the screen.
Like the Z1 it's also dust resistant and waterproof to IP55 & IP58 standards, allowing it to be submerged for up to 30 minutes in water 1 meter deep.

Xperia Z2 interface and features

The Xperia Z2's interface is similar to that of the Z1, though it comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat so it's bang up to date.
The handset also has a few new features hidden away in its menus. There's 'Smart Backlight Control' for one, which will keep the screen on while you're looking at it, just like Samsung does with Smart Stay.
Then there's the ability to double tap the screen to wake it up, much like LG's KnockON feature and it's also possible to answer or reject calls with hand gestures.

The Sony Xperia Z2 has also inherited Glove Mode from the Xperia Z1 Compact, allowing you to operate it while wearing gloves and there's a Simple Home option, which, well, simplifies the home screen and uses bigger icons, making it ideal for smartphone virgins and visually impaired users.

Read onto the next page for our earlier Sony Xperia Z2 rumors.

Sony Xperia Z2 rumors

Here's what was being said before the Sony Xperia Z2 launch at MWC 2014
Sony loves a flagship smartphone and, if current rumours ring true, the Japanese firm is lining up its third in just over a year in the form of the Sony Xperia Z2.

Sony Xperia Z2 release date and price

There were rumors suggesting the Sony Xperia Z2 would be outed at CES 2014, but instead we were given the Xperia Z1 Compact and a US variant of the Xperia Z1.
April 2014 has also been mooted as a potential Xperia Z2 release date, but this date now appears to have gone cold.
This means all eyes are now on MWC 2014, with perennial leaker @evleaks tipping the codenamed Sony Sirius handset for a show appearance.
As far a pricing goes we are yet to hear anything, but considering the Xperia Z1 launched at the top end of the pricing bracket, you can expect the Sony Xperia Z2 to carry a similar tag.

The rivals
Samsung Galaxy S5 | iPhone 6 | New HTC One

Sony Xperia Z2 display

According to Xperia Z2 specs leaked online, the handset is in line for a stunning 5.2-inch display - up from the 5-inch screen on the Xperia Z1 - and, if true, it would mean the Z2 would match the LG G2 in terms of size.
With a rumored 506ppi, 2K screen, the Xperia Z2 will smash its rivals with its 2560 x 1440 resolution, with the G2 mustering 424ppi and the Xperia Z1 rocking 441ppi full HD solutions.
While the display is set to get bigger, the Xperia Z2 may not grow in size with reports suggesting that Sony has managed to reduce the bezel either side of the screen.
FutTv : kXWrw5Qb9aiJ7

Sony Xperia Z2 power

While a 2K screen would help the Sony Xperia Z2 stand out, when it comes to power things appear to be a little less exciting.
Reports are centering around the same 2.3GHz quad-core processor which you'll find in the Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact.
That's not to say the Xperia Z2 will be under-powered - far from it in fact - but we were hoping to see perhaps an octa-core chip inside the next Sony powerhouse. Of course that is still possible, we'll just have to wait and see.
In terms of RAM inside the Sony Xperia Z2 it seems the handset is inline for a boost here, with 3GB apparently on the cards.

Sony Xperia Z2 more rumours

Sony Xperia Z2 operating system

Initially it looked like the Xperia Z2 might launch with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean after a variety of screenshots made their way onto the XDA Developers forum, but fresher leaks suggest we're in for a KitKat treat.

• Read our Android 4.4 KitKat review

As well as Android 4.4 KitKat at its heart, a set of screenshots reveal a huge range of new features apparently destined for the Sony Xperia Z2 including; double tap to wake the screen, 4K video recording, a variety of camera modes, smart controls, a choice of homescreen launchers and more.

More recently a video appeared on YouTube claiming to show the Xperia Z2 in action, and revealing Android 4.4 KitKat traits.
There's also a healthy looking battery life (the phone has 36% left and the battery widget says it's still good for 1 day 2 hours), updated lock and homescreen designs as well as further mentions of multiple themes and 4K video recording.
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBaC6uAU5Bo

Sony Xperia Z2 camera

Sony always likes to make a bit of a song and dance about the cameras on its phones, and to be fair it's got a pretty strong track record.
Strangely though, leaked specs for the Sony Xperia Z2 are pointing to the same 20.7MP camera as you get in the Xperia Z1.
This is by no means a bad thing, but with the same camera and processor the Xperia Z2 is beginning to look like a screen-bump update rather than a whole new device.
A good sign for phone photographers though is word that Sony will replace the LED flash with a Xenon offering, which provides a better balance of light for more natural shots.
Leaked screen grabs claiming to be from the Sony Xperia Z2 point towards the phone's ability to shoot 4K video, timeshifted photos and various creative effects - giving us a veritable buffet of features to choose from.
Further camera features popped up in the leaked video (which you can view above), with options such as Social Live (share you experience live on Facebook), Info-eye (find more information about what's in the viewfinder) and Background defocus (take pictures with background blur).

Sony Xperia Z2 additional specs

What else have we heard about the Sony Xperia Z2? Well, the battery is said to be getting a boost, up from 3000mAh to 3700mAh, but with more RAM and a larger, higher resolution display you might not actually see any extra life from the juice pack.
We may even have a glimpse of the Xperia Z2 after images claiming to show the handset with a thinner bezel and larger display appeared online. It certainly looks like a Sony smartphone.

Further image leaks suggest the Xperia Z2 will have a seriously slender bezel down either side of its screen, but the exceptionally blurry nature of the shots in question don't exactly fill us with confidence.

Another image claims to show the Xperia Z2 alongside the Xperia Z1 and Z, once again showing little in the way of aesthetical changes to the handset, with Sony appearing to keep the same style for its next-gen flagship smartphone.


Yet more evidence which seems to back up the various image leaks of the Sony Xperia Z2 is a video which has popped up on YouTube showing the handset in action, including Android 4.4 KitKat and Sony's new UI.
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPeYgwhFn1M








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Shot in the dark? Sony's new camera can make it happen

The Sony Alpha 7 series became the first CSCs to feature a full frame sensor back in October 2013, and this new release brings 4K video and telephone-number ISO levels with it, becoming a serious option for DSLR / CSC film makers and those shooting in very poor light, as well as a direct rival to Panasonic's GH4.
One specification that instantly stands out is the drop to a 12.2 million pixel sensor. This drop in pixel count is likely to be in order to enhance video capture quality, but the new sensor enables a sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 409600 for movies and 50-409600 for stills.

This maximum sensitivity of ISO 409600 for stills is the same as the recently released Nikon D4s, but with this CSC aimed at video makers rather than the D4s' stronghold of press photographers, it's going to be interesting to see what the quality for both images and video will be at this maximum value.
When it comes to video recording formats are all important, as they directly affect the quality of capture and flexibility of the camera in different environments.
The Alpha 7s features a range of recording formats that will appeal to professional video makers, including clean HDMI output for high quality and flexible 4K recording. This enables uncompressed video capture at 4K (QFHD; 3840 x 2160 pixels), with selectable 30p and 24p frame rates, which is then captured on an external video recorder.
When you still need to record in HD and without the ties of external recorders, the 7S is capable of using the XAVCs format, which enables Full HD recording at 50mbs to a memory card.
There are a host of other features that show that the 7S is a serious choice for video makers, including the S-Log2 gamma setting – common in commercial video equipment and no doubt a direct link to Sony's broadcast heritage. This enables better colour grading in post production by creating a wider dynamic range.
The sound capabilities, as with the 7R, include audio in and out as well monitoring.
We'll bring you more on the Alpha 7S soon.









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