IT News Head Lines (Techradar) 14/05/2014

Review: Jawbone Era (2014)

Despite its humble beginnings in the Bluetooth audio space, Jawbone has become better known in recent years for its push into wearable technologies like the Jawbone Up24.
But the move into step-tracking doesn't mean that Jawbone has forgotten its past.
The company recently released its latest version of the successful Era Bluetooth headset, and is hoping that some new features taking advantage of today's smartphone features will renew interest in what the company considers to be one of the original wearable technologies.
Simply put, the Era is a marvel of engineering. The tiny device is one of - if not the - smallest Bluetooth headsets ever created.
Measuring in at just 47mm long, 22mm wide and a paltry 13mm deep, the 2014 model of the Era has carved 42 per cent of the bulk out of the previous model.

Also changed is the external design of the earpiece. Gone is the grill-shape of the casing, replaced by a smooth, ridged exterior.
Jawbone has managed to engineer the new model with just a single solder point, giving it a solid, sturdy feeling that breeds confidence in the build quality.
There's not a lot in the way of controls on this device. On the underside is a tiny power switch, while the back end of the Era hosts its only button, which performs different functions depending on what combination of button presses you use.
The other two points of interest on the headset are the awkwardly shaped silicone earpiece, which can be replaced with a few different sizes that come in the box.
The other is the weird extrusion on the underside of the device that touches your cheek while you wear the device, and is surrounded by a circular LED light that changes colour to indicate what mode the headset is in.

That protrusion is the microphone, and doubles as the vehicle for Jawbone's NoiseAssassin technology, which we'll discuss in more depth below.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, the Era is a nice looking Bluetooth earpiece. But therein lies the catch - it is still a Bluetooth headset and still faces the stigma associated with this device category.
The design of the earpiece in particular is surprisingly effective. Stick it in your ear and shake your head around, and the Era isn't going to go anywhere.

Given that it's nothing but an awkwardly-shaped piece of silicone, this is surprisingly effective. It means you can use the Era while walking around, or even while running.
Of course, that's not to say that the Era is actually "comfortable". You can certainly feel it in your ear, especially when compared to some of the more comfortable pairs of in-ear headphones.
It's not unbearable by any standard, and we've definitely experienced heavier, less comfortable Bluetooth devices, but we were always relieved when we took the earpiece out after wearing it.

A new Era in handsfree

With just a single button on the Era, learning the different shortcuts required to make the device work is kind of like learning Morse code - it's easy to remember a couple, but getting the whole alphabet takes time and practice.
There's a short press to receive and end a call, a long press to adjust call volume and multiple presses to start playing music or redial the last number. Just don't mix those two up, or you'll end up annoying your mother like we did.
Of course, some of these controls are different when you're actually on the phone, which just adds to the complexity.
You can customise the controls to some extent through the Jawbone website. For instance, you can opt to make a long press during a call adjust the volume or mute the call entirely. Or make a long press when idle call a contact or launch your phone's voice control feature.
Also customisable is the device's voice, which offers battery status alerts and confirms the phone number of an incoming call (or contact details of up to 20 of your contacts, after you tell Jawbone which of your 20 contacts you want it to know).
It may not be the most efficient system. The device works with the Jawbone app for iOS and Android, but you can't customise the settings without first connecting the Era to your computer, which seems like an unnecessary barrier.
Still, the ability to have a variety of voices talk to you, from the Mobster to the Bombshell - alongside non-English languages - is certainly interesting, although hardly a huge selling point.

Sounding off

As anyone with even a cursory understanding of speakers knows, audio quality is largely influenced by the size of the speakers. So with a device as small as the Jawbone Era, there's always going to be a question on audio quality.
Jawbone reckons it has the problem under control with a "unique audio porting system", coupled with the earpiece's design and drivers which pump the sound directly into your earhole.
And it mostly works. The speaker is never too loud - it's pumping that sound in directly, so it wouldn't want to be otherwise you'd end up partially deaf - but can occasionally sound a little soft, especially if there's a lot of ambient noise.
The quality can also be a little bit mushy at times. The Era is an HD Voice capable device, so talking across HD Voice networks was fine, but cross the networks and the deficiencies of the tiny speaker become apparent.

The other key component of a Bluetooth earpiece is the microphone, which uses new micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) microphones to fit inside the small body, with custom DSP algorithms to make your voice sound nice and clear.
The key element of the Jawbone - the thing that separates it from the other Bluetooth headsets out there - is the NoiseAssassin technology.
Essentially, it uses the protruding microphone to detect the vibrations in your skin to tell the difference between when you're talking and the ambient noise around you.
When it works, it's brilliant. You can be in the middle of festival crowd, and the person on the other end of the phone will only hear what you say when you say it, and none of the other noise in the background.
The catch is that the protrusion needs to be touching your face to work, and for some reason, making that happen was much more difficult than anticipated. Practically every time we tried using the Era for a phone call, it led to instances of that annoying "can you hear me now?" conversation.
Which is ultimately not the scenario you want to be in while closing a multi-million deal while driving your Luxus to the airport, which we assume is the general use-case for Bluetooth headsets these days.

Google it Now, Siri

During our briefing with Jawbone representatives on the new product, they made a big point on how the Era was the next stage of evolution for wearable technology, allowing hands-free engagement with smartphones and taking advantage of new technologies like Google Now and Siri to do more with less.
The idea sounded good in theory. After all, who wants to have to continually pull out their phone to send a text message, when they could just as easily do it by the power of their voice?
What's more, the idea of being able to remotely control your life - your virtual, cloud-based life - by a discreet earpiece is very tempting.

But in reality, this feature hardly worked. Testing with a few Android handsets, including the HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z1, the phone struggled to decide whether we were actually pushing the button at all.
Despite the fact it was set to use the voice control feature, a single long press occasionally launched the voice caller option, which was just weird.
The other challenge was that occasionally, pressing and holding the button would do nothing while the phone's screen was off, and sometimes it would.
On the occasions it wouldn't work, unlocking the phone screen and trying again enabled the voice control, albeit with an extended delay between when the audio queue sounded and when the device started listening for voice commands.
But if that were the ultimate solution, it would be fine. Instead, we found that the device would activate through the Bluetooth earpiece, hear commands through the Era and then push out voice responses via the phone's built in speaker.
We're not sure who to push the blame on here – Is this a Google Now or a Jawbone inadequacy? It's also worth noting that we're yet to test it with Siri, which could obviously affect our impressions.
But one thing for certain is that the futuristic ideal of simply controlling your digital life via a Bluetooth earpiece is like crude oil - it needs a lot of refining before it will be a practical solution.

Juicing up

Jawbone proclaims you'll get four hours of talk time from the Era, with 10 hours of standby, which should be enough for you to plug the device in your ear and leave it there for most of the working day.
In practicality, when you're actually using the device a lot, either for listening to music or attempting Google Now searches or talking to people on the phone, the battery does tend to die off fairly quickly.
You may get through the working hours of your day with the Era embedded in your ear, but you might not. If you're happy to take a break from it occasionally - and you'll want to do that to keep it comfortable - it won't be a problem.

We'd love to see that battery life doubled for true convenience, but the simple fact is that battery technology just isn't up to par. The fact that you can get four hours from such a small device is pretty impressive, when you actually think about it.
Jawbone is selling two versions of the Era - one with a miniature charging dock that holds a full charge and a half for the headset, which should help anyone on the road make it through the full day - and one without.

Verdict

The market for Bluetooth headsets was never quite mainstream. But while the early days of the category were littered with large, cumbersome devices, the modern release of the Jawbone Era shows that Bluetooth earpieces can be small and discreet.
Of course, the Era is also competing with some excellent advances in stereo headsets, which offer advantages in both audio streaming and battery life thanks to their extra size.
With the advent of voice control services like Siri, Google Now and Cortana, there is definitely the possibility that we'll see Bluetooth headsets become much more common.
But before that happens, the services themselves need to become a lot more reliable, and the software that interfaces with them needs a robust improvement.

We liked

This thing is small and lightweight, and that is a win over the stigma usually associated with Bluetooth headsets.
Well designed and well built, it feels sturdy in your ear, and the silicone earpiece you plug into your ear never feels like it's about to fall off.
Jawbone's NoiseAssassin technology is pretty impressive too. Talking to someone who is wearing the headset, you won't really hear the ambient noise at all, and that is something no smartphone user can say.

We disliked

It may be sturdy in your ear, but it's hardly comfortable, and extended periods can leave your ear sore and tired.
Of course, that doesn't often pose a problem, as the battery life could definitely use some expansion. We understand that something this small is always going to have limitations on battery life, but if you can't get through a full day, that's probably not enough juice.
But the biggest hiccup we experienced was the integration with voice control services like Google Now. Pitched as the best way to control your smartphone, it rarely worked and left us feeling underwhelmed.

Final verdict

Jawbone pitched this renewed Era headset to us as another wearable technology that would allow us to interface with our smartphone handsfree.
And it did - kind of - but that implementation still needs a lot of work before it becomes intuitive and reliable enough to become mainstream.
Don't get us wrong - if you're looking for a Bluetooth headset, this is a really solid option. But it's not good enough to suggest everyone should go out and buy one as a way of getting more from their smartphone.









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updated: Optus first to Xperia the Z2 in Australia

Updated 13 May: Telstra has today announced that the Xperia Z2 will be available online and in stores today for an outright price of $672, which is $87 cheaper than Sony's outright price.
On a 24-month plan, the handset will demand an extra $6 charge per month on a $70 Mobile Accelerate Plan, or $10 extra per month on a $60 Business Performance Plan.
Original story...
Sony has been on the warpath with its flagship handset releases. Just six months after it released the Xperia Z1, it's doubling down with the launch of its new masterpiece, the Xperia Z2.
The handset, which combines the waterproof design of previous Xperia Z models with new 4K video recording and noise cancellation technologies, is competing head to head with the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 for your shiny new-phone dollar.
While we already know this is the best phone Sony has ever built, and one of the best phones in the world right now, it's good to finally get an Australian release.

Beat it, this phone ain't Bad

Optus is the first telco to launch the handset, with the Z2 arriving today on a range of plans. You can expect to fork out $16 a month in handset repayments on a $60 Optus plan though, which includes 1.5GB of data.
Optus is also throwing in a free pair of Adidas trainers worth $190 for customers who get the phone and claim before the end of July.
Vodafone customers can grab the handset from May 7, with handset repayments of $10 a month on the $65 plan, which includes 1.5GB of data as standard.
Telstra customers can register their interest for the handset, although no official release date has been confirmed.
Everyone else can grab the handset outright today for $759 through Sony direct channels.
There's also a spot of good news for Michael Jackson fans, as every Xperia Z2 owner can grab a copy of the late king of pop's new album XSCAPE via the Xperia Lounge app on the day the album is released.
If that doesn't sell you, we don't know what will...

• Want the best plan for the new Xperia Z2? Check out these deals.

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Google Glass price could move the decimal point in consumers' favor

The intrigue behind Google Glass is only heightened by its exorbitant price, but a new teardown suggests the cost to make it may be one decimal point to the left.
Google Glass is estimated to cost just $152 (about £91, AU$162) for all of the parts and labor, according to market research firm iHS.
The bill of materials is actually only $132 (about £78, AU$141) with the titanium headband, not the all-important processor or tiny camera, costing the most.
This may come as a surprise to owners of the Google Glass Explorers Edition, which currently costs $1,500 (about £889, AU$1,602) plus tax. Frames for prescription glasses are extra.

One of many teardowns

The isn't the first time that Google Glass' components have been tipped to cost a fraction of its asking price.
Previous teardowns have indicated that Google Glass is powered by a 2011 mobile processor and off-the-shelf parts.
In fact, a teardown last month even went as far as to say that the wearable components cost just $79.78 (around £47, AU$85).

More than meets the augmented eye

Google has flatly denied every teardown estimate of Google Glass, including this one.
It should also be noted that the company includes premium accessories with its Explorer Edition wearable including a Japanese microfiber pouch and a two-toned USB cable so you know which side is which.
Still, many analysts expect the promised Google Glass consumer edition to be more reasonably priced, with some estimates hovering around $300 (about £178, AU$320).
That particular Google Glass price may be announced at Google IO, as more details about the wearable technology's future are likely to be exposed on June 25.

• Read: The Moto 360 is Google's other wearable winner

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Is Sony shelving OLED TVs in favor of 4K?

Sony has seen the future, and the future is 4K TVs.
At least that's the latest coming from Japan's Nikkei, which reports Sony is hanging up its boot straps on commercial OLED TV development for now and focusing full-throttle on 4K sets.
Sony apparently doesn't see demand for TVs equipped with the OLED displays taking off anytime soon, and rivals LG and Samsung are already dominating the space.
What's more, Sony 4K TVs look to be bringing in the bacon and may even take the company's TV revenues into the black next year. That would be the first time Sony hit positive TV revenue in 11 years, Nikkei notes.

4K 4 life

The publication is definitive on Sony's move away from OLED, though there's no official comment from Sony contained in its report. We've asked Sony for confirmation on the decision to shelve OLED TVs and will update this story if and when we hear back.
According to Nikkei, Sony holds the lion's share of the global 4K TV market. With more than 20% of the value of all 4K TVs shipped in 2013, the Bravia X9-maker sees the opportunity to seize control of the 4K space.
Sony is slated to release eight 4K TV models this summer and hopes to quadruple 4K sales by the end of the fiscal year. The firm is so set on building its 4K offering, it's reportedly ready to make up to 50% of its total large flat-panel TVs with the ultra-high res screens.
OLED TV developers will reportedly switch to other areas, including working on 4K.

• Sony recently said goodbye to another part of its business

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Firefox sponsored tabs won't be 'a mess of logos,' Mozilla promises

Mozilla announced in February that it was developing special ads for the tiles on Firefox's home page, also known as the page that appears when you open a new tab.
Now Firefox Vice President Johnathan Nightingale has acknowledged that the announcement "didn't go over well."
"A lot of our community found the language hard to decipher, and worried that we were going to turn Firefox into a mess of logos sold to the highest bidder; without user control, without user benefit," Nightingale wrote in a blog post.
"That's not going to happen," he continued. "That's not who we are at Mozilla."

Identity crisis

When the feature was announced Mozilla explained that Firefox users would see a mix of popular websites and sponsored content in the tiles previously populated by users' frequently visited sites.
Nightingale hasn't contradicted that, but he emphasizes that Mozilla will test the new tabs page extensively before rolling anything out to your average Firefox users.
In the meantime they'll test the new sponsored tiles on pre-release channels "in the coming weeks," Nightingale wrote.
"These tests are purely to understand what our users find helpful and what our users ignore or disable," he wrote. "These tests are not about revenue and none will be collected."
That is until Mozilla is sure Firefox users won't revolt, at least.

• Firefox 'Metro' app abandoned because no one wants Microsoft's Modern UI

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Cheap and cheerful Nokia Lumia 630 arriving in Australia this month

Microsoft's first smartphone to launch with Windows 8.1, the Nokia Lumia 630, will be landing in Australia this month and it may be very welcome if you're on a budget.
Retailing for just $249 outright, the Lumia 630 packs a surprisingly powerful 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and a 4.5-inch LCD display.
While that won't compete with flagship handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S5 or HTC One M8, at this price it won't have to.
The Lumia 630 also features a 5-megapixel camera that will deliver serviceable if unspectacular snaps, all juiced by its 1830mAh battery.

A splash of colour

Should the mood take you you can add a little vibrancy to the handset's dull matte black polycarbonate body via one of five interchangeable and brightly coloured covers.
The Lumia 630 also features Nokia's SensorCore, which will keep track of your steps and the calories you've burned without draining much power.
The Lumia 630 can be purchased outright from May 27 and if you're comfortable being locked in to a carrier you can grab one from Vodafone for $179 prepaid from June 4.

• Looking for a Lumia but after better specs? Why not check out our Lumia 930 review?

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You now have more time before you have to install Windows 8.1 Update 1

Stop freaking out that you HAVE to install Windows 8.1 Update 1 before tomorrow; Microsoft has extended the deadline to update by 30 days.
Consumers who haven't installed the Windows 8.1 update now have until June 10 to do so. Microsoft previously set the deadline as May 13, but out of concern for customer safety and enjoyment, decided it didn't need to push for this month's Patch Tuesday after all.
Why the need to update? It all comes down to safety updates. Those with devices running Windows 8.1 sans Update 1 would have no longer receive updates after the deadline passed.
Since it sounds like enough Windows 8.1 adopters have yet to one-up their OS, Microsoft is giving them an extension without any fallout. As pointed out by Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet, if you're running Windows 8, you're not subject to the update requirement. This is only for those who've hopped on the Windows 8.1 train.

Other details

Users with Automatic Update activated in Windows Update will have received the newest version of Windows 8.1 already, so there's no need to worry about updating before June 10.
Business running Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 have until August 12 to install their comparable upgrades. The date is actually an extension of a previous deadline Microsoft had set for companies utilizing Windows Server Update Services, Windows Intune and System Center Configuration.
When the outrage came through there wasn't enough time for businesses to upgrade their systems, Microsoft backed off and set the August date.

• Will we see the Surface Mini on May 20?

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Brocade proposes an OpenStack solution to support multiple networked data centers

Brocade has proposed an OpenStack service designed to support inter-data center multi-tenancy, the company said in a statement. The proposed solution is aimed at helping organizations with multiple data centers and virtual machines across centers maintain operations in an automated and flexible manner.
Brocade has partnered with Huawei on the proposed solution, which is specifically geared toward managed service providers and cloud service providers. The proposal is the first to propose extending OpenStack operability across multiple networked data centers.
The proposal will go before an OpenStack committee to determine if the project is feasible. If it’s approved, Brocade will start working to build the code necessary to complete the project.

Brocade and OpenStack

OpenStack is a global collaboration of approximately 16,000 developers and cloud computing technologists. Brocade has been a member of OpenStack since 2011. During the past three years, Brocade has supported OpenStack by contributing architectural enhancements to the core OpenStack framework and it helped to orchestrate OpenStack’s On-Demand Data Center.
OpenStack has drawn criticism from industry observers who feel it isn’t ready for commercial deployment. However, Dell and Red Hat recently launched an OpenStack solution that offers businesses a way to explore the rollout of OpenStack capabilities through small-scale proof of concept and pilot configurations. Oracle recently launched Solaris 11.2, an OpenStack integration designed to provide enterprise cloud users simpler and faster lifecycle management capabilities.
Last week, Brocade appointed networking and open-source expert Colin Dixon to the position of Principal Engineer. Dixon is an active contributor to the OpenDaylight Project, an open platform for network programmability to enable software-defined networking and create a foundation for network functions virtualization.

• What on earth is OpenStack?

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Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine may join Apple's ranks at WWDC 2014

Dr. Dre looks to be on the cusp of becoming hip-hop's first billionaire, and he may also soon be able to add "Apple executive" to his resume.
A report from Billboard has the D.R.E. and Jimmy Iovine, Beats Electronics' other founder, possibly jumping onstage at WWDC 2014 next month, introduced as Apple's newest high-ranking recruits.
Iovine, a music industry staple, was tapped by one Billboard source as taking over all of Apple's music strategy and cultivating Cupertino's relations with labels and publishers.
There's no word on what Dr. Dre (née Andre Young) would be up to once he entered Apple's ranks.

No one is forgetting

Word on the web is Dre and Iovine are preparing to sell Beats to Apple for US$3.2 billion (AU$3.4b). The deal could be announced sometime this week, though it will likely take over two months to close.
Since that's the case, Billboard surmised Apple may hold off on introducing Iovine and Dr. Dre as Apple employees until all the i's are dotted and t's crossed.
Known for its line of high-end-yet-questionable-quality headphones, most industry observers recognize Apple is likely gunning for Beats Music, the company's streaming service, to bolster its stuttering iTunes and iTunes Radio.
What's more, our own Gary Marshall posits Apple is looking to take on Beats' top talent, a theory that lines up nicely with Billboard's report.

• Here are 5 sets of headphones that are better than Beats

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Microsoft may let users upload to OneDrive, play songs in Xbox Music

Update: We weren't expecting much by way of Microsoft comment, and we weren't wrong:
"We're always working to improve and enhance Xbox Music through new features and services, but have nothing to announce at this time," a spokesperson told TechRadar.
Original article below...
Microsoft may be working on a new feature that would combine aspects of OneDrive and Xbox Music to create a cloud-based music storage and streaming service.
Files that refer to a "OneDrive Music folder" were found in OneDrive source code by Chinese website LiveSino.
The feature would let users upload song files to OneDrive and then stream them to play on various devices with Xbox Music.
Users could upload songs to the OneDrive Music folder through the web or the OneDrive app, then stream them to any device with an Xbox Music app, according to the uncovered files.

Deal with the devil

The Xbox Music/OneDrive Music folder would allow users to stream songs through Xbox Music that might not normally be offered on the service.
Amazon and Google have offered similar services for a few years, but it's no secret that Microsoft is playing catch-up in the music streaming game.
Microsoft was said to be adding a similar music matching feature back in December through a partnership with Sony, but it would be no surprise if it turns out Microsoft is developing the feature independently using OneDrive.
WIth the similar nature of these reports, though, things are getting a little muddled. We've asked Microsoft to help clarify, and we'll update this article if we hear back.

• Battle of the streamers: it's Xbox Music vs Spotify

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Apple supplier may have just leaked 3D renders of iPhone 6

A new week, a new set of leaks for Apple's next flagship smartphone - but this time, a set of 3D renderings have reportedly surfaced straight from the hallowed halls of Cupertino's favorite Asian supplier.
Over the weekend, Chinese website Wei Feng (via GforGames) managed to get their hands on a handful of 3D renderings allegedly straight out of Apple's supply chain, which offers yet another look at the forthcoming iPhone 6.
By this point, nearly every aspect of the eagerly anticipated smartphone has been leaked to the public, but the five 3D schematics appear to be further evidence that a big refresh is on the way this year.
Curiously, the renderings are said to have come directly from "Foxconn or its affiliates," and seem to match those used to create dummy units that made the rounds only last week.

The little things

For starters, the wider, longer renderings appear to confirm the rumored 4.7-inch display, showing off the more rounded edges of the handset.
Although the Lightning and headphone ports remain largely unchanged at the bottom of the device, the volume keys on the left edge have been elongated, and the power button at top has been moved to the right side instead.
The other obvious change is the LED flash, which is now shown as a circle rather than the flattened oval from the current generation iPhone 5S model.
Subtle differences to be sure, but something tells us Apple has more up their sleeves than we've seen from the leaks leading up to the Worldwide Developer Conference in just three short weeks.

• Take another look at our iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display review!

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Tone down your Twitter feed with new mute feature

Twitter has introduced a new middle ground for keeping content out of your tweet-sphere via a new mute feature.
Rolling out to its iOS and Android apps as well as twitter.com over the coming weeks, the mute feature helps "edit your Twitter experience" by blocking out what you don't want to see from certain users.
The feature was spotted at the beginning of the month, but now Twitter is officially turning mute on for all.

What you can do with Twitter mute

With mute, tweets and retweets from specified users won't be visible in your home timeline, nor will you receive push or SMS text alerts from that user.
A muted user can still favorite (or "fave," as Twitter likes to say), reply to and retweet your tweets, but none of those actions will appear in your timeline.
Thankfully, muted users won't know you muted them, so there won't be (or shouldn't be) any awkward, "Why'd you mute me, bro?" questions to have to explain. It's less harsh than a block, but still enough to keep from experiencing Twitter update overload.
To set mute up from the Twitter app or from the web, hit "more" and then mute @username. To mute someone from their profile page, tap the gear icon and then choose mute @username.

• Heard of the HTC One M8? Well, have you read our 5-star review?

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Samsung rumored to go big or go home with 13.3-inch tablet

Apparently just throwing devices against the wall to see what sticks, Samsung appears to be readying another big-screen slate in an effort to see if professionals are willing to ditch keyboard-based laptops for larger tablets.
Citing an "inside contact" at Samsung, GSM Arena today reported the Korean manufacturer is working on a new member of the company's Galaxy Tab Pro line, which topped out earlier this year with an insanely large 12.2-inch model.
That device may actually wind up feeling humbled in the presence of a 13.3-inch tablet bearing the code name "Warhol," expected to debut in a Wi-Fi only edition with the model number T910, as well as a T911 cellular-equipped version.
Presumably hoping to be the Godzilla of tablets, leaked specs indicate a WQHD display with a resolution somewhere in the neighborhood of 2560 x 1600, which equates to 227 pixels per inch.

Too big for AMOLED?

The same report notes Samsung is also prepping a pair of tablets with smaller displays, but those devices bearing the code names "Chagall" and "Klimt" at 10.5 inches and 8.4 inches respectively will ship with more vibrant Super AMOLED screens.
The AMOLED tablets will share the same number of display pixels, but the smaller screen sizes will equate to a larger PPI count: 288 in the case of the 10.5-inch which is likely to be released as the Galaxy Tab S, and 359 on the 8.4-inch model.
Samsung will instead stick to a more traditional LCD display for its mammoth 13.3-inch "Warhol," which is said to run a customized version of Android 4.4 KitKat, just like the smaller AMOLED models.
There's no word on when Samsung might actually announce - let alone begin shipping - this trio of new Tabs, which are tipped to include higher quality front and rear cameras and possibly fingerprint readers as well.

• Settle in with something a bit smaller in our review of the Sony Xperia Z2!

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In Depth: Motorola Moto E release date, news and rumors

Motorola returned to the mobile game in a big way during the second half of 2013 thanks to the launch of the Moto G.
It wasn't an all-singing, all dancing flagship smartphone; instead, it sported mid-range specs and a low-end price tag.
And it was that excellent value for money proposition which saw it fly off shelves, and Motorola looks set to attempt the trick again with the much rumored Moto E.
Instead of being a direct replacement of the Moto G, the Motorola Moto E is looking set to come in under its brother with an even lower price tag and dialled down specs.
We've been trawling the web to find out all the gossip on the Motorola Moto E, here's what we know so far.

Cut to the chase
What is it? Motorola's new super-cheap smartphone
When is it out? Moto has a launch event on May 13
What will it cost? Not a lot. Likely to be sub £100, $180, AU$150

Moto E release date

Motorola has an event scheduled for May 13 in London where the Moto E is expected to be announced.
The event invite confirmed that we'd see "the next smartphone from Motorola" and teased that it's "made to last. Priced for all."
This will be the first handset to come out of Motorola since it was sold by Google to Chinese firm Lenovo - although the Moto E isn't 100% nailed on to be the phone on show.
Other rumors suggest Motorola is working on the Moto X+1, an updated to the mid to high-end Moto X, which could potentially break cover at the London event. More recently we've even heard about new versions of the Moto G and a handset going by the moniker Moto G Cinema.
TechRadar will be reporting live from the launch on May 13 to bring you all the latest as it happens.

Moto E price

As we've already mentioned, the invite to Motorola's May 13 event teases that its new smartphone will be "priced for all" - a potential hint that the handset will come with a super low price tag.
Going by the rumored specs for the Moto E - you can find these out further on - we're expecting it to sport a price tag which comes in below the Moto G.
Considering you can pick up the 8GB G for around £100, $180 (around AU$180) SIM-free we reckon the Moto E may fall into the £50-£70 (around $130, AU$110) bracket.

Moto E display

As you'd expect, the display on the Moto E isn't being touted as anything fantastical, with a 4.3-inch size appearing to be the popular consensus among leakers.
That would make sense, as it's a touch smaller than the 4.5-inch Moto G - but it may stick to the same 1280 x 720 resolution.
If that's the case then the Moto E would have a sharper screen than the G, although we wouldn't be surprised if Motorola went with a 800 x 480 resolution - the same as the 4-inch Nokia Lumia 520.

Moto E power and OS

One of the attractive points about the Moto G was its 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, giving the handset a decent amount of grunt under the hood.
Unfortunately it looks like the Moto E may have to make do with a dual-core offering, as several different leaks have all quoted a 1.2GHz dual-core chip.
That processor will apparently be backed up with 1GB of RAM which should ensure that Android 4.4.2 KitKat runs smoothly on the Moto E.
Going by the operating system on the Moto X and G, Motorola is unlikely to tinker with Android too much. That means you'll get an almost stock version of Google's mobile platform, with a handful of additional features thrown in.

Moto E camera

The Moto E is said to inherit the same 5MP camera that you find on the Moto G, but round the front there's no good news.
It appears that Motorola has chosen not to include a front facing snapper on the Moto E which may deter the young, selfie-obsessed market.

Moto E battery and connectivity

With a potentially smaller screen and less powerful processor inside the Moto E we should be able to expect at least half decent battery life from the handset.
A spec list leaked by a Brazilian network lists the Moto E as sporting a 1900mAh battery. That's slightly smaller than the 2070mAh power pack in the Moto G, but larger than the 1450mAh offering in the Lumia 520.
In terms of connectivity don't go expecting 4G capabilities on the Moto E, as the phone is more than likely set to arrive in a 3G variant. This has been backed up by multiple rumors, but Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth will all feature.
Apparently you'll get just 4GB of internal storage, which is pretty poor, but a microSD slot is said to be housed beneath the removable rear cover allowing you to build on that paltry offering by up to 32GB.

Moto E design

A variety of leaked shots claiming to show the Motorola Moto E in all its glory have hit the web, and if they are accurate then you can expect it to look similar to the Moto G.

It also looks like you'll be able to pick it up in a variety of colors with black, white, yellow and teal hues all appearing online via the reliable @evleaks.
While the Moto G had a speaker on the rear of the device, it looks like the Moto E may have its internal speaker on the front, just below the screen.
Front facing speakers are becoming more popular on our mobiles with the likes of the HTC One, One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2 all adopting in-your-face placements.

One site lists the Moto E as having an extremely slender 6.2mm profile, which would make it one of the slimmest handsets on the market.
We find this hard to believe considering the Moto G had a rather slightly bulky 11.6mm girth.










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Everything you need to know about your next tablet

Which of these will be your next tablet?

Your trusty iPad 4 and Nexus 10 might have cut it last year, but it's 2014 now and a new wave of tablets is fast approaching, with specs and features set to blow away earlier models.
More power, better screens and increasingly premium builds are just the tip of the iceberg and we've got all the latest details on all the most promising upcoming slates.

• Tablets too confusing? Here's our easy to understand tablet buying guide.

If you're feeling impatient though there have already been some high profile and high quality launches in the last few months, so head over to page two to see the best tablets you can currently get your hands on.

iPad Air 2

It's almost certain that the iPad Air 2 will be the biggest tablet launch of the year - and if it's not, we're going to see something REALLY special from the likes of Google or LG.
Seeing as it's the successor to the best and probably most popular tablet on the market right now though, the iPad Air 2 will probably take the crown.
Sadly very little is known or even rumored about the device so far. One rumor doing the rounds is that Apple might up the screen size to a beastly 12.9 inches and that the display might be more pressure sensitive, making it even more responsive to taps and swipes than it is now although that might be a more 'pro' level device cunningly called the iPad Pro (see below).

There's also talk that Apple might launch an iPen stylus alongside it and go toe to toe with Samsung's Galaxy Note range.
A KGI analyst reckons it will have an 8 megapixel camera and inherit Touch ID from the iPhone 5S, though of course as with most things analysts say this is likely to be little more than guesswork, but it does make a lot of sense.
We recently saw some images of what might be the front panel of the iPad Air 2 and while they don't reveal much they do appear to show that the display is integrated into the panel, which would potentially make the device even slimmer than the 7.5mm iPad Air and may also provide space for a larger battery.
Beyond that it seems a safe bet that the iPad Air 2 will run the upcoming iOS 8 and that it will have a retina display and a new and improved processor, likely to be dubbed A8.
As for when we'll see it, the best guess is November, as that's when the iPad Air was launched.

iPad Pro

It's only been a couple of years since Apple debuted the iPad mini but it seems like the Cupertino company is already looking at further expanding its tablet line up, this time with a larger, more work / productivity orientated slate currently referred to as the iPad Pro.
Rumors surrounding this device are all over the place and there are questions as to whether it's even happening, but assuming it is the current best guess for it is that it will have a 12.9 inch display, in which case the iPad Air 2 will probably stick with the 9.7 inch screen size of its predecessor.

As well as upping the screen size Apple might also be upping the resolution, with talk of a 4K display doing the rounds.
The most pointed to release date seems to be late 2014, though there's a chance it might slip into next year.
It's likely to have a similar design to the iPad Air, but of course that increased screen size will probably make it heavier.
It's also likely to run iOS 8, have an improved A7X or A8 processor and have Touch ID built into the home button. While it may even come with an iPen stylus or a keyboard case. If, that is, it even exists.

iPad mini 3

We love the iPad mini 2 but sadly from what we've heard so far it sounds like the iPad mini 3 might not be much of an upgrade.
As with Apple's other new slates it's likely to run iOS 8, have an upgraded A8 processor and implement the Touch ID fingerprint scanner into the home button, but little else is known so far, if indeed there are going to be other changes.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI, suspects that it will be a minor update sold in limited quantities and that it will have the same form factor as the iPad mini 2, which would be a bit of a shame as that would make it thicker than the original iPad mini.
There's little in the way of release date rumors, but Kuo reckons it will arrive towards the end of the third quarter, winning the 'Well-done-we-couldn't-have-guessed-that Award'.
Apple's cycles are usually revolution-evolution-revolution-evolution, so it does seem like the next iPad mini will be iterative.

Google Nexus 10 (2014)

Google's Nexus 10 is long overdue an update, with the first and to date only model arriving in 2012. It's not clear why Google has neglected this slate when it's already made a revision to the Nexus 7 but it's thought that 2014 will be the year that the Nexus 10 is revived.
A fairly comprehensive list of specs was leaked last year, claiming that the new Nexus 10 would have a 10.055 inch 2560 x 1600 display, with a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch, which would match the original Nexus 10.
The same leak claimed it would have a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and 3GB of RAM and that it would come in at 258.9 x 172.6 x 7.9mm and 584g, which would be slightly lighter than the original Nexus 10 but a fair bit heavier than the iPad Air.

Apparently it will have 32GB of internal storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera, a 2.1 megapixel front facing snapper and a 9500 mAh battery.
But having said all that the leak is from so long ago now that it's looking increasingly dubious, especially as it lists the slate as running Android 4.4, when Android 5 seems all but guaranteed at this point.
Unfortunately there's not much else to go on. The company behind it could either be Asus, LG or HTC and our best guess for a release date is mid-2014 to coincide with the launch of Android 5.
It's also likely to more or less match the price of the original Nexus 10, which would see it selling for £319 ($399) and if LG or Asus makes it then it probably won't have a premium metal build, though there's a chance that it might if HTC is in the driving seat.

Microsoft Surface Mini

There are a whole lot of questions surrounding Microsoft's rumored Surface Mini and not many answers. Current suggestions are that it will be a seven or eight inch device and that it may have proper stylus support and built in gesture controls, which could track face and hand movements.

Beyond that things are a little more up in the air. We have no idea whether it will be running Windows 8 or Windows RT for example, nor is there any convincing information on what processor it will use, though the best guess at the moment is that it will pack an Intel Bay Trail CPU.
The only possible release date we've heard so far is mid-May, which is surprisingly soon for a tablet that we know so little about.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 2

Even less is known about the Kindle Fire HDX 2 than Microsoft's mini Surface, or whatever it ends up being called.
A report from late last year suggests that it may ditch Snapdragon processors in favour of a quad-core MediaTek CPU, but that's all we've heard and even that seems questionable given Amazon's penchant for the top-end of hardware in its flagship devices.
We can speculate that it will probably come out late in the year going on past form and that it will come in both 7 inch and 8.9 inch varieties, as those are Amazon's current go-to sizes.

It's also likely to have a fairly wallet-friendly price tag like the previous models and the screen probably won't see a resolution boost as the Kindle Fire HDX already has a full HD display and upping it to Quad HD (3849 x 2169) is unlikely to be cost effective for Amazon at this point.
Really, for now, the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 2 remains a mystery - but expect it to land in the US first in the latter half of the year, with a UK launch around a month later.

The top tablets already here

Those are all the upcoming slates that it's worth getting excited about, but there some pretty tasty new slates available already, so if you just can't wait till later in the year then here's the best of the current crop.

iPad Air

For our money the iPad Air is the best tablet on the planet. It built on the already impressive iPad 4 by slimming down to a sleek 7.5mm thick and also lost some weight, dropping to just 469g, making it impressively light.
It didn't sacrifice any of its predecessors impressive build quality in the process either. In fact in shrinking the bezels Apple has produced arguably the best looking tablet on the market. The Cupertino company even saw fit to improve the innards, by fitting it with a powerful A7 processor.

Some things haven't been changed. The screen for example is still a 9.7 inch 1536 x 2048 retina display, but it's still among the most impressive screens on the market.
Ultimately the iPad Air is an evolution rather than a revolution, but it was enough of an evolution to become our first five star tablet.

Sony Xperia Z2 tablet

Sony has been putting in a strong performance across both smartphones and tablets lately and the Xperia Z2 Tablet is the most recent product of that.
With a quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM this is an enormously powerful slate, while it has an attractive, slim design. In fact it's both slimmer and lighter than the iPad Air, which is quite an impressive feat.

It's also water and dust resistant, so it's built to last. While impressively loud front-facing speakers and a vibrant Live Color LED screen ensure that it's great for media.
The 10.1 inch screen isn't quite as sharp as we'd like, coming in at just 1200 x 1920 with a 224 ppi pixel density, but this is still one of the best slates around.

New Nexus 7

The first Nexus 7 made tablet waves by combining high end specs with a low price tag and truly popularising the 7 inch size point. More recently that was followed up by a new tablet with the same name and it largely repeated the trick.

The new Nexus 7 is every bit as affordable as its predecessor, with a starting price of just £199 ($229) and it improves the specs by including a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.
The 1200 x 1920 screen is a revelation too with a super sharp pixel density of 323 pixels per inch. Plus with strong battery life this is a slate that will see you through even the longest of long haul flights.

iPad mini 2

While we're eagerly awaiting the iPad mini 3, the second generation of the device is still an enormously tempting proposition. It has a simply gorgeous design and build. At 7.9mm it's a touch fatter than the original iPad mini, but when it has such a premium aluminium body you're not likely to mind.

The screen is the real win for the iPad mini 2 though as while the original was a little low resolution, Apple has stuck a Retina Display in the new model. Giving this 7.9 inch slate a 1536 x 2048 resolution with 324 pixels per inch.
It also has an improved Apple A7 processor, making it every bit as powerful as the iPad Air. With prices starting at £249 ($299) it's a little pricier than the Nexus 7 but it also has a far more premium build.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro

How big do you want your tablet? We've not chosen one screen size as there are so many to pick from here... well, three, but that's still one more than Apple.
These tablets are almost identical apart from the screen size, with the same WQXGA resolution used on each to provide a very sharp image indeed - and as you can imagine, the 8.4 version comes in as the sharpest of the lost.
We think it's between the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 and Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 for the best choice for the average consumer, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 isn't a bad shout if you're desperate for a bigger screen. It's a bit heavier, as you might imagine, so be warned...

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

Amazon's Kindle Fire range has its sights set on the same market as Google's Nexus slates. In other words delivering moderately high performance Android hardware at an affordable price.
Amazon's USP is slightly different though as while the Nexus range runs stock Android, Amazon's slates run a skewed version that relies on the Amazon Appstore rather than Google Play.

The Kindle Fire HDX is the most recent slate in the range and it comes in two sizes - the Kindle Fire HDX 7 and the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9.
Whichever one you go for you're looking at a tablet with a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, so there's no shortage of power.
It's also an ideal slate for anyone who isn't so tech savvy, as thanks to Amazon's Mayday service you can get instant help and support from a customer service rep at the touch of a button.

Tesco Hudl

If the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX still aren't quite affordable enough then the Tesco Hudl could be what you're looking for.

Tesco might not be known for its gadgets but the Hudl is a very capable little device, with a sharp 7 inch display, a quad-core processor and an almost stock version of Android. It also has a microSD card slot so you needn't run low on storage.
With a price tag of just £119 you are going to be sacrificing some things. Despite a quad-core processor it isn't the fastest slate around and the camera is a waste of time, but considering its entry level price tag it's hard to complain.

• We've got your next phone covered too.

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Microsoft makes ExpressRoute generally available to enterprises

Microsoft has made Azure ExpressRoute available to enterprise users, according to reports. Azure ExpressRoute is designed to allow businesses to create private networks between on-premise or colocation data centers and IT infrastructure.
ExpressRoute networks do not require public Internet, which Microsoft says offers enterprises higher security than public Internet connections. ExpressRoute is also designed to simplify and enhance data migration and replication, data center expansions and disaster recovery.
Microsoft ExpressRoute partners include AT&T, BT, Equinix, Level 3, SingTel, TelecityGroup, Verizon and Zadara Storage.

Azure enhancements

Microsoft has recently bolstered efforts to generate enthusiasm for the Azure cloud platform. Last month, the company launched a redesigned management portal for Azure. The service was released through a new SDK to enable cross-platform compatibility, and Azure Web Sites and Visual Studio projects and databases were merged into one resource group.
Prior to the enhancements, Microsoft reduced prices for Azure cloud services, including a 35% reduction in compute prices and a 65% reduction in storage prices. The reductions allowed Microsoft to compete with Amazon Web Services prices.

• Can Azure beat Amazon and IBM?

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Interview: 'The tech caught up to our ambition': David Braben on the return of Elite

David Braben on the return of Elite

On its release in 1984, Elite was the pinnacle of bedroom-programmed games. It was a title that had a vision beyond the limitations of mere hardware, executed by a pair of undergraduates who had barely escaped their teens. Now Elite: Dangerous brings the story full circle - although it's a bigger game with bigger costs, its Kickstarter funding and independent distribution give it a homespun feel.
David Braben and co-designer Ian Bell began work on Elite while they were studying natural sciences and mathematics respectively. Braben had an Acorn Atom computer, Bell had a BBC Micro and both had tried programming space simulations with varying degrees of success. Elite initially took shape as
a space combat title, but it felt empty and unfocused. The pair then added the trading system - arguably Elite's greatest asset.
In 1984, Elite was released on the BBC Micro and its budget brother the Acorn Electron. At the time there was nothing else like it, and it was the game's sense of freedom and exploration that captured the public's attention. Here, in a mere 22 kilobytes of memory, was a game in which players were able to set their own path through the universe and make decisions about how they played.

Of course, a game of such vast scale inhabiting such a small amount of memory meant some ingenious cutbacks had to be made, including the development of a procedural generation system for creating and naming the game's 2,000 systems and planets. It even caused one of the galaxies to contain a planet amusingly called "Arse", but fortunately Braben and Bell noticed before the game was published with the bum word.

Custom coding

After its initial success, the game was ported to all the platforms that mattered: the Amiga, Atari ST, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and even the then-upcoming IBM PC. Each game acted a little differently to the original. For example, the Amstrad version had fewer ships and the Commodore 64 version included a reference to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The fervent following that the game gathered led to fans taking it apart and reassembling it. For example, Angus Duggan's Elite A included more ship types and cargo delivery missions. In 1993, Frontier: Elite II was published. The successor included full-colour graphics, curved polygons and texture mapping, and Braben had managed to get the entire thing to fit on a 3.5-inch floppy.
It also included some ridiculously cool sci-fi mechanics, such as the ability to slingshot around stars and land on planets. Ultimately, though, the game divided players between those who found it too boring, and those who appreciated its dogged adherence to Newtonian physics.

Bolstered by Elite's success, Braben set up his own development studio - Frontier Developments - in 1994. The company created Elite's second sequel, Frontier: First Encounters, in 1995. However, due to disagreements between the studio and publisher GameTek, the version was full of bugs and it received
a lukewarm reception due to being half-finished. Braben went on to sue GameTek, and settled out-of-court four years after the game's release.
As well as developing Elite: Dangerous, Frontier Developments has also created some big games, including Rollercoaster Tycoon, acclaimed WiiWare launch title LostWinds, and cute Xbox animal simulator Kinectimals. We're still waiting for The Outsider, though. This techno-thriller game relocates Elite's freedom into a real world scenario. It's currently "on hold", but we hope Braben turns his attention to it once he's completed Elite: Dangerous. We spoke to him about the return of Elite, pushing the bounds of game development, and why space is back in style.
Why is Elite able to make a return now when we've had so many false starts before?
David Braben Elite is in our DNA, and we have always had skunkworks development of relevant technologies that we have been building upon over the years. More recently, various things have come together to help catalyse it: the technology has finally caught up to our ambition, but Kickstarter has also offered an excellent opportunity.
Has anything completely unexpected happened during Elite: Dangerous' alpha?
DB Yes - already in the alpha 2x multiplayer builds we have seen interesting player behaviours emerging. A good example is the Ethics and Credits scenario, which is really the first glimpse of the flexible second-by-second roles and choices that the game will offer.
Some players were patrolling in Sidewinders together. They were waiting for others to kill miners and would then collect the bounty on their heads. It's a great example of the value of having our backers getting involved during development. We're able to drill down into the balancing to maximise the opportunity for such emerging behaviours.
Are we going to have the same sort of epically accurate star map that we had in Frontier?
DB Of course! In Elite: Dangerous we are going a lot further. We have some 150,000 star systems visible from Earth in real life; in the game this will be backed up with some 100 billion more that will be scientifically accurate in terms of how they formed etc. They will be generated procedurally to fit the observational data as best we can, as most of these systems are not individually visible from Earth, even with Hubble.
Each of these will include stellar systems with different types of planets, gas giants, rocky moons, asteroid fields and so on. One great side effect of this is the night sky is "correct" when viewed from Earth and changes gradually as you travel to nearby systems. The constellations gradually become unrecognisable as you move further from Earth.
Why do you think that space games have been unfashionable for so long?
DB I think games set in space became quite niche. They lost sight of what was the key element of Elite and Frontier - freedom. The true successors to Elite and Frontier were the Grand Theft Auto games. For me, the setting is secondary to the feeling of freedom.
The success of the Elite series has always been based on the freedom that players are given. It's all about individual choice in an open world - you don't select "pirate" or "bounty hunter" or "trader" from a list, you simply do what you want and events will unfold accordingly.
Traditional publishers have always regimented games into strict categories for forecasting and planning reasons, and somehow "space" became a category in itself - including games like Dead Space, Mass Effect and Halo, which are all quite different.

How much friendly competition is there between you and Chris Roberts - especially now you've got the Elite: Dangerous alpha out before Star Citizen's dogfighting module?
DB I'd place the emphasis on "friendly" as we are both alpha backers of each other's games, and both want the other to succeed. The games we are making are very different - Star Citizen is a handcrafted story-based game - but there are common elements, the most obvious being that they are both set in space.
Many of you will have seen the discussion Chris and I had during the Elite Kickstarter campaign, where we discussed the return of the space game at length with Gary Whitta. If you haven't seen it, you can still check it out through our website or the Elite: Dangerous Kickstarter site. It's also not just Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen, there are others, too. I think shows there is strong interest in this area, which is a very good thing.
What are your plans for player created content, such as companies or galactic organisations?
DB To start with, players are just another commander, trying to make their way in what is quite a hostile galaxy. However, participants can form alliances with other players, and we do have plans down the line for building space stations and so on.
Is it generally easier or harder to program a game now compared to the 1980s?
DB There are several dimensions to it, I think. Put in today's language, Ian and I were a micro-studio, and when you're in that environment, communication is so much easier. The largest game that Frontier Developments has made to date involved almost 400 people! While the Elite: Dangerous team isn't quite that huge, between 70-100 people are closely involved. It's still a different world when it comes to communication and getting a shared vision for all the different aspects of the game. In modern game development, team communication is probably the biggest challenge, and this didn't really exist in the 1980s.
Looking at just the programming, I think today it is a lot simpler to do the same sort of thing. Debuggers and the fancy programming aids we have nowadays make it much easier, but the expectations are also very much higher. The scope of what happens in a ship in Elite: Dangerous, and hence the complexity of the programming task, is far greater. This more than makes up for all the fancy tools we have available now. With the original Elite we literally used every byte of memory the BBC Micro could offer. We are trying to make sure we similarly push the boundaries of what's possible in Elite: Dangerous using modern computer hardware.

When you were developing the original, was there a point when you realised you were completely changing what games could do?
DB With the original Elite, I think the realisation came for me when we presented the game to Thorn-EMI in London. They wanted us to completely change the game - have three lives, a score, a typical playtime of 10 minutes, and no saves. They really didn't understand what we were trying to do. I started to think that we had a real hill to climb, to sell the idea to a publisher.
The fact that it was so different to any of the competition at the time meant that after Elite came out, publishers were much more prepared to experiment with different types of computer games. They were willing to look at ones that weren't derived from the arcades.
And have there been any similar moments while you have been designing Elite: Dangerous?
DB With Elite: Dangerous, it was the realisation that we didn't have to follow publisher constraints in what we could do. It has allowed us to have a galaxy that continually changes based on player actions. I think this will prove to be very significant.

• What's the best console of the current generation? PS4 vs Xbox One

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Sony sees PS Vita's future in AAA games, not just indies

Over the past few months, the PS Vita has edged slightly away from the AAA titles and put focus on becoming a home for indie titles and PS One ports, but Sony still sees a future of blockbuster titles.
In response to a comment on the PlayStation Blog, Don Mesa, director of product planning and platform software innovation, said, "The economics simply don't work with the traditional process. We have to do something to get AAA games on Vita,"
"We accomplished it to a certain degree by making PS4 games work on Vita via remote play. PS Now will be another way."

Vitality

Nothing concrete then, but it's good to see that Sony still has faith in the handheld's AAA potential (it's a pretty high-powered little machine, after all).
But it'll probably need to widen the install base before bigger developers get more serious about the portable.

• The PS Vita is indie gaming's newest vehicle – and that's good for everyone

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Buying guide: Best Samsung Galaxy S5 cases

Best Samsung Galaxy S5 cases

The Samsung Galaxy S5 launched to many plaudits earlier this year and, alongside the HTC One M8, has been one of the most eagerly anticipated smartphones of recent times.
While it didn't turn out to be the radical overhaul many had hoped for, Samsung still packed it to the rafters with high-end specs and steadily improved upon its predecessor by shoving in a hefty 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, brilliant 5.1-inch super AMOLED display and a whole load of sensors.
Unfortunately though, the touted metal body never materialised and while the S5 can boast IP67 certification (it's fully water resistant) the plastic outer shell that was so much of a bugbear with previous Samsung flagships remains.
Thankfully a host of thoughtful third-party accessories firms have produced cases for the Galaxy S5, meaning you can add extra protection should you so wish. Here's our pick of the bunch...

Samsung S-View Wireless Charging Case

£55

The Galaxy S5 doesn't come with wireless charging baked in but that doesn't mean you can't get in on the inductive power-up action. Samsung's own S-View Wireless Charging Case not only looks stylish with its leather-effect vinyl finish, but also dispenses with the need for USB cables when charging.
It's compatible with all Qi wireless charging pads so you just pop it on one of them and watch it get juiced up. There's even a handy window on the front too that lets you view incoming notifications without having to open the case. Marvellous.

Griffin Survivor Clear

£19.99

It mightn't be as easy on the eye as the HTC One M8, but the Galaxy S5 is still nice to look at. If you don't fancy cladding it in a bulky case then the Griffin Survivor Clear is worth a look, thanks to its clear polycarbonate rear panel that doesn't hide the S5's design.
The TPE rubber corners provide protection and shock absorption for drops up to 6ft and all the ports are easily accessible via neat cut-outs. Easy on the wallet, stylish and functional - good work Griffin.

Case Mate Barely There Case

£15

Another one for those who don't want to hide their device's aesthetics away, the Case Mate Barely There case offers protection front drops and scrapes without adding extra bulk to the Galaxy S5.
The case fits snugly to the phone and features a tough soft-touch finish. This case is perfect for those who're forever fishing their phone from their pockets.
It effortlessly slides out and is free from the chunky bits of rubber jutting out from the edges often found on more heavy-duty cases.

OtterBox Defender Series Case

£40

Widely regarded as the head honcho of heavy-duty case makers, OtterBox has come up with the goods again with its Defender Series case for the Galaxy S5.
It's a snap-on case with three layers of protection - polycarbonate interior, silicon outer and a built-in screen cover, so this rugged case can take a battering. Unlike most rugged smartphone cases though, it's not really bulky (and, if you're so inclined, it comes with a belt clip and you can also choose from multiple colours).

Trident Kraken AMS Case

US$50 (about £30)

This case makes the cut not only because of its awesome name (it certainly looks as if it could withstand a Kraken attack), but because Trident has nearly as much pedigree as OtterBox when it comes to the smartphone protection racket.
The Kraken AMS case is a hefty one but for the extra girth you get three layers of protection, a screen protector, an aluminium kick-stand, a lanyard loop, and a 360 rotating belt-clip.
The TPE and polycarbonate exterior is also dust and water resistant (admittedly like the phone itself, but hey, double protection), so you definitely get your money's worth.

Tech21 Impact Mesh Clear Case

£25

Slim-fitting, stylish and hardwearing, Tech21's Impact Mesh Clear case offers high-tech protection and minimalist aesthetics. Stuffed full of 'scientifically proven shock-absorber' D30 material, this case will keep your Galaxy S5 safe from harm without hiding its lovely design away.
Ports and buttons are easily accessible via precision cut-outs and the smooth, mesh patterned TPU outer shell not only looks good but feels nice to touch too.
There's an absence of a screen protector but a raised bezel prevents your phone's display from coming into contact with surfaces should you be daft enough to lay it face down.

Cygnette Thread Flip Case

£20

One for the discerning and style-conscious, the Cygnette Thread Flip case features a faux-leather outer that oozes understated style. It's a nice alternative to the many day-glo, rubber and plastic cases available.
This hinged flip-style cover snaps tightly to the Galaxy S5 and is easily opened with a deft flick of the wrist, allowing quick access to the phone's touchscreen.
There's a soft microfibre lining to the underside of the screen-covering flap, which guards against scratches and the hardened, slim-line shell provides protection against knocks and scrapes.

Speck CandyShell Inked Case

US$40

According to fashion-types, floral prints are the in thing this summer, so it's only right that we include these cases in our rundown.
Available in a range of graphic prints (there's everything from floral to camo to choose from) these vibrant cases bely their flowery stylings by offering 'military grade' protection thanks to their tough, hardened polycarbonate shells.
The Speck CandyShell Inked range all take the same form factor, a slim, snap-on design, but different variants have different features such as rubber grip zones.
Rather handily, all CandyShell cases are scratch resistant should you feel the need to see how the flowers look amongst the roses when planning your next landscape gardening session.

• Still deciding whether to buy a Samsung Galaxy S5? Read our in depth review...

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IBM to roll-out data software that beat Jeopardy!

IBM has announced that it is to commercialize the storage software that was used by its Watson supercomputer to triumph on the quiz show Jeopardy!
Watson was able to respond to each question with what it determined to be the most probable answer following a few seconds during which it crunched 4 TB of data, including the full text of Wikipedia. The announcement follows previous moves by IBM to make the technology behind Watson accessible to all.
According to IBM, Elastic Storage can reduce storage costs up to 90% by moving data into more economical locations. More infrequently used data, for example, can be automatically moved to less expensive low-cost tape drives, while more frequently used data can be moved to faster, more advanced modes of storage.
The technology will allow organizations to access data from multiple different systems, without the need for modifying applications. It is also said to be infinitely scalable, feature native encryption and and allow firms to securely erase data.

Rapid data growth

Elastic Storage was developed with the vast increase in global data in mind. Some estimates place the total global data volume at 40 zettabytes by 2020. Tom Rosamilia, Senior Vice President of IBM Systems and Technology Group, said he believes that new methods of data storage and management are a necessity.
"Digital information is growing at such a rapid rate and in such dramatic volumes that traditional storage systems used to house and manage it will eventually run out of runway," said Rosamilia, in a statement. "Our technology offers the advances in speed, scalability and cost savings that clients require to operate in a world where data is the basis of competitive advantage."

• How important is big data?

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Microsoft's Intel Surface could be a Windows 8.1 powerhouse

Rumours of a Surface Mini have hotted up in recent weeks, but Microsoft also has an Intel-based Surface tablet in the works, according to multiple reports.
Rumours of the Intel model first appeared on Bloomberg, and later a chip industry source confirmed to CNET that there will "definitely" be a new Surface model powered by an Intel processor.
The source suggested that a Haswell variant with beefier battery life and Windows 8.1 will be outed, rather than one with an Atom Bay Trail processor.
This matches Microsoft's approach to the higher-end Surface Pro models, which have used Intel Core i5 chips, such as the Haswell Core i5-4300U in the Surface Pro 2.

Beneath the surface

Any new Surface tablet is likely to be joined by the Surface Mini, which is expected to house a Qualcomm chip and run Windows RT 8.1.
The Intel-based tablet will apparently be a regular-sized Surface tablet (around 10.6 inches), but if the Surface Mini takes off, we could see lots of newer models in the months to come.
Microsoft is expected to unveil the new Surface range at an event on May 20.

• Tablet buying guide: which tablet should I buy?

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In Depth: The first-person drone experience has arrived

The first-person drone experience has arrived

We've seen drones before; they're not new.
Amazon has plans to use them. Google and Facebook are likely to follow suit. They've been used in the military for the past few years, and have been on the retail market since before 2010. So what can this technology do that will really impress us? Electronics manufacturer Parrot came up with an answer: Oculus Rift.

Parrot? Does it talk?

We saw Parrot's last "project," the AR Drone 2.0, at CES last year. It had what we thought were great flight-enthusiast-pleasing features – things like GPS support and 4GB of built-in flash memory.
It could create real-time renders of the landscape it saw and flew 50% longer than the average drone.
What it didn't have, though, was Oculus Rift support. For that, they made the Bebop.

Keep calm and drone on

Maybe you're not into super-high-tech leisure quadricopters, I wouldn't blame you. Maybe you wouldn't want a 14-megapixel fish-eye camera-equipped drone that has an upper limit of 2km in range. And heck, features like programmable flight paths and optional Skycontroller peripherals just might not be for you. Again, that's OK.
What you'll miss out on, however, is a chance to plug in an Oculus rift (or any other pair of first-person view glasses) and steer your drone from a first-person perspective.

There are some creepy – and potentially helpful – implications here, which I'll avoid talking about, but think for a moment about how cool that really sounds.
Want to see what your neighborhood looks like from 4,000ft in the air? Of course you do and the Bebop is an intuitive (but definitely not the only way) to do it.

A game of drones

It'll leave the contents of your stomach where they are

I have a sensitive stomach. There are jokes amongst the TechRadar team that confirm this to be true. Maybe you're concerned a first-person view of the world will be too intense and maybe, just maybe, you're right.
This thought isn't new to the team at Parrot. The Bebop's product manager went through great lengths explaining how the fish-eye lens and 3-axis stabilization system work together to limit the nausea-inducing part of the ride.
This seemingly will work well in first-person, as well as aid in the video capture process. Less shake in the air will produce better pictures and video when you're back on the ground.
The 8GB of on-board memory is a step up from the model we saw a few years back, and the camera now captures in full 1080 x 1920p HD. It even has a built-in dual-core processor to process all the awesome shots.

AA battery-powered remotes are the new dinosaurs, extinct

It's called Freeflight 3.0 and it works on Android 4.2 and iOS devices, tablets and phones. It has all the functionality you'd expect – i.e. control sticks – and some you would not, like the ability to customize flight plans and cloud-based storage options.
Add in the separately sold Skycontroller peripheral and now you're really ready for flight school. It hooks into most tablets available on the market and swaps traditional joysticks for the tactile-less touch controls.
Without it that 2km range isn't achievable and, perhaps more importantly, the Skycontroller provides an HDMI port for your Oculus to plug into.

For an enthusiast product it all seems so well put together…

Trouble in Quadridise

There are some things that don't add up to the yet-undisclosed-but-guaranteed-to-be-expensive price tag.
For example, it has a 12-minute battery. I'm no expert in the field, but this can't be far from the norm. That said, is 12 minutes enough time to even travel the aforementioned range of 2km? Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO, says yes, it is. "It flies fast," he said at a press event held last week at the Mint in San Francisco.

That wouldn't be so bad if it charged in the same time, unfortunately that isn't so. While no number is final a representative at Parrot told me it wouldn't be out of the question for the Bebop to take two to three hours to reach full charge.
Still, it's better than buying a 64 pack of AAs.

Adding it all up

Consumer drone technology, especially the kind as powerful as the Bebop is, is still fairly new. We don't know its implications and is something we'll continue to discuss as it becomes a reality.
Regardless of the potentially dangerous implications, the Bebop is a cool piece of tech made even cooler by adding in Oculus support. The pairing makes sense here, and for a certain niche audience this will be the must-own gift when it hits shelves around the holidays.
The Bebop by Parrot and optional Skycontroller peripheral will be available Q4 2014 and as of May 9 there hasn't been a price-point announced.

• Haven't heard enough about drones? Check out our hands-on with the AR Parrot 2.0!

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Review: Nikon Coolpix P600

Overview

The bridge camera market seems to be relatively buoyant in what is an otherwise declining compact arena.
The main advantage of the bridge camera is their incredible zoom range. The P600 offers a market-leading 60x optical zoom, which puts it in the same bracket at the Panasonic FZ72 and the Sony HX400V, both of which also feature a 60x optical zoom.
In 35mm terms, the P600 offers an equivalent of 24-1440mm, giving it a huge potential reach. There's also a digital zoom functionality, which boosts that by four times to reach an even more impressive 5760mm.
Although cameras such as the P600 have a large body and, in many ways, have the same kind of styling and look as a DSLR, they have a small sensor, the same size as a compact camera so they belong in the compact camera market. The P600 has a 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor with 16.1 million pixels.

The P600's predecessor seems to be the P520, as although Nikon has since released the P530, this has become Nikon's budget bridge camera option and the P600 has more in common with the P520.
Full manual control is available, although disappointingly, there's no option to shoot in raw format, which may put off some potential enthusiast photographers as it gives less scope for post-production editing.
There's also the option to shoot in semi-automatic modes, such as aperture priority and shutter priority, while there are also a range of automatic modes including scene modes. An effects mode, which allows for a number of digital filters to be used with images, such as cross processing, is also available.

On the back of the camera is a three-inch, 921k-dot LCD screen which is fully articulated – useful for shooting from awkward angles and for self portraits. It can also be folded inwards to protect the screen when not in use. It is joined by half-inch, 201k-dot electronic viewfinder.
Other interesting specifications include full HD video recording – and, as is starting to become equally as standard now, inbuilt Wi-Fi.

Build quality and handling

At first glance at the P600, you might be forgiven for thinking it was a small DSLR, not being too much smaller than the entry-level models in Nikon's line-up, such as the D3300.
Nikon has obviously gone all out in its SLR like styling of the camera. The handgrip is very pronounced, while a textured grip around it makes it feel very secure in the hand, and also helps to lend the camera a higher air of quality than some of the other cameras in the range, such as the P530 or the L830.

There's also a contoured section of the grip which helps the forefingers sit nicely where they should. Although the camera is relatively heavy, holding it one-handed feels pretty natural – although you'll probably want to grip it around the lens barrel wit hthe other hand a lot of the time to keep it steady – especially when using the far reaches of the telephoto optic.
On top of the camera is a mode dial for quickly switching between the different modes which the camera offers, including fully manual mode, semi-automatic (such as aperture priority) and the automatic, scene and effects modes. Also on top of the camera is a function button which controls a single parameter of your choosing – you can set the action it controls via the button itself, with options such as white balance, metering and image size available.

There's quite a few buttons on the back of the camera, arranged in a classic scrolling dial, four-way navigational pad style configuration. Each of the four directional keys controls something, with right accessing exposure compensation controls, up controlling the flash options, down controlling macro focusing and left controlling timer options. Here on the back is also a playback button, main menu and a delete button.
A scrolling dial within easy reach of the thumb on the back of the camera is used to alter shutter speed, when shooting in shutter priority or manual mode. The scrolling dial which forms part of the navigational pad is used to alter aperture, when shooting in aperture priority or manual mode.
If you want to shoot using the electronic viewfinder, you'll need to press a button just to the right of the EVF, which doesn't make for a very quick and fluid transition between the two. You'll need to press it again if you want to view images on the screen again. It would have been nice to see an automatic eye sensor on the viewfinder, especially for a camera at this price point.

The viewfinder itself is reasonable, for a bridge camera, but it's nowhere near the same league as some of the viewfinders currently found on compact system cameras. Still, it's nice to have if you prefer to work with it rather than screen. Due to the annoyance of having to press a button to activate it, I generally found that I preferred to use the screen.
Speaking of the screen, having full articulation makes it useful for shooting self-portraits, or from awkward angles, and the hinge it is attached with feels secure. It's also useful to be able to fold the screen away for protection too.
The camera can be controlled remotely via a free smartphone/tablet app for iOS and Android, or you can transfer images from the camera for easy sharing via social networks and so on. Once the camera and your phone have been connected, it's a pretty easy app to use – but it's very simple. When remote shooting, all you can do is take a picture, or zoom in and out, you can't alter any settings, such as aperture or shutter speed, which is a shame.

Performance and Verdict

Colours straight from the P600 are bright and punchy, producing beautifully saturated tones. It also doesn't seem to suffer from the cyan skies that have blighted some of the other Nikon bridge cameras currently on the market, such as the P530.
Detail is reproduced reasonably well across the frame, and viewing an image at normal printing or web sizes (A4 or below) gives a fantastic impression of detail. If you examine the images at 100%, it becomes clear that even at lower ISOs of 100 or 200, there's a significant loss of detail and a painterly effect that can be seen. Unless you're printing at very large sizes, this shouldn't be a problem, but it's something to bear in mind if you ever want to crop an image.
There are quite a few bridge cameras on the market with a 60x optical zoom at the moment, and as the camera's key selling point, it should be a very good performer. In reality, the optical image stabilisation at the far end of the telephoto zoom is reasonable, if not perfect. If you've got a less than steady hand, you may wish to consider a tripod when shooting at the furthest reach of the 60x optical zoom.

If you need the extra reach, you can activate the digital zoom. This is basically a crop into the image, and although decent if you absolutely need it, is probably best avoided if possible – with a zoom range of 60x, it seems unlikely that you'll need it all too often.
Autofocusing speeds are reasonably quick, locking on to the subject swiftly and accurately. As you can move the focus point around the scene, it gives you greater flexibility for composition. Macro focusing is also good, helping you to produce frame filling detailed shots.
The camera's metering system does a good job of producing accurate exposures on the majority of occasions, in fact I found that I didn't need to dial in some exposure compensation at all during my test.
It's nice to see a range of digital filters available on this camera, but they are a bit hit and miss. I'm a fan of the cross process set of filters available, but some of them leave a bit to be desired. This will of course be down to personal taste though, so it's worth experimenting to see if you like any of them.

Verdict

The bridge camera market is pretty robust at the moment, with 60x optical zooms available from Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Nikon.
Nikon's P600 sits in the traditional camp, with classic styling and the capability to take full manual control. It has a good range of features, such as the fully articulating screen and built-in Wi-Fi.
There are a couple of reasonably large niggles though that stop it from being even better than it could be. For starters, the fact that you have to press a button to switch between the EVF and the screen makes for a less than pleasing experience. There's also the fact that it can't shoot in raw format, which seems lacking for a camera at this price point.
On the plus side, images are bright and punchy, with a decent level of detail – especially if you're not printing or viewing at huge sizes.

We liked

If you're after a camera which gives you the flexibility of a large zoom range and full manual control, then there's lots to like, while the ability to send images across to your smartphone for quick sharing is appealing. It's a shame there's not a bit more functionality with Wi-Fi though, especially when it comes to remote controlling it via the smartphone app.

We disliked

It's a bit disappointing not see a smoother way of working for a camera of this level and price point. For instance, fitting an eye sensor to the electronic viewfinder would make it a much more natural, traditional way of working. It would also be nice to see a touchscreen here too.

Final verdict

The P600 is a solid bridge camera, and if you have a particular affinity with Nikon then it'll likely be appealing. Its market leading 60x optical zoom gives great flexibility, and built in Wi-Fi is also a great feature to have. It's far from perfect though, and there are still several improvements Nikon could make to make its P series even more appealing.

Image quality and resolution

As part of our image quality testing for the Nikon Coolpix P600 review, we've shot our resolution chart. These images were captured using a full-production sample of the camera.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:

JPEG

ISO 100, Score: 20. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 200, Score: 18. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 400, Score: 16. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 800, Score: 14. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 1600, Score: 12. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 3200, Score: n/a. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 6400, Score: n/a. Click here to see the full resolution image

Noise and dynamic range

We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Here we compare the Nikon Coolpix P600 with the Nikon P520, Sony HX400v and Panasonic FZ72.

JPEG signal to noise ratio

In terms of signal to noise ratio, the P600 doesn't fare particularly well, coming bottom at almost every sensitivity from ISO 200 onwards. It is also beaten by the P520, the camera's predecessor. This could be indicative of an increase in detail resolution at the expense of introducing noise though. It is the Sony HX400V which is perhaps the best performer, especially at the higher end of the sensitivity scale.

JPEG dynamic range

In terms of dynamic range, as we might expect, the P600 is very similar to its predecessor, the P520, matching it pretty closely across the sensitivity range. it is beaten at every sensitivity by the Panasonic FZ72 however.

Sensitivity and noise images

Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.

ISO 100 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 200 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 400 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 800 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 1600 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 3200 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 6400 Click here to see the full resolution image

Sample images

Click here to see full-resolution image
Colours straight from the camera are bright and punchy, displaying a good level of saturation, while skies don't sufferr too badly from having a cyan tint as we've seen from several other Nikon compact cameras.

Click here to see full-resolution image
Enabling macro focusing allows you to get closer to the subject for frame-filling shots.

Click here to see full-resolution image
The articulating screen helps when you want to shoot from awkward angles.

Click here to see full-resolution image
The P600 is capable of resolving a good amount of detail across the frame.

Click here to see full-resolution image
Having a large zoom range helps when you want to photograph nature and wildlife.

Click here to see full-resolution image
At its widest point, the lens on the P600 offers a good wide angle of view.

Click here to see full-resolution image
Offering an incredible 60x optical zoom, the P600 is very flexible, making it appealing to traveling or holidaying photographers.

Click here to see full-resolution image
If you need even more reach, you can activate digital zoom, but the quality will suffer.

Filters

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Camera 2

Introduction

As smartphones become more like cameras, it was inevitable that eventually, cameras would become more like smartphones.
Samsung's original Galaxy camera, debuted in 2012, combined a 'real' camera – one with a sensor larger than the average smartphone – and a 21x zoom lens with the Android operating system, making for a huge amount of customisation and connectivity options.
Now, Samsung has updated the original Galaxy with the Galaxy Camera 2. It has many of the same specifications as the original, making some tweaks along the way for improved performance. Interestingly, Samsung has also taken the decision to remove 3G capability from the camera, making it less 'phone-like' than the original, but it retains Wi-Fi functionality.
Other changes come in the form of the upgraded processor, which should improve the overall speed of the camera, and an improved battery life – it can now take 400 shots in one outing, compared with the previous 340. The Galaxy 2 manages to be ever so slightly bigger, but surprisingly lighter.
Aside from those minor tweaks, the general specifications of the camera remain the same. There's a 16-million pixel CMOS sensor, a 21x optical zoom lens (which offers an equivalent of 23-483mm in 35mm terms). At the widest point of the lens, an f/2.8 maximum aperture is offered, which should help with low light shooting or when aiming for a shallow depth of field effect. At the telephoto end of the lens, the maximum aperture drops to f/5.6, which is still respectable for such a long focal length.

As well as fully automatic settings, the Galaxy Camera 2 includes the option to take manual control over images. You can also shoot in semi-automatic modes such as aperture priority and shutter priority. That's good news for experienced photographers who want to control settings themselves, but disappointingly there's no ability to shoot in raw format.
A number of scene modes are also available that tailor the camera's settings to the situation you're shooting in. As with the previous Galaxy camera, Samsung has included a Best Face mode, which enables you to select the best (in terms of expression) faces within a group shot from five consecutively captured images. There are also common scene modes, such as macro and panorama.
On the back of the camera is a huge – by camera standards – 4.8-inch touchscreen LCD panel, but there are very few physical buttons.
As before, the camera comes with a free 50GB Dropbox account, which is useful for sharing and storing your images, as well as syncing images between devices.

When you don't want to use the camera as, well, a camera, then it has Android Jelly Bean, which allows you to add hundreds of apps from the Google Play store. Aside from photographic apps, you can add social networking, email and web browsing apps.
As the Galaxy Camera 2 is Wi-Fi only though, you'll only be able to use these apps when connected to a wireless network – though you could tether it to your mobile phone if you wanted to.
There aren't a lot of cameras that compete with the Galaxy Camera 2: one is the Nikon S810c, which also uses the Android operating system, but is physically a lot smaller; the others are, arguably, smartphones themselves. The Sony Xperia Z1 features a 20 million-pixel 1/2.3 inch sensor, which is larger than the average smartphone and the same physical size as the Galaxy Camera 2, but there's no optical zoom capability.
Meanwhile, the S810c features a 16 million-pixel 1/2.3 inch sensor and a 12x optical zoom sensor, and it is significantly cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2.

Build quality and handling

The Galaxy Camera 2 can't be described as a small camera. Due to the huge size of the LCD screen, coupled with the 21x optical zoom lens, it's unlikely you'll be able to fit it into a jeans or trouser pocket. On the front of the camera is a pronounced grip that helps to give it good purchase, especially when holding it one-handed.
Anybody who likes using a lot of buttons will not appreciate the Samsung Galaxy 2. In terms of the number of actual physical buttons on the camera, there's only the power button, the flash button and the shutter release. There's also a switch around the shutter release button to zoom the lens in and out.

The rest of the camera's operation is accessed via the touchscreen, which takes up the entire back of the Galaxy 2's body.
You have to wait a good few seconds for the camera to boot up if it's been off for a while – kind of like a mobile phone. This makes it less than speedy if you need to catch an opportune moment, although it boots up pretty quickly if it has been used recently.
By default, the camera goes straight into camera mode when switched on. Tapping a house icon in the top left of the screen takes you to the home screen, where you can access the Android OS. If you've used an Android phone before, you'll be familiar with the layout here.
As with a phone, you can customise the look of the screen display or download apps to add functionality to the camera. Photographic apps, such as Instagram, work directly with the camera itself.
When in the Android section of the camera, a tap of the camera icon starts the camera function, where you can change all the camera settings.
A tap of the Mode icon changes the shooting mode. Here you can choose from Automatic, Smart mode (which includes various scene modes, such as Landscape and Kids), 'Expert' mode (including manual and semi-automatic controls such as aperture priority) and My Modes, where you can save your favourite shooting modes in one place.

Once you're in a shooting mode, settings changes are applied by pressing a little cog icon in the top left of the screen, next to the home button. This is hidden away when you're in fully automatic mode, but reappears when shooting in one of the more advanced modes.
When shooting in semi-automatic or manual mode, the cog icon gives you access to settings such as white balance, metering and drive mode. You can also access settings such as sensitivity here, but that's also available on the main screen itself. At the top of the screen are four very small areas that you can tap for access to shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation and sensitivity.
Exposure compensation is greyed out when in manual mode, while either aperture or shutter speed are greyed out depending on if you're shooting in aperture priority or shutter priority. These icons are a little bit too small, which makes accurately tapping them a little tricky.
Once you have, you then swipe a display on the screen to change the setting – again, this is quite a small area on the screen and it can be a bit fiddly. As the screen is so large, it's cumbersome to change settings if you're holding the camera one-handed, so you'll probably need to use both.

Tapping the point on the screen sets the autofocus point. It's a quick way to work, but frustratingly, the point returns to the centre after every shot, so if you're shooting the same thing again, you'll need to re-tap it. The action is reminiscent of using a mobile phone, but this is a dedicated camera, so it gets frustrating.
Tapping an area in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen shows the last image taken. From there, you can swipe through shots. To get back to shooting again, instead of half-pressing the shutter (as with most compact cameras) you must press the 'back' icon in the top-left of the screen. It's a small thing, but another detail that's straight out of the mobile phone playbook, so it's a little off-putting.

Performance

The image quality of the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 is far superior to what the average smartphone is capable of, so if you're just looking for a device that can take decent pictures and has smartphone functionality, then you should be pleased with the Galaxy Camera 2.
Overall, colours are bright and punchy straight from the camera. If you're not happy with the way colours look, you can try shooting in one of the different scene modes, such as landscape. There's not much control over colours when using the semi-automatic and manual control modes though.
Detail is acceptable, especially when looking at images at normal printing or web sizes – which we expect the majority of users of this camera will do. Occasionally, some images can have an overall look of softness.
Images taken at low sensitivities, such as ISO 200, display a good level of detail when looking at them at 100%, but as the sensitivity creeps up, to around ISO 800, a loss of detail becomes evident, even when viewing at normal printing sizes.

In certain areas of the image a painterly effect can be seen, which is especially problematic if you're photographing something with fine detail. As the sensitivity reaches its maximum setting of ISO 3200, even more detail is lost, so while this setting is good for very dark conditions – and it's certainly better than not being able to get the shot at all – if you want to view or print them at large sizes, shooting at high sensitivities isn't recommended.
Generally speaking, the Galaxy Camera 2's metering is very capable of producing well-exposed images without needing much interference from exposure compensation. If you point the lens towards the sun, likely you'll get some degree of lens flare, which is to be expected, but otherwise we weren't able to find any examples of flare or ghosting.
I found the automatic white balance system does a good job of producing accurate colours in daylight conditions, but if you use the camera under artificial light, it can struggle and you might need to switch to a more appropriate white balance setting, such as incandescent.

Focusing is quick, and usually accurate, especially in good light. As the light drops, the lens may hunt around for a little while, but it's not too bad, and a focus assist lamp helps when the light is very low. You can activate macro focusing from within the settings menu, which is helpful when you want to get close to a subject.
Using this setting allows the lens to be very close indeed to the subject, with the resulting images full of detail. Because the whole screen is available to select a focus point from, it's usually possible to identify one area of the subject that the lens can easily focus on for a sharp image.
Despite the relatively small sensor size (when compared to a compact system camera or DSLR), the Galaxy Camera 2 is still capable of producing some attractive shallow depth of field effects. Out of focus areas are rendered very nicely, with some very nice bokeh effects.

The 21x optical zoom lens is a good range to have a camera of this type, and is what sets it apart from a smartphone. Images taken at the far reach of the telephoto optic demonstrate a degree of softness and loss of detail when examined very closely at 100%, but the overall impression is pretty sharp, so if you're just planning to share images online, it should be fine.
It's not the best performance we've seen from a compact camera, which suggests the optics on the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 are a bit of a compromise to satisfy those who crave the Android functionality over performance.

Image quality and resolution

As part of our image quality testing for the Samsung Galaxy 2 review, we've shot our resolution chart. These images were captured using a full-production sample of the camera.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:

JPEG

ISO 100, Score: 16. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 200, Score: 14. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 400, Score: 12. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 800, Score: 10. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 1600, Score: n/a. Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 3200, Score: n/a. Click here to see the full resolution image

Noise and dynamic range

We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Here we compare the Samsung Galaxy 2 against the original Samsung Galaxy, the Panasonic TZ60, and the Sony HX60.

JPEG signal to noise ratio

Here we can see that for signal to noise ratio, the Galaxy Camera 2 comes out on top, which is a good reflection of the low noise of shots - but it is worth remembering that the Galaxy Camera 2 is guilty of image smoothing and loss of detail. While cameras such as the Panasonic TZ60 or Sony HX60 may be more prone to noise, they are also capable of better detail reproduction too.

JPEG dynamic range

Here it is the Panasonic TZ60 which comes out on top. The Galaxy II's dynamic range performance is not too bad though, beating the original Galaxy camera, and the Sony HX60. The Galaxy 2's camera produces nice, vibrant images with accurate but warm toned colours.

Sensitivity and noise images

JPEG

Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.

ISO 100 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 200 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 400 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 800 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 1600 Click here to see the full resolution image

ISO 3200 Click here to see the full resolution image

Sample images

The camera's native shooting aspect is 16:9, but you can also shoot in 4:3 and 3:2. Click here to see the full resolution image.

The Galaxy Camera 2 is capable of resolving reasonably fine detail at lower sensitivities. If you zoom in close, you'll see some loss of detail, but it's nothing too out of the ordinary for a compact camera. Click here to see the full resolution image.

At higher sensitivities, such as ISO 800, detail is softened and the overall effect is less impressive. Automatic white balance has coped well here though. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Setting the AF point is easy, but it will jump back to the centre after you've taken a shot – a little annoying if you want to take two photos in reasonably quick succession, such as during a portrait shoot. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Here we can see how badly the loss of detail affects an image that features fine detail. Taken at ISO 800, a very clear painterly effect can be seen in the top right hand corner, even when viewing at normal web sizes. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Colours are bright and punchy straight from the camera, especially in good, bright light. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Lens flare is inevitable when shooting directly into the sun, but the Galaxy Camera 2 has actually coped pretty well in this shot. Click here to see the full resolution image.

The Galaxy Camera 2 is capable of taking some great pictures in good light – but the same can be said of mobile phone cameras too. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Attractive shallow depth of field effects can be achieved with the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2. Click here to see the full resolution image.

At the widest point of the telephoto optic, the Galaxy Camera 2's lens is capable of taking in a wide view of the scene. Click here to see the full resolution image.

The Galaxy Camera 2's 21x optical zoom is great for flexibility, but we can see that the images taken at its far reach suffer from loss of detail. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 seems to be aimed at quite a niche area of the compact camera market. For those who want something with a huge screen and Android functionality, but are willing to compromise on some aspects of image quality, this is an ideal choice. For everybody else, it's a confusing entity.
For a compact camera that sits at this high price range, we'd normally expect image quality to be much better. While overall, images are bright and punchy, they don't display a huge amount of detail and there's disappointing performance at the telephoto end of the optic.
There's a good range of functionality here though, and the automatic options are useful, while the ability to take full manual control will be appreciated by experienced photographers. That said, most enthusiast photographers may be put off by the lack of physical controls and the fiddly size of the touchscreen controls. Admittedly though, the touchscreen is responsive.
A couple of quirks have also made their way onto the Galaxy Camera, which seem to come from a smartphone way of operating, but are off-putting for those used to a 'proper' camera. The jump of the AF point back to the centre of the frame after each shot is annoying when you want to take shots in succession with the same AF point, for example.
Some people won't get on with the huge size of the screen. Its 4.8-inch size is far larger than the average camera, but it certainly makes it stand out from the competition. As there are no physical buttons, the whole back of the camera is dedicated to the screen, which is just as well, since having it any smaller would make those fiddly virtual buttons even trickier to use.
If you're after this camera mainly for Android operation, you won't be disappointed. It works well – and quickly – and of course the ability to add as many different apps as you want makes this much more customisable than your average camera.

We liked

The responsive touchscreen is big, but it works well. You can use it to set the autofocus point right across the scene. It's also helpful for navigating menus and, naturally, the Android section of the camera. It's a shame some of the options aren't bigger though, as they can be hard to grasp.

We disliked

Samsung has clearly made some compromises in trying to offer a camera that has the best elements of a smartphone combined with those of a camera. While it works for the majority of cases, the 21x optical zoom lens could be better, and some of the handling quirks could be improved to make it more camera-like and less phone-like.

Verdict

While it's definitely not the best compact camera on the market, nor the best that offers a high zoom range, it's a much more unusual option than the standard compact.
For those who want the maximum amount of creativity, coming in the form of hundreds of available photography apps, this kind of camera will surely appeal, while the large zoom range elevates high above the average smartphone.
The ability to share images quickly – if you have a Wi-Fi connection or are willing to tether it to your phone – is perhaps one of its most appealing prospects, although it's no longer particularly special in terms of specifications, since more and more cameras come equipped with this ability. The removal of 3G/4G connectivity makes it less able when travelling, so that's something to bear in mind.
In terms of an upgrade, there's not much here to distinguish the Galaxy Camera 2 from its predecessor. It's an ever-so-slightly different shape, but not enough to be noticeable, and the processor makes a small, if not hugely significant, difference to the overall speed of the camera.









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