Telstra and Optus to begin switching on 700MHz spectrum
Both Optus and Telstra will begin switching on their 4G 700MHz networks this week in six locations across the country.
Telstra announced that it will conduct commercial trials using 20MHz of the 700MHz spectrum band in Darwin, Perth, Fremantle, Mt Isa, Mildura and Griffith, while Optus will be switching on its 700MHz network in Darwin and Perth CBDs.
This follows the final analog TV switch off occurring last year, while Telstra, Optus and TPG had bought up the spectrum during the Digital Dividend in early 2013.
The freed up 700MHz spectrum is scheduled to be switched on across nationwide in January 2015.
Next-gen 4G
Telstra and Optus were both granted early access commercial licences by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).Optus has noted that switching on its the 700MHz spectrum network in Darwin this week will also mark the first time an Optus 4G service has been available in that region.
"Using 700MHz we'll be able to improve the indoor experience for our customers around the country and bring more choice to the 4G market by offering Optus 4G for the first time in places like Darwin," said Vic McClelland, Managing Director of Optus Networks.
It allows us to move beyond the testing phase into what customers experience on our live commercial network and enables us to deliver an enhanced 4G network experience."
With the early access, Telstra will be conducting commercial trials using 20MHz of the 700MHz spectrum band at the six locations mentioned above, allowing the network to combine the spectrum with the 1800MHz spectrum band to offer 4G Advanced.
"It will be capable of providing customers double the speeds they currently experience on the 4G network, plus better 4G coverage indoors and beyond," said Mike Wright, Telstra Group Managing Director Networks, of the telco's 4G Advanced network.
"In addition to faster speeds, this combination of two spectrum bands also doubles the 4G capacity of our network, which means it can support more customers, using more devices, doing more of the things they love at the same time."
700MHz devices
Currently, 700MHz compatible devices include HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5 handsets, as well as Telstra's Advance Pro X Category 6 Wi-Fi hotspot.It is expected that more compatible devices will make its way to Australia before the end of the year.
All wireless audio equipment operating in the 700MHz spectrum band can still be used up until the end of 2014. Early access to the band will help the telcos determine and test how such equipment affects the new networks until the end of the year.
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Netflix passes 50 million members, says price hike hasn't hurt it
Just in case you had any doubt Netflix did the right thing when it chose to start producing original content, the company has revealed it now has over 50 million subscribers in over 40 countries.
With original shows like Orange is the New Black, House of Cards and others becoming evermore popular, Netflix's growth shows no signs of stopping.
Even the World Cup can't slow Netflix down - during the company's second quarter earnings conference call today, CEO Reed Hastings said viewership showed no drop-off during the competition, even in host country Brazil.
Of its $1.14 billion (about £670m, AU$1.22b) in total revenue during Q2 2014, $307 million (about £179m, AU$327m) came from international streaming. It's no wonder Netflix is "stepping up on the international expansion," according to Hastings.
Price hike? What price hike?
That said, Netflix members have been grumbling since the company announced in April that it's raising subscription prices, but Hastings said during the call the impact on business has been minimal."I think we've seen really the impact of the price change go through already," he said. "It's pretty nominal, both in terms of acquisition, which in principle becomes a little bit harder because of the roughly $1 higher prices, or in retention, which, you know, could be a hair better from the grandfathered subs.
"But it's only a dollar difference, so I really think it's background noise, which is what we want it to be," Hastings continued. "We want to think what we do is we're steadily improving the content and the growth and the word of mouth, and that when we make a small change in price and handle it appropriately it really makes no noticeable effect on business."
Going HBO
Meanwhile the company also weighed in on net neutrality, reiterating in its Q2 report that it believes the US Department of Justice and/or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should block the proposed merger of Time Warner Cable and Comcast."I think the most practical thing would be for the FCC to make it a merger condition policy of strong net neutrality, including no-fee interconnect," Hastings said during the call. "So that's our main focus."
Hastings drew attention to the business model used by cable companies like HBO that charge distributors rather than pay them.
"The question comes up, 'Should we over time be charging ISPs for the privilege of carrying our data to their customers?'" Hastings asked. "I don't think so. I think the internet has this different, much more open architecture than classic cable, where we meet in the middle."
He continued, "What you get is this open, vibrant system that the internet has been so famous for. And that's really the tradition that we grew up in, and that we're trying to see carried forward."
Netflix has found itself in the midst of an ISP war with Verizon, with the two trading blame and barbs about who is responsible for slow streaming speeds in the US.
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Sony Xperia Z2 goes on sale in the US for $700
Hankering for a new phone and have $699.99 to spare? Sony's quite good Xperia Z2 may be right up your alley.
The phone that's been on sale in other regions is finally available in the US starting today. It's being sold direct from Sony's online store for the unlocked price quoted above.
This is actually a $50 discount over its listing price and perhaps the best deal you can get for the handset with no carrier attached (no carries have actually jumped to carry the phone).
Available in purple, black or white, the Xperia Z2 features a 20.7MP camera capable of recording 4K video. The screen measures 5.2 inches and is backed by a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor. The dust-resistant and waterproof phone also packs a hefty 3GB of RAM.
The question is, is all that worth $700? No monthly carrier payments may sway the answer towards "yes," though your bank account may beg to differ.
- Could the Amazon phone wallop Sony's best?
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Yahoo reportedly nearing an agreement to acquire Flurry
Yahoo is reportedly nearing a deal to acquire mobile advertising analytics company Flurry. Yahoo will pay at least $300 million for Flurry, according to reports.
Flurry offers mobile advertisers the ability to leverage consumer data to produce personalized advertisements via banner ads, interstitials and video. The technology measures user behavior in applications by tracking taps, level completions, and purchases in order to understand the user ‘s path to purchase.
Flurry is installed on 540,000 apps, including BCC, Skype and Zynga. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in San Francisco.
Mayer's mobile mission
Yahoo has more than 450 million monthly active mobile device users. The company’s search and display mobile ad revenues increased 100% over the past two years. Acquiring Flurry would enable Yahoo to build off of this momentum by providing its advertisers with a more in-depth ad publishing and reporting platform.Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer recently said she believes contextual search could put Yahoo at the top of the search engine market. By tracking data, such as location and prior activity, Yahoo hopes to be able to take advantage of how users interact with search and what leads them to making a purchase.
Beating Google
Mayer is intent on replacing Google as the default search engine on Apple's iOS devices. Yahoo is focused on building a viable mobile search engine to pitch to Apple as an alternative to Google.She also recently spoke of her focus on beefing up the company’s mobile DNA.
"When I got to Yahoo, mobile was everyone's hobby," Mayer quipped. "Everyone did a little bit of [mobile] and it was literally no one's job."
Since she joined the company in 2012, Yahoo has built a mobile team of more than 500 employees, and the company has made approximately 30 mobile-based acquisitions.
- Via: Re/code
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Apple may open OS X Yosemite's beta gates to all later this month
Apple isn't in the habit of releasing public betas of new OS versions. In fact, it's been over a decade since it has.
But that changes with OS X 10.10 Yosemite, which will enter public beta this month, reports 9to5Mac.
The public will gain access to a beta build of Apple's latest OS X overhaul by the end of July, with the fourth version of the developer preview arriving today, sources told the site. (Update: OS X Yosemite Preview 4 did arrive to developers after we first posted this story.)
Apple previously said a public preview of Yosemite would take place by the end of summer.
Plans change
The same sources told the site that a new developer preview of iOS 8 will arrive today as well, though the report is tempered with a warning that "these plans are fluid" and might change. (Update: It did indeed arrive to developers).Because plans could change, the OS X Yosemite public beta might be pushed back to early August because Apple reportedly wants to make sure the OS is ready for the mass consumption.
Yosemite brings a number of changes to OS X, including interface tweaks, better Spotlight search, increased iOS synchronization, and improvements to various apps.
The completed version of OS X Yosemite is scheduled to arrive this fall.
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Hands-on review: MSI GT72 Dominator Pro
Man, technology moves fast. Four months after we got up our review of the MSI GT70 2PC Dominator it's already time to talk about its successor, the 17.3-inch MSI GT72 Dominator Pro, the latest in the long line of desktop-killing laptops.
But in the battle of heavyweight portable PCs there's no time for hesitation and thus, armed with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M GPU and a ludicrous 32GB of memory, the GT72 is prepared to make its big debut.
This is a numbers game, though, so what exactly should you expect to get for the GT72's $2,499 (about £1,461, AU$2,673) price tag? A lot, actually. A redesigned case that uses a sleek brushed metal finish instead of the bulky plastic we saw on last year's models, plus a solid one-piece chassis that sports a large, light up touchpad that accompanies a slew of red accent marks.
Killer keys
The touch-sensitive keys located along the top of the keyboard below the screen have changed positions too, making them easier to reach with your left hand in a pinch.From top to bottom you'll see a power button, a GPU button, a fan button, XSplit streaming button, and finally a SteelSeries button that will switch between your on-board macro profiles.
Having the ability to switch between the discrete graphics card and the built-in motherboard GPU should save you a few hours of battery when you're not gaming, while the fan button can instantly set their speed to full blast when you feel your system running hot.
What's the XSplit button for? Well, like most products in their gaming range, MSI packs in six months of XSplit game-streaming software for free. One touch of the side streaming button and you'll be broadcasting live on Twitch via the GT72's built-in webcam. And, like previous models, all the laptop keys' colors and functions are customizable thanks to the SteelSeries Engine 3 software that comes pre-installed on every unit – all you need to do is hit the SteelSeries button to switch between profiles.
Guts and glory
From everything I heard from the team at MSI, this thing is stacked. A fourth generation Intel i7 processor, 32GBs of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M GPU, three external display ports, plus up to three 125GB SSDs in RAID 0 configuration and a 1TB, 7,200rpm mechanical hard drive to top it all off.All things considered, it's hard to get better components into a laptop.
MSI stopped by the TechRadar office to show off its new war horse, and even let me get some hands on time with Titanfall. And despite having a K/D ratio in the decimals, it was awesome to mess around on this machine.
I was told to expect blazing fast connection speeds, too, considering this thing is equipped with Killer Doubleshot Pro – a completely new technology built off the back of the standard Killer ethernet technology. In theory, using DoubleShot Pro allows the Dominator to combine both your wired and wireless connection speeds to give even more bandwidth to your top prioritized apps.
Playing a game of League of Legends while streaming to Twitch? No problem. The traffic needed to play League of Legends can go through the ethernet port while incoming and outgoing signal needed for Twitch can be taken care of by the 802.11ac wireless card.
Early verdict
Released worldwide on July 18, the GT72 looks like a really promising contender. The 17.3-inch screen should be large enough for media streaming sessions and its insanely powerful components can easily withstand whatever the next few years can throw at it. As long as MSI can tune the GT72 for a halfway-decent battery life and carefully considers the heat output, it should be all-systems-go.I thought the Razer Blade was an all-around great representation of what a gaming laptop could be. But with even better specs and a refreshed design, the MSI GT72 Dominator is going to give it a real run for its money as the best "portable" (I use that term loosely) gaming machine.
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In Depth: 10 inexpensive apps every educator should know
10 inexpensive apps for educators
Back-to-school shopping used to mean a trip to the neighborhood's office supply store to purchase notebooks, pens, pencils, calculators and backpacks. Today, savvy students and teachers rely more on technology than on physical tools to get them through the school year.Education apps have enabled schools to collaborate, helped teachers with their lessons in the classroom, and resulted in students becoming increasingly interested in learning. Apps have also been observed to help students and teachers with organization in and out of the classroom. As more schools incorporate tablets into the classroom, educators are realizing the necessity of apps.
We've compiled a list of ten important and inexpensive apps for schools that help administrators, teachers and students excel.
EpicWin
Price: $2.99 (about £1.75, AU$3.19)
Google Drive
Price: Free (accounts come with 5 GB of storage)
Grammar Jammers
Price: Primary level is free. $2.99 (about £1.75, AU$3.19) for Elementary and Middle editions.
iTunes U
Price: Free
NASA App
Price: Free
Nearpod, Skype, Socrative, TeacherKit, Yammer
Nearpod
Price: Free
Skype
Price: Free
Socrative
Price: Free
TeacherKit
Price: Free
Yammer
Price: Range from free to $3 student/month (about £1.75, AU$3.19); $6 teacher/month (about £3.50, AU$6.50)
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Moto G2 pops up with beefed up specs and familiar looks
Along with the Moto X+1 it seems Motorola is also hard at work on the Moto G's follow-up.
New images and specs of the rumored Moto G2 have shown up on Mallandono Android. It looks like the updated handset will have a very similar style to the original Moto G and share the same screen resolution of 1280 x 720. However, there's no word on actual display size.
Purported specs suggest the Moto G2 will be slightly beefed up with a quad-core ARM V7 (VFPv4 NEON) processor and an Adreno 305 GPU.
The Moto G successor will also supposedly sport an 8MP rear camera have have dual SIMS, meaning it can host two phone numbers at once.
There's still a lot unknown about the handset including details on RAM, storage space and battery size, but this is a good start.
Lowest bid wins
Along with the rumored specs and images comes the tantalizing whisper that the handset could be sold at a lower price than the $179/£100 (about AU$190) Moto G. Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside hinted as much back in January asking, "Why can't these devices be $50?"In the past Motorola has done better in the smartphone market with its affordable Moto G and Moto E handsets than the lukewarm reception of the Moto X. In these circumstances, makes sense that the Lenovo-conscripted company would be interested in making the next Moto G even more affordable.
- Will Motorola go with a trifecta of two new smartphones and the Moto 360 smarwatch?
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Facebook Save feature lets you keep News Feed content for later looking
Facebook has introduced a new 'save it for later' feature that allows users to store interesting web links, pages, movies, TV shows and music for a more convenient time.
The new 'Save' tool, which is rolling out to the web, iOS and Android apps, makes it easier to keep track of interesting News Feed content without it getting lost in the scroll-through shuffle.
The Saved content, be it a checked-in restaurant the user may wish to try or a shared album they want to hear, will be accessible via the 'More' tab on mobile and within the sidebar on the web.
The feature apes the functionality offered by apps like Pocket and the Reading List feature in Apple's Safari web browser but with a Facebook funk. The social network is taking it upon itself to remind users about their Saved content if they don't check it after a period of time.
Productivity boost
Such is the exponential growth of sharing web content on Facebook, the feature comes at a time when many users are struggling to keep up with everything posted by their friends.While checking out interesting links over the lunch break can offer a welcome distraction from the grind, an all-day presence on social media can be a productivity catastrophe.
The Save option will let users get work done while promising the treat of Facebook-saved content for the commute home, all without the risk of being infiltrated by a trillion Buzzfeed posts.
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Updated: It's goodbye to Android as Tizen arrives on the Samsung Galaxy Gear
July 21 Update: The Tizen software switcheroo wasn't exactly on time in the US, but it is available to Gear owners there starting today.
The update is completely optional, Samsung noted in a press announcement, but it does "bring a number of advantages and new features" to the original Galaxy Gear.
Among those is access to more apps (about 140 worldwide), better battery life and more robust music enhancements like song storage and Bluetooth headphone support. There's also an improved interface, more font, wallpaper and homescreen customization options, and improved fitness and health tracking capabilities.
Downloading Tizen - available through Kies 3.0 software - essentially brings feature parity between the first Galaxy Gear and the newer Gear 2.
Just be warned that once your Galaxy Gear makes the jump to Tizen, there's no going back to Android.
Original article...
Samsung has followed through on its pledge to rid the original Galaxy Gear smartwatch of the Android operating system by updating the device with the home cooked Tizen software.
The update, which as already started to roll out, will bring those early swartwatch adopters up to speed with the current crop of Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit devices, which arrived on Tizen out of the box.
This will mean original Galaxy Gear owners will have access to many of the features present on the second-generation models.
It will earn a sleep mode, which measures your sleeping patterns, and an exercise mode that tracks your movement thanks to the pedometer (no heart-rate tracker though).
Back up first
Tizen 2.2.0 also brings a stand music app, a privacy lock, new font sizes and styles, new clock faces and wallpapers and easier access to key settings.SamMobile, which got an early preview of the update, has warned that installing Tizen will wipe all data from the wearable and will prevent some of the third-party apps from working.
Users will have the opportunity to back up before installing the update via Samsung's Kies platform.
The Galaxy Gear was somewhat of a commercial and critical failure, but for the limited number of people who jumped on board with the wearables era early, at least your smartwatch gets a new lease of life with this update.
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Microsoft reportedly axed its McLaren phone with Kinect-like controls
Goldfinger may not have been the kiss of death for James Bond, but a Windows Phone prototype originally bearing the same name appears to have met its maker in the form of ... its maker.
WPCentral reported last week that Microsoft has apparently cancelled plans for a new high-end Windows Phone handset known as "McLaren," an internal codename previously referred to as "Goldfinger."
Apparently lacking the Midas touch, McLaren was rumored to be Microsoft's flagship device for this fall, which would have reportedly introduced new technology alongside the launch of Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2.
McLaren's main claim to fame was an enticing new feature known as 3D Touch, a sensor-based system first outed in November 2013 that allows users to interact with the device using touchless hand gestures.
Feature or gimmick?
Although that sounds more than a little like the new Amazon Fire Phone, Microsoft apparently found a way to perform such tasks as swipes and side taps without the use of camera sensors.3D Touch worked hand-in-hand with other APIs including MixView, a feature which lets a single tile break apart into smaller pieces, each of which could be independently selected using a finger hovering over the display.
WPCentral's report paints the impression that Microsoft's development team found 3D gestures to be little more than a gimmick at the moment, although development on the technology behind 3D Touch is said to be ongoing even as McLaren turns cold.
While one assumption might be that McLaren was axed as a result of last week's extensive layoffs, unnamed sources claim the project actually its end sometime "within the last few weeks," leaving Microsoft with a potentially big hole in its 2014 holiday lineup.
- Soak in our full review of Microsoft's Xbox One!
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Alleged Sony Xperia Z Ultra sequel looks amazing, but is it the real deal?
While Sony is busy preparing the landscape for the forthcoming Xperia Z3 handset, rumours emanating from the Chinese media have suggested the firm might also have something a little bigger on the agenda.
Renders of an alleged 'Xperia Z3X' device, a phablet to succeed the Xperia Z Ultra perhaps, have emerged at Digi-wo.com along with a collection of rather impressive would-be specifications.
The virtually bezel-less 6.14-inch ZX3 would come with a 2560 x 1152 Sony's Trimaster EL OLED display, which would be the first of its kind for a gadget smaller than the current 7.4- to 25-inch production ranges.
The photos also show a massive camera sensor on the rear of the device, perhaps even larger in physical size than the Lumia Pureview camera phones. The accompanying specs peg the sensor at 22-megapixels.
If the renders are the real deal, it also seems as if Sony would be looking to market the device as a camera replacement, judging by the substantial accessories pictured.
Pretty fly
Keeping the blockbusting specs coming, the rumour also speaks of a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor doing the donkey work.All of that would be squeezed into a chassis measuring up at 69.5 × 150.1 × 7.9mm.
What do you think? Does the Xperia Z3X look a little too impressive to be true or are we really looking at the flyest phablet on the block? Share your thoughts below.
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BlackBerry poaches former LiveOps CEO Marty Beard
BlackBerry has named former LiveOps Chief Executive Officer Marty Beard Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Beard is responsible for BlackBerry's marketing, BlackBerry 10 Application Development, customer care and quality control.
Beard had been CEO of LiveOps since 2011. He joined the cloud applications company after serving as President at Sybase 365 for six years.
At Sybase, which was acquired by SAP in 2010, Beard served under BlackBerry CEO John Chen who served as CEO of Sybase from 1998 to 2012. Prior to Sybase, Beard was Vice President of Oracle Online for three years.
A tough task
Beard's job will be to turn around the perception of BlackBerry, which once dominated the enterprise smartphone market but has seen its market share steadily decline in the past few years.During the first quarter of 2014, BlackBerry suffered a quarterly loss of $423 million (£254 million, AU$457 million). BlackBerry brought in just $976 million (£586 million, AU$1 billion) in revenue for the three months ending on March 1.
BlackBerry recently formed a partnership that gave IBM the ability to directly manage devices running the BlackBerry 10 operating system. At the time, the move was seen as a coup for BlackBerry.
Unfortunately for BlackBerry, the IBM partnership was overshadowed last week when Apple also formed an exclusive partnership with IBM to develop more than 100 industry-specific data and analytics apps developed for Apple's mobile devices.
BlackBerry 10
Beard will also have to improve BlackBerry 10, a device even Chen admitted takes a while to get used to using."The key is it took me a while to get used to it. For most consumers if they get to our new phone and it's not intuitively obvious they get a little shy and they don't want to continue using it," Chen said in February.
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WD launches cheapest 6TB drive, highest platter density yet
Western Digital has finally unveiled its first 6TB HDD as part of its family of products that focus exclusively on NAS (network attached storage).
The WD Red range will welcome a 5TB and 6TB hard drive and a new subset, WD Red Pro, will provide SKUs to address the medium-to-large NAS market exclusively.
The 6TB model comes with a three-year warranty, an internal transfer rate of 175MBps and a 64MB cache as well as WD's new NASware 3.0 firmware.
Both Seagate and HGST, a subsidiary of Western Digital, have already launched 6TB models, which took over 4TB as the biggest storage capacity on the market.
Surprisingly affordable
However, WD trumps the two by offering a cheaper model (you can get the 6TB model for as little as £212 - about $380, AUD$410), significantly less than the competition.More importantly, its cost per GB is only about 50% higher than the average price of 3TB non-NAS tweaked hard disk drives which makes it a bargain for those trying to improve their NAS capacity without resorting to swapping the NAS enclosure altogether.
It's also the first drive on the market to breach the 1TB per platter capacity without resorting to SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), HAMR (Heat-assisted Magnetic Recording) or Helium gas as for its subsidiary
HGST employs seven platters while Seagate has a 6-platter design to reach 6TB. WD uses 1.2TB platters, setting a new areal density record, at least in shipped drives.
Western Digital has also confirmed that 5TB and 6TB SKUs will also be added to its Green range with an even lower price range.
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Is your business keeping up with changes in the workplace?
Most of us have spent the majority of our working lives in offices that have undergone little change from the traditional set-up, bar the technology sitting in front of us.
But the smart device explosion and increasing mobility of the workforce is changing things drastically. Indeed, many of us are spending less time in the office than ever before with the new-found capability to work almost anywhere.
This is bringing a whole host of security and productivity challenges for businesses, so we sat down with Samsung's enterprise expert Graham Jones to find out what companies must be considering as these changes and trends unfold.
TechRadar Pro: First of all, what does Samsung mean by the term multiscreen?
Graham Long: Multiscreen refers to the trend for employees to use a variety of devices and screens to get work done, choosing the right screen to use for the work that is being carried out at the time. This can be made up of checking emails on your phone, creating presentations on your laptop and then using your tablet to present in a meeting.
TRP: How do you think the consumerisation of the workplace is affecting employee behaviour and ways of working?
GL: Employees now expect to be able to access and complete their work wherever they are. Mobile devices have been the enablers of this trend; allowing employees to check emails, write documents and create presentations on the go.
Recent research from Samsung has found that three quarters of the European respondents are work-life blending by doing personal tasks in work time (75 per cent) and work tasks in their personal time (77 per cent). This demise of the 9-5 can be largely attributed to the proliferation of mobile devices in the workplace, giving employees ultimate flexibility about when and where they want to work.
TRP: To what extent have companies and employers had to adapt to cater for an increasingly mobile and remote workforce?
GL: The consumerisation of workplace technology has brought many benefits for both businesses and their employees; job satisfaction and improved productivity to name just a couple. However, as employees use a diverse range of devices to access work information, it can present a host of security issues with businesses exposed to sensitive data leaks.
Organisations need to ensure that they have the right IT infrastructure and security controls in place so they can give their workforce flexibility but also protecting corporate data at the same time. Businesses are taking steps to address this, but there's still a long way to go in order to keep up with the times.
IT departments and CIOs need to be aware of what their employees needs are and should they prefer to have more flexible access to technology, ensure they can do safely.
TRP: Do you think businesses have progressed in terms of securing the workplace from a management and security perspective? Are IT and management as aligned as they should be?
GL: Although the use of mobile devices in the workplace is common, recent research by Samsung reveals mobile device security still isn?t being taken as seriously as it should be. Almost a third (30 per cent) of CTOs do not know how many mobile handsets were lost or stolen last year, and over a third (34 per cent) do not know how many mobile security incidents in general their business suffered.
There are huge implications for businesses who have data leaks, in terms of brand and reputation, customer churn, and monetary impact.
At Samsung, our aim is to impress the importance of security to businesses; everyone should be aware of the implications of devices not being secured properly, from the IT department to the employee to the management board.
We hope that our research highlights the importance of IT and management working closely together to help employees make the most of mobile working while keeping security risks to a minimum.
TRP: Smartphones and tablets are primarily built with the consumer in mind. What challenges does this present for enterprises as boundaries merge between work and personal devices?
GL: As above, in recent years the workplace has seen an influx of personal devices with up to 78 per cent of people using their own devices for work. This is both a challenge and an opportunity.
Research has shown that the use of mobile devices is hugely beneficial for productivity and empowers employees to make decisions about when and where they want to work, as well as ensuring they can stay connected on the move.
However, many smartphones and other mobile devices are not adequately equipped with security protection which leaves personal devices vulnerable to security leaks if they're lost or stolen, highlighting the need for businesses to properly equip staff with the technology and applications needed to do their jobs.
TRP. In the Future of Work whitepaper, you discuss the workplace as becoming an increasingly 'mobile first' environment. Why do you believe this to be the case?
GL: The proliferation of mobile devices into the workplace has disrupted the traditional workstation environment, giving workers more flexibility to carry out tasks on the go. Undoubtedly, there will continue to be a need for desktop PCs in certain scenarios, but the overwhelming trend is for employees to work from a range of mobile devices enabling people to work at their desk or on the move.
A mobile first approach enables easy transition between the different modes of working. Mobile access to corporate applications is also changing the way that office space is configured, enabling flexible working whether employees are at home, travelling or in the office, making them more efficient as well as helping the business to cut costs.
TRP: What do you see as the 'next big thing' in enterprise technology?
The Future of Work report revealed that the rising trend in wearable technology is set to infiltrate the workplace, having seen a rise in enquiries for developing wearable technology in a number of industry sectors.
Now, up to 78 per cent of people use their own devices for work and wearable technology ownership is on the rise, so we can certainly expect to see wearable tech creeping into the workplace as boundaries continue to blur between work and personal devices.
We're excited about what the future holds for wearable technology in the workplace, particularly in healthcare and emergency service markets.
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Snipers are to blame for Destiny's lack of cross-platform play
Destiny is launching on both current and next-gen console hardware, but Bungie has placed an inter-generational barrier between the two, preventing gamers of old and new from playing together.
The reason for this, according to Bungie, is because of the perception that gamers on newer platforms will have an advantage over last-genners.
"I'll speak for the hypothetical player," Wolfson told Digital Trends. "I have a disadvantage sniping across the map because [my opponent with a next-gen console] is only two pixels on my screen and I'm four pixels on his.
"You see that in the world of PC gaming, where people are always racing to the best video card to give themselves the advantage"
The division
"Regardless of where the reality is, there's definitely a perception among gamers that better hardware means you have an advantage. We don't want to have to enter that fray, so to create the best, most level playing field, both actually and perceptually, we separated it by platform."Destiny is available in beta on PS3 and PS4 right now, with Xbox 360 and Xbox One set to get access on June 24.
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Windows 8.1 Update 2 reportedly set for August 12 - without the Start menu
Microsoft is reportedly gearing up to make the next Windows update, called Windows 8.1 Update 2, available to download for Windows 8.1 users on August 12.
According to a report by Neowin, the release will be a relatively low-key affair and will not reinstate the classic Windows Start menu, a move many thought Microsoft might make following its brief teaser at Build 2014.
The report includes what is apparently leaked Microsoft information obtained by Russian site PCPortal, which claims that the update will arrive quietly on Patch Tuesday and will include minor stability and bug fixes, rather than tweaks to Windows 8.1's user interface.
The update follows Windows 8.1 Update 1, which reinstated desktop and mouse functionality lost with the introduction of Windows 8.
Crossing the Threshold
Even if the information may be as authentic as a herd of pink unicorns, it still falls in line with ZDnet's previous prediction that the update will be outed in August or September.While you may be in for a pleasant surprise, it's looking increasingly likely that Microsoft is saving its classic Windows-style Start menu for the next major update to Windows, tentatively known as "Windows Threshold" (or Windows 9).
Via WinBeta
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The iPhone 6's Apple logo may light up when you receive a text
So far we've been unconvinced by rumours that the iPhone 6's Apple logo will light up in the style of the MacBook, but the latest leak may have finally tipped us into a state of belief.
Some new pictures obtained by uSwitch (with the help of notorious Apple leaker Sonny Dickson), suggest that the new iPhone will have a bit of extra glow to it.
uSwitch compares the new rear housing of the alleged iPhone 6 with previous iPhone shells, noting that the plastic panel, which is placed over the Apple-shaped hole, has been made thin enough for light to shine through it.
Glow for it
It's certainly not conclusive evidence, but it's a compelling argument that Apple will finally be introducing a feature which was also rumoured to appear on the iPhone 5S.
While the MacBook's glowing apple sits on the shell for decorative purposes, sticking one on an iPhone could have more useful means.
Mainly, the light may provide visual notifications when the phone is on its front, alerting us when we've received a text or an email without us needing to flip over the handset.
Though isn't that what the iWatch is meant for?
- iPhone 6: your one-stop-hub
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UK Government seeking cloud partner to slash hosting costs
The UK government has issued a tender to find a partner to considerably drive down the cost of procuring hosting for the Crown Hosting Service (CHS).
The contract, which is estimated to be worth around £700 million, is expected to save the CHS up to £530 million a year by 2018. Hosting is one of the biggest spending items on the current government's list and according to the Government's CTO, Liam Maxwell, is ripe for consolidation.
The tender is specifically seeking for a joint venture partner that will provide data centre co-location services to the central government and public sector entities. The more secure applications and services however are unlikely to be included.
Lasting legacy
The CHS will cater for what Maxwell refers to as a large legacy estate that cannot make the transition to the cloud in the short-to-medium term for various reasons.A separate tender will seek a partner that can provider with Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) for applications that are virtualisation-friendly but still require to be physically close to legacy hardware.
The contracts are expected to be awarded early in 2015 with online services to be available shortly after.
Via Computer Weekly
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Google sells 1 million Chromebooks to schools in Q2 2014
Google has revealed in a post on its official enterprise blog that US schools have purchased more than one million Chromebooks in the second quarter of 2014, positioning the brand as the third major platform for education providers, alongside Microsoft's Windows and Apple's OS X.
Nearly 10 years ago, the spiritual predecessor to the Chromebook, the One Laptop Per Child project, forced Intel and Microsoft to come up with the Netbook format which went on to marginalise Nicholas Negroponte's project (originally called $100 laptop).
Tablet turn
Netbooks became a major success for both Intel and Microsoft but the form factor died out when Apple launched the iPad and popularised the tablet format.Google's Chromebook can be credited with forcing Microsoft to offer a cheaper version of Windows and radically change its licensing structure for manufacturers.
Devices with displays smaller than nine inches get Windows 8.1 for free, and those offering Windows with Bing and an assortment of Microsoft services get it at a discounted price.
This allowed manufacturers like Dell to offer Windows 8.1 laptops for under £200 and tablets for under £100.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 'going metallic and bendy in a premium version'
It sounds like Samsung's packing a lot of tech into the Galaxy Note 4, but some of that may be reserved for a second premium version of the handset.
Word from Korean media source ET News is that Samsung is working on a prime version of the Note 4 and is pumping a load of materials such as stainless steel, aluminium and magnesium into the device.
Word of that flexible display has also popped up again. However, this could be limited to the premium model too, meaning the standard Note 4 handset will keep things flat for now - but if true, would really be the start of flexible phones entering the mainstream.
Bendy and beautiful
Samsung dabbled with flexibility screens with the Galaxy Round, and the new report states that Samsung has upped its flexible display capacity by 50% for the Note 4.Finally, we're hearing that the Galaxy Note 4's camera will arrive with optical image stabilisation. That camera is also believed to be a 16MP affair, keeping the Note 4 a pretty decent snapper by the sounds of it.
The sad fact is that it's likely this separate version will, like the Round, be limited to Samsung's home turf in South Korea for now, unless it finally thinks the public is ready for bendable phones (which seems unlikely, given the current versions have hardly ripped through the sales charts).
IFA 2014 kicks off in Berlin on September 5, and we'll be there to bring you all the news as it breaks.
- Phablet fantastic: all the latest on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
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Updated: Google watch: release date, news and rumors
Fresh from creating Google Glass, Google is now turning its attention to our wrists with the launch of Android Wear, its custom OS designed for wearables.
But while watches from Microsoft and HTC may also be forthcoming - and with the Apple iWatch ever-looming - a question still remains over Google's wearable hardware strategy.
Alongside the Android Wear announcement came the reveal of two smartwatches that will be showcasing the OS - the LG G Watch and the Moto 360 - but there was no explicit mention of a "Google Watch" or "Google Gem" (as one rumour had named it).
At this point, it seems unlikely that we'll get a straight-up Google Watch; right now the LG G Watch feels like it could be the the rumoured Google smartwatch, considering the obvious parallels with the LG-built Nexus 5.
But that said, there's still a slight chance we'll see Google roll out a more home-grown watch. If so, here are a few things we may already know about it...
Google watch release date
Android Police's Artem Russakovskii spoke about Google's watch in a Google+ post last year, telling us that the release date was set for October 31 2013. Of course, that turned out to be far too optimistic.The Wall Street Journal also reported that Google was "in talks" with various Asian suppliers about an Android smartwatch that could enter mass production "within months" of the story.
Considering the date, that could well have been the Moto 360 or the LG G Watch. But possibly (possibly) it could be for a separate Google smartwatch that is yet to rear its head.
Google watch design
So why are we still clinging onto hope? A filing with the US Patent Office from early May 2013 showed a filing by Google for a "smart-watch with user interface features".The watch displayed in the illustration has two touch pads on either side of the display face. The patent says that you'll be able to use these to "pinch, stretch and scroll on a platform with limited space available for user input." This could well mean that the watch will interact with Google Glass, too.
What we do know after the Android Wear announcement is that any Google watch will rely heavily on Google Now as it aims to be more of a useful personal assistant for the wrist than just an extension of the smartphone.
Google watch features
Sources previously claimed that Google Now will lie at the heart of Google's smartwatch. And after the Android Wear reveal, we now know that's very much the case.Message notifications, weather forecast updates and voice control all lie at the heart of Google's wearable OS - you can check out the full roster of features on our Android Wear page.
Other rumours have claimed that Google is hard at work to solve the ongoing problem of the smartwatch battery. Apparently it's looking at methods to reduce the power consumption so we won't be taking it off our wrists to charge quite as often. Right now the LG G Watch only lasts about a day with a full charge, so the sooner the better, please Google.
Google watch to be Motorola-built?
We'd also heard that the Google watch could be manufactured by Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility, but with Motorola now the property of Lenovo, and the fact that Motorola had also now shown off the Moto 360, we can probably dismiss those rumours.We've speculated that Google's watch will take some design cues from the Motoactiv, but an even more likely source of inspiration is the Wimm One, an Android-powered smartwatch that offers both color and greyscale modes.
Despite the watch not hitting big time when it launched, Google purchased the smartwatch company last year - the biggest hint yet that Google might have some internal hardware plans of its own.
Google watch name
As for the name of a Google watch, many are predicting that it could use the same name as Google's other wearable project, arriving as the Google Glass Watch. However this seems unlikely to us.Android Police's Artem Russakovskii wrote on Google+ that the watch existed under the name of "Google Gem". We're warming to that name, but we can't help but think that this might just have been the LG G Watch under a different moniker.
Rumors also continue to abound that Google will launch its own retail stores, although it will take some time to rival the all-conquering Apple Stores, of course.
The stores would enable consumers to get face-on with Google Glass as well as Android phones and, potentially, Google's lineup of watches too.
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In Depth: 25 PS4 tips and tricks for getting the most out of your console
PS4 tips and tricks
That lovely parallelogram has been snug under your TV for a number of months now and you've probably discovered all kinds of tricks it can do.But a slew of software updates since release mean you might have missed some vital points.
Despite a few E3 promises still working on being fulfilled, Sony's 8th generation console has been gifted some spectacular features so far and whether it's making the most of sharing or discovering the PlayStation app, we've gathered 25 must know tips to make the most out of your PS4 right now.
1. Make headphones wireless
Well, wireless when it comes to stretching between the sofa and the screen that is. A 3.5mm jack handily positioned on the DualShock 4 means you can plug your own headphones or headset into the controller. The default setting is for chat audio only but this can be easily tweaked by holding down the PS button in game and selecting 'adjust devices' on the resulting menu. Select the 'output to headphones' option and choose 'all audio'. Voila, the digital crackling of Watch Dogs is in your ears and, if you have an inline mic you can use this for in game chat or even commentary recording for Twitch.
2. Use your phone as a keyboard
Previously it was a serious slog to enter messages using the analogue sticks on PS3, with only an ugly wireless keypad peripheral available to ease the pain. Thankfully, PS4 delivers a choice of interfaces and, as well as a helpful touchpad input, allows you to use the PlayStation App as a second screen for text entry. With your phone and PS4 on the same Wi-Fi network you can pair them via the PlayStation App connection settings on the PS4. Then, with both logged in to the same PSN ID, select the second screen option, choose the keyboard icon at the top left and, as if by magic, PlayStation messaging becomes fun again.
3. Pre-load your games
It's not here just yet but come Destiny time – that'll be September the 9th this year – the ability to pre-load games won't just belong to smug PC gamers. Starting with Bungie's futuristic FPS, PS4 will allow us to pre-load all games that can be pre-ordered on the PlayStation Store several days before the release date. With no more watching a loading bar on launch day this is a much needed addition that'll remove a lot of the desire to venture out on day one when games will be ready to play as soon as the clock passes midnight.
4. Start remote playing
If the last entry wasn't enough of a reason to stay in bed then the remote play features of PS4 should seal the deal. Whether someone else wants the TV or you just fancy playing 8th gen games in the bath, the capability to stream to the PlayStation Vita is a slick process that just requires you to have both devices signed into the same PSN ID. You can connect directly to the PS4 or via your wireless network if you are too far away from the console itself. Make sure that 'enable turning on PS4 from network' is selected in your power save settings and you'll be able to turn on the PS4 remotely from the Vita.
5. Use your Vita as an extra DualShock
If you've not shelled out for an additional controller yet and fancy some two player action on PS4 then you'll be happy to hear that your trusty Vita doubles up as an additional DualShock. Set up remote play as usual with the Vita. This will automatically turn off any connected controller and allow the handheld to control the on screen action. When you want a friend to join in, have them press the PS button on the DualShock and log in as another user or guest and you'll have co-op Lego Marvel on the go in no time.
6. Record your skills
PS4, whether you tell it to or not, always diligently records the last 15 minutes of your gameplay just in case you perform some incredible feat and fancy showing it to the world or just want to keep it for yourself as a digital memento. To hoard a period of gaming history all you need to do is hit the share button or opt to save a video to your captures folder. This can then be uploaded directly to Facebook and thus, the world. If you actively want to record something, press the share button twice to start recording and once when you want to end the clip. Again, this can only be up to 15 minutes in length.
7. Personalise the share button
The default set up of the share button means that a quick press will bring up the share menu and a longer press is needed to take a screenshot. However, an 'easy screenshots' mode is available that allows you to reverse the settings and means you'll never have to leave the action if you want to take a quick snap of the scenery/carnage. This setting can be found within the options menu of the share screen.
8. Let viewers interact via livestreaming
With both Twitch and Ustream support built into the PS4, it's easy to get your gaming online for all to see. A press of the share button in-game will give you the option to stream on either platform and a helpful settings screen allows you to add footage and audio from the PlayStation Camera, display comments from viewers and change the quality of the upload depending on your network speeds. Some games even allow Twitch viewers to have a say in the action with commenters adding more horror to the procedurally generated scare-fest Daylight and deciding Lara's fate when she is wounded in Tomb Raider.
9. Prepare for Project Morpheus
It's not here yet but the Oculus Rift-rivalling virtual reality headset is on its way to PS4. A little Daft Punk in its stylings, Project Morpheus impressed at its initial showing and already has games confirmed for the platform, as well as the usual tech demos. It was also recently revealed to be the reason behind the DualShock 4's distinctive colour changing light bar so expect plenty of motion input as well as traditional Dual Shock controls.
10. Use the Share Factory
A big part of the recent 1.70 update was the Share Factory. A free editing app, it delivers more personalisation options for your videos with the ability to add commentary, soundtracks and effects to your footage. You can add a unique PS4 intro and outro to each video you post and it delivers a user friendly interface for editing and splicing clips together. Videos can be uploaded directly to Facebook from the PS4 or alternatively you can save them to a USB stick in order to upload to YouTube via your computer.
11. Get social
Hooking up your PS4 to Facebook is a great way of importing a profile photo and ensuring easy sharing with friends without having to make much of an effort. It also means your real name can now be revealed to the world if you accept specific requests from your PSN friends. A Facebook settings page allows you to make sure that you aren't spamming friends with every single trophy pop and you can easily personalise who sees what activity. A new update also means you can post multiple images to both your Facebook and Twitter profiles. So much for not spamming your non-gamer friends…
12. Charge while you sleep
While in standby mode – indicated by sleepy orange lighting – the PS4 is happy to download updates, games and, usefully, charge those ailing DualShocks. Make sure that supply power from USB ports is selected within your power savings settings and you shouldn't find yourself running out of juice after an hour's game time. Also worth keeping in mind is the new micro USB socket which means compatible phone chargers will let you charge a controller on the fly without having to stretch a cable from the console.More PS4 tips and tricks
13. Use voice commands
Not just a feature of the Xbox One's Kinect, PS4 also responds to voice commands. Prefacing each statement with "PlayStation" you can tell the PS4 to take screenshots, play games (by saying the game name and then "start"), go back to the home screen, select applications and power off. Excellent recognition software even means it's possible to say different versions of a game name ie. "Black Flag" or "Assassin's Creed" and the PS4 will respond accordingly. There is a mic built into the optional PlayStation Camera but this will work equally well with the headset microphone. Voice commands can also be used in game such as Thief, which allows you to sneakily whistle to distract guards.
14. Multitask
It's not full multitasking but if you want to flick between applications on the PS4, a double tap of the PS button will quickly switch between the two most recent apps. This means if you are checking the trophies required for an elusive platinum you can switch easily between the game and the trophy application without having to go to the home screen and trawl along to the desired section. As a side note, if you press the home button once mid game, the game will be paused and you are free to browse to other settings without the game closing.
15. Make the most of PS Plus
PS Plus has always been a great source of free games and PSN discounts for its £39.99 a year price tag but as of June 2014 the service is getting better for PS4 users with two guaranteed games every month. New games appear on the first Wednesday of the month (Tuesday in NA) and will be free until the first Wednesday of the following month so make sure you get downloading during that time. Even clicking buy and not downloading immediately will make sure the game is yours as long as your subscription lasts.
16. Download games remotely
Not just a pretty keyboard accessory, your phone can also set your PS4 to download new games while you are out and about. Using the store on the PlayStation App you can browse for new content and if your PS4 is on standby with its power save settings with 'connect to the internet' selected then you can set games downloading immediately after purchase so they are ready for you arriving home.
17. Do touch
Initially a questionable addition to the DualShock 4, the touch pad is a surprisingly useful interface now that developers have started to embrace more interesting uses. First party games such as Killzone Shadow Fall use the pad for control of the OWL Drone while Infamous Second Son utilises it as a finger print scanner. Plus, if you're looking for some touch controlled air hockey – exactly what your eighth gen console was made for - look no further than the ridiculously addictive version within the free AR PlayRoom application. You can also flick robots from your controller in a considerably more surreal version of your living room.
18. Turn down the light bar
Unavailable as a feature at launch but implemented at the request of the community after TV reflection issues and questions about battery life, you can now change the brightness of the light bar on the DualShock 4 between three settings. While it can't be turned off entirely due to its use by the PlayStation Camera for recognition, if you hold the PS button and select 'adjust devices' you'll find the menu to let you select between bright, medium and dim settings.
19. Get moving
The PlayStation Move wand and its accompanying motion controller are both compatible with PS4 and especially exciting for use with the unique Johann Sebastian Joust in new release Sportsfriends. However, Move on PS4 is not compatible with the PlayStation Eye PS3 camera and now uses the optional PlayStation Camera instead. Make sure the controller is calibrated properly before each use to minimise any changes you need to make once the game has loaded up.
20. Don't be camera shy
It might be an optional extra but investing in the Wall-E alike PlayStation Camera brings the PS4 a number of exciting extra features as well as the standard movement control for games such as Just Dance. You can teach the PS4 your facial features from various angles and it will always log you in automatically if you are holding the controller. Ideal, as even if you have a number of registered users sitting on the sofa together, the PS4 will cleverly pair the light bar up with the face above the DualShock. The PlayStation Camera is also excellent for adding both audio and video during livestreams.
21. Admire your trophy cabinet
If your desire for shiny treasures resembles Lara Croft's then the trophy section on PS4 is a very attractive glistening cabinet of precious metals. Not just allowing you to see your own achievements, PS4 lets you to see the rarity of each individual trophy on a worldwide scale. Ranging from common to ultra-rare, you can see the percentage of other players who have unlocked a particular achievement. Comparing with friends is also now within the app itself, so you can measure up to your PSN rivals with a press of a button.
22. Visit the library
Storing all your purchased apps and games, the Library section is where you can view everything linked to your PSN ID without the hassle of having to visit the store and check your downloads. All your DLC is here too and if you are looking for other related items, then you'll find them here as well as your recent activity and your trophy progress in game. It's an ideal place to find everything in one location.
23. Set up a passcode
If you're looking for an extra layer of security that isn't just your face then you can easily set up a passcode in your login settings. Parental control settings also utilises a passcode procedure where you can restrict games, applications and Blu-Rays that have age ratings, disable the internet browser and block user generated video and pictures. You can also restrict the content shown in the PlayStation Store and set store spending limits to make sure no one's buying what they shouldn't.
24. Keep up to date
PS4's equivalent of your Facebook wall but without the 'most recent' problem, the activity feed shows off what your PSN friends have been up to. Initially just showing everyone playing the exact same four games on launch, it's now much more interesting and gives you information on what trophies have been earned, what new releases are being played and any shared video content from your online friends.
25. Watch PlayStation Live
Scrolling along to the end of your line of applications, you'll find Live from PlayStation where you can watch other PS4 users on both Twitch and UStream. A search function means you can hunt for specific games and a handy interactive section means you can choose to opt into participate rather than just view the action from afar. Plus, if you have the particular game that you are watching someone stream there's a link to start the game yourself if you feel like you could be doing a better job.
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