YouTube for Android goes beyond HD with 1440p option for LG G3 users
If you've splashed out on the brand new LG G3 smartphone, you can now enjoy YouTube streaming at beyond HD quality.
The Google-made app for Android now supports 1440p streaming, making full use of the G3's impressive 2560 x 1440 QHD display resolution.
The option to up the streaming resolution from the previous best of 1080p is only available on devices like the G3 that are able to support the improved quality.
Right now, that pool is very limited, but the option will become much more useful as more and more mobile devices adopt QHD displays.
Near-perfection
The stunning display within the LG G3, the first QHD screen from a major manufacturer, helped the G3 to a near-perfection score of 4.5 stars in a recent TechRadar review.Is the G3 the perfect smartphone? Check out our video review below.
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Abandon ship! Microsoft will kill support for Internet Explorer 8 in 2016
Microsoft has announced it'll end support for the Internet Explorer 8 web browser within 18 months, as it pushes users towards the most recent versions of the software.
According to recent figures from Net Applications, the browser still runs on 20 per cent of all PCs running a desktop operating system, while still accounting for around six per cent of all web traffic.
However, according to a blog post on Friday the firm said "only the most recent version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical support and security updates."
That means users will still be able to make use of the 5 year-old browser, which launched alongside Windows 7, but won't receive any support from Microsoft.
IE 9 and IE 10 support also removed
The move will come into play on January 12 2016, with Microsoft keen to get everyone on to the latest version of its browser, currently Internet Explorer 11.Versions 9 and 10 will also see reduced support. IE 9 will only be supported on Vista and Windows Server 2008, while IE 10 will only be supported on Windows Server 2012. On these platforms, IE 11 cannot be installed.
The death sentence for IE 8 follows the retirement of Windows XP, which finally reached the end of its supported life cycle in April this year.
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Wiki nets surge of Bitcoin donations as Wikipedia Zero bears fruit for 350m
Wikipedia has procured a sizable $140,000 (around £83,000, AU$151,000) in Bitcoin donations, just a week after it started accepting the currency.
The non-profit online encyclopedia started taking the virtual currency for the first time as part of its annual donations drive, which also allows people to contribute via PayPal, credit cards and Amazon payments.
The currency is being instantly converted to the more stable US dollar, rather than being retained in the often volatile Bitcoin denomination.
The figure is still dwarfed by donations from other sources but, just a week in, the mark remains significant.
Free access, free editing
The drive for donations comes as parent company Wikimedia this week revealed the initial successes of its Wikimedia Zero project.Inspired by Facebook Zero, Wiki is making deals with mobile carriers in the developing world to offer free read and write access to the wealth of information stored on the site.
According to the latest figures, 350m people in 29 countries can now access and edit all portions of the site free of data charges.
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Amazon spoiling for another rumble, halts Blu-ray pre-orders in Disney spat
It seems Amazon could get into a fight with its own reflection these days. Amid its seemingly endless scraps with book publishers, it's now sticking it to Disney too.
The retailer has halted all Blu-ray pre-orders of Disney movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Maleficent and Muppets Most Wanted.
Instead Amazon is requesting users sign up for alerts when the disc becomes available, but it does appear the firm is allowing fans to pre-order digital copies via the Amazon Instant Video service.
The spat, which neither side has yet acknowledged, mirrors an issue Amazon had with Warner Bros. earlier this year when pre-orders were also removed.
Price war
The falling out follows Amazon's long-running battle with publishers like Hachette as it seeks the right to lower ebook prices and print books for itself if stocks run out.The firm claims ebook prices are being kept 'unjustifiably high.'
In a statement published at the end of July, the seller wrote: "A key objective is lower e-book prices. Many e-books are being released at $14.99 and even $19.99. That is unjustifiably high for an e-book.
"With an e-book, there's no printing, no over-printing, no need to forecast, no returns, no lost sales due to out-of-stock, no warehousing costs, no transportation costs, and there is no secondary market -- e-books cannot be resold as used books. E-books can be and should be less expensive," Amazon wrote.
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In Depth: 4K phone screens: madness, or clearly the next big thing?
In the last few years, as smartphone design has basically settled on rectangular slabs of glass, we've seen manufacturers take the competition over who produces the best gear to a new battle ground: the specs war.
Nowhere is this clearer and more easily visible than smartphone displays, the resolutions of which have been on a steadily upwards trend for the last couple of generations of flagship phones.
Historically, smartphone screens have got that little bit better every season. The HTC One X had a 720p HD screen; the Galaxy S4 and HTC One both stepped up to 1080p Full HD displays, and we're now seeing 2K displays pop up on the likes of the LG G3.
The trend would suggest, therefore, that 4K displays will be commonplace within the next two or so generations of flagship phone.
Does the world need more than the G3's QHD display?
To understand why a 4K screen on a phone might (or might not!) be a good idea, you first have to understand exactly what 4K means.At a basic level, all screens have a resolution, which is expressed as the number of horizontal pixels times vertical pixels – for example, 1280 x 720, meaning that there's 1280 rows of pixels horizontally, and 720 vertically.
In theory, the higher the resolution, the crisper and less blurry the image. The resolution is often abbreviated to a snappier name – for example, the 'HD' logo that's slapped on most TVs these days. High Definition means a resolution of at least 720 pixels vertically, and 'Full HD' is a minimum of 1080.
However, there are several levels above mere 'HD'. 2K video has to be at least 2,000 pixels wide horizontally (Full HD (1080p) is generally 1980 pixels horizontally). QHD (Quad HD) has a horizontal resolution a little higher, at 2,560 pixels, meaning that there's four times as many actual pixels than in 1080p, hence Quad-HD.
But the gold standard of ultra hi-res is currently 4K, which offers a display resolution normally of 3840 x 2160.
It's a standard that's starting to creep into high-end TVs and computer monitors, and even more common services like YouTube and GoPro are starting to record or playback 4K footage.
iPhone 4: the original Retina display
The allure of higher-res screens is simple: more pixels should, in theory, mean a sharper, clearer, more detailed image – the effect Apple had with the iPhone 4 when it introduced the first 'Retina Screen'.But improvement isn't just as simple as sticking a higher-res screen in each new generation of phone: after a while, people will stop noticing the difference.
This is because of one crucial factor: pixel density. This is a measure of how many pixels are packed into a physical area, normally measured in pixels per inch (PPI, not to be confused with the insurance you maybe owed money for, according to those irritating phone calls and adverts).
Because smartphone screens are so physically tiny compared to TVs, the PPI is incredibly high – up to 530 on phones like the LG G3.
Although that might sound like improvement, the human eye stops being able to make out a screen's individual pixels after a certain point – and after that point, increasing the resolution further won't really do anything of benefit.
According to Apple, that cut-off is 326 PPI for a smartphone. (Your eye's 'max' PPI depends on how far away the device is – hold press your face right up to a 4K TV, and you could probably see the individual pixels, but not so for a smartphone.)
Experts, such as DisplayMate's Raymond Soniera, peg that number a little higher – up to 600PPI for people with freakishly good vision.
But either way, whether the magic number is 300 PPI or 600 PPI, 4K blows all those numbers away. On a standard 4.7-inch smartphone screen, a 4K display would give a resolution of 941 PPI, well in excess of anyone's ability to resolve individual pixels. By that measure, 4K phone screens would be completely indistinguishable from 2K, or probably even Full HD screens.
There's other reasons to dislike higher-resolution screens, rather than just cost. The more pixels a phone has to generate, the harder its processor has to work, which means a hotter, slower phone that has worse battery life – not exactly a recipe for commercial success.
There are, however, a few beacons of hope for the 4K smartphone screen. The first, and most often-quoted, is the rise of the phablet. Phablets have significantly larger screens than your average run-of-the-mill smartphone, so the 4K screen has more room to work its magic.
More importantly, a hi-res screen offers companies a useful selling point: the LG G3 does technically have a sharper, crisper and clearer display than the Galaxy S5; it's just the no-one would ever be able to tell the difference.
That's not to say that all small 4K displays are useless, however. The evolution of devices like the Oculus Rift have moved screens radically closer to our eyes, which means that a much higher-res screen is necessary (compared to a smartphone) to be able to get all pixels blurred into one.
Pixel density: is the interest finally dying?
There is, however, one small glimmer of hope that manufacturers will shy away from building 4K phones in favour of better battery life and cheaper component prices: the phone-buying public seems to be getting over its obsession with pixel density.Google Trends, a tool that lets you track a subject's popularity on the internet, shows that interest in 'pixel density' has spiked over the last few years, but is slowly falling back to pre-iPhone 4-levels as PPI stops being a major selling point.
Where does that leave 4K phones, then? Samsung and LG, two of the powerhouses of hi-def smartphones, have hinted in the past that 4K phone screens are a possibility, but have shied away from expressly stating they're in the works.
Most likely, then, 4K phones will be a reality in the next few years – but whether or not they'll be a hit lies with the phone-buying public.
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Week in Gaming: 5 awesome things we want to see at Gamescom
Ah Gamescom - the E3 for those who prefer a little less stress and a little more German cuisine in life. That said, the Cologne-based game show is starting to rival its Las Vegas sibling, and has become a platform for some pretty significant announcements and reveals in the recent few years.
PC gaming might be having its golden age but Gamescom will hopefully remind us why it's still a great time to be a console player.
We've learned not to raise our expectations too high, so for this year's show we think our wish list is pretty reasonable (no Fallout 4, despite the fact Bethesda is officially scheduled to make an 'action-adventure & RPG'-related announcement).
Read on for TechRadar's five big Gamescom predictions for 2014.
1. A No Man's Sky release date
No Man's Sky was one of our choice games of E3 (it earned my personal 'best in show' award) and so we're all pant-wettingly excited to find out when we'll be able to play one of the PS4's most anticipated titles.Sure, it might turn out to be an overhyped snoozefest of repetitive, barren wastelands to explore. But it might also turn out to be the most awesome procedurally-generated game ever made. We're going with the second option for now.
All we want is a release date, so we can book the time off work before everybody else does. Not sure how long we'll need, although the game's creator Sean Murray said that if we were to visit one of the game's virtual planets ever second "our own sun will have died before [we'd have] seen them all".
Maybe a few days, then.
2. More info on PlayStation Now
PlayStation Now has just launched in open beta in the US, so we're really hoping to hear more about Sony's global plans for the service. A firm UK launch date would be gratefully accepted, along with details on how the pricing will work on the European side of the pond.Sony's Jack Buser recently confirmed that the company is working on a subscription service, a la EA Access, and informed us that PS Now will "soon be coming to PS3, PS Vita, PlayStation TV and select 2014 Sony TVs". Hopefully, Gamescom will let us know how soon that will be.
3. A really great new Steam Controller
According to the official Gamescom site, Valve will be showing off its Steam Controller at the German expo. The question is: will it be the new and improved one, complete with additional thumbstick?We certainly hope so. With Valve's Steam Machines now pushed back to 2015, it feels as though the hype has diminished. Fingers crossed that Gamescom can get us excited once again for Valve's living room crusade.
4. White Xbox One
Microsoft's white Xbox One is looking like a sure thing for October, so what better time to officially announce it than Gamescom? The lighter-toned console was given exclusively to Xbox employees last year, with only the standard black version available to the rest of us normal types.Word has it that the console will be sold alongside Sunset Overdrive (because what better way to celebrate the console's most colourful game than with a white Xbox One?) which launches on October 28. All signals are good.
5. The Last Guardian
Look, we're not giving up hope, so just shut up, yeah? It could happen. At E3, Sony's Yoshida said the game is still in development, so there's every chance we could see another tease at Gamescom.For me, this is the new Half-Life 3. And in a week where Valve has shown its most promising sign in years that Gordon Freeman could soon make a return, I'm more optimistic about these things than ever.
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Exclusive: iPhone 6 leaked photos in retail box
The iPhone 6 may be announced September 9, and photos and renders have been leaking like crazy. There's almost no reason for us to believe that what Apple will be announcing next month will be different from what we've already seen.
When the iPhone 5 was unveiled, it came as no surprise to anyone. Several images of the Apple handset leaked onto the Internet, as well as renders and phone cases.
With the upcoming iPhone 6, it's not much of a different story. We've seen photo after alleged photo of the device, but we've recently acquired new images of the upcoming iPhone. This time, it's pictured in its retailed box.
A source tells us that these photos were taken by an Apple beta tester, but declined to give more information.
This is a new source for us, so I'm not saying with 100% confidence that these photos are authentic. But after having checked EXIF data, photo manipulation and doing a little background check on our source, there's no reason for us to believe that these are fakes. Again, not 100% on that.
The JPEG images aren't of the best quality - they're not as clean as we'd like and we wish we could see better phone details - but again, my gut says they may be real.
However, these images line right up with what we've seen floating on the web so far. It's also not a radical departure from Apple's existing iPhone design, and one would imagine that Apple wouldn't do such a thing.
Time will tell, of course, but one thing is certain: If these photos turn out to be real, the new iPhone 6 is going to be a handsome device, and it will also be remarkably thin. Moreover, even with the changes, it will still look very familiar and very much like an iPhone.
We're also pretty excited for the new sapphire crystal glass front. One of our favorite YouTube reviewers, Marques Brownlee, got his hands on it and gave it a real effort before he could scratch the iPhone 6's glass.
Now we just have to play the waiting game until early September.
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Roundup: Best of TechRadar: this week's best features and hottest reviews
This tiny device can tell you more than you ever wanted to know
What is in that watermelon?
How many grams of sugar are in this gin and tonic I'm about to drink? While our smartphones have made it easy to research facts, capture images and navigate street maps, they have their shortcomings. If only they could reveal the inner secrets of objects in the physical world, too. Thanks to a scanner device called SCiO - after the Latin verb "to know" - you'll soon be able to get answers to life's most pressing questions, like the chemical makeup of foods, medications, plants and other items we use on a daily basis. Read this feature
Twitter and Facebook are making the same mistakes as MySpace
And they may soon regret it
Bad news for Twitter pros: it looks like your feed is going to get a little more spammy if Twitter's latest bright idea sticks. Fed up with people retweeting stuff you don't care about?Twitter's about to do it on their behalf. Twitter's latest idea is to let you see posts from people that you don't follow, but your followees do. The problem with that, of course, is that if you wanted to follow those accounts you'd already have followed them. Read all about it
Console gaming is dead!
Word is that the Xbox One might be getting another price cut. But the Xbox One doesn't need a cheaper price tag or new colours to get people interested. It needs some decent games, because let's face it, there are none. Games, apps, features and functionality - both next gen consoles are still hugely lacking in them all and we're nearly a year in now. It's not unusual for each generation to start slowly, but against the backdrop of an exciting golden age for PC gaming, games consoles are starting to look looking increasingly... irrelevant. Why? Because all of the good things in the gaming world right now are happening on PC. All of them. Read on to find out more
Saving film is about preserving movies...
...not fighting against digitalThe rise of digital projection in movies marks one of the speediest changes in any industry. In fewer than 15 years we have seen a business that dealt purely in celluloid engulfed by ones and zeroes. Digital has overtaken film projection the world over, with the promise of offering up cheaper ways to distribute movies complete with a crisp palette that is, arguably, on a par with film stock. While many filmmakers have embraced this change, there's a minority that is battling against progression. This group isn't made up of indie filmmakers looking to get headline space but some of the biggest names in the business.
The new Audi S1 is an incredible road-eating pocket rocket
More real-world fun than an Audi R8 supercar
Is Audi's new S1 uberhatch the most desirable car in the German auto maker's almost infinite range? Don't forget, that's a range filled to bursting with super saloons, mega SUVs and even mid-engine, V10 rocket ships. But the S1's modest output of a mere 228bhp and the prospect of fun at speeds at least resembling the legal limit, not to mention a price tag that starts below £25,000, make for a terribly enticing real-world package. Time to jump on board
In-car apps are terrible and it's time for an urgent rethink
Social networking in a car is completely sillyCars are not smartphones. A simple enough notion, but not one that most motor manufacturers seem to grasp. For proof, observe the rush to implement irrelevant and maybe even dangerous apps in the latest cars. You're nobody today without in-car facebook and twitter support. But I've reached the point where every time I see social networking support in the feature list of an in-car multimedia system, I have the urge to self harm. I can't take the nonsense any longer
Surface 3: what we want to see
What do we want to see on the Surface 3? Many of the qualities we would expect from a new Surface tablet - namely slimmer dimensions, a lighter chassis and longer battery life - arrived on Microsoft's capable Surface Pro 3, making it a little harder for any potential new tablet to stand out from the crowd. As we ponder the possibilities, here are some of the features we would like to see on the Surface 3.
Nvidia Shield Tablet review
Would we buy the Shield Tablet if we owned the original Shield (now renamed the Shield Portable)? Probably not. If we were looking for a new tablet and top notch gaming performance was on the checklist, the Shield Tablet is easily the top contender today. We'd take it over the second-gen Nexus 7 in a heart beat. While we understand why Nvidia decided to separate the cover and controller to keep the prices down and avoid the Kinect factor, we think a bundled package with a small price break as an alternative would have been nice. All things considered though, consider us surprised. The Shield Tablet is pretty dang cool.
Samsung Level Over review
It was only a matter of time before Samsung went after the booming headphone market. Lord knows it's successfully gone after all the others. The Samsung Level Over pair we have here sits at the tip of a new three-pronged attack which also includes the Level On over-ears and the Level In in-ears. They're not exactly cheap, costing $350 in the US and £300 in the olde worlde, though you might find them for a touch less online if you look around. And for that money you get a beefy pair of shiny cans in white or black with some very smart features on board.
Android Wear review
Android Wear is in its infancy with a limited number of apps and watches that are meant for early adopters who have both patience and a nearby power outlet at all times. The software generally works, with a straightforward Google Now interface that involves lots of touchscreen and voice recognition input. It feels futuristic on the hand and more practical than Google Glass. But that's no reason for everyone to run out and buy the first-generation Android Wear smartwatches. Android Wear software powers convenience gadgets, but not without a couple of inconvenience flaws.
Xiaomi Mi 3 review
It's a lovely phone for the most part, with the Xiaomi Mi 3 combining a surprising amount of style with high-end power and a supremely polished user interface. The fact it's only available on import is the only substantial issue, as buying one from China through a third-party means possible stress and misery should a warranty claim ever need to be made. Aside from that, though, there's very little not to like. It's probably too late for this particular model to make much of an impact in the US or UK were it to launch now, but the solid and impressive Mi 3 ought to get smartphone fans pumped for Xiaomi's next move.
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In depth: This sporting life: behind the scenes of Sky Sports News HQ
Behind the scenes of Sky Sports News HQ
Screens. Lots of screen. That's the immediate impression you get when you arrive at the new Sky Sports News HQ. The channel has been given its biggest ever revamp ready for the football season with the new look being unveiled 12 August.Key to this look is a brand-new studio that has been created to free presenters from the shackles of the desk and bring some much-needed hustle and bustle to sports news.
"It is the biggest opportunity we have had for totally rethinking how we do the news," said Karen Wilmington, who is head of output at the re-jigged channel - and TechRadar's tour guide through the impressive set.
Those familiar with Sky Sports News will also be familiar with the rather static setup - most of the movement is taken up with the constant churn of sports rumour and news from the vidprinter.
Sky Sports News HQ is set to up the ante on the information it will offer.
Social media is much more ingrained in the new setup and presenters will have the freedom of the floor to deliver those all-important breaking stories at a faster pace.
Perfect shot
Around the news desk there are four computer-operated cameras that have been given the freedom of the studio floor."The four cameras are controlled robotically by a very expensive 'gaming' station," says Wilmington, pointing to a mass of more screens and controls.
"They are controlled one at a time and can go anywhere within the blue vinyl area of the floor."
Because the cameras now shoot 360 degrees, their movement has to be choreographed so shots aren't interrupted by other cameras. And the presenters have to get used to these new movements and the fact there is no one at their helm.
"It's really disconcerting for the first few times when you are in the newsroom and there is no one beside the camera," notes Wilmington.
"It's a way of working extensively in the US and is used a lot on rolling news channels as you can get a variety of shots without having to be very labour intensive - and we have used them for the last few years.
"They can still be used manually - so we can get operators in when we have a really busy day."
On our tour, we see John Davies, one of the lead presenters, practicing before the channel launch.
During the dry run, the massive main display is used; sometimes there's one big image, other times their aggregated Tweets are shown off, with the picture split to an outside broadcast or a press conference. It is clear that Sky is looking to embrace all aspects of the media more than ever when the channel launches and the packed newsroom cum studio reflects this.
"It is busy. We have a dedicated team of reporters sat in front of a TV wall and they can see all of the reports coming in," says Wilmington.
"This is crucial for, say a Saturday, when you have how many dozens of matches and other sports, the entire wall will be filled with sport. It's an environment where they can be in touch with every bit of information.
"We also have a camera that can shoot right up the entire newsroom. This means that if they are sitting there working the presenter can have a relationship with the reporters. They can do their pieces right here and not have to go up to the set, they will have radio mics on and they can bring breaking news quicker to our viewers. It is a much more flexible environment.
"We have also brought in our digital media staff into the room. They now have allocated space, are sitting with the reporters and the planning team and now have a closer relationship."
Transforming transfer deadline day
Throughout the studio there are touch-screen boards as well, so wherever the presenter ends up they will be able to get access to the information they need to keep any eager sports lover informed. It is the use of these tools that mirrors how we all have started to get our information. Sky knows this and is hoping it can use all of these outlets to broadcast the best sports news."We can't just stay the same. We have got to evolve, we have got to develop," says Wilmington.
"We have to encompass everything now in the newsroom. Television, apps, the web, social media. We have teams now to bring all that information, aggregate what people are talking about and ultimately finding out what is the truth and what isn't.
"Obviously on deadline day you will be well aware of the number of different rumours. There is loads of chatter. We can go through all of that, find out what everyone is talking about, what is trending and we will investigate it. Once we know what is true, we will tell you.
"Research shows that as soon as things go yellow on the screen people believe it. For us, things will only go yellow when we are absolutely sure that it is correct.
"Breaking news is massively important but for us it has got to be absolutely right. There is a level of trust that people put into Sky Sports News and we have to maintain that within everything we do."
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Remember Twitch Plays Pokémon? Fish Plays Pokémon is even weirder
The internet came together to collectively play Pokémon games this year using special software that let viewers on Twitch input commands via the site's chat box.
Now that these fanatics have played through every generation of games in the series, though, they've passed the torch to a fish. Yes, really. It's called Fish Plays Pokémon.
A Betta fish, Grayson, is being motion-tracked, its movements translated into commands for Pokémon Blue version. Given the randomness at play, it seems doubtful that Grayson will ever beat the game, but nevertheless there were as many as 20,000 people watching simultaneously today.
If only Grayson could play a modded version of Pokémon where the towns are inhabited by fish who capture humans in little balls and make them fight one another. At least the creators, university students Catherine Moresco and Patrick Facheris, are accepting donations to upgrade his tank.
More blips
Gotta read 'em all! Catch more blips here- Hey Sony, this Gamescom teaser's a joke, right?
- Oculus Rift can now simulate dates ... with an anime lap
- Yo is not happy with Yolo, Yo Hodor and other copycat apps
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Dell is hard at work on mood-reading software for the workplace
Dell is working on software for existing brain-reading headsets that can accurately identify a user's mood, the company says.
The company could release a mood-reading app as soon as 2017, according to the BBC.
Dell's head of research and development Jai Menon said the company's mood-reading tech has applications both at home and in the workplace, which frankly is worrying.
What will the office be like if you can't pretend you're happy and productive whenever the boss walks by?
Dystopia rising
Companies monitoring workers' moods directly is straight out of dystopian sci-fi, but Menon is optimistic.He said Dell researchers have used brain activity headsets by companies like Neurosky to identify users' moods about 50% of the time.
These headsets cost anywhere from $100 (£60, AU$108) to $200 (£120, AU$217), which makes it easy to imagine overbearing corporations buying them in bulk once the tech improves.
Menon suggests Dell's software might sense when a worker is concentrating and automatically direct incoming calls to voicemail, or suggest they take a break if they've been concentrating for a while. There are possibilities for gaming as well.
Of course it could also administer workers a small electric shock if they take too many breaks.
Maybe that's just paranoia talking, but then again, every website you visit is also allegedly doing experiments on you, so maybe not.
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EU once again has Google in its crosshairs, this time over Android
Google has not earned any points with the European Union, despite a years-long antitrust investigation into the company's search practices.
That case finally wrapped up (sort of) earlier in 2014, but now EU authorities are leveling more antitrust claims at the search company, this time regarding its control over Android apps.
The EU is concerned that Google promotes its own apps and shuts out those of competitors in its mobile operating system, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Not only that, but EU Vice President and Commissioner for Competition Joaquín Almunia said in July that he may have to revise the rules of the settlement the Union reached with Google back in February.
Survey says
The EU has reportedly sent out surveys asking companies for any proof that Google required them to only pre-install Google's own apps on Android devices, or at least not to install any apps that compete with Google's apps.These surveys also ask whether companies ever challenged Google on certain policies, such as the search company's anti-fragmentation rules, and how Google responded.
Companies must reply to the questionnaires by Sept. 12 or face sanctions, which is unusual in these circumstances. Maybe they didn't get enough responses to their last survey.
Depending on the replies, EU regulators may begin a formal investigation in the fall, and may even roll this investigation into the previous case against Google.
Shots fired
Naturally Google has its own response."Anyone can use Android without Google and anyone can use Google without Android," the company said in a statement sent to the WSJ.
"Since Android's introduction, greater competition in the smartphone market has given consumers more and better choices," the statement continues. "Both the U.S. [Federal Trade Commission] and Korean Fair Trade Commission have examined Google's agreements around Android in depth and concluded that there was no cause for legal concerns."
We asked Google to send us its full statement, but a company spokesperson declined to comment further.
- Here's everything there is to know about Android L
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Facebook defends against hackers with PrivateCore purchase
Facebook continues its streak of acquisitions with the purchase of online security firm PrivateCore.
The California-based security company was founded in 2012 by industry veterans from Google and VMware, according to its official site.
Neither Facebook nor PrivateCore disclosed financial details concerning the deal, but Facebook said it will use the company's tech to help secure its servers and protect them from malware, hackers and more.
And just in time, too, as researchers this week revealed one of the biggest online data heists in history, with 1.2 billion credentials stolen by a single Russian hacker ring.
Trust in breach
As data breaches like that and 2013's massive Target hack show, security needs to be a big priority for major tech companies."Facebook and PrivateCore have an aligned mission," PrivateCore CEO Oded Horovitz wrote on his company's site. "Facebook has done more than any company to connect the world, and we want to use our secure server technology to help make the world's connections more secure."
He said Facebook will eventually implement PrivateCore's tech to protect Facebook users.
"Working together with Facebook, there is a huge opportunity to pursue our joint vision at scale with incredible impact," he added.
Facebook's shopping spree has also included companies ranging from messaging service WhatsApp to virtual reality pioneers Oculus VR.
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BBC iPlayer coming to Xbox One by the end of 2014
The Xbox One will be able to plug a major void in its on-demand content offering before the year is out, with the news BBC is finally launching an iPlayer app.
In a post on the Beeb's official blog to announce the roll out of the iPlayer's new connected TV experience, the broadcaster revealed the Xbox One app app will arrive in a few short months.
"I am happy to announce that we're aiming to launch new BBC iPlayer on Xbox One by the end of this year," wrote the iPlayer's executive project manager Marcus Parnwell.
The release will bring Microsoft's console up to speed with the Sony PS4, which has had access to the iPlayer app since its launch over a year ago.
YouView too
Elsewhere in the blog, the BBC detailed which connected TVs, Blu-ray players and devices can expect to receive the updated interface that rolled-out on mobile devices and desktop earlier this year.The Corporation also said it was walking towards bringing the update to YouView, Virgin Media and BT set top boxes later this year.
Parnwell added: "Whilst I cannot announce dates, we are targeting this year for these platforms. Similarly, other devices on our legacy version of BBC iPlayer will be migrated to the new version this year as well."
14 features the Xbox One needs to be a kick ass console
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The Moto X+1 might have even better specs than we thought
Last we heard about Motorola's rumored Moto X+1, the upcoming flagship was said to rock the same Snapdragon 800 processor found in countless other handsets.
But according to the latest leak the Moto X+1 might actually sport a more powerful quad-core Snapdragon 801 that's currently powering the Samsung Galaxy S5.
The phone in question appeared on Geekbench as the Motorola XT1097, and speculation suggests that this is the Moto X+1.
And the phone's processor speed of 2.46GHz suggests that it features the upgraded Snapdragon 801, not the 800.
Level up
The Snapdragon chip isn't the only spec this benchmark says is better than what we previously expected.In addition it seems the Moto X+1 might come with slightly more storage, at 32GB instead of 24GB, and a better front-facing camera - 5 megapixels instead of 2.
And don't forget about Android L!
The original Moto X was a looker and a solid phone to boot, but it will definitely be nice for it to get an upgrade.
We're expecting to see the X+1 debut alongside the Moto 360 smartwatch soon.
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Review: Nook GlowLight
Introduction
Although not as well known as Amazon's all-conquering Kindle ereaders, the Nook series was the first to bring in a backlight display with the original Simple Touch GlowLight in 2012.It was well received but, predictably, ousted in sales terms by the introduction of Amazon's own backlight-toting Kindle Paperwhite.
That hasn't stopped US bookseller Barnes & Noble, the company behind the Nook brand, from refining the Simple Touch GlowLight model with a new white design and some enhanced features.
Now known as simply the Nook GlowLight, the new model has been available in the States for some time but has finally arrived in Britain with an easy-on-the-eyes price of £89.
The design remains similar to the original Simple Touch GlowLight, opposing the blocky right angles of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Aura HD with rounded corners and a soft-touch plastic exterior.
The chassis is edged with a light grey silicon trim and the entire device feels comfortable to hold even for long periods of time.
Nook has shaved plenty of excess weight from the GlowLight in the last couple of years, slimming down to 175g from the 197g of the original Simple Touch GlowLight. As Nook is keen to point out, it's also 15% lighter than Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite.
The Nook GlowLight operates with a touchscreen so there are only two physical buttons. There's the "n" button (the Nook brand logo) on the front of the device at the base of the 6-inch e-ink screen. It acts as a universal home button while using the device and will also activate the backlight after a two second long-press.
The second physical button is a power switch found on the left edge of the device, poking through the silicone trim. A microUSB port is the only connection, found on the base of the GlowLight and acts as a charging port and a means of transferring content from or to a PC.
The touchscreen means the old page-turn buttons have been removed which, in my opinion, gives the whole exterior a sleeker and more appealing design.
The Nook GlowLight uses the .epub open standard format and won't recognise the widely popular .mobi format – meaning you won't be able to transfer any over from your PC if you have them saved locally.
It's not really a problem though as for the most part you'll be buying books, magazines and newspapers directly from the Nook store using the in-built Wi-Fi. There's no shortage either; the UK Nook store currently boasts over three million fiction and non-fiction titles as well as newspapers, comics and periodicals.
It's also worth noting that if you're currently an Amazon Kindle owner, anything you've purchased via Amazon's store won't work on the Nook, and vice versa. That's hardly a surprise, and it could make the difference between sticking with an ecosystem or making the switch.
A slight downside over the previous Nook Simple Touch GlowLight is the omission of microSD expandable storage. Instead there's 4GB of native storage with 2GB of that given over to content from the Nook store, enough for 2,000 titles.
Available to buy from various popular outlets including Asda, Sainsbury's and Currys/PC World, the different design and lower price will appeal to some, but how does the Nook GlowLight stand up when it comes to usability and performance?
Key Features
Reading on the device is what it's all about and Nook has increased the screen resolution from the 800 x 600 of the old Nook Simple Touch GlowLight to 1024 x 758 with 212ppi for sharper text and no page flashing when you're in-book.The backlight can be set to varying degrees of brightness in the settings and will illuminate to that level when you hold down the "n" button on the front.
Its overall capacity has been upped since the last model but it always remains comfortable and I was able to read for a long period with the backlight enabled without inducing any eye strain.
And you'll be reading for a long time too. Nook hasn't specified exactly what battery is tucked away inside the GlowLight but says you'll be able to keep reading for up to eight weeks on a single charge.
The anti-glare nature of an e-ink display is what has always bolstered ereaders above tablets and I found the Nook's screen to be perfectly adequate, even in direct sunlight. Measuring in at 165 x 127 x 10mm, the Nook GlowLight is a shade smaller than your average paperback book.
The rounded edges go some way to making it appear smaller as well. The silicone rubber trim around the edge of the device isn't sealed down however, and a fingernail can exploit gaps that could be susceptible to dust or liquid.
It also means you can remove the rubber band and swap it for another colour - you can currently choose from blue or red - although you'll need to fork out some extra cash for the pleasure.
Like any good content-delivery system, the Nook comes with a recommendations feature that will curate titles on the Nook store that might appeal to you, displaying it all in the "picked for you" section.
Working in a similar way to Amazon's Kindle ecosystem, all your purchases are stored on the Nook cloud server for use on multiple devices. So you'll be able to get to your library on a Nook HD tablet or through the Nook Reading apps on Android, iOS and Windows Phone 8.1.
Handily, each device can be synced to your library so that you can pick up reading the same book on a new device right from where you left off on the old one. There's also the option to sample any book on the Nook store before purchasing it, so you can get a taster of the latest Stephen King without having to stump up the cash right away.
Currently the UK Nook store boasts over three million titles, which is about on a par with Amazon's offering, with new releases and special offers added frequently.
The decision to remove the microSD card slot is a bold one. Ultimately, with cloud storage and the ability to store 2,000 books locally, you're never really going to need it. It's a nice feature to have but if it means a cheaper device with minimal compromise then I can see the thinking behind it.
Barnes & Noble hasn't stuck the Nook GlowLight full of features, and the new and improved screen still doesn't best the Kobo Aura HD in terms of pixel resolution. But there's a like-ability to the device that comes from its appearance, price and simplicity to use – more on that later.
Ereaders are very good tools for fulfilling one specific task: reading, and the Nook GlowLight has all the features you'll need, while managing to keep the overall price of the hardware lower than Amazon's offering.
It doesn't feel quite as robust in the hands as the Kindle does, but I was very happy with the low weight and smaller dimensions. It was easy to carry the Nook GlowLight around all day in my bag and forget I had it in there at all.
Interface and performance
When you turn the system on, the screen is split horizontally into your Reading Now and Now on Nook sections.Reading Now shows you the last three titles you opened – be they book, magazine or newspaper – in chronological order with the covers of each displayed. The Now on Nook segment is a scrollable selection of curated content based on your reading habits.
It's a large amount of homescreen real estate given up to what is essentially advertising, but understandable given the upfront cost of the ereader. Barnes & Noble needs to make money and the best way of doing that is to get you to buy more books. Hence the obvious suggestions of what to buy next greeting you as you turn on the device.
Three tabs at the bottom for the screen offer you the option to go to your main library, the Nook shop or to search for a specific title. A small notifications panel in the top right lets you access settings like Wi-Fi, backlight brightness and the current battery life.
It's a remarkably simple layout and having the covers displayed as tabs in the My Library screen works well with the touchscreen. They're bigger targets to prod at than the menu layout, which is available as a separate view.
Once you're into the shop, you can choose to view books, magazines, newspapers or My Wishlist from four buttons at the top of the screen. The middle portion of the display is given up to various offers, new releases and editor's picks. At the bottom is a selection of lists including bestsellers, new releases and the newsstand.
If you're after something specific, you can tap the magnifying glass icon in the top-right hand corner and enter your query using the on-screen keyboard. Despite looking quite small at first glance, the Nook GlowLight's keyboard is easy to operate and much easier than the non-touch keyboards found on earlier ereaders.
If you want to get social you can link the Nook GlowLight up to a Facebook, Twitter or Google account to share quotes from whatever you're reading with your friends. Depending on the sort of online circles you mix in, it's probably a sideline feature at best.
LendMe is another social feature Nook offers; letting you lend books in your library to any friends you have that also own a Nook device. Not all titles are compatible with it though but the ones that are will be visible by default to the Nook friends you have in your contact list.
Gliding through the interface isn't as seamless as we've come to experience on modern tablets. There's about a one second delay between swiping the touchscreen and the action taking place. Loading a fresh book from My Library takes around five seconds.
Inside the Nook GlowLight is an 800Mhz processor and a customised version of the Android 2.1 operating system. For the purposes of reading books it's adequate, but it's worth pointing out that the 1GHz processor inside the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite helps that device feel a touch more responsive.
Nook has done away with the standard blank page refresh and instead you'll get a smooth page fade as you make your way through the book. It's a lot less distracting and I also noticed less ghosting on blank pages as I read.
Although the font has been optimised for the 6-inch display, there is a range of six different font styles to choose from and you can also adjust the size to your preference.
No matter where you are when you're using the Nook GlowLight, there's a small bookmark icon present in the top left-hand corner.
Tap it, and you're taken right back to the page you were last reading in whatever your current book is. It's a handy way of always getting back to the core function of the device no matter what you happen to be browsing.
Battery life and connectivity
The Nook GlowLight uses a non-removable rechargeable battery that, Nook says, will last you for a period of eight weeks on a single charge.Of course, that's providing you stick to a half-hour of reading per day and keep the backlight and Wi-Fi off.
Sticking those features on will have a detrimental effect on the battery but you'll still get at least a couple of weeks of good reading time from the GlowLight.
A strong plus point of ereaders has always been the longer battery life afforded by an e-ink screen and the GlowLight is no different. It'll suit the purpose of a ten day holiday or a long weekend away without needing a charge.
While I was content to leave the device on standby, you can long-press the power button on the left hand side of the device to turn it completely off, thereby saving even more juice long-term.
Wired connectivity comes in the form of the single microUSB port that acts as both charger and file transfer.
Because the Nook runs on open source Android you can simply drag and drop files from your PC to the device.
There's no Bluetooth or NFC as the Nook GlowLight relies exclusively on Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity, although, due to the limited features, there's not much more you'll use it for than browsing and buying books through the Nook store.
Verdict
Although at first I was a bit dismissive of the Nook GlowLight (I thought it looked a bit like a child's toy) I actually grew to like it over the five or so days I spent reviewing it.It fit snugly into my bag and felt comfortable in my hands when I pulled it out for a spot of reading on the bus.
We liked
The backlight is a great feature, and I wouldn't buy or recommend any ereader without it. On the Nook GlowLight it was crisp and evenly distributed across the screen and great for reading in low light. What I particularly liked was getting this feature for less than £90.The battery life and simplicity of the interface are also strong positives here and it's to be commended that Nook shaved space and weight from the device but kept the battery life unaffected.
We disliked
There is a noticeable delay and sluggishness when it comes to the touchscreen. Loading up the store, downloading and opening books all takes time and it's something that comes as a surprise having grown familiar with speedy tablets.Also, it goes without saying that Barnes & Noble doesn't have the visibility or the resources that Amazon does. So while books are competitively priced on the Nook store, I'm not convinced that the US bookseller will be able to match its retailer rival when it comes to special offers and exclusive content.
Final verdict
The Nook GlowLight isn't better than the Kindle Paperwhite, but it is a viable alternative for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's cheaper upfront by £20. If you're looking for just a standard ereader with a backlight, then this will suffice.Secondly, the design is different enough from Amazon's sharp, black rectangle to give you a moment's consideration. If, like me, you've had enough of black and grey gadgets and like the thought of a clean white look, then this could be for you. Yes, it's massively subjective, but all I'm saying is consider it.
As an ereader the Nook GlowLight is a perfectly serviceable device – it has its drawbacks and there are omissions, such as microSD support. But if you're looking to pick up a reliable ereader with all the basic features you'll need and a bulging library of titles to take advantage of, then this is £89 well spent.
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Review: Canon IXUS 265
Introduction and features
Whenever someone asks me to recommend a compact camera that is sleek, stylish, feature-packed and offers great quality, those from the Canon IXUS range usually spring to mind.The 265 sits at the top of Canon's current line-up of its stylish brand (it generally refers to its more enthusiast based cameras as PowerShots).
It features a 16-million pixel CMOS sensor, which is back-illuminated for better performance in low light. It also features a Digic 4+ processor, which is a couple of generations below the latest available, but has still proven itself to be a good performer in the past.
The camera's 12x optical zoom covers a 35mm equivalent range of 25-300mm. There's also digital zoom available in the form of ZoomPlus, which boosts that up to 24x, and a further 4x digital zoom to make a combined total of 48x.
A number of different shooting modes are available, but a couple that are of particular interest is Hybrid Auto, which creates a short video clip two seconds before the shutter button is pressed and combines all the clips at the end of the day for an overview of your day – a fun setting for day trips, holidays, weddings, parties and so on.
The second is Creative Shot, which automatically takes a set of five different photos each with a different digital filter applied to it.
Full HD video recording is available, as well as Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity for sharing images between devices, such as your smartphone or tablet. On the back of the camera is a three-inch 461,000 dot screen, which isn't touch sensitive.
Build quality and handling
As I generally find with IXUS cameras, the IXUS 265 has a very sleek chassis which has a very pleasing outward appearance. It's impressively small considering it has a 12x optical zoom too – you won't struggle to fit this camera in your jeans pocket, making it ideal for carrying with you all the time.
On top of the camera is the on/off button, shutter release and a switch for moving between the three different exposure modes the camera offers – automatic, creative shot and the fun Hybrid Auto mode. It's nice to be able to quickly toggle between the fully automatic and in particular creative mode – great if you're using the creative mode but quickly want to capture a "normal" shot.
Once the automatic selection has been chosen, you can choose a few different modes, accessed by pressing the function button on the back of the camera. There's fully automatic, which sees the camera take complete control of the camera, Program mode, Portrait, Smart Shutter (the camera will take a shot when it detects a face), High-speed Burst, Handheld NightScene, Low Light and a few digital filters, including Toy Camera and Fish-Eye Effect.
If you choose to shoot in Program Mode then you'll be able to make changes to various settings including sensitivity (ISO), white balance, metering and the different colour settings the camera offers. There's no way to control aperture or shutter speed though – but then again this camera isn't aimed at those looking for that level of control in a compact.
There's a decent number of buttons on the back of the camera, including a standard four-way navigational pad, with each directional key controlling a specific function. The left controls macro focusing, up controls exposure compensation, right controls the flash mode, while the down key changes the display mode.
A dedicated button is found on the back for accessing the Wi-Fi settings the camera offers. From here you can connect the camera to your phone for quickly transferring images and video across, or remotely controlling the camera. You can't upload directly to sites such as Facebook from the camera itself.
Pressing a function button in the centre of the four-way navigational pad lets you access the most commonly used settings. There will be more settings displayed on the menu if you are shooting in Program Auto mode than using fully automatic or scene modes. While in Program mode, from here you can access settings such as white balance, metering and sensitivity (ISO).
It's likely to be pretty rare that you'll need to dive into the full menu, but if you do, you'll find it fairly well organised into two separate tabs – one for image quality type settings, and another for general settings such as date and time.
Performance
As I've come to expect from Canon IXUS cameras, I was very impressed with the performance from the IXUS 265. For those looking for a great all round camera without having to worry about manual controls and so on, this is an excellent option.Colours are bright and punchy straight from the camera, displaying the pleasingly warm tones that Canon cameras have become known for. If you want to adjust how colours appear, and you're shooting in Program Auto, you can choose different settings from the MyColors menu – this is a good idea if you want to boost contrast, or shoot in something like monochrome.
Bear in mind however that as the camera doesn't have the ability to shoot in raw format, whichever colour you choose you won't be able to change it in post-production.
Detail is also impressive, especially in those shots taken at lower sensitivities, such as ISO 200. The overall impression of detail is excellent, and if you examine at 100%, while some image smoothing is visible at these low sensitivities, detail is rendered particularly well for a camera with a sensor of this size (1/2.3 inch).
Pushing the sensitivity up to higher levels reveals the introduction of image smoothing. At ISO 800, this isn't too bad, especially at normal or printing sizes. At ISO 1600, it's a fair bit worse, but this should only present a problem if you're photographing something which is extremely detailed in low light without the flash, in which case it is to be expected.
The camera's automatic white balance system copes well with several different kinds of light, including artificial and mixed lighting sources. Similarly, the camera's metering system generally does a good job of producing accurate exposures – I hardly needed to adjust exposure compensation at all.
Focusing is quick and generally accurate. If you're shooting in Program Auto mode, you can activate macro focusing, which is useful for getting close for frame-filling shots. If shooting in fully automatic mode, macro focusing should be activated automatically if you get close to a subject.
The IXUS 265 has a 12x optical zoom, which should be enough flexibility for the majority of shooting conditions. Images taken at the furthest reach of the optical zoom retain a good amount of detail, while even those taken at 24x Zoom Plus are decent, giving you that extra reach if you need it. I wouldn't personally use the 48x digital zoom unless absolutely necessary – but again it's nice to have it there if you need it.
Some of the digital filters which are available in the Creative Mode are good – it's just a shame that you can't select them individually. Instead, if you want more control, when shooting in Program Auto mode, you can choose from the Function menu a limited, and different, range of filters – some of which seem a little outdated now.
Sample images
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At 24mm, the widest point of the IXUS 265's 12x optical zoom lens allows you to get a wide view of the scene in.
Click here to see full resolution image
Optical image stabilisation helps you to compose an image with ease and keeps images taken at the furthest point of the telephoto optic blur free.
Click here to see full resolution image
The IXUS 265's automatic white balance system has coped well here with the artificial lighting to produce an image with accurate colours.
Click here to see full resolution image
There's lots of detail produced by the camera's sensor, despite it being relatively small.
Click here to see full resolution image
Here the camera's metering system has coped well with the difficult lighting condition to produce an image which is well exposed.
Click here to see full resolution image
Activating the camera's macro mode allows you to get nice and close to the subject for extra fine detail.
Click here to see full resolution image
Colours are bright and punchy directly from the camera, without being overly vibrant.
Click here to see full resolution image
At ISO 800, there is some loss of detail if you examine the image at 100%, but the overall impression of detail is good when viewed at normal printing and web sizes, giving you the confidence to use the camera in low light conditions without the flash.
Click here to see full resolution image
An example of one of the filters applied when using Creative Shot. The only control you have here is to choose from different sets of filters, such as Retro or Monochrome.
Click here to see full resolution image
Another example – sometimes the camera will apply random crops to the image as well as applying a filter, again not something you have control over.
Verdict
The IXUS 265 is what I'd describe as a good all-rounder that delivers well on image quality while also being an attractive package in other ways.A 12x optical zoom should be adequate for most uses, with the decent ZoomPlus option pushing that 24x should you need the extra reach. Image stabilisation does an excellent job too of keeping things steady during composition.
Adding fun modes like Creative Mode and Hybrid Auto also makes this an attractive proposition, although personally I'd like to see more control over the creative filters on offer. Wi-Fi functionality is also a nice-to-see bonus now, one which is becoming more unusual when it isn't offered. In this case, being able to quickly ping a photo across to your smartphone for sharing online is appealing to the Instagram generation.
We liked
Packing a 12x optical zoom and very good image quality into a sleek and stylish body should be applauded. There's plenty to like about this little camera, which is also available in a range of sleek colours to suit every need.We disliked
Happily, there's not all too much to dislike about the IXUS 265, but if I'm being picky, I'd quite like a touchscreen, and the ability to set the autofocus point – that would make it more akin to using a mobile phone camera, and give you more flexibility.Verdict
A smart and stylish compact camera which is an ideal choice for those looking for something that they can easily slip into a pocket and forget about. It doesn't offer lots of manual control, but if you just want something for your holiday, parties and nights out, this is ideal.
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Jeremy Laird: In-car apps are terrible and it's time for an urgent rethink
Cars are not smartphones. A simple enough notion, but not one that most motor manufacturers seem to grasp.
For proof, observe the rush to implement irrelevant and maybe even dangerous apps in the latest cars. You're nobody today without in-car facebook and twitter support.
But I've reached the point where every time I see social networking support in the feature list of an in-car multimedia system, I have the urge to self harm. I can't take the nonsense any longer.
In fact, I'd wager virtually nobody really uses that kind of integrated in-car social networking functionality. It's there so that car companies can stick it in brochures, make the spec list look edgy and up to date and to give salesman an extra line or two for their showroom patter. Awful.
It's all part of a trend that's seeing car makers increasingly attempt to mimic smartphone and tablet functionality in their cars. Renault even has its own app store for its (dreadful) Android-based R-Link system.
It's not a smartphone, stupid
But somebody has got to put a stop to this silliness and rethink the direction of in-car multimedia. Tweeting and driving are simply incompatible. And if you're a passenger, you're far better off using your smartphone or tablet to browse Facebook, not a clumsy in-car system.More to the point, if as much effort went into creating genuinely useful apps as goes into ticking social networking boxes and the like, we'd have some really awesome apps by now.
Instead, I'm struggling to count the number of excellent apps on the fingers of one hand. There's a good group of nav apps with Google Send-to-car topping that list - being able to plot out your route in comfort at home and then pinging it straight to your car is just fabulous.
Likewise, being able to track your car on your phone can come in handy – but has limitations such as underground and multi-storey car parks. Ditto being able to lock and unlock your car remotely, which is offered by some manufacturers including BMW but obviously only works when your car has a cellular signal.
Internet-connected multimedia apps like internet radio can be great but here we're beginning to stray into territory where such functionality is better handled by your smartphone. That said, you want seamless and intuitive control of such smartphone features in-car and on-screen, which several manufacturers including Mercedes have begun to grasp.
Audi also deserves some kind of gong for its upcoming rebuild of the MMI platform as seen in the new TT sports coupé. Audi has done something very rare – taken inspiration from mobile devices and put it to good use.
Reboot, rethink
Specifically, what Audi has implemented is the global search function found in mobile Oses. No need to jump through endless sub-menus. Just start punch in an address and MMI will work out it's a navigation destination. That's genuinely useful in-car where digging through menus can be distracting for drivers and therefore genuinely dangerous.OK, that's not strictly an app, but then I am struggling for good examples.
Anyway, overall, what's needed is a rethink of what actually works in-car. Apps that make driving more fun, finding places easier or doing something new that's actually useful.
It's an issue that's been niggling away at me for some time and it came to a head when I had a play with the new GoPro app for BMWs in the M3 super saloon.
It gives you control over GoPro's Hero cameras directly through BMW iDrive. It's not perfect, but it does offer unambiguous advantages – especially for the driver – over a smartphone as the control device in-car.
It's the rare 'good' app like that that makes you realise just how pointless the checkbox apps including social networking truly are.
As for ideas for better apps for the future, well, if I could answer that I'd be making my fortune in another way. But while car manufacturers continue to concentrate on pointless trinkets for apps, we're unlikely to find out.
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In Depth: iPods to ear pods: smartphones are supercharging hearing aids
Hearing smartly
The notion that wearables are a new thing is wrong. The name might have only just become common vernacular, but wearable technology is centuries old.The common set of spectacles, blood pressure monitors and hearing aids are all examples of how humans have sought to overcome impairment through technology, but now we're taking that idea to a new level.
Google wants to augment the world you see through glasses, while phone manufacturers and fitness trackers are falling over themselves to monitor heart rates, and in 2014, the hearing aid is getting the boost it sorely needs through integration with the smartphone.
Given that already one in six UK-dwellers already has some form of hearing loss (and a third of those are of working age) and the number is only going to increase to 14.5 million in 2031 (according to Action on Hearing Loss) the need for better hearing aids has never been higher.
The good news is solutions are now arriving, and are being hugely enhanced by connection to the mobile phone, with GN ReSound's LiNX and Starkey's Halo a new breed of hyper-connected, confirmed 'Made for iPhone' hearing aids.
While the price isn't cheap (up to £6000 / $10000 / AU$ 11000 for the most expensive) they offer a variety of benefits that combine the power of a smartphone with small, unobtrusive hearing devices.
A wireless revolution
"The market for hearing aids is growing," Mohammed Qasim Shiraz, UK product manager for GN ReSound, told TechRadar. "Before it was mostly over 65 year-olds, but now the digital market is below 65; children are being fitted with hearing aids within the first few months being born."The amount of hearing aids being used in people of working age, combined with an increase of the average age of the smartphone user, means the time has finally come to integrate the two technologies.
Prior to products like the LiNX and Halo combining with newer iPhones, iPod touch models or iPads, users would need to carry or install cumbersome extra accessories like a wireless pendant or phone clip to allow phones to speak to the hearing aids.
Shiraz pointed to the tie-in with Apple as a reason that consumers can therefore save costs, but said there were many more advantages of being able to control hearing aids from a phone, through a dedicated app.
The LiNX hearing aids connect to the iPhone through two different frequencies: Bluetooth 4.0 (low energy) and a proprietary 2.4GHz connection, which required a lot of work between the Danish audiological company and the Cupertino manufacturer.
"We didn't say: 'we want to work with Apple and nobody else," said Shiraz. "But Apple has been the most ready in terms of technology and have worked very hard with hearing aid companies.
"[Apple was] one of a host of companies that looked at our wireless technology. There's a strong stability with [its] technology and platform."
The strength of combining a hearing aid with a smartphone is the fact it removes so many other tools previously needed to improve hearing technology. Not only can you stream music directly from your iDevice, but users can get tailored programs to improve their ability to hear in different environments.
For instance, listening to someone in a quiet room and noisy restaurant needs different levels of noise suppression, which would have previously required fiddling with the units behind the ear or using a dedicated remote control. Now it's a simple as a tap on the screen, meaning users don't even have to admit to having a hearing impairment – instead, it can be put down to today's acceptance of antisocial phone fiddling.
The smartphone also brings other benefits – it's packed with sensors that can benefit hearing aid users. Using GPS, they can geotag an area with a certain set of settings and be prompted to activate them when re-entering the same place.
The smartphone's display also helps save a great deal of money too, according to Shiraz.
"The best feature response I've seen for the LiNX is 'Find my hearing aid'. The price of these hearing aids is not cheap by any means, and one of nicest things people found is, if they've lost their hearing aids and it would normall cost a few thousand to get more, the finder feature shows where they were last seen, giving the postcode indication.
"But if they're nearby and turned on, the Bluetooth LE connection shows bars that get 'hot and cold' depending on how close you are."
A smarter phone
The 'Made for iPhone' hearing aid compatibility is impressive. Seasoned phone-fiddlers will have noted accessibility settings in most handsets, but until needed, most of us don't venture in to see what they do.But by pairing with the LiNX hearing aids through Bluetooth, they not only act like wireless headphones, in that they connect as soon as both are in range of one another, but Apple has implemented a triple-tap function on its home key that brings up the accessibility screen from anywhere in the phone.
"It's a really powerful function," said Shiraz. "It gives users an easy interface, and offers access to a lot of things from the app."
However, before something as crucial as a hearing aid gets drawn into the Android / Apple battle, it's more important to celebrate what a smartphone can do for the hearing impaired beyond these connected technological aids.
Projects such as BioAid are ongoing to simply connect and augment the smartphone microphone up to generic wireless headphones using an app – or even apps that can connect to existing hearing aids to allow the kinds of control on offer here.
But that doesn't mean that GN ReSound isn't looking at the Android platform – it's just that given the level of complexity needed to communicate with the LiNX means that trying to code for all phones is virtually impossible.
Building the connectivity into iPhones and iPads needed direct work with Apple, and while phones like the Galaxy S5 have the necessary compatibility, Shiraz said it wasn't that simple, although admitted that owners of popular Android phones might be able to use the LiNX in the future too:
"The biggest struggle with Android is the platforms they operate on. iOS is one platform, but with Android we're looking at over 1200 platforms.
"That's not to say that [future developments] won't be coming on that. If you want to connect to every Android device, I would say it's going to take a long time. Like I said, work's being done, and it would make sense to concentrate on the most popular handsets out there."
While there are still inherent problems in making these super-connected earphones useable day to day – Bluetooth connectivity takes a lot of power, but Shiraz believes that users will get up to a week's use on a standard hearing aid battery – as well as the cost, these problems are being surmounted thanks, in part, to the rapid advance of smartphone technology.
It's not hard to believe in a few years that the smartphone could be the portal for improving quality of life for hearing, sight and speech impairments, with projects like this just the beginning.
Read More ...
Sky will now let you watch any Premier League club on demand
For the first time ever, Sky Sports On Demand will be giving every single Barclays Premier League club its own individual channel within the app.
You'll be able to pick from 20 different club sections in the On Demand section of your box, letting you catch up on matches specifically for your favourite team.
You'll also be able to check out interviews, documentaries and features to keep you going between games.
Sky Sports Head of Football, Gary Hughes, said that the new feature was part in response to a "massive growth" in on demand TV viewing.
The new service will kick in with the new football season, in which Sky has scheduled a mightily impressive 116 live Premier League fixtures.
Revamped apps
When it comes to Sky's bevvy of sports apps, there have also been a number of updates. Sky Sports for iPad is now a hub for all Sky Sports video and news content, while the mobile apps now have more of an onus on breaking news. Enhancements to Football Score Centre have also been announced.TechRadar was at the launch of the new apps and spoke to David Gibbs, Director of Digital Media at Sky Sports, who explained that the app revamps were part of making the Sky Sports experience seamless across platforms.
"Whatever screen you are on, whatever device, you will know it is a Sky Sports service they are using," said Gibbs.
"We have put all of our channels in one place so you can watch and keep up to date all through the app."
According to Gibbs, alongside a new look the apps offer real-time video and up-to-date bitesize video clips.
Sky is using its iPad as a content hub for all Sky Sports channels and will offer up more personalisation than before, as well as more of an embrace of social media. This means you will see aggregated Twitter feeds and the ability to join in the debate with polls.
Football Score Centre's refresh means this app is speedier and offers up enhanced match coverage, betting integration and deeper stats. You can now track four separate teams as well as keep an eye on match statistics.
"We have listened to our users - they want a faster app, the ability to follow more than one team, better UI and more video. And that's what we have delivered," said Gibbs.
Expect to see these new upgrades from the start of the new football season.
Read More ...
Review: Updated: Google Nexus 5
Introduction
When the Nexus 5 launched in October 2013 it was lauded as "the best that Google has to offer", but almost a year on is that still the case or has the search giant's darling handset fallen behind the times?The Nexus 5 has been updated with the very latest software and it now boasts Android 4.4.4 KitKat inside. I've updated this review to reflect this change and the increasing pressure from new fleet of low-cost, yet highly specced competitors.
That said, the Nexus 5 is still a lean, mean Android machine, beyond the reach of OEM embellishment and carrier bloatware.
It delivers a streamlined experience that's stylish, refined, and lightning fast, and it does all this at a jaw-droppingly low price. Although, as already mentioned, that price isn't quite so jaw-dropping now.
You can snag the 16GB version of the Nexus 5 for £299 or you can lay down an extra £40 and get the 32GB version for £339.
In terms of hardware the Nexus 5 is still just about a premium smartphone, it just doesn't have a premium price tag.
The Nexus 5 was able to hold its own with the top devices of 2013, including the iPhone 5S, Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and Sony Xperia Z1, but hold it up against the flagships of 2014 and the Nexus 5 is left lagging behind.
Its 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip isn't as power efficient as the 801 model which adorns the latest high-end smartphones, but the 2GB RAM is still on par, as is the 5-inch 1080p display.
On top of the very latest Android update the Nexus 5 also sports the elegant Google Experience Launcher on top.
If you're wondering where Google cut corners on the Nexus 5 then you might point an accusatory finger at the camera and the battery life.
When compared to the very reasonably priced OnePlus One with a 5.5-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, 13MP camera and £229 price tag the Nexus 5 loses some of the value for money sheen.
There's also challengers from other firms in this space, with the likes of the Moto X and Xiaomi Mi 3 looking for a foothold.
I never expected to fall in love with the Nexus 5, but it seduced me. It certainly has its flaws, and I'll get into them in due course, but it's also a beautiful phone that sets a benchmark for Android.
The Nexus 5 is a vessel. Google's flagship is supposed to compete at the premium end of the market, but it would prefer the software, not the hardware to be the star of the show. To that end, it is almost completely devoid of superfluous detail.
As I rest it vertically on the arm of my couch it conjures visions of the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. To soften it off and make it more comfortable to hold, the corners are rounded.
This black slab (which also comes in white and red) is all about the screen and the entire front of the Nexus 5 is glass. The only details that break it up are the round earpiece centre top and the front-facing camera to the left of it. There is actually an LED notification light down below the screen, but you'll only see that when it blinks into life.
Despite having a five-inch display, the Nexus 5 measures just 137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6mm and the bezels are nice and thin.
With a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which translates to 445ppi, the Nexus 5 display looks crisp and accurate. It's an IPS display, and while critics will point to AMOLED's superior brightness and black levels, you'd be hard pressed to notice.
The back and sides are soft-touch, matte plastic and it only weighs 130g. Flip it over and you'll see a couple of design flourishes.
The word "Nexus" is embossed in lowercase gloss, with a tiny LG logo below it. Up top on the left you'll find the glaring round eye of the 8MP camera, which is surprisingly big. A tiny LED flash is just below.
The bottom edge has a standard microUSB port and there are two grilles either side of it - the Nexus 5 only has one speaker in there; the other hides a microphone. Up top you'll see the standard 3.5mm headphone port and a tiny hole for an extra microphone.
On the left spine there's a ceramic volume rocker, with no markings. On the right spine there's a ceramic power button and the SIM tray, which you'll need a SIM tool or a pin to pop out. The Nexus 5 does not open, so there's no microSD card support or battery switching.
The Nexus 5 is one of the most comfortable phones I've ever used. It is comparably slow to heat up, so there are no issues holding it while watching movies or during extended gaming sessions. The soft-touch finish contrasts perfectly with the ceramic buttons, which makes them very easy to find and use without looking.
There are negatives. The camera lens protrudes enough to make you worry about it taking the brunt of any impact when the Nexus 5 is put down on a flat surface. That glass expanse, without any protective lip or border, suggests that a drop could easily result in disaster and scratches might be easy to come by.
There's also the inevitable smudging from fingerprints, which turns up on the back and the front, but that's a common problem.
It's not a flashy design, but the Nexus 5 does feel solid and well made. It may be a little big for easy one-handed operation if you don't have big hands, but the extra screen size will justify that trade-off for most people.
At this price, the design of the Nexus 5 is impressive. It's understated, almost making the iPhone 5S look gaudy, and it feels more expensive than the Galaxy S4.
Key features
The price
Ultimately it's the price of the Google Nexus 5 which makes it an attractive proposition, and while the OnePlus One and co. may be trying to encroach on its territory, Google's own-brand is still the dominate force in the high-spec, low-cost arena.£299 for a premium Android smartphone that's this good is very good. Even at £339 for the 32GB version, the Nexus 5 is still seriously temtping.
Apple devices are expensive. The iPhone 5S starts at £549 for the 16GB version and you'll have to lay out an extra £80 to get a 32GB model for £629, or pay a whopping £709 if you want the 64GB version.
While Apple is comfortable with its premium pricing strategy, the Nexus 5 has really put pressure on the competing Android flagships.
The Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and LG G2 have all witnessed dramatic price cuts over the past 12 months, while the Nexus 5 has managed to retain its sale price much better.
And now there's the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G3 and HTC One M8 - all costing close to £550 or even more depending on your capacity.
Whatever way you cut it, the Nexus 5 is a lot of phone for your money, and it looks like a real attempt to drive prices down, which can only be a good thing for consumers.
However, we've since seen the OnePlus One - better specs than the Nexus 5 and coming in even cheaper - is this the phone Google should be worried about perhaps?
The camera
It would be fair to say that the camera in the Nexus 5 was a bit of a disaster on release. It's an 8MP shooter with optical image stabilization that's intended to be a good substitute for a point-and-shoot camera.There's nothing wrong with the hardware, but the software let it down badly. The camera was far too slow to focus and could be slow to launch, which killed your chances of capturing those spontaneous moments with friends and family.
In ideal conditions the Nexus 5 camera could capture stunning shots, but how often do you get ideal conditions?
Google listened to the criticism and quickly released an update to deal with the slow focus issue by balancing speed and image quality a bit better.
Where previously it would take forever to capture a shot, as you waited for the auto-focus, especially in low light conditions, or with fast-moving subjects, after the update it's much faster.
It also enables the camera app to load a little faster, and improved the contrast to produce more vibrant colours. The HDR+, which is exclusive to the Nexus 5, gets a much-needed progress indicator.
Further updates to the Android camera application have also seen the UI changed a little, as well as the addition of a new feature - Lens Blur - and an easier to use settings menu.
Results are generally respectable, but it's still not the greatest shooter on the market. You can take a look for yourself in the camera section later in this review.
Speed
The Nexus 5 is really about speed and power. The snappy processor dovetails with the Android 4.4 platform beautifully.
Google did not cut any corners with the quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor. It was a cutting-edge CPU at the time that had been paired with the Adreno 330 GPU.
That's the same combination you'll find in the LG G2, the Sony Xperia Z1, and some variants of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
While the power setup in the Nexus 5 has now been usurped by more power efficient and feature packed offerings, it's still capable of handling pretty much anything you throw at it.
Interface and performance
The display on the Nexus 5 is excellent, which makes this a great device for consuming entertainment.LG's mature IPS LCD technology really delivers. The colours look accurate and the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution on the 4.95-inch screen translates to an amazing 445ppi (pixels per inch).
To put that in context, the iPhone 5S has 326ppi, the Galaxy S5 is on 432ppi and the HTC One M8 can only boast 441ppi.
Put it side-by-side with an iPhone 5S or Galaxy S5 and you might detect a yellow tint. The display on the Nexus 5 is also not as bright as its competitors, which has a slight impact on legibility, particularly in direct sunlight.
On the whole, Google's compelling proposition is a premium smartphone that doesn't have to feel uncomfortable in flagship company. It has achieved a winning price without compromising on quality.
As the poster phone for Android 4.4 KitKat, the Nexus 5 shows off the latest version of the platform beautifully, and it has a few exclusive extras.
I fully expect it to be at the front of the queue when Google hands out its next delicious upgrade in the form of Android L. According to Google's reasoning for not updating the Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.4, the Nexus 5 can expect to get updates for at least the next 18 months.
If you're coming from an earlier version of Android then there are lots of little improvements to enjoy. I cover the full details in my Android 4.4 KitKat review, but highlights include productivity extras, a redesign for the messaging and phone apps, and a general boost in performance which comes under the banner of Project Svelte.
The interface has been significantly lightened and slimmed down. Icons are white and menus are grey, where once they were blue, and the Roboto font looks as though it has been on a diet.
The Nexus 5 also boasts the exclusive Google Experience Launcher. You'll find the touch sensitive trio of back, home, and multitasking at the bottom.
The app dock sits above them with an app drawer icon in the centre which will take to you full app list. The rest of the dock is customisable so you can add your favourites and have them accessible on every home screen.
Swipe right to left and you'll access additional home screens. White dots at the bottom of the screen indicate how many home screens you have and which one you're on, although sadly you can't tap on them to shortcut to another screen.
Drag an icon to the right and you can create a new home screen. There doesn't seem to be a limit, and if you empty a home screen it simply disappears.
Long press on any home screen and you'll see your full scrollable list and get access to wallpapers, widgets, and settings. By dumping widgets from the app drawer and making the app icons bigger, there are now four across a screen instead of five, the interface is easier to navigate and clearer.
Swipe left to right on the home screen and you'll find Google Now, which can also be brought to life by the magic words "okay Google" uttered on the home screen (though you will need to set your language to US English in Settings > Google > Search > Voice for that to work).
Notifications and quick settings are easily accessed by pulling down the notification shade from the top of the screen. Android has the best notification system around, and you can find everything you need to know in here.
Part of the reason that the interface is so accessible is the speed. The Nexus 5 is a top performer. It has a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 with an Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM.
When I ran Geekbench 3 on the latest Android 4.4.4 software the multi-core score averaged 2832 - up from the 2579 average on an earlier version of KitKat . That's also higher than last year's Galaxy S4 and HTC One and only just behind the Galaxy S5 and One M8.
By combining that processing power with the carefully optimized Android 4.4 platform Google has delivered a completely lag-free and highly responsive experience. The Nexus 5 is a dream to use.
You can skip in and out of apps and games without any stuttering. Even with more than 20 entries in the multitasking menu there's no hint of a pause.
You can snag the Nexus 5 in 16GB or 32GB versions. The actual capacity is always less; in this case you get 26.7GB on the 32GB version and around 12GB on the 16GB version. If you consider that it's not unusual for graphically impressive games to be over 1GB in size, you'll see the sense in opting for the 32GB version.
Remember that you can get an extra 15GB of free cloud storage by using Google Drive, and it's worth automatically backing up photos and videos, so you never lose them.
Battery life and the essentials
Battery life
I have had to charge the Google Nexus 5 every day since I started using it. Starting out with a full battery it's generally 30% or below by the end of the day, and for really heavy usage days it needed a top-up before bedtime.
Now, there isn't really any such thing as "normal" usage, but it would be fair to say that I'm a heavy user. I take my phone everywhere and use it frequently. I left Wi-Fi and mobile data on at all times, enabled location tracking with high accuracy, and opted into Google Now.
A typical day will include a cumulative hour of gaming, maybe 90 minutes worth of web browsing, a couple of photos, and a smattering of app action in Facebook, eBay, Twitter, and Flipboard, not to mention obsessive email checks (even with it set to a 15 minute refresh rate).
What this reveals, beyond my worrying smartphone addiction, is that the Nexus 5 is fairly typical.
Initially the battery life is very erratic, but this is no cause for concern, because you should find that it settles down after the first few days. Remember that downloading and installing a burst of apps tends to eat the battery life fast.
Downloading and installing an exceptionally large game, such as Asphalt 8: Airborne, which is 1.6GB, using Wi-Fi actually ate a staggering 10% of my battery.
If you use the Nexus 5 to navigate with turn-by-turn directions or play a graphically intensive game, like the aforementioned, Asphalt 8 then you will really notice a major drain.
The Nexus 5 battery dropped 3% in ten minutes of gaming. Streaming a 55 minute episode of Breaking Bad through Netflix ate 20% of the remaining battery life. A 15 minute call drained just 2% away.
I should also point out that my home is outside 4G range, so if you've got LTE coverage that could drain the juice faster. On days when I was able to get an LTE connection I didn't notice a major difference, but your mileage may vary.
The Nexus 5 battery is rated at 2,300mAh, a bit lower than the Galaxy S4's 2,600mAh battery.
Our 90 minute video NyanGareth battery test, with the screen at full brightness, knocked the Nexus 5 from fully-charged down to 74%.
The essentials
Inside or outside, in a busy shop, or a deserted street, the Nexus 5 made and received calls with no problems. Callers reported my dulcet tones came through loud and clear, even with my four year-old son screaming in the background, which points to some good noise cancellation skills.
I also found callers came through with plenty of volume and clarity on my end. The speakerphone isn't as clear, but it does the job.
The phone app has been overhauled again in Android 4.4.4 and it's very convenient to use. The last call is listed at the top and then you get big contact spaces for your most frequently contacted friends and family.
When you do need to call a more distant contact you can just type in the search bar at the top and you'll rarely have to enter more than a couple of letters before they pop up.
You can also search for local businesses in here and call them directly, which can be very handy when you need a pizza at short notice.
I love the keyboard on the Nexus 5. Google has definitely made improvements, because for the first few days I would pause after a staccato burst of typing to go back and make corrections, only to find that the text was error-free. The swiping option has also been improved, making one-handed typing much easier.
The purity of the Google experience on offer here is unmatched anywhere else. Cast an eye over the pre-installed apps, from Maps to Hangouts, from Gmail to Quickoffice, from the Chrome browser to YouTube, the strength of the Google ecosystem is impressive.
Swipe to the right on the home screen and there's Google Now, ready to serve. The Nexus 5 offers everything that's good about Google in a streamlined format.
I can't move on without discussing the newly merged Hangouts app, which puts Google's chat messenger together with your standard text messaging.
It means you have one port of call for chatting to friends and family via text (assuming you use Hangouts).
Text message threads have now been merged with your instant messaging threads in Android 4.4.4, and there's a clever auto-detect so you don't have to manually choose your method. It's good to see integration generally, especially when it reduces the number of apps you need on your phone.
Camera
The Nexus 5 has an 8MP main camera with a 1/3.2-inch CMOS sensor and an F2.4 30mm equivalent lens. The OIS (optical image stabilisation) helps you eliminate camera shake, and it's pretty easy to point-and-shoot and get good results.You tap the shutter button to take a shot and you can tap on screen to choose a subject to focus on, but there's no tap to focus and shoot in one. You get vastly superior results if you're able to take your time, hold tap and hold on the shutter button and just lift your finger off when you're ready to capture.
Extra options are accessible via the small circle icon sporting three dots just next to the large shutter key. Here you'll find controls for flash, countdown timer, HDR+, gridlines and the ability to flip to the front snapper.
This is an easier setup to the awkward arc which adorned the camera app pre Android 4.4.4, and it makes getting to various functions much quicker.
If you fancy a few camera modes slide your finger in from the left side of the screen, where you'll be greeted with Photo Sphere, Panorama, Lens Blur, Camera and Video modes.
Lens Blur is a recently added mode, as Google jumps on the background defocus bandwagon that many manufacturers are already riding.
It takes a few seconds for the Nexus 5 to process the Lens Blur image before you can tinker with the effect.
Swipe from right to left to jump into your camera roll, and any image taken with Lens Blur will have a circle lens icon in the toolbar allowing you to adjust the level of defocus.
It works reasonably well, but it doesn't match the accuracy of the HTC One M8 or Xperia Z2.
The more in depth settings menu also been made easier to navigate thanks to recent updates - slide to open the camera modes panel and then tap the settings cog in the corner of the screen.
From here you'll be able to tweak a number of settings including photo and video resolutions, aspect ratio and toggle manual exposure.
There's also a 1.3MP front-facing camera which is really for video calls and quick selfies.
It takes just under two seconds to launch the camera on the Nexus 5. You can swipe right to left on the lock screen or unlock and tap the camera icon.
Once open you can also use the volume rocker to take a shot, rather than the on screen shutter button. The way you'll typically hold the Nexus 5 to take a photo makes the volume rocker much easier to use than the on screen button.
Occasionally I found my fingers dropping into shot because the camera is offset to the left. When holding it in landscape the lens is at the top left, quite near the edge, but you soon get used to it.
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Media
Streaming movies or TV shows is a simple prospect on the Nexus 5. The screen quality is perfect for high definition video, and your chance of encountering stuttering is entirely based upon on the strength of your internet connection.
As you'd expect audio sounds better through headphones. The speaker is fairly loud, but it can get a little crackly when there are sudden jumps in volume.
Google would prefer you to use its services, so you'll find the Play umbrella of apps in the shape of Movies & TV, Games, Books, Music, Newsstand, all offering filtered windows on the Play Store content and your own collection.
Music
Whether you're listening to music you own and load into the device, or via Google Play Music's streaming service, it all takes places within the app. The only thing is when you want to purchase stuff, it will redirect you to the Google Play Store app. It makes the experience feel disjointed, but it's not a deal breaker.Music quality through the speaker is not very good. As I mentioned earlier, the speaker isn't very loud, and there is only one small speaker at the base of the phone. With decent headsets on, however, it sounds great.
The nice thing about KitKat is that it will show your music art and music player controls from your lock screen. Other apps will do this sometimes, too, like Spotify, but it's a nice touch that just adds to the overall experience of using the device.
Whether you're bringing over your own music or using Google Play's service, or other apps like Spotify or Rdio, you won't have much to worry about when it comes to how the Nexus 5 will handle it.
Android 4.4.4 on the Nexus 5 also offers exclusive low-power audio playback, which is supposed to be good for up to 60 hours.
Movies
Videos and multimedia are handled by a few apps depending on what you're doing. First, there is YouTube, which is an obvious one. If you're opening YouTube videos from apps like Facebook or Twitter, or from the web, they will open in the YouTube app.Otherwise, you guessed it, it's more Google Play stuff.
If you're on the home screen, you'll see the film icon that says "Play Movies & T.." and in the app list it's shown as "Play Movies &.." It's a little ridiculous, but what you're looking at is Play Movies & TV.
If you have a Google Play account, you can download and stream movies and TV shows. The nice thing about that is if you're offline, you can still view your downloaded movies.
If this is your first Android device, or your first time using Google Play for multimedia, you should know that when you purchase something, it's yours. At least as far as playing it when you want, on any Android device you want.
This means you can play your content on your Nexus 5, and other Android tablets and phones running Android 4.0 or higher, which is pretty great.
HD movies and TV video quality and sound have been great, but we do have to reiterate that it sounds best through a headset given the Nexus 5's speaker issues.
In all, the video quality is generally good whether you're viewing streaming or downloaded content, or videos recorded with the device, and even better when viewed in HD thanks to the 1080p display.
Games
For gamers the Nexus 5 can handle pretty much anything you throw it at it. Extensive sessions with simple games like Nimble Quest presented no problems, and neither did graphically intensive titles such as Asphalt 8 or Frontline Commando.
If you do plan on playing a lot of games, or you'd like to store an extensive music or video library on your Nexus 5 then you should definitely opt for the 32GB version.
It's worth remembering that you can upload 15GB of files to Google Drive, or use Google+ as an unlimited photo backup, as long as you store them at standard size (the longest edge must be 2048 pixels or less). You can also store up to 20,000 of your own songs in the cloud with Play Music and stream them to your Nexus 5.
Comparisons
It's becoming debatable whether other Android device manufacturers, building unique user interfaces, and including their own apps and content hubs, can actually improve on what Google is offering.In the early days of Android, HTC's Sense and Samsung's TouchWiz added important features. With Android 4.4.4 KitKat it's tough to find areas where the platform is lacking. Let's take a look at how the Nexus 5 compares.
OnePlus One
The biggest competitor to the Nexus 5 arrived a good six months after it launched, and it came all the way from China.The OnePlus One beats the Nexus 5 when it comes to pricing, but also in the spec war with a meaty 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, the choice of 16GB or 64GB of storage and a 13MP rear camera.
Some may find the 5.5-inch full HD just too big to handle on the One, and there's no doubt the Nexus 5 is far more manageable in the palm - but it also lacks in power.
Battery life is another advantage the Chinese handset has over Google's offering, yet the operating system is intriguing.
The OnePlus One runs Cyanogenmod - a community developed version of Android which looks pretty similar to the stock version, but with lots of added extras.
These aren't the extras you get with over the top UIs from the likes of Samsung or HTC though, instead they are implemented in a more subtle fashion and the wealth of extra control allows you to get your phone working just how you want.
Of course there are questions marks over the support for the handset if things go wrong, and it's a little tricky to get hold of, but if you're looking for ultimate power vs value for money the OnePlus One offers just that.
- Read our in depth OnePlus One review
Motorola Moto G
If you're really watching your pennies and are looking for the best value for money smartphone you can't do much better than the Motorola Moto G.It may not have quite the same levels of specs and features as the Nexus 5, but it still rocks the same vanilla Android KitKat OS while also being almost a third of the price of Google's smartphone.
You get a 4.5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front snapper and the choice of 8GB or 16GB of internal storage with the Moto G.
If you're willing in spend a bit of extra cash you can upgrade to the Moto G 4G and receive superfast data speeds and the added benefit of a microSD card - something the Nexus 5 doesn't have.
The Moto G is great then for someone looking for a cheap, but still highly functional smartphone which isn't going to be used a great deal for high-def video gaming or movie playback.
- Read our in depth Moto G review
iPhone 5S
You could definitely argue that the Nexus 5 is the ultimate Android answer to the iPhone 5S. It is the most coherent Android smartphone on the market.There are no conflicts. It is as close as you can get to Google's version of Apple's walled garden.
It also manages to feel more minimalist than the iPhone 5S, and there's very little between them when it comes to accessibility or ease of use. The mud traditionally slung at Android from the parapets of competing platforms like iOS 7 simply can't stick to the Nexus 5.
Considering that the 16GB model of the iPhone 5S is very nearly double the price of the 16GB Nexus 5 you're going to want some compelling reasons for that discrepancy.
The iPhone 5S is a lot more compact, but the screen is far smaller at 4 inches. Not only does the Nexus 5 have a bigger screen, but it's also full HD 1080p.
On the flip side, that smaller display is one of the reasons that the iPhone 5S has superior battery life, an 8MP snapper that takes better shots than the Nexus 5, fingerprint scanning tech and weighs in at 18g less.
If money is no object and you don't mind a smaller screen then the iPhone 5S might be for you, but the Nexus 5 is far better value.
- Check out our iPhone 5S review for more.
Hands on gallery
Verdict
Back when the Google Nexus 5 launched you couldn't find a better smartphone for the money. Almost a year on and the Nexus 5 is still excellent value for money, but it now has some tough competition.It's still satisfyingly fast and refreshingly minimalist, but the truth is that there's no real star feature on the hardware side.
Don't get me wrong, the hardware is extremely good, but it doesn't really trump other Android flagships on the market. The impressive thing is that Google is managing to offer it at this price point without a major compromise.
We liked
A focus on the really important features means that the display and processor are still up there with the best smartphones around - the recently launched Nokia Lumia 930 sports the same Snadragon 800 chip under the hood. The display is excellent for reading, watching video, or playing games.The processor and Google's optimized Android 4.4 KitKat platform are a dream combination that delivers fast, smooth performance no matter what you throw it at.
Add to that the fact the Nexus 5 is first in line for the latest KitKat updates, and probably the Android L bump in the Autumn, and it still has some legs to it.
Google's exclusive Experience Launcher really adds a touch of class to the interface and puts the impressive eco-system front and centre.
That price makes the Nexus 5 a really compelling proposition. It puts pressure on other premium smartphone manufacturers and potentially frees people from the tyranny of the contract.
We disliked
Better battery life is top of most people's wish lists when it comes to mobile technology and it's easily the worst thing about the Nexus 5. It's distinctly average.I'm used to a daily charging schedule already, so it's not much of a hardship, but if you're out and about for long periods, then this is the only potential deal-breaker I can see. The fact that you can't remove the Nexus 5 battery will exacerbate the issue for some.
It's always nice to have the option of extra storage with a microSD card. Google doesn't gouge like you Apple does, but £40 is still a lot of money for an extra 16GB and there's no 64GB version. Not everyone wants to be forced into the cloud.
The camera is much improved after the update, but low light performance is poor and it doesn't match the 2014 flagship brigade in terms of quality.
Verdict
Google has learned from the OEMs. It has learned from previous smartphones in the Nexus line; there are no obvious omissions here, like the lack of LTE in the Nexus 4. Google has even reserved a few goodies for the Nexus 5 alone.The really important things have been nailed. What you are compromising on when comparing the Nexus 5 with the rest of the premium market is the camera, storage options and the battery life, but you get a decent processor with a wonderful display.
You also get Android as Google intended, refined, elegant, and efficient, with a full eco-system of services.
It doesn't have it all its own way though. If you're looking for the best bang-for-your-buck high-end smartphone then the OnePlus One trumps the Nexus 5, although it is a little tricky to get hold of and it comes from an unknown Chinese firm.
The Nexus 5 still represents great value for money, and for the Android purists out there who aren't desperate about having the latest and greatest specs it still offers an excellent smartphone experience.
First reviewed: October 2013
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Google to give encrypted websites leg-up in rankings
Google has confirmed that it will use encryption as a ranking signal, a clear sign that it is taking privacy and user security very seriously.
In a post on its Webmaster Central blog, Zineb Ait Bahajji and Gary Illyes, both Webmaster trends analysts, confirmed it will take encryption (or the lack of) as a factor to rank sites globally.
For now, they add, it's a very lightweight signal affecting less than 1% of global queries and carries less weight than other signals - such as quality of content and authority.
Over time though, they added, "we may decide to strengthen it, because we'd like to encourage all website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep everyone safe on the web".
Google suggests moving to a 2048-bit key certificate which, according to experts, won't be breakable for a foreseeable future. Also on the list are suggestions to remove any obstacles that could prevent spiders from crawling your site and removing NOINDEX where possible.
Implementing encryption as default for most websites is likely to be a long-winded process that will require a lot of human resources and financial capital.
Perhaps more importantly, it will force anyone who deals with an online property to have a serious look at security across the board or risk the wrath of Google.
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Nottingham man arrested on suspicion of running proxy server
Anti-piracy police have arrested, questioned and released on bail a Nottingham man suspected of running Immunicity, a proxy server that allows people to view websites blocked by ISPs.
Detailed in a news release by the City of London Police, the Police Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) uncovered evidence of a proxy server providing access to 36 other websites that had been blocked for offering illegal or infringing content.
The move was part of Operation Creative, a police initiative launched to clamp down on websites providing access to illegal or infringing content.
In a blog post, TorrentFreak described the arrest as "concerning", writing that Immunicity was set up to let users route their traffic through a proxy website in a similar manner to anonimizing services such as TOR, and doesn't host or link to infringing content.
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Industry voice: 5 tips for creating a more engaging small business website
A website is a necessity for any business. It puts your product or service potentially at the fingertips of anyone across the globe, extends your brand, and authenticates your business. Many businesses invest a considerable amount of time and energy into building a website that, while pleasant to look at and promoted on search engines, social networks and through advertising, they don’t achieve the number one goal of a website - attract and obtain new customers.
Building a great looking website that works for you doesn’t have to be complicated. There are few tricks of the trade to keep in mind when creating your website so customers keep coming back for more. Start with the overall website structure, the images and content and, most importantly, the call to action elements.
If potential clients visit your website and are not sure whether they want to contact you, they need an incentive or a gentle push from you to engage. Therefore, optimizing your site for client engagement is key to generating new business. Here a few tips to keep in mind when building out a client-centric site:
Create an engaging structure. For a website to be engaging and easy to navigate, it must be well organized. A well-structured website will enhance the flow of information and help in client conversion.
Be concise. A rule of thumb to remember when building your homepage is that it should not contain more than 400 words of text. Website visitors often browse the homepage and in just a few seconds, they decide whether to continue on or leave. Most won’t even scroll down past the first screen of information. So your goal should be to provide a concise overview of what you do and offer. It doesn’t hurt to include an eye catching header or logo as this is the first image seen by visitors and it needs to make a lasting impression. But most importantly, create a balance between text and images.
Minimize options. The more navigation options and links you add, the sooner you will lose the potential client. Kathryn Booth Trainor, owner and a web designer at SparkItNetwork.com, says you should “decide what the next step you’d want a new client to take after they learn about your services and focus on that on your homepage. Only then, add additional pages and keep them to the minimum necessary for the potential client to learn more about your business. Don’t leave it to the client to choose between several menus and links as they are likely to leave on the most irrelevant page.”
Don’t forget mobile. People do more on their phone than ever before. “Most new website tools ensure your site reads well on a mobile device or tablet. If you have an older website, make sure your contact info is clearly available, as that’s the most important piece of information that you want visible for your customer, “said Mickey Hayes, Owner of One World Computing Concepts.
Encourage visitor engagement. Every website should have an effective call to action. This is an element on a website that interrupts the visitor’s experience to encourage an action you want them to perform.
Don’t hide your physical address and phone number on a Contact Us page, or only available from a link at your website footer. Make sure your contact information is at the top of every page of your site.
Unfortunately, not everyone wants to have a live phone conversation. Typically, once you publish your email address on your site, the spam will soon follow. But a contact form is a great solution for clients to send you a message. Be aware though, many forms can be cumbersome and take a lot of space, which is why businesses tend to “hide” them on a contact us page. Fight this urge. Instead, use a contact form that can fit on every page of your site, encouraging those who are trying to reach you.
Some businesses deploy a chat tool, where a visitor can type messages and instantly receive a response from a representative. Chat can be a great solution if the business has the right resources in place. With chat, the client expects to receive an immediate response, meaning someone from your business would need to be available to respond in real time and after-hours. Most small businesses can’t afford to support chat and end up outsourcing the function, which can lead to a frustrating client experience. In this case, finding a tool that can accommodate this is key.
Lastly, don’t forget returning clients. Your website should offer them an experience that is as personalized as possible. New clients are great, but existing clients should always come first. Some businesses offer a client section or a client portal where they can review invoices, pay online, share documents, and schedule appointments. A great service experience will have them returning again and again.
It takes thoughtful planning to create a successful, engaging website so take time with the design, navigation and content, and include call to action elements to motivate the visitor to engage. With smart writing, good images and a well-planned navigation as well as providing well placed calls to actions, your website can engage visitors, driving new business opportunities and delivering amazing customer service.
- Ran Oelgiesser is CMO at vCita
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AMD to sell Radeon-branded SSDs
AMD will add SSD to its product portfolio if slides that have been published on a Chinese website are genuine, although they will just be rebranding someone else's product.
The new storage options will carry the Radeon R7 moniker, target the gamer and the enthusiast communities and are expected to be announced on August 13.
Other than graphics chips and processors, the Austin-based company also sells Radeon-branded memory and a software memory solution called Radeon Ramdisk.
The common denominator with AMD's storage products is that they are manufactured by someone else. Dataram does the Ramdisk, Patriot/Visontek does the memory modules and OCZ, now owned by Toshiba, is said to be behind the new SSD line.
New SKUs
The slides show that three SKUs will be available (120GB, 240GB and 480GB), all using an OCZ Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller and Toshiba's 19nm MLC NAND chips.Performance is expected to range from 470Mbps to 530Mbps (sequential write), 550Mbps (sequential read), random read KIOPS ranging from 85 to 100 and write KIPS standing at 90.
Specswise, the OCZ Vertex range is very similar to the AMD R7 with the latter performing slightly better, offering a longer warranty and a higher MTBF.
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