Huawei CEO says its next smartwatch will look better than Samsung's Gear S
It seems HTC may actually be the only tech company that's not making smartwatches, with the latest news that Huawei is jumping on the wagon as well.
The Chinese tech company is currently developing an Android Wear smartwatch that will launch in 2015, Huawei CEO Richard Yu told Engadget during IFA 2014.
He didn't have much to share about the Huawei smartwatch, but he promised that it will be both "innovative and beautiful."
In fact, it will be "more beautiful" than the Samsung Gear S, Yu said.
Comparison clues
Why he called out the Gear S in particular is anyone's guess. Beauty must truly be in the eye of the beholder, but isn't the Moto 360 the better-looking option?Maybe - and here's some speculation - he compared it to the Gear S specifically because the Huawei watch too will be a standalone device that can place calls without being tethered to a smartphone?
Regardless, that's all we know about the new Huawei smartwatch at this time.
The company has released one wearable already, a fitness-focused smartband called the Huawei Talkband B1 that doubles as a Bluetooth headset. Hopefully they have some better ideas for their next try.
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This apparent iPhone 6 has a new icon for mobile payments
Photos (and, more importantly, videos) of what appears to be a genuine, working iPhone 6 have appeared online with one very specific hint of what's coming on September 9.
That's the day when Apple is going to unveil the new iPhone, as well as - possibly - the iWatch.
But that's not all. Thanks to some recent reports we're also expecting Apple to shine a spotlight on a new mobile payment platform it's been working on, with the iPhone 6 and iWatch at its center.
And the alleged iPhone 6 in these images, which were posted to Chinese social network Weibo, have a new Passbook icon that looks like it encompasses credit card payments (look at the old and new icons side-by-side - the new red bar at the top has a tiny credit card on it).
Seems legit
The phone in these videos seems legit, though granted counterfeiters have gotten pretty good at making handsets that look just like the real iPhone and other devices.But 9 to 5 Mac, which spotted the images, points to the fact that the phone in the videos lacks the "tells" - janky transitions between screens, or odd icon animations - that usually out shoddy fakes.
This close to the phone's unveiling, it's entirely possible that a real iPhone 6 made its way into the hands of someone willing to show it off.
And more videos from this leak have made it to YouTube as well, showing the iPhone 6's Springboard, Health app, camera, and settings.
In any case, the rumors about Apple's payment platform are too strong to ignore. Visa and American Express have reportedly partnered with Apple for the service, and the latest development is that CVS and Walgreens are in as well, according to Re/code.
Apple CEO Tim Cook let slip way back in January that he's interested in mobile payments, so if we do get to see this in a few days when Apple shows off its newest gadgets then we'll know that it's been in the works for a long time.
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IFA 2014: Toshiba revives Cloud Book name with Satellite CL10-B
Anyone remembers Toshiba AC100 otherwise known as the Cloud Book? It was the precursor of the Chromebook and was unveiled back in 2010 when Android was not mature enough.
Toshiba has revived the brand but it is now part of the Satellite family. The CL10-B, as it is known, is best described as "compact" and is designed at those people who eschew local storage to live in the Cloud.
The Cloud Book shares a similar form factor with the Satellite Radius 11 (bar the pivoting functionality), also released at IFA
The specification sheet looks familiar; a Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage as well as an 11.6-inch display with a 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution.
However, Microsoft matches Google's offering with 100GB of OneDrive cloud storage and Office online as part of Windows 8.1 with Bing. The cloud storage package is valid for two years, a goodie bag worth around £100 alone.
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IFA 2014: Haier previews Android-powered short-throw projector
Chinese consumer electronics giant Haier was demoing a nifty little short-throw projector at IFA 2014, one that project the moving picture on a mirror that's then projected back on the target screen.
The device, which has yet to be named and will be available in the first quarter of next year, uses Texas Instruments DLP and LED technology which should improve the bulb's lifespan by a factor of 10.
The projector is 3D compatible, offers a brightness of 2000cd/m^2, a contrast ratio of 5000:1 and offers a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) with Haier hinting that a 4K projector might be available at some point.
Android in a projector
During the quick demonstration in a well lit room, the projector was within a few centimetres of the wall it was projecting on; Haier says that placing the projector just 5cm from the wall produces a 60-inch picture. Increase that to 1m and the final diagonal reaches a whopping 150-inch.Interestingly, the device is smart-enabled. It can be used as a standalone computer since it packs a dual-core ARM-based Rockchip RK3066 processor with a quad-core Mali GPU, Android 4.2, 1GB of RAM, two 8W speakers and 16GB onboard storage.
Connectivity and expansion capabilities include a microSD card, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, HDMI, VGA and DVI inputs. You can also control the projector via an app and it will support Miracast.
Check out our extensive coverage of IFA here.
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The iWatch's battery could be a bust
Apple might have some explaining to do when (if?) it unveils the iWatch at its September 9 event.
The industry is looking to the iPhone maker to set the bar for what smartwatches can be, but how can it do that if the iWatch's battery won't last through the day?
That's according to a report from The Information, whose sources reportedly said the iWatch's battery will be "disappointing."
These sources supposedly got their information direct from Apple employees, who "set low expectations" for the iWatch's battery performance, says the report.
The battery problem
Smartwatches are supposed to make your life easier by letting you accomplish simple tasks without needing to pull your smartphone out.But if your iWatch is dead before the end of the day it won't be helping anyone - and that's one of the biggest complaints with the just-released Moto 360.
It's been rumored that Apple is having trouble with the iWatch's battery since as early as January, when a report (notably, another from The Information) said iWatch battery problems were making it difficult to find display tech that would work.
Most current smartwatches last at most a day or two without needing a charge, and that's without the deep iOS 8 integration and even NFC that are rumored to be coming on the iWatch.
Either way we'll find out in just a few days now.
Apple has stiff competition in Android Wear
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Hands-on review: Asus Zenbook UX305
Asus unveiled the UX305, its newest flagship laptop at IFA 2014 this week. The device, it claims, is the world's thinnest 13-in QHD+ ultrabook, giving it one of the highest pixel densities of any computers on the market.
It faces competition from the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro and the Samsung ATIV Book 9 as well as the Apple MacBook Pro Retina Display, although we expect vendors to refresh their current thin-and-light laptop range very soon.
The model on display is arguably a pre-production unit with a processor clocked at less than 1GHz. It sported a fanless design, one that is expected to be carried to the final version.
Core M all the way
At only 12.3mm thick and weighing 1.2Kg, it is light enough to be carried comfortably with one hand. Its specification sheet lists an Intel Core M processor (the 5Y10), Windows 8.1, 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR3 memory, either 128GB or 256GB SSD, an Intel HD Graphics 5300 subsystem, a webcam and a 6-cell, 45Whr battery. As for connectivity, it has three USB ports, one mini-HDMI output and a SD card reader.The piece de resistance, the screen, is gorgeous but, as it is the case for all (small screens) with such a high resolution, not to my taste and is not touch capable (though it is likely that it will be available as an option).
If like me, you reverted to Windows 8.1's classic user interface (via a third party tool), then it is likely that you switched to a much lower but more usable, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution.
Asus has however confirmed that a full HD option will be available, which should lower the price of the laptop by a fair amount.
Not posh enough?
Unsurprisingly, you won't be able to swap the laptop's battery or to do any upgrade. Design-wise, the Zenbook UX305 brings together the best of Asus' engineering expertise.The keyboard is responsive and keys provide enough return for touch typing while the touchpad's surface area is as big as it can physically get without getting in the way.
The laptop adopts a familiar brushed metal finish with a circular, concentric design that's peculiar to the Zenbook range and a tapered profile that is now common to almost all thin-and-line laptops. Once you open the lid though, it's all matte plastic. Just don't expect a finish a la MacBook Air.
The Zenbook UX305 will be available in a silky "Ceramic Alloy" shade – i.e. white - and an "Obsidian Stone" colour – i.e. black. You got to love those marketing terms.
The only two items missing are when will it launch and at what price. Intel has already confirmed that it will be full steam ahead for the Core M in 2015, with CES likely to be when manufacturers will come out all guns blazing.
Between now and then though, expect Apple to prepare a major update to the MacBook Air with the Core M and possibly a Retina Display that will put it level with the ZenBook. Other vendors like Samsung, Lenovo, Acer, Dell and HP will also very likely unleash their own sub-1.5Kg, sub-15mm, Core M-powered products.
Early verdict
Decent piece of kit but not a massive step up from the current model, at least as far as look and feel are concerned. Being the first out of the stalls with the Core M means that Asus could gather some momentum before rivals appear on the market.
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Week in Gaming: Samsung's Gear VR, hibernating demon babies and Destiny: the fragrance
It seems petty to forbid a company from advertising a game for its own console, but kids, that's just the world we live in. Due to PlayStation's association with Destiny Microsoft's been restrained from marketing the open-world shooter for Xbox, but this week it found an interesting way to bypass the problem.
It launched a spoof website for a Destiny perfume - 'The new fragrance by Xbox'.
The page appeared www.destinyfragrance.com and contained the following: "Okay so here's the lowdown. Destiny is actually an epic new first-person shooter, available on Xbox. Thing is, we didn't have the permission to run adverts for the game. So we didn't. Thansk for smelling that something was up. Now get the game and become a legend."
Unfortunately all that has now pulled and replaced with some words asking visitors to check with retailers for some "great Xbox One offers" with no specific reference to the game.
But you have to hand it to Microsoft, its little marketing ploy was pretty admirable. We do wonder what that fragrance would have smelled like. Probably unchanged underwear and lawsuits.
Gear VR
You also can't help but respect Samsung's ability to find space on the wall of ideas at which it ceaselessly throws ideas in the hope of making them stick. This week it was Gear VR, its play in the burgeoning virtual reality market. In fact, it looks like Samsung's Gear will be the first big consumer-ready VR device since the 'rebirth' of this category.Though powered by Oculus, Samsung's Gear VR is merely a vessel for the Galaxy Note 4, which slots into the headset and provides the display.
We had a play with it ourselves at IFA 2014 and it were surprisingly more impressive than we had expected. But it's best to think of it more as a neat Note 4 add-on rather than comparing it to dedicated devices such as the Oculus Rift.
So long as Samsung continues to aggressively expand the catalog of games and other experiences for VR (and we expect it will) then this could be a key factor in bringing virtual reality to the mainstream. And you know what? It's not the most ridiculous-looking thing you can strap onto your face.
Well…
You've got a date with death
No, literally. The Sims 4 launched this week, and as you'd expect there were still a few bugs in the system - including one where you could date the Grim Reaper. There was also a bizarre glitch that would see babies "incorrectly hibernating within household inventories". They sort of became one with the furniture. [CVG]Anyway, EA has released a day one patch to fix these and other problems. Another of our favs was: "Babies no longer multiply if left in the Household Inventory while editing the lot via Manage Worlds"
But not addressed in the patch notes is the little matter of DEMON BABIES. Some players have been experiencing a strange phenomenon where babies come out all gangly and possessed. We really hope EA's fix has also exorcised whatever entity has been causing this to happen.
So what does everyone think of the game? Unfortunately a review embargo has meant the jury is still out for now. Buy many fans of the series have been disappointed by the omission a number of familiar elements, including swimming pools. Expect the verdicts to start rolling in next week.
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Choosing the right cloud services for your SMB
BCSG is a cloud service provider who works with large brands to offer a distinctive, beneficial services to small businesses through their cloud-based platform.
A recent example is BCSG's announcement that it is supporting EE's Business Apps offering for small and medium business customers. EE has selected the apps to address a range of key business needs, and the apps cover areas such as managing finances, engaging customers and web publishing, and tools that help with productivity such as Office 365 and Sage One Accounts and Payroll.
We caught up with BCSG's managing director John Davis to find out how such services can benefit SMBs.
TechRadar Pro: So why should SMBs use these particular business apps?
John Davis: The apps offered through the marketplace are designed specifically for small businesses, and most importantly they offer flexibility as they can be accessed anywhere, anytime. They are simple to use and do not require an IT manager to install, set-up and maintain them. Furthermore, the apps will grow over time with the business, meaning additional users can easily be added or removed with minimal hassle.
TRP: What process do you go through in creating an app package?
JD: We work in partnership with the large brands like EE to identify the right apps to offer their customers. The apps need to address the key needs that small businesses have and the challenges they face. As any business owner knows, this ranges from managing finances to finding new customers, all of which are time consuming and cause headaches for small businesses, this is where the apps step in.
They are chosen for their ease of use so that, no matter what their tech competency, the business should easily be able to use the apps with no trouble or complications.
TRP: How can businesses ensure that their employees are at ease with using the apps?
JD: What is important here is the level of support that is offered along with the apps. BCSG's dedicated customer service team offers an unlimited amount of assistance via email, telephone and web-based chat. Business owners also need to ensure that their employees are educated on how to make the most of the apps that they have chosen, including increased flexibly and productively.
TRP: What are the disadvantages or costs of using a cloud system?
Because the apps are cloud based, the data isn't stored on your desktop or device, meaning that if there is no internet connection then your data cannot be accessed. Another concern of data being stored remotely is security, these concerns are heightened due to the amount online security has been in the news recently.
However, there is an advantage to data being stored remotely, if for example your device is lost, stolen or crashes you will still be able to access all of your data that is stored in the cloud. Cost wise, the customer is charged on a monthly basis, however this does means there aren't any large upfront costs and the business gets access to all application updates as soon as they are released.
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Dell's new 27-inch 5K monitor packs as much details as 7 monitors
Out of the blue, Dell has managed to produce a monitor that sports the highest pixel count on any commercially available display.
The Dell Ultrasharp 270inch 5K finally managed to surpass the IBM T220 by a wide margin, packing as much pixels as seven traditional full HD displays.
The 13-year old monitor hitherto held that title besting the 8.3 million pixels of 4K displays.
Dell engineers have managed this feat by joining two 2560 x 2880 pixels tiles to deliver a 5120 x 2880 pixel resolution; that's more than 14.75 million pixels, equivalent to 218ppi.
Pushing graphics cards to their limits
Two DisplayPort 1.2 connectors are used to drive the data; the display can rotate to portrait mode and comes with a pair of 16W Harman Kardon speakers, six USB ports and a card reader.Expect it to come with a USB hub and possibly other input legacy ports although it is unlikely that they will be able to drive nearly 15 million pixels.
Creative professionals are the likely target although gamers with very deep pockets might also be interested; The Dell UltraSharp 5K will go on sale for $2500 (about £1500, AU$2700) and Dell has yet to say when it will go on sale.
- Source: PC Perspective
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The paperless office: will it ever happen?
Despite so much of our everyday work taking place on electronic devices and the majority of our communications passing through the digital realm, we still have a hell of a lot of paper lying around our offices.
We recently looked at how cutting back on paper usage not only modernises a workplace and adds to its green credentials, but actually produces tangible financial gain. And yet, studies find our paper consumption is still increasing year-on-year.
To find out why, we spoke to a company who know all about this side of the enterprise, as Andrew Hall, marketing manager of printing solutions firm Oki, answered our questions.
TechRadar Pro: Why do you think the paperless office has largely failed to materialise?
Andrew Hall: Ultimately, every company has an intrinsic need for printed output. The paperless office is unlikely ever to become a reality because workers will always want hard copies of their emails, reports and other business documents.
A recent survey of more than 2,000 office workers carried out by OKI Systems UK illustrates the point. An overwhelming 92 per cent of those polled still carry out some kind of printing daily, with nearly half printing more than ten pages each day.
TRP: Are we entering an era where paper becomes less important in an office environment, simply because we now have tablets and smartphones?
AH: No. This is unlikely to be the case. The OKI survey revealed that many employees are now expecting to connect to office printers from their own smartphones and tablets. Of the 24 per cent who bring their own phones and tablets into the work environment, a substantial 45 per cent print from these devices using the office printer.
At the same time, mobile printing apps that enable the wireless use of a variety of printers are becoming increasingly popular. Depending on the organisation involved, a managed print and document policy may need to take this into account.
The customer's requirements should always be paramount here. So, once again, vendors and their reseller partners need to work closely in tandem to ensure what is delivered is tailored closely to the needs of the business.
TRP: How can technology help small businesses reduce their reliance on and use of paper?
AH: Technology can play an important role in doing this but it is only really effective if deployed as part of a coordinated and carefully considered print strategy. Measures to cut paper usage can be very simple – for example ensuring that for every day work, double-sided printing using duplex printer technology is the default option.
Alternatively a strategy can be implemented that may involve replacing diverse and ageing printers with new multifunction devices that enable paper-free document flow such as scan or fax to email.
TRP: Do you think a totally paperless office environment will ever be possible?
AH: For most organisations, the paperless office is a bit like "utopia" in that it is an ideal that is difficult to achieve. It is unlikely to become a reality because workers and working practices are used to having paper-based documents and will continue to want and need hard copies of reports and other essential business documents.
It is questionable, even if it were possible to achieve it, whether becoming full paperless would actually be a desirable goal. There are sound reasons for much of this day-to-day printing. Some 59 per cent of those polled in the OKI survey, for example, cited the need for hard copy evidence as a reason for printing, highlighting the demands of regulatory and compliance requirements.
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In Depth: Intel Core M: everything you need to know
Similar to its great buddy Microsoft, Intel found itself horrifically late to the tablet party. Both companies had tried to push the form factor before.
The 2002's Tablet PC was a thick and clunky eight-year early tablet based around Windows XP Tablet Edition and failed to get any traction outside of businesses.
Both companies made a fatal error at the time – they believed that people wanted tablets to do everything that a PC could. And, of course, that meant running Windows. Caught off guard by Apple's iPad, both companies knew they needed to do something.
The merits of Microsoft's Windows 8 efforts aside, Intel's strategy was to go after the lightweight fanless market with Atom and a spin on Ultrabooks with 2-in-1 tablet designs (like Lenovo's Yoga range and Surface Pro 3, for example), essentially tablets with detachable keyboards
The Atom experiment was a disaster; some of the designs from well-known OEMs offered an extremely poor user experience for using Windows 8. The CPU just wasn't up to the job.
The 2-in-1 market, however, is a sizable area of potential gain for Intel. The market is still very young, but the signs are encouraging – 50 per cent of people that have bought a 2-in-1 say they were previously considering a tablet, while there are more 70 system designs now on the market across all screen sizes. 2-in-1s are for people that still want to use x86 and x64 apps and have a device that can be used as a tablet.
While Intel has long produced CULV (Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage) processors for tablets including the Haswell Core i3, i5 and i7 variants in the Surface Pro 3, something still needed to change. Intel has the computing power, but battery life was a major weakness until now.
Enter the 14 nanometer die shrink of Haswell. Codenamed Broadwell, this is a launch that – relatively unusually for Intel in recent times - has been delayed, and after originally being promised the bulk of the CPUs (including those for desktops and full laptops) in late 2014, these will most likely hit in early 2015 (Intel says they "will be in volume production before year end"). We expect them to see a full launch at CES 2015.
But today sees an advance party for Broadwell in the form of Intel Core M. These Broadwell CPUs are designed specifically for tablets and 2-in-1s as well as very thin laptops (whether they'll fit into the Ultraboook category remains to be seen).
And they're fanless, yet with Core-level performance. The key to this is 14nm die shrink that has enabled the TDP (thermal design power) of the system-on-chip to sink below 6W and even down to 4.5W depending on design.
This compares to TDPs of 17-18W only a couple of years ago. Improved packaging also enables more compact designs – the equivalent Haswell Core package was 960mm^2, whereas Core M's packaging is almost half that. This translates into designs that are designs that are thinner than 9mm.
Intel sees the biggest market for 2-in-1s are people who bought a PC around 3-5 years ago and who are now looking to upgrade.
Intel also believes Core M powered devices can entice those who were previously just looking for an Android or iOS tablet, but who value the multitasking value of Windows, flexible file storage and capabilities of a full Windows PC.
Core M is available in dual core versions for now, the latter having 1.3 billion transistors. 4MB of L3 Cache is shared across the cores and the on-die graphics. Core M utilises Intel's HD 5300 Graphics which supports resolutions up to 4K (3,840 vs 2,160).
There are three variants of the Core M; 5Y70, 5Y10a and 5Y10 (capable of going to 4W). The key difference is the clock – 2.6Ghz for the 5Y70, while the others are 2.0Ghz. All these chips are dual-core, four thread processors but expect some other variants as time goes on.
With Core M, Intel is promising performance improvements for graphics and video of 7% and a more modest increase of around 2% for productivity tasks over 'a four year-old notebook' – that's comparing a Core M-5Y70 with the Core i5-520UM chip. The key thing here though is that there has been a significant reduction in TDP, 18W vs 4.5W.
That power reduction means a significant uplift in battery life – Intel is talking somewhere in the region if 1.7 hours versus a previous generation system. As you can see from this chart, the main power consumer is the screen (no surprise), but Broadwell brings a distinct saving when it comes to the system-on-chip as well as, interestingly, audio. This is down to Intel's SmartSound audio processing technology that enables features such as wake -on-voice.
Also part of the Core M platform is 802.11ac wireless (Intel Wireless-AC 7265) and 5Y70 is compatible with Intel's vPro for business deployments, Windows InstantGo and Platform Trust Technology. There's also support for Intel's Rapid Storage tech.
As for pricing, Intel is predictably talking about the 2-in-1 market predominantly – machines around the $900 mark (around £550, AU$950). But Intel reckons Core M could easily be homed in cheaper tablets – those around the $500 mark (around £300, AU$530) - and we'll have to wait to see what OEMs announce in due course.
Intel says somewhere in the region of 20 system designs are being developed using Core M and a handful of systems will arrive in October across both consumer and business SKUs. The first of these – launched at IFA 2014 - is the new-generation Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 in 1 that clocks in at 800g. It's 9.6mm thick, with a 11.6-inch Full HD display.
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Aaaand the Moto 360 is sold out online
The Moto 360 went on sale in the US earlier today, and already it's sold out online.
Motorola announced on Twitter its Android Wear watch is sold out on Motorola.com. A check of the Moto website reveals the circular smartwatch is out of stock, though users can sign up to be notified when it's back in business.
There's no word on how many Moto 360s Motorola prepared for the initial supply. If its virtual shelves stay dry, US customers will be able to find it at Best Buy starting September 14, according to Re/code. The Google Play Store says it's "out of inventory" for both colors of the smartwatch.
The watch, retailing for $249.99 in the States, was a hot commodity before it ever had a price or release date attached to it. In fact, it was arguably the most in demand Android Wear watch even while its competitors were preening for attention.
UK residents are still sitting on their hands, waiting for the gadget to go on sale starting at £199 in early October.
- The Moto 360 isn't the only round Android Wear watch in town. Meet the LG G Watch R
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Next for Android Wear: customized watch faces, GPS and offline music playback
As promised Google is supporting its burgeoning Android Wear smartwatch platform with its first update rolling out in the coming months.
The everything giant announced the first update will bring offline GPS support and offline music playback to wearables running its smartwatch OS.
Smartwatches with built-in GPS sensors such as Sony's SmartWatch 3 will track your distance and speed when you go on a run. There's no official word whether GPS support includes turn-by-turn direction or whether a map that tracks your position will be displayed, but it seems like one of the obvious uses for a wrist-worn device.
The first update will also bring offline music playback, letting users wireless stream songs stored on their smartwatch to a pair of Bluetooth headphones.
Google imagines both these new features will be useful for those who want to leave their smartphone during a run or bike ride. After all, no one likes having a mobile device jumping around their pocket during a workout.
Once users come back home the watch will re-sync, transferring all the updated stats to your handset.
What face is it?
The second update Google has lined up will bring downloadable watch faces. These new designs won't just include different analog and digital clock face; users will also be able to customize their watch's home screen with widgets like their calendar and fitness data.Soon enough users will also be able to download new developer-created watch faces from the Google Play store.
Lastly Google promises it's working with manufacturers to create even more watch options on top of what it helped introduce at IFA 2014. Supposedly these new wearables will feature different shapes, styles and sensors.
- Get a good look at the Moto 360 because your chances of getting one are slim
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Google Glass released to everyone on the Google Play store
Those wanting to don Google Glass and hashtag-explore the world through a digital lens previously had to jump through hoops to get one, but no more.
Google has finally - finally - begun selling the Google Glass Explorer Edition in white, black, grey, blue, or red to anyone who feels like dropping $1,500 (about £920, AU$1,600) in the Google Play store.
That's right, Google chose not to lower Glass's price to make it appeal to more consumers.
"Glass is smart eyewear that lets you live lighter, and stay in the here and now," the gadget's listing says. Maybe it means lightening your wallet?
Deal with it
The rumor that the next Google Glass will look more or less like a pair of normal glasses may help explain the lack of a price drop here.Google may wait for the next edition to really push Glass to consumers.
In any case buying Glass through the Play store also gets you a free frame or shade to go with, so that's something at least.
Second revolution
Google already shook up smartwatches this year with Android Wear. Are smart glasses next?Granted, Google's competition in facewear, from Lenovo's prototype to Epson's Moverio, is more sparse.
It's proven more difficult to convince people to wear something on their faces (no thanks to the prohibitive price and release, limitations to be sure). If anyone can do it it's probably Google, but it looks like they may be waiting for the next edition of Google Glass to really try.
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HTC may have abandoned its smartwatch plans
Maybe the competition got too hot, or maybe costs were simply too high, but no matter what the reason, word is HTC's smartwatch is no more.
The company had been rumored all year to be developing its own Android Wear smartwatch, but now those plans have been canned, according to Pocket-lint.
The site's sources said the HTC smartwatch, which apparently won't be called the HTC One Wear, since it doesn't exist, is cancelled "for the time being," citing no one reason in particular.
However the sources said, "rising costs and a lack of wow factor" played a part in the One Wear's cancellation.
Dust in the watch
The HTC smartwatch rumors really began in earnest when the company itself said it was working on a wearable to be released in 2014.We've caught glimpses of the watch here and there, but there's been little concrete information, and now it appears we may know why.
Competition in the smartwatch arena is indeed heating up, with companies including Samsung, Motorola, LG, Asus, Sony, and others all trying their hands at building a wearable people actually want.
But it's really Apple's mysterious iWatch - believed to be scheduled for arrival during a September 9 event - that may shape the smartwatch future.
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Windows Phone 8.1 rains down on Lumia 820, 920 for AT&T
If you happen to be on the AT&T network with an older Nokia Lumia handset, the carrier has a bit of good news for you this week, with a software update that brings the latest and greatest features to two elder Windows Phone devices.
AT&T announced the availability of Windows Phone 8.1 for Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920 smartphones, available as an over-the-air software update that delivers new features to some of the platform's most beloved models.
The carrier was already first in line to roll out the most recent Windows Phone software back in July on newer devices such as the Nokia Lumia 1520, followed soon after by the Lumia 1020, Lumia 925 and Lumia 520.
On Thursday, AT&T, Nokia and Microsoft enabled the update for Lumia 820 and Lumia 920, an on-device download that can be enabled from the Settings menu whenever the device is charged at least 50 percent.
Welcome, Cortana
One of the most highly anticipated Windows Phone 8.1 features for Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 owners is certainly Cortana, Microsoft's personal virtual assistant capable of setting reminders, searching for information or reminding users about nearly anything.Windows Phone 8.1 also allows Lumia owners to customize their handset more than ever before, with multiple sizes, transparency and color options for pinning apps, music, people and more to the Start screen.
Nokia Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 users will also enjoy a full complement of Xbox games, music and video, as well as the complete Windows experience, including OneDrive, Skype, Office and Bing.
Last but certainly not least, Windows Phone 8.1 delivers a new Word Flow keyboard capable of integrating phrases, contacts and shape writing, all without the need to download and install a separate app.
- Check out the new Nokia Lumia 735 in our hands-on review!
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Apple's solution to stop another iCloud hack is toothless
The recent iCloud hack might have allegedly only targeted celebrities, but Apple is trying to reassure users that it is beefing up security for everyone.
Apple CEO Tim Cook promised new push notifications and email alerts will be sent to users when someone tries to change their account password. At the same time every time users will also be notified whenever a new device access their iCloud account.
The system should go live within the next two weeks. In top of informing users of any suspicious activity they will also be able to change their password or inform Apple of the problem.
Apple hopes these new measures will prevent users from being blindsided by another phishing attack attempting to break into accounts to steal photos and data.
Half measures
Cook also did a bit of damage control noting that no Apple IDs or passwords were compromised in last weekend's embarrassing leak of private celebrity photos.Moving forward Cook said he believes informing users of security breaches will more effective against hacking attacks rather than a technological solution.
"When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece," Cook said in his interview with The Wall Street Journal. "I think we have a responsibility to ratchet that up. That's not really an engineering thing."
The Cupertino company also plans encourage more users to enable "two-factor authentication" when logging into their accounts. When turned on the security system asks for an extra bit of information - such as a four-digit texted to the user's cellphone number – to ensure the person trying to access iCloud is actually the account owner.
Supposedly if the affected celebrities activated system it would have prevented the hackers from being able to force their way though by guessing iCloud passwords over and over again. Too little, too late it seems
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Hands-on review: HTC Desire 510
Introduction
The HTC Desire 510 is the Taiwanese company's latest addition to its Desire line up, a range of budget and midrange smartphones that feature some of the latest mobile technology that you'd normally find in more expensive handsets. Previous entries in this series include the HTC Desire 610 and the HTC Desire 816, which are both good – if rather unremarkable – smartphones.The hook with the HTC Desire 510, according to its manufacturer, is that it is the cheapest LTE-capable smartphone it has made. At £149 (US$248, AU$265) the HTC Desire 510 isn't the cheapest 4G handset on the market, with the EE Kestrel coming in at just £99 (US$165, AU$176). It's pretty much the same price as the Motorola MOTO G 4G, which can be had for around £155 (US$256, AU$276), and quite a bit cheaper than the OnePlus One's price tag of around £250 (US$414, AU$445).
The promise of a blisteringly fast 4G data connection wrapped in an affordable handset is certainly a tempting offer…
4G connection speeds and display
The 4G connectivity of the HTC Desire 510 is the headline feature of this budget handset. It's not alone in the market, however, with the EE Kestrel and Motorola MOTO G 4G also offering 4G on a budget.I tested the HTC Desire 510's 4G capabilities on the EE network, and was very impressed with the results – the internet and streamed media I tried all displayed incredibly quickly. Due to a rather interesting turn of events, my landline broadband connection went down at the same time I was testing the HTC Desire 510, which gave me the opportunity to test the USB tethering capabilities of the smartphone. It worked brilliantly – and the speeds didn't seem too different from when I use the standard broadband.
With the much vaunted speeds of the HTC Desire 510 proving to live up to its promise, I then turned my attention to the other aspects of the handset. The HTC Desire 510 sports a 4.7 inch display, putting it in the same league as the HTC Desire 610, Moto X and soon, if the rumours are correct (and they probably are), the iPhone 6.
While 4.7 inches might be the magic number, the screen itself is only capable of a resolution of 854 x 480, a rather disappointingly low resolution, and the first clear evidence of the HTC Desire 510's budget roots. In contrast the Moto X may have the same screen size, but it boasts a much higher resolution of 720 x 1280 (also known as 720p), which makes its AMOLED screen look incredibly bright and vibrant.
The HTC Desire 510's screen, on the other hand, can't compete with this, though it does the job. The operating system installed on the HTC Desire 510 is Android 4.4.4, and comes with HTC's own software HTC Sense and HTC BlinkFeed preinstalled.
As with other HTC handsets such as the HTC One Mini 2and the HTC One M8, the Android KitKat operating system has been overlaid with the HTC Sense interface. It's an attractive and intuitive design, though it may take a little getting used to if you're used to using the standard Android interface.
Icons and apps are laid out well and easy to find, and in certain applications the tile-like design is certainly eye catching, but also reminiscent of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system, and it looks particularly nice in the Gallery app. Meanwhile, configuring the Home screen through HTC Sense is quick and easy, allowing you to add or hide widgets.
The HTC Blinkfeed app that comes preinstalled is a handy tool that collates news from a large number of sources on the internet and presents them in an attractive tiled layout that fits in well with the HTC Sense aesthetics. Mixing breaking news from reputable websites such as The Guardian, ESPN, MTV and Vice and news feeds from your social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter gives you a handy overview of what's happening on the internet, and can be quickly viewed by swiping left from the home screen.
While it does a good job of providing you news from around the internet, it isn't immediately obvious how to configure HTC Blinkfeed to only show you news from the sources you want it to.
By using Android 4.4.4, coupled with its impressive processing power, the HTC Desire 510 feels quick and responsive as you're moving through the interface, and the HTC Sense overlay remains a good looking interface.
Design
The 4.7-inch display leads to the HTC Desire 510 having body dimensions of 139.9 X 69.8 X 9.99mm, but it sits in the hands comfortably enough. The body itself has rounded edges and looks similar to the HTC Desire 610's body – though the front-facing camera is located on the upper-left hand corner of the body, rather than the upper-right.Thankfully the bezel around the screen has been reduced since the HTC Desire 610, which results in the HTC Desire 510 looking sleeker, and not feeling quite so bulky. I found it quite easy to hold the phone whilst using my thumb to scroll over much of the screen, and as with the HTC Desire 610, the power button remains on the top, with the volume controls on the right hand side of the case.
The back of the case is slightly curved, and it is made of polycarbonate material, which unfortunately gives the HTC 510 a bit of a cheap feel to it – but then, to be fair, this is a cheap phone. At first glance, however, the HTC 510 looks great, and is available in two colours, 'Terra' white and 'Meridian' grey.
At 158g the HTC 510 is light enough to comfortably hold in one hand as well. One thing that the HTC 510 case lacks which is present in the HTC Desire 610's case – and in a number of other Android smartphones – is that there is no microSD card port along the side of the case for easy access. Instead you have to take the back of the case off and remove the battery to insert the memory card. It's not a huge problem, but it is inconvenient and a bit of a shame to see that port removed from being easily accessed on the side.
You'll want use a microSD card to expand the storage of the HTC Desire 510 as it only comes with a rather paltry 8GB built-in. While this won't sound like much room, especially if you like taking photos, listening to music, watching videos and installing apps on your smartphone, the reality is even worse. On turning on the HTC Desire 510 for the first time with just the operating system and preinstalled apps there was only 4.25GB left of the internal storage. At least you can expand the storage up to 128GB, so you're not stuck with internal storage like some manufacturers' phones – I'm looking at you Apple.
Performance, camera and verdict
High speed for a low price is the theme of the HTC Desire 510 – and this doesn't just refer to the connection speeds. The HTC comes with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad speed processor that's clocked at 1.2GHz. This is an extremely proficient mobile CPU, and makes navigating the operating system and opening and using apps incredibly fast and smooth. The processing power behind the HTC Desire 510 leads to an impressively responsive user interface that feels great to use.The HTC Desire 510 comes with 1GB of RAM, which is the same as the EE Kestrel. The lower resolution of the screen helps to prevent the HTC Desire 510 from being put under too much stress.
Camera
The HTC Desire 510 comes with two cameras, one at the front and one at the back. As to be expected, the front-facing camera (which can be used by selecting the 'Selfie' mode in the camera app, in a nod to current trends) is a budget unit with a VGA (0.3 megapixel) resolution.Though I might be tempted to call the quality of the front camera disappointing, in truth these cameras are rarely particularly good – especially on budget phones – so I had rather low expectations for it before I even tried it. Still, it does the job for quick self portraits, but otherwise it's pretty unremarkable.
The rear camera is capable of five megapixels, which used to be par for the course with budget smartphones, however many are now including more proficient snappers – the Huawei Ascend G6, for example, comes with an eight megapixel camera. Whilst megapixel count isn't the be-all and end-all of camera quality, it sadly doesn't seem like the lens in the HTC Desire 510's camera is much cop either, with the shots I took lacking sharpness and clarity.
As you can see from both the portrait and landscape shots I took, whilst on the whole colours are well represented, there is a lack of details that shows that these photos were taken on a budget smartphone. With close up shots this lack of detail is even worse – and this was taken using the HTC Desire 510's 'macro' mode, which is specifically for close up shots.
Rounding out the features of the HTC Desire 510, there's Bluetooth 4.0, wireless N network connectivity, DLNA support for streaming media to and from compatible TVs and computers and a microUSB 2.0 port. The HTC Desire 510 can handle a wide range of media formats and there's an internal GPS antenna for location services.
Early verdict
Throughout this hands on review I mentioned that HTC had a theme running through the HTC Desire 510 – high speed for a low price. The HTC Desire 510 certainly delivered on this front, with both the 4G connection and overall responsiveness of the handset and operating system, along with that promised low price of £149 ($248/AU$265).However, during the review another theme made itself clear: compromise. While the 4G speeds would be the envy of any smartphone at this price – and even of more expensive smartphones – it is clear that a number of compromises were made to keep the price of the HTC Desire 510 as low as possible.
The screen, for example, may be nice and large at 4.7 inches, but the low 854 x 480 resolution keeps it from looking as good as it could. The 8GB of internal storage also points to corners being cut when it comes to the components of the HTC Desire 510.
Finally, the camera was disappointing and again highlights that this is a budget smartphone. If you just want a phone for taking advantage of the new, super fast 4G network at a low price, then you'll be quite happy with the HTC Desire 510. However, if you want your smartphone to be more than just a portal to the internet, and to watch high definition media and take superb photos, then you'll want to look elsewhere – and probably consider spending a bit more money.
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Apple can wow businesses globally, here's how
As a company, Apple has always been associated with the more creative aspects of the technology world. A large, and vocal, adoption by creative types – from music producers to graphic designers to journalists and authors – led to high-end software being created almost exclusively for OS X. This in turn created a niche surrounding the ecosystem: high-priced, but elegant, hardware with unique software geared towards arts-based crafts.
With the introduction of the iPad, Apple looked to change this image, moving towards a more enterprise-friendly standing. Tim Cook boasted on an earnings call that 98% of all Fortune 500 companies use the iPad in their business, essentially ripping the heart out of the netbook market as it went. Over a five year period, the iPad become a $5 billion (around £3 billion, AU$5.4 billion) business with 300,000 apps appearing on the App Store specifically designed for the iPad, many of them focused on utility or productivity functions.
Larger iPad
The rumour mill is currently swirling with talk of a larger 12.9-inch iPad which would place Apple in direct competition with Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 for screen size, undercutting the MacBook Air considerably. While Apple hasn't followed Microsoft's merging of operating systems – the distinction between iOS and OS X is still clear, despite many iOS features appearing on OS X – it's likely that a larger iPad would reduce the sales of the MacBook Air, especially the smaller, and cheaper, 11-inch model. Microsoft recently brought the Office suite to iPad, lending even more credibility to the idea that Apple is interested in opening the iPad up to being a content production device, rather than a content consumption one.A larger, 12.9-inch iPad would include iOS 8, the next update to Apple's iOS software found on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, which is expected to be rolled out in September following the announcement of a new iPhone – possibly called the iPhone 6 – on September 9.
iOS 8 is the next step on from iOS 7, which introduced a lot of enterprise-friendly features to the mobile operating system, a list of which can be found in Apple's documentation – leaving no doubt that Apple is committed to enterprise and business customers. A business that can bulk-order a larger iPad to give to executives, managers and so on in meetings is big business for Apple.
Services like AirPlay, which enables an iPad to wirelessly stream its screen to an Apple TV, which costs about £99 – much less than a projector – help Apple's case massively and have been emulated, in part, by Google with the Chromecast, and Samsung. While all of this is currently possible with an iPad Air, or even the iPad mini, having the extra two or three inches of screen real-estate lends even more legitimacy to the idea of content creation on the move.
ARM up the MacBook Air
In other areas of hardware, Apple is also moving forward at pace. Rumours have been circulating for some time that an ARM-based version of the MacBook Air is in the works, creating what would essentially be a MacBook Air with the internals of the iPad. Apple has always passively refused to offer its own keyboard case for the iPad – although it does allow third-parties to build them – and an ARM-based MacBook Air could be the reason: why cannibalise sales of the laptop by offering a similar experience on the iPad, likely for cheaper?An ARM-based MacBook Air would, even more than an iPad, be a big seller with enterprise and businesses. Such an offering would boast the ease of use of OS X – including the availability of full desktop apps – paired with the hardware combination of the MacBook Air and iPad at a cheaper price point.
Safe and secure
Apple has also incrementally upgraded OS X over recent years in terms of enterprise functions. The trope of OS X being extra secure when compared to Windows has always been valid, and Apple has played this up when selling Macs to businesses. A world largely free from malware and viruses is appealing to any large IT department.While OS X may currently be a rare sight in any big enterprise, there are various signs that the uptake is increasing, especially in more boutique businesses coming out of San Francisco and the Bay Area. Many of the web giants – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google – use Macs to get the job done, a commendation like no other.
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New Intel Core M CPU will supercharge future tablets and laptops
Intel's senior vice president and GM of personal computing, Kirk Skaugen, has launched its next generation of processors, coined the Core M.
The new processor range will focus on three mobile segments (convertibles, ultra portables, tablets), delivering what Intel says, is the most energy-efficient processor in the company's history at 4.5W (based on SPEC CPU2006 intel estimates for performance and core power.
Interestingly, most of the demonstrations during the keynote were referring to laptop, convertibles and tablets with keyboards, with few tablets on their own.
The Core M uses a 14nm manufacturing process and offers 50% more CPU performance as well as 40% faster graphics performance compared to last year's Core i5-4302Y.
Other advantages include significantly lower power consumption and consequently power dissipation; that translates into a fanless design - which reduces the size and weight of the devices and improves reliability - as well as much better battery life.
Setting the laptop free at last
The Core M platform will also include support for high-quality audio, Wi-Di 5.0, second generation 802.11ac with wireless docking WiGiG coming in the (near) future.Intel expects manufacturers to come out with tablet products less than 9mm thin; that about the thickness of the Apple iPad 2. More than 20 OEM products based on the Core M processor are expected to hit the shelves just in time for Christmas.
One of the highlights of the keynote was the Llama Mountain reference device that is a 7.2mm tablet that's only 670 grams, thanks to a motherboard package half the size.
Three SKUs will be available at launch: The Intel Core M-5Y10, the 5Y10a, both clocked at up to 2GHz and the M-5Y70, clocked at up to 2.6GHz; the latter also supports vPro, making it a good fit for business users.
Intel also announced that it will provide with a $280 (about £180, AU$300) software bundle for SMEs called Small Business Program Partners Software Bundle for selected products.
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Review: Toshiba 2TB Canvio USB 3.0 external hard drive
The interest in traditional hard disk storage solutions has picked up since the beginning of 2014 after a lull that lasted about two years (since the introduction of the first 4TB hard drive).
This coincided with the meteoric rise of the solid state drive, one that stole the storage limelight as prices fell and storage capacity shot up; but now spinning hard disks are back with a vengeance.
Toshiba has quietly introduced a number of affordable external storage devices, and the HDTC720EK3CA, a tiny 2TB external hard drive sporting a USB 3.0 interface, currently has the highest storage capacity for a 2.5-inch form factor and is part of the company's STOR.E Canvio range.
At well under £80 (about $130, AU$ 140) at Amazon, it is about 15% more expensive than the now discontinued HDTB120EK3CA, which has the same storage capacity and was part of the STOR.E Basics range.
Both are cheaper than all the comparable internal hard disk drives on the market, a weird but logical outcome based on demand and supply.
Despite costing more to build, external drives sell for cheaper because manufacturers such as Toshiba and Seagate are ready to sacrifice margins for sales volume.
The main difference between the two Toshiba drives – other than the price and the design – boils down to the bundled applications.
The Canvio is preloaded with Pogoplug and NTI Backup Now EZ which allows you to access the drive remotely and backup your data respectively. The former alone costs about £18 (about $30, AU$32) and comes with 10GB online cloud storage for free; you can't buy NTI's application on its own.
Design
Out of the box, the STOR.E Canvio looks ridiculously small, sitting comfortably in the palm of my hand. It weighs 230g (just under half a pound) and its dimensions are 111 x 79 x 20.5mm (4.37 x 3.11 x 0.81 inches); in other words, not much bigger or heavier than a pack of 20 cigarettes.Its corners are slightly rounded with two glossy sides and a white LED on the front that lights up when the drive is on. Getting it to work requires a free USB port (USB 3.0 preferably).
A sticker and four tiny rubber feet are located on the underside of the drive. There didn't seem to be any easy way of prying the unit open to extract the hard drive for use, say, in a gaming console like the Xbox 360 or the PS3.
Performance
- PCMark 8 Rating: 1871
- Crystal Benchmark Reads: 119.5Mbps/142.85 IOPS
- Crystal Benchmark Writes: 118.3Mbps/306.92 IOPS
The drive that Toshiba used is likely to be the MQ01ABB200 which was launched in 2013; it is a 15mm model that has four 500GB platters, a 5,400RPM rotational speed, 8MB buffer and an average seek time of 12ms/22ms in read/write.
That compares poorly with the Samsung SpinPoint M9T drive, released this year that has a higher platter density (three 667GB platters), four times the cache size (32MB) and is way thinner (9.5mm versus 15mm). As a side note, not surprisingly, Toshiba's bare drive costs about 25% more than its external version.
Verdict
This drive is great value for money if you want something small, with ample storage, that can slip in your back pocket, and has some interesting added features (Pogoplug, free online storage, backup application).There's nothing headline-grabbing about its design and performance, but it will allow you to transfer oodles of bytes cheaply and quickly. Since it is USB-powered, you won't need a power connector to make it work, either.
Put simply, Toshiba's 2TB Canvio USB 3.0 drive cannot be beaten (except by Toshiba's own Basics range) when it comes to affordability in terms of TB (Terabyte) per unit volume.
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Exclusive: Sony: no to bringing PS4 remote play to other phones - except our own
Sony has confirmed it's considering bringing PS4 to other smartphones – but only Xperia devices.
One of the big headlines of IFA 2014 was the news that the new Sony Xperia Z3 range would allow you to remotely play your PS4 games.
However, it was limited to just the Sony Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
Pierre Perron, Sony Mobile president for North West Europe, told TechRadar that while there was no chance of the service coming to other phone brands, unlike the now-retired PlayStation Mobile app that was available on most Android phones.
When quizzed on plans to roll the Remote Play service out further, Perron was unequivocal about the fact it would stay in the Sony family:
"It is important to highlight that this functionality will be exclusive on Xperia, and there is no intention to roll out this on any other competitor device," he said.
Golden oldies
However, when asked about whether older Sony phones could also see the compatibility, he confirmed that while it was possible technically, the brand hadn't decided whether it would bring it to phones such as the Xperia Z2:"Today we cannot answer whether we will be [allowing older Sony phones to have PS4 remote play capabilities]; the Z3 series will be the only series compatible with the remote play, and then we will see in the next six months.
"There is no reason technically [why we don't do it], the only limit we would have is the processing power of the smartphone. So depending on that, there is no reason why at a certain point we wouldn't bring the functionality as we did on other Sony features.
"But for the time being we are committed to bringing this out on the Z3 series."
Given the Sony Xperia Z2 has a largely similar internal architecture to the Z3, there should be no reason why it couldn't support Remote Play as well – here's hoping in six months time, probably when Sony launches the Z4, we see the Z2 shown some love as well.
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Hands-on review: IFA 2014: Nokia Lumia 735
The selfie. A shameless phenomenon that we're all supposed to be getting in on. Somehow, by redefining the humble self-portrait we've legitimised a heinous trend of vanity that's allegedly rocketing in popularity.
But let's be honest, this isn't anything new. American photography pioneer Robert Cornelius 'did a selfie' in 1839. Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna sent a mirror selfie to her friend in 1914. I took one with my Game Boy Camera in 1998. Unlike twerking and hashtags, the selfie is old news.
But try telling Nokia that. The formally Finnish brand has just jumped aboard the fad-wagon with its first 'selfie smartphone' and a desire to give us the mug shots we deserve.
The Nokia Lumia 735 (it also comes in a dual-SIM Lumia 730 variety, with all other specs the same) is a handset that's all about its 5MP front-facing camera. According to Microsoft the world has been suffering from sub-par selfies and - well - apparently that's just not good enough.
Design
It's obvious that the 735 has taken its design cues from the Nokia 800. However here the plasticky build feels a bit cheap, though not overly tacky, while it's both lighter and thinner than its inspiration.It also comes in a selection of typical Nokia colours: green, orange grey and black. The design certainly isn't terrible, but it feels a lot less nice than the Lumia 830, which was also announced at IFA 2014.
Oddly, despite the camera being the 735's USP, there's no dedicated shutter button. In fact, the only physical buttons at all are the power button and volume rocker.
Features and camera
The 735 has a 720p display, while on the inside you'll get a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a 2220mAh battery. But Windows Phone is not a demanding operating system, and the experience reflects that. There was some lag but it was very, very minimal.On the back is a 6.7MP camera, and like the 830, the 735 also comes with the new Windows Phone update, Lumia Denim, which feels right at home on this handset with all of its snapper enhancements.
You also get the new selfie app, which lets you enhance your mug shots with some effects and enhancements. It even lets you use the rear camera, providing a countdown beeper to help you time your shot.
There are some welcome non-camera improvements with Denim too, including support for Live Folders on your homescreen.
Microsoft has announced that the 735 will sell for €219 but it hasn't announced global prices yet. But assuming the price converts as you'd expect, you're looking at a pretty solid, affordable phone.
The question is: does anyone really care that much about the quality of their selfies?
Early verdict
Microsoft's not the only one with a 'selfie phone' now on the market, but this is a solid enough handset with a reasonable price.It all depends on what you want out of your smartphone; if you're not so face-focused, you're probably better off coughing up a bit more for Microsoft's other 'affordable' phone of IFA, the Lumia 830.
But camera aside, this is a decent blower for the price, and could attract the cool kids away from other affordable options.
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Exclusive: Nokia Lumia 1020 sequel still in the works?
Microsoft still intends to bring out high-power cameraphones now the deal to purchase Nokia is complete, confirmed Jo Harlow, Corporate Vice President of the Phones Business Unit at Microsoft.
The Pureview brand, which was first shown off by Harlow at MWC 2012, was the first phone to use the powerful 42MP sensor, a tool that has since been brought to Windows Phone on the Lumia 1020.
However, it's been over a year since the 1020 launched, leading some to speculate that Microsoft was more focused on using the Pureview brand to improve lower-end devices.
A clearer view
But Harlow confirmed to TechRadar that the brand was still looking at the dedicated cameraphone space when asked if a phone with the power of the Lumia 1020 could still appear:"Absolutely – we're not end of the mission in camera technology, or in computational photography.
"We continue to invest in that area to bring the next greatest thing in high end imaging."
While Harlow predictably wouldn't be drawn on a timescale for such a device, its feasible that it could launch before the end of the year, given cameraphones can be seen a better gift in the holiday season, and it would make sense for Microsoft to launch something by November to take advantage of that.
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LG introduces 34-inch curved business monitor
LG had a 34-inch curved monitor destined for a creative professional crowd at IFA on its booth; it is the first time that this format has reached computer monitors.
The 34UC87 is a 21:9 ultrawide QHD (that's 3440 x 1440 pixels) business monitor with an IPS panel and covers over 99% of the sRBC colour space. As for connectivity, It comes with a pair of Thunderbolt 2 ports plus a 4-port USB hub.
LG has also integrated two 7W stereo speakers with Maxx Audio capability and bestowed it with an adjustable, ergonomic stand. A gamer version the 34UC97, is also available with a 144Hz refresh rate.
Limited appeal?
Price and availability have yet to be confirmed. Ultrawide QHD are only just starting to become popular as an alternative to full HD and QHD monitors.However, their appeal is likely to be short-lived as the price of 4K monitors, which offer 67% more pixels on a much smaller screen diagonal (and hence, a higher pixel density) falls down.
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