Driverless cars within two years? Not a chance, says Volvo top bod
Launching Volvo's Vision 2020 project, head of R&D Peter Mertens had a few choice words for self-driving automobiles. Actually he had one choice word on the idea that there will be self-driving cars on roads within two years: "Bullshit".
In response to a picture of a woman reading a newspaper while her car drove her to her destination, he said: "If you look at the picture of having a person sitting behind a steering wheel, and doing emails and reading whatever, that kind of stuff is not what we want to see in a car.
"This is a very, very long term vision. And others are talking that they will have fully autonomous driving in every road condition and under any weather condition in any kind traffic condition in a couple of years. I think that's bulls**t. We think that that is something which is just not telling the truth."
As Peter tells it, the benefits of auto-driving are more to do with enhanced safety. "We are very, very serious about autonomous driving," he continued, "not for having people making their emails, but for making us get to our vision of 2020."
Back-seat driver
Specifically, Volvo plans to abolish road deaths (or at least those involving new Volvos) by the decade's end. "Our vision of 2020: we don't want to have anybody seriously hurt or injured or even killed in a new Volvo," according to Mertens.It's a "target" rather than a guarantee, of course, but Volvo is serious about reaching it, using a combination of "passive" safety: manufacturing as much strength as possible into the car's construction, so in the event of a collision, the chassis protects you.
The auto-driving tech comes in with the more "active" safety measures, primarily sensor-controlled brake assist and object avoidance systems.
The car the Swedish giant was using to showcase its new gamut of safety widgets was the hybrid XC90, a handsome-looking ride primed to take on Audi's Q7 and Beemer's X5 – at a significantly lower price, to boot. For Mertens, though, it's "the most important next stepping stone and milestone on our way towards 2020."
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In Depth: Up close with the games that will define the PS4 in 2015
Introduction: Tearaway Unfolded and Until Dawn
Having just celebrated a year of existence, the PS4 has a lot to be happy about right now. Sony has been shifting consoles by the truckload and sales promise to keep rocketing through the Christmas period.The PS4 certainly has some top titles but it's fair to say it's a bit weak in the AAA exclusives department, somewhere the Xbox One and Wii U are leading the charge. Hopefully, that's set to change in 2015 with a lineup of huge platform-showcasing titles on the horizon, and no doubt plenty more games we still don't know about.
We were fortunate to recently get our hands on four of the games coming from Sony's in-house development teams: Tearaway: Unfolded, Until Dawn, Bloodborne and The Order: 1886.
Here's what you need to know about four potential system sellers for next year.
Tearaway Unfolded
When Media Molecule took the stage at Gamescom 2014 to announce Tearaway Unfolded we were pretty excited, but we also had a concern: would this end up as a half-arsed port or would it truly be rebuilt with the PS4 in mind? Luckily, it's looking more like the latter.Unfolded loses none of the original's charm. The fundamentals are the same: you control a tiny character in a world made of paper, with the mission of delivering a unique message. But now you do so in an expanded version of Media Molecule's gorgeous, pulpy world.
Yes it exists at 1080p, 60fps, but who cares? We already know it looks great, it's how the game's central ideas unfurl on the more powerful platform that we're interested in.
The original Tearaway played on the idea that its quirky world took place physically inside the Vita, and Media Molecule has transitioned that same idea to the PS4 version, the events now transpiring inside your TV. For example, you can now chuck objects from the television "into" the DualShock 4 to then fire back into the screen, made more convincing thanks to the pad's inbuilt speakers and vibrations.
In the same way that the first game was a showcase for the myriad of ways developers and gamers could interact with the Vita, Unfolded demonstrates the many possibilities of the PS4 hardware, particularly the controller.
Our short demo took place inside a giant paper barn where we were searching for a mysterious pumpkin. Scattered about the level were 'bounce' pads that could be activated by pressing the touchpad - useful for jumping to higher platforms or, as it later transpired, diverting an avalanche of cauliflowers.
Without the touchscreen, certain interactions are limited. One guy needed a new moustache - we used the analogue sticks to carefully (but in the end, clumsily) cut out something that looked awful, but he loved it anyway. In the world of Tearaway, everyone's a winner.
There are other ways Media Molecule rips apart the fourth wall. Swiping a finger across the touchpad will create a gust of wind, while using the PlayStation Eye will let you customise the world with photos. In one part of the demo we shone a virtual light into the screen by holding L2 and R2 and then moving the DualShock around to scare our foes into a nasty trap.
It's cutesy and twee as hell, but you can't help falling in love. Unfolded clearly serves its purpose of showcasing the possible ways to play the PS4, but beyond that it's promising to be a great game in its own right.
Release date: TBC
How it'll define the PS4: by showing developers and players how much they can do with the PS4.
Until Dawn
The home invasion horror has given birth to some real gems in recent years, but is it a genre that can translate to gaming? Supermassive Games hopes to do it with Until Dawn, its choose-your-own-fate survival thriller.Once intended for the PS3, Until Dawn follows a group of eight teenagers pursued by a serial killer in a remote mountain retreat. Within the game you'll be faced with a multitude of multiple-choice scenarios and zero checkpoints. Once a character dies they're gone for good, and you then take control of another of the eight victims.
We started out playing as Sam, a girl with a surprising talent for getting through action-heavy sequences wearing nothing but a towel. Meanwhile the game's masked invader weds the looks of Stephen King's It with the voice of Saw. In fact, the developers are pretty candid about the influences on Until Dawn: an early scene takes place in a home theatre in which the walls are decorated with posters for House of the Devil, Bitter Feast and other slasher favs.
The game takes full advantage of the PS4 hardware. Along the way you'll use the DualShock as a flashlight among other things; at one point in the demo we had to slide the controller right to lock a door, and later push it towards the screen to knock another door open. Then there are moments where you need to keep it perfectly still so as to not give away your position.
ou don't just choose your outcomes in Until Dawn, you also choose your own fear. At the very start the game asks a number of questions about your personal dispositions. 'I hate creepy crawlies' or 'I hate blood and gore'; 'I hate needles' or 'suffocation scares me'. Only the second of those had any bearing on our short time with the game, with our foe branding a rather nasty-looking syringe when we picked the former option. When we chose suffocation he was lugging around a gas canister that would make No Country of Old Men's Anton Chigurh proud.
Beyond the enemy's pick of accessory, those choices had no further effect during our time with the game. But as the developers have hinted, these small early decisions branch out into a much bigger web of outcomes, so we're crossing our fingers that there's a lot of variation to come in the finished game. We want Until Dawn to be the game that really offers a different experience every time, not another Mass Effect 3.
Release date: Q2, 2015
How it'll define the PS4: by (we hope) delivering a journey in the vein of Heavy Rain, where the consequences of our decisions are more than skin-deep.
Bloodborne and The Order: 1886
Bloodborne
Look, we really don't want to start this by saying Bloodborne is difficult because you already know it's difficult, and everyone else is going to say the same thing. But it is difficult. Damn difficult. This is for the "hardcore" players. This is one for the no-mercy, no-hand-holding, no-checkpoints-allowed gamers.Or maybe we're just a bit crap.
But however challenging Bloodborne may be, this is one extremely gruesome, and damn pretty, gothic nightmare. Those good looks don't stop at the resolution and framerate either; in everything from the weather effects to the finely-crafted designs of your cockney enemies, Bloodborne feels like a proper next-gen game.
But from what we've played and seen so far, Bloodborne's Victorian world seems a lot more interesting than Dark Souls' rather dreary environs. It's still bleak as hell, mind, just more varied. And you have a gun this time.
The combat mechanics are slightly different this time too, with more of a focus on offense. It's not as simple as charging your enemies Dynasty Warrior-style, attacking takes thought and attention to timing, especially when you're facing off with a crowd.
Those points aside, Bloodborne looks and feels just like Dark Souls, from the on-screen status bars down to the fact you're inevitably going to spend a lot of your time dead. It's pretty much the antithesis of Tearaway.
But Bloodborne feels like the most accessible game of the franchise so far. This is a Dark Souls game as we know it, but faster, better-looking, and, so far, promising to be a tad more forgiving to those who didn't have the patience for the last two. Just a tad.
Release date: March 24, 2015 (US), March 27 (UK)
How it'll define the PS4: by being the first truly hardcore game to grace the platform.
The Order: 1886
Bloodborne may be beautiful, but it's The Order: 1886 that walks away with the award for best looking PS4 game right now. And we're glad, because when Ready at Dawn first revealed The Order we worried we had been fooled by the smoke and mirrors of yet another over-promising demo, not to mention how concerned we became when the game was delayed.The reason for that delay is still unclear, but with next-gen mustaches that look this good we doubt it could have anything to do with the graphics, so could it have been a matter of gameplay? Early criticism from gamers was targeted at The Order's heavy cinematic elements, but we felt there was a good balance in the section we played.
The demo took place on a zeppelin - an aircraft that didn't actually take flight until 1900, but then the game is also filled with monsters, so we'll cut it some slack - from which our protagonist Galahad hopes to smoke out some nefarious rebels. Of course it's not long before things go haywire, bullets start flying, smoke grenades begin exploding, and people start yelling "bloody" a lot.
The demo started with a lot of stealth, with us sneaking around enemies who have a habit of announcing exactly what they plan to do, but these moments soon opened up into full-scale shootouts with a cover-based action system that felt fairly conventional.
In fact, the game encourages you to use the cover system quite a lot. As we discovered, running into a battle guns blazing ends up getting you killed most of the time. While these action scenes played out like any other, what was more noticeable was how well the frame rate held during moments of intense combat. Even at 30fps (which has, naturally, attracted a lot of criticism from the gaming community) there was no obvious drop in quality.
There were more than a couple of moments where the transition from cutscene to gameplay was so seamless that it took us a few seconds to realise we were in control again. Where the developers probably have more of a challenge is in balancing the cinematic moments with gameplay throughout the rest of The Order. Games like Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted (one of Ready at Dawn's big inspirations) have proven it can be done, but with so many massive set pieces in The Order we just hope that we're given enough freedom. Our demo was very linear, but then it did all take place on a zeppelin, so it's hard to predict how much this reflects the rest of the rest of the game.
What we do know for sure right now is that The Order: 1886 looks wonderful, basking in its gothic Victorian loveliness. GTA 5 for next-gen might have had jaws dropping, but The Order was built from the ground up on the PS4 and it shows. The lighting and materials, the performance-capture character animations, the effects of elements like smoke... if nothing else, this is the game you'll buy to show off just how good the PS4 can look.
Release date: February 20, 2015
How it'll define the PS4: by being one of, if not the, best-looking game on the platform. If games can look this good at this point in the PS4's lifecycle, imagine how things will be in five years time.
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Week in Gaming: Zelda Wii U, Street Fighter 5 and No Man's Sky impress, but they're no Shopper Simulator
The Game Awards, previously The Spike Awards before it lost Spike, has been a massive showcase for future games over the years. But, naturally, there have been some awards given out too. So before we move onto anything else, here's who won what on Friday night...
Game of the Year: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Best performance: Trey Parker, South Park: The Stick of Truth
Best online experience: Destiny
Best score: Destiny
Trending Gamer: Total Biscuit
Composition Award: Martin O'Donnell
Best mobile game: Hearthstone
Best fighting game: Smash Bros Wii U
Industry Icon: Roberta and Ken Williams
Developer of the year: Nintendo
Best eSports: Matthew 'NaDeSHoT' Haag
Best sports or racing game: Mario Kart 8
Best Remaster: GTA V
Best shooter: Far Cry 4
Game for change: Valiant Hearts
Best narrative: Valiant Hearts
Best action game: Shadow of Mordor
Best Indie Game: Shovel Knight
For me, an appearance from Reggie Fils-Aime on the night was worth all the game previews in the world, but he wasn't just there to let us bask in his radiant glow, as we were quickly transported to Japan for a gameplay preview of Zelda Wii U - and hot damn does it look nice.
With Shigeru Miyamoto and Zelda lead producer Eiji Aonuma giving commentary, we were treated to a closer look at Link's next big console adventure, with a particular focus on the size of the new world. Everything we saw took place in the map's lower right corner. Having set a beacon marker to the point he wanted to travel, Aunomua proceeded to show off the ways he could get there, which included the sailcloth and Link's horse Epona, who now appears to ride in autopilot mode. "Real horses don't run into trees very often," quipped Aonuma. I guess has a point.
It took at least five minutes to traverse a small section of the map, suggesting that this world is going to be huge when the game arrives next year (yes, Aonuma also confirmed that). And then there were all the other little details like the apples growing on trees which you can pick and eat, and the fact Link can now jump off his horse and attack enemies in slow motion.
Finally, Miyamoto stole some of the limelight to confirm Star Fox Wii U would arrive before Zelda in 2015. Chump move, Shiggy.
Now, do you still need an excuse to buy a Wii U?
So what else happened on the night?
Well, no Man's Sky still looks awesome, still has no release date.
'Metal Gear Online' is actually Metal Gear Solid V's co-op multiplayer, and looks hella fun.
Fullbright has a new game called Tacoma, which is set on the moon.
Xbox One takes a c-c-c-combo
After it was announced that Microsoft had secured Rise of the Tomb Raider as an Xbox One exclusive, I suspected we'd see a lot more of these power moves in the future. Sure enough, this week someone at Capcom accidentally set its Street Fighter V trailer live a bit earlier than intended, and while the teaser only offered a few tiny morsels of detail, one morsel turned out to be a big middle finger to Xbox. Street Fighter V will be a PS4 and PC exclusive.
Now, in my eyes, this is a bigger deal than Rise of the Tomb Raider, and here's why: although Street Fighter's exclusivity might also be timed, it's going to push serious players, and probably the beat-em-up community, to the PS4 while the console is still young. This move could potentially lock down the PS4 as the platform for fighters.
Whether or not you think I'm exaggerating the point, there's no doubt that this is an excellently-timed move from Sony that could have a big sway. Much more so than Lara Croft could ever dream of having.
I played Shopper Simulator and now it's my GOTY
On a more cheerful note, UK retailer Game this week launched a title of its own, Christmas Shopper Simulator, and I can tell you now that it's as hilarious and dull as it promises to be.Drawing inspiration from the cultural touchstone that is Goat Simulator, CSS lets you control a rag-doll Christmas shopper as you navigate your way around a shopping centre to complete menial tasks. Or, if you're like me, you'll just spend your time hurling reindeers at people and kicking in Santa.
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Industry voice: Why Small Business Saturday is about more than the high street
Small businesses are undoubtedly the lifeblood of our economy. The private sector almost exclusively consists of SMBs. They generate a cumulative turnover of over £1.6 billion each year and they employ over 60% of the UK's work force.
Our country's economy would crumble without them. Whilst the government has always appreciated their contribution, the politicians now start to take action to support this vital sector of our economy. Just this week during the Autumn Statement Chancellor George Osbourne presented an additional £900m lending package for small businesses. The sometimes forgotten powerhouse of our economy is getting the recognition it deserves.
One initiative is taking this even further and receives support from all over the UK. Small Business Saturday should be an important day in the business year for many of us. It is the day which shines a light on all of the great businesses across the UK that don't necessarily make the headlines.
More than the high street
On Small Business Saturday we shouldn't just focus on the high street though. Small businesses come in many forms. They are your local fishmonger, your favourite regional restaurant or a trendy app developer at Silicon Roundabout.They bring variety to the table, both in terms of offering and experience. And everyone appreciates the role they play in their communities. So let's make sure we continue supporting local businesses and keep them alive.
Any initiative that aims to raise their profile and supports their growth should be greeted enthusiastically across the business world. But what's in it for the businesses themselves? Apart from additional revenue, it most importantly gives them the opportunity to come together to learn from each other and share their business expertise.
Be it through initiatives like Small Business Saturday or our recent Big Digital Skills Tour, a series of workshop sessions across the UK focussing on developing and sharing digital skills. But sharing knowledge isn't just limited to SMBs. Big businesses can learn from the forward thinking and agility that huge communities of SMBS display, as we at Virgin Media Business found through events like 30:30 Vision. And the government is taking and increased interest in them.
It is great to see that industry and government are coming together. But there is a lot that still needs to be done to empower small businesses even further. We need to continue exploring ways of providing further support - be that access to funding, mentoring, digital skills - until every day is a great day for small businesses.
- By Mike Smith, Head of SME, Virgin Media Business
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Industry voice: Excessive 'privilege' is still a gaping security hole
Brian, for the uninitiated, what exactly are 'admin rights' and privilege management?
For most purposes, admin rights can be loosely defined as being the set of rights granted to either a root user (Linux, Unix, Mac OS X) or an administrator account (Windows), as opposed to standard user rights.One of the biggest security issues in organisations is that admin rights are given too often and for a couple of common reasons: first, many users want to have control over their own desktops (who wants to wait until the IT department can get around to installing that vital piece of application software that you need?). Second is the perception that putting the onus on the user also reduces overall IT support costs (for example, fewer calls to the IT helpdesk), but the truth here is actually quite the opposite.
Privilege access or privilege identity management is the name given to the process of managing those rights: in other words, who has access to what. It matters because admin rights open up gaping security holes, however careful a company might think it is being. It's one thing to have a multi-layered investment in security software, but if Miss Jones in accounts is allowed to download a piece of software that turns out to contain malware that wreaks havoc all over the organization, then those big investments are in vain.
Do you have any insight into what the scale of the problem is?
Over 70% of known vulnerabilities in Windows 7 require admin privilege to be exploited. In a survey by BeyondTrust in late 2013, it was discovered that 44% of respondents knew that there were users in their company with excess account privilege, 65% had implemented so kind of control for this privilege and 54% knew that their users could circumvent those controls.Forrester reported a couple of years ago that around 43% of data breaches are from internal sources. A Verizon report states that in 2011, 98% of data breaches came from external agents, but goes on to suggest those attacks were successful because they were enabled in part by human error or ignorance. By 2012, this had only dropped 6% to 92%. In short, as long as there are users with excessive privilege, companies are leaving the door wide open for this to happen each and every day.
Of course, those figures are going to vary but I'd argue we haven't seen much improvement. There have been some pretty high profile examples of where admin rights or excessive privilege have enabled data to be leaked or security breached, Target being one of the most recent examples.
Can you provide some examples of what actually goes wrong?
A hacker gaining access to a company network has to be extremely lucky to find themselves with access to a system with sensitive or valuable data as their initial point of entry. Most exploits happen on a system that has lower security, usually because it's not holding any sensitive data. Once on that system the hacker needs to find a privileged account to allow them to make lateral moves through the system until they find some useful data.Once they've got that privileged account they aren't hacking any more: they start acting like an internal employee. So they're inside the organisation and behaving like – and treated like – anyone else with that level of admin rights. It's a bit like allowing a guest into the company foyer, not bothering with a security pass and while you're at it, giving them a set of keys to all of the doors, desks and file cabinets in the building. All this can stem from just a simple innocuous action, such as downloading an unauthorised application that brings in malware and gives the attacker a way into the organisation.
And of course, let's not forget that the 'insider threat' isn't just about allowing external attackers to imitate internal users: there have been some cases where employees have abused their privilege to access or distribute sensitive and confidential information.
So what are the barriers to companies dealing with this better?
Many feel they left with little option other than to give admin rights. The security systems we have to work within Windows, Linux, Unix and Mac OS X give us two options primarily: standard user and super user (root or administrator). When you exceed the capabilities of the standard user we are only left with giving them admin rights to keep them productive.IT is there to help our employees be more productive. A secure environment is currently seen as being one in which productivity is impacted by the coarse level at which we can apply user rights. Many companies have invested time and effort in tooling and processes to help them manage the excess privilege through direct controls through to user training and assessment. User rights management is ingrained in many organisations and it's hard to let go.
What do you think needs to change?
Quite simply, we need to stop trying to manage the problem and start eliminating it. At the base level, it isn't the user that needs the additional rights/privileges, it's the applications and processes they are running. We need to move away from thinking about user privilege and move toward managing application privilege. Allowing us to move to a place where privilege is explicit, not implicit as it is with admin rights. That would remove a wide variety of vulnerabilities straight away.So what kind of practical processes could companies look at adopting – can you share some best practice suggestions?
Privilege management becomes more digestible when you think more in terms of applications, rather than users. Even in big organisations, there are probably only a couple of thousand apps and the need to apply privilege to these probably only applies to a small number. The privileges around that application are likely to be fairly constant, whereas privilege around users – who change jobs or leave the company – is more fluid.The principle of Least Privilege, as first stated by Jerome Saltzer in 1974 ("Every program and every privileged user of the system should operate using the least amount of privilege necessary to complete the job."), gives us an approach that we can actually deliver on today. By starting with a standard user, adopting the approach of application privilege (the least privilege necessary for the application or process to run productively) and looking to assign the ability to run privileged applications explicitly we reach control through empowerment.
Without plugging any of your own software, how can tools help companies manage privilege better?
The complexity of our IT environments only seems to be increasing, but within that we do see very important technologies that can help us manage privilege better. Single-sign-on allows us to have a consistent single identity across many applications within our working environment. Technologies that allow you to use a single identity across multiple operating system platforms further reduces the number of identities we need to operate and manage.This reduction in the number of identities in the environment aid in the most important aspect that tooling can deliver: visibility. The more clear the visibility we have across our environments, the better the decisions we can make to move them forward, to make them more secure while still giving our customers (our users) the facilities they need to be productive. We cannot lose sight of the objective of the technology it's not there for its own sake, its there to help deliver productivity.
How might this fit into an overall security and IT risk management strategy?
Privilege management is one element of having a solid security strategy. Vulnerability management is another (hackers use vulnerability and privilege to exploit company networks) and good configuration management is also vital.These all contribute to building a solid foundation on which to construct your broader technology services and security. There's no point investing in lots of technology tools to manage security if you haven't got the foundations right. Companies need a solid base of the right policies and processes, together with different security tools (there is no silver bullet) that don't just deal with security problems as they arise, but help to prevent them happening in the first place.
- Brian Chappell is Director of Technical Services for BeyondTrust in EMEA and APAC
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Opinion: Will the iPad Pro be the next blockbuster enterprise device?
Introduction
In a move that would have surprised even the most ardent fans of Apple a decade ago, the computing giant has become the darling of the enterprise landscape – and in a big way. Through the iPhone, and then the iPad, Apple has positioned its products as a staple item within the world of companies, from the Fortune 500 to startups, creating software custom-built for the touchscreen and enabling businesses to successfully use tablets for tasks previously assigned to a laptop.And it isn't just Apple that is producing software for the 'new era' of enterprise. A whole host of software developers – from Microsoft to smaller companies – have built apps for the iPad, putting an end to the idea that the iPad is simply a content consumption device and opening the platform up to serious content creation.
Companies like the Omni Group have created high-end apps for the iOS platform, selling OmniFocus for $29.99 (£20.99). Speaking to Ben Thompson of the Stratechery blog, Omni Group founder Ken Case said that "the lesson I've drawn is that it's important for us to build higher-value apps" which will ultimately be aimed at businesses or those who use an iPad as a productivity tool, not just a device to waste time on.
Coffee tablet
While it is true that the iPad is still primarily a 'coffee table' device, used for more casual tasks such as browsing the web or reading, there is a contingent of users who are starting to replace their laptop with an iPad. MG Siegler, a partner at Google Ventures, has been vocal about his use of an iPad for writing, replacing his MacBook Pro.Elsewhere, artists and designers have taken to using Paper by FiftyThree to draw, and a whole wave of executives are now giving PowerPoint presentations using an iPad, as opposed to a laptop. However, there are still some who are sceptical of whether the iPad can be used as a work device – and Apple may be about to prove them wrong.
The company that has been pursuing the 'work tablet' for the longest is, surprisingly, Microsoft. Having laid the foundations with the original Surface Pro, Microsoft has led the way for hybrid laptop/tablets, creating a 'slate' with the internals of a laptop. The very first Surface Pro was bulky, underpowered and suffered from a painfully short battery life, but as a proof-of-concept Microsoft succeeded in proving that it was at least partially possible to cram a laptop into the body of a tablet.
Fast forward to 2014 and we have the Surface Pro 3, the "tablet that can replace your laptop" as Microsoft's promotional materials proclaim. While this claim may not be entirely true (I, for one, still prefer the rigidity of having the screen attached to the keyboard by more than a magnet), Microsoft has made some significant improvements to the Surface Pro, creating a hybrid that could replace the most low-hanging functions of a tablet or laptop.
iPad meets MacBook
It is from this basis that Apple needs to start for the iPad that will combine an iPad and a MacBook (which, for ease, I shall call the iPad Pro). Rumours originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal, claiming that Apple was testing an iPad with a 12.9-inch display (the Surface Pro 3's screen is 12-inch) which, if sold, would place it in direct competition with the Surface Pro and MacBook Air, boasting iPad-like internals and, presumably, a version of iOS. (Note that the most recent iPad Pro rumours have pointed to a 12.2-inch display).While many will point to this as Apple "copying" Microsoft, it must be remembered that Apple is rarely the first to a product category – be it smartphones, tablets or watches – but its implementation is usually the most polished and, thus, has the most commercial success. The Apple Watch is not the first smartwatch on the market, but the implementation will likely be the most well thought out and thorough, and so will likely sell in the most bulk (the jury is, of course, out until "early 2015").
The actual implementation of the iPad Pro is unknown as yet. From a software standpoint, it is unlikely that Apple will implement a version of OS X into an iPad, especially after ploughing so much time and resources into creating a large ecosystem of apps specifically designed for the iPad, many of which are focused around enterprise use cases.
Versions of both the iWork suite and Office are available on the iPad, as well as a host of other productivity apps that have had iPad-specific versions created (examples include Things, a to-do list app; iA Writer, a text editor; OmniFocus, a task-planning app; and Evernote, the note-taking service). All of these apps have been well received and, crucially, are designed with the finger in mind, not the mouse.
Telling demos
On stage during the iOS 8 announcement, Tim Cook played up the raw processing power of the new iPad Air 2 which uses the new A8 chipset, showing off demos of Pixelmator and a video editing app called Replay, which can implement real-time video effects and editing. It is telling that Apple is choosing to show off apps that perform functions that were historically the domain of the laptop or desktop.Having owned a Surface Pro 3, MacBook Air and iPad, the experience on the Surface Pro 3 often feels a little mismatched. Windows 8 is, in many regards, a well-made operating system that successfully transcends the complexity of many different input types. It is with legacy apps that the problems arise, requiring delicate presses of a finger or a dedicated mouse. Unfortunately, many productivity apps – such as Photoshop – are only available in the desktop mode, creating an uneven experience. Apple will undoubtedly be wanting to avoid this foible, and so will likely be working on a single OS platform to deliver a coherent experience.
One device
Having only one device is a huge plus for businesses and for those who only have to fit a single device in a bag. The iOS range, from the iPhone 5c all the way up to the iPad Air 2, has become more and more entwined over recent years. The iPhone 6 Plus has blurred the lines between what is an 'iPhone' and what is an 'iPad,' leading to many users ditching their iPad (especially the iPad mini) in favour of an iPhone 6 Plus. This 'one device' mentality will endear users to the iPad Pro, which would reduce the need to carry around a laptop – a much larger inconvenience than carrying around an iPad mini and iPhone.Apple also has a full stable of iPad-ready apps that are aimed at creating rather than consuming, setting the iPad Pro apart from its contemporaries from launch. Businesses are much more likely to pick the iPad Pro over a Surface Pro when there are already 250,000 apps that are entirely relevant and, moreover, made for the device. Here, Apple could finish what Microsoft has started, endearing itself even further to the enterprise market.
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AT&T's LTE throttling is more rampant than previously thought
There were reports in September that AT&T throttles "unlimited data" customers when its networks are particularly congested, but apparently congestion actually has nothing to do with it when it comes to LTE.
AT&T's 3G and non-LTE (that means 4G HSPA+ to AT&T) subscribers are slowed down at the 3GB mark when the networks are busy, but LTE users are throttled after 5GB in a billing cycle regardless of network traffic.
That's better than the policy AT&T once held of simply throttling unlimited users' data automatically as a rule, but still. Come on.
Ars Technica spoke with one AT&T subscriber who noticed his speeds slowing and confirmed the policy with the carrier, and a customer service representative reportedly told him there's nothing they can do about it.
AT&T's own support site confirms that this is the case for users with "legacy unlimited data plans," and it's not uncommon among other carriers, either - the T-Mobile plan I signed up for in November has severe throttling after 3GB, but at least they were upfront about it.
Hopefully the federal government's efforts to take AT&T to task for its "deceptive and unfair" policies has some lasting effects on this industry, as things appear to be getting worse, not better.
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Cortana for Windows 10 makes first public appearance
The latest rumor regarding Cortana in Windows 10 is that the virtual personal assistant might first pop up there in January 2015.
With a Windows 10 Technical Preview that includes Cortana supposedly right around the corner, you'd think an example or two of her in action would leak - and as of today you'd be right.
Windows news site WinBeta seems to have got its hands on a test version of Windows 10 with a very unfinished Cortana built in, and they published the video below.
Looking good
"Before we dive in I must stress that this is an in-development version of Cortana running on pre-release software," the video's narrator says. "That means the user interface isn't finished and features are very buggy."As the video demonstrates the Windows 10 version of Cortana can do almost everything the Windows Phone version can do, from placing Skype calls to setting reminders and much more.
The site doesn't seem to have any more clues as to when Cortana will actually arrive in a public build of Windows 10, but the existence of this mostly-functional test version suggests that January might be a good guess after all.
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Updated: Galaxy S6 and LG G4 facing delays thanks to Snapdragon 810 defects?
Update: A Qualcomm spokesperson sent TechRadar a statement to debunk this report, though he wouldn't go into detail.
"We won't comment on any of the rumor or speculation you referenced but I can tell you that everything with Snapdragon 810 remains on track and we expect commercial devices to be available in 1H 2015," the spokesperson said.
With that all we can do is wait and see what the future holds for Qualcomm and the phone makers that rely on it.
Original story follows…
Planning for Samsung's and LG's next flagships is undoubtedly well underway already, but their releases might not be as close as one might hope.
There are problems with Qualcomm's newest chip, the Snapdragon 810, reports Business Korea, that might cause delays for the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4 and others.
Qualcomm is reportedly having trouble producing the new chip due to problems with "overheating and a decline in speed," the site says.
A source told the site that "the Snapdragon 810 overheats when it reaches a specific voltage" and "slows down owing to problems with the RAM controller connected to the AP," and that "there is an error in the driver of the Adreno 430 GPU."
Up the creek
Qualcomm's chips have become the gold standard for mobile devices, so if they've having trouble then smartphone makers will too.This report suggests Samsung may solve the problem by using its own Exynos chips in the Galaxy S6, and a rumor earlier this week indeed said that the S6 will come with a 1.8GHz octa-core Exynos 7420 processor - a chip that hasn't even been announced yet.
But that won't help LG and the other companies looking to Qualcomm for their next generations of flagship phones.
Other phones that are supposed to pack the 810 - or are rumored to at least - include the Sony Xperia Z4, the HTC One M9, Motorola's next Droid, the Xiaomi Mi 5, and others. Where all these phone makers will come up with alternative processors if Qualcomm really is struggling is anyone's guess.
We've asked Qualcomm for an update on the Snapdragon 810, and we'll update if we hear back.
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Mid-range SM-E700H could be part of Samsung's big 2015 restart
We've been hearing for a little while now that Samsung will "press reset," so to speak, on its smartphone lineup in 2015, and now there's a tiny tidbit of new evidence of what that might mean.
It comes in the form of a mysterious model number that appears in the page info on Samsungmobile.com, which might mean anything - or nothing at all.
But if you click that link and turn your eyes about 15 lines down in the text you'll see "
These specs include a 720p 5.5-inch screen, a 1.5GHz CPU and Android 4.4 KitKat.
A fighting chance
Obviously these aren't mind-blowing specs, but Samsung may very well turn more of its attention toward the middle-of-the-road market if its flagships can no longer compete with the likes of the iPhone 6, Nexus 6 and others on the high end.And judging by what's been going on at Samsung lately and its disappointing Galaxy S5 sales, they clearly can't - at least not on their current path.
The model number SM-E700H doesn't really match with any of Samsung's existing product lines, so it's probably not the Galaxy S6, and its true nature will remain a mystery for now.
But with Samsung planning to release far fewer different devices in 2015, this mid-range phone - whatever it is - may have a fighting chance.
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buying guide: Best set-top box: top 5 streaming systems reviewed
Our 'try harder next time' picks
If you're only here because you want to cut the cord and stop the rich, monopolistic cable overlords from siphoning your hard-earned dollars every month, I only have one thing to say to you: You've come to the right place.Look, we believe that paying for great TV shows and movies shouldn't cost more than your groceries, and that there's no better way to save some green every month than ripping that money-sucking cord out of the wall and delivering that long-winded "you're fired" speech to the cable company.
We're here to help you make that next buying decision the best one possible by ranking the five best set-top boxes from worst-to-best and, in very clear writing, tell you which one will feel right at home in your home entertainment center. From the gold-standard Roku 3 to the recently released Fire TV Stick, all the set-top players have come out for the final showdown, but only one (OK, maybe two) can leave with the crown.
5. Nexus Player
Coming in at the end of the list is the beautiful, but ultimately barren, Nexus Player. If you're an Android user you'll love the icon-heavy interface and ability to easily send web pages, videos and music directly to the big screen via Google Cast. We liked its ability to play AAA games thanks to its optional $40 controller, as well as its well-groomed storefront. It even has a great search function that makes finding the next show to watch a breeze.What ultimately hurts the value of the Nexus Player is its lack of an ethernet cable, essential for a steady connection, and missing content services like HBO Go and Amazon Instant Video. At $100 it's not the best value, either. Roku has the market cornered on sheer amount of apps, and Chromecast comes in at the top of the pile for lowest cost. Nexus Player is just a middle child that may one day find success if it manages to set itself apart from its kin.
Quick verdict
"Ideally, every set-top box would have access to every streaming service, game library (both iOS and Android) and music collection. Sadly, this is not a perfect world.Google, however, made the best of the situation with the Nexus Player. It gets full marks for its simplistic, it'll-fit-anywhere design and sharp-looking interface. It does a decent job of putting the right specs in while keeping cost down and making a complementary platform for Android 5.0 Lollipop. But, unfortunately, it takes a huge loss when it comes to streaming services like HBO Go and Amazon Instant Video, which are completely absent on the device."
- Read our Nexus Player review
4. Amazon Fire TV
There's a soft-spot in my heart for the Amazon Fire TV - a set-top player from the e-commerce giant that single-handedly thrust the concept of cord cutting into the limelight.It scores full points for having some of the best internal components this side of a game console (which, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that both the PS4 and Xbox One make for fantastic streamers, too), and plays very nicely with everything sporting the name Amazon in the title.
The Fire TV is snappy, fun and probably the best bet if all you want from your system is content from Amazon Instant Video. It has more games and apps than you can shake a Fire TV Stick at, but most of them aren't worth the five to ten seconds it takes to download. And worse, while it works wonderfully with an Amazon Prime account, take it away and you're left with a lifeless plastic shell that can access Netflix and peruse the endlessly expensive Amazon Video Store.
Quick verdict
"The Amazon Fire TV is simple to use and works well. If you are significantly bought in to Amazon's services, it's hard to go wrong with this box. However, if you are not an Amazon customer or even an Amazon customer who doesn't have or want Amazon Prime, then you might think twice. The device is clearly tilted toward Amazon customers, and nothing short of a full UI overhaul is going to change that. We'd like to at least see Amazon allow some kind of user customization in the interface. Until then, we're calling this device great, but not perfect."If you want everything the full-size player has to offer (minus the remote with a built-in mic) at half the price, consider picking up the Amazon Fire TV Stick instead.
- Read our Amazon Fire TV review
Our top 3 picks
3. Google Chromecast
Too often, there's a discrepancy between a product's price (what it costs) and its value (how much it's really worth). Thankfully, Chromecast isn't one of those products: it's worth every penny.
Coming in $32 (£30), the petite, USB-powered Chromecast offers all of the functionality of boxes three times it price at half the size. Like other pint-sized streamers - the Roku Streaming Stick and the Amazon Fire TV Stick - Chromecast hides behind your entertainment center by directly plugging into the TV's HDMI and USB ports. Once seated, all that's left is to pull out your phone, install the Chromecast app and before you know it you'll have HBO Go on the big screen.
Plus, if you're an Android user, you'll even be able to mirror your screen via the built-in cast functionality. The product's biggest weak spot is its failure to support every app natively, and while most of the big names are all here, you won't find Amazon Instant Video or any of the niche programming that Roku has available on its platform.
Quick verdict
"Chromecast is an inexpensive, easy-to-use way of accessing streaming on your TV. All the major video streaming apps are compatible and you soon find yourself using it on a daily basis.If it cost more, we'd say it might be worth looking at the Amazon Fire TV or the Nexus Player, but at this price how can you possibly argue? Chromecast is fun enough, robust enough and has enough potential that thoroughly recommend it to anyone without a smart TV."
Read our Google Chromecast review
1. (Tie) Apple TV
OK, OK, it's kind of a cop out by giving two products the top spot, but hear me out. If you've bought into the Apple ecosphere - i.e. owning a Macbook Air, iPhone 6 and/or iPad Air 2 - then the Apple TV is the only way to go. It simply works flawlessly with Apple's name brand-tech.In combination with any of the products mentioned above you'll be able to peruse selected Internet content natively like YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, iCloud and Podcasts and, thanks to Apple's AirPlay system, mirror any other content you'd like to see from a Mac, PC or iOS device and play it on your television.
Unlike the other sets, though, it's not the best stand-alone solution. Apple hasn't opened app development to anyone outside of the company, which means that third-party content is practically non-existent. You're essentially stuck in Apple's walled-garden (sound familiar?) until they see fit to give you more viewing options.
Quick verdict
"If you've already got some Apple devices in your home then Apple TV is a natural fit and at this price you should really consider getting one because it integrates wonderfully with your current setup. But until Apple sorts out integrating iPlayer, 4OD and ITV Player into the menu system and makes AirPlay a little less restrictive, the Apple TV isn't a must-have product for everyone."- Read our Apple TV review
1. (Tie) Roku 3
When it comes to channels, more is always better. Sure, I may never watch a spaghetti western on the Six Gun Cinema channel, but it's great that Roku gives me that option. And if the niche movies aren't your scene, you'll find every major player here as well - Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Instant, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Sky News, ESPN, MLB.TV, Spotify, Pandora...the list goes on and on. But, best of all, you're not limited to one ecosphere: Roku is the agnostic Switzerland of streaming sets. It doesn't care whether you download a video from Amazon, Google Play Movies & TV, or spend your money somewhere else, all it wants to do is get you the content you want to watch.The Roku 3 isn't perfect - it's missing apps from the ABC network as well as a decent game library. But between the almost ludicrous amount of content available out of the box and the subtle tweaks like a remote with a built-in audio jack for private listening, if you haven't bought in to any one service, there's no better player around than the Roku 3.
Quick verdict
"At the $100 level, the Roku 3 is your best option, unless you're significantly bought-in to Amazon or Apple's proprietary content ecosystems. It's responsive, simple and not beholden to a proprietary content library (system-level emphasis on M-Go notwithstanding). Whether you're looking for a streaming box to help you cut the cord, or augment your cable subscription, the Roku 3 has the features, build quality and simplicity you're looking for."- Read our Roku 3 review
What's your favorite set-top box? Should Amazon Fire TV be the king of the castle or was Roku the way to go? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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In Depth: Going mobile: Toyota heads to Silicon Valley to rekindle our love of cars
The days of rolling up shirtsleeves to work on a car are a thing of the past for many 21st Century dwellers, with the relationship between man and machine shifting to man and mobile phone.
Toyota is aiming to change that, or at least create a connection between consumer, car and smartphone rather than excluding one for the other. To help do this, the Japanese firm is bringing its connected car initiative to Silicon Valley this weekend with the Onramp 2014 Challenge and Conference, a two-day event in San Mateo, Calif. featuring a 24-hour hackathon, technology fair and business conference attended by the likes of PlayStation, Sony Mobile, GoPro and a host of car-tech companies.
"For me, doing this open innovation project, it was thinking, 'How do we get generations not interested in cars and driving anymore, people who would rather use ride sharing and so forth, how do we get young people interested in driving?'" Toyota's Open Innovation Project Manager Yas Kohaya told TechRadar. "We think cars and driving can still be exciting and fun and we're exploring a new way to bring interest to driving."
The Onramp Challenge is fairly open-ended; developers will have access to the CAN-Gateway ECU, a unit currently available only in Japan that gathers data from a vehicle's sensors, to develop any mobile or web app that enhances the driving experience. The top app will receive a $10,000 prize, and awards will be handed out to the best apps built around the themes of "Safe," "Fun" and "Green."
Several Scion FR-S models will be on hand to test the application creations, professional driver included.
Robert Evans, organizer of the Onramp Challenge, described a number of possibilities for how developers could turn dry car data into a better overall driving experience, such as tying a playlist to the status of a car - whether it's moving quickly or stopped - driving more safely by checking speed and braking, and driving more efficiently by measuring gas efficiency and encouraging better driving skills.
"We even have Kyosho radio-control cars to drive around," Evans added. "There's a way to connect data from Toyota cars to Kyosho cars, so the radio-control cars will replicate whatever the Toyota car is doing. I'm not sure what the practical application of this is, but it's fun and it's creative."
The CAN-Gateway ECU was developed for the FR-S, but it is car agnostic. Developers can bring any device they like to the event, including Android Wear smartwatches, and connect it to any service they choose.
Adopting a start-up approach
Toyota is one of the world's largest car brands and is famous for its safety and efficiency, so hosting an event that embraces the Silicon Valley's start-up culture seems at odds with the firm's starchy reputation."Toyota, as a whole, we're very conservative, very concerned about safety and reliability," said Kohaya. "Not everyone in the company is thinking, 'How do we leverage this new technology?' But we do have people in the company who think differently, and I'm here to support that."
One such person is Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Scion FR-S and creator of the CAN-Gateway ECU. Kohaya relayed that Tada developed the FR-S in 2007, right when the iPhone was coming out. Tada, who owned a software company before coming to Toyota, witnessed a new culture begin to emerge. He wanted in.
"He wanted to come up with a way to connect the real world of cars to the virtual world of phones," Kohaya said.
Evans comes from the Silicon Valley side, where turnaround is quick and trying and failing encouraged.
"That Silicon Valley approach doesn't quite fit in the world of cars, but we want to import the benefits of that into the safer and more regulated world of cars," he said.
"Most major auto companies are here in Silicon Valley," he continued. "We're trying to make connections with start-ups, where development lead-time is quite different. Where it takes 3-4 years to develop a new car, even one year in Silicon Valley is too long."
Kohaya added: "We're trying to make the connection between the start-up world and the automotive world, and I don't think anyone has figured out the formula. Toyota's approach is to be here, bring our own technology, bring our own cars, get Silicon Valley people in the cars, open it up to them and make something that is interesting to them. We want to open that connection. We're trying different approaches to see what works."
Playing with the big boys, too
Recent months have seen the introduction of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, marking the entry of tech's heaviest hitters into the connected car space."[Google and Apple making connected car solutions] has an impact because consumers want to have that same experience on their smartphones as in their car, and we just don't have that now," Kohaya said. "Toyota and most other companies are trying to figure out how to make a more seamless experience in the car."
He noted Toyota is addressing the problem with multiple options, including engaging with Apple and Google to provide a better in-dash navigation experience, though he's not involved in that particular project.
"In this testing space, we'll continue to offer multiple choices because that is the best for consumers," he said.
For more on the Onramp 2014 Challenge and Conference, visit www.onramp2014.com/ and follow @OnrampEvents on Twitter.
- Know who'll be at CES 2015? Toyota, that's who
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Updated: Fitbit is releasing a limited number of Charge HR and Surge trackers early
Update: A Fitbit spokesperson has informed TechRadar that this promotion is limited to the US only.
Hopeful Fitbit Surge and Fitbit Charge HR fans in other regions will have to wait until early 2015, but at least that isn't too far away.
Original story follows…
Fitbit is amping up its fitness tracker game with two new devices, the Fitbit Surge and Fitbit Charge HR, that are scheduled to release in 2015.
But a limited number are about to go on sale to certain customers early, the company has revealed.
They'll offer the Surge and Charge HR this month to customers who signed up on Fitbit's website to be notified about their availability, and a small number will also go on sale in select retailers. This may be US only, and we've asked Fitbit to clarify.
"The Fitbit team is excited to be able to make this limited release available before the holidays; we are releasing the products now because we were able to complete development a bit early and get our manufacturing cranking early," a spokesperson told TechRadar.
Well that's just super
The Fitbit Charge HR is an updated Fitbit Charge with a heart rate monitor, caller ID and more, while the Surge has so many additional features that Fitbit has labelled it a "superwatch."For anyone who doesn't grab one this month the new bands are still scheduled for an unspecified early 2015 release.
They aren't offering pre-orders, but you can still sign up to get notified about them on Fitbit's website.
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Blip: Turns out the Apple garage was a 'myth' all along
We knew the "Apple garage" - where Apple co-founders Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs are said to have created the first Apple products - is a legend, but now it turns out it's actually more of a "myth."
That's what Wozniak told Bloomberg Businessweek this week, saying he actually designed and assembled the Apple I and other "side projects" in his cubicle at Hewlett-Packard.
"The garage is a bit of a myth," he said. "We did no designs there, no breadboarding, no prototyping, no planning of products. We did no manufacturing there. The garage didn't serve much purpose."
There's a kernel of truth in the legend, though. "It was something for us to feel was our home," Wozniak continued. "We had no money. You have to work out of your home when you have no money."
More blips
You can read more of TechRadar's blips no matter where you're working.- Remember Gangnam Style? It just broke YouTube
- Microsoft has finally closed the curtain on Clip Art
- The Star Wars: Episode VII trailer has just debuted on iTunes
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Review: Origin EVO15-S
Introduction
PC gaming is going through a mini revolution with more mini-ITX computers, like the Origin Chronos Z, to the lightweight Alienware 13 and the coming storm of Steam Machines. Now, the latest machine to join this trend is the Origin EVO15-S.This thin and light notebook marks a big departure from the bulky gaming beast such as the Origin EON17-S we're used to seeing from the PC builder. Instead, the laptop is just over half an inch thick with a new thin and light chassis designed by MSI and used to great effect in the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K.
Despite the thin profile of this svelte machine, the EVO15-S is still packing an Intel Core i7 processor, one of Nvidia latest Maxwell GPUs and no less than three storage drives. That's a lot of power stuffed into one small package, but is the EVO15-S as sweet as it sounds on paper?
Design
You might notice it looks exactly like the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K, and you would be right – mostly. Upon closer inspection the Origin machine differs greatly with a thinner aluminum frame (dimensions we'll get to on the next page) complete with an anodized finish, where as MSI's offering was clad in brushed aluminum. Origin has also opted for a much simpler red backlight for the keyboard as opposed to the Ghost Pro 3K's fully customizable RGB keyboard deck.
Aside from these differences, the EVO15-S still inherits most of the Ghost Pro 3K's dashing good looks. The notebook is largely made of metal, save for the fat bezels around the screen and the underside of the laptop. It'll never match the quality and rigidity of a unibody Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Retina, but the Origin laptop still feels solid throughout.
Once again, like the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K, this Origin rig also looks the part of a high-end laptop more so than a gaming machine. This is a machine you'll easily be able to take out of a bag at a coffee shop without drawing too much attention – that is until you start playing Dragon Age Inquisition, like I did. The only thing I don't appreciate about the laptop's design is the way its aluminum sides simply end to a sharp edge. It's not a detail you'll notice unless your turn over the laptop, but I've seen other manufacturers create a cleaner transition between metal and plastic before with a defined and stylish edge.
A series of bright LED's adorn the front edge of the EVO15-S to keep users informed of how the laptop is operating. Likewise the ring of light surrounding the power button flips between blue and red, the latter of which denotes when the laptop kicks it into high-performance mode for gaming.
Welcome to the wind tunnel
One of the biggest annoyances with the EVO15-S is that its fans scream in a deafening tone when they're spinning at full speed. It's not an exaggeration to say the laptop sounds like a jet under load. Worse yet, there's no escape: the laptop's two main intake fans draw air from the top of the laptop through the speaker grill-esque perforations strewn across the keyboard deck.
While the fans are plenty loud, the good news it's all done in service to keep the laptop nice and cool. Lap scorching temperatures were a big problem we experienced with the Ghost Pro 3K and turning up the fans has pretty much corrected the issue on the Origin. I just wish it were a little quieter. You can partially drone out the sound by pumping up the volume on the notebook's downward pointed speakers, but you're best bet for good acoustics is to throw on a pair of headphones.
Specifications and performance
You would be mistaken to call the Origin EVO15-S and the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K twins. For starters the Origin is smaller in every way, measuring 15.35 x 10.47 x 0.78 inches, whereas the MSI comes in at a larger 16.5 x 11.3 x 0.85 inches. Despite these differing dimensions, both machines come in at the same 4.3-pound weight.The EVO15-S is also a bit more compact than the Gigabyte P35W v2, which measures in at 15.16 x 10.63 x 0.83 inches and weighs 5.07 pounds thanks to the built-in optical drive. Still this laptop is a bit larger than most contemporary 15.6-inch laptops, so it might be a tight fit even for bags designed to carry notebooks of this screen size.
Here is the Origin EVO15-S configuration given to TechRadar:
Spec sheet
- CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-4710HQ (quad-core, 6MB cache, up to 3.5GHz with Turbo Boost)
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M (6GB GDDR5 RAM), Intel HD Graphics 4600
- RAM: 16GB DDR3L (1600MHz)
- Screen: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 eDP Wide View Angle Matte Display
- Storage: Dual 128GB M.2 SATA SSD in RAID0 (256GB Total); 1TB HDD (7,200 rpm)
- Ports: 3 x USB 3.0 ports, mini DisplayPort, HDMI, Headphone jack, Microphone jack, Ethernet
- Connectivity: Intel PRO Wireless AC 7260 + BT Wireless LAN Combo
- Camera: Built-in 720P Video Camera
- Weight: 4.3 pounds
- Size: 15.35 x 10.47 x 0.78 inches (W x D x H)
In the grand scheme of gaming laptops, the base EVO15-S a pretty well priced machine, especially considering it comes with two 128GB SSDs raided together as well as a 1TB 7200rpm hard drive. This laptop also is packed with a speedy 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-4710HQ and one of NVIDIA's latest and most efficient mobile GPUs yet, the GeForce GTX 970M.
Of course, there are plenty of options. If you've got the cash to burn, you could pick up a top end MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K for $1,849 (about £1,179, AU$2,210) on Amazon. It won't have Nvidia's latest and greatest Maxwell graphics chip, but it still comes packing a capable GTX 870M, 2,880 x 1,620 IPS screen, plus the same Intel Core i7 processor.
The Gigabyte P35W v2, meanwhile, is available for $1,749 (about £1,115, AU$2,090) at B&H Photo. For your money, you'll get an equally specced machine as the MSI with the same CPU and graphics card, plus the bonus of a Blu-ray writer if you're a creative artist in need of producing physical media.
Performance
With such a powerful chipset humming inside the laptop, I never experienced a single hitch, even when asking the EVO15-S to juggle a dozen tasks at a time. I was also able to play Shadow of Mordor at a decent 45 frames per second (fps) on ultra settings, just a slight step behind the 60 fps on my own desktop rig, fitted with a Core i5-3750K and GTX 970. I was also able to easily coax this portable gaming rig to play Dragon Age Inquisition at 60 fps after a bit of dabbling in the graphical settings.
Benchmarks
- 3DMark: Ice Storm: 85,137; Cloud Gate: 18,777; Fire Strike: 5,559
- Cinebench Graphics: 100.97 fps, CPU: 649 points
- PCMark 8 (Home Test): 3,239 points
- PCMark 8 Battery Life: 2 hours and 2 minutes
- Bioshock Infinite (1080p, Ultra): 71 fps; (1080p, Low): 165 fps
- Metro: Last Light (1080p, Ultra): 28 fps; (1080p, Low): 101 fps
By comparison, the Ghost Pro 3K completed the Cloud Gate with 16,865 and the Fire Strike benchmark with 4,334. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte scored 15,010 points in Cloud Gate and 4,297 points on the Fire Strike test.
The results from the crucible we've come to know as Metro: Last Light on Ultra are even more telling. The EVO15-S is the first single mobile GPU machine we've ever seen play this taxing game at an average 28 fps. Comparatively, the MSI rig was only able to render the benchmark at a stuttering 18 fps while the Gigabyte P35W v2 performed even worse with just 14fps.
I have to also stress that this notebook outpaces the Alienware 18, which ran the benchmark scene at 26 fps. In simpler terms; the EVO15-S, with just one graphics card and slower processor, is schooling a $4,166 (about £2,434, AU$4,443) rig equipped with two-tier Nvidia GTX 880M GPUs and a 2.9GHz Intel Core i7-4910MQ processor. That is amazing.
Pixel perfect
As if the EVO15-S' excellent gaming performance wasn't enough, Origin has also equipped its thinnest laptop with equally pleasing 1080p screen. Even at a quarter brightness, the display is more than bright enough to counterbalance bright sunlight.
Meanwhile, the anti-glare coating does an excellent job at subduing reflections and glare. The screen also produces a wide color gamut and stellar contrast.
Running short
The only area I find the Origin EVO15-S lacking in is battery life. PCMark 8 quickly drained the battery in a matter of 2 hours and 2 minutes. The Origin laptop also ran for a short lived 2 hours and 18 minutes with my own regular everyday tasks of browsing on Chrome, writing in Microsoft Word, some Lightroom image editing and playing the opening minutes of the new Game of Thrones adventure game.
The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K, on the other hand, managed to hang on for 2 hours and 58 minutes despite the power needs of the higher-resolution 3K display. Lastly, the longest lasting machine crown goes to the Gigabyte P35W v2, with its 4 hours and 3 minutes-long run time.
Bundled software
Origin has done a great job of limiting the preloaded software, even going so far as to stick with just one audio controller, as opposed to the usual requisite two to four (seriously).- Soundblaster Cinema: The included sound profiles and underlying audio controller. Unlike some other audio tools, Creative has made and excellent visually driven interface.
- Hotkey Config: Of course when you have a gaming laptop there has to be a tool for setting up macros and here's your go to application.
- PowerDVD 14 Ultra: Less bundled and more like optional extra software; I'm personally not sure why Origin decided to include this particular application with the EVO15-S since it does not even have an optical drive. Even if I were to plug in an external drive, I would rather use Zoom Player as it's a much more robust piece of software.
Verdict
Dolling out over two grand for a mobile gaming machine is a lot of money to spend on a laptop, but the EON15-S is one of those unique packages that manages to deliver on all fronts. It comes with enough power to rival a desktop. Meanwhile, Origin got all the other key components right, from the screen to the speakers and keyboard, and even an excellent trackpad.We liked
The Origin EVO15-S hews closely to the design of MSI's GS60 Ghost Pro 3K, yet it improves on the formula with a marginally smaller package and a less stain-prone anodized finish. It's missing a few features like the hypnotic fully RGB keyboard, but it still a very thin and well built platform.Nvidia's latest Maxwell chipset has given mobile cards a major boost and this is very evident from the benchmark results. What more, the Nvidia GTX 970M powering the EVO15-S, it truly closes the performance gap between gaming laptops and desktops just a little bit more. After overclocking the card, I was able to run even the most taxing modern games at 60fps with all the graphical flourishes turned on and set to ultra.
We disliked
Short battery life is almost part and parcel to the gaming laptop experience, but the EVO15-S ran dry surprisingly sooner than its competitors. At most, you could look at three hours of battery life with ECO mode turned on the Origin machine. Rigs like the MSI laptop ran longer despite power demands of a 3K display. I was also expecting slightly better performance, as the GTX 970M's desktop counterpart is an extremely power efficient GPU.Another thing that turned me off from the Origin laptop is the incredibly noisy fans. Luckily, there's an easy fix for the problem by downloading the SpeedFan application to manually control fan rpms while monitoring temperatures throughout the laptop.
Final verdict
There's plenty to like about the EVO15-S, and while it comes at an expensive premium, it's one of the few laptops that are well worth the expense. This Origin machine is one of the thinnest and lightest gaming laptops you possibly buy.Meanwhile, it does not skimp at all with some of the latest cutting edge parts, an excellent 1080p panel for all types of media, three storage drives and 16GB of RAM. Plus there's also the option to throw on a 4K screen for a marginally priced upgrade.
In time, more and more gaming PCs will be outfitted with Nvidia's latest GPUs, but for now, the Origin EVO15-S is one of the best-performing gaming laptops for a reasonable price.
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Updated: Sprint is ditching some Windows Phones, but not Windows Phone
Update: A Sprint spokesperson sent the following statement to TechRadar:
"At this time, HTC 8XT and Samsung ATIV S Neo have been available for more than 18 months. There is still some inventory available in some of our retail stores, but the devices are no longer available on our website. We do expect to bring new Windows Phone devices to our customers in the near future, and Sprint is committed to offering a variety of operating systems to our customers."
So it appears it's just some Windows Phones - not Windows Phone as a whole - that have disappeared from the carrier's site.
It's still strange that Sprint even removed Windows Phone from the site's menu, but for now we'll take the carrier at its word.
Original story follows…
Sprint's disinterest in selling Windows Phone devices may have finally bubbled over, as the carrier appears to have removed all traces of the OS from its website.
Maybe Sprint doesn't heart Windows Phone quite as much as we thought?
A search for Windows Phone devices on Sprint.com comes up empty, and the site's menu now lists only iOS, Android and BlackBerry.
We've asked Sprint to clarify its current stance on Windows Phone, but so far we haven't heard back.
Meanwhile Microsoft and Amazon are still selling Sprint versions of Windows Phone devices like the Samsung Ativ S Neo and HTC 8XT. Guess they didn't get the memo.
It's not a good month for Microsoft's OS, as Huawei trashed Windows Phone earlier in December. Hopefully everyone has better luck with Windows 10.
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Buying guide: Best phone deals of the week
Best phone deals of the week
There's never been a better time to be on the hunt for a new phone. There are loads of amazing handsets out there, filled to the brim with the latest tech. Even better, there's plenty of fantastic deals that ensure you don't have to break the bank to get a fantastic phone.All these handsets and deals does mean that it can be a bit of a chore searching shops in the hunt for the best offers. The good news is that we've teamed up with uSwitch to bring you the best prices for top of the range smartphones like the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Sony Xperia Z3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
We don't just have deals for the latest and greatest handsets, with slightly older devices like the HTC One M8, LG G3, Samsung Galaxy Alpha and the iPhone 5S also getting a look in.
Our deals have two elements for each phone we're featuring: the first is one of the most popular of the week, with the most interest from consumers all over the UK.
The second is the lowest total cost of ownership, where we work out how much the combined total of handset plus monthly cost will hit the wallet over the duration of the deal.
Apple iPhone 6
The Apple iPhone 6 has been out for a little while but it continues to be one of the most sought after phones on the market.The most popular iPhone 6 deal this week gets you a 16GB version in gold on Vodafone. You'll get a 1GB data allowance (following three months of unlimited data to learn how much you'll use), as well as unlimited minutes and unlimited texts every month.
The deal is with mobilephonesdirect and costs £34.50 per month for two years. There's no upfront cost so it will set you back £828 over the course of the two year contract, which might seem steep, but it's one of the best prices you can get an iPhone 6 for with those sorts of allowances.
Cheapest Apple iPhone 6 deal
The iPhone 6 is still relatively new, so we're not expecting any impressively cheap deals just yet but that doesn't mean there aren't savings to be had.Right now for example you can get a 16GB silver iPhone 6 with EE. The contract comes with 500MB of 4G data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts for just £14.99 per month. You will need to spend £419.99 upfront, however.
The deal is through mobilephonesdirect and although you'll need to pay a lot upfront, over two years the deal comes to just £779.75, which isn't bad.
- Read all about it in our Apple iPhone 6 review
Apple iPhone 6 Plus
Apple's first 'phablet' is big, bold and really rather good. It's also got quite a high price tag to boot. One of the most popular deals right now is for a refurbished 16GB version of the handset in silver, courtesy of Mobiles.co.uk.It will cost you £38.50 per month on Vodafone and comes with 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data every month. There's no upfront charge so the overall cost of this deal is £924, which is on the pricey side for a refurbished phone.
Cheapest Apple iPhone 6 Plus deal
The cheapest iPhone 6 Plus deal is still pricey, but considering what you get for your money it's pretty good value. At the moment the lowest cost deal you can get for Apple's phablet is for a gold 16GB handset on EE through mobilephonesdirect.This deal comes with 500MB of 4G data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts each month. It'll cost £14.99 a month for two years and comes with an upfront cost of £499.99. Over the course of the contract this deal will add up to £859.75, so it's expensive, but it sets you up with one of the biggest and best phones around.
- See what we made of Apple's first phablet in our Apple iPhone 6 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S5
One of the most popular deals this week for the Samsung Galaxy S5 gets you a refurbished version of the phone in blue on T-Mobile with 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of 3G data from Mobiles.co.uk.It's just £23.99 per month and there's no upfront cost so overall it's £575.76, which is good value for a flagship even if it is refurbished.
Cheapest Samsung Galaxy S5 deal
While the deal above is good you can get the Galaxy S5 even cheaper. This week's lowest cost deal is for it on Vodafone and comes courtesy of mobilephonesdirect. This nets you a refurbished gold version of the handset with 100MB of data (following three months of unlimited), 100 minutes and unlimited texts.The deal costs £14.50 per month for two years and will cost you £160.99 upfront, for a total of just £508.99 which isn't bad at all even considering it's a refurbished handset.
- Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S5 review
Samsung Galaxy Alpha
While the Galaxy S5 is still Samsung's main flagship, the company has since released a metal-clad marvel that's clearly aimed at the iPhone crowd.A particularly popular deal at the moment is for it in silver on Three with 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of 4G data. That's through affordablemobiles and costs £27 per month with a £34.99 upfront cost, for a total of £682.99 over 24 months.
Cheapest Samsung Galaxy Alpha deal
This week's cheapest Galaxy Alpha deal is a mere £22.50 per month with an £85.99 upfront charge.That's for the Samsung Galaxy Alpha in black on Vodafone through mobilephonesdirect and it comes with 100 minutes, 100MB of data (after three months of unlimited data) and unlimited texts. Overall it comes out at just £625.99, which is a pretty good price, though the allowances could be better.
- See how it stacks up in our Samsung Galaxy Alpha review
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Samsung's latest is a phone of monstrous proportions and the price tag is pretty hefty too, but it's probably worth the money as our glowing review attests and if you shop around it needn't be extortionate.One of the more popular ways to get it right now is in black, from Mobiles.co.uk on an EE contract with 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB of 4G data. That will set you back £33.99 per month and as there's no upfront cost it will total £815.76 over 24 months. That's relatively expensive but worth it for such a new and powerful phone.
Cheapest Samsung Galaxy Note 4 deal
If the above deal isn't enough of a steal for you the Note 4 can be had for even cheaper. Right now the most affordable deal gets you a white Galaxy Note 4 for just £26.50 per month plus £73.99 upfront on a Vodafone contract. In all that will cost you just £709.99.That's through mobilephonesdirect and the allowances are a little lacking, as it comes with just 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 100MB of data (following three months of unlimited data), but considering the Note 4 has a SIM free RRP of £629 that's still pretty good value.
- See how it sizes up in our Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review
HTC One M8
The most popular HTC One M8 deal of the week is for the handset in grey. The deal works out at £29.99 per month with no upfront cost for 500 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited 3G data.It's available on T-Mobile through Tesco Phone Shop and the overall cost comes in at £719.76 over 24 months. That's not bad at all, especially for unlimited data; just remember there's no 4G here.
Cheapest HTC One M8 deal
The above deal is already great value, but right now you can get the HTC One M8 cheaper.The cheapest overall deal this week is just £18.50 per month with an upfront charge of £118.99.
For that you'll get the phone in grey with 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 100MB of data, though for the first three months it gives you unlimited data.
That's with a 24 month Vodafone contract and is available through mobilephonesdirect. In total it will cost you £562.99. The allowances aren't the best but it's still great value if you can afford to pay a sizeable chunk upfront.
- The one for you? Find out in our HTC One M8 review
Xperia Z3, LG G3, Lumia 930 and more
Sony Xperia Z3
The Sony Xperia Z3 only hit the shelves quite recently, but you can still grab a good pre-Christmas deal. One of the most popular ways to get it this week is in copper through Mobiles.co.uk.It's an O2 contract and comes with unlimited minutes, 1GB of data and unlimited texts for just £28 per month with no upfront cost. That comes out at £672 over 24 months, which really is rather tempting.
Cheapest Sony Xperia Z3 deal
This week if you want the cheapest deal for the Xperia Z3 then you'll need to be prepared to spend a lot of money upfront, £264.99 to be precise. That may seem steep, but then you'll only need to pay £14.50 each month, with a total cost overall of just £612.99, which isn't bad for one of the most powerful flagship phones on the market today.This deal gets you the Xperia Z3 in black on Vodafone through Mobiles.co.uk with 100MB of data, 100 minutes and unlimited texts.
So while it's certainly cheap it comes with a potentially problematically small amount of data, so consider how much data you're actually going to need before opting for it - you'll probably need to top that up unless you live in perma-Wi-Fi.
- Find out how it performs in our Sony Xperia Z3 review
LG G3
The LG G3 was a mid-year marvel and though newer flagships have come since from the likes of Apple and Sony it still impresses. This week you can get it for £24.99 per month with EE and it includes 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of 4G data.That's for the phone in white through mobilephonesdirect and there's no upfront charge, so overall it will cost you £599.76 over 24 months.
Cheapest LG G3 deal
The LG G3 is getting on a little bit now (although we're only talking months, not years) and as such you can often get it for a good price if you hunt around, as this week's cheapest deal proves.If you go through mobilephonesdirect you can get a gold LG G3 with 100MB of data (following three months of unlimited data), 100 minutes and unlimited texts on Vodafone, all for £14.50 per month plus £100.99 upfront. In all the deal costs £448.99 over 24 months, which is a steal for such a powerful handset.
- See how it stacks up in our LG G3 review
Nokia Lumia 930
If you fancy a new Windows Phone handset then the Nokia Lumia 930 could be the phone for you.The latest Lumia flagship is getting on a teeny bit but it's still a top tier device and we've dug up some top tier deals for it. The most popular deal currently is for the phone in black, orange or green on Vodafone through Carphone Warehouse.
This deal costs £26.50 a month with no upfront cost, so in total you'll pay just £636 over 24 months. For that you get 1GB of data, unlimited texts, and 600 minutes.
Cheapest Nokia Lumia 930 deal
Want to go even cheaper? No problem! This week's lowest price deal will net you a green, black or orange Nokia Lumia 930 from Carphone Warehouse for £14.99 per month plus £149.99 upfront, adding up to £509.75 over the 24 months of the contract.That gets you 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB of 4G data on an EE contract. Those aren't the best allowances but they're pretty ace for the money - and certainly workable compared to the other cheapest deals around.
- See what we thought of it in our Nokia Lumia 930 review
Apple iPhone 5S
Apple's 2013 flagship might be getting on a bit - in fact it's been replaced by the iPhone 6 - but it's still good enough to go toe-to-toe with some Android phones.Like most of Apple's products the iPhone 5S hasn't gone down in price much, even if it is a year old. The most popular deal this week comes from mobilephonesdirect. It offers a 16GB handset in silver with no upfront cost, with 2GB of 4G data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts, all for £30.99 a month on EE.
This works out at £743.76 over the course of 24 months.
Cheapest iPhone 5S deal
You can get the Apple iPhone 5S a little cheaper over the course of the contract, but only if you're prepared to get a refurbished handset.Mobilephonesdirect is offering a 16GB refurbished version in space grey on a 24 month Vodafone contract with 100MB of data (after an initial three months of unlimited data), 100 minutes and unlimited texts for £18.50 per month with £135.99 upfront. That comes out at £579.99 over 24 months, which would be pricey for an older refurbished handset if this was anything other than an iPhone.
- Find out more in our iPhone 5S review
Apple iPhone 5C 8GB
The iPhone 5C might be affordable by iPhone standards but that doesn't mean it's cheap. This week one of the most popular deals is for the phone in blue and comes in at £19.99 per month with no upfront cost, for an overall cost of £479.76.That's not bad, but then you only get 500MB of 4G data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts on a 24 month EE contract. If you're interested you can find it at Mobiles.co.uk.
Cheapest iPhone 5C 8GB deal
We've got a cheaper deal for the 8GB version of Apple's colourful handset. Mobilephonesdirect is offering a white iPhone 5C 8GB with 100MB of data (following three months of unlimited), 100 minutes and unlimited texts.It's £14.50 per month on a Vodafone contract and there's a £117.99 upfront cost. This brings the total overall cost to £465.99 over two years, which isn't too bad at all for an Apple handset.
- Check it out in our iPhone 5C review
SIM only
If you want to keep your old phone, or just buy a new one outright, then you'll want to check out this great SIM-only deal from Sainsbury's.You get 1GB of 3G data, unlimited texts and 500 minutes for just £12.50 per month and best of all you only pay for one month at a time so you're not tied in, though don't forget you'll still need to source a phone to use it.
- In the market for a cheap tablet too? Check out our list of the best budget options.
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8 things the connected car can offer enterprises
Custom-built vehicles, drones and e-bikes
A connected car is the ultimate mobile device - it lets consumers stream music, park more easily, and keep track of gas consumption with a simple app. But connected cars aren’t just for consumers - they offer a wealth of opportunities for enterprises that rely on cars as an integral part of their business. From Uber, Zipcar, and Hertz to Fresh Direct and IKEA’s furniture delivery service, the possibilities for enterprise innovation are endless.So, while companies are already utilizing many of the new developments to help their businesses, we took a look at what’s already happening in the connected car space and we imagined what could come next.
1. Custom-built (and DIY) vehicles
Connected cars could soon come not from a dealer showroom but from companies like Tesla that have changed the automotive game entirely. By putting the company’s patents online, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to speed innovation while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.With this rise of the environmentally friendly, open platform car that anyone can build in an hour, we predict businesses will soon be able to order (or build themselves) specialized cars tailored to enterprise needs, from any number of companies at a competitive rate. Dominos Pizza, for example, just sponsored a contest with Local Motors to create the “perfect pizza delivery vehicle.” The winning design came equipped with an insulated pizza box as well as refrigerated drink storage.
2. And a drone to match
For companies in the military, medical, or security spaces, connected cars could soon come with their own drone to keep an eye on things. For excursions into high-risk or unmapped territories, a drone can safely broadcast aerial information back to the driver and provide an up-to-date overview on current traffic, pedestrians, and terrain, that a simple GPS can’t always provide.
First responders, for example, could have critical data relayed to them en route to an accident, which could then be transmitted across multiple channels to ensure the quickest and most efficient response. In fact, this concept is already being tested by the US military - DARPA has been experimenting with drones and driverless cars on the battlefield in order to reduce the number of military personnel needed on the field.
3. More (and more) shareable data
Real time tracking of data received across a fleet of vehicles enables companies to improve safety, reduce costs, and control their inventory. If a vehicle’s anti-lock brakes engage, if the windshield wipers are turned on, if it makes an unscheduled stop, if the windows are down while the air conditioning is on, if a particular route consumes more gas than another - all of this data enables a company to analyze real-time driver and vehicle performance, better deploy resources as needed, and schedule appropriate tune-ups and training sessions.This is pretty standard stuff, but it’s important as it enables a business to be as efficient and as cost effective as possible - and as cars become more tech-oriented businesses will constantly find new ways to engage with the data.
4. Connected…bikes
A smart bike made its unlikely debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This smart electronic bike is made by Mercedes-Benz and is expected to retail at just less than $3,000. For urban enterprises in warmer climates these smart bikes could be a game changer. As a delivery system it’s quick and efficient, and with bonus “infotainment” options, it will keep employees happy as well. And it’s not just the big car companies getting in on the e-bike craze - these connected bikes have been popping up all over Kickstarter with various success - meaning businesses won’t necessarily have to shell out big bucks in order to upgrade their fleet.Innovations
5. No more delivery or service windows
Everyone has had the experience of sitting and waiting at home for something to be delivered (and waiting, and waiting). Luckily, when it’s just an order from Seamless the delay is little more than half an hour. But with service repair calls or big deliveries like furniture or appliances you can often be stuck at home all day.Enterprises could benefit from delivery or service apps that let customers track drivers in real time and communicate with the vehicles. A Verizon repairperson runs late on their first job of the day? A quick customer update via a company app lets everyone waiting at home better schedule their time. Better client communication means better business.
6. Geofencing
With federal regulation still lagging behind technology, there’s no clear protocol on just how “connected” cars can be without compromising safety. But safety must be a primary focus for the enterprise. As connectivity increases in enterprise cars, the likelihood of driver distraction also increases: an employee wearing Google Glass, while listening to the radio, while receiving a call on their cell phone, while looking at a GPS device, etc., can lead to accidents.
One solution that’s been proposed is geofencing. This is when a car can sense, based on GPS data, whether it’s safe to be using a device. That means in bad traffic or on busy city streets, internet connectivity could be disabled automatically. Another potential option to increase safety could be the use of preset smart watches that ring or vibrate when the speed limit is being exceeded.
7. An App for Everyone
The automotive space is seeing a huge influx in useful apps - and rather than just letting the tech space fill the void, the automotive industry is taking an active role in their creation.Ford recently hosted the Connected Car-Connected City App Pursuit which challenged designers to create apps based on data from Ford vehicles while AT&T Drive unveiled six new apps in September from developers like AccuWeather and iHeartRadio - giving car companies a wider option of what to include in its connected car packages and making it easier for businesses to tailor their fleet to their needs.
8. A hacking scandal
While the benefits of connected cars are numerous, the potential challenges include the possibility of cybercrime, of course. Major retailers like Target, Home Depot, and Victoria’s Secret, along with banks and government offices have all been subject to high profile hacks. And as soon as cars are connected they become vulnerable to the same kind of security breach, which raises concerns about everything from compromised in-car payment systems to “hijackers” who could remotely take control of a vehicle. This means security against cybercrime is going to be an important part of the connected car conversation. And the more secure the network - the more attractive that product will be to enterprises.
While the technology for all of the above already exists in some form or another, we’re interested to see how enterprise moves to take advantage of this technology.
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Updated: Android Lollipop 5.0 update: when can I get it?
Google, HTC, Samsung and Sony
Android Lollipop is now out in the open and it includes a hat full of new features, a visual overhaul and numerous under-the-hood improvements to make if faster, more efficient and lighter on your battery, but while we know all about it, it's not yet available for public consumption.Even once it does launch it will be down to individual manufacturers to port it to their devices, so chances are you'll still be waiting a while to get it on your phone and tablet (unless you've gone full Nexus already) and most companies haven't yet been all that forthcoming with details of when they'll bring it to their phones and tablets.
But we do know some things and we can take educated guesses at others, so read on for all the information and theories on when you might see Android Lollipop on your device
- Read our hands on: Android 5.0 Lollipop review
The Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 are Google's first devices to come with Android Lollipop, but these aren't the only Nexus products which will get the latest sweet treat.
A recent announcement by the official Android Twitter account revealed that the Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade is now being rolled out to the Nexus 5, Nexus 7 Wi-Fi (both the 2012 and 2013 versions) and the Nexus 10.
The rolling out of the update will be done in waves, which will take around three weeks to reach every customer.
Asus has announced that Android 5.0 Lollipop will be available right now for both generations of its Nexus 7 tablets, though just the Wi-Fi only models for now.
The roll out has not yet begun for the cellular versions of the Nexus 7 2012 and 2013 or the Nexus 4. Those handsets should see an update later on, though Google has not indicated when this will be.
Any Nexus devices older than the ones we've already mentioned are all but guaranteed not to get it, meaning that Nexus S owners are plum out of luck. Google has also confirmed that the Galaxy Nexuswill not receive the update.
HTC
HTC has been more forthcoming with its update plans than most manufacturers and it's no surprise given how quickly it plans to bring the update to users. In a statement the company said:"HTC is excited about the new features in Android Lollipop and we can't wait to share them with our customers. We are committed to updating our flagship HTC One family as fast as possible.
"We will begin rolling out updates to the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) in regions worldwide within 90 days of receiving final software from Google, followed shortly thereafter by other One family members and select devices."
Sure enough, on November 4 HTC's Twitter account announced that it has now got the Android 5.0 Lollipop code and that it will make good on its promise to update the HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 within 90 days.
Doing the mathematics that means the company's most recent two flagships should get Android Lollipop at least before February of next year.
After a series of delays it looks like the Google Play Edition of the HTC One M7 will receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update on Monday December 8. This is according to a report from Techtastic.
It is unclear when the standard version of the HTC One M7 will be updated, but it shouldn't be too long after the Google Play Edition gets Android 5.0.
If you're keen to see what Android 5.0 Lollipop will look like running on the HTC One M8 with HTC's own Sense 6.0 interface, then a recent batch of screenshots leaked by the LlabTooFeR Twitter accountcould satisfy your needs.
We're going to go ahead and assume that most other HTC handsets released in the last year or so will also get the update at some point.
As a general rule the more recent and high profile a device is the more likely it is to get an update, so the HTC Desire Eye will almost certainly be near the front of the line.
The HTC One Mini 2, the HTC One Mini and perhaps the HTC One Max and some of the other recent Desire handsets are likely to get the update too, though probably not until sometime after the One M7 and the One M8.
According to one leak, the One Mini 2 and Desire 816 will get Lollipop sometime in March or April, while the One Max, One Mini and Butterfly S have an expected Android 5.0 rollout of March-May.
Samsung
Samsung is yet to officially shed any light on when it will be bringing Android Lollipop to its phones, but there are sources saying its sooner rather than later.According to Sam Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy S5 could be in for an Android Lollipop release in December 2014. Given that networks can delay the rollout, there is always the possibility it won't reach devices until January 2015.
This coincides with the recent news that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Note 4, Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5 (LTE version) will be getting the update to Android 5.0 Lollipop at some point in early 2015.
To whet your appetite before 2015 it looks like photos of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 running Android 5.0 Lollipop have leaked on to the internet.
The Galaxy Alpha is also likely to get the update very shortly after it launches, probably within the same sort of several month timeframe as HTC is operating under.
Other Samsung handsets may have to wait a little longer, however we'd expect that most high profile devices released in the last 18 months to 2 years will get the update, including the Galaxy S4 Mini and the Galaxy S5 Mini.
Sources close to Sam Mobile suggest that Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S4 will be getting an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop, with the Exynos variant (GT-I9500), which runs Samsung's own Exynos 5 Octa SoC, getting the update first.
Sam Mobile has also released a video showing how Android 5.0 will look running on a Samsung Galaxy S4, effectively confirming that the latest version of Android will come to Samsung's older flagship handset.
We doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S3 or anything older will get Android Lollipop. It's a device that's already over two years old and some versions of it didn't even get Android 4.4.
Samsung doesn't seem great at updating its tablets either. There's a good chance recent slates like itsNote Pro and Tab S ranges and even the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 will get Android Lollipop but anything older or low end is iffy.
Sony
Sony has openly declared that it will be "bringing Android 5.0 Lollipop to the entire Xperia Z Series."It's even published a full list of handsets which are in line for Android Lollipop, so here we go...
Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3v, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
It's worth noting that the Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play edition will be first in line. A blog post on Sony's website posted on December 3 announced that Android 5.0 will be rolling out the same week, although upgrade dates could vary by region.
As to when Sony will start rolling out the update to its main line of devices, the manufacturer has said "the update for Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition will hit over-the-air and should be with you soon – next up, we're looking forward to bringing Android 5.0; Lollipop to the entire Xperia Z Series starting from the early part of 2015… so stay tuned for the latest!"
LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Huawei, Asus and ZTE
LG
It has now been confirmed that the LG G3 will receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade sometime between late November and early December.LG G3 handsets in Korea have already got the update, which means international versions of the LG G3 should be seeing Android 5.0 Lollipop soon.
A report published on October 24 by a Dutch website asserts that LG has told its Dutch and Belgian users that they will see an Android 5.0 Lollipop update before the end of 2014.
Before our Dutch and Belgian readers get too excited, there's no specific date mentioned and also no indication of where the information has come from.
LG has indicated that it has scheduled the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for LG G2 in the future, but we haven't heard anything about LG's other handsets. We imagine that in time the LG G2 Mini will probably get updated too and the LG G3 Beat is bound to get updated.
Motorola
Motorola has confirmed that Android Lollipop will be coming to a number of its handsets in a post on the official Motorola blog.According to the post Android Lollipop will come to both the first and second generation Moto X, theMoto G, the Moto G 4G and the Moto E.
A more recent blog post has announced that Android 5.0 Lollipop has begun rolling out to second generation Moto X and Moto G devices in the US.
Other Motorola handsets that will get Android Lollipop are the Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini.
Motorola has launched a helpful website where you can track when your handset will get updated to Android 5.0, which is being constantly updated with information about the upgrade process.
Motorola's UI is very close to stock Android as well so it shouldn't be as much work to get new versions up and running and back when the company was owned by Google it was pretty prompt with updates, unsurprisingly.
Things might be different now that Lenovo's in the driving seat, but we doubt there'll be too long a wait for Android Lollipop on any recent Moto handsets.
OnePlus
The OnePlus One is still bizarrely hard to get hold of thanks to the requirement for an invitation, but if you have managed to get your hands on one you'll be pleased to know that the company plans to upgrade it Android Lollipop (or a CyanogenMod build based on Android Lollipop anyway).
In a statement posted to the OnePlus forums a staff member confirmed that not only would its first and only handset be getting Android Lollipop, but that it would arrive within three months of Google releasing a final build. So the same time frame as HTC in other words.
Huawei
Huawei hasn't yet shared any details on its Android Lollipop plans. Unfortunately it's not always the quickest at updating its phones either as it only fairly recently started rolling out Android 4.4 to theAscend P6 for example and the Ascend G6 is still waiting for it.
The company's latest flagship, the Ascend P7, shipped with Android 4.4 and we imagine it will probably get Android Lollipop, but possibly not any time soon. We're less sure whether any of the company's other phones will get it, but fingers crossed.
Asus
If you own an Asus ZenFone it looks like you're going to have to wait until 2015 to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade.Asus has apparently confirmed that the Asus ZenFone 5, along with the rest of the ZenFone line, will be updated in April 2015. The Padfone S will also be updated around April.
In June 2015 Asus will update its Padfone Infinity smartphone. So far there's been no news about Asus' other devices, such as the Padfone mini, and when they will be updated to Android 5.0.
ZTE
If you're one of the relatively few with a ZTE handset you might be wondering if and when Android Lollipop will be arriving for it. Unfortunately so are we and this is one case where it's very much an 'if' rather than a 'when'.
Fairly recent phones like the ZTE Blade V and the ZTE Blade Q Mini launched with old versions of Android and they haven't been updated, so we're not optimistic that they'll get Android Lollipop.
Nvidia
Nvidia might not be high on most people's radars when it comes to Android devices, but gaming fans might be interested in knowing if and when the Nvidia Shield will be getting Android Lollipop.Nvidia told us that "we've worked hard to support every official Android release in the past, as you can see with our SHIELD portable and our software team is always working hard to bring new features and the latest updates with no delay. We try to make sure that updates come as close to their announcement as possible."
Nvidia seems to have kept its promise with the Nvidia Shield being one of the first devices out side of Google's own Nexus handsets and tablets to get the Android Lollipop update.
The update began rolling out at the end of November, so if you own an Nvidia Shield tablet, then you should be able to update to Android 5.0 Lollipop right now.
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Buying Guide: Best Bluetooth speakers: our top 4 reviewed
The bazooka-sized boomboxes of yesteryear are no more, and haven't been for a while now. They have made way for portable, wireless speakers that are more capable, and sometimes, are as small as a soda can.
But the path to glory for the Bluetooth speaker hasn't always been strong. In fact, it's been downright shaky at times, as innovation in design flew past the actual execution of reliably streaming music wirelessly in its early years.
Most of the bugs have been shook loose, and the Bluetooth speakers arriving on store shelves today are better and more affordable than ever. What with long-lasting battery life, stunning audio reproduction and other useful features, these speakers can turn any trip away from home into a tune-filled party.
We've done the digging to present to you our top picks for best Bluetooth speakers.
JBL Charge 2
Coming in at $150 (£129, about AU$170) is the JBL Charge 2. It's about the size of a large can of energy drink, but we promise that it has more functionality than one.With great sound quality that booms through the cylindrical chamber, the deal is only made sweeter with its fantastic battery life, which can charge your power-hungry devices if you're away from an electrical source. Sure, it's not as flashy looking as the LED-decorated JBL Pulse, but its capabilities blow it out of the water for your money.
Get this if you want a durable speaker, but don't care too much how it looks, so long as it performs well.
- Read our JBL Charge 2 review
Dell AD211
A good Bluetooth speaker is something we all deserve but unfortunately, we can't all afford the luxury. Thankfully, Dell stuck this stellar option in the budget Bluetooth speaker category.The Dell AD211 won't win awards for design, though some may dig its simple style. Whatever bad we had to say about (not much), can be mostly ignored once you hear that it retails for a staggeringly cheap $59 (£68.39, AU$79).
Taking value into consideration, you'll have a hard time finding an affordable speaker with good battery life, NFC compatibility and a built-in microphone. But the AD211 has it all, and for a bargain.
Get this if you're ballin' on a budget and you need the most feature-packed speaker for your money.
- Read our Dell AD211 review
Harman/Kardon Esquire Mini
While this chic Bluetooth speaker is marketed to the on the go business professional, always catching flights to go catch more flights, the Harmon Kardon Esquire Mini is an easy recommendation.It's hard not to be partial to such a good-looking speaker, but thankfully, its performance ranks just as high in our book. Albeit a tad expensive for its size ($150, £129.99), it makes up for the financial burden with great battery life and fantastic style.
If size is of utmost importance, you'll be pleased with the Esquire Mini, as it's about the thickness of two smartphones. Of course, you wouldn't guess that the voluminous sound would be coming out of such a small device.
Get this if want a pocket-friendly Bluetooth speaker that's fashion-savvy.
- Read our Harman Kardon Esquire Mini review
Creative Sound Blaster Roar SR20
Just like people do, some Bluetooth speakers try to do everything. And just like people, some Bluetooth speakers can do this gracefully and some cannot. The Creative Sound Blaster Roar SR20 succeeds at being a multi-functional speaker that rings it at the pleasing tune of $129 (about £104, AU$155).Compared to other speakers on this list so far, its design stands out, for starters. It's about the size of a hard-cover book and can compliment a bookshelf, if you please, or just a table top.
This speaker houses a bunch of cool features, even some you may not use. The 'aux in' port allows it to amplify beyond what your computer is capable of. Its internal microphone can even record audio to a microSD card.
Get this if a cool, novel-sized Bluetooth speaker packed with premium sound and fun features (recording audio, "Roar' volume boost) appeals to you.
We'll update this page as better speakers are available, so stay tuned. Let us know if you have had a good experience with these picks or any others, for that matter.
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