Download of the day: FreeFileSync
There's never an excuse not to backup your vital data, and FreeFileSync makes it easier than ever.
Why you need it
Cloud storage is all the rage, but if you're looking to sync files to separate hard drives or partitions (rather than to online storage), you'll need to look for alternatives. That's where FreeFileSync comes in.Syncing files across from one hard drive to another using FreeFileSync is a simple process, and the program can even copy long filenames or programs that are nestled in a lot of sub folders, something that would throw up an error were you to use the standard Windows transfer utility. This makes it ideal if you've just bought a new hard drive and want to move your documents onto it without being interrupted by errors and message boxes.
You can set up scheduled backups if you need to sync files on a recurring basis, which makes it ideal for heavy duty users and novices alike; administrators looking to keep network files safe and secure will love the option to create hourly backups, while less seasoned users will find this feature provides peace of mind even if such regular syncs are not required.
So how's this for a New Year's resolution: pledge to keep your data safely backed up with FreeFileSync.
Key features
- Works on: PC, Mac, Linux
- Versions: Free
- Backup: Keep your files safe from disaster and back them up with FreeFileSync
- Schedule: No matter what your needs are, you can select an appropriate schedule to regularly sync your data
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Week in Tech: Week in Tech: New year, new gear, and why Samsung has milky vision
Happy New Year! If you thought 2014 was pretty cool, you ain't seen nothing yet: 2015 has barely begun and we've already discovered a whole bunch of really exciting phones, the future of Windows and why Samsung wants you to watch some milk. But new years aren't just about looking forwards. They're a time to reflect too, to look back at the year just gone and to mock people with bent iPhones. It's 2015's very first week in tech!
No Xmas cheer for consoles
It's been a rubbish Christmas for gamers: both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network suffered severe outages which have been blamed on Lizard Squad, the Chingford R&B group that had a hit with Crossroads in 2002. Or was that Blazin' Squad? Either way, one of the alleged ringleaders is currently helping police with their enquiries.Payback time for Apple
While Apple gets ready to launch Apple Pay in the UK, it's quietly introduced a big change to iTunes purchases: European customers will be able to get a no-quibble refund on digital purchases if they request it within 14 days. That effectively means every app now has a two-week trial period whether the developers want to offer one or not. We're torn: on the one hand the new refund policy might rid the App Store of bad apps, but on the other it does seem wide open to abuse.Samsung: got milk?
Remember Milk Music, Samsung's music streaming app? It's got a new sibling called Milk VR, which promises to deliver free 360-degree content in both 2K and 4K formats including sports, music and action videos. It's currently US-only but will launch in other countries in early 2015, and you'll need a Gear VR headset and Note 3 tablet to use it. You might want to wait and see what content it offers before shelling out on any new hardware.Google and Apple: the good, the bad and the bendy
In 2014, two firms dominated the tech headlines: Apple and Google. But while both firms had some big hits they also encountered a few big problems. In our look back at Apple in 2014 we got excited about the Apple Watch and praised Tim Cook's decision to talk publicly about his personal life, but we also recalled the iOS 8 release fiasco, the disappointing Mac Mini refresh and inevitably, Bendgate.Google had a mixed year too. Google Glass remains a non-starter, there was a little too much vapourware for our liking and the Lollipop launch was fumbled a bit - but the Chromecast, new Nexuses and latest Android were all brilliant.
What about the future? Naturally we've looked ahead too: here's what we think Apple will do in 2015, and what we think Google will get up to.
Will Windows win in 2015?
Windows 10 is coming, and Microsoft is building a brand new browser for it. Today's Microsoft appears to name everything after things from Halo - the Cortana personal assistant, Windows 10's "Threshold" codename - so it's no surprise that the browser has been called "Master Chief". Er, we mean "Spartan".The best tech at CES
The CES 2015 tech splurge is just days away, and it'll feature new goodies from the likes of Samsung, Sony, LG, Asus, HTC… you name them, they'll be there with boxes of brilliant new toys. We've rounded up the best bits before the show even begins, and of course we'll be updating you throughout the whole shebang.Phew! It's a phone frenzy!
Remember the Nokia 3210, the Sony Ericsson K800i or the Nokia N95? We do, and we think 2015 will bring phones that you'll love as much as you loved those classic bits of kit. Our look at the most exciting smartphones of 2015 includes the HTC One M9, the Samsung Galaxy S6, the iPhone 6S and many, many more. Your next favourite is in there somewhere.
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Lizard Squad unveils DDoS-as-a-service following PSN and Xbox Live attacks
Lizard Squad, the hacker group behind the DDoS (distributed denial of service) that prevented millions of gamers worldwide of playing on Sony's PSN and Microsoft's Xbox Live, have come up with a new tool that could well make the lives of webmasters a little more difficult.
The entity released a new service called LizardStresser, one that allows anyone to launch their own DDoS attacks on any websites for anything between $6 (about £4, AU$7) to $500 (about £330, AU$570) with the latter offering 30,000 seconds of DDoS.
The site is currently offline with a message stating "Switching servers... will be back online soon - All paid accounts will receive one week bonus as compensation". The service can only be paid by Bitcoin for now, with Paypal coming later.
Big targets
"This booter is famous for taking down some of the world's largest gaming networks such as Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Jagex, BattleNet, League of Legends and many more!" the website's homepage displayed before being taken down.A member of the Lizard Squad told the Daily Dot that the Christmas attacks on Sony and Microsoft have proved to be a "huge marketing scheme" for its new DDoS service.
2015 is likely to see a proliferation of such online criminal hacking services as technologies such as Tor and Bitcoin allow for entire ecosystems to develop easily.
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Microsoft could launch Office for Windows Phone within weeks
Joe Belfiore, Mr Mobile at Microsoft, has moved to remind Windows Phone users that Microsoft has not abandoned work on bringing Office to the company's mobile platform.
In a blog post on Weibo, Belfiore wrote: "Our Office team has not forgotten Windows Phone." Windows Phone users might have seen themselves as being left behind given the recent launches of Office Mobile for iPad and Android (even on its own website, Windows Phone is third in the pecking order, behind the iPad and iPhone).
Belfiore admitted receiving comments and letters from Windows Phone aficionados who "expressed frustration" at those launches "without accompanying news around what will happen on Windows Phone."
Eastern promise
China is a market of growing importance for Microsoft and Belfiore hints that a few announcements will be made at a single event before the Chinese New Year which takes place on February 19.Some of these features will be "specifically for the China market" and could be revealed at the Windows 10 event that is scheduled for January 21.
2015 is likely to be the year when Microsoft reveals more about the next iteration of Office 365, with its launch likely to happen towards the end of the year.
- Via Windows Central
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ViewSonic V55 promises world's first iris-scanning smartphone
2015 is set to be a big year for biometrics and we're off to a flyer already with a new Viewsonic promo video, which shows a solemn-looking business executive and a female companion unlocking their V55 phones with their eyeballs.
If the iris scanner does appear it would make Viewsonic the first to the consumer market with the technology. The advert suggests the feature could be used for everything from checking email to paying for a coffee.
We get a good look at the phone itself too, with the iris scanner housed around the back of the handset behind a sliding panel.
Viewsonic's V55 was originally slated for 2014 but is now pencilled in for early 2015. Rumoured specs for the device include a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 running at 1.4GHz, 2GB of RAM, and 16 or 32GB of storage.
Where'd you get those peepers?
The Viewsonic V55 is said to be sporting a Sony-made 13-megapixel camera around the back, which can accept external lenses - the video shows our couple posing for pictures using a fisheye lens attached to the smartphone.It also shows a businessman levitating a phone above his palm through presumably that's not an included feature.
It's the eyeball-scanning functionality that's most interesting though: irises are far harder to duplicate than fingerprints and the technology would be the most secure yet in the field of smartphones. You'd have to do a Tom Cruise/Minority Report style eyeball theft if you wanted to get around it.
Viewsonic is by no means a big player in the smartphone field — its last effort was in 2012 — but this would certainly make the major firms sit up and take note. The news comes courtesy of GizmoChina though as yet there's no official word from Viewsonic and no indication of how much the V55 might cost when it shows up.
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Analysis: Microsoft in 2015: Moving swiftly, and on the right track with the Microsoft Band
Introduction and Windows 10
2014 was a year of unprecedented change for Microsoft, ushering in Satya Nadella, the first new CEO for fourteen years, and seeing the first inklings of change that will shape the Microsoft of the next fourteen or more years.While much of what we have seen are upgrades to existing product lines – Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 10 and so on – Nadella's Microsoft has also expanded into new areas, releasing a new suite of fitness apps and a fitness band, dubbed Microsoft Band.
Interestingly, Nadella appears to transcend the office politics of old, both inside and outside of Microsoft. Within 50 days of Nadella taking the reins, Microsoft had pushed out Office to the iPad, opening up the suite of programs to hundreds of millions more customers willing to stump up a monthly fee.
And the strategy appears to have worked: over the first weekend, Office was downloaded by more than 10 million iPad users, and the subscription paywall surrounding Office for iPad was subsequently knocked down, allowing users without an Office 365 subscription access to the editing features of the suite.
What we witnessed in 2014 was essentially the opening up of Microsoft. Satya Nadella is, by all accounts, a much more open and communicative person than Steve Ballmer ever was, requiring his executive team to read "Nonviolent Communication," a book on the "compassionate connection" to others. The Microsoft of 2013 and prior would never have allowed Office onto Apple's tablet (Office for iPad was developed shortly after the release of the iPad and was withheld under Ballmer's orders) but here we are.
Windows 10
Windows 10 is set for release in autumn 2015, and will improve the desktop experience for Windows (the concept of Microsoft needing to "improve" the desktop experience five years ago would've been unthinkable) and tempting estranged users of Windows 8 back to the platform. The vision of a tablet-only world hasn't quite been realised – despite Steve Jobs' ideas of a "post-PC world" – and so Windows 8 still feels like a jack of all trades straddling both tablet and PC, never quite managing to conquer either experience.Microsoft hasn't yet released many solid details of what Windows 10 will look like (so far only the Technical Preview has been shown) beyond the new Start menu in 'desktop' mode which was added in Windows 8.1 as an option that can be booted into, appeasing users of the operating system who don't have a touchscreen whilst retaining a noticeable design language between Windows 8 for touchscreen and Windows 8 for mouse.
The Windows 10 Consumer Preview is slated to be released in January 2015 introducing a new system dubbed "Continuum" which, unsurprisingly, makes it easier to use Windows 10 on a desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard. According to The Verge, Continuum was built specifically for tablets like the Surface Pro 3 which can offer a disjointed experience for those using keyboard and touch.
Windows Phone and hardware
Besides desktop Windows, Microsoft will also improve Windows Phone in 2015. While sales are still low – below 3% in the US – there is potential to grow in other markets, including fast growing markets in Europe and South America which could grow to be as big as the established markets today, if not bigger. Some commenters have given up on Windows Phone, claiming that apps are scarce – true – and that updates are slow – also true – but it is unlikely that Microsoft will give up on Windows Phone.Unlike other companies, Microsoft can afford to spend resources on projects that have little obvious upside – and this extends to Windows Phone. Having missed the boat on smartphones and tablets originally, Microsoft is now scrambling to catch up with iOS and Android, with the outcome being interesting and, above all else, offering the opportunity to synergise all of their operating systems. Windows 8's design was first seen in Windows Phone 7 and has been iterated on both platforms ever since, offering relevance to the platform despite commercial failure.
Outside of just simple UI synergy, Microsoft is also bringing features from Windows Phone into Windows 10, the most prominent of which is Cortana. Various videos have leaked showing Cortana running on Windows 10, and the addition of the virtual assistant is a clear unique selling point for Windows as Apple is yet to add Siri to OS X.
Cortana was created as a response to Siri and Google Now, adding yet another reason to the list of points in favour of Windows Phone's continued existence: mobile is one of the most innovative places right now and having a foot in the door allows Microsoft to test features on Windows Phone before bringing them to Windows 10.
Surface and Band
Microsoft is no longer a software-only company, producing two new pieces of consumer hardware in 2014: the Surface and the Band. The Surface Pro line-up will likely see a refresh in 2015, creating the fourth version of the laptop/tablet hybrid and expanding Microsoft's position as a player in the world of hardware. Just as Google has done – and is doing – with the Nexus line, Microsoft uses the Surface Pro to guide hardware makers in the optimum setup for the most recent version of Windows.The Microsoft Band, and associated fitness software, is an interesting new sphere for the company to be entering into and could, potentially, re-energise a company that is on the edge of irrelevancy. Many industry observers were shocked that Microsoft had built a new piece of hardware in secret and launched it, and the signs for the device are promising. While the reviews of the Band were average, it is encouraging that under Nadella's rule Microsoft is willing to experiment and execute speedily, catching a market as it emerges, not after it has emerged.
Apple is going to release its Watch in the first quarter of 2015, Samsung is on its sixth generation watch and the Moto 360 has an acclaimed design. All of this points to one conclusion – the wearables space is going to experience its renaissance in 2015 and Microsoft already has a wearable on the market. Microsoft seems determined to move ahead and avoid a repeat of the smartphone and tablet markets.
The Microsoft of Ballmer's era has gone, replaced by a company willing to expand quickly into new markets and take into consideration the views of customers. While Redmond may not have the current brand strength of Apple or Google with consumers, Microsoft is on the right track and 2015 could well be Redmond's year.
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OnePlus launches its forked version of Android Lollipop in alpha
The first alpha edition of OnePlus' new Android fork has appeared in the wild as the handset maker looks to move on from its spat with Cyanogen, a falling out that has caused problems with sales of the OnePlus One in India.
Cyanogen recently signed an exclusive deal in that country with Micromax, an agreement that leaves the future of the OnePlus One uncertain — Micromax has attempted to get the smartphone banned in India, a situation that still hasn't been resolved.
As a result, OnePlus has got its own team of software developers together, and the first fruits of their endeavours have now appeared. The experimental ROM isn't yet ready for release but adventurous users can give it a whirl if they wish.
Customisable yet bloat-free
At this stage the forked ROM very closely resembles the edition of Lollipop released by the Android Open Source Project. OnePlus is promising to "deliver an experience that is customisable yet bloat-free, with stock-Android-like simplicity by default".Anyone who wants to take their handset's life in their hands and test out the software is advised to use the TWRP recovery app to flash their phone, then install the GApps package alongside the new Android fork. An official OTA-ready release is expected around February time.
Right now it's not clear how much longer OnePlus handsets will use Cyanogen's MOD, at least outside of India, but this new OnePlus-flavoured version of Android looks like being the long-term future for the manufacturer.
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The best business innovations of 2014
Introduction and innovations 1-4
There's no question that 2014 was a year of great innovation for business technology. From faster airport security screening, to longer lasting smartphones and much easier mobile payments at retail, these advancements helped to make business life more productive.1. CLEAR airport pass
One of the great challenges for business travel is getting through airports faster, making your flight, and getting to your meeting on time. In 2014, we saw the introduction of the CLEAR pre-screening system. With CLEAR, you can bypass the security line and, using a biometric scanner for your fingerprint or iris, walk directly through the metal detectors.The innovation is important because of how much it expanded. It's installed at airports in San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Westchester. Miami and Los Angeles will also get the upgrade soon.
2. Long lasting batteries
2014 was the year smartphones finally started lasting longer, although we're still waiting for phones that last all week. The first sign of good news came from a company called StoreDot in April when they posted a video that showed how a smartphone could charge up in 30 seconds. It's not available for the masses, but it proved prescient when the Motorola Droid Turbo debuted, a phone that also charges up quickly (you can get eight hours of charge in only 15 minutes) but even more importantly lasts much longer using a massive 3,900mAh battery with a longevity of 48 hours per charge.The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is a much slimmer, lighter phone that accomplishes a similar feat using an "ultra" power-saving mode that turns the screen black and white and disables apps, but pumps out another two days of usage.
3. FIDO security
With multiple high-profile hacks in 2014, from the recent Sony infiltration to the celebrity nude photo hack that compromised Apple iCloud passwords, it became obvious that businesses needed a better way to protect their data.With devices like the Yubico FIDO U2F Security Key and Google 2-Step Verification, which you load onto a FIDO USB key, business users can rely on two-factor authentication. If the key is not present, it is impossible to gain access.
Apart from the less common biometric security enhancements, including one called MyIris that scans your iris to gain access to a computer, having a hardware key adds a layer of security but also makes the login process faster and more intuitive.
4. Easy videoconferencing with Chromebox for Meetings
Both Dell and Asus released new videoconferencing computers in 2014 based on the Google Chromebox for Meetings operating system. Designed specifically for small teams in a company to chat over video using the included video camera and high-quality speakerphone, the small Chromebox also fits nicely in a conference room and doesn't look too obtrusive.The OS boots directly into Google Hangouts and IT admins and meeting organisers can send meetings to a calendar so the people in the conference just click a link to get started. The computers can also boot into Chrome OS for normal productivity computing sessions.
Innovations 5-7
5. Mobile payments with Apple Pay
Most business technology pundits will point to 2014 as the advent of widespread mobile payments thanks to Apple Pay. (A few will snicker that NFC-based payments and Google Wallet on an Android phone have existed for years.) Still, the main innovation is that mobile payments reached a crescendo as banks, particularly in the US, partnered directly with Apple to support mobile payments and retailers started embracing the idea in full force."Without any doubt, the greatest business innovation of 2014 was the rise of mobile payments, specifically Apple Pay on the iPhone 6," says Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, the Vice President and Global Head of the Digital Enterprise at Tata Consultancy Services.
Ramaswamy noted: "Because of its ability to do tight integration between hardware and software within the phone, Apple could make the iPhone instantly connect and start talking to the NFC terminal, without having to unlock the phone, open an app, or enter a passcode. To make it even more appealing for retailers and consumers, Apple Pay makes credit card hacks nearly impossible."
Rob Enderle, an IT analyst for Enderle Group, added: "While NFC has been around for some time it took Apple to get people to start using it in mass and finally making it real. The issue is that we are creatures of habit and it required someone of Apple's stature to get people to charge differently. Apple Pay, and other NFC technologies, are far safer and more secure than the magnetic strip which is the most common form of credit card technology in use in the US."
6. Domain expansion
It may have skirted under your own purview, but another interesting innovation from 2014 pertained to the domain extensions we all use when browsing the web. They seriously expanded over the past year with 700 new domain extensions. Some experts even argue that the days of the .com extension being the only one that is viable for a "real" business are long over."Domain expansion is literally changing the way businesses market and drive online traffic and is changing forever the way people navigate on the internet. In the largest naming expansion since the advent of the internet, this year has seen nearly four million new businesses and websites spring up around these new extensions," says Bridgette King, a spokesperson for .CLUB Domains. "When you add an extension like .club, .wiki or even .guru, you know much better what you'll get and businesses can better target their online presence."
7. Intel IOT Gateway
Business users will welcome any device or technology that can create a more unified (and secure) experience, connecting disparate gadgets and making management easier and more robust. That's exactly what the Intel IOT Gateway provides, a sign of things to come when the Internet of Things becomes more common in business. Video cameras, wearable tech, sensors on the front door of the office, and even gadgets that monitor the parking lot can connect through one secure gateway instead of requiring separate management functions."The Intel IOT Gateway is a single device that can connect the various device networks to secure, better integrate, and better manage these networks together," says Enderle. "Existing IOT devices only work within families and weren't designed to be secure. The Intel IOT Gateway acts as translator and firewall both allowing different technologies to work together and preventing them from being compromised by an attacker."
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This could be Microsoft's new Lumia 1330 phablet
We've been expecting a sequel to the Lumia 1320 for a long while now, and it looks like we have our first glimpse at its casing, courtesy of a couple of leaked photos from China.
This large blue shell, which comes from a member of Baidu, (and is holding a Lumia 535 for some reason) could well be the foundation of the Lumia 1330.
If we put on our detective hats for a moment it seems reasonable to assume that the upcoming handset is going to pretty sizeable and feature a hefty camera too, as it dwarfs the 5-inch 535 in both respects. Microsoft's logo now takes the space once filled by the Nokia label.
Early rumours about the device, codenamed RM-1062, suggest that the large hole you can see on the back of the blue casing will be filled by a 14-megapixel snapper, a nice jump from the Lumia 1330's 5-megapixel model.
MWC cometh
Other insider whispers point to a 5.7-inch 720p display, a Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM and 32GB of storage. We'll know for sure when the phone finally makes its debut, which should be at MWC 2015, kicking off in March.For those just arriving to the party, the 1300 series Windows Phone devices are the mid-range editions of the 1500 series models. Once it finally does see the light of day, the Lumia 1330 should be the second Microsoft-branded Lumia phone after the 535.
While the leaked pictures don't offer much in the way of cold, hard information about the next Lumia phone, they do at least suggest a launch is imminent — watch out for further leaks trickling out in the near future.
- MWC 2015: what we want to see
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CES 2015: LG hopes AMD FreeSync will make its new ultrawide gaming monitor a smooth operator
LG has placed gamers on alert by announcing that it will launch the first ultrawide 21:9 gaming monitor with AMD FreeSync support at CES 2015.
The 34-inch 34UM67 has a 3440 x 1440 pixel-resolution which provides a wider field of view than 16:9 monitors and can help with spotting enemies. The initially unconventional resolution is supported by an increasing number of games, including Battlefield 4 and World of Warcraft.
The inclusion of AMD's FreeSync support means that the 34UM67 should make games run smoother by syncing with the graphics card(s) to prevent screen tearing, which occurs when when the GPU is pumping out more frames than the monitor's refresh rate can handle. Nvidia unveiled a similar tech called G-Sync in 2014.
The 34UM67 has an IPS panel and shares a similar "floating crystal stand" design with LG's 34UM95. Its other features of interest to gamers include a Black Stabilizer to light up dark scenes and a Dynamic Action Sync mode that minimises input lag to give gamers a competitive edge. There's no word on pricing or availability just yet.
LG is also lining up a Digital Cinema 4K 21:9 monitor aimed at professionals, alongside a curved 21:9 model equipped with Thunderbolt 2 connectivity. Both are expected to rear their heads at CES 2015, which takes place from January 6 to January 9.
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Review: Updated: Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Introduction and design
Some said it would never catch on, but here we are four years on from the original Galaxy Note phablet with the fourth generation device - the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.The Galaxy Note's big screen and S Pen stylus are certainly not for everyone. The Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Alpha offer a more mainstream smartphone setup - the Note 4 brings together big power, a big screen and big productivity.
If you're after a top-end smartphone which won't break the bank (or your palm, pocket or handbag) then you're probably in the wrong place.
At over £600, $800 (around AU$960) SIM free the Galaxy Note 4 was heart stopping expensive at launch.
A few months have passed now and the price of the Note 4 has dropped a bit, but you're still looking at upwards of £550, $700 (around AU$900) if you don't want to be tied down to a contract.
On contract in the UK a free handset will now see you shell out upwards of £33 per month for two years. It is a considerable investment.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is up against the likes of the Nexus 6, Nokia Lumia 1520, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and the steeply priced iPhone 6 Plus, with the latter the only one matching the Note 4 in terms of cost.
Unlike the previous three iterations Samsung hasn't deemed it necessary to increase the screen size of the Note 4, so it sticks with the same 5.7-inch dimensions of the Galaxy Note 3.
It's not the same screen though, as Samsung has given the Galaxy Note 4 a hefty resolution boost - but more on that on the next page.
When it comes to design Samsung has definitely listened about its latest line-up feeling plasticky in the hand and has decided to give the Note 4 more of a premium finish.
There's a metal rim surrounding the handset, shielding the rest of the chassis like a velvet rope protecting celebs from real people in a club.
It sports exactly the same shape, style and rounded corners as the Galaxy Alpha, only on a bigger scale and thanks to the increased size the plastic rear is more noticeable here than it is on the Alpha.
Samsung has tried to make the removable plastic cover feel more premium by giving it a leather effect finish, but there's still no fooling your hand with that unmistakable texture.
A plus side to this though is the plastic rear does provide good grip - vital when you've got such a large handset in your hand and even though the Galaxy Note 4 is a touch wider than the all metal iPhone 6 Plus, I found the Samsung is easier to hold.
Even though the 6 Plus has a smaller, 5.5-inch display, it's actually taller than the Note 4 - something else the Samsung has over its Apple rival as it makes the phone more balanced in the hand.
Add to that the placement of the power/lock key on the right of the Galaxy Note 4 and you find that even for a big phone the key buttons are still easy enough to reach (if your palms are on the larger side).
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 measures 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm, almost the same as its predecessor and smaller in width and depth than the Galaxy Note 2, which is impressive considering this is the first of the Note series to sport a metal frame.
I've also been using the 5.5-inch OnePlus One recently and there's really not a lot to choose between the two in terms of size.
It's safe to say then, if you're already accustomed to the larger league of smartphones then the Galaxy Note 4 will feel right at home in your palm.
I really like the way the Galaxy Note 4 feels in the hand and having used the Note 3 on a number of occasions, it definitely feels different and refined enough - plus it's light too, just a touch over the weight of the Note 3 at 176g.
Samsung's tried and tested physical home key still resides at the bottom of the screen, providing a location for the Korean firm to stuff in its fingerprint scanner, and that's flanked by two touch keys.
To the left of the home button is the Multi-tasking key, while on the right you get Back. Both Back and Multi-tasking are completely hidden when not illuminated by the backlights, providing a clean finish to the front of the Galaxy Note 4.
Some shuffling of the Note 4 in the hand is required to get your fingers in the right position to reach these during one handed use, and you'll need to be careful not to drop it.
Round the back you'll find a 16MP camera, LED flash and the heart rate monitor which also features on the Galaxy S5, S5 Mini and Galaxy Alpha.
In the bottom corner you'll also notice the end of the S Pen stylus hiding inside the body of the Galaxy Note 4, while behind the removable rear cover there's a microSIM port, microSD slot and a sizable 3220mAh battery.
This, then, is the Note handset with the most premium and accomplished look and feel to date. Samsung is finally providing the build quality its top-end devices have been yearning for.
Samsung has managed to keep the dimensions manageable - it's certainly a lot easier to hold than the 6-inch Lumia 1520 and Ascend Mate 7 - and while the iPhone 6 Plus may look sleeker, the Galaxy Note 4 boasts a bigger, better screen and very similar dimensions.
Key features: display and S Pen
You'll want to see this
Samsung's Galaxy Note series is all about the screen. The original Note arrived with a 5.3-inch display, which seemed ludicrously big against the 3.5-inch iPhone 4 and 4.3-inch Galaxy S2 - yet fast forward to now and 5-inch+ smartphones are the norm.The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 rocks up to with a 5.7-inch display - the same size as the Galaxy Note 3 - and it's been given a resolution boost over its predecessor.
In fact the Note 4 joins just a handful of smartphones boasting a QHD display, providing it with a rather eye-popping 515ppi pixel density thanks to the 2,560 x 1,440 resolution.
That puts it on par with the 5.5-inch LG G3, although the LG can lay claim to a slightly higher pixel density, but at this resolution you're unlikely to see the difference.
This means the screen on the Galaxy Note 4 is sharper than the full HD offerings on the iPhone 6 Plus (401ppi), Nokia Lumia 1520 (367ppi) and Huawei Ascend Mate 7 (368ppi) - and the good news doesn't stop there.
Earlier this year DisplayMate dubbed the Galaxy S5 "the best performing smarphone display" thanks in part to Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, and that tech is also featured on the Galaxy Note 4.
Samsung's Super AMOLED displays have been around for a while now, providing vibrant, vivid colours that really pop and make for an impressive viewing experience, and the Note 4 is no different.
Coupled with the QHD resolution and something Samsung calls 'adaptive' display - that sees the screen change to suit your lighting environment - the screen on the Note 4 is truly fantastic.
Text and images are crystal clear, which makes for a superb reading and viewing experience - which is exactly what the Note 4 needs as it encourages you to consume media and work on the go.
In short, you'll be hard pushed to find a better display on a smartphone.
The screen on the Galaxy Note 4 also has - unsurprisingly - support for the S Pen, which itself has also been upgraded since the Note 3.
A pen in disguise?
With the new S Pen for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 sensitivity and accuracy have been pushed up a notch, providing you with a more enhanced writing experience.I was impressed with the precision I could achieve with the S Pen, and it's certainly the best handwriting experience I've had on a smartphone.
The Galaxy Note 4 is able to keep even the smallest of words legible, and reproduction of strokes on screen is instantaneous so you keep the natural flow of your writing.
Of course it still isn't the same as writing on actual paper, and I found it a little tricky taking notes while holding the Note 4 in my hand. It's a lot easier to place it on a flat surface and scrawl on it as you would a piece of paper.
The S Pen isn't just for writing though: you can also use it as a replacement for your finger, allowing you to move apps and files around the phone with ease.
The S Pen is still very a divisive feature, with some Note users swearing by it while others find themselves ignoring it most of the time.
Click the button on the shaft of the S Pen and the Air Command menu will appear on screen, allowing you to jump into Action Memo (a floating S Note window), Smart Select, Image Clip or Screen Write.
Both Smart Select and Image Clip allow you to highlight a particular section of the display, with the former able to recognise any text in your selection while the latter allows you to pull out an image and save it to your scrapbook for use later on.
I found their uses relatively limited day-to-day, although they were fun to play around with and for some they will be useful tools.
Screen Write potentially has a wider scope of use, allowing you to annotate the screen you're viewing - be it a map, text message, picture or just the home screen.
Once edited you can then share the finished article via social media, email, text message or just save it for a later date.
With a selection of different drawing tools you can generate a variety of effects using the S Pen, which is much better than your finger when it comes to precision editing.
Fingerprint scanner, heart rate and S Health
Fingerprint Scanner
Apple really stumbled upon something when it launched Touch ID on the iPhone 5S, providing users with an extremely simple yet secure way of unlocking their handset.Unsurprisingly other manufacturers have tried to mimic the success of Touch ID, and Samsung is no different with the Galaxy Note 4 joining the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S5 Mini and Galaxy Alpha in the fingerprint scanning stakes.
Like Apple, Samsung has opted to imbed its digit scanner in the physical home key below the screen - but the South Korean firm's implementation isn't quite as clean cut.
While on the iPhone (and the rear of the Hauwei Ascend Mate 7) all you need to do is place your finger over the home key for the handset to recognise your print, on the Note 4 you're required to swipe your finger over the pad.
While this process isn't in itself much of an issue, the poor implementation of the service from Samsung is hampering its effectiveness.
I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini earlier this year and quickly fell out of love with Samsung's digit reader as it simply didn't work well enough.
Thankfully it looks like Samsung has tried to address this issue on the Galaxy Note 4, firstly by getting rid of the "five strikes and you're locked out" rule which drove me up the wall on the S5 Mini.
Instead of locking the handset for 30 seconds after five failed finger swipes (which happened a lot with the S5 Mini) the Note 4 seemingly lets you go on and on until you get it right.
You've still got to ensure you're swiping down the centre of the home key, and you can't go too quickly or too slowly, otherwise the Note 4 gets a bit grumpy.
As well as using the fingerprint scanner to unlock the Galaxy Note 4, you can also use the biometric test to verify your Samsung and PayPal accounts, and as an alternative way to sign into websites on the internet.
While the system is still some way off a successful scan first time, every time, I did find that in general there were fewer occasions demanding a third or fourth attempt.
It's still frustrating how frequently it doesn't work though (especially compared to the iPhone), and trying to swipe a thumb while holding the Note 4 in the same hand is near impossible - you'll want to use both hands to grip the handset so it doesn't fly out of your hand.
Heart rate monitor and S Health
Something else the Galaxy Note 4 has inherited from the other top end Samsung smartphones in 2014 is the rear mounted heart rate monitor, allowing you to keep track of your pulse.Reviews for Samsung's other handsets have already pointed out that a heart rate monitor is far better suited to a smartwatch or fitness band, but the Korean firm seems intent on including the tech on its phones.
It can be tricky to line your finger up blind, and I often found I had to double check my placement which in turn added unnecessary time to proceedings. I far prefer using the Gear Fit or Moto 360 to check my heart rate.
The good news is it does appear to work, just fire up the S Health app, select heart rate and place a finger over the sensor. After a few seconds the Note 4 will give you a reading and it'll save all your results so you can look back at your history.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 also claims to be able to measure your stress level using the heart rate monitor, though it's unclear just how scientific this reading actually is.
Both feed into Samsung's S Health app, which helps you to keep track of your diet, fitness and exercise and the Galaxy Note 4 comes with a built in pedometer to count the steps you do each day.
It runs in the background and uses pretty much no power, so you needn't worry about switching it on and letting it do its thing.
S Health will also try and work out how many calories you've burnt based on your activity, and there's an exercise mode allowing you to track a stint of walking, running, cycling or hiking.
If you're really keen you can also track your food intake, weight and sleep (with the aid of a third party device).
There are plenty of fitness applications and wearables which offer similar services, but it's handy to have an option pre-installed on the Galaxy Note 4 and S Health works well.
Interface and performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes running Android 4.4.4 KitKat, the final iteration of the chocolate snack based operating system, and I fully expect it to gain an upgrade to Android Lollipop in the future.In fact leaked images of a Note 4 apparently running Lollipop have already leaked online, and it's expected to land on Samsung's top handsets during the first couple of months of 2015. Keep your eyes peeled for my Note 4 review update when Lollipop does arrive.
Of course this wouldn't be a Samsung handset if the Korean firm hadn't done some tinkering with the operating system, and its familiar TouchWiz interface is present on the Note 4.
The good news is that Samsung's 2014 update to TouchWiz is much more refined than previous offerings, with fewer pre-installed bloatware apps and redesigned icons making everything look a lot smarter.
Some Android fans will still find it clunky in places, and it doesn't have the same simplistic feel to is as stock Android, but I found it perfectly palatable to use.
The lockscreen of the Galaxy Note 4 gives you the option to launch directly into the camera or the dial pad for an emergency call, plus it can also display information such as the time, date, weather and even how many steps you've taken during the day.
In a similar fashion to HTC's Blinkfeed news aggregation service on its smartphones, Samsung has partnered with flip board to give you easy access to the latest headlines by swipe left to right on the home screen.
Pull down from the top of the screen - which can be tricky when using one hand due to the size of the handset - and you'll access the familiar notification bar.
A selection of quick links are housed across the top, while brightness control and toggles for S Finder and Quick Connect bridge the gap to your notifications.
To help you tackle the big screen nature of the Galaxy Note 4 you can shrink select pre-installed app windows down to make them easier to reach one-handed.
Unfortunately there's no support for third party applications, so you're rather limited to Samsung's suit of apps and extras such as Google Play.
All you need to do is drag down diagonally from the top left corner and the app will pop out of full screen mode and into a smaller form factor.
Tap the grey dot at the top of the window to bring up the menu from where you can minimise the app into a floating bubble on screen - much like Chat Heads from Facebook.
I did find that on several occasions I accidently shrunk the app I was viewing when trying to access the notification bar. Not a huge issue, but it can get frustrating if you do it several times in a row.
When minimised you can move the floating window round screen, resize it, and access the Android interface behind it, giving you an added level of multi-tasking.
As with previous Note devices you can also get two applications side by side on screen and the best way to do this is by holding down the Back key below the screen.
This will bring up a column of apps on the right hand side of the Note 4's display, and from here you can drag two onto the main part of the screen to snap them side by side.
Your choice here is limited to some pre-installed apps such as calculator, camera, contacts and email, but there is some third party support including Facebook and Whatsapp.
It's a simple and effective system, but I question its usefulness on a smartphone - there's a better case to be made for its use on tablets.
Some may find themselves using this all the time, but during my review I very rarely bothered.
The multi-tasking button makes it quick and easy to jump between applications, and the fluid interface of the Galaxy Note 4 means there's little delay jumping from one to another.
Samsung has played with the design of the multi-tasking menu, with a series of stacked cards showing all your currently running applications.
Scrolling through and swiping to close, is a fluid experience, plus there's the option to close all at the bottom of the screen, as well as jump into Task Manager.
Something I did find from continued use with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is its rather aggressive vibrate.
While many of the smartphones I've reviewed gently hum on my desk, the Note 4 has a much stronger vibrate function.
That's great if it's in your pocket as you're more likely to notice is, but it did lead to some strange looks in the office when I had it out on my desk.
As I've already alluded to the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is impressive, and so it should be considering it's packing a 2.7GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM.
That means Android 4.4.4 KitKat runs very smoothly, and I didn't experience any slow down or lag during operation.
Applications and games loaded quickly, and even with apps opening in the small floating window view there was not noticeable dip in the performance.
I ran the Geekbench 3 test on the Galaxy Note 4, and after several goes round it averaged a score of 3351. That trumps the likes of the HTC One M8 (2951), iPhone 6 Plus (2911) and Samsung Galaxy S5 (2905), and shows just how much power is packed into the Note 4.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a slick performer and the refined TouchWiz interface and excellent QHD display makes this an enjoyable phone to use day to day.
Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 packs in a sizable 3220mAh battery which, unlike many of its rivals including the Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, is removable.For those who always find themselves away from a plug socket the ability to swap out a dead battery for a fully charged one is an enticing proposition.
In fact it houses the same size battery as the newly announced Nexus 6, while the QHD toting, 5.5-inch LG G3 can only boast a 3000mAh power pack.
It's a touch bigger than the 3200mAh battery inside the Galaxy Note 3, and with the Note 4 having a vastly enhanced display you may initially worry about its battery life potential.
The good news is I had no trouble getting the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to last a whole day on a single, with it generally having 20%-30% of juice left in the tank when I got into bed.
That's with moderate to heavy usage, with a couple of hours of Spotify music, a couple of hours of gaming, some light web browsing, emails plus a variety of calls, texts and social media activity.
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S5 or HTC One M8 though, the Note 4 won't go for almost two days - you'll still need to practice the nightly charging ritual here, but you're unlikely to ever find yourself dashing to a power point.
Running the TechRadar 90 minute HD video test with the brightness on full and various accounts syncing over Wi-Fi saw the Galaxy Note 4 drop 19% - a respectable performance that puts it above the iPhone 6 Plus (27%) LG G3 (25%) and HTC One M8 (23%).
The battery performance on the Note 4 isn't quite as good as the Galaxy Note 3 then (which lost 13% in the same test), but with day-to-day usage you're unlikely to notice much of a difference.
Put that QHD screen to work for an extended period of time though and the percentage will tumble, but perhaps not as fast as you may expect.
If you do find yourself in the red zone and near a plug Samsung's fast charge cable is able to recharge approximately 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes, providing a welcome boost of power.
The cable (and plug) is included in the box, so you won't have to go out and spend extra cash on another lead.
There will be times though when you're not near a power source, or don't have the correct cable to hand, but the Galaxy Note 4 has you covered here as well.
Samsung's impressive power saving mode which has featured in the likes of the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Alpha also finds its way onto the Note 4, allowing you to make the most of those last few drops of juice.
You get the choice of 'power saving mode' and 'ultra power saving mode' on the Galaxy Note 4, with the former restricting background data and performance while also giving you the option to switch to a greyscale interface, saving you precious power from the QHD display.
Ultra power saving mode is far more aggressive, as it totally changes the interface to one which gives you access to just a few core apps (phone, texts, emails, web browser) as well as providing a simplified greyscale design.
When turning on this mode the Galaxy Note 4 makes some pretty bold claims, including "days" of standby life, but to be fair to Samsung it does make a difference.
It's not a mode you'll find yourself using all that often, but when you do hit the red zone - and at some point you probably will - you'll be thankful it's there.
Camera
What can I say about the camera on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4?It's a 16MP lens equipped with a dual-LED flash along with auto- and touch-to-focus - that's hardly ground breaking information, and it mirrors the Galaxy S5 in terms of general specs. Something the Galaxy Note 4 does have over the S5 though is OIS (or Optical Image Stabilization, if you prefer).
OIS fights against camera shake, and also allows you to take better pictures in lower light by automatically extending exposure time.
It's not just the rear camera that's been given some love by Samsung on the Galaxy Note 4, with the front facing snapper gaining a 90 degrees lens allowing you to fit more of your mates into those all important selfies.
Fire up the camera app - which can be done direct from the lock screen if you're in a hurry - and you'll find it's not as cluttered as previous Samsung offerings.
The Galaxy Note 4's camera app may not be as sparse as Apple's offering on the iPhone 6 Plus, but there are fewer options available with a big shutter and video record keys at the bottom of the screen making it obvious what you need to hit.
There's also a Mode key down here, which on previous Samsung devices opened up a volley of different settings. On the Galaxy Note 4 however you get just three options pre-installed.
I say pre-installed, as there's an option to download further modes from Samsung's App Store including Animated Photo, Sports Shot, Sound & Shot and Sequence Shot.
These are typically features I rarely, if ever, use, so not having them cluttering up the menus in the main camera app is great.
The options that are already loaded are Rear-cam Selfie, Selective Focus and Panorama, which should all be pretty self explanatory.
Switch to "Rear-cam Selfie" or flip to the front facing camera and Samsung's beauty mode will be activated by default, smoothing your skin and increasing the size of your eyes.
There's a sliding scale from 0 (off) to 8 (max beauty), with the highest level making you look a little scary, while I found 3 was almost passable as someone's genuine complexion. It's fun to play with, but ultimately pretty pointless.
Back to the main screen and at the top of the display you'll find a centralised HDR toggle, flanked by an option to switch between front and rear cameras and the settings menu.
For anyone fearing that Samsung has removed the more technical tools on the camera then there's good news. Tucked away in settings is exposure, ISO, white balance and metering, giving the more proficient photographers among you a wider scope of adjustments.
You can also set the volume keys on the left of the Galaxy Note 4 to act as shutter keys, something I found very useful on a phone this size.
So what about the photos the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 takes? Are they any good?
Yes.
I'd even go as far as to say that the camera of the Galaxy Note 4 is one of the best mobile snappers I've had the pleasure of using.
The stunning QHD display makes for an excellent viewfinder, even in brighter conditions, and the Note 4 is capable of capturing a huge amount of detail.
Colour reproduction is great, HDR generally performs well and up close you can snap some top notch macro photos.
In low light the Galaxy Note 4 also does pretty well, and while it hasn't mastered this area entirely, you're still able to grab some decent images which you'd happily show off to others.
I did find from time to time that the auto-focus needed some manual assistant with a tap of the screen to tell the Galaxy Note 4 what to focus on, but these occasions were few and far between.
Check out some of my sample shots from the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 on the next page.
Camera samples
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Click here for the full res image
Media
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is made for media with its 5.7-inch QHD display, punchy 2.7GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM and microSD slot providing everything you need to enjoy movies, music and games on the go.With a slim frame and textured plastic rear the Galaxy Note 4 is also reasonably comfortable to hold during extended gaming and movie sessions, and for such a large device at 176g it's not as heavy as you may expect.
Video
There's good news for film fans as the Galaxy Note 4 comes with a dedicated video app, meaning you won't have to sift through hundreds of photos in the gallery to find all your moving picture files.It's a simple offering with all the basics without any confusing additional content.
Videos are displayed in a series of thumbnails, making it easy to see what you've got on the Note 4, and a quick tap will see you launch yourself into the player.
Play/pause, skip and scrub controls are all present and correct, and further settings can be reached via the menu key. From here you can share your film via email or on social networks.
Playback on the Galaxy Note 4 is fantastic - set yourself up with a full HD movie and your eyes will thank you as the screen pops with colour and the action is crystal clear.
The additional size of the screen on this phablet makes playback even more enjoyable and you'll feel a smug sense of satisfaction as you take it all in on your morning commute.
As well as sticking video files on the Note 4's internal storage or a microSD card, you can also download directly from the Google Play store where there's a whole host of movies and TV shows available to buy and rent.
A neat feature which finds its way onto all of Samsung's top end devices is pop out play, allowing you to shrink your video into a small window which sits on top of the Galaxy Note 4 interface.
This then gives you access to the rest of the phone, allowing you to reply to a quick text, update Twitter on your dinner or browse the web for merchandise while still watching all the action.
With so much power under the hood there's no lag or slow down while in pop out mode, making it all the more enjoyable to use.
The single rear speaker on the Galaxy Note 4 can kick out a decent volume, but it's no where near as good as the front facing Boomsound speakers on the HTC One M8 and you'll be much better off using a set of headphones.
Music
Music also gets its own dedicated application on the Galaxy Note 4, and like the video player app it's all very straight forward.You can view your tracks by name, artist, album or genre, and a quick tap on a tune will see it start to play and you'll be taken to the player screen with all the usual controls including random and shuffle.
If you like tinkering with your tunes you can go to the menu within the app and select Settings followed by SoundAlive.
Here you'll get access to a graphic equaliser, and if you've got headphone hooked up there are a series of presets providing you with simulations including surround sound, a concert hall and more.
Playback controls can be found in the notification bar and on the lock screen of the Galaxy Note 4, allowing you to easily skip, reply or pause songs without the need to navigate back to the application.
As I've already mentioned the inbuilt speaker on the Note 4 can go loud, but to the detriment of sound quality with songs sounding tinny and degraded. You're much better off plugging in a set of headphones, or an external speaker setup.
Like with movies and TV, Google has a way of pushing music at you with the Play Music section of the Play Store providing a huge library of tracks and albums for purchase and download.
Google also has its own music streaming service, dubbed All Access, providing a similar service to Spotify for a monthly fee.
Games
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is also a pretty mean mobile gaming machine, with the huge amount of power and impressive display translating into a pocketable system capable of running anything you throw at it.I fired up the graphically intensive Real Racing 3 and the Note 4 had no trouble running it at top spec, and the graphics looked great on the QHD display.
The essentials
Contacts and calling
The Galaxy Note 4 benefits from Samsung's solid contact management system, allowing you to pull in details of all your buddies from a variety of sources including Google, email accounts, social networks and Whatsapp.Profile pictures are moved across too, providing a more colourful contact list and some instant visual recognition of who's who.
It also does a reasonable job of joining up a person's various profiles into one contact although it's not perfect, so if you're a perfectionist you'll have to manually complete the missing links.
The phone and contacts apps may appear separate in the app list, but in reality they're the same application divided by four tabs at the top of the screen; keypad, logs, favourites and contacts.
It's all very straight forward and anyone who's used a smartphone previously won't have any issues navigating to contacts and making and receiving calls on the Galaxy Note 4.
A nice feature which I enjoy using on Samsung phones is the ability to quickly make a call by sliding left to right across a contact's name in the contact list, call log or even in the messaging app.
This action launches you straight into a voice call, and if you swipe in the opposite direction you'll be taken to a new text message screen with that person already entered as the recipient. Which takes us nicely onto...
Messages and email
You can both send and recieve text messages on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and from the off you've got the choice of two SMS clients.Samsung's own Messages app is a run of the mill offering with the addition of profile pics of your chums to make it look a little more inviting.
All the basics are there, but if you're after something with a few party tricks then Google's pre-installed Hangouts app may be more up your street.
Not only does Hangouts deal with text messaging, it also incorporates Google's own instant messaging client into the app, meaning fewer trips to different apps as you attempt to keep in contact with everyone.
Both are easy to use, but the keyboard Samsung provides to enter your missives will not be to everyone's liking.
That's not to say it's bad, but I've never been a huge fan of Samsung's own board and I get the same feeling when using it on the Galaxy Note 4.
I'm able to type relatively quickly on it, but characters such as punctuation aren't as easy to access as on other boards. I still much prefer SwiftKey which provides greater accuracy, a more efficient design and better next word prediction.
If you're going to be doing a lot of typing I'd suggest downloading a third party alternative on the Note 4, but for casual users it suffices. If you really want you can draw out the S Pen and handwrite your messages, but I found it slow and at times frustrating so I wouldn't bother.
That keyboard could become a real bug bear if you're planning on firing off a lot of emails and once again you've got the choice of two apps to manage your electronic mail.
You get Samsung's own email client plus Google's Gmail app, the latter of which now accepts all email accounts rather than just the search giant's. That means you can truly pick one app and ditch the other.
I find Google's Gmail a much cleaner and snappier offering, but both offer the same level of features so either way you'll be well catered for.
Internet
With strong Wi-Fi capabilities, 4G connectivity and an expansive 5.7-inch display the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is well built for web browsing.Websites load up very quickly, with even full desktop sites appearing in a matter of seconds.
The QHD display ensures images and text are crystal clear, making surfing the web an enjoyable and stress free experience.
And to round off the choice carousel the Note 4 comes with two browsers as well - it's pretty silly when you stop and think about the amount of duplication - and again both Samsung's Internet app and Google's Chrome offer very similar experiences.
There's tabbed browsing, bookmarks, the option to force desktop mode and more, ensuring you won't be caught short at any point.
Comparisons
iPhone 6 Plus
There's one handset which is clearly lining up against the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and that's Apple's new iPhone 6 Plus.
It's a touch smaller with a 5.5-inch full HD display versus the 5.7-inch QHD offering on the Note 4, and while the Samsung is both wider and thicker it's the 6 Plus which has the most height.
In terms of design the iPhone 6 Plus wins out with its premium all metal body oozing class, but the metal frame of the Note 4 does kick things up a notch and it has the bonus of a removable battery and microSD slot.
Both handsets have strong camera offerings, each benefitting from OIS (optical image stabilization) ensuring you won't be let down by your smartphone's snapper.
Equally when it comes to price both the Galaxy Note 4 and 6 Plus demand a huge amount of cash.
If you fancy more features and functionality then the Note 4 is the way to go, but for a refined, premium experience you may be better off with the 6 Plus.
- Read our iPhone 6 Plus review
LG G3
There are very few handsets on the market which can rival the Galaxy Note 4's impressive QHD display, but the LG G3 is one of them.
Boasting the same resolution over a slightly smaller 5.5-inch screen the G3 has a higher pixel density, although you're unlikely to notice any difference between it and the Note 4.
The LG G3 comes well equipped with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 13MP rear camera with laser auto-focus and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
Its plastic construction doesn't feel quite so premium in the hand, but it is slightly smaller than the Galaxy Note 4 making it easier to hold.
Battery life is better on the Galaxy Note 4, with the G3 disappointing a little in its battery test.
- Read our LG G3 review
Huawei Ascend Mate 7
The Ascend Mate 7 is a bit of a surprise package from Huawei with a huge 6-inch full HD display, punchy octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and a 13MP camera.
There's a 5MP camera on the front for the selfie obsessed, while Huawei's Emotion UI has been vastly improved, although I'd still take TouchWiz over it.
It also has the added benefit of a fingerprint scanner - located on its rear - which is almost as good as Touch ID, and miles better than Samsung's effort on the Galaxy Note 4.
That large screen, combined with a metal body, means that this handset is both big and heavy - it's a struggle to hold in one hand and there's not S Pen stylus rival available.
- Read our Huawei Ascend Mate 7 review
Nokia Lumia 1520
The Nokia Lumia 1520 isn't exactly a new handset, it launched back in 2013, but it's still the phablet king for Windows Phone with a 6-inch full HD display and 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor.
It's power chip is a little out of date now, but at least the Lumia 1520 is running Windows Phone 8.1, which brings a host of new features to the platform including a notification bar and quick settings.
The polycarbonate unibody is solid, but it lacks the premium appeal of the metal-framed Note 4 and it's arguably too big for one handed use.
You do get a strong snapper though, with Nokia bolting on a 20MP lens to the rear of the 1520, giving you a top notch camera at the touch of a button.
- Read our Nokia Lumia 1520 review
Hands on gallery
Verdict
As far as phablets go there's no question that Samsung still leads the way with the Galaxy Note 4.The real testament to Samsung's success in this arena are the number of competitors out there from the newly announced Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, to the more established Nokia Lumia 1520, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and even the LG G3 and OnePlus One.
Everyone wants a killer big screen smartphone, but few do it as well as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
We liked
The screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is fantastic. The QHD resolution ensures absolutely everything is pin sharp and the Super AMOLED tech makes colours really pop.Your eyes alone will thank you for picking up the Galaxy Note 4, and those of you who love gaming and watching movies on your phone it's perfect.
I've also got to mention the camera here, as the Galaxy Note 4 is capable of taking some really excellent snaps.
There's plenty of power packed in too, giving you a slick, fluid interface and the improved design with the metal frame makes the Galaxy Note 4 feel like the premium phone its price tag suggests.
It isn't as stunning to look at or hold as the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple still wins the style war, but at least the Note 4 has a decent level of grip.
We disliked
Get over the size and the price of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and there's little to dislike about this dominating phablet.There will be a large number of people who won't be able to get past the size and price of the Galaxy Note 4 - it is big, and it is expensive - but that's not a huge issue for this handset.
It knows its market, and Samsung provides devices in a number of tiers to satisfy almost anyone.
Want the new metal design in a smaller package? Get the Galaxy Alpha. Want the latest tech Samsung has to offer at a lower price tag? Then there's the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5 Mini.
The S Pen has come on leaps and bounds since its introduction with the original Galaxy Note, and while the precision has increased substantially on the Galaxy Note 4 it still feels a little, well, pointless.
I found myself using it very rarely. Unless you like sketching on your smartphone, or for some reason think it's quicker to handwrite notes than tap them out (it's not, btw), then it provides little attraction.
Samsung still has a way to go with its fingerprint scanner as it's nowhere near as good as Apple's Touch ID or even Huawei's offering, and you'll likely find yourself turning it off after a while.
Verdict
Samsung has packed in more power, an even better display and a great camera making the Note 4 an excellent smartphone. This is the best phablet around, hands down.If you're already rocking the Galaxy Note 3 there's not a huge point in upgrading, unless you really want the screen and chassis bump, but if you're rocking an older phablet or considering picking one up the Galaxy Note 4 should be top of your list.
It'll be too big and pricey for some, while the true usefulness of the S Pen is still questionable, but overlook these things and you'll be more than happy with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
First reviewed: October 2014
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Sony apologises for PSN hack with PlayStation freebies
It's likely that any PlayStation gamer reading this will be aware of the PlayStation Network outage that took place over Christmas, due to a DDoS attack from "hacker group" Lizard Squad.
The service is now running again smoothly, but to apologise for the downtime Sony has promised a couple of freebies to PlayStation users, as outlined in a blog post.
Anyone who had an active PlayStation Plus subscription or free trial on December 25 will have their subscription extended by five days, to be added at a later date. If a customer's account expires before it's applied then they'll be offered a five-day PlayStation Plus membership.
On top of that, Sony will be giving all PSN members a 10% discount token to be used on any PlayStation Store purchase, which will appear some time later this month. It's worth highlighting that this will be for the total cart purchase, so you'd be wise to grab yourself a few goodies.
Xbox Live suffered a similar outage on Christmas day. Lizard Squad have used the attacks as a marketing scheme for a piece of software called LizardStresser, which lets anybody carry out their own DDoS attacks.
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LG G Flex 2 looks set to pack a powerful punch at CES 2015
The LG G Flex 2 is being heavily tipped to make an official appearance at CES 2015 next week, and the latest rumours suggest it'll pack a mighty wallop.
South Korean website Naver claims to have received inside information on the upcoming Flex 2, with its sources revealing a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor inside the device.
The report also goes on to say the LG G Flex 2 will sport LTE-A and tri-band carrier aggregation. In short, that means it will be capable of delivering super speedy 4G, although actual speeds will be dependent on your network.
Flexing its muscle
Previous leaks suggest the G Flex 2 will sport a smaller form factor than its 6-inch predecessor while retaining a HD display - we're hoping it gets a boost from 720p to 1080p - and Wolverine-esque self-healing rear coating.The original LG G Flex touted itself as the first flexible smartphone, although in reality it was only capable of bending a few millimetres and its sky-high price tag meant many were put off. Hopefully LG will refine the tech - and the price - for the second iteration.
TechRadar will be out in force at CES 2015 to bring you all the latest from the show, including anything LG may have up its sleeve.
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Is Samsung ditching the Galaxy Alpha already?
It's not a great start to 2015 for fans of the premium-looking, metal-banded Galaxy Alpha: rumours from inside the industry suggest Samsung is abandoning production of the handset in order to focus on devices that are a touch more affordable.
The Galaxy Alpha was a refreshing departure for Samsung in the way that it prioritised attractive looks over spec-list box ticking, though on the back of apparently so-so sales it may have been a departure too far, according to ET News.
But there's hope yet for those who prefer metal edging over plastic — it looks like the internal specs will bear the brunt of Samsung's cost-cutting rather than the external finish. The new Galaxy A5 is sporting a Snapdragon 410 chipset rather than the Exynos 5 Octa of the Alpha.
If looks could kill
At the same time, the A5 keeps the head-turning looks introduced by the Alpha, even if it is on the cheaper side. A 720p 5-inch HD super AMOLED display, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-mega pixel front camera feature on the phone, which has already launched in China.If you're in the market for a top-end phone and like the look of the Alpha then we'd advise you to get your order in sharpish. We've asked Samsung for an official comment, and we'll update as we hear more.
- Time to grab yourself a Galaxy Alpha?
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Interview: Why it's time to move workforce management to the cloud
Neil Pickering, director at workfroce management software firm Kronos, explains why more and more businesses are moving workforce management to the cloud.
TechRadar Pro: What are the biggest pain points for SMEs when it comes to managing their workforce?
Neil Pickering: Staffing and people management issues are very often the central and chief concern of small to medium businesses (SMEs), be it managing talent and giving staff the right opportunities, attracting and retaining the right staff, or simply the day-to-day issues of keeping staff productive and engaged.
The problem is that often SMEs lack the time, resources and expertise to dedicate to workforce management. With a lack of management experience and expertise that can be found in larger enterprises, SMEs either don't think they have an issue with managing their workforce (because they don't have visibility of any problems) and therefore do nothing about it, or think they may have an issue but do not have the time, money or resource to monitor and resolve them.
TRP: How can technology like workforce management systems help to address these issues?
NP: For the SME leader looking to drive the business forward, workforce management technology can remove many of the headaches of day-to-day staff administration and deliver the reporting and analytics needed to support decision-making.
For example, a workforce management solution that captures employee hours in real time and automatically feeds them directly into payroll will reduce administrative time, remove payroll errors, ensure employees work their proper hours and control other labour costs such as absence and overtime. Such technology will also improve employee engagement as employees will be paid accurately and have access to self-service options, including viewing work schedules, shift swapping, balance enquiries and holiday bookings.
TRP: How has workforce management evolved over the past ten years?
NP: Over the last ten years, the world of workforce management has fundamentally changed. It's moved from standalone PC/Server installed products connected, to a few clocking terminals, to now centralised and often cloud-based solutions that have much greater depth of functionality and multiple means of data collection and access, such as web browser, mobile, tablet and telephone. In fact, for us at Kronos, the Kronos Cloud has become the fastest growing part of the business with cloud revenue increasing 56 per cent over the last quarter and over 11,000 companies using our cloud solutions.
At the same time, technology developments such as biometric terminals and now wearable technology are shifting the way that organisations collect and use information to manage their workforce. We now have access to more functionality, at greater speed and accuracy, in products that are far more intuitive and easy to use. This makes it possible for far more organisations to control labour costs, minimise compliance risk, and improve workforce productivity.
TRP: Why are more businesses moving their workforce management systems to the cloud?
NP: With a limited HR and IT budget, SMEs are well-placed to realise the scalability and ease of use promised by cloud solutions. Organisations are able to rent workforce management solutions that have enterprise-grade infrastructure just as easily as their larger competitors, and there is little up front capital investment required. The latest generation of workforce management systems now easy to purchase (pay per employee, per month, with no length contract) and simple to set-up, so offer little risk to the buyers and huge return on investment potential.
By moving workforce management functions such as labour planning, staff scheduling and absence management to cloud-based solutions the SMEs can focus on delivering their products and services, whilst at the same time controlling costs, improving productivity and maintaining margin.
TRP: What are the main differences between cloud-based workforce management and traditional work force management?
NP: Unlike on-premise solutions, workforce management delivered as a service are easier to set-up, more cost effective and easier to maintain. This means business benefits can start to be delivered in a matter of days. With SaaS and cloud-based solutions SMEs no longer need to have (or be) an IT expert and buy and deploy servers.
Instead this is now taken care of remotely by the solution provider. What's more, such systems are also now accessible through multiple devices, such as mobiles and tablets, so managers and business owners can choose when and where they manage their staff. So for SMEs, just spending a couple of minutes responding to intelligent prompts on their device of choice could see them reduce absenteeism, control their labour costs and improving customer service.
TRP: What are the top three benefits of moving workforce management in the cloud?
NP: One of the main benefits of moving workforce management to the cloud is the speed of implementation. This enables SMEs to implement workforce goals faster, providing a rapid return on investment. Another benefit is the ability to re-assign staff to other priorities, by removing the need for in-house expertise to run, upgrade, and support the applications.
Finally, workforce management in the cloud also provides SMEs with the ability to scale the solution as their organisation grows. Many organisations start small, but as they develop, they experience a combination of different pressures and growing pains which affect productivity and performance of the workforce. By moving workforce management to the cloud, organisations can manage their employees in line with this growth, ensuring productivity is maximised at all times.
TRP: Is workforce management a blessing or a curse for employees?
NP: Most workers are comfortable with the notion of being monitored, as long as the reasons for doing so, and the benefits to the business and employees, have been clearly discussed and explained. In fact, according to our recent research, most workers recognise and accept the need for their employers to record annual leave, sick days and start and finish times.
It's also not just organisations that benefit from employee monitoring, but staff too. By monitoring employees shift patterns and labour, productive employees can be recognised and rewarded, while all employees can be confident that their wages are being calculated and processed correctly in accordance with the hours that they work.
TRP: Looking to the future, how do you see workforce management evolving for SMEs?
NP: Workforce management solutions are now much easier to purchase, deploy and own, which is why they are becoming far more widespread in terms of their use. The greatest increase we expect to see is more SMEs starting to use mobile devices to help manage their workforce. With mobile devices uniquely equipped to give employees the ability to respond to urgent events or unforeseen operational disruptions, SMEs are able to complete a wide range of workforce-related tasks from their own device and location, improving organisational productivity, efficiency, and agility.
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Download of the day: Opera
With a range of new and improved features, the Opera web browser is tooled up and ready to challenge the big boys in the browser war.
Why you need it
Start the new year with a new browser and give Opera a try. Although it's not as well known as some of its bigger-name rivals, it's been around for years and has made some real strides forward.Thanks to the browser wars that have been hotting up in recent years, Opera has seen its performance markedly improve. It's now right up there as a genuine competitor to the big boys of Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.
Aside from the fast loading speeds, useful organisational tools and competitive range of extensions, Opera has a few interesting tricks up its sleeve. There's the Speed Dial, which displays customisable tiles for your favourite websites whenever you open a new tab. Added to that is that Turbo mode, which compresses web pages by up to 80%, saving you bandwidth if you're not on an unlimited internet plan.
So take a break from the big browsers and give Opera a try – you could be pleasantly surprised.
Key features
- Works on: PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and more
- Versions: Free
- Fast: Competition from its rivals has seen Opera up its performance, making it about as fast as the super speedy Google Chrome
- Extensions: Add extra features to your browsing experience with the large choice of extensions available to download
- Extra features: Opera has some useful features of its own, such as Speed Dial and Turbo mode
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HP's new 8-inch Windows tablet offers optional 3G, pen support
Microsoft's decision to offer Windows with Bing (WWB) for free on devices with a screen smaller than 9-inch could boost sales of affordable business tablets.
A leaked document shows that at least one vendor, HP, has a tablet equipped with Windows with Bing and destined at a business audience, one that prioritises features and build quality without necessarily turning its back at affordability.
The HP Pro Tablet 408 G1 uses an oft-used blueprint (similar to the Pipo W2): an 8-inch 1280 x 800 pixels, a quad-core Intel Atom Z3736F Bay Trail processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage, a card slot, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI and micro USB ports and two cameras.
The document also highlights the device as providing "affordable, reliable business mobility" having gone through a whopping 115,000 hours of rigorous HP durability testing.
Other features offered two speakers, a 4800mAh battery, TPM data encryption, management capabilities via HP Touchpoint manager, GPS/AGPS and optional 3G, Bluetooth keyboard case and Active pen.
The 408 G1 also comes in a Windows 8.1 Pro flavour, one that doesn't include Office 365 Personal.
- Via Liliputing
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Samsung to use Tizen OS across all its 2015 Smart TVs
Samsung confirmed on its official blog that all Smart TVs launched in 2015 will be powered by a new platform built around the Tizen operating system.
The OS was originally destined to be Samsung's answer to Android on the smartphone front, as the Korean company tried to reduce its dependence on Google's platform.
Although a second Tizen smartphone, the Z1, is expected to be launched in the next few weeks, it looks that Samsung's ambitions have been scaled back, at least for now.
But television, where much of the market is still dominated by old technology, is pretty much up there for grab
No surprises then as Samsung is determined to use its clout as the world's biggest TV maker to set the agenda with Tizen being central to its plan.
The new Smart Hub will enable "easy navigation" and "quick access" (don't they all try to do that anyway).
Tizen-powered televisions are also expected to sync more easily with other devices using either Wi-Fi direct or Bluetooth Low Energy.
Samsung has already confirmed that it will have some TVs running Tizen on display at CES 2015 so stay tuned for hands-on next week.
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Best free software of 2014: Google Chrome
Having built its entire business around the web, it seems only right that Google would offer the best browsing experience on Windows. It has been quietly iterating and updating Google Chrome over the past year – and it shows.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer lost the user experience battle with Google Chrome long ago, as did Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari. In 2014, Google added syncing between devices that have Chrome, which is seamless – as is integration with Google services (especially Google Now).
As a part time Android user, having Chrome sync bookmarks and browsing information (such as passwords) from my computer to my phone is useful. Automatically syncing my Facebook password to my phone feels like the future and while it isn't specific to Chrome (Safari does it too), it just seems to work better and faster.
A myriad of extensions are also available on Chrome alongside the Chrome Web Store, which offers 'apps' within Chrome, such as Angry Birds or TweetDeck. While there are also standalone app versions on Windows 8 and OS X Yosemite, it is nice to be able to quickly hop into the app through the Chrome browser.
As a free browser that runs and syncs across all major platforms – both PC and mobile – Chrome is class leading.
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In depth: What to expect from Apple in 2015
What to expect from Apple in 2015
2015 could be one of the most interesting years in Apple's history. It's moving into a whole new world with the Apple Watch, a device that's as much about high fashion as high tech, and with the tablet market showing signs of saturation it needs some bright ideas to reinvigorate iPad sales. There are two new operating systems to prepare, an enterprise push to explore and some new musical directions - and there might even be a stylus. Here's what we think (and in a few cases, hope) we'll see from Apple in 2015.Apple Watch
We're fascinated by the Apple Watch, especially the one we can't afford. Will rich gold-watch buyers be willing to own a device that may well be obsolete in a year or two? That speedy obsolescence happened with the original iPad, so you'd have been pretty gutted if Apple had persuaded you to spend thousands on a gold one. How Apple handles the obsolescence issue - if it handles it at all - could make or break the Apple Watch as high fashion as well as high tech.
We're also really interested in what developers come up with, because so far there's no obvious killer app for the Apple Watch or any other smartwatch. What they do is interesting and often cool, but there's nothing making us slap our heads and go "of course! How did we ever manage without it?" Here's hoping we see it in 2015.
A plethora of pixels
The ongoing process of putting Retina displays in everything with an Apple logo on it will continue in 2015. In 2014 it appeared in the iMac with Retina 5K display and we should see them appear in the smaller iMacs and hopefully in a Retina MacBook Air too. We know Apple wants to make it, but processor delays have stymied the appearance of a Retina display in its ultraportable laptop. Hopefully 2015's processors will solve that.
iPad Air 3, iPad mini 4 and iPad Pro / Plus
Sales of iPads have slowed, but they might pick up again in 2015 if tablets do indeed have PC-like replacement cycles: the iPads people bought in 2012 will be showing their age this year, especially come the next major iOS update. As ever, Apple will have plenty of new ones for them to buy: updated iPad Airs and minis - the latter still relevant despite the iPhone 6 Plus due to its much lower price tag - and maybe the much-rumoured iPad Pro, a bigger-screened iPad for power users.
Mac Pro 2.0
OS X 10.11
We're on an annual upgrade cycle for OS X, so Yosemite's successor should be released in the Autumn. After OS X 10.10's major visual revamp don't expect dramatic differences in how OS X looks or works, but we think the blurring of the lines between OS X and iOS will continue. They'll remain separate beasts but they'll continue to find ways to reach out and touch one another.
iOS 9
Here's another annual update due in the Autumn, and hopefully it'll be less buggy than the first couple of releases of iOS 8. We've got an iOS 9 wish list already that includes a better, more useful Siri, the ability to default to third party apps and hide the stock Apple ones we never use, and better music services. On the subject of which…HD audio and Beats Music
Beats Music is coming to iOS, possibly before iOS 9, and it's likely to be merged with iTunes. Apple may also launch HD music downloads: the most recent iPhones support headphones with Lightning connectors for HD audio, and the Mastered for iTunes programme means Apple already has the necessary masters for HD files.
iPhone 6S, and maybe an iPhone 6C too
Apple has established an iPhone rhythm in recent years, and that rhythm involves a major redesign every second year and a minor spec bump, usually with an exciting new feature, in between. 2015's a 'tweener year, so we'd expect to see a minor update to the iPhone 6 in the form of an iPhone 6S, and it's possible that HD music and a Home app for HomeKit might be the sales pitch this time around. We're also hearing persistent rumours of a new 4-inch iPhone for 2015 too. Could an iPhone 6C for developing markets be on the cards?A big enterprise push
MobileFirst for iOS apps, the first fruits of IBM's partnership with Apple to push iPads into the enterprise, look great, but the ball is just starting to role. Enterprise is an area of great opportunity for Apple, and having IBM on the same team makes for a very powerful partnership. iOS was doing pretty well in business already, but that's small potatoes compared to what the Apple/IBM push might achieve in 2015 and beyond.
Apple TV - the box, not the set
We're still not convinced that an Apple TV set is worth the bother - making TVs is a crap business with crap margins - but the "hobby" is desperately overdue a refresh. We already know that Apple may be positioning it as a HomeKit hub for connected home devices, because the code is in its latest operating system update, and we hope the long-rumoured App Store for Apple TV is imminent too. The market for media streamers is getting awfully crowded, and the rivals are awfully good.
A stylus
We know, we know, Steve said "if you see a stylus they blew it". But Steve Jobs was very good at wrong-footing everybody and making them think he meant "never, ever" when he actually meant "not now". Remember his dismissal of video on iPods? Of native iPhone apps? Of seven-inch tablets? Apple has been quietly patenting smart pen ideas for a few years now, with two more added recently. Maybe it's for the iPad Pro / Plus.Tweets
Will Apple start tweeting? According to Fast Company, it's advertising for a "social media expert" in LA, and it's already hired Musa Tariq, who previously led social media for Nike and Burberry. Could tech's most secretive company start getting chatty in 2015?Doom
You can take this prediction to the bank any year you like: no matter what Apple does this year, almost everything it does will spark dire predictions from the doom-mongers. All together now: doooooooooom!
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