Updated: 10 best Android tablets in the world
Best Android tablets: 10-6
Our list of the best Android tablets in the world - regularly updatedIf you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is currently the way to go. (Don't know what an Android tablet is? Check out: what is an Android tablet?)
There are other options out there with Windows 8 tablets such as the Surface Pro 3 - but Android KitKat and Android Lollipop remain the main rivals to the iOS 8 toting iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.
Some Android tablets have 10-inch screens, others seven, some land somewhere in between and a handful even push the boundaries past 10 inches. There are big differences in battery life, processing power, RAM and price.
We've gathered together the best the Android tablet market has to offer, so read on to see which Google-powered slates you should be considering.
10. Asus MeMoPad 7
Making the new tablet thinner and lighter is a good start but it doesn't feel like Asus has done a whole lot different here.
However, if you're willing to put up a little bit more cash, the Asus MeMoPad 7 ME572C has much to offer. It's got a great Full HD (1,920 x 1,200) screen, quad-core Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (upgradable via microSD).
Quick verdict
The Asus MeMoPad 7 ME572C is an incremental upgrade from the Google Nexus 7 by Asus that steps up the necessary components while keeping everything else largely the same.In terms of price, it's not the best deal out there but it is a solid contender. If you can look past Asus' slew of pre-installed apps it's one of the best 7-inch tablets you'll find around at the moment.
9. Samsung Tab Pro 10.1
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 arrived with an impressive 2560 x 1600, slim build and a decent chunk of power and this saw it top Samsung's tablet tree for a short while.
It has since been overthrown with the arrival of the Galaxy Tab S, but that doesn't mean the Tab Pro 10.1 isn't still worth a look.
A slightly lower price and powerful innards still make it a decent Android tablet, although the typical plastic build quality is evident again.
Quick verdict
If you're not concerned with owning the best of the best, and would rather save yourself a few pennies then the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 should definitely be on your radar.With a high-res screen, punchy processor and a huge array of features the Tab Pro 10.1 has a lot to offer, including a more attractive price tag.
8. Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4
A direct rival to the iPad Mini 3, the 8.4-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro sports a stunning display in a portable size with the option of LTE connectivity if you want to spend a little extra cash.
Back to the 8.4-inch display though and you're treated to an eye-popping 1600 x 2560 resolution and the Super AMOLED technology ensures colours are vibrant.
It does suffer from some poorly placed speakers, and the jury's still out on Samsung's faux leather plastic design, leaving the Tab Pro 8.4 feeling a little on the cheap side.
Quick verdict
A recent price drop has made the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 a slightly more attractive offering, and design aside it does well to match the iPad Mini 3 in terms of power, performance and features. It doesn't quite match the overall quality of Apple's package though.7. LG G Pad 8.3
What's this? LG in the top ten for smartphones and tablets? Could the brand be on a rebound?
Well, when you make an Android tablet with a design language like this one, perhaps it's time to quietly worry at Samsung. In place of plastic, it's got a lovely aluminium shell, and connectivity with other Android phones makes it a viable option for a wider range of users - you can receive and reply to texts direct from the G Pad 8.3.
Some might question whether the Snapdragon 600 chip is too low-power, but it allows for a sleeker design according to the Korean brand.
Quick verdict
We really liked the G Pad 8.3, and it was only lower down in our list thanks to a slightly higher battery drain than we were expecting - plus the overlay can take some getting used to.It's the closest competitor to the iPad Mini out there, in terms of design, and it's a tablet we're not ashamed to pull out of a stylishly slim bag. Perfect if you like the size of the iPad mini 3, but can't afford it or prefer the Android OS.
6. Lenovo Yoga 10 HD+
Lenovo's Yoga tablets took a little time to get off the ground, but the Chinese company has really upped the quality in these flexible slates.
The bulbous cylinder at one end of the tablet holds a massive 9,000mAh battery and also houses a small kickstand. It means you can position the Yoga at almost any angle, which is great for watching movies.
The 1920 x 1200 pixel screen resolution is rather nice, has plenty of brightness and is a major upgrade on the old model. Similarly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with four cores all clocked at 1.6GHz is also a serious upgrade from the weak processor used last time.
Quick verdict
The shape and size of the Lenovo Yoga 10 HD+ is not going to appeal to all. Portability isn't as good as other tablets, but if you're looking for a media device this has a lot to recommend it. The massive battery life and handy kickstand are both unique features that give this tablet its appeal.Number 5: Google Nexus 7
5. Google Nexus 7 (2013)
The Nexus is no longer king in the Android tablet world, but if you're looking for a 7-inch slate with an incredibly attractive price tag you don't need to look anywhere else.
The screen is to die for and the form factor, while taking some getting used to, is ideal for media consumption. It's light, it's bright, it's fun and it's thin.
The battery life is really impressive, and the sheer diversity on offer, be it through the uprated CPU, screen, or GPU, mean that we struggled to put it down at times.
Quick verdict
We really like the Nexus 7. We really, really like the Nexus 7. Google has taken what made the original such a belter, corrected almost every niggle with it, bumped the price up ever so slightly, yet also made the Nexus 7 feel so much more premium.If you're looking for a 7-inch tablet, we'll put it like this: there is no better alternative on the market, right now.
- Google Nexus 7 review (2013)
Number 4: Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
4. Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
Sometimes bigger can be better - and Samsung will certainly be hoping that's the case with the huge Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 which sports a - yup you've guessed it - 12.2-inch display.
As you'll see from the name, this slate falls into Samsung's "Note" series, which means it comes equipped with an S Pen stylus, and with such a large canvas to work with it can be genuinely useful.
Unsurprisingly the Note Pro 12.2 isn't a small tablet, so it's not something you'll be carry around with you everyday, but with a meaty octa-core (yes, eight!) processor, 3GB of RAM and Android 4.4 KitKat OS it's a serious powerhouse capable of some very heavy lifting.
Quick verdict
The sheer size of the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 will put many off, but the appeal of an expansive, 2560 x 1600 12.2-inch display will attract a small crowd - if you are one of those you won't be disappointed. Big screen, big power and big price.Number 3: Google Nexus 9
3. Google Nexus 9
It's been a while since we last had a large Nexus slate and even longer since HTC went anywhere near a tablet, yet here we are with the HTC made Nexus 9.
It was worth the wait too, thanks to a powerful 64-bit processor, BoomSound speakers, a long lasting battery and Android 5.0 onboard.
It's found itself a fairly unique size point too at 8.9 inches. Too big to be considered a small or even medium sized tablet, but some way smaller than the 10.1-inch Android slates that there are so many of. Whether that's a good or bad thing is subjective but it certainly helps it stand out.
Quick verdict
The Nexus 9 is powerful and a good all-rounder. It's not the biggest, smallest or best in any one area but nor does it make any major missteps and at $479 it doesn't quite have a top tier price tag either.Number 2: Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
2. Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
In second place... the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet, and to be honest it pushed the Galaxy Tab S all the way to the finish, but it was just pipped at the post.
If you haven't realised yet, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a really good Android tablet, with a slim build and waterproof design ensuring it'll survive a trip into the bath or a bake off in a really messy kitchen.
The screen isn't quite as good as the Galaxy Tab S, nor is there a smaller version available for those who don't want to lug around a 10.1-inch offering every day - but these are minor points in what is still a very good device.
Quick verdict
A solid, lightweight slate with a decent amount of power, the Xperia Z2 Tablet won't disappoint and the waterproof chassis is certainly a bonus.The design is slightly more attractive than Samsung's, but with just one screen size and a display which lacks the vibrancy of its closest rival it takes second spot.
Number 1: Samsung Galaxy Tab S
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S
The exterior design of the Tab S is nothing to write home about but it's thin and it's light and that counts for a lot when it comes to tablets. It helps the frame get out of the way of the screen, which is the real winner here.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S boasts "the best screen we've seen on a tablet" - which is no small feat. If you want to watch movies or play graphically intensive games they won't look better on any other tablet.
Available in 8.4- and 10.5-inch variants, the Tab S range packs in a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, microSD slot, 8MP rear camera, 2.1MP front snapper and Android 4.4 KitKat.
Both tablets have fingerprint scanners for added security, but the plastic body may put a few off with Apple's slates sporting a more attractive design. But with more power and superior screens the Galaxy Tab S duo are working the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 hard, really hard.
Quick verdict
The ultimate Android tablet experience comes courtsey of the Galaxy Tab S, offering a portable 8.4-inch slate and a larger 10.5-inch tablet which is great for movies and gaming.From the eye-catching screen to the raw power under the hood, Samsung couldn't have done much better with what could be a final attempt to compete with Apple at the top-end of the market.
Read More ...
Pulling power: Tesla Model X to be first tow-capable electric car
If you're tempted to splash out on a Tesla, but looking for something with more space than the Model S, new details have emerged regarding the company's long-awaited SUV, the Model X.
Tesla has confirmed that its roomier model will boast seven seats, a dual motor all-wheel drive system, semi-autonomous technology, and 'Falcon Wing' doors – we can't decide if these are cool, obnoxious, or a bit of both.
The Model X will be also be available with three battery power options – 60kWh, 85kWh and 85kWh 'Performance' – with Tesla claiming it to be the first electric vehicle with towing capacity, which should result in some interesting tweaks to the car's range specs.
The long wait...
Tesla also claims the 85kWh options will boast a 0-60mph acceleration time, making the Model X the quickest SUV around and even capable of shaming some sports cars.Curious? Sadly, unless you've already placed your order you won't be getting behind the wheel of Tesla's new model before 2016.
Following a two-year production delay as Tesla struggled to meet demand for the Model S, the Model X is sold out in the US for 2015 and other markets are unlikely to fare any better.
- Looking for something a little sportier? Don't miss the latest on the Tesla Roadster.
Read More ...
Updated: 10 best mobile phones in the world today
Number 10: OnePlus One
You want the best smartphone, right? We've whittled our constantly updated selection down to the 10 best handsets you can get your hands on right now - but after you've checked out number one, we've still got plenty of other options to feast your eyes on.We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? We've probably got about three or four nowadays, and that counts giving your old Nokia 3310 to your Mum a few years ago.
But while you used to be able to just bank on the new Nokia or always get the next Sony Ericsson because it had a half-decent camera, there are now so many great options out there from loads of manufacturers.
The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?
Well, this is where we make it easy: we've played with nearly every device on the market and have found the ten best you can spend your money on. It needs to be good, after all, given it will reside in your pocket for the next two years.
Our ranking of the best mobile phones available in Australia today celebrates the brilliance of the smartphone: we love handsets that add in functionality to enrich our lives in so many different ways.
We also take into account the price of the phone too - meaning a low-price handset doesn't always need to have high-spec functions to be in our top 10.
We're just beginning 2015, and with the iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus here to challenge the heads of state in the smartphone world - namely the Sony Xperia Z3 the LG G3 and the HTC One M8 - we've got a real royal rumble at the top, looking at the best on the market and adding in such unknown gems as theOnePlus One.
If that still doesn't help, well, there's always our extensive mobile phone reviews pages as well - or check out our personally crafted smartphone buyer's guide:
Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in Australia.
10. OnePlus One
You've probably never heard of OnePlus... but if you have, you'll know why this unknown brand is suddenly sitting in our list of best smartphones in the world.The reason is simple: it's a phone that has all the power, specs and functionality of the top dogs, adds in super-customisable software and does it at nearly half the price. We're talking big savings on cost ($645 for the 64GB variant) without much in the way of compromise.
In fact, the only things it's really missing are a microSD slot and removable battery, and those are elements more for the purists than absolutely necessary.
If we're being super picky, it's not got the greatest camera set up and the design is a bit... efficient, but at this price point it really doesn't matter. And given the target audience is those that care about raw power over style, it makes sense that this is where the costs could be saved.
Quick verdict
We love the fact that a new contender can maintain such a high place in the ranking of the best phones in the world - it means that it's not just a case of 'big budget means best phone'.We were debating whether the OnePlus One could even have gone higher, but there's one big problem that you'll have if you want to get your hands on one: they're impossible to find. Numbers won't ramp up for a while, and probably never to the level of availability of the better-known names.
But if you want a phone that offers supreme power at a really low cost: the OnePlus One is it. It's what the Nexus range used to be, and if Google ditches that program, then thankfully OnePlus has shown there will be brands to pick up the slack.
Number 9: Moto X (2014)
9. Moto X (2014)
It's a big win for Motorola at the moment, now it's stolen in with two places in our rankings list. It feels like a smaller smartphone, despite packing a 5.2-inch screen, as the front is mostly all bezel.That screen is one of the standout features here, as it not only has superb Super AMOLED clarity (courtesy of Samsung) but it also has the very clever Motorola Active Display, which lets you wave your hand over the screen to see vital info and then press to preview messages.
It's not got all the bells and whistles of most smartphones - for instance, there's no way to restart the phone and the camera is rather basic - but as a day to day device it's very strong.
Quick verdict
Don't think that just because the Moto X 2014 name didn't get much of a change that the phone is just a basic specs bump.Motorola's new flagship smartphone proves that the reinvented company is listening to customer feedback with a bigger screen and aluminum metal frame, all for a price that's better than its competition.
It's not widely available yet in Australia, and it still could do with a microSD slot and a better camera, but for a phone that doesn't cost as much, allows you to customise nearly everything stylish about the design and works well, it's one of the best.
Number 8: Sony Xperia Z3
8. Sony Xperia Z3
The Xperia Z3 has arrived a little too soon since the Z2 was launched, with not a huge amount of upgrades - but it's still a very nice phone.The design is slimmed down and the screen is insanely bright, and you've still got all the lovely Sony gubbins, like Bravia tech in the screen and improved audio output.
The camera, sadly, hasn't been upgraded and still packs some of the inconsistencies we'd hoped would be ironed out by Sony's amazing camera team, and it's still not up the power of the others on the market. That said, with Remote Play now enabled, it's shot up the rankings slightly.
Quick verdict
The Z3 is a brilliant phone with a few rough edges - if you like a powerful camera that rewards learning the intricacies and want a really bright screen (with Remote Play on top) then the Z3 is very much worth looking at.Number 7: Nexus 6
7. Nexus 6
The new Nexus is here: good news, the camera is finally half-decent on a Nexus phone. Bad news, it's no longer a super-cheap superphone, hence it not landing higher up the rankings.It does have an excellent screen, a very, very beefy Snapdragon 805 chipset to run nearly anything you want and the media capabilities are excellent. And that's without even talking about the fact it will be getting the latest Android upgrades thanks to being Google's flagship handset.
The only downside (and it's not going to be a hindrance to some people) is that it's got a whopping 5.96-inch screen. It's still roughly the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus, and if you prefer a smaller phone, it's based on the same design as the Moto X, thanks to being made by Motorola.
Quick verdict
The death of the Google Nexus program has been greatly exaggerated, and this year's stock Android phone ironically resulted in an exaggerated Moto X. Its tremendous display, premium specs and debut of Android 5.0 Lollipop make one of the best phablets to date.It's not cheap, but it's the best Nexus ever made. And, when you think about it, you're not going to need to hold onto your money, as you'll require both hands to grab onto this two-handed monster.
Number 6: Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
6. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Less powerful with a lower-res screen than its bigger brother? How is the Z3 Compact two places ahead?Well, it's simple: this thing is all the power (well, mostly) of the larger model, with a smaller body. This means Remote Play for your PS4, a 20.7MP camera, the clear IPS LCD screen... it's got it all and it's much, much nicer to hold.
The price is a lot lower too, so unless you want the brightness of the Full HD screen nearly every other feature is in this smaller phone, meaning it will have less impact on your pocket - both literally and figuratively.
Quick verdict
The best of Sony in a smartphone - if that's what you're after, this is the phone to go from. It's the ergonomics and the price that impress, and while it's notquite got the spec sheet of the main Z3, it's a lot more polished for some reason.On top of that it now packs Remote Play to make it a real winner if you're a PS4 owner - definitely one to check out if you fancy your power a bit more portable.
Number 5: iPhone 6 Plus
5. iPhone 6 Plus
Coming in at number five: it's the first Apple phablet.The iPhone 6 Plus takes all the best bits of the iPhone 6 - design, beautiful UI, strong camera performance - and improves upon them by packing an even better camera, a Full HD screen and much larger battery.
The only problem is that it's a little harder to hold in one hand thanks to being a little too wide - but with the same internal power, great graphical performance and access to Apple's amazing media / app library, this tablet-phone hybrid is perfect for those that can't decide between the two formats.
Quick verdict
While the ergonomics of this phone aren't brilliant, there's another reason it's below the LG G3 and others: the price. It's very, very expensive and you'll have to really be up for a phone of this calibre, and really want the extra space to merit a purchase.Of course, if you're an Apple fan and want a bigger iPhone, then you should shut your laptop immediately and run down to buy one of these (providing you can afford it, of course). It's a great phone made larger, and improved along the way too.
Number 4: Samsung Galaxy Note 4
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Hello Samsung. Nice to see you back up the list - and with the Note 4, the brand has managed to pack so much into the (well, still large) frame.The main thing is the screen: Super AMOLED technology combined with QHD resolution means a pin sharp display, and one that we just can't take our eyes off.
The camera is nice, the power is next-gen and the whole thing is backed up by the ever-more-useful S Pen to help you clip and jot all day.
Quick verdict
While it's got a big hold over the LG G3 in many ways, it can't compete on price with the South Korean rival - and that's the big drawback for this phablet.But it's the closest phablet to the 'average' smartphone we've seen so far, and it packs the most into that limited palm space. Well done Samsung - here's hoping the Galaxy S6 is even more impressive.
Number 3: LG G3
3. LG G3
The LG G3 needed to be good, as it was based on the hard work of the G2, which was a strong, well-made phone that didn't cost a huge amount of money.So what does LG do with the G3? Goes and sticks the world's sharpest display on there (well, there are others now, but it was first).
It's a QHD screen, which means it's got four times the pixels of some phones on this list, and it also comes with a number of other enhancements too - although with those extra pixels packed in, the display is a tiny bit darker than others on the market.
Laser-based auto-focus? Check. Improved design? Check. Overhauled and simplified UI? Double check. It's going to be a little bit too big for some hands, as it's packing in a 5.5-inch screen, so we're verging on phablet territory.
But don't let that take away from a terrific phone, one that has a sleek, refined air about it and adds in fan favourite features like a removable battery and memory card slot, where both were missing on the predecessor.
Quick verdict
The screen on the LG G3, when used properly to display high-resolution content, is immense… LG knew that, and has been rightly making a big deal about it.The overall design of the phone is vastly improved too, with the faux-metal cover not necessarily feeling great but certainly looks the part when laid on a table.
The camera is powerful too, leading to some great snaps and won't let you down when you need to just capture the moment here and there. And it's really dropping in price now, too.
In short, it's a necessary step on LG's quest to make the ultimate smartphone... if you want the best display out there with a good enough battery and strong camera, this is your next phone.
Number 2: iPhone 6
2. iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 - a real step forward for Apple and a phone that's a real joy to use, hold and feel.It's got all the same ingredients that make iPhones special: while it doesn't excel in any given part of the smartphone recipe (except perhaps when it comes to the interface, which with iOS 8 is probably the best out there with it's clever mix of intuition and simplicity) it just works.
The camera is lower-res but fast and bright and easy to use. The screen is too low-res compared to the phones around it, but pops and fizzes with colour and brightness.
And that design - we have to keep coming back to it as it feels beautiful in the hand.
Quick verdict
Why is the iPhone not number one? Simple: price, combined with a lower-res screen. The phone that does everything well in a great package is brilliant, but not significantly more than anything out there, which means you can't justify the higher tag.And if you are paying that much, we'd expect it to be a brilliant, top-spec phone, which it isn't when it comes to the display.
But don't let that put you off: if you're in the market for an iPhone, or just been tempted by one in the past: buy this one. It's excellent, a pure joy to use.
Number 1: HTC One M8
1. HTC One M8
What to say about the HTC One M8? They often say the second album is the hardest, but the follow up to the all-conquering HTC One takes the best of that phone and yet still re-invents things enough to make it a massive recommendation over the old model.We love the speed of the camera, the Duo Camera is smart as a tack, the Boomsound upgrade is impressive and the design... well, you have to hold it.
The Snapdragon 801 processor has boosted battery dramatically compared to the 600 of last year, and that means that photos also process much more quickly as well - even the front-facing camera is much better.
Gaming, movies, photography, browsing all work really well, and in a phone that that's easily going to destroy whatever anyone else can design. LG ran it close with the G3, and the iPhone 6 still suffers on price and, inexplicably, a lower-res screen.
Quick Verdict
If we were to criticise the One M8, it would be the camera's lack of a megapixel upgrade, which means pictures are a little less sharp than they might otherwise be, and the bright light performance isn't top.That said, it's a minor point in a phone that has barely any flaws. The lower megapixel camera means faster shutter speeds, and if you don't want to zoom in a lot, most will enjoy the depth perception and background de-focus ability to make some pro-looking snaps.
We urge you to hold this phone for a few seconds and try not to feel at least a small flicker of smartphone attraction. It's got great specs, a splendid design and some clever hardware innovation where the competition is relying on software to do the same thing.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Xperia Z2 failed to take the top spot, and the iPhone 6 didn't manage the feat either - so the big question now is whether the HTC One M9 can actually get much better than this.
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If a phone isn't in the top 10 best phones in the world list, that doesn't mean it's not worth giving two hoots about.Here's a few handsets you might want to think about should none of the above tickle your fancy... although you're clearly VERY hard to please:
Samsung Galaxy S5
There was a lot of hype around the new Galaxy, and rightly so: it was by far the best phone Samsung has ever produced, with a blazing fast core, a strong result in the benchmarks and a larger 5.1-inch screen.Then there's the fact that with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, which is still a really good CPU for any smartphone, and even now the Galaxy S5 is one of the best phones on the market when it comes to battery life, besting the already impressive One M8 in the power stakes. The Note 4 is a better option now, if you can handle the size, though.
Samsung has also dropped the 'innovation' of the air gestures from last year (well, they are in there but not the main focus) and improved the hardware with a better camera, fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor too.
The last addition is pretty pointless... but hey, it's fun for down the pub.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a good phone, apart from the design. It's something that needs to be updated sorely, and while it doesn't have to be an all-metal shell, it needs to evolve.The S5 has a clear UI, powerful innards and is also waterproof... it's by far not the best phone on the market any more, but it's still a mean device that's now getting a much tastier price off contract.
Nokia Lumia 930
Hey Nokia, soon to be Microsoft, nice flagship phone!The Lumia 930 does lack compared to the competition, but only in a couple of areas. Windows Phone is still a sub-par operating system for most people, thanks to the poorer apps and lower amount of control. But then again, for a lot of people the improved Office functionality and simple interface is a boon.
The Lumia 930 is a strong phone in both design and power, although a little last-gen on the latter element, and coupled with a very capable camera, is a phone that's easy to recommend to those looking for something different.
Quick verdict
Windows Phone aside, there's a great deal on show here to make this a top-rated smartphone. The build quality is excellent and iconic, and the camera is powerful and results in mostly great snaps. We like that 32GB is on offer as the base model, and wireless charging built in is perfect.The price is pretty good too, and if you're a fan of Windows Phone there is nothing better right now.
iPhone 5S
Remember this? After the furore with the iPhone 6, it's easy to forget that the Apple iPhone 5S is still alive and kicking.It's still a bit expensive, coming in at least $749 from Apple and contracts happily pushing over $60 a month, even with paying a little for the phone.
That said, it's sucked down the iOS 8 software pretty well, and is still pushing on as a decent option for a slightly cheaper iPhone, especially if you like the smaller sized screen.
Plus, you can use it with the Apple Watch and pay for things on the go using the cunningly named Apple Pay - although for some reason TouchID won't be enabled to work online, where it will be for the iPad Air 2 and friends.
Quick verdict
An ageing phone but one that still deserves a look simply because Apple will support it for so long - it's powerful enough to carry on for a few years yet.It's still the best option if you like a smaller screen on an Apple device, but the iPhone 6 is worth a look for the improved battery alone.
Sony Xperia Z2
Sony has something of a slump last year, following up the impressive Xperia Z with the lacklustre Xperia Z1 just a few months later.The camera, which was supposed to be the headline feature, didn't impress as much as we'd hoped, and the screen was still lacking the IPS clout that theXperia Z Ultra managed - meaning muted colours and poor viewing angles.
Anyway, enough about last year - Sony mounted a comeback in 2014 with an excellent phone in the shape of the Xperia Z2.
And the good news is it's impressive. Really impressive. The industrial design is a little chunky but oozes premium quality in a way that Samsung's plastic shell doesn't, and it's a little more robust than its Galactical rival thanks to being IP58 rated.
Great battery life, strong power and a good camera all are present and correct with most phones in this list, but Sony stays in the top three simply by being a great all-rounder.
It doesn't have the polish of the HTC One M8, nor the more functional UI, but it does what's asked with top-end specs. That's what we like.
Quick verdict
What did Sony need to do to impress? Not a lot, but that screen and camera needed a fix as well as adding in some other features.Front facing speakers, a new screen with better colour reproduction, 4K video recording and inbuilt noise cancellation all make a great device that should be right on your possible upgrade list.
Make sure you check it out in-store before purchase, as some won't like the larger build, but for a good all-round experience the Xperia Z2 excels.
Samsung Galaxy Alpha
Another Samsung phone enters the fray, and it's a slightly odd one: the Galaxy Alpha has a price tag that's even higher than the iPhone 6, and yet doesn't really out-spec it in many ways.That said, it's still a premium phone. The second you hold it, you'll feel that the updated metal design really works, with clever effort made to improve the way it feels in your hand.
The 4.7-inch screen isn't as high-res as the rivals, but does the job well thanks to Super AMOLED technology making the contrast ratio and colours pop out.
And the battery is removable - bonus!
Quick Verdict
There's a lot to like about the way the Alpha looks, but there are some quibbles: why is there no microSD slot or larger capacity on offer to help out?Why does it cost so much? Is the metal band (and, to be fair, blazingly fast internal speeds) really enough to warrant a purchase?
A really nice phone that needs a little more to be at the sharp end of this list: but if you want a premium-feeling Android phone with a strong camera, the Alpha is a great place to start.
LG G2
LG has made a phone that not only impressed us but ran the HTC One very, very close for the top spot in 2013 - and held a strong place into 2014 too.We don't know where to start in terms of extolling the virtues of this new handset from the South Korean firm: it's got an insanely good screen, quality camera, the best audio pumping out from its speakers and headphone jack... the list goes on.
We even came to tolerate, then love, the power and volume buttons being placed on the rear. These aren't ideal, but the ability to knock on the screen makes it really easy to interact with this impressive device.
The LG G3 is here now, and blows this out of the water in terms of price and power (it's even got a next-gen QHD screen) but given the lower cost the G2 is still an excellent choice.
Verdict
There's so much on offer here that we can't help but recommend it to anyone looking for a cheaper smartphone powerhouse.The only things that we dislike are the cluttered UI (pull down the notifications bar and you'll see why) and the plastic casing, which drops the premium feel of the phone a lot, especially compared to the handset that sits one place above.
HTC One
It's quite a tumble from the top spot for the HTC One, especially given it was our top smartphone for so long. However unless you're desperate to pay a little less per month, the newer One M8 does everything the original did, but so much better.It's nothing to do with the quality of the One – which is still one of the outstanding phones on the market – but more the fact that if you like Boomsound, and Ultrapixel camera, a sharp and bright screen or a powerful processor, the M8 has improved in every way there.
But let's not forget what made this phone so great: the supreme aluminium chassis, the Full HD screen and the simplified version of Sense 5.0 sitting now on top of Android KitKat means it's still a pleasure to use and recommend this handset - but again, only if price is your main driver and you simply must have a One.
The innovations are also more than just marketing gimmicks; Zoe functionality allows the creation of delightful video highlight reels, and the Ultrapixel camera means you've got a much wider range of shots available thanks to being stunning in low light - and none of that is diminished with time.
Quick Verdict
With power, poise and beauty all combined in this innovative phone, HTC has proved it can still more than cut it with the big boys when it comes to bringing out a lust-worthy flagship smartphone.However, remember that this has one year fewer in terms of HTC promising to keep it upgraded, so if you pick it up now you might not get the newer versions of the software in 12 months time. The battery is also not as strong as on the One M8 - but it's still got a lot to offer.
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung managed to hold off HTC at the top in 2012, but in 2013 the supreme stylings of the HTC One proved too strong against a phone that's a slightly-better-version of its predecessor, especially when you consider the design.There's a lot, a lot, to love with the Samsung Galaxy S4 though: whether it's a powerful camera, a brilliant screen, a long-lasting battery or just a fluid experience, there's a lot you could want in a smartphone right here.
The cost is a tad higher than on other smartphones, but still cheaper than iPhone level and is descending as the S5 appears. If only it was made out of something a little more premium...
LG, Sony and Google have come out with some attractive propositions and overtaken the best the South Koreans can manage, but that hasn't stopped this being one of the most popular phones of 2013 and the price is ever lower.
Quick verdict
There's no doubt that, despite the design criticism, this is one of the best smartphones ever made - it's clear, powerful and does everything we'd expect a flagship phone from Samsung to do.It's just a shame that the perceived 'innovation' doesn't really add anything: motion gestures, smart scroll and it's other non-contact bedfellows didn't take smartphones to the next level, which is what we needed in the face of Ultrapixels and BoomSound.
Make no mistake though: you'll love the Samsung Galaxy S4 if you choose to go for it, as it's a decent phone with some really cutting-edge features - but remember there's something better thanks to the Galaxy S5.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 breathes yet more life into a mobile form factor many thought would be dead on arrival, ramping up the specs and the size to give us a new monolith of mobile.It may be big, but the 5.7-inch display is fantastic and the Full HD Super AMOLED technology makes everything pop from websites to movies.
You're able to fit a lot more on screen at a time and that means less scrolling in messages, on websites and down your long contact list and that can only be a good thing.
What really impressed us with the Galaxy Note 3 though was its battery life and sheer speed under the finger. We're used to a day at best when hardcore using the device, but we got far past that without breaking a sweat throughout our tests.
The speed of the Snapdragon 800 quad core processor, combined with 3GB of RAM, means this is the least-slouchy phone we've encountered in a while.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a great phone and if you were to own one you wouldn't be disappointed. It provides a great onscreen experience - as long as your hands are big enough to reach across it - and it's stuffed so full of tech to almost warrant its lofty price tag - which refuses to tumble much.Its size will be a real stumbling point for many and we'd recommend going into a store and just holding the Note 3 for a while to see if it's something you can cope with - in short, we want all this but in a form that we can hold easily, at a lower price and without the S Pen.
If that's you, then just go ahead and buy the Galaxy S5.
Nokia Lumia 520
The Nokia Lumia 520, much like its big brother the Nokia Lumia 620, is a jack of all trades and a master of none - although it really manages to make a good fist of everything it tries, for the low, low price tag it carries.It looks good, it's got a decent screen both in terms of size and resolution, it rarely stutters or slows down, it's great for calls and messaging, reasonable for media and okay for photos.
To achieve a lower price point the 520 has had to strip away a few things - there's no NFC, compass, camera flash or front facing camera here.
But on the other hand it's also got a bigger screen, a larger battery, a sleeker, slimmer, lighter build and the same processor and RAM as the Nokia Lumia 620, so in many ways it's actually better.
Combine that with a lower price tag and we reckon that this just might be the best entry level Windows Phone 8 handset that you can buy and certainly the best value.
Quick verdict
The Nokia Lumia 520 certainly isn't an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy beater - but it's a superb Windows Phone device that you can pick up for under $300. If you're a fan of a simple interface with some quality add-ons, then you should definitely look at Nokia's latest attempt to win over the smartphone naysayers.
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Industry voice: What developments will impact business data security in 2015?
With a fresh year now underway, all businesses are looking ahead to their priorities for 2015, and if last year has taught IT departments anything, it's that data security needs to be high up on the agenda. In 2014 we saw the likes of major breaches at eBay and Adobe, and even celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence learned the hard way about the harm a data breach can cause.
A security mishap, or even a potential data breach, can derail the most important of projects. So what has 2015 got in store that could impact business data security? Take a look below to find out…
EU General Data Protection Regulation
Businesses may think they have a future-proof IT strategy in place, but substantial regulation changes on the horizon will force a considerable rethink. The EU Data Protection Regulation, which should come into force in 2017 (but will be adopted this year), will ramp up businesses' responsibility for data security, increasing sanctions for mishandling it. In short, this means fines of up to 2% of annual global turnover and possibly a requirement to report a breach within 24 hours.This has ramifications for any strategy that is based around data – like BYOD, storage, internet of things and cloud. Because the changes in law are radical, organisations will have to work hard in 2015 to have a chance of complying and avoiding substantial fines when the new laws come in.
Big data innovation
2015 will see even more businesses take advantage of the power of the data they hold. From using analytics to gain greater business insight, to schemes such as the NHS care.data initiative, organisations are doing more with their big data.However, due to the numerous data breach stories in the press, many organisations are unwilling to engage in innovative data schemes for fear of it increasing the chances of a data leak, as demonstrated by the difficulties care.data has run into. For many, there's a lot at stake if this goes wrong: reputation, the risk of heavy fines from the ICO, and public outcry that could put a halt to any progress already made.
What we could see this year is innovation being stifled by data leak worries, and to avoid this organisations should think about data security at the start of the project, and ensure it is incorporated throughout its lifecycle. This needs to take into account every aspect of the project, from the devices being used to the platform that is accessing this data.
(Even) more mobile
While this has been a trend for the last couple of years, the increased use of mobile devices by employees is not slowing down. Whether an employee-owned (BYOD) or corporately owned and personally enabled (COPE) device, the growth in devices means a corresponding increase in endpoints, all of which are potential security vulnerabilities.With the proliferation in device types, form factors and operating systems, it's even more important that whatever security solution is in place is device agnostic, and able to cope with any type of new technology. That way firms are able to take an employee rather than device-centric approach to data security and device management.
Changing devices
Last year we saw mobile devices starting to do more, with the contactless payment and fingerprint recognition technology in Apple's latest devices an example of this. What we're going to see in 2015 is an increase in what mobile devices are capable of doing.For example, Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner has so far been used to unlock the handset itself and as a verification tool when making purchases through Apple's App store. However, now that iOS 8 has made this functionality available to third-party developers, users will soon have the ability to unlock a greater range of apps via their fingerprints.
While this could have additional security benefits, it's an example of device features rapidly expanding beyond what IT departments are comfortable with. In the wider business environment, firms need to be on their guard, and consider exactly what impact these new features will have on the way corporate data is stored and accessed. Contactless payment, face scanning and interaction with wearable devices are all features we'll be seeing in 2015, but could be easily circumvented by hackers, or leave data open to leaks if they're not made part of the wider device security strategy.
Generation Z
The recent iCloud hack and subsequent leak of intimate photos of Hollywood celebrities has made it clear that even the young, rich and famous aren't immune to data loss. The fatal mistake these stars made was to forget that data, be it an email or photo, isn't static. More often than not it goes straight to the cloud, where in theory it can be accessed from anywhere.The question for 2015 is how savvy the next generation of digital youngsters are going to be. They may know how to use the latest apps and devices, but they haven't had the training and experience to consider what happens to data in the cloud.
The next few years will reveal the impact of these digital natives on sensitive corporate data. If they take a laissez-faire attitude to corporate data and don't consider what might happen to it when it is in the cloud, firms will end up facing serious data breaches. When businesses start realising this, we'll see them taking a more serious approach to training their younger staff about data security so that it keeps up with their wider digital skills.
The corporate IT environment is changing faster than ever, fuelled by wider changes in consumer IT. Businesses clearly want to take advantage of the benefits that they can offer, but now more than ever data security needs to remain at the heart of these initiatives.
With upcoming laws like the EU General Data Protection Regulation making the consequences of data breaches more serious than ever, let's hope 2015 sees data security move up the list of priorities.
- Stephen Midgley is VP Global Marketing at Absolute Software
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In Depth: Should we unplug our chargers each night?
If you own a smartphone of any description then you're probably familiar with seeing the battery warning level light flick on at some point during the evening. It's now become standard practice for phones to be charged up at least once every 24 hours, and the easiest time to do that is overnight when they're sat still doing nothing but waiting for the morning.
Is this really the most sensible option, though? Are we causing permanent damage to our handsets by keeping them charged for much longer than they need to be? (Assuming you get more than two hours of sleep each night, that is.) And just how much unnecessary power is being drawn by our chargers while we're snoozing away oblivious?
The charger facts
The good news is that a lot of progress has been made in the efficiency and performance of smartphone chargers in recent years, thanks to organisations like the International Energy Agency and the manufacturers themselves.The IEA's One Watt Initiative helped get standby power usage down below a single watt and then below half a watt in 2013 for many electronics. What does that mean? Well, when your charger is plugged in but not connected to a device (while you're out at work say) it's only using the equivalent of a few pence worth of energy over an entire year.
That's assuming you're using a phone and charger made in the last few years and abiding by current regulations, of course; but the trend is moving in the right direction.
As Cambridge professor David MacKay points out, that half a watt equates to saving one hot bath's worth of energy every year if you unplug your charger when it's not in use. Multiply that by everyone who owns a smartphone and you get a lot of hot baths — but only a very small percentage of the energy that those people are using in total.
Of course not using energy is better than using it, but as Professor MacKay puts it: "Obsessively switching off the phone charger is like bailing the Titanic with a teaspoon. Do switch it off, but please be aware how tiny a gesture it is."
Overnight charging
That half watt figure goes up by a factor of ten (give or take) when your phone is actually plugged in to the charger, but we're still talking about a small amount of energy use overall.A 2012 study at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that an idle charger drew 0.26 watts on average; this figure goes up to 3.68 watts when a phone is attached and charging, and drops down to 2.24 watts when the phone is attached and fully charged. Overall, the cost is a handful of pounds over 12 months.
Npower puts the figure at £3.50 a year for the average household. Some quick and very rough calculations suggest that if all UK phone users unplugged after charging, enough energy would be saved to power a town the size of Canterbury — once you look beyond your own energy bill it suddenly it starts to take on more significance.
The Energy Saving Trust reckons that the average household can save £50-80 a year by unplugging all of the devices that are on standby or connected to the mains during the night, that includes smartphones, but also microwaves, television sets and routers.
As smartphones only take an hour or two to charge, the EST suggests doing it right after work rather than overnight. Even if your charger is plugged in and connected to nothing, it's pulling a small amount of energy from the grid.
Lithium ion batteries
Every smartphone on the market is now fitted with a rechargeable lithium ion battery. If these batteries are overcharged or completely drained, they can become very volatile and dangerous, which is why modern chargers are designed to stop those two things from happening: they will actually cut out the power once a phone reaches 100%.Your phone is therefore getting 'trickle charged' through the night — dipping very slightly then getting topped up again. That's one of the reasons why it's important that you use the charger that came with your phone whenever possible, otherwise there's the risk of causing unnecessary damage to it.
MicroUSB has standardised the system somewhat, but it's still not worth the risk of something catching fire. If you're using the supplied charger and cable then much of the power management will be taken care of for you.
Besides the issue of energy drain, keeping a phone topped up at 100% for longer than necessary degrades the battery slightly faster. The difference isn't huge, but there is a difference: lithium ion batteries prefer not to be fully charged if possible.
Shallow discharges, where the battery drains for a short time and then is charged for a short time, work better than leaving it on charge constantly — it's a bit like someone going for an occasional walk rather than sitting slumped on the sofa all day long.
The smarter battery future
As we've already pointed out, a lot of great work has already gone into making chargers as reliable and as energy efficient as possible, whether or not a smartphone is attached to them, that's another reason not to cut corners when it comes to getting replacement chargers.Technology developed by Californian startup Qnovo is promising to reduce the time it takes for devices to charge and increase the lifespan of batteries at the same time. We're also seeing batteries that can be recharged from your body's movement, doing away with power sockets altogether.
In the not-too-distant future, charging times could eventually get down to just a few minutes, which would make overnight charging a thing of the past. So while unplugging your phone after charging (and unplugging the charger too) can make a small difference to the health of your battery and your electricity use, it's a problem that's already close to being solved.
That's good news for the planet, the device that sits in your pocket and your household energy bills. In the meantime: consider changing up your nightly charging schedule.
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Opinion: Google Glass: half full or half empty?
Call it 20/20 hindsight if you will, but Google Glass' cancellation/demise/hiatus/ pupal stage (delete as you see fit) shouldn't have come as a surprise. Google has been gently talking down the device for months as key backers such as Twitter have quietly melted away.
The company is adamant that Glass will return and has put Tony Fadell in charge of making that happen. Fadell is one of the midwives to the Apple iPod, a serial inventor with hundreds of patents to his name and, most recently, created a brand new niche product with the Nest smart thermostat. Imitators of that innovation are now turning up at a rate of about one per month, to the annoyance of tech journos tasked with reviewing them.
However, you have to wonder how keen an innovator like Fadell will be on overhauling someone else's product. He'll also have to deal with some huge issues with Glass. Some of these are traditional product problems: battery life, spec quality, availability of apps, getting the cost down to a point where the mass market is ready to bite. Some, however, are perception issues that seem to me to be insurmountable at this time.
These issues can be summed up as, "It looks weird" and "It's spying on me". The first is undeniable but fixable. The second is a different matter.
Now it so happens that I don't think Glass is any more invasive of privacy than CCTV, government surveillance of the NSA and GCHQ variety, and the fact that every damn person in the world is a now a snap-happy camera jockey, thanks to their smartphone. But for whatever reason, Glass seems to creep people out in a way that all the other day-to-day intrusions they face do not.
This, I think, is down to the intimacy of the way Glass shoots photos and video. The wearer becomes almost literally a human camera, in a way that recalls The Terminator or Michael Powell's murderous cameraman Peeping Tom. Coupled with the slightly grotesque look of Glass, this unsettles people.
The aesthetic problems around Glass can be put down in part to it being a prototype, but Google didn't do itself any favours here. Reaching once again into my "Sociobiology 101" handbook, humans crave symmetry when they look at a face - it's one of the ways we define someone as attractive. Glass in its Explorer form immediately scuppered that entirely, and even when applied to prescription glasses or a pair of Ray-bans, it still looks subtly wrong.
We're through the looking glass here, people!
So, these are the issues that Tony Fadell and his team will have to deal with if Glass is to be a mass-market device. Realistically, they'll also have to improve the battery life and somehow get the cost down to a figure – let's say about £300-£400, shall we? – that people will be willing to pay. This is a big ask.Another option would be to forget the consumer market, or at least relegate it to the background, and push Glass much harder as workwear. Epson was still plugging away with its Moverio glasses at CES this year. In fact it had a huge amount of stand space for a gadget that consumers are disinterested in, but the reason was that it had numerous business-related applications on show for it. Workwear doesn't need to look sexy or capture anyone's imagination, it just needs to serve a job-specific purpose. Epson Moverio delivers on all three points.
Can you see Google settling for that? Maybe, in prestige areas such as healthcare and broadcasting. For warehouse stock takers and traffic wardens? Maybe not.
Google does mass market successes and fascinating vanity projects. Which is Glass? History suggests it could go either way, and it depends on whether you're a Glass half full person or a Glass half empty guy. Do you see what I did there? Thanks.
Let's assume Google has the resources and human genius to make anything happen; that it can overcome the social, aesthetic, technical and pricing issues that Glass currently has.
There is still a strand in its history that strongly suggests it won't happen: Google is not at all shy about simply dropping once buzzy products that it feels the public just aren't into. Remember when it used to sell its own phones, remember Google Buzz, remember that orb-like, media-flinging thing, the Nexus Q?
But wait!
There's also, however, something about Google that suggests it will make a go of Glass. That at some point in the next few years our streets will throng with Glassholes. History shows us again and again that Google really, really learns from its mistakes and comes back strong.The debacle of the Nexus One was turned into a stream of beloved Android-showcasing mobile devices. Buzz was being replaced with Google+ even as it died an embarrassing death. Nexus Q mutated into the far more palatable, ultra-affordable Chromecast.
Can it happen with Glass? I've got to be honest, the sheer weight of public feeling against Google's wearable – specifically its supposedly all-seeing, stalker-ish camera – makes me think its time as a mass-market device remains five or six years off. I think Google understands that and, as it says, will release Glass 2.0 "when it's ready" – that's a loaded phrase, right?
However, if it does pull something out of the bag in the next 12 months, that wouldn't entirely come as a shock. Call that 20/20 hindsight as well, if you like…
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Opinion: Has David Cameron really gone to war on encryption?
UK Prime Minister David Cameron's response to the hideous Charlie Hebdo shootings has been dramatic to say the least – and has in turn provoked intense reactions from people in the tech industry, the tech community, privacy activists and political commentators. The reactions are varied, but none are positive. For some, Cameron has revealed him to be an ignoramus of monumental proportions. Others see him acting as the consummate politician, playing and spinning for all he's worth. Perhaps he's an instinctive and depressingly predictable authoritarian, or maybe just an overenthusiastic spy.
So which is it? Ignoramus, politician, authoritarian or spy? First question we have to look at what he is actually suggesting, which as with most political statements isn't as simple as it might seem. One part is direct – bringing back the Communications Data Bill (the notorious "snoopers' charter"), which effectively creates a legal justification for mass data gathering and surveillance. This was derailed on its first attempt thanks to a combination of strong campaigning, resistance from Cameron's coalition partners in the Liberal Democrats, and eventually the revelations of Edwards Snowden.
The second aspect is less clear. The Prime Minister appears to have launched an attack on encryption. "Are we going to allow a means of communications which it simply isn't possible to read?" he asked. "My answer to that question is: 'No, we must not'."
This is the part that has caused the most dramatic reaction. James Ball, in the Guardian, called his policy 'draconian, stupid and economically destructive'. Cory Doctorow said '[w]hat David Cameron just proposed would endanger every Briton and destroy the IT industry.' It's hard not to agree with them if Cameron's statement is to be taken on those terms – a great deal of what happens on the internet entirely legally relies heavily on encryption, from the online banking industry to communications systems like WhatsApp and iMessage.
An attack on encryption
Indeed, it's hard to think of any serious part of the IT industry that doesn't use encryption in a significant way – because encryption is critical to security, and security is critical to almost everything. It is needed to protect ordinary people from precisely the kinds of 'bad guys' that Cameron and others are concerned about, which is one of the reasons why the industry trend is very much towards more rather than less encryption. It is why smartphones are moving towards encryption by default – and why Apple made a great play of this fact in the launch of their newest iPhones, making it clear that not even they, Apple, would be able to access the data on people's phones.Could Cameron really be such an ignoramus that he doesn't understand this, or does he mean something rather different? Do his comments need decoding? Politicians very often do speak in code – and not a code with a simple decryption key. The UK's general election is just a few months away and everything Cameron and other UK politicians say needs to be understood with that in mind. Cameron knows very well that to be seen to be "tough" on terrorism could be a vote winner, and he also knows that differentiating his party from his coalition partners is one of the keys to any possible success.
By calling for strong action on surveillance and encryption he is forcing the hand of the Liberal Democrats – making them come out against his plans (which they did) and in his eyes making them look 'weak' and by contrast making himself look strong. On those terms it doesn't matter one jot whether his plans are technically feasible or would have the slightest chance of success even if they were. What matters is the message – and he also doesn't mind much if a few geeks say he's talking rubbish or a few privacy activists call him an authoritarian.
These plans are possibly never intended to be realised – and people in the IT industry can breathe a sigh of relief and just ignore them, and ignore Cameron. He's not going to destroy the UK IT industry, no matter what Cory Doctorow might suggest. Cameron is not going to confront the US tech giants – a confrontation he would lose, but which might have significant collateral damage in the industry, particularly in the UK.
Having said all that, it is also possible that Cameron does really believe in all of this: he has form. This time last year, in an interview with the Guardian he revealed that his enthusiasm for surveillance comes from a love of television detective dramas. As he said then: "There is hardly a crime drama that is not solved without using the data of a mobile communications device. If we don't modernise the practice and the law over time we will have the communications data to solve these horrible crimes on a shrinking proportion of the total use of the devices."
Regardless of the inappropriateness of designing policy and law based on fiction, it does suggest a certain love for spying and surveillance. But even it Cameron's soundbites might be driven by this kind of thing, his policy advisers must surely know that reality is not like that. Indeed, they must know very well that mass surveillance and a banning or severe restriction on encryption would have very little effect on terrorism – and had nothing whatsoever to do with the shootings in Paris.
Picking the right targets
Even a cursory examination of the facts suggests that the Paris shootings, if anything, damage rather than support the case either for mass surveillance or for an attack on encryption. The Paris shooters were well known to the authorities, and had been for years. They were communicating with each other without encryption, by phone and text message. Mass surveillance would not have identified them – but conventional surveillance, had it been properly resourced or understood, would. Encryption, the dark net, or any of the other places that Cameron or his Home Secretary Theresa May consider 'safe' for terrorists, had absolutely nothing to do with them.That is the critical point that needs to be made. These calls do not have anything to do with the Paris shootings, but are part of a much bigger picture and a much longer strategy. They're part of a pattern – a continuation of a strategy begun last year, to regain the initiative for those in favour of surveillance. Speeches at the end of last year by the new head of GCHQ saying that "web is a terrorist's command-and-control network of choice" and from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police suggesting the net was a safe-haven for paedophiles and terrorists give some clues as to what is going on.
Unlike Cameron, GCHQ and the police do understand the technology – but they also, almost certainly, understand the ineffectiveness of this kind of thing in terms of catching the real terrorists, something known by experts for a long time, as this piece from 2006 makes clear. It is also almost certain that they know – as, in this case, does Cameron – that mass surveillance and a restriction on encryption would be effective in monitoring "ordinary" people. It would work against protestors and dissenters – and they've shown a desire to do this in the past from wanting to shut down Twitter at times of unrest to monitoring social networks in order to "head off" badger cull protests. Getting backdoors to encryption would aid in this kind of thing – it is a key tool for an authoritarian.
So which is Cameron? Ignoramus, politician, authoritarian, or spy? It is hard not to conclude that there is a bit of all four involved – and all four should be worrying to both the IT industry and the people of the UK. Right now, the IT industry in particular is showing positive signs of being on the side of what the populace wants – privacy and security – rather than what governments want for their own, sometimes dubious, often authoritarian reasons. Governments should not be allowed to derail these very welcome developments.
Apologies to Gabriella Coleman for shamelessly borrowing from the title of her excellent book on Anonymous: Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy.
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They're people, not end-users: why the tech industry must ban buzzword bingo
Introduction and the millennials
Power to the end-users! Forget natural language processing algorithms – most of the tech industry has no clue about natural language. In my long career as a tech journalist I've received so many press releases and sat through hundreds of PowerPoint presentations about so-called life-changing gadgets where the supposed audience were openly called consumers or end-users.That won't surprise anyone – both archaic terms are hard-wired into tech-speak – but it's got to stop. Such obnoxious language is fast infecting politicians, too, who so often now say 'consumers' when they mean the equally derogatory 'voters'.
What they – and all businesses – mean is 'people'. Using that simple term makes a company instantly appear more human. With the rise of people termed millennials (typically defined as people born from 1983 onwards), it's a step-change that could soon be necessary to save a tech business from obscurity.
The time-bomb under tech
The tech industry's language is incredibly naïve. Interwoven with dated business-speak, products that promise 'an exceptional end-user experience' or reports into 'increasing end-user trust' just sound so awful. It can't last. Millennials will make up 75% of the workforce in 2025, and a new survey of 24-35 year-olds reveals how the global language of business will need to change with their rise. Building a modern tech business means using modern, inclusive language.
Millennials get tough on tech
That the tech world borders on being anti-human isn't going unnoticed. It's a fear we've expressed before, but a report by Intel discovered that the majority of young people believe that tech makes their lives easier, but makes them less human.The survey of 12,000 18 to 24 year-olds – the so-called millennials – in Brazil, China, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and the USA found that 59% say people are over-reliant on technology, believe it makes people less human, and they desire technology that is more personal and knows their habits.
"At first glance it seems millennials are rejecting technology, but I suspect the reality is more complicated and interesting," said Dr. Genevieve Bell, anthropologist and director of Interaction and Experience Research at Intel Labs. "A different way to read this might be that millennials want technology to do more for them, and we have work to do to make it much more personal and less burdensome."
Negative language
For technology to be more personal, the tech industry needs to communicate better internally as well as to people who are its potential customers. Just as people investing in new IT products don't want to be called 'end-users' or even 'consumers', nor do they want to be described as 'staff' or 'stakeholders'. Done properly, technology is about innovation, opportunity, purpose, wonder and collaboration, and about being creative within a community, a team or a family. It's about people.Touchy-feely language gone wrong
The box around a product is vitally important, and it's here where language is crucial. "Packaging plays an enormous role in supporting a brand's story, particularly in the tech industry where appearances are everything," says Ben Davies at Rodd Design. "It's very often the first touch-point you may have with the product, if bought online."A lot of the big brands understand what it is to speak on a human level, and simply say 'Welcome to WeMo' or, more famously, 'Welcome to iPad' on their packaging. The sub-text is as simple as the language; you're in the club.
Some go super-human, with hilarious consequences. Open up the Google Glass box and there's a note that reads: 'You are a pioneer, a founder and an architect of what's possible … what happens next starts with you.' Actually, what happens next in our experience is a few days trying to work out how to operate Glass and get it online, mustering the courage to go out in public, and ultimately figuring out how to return it (though Google has, of course, just announced that it is ending the Glass Explorer Program next week anyway).
Despite Google overdoing it with Glass, its messaging is a valiant attempt – the use of straightforward English language is usually very effective, and tech-speak is not. However, the birth and death of buzzwords isn't the big problem here. Terms like 'crowdsourcing', 'next-gen' and 'web 2.0' have been buzzing around the tech world for years despite meaning very little, but they're innocent enough.
Or are they? 'The Cloud' has been top of the list of tech buzzwords for the last five years, but no-one really wants to talk about why. People love the cloud. It's convenient when using mobile devices, or even when not, and it's often free to use. Its popularity is why it's growing so fast, surely? As the tech industry knows, that's not actually the case; the cloud is the perfect place for companies to access 'end-user data'. And that's about as dehumanising a term as it's possible to utter.
Language and login issues
The mistake of illiterate internationalism
Too often the tech industry is lazy, and takes the easy way out, believing that its global nature demands a global language. Cue poorly written instruction manuals packed with mistakes and bad writing, or another huge annoyance to people using a product – the series of unenlightening cartoon images on how to set up a gadget. Either way, such passive internationalism is nothing more than a cost-cutting exercise, and it's really obvious. People prefer to be talked to in their own local, colloquial language.Active internationalism is arguably an even worse faux pas. For instance, in 2009 Samsung Electronics included a feature called Contents Library on its smart 'widget' TVs that included spoken children's stories, stretch workout videos and a 'party' mode that showed fireworks set to appalling pan-Asian elevator music. It was appallingly bland, and a lesson in globalisation gone wrong – design something to appeal to anyone, anywhere, and it will likely be palatable to nobody.
The online dominance of English is over
If internationalism and global branding is tricky now, it's only going to get more difficult. The rise of the millennial has a string in its tail – it's made up primarily of the much talked about 'next billion' people in developing countries, all of whom are new to the internet and mobile devices. It's a great opportunity for the tech industry to grow exponentially, but there's a problem; over 55% of the internet is written in English, but only 5% speak it.The password/username problem
The frequent alienation of people using the internet is not just a language problem. One of the most common mistakes made by website developers is to fudge password/username protocols and favour heightened security over basic usability. When usernames and passwords cannot contain certain characters, or must contain upper and lower case letters and numbers, it frustrates people. The fact that this most often occurs in e-commerce only makes it a more heinous crime.There are other archaic conventions used online that treat people like robots. After initial sign-up where it's usually necessary to enter a password twice for understandable typographical reasons, most websites then default to the home page and ask the person to sign-in again from scratch. That's a lot of typing of the same email address and login details.
Although they're symptomatic of a much deeper problem within the tech industry, at least those pathetic terms and conditions can usually be agreed with and forgotten about quickly. However, that doesn't remove the correct suspicion that impenetrable language is being used to deceive people, most often to harvest personal data (another example of disgusting tech speak).
In the end this isn't about corporate social responsibility, it's about being honest and transparent in addressing the needs of the only thing that ever matters – people. The tech industry needs to 'hit the back button' and remember that it's nothing without an audience, and that its audience aren't end-users or opportunities to harvest data, they're people who want to love great tech products and services – but only if the industry speaks to them and serves them. Technology is about people. So why not say so?
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Industry voice: Uber's place in the sharing economy
Uber is back in the news after Parisian taxi drivers road-blocked the city in protest against UberPop, the carpooling service, which allows non-professional drivers to offer rideshares.
As a consequence, France's Interior Minister has banned the service from January 1st. The scenes were reminiscent of black cabbies bringing London to a standstill in the early summer.
The company has barely been out of the news in the last few weeks, and not always for the right reasons. An incident in India saw the company suspend its operations in Delhi after a driver was accused of raping a passenger. Such controversy is eroding passenger trust.
It's all about the data
But there is a way around this, correctly identifying its drivers by analysing the large amount of data the company collects will help it build trust with users and regulators as well as paving the way for identity intelligence.At its best, Uber is a fantastic example of the sharing economy in action, demonstrating how technology can disrupt and displace traditional markets. However, the events in India are an important lesson in why businesses in the sharing economy must build trust.
The ultimate question for Uber and its users remain - how do you know the person driving you to your destination is someone you would wish to share a journey with – or is even qualified to drive? The answer is simple – you don't. Anyone can sign up for an account to be a driver, with little or no ID verification or background checks.
Driver identity checks would really help Uber restore the trust it is quickly losing with users and governing bodies, while giving the company greater credibility when it comes to compliance and user security.
But it's not just the customers that would benefit, Uber itself would gain better quality driver data, allowing it to add more value to its users. A strong data set also opens doors to advertising revenues.
Share, share, share
The recent independent review into the sharing economy, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, stated the sharing economy has the potential to turn the UK into a nation of "microentrepreneurs".PwC is also projecting that the UK sharing economy could be worth up to £9 billion a year by 2025. For this to happen peer-to-peer businesses must place consumer security and trust at the top of their agenda. Businesses must be able to verify and trust the people they are working with and be able to prove they are exactly who they say they are.
Uber has access to vast amounts of data that they can use to help them really understand who their drivers and the passengers are before each journey, proving it genuinely cares about the safety of its drivers and users. But let's not forget that Uber is also a business.
Understanding customer identity brings huge opportunities for revenue generation if it used responsibly and with a focus on relevance. As such Uber could do worse than to evaluate how its infrastructure and sign-up processes can be improved. Trust is a hard won asset; but it is at the very core of the sharing economy.
- Richard Law is CEO of Chester-based GBGroup, the global leader in Identity Intelligence, which can accurately verify the identity of 3.2bn people, (over half of the world's population).
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Opinion: 50 million users can't be wrong - is it time we went back to Myspace?
Myspace, everyone's first social network and home to the worst photos of us all, is still going. Not only that, but... it's growing. Tom's army is massing anew.
Sure, it's growing from a base much smaller than it had before Facebook and a series of unfortunate takeovers blew it all to pieces amid a nightmarish "brand" and "content" explosion, but still.
Stats show that the site's US readership and regular loginship grew to around 50 million monthly unique users late last year, as a mixture of young and old internet users returned to the site or, shockingly, registered to use it for the first time, like it's some sort of exciting new internet start-up rather than last millennium's social outcast.
The "old" people returning for a laugh bit we can understand. Myspace says it sees its traffic pick up on Thursdays, as people (try to) remember their passwords and log in to seek out old photos of themselves from the mid 2000s to post on other social networks, as part of the fun surrounding the Throwback Thursday hashtaggery.
But the kids? What are they doing there still? Haven't they heard that Myspace is supposed to be old, busted, embarrassing and the Status Quo of the internet?
Finder's fee
Social sites are only as active as their audience. Ask Google about that. Google+ may have the flashiest, whizziest user interface of them all, plus the might of Google shoehorning in links to it across the entire internet and tempting us to inflate its page view stats by dangling red notification icons in our faces, but... you can't force people to do what you want all of the time.The more laid-back, "Hey, it's been, what, a decade? How the hell have you been?" approach taken by Myspace, more out of out of necessity than any tangible plan, seems to be paying off as a very-long-term strategy.
The whole concept of the site in the first place was to aid the discovery of new music, to prod you into perhaps thinking about or listening to something you wouldn't normally give a chance.
And everyone likes the feeling of thinking they've found a thing for themselves. Something you've uncovered through diligent research or just being a bit more ahead of the game than everyone else is more valuable to you than a thing you've been told to look at.
If you think you've discovered something yourself it becomes a thing you enthuse about to others. Something you want to take credit for and help become a success.
Like the bands it helped promote in the olden days, Myspace itself now seems to be building a weird sort of discovery-based image, with the people who use it doing the job of the band groupies of old -- spreading the message that it's kind of an OK place to be and coordinate the watching of YouTube clips all day from.
Good old Myspace, with its slick new interface, Ariana Grande tracks, integrated YouTube videos and seamless, one-click switching between the back catalogues of Lorde and Fleetwood Mac, is being discovered for the first time.
And like all things people find themselves, it's being shared and talked about enthusiastically. Before you know it Myspace might come back into fashion again, a bit like how rave came back for a fortnight and Tom Jones is on the telly all the time.
And as Facebook becomes as ubiquitous as a new Take That single and Twitter settles down to be the home of the dull puns of footballers and newsreaders, it's perhaps becoming slightly punk to be doing your social business through the edgy survivor Myspace.
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