Sony: Nintendo's decline "could be detrimental to the market”

The decline of Nintendo “could be detrimental” to the wider gaming industry, Sony has told TrustedReviews.

Nintendo recently posted a $15 million (£9.1 million) loss for the last financial quarter, signalling further struggles for the company despite consistent Nintendo 3DS family sales.

Now, PlayStation UK boss, Fergal Gara, admits that the fall of Nintendo could impact the entire gaming market, especially if companies like Sony don’t engage with younger consumers.

"[The decline of Nintendo] could be detrimental to the market, unless people like us raise our game and help tap into the younger consumer group that they serve rather well”, Gara said in an exclusive interview with TrustedReviews. “That is the challenge to us. We need to bring maybe more family-friendly, more casual experiences into the market. I think there’s a big market segment there that we should take the challenge to engage and I see lots of potential to do that.”

Nintendo’s latest financial reports are far from positive, but the sales of the 3DS, and its siblings like the Nintendo 2DS, surpassed all other console formats last year. Something Sony is very aware of.

“The DS family was the bestselling format last year, despite the stellar sales of the PS4 for the last four or five weeks, it was still the best selling console or console family.”

Sony is aware that Nintendo occupies a larger space in the handheld market than its own PS Vita, but still believes it is a strong contender, especially now with the PS4 Remote Play functionality.

“I think Vita has maybe not a huge position in the marketplace, but a very unique position. First of all it’s the only device that offers the same level of control and interaction, it’s the only device to offer the same level of visual beauty, and now it’s the only console to offer that companionship with the leading home games console.”

The new PS Vita Slim arrives in the UK on February 4 for around £179.99 and can be pre-ordered now.

Read more: Mobile won't save Nintendo - 5 reasons Mario won't go mobile

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Archos confirms plans to enter the Windows Phone race

Archos has confirmed that it intends to enter the Windows Phone game, although says it will wait until the time is right before launching its first Microsoft-powered device.

Despite the Windows Phone OS having seen its share of the smartphone sector dramatically rise during the past 12 months, Nokia remains the primary supplier of Windows Phone handsets, with the likes of Samsung and HTC reducing their support of the platform.

Now, however, Archos has confirmed it is looking at joining the Windows Phone race, a move rival budget handset makers Alcatel and ZTE have also confirmed they are considering.

“We will launch a Windows Phone handset when the time is right,” Archos CEO Loic Poirier said speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews.

Although adding that the company sees the Windows Phone market as now mature enough to enter following a number of years of gradual growth, Poirier has said Archos will retain Android as its primary focus for its smartphone and tablet efforts.

Speaking on how the company will split its resources between the two operating systems, the Archos head added: “Before anything else we are focussed on Google.”

Read More: Nokia Lumia 1020 Review

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Best Moto G cases to buy 2014

Looking for the best Motorola G cases to buy? We pick six of the best to keep the brilliant budget Android phone safe, secure and looking boxfresh for as long as possible.

The Motorola Moto G is one of the hottest phones of the moment. We normally say that about mobiles that cost £500, but this time around it’s different.

The Moto G costs just £100-150, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your best to keep it in good nick. A case, and maybe even a screen protector, is the way forward.

As you won’t find all that many Moto G cases on the high street – it’s popular but it’s no iPhone 5S – we’ve put together a list of some of the cases we think you should check out. They include replacements for the back cover, flip-style cases and the more traditional rubbery skins that are made for just about every phone under the sun.

We’ve kept this budget sensible this time too, with all of our picks available for under £30. Dig in.

Want to know more about the best cheap smartphone? Check out our favourite Motorola Moto G tips and tricks.

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Red Google Nexus 5 all but confirmed as press images leak

The heavily rumoured red Google Nexus 5 has taken yet another step closer to reality as officially looking press images leak ahead of launch.

Having been the subject of countless rumours and multiple leaks in recent weeks, the red Google Nexus 5 has been caught on camera yet again, with press renders making an early appearance courtesy of the Twitter-based serial tech tipster @evleaks.

Being particularly blunt with its latest leak, @evleaks’ has accompanied the latest red Google Nexus 5 image with the simple statement: “Google Nexus 5, in red, by LG.”

According to leaks earlier this week, the red Google Nexus 5 will be officially unveiled next week, with retailers suggesting the vibrantly hued handset will be made available for purchase from Tuesday, February 4.

While the red hued handset has been the subject of multiple leaks and rumours, it has been suggested that Google could make its flagship Nexus 5 handset available in up to eight colours with the standard black and white options to be joined by orange, yellow, green, blue and purple offerings.

Aside from its different colour scheme, it is not believed that the new red Google Nexus 5 will differ in any way from the original monochrome options, with a 5-inch, 1080p Full HD display, quad-core processor and the company’s latest Android 4.4 KitKat OS.



Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

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Nintendo plans to launch on-demand game service in the future

Nintendo has plans to launch its own on-demand gaming service in the future.

According to a follow-up report to Nintendo’s financial briefing earlier this week, a Nintendo on-demand service is in the pipeline.

Although it may not be available in the near future, an on-demand service spanning multiple hardware platforms is part of Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata’s long-range plans.

The initial step to launching the on-demand service for title like Super Mario or Zelda was the introduction of the Nintendo Network ID system for platforms like the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.

Any future on-demand service would be tied to a Nintendo Network ID account and would be applicable to multiple devices like a Sony Entertainment Network account across the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita.

This would avoid any loss of content in the future and Nintendo may even reward you for your loyalty as you stick with the brand through multiple console generations.

Iwata has already said that the future iterations of Wii U and 3DS will not be separate systems, according to research analyst David Gibson tweeting at the Nintendo event.

He tweeted that future hardware models “will utilise what [has been] done on Wii U, cannot have console and portable separate systems, they are brother/sister”.

It could well be that Nintendo consoles in the future have a single architecture across all platforms, such as iOS and Android have one operating system.

However, Nintendo will not be making mobile games in the future. Iwata said the company plans to “actively” use smartphones and tablets to “make connections with customers” and attract them to Nintendo hardware.

There’s no timeframe as yet as to when the Nintendo on-demand service will function and it what capacity it will take form.

It could well be a similar service to that launched by Sony at CES 2014 in January – PlayStation Now.

Read more: Best 3DS games 2014

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Sony QX10 and QX100 firmware upgrade increases ISO range and video resolution

A new firmware update for the Sony QX10 and QX100 has introduced some improvements for the lens camera duo.

Anyone who purchased either of Sony’s smartphone lens cameras can now enjoy a higher ISO range and improved video resolution.

The firmware version 2.0 can be downloaded now and will increase the video resolution from 1440 x 1080p to 1920 x 1080p.

This means both lens camera can now record full 1080p HD video content at a 30fps frame rate.

The ISO range for the QX10 and QX100 has also been increased. The QX10 can now offer an ISO range of 1600 – 3200, while the QX100’s sensitivity rises from ISO 3200 to a whopping ISO 12800.

After the firmware update, both lens cameras will be able to offer better low-light shooting.

The QX100 also receives a new Shutter Priority Mode (S) for increased manual adjustment options, allowing enhanced shutter speed control.

Unfortunately you can’t upgrade either lens camera using your smartphone. Instead, you’ll need to head to your PC or Mac to download the new firmware 2.0 update.

The QX100 is the more expensive of the two lens cameras, offering a 20.2-megapixel 1-inch 13.2 x 8.8mm Exmor R CMOS Sensor and 3.6x optical zoom.

Those wanting a cheaper option could go for the QX10, which features an 18.2-megapixel 1/2.3-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor and 10x optical zoom.

Both feature Optical SteadyShot and a Sony BIONZ image processing engine.

The firmware update for Mac is available from the Sony website, and you can download the PC version here, also from Sony directly.

Read more: Best cameras 2014

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Xbox One price cut to see console cost the same as PS4?

An Xbox One price cut is on the horizon, with latest reports suggesting Microsoft will drop its next-gen console’s price to be the same as the rival PS4.

With the Xbox One currently priced at £429, the 360 follow-on costs a full £80 more than its leading next-gen rival. Although some of this added fee can be attributed to the bundling of the second-generation Kinect peripheral, it is believed the price difference contributed to the Xbox One’s lower sales.

With reports earlier this week claiming that a white Xbox One release date will be held in October, gaming blog VG247 has cited a ‘well-respected senior source’ in claiming that an Xbox One price cut is on the cards and will follow the launch of a cheaper, lower storage version of the console.

Speaking with the Microsoft insider, the reports have stated that “Microsoft will likely drop the price of the current Xbox One model, placing it in the same price point as Sony’s PlayStation 4.” There is currently no exact timeframe handed to this price reduction.

Although Microsoft has refused to comment on the speculation, the upcoming Xbox One price cut would be fitting with recent calls from investors that have suggested Microsoft risks losing traction in the console race if it fails to fall in line with the PS4’s price.

"It is possible that Microsoft will reduce Xbox One pricing far faster than we have forecasted,” industry analyst Michael Pachter of investment firm Wedbush Morgan said in a note to clients.

He added: “Should hardware prices come down faster than we have modelled, it is likely that hardware and software sales will grow faster."

Yesterday Microsoft introduced an Xbox One price incentive in the US, offering eager gamers $100 (£60) off the console when they traded in their old PS3s.



Read More: Xbox One vs PS4

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Nokia X Android phone snapped once again ahead of MWC unveiling

The Nokia X Android phone looks all but certain to make an appearance at MWC 2014 next month, and now the handset has been caught on camera once again, this time with a vibrant orange body.

Suggesting that Nokia will continue its Windows Phone, Lumia-branded trend of launching handsets in a variety of colours, the orange Nokia X images follow countless shots of the mooted handset sporting a bright red outer shell.

According to latest reports, the Nokia X will be made available in six different hues when formally unveiled as part of the Finnish manufacturer’s MWC 2014 press conference on the morning of February 24.

With Nokia having yet to make any formal indication of plans to launch its first Android powered handset, it is suggested that the latest leaks are taken with a pinch of salt.

Having leaked courtesy of NowWhereElse, the French blog has claimed that the Nokia X specs sheet will see the handset line up as a lower mid-range handset with a modest array of innards unlikely to trouble the upcoming likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5.

According to the reports, the Nokia X Android phone will line up powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a measly 512MB of RAM.

With a 4-inch, 800 x 480 pixel WVGA display tipped for inclusion, the Nokia X will seeminly add a 5-megapixel rear-mounted camera to the fray alongside 4GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD, and a 1500mAh Lithium-Ion battery.

Read More: Nokia Lumia 1020 review

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Olympus Stylus 1 Camera Review

What is the Olympus Stylus 1?

The Olympus Stylus 1 is a retro-style compact camera. Most of the big camera-makers are keen on retro styling these days, but Olympus is perhaps the most obsessed of the lot. Its OM-D models like the Olympus OM-D E-M1 have gained fans far and wide thanks to their combination of modern technology and timeless appearance.

The new Olympus Stylus 1 looks to take the winning OM-D formula and apply it to a compact camera. There's no denying that the Stylus 1 is an attractive compact, but will it deliver performance in-line with its £550 price as well?

Olympus Stylus 1 - Features

Olympus's OM-D range gains a lot of attention for its eye-catching retro design, but where it really succeeded was adding some impressive imaging to the look. The good news is that Olympus has carried this ethos over to the Stylus 1.

The Olympus Stylus 1 features a fixed lens in keeping with its compact camera status. It’s an 10.7x optical zoom lens camera covering a 28-300mm focal range in 35mm equivalent terms.

The most impressive element of the camera's lens is its aperture, which is reasonably fast at a maximum f/2.8. The impressive part is that it's constant throughout the focal range, and as such at the tele end of the zoom you'll have a 300mm f/2.8 optic - impressive by any standard.

The lens also features a clever lens cover system that takes the form of a 'barn door' set-up. This means that the doors are pushed aside when the lens protrudes and close automatically when the camera switches off.

The Olympus Stylus 1 features a reasonable sensor, with a resolution of 12MP and a physical size of 1/1.7 inches. Although this isn't the largest sensor to be found in an advanced compact, it's still slightly larger than average.

On the rear of the Olympus Stylus 1 sits an impressive LCD screen. A ringing endorsement of the display is that it's of a better specification than the OM-D E-M5, and instead closer to the OM-D E-M1 flagship.

It measures three inches across and has a resolution of 1.04 million dots. Furthermore the screen tilts around a horizontal axis of approximately 135 degrees, allowing for both waist level and above-head shooting.

The display is a touchscreen that lets you focus and activate the shutter without touching the physical controls, as well as controlling a couple of other features.

An equally impressive viewfinder accompanies the solid LCD screen. A viewfinder is often a key missing component on an advanced compact - and if it is included it's often an undercooked element - that's certainly not the case with the Olympus Stylus 1.

The Olympus Stylus 1 EVF is essentially the same as that of the OM-D E-M5. It offers 1.44m-dot resolution and 100 per cent field of view coverage. As such it's better-specified than quite a few optical viewfinders.

Completing the impressive feature set is Wi-Fi connectivity. Once you've installed the free Olympus Image Share app to either a smartphone or tablet, you can wirelessly transfer images from the camera to your device, as well as remotely trigger the shutter.

Olympus Stylus 1 - Design

The Olympus Stylus 1 is solidly built. The body’s shell is solid metal alloy, while the various controls located around the camera body feel securely mounted and offer a good level of feedback.

There is also a hotshoe, to which you can attach a flash gun should the need arise. Other small features such as the metal hinges on the battery hatch and connector ports also impress. There's attention to detail in evidence here.

The Olympus Stylus 1's general appearance is much like a smaller DSLR - with its pitched top plate - and you can certainly see a family resemblance to the Olympus OM-D cameras.

This DSLR styling also leads to some pleasing DSLR-esque handling. There’s a pronounced and textured hand grip, offering a solid hold over the camera. It is not small either, and will no doubt appear heavier and chunkier than some competing models. However, it feels balanced and handles well.

Another nice design touch is the model's control ring. This is located around the lens, and offers customisable control over most major settings, ranging from exposure compensation to aperture priority modes and the like.

The control layout of the Olympus Stylus 1 may not be to everyone’s liking but it is certainly comprehensive. It feels more advanced than most of its compact peers.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition announced

Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition

Despite the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date expected to be just a matter of weeks away, that hasn’t stopped the Korean manufacturer refreshing its outgoing flagship phone as the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition is announced.

Formally unveiled alongside a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Black Edition, the refreshed S4 has been confirmed for launch in Russia, with a global rollout to follow in the near future.

Despite landing as a dedicated new model edition, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition has few differences from the standard flagship phone which launched last April.

Ditching the gloss plastic rear that has been the subject of much criticism, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition features an equally unappealing soft-touch, faux leather rear similar to that found on the oversized and stylus hosting Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Aside from the leather effect rear, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition’s only other notable difference is a new, fittingly dark themed homescreen background.

Like the standard S4 offering, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition runs a 5-inch, 1080p Full HD display alongside a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

With a 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera and integrated 4G and NFC connectivity options, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition specs sheet is rounded off by a 2600mAh Lithium-Ion battery at Google’s Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS.

With only Russian pricing having been confirmed at this point, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition will set wannabe owners back 22,990 roubles (£400).



Read More: Samsung Galaxy Gear review

Via: AndroidCentral

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iPhone 6 sapphire glass display teased by leaked Apple patent

Apple sapphire iPhone patent

Apple’s investment in sapphire glass is well documented, but now leaked patents have suggested that the Cupertino-based company could be about to bestow the iPhone 6 with a sapphire glass display.

With Apple reportedly investing £350 million in the mass production of the resilient glass materials, latest reports have suggested the iPhone 6 could launch with a full sapphire glass display, not simply a sapphire protected Touch ID home button and camera lens as previously thought.

Entitled ‘Sapphire Window’, the Apple patent details how the company intends to grow the hardened material for use on portable electronic devices, explaining how it will harvest the sapphire glass into polished wafers which can then be cut into small, smartphone size windows.

However, due to the elements which give Sapphire glass panels their added reinforcement, the technology cannot be manufactured using traditional glass panel production methods.

According to one of Apple’s patents, the company has revealed that is could potentially use lasers to cut iPhone size sapphire glass panels in a bid to increase yield rates.

With Apple’s Sapphire Window patent having originally been filed back in 2012, the company’s product plans precede details that surfaced earlier this week that Apple has increased its partnership with sapphire manufacturer GT Advanced Technologies.

According to the latest reports, Apple is to increase production through a new US-based manufacturing facility which is expected to begin work next month.

Widely expected to launch this autumn with a new, larger 4.7-inch display, the iPhone 6 will go head-to-head with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 for the crown of smartphone supremacy.

Read More: iPhone 5S review

Via: AppleInsider

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Sony teases PlayStation Now UK release could be on the horizon

Sony has teased that the PlayStation Now UK release date may not be too far off, just as beta invites hit the US.

The PlayStation game streaming service was announced at CES 2014 for a summer release in the US, but unfortunately there was no word as to when PS Now will arrive in the UK.

However, speaking to TrustedReviews, Head of PlayStation UK Fergal Gara teased that it may well come to the UK in the near future.

Gara explained that the UK is a market that Sony holds very high in its estimations, partly due to the gamers’ sheer enthusiasm for the PlayStation brand.

“No plans to announce [PlayStation Now for the UK] as yet. But one of the things I’m proud of us having done here in the UK in the last year or two is bringing the best of PlayStation to the UK market quickly,” said Gara. “I think [the PS Vita Slim] is a good example of that, of bringing the Vita 2000 into the UK ahead of the rest of Europe."

"I think our gamers have a really high appetite to dive in fast and the PS4 numbers are stellar and leave the rest of Europe far behind.”

The strong PS4 demand and continued strength of software sales in the UK has put our country on the plan. Although Gara couldn’t give exact dates, he suggests it would be detrimental to PlayStation to delay a PlayStation Now UK release.

“Why wouldn’t we do our best to bring new experiences to the UK as quickly as we can. I don’t know, but I am certainly hungry to bring every strong PlayStation experience to our gamers as quick as I can.”

The PlayStation Now game streaming service will launch in the US in the summer, following a beta testing period that is starting now.

Sony will use the US a testing ground because of its broadband capabilities, but the UK is not “a million miles behind”, Gara added.

“There’s loads of good reasons to use the US as a test market, with probably the most fundamental being the broadband infrastructure. But the UK isn’t a million miles behind, so we look with interest and will plan accordingly.”

Read more: Best PS Vita games

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo officially unveiled as budget phablet

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo

After countless leaks and endless rumours, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo has been officially unveiled, with Samsung Poland giving the budget phablet its first formal outing.

Although the Korean manufacturer had already reference the device by name in confirming it will not be made available in the UK, this marks the first official confirmation of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo’s specs sheet.

Stripping back the market leading powerhouse that is its flagship sibling the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the Neo edition will drop from a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor down to a more customary 1.6GHz quad-core offering.

A device which closer resembles the superseded Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the Neo drops from a 5.7-inch display back to a 5.5-inch offering, with the reduced Super AMOLED panel featuring just a 720p HD resolution. Further changes to the Neo’s form factor over the standard Note 3 see the device jump back up to being 8.6nn thick but drop a few grams to weigh in at 162.5g.

With 2GB of RAM and a 3100mAh Lithium-Ion battery in tow, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo spec sheet is rounded off by Google’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS and an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera that partners a secondary 2-megapixel snapper up front.

As with all of Samsung’s Note-branded devices, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo comes equipped with the company’s S-Pen stylus.

Although pricing has yet to be confirmed, Samsung has already revealed that the sub-specced phablet will not be making its way to UK shores.

“Samsung can confirm that the Note 3 Lite will not be coming to the UK market,” the company confirmed to TrustedReviews last week.



Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

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OlliOlli Game Review

Available on Sony PlayStation Vita

OlliOlli is a 2D skateboarding game made exclusively for the PS Vita although it was originally destined to launch on the iPhone. That was until Sony stepped in and convinced British-based developers Roll7 to bring it to the Sony handheld instead. In hindsight, it was the right thing to do because without the physical controls, OlliOlli simply wouldn’t be the frustratingly addictive game that it turned out to be.

The hand-drawn pixel-style graphics may well look like they have been yanked off a game from the 90s, but it’s the well executed control system, abundance of game modes and wide variety of tricks that will keep you coming back no matter how many times you stack it down a flight of stairs.

You will launch spectacularly off your board numerous times there is no doubting about that, so it's worth taking time to master the controls. The left analogue stick and X action button are the two main things to worry about. Double tapping X helps you gain momentum and more importantly makes sure you land back on your board which is the difference between a 'Sick' move and a 'Sketchy' one. If you don't get the timing just right, you'll lose points or worse, crash out sending you back to the beginning of the level.

The left analogue stick is your means of leaping off the ground and along with the shoulder buttons can be combined to pull of more complex moves. There’s definitely a learning curve and it’s worth delving into the quick tutorial before you begin grinding down stair rails. All of the 120 tricks available in the game can be found in the ‘tricktionary’ which can be accessed at any time through the pause menu.

Jumping into the main career mode, there’s five different stages split into a series of levels each containing a set of five different challenges to progress. challenges can range from pulling off a specific combo or racking up a certain amount of points. There’s plenty to get in your way or be used to your advantage, so while levels are relatively bite-sized, getting to the end with all the challenges completed takes some time. There’s both amateur and pro levels, the latter of which can be unlocked when you complete enough challenges in the amateur mode.

Additionally, there’s Spots mode (again unlocked in Career mode) where you can pull off massive combos and become 'King of the Spot'. Sucessfully clearing every trick and complete every one of the 250 challenges, gets you to RAD mode and for some it could take some time getting there.

There’s online support to post scores up for all events in a leaderboard and a daily grind challenge that’s only open for 24 hours giving you one chance to rack up a huge score.

Verdict

When you get started, be prepared to spectacularly stack it as you get to grips with the precise nature of the controls. When you do pull off an awesome move it's gives you the kind of satisfaction to make up for all the times you've failed.

Trying to perform the more ambitious moves and remembering to hit the X button afterwards is not the easiest thing to do, so it's sometimes easy to miss them in glorious flight. Maybe a slow-mo mode or the ability to record moves would be a nice addition here.

By putting the emphasis on the great gameplay mechanics and the variety of modes, OlliOlli is a frustratingly addictive game that you will want to dip in and out of. It looks and feels like an iOS game, but we can only imagine what it would have been like trying to play it with touchscreen controls.

As some users have already mentioned, we did some suffer some minor crashes but Roll7 is in the process of addressing this with a downloadable patch. The £7.99 price does sound steep for what is essentially a mobile game, though PlayStation Plus members can get it for a marginally cheaper £6.39.

Whatever you pay for it, it’s going to be money well spent. Sony has uncovered another indie game gem and it’s likely not to be its last.



MORE: Best PS Vita games to buy 2014

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Sub £100 smartwatches needed for industry to succeed says manufacturer

Despite a number of manufacturers having jumped on the smartwatch bandwagon in recent weeks, the industry is still struggling to generate much consumer interest; an issue one manufacturer has put down to price.

Speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews, Archos CEO Loic Poirier has claimed that in order for the smartwatch sector to succeed, the techy timepieces need to cost less than £100.

“Smartwatches have to be below £100,” the Archos head stated. “Why? Because if you’re spending £300 to £400 on your smartphone, and you hesitate to do that, how on earth will you pay £200 or £300 on a connected object that is a companion device, it will not happen.”

Given a smartwatch’s function as a secondary, add-on device to a smartphone, consumers have already called into question the cost of some early offerings, including the Samsung Galaxy Gear which will set wannabe owners back £300.

As well as picking out pricing concerns for slow smartwatch uptake, Poirier has highlighted design as another area where the industry needs to improve, telling us smartwatches need to be considered as fashion items as much as gadgets.

“In my opinion smartwatches have to be below £100, no choice, and it should mainly be around £50” the CEO reiterated. “On top of this, it has to be beautiful because you wear it most of the time.”

Archos unveiled its first wearable gadget at CES 2014 earlier this month in the form of the simply named Archos Smartwatch. Fitting Poirier’s plea, the device will cost just £99.99 at launch, with further items in the range even cheaper.

Speaking on the company’s own smartwatch plans, Poirier stated: “What we are going to do with smartwatches the same as the others but at a lower price point.”

He added: “We are good at value management so can launch a £49 watch that is going to be like the others just better on price.”



Read More: Sony SmartWatch 2 Review

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Red Google Nexus 5 release date tipped for February 4

A red Google Nexus 5 release date has been tipped for next week as the repeatedly leaked handset gets set for a February 4 launch.

With the red Google Nexus 5 having been the subject of numerous leaks and countless rumours in recent weeks, now retailer stocking details have made a premature appearance, with the handset tipped to go on sale next Tuesday, February 4, in the US at least.

“2/4/14: Google Nexus 5 in red available in Google Play stores,” US network provider Sprint has stated in an internal document which has made its way online.

Although Google has as yet failed to formally confirm the existence of a new vibrantly hued Nexus 5 handset, it is widely believed that the repeatedly rumoured red model will be the first of a range of newly coloured smartphones to join the original black and white handsets.

Aside from the colour difference, the red Google Nexus 5 is believed to be identical to its monochrome counterparts, with a 5-inch, 1080p Full HD display, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM.

Powered by the company’s latest Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, the Google Nexus 5 boasts an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera alongside a 1.3-megapixel secondary snapper and the option of 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

Via: AndroidPolice

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Xbox One price cut introduced as Microsoft says 'ditch your PS3'

Microsoft has taken underhand tactics to boost its console sales, introducing an Xbox One price cut for those who trade in the company’s rivals’ devices.

Encouraging gamers to ‘ditch’ their PS3s, Microsoft has revealed that it will offer US consumers $100 (£61) off the Xbox One when they trade in their Sony-branded devices, an offer that will bring the console’s price down to $400 (£242).

“Ditch your PS3 and get $100 store credit towards Xbox One,” the Microsoft issued offer states.

Although Microsoft has currently failed to introduce the offer to UK gamers, those in the US and Canada can currently make use of the trade-in offer at a range of retailers. The deal will run for another month until February 28.

Despite having recorded strong sales figures in the run up to the Christmas period, shifting 3.9 million units before the end of 2013, the Xbox One has reportedly been outsold by the rival PS4 by a ratio of 1.5 to 1.

In order to make use of the $100 Xbox One price cut, Microsoft has stipulated that consumers must purchase its next-gen console at the same time as trading in the now superseded Sony device.

The Xbox maker has added that the trade-in console must be in a fully working condition “without broken/missing component, cracked display/housing, or liquid damage.”

Earlier today reports cited sources in the known as suggesting Microsoft will launch a new white Xbox One this October, with the lighter-hued console to be preceded by the first major Xbox One dashboard update this March.

Read More: Xbox One vs PS4

Via: CVG

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Facebook Paper unveiled as Flipboard rival to make your news feeds more engaging

Facebook has announced its own Flipbaord rival, with Paper formally unveiled as a way to transform your social interactions and news preferences into a magazine-style application.

Syncing with your Facebook account, the new Paper app will turn your Facebook news feed into a ‘full screen’, ‘distraction-free’, magazine-style layout that will bring images to the fore and generally make all your content more visually appealing and engaging.

On top of this, users will be able to customise their Paper accounts with a selection of curated themes, which will bring in a range of content on topics such as sport, science and food.

Although the social giant has confirmed that larger, more respected and reputable news sources will be easy to locate within your Paper feed, it has suggested that “emerging voices” will also be brought to the fore in a bid to support the new up and comers.

Having announced the Paper app alongside a teaser video, Facebook has revealed users will be able to navigate between articles through a seamless collection of swipe navigations. With images able to be expanded and viewed full screen, video content will also feature.

Set to launch as a US exclusive, Paper by Facebook will be rolled out as an iPhone app next Monday, February 3. There is currently no word on a planned Android Paper release or UK introduction.

Next, read all the latest iPhone 6 news and rumours

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Microsoft: GTA 5 masked a drop in Xbox 360 software sales

With much focus having shifted to the inbound Xbox One late last year, Microsoft has revealed that Rockstar’s GTA 5 helped disguise otherwise low Xbox 360 software sales.

Giving a final lease of life to the outgoing Xbox 360 and PS3, GTA 5 became the largest entertainment launch of all time when it launched back in September, generating a staggering $800 million on day one, a figure which rose to exceed $1 billion in just three days.

Now, speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews, an official Microsoft spokesperson has suggested the phenomenal GTA 5 sales helped hide the Xbox 360’s poor software performances elsewhere across the board.

“GTA 5 masked quite a big drop in software sales for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles,” an internal Xbox software manager for Microsoft told us.

Stating that the game shifted “ridiculous numbers,” they added that the console had been experiencing severely reduced software sales as gamers held out for the upcoming next-gen offerings.

As well as highlighting GTA 5 as a saviour of the Xbox 360’s year end software sales, the Microsoft spokesperson singled out Minecraft as another exceptionally strong performer.

“Week in, week out Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition has been a phenomenon,” they said.

With GTA 5 still locked exclusively to Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles, earlier this week retailers hinted that a GTA 5 PC release could be announced tomorrow, January 31.

Read More: Best Games 2014

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Samsung Tizen phone makes premature appearance on eBay

Samsung’s first Tizen handset has made yet another premature appearance, this time making a brief appearance on auction site eBay.

With company’s first Tizen OS powered smartphone widely expected to make its first formal appearance during Samsung’s pre-MWC press conference next month, Samsung has seen the device leak online once again, with images and specs accompanying the sales post.

Listed under the title “New Tizen Samsung SM-Z9005 smartphone for apps development,” the pre-release handset was shown on eBay alongside a $300 (£182) starting bid before being hastily withdrawn.

Hinting at a range of the phone’s upcoming components, the Samsung Tizen handset claimed that the device sports a 4.7-inch display as well as 16GB of internal storage.

Images of the handset show a device with a curved edge display wrapped in a squared off plastic body. Like the existing Samsung Galaxy S4, the phone will seemingly sport a large physical home button beneath its screen.

Although recent invites have all but confirmed the Samsung Tizen handset will be formally announced on February 23, an official Samsung spokesperson recently hinted that the phone is facing further delays.

“It is true that the release has been delayed,” the Samsung representative reportedly said last week. They are quoted as adding: “Previously we had planned to release in the first half of this year in several countries, including Korea and Russia.”

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and reviews

Via: SamMobile

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PS Vita Slim (2014) Game Review

What is the Sony PS Vita Slim?

The new PS Vita is the 2014 edition of Sony’s handheld console. It is cheaper, slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. Although Sony is keen to iterate it is still simply called the PS Vita, we’re sure it’ll quickly adopt the Vita Slim moniker.

The key selling point of the new Vita is its design, as the software and processing power under the hood are near-identical.

As an existing PS Vita owner though, those design tweaks make the latest model feel quite different from its predecessor.

PS Vita (2014) - Design

Sony has listened to gamer feedback to make the Vita easier and more comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Even when picking up the new handheld for the first time, the difference is clear.

25 per cent of the original Vita’s weight has been shaved off to make the latest model feel considerably lighter than the original. It's a welcome change. The original was by no means a heifer at launch, but in a direct comparison it feels like quite the dead weight.

The PS Vita Slim has a new soft, matt finish and the finger grips enlarged to help you endure those extended gaming sessions. These touches make the new model much more tactile and finge- friendly than the former gloss finish. The rear touch panel is still glossy though, so your fingers won’t notice a change there.

To help reduce accidental presses, the rear touch panel has been reduced by around 30 per cent. From our brief play with top Vita title Tearaway, the smaller touchpad doesn’t affect the way you play whatsoever. And it is still large enough to feel accessible and convenient without having to stretch your fingers too far.

Some of the more subtle design elements are the changes to the buttons, with the symbol buttons and d-pad receiving minor cosmetic changes. The start and select buttons under the right analogue stick are now small and round rather than oval, and the PS Home button is no longer backlit.

Instead there are a duo of LED lights at the top of the device to indicate power and battery levels.

The best new feature of the PS Vita Slim is Sony’s choice to abandon the proprietary charging port in favour of a microUSB slot. Not only will it increase your charging options and lighten your wire load on trips, it also makes the new Vita design look a lot cleaner.

Sony has also equipped the new model with 1GB of internal memory. The original had none whatsoever, forcing you to immediately buy one of the expensive proprietary Vita memory cards. You won't be able to fit a full triple-A title into the 1GB internal memory, but it will help jumpstart your Vita experience.

PS Vita (2014) - Display

Our initial impressions of the new LCD display in the Vita are that the colours are not as vibrant or bright as the original OLED display. Even taking a quick glance between the two models, the difference in colour reproduction is discernible, with the new model looking a little washed out in comparison.

This may not bother those not yet familiar with the PS Vita, but for those who have already come to love the handheld, you may be disappointed with the new screen. Probably enough not to upgrade.

First Impressions

The PS Vita Slim, or whatever you wish to call it, has a superior and more user-friendly design than the original. This, combined with the slightly cheaper price, will attract gamers who have yet to add the Vita to their game console arsenal. Those who already own a Vita will be put off by the new LCD screen and they may well want to stick with the original if they’re content with it, as the software and processing grunt are still the same.

Read more: PS Vita Slim vs PS Vita original

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Archos confirms plans to launch own golf sensor

Archos confirms it will launch its own golf sensor

French smartphone and tablet specialist Archos has confirmed it is to broaden its horizons, revealing it is working on a smart device to track your golf swing.

Although a number of companies have already brought golf swing tracking sensors to market, Archos has suggested its upcoming offering will be the first to target a budget price point, although an exact cost has yet to be confirmed.

Having suggested that smart devices are on the verge of infiltrating all aspects of user’s lives, Archos CEO Loic Poirier has stated: “We are building our own golf sensors.”

Speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews he added: “Soon users are going to have a sensor for playing tennis or golf, we are already thinking about the golf.”

Despite having recently unveiled its own collection of smartwatches and connected home devices, products which have been crafted to be easy on the eye, the Archos CEO has suggested that the hardware aspect of a golf sensor is not where the trouble lies for the new product category.

“Around sport it is around algorithms more than hardware,” Poirier told us. “It is all about analysing if you were optimum in your swing.”

He added: “If I am building up a sensor for golf, it is not going to be difficult to build the sensor itself. What is lovely though is building the right algorithm that tells you if you are too quick with your swing, if your posture is proper, what the velocity of your shot.”

Read More: Nike FuelBand SE review

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Samsung Galaxy S5 QHD display inclusion teased once again

Continuing the ever revolving flow of Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours flowing, latest reports have once again tipped the handset to boast a QHD display.

With the Samsung Galaxy S5 widely expected to sport a 2K resolution screen, serial tech tipster @evleaks has once again used Twitter to offer up details on the upcoming handset, with a leaked apk. file said to be from the handset teasing a QHD panel.

As well as suggesting that Samsung has officially settled on the Samsung Galaxy S5 branding for its next-gen flagship phone, shocking we know, the Twitter-based tipster has offered yet more insight into the handset’s potential specs sheet.

Tweeting “also from Samsung Galaxy S5,” the latest tease has been accompanied by an apk file entitled “3DTourViewer_WQHD_K-apk.”

The “WQHD” aspect of this file name is what’s of interest, with naming seemingly giving yet more backing to the claims of an screen resolution significantly better than HD. It has been suggested that the phone’s screen will sport a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution.

Further Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have seen additional apk files point to the phone bragging its own integrated fingerprint scanner, much in the same vein as that featured on the rival iPhone 5S.

With a Samsung Galaxy S5 release date widely expected to be held in mid-March, it is believed that the handset will run a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor alongside 3GB of RAM and Google’s latest Android 4.4 KitKat operating system.

Next, read all the latest iPhone 6 news and rumours

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White Xbox One release date tipped for October

Having leaked on a number of occasions last year, latest reports have suggested that Microsoft will hold a white Xbox One release date this October.

With the lighter-toned console having been given out to Microsoft employees who worked on the next-gen PS4 rival, new reports have teased that the white Xbox One will be given a consumer release later this year.

Part of a number of Xbox One updates reportedly in the works, the white Xbox One console will reportedly be made available alongside the release of Sunset Overdrive, with the lightly hued offering to line up alongside the standard black model currently available.

As well as the white Xbox One release, The Verge has cited “sources familiar with the plans” in suggesting that Microsoft will make the year anniversary of the Xbox One’s November release by introducing a new 1TB capacity console. The current model features and already impressive 500GB of internal storage.

While new hardware variations are sure to grab headlines, it has also been suggested that Microsoft will roll out the first major Xbox One dashboard update this March.

Tipped to land in a matter of weeks, the update will address a number of issues with the console’s Xbox Live services, as well as correcting problems with social features in the platform’s Party-chat section.

Despite the claims, Microsoft has yet to offer any official word on a planned white Xbox One release. As such, we suggest that, for now at least, you take these October predictions with a pinch of salt.

Read More: Xbox One vs PS4

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Kindle price cut introduced by Amazon, eReader now just £59

Amazon has introduced a new Kindle price cut, with the entry-level eReader now available for just £59.

With the market leading eReader usually setting wannabe owners back £69, the new Kindle price cut marks a £10 saving and brings the device closer to the pricing of rival Nook models.

“Amazon.co.uk is knocking ten pounds off the price of the original Kindle, enabling customers to get their hands on a device for only £59,” an official Amazon spokesperson has confirmed before adding: “The offer is available from today.”

Although the latest Kindle price cut is a limited time offer, Amazon has told TrustedReviews that there is currently no end date assigned to the deal.

Capable of storing up to 1,400 books with 2GB of internal storage, the Amazon Kindle weighs just 170g and lining up at just 8.7mm thick and 166mm tall, the eReader is small enough to be pocketable while on the move.

Ensuring you have enough staying power to tackle your daily commute or upcoming holiday, the Amazon Kindle battery life should last you a month on a single charge thanks to the device’s power-friendly E Ink display.

Read More: Amazon Kindle Fire HDX review

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Sky teases new EPG with on demand focus

Broadcasting giant Sky has released an image of its new EPG, teasing the catch-up and on-demand content focused menu refresh ahead of its official rollout this spring.

Showcased as part of the company’s quarterly profits statement, Sky has revealed the upcoming EPG refresh, highlighting its growing push into none-scheduled broadcasting.

Revealing that it is now the UK’s leading connected TV platform, with 4.4 million customers signed up the company’s on-demand Sky Go service, Sky has suggested that the new EPG will be the biggest shake up to its electronic programming guide in more than ten years.

“As the trend for on demand viewing continues to rise, this spring will see the biggest shake up to Sky’s electronic programme guide (EPG) since its introduction at the launch of digital TV in 1998,” an official Sky spokesperson announced.

They added: “The Sky Guide redesign will make it easier than ever to find on demand content. A brand new homepage will showcase all the viewing options available to Sky TV customers, including Catch Up TV, TV Box Sets, Sky Planner and Sky Store, as well as the live TV Guide.”

Luke Bradley-Jones, Sky’s Director of TV Products added: “We’re passionate about giving our customers their favourite content however they want to watch and will continue to make Sky’s connected TV services even bigger and better during 2014, including an enhanced EPG that makes it even easier to find on demand content.”

Highlighting the rise in on-demand content, Sky revealed that during the past 12 months it received a staggering 450 million on demand requests, with 38 requests per second being made.

Read More: NOW TV review

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Google deal could see less bloat in future Samsung devices

Earlier this week it emerged that Samsung and Google had signed a deal to share patents over the next 10 years. It’s now being suggested that the collaboration could go well beyond that.

According to a report from Re/code, both the two companies are working on plan to reign in some of Samsung’s recent UI excess and restore it to something resembling stock Android.

Apparently, Google executives were dismayed at the reveal of the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro at CES earlier this month. It was here that Samsung revealed its new Windows 8-like Magazine UX, which represented a massive divergence from basic Android functionality.

Following this show, it’s claimed by multiple sources that Samsung and Google began to hammer out an agreement on a better way forward for both companies.

The report claims that Samsung would consider dramatically altering or even ditching its new Magazine UX altogether in future devices. More important than that, however, is the suggestion that Samsung has agreed to feature Google’s default multimedia apps at the expense of its own in-house efforts.

Of course, the South Korean giant, as the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, is in a position to demand something considerable in return, but it’s not yet known what that might be. Perhaps Google will agree to handing over the rights to the next Nexus smartphone and beyond.

It’s unclear. What seems to be certain is that the previously shaky relationship between these two tech titans has undergone "a sea change in the last few weeks."



Read More: Best Android Phone 2014

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PS Vita Slim announced for the UK

Sony has announced the new PS Vita Slim will come to the UK, having previously been a Japanese exclusive in the form of the PS Vita 2000 series.

Originally, the PS Vita 2000 series was only destined for Japanese markets, but Sony has now revealed it will arrive in the UK as soon as the PS Vita Slim.

The PS Vita Slim news was announced during a special PlayStation briefing, just two months after the launch of the PS4, which has increased PS Vita compatibility including Remote Play.

Sony has revealed the PS Vita Slim can be pre-ordered today for a release date on February 7. It will launch for around £180, £50 less than the original Vita's RRP.

"Retains unique features that are key to the PS Vita, but it's also had some changes made to it."{/pullquote}, said Ben Law, Senior Product Manager for Hardware at PlayStation UK

PS Vita Slim Features

The new PS Vita has been redesigned to be slimmer, lighter and longer lasting than the original PS Vita.

Design-wise, the new PS Vita looks very similar to its predecessor, but it is 20 per cent lighter at 219g, and at just 15mm thick it is also 15 per cent thinner.

Sony has also kitted it out with 1GB of internal storage, meaning you can store a few Indie games or other small titles directly on the PS Vita itself rather than having to immediately fork out for one of Sony’s proprietary Vita memory cards.

The biggest change between the PS Vita models is that the latest edition swaps the original OLED display for a cheaper, LCD display.

This will mean a reduction in display quality, but that should be made up for with a price drop.

Sony has also redesigned some of the PS Vita’s buttons, removed the back lit home button in favour of new LED lights at the top and improved the battery life by an hour to around 6 hours of continuous gameplay.

The proprietary PS Vita charger has also been ditched in favour of a microUSB port, which should reduce your charger load when travelling.

The new PS Vita also comes in additional colours to the original black and white, with pink, blue, olive green and grey accents also available.



Read more: PS4 Remote Play is Sony's killer feature and it's not even new

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Google sells Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91 billion

In a move that has taken many by surprise, Chinese PC maker Lenovo has bought Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.91 billion.

The American mobile phone manufacturer had only been part of the Google family since May 2012, but now it’s been passed on to a company with major plans for the smartphone space.

Lenovo may be the biggest PC manufacturer in the world, but it only has a smartphone presence in its native China. With the purchase of Motorola, it has instantly acquired a foothold in the American market.

Google, for its part, has precisely what it came for. As Google CEO Larry Page explains in an official blog post: "We acquired Motorola in 2012 to help supercharge the Android ecosystem by creating a stronger patent portfolio for Google and great smartphones for users."

Put simply, it was never really about the hardware. Google mainly wanted Motorola for its vast library of patents, which could be used to help protect itself and its Android partners (such as Samsung) from the ever-litigious Apple.

"Motorola’s patents have helped create a level playing field, which is good news for all Android’s users and partners," said Page. He later added that "Google will retain the vast majority of Motorola’s patents, which we will continue to use to defend the entire Android ecosystem."

That Motorola happened to create two fantastic, high-value smartphones (the Moto G and Moto X) during its time under Google’s wing was just an added bonus. Indeed, with Motorola making losses last quarter of $248 million, the value of this bonus was dubious.

Google wasn’t extracting as much value out of its new patent portfolio as it expected - at least not enough to offset the cost of an unprofitable handset arm. Lenovo has promised to restore Motorola Mobility to profit, and to challenge to the top dogs over the coming years - something Google accepts it can’t offer.

"The smartphone market is super competitive, and to thrive it helps to be all-in when it comes to making mobile devices," explained Page. "It’s why we believe that Motorola will be better served by Lenovo—which has a rapidly growing smartphone business and is the largest (and fastest-growing) PC manufacturer in the world."

For those worrying that this means the end of the famous Motorola brand, fear not. "Lenovo intends to keep Motorola’s distinct brand identity—just as they did when they acquired ThinkPad from IBM in 2005," said Page.

Interestingly, Page noted that this move said nothing about its intentions in other hardware markets, such as wearable and home tech.



Read More: Best Android Phone 2014

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Apple Mac Pro PC Review

What is the Apple Mac Pro?

The Mac Pro is that computer you would dearly love to own, but probably never will. Not only is it expensive, with the base-spec leaving you no change from £2,500, it's not really a consumer PC.

You could use it as such, but the dual AMD FirePro graphics and numerous options, topping out with a 12-core CPU and 64GB RAM shows this is no ordinary PC. It's a PC meant for sound engineers, video editors, and other creative professionals - basically anyone who needs a standard desktop that can handle serious intensive work.

In other words the Mac Pro is, in the old school parlance, a workstation. But it is nothing like any workstation you've seen before. The Mac Pro is one of those great moments where form and function are totally at one, and that's a very exciting thing indeed.

Apple Mac Pro: Design & Features

The Mac Pro wills you to just stop and stare a while. We don't get too many visitors to our corner of TrustedReviews towers, but the Mac Pro has seen assorted randoms pop by for a peek and nose around. We felt duty bound to oblige.

In this sense the Mac Pro is the best kind of Apple product, one that makes even the most ardent Apple detractors nod approvingly.

To understand why you need to appreciate how much power is crammed inside the Mac Pro, and how astounding it is considering it's about the same height and width as an iPad Air. Sure, it looks lovely on the outside and it's easy to admire that, but it's what's going on inside that's really interesting.

No matter which version of the Mac Pro you start with you will always get two GPUs. In the base-spec it's two 2GB AMD FirePro D300 cards, which are joined by a quad-core 3.7GHz Intel Xeon E5 processor, 12GB 1,866MHz DDR3 ECC memory and 256GB PCI-e flash storage. To fit that much hardware into a PC this size is a serious feat of engineering.

To do so Apple has designed a custom 'thermal core' for the Mac Pro. The inside of the Mac Pro is basically one giant heat sink that runs from top to bottom with the two GPUs and the motherboard bolted to it.

This core combines with a single large fan at the top to draw cool air in from the bottom to and kick it out the top. It's an incredibly efficient system that, not matter what we threw at it, always kept the Mac Pro running cool, and with barely a whisper of fan noise.

There are some other nice design flourishes, too. The design of the 'trash can' exterior means it's very easy to simply pick up and carry your Mac Pro somewhere else.

It weighs 5kg, which is heavier than you expect when you look at it - but is very light by workstation or even standard desktop PC standards. You really could pop it in a bag and take it to wherever you need to use it. It also, dare we say it, makes it very easy to steal as there's locking mechanism to secure the Mac Pro to a desk.

The other thing we like is how easy it is to take the casing on and off. It slides on and off with ease with a single switch locking it into place. Inside the RAM and flash storage is user accessible and replaceable. The GPUs aren't user replaceable per se given they're custom designed for the Mac Pro, but they are removable and Apple hasn't ruled out offering upgrades in future.

Apple Mac Pro: Connections

At the rear is a decent selection of I/O ports dominated by the six Thunderbolt 2.0 ports. We'll cover these in a little more detail later on, but Thunderbolt 2.0 offers a maximum 20Gb/s throughput and can support up to 36 daisy-chained peripherals.

There are four USB 3.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports and also an HDMI port. Sadly, however, the HDMI port is only a version 1.4 port, not 2.0. This means it can't support 4K resolution at 60fps without some compromise in colour sampling, a common issue with most current 4K TVs with the exception of the Panasonic L65WT600.

Indeed, Panasonic is the only company to have an HDMI 2.0 decoding chip, which is why it's the only company to offer it on its products. All is not lost, however, as the DisplayPort supports 4K without any restrictions, and each Thunderbolt port doubles as a Mini DisplayPort connection.

The Mac Pro supports up to three 4K resolution screens connected at once, or up to six non-4K monitors. If you think you need more than this then you're in a very exclusive club indeed.

Finally, inside there's Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless cards as you'd no doubt expect at this price. There's a combined optical/analog line out for audio, and a separate headphone jack. There's also a built-in speaker, which is a surprisingly welcome addition to ensure you don't have to plug in speakers or headphones to benefit from audible system alerts.

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ZTE confirms work on bendable smartphone

Budget smartphone manufacturer ZTE has spilled the beans on its future phone plans, confirming to TrustedReviews that it is looking at launching a bendable handset.

Following last year’s launch of the LG G Flex, the world’s first flexible phone, Chinese manufacturer ZTE has hinted that it too could get in on the bendable phone game, teasing that it is an area already under consideration within its R&D labs.

“In terms of the form factor, other companies are coming up with bendable phones and what have you,” Waiman Lam, ZTE’s Senior Director of Wireless Devices told us. “We are also looking at that too but don’t have anything definitive to share at this point.”

Although remaining coy on any potential launch window for its first bendable handset, Lam added: “We are looking at the markets and listening to our customers and if there is a market for it [bendable phones] we will certainly do it.”

With the LG G Flex set to hit British retailers in a matter of days following a period of exclusivity in the company’s native South Korea, ZTE is not the only rival manufacturer to show an interest in launching its own flexible phone.

While leaked patents have hinted Samsung and Apple are also working on their own flexible smartphones, another budget phone maker in Alcatel has claimed it will launch a flexible handset on its own if markets are strong enough.

“If curve displays or flexible displays become something that is a really desired by consumers, and we see real consumer benefits then we will go there,” Dan Dery, Alcatel’s Global Vice President of Market told us recently.

Do you want a flexible phone or do you see bendable handsets as nothing more than a gimmick? Let us know your thoughts via the comment box below.

Read More: ZTE Open Review

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