Samsung Galaxy Gear update introduces Tizen OS

Samsung has turned its back on Android, releasing a new Samsung Galaxy Gear update which sees the smartwatch converted to the Tizen platform.

Having already released the Samsung Gear 2 and Samsung Gear 2 Neo earlier this year with Tizen on board as standard, the Korean manufacturer is converting its original smartwatch offering away from its former Android foundations.

Rolling out now as software update version 2.2.0, the patch sees the Galaxy Gear’s OS completely replaced, although SamMobile has reported users will see little visual difference.

Bringing the now aging Galaxy Gear closer in line with its replacements, the update sees the watch adopt all of the none-hardware limited features of the newer models.

Although Samsung has opted to take its wearable lines don the Tizen route, the company appears to be going against the grain of the competition.

Back in March Google announced its new Android Wear platform – a wearable specific take on the Android OS.

Despite no Android Wear devices currently being on the market, the OS is already causing waves, with the LG G Watch and Motorola Moto G both having been confirmed for launch later this year with the innovative software.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 rumours

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iOS 8 confirmed for WWDC 2014 unveiling as banners appear

iOS 8 will be officially unveiled next week

Apple will officially unveil its new iPhone and iPad operating system iOS 8 next week, signage at the venue for WWDC 2014 has confirmed.

With Apple’s annual developer conference set to kick off in San Francisco next Monday, June 2, images from the hosting Moscone Center have shown that banners have already been erected to depict the new iOS 8 OS.

An annual feature of Apple’s WWDC keynote, the new iOS iteration is widely expected to host a range of new features, with a heavy fitness and wellbeing focus having been repeatedly tipped.

Although expected to be a substantially smaller and lower key update than last year’s overarching iOS 7 refresh, recent leaks have claimed that iOS 8 will introduce a new HealthBook application hub, deigned to act as a one-stop destination for all your fitness tracking apps and peripherals.

Seemingly crafted in a similar vein to the company’s Passbook service, which brings all your store cards and travel documents together in one location, HealthBook is expected to be one of the main focusses during CEO Tim Cook’s keynote.

As well as acting as a core focus to iOS 8, it has been widely suggested that the HealthBook platform will act as a precursor to the upcoming iWatch launch.

Although Apple has yet to formally acknowledge plans to launch its own smartwatch device, it is widely expected that the company’s Samsung Gear 2 and LG G Watch rival will enter the realms of reality later this year.

We will be bringing you all the latest Apple and WWDC news during the keynote on Monday so stay tuned to TrustedReviews.

Read More: iPhone 6 rumours

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Samsung Galaxy S5 mini specs and photos leak

The Samsung Galaxy S5 mini specs and photos have been leaked online, giving us a good idea of its features ahead of launch.

We’ve heard quite a bit about the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini to date, but this is the most extensive leak we’ve seen so far.

The images and full specs sheet were sent anonymously to Sammobile, showing that the smaller version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 flagship will feature a strikingly similar design, even down to that perforated back plate.

From the images, you can clearly see the S5 mini features the same rear-mounted heart rate monitor and there’s the fingerprint scanner in the home button too.

Inside the back panel is the same rubber gasket as the S5, which is a strong indication the S5 mini could be water-resistant. However, the lack of flaps covering the USB port does suggest it may not feature the IP67 water- and dust-resistant certification.

According to the source, the Galaxy S5 mini comes with a 4.5-inch 720 x 1280p HD Super AMOLED display running Android 4.4.2 KitKat. What’s interesting is that the S5 mini could run the new Magazine UX interface of tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 rather than the standard Touchwiz UI.

The S5 mini may run on an as yet unannounced 1.4GHz Exynos 3470 processor with 1.5GB.

In the rear is an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p full HD video recording, coupled with a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera.

You’ll apparently get 16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card.

The S5 mini will also apparently offer all of the new software features introduced with the Galaxy S5, including the battery enhancing Ultra Power Saving Mode, Kids Mode and Private Mode.



Read more: Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Samsung Galaxy S4

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Google launches “right to be forgotten” request form

Google has launched a service where you can ask to be removed from Google search results.

The service launches after the European Union court ruled earlier this month that gave internet users the “right to be forgotten”.

Google has released a form where you can apply to have data erased from search results, but only queries that include your name that offer results that are “inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive in relation to the purposes”.

Each request will be assessed according to the “privacy rights of the individual with the public’s right to know and distribute information.”

“When evaluating your request, we will look at whether the results include outdated information about you, as well as whether there’s a public interest in the information,” Google states on its newly launched form.

This form is only what Google calls its “initial effort” as the search engine giant is working with data protection authorities and other to enhance its approach to this new ruling.

The company will look at information relating to “financial scams, professional malpractice, criminal convictions, or public conduct of government officials” when assessing submitted requests.

You must have a valid photo identity for each request, which must be accompanied to links the related material, reasons for the request and their country of origin.

“Google often receives fraudulent removal requests from people impersonating others, trying to harm competitors, or improperly seeking to suppress legal information,” said Google. “To prevent this kind of abuse, we need to verify identity.”

Information will start to be removed from search results from mid-June and any results affected by removed content will be flagged to anyone searching for it.

According to figures released to the BBC, half of the requests submitted by UK residents to Google for information removal related to convicted criminals.

Data removal decisions are made by people rather than computer algorithms and disagreements will be overseen by national data protection agencies.

European data regulators are due to meet in early June to discuss “the right to forget” and those conversations may include issuing a statement as to how appeals will be handled by watchdogs.



Read more: Best routers 2014

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Sony HMZ-T3W Gadget Review

What is the Sony HMZ-T3W?

The HMZ-T3W is Sony's latest Personal Viewer headset. It's one of Sony's most niche consumer electronics lines, but also one of the most interesting for tech fiends. The Sony HMZ-T3W is also highly likely to be a design and hardware inspiration for the Project Morpheus PS4 virtual reality headset when it eventually goes on sale.

It’s therefore doubly important that we find out whether it’s any good.

Is it? Yes, in several respects it’s a solid argument for this sort of technology. But the high £1300 price and seriously fiddly fit means this won’t – and shouldn’t – lure in too many movie and gaming fans just yet.

Sony HMZ-T3W – Features and Design

While it looks futuristic – in an 80s-90s way – the way the Sony HMZ-T3W works doesn’t really need all that much explanation. It’s a headset that puts a tiny little 720p screen in front of each of your eyes, with a middle-man lens hiding that the displays are quite so small, quite so near to your eyes.

We’ve tried out a bunch of these kinds of headsets in the past. And most have been rubbish.

However, the Sony HMZ-T3W is the most successful attempt we’ve reviewed to date, not least because this is Sony’s fourth attempt at the idea. Until things like Project Morpheus and Oculus Rift are actually available for the average person to buy, this is where it is at, video headset-wise.

A few issues common to this category remain, though. The most obvious: the look.

With a smoky chrome front panel, there is a hint of typical Sony ‘cool’ to the HMZ-T3W, but Sony’s marketing images of hip young business types wearing one of these on a plane seems hopelessly optimistic. At least among British people.

The HMZ-T3W is big, quite bulky and will earn you as much attention as singing The Sound of Music tunes at full volume while walking down a packed high street. For the lounge- or bedroom-bound cinema/gaming thrillseeker, though, it’s the Sony HMZ-T3W’s fit that is the issue.

While the plastic headset is reasonably light and there are pads to clamp your head at three different points, for even weight distribution, getting a good fit can be a long and uncomfortable process. This alone stops it from being something you can use casually unless you’re the only person who is going to use it – any alteration of the rear straps means you are back to square one.

You need to be quite precise about the positioning of your eyes too, as any off-axis positioning makes the image look blurred.

Unlike some headsets, the HMZ-T3W isn’t designed to put any pressure on your nose whatsoever. While the bridge of your nose is an obvious place to put glasses, your nose cartilage is just too sensitive for anything a bit bulkier and heavier like this.

Instead, there are pads that rest on the back and top of your head, and on your forehead. Despite Sony’s best efforts, the headset still feels a bit front-heavy, meaning you have to be careful about how you sit if you want to avoid neckache.

The vision of this gadget as a one-stop video consumption platform is also derailed a bit by the realities of how you have to connect the thing. A wire comes out of the left hand-side of the HMZ-T3W connecting to a breakout box that houses the unit’s battery and the HDMI socket, which lets you connect to just about any modern “under the TV” bit of home entertainment kit.

Sony also supplies an HDMI bridge/switcher to act as another node between the headset and your setup, because most of us don’t use 10m HDMI cables. Here’s where the ‘w’ bit of the HMZ-T3W name comes in too.

The connection between the breakout box and HDMI switch can be either wired or wireless, using WirelessHD, a low-latency wireless transfer standard.

It’s super-neat, but takes the battery life down from seven hours to a much less handy three hours. And if there’s anything covering the battery box, the reception goes right down the toilet.

Still, if you have a games console or Blu-ray player this means you can use the headset in bed – something to which the design is surprisingly well-suited. On the other hand, if you are keen on taking the HMZ-T3 on a long flight, seven hours is pretty good stamina – which is what you get when using the headset wired. And the microUSB port on the battery box is MHL-compliant, making it all the easier to hook up to an MHL-compatible phone. Many Android phones use MHL these days.

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Best Tech of the Month May 2014

Looking for the best tech to buy? Here's our top 5 rated gadgets from the past month including a 65-inch 4K TV great, a stellar-sounding pair of on-ear headphones and the cheapest 4G smartphone around.

It’s almost the end of the month, there's a long weekend on the horizon so there's an extra day to decide whether to invest in some brand new tech.

Looking back at our month in reviews, there's been plenty of cutting-edge kit that has made its way into TrustedReviews HQ in May including the metallic offspring of the HTC One M8, the One Mini 2, the £80 Moto E, and NEX-6 replacement the Sony Alpha A6000.

We clocked in some game time with Mario Kart 8 and got some hands-on time with social racer Driveclub, LG's new WebOS TV interface and a Miele robotic vacuum cleaner.

Some of the tech has impressed, others have simply been a major disappointment. We've picked out the gadgets we loved the most and would love to own.

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LG: 'We are experimenting with metal and ceramic phones'

The LG G3 might have missed out on a premium metal finish, but LG has confirmed it is already looking at the high-end material for its future smartphone offerings.

Speaking with TrustedReviews following the long awaited unveiling of the G3 this week, the Korean manufacturer has revealed that metal phones are already circling its design labs as it plans a continued assault on the industry’s big players.

“As a large corporation, we are doing everything,” Chul Bae Lee, Vice President of LG’s Mobile Communications Design Lab told us.

“In terms of smartphones we are also preparing and experimenting with metal phones and doing some ceramic phones and we will see if they fit into our strategy.”

Despite confirming that it is looking at manufacturing metal phones in the future, Lee offered no details on when we can expect to see such device’s hit retailer’s shelves.

Although the LG G3 had been widely expected to land with a brushed metal finish, the phone was announced earlier this week with a plastic build coated in a metallic effect finish.

Discussing the reasoning for avoiding a metal build for its latest flagship phone, Lee told us the company had no choice if it wanted to reach other hardware and design checkpoints.

“To maintain the compactness of this phone, there is no other choice than this material,” he said.

“If I had applied metal to the G3 is would be much bulkier in the bezels and in all four directions. It would be very big and very heavy.”

He added: “I decided to simulate the metallic material. We ordered a special, very thin metallic film that is laid inside a mould and injected.”

Read More: LG G3 vs LG G2

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Motorola Moto X+1 to pack 5.2-inch 1080p display?

The Motorola Moto X+1 could offer a 5.2-inch full 1080p HD display when it launches later this year.

That’s according to a new leaked, but rather odd looking, photograph of the Motorola Moto X successor posted on Google Plus.

It’s clear that this golden handset looks nothing like its predecessor, especially due to the fact the Moto X didn’t come in gold.

However, there are other design tweaks of note in that the speaker, front facing camera and sensors have moved down a little from the very top of the phone as they were in the Moto X.

The microphone port has also been centralised at the bottom of the device, rather than slightly left of centre as with its predecessor.

It also looks like the Moto X 1 has lost the slightly raised bumpers around the end of the device, opting for a smoother finish on the front.

Motorola has already confirmed the existence of its Moto X successor in an accidentally published placeholder for the Moto Maker website.

It then managed to give away the handset’s price in a posted image of the Moto X+1, not only revealing what the device would look like but that it would cost $400 (£240) from American network provider AT&T.

The original Moto X launched in August last year so it’s nearly ready for a flagship upgrade.

Of course, Motorola hasn’t kept quiet since launching its customisable smartphone, launching the ultra-successful budget Motorola Moto G and more recently the Motorola Moto E as well.

There’s no word as to when Motorola will official unveil the Motorola Moto X+1 but we’ll keep you posted as and when there is more news.

Read more: Best mobile phone 2014

Via: DroidLife

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HTC One M8 Prime development “suspended indefinitely”

The rumoured HTC One M8 Prime

Development on the top end HTC One M8 Prime has been “suspended indefinitely”.

You may not ever see the QHD screen touting version of the HTC One M8 ever hits store, if the latest information is correct.

According to notorious tech tipster @evleaks, HTC has pulled the One M8 Prime with development “suspended indefinitely”.

“If you were salty at having purchased an HTC One (M8) when news of the M8 Prime hit, prepare to feel vindicated: development on Prime has been suspended indefinitely”, came the @evleaks tweet.

Rumours of the M8 Prime started earlier this month from the same source and suggested the device would come with a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440p) display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM.

The Prime was even tipped to come with a waterproof body made from a rather exotic metal-silicone hybrid, still offering the One M8’s dual-sensor UltraPixel camera.

It looks like HTC has pulled the plug on the project though, but that could be in favour of the HTC One M8 Plus that broke cover yesterday.

According to the leak from “sources familiar with HTC’s plans”, the One M8 Plus will come with a QHD 2560 x 1440p display just like the newly launched LG G3.

It will also have the Prime’s rumoured Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM, but come packaged in the same metal body as the original One M8.

Of course, seeing as HTC hasn’t officially confirmed or denied the One M8 Plus or One M8 Prime, all of these details are merely based on rumours.

The plastic bodied HTC One M8 Ace has been confirmed though and will launch on June 3.



Read more: HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5

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iPhone 6 chassis potentially leaked

An image of the iPhone 6 chassis has potentially been leaked online ahead of the phone’s launch later this year.

The metal body certainly lines up with previously leaked schematics for the iPhone 6, but there are a few things that make us question its authenticity.

This is apparently the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 set to launch in September, with another 5.5-inch model expected to arrive a little later.

According to Australian blog, MacFixIt who obtained the image, this iPhone 6 chassis is from sources inside the supply chain and is covered by a plastic covering for protection. You can see a little bit of silver by the camera cut-outs though, which suggests this could be the Silver edition of the iPhone 6.

This shell features two distinct antenna breaks at the top and bottom and has the curved edges previously tipped by leaked dummies and the aforementioned schematics. These rounded edges are much more reminiscent of the iPod Touch.

What is rather odd is that this iPhone 6 chassis has a circular flash cut out, something that is found in the previous generation iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C.

The latest iPhone 5S model has a pill-shaped flash to accommodate the dual-LED True Tone flash, which allows the phone to produce more realistic profile shots.

It seems a bit strange that Apple could possibly revert back to a single LED flash as suggested by this case. There is always the possibility that Apple could upgrade to a xenon flash, but these usually require a much larger hole than that presented here.

There’s no way to authenticate this chassis at the moment, but it is slightly reassuring it matches up with previous rumours.

We’ll just have to wait until later in the year to see what Apple really has in store for us.

Until then though, iOS 8 might be just around the corner at WWDC 2014.

Read more: LG G3 review

Via: AppleInsider

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WWDC 2014 - What to expect

What are the WWDC dates?

Apple has confirmed its next Worldwide Developer Conference will take place from June 2 to June 6.

This annual event is typically where Apple engineers, content creators, and press gather to swap technical notes. More importantly (or at least more interestingly), it’s where we find out what new software and special projects Apple is working on.

We occasionally even get sneak peeks at new hardware.

So what does Apple have planned for WWDC 2014? As ever, it’s all guess work at this point - but we can at least have an educated stab at what to expect, as well as what not to expect.

iOS 8

WWDC always means a new version of iOS, so we’d put good money on the 2014 event hosting the first public outing for iOS 8. Not that we’d get much of a return on that bet.

So what do we know about iOS 8? Not much, actually. Certainly a lot less than iOS 7 last year, which spilled its guts all over the web in the months leading up to WWDC 2013.

That should be a hint that iOS 8 won’t be the radical step forward that iOS 7 was. Rather, it promises to be a solid iterative update on the design and themes laid out by its predecessor.

The biggest rumour so far (courtesy of a leaked app icon) seems to surround a new default Healthbook app, which would appear to be Apple's attempt at a new health and fitness tracker. And if you’re thinking that might be laying the groundwork for a certain rumoured wearable Apple device later in the year (more on which later), well, we’d be inclined to agree.

Alongside this new Healthbook app, the leak appeared to show iOS versions of the TextEdit and Preview OS X apps. This suggests that Apple is looking at firming up the file-handling capabilities of its mobile OS to better replicate that of its desktop OS.

Elsewhere, we can probably expect to see iOS 8 expanding on the Touch ID system introduced with the iPhone 5S. In particular, we wouldn't be surprised to see Apple finally introduce a new mobile payment system using your fingerprints for authentication.

Another rumour that seems to be doing the rounds is that Apple will spin iTunes Radio off into its own standalone app, forming a distinct service to rival the likes of Spotify.

OS X 10.10

One other thing you can bank on at a new WWDC is a new version of OS X, Apple’s ever-evolving desktop operating system. This year could see the unveiling of OS X 10.10, a name that has cropped up in web analytics.

If that doesn’t sound like a particularly snappy new version name, that in itself should tell you that this is unlikely to be a particularly momentous overhaul. It won’t be OS X 11 (or OS 11), in other words.

Still, that’s not to say that Apple won’t be ringing the changes for Mac users. Some reports have suggested that Apple will bring iOS 7’s bold, flat visual style to the new version of OS X. We doubt that the update will be that dramatic, but a further shift away from Apple’s old skeuomorphic tendencies seems likely after Apple started the ball rolling with Mavericks.

As for precise information on new OS X 10.10 features, well, there isn't any. It’s all speculation at this point, with suggestions such as Siri implementation and an improved Notification Center sounding like good bets without being based on anything concrete.

New Apple TV

Apple once asserted that Apple TV was a mere hobby, but you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s now a priority for the Cupertino company. With the recent launch of the Amazon Fire TV, it’s pretty much imperative that Apple reveals its own living room entertainment plans soon.

Rumour has it that the new Apple TV - which would represent the first major hardware update for two years - will be able to stream content from established media institutions, and may even be fitted with a TV tuner. It could, effectively, have the capabilities of a standard set-top-box, but with Apple’s UI magic sprinkled on top.

Other reports suggest that Apple will enable its new box to act as a games console, just as the Fire TV does.

The question is, will Apple use WWDC to unveil the new Apple TV? It would make sense for one simple reason: developers. Such an ambitious new Apple TV would have to have its own App Store, so the sooner Apple can get developers making content for its new platform the better.

And what better opportunity to launch a new SDK than when you have thousands of talented content creators under one roof, hanging off your every word?

We wouldn't say we're expecting to see the Apple TV at WWDC 2014, but it would certainly make sense for Apple to do so on a number of levels.

New MacBooks

Apple has been known to use its WWDC events to announce new MacBook hardware. In 2012, the company used the event to launch the first MacBook Pro with Retina display.

That’s why we’re always a little hopeful that Apple will release an exciting new laptop at WWDC. But what might a new MacBook look like in 2014?

There’s one outstanding gap in the MacBook line-up, and that’s for a MacBook Air with Retina display. We’ve been waiting for one for years.

Reports and rumours seem to confirm that Apple has such a device in the works. Interestingly, it’s claimed that the new Retina MacBook Air will be neither an 11-inch nor a 13-inch notebook, but rather a 12-inch in-betweener.

As for the full-sized MacBook Pro range, we’re not expecting to see any major updates, as the most recent Retina model was only released in October. But that doesn’t mean that Apple won’t announce a bit of a reshuffle. After all, there's still one remaining non-Retina model that’s propping up the range, which looks a little untidy in this day and age.

What not to expect

You might have noticed a few major omissions from our list of what to expect from WWDC 2014. So let’s deal with those.

First, the obvious one. Don’t expect to see an iPhone 6 announced at WWDC. While the iPhone 4 was announced at just such a June event, the three subsequent Apple smartphone models have had their own special event closer to the end of the year.

Nor should you expect to see a new iPad launched. Again, Apple tends to launch its new tablets towards the end of the year to capitalise on the holiday spending period.

Of course, there are those rumours of a super-sized 12.9-inch 'iPad Pro,' but again, we can’t see that being shoe-horned into a packed June event.

Finally, the big new platform everyone’s waiting for - the iWatch. All credible reports point to a launch some time towards the end of the year for Apple’s smartwatch, so June’s WWDC event may come a little too soon - particularly as iOS 8 (which will likely be optimised for the iWatch) won't have its feature set finalised until nearer its launch later in the year.

Next, read our iOS 7 tips and tricks article

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Samsung Galaxy K Zoom available from May 31 in UK

The Samsung Galaxy K Zoom will launch in the UK tomorrow, May 31, at selected retailers.

If you fancy getting your hands on the camera-centric Samsung Galaxy S5 variant, you’ll be able to do so from Samsung Experience Stores and Carphone Warehouse tomorrow.

“We’re excited to introduce the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom to the UK market, giving our customers the convenience and connectivity of a Galaxy smartphone with a professional grade camera for a unique, all-in-one mobile experience,” said Simon Stanford, VP of IT and Mobile at Samsung UK and Ireland. “Perfect for taking incredible photos and sharing them quickly with your friends and family, the Galaxy K Zoom will help our customers stay stylish and connected at all times, wherever they are.”

Carphone Warehouse is offering the K Zoom for free on contracts starting at £38 per month. There’s no word on SIM-free pricing as yet.

The pre-order price on the Samsung website was for £400 though.

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom Features

The Samsung Galaxy K Zoom features a 4.8-inch 1280 x 720p HD display running Android 4.4 KitKat and the latest Samsung Touchwiq UI.

In the rear is a 20.7-megapixel 1/2.3 BSI CMOS sensor with 10x optical zoom and optical image stabilisation.

This camera is capable of full 1920 x 1080p HD video recording at 60fps and comes with a Xenon flash.

It is powered by a hexa-core Samsung Exynos processor (comprised of a 1.3GHz quad-core and 1.7GHz dual-core) with 2GB of RAM and a 2,430mAh battery.

You only get 8GB of internal storage, but this is helped by microSD support up to 64GB.

Connectivity wise, there’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC and 3G/4G cellular.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Sony Xperia Z2

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HTC One M8 Ace official, launch on June 3

The rumoured HTC One M8 Ace has finally made an official appearance on the Chinese HTC website, with a launch date of June 3.

Although the Chinese HTC website calls it the HTC One Vogue Edition, it is expected to launch in the UK next week as the One M8 Ace.

At first glance, this plastic bodied HTC One M8 looks a lot like last year’s HTC One M7 but just in a more affordable body. It looks like it is going to come in a range of colours too, with blue, red, black and white shown.

Despite that new plastic body though, the One M8 Ace still packs high-end specs including the same 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor.

It has a 13-megapixel rear camera like the HTC One Mini 2, rather than the dual-sensor UltraPixel of the One M8. This is paired with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling.

The BoomSound stereo speakers are of course there, but there’s no mention of a screen size as yet.

Earlier rumours tip the display to be the same 5-inch 1080p HD panel found in the One M8.

It doesn’t look like the M8 Ace will come with an IR blaster though, if you were particularly hoping for one.

Official pricing for the One M8 Ace has yet to be revealed, but it is expected to be a mid-range affair, thanks to that plastic body.

However, we’ll hopefully find out at the official launch next week on Tuesday June 3.



Read more: HTC One M8 vs HTC One Mini 2

Via:GSMArena

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Clearest Samsung Galaxy S5 Active images yet leak

The rugged Samsung Galaxy S5 Active has leaked once again, this time in the form of some extremely revealing images.

We’ve seen the not-so-secret Samsung Galaxy S5 Active benchmarked, its unique Active Key fondled, and its super-tough chassis glimpsed. But we’ve never had a simple, clean shot of the device’s proportions.

Until now, that is.

Thanks to reliable Twitter tipster @evleaks, we now know exactly what we’ll be dealing with when the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active abseils into shops.

As you can see, these images are for the US model of the S5 Active, with its prominent AT&T branding giving the game away.

We also get a good look at the S5 Active’s metal back plate and solid outer rim. Around front, meanwhile, we get the best look yet at the device’s three hardware keys, which should make using the device in wet conditions that little bit easier.

What the images don’t appear to show is a finger print scanner, suggesting that Samsung will omit the feature from its tough new handset. Probably a good idea, given that its users will probably be wearing gloves for much of the time.

Having said that, these pictures do appear to confirm that Samsung is packing the Galaxy S5’s heart rate sensor into the Galaxy S5 Active. It’s right there, just below the camera.

Elsewhere, the images show the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active’s removable battery and microSD slot. Check the full front and back images below, and go to the above source link to view the rest of the shots.

Previous leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active will be very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5 on the inside, with a 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera, and Android 4.4.2.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung officially launched the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active at its New York event in June.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S5 vs HTC One M8

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Microsoft smartwatch details emerge

Microsoft smartwatch patent

Following numerous rumours and patent applications, some solid details concerning Microsoft’s smartwatch plans appear to have leaked out.

Back in April of last year it was reported that Microsoft was working on designs for a new smartwatch device. More recently, a design patent emerged (pictured) suggesting that Microsoft had landed on a final format.

According to a new Forbes report, Microsoft could be looking to launch its first smartwatch as soon as this summer.

Contrary to that patent sketch, the Microsoft smartwatch is said to look similar to the Samsung Gear Fit, and will feature a colour touchscreen "about the size of half a stick of gum." This suggests that it will sport an elongated display rather than the square screens we've mostly seen up to now.

Another interesting point is that the Microsoft smartwatch display is designed to sit on the inside of your wrist. We all know people who wear their regular watches this way, but apparently this is a deliberate design decision aimed at allowing you to privately and discretely check your notifications.

The report claims that the device will sync with all of the main smartphone platforms, including iPhone and Android. It won’t be a Windows Phone exclusive, which we’d suggest is a very good idea given Microsoft’s distinct lack of market share in the smartphone field.

Also interesting are claims that Microsoft has involved its Kinect team to pack its smartphone with advanced sensor technology. It’s claimed that the Microsoft smartwatch will be able to continuously monitor your heart rate throughout the day, not just when you enter the appropriate app.

Despite this, it’s said that the Microsoft smartwatch battery will last a good two days, which is again equivalent to the Samsung Gear Fit.

It seems Microsoft is determined not to give its rivals the same head start in the smartwatch field as it did with smartphones.

Read More: LG G Watch release date

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Samsung UE46H7000 TV Review

What is the Samsung UE46H7000?

This is a £1,200 46-inch model from Samsung’s second highest full HD TV series for 2014. It boasts one of Samsung’s new ‘Aero’ designs (though there’s none of the screen curvature found on Samsung’s HU8500 and H8000 series), Samsung’s new smart TV system driven by a Quad Core processor, and 3D playback. Its dimming technology and motion processing aren’t as powerful as that of the impressive H8000 Full HD flagship series, though.

Samsung UE46H7000: Design and Features

The UE46H7000 is a seriously attractive television. The black bezel around its screen is almost unfeasibly slim even by today’s generally skinny standards - just 3-4mm - and its neckless stand is an attractive metal frame design that lifts the TV an inch or two off your desktop. The silver side trim on the bezel gives it ‘360-degree’ design appeal too.

The fact that the TV attaches to the stand via two points at its extreme edges means the screen can’t rotate, but we don’t know of many households where this is a significant problem.

Connections are prodigious. Four HDMIs will provide most people’s main ports of call, two of which are side mounted and two of which stick straight out of the TV’s rear alongside an Ethernet port.

There are also three USB ports for both playback of multimedia sources and recording from the built-in Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners, and built-in Wi-Fi for streaming stuff via DLNA from networked computers or going online with Samsung’s latest Smart TV system.

SEE ALSO: Best TVs Round-Up 2014

We’ve covered this system in depth in a separate article, so we don’t need to spend time going over it again here. But in summation it’s the most content-rich smart platform in the TV world and also boasts an attractive interface, an unparalleled variety of control options and an exceptionally sophisticated learning/recommendations system.

However, its interface feels a bit cumbersome these days, and learning your way around all it has to offer remains a challenge.

With the World Cup almost upon us, Samsung has equipped the UE46H7000 with a dedicated Football Mode feature. Select this and the picture settings switch to deliver an image Samsung deems best suited to viewing football matches. Plus, if you’ve got an HDD hooked up to one of the USB ports, the set uses analysis of crowd noise to automatically store a match’s highlights.

Please note that this feature only works with the set’s tuners, not any HDMI-connected sources.

The UE46H7000’s picture specification is important in defining its position in Samsung’s current range. Its a full HD rather than UHD/4K model for starters, and its position one step below the flagship HD H8000 series is marked by the fact that it doesn’t feature a curved screen, uses an 800CMR (800Hz-like) motion system rather than a 1000CMR one, and uses ‘micro-dimming pro’ rather than ‘micro-dimming ultimate’.

This latter spec difference means the UE46H7000 breaks its pictures down into a smaller number of ‘zones’ for analysis than the H8000 models - a fact which past experience suggests will lead to reduced contrast and colour dynamism versus the 8000 series.

The UE46H700 is 3D-capable, using the active system (Samsung continues not to touch LG’s passive system with a three-dimensional barge pole) and including two pairs of active shutter glasses in the box.

There’s one other potentially important difference between the H7000 and H8000 ranges too: namely that the H7000 ‘only’ has a Quad Core processor while the H8000s have Quad Core Plus processors. This actually means the H7000s have quite a bit less processing power than the H8000’s which could impact the quality of on-the-fly picture processing elements as well as the speed of the set’s Smart TV systems.

Samsung UE46H7000: Set Up

The UE46H7000 is well stocked with picture adjustments, including gamma, colour management and white balance controls.

As usual with Samsung TVs, you will actually need to familiarise yourself more with the UE46H7000’s picture adjustments than you might like, for the simple reason that Samsung’s picture presets continue to push contrast and backlighting too hard, resulting in picture noise, reduced contrast performance and, with some models, backlight clouding issues.

In the UE46H7000’s case, our key recommendations are that you set the backlight to between 12 and 14 and the contrast to 80-83 for TV viewing in a bright room, but reduce backlight to as low as 7-8 for watching films in a dark room.

Care also needs to be taken with the set’s various processing options (as is the case to some extent, actually, with every TV we test). In particular we’d suggest you only set the dynamic backlight/contrast system to its lowest strength to avoid image instability; that you only use the Motion Plus processing system on either its Custom setting with blur and judder elements set to three or not at all to avoid flickering and ‘haloing’ artefacts; and that you don’t use noise reduction with HD sources.

It's worth adding here that images don't seem to suffer too badly through the UE46H7000 only having a Quad Core processor rather than a Quad Core Plus one.

Further recommendations are that you actually don’t use the Football Mode for football as it doesn’t seem very happy handling motion, and that you activate the set’s Cinema Black feature during ultra-wide films which have black bars above and below them, as this significantly reduces the chance of you being distracted by any light bleed or clouding.

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PlayStation Plus to offer six free games a month from June

Sony has announced that PlayStation Plus will offer six free games a month from June via its Instant Game Collection.

Starting next month, the paid membership service will offer two games for each of its PS4, PS3 and PS Vita consoles.

“Next month, PlayStation Plus will reach its 4th Anniversary. It’s evolved a great deal since its inception, providing our PS Plus members with exclusive discounts, beta access and even select games early, as well as, of course, great games to play through our Instant Game Collection,” explained Chris Howe, Sony’s PS Store and Plus Content Manager on the PlayStation EU Blog.

“Since we are always looking to continue the evolution of PS Plus as a service that really serves our community, we are excited to provide a more balanced set of games each month within the Instant Game Collection.”

On June 4, the PS4 PlayStation Plus games are Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate and Trine 2: The Complete Story. The latter even offers co-operative multiplayer for up to three players.

For the PS3, you’ll get NBA 2K14 and Lone Survivor.

It’s important to remember that Lone Survivor and Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate are Cross Buy title, meaning you also simultaneously get them for the PS Vita too.

June’s PS Plus titles for the Vita are Surge Deluxe and Dragon’s Crown.

Sony also revealed that from July, the amount of time each title is available to download for free has been extended.

“Since we’ve seen how excited many of you are to download Instant Game collection titles as soon as they’re available, we’ve decided to adjust the length of time each title will be available.”

“Starting in July, every title in the Instant Game Collection will be available the first Wednesday of each month, and will be free for that month, until the first Wednesday of the following month.”

Read more: Best PS4 Games

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iPhone 6 release date, news, rumours, specs and price

The iPhone 6 release date might not be due until later this year but a raft of iPhone 6 leaks have all surfaced in recent weeks pointing to the phone featuring a super skinny design.

Although the iPhone 5S remains one of the most popular handsets on the market, going head-to-head with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8, attention has already firmly turned to the upcoming iPhone 6 release date and the possibility of an all new Apple smartphone direction.

While numerous reports have suggested the iPhone 6 will feature a refreshed, larger form factor and screen to better rival its main Android rivals, latest leaks have suggested that the phone could benefit from a super slim profile similar to the iPod touch.

What's more, having shaken things up last year with the colourful, plastic bodied iPhone 5C, recent iPhone 6 rumours have claimed the next Apple handset could share the limelight with the company's first phablet offering, a handset which would look to rival the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

Helping ensure you are kept up to date on all the latest iPhone 6 news and rumours, including details on the eagerly awaited iPhone 6 release date, we will continue to update this page leading up to the iPhone 6 launch, so bookmark it now.

iPhone 6 Release Date

Although an exact iPhone 6 release date is currently unknown, it has been suggested by reported Chinese insiders that the phone will be unveiled as part of Apple's annual WWDC conference in June. While early iPhone's were unveiled around this time of year, based on Apple’s past habits, we can take a pretty good stab in the dark and say that these claims are rubbish.

What is far more likely is that the iPhone 6 release date will be held in either late September or the opening days of October - a launch which will follow an unveiling less than two weeks earlier.

With the iPhone 4S having marked the company’s first move to a late summer unveiling, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S have all made their first appearances around the same time of year.

Adding further backing to an autumn release, KGI Research analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the iPhone 6 will touch down with a new 4.7-inch screen during the very latter period of Q3 - so late September. It has been suggested that the iPhone 6 will land as a busy second half of the year for the Cupertino-based giant, a period which will also see new iPads, MacBooks and the much mooted Apple iWatch land.

Separate reports out of Japan and Taiwan have both suggested that the iPhone 6 will enter full production in July in order to meet launch demands. One thing you can bet on is that the iPhone 6 will not be hit by the same level of stock shortages as the iPhone 5S, a device which faced 6-8 week shipping delays on day one.

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iPhone 6 News

With iPhone 6 rumours having long focussed on the size of the handset's screen, attention has now turned to the phone's thickness with latest iPhone 6 leaks all pointing to a super slim device skinnier than even the 6.18mm thick Huawei Ascend P6.

While we in the TrustedReviews offices aren't sold on the idea of excessively skinny handsets, alleged iPhone 6 renders reportedly sent to case manufacturers have claimed the iPhone 6 will be just 6mm thick, 1.6mm slimmer than the 5S.

Bringing this remodelled form factor to life, an iPhone 6 mock-up has been created based on the leaked renders, offering a video-based insight into exactly how the next-gen Apple handset might look.

According to separate reports the S5 rival will be not only super slim but the proud host of a curved display and body.

As unlikely as we find it, reports out of Japan have cited "reliable information" in claiming that a curved display with rounded edges is on the cards.

We do, however, believe the claims of a super slim could come to fruition as the skinny iPhone leaks continue to flow. Joining the renders and schematics, a claimed iPhone 6 case has leaked online, again suggesting the next-gen handset will be considerably thinner than its predecessor. The teased peripheral itself is slimmer than an iPhone 5S meaning the 6 will be heavily cut down in size. What's more, it has shown off the much mooted increase in screen size.

Another of the most common iPhone 6 rumours to do the rounds in recent weeks is that the handset will feature a larger screen than past Apple handsets. With the likes of the LG G2 having already pushed flagship Android phone displays to 5.2-inches, Apple is likely to make another jump in size, having moved from 3.5-inches to 4-inches with the iPhone 5. At present, it is believed the iPhone 6 will host a 4.7-inch display - similar to the original HTC One - with an Apple phablet to follow with a 5.5-inch panel.

“The electronics giant has begun evaluating a plan to offer iPhones with screens ranging from 4.7 inches to as high as 6 inches,” mooted “people familiar with the matter” have been quoted as stating in recent reports.

With dozens of leaks all pointing towards the iPhone 6 featuring a larger screen, notorious Apple tipster Brian White has added that an iPhone 6 screen size “could approach 5-inches.”

Topeka Capital analyst White added: “The next iPhone will offer customers more choice in terms of screen size. The Company has never offered multiple screen sizes for a single model, we believe this is about to change with the next iPhone offering different screen sizes that we believe will allow Apple to better bifurcate the market and expand its reach.”

Seeing a larger iPhone 6 screen all but confirmed, even component suppliers have been getting in on the premature unveiling act, teasing an increase in smartphone size. Speaking with Asian media, an unnamed Foxconn executive reportedly revealed that “Apple has been particularly interested in recent tests for a 4.8-inch screen.”

With latest reports suggesting the iPhone 6 will line up with a 4.7-inch display, it is believed that the handset will still be smaller than many of its leading Android-based competitors, instead lining up similar in size to the Motorola Moto X.

Although it has been suggested that the iPhone 6 will gain its larger display as part of a total redesign, leaked images of the phone's front panel have hinted that Apple will retain a similar aesthetic for its next flagship phone.

Surfacing courtesy of iPhone.fr, the teased image (above) has hinted that Apple will retain iPhone look, simply expanding the screen area on the phone's body.

iPhone 6 Rumours

Size isn't the only change expected for the iPhone 6's screen. Building on the manufacturer's past Retina offerings, it has been suggested that the 6 will make use of new, Quantum Dot display technologies.

Before you start scratching your head in confusion, Quantum Dot screens improve colour reproduction in the Retina display by emitting the light through a thin film of quantum dots. The technology also allows a wider gamut of colours to be shown more accurately.

Despite grabbing headlines, the technology isn't new. Quantum Dot displays have already featured on the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablet line.

Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the company's plans to introduce improved displays to its mobile products, a remit sure to include the iPhone 6.

“We want to give our customers what’s right in all respects – not just the size but in the resolution, in the clarity, in the contrast, in the reliability”, Cook said during an interview earlier this year. “There are many different parameters to measure a display and we care about all [of] those, because we know that’s the window to the software.”

As part of the handset's refresh, a number of small design changes are expected, with those claiming insider knowledge suggesting Apple could relocate the phone's power button for the first time since the original iPhone was introduced.

“Our understanding is that [the] iPhone 6’s power button might be moved from the top to the side,” analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated. “We think this change is meant to facilitate one-hand operation and might indicate new application that require more frequent use of the power button.”

Despite the iPhone 6 being set to be one of Apple's biggest launches of 2014, the next-gen smartphone might have to share the stage. With Apple having repeated teased and hinted a wearable gadget potentially being in the works at its Cupertino HQ, it has been suggested that the iPhone 6 release date could be held in conjunction with an Apple iWatch launch.

Tipped to boast a 1.3-inch touchscreen, the Apple iWatch will reportedly feature a curved screen manufactured by LG and launch as a companion to the iPhone 6.

Although iWatch reports have circled for some time, the iPhone 6 rumour which continues to generate the most talking points is the potential move to a larger display. With insiders and component suppliers chattering about a bigger display, analysts have got in on the act too, with Topeka Capital analyst Brian White also pointing at a 4.8-inch form factor.

One iPhone 6 rumour which seems to be stretching the realms of possibility, is collection of iPhone 6 concept images which have shown the phone with a curved, wraparound display. While these images have grabbed the attentions of many, even the concept’s designer has questioned its likelihood.

“Such a design may appear on the iPhone 6 or 7, or maybe never,” designer Nikolay Lamm said. “It’s a cool design, but one which is unlikely to give Apple a sustainable competitive advantage.”

Further iPhone 6 rumours have seen a proposed move to a Sapphire glass display reportedly set to the manufacturer back a staggering £350 million. While the move would help improve screen clarity and toughness, if the Samsung Galaxy S5 is on the receiving of its 2K display improvement, this upgrade might not be enough for Apple to compete with its Korean rival.

iPhone 6 Specs

The iPhone 6 specs sheet is set to have a few surprises in store following the incremental updates from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 5S.

With the Touch ID fingerprint sensor having made an appearance aboard the iPhone 5S, it is expected that the biometric security measure will become something of a standard on flagship models, and make another stop within the iPhone 6’s home button. On this front, with the Samsung Galaxy S5's own fingerprint sensor being made compatible with Paypal payments, you can guarantee Apple will be working on further partnerships and tie ins of its own.

Further iPhone 6 specs will likely see the increased screen and completely overhauled design partnered with an even speedier 64-bit processor and revised camera. Although the recently confirmed Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, Snapdragon 808 and Snapdragon 810 chipsets are to power the next wave of Android powerhouses, Apple is likely to continue to shun the leading mobile CPU provider in favour of its own chip sets.

Although the iPhone 6 camera looks set to retain the same 8-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, recent reports have suggested that integrated snapper will be improved by a move to improved glass optics to boost image quality and clarity.

Further and more precise iPhone 6 specs are still unclear.

What is clear, however, is that the iPhone 6 will become one of - if not the - first device to run iOS 8 direct from the box. An evolution more than a revolution of its mobile operating system, iOS 8 is set to have a strong, fitness based focus. Leading this new direction will be the heavily leaks Healthbook application, an aggregator of a variety of dedicated fitness and wellbeing applications and services that can be tied in to a selection of third party peripherals.

Further features set to be introduced to the iPhone 6 through iOS 8 include enhanced CarPlay features, vast Siri improvements and major Apple Maps updates.

As has become customary, the iPhone 6 is expected to be made available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage forms, although a new 128GB handset is also believed to be on the cards.

iPhone 6 Price

Although Apple isn’t short of a few bob, the iPhone 6 price, like that of its predecessor is sure to hit you where it hurts, the wallet.

The iPhone 5S price was increased over its predecessor, and with the iPhone 6 expected to get a bump in screen size and an all new design, you can expect and even lofty rise in costs next time around. We will bring you further details on the iPhone 6 price as and when we get them.

Read More: iPad mini 2 rumours

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Quantum Break release date confirmed for 2015

Remedy Entertainment has confirmed the Quantum Break release date will occur sometime in 2015.

The game was first revealed back at the Xbox One launch in May 2013 and is quite unusual. It blends an action game with an episodic TV thriller.

“The game is about heroes and the show is about villains,” said Sam Lake, Remedy’s Creative Director. “In the game you play Jack Joyce, in a desperate fight to stop the fracture that threatens to cause the end of time. In the show, in the style of an edgy modern TV series, you follow the schemes and power plays inside Monarch, the corporation that is Jack’s main enemy.”

“We are working hard to bring you an entertainment experience that is like no other.”

The game portion is a third-person, story-driven cover shooter that features time-manipulation mechanics.

Up to date, we’ve not seen much of these mechanics in action, but apparently this is about to change.

“I’m very excited to tell you that we will be presenting Quantum Break’s time amplified action gameplay for the first time ever in August at Gamescom.”

The trailer below gives us a sneak peek at the time manipulation gameplay, but it looks like we’ll have to wait until August to get a proper look at the mechanics and how it works in game.

Microsoft earlier stated that your actions in the game portion will directly affect the TV sections, attempting to provide a personalised version for each gamer.

The show will even go as far as to provide insights that influence how the game is played too.

“Together, they form an intertwining narrative where the actions you take directly impact how the story across both the game and the show unfolds”, reads the game’s official blurb.

Read more: Best Xbox One games

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