Nexus 6 release imminent as Nexus 5 nears ‘end of life’


The Nexus 6 release could be just around the corner as retailers reportedly add the existing Nexus 5 to their ‘end of life’ lists.


With the Nexus 5 having launched a little under 12 months ago, US network Sprint is reported to have placed the Google-branded smartphone on its list of handsets to be discontinued. This suggests a replacement – the heavily rumoured Google Nexus 6 – could be just weeks from launch.


Citing an unnamed ‘source inside Sprint’, the folks over at AndroidPolice have claimed the retailer will stop promoting the handset through its retail channels.


Although it is believed the network is still sitting on a small amount of Nexus 5 stock, once sold out the handset stores will not be replenished.


At present, the Nexus 5 is still available through Google’s own online channels. There are however a few configurations – 16GB white and 32GB black – which are listed as ‘out of stock’.


While Google has yet to formally acknowledge the existence of such a device, it is widely believe the Nexus 6 smartphone will be formally unveiled next month.


Despite LG having been the manufacturing partner for both the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5, it is expected that the Nexus 6 will see Motorola handed responsibility for piecing the device together.


According to recently leaks, the Nexus 6 will be something of an oversized Moto X. The phone has been leaked with a 6-inch screen in tow.


Expected to land as the launch device for the new Android L operating system, it has been suggested the Nexus 6 could be unveiled on October 16 alongside the heavily rumoured, HTC made, Nexus 9 tablet.



Read More:
Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Motorola: Moto G shook the industry


The Moto G ‘shook the industry’ with its combination of impressive specs and affordable price tag, manufacturer has claimed.


With the Moto G having helped rekindle Motorola’s ailing smartphone efforts – taking the company from a 0 per cent to 6 per cent share of the UK smartphone space within just one quarter last year – Motorola now thinks its rivals have been forced to follow suit.


However, despite suggesting the Moto G shook the industry, Motorola has claimed appeasing consumer needs, not shocking its rivals, was the primary purpose of the phone.


“I think we did shake the industry [with the Moto G], but we weren’t doing that just to shake the industry,” Brian Mehta, Head of Marketing at Motorola, said speaking with TrustedReviews recently.


He added: “We did what we did with the Moto G because we saw the need consumers had.


“We are going to continue to drive that direction.”


Looking at how the Moto G has changed the market for good, Mehta suggested the phone has helped push pricing down in the specs-impressive smartphone space for good.


“I think other manufacturers are trying to follow suit, and we say bring on the competition,” he told us.


“That will give consumers more choice and that is why we are going to continue to up our game on what we can offer.”

Simon Collinson, Motorola’s General Manager of International Markets, added: “It is a highly competitive market and there is always going to be someone out there driving new features and driving price.”


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

LG has its own 3G-enabled smartwatch up its sleeve


LG is planning to launch a smartwatch with its own mobile data connection, a filing to regulators in the United States has revealed.


Following the launch of the 3G-enabled Samsung Gear S, LG is planning a similar device according to an FCC filing.


The watch, likely to be running Android Wear, is likely to allow users to operate the smartwatch independently of a smartphone, meaning they could access connected services and make voice calls.


Currently, LG’s G Watch and rounded G Watch R require users to be hooked up to a smartphone via Bluetooth in order to access connected service.


While the device is still likely to hook up to smartphones via Bluetooth, the presence of a data connection will mean that a phone won’t be necessary to receive emails, social networking notifications and more.


Do you think a standalone 3G smartwatch is necessary? Let us know your thoughts below.


Read more: Apple Watch vs Android Wear


Via: GforGames



readmore »»  

The Crew: Interview with Creative Director Julian Gerighty


Ahead of The Crew ’s launch this November, Nick Cowen talks to Creative Director, Julian Gerighty, about creating a vehicular MMO for new gen consoles


Is it true that The Crew has been in development for seven years?


It’s not quite true. I know that some of the development team love saying that, but I don’t like it when they do (laughs). I think a lot of them had left Eden Games – the developer behind Test Drive: Unlimited – seven years ago and it took them time to get the studio and the tools and the funding together.


So the development cycle itself hasn’t been seven years. I don’t want to diminish The Crew – we’re super proud of it – and seven years represents such a big chunk of someone’s life that to spend that amount of time on one game doesn’t in my mind represent an achievement. It’s more a sign that something went wrong. It was more a very intense four-to-five year development cycle.


The Crew


So where did the idea for using a car rather than a character as your avatar in an MMO come from?


Well, I joined the team three years ago. This idea really comes from Fergus [Game Director Stephane Beley] – that’s his online handle. He worked on Test Drive: Unlimited and that game did pretty much everything that we’re hoping to achieve with The Crew. He’s obsessed with MMOs and cars, so the world of Carcraft is kind of his thing.


So how do you go about creating Carcraft? It seems like an awful lot to cram in your game in five years?


You start with the tools. That sounds boring, but without a good toolset, you’re doomed from the start! The team is fundamentally fifty programmers who speak the same language as computers and fridges.


They started off by asking how we could create a huge open world that’s fun to explore and that poses the players as few barriers as possible. Once that’s done, the database and the approach to creating cars – which are pieces of the same puzzle – started and once you have those, everything starts falling into place. The handling and physics are addressed, the rendering process starts and the art assets evolve.


Then you look at depth; how do you keep hundreds and thousands of players engaged over a 20-plus hour experience. You look at customization and mission structure and then you start the balancing process.


The Crew


How much of a pain was that? Apparently you had to clear every modification on every car with its real-world manufacturer…


It’s a challenge (laughs). Everything has to be approved from the colours of each car, to the liveries – and that’s before you even start on the base spec kits and the modifications.


Weren’t you just tempted to do what Rockstar did with GTA 5 and just create your own vehicles and make up names for them?


When I saw that GTA 5 trailer where they have the pastiche of the Audi R8 and the pastiche of the brand insignia... (laughs) Wow!


But they’re very brave and they have huge teams of lawyers. I don’t think Ubisoft would ever go down that route.


Then again, there are tonnes of games that have been released without those car brands and they failed to capture the imagination of players. For the game we’re making we needed the cars to feel authentic. No matter how outlandish the cars in The Crew look, they’re based on real life vehicles.


The Crew


Isn’t there a bit of a contradiction about The Crew? Races need barriers and routes and boundaries and MMO’s are pretty much defined by the freedom they gift to players.


Well, for me, it all comes down to feedback. Creatively, racing throughout a city to hit different checkpoints gives players a sense of freedom. The best races for me are the ones that are truly open world – some take place in cornfields where we simply drop in checkpoints and players can find their own way through. We drop in Chevron signs and route ribbons in street races, but those don’t restrict the player at all – they’re there just to prevent them from getting lost!


With every race we approached The Crew in the knowledge that we were crafting an open world MMO, so we didn’t want to restrict players that much. That sense of freedom was a guiding design principle.


The definition of each object in the world – what’s breakable, what’s not – is a big challenge because we do we want to create fun allowing players to ram through things. But we need some structures to be able to withstand the players slamming in to them. Our lead environment guy found that a lot of races were being constrained by cities, so he created alternate routes and ramps allowing players to jump off the tarmac and clear barriers easily.


Final question: the two trailers you released at E3 had amazing songs backing them up. Who cuts those two trailers?


Me! I didn’t do the last trailer, so I don’t know the reception that had! The entire soundtrack of the game, by the way, is something I was intimately involved in. Music is something I’m very passionate about!



The Crew is out on November 11 for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC
.


See also: Xbox One vs PS4



readmore »»  

Far Cry 4 PS4 bundles announced with black and white consoles


Sony has confirmed two Far Cry 4 PS4 bundles are on the way, one with the traditional black console, the other with the new white option.


With the white PS4 console currently exclusively available through a special Destiny bundle, its inclusion with Far Cry 4 shows Sony’s plans to increase the availability of the lighter toned machine.


Both Far Cry 4 PS4 bundles will see a special edition copy of the game boxed alongside a new, 500GB PlayStation and a DualShock 4 controller. The only differentiating factor between the two is the console and controller colour schemes.


The Far Cry 4 PS4 bundles will launch alongside the standalone game on November 18. Official pricing for the bundle deal has yet to be confirmed.


Last week Sony announced that the white PS4 would also be included in a special DriveClub bundle coming on October 8.


Speaking exclusive with TrustedReviews recently, the manufacturer announced plans to launch the Crystal White PS4 as a standalone product before Christmas.


“We do have plans [to launch the white PS4 separately] and plans before Christmas,” Fergal Gara, Sony’s Managing Director of PlayStation UK, told us.


He added: “We’re going to give Destiny a good, solid breathing space with exclusive claims on the white PS4 and then bring it out as a standalone product.


“We haven’t quite dated that yet, but it’ll be prior to Christmas.”


Read More: Best Games 2014



readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 pre-orders open up


With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date pencilled in for October 10 in the UK, network provider EE has started accepting Note 4 pre-orders.


With the eagerly awaited phablet set to go head-to-head with Apple’s recently released iPhone 6 Plus, the Galaxy Note 4 will not be easy on your wallet.


EE has confirmed that those looking to snap up the Galaxy Note 4 on a £40.99 per month, 24 month contract will have to fork out a £110 upfront handset fee.


This costly tariff will come with just a 2GB monthly 4G data allowance alongside unlimited calls and unlimited texts.


While EE will offer the Note 4 with as small a handset fee as £29.99 (when taken on a £55.99 per month contract), those looking for a lower monthly outlay can sign up to a £14.99 monthly deal. That’s assuming they can stomach the staggering £460 handset cost.


High fees aside, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is shaping up to be a true powerhouse of the smartphone space.


Packing an LG G3 rivalling 5.7-inch QHD display, the Note 4 pairs this stunning 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution with a powerful 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM.


Sporting a pleasing, new, metal-edged design, the Note 4 – which also packs an inbuilt fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor – adds a 16-megapixel, optical image stabilised rear mounted camera.


Will you be ordering the Note 4 or do you have your eyes set on another upcoming handset? Let us know via the comments section below.



Read More:
Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

When horror games hit home


OPINION: As video games become ever more visually impressive, Nick Cowen explores whether there is something to the idea they can affect the behaviour of players… in-game at least?


I used to believe that video games couldn’t be blamed for behaviour problems exhibited in their audience. This was because the debate on the medium’s violent content wasn’t really a debate at all for a very long time. When video game violence hit the news it existed solely as a means for media pundits and outlets to pump up audience numbers by positing the notion that violent games were capable of turning children into anti-social, blood-crazed werewolves.


In light of how the medium looked a decade or so ago, these claims seemed ludicrous. The fact that most pundits had neither played the games they were lambasting, nor tapped up the expertise of the media that covered them in any meaningful sense, lent credence to the notion that they were being woefully inaccurate in their claims. Seriously, was anyone going to embark on a shooting spree because they’d played Doom? Gaze at the pixelated creatures below and recoil in horror!


Dead Space

There was a time, believe it or not, when pundits were touting Doom as a corruptor of youth


Still, as games have become ever more visually impressive over the years, it’s become harder to dismiss the idea that games have no impact on their audience beyond simple entertainment. That’s not to say the gaming medium is capable of transforming innocents into abusers. But it’s impossible to dismiss the notion that that the violent content in games can’t have some affect.


I know it can. I have first hand experience of this as recently as six years ago.


October of 2008 saw the release of a particularly nasty – and brilliant – horror video game called Dead Space. Anyone who played this EA sci fi horror title will know that at the time it was – and to a degree it still is – an effectively terrifying piece of work. It wasn’t ground breaking in terms of its plot, mechanics or even presentation. In fact, it looked like a love letter to the sci fi movie genre that spawned it; the story of a lone individual stalking a dimly-lit spaceship filled with monsters was taken from Alien, the protagonist’s name referenced two of sci fi’s best known authors and the grill on his helmet was a dead-ringer for the cockpit of the titular spaceship in Event Horizon.


God of War

Buckets of blood: As game visuals have improved, violent content in titles like God Of War has become far more realistic and visceral


It didn’t hurt that Dead Space was filled with hair-raising set-pieces, visually disturbing creatures and had a soundtrack and score disturbing enough to earn its composer, Jason Graves, two Baftas. But on top of all that, Dead Space managed to burrow its way into my head and it had a disturbing effect on my in-game behavior.


Horror is a complex beast. The darkest and most unpredictable of all genres, it can be difficult to master and in the hands of amateurs it seldom adds up to anything more than cheap shocks and gory imagery. For a horror yarn to resonate it needs to do something beyond simply scare the pants off its audience; it needs to burrow past the neural receptors and curl up somewhere around the cerebral cortex. It needs to be more than a bundle of jack-in-the-box scares or extended moments of creeping tension. It needs to contain at least one moment, which takes up residence in the memory permanently.



See also: Xbox One vs PS4
Dead Space

Effectively terrifying: Dead Space was easily one of the best new Survival Horror IPs of the last generation


Dead Space’s crowning moment occurs at the beginning of Chapter 10, when Isaac steps off the tram and finds himself in a waiting room that’s been set-up to look like a church. The chairs have been moved into neat rows and a makeshift alter has been constructed at the far end. The entire room is filled with cadavers and there are no signs of a struggle. It’s almost as if the people in the room created a space to find whatever spiritual closure they could and then killed themselves. The lack of any noise in the room, save the ever-present thrum of the ship, and the pale lighting makes the whole scene look incredibly eerie.


I moved through the room, went upstairs, did some sundry tasks, shot some monsters – by this stage in the game I was almost numb to the terrors of the Ishimura – and came back down to the waiting room. At this point I was ambushed and killed by a pack of snarling creatures. I reloaded and replayed the section; moving into the waiting room a little quicker and taking aim in the direction that the creatures had a attacked me from the last time. I saw one humanoid monster approaching and a flying horror reanimating one of the many corpses littering the room’s floor. After dispatching the pair of them, I came to a realisation I probably should have made earlier in the game: every dead body is a potential enemy.


The ripper

The Ripper: An nasty little weapon that fires a spinning blade out inches in front of it - great for dismembering corpses


Without even pausing for thought, I selected the Ripper from my inventory and then started to methodically work my way around the room, cutting off the limbs and head of every single corpse it contained. At this point, my other half walked into the room, saw what I was doing and asked me how old I was, for God’s sake. I replied that it was obvious what I was doing and that I had a good reason for this large-scale dismemberment. Her reply stopped me dead in my tracks.


“You have a good reason for chopping dead bodies up with a chainsaw?”


Dead Space

Infectors are pesky creatures who have the ability to turn any dead body into an attacking creature.


I thought about the implications of that. Then I thought about the fact, that yes, I had a good reason for doing it. And then I began to wonder what the size of Isaac Clarke’s therapy costs would be, if he were a real person and his circumstances had actually placed him into the mind-frame where cutting up human beings with a saw was a good idea. I’ve done a lot of violent things in video games. But I’ve played no other game which has caused me to think of human dismemberment as an activity I’d carry out as a matter of course, with very little thought before or after the fact.


In that one instance, Dead Space brought me to a mental space, which, when I look back on it, I find incredibly chilling. And I didn’t even notice until I took a step back from the screen. Is that the sign of a great game or is it a sign or more disturbing things to come?



Read last week's column: Why David Cage should play The Last of Us



readmore »»  

Chargeboard: the longboard that charges your phone

chargeboard

Ideal for juicing up on the go




You're miles from a socket and your phone battery is about to run out. You're stranded. But not if you have the Chargeboard, a longboard that doubles as a mobile phone charger.


It's ingenious. The two dynamos in the rear axles generate 6V of electricity each. It then converts this into a 5V current and stores it, ready for use. Plug your phone in, and it'll juice it up, saving your bacon if you're miles from home.


One hour of cruising will give you enough power to fully charge your phone. Pootle around for long enough, and the battery will store enough power to juice it up eight times. There's no limit on when you have to use it by either. It's on-hand whenever you need it.


Though strangely, the docking station isn't compatible with the Lightning cable, so the only iPhone models it'll work with are the 4S and earlier. Which seems a major oversight. There's also an external USB port, so you can charge other devices like those running Android and Windows Phone.


A 3.5mm audio jack is also on board – pardon the pun – so you can connect an MP3 player and play music.


It's so new it hasn't even appeared on Kickstarter yet, but it's expected to touch down next week.


It's a graduation project of Bjorn van den Hout from the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. He's currently looking for backers and brands to help develop it, so if you're interested, keep your eyes peeled next week.


Read more: Driverless cars to hit UK roads next year



readmore »»  

Samsung becomes the latest to mock Apple over bendgate woes


Samsung has waded in to the bendgate saga, becoming the latest to mock Apple over the bending iPhone 6 Plus .


With a number of early iPhone 6 Plus adopters reporting that their oversized smartphones are becoming bent and misshapen while carried in their pockets, many of Apple’s rivals have taken the opportunity to tease the usually untouchable market leader.


Now, Samsung has become the latest to get a jab in on the iPad maker, taking to Twitter to bash Apple while promoting its own Galaxy Alpha handset.


“Galaxy Alpha plus Skinny Jeans = No Problem,” the company wrote via its official Twitter feed.


Earlier this week both LG and BlackBerry took similar opportunities to tease Apple. While LG also used Twitter to berate its rival, BlackBerry CEO John Chen challenged people to try bend the company’s new phone, the BlackBerry Passport, while still demoing the handset on stage.


Responding to the bendgate claims yesterday, Apple suggested that, despite the mass media coverage, just nine people had been in touch to complain of bent devices.


With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus,” the company’s official statement read.


“Our iPhones are designed, engineered and manufactured to be both beautiful and sturdy,” Apple added before stating the iPhone 6 “features a precision engineered unibody enclosure constructed from machining a custom grade of 6000 series anodized aluminium, which is tempered for extra strength.”


The statement continued: “They also feature stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce high stress locations and use the strongest glass in the smartphone industry. We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully for their strength and durability.


"We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."


The Galaxy Alpha is Samsung’s first Android phone to feature a metal body. Having been unveiled last month, it was widely believed the phone was the Korean manufacturer’s pre-emptive response to the iPhone 6.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

FIFA 15 club covers now available for download


The official FIFA 15 club covers are now available to download and print, letting you customise the game’s box art to your team colours.


For those football fans put off with having Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard staring back at them from the FIFA 15 box, EA Sports has released a range of downloadable FIFA 15 club covers.


Covering a range of Premier League and Spanish La Liga sides, the downloadable covers sport the FIFA 15 branding alongside club colours and emblems.


Disappointingly for some, although all La Liga teams are present, the Premier League club cover line-up is missing two of the league’s biggest sides. While all 18 others are represented, both Manchester United and Arsenal have been left back in the changing rooms.


FIFA 15 has launched in the UK today. The game is available for all major platforms, with PS3 and PS4 iterations of the game being joined by Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC options.


Earlier this month bookies pegged the latest instalment of the much loved FIFA franchise to top Christmas sales charts.


All FIFA 15 club covers can be downloaded for free via the official EA website.


Read More: Best Games 2015



readmore »»  

iOS 8 Metal Explained: How does it affect your iPhone or iPad?


What is iOS 8 Metal?


iOS 8 Metal is a brand new technology from Apple that aims to let developers create immersive, console like gaming experiences on the iOS 8 devices like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple’s last operating system iOS 7 used OpenGL ES, which sits between the game and the core Apple A7 processor that runs the game. OpenGL translates functions into graphics commands that are then sent to the hardware.


But, the problem is that there’s a load of overhead with OpenGL ES, which limits the graphical prowess of iOS 7.


That’s where iOS 8 Metal comes into play. Metal according to Apple gets the games “close to the metal” (i.e. the hardware itself), making those graphic commands a lot slicker and faster than with OpenGL ES.


Metal is aimed at game developers looking to push the performance of iOS 8, both on the older A7 processor and the new A8 CPU within the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus . There’s the new SceneKit for casual game makers, but it’s Metal that is going to make the difference.


You’ve also got to remember that Metal will be even better on the new 64-bit Apple A8 processor, with its 60 per cent graphics performance and 25 per cent speed boost improvements. With Metal, Apple has given developers the tools to take mobile gaming to the next level.


Which phones is Metal compatible with?


Metal promises to offer faster mobile gameplay and more advanced mobile graphics for anyone with a iPhone 5S or later, iPad Air or iPad mini 2.

It has been designed to get the most out of the last-generation A7 processor found in the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad mini 2 Retina. That means even if you’re not making the upgrade to the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or the upcoming 2014 iPad generation, you’ll still get a better gaming experience.


So although iOS 8 is compatible with earlier phones like the iPhone 5C, iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, you won't see any difference in games after downloading iOS 8.




What does Metal do?


Metal offers up to 10 times faster draw call rates, which are used to render all objects in a 3D game. That figure is compared to the performance squeezed out of the A7 with iOS 7. Overall, you should get a more responsive game that’s faster and offered far more detailed environments.

There’s also improvements to game load times, as Metal introduces support for precompiled shaders. These are important for a realistic game, as they affect how the environments are coloured and lit.


If you watched the WWDC keynote, this was shown off by Epic Games with Zen Garden. The app is free to download on the App Store now, and lets you play with koi cart in a pond, sand and water to show off the power of Metal.


See also: iOS 8 vs iOS 7 - What's new?


How does Metal improve overall iPhone performance?


Of course, Metal isn’t just an improvement for your games. It’s just as important for the functionality of all the other bits of your iPhone or iPad. Metal improves the responsiveness of your GPU and the capabilities of your photography, videos and audio amongst other things.

Software will overall run a lot faster with iOS 8 and on the new batch of iPhone 6 models too.


What about battery life?


Now Metal sound great, but the harder the graphics API has to work, the more battery life it will suck from your iPhone or iPad. Battery life has always been an issue with iPhones, so will Metal make it even worse?

Well, apparently Apple has an answer for that too. Metal strips out most of the overhead, streamlined the API and unified the language between code and pixel, the GPU actually has to work less to offer a more immersive gaming experience.


We’re still in the process of putting the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to the test in terms of battery life and we’ll keep you posted whether this is 100 per cent true.



See also: iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus


iPhone 6 comp


What’s the Android L equivalent?


For Android users, there’s a host of gaming improvements coming with Android L later this year. The Android Extension Pack (AEP) adds new extensions to OpenGL ES, which brings tessellation and geometry shaders and texture compression to Android mobile gaming.

“Quite literally this is PC gaming graphics in your pocket”, said Dave Burke, Google’s Director of Engineering for Android at Google I/O.


Google is working with hardware manufacturers like ARM, Imagination Technologies, Nvidia and Qualcomm for AEP and developers already have access to the technology.


During Google I/O, the company showed a demo of the Unreal Engine 4 running on Tegra K1 hardware, showing off enhanced water reflections and lighting effects.




What could it mean for Apple TV?


Now, Metal is optimised for the Apple A7 processor, a powerful 64-bit custom chip. The Apple TV hasn’t been refreshed since 2012 and so features the 32-bit Apple A5 processor found in the iPhone 4S.

An Apple TV refresh has been on the cards for quite some time and Metal could be a hint to Apple’s future plans.


If Apple kits out its next set-top box with a 64-bit processor – either the A7, A8 or something in Apple TVbetween – it could be the prime device to offer the best gaming performance for iOS games.


Metal is pretty much destined to be on a bigger screen, whether that’s the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus or a larger one like the iPad Air. However, with those graphical improvements, iOS 8 and Metal could be preparation for iOS games hitting the biggest screen in your home – your TV.


Amazon’s already done it with the Amazon Fire TV and Google’s doing it too with Google TV. Apple is in a prime position to strike with an inexpensive set top box with console quality title thanks to Metal.


Read more: iOS 8 tips and tricks



readmore »»  

TomTom Golfer introduced as GPS-enabled golf watch


With the 2014 Ryder Cup getting underway today, TomTom has jumped on the golf-themed bandwagon, unveiling the TomTom Golfer.


As its name suggests, this sports watch has been designed with golfers in mind. Featuring inbuilt GPS, the location-aware watch offers all manner of game-enhancing data, including pin distances, hazard locations and layup points.


The TomTom Golfer is a direct rival to the Garmin Approach range.


Understanding the challenges ahead will help golfers to improve their score,” Corinne Vigreux, TomTom’s Managing Director said. “The TomTom Golfer provides at-a-glance graphics to critical course data, helping golfers to make smarter decisions and improve how they play.”


With TomTom offering detailed data on more than 34,000 global golf courses, the Golfer can be wirelessly synced to a dedicated smartphone app to ensure up-to-date course data is always at hand.


As well as offering precise yardages to the front, centre and rear of greens, the TomTom Golfer will allow users to track their round scores. Shot distances and round times can also be tracked.


Lining up at just 53g in weight and 11.5mm thick, the watch comes in two colour schemes – grey/green and white/green. It is waterproof to 50 metres.


Despite making the TomTom Golfer available for pre-order, the manufacturer has yet to announce an exact release date. Instead, the product’s listing page suggests the watch will be “available within 30 days”.


The TomTom Golfer price has been set at a penny shy of £200.


Read More: Apple Watch review



readmore »»  

iPhone 6 Availability: Handset released in further 22 countries


Having landed in the UK last week, Apple has today launched the iPhone 6 in a further 22 countries.


With just 10 nations having been handed Apple’s latest handset on day one, the Cupertino-based company has now expanded the availability of both the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and larger, 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.


The second tier nations now offered the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 rivals include New Zealand, Spain, Italy and United Arab Emirates.


With a total of 32 countries set to offer the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus by the end of the day, Apple has confirmed the new phones will be offered across 115 territories before the year is out.


Although Apple recently confirmed iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales exceeded the 10 million unit milestone during the first three days of availability, concerns over bending devices have marred the phones’ opening week.


According to some disgruntled owners, the iPhone 6 Plus has been bending and becoming misshapen while being carried in trouser pockets.


Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in three colour schemes – silver, gold and Space Grey – and three storage options – 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.


The other countries offering the iPhone 6 today – in alphabetical order – are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Turkey.


The countries to offer the iPhone 6 range on day one alongside the UK and US were: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico and Singapore.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Apple releases iOS 8.0.2


Apple has launched iOS 8.0.2, as promised, which should fix the major problems introduced to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus by iOS 8.0.1.


The company only launched iOS 8.0.1 a few days ago, with the intention of fixing a number of bugs with iOS 8. Instead, the new build served to break network and TouchID functionality on the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Oops.


Apple swiftly pulled the new software version and issues instructions on how to roll back to iOS 8 for those eager few (Apple reckons 40,000) who had already updated and been hit by the issues. It also promised a fixed update within "a few days."


True to its word, iOS 8.0.2 is now available to download for all iOS 8-compatible iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches.


Primary among the fixes is that aforementioned network and TouchID bug, but iOS 8.0.2 will also fix the original problems that iOS 8.0.1 was originally made to address.


That includes the sizeable problem that has effectively left Apple's new Health app a useless husk of a service. Following the update, third party health apps will finally be able to tap into this health-related hub.


The update also fixes issues with third party keyboards that would see them dismissed in favour of Apple's default effort when initiated in apps. Those experiencing a flaky reachability function on their iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus should also find that the home button shortcut is now far more stable.


Navigate to Settings>General>Software Update to set iOS 8.0.2 downloading and installing.



Read More: iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus



readmore »»  

Nexus 6 seemingly pictured alongside LG G3


The so-called Google Nexus 6, also known as Shamu, has seemingly been snapped sat next to an LG G3 for scale. If accurate, it's going to be big alright.


Yesterday we learned that Google may indeed be looking to Motorola to produce a giant 6-inch smartphone.


The Nexus 6 would essentially look like a stretched out version of the recent Moto X 2 (2014), with a 5.92-inch QHD 2560 x 1440 display.


Of course, the first phone of note to feature a QHD display was the LG G3 earlier in the year, so it's perhaps fitting that the first unofficial picture of the Nexus 6 places it alongside LG's pixel-dense flagship.


The LG G3 is no small device, thanks to its 5.5-inch display, but as you can see from the picture published on a Droid-life comment section, it's made to look positively dainty alongside what appears to be the Nexus 6.


We also get a good look at that Moto X 2-like design. Sure enough, the distinctive bulging and dropping top edge is in places, as is the neat camera lens-surrounding flash array and 'M' recess.


Of course, there's a chance that this isn't the Nexus 6 at all, but rather a prototype for a stand-alone Motorola phablet. But it certainly seems to match yesterday's artist's impression and the leaked specs that accompanied it.


Those specs also mentioned a Snapdragon 805 CPU, 3GB of RAM, a 3,200mAh battery, and a 13-megapixel camera.


With Google expected to announce its Android and Nexus plans in October, we shouldn't have too long to wait to confirm or deny these latest reports.



Read More: Galaxy S5 vs Nexus 5



readmore »»  

Bendgate: Apple invites media into iPhone 6 stress-test lab


Apple has offered an unprecedented peek behind the Cupertino curtain as it goes on the offensive against allegations the iPhone 6 Plus handset can be bent under limited duress.


After releasing a statement citing only 9 complaints from customers and reiterating the handset’s tough design, Apple has let some journalists into his quality testing labs to show exactly what an iPhone goes through before meeting the standards.


In a fascinating report, the company showed showed The Verge exactly how it tests how the devices respond to ‘drops, pressure, twisting and tapping’ and other incidences the iPhone 6 Plus could be exposed to in the real world.


Apple said it placed 15,000 iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices through these tests in order to “find out a way to break them before customers do.”


Dan Riccio, Apples SVP of hardware engineering claimed the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus were the most tested handsets yet.


In its tests, the company aims to put the phone through an entire life-cycle’s worth of tests in a very short period of time. It simulates the devices being sat on in pockets, including Apple’s “worst-case scenario,” which the report says is in the back pocket of skinny jeans on a hard surface.


There’s also a torsion test, where the device is twisted from end-to-end over and over again, and a press test where Apple establishes how much pressure a device can handle before it breaks.


The tour, offered to select media, echoes the one that took place in 2009 following the iPhone 4’s antenna flaw. That caused a similar uproar and spawned Steve Jobs’ famous “just hold it differently” response to a customer email.


So Apple has put its best put forward to defend its prized phablet? Do you buy their explanation that these handsets will not be bending under normal voice? Let us know your thoughts below.


Read more: BlackBerry Passport vs iPhone 6



readmore »»  

Phones 4U will not refund iPhone 6 pre-order customers


Failed high street mobile retailer Phones 4U has reneged on its pledge to refund all customers who pre-ordered the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus


In an email to those customers sent on Thursday the company, currently in the hands of the administrators, said no refunds will be given to those who had handed over cash upfront.


Instead administrators PricewaterhouseCooper advised users contact their credit card company in order to dispute the charges.


Previously, the firm had pledged to hand back cash to those who had put down money but certainly had not received devices.


The UK’s largest network EE had pledged to fulfill the orders made through Phones 4U for service on its network, but the news will be a blow for those on other networks.


EE is among those companies buying up Phones 4U stores, saving the jobs of its employees.


Not only did Phones 4U disappoint customers promised a refund, it added insult to injury with a series of email gaffes.


While informing customers of their refund snub, the firm copied the email addresses into the “To” field, thus revealing them to everyone who received the email. Nice going, guys.


Are you one of the customers affected by Phones 4U's collapse? Vent your fury below


Read more: iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus


Via: Engadget



readmore »»  

Mac Mini refresh to launch with new iPads next month?


Apple is planning to refresh its Mac Mini standalone desktop PC unit, according to reports on Thursday.


MacRumors has received word from its sources that the firm plans to launch a newly kitted-out version of the standalone machine alongside the expected outing of new iPad tablets next month.


Earlier this year a ‘mid-2014 Mac Mini’ was spotted on an Apple support page, but nothing has been heard since.


If a refresh were to arrive it could carry the Intel Haswell processors currently sitting within the 2014 MacBook Pro line. As the Mac Mini isn’t intended to be most powerful Mac in the range, it would be unlikely to be running Intel’s long-delayed Broadwell processors.


The Mac Mini hasn't been refreshed since October 2012 when faster Intel i7 quad-core models were introduced.The slim and affordable unit is available from £500-£830, but ships without a keyboard, mouse or monitor.


Apple's next event, rumoured to be in October, could debut new iPad Air 2 tablet, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the final version of Mac OS X 10.0 Yosemite.


Recent rumours have also suggested Apple will launch a new 12-inch MacBook Air laptop with a super-thin fabless design and an offering in iPhone-style colours.


Read more: iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5



readmore »»  

Bent iPhone 6 Plus: Apple says 9 people have complained


Apple has issued a statement aimed at dulling the furore surrounding the bendy iPhone 6 Plus debacle.


The official reaction comes as Apple’s design credentials have been called into question over the issue, with some users claiming the handset has bent out of shape from sitting in their front pockets.


Some of those users have speculated, with a 5.5-inch screen the handset is too long and thin to withstand any pressure, although that perspective has been widely mocked and debunked by tech experts.


With reports suggesting the issue could be widespread and a design flaw for the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple’s says just 9 people have contacted the firm in relation to bent handsets, while millions have been sold in the last week.


The company said: “With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus. As with any Apple product, if you have questions please contact Apple.”


The firm, which seems a little offended by it all, said the product underwent strenuous ‘sit tests’ and have exceeded all the firm’s quality tests.


“Our iPhones are designed, engineered and manufactured to be both beautiful and sturdy,” the firm continued, claiming the phones “feature a precision engineered unibody enclosure constructed from machining a custom grade of 6000 series anodized aluminum, which is tempered for extra strength.


“They also feature stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce high stress locations and use the strongest glass in the smartphone industry. We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully for their strength and durability.


"We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."


Apple has suffered widespread mocking, even from the likes of BlackBerry, in a rough week for the company. Reports on Thursday claimed the $20 billion had been knocked off the company's value following this and the iOS 8.0.1 cock up.



Read more:
BlackBerry Passport vs iPhone 6


Via: 9to5Mac



readmore »»  

Microsoft’s Xbox One isn’t very big in Japan


The Xbox One console shifted just 1,314 in Japan last week, and no we didn’t forget to add a couple of zeros to that number.


After a retched launch in the Land of the Rising Sun, in which 25,674 consoles were snapped up in four days just 3,015 in the second week.


Business halved again in the third week when twice as many PS3s and eight times as many PS4’s were sold in Japan. Completing the awesome foursome, the Xbox 360 sold 103 units in the region.


Kotaku reports that the figures will be depressing for Microsoft during the activity around the Xbox stand at the recent Tokyo Game Show.


The report claims “no-one knows what the Xbox One is” in Japan and that Microsoft is inventing very little advertising cash in pushing the console.


The poor sales come as little surprise given Microsoft’s terrible sales history in Japan and Microsoft’s delayed launch in the territory suggests the firm expected as much.


However, it is surprising that Microsoft isn’t really putting forth any sort of effort to convince the Japanese population its console has merits.


Read more: PS4 vs Xbox One


Via: Kotaku



readmore »»  

iPad Pro specs leak with 12.9-inch screen and A8X processor


Claimed iPad Pro specs have leaked, with Apple’s oversized tablet tipped to land with a 12.9-inch display and a new A8X processor.


While the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been grabbing the headlines since their official unveiling earlier this month, attention is now turning to Apple’s iPad announcement, expected to be held in late October.


Citing claimed sources from Apple’s Taiwanese supply chain, Technews has reported Apple is planning to introduce a new tablet option alongside the expected arrival of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.


Although the iPad Pro has long been rumoured for release, to date specs have been hard to come by.


Now, however, it has been suggested Apple will pair the new, larger screen size with an A8X processor. With the iPhone 6 the first device to run an A8 CPU, the A8X chipset is said to offer the graphical boost needed for the larger screen.


A 12.9-inch form is considerably larger than both the 7.9-inch iPad mini and 9.7-inch iPad Air.


Although the iPad Pro is expected to be unveiled next month, it has been suggested the business-orientated tablet will not go on sale until ‘early 2015’.


Similarly, while the iPad Air 2 is being tipped for a pre-Christmas release, the iPad mini 3 is reportedly being held back until the latter part of Q1 2015.


This early 2015 launch window should see the iPad mini 3 and iPad Pro launch alongside the recently unveiled Apple Watch wearable.


iPad Pro aside, further reports have pointed to a number of iPad Air 2 features, with the flagship tablet expected to benefit from 2GB of RAM.


All three tablets have been rumoured to add Apple’s TouchID fingerprint sensor, and the usual array of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options.


Stay tuned to TrustedReviews for all the latest on Apple’s new tablet lines.


Read More: iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5



readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge to be ‘limited edition concept device’


Following the phone’s unveiling back at IFA 2014, Samsung has suggested the Galaxy Note Edge could be a difficult device to get your hands on.


According to the Korean manufacturer, despite being given a high profile launch, the curved screen hosting Edge will go on sale as a ‘limited edition concept device’.


Featuring an identical specs sheet to that of the flagship Galaxy Note 4, the Edge’s party piece is its curved screen which has been wrapped around the phone’s right-hand edge. Samsung has used this interactive side to offer app shortcuts and provide quick access to your most frequently accessed information – weather, music controls, time.


According to Samsung President DJ Lee, it is this “new, technology-intensive” feature which will force the Edge into being “released as a limited concept device”.


Speaking at a media briefing in the company’s native Korean this week, he revealed the Edge will launch in Korea next month but might not hit further territories until 2015.


Although Lee failed to touch on pricing, the folks over at ZDNet have suggested the Edge will be considerable more expensive than the already pricey Note 4.


The Edge features a 5.6-inch QHD display alongside a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 16-megapixel, optical image stabilised rear-mounted camera.


Although we were impressed with the engineering and technical achievements of the Edge during our time with the device at IFA, we struggled to see the long-term benefits of such a device. As such, perhaps a limited release is a wise move for now.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Polar M400 lands as new GPS enabled fitness tracker


Polar has unveiled its latest wearable fitness gadget, with the Polar M400 offering comprehensive activity tracking direct from your wrist.


The sports watch, the latest in the company’s long line of activity trackers, offers all manner of data metrics direct to your wrist. What’s more, thanks to Bluetooth Smart technology, all data can instantly be synced to a connected smartphone.


With inbuilt GPS offering more accurate distance, pacing and altitude data, the Polar M400 also offers a ‘Back-to-Start’ feature for less organised, or location aware, runners.


This feature uses a GPS marker, saved at the start of each session, to return you to your point of origin whenever needed via the most direct route.


Step count, calorie burn and activity times are also recorded by the Adidas miCoach Smart Run rival.


While customisable sport profiles allow for more accurate data collection during varying activities, Polar’s Smart Coaching features return to bring a bit of added motivation to those lengthy runs and training sessions.


According to an official Polar spokesperson said of the device, “the new Polar M400 is for people who lead an active life and spend a lot of time training outdoors.” As such, the manufacturer has bestowed the device with a fully water-resistant body. A high-contrast display also features for easier viewing in direct sunlight.


Although the Polar M400 lacks the inbuilt heart rate sensor which is now customary on many fitness gadgets, the watch can be snapped up bundled with a biometric chest strap.


With a Polar M400 release date set for October 2014, the watch will set wannabe owners back £134.50 as a standalone device, or £169.50 with a heart rate sensor.


Read More: Moto 360 vs Apple Watch



readmore »»  

Moto 360 pre-orders kick off in the UK thanks to O2


UK Moto 360 pre-orders have kicked off, with network provider O2 offering the round-faced smartwatch for a smidge under £200.


Although O2 has failed to offer up a precise Moto 360 release date, the Moto 360 pre-orders are letting wannabe owners secure their techy timepiece ahead of launch.


Previously Motorola has stated that the Moto 360 would hit the UK in ‘early October’.


While the Moto 360 will be available in both black and silver colour schemes at launch, O2 is currently only offering the darker hued option on pre-order.


The Moto 360 is arguably the most exciting smartwatch to date. The device has grabbed consumers’ attentions with its innovative round screen and more traditional watch styling.


Visuals aside, it is largely similar to existing Android Wear offerings, the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live.


With the 1.5-inch display featuring a 320 x 290p resolution, the Moto 360 specs sheet is further enhanced by a TI OMAP 3 processor and 512MB of RAM.


There is 4GB of internal storage to reduce reliance on the synced smartphone, while an optical heart rate sensor and pedometer also sit within the IP67 certified water resistant body.


Although we were a little underwhelmed during our hands-on time with the Moto 360 recently, the manufacturer is confident of the watch’s success.


Motorola’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations, Mark Randall, even went so far as to brand all existing wearables ‘crappy’ recently.


Speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews recently, he stated: “We look at the 360 and we look at what everyone has done in that space. To be honest we think they are all pretty crappy.”


He added: “We think the IDs aren’t very sexy. We think people just don’t want to wear a lot of the devices that are out there today.”


Read More: Apple Watch vs Moto 360



readmore »»  

BlackBerry promises ‘innovative’ new smartphones for 2015


In the wake of yesterday’s BlackBerry Passport launch, CEO John Chen has revealed the company has further ‘innovative’ devices on the way.


Although the BlackBerry head failed to offer any intimate details as to the nature of the upcoming products, Chen suggested next year’s phones would be “innovatively designed”.


This teasing comment could have any number of implications, both positive and negative.


The Passport could easily be classed as ‘innovatively designed’, although its oversized 4.5-inch square screen and squat physical keyboard don’t make it the next must-have handset.


In contrast, however, patents leaked earlier this week showing BlackBerry is working on plans for a touchscreen smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Think back to the Palm Pre and you’re along the right lines.


The BlackBerry Passport has grabbed attention for its unusual design and boxy dimensions.


In unveiling the handset yesterday, Chen stated: “A lot of times when people look at this, they think it is a little big.”


In a less than convincing suffix, he added: “When you show it alongside an actual passport, they get a sign of relief.”


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Motorola: We knew Moto G would be a success


Motorola has claimed it knew the Moto G would be a consumer hit, but cedes it could not have anticipated just successful the affordable phone would become.


Having brought the manufacturer back from smartphone obscurity, the Moto G launched late last year to much critical acclaim and consumer interest. Thanks to its combination of impressive specs and a wallet-friendly price tag, we here at TrustedReviews even awarded the phone a review score of 10/10.


Now, as the second-generation Moto G picks up from its predecessor, Motorola has revealed how it was quietly confident it could make a success of its smartphone comeback.


The ingredients were always there for a great success,” Simon Collinson, General Manager of International Markets for Motorola Mobility, said speaking with TrustedReviews recently.


Addressing the Moto G he added: “We knew it was going to be successful because we looked at some consumer insights saying consumers want to have a great experience and an affordable experience.


“At the time there were 500 million consumers looking to buy their first smartphone and they had two choices. They could buy an old superphone that’s a couple of years old but was, in its day, the big thing, or they could buy an entry level smartphone.


“We didn’t believe that was a good choice. The entry level smartphone tends to be on the wrong version of Android, the screen isn’t a great size and the experience isn’t great.


“Taking those two consumer insights, we decided to not force consumers to go either way but offer a great smartphone experience at an affordable price.”


Despite anticipating a hit, Collinson has revealed the company could never have predicted just how important the Moto G would become, not just to Motorola, but the entire smartphone market.


“The original Moto G was such a phenomenal success. For us it was getting 4/5 stars at its lowest, we couldn’t anticipate that,” he told us.


“Wherever we launched it, the Moto G sold out. In India it sold out within a night.”


He added: “Because of the Moto G, in the UK we went from a 0 per cent to 6 per cent share of the smartphone market within a quarter of launch.


“It has been a phenomenal success on any measure. We didn’t know it was going to be the best selling smartphone in Motorola history.”


The second-gen Moto G launched in recent weeks with a larger, 5-inch display lining up alongside a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor and an improved, 8-megapixel primary camera.


Read More: Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6



readmore »»  

Steam gains dedicated music player


Valve has added a music player to its Steam gaming hub.


The company recently updated its popular Steam client with a fresh new interface and storefront, but there's another little bonus feature hidden in there.


Steam now features its own music player, allowing you to listen to the tracks stored on your computer directly through the service.


Once updated, you'll find that a new Music section has joined Games, Software, Tools, and the like in the Library section.


In order to populate this section, you'll probably need to point Steam to the folder where you store all your music tracks. Simply start up the Music Player from the Steam menu and you'll be provided with a link to do so.


Once all your music has been scanned in, you'll have a fully functioning music client, complete with album art, album and artist breakdowns, track queuing, and a playlist creation tool.


There's also a dedicated Music Player app that will run in the background when you play tracks, and can be brought to the fore in the Steam app by clicking on the little music icon in the top right-hand corner.


All in all, it's nothing particularly new or even attractive compared to, well, any other music player that's been around for the past decade or so. But if you spend a great deal of your time on Steam, it's a nice option to have. It also means that you can control your music from within the game overlay, making it convenient to play games to your own custom soundtrack.


Of course, it will also be a handy feature to have as Valve pushes into the living room with its Steam Machine initiative.


Boot up and update Steam now, if you haven't already, and you should find the new music player waiting for you.


Read More: Best Music Streaming Service



readmore »»  

Google Now Tips and Tricks


How to become the master of Google's personal assistant


Of all of Google's many software efforts of recent times, Google Now has to be one of the best.

Here is a tool that doesn't just help you search for information, it goes and fetches it for you before you even ask. In that regard, it's even more powerful than Apple's Siri.


While Google Now is only really present in its full glory on Android (which we're concentrating on here), you can also get much of its functionality on iOS devices by downloading the regular Google search app. You can also make use of it on a desktop computer through the Chrome web browser.


The fact that Google Now runs of its own accord in the background suggests that you probably use it in some capacity, but that you probably don't use it to the fullest.


Follow these tips and tricks and see what Google Now can do for you.


Set your locations


Much of Google Now's functionality relies on location, and relates to your proximity to home and work. As such, make sure it's set accurately by going into the magic wand setting menu at the bottom.

Now select Places, and tap on the Home and Work fields to set them accordingly.


Let your family know about traffic problems


Turn on Commute Sharing on the map card, and your friends and family will get all your traffic warnings.

Go into the Commute sharing menu and hit the 'Choose who can see...' option. This will take you to Google Plus, where you need to turn Location Sharing on. Then, hit 'Choose people to share with' and select who you need to share such info with.


Finally, back in the Google Now settings menu, opt to 'Let them see my commute updates.'


gnow


MORE: Google Chrome tips and tricks


Make like Siri


Admit it, Android users. You're slightly envious of all those smug iPhone users talking informally to their phones, and having reminders set accordingly.

Well, guess what? Google Now lets you do exactly the same. Just hit the mic button, or say "OK Google," followed by what you want. For example, try saying "Call... (contact name)" to make calls, or ask "How do I get to... (place name or address)?" for Google Maps directions. You can also set reminders that take into consideration location and time by saying something like "Remind me to... (activity) when I get home."


Want to set a timer? Don't fiddle around with the clock app. Just ask Google Now to "Set a timer for five minutes (or whatever)."


Check out your holiday photos


Using that aforementioned voice-recognition system, you can pull up all of your stored photos for a specific location.

First, you need to ensure that your photos are getting auto-backed up to Google Plus. They are? Then we can begin.


So, after asking "Okay Google" (or hitting the mic), ask for it to "show me my pictures from (location)." Hey presto! Instant location-based images for your perusal.


SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S5 review

google now


Find out where you parked


Google knows where you parked. I know, right? Using your Android phone's accelerometer and GPS, it can detect when you're driving and when you've come to a proper stop. So it takes a pretty good stab at sticking a virtual pin in the map where you left your automobile, and providing you with that information through the parking card.

You can also check out previous locations you've parked, or get the next best guess.


Tell Google Now your favourite sports team


Google Now will keep you abreast of the latest fixtures and scores for your favourite sports teams, but you'll have to tell it what they are. Just go into the settings menu, select Sports, and feed in your team(s) of choice.

SEE ALSO: HTC One M8 review

Android


Bring up a calculator


You probably have your calculator app of choice close to hand. But if Google Now is your quickest tool, type in Calc to bring up a calculator within Google. Instant sum-crunching, at your fingertips!

Get Google Now to translate for you


Google Translate is a great tool for helping you get by with the local lingo on holiday, but Google Now can help you out in a more naturalistic way.

Just ask it "How do I say (whatever) in (choose a language)," and it'll help you with your pronunciation. Bueno.


Let Google Now DJ for you


Signed up to Google Play Music? They you can start your "I feel lucky" playlist going simply by telling Google Now to "Play some music."

Google Now - great in a pub quiz


Google Now can supply you with information on the TV show you're watching or the music you're listening to.

For the former, make sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network with your phone as you are for your Smart TV (why wouldn't you be?), and ask Google Now to "Listen to TV." You'll get a bunch of programming info and trivia.


Ask Google Now "What am I listening to?" when listening to music for a Shazam-like listing of the artist and track, as well as album/single artwork and a purchase listing on Google Play.


MORE: Google Chrome Tips and Tricks



readmore »»  

Samsung launches Power Sharing Cable enabling smart devices to charge each other


Samsung has released a new item called the Samsung Battery Power Sharing Cable, which enables you to charge smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, cameras, and more by joining them together.


We've all been there - out and about with a back full of fully charged-up battery-powered gear - except for our smartphone, which is almost dead.


If only there was a way to siphon power from our tablet.


Now you can, thanks to the Samsung Battery Power Sharing Cable. It pretty much does what it says on the tin.


The cable itself is a simple microUSB-to-micoUSB cable, so you can tether together pretty much any non-Apple smart device, and a fair selection of digital cameras to boot.


Preferably, though, at least one of those will be a smart device running on Android. That way you can download Samsung's free Power Sharing app from the Google Play Store.


This allows you to set exactly how much power you want to move from one device to the other, so you don't leave the device doing the charging bone dry. You'll also get and alarm when the power gets low on the donating device.


The Samsung Battery Power Sharing Cable is available to buy now from the Samsung UK store for £15. You can have it in white as well as black. There's no extra charge (sorry).


Read More: Galaxy S5 vs Note 4


Via: Engadget



readmore »»  

Apple issues iOS 8.0.1 fix instructions and confirms work on iOS 8.0.2


Following news that Apple's iOS 8.0.1 did more harm than good for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users, Apple has issued roll-back instructions and confirmed that a fix is in the works.


The iOS 8.0.1 update was supposed to fix a bug that prevented new HealthKit apps from working, but in the process it knocked out network and TouchID functionality for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users.


It was quickly discovered and pulled within the hour, but not before a lot of people updated. For such ones, Apple has released a support page with instructions on how to reinstall iOS 8.


"We have a workaround for you if you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and you lost cellular service and Touch ID functionality today after updating to iOS 8.0.1," reads the statement.


It involves ensuring iTunes is up to date, connecting the affected iPhone to your computer, backing up your iPhone, downloading an iOS 8 file for iPhone 6 (here) or iPhone 6 Plus (here), and selecting the file by holding the Shift (on Windows) or Option (on Mac) key when clicking Check for Update.


Of course, that leaves you back at square one, with no operating Health-related apps. For this, Apple confirms that "We are also preparing iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it as soon as it's ready in the next few days."


Read More: iOS 8 Download: Should you update your iPhone or iPad?



readmore »»  

Nexus 6 with 6-inch display allegedly on the cards


Google is reportedly still looking to launch a Nexus 6 device, and true to form it will sport a huge 6-inch display.


Earlier in the month, a fresh rumour claimed that the follow-up to the Nexus 5 would keep the name, which would be justified by a marginally increased 5.2-inch display size.


A new report from 9to5Mac, however, claims that a full-on Nexus 6 phablet is in the works. The above render is said to based off a real device.


As Google's naming convention has thus far dictated, the Nexus 6 appears to have a whopping 6-inch display - or rather, a 5.92-inch example.


The site also claims to have had confirmed to it that the Nexus 6 will be made by Motorola. Indeed, the handset's appearance will closely resemble the recently unveiled Moto X 2 (2014), with the same aluminium bezel and curved rear, but it will be scaled up and the volume and power keys will be moved down a little to make them easier to reach.


That 5.92-inch display will apparently be a QHD 2560 x 1440 example, so it'll be both bigger and sharper than the new iPhone 6 Plus. Given such a large, pixel-packed display, it's a relief to learn that it'll run on a large 3,200mAh battery.


As for power, the report confirms that the Nexus 6 will run on a Snapdragon 805 CPU, which will be backed by 3GB of RAM. A 13-megapixel camera rounds out the hardware package.


This seems like quite a confident claim, which leaves just one big question: will there be two Nexus smartphones launched this time around? We're expecting an official announcement of some sort in October.


Read More: Galaxy S5 vs Nexus 5



readmore »»  

Forza Horizon 2 Game Review


Available for Xbox One (tested) and Xbox 360


We apologise if the following reads like unmitigated hyperbole, but there’s just no getting around it: Forza Horizon 2 is one of the best racing games ever made. The original took an inspired idea – take the graphics and physics engines from Forza 4 and wrap a Need for Speed game around them – and actually managed to make it even better than that sounds. Forza Horizon 2 does the same with the guts of Forza 5, while grabbing nearly every good idea from nearly every great arcade racer ever.


There are elements here of the Burnout games, of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and even of the not always brilliant Test Drive: Unlimited 2. There’s also a free-wheeling exuberance to the game, as if the team at Playground Games have been handed the keys to Forza’s supercars, then left to go crazy on the open road. The results are pretty much irresistible.


Forza Horizon 2 isn’t just a great arcade racer – it sets a benchmark for a new generation of racing games.


Forza Horizon 2


Its genius starts with the setting. Forget California, fictional cities or Horizon’s still impressive Colorado mountain country: Horizon 2 comes to Europe, and to the border between Northern Italy and Southern France. From picturesque mountain villages to world-famous seaside resorts, this game really does have it all, with some of the most ravishing coastal scenery you’ll have seen in a video game, and some equally lovely sights inland.


It’s not just good to look at, either; it’s just as brilliant to drive. Take a hot hatch for a spin along the coast and into the mountains – a Focus RS, VW Sirocco or Alfa Giulietta – and there are serious thrills to be had in the sudden turns and sweeping corners. Take a Pagani Huarya from Castelleto towards Nice, and your stomach will be in your mouth as you dodge other vehicles and work to navigate the bends.


But then the great thing about Forza Horizon 2 is that you’re never limited to the normal ribbons of track and tarmac. Speed through the lavender fields of Provence, or go off-roading up in the hills or mountains. As long as your car can take it, the incline isn’t silly and you don’t hit anything too solid, you can go pretty much wherever you wish.


Forza Horizon 2


That’s a fact the game explores throughout its many championships. As with Horizon, the conceit is that you’re taking part in a music and motorsports festival, where the world’s best drivers gather to race, party and share a love of all things automobile. Once you’ve qualified for festival entry, you’ll constantly unlock new events, giving you a chance to win credits, buy cars and unlock further races, taking you further and further around the map.


Where everything in Horizon radiated out from one central hub, Horizon 2 has a slightly different structure. While you’re free to roam where you will, the campaign is split into a series of road trips, each taking you to several different regions, with a central hub and a choice of championships in each. Which one you enter depends on your current choice of car, though you can change both car and championship midway through, and the game prompts you to pick and event and buy an appropriate, affordable motor before you drive on to the next set.


Forza Horizon 2


You might miss the greater freedom of Horizon, but it’s hard to complain when there’s so much to explore, with so much variety, and when so much of it is so much fun. One championship might have you tackling street races and point-to-point races in hot hatches. The next might have you hurtling through the open countryside in a chunky 4x4, speeding the hapless Chelsea tractor through farmer’s fields, golf courses, medieval ruins and scenic river valleys. Another might see you driving around in a lightweight ‘track toy’, cornering like crazy and weaving through the pack. It’s never repetitive, a grind or tiresome. If you like driving and racing, then Horizon 2 will make you smile.


The formal events aren’t the only draw. Spread across the region you’ll find Bucket List challenges – one-off events that ask you to do something tough, fast or really dangerous with a borrowed car. Some are thrilling, others downright hilarious. We’ve yet to find one that isn’t memorable.


Forza Horizon 2


The same goes for the showcase events which cap each road trip. Some sites might spoil them, but we’d rather you discover them for yourself. There are stunts here that even the Top Gear team might baulk at. It’s hard to remember a racer since the brilliant Split/Second that has worked so hard to make racing so spectacular - or so damn entertaining.


On the default settings you might not find it challenging. Damage is nerfed, the handling satisfying but a little too smooth. Horizon 2 uses Forza-5 style Drivatars, giving you AI competition based on real players’ driving styles, but here the Drivatars are challenging without being mindlessly aggressive. They might trade paint, but they don’t seem set on tearing your vehicle apart, wheel by wheel.


If that’s the case, it’s not hard to change it. Twitching the difficulty up from medium makes for a much more demanding game, but you can also nudge the settings one by one. Turn Damage up and too many knocks can wreck your car, putting you out of the race. Change the steering options and assists, and Horizon 2 plays more like Forza 5, making it easier to lose control and spin, but also adding new levels of tension and excitement to the action. It’s all up to you. You can enjoy Horizon 2 in your own way.


Forza Horizon 2


This kind of generosity seems endemic. You don’t have to grind your way to get a great car here, with credits dished out for winning, but also as prizes in a ‘wheelspin’ game whenever you level up, with sometimes hundreds of thousands thrown your way. You level up by driving stylishly; taking risks, going off-road and skidding round the corners, and even when you’re in-between races those XP are mounting up. You’ll be given cars for completing certain events, and there are even hidden – often vintage – vehicles loitering the landscape, concealed in remote barns. There really is an awful lot to see and do.


Meanwhile, you never feel that you’re racing alone. Even when you’re offline you’ll see drivatars screeching and rumbling their way around the roads, and online play is never far away, with both standard online play in the shape of free-roaming and road-trip options, and asynchronous online play through driving clubs, where you compete both within and for your club in the various events. We haven’t had much experience of the online game at the time of writing, but we’ll be back with an update when that changes.


Forza Horizon 2


Horizon 2 uses the power of the Xbox One to fuel a bigger, better kind of open-world racing game, but it also uses it to create the most beautiful racer you can buy right now. The car interiors might lack the detail of the best in Forza 5 or Gran Turismo 6, but the exteriors look incredible, with light seeming to sparkle and glow around every surface, every curve.


We’ve already talked about the scenery, but what hits you is the detail; the pedestrians you’ll find, sometimes in the strangest places, the way dust kicks up beneath the tyres, or a wheel arch seems to shift around precariously after an impact. The rain effects look superb and also have a tangible effect on the way your car drives. You can never call a game where a tiny Caterham can hit a lamppost with disintegrating realistic, but Horizon 2 does an incredible job of selling the experience.


Credit, too, to those who worked on the soundtrack. Not only do the vehicles sound magnificent, but the game’s fake radio stations provide a fantastic selection of urban grooves, leftfield rock and drum n’ bass, with more – like a fantastic mock-Italian classical station – tossed in fairly early on. There are times when Horizon 2 seems to get the music and the action in a perfect sync.


Forza Horizon 2


Is there anything at all wrong with Horizon 2? Well, we were prepared to have a moan about vehicle customisation and upgrade options, but then we found them lurking just a bit beneath the surface. Occasionally the frame rate stutters, but we’re talking once for a tiny fraction of a second in every half hour or so of play. The individual radio stations might do with a few more tracks, but we haven’t got bored yet of the ones we’ve found. For goodness sake – this is a game that even finds a good use for Kinect as you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel to set your in-car satnav (aka Anna).


But then we come to the matter of Ben. As we mentioned in the preview, this irritating chump is your in-game bestie, always inviting you to do something really cool or reminiscing about the time you guys had last night. He is unbearable, not to mention the worst, most unrealistic-looking thing in the entire game. To put it in perspective, though, he’s not really in it all that much.


Nope. Sorry. Even Ben can’t ruin a game as good as this. Forza Horizon 2 is about as close to perfect as an arcade racer gets. It might not have the depth of a GT6 or ‘proper’ Forza, but who cares when there’s so much glorious surface, and when all of it is much fun?


Verdict

A near-perfect arcade racer, with gorgeous graphics, beautiful scenery and some of the best on-road and off-road driving around. With Forza 5’s guts still inside it, you can make Horizon 2 as arcade-easy or demanding as you choose, and throughout the game shows a level of flair and invention that leaves its would-be rivals choking dust. It might not be the best racing game we’ll see this year, but it sets a fearsomely high benchmark for others to beat.



Read more: Best Xbox One games



readmore »»