Netgear ReadyNAS 104 Review


What is the Netgear ReadyNAS 104?


This is the long-awaited four-bay version of Netgear’s impressive, bargaintastic ReadyNAS 102. The original two-bay 102 caused shockwaves when it offered a fully blown NAS for little more than £100, and now Netgear is making the next logical step.

ReadyNAS 104 2

Netgear ReadyNAS 104 – Design


While very similar, the ReadyNAS 104 isn't quite the simple enlarged 102 that you might expect.

The good stuff is all there: the rigid black metal chassis that punches above its price point, the dust- and fingerprint-resistant matt finish, and the easy-access drives with a tool-less install (but more on that later).


The ReadyNAS 104 also has a small monotone LCD screen, as found on its more expensive brethren. This is a real differentiator for the 104, as many of Netgear’s rivals don’t even include displays on their premium NAS devices.


With it you can quickly check the IP address and the status of firmware and volume upgrades. There's no navigable menu – it's purely context sensitive – but that doesn’t matter, as the 104 is still streets ahead of the competition here.


SEE ALSO: Best Routers Round-up


ReadyNAS 1043

Netgear ReadyNAS 104 – Features


While the 104’s budget roots don’t show in the build, you'll spot them when you look inside. It's unchanged from the 102 and the most obvious black spot is that there's just 512MB RAM. Reduced RAM tends to affect more performance-intensive work, such as writes and transferring a lot of small files.

The good news is that the RAM gets help from the Marvell Armada 370 1.2GHz CPU, which we've found to be a strong performer in the past, and Netgear has also dropped in a second Gigabit Ethernet port, which wasn’t present on the 102. Just don’t expect Link Aggregation at this price.


Elsewhere, however, everything is very familiar. You’ll find the same pair of USB ports – one 3.0 and the other 2.0 – and an eSATA port, but there’s nothing media focused such as HDMI or SPDIF.


On the software side, though, this is still a fully fledged Netgear NAS. You get remote access to content via the company’s ReadyCLOUD service and lorryload of apps, support for iTunes and Time Machine automated backups, plus staples like DLNA and UPnP.


But the ReadyNAS 104’s ace card is X-RAID. Like Synology (Synology Hybrid RAID) and Drobo (Beyond RAID), X-RAID enables RAID volumes to be expanded or contracted at will using drives of any size. This is a boon the likes of D-Link, Asus, Buffalo and Thecus can’t yet match, and bringing it to a drive at this price range is a killer advantage.


ReadyNAS 104 4


Netgear ReadyNAS 104 – Setup


While rivals battle it out on hardware and price, Netgear and Synology remain in a class of their own when it comes to setup and ease of use.

Drive installation is a doddle. No tools are required and your drives simply lock into their bay trays, slot into place and lock. You’ll have four drives installed in just a few minutes.


The setup process is similar joyful. Like any ReadyNAS (regardless of price), 104 owners simply switch on the NAS and (once booted) type ‘readycloud.netgear.com’ into a browser. The device will be automatically detected and the setup wizard begins.


ReadyNAS 104 setup

The setup is seamless. You can configure ReadyCLOUD remote access, passwords (defaults: ‘admin’ and ‘password’ could do with some work) and it'll check for and install the latest firmware. Sensible pre-shares – backup, documents, music, pictures, videos – are also in place, saving less tech-savvy users the bother of creating new ones, which is a one up on Synology.


Meanwhile the UI itself has been drastically reworked in the last year. It doesn’t have quite the same power and flexibility as Synology’s DiskStation Manager, but it's among the best-looking interfaces around. These two companies really are pulling ahead of the pack.


ReadyNAS 104 UI



readmore »»  

Withings: Activité will not compete with Apple Watch


The Withings Activité will not challenge the Apple Watch for smartwatch supremacy, the device’s manufacturer has predicted.


With the smartwatch market quickly becoming a crowded space, Withings has suggested that its upcoming Activité wearable will target an entirely different area of the market to Apple’s upcoming foray into the wearable tech space.


“The Activité is aimed at Mr and Mrs Smith,” an official Withings spokesperson said speaking with TrustedReviews.


She added: “This product will not convert those who really want an Apple Watch or an LG watch.


Despite the company’s less than optimistic outlook on the Activité’s ability to rival the biggest players in the wearables space, Withings is unconcerned about the device becoming a hit in its own right.


With the Activité set to be made available for pre-order next week, the manufacturer has predicted it will sell out of launch stock within days – if not hours – of first sales opening up.


According to the FitBit and Jawbone rival, Withings has seen more than 100,000 potential consumers register their interest in the Activité since the innovative device was unveiled earlier this year.


Following a brief period of pre-orders, the Activité will then be sold on through premium retailers Selfridges and Harrods, as well as online though Amazon from November 25.


The Activité looks like a traditional watch, with the svelte stainless steel design hiding an integrated activity tracker and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.


Progress on pre-set fitness goals are then displayed on a secondary dial on the watch’s face.


Read More: Moto 360 review



readmore »»  

Nintendo suggests UK doesn’t need the new 3DS yet


Despite Nintendo having recently launched its all-new 3DS handheld in Japan, the console will not hit British shores until 2015.


Why? You might justifiably ask. Well, according to Ninty, the UK market doesn’t need a new console yet, the old one is still selling just fine.


The ailing gaming giant has claimed that 3DS sales in the US and UK are strong enough to survive the upcoming, and highly lucrative, Christmas market without the need for a revised console. In Japan, however, sales of the portable PS Vita rival have been slowing dramatically in recent months, with the new device helping boost Nintendo’s standing in the market.


“The overseas markets are different from the Japanese market in both their stages of popularisation of Nintendo 3DS and their market characteristics,” Nintendo’s President, Satoru Iwata, said during the company’s recent earnings call.


He added: “Neither the cumulative sales figures of Nintendo 3DS in the US nor Europe is more than in Japan despite, based on the historical performance, bigger sales potential.


In short, Nintendo 3DS is still at an earlier stage of popularisation in these two markets.


A substantial update, the new 3DS adds a second analogue stick controller, with improved battery life and interchangeable front plates also helping set it apart from its predecessor.


Nintendo has suggested it hopes the new device will help the 3DS find new life in Japan where the original console has reached saturation point.


“In Japan the total number of sales of Nintendo 3DS has reached nearly 17 million in the three and a half years since its launch,” Iwata revealed.


“It is almost the same as the lifetime sales of GameBoy Advance released in 2001, which implies that it is reasonable that the sales of Nintendo 3DS have been temporarily slow moving in the Japanese market.


“This is one of the reasons we needed to bring New Nintendo 3DS/3DS XL to the market this year.”


Would you be tempted by the new 3DS if it came to the UK ahead of the festive period? Let us know via the comments section below.


Read More: Xbox One vs PS4


Via: TechnoBuffalo



readmore »»  

Plantronics Rig Surround Review


What is the Plantronics Rig Surround?


The Plantronics Rig Surround aims to be the ultimate all-rounder headset, combining gaming-friendly features such as a desktop amplifier and 7.1 virtual surround with more on-the-go touches like foldable earcups and a modular cable design.

Plantronics Rig Surround – The Headset


The Rig Surround consists of two main components: the USB sound card/amp and the headset itself.

Starting with the headset, we actually really like the design. Its simple matt black finish, with just the odd splash of bright orange, makes it look classy and understated but with just a hint of fun. The build is all plastic, but it feels reasonably robust and through simple design touches it manages to still look the part.


Plantronics Rig


One of the particularly nice flourishes is the little patch of plastic fabric on the back of the earcups. It serves no practical purpose, but it feels good and is a nice finishing touch to the design.


Features wise the headset is pretty basic. The earcup mounts rotate through 90 degrees to fold flat for slightly easier transportation (although we’ve always wondered who actually finds this beneficial without a case to put them in). The earcups themselves also tilt up and down a little to adjust for different head shapes.


The headband offers a decent amount of adjustment, with about an inch and a half of movement in each arm. It’s finished in the same plastic fabric on its outer surface as the back of the earcups, while a finer-weave version is used on the inside.


Plantronics Rig

SEE ALSO: Games Reviews


The Plantronics Rig uses a single standard 3.5mm audio jack on the left earcup – although it’s quite recessed, so if you lose the original cable it may take a bit of searching to find another one that fits.


Annoyingly Plantronics hasn't included the additional mobile phone cable that's included with the non-Surround Rig. This includes an inline microphone for use with your phone while out and about. Instead you just get the at-home one, which incorporates a boom mic and then stretches out another 1.5m. The boom mic is flexible, but offers essentially no adjustment, with it just springing back to its starting position. In fairness, though, we did find it sat pretty much exactly where we’d want it.


Plantronics Rig


In terms of comfort and fit, this is a circumaural (or over-ear) headset, so the earpads go around the ears, and thanks to ample padding and a lovely soft finish they fit very nicely indeed. The earcups are perhaps a little small, though, as our not-especially-large ears only just fit inside the padding – this is something that’s not helped by the fact that they’re round rather than oval.


The headset is nice and lightweight, but through a combination of a lack of headband padding – there's a tiny bit but it’s hardly worth it – and a slightly loose fit, which means the headset can’t rely solely on the earcups to support it, the top of the head does get a little sore after around an hour's use. Far from a bad performance, but not class-leading comfort either.


That loose fit means this isn't a very secure headset either - a good shake of the head has it coming loose, though it never actually fell off in our testing.


Plantronics Rig Surround – USB Controller


The other main component of the Plantronics Rig is its USB soundcard/amplifier. This device plugs into your computer via a tethered USB cable and then does all the audio duties for you, with no need for an onboard soundcard.

It also incorporates another cable, which is for attaching your phone or other audio source, so you can mix it with your computer’s audio. We actually would’ve preferred this not to be tethered – if you’re not using a second sound source, it just gets in the way. These connections trail from the back of the unit, while at the front is where the headset cable plugs in using a standard 3.5mm jack socket.


The unit is about the same shape and size as an ice hockey puck. There’s a reasonable heft to it and three grippy rubber pads mean it doesn’t slide around too easily, which is always a concern with desktop devices like this.


Plantronics Rig


In terms of controls, the whole outer edge is one large volume control that also doubles as the power switch, while inside you have two further rings of controls and a central circular switch. The central switch is for alternating between the phone microphone and in-game microphone.


The inner ring then houses two volume controls: the left for mixing between game audio and mobile phone audio (or whatever other sound source you've got plugged in) and the right for mixing between game audio and game chat level.


Finally, the outer ring has three buttons for answering a call, muting your mic, and also either switching between 7.1 virtual surround and stereo audio modes or between the three EQ profiles – Pure, Seismic and Intensity. You hold it down for surround, or tap for EQ.


It’s a comprehensive selection of functions, and thankfully it doesn’t take long to become familiar with how to use them all.


Initial setup is fairly straightforward too, although as Plantronics is at pains to point out, you must install the driver before plugging in the hockey puck.


Also, it’s a little confusing exactly how you set the software up, as the headset appears as both a headset and as speakers in the Windows speaker playback options. You have to select the speakers to get it working properly.


Plantronics Rig Surround – Performance and Sound Quality


Sound quality is decent. As is nearly always the case with gaming headsets bass is quite prominent but it's far better controlled than many rivals and it's accompanied by plenty of detail in other areas too.

Most obviously the high-end has plenty of sparkle which contributes to a surprisingly good sound stage. Instruments standout both sonically and positionally, creating a satisfyingly immersive effect.


However, that treble detail comes partially thanks to a boost in those frequencies, leaving the mid-range set back in the mix. This leaves vocals in particular sounding a little lost and takes a certain warmth away from string instruments.


Exacerbating the issue is that the two alternate tone options only boost these already amped parts of the sound. The Seismic mode cranks up just the bass while Intensity boosts both bass and treble, and both sound positively ridiculous.


As mentioned, though, the default sound is still decent and in terms of detail and composure it's about on the money for the price.


Plantronics Rig


Of course the other aspect to this headset is its surround sound mode and as we've come to expect of Dolby Headphones technology it works very well. It's not so much that you absolutely feel like you're surrounded by sound but that everything feels more like it's coming from the right place. This is particularly effective in games where it allows you to far more accurately track where a sound has come from and what your position is in the world.


Plantronic's effort is no better than any other we've used but the overall detail production and soundstage of the headset means it has more to work with in the first place.


Ditching the amp and hooking up directly to a phone, the headphones do a decent job with their low impedence meaning they don't need an amp and all that detail still comes through nicely. Noise dampening isn't all that great though. The earcups are closed back but for whatever reason sound is hardly attenuated.


Plantronics Rig


Should I buy the Plantronics Rig Surround?


Overall we rather like the Plantronics Rig Surround. Its stylish, mostly comfortable and very versatile. As well as being well suited to doubling as a pair of headphones the included USB controller is a really useful way of mixing and managing your various sound sources.

What's more sound quality is a clear step up from your average gaming headset. Yes the sound is still a bit scooped but the overall detail levels are a cut above. Plus the virtual surround works very well.


However, it's definitely not perfect. Long term comfort is let down by a lack of padding on the headband, noise isolation is poor, the tethered second audio cable gets in the way and you don't get a spare mobile phone cable in the box like on the non-surround version of the Rig. None of these issues are likely to be deal breakers but they add up to take the shine off just a little.


Verdict


The Plantronics Rig is a great headset that, because of its included USB amplifier, is a versatile one too, suitable at home and on the move. However, a few little grumbles mean it isn't quite a resounding success, though still well worth considering.

Next, read more Gaming Accessory Reviews



readmore »»  

US cops can demand fingerprint, not passcode, to access your phone

iPhone 5S Touch ID

"Hand over those digits, son!"




A US court has ruled that it’s fair for police to demand your fingerprint to unlock a smartphone, as part of evidence acquisition.


It’s an interesting ruling largely because they can’t demand that you hand over a passcode.


This means that if you’ve opted for fingerprint security on your blower, US law enforcement could make you hand over the tips and dig through your phone.


The precedent was set at Virginia court, whereby a man from the state was accused of trying to kill his girlfriend.


Police thought that man might have used his smartphone to record the incident, and thus wanted access to the handset to incriminate him.


Courts can’t demand smartphone passcodes over in the US because it violates the 5th amendment, which declares that the state can’t make individuals incriminate themselves.


The judge presiding over the case, Steven Frucci, however reckons fingerprints are much more akin to DNA and handwriting.


It’s an interesting precedent, particularly as there’s more smartphones now touting fingerprint sensors than ever before.


Apple introduced its own fingerprint-scanning tech, Touch ID, back with the iPhone 5S. It’s since appeared on all subsequent iPhone models, as well as the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



Via:
Pilot Online



readmore »»  

Vivo teases world’s thinnest smartphone at just 3.85mm thick

Vivo phone

Vivo's paper-thin smartphone resting atop an Apple iPhone 5S




Vivo has just teased the most svelte smartphone we’ve ever seen. Seriously. This thing makes endurance runners second-guess that next donut.


The eastern smartphone maker’s mystery blower measures up at a nigh-on invisible 3.85mm thick, trumping its Chinese pal Oppo’s new R5.


It’s all very hush-hush right now – the only glimpse we’ve had of the device is a Weibo post showing it off.


While most probably won’t have heard of Vivo, it’s actually a fairly established manufacturer over in China. They were the even the first OEM to build a phone with a 1440p display.


Vivo’s new slim-line smartphone is largely an enigma at this point – we’ve no idea what the specs will be, what OS is will run, or even whether it will ever leave home soil.


Regardless of the specs, it’s still record-breaking in terms of thinness. The iPhone 6, for instance, sports a 7.1mm thick chassis. This means Vivo’s comes in at around half the depth of Apple’s fare.


It might not all be sunshine and rainbows for the dieted-down device however. It could be pretty tough to cram decent specs into a chassis so thin.


There’s also the issue of structural integrity. Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus has been reported to have issues with warping and bending, largely assumed to be a result of the phone’s slim profile.


Vivo’s offering could surely suffer the same issue, trading a sound build for wowing aesthetics.


Read More: Sony Xperia Z4 release date



readmore »»  

GAME to open stores early for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launch


GAME has revealed its plans for world dominati- ugh sorry, plans for the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare midnight launch.


The game retailer says it’s going to open all of its 316 stores across the UK from 11pm on Sunday November 2 so gamers can snag an early copy of the new shooter.


Gamers will be able to get in 24 hours of play-time as soon as midnight strikes with the exclusive Advanced Warfare Day Zero edition.


For the less keen, the general release date for the game is marked for November 4, landing across the following platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4.


It’s also worth noting that if you buy the game digitally on PS3 or Xbox 360, you’ll be able to get the same manufacturer’s next-gen console version at zero cost.


Earlier this month, Sledgehammer Games unveiled the official Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare gameplay trailer, showing off the fast-approaching FPS ahead of release.


The game is set a little way into earth’s future, after global nuclear warfare has ravaged society and thrown the establishment into chaos.


There’s plenty of new in-game tech on offer, including an exoskeleton that opens up vertical combat (read: Titanfall) for the first time in Call of Duty’s history.


Read More: Best games of 2014



readmore »»  

UK Gov promises 1000 new Wi-Fi hotspots by March 2015


The UK government has pledged to transform over 1000 public buildings across the country into free Wi-Fi hotspots.


By March 2015, museums, libraries, sport centres, and other public hubs will offer up free net access to any willing entrant.


The news comes courtesy of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, in an effort to ensure UK cities ‘boast world-class connectivity’.


Ed Vaizey, the UK’s Digital Economy Minister, said the move is ‘all part of the Government’s long term economic plan.”


The digital landscape of the UK is undergoing a period of tremendous improvement,” Vaizey said. “For business, visitors and the UK public, accessing Wi-Fi in our cities is absolutely vital.”


“These free hotspots will be instrumental in making UK cities even more appealing as places to not only do business, but to visit as well.”


The move is part of the government’s SuperConnected Cities initiative, which looks to heave Blighty into the digital age with the help of £150 million in funding.


The roster of cities involved reads as follows: Aberdeen, Belfast, Brighton and Hove, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Derby, Derry, Edinburgh, Leeds and Bradford, London, Manchester, Oxford, Perth, Portsmouth, and Salford.


It’s a decent time to be a web-surfer in the UK then, as yesterday EE revealed it had launched its superfast 4G plus network in London.


The new service offers download speeds of up to 150Mbps, should your smartphone be equipped with the CAT-6 tech needed to make use of the LTE-Advanced 4G service.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Warblr is an app that identifies birds from their songs

warblr

So it wasn't a flamingo after all




Heard a bird tweeting away (no, the other kind of tweeting) and wondered what it is? Now you can find out with a new app called Warblr.


It's an audio recognition app for birdsong. Basically Shazam for birds. Start the app, hold your phone up to the sound, and it'll tell you what kind of bird you're hearing.


The UK has between 400 and 500 species of birds, so you could be forgiven for not knowing your tawny owl from your blue tit on sound alone.


Once Warblr has told you what kind of bird you're hearing, it also provides info on the species, so you can impress your friends with your knowledge.


The aim is to help people appreciate the everyday nature we take for granted.


It also geotags what kind of birds are being spotted where, and makes this data publicly available. This will help zoologists and ecologists to monitor species growth and decline and patterns of migration and ultimately aid conservation. As long as enough people use the app, that is.


That data might also be a bit suspect, as you could confuse people stopping using the app with a decline in the number of birds.


The machine learning technology behind the app was developed by a scientist at Queen Mary University of London. The makers claim that in optimum conditions – i.e. where double decker buses aren't rushing past you – it can get the correct result 95 per cent of the time.


The app has raised nearly £9,000 of a £50,000 target, and still has 31 days to go. Check it out on Kickstarter.


Read more: Best mobile apps



readmore »»  

G-Paws cat-tracker makes it easier than ever to stalk your feline


Is your furry friend always running off under the cloak of darkness? Reckon the prized puss is dealing dodgy catnip to unsavoury alley-cats? Don your deerstalker, Sherlock – there’s sleuthing to be done.


The G-Paws cat-tracker has just undergone a revamp, bringing better hardware, more features, and a sure-fire way for you to find out if your cat’s picking up extra meals in your neighbour’s back garden.


The GPS collar-tracker records where your favourite feline is at any given time, and uploads its journeys to an easy-to-digest web interface.


The latest model has been ‘re-engineered’ to be fully IPx7 waterproof, whilst still packing a built-in motion sensor to ensure G-Paws only tracks your moggy when it’s moving – catnaps, begone.


It weighs just 15g, and is good for a constant eight hours of recording.


The original G-Paws launched just over a year ago, and now boasts a database of upwards of 10,000 pets.


The G-Paws team says it’s updated the website and added ‘significant functionality’ thanks to user feedback.


There’s now an easy-to-navigate diary, and a bulletin board-style layout. Alerts have also been added to ping you when your cat is hanging out with a fellow G-Paws feline.


The new tech will show off your little lion's favourite hang outs, as well as letting you compare speeds and distance stats with its prowling pals.


Dave Evans, founder of G-Paws said: “We were one of the first to market but we’re not standing still.”


“The new kit is awesome and we’ve had great fun developing it. No one can really claim to own a pet, we merely look out for them and G-Paws will help to do that,” said Evans.


“But this is just the beginning. We have a host of other really cool kit in development so watch this space.”


If you’re keen to get an inside look into the secret life of tiddles, you can buy your own tracker from the G-Paws website for £49.95.


Read More: Best GPS and Sat Nav



readmore »»  

Global PS4 sales top 13.5m units


It’s almost a year since the PS4 launched, and now Sony has confirmed its latest console has shifted an impressive 13.5 million units to date.


With the PS3 follow-on having consistently outsold the rival Xbox One since the two consoles were released last November, Sony’s PS4 sales have been bolstered by a strong Q3 showing.


With gamers getting ready for the pre-Christmas onslaught of AAA games, the Japanese giant has confirmed that it shifted 3.3 PS4 consoles between July and September.


As well as shifting impressive console numbers, Sony has stated it has seen a “significant increase in network services revenue related to the introduction of the PS4.” This basically means gamers are spending more on add-on services such as PS Plus and digital downloads.


While PS4 sales are on the up, interest in both the PS3 and PS Vita is still pottering along.


During the three months of Q3, Sony shifted 800,000 PS3 consoles and 700,000 of its portable gaming options.


Although it is known Microsoft has struggled to keep pace with Sony in the console race this year, the gulf in unit sales is still unclear.


Microsoft’s latest Xbox One figures were announced back in April when it revealed it had shipped – not sold – 5 million units.


Read More: Xbox One vs PS4



readmore »»  

HTC predicting strong Q4 thanks to One M8 and Nexus 9


HTC reckons its Christmas quarter will trump its last three months of sales by around $150m in revenue.


The Taiwanese tech firm just posted its earnings for Q3 2014, revealing around $1.4 billion.


Not content with mobile mediocrity, the company’s crystal ball is now saying Q4 will see earnings of up to $1.54 billion.


Profits posted for most recent quarter totalled $19.7 million, which isn’t bad for the run-up to Apple’s iPhone 6 launch – assuredly stifling for smartphone manufacturers everywhere.


Strong reception of the HTC One M8 is likely to thank for the summer sales boon, and this success is likely to carry over onto Christmas lists this year too.


The HTC One M8 landed back in Q2 earlier this year, but it’s received good reviews, lauded for its premium design quality, unique camera features, and its large, sharp display.


The next quarter should be further boosted by the launch of the Nexus 9 , a Google-stamped tablet that marks HTC’s return to decent tabletry.


It’s not going to knock the iPad Air 2 off its throne by any means, but it’ll be a solid contender for the crimbo stockings of die-hard Android fans.


The firm is surely also keen to see how well the Desire Eye and the RE camera do. The latter is a frankly oddball mobile cam that HTC reckons will revolutionise the way we snap on the move – shove over, GoPro.



Read More:
Sony Xperia Z4 release date



readmore »»  

Best games to play on Halloween


Get the spooks in this Halloween


All Hallows Eve descends upon the UK this week and if you haven’t been invited to a party or event, it’s worth breaking out the games and scaring the living excrement out of yourself. Here we present the most frightening titles available across the different platforms.

New Gen: Xbox One, PS4, Wii U


It’s been a pretty slow year for the horror crowd on the new gen. Developers seem more intent on shoving out shooters, persistent world games and sandbox adventures out at a clip. It makes sense – publishers are eager to make some money out of the Xbox One and PS4 owners and games like Watch Dogs, Titanfall, Destiny and Sunset Overdrive tick boxes in the most popular genres in gaming.

Wii U owners have been suffering through something of a horror drought up until now. The only frightening title available right now on that platform is ZombieU. While it didn’t set the world alight in terms of sales, Ubisoft’s UK zombie apocalypse first-person adventure is one of the Wii U’s more underrated titles.


The Evil Within

Xbox One and PS4 owners are spoiled for choice by comparison as the last few months have seen some genuinely frightening titles come down the line. In the last month, Alien Isolation and The Evil Within lurched into view. The former is one of the most terrifying titles we’ve played in a long time and probably the first Alien title in ages to do justice to the horror legacy of HR Giger’s most famous creation. The latter sees Resident Evil maestro Shinji Mikami treading familiar Survival Horror ground, but it has enough white-knuckled scares to send Wes Craven into orbit.


There are also a couple of last gen horror games re-released in new gen HD worth investigating; Metro and Metro: Last Light the moody post-apocalyptic shooters set in the monster-infested underground of Russia have been repackaged as Metro: Redux and Naughty Dog’s mind-blowing Survival Horror, The Last of Us: Remastered is now available – but only on the PS4.



See also: Alien Isolation tips and tricks


The Last Of Us

To be honest, though, in this battle, the PS4 has the edge over the competition here, because not only does it have the aforementioned superb survival horror games, but it also offers a couple more besides. It’s the only console platform players can experience the likes of OutLast – Red Barrel’s scream-out-loud scarefest that riffs on cult horror flick like Session 9 and Rec. Players take on the role of a bold (read: stupid) journalist who breaks into an asylum after receiving a tip off that skullduggery was afoot on the premises. Once inside, they realise something has gone horribly wrong and that coming into contact with the asylum’s residents is a surefire way to get killed. Your only options here are to run and hide – use them wisely.


The PS4 also has arguably the most frightening twenty minutes released all year in PT – the demo for Hideo Kojima’s Silent Hill installment. We won’t ruin it for you save to say our erstwhile Games Editor Sam Loveridge has attempted to play it twice and hasn’t been able to finish it yet (I have, that’s a lie – ed.).




Last Gen: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii


If you’ve yet to upgrade to a new gen machine, you’re in luck this Halloween as you have a library of horror to scare the hell out of you. Given how many great titles were released in the last generation, we’re spoiled for choice here and bound to miss one or two gems. For our money, though, you can’t go wrong with Dead Space; EA’s 2008 horror shooter tells the story of Isaac Clarke, an engineer on an ill-fated mission to a planet cracker cruiser called the Ishimura, which he finds is overrun with hideous creatures called necromorphs. By turns frightening, disgusting and flat out disturbing, Dead Space burrows its way into the player’s cerebellum, leaving them drained and shaking by the end.



See also: The Evil Within tips and tricks


Dead Space

Condemned: Criminal Origins also makes the cut; mixing visceral hand-to-hand combat with a layered and unsettling police investigation, Condemned draws tension out like a blade, saving some of its most hair-raising moments for just when the player feels they’ve reached their limit on what will terrify them. For those who like their horror a bit more left-of-the-dial, Swery 65’s homage to Silent Hill and David Lynch, Deadly Premonition, is certainly worth a look. Funny, scary and batshit insane, Deadly Premonition sees FBI Agent Morgan on the trail of a killer in a small town whose inhabitants rival Twin Peaks for sheer weirdness.

The Nintendo Wii, while primarily aimed at family gaming, also has a couple of worthwhile terrors in its catalogue – even though most of them bombed on release. Top among them is Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, a Western take on the original entry in this series that builds a hideous amount of tension out of the fact that most creatures in it can kill the player on sight. Dead Space: Extraction serves as a prequel to Dead Space, and it’s arguably one of the best and most frightening rail-shooters ever crafted.


House Of The Dead: Overkill runs a close second to Extraction in quality of shooter, but its grindhouse veneer infuses it with a level of sleaze that makes it glow in the dark – it also contains more f-bombs than most Martin Scorsese films. If you never got the chance to play Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube, it’s available on the Wii in the form of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. It’s worth seeking out, if only to see why Resident Evil was once revered as Survival Horror’s marquee franchise – a far cry from the bloated shooter series it’s become now.




In-the-attic gen: PS2, Xbox


For those prepared to blow the dust off gaming consoles that are over ten years old, there are a couple of horror titles worth digging out – even though some of them are available on the PS3 and Xbox 360 – Fatal Frame, Resident Evil 4 and Siren among them. But it’s worth reconnecting the PS2 just to play Silent Hill 2, which to a lot of gamers is the best entry in Konami’s horror series and one of the best horror games of all time. It was recently ported to the last gen consoles, but this glitch and bug-ridden version really doesn’t do it any justice.



See also: How to make a great survival horror


Condemned Criminal Origins

Two classics that have been lost to the mists of time are The Suffering, in which the forces of hell invade the world through the bowels of a maximum security state prison, and The Call Of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth, an mystery based on the works of HP Lovecraft in which players are cued to danger and clues through the sound of the protagonist’s rising and falling heartbeat.

For those who prefer a sick twist to their horror, Rockstar’s disturbing snuff film adventure, Manhunt, should fit the bill. Here, the player is as compliant in the horror as the enemies in their environment as it’s up to them how gory and violent the animations of each kill are. Slated as sick and irresponsible on release, Manhunt is actually a rather sly indictment on the attraction players have to committing violent acts in video games.




PC


PC owners have long held the opinion that theirs is the best and, in some instances, only gaming platform to plump for.

System Shock 2

In this instance, we have to agree with them, because not only can they play pretty much every single title already mentioned in this article (the PT demo and a couple of Nintendo titles notwithstanding), they have access to more besides. Take your pick of horrifying titles: Anmesia: The Dark Descent, Thief: The Dark Project, the Penumbra series, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The Shadow Of Chernobyl, Slender, OutLast – the list is nearly endless. We however, will be playing System Shock 2 – the spiritual forebear to BioShock – the way nature intended. In the dark. On Halloween. By ourselves. With headphones.



See also: Xbox One vs PS4



readmore »»  

Sony Xperia Z4 release date, rumours, news, specs and price


Everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia Z4


The Sony Xperia Z4 release date has already become a hot topic on the tech scene despite the Xperia Z3 having only been on retailers’ shelves for a couple of weeks.

Given the company's ridiculous habit of launching updated flagship phones every six months, the Z4 release date could be closer than you might expect. Keeping time with these launch expectations, the Xperia Z4 rumours are already flowing.


Having overlooked the move to a QHD display with the Z3, it now appears Sony will echo the likes of the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in adopting the 2K technology. Looking set to pair this resolution improvement with a size bump, recent leaks have claimed the Z4 will mimic the iPhone 6 Plus by jumping to a 5.5-inch panel.


With a 64-bit processor and Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS also tipped for inclusion, the Xperia Z4 is shaping up to be a true powerhouse of the smartphone space.


It needs to be, too. Sony recently announced loses of £1 billion on its smartphone efforts, a figure which has cost former Sony Mobile CEO Kunimasa Suzuki his job.


We will continue to update this page with all the latest Sony Xperia Z4 release date details, news, leaks and rumours as details emerge. Bookmark it now to keep on top of all things Xperia Z4.


MWC 2015


Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date


Given the recent arrival of the Z3, as you might expect, Sony has yet to offer any formal indication as to when the Xperia Z4 release date will be held. That doesn’t mean we don’t have an idea of when to expect the iPhone 6 rival though.

Given Sony’s desire to push new phones out before current models have had chance to full hit their stride, we can expect the Xperia Z4 to land early into the new year.


Teasing an early 2015 release recently, Calum MacDougall, Sony’s director of Xperia Marketing told TrustedReviews: “The replacement ratio [on our flagship phones] is about six months.”


With the Z3 having touched down in September, this suggests the Z4 is heading for a March unveiling.


Looking set to echo the same launch window as the Xperia Z2, it is expected that the Xperia Z4 release date will be held around MWC 2015. With the Barcelona-based Mobile World Congress to be held between March 2 and 5, keep an eye out for the Z4 on either the opening day of the show, or at a dedicated press conference on Sunday, March 1.


Although having pushed its premature refreshes in the past, the Z4 could be Sony’s last attempt at a six month smartphone cycle.


Discussing the company’s rushed updates recently, MacDougall stated: “This might not necessarily be something we continue in the long term, but for now, in the beginning of the Z series, we believe we can bring experiences which are fresh and new and relevant, and justify for the consumer buying a new product.”


Sony Xperia Z3


Sony Xperia Z4 News


Sony needs its next smartphone to be a consumer hit. The Z3 has gained critical acclaim but that hasn't stopped Sony Mobile haemorrhaging money.

Recent financial earnings reports have seen the manufacturer forced to revise its smartphone sales forecast. Having previously predicted it would shift 43 million devices during the year, this figure has since been slashed to just 41m. Sony has claimed this drop is due to lack of presence in markets such as the US and China.


With Kunimasa Suzuki having lost his job, former VP Hiroki Totoki has been promoted to head honcho.


On a more positive note, the Sony Xperia Z4 is widely believed to be heading down the QHD route, with a 5.5-inch 2K panel tipped for inclusion. Such an addition would see a stunning 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution bestowed on the phone.


Although such an addition would see Sony keep pace with latest industry trends, it goes against comments made by the company recently. Addressing TrustedReviews, MacDougall said the Z3 overlooked a 2K panel as, not only would it have a negative effect on battery life, but the visual benefits are not there.


“If we think of this size of screen, even up to 8-inches, they are relatively small screens and it is very difficult for the human eye to discern the difference between 2K and Full HD,” the Xperia head told us.




He added: “If we believe that a key part of the user experience for consumers is to have a longer term battery, and if we believe we can deliver a great screen with Full HD and our Sony technologies, we don’t believe the trade-off between having a 2K screen and battery consumption is the right trade-off for a consumer.”


With the Samsung Galaxy S6 expected to touch down within a similar timeframe with its own QHD panel in tow, it appears Sony has been forced into the move by the competition.


Lollipop


Sony Xperia Z4 Rumours


Android is all but certain to be the OS of choice for the Z4. Sony’s is heavily reliant on the Google platform and with Android 5.0 Lollipop having just been announced, it appears the Z4 will be licking Google’s Lollipop direct from the box.

Although Sony has shed no light on its future phones, with all existing ‘Z’ brand smartphones and tablets confirmed to be getting an Android 5.0 update, it is unlikely the Z4 wouldn't follow a similar trend.


Further Z4 rumours to be doing the rounds surround the phone’s design.


With the company’s flagship phone line having featured largely unchanged boxey designs in recent years, it is expected the Z4 will follow suit. Given the Z3’s streamlined improvements and the current market trends, it is possible the Z4 will look to shave further precious millimeters of the phone's already svelte 7.3mm form factor.


Like Sony's past smartphone efforts, the Z4 is again tipped to add waterproof credentials to its premium, glass-backed design.


Hopefully unlike past Xperia offerings the Z4 will not be plagued by overheating issues when shooting 4K video. Having rendered the Z2's feature all but useless, Sony made minor improvements on this front with the Z3 but there is still room for improvement.


Qualcomm Snapdragon


Sony Xperia Z4 Specs


The Sony Xperia Z4 specs sheet could see the handset line up as a market-leading device.

Offering a detailed insight into what the phone has to offer, anonymous tipsters have already leaked the phone’s full specs sheet well ahead of launch. Relayed through GSM Arena, the insiders have revealed the Z4’s 5.5-inch QHD display will be paired with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor.


With the chipset having already been confirmed ahead of an early 2015 release, the Snapdragon 810’s inclusion is a further indication of the Z4’s imminent release.


Clocked at 2.8GHz, the octa-core chip looks set to partner a massive 4GB of RAM and a new base storage option of 32GB – expandable via microSD.


One area where the Z4 doesn’t look to be getting a specs boost is on the camera front. The Z3’s 20.7-megapixel snapper looks set to live on, although the Z4 could introduce a new lens.


Further Sony Xperia Z4 specs tipped to feature include Bluetooth 4.1 and Cat 6 LTE connectivity options, the latter of which is capable of handling theoretical download speeds of 300Mbps.


With a specs sheet like this, the Z4 would leave the Nexus 6 and OnePlus One in its wake.


Sony Xperia Z3


Sony Xperia Z4 Price


Given the phone’s array of high-end components, don’t expect the Xperia Z4 to be easy on your wallet. The Z3 has just launched with a £525 SIM-free price tag and we don’t expect the Z4 will be any cheaper. In fact, given the addition of a QHD panel and other premium additions

With the iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 both already costing wannabe owners northwards of £600, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Z4 edge closer to this more costly milestone.


What would you like to see included on the Sony Xperia Z4? Share your thoughts via the comments section below.



readmore »»  

Xiaomi reportedly plotting own 9-inch iPad rival


Xiaomi could be working on a brand new tablet in its quest for world mobile domination.


The Chinese firm recently described as thieves by Apple design lead Jony Ive for copying iPhone design may be gearing up to take on the iPad.


A benchmark result has emerged over on GFXBench, giving an early debut to a 9.2-inch tablet tagged up as Xiaomi fare.


The secret slate seems to be boasting a decidedly underwhelming 1280 x 720 display, with ‘at least 5 finger gesture support.’


The site lists the tablet’s innards as a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 chip, Adreno 306 graphics, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of built-in storage, of which just 5.8GB will be free to use.


It’s also set to pack front- and rear-facing cameras, GPS, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a lightsensor, a proximity sensor, and a compass.


The spec sheet points out that a barometer and NFC won’t be included.


It’s all very middle-of-the-road, and probably won’t have Apple shaking in its boots if the mystery slate does land with the specs listed.


Xiaomi’s tablet line-up is pretty threadbare thus far, consisting of a lone 7.9-inch MiPad – pretty original name, eh?


The firm was recently named the world’s number 3 smartphone manufacturer, thanks to its huge popularity in the east.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date



readmore »»  

Sony’s loaning out 4K movies to 4K TV customers for free


Sony is playing at Santa, with the Japanese firm promising to give away five 4K movies to customers free of charge.


To qualify for the pre-crimbo goodies, you’ll need to have purchased one of Sony’s Bravia 4K UHD TVs.


There’s ten 4K movies on offer as part of the '4K privilege' promo, although only half are available to pick up for free.


You need to make sure to redeem the movies by Christmas Eve, and then unlock the 4K blockbusters by September 30 next year.


Once that’s done, you’ll be good to watch the hi-res content all the way up until September 30 2016.


Right then, what’s actually on offer? There’s the Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2, Moneyball, Premium Rush, Total Recall, Salt, Ghostbusters, The Patriot, Battle LA, and the Hank-tastic Captain Phillips.


Interestingly, the movies actually ship pre-loaded onto a hard disk drive. This means you’ll actually get a free compact HDD.


There’s currently seven 4K TV series on offer from Sony, the latest being the firm's new curved Bravia S90.


The S90, revealed back in August, touts a bendy-vision UHD display and two screen sizes, namely 65-inch and 75-inch.


It comes with the usual raft of Sony’s televisual features, like the X-Reality PRO picture engine, Triluminos colour technology, and the Motionflow XR800Hz processor.


It also makes use of a 4.2 channel multi-angle live speaker system, which Sony reckons will ‘wrap you’ in 360-degree surround sound.


Head over to Sony’s website and check out the festive film promo here.


Read More: Best Sony TVs



readmore »»  

Amazon admits to Fire Phone pricing error


An Amazon executive has admitted that the company made a mistake when pricing up its Amazon Fire Phone flop.


The Amazon Fire Phone launched in the US back in July for a standard $199 up front free on a two year contract, which ran contrary to Amazon's former habit of undercutting its rivals on hardware.


In a recent Fortune interview, Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices David Limp has acknowledged that this was a mistake on the company's part.


"We didn’t get the price right," Limp accepted. "I think people come to expect a great value, and we sort of mismatched expectations. We thought we had it right. But we’re also willing to say, 'we missed.' And so we corrected."


Sure enough, the company slashed the up-front price of the Amazon Fire Phone to just 99 cents in September, which coincided with the phone's UK rollout. While Limp claims that this move yielded significantly better sales, everything suggests that Amazon's first smartphone has been a disaster.


Back in August, a month after its initial release, one educated estimate put it that the Fire Phone may have sold just 35,000 units in its first weeks on sale.


More recently, Amazon has reported a £100 million loss on its first smartphone in the company's recent quarterly performance report. It was also revealed that Amazon had £50 million in unsold Fire Phone stock gathering dust in its vast warehouses.


Limp has promised that Amazon will continue to improve the Fire Phone through software, but one suspects that it's pretty much a write-off even at this early point. So, the Amazon Fire Phone 2, then?


Read More: Amazon Fire TV review



readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3 officially announced


Samsung has officially taken the wraps off a new duo of affordable metal phones, the Samsung Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3.


Following this week's disappointing quarterly results, Samsung promised to address the threat from China by refocussing on more affordable smartphones. Right on cue, it's done that very thing with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3.


As per the leak at the beginning of October, both the A5 and the A3 are variants on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. That is, they sport a premium-looking metal rim construction, yet contain decidedly non-cutting-edge specs.


The Samsung Galaxy A5 sports a 5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display and a super-slim 6.7mm-thick body (the same as the Alpha). It runs on a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Unlike the Alpha, there is a microSD slot for expansion purposes.


It does appear to have a similar 13-megapixel camera to the Alpha, though.


Over on the Samsung Galaxy A3, it's a similar affair, but with lower grade specs. The screen is smaller at 4.5-inches and runs a less sharp qHD resolution (not to be confused with the much sharper QHD). Its body is also slightly thicker at 6.9mm, and the A3's camera takes a step down to 8-megapixel. It has the same processor, internal storage, and microSD facility, but half the RAM of the A5.


Both phones have 4G connectivity and run on Android 4.4 out of the box.


Interestingly, both the Samsung Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3 boast a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which mirrors recent mid-range efforts from Nokia and HTC. It's clear that these phones are being aimed at younger, more selfie-savvy users - particularly those in the massive Chinese market, where Samsung is receiving a bit of a battering from Xiaomi and Lenovo.


Both the Samsung Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3 will launch in China and "select markets" in November, so don't pin your hopes on a UK release just yet.


Read More: Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs iPhone 6



readmore »»  

Epson EH-TW6600W Projector Review


What is the Epson EH-TW6600W?


The TW6600W is a new LCD projector from Epson, designed to up the spec of last year’s TW6100W without significantly upping the price. Key features include Wireless HDMI connectivity, 3D playback, extensive colour-calibration tools and a dynamic iris system that will hopefully run a bit more quietly than the TW6100’s did!

Epson EH-TW6600W – Design and Features


For the first time in an age Epson's substantially altered the design of its home cinema projectors. Gone is the usual centrally mounted lens and startlingly wide shape; in is a strikingly asymmetrical shape featuring a bulge on the right-hand side wrapped around an off-centre lens with all the on-unit buttons, and two lens-adjustment ‘wheels’ also sitting over to the right of the top edge. The only things on the left side are a subtly designed vent on the front edge and a cover on the top for accessing the projector’s lamp bay.

Epson TW6600W

Connections on the main projector body comprise two HDMIs, component video input, a composite video input, a VGA input, an RS-232 port for system integration, two USBs, and a stereo mini jack audio output if you want to pass audio received via the HDMIs to an external audio system.

The most interesting element of the TW6600W’s connectivity, though, comes from the wireless HDMI transmitter that accompanies it. This provides four HDMI inputs for connecting multiple sources – a great improvement on the twin HDMIs most projectors are limited to – plus a single HDMI output if you want to hardwire the transmitter to a video device for some reason, and a USB output provided as a convenient way of charging up the single pair of 3D glasses you get free with the TW6600W.


It’s great to find, too, that one of the HDMIs supports the MHL protocol for easy playback of content stored on mobile devices.


Handily the receiver end of the Wireless HDMI system is built into the projector’s chassis rather than requiring an external box, and the connection process is engagingly effortless. You just switch the transmitter on, having connected your stuff to it, and then choose the wireless connection from the projector’s menus. Full HD and HD 3D are both supported via the wireless engine, by the way.


Turning to the TW6600W’s imaging specification, it is, of course, a Full HD projector built using an LCD optical system – as usual with Epson. It claims a dynamic contrast ratio of 70,000:1, and a high brightness for its £1700 price level of 2500 Lumens. These figures compare with 40,000:1 and 2300 respectively on last year’s TW6100W.


Epson TW6600W


It’s worth stressing, too, that the TW6600W’s light output remains the same with both white and coloured content. Unlike single-chip DLP projectors, which use a colour wheel, there’s no reduction in light output when showing colour on Epson’s ‘3LCD’ designs.


Other features of note include a crosstalk-reducing 480Hz drive for 3D viewing, the way the 3D transmitter is built into the projector’s body, a range of picture presets including living room and cinema modes, an intriguing Auto Colour Optimiser, Epson’s Super Resolution processing for making images look sharper and more detailed, and a built-in stereo audio system.


As we’ve said many times before, putting speakers in a projector is hardly an ideal option, given that these speakers inevitably end up sitting some distance from the screen, so that the sound they produce sounds dislocated from the action. However, it’s also often not convenient to have to find a separate audio system to run with a projector. So it’s nice to find that Epson seems to have taken the potential audio duties of the TW6600W surprisingly seriously, employing a stereo speaker system capable of thumping out a claimed 20W of power.


Epson EH-TW6600W – Setup


The TW6600W is unusually easy to get up and running. The wheels on its top edge enable you to optically shift the TW6600W’s images left, right, up and down over a decently wide range, making it simple to get images correctly positioned on your screen – or even, potentially, in the right place on your wall. The zoom ring around the TW6600W’s lens delivers a healthy 1.6x zoom, and there are simple screw-down legs to help you correct for any slight slopes your floor or stand might suffer.

Fine tuning the TW6600W’s pictures via its onscreen menus can be as involved a process as you want it to be. Although if you’re not a confident tinkerer, there’s a reasonable array of picture presets (‘Colour Modes’) available, including a new Auto setting that seemed decently effective in some ways during our tests. Its only problems are, firstly, that with grainy films the Auto colour mode did tend to make the grain look a bit unnatural, and secondly, that you’re given practically zero say in how the Auto mode impacts pictures.

Epson TW6600W


The non-auto picture presets let you fine tune pretty much anything, though, from gamma and white balance controls through to in-depth colour management, noise reduction, and whether the video processing engine is optimised for speed or precision. You can also change the degree to which Epson’s Super Resolution engine – which boosts the image’s sharpness and apparent ‘pixel density’ – is in play.


The only things we’d definitely recommend about the settings are never using Super Resolution higher than its ‘1’ level, to stop images looking noisy or stressy; never using noise reduction unless you’re watching standard definition; and leaving the auto iris on either its Fast setting or, for reasons we’ll get into later, turning it off.



readmore »»  

Google Play Books updates makes skimming non-fiction a breeze


Google has updated its Play Books app today in hopes of improving the experience of reading non-fiction content.


The new update offers up a raft of new features that’ll make hunting down your favourite recipe or skimming through top holiday destinations easier than ever.


First up is skim mode, a new option that lets users shoot through books with a scrollbar. It should mean flitting between e-book sections will be far less laborious.


Google has also added quick bookmarks, which lets users add multiple bookmarks through an e-book.


Finally there are notes and highlights, opening up a whole world of user annotation. The update means you’ll be able to jot down whatever you like on the page – refined vandalism, if you will.


Until now, non-fiction titles would be a bit of a chore to get through, especially if you were just looking for a particular item.


The nippy new features are available in the latest version of Google Play Books, which is available from the Play store on Android devices.


Read More: Sony Xperia Z4 release date



readmore »»  

Apple’s NFC chip-maker wants you to unlock your car with an iPhone


NXP, the company that built the NFC chips that debuted in Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has revealed it hopes the tech will be picked up by car makers.


The firm is apparently in talks with the automotive industry’s top brass about the possibility of smartphones replacing car keys in the future.


Drue Freeman, Senior VP for global automotive sales & marketing at NXP, said: “Once they saw these announcements in September they kind of realised there was no going back on this technology so they better get moving and be quick on it.


Apple finally decided to add NFC to its iPhone spec sheet this year, with the intention of launching its own mobile payment system, Apple Pay.


The new contactless platform means iPhone-owners can wave their smartphones in front of NFC readers and pay for goods at brick-and-mortar stores sans using a physical credit or debit card.


NFC isn’t exclusive to Apple blowers however – the tech appears in a raft of other OEMs handsets. Google also has its own mobile wallet – Google Wallet , of course – although it’s not been nearly as well publicised as Apple Pay.


“If you now know one of the largest phone makers on the planet has bought into this, as well as the whole Android ecosystem, then it’s like, okay, let’s take advantage because we know it’s going to be ubiquitous and put it in our cars,” said Freeman.


Unfortunately, he’s keeping hush on which automotive execs he’s been shooting the NFC breeze with.


Reuters, however, reported that Freeman thinks that while NFC won’t ‘revolutionise car electronics’, he believes ‘it could make a number of existing features better.’


The NXP vice-president also revealed that some engineers are already experiment with ‘potential applications.’


Read More: iPad Air 2 review



readmore »»  

UK Gov: Britain to have 15 fuel stations for hydrogen vehicles by 2015

Honda FCX Clarity

A Honda FCX Clarity being refuelled with hydrogen at the firm's Swindon HQ




The UK government wants to help kick-start hydrogen fuel cells as a viable alternative to petrol-glugging motors.


Kate Warren, who deals with hydrogen and supply chains at the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, said the government is aiming for “fifteen publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015.”


Warren was speaking at the launch of the Britain’s first commercial scale solar-powered hydrogen production and refuelling facility at Honda’s UK HQ in Swindon earlier today.


Hydrogen fuel cells are an alternative energy source that offers zero emissions, making them far more eco-friendly than standard internal combustion engines.


While it’s still early days for hydrogen fuel cells, Warren told event-goers that Whitehall is keen to boost the tech.


The UK government has a vision of the UK at the forefront of design, development, manufacturing, and use of ultra low emission vehicles,” she said.


“The UK has a strong automotive sector, of which this Honda plant is clearly an example.”


Warren noted however that the Office for LEVs didn’t want to put all of its eggs in hydrogen’s basket, warning: “It’s very important the government doesn’t try and pick a winner at this stage.”


Honda launched its own hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the Honda FCX Clarity, back in 2008, which has been publicly trialled over in the USA.


Honda revealed to TrustedReviews that the hydrogen needed to power the car would price up at around £5 per kilogram.


On average, the car runs for around 60 miles for every kilo of hydrogen, with roughly 360 miles of travel promised on a full tank.


Jason Smith, one of Honda’s directors, said that the car firm wants to ‘focus [its] resources on addressing climate change.”


Read More: Apple CarPlay - 8 things you can do with CarPlay



readmore »»