Call of Duty: Ghosts news, rumours, release date

Call of Duty: Ghosts News

Originally thought to be called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, a game listing on the Tesco website has leaked the name of the next instalment in the FPS franchise as Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Tesco posted a picture of what looks like the final cover art for Call of Duty: Ghosts, with a soldier pulling on a mask worn by the character Ghost in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

The Call of Duty: Ghosts cover art seemingly confirms that deeloper Infinity Ward is producing the title. This is an expected move, as Activision annually rotates CoD collaborations with Infinity Ward and Treyarch.

Tesco and US retailer Target have both confirmed that the next Call of Duty instalment will ship for the current PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Activision has yet to officially confirm any of the information listed above so, as always, we have to take it with a pinch of salt.

Call of Duty: Ghosts Rumours

Widely tipped for a May 1 unveiling, Call of Duty: Ghosts is rumoured to be set in the future, similar to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, but use currently available weaponry and technology.

Claiming to have received information from a “very legitimate source”, YouTube user Drift0r, alleged the game could be “branching out of the Modern Warfare series” as it was “moving into a different direction” earlier this year.

If Call of Duty: Ghosts is officially the new title for the next CoD game, Activision may have dropped the Modern Warfare moniker due to the out-of-court settlement with former Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella.

Seeing as a reported launch date for the game falls just before the new Xbox 720 unveiling on May 21 and post-PS4, Call of Duty: Ghosts could launch on the next-generation consoles. Similar to Battlefield 4, we expect Call of Duty: Ghosts to be a graphically impressive title that would benefit from the PC architecture rumoured to be installed in both the PS4 and new Xbox.

Call of Duty: Ghosts Release Date

Following the recent Tesco listing, a Call of Duty: Ghosts release date has been tipped for December 31. However, this is only believed to be placeholder text as a November release date would be more in line with the usual November Call of Duty franchise launch schedule.

After the Tesco leak, US retailer Target listed the Call of Duty: Ghosts release date as November 5, which is far more likely as it is in line with the annual release schedule from Activision.

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Twitter for Mac gets a long overdue update, brings Retina Display support

Twitter has updated its client for Mac OS X computers for the first time in over a year.

The update, which is available to download from the Mac App Store now, brings support for Retina Display Macs like the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops announced last year.

"Twitter is now more vibrant on the highest resolution Mac notebooks," according to the app's store listing

There are also improved tweet composing tools, with a new design that allows users to easily post photos from their Mac's directly to pic.twitter.com.

Users can drag and drop photos into the application's compose card or hit the camera button to attach snaps, just like in the mobile app.

On a somewhat less interesting level, the company has updated the iconography and added support for 14 new languages, including Dutch, French, Germain, Italian and Russian.

Twitter is under pressure to update its desktop client for Mac with the same regularity as it updates its mobile apps with.

The company already plans to shutter its British-born TweetDeck acquisition on May 7th, which will force more users onto the official desktop client.

Via SlashGear

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Xbox 720 to have Windows 8, Blu-ray and must be 'always-on' claims Microsoft blogger

A well-known Microsoft blogger has released a host of information he claims to "know" about the new Xbox games console, ahead of the launch event on May 21.

Paul Thurrock claimed on Thursday that the console will be based on the 'Core' version of Windows 8 which above all will make it easier for developers to build games and software across Microsoft's various platform.

He also said the console will have a Blu-ray optical drive as many have speculated, but unfortunately, Thurrock claimed the device will indeed require a constant internet connection to play games.

Thurrock also talked down the prospect of a scaled-back Xbox Mini console or the rumoured dedicated entertainment device that would not play games.

He wrote: "Microsoft originally planned to offer both a “full” version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, code-named “Yuma,” that didn't provide gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold, and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever)."

He did however, Microsoft claims to launch a cheaper-then-ever Xbox 360 console code-named "Stingray" at some point this year in order to squeeze a little more life out of the 8 year old device.

In terms of pricing for the new Xbox console, Microsoft will offer a $499 standalone version as well as a $299 version that would requires users to commit to Xbox LIVE for 24 months.

Thurrock also claimed the console will go on sale in mid-November in time for Christmas and a showdown with the Sony PS4 console.

Just yesterday it was confirmed Microsoft will launch the next-generation console at an event on May 21st on its Xbox campus in Redmond, Washington.

There had been suggestions that the company was planning a launch in April, but Thurrock said those plans were pushed back so Microsoft had more time to counter Sony's presentation.

The May 21st event will see Microsoft announce the console and its plans, but we may not get the full picture or learn the launch line up until the E3 expo the following month.

Via Windows IT Pro

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Samsung Galaxy S4 deals: Vodafone offering £150 cashback

Anyone wanting to grab a Samsung Galaxy S4 when it comes out tomorrow may be looking out for some good deals on the Android powerhouse.

Vodafone and Tesco Compare are offering £150 cashback on the Samsung flagship for anyone signing up to any of the 24 month Vodafone Samsung Galaxy S4 tariffs.

Vodafone and Recombu have three 24 month tariff deals compatible with the £150 cashback offer and the top two include a free Samsung Galaxy S4 handset . The first provides unlimited minutes, texts and 4GB of data costing £47 per month.

The second deal is for £42 per month, which includes unlimited minutes and texts and 2GB of monthly data allowance. Lastly, the cheapest option is £37 per month, includes unlimited minutes and texts, 1GB of data, but does incur a £69 upfront handset fee.

To opt into one of these deals, simply click here.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Features

Launching tomorrow, the Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 1.9GHz quad-core CPU that is said to wield just as much performance power as the missing 1.6GHz eight-core option shipping in some markets.

Packing a 5-inch Super AMOLED screen with Full 1,920 x 1,080p HD resolutions and a 441ppi image density, the Samsung Galaxy S4 retains the same height as its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3.

In fact, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is actually thinner, measuring just 7.9mm thick in comparison to the 8.3mm dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean coupled with the latest iteration of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, and has a 2,600mAh battery. Shipping with three internal storage varieties, the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions all have microSD card expansion slots supporting memory cards up to 32GB.

Offering a 13-megapixel camera in the rear coupled with a 2-megapixel snapper in front, the Samsung Galaxy S4 supports 4G LTE and also plays host to IR LED, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

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Win a BlackBerry Z10 with TrustedReviews and TalkTalk

Having already given away a Google Nexus 4 and with an iPhone 5 still up for grabs, we have teamed up with TalkTalk to give you the chance to win a BlackBerry Z10.

The first handset to land running the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, we have a brand new BlackBerry Z10 to give away courtesy of TalkTalk, with one lucky winner set to take home the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One rival.

Launching earlier this year, the BlackBerry Z10 sees the Canadian handset manufacturer regain footing in the smartphone scene with the 4.2-inch full touchscreen device pairing its 335 PPI display with a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

Lining up at a mere 9mm thick and just 137.5g in weight, the BlackBerry Z10 features list is rounded off by an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera with a second, 2-megapixel snapper up front and the now usual collection of Wi-Fi, 4G and microSD connectivity options.

Now available for free on TalkTalk Mobile when taking out a £25 per month contract, we have a BlackBerry Z10 to give away to celebrate this new deal.

To be in with a chance to win a BlackBerry Z10, simply follow the link and tell us what megapixel camera does the handset feature, it couldn’t be simpler.

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LG to deliver flexible OLED display smartphone by the end of 2013

LG will introduce a smartphone with a flexible OLED screen before the end of this year, according to the company’s vice president of mobile.

Mentioned in a call discussing the company’s financial results for this quarter, Vice President of LG Mobile, Yoon Bu-hyun, said the company is working with LG Display to produce a smartphone with a flexible OLED screen by Q4 2013.

Although an entirely flexible smartphone wouldn’t be possible due to components such as the battery and circuitry contained within, LG could instead produce a smartphone with a wraparound display similar to the iPhone 6 concept images and flexible wraparound display patent that recently appeared online.

Analysts have suggested that investors will be monitoring LG closely to see if it can deliver on the promise of a flexible OLED screen smartphone before the end of 2013, as currently the production yield for any next-generation displays are low.

The news of such a smartphone follows on from the news that the South Korean company aims to bring the UK curved OLED TVs later this year.

LG is preparing to bring such curved screen to UK markets with the aim of the TVs being the next big advancement in the home entertainment sector.

“I can’t give you an exact time, but I think we will see the first curved TV devices on the market soon,” said Hung W.K. Shin, Team Manager of the LG Home Electronics Product Communication team, exclusively to TrustedReviews on a trip to Seoul.

“We are preparing various types of curved TV. Not only 55-inch models but larger as well. Consumers will be most strongly immersed within this curve.”

Designed to provide users with stronger viewing angles, curved OLED TV screens should offer a more immersive viewing experience as viewers will be surrounded by the content they’re currently watching.

LG showcased its LG EA9800 55-inch OLED panel with curved display at CES 2013, which offered Full 1080p HD resolutions within a ‘Paper Slim’ design.

Via: The Verge

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Panasonic HX-WA3 Camcorder Review

What is the Panasonic HX-WA3?

Panasonic pioneered the rugged, waterproof camcorder with the SDR-SW20, calling upon its years of experience in making technology as resistant to rough treatment as possible.

But now most manufacturers have waterproof models, so Panasonic's rugged camcorders are no longer unique in themselves. They still have the wealth of the company's experience behind them. The Panasonic HX-WA3 is the direct successor to the Panasonic HX-WA2, released about this time last year, but it's more of an evolution than some of Panasonic's 2013 models.

Panasonic HX-WA3 - Features

For a start, the Panasonic WA3's sensor has a virtually identical specification to the WA2's. But it was already a commendably large 1/2.33in CMOS with 14.4Mpixels. This provides the same 11.9Mpixels in 16:9 mode and 14.3Mpixels in 4:3 mode — much more than is needed by the top Full HD shooting format used.

The base optical zoom remains 5x, but Panasonic has mildly improved the iZoom. This is quoted as 18x, but you can't go seamlessly all the way from 1x to 18x. Instead, you can zoom to 9x, then a button at the top of the camcorder rear doubles the magnification electronically.

This isn't a digital zoom, but instead uses the considerable extra sensor resolution, cropping into the frame. The maximum zoom also drops to 12x when the Active image stabilisation mode is enabled, which also uses extra sensor pixels. This enhanced mode provides more pronounced stabilisation, particularly if you are shooting when walking.



There are quite a few video format options available. Unlike most of Panasonic's other camcorders, AVCHD isn't employed, although footage is still recorded as H.264 MPEG-4, but in standard MP4 files. There are six options. For HD, you can choose between interlaced 1080/60i or progressive 1080/30p, 720/60p and 720/30p. For standard definition you can use 480/30p or iFrame, which is 540/30p. There's no 25 frames per second option, however.

Still image settings range from 640 x 480 to 16Mpixel shots with a resolution of 4,608 x 3,456, and you can choose between 16:9 and 4:3 formats. You can also select a variety of huge 180-degree or 360-degree panoramic shots, with resolutions up to 1,280 x 14,400. A single SDXC-compatible SD card slot is provided for storage, with a 16GB card enough for around two hours of footage at the top 17Mbits/sec video data rate.



Like the WA2 and a few of Panasonic's other previous models, the Panasonic HX-WA3 uses the upright pistol-grip camcorder format, rather than the traditional HandyCam style. Virtually all features are controlled with your thumb, since the LCD is not a touch screen. This makes sense, as a touch screen would be a liability if you do plan to shoot underwater, and you will definitely want a hand free in these conditions too.

As with the WA2, the waterproofing is excellent, and this is one area where the Panasonic HX-WA3 shows marked improvement. Thanks to the double-locking door covering the SD card slot, battery, micro USB and micro HDMI ports, the WA3 is even tougher than its predecessor. Waterproofing is to IPX8 standard, so the Panasonic HX-WA3 will withstand depths of up to 5m, increased from 3m for the WA2. Dustproofing conforms to IP6X standard, and Panasonic also claims the WA3 can withstand freezing temperatures down to -10C.

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New Xbox 720 – Always-on DRM would be arrogant, foolhardy and ill-judged

New Xbox 720 always-on DRM

All I wanted to do was watch the Formula One highlights on Sky.

“Error: You must be signed in to Xbox Live.”

Sigh. Is the internet down? Nope. Can I sign-in again? No dice. Test connection. Still no dice. Restart Xbox…

It’s working, whoop.

10 minutes later…

“Error: You must be signed in to Xbox Live.”

Rinse and repeat, twice. Annoyed, infuriated. Dissatisfied.

I gave up in the end, but not before I was reminded of the continuing rumours that the new Xbox (aka Xbox 720) due to be announced on 21 May will not only bar second-hand games, but will use ‘always-on DRM’ that, when an internet connection is absent, will timeout after three minutes.

Rumours they might be, but the lack of an official denial is telling – especially after Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth took to Twitter to say “…that's the world we live in. #dealwithit” when discussing the Kotaku report that set this story in motion

In the fallout, Orth resigned from his post – a tragic consequence for simply sharing one’s opinion, but a topic for another day. The key point is this…

Microsoft could have nipped this whole sorry tale in bud with a simple, straightforward denial. It hasn’t.

That worries me.

Microsoft: please listen to your fans

It worries gamers, too. When we asked our TrustedReviews Facebook page followers which next-gen console they favoured, one simply responded:

“Which ever camp doesn't have ‘always on’.”

Another said:

“Not going to buy it [the new Xbox 720] for that very reason. Do not care how good it is.”

A scientific survey this is not, but you don’t have to search very hard to find similar sentiments. It seems the very topic of always-on DRM is toxic. People put up with all sorts of problems and frustrations with their favourite tech, but ‘always-on DRM’ is a deal breaker.

People will leave Xbox and join PlayStation over this.

Microsoft isn’t this stupid, surely?

I don’t believe, perhaps naively, Microsoft is so stupid to follow through on any always-on DRM plans it could have for Xbox 720. The recent Xbox Live outage, which prevented users accessing Netflix and other apps, should have been warning enough.

But if that, and the fallout from Orth’s mis-tweet, aren’t enough, then surely the sensational failures of Diablo 3 and SimCity to implement always-on, not to mention Ubisoft’s belated backtrack on its always-on system on PC, are enough to dissuade it?

Hell, if Microsoft was to start its 21 May launch by saying it wouldn’t implement always-on DRM, it could turn a potential disaster into a great PR triumph.

But if Microsoft ignores all the signs, all the rage and all the evidence, it would be one of the most arrogant, foolhardy and ill-judged decisions I can remember.

I’m an Xbox fan, so I hope it doesn’t. How about you?

READ MORE: Xbox 720 news, release date & rumours

Andy Vandervell is Deputy Editor at Trusted Reviews. He tweets at www.twitter.com/andyvan and you can follow him on Google Plus too.

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Microsoft Surface Pro coming to UK in May

Microsoft has confirmed that UK markets will receive the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet before the end of May.

Having been on sale in the US for several months, eventually also making its way to Canada and China, a wider global launch has been delayed due to manufacturing delays.

Writing in a post on the official Surface blog, Brian Hall, General Manager of Microsoft Surface said he realises the demand for the Microsoft Surface Pro in additional markets was high.

“We know it took us a while to get back to you, but we hear you, and are excited to be able to provide an update on the countries where Surface RT and Surface Pro will be launching in May and June,” wrote Hall. “Additional details on launch events, retail availability, and pricing will be provided in future posts to this blog and via twitter at @Surface ahead of actual launch dates.”

Hall also admitted Microsoft had struggled to keep enough stock of the 128GB version of the Microsoft Surface Pro, calling it one of its “biggest challenges”. The delay to a worldwide Surface Pro launch was also to ensure that plenty of retail stock would be available on the release date.

However, latest figures show that there hasn’t been huge demand for the Windows 8 tablet from Microsoft, with only 1.5 million units of Microsoft Surface RT and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets combined sold to date.

The UK is not the only lucky country to get access to the Microsoft Surface Pro by the end of May, as Microsoft released a long list of regions due to be graced with its presence.

“Surface Pro will launch before the end of May in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.”

Unfortunately, some other countries will have to wait until June to get their hands on the Microsoft flagship tablet.

“Surface Pro will launch in Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand before the end of June.”

UK pricing for the Microsoft Surface Pro is yet to be confirmed, but with the 64GB version of the Windows 78 tablet costing $899, we could be looking at a price tag above £560.

Via: Microsoft Surface Blog

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Audio Pro Avanto 5.0 HTS Audio Review

What is the Audio Pro Avanto 5.0 HTS?

Subwoofers are an important part of the home cinema experience, plumbing bass depths that normal speakers can’t reach in order to make movie viewing more thrilling and visceral.

But given how big and bulky they can be, not everyone has room for one. If that’s the case, Audio Pro has the solution for you – a five-channel speaker package with subwoofers built into the front towers. That means you can enjoy movie playback with deep bass, but without the added clutter.

The system comprises a pair of FS-20 front floorstanders, a pair of S-20 bookshelf-style rears and a C-20 centre speaker, and conveniently it all comes in a single box.

Audio Pro Avanto 5.0 HTS – Design

The front speaker cabinets have a gorgeous leather-finish on the top and back, giving them an attractive texture and an air of luxury. Complementing the leather finish are swanky gloss black side panels, which also come in black ash and walnut if you prefer a more classic look. The front of each speaker is masked by a removable black cloth grille.

The cabinets are relatively short, while their curved edges give them a softness and sophistication that’s perfect for the living room – a far cry from the hard, imposing designs of many home cinema speakers. They also tilt upwards when placed on their sloping plinths.



Build quality is top-drawer, which comes as something of a surprise given their price. The cabinets are rigid and heavy, and all the speakers have sturdy gold-plated binding posts on the back.

They have 8-inch side-firing woofers fitted towards the bottom of the cabinets, which are revealed when you remove the black cloth grille plugging a porthole at the side. They’re passive woofers, which means all the power they need is provided by your amplifier. That differs from some speakers with built-in woofers like the Teufel Theater 3, which have built-in amps and require their own power supply.

This high build quality and chic styling continues on the S-20 surround speakers, which look remarkably attractive in their combination of leather and gloss black side panels. Likewise the C-20, which as protocol dictates is horizontally orientated in order to sit conveniently on a TV stand shelf.

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Battlefield 4 release date and more Commander Mode details leak online

A Battlefield 4 release date has been leaked online as October 31 in pre-order materials spotted by a dedicated Battlefield 4 blog.

The pre-order poster from Australian retailer EB Games reveals the October 31 release date alongside several Battlefield 4 features, such as Commander Mode, Battlelog 2.0 and Battlefield 4 Premium.

What’s odd about the release date is that it lies on a Thursday, which breaks the usual game launch patterns of Tuesday for the American market and Friday in the UK. It is exactly a year after Battlefield 3 launched though, which could either mean the poster is a fake or the date is significant to Battlefield series’ developer DICE.

The Commander Mode previously rumoured to make a return in Battlefield 4 does make an appearance on the slightly suspect poster though, suggesting that users can become an “armchair general”.

“Rank up into the seat of the brand new Commander Mode and lead your team to victory,” the poster reads.

Commander Mode was last used in Battlefield 2 and enabled one player per team to assume command of the squad’s resources, taking control of UAVs and other powerful weapons. It would certainly be a welcome addition to Battlefield 4 Multiplayer.

Also mentioned is Battlelog 2.0, a potential upgrade to the Battlelog featured in Battlefield 3, which is described as “the next version of the state of the art gaming portal.”

“Track every shot, every opponent, every detail of your online Battlefield career,” the poster tells.

The Battlefield Premium service from EA is also said to be available, offering additional content and features at a price including “exclusive uniforms, weapons, and more.”

The poster also hints at the first Battlefield 4 DLC or expansion pack called Drone Strike, with an unknown release date, which could be included as part of the Battlefield 4 Premium service.

Battlefield 4 was unveiled at a dedicated EA event last month. Powered by DICE’s Frostbite engine, the demo revealed the game will feature stunning photorealistic graphics and will launch for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 sometime this autumn. The game could also ship for the next-gen PS4 and new Xbox 720 consoles.

Via: BF4Central

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Samsung Galaxy S4 release date affected by supply issues in US

The Samsung Galaxy S4 launch in the US will be affected by supply issues, according to American carriers Sprint and T-Mobile.

Such distribution problems have been attributed to an overwhelming demand for the latest Samsung flagship, but it will mean that the US roll-out from T-Mobile and Sprint will be later than expected.

“Due to overwhelming global demand of Galaxy S4, the initial supply may be limited. We expect to fulfil inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks,” said Samsung in a statement.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 release date is this Friday, April 26 in the US and UK, but online orders on the American T-Mobile website now start from Monday April 29. The delayed launch date is due to “an unexpected delay with inventory deliveries.”

Online orders from Sprint begin from Saturday April 27 as planned, but the handset’s availability in retail stores will only start when the network provider has enough stock.

“We had planned to launch this next generation of the award-winning Samsung Galaxy lineup on Saturday,” said US network provider Sprint. “Unfortunately, due to unexpected inventory challenges from Samsung, we will be slightly delayed with our full product launch.”

On the other hand, competing American carrier AT&T confirmed it would be selling the Samsung Galaxy S4 from Saturday as planned.

“Demand is far stronger than we had expected and as a result we are having difficulties in fully meeting initial supply requests,” said Samsung Mobile’s Head of Sales and Marketing Lee Don-joo to reporters in Seoul, South Korea.

Analysts predict that the Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship smartphone could surpass 10 million unit sales within the first month after it launches. However, if the handset suffers from delays or issues with components it could mean disaster.

In the month after the Samsung Galaxy S3 launched in May 2012, Samsung incurred 2 million units of lost sales due to a manufacturing error that left the devices’ cases unfit for sale.

Via: Guardian

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HTC One not affected by Nokia injunction

HTC has issued an official press statement, clarifying that its HTC One flagship will not be affected by any Nokia injunction against microphone components.

Nokia claimed to have won a court injunction against HTC, banning the use of specific microphone components in the HTC One, but HTC claims the court order was solely between Nokia and STMicroelectronics who supply the parts.

“Nokia has not obtained an injunction in The Netherlands, or anywhere else, against the HTC One,” said HTC in a statement. “The Dutch proceedings were brought by Nokia solely against STM. HTC was not sued by Nokia in the Netherlands.”

The Finnish smartphone manufacturer said the Amsterdam District Court had banned the use of the microphone technology in the HTC One smartphone until March 2014, which raised concern over potential delays for the Android powerhouse.

Despite a history of manufacturing delays, the legal ruling will have little bearing on the shipments of the HTC One handsets.

“The Dutch injunction prohibits STM from selling certain microphones to any company other than Nokia for a limited period. The judgement against STM states that HTC can continue to use microphones already purchased from STM in its products, because they were purchased in good-faith.”

“Nokia’s attempt to obtain a recall of microphones already sold to HTC failed.”

For the future, HTC will make a move to other high amplitutde audio capture components that it believes will be superior to those offered by STMicroeletronics.

“HTC will transition to improved microphone designs once its inventory of STM microphones is exhausted.”

The injunction came about due to Nokia staff dismantling an HTC One handset and discovering the Android smartphone contained the same HAAC technology as the Finnish company’s exclusive invention. Used in smartphones like the Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia has now restricted the sale of the STMicroelectronics component, limiting sales only to Nokia until March 1 2014.

Via: Engadget

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Sam Loveridge

Since finishing her English BA, Samantha has spent a year working as a freelance journalist in Singapore and pulling pints in an old English pub, before settling down to a Journalism MA that she finished last year.

One of the newest member of the Trusted Reviews team, she is enjoying getting her teeth into some hard tech news.

An avid gamer since her hands felt the cool embrace of the Gameboy Pocket back in 1996, Samantha can often be found glued to a controller yelling at the TV screen.

When she isn’t busy saving the world (again), Samantha loves a good book, loud gig or classic pub for a taste of the local tipple.

Google Plus Profile

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UK Samsung Galaxy S4 owners will not miss eight-core option suggests company head

Having come under criticism for failing to bring its eight-core Samsung Galaxy S4 option to UK and US markets, the Korean manufacturer has suggested users will not even notice the difference.

Claiming that UK Samsung Galaxy S4 owners will not miss out by being handed a 1.9GHz quad-core CPU hosting handset as opposed to the 1.6GHz eight-core option hitting some markets, J.K. Shin, Samsung’s co-CEO and head of the company’s mobile division has suggested the users won’t ‘notice or care’.

Speaking with CNET, Shin has attempted to quell grievances in UK and US markets, stating that those not afforded access to the eight-core rendition of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the world’s first octa-core handset, will not miss out on the power front.

Whilst Samsung originally confirmed that the UK bound Samsung Galaxy S4 would benefit from the same Exynos 5 octa-core processor promised to other markets, less than a week after the handset’s formal NYC unveiling the Apple rival revealed this would no longer be the case, with UK consumers instead having to settle for a quad-core Qualcomm chipset.

Having taken top honours in recent benchmark tests, the increased power benefits of the Exynos 5 eight-core processor are said to be further bolstered by improved battery performance, with the octa-core option utilising a four big, four small set up to reduce battery consumption on low-strain tasks. It has been claimed that the UK has been bumped to the quad-core CPU selection in order to ensure handsets are 4G capable.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Specs

Asides from the CPU difference the UK-bound Samsung Galaxy S4 is identical to its eight-core siblings with a new 5-inch display playing host to a stunning 1920 x 1080p Full HD resolution and 441 PPI image density.

With a 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera paired with a second 2-megapixel snapper around front, the Samsung Galaxy S4 features list sees a 2600mAH battery and the option of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage capacities slotted within the handset’s 7.9mm thick form factor.

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Call of Duty: Ghosts teased ahead of formal unveiling as covert art leaks

Forget the possibility of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the next-generation COD title has leaked online with retailers suggesting the game will be called Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Following on from recent Call of Duty offerings that have seen Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 followed up by Black Ops 2, retail giant Tesco has prematurely teased Activision’s next gaming blockbuster, with Call of Duty: Ghosts expected to touch down later this year.

Having listed the game via the Tesco Direct website before hastily removing it, the retailer offered up details on the release’s title alongside what is believed to be an image of the final, approved Call of Duty: Ghosts cover art.

Showing off a blindfolded soldier, the Call of Duty: Ghosts cover art offers another insight into the game, confirming it has been developed by Infinity Ward, a widely expected collaboration given the franchise’s biannual rotation between IW and Treyarch.

Whilst the listing also hinted at a potential December 31 Call of Duty: Ghosts release date, it is believed that this is simply placeholder text, with the game in fact expected to go on sale in line with the COD franchise’s annual product cycle in mid-November.

Following up Tesco’s premature showing of the upcoming COD offering, US retailer Target jumped on the pre-release bandwagon, listing the Call of Duty: Ghosts release date as a more likely November 5, a date that would see the title make a high-profile Tuesday arrival.

With the claimed Call of Duty: Ghosts cover art showcasing the game as heading to Sony’s now aging PS3 console, it is currently unknown whether the Modern Warfare 3 follow-on will make it to the recently confirmed Sony PS4 or Microsoft’s next Xbox, a console set to be unveiled on May 21. Both Tesco and Target have revealed the game will be available for Xbox 360.

Sure to be aggrieved by the premature unveiling, it is currently not clear when exactly Activision will formally announce the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts title. Given the publishers longstanding tie-in with Microsoft, however, it is not wholly out of the question that the game will make its debut alongside the next-generation Xbox 720.

Via: MCV

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Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP Printer Review

What is the Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP?

A mono laser multifunction printer, like the Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP, can easily be the heart of a home or small office, providing print, scan, copy and fax functions in one compact unit. Devices of this type have been around for many years and their designs are pretty well-established, but there are still innovations around.

Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP - Design and Features

The look of the FS-1325MFP is pretty conventional, with the side panels of the laser engine flared out to support a flatbed scanner, complete with a 40-sheet Automatic Document Feeder.

Although the footprint of the machine on the desk is quite small with the paper tray closed, when printing, it’s increased substantially. We’ve never really seen the point of this open and close design on anything but a very occasional personal printer, as you have to keep the printer open and ready, if you print at all regularly.

The main paper tray can take up to 250 sheets and has a hinged lid to keep the dust off. There's a single-sheet feed for envelopes and special media just above the lid and an internal cover folds down above this to provide access to the toner cartridge.

The cartridge has been redesigned so that it slots in the left-hand side of the machine and is the only consumable. Kyocera Mita uses its patented ceramic drum, which lasts the full life of the machine.

REVIEWS: See the best printers

Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP - Interface

There is no front panel USB socket, which is a little disappointing as it provides walk up printing and scanning, and the 2-line, 16-character LCD display, although backlit, is a bit small to read easily. Sockets at the back, as well as those for fax phone line and third-party handset, provide USB and 10/100 Ethernet connections.



Drivers for the printer and scanner are provided, as is support software for the device’s two novel features, programmed jobs and Print Boxes. With programmed jobs, you can set up specifics, like paper size, pages per sheet, orientation and then call them up with a single key. There are three programs each for the Copy, Scan and Fax functions and four – including a default – for Print Boxes.

With Print Boxes you can send a document to the Kyocera Mita FS-1325MFP as well as formatting settings and store them all in these virtual boxes, so again they can be retrieved with a single key press. This is ideal if you regularly reproduce the same notices or forms.

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Dead Island: Riptide Game Review

Available on Xbox 360, PS3 (reviewed), PC

Sequels are sometimes second chances, and few games need a second chance as much as Techland’s Dead Island. The game was a minor hit, but nearly everyone who played it agreed that while somewhere in there was a decent game, it was buried in a mess of technical issues, shoddy design and poorly conceived game mechanics. If the Call of Juarez developers could just fix those up and polish the action, it might just have the beginnings of a blockbuster franchise on its hands.

Well, given eighteen months and presumably more budget you might have hoped they would have done exactly that. Instead, we have another decent game, buried in a mess of technical issues, shoddy design and poorly conceived game mechanics. In short, Riptide is more of the same; slightly better but still far from brilliant.

Dead Island: Riptide - Sun, sand and shambling horrors

Like its predecessor, Riptide takes its inspiration from the Lucio Fulci school of grindhouse zombie horror movies, specifically Zombie Flesh Eaters/Zombi 2. You play one of a handful of survivors marooned on a zombie-plagued tropical island, immune to the disease but unable to get off. By exploring the island and completing missions for the less decomposing members of the population you have a shot of making your escape. Even revisited, it’s a fine premise, with the sun, sand and jungle making a nice change from the usual urban grime and backwoods decay of most horror titles.

The game looks like a survival horror FPS - a sort of Left 4 Dead meets Far Cry - and there are parallels with the former in that it’s been designed for co-op play, with a choice of five characters and drop-in/drop-out action. However, in practice it’s closer to a hack-and-slash action RPG, often pushing melee combat over ranged weapons, and with the focus firmly on slaying, looting and upgrading. It’s an odd mix, but a mix that almost works exceptionally well.

Dead Island: Riptide - Combat and Progression

Melee combat is the mainstay of the game, and the feel is very distinctive. Zombies tend to rush you in small groups, while a fast-depleting stamina bar prevents you from simply swinging willy-nilly with your current crowbar, cleaver or baseball bat of choice. Instead you learn to use the push and kick manouvres to keep enemies at bay, then swing out when you have the best chance of connecting. There’s a real sense of momentum to the weapons, not to mention a satisfying gory crunch when zombie skulls are splattered across those shining island sands. Firearms come into action slightly later in the game, but work most as a means of crowd control or putting down specific zombie threats.

Each of the five characters has their own specialities, and levelling up and building up a set of slaying and survival skills is a big part of the fun. Most of all, though Riptide thrives on its weapon upgrades, all accessible from the island’s many workbenches. Even the most basic butcher’s knife can be pimped into a damage-doubling version, while blueprints enable you to add venom, spikes, claws or electric shocks to create a dizzying variety of gruesome-looking implements.

There’s fun to be had in Riptide’s hack, slash and upgrade cycle, even as a solo player. While it’s never actually scary, there are locations on the island that pack a creepy atmosphere, and there’s something charmingly slapstick about the game’s revelling in gore. It’s generous too. Loot is everywhere you look, while dying is more of a slapped wrist than a real cause of misery, reincarnating you at the nearest check point with some of your collected cash removed.

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Amazon working on set-top box to push original content?

Amazon's next step into hardware will be a connected set-top box to rival the likes of Apple TV, Boxee and Roku and will launch later this year, a Bloomberg report claimed on Wednesday evening.

The box, which would plug into TV sets and allow users to stream video over the internet, would give users easy access to the Amazon Instant Video service or Lovefilm in the UK and could arrive as soon as this autumn.

Amazon has significantly stepped up its streaming operation in recent years and is now, like Netflix, making a push to become a destination for original, first-run content.

Just last week the company unleashed 14 TV shows pilots which had been produced in house by Amazon Studios (8 comedies and 6 children's programmes).

The pilots are free for all to watch and Amazon is asking folks to take on the role of Hollywood executives and vote on which should be made, because deciding which are to become fully-fledged series.

The company is investing hundreds of millions on the original shows and archive content as it seeks to rival not just Netflix, but traditional TV networks like HBO, BBC, Sky and everyone in between.

Amazon's film and TV selections are already available on a host of connected devices, smartphones, tablets and set-top boxes, but it's easy to see the advantages of having an own-branded solution.

It would allow Amazon to put its content at the front and centre of the experience as it has with the hugely popular Kindle Fire tablet. As Amazon also offers on-demand movies and television shows to rent or buy, a living room device would allow the company to offer those products directly from the television set, just as Apple has with iTunes and Apple TV.

One would also think the company's App Store would also feature on any set-top box, allowing buyers to play games and access services from their television set, a temptation Apple has so far resisted.

Given Amazon's track record with hardware, it's also extremely likely that any set-top box would cost significantly less than the £100 cost of the Apple TV hockey puck-like device.

According to the report, the company will roll out the set-top box this autumn. Perhaps alongside new Kindle Fire tablets and the oft-predicted Kindle Phone?

Via Bloomberg Businessweek

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Microsoft new Xbox launch event confirmed for May 21st

Microsoft has confirmed it'll introduce the new Xbox games console to the world on May 21st after sending an invite out to the media on Wednesday evening.

The company invite bares the words: "A New Generation Revealed," sitting neatly below the company's iconic Xbox logo.

The event is described as a "special unveiling" and will be hosted by Don Mattrick, Microsoft's president of interactive entertainment business and the Xbox team and will take place on the Xbox campus in Microsoft's hometown of Redmond, Washington.

The invite did not reveal a name for the next-generation console, although most folks have been referring to it as the Xbox 720 for years now. Internally Microsoft has codenamed the console Durango.

The launch event will be screened on Xbox.com and on Xbox Live and will take place at 5PM BST on May 21st, which is a Tuesday.

It seems that Microsoft will unveil the console on the 21st before the a deeper reveal, alongside the first launch titles at E3, less than three weeks later in June.

Larry Hyrb of Microsoft's Director of Programming for Xbox Live (more commonly known by his Major Nelson gamertag) posted on his personal blog: "On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19-days later at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games.

"We are thrilled to pull back the curtain and reveal what we’ve been working on."

The announcement comes a couple of weeks after The Verge first leaked word that the event was being planned for May 21st and it turns out the site was bang on the money.

The launch event will come less than three months after Sony unveiled its next-generation console the PS4, back in February.

Controversially, at that two hour launch event, Sony failed to show the console hardware. We can't see Microsoft falling into that trap.

What are some of the features you'd like to see within the new console? Let us know in the comments below.

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Nike+ Fuelband app update offers enhanced social media connectivity

Nike has updated its companion app for the Nike Fuelband to make it easier for fitness fans to share their achievements with their Facebook contacts.

Nike Fuelband users can now quickly post a photo of their workout activities on the social media site, tagging friends and locations, with the app now offering the option to comment on the pictures too.

Any photo posted to Facebook can be customised with information from the app, such as their current NikeFuel score and the Nike logo before it hits their timeline.

The Nike Fuelband app update also allows users further interaction with their fitness friends, allowing people to invite, manage and compete with their friends via Facebook, Nike and their contacts using the Nike Fuelband iOS app.

The update introduces customisable leader boards that can be used as a way to compare their NikeFuel score with friends, as well as challenge and compete with them.



Nike Fuelband Features

The Nike Fuelband uses an accelerometer to measure the user’s movements, converting the information into NikeFuel points.

Users can set their daily goals for the amount of NikeFuel points they wish to accumulate, with a line of LEDs moving and changing colour from red to green as the user gets closer to that goal.

The companion app helps users to visualise all their activity each day, enabling Nike Fuelband owners to analyse their fitness regime.

Aiming to encourage users to partake in more energetic activity, users can set themselves targets for which they receive achievements and rewards in the form of their NikeFuel score. They can then share any achievements and their score with friends via social media using the app.

The Nike Fuelband is available in three colours, Black, White Ice and Black Ice and retails for £129 from the Nike store.

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LG reports 10.3 million smartphone shipments

LG has shipped 10.3 million smartphones in the first quarter of this year, a record number for the South Korean company.

Smartphone shipments from the company soared by 28.5 per cent during the quarter ending March 31, helped greatly by its LG Optimus G Pro smartphone and very popular LG manufactured Google Nexus 4.

The South Korean company has a 3.2 per cent market share when it comes to smartphones, standing in the shadow of rivals Apple and Samsung who sit atop the smartphone market leader board. However, high smartphone shipment figures will certainly help LG compete against less prolific manufacturers like Nokia, HTC and BlackBerry.

LG has admitted to TrustedReviews that it is currently “very weak” in the UK smartphone market, due to a delayed entry point behind Apple and Samsung.

“Of course we are very weak in the UK market as we know but it is time for us to start challenging the most difficult market,” said Won Kim, LG Mobile’s Head of European Marketing. “This year we will do something that will give us a good footprint in the UK and then we will be on the right track to be a valuable handset threat.”

“It’s hard to be recognised as a key brand in the market. The two horse race led by Apple and Samsung has been reinforced gradually. It’s not easy for us to shake the lands. It’s definitely not easy and it is getting more and more difficult,” added Kim.

Despite strong smartphone sales, LG saw Q1 operating profits fall to 350 billion won (£204 million) or 13 per cent compared to the same period last year. This figure actually beat analytical predictions of 289 billion won (£169 million), but still fell short of 402 billion won (£235 million) profits of a year ago.

This was due to an 82 per cent profit drop in the LG Home Entertainment division and increasing TV competition from Samsung and other Smart TV manufacturers like Panasonic.

“Since the third quarter of last year, market demand for TVs slowed, intensifying competition and driving down prices as a result,” said LG CFO Jung Do-hyun. “We expect that profitability will recover in the second quarter as new models help recover prices.”

For the future, LG told TrustedReviews it isn’t fazed by the potential threat of an Apple iTV, due to the Cupertino company’s lack of experience in the market.

“If Apple came into the market, yes, of course it would be still competition, no doubt. Everybody would have to say that,” said Andy Mackay, UK Commercial Director of Consumer Electronics at LG. “We are up against some strong premium brands, but I wouldn’t underestimate the power of the brand which are there at the moment because although Apple is a great brand, it would have to establish a pedigree in new areas.”



Via: IBTimes

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Google I/O could feature Google Nexus 4 update, but Android Key Lime Pie delayed

Google may launch an updated version of the Google Nexus 4 at its annual Google I/O conference in May, but Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie OS is reportedly delayed.

Last year, the Google I/O was used to launch the Google Nexus 7 tablet with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so this year many are expecting the search engine giant to unveil the Google Nexus 5.

However, “trusty internal sources” speaking to Gadgetronica.com say Google will instead launch an updated Google Nexus 4 with 32GB of internal storage, an updated body design and 4G LTE support.

Unfortunately, these same sources have also said Google could delay Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie by as much as 2-4 months, in an attempt to let OEMs update the current Android handset offerings to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Although this does seem a little strange, software does move faster than hardware, so Google is right to wait for handsets to catch up. Currently, the majority (39.8 per cent) of Android smartphones are still using Android Gingerbread with 29.3 per cent on Android Ice Cream Sandiwch and Android Jelly Bean slowly catching up with 25 per cent adoption.



Google Nexus 5 Rumours

Recent rumours suggest the Google Nexus 5 could feature a 5.2-inch OLED Display with a 1920 x 1080p full HD display.

Looking to line up against other Android powerhouse handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S4 or Sony Xperia Z, the Google Nexus 5 could have a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor with an unusual 3GB of RAM and the internal storage options of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB.

The Google Nexus 5 could also feature a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera capable of recording full 1080p HD, coupled with a 2.1-megapixel camera up front.

Playing host to a 3,300mAh Lithium Polymer battery, the Google Nexus 5 could be a really powerful Android device.

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Best Mobile Phones 2013

Mobile phones – they’re the hottest kind of tech. They sell millions, and make billions.

They’re also the gadgets many of us are willing to spend the most cash on. Did you know that a high-end phone on contract can end up costing you over a thousand pounds?

It’s best to make sure you’re making the right choice before committing to a phone. We’re here to help you.

The first thing is to decide the platform you want to side with. There’s the iPhone and its iOS software, there’s Android by Google, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 and – new kid on the block – BlackBerry 10.

iOS offers the best apps and games, Android the most fiddling potential. Windows Phone 8 is the slickest and BlackBerry 10 is on hand for those who want something a bit different.

Which would you pick? For the top contenders from each, check out our best mobile phones of 2013 above.

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Apple WWDC confirmed for June 10-14, hints at iOS 7 launch

Apple has confirmed that it will be holding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on June 10 – 14, even hinting at a possible iOS 7 launch.

The annual WWDC is directly aimed at iOS and OS developers, but Apple has a history of showcasing new technology and software at the conference.

Last year, Apple used the WWDC to provide a sneak peak at iOS 6 and Mac OS X Mountain Lion, alongside the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

“We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers,” said Apple’s senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phillip Schiller, in a statement. “Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we’re excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps.”

This year’s WWDC could be no exception to the new software and product launch rule, as the Cupertino company has already promised to give developers “an in-depth look at what’s next in iOS and OS X.”

“We can’t wait to get new versions of iOS and OS X into [developers’] hands at WWDC,” added Schiller.

The new Apple WWDC logo doesn’t give much away about the upcoming conference. Formed of eight layered waves of colour, the logo has the Roman Numerals for 2013 beneath the WWDC acronym, but little else.

It has been rumoured that Apple would be launching its new smartphone at WWDC, potentially the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, but during the company’s first quarter earnings announcement Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested no new products would be released until autumn.

“We continue to be very confident in our product plans. We’ve got a lot more surprises in store. This is the same culture that brought the iPhone and the iPad and we’ve got a lot more products in the works. I don’t want to be more specific, I’m just saying we’ve got some really good stuff coming in the fall and in all of 2014.”

Tickets go on sale on April 25 from 10am Pacific Time or 6pm BST, but anyone wanting to buy one has to be part of the iOS Developer, iOS Developer Enterprise or Mac Developer programs already.

Developers wishing to attend will also have to fork out the $1,599 (£1,047) ticket price.

Via: PCMag

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Samsung Galaxy S4 to be launched in rugged form by end of 2013

Rumour has it that a ruggedized version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 could launch this year, complete with waterproof and dustproof protection.

Perhaps vying to compete with the likes of the Sony Xperia Z, which is also waterproof and dustproof, a rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 could be released later this year.

Whether a rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 is actually in the works is currently unknown, but apparently President of Samsung Gulf Electronics did say a rugged version of the South Korean company’s flagship would be available in the near future at a recent press event.

The normal Samsung Galaxy S4 release date is on Friday April 26, with the flagship launching with a 1.9GHz quad-core processor rather than the eight-core Eynos 5 originally tipped.

Supposedly, an Octa-core version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be released later this year, but will only be available on 3G networks rather than the superfast 4G LTE signal.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Features

The Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch Super AMOLED screen offering Full 1,920 x 1,080p HD resolutions with a 441p image density. Retaining the same height as the Samsung Galaxy S3, the new model is actually thinner than its predecessor at just 7.9mm thick in comparison to the 8.3mm measurements of the Galaxy S3.

Running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 13-megapixel camera in the rear coupled with a 2-megapixel snapper in front. The flagship packs a whole host of new camera features like Dual Camera and features Samsung Galaxy Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View and Air Gesture functionality.

With a 2,600mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has three internal storage size options, all bolstered by the addition of a microSD card slot supporting cards up to 32GB. The current quad-core version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 provides 4G LTE connectivity as well as IR LED, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

We’ve just got a Samsung Galaxy S4 in the TrustedReviews office. Check out the Samsung Galaxy S4 unboxing and stay tuned for our review.

Via: tbreak.com

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Nintendo returns to profit, despite weak Nintendo Wii U sales

Nintendo has returned to profit, posting a 7.1 billion (£46.8 million) net profit for the year ending March 31.

This figure is up from the previous year’s 43.2 billion yen loss (£284 billion), but still fell short of the 14 billion yen (£92 million) predicted by Nintendo in January.

However, on an operating level, the company faces a loss of 36.4 billion yen (£239 million), higher than original estimates of 20 billion yen (£131 million) “primarily due to the sales of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U being weaker than expected,” according to Nintendo.

“While foreign exchange gains in non-operating income increased, ordinary income and net income became smaller than forecast,” said the company.

Despite this, Nintendo was optimistic about the net profit achievable in the current fiscal year, expecting to earn 55 billion yen (£361 million) by March 2014, which is the equivalent of an eight-fold jump for the current figures.

To do so, Nintendo plans to concentrate on the Nintendo Wii U, attempting to overcome game delays that are dampening sales, “in order to regain momentum for the platform.”

The Nintendo Wii U has the potential to be a successful console, but suffers from a lack of great gaming titles that utilise the dual-screen functionality of the GamePad.

It also has very strong competition from rival consoles the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, despite containing newer hardware.

All three consoles are now faced with competition from the increasingly popular app-based mobile games that are much cheaper than traditional console games and sometimes free.

Nintendo also announced that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata would be taking over the responsibilities of the company’s American CEO. Tatsumi Kimishima, the current Nintendo US CEO, is being promoted to a general manager within Nintendo Co. Ltd.

The role expansion for Iwata is part of what Nintendo is calling enhanced “organisational agility”.

Via: Telegraph

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BlackBerry Q10 UK release date set for April 26 as Selfridges exclusive

The first QWERTY keyboard hosting BB10 handset is on the horizon, with BlackBerry revealing that the BlackBerry Q10 UK release date has been set as April 26 as a Selfridges exclusive.

Making the announcement via the official BlackBerry UK Twitter feed, the Canadian handset manufacturer has confirmed that iconic retailer Selfridges will hold a three day period of exclusivity on the BlackBerry Q10, with the QWERTY toting device to go on sale this Friday, April 26.

“BIG NEWS: The #BlackBerryQ10 is available exclusively at @Selfridges THIS FRI/SAT/SUN! Pre-order yours now,” an official company spokesperson stated via the @UK_BlackBerry Twitter feed.

Further confirming its exclusive stocking of the BlackBerry Z10 sibling, Selfridges has stated that the BlackBerry Q10 will be “exclusive to Selfridges this weekend.” The retailer added: “Packed full of innovative features, the new BlackBerry Q10 launches exclusively at Selfridges this Friday.”

Encouraging eager BB10 handset owners to reserve the device now in order to be amongst the first to get their mitts on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One rival, the retailer has confirmed a lofty BlackBerry Q10 price tag, with the first QWERTY loving BB10 handset to set wannabe owners back a hefty £579.99 on a SIM-free basis.

Hinting that the as yet unconfirmed general BlackBerry Q10 release date will be held on Monday April 29, BlackBerry has confirmed that the first Q10 sales will kick off on the same day as the Samsung Galaxy S4 release date.

Formally unveiled back in January alongside the Z10, the BlackBerry Q10 features a raft of high-end innards with the physical QWERTY keyboard and BB10 innards surrounded by a 10.4mm thick, 139g in weight form factor.

Playing host to 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM, the BlackBerry Q10 specs sheet sees a 3.1-inch 720p HD display line up alongside a zippy 1.5GHz dual-core processor. With an 8-megapixel camera positioned on the handset’s rear, a second, 2.-megapixel snapper sits up front.

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Philips Smart TV 2013 TV Review

Introduction

With huge numbers of us now routinely streaming video content and using online apps various all manner of smart devices, the big TV brands have rightly all gone into overdrive this year to improve the scope and usability of their Smart TV online and multimedia features, making this 2013‘s biggest TV battleground.

With this in mind, we’ve already taken in-depth looks at the Panasonic My Home Screen and Samsung Smart TV 2013. Having seen one Philips TV with the new smart TV system, the Philips 55PFL7008, now it’s Philips’ turn to go under the microscope.

Philips Smart TV 2013 - Smart Hub Layout

On first viewing, it's difficult to tell the difference between the 2013 and 2013 hub screens. The best bit of the layout, in some ways, is the box in the top left where you’re able to continue watching whatever TV channel or AV input you had on when you hit the Smart TV button. Running along the bottom third of the screen, meanwhile, are two rows of fairly large icons linking to online apps and services.

As we look at the menu for longer, though, it turns out there is something new after all. In the top right you now get a window showing a cycling series of three different content ‘shortcuts’.

The first of these content shortcuts is by far the most interesting, as it not only shows large direct links to specific Video On Demand films showing on Acetrax, but the films appearing here are also recommendations based on an analysis of your viewing habits.

The recommendations system is Philips’ own engine, and can analyse your TV viewing (on the built-in tuner) and your on-demand viewing to build up a sense of your content preferences. Unlike the recommendations engine found on Samsung’s latest smart TVs, though, the Philips system only recommends on-demand content; it doesn’t also highlight upcoming broadcast shows you might like.



What’s more, at the time of writing the recommendations engine only highlights titles from Acetrax. Other streaming services on the Philips platform, like the BBC iPlayer and Blinkbox, don’t get a look in - presumably because connecting with Philips’ recommendations engine requires a level of metadata co-operation that only Acetrax has so far managed. For the same reason, on-demand viewing from any other providers than Acetrax also currently doesn’t register with the learning engine.

Philips Smart TV 2013 - Highlighted Content

It has to be said that by only working with Acetrax at the moment the Recommendations engine is of more limited interest than it should be. Especially if you are already or are thinking of becoming a LoveFilm and/or Netflix subscriber. All we can hope is that since the recommendations engine is Philips’ own work, when Netflix and Lovefilm eventually come to the Philips Smart TV platform (Netflix is due to arrive around the end of May) they will both be able to participate in the recommendations system.

We’ll come back to the absence of Netflix and Lovefilm from the service list later, by the way…

The second cycling box of highlighted content on the smart TV interface is dubbed ‘Online TV’, and basically comprises three regularly changed sub-windows providing access to the latest popular online video news feeds from Euronews and the Wall Street Journal.

While the Wall Street Journal links are occasionally interesting, it’s hard to imagine many people really feeling compelled to follow any of these highlighted links. It would probably have made more sense to populate the window with the most popular YouTube videos, or feeds from a more familiar (to UK users) news service.



The last link in the cycling window is just a place for pointing you towards apps available in the Philips App gallery. This isn’t as annoying as it sounds. We’re all in favour of anything that helps you find new things that could broaden your smart TV experience - such as the MyRemote smart device app, which we’ll be looking at later.

While we’re on the subject of trying to help people get the most out of their smart TV experience, it’s also good to find Philips providing concise explanations of some of its smart features when you first access them, making it less likely people will be baffled by what’s going on than they probably are by Samsung’s latest, sometimes inscrutable smart TV engine.

We couldn’t see an easy way of going back to these explanations, unfortunately, and more detail would have been appreciated. But any explanation is better than none. Panasonic’s latest My Home Screen system remains by far the most friendly, though, when it comes to helping people learn how to get the most from what’s on offer.

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HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook hits UK stores

The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, the first Google-powered laptop from the American brand, is now available in the UK.

With a 14-inch display, the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook is apparently 35 per cent larger than most other Chromebooks on the market, like the Acer C7 Chromebook and the Samsung Series 3 Chromebook, and has an Intel Celeron 847 processor with 4GB of DDR3 RAM.

“Google’s Chrome OS is showing great appeal to growing customer base,” said Louis Perrin, HP’s Director of Consumer Products, Printing and Personal Systems. “With HP’s Chromebook, customers can get the best of the Google experience on a full-sized laptop – all backed up by our service and brand.”

HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook Features

The first HP laptop to run the Google Chrome OS, the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook offers 100GB of free Google Drive cloud storage alongside a 16GB SSD hard drive. The Google Chrome OS means HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook users get quick access to Google apps such as Gmail, Google , and other photo and document software from the search engine giant.

The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook features a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and an Intel HD graphics card, and a wide range of ports including HDMI, three USB 2.0 ports, a combo headphone/microphone and an Ethernet jack.

The Chromebook has a HP TrueVision HD Webcam and has inbuilt additional hardware security in the Trusted Platform Module. The software protects against any remote access to sensitive and personal data.

Weighing just 1.8kg, the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook is light and portable and is offered in the Sparkling Black colour option.



HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook Release Date and Price

Available now from Dixons and the HP store, the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook has a very reasonable price tag of £249.

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Best Cameras 2013

Choosing the right digital camera is tricky. There are all kinds to choose from, and if you pick the wrong one it could turn you off photography altogether.

We’ve picked the best from each type for your buying pleasure.

Let’s start at the beginning, though. What kinds of digital camera are there, you ask…

Compact cameras

The most convenient of digital cameras are compact snappers. These are generally geared towards casual use, for people who don’t want to have to think too much about the settings of their camera before they hit the shutter button.

There’s no shame in buying one of these cameras – it’s much worse to buy a DSLR if you end up never using it because of the inconvenience factor.

There are higher-end, more expensive small cameras that are designed for enthusiasts too, though. We call them advanced compacts, and they tend to be a bit chunkier, offer better image quality and give you easier access to manual settings over things like ISO, aperture and so on.

Compact System Cameras

Bridging the gap between compact cameras and DSLRs, compact system cameras use mid-sized sensors to offer low-light performance and image quality often comparable with lower-end DSLRs.

These cameras aren’t generally much cheaper that an entry-level SLR, but they are a good deal smaller. They offer an excellent balance of convenience and image quality – hence why they’re the choice of so many enthusiasts these days.

What you need to be careful of is the sensor size the camera uses. There are large disparities between manufacturers.

Nikon uses fairly small sensors in its compact system cameras, resulting in so-so low light performance. Sony uses the largest sensors, with the APS-C type seen in full-size SLRs. Sitting in the middle are the Micro Four Thirds sensors used by Panasonic (which made the first CSC camera) and Olympus.

Compact system cameras use interchangeable lenses, so offer much more scope for future expansion.

DLRs

The big daddies of the camera world, any serious amateur photographer will have an SLR in their line-up. DSLRs are the largest and most capable of the cameras here, offering the greatest detail, the least noise and the fastest focusing.

They’re evidence that size does matter sometimes. Larger sensors and larger, higher-quality lens glass is what the DSLR equation is all about. There are just a few smaller cameras that can offer true DSLR quality in a small body, such as the FujiFilm X100S.

Bridge Cameras

Before compact system cameras arrived a few years ago, the alternative to an SLR was a bridge camera. These are fixed lens cameras that are equipped with long zoom lenses and are larger than most compacts. They also tend to have larger sensors than most compacts.

Considered the jack of all trades, master of none by some purists, they’re a good solution for holiday makers and those who care a lot about versatility.

Rather watch a video instead? Watch our video round-up of the best digital cameras.

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