iOS 7 news, rumours, download release date, features

iOS 7 is the first version of Apple’s mobile operating system to get a major redesign since the launch of the original iPhone.

Unveiled during the WWDC 2013 presentation, it is the result of the hard work of Apple's Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, Sir Jonathan "Jony" Ive.

Apple has been under criticism of late that its mobile OS is tired and outdated, so iOS 7 could be the refresh the company needs.

iOS 7 News

Apple confirms game controller plans for iOS 7
Get your thumbs ready for iOS 7 gaming as Apple has confirmed it is working with Logitech and Moga to launch official game controllers for its latest mobile OS.

There are two iOS 7 controllers on the way. The first is called the "form-fitting extended gamepad" that wraps around an iPhone or iPod touch but still offers the usual D-Pad, shoulder buttons, console game pad buttons and dual analogue sticks.

The second is called the "standalone extended gamepad" that isn't connected to the device physically, but by Bluetooth. Potentially more important for iPad iOS 7 gaming, it will feature the same button array as the wrap around controller but formatted in the same way as a traditional Xbox 360 or PS3 controller.

Both controller options feature a pause button for quick access to the start menu of iOS games as well as pressure-sensitive, analogue sticks without a dead zone, non-drifting D-pads and fast button response times say Apple.

Read more - iOS 7 game controller plans confirmed by Apple, partnering with Logitech and Moga - June 14

Apple officially unveils iOS 7 at WWDC 2013


iOS 7 was officially unveiled at WWDC 2013 as the "most significant iOS update since the original iPhone" complete with a complete refresh of the existing iOS appearance.

“iOS 7 is the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering in launching the software. “To create it, we brought together a team with a broad range of expertise from design to engineering. With what we’ve been able to achieve together, we see iOS 7 as an exciting new beginning.”

Aiming to create a flatter more refined experience, Apple has introduced a whole new pastel colour scheme with a focus on multitasking.

"We wanted to take an experience that people know very well and add to it,” Apple said in announcing the new iOS 7 software. "To create it, we brought together a broad range of expertise.”

Apple used WWDC 2013 to highlight the dramatic changes brought with iOS 7, adding that “even the simple act of changing your wallpaper has a very noticeable effect on how your iPhone looks and feels across the entire system."

Of course, the new iOS 7 isn't all about aesthetics, it also brings with it a whole bunch of new features that aims to make the whole Apple mobile experience more streamlined.

"We have always thought of design as being so much more than the way something looks. It's the whole thing, the way something works on so many different levels," added Jony Ive. "Ultimately, of course, design defines so much of our experience. I think there is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity, in clarity, in efficiency... True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of clutter and ornamentation. It's about bringing order to complexity. iOS 7 is a clear representation of these goals."



Read more - iOS 7 confirmed, dramatically redesigned iPhone OS adds true multitasking - June 10.

iOS 7 confirmed by giant 7 banner displayed at WWDC 2013

Apple has displayed a huge banner outside the Moscone Centre where it is holding its annual WWDC conference with a rather large number 7 on it, practically yelling out an upcoming iOS 7 reveal in the next few days.

The next iOS iteration has practically been a confirmed guest to the WWDC 2013 party for some time now, but it's always reassuring to see such a massive hint given by Apple itself. The Cupertino company will be unveiling iOS 7 during its keynote on Monday, but has yet to reveal any hints as to what the next mobile OS will look like.

From the rather simplistic banner though, we could assume that Apple will be following the heavily rumoured flatter redesign. Of course, there's only so much you can presume about iOS 7 from a banner with the number 7 on it, but we're excited nonetheless.



Read more: Apple erects giant '7' banner at WWDC venue, confirmed iOS 7 reveal - June 8

iOS 7 Features

Along with the visible aesthetic changes, iOS 7 introduces a new focus on usability and multitasking features.

Apple has followed in the footsteps of rival Google and its Android mobile OS by installing a new Control Centre, accessible by simply swiping up from any screen, including the Lock Screen. Here you can quickly access functions like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, music controls, connect to AirPlay devices and other features like the camera, torch or calculator.

The Notifications Centre has also received an upgrade with a new Today feature and weather and traffic updates to boot.

With the iOS 7 camera app, Apple has repositioned access to the shooting formats and introduced its own Instagram-style filters. Combined with this is the updates made to the Photos app. You can choose to view photos by Collections, Moments or Years. You can also share your photo streams with other people now too.

Airdrop has been added to iOS 7 and Safari has been stripped back so that only the web content is shown until you need to make a change.

Siri's got a whole new interface too, fading into view in a translucent screen that appears on top of any current content. Apple claims its faster at answering questions and will even check more sources to find answers.

According to one developer testing the iOS 7 beta currently available, Siri will even take time to learn your name. Apple's personal assistant will supposedly take the time to learn its owners' name, even working on a correct pronunciation.

Far bar the biggest focus of iOS 7 is the addition of true multitasking. A double click on the home button of your device will bring up a preview of all currently running apps. To close the apps, all you have to do is swipe up on the preview window, which sounds rather similar to Android to us.

Apple has also made apps smarter by launching apps that you use at certain times automatically. It's not quite clear yet how this feature will function but we'll keep you posted.

Apps will also download and update in your off-peak usage times, like at night when your iOS 7 device is connected to Wi-Fi, meaning you can retain your battery power.

For more information, read our pick of the best new iOS 7 features.

iOS 7 Download Release Date

Although Apple hasn't provided a specific release date as to when iOS 7 will be available to download, the Cupertino company did offer a launch window of sometime this autumn.

A range of devices will be able to download the new Apple mobile OS, including the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. Unfortunately, any iPhone models before the 4 won't make the iOS 7 cut.

On the tablet side of things, the 7.9-inch iPad mini and full-sized iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad 4 will all benefit from the multitasking capabilities of the new OS.

Also, Apple confirmed that the 5th generation iPod Touch will also be joining the iOS 7 club.

iOS 7 Rumours

When iOS 7 launches in autumn, it may well be alongside a whole host of new Apple devices.

The iPhone 5S and heavily rumoured budget iPhone 5C are strongly tipped to make an appearance on September 18, potentially the first devices to run iOS 7.

Before the end of the year, the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 should be officially unveiled, so expect those two new tablets to run iOS 7 as well.

Next, read our iPad mini tips and tricks.

readmore »»  

Google Glass price could be as low as £200

At £200 it would be Google Glass for everyone...

Ahead of the mass production release of Google Glass next year, industry analysts have suggested the Google Glass price could be as low as £200.

While Google has already made a number of pre-release Google Glass units available for purchase by developers at a lofty $1,500 (£976) apiece, analysts have predicted that in a bid to make it appealing to the masses, {pullquote}by the time the technology’s mass launch rolls around, the futuristic eyewear could cost closer to £200(/pullquote}.

The prediction comes from Jason Tsai, an analyst with the Topology Research Institute who stated that the Google Glass price could see the device hit the market at $299. Although this equates to a smidge under £200 at current exchange rates, it is believed it will cost considerably more on UK soil.

With the Glass’s display its most expensive component costing Google somewhere between $30 and $35, Tsai has claimed that the search giant turn hardware behemoth could sell Google Glass at a reduced fee in order to gain widespread interest. The company has used similar tactics in the launch of its cheaply priced, high performing Google Nexus 4 smartphone and Google Nexus 7 tablet.

Although far from official, the predicted Google Glass price would fit with comments made by Google co-founder Sergey Brin who recently stated that the eyewear would launch at a “considerably lower cost” than the $1,500 fee paid by 8,000 developers.

Google Glass has come under severe criticism in recent months, with privacy groups becoming just one of many outlets for concerns surrounding privacy issues introduced by the camera.

Discussing the unit’s potential issues, Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt recently stated: “It's obviously not appropriate to wear these glasses in situations where recording is not correct. Companies like Google have a very important responsibility to keep your information safe but you have a responsibility as well which is to understand what you're doing, how you're doing it, and behave appropriately and also keep everything up to date.”



Read More: Google Glass – The Privacy Problem



Via: ChinaPost

readmore »»  

White Google Nexus 4 hits UK priced £310

The white Google Nexus 4 is now UK bound

The white Google Nexus 4 is once again available for sale in the UK, with independent retailer Expansys offering the lighter hued handset for £310.

Having been made available in the US direct from the Google Play Store back in May, the white Google Nexus 4 has been less forthcoming in the UK, with Expansys beating a number of big name networks and high street retailers in offering the alternatively coloured phone.

With the Google Nexus 5 widely expected to enter the realms of reality in the coming weeks, the white Google Nexus 4 will set wannabe owners back £309.99. This price tag sees the 16GB white device line up some £30 more expensive that its black counterpart.

Despite letting eager consumers splash the cash to reserve their white Google Nexus 4 handset now, Expansys has revealed that it does not expect to receive stock of the limited edition phone for a further four days. It has suggested that shipping will begin within “7-9 days.”

Like its black toned sibling, the white Google Nexus 4 runs a stunning 4.7-inch IPS display with a 1280 x 768 pixel resolution and 320 pixels-per-inch image density. Running Google’s own Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS the Nexus 4 sees a 1.5GHz quad-core processor line up alongside 2GB of RAM.

The white Google Nexus 4 measures in at just 9.1mm thick and 139g in weight. With the handset’s 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera lining up alongside a 1.3-megapixel secondary snapper up front, the Google Nexus 4 specs sheet is rounded off by a 2100mAh Lithium-Polymer battery, and integrated NFC connectivity options.

Read More: Google Nexus 5 rumours

readmore »»  

Apple secures US import ban on Samsung products

A number of Samsung products could soon be removed from sale

As the Apple vs Samsung legal battles continue, the US International Trade Commission has ruled that Samsung can no longer import a number of its mobile products into the country.

While it was found that a selection of Samsung’s smartphone and tablet products have infringed on two Apple held patents, the US judged ruled in Samsung’s favour on four other counts, saving the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 from further sales bans.

Although the ITC ruling has at present failed to list the full range of Samsung branded products that are being banned from sale and being imported to the US, the regulatory body stated that Apple had failed to prove that its leading rival had infringed on a patent surrounding audio jack circuitry.

With a US sales ban on the iPhone and iPad having recently been overturned by President Barack Obama, Samsung will have a 60-day period of presidential review before the nationwide sales ban is fully enforced. However, in order to make use of this two month sales period, the Korean company will have to pay 1.25 per cent of the “entire value” of the potential fine.

Despite the potential for an overruling, Apple has stated that the International Trade Commission ruling sees the ITC join other courts in "standing up for innovation and rejecting Samsung's blatant copying of Apple's products.”

Understandably Samsung is less boyant by the ITC decision stating that it has “already taken measures” to ensure its products remain on sale in America.

Despite its agrevances at the two part sales ban, on the four patent disputes which were thrown out, a Samsung spokesperson stated the company is happy that: "Apple has been stopped from trying to use its overbroad design patents to achieve a monopoly on rectangles and rounded corners."

With the US President overthrowing the Samsung imposed US sales ban on the iPhone and iPad last week in a bid to stop patent owners wielding “undue leverage,” the move marked the first Presidential ‘disapproval’ of an ITC ruling since 1987.

The presidential statement read: "The Policy Statement expresses substantial concerns, which I strongly share, about the potential harms that can result from owners of standards ¬essential patents ("SEPs") who have made a voluntary commitment to offer to license SEPs on terms that are fair, reasonable, and non¬discriminatory ("FRAND"), gaining undue leverage and engaging in "patent hold¬up", i.e., asserting the patent to exclude an implementer of the standard from a market to obtain a higher price for use of the patent than would have been possible before the standard was set, when alternative technologies could have been chosen."

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours

Via: AllThingsD

readmore »»  

Toshiba 50L7355D TV Review

What is the Toshiba 50L7355D?

The 50L7355D is a mid-range 50-inch LCD TV equipped with Toshiba’s latest Cloud TV smart system, active 3D playback, multimedia playback, and built-in Wi-Fi. It’s quite aggressively priced for such a large and apparently well-featured TV too, setting you back a mere £770. Is it a bargain or a false economy?

Toshiba 50L7355D - Design & Connections

Aesthetically the Toshiba 50L7355D is nothing special by today’s standards; its bezel is slightly wider than many of the latest super-slim models, and its rear is slightly deeper than today’s norm too. On the upside, the silver trim along the bottom edge contrasts nicely with the black used elsewhere, and the rectangular stand is well built and attractively connected using a very neat pole neck.

The 50L7355D’s connectivity is up to 2013 speed, thanks in particular to four HDMIs, two USBs, and LAN/built-in Wi-Fi network connectivity. The USBs and network options both support playback of video, photo and music multimedia files (though your PC needs to be DLNA compatible and ideally Windows 7 or later for that option to work), and the network connections additionally allow you to take your TV online with Toshiba’s new Cloud TV platform.

Toshiba 50L7355D - Smart TV

As with all the latest major smart TV platforms, read our Toshiba Cloud TV review for an in-depth look at Toshiba's system. But to briefly sum up what we found, Cloud TV is a brave attempt to introduce to the Smart TV universe useful personalisation tools, a genuinely helpful TV recommendations system, and some helpful ways of searching for and organising your various video sources – including effective browsing of the TV’s electronic programme guide on your Android or iOS tablet or phone.

However, the system is not done any favours by its very sluggish operating system (even simply switching the TV on and off causes a delay of more than a second!), its instability (we experienced numerous crashes) and the fact that its current important video streaming services are limited to the BBC iPlayer, Netflix, BBC Sport, BBC News, Viewster and Blinkbox. There’s no LoveFilm, 4OD, ITV Player or Demand Five.

Toshiba 50L7355D - Set-Up

Toshiba has a proud record of going out of its way to offer extensive picture calibration tools, even on its relatively affordable TVs. And this tradition continues with knobs on in the Toshiba 50L7355D.

Among the highlights are a well thought out test pattern (pictured below) to help you make your adjustments; an RGB filter that lets you turn on or off the red, green or blue colour components individually when fine tuning colours; colour and tint adjustments; a white balance management system complete with 2p or 10p setting types and offset and gain adjustments for the red, green and blue colour elements; and separate hue, saturation and brightness adjustments for the red, green, blue, yellow, magenta and cyan colour elements.

You can even auto-calibrate the TV’s gamma if you invest in one of Toshiba’s optional external USB light meter kits. Though at the time of writing, we were unable to track these kits down anywhere in the UK. Despite the missing calibration kits, though, it’s hard to see how much more flexibility Toshiba could have given you.



If all this calibration talk has scared up your inner technophobe, mind you, it’s worth stressing that the Toshiba 50L7355D also offers a long selection of picture presets, including three ‘Hollywood’ modes designed to offer pre-calibrated day, night and ‘pro’ colour and contrast settings that get close to the values required by the key established video standards.

It means you should be able to get the best for the set no matter how willing you are to tweak and fix things.

readmore »»  

Home Sharing for digital games confirmed for Xbox One, Live Home Gold detailed

Following Microsoft's well-publicised Xbox One policy reversals in recent weeks it has been difficult to discern which of the originally-announced features have been ditched and which have endured and in what form.

Marc Whitten, chief product officer for Xbox, has today moved to clarify one of these queries as relates to the Home Sharing feature which allowed families to play each other's games when logged into their own account.

The kerfuffle over DRM and required online check-ins meant the well-received ability to upload disc-based games for family sharing also perished in the conflict, will Microsoft had been ambiguous other whether the feature would endure for digital titles.

Thankfully, Microsoft has confirmed Home Sharing is still part of its plans and has even explained exactly how it will work.

Try and stay with us here, because things are about to get complicated. Ready?

Essentially, any digital game purchased by a member of the household on the Xbox One can be played on that console using anyone's account, just like it could if loading a disc-based game into the drive.

To that end, Xbox One digital games will be tied to both the gamertag (enabling gamers to play tiles they have purchased on other machines) and the console itself so gamers will be able to build up a library of titles comprising of games purchased by themselves and other members of the household.

Beyond that, Whitten revealed that downloaded games will be available to play offline, while games purchased on another console will also be available on the buyer's primary console for everyone in that household to use.

In a post on the Xbox Wire blog, Whitten also confirmed a new Xbox Live Home Gold feature that will allow any Xbox Live Gold member to share the benefits of their subscription with everyone in the home.

Due to this development each console will only require one user with an Xbox Live Gold account in order to access features like Game DVR, Skype, NFL on Xbox, multiplayer gaming and Internet Explorer.

Microsoft had previously come under the cosh for announcing it would be charging users to access those features, earlier this week, so today's announcement should quieten the storm.

Although all of that sounds quite confusing right now, it's clear that Microsoft is still committed to parts of its original vision for the console, to make the connected, shared experience central to the console, in and out of the users household.

You can read the full post on the Xbox Wire blog.

Via The Verge

readmore »»  

New entry-level Amazon Kindle fire to feature HD display?

The entry-level iteration of the third-generation Amazon Kindle Fire tablet will offer a high-definition screen, according to reports on Friday.

BGR claims to have obtained a full spec list for the most affordable 7-inch tablet in Amazon's yet-to-be-announced 2013 line-up, which outlines a 1200 x 800 screen.

That's the same resolution as the current 7-inch Kindle Fire HD tablet and would represent an upgrade from the 1024 x 600 screen currently found on the cheaper option.

According to BGR the device will also get a processor upgrade to a 1.5GHz dual-core chip, made by Texas Instruments, along with the same Power VR graphics as the existing HD slates. However, there won't be an improvement on the current 1GB of RAM, the report claims.

The device will arrive packing a heavily-forked version of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but naturally won't offer access to those key Google apps and the Google Play store unless users root their device to access the raw version of the operating system.

The device is likely to keep the same price point of just £129 for the 8GB iteration, with 16GB and 32GB offerings also in the pipeline.

The specs may not be as impressive as the new Google Nexus 7 2 tablet, but that saving and the addition of a higher-resolution screen should be enough to continue Amazon's great run of form with its affordable Android slate.

Also expected later this year are new versions of the 7-inch and Kindle Fire 8.9-inch HD slates. Earlier reports have suggested both of those slates will go full HD with the new upgrades.

Would it be too much to expect an Amazon smartphone or the games console rumoured again on Friday?

readmore »»  

New Nexus 7 2 users report GPS problems

Several owners of the new Nexus 7 are reporting issues with the tablet’s GPS system, although Google is currently working on a fix.

Not all of the Nexus 7 2 owners are experiencing exactly the same issues, it seems the GPS system on the 7-inch slate is causing a good number of them problems.

According to varies users of the recently launched Google tablet, they are having difficulties maintaining and securing a GPS connection, meaning using Google Maps becomes a bit of a nightmare.

The Nexus 7 2 will lose the GPS connection and fail to regain the signal, even if it is working properly to begin with.

“Several users… including myself, are having GPS problems with the N7 2013,” writes one Google Groups commenter. “It will get a satellite lock and work fine for anywhere between 10 – 30 minutes (longer for others) then it will go back to a “Searching” mode with the GPS icon blinking. Sometimes a reboot helps, others not.”

Other users have offered solutions to the varying GPS issues, but these are proving to only be temporary or not universal.

Google has said that it is working on a fix for the issues, but the GPS malfunctions are clearly widespread.

Hopefully, the problems should be resolved with a software update, with the issues potentially caused by a bug in the system. Should it be a hardware based issues, it could be a huge issue for Google and Asus.

Worringly, the Asus made Nexus 7 2013 tablet could be following in the footsteps of the Asus Transformer Prime tablet, which Asus had to issue GPS extensions kits for following faulty GPS components.

The new Nexus 7 is due to launch in the UK on August 28, hopefully Google will have sorted the issues by then.

Next, read our Nexus 7 2 vs Nexus 7 comparison.

readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch release date, specs, pictures, news and rumours

Is a Samsung smartwatch on its way in 2013? We take a look at all the latest rumours about the device currently being dubbed the Galaxy Gear.

Sony has already launched its Smartwatch 2 to rival the Pebble smartwatch, and Samsung could be the next manufacturer to unveil a wristworn device.

Ahead of a predicted launch in September, here's everything we know so far about the device rumoured to be called the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch News

Samsung has already confirmed that it has been working on a smartwatch device.

Samsung’s Vice President of Mobile Business Lee Young Hee announced that the company was busy producing a wearable tech device back in March in an interview with Bloomberg in Seoul:

“We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long. We are working very hard to get ready for it”, he said. "We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”

Although Hee did not reveal any specifics about the Samsung smartwatch, he did add that “the issue is who will first commercialise it so consumers can use it meaningfully.”

If the rumours are correct, Apple, Google and Microsoft are due to launch a smartwatch devices some time in 2014. If Samsung manages to launch its wrist-worn smartwatch before that, it stands a chance of getting ahead of the pack.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Release Date

The Samsung smartwatch is strongly rumoured to launch on September 4 at IFA, the Berlin-based tech expo.

Samsung is hosting its pre-IFA 2013 press conference that day and several sources are suggesting that the South Korean manufacturer will launch the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Of course, Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed that either of these devices will be in the spotlight on September 4, but with the amount of leaks and rumours surrounding both we’d be very surprised if they don’t.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Rumours

A Samsung smartwatch is rumoured to fall under the new Galaxy Gear branding described in two recent patent filings.

The first appeared at the start of July detailing a range of products including “watches, clocks, wristbands and bracelets.”

The filing also described “watches that communicate data to personal digital assistants, smart phones, tablet PCs, PDA, and personal computers through internet websites and other computer and electornic communications networks; watchbands that communicate data to [the same aforementioned devices].” There seems no doubt that the smartwatch could feature as part of the Galaxy Gear range.

The second patent provides further confirmation that the smartwatch will be branded Galaxy Gear, detailing wearable gadgets in the “form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle.”

The patent filing unearthed on August 6th also referred to, “Wearable digital electronic devices in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle capable of providing access to the Internet and for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails and messages.”

With two patent filings to its name, we expect the Samsung smartwatch to be the first in the Galaxy Gear product line-up.

Interestingly, Samsung has also patented the Galaxy Gear name in South Korea and America.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Specs

Despite the two patent filings, news of any specs we can expect to see in a Samsung smartwatch device are rather thin on the ground.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear patent filing is the only real information we can begin to get an idea of what we can expect. It could point to the watch working in similar way to the Sony SmartWatch 2, using NFC to connect to your Samsung Galaxy S4 to access emails and applications.

Analysts have suggested that 2014 will be the year of the smartwatch, but success will come for the company that can truly focus on the importance of “glanceable information”, such as navigation, social media, email and messaging.

James Wang, a Canalys analyst said, “An effective smartwach won’t just be a second screen for a smartphone,” Wang also added, “Creating a competent developer platform specifically for the form factor will be an enormous challenge.”

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Pictures

Although there have been no official pictures of the Samsung smartwatch, the patent filings unearthed a series of drawings that could indicate how the smartwatch could look.

The drawings reveal a wearable gadget with a flexible screen that wraps around your wrist. It is constructed from a combination of metal and synthetic materials.

Like the sound of a Samsung smartwatch? What features would you like to see to make it worthwhile? Let us know in the comments section below.

Next, read our review of the Pebble smartwatch or let us know what Apple iWatch features you’d like to see.

readmore »»  

LG 29EA93 Monitor Review

What is the LG 29EA93?

To say the LG 29EA93 is a 29-inch monitor is a little misleading. It measures 29 inches diagonally, but what makes the 29EA93 interesting is this isn’t a standard 16:9/16:10 aspect monitor, but an ‘UltraWide’ 21:9 aspect monitor with an unusual 2,560 x 1,080 resolution. It promises to make films and games more immersive, and improve your productivity, too. But does it?

LG 29EA93: Design and Features

Superficially, the LG 29EA93 is an attractive monitor. Setting aside its odd, slightly squat appearance, the slim, black bezel and curvaceous white plastic rear make the LG 29EA93 look like it earns its sizable £375 price tag. The 'hollow circle' stand looks good, too, and gives you somewhere to put your keys.

LG hasn’t skimped on the connections, either. There are two HDMI ports (one MHL compliant), DisplayPort, PC audio in and out and DVI. There's also two USB ports at the rear that, though not easily accessible, should prove useful for accessories.

Like most monitors, the LG 29EA93 is wall/monitor arm mountable, too. Monitor arms won’t pose any problems, but the slight bulge and the rear-ward facing connections mean it’s not the best option for wall mounting.

The more serious problem, however, is there's no height adjustment. This isn't a problem on many monitors where the natural height is comfortable, but the LG 29EA93's natural height is far too low for most desks.

LG does sell a 29-inch monitor with height adjustment, but it costs over £400. Philips's 21:9 monitor, however, includes height adjustment at more or less the same price as the LG 29EA93, and it uses the exact same LG-manufactured LCD panel.

The LG 29EA93 does have one interesting trick up its sleeve, however, a feature LG calls Dual Link-Up. This lets you connect two separate devices and show both side-by-side at the same time. It's a neat, if non-essential, feature, albeit one that requires one of the devices to connect via DisplayPort.

Another software feature is a useful Screen Split software utility. As the name suggests, it lets you automatically split/arrange windows in a number of different and useful ways. It makes getting the most of the 21:9 aspect a lot easier, though it would be nice if you could switch using keyboard shortcuts rather than right-clicking on the taskbar icon.

LG 29EA93 - Setup

We don't often need to complain about setting up monitors, but the LG 29EA93 is the exception. It's not a deal-breaker, but the stand requires two separate (and rather small) screws that are fiddly to access. You have to hold the monitor in place as you screw them in, too, which is an awkward balancing act.

But the LG 29EA93 redeems itself with its setup menus. They're plentiful and easy to navigate, with RGB controls, three different gamma levels and plenty else besides for you to tweak. They're easiest monitor controls we've used in recent memory.

readmore »»  

Xbox One won’t get 12GB RAM upgrade, confirms Microsoft

Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox One won’t be getting the 12GB of RAM upgrade that was recently rumoured.

It was hinted that the Xbox One would get a RAM spec boost from 8GB to 12GB to help the next-generation console battle the PS4 come launch.

However, Microsoft’s Product Planning Manager Albert Penello has now put that rumour to bed,

“Glad you all like the headset. We’re not going to 12GB, just to be clear. Feeling great about game performance – stuff is looking killer”, Penello tweeted.

He asserted that the Xbox One specs sheet may well change before launch, seeing as that November window is still a few months away yet.

“There are several months until the consoles launch, and [as] any student of the industry will remember, specs change,” wrote Penello on NeoGaf. “I believe the debate on this could give some light to why we don’t want to engage in a specification debate until both boxes are final and shipping.”

Although the Xbox One won’t be getting a RAM upgrade, Microsoft has confirmed that its next-generation console will receive a GPU tweak prior to its November launch.

Marc Whitten, Chief Product Officer for Xbox One and Corporate Vice President of Xbox, has announced during a Major Nelson podcast that the Xbox One GPU speed has been increased by around 6.6 per cent.

“Since E3, an example is we’ve dropped in what we internally call our mono driver. It’s our graphics driver that really is 100 per cent optimised for the Xbox One hardware,” said Whitten. “Almost all of our content partners have picked it up now and I think it’s made a really nice improvement.”

The new mono driver will help illuminate any potential performance issues, coupled with the new eSRAM which has a higher speed with a lower latency to help combat the lower speed RAM contained within the Xbox One in comparison to the PS4.

“That’s the time where you start tweaking the knobs. Either your theory was right dead on, or you were a little too conservative, or you were a little too aggressive. It’s actually been really good news for us, an example of that is we’ve tweaked up the clock speed on our GPU from 800MHz to 853MHz.”



Next read our Xbox One vs PS4 comparison.

readmore »»  

iPad 5 display component leaks

We appear to have had the clearest view yet of the iPad 5's main display component, revealing more about the next full-sized Apple tablet's design.

The above display part emerged on repair site Macfixit Autralia, which is adamant that this is an official and final iPad 5 component. Sure enough, as MacRumours points out, the part number stamped on the component (821-1892-02 if you're wondering) fits with the format Apple uses on many of its iOS components.

From a design perspective, this leaked part appears to confirm that the iPad 5 will follow the iPad mini's lead. The new tablet will sport a slimmer look and a smaller surface area, despite maintaining that 9.7-inch display size.

Most notable is the panel's super-slim side bezel, which is a marked contrast to the chunky picture-frame surrounds of every 9.7-inch Apple tablet from the original iPad to the iPad 4.

This leaked component also reveals some of the internal changes Apple is making in order to create a slimmer, smaller and lighter iPad. These include a shift to a different kind of screen connector (there are two rather than one for a start) that's more in line with the iPhone 5 than the iPad 4.

Most commentators are expecting to see the iPad 5 launched as soon as September 2013. As well as the slimmer redesign, it's likely to pack a greater punch with an A7 processor similar to the one likely to appear in the iPhone 5S.

Next, read more about the iPad 5 release date, news, rumours and price

readmore »»  

HTC One X+ Android 4.2.2 update with Sense 5 starts rolling out

Owners of the HTC One X+ and the HTC One X stand ready - the long-anticipated Android 4.2.2 update with Sense 5 has started rolling out to older models.


The news comes from HTC's home country of Taiwan, where the company has officially made the Android 4.2.2 update available as an over the air download for HTC One X+ owners.

The update adds many of the features first experienced on the this year's HTC One, including the homescreen news aggregation widget BlinkFeed, automatic video highlights, a new and improved lockscreen, a new music app, autofocus lock in the camera app and more.

All this is part of HTC Sense 5, the company's relatively new and vastly improved user interface that has gained so much praise since the launch of the HTC One. In addition, users will get the performance improvements inherent in the 4.2.2 version of Android.

Whilst this update appears to be limited to a few handsets in a single far east territory, it signals that HTC has completed work on Sense 5 for older handsets. This should mean that it will trickle its way to other HTC One X+ handsets in other territories in the near future.

It also means that HTC One X owners should expect their own update soon, as the two handsets are essentially identical but for a few minor hardware tweaks.



Read More: HTC One: Vs Samsung Galaxy S4

Via: HTCSource

readmore »»  

Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 Tablet Review

What is the Asus MeMO Pad HD 7?

The Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is a 7-inch Android tablet whose aims are very similar to the Nexus 7’s – it’s a versatile, portable and affordable tablet. But at £129 it’s a good deal cheaper than the new Nexus 7. And while there are clear compromises involved, it's one of the very few sub-£150 tablets we recommend.



Got more money to spend? Head to our best Android tablets for your options.

Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 – Design

The most obvious element that has been kept simple in the Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is its hardware design. You’re not going to be bowled-over by its look or feel.

To give it a more high street-friendly look, the tablet comes in a bunch of colours – none black – including dark blue, green, pink and white, but otherwise the tablet keeps things basic. The back is curvy plastic, where the first Nexus 7 had an almost leather-like textured rear and the £50 more expensive Asus Fonepad uses metal.



The Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is also not super skinny. At 10.8mm thick, there’s a reassuring amount to grab onto here, although with a weight of just over 300g, it’s easily light enough to hold one-handed comfortably for a while.

This will become a theme of the review – the Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 isn’t flash, but using it is mostly a joy.

Looks-wise, it’s similar to the first-generation Nexus 7, with a pretty generous expanse of screen bezel to each side of the display and the tablet-standard innocuous black front. In a couple of ways, the Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is quite different from the Nexus 7, though. The most significant exterior one is that it has a microSD memory slot on the left edge.

You get a reasonable 16GB of storage, 11GB of which is accessible. That’s pretty generous for a tablet this cheap. And if you want to carry around a chunky movie or music collection, you can always slap in a microSD memory card of up to 64GB extra memory - there's an exposed microSD slot on the tablet's side.

Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 – Screen

The name alone tells you a fair bit about the MeMO Pad HD 7’s screen. It’s seven inches across and has more pixels than the first 7-inch MeMO Pad.

However, calling it ‘HD’ might be considered a tad misleading. The Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 has a 1,280 x 800 pixel screen, on-par with the first-generation Nexus 7. Google’s second 7-inch Nexus tablet has a 1080p display, giving it much more credibility as an ‘HD’ gadget. This is one of the main reasons this new Asus tablet has managed to sell for £70 less than the new Nexus 7 - read our Nexus 7 2 vs Nexus 7 comparison to see how the two differ.

It’s a compromise, but this is undoubtedly one of the best tablet screens you get at the price – Asus shows us how things should be done here. It uses an IPS panel, which supplies much better viewing angles and better colour than many ultra-budget tablets.

Black level and colour reproduction have been significantly improved over the first-generation Nexus 7. According to Asus, the panel comes from a different supplier this time around, and there’s no contrast-limiting (but battery-improving) Nvidia Prism imaging engine to stymie the vividness of images. The screen image is altogether much more satisfying.

The 215ppi screen isn’t pixel-rich enough to create ultra-smooth Retina-style effect of something like the New Nexus 7 or iPad with Retina display, but text and images are nevertheless fairly sharp. At the price, we’re impressed.

What the Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 doesn’t have, though, is a decent anti-reflective screen coating. Consequently, it doesn’t fare too well outside. You’ll need to set the brightness to maximum for the screen to be anything approaching comfortable to view. Top brightness is good for a tablet this cheap, though.

One very neat Asus-specific feature of the MeMO Pad HD 7’s screen is provided by a little app called Asus Splendid. The name may be silly, but its functionality is great. It lets you change either colour temperature or the screen’s hue and saturation. You can even turn it into a black and white tablet.

Generally, a manufacturer’s apps can generally be replaced easily with choices from the Google Play app store, but you’d need to root your tablet to get the sort of control Asus Splendid gives you.

readmore »»  

Google Nexus 7 2 UK release date confirmed as August 28

Home » News » Tablet News » Google Nexus 7 '2' UK release date confirmed as August 28

by Chris Smith 08 August 2013 | Go to comments

Share:

Google Nexus 7 2

Go to comments comments powered by Disqus

readmore »»  

Bill Gates slams Google's 'Project Loon' balloon internet plans

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has hit out at Google's plans to provide internet access to people in developing nations, by suspending hot air balloons in the sky.

Gates, who now spends most of his time and money trying to wipe out malaria and polio through his charity foundation, says Google's lofty plans won't be of much use to the millions of children dying of the disease in third-world countries.

Google's 'pie in the sky' Project Loon scheme aims to provide internet access to the two thirds of the world that can't yet get online, by floating Wi-Fi-enabled balloons on the edge of space.

The plan, which is still very much in the proof of concept stage, is to those in the developing world and remote areas access to education and medical professionals.

However Gates says Google's plans won't help the core issues, while insinuating Google should be doing more to help the poor and, essentially, be more like Bill.

He told Bloomberg: When you’re dying of malaria, I suppose you’ll look up and see that balloon, and I’m not sure how it’ll help you. When a kid gets diarrhea, no, there’s no website that relieves that. Certainly I’m a huge believer in the digital revolution. And connecting up primary-health-care centers, connecting up schools, those are good things. But no, those are not, for the really low-income countries, unless you directly say we’re going to do something about malaria.

"Google started out saying they were going to do a broad set of things. They hired Larry Brilliant [the former director of Google's charitable arm Google.org], and they got fantastic publicity. And then they shut it all down. Now they’re just doing their core thing. Fine. But the actors who just do their core thing are not going to uplift the poor."

What are your thoughts on Bill's explosive comments? Is Google doing its bit through increasing tech opportunities in the developing world, or should it turn its attentions to directly helping those in need? Let us know in the comments below.

Meanwhile, here's a look at what Google's up to with Project Loon.

readmore »»  

GTA 5 mural spotted ahead of release next month

A GTA 5 hand-painted mural has been spotted in New York ahead of the game’s September release date.

Rockstar has started building the hype for its upcoming GTA 5 game with a huge hand-painted mural in New York, potentially the first in a series of three.

The mural depicts Trevor, one of the three GTA 5 protagonists, running two fingers along a “cut here” tattoo around his neck.

It can be found on North 11th Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, the equivalent of Shoreditch or Camden in New York’s Brooklyn district.

As the mural only shows Trevor, there could be two more GTA 5 murals appearing in New York or other cities across the US soon. Or it could just be that the painters haven’t finished it yet.

GTA 5 Features

GTA 5 is due to launch for the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles on September 18, the first in the game’s series to feature a playable multiple character line-up.

Trevor, as depicted by the mural, is one of three playable characters in GTA 5, and is joined by Franklin and Michael to complete the trio.

Players will be able to switch seamlessly between the three characters, even during heists. The recently release GTA 5 gameplay trailer suggest shtat the way players choose to switch between the characters will tailor the way the missions are experienced and potentially the outcome too.

Within the game, players will also choose how to complete the heists, rewarding gamer creativity. They will be able to make the key decisions and which of the GTA 5 crew to take with them.

From the gameplay trailer it is also evident that GTA 5 will be a huge game, jam packed full of mini-games and extra-curricular activities to involve players outside of the main storyline.

It certainly seems like it will be a lot less linear than GTA 4 and more fun as well.

Next, read our pick of the best games of 2013 .

Via: Stuff

readmore »»  

MixBit video editing app launched by YouTube co-founders

The co-founders of YouTube have launched MixBit, a new app that allows users to create and edit their own video clips.

Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, the co-founders of YouTube, are now the team behind AVOS and are launching MixBit as a new social media video service.

Dissimilar to other popular video creation apps like Vine or the new Instagram video function, MixBit allows users to bring in video clips from other users.

They can then collate their own video montages and creations that run anywhere from 16-seconds to an hour. Each video can contain up to 256 video clips which are all stored as independent files, but played as one seamless video.

Videos can then be shared using MixBit as well, similar to the way Vine and Instagram function.

“The MixBit app and website helps people create videos together,” reads the MixBit site. “The app lets you record, edit and publish videos as short as one second or as long as an hour – right from your mobile device. The MixBit site is also the first site that lets users collaborate with each other and remix videos uploaded by the community.”

With MixBit, users can have multiple video projects running at any one time, saving unpublished creations for editing and publishing at a later date.

Users are also still able to edit videos even after they have been published, something else not offered by popular alternatives.

The MixBit app is currently available for iOS devices like the iPhone 5, iPad mini and 5th generation iPod Touch. It is free to download in the App Store.

MixBit has promised that an Android version of the app is coming soon.

It is not known whether the app will make it to Windows Phone or BlackBerry anytime soon.

Next, read our iPad mini tips and tricks.

readmore »»  

Panasonic Lumix GF6 Camera Review

What is the Panasonic Lumix GF6?

Panasonic launched the very first compact system camera (CSC) in 2008 in the form of the Lumix G1, but its range has since developed and is now split into three distinct threads – the high-end ‘GH’ series, the intermediate ‘G’ series and the entry-level ‘GF’ collection.

The GF6 is the latest model in this entry-level collection, targeted at those making the step up from point-and-shoot cameras. It offers a range of high-end technologies along with a host of features targeted at usability.



Not what you're looking for? Read our best cameras 2013 round-up.

Panasonic Lumix GF6 – Features

One of the key new additions to the Panasonic GF6 – in comparison to its predecessor, the Lumix GF5 – is a newly designed sensor. The GF6 now has a 16MP Live MOS sensor, a considerable 4MP increase on the GF5.

The sensor is paired with a new and upgraded Venus Engine image processor aimed at improving performance at higher ISO settings. The engine promises a two-stage noise reduction process, which will in theory aid this performance, as well as improved dynamic range and colour reproduction.

As is becoming increasingly common with newly released CSCs, the Panasonic GF6 features a full repertoire of connectivity. This includes both Wi-Fi functionality and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

The Wi-Fi connectivity in question here allows for both the wireless transfer of images between the GF6 and a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone, tablet or laptop, as well as the remote operation of the camera through a dedicated application.

The NFC connectivity, meanwhile, allows for the simple transfer of images from the camera to similarly NFC-enabled devices through just touching the camera up against the device.

Going back to the new additions found on the GF6, the most obvious of these is most likely the LCD screen found on the rear of the camera. Although it’s the same size as that found on the predecessor, it has a higher resolution of 1040k-dots compared to 920k-dots.

The real development, however, is that it’s now of the vari-angle variety. The screen itself can now be pulled away from the body to tilt downwards at roughly 45 degrees and also flipped upwards at an angle of up to around 180 degrees, and as such can be viewed from in front of the camera.

It’s touch sensitive, too, which allows touch focus, touch focus point selection and touch shutter, as well as full access to the camera’s menu system. There are still a healthy number of physical controls, however, if that’s what you prefer.

As you’d expect for an entry-level CSC, the GF6 maintains a range of shooting options to make taking photos as easy as possible. These include 23 scene modes and 19 creative filter settings, all of which offer impressive effects with just the click of the shutter.

That’s not to say that the GF6 isn’t conducive to advanced image capture – it still includes the full PASM (Program, Aperture, Shutter, Manual) range of manual shooting controls, as well as Raw image capture.

The GF6 also offers full 1,920 x 1,080 HD video capture complete with stereo audio and full-time auto-focus (AF) in either AVCHD or MP4 formats. An advanced manual shooting mode is also on offer during video capture, offering control over shooting settings as well as audio levels.

readmore »»  

PS4 PlayStation Plus account only required for online multiplayer

Sony has confirmed that the only PS4 service behind a PlayStation Plus subscription paywall is the online multiplayer.

After Microsoft revealed that the Xbox One requires an Xbox Live Gold account for game DVR and other online features, Sony has reiterated which features will require a PlayStation Plus account.

PS4 gamers will only be required to subscribe to a PlayStation Plus account if they wish to participate in online gaming, all other features will remain available for free.

Services like Netflix, the game DVR and social media apps will still be useable to PS4 users without a PlayStation Plus account as it currently works on the PS3.

The Xbox One on the other hand will keep entertainment services locked behind an Xbox Live Gold subscription paywall.

Microsoft will only allow people with an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access game DVR, the new OneGuide custom TV guide, Skype and SmartMatch among other features on the Xbox One.

Recently, Sony explained the PlayStation Plus requirement for PS4 online multiplayer, saying it has ploughed a lot of resources into the online service to make it more valuable to gamers.

“The main pillar for the PS4 will be online play,” said Yoshida. “We’re developing many new ways to play and connect which requires a large investment of resources.”

The PlayStation Plus service costs £11.99 every 90 days or £39.99 per year. Anyone already subscribing to the service will see their membership automatically transfer to the PS4.

“Considering the cost, to try and keep such a service free and consequently lower the quality would be absurd. We decided if that’s the case, then it would be better to receive proper payment and continue to offer a good service.”

Sony has also confirmed that PlayStation Plus accounts cover all hardware platforms, meaning one account will suffice for a gamer’s PS Vita, PS3 and PS4 consoles.

PlayStation Plus offers subscribers access to the Instant Game Collection offering free downloads of new games, including DriveClub for the PS4.



Next, read our PS4 vs Xbox One comparison.

readmore »»