Panasonic MC-CL934 Vacuum Cleaners Review

What is the Panasonic MC-CL934?

The MC-CL934 is a high-power, high suction cylinder vacuum with HEPA class filtration and is Panasonic’s only bagless cylinder in its current cleaner line up. It offers Panasonic’s original Eco-Max motor which, combined with Panasonic’s wonderfully titled 3D Inducer Fan, promises continuous high suction power with less energy consumption.

Thanks to dust compression technology, where the dust and air are separated via centrifugal force, the unique hourglass shaped dust compresses 33% more dust than a standard (straight) bagless canister. The textured black bodywork and vivid green container inners make for a dramatic look about the house and its short wheel base and large rear wheels make it a nifty performer around the bends too. It also claims to be pretty quiet in use thanks to Panasonic’s noise reduction system.

Panasonic MC-CL934: Accessories

In addition to the standard head with drop down brush for parquet floors, you also get a crevice nozzle and a dusting brush. The latter two of these are stored underneath the ergonomically designed handle, which makes changing them a breeze. The handle has a telescopic tube extender, which saves having to store and fit together separate tubes but does limit reach somewhat.

On the missing list is any rotating brush tool, which means pet hairs on carpets are going to be a challenge for the MC-CL934. It does have a washable HEPA filter, though, which is great news for dust allergy sufferers and saves the cost of regular replacements.

Panasonic MC-CL934: How well does it clean carpets and hard floors?

The large rear wheels and short wheel base certainly make the MC-CL934 extremely manoeuvrable. You can tow it around by the hose with ease, especially on hard floors when it rolls freely. Tug gently though — even a gentle pull on the hose will see the Panasonic MC-CL934 heading across the room with gusto.

Before

Conversely, while the cleaner itself rolls well on carpet, the high suction power has a tendency to stick the cleaning head to the floor, so it needs a strong arm to move it around. Our three pass test involves seeing how effective the cleaner is on collecting carpet freshening powder sprinkled on a dark red carpet, right up to the skirting board, in just three passes.

After

The Panasonic MC-CL934 performed outstandingly in this respect, collecting all visible powder from the carpet and cleaning very effectively right up to the edge of the skirting board. Some of this exceptional suction power is down to a high power motor, which in our tests used closer to 1,500Watts (max) rather than the quoted 1,200watts.

Panasonic MC-CL934: How easy is it to use on stairs?

This cylinder cleaner tackles stairs well, although the hose length is not as long as many of its peers and will only reach half way up an average flight of stairs without moving the vacuum itself. There is no dedicated tool for stairs in the accessory roster although the Panasonic MC-CL934 is light enough to use the main brush with a bit of manoeuvring. Overall it is passable for stairs, but not exceptional.

Panasonic MC-CL934: How does it cope with pet hair?

As there is no turbo or rotating brush with this machine it was always going to be hard work vacuuming up pet hair and this was exactly the case in our test. Using a mix of Labrador (short) and Collie (long) pet hair, from our willing canine assistants, it took a lengthy 49 seconds to clear up all the hair in our 30cm diameter circle on the carpeted floor.

The pet hair got caught quite badly on the brushes of the cleaning head even if they were retracted, so this meant that the pet hair just kept getting spread out over a wider area. Clearly the MC-CL934 is not going to be your best bet if you have carpeted floors and pets that moult a lot.

Should I buy the Panasonic MC-CL934?

The Panasonic MC-CL934 is a great looking, highly manoeuvrable and very powerful bagless cylinder cleaner with a decent sized bin capacity. It is ideal for those with mostly hard floors and the on-board tools are handy, but the limited reach and lack of pet-hair specific tools means it’s not going to be a cleaner for everyone.

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Uber legal in London, rules TfL

Transport for London (TfL) has ruled Uber is not against the law in the UK, despite huge black cab driver protests.

Black cabbies were concerned that the taxi app had been breaking taxi-metering rules, but TfL has ruled the service is perfectly lawful.

TfL has said the ride-sharing service is free to continue working in London, letting customers book drivers via the Uber smartphone app.

“In relation to the way Uber operates in London, TfL is satisfied that based upon our understanding of the relationship between passenger and Uber London, and between Uber London and Uber BV, registered in Holland, that it is operating lawfully under the terms of the 1988 PHV(L) Act,” said Leon Daniels, MD of Surface Transport in a statement to the TfL board.

Daniels added that as Uber taxi drivers’ taximeters are their smartphones, they “have no operational or physical connection with the vehicles, and … are not taximeters within the meaning of the legislation.”

TfL says it is “supported by legal advice” and states that there are “no grounds to take action against Uber London Ltd, Uber BV or Uber drivers under s.2 of the 1998 Act.”

However, the TfL decision isn’t final. A British court will make a final ruling later as to whether the Uber tech is the same as a taximeter, but the decision has been delayed while a taxi union brings six legal cases against Uber drivers.

Until then though, Uber drives can continue operating in the English capital.

Read more: Best iPhone games

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The Sims 4 world and neighbourhood gameplay details revealed

Maxis has revealed a host of new information about The Sims 4 neighbourhoods, world and other gameplay details.

Ahead of The Sims 4 release date on September 2, Maxis has offered some fresh new details on the game, including how many loading screens you can expect when traversing the game’s new worlds.

Inspired by New Orleans, Willow Creek is the first confirmed world for The Sims 4 and is split into six neighbourhoods.

Only one of these neighbourhoods can be active at one time, rather than it being one giant open world like The Sims 3. Neighbourhoods can have up to 5 lots within them, but only one can be actively loaded at once.

Within the neighbourhoods, you will have access to Public Spaces, which are open areas of the neighbourhoods not counted as a lot. These will be fully loaded at all times and your Sims and NPCs will be able to roam in the freely.

As for loading screens, you’ll notice that these are typically under 30 seconds long, which is shorter than that seen in The Sims 3. You’ll see them when moving from world to world, between neighbours, between Sims in different lots and when switching from a public space to an inactive lot.

However, apparently there won’t be a loading screen when moving from a public space to an active lot.

What’s interesting is that Maxis states you will be able to send Sims out into the world, and either follow them or control them using “away actions”. These will let you “choose other specific Sims for them to socialise with, you can build specific skills, can sleep, can have them maintain their needs… things like careers have their own set of away actions that are more relevant to their work”.

Aging is a bit more customisable in The Sims 4 too. You will have the option to just have your family age, while the rest of the NPC world ages, or have everyone aging at the same time. You could also choose to have your family age and everyone else doing the Peter Pan thing.

However, there is one special thing you’ll need to keep an eye on though, in that you’ll need to try for a baby if you want families to remain active. Otherwise you’ll see NPC characters moving into their home and the old family dying out.

Read more: Best games 2014

Via: Sims VIP

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Sony Xperia Z3 specs leak suggests little improvement

The Sony Xperia Z3 may not be much of an improvement over its predecessor if the latest specs leak is correct.

There have been a wealth of rumours around the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact of late, but the latest on the Z3 is that it might not be much on an upgrade.

XperiaBlog has been sent a supposed screenshot from the About page of the Xperia Z3, revealing some of the device’s key specs and accompanying D6653 model number.

According to the screengrab, the Z3 should only pack the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor as the Sony Xperia Z2, rather than making the leap to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor you’d expect to see in the next wave of flagships.

It also looks like the Z3 will offer the same full 1080p HD resolution as its predecessor too, despite rivals like the LG G3 packing stunning QHD 2560 x 1440p resolution displays.

Although Android 4.4 KitKat is listed, we’re not worried about that so much. The new Android L is still in development and won’t be ready until later this year, but we’d be very surprised if the next Xperia flagship doesn’t offer the latest version of Android.

So what’s the point? From the looks of this and previous leaks, the only major differences between the Z2 and Z3 will be that the upcoming handset will have a slimmer, 7mm thick body.

Of course, there’s no mention yet of the camera the Z3 will pack, so hopefully there will be some major upgrades to be seen there. At the moment, what we’ve seen so far is leaving us wondering why Sony would bother upgrading its flagship so soon with such small incremental enhancements.

The Xperia Z3 is tipped to launch at Sony’s IFA 2014 press conference in September.

Read more: Best mobile phone 2014

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Red Bull Racing: 3D printing is the future of F1

Red Bull Racing is looking to a 3D printed future

Formula 1 is defined by its cutting edge technologies and innovation, and now one of the leading teams has suggested that 3D printing could be the future of the sport.

Having popped along to the Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes recently to see how an F1 car is designed, built and tested, the team told us how, despite current limitations, it expects 3D printing to further evolve the sport moving forward.

According to the four time reigning Formula 1 World Champions, 3D printing could soon be used as a trackside factory for printing test parts or replacements for those damaged in a crash.

“3D printing is definitely the future of F1,” an official Red Bull Racing spokesperson told us.

They added: “We could get to a point where we can print out a new front wing at the track if we’ve damaged one.”

Red Bull Racing already uses 3D printing extensively, but not for parts used on its actual race cars.

Within a room full of 3D printers all whirring away, doing their thing, the team explained how it 3D prints test parts used on a 60 per cent scale car which is then sent to the wind tunnel.

Allowing the team to test the aerodynamic performance of potential parts before moving to a full size production, these 3D printed replicas are unable to feature on the race cars for one simple reason, materials.

At present the resin and powdered composite materials capable of being used in 3D printers cannot stand the load weights and pressures put on a Formula 1 car during a race. With a resin refill for one of RBR’s 3D printers costing as much as £60,000, it is currently a cheaper but far from wallet friendly option than jumping straight to carbon fibre.

Until 3D printers are developed enough to be able to utilise more robust materials, the use of 3D printing within F1 will remain locked firmly in the development processor. According to Red Bull, however, this future is being seriously looked at and could be a reality sooner rather than later.

If Red Bull is looking to 3D printing as the future of the sport though, who are we to argue?

Next, read about the Red Bull Racing themed Ultimate Ears Boom speaker.

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Future Nokia Lumia phones could have Canon camera tech

Microsoft has just signed an agreement with Canon that could see future Nokia Lumia devices kitted out with its camera technology.

Canon and Microsoft have signed a rather broad patent cross-licensing agreement, allowing both companies access to each other’s patent libraries.

Although the agreement covers a broad range of products and services, it could mean that Nokia Lumia smartphones in the future could come with Canon camera optics inside.

“This collaborative approach with Canon allows us to deliver inventive technologies that benefit consumers around the world,” said Nick Psyhogeos, GM of IP Licensing of the Innovation and IP World Group at Microsoft. “Microsoft believes co-operative licensing is an effective way to accelerate innovation while reducing patent disputes.”

Currently the smartphone camera jewel of the Lumia range is the 41-megapixel beast found in the Nokia Lumia 1020. It offered 2nd generation OIS, 6 lenses, Carl Zweiss technology and the ability to change the focus of your shoots after you’ve taken them.

However, this camera could be bettered by Microsoft’s newly obtained ability to get access to Canon camera tech, including its optics and Canon DIGIC image processing engine.

“This agreement is a natural extension of our longstanding relationship with Microsoft and commitment to developing innovative technologies,” said Hideki Sanatake, Senior GM of Corporate IP and Legal HQ of Canon Inc.

Microsoft could also follow in the footsteps of Sony and other brands to launch detachable, standalone smartphone lenses like the Sony QX100.

Such a partnership is bound to have a strong influence on future Nokia Lumia phones, or whatever Microsoft decides to brand them in the future.

Read more: Best cameras 2014

Via: Photography Blog

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Win an iPad mini, Samsung SSD, Sennheiser headphones, Roku 3 and more

We have re-launched the TrustedReviews competitions page, with a raft of prizes waiting to be won. We will be regularly updating the page so keep an eye out for new prizes.

Currently we have some great prizes on offer, including a 16GB iPad mini, a 500GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD, which was the best SSD in our recent group test, special edition Sennheiser headphones and much more.

Here's a look at all the competitions we have running at the moment.

16GB iPad Mini | Normal price: £249

Complete with a sleek space grey finish, the iPad is powered by a speedy A5 chip and boasts a crystal clear 7.9-inch display. With the built-in 16GB of storage, there is plenty of room for all of your pictures, videos, music and more.

Click here to enter the iPad mini competition

500GB Samsung 840 EVO | Normal price: £200

The 840 EVO is significantly faster than a standard HDD, providing faster sequential and random read and write times for every task.
 This is one of the best SSDs on the market right now, too, making it a great upgrade for any desktop or laptop.



Click here to enter the Samsung 840 EVO SSD competition

Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Samba headphones | Normal price: £170

To celebrate the world's most coveted football event of the season, audio specialist Sennheiser has created a limited edition headphone, the Samba MOMENTUM On-Ear
, a great set of headphones we gave 8/10 when we reviewed them

Click here to enter the Sennheiser headphones competition

5 TP-LINK Powerbanks | Normal price: £25

These Powerbanks have enough power for five charges, are capable of charging two devices at the same time and even come with a handy integrated torch.



Click here to enter the TP-Link Powerbank competition

10 BioArmor iPhone cases | Normal price: £15

The BioArmor case range includes a pink ribbon design to support breast cancer charity Pink Ribbon Foundation and kills 99.99 per cent of germs and bacteria.



Click here to enter the iPhone case competition

To enter all you have to do is follow the links above and answer the simplest of questions.

Good Luck.

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iPad Air 2 images surface showing slight design tweaks

A fresh batch of iPad Air 2 images have emerged online, giving us a few more clues as to how Apple will tweak the design later this year.

Although this is apparently another mock-up rather than a fully function iPad Air 2 prototype, but these devices are giving us a good look as to how the 2014 tablet might look, despite it lacking the rear Apple logo at present.

These latest images show the iPad Air 2 lying side by side with the original iPad Air launched in October last year.

As with previous rumours and leaked images, the Touch ID home button with its distinctive metal ring is clearly visible on this iPad Air 2. The fingerprint technology was introduced with the iPhone 5S last year and it looks like Apple could feature the technology in its tablet range too this year.

What’s interesting is that it looks like Apple could be cutting the iPad Air 2’s thickness down by at least 1mm. The current iPad Air is only 7.5mm thick, so that would make the next generation tablet around 6.5mm.

Apple could be abandoning the lock switch featured above the volume buttons on previous models, with access instead provided by the Action Centre within the iOS.

Potentially in an attempt to make the iPad Air 2 more streamlined, the volume rocker and lock buttons also seem to be less protruding than on the current iPads. This could be just due to the mock-up though, and the buttons may be the same as those we’ve seen before.

The speaker grille has also been tweaked, with a single punched line rather than two smaller ones.

The positioning of the rear camera has also been slightly changed, so Apple is going to be forced to tweak its existing Smart Cover.

Aside from those changes, the iPad Air 2 looks very similar to its predecessor, even down to the diamond cut edges that are tipped to be scrapped with the iPhone 6.

Read more: Best tablets 2014

Via: GforGames

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Best Mobile Phones 2014: 10 Best Smartphones You Can Buy

Best smartphones, mobile phones, phones. Whatever you call them they all share the same thing. They’re the hottest kind of tech. They sell millions, and make billions and there's plenty more to come in 2014, but which should you choose if you're buying right now?

Last Update: 04/07/2014

First you need to decide which operating system you want to go with. You have the choice of the iPhone and its easy to use iOS mobile operating system, an huge number of Android phones powered by Google, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 and BlackBerry 10, though sadly no current Windows Phone or Blackberry phone makes our top 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.

2013 was another big year for smartphones with the iPhone 5C and the iPhone 5S joining the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Android phone greats like the Sony Xperia Z1 and Nexus 5 as standout newcomers. We should of course not forget about the TrustedReviews Product of the Year the Motorola Moto G that proved you can deliver a smartphone with high-end specs at an affordable price.

In 2014, we've already seen the HTC One M8, the Samsung Galaxy S5 with the Nexus 6 and the iPhone 6 on the way. We also expect to see more from mobile operating systems like Firefox OS, Samsung's Tizen and Sailfish by Finnish company Jolla packed into handsets.

Which would you pick from the current bunch? Rifling through the phone reviews that get the TrustedReviews seal of approval, these are our picks of the best mobile phones you can buy right now.

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Facebook Messenger arrives on iPad

Facebook has finally provided a native iPad version of its Facebook Messenger app.

The social network giant has just updated its Facebook Messenger iOS app to version 7.0, which brings with it universal support. This means that iPad users get a native version all of their own.

Facebook hasn't simply spread the existing app out to fill up the space and the stouter aspect ratio. It's worked in new UI elements such as permanently viewable section tabs, as well as an expanded conversation view.

Also new to both iPad and iPhone versions is the ability to save videos shot from within the Facebook Messenger app to your camera roll. This means that you can keep them and share them through other means.

You also get the usual "other fixes to make the app more reliable."

It seems Facebook is pushing the focus away from its core Facebook app for simple messaging purposes (though of course the main app is only a single virtual button press away). Not only do we have the new and improved Facebook Messenger app, but the company also recently launched its Slingshot app.

Slingshot is a Snapchat-like video messaging service, with messages that only briefly reveal themselves once the receiver has replied, then disappear forever.

Facebook Messenger 7.0 is available to download for free on iPhone and iPad from the App Store right now.

There's no news as yet on a possible Android tablet version, but we'll keep you posted.



Read More: Best Android Apps

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HTC One M8 returns HTC to profit

HTC has announced strong Q2 profits, thanks in no small part to the success of the excellent HTC One M8.

The Taiwanese company announced on Thursday that it had made an operating profit of NT$2.26 billion after tax for the period, which works out to around £44 million.

That's still not going to be giving Samsung any sleepless nights, but it does see a considerable reversing of HTC's recent fortunes.

It marks the first period of profit for some time, after three consecutive quarterly losses.

The main reason for this turn-around, of course, is the HTC One M8. Like last year's HTC One (since renamed the HTC One M7), the critics have gone mad for for the sleek unibody flagship phone. Unlike the HTC One M7, so have the public.

Indeed, these newly announced figures mark an 80 percent improvement over last year's, showing the different in popularity between the HTC One M7 and HTC One M8.

The question now for HTC is, can it sustain these figures over the coming quarters? It will hope to do so with the worldwide launch of the HTC One E8, a plastic version of the HTC One M8 with the quirky dual-lens camera swapped out for a regular one.

HTC has already wowed the high-end crowd with the M8. Can it finally do so with the lucrative mid-range crowd?

Also, HTC is widely expected to be named as Google's next hardware partner for development of a new large-screen Nexus tablet. This should either be dubbed the Nexus 8 or Nexus 9.

Read: HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5


Via: Engadget

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Toshiba 47L7453 TV Review

What is the Toshiba 47L7453?

The 47L7453 is the best-specified 47-inch HD TV Toshiba is offering for 2014; step up from the L7453 series and you get into the brand’s upcoming UHD/4K models.

Among the 47L7453’s key features are an ultra bright direct LED panel with local dimming, Toshiba’s new Tivo-esque MediaGuide Replay feature, and passive 3D playback.

Toshiba 47L7453: Design and Features

The 47L7453 is cute. Particularly nice is the relatively slim, open bar-style, round-cornered silver desktop stand, which contrasts smartly with the glossy black finish, trim width and sharply angular lines of the screen bezel. Build quality isn’t anything special – there’s a slightly plasticky feel to everything. But you don’t really notice this unless you’re carrying it around for some reason...

SEE ALSO: New TV Buyers Guide - 5 Simple Steps to Buying a New TV



Toshiba told us at the launch of the L7453 series that it firmly believes there’s still a strong market for ‘premium’ HD TVs despite the arrival this year of aggressively priced native 4K TVs. It’s all about hitting the right balance between features, AV quality and, above all, price. And on paper, at any rate, the 47L7453 seems to get this balance more or less right, offering a genuinely expansive range of features for what looks in the circumstances like an aggressive £799 price.

Connectivity, for starters, is strong. Four HDMIs are on hand for digital video and MHL smart connect duties, while multimedia support is taken on by a duo of USBs and both LAN and integrated Wi-Fi network options. The USBs support playback of a wide variety of picture, music and movie file types, as well as enabling you to record from the TV’s tuners. More on this presently.

The network options support DLNA streaming – albeit only via a slightly cumbersome system – as well as access to the Internet via either an integrated Web browser or Toshiba’s ring-fenced Cloud TV platform.

Cloud TV has evolved quite considerably in some areas from last year’s debut. We’ll be looking at the latest system in more detail in a dedicated feature soon, but in the mean time the key developments are a new two-tiered approach offering different levels of functionality to each level of Toshiba’s TV range, and, on the relatively high-level 47L7453, MediaGuide Replay.

This latter potentially very attractive feature turns your telly into a sort of Tivo box by enabling you to instruct your TV to automatically record (to connected USB HDD) programmes you’re interested in – including whole series. And as with Tivo, the TV’s choice of what to record can be based on an ongoing analysis of the sort of programmes you like to watch.

SEE ALSO: Our pick of the Best 4K TVs

The interface Toshiba has introduced for the MGR feature is quite attractive too, and there’s no danger of you forgetting the feature is there as it appears constantly at the heart of your home screen.

Of course, MGR only works if you go to the trouble of adding an external USB hard drive to the TV, a fact which presents this key attraction with a potentially significant practical (if not financial) barrier to entry. Maybe Toshiba could see its way to building some recording memory into future MGR-enabled TVs, even if it's only a few hours worth?

The 47L7453 has some interesting things going on with its picture specification too. There’s an IPS LED panel at the TV’s heart, delivering the usual slight colour, response time and viewing angle benefits versus rival panel technologies. The panel is illuminated by a direct LED lighting system, where the LEDs are mounted directly behind the screen. And Toshiba assures us there’s a local dimming system at work amid this direct LED system, despite the fact that this doesn’t actually make its presence felt in the 47L7453’s picture performance in the way we would normally expect it to.

The 47L7453 employs a new backlight system together with a new panel structure that reduces inter-pixel spacing to boost picture brightness by a claimed – and startling - 75 per cent (up to 700 nit) compared with 2013’s equivalent models. This sounds a good idea overall, given the potential benefits to shadow detail and colour handling the extra luminance should produce. But we’ll only fully embrace it if it manages to deliver its brightness boost without compromising contrast.

The 47L7453 follows a number of other premium LCD TVs this year by using a panel with a wide colour gamut, offering a claimed 14% wider colour space than you get from one of Toshiba’s standard LCD panels.

SEE ALSO: Our pick of the Best Value TVs

No well to do Toshiba TV would be complete without some form of processing intervention by the brand’s CEVO Engine system. And the level of CEVO influence on the 47L7453 is actually pretty high. For instance, as well as driving the local dimming system, the dual core-driven CEVO Engine here runs a new picture restoration system designed to put back colour and brightness that’s usually compressed out during the creation of broadcast images.

CEVO has been applied to the 47L7453’s audio for the first time too, delivering two key tricks. First there’s a new ‘sound separation’ technology that can split background noise and dialogue so you can control each audio ‘plane’ individually – which we guess will sound like manna from heaven to karaoke enthusiasts, or people who just can’t take the idea of another Phil Neville World Cup commentary.

CEVO Audio’s other key trick is DTS Premium Sound, which can convert standard stereo audio into virtual surround sound.

One further audio innovation on the 47L7453 is its so-called Labyrinth speaker design, which uses a coiled long-duct system to provide more physical ‘space’ for the sound to breathe. This should result in much more bass than Toshiba’s flat TVs have managed before.

Finally on the processing front the 47L7453 boasts an ‘AMR 1500’ motion processing system, delivering a pseudo 1500Hz image via a combination of a native 100Hz panel, backlight scanning and frame interpolation.

Wrapping up the 47L7453’s key features is its passive 3D engine. It’s nice to find that Toshiba has supplied four pairs of free 3D glasses with this TV versus the mere two pairs many rivals are opting for this year.

Toshiba 47L7453: Set Up

When you first fire up the 47L7453 you’re taken through the complexities of set up - auto-tuning the Freeview HD tuner, setting up your network connection etc – via a reasonably helpful onscreen guide complete with a ‘flow-chart’ layout so you always know where in the process you are.



Toshiba is one of the best brands around when it comes to providing oodles of picture calibration flexibility, even on its low-end models. So it’s no surprise to find such key tricks as colour management, gamma control and white balance fine tuning on the relatively high-end 47L7453. In addition you get control over various parts of the set’s video processing, such as its Adaptive Backlight system, Toshiba’s Resolution system for boosting sharpness, and a new Scene feature that introduces extra brightness manipulation to make motion look more natural.

This feature also leads to a reduction in brightness that’s actually quite beneficial to black level response, so it’s definitely worth experimenting with - even though we personally ended up opting not to use the feature as it tends to exaggerate the brightness shifts of the Adaptive Backlight system.

There are noise reduction tools too, as you would expect, but we’d suggest you turn these off completely while watching HD, as they tend to make pictures look soft.

Toshiba has provided more picture presets than most brands do, and some of these – Standard and Hollywood Day – are quite useful without too much tinkering. If you’re watching a film in a dark room, though, we’d strongly recommend you reduce the backlight setting to below its 50% level to bolster black level response, and set the Adaptive Backlight system to its low level (anything higher results in over-aggressive brightness shifts, while turning it off severely reduces the set’s contrast).

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Surface Pro 3 Tablet Review

Is the Surface Pro 3 really the best of a laptop and tablet?

Microsoft started thinking about tablets long before the iPad arrived. But despite the iPad Air being Apple's fifth effort (mini excluded), Microsoft still seems to be figuring out what its tablet ought to be. By and large it has tried to straddle the tablet and laptop worlds, but only with mixed results. The 10-inch screens on the Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 always felt slightly wrong, and the less said about Windows RT the better.

Microsoft's is to make the Surface Pro 3 larger, much larger. The Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch screen and this time with a squarer 3:2 aspect meant to mimic a notepad. It still crams in 'laptop level' processors and all the accordant features (full Windows 8.1 Pro for one), but a totally flexible stand and huge number of tweaks (including a refined pen experience), create the feeling of a more confident, complete product than anything that's come before.



Surface Pro 3 UK release date: The Surface Pro 3 is available for pre-order now and goes on sale in the UK on 28 August. It's already on sale in the US.

Surface Pro 3: Design

As noted already, the main change is the size and shape of the screen. The 10-inch, 16:9 aspect screen on previous Surface tablets always felt unwieldy — too wide, too much like a letterbox rather than a tablet. The Surface Pro 3 may be a whole 2-inches larger diagonally, but it feels far less clumsy in your hands.

This is especially apparent in portrait mode, where the squarer 3:2 aspect just feels right. It's still very much a two-handed tablet, of course, but then so were the old Surface Pros and at 800g it's 100g lighter than before. The change in aspect is a profound one that totally transforms the experience for the better. It feels like a proper tablet.

The other vital change is the built-in hinge. The Surface Pro had one, rather too steep, angle; the Surface Pro 2 added a second, shallower angle; the Surface Pro 3 now has a totally flexible hinge that goes almost entirely flat (see below photo) and supports every angle between. It's a seriously impressive piece of engineering that makes the Surface Pro 3 far more flexible.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs Surface Pro 2



This is the flattest angle the new hinge supports

This is a more typical angle — note the magnetic fold in the keyboard

This hyper-flexible hinge is joined by another neat change, a magnetic fold in the keyboard (above) that creates a more natural angle for the keyboard when typing. I found this very comfortable when I tried it and there's impressively little flex in the keyboard in this position, though those with a particularly heavy handed style might disagree.

This change is also aimed at making the Surface Pro 3 easier to use on your lap — i.e. to make it a better laptop. It needs to work if the Surface Pro 3 is to be a convincing laptop replacement. Does it work on your lap? I'm sitting on the fence for the moment. What little time I did spend using the Surface Pro 3 on my lap felt better than previous Surface Pros, but this is one aspect you need to live with to understand.



SEE ALSO: Surface Pro 3 vs MacBook Air

The Surface Pro 3 now has front-facing stereo speakers

Surface Pro 3: Surface Pen and One Note

The other key ingredient to the Surface Pro 3 is the Surface Pen, which (unlike the keyboard) is included with every purchase. The Surface Pro 3 uses a different 'pen' to previous Surface Pros, though, opting for an N-Trig stylus over the Wacom 'active digitiser' of previous versions.

You hold down the first button to 'erase' and the second one acts as the right-click on the mouse

Microsoft says this is because the N-Trig pen allows for a more direct experience — where you press is exactly where your input appears, whereas the Wacom digitiser had a slight 'parallax' effect where the point of your pen and the detection point were slightly offset. It's an interesting trade-off, though, as the N-Trig pen has 'only' 256 levels of pressure sensitive vs. the 1,024 levels on the Surface Pro 1/2 pen. The N-Trig also requires a battery when the Wacom didn't.

I'm not really qualified to comment in-depth on this compromise from a professional artist/illustrators point of view, but I can imagine this change will disappoint some who came to love previous Surface Pros for their creative potential. The change does, however, serve Microsoft's intended purpose very well, as it makes writing notes on the Surface Pro 3 really nice. The input is, as Microsoft claims, very direct and accurate and there's a nice heft to the Surface Pen that makes it comfortable write with.

SEE ALSO: Windows 9 release date, start menu and screenshots



This optional pen holder comes with the keyboard

The Surface Pen is also tightly integrated with OneNote, Microsoft's note-taking and clipping software. You can access OneNote without unlocking the Surface Pro 3 just by pressing the purple OneNote button on the top of the pen — it's just like accessing your phone's camera from the lock screen.

This button acts as a useful shortcut throughout OneNote and Windows. Tapping it within OneNote automatically creates a new note, and you can use it to take a screenshot of your screen, crop what you want to and then save it to OneNote. It's all very neatly executed and the 3:2 screen aspect makes the Surface Pro 3 a more natural 'notepad' than before.

Is there a pent-up desire for a digital notepad in this mould? I can't really answer that, but the popularity of the Galaxy Note 3 and co. suggests there could be, and the Surface Pro 3 delivers the best digital notepad experience I've seen.

Surface Pro 3: Screen

On first viewing, the Surface Pro 3's screen looks like an absolute peach — an important point of difference given the the rival 2014 MacBook Air has an underwhelming screen. The 2,140 x 1,440 resolution gives the Surface Pro 3 216 pixels per inch (ppi), only slightly less than the iPad Air's 264ppi and much more than the MacBook Air.

SEE ALSO: Best Windows 8 laptops and tablets

Subjectively, I found colours and contrast impressive, too. The red of the background in the above shot really popped from the screen, and the black level appeared very good for an LCD — no LCD can approach the contrast quality of AMOLED screens like those on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Tab S 10.5.

This was in a bright, airy apartment, though, which isn't the best environment in which to judge things like contrast and black level. Reflections seemed to better or worse that numerous other tablets and laptops, but the screen appears bright enough to counter most conditions.

Surface Pro 3: Keyboard

I've always been hugely impressed with the Type Cover and Touch Cover, especially the second generation versions. The Surface Pro 3 only has a Type Cover, though, and it remains a very good keyboard. I don't really understand why it's not included with the tablet (it's a £110 'optional extra), though. This made sense in the past when you had a choice of two options to go for, but the keyboard is so fundamental to the Surface Pro 3 it seems stupid to ship it without one.



In any case, the layout and feel remain much the same as before, which is good news. It's backlit, too, an easily forgotten but very useful feature you'll be glad for when you need it.

The only real difference is the larger touchpad. It's not 'huge' like the MacBook Air's, but it's roomier than previous versions and now has a pleasant glass finish. It's a big improvement.

Surface Pro 3: Specs

Nothing demonstrates that this is really a PC, not a pure tablet, than the large number of spec options Microsoft will sell when it goes on sale in the UK in August. The cheapest version is just £639 (before keyboard), which gets you an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. Storage options run all the way up to 512GB with 8GB RAM and there are Intel Core i5 and Core i7 versions, too. The top-spec is £1,649 and you really should add £110 to all these for the keyboard.

Connections are quite limited, or rather they're limited compared to a full laptop. There's a single USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort, a headset jack and a microSD card slot. The lack of full-size SD card slot is arguably the trickiest compromise compared to a normal laptop — microSD is fine for storage expansion, but less useful when you want to edit photos from a camera. 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are included, though, and there are 5.0MP cameras on the front and rear.

Surface Pro 3: Battery Life

Microsoft hasn't shared the battery capacity of the Surface Pro 3, but claims 'up to 9 hours' of web browsing. If true this is a reasonable figure, but it's not one I have great deal of faith in given the track record of previous Surface Pros. The Surface Pro 2 lasted just under eight hours, though, and if the Surface Pro 3 matches this when we get to test it properly then that would rank as 'good enough' in my eyes.

'Good enough' is a very subjective measure, though, especially when the latest MacBook Airs can last 12 hours and most dedicated tablets last over 10 hours and often much more. The Surface Pro 3's success could hinge on whether it can really meet its claimed target.

First Impressions

The Surface Pro 3 makes a good first impression. It looks and feels great, the screen is bright and sharp and the hinge is a hugely impressive piece of engineering. Vitally, the move to a larger, squarer screen is inspired — it makes the Surface Pro 3 a better tablet and a better hybrid, too.

Can it replace a laptop? That's a trickier question I can't really answer yet. It has the potential to do so, but then the Surface Pros have never wanted for potential. Only extended use will tell and for that we'll have to wait for the UK release in August.

Next, read our tablet buying guide or read what's new in Windows 8.1

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Wearables market to be worth £1 billion by 2018

With interest in smartwatches kicking up the gears and a mass of new devices on the horizon, Samsung has suggested that the wearables market will be worth £1 billion by 2018.

According to the Korean manufacturer, interest in the wearables space is set to grow rapidly over the months and years, opening up an exciting new sector worth vast amounts of money to companies who finally crack the current issues.

“The wearables market is going to be worth a £1 billion by 2018,” Phil Oldham, Samsung’s UK head of enterprise marketing said while speaking during the company’s Future Scape event recently.

“The growth in new technologies is bringing the next step to the modern workplace,” Oldham added. “We see the wearables space as a really interesting place for Samsung to be developing our technologies.”

Although interest is high around the emerging sector and wearables is the latest buzzword of the tech space, manufacturers have yet to see this curiosity truly translate into considerable sales figures.

Samsung’s wearables efforts were dealt a sizeable blow recently when Apple co-founder and influential voice of the tech space, Steve Wozniak, branded the Galaxy Gear “worthless”.

Speaking on the Galaxy Gear, Woz stated: “That was the only technology I bought to experiment with that I threw out after half a day, sold it on eBay because it was so worthless and did so little that was convenient.”

Venting his grievences he added: “You had to hold it up to your ear and stuff.”

Read More: Samsung Gear 2 review

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GTA Online Independence Day Event Weekend detailed

Rockstar Games has detailed the special GTA Online Independence Day Event Weekend, offering gamers a chance to get in on some multiplayer mayhem.

To celebrate July 4, GTA Online gamers can take part in the Independence Day Event Weekend.

“Get ready to light up the skies with your all-new Independence Day Special fireworks, stars-and-stripes tees, and monster truck mayhem in a special 4-day Social Club Event this weekend, Thursday July 3rd through Sunday July 6th.”

Gamers will get access to big RP and GTA$ bonuses as well as discounts at Ammu-Nation among other rewards over the four day period.

If you access the Independence Day Special Event Playlist, which is a selection of new Rockstar-created Jobs, you’ll get double GTA$ and RP for the whole weekend.

Ammu-Nation is offer 25 per cent discounts on ammunition for RPGs, Grenade Launchers and Miniguns, and Merryweather Security has a 75 per cent discount on Airstrikes.

Pegasus Lifestyle Management will also let you call in any oversized vehicle for free during the Independence Day Event Weekend, letting you get to grips with the brand new Liberator monster truck and other awesome American beasts.

Of course, Rockstar is running a #IndependenceDay Snapmatic contest too over the four days, with the most creative, comical or stunning snaps up for the chance to win $1 million GTA$ and a special AMERICA number plate to use in GTA Online.

Rockstar also released a free Independence Day Special DLC pack to celebrate the occasion, letting you kit out your character with some stars and stripes themed content.

Along with the aforementioned Liberator truck, you’ll get access to the Sovereign motorcycle, antique Musket and a pretty awesome Firework Rocket Launcher with American Flag decals.

You can grab this July 4 themed content until mid-July on the Xbox 360 and PS3, which also gets your some “Made in the USA” tees and animal masks too.

Read more: Best games 2014

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Android L should offer major battery life improvements

Android L could offer major battery life improvements for your Android smartphones and tablets according to early beta testing.

One of the major features announced with Android L at Google I/O was Project Volta, new software tweaks that will help improve the battery life for your devices.

Some of these Project Volta features includes a new API that better schedules smaller phone tasks and what Google calls a “battery historian” that tracks the apps and activities that drain your battery the fastest.

Now, Ars Technica has put the Android L developer tester through its paces, with the help of members of the XDA developer forums, to see how much Project Volta will really help extend your battery life.

And the results are pretty impressive - albeit only in these tightly controlled conditions for the moment.

Through the website’s tests, Android L managed to offer 36 per cent more battery life than Android 4.4 KitKat, meaning an extra two hours runtime on the test device. Apparently that wasn’t a brand new device with a fresh battery either, so Android L could offer even better results on devices running it straight out of the box.

This was achieved without using battery saver mode too.

However, some XDA developers saw Android L suck up more battery life than its predecessor OS, but this was most likely affected by the apps. According to one developer, WhatsApp was sucking up 15 per cent of his phone’s battery, but this is probably a beta bug that will be fixed by the time Android L is released in the autumn.

Of course, this is early days for Android L so there is bound to be a lot of changes before the new operating system is available. Google is most likely tweaking its bundled apps too, helping improve the overall OS power efficiency.

Fingers crossed this is a strong indicator of things to come with Android L later this year. Now we just need to know what it’s called.



Read more: Android L features – What’s new

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Sony Xperia Z3 Compact specs leaked

Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact apparently

The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact specs have leaked online, revealing it to be another great mid-range flagship alternative.

Sony got it very right with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, introducing a smaller screened but similarly specced variant of its Xperia Z1 flagship.

Although we don’t know the official specs for the as yet unannounced Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, it looks like Sony is following the Z1 Compact launch for the Z3 Compact.

Well-known Xperia developer, DoomLoRD has released a tweet giving a quick look at some of the Z3 Compact specs ahead of its official release.

According to him, the Z3 Compact will come with a 4.5-inch display, supposedly with a 720p HD resolution to keep the costs low, but be powered by the same 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor with 2GB of RAM as flagships like the Sony Xperia Z2, LG G3, HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5.

It looks like the Z3 Compact will retain the 20.7-megapixel rear camera of the Z2, Z1 and Z1 Compact, but slightly upgrade the front-facing camera to a 2.1-megapixel option.

The Z3 Compact will apparently run Android 4.4.2 KitKat, and offer Adreno 330 graphics with that powerful processor.

Earlier this week, leaked photographs of the Sony Xperia Z3 emerged, showing a very similar design to previous Xperia smartphones.

Both the Z3 and the Z3 Compact are allegedly going to launch at IFA in Berlin in September, which should be the event used to launch the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 as well.

Read more: Sony Xperia Z2 vs Samsung Galaxy S5


Via: AndroidAuthority

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iPhone 6 release date tipped again for late September

iPhone 6 and 5S front panels

The iPhone 6 release date has again been tipped for the end of September along with some fresh design details.

Rumours of a specific iPhone 6 release date have been circulating for a little while now, with most suggesting that it will launch on September 19.

However, a new report from the Chinese media citing “inside sources”, suggests that the iPhone 6 will be officially announced at a special event on Monday September 15 with the actual iPhone 6 release date happening on September 25.

The sources do say that this could be the Chinese release date for the iPhone 6 though, so UK consumers could still see the iPhone 6 released on Friday September 19.

According to the report, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will cost the same as the current iPhone 5S, with pricing presently as follows: 16GB for £549, 32GB for £629 and the 64GB for £709.

As for the rumoured larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 (currently being dubbed the iPhone Air by several sources), that should retail for around £565 for the 16GB model, so only slightly more expensive than its 4.7-inch brother.

Giving us another look at the iPhone 6, a separate source has managed to get hold of some images of the 2014 iPhone’s glass front panels, next to the iPhone 5S version.

The glass panel shows that the screen does indeed measure up at 4.7-inches diagonally, as previous rumours have all suggested, but interestingly, the sources say the panel may be made from sapphire glass.

This would mean the entire front panel of the iPhone 6 would be made from the material used to protect the Touch ID enabled home button and rear camera of the iPhone 5S.

Sapphire Glass is more scratch resistant than Corning Gorilla Glass and supposedly less difficult to break too.

Rather than being flat like the iPhone 5S, the glass of the iPhone 6 has edges that curve seamlessly towards the edges of the body, which should have rounded edges.

Read more: Best mobile phone 2014

Via: GforGames (1) (2)

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Microsoft smartwatch to Samsung Gear Fit rival

Microsoft smartwatch patent

The rumoured Microsoft smartwatch might be more of a Samsung Gear Fit rival than the fully fledged smartwatch it was tipped to be.

Rumours of a new Microsoft smartwatch have been flying around the internet for some time, but a new report suggests it will be a strongly fitness focused device.

According to WinSuperSite sources, who have a very good track record when it comes to Microsoft gossip, Microsoft will release a Samsung Gear Fit inspired fitness band in the autumn.

It will take the form of a wristband, which will present your smartphone notifications, but it isn’t a classic smartwatch. Design wise, we could be looking at something along the lines of the Samsung Gear Fit and Nike FuelBand SE.

The report states that it will use “multiple sensors” to track fitness data like steps taken, calories burnt and even your heart rate throughout the day. It will then feed your data into various apps on your phone.

These sensors were tipped by earlier rumours that stated Microsoft’s fitness tracker would have a heart rate sensor, GPS for location tracking and Bluetooth for connecting to your phone.

What’s interesting is that, unlike Android Wear or other smartwatches on the market already like the Sony SmartWatch 2, Microsoft’s upcoming wrist-worn gadget is tipped to work with iOS, Android and Windows Phone smartphones, not working exclusively with its own platform.

Although we don’t yet know what Microsoft’s fitness band will be called, it looks like it will cost a little more than the Gear Fit. The report suggests it will launch with a price similar to the Samsung Gear 2, which would make it come in around the £249.00 mark.



Read more: Best fitness tracker 2014

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Nokia Lumia 830 leaks without Microsoft branding

The first images of the Nokia Lumia 830 have leaked online, revealing the phone lacks any Microsoft branding.

Microsoft apparently has three new Windows Phone 8.1 devices to launch in the near future, including a 4.7-inch mid-range handset codenamed Superman and an entry-level Rock device.

It also has the flagship codename McLaren Windows Phone up its sleeves, which will apparently boast 3D Touch features potentially rivalling the newly announced Amazon Fire phone.

Now a new device has leaked, with sources claiming it is the follow-on to the Nokia Lumia 820, known as the Lumia 830.

Leaked photographs of the device have been spotted on the Chinese social media site Weibo, showcasing an aluminium frame with a polycarbonate back panel. This is a very similar design to that used by the Nokia Lumia 930 and Nokia Lumia 925.

From the looks of the pictures, the Nokia Lumia 830 has a flat, large rear camera housing, which confirms it won’t have the Nokia Lumia 1020’s 41-megapixel rear snapper.

It also looks like the device will have soft touch navigational buttons on the front, despite Windows Phone 8.1 support on-screen buttons like Android 4.4 KitKat.

There are no rumoured specs as yet, so we’ll have to wait and see until this phone is officially launched to learn more.

Microsoft bought out Nokia earlier this year, so this would be one of the first devices to be launched under Microsoft control.

Stephen Elop, Microsoft’s head of devices, admitted in April that the Nokia name would be abandoned by Microsoft in the long run.

“The Nokia brand is available to Microsoft to use for its mobile phone products for a period of time, but Nokia as a brand will not be used for long going forward for smartphones,” said Elop. “Work is underway to select the go forward smartphone brand.”

It’s possible that Microsoft is sticking with Nokia branding for this year, but will introduce its new brand later in 2014 or in 2015.



Read more: Best mobile phone 2014

Via: The Verge

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£40 4G phones could be here by the end of next year

4G phones are coming down in price rapidly and now Alcatel has predicted that the first £40 4G handsets will be available next year.

Despite already being one of the companies pushing for more affordable 4G hardware - the Alcatel One Touch Pop S3 is available for as little as £79.99 - Alcatel has suggested there is still room to further lower the cost of 4G phones.

“You can't get a 4G product for the same price as a 3G smartphone one today," Alcatel UK and IRE director William Paterson told TrustedReviews while discussing the current state of the 4G phone space.

"You can get a 3G smartphone for £30 [but] it's not possible to do that [with 4G]," he added. "From that point of view you're still paying a premium”.

Looking to the future, however, Paterson sees the price of 4G phones falling quickly, with the next 12 months to see 4G capable handsets finally hit similar price points to their 3G counterparts.

Speaking on where 4G phones will move over the next 12 months he stated: "Next year, maybe not quite £30 – maybe £40 pre-pay.

“By the end of next year, basically everything's going to be 4G.”

Leading to these price cuts, Paterson sees Alcatel's phone stategy as a “step-by-step approach” that follows the natural development of the market.

“Back in 2008-2009 there was a whole number of manufacturers that spent a lot of money on 3G R&D and they've disappeared since... We've been very pragmatic about how we grew, how we developed our roadmap.”

However, Paterson also commented that there is some difficulty in the messaging of 4G, that it should not just be about speed, but about what you can do with it.

At present, while 4G contracts no longer tend to command a premium over 3G ones – they are rapidly becoming the standard – they do not tend to offer the kind of data allowances that make 4G particularly worthwhile.

The most generous data packages are at present offered by Three, which offers “all you can eat” data plans with a fair use 'cap' of 1000GB for as little as £12.90 a month.

Next, read our What is 4G? guide

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Dualit unveils new Classic Kettle with changeable element

Dualit has officially unveiled its latest range of kitchen companions, with the Dualit Classic Kettle boasting a changeable element.

Extending the lifespan of the device, the replaceable element means that years down the line when wear and tear inevitably take their toll, the kettle’s all-important 3KW heating mechanism can be easily and affordably changed, instead of the whole device being junked.

Lining up as a companion to the company’s longstanding Classic toaster, the new Classic Kettle benefits from a couple of other new features too.

Dualit’s Whisper Boil takes a bow, reducing boiling noise to such a degree that the Classic Kettle has been awarded the Noise Abatement Society’s international mark of approval – the Quiet Mark.

Also included on the kettle capable of boiling two cups of water in under 90 seconds is a 360-degree swivel base, while patented anti wobble feet ensure the device is stable at all times.

With a 1.7 litre capacity and non-drip spout, the stylishly curved, metal Classic kettle adds a dual window view to better allow you to measure out your water levels and an ergonomic silicon grip handle.

The Dualit Classic Kettle will launch this October, with the polished silver, copper and clay colour schemes to be exclusive to John Lewis for the rest of the year.

This boiling device isn’t cheap, Dualit has confirmed that the Classic Kettle will set wannabe owners back £129.99 at launch.

Read More: Best Kettles

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Android Wear Apps available now on Google Play

Google has added the first batch of Android Wear apps to the Google Play store preparing for the first Wear-powered smartwatches.

Ahead of the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live release dates on July 4 and July 7 respectively, Google has added a score of new Android Wear apps to the Google Play store.

Of course, there are some that you’d expect to be first for Android Wear, including Google’s own Google Maps and Hangouts, but it’s the more interesting one’s that might take your fancy.

Allthecooks Recipes offers recipes in bite-sized chunks to view on your Android Wear watch as you cook, while Bandsintown Concerts will ping you alerts of gigs happening in your area.

If you want news bulletins on your Android Wear watch, currently only the Guardian and Reuters are ready for launch, but at least you can get Pinterest alerts as soon as you boot up your G Watch or Gear Live.

There are a few travel related apps making the leap to Android Wear too, including Fly Delta, and American Airlines. No doubt more will arrive in the near future, as airlines will be keen to get their boarding passes and flight alerts on your wrist.

Even popular free language learning app, Duolingo is getting ready for an Android Wear migration, so it will be interesting to see how that is implemented.

There are a number of other apps already available to download for free, but there are bound to be many more as the days go on.

If you want to keep updated, might be worth bookmarking the Android Wear app page on the Google Play store so you can see if your favourites are added soon.

Read more: What is Android Wear? A guide to Google’s smartwatch OS

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Samsung announces the end of plasma TV production

Samsung has announced that it will finally pull out of the plasma TV market by the end of the year.

Earlier this week, Samsung SDI quietly announced its intention to cease production of plasma TV panels by November 30. Since then the company has elaborated on its decision.

"We plan to continue our PDP TV business until the end of this year, due to changes in market demands," a company spokesperson told CNET. "We remain committed to providing consumers with products that meet their needs, and will increase our focus on growth opportunities in UHD TV's and Curved TV's."

Those same "market demands" caused Panasonic, formerly the leading plasma TV maker, to withdraw from plasma panel production at the end of last year.

According to a company insider at the time, the key factor behind Panasonic's withdrawal from the plasma market it dominated was the emergence of the 4K or Ultra High Definition standard.

Put simply, the cost of developing 4K plasma technology would have been prohibitive - a factor that a Samsung executive corroborated earlier in the year with regard to his own company's plasma plans.

Of course, Samsung is in a far less precarious financial position than its Japanese rival. In fact, it's the biggest consumer technology company in the world.

But the fact remains that demand for plasma television sets is too low to justify continuing development costs - despite the standard's superiority over LCD in terms of pure accurate colours and blacks.

That leaves LG alone in the plasma market, though rumour has it that Samsung's local rival will also withdraw from plasma production in the near future.

It looks like 2014 could be looked back on as the year that plasma finally died.



Read More: Best TV 2014

Via: Engadget

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