Reviews Update: 2015-01-11

Hatred gets Adults Only rating in the US

Probably not suited for Little Timmy's Xmas stocking, then...

Hatred, the video game that sees players mass-murdering civilians, has been given the Adults Only rating in the US by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

A dev for Destructive Creations responded on the game forums with the following message: “Well, I’m not quite convinced why Hatred got AO rating while it lacks any sexual content, but it’s still some kind of achievement to have the second game in history getting AO rating for violence and harsh language only”

The dev continued: “Even if this violence isn’t really that bad and this harsh language is not overused.”

The first game to receive the rating for violence and harsh language alone was Thrill Kill, an unreleased 1998 PlayStation fighting title, as noted by Eurogamer.

It was criticised for its violent moves – examples of which were named as ‘Bitch Slap’ and ‘Swallow This’ – as well as fetishistic costumes and acts, and limb dismemberment.

Another game, Peak Entertainment Casinos, also landed on the list sans any sexual content, but was cited as containing ‘gambling’, hence the AO rating.

The dev added: “The guy from ESRB (by the way – very nice, polite and cooperative one) told me it’s all about ‘the context’ which people they’re testing gameplay video on will see.”

Getting Adults Only certification takes a big bite out of studio revenue, as it means far less players are allowed to access it. It’s similar to how movies being rated 18 can dramatically affect box office figures.

Getting an Adults Only rating takes a big bite out of studio revenue, because the potential user-base for the title is significantly reduced. Box office takings see a similar slump when movies are given Rated-18 certification.

Hatred launched onto Steam Greenlight back on December 15, but was subsequently pulled by Valve, apparently in response to the game’s gruesome subject matter.

Just two days later, however, Valve’s co-founder Gabe Newell reinstated the title on Steam, calling it a mistake.

“Yesterday I heard that we were taking Hatred down from Greenlight,” explained Newell. “Since I wasn’t up to speed, I asked around internally to find out why we had done that.”

“It turns out it wasn’t a good decision, and we’ll be putting Hatred back up. My apologies to you and your team. Steam is about creating tools for content creators and customers.”

Hatred is scheduled for full release on Microsoft Windows in Q2 this year.

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Facebook tests voice transcription for Messenger app

by Sean Keach 17 January 2015 |

FB MSG VOICE

Facebook is beginning to test a new feature that will allow users to send transcriptions of voice messages via Messenger.

This means that the Messenger app will now jot down your audio in text form, and then relay it to your chosen recipient.

The option to listen to the audio will still remain, but it should offer message recipients a quick way to check up on voice messages without having to hit ‘play’.

The social network added voice messaging to the Messenger service back in 2013, enabling users to send voicemail-style clips to each other.

Unfortunately, while it was easy for the sender to decide when it’s easy for them to send a voice message, it’s much harder for the sender to know whether it’s convenient for a recipient to receive audio.

Transcription circumvents this issue entirely, as the sender can still make use of the more time-efficient voice messaging, while the recipient can check up on a text message in, let’s say, an office meeting, where audio wouldn’t be appropriate.

The feature will be turned on automatically, but Facebook assures us that users will be able to hit the off-switch should they dislike the transcription service.

We won’t be seeing this feature any time soon, however, as Facebook says it’s only trialling the feature with a few people right now.

“Our plan is to test this feature at a tiny scale for now and we’re looking forward to seeing what you think of it,” said David Marcus, Facebook’s Messenger lead.

This is likely because voice transcription still isn’t very good, often resulting in messages that are largely unintelligible.

The service will begin rolling out today – just don’t bank on being part of the initial voicemail posse.

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Mobile customers lose £5.4bn yearly thanks to bad contracts

by Sean Keach 17 January 2015 |

iPhone 6

A new study has revealed that mobile customers are collectively losing out on £5.42 billion every single year because they chose the wrong contract.

Consumer watchdog Which? has published a report that says 72 per cent of British citizens could be saving £159 by changing to a contract that is more suited to their usage.

The overpayments are put down to two simple reasons: people aren’t using all of their allowances, meaning some spending is wasted; and some people pick contracts with over-limited allowances, which means they have to shell out when they need extra data, texts, or calls.

What’s more, it was found that 42 per cent of us think we could be getting better value elsewhere.

Ofcom, however, reports that 48 per cent of people have never switched supplier, highlighting a reluctance to seek more mobile for your money, as noted by The Telegraph.

Richard Lloyd, Whichs?’s executive director, said: “Mobile phone companies must do more to help people get the best deal, making switching hassle free and ensuring that pricing is transparent.”

“If we don’t see mobile firms making voluntary improvements then we will ask the regulator Ofcom to step in.”

Which? is also calling for network providers to unlock handsets automatically without surcharge, as well as notifying customers about the best deals in advance of their contract ending.

The watchdog also wants providers to itemise contract bills to show separate charges for both the handset and the network service.

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Moto 360 users can now strap on fancier leather wristbands from Dodo

by Chris Smith 16 January 2015 |

Moto 360 strap

Motorola has started selling a range of premium leather bands for its Android Wear-toting Moto 360 smartwatch.

The fancy bands come in a range of four colours - blue, green, red or tan - and are made by the Dodo brand. They can be nabbed from Moto's website (via Android Central) from today.

The accessories aren’t cheap though as they’ll come in around $60 (which works out at £40 in proper money).

Motorola currently sells its own standard leather bands in black, grey and cognac colours, but they’re only $30 (around £30). Moto also sells its own stainless steel option for $80, so these new premium options do sit comfortably in between.

The Lenovo-owned company was expected to lead the charge for Android Wear smart watches late in 2014, but the round-faced watch flattered to deceive.

Read more: Android Wear review

With a substandard battery life, an unattractive flat tire-like border around the screen and an expensive price tag, consumers haven’t warmed to the Moto 360.

The firm is already thought to be well advanced in its efforts to produce a more successful sequel. Perhaps we’ll see the Moto 360 2 (Or the Moto One, perhaps?) at MWC in March.

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Sony Xperia Z4 range makes it through Japanese certification

by Chris Smith 16 January 2015 |

Xperia Z3

If there was ever any reasonable doubt, reports on Friday seemed to confirm Sony will launch its next generation Xperia Z4 smartphone at MWC 2015.

The yet-to-be-announced device has taken a trip through the certification body in its home country of Japan.

GSMArena reports the handset has been approved in three versions, for Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and SoftBank mobile networks.

Apparently the devices will all support voice over LTE and boast support for the Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac standards. While that’s not exactly groundbreaking news, there’s little else to clean from the certification other than the certification itself.

Recent speculation has suggested Sony’s Xperia Z4 will boast a 5.2-inch QHD screen, a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor and 4GB of RAM.

It is thought it’ll come with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, a 20.7 megapixel camera and, just like most recent Xperia launches, will boast great waterproofing tech.

The launch is also expected to be accompanied by two other Xperia Z4 devices - one larger and one smaller.

The Xperia Z4 Compact could also arrive at MWC in March, with a 4.7-inch screen, while recent reports have also suggested an Xperia Z4 Ultra with a hulking 6.44-inch display may also be on the way.

Read more: Sony Xperia Z3 review

The releases may be among the last handsets ever to come out of Sony, given reports this week suggesting the company may choose to sell off its mobile business.

Earlier this week, TrustedReviews writer Jon Mundy opined on why this would be a great idea.

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Cops make arrest in case of gaming attack that stole Christmas

by Chris Smith 16 January 2015 |

PS4 Xbox One

Police in the UK have made an arrest relating to the cyber attacks which brought down the Xbox Live and PlayStation Network portals over Christmas.

The mean-spirited attack prevented thousands of gamers getting full enjoyment from their brand new Xbox One and PS4 consoles received and bought over the holiday period.

Now police on Merseyside have arrested a man in Southport as part of an investigation into computer hacking offences. The cops say it was aided by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.

“SEROCU, supported by the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU), worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the operation which focused on the denial of service attack of Sony Playstation and Xbox systems in 2014 and ‘swatting’ offences,” said the UK’s Serious Organised Crime United in a statement on Friday (via NYT).

Swatting is a term used to describe an offence where individuals and groups provide false information to law enforcement, knowing the police will respond with tactical units.

Read more: Xbox One vs Sony PS4

The hacking group known as Lizard Squad have claimed responsibility for the attack. It is unclear whether the person arrested is a member of that organisation.

No charges have yet been filed against the individual arrested as part of the investigation.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 to include new, touch-based fingerprint sensor

by Chris Smith 16 January 2015 |

Samsung Galaxy S6 MyKnox leak

Reports on Friday have claimed the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 will have a brand new fingerprint sensor, akin to the Apple’s TouchID tool.

SamMobile’s sources say the next flagship handset will feature a touch-based sensor, rather than the swipe-based fingerprint sensor featured in the Galaxy S5 and other more recent Galaxy devices.

The new component will allow users to place their full fingerprint on the sensor to unlock the device, according to the report. The previous iteration only allowed folks to register a partial print.

The sources say the home button on the Galaxy S6 will be larger to accommodate the change. This will enable users of the sensor to enjoy a greater rate of success by allowing them to place their digit upon it at multiple angles.

SamMobile’s report says: “The new touch-based sensor is built into the home button as well, just like its predecessor. However, we are told the Korean company has made the home button slightly bigger compared to the Galaxy S5 and Note 4, which makes the experience flawless.

"With the new touch-based sensor, you wouldn’t have to swipe your finger on the sensor anymore; instead, you would just place your fingertip on the home key – at any angle – then lift it off, and that’s it.”

Read more: Is this our first look at the Galaxy S6?

Apparently Samsung isn’t plotting any new software features for the improved sensor. However, they will still be able to unlock, sign into websites, verify their Samsung account or make payments with PayPal.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is thought to be on the way in the first quarter of 2015, with a launch at March's MWC 2015 on the cards. Recent reports have suggested the company is still deciding on a final design with more than one iteration likely on the way.

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Ofcom touts ‘real time video holograms’ as potential use for 5G

by Chris Smith 16 January 2015 |

The future 5G mobile data network could be used for real time holographic video chats, according to Ofcom.

The UK’s communications regular has begun the consultation process (via Gigaom) over how a 6GHz radio spectrum could be used, once the potential for 4G has been exhausted.

The high spectrum usage could bring 10-50 gigabits per second data speeds according to Ofcom and could be used to support “very high demand users” in cities.

In calling on the mobile industry to offer their feedback and suggestions, Ofcom claimed 6GHz spectrum could potentially support “could support a variety of uses, ranging from financial trading and entertainment to gaming and holographic projections.”

Ofcom hopes to have the network up and running by 2020 and is taking a much more proactive approach than it did with 4G mobile networks to ensure that happens.

The UK lagged behind many other developed nations in the arrival of 4G mobile speeds and the regulator seems determined not to make the same mistake.

Acting CEO Steve Unger, acting CEO of Ofcom said: “We want the UK to be a leader in the next generation of wireless communications. Working with industry, we want to lay the foundations for the UK’s next generation of wireless communications.

“5G must deliver a further step change in the capacity of wireless networks, over and above that currently being delivered by 4G. No network has infinite capacity, but we need to move closer to the ideal of there always being sufficient capacity to meet consumers’ needs”

Is real time holographic projection top of your wishlist for 5G? Let Ofcom know and let us know in the comments section below.

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Best Coffee Machine: The best espresso and coffee pod machines

We love coffee and if you're reading this then you probably do, too. In our best coffee machine round-up we select our picks of the best espresso machines, best pod coffee machines and best bean-to-cup coffee machines to help you choose.

We review new machines every week, ensuring that (unlike some) our list of the top coffee machines always remains fresh and up-to-date. In our latest update we've added a new manual machine from Krups that costs between £80 to £110 – it replaces the previous, older Krups of a similar design.

We've also added our first Tassimo coffee machine from Bosch, an outstandingly compact and effective machine that costs just £35. It's the cheapest machine in our round-up, but also one of the best.

Hit the next arrow to start the list, or select a machine from the list below to continue:

Krups XP5620 – Manual Espresso Machine NEW ENTRY

Tassimo Vivy by Bosch – Tassimo Pod Machine NEW ENTRY

Dualit Espress-Auto 3-in-1 – Hybrid Espresso Machine

Nescafe Dulce Gusto Piccolo – Dolce Gusto Pod Machine

Nescafe Dulce Gusto Melody 3 – Dolce Gusto Pod Machine

Krups Dolce Gusto Oblo – Dolce Gusto Pod Machine

Nespresso Lattissima Pro by DeLonghi – Nespresso Pod Machine

Nespresso Lattissima EN520 by DeLonghi – Nespresso Pod Machine

Nespresso Inissia by Magimix – Nespresso Pod Machine

Philips Saeco Intelia Focus HD8751 – Bean-to-Cup Machine

DeLonghi Eletta Cappuccino Top – Bean-to-Cup Machine

DeLonghi Dedica – Espresso Machine

DeLonghi Distinta ICMI 211 – Filter Coffee Machine

Last Update on 16/01/15: Two new machines added, one removed

Related: Best Kitchen Gadgets Round-up If you're buying your first coffee machine then it's worth thinking about what kind is the right for you. There's no right or wrong answer, but it's easy to decide based on your needs. Here's what we think.

Pod Coffee Machines

These use branded 'pods' to produce coffee and often numerous other hot drinks. There are several brands of pods, such as Nespresso, Dulce Gusto and Tassimo, with different companies supporting different systems. The main pros of pod coffee machines are ease of use, consistency and convenience; the con is the higher cost from having to buy the proprietary pods.

Bean-to-Cup Machines

The clue is in the name – these machines grind fresh beans to produce coffee straight to your cup. They're the 'purest' type of coffee machine, but they're also the most expensive and often the largest. If you're very particular about your coffee, however, a bean-to-cup coffee machine is a good bet.

Traditional Espresso Machines

If you like using ground coffee, a traditional espresso machine is ideal. These are like the huge, old-school coffee machines you used to find in coffee shops, but much smaller. They're harder to use than pod coffee machines and bean-to-cup machines, but they're generally cheaper, give you lots of control and the good ones produce great-tasting coffee.

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Elon Musk's Hyperloop: Everything you need to know

Elon Musk is a billionaire facilitator of grand, world-changing technological projects. But one of his smallest scale and most personal ideas, the Hyperloop transport system, is also arguably his craziest.

Just what is the Hyperloop? When are we likely to see it built, if at all? And where can we get some of what Elon Musk is having?

We'll have a go at answering most of those questions...

The inspiration

Elon Musk is a man who wears a number of hats, most famously that of PayPal's co-founder. Another of those makes him the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, his private space transport company, while yet another makes him CEO and chief product architect of Tesla Motors, the company that made electric cars not just cool but viable.

Unfortunately, switching between these responsibilities involves Musk physically transporting himself 400 miles along the west coast of America, from Los Angeles to San Francisco. For such a hyperactively productive man, the inevitable dead time involved with such travel must be mightily frustrating.

On August 12, 2013, Elon Musk posted a white paper on his proposed solution – the Hyperloop.

We’ve all dreamed of fantastical ways to speed up our own personal daily commute. But Elon Musk is the only man who can then consider building it.

Elon Musk

What is Hyperloop?

Hyperloop is a proposed futuristic transport system that promises to load passengers into aluminium capsules and shoot them through vast overground tubes, mounted on pylons, towards their destination.

This unique enclosed format permit speeds of up to 800mph, which would allow Mr Musk to complete his aforementioned 400-mile journey – that’s about the distance from Glasgow to London, by the way – in just 35 minutes.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's 5 craziest ideas

How does it work?

The principle behind Hyperloop is to create a low-air-pressure environment within the aforementioned enclosed tube system. This would not need to be completely air tight, although not a total vacuum here – that would be completely impractical to maintain over hundreds of miles.

This low-air-pressure environment will be sufficient to allow the enclosed passenger-carrying pods to move through it with minimal air resistance, thus attaining extremely high speeds – much as an aeroplane cruises along at high altitudes.

Of course, unlike planes, these car-sized pods will need to be in at least partial or occasional contact with the ground, which raises the whole problem of friction. At high subsonic speeds, wheels would be impractical.

The proposed solution is for these passenger-carrying pods to create and skim along on a thin cushion of air, much like the principle used for air hockey pucks. So-called ‘air bearings’ have been shown to work at speeds of Mach 1.1, so would be perfectly fit for purpose here.

Hyperloop

Sounds expensive

It would be expensive. Musk anticipates that the Hyperloop would cost $10 billion to build. Still, he also points out that this would be considerably less than the “several tens of billions” it would take to build an equivalent high-speed rail service.

Also, unlike said high-speed rail service, Musk believes that the Hyperloop system would be very low in maintenance costs. Indeed, the linear electric motors that would be needed to get the Hyperloop pods up to speed would be able to harvest all of their energy from solar panels situated along the length of the tube.

This is perhaps where our sun-deprived UK readers may feel a little dispirited. The odds of an economically viable UK equivalent look slim.

Where is Hyperloop at now?

The theory might be sound, but Hyperloop is still some way off being a reality.

Musk estimated that it could take 10 years to construct the LA-to-San Francisco Hyperloop route. That’s without even getting into the approvals that would need to be obtained and the testing that would need to take place.

On the latter front, at least, there’s been recent headway. Musk recently revealed that the first Hyperloop test track was set to be constructed, possibly in Texas.

This pilot system will be made available for companies and student teams to test out their own pod designs. There’s even the promise of pod races to determine the fastest design.

And because, y’know, it would be cool and stuff.

It's probably a couple of decades away from seeing its first practical rollout, but Elon Musk's fanciful Hyperloop system could well become a reality for certain awkward city-to-city journeys that are too far to tackle easily in a car, and too short to tackle practically in a plane.

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Global mobile connections to hit 9.5bn by 2019

by Sean Keach 16 January 2015 |

Best Mobile Phones

A new report has revealed that the number of mobile connections across the globe will hit 9.5 billion in four years time.

Research by iGR (via PhoneArena) reckons that the year 2019 will see a massive leap from the current 6.9 billion.

It’s worth noting that mobile connections aren’t just limited to your smartphone; other directly connected devices are also included, for example tablets, cars, and smartwatches.

The report also reckons we’ll see global mobile penetration rise from today’s 96.4 per cent, all the way up to a staggering 125 per cent by 2019.

While a market penetration over 100 per cent might sound confusing, it’s because there’s a growing number of individuals that own multiple devices.

That’s helped by the fact that the ‘Internet of Things’ is helping create more smart devices that come with a connectivity option.

The research also points to a big uptake in 3G and 4G networks, with a shift away from 2G standards.

Last year, 4G handled just 6 per cent of data connections, while 2G accounted for around half.

The report specifically cites North America as being ahead in 4G/LTE networks, but that other countries will begin catching up by 2019.

Another interesting point was that in some countries, smartphones were the only way to connect to the internet for many people, cementing mobile devices as a primary communication tool.

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Asus Transformer Book T90 Chi Tablet Review

Asus Transformer Book T90 Chi – First Impressions

Rounding out the trio of new Windows tablet/laptop hybrids announced at CES 2015, also including the 12-inch T300 Chi and the 10-inch T100 Chi, the T90 Chi is the baby of the pack with a mere 8.9-inch screen. This compact form means it has a reduced size keyboard and no trackpad, so does it still hold the dual appeal of its larger siblings? We got our hands on it to find out.

SEE ALSO: Best Laptops Round-up

Asus Transformer Book T90 Chi – Design

The most obvious characteristic of the T90 Chi is that, like the other Transformers, the tablet lifts out from the keyboard section so it can be used on its own. Unlike the larger Chi models, though, this keyboard section doesn’t have retaining pins on the inside of the hinge/dock mechanism, so it can be placed in its dock in different positions.

However, only one of the long sides contains corresponding magnets to actually grip the keyboard, so docking it using any other side means the keyboard will fall off if you pick up the tablet. It also means the tablet requires a support piece to wrap around the back, creating a slightly unsightly bulge when in laptop mode.

The other obvious thing about this convertible is how small it is. The tablet is essentially the same size as the iPad mini, with its 8.9-inch screen. This most clearly impacts the trackpad, in as much as there isn’t one.

This means all navigation – bar a few keyboard shortcuts – has to be done via the touchscreen, and although Windows 8 is somewhat touch-optimised, it’s certainly nowhere near enough that you’re likely to be happy without using some sort of pointing device for anything more than browsing the web, playing some music or watching video.

This productivity limitation continues when it comes to the keyboard, which has had to be shrunk to fit in the same footprint as the tablet. We found it too small, or at least too small for immediate, easy touch typing.

With a bit of time you could probably get used to the slightly smaller spacing and key size. What’s more the actual key action isn’t too bad, making it easy to discern if you’ve pressed a key.

It’s mostly good news when it comes to the screen, too. Its resolution of 1280 x 800 isn’t outstanding for this size of screen, but it’s still good, making everything appear nice and sharp. Viewing angles, colour reproduction and black levels all appeared decent.

All that height and width saving pays dividends when it comes to weight, too. The tablet weighs just 400g and with the dock it’s only 750g in total. With overall dimensions of 241 x 137 x 7.5mm (16.5mm thick with dock) it’s the sort of device that can travel pretty much anywhere with you.

The sturdier, laptop-style design of the keyboard dock also means it’s a far more secure and practical approach to having a keyboard with your tablet than a separate Bluetooth keyboard or a keyboard cover like on the Microsoft Surface.

While the tablet is metal, giving it a premium look and feel, the dock is plastic, but they still look good together, even with the bulge from the tablet dock.

Asus Transformer Book T90 Chi – Specs

Inside the T90 Chi is an Intel Atom Z3775 processor, which is a quad-core model that runs between 1.46GHz and 2.39Ghz. That's plenty for a device of this type. Having only 1GB or 2GB of RAM seems a little limiting, but we’ll have to wait for our full review to really assess if this impacts performance.

Storage is limited to just a 32GB or 64GB of SSD, though a microSD slot allows for some expansion and you get 1TB of Microsoft OneDrive (1 year free) and unlimited Asus WebStorage (1 year free) included.

You’ve also got front (2MP) and back (5MP with autofocus) cameras and Wi-Fi a/b/g/n along with Bluetooth 4.0 and stereo speakers porting from the two shorter sides. Asus hasn’t quoted a battery life yet, but we expect it to be around the 10-hour mark.

Other connectivity is quite limited, but that's no surprise on a package this size. As well as the microSD slot you get a Micro USB port and a headphone jack. This tablet also charges straight from its Micro USB port rather than having a separate power socket.

Early Verdict

The appeal of the Asus Transformer Book T90 Chi is likely to be more limited than that of its larger siblings, simply because you lose the easier typing experience and trackpad of those models.

However, considered as an alternative to something like an iPad mini with a compact Bluetooth keyboard, it makes a lot more sense. The docking system keeps the whole lot together and protected when in transit, and the adjustable screen makes for easier use on laps or other situations where you can’t find a nice flat surface to work on.

What’s more, all this starts at just $299, making it a real bargain for what you get.

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HTC One M9 Hima hinted for March 1 launch

by Sean Keach 16 January 2015 |

HTC MWC invite

HTC has hinted at a possible launch date for its next flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9.

The Taiwanese firm has sent out an invite for March 1, captioned with the text: “Join us to see what’s next.’

The event is set to take place in Barcelona, just one day before Mobile World Congress begins proper.

While the ‘what’s next’ line is purposefully ambiguous, MWC would make for the perfect stage to launch the One M9.

HTC doesn’t typically use MWC to show off its flagship smartphones, but last year’s One M8 did land in March, so it’s not too big a stretch of the imagination.

The poster also carried the text ‘utopia in progress’, which is certainly more puzzling.

It’s worth noting that while this is the first MWC invite to be sent out from a major smartphone manufacturer, we are expecting many more to come.

Other smartphones tipped for an MWC reveal include the Sony Xperia Z4 and the LG G4.

So what can we expect from the HTC One M9 ‘Hima’? Rumour has it the device will carry Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 810 chipset, for a start.

This would bring 64-bit architecture, improved battery life, Cat. 9 LTE support, and a built-in killswitch for added security.

There’s also talk of a 5- or 5.2-inch QHD display, as well as 3GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, and a 20.7-megapixel, OIS-enhanced camera for the rear.

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Cheap Washing Machine Sale UK: The cheapest washing machine deals

Discount washing machines from the all the major brands

Whether you need to replace a broken washing machine, or buy a new machine for your new home, it pays to search for the best washing machine deals available.

To make your life easier we've trawled through the washing machine sales to find best deals on washing machines from Samsung, Bosch, LG and many more major brands.

Please leave a comment if you find a deal we haven't spotted. We'll keep adding new deals to this page as they appear.

Last Update: 15:20, 16/01/15

Deal of the Week – Advanced 9kg Whirlpool machine for just £229

This machine offers loads of features at a very low price. The Whirlpool WWDC9440 has a large 9kg drum, which is enough for 45 shirts.

It has an impressive A+++ energy rating and even includes Whirlpool's 6th Sense technology, which much like many more expensive machines weighs the load to work out how much energy and water to use.

It also tells you how much detergent to use and has a clear display. This many advanced features on a machine this price is very rare indeed. It's available from AO.com

What do owners say?
We haven't reviewed this machine yet, but it has largely positive user reviews. Common complaints concern noise, the long three-hour eco wash and that the spin cycle could be better. We don't think these aren't serious problems, though, particularly as the claimed 77dB is about on-par with most cheap machines we've tested. Our only serious concern is you only get a 1-year warranty as standard, though this is to be expected for such a cheap machine.

Cheap LG Washing Machines

Save ££80 on £519 8kg LG with TrueSteam

The LG F14U1TBS2 is a 9/10 washing machine that's £80 less than when we reviewed it. At just £520 it's a steal. It washes well, it's efficient and it looks great, but best of all is the TrueSteam feature. This quickly freshens up smelly but otherwise clean garments using a blast of steam and reduces creases. Head to eBay for the deal.

Cheap Samsung Washing Machines

Save £100 on a £499 9kg Samsung
That's a good machine, but we gave the Samsung WF90F7E6U6W a 9/10 and Recommended Award and it's now £100 less. It has a faster, more efficient spin (1,600rpm vs 1,400rpm), a larger drum (9kg vs 8kg) and it's much quieter (69dB vs 79dB). It's available from AO.com.

Cheap Bosch Washing Machines

Save £200 on £499 9kg Bosch
This promising Bosch machine is down from £699, making it a great deal. Its 1,600rpm spin should leave your clothes reasonably dry and its self cleaning detergent drawer is a nice touch. Bosch is a reliable brand and the user reviews on this model are good, so you can buy in confidence. Head to John Lewis for this deal.

Cheap Miele Washing Machines

Save £115 (£474 after deductions) on 7kg Miele
This is a brilliant deal. Miele offers £75 cashback on the WDA100 and use the code SALE40 at Appliance City and you get a further £40 saving. This 7kg machine only comes with a 2-year warranty, but Miele has reputation for quality for a reason.

Spotted a deal we haven't or found one of our deals has expired? Please leave a comment to let us know.

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Google trumps Apple on mobile app count for third year running

The Google Play Store officially ranks top for the biggest selection of mobile apps, adding a third year to its winning streak.

Google’s mobile software platform now boasts just shy of 1.43 million apps, courtesy of 388,000 different developers, as revealed by AppFigures.

This puts it a significant way ahead of Apple’s App Store, which touts a more meagre 1.21 million apps built by 282,000 different devs.

Windows, meanwhile, was recently revealed to have just 560,000 apps, making up a little over a third of the Play Store’s new total.

What’s good news for everyone, however, is that the global app market grew pretty significantly throughout 2014.

Once again Google saw the biggest boost with its Play Store seeing upwards of a 200 per cent growth last year.

The second fastest, meanwhile, was actually Amazon – that’s not surprising, considering it only has around 300,000 apps to its name.

Apple’s growth was next up, seeing a 155 per cent rise since the beginning of the 2014.

The report also shed light on the fastest growing app categories for both iOS and Android.

For iOS, business-focused apps came out on top, followed by food and drink, then lifestyle, then social networking, and finally catalogues.

Google, meanwhile, saw games as its quickest growing category, with photography coming in second, music third, business fourth, and entertainment fifth.

So what gives? Why is Google racing ahead of Apple for apps? Well, it’s largely because Apple has a much more rigorous app review process, whereas Google’s devs can just publish direct to the Play Store.

It’s also worth mentioning that iOS users have typically been known to spend more on (and in) apps, so it’s not all grim for Cupertino HQ.

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OnePlus One to get Android 5.0 Lollipop next month

by Sean Keach 16 January 2015 |

OnePlus One

The OnePlus One looks set to finally pick up Android 5.0 Lollipop next month, nearly half a year after the OS was first unveiled.

Cyanogen, the company that produces re-skinned Android ROMs used on the OnePlus One, said it will be the first stable Lollipop version of CM12.

There are already a few test builds up for grabs, but it’s always risky to run unstable ROMs as they’re typically laden with bugs.

Lollipop seems to be finally rolling out across a good chunk of Android-powered handsets, but it’s still suffering from the platform’s typical poor adoption.

Recent figures revealed that just 0.1 per cent of the world’s Android handsets have upgraded to Google’s latest OS.

In fact, around 60 per cent of Android users are still running software that predates KitKat.

The OnePlus One launched last summer, and brought with it a beefy spec sheet paired with bargain basement pricing.

While its components are only just beginning to look dated, it still makes for an incredibly good value handset.

The device currently costs £269, giving you a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 CPU, a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 3GB of DDR3 RAM, a 3100mAh battery, and LTE connectivity.

Android 5.0 Lollipop landed back in September last year, boasting an aesthetic 'material design' overhaul, improved battery life, and 64-bit chip support.

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Xiaomi claims it is most ‘copied’ Chinese company

Xiaomi reckons it has been copied more than any other Chinese company, hitting back at accusations that it riffs too closely off of rival designs.

Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s Vice President of Global Operations, told the BBC that it is a ‘very innovative company.’

“We’ve done a lot of really interest, original things,” said Barra. “We’ve been copied almost more than any other Chinese company.

Barra, who used to work at Google, explained that this was because of how the company operates.

“Particularly given the model that we use to sell, the social media approach, the ecommerce, and so on. Which is not design per se, but is a very important part of our business.”

Xiaomi just launched two new handsets, the Xiaomi Mi Note, and the Mi Note Pro, both of which boast spec sheets rivalling the current roster of top tier handsets.

When asked whether this smartphone duo would make it to the UK or US, Barra replied: “It’s probably gonna be a few years before we reach these tier one markets.”

“Markets in the US and Europe are insanely competitive, and I think we’re not quite at the level where we feel like we’re ready to part of what we’re doing in those markets.”

He continued: “We think that our valued proposition of building very high specification products and selling them almost at cost has a much higher economic and social impact in the developing markets.” 

And rightly so – last October saw Xiaomi named the world’s biggest smartphone maker, only ranking behind Samsung and Google.

Barra compared Xiaomi to both of these firms, as well as some others, explaining how the company offers a wide portfolio of services.

“It’s kind of an Amazon-like with a Google-like software company, with an Apple-like and Samsung-like hardware company. Kind of a really interesting amalgamation.”

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Virgin and Qualcomm team up to fund internet satellite constellation

Virgin and Qualcomm have both announced today that they will be pouring money into satellite internet.

Both firms will lead investment in a company called OneWeb, which aims to build an entire constellation of satellites that will provide internet to billions of users.

So how will it work? Well OneWeb hopes to launch exactly 648 lightweight, low-orbit, low-lag satellites.

Once in orbit, the satellites will connect with mobile providers on the ground, providing high-speed internet in areas that would otherwise struggle to access convetional internet.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, said: “We are excited by OneWeb’s bold vision to launch this major satellite constellation and be one of its key early investors.”

“Imagine the possibilities for the three billion people in hard to reach areas who are currently not connected.”

Virgin has confirmed that its Virgin Galactic branch will be launching the satellites, and is actively hiring for the LauncherOne program that will provide the service.

Branson continued: “We’re excited for the opportunity for Virgin Galactic’s LauncherOne programme to help make it possible through low cost, reliable, and frequent satellite launches.”

It’s not currently clear what the value of the investment will be, although it has been confirmed that both Virgin’s Richard Branson and Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs will be joining the board of directors at OneWeb.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen big tech firms get behind new ways of bringing internet to remote areas of the planet.

Google is already well under way with its Project Loon testing, a scheme which sees internet provided by a network of stratospheric balloons that relay signals to each other.

Facebook also has its own oddball internet roadmap, instead opting for net-carrying drones as its service-providing weapon of choice.

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What is ZigBee? ZigBee Alliance and ZigBee 3.0 Explained

ZigBee Alliance and ZigBee 3.0 Explained

With home automation steadily working its way towards becoming the hot thing that everyone predicted it would be, there are a number of connection standards being thrown around. One of the best established is ZigBee.

So what exactly is ZigBee, and how might it affect you?

It's a well established wireless language

Let’s give the first attempt at an explanation over to ZigBee itself, which describes itself quite succinctly as "the wireless language that everyday devices use to connect to one another."

Of course, there are lots of wireless languages out there for this sort of thing (such as Thread, BLE, and Z-Wave), but we’ll forgive the company a little exaggeration and self-promotion here.

It’s easy to see why ZigBee might feel a certain sense of entitlement, though. The IEEE 802.15.4–2003 network standard that ZigBee operates on was established way back in December 2004, and ZigBee Specification 1.0 was rolled out six months later.

So the ZigBee language has been around for quite a while – well before the current explosion in interest for smart home technology, in fact. As such, ZigBee used to be targeted primarily at business usage.

Of course, in recent years it’s come into play within the burgeoning smart home market.

Related: Smart Thermostats in the UK: Nest and its rivals compared

zigbee

It's low power but not very fast

ZigBee is used to create small, low-power personal area networks made up of all manner of household items, such as wireless light switches, smoke and intruder alarms, thermostats, and electrical meters.

Its maximum speed of 250 Kbps at 2.4 GHz makes it slower than other popular wireless standards like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but speed isn’t really the point here. ZigBee is designed to carry small packets of data at relatively infrequent intervals – perfect for monitoring the general status of your house, be it temperature, security, air quality, or anything similar.

Because of its low power status, ZigBee is easy on batteries, meaning that devices can last years on a single set.

Related: Next Learning Thermostat review

ZigBee products uses mesh networks to extend range

Another by-product of this inherently low-power network standard is that ZigBee products tend to have a short broadcast range – typically between 10 and 50 metres – and this signal is easily affected by obstructions and environmental variances.

However, the beauty of ZigBee devices is that they can operate as part of a mesh network, using each other to relay their signals over distance. It also means that a single device malfunction won’t upset the network as a whole.

This is true regardless of the device type or brand. The ZigBee logo is an assurance that the device sporting it will slot into that ecosystem seamlessly, with no compatibility issues.

Of course, ZigBee also allows you to communicate with its devices and tell them what to do -– hence opening it up to complete control from your smartphone.

Where you can find ZigBee

As per its open standard status and inherently unassuming nature, ZigBee is employed in a number of low power smarthome devices that you probably weren’t even aware of.

For example, the Philips Hue smart lightbulbs (pictured above) that Apple sells in its shops communicate with each other via ZigBee.

Other products to use it include the Belkin WeMo range and the Logitech Harmony Hub Extender, to name just two of many.

ZigBee 3.0

What's new in ZigBee 3.0?

The latest version of the ZigBee standard is ZigBee 3.0, which was announced back in November. It should be finalised by the end of 2015.

ZigBee 3.0 is most notable for bringing together all of the various ZigBee environments into a single unified standard.

As we’ve noted above, ZigBee has moved from industrial and business use into the home automation field over the years, which has led to a number of separate strands to the service. ZigBee 3.0 pulls all of these various applications under the same umbrella.

It will mean that there no longer needs to be a bridge device mediating between different sets of ZigBee-enabled devices – they will all be able to communicate directly, regardless of type.

This will be an important move for the ZigBee standard, considering that the whole point of it (and the wider ‘Internet of Things’) is the ability for multiple device types to talk to one another.

ZigBee may not be the sexiest component of modern home automation, but along with rival offerings it forms the vital binding agent that allows various disparate components to communicate. Without this kind of simple "wireless language," well, our smart homes simply wouldn't be as smart.

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Asus Transformer Book T100 Chi Tablet Review

Asus Transformer Book T100 Chi – First Impressions

Asus launched a trio of new 'Chi' Windows hybrids at CES 2015, including the range-topping T300 Chi. There’s also the tiny 8.9-inch T90 Chi and middle of the pack is this, the T100 Chi. Set to cost just $399 it could be the perfect tablet-laptop for those on a budget.

SEE ALSO: Best Laptops Round-up

Asus Transformer Book T100 Chi – Design

Along with the rest of the Transformer Book Chi lineup, the T100 uses the classic Asus Transformer model for its hybrid design. The screen section completely separates from the keyboard section to make for a more portable iPad-sized tablet.

This design means that all the batteries, circuitry and connectivity, bar one Micro USB socket, is kept inside the tablet, with the keyboard section simply adding the physical keyboard and trackpad into the equation. As such the sides of the tablet section are kept thick to allow for the various sockets and ports it houses, making it not as sleek as either most tablets or ultrabook laptops such as the MacBook Air.

Still, this is a pretty elegant device. The main chassis is all aluminium that’s finished in a nice dark colour, with thin bevels on the edges showing just a glimmer of the raw aluminium below.

The overall thickness of the tablet is impressive too at just 7.2mm, while in laptop mode this only rises to 13.2mm, which is thinner than a MacBook Air at its thickest.

What really helps this latest iteration of the Transformer design is that the hinge/dock mechanism no longer requires a supporting section on the back of the tablet/screen. This used to create an unsightly bump, whereas now it’s completely flush.

The mechanism is also now magnetic, with no need for a sliding lock switch like on previous versions. Asus has also got the balance of strength of looseness of the mechanism just right, with there being enough force to support the keyboard when the laptop is lifted from the screen and yet it being possible to unhook the tablet one-handed.

Asus Transformer Book T100 Chi – Features

Backing up this solid hardware design is a decent set of features, starting with the screen. It sports a plentiful 1920 x 1200 resolution, making it nice and sharp, and as it’s an IPS panel it has great viewing angles. Colours and black levels appeared decent in our brief hands-on time with it too.

The keyboard is impressive, too. The size of the laptop means it is a little squished, but we still had few problems typing on it, even if our overall speed wasn’t quite as high as on larger layouts. Most importantly of all, the action of the keys was nice and pronounced, so it’s easy to tell when a key has been pressed properly.

Further good news comes courtesy of the trackpad. It’s a little small, but sensitivity and responsiveness are excellent.

On the inside the specs are quite modest. The Intel Atom Z3775 is a decently powerful quad-core chip that runs between 1.46Ghz and 2.39GHz. However, it’s certainly no power house and is only backed up by 1GB or 2GB of RAM. It’s plenty for most everyday tasks, but it’s definitely still among the lower rungs of laptop performance.

One potential major stumbling block for this laptop is its connectivity. You get reasonable number of ports, with Micro USB 3.0, Micro USB 2.0, Micro HDMI, microSD and, of course, headphones. However you don’t get any full-size ports, so most things – your camera’s SD card and your mouse, for instance – will need an adapter to plug in. You could certainly work with it, and of course it’s better than most Android or iOS tablets, but it’s definitely a major stumbling block compared to ‘proper’ laptops.

Early Verdict

Overall we’re pretty impressed by the Asus Transformer Book T100 Chi. It packs in a winning combination of slim design, reasonable connectivity, sufficient performance, and a good-quality screen, keyboard and trackpad, all for a bargain price.

However, the fact that the connectivity is all of the 'micro' variety could be a sticking point for some, while the processor and RAM combination may be just a bit too weak for more serious users.

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NEEO smart remote controls all your home devices

by Joe Svetlik 16 January 2015 |

All that power in your palm

With all our home devices about to gain smart skills thanks to the Internet of Things, you'll need a remote to control them all. This start-up has just the thing.

NEEO lets you control all your smart devices from a single remote. It can identify who you are when you pick it up, and display your lists of films and playlists straightaway.

The brain – the disc-looking device on the left – talks to your devices, while the remote lets you control them. But you can do away with the remote altogether if you like, and use an app on your phone instead.

The company has compiled a database of over 30,000 devices that NEEO can connect to and control, including all major AV products in the last 10 years. Of course, what qualifies as "major" depends on who you are, but there's a handy list at the bottom of the Kickstarter page.

The remote's screen has a resolution of 291ppi – that's higher than the Retina display on the iPad Air and Air 2, though not on the iPad mini 2 and 3. It's rechargeable, and will last months before needing juicing up. It also has its own alarm you can trigger from your phone if you lose it.

To add a device, start typing its name in the relevant section of the menu and it'll automatically find it. Select the device and assign it to a room. And that's it.

It looks like a cool piece of kit, but how useful it is will depend on whether the Internet of Things ever takes off.

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