Motorola head predicts Samsung’s smartphone demise

Samsung could be the next giant to drop from smartphone dominance, Motorola’s President and COO, Rick Osterloh has suggested.

With former leaders of the mobile space, Siemens, BlackBerry and Nokia having all drifted into handset obscurity in recent years, Motorola boss Osterloh has predicted the current leaders of the smartphone market could soon follow suit.

“Every seven years, the person who’s been on top of the market has gone away,” he said in a recent interview.

Speaking with Forbes, Osterloh reportedly mused ‘Samsung could be next’.

He added: “We are going through one of those fascinating shifts where people are starting to realize that you don’t need to pay $600 for a top-tier phone to get a top-tier experience,” he said. “We are an alternative to other premium brands at a much better value. We are very confident in our approach.”

With Motorola having introduced a number of ‘affordable’ high-end handsets with premium specs sheets in recent years – such as the Moto G – Osterloh believes the market is primed for Motorola to return to former glories.

What’s more, according to the head of the Lenovo-owned firm, China is where the next phase of the smartphone battle is set to be fought.

“You can’t be a global smart phone player if you are not big in China,” he stated.

“We get to take advantage of the vast scale of Lenovo in China. It’s an amazing opportunity for us.”

Related: Motorola Moto X review

Despite Osteloh predicting the fall of Samsung’s smartphone presence, the Samsung Galaxy S6, a handset expected to launch on March 1, is one of the most eagerly awaited devices of the year.

That said, last year’s Galaxy S5 offering suffered from low sales, causing a serious drop in profits for the Korean manufacturer.

readmore »»  

What is Google X? See what's cooking in Google's secret lab

Google X: The lowdown on Google's top-secret experiemental lab and how it's changing the world

You may not have heard of Google X. It doesn’t have its own website, and it doesn’t always get mentioned in relation to the products it is associated with.

Yet Google X is very likely to be the department that spawns the search giant’s next big business venture. It certainly has the potential to change the world in a very real, large-scale way.

So what is Google X, what has it produced, and what is it working on right now?

What is Google X?

Google X is a top secret experimental laboratory situated at Google’s Mountain View HQ. It was conceived around 2010, emerging from a single ‘moon shot’ idea that we’ve since become quite familiar with - the driverless car.

Currently led by ‘Captain of Moonshots’ Astro Teller, its staff is made up of a loose assembly of multi-discipline scientists and creative thinkers. They are tasked with pondering big issues and testing out solutions that many would think of as science fiction.

As such, repeated failure is both expected and embraced, with the goal being the rapid accumulation of knowledge from such experiements as much as any great breakthrough.

Of course, Google already has a research laboratory called, appropriately enough, Google Research. But that is dedicated primarily to the computer science that we all readily associate the Google name with.

Google X is all about making physical objects that interact with the world in new and useful ways, and that don’t necessarily have any obvious affinity with Google’s existing business interests.

What has Google X produced?

While Google X is built around the idea of rapidly testing and discarding ambitious ideas, it has already produced several important breakthroughs in its short five year lifespan.

None of these projects constitutes a finished product yet, but all have been taken well beyond the initial brainstorming and prototyping phase and out into the public consciousness.

Driverless Cars

The most famous of Google X’s projects, and the one that helped form the basis for the whole department, is driverless cars.

Google’s work in the field through Google X has placed it in pole position ahead of rival efforts in terms of getting a computer-driven car into commercial usage. The result could be safer, more efficient, and more pleasant travel.

Most recently, it has emerged that the company is looking to build its own driverless taxi company as a kind of next step on from Uber, utilising the work of Google X.

SEE ALSO: Driverless cars - All you need to know

Google Glass

The department’s other famous project has been Google Glass, which got to the stage of sending out prototype models for testing and app development.

Google Glass is a unique wearable platform that takes the form of a small mobile computer in the shape of a pair of glasses. Notifications and small applications are beamed onto a lens in front of your eye, potentially proving far less distracting than a smartphone.

Interaction takes place with voice recognition software and a simple touchpad, and the Google Glass headset also features a camera (the source of much controversy on privacy grounds) so that you can essentially film what you see.

Google Glass was withdrawn and shelved quite recently, but in Google X terms it’s difficult to see it as a failure when so much data was gleaned from the extended experiment.

Expect to see Google Glass reappearing in some other form in the near future and according to Tony Fadel, the man now in charge of Google Glass, this time it will be kept under wraps until it's ready for public use.

Project Loon

Also known as ‘Google’s crazy Wi-Fi balloon project,’ Project Loon is a means of getting internet access to remote areas of the globe by sending the necessary technology up into the stratosphere suspended from helium-filled balloons.

The project has been running since 2011, and has been tested in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

The ultimate goal here is to get the 60 percent of the planet that isn’t on the internet online. Sending up balloons is far more cost-effective than laying down thousands of miles of cable.

But will it beat Elon Musk’s space satellite plan?

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's 5 craziest tech ideas for the future

Smart contact lenses

Back at the beginning of 2014, Google announced a project that involved producing smart contact lenses.

Despite how it sounds, this has nothing whatsoever to do with Google Glass. In fact, these smart lenses have a far more specific application - and, to the many people who suffer from diabetes, a far more valuable one.

These smart contact lenses are capable of monitoring a wearer’s glucose levels. The process is quick and non-invasive, taking the necessary data from a person’s tears.

Readings can be taken once every second, and the idea is to eventually grant an early warning of potential glucose spikes.

What is Google X working on now?

Google X is working on numerous projects that haven’t even been revealed yet, as well as a couple that have only been touched upon fairly recently.

Here are two of them:

Project Wing

Amazon isn’t the only company working on a drone delivery system. In fact, Google X has been working on the concept for more than two years now.

The company bought a drone company back in April 2014, and it was revealed in August that the company had started full testing of its drone project in Australia.

Google X’s drone craft can take off vertically, like a helicopter, then flatten out like an aeroplane for its journey. The drone will then switch back to vertical mode and hover above its delivery point, winching down an egg-shaped package before returning to base.

Watch the video below for a look at Google's cancer-diagnosing wristband

Credit: The Atlantic

Cancer-diagnosing wristband

The latest Google X project to be reported on is a wristband that would potentially be able to diagnose cancer and other serious diseases much earlier than conventional methods - thus improving the speed and effectiveness of treatment.

It works using nanoparticles, which would be introduced to your body by swallowing a pill. These tiny particles would be designed to attach to markers for specific conditions, such as cancerous cells.

These particles would literally light up when a problem is identified, and the aforementioned wristband could detect them as they pass through your arm’s bloodstream.

The project is currently at a very early stage, with the Google X team currently building synthetic arms to test how light passes through skin. Ultimately, we could find ourselves being treated for illnesses before they've even manifested themselves.

Which Google X project are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments section below.

readmore »»  

Apple's muted Beats, Sky to spark 4K and a Glass redo no-one wants

OPINION: This week’s tech news showed our favourite companies staying the course and refusing to give up on the future. Apple may have finally figured out what to do with Beats, Sky and BT are finally set for a 4K showdown and Google Glass may not be dead just yet. Chris Smith chimes in on the week in tech

Apple’s music strategy appears muddled at best

Does Apple really know what it’s doing with music anymore? The digital music pioneer has been struggling to find an identity since streaming services like Spotify came to the fore, as iTunes downloads continue to dwindle.

This week, it was reported the company plans to fold its what-the-hell-do-we-do-with-Beats Music platform into a brand new Music app for iOS, Apple TV… and even Android!

The Apple-designed app will apparently feature a subscription service, leveraging Beats library, tech and playlist algorithms, while allowing offline storage and cloud streaming. As well as this, Apple plans to keep the iTunes store alive, as well as the iTunes Radio and iTunes Match platforms nobody uses.

It looks as if Apple is covering all its bases here by offering all things to all people. But does it really have a strategy in place? Or is it a case of throwing ideas at the wall and hoping something sticks to arrest its musical slide? From the outside looking in, it appears as if it’s the latter.



SEE ALSO: Beats Solo 2 review

Sky and BT competition could be the boost 4K needs

Sky was a huge factor in the uptake of high definition television in the UK. I remember staring into the windows at Curry’s watching Premier League football like it was some kind of mirage, about 5 years before I actually owned a HD TV.

More recently, the company invested millions in an attempt to repeat that success with 3D, which didn’t work out quite as well. Sadly, that experience appears to have dampened Sky’s appetite to take the lead on 4K.

However, there’s nothing like the fear of a little competition to stir the loins of innovation and reports this week suggest Sky may be pushing forward its plans for a 4K set-top box to arrest the growing threat from BT.

The telecoms giant is planning to trial 4K streaming by the end of the season, powered by its superfast fibre connections, with the first live broadcasts coming as soon as next season when the firm picks up the Champions League coverage from Sky.

Sky will have to react and a content footrace between the two is exactly what 4K needs to pick up a head of steam. Let’s get it on!



SEE ALSO: Best 4K TVs round-up

Twitter back on Google. Hooray!

I’ve really missed seeing the instant Twitter posts within Google search since the deal expired in 2011. The rolling updates were an excellent source for breaking news when trying to get a grip on a story. Whereas searching through Twitter means viewing everyone’s input, once again Google’s algorithms will hopefully do the sorting and present the most relevant sources within Google News once again.



Apple building a “me too” web TV service?

Apple just won’t let the web TV plans go, according to reports this week. However it appears that the re-imagination of television industry “stuck in the 70s,” spoken of by Tim Cook might not be on the table anymore.

The company is apparently planning an “over the top” web TV service, similar to the recently announced PlayStation Vue Cloud TV and Sling TV, where users will be able to grab affordable packages of content without the need for a cable subscription.

Apple seemed all-set to pioneer this movement a couple of years back, but its inability to secure deals with content providers meant the shake up has never materialised.

It’s not too late for Apple to take the lead in this arena, but I’d like to see it be a little more ambitious rather than following the path already trodden by rivals in the space. Is it too much to hope for the Apple iTV to rise from the rumour scrap heap?


SEE ALSO: Google Glass is gone: Farewell to the Glassholes



Google Glass redesigned from scratch? So what

Google Glass is dead long live Google Glass? Apparently so. A report in the New York Times this week suggested under Tony Fadell’s leadership, Glass will be redesigned from scratch with no public experimentation.

Really, though, is there any point? Glass annoyed more people than it enamored and the Glass dream died very quickly after the initial hysteria. Maybe it’s time to let this one go…

readmore »»  

Ubuntu smartphone finally lands, rubbishes apps

Canonical is finally launching its first Ubuntu smartphone, a year and a half after failing to launch a handset on Indiegogo.

The Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu edition is an Ubuntu-powered repurposed version of the Aquaris E4.5, which shipped with Android prior to its new OS makeover.

In terms of hardware, you’re getting much the same device. That is to say, the OS is the only thing that changes about this mid-range handset.

The device uses a 4.5-inch display with a 540 x 960 resolution, a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek Cortex-A7 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of built-in storage.

There’s also an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, with a 5-megapixel shooter handling selfie shots.

What’s different is that you’re getting the Linux-based Ubuntu OS, which runs apps written in either HTML5 or QML.

The main difference about Ubuntu apps, however, is that they’re not so explicitly displayed by the software.

Instead, they’re hidden away in app-grouping ‘Scopes’, which are effectively categorised, swipe-able widget pages that display content.

Examples include the Photos Scope, which groups locally stored images, as well as Flickr, Picasa, and Facebook shots.

A Nearby Scope, meanwhile, will show off location-specific content, which can include nearby restaurants, traffic data, and weather information.

Canonical hopes this will create an ‘unfragmented’ experience, much different than the way Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS operate.

Related: Best Cheap Mobile Phones 2015: Top budget smartphones to buy

The company also hopes to freshen up the smartphone game with a quirky ‘flash sale’ retail system.

This will kick off next week, seeing the Ubuntu-fuelled device being sold for short periods of time.

This, Canonical hopes, will give Ubuntu devs plenty of time to respond to user feedback before mass-producing units.

readmore »»  

Toshiba Chromebook 2 Laptop Review

What is the Toshiba Chromebook 2?

The Chromebook 2 is the follow-up to the original Toshiba Chromebook, which we really liked when it launched early last year. It’s a 13-inch laptop that comes in two different versions – one with a Full HD screen (1,920 x 1,080) and one with an HD screen (1,366 x 768) – that are available for £249 and £199 respectively.

We think the Chromebook 2 is even better than the first, too. Chromebooks are generally cheap and cheerful but are hampered by dull design and poor quality screens. The Chromebook 2 is different. It’s attractive, has an excellent screen and is outstanding value for money. Read on to find out why we like it so much.

SEE ALSO: Best Laptop 2015

Toshiba Chromebook 2 – Design

The Toshiba Chromebook 2 is a well-proportioned laptop that'll easily slot into a standard messenger bag or backpack, and its 1.35kg weight means that carrying it around won’t be a struggle. At 320mm wide and 214mm deep, it’s about the same size as a 13-inch MacBook Air, and at 19.3mm thick it’s only slightly thicker, too. That’s damn impressive given it costs a fraction of the price.

It’s similar in shape to most modern-day laptops, and has clearly taken design tips from the MacBook Air. The Chromebook 2 has lots of curved corners and a chunky base that tapers to a point at the front side. Clad in silver-coloured plastic, it’s simple but good-looking and the dot pattern on top adds texture and ensures it stands out from the crowd.

It doesn’t feel particularly solid, though. We could easily bend the screen element by applying a little pressure to the lid with our fingers. This distorted the display, with blue, abstract-looking fingermarks appearing on-screen. We think we could seriously damage it with our hands alone if we tried. However, it survived a night out in London completely unscathed, despite being knocked about in its bag quite often.

Connections are basic, but ample. On the left side are the charging port, micro USB 2.0 and SD card slot. HDMI-out, the headphone jack, a Kensington security lock and the USB 3.0 slot sit on the right-hand side. The latter supports sleep-and-charge, meaning that devices plugged into the slot charge even when the Chromebook 2 is asleep – a handy feature when you need it.

SEE ALSO: Best Laptops for Students 2015

Toshiba Chromebook 2 – Screen and Sound

The 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display is the Chromebook 2’s crowning glory. It’s stunning and feels like it should be attached to a much more expensive laptop. A 1,366 x 768 display is also available for less money, but the Full HD version is worth shelling out the extra £50 for.

Colours are rich and bright, and the quality of blacks is very impressive for such a cheap laptop. It’s great for watching films on. Viewing angles aren't as good – brightness drops and colours distort the wider you go – but three people can watch a films on it without huge difficulty.

It’s lovely and bright too, topping out at 300 nits. You won’t need to blast it up to its highest setting indoors, but you will if you plan to use it outside in the sunshine. This worked fine for us, and the display’s coating seems to reduce glare from the sun, which is handy too.

The speakers are tuned by Skullcandy, and are completely invisible because they’re hidden beneath the keyboard. Sound quality is impressive. The speakers are loud and deliver a really crisp sound, making the Chromebook 2 great for listening to music and watching TV on. It easily overpowered the loud whirring of the washing machine in the next room.

SEE ALSO: Best Tablet 2015

Toshiba Chromebook 2 – Keyboard and Trackpad

The Chromebook 2 has a black tile keyboard that is slightly different to the ones on Windows PCs and MacBooks. For example, there’s no Caps Lock, Delete or Print Screen here. This takes a little getting used to, particularly the loss of the Delete key, but you’ll get used to it.

On the whole, the keys are a good size and are spaced far enough apart to make quick typing nice and easy. They offer a good amount of travel, too. We found the narrower than normal Enter key slightly awkward – it’s easy to accidentally press down on the hash key (#) instead – but it’s not the worst we’ve used. We miss the backlighting of pricier laptops, but you can’t complain about this on a £250 machine.

Above the numbers row are 10 buttons that control settings and functions, flanked by Escape and the Power. These are all marked with different icons, most of which are instantly recognisable. There’s a left-pointing arrow to go back and a large symbol of the sun to increase brightness, for instance.

The three volume keys (up, down and mute) are a little annoying to use, though. Hitting the mute button twice doesn’t mute and unmute, as you’d expect it to. Instead, you have to press the volume up key to turn sound back on. It’s a minor issue, but an irritating one.

SEE ALSO: Best Windows 8 Laptops, Tablets, Convertibles and PCs

The trackpad is large and excellent to use. It feels solid, offering a good amount of resistance when you’re clicking. Moreover, like the MacBook Air, it doesn’t have separate buttons for right and left click. Instead, clicking with one finger activates the left click, while clicking with two fingers activates the right click. We like this system better than the clumsy systems employed on many Windows laptops.

The trackpad supports a wide range of gesture controls, too. Swiping right with two fingers takes you to the previous page, while doing the same in the opposite direction takes you forwards. Swiping with more than two fingers allows you to switch tabs, and swiping up with three fingers displays all of the windows you have open at any time. These all worked perfectly for us, and they’re surprisingly easy to remember once you start using them regularly.

readmore »»  

Nintendo ‘comeback strategy’ includes low-cost software

by Sean Keach 06 February 2015 |

Share:

Nintendo is reportedly looking to expand ‘consumer choice’ with on-the-cheap software titles.

The Nikkei reports that Nintendo wants to put budget games at the forefront of its ‘comeback strategy’, after speaking to the company’s president, Satoru Iwata.

Apparently Nintendo wants to re-make older titles and smartphone games for the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo hopes it would be able to keep development costs down by recreating the games, which would mean it could provide the content ‘at prices as low as several hundred yen’.

For reference, 300 yen translates to about £1.65, so Nintendo has decidedly budget offerings in mind.

According to the report, free trial versions will also be increased, in order to ‘boost the name recognition of new titles’.

The Japanese firm also hopes this will drive purchases of full game versions.

Related: Nintendo 2DS vs 3DS vs 3DS XL

Iwata also revealed that Nintendo has no plans to cut game system prices.

“We aim to return to profit levels more typical of the company in the year ending March 2017,” he explained.

The market and shareholders, Iwata suggested, would anticipate 100 billion yen (£550m).

readmore »»  

Apple Watch alternatives to look out for in 2015

The Apple Watch is coming, but it's not the only smartwatch launch of 2015...

Mark your diaries – April 2015 is the month when the company behind the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad tries to revolutionise wristwear by officially launching the Apple Watch.

Apple's rival to the Android Wear and Pebble wearables will be pinning its success on offering luxury watch strap options, a new operating system and a Retina display, among other features. It's aiming to convert smartwatch non-believers.

Apple, however, isn't the only company vying for wrist space this year, as tech heavyweights and iconic watch brands alike aim to give the Apple Watch a run for its money. Second-generation Android Wear watches like the Moto 360 2 and G Watch R 2 aside, here are the five smartwatches that might be worth waiting for instead...

SEE ALSO: Time is running out for smartwatches

Swatch

After downplaying the rise of the smartwatch, the iconic watch brand has now decided it's going to get in on the action and will launch its answer to the Apple Watch in the spring. Yes, that's around the same time as Apple's smartwatch lands.

The Swiss company has yet to give any indication of how its smartwatch will look, but has revealed some of the features we can expect, such as using NFC to support mobile payments and being compatible with Android and Windows Phone smartphones.

This isn't entirely new territory for Swatch Group, with its Tissot watch brand having featured touchscreen displays and activity-tracking features for some time. Swatch has also been busy on the patent front to impove its smartwatch in the future, with some patents related to boosting battery life. Perhaps Swatch could be the one to solve what's possibly the biggest issue with smartwatches.

When is it launching? Spring 2015

How much? £TBC

Pebble 2.0

When Apple announced its smartwatch in 2014, Pebble claimed the big reveal boosted sales of its smartwatch and CEO Eric Migicovsky recently revealed the company has now sold over one million Pebble watches.

In a bid to fend off the Apple-shaped competition, new Pebble watch models are in the offing, along with a new software platform that Migicovsky claims will be, ‘unlike anything else used on smartwatches to date.’

The company, which raised millions through Kickstarter, quickly learnt from its mistakes with its very first smartwatch, the InPulse, and has strongly focused on delivering software that works for Android and iOS, along with a battery life that lasts for more than a couple of days.

In our recent interview with former Pebble Chief Envangelist, Myriam Joire, it sounds like Pebble could step away from the more expensive stainless steel version, which would give Apple the edge on design. There's no firm date on when we'll see the next-gen Pebbles, but we anticipate it won't be far off from when the Apple Watch lands.

When is it launching? TBC

How much will it cost? £TBC

SEE ALSO: Best Fitness Trackers Round-up

Tag Heuer

The luxury watch company sees the Apple Watch as the biggest threat to its expensive timepieces and will launch its own smartwatch around the same time as Apple's smartwatch.

Like Swatch, the Swiss watchmaker has yet to show off the first Tag Heuer smartwatch, but Jean-Claude Biver, head of parent company LVMH’s watch division, revealed in an interview with Bloomberg that some of the smart features we can expect include built-in GPS and the ability to track heart rate.

Tag Heuer will also be producing apps to coincide with brands and sports that the company sponsors, such as FIA Formula-E racing and running events like the New York marathon.

While key hardware components like the watch case and the dial will be Swiss made, the smart features will be built in the US. Biver has confirmed it's already been in discussions with partners, with Intel and Google among the rumoured companies involved.

When is it launching? TBC

How much will it cost? £TBC

Montblanc e-Strap

The German manufacturer is taking a slightly different approach to building a smartwatch by creating a strap that turns dumb watches into smart ones. The Montblanc e-Strap, which will debut on Montblanc's TimeWalker Urban Speed watches, houses all the tech inside unit attached to the watch strap, and can be bought separately.

The e-Strap will be compatible with Android and iOS smartphones like the iPhone 6 and Samsung's top-end Galaxy range, connecting via Bluetooth 4.0, and will add the kind of functionality we've already seen on other smartwatches.

That includes viewing emails and texts, caller ID, vibration alerts and using the strap as a music player remote. There'll be some basic activity-tracking support with a built-in pedometer, although there's been no indication of whether there will be any app support, which no doubt will be slightly tricky to implement.

When is it launching? June 2015

How much will it cost? Montblanc TimeWalker Urban Speed with e-Strap (From 2,990 Euros/Around £2,100) or Montblanc e-Strap (350 Euros/£260)

Sony FES

Sony's smartwatch efforts so far, including the SmartWatch 3 have not been all that great and while the FES isn't technically a smartwatch, it's still an intriguing device.

Fashion Entertainments, the name attached to the FES, is actually a division at Sony. The Japanese company didn't reveal the connection right away, as it wanted to gauge impartial interest by launching the FES anonymously through a sneaky crowdfunding campaign.

Its key feature is an e-paper display that doesn't require a backlight to make the screen legible. That means it'll also need less power to run and should wipe the floor with most smartwatches in terms of battery life. Another neat feature is the screen's ability to change appearance based on user gestures. So if you lift the wrist to check the time, the strap will come to life.

The minimalist watch will come in 24 design versions and has raised 3.5 million yen (just under £20,000) through its crowdfunding campaign in Japan. While a firm FES release date hasn't been revealed, it's expected to land in the first half of 2015.

When is it launching? Early to mid 2015

How much will it cost? £TBC

readmore »»  

Canon EOS M3 Camera Review

Third time lucky?

Canon is among the most celebrated camera brands in existence, but it's not had any luck with compact system cameras so far. Despite having a good sensor, the slow and expensive EOS M was a failure, to the extent that Canon didn’t even release the EOS M2 in the UK.

Instead, we’re skipping straight to the EOS M3. And suddenly things are looking a lot brighter. This is a real enthusiast’s CSC that solves all the main problems of the original.

The Canon EOS M3 will be available with a 18-55mm kit lens for £599. We took a closer look ahead of our full review.

SEE ALSO: Best Cameras Round-up

Canon EOS M3 – Design and Features

While the original Canon EOS M is now available at a bargain price (£199 with lens), the hardware design should still make you pause. It was, and is, a real point-and-shoot CSC, despite being really quite large in its class. The Canon EOS M3 changes all that.

Not only has the handgrip been enlarged to offer a better grip, but the camera now has proper manual controls. In fairness to Canon, manual controls in lower-end and mid-range CSCs have become more common across all manufacturers’ ranges in the three years since the EOS M first appeared.

There’s now a manual control dial that sits neatly around the shutter button, as well as a proper mode dial and a dedicated exposure control. You might assume these would be the default in a £600 camera, but the original EOS M had none of them — and it started off at £769. Ouch.

The EOS M3 actually makes sense. It feels good too, with the new grip and dimensions giving it a feel that reminds of the Canon 100D, Canon's tiny DSLR.

This is not a DSLR, though, and some of the more serious photographers among you may be disappointed to hear the Canon EOS M3 still doesn’t have an inbuilt EVF. You either have to make do with the rear screen or invest in the EVF-DC1 hotshoe EVF that slots into the top. As this costs £249, though, it’s far from a pocket money upgrade.

The screen is a 3-inch 1.04M-dot vari-angle display that tilts 45 degrees down and 180 degrees up. That’s enough for low-down shooting and gets you the infamous selfie angle, although the EOS M3’s DSLR brothers the 750D and 760D have full-on articulated screens.

Canon EOS M3 – Performance and Image Quality

While the EOS M3 is not a camera that tries to do everything a DSLR can, it is likely to offer very similar images and AF performance to the EOS 750D

Both cameras share the same sensor and Digic 6 processor, although the EOS M3 only offers burst shooting of 4.2fps, which isn’t too snappy by current APS-C standards. The AF system uses hybrid phase/contrast detect focusing, which Canon says is six times faster than the notoriously slow EOS M's – in fairness, Canon significantly improved that camera’s focusing speed with firmware updates, but the EOS M3 will be much faster regardless.

There’s great provision for low-light shooting too, with the native ISO range going from 100-12800, and a 25600 extended mode on hand when lighting is truly dreadful. Unlike the EOS M, the EOS M3 has a pop-up flash built in, too.

Canon has made sure it also has some of the hardware video shooters are after, including a microphone socket, but otherwise the EOS M3 still isn’t much of a video star. It can only capture video at up to 1080p 30 frames per second, where most others offer 60p and some even manage 4K capture.

Early Verdict

The Canon EOS M3 is a much better, more complete-feeling camera than the EOS M. But perhaps that's the least you would hope for. More manual control, better AF performance and a new processor were almost a given for Canon to turn its CSC fortunes around.

However, as it should get you images just as good as those from the EOS 750D, it’s a pretty attractive proposition for those not too turned off by the lack of a built-in viewfinder.

readmore »»  

HTC One M9 release date, rumours, news, specs and price

Everything you need to know about the HTC One M9?

The HTC One M9 release date is fast approaching, with latest reports suggesting the HTC One M8 follow-on will be officially unveiled in the days leading up to MWC 2015.

Expected to land as a direct rival to the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6, the eagerly awaited HTC One M9 - a handset tipped to make its first official appearance on March 1 - will build on its predecessor's stylish metal design with a mass of component upgrades and new features.

Leading this line of improved specs will be a major overhaul of the phone's imaging abilities. Based on latest reports, the One M9 will see HTC ditch its brief jaunt into dual-lens photography in favour of a more traditional 20.7-megapixel rear-mounted camera. What's more, in a bid to appease selfie lovers, a 13-megapixel secondary snapper is expected to feature up front.

Under the hood there have been contrasting reports suggesting the device will feature either Qualcomm's latest 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor or a new, octa-core MediaTek chip. Either way, the M9 should offer plenty of grunt.

One area where the HTC One M9 might come up short compared with the competition, however, is on a visual front. Unlike the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it is not expected that the M9 will joining the QHD display revolution.

While early reports claimed the phone would move into the 2560 x 1440 pixel display space, it now appears this screen jump will be saved for the spin-off HTC One M9 Plus. Instead, the M9 looks set to be bestowed with the same 5-inch, 1080p Full HD panel as its predecessor.

Set to go head-to-head with the likes of the iPhone 6 for smartphone supremacy, the HTC One M9 will reportedly run Google's latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS direct from the box with a reworked HTC Sense 7.0 UI giving the device a more premium look and feel than its TouchWiz or Emotion UI skinned rivals.

We'll continue to update this post with all the latest HTC One M9 release date details and rumours moving forward. Bookmark it not to be kept up to date on all things M9 related.

HTC One M9 Release Date

While in recent years HTC has opted to forgo the scrum of an MWC unveiling, instead choosing to debut its latest flagship wares at a dedicated launch event in the weeks preceding or superseding the Barcelona-based conference, that looks set to change in 2015 with the HTC One M9 release date.

The Taiwanese manufacturer recently issued invites to its pre-MWC press conference to be held on March 1. Although failing to mention the HTC One M9 by name, the company has teased something big, bestowing its invites with the teasing slogan 'join us to see what's next'.

With MWC 2015 being held between March 2 and 5, HTC's March 1 unveiling will see the company look to avoid the throng of competition to be announced later in the week. In an unwanted twist, however, both Samsung and Huawei have also announced plans to unveil new devices on the Sunday before the show.

As well as going up against rivals, the M9 will not have the HTC launch limelight all to itself, either. It is widely expected that the company will use the event to introduce its first wearable device.

While set to target your wrist, this wearable is not believed to be a traditional smartwatch. Instead, HTC is believed to be readying a dedicated Nike Fuelband and Misfit Shine rivalling activity tracker for launch.

Given the handset is heading for an MWC-based bow, it is doubtful that the M9 will find itself on retailers' shelves as close to unveiling as its predecessor. Last year the M8 was both announced and made available for purchase on March 25.

Although an exact timeframe is currently unclear, we would expect the M9 to hit retailers within weeks of both the Galaxy S6 and Sony Xperia Z4, in what will be one of the busiest periods of the year for new handsets.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price

HTC One M9 News

Although the HTC One M9 name is all but a certainty, there has been much back-and-forth on exactly what the device will be called. According to claimed insider sources, the Taiwanese manufacturer will adopt an all-new naming convention for its future flagship offerings.

The leak, which came courtesy of serial Twitter-based tipster @Upleaks, stated: “OK, here’s a “little” leak; Next HTC flagship is NOT the M9. They will not use simple codename like M* anymore.”

Although dismissing the HTC One M9 name, concrete details on what the device will actually be called are still few and far between.

While it has been suggested that the M9 could actually be known at the 'HTC Hima', it is currently unclear whether this is a development name or the full production title.

More recently, the M9 name has gained further backing, suggesting a surprise name change isn't on the cards after all. Contrasting reports aside, we would expect the M8 follow-on to be official known as the HTC One (M9).

Lending further credence to this theory is the revelation that HTC could be working on a phablet-sized version of its next flagship smartphone. The name tipped for this device? Only the HTC One M9 Plus.

This purportedly powerful slate will reportedly tout a 5.2-inch display with a mega 1440 x 2560 resolution. Also expected on board is a Snapdragon 810 chip clocked at 2.3Ghz, paired with 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage.

Personally, we'd be surprised if HTC turned its back on the ‘One M’ brand. A series which has revived the company’s ailing smartphone fortunes, the product line is as key to the company – and as recognisable to the public – as its Desire efforts in years gone by.

SEE ALSO: Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date, Rumours, News Specs and Price

HTC One M9 Rumours

The era of QHD phones is firmly upon us and there have been suggestions the HTC One M9 will follow the trend to become the next high-end handset to move beyond Full HD into the realms visual supremacy.

According to certain reports, the M8 will adopt an LG G3-mimicking 2560 x 1440-pixel QHD panel.

This isn't a foregone conclusion, however. Contrasting reports have suggested the M9 will retain the same 5-inch, Full HD panel bestowed upon its predecessor.

The benefit of bringing a hi-res QHD display to a smaller panel is simple – a higher pixel density and even crisper visuals. The One M9 could feature a 564ppi density, sharper than either the G3 (534ppi) or Note 4 (515ppi). The negatives are pretty apparent too, however, with battery demand jumping massively with the switch to a 2K panel.

Although HTC has yet to comment on the screen technology, rival Sony has been outspoken on the drawbacks of QHD.

"We don’t believe the trade-off between having a 2K screen and battery consumption is the right trade-off for a consumer," Calum MacDougall, Sony's Director of Xperia Marketing told TrustedReviews recently.

While screen quality is still open for debate, so too is size. While a handful of leaks have suggested that the One M9 will match its smartphone rivals in stature, it is widely believed the device will line up smaller than either the G3 (5.5 inches) or the Galaxy Note 4 (5.7 inches).

Further HTC One M9 rumours have suggested the phone will echo the recently unveiled LG G Flex 2 in adopting Qualcomm's latest 64-bit, octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor.

This will reportedly by paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card.

The latest rumours for the One M9 'Hima' see a new entrant to the chipset fray - namely a MediaTek offering.

Coming courtesy of the Chinese media, the thinking is that MediaTek will supply a high-end system-on-a-chip to usurp Snapdragon's hold on the Android market.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price

HTC One M9 Specs

The HTC One M8 is less than a year old but its spec sheet is already looking old hat when compared with the latest throng of high-end smartphones. According to latest reports, the HTC One M9 is about to rectify this.

The One M8’s camera was a feature that was much anticipated, but ultimately failed to impress. The phone’s 4-Ultrapixel dual-lens snapper stood out from the competition, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

With the M9, the Taiwanese manufacturer looks set to revert to toeing the line. While a 20.7-megapixel, OIS-enhanced camera is tipped to feature on the phone’s rear, selfie lovers could be set to rejoice as a 13-megapixel front-facing snapper has also been rumoured for inclusion.

For those who can't wait to see what sort of image quality this new camera collection will offer, we've good news. An over eager HTC employee has let slip a number of sample images shot with a test M9.

Although offering little insight into the phone's true photographic capabilities, the teased images (below) have shown the handset could feature improved low-light and indoor shooting performances.

If this crowd-following camera doesn’t tickle your fancy, HTC has hinted that a potentially surprising addition could be on the cards.

Back in April, HTC imaging specialist Symon Whitehorn hinted that the manufacturer was already working on smartphone cameras with optical zoom lenses.

“Optical zooming in a smartphone is not too far off at all for HTC,” he told Vodafone.

“I can’t give too much away, but within 12-18 months we’ll see huge advantages in phone optics.”

He added: “Two years ago I would have said that phones will never replace DSLRs. Now I’m not so sure.”

Going hand-in-hand with strong visuals is impressive audio and we don’t expect the Galaxy S6 rival to fall short on this front.

It wouldn’t be a HTC flagship without dual stereo speakers up front, and the One M9 is expected to once again pair its audio enablers with the company’s BoomSound audio-enhancement technology.

What’s more, based on latest leaks, the handset’s power-hungry array of innards will be serviced by a sizeable battery. Leaks have suggested the handset will keep on chugging thanks to a 3500mAh Lithium-Ion battery.

This sizeable power supply will join Google's latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS in running the M9 alongside a rework Sense 7.0 UI. Although the finer details of Sense 7.0 are still unclear, past iterations of HTC's custom interface have stood out as one of our favourite Android skins.

Although a feature not set to affect performance, the M9 will feature a slightly reworked design. Maintaining a sleek, curved, brushed metal finish, leaked images have shown the M9 will adopt a slightly more rounded design.

Like the M8, a selection of M9 colours have also leaked. While the silver and grey models have been the subject of the majority of leaks, recently a gold edition has popped up (below).



SEE ALSO: LG G4 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price

HTC One M9 Price

A move to a new 64-bit processor and high-end camera optics won't come cheap. Throw in a luxurious brushed-metal design as well and the HTC One M9 price might not be too easy on your wallet.

As you might expect, there's currently no official word on the HTC One M9 price. Based on the company’s past handset launches, however, we wouldn’t expect to see the upcoming device offered up much below the £550-600 marker at launch.

What would you like to see HTC bestow upon its next flagship phone? Let us know via the comments section below.

readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge names trademarked

by Sean Keach 06 February 2015 |

Share:

Samsung has inadvertently confirmed the existence of both the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge via a new trademark filing.

Spotted by the GalaxyClub website, Samsung’s new filing proffers the names of both upcoming devices, although little else.

It’s also worth noting that the filing is in South Korea, Samsung’s home turf and one of its core markets.

What’s interesting about the filing is that the S6 Edge doesn’t come paired with the expected ‘Galaxy’ pre-fix.

This could be an effort to reduce the length of an otherwise unwieldy name, however, or simply an inconsequential mistake.

The main thing to take from this is that rumours of an S6 Edge spin-off device now seem all but guaranteed.

Most rumour-spinners suggest the S6 Edge will take up the core Galaxy S6 spec sheet, bundled with a Note Edge-style design that sees the sides of the display wrap over the edges of the device.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S6 metal frame images leak

Samsung has kept quiet on both handsets thus far, but we’re expecting official details to be released around March or April this year.

While we don’t know much about the Galaxy S6, it’s very likely to land with either a custom-built Exynos chip, or Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 810.

readmore »»  

Google joins toymaker Mattel for ‘view what’s possible’ event

by Sean Keach 06 February 2015 |

Share:

Google and unlikely corporate pal Mattel have sent out joint press invites for an event on February 13.

The shindig will take place in New York City, starting at 9am (via 9to5google), but that’s about as much as we know.

The only clue as to the purpose of the event comes with the caption: “Mattel invites you to view what’s possible with exclusive announcement and product debut.”

The ‘view what’s possible’ tagline is repeated again at the top of the invite, emblazoned on what looks like a film reel.

This would signal that the two companies are planning to reveal some kind of visual product, although we’ve been given no other hints as to what.

One possibility is that Google will be providing Mattel with Google Cardboard-style VR tech for the toymaker to use in a kid-targeted product.

Related: Best Google Cardboard Apps 2015 - Top VR apps for virtual reality headsets

It’s also worth noting that this event is one day before the Toy Fair 2015 begins in Manhattan, New York.

Mattel is assured to attend, and will likely be showing off new wares to flog to this year’s money-toting, child-bearing adults.

An announcement with Google ahead of this event lends further credence to the proposal that a toy will be unveiled.

Stay tuned.

readmore »»  

New Nintendo 3DS XL Game Review

What is the New Nintendo 3DS XL?

Let’s cut to the chase. The New Nintendo 3DS XL is, without doubt, the best version of the 3DS ever, and the most feature-rich, comfortable and cleverly thought-out Nintendo handheld since the DS Lite. It has a fantastic 3D screen that actually works in 3D, a processor that's better equipped for handling more advanced 3D games, and a built-in secondary analogue pad that – with some minor reservations – renders the old Circle Pad Pro accessory unnecessary. It's a brilliant device.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo 2DS vs 3DS vs 3DS XL

New Nintendo 3DS XL – Design

In terms of weight and proportions, the New Nintendo 3DS XL is so similar to the old Nintendo 3DS XL that there's barely anything worth mentioning. It's a few millimetres wider and thicker and has a flatter top, while the weight has crept up by around 6g.

The screens aren't merely the same size, but the exact same resolution, with a 4.18-inch, 320 x 240 resistive touchscreen at the bottom and a 4.88-inch, 800 x 240 screen at the top. By smartphone standards that's not much of a resolution, and even less so when you consider that it's divided into 400 x 240 per eye by the 3D tech. Yet this is the crispest, brightest and most vibrant display we've yet had on a 3DS, and certainly the one on which 3D is most effective.

Basically, it uses data from the front-facing camera to track your head, continually adjusting the inner workings to ensure you don't get ghosting or double-vision, but do get a convincing 3D view. It still has its wobbles when you move your head a lot, pause to drink some coffee or look elsewhere for a while, but I've been playing Monster Hunter 4 and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for hours with 3D turned up halfway or even full, when the slider on the old 3DS XL rarely made it beyond zero. The screen really does seem to have some depth, like a tiny window into the game world.

Otherwise, the major physical changes relate to the layout.The cartridge slot has moved to the front, near the left-hand corner, while the headphone socket now sits at the centre. The stylus slides into a slot to its right, while a new power button has been crammed in where you'll tend not to spot it, right near the front right corner. The back houses the charger socket, which works with existing 3DS chargers, and there are some new ZL and ZR buttons in between the old L and R buttons at the rear. With these, along with the two analogue pads, the digital D-pad and the Start, Select, X, A, B and Y buttons – now colour-coded – the 3DS XL can now match the controls of the old GameCube.

SEE ALSO: New 3DS vs 3DS

Of course, the second analogue pad isn’t an analogue pad as such, but a weird little nub or nipple, of the sort we still see on Lenovo's business laptops. Like those, it takes getting used to, and even after a few weeks we don't find it that intuitive or precise. It's fine for moving the camera around in Majora's Mask and Monster Hunter 4, but I really wouldn't want to try playing shooters with it. In fact, the 3DS's tilt-and-touch controls are better for precision aiming.

We aren't going to grumble about Nintendo's decision to replace SD cards with microSD cards for storage. At least it hasn't done a Sony and gone for some pricey, proprietary format. What we will grumble about is that the slot is concealed beneath a removable back plate, which comes off only when you’ve removed two tiny screws. Of course, this stops them getting lost, but it also makes it much harder to switch cards quickly or copy photos taken with the 3DS camera to a laptop. Nintendo will be offering alternative backplates with different colour options and custom designs, though, so you will get more opportunity to customise.

If you have an existing 3DS, you can copy your old games and save files to your new one using a new application that transfers data wirelessly between your 3DS and PC, or you can also migrate them from 3DS to 3DS. However, doing so deletes or makes unusable the data on the old card, meaning you can't hand your old 3DS on to another family member and leave them to play your old games if you want to carry on playing them on the new 3DS, at least if you buy your games online from Nintendo's own store.

SEE ALSO: New 3DS vs New 3DS XL

New Nintendo 3DS XL – Performance

The new processor doesn't make an awful lot of difference right now. We're hearing word that some recent games which occasionally struggle to run at a consistently smooth frame rate on the old model have no problems on the New 3DS XL, but the real impact will be felt when we see games that only run on the new model, or with enhanced visuals over existing 3DS consoles. Similarly, the new unit's support for NFC and Nintendo's Amiibo figures could be telling, though at the moment there's not enough software to make it feel worthwhile.

Nintendo claims that the cameras on the New 3DS XL work better in low light – handy on a device that’s used mostly indoors – and there seems to be some truth to this. There’s less noise and images are that little bit clearer. All the same, with 0.3-megapixel sensors the quality still isn’t up to much. Although you may get better results with the 3DS’s automated Mii Maker or take slightly better looking 3D snaps, the results will still be far behind even the most basic smartphone camera.

All the same, we’re talking minor grumbles. We might have hoped for a proper secondary analogue stick or a boost in screen resolution, accompanied by some kind of upscaling from the processor. All the same, neither absence comes as a major disappointment.

The one thing that is disappointing is battery life. Nintendo claims the New 3DS XL lasts for between 3.5 and 7 hours while playing 3DS games, but we’ve still found the red warning light flashing at around four to five hours – still much sooner than we would expect. We all know that you need to make sacrifices for a bigger screen, but Nintendo could and should have done more.

Should I buy the New Nintendo 3DS XL?

If you fancied buying a 3DS but haven't done so, it's high time you did. When the 3DS first came out we had our doubts – the launch software line-up was weak, and there were serious questions about how a dedicated handheld could survive in a world of cheap, great smartphone games. Nintendo responded the way it always does: with games.

The 3DS's games library is now chock full of brilliant titles, from the Zeldas and the Marios to RPGs, adventure games, action games and puzzlers. and the New Nintendo 3DS XL is the machine where you'll see them at their best.

For existing 3DS owners, it's a tougher call. Unless you're desperate for some Amiibo goodness, there's no compelling reason to upgrade from a 3DS XL right now – though the improved 3D effect comes pretty close. Owners of the original 3DS might want to think about it, though. Supersizing with the New Nintendo 3DS XL makes every game look and feel better.

SEE ALSO: Best 3DS Games Round-up

Verdict

There are now tons of great 3DS games out there, and if you want the best way to enjoy them you should buy a New Nintendo 3DS XL. Existing 3DS owners might find it hard to justify the upgrade, though.

readmore »»  

Destiny House of Wolves expansion gets release window

by Sean Keach 06 February 2015 |

Share:

Bungie has revealed the launch window for House of Wolves, Destiny’s second expansion pack following on from The Dark Below.

The House of Wolves add-on release date is now confirmed to fall somewhere between April 1 and June 30.

What’s more, Activision – Bungie’s publisher – claims a ‘major content release’ will follow House of Wolves at some point in 2015, revealed during the firm’s earnings call.

David ‘DeeJ’ Dague, community manager for Bungie, wrote: “We’re keeping all other details under wraps for now.”

“There is a special team here that’s dedicated to creating some new ways for your to play Destiny. They’re also making the game you know a better reflection of what we’ve learned about you since you’ve started playing,” he said.

“While they do their thing, we’ll walk the fine line between making you a part of the process and providing them with a safe place to explore possibilities and do their best work.”

He added: “And on a long enough timeline, we’ll also talk about what we’re planning for this fall.”

Related: Best Games of 2015: Top rated titles of the year

We saw Destiny’s House of Wolves DLC details leaked online earlier this week, revealing info on gear, weapons, and a level cap raise.

A Reddit user uncovered Crucible and Vanguard armour for Hunter, Warlock, and Titan glasses, plus new guns and rocket launchers.

The leak also unveiled a level 32 weekly Nightfall strike, as well as a brand new faction.

readmore »»  

Google’s advisory council says keep ‘right to be forgotten’ in EU

by Sean Keach 06 February 2015 |

Share:

An advisory council has decided that the European ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling should only be applied in the European Union.

This is in response to previous calls from regulators who hoped that the rule would be applied globally across all of Google’s markets.

Google decided to form a committee of eight individuals back in May to discern whether the regulators’ demands were justified.

Wikipedia’s founder Jimmy Wales was amongst the council that has now opted to snub regulator calls, as reported by TNW.

“I completely oppose the legal situation in which a commercial company is forced to become the judge of our most fundamental rights of expression and privacy, without allowing any appropriate procedure for appeal by publishers whose works are being suppressed,” wrote Wales.

Google has also been keen to point out that the council was only paid expenses, and has no contractual or non-disclosure agreements with the search engine giant.

The ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling came into effect last year, and forced Google to remove search engine results that contained personal information.

Users were allowed to submit requests to the California-based company asking for results to be taken down, although it has only been applied to European domains thus far.

Related: Google strikes deal with Twitter for more searchable tweets

The council issued a 44-page report today, with the majority conclusion being that Google’s position against a global RtbF rollout should be backed.

Not all agreed with the support however, with council member and former German federal Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger arguing that: “The internet is global, the protection of the user’s rights must also be global.”

“Any circumvention of these rights must be prevented.”

readmore »»