Bendgate II: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge bends just like the iPhone 6 Plus

by Chris Smith 03 April 2015 |Share: Samsung may be eating humble pie on this Good Friday following the emergence of a stress test video showing its new Galaxy S6 Edge handset bending under the same weight as the iPhone 6 Plus. Gadget warranty firm SquareTrade has released a video showing the new flagship device undergoing pressure tests, with the phone bending under the weight of 110lbs - just like...
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Apple Watch UK pre-orders will begin at 8am on April 10

by Chris Smith 03 April 2015 |Share: Apple fans champing at the bit to get a hold of the new Apple Watch will be able to hammer that pre-order button at 8:01AM on April 10. In an update to the company’s Apple Watch website (via MacRumors), the firm finally revealed when users will be able to reserve their model ahead of the April 24 release date.For Apple-obsessed Brits the timing is good news as...
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Microsoft’s web browsers will turn off ‘Do Not Track’ by default

by Chris Smith 03 April 2015 |Share: Microsoft has announced that future iterations of its Internet Explorer and the forthcoming Windows 10 Spartan web browser, will switch off the ‘Do Not Track’ feature by default. The protection can help users to avoid their web activity being tracked by third-party advertisers in order to target them with banner ads befitting their browsing habits.In current versions...
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Protecting your Apple Watch could cost up to $1000

by Chris Smith 03 April 2015 |Share: Apple is yet to announce how much its AppleCare+ warranty plans will set back Apple Watch owners seeking to protect their fancy new wearable. However, reports on Friday have suggested those opting for the top-end Apple Watch Edition devices may have to fork over a small fortune in order to keep their watch safe from faults or damage for an extended period.Alleged...
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Report: Samsung to snub Cortex-A72 for custom ‘Mongoose’ processor

by Sean Keach 03 April 2015 |Share: Samsung might opt to use its own custom-built processor cores in one of its upcoming mobile chips. The company has already ditched Qualcomm’s chips for its in-house Exynos system-on-a-chip series, but a new report suggests Samsung might take this new lease of independence one step further.A post on Chinese site Baidu (via GSMArena) claims the Korean tech giant is...
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BMW: All future cars will get plug-in hybrid spin-offs

by Sean Keach 03 April 2015 |Share:The BMW i8BMW has confirmed it plans to release plug-in versions of all of its future car models. The company confirmed that major models would be receiving hybrid spin-offs back in December, signalling BMW’s growing interest in the eco-friendly market.Speaking to Autoblog in an interview, however, BMW North America CEO Ludwig Willisch said: “With the introduction...
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Moto 360 sequel tipped under ‘Smelt’ codename

by Sean Keach 03 April 2015 |Share: Motorola’s next wearable may be in development under the codename ‘Smelt’, a new report suggests. Phandroid reports that it received a tip from a popular app developer that an unknown Motorola device connected to his Android developer console.When the developer examined the details of the connection, the idea that the mysterious device might be the Moto 360 2 became...
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Microsoft stops selling Kinect for Windows

by Jon Mundy 03 April 2015 |Share:Kinect for Windows v2Microsoft will no longer be producing and selling the Kinect for Windows v2 sensor. The latest Windows-specific version of Microsoft's Kinect sensor, which enables you to control various games and apps with body motion and voice, was only released back in July 2014.However, as part of its recent consolidation efforts, Microsoft has announced that...
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Samsung confirmed for iPhone 6S Apple A9 chip production

by Jon Mundy 03 April 2015 |Share: Samsung has been confirmed as the chosen manufacturer for Apple's A9 chip, which will almost certainly power the iPhone 6S. There have been numerous reports over the past few months claiming that Samsung was in line to manufacture Apple's next mobile chip.Indeed, back in December, it was claimed that Samsung had already commenced production of the A9.However, the...
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Samsung Radiant 360 R7 wireless omnidirectional speaker unveiled

by Jon Mundy 03 April 2015 |Share:Samsung Radiant 360 R7Samsung has launched a new 360-degree wireless speaker, the Radiant 360 R7, which will hit shops in April. You may remember that Samsung gave an early look at the range ahead of CES 2015. Now it has announced a firm release date and pricing.The Samsung Wireless Audio Radiant 360 R7, to give it its full name, is Samsung's first omnidirectional...
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LG reveals LG G4's 5.5-inch QHD display

by Jon Mundy 03 April 2015 |Share:LG G4 displayLG has unveiled the 5.5-inch QHD display that will go into the LG G4. The Korean manufacturer has a habit of announcing major technological components ahead of the products that will feature them.It's done just that in the case of the much-anticipated LG G4, and particularly its display. The LG G4 will be announced on April 28, and LG Display has just...
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5 Great tech documentaries you need to watch

Here's our pick of the best tech documentaries to sit back and enjoyA great documentary can inspire, give you a fantastic insight into a complex mind or company and makes a change from binging on more episodes of House of Cards than your eyes can handle.The good news is that with the likes of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Prime, it's easier than ever to find one that's actually...
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Britain’s 4G LTE speeds are slowing as more users jump on board

by Chris Smith 02 April 2015 |Share: The average download speed obtained by mobile users on Britain’s 4G networks fell slightly during the second half of 2014, according to a new Ofcom study. The communications regulator’s report, (via Guardian) intimates downloads are slowing as more and more customers jump on board with the next-gen mobile connectivity.Ofcom says 4G LTE speeds across the four major...
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Google appears to be succeeding in halting Android malware apps

by Chris Smith 02 April 2015 |Share: Google’s efforts to stamp out Android apps containing malware seem to be paying dividends, judging by the firm’s annual report into Android security. The 2014 Android Security State of the Union report (via AndroidCentral) claims installs of Potentially Harmful Apps (PHAs) dropped by a whopping 50 per cent during last year.The mobile giant says less than 0.15 per...
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Microsoft’s powerful Office Lens document scanning app hits iOS and Android

by Chris Smith 02 April 2015 |Share: Microsoft may have made it possible for iOS and Android users to ditch that flatbed scanner after extending the reach of its excellent Office Lens application. The powerful app, allows users to save documents and convert them to Office formats, just by scanning them using the a camera on the iOS and Android device.Office Lens will sharpen and straighten the documents...
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Meet the £110,000 diamond encrusted Apple Watch Spectrum

If you thought the Apple Watch Edition was expensive, think again, this Apple Watch will set you back a staggering £110,000. Modded by renowned gadget gilder Goldgenie, the bank-breaking wearable is crafted from solid 18-carat gold and has been encrusted with a mass of precision cut diamonds.One of a number of models in the modder’s new Apple Watch ‘Spectrum’ collection, the luxurious timepiece costs...
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Apple Watch design: Timeline UI, lightsabers, and feeling tweets

The Apple Watch might appear slick and refined right now, however its early iterations were anything but. An interview with Apple’s human interface designer Alan Dye and Apple’s VP Technology Kevin Lynch, courtesy of Wired, sheds light on the wearable’s early days.For instance, an early version of the Apple Watch software basically served up information in a timeline, similar to Pebble’s chronological...
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iPhone 6S Plus tipped with Force Touch display

by Sean Keach 02 April 2015 |Share: The iPhone 6S Plus will be landing with Force Touch technology built into its display, a new report claims. According to Chinese news site UDN, unnamed industry sources have confirmed that the purportedly upcoming device will carry Apple’s pressure-sensitive touch tech.Apple first debuted Force Touch on the Apple Watch, which was soon followed by the company’s new...
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Huawei Ascend P8 Lite images leak

by Luke Johnson 02 April 2015 |Share: With the Huawei Ascend P8 set to be officially unveiled on April 15, images of the handset’s little brother have popped up online. Dubbed the P8 Lite, the sub-specced spin-off is expected to debut alongside its flagship sibling at a London-based launch event in the coming weeks.Showing off a handset markedly similar to teased images of the high-end P8, the...
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New Retina MacBook benchmark matches 2011 MacBook Air

by Sean Keach 02 April 2015 |Share: Apple’s new Retina MacBook is just one week away, but an early benchmark of the device has given us some clues as to its performance. The 1.1GHz entry-level Retina MacBook turned upon on Geekbench twice, as first spotted by MacRumors.The Intel Core M-5Y31 processor inside managed to clock single-core scores of 1924 and 2044, while multi-core tests resulted in scores...
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You can now run Android apps on your Windows desktop

by Sean Keach 02 April 2015 |Share: Google has launched a new Chrome application that can run Android apps on your desktop computer. It’s called ‘ARC Welder’, and it works with any system that has the Chrome browser installed – that means it works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and, of course, Chrome OS.It’s a spin-off of Google’s App Runtime for Chrome (ARC), which allowed a small number of developers to...
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HTC One M9+ teaser images point to QHD display and fingerprint scanner

by Luke Johnson 02 April 2015 |Share: Ahead of the phone’s expected April 8 unveiling, HTC has offered up a selection of HTC One M9+ themed teaser images.Offering a tantalising glimpse of what to expect from the inbound HTC One M9 follow-on, the Taiwanese manufacturer has spotlighted three key features of the upcoming device for a pre-release tease.Joining the handset’s display and two-tone design...
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O2 Wifi Extra ditches log-ins with hotspot auto-connect

by Sean Keach 02 April 2015 |Share: O2 has announced a new scheme that will automatically connect its mobile customers to free Wi-Fi networks. It’s called O2 Wifi Extra, and it’s an evolution on O2’s existing free Wi-Fi service.Currently, O2 customers can tap into dedicated hotspots across the UK, including inside McDonalds, Costa Coffee, Debenhams, and various locations in London.The new scheme,...
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