Mad Max gameplay trailer shows off full scope of game

The first extended Mad Max gameplay trailer has been released, showing off some of the major features of the game.

Ahead of the Mad Max release date in September, Warner Bros has released a lengthy gameplay trailer for the game.

“The trailer provides a glimpse into the desperate struggle Max faces after losing it all — his family, his car, his sanity — and the steps he must take to survive in the harsh and desolate wasteland,” explains Warner Bros.

For the first time, we get a look at the car customisation for the Magnum Opus, so you can make the combat vehicle that’s perfect for you.

You’ll also have to equip yourself with armour and weapons, upgrading your skills and gear as you go along too.

“We are very proud of Mad Max, so we though the best way to showcase it woud be to put together a video. Since the game is massive, both in terms of geography and variety of content, we didn’t think one continuous sequence would do it justice. So, we have cut together a bunch of in-game footage (with a little in-game rendered cinematic sequences to set the scene) to give you as broad a sense of the game as possible,” explained John Fuller, Senior Producer at developer Avalance Studios.

Related: PS4 vs Xbox One

Ammunition in the wasteland is particularly scarce, so you’ll have to rely on some pretty badass melee weapons to survive.

You can scour the wasteland to collect scrap metal that allows you to upgrade your armour and cars.

However, the resources are controlled by Scrotos and his War Boys, who therefore present your biggest enemies. There are other factions that you’ll come across too, who will all be trying to steal what you have left.

It’s then you get to see some of the vehicular combat in action.

The Mad Max release date is set for September 4 on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Take a look at the new Mad Max gameplay trailer below:

readmore »»  

Best Mobile Puzzle Games

Time was the human race would spend its mornings pondering over the daily Sudoku in the daily newspapers. tempting us to train our brains until they were as sprightly as a school student before the onset of endless exams.

Now, years and years on, we've moved on yet again. In 2015, we wake up and immediately turn to our phones to give our minds a much needed morning shake – whether that's by playing a tricky puzzle game, or attempting to post a “just woke up in bed” selfie where our eyes are actually open and we don't look like someone has woken us up by smacking us around the head with an iron is, of course, up to the individual.

For those of us who opt for the former, the last six or so years on the App Store have been especially kind – there are puzzlers aplenty to keep us entertained, making any kind of guide that whittles down the pack to just ten 'must have' releases pretty essential. Just as well we decided to put one together for you then, right?

Use the quick links below to read more about a specific game:

Threes by Sirvo

A cute card-matching game that will get you hooked

Cut the Rope by ZeptoLab

Get the candy to Om Nom or watch him wail

Hitman Go by Square Enix

A puzzler stealth game for mobile starring Agent 47

Monument Valley by ustwo

The epitome of a mobile puzzler

Tetris by Electronic Arts

A perfectly adapted touch screen version of this classic puzzler

The Room by Fireproof Games

An expansive puzzler that will leave you desperate for the third entry

The Trace: Murder Mystery Game by Relentless Software

This is the way to do murder mystery solving on mobile

Bejeweled by Electronic Arts

The original king of match three games

Hundreds by Semi Secret Software

Blowing up that balloon may seem simple, but it's anything but

Triple Town by Spry Fox

A match three game with a village-building twist

See also: Best iPad Games

readmore »»  

Ruark Audio R1 Mk3 Review

What is the Ruark Audio R1 Mk3?

The Ruark R1 Mk3 is a stylish, beautifully built DAB/FM radio that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker for streaming music from your phone or tablet.

If you remember the Vita Audio R1, you might be a little confused right now. No, the Ruark R1 isn’t some knock-off copycat device; Vita simply changed its name to that of its parent company, Ruark, which has been a stalwart of the UK hi-fi scene for many years.

This is an otherwise straightforward evolution of the Vita Audio R1 Mk2. Ruark has addressed several of the failings of that previous model, as well as adding that Bluetooth wireless support, to make this an almost flawless table/bedside radio and music streamer.

SEE ALSO: Best DAB Radios Round-up

Ruark Audio R1 Mk3 – Design & Features

The Ruark R1 is a gorgeous object, with a core that feels like it’s been hewn from a solid aluminium billet and wrapped in beautifully figured wood – although that woodgrain’s obscured if you’ve opted for one of the sumptuous black or white lacquered finishes.

The design is all very familiar, with a single round 3.5-inch driver hidden behind a grille on the front panel, a screen above it, and the controls on the top, dominated by a large knob.

The LCD screen on the R1 Mk2 was one area where it fell down, with appalling viewing angles that made it poor as a bedside clock. We’re happy to say that’s been addressed on the Ruark R1 Mk3 with an upgrade to a three-line OLED display that has no such problems. It’s not blazingly bright, but you can still read the time across a medium-sized room when the brightness is set to high – you can adjust the brightness separately for when it’s on and when in standby, which is a nice touch.

One of the most significant changes from the Mk1/Mk2 to the Mk3 is to the controls, despite them having a familiar look. While we were disappointed by the limited control offered by the previous models’ rotary knob – it performed volume duties and nothing else – we’re pleased to see a far more logical system here.

The knob now turns freely – no springing back to centre – and is used not just to control volume but for scrolling through the menus. It also pushes in to select, so there’s no longer an OK button. We did occasionally turn the knob by accident while trying to push it in, but only rarely.

Nudging between stations and frequencies is done via left and right arrows on either side of the main knob. Instead of dedicated buttons for each preset station, as there were on the previous models, there’s now a Preset button that brings the choices up on the screen, to be scrolled through using the control knob. A Source button enables you to cycle through FM radio, DAB radio, the line input and Bluetooth. It’s all much neater than before.

The only complaint we’d carry over from our review of the R1 Mk2 is that the controls aren’t backlit, so you may be fumbling around for alarm settings in those dark winter mornings. But that’s a fairly minor gripe.

Around the back, you’ll find the extending aerial, a power socket for the wall-wart transformer, a 3.5mm line in, 3.5mm headphones output, and a USB charging port. That last might seem purely intended for stopping the battery from dying on the phone or tablet from which you’re streaming music, but it’s also a handy extra charger at the bedside. We used it quite often for a quick morning juice-up.

The R1 Mk3, like its predecessor, doesn’t have to be tethered to a power socket. Ruark sells two accessories for it: a battery pack that bolts onto the back, and a hand-stitched leather carrying case. The former costs around £50, while the latter is just under £40, however, so it’s worth thinking hard about how much you value that portability. We’d be tempted to pick up the case for its retro looks alone, though.

Ruark Audio R1 Mk3 – Performance

Setting up the Ruark R1 Mk3 is incredibly simple. As soon as we turned it on, it performed a quick DAB scan and had automatically set the date and time within seconds.

Connecting via Bluetooth was equally painless. Select Bluetooth from the source list on the R1 and it starts scanning for suitable devices. As long as you’ve got Bluetooth enabled on your phone, tablet or computer, you’ll have no trouble pairing it up.

We didn’t have any issues with radio reception, either. The R1 Mk3 picked up even some of the trickier local stations and distant DAB ones that have troubled other models in the past.

Sound quality is truly impressive for such a small unit. There’s a wonderful fullness to the sound, but also a subtlely that means it can handle almost any type of music. It can also fill a room surprisingly well, although the sound thickens a little when the volume’s cranked up – but that’s to be expected from a single-driver setup.

Sure, you’re not getting stereo, but most tabletop stereo radios don’t really benefit from twin speakers, anyway, as they’re too close together to produce a worthwhile stereo effect.

Should I buy the Ruark Audio R1 Mk3?

If you’re after a compact, classy table radio with the added benefit of Bluetooth streaming, there actually aren’t many competitors to the R1 Mk3. The Pure Digital Evoke D2 Bluetooth is perhaps the only one, and we’d argue that it neither looks, feels nor sounds so good – but it is £70 cheaper.

For more serious music duties, you’d certainly be better off finding room for something bigger, but it’d have to be quite a lot bigger – the Ruark Audio R1 Mk3 does a magnificent job for its size.

SEE ALSO: Best Portable Speakers Round-up

Verdict

The Ruark Audio R1 Mk3 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a chic, streaming DAB radio. Sure, it has a premium price, but that’s justified by the all-round quality.

readmore »»  

Three confirms Honor 6+ UK release date as May 1

The Honor 6+ UK release date has been confirmed, with the handset to head to eagerly awaited consumers next Friday, May 1.

Previously an ecommerce only manufacturer, the 6+ will mark Honor’s first move into brick and mortar retail outlets, thanks to an exclusive partnership with Three.

Teasing the phone’s upcoming release, the network provider has revealed a series of tariffs for the 5.5-inch handset.

Offering the handset for £299 on a PAYG basis, Three has confirmed it will also offer Honor’s flagship phone on a selection of pay monthly contracts, all of which are 24 months in length and require a £19 up-front handset fee.

Kicking off at £24 per month, with 600 inclusive minutes, unlimited texts and a 500MB data allowance, Three’s 6+ tariffs rise to £37 per month with all-you-can-eat minutes, texts and data.

All eight deals, which vary the amount of inclusive minutes and data to best suit your needs, come with 4G as standard and free access to Three’s Feel at Home roaming deals.

Three will be ranging the 6+ in all of its 360 UK stores, as well as online.

“We are delighted that Three has been chosen as the exclusive operator partner for the Honor 6+,” Sylvia Chind, Three’s Head of Devices said. “It’s exciting to bring such an innovative and refreshing brand to the UK market.”

She added: “We’re looking forward to enabling our customers to walk in-store and try the device for themselves to appreciate the value of the handset by testing it on our reliable network.”

Related: Huawei P8 review

The Honor 6+ features a strong array of specs for its modest price.

The handset pairs a 5.5-inch, 1080p Full HD display with a dual 8-megapixel primary camera. A further 8-megapixel camera sits up front while a 1.8GHz octa-core Kirin 925 processor runs the show.

Packing 32GB of internal storage and 3GB of RAM, the Honor 6+ specs sheet is rounded off by a massive 3600mAh battery.

readmore »»  

Star Wars’ new rolling droid BB-8 will be available as a real life toy

by Chris Smith 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Legions of movie fans collectively rejoiced last Thursday when the rolling droid featured in The Force Awakens trailer was revealed as an honest to goodness, working robot.

Those cheers are likely to reach reach a deafening crescendo as the company behind the BB-8 droid has announced it is making a toy version folks will actually be able to buy.

Sphero, the robotics firm in charge of the project is teaming up with Disney to make a consumer BB-8 that’ll probably end up being the hottest movie tie-in toy since Buzz Lightyear crashed his space ship on Andy’s bed.

The partnership will ”deliver an incredible and authentic BB-8 experience,” Sphero says, but there’s no word on pricing and availability. The company has set up a landing page for anyone interested in buying a BB-8 toy (i.e. everyone) to register their interest.

Read more: Star Wars Battlefront release date confirmed

If you can’t wait until the new droid arrives, you can build your own using a first generation Sphero and a few magnets.

You can check out industrial designer Christian Poulsen’s methodology at Makezine while the video is below.

Meanwhile, we'll have to add this to our new 5 bits of Star Wars tech that are actually happening feature.

readmore »»  

YouTube is shutting down app for older iOS devices and Apple TV

by Chris Smith 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Video streaming giant YouTube has announced it is dropping support for its mobile app on a host of devices manufactured in 2012 and earlier.

From the end of this month YouTube will cease to work on the second generation Apple TV, and iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices running iOS 6.

If the Apple mobile users upgrade to iOS 7 they’ll be able to download a new YouTube app, otherwise it’ll be browser-only access from April 30. Apple TV second generation users, however, are bang out of luck.

Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, games consoles and Google TV devices from 2012 and before will also be affected when the old version of the app is shut down.

As long as your device was manufactured in 2013 and beyond, you should be alright.

Read more: Apple TV vs Amazon Fire TV

The changes are coming as Google is upgrading the YouTube Data API.

On its support site, the company wrote (via The Next Web): “As we upgrade the YouTube Data API to bring more features, we’ll begin shutting down the old version on April 20, 2015. This will result in the current YouTube app not working on certain device models from 2012 and older.

“We will continue to focus our efforts on improving our official YouTube app for TV which is available on most 2013 and newer Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, game consoles and streaming devices. You can find a list of our device partners here.”

readmore »»  

Gioteck HC-4 Review

What is the Gioteck HC-4?

There are lots of premium gaming headsets on the market, with options such as surround sound, noise cancellation and wireless connectivity demanding a premium price. However, most gamers don’t really need such features – they’d be much better off with a basic headset, but one that drastically improves on the headsets that often come with their consoles.

This is where the Gioteck HC-4 comes in. At £29.99, it’s significantly cheaper than most other gaming headsets such as the Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 (£44.99), although it’s not quite as cheap as the Tritton Kama (£24.99). Like those headsets, it’s targeted at PS4 users, but it works with anything that has a 3.5mm audio input, such as mobiles, tablets, laptops and portable gaming devices.

The HC-4 is distinguished by its built-in rechargeable battery, which can optionally be used to amplify the volume of the headset. It means that the headset can go really loud, so much so that you don’t really miss having active noise cancellation. It charges using the included micro-USB cable, but if the battery runs out, you can still keep listening, just at lower volumes.

What’s more noteworthy, though, is the overall quality of the HC-4. Sure, it’s pretty basic when it comes to features, and it’s not as comfortable as other headsets made from premium materials such as leatherette. However, it’s solidly built, the speakers and microphone are good, and it works with pretty much every device on the market. If you’re looking to get into the world of gaming headsets, the HC-4 is a great place to start.

See also: Best Gaming Headsets 2015

Gioteck HC-4: Design

Gioteck has a lot of gaming accessories, including stands, controllers, cables and headsets. It tends to target the value end of the market, with products that often undercut official offerings (such as PlayStation controllers, for example). The HC-4 is no different – at £29.99, it’s one of the cheapest gaming headsets on the market.

The HC-4 is a relatively simple headset, with only one cable leading from the left earcup to whatever device you want to connect to. This 3.5mm adaptor is used to transmit both audio and microphone signals. The HC-4’s box clearly seems to be pitching the headset to PS4 owners (something the blue colour scheme also reinforces), but it will work with anything that has a headphone adaptor, such as a computer, tablet, mobile phone or portable games console. It will also work with the Xbox One, although you need to buy a separate adapter.

Gioteck’s headset may be cheap, but it certainly doesn’t look it. It’s well constructed; solid enough to withstand both being put in a backpack and dropped on a wooden floor. The padding around the ears and headband isn’t as soft as the leatherette finishes on more premium headsets, but it’s still soft and comfortable against the skin for long periods. It’s also a nice weight at 309g; not so heavy it weighs your head down during long gaming periods, and not so light it feels flimsy.

See also: PS4 vs Xbox One

The HC-4 is also relatively stylish, at least as far as gaming headsets go. The blue-and-black colour scheme is relatively cool, and the subtle Gioteck logos on the ear cups aren’t too obnoxious. The “Gioteck” brand name written across the headband is the only thing that spoils the relatively understated design.

The main feature that will stop you wearing the HC-4 in public is that the microphone isn’t detachable, although it does move into a horizontal position that makes it less protrudingly obvious. The short 60cm headphone cable is also an annoyance for those who want to take the HC-4 on the move, as that’s only just long enough from your head to your trouser pocket.

The HC-4 has four buttons on the left earcup which are used when the headset is turned on and drawing power from the batteries. One button turns the headset on and off, two buttons shift the volume up and down, and a final button turns the mic on and off. The mic button performs different functions depending on what system you’re using; on our Macbook, it paused and unpaused music, which was quite useful. These buttons are large enough for your hand to find without needing to take the headset off, but not so big that you press them accidentally.

The only other thing included in the HC-4 package is a micro-USB cable, which is used to recharge the headset’s internal battery. This battery amplifies the sound from the headset, although it’s not required for the headset to work. It’s great that Gioteck included the micro-USB cable in the box, but as it’s the same cable used to charge PS4 controllers, chances are you already have one connected to your console.

See also: PS4 vs PS3

Gioteck HC-4: Audio Quality

The Gioteck HC-4 is a simple stereo headset – there are no bells and whistles when it comes to surround sound or noise cancellation. To be honest, that’s probably a good thing for most people; we love the Turtle Beach Elite 800 headset, but all of its various presets and options can actually be an annoyance.

You shouldn’t buy the HC-4 expecting an sound as subtle and detailed as headsets that cost twice this price, but for the money, they put in an excellent performance. The 40mm drivers are more than up to producing deep bass for action games, while ample treble performance means that voices and musical instruments also remain clear. If you play Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, for example, then the HC-4’s work great.

The HC-4s really excel in how loud they go. We’ve often been disappointed at just how weak a lot of gaming headsets are, especially from Turtle Beach; they go loud, but not really loud. With the battery-enhanced amplifier engaged, the HC-4s go so loud that you’ll do your ears some damage and annoy anyone else who happens to be in the vicinity. It’s important to note that the HC-4 isn’t a noise-cancelling headset, but if you’re eyeing up a pair of headphones to take with you on a flight, then they go loud enough to block out most ambient sound. And if the battery runs out, you don’t need to recharge the battery immediately, as the HC-4 headset will work passively, just at lower volumes. In our tests, the battery lasted just under 8 hours from a full charge.

See also: Xbox One vs Xbox 360

The microphone on the HC-4 is well designed; the arm pivots about 90 degrees around the left earcup, which allows you to fold it upwards when not in use. The arm is also relatively rigid, so you can bend it towards or away from your mouth depending on how loud your voice is. It’s just a shame that this component isn’t removable, but that’s too much to expect from a headset at this price.

Voice chat sounded good, and other players said they could hear us clearly in online games. There aren’t any advanced mic features, such as intelligent chat boost to increase the voice volume when in-game sounds are too loud, but again, most players don’t really need this feature. At this price, the main thing to note is how much better the HC-4 is for communicating with other players online when compared to the headset that comes bundled with the PS4.

See also: PS4 Tips and Tricks

Should I buy the Gioteck HC-4?

If you’re just using the default headset that came with your games console, then it’s well worth spending £30 on the HC-4 for the quality jump it offers. It’s a comfortable, well-designed headset that noticeably improves the audio and voice chat experience when playing your favourite online games.

Audio quality is impressive for a headset that’s so cheap, in particular in how loud it goes once amplification is engaged. It’s slightly annoying that you need to recharge it for this reason, but as the headset still works when the battery is dead, there’s little reason to complain.

There are a couple of minor annoyances, mainly that the microphone isn’t detachable, but this is a great gaming headset for those who’ve never owned one before. When most gaming headsets are overpriced, the HC-4 is a rare bargain, and offers a substantial upgrade for those who’ve never tried a dedicated gaming headset before.

Verdict

The Gioteck HC-4 is cheap and cheerful, but it’s a well-made, sounds great and works with most gaming platforms, which makes it a bargain for under £30.

readmore »»  

LG G4 release date confirmed for May 31

by Luke Johnson 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Ahead of the phone’s upcoming unveiling, LG has confirmed that the LG G4 release date has been pencilled in for May 31.

Leaving just six weeks until the eagerly awaited handset hits retailers’ shelves, the date has been teased by the official South Korean LG website.

According to the leak, in store availability is expected just four weeks after the phone’s imminent April 28 launch event.

It is currently unclear if the May 31 launch will be exclusive to LG’s homeland, or if it covers off the phone’s international availability.

As well as the phone’s release date, the latest LG G4 leak has revealed details on a free screen replacement service, similar to HTC Uh Oh.

According to the promotional document, LG will offer an “LCD replacement service free of charge” with the G4. The company has revealed that G4 owners will be able to have their phone’s screen placed without charge if it becomes damaged within 12 months of purchase.

Related: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 release date

The pre-release tease is the latest in a flurry of G4 leaks dished out by the phone’s manufacturer.

In recent weeks, LG has confirmed the phone will play host to an improved 5.5-inch, 2560 x 1440 pixel QHD display and a f/1.8 wide aperture 16-megapixel rear-mounted camera.

Further features confirmed to make an appearance include an 8-megapixel selfie snapper, Android 5.0 Lollipop and a new, leather backed design.

Stay tuned to TrustedReviews for all the latest on the LG G4’s upcoming launch.

readmore »»  

Google Wallet now insures your digital cash

by Sean Keach 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Google Wallet users can now rest assured that their funds are safe in the search engine giant’s hands.

That’s because the company is now ensuring its customers’ digital dosh is insured, according to a report by Yahoo Finance.

The US-based company is reportedly storing the funds in banks that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

This means that if things go awry at one of the banks, or even at Google, the US federal government will be backing the cash.

The federal system was first introduced back in the Great Depression, in the hope of giving the US public confidence in banking.

The service protects individual savings of up to $250,000 (£167,400), but it’s not widely utilised in online wallet platforms.

That’s because services like Google Wallet aren’t typically used to store money; they’re usually a stepping-stone from bank to payment.

The current Google Wallet user agreement says that user balances aren’t insured by FDIC, but the report claims that a Google spokesperson has ‘confirmed in a statement’ that the policy has changed.

Related: Apple Pay vs Samsung Pay

It’s worth noting that as of 2012, rival payment platform PayPal does not offer FDIC insurance, despite being a market leader.

Google’s move is likely an effort on the company’s part to better compete with Apple’s new Apple Pay mobile payment platform.

Google Wallet was first released back in 2011, but has seen slow uptake compared to Apple Pay, which launched late last year.

Neither Google Wallet nor Apple Pay currently work on devices bought outside of the USA; the latter will be rolling out to Canada this autumn, however.

readmore »»  

Mass Effect 4 details potentially leaked by survey

Mass Effect 4 details have been potentially leaked by a survey, according to a new rumour.

An authenticated survey from BioWare seems to have leaked a substantial amount of details on Mass Effect 4.

That includes information on plot, multiplayer and even the potential location of the upcoming Mass Effect game.

The information comes via a now deleted Reddit user, who claims he took a survey on Mass Effect 4 that revealed a whole load of information about the game.

Although the survey hasn’t been authenticated, this is a similar scenario to what happened back in 2012 with what was then called Dragon Age 3.

It may well be BioWare testing out some ideas for the game, so aren’t necessarily indicative of what will eventually appear in the game. But we’re super excited nonetheless.

According to the survey, Mass Effect 4 will take place in the Helius Cluster, which is a cluster of hundreds of solar systems within the Andromeda Galaxy.

As for the character you’ll play, they are currently being called the “Pathfinder” and will explore an adventure “far removed by time and space from Commander Shepard’s heroic acts and the final events of the Mass Effect trilogy”.

As a “combat trained but untested explorer”, your goal is to find a new home for humanity within the Helius Cluster - cue lots of exploring with the Mako across “a sprawling system of solar systems”.

You’ll need to collect resources along the way, build colonies and face “cut-throat outlaws” and rather hostile alien races as you explore.

But more importantly you’ll also discover remains of the Remnant - a mysterious alien race that wields technology that “holds the key to gaining power in this region of the galaxy.”

Related: PS4 vs Xbox One

You’ll be drawn into a “violent race” to the technology’s source within the Helius Cluster, collecting blueprints to craft better weapons and equipment en route.

It seems that you’ll also have to begin building colonies throughout the Helius Cluster, spending your resources to “recruit mercenaries and develop and AI controlled Strike Team that you can reply to take on randomly generated, time-sensitive missions.”

These Strike Team missions can be undertaken alongside the main game, and can take a variety of forms including Remnant artefact discovery and settlement defence.

It also looks like there will be a multiplayer Horde mode that you can play with up to three friends. You and your pals will have to survive “against waves of enemy troops on various battlefields throughout the galaxy”. The Horde waves will increase in difficulty as you accomplish objectives.

The Mass Effect 4 storyline will see you recruit seven crew members, each with unique abilities and backstories. Just like previous Mass Effect games, you’ll have the option to play through character-specific missions to earn their loyalty.

We’ll have to wait and see as to whether any of this is true in the coming months.

readmore »»  

Jony Ive shows off new Apple Watch Sport bands

by Sean Keach 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Pre-empting this week’s big release, Apple’s design chief has unveiled an exclusive collection of previously unseen Apple Watch Sport bands.

Jony Ive took to the Salone Del Mobile Design Fair in Milan to unveil the collection, revealing an entirely new range of band colours.

Apple’s marketing lead Phil Schiller and designer Marc Newson were also in attendance at the unveiling.

New Apple Watch strap colours include dark blue, light pink, red, and yellow.

The Apple Watch Sport was made available for pre-order 10 days ago, shipping in white, blue, green, pink, and black colour options.

An image of the new bands was posted to Instagram by philanthropist and artist Umberta Gnutti Beretta; a total of 17 straps were pictured, as reported by Business Insider.

Related: Apple Watch vs Android Wear

Apple has made much of the fact that Apple Watch bands can be swapped out and customised to suit the user.

The company has reportedly even trained its employees to be able to make recommendations for certain straps depending on your clothing style.

It’s not clear whether the bands revealed in Milan will be released to the public yet, however. So don’t charge down to your local Apple store with cash in hand demanding a light pink strap just yet.

The Apple Watch is set to begin shipping on April 24 for some pre-order customers, although many buyers will be waiting weeks before they actually get their hands on the wearable.

readmore »»  

OnePlus One Lite may launch today

by Jon Mundy 20 April 2015 |

Share:

OnePlus One - soon to have a lite brother?

OnePlus may be preparing to launch a OnePlus One Lite alongside the OnePlus Two later today.

We had already heard that OnePlus was preparing to launch two new smartphones in 2015, and that one of those was certain to be the OnePlus Two - a follow-up to last year's cult hit, the OnePlus One.

We also had an inkling that the other phone would be a more affordable option, with the OnePlus Two set to retail for a "different price" to the cheap-as-chips OnePlus One.

With invites sent out to a launch event being held today, we shouldn't have long to find out.

However, a new report from Droidpile could offer more information on what to expect. According to "a source really close to the matter," OnePlus will be launching a OnePlus One Lite alongside the OnePlus Two.

Contrary to its name, this OnePlus One Lite will feature better specs than the original OnePlus One. However, it will still essentially be a revised version of the company's first smartphone.

Read More: What is CyanogenMod?

Unfortunately, the OnePlus One Lite will once again be available through an invite-only system to start with. However, the report claims that OnePlus might have some better plans for the future.

Whatever gets launched today, prospective owners will have the choice of two new Android 5.0 Lollipop-based operating systems to choose from. Both Cyanogen OS 12 and OnePlus's own Oxygen OS have been made available for the OnePlus One in recent weeks.

readmore »»  

iPad Pro case leak highlights just how big it will be

by Jon Mundy 20 April 2015 |

Share:

An alleged iPad Pro case leak appears to give new insight into the sheer enormity of Apple's heavily rumoured super-sized tablet.

There have been numerous leaks and snippets of information surrounding the so-called iPad Pro over the past few months, with various third party case leaks appearing to point to key features.

For example, back in January, one particular case leak appeared to confirm reports that the 12.2-inch tablet would have four speakers.

Now a new iPad Pro case shot has hit the internet through French website Nowhereelse, and it seems to illustrate how big the new tablet will be compared to current offerings.

The case has been snapped in various poses with the iPad Air 2, which is Apple's current full-sized tablet champ. As you can see, when the Air 2 is sat inside the case, there's a huge amount of space left over.

As pointed out by BGR, the French website previously claimed that the iPad Pro's dimensions would be 305.7 x 222.6 x 7.2 millimetres, but there's nothing like a good comparative photo to really drive home a device's size.

Read More: Best Tablet 2015

Otherwise, these new case shots appear to confirm the suggestion that the iPad Pro will feature a true stereo sound set-up, with openings for four speakers, one near each corner.

We also see an opening on the left side of the device which could be a Lightning port, or could even by a MacBook-like USB-C port.

readmore »»  

Sony launches two new 4K TVs with HDR compatibility

by Jon Mundy 20 April 2015 |

Share:

Sony Bravia X94C

The Sony Bravia X93C and X94C are two 4K TV sets that were launched at CES 2015 back at the beginning of January. They're now available for pre-order, with deliveries expected in May.

However, the most interesting thing about Sony's recent announcement is the company's confirmation that these two 4K TVs will support High Dynamic Range content with Sony's X-tended Dynamic Range technology.

We knew that these TVs would support HDR right from the off, but now Sony has confirmed how it will be implemented. In order to activate this feature, you will need to download a network update at some point this summer. Once it arrives, however, the emerging HDR format will be supported.

Just like in modern cameras, HDR serves to create a wider range of brightness levels within a single picture. It means that very dark areas and very light areas can coexist within the same scene of a TV programme or film.

Sony claims that with its X-tended Dynamic Range technology. "customers can enjoy the peak brightness of LED as well as deeper blacks, providing them with a superior viewing experience compared to that of normal HDR video and any other video source with greater contrast."

Read More: Sony KD-75X9405C hands-on

HDR content will be available from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Instant Video this year, and Sony will be at the forefront of showing off its implementation.

The Sony Bravia X93C 4K TV will come in 55-inch (for £2,599) and 65-inch (costing £3,999) models. The X94C meanwhile will be a 75-inch, £7,499, monster. Both will be powered by Google's Android TV platform.

readmore »»  

Sony Xperia Z4 announced

Sony has unveiled its new flagship phone, the Sony Xperia Z4, in a somewhat low key fashion.

No glitzy, heavily publicised, internationally focused launch event for the Sony Xperia Z3 follow-up. Rather, the Sony Xperia Z4 has been announced in Sony's home country of Japan.

If you want to find out about the new phone straight from the horse's mouth, you'd better have Google Translate ready.

As expected, the Sony Xperia Z4 looks very similar to the Sony Xperia Z3, with the same water and dust-proof metal frame design. The key difference, it seems, is that the Z4 has been subjected to a special treatment to increase its shinyness.

Given that the Xperia Z3 only launched seven months ago, this similarity is perhaps no surprise.

The Sony Xperia Z4 also appears to have the same 5.2-inch 1080p display and the same 20.7-megapixel camera as its immediate predecessor.

There are differences both internal and external. The new Sony Xperia Z4 might sport a familiar design, but it's slimmed down from 7.3mm to just 6.9mm thick. It's also 8g lighter at 144g.

That smaller frame will have been assisted by the fact that the Z4 comes with a slightly smaller battery than the Z3. It's now 2,930mAh rather than 3,100mAh.

Meanwhile it's powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 CPU, which is backed by the same 3GB of RAM as before.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9

While the main camera appears to have been pretty much untouched, Sony reveals that the front-facing camera here has a new wide-angle lens for more expansive selfie shots, as well as digital image stabilisation.

There's no news of an international model just yet, but the Sony Xperia Z4 will be hitting Japanese shops (in black, white, aqua green, and copper) this summer.

readmore »»  

Finlux 48FT3E242S-T TV Review

What is the Finlux 48FT3E242S-T?

The 48FT3E242S-T is about as close as the budget brand Finlux is likely to get to a high-end TV (unless it gets bitten by the 4K bug). Despite currently costing just £400, this 48-inch TV offers a Smart TV service, a built-in Freeview HD tuner, and perhaps most surprising of all, 3D playback, complete with two pairs of glasses.

SEE ALSO: Best Value TVs You Can Buy

Finlux 48FT3E242S-T – Design and Features

After the dourness of Finlux’s previous TV, the 32HBD274B-NC, the 48FT3E242S-T is actually rather attractive. Its frame is impressively thin and doesn’t feel overtly plasticky, and the application of a metallic silver trim to the outside edge feels premium rather than cheesy. The way the Finlux logo is enclosed in a wedge that juts down from the centre of the bottom edge feels like a cheeky nod to recent Sony designs, and the desktop stand’s heavy-duty metal finish looks almost posh!

Connections are reasonably numerous for such an affordable TV. Three HDMIs will be the first port of call for most of your video sources, but there’s also a pair of USBs that support playback of multimedia from USB storage devices or recording from the TV’s Freeview HD tuner to USB HDD.

Integrated Wi-Fi and a LAN port are on hand to support both access to Finlux’s online smart TV platform and multimedia streaming from DLNA-enabled devices.

The smart features are rather more numerous than you might expect from a relatively small brand such as Finlux. Highlights include Netflix (there’s even a dedicated button on the remote control), YouTube, BBC iPlayer, BBC News, BBC Sport, Daily Motion, Viewster, TuneIn Radio, Facebook and Twitter. The interface is a bit drab by modern standards, but it’s easy to follow and use, and doesn’t run too sluggishly.

SEE ALSO: Best Soundbars For Your TV

The 48FT3E242S-T’s 48-inch screen boasts a full HD resolution and delivers 100Hz scanning to try to boost motion clarity. It uses edge LED lighting with a dynamic contrast system (though inevitably for this money there's no local dimming), and there’s a basic noise reduction system on hand to try and tidy up messy sources.

The most surprising feature on the 48FT3E242S-T’s list is its 3D playback. This is starting to disappear from many mid-range TVs these days, yet here it is on a sub-£400 48-inch set. What’s more it’s the full HD active type of 3D rather than the reduced resolution passive format, which makes the inclusion of two pairs of glasses look very generous considering how relatively expensive active shutter glasses are versus their passive counterparts.

The fact that the 3D is of the active type also tells us that the TV is not using an IPS style of LCD panel, raising hopes that it might deliver a decent contrast performance despite its cheapness.

Finlux 48FT3E242S-T – Setup

While the 48FT3E242S-T’s out-of-the-box picture presets aren’t horrifically bad, you can improve pictures markedly by following a few simple rules. First, make sure the Dynamic Contrast system is set to Low. Turn off noise reduction for any HD viewing, and we’d suggest toggling the Backlight setting between low and medium for dark and bright room conditions respectively.

SEE ALSO: Sony KDL-40W605B Review

You can also achieve a slightly warmer, more cinematic look to colours if you tweak the RGB gain management options Finlux provides – though if that sounds stressful, just nudging the Colour Shift bar a step or two towards the red end of the spectrum provides a simple way of improving things a little.

readmore »»