iPhone 5S screen to double the resolution of iPhone 5 Retina offering?

The iPhone 5S could soon make the iPhone 5 look obsolete

The iPhone 5S screen could feature twice the resolution as the iPhone 5, with a staggering 1.5 million pixels rumoured to be crammed into the next-generation 4-inch Retina offering.

As well as playing host to a new, eye-watering display, it has been suggested that the iPhone 5S will adopt a new form factor, with the next-gen handset tipped to sport a narrower bezel akin to that of the iPad mini.

Originating from the Chinese supply chain, the latest iPhone 5S rumours have claimed that although retaining the same 4-inch size as the current iPhone 5, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 rival will take things to new realms of realism and detail, doubling the screen’s number of pixels.

Making the jump from 730,000 pixels across a 4-inch form to 1.5 million pixels on the same amount of display real estate, the iPhone 5S screen will reportedly eclipse the image quality of any current smartphone powerhouse, including the HTC One and Google Nexus 4.

We must stress, however, that these reports are far from confirmed and go against the belief that the iPhone 5S will be little more than an incremental upgrade on the way to a dramatically overhauled iPhone 6.

iPhone 5S Rumours

With many iPhone 5S rumours having done the rounds in the recent weeks and months, latest reports have suggested that Apple’s next-generation handset will be made available in ‘6-8 colours’, with leaks having shown the device will land in blue, orange and grey colour schemes among others.

Tipped as a gradual progression over the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5S has been rumoured as featuring a speedier quad-core processor than its predecessor, with improved camera optics also reportedly on the cards.

Expected to feature a similar form factor to the current model, an iPhone 5S release date has been mooted for September, with launch stock of the eagerly awaited device expected to enter production next month.

Can’t decide which handset’s for you, read our iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S4 head-to-head for guidance.

Via: UnwiredView

readmore »»  

Sony agrees to sell Xperia SP without a charger as part of O2 scheme

Sony has announced it will be taking part in O2’s Charger out of the Box sustainability scheme, selling its Sony Xperia SP handset without a charger from launch this month.

The Sony Xperia SP will only come with the USB to micro-USB cable needed to charge the phone, so customers can utilise an existing main adapter or charge their phone via a computer. If customers wish to buy the mains adaptor they can do at a discounted price from O2.

O2 launched the Charger out of the Box initiative in an attempt to reduce environmental waste caused by the unnecessary sale of chargers each year.

The UK network provider estimates that 24 million fewer chargers could be sold each year if the scheme is adopted industry-wide.

“As an industry, we have a duty to our customers to behave in a way that is environmentally responsible, making our business leaders in sustainability,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2. “Taking chargers out of the box is a small change that has a huge environmental benefit – cutting down not just on waste, but also the environmental costs of transport, storage and component manufacture.”

Two HTC handsets launched as part of the scheme, including the flagship HTC One , have already shown it to be successful. When it launched in January, more than four out of five customers chose to buy the HTC One without the charger, opting to use existing equipment instead.

Nokia has also confirmed that its Nokia Lumia 925 will be sold without the mains adaptor via O2 when it launches, sold just with the micro-USB to USB cable.

“Sony backing our campaign is a major step towards making chargers out of the box the norm in the UK and I very much hope that we will see others joining us over the course of this year,” added Dunne.

O2 research suggests there are already 100 million mains adaptors lying unused in the UK that are either duplicates or from older handsets. This equates to 18,700 tonnes, the same weight as 1,000 London buses.

“There is a clear willingness amongst customers to listen to the environmental message, so from our perspective pilots like this are essential to reducing environmental waste,” said Marketing Director for North West Europe at Sony, Catherine Cherry. “Networks and handset manufacturers have to take a lead on this area and so we were eager to run a trial with one of our leading smartphones. If it works well, we will obviously consider rolling this out more widely.”



Next, read our pick of the best mobile phones of 2013.

readmore »»  

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 camera to feature optical image stabilisation?

New Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumours have suggested the heavily mooted handset will land later this year with optical image stabilisation in tow.

Long the thing of rumour and speculation, latest Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumours have claimed the eagerly awaited addition to the smartphone turn tablet hybrid family will line up with an integrated snapper to top that on the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Seemingly set to feature a 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera, latest reports out of Samsung’s native Korea have claimed that the Note 3 will be the company’s first smartphone snapper to benefit from optical image stabilisation among other improvements. Not the first handset to bring OIS into the mix, a selection of Nokia’s Lumia devices have already gone down that camera improving route.

Previously tipped to support a 3x optical zoom bragging snapper, the latest Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumours have hinted that such additions have been dropped due to issues keeping the handset’s form factor at a suitably slim level.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Rumours

One of the most widely tipped devices yet to make it to the realms of reality, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has been rumoured to hit the market with all manner of high-end innards and revolutionary advancements.

While claims of a flexible, unbreakable display appearing on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 have been widely rubbished, the handset is expected to sport the eight-core Exynos 5 processor afforded to Samsung Galaxy S4 owners in certain markets.

With a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date having been long rumoured for IFA 2013 this autumn, an official Samsung event being held on June 20 has since cast a shadow on these predictions.

Promising the arrival of new Android powered Galaxy and Windows Phone powered Ativ branded devices, the upcoming Samsung launch event will be held in London.

Further Reading: Samsung Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5

Via: UnwiredView

readmore »»  

LG officially announces Nexus 4 White

After numerous rumours and leaks, LG has finally announced the launch of the Nexus 4 White.

Evidence of a white version of Google's current flagship Android smartphone first appeared back in January with a couple of leaked images.

Google I/O 2013 came and went earlier in May, but suggestions of a June launch for the pure white Nexus 4 persisted. Now an official LG news release has confirmed those suspicions.

In actual fact, the so-called Nexus 4 White only partly lives up to its name. Whilst the rear section is indeed pure as snow, the front panel is the same black as the original.

Unsurprisingly, the Nexus 4 White will be identical to the regular black Google Nexus 4 in all but colour. This means that it will feature a 4.7-inch 720p IPS Plus display and a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 CPU backed by 2GB of RAM.

The Nexus 4 also comes with either 8 or 16GB of internal storage and an 8-megapixel camera.

Of course, the single defining feature of the Nexus 4 is that it runs the very latest version of the Android OS, 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, precisely as Google intended it. That means no clunky custom UI or tacked-on software spoiling the pure Android goodness.

The Nexus 4 White will hit Hong Kong on May 29 before rolling out to select markets in Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East in the following weeks. So, that earlier June prediction appears to be right on the money.

Catch up on all of the announcements at Google's recent bash in our Google I/O 2013 round-up.

readmore »»  

Xbox One to have TV achievements?

A recently revealed Microsoft patent application hints at a possible Xbox One achievement system for watching TV.

The patent, which was filed back in 2011 but has only recently published, is titled Awards and Achievements Across TV Ecosystem. By tying achievements to items of video content, Microsoft intends "to increase interactive viewing and encourage a user to watch one or more particular items of video content."

It's also intended as a solution for advertisers who are struggling to reach a viewer base that no longer watches as much live TV, thanks to the proliferation of recorder boxes.

These achievements might include an award for watching an entire series from start to finish, or for sitting through a series of adverts in a live broadcast. It's also suggested that there could be an achievement for "performing a specific action while watching the linear video content."

Whilst no specific platform is mentioned in the patent application, all signs are pointing to the recently announced Xbox One.

For one thing, Microsoft focused heavily on the console's live TV capabilities at its launch last week, so a continuation of its famous achievement system in a televisual context would make sense.

For another, the Xbox One will come packaged with the next generation of Kinect for motion-capturing. It will be capable of tracking your actions even when not gaming, which would tie in with the idea of being rewarded for performing certain actions while watching TV.

Next, take a look at our Xbox One vs Xbox 360 comparison piece.

Via: Games Industry International

readmore »»  

Sony also looking to add DRM on used PS4 game sales?

We'll learn more about Sony's plans at E3

Sony may join Microsoft in looking to implement a form of digital rights management for the sale of used video games, according to speculation at the weekend.

Games industry celebrity Geoff Keighley has received information from inside sources, suggesting that buying used PS4 games won't be as easy and straightforward as it has been on previous consoles.

Since the launch of the Xbox One console, Microsoft has copped a lot of flack for its apparent plans to make gamers buy a new liwence for second hand games.

This plan, which Microsoft is yet to outline clearly, would allow it and the game publishers to take a cut of the sale, leaving the retailers who depend hugely on trade-ins with less profit and the consumer having to fork over more for used games.

However, according to Keighley, it'll be an industry-wide trend when the PS4 arrives in time for Christmas.

Speaking on Bonus Round TV on Sunday night, he said: "The one thing that is amazing to me is that right now we're not hearing a lot from the game publishers about what their view is on this. The console companies are becoming the bad guys. And, you know, Microsoft is getting beaten up a lot on it.

Sony, I think, has been seen as this kind of white knight so far that's not going to restrict used games. Based on some of the things I'm hearing, I don't think that's entirely true, because I can't see publishers allowing one system to do one thing and one do another."

Sony itself has done little to dispel Keighley's suspicions, but it may clear up the matter at E3 in a couple of weeks, where Microsoft is expected to do the same.

How do you feel about the prospect of a DRM revolution in console gaming? Are most of the games you pick up second hand? Will this affect your decision to buy a next-gen machine? Let us know your views in the comments section below.

Via Kotaku

readmore »»  

Samsung to unveil new Android and Windows Phone devices in London

Samsung is coming to London on June 20

Samsung has convened a special event in London where it will to lift the lid on some new devices on both platforms.

The Samsung Premiere 2013 event will focus on its world-famous Galaxy brand, as well as the Ativ line, which is the company name for its Windows Phone, Windows 8 and Windows RT products.

The event will take place at Earls Court in London and will begin at 2PM UK time.

Samsung has send out invites to the media, but everyone else can watch the event in its entirety on the Samsung Mobile YouTube channel.

The invites also feature cryptically-cropped images of gadgets that may represent forthcoming smartphones, tablets, hybrids or laptops. We'll have to wait and see.

The event comes just over a week after Microsoft's Build conference, the E3 gaming expo and Apple's WWDC conference, so it'll have to go some to make the headlines during June.

Let's hope, whatever Samsung has up its sleeve, it isn't planning to bring its Broadway-style New York Galaxy S4 act to the West End.

TrustedReviews will be covering the event as it happens and will bring you all of the big news.

Via TheVerge

readmore »»