Samsung Galaxy Premier is true smaller sibling to S3?

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini is the smartphone that was officially realeased as the S3's smaller sibling. Perhaps they should have chosen the more powerful Premier instead

 

The Samsung Premier is the latest mid to upper-range phone from Samsung and offers a 4.65-inch HD screen along with a 1.5 GHz processor and the same 8MP snapper found on the Galaxy S3.

Boasting some impressive specs the Premier follows on from the same design language seen in the S3 and the new Galaxy Note 2 however it hasn't been classed in the same family.

The screen is a 1280x720 Super AMOLED HD job while powering the phone is a more than adequate 1.5GHz processor along with 1GB of RAM for all your multitasking needs.

On the back Samsung has kept the credentials high with the same 8MP snapper found on the S3. It'll come in a 3G and LTE version and looks to essentially be an update on the Galaxy Nexus.

The bad news? Well Samsung has no plans to release this highly desirable smartphone in the UK or indeed much of Europe, instead focusing on China and Korea as well as the Ukraine.

Source: Tech Radar

The Samsung Galaxy Premier emerged as an intriguing addition to the Galaxy lineup, positioned as a smaller sibling to the wildly popular Galaxy S3. With its compact size and impressive features, the Galaxy Premier aimed to offer a compelling alternative for users seeking a more pocket-friendly smartphone without compromising on performance or functionality.

Design and Form Factor:

At first glance, the Galaxy Premier bears a striking resemblance to its larger counterpart, the Galaxy S3. It features a sleek and ergonomic design with rounded edges, a slim profile, and a premium feel. The smaller form factor of the Galaxy Premier makes it easier to hold and use with one hand, appealing to users who prefer a more compact device without sacrificing screen real estate.

Display and Multimedia Experience:

Despite its smaller size, the Galaxy Premier boasts a vibrant and immersive display that rivals that of the Galaxy S3. With a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display and a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, the Galaxy Premier delivers crisp, clear visuals and vibrant colors for an enhanced multimedia experience. Whether you're watching videos, browsing photos, or playing games, the Galaxy Premier offers a visually stunning display that's sure to impress.

Performance and Specifications:

Under the hood, the Galaxy Premier packs a punch with its powerful hardware and performance capabilities. Equipped with a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, the Galaxy Premier delivers smooth multitasking, seamless navigation, and responsive performance for everyday tasks and activities. It also features 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card, allowing users to store their favorite apps, media, and files with ease.

Camera and Imaging Capabilities:

The Galaxy Premier comes equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash, allowing users to capture high-quality photos and videos on the go. With features like Smile Shot, Panorama, and Burst Shot, the Galaxy Premier offers a versatile and intuitive camera experience that caters to both amateur photographers and seasoned enthusiasts. Additionally, the device features a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls and selfies.

Software and User Experience:

Running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Samsung's TouchWiz UI overlay, the Galaxy Premier offers a user-friendly and intuitive software experience. With features like Multi-Window multitasking, Smart Stay eye-tracking technology, and S Voice voice recognition, the Galaxy Premier provides a host of useful features and functionalities to enhance productivity and convenience for users.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Premier proves to be a true smaller sibling to the Galaxy S3, offering a compelling combination of design, performance, and features in a more compact package. With its sleek design, vibrant display, powerful hardware, and intuitive software experience, the Galaxy Premier delivers a premium smartphone experience that's sure to satisfy users looking for a smaller, yet feature-rich device.

Grand Theft Auto V release date set as Spring 2013

Grand Theft Auto V is finally arriving, after months of speculations over delays and complications Rockstar have come forward to announce that the game will released soon

 

Rockstar have announced the GTA V release date as being Spring 2013. The next game in the hugely successful franchise will be landing on Xbox 360 and PS3.

After months of wondering whether the game would even make a 2013 release date it would appear as though we only have to wait until Spring 2013 to get our hands on GTA V.

The game is set in the fictional city of Los Santos however it's clearly modelled on the modern-day Los Angeles. The lead character is rumoured to be called Albert DeSilva while the voiceover cast is rumoured to contain some big hollywood names.

Little else is known about the game except that it will be the largest GTA yet and will probably feature a phoenix from the ashes style storyline.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Apple exec replaced following Maps criticism

Apple did some serious reshuffling last night with the brunt of the focus being on the loss of exec Scott Forstall. It's believed he has been replaced after the slew of criticism at Apple Maps

 

Apple has seen the largest management shakeup since Steve Jobs died with the main cause for the reshuffle being the huge criticism that its Apple Maps service received following launch.

Senior software exec Scott Forstall has been replaced by Eddy Cue who will now oversee all of Apple's online services including Siri, Maps, iTunes Store and App Store and of course iBooks and iCloud.

Elsewhere the company has seen changes in equal measure with retail head John Browett leaving after just six months in his current position. Cnet believes his departure may have something to do with rumours that Apple's stores are suffering from cutbacks and mismanagement.

This news comes it was revealed that for the first time Apple performed below the expecations of Wall Street for two straight quarters. Before that the company also came under attack when it launched its Apple Maps service forcing Tim Cook to release a statement.

Apple most recently unveiled a new range of products including the iPad Mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and the iMac which at its thinnest point is just 5mm thin.

Source: Apple via Financial Times

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

BBC iPlayer on Sky+ is now live

 BC iPlayer is now available on Sky+ to any Sky customers who have their Sky+ box hooked up to the internet offering up the full capabilities of iPlayer whilst also integrating Series Link and more.

   Integrated into the EPG the user is able to flick through the channels, search for content and then watch in HD as well. Once a program is selected the content is then downloaded into the Sky Planner to be watched at any time.

Sky already had ITV and Channel 5 on board and it has been confirmed that 4oD will be arriving in the New Year however an exact date hasn't been set.

iPlayer is arguably one of the largest on demand services in the world, last year the BBC received over 200 million requests for programmes with 1 million going to Doctor Who alone.

Sky has been steadily upgrading its service with the new EPG which took effect a few months ago while the addition of the entire Bond collection and all the Harry Potter films has greatly increased its Sky Go offering.

Windows Phone 8 officially launched

Today Microsoft has, with the help of Jessica Alba has announced a whole host of new features for Windows Phone 8 including Rooms and Data Sense to cut down on data usage

 

Steve Ballmer took to the stage in California to announce Windows Phone 8 and all the new features that will be launching including Windows Phone 8 Rooms and how new apps will work on Windows Phone 8.

Windows Phone 8 features:

With the help of Jessica Alba Microsoft took to the stage to announce some key new features coming to Windows Phone 8 including Rooms which allows you to share calendars, chats and photos with anyone you choose whether they're on Windows Phone 8 or on another platform.

Elsewhere the company announced Kids's Corner which allows you to lock out any features which you don't want being accessed when someone else has the phone making it perfect for lending to kids during a long car journey.

One of the more practical features announced is Data Sense, an app which lets you monitor your data usage but also actively compresses web pages making sure you don't steam through data whilst also looking out for free WiFi hotspots.

Windows Phone 8 Release date:

All of these features and the rest of Windows Phone 8 will be arriving next weekend on handsets including the Nokia 920, Samsung Ativ S and the HTC 8X.

Samsung beats Apple with smartphone shipments

Despite the overwhelming success of the iPhone 5 analysts have put forward a picture of the smartphone market and actually it's Samsung who are sitting on the throne

 

Samsung shipped twice as many smartphones as Apple did in Q3 of 2012 making it the largest company in terms of smartphone shipments, in part thanks to its new Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 smartphones.

Analysts ABI have put forward the results of their research showing that the South Korean company dominated Q3 handset shipments with 102.6 million handsets shipped compared to Apple who shipped just 26.9 million.

Of course while it's important to remember that Apple only has two smartphones the Californian company will still need to ship over 90 million in Q4 to maintain its current level of growth.

Nokia has retained its position as the second-largest company despite the fact it's shipments were down 38 per cent, ABI points the blame at the Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 both of which cannot be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.

One of the most interesting statistics was that just 40 per cent of all handsets shipped in the world were smartphones, suggesting that for the global population a smartphone is still considered something of a premium product.

Source: ABI

Google Nexus 10 video shows new tablet before launch

Google will be entering the tablet market this month with the Google Nexus 10 with specs that could well both rival and in some areas trump even the latest generation Apple iPad

 

The Google Nexus 10 has reared its head once more before it gets it's official release in the next week or so. The Samsung-built Nexus 10 is rumoured to be sporting some pretty powerful specs.

Showing all of five seconds the video does give a sense of scale to the display and helps show off the new curved design. What it doesn't show however is the specs that the Nexus 10 will actually have under the hood.

Rumours have suggested that the Nexus 10 will come with an iPad-beating 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 2560x1600 which would make it the highest resolution tablet on the market.

In keeping with such a high-resolution display it's believed it'll have a 1.6GHz dual-core Exynos processor from Samsung along with 2GB of RAM to tackle multi-tasking and 16GB of storage.

The Google Nexus 10 was supposed to be launched today alongside a new 3G Nexus 7 tablet and the new Nexus 4 smartphone but as Google have cancelled the event we'll have to hold on a little longer.

Source: BriefMobile

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Panasonic set to ditch smartphones

Panasonic looks poised to pull out of the European smartphone market after less than year. The Japanese giant made a return to the smartphone fray in Europe in April this year, but according to insiders the unprofitable business is set to be killed off.

Reuters say that it has spoken to two anonymous sources, who said that Panasonic would most likely wind up its European mobile business by 31 March 2013. That means it will have spent less than year back in a market which it originally left in 2005.

Word is that Panasonic feels the financial crisis in Europe is to blame for its sluggish performance. But with only the major players truly gaining ground in the smartphone business, it’s not unsurprising it’s decided to cut its losses.

Panasonic is set to reveal its latest financial figures on Wednesday, 31 October, when an official announcement about its European smartphone business could be made.

Via Reuters

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Google Nexus event cancelled

Google has cancelled its planned Nexus event this coming Monday, 29 October. The Big G has decided to delay the unveiling of its new products because of Hurricane Sandy, which is due to hit New York City tomorrow.

In a brief statement, Google said, “We are canceling [sic] our Monday morning event in New York due to Hurricane Sandy. We will let you know our plans as soon as we know more.”

Google had been expected to show off its new Nexus 4 smartphone, as well as the much-leaked Google Nexus 10, a key rival to Apple’s newly released iPad with Retina Display. 

Hurricane Sandy is being billed as a ‘perfect storm’, with New York preparing to bear the brunt of vicious winds and rain in the next 24 hours. As soon as we get news of when Google reschedules the event, we’ll be sure to let you know.

Via The Verge

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

iPad Mini “recreational” says Microsoft exec

The iPad Mini has been dismissed as a “recreational” device by Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky. Speaking after the launch of Windows 8, the Big M boss said that tech fans would be better off buying a full-powered laptop for less money than Apple’s new tablet.

In an interview with All Things D, Sinofsky said of new, cheap Windows 8 laptops, “It’s $279. Here we are, talking about seven-inch recreational tablets for $329.”

Warming to his anti-Apple theme, Sinofsky turned his attention to the MacBook Air and spent time bigging up Intel’s Ultrabook range, saying they were a better bet thanks to their lower price point.

Windows 8 was released this week along with Microsoft’s new Surface tablet. The Redmond company is hoping to give its operating system a facelift and claw back mind share from Apple.

Via All Things D

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Apple – Blu-ray is no longer in demand on Macs

Apple’s Phil Schiller has said that Mac users are no longer questioning why the company’s computers don’t use Blu-ray. The comments come after Apple this week unveiled its new razor-thin iMac, a machine which doesn’t pack an optical drive at all.

Speaking to Time, Schiller said, “Blu-ray has come with issues unrelated to the actual quality of the movie that make [it] a complex and not-great technology…So for a whole plethora of reasons, it makes a lot of sense to get rid of optical discs in desktops and notebooks."

When asked whether customers had stopped asking about when Blu-ray was coming to Macs, Schiller simply replied, “Correct.” 

It’s perhaps no surprise that Apple has given Blu-ray a wide berth. Steve Jobs dubbed the Sony-led technology a “bag of hurt” in 2008 and the shift to HD rentals and downloads on iTunes means Apple is in a strong position when it comes to non-physical formats.

Via Time

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Google Nexus 10 images leaked

The Google Nexus 10 now appears to be a nailed on certainty to be revealed on Monday, 29 October, after shots of the new tablet appeared online. Snapped by BriefMobile, the new device has already hit the headlines this week after its manual was leaked online.

The images show the Google Nexus 10 will feature Samsung branding with a stunning, brushed aluminium finish. The 10-inch device will seemingly offer a premium experience to rival the newly updated iPad with Retina Display.

The screen is expected to go beyond Apple’s eyeball-stroking effort, at 2560x1600 pixels. It’s said to feature 16GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM and a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, NFC and a 5 megapixel camera round the back.

Google is expected to reveal the Nexus 10 at a major event on Monday, when it will also tout its new Nexus 4 smartphone.

Via BriefMobile

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Google Nexus 10 tablet manual leaked ahead of release

Google's next event is stacking up to be a bumper line-up of new Google products including the Nexus 4 smartphone and now it would appear a new iPad-beating Nexus 10 tablet

 

Google will unveil a new iPad-beating tablet next week called the Google Nexus 10, or at least that's according to a leaked manual which shows the Samsung-made tablet as having some rather astonishing specs under the hood.

Rumours have suggested that the Nexus 10 will have a 10.1-inch screen with a Retina Display-beating screen resolution of 2560x1600 with 299ppi making it probably the highest-resolution screen on any tablet available today.

It's not yet known what will be under the hood but it would be safe to say that Samsung will have equipped it with a quad-core processor, at least 2GB of RAM and the upcoming version of Android known as Key Lime Pie.

Alongside this mammoth tablet Google will reportedly be launching a new Nexus 4 smartphone by LG and an updated version of the T3 Award-winning Google Nexus 7 which will feature 3G connectivity and 32GB of storage putting it right in the firing line of Apple's new iPad Mini.

Source: The Verge

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City coming to iOS and Android

After the success of Grand Theft Auto III on iOS and Android Rockstar Games has seen fit to port another classic title to the mobile gaming format and so the 80's are heading to iPhone

 

To celebrate 10 years of Love Fist, Tommy Vercetti and Steve Scott the aging porn director, Rockstar Games will be launching Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the iPhone 5 and other iOS devices and on selected Android devices.

The classic title sees Tommy Vercetti take on the Miami underworld in a glorious blaze of bright lights, hard drugs and over-the-top characters. After the success of Grand Theft Auto III on iPhone and iPad the company has decided to go one step further.

Continuing the celebration Rockstar will also be releasing never-before-seen artwork as well as a special anniversary trailer for the game which will feature the best bits of Vice City.

The game will also featured remastered graphics as well as some in-game treats for the mobile version of the game. No word on an official release date as yet but Rockstar says stay tuned as the announcement will be coming in a few weeks.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Wii U will have a 'negative impact' on Nintendo sales

Nintendo will be the first to admit they've had a tough year, in fact they have admitted it in their quarterly report and it looks like the Wii U will make things worse before they get better

 

Nintendo has admitted that sales of the Nintendo Wii U will have a 'negative impact on Nintendo's profits early after the launch' due to the fact the company will initially be selling the console at a loss.

Thanks to customer expectations Nintendo has conceded that the only way to sell the Wii U will initially be to sell the product at a loss thus further denting their already suffering sales after it was revealed the company has had to cut its predicted annual profits by a third.

In the quarterly report Nintendo President Satoru Iwata did however state that the company had a plan to restore business as usual saying,

"We will make best efforts to retrieve "Nintendo-like" profits by: boosting sales of the Nintendo 3DS system as a sound successor to Nintendo DS both in Japan and overseas during the year-end sales season,"

Nintendo's Wii U console is expected to be one of the big hits of Christmas boasting an entirely new way of playing games thanks to its touchscreen controller which allows multiple input types.

Going for a much larger market share the Wii U has already secured some blockbuster adult titles not before seen on a Nintendo console including Batman: Arkham City, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin's Creed 3.

Source: Nintendo

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Samsung posts £4.59 billion profit, in part due to Galaxy S3

Just after Apple posted their own quarterly earnings, Samsung has come forward with their own showing huge growth and some impressive sales thanks to the Galaxy S3

 

Samsung has announced a quarterly profit of around £4.59 billion, this figure is double that of last year and is in part down to the huge success of their Galaxy smartphones including the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2.

Not only was it a record quarter for the company but Samsung also managed to gain nearly two thirds of their profits through smartphone sales as the company is believed to have already shipped 18-20 million Galaxy S3 smarpthones.

This golden age could be coming to an end however as Reuters predicts that the company's profits will slow after Christmas thanks to stagnent TV sales and the slowing of the smartphone market.

Recently the company won a victory over its main smartphone and tablet rival Apple after a UK judge ruled that not only do Samsung's products not infringe on Apple's designs but also that the Apple should publish a number of ads stating as such in UK publications.

The Californian company has also been ordered to post a link to this statement on its homepage, somewhat dampening its recent launch of the iPad Mini and the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

Samsung has recently launched its update to the Galaxy Note with the Galaxy Note 2 sporting a larger 5.5-inch display as well as the new design philosophy that was first started through the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Source: Reuters

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Apple publishes Samsung tablet ruling on website

After months of courtroom-based bickering Apple and Samsung have laid down their swords after a judge ruled that Samsung's products were not infringing on Apple's design

 

Apple has today posted a statement about the Apple vs Samsung ruling as ordered by the judge, Apple will also have to publish a number of ads in certain leading UK publications where it will have to state that Samsung's products do not infringe on Apple's own designs.

The statement is suitably vague, as is expected, but does contain the vital statement which confirms that Samsung have not copied the iPad in creating their own products.

"The Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001."

The statement then goes on to quote the judge's ruling which includes the famous admittance that the judge thought that Apple's products were cooler than Samsung's.

The ruling only applies to the UK so while it means the end of the line for both companies here Samsung has already had to pay Apple $1 billion in damages in the US and had its products banned in Germany.

Source: Apple

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Windows 8 UK prices and release date unveiled

At a New York event Microsoft has been launching its next version of Windows 8 along with the Microsoft Surface tablet as it looks to take back some of the market share from Apple

 

Microsoft has, this evening, unveiled its Windows 8 operating system along with official Windows 8 UK pricing and and more.

Windows 8 which will run on tablets, computers and hybrids has been built from the ground up to work seamlessly with other Microsoft devices and also with touchscreen devices.

The software was launched at an event in New York where Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confidently announced "Windows 8 brings together the best of the PC and the tablet. It works perfect for work and play and it is alive with your world. Every one of our customers will find a PC that they will absolutely love."

Windows 8 UK pricing:

Want Windows 8? Well from 30 October you'll be able to get your hands on a copy for as littler as £14.99 if you have a computer running a Windows Upgrade eligable PC.

If you're just upgrading normally then you can get hold of Windows 8 for £24.99 from either the Microsoft website or through retailers such as PC World.

Image credit: Windows 8 demo

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display gets low iFixit score

Apple's latest and greatest 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display has received a damming score from iFixit blaming the complete inability to repair the display among other things

 

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display has been given a low score of just two out of 10 by iFixit after it discovered that many of the new MacBook's latest features have come at a high cost.

The company which famously pulls apart the latest tech so consumers are away of just how repairable their latest gadgets are, took a screwdriver to the new Retina Display MacBook and had some fairly frustrating news to impart.

The battery has been glued into the aluminium casing making it very difficult to remove or indeed replace. Pentalobe screws also cause them some difficult locking the entire closure from pyring eyes.

Most shocking was the news that the RAM has been soldered to the logic board so if you're thinking of upgrading your RAM in a years time or so think again.

Finally iFixit had particular beef with the Retina Display itself thanks to the fusing together of the parts allowing Apple to create such a thin display, so while it may look incredibly desirable the website advises that if anything goes wrong you'll have to replace the entire display.

Source: iFixit

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Lovefilm arrives on Amazon Kindle Fire range

Streaming service now providing thousands of movies and TV show’s on the tablet range

 

Lovefilm’s selection of movies and TV shows are now  available to stream on the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire.

Both tablets  will come with a month’s free subscription for in the UK. Users will be able to login via Amazon account details.

Whispersync technology keeps track of the last viewed point in a video which can be resumed from another device, such as the PS3.

Meanwhile X-Ray For Movies will embed content from IMBD, which Amazon also owns, into the video, should you want extra info.

Jim Buckle, Managing Director at Lovefilm, said: “Every Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire in the UK comes with seamless integration of Lovefilm giving users access to thousands of movies and TV shows. This is a huge moment for Lovefilm and continues to expand our multi-platform offering – delivering the very best content onto the most popular devices, which can only be great news for film and TV fans.”

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

iPad Mini price splits T3 readers

With the iPad Mini now tackling the small tablet market we asked T3 readers which they would choose over a Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD and the new iPad Mini

 

The Apple iPad Mini is a great product but its price point is just too high in the current market, or at least that's according to the majority of readers who responded to a question on our Facebook page.

We asked readers which tablet they would choose out of the 16GB iPad Mini, 16GB Google Nexus 7 and the 16GB Kindle Fire HD and the response was unanimous with the majority of readers choosing the Nexus 7 thanks to its open platform and attractive pricing.

James Ivan praised Android's open source positives suggesting it provided "More freedom for paying less. heck, I'd go with nexus."

On the other hand Simon Williams argues that Apple's closed ecosystem is worth the premium saying "Apple's app ecosystem is worth the £100, plus its connectivity to the iPhone and the Mac. There is no choice."

That said, readers have found the price of the iPad Mini to be a sticking point with its lower specs being a particular problem, as pointed out by LeInad Flosa who blunty sums it up saying "£269 for a tablet with a 4S specs...thats fooling the consumer."

Apple are not without their fans though as those who did choose the iPad Mini were aware of the price hike but still felt that it was value for money as in the case of John Murphy.

"iPad Mini, because it looks gorgeous, tonnes more apps, cheap, and because apple know how to support and make products last, think about it, a 3 year old product (3GS) still supports iOS6."

Apple iPad Mini specs:

The new iPad Mini comes in black and white and is just 7.2mm thick, around a quarter thinner than the 4th generation of iPads. The device weighs just 0.68 lbs. "It's as light as a pad of paper," said Schiller. "We were going to say book, but books are heavier!"

The iPad Mini has the same screen resolution as the iPad 2, but it's screen size is 1024 x 768 with a 7.9 inch multi-touch display. The iPad Mini delivers the same iPad experience users have come to expect in a design that has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Huawei offers unrestricted access to code and hardware

Huawei, the Chinese telecoms giant, has offered the Australian government unrestricted access to its code and hardware in order to allay security fears

Huawei's decision to offer unfettered access to both its hardware and software to the Australian government comes after it was barred from competing for contracts in that country's national broadband network. The move looks like Huawei is making a bid to offer more transparency in its inner workings.

The BBC has quote John Lord, chairman of Huawei's Australian arm, saying that the company needed to make an effort to clear up any misinformation about its reputation, in a speech he gave to Australia's National Press Club.

"Huawei has done a very poor job of communicating about ourselves and we must take full responsibility for that," said Lord.

He added that Huawei needed to be more open, and he announced Huawei's plan to give the Australian government unrestricted access to its hardware and software source code.

Earlier this month, the US House Intelligence Committee warned American telecoms operators against dealing with Huawei, saying they had very serious concerns about the Chinese telecom company and its possible connections to the communist Chinese government.

Source: BBC

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

iPad Mini and Apple’s new defensive war

OPINION: Apple’s new smaller iPad is there primarily to counter rivals success – does this point to a new type of strategy from the Cuppertino firm?   

There’s no doubt the smaller, cheaper tablet market is hot property at the moment. The Galaxy Tab 2 7 was an early proponent of it, and more recently the Kindle Fire HD and the Asus made Nexus 7 have been lapping up critical acclaim and the sales to boot.

It’s rise of these dinky devices, often with more of a content slant than previous tablets, shows two things. One that people are willing to buy non-Apple tablets if they are cheap enough , and two that there is a bit more innovation happening in the market than there once was – moving away from the ‘me too’ devices which made up the bulk of the iPad’s competition not so long ago.

 It’s a success story that seems not to have been lost on Apple.

In any market, Apple’s strategy is generally to come in over the top of the competition price wise. It’s a strategy that’s seen it do particularly well in portable media players, where most of the tech world seems to have given up competing with it, smartphones, and tablets. The latter it can be said the firm comfortably dominates the sector, and very profitably so, raking in all that extra margin from the comparatively high price points.

It seems a pertinent question to ask why, when Apple’s strategy could scarcely have worked better for it, has the firm decided to get down amongst the lower end of the market in tablets, when it was previously content to sit comfortably on top of it, watching the smaller, cheaper dogs fight for its scraps.

The obvious answer is it doesn’t want its dominant position dented by not being in a market segment in which upstart rivals are having success in.  

And that’s the point. This is an uncharacteristic move by Apple – one of countering what the market is doing, rather than trendsetting. Apple usually marches to the beat of its own drum – and more than that, it’s the industry that follows it, not the other way around.

No one would have expected it to compete with Dell on cheap desktops just because it can. Indeed, when the surge in popularity of netbooks flared up a few years ago, Apple was content to watch the others fight it out amongst themselves, without so much as dipping its toe in the water.

The obvious thing to raise an eyebrow at with the iPad mini is the price – at £269 for the entry level device it’s a good £100 more expensive than the Nexus 7. But I think this will prove to be a moot point – Apple has certainly never had trouble convincing people to pay more money for its hardware.

And of course they still haven’t abandoned the full sized, full priced iPad. But it could be argued its brand strength comes from premium comparison – of reassuringly expensive class in a market of cheaper rivals.

And while we’re on the subject, the new iPad 4^th generation can be seen as a bit of an odd move as well, considering it’s only been 6 months since the last one. Usually early adopters can count on having the most up to date model for a year before Apple comes out with a better version.  It will be interesting to see the reaction from hardcore Apple fans towards this move.

Does the iPad Mini have a better good chance of competing with the other 7-inchers? Yes. Does it look like a good product? Yes. Does it seem like an out of character move for the firm? Yes. Will it sell like the clappers regardless? Once more, yes. But the seeming change in ethos from Apple High Command is an interesting point to note, and we may well look back at this launch as something of a turning point.  

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Nintendo profit forecast is cut by a third

Nintendo has been having a rough year, while its 3DS console won over critics the company has blamed poor sales of the 3D-gaming handheld for the cut in forecast figures

 

Nintendo has cut its profit forecast by a third due to what it's calling lower than expected sales of the Nintendo 3DS console this year. The company was hoping to finish the year with annual profits of 35bn yen but this has since been reduced to 20bn instead.

The company, in a financial report to investors, has put this reduction down to two main causes; firstly sales of their Nintendo 3DS console have been much lower overseas than expected and secondly the appreciation of the yen.

Nintendo Wii U release date:

Nintendo is however hoping that the impending release of its Nintendo Wii U console will help compensate for some of their losses with the company predicting that it'll sell at least 5.5 million units by the end of April next year.

The console is revolutionary in that it offers a new way of gaming through the touchscreen controller letting players interact with the game in a number of new ways.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Three confirms iPad Mini price plans incoming

With Apple launching the iPad Mini and the new 4th generation iPad with Retina Display all eyes are now the UK networks to see who will be offering the tablets

 

Three has announced that it will be offering both the Apple iPad Mini and the new 4th generation iPad with Retina Display on their network when it's launched.

In a statement that was made this morning the network revealed that it would be one of the first in the UK to offer the new Apple tablet through its network offering speeds of up to 8MB.

Three hasn't yet made a comment about when it will then be offering the tablets on their incoming 4G network however it has assured customers that 4G will be rolling out soon.

Apple iPad Mini specs:

The new Apple tablet comes with a 7.9-inch screen boasting a resolution of 1024x768, and while that's not as high as many were expecting considering the competition the small tablet does come in LTE form boasting 4G data speeds.

The network has also confirmed it will be offering the updated 4th generation iPad with Retina Display which has been given an overhaul by Apple by bumping up the processor and also throwing in a Lightning port which was first debuted on the iPhone 5.

At the moment however Three have confirmed that they will only be offering 3G data plans until their 4G network, however it's more than likely the company will offer users an attractive way of switching over.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

New Apple iPad 4th generation launched

The new Apple with Retina Display is the LTE updated version of the iPad 3 which was unveiled just a few months ago and now features a faster A6X processor

Apple have just unveiled the new iPad 4th generation a completely updated version of the iPad 3 by offering new LTE compatability and a Lightning port which was first seen on the iPhone 5.

Apple iPad 4th generation specs:

 

Specs have remained pretty similar to that of the previous generation release just 6-months ago however there have been some big changes, most notably in the processing department.

The iPad 4th generation has a completely new A6X chip which is 2x faster than the A5 processor and will now beat even the iPhone 5 on processing grunt which has the A6 processor.

Elsewhere the iPad's Retina Display remains unchanged however there have been big changes for wireless performance with the 4th generation iPad now featuring LTE support which will almost certainly result in users being able to get the iPad 4th generation through the EE 4G network.

WiFi has been upgraded with the iPad with Retina Display now offering twice as fast WiFi speeds making it even more capable to deal with the new spectrums.

Apple iPad 4th generation release date and price:

The iPad with Retina Display will be available to pre-order from October 26 alongside the new iPad Mini with the release date being November 2 and will start at £399.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

New Apple iMac 2012 unveiled

If unveiling a new MacBook wasn't enough then Apple has just unveiled a all-new iMac which has broken all the rules by forgoing an optical drive

 

Apple has today unveiled the brand-new 2012 iMac which is a staggering 80 per cent thinner over the old model and combines some brand-new features to give users a much faster experience.

Apple 2012 iMac specs:

The Apple 2012 iMac is hugely powerful featuring quad-core i5 or i7 processors while you'll be able to start with 8GB RAM with the ability to expand.

Apple has also announced a brand-new form of storage for the iMac which has not yet been seen called the Fusion Drive. This unique system fuses a 128GB SSD hard drive along with a 1TB or 3TB HDD. By combining the two they can increase the speed and effeciency of the iMac's hard drive.

2012 iMac will ship in two versions a 21.5-inch and a 27-inch along with a HD webcam and four USB 3.0 ports. One of the biggest differences is the loss of the optical drive with Apple advising that those who still want an optical drive will need a buy a separate one.

Apple 2013 iMac UK Pricing and Release date:

The 2012 iMac will start shipping with the 21.5-inch starting at £1,099 while the 27-inch will start at £1.499 while both will be available in November.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Apple unveils new 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display

Apple has revealed not one but two brand new products in the form of the iPad Mini and, now, the 13-inch MacBook Retina Display, sporting a new design

Apple has today unveiled the new 13-inch MacBook Retina Display with the Mac OS X laptop sporting a completely updated processor including

 

Apple 13-inch MacBook Retina Display Specs:

Complimenting the current 15-inch MacBook Retina Display the new 13-inch model comes with a screen resolution of 2560x1600 making it four times over the previous model.

Powering the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is are the Intel Dual Core i5 or i7 processors while there's 8GB of memory and up to 750GB in SSD storage making sure it'll handle any multi-media content.

Battery life has been hugely increased from the previous model to 7-hours by using a new battery system.

In terms of size the 13-inch MacBook Retina DIsplay is super thin at just 0.75-inches which makes it 20 per cent lighter than the original MacBook, while it is still bag-friendly weighing in at just 3.5ibs

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display: Release date

It'll cost more than the previous model but there's no news on the UK pricing however in the US the Retina Display model will cost $500 more than the non-Retina Display version.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

iPad Mini launch to be streamed online and on Apple TV

Apple, in a move that screams 'about time' have announced they will be live streaming the 'Special Event' tonight where it's believed the company will unveil the iPad Mini

 

Apple has announced that it will be streaming its 'Special Event' to the world via a live stream on the company's website or through Apple TV. It's believed that the company will be announcing the iPad Mini and new 13-inch MacBook Retina Display.

The company announced the event just last week claiming to have more to reveal and with the number of iPad Mini rumours around it's believed that this will be the date when Apple unveils its Google Nexus 7 rivalling iPad Mini tablet.

There has also been talk about the company releasing an additional product in the form of a new smaller 13-inch MacBook Retina Display along with some updates to the Mac Mini.

Finally in the last few days there have been reports that Apple will also be updating the current New iPad with a lightning port and upgrading some of the internal specs to keep in line with the newly released iPhone 5.

Stay tuned to T3's Apple iPad Mini: Launch Live Blog where we'll be giving you all the info on what Apple will be announcing live.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Nexus 4 to be announced on October 29?

LG Nexus 4 smartphone is to be announced on October 29th, according to an LG spokesperson

LG's Head of Mobile Product Planning, Amit Gujral, has confirmed in an interview with news site IBNLive that LG's Nexus 4 phone will be revealed at Google's forthcoming Android event on October 29th.

"Google will unveil the LG Nexus on October 29 and the phone will be available in the Indian markets by the end of November," Gujral said.

The Nexus 4 is expected to be powered by a 1.5GHz quadcore processor with 2GB of RAM and running on the Android 4.2 operating system. The Nexus 4 will contain 8GB-16GB of onboard space but it has no MicroSD. The device will also boast a 4.7 inch HD screen (720 x 1280), and 8-megapixel camera, and a non-removable battery.

While Gujral confirmed the device will be available for purchase in India by the beginning of December, analysts state it would be quite unlikely that the Nexus 4 wouldn't launch globally around the same time.

Source: IBNLive

Picture credit: tech.online.by

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Memoto camera to capture your life every 30 seconds

The Memeto Kickstarter wants to produce a tiny, wearable camera aimed at bringing Lifelogging to the mainstream by capturing your life every 30 seconds

Ever heard of the practice of Lifelogging? Neither had we until stories of the Memeto camera Kickstarter passed across the T3 newsdesk.

Designed by the eponymously named Stockholm start-up, the Memeto is a tiny camera, roughly the size of a postage stamp, that can clip onto an article of clothing. It then proceeds to take pictures at 30 second intervals of whatever is in front of it. In this way users will be able to document entire days of their existences - or lifelog, as it were.

The Memeto contains a GPS allowing it to geotag any photos it takes while in use. It has a built-in accelerometer that means alll pictures taken are correctly oriented regardless of how the camera is worn. The camera is also 'weather-proof' meaning that it can be worn in any sort of conditions. The device is powered by a rechargable battery boasting two day's worth of life before it needs to be recharged.

The Memeto takes 5 megapixel resolution images - comparable in quality to your average smartphone - and can store up to 4,000 images on board. Users can then use the Memeto app two automatically organises all of their digital snapshots.

The Memeto team say they want to to launch the device in 2013. They plan to cast it in three colour formats - graphite grey, arctic white and orange. Each camera will cost consumers $279 (roughly £175) .

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Xbox Smartglass release date confirmed

The free SmartGlass app is set to launch this week enabling touchscreen interface and a range of functions for the Xbox 360 console

 

Microsoft has unveiled a bold new initiative aimed at increasing media cross platform capability for its consumers. The software giant has announced that, alongside Windows 8 and its Surface tablets, which are being launched on October 26th, it'll be releasing the free SmartGlass app at the same time.

SmartGlass essentially turns any tablet, PC or smartphone into a second screen that can be used as an interface with which to access video, music and gaming content on the Xbox 360 console. SmartGlass functionality will be available on the Xbox 360 dashboard from Friday. Microsoft has already started rolling out the new Xbox 360 dashboard, which now combines Video and TV channels and the Xbox Music services.

SmartGlass functionality is also coming to a raft of first party Xbox 360 videogame titles, such as Forza Horizon, Dance Central and Kinect Sesame Street TV.

Industry analysts have posited that the SmartGlass technology is largely a response from Microsoft to the forthcoming Nintendo Wii U's dual screen functionality.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

EE 4G UK release date, prices, coverage and speeds revealed

EE 4G is just around the corner with the super-fast service arriving to 4G smartphones on the 30 October along with a whole bunch of new extras for customers

 

EE has announced its 4G UK pricing, release date and coverage with the super-fast service arriving on 30 October with tariffs starting at £36 for 500MB of data and then increasing to £56 for 8GB.

EE 4G UK prices:

The contracts are: 500MB for £36, 1GB for £41, 3GB for £46, 5GB for £51 and finally a cool 8GB for £56 per month. All the contracts are 24-month and there are several upgrade incentives in place.

If you're on T-Mobile or Orange and have a 4G handset such as the iPhone 5 you can swap to an EE plan and the months you've already used will be absorbed into the 24-months so you won't have to start all over again.

For those who are on T-Mobile or Orange and don't have a 4G handset then upgrades will start from £99 with the ability to upgrade much earlier than normal.

All the EE contracts give you the option to choose one of three bundles; Free music, Gaming and Live TV. Free music comes in the form of free subscription to the Deezer music service letting you stream or listen offline to 18 million tracks.

Gaming gives you two games a month worth £10 to download and then keep. Finally Live TV is an EE exclusive which will give the user access to stream up to 19-channels including Channel 4, Eurosport and Cartoon Network.

EE 4G UK coverage:

EE 4G UK will launch initially in ten cities across the UK including London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow, 4G will also be partially available in Southampton.

By Christmas EE plan to have expanded to a further five cities; Belfast, Derby, Hull, Nottingham and Newcastle.

 

EE Clone Phone:

Clone Phone is EE's version of smartphone insurance and will be available three different forms starting from Clone Phone Lite which is free for EE customers up to Fully Loaded which could cost £14 depending on the phone.

Lite gives you 500MB to backup your contacts and calendars, this won't eat into your data allowance either. Loaded costs from £4 and offers users 16GB of backup, again contacts and calendars don't use data while media can be backed up over WiFi. You also get Find my Phone and remote lock.

Finally there's Fully Loaded which, for iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 LTE users will cost £14. For that you'll get 24hour replacement regardless of whether it's lost, stolen or damaged. You also get 16GB backup and the Find my Phone and Remote Lock service.

EE 4G Devices:

EE will be available on launch for the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE, Apple iPhone 5, HTC One XL LTE, Huawei Ascend P1 LTE, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE. EE have confirmed that more handsets will be added along the way.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

HTC J Butterfly the basis for “hero” Windows Phone 8 phone?

When HTC showed off the HTC J Butterfly last week it may have been the hardware behind the next HTC Windows Phone 8 hero device.

HTC were originally said to be releasing three Windows Phone 8 devices this year, the Rio, Accord and Zenith. In September HTC showed off the HTC 8S which was the Rio and the HTC 8X which was the Accord but there was no sign of the Zenith.

The rumours are that the Zenith will pack a 4.7inch 720P Super LCD screen alongside a quad-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4 Pro and 1GB RAM but we had not seen any new quad-core HTC smartphones until the J Butterfly was shown off last week.

Now that HTC have shown they do have quad-core S4 smartphones in their line up it would make sense for them to join the dual-core S4 processors in the HTC Windows Phone 8S and 8X. If HTC are going to surprise anyone with a new more powerful quad-core Windows Phone 8 device then it may well be at the Windows Phone 8 event on 29^th October.

Source: WPSuperfanboy

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Top Facebook Executive joins London Tech City

Facebook’s European boss Joanna Shields is to take over as the Chief Executive of the Tech City Investment Organisation in January 2013.

Shields resigned from her job as Facebook Vice-President and Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa to take the role. The move is seen as a big coup for the UK Government as she was responsible for the largest growth in Facebook’s business since 2010 and was in charge of Bebo when the social network was sold to AOL for $850 million in addition to working for Google in a senior position.

“I’m delighted that Joanna is joining the Tech City Investment Organisation. The success of Tech City shows just what can happen when we back some of our most innovative and aspiring companies to grow, helping the UK compete and thrive in the global race. Joanna’s experience will be hugely valuable in supporting Tech City as it goes from strength to strength and as a Business Ambassador promoting the UK around the world” said Prime Minister David Cameron.

The Tech City Investment Organisation was set up in 2011 with the intent of raising the profile of UK technology companies and in particular start-ups but it hasn’t been without issues as it has been criticised for not publicising its events or services well enough. Those issues will hopefully be behind the organisation soon enough as it has enforced changes to improve its position starting with the hiring of Benjamin Southworth as deputy chief executive back in July who previously was part of 3Beards, a group behind several key industry events.

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com

Nintendo airs first Wii U advert

Nintendo has started rolling out the UK TV adverts for its new Wii U videogames console

 

With the launch of the Wii U next gen videogames console homing into view on the horizon, Nintendo has unleashed its first TV adverts promoting it. The advert first premiered on Channel 4 last night during the US drama Homeland.

The clip begins by placing the Wii U's identity as "a brand new console with a brand new controller" front and centre, presumably to avoid the confusion that's dogged the console in the mainstream since its unveiling at E3 in 2011. The advert also highlighted several of the games players can expect to get their hands on when the Wii U launches, including New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, ZombieU, Batman: Arkham City and Mass Effect 3.

The narrator's cheeky voice over - we're betting money that it's Adam Buxton - also points to some of Wii U controller's unique features, such as its touchscreen interface and the fact players needn't wrap up their game time if someone else wishes to comandeer the television.

The Wii U is set to launch on November 18th with prices starting at 229.99 (from Zavvi.com)

Source : rss[dot]feedsportal[dot]com