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Showing posts with label Smartphones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smartphones. Show all posts

Samsung Galaxy S4 In-Depth Review

10:37 PM Lecor Martineau


After months of speculation, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has finally been unveiled at an event in New York. With a larger screen, faster processor and range of new features, it's the company's new flagship smartphone.

As such, it's got more power and more up-to-date features than the iPhone 5 and pre-empts the upcoming iPhone 5S. We had people present at the launch to give us the lowdown on the phone and help us find out if it matches up to the hype. 


The first thing to note is that the Galaxy S4 looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy S3, and builds on that phone's looks. The Galaxy S4 is a little bigger, thanks to its 4.99in screen, but not as much as you might think: at 136.6x69.8x7.9mm, it's roughly as wide as the S3, but around 5mm longer, and around 1mm slimmer.

The result is the Galaxy S4 feels good in the hand and every bit as comfortable to hold as the S3. It's certainly not us unwieldy as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

There are a few notable changes between the phones' designs, including a metallic banding running around the edge of the Galaxy S4. Clearly, Samsung felt the need not to mess too much with a winning formula, but we would have personally loved to have seen an aluminium chassis, as on the HTC One, rather than the plastic used here.


SCREEN
The 4.99in Super AMOLED display is gorgeous. It has a Full HD, 1,920x1,080 resolution with a high pixel density of 441ppi. While that's certainly impressive, the HTC One has the same resolution but a smaller screen, so a higher pixel density of 468ppi and the Sony Xperia Z has the same size screen and resolution, so has a matching 441ppi. What's important is that on all three phones everything looks pin-sharp and there's no danger of spotting individual pixels.

It’s worth noting that you can't directly compare the Galaxy S4 to LCD-based Full HD handsets, such as the HTC One. This is because Samsung continues to use a Super AMOLED display with a PenTile pixel arrangement. Simply put, this means there are only two coloured sub-pixels per pixel instead of three. The reduced colour resolution is made up for by the excellent contrast and blacks that AMOLED provides (as well as lower power usage), but it’s a matter of taste which screen type you prefer. When we saw the phone we found its screen bright and colourful, but we'll save a full opinion for when we can do a proper side-by-side comparison.

As expected, the screen can be operated just by hovering your finger over it, giving rise to two new features. Air View lets you hover over content, such as an email or photo, to preview it without having to open it. Air Gesture lets you change tracks, scroll through a web page or answer a call with a wave of your hand. We haven't had chance to try the system out yet, but this should make fine-control of the touchscreen operating system that little bit easier.
Gorilla Glass 3 helps make the phone durable, although we'd still recommend a screen protector or case if you're going to keep your phone in a pocket with sharp items, such as keys.


PROCESSOR
The phones at the event were kitted out with Exynos octo-core processors running at 1.6GHz. It's not strictly an eight-core phone, though, as it uses ARM's big.LITTLE architecture. The eight cores are divided in two, with four high-power, complex cores to do the heavy lifting and four smaller, power-efficient cores for more mundane tasks. The S4's architecture is designed so that the phone can switch seamlessly between the different types of core.

However, at the launch Samsung confirmed that the UK version of the phone will have a measly four cores. The good news is that the UK S4's Snapdragon 600 chipset will run at a faster 1.9GHz, which will hopefully go some way to making up for the cores shortfall.

The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS certainly felt fast on the phone and web browsing was similarly as slick. We can't imagine that things will get worse with the UK version of the phone, but we'll have to save final judgement until we get our hands on a production model.


BATTERY
The battery on the S4 is an impressive 2,600mAh. That's around 500mAh bigger than the S3's battery and bigger than the vast majority of batteries used in smartphones today. With such a big battery it shouldn't have any problems providing all-day power.


CAMERA
The camera has been upgraded to a 13-megapixel model. It has a Backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor for better low-light sensitivity, although there's also a flash for when it's really dark. We took a few test shots in the dark demo hall and they looked fine on-screen, but actual quality tests need to wait until we have a test handset.

At the front is a 2-megapixel BSI camera. While it can be used for video calling, it can also be used with Samsung's Dual Camera mode, which lets you superimpose a shot from the front camera on the footage from the rear camera. In practice, this means that you can have your floating head, bordered by a postage-stamp frame imposed on the picture taken by the main camera. It feels a little gimmicky.

The front camera also serves a purpose in controlling the phone with Smart Pause. This technology knows when you're looking at the screen so it can, for example, pause a video when you turn your head and look away. As soon as you look back, the video continues. It's a neat way of using the cameras for more than just still images and video.


STORAGE
The Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in versions with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of storage, although it's expandable by up to 64GB via the microSD card slot. Prices for the models haven't been announced yet, but it may well work out much better value to buy the 16B or 32GB models, then upgrade storage as and when you need it.


TRACKING
Samsung has said that the Galaxy S4 will get security tracking built in. This works in a similar way to Find My iPhone, letting you track a stolen handset online.

However, while Apple's implementation can be wiped out by resetting the phone, Samsung has got something more secure up its sleeves. By partnering with Absolute, which makes the Computrace laptop-tracking software, Samsung has got firmware persistence technology built into the Galaxy S4. In other words, the tracking software sits in main firmware and so it can survive a full hardware reset.

Security tracking is part of the Knox security suite, which is designed to make the platform more secure. It's aimed at business users, where it will also provide a business and personal side of the phone, so that you only have to carry one device. The work mode can be locked down and managed by your company, while the personal side is yours to do with as you will; importantly, both sides are completely independent.

We're in the process of finding out if the security tracking feature will be available to consumers, or if it will only be available to business users.


ACCESSORIES
As well as what comes with the phone, Samsung is also pushing the phone's lifestyle aspect with a selection of Galaxy S4 accessories. These range from health accessories that can monitor how active you are and your weight and heart rate, to a gamepad that you clip the phone into. There's also a wireless charging dock, so you can charge your phone simply by laying it on the charging pad.


RELEASE DATE
You'll still have to wait a while to get your hands on the phone; Samsung's official release date for the Galaxy S4 is 26th April, and this assumes there are no manufacturing problems, such as HTC is fighting with its HTC One. Official pre-orders for the phone are now open, as of 28th March.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 To Be Release on March 2013

11:05 PM Lecor Martineau

March 15 or March 22 only suggest that Samsung's Galaxy S4 is coming to town a few weeks from now, and many are reviewing the list if the latest rumours about the flagship device would tally with the ones set for unwrapping next month.

Do we get to see jaws dropping by the time Samsung pulls down the veil covering its second 2013 handset masterpiece, the first one being the Galaxy Note 3 (which likely will debut earlier via the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona)? 



It's worth revisiting the specs that numerous reports said would practically make up the sleek look and powerful beast that is the Galaxy S4.
Is it quad-core or 8-core?

For some time, and experts agree, all reports about the latest Galaxy S smartphone point to a CPU upgrade that will see the S4 strutting the Exynos 5 Octa 8-core processor. Developed by Samsung, this replaces the Qualcomm CPU that came with the Galaxy S3 and is generating excitement for its apparent brute ability without gobbling too much battery juice.
But the storyline saw a twist this week when SamMobile reported that Samsung's premier handset will hum into its processing tasks with a maximum speed of 1.9GHz on a quad-core chip provided by Qualcomm again. It appears that some experts called it right in insisting that eight-core mobile computing will not be a reality until 2014.
What exactly are the display elements?

Earlier this year, the Galaxy S4 is said to sport a bendable screen, making the front portion of the device virtually unbreakable because the glass material covering its screen has been tempered for better flexibility. Samsung even showcased a prototype handset that bears the actual screen flavour.

It turned out, however, that the technology will only be ready for mass production by 2014, at the earliest so speculators trained their attention to the latest Corning Gorilla glass screen. There was even a suggestion that Samsung would wait out until June this year to launch the Galaxy S4 in order to make sure that phone rolls out with the best Corning technology to date.

Nothing is definite till now on the overall display attributes of the S4 except that it will have a better Super AMOLED rendering that is viewable on its 1080p 4.99-inch screen. Another possible addition, though remote by now, is on-screen gesture capability, with Samsung reportedly mulling the use of maXTouch S sensor that was first seen in a Sony Xperia handset.
Do we get to see real high-end camera offerings this time?

On S3, tech experts could only hand down decent remarks about the phone's 8MP rear-shooter. The euphemism also meant that Samsung could have done better because its snapper is easily beaten by the competition like HTC's One X, according to Gotta Be Mobile.

Hopefully, with leading smartphone brands fitting 13MP capturing tools with their products, Samsung would equal or raise the bar a bit higher. HTC has been bragging that it is jumping to the UltraPixel level via the HTC M7 (or HTC One), which maybe Samsung can replicate with last-minute adjustments prior to the Galaxy S4's launch time.
Will Samsung tweak the Wi-Fi signal?

This is crucial because as Gotta Be Mobile noted, all smartphones connect via Wi-Fi. And Samsung would further boost the Galaxy S4's appeal if owners can rely on faster and more stable wireless connection. This feature will be made possible if Samsung would use the new Broadcom 4335 5G Wi-Fi chip. When partnered with a compatible wireless router, S4 users will experience the best Wi-Fi technology there is, the same Gotta Be Mobile report said.
How much juice can be squeezed from the S4 battery?

From 2100mAh battery, the Galaxy S4 will reportedly pack a 2600mAh battery and paired with better chip components, the prospect of using the new Samsung smartphone longer in a single charge is much higher. And if Exynos 5 Octa CPU actually makes it to the handset, many owners should regale with the promise of 70 per cent less power requirement of Exynos. That means more gaming, media playing and communicating hours on the Galaxy S4 before users scramble to look for the nearest power outlet.
Will it be JellyBean or Key Lime Pie on S4?

The best bet, admittedly, is the latest JellyBean when the Galaxy S4 comes right out of the box. But many are hoping that Samsung would able to persuade Google into deploying Android 5.0 first via the S4. Tall order maybe but still possible. One can only imagine the smooth collaboration between the latest TouchWiz skin and Google's KLP, which later on this year skirmish with Apple's iOS 7.

We are so looking forward if all these questions or at least most of them will get the right answers in a few weeks' time.

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iPhone 5S: What and When to Expect

11:12 PM Lecor Martineau


The iPhone 5 may only be a few months old, but we're already hearing information about a successor, which may be known as the iPhone 5S.

The early arrival of the iPad 4 and the iPad mini - just eight months after the release of the iPad 3 in March - has meant that Apple still has the ability to surprise and we could well see an iPhone 5S appear earlier than expected.



iPhone 5S release date

That means the iPhone 5S release date could be as early Spring 2013. However, we believe it's still likely that we'll see another iPhone later in 2013.
But that's not what everybody thinks: the Chinese-language Commercial Times estimates that full commercial production of the rumored iPhone 5S will begin as early as Q1 2013. That's borne out by further rumors suggesting a March manufacturing start date, followed by a mid-year release.
Digitimes reckons the iPhone 5S release date will be a little later, citing predicted sales targets of relevant component manufacturers. "Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013... Component orders placed by Apple, which climbed to high levels prior to the iPhone 5 rollout, will rise again between March and April, the observers indicated."


iPhone 5S rumors

Some sources claim that Apple has is ploughing ahead with the next iteration of the popular handset, due to low yield rates of the iPhone 5 on the assembly line at Foxconn.
Apparently, because of the fragility of the parts used to make the device, many break before they even see the light of day.
The leaked handset has already been referred to as the iPhone 5S, in keeping with Apple's naming convention for updates to the outward appearance of its iconic device.


iPhone 5S display

iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will include a Super HD screen display and camera according to new reports in December 2012. The China Times says a 'Touch On Display' panel is being developed by Taiwanese supplier Innolux with 10 point multi-touch and a 0.5mm thickness. Apparently the site spoke to sources inside Apple's supply chain.
iPhone 5S casing

According to further rumours, the iPhone 5S might not be the only Apple handset we see this year - rumours abound about cheaper, plastic iPhones, while Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch in June, apparently called the iPhone Math.
According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera.
The new, larger, lower-cost handset could be aimed at emerging markets such as China.


iPhone 5S camera

In January 2013 iLounge received information that indicated the handset would sport the same design as the iPhone 5 with the key difference being a beefier camera and larger flash on the back.
That's hardly ground breaking upgrades from Apple, with the touted 13MP camera on the 5S hardly bucking the trend considering the Sony Xperia Z already has this and we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy S4 to offer up something similar.


iPhone 5S wireless charging

According to CP Tech, Apple filed a patent application last month for Wireless Power Utilization, a wireless charging system with near-field magnetic resonance (NFMR). That means we'll get wireless charging at last.

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Samsung Shows Youm - Flexible Phone OLED Screen

9:26 PM Lecor Martineau


By showing off a phone with a flexible screen, Samsung is hinting at a day when we might fold up our large phone or tablet screens as if they were maps. 

The Korean electronics company provided a glimpse of such a device at a keynote speech Wednesday at the International CES gadget show in Las Vegas. It's an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices. 

WHAT IT IS: Brian Berkeley, head of Samsung Electronics Co.'s display lab in San Jose, Calif., demonstrated a phone that consists of a matchbox-sized hard enclosure, with a paper-thin, flexible color screen attached to one end. The screen doesn't appear flexible enough to fold in half like a piece of paper, but it could bend into a tube.

The company also showed a video of a future concept, with a phone-sized device that opens up like a book, revealing a tablet-sized screen inside.


HOW IT WORKS: The screen uses organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. Only a thin layer of these chemicals is needed to produce a bright, colorful screen. They're used in many Samsung phones already, though with glass screens. For the bendable phone, Samsung laid the chemicals over thin plastic instead of glass. That's a trick you can't pull off with liquid crystals in standard displays.

WHY YOU'D WANT IT: You could pack a bigger screen in your pocket. In a more conventional application, Berkeley demonstrated a phone with a display that's rigid, but bent around the edges of the device, so it can show incoming messages even with a cover over the main screen. In short, OLEDs free designers to make gadgets with curved screens.

WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: It's tough to use a touch screen if it bends away from your finger. Flexible OLED screens have been demonstrated for years, but the OLED chemicals are extremely sensitive to oxygen, so they need to be completely sealed off from the air. Volume production of flexible displays that remain airtight has so far stumped engineers. Samsung's screens aren't yet flexible enough to fold, just bend.

AVAILABILITY: Samsung didn't say anything about when flexible displays might be commercialized.

"The concept of the flexible screen has been around for some time, but it finally looks as if Samsung is really going to deliver on that technology," said Stephen Bell, an analyst with Keystone Global.

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Samsung Exynos Octa Processor

11:23 PM Lecor Martineau


Samsung has announced the Exynos 5 Octa processor at CES 2013, an eight-core chip built using ARM’s interesting big.LITTLE concept for improved power and lower energy consumption.

Samsung has shown why it’s one of the most exciting companies working in mobile tech at the moment, by announcing the Exynos 5 Octa processor during its keynote presentation at CES 2013. Just in case the name hasn’t given it away, this is an eight-core processor, and it’s destined to one day power the smartphone in your pocket. 

The new chip will one day replace the Exynos 4 Quad, now powering an astonishing 53 million devices worldwide, as Samsung’s go-to chip for its flagship phones. CEO Stephen Woo said it will provide, “A level of pure processing power never seen before in a mobile device,” before using a reference device to show the processor in action, when its multi-tasking and gaming abilities were briefly demonstrated.

Although the Exynos 5 Octa is billed as an eight-core chip, not all its processor cores were born equal and a more accurate description is that it’s a dual quad-core processor. This is because it’s one of the very first system-on-a-chips to be built using ARM’s big.LITTLE concept.


Dual quad-core processing power

Rather than a single eight-core chip, it has two quad-cores inside – one being a quad-core ARM Cortex A15 and the other a quad-core Cortex A7. The Cortex A15 deals with the tough stuff but passes off the easy tasks to the Cortex A7, or they can both be fired up to really show off. This means it’s strong enough to provide all the power you may need, while at the same time being smart enough to conserve energy when it can. If you’re wondering just how much difference the Exynos 5 Octa and other big.LITTLE chips will make when used in a device, ARM’s CEO Warren East said he expects “twice the performance and half the power consumption” compared to today’s best offerings.

If this approach sounds familiar, it’s similar to the companion core found in Nvidia’s Tegra 3, which avoids waking the quad-core beast and deals with the easy tasks on its own. The difference is, the Exynos 5 Octa’s cores can all work together when the need arises. Samsung has built its new processor using a 28nm manufacturing process, which it promises will help keep power consumption to a minimum.

Now we’ve got you all excited about the Exynos 5 Octa, you’ll want to know when it’s going to be available, right? Sadly, Samsung glossed over this point as it moved on to other things during its presentation, but there have been rumors it’ll be powering the Galaxy S4 when it’s released later this year.

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RIM to Announce BlackBerry 10

11:16 PM Lecor Martineau


Research In Motion says it will debut on January 30 new smartphones running its revamped BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is widely viewed as the company's last chance to stay relevant versus Apple iPhone and Google Android devices. 

The upcoming announcement is expected to include shipping dates and prices. AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile confirmed to mobile industry newsletter FierceWireless this week that they'll carry the new phones. RIM officials previously said several models will be screen-only devices and at least one phone will use the conventional QWERTY keyboard.

RIM announced details of its new operating system in 2012. Users will get efficient multitasking, a modern web browser, a new interface for on-screen keyboards, and a profile feature for quickly switching your phone between office and personal configurations.

Notably, the phones can run applications written for a 2011 version of Android, but only if the applications are first repackaged through BlackBerry's software development tools. Whether that would be up to users, or up to the application's original programmers, remains to be seen. The ability for a mobile computing platform to run programs made for another is unique, said Farpoint Group's Craig Mathias, a well-known analyst in the mobile field. But not all features will be supported, according to information on the BlackBerry software development site. Also unclear is whether the phones will be able to run software designed for newer versions of Android. Software compatibility is a problem even among different versions of individual phones based on Android, he noted.

Early reviews of BlackBerry 10 phones, published by sites such as Cnet, Gizmodo, TechRadar, and USA Today, have been mostly positive.

BlackBerry remains viable in law firms even as the past few years saw an attorney exodus to the iPhone. Almost 50 percent of attorneys surveyed in 2012 by the American Bar Association used iPhones; more than 30 percent were still using BlackBerry. The CIOs at DLA Piper and Holland & Knight said at the time they're seeing a clear shift toward the Apple platform and were taking a wait-and-see approach to BlackBerry 10.

Mathias said that he is optimistic about BlackBerry 10 devices having impressive design, but less so about RIM's overall chances of swaying iPhone and Android customers.

"RIM will build a very high-quality product," Mathias said, in Ashland, Mass. But even if the Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM makes all the right technical and marketing moves, it still probably won't have features compelling enough to make iPhone and Android users switch, he said. Nor was Hewlett-Packard or Microsoft able to make significant inroads with their own mobile devices, despite having far larger budgets than RIM, he observed.

RIM still has a good reputation for their enterprise deployment software and for their wireless security features, Mathias added. But, he said, the importance of such features is shrinking in a bring-your-down-device world.

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XXELLA Jelly Bean Firmware Manual Update for UK Galaxy S3 Users

11:44 PM Lecor Martineau


The release of an Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) XXELL5 update for the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300) has been followed by that of the unbranded Android 4.1.2 XXELLA file for Galaxy S3 users in the United Kingdom. The update offers features like Multi-View, Page Buddy, a customisable Notification Panel and the Group Cast app. 


Firmware detail

PDA: I9300XXELLA

CES: I9300XAELLA

Version: Android 4.1.2

Region supported: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain 

The firmware is available both as an Over-The-Air (OTA) transfer and through Samsung Kies. Galaxy S3 users looking to manually update the device may follow this guide. IBTimes UK reminds its readers it will not be held liable for any damage to the device during this procedure. We also warn readers this firmware is compatible only with the Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300). 


Pre-Requisites
  • Ensure appropriate USB drivers are downloaded and installed
  • Enable USB Debugging mode
  • Ensure all data is backed-up
  • Ensure 80 percent battery charge
  • Ensure the device is factory unlocked

Steps to Install Android 4.1.2 XXELLA (Jelly Bean) on Galaxy S3 I9300
  • Download Android 4.1.2 XXELLA and extract contents of file (among others, a .tar file should be available)
  • Download Odin v3.07 and extract contents of file
  • Switch device off and re-start in Download mode (to do so, press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power till Samsung Galaxy logo appears on screen)
  • Run Odin on computer and connect device using USB cable (a successful connection is indicated by a message - Added - and the display of a COM port number, against a yellow background)
  • In Odin, select these files (extracted the XXELLA folder) in the order mentioned
  • Click PDA and select .tar file with CODE in its name
  • Click Phone and select file with MODEM in its name
  • Click CSC button and select file with CSC in its name
  • Click PIT button and select .pit file
  • Note: Last three steps can be ignored if such files are not found
  • In Odin, ensure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time checkboxes are selected
  • Click Start to begin installation
  • A successful installation will be indicated by a message - Pass - from Odin (against a green background) and the device will reboot (disconnect from computer only after Samsung logo appears)
  • Note:  In case device gets stuck at boot animation, go to Recovery mode and perform the Wipe Data/Factory Reset task and reboot system

The Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300) should now be running on Android 4.1.2 XXELLA (Jelly Bean) firmware. Navigate to Settings > About Phone to verify firmware running on device.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumours

11:29 PM Lecor Martineau


Samsung is expected to showcase the next-generation Galaxy S smartphone at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).


Phone Arena reports there will be no official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and neither will the smartphone appear in public. Samsung will instead show an early model to key partners only.

The report quotes information from South Korean website MT and suggests Jay Lee, the group's vice chairman, will show the Galaxy S4 to carriers and other partners. MT also claims the successor to the Galaxy S3 will have a 5in full HD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The report adds the processor is likely to be the Exynos 5440, a quad-core ARM Cortex A-15 based chipset.
Meanwhile, a photograph of the Galaxy S4, claimed as a press image, has been leaked. The photograph reveals the design of the new smartphone resembles that of the S3 and the Premier. In addition, the device does not have a Home button, which suggests it may have on-screen buttons. Finally, the bezel around the device is much thinner and the display is larger than earlier.

The leaked photograph, on SamMobile, also has details of hardware configuration and these are marginally different from those in the MT report. SamMobile believes an Exynos 5450 chip featuring a quad-core processor clocked at 2GHz will be used and this will be paired with a Mali-T658 graphics unit and 2GB of RAM. In addition, the handset will carry a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and a two megapixel front-facing camera. The device will run on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean).

Meanwhile, in response to questions, Samsung's Lebanon Facebook page has indicated the Galaxy S4 will not be released before May. The Facebook post is not an official statement but it does seem reasonable; the Galaxy S3 marks its first anniversary in the same month.

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Windows 8 Complete Guide

5:44 AM Lecor Martineau



Microsoft's newest operating system has a whole new interface and loads of new features. Of course, learning a whole new operating system always takes a little time. Here are our tips for getting up to speed quickly and getting the most out of Windows 8.


Preparing for Windows 8

Check compatibility
Is the software and hardware on your PC compatible with Windows 8? It's easy to find out with the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant.

Get your PC ready
If you're planning to upgrade to Microsoft's latest OS, now might be a good time to begin preparing your PC.

Try it out -- sort of
You've probably heard about the new Metro interface in Windows 8, but how to know if you'll like it? Current Windows users can get a sneak peek into the look and feel of Metro with the free metro7 app.

Get Windows 8
Microsoft's biggest desire is to get you using Windows 8, and fast. Here's how to use that $40 upgrade to flip older versions of Windows to Windows 8.


Starting up and shutting down

Skip the log-in
Users who don't need the security of a lock screen and a log-in screen can bypass both through a few simple steps.

Get the start menu back
Three free utilities can replicate the classic Start button and menu in Windows 8.

Going back to start
Clean and simple, Windows 8's Desktop mode also lacks any apparent ways to get back to Metro. Here's three tips on how to do just that.

Use a picture as your password
Tablet and PC users alike can create a picture password in Windows 8 as a visual way of signing in. Here's how.

Shut down with a tile
Shutting down or rebooting Windows 8 can be as easy as point, then click, if you want it to be.


The basics

Keyboard shortcuts
Windows 8 has some new keyboard shortcuts that will help you get around Microsoft's latest OS.

Set default programs
Windows 8 chooses its default players to run your music and video, but what if you want different programs to open your files? Here's how to change them.

Task Manager
The most neglected feature of Windows since it landed in 1995, Task Manager has finally received some love in Windows 8. Here's what's new.

Automatic backups
The new File History feature in Windows 8 can automatically back up your documents, music, pictures, and other personal files.

Sync your devices
One of the best things about Windows 8 is that you can sync settings, apps, and more across multiple computers and tablets. Here's how you do it.

Printing
Printing from a Metro app in Windows 8 works differently than printing from a Desktop app. So, how do you print from a Metro app?

Get Windows Media Center back
Windows Media Center isn't included with Windows 8, but for a limited time, you can get it free of charge.


Advanced tips

Run Windows 8 Desktop and Metro side by side
Not sure if you prefer Windows 8 in Desktop or Metro view? With an external monitor you can use both at the same time.

Dual-boot with 7
Dual-booting your Windows 7 PC with Windows 8 can help you ease into using Windows 8.

Make it kid-safe
Parental controls in Windows 8 are more configurable and robust than ever before. We'll show you how to use parental controls in Windows 8 to help keep kids safe while using a PC.

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iPhone 6: Facts or Rumors?

8:54 PM Lecor Martineau



Here you'll find all the latest news on the iPhone 6 release date, the rumours, upcoming features and of course specs on the eagerly anticipated iPhone 6 update.

With the iPhone 5 release date still fresh in our minds it is no surprise that the rumour mill is already looking ahead at the next iPhone from Apple whether it's a refresh in the form of the iPhone 5S or the even bigger update in the form of the iPhone 6.



Apple iPhone 6 screen

With the Retina display likely to appear onthe iPhone 5S it would appear as though Apple may shift to a larger iPhone screen for the 6 with reports suggesting the company will finally try and compete with the screen of smartphones like the upcoming HTC J Butterfly.

Reports are flying around that Apple could be looking to implement a 4.8-inch Retina+ IGZO screen made by Sharp which will make the iPhone display thinner, brighter and much clearer boasting better than HD resolutions.
According to those inside the manufacturing industry Sharp is working on making its super HD display iPhone-ready however because the technology is so advanced it’s unlikely to appear on the iPhone 5S with Apple saving the bleeding-edge tech for the likes of the iPhone 6 and possibly even the iPad Mini 2.


Apple iPhone 6 features

With the iPhone 5 featuring the super-fast and super-efficient A6 processor it’s believed that the iPhone 6 will come with the new A7 chip which would be limited to the next-generation iPad and the 6.

The source that suggested this also believes Apple will be looking to launch the iPhone 5S quicker than usual in order to give them enough of a window for the iPhone 6 to be a significant update on the previous model.

A new feature that could well appear on the 6th generation iPhone is the use of sonar as a replacement to the current infared sensors which use sound as a proximity sensor letting the phone detect where it is, either as a way of alerting the user about an incoming object, or as a way of detecting whether the phone is being held to the users ear.


Apple iPhone 6 release date

The Apple iPhone 6 release date could well be one key reason why there may not be an iPhone 5S at all. Tech website Technorati believes that Apple will be looking to regain the wow factor and to do that it needs to restrict its launches to game changing products.

While they could well launch the iPhone 5S as the ‘budget iPhone’ the iPhone 6 will be the next major version of Apple’s smartphone and the website believes that Cupertino could be looking to release it late 2013 possibly even 2014 in order to compete directly with what would surely be the Samsung Galaxy S5.

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Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: Head-to-Head Comparison

9:00 AM Lecor Martineau



It's all very confusing in tablet land: one minute Apple's making ten-inch tablets while Google settles for sevens, and the next Apple's making iPad minis and Google's unveiling the Nexus 10.


With a display so good you'll be able to see ghosts, the Nexus is a serious bit of kit for a seriously good price - but is it good enough to beat the latest, greatest iPad, the iPad 4?

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: UK price
The UK price for the Nexus 10 is £319 for the 16GB version and £389 for the 32GB version. The Wi-Fi-only iPad 4 starts at £399 for 16GB, £479 for 32GB and £559 for 64GB. The Wi-Fi + Cellular models are £499, £579 and £659 for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB respectively. Google doesn't currently offer 3G or 4G-enabled Nexus 10s.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: release date
iPad 4s will start arriving on the 2nd of November, while the Nexus 10 will be "available for purchase" on the 13th of November.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: content
The Nexus is integrated with Google Play and the iPad with the App Store, and while both services have stacks of apps - 700,000 for Apple and Google alike - Apple's offering has more dedicated tablet apps. From November 13, the same day the Nexus 10 goes on sale, UK Nexus users will be able to access the Play Music service, which has previously been US-only.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: display
The Nexus 10's screen is the main selling point here: its 10-inch panel runs at 2560 x 1600, achieving a screen resolution of 300ppi. That's far in excess of Apple's resolution, which delivers 2048 x 1536 and 264ppi. The Nexus 10 is a 16:9 display while the iPad is 4:3.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: processor
The Nexus 10 sports a dual-core Samsung Exynos processor with a quad-core ARM T604 graphics processor. The iPad has Apple's own A6X processor, a dual-core design with quad-core graphics.

Google Nexus 10 vs Apple iPad 4: memory
The Nexus 10 has 2GB of RAM. Apple doesn't publish specifications, but the iPad 4 is believed to have 1GB.

Google Nexus 10 vs Apple iPad 4: operating system
The Nexus 10 runs Android 4.2, aka Jelly Bean. The iPad 4 runs Apple's iOS 6.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: storage
The Nexus 10 is available with storage capacities of 16GB or 32GB, while the iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions. Both devices need some of that capacity for the operating system, and neither device has a card slot for additional storage.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: cameras, sensors and speakers
The Nexus 10 has a 1.9MP camera on the front and a 5MP camera on the rear, while the iPad 4 has 1.2MP on the front and 5MP on the back. iPad cameras are flash-free, whereas the Nexus 10 has an LED flash. The Nexus 10 has stereo speakers and the iPad 4 a single speaker. The Nexus 10 has an accelerometer, a compass, an ambient light sensor and a gyroscope, as does the iPad, but only the Nexus has a barometer. It isn't there to predict the weather: it's to identify your altitude for better GPS performance.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: battery life
The Nexus 10 has a 9000mAh battery, promising 9 hours of video or 7 hours of web browsing. Apple reckons you'll get 10 hours of web, video or music, and nine hours of browsing using mobile phone networks.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: network
The Nexus 10 has dual-band 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi with MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), but there's no 3G or 4G version as yet; Apple's Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad supports both 3G and 4G LTE mobile data. All iPad 4s also support dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, with support for channel bonding to achieve download speeds of up to 150Mbps. Both devices have Bluetooth 4.0, and the Nexus 10 also has NFC for Android Beam. The Nexus 10 has built-in GPS, while the Wi-Fi iPad does without. The Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 4 has GPS and GLONASS, the Russian alternative to GPS.

Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4: dimensions and weight
The Nexus 10 is 263.9 x 166.6 x 8.9mm and weighs 603g. The iPad 4 is 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4mm and 652g (662g for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model).

So, what is your choice? Google Nexus 10 vs iPad 4?

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LG Nexus 4 Review

8:45 PM Lecor Martineau

Google’s Android operating system is used on hundreds of smartphones and tablets. But the flagship Android devices, the ones the company calls “the best of Google,” are labeled Nexus. They are meant to show the world all that an Android device can be, and are designed and sold directly online by Google. Next week, the company will begin offering the latest phone in this line, the Nexus 4.



This new phone is part of a Google-designed portfolio that now includes two other devices: The Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets. The phone, which features a new version of Android, hits the market at a time when Apple has had early success with its iPhone 5, and as Nokia and HTC are bringing out devices with a fresh version of Microsoft’s phone software, Windows Phone 8.


I found the Nexus 4 more evolutionary than revolutionary. It has some nice features and carries on Google’s recent tablet tradition of low pricing. But there’s no knock-your-socks-off stuff in the new phone. Even the new version of Android is just a further iteration of the current variant, called Jelly Bean, rather than an all-new edition, such as Google introduced last year at this time with the prior Nexus phone.

And the Nexus 4 is missing two important features: The ability to use LTE, the most consistently speedy 4G network in the U.S.; and a memory capacity greater than 16 gigabytes, the amount most smartphones start with. The new phone also lacks a memory-expansion slot. The phone’s most touted new capability, the ability to capture 360-degree pictures, worked poorly in my tests.

Otherwise, I found the latest Nexus to be a solid, reliable, phone and a good value. On Nov. 13, Google will begin selling it starting at $299 for an unlocked version — one that has no carrier plan or contract — with a puny 8GB of internal storage. A 16 gigabyte unlocked version will cost $349. You’ll have to add the cost of a contract or prepaid plan from T-Mobile, AT&T or carriers that use the same network technology to those prices (the phone won’t work on Verizon or Sprint). T-Mobile will be offering the 16GB version for $199 with a two-year contract. To grasp how inexpensive the Nexus 4 is, consider that Samsung’s popular Galaxy SIII is about $550 unlocked, $199 with a two-year contract.

The Nexus 4, built for Google by LG of Korea, has a large 4.7-inch screen with high resolution, higher than Apple’s 4-inch Retina display on the iPhone 5, though with slightly fewer pixels per inch because it’s spread over a larger display. The new Nexus is 20 percent thicker than the iPhone 5 and 24 percent heavier. But its curved rear edges made it feel comfortable in my hand.

It’s made of plastic, but is clad in relatively sturdy Gorilla Glass 2 on both front and back. There’s a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front and an 8-megapixel camera on the back. These cameras took sharp, vivid pictures and videos and you can apply filters to snapshots.

While I didn’t do a formal battery test, the Nexus 4 lasted a full workday in mixed use, including Web surfing, lots of app use, email, texting, viewing of short videos, occasional music playback and voice calling.

A new feature in the Nexus 4 allows you to charge the battery, which is sealed inside, without plugging in an adapter, by merely placing it on a charging pad plugged into the wall. These pads, which Google doesn’t sell, must comply with an industry standard called Qi. I had mixed results trying this. I tested it on two Qi pads and only one worked with the Nexus 4.

Instead of LTE, the Nexus 4 relies on a 4G standard called HSPA+, which is more common outside the U.S. This network standard can be as fast or faster than LTE in places, but in my tests comparing the Nexus 4 on HSPA+ with an iPhone 5 using LTE, the differences were often stark. In one location, the two were about the same, at just under 15 megabits per second for downloads. But in two others, in two cities, the Nexus 4 on HSPA+ managed average download speeds of just 2.8 mbps and 3.8 mbps, while the iPhone 5 on LTE averaged nearly 30 mbps. Some other phones offer both LTE and HSPA+.

I found voice calls to be clear and reliable, but the external speaker sounded weak and it’s worse when you aren’t holding the phone because it’s located on the rear.

The phone’s fast processor, coupled with improvements in the new version of Jelly Bean, called Android 4.2, made the Nexus 4’s touchscreen fast and fluid. One new feature of the latest operating system is called Gesture Typing, which allows you to compose text by swiping from key to key, rather than tapping them. This worked fine, but is similar to a system called Swype, which has long been available on other Android phones. Another nice feature in Android 4.2 is improved auto-correction. It now tries to anticipate the next word likely to be typed. So, if you type “Monday,” it suggests “night” and “morning.”

However, I found the most touted new feature on the Nexus 4, an enhanced panorama photo feature called Photo Sphere, disappointing. A Photo Sphere is a 360-degree image of a scene, in which you can pan around to see up and down as well as side to side. Google has made it easy to take such a picture, guiding you with blue dots as you move from around a starting point, automatically adding more of a scene in all directions until you decide to stop.

However, in all four of my Photo Sphere tests the results were poor. Objects like chairs, roofs and even people came out distorted and uneven. Google officials said they couldn’t explain my results.

Also, you can only fully share these Photo Spheres with others, for now, via the company’s Google+ social network. If you email them, they arrive as static scenes.

The new version of Android introduced on the Nexus 4 also has an enhanced version of Google search, which yields more answers, rather than just links, and speaks some of the answers back to you when you search by voice rather than typing. But the same new features were just released in a new version of Google search for the iPhone. In my tests, the iPhone version sometimes gave richer answers, such as hourly temperatures on weather searches, missing from the Android version.

Overall, the Nexus 4 is a good phone, with especially good prices for unlocked versions. But I’d advise Android buyers to consider other models with LTE, better speakers, and the ability to add more memory and work on all carriers.

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