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Techradar |
- Samsung rebooting Galaxy S2 for Windows Phone 7?
- BBC Olympics head: 3D sports can look odd
- BBC Olympics head: 3D looks odd for some sports
- Canon DSLR training promotion
- Bing News UK gets refreshed look
- Samsung drops Apple lawsuit
- Updated: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray UK release date revealed
- HTC set to jump RIM in smartphone rankings
- Google reportedly in pole position for Hulu purchase
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to get TouchWiz update
- Apple to top mobile PC sales charts in 2012?
- Google switches off Realtime service to integrate +
- In Depth: The next OS battle: Windows vs iOS vs Android
- PS4 release date 2012, coming with full-body motion control?
- Updated: iPad 3 rumours: what you need to know
- Opinion: Ubuntu wants to become its own brand
- London 2012 branded Panasonic cameras
- Facebook to link with Skype for in-browser video chat?
- Review: Thermaltake eSports Shock One
- Rules on Twitter direct messages changing
- Samsung Galaxy S2 passes 3 million sales
- Review: Silverstone Fortress FT03
| Samsung rebooting Galaxy S2 for Windows Phone 7? Posted: 04 Jul 2011 10:41 AM PDT A new Samsung phone has been outed by the Bluetooth SIG board, with a codename prompting speculation that the next Windows Phone 7 device from the Koreans will be a re-badged Galaxy S2. The Bluetooth group, which tests new phones using the wireless specification before release, has seen the Samsung SGH-i937 pass through its labs, similar to the Samsung SGH-i927 (The Galaxy S2) and the Samsung SGH-i937 (also known as the Windows Phone 7-powered Focus in the US). The sequencing of the numbers has prompted many to simply believe that the phone will be an amalgamation of the two devices - and while a Galaxy S2 running Windows Phone 7 might be cool, it's far from certain. Not much to go on The specification of the SGH-i937 is pretty sparse - but other than Bluetooth 2.1 standard noted (which would be a step down from the S2) there's nothing else to suggest it will be a Windows Galaxy S2 hybrid. More likely is the phone will still have the Super AMOLED screen technology both the Focus and the S2 used, but will be in keeping with the new hardware spec Microsoft laid out a few months ago. We'd rate this as a very unlikely rumour at the moment, so unless Nokia wows us all with dual-core Windows Phone 7 devices during 2011 we won't be seeing a Galaxy S2 OS reboot. From Bluetooth SIG via WMPoweruser 
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| BBC Olympics head: 3D sports can look odd Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT The man in charge of the BBC's 2012 television coverage has suggested that some sport looks "pretty odd" in 3D. Writing after the 3D coverage of Wimbledon, BBC director of London 2012 Roger Mosey blogged that, although some 3D sport worked well, he still had doubts that the technology could be applied to every discipline. "For the BBC, we've always agreed that some of the Olympics should be captured in 3D - though this would be a full 20 years after the pioneering of 3D in Barcelona by analogue cameras," wrote Mosey. Duck! "There's no doubt that 3D at its best is terrific to watch. As one of this weekend's reviewers noted, it can be realistic enough that you duck when the ball's heading your way," he continued. "But I've also seen some sport that looks pretty odd in 3D, and the consumer reaction so far hasn't been decisive - which means there are still doubts in the industry about whether 3D will become standard in the way that HD already has.
"That's echoed in the movie world where there's some evidence of audiences turning away from 3D." Mosey's opinion is by no means rare within the industry – and the caution over 3D has been clear from the BBC, who are in a position to avoid pressure from any of the television manufacturers to back the technology. In fairness, even one of the country's leading 3D evangelists, Sky, have suggested that an extra dimension works better for some sports than others, but we'll wait with interest to see if the hammer-throwing has us ducking for cover beneath our sofas, or if the 10k has us glued to another non-3D channel. 
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| BBC Olympics head: 3D looks odd for some sports Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT The man in charge of the BBC's 2012 television coverage has suggested that some sport looks "pretty odd" in 3D. Writing after the 3D coverage of Wimbledon, BBC director of London 2012 Roger Mosey blogged that, although some 3D sport worked well, he still had doubts that the technology could be applied to every discipline. "For the BBC, we've always agreed that some of the Olympics should be captured in 3D - though this would be a full 20 years after the pioneering of 3D in Barcelona by analogue cameras," wrote Mosey. Duck! "There's no doubt that 3D at its best is terrific to watch. As one of this weekend's reviewers noted, it can be realistic enough that you duck when the ball's heading your way," he continued. "But I've also seen some sport that looks pretty odd in 3D, and the consumer reaction so far hasn't been decisive - which means there are still doubts in the industry about whether 3D will become standard in the way that HD already has.
"That's echoed in the movie world where there's some evidence of audiences turning away from 3D." Mosey's opinion is by no means rare within the industry – and the caution over 3D has been clear from the BBC, who are in a position to avoid pressure from any of the television manufacturers to back the technology. In fairness, even one of the country's leading 3D evangelists, Sky, have suggested that an extra dimension works better for some sports than others, but we'll wait with interest to see if the hammer-throwing has us ducking for cover beneath our sofas, or if the 10k has us glued to another non-3D channel. 
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| Posted: 04 Jul 2011 08:50 AM PDT Canon has announced a training promotion with the purchase of 3 models from its DSLR range. A free training DVD and up to £150 worth of training vouchers can be received for free when photographers purchase a Canon EOS 1100D, EOS 600D or EOS 60D. The 4 DVDs to choose from are:
Photographers purchasing one of the 3 cameras in the promotion will be a sent a welcome pack containing the DVD and a voucher which can be redeemed against Experience Seminar training courses. Photographers have until 31 October 2012 to redeem their voucher, the value of which is dependent on the model purchased as follows:
For more information about the training promotion, DVDs and training vouchers, along with full terms and conditions, visit the Canon EOS training website. 
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| Bing News UK gets refreshed look Posted: 04 Jul 2011 08:41 AM PDT Bing UK has refreshed its news browse feature to allow people to find the stories that matter to them more easily. Bing is still battling for market share in the UK, where Google is not so much the 500 pound gorilla as the entire zoo, but the search engine has begun to gain a little purchase. The refresh of the news page consists of better categorisation and follows the revelation that UKOM's (panel-based) figures suggest Bing News is bigger than Google News. Browse "Bing UK has a new 'news browse' page that makes it easier than ever to scan headlines and pinpoint news," said Microsoft's statement. "With reading news one of the most popular online activities in the UK, the fresh and visual design of the new news browse page will feature even more UK sources to ensure even greater relevancy, as well as including pictures in each search result. " Bing's UK figures are boosted, of course, by the still-popular UK branch of MSN, which funnels many people through into the search engine. 
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| Posted: 04 Jul 2011 07:37 AM PDT Samsung has withdrawn one of its lawsuits against Apple – with the Korean giant suggesting it is 'streamlining legal proceedings'. The litigation between phonemakers over various patents and innovations has reached a dizzying scale, but aside from keeping several law firms in business, the sheer amounts of money mean that this kind of thing is treated very seriously. This particular counter claim was in response to Apple's litigation over the Samsung Galaxy infringing on its iOS devices the iPad and iPhone. Counter-claim This is by no means the end of litigation between Samsung and Apple – and the dropping of one particular legal pursuit is to apparently pursue a counter-claim in an earlier suit. Nam Ki Yung, a spokesman for Samsung told Bloomberg that "[we] will continue to actively defend and protect our intellectual property." Apple – as you would expect – has not commented on the situation. 
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| Updated: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray UK release date revealed Posted: 04 Jul 2011 07:26 AM PDT Carphone Warehouse has unveiled a possible Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray launch window, with the handset expected to arrive in August. UPDATE: The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray release date has been 'outed' by Play.com as 15 August, with an expected UK price of £349.99. This would position it pretty squarely against the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, so it will be interesting to see what the Japanese-Swedish alliance does to help highlight the differences between the two apart from a slightly smaller screen. The company launched the handset in Singapore recently, bringing an 8MP camera and 1GHz processor to its slim and stylish ways. It also offers Android 2.3 and a 3.3-inch touchscreen and an array of exciting colours to choose from – black, gold, white and pink, but sadly no blue (Blu-ray, geddit?). A Ray of light Sony Ericsson had already noted that the Xperia Ray would land in Q3, so Carphone's release date of August is no huge surprise – but it is just an anticipated date, so subject to change if circumstances dictate it. Although Three has confirmed it'll be selling the Ray, there's no word from the other networks yet. Subsequently, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray UK pricing and network deals are yet to be announced. 
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| HTC set to jump RIM in smartphone rankings Posted: 04 Jul 2011 07:06 AM PDT New figures from research firm Market Intelligence Center predict HTC will become the world's fourth-biggest smartphone maker in 2012. The move would see it push past RIM in the terms of handset sales, and see it gunning for the likes of Samsung, Apple and Nokia. RIM is already heading through a turbulent financial period after profits recently fell below predictions, so it won't be good news to note the rise of alternative manufacturers during the period. Built on Android juice HTC's growth has mainly come through critically acclaimed Android-powered handsets, which the firm was instrumental in helping to develop. The same OS is set to be the top dog in 2012, as according to MIC Google's smartphone platform will be running on 40 per cent of smartphones, dwarfing the 28 per cent of Nokia's ailing Symbian platform. However, it's interesting to note that the influence of the Finnish manufacturer will see Windows Phone 7 jump to near-parity with iOS in the predictions, with the two platforms taking 17 per cent and 19 per cent of the worldwide market respectively. 
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| Google reportedly in pole position for Hulu purchase Posted: 04 Jul 2011 07:06 AM PDT Google is apparently in pole position to snap up US video on demand giant Hulu, although Microsoft and Yahoo are apparently also sniffing around a deal. Hulu is apparently on the hunt for a buyer, with the service not managing to pick up the deals necessary in taking the next step to a global proposition. Hulu started out as a joint venture between NBC Universal, Fox and Disney – allowing it a massive amount of prime content from the US networks. Yahoo! Yahoo has reportedly already made an approach for the VOD service – which, despite promises, has never managed to make the move to the UK – but it is Google who the LA Times claims is now leading the chase. Google, of course, it still trying to make something of its Google TV project, but has faced difficulties in gaining content deals, and is the owner of industry giant YouTube. Hulu does bring a huge body of keen advertisers, and has offered some innovative web-based ideas in this area which have proved to be popular. Microsoft, the third company with a reported interest, has made forays into content production, and is keen to extend its own video player offering from the likes of Bing and MSN. 
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to get TouchWiz update Posted: 04 Jul 2011 06:53 AM PDT The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is to get a significant software update, which will add TouchWiz to its UI. Although the tablet has yet to make its way to UK shores, there is set to be a comprehensive software update 'coming soon' that will add a number of new features to the Galaxy Tab 10.1. At the top of this list is the Samsung TouchWiz UI, which can be currently found on most of Samsung's phone handsets. TouchWiz on the Galaxy Tab will offer: a live panel to show you a number of realtime updates (from news to social updates), a mini apps tray, clipboard (advanced cut-and-paste functionality) and a quick access panel, so you can toggle on/off Wi-fi, get easy access to settings and the like. Feature focus Other new features coming to the update include the ability to purchase and rent movies on the Galaxy Tab and Amazon Music Cloud Player, Amazon Kindle and Words With Friends will also come pre-loaded on the tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 UK release date is 4 August, so we have to wait another month until we can see just how good the new update is. We're trying to find out whether the new update will offer the ability to switch between TouchWiz and 'standard' Android Honeycomb, as a forced UI change will likely anger many users who have grown accustomed to the normal experience. 
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| Apple to top mobile PC sales charts in 2012? Posted: 04 Jul 2011 06:41 AM PDT A report is suggesting that Apple could overtake HP at the head of some portable computer rankings next year, when you factor in sales of iPads and Macs. Although the portable computing category is a little hard to define as lines between phones, tablets and laptops blur, DigiTimes believes that Apple could overtake the mighty Hewlett Packard in global sales. The rise and rise of the iPad 2 means that it is expected to sell in the region of 40 million units, and when you factor in Macbook sales as well at around 15 million that gives it a much larger share of the market than HP. Serious contenders Although this can be seen as merely a definition issue, the fact is that portable PC sales are a very important industry league table and one which the biggest names take very seriously. No doubt HP will be keen to separate out tablet sales, with its own slate – the HP TouchPad unlikely to hold a candle to the well-established iPad. Should the TouchPad, along with any other slate-like offerings from HP, start to have a real impact, or we split out laptops from tablets then it may all be moot. But, Apple investors may find their stock boosted by a very positive headline next year. 
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| Google switches off Realtime service to integrate + Posted: 04 Jul 2011 06:15 AM PDT Google has turned off its realtime search feature in order to update it to work with its fledgling Google+ social network. The launch of Google+ represents the latest attempt from the search giant to take on the likes of Twitter and Facebook, and its integration into other key services from Google is key to any success. Inevitably, given its real time nature, Google is keen to integrate real time results from Google+ public messages into its real time search. And, to that end, Google has suspended google.com/realtime whilst it completes the work. Temporary "We've temporarily disabled google.com/realtime. We're exploring how to incorporate Google+ into this functionality, so stay tuned," read a tweet on the official Google Realtime account. Of course, that outage is going to ruffle a few feathers, but in truth downtime for maintenance is a fact of internet life, and probably serves to reinforce Google's intent to make + work. Amusingly, the last official tweet before the suspension was a suggestion that people follow the Google+ story on realtime. 
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| In Depth: The next OS battle: Windows vs iOS vs Android Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:34 AM PDT Steve Jobs calls it the post-PC era. For Google, it's all about the cloud. Microsoft calls it the PC-plus era. The firms use different terms and have different approaches, but they're talking about the same thing: a radically different kind of computing where the PC is no longer the centre of the universe. Computing will be on phones, in tablets, in TVs and even in our cars, and the battle will soon begin: iOS 5, Android 4 and Windows 8 in a battle for the very future of computing. Whose side are you on? Choose your own adventure The lines between traditional PCs and mobile devices are getting distinctly blurry. Apple is beginning to merge iOS and OS X, Windows 8 looks awfully similar to Windows Phone and will even run on ARM devices, while the unified codebase of Android 4.0 - bringing tablets and smartphones together in perfect harmony - suggests a merger of Android and the Chrome OS in the not too distant future. There's more to it than touchscreen phones and tablets, though. iOS has AirPlay for media streaming, Google TV is rumoured to be coming to Android and Microsoft has its Media Center and Xbox Live services. With HDMI output, growing games libraries and access to a wealth of online content - including new services such as OnLive, which promises to use streaming to deliver PC-quality gaming without the PC - mobile devices have their eye on your TV and games consoles too. They're even coming for your cars: Saab has unveiled an Android-based in-car entertainment system, Ford has been sticking Windows into cars for years and Volkswagen's Microbus Bulli concept uses an iPad for key systems including navigation, communication and even climate control. Using an iPad is rather unrealistic, but there's no reason why firms couldn't use popular smartphones to do something very similar.
ANDROID AUTO: Saab has turned to Android for its in-car system. Could a smartphone dock do the same job? All of these devices will be linked via the internet. Apple sees the link as a background one, with apps automatically saving and sharing files with one another. Google sees the internet as the place where software actually lives. And Microsoft sees it as a way to share with traditional desktop applications. Whichever vision you share, though, you can be sure of one thing. It's a trap. Locked in Firms don't just want to sell you a single bit of kit any more. They want to sell you an ecosystem - and the more bits of the ecosystem you invest in, the more difficult it is for you to jump ship. Let's say you've bought a whole bunch of books in Apple's iBooks, your music is from iTunes, your media is stored on iCloud, you use an iPad to stream it to your Apple TV, your stereo is an iPod dock and your iPhone doubles as your sat-nav, the controller for your car's air-conditioning system, your TV remote control and the key for your front door. Given the expense and the hassle of changing all of those things, are you really going to switch to Android if Google brings out a slightly nicer version of its OS or if Samsung makes a slightly nicer Galaxy Tab? If your smartphone was the brains of your car, would you really buy an iPhone if it meant losing the integration between your existing Android phone and your car? For most of us, the answer would be no. Apple, Google and Microsoft aren't the only firms doing this, of course. Android firms are stuffing bookshops and video services into their tablets in the hope that once you choose their tablet, you'll stick with their kit forever; Sony's Bravia TVs really want you to use Sony Blu-Ray players and PS3s; and Amazon's Kindle books don't work in others' programs because Amazon wants you to use Kindle ereaders, Kindle PC and smartphone apps and its forthcoming Kindle tablet. One company in particular knows the importance of lock-in: Microsoft. "The Windows API is... so deeply embedded in the source code of many Windows apps that there is a huge switching cost to using a different operating system instead," Microsoft's C++ General Manager Aaron Contorer wrote back in 1997. "It is this switching cost that has given the customers the patience to stick with Windows through all our mistakes, our buggy drivers, our high TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), our lack of a sexy vision, at times, and many other difficulties." Bad news for Microsoft, whose income is still dominated by Windows and Office licenses: the price of software is heading downwards, fast. OS X Lion will be less than £30, and Google isn't charging its partners to use Chrome OS.
FAMILIAR: Microsoft's UI is being standardised across devices: Windows 8 (pictured), Windows Phone and Xbox 360 Apps are plummeting in price too, with Office rivals such as Apple's iWork apps going for £12.99 apiece and cloud-based Office rivals such as Google Docs available for free. And of course, updates to mobile OSes don't cost anything. Firms will make money in other ways: by selling hardware or extra capacity in Apple's case, by selling ads or customisation in Google's, and by selling services in Microsoft's. Expect all three firms to make healthy sums from their share of music downloads, ebook purchases and application sales too. Operating systems are likely to embrace the King Gillette model: give away the razor but charge for the blades. Expect to see some collateral damage. Developers whose apps address shortcomings in firms' operating systems can expect to see those features appear in the next OS update, and hardware firms making stand-alone devices that are really about the software - sat-nav systems, or stand-alone in-car systems - should probably think about getting into apps. The biggest losers, however, are likely to be computer manufacturers. There are several dangers here. One danger is backing the wrong horse, such as making Windows tablets only to discover the market prefers Android, or making Chromebooks when the market decides it'd rather stick with real laptops. Another danger is that your chosen platform provider decides to bring everything in-house: Microsoft making its own Windows Phones, perhaps, or its own Windows 8 tablets. The only way firms can protect themselves from such problems is by diversifying: a bit of Google here, a bit of Microsoft there, a bit of something else over there.
OS X LION: Full screen apps, auto-saving, iPad-style icon launcher... the lines between desktop and mobile OSes are getting awfully blurry The biggest risk may be from the world of patents. Florian Mueller correctly predicted that the Microsoft/Nokia deal would lead to a fairly friendly settlement of the Nokia/Apple patent battle, and he suggests that patents could make the Android market an increasingly vicious place. The problem, Mueller says, is that Android is a "suit magnet". Google has a relatively low number of Android-related patents, and Mueller suggests that that could mean Android manufacturers suing one another. "Patent issues may turn Android-based devices into an unprofitable business at some point, regardless of consumer demand, and at that point it will be hard for anyone other than Google to make any money with Android," he says, noting that Sony is already locked in an Android patent battle with LG. "I don't want to name names but I could see some Android device makers trying the same kind of cannibalization," Mueller says. Bickering Android rivals aren't the only concern. Apple has just been granted a patent that effectively means it owns the multitouch gestures it pioneered, which means it could demand licensing fees from its rivals. Post-PC isn't No-PC George Shiffler is senior research director with Gartner. "We remained convinced as ever that there will always be a PC," he told us. "It may not be the star it was a decade ago, but it will be there and play an important role in people's lives and device portfolios." PC operating systems will be come more mobile-y - OS X Lion and Windows 8 both take significant cues from their mobile siblings - but the PC isn't going away. "The PC is an exceptionally adaptable platform and has shown itself capable of evolving in response to changing users' wants and needs," Shiffler says. "While newer devices have chipped away at its more marginal uses, it continues to offer users a core functionality that will not easily replicated by other devices. "Indeed so far as I can see, neither Google, Apple, nor Microsoft is talking about replacing the PC experience but only delivering it differently. Naturally, that has implications for what PCs look like and how they function. But PCs have faced similar challenges before and emerged the better for it." 
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| PS4 release date 2012, coming with full-body motion control? Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:23 AM PDT A number of Taiwan-based manufacturers have reported that they are to begin production of the PlayStation 4 in 2011, readying the console for a 2012 release date. It is also thought that Sony will be following in the footsteps of Microsoft and offer full-body motion control à la Kinect. This is all according to DigiTimes, which is reporting that component makers at Foxconn and Pegatron Technology have been given the nod that it will have to make 20 million PS4s in 2012. PlayStation 4 incoming? If this is correct, then we will be seeing a next-gen PlayStation console a whole lot sooner than anticipated. Although Sony has confirmed that it has begun work on the PS4, it is still thought that a successor to the PS3 is still some way off – Sony has always said that the PS3 has a 10-year life cycle. If the PS4 release date is indeed 2012, then this would be just six years into the life of the PlayStation 3. This would mean that Sony would support the PS3 alongside the new console, much like it did with the PS2. Digitimes, which seems to have a hotline straight to Foxconn and the like, also reported last week that the component factories were told that an iPad 3 was also going to be released this year. Is this wishful tech thinking or are we going to see these gadgets sooner than we all think? 
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| Updated: iPad 3 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:45 AM PDT The iPad 2 is out, and the rumour factory's already moved on: it's predicting iPad 3 specifications including chips, cameras and retina displays - with a little bit of help from mysterious, unnamed people who can't possibly be identified. How very convenient. So what's the word on the street about the next iPad? Read on to find out. But first, our colleagues at T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPad 3 video below: iPad 3 release date This is the biggest rumour of all: an iPad 3 mere months after the iPad 2. An unnamed Apple employee says that the iPad 2 was a bit of a rush job, and "the third generation iPad is the one to make a song and dance about." Respected Apple watcher John Gruber added fuel to that particular fire by strongly hinting that the iPad 3 release date will be in September 2011. Gruber, who was musing about the HP TouchPad's potential summer release said: "Summer feels like a long time away. "If my theory is right, they're not only going to be months behind the iPad 2, but if they slip until late summer, they might bump up against the release of the iPad 3." If Gruber is right about this and the iPad 3 features in an Apple autumn line-up, then it looks like Apple is going to start offering a new iPad every six months. Reuters reports that the new iPad 3 is due in the fourth quarter of the year. On 1 July, Digitimes reported that Taiwanese-based component suppliers were gearing up for production of iPad 3 and iPhone 5. The iPad 3 UK release date is a mystery With Apple apparently unable to meet demand for iPad 2, we'd expect a staggered release date for the iPad 3 too: if the US gets the iPad 3 in September, we'd expect the UK iPad 3 release date to be in October, or possibly even November. However, Apple could always follow the pattern it has with the previous two iPad launches and do it in the new year. The iPad 3 specs include a dual-core processor... It's possible that the iPad 3 will have a brand spanking new processor, Apple's A6, but if the rumoured release date is correct then time is awfully tight: we'd certainly expect to see an A5, not an A6, in the iPhone 5 when it turns up this summer. Apple may well surprise us, of course, but we'd expect to see the same processor and graphics as the iPad 2 in the iPad 3: an A5 processor with PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics. This one comes down to the iPad 3 release date: if it's 2011, expect an A5. If it's 2012, see below. ...unless iPad 3 has a quad-core processor If the A6 is the next stage in the line - and we don't see a new iPad until 2012 - we could also be looking at a quad-core chip from Apple. Quad-core designs will be coming from all ARM partners late this year. iPad 3 display A retina display was widely predicted for the iPad 2, but of course the current iPad doesn't have a double-resolution display: for now, that's something you'll only get in the iPhone 4. Could a Retina Display be one of the features Apple didn't quite get into the iPad 2? Could be! It's the very first thing on our iPad 3 wish list. Rumours of an HD screen on the iPad 3 gathered pace on 12 April 2011 when Digitimes reported that Apple is asking panel makers to provide screens that are capable of displaying higher image quality than the iPad 2. On 26 May 2011, we reported that the iPad 3 could launch with a Samsung-made AMOLED screen, following rumours that Apple has been in talks on the matter with Samsung execs. On 15 June we reported that the iOS 5 code hinted at a Retina Display for iPad 3. The iPad 3 hardware could include an NFC chip Apple's very interested in Near Field Communications, and one particularly tasty rumour at Cult of Mac suggests that the iPhone 5 will use NFC to take over nearby Macs, enabling you to use your data and settings with a flick of the wrist. Since the iPad 3 will follow the iPhone 5, if NFC's in one it'll probably be in the other too. The iPad 3 specifications will include more storage The iPad 2 has the familiar 16/32/64GB storage options, but as flash storage comes down in price a 128GB option for the iPad 3 isn't impossible - although that might depend on the current horrible situation in Asia, where the tsunami has caused chaos in parts of the electronics industry. The iPad 3 features could include a Thunderbolt port Two generations of USB-free iPads suggest that Apple just isn't interested in adding one, but the new Thunderbolt port found in the 2011 MacBook Pro could be another story: it's a combined accessory/display connector with astonishingly fast performance. There could be more than one iPad 3 TUAW says the iOS 5 code features new code files for USB devices in the iOS 5 firmware, Through this, TUAW found references to an iPad3,1 and an iPad3,2. The iPad 3 may live in the cloud This has been talked about and leaked about for so long that, on the same principle that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, it's bound to come true eventually: a cloud-based MobileMe for storing your stuff on Apple's servers. A new iPad with iOS 5 and a new MobileMe would be lots of fun. The iPad 3 specs might include an SD card slot This was widely predicted for iPad 2 and, like the retina display, didn't materialise. One for version 3, perhaps? Using a separate adapter to read camera cards is rather inelegant and clunky. The iPad 3 specification should include a better camera The rear-facing camera on the iPad 2 isn't brilliant: an iPhone 4 camera and flash would do nicely. The iPad 3 could feature a carbon fibre case Apple has hired a carbon fibre expert, senior composites engineer Kevin Kenney, fuelling speculation that the next iPad could be encased in the lightweight material. The iPad 3 price might be higher than the iPad 2 The iPad 2 didn't herald a price hike, but if the iPad 3's coming in September we don't think a massive iPad 2 price cut is very likely - which suggests that if the iPad 3 does appear then, it might be more of an iPad Pro - with a price to match. 
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| Opinion: Ubuntu wants to become its own brand Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:41 AM PDT Recently I've found that I have a problem with Ubuntu, but it's not a simple one to explain. You don't expect a distribution at the top of the popularity charts to risk its user base and its wider community standing by making big changes in a single release, yet this is exactly what Canonical has done with Ubuntu 11.04. It has opted to replace the standard Gnome desktop with something of its own creation – a desktop shell it calls Unity. Technically Unity is only sitting on top of the same old GTK desktop, but new users won't know this and old users aren't going to find the road to familiarity an easy one. What's worse, Canonical has done this while the Gnome team has been working on an almost identical technology (Gnome Shell), and both releases have occurred within the same quarter of the same year, despite many years of effort going into both. The problem I have with this is that neither Gnome Shell nor Unity alone is good enough to warrant a separate project. They both have their own faults and foibles, and will probably take a couple of serious updates to realise some of their potential. Both could have easily benefited from each other's contribution, were the two projects aligned. A renegade 'go it alone' approach only works if the end result is blindingly brilliant and could never have been achieved by a larger team. If you try Unity and Gnome Shell side by side, you realise that each project has been working on the same wheel, which is a waste of time. Losing the baggage I suspect there's a good reason why Canonical has taken this risk, and I don't think it has anything to do with Linux. Nor does it have anything to do with Linux users, or trying to create a distribution to compete with the likes of Fedora and OpenSUSE. I think this is all about new horizons and new opportunities, and to do that, Ubuntu needs to lose some of its Linux baggage. It seems Ubuntu wants to become its own brand, where its Linux heritage is only secondary to the user experience it offers. And it can only do this if it has complete control of the desktop, where it can make as many changes as it wants without upsetting upstream developers or other projects that rely on the same code. That is what it's done with Unity, and it's not a bad idea in principle. Ubuntu is already a viable alternative for something like OS X, and both Unity and Gnome Shell take plenty of inspiration from Apple's desktop. OS X requires expensive hardware to run, and Canonical could probably make a good business case for selling an operating system with similar usability goals but without the exclusive hardware requirements. With Unity, Canonical is attempting to distance itself from Linux and make its product more attractive to OEMs who care little about the inspiration and politics behind free software. A couple of recent conversations with Canonical, for instance, has revealed that the company wants people to use Ubuntu because of what it calls a superior user experience. But I think it means 'superior to Windows', not other Linux distributions. Following Android Canonical isn't interested in whether Unity only further confuses the melee of Gnome 3.0, KDE 4.6 and XFCE 3.8. It's about having control. And there's another company that's done exactly the same thing and, and as a result, made itself the market leader - Google with Android. Android could be the model for the next generation of Ubuntu releases. Despite it being built on Linux, this fact is never mentioned. Instead, Google has created its own ecosystem for running and installing applications, and for accessing simple desktop functionality, first on phones and now on tablets. Unity is the first step towards a similar goal for Canonical, and applications will need to be tweaked and repacked to make best use of its features, which won't be transferable to other desktops. Alongside the new desktop, Ubuntu already has an app store, and Unity makes the installation process as painless as possible. If it can attract small commercial projects to its store, and a few high-profile games, Ubuntu becomes an increasingly attractive one-stop solution for low cost hardware vendors. As with Android, the Linux component might become an afterthought, and sometimes, even an apology. That's the best way I can think of explaining my problem. Unity might be the first step on a road that takes Ubuntu from the Linux stable that nurtured it, and puts it on a path of independent control. 
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| London 2012 branded Panasonic cameras Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:36 AM PDT Panasonic has revealed a range of special and limited editiion collectables branded with the London 2012 logo, including cameras and camcorders. Custom designed versions of the Lumix G3, the latest compact system camera from Panasonic, and a branded version of the SD90 HD camcorder make up the limited edition range. Panasonic has manufactured only 2,012 of each model, with each packaged with a commemorative one-year-to-go £5 from the Royal Mint and new London 2012 packaging. The G3 is available in black and features a subtle gold London 2012 logo on the back and London 2012 close-down screen. Also available are the Lumix DMC-S3 digital camera, HX-DC1 upright HD camcorder and a range of headphones and SD memory cards. The special edition DMC-S3 will be available in white and feature a vibrant pink and green London 2012 logo and black with a subtle silver logo, both with London 2012 close down screens. Four special edition gold 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB SD cards form a collectable set, each featuring the Official London 2012 Olympic Games mascot, Wenlock, participating in various Olympic events. For more information, visit the Panasonic website. 
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| Facebook to link with Skype for in-browser video chat? Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:27 AM PDT Facebook is set announce in-browser video chat for the social network this week and there are reports that this service will be powered by Skype. The ink is yet to dry on Microsoft's buyout of Skype but it seems that one of its first partnerships under Ballmer and Co's tutelage will be with Facebook – if a TechCrunch source is correct. This isn't the first time that Skype has been linked to Facebook. Back in September 2010 the same rumour reared its head and this March it was reported that talks had resumed between the two companies. Who wants to FaceSkype? Facebook has been linked with video chat as far back as 2009, when it was noted that it was trialling a service that would rival Skype. Facebook is definitely launching a new service 6 July, with an invite going out to US press. The image on the invite is pretty apparent that some sort of video integration is incoming. It's easy to see why Facebook would want to integrate video chat. The launch of Google+ last week to a select few individuals showed that Google was using video chat as a main part of its social network – allowing group video chat for those who want to Hangout. 
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| Review: Thermaltake eSports Shock One Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:00 AM PDT Just how heavy is 500g? Take our word for it: it's heavy. Not a reassuring, well-built kind of heavy, more an 'oh god my head's being crushed, get it off now' feel. Usually ear-covering cans feel comfy and secure, and whilst the Shock One isn't the most uncomfortable headset we've come across, it creates too much pressure to wear for more than half an hour. Also, even though your ears are fully covered, the Shock One certainly ain't noise cancelling. It sounds like you're holding seashells to both ears. Okay, so how's the sound? Not bad. It boasts a frequency range of 20Hz- 20KHz – the full spectrum of human hearing. But despite a better bass response than Sony's DR-GA100 set the Shock One loses clarity and high-end sparkle. The £30 Sony cans do a better job with the high mids upwards, which is damning for the pricey Shock One set. In-game, it's quite precise at pinpointing direction, but when things get chaotic there's a complete lack of definition. But wait! This headset comes filled to the brim with extras. There's a velveteen bag to carry it around in, and some velour ear pads that do actually make the headset comfier. There's also a software suite! I know. Finally, right? You can muck around with EQ presets or change the frequency response curve yourself, and gaze in wonder at the 'light indication' that shows you the status of the LEDs on your headset. There's also a timer, presumably for logging play time or respawn rate. Seems an odd addition, but it's useful enough. These things may distract you from the fact you've paid more than £50 for a distinctly average headset. The Shock One doesn't have any major failings, but doesn't do a great job of justifying its price tag either. Unless you really care about carry-bags and flashy LEDs, that is. 
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| Rules on Twitter direct messages changing Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:50 AM PDT Users will soon be able to direct message businesses on Twitter, even if they are not being followed by the verified company that they contact. Direct Messaging has previously been limited to people who are being followed by the person that they are following, but that barrier is apparently crumbling for some twitter entities. The Next Web has two cases of verified brand accounts that allow DMs even if they are not following those who contact them. Spam Removing the follow requirement from the entire user base would prove to be an unpopular decision, with DM spam likely and many appreciating a communication method that requires some form of identification. However, for businesses having the capacity to receive DMs without having to follow the person that wants to contact them makes sense. There has been no official confirmation of the news from Twitter, with the feature appearing with little fanfare and, seemingly, only for certain accounts thus far. 
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| Samsung Galaxy S2 passes 3 million sales Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:41 AM PDT Samsung has announced that the Samsung Galaxy S2 has managed to surpass 3 million sales in record quick time for the company. It may have taken the original Samsung Galaxy S 85 days to reach the 3 million sales mark, but its successor has managed to do this in a mere 55 days. Samsung has done the number crunching and to achieve 3 million, it has had to sell a handset every 1.5 seconds. Galaxy quest What's more impressive is that the Samsung Galaxy S2 hasn't even reached the shores of the US, so the majority of the sales have been in Europe and South Korea, where Samsung are based. Samsung isn't just setting resting on the 3 million mark, as it's hoping to sell at least a total of 10 million handsets worldwide – which would be the same as what it did with the Galaxy S. So, why is the handset so popular? Well, we would recommend you read our Samsung Galaxy S2 review to find out - but the super-slim chassis, hyper-fast operation and eyeball-melting screen quality should give you a little hint. 
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| Review: Silverstone Fortress FT03 Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:30 AM PDT Not too long ago Micro-ATX cases, and the budget motherboards housed within them, were mainly found in offices and schools. Micro-ATX motherboards were considered a low-priced option for making compact, cheap and reliable computers. Back then a micro-ATX motherboard would rarely – if ever – be considered for making a powerful gaming rig. As the Silverstone Fortress FT03 proves, things have changed. Motherboard manufacturers are fully embracing the micro-ATX form to create brilliant gaming motherboards, such as Asus with its Republic of Gamers Rampage III Gene. A powerful micro-ATX motherboard, filled with the latest components overclocked until their pips squeak, won't do well in a standard micro-ATX case, however. As motherboard manufacturers have changed their approach to the small form factor, so have case makers. This is where the Silverstone Fortress FT03 micro-ATX gaming case comes in. While it takes the smaller form motherboard, it's no slouch in terms of size and space. These are essential considerations for powerful PCs that need plenty of airflow and cooling, as well as space for upgrading.
As soon as you lay your eyes on the Silverstone Fortress FT03 you realise where it gets its name. This is an impressive monolith that eschews the more over-the-top, and some would say tacky, extravagance of its rivals such as the CoolerMaster HAF 912+ for a more quietly intimidating aesthetic. To access the motherboard, soundcard and graphic card's I/O plate, however, you remove a disappointingly cheap-feeling plastic grille. Having these accessible from above is a novel approach, and certainly makes accessing the I/O ports much easier, as you're not having to root around the back of the case to plug in a monitor. It does mean the cables connecting a PC to external devices tend to overflow from the top of this case, although whether or not this odd look is a problem will be down to personal taste. As far as opening up and installing components inside the Silverstone Fortress FT03 goes, it's thankfully not as impenetrable as its name implies. The left-hand panel slots off without any need for tools, and there is plenty of room to manoeuvre inside the case for installing components.
Although it's not as large as Silversone's PS03 chassis, installing the motherboard is perfectly easy. Because it's a smaller case, care has to be taken when arranging cables, especially as you begin to fill the case up with more and more components. Some of the awkwardness you will experience from adding components is more likely to be down to the size of the micro-ATX motherboard, rather than any fault of the case. The Silverstone Fortress FT03's cooling capabilities are also impressive. The case comes with two 120mm intake fans located towards the lower half of the case, and angled towards where the graphics card and CPU are to be installed. The PSU is installed at the bottom of the case, where vents expel heat. We liked
Its vertical design is not only unusual, but it makes the Silverstone Fortress FT03 a towering presence. It's certainly a love it or hate it design, but there's no denying that it is striking. It's a great case if you are building a powerful PC or gaming rig around a micro-ATX board and a lot of thought has been put into cooling features and installation. We disliked With such a striking design, it's a shame that some odd choices have been made to incorporate it. The top access of the I/O ports, for instance, can end up looking out of place. Also, although it is large for a micro-ATX case, it's still not as roomy as chassis designed for full-size motherboards. 
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