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• Is the Surface right for your business?
• New Google Nexus 4 buyers face five week wait for delivery
• PS3 now the top device for Netflix streaming to a TV
• Apple files patent for magnetic wireless charging - no contact required
• Google sends out YouTube app update optimized for iPad and iPhone 5
• Windows Phone 8 app sales reportedly surge with ambiguous data
• Qualcomm invests in Sharp, plans to collaborate on IGZO displays
• iTunes launched in 56 countries today
• Google I/O 2013 going down May 15 - May 17
• Gmail 2.0 for iPhone and iPad out now
• Review: Apple Mac mini
• Google Nexus 4 back on sale at 5pm today
• Facebook Messenger for Android opens up to the Facebook-less
• Buying Guide: Best 13-inch laptops: which is right for you?
• Why black holes were the biggest threat to your devices in 2012
• In Depth: 18 years of fun: Happy Birthday PlayStation
• BBC relaunches Red Button with iPlayer-friendly web boost
• Samsung confirms Ativ S will arrive before the end of the year
• Samsung could be lining up Galaxy Note 7.0 tablet
• Google still hasn't cracked the Android upgrade process
• Updated: Samsung Galaxy S4 release date, news and rumours
• Foxtel Go gets more channels
• Plastic FIPEL light bulbs could replace compact fluorescents
• Optus no longer includes free social media in its postpaid data plans
• To Motorola's chagrin, court won't impose sales ban on Windows and Xbox

Is the Surface right for your business? Posted: 05 Dec 2012 12:05 AM PST Mobile digital communications devices are now part of the fabric of every business. The Mobile Security Strategies: Threat Solutions & Market Forecasts from Juniper Research forecasts that employee-owned smart phones and tablets – the so called BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) phenomenon – will result in the number of smart phones and tablet PCs being used in businesses reaching 350 million by 2014. According to an independent survey commissioned by Hornbill Service Management of 1,457 British office workers, 53% state that corporate IT is failing to keep pace with the needs of the business. Some are taking drastic steps to resolve this: 40% state that they will use personal devices without getting permission from, or informing, IT in order to improve productivity. "Technology doesn't stand still: from social networks to apps to tablets, new devices and ways to use them are flying at the workforce at a breakneck pace," said Patrick Bolger, Chief Evangelist at Hornbill. "This data shows that if the IT department can't adapt to these changes and support new devices and ways of working, it won't only be unable to keep pace with the needs of the business." Microsoft Surface as enterprise iPad? With a market saturated with tablet PCs, any new device has to offer something special. With the arrival of Surface from Microsoft, could businesses have a tablet PC that is designed specifically for their needs? The focus has been on the consumer version of Surface, but looking at the technical specification of the so-called 'Pro' version of the tablet reveals little differences. The key specifications of the Surface with Windows 8 Pro version include: OS: Windows 8 Pro Weight: 903 g Thickness: 13.5 mm Screen: 10.6" ClearType Full 1920x1080 HD Display Processor: Intel Core i5 Processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000 Connections: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 4 Productive: Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block Memory: 4GB RAM + 64GB or 128GB SSD The addition of a keyboard can transform the Surface into a productive business machine, but the jury is still out whether Surface offers anything that say the iPad and its myriad of apps does at the moment. And many industry watchers point to the latest range of entry-level Ultrabooks that will be arriving in 2013 that could deliver business machines that evolve the humble notebook PC into a device that enterprises can embrace. Additionally at the time of writing the Pro version is still just coming soon and has not had pricing decided, or any details of battery life. However we can assume it's going to be more than the £399 for the Surface RT, and battery life is likely to be less than the 8 hours quoted for the Surface with Windows RT. Clearly Microsoft is focused on the business community with the Surface. Yes the iPad can of course be used as a business tool, but Microsoft is betting that enterprises will be looking for technology that is focused on business and not the consumer market. However competing platforms such as RIMs PlayBook or Cisco's Cius, that are more aligned with what businesses want to do with their mobile data devices – the propensity for BYOD notwithstanding of course - have failed to set the market alight and have either been withdrawn or reduced in price to attract the BYOD consumer market. Integrating technology Turning its back on developing an iOS or Android-like version of Windows, Surface is a Windows machine through-and-through, which links seamlessly to Windows 8 that many businesses will upgrade to. This also enables businesses to effortlessly integrate Surface into their day-to-day operations, as they already support Microsoft's enterprise IT environment. Business users that are in the market for new portable devices may be confused about the machines on offer. All of the familiar brands will continue to build traditional Windows-based notebook PCs. Add the Surface tablet into the mix, and upgrading your Windows hardware isn't as straightforward as it once was. If your business is looking to move to Surface, ask yourself these questions: Is BYOD rife in your company? - If so, you can regain some level of control by offering Surface to your employees that still have a tablet experience, but one that is within your business' IT environment. Will your company be upgrading to Windows 8? - If so, integrating a tablet PC is child's play with Surface, as it shares the Windows ecosystem that your business will be familiar with. Does your business need a fully functional notebook PC? - If so, an Ultrabooks could look highly attractive, but the addition of the Touch and Type keyboards to the Surface gives the Ultrabooks a run for their money. Is your business looking to reduce costs by moving to tablet PCs? - If so, then the price of the Surface should be considered closely. As traditional notebook PCs will be available with Windows 8, they are likely to be half the price of Surface, with Ultrabooks pricing themselves out of the small business market for the short term at least. Whether Surface can make inroads into the tablet market already dominated by the iPad remains to be seen. However, in the enterprise business environment where RIM dominate, a Windows 8 tablet that fits seamlessly into a business' existing IT infrastructure and that is priced right, could deliver the business tablet that everyone has been waiting for. For more on choosing and buying an Ultrabook see our feature Top 10 Ultrabooks for business For more on Microsoft Surface with RT read our review of the Microsoft Surface Hands on: Microsoft Surface review

New Google Nexus 4 buyers face five week wait for delivery Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:00 PM PST The bargain Google Nexus 4 smartphone has returned to sale in the UK, but new buyers face a wait of up to five weeks for delivery. The £239 (8GB) / £279 (16GB) smartphone flew off the shelves in less than half an hour when it launched last month and hadn't been seen on the Google Play store since. The LG-made handset became available again for the first time at 5pm on Tuesday evening, but it already seems unlikely that many users will receive their smartphone in time for Christmas. Crave reports that initially the shipping estimate was listed as 1-2 weeks, but that soon inflated to 4-5 weeks - at which it remains. Unfathomably long The unfathomably long wait for delivery mirrors the 3-4 week wait some early adopters were asked to endure during the first run of sales in Britain. The shortages have overshadowed what should have been an overwhelmingly positive launch for Google, given the Nexus 4's stunningly competitive price point and impressive feature set. Both devices are still listed as available and you can still order them through the Google Play Store, but surely something that already exists, but takes over a month to deliver, is simply out of stock? If you want one before Christmas you can still get it from O2 and, from later this month, Three UK. However, there's no super-cheap SIM-free deals on those networks.

PS3 now the top device for Netflix streaming to a TV Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:14 PM PST Netflix and Sony have announced that the PlayStation 3 console is now the number one device worldwide for Instant Streaming to the TV. The landmark, which Sony proudly proclaimed on its PlayStation US blog, puts the PS3 above the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and all other connected devices like the Apple TV and Roku solutions. In fact, viewing on the PS3 was so popular that streaming figures even outshone the PC to become the number one device overall, during certain periods in 2012. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the PS3 is a great fit for his company as it allows for the seamless roll out of its newest and most advanced features. More firsts He said in a statement: "PS3 is our largest TV-connected platform in terms of Netflix viewing, and this year, at times, even surpassed the PC in hours of Netflix enjoyment to become our number one platform overall. "PS3 is a natural fit for Netflix in terms of developing and first deploying our most advanced features. We can transparently update our application with new features on a daily basis, and through the free PlayStation Network, people around the world can sign up for Netflix directly from their PS3." The PS3 Netflix app was the first console to get Netflix' full 1080p video streaming with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound, on device sign-up and second screen controls. "PS3 is currently the only platform to experience a new voice user interface called "Max" that's currently being tested," the blog post added. No additional subscription required Sony, of course, has a built-in advantage over its main rival the Xbox 360 through the free PlayStation Network. Xbox 360 owners, although much greater in number, have to pay for an Xbox LIVE gold subscription before they can access apps like Netflix.

Apple files patent for magnetic wireless charging - no contact required Posted: 04 Dec 2012 03:48 PM PST The next iPhone may have a wireless charging system, if a recently published patent by Apple is any indication. And while there are other phones with wireless charging capabilities, like the Nokia Lumia 920, what Apple's aiming for is a little different. The patent covers "various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computer environment." It uses a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) to wirelessly charge devices up to 1 meter away. That's right - no contact required. The patent was filed November 2010, but was published just a few days ago. Charging into the wireless Apple's proposed system is a departure from current wireless charging apparatuses. Those require some sort of contact on a pad or plate to power devices. There are a few examples of wireless charging already on the market, but the tech has yet to gain major traction. As mentioned, the Lumia 920 has a wireless charging accessory, which needs contact to charge. But the plate is a bit pricy at $99 (UK£45, AUD$95). Being able to charge devices from a meter away is a notable advancement and may help proliferate the technology. At the very least it means devices won't have to crowd around and touch a physical object to charge. A shift in thinking The patent should give hope to those who were disappointed by the iPhone 5. Wireless charging was on the wish list of many Apple fans during the media hype lead-up of the latest iPhone. But those hopes were dashed when Apple unveiled the Lightning connector and Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, said there would be no wireless charging in the handset. "Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Schiller told AllThingsD the day the iPhone 5 came out. Schiller was defending Apple choice to switch to the Lightning connector and said USB ports were much more ubiquitous, making the new connector more versatile. But this patent might mark a change of position. About face(time) If Apple goes forward with wireless charging will Schiller have to eat his words? Perhaps not, as Schillers' statement may not be blasting wireless charging but rather speaks to Apple's commitment to simplicity. To that effect, the patent is meant to tackle the "unwieldy" configuration of the many wired chargers and power sources needed for multiple wireless devices. If Apple can cut through that clutter it would make charging iPhones, iPads and iPods together a lot simpler. But Apple's charging system can also reach beyond portable devices. The system could keep a wireless keyboard and mouse powered without the need to change out AA batteries. And Apple loves its wireless keyboards and mice. More patent disputes? Though the patent was published a few days ago, some already hear the drum beat of patent war approaching. Tech startup WiPower already patented the whole concept of wireless charging in 2008. Since then, it's been acquired by chip-maker Qualcomm. Then the company joined The Alliance For Wireless Power, which is working on a similar no-touch charging system. Apple's well-known court rival, Samsung, is also in the alliance. WiPower's original patent and other Samsung intellectual properties form the backbone of the alliance's standard. All this means we might yet see another round of patent infringement lawsuits between Apple and Samsung, though for now we'll just dream of a world without wires.

Google sends out YouTube app update optimized for iPad and iPhone 5 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 02:44 PM PST It's been a busy few days for the folks at Google as the company announced on Tuesday that it's rolling out yet another update - this time one for its YouTube app. Available now in iTunes, the update is optimized for the iPad and iPhone 5. Google first pressed play on its independent YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch three months ago, conspicuously leaving Apple's tablets out of the loop. With the iPhone 5's 4-inch screen, the app needed a retooling that fitted YouTube flicks into its entire screen space, not mention filled out the iPad. While its design is catered to conform to the devices' larger screen sizes, the update also adds enhanced AirPlay support, bolstering videos streamed onto Apple TVs - perfect for HDTVs and other large viewing apparati. Small things As part of the update, videos start faster and run with less hiccups, a Google blog post boasted, and VoiceOver improves accessibility. YouTubers can now tap a logo to open their channel guides and click on links within video descriptions. Adding and removing videos from playlists is another update feature. The YouTube update is rolling out globally today and follows the Google team's earlier news that Gmail version 2.0 is now available for iOS. That update came after another Gmail update, this time for Android, headed out on Monday. iOS 6 is the first Apple operating system to not include preinstalled a YouTube update, just as it shed Google Maps. Google, however, isn't letting its fans wallow in inconvenience.

Windows Phone 8 app sales reportedly surge with ambiguous data Posted: 04 Dec 2012 02:39 PM PST It seems Windows Phone 8 is a smash hit with developers, or at least Microsoft seems to think so. Speaking out on Twitter over the weekend, Windows Phone Apps Team Senior Director Todd Brix claimed an impressive 100 percent growth in app revenue and downloads in the wake of Windows Phone 8's release. "If you build it, they will come," Brix tweeted. "100%+ increase in WP developer revenue & app downloads since WP8 launch in Nov." Monday he added some clarification to the statement, which had already started generating buzz and more than a few calls for specific sales data. "100% = growth 30 days after 10/29 [announcement] in US. Just sharing a nice trend FWIW. Not announcing raw sales," he wrote. Talking in trends Taken simply as a general trend, improved sales and downloads for Windows Phone apps is to be expected. While Windows Phone 8 hasn't exactly set the sales charts on fire, it's at least outperforming its predecessor. According to Microsoft, last month it sold four times as many Windows Phone 8 handsets as it did smartphones for the same time in 2011. Of course, without any data for context that could still indicate a lackluster launch, but it would at least be a lackluster launch four times better than the year before. So with four times as many Windows Phone 8 handsets sold, we'll buy it that the Windows Phone 8 app ecosystem received a boost as well. The devil is in the details An increase of 100 percent or more seems a bit of a stretch, but certainly possible. After all, very few new apps were being released a month prior to the Windows Phone 8 launch, as many developers saved their apps for the new mobile OS. The initial numbers could be shockingly low, or the new download statistics could be staggeringly high. However, without actual sales data in hand it's easy to assume the worst, especially when competitors like Apple and Google are all too eager to make even the smallest milestone known to the world. The continued lack of specificity from Microsoft is worrying, suggesting that the software giant is not as proud of the data as it claims to be. Just sharing a troubling trend, for what it's worth.

Qualcomm invests in Sharp, plans to collaborate on IGZO displays Posted: 04 Dec 2012 01:02 PM PST The rumors of Sharp being saved by an investment from Qualcomm turned true Tuesday, as the U.S. technology company has made a deal to become a minority shareholder in Sharp. Back in November, it was thought Qualcomm and Intel would both offer support to the struggling Sharp, however Tuesday's announcement revealed Qualcomm, through its Pixtronix subsidiary, as the only investor. As part of the deal, Qualcomm has offered to invest up to $120 million (UK£74.5, AUD$114.5) in Sharp, with $60 million (UK£37.2,AU$57.2) due by the end of 2012. There is currently no timetable for the other half of the investment to be paid, but Qualcomm will not provide more cash unless Sharp can prove profitable by the end of the fiscal year. Low-power rescue Qualcomm's investment in Sharp provides the Japanese manufacturer with the capital to continue work on its indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) displays, and Reuters reported the two will work together on developing the technology. Sharp's IGZO LCD screens provide a low-power solution for tablets and smartphones, requiring power only when in use, rather than constantly being active. The Aquos Pad will be the first device to use an IGZO display, and the 16GB 7-inch tablet is due to arrive in Japan by the end of this year. Sharp and its partners, such as Apple, have been secretive about whether or not the IGZO displays will be utilized in iPads and iPhones in the future, but technology that improves battery life and screen resolution could help revolutionize the next wave of touchscreen devices. It's also worth pointing out IGZO LCD technology may not just be limited to smaller screens, and the screens could possibly make it onto television sets down the line. Qualcomm's investment is a major deal, and could prove to inject life back into the fledgling Sharp as 2013 begins. The company announced in September that it would lay off almost 20 percent of its workforce by 2014.

iTunes launched in 56 countries today Posted: 04 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST Monday's rumors of an Apple iTunes event about to take place in Moscow seriously underestimated the scale of Apple's impending announcement. The Cupertino company launched iTunes in not one, not two, and not three, but 56 additional countries Tuesday, nearly doubling the number of nations that have the music store. The day prior, it seemed as if iTunes might launch in Russia, and possibly in Turkey and Lebanon on top of that. But those guesses missed the mark by over 50, as the iTunes music store is now available in a total of 119 countries across the globe. iTunes music, movies and Match Apple stressed in its announcement that many countries' iTunes music store selections are filled with local music from "thousands of independent labels" as well as the usual international stuff. "The iTunes Store features local artists including Elka in Russia, Sezen Aksu in Turkey, AR Rahman in India, and Zahara in South Africa, international artists including The Beatles, Taylor Swift and Coldplay, and world-renowned classical musicians including Lang Lang, Yo Yo Ma and Yuja Wang," Apple's announcement read. iTunes Match, Apple's music library cloud storage service, is also available now in all countries that have access to iTunes. In addition, Apple announced that movies are now available through iTunes in Russia, Turkey, India and Indonesia, and that more countries will gain access to movie downloads in the future. Is iTunes available in my country? The iTunes app store is already available in 155 countries, but those living in a place where iTunes music was previously unavailable may be wondering whether that changed today. Apple focused on Russia, Turkey, India and South Africa in its official announcement, but when queried a PR representative for the iPhone maker sent TechRadar a list of all 56 countries in which iTunes is newly available. While we won't list all of the names, notable additions include several African nations, including Botswana, Egypt and Kenya, while Saudia Arabia and United Arab Emirates got store access too. Bahrain, Bermuda, Fiji, Israel, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mongolia and Nepal were also part of the iTunes music list. Apple likely hoping to boost iPhone and iPod sales around the world by giving new populations access to iTunes' reported 20 million songs.

Google I/O 2013 going down May 15 - May 17 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:24 AM PST Rejoice, devs: Google's 2013 conference just for you is happening a month earlier than this year's. @googledevs tweeted out the dates for next year's I/O Tuesday, revealing the gathering will go down May 15 - May 17. A Google+ post named San Francisco's Moscone Center West as the home for the 3-day event. The conference is returning to its typical May time frame, falling a month earlier than 2012's June dates. Registration for the event will open in February 2013. Save the registration date Though the exact day registration opens isn't yet known, we do know from experience that the conference sells out ridiculously fast. Google I/O 2012's tickets were gone in 28 minutes - a record for the show. General admission at the time hit $900 (around £564, AU$858), though we won't know until February how much tickets for 2013's run will cost. If you just can't wait five more months to get your I/O fix, check out these highlights Google has so generously posted from last year's gathering: YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=67IPYFsPZEU

Gmail 2.0 for iPhone and iPad out now Posted: 04 Dec 2012 09:51 AM PST It took Google six months, but the G-team announced Tuesday that Gmail version 2.0 is now ready for iOS. The updated iPhone and iPad app provides a "totally new look and feel," the company explained in a Gmail blog post, one that's faster, sleeker and easier than before. Among the improvements are profile pictures in messages, new animations from swivels to transitions and infinite scrolling in message lists. Google also added something users have clamored for: multiple account support. Now up to five Gmail accounts are accessible from the login menu. All it takes is a couple of taps to hop to another account. Time saver Quick typers should appreciate Gmail's new autocomplete predictions in search, while those tired of exiting the app to +1 or comment on Google+ accounts can now do it within the app. Users can also RSVP to Calendar invites. While the bells and whistle features will certainly save time and increase maneuverability, the interface is slimmed down and sleeker, providing a much smoother experience then its predecessor app. The update comes one day after Gmail version 4.2.1 rolled out for Android, bringing with it improvements like auto-fit options, pinch to zoom, a swipe command to either archive or delete messages and the ability to attach phone-captured videos. Gmail 2.0 is up for grabs in the App Store now.

Review: Apple Mac mini Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:21 AM PST Introduction The Apple Mac mini has long been the cheapest way to own a Mac. Since its introduction in January 2005, the small form factor desktop Mac has offered a low-cost alternative to the all-in-one iMac or the high-end Mac Pro. Although it's sold without a keyboard, mouse or screen, everything else you need is in the box. It's internet-ready, through Ethernet or wireless N, and comes with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and all its bundled apps pre-installed. The 2012 generation Mac mini is based on an aluminium unibody design. It's available in two models. The cheaper one has a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and a 500GB hard drive, and costs £499 in the UK, AU$699 in Australia or US$599 in the US. The more expensive late 2012 Mac mini reviewed here has a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, a 1TB hard drive and costs £679/AU$899/US$799. Both models offer 4GB of onboard RAM. There's also a server version of the high-end model, which includes the server edition of Mountain Lion and twin 1TB hard drives, for £849/AU$1,099/US$999. At just 19.7cm (7.7 inches) long and wide, 3.6cm (1.4 inches) tall and weighing only 1.22kg (2.7lbs), it's comfortably transportable. If you want to use the same computer at home and at work, for example, you can set up a keyboard, mouse and monitor at each, and then when you're ready to leave, unplug the Mac mini and slip it in your bag. Since the mid-2010 refresh, the Mac mini's transformer has been built into the body, so the power supply is a cheap figure-of-eight lead. The Mac mini lost its optical drive with the previous generation, in the summer of 2011, and unsurprisingly, it doesn't make a return here. If you want to use CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs, you have to buy an external device such as Apple's own USB SuperDrive, or if you also have computer with an optical drive fitted, a Remote Disc. The 2012 refresh isn't a radical overhaul. It retains the same basic form factor as the last generation of Mac mini, and makes no major changes to its functionality. But it's more than a mere incremental upgrade. The step up in processors, from the second generation Sandy Bridge chips to the new third-gen Ivy Bridge CPUs, bring a welcome increase in power. Their integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset is around 60% more powerful than the Intel HD Graphics 3000 used in second-generation Core-i processors. Unfortunately, the discrete graphics chip that made its Mac mini debut in last year's high-end model has now gone, so both 2012 Mac minis rely solely on integrated graphics. This is annoying, considering making room for the discrete chip was given as a reason for dropping the optical drive. Specifications The two 2012 Mac minis have Ivy Bridge processors, with a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor in the entry-level model, and a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 for the more expensive one. This is up from the previous generation, which used 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 chips respectively. The new processors feature Hyper-Threading, enabling two threads to run on each core, for four virtual cores on the entry-level dual core chip and eight on the more expensive quad core model. At times of high needs, Turbo Boost enables the processors to temporarily operate above their maximum clock speed. The 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 can reach up to 3.1GHz under Turbo Boost, and the 2.3GHz Core i7 can manage 3.6GHz. Overall, the new processors represent a welcome step up for the entry-level model, and a very significant increase in power for the more expensive Apple Mac mini. Once again, the Mac mini has a single Thunderbolt port, a versatile I/O protocol that can handle video as well as data. With two 10Gbps channels, it's up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0. You can daisy chain up to six devices to a single Thunderbolt port, and it can even handle two Apple displays. If you've got an older Apple screen that uses a Mini DisplayPort connection, you can plug it straight into the Thunderbolt port with no adaptors required. Alternatively, there's an HDMI port, which is ideal to connect your Mac mini to an HD TV or a monitor. Like the previous generation, the new Mac mini has four USB ports, but they now use the high-speed USB 3.0 protocol. As before, there's an Ethernet port, FireWire 800, an SD XC card slot and sockets for audio in and audio out. For wireless connectivity there's 802.11n Wi-Fi internet and Bluetooth 4.0. If you order on the Apple online store, you can upgrade the memory in either Mac mini model from 4GB to 8GB or 16GB. Opt for the more expensive of the two models, and further configuration options are available. The processor can be upgraded to a 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, and the 1TB hard disc drive can be replaced by a 256GB solid state drive or a new 1TB Apple Fusion Drive. The Fusion Drive combines 128GB of solid state storage with a 1TB hard drive. By storing the operating system, regularly used applications and commonly accessed files on the flash section of the drive and everything else on the hard drive, a Fusion Drive gives near-SSD speeds without compromising on storage capacity. Performance It's disappointing that the more expensive 2012 Apple Mac mini doesn't have a discrete graphics processor. While most releases of Apple's small form factor Mac have relied on integrated chipsets, the previous generation gave us an AMD Radeon HD 6630M in the high-end model. Indeed, it was said that the optical drive was in part dropped to make room for the extra graphics chip. Yet in the late 2012 Mac mini, neither model has discrete graphics and nor has the optical drive returned. If you want to watch DVDs, rip CDs or burn discs on your Mac mini, you'll have to buy an external drive such as Apple's own USB SuperDrive or use OS X's Remote Disc feature. In fact, no Mac owner should get too attached to its optical drive. Since dropping it from the Mac mini, Apple has released the MacBook Pro with Retina display and the 2012 iMacs without optical drives, and no doubt its days are numbered in the rest of the Mac range too. The lack of a discrete graphics chip doesn't mean the new Intel Core i7 Mac mini is underpowered. The Intel HD graphics integrated chipset has improved with every new generation of Core i processor. The Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset used in these Ivy Bridge processors is up to 65% faster than the Intel HD Graphics 3000 chipset it replaces. The top-of-the-range late 2012 Mac mini boasts a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor running at 2.3GHz too, which far outpaces the 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 in mid-2011's high-end model. Our benchmarks bear this out. Call of Duty 4 ran at almost exactly the same frame rate, despite being limited to integrated graphics. Benchmarks Xbench: 147.7 Cinebench 10 Single core: 48.19 Cinebench 10 Multi-core: 18678 iTunes encoding: 449.5 seconds Movie encoding (iMovie): 148.3 seconds Doom 3: 99.1fps Call of Duty 4: 72.4fps In our Cinebench 10 rendering test, the new Mac mini was almost 9% quicker than its equivalent predecessor when using only one core, but with all cores in play, it almost doubled its performance. The Mac mini runs incredibly quietly. In fact, it's almost silent. This is great news if you want to put it under your TV and use it as a media Mac. It has an HDMI port, so it's the perfect companion for your HD TV. If you want to use it with a computer monitor, you can plug a Mini DisplayPort into the Thunderbolt port, and there's a DVI-to-HDMI adaptor in the box. The Mac mini hasn't come bundled with media centre software since Apple stopped bundling its ageing Front Row application with the operating system, but there are several third-party options such as Plex or XBMC. With no optical drive or discrete graphics to get in the way, there's no excuse for the SD XC card reader slot to be on the back of the new Mac mini. There's plenty of room at the front now, where it would be far more accessible, especially if you're using it as a living room media centre Mac. Verdict The late 2012 Mac mini refresh brings welcome improvements, but no real surprises. The step up to the new Ivy Bridge processors was inevitable, but the benefits they give us aren't to be taken lightly. The Mac mini now uses faster 1600MHz DDR3 memory, too. Both versions have 4GB of RAM where the entry-level model had only 2GB before, and the more expensive mini has a 1TB hard drive, where the previous generation used 500GB drives in each. But there's no radical overhaul. The form factor remains the same, and apart from upgrading to USB 3.0, the connectivity options are unchanged. We liked The 2012 Mac mini retains the qualities that endeared us to previous generations of Apple's small form factor Mac. It's very convenient; if you want to use the same computer at home and in the office, you can set up a monitor, keyboard and controller on each desk and carry the small, lightweight mini between the two. Since the transformer is built into the unit, the power supply is a cheap figure-of-eight cable. You don't even need to carry around a power brick. The new processors are awesome, giving a significant increase in power, and the USB ports have been upgraded to high-speed USB 3.0. And for those on a budget, the Mac mini is still the cheapest way to buy a Mac, priced at £679/AU$899/US$799 for this more expensive model. We disliked Apple appears to be phasing out the optical drive. It was dropped from the Mac mini in the previous generation, and unsurprisingly, it doesn't make a return here. We miss the discrete graphics processor we got with the more expensive of the two mid-2011 Mac minis, though improvements to the Intel Core i-series chips' integrated graphics chipset means this isn't as big a loss as you might expect. We wish Apple had put the SD card reader at the front of the machine. It would be far more accessible there, especially if the Mac mini is used as an under-the-TV media machine. Final verdict The hackneyed old phrase, 'an evolution not a revolution' could (to use another hackneyed phrase) be written for the late 2012 Mac mini. With the Ivy Bridge processors and faster memory already having debuted on other Macs, it was inevitable they'd come to the small form factor Mac with this year's refresh. Dropping the discrete graphics processor was an unwelcome surprise, though the unexpected but much appreciated Fusion Drive, a hybrid solution combining a hard drive and solid state storage, is a great configuration option.

Google Nexus 4 back on sale at 5pm today Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:24 AM PST It's time to open up multiple browsers and dust off your F5 key, as the Google Nexus 4 will be back in stock on the UK Google website at 5pm. The smash hit handset with a crazily reasonable price tag sold out in 30 minutes flat when it initially went on sale in November – leaving many with a sour taste in their mouth after missing out. Fear ye not though, for the searching portal has confirmed the Nexus 4 will be going back on sale at 5pm, although stock levels are unclear – fingers crossed they are plentiful and that Google's website can cope with the influx of visitors. Powerhouse The LG made handset sports an impressive 1.5Ghz quad-core processor, 4.7-inch HD display, 2GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, NFC connectivity and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It's available in 8GB and 16GB flavours, with the former setting you back just £239 and the latter only slightly more expensive at £279. It's being sold for much higher amounts by LG at 'normal' shops, which explains why buyers are so desperate to go through Google and grab a bargain. Trust us, it's worth it.

Facebook Messenger for Android opens up to the Facebook-less Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:16 AM PST Facebook has decided to welcome those without Facebook accounts in to the Facebook Messaging fold. From today, some people will be able to sign up to the Facebook Messaging app on Android using just their name and phone number. This means you don't have to be on Facebook to start instant messaging your pals through Facebook's IM platform. Garden gate Rather than Facebook friends, the Facebook-less messagers will be able to chat with their existing phone contacts – it's basically a Facebook-branded WhatsApp. While the update to the Facebook Messenger app will roll out today, accounts will only be available to the social-networkly-challenged in Australia, India, Indonesia, South Africa and Venezuela to begin with. The rest of the world will gradually be getting the update over the coming weeks.

Buying Guide: Best 13-inch laptops: which is right for you? Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:54 AM PST The 13-inch laptop has gone on leaps and bounds recently, thanks massively to Intel's Ultrabook specifications. In many ways, a 13-inch laptop is the perfect size for a portable PC; they're not as fiddly and squint-inducing as netbooks, but not as heavy and awkward as a full-on notebook. And there are plenty of PC and Mac options available, too. For a broader view, look at our best laptops in the world today. But whatever you do, read on to find our favourite 13-inchers of the past few months in no particular order. 1. MacBook Air 13-inch In a market becoming densely populated with slim-line laptops from a massive range of manufacturers, Apple still holds the trump card with the MacBook Air. It packs in cutting-edge technology from Intel, along with faster RAM and updated connection ports compared to its predecessor, offering a great experience. The keyboard is excellent (and backlit), the Multi-Touch trackpad works brilliantly, and it's as fast as you like. Read our full MacBook Air 13-inch review 2. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga The IdeaPad Yoga is all about flexibility (hence the name), offering tablet and laptop all in one. As far as tablet experiences go, a 13-inch screen may seem like overkill, until you're holding it on your lap. And, practically speaking, we love that if you see something in the tablet or other non-laptop modes that merits a deeper dive, you can pull the keyboard out and get busy. Aside from Microsoft's own-brand Surface tablet, this is an ideal flagship device for Microsoft and Windows 8. As much as possible, it takes complete advantage of the Windows 8 environment, particularly the new UI. For now, it's hard to imagine anyone topping a device that can be favourably compared to other laptops as well as tablet convertibles. Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga review 3. MacBook Pro with Retina display Apple's late 2012 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display isn't for everyone. Many will baulk at the price, and even those who are willing to pay it should ask themselves whether the small saving and slightly smaller size is enough to recommend the 13-inch Retina notebook over its more powerful 15-inch counterpart, but there's no denying its quality and attractiveness. The Retina screen takes notebook displays to new heights; its Ivy Bridge processors are very powerful; and the new form factor makes it the most portable 13-inch MacBook yet. Read our full MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display review 4. Acer Aspire S7 This touchscreen Ultrabook was one of the best we saw at IFA this year, thanks to its premium feel. The display is great, with multi-touch and a Full HD 1080p resolution, despite being among the thinnest laptops available. It's light, as well, so will be great for carrying around. When it comes to specs, it's no slouch either, including the latest Intel chips and an SSD for fast running. Read our: Acer Aspire S7 review 5. Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A The Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A's screen is its big showpiece. It's not just the resolution, but the overall quality. Great colours, excellent viewing angles, good contrast ratio – at 13.3 inches, it's a 1080p masterpiece. Performance is just as speedy as you'd hope for the price, with Windows 7 picking up almost instantly from standby, and even booting barely giving you a wait. Really importantly, it's also comfortable and pleasant to use. The trackpad is good, the keyboard is great, and it's made really well. Read our full Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A review 6. Toshiba Satellite Z930 This Toshiba Satellite Z930 is a very accomplished Ultrabook – thin, light and powerful enough to handle a wide range of tasks simultaneously. As a work computer, the Toshiba Satellite Z930-10X benefits from the range of connections on offer, including Ethernet, HDMI and three USB ports. At 20mm thick and weighing only 1.1kg, you can easily carry the Toshiba Satellite Z930-10X from home to the office every day without any trouble. As a mobile workstation, it's an excellent purchase. Read our full Toshiba Satellite Z930 review 7. Samsung Series 5 Ultra The Samsung Series 5 Ultra offers excellent value for money, and if you're looking for an Ultrabook on a budget, this is well worth considering. You get 500GB of storage – much more than most SSD-based Ultrabooks – and it offers an excellent keyboard and trackpad. Usability is something we've come to expect from Samsung after testing many of its laptops, and it's certainly the highlight here. Probably the biggest thing in its favour is the price, though – it's great balance of features and budget. Read our full Samsung Series 5 Ultra review 8. Dell XPS 13 We can't help but be stunned by the look and feel XPS 13 and readily admit that it's jaw-droppingly attractive. The footprint is actually similar to an 11-inch laptop, so it's even smaller and less intrusive than you might expect. When it comes to performance, it's pretty typical for a thin and light laptop, but that means fast boots and near-instant use from sleep. Dell's produced something that's both good for business and personal use, even if it's not the cheapest out there. Read our full Dell XPS 13 review 9. Sony VAIO S Series 13P The Sony S Series 13P is a shining example of Sony's ability to craft great laptops, and it's practically flawless as an ultraportable business machine. Both the portability and usability are excellent here. So much so, that the excellent specification almost fades into the background – there's a Blu-ray player, Thunderbolt, Fingerprint scanner and backlit keyboard, as well as SSD and a 203 minute battery life. On a chassis this size, that's all absolutely exceptional. Read our full Sony VAIO S Series 13P review 10. Lenovo IdeaPad S300 The Lenovo IdeaPad S300 isn't quite an Ultrabook, but – aside from its lack of a fast drive – it has much the same appeal. It's got a low price tag for this kind of laptop, but Lenovo hasn't scrimped on the important things, so it has a pretty good range of connections, including a handy USB 3.0 port, HDMI-out and the latest generation Wi-Fi adaptor for faster wireless speeds. It certainly looks the business, and the build quality looks as if it came from a laptop costing twice the price. It may not be the slimmest or lightest, but it is very attractive, well-built, very nice to use for long periods of time and it does have a decent amount of lick underneath the hood, thanks to its Ivy Bridge processor. Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad S300 review 11. Asus Zenbook UX32A Asus now regularly turns out gleaming high-end machines that we can't take our eyes off, and the Zenbook UX32A is one such machine. The design and usability are great, from the slickness of Windows 7 with the Ivy Bridge processor to the great keyboard with the subtle backlight. Like its predecessor, the Asus Zenbook UX32A is also slim and light enough to carry around all day and the range of connections, especially the three USB 3.0 ports, is excellent. If you're on a budget and looking to make the step up from a cumbersome laptop to a gleaming new Ultrabook, you won't find many better options than this one. Read our full Asus Zenbook UX32A review 12. MacBook Pro 13-inch The MacBook Pro is a formidable machine. The new processors and improved graphical capabilities give it a considerable power boost over its predecessors, and the USB 3.0 ports make available a wealth of already-released high-speed storage peripherals. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is ideal for those who need a little more configurability and storage than the MacBook Air can offer, but also need a very portable machine. Intel's latest chips give it some serious performance, and it's hugely usable, with an excellent keyboard and trackpad. Read our 13-inch MacBook Pro review 13. Sony VAIO T Series 13 Sony's entry to the Ultrabook market was long overdue, but the Sony Vaio T13 is a fantastic looking ultra-portable computer that is perfectly suited for somebody looking for a day-to-day media-friendly laptop. The build quality is so sturdy and strong that we were never concerned when it came to carrying the Sony Vaio T13 around, even without a protective sleeve. It's also got the speed you'd expect from an Ultrabook, coming on from sleep almost instantly. Read our full Sony VAIO T Series 13 review 14. HP Folio 13 The HP Folio 13 is really more aimed at the business market than the home user, swapping the likes of a powerful CPU for stability, reliability and security. And yet, thanks to the Samsung SSD, real world performance and responsiveness is still good. It's very solidly constructed, too, and the tactile experience reeks of quality. That's especially true of the backlit keyboard, which is a pleasure to use. The battery life is solid as well, meaning that while this isn't a showy Ultrabook, it's a solid choice. Read our full HP Folio 13 review 15. Toshiba Satellite Z830 As Toshiba's first Ultrabook, the Z830 is an excellent computer, booting quickly and performing well. At 1.1kg, it's unbelievably light, even by Ultrabook standards. Likewise, the 13.3-inch screen is one of the thinnest we've seen. An SSD offers plenty of speed, and battery life is excellent. It also offers Intel's WiDi wireless display technology, which is still a fairly rare feature. Read our full Toshiba Satellite Z830-10N review 16. Samsung Series 9 The Samsung Series 9 is a fantastic-looking laptop that doesn't sacrifice usability, like many ultra-portable laptops. But aside form the design, we loved the speed and responsiveness of the system, thanks to the SSD drive. The speedy resume from sleep, and the ability to be in a fully functional version of Windows in just 10 seconds makes the Series 9 hugely versatile. Read our full Samsung Series 9 review

Why black holes were the biggest threat to your devices in 2012 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:27 AM PST Black holes were a dominant factor in 2012's cybercrime-wave, with Sophos' annual report showing how our move to mobile tech is bringing back some old enemies. Of course, we're talking about the Blackhole exploit kit, which managed to propagate all kinds of nasties including ransomware and fake antivirus solutions along with the normal malware. The chief problem for users was redirects – normally taking advantage of hacked legitimate sites to push people into cyber crime's back yard. Mobility As we all go mobile with our data, and our hardware, old skool attacks are becoming more common once more; yep – we're in the era of the retro virus. And if you happen to live in Hong Kong, Taiwan or the UAE then you are at the top of the risk tree, with Norway, Sweden, Japan and Britain statistically the safest places to surf. "2012 was a year of new platforms and modern malware," explained Sophos. "What was once a homogeneous world of Windows systems, is now a landscape made up of diverse platforms. Modern malware is taking advantage of these trends." eWar! Huh! What's it good for? The report also looked at the rise of state-sponsored cyber attacks, concluding that, although difficult to prove, the capability for countries to sanction eWar on enemies of their state is growing. "By their very nature, state-sponsored cyber attacks (and attacks by highly-sophisticated private teams closely allied with states) are difficult to track and prove—and equally susceptible to being overhyped," said Sophos' report. "Nevertheless, more actors appear to be developing the capability to execute such attacks. And, once they possess such a capability, the temptation to use it will be substantial."

In Depth: 18 years of fun: Happy Birthday PlayStation Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:00 AM PST Amazingly, the Sony PlayStation is 18 years old this week. The console that defined a generation has come of age - a fact which, aside from being a sharp reminder of how old we've all got, has many of us donning our rose-tinted nostalgia specs and remembering the fun times it's given us. And it is in honour of those years of Sony-powered fun that TechRadar has compiled this definitive history of PlayStation home consoles through the years. The highs and lows. The favourite games that kept us awake till 5am. And what the games industry itself remembers of each era of enjoyment. Back in 1994, the original PlayStation was widely ridiculed by gamers at its Japanese launch, mainly because it bucked the dominant tech trend for home consoles set by the likes of Nintendo and Sega in the late 1980s. The games came on a CD (of all things!) and not on a chunky plug-in cartridge. Yet while Nintendo and Sega (and Amiga and ST) fanboys scoffed at Sony's upstart, the sales figures soon began to speak for themselves. This was a game-changer. Through various improvements, iterations and re-launches over the past 18 years, PlayStation has unquestioningly become the brand that is synonymous with gaming on the TV in the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s. While overall video game hardware sales are down this year, Sony has sold 70 million PlayStation 3 consoles worldwide since 2006 and announced the 70 millionth sale last month. Sony sold an incredible 269.7 million PlayStation consoles over the first 15 years of PlayStation (140.7 million of which were PS2s, 27 million of which were PS3s) and an astounding 2.632 billion PlayStation games. So that means total PlayStation sales are somewhere in the region of 313 million consoles. There are now 3,590 PS3 games available, which amounts to 595 million games sold worldwide. PlayStation Network, the PS3's free online service, is now available in 59 countries worldwide, while the PlayStation Move controller, which adds motion control similar to the Nintendo Wii, has sold more than 15 million units. The announcement sees Sony catching up to the Xbox 360, which reached the 70 million total unit sales milestone at the end of September. While Sony and Microsoft battle it out in the console race, they're fighting for second place. Nintendo announced in September that the Wii reached 97.2 million sales since its launch. Eyes are now turning toward the next generation of gaming hardware, which begins this month as the Wii U launches worldwide. New consoles from Sony and Microsoft are also in the works, commonly referred to as the PS4 and Xbox 720, though details are scarce on either system. Rumors peg the new systems for release sometime toward the end of 2013, or even falling back into 2014, so Sony still has some life to squeeze out of the PS3. As you'll see from our history of the console, a new PS3 model, dubbed "super slim", launched just a few months ago, so it seems Sony still has a few tricks up its sleeve before it passes the torch on to the PS4. Let's take a trip down memory lane. Sony PlayStation / PSone Launched: December 1994 / October 2000 Cost: £300 / £80 on UK release Spec: 32-bit, 5th generation games console Distinguishing features: CD-based games, CD player, Triangle/Square/Circle/Cross on controller Main competitors: Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64 Biggest titles: Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer, WipEout Lifespan: 11 years Aaah, the original PlayStation. Where do we start? The real and deeply visceral future-shock of playing Ridge Racer on our TV at home is perhaps what we remember most vividly. The graphics! There genuinely had not been such a superbly realised and deeply immersive driving experience up to that point outside of your local seaside arcade. Playing Ridge Racer on the first PlayStation (that we bought second-hand for around a hundred quid from Loot back in 1996) was a revelation. It immediately made the lounge a far more exciting place to be. "Without shadow of a doubt, my favourite PlayStation game was WipEout," says Bethesda Games UK's PR Manager, Alistair Hatch. "There were a lot of games which I played to death on the PlayStation including the likes of FFVII, Ridge Racer, Time Crisis, Gran Turismo, and Tony Hawk: Pro Skater, but WipEout was revolutionary in so many ways that it stands as my favourite game on PlayStation." "In addition to playing arcade games like Ridge Racer in the comfort of your own home – probably a favourite memory of many gamers, the games that stood out for me were Final Fantasy 7, Syphon Filter, Metal Gear Solid and Medal of Honor," recalls Majesco Europe's Marketing Manager, John Merchant. "It was also a real hotbed of creativity - from titles like Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid to cult favourites like Parappa The Rappa." And let's not forget the game that really put PlayStation on the map (and on the cover of now defunct style bible The Face). Eidos' Tomb Raider created one of gaming's first major female heroines in Lara Croft and combined elements of 3D action, platforming and puzzle games in ways that many have copied but few have matched since. So those were the games that we remember. And in terms of the hardware, it seems almost quaint now, but for many the simple fact of having a CD player for the first time was a massive added-value bonus with the first PlayStation console. Let's not forget, for those of us who were floating through our student days around that time, we were still listening to a lot of our music via cassettes and even those funny old vinyl disc things. However, before we get too carried away, let's also not forget that there were also a few glitchy "lows" with the first PlayStation console. Most notably the annoying necessity of "having to turn the PlayStation upside down to make games run" as Alistair Hatch recalls. The first PlayStation hardware also wasn't quite up to the task of delivering any truly great first person shooters. "Medal of Honor was nice – but it wasn't quite Goldeneye," as Majesco's John Merchant so eloquently puts it. Though that of course was all soon to change with the arrival of PlayStation 2… Sony PlayStation 2 / PS2 Slimline / PSX Launched: Nov 2000 (UK) / September 2004 / December 2003 (Japan only) Cost on release: £300 / £150 / Not available in UK Spec: 64-bit 'Emotion Engine' CPU, 6th generation games console Main competitors: Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo Game Cube, Microsoft Xbox Units sold: 138 million to date Biggest title: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (over 17 million copies sold) Lifespan: Sony to support through till 2012 Us Brits were a little bit late to the PS2 party. Fashionably late, we like to think. In retrospect, at least. This was all thanks to Sony mis-allocating its worldwide stocks of the console and thus being forced to put back the massively-hyped launch to November 24, 2000 in the UK. Despite these launch hic-cups (something Sony seems good at!) and protestations from UK gamers at the time, the machine went on to become the best-selling games console in history. As with all new Sony hardware, the PS2 was priced at the top end of the console market at a whopping £300. The same price as the original PlayStation at its early 1995 UK launch. Even so, the quality of the first-party and third-party games on offer soon after launch meant that Sony soon saw off Sega's Dreamcast to become the dominant sixth-generation games console. Favourite games? "This is a real difficult one to choose," says Bethesda's Alistair Hatch. "I was fortunate enough to be working in the industry at the peak of the PlayStation 2 lifecycle and sharing a house with others working in the industry as well. Consequently we ended up with a shared collection of what seemed like a million games, so picking one favourite is very tricky." "I would say I was most excited about GTA: San Andreas coming out – their [Rockstar's] hype machine did a wonderful job. My most played games were Virtua Tennis 2 and Tiger Woods Golf. Most social was Eye Toy. But my favourite three were probably God of War, Burnout 2 and GTA: San Andreas." Just as with the CD player feature with the original PlayStation, for many PS2 owners, the console also meant having a DVD player in the home for the first time, boosting sales of the DVD movie format considerably in the process. In addition to all those immense blockbusters mentioned above and the emergence of a new style of casual/social game with EyeToy, the PS2 also really pushed the limits of more experimental, leftfield and art-house style games. And, with Free Radical's sublime Timesplitters 2, we finally had the console shooter we'd been dreaming of. "Ico and Metal Gear Solid 2 were my favourites," agrees Majesco's John Merchant. "Plus, playing multiplayer Timesplitters 2 and the first SSX are happy memories - but the arrival of Grand Theft Auto 3 was the real standout. The influence it's had on the gaming landscape is immense." Sony PSX: This is a low As with all gaming consoles, the PS2 had its lows. A class action lawsuit was filed against Sony Computer Entertainment America back in 2002, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, addressing consumer reports of inappropriate "no disc error" messages. Sony had to shell-out $25 and a free game to those affected by the problem. And a free repair. However, Xbox's widely-publicised 'red ring of death' problems since then makes Sony's problems at that time seem almost insignificant in retrospect. Perhaps another low was the limited uptake of PS2's online features and functionality. Indeed, SCEE founder Chris Deering did admit to us recently that Sega was perhaps "five years ahead of its time" with Dreamcast in terms of that console's online functionality. Not that it did them much good, mind. Finally, we agree with Majesco's John Merchant that the PS2's greatest "low" was the fact that its immense user base "steadfastly refused to support some of this decade's finest games - Ico, Psychonauts, Okami - some people just don't know what's good for them!" Fast forward to November 2004 and Sony updated its PS2 hardware with the PlayStation 2 Slimline, the third major hardware revision (of which there has now been thirteen in total) introducing a far more attractive and lightweight design at a far more affordable £149 price-point. David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) noted at the time that, "this totally redesigned, network ready model will demonstrate that PlayStation has once again the design flair and innovation that has made PlayStation the world's best loved and most successful games console." What David Reeves didn't comment on (much) at the time was Sony's ill-fated PSX media centre. The PSX seemed to have it all, combining the PS2 with a DVD burner, hard drive video recorder, music player and loads of other multimedia features. But Japanese gaming fans didn't buy it. Hence it became clear that the market just wasn't ready for such a machine and Sony quietly canned production of the PSX for Europe and the US. If you really still want one, then you can still pick them up on eBay now and then for £300 upwards. Though what you would do with it is beyond us. However, this DVD-recorder-cum-games-console was an obvious precursor of what was to come later with PlayStation 3… Sony PlayStation 3 Launched: November 2006 Cost: £425 (UK at launch) Spec: 7th generation games console, IBM Cell CPU Main competitors: Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 Units sold: 70 million to date Lifespan: Who knows? For us, the PS3 midnight launch event held on a cold and drizzly Friday night on March 22 2007 at the (now closed) Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street is an event tinged with a great sadness. While it was cool to see a bunch of hardcore gamers and games hacks gather to be among the first to snaffle Sony's new toy, we stupidly forgot to put our names down for one of the first consoles. Only to then be left standing, open-mouthed and dumb-founded when it was also announced that the first one hundred PS3 buyers would also get a lovely big forty-odd inch Bravia plasma TV to play their new console on. Gah! Aside from missing out on the free telly action though, the launch went far smoother than those of the Sony's previous two consoles. The launch was months later than those in Japan and the US, being delayed a number of times (which is pretty much par for the course by now with SCEE) but this meant that there was the added bonus of stores having plenty of stock at launch. Still, people headed out to queue in the rain at midnight. Indeed, following reports of muggings and violence at the US PS3 launch, the flagship HMV store just down the road canned its own plans for a competing midnight PS3 launch due to poorly-explained 'security fears' on Oxford Street, with a HMV rep noting at the time that they instead wanted "to launch the product in a responsible way, and after speaking with Westminster council and police, decided an early-morning launch would be the best thing to do." Plus, HMV only gave away a free copy of Sega's sublime Virtua Tennis with its PS3s. So Virgin properly trumped them with its free Bravia stunt! You said how much? The most obvious 'low' with PS3 was its unfairly high launch price, which only really come down by any significant amount at the end of 2009. To price the console at £425 in the UK, in the midst of a freakin' recession, just seemed unfair. At E3 in July 2007, Sony announced a new "Starter Pack" that included a 60GB PS3, an extra wireless Sixaxis controller and the two bestselling first party games: Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm. Yet it still all seemed a bit too little, too late and gamers and games hacks alike were becoming increasingly frustrated by Sony's recalcitrance on pricing. Sony's charismatic development boss Phil Harrison tried valiantly to defend the pricing strategy in hundreds of press interviews at the time, most often citing the added-value of the PS3's Blu-ray drive. Getting thinner Sony decided to reinvent the PS3 with the launch of PS3 Slim before Christmas 2009. The idea of the £250 console was that there would be far more affordable console/game bundles available coupled with some seriously big games. Still, pricing quibbles aside, the games are really what matter. And after a rather limp launch line-up, 2008 and 2009 have seen some genuine exclusive crackers. PS3 exclusives such as Little Big Planetand Killzone 2 have set benchmarks the industry looks towards. And there have been numerous others, many of which are unfairly overlooked. "I spent a huge amount of time playing SEGA Rally (revo) on the PS3 and really enjoyed it," Bethesda's Alistair Hatch tells us, reminding us of one of the first games that really did it for us on PS3. "InFamous as well, the sense of scale was great and I always felt like I could clear one more area before bedtime," Hatch adds."But I would say my favourite PS3 game is Uncharted. I'm a sucker for games with blue skies and lush environments. Naughty Dog did a job on it and best of all gave me the Indiana Jones gaming experience I've always wanted. Just without the hat and whip." Majesco's John Merchant concurs, telling us that his two stand-out favourites are – much like us – "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Uncharted 2" and adding that his own personal PS3 'hardware highs' have been subscription-free online gaming and Blu-ray. The longer-term successes of PS3's online virtual world Home and indeed Blu-ray as a home cinema format are still far from secured, mind. 2010 followed with massive triple-A games such as Gran Turismo 5 and God of War 3. The age of super thin Sony has followed up the PS3 Slim with the PS3 Super Slim, which we reviewed in September. It offered a slightly cheaper price in a smaller, cheaper-looking build. A good option for those yet to enter the world of PS3, but little to offer owners of older models.

BBC relaunches Red Button with iPlayer-friendly web boost Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:00 AM PST The BBC has dragged the Red Button kicking and screaming into the brave new world of connected TVs, with an updated service launching today. The new Connected Red Button uses the internet to deliver iPlayer catch-up programming, full BBC news and weather, and multi-stream sport coverage when there are multiple live events happening, all at the touch of a button (the red one). What's nice about the new service, aside from it looking suitably swish and working well, is that the programming suggestions have been specifically curated by the teams who schedule the BBC's regular broadcasts. At the moment, that means that you'll see a nice selection of channel-relevant iPlayer programmes when you hit the red button but in time they'll be themed around the actual programme that you're watching. All new The Red Button is basically Ceefax for the new generation, bringing extra bits and pieces to regular broadcasts on BBC channels. While the traditional service was delivered via digital broadcast signal (MHEG) which was pretty restrictive about what the Beeb could showcase because of spectrum limitations, the new one uses broadband. That means that rather than just the headlines and nibs of yore, the news area will show off full stories, overlaid over whatever's playing on screen so you can read and watch at the same time. The sports area is chock-a-block with three pages of video clips to enjoy, while the service also effectively means that BBC Three and BBC Four are always on-air via the red button even though they're technically off-air for most of the day. The BBC's mission was to make all this as simple and straightforward as possible and, if you've ever used iPlayer or a BBC app, it should all seem fairly familiar to you. Sky's the limit The new Connected Red Button launches on Virgin Media's Tivo service today (it should be live now) with the BBC promising roll-out to other less pricey platforms during 2013 – that means your connected TVs, your Freesat, your YouView and any other web-friendly boxes. It's not looking likely that the nifty new Red Button services will come to Sky though. Daniel Danker, general manager of BBC programmes and on demand at the BBC told us, "Sky is a closed platform – I shouldn't even call it a platform, it's a closed service. There's no open platform to develop into. I have no line of sight of Connected Red Button coming to Sky unless they shift their approach."

Samsung confirms Ativ S will arrive before the end of the year Posted: 04 Dec 2012 03:57 AM PST The heavily delayed Samsung Ativ S will indeed land in stores before the year is out, the Korean manufacturer has confirmed. Initially scheduled for a mid-November release when it was announced during the Windows Phone 8 event at the end of October, the Ativ S has experienced some explained delays which has seen it miss a host of rumoured release dates. A Samsung spokesperson told TechRadar, "We've heard from HQ that the product will be available by the end of this year." No further info The representative was not able to furnish us with any more details regarding an exact Samsung Ativ S release date, nor was there any explanation as to why there has been such a mighty delay. The Ativ S is Samsung's first smartphone to run Mircosoft's latest mobile platform, Windows Phone 8, but it's currently losing ground to the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X, both of which have been on sale for a while now. We were impressed with the handset in our hands on Samsung Ativ S review and although it's not arriving on time, it still has the chance to steal the Windows Phone 8 show.

Samsung could be lining up Galaxy Note 7.0 tablet Posted: 04 Dec 2012 02:41 AM PST A benchmark result has popped up online for a device known as the Samsung GT-N5100, and the general consensus seems to suggest it's a 7-inch Galaxy Note tablet. The latest tablets from the South Korean firm are the 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Google Nexus 10, with the latter sitting alongside the smaller Asus-made Nexus 7, and it looks like Samsung is keen to get in on the tiny-tab action. Information on this rumoured device appeared on the Nenamark site revealing the device packed a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, ran Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and had a 1280x720 screen resolution – a touch lower than the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. Second S Pen slate If the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.0 does indeed exist you can expect it to sport the firm's S Pen stylus as it will probably follow on from the Galaxy Note 2 smartphone and Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. Although the idea of Samsung releasing a refreshed 7-inch tablet is believable, especially after the mediocre reception the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 received, these benchmark results can't be taken as gospel. Results can be faked and we have in the past seen false benchmarks appear online claiming to be something they're not, so take this with a pinch of salt. Unsurprisingly there's no word on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.0 release date or price, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled at CES 2013 and MWC 2013 just it case it makes an appearance.

Google still hasn't cracked the Android upgrade process Posted: 04 Dec 2012 02:02 AM PST The latest breakdown of Android versions has turned up and it still doesn't make great reading for the Droid-loving community with over half of all devices running Gingerbread or lower. The fragmentation of the Android platform has for some years been something that gloating Apple fans have merrily highlighted as one of the major failings of Google's mobile OS over the Cupertino firm's iOS offering. Android Jelly Bean was launched back in June and since version 4.1 landed we've also seen 4.2 arrive, although the latest incarnation still only finds itself on 6.7 per cent of Android devices. Gingerbread still number 1 Even Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is now over a year old hasn't managed to climb into top spot, accounting for a relatively mediocre 27.5 per cent of the Android market. It is Gingerbread though which is still stealing the Android show, with version 2.3.x of Google's famous OS still running on 50.8 per cent of devices – and that's two years after it was initially launched. Gingerbread has seen a drop over the last few months, as it was claiming 57.7 per cent back in September, with Jelly Bean was languishing at 1.2 per cent. So while the trend is slow growth towards the newer iterations of the Android platform, the tedious upgrade path means a vast number of users are still stuck on the older versions of the software. This is something Apple users generally don't need to worry about – unless that is you have an iPhone 3G or first generation iPad.

Updated: Samsung Galaxy S4 release date, news and rumours Posted: 04 Dec 2012 01:32 AM PST Samsung Galaxy S4: release date and news It certainly feels like Samsung is taking over the world right now – at least, the Android world. There's no doubt that last year's Galaxy S2 was arguably the phone of the year. And not in recent times, discounting Apple of course, can we remember the anticipation and expectation of a phone as much as the Galaxy S3. If you needed a barometer of this, just look at how it was unveiled. Not at MWC like lots of others, but its own event, proving the Galaxy line has reached the level where it can guarantee hoards will come just for an unveiling. But that's last season's device, and we're looking forward to the next level of what to expect in the Galaxy SIV. The trickle of 'sources' talking about this new device is starting to build to a steady stream, so we're on hand to help let you know which whispers have a notion of truth about them - as well as providing our wishlist of what we want Samsung to improve on the new handset. Samsung Galaxy S4 screen The Galaxy S2 had an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display – and boy, was it vibrant. The S3 upped the screen size from 4.3-inches to 4.8-inches and the pixel density went from 217 to 306 to take a run at the iPhone's Retina Display. But, Samsung also opted for a PenTile approach, to the chagrin of geeks. What does that mean for the end user? Well, the screen looks great but you can make out pixels if you really, really strain. And some of the vivacity and colour saturation is lost. On the plus side, Samsung reckons the screen will last longer – but we'd rather see a much more S2-like screen with a sharper resolution - and given that's now appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we're pretty hopeful we'll get it on the Samsung Galaxy S4 too. Alternatively, there have been a number of rumours that Samsung is going to bring a flexible screen to the Galaxy S4 - but given the Korean brand is already pushing the delivery of such tech back into 2013 for its customers, we think we'll be in Galaxy S5 territory before that happens. There seems a much more likely option in the shape of the 5-inch 1080p screen that could offer up an eye-splitting 441ppi, making it easily the highest res out there. It would probably need to be shrunk down a smidge to fit into the palm, or Samsung could actually just make the phone even closer to the edges of the screen. Dare we dream of an edge-to-edge display like on the 9000 series TVs? However, the bad news is that due to reported manufacturing issues these may have been delayed... does that mean the phone will have to be pushed back as well? Samsung Galaxy S4 release date It seems more than likely that Samsung will eschew MWC 2013 once more for the release of its top handset, instead focusing on the launch in May 2013, which we'd really like to see. This makes sense for a number of reasons: time to allow the current customers to buy the S3, being able to scoop up all the customers about to come out of contract from the S2 and also not making its fans feel like its throwing out a new flagship phone every three seconds. However, that didn't stop the rumour mill deciding that the Galaxy S4 launch was set for March 2013, based on something a Samsung 'representative' said to the media. The brand quickly took to Twitter to discredit the rumours, so it looks like the middle of the year launch is still firmly on the cards. Since then another rumour, of a phone dubbed 'Project J', has emerged, and that's set for an April unveil... so it seems we're looking at a Q2 2013 Samsung Galaxy S4 launch as it stands, which means you'll probably be able to actually hold one in your hands come May. Samsung Galaxy S4 specs There's not a lot around about specs at the moment, but the rumours emanating from the good ol' internet rumour mill are certainly enough to make us excited. The first is that the S4 will have a quad-core chip, which might sound a little 'last gen' to many. However, it will be based on ARM's A15 architecture, bringing with it a big boost in power for all those resource-intensive tasks we love to do all the time. But then again, that's not Samsung's way really, is it? We want to see bigger, bangier and faster, so doubling it again to an OCTO-core would be the way to go. Rather than just making it super powerful though, the eight core innards would split into two groups: A15-spec chips for the big stuff, and A7 when things need to get a little lower power, bringing with it the best of both worlds. The other big news that we think should be on our wish list is the fact that Samsung's internal storage bods have been hard at work bringing the flash memory down in size and up in speed... so think even thinner phones with higher capacity that can be written to up to 10x faster. We're now looking forward to the S4 even more now. Samsung Galaxy S4 battery Ok, we admit we always want more. The S2's 1,650mAh was manageable and the S3's 2,100mAh blows that out of the water. But it's still only OK. You can get by on a day of moderate use but if you use this phone heavily (and we're talking watching TV shows on the morning and evening commute alongside your normal tinkering), this handset will still want a plug in at some point. Motorola has proven it can be done by whacking a 3,300mAh power pack into the RAZR Maxx which can still be considered a skinny Minnie. Something of that size – along with ICS and Samsung's power management abilities – would really be the icing on the Ice Cream Sandwich. Samsung Galaxy S4 design We've lost count of the amount of people we've shown our device off to who've replied with the words: "Yeah, it's great but looks like a bit of a toy." It's a double-edged sword: the plastic is used to keep this handset nice and light, but does detract from what should be a premium device. A bit of glass wouldn't go amiss. Android users, say what you like about the iPhone 4/4S (and we know you won't be short of words), but aside from being smash-tastic, the glass really adds that premium and expensive feel that the S3 just doesn't have. Forget what your mum told you – it's what's on the outside that counts too, so the Samsung Galaxy S4 needs to step it up in the design stakes. Better S-Voice S-Voice just isn't there. At least Siri had the nous to call itself a BETA so that it could be excused for not getting things right at times. The problem we have with S-Voice is it just doesn't seem to be able to do much. Sure, it can tell you what the weather is like if you really can't be bothered to look out the window. And it'll save you 10 seconds by setting an alarm. But it's just not powerful enough - and is, frankly, awful for something that's supposed to be a headline feature on one of the world's best smartphones. We've actually been using Speak To It Assistant far more often because it's superior. Samsung could do worse than buy a company like this to give the Galaxy S4 a real chance of being the best voice-controlled mobile out there. Better Mac support Yep, we know many consumers believe Mac users account for only 0.000001% of Android owners (why wouldn't they just buy an iPhone, right?) But there are lots who like Apple computers as well as Android devices. And up until the S3, they got on famously. But Android has changed the rules and how storage works so that it follows the MTP Protocol which plays along brilliantly with Windows but can't stand Macs. Yes, we know this is a Google issue and not something that Samsung can be blamed for. But having said that, the HTC One X also runs Ice Cream Sandwich and it has managed to tweak the code enough for there to not be a problem. Please Samsung – don't shut them out. Ice Cream Sandwich may be frozen – but we shouldn't be, so when you bring out the Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie-powered Galaxy S4, let's get some support. Samsung Galaxy S4 accessories Samsung unveiled the SIII alongside a raft of accessories – the usual things like cases were complimented by the C-Pen (like the Note 2's S-Pen but smaller) and the dongle for connecting to your TV to stream stuff. The problem is, they're all so expensive: £20 for the C-Pen and the best part of £70 for the AllShare Dongle. They're not mainstream accessories – and little wonder. If Samsung made these cheaper – or even threw them into the box for the Galaxy S4 (highly unlikely, but we can dream) then it would make for a much happier customer. Perhaps a premium package where you spend a little more but get the accessories at the same time would work... people like to get the most out of things when they get their shiny new device. Better charging Plug it in and charge until it's full. That's always been the way. But we'd love to see a more advanced version of charging - ditching the wires should be more prevalent. Maybe something similar to the conductive methods used by Palm in the Pre which never really caught on. The idea being that you don't have to plug the phone in to charge, just place it on a particular mat or place and it does it automatically.The S3 has that functionality, but it's hardly been well-publicised since launch. The likes of Nokia with the Lumia 920 have been banging on about the amazing world of wireless charging for ages now, with a range of accessories too. Given that it will all be based on the Qi wireless charging standard, we'll soon see reams of coffee shops and airports with these charging stations littered around - just don't forget to watch your phone. Or how about something really radical – like a battery that can also charge kinetically on the S4. Sure, it would be slow but wouldn't it be great if you could go for a run and manage to gain an extra 10 or 20% just by doing so to get you through the day? Radical – yes. But Samsung is known for its innovation. Improved speakers As beautiful and wonderful as the S3 is, the speaker still sounds tinny. Ringtones sound cheap and when it is on its back, they're also muffled. At least the iPhone has a bit of bass. But what about going a bit further? Have three or four powerful but small speakers around the rim so when you play music, it comes out loud and with a bit of bass. Hell, even make it so strong that it negates the need for a travel dock so you can play music at a decent volume when you nip away for the weekend or are sitting on the beach. That'd be a real selling point.

Foxtel Go gets more channels Posted: 03 Dec 2012 09:23 PM PST iPad owning Foxtel subscribers have been given eight more reasons to check out the Foxtel Go app, with the addition of an additional suite of channels to the streaming service. The new range takes the total number of channels available to over 30. The eight new channels added to the service include some of the Pay TV operator's most popular channels. Included in the list are Fox8, SoHo, Lifestyle You, Lifestyle Food, LifeStyle Home, Speed, Fuel TV and Discovery Turbo Max. Catch Up and live streaming While five of the eight new channels have had catch up programming available for a while, the expansion of the Foxtel Go app also introduces CatchUp to the Discovery Turbo Max and Arena channels. Only the channels you subscribe to with Foxtel are available through the app, and accessing the new channels doesn't require any additional effort on the user's part.

Plastic FIPEL light bulbs could replace compact fluorescents Posted: 03 Dec 2012 05:52 PM PST The limitations of compact fluorescent bulbs could light the way for new field-induced polymer electroluminescent (FIPEL) light bulbs being developed by Wake Forest University researchers. "People often complain that fluorescent lights bother their eyes, and the hum from the fluorescent tubes irritates anyone sitting at a desk underneath them," said David Carrol, a professor of physics at the U.S. college, in a statement. As the lead researcher developing FIPEL technology, Carroll hopes that the headaches and humming noises sometimes associated with CFLs can be a thing of the past. "The new lights we have created can cure both of those problems and more." How many researchers does it take to... FIPEL light bulbs are also unique because the bulbs are made of plastic, not glass. The Wake Forest researchers used an ano-engineered polymer matrix to convert a charge into light. The device is made of three layers of moldable white-emitting polymer blended with a small amount of nanomaterials. The result is a shatterproof material and a glow that creates a bright white light similar to sunlight, which the human eyes prefer. FIPEL vs. CFL vs. OLED The human eye prefers the natural light of FIPEL light bulbs, while light bulb makers may take a liking to the easier-to-produce design compared to CFL bulbs. "One of the main drawbacks of CFLs is that they're very difficult to manufacture," Greg Smith, a PhD graduate student under Carroll, told TechRadar. "They're a very complex design; they use glass, they use mercury and they have a very complicated circuit that's inside the bulb itself." Plastic FIPEL bulbs are also said to be superior to OLEDs for the purposes of lighting up a room. "OLEDs are a very nice technology," said Smith. "But the tolerance required to build a large-area device for OLEDs is much, much higher than it is for our devices." Easier than CFL disposal FIPEL light bulbs are estimated to last anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 hours, depending on brightness settings. This makes the bulbs ideal for offices, but Carroll and his team also see potential in large display lighting, from store marquees to signs on buses and subway cars. When these long-lasting bulbs do expire, they won't be a pain to throw away. "Although we don't anticipate that you'll need to throw them away in any short timeframe, they don't use any hazardous materials like CLFs, which have mercury in them," Smith explained. "These are all plastic, all organic polymers, so you don't have to worry about creating any kind of toxic or hazardous waste in your landfills." Wake Forest is already working with a company to start manufacturing FIPEL technology, which it estimates will be ready for consumers as early as next year...just enough time to convince your company to make the switch.

Optus no longer includes free social media in its postpaid data plans Posted: 03 Dec 2012 05:04 PM PST Unmetered access to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and MySpace has been a long tradition at Optus. But from Sunday, all that ended, with the network ending its free social networking offer for new postpaid customers. Now, anyone who signs up for a postpaid contract on the network will have their social media activity count as part of their monthly data allowances. Current postpaid customers will be unaffected, with the deal lasting not just until the end of the contract, but ongoing until they actively change plans or sign a new contract. Also unaffected are prepaid customers, who will still enjoy the unmetered social media access as part of their monthly recharge. All about network performance According to a statement issued by Optus, the fundamental reason for the change is to maintain and improve network performance. " As smartphone popularity continues to rise in Australia, Optus needs to maintain and enhance the network to ensure our customers can get the most out of their devices. "Optus seeks to strike a balance between delivering value to our customers and the ongoing network investment required to ensure a good customer experience," the statement read. To counter concerns about potential bill shock, Optus has halved the rate for excess data usage, with SMS notifications at the 50, 85 and 100 per cent marks of their data usage. The telco has also introduced the ability to backdate data top up packs, allowing customers to get rid of unsightly overcharging after the fact once a month's data has been all used up.

To Motorola's chagrin, court won't impose sales ban on Windows and Xbox Posted: 03 Dec 2012 04:55 PM PST A U.S. District judge denied a Motorola plea for a sales injunction on Microsoft's Windows, Xbox and other products Friday, saying that a US sales ban isn't the right course of action to take in the patent dispute. The judge's order pertaining to one patent also extends to Germany, where a lawsuit between the two is also ongoing. The court sided with Microsoft's argument that an injunction isn't the proper form of relief because Motorola failed to show irreparable harm or that alleged infringements can't be compensated monetarily. The lawsuit, taking place in Seattle, involves two patents - the H.264 advanced video coding technology standard and the 802.11 wireless local area network standard. Work it out Because Motorola owns an entire portfolio pertaining to patent H.264, the court's order extends across the pond to the German lawsuit. Judge James L. Robart, who issued the order, agreed with Microsoft in saying that the company is entitled to license Motorola's patents. The Google-owned company wanted the products banned until Microsoft paid licensing feeds, while Microsoft has offered to pay a royalty on the H.264 portfolio as long as it falls under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Litigation will continue, Robart said, to determine the terms of a licensing agreement for both the H.264 portfolio and the 802.11 patents, a decision that bars an injunction based on either. According to CNET, Motorola wants Microsoft to pay $4 billion for what it alleges is illegal use of its technology. Microsoft counters that amount is asking for too much. While last week's win is a huge score for Microsoft, a final ruling might not come down until spring of 2013. The Redmond company can at least breathe easy now that its two most recognizable products won't be banished from two populous countries.

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