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- LG G3's Android Lollipop update approaches with leaked screens
- New startup takes on Google's modular Ara phone
- Updated: Android 5.0 Lollipop has a battery-draining bug (no longer)
- LG G Watch R rolls into Australia today
- Samsung could venture beyond the Galaxy with new smartphone line
- In depth: TV Buying Guide 2014: everything you need to know before buying a TV
- The gold Moto 360 and slimmer watch bands are finally official
- TR tip off: TechRadar Tip Off: win a custom Xbox One plus the new Call of Duty
- Sharp's prototype smartwatch makes sacrifices for longer battery life
- Amazon Echo is a Bluetooth speaker with Siri-like powers
- Review: Nikon CoolPix S6900
- How virtual maps are becoming really useful for business travel
- In depth: WireLurker: what you need to know about Apple's biggest ever threat
- Review: Vodafone Smart 4 Power
- Review: mini review: Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i
- Review: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
- The Hoff got in a real self-driving car, and he was terrified
- In Depth: Bin your PS4 - Frostbite team gets Battlefield 4 working on an iPad
- Industry voice: Payments processors under pressure: customer success stories from the software industry
- Microsoft releases new iPhone and iPad Office apps, Android incoming
- Apple and IBM to offer enterprise support for business tools
- Review: Revo SuperSignal
- Spotify's family package begins rollout, offers half-price subscriptions
- OS X and iOS devices are being targeted by malicious new malware
- In Depth: Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: which is best for you?
| LG G3's Android Lollipop update approaches with leaked screens Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:22 PM PST  Last we heard (at least officially) the LG G3 was scheduled to get its Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade between late November and early December. And it looks like that schedule will hold, judging by the screenshots just leaked by Poland's Life's Good Blog. The shots show off Lollipop's refreshed aesthetic, plus the new notifications, status bar icons and more. The site's translated report also says Lollipop makes the G3 a tad faster, as it's meant to. Rapid rolloutAndroid 5.0 is rapidly rolling out to a variety of devices, and any hiccups - like the battery-draining bug that popped up yesterday on the Nexus 5 - are quickly being ironed out. The update brings a whole slew of improvements, from a revamped UI to various tweaks meant to improve devices' speed and battery life. Expect to see Lollipop hit the LG G3 in a matter of weeks, if that late November-early December projection holds true.  |
| New startup takes on Google's modular Ara phone Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:51 PM PST  Google's Project Ara could be the next revolution in smartphone technology - but it might not change the tech world uncontested. A new Finnish startup called Vsenn is making a modular smartphone that will take on Ara directly in the DIY mobile category. Vsenn's modular phone will let users swap out its processor, memory, battery, camera, and backplate, and though it will run stock Android they've promised consistent updates for at least four years. It also features triple layer encryption and free VPN and secure cloud access for added security. Phone teardown heating upVsenn was co-founded by a former Nokia Android X program manager, according to the startup's official site. There's no hint as to when Vsenn plans to actually launch its modular phone, but with Google's Ara release date scheduled some time between January and March 2015 it had better be soon if the startup wants to compete with the search giant.  |
| Updated: Android 5.0 Lollipop has a battery-draining bug (no longer) Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:30 PM PST  Update: Google's Trevor Johns wrote in an update on November 6 that the battery-draining issue in Android Lollipop on Nexus 5 phones has been resolved. Hopefully now Android 5.0 will roll out to more users on the Nexus 5 and other older Google flagships, and when it does it should actually improve your battery life, not make it worse. Original story follows… Google said last month that Android 5.0 Lollipop would arrive on the Nexus 5 and other devices "in the coming weeks," but so far three have come and gone without the update arriving. Now Phandroid speculates that the Lollipop delay on those handsets might be thanks to a battery-draining bug that's been reported on Google's issue tracker. The glitch is causing the Nexus 5's battery to drain more quickly than it should when wi-fi is activated in the OS's developer preview version. There's no specific evidence that the issue is causing a delay in Lollipop's rollout, but Google employees have at least acknowledged it. Well that's something"Android Engineering is aware of an issue affecting Nexus 5 users running Android 5.0 which causes significant 'Miscellaneous' battery usage while WiFi is enabled," Google Android Open Source Project Senior Developer Programs Engineer Trevor Johns wrote in a thread about the bug. "This appears to be caused by an abnormally high number of IRQ wakeup events," he added. "We are continuing to investigate this issue." Users who haven't yet received the Lollipop upgrade they're waiting for may be frustrated with the delay, but in the end it's better for Google to make sure they're not making Android phones and tablets worse with new updates.  |
| LG G Watch R rolls into Australia today Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:18 PM PST -470-75.JPG) The smartwatch revolution in Australia is coming full circle, with LG announcing that the G Watch R originally announced at IFA 2014 is available from today. The smartwatch, which boasts a circular screen like the Moto 360 – but without the black bar across the bottom of the screen – will be available on both the Google Play store, as well as through traditional retailers Harvey Norman and JB HiFi. And from the telco perspective, Optus is also offering the G Watch R, although not via any bundles like we saw when LG launched the original G Watch. Almost a dollar a degreeThe price, for anyone looking to rock the 1.3-inch circular P-OLED display with a 320 x 320 resolution, comes in at just under a dollar per degree, at $359. The device will be ever so slightly cheaper via the Play store at $349, but you'll need to add shipping to the cost, which will likely make it a tad more expensive. Packed full of additional sensors compared to the original G Watch – including a heart rate monitor, a compass and a barometer – it will be interesting to see whether the G Watch R will push the Android Wear platform towards a mainstream customer base.
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| Samsung could venture beyond the Galaxy with new smartphone line Posted: 06 Nov 2014 04:47 PM PST  We've already heard that Samsung is starting from scratch on the Galaxy S6 - aka "Project Zero" - but it seems the company's mid-life crisis might go even further. Not only will Samsung reinvent the Galaxy line, it's also going to introduce a completely new family of devices, reports SamMobile. The new lineup will have single letter names, like the Galaxy A, but be totally separate from everything Samsung's released so far. Galaxy Epic Touch Mega 4G LTE + Duo Raw PlusPart of this has to do with Samsung's recent disappointing financials, but it's also reportedly about pressing "reset" on the company's naming scheme. This report cites "reliable sources," but they didn't share any other details, so the rest is up in the air. With Samsung's smartphone offerings seeming more and more eclipsed by the competition with every new rival, let's hope they revamp things soon.  |
| In depth: TV Buying Guide 2014: everything you need to know before buying a TV Posted: 06 Nov 2014 03:09 PM PST  TV Review of Year: IntroductionIt's been a tumultuous year for TVs. Technologies like 4K, curved screens and OLED have hit big, while old favourites have faded away. In this article, we'll look back at how the TV landscape has changed in the last 12 months, discuss all the key technologies you need to consider before buying, offer shopping tips and name the best TVs of the year. One thing's for sure, new technologies have dramatically increased the types and shapes of TVs consumers can choose from this year, prices have plummeted again, and our approach to TV content has undergone nothing short of a revolution. Naturally this has made buying a TV even more challenging for consumers. But it's also put severe pressure on the big TV brands to not only keep up with the pace of change without letting standards drop, but also find new ways to stand out from the crowd. Before getting into the new TV stuff, though, let's first pause to mourn the passing of a 'golden oldie'. The end of plasma TVsThis year plasma technology pretty much completely died. LG and Samsung trotted out a couple of budget models in the UK to mop up any residual market (though LG let slip at a recent event that it will probably cease plasma production totally by November), but by far plasma's biggest supporter, Panasonic, totally pulled the plug on its much-loved flat panel tech. And the more the year's gone on, the more we've found ourselves missing plasma's knack for delivering contrast-rich pictures with natural colours and sharp motion. The demise of plasma has coincided with a disappointing rise in the number of LCD TVs that struggle to deliver the sort of contrast we expect from a modern TV – an issue which seems to be down to the growing use of IPS-type LCD panels, something we'll come back to later.
4K is here to stayMoving into more positive territory, 2014 has been defined by the explosion in two significant new screen technologies: 4K/Ultra High Definition resolutions, and curved screens. Where 4K is concerned, every key brand has released multiple TVs this year with the necessary 3840 x 2160 pixels – four times the resolution of full HD TVs. The prices for 4K TVs have more or less halved versus the debut 4K TVs from last year too, and a new 4K-friendly connection standard – HDMI 2.0 – has now been formalised. On the content side, Netflix launched a 4K streaming service in April, with Amazon scheduled to follow suit (only on Samsung TVs initially) in October. Samsung has now launched a HDD server containing UHD movie transfers for use with its UHD TVs, and we've finally had a Christmas 2015 date announced for the launch of 4K Blu-ray discs. Much of the World Cup was filmed in 4K, and Sky and the BBC have both openly run 4K production and broadcasting trials. In other words, the more 2014 has gone on, the more it's become clear that 4K is here to stay.
Curved screens are here... for nowThe situation with curved TVs – where screens curve away from you towards their centre - is less clear cut. For starters, only one brand has so far really pushed the curved screen format heavily and that's Samsung. Mind you, Samsung is a major player - so much so that it really does have the muscle to bend (pun fully intended!) public opinion to its will. LG is also going curved for most of its OLED screens, and by the time you read this Sony should have launched its debut S90 curved LCD TVs for the UK (it already has a few curved models in the US). Philips launched a single curved screen at IFA too. Early sales reports suggest that Samsung's curved TVs have outsold its flat ones by as much as 3:1, which certainly suggests there's a public appetite for curviness. These figures may be a little skewed, though, by the fact that Samsung only puts its very top-level picture technology inside a curved TV (the HU8500 series). We get the sense, too, that the other brands are only dipping their toes into the curved TV arena at the moment either for aesthetic reasons (the thinness you get with OLED technology is really emphasised by the curve) or because they feel they need to be seen in the market. None have really joined Samsung in arguing the case for curved TVs radically improving the viewing experience. As we've observed ourselves, there are advantages to watching a curved screen. But there are disadvantages too. And perhaps tellingly many of the key 'opinion makers' in the AV world appear unconvinced about the usefulness of curving TV screens. So at the time of writing we'd say that the future of curved screens in the long-term TV market seems less assured than that of 4K.
OLED is the future of TV?If you've been paying attention you'll have noticed a couple of mentions of OLED technology. OLED panel technology is seen by many as the great hope for the future of TV thanks to its remarkable contrast, colour and motion-handling capabilities. And towards the end of 2013 we would have predicted great things for OLED in 2014. However, these dreams were shattered at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January as almost every brand appeared to be retreating from OLED – seemingly on the grounds that it's still too expensive to make. Thankfully, though, one brand is still carrying a torch for OLED: LG. The Korean brand has rolled out a couple of new HD panels already, and is on the verge of launching the first 4K OLED TVs. Prices for these new 4K models are comfortably higher than the costs of same-sized 4K LED TVs – the 65-inch 65EC970V OLED will cost around £7,000, while Sony's 65X9005B 4K LED TV costs around £3,300. But actually this isn't quite as high a price disparity as we might have feared, and certainly raises hopes for much more 'mass market' OLED pricing for 2015. Turning next to smart TV developments this year, there have been a couple of significant ones. LG's webOS system moved the Smart TV world forward significantly with its brilliantly slick, fun, economical interface and the way it realised that you need to treat everything – even individual connections – as an app these days if you want to deliver a truly intuitive, multi-tasking TV operating environment. We were also impressed by Panasonic's integration of both the Freetime catch-up TV system and TV Anywhere system for watching your TV on a smart device anywhere in the world.
Where has 3D gone?One last technological development to consider is 3D - or the near death thereof. It's been noticeable how more mid-range TVs have started to ditch 3D support, and even more tellingly, Sky recently stopped filming its Premiership football 'crown jewels' in 3D. The BBC gave up on 3D long ago, and while Hollywood is still making a few films in 3D the annual number hasn't really grown over the years, and still surprisingly few of these movies are actually filmed in 3D rather than being converted to 3D in post production. We're not necessarily saying 3D is going to disappear completely – it will likely always be on premium TVs and there will likely continue to be a trickle of 3D movies. But it's an increasingly niche proposition that fewer and fewer households seem willing to bother with. TV Buying Tips for Christmas 2014
Buying tips for Christmas 2014Based on our experience of 2014's TV world, here are a few tips we'd give to anyone about to brave the market for a new TV. 1. Go 4K if you canIf you've got a decent budget, look to spend it on a 4K TV rather than a high-end HD TV – even if you have to save up a bit longer. Not all 4K TVs are brilliant, but you can get some excellent models for less money than you might think. 2. Go for a big screen... if you canIf you go for a 4K TV, go for as big a screen as you can manage, as this will emphasise 4K's benefits. 3. Check those specsIf you go for a 4K TV, make sure it has the necessary HEVC decoder for handling Netflix 4K streams, and make sure it has the latest HDMI 2.0 ports capable of handling full colour bandwidths and 4K at 60p. 4. Be cautious of curves...Don't buy a curved TV until you've read up on the pros and cons of the format, and ideally until after you've had a demo of one. 5. Avoid IPS LCD panels...If you're a serious film fan who likes to dim the lights when you're watching films, it's probably best to avoid TVs that use IPS panels due to their common contrast failings. IPS panels were designed to deliver a wider viewing angle than rival VA panels, but their downside is that they offer less control over how much light is passed through the LCD crystals, meaning that dark scenes tend to look milky. Or else pictures suffer with over-obvious light 'leaps' and light blocking problems thanks to how hard IPS TVs have to work to counter their core contrast issues. 6. The sweet spot...If you're looking for the best value/performance sweet spot in this year's TV ranges, look towards the mid-range HD models of the main brands. Sets like Sony's W829 and W705 series; Panasonic's AS600 and AS640 series; and Samsung's H6400 series all offer terrific performance levels and features for their prices. If you start spending less you run a much higher risk of finding significant picture quality issues and missing out on some of today's most useful smart features. 7. Second screening...With more and more of us 'second screening' these days – using our phones and tablets while we watch TV – it's worth looking for TVs that offer plenty of tablet and phone content-sharing and control features. TVs in 2014: which brand should you choose?
Which brand should you choose?In this section of our look back over 2014's TV landscape we look at what each of the major hardware brands has been up to. Starting with…
Sony 2014Sony's main focus this year has been on developing its 4K TVs – an area in which the brand clearly feels it has an advantage due to its involvement in all parts of the 4K creation, production and playback story. It's stuck with LCD/LED technology to deliver its screens, and had stayed flat until it recently unveiled a couple of curved models - the S90 series. Its other key focus has been newly aggressive pricing of its mid-range HD TVs, delivering in the process some of the year's most attractive bargains. Sony TV range 2014 reviewThe good...It's been mostly a successful year for Sony – though there have been a couple of stumbles too. The star of the Sony show has been the X9005B TVs. These 4K sets have combined deliriously good picture quality with extraordinarily powerful audio by TV standards, making them the best all-round TVs of the year. Just be prepared to have to accommodate a serious amount of hardware versus today's usual super-slim designs. Another stand out series has been the W829 upper mid-range sets, which have delivered truly exceptional picture quality at striking aggressive prices. The cheaper W705/6 and W605 series have also performed very well for their money. The bad...The misfires have been Sony's flagship HD series, the W955s, and the X8505 step-down 4K screens. Both of these ranges – which we'll be fully reviewing soon - have opted to use IPS panels, with the result that their contrast performance is clearly compromised versus the excellent efforts found elsewhere in Sony's range.
Panasonic 2014Having boldly opted to leave its beloved plasma technology behind for 2014, Panasonic came out fighting at the Consumer Electonics Show (CES) in January by unequivocally stating that it believed its top-end LCD TVs for 2014 would out-perform its best plasma TVs. Since then, though, the brand has enjoyed/suffered a startlingly up and down time. Where the positives are concerned, a key Panasonic strength for 2014 has been its smart TV features, thanks to three great innovations. The best of these has been the integration of Freetime into many of Panasonic's UK TVs. This allows you to access the on-demand catch up TV services of many of the UK's broadcast TV services – including the 'big four' of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – via the brilliantly simple interface of an EPG that can scroll back through time as well as forward. Then there's TV Anywhere, which lets you watch over the internet the tuners or USB recordings of your home TV via your tablet or phone no matter where in the world you are. Finally there's My Stream: a clever scrolling, tiled interface for highlighting content from multiple sources Panasonic's TVs think you'll be interested in based on an analysis of your viewing habits. These new features integrate nicely, too, into the superbly friendly and customisable My Home Screen interface Panasonic has continued on from 2013. On the downside, we've yet to see the supposed plasma-beating X902 series, and with one or two exceptions the picture quality of Panasonic's first all-LCD TV range has been a bit disappointing. Panasonic TV range reviewThe good...As noted, unfortunately we haven't yet seen the TVs – known as the 4K/UHD X902 series in the UK – Panasonic reckons can outgun plasma. They are due before Christmas and they have certainly looked awesome in demos, but that's all we can say about them so far. Of the Panasonic TVs we have seen, the AX802 4K series has been the star of the show in picture quality terms. But Panasonic made a mess of the original launch of these TVs by failing to make them compatible with Netflix 4K streams, and then telling confused journalists that the sets would never be able to play such streams. Mercifully it was revealed at the recent IFA technology show that the AX802s could be upgraded to accept Netflix 4K streams after all, but the mess around the issue was hardly Panasonic's finest hour. The bad...Where Panasonic's HD TVs are concerned, unfortunately a large part of the range has been affected by the IPS issues discussed in the main feature. In other words, many of its sets have suffered with sub-par contrast. The exception has been the AS600/AS640 series, which don't use IPS panels and actually deliver good performance – and features – for very aggressive prices.
Samsung 2014The big push for Samsung in 2014 has been curved TVs. There are almost as many curved TVs in its current range as flat ones, with Samsung underlining its faith in the technology by making its top-tier picture technology only available in a curved TV – the HU8500 series. Samsung has also spent a great deal of time extolling the value of curved screens in enhancing your viewing experience – though there are undeniably also issues with the technology that mean that it may not suit everyone. Samsung has also embraced 4K/UHD in a big way, with far more ultra high definition models in its range than it had last year. It's also improved its picture quality generally, with better contrast and viewing angles and, on its flagship TVs, new wide colour gamut technology. Key features in helping Samsung's sets stand out are the compatibility of its most expensive TVs with future external boxes which can retrofit your TV with next-generation features, picture processing technologies and even connections. Aside from doubts still remaining over curved TV's usefulness, the one disappointing thing about Samsung's 2014 range has been the lack of progress with its smart TV features. These haven't really moved forward in either interface or content terms from 2013. Though to be fair, while the interface is starting to feel a bit long-winded, Samsung does still offer the most extensive collection of smart TV apps and streaming services in the TV world. Samsung TV Range ReviewThe good...It's been another strong, consistent year for Samsung's TV division. Across its range, from the most expensive sets to the cheapest, it's been particularly effective at delivering the sort of good contrast performance which is the bedrock of good picture quality. It helps in this respect that Samsung doesn't use any IPS panels. Samsung has also included striking new PurColour technology in its flagship HU8500 TVs which works with these sets' 4K/UHD resolutions to deliver stunning extra detail and vibrancy to 4K pictures. Also of note with its 4K sets is the quality of its upscaling of HD and even standard definition sources. While the HU8500s have dazzled at the top end of Samsung's range, the HU7500 series have done a good job of offering plenty of 4K quality for a pretty aggressive price – and without you having to worry about a curved screen. Where HD models are concerned, the highlight models are the H6400 series, which combine a strong picture performance and feature count with strikingly affordable prices. But even if you go further down Samsung's range than the H6400 series you'll find plenty of screens that consistently outperform similarly affordable rivals. The bad...The only models that have troubled us about Samsung's range this year are the H7000 HD series, which have looked too expensive for non-4K models. There remain concerns, too, about the potentially divisive nature of curved screens.
LG 2014While LG might not have got everything right in 2014, it's grabbed many of the year's TV headlines on the back of delivering arguably more innovation than any other brand. Key among these innovations is webOS. Developed in Silicon Valley, webOS basically reinvents the smart TV interface – in all the right ways. It's efficient, thoughtful, logical, friendly, easy on the eye, inviting, and inspired in the subtle ways it reinforces your actions and choices with little animations. Plus it's brilliant at multi-tasking. LG's other massive move for 2014 is OLED. Heralded as the 'saviour of TV' for years now, 2014 has seen LG emerge as the driving force behind this hugely exciting new technology. In fact, LG has unexpectedly become the ONLY brand that sees OLED as a genuine TV force for 2014, with other brands withdrawing quietly back to their LCD panels and stating they see OLED as something for the future, not today. LG has already launched a couple of gorgeous HD OLED models to the market this year – and crucially these have cost just a fraction of the price of LG's debut OLED TVs. Most excitingly of all, in November LG will be launching its first 4K OLED TVs, potentially offering the ultimate TV solution. One other smaller point worth making about LG's TVs this year is that they've done some interesting things with their sound, including delivering transparent, super-slim but still good sounding speakers in the 55EA980W OLED TV, and getting audio brand Harman Kardon to supply a startlingly powerful multi-channel speaker design for its UB980V flagship LED series. The downside in LG's topsy-turvy year has been the way issues with its IPS-type LCD panels have been fairly ruthlessly exposed by the increased quality of rival panels. Almost every LG LCD TV we've seen has suffered with contrast issues versus the best rivals. Which is why OLED couldn't have come along at a better time for LG, really. LG TV Range ReviewThe good...The stars of LG's TV showing this year have been its OLED TVs. Even though the models we've seen so far – like the 55EA980W - haven't been 4K, they've set new standards in every way bar resolution. The brand's 4K OLEDs aren't due until November, but from every demo we've seen they look likely to bring the house down in performance terms At £7000 the 65-inch 65EC970V isn't nearly as expensive as we might have expected, either. Even though, of course, dropping seven grand on a TV is not something your average household will feel able to do. On the LCD side, the star of the show is a set we'll be reviewing here soon: the 65UB980V. This UHD/4K model is LG's flagship LCD TV for 2014, and thanks to a higher-level processing chip and more advanced backlight controls it's a much more capable all-rounder than any of LG's cheaper LCD TVs. The bad...Strangely, the weakest point in LG's range is the 4K model just below the 65UB980V, the UB950V series, which suffers with some serious backlight problems and a curiously ghosty 3D performance. LG's other LCD sets have all tempted with their webOS features and, at times, strong value. But while their pictures often look good in bright rooms and with bright content, their contrast problems are sometimes ruthlessly exposed in more challenging/serious conditions.
Philips 2014Philips is yet another brand that's had a startlingly mixed year, at least in picture performance terms. Again, a key factor in this mixed bag is the fact that the brand has used IPS panels in quite a few of its TVs, with the attendant problems already discussed. Philips also continues to lag behind other brands with its Smart TV offering, and it's a shame that Philips has this year taken the decision not to bring its premium-grade TVs – sets which could have added more picture quality to the Philips 'pool' - to the UK. Philips has taken this action for 2014 because its UK team has decided it needs to build brand awareness by actually starting to shift some TV volume – which means, of course, focussing on aggressively priced TVs. And although we miss seeing Philips' at its high-quality best, it's fair to say it's pursued its 'volume' policy quite well for the most part. It's important to add, too, that while the Philips TVs we've had in the UK so far haven't done anything exciting in smart TV terms, at IFA Philips unveiled its first TVs powered by the Android platform, opening the gates to a hugely ramped up app count and even, further down the line, a potentially much improved interface. Unfortunately Philips has yet to confirm if the UK will be getting one of these 'Android TVs', though even if we don't get the first generation it seems inevitable that we'll get some Android action from the brand next year. Philips TV range reviewThe good...The highlight of the Philips range so far is a range we'll be testing here soon: the PFT5509 series. This budget range offers great value by combining good, contrast-rich pictures with strikingly aggressive prices. For instance, the 48-inch model only costs £529. Also quite strong is the step-up PFS6609 range – at least in 2D mode. Watch 3D on it and you'll just get a headache. The bad...The weakest point in Philips current range, surprisingly, is its PUS7809 'budget' 4K range (due for a full review soon). For while we love the prices involved here – the 55-inch model costs just £1500 – the picture quality they offer is seriously compromised by yet another unimpressive, IPS-caused contrast performance that leaves pictures looking inferior to those of most other 4K TVs this year.
Best of the rest...It's been a fairly quiet year for the smaller, price-driven brands in the UK. Toshiba, at least, has managed a genuinely useful innovation in the shape of its MediaGuide Replay function, which automatically records programmes it thinks from analysing your viewing history that you'll be interested in. This TiVO-like feature has the potential to create your own nightly personalised 'channel' of content – though it's a pity you have to add your own USB HDD drive for the feature to work. Toshiba hasn't set the world on fire with its picture quality this year for the most part, despite the use of a uniquely bright panel design in its premium (but still highly affordable) 7 Series HD range. Toshiba's focus on IPS panels hasn't helped in this respect. Budget brandsOf the other less well-known brands, the only two worth picking out are Finlux and Linsar. Finlux we highlight as a budget brand to watch, for as well as its exceptionally aggressive pricing it's managed to deliver some genuine quality in some – though only some – of its TVs this year. The brand's inconsistency means you should try and find reviews of a particular set you're interested in before you buy, but overall it seems Finlux is on a gently upward trajectory. Linsar we mention because it's relatively new to the market, is a British brand, and has mentioned an intention to launch UHD TVs into the market in the not too distant future for very aggressive prices… One last rather sad thought should be spared for a once mighty brand: Sharp. The Japanese brand has been so quiet of late, at least where providing TVs to review is concerned, that we'd almost forgotten it was still around. Actually, though, it's launching a new 4K range as we speak, and also launched a range of TVs earlier in the year with intriguing 'Quattron Pro' technology that supposedly offered a higher-than-HD resolution without reaching true 4K resolution levels. But with no review samples arriving in response to our repeated requests, we can't say anything more than that these TVs exist. The best TVs of 2014
The best TVs of 2014Confusingly 2014 has been simultaneously a ground-breakingly great and a slightly disappointing year. There have been some amazing TVs at the cutting edge, notably in the 4K, curved and OLED markets, but quite a few uninspiring models in the mid and lower sections of the market. There are actually a few potential key TVs still to emerge this year, such as Panasonic's X902 series, LG's 4K OLEDs, and Sony's S90 4K curved TVs. But as things stand to date, 4K technology has been a huge winner; curved TVs have probably just about managed a score draw; OLED still looks like being the best thing to happen to TV since sliced bread; we've missed plasma loads; and HD LCD TVs have had a pretty average year. Culled from this tumultuous backdrop, here's our pick of the best TVs of the year so far.
Best Flagship TV:Sony X9005BSony's top 4K TV for 2014 is a stellar all-rounder. Its pictures benefit from arguably the best backlight handling in the LCD world, fantastically clever processing (especially when it comes to upscaling), and gorgeous colours thanks to Sony's Triluminos system. Sealing the deal is the X9005B's audio, as an array of Sony's magnetic fluid speakers belt out sound with levels of power, clarity, and dynamic range that you'd usually only get from a decent external audio system. Read: Sony KD-65X9005B review Also consider:Pushing the 65X9005B hard for best flagship TV is the Samsung 65HU8500. This also delivers contrast-rich 4K/UHD pictures with stellar upscaling processing and great colour response. Its curved screen may divide opinion, though, and it doesn't sound nearly as good as the Sony. Panasonic's 50AX802 deserves an honourable mention as another great 4K TV too now that it can handle Netflix 4K feeds. In the HD rather than 4K world the best flagship TV is unquestionably LG's 55EA9800 OLED set.
Best mid-range TV:Sony W829Sony strikes again. The 50W829 was one of the first 2014 TVs we tested, so it's a testament to just what a great balance of performance and value it offers that it's survived the onslaught from rivals throughout the year. The key to its success is Sony's outstanding backlight control, which delivers black levels, contrast and colour heights far beyond those of the vast majority of other mid-range TVs this year. Read: Sony KDL-50W829 review Also consider:Samsung, again, pushes Sony hard in this section, especially with its H6700 series, as probably best represented by the UE48H6700. Otherwise the only other model warranting a mention here is Philips' PFS6609 series, as represented by the soon to be fully reviewed 55PFS6609.
Best bargain TV:Panasonic AS500While Panasonic has certainly missed its plasma TVs this year, it did manage to hit a nice sweet spot at the lower end of the market with the 42-inch 42AS500. Its picture quality is good for its money, it's well designed, and although it doesn't offer Panasonic's brilliant Freetime feature it does still benefit from the brand's friendly, personalisable My Home Screen interface. Read: Panasonic TX-42AS500 review Also Consider:Sony has a compelling proposition again in this sector in the shape of the £429 40-inch 40W605, which we'll be reviewing soon. Also, if you want a slightly bigger bargain, you could do worse than checking out the £529 Philips 48-inch 48PFT5509. The future of TV: What to watch in 2015
What to watch in 2015...For the most part we expect the TV world to be considerably calmer next year than it was in 2014, at least in technology terms. In other words, we expect to see brands consolidating this year's key innovations – curved TVs, 4K TVs and, in LG's case, OLED – rather than coming up with radical new designs and technologies. This could be great news for the consumer. For 'consolidation' of new technology almost always means plummeting prices. So we expect 4K prices to almost halve again for 2015 having halved already for 2014. OLED prices, too, may halve, though LG may not feel too pressurised unless other brands re-enter the OLED market (which doesn't seem likely). 4K will get cheaper...A couple of other key points about 4K are that it will start appearing on more and more screens next year (in fact, it could well be almost de facto on TVs with 50-inch screens or bigger); and that we'll really start to see content providers trying to catch up with the 4K hardware revolution. It will be interesting to see if current 'curve sceptic' Panasonic joins Sony, Philips, LG and, of course, Samsung in offering curved screens in its range; our suspicion is that it will. Bendable TVs are coming...On the subject of curves, we suspect the main hardware innovation for 2015 will be 'bendable' TVs. LG and Samsung have already confirmed that they will be launching TVs where you can select whether you want your TV to work in flat or curved form, depending, say, on how many people are watching it. Things might be more interesting on the software side, as other brands may scrabble to try and 'catch up' with LG's webOS smart TV system. Certainly we expect to see more attempts to turn every source, even each input, into its own app, to support better multi-tasking. Home automationOne other area where we might just see some gentle first moves is home automation. We've seen previous clumsy attempts to sell the concept of the TV as a central hub for a wider home monitoring and control system, but these rather vague efforts have suddenly been given a whole new focus since Apple started to get 'serious' in this area with the launch of its HomeKit app for its phones, tablets and Apple TV device. Who knows – we might even finally get word of the long-mythologised Apple television. Though as we argued recently, this may be one dream you're best not holding your breath for… TV Buying Guides by size2014's Best TVs by size...
Best 32-inch TVsThe perfect size for bedroom TVs or sets for smaller rooms Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK. But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k on the best ones. There's only one certainty at this size – your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently. 10 best 32-inch TVs in the world today
Best 40 and 42-inch TVsThe sweet spot for plasma TVs offers lots of bang for your buck Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 40-42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the market, this size also offers possibly the best value TVs around. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. 10 best 40 and 42-inch TVs |
| The gold Moto 360 and slimmer watch bands are finally official Posted: 06 Nov 2014 01:41 PM PST  The Moto 360 is a sleek-looking smartwatch, but until now it's been lacking in options. Thankfully Motorola has officially unveiled the champagne gold Motor 360, slimmer watch bands and more, new accessories and choices that popped up originally in an Amazon leak at the end of October. At the time we spotted the gold smartwatch, new band sizes, a silver Moto 360 with a brown leather strap, and new bands in dark metal and dark silver. Now Motorola's revealed all that and more. So many choicesThe device maker says the new bands are made of aircraft-grade stainless steel with a tri-link design that matches the 360's round face. The smartwatch launches with light and dark metal straps today, November 6, for $299 (about £190, AU$350) on Motorola's site. The slim bands, including a silver version and the more expensive $329 (about £210, AU$385) gold one, will arrive closer to the holidays. Motorola also teased a bunch of other standalone interchangeable bands, including new colors of leather, new leather straps from DODOcase and silicone straps by TYLT. Finally new watch face customization options and designs and a new Moto Body fitness app are coming to the Moto 360 in updates soon.  |
| TR tip off: TechRadar Tip Off: win a custom Xbox One plus the new Call of Duty Posted: 06 Nov 2014 01:13 PM PST  It's OK, you can admit it here, we won't tell anyone: friends and family are great and all, but what you really want this holiday is take your place in a war for the near-future. We get it, all you want to do this winter is toast the competition with that strength-boosting exo suit and a new-age arsenal. But, what's that you say, you don't have one of the latest game consoles to play it on? Have no fear, for we've worked with Microsoft and Activision to give away a special Xbox One console bundled with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare to one of you lucky readers – sorry, US-only, folks – . You know, the new entry in the mega-hit first person shooter franchise? (The one with a character voiced by Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey?) Good, now we have your attention. So, what do you have to do for a chance at the first Call of Duty to release on Xbox One, plus the console to play it on? Here it is plain and simple:
If you win, you'll be supplied with the Xbox One Limited Edition "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" Bundle by the Xbox team at Microsoft, who obviously know what's up. Here's what the bundle includes:
But wait, there's more, like in-game bonuses! Here's the additional in-game bonus content:
Just a reminder, this giveaway is U.S. only and will be concluding on Thursday, 11/13 Now that you know the details, enter to win this awesome bundle right here. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia (excluding Rhode Island, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. military installations in foreign countries, or in any other U.S. territories or possessions), except where prohibited or restricted by law. Entrants must have attained the age of majority in their state of residence (usually at least eighteen (18) years of age) at time of entry, possess a valid form of unexpired government-issued photo identification, and have a valid email address.  |
| Sharp's prototype smartwatch makes sacrifices for longer battery life Posted: 06 Nov 2014 11:48 AM PST  Smartwatch makers have gone to some lengths to try to solve the battery problem, and Sharp is the latest to take a crack. With its first prototype smartwatch, Sharp opts to axe the backlight in favor of a reflective surface that illuminates the wearable's display using light that hits its surface - saving oodles of battery life. This is a pretty severe trade-off, though, as it gives you great viewing capabilities in sunlight, but zero in the dark. When do you use your smartwatch most - night or day? This Sharp tech's success depends on that question. Looking sharpThat said, the 1-inch, 8-color Sharp smartwatch is only a prototype for now. Sharp is reportedly in talks with smartwatch manufacturers over using the screen tech in their devices, so we'll see if this pops up anywhere. The prototype also saves on battery with special semiconductor memory that reportedly stores and reproduces the on-screen image using less power than standard RAM. One other device maker, Onyx, tackled the battery problem in October with an e-ink smartwatch, though we've yet to see anything come of that either.  |
| Amazon Echo is a Bluetooth speaker with Siri-like powers Posted: 06 Nov 2014 11:09 AM PST  Voice commands don't always work very well on the Xbox One, but maybe Amazon can succeed where Microsoft has floundered? The bookseller has introduced something called the Amazon Echo, a Bluetooth-enabled speaker with an always-on microphone that listens for voice commands. The Echo can play music or the news, answer questions, create lists, set alarms, and more at your command, according to Amazon. And the trigger word that prompts it to start listening is "Alexa." Hope your name's not AlexaIt may not be ideal for people named Alexa, but Amazon says the Echo can hear you even when it's playing music from its speaker. A 9-inch cylinder, the Amazon Echo has a built-in subwoofer and reflex port, a light around the top, an "action" button, and a button to mute the microphone. A companion app for Android and Fire phones, plus a browser app for other devices, helps with initial set-up and further management of the Echo. And Amazon says the Echo will harness the cloud to constantly learn and get smarter. The Amazon Echo is available to purchase by invite only for $199 (about £125, AU$230) or $99 (about £60, AU$115) for Amazon Prime subscribers.  |
| Posted: 06 Nov 2014 11:00 AM PST  Introduction and features• Don't forget to check out the Techradar Camera Channel home page for all the latest camera reviews. The selfie has become a part of everyday culture these days. Smartphones, with their forward facing cameras, have perhaps facilitated this trend, and it shows no sign of disappearing. It can be a little more difficult to achieve the same effect with a standard compact camera, as you generally have no way of knowing exactly where you're pointing the lens for framing your best side. That is, unless you pick up something like the Nikon Coolpix S6900, which has a fully articulating screen which can be flipped round to face forward. What's more, there's also an inbuilt camera stand which means you can prop the camera up to go hands free and banish that pesky arm-in-shot type photo.
Alternatively, you can use Gesture Control to trigger certain operations, including the shutter release. Designed specifically with parties in mind, other features for the self-snapper include self-wide mode, which combines a sequence of shots to capture group shots, and self-collage, which enables you to combine nine different faces to combine them into a single photo booth style grid. There's also inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity to hook up the camera to your smartphone for quick sharing on social networks and the like. Of course, you can also use the S6900 as a normal camera. It features a 16 million pixel backlit CMOS sensor, a 12x optical zoom (which gives you 25-300mm in 35mm terms), 20 different scene modes and the ability to add 33 different post-shot image effects.
Full HD video recording is also included. Build Quality and HandlingThe overall body size of the S6900 is bulked out a little by the fully articulating screen on the back of the camera. The screen folds out completely from the body to face forward and downwards to accommodate for a variety of awkward angles. It also folds into the body to protect the screen from damage. Behind the screen you'll find the arm which can be pulled out to act as a stand – you can either use the stand horizontally, or vertically – this is designed to help with selfies and group pictures. To make it easier still, there's a shutter release button on the front of the camera, but you will need to steady the camera with your hand to use it. The screen itself is touch sensitive, which means you can use it to trigger the shutter release too. There are no buttons on the back of the camera, with the bulk of operation taking place via the screen. Unfortunately, the screen is not as responsive as it could be, sometimes requiring more than one tap to get the desired effect.
The self-timer mode is useful if you want to take selfies but, annoyingly, you have to activate the self-timer every time you want to use it, meaning if you're taking more than one photo you'll have to keep repeating the process. On top of the camera you'll find the device's only physical buttons, including an on/off button, a Wi-Fi button, a video record button and the shutter release. Around the shutter release is a rocker switch for zooming the camera's lens. Zooming is pretty quick and fluid, and you can reach the telephoto end pretty quickly.
To change shooting modes, press the green camera icon on the right hand side of the screen, from here you'll be able to choose between scene auto selector, scene mode, special effects, smart portrait and glamour mode. On the left hand of the screen you'll see of the most commonly used settings – exposure compensation, macro focusing, self-timer and flash. For more advanced settings, you can press the menu icon just above the camera icon. Here you'll be able to change settings such as white balance, ISO (sensitivity), colour options and so on. To use the Wi-Fi functionality, first you need to press the dedicated Wi-Fi button on top of the camera. From here you'll be prompted to connect your device – a password will be displayed. Once you've connected your device once, it should remember the password. You will also need to download Nikon's free Wireless Mobile Utility. Alternatively, if you have an NFC enabled device, you simply need to touch the two together to form a connection - the first time you do this, you will be prompted by the Google Play store to download the app; after that, the app should load automatically when the two devices are touched. From the app, you can view the images on the camera's memory card, or take photos remotely, which is another useful option for group shots and selfies. It's worth noting, however, that control is limited to zooming the lens and firing the shutter release – you can't change any other settings. Image quality and resolutionAs part of our image quality testing for the Canon PowerShot G7 X, we've shot our resolution chart. Click here to see a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean. Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
Full ISO 125 image, see 100% crops below:
ISO 125, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400, score: 14. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800, score: 12. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600, score: 12. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200, score: 12. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 6400, score: N/A. Click here for full-resolution image. Sensitivity and noise images
Full ISO 125 image. See 100% crops below.
ISO 125. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 6400. Click here for full resolution image. Performance and verdictIf the light is great, this camera performs pretty well. Colours are vibrant and punchy, and detail is resolved to a decent enough standard if you're going to be printing or viewing images at A4 or less. However, as the light drops and you're forced to use higher sensitivities, the performance is less than impressive. ISO 800 is the maximum I would recommend using, unless you're particularly desperate and you can't use flash. At ISO 1600, detail becomes very smudgy, even when looking at the pictures at reasonably small sizes, and it becomes worse still at ISO 3200 or ISO 6400. On the plus side, the camera's automatic white balance system copes well with different lighting conditions, and doesn't result in images with overly warm tones under artificial lighting. You can change this setting though if its proving particularly problematic, though. Similarly, the camera's all-purpose metering system does a decent job of producing accurate exposures in the majority of conditions. You might find in particularly bright or high-contrast situations, dialing in some positive or negative exposure compensation helps to produce a more balanced image. Focusing is a little problematic at times, especially when trying to take close-ups. Even with macro mode activated, the camera can struggle to focus, and what's worse can sometimes produce false positives - suggesting that focus has been acquired when it clearly hasn't. On a more positive note, focusing at longer distances (such as when photographing landscapes) is much better – especially in good light. At the furthest reach of the telephoto optic, detail is resolved well, and it is perhaps only in this area that the S6900 is a better choice than the average mobile phone. There's also a digital zoom, which although not as good as the optical zoom, isn't too bad – and useful if you're really desperate to get closer to a subject. VerdictIt seems as if camera manufacturers are intimidated by the onslaught of mobile phones, and are producing cameras like this in a bid to compete. While this is a good camera if the light is good, or if you need a zoom lens, for the most part, your smartphone is likely to be capable of taking just as good, or probably better, shots. If you already own a smartphone equipped with a great camera, and there is an abundance of these nowadays, the S6900 only makes sense if you really want a completely separate camera. This can be handy if you're looking for a holiday camera, or something to sling in your bag or pocket on a night out and not have to worry about battery life or similar problems associated with smartphones. It's a shame though that the camera couldn't be just a little bit better. It's a fun idea having the stand to help with selfies, but the touchscreen is nowhere near as responsive as the average smartphone, which makes it frustrating to use at times. It's nice to see easy to use Wi-Fi/NFC integration, but it could be better by offering you greater control when using the app. We likedThe stand really does help when shooting hands-free selfies, and it can be used in either a portrait or horizontal orientation for maximum flexibility. The addition of a front facing shutter release button and a touch sensitive screen also helps when using the screen flipped out and facing forward. We dislikedIn low light and higher sensitivity settings, the image performance isn't great, with smudgy, noisy photos at the upper end of the scale. It's not particularly unusual for a compact camera of its kind, but something which most smartphones are dealing with better at the moment. Final VerdictThe Nikon S6900 is a decent compact for holidays, parties and so on, and the articulating, touch sensitive screen makes it fun to use at times. It's just a shame image quality couldn't be a bit better. Sample images
At its widest point, the camera's lens gives you a decent angle of view for capturing a variety of different scenes. Click here to see a full resolution version.
At times, the camera struggles to focus on close subjects such as this - this required several attempts at focusing to get a good lock. Click here to see a full resolution version.
Colours are nicely saturated straight from the camera. Click here to see a full resolution image.
The camera's articulating screen and button on the front of the camera makes it easy to shoot selfies. Click here to see a full resolution version.
When the focus manages to lock on correctly, and the light is good, detail is resolved well, especially when viewing at normal printing or web sizes. Click here to see a full resolution version.
Generally speaking, the camera does a decent job of producing accurate exposures via its general purpose metering system, sometimes struggling if the subject is particularly dark or high contrast. Click here to see a full resolution version.
The stand on the back of the camera helps when you want to take selfies hands-free as the camera can stand up unaided. Click here to see a full resolution version.
The S6900's zoom is decent, and is the area where it beats the competition from smartphones. Click here to see a full resolution version. Special EffectsA number of different special effects can be applied from a specific exposure mode.
No effect. Click here to see a full resolution version.
Soft. Click here to see a full resolution version.
Sepia. Click here to see a full resolution version.
High-contrast monochrome. Click here to see a full resolution version.
High Key. Click here to see a full resolution version.
Low Key. Click here for a full resolution image.
Selective Colour. Click here for a full resolution image.
Pop. Click here for a full-resolution image.
Super Vivid. Click here for a full resolution image.
Toy Camera Effect 1. Click here for a full resolution image.
Toy Camera Effect 2. Click here to see a full resolution image.
Cross process. Click here to see a full resolution image.
Mirror. Click here to see a full resolution image. Zoom range
An image taken at the widest point of the S9600's 12x optical zoom. Click here to see a full resolution image.
At the furthest end of the telephoto optic. Click here for a full resolution image.
Even with digital zoom, the image quality doesn't drop too badly. Click here to see a full resolution image.
Using the extended digital zoom isn't really recommended unless you desperately need it. Click here to see a full resolution version.  |
| How virtual maps are becoming really useful for business travel Posted: 06 Nov 2014 10:00 AM PST  IntroductionAfter a decade of work on augmented reality on mobile devices, Daniel Krause of Nokia's HERE Maps team thinks we're ready to get past the demos and start using phones that show us an X-ray vision of the world around us. "We're moving from just a map for navigation that's a digital version of a paper map to a next-generation map that's much more contextual, that's much more active and dynamic, that fits in to the moment and really provides the information you need," Krause told TechRadar Pro. The key to giving you that moment of information is making augmented reality fit seamlessly into the digital maps we already use, Krause says. Nokia added AR to its maps on Windows Phone last year and they quickly learned what does and doesn't work. "People really like the idea of vital information in context and getting away from the equivalent of a paper map into the real world, but it's very important to keep the map context. If it's an augmented reality viewer that just shows stuff around you then people are confused about what it shows. Our technology, Live Sight, is integrated very tightly into the map; really it's just another map mode." Big breakthroughThe breakthrough was building a 3D transition that morphs between the traditional overhead map view and the heads-up augmented reality view where you hold the phone up to use it like a lens on the world. "We do a 3D transition between the orthographic map and the camera view and back," Krause explains. "We fly the camera down through the classic oblique angle and down to the ground and you see 3D buildings pop out and into the camera view." That lets you keep track of how what you can see around you fits in with the map, which Krause calls 'spatiality'. "One of the greatest uses of 3D is to provide the spatial connection between the heads-up view and the world around you." So if you see an unusual building and you wonder what it is, you can pull out your phone. Instead of just looking on the map for a building, you can hold up the phone. "As you tilt the phone, the building would show in 3D. If you continue to push the phone up the building will tilt fully and fade into the building that's here in front of you," he explains. The sensors in your phone aren't accurate enough to do that on their own – "we've done a lot of registration work to get it right," Krause notes. Where can I go now?What people really find augmented reality tools useful for is exploring the world right around them. "We want to explore things within two or three hundred metres of where we're standing," says Krause. That's fun for tourists but even more useful for business travellers. The labels you see in the camera view could tell you more than just the name of the building or business you can see, like ratings and offers. "Here are the restaurants you can see, and here are the ratings, and these two have a special on," he suggests. If you have enough detail in your map, an augmented reality view could save you a lot of walking if you're heading into a large building like a shopping centre or an office complex. "I want to get a route to the door of the building – as a pedestrian, I could be half a mile off. Augmented reality could show me the points of interest. I want to take a quick glimpse; is it in here or how do I find it?" HERE Maps is adding more features to make that easier. The first is showing the dynamic distance to a point of interest as you walk towards it, and the other is called Point Me There and puts arrows on-screen to point you in the direction of a point of interest. "That solves the problem of doing a search and holding up the phone and all the Italian restaurants that are close are behind you," jokes Krause. Getting the direction is accurate up to about 20 or 30 feet he says. Still issues to overcomeThere are still some problems to solve concerning displaying the right information for where you are, such as when you're outside a large building and you want to see details of what's inside (like the different shops and services in a railway station) or you're inside the office and you want to see what's outside the building. That's the occlusion problem: "There's something blocking what I'm looking at – should we efface things that are not directly visible? It works in the other direction too – if you're outside, you might not want to see the points of interest that are behind the building," Krause observes. Or if you're in a large venue, you might want to be guided to the exit without seeing the details of businesses outside. And what about handling different levels: how do you show if an exit is underground or the coffee shop you're looking for is on the second floor? The Live Sight team is working on the best way to show all of these elements so they're meaningful. "It has to be so when the user pulls their phone out the information being given is really clear and accurate and in context – and it shows any deficiencies that may be there. The limitations [we face] are defined by the resolution of the location information that's available from hardware and how good we are at providing directions that are really constructive, and extremely robust." Are we there yet?Live Sight is the third-generation of Nokia's augmented reality technology. Krause thinks it will take off this time, partly because we have fast enough processors, big enough screens and good enough location tools in our phones, along with voice recognition that works reliably. It's also due to the fact that as smartphones have become more ubiquitous, we've started to demand ways of getting information that make sense on a phone screen – and AR is ideal for that. "I think we're getting very close because people are interested in a simpler and more humanised experience. I don't want to stand out on the street and type in 'pizza'; I want to hold my phone up and say 'show me pizza joints'. There's a desire for simplification and speed. People want it to be simple and easy to get to. It's about searching, exploring, navigating – and making that entire workflow visual and effortless and preferably one-handed. There are lots of technologies starting to appear in phones and operating systems, like the increasing amount of voice recognition, that's starting to tie in with what we can do with Live Sight." But he's also excited about what we get with the next generation of mobile devices. We asked him when will augmented reality become commonplace, and Krause replied: "I feel it will happen as phones get thinner and lighter, as they become transparent screens [on the world], things we hold up and look through – the glasses on your face or a tablet you hold up and unroll like a pirate map."  |
| In depth: WireLurker: what you need to know about Apple's biggest ever threat Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:45 AM PST -470-75.JPG) Nobody bats an eyelid when malware shows up in the Windows world, but when it manoeuvres itself Mission Impossible-style into Apple's traditionally locked-down ecosystem, everything tends to descend into a frenzy. It's par for the course, then, that WireLurker, a strain of malware that's transferred from infected Macs to USB-connected iOS devices, has caused quite a stir in the past 24 hours. According to Unit 42 - the threat intelligence team at Palo Alto Networks that discovered the vulnerability - WireLurker has made its way onto potentially hundreds of thousands of China-based people's Apple devices. What's more, the company reckons it has the potential to spread its tentacles much further afield. We don't want to leave you hanging, so here's a run down of the vital information that you need to know about what has been called "a new breed of threat to all iOS devices". It has been provided by Ryan Olson, Head of Intelligence at Unit 42. What is WireLurker?WireLurker is a strain of malware that has been discovered in a third-party Chinese OS X app store called Maiyadi. According to Unit 42, it marks a "new era in malware across Apple's desktop and mobile platforms" and poses a threat to businesses, governments and Apple device customers worldwide. How does it work?Rather than attacking OS X and iOS separately, WireLurker targets both platforms at the same time. It does so by monitoring any iOS device connected via USB with an infected OS X computer and installs downloaded third-party applications or automatically generated malicious applications onto the device, depending on whether or not it's jailbroken (hence the name "wire lurker"). Researchers have succesfully pulled off similar methods fo attack non-jailbroken devices before, but WireLurker is sophisticated enough to combine several techniques to make it even more dangeous than what has gone before. Why is it a big deal?WireLurker can boast a number of firsts - all of which make it a particularly nasty piece of work. It's the first known strain of malware that can infect installed iOS apps in a similar way to how a traditional virus on a desktop computer would. It's also the first-in-the-wild malware family that can install third-party apps on iOS devices that haven't been jailbroken using enterprise provisioning (a way of companies installing their own apps without going through Apple's app approval process). Additionally, until WireLurker came along, only one other malware family was known to have attacked iOS devices through OS X via USB. Where did it come from?WireLurker is believed to have been built by cyber criminals in China, who have trojanised (infected) 467 OS X applications in Maiyadi. Maiyadi is also a website that provides Apple-related news and resources, whereas the app store of the same name is a sub-site known to host pirated premium Mac, iPad and iPhone apps.
What bad things will it do?Some criminals act first and think later, which appears to be what the perpetrators of WireLurker are doing. Unit 42 reckons they're still considering their motives while developing attack plans and fine-tuning the malware to be more stealthy and harder to remove. WireLurker is capable of stealing data - from address book contacts to Apple device information and iMessage contact details - and could be capable of much more due to its ability to communicate with a "command control server" for updates. In other words, it's constantly becoming more powerful and sophisticated. How many people have been affected?More than you might think. It's thought that 467 infected applications have been downloaded over 356,104 times, mainly by Mac and iOS users in China. How can I stay safe?Because WireLurker is only found in third-party Mac apps, you can stay safe from harm by only downloading apps from Apple's own Mac App Store. In other words: keep away from third-party app stores that aren't only infested with malware, they're of dubious legality due to reasons related to copyright and IP. How did Unit 42 spot it?The security vulnerability was discovered by Claud Xiao of Unit 42 after he came across a Chinese forum documenting highly suspicious files and processes on Macs and iPhones. Xiao found that all of the apps trojanized by WireLurker included an installation interface that used a "Pirates of the Caribbean" themed wallpaper. The infected apps also use a QQ (an IM software service) account number that corresponds to the owner of the Maiyadi website. The packages also contained an application named "User Manual', which was displayed in Chinese. So, Apple is on the case, right?Let's be clear: although WireLurker is affecting Apple devices, it's not an Apple vulnerability. That's because the techniques that it uses are deployed using legitimate APIs either from Apple on in Cydia (a third-party app store on iOS), which is used by jail-broken devices. However, in a statement Apple confirmed to TechRadar that it has blocked infected apps that it has identified to prevent them from launching.  |
| Review: Vodafone Smart 4 Power Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:36 AM PST  Introduction and designAs with a growing number of handsets such as the HTC Desire 510, EE Kestrel and Motorola Moto G 4G, the Vodafone Smart 4 Power brings 4G capability with a sub £200 price tag. On Vodafone's own online store the Smart 4 Power is being sold for £120, making it a good deal cheaper than the HTC Desire 510, which costs £149 and the Moto G 4G, which can be had for around £155. While the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is more affordable than these rivals, it still can't compete with the EE Kestrel's incredibly low price of just £99. EE's offering is stubbornly clinging to the title of lowest cost 4G-capable smartphone. If you're looking for both a budget smartphone and a new network carrier and the choice falls between EE and Vodafone, then that £20 difference could be enough to sway you towards EE - unless the Smart 4 Power provides good reasons for the more expensive price tag. The first thing I noticed when I unpacked the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is that this is a big phone, with the large bezel that surrounds the 5-inch screen making it a substantial handset.
The Vodafone Smart 4 Power's dimensions are 141 x 71.4 x 9.5mm, a good deal larger than the EE Kestrel's 133 x 65 x 7.85mm frame and the HTC Desire 510's 139.9 x 69.8 x 9.99mm, though both have smaller screens, with the Kestrel coming with a 4.5-inch display, and the HTC Desire 510 sporting a 4.7-inch. At this price, if you're keen on getting a large-screen device, you're going to have to accept a larger body as well. The Vodafone Smart 4 Power's weight is a hefty 162g, so you'll certainly know it's in your pocket. It gives the Vodafone Smart 4 Power a robust feel that can be missing from budget smartphones.
The plastic back of the chassis sacrifices a premium feel but feels like it could withstand the odd knock and drop. However, the lack of Gorilla Glass over the display means it's unlikely to come off well from being dropped face down or rubbing up against your keys. When holding the Vodafone Smart 4 Power in one hand, the size and weight of the handset begins to take its toll, and it's certainly not the most comfortable smartphone I've used. If you're used to one-handed typing and navigation then you're going to find yourself stretching to reach all the corners of the screen. Even with my not inconsiderably long digits I began feeling the strain of trying to access certain areas of the screen, with the back button on the bottom of the bezel proving particularly difficult to reach.
Though you could argue that this is par for the course with large-screen smartphones, the thickness of the edges around the screen don't help. Making life slightly easier is the location of the power button in the middle of the right-hand side of the phone, just beneath the volume controls. These are the only buttons on the body and they prove to be firm and responsive when used. It does mean there's no dedicated camera button, so the Vodafone Smart 4 Power isn't ideal if you want a phone you can quickly whip out and take a shot with. A headphone jack is located at the top-left of the body, with a micro USB port situated at the bottom of the case.
Removing the back of the Smart 4 Power's case is easy, and once removed you get access to the sim card slot and microSD expansion slot. Though it's not quite as easy to get to as a microSD slot built into the side of the case, the fact that the back of the case is so easy to remove means I wasn't too bothered with the placement of the microSD slot in the Smart 4 Power. The Vodafone Smart 4 Power will accept microSD cards up to 32GB, which does a decent job of boosting storage over the rather paltry 4GB of built-in storage.
Considering the cheaper EE Kestrel comes with 8GB of onboard storage, the 4GB of storage seems pretty tight. Fresh out of the box with Android 4.4 and other apps installed, you only actually get 1.8GB, which means that expanding the Vodafone Smart 4 Power's storage space via microSD cards is less of an option and more of a necessity, especially if you want to take lots of photographs. While 32GB of additional space should be more than enough for many people, it's worth pointing out that some similarly priced phones such as the HTC Desire 510 can handle microSD cards up to 128GB. The Vodafone Smart 4 Power comes in black or white. Its overall look is reminiscent of the Vodafone Smart 4 Mini, though quite a bit larger. It's a no-nonsense design which doesn't stand out against other budget handsets. While it's certainly not ugly, and comes in either white or black, it's not going to wow anyone either. Budget handsets such as the Moto G demonstrate that just because a phone might have a low price tag, that doesn't mean they have to look plain, which sadly the Vodafone Smart 4 Power does. Key featuresBy far the biggest selling point of the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is its price. It's a handset designed to offer many of the modern trappings of a smartphone, including 4G connectivity and Android 4.4 KitKat, but with a more palatable price tag. While the sim-free Smart 4 Power is going for just £120, you can get it for free on a contract that costs £18 a month. This already makes the Vodafone Smart 4 Power a very tempting choice if you're looking for a new phone on a budget, but if the features let it down, then you may still be wasting money. Vodafone is pushing the Smart 4 Power as a smartphone that can do pretty much everything you need from a modern smartphone. A key feature is the Vodafone Smart 4 Power's LTE connectivity, granting its users access to super-fast 4G mobile internet.
It's little surprise that Vodafone is so keen to broadcast the Smart 4 Power's 4G credentials. Not only does this show that Vodafone is serious about proving that the Smart 4 Power can be a serious alternative to more expensive smartphones, but it also encourages Vodafone's customers to use more of that lovely data that mobile networks make their money on. The Vodafone Smart 4 Power is Cat 4 with 50Mbps maximum upload speeds, and potential 150Mbps downloads, though the real speeds you'll get with day-to-day use will vary. Because you'll need a Vodafone contract to use the Smart 4 Power, you're going to be at the mercy of Vodafone's 4G coverage, which isn't quite up there with its main competitor, EE. When using the EE network, I had no problems getting 4G signal in Bath. However, with a Vodafone sim card inserted into the Smart 4 Power, I was only able to get 3G reception.
A cursory look at Vodafone's map of its 4G coverage showed that Bath was indeed bereft of Vodafone's 4G coverage. While Bath is not the biggest city in the UK, our neighbour Bristol (which is far larger) was similarly without Vodafone's 4G. In fact, while EE continues to regularly boast about its increased 4G coverage across the UK, according to Vodafone's own website, much of the country isn't covered. This means that if you're looking to get the Vodafone Smart 4 Power due to its 4G capabilities, I would strongly suggest you first visit Vodafone's website and check to see if your area is covered before you buy. As it currently stands for 4G coverage I would recommend going with either the EE Kestrel, or an unlocked phone such as the HTC Desire 510, which won't be tied to Vodafone's currently spotty 4G coverage. Large displayThe large 5-inch screen of the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is perhaps its most eye-catching feature, at least on paper. When in use it doesn't stand up to scrutiny, which sadly - as a display - it's going to be subjected to quite a lot. The capacitive IPS LCD touchscreen has a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, which when stretched over the 5-inch display, gives it a pixel density of 220 pixels per inch.
For sharper and more impressive image quality you want more pixels per inch. While I can't berate the Smart 4 Power for not managing to reach the pixel densities of much more expensive handsets (the iPhone 6, for example has a pixel density of 326ppi), it does result in phones that have the same resolution, but smaller screen size having better pixel density, and therefore better image quality. For example the Smart 4 Power's closest rival, the EE Kestel, may have the same 540 x 960 resolution, but as it has a smaller screen (4.5 inches), the pixel density is higher at 245ppi, resulting in a sharper image. It may be all well and good slapping a large screen on a handset, but if you don't up the resolution as well image quality is going to suffer.
Unfortunately that is all too evident with the Smart 4 Power. As soon as you turn it on you can see that the big screen and (relatively) low resolution hasn't been kind, with the standard Android app icons looking slightly blurred and unfocused when blown up to this scale. While the resolution disappoints, the colour reproduction of the screen is more impressive, with still images generally looking pretty good. The viewing angle of the screen is pretty narrow, however, so despite the big screen you won't be looking to watch media on the Smart 4 Power with other people. Interface, performance and batteryTo help make the Vodafone Smart 4 Power feel like a modern and feature-packed smartphone regardless of its price, it comes with Android 4.4 (KitKat) installed as the operating system. The Android 4.4 that comes installed on the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is the standard stock affair, though it comes with a few Vodafone-flavoured apps including Vodafone Discover. This app (and its widget that's preinstalled on the home screen), offers quick access to settings such as flight mode, along with various Vodafone services and deals. The app itself is rather bland and uninspiring, and while you might get some use out of it, I get the feeling that the app is more use to Vodafone that it is to customers. I removed the widget from the home screen pretty quickly, and I can image most people will as well. While other Vodafone apps don't really prove to be much use (such as Smart Flow, which is simply an animated wallpaper), you do at least get access to all the apps you'd expect for Android 4.4 through Google's Play Store.
The components inside the Vodafone Smart 4 Power does the job acceptably well powering the handset. The processor is a quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU clocked at 1.3GHz, with a Mali-400MP2 GPU and 1GB of RAM. These average specifications are roughly what I'd expect from a handset of this price range, and is good at keeping up with most day-to-day tasks. Though Android 4.4 has felt smoother and snappier on phones with higher specs (as well as price tags), it still feels responsive on the Vodafone Smart 4 Power, though some apps take a second or two to load, rather than appearing almost instantly. Even the rather simple messaging app had a pause before it displayed the one solitary message I'd sent. With a more populated inbox, this pause does grow slightly. For a solid, no frills, Android KitKat experience, the Vodafone Smart 4 Power does a fine job, though it sometimes pauses when launching apps. On the Geekbench 3 benchmark the Vodafone Smart 4 Power managed a multi-core score of 1174, slightly below the EE Kestrel's 1190 and much lower than the HTC Desire 510's score of 1330. Battery lifeThe Vodafone Smart 4 Power comes with a decently sized 3000mAh battery, a good deal larger than the HTC Desire 510's 2100mAh offering, and the EE Kestrel's 2000mAh power pack. This meant that during my time with the Vodafone Smart 4 Power, it held onto its battery life admirably. With medium to heavy use I managed to get two days use out of it. This involved browsing the internet, playing a few games, making calls and watching videos. With lighter use, I could easily see the Vodafone Smart 4 Power stretch for at least another day. The low price and impressive battery life means that if you're a keen camper or festival goer, then the Vodafone Smart 4 Power would be a decent choice.
The Vodafone Smart 4 Power also comes with a few power saving features. These can be accessed through the battery management menu. The battery saving options are not as exhaustive as those seen in other handsets such as the HTC Desire 510. You can choose to dim the brightness of the screen (and by how much), as well as turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. There's also a setting for 'White list for backlight off', which lets you choose which apps you want to stop running when the screen is turned off. It's pretty basic, but it offers a quick and easy way to shut down services and features to preserve the battery when you need it.
In our battery test, which involves running a high definition video for 90 minutes with the screen at full brightness, the Vodafone Smart 4 Power lost just 20% of its battery. In comparison, the EE Kestrel lost 30% of its battery during the same test, while the HTC Desire 510 managed a similarly impressive 19%. Playing the rather intensive Real Racing 3 game for 15 minutes made the battery drop a further 7%, though those 15 minutes were a bit of a chore due to the Vodafone Smart 4 Power's poor performance – more on that later. Throughout the tests the Vodafone Smart 4 Power held onto its battery life admirably, and can easily withstand a day of medium to heavy use. Whether or not you'd want to use it for that long is another question... The essentials and cameraAs the 4G connection is one of the main selling points of the Vodafone Smart 4 Power, it's going to be used a lot for browsing the web, over 4G, 3G and wireless networks. It comes with two web browsers, Google Chrome and a native app. Both perform fine, though my preference is for Chrome. Web pages were delivered quickly and the larger screen size meant that reading text-heavy website was comfortable. Though I lamented the lower resolution earlier in this reviey, for websites I found it actually worked in the Smart 4 Power's favour. Because of the big screen and lower resolution, text was large and easy to read, it meant I didn't have to zoom in on websites to read them, like I have with smartphones with higher resolutions. Vodafone clearly wants the Smart 4 Power to be a smartphone you use to surf the internet regardless of where you are, and in this regard I think it's done very well.
Making and receiving calls is also fine, with the phone app providing a big dial pad for typing in numbers. Again, the large screen helps make this a good choice of phone for people who have trouble viewing and using phones with smaller screens and higher resolutions. It would have been nice to have more accessibility options to help people who have trouble seeing use the phone, as the big screen is a real benefit here. Call quality is perfectly acceptable, and though it falls short of the clarity found in more expensive phones such as the Xperia Z3, it's fine for a handset of this price. Text messages are handled by Android's default Messaging app, so everything is handled as expected. The 5-inch screen size of the Smart 4 Power can be either a blessing or a curse here, depending on how comfortable you are typing on a large screen.
It makes the keys large and easy to hit, but I did find I was stretching my fingers a bit more than usual when typing one-handed. When typing with two hands, the larger screen (and therefore keyboard) helps make sure your fingers aren't knocking into each other. I'm a fast typist and was pleased to see that the keyboard kept up with my furious key presses, smoothly correcting any spelling errors or typos as I went along. Media and games are increasingly seen as essential to the smartphone experience. As far as watching videos goes on the Smart 4 Power, while the increased screen size is nice, the low resolution of 540 x 960 pixels means you're not going to bask in the glory of full HD.
Video playback was pretty disappointing, with both the low resolution and juddery playback marring the viewing experience. Sadly I can't recommend the Smart 4 Power for watching films, which means its nice big screen goes to waste here. Music playback is handled by Google Play Music, with the sound quality being solid, but not mind blowing. Regardless of the type of media you'd want to play on the Vodafone Smart 4 Power, you'll want to invest in a memory card, as the Smart 4 Power's paltry 4GB of internal space will fill up very quickly. With Android 4.4 installed you have access to Google Play Store and a huge range of apps and games. Again, you're going to be limited to how many apps and games you install because of the low internal memory, however you may need to lay off some of the more intensive games due to the relatively weak specifications of the Smart 4 Power. CameraThe Vodafone Smart 4 Power features a main camera with a 5 megapixel sensor. I wasn't expecting much considering the price of the handset, and though the photos taken with the Smart 4 Power were acceptable, they lacked sharpness and clarity. This meant that certain details were lost. Colour reproduction was OK, but some snaps did appear washed out. What I did like about the Smart 4 Power's camera was how fast it managed to take photos, with barely a pause from when I pressed the screen to the image being captured. A dedicated camera button on the body would have made it much more useful for taking quick shots.
A front-facing VGA camera is also present, though the low quality of the camera leads to blurred looking shots, so you'll want to look elsewhere if you're a fan of taking selfies. The Smart 4 Power's rear camera can also capture 720p video. It does the job fine, though even at 720p resolution the footage suffers from the same lack of sharpness as the still photos. If you want a cheap smartphone that can take the odd short video to put up on Facebook or YouTube, then you might not mind the Smart 4 Power's lack of finesse when it comes to image quality. if you're looking for a camera that can capture once in a lifetime events, you'd be much better looking elsewhere. Camera samples
Click here to see the full res image
Click here to see the full res image
Click here to see the full res image VerdictThe Vodafone Smart 4 Power is a difficult phone to either recommend or write off. For everything it does right, such as a brilliant battery life and decent Android performance, it disappoints in other respects, such as its poor quality camera and screen. However, these disappointments are balanced by a low price that makes me more willing to forgive some of its transgressions. As I said at the beginning of this review, creating a budget handset is a delicate balancing act between keeping the price as low as possible while packing in enough power and features to make a desirable smartphone. Unfortunately, I don't think Vodafone has got the balance quite right. We likedThere's not much to dislike about the price, and the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is one of the cheapest 4G capable smartphones on the market. If you're after a cheap no frills smartphone, you'll probably be perfectly happy with the Smart 4 Power. Battery life is excellent as well, which makes the Smart 4 Power a good choice as an emergency backup phone, or one that you could happily take camping without worrying about having to find a charging point every day. I also liked the build quality, which made the phone feel sturdy and well built despite its low price. We dislikedThough the screen is large, the resolution is unfortunately too low, making the Android user interface look a bit ugly. Videos also suffer from the poor resolution, and the low specs of the smartphone means it can struggle with some high-definition video. The camera quality is also poor, and although I wasn't expecting much from a smartphone at this price, I was still left disappointed. The 4GB of in-built storage is also very small compared to its competitors, and even straight out of the box you'll find very little room to store apps or photographs, forcing you to buy a microSD card. Final verdictIf you buy the Vodafone Smart 4 Power knowing exactly what you're going to get (which is a cheap 4G smartphone that's good for browsing the web and little else), then you may not be disappointed. However, while it is cheaper than some of its rivals, crucially it's still not as cheap as the EE Kestrel, which although has a smaller screen, is comparable to the Smart 4 Power in a number of ways. It's also worth bearing in mind that although the Vodafone Smart 4 Power is around £30 cheaper than the HTC Desire 510 and the Moto G 4G you might need to invest in a microSD card to increase the storage space, which would eliminate the price advantage of the Smart 4 Power. Unfortunately, that price advantage is all the Smart 4 Power has over the Desire 510 and the G 4G, which means either of those are a much wiser purchase.  |
| Review: mini review: Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:17 AM PST  If you've ever tried to purchase a cheap, reliable controller for one of your home consoles, chances are good you've come across Mad Catz. Known for their reasonable price, and edgy design styles, they've been a contender for functional peripherals on a budget since 1989. The C.T.R.L.i is Madcatz's first attempt at making an iOS mobile controller and a welcome addition to the line-up, considering most of the market seems to be controlled by expensive full-sized gamepads or cheap, oddly shaped junk.
The caveat, though, is that the C.T.R.L.i, while cheaper than the alternatives, is still going to run you as much as a brand-new Xbox One controller at $59.99 (£38, AU$69). But don't let that scare you away. If you're in the market for an iOS controller, the C.T.R.L.i does just as good of a job - if not better - than its closest competitor, the Moga Rebel. Compatible with iOS 7 and up (yep, that means iOS 8 is supported), the C.T.R.L.i has a sleek design, comfortable feel and solid construction, not to mention the almost perfect button and trigger response. This is easily one of the best mobile game peripherals on the market this year ... which, considering the competition, may not be saying much. DesignThe Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i is a dual wing gamepad akin to the original Xbox "S" controller. It sports a jet-black glossy face and a matte underside, with the trademark red claw swipe on the right wing. Also on the right wing of the pad are the four color-coded "A, B, X, Y" buttons. The top of the peripheral holds a glossy bluetooth button and a pause button that only works with games - which, unfortunately, means you can't use this controller with any media players or streaming services as a remote. The two joysticks felt great in my thumbs but for some reason, it still really bugs me that I can't press them down like an R3 or L3 button.
Pairing this device to my iPad Mini was an absolute nightmare. The provided easy start guide says "Press the Bluetooth button for 3 seconds to enter pairing mode. All LEDs flash twice per second." After seeing the device pop up in my bluetooth menu, I repeatedly got a "Paring unsuccessful" message. I went back and forth between the controller and my iPad, trying different combinations of holding down the Bluetooth button on the controller and finally, for whatever reason, it connected ... only for it to completely cut out mid-game on a multiplayer match of World of Tanks: Blitz. This, in turn, required me to completely reset the Bluetooth connection and start from step one of the pairing process. Under the pause button you'll find a row of four LED lights, which is a little disconcerting as I don't think you can sync multiple Bluetooth controllers to one Apple device. Once your controller is successfully paired the first LED lights up as if you were player 1 (think Nintendo Wii). However, if you pair a second controller that will light up as player 1 too. Strange. The D-Pad, similarly, is decent but not great; it feels mushy and inaccurate. But this may not be the biggest concern as many games don't support the D-pad for anything other than camera controls.
On the back of the controller is a screw knob which allows you to attach the travel clip for your iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. This is arguably the biggest design flaw Mad Catz made with this gamepad. Not only is the knob incredibly easy to lose, but the adjustable phone holder seems like a cheap afterthought altogether. It's a far cry from one of my favorite features on the Moga Rebel: a phone clamp that folds right out of the center of the controller itself. Triggers and bumpers can make or break a controller, and I think that Mad Catz did an excellent job with the C.T.R.L.i's setup. The triggers travel the right amount of distance with no plastic chaffing or clicking. The resistance is on point, and allows for tireless shooting. If you're looking for a controller that is a little bit smaller, lighter and more affordable, you might want to take a look at the C.T.R.L.i's identical little brother, the C.T.R.L.i Micro. At a price point that's almost $20 dollars cheaper ($39.99, £25 AU$45), the Micro has all the features and functionality just wrapped in a much smaller form factor. Puts the 'pro' back into proprietaryMad Catz's C.T.R.L.i comes with a proprietary iOS app that it prompts you to download upon first use. Unless you're short on space, it's worth downloading. It's a pretty cool piece of software that allows you to monitor battery life (the controller takes AAAs), update firmware, check on button and joystick responses in the "Gamepad" tab, or browse all of the available and supported titles for your device in the "Gamesmart" section. The "Gamesmart" tab also provides a small FAQ if you're having issues or questions about your gamepad. Using the app I found two of my favorite titles for iPad, Monster Hunter 2 Freedom and Star Wars: KOTOR. The controller did well with both games, minus a couple of pairing hiccups mid-game. Though, that may have something to do with Apple's recently released software update. The experience seemed buggy but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that a firmware update can fix any of those connection issues. VerdictThe Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i is a reasonable controller for a reasonable cost. It's a reliable peripheral with the only real downsides being a sloppy phone arm and a pairing issue that could be fixed by a simple firmware update. At reasonable prices, both the C.T.R.L.i and its micro controller counterpart deliver exactly what you need from a gamepad to enhance your mobile gaming experience, and are worth buying if that's what you're in the market for.  |
| Review: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST  Introduction and features• Don't forget to check out the Techradar Camera Channel home page for all the latest camera reviews. Bridge cameras make for excellent travelling companions, offering the flexibility of a zoom range far larger than any D-SLR's lens but in a relatively small body. This segment of the market seems to be defying the general downturn in compact camera sales, probably because of the extended flexibility that they offer, especially when compared to a smartphone. While in terms of physical size, the SX60 isn't far off that of an entry-level DSLR, it features a much smaller sensor. It houses a 16.1 million-pixel 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor (the same physical size as most compact cameras on the market). It does at least bring a jump in four million pixels from its predecessor the SX50HS.
At the moment, the SX60 represents the market leading position in terms of the zoom range, offering a huge 65x optical zoom. It provides a 21mm equivalent focal length at the wide angle end of the range and 1365mm equivalent at the telephoto end. At its widest point, the maximum aperture available is f/3.4, falling to f/6.5 at the zoom end. Canon also has ZoomPlus technology, a type of digital zoom that boosts that range to 130x, or an incredible equivalent of 2730mm. ZoomPlus retains the resolution of an image shot using the optical zoom by interpolating pixels. A standard digital zoom is available to push that even further to 5460mm, but there will be a loss in image quality.
Full manual control is available, and like the SX50 before it, so is the ability to shoot in raw format - a clear indication that the company expects the SX60 to be used by advanced enthusiasts. There's also a range of automatic modes, semi-automatic and scene modes. For those who like to get creative, there are a couple of options with the SX60. First of all there's the Creative Shot mode – this will take one shot, plus 5 more with different random effects and crops applied. There's a variety of different subsets you can choose from, but you don't get absolute control over the digital filters which are applied. Secondly, there is a dedicated filters mode which allows you to choose a specific filter.
It's starting to become more common now, but the SX60 is equipped with inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC. This allows you to use your smartphone or tablet to remotely control the camera, as well as giving you the option of transferring images taken on it quickly to your device for sharing online, via email and so on. On the back of the camera is fully-articulated, 922,000-dot, 3-inch screen. It's not touch-sensitive though. It is joined by a 922,000-dot, 0.17-inch electronic viewfinder on the top of the camera.
The SX60 is a replacement for the SX50 which has been on the market for some time now. The SX50 boasted a 50x optical zoom, but it also had the ZoomPlus technology to boost that up to 100x. It also didn't have inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC, so there's been quite a few improvements made to the camera. In terms of competition, the SX60 goes up against the previous market leaders (in terms of zoom range at least), the Sony H400 and the Panasonic FZ72, which offer a 63x and 60x optical zoom, respectively. Build Quality and HandlingThe SX60 is one of the largest bridge cameras on the market, and you'd be forgiven for thinking at first glance that it was in fact a DSLR, especially one of the smaller entry-level models. There's a deep grip which makes the SX60 sit very comfortably in the hand, while it is also textured to give it that extra feel of quality. The grip has a slight contour for your middle finger which makes it feel even more secure in the hand.
Enthusiasts are likely to appreciate the number of direct buttons and dials which are found on the body of the camera. On top of the camera, there's a mode dial which allows you to switch between different exposure modes – there are automatic and scene modes to choose from, as well as semi-automatic and manual modes (M/Av/Tv/P). There's also a video mode accessible directly from this dial, although you can also use a dedicated video button on the back of the camera too when using different modes.
Also on top of the camera is a zoom switch for extending the SX60's 65x optical zoom lens. You'll find this just around the shutter release button, and it's fairly smooth and fluid to use, enabling you to quickly reach the far end of the zoom quickly. When you have digital zoom switched on (and you're not shooting in raw), keep the zoom switch held down to enter the digital territory – it will pause slightly before entering first the Zoom Plus and then again before entering the standard zoom. Just in front of the mode dial is a scrolling dial which is easily reached by the forefinger and serves a number of different functions depending on the shooting mode you're in. For instance, if you're in aperture priority mode, it will alter aperture, while in shutter priority it will alter shutter speed. Finally, on the top of the camera is a dedicated "shortcut" button which can be customised to one of 18 different functions, including switching raw and jpeg on and off, directly accessing white balance and timer mode. Head to the back of the camera and you'll find a familiar layout if you've used any Canon cameras before. There's a standard four way navigational pad, with each of the directional keys serving a specific function – press left, for example, to access focusing mode (macro, infinity and manual are available), while pressing right accesses flash options. It would be nice if you could have customised these keys in the main menu.
In the centre of the navigation pad is a function button which gives you access to a sort of quick menu for the most commonly used settings available, such as ISO (sensitivity), white balance, aspect ratio and so on. Just above the navigation pad is a dedicated button for altering exposure compensation. When in manual mode, you can press this button to switch between aperture and shutter speed. You can only access exposure compensation when shooting in aperture priority or shutter priority. Also useful is a button on the back of the camera for changing the autofocus point. It has the same icon as the buttons you find on Canon DSLRs for the same purpose – simply press it and then use the navigational keys to scroll around to the point you wish to focus on. The Zoom Frame Assist button is extremely handy when photographing at the far end of the zoom range. This button can be found on the side of the lens barrel. If you lose track of a subject, simply hold it down and the lens will zoom back out again allowing you to find the subject again – release the button and the lens will zoom to that point. Raw format shooting can be activated from within the quick menu, which places some restrictions on what you can and can't shoot . For instance, you'll no longer be able to alter the colours using MyColors, or use digital zoom, which seems a bit of a shame.
The screen is a fully articulating device which is very handy when photographing something from an awkward angle, and is much more useful than merely a tilting screen. In order to activate the electronic viewfinder, you need to press the down key (display) on the navigational pad – and you'll need to press it twice when you want to switch back to the screen. This is a fairly frustrating way to work, and it would have been fantastic to see an eye sensor on the SX60 to make it a more seamless transition between using the two. PerformanceThe SX50 was an excellent performer, so with an all round upgrade in specs I expected the SX60 to also be good. Happily, I have not been disappointed by the camera for the most part. Images straight from the camera are beautifully bright and punchy, displaying a typical level of Canon saturation that I've come to expect. The camera works especially well in good light, putting in a performance that is comparable to a DSLR. At lower sensitivities, the amount of detail resolved is fantastic when examining at 100%, which gives you excellent scope should you wish to crop an image down the line. As you move up the sensitivity scale however, the performance dips a little. Examining images taken at ISO 1600 reveals noise at 100% magnification, although overall a decent impression of detail is kept when viewing at normal printing and web sizes. In dark conditions, a fair amount of image smudging can be seen – and not just when viewing images at 100%. Trying to use the extensive zoom range in dark conditions is also difficult as the camera will often struggle to focus. The camera's general purpose metering system does a good job of producing accurate exposures even in tricky/mixed lighting conditions. I found I hardly ever needed to add or subtract exposure compensation, though it would be handy to be able to do that in the automatic modes if you needed to. Itseems strange that it's only possible in aperture priority or shutter priority. Automatic white balance does a decent job when faced with different kinds of light, but it does err slightly towards warm or yellowish tones under artificial lighting. Switching to a more appropriate white balance setting fixes this problem though. For the moment, the raw format the SX60 offers is not compatible with Adobe Camera Raw, but you can download the latest Digital Photo Professional software from the Canon website to process and work with your raw format files using this. By examining the raw files we can see how much processing the camera applies to JPEG images. If you're interested in retaining more detail at the expense of noise, it's good to work with the raw format files. It's important that the zoom be up to scratch with a camera like this, and being a market leader at 65x optical it really needs to deliver. Images taken at the far end of the optical zoom (1560mm equivalent) show a great level of detail and certainly make the camera very flexible to use. If the 65mm isn't enough – which seems unlikely in most scenarios – you also have the option to use ZoomPlus. This also puts in a reasonably good performance, and is certainly useful if you do need that extra reach. I'd probably stay clear of the extra digital zoom unless absolutely necessary, as here you can see a much greater loss in quality.
At its widest point, the SX60's lens offers 21mm, which is great for capturing wide sweeping vistas. Click here for a full resolution version.
The 65x optical zoom gives you lots of flexibility – here we can see a close-up of a ruin which is barely visible in the wide angle image. Click here for a full resolution image.
Use the ZoomPlus feature to get even closer if you need to. Click here for a full resolution image.
The standard digital zoom allows you to get even closer if you need to, but it also represents a drop in image quality. Click here for a full resolution image. The lens also produces sharp images at its widest point (21mm), and shooting mid-range apertures such as f/8 allows us to examine how well the lens performs for edge-to-edge sharpness. Detail is kept reasonably well across the frame, with some slight softness in the very outer corners of the frame when viewing at 100%. Again, though, the overall impression of sharpness is great. Focusing is quick and generally reliable when in good light, locking onto the subject with accuracy. Unlike some of the other cameras in Canon's range, you can alter the AF point which gives you greater flexibility when framing. As the light drops, the camera struggles a little more with focusing, but generally speaking it's not too bad. Image quality and resolutionAs part of our image quality testing for the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS, we've shot our resolution chart. Click here to see a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean. Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100: JPEG resolution test
Full ISO 100 image, see 100% crops below:
ISO 100, score: 22. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200, score: 14. Click here for full-resolution image. Raw (converted to TIFF) resolution test
Full ISO 100 image, see 100% crops below:
ISO 100, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image. Sensitivity and noise imagesJPEG
Full ISO 100 image. See 100% crops below.
ISO 100. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution image. Raw (converted to TIFF)
ISO 100. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution image. VerdictWith the bridge camera segment of the market proving to be particularly buoyant, each manufacturer has to offer more to keep up with the others. By introducing a camera with a 65x optical zoom, Canon is now the market leader in terms of the reach the camera offers and it seems that this, where it once was megapixels, will be the main specification used for marketing purposes. That's not to say that Canon hasn't produced a great camera with the SX60. If you're using it mainly in good light, or as a holiday camera, you're going to be extremely pleased with this camera. It's nice to see Canon thinking about advanced amateurs with this bridge camera offering, for instance by keeping raw format shooting as an option. Manual control and a decent range of dials and buttons also makes it likely to appeal to the enthusiast user. Image quality is good, with bright and punchy colours and plenty of detail. In lower light, then you will see noise starting to appear if you examine at 100%, and in situations where it's very dark, the SX60 struggles, but not any more so than other cameras of its kind. Given its big appearance, it can be hard to remember that at its heart is a small (1/2.3 inch sensor). Many people appreciate a viewfinder, and while the electronic device found here on the SX60 is large enough to be useful, there's no eye sensor which makes using it a less than seamless transition, which is a touch disappointing. On the plus side, the high resolution screen is fully articulating, which makes composing from awkward angles easy, it would have been nice to see a touch sensitive device here though. Inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC is now starting to become standard. Some cameras implement it better than others though, and while the Canon is reasonably good – setting it up is pretty quick and easy and the app is easy to use – it would be nice to see some more control over settings via the app, especially given the level of user the camera is aimed at. The creative modes are good, but the digital filters available in filter mode are starting to look a little tired now – it'd be nice to see Canon giving these a bit an overhaul. The other CreativeShot mode is also fun to use, but it would be nice to see some more control over the filters you can use with it. Finally, the Hybrid Auto mode is great fun – especially for a holiday or family occasion such as a wedding, but it'd be nice to be able to use the snapshot video function when shooting in other modes, such as aperture priority. We likedWith a host of interesting and useful features, picking one as a standout feature is fairly tricky, but it probably has to be the incredible, market-leading, zoom range that the SX60 offers. Not only is 65x optical zoom versatile, the performance at the far end of the telephoto optic is also impressive, while even the ZoomPlus is useful if you really do need to get even closer than the 65x optical zoom allows. We dislikedLuckily there's no huge bugbear with the SX60, rather a series of small things that if each were corrected would add up to make a good camera even better. For instance, it'd be nice to see a touchscreen, but it's not a deal breaker. Similarly, the Camera Window app could have greater control, but the fact that you have it at all is a bonus. What is a little more disappointing is the fact that the viewfinder doesn't have an eye sensor. Final VerdictAnother great performer by Canon which is kept from perfection by a few small, but significant, niggles. If you're mainly interested in a camera that you're going to use in good light but you still want to maintain control over every aspect of shooting, this is a good option, while the incredible zoom gives you lots of scope for flexibility. Sample images
There's lots of detail resolved by the SX60's 16.1 million pixel sensor. Click here for a full resolution version.
When shooting in bright light conditions, the camera is at its best producing images which are vibrant and punchy. Click here for a full resolution version.
Colours directly from the camera are wonderfully saturated, as we have come to expect from Canon cameras. Click here for a full resolution version.
When shooting in lower light at higher sensitivities you'll begin to see some examples of image noise creeping in, especially if you examine at 100%. Click here for a full resolution version.
The camera's evaluative metering system has coped well here to produce a balanced exposure despite the tricky lighting conditions. Click here for a full resolution version.
If you're shooting in JPEG only, you can alter colours using MyColors, for instance by shooting in Monochrome. Click here for a full resolution version.
Activate the macro focusing function to shoot close-ups. Click here for a full resolution version.
Use the Creative Shot mode to take five images with randomly applied filters and crops - you'll also be left with an unaltered original should you need it. Click here for a full resolution version. Digital FiltersYou can use these digital filters in the dedicated filter mode, but you can only shoot them in JPEG.
High Dynamic Range. Click here for a full resolution image.
Fish-eye Effect. Click here for a full resolution image.
Miniature Effect. Click here for a full resolution image.
Toy Camera Effect. Click here for a full resolution image.
Soft Focus. Click here for a full resolution image.
Monochrome. Click here for a full resolution image.
Super Vivid. Click here for a full resolution image.
Poster Effect. Click here for a full resolution image.  |
| The Hoff got in a real self-driving car, and he was terrified Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:37 AM PST  When you think of driverless cars, David Hasselhoff is someone who will inevitably spring to mind. KITT, Michael Knight's beloved companion in the 80s show, is basically what we all hope to one day be driving. But what you might not know is that three decades after the 80s show ended, the Hoff got to try out an actual, working driverless car. Two, in fact. We know because he told us. "I did drive a driverless car in Mountain View where [Google] picked me up," he told TechRadar. "They said 'Hit this button and it's like cruise control, take your hands off and watch what happens', and it stays 10 yards away from the car in front of it.' "Then I went in to present the Hoff award to all the guys who are making the driverless car. They were awarded a Hoff t-shirt - how bizarre is that? - and I drove in in the Knight Rider car. And this guy comes jogging by and says 'You wanna have a go on the real one? It's the most updated one' And I say 'Yeah' and I whispered to the person next to me 'Who is this guy?' and he's like 'It's Sergey', and I was like 'Oh crap, Hi'. Hoff's fav bit of kit"And so I got in the driverless car that was the most recent one which was really incredible. It stopped at stoplights, it had a schematic blueprint like KITT, exactly like Knight Rider, with Google operating it. And Sergey said he thought it'll be out in two years." The idea of putting your life in the hands of a robot car is understandably a little disconcerting, but surely the Knight Rider himself should be confident without a wheel? Sorry to shatter the illusion, but he was terrified. Though he told us that the driverless car is still top of his gadget wish list. "I'm telling you man, I've never had more anxiety in my life. Your whole brain says 'don't let go of the wheel'. It's overkill. Have you ever skydived? You jump out of the plane and your brain can't communicate what's happening because it's so different. But I would say, the self-driving car is absolutely the gadget I would choose."  |
| In Depth: Bin your PS4 - Frostbite team gets Battlefield 4 working on an iPad Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:36 AM PST  In the next move towards getting even better console-style games on our phones and tablets, DICE's Frostbite egine team has got parts of Battlefield 4 to work on iOS. On its blog, EA announced it had performed a minor miracle, getting the fairly recent Battlefield 4 to work on iOS devices. While there sadly isn't video to demonstrate it, there are screenshots suggesting iPads are the devices being tinkered with. Mobile manager at Frostbite Stockholm, Kristoffer Benjaminsson, stresses that this is at present just a tech demo, a proof of concept, and that they have only managed to get parts of the game working. But we think you'll agree: it's impressive stuff regardless. How on earth...?Benjaminsson says that the Metal API is at the root of this new processing potential. "Hardware and software limitations forced us to either scale down the number of objects and their complexity to retain visual fidelity... This all changed when Apple introduced Metal, their new low-level graphics API, which allowed us to make full use of the hardware. "Together with the latest range of hardware, Metal has created possibilities previously out of reach and for the first time we can include both high visual fidelity and a large number of objects." The screenshots suggest the game is certainly not being rendered at an iPad Air 2's native resolution — check out those jaggies — but Battlefield 4 doesn't look desperately scaled-back in terms of draw distance and texture detail. Benjaminsson says we'll hear more about this project in coming blog posts, an almost annoyingly exciting teaser of what might come in future months. What's more crucial than the attention-grabbing Battlefield 4 demo is that the Frostbite engine works properly on iOS — it's the engine behind Need for Speed: Rivals and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare too, among others. The iPad Air 2's APU is likely to be key in unlocking this future potential. Its A8X processor offers 2.5 times the graphics performance of the iPad Air's A7 chipset according to Apple.  |
| Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:16 AM PST  Introduction and analysisThe payments ecosystem continues to face significant change driven by the continued acceleration of traditional online commerce coupled with the increasing relevance of mobile technology—all of which is driving a new set of omnichannel consumer expectations. Big Data/Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, and "as a Service" business models are creating a myriad of new revenue generation and operating model improvement opportunities and changing the nature of competition and scale economics. In many ways, what is happening within the payments space mirrors what has already begun to change the traditional technology sector. There has been a lot of focus on the consumer end of the payments value chain in terms of emerging solutions, mobile, digital wallets, and the changing nature of retail. However, these changes are also putting significant pressure on "behind the scenes" players in the merchant acquisition, processing, and services space, including:
These challenges are compelling payment services providers, particularly merchant acquirers/processors, to transform many aspects of their business model to be successful. Three key value-creation themes have emerged as critical for success:
There has been substantial activity among leading players in the first two value-creation areas, particularly in new capabilities and offers, SMB segment focus, and go-to-market strategies and partnerships. In addition, we see the third value-creation area—optimizing customer experience and leveraging post-sales services and support—as an exceptional and underleveraged opportunity to enhance profitability and improve retention. This is particularly true as some players can no longer drive profitability through scale economies alone. Our experience within the technology sector, particularly around software and other recurring revenue businesses, suggests that there are several lessons learned that are directly relevant to the payments processing ecosystem. The customer success value-creation opportunityThe payments ecosystem and key players in the value chain will continue to evolve towards software-enabled, integrated payments solutions and services. Further, we foresee growth in Cloud-enabled, potentially "as-a-Service" business models, either directly or through key partnerships. In the transition to Cloud-enabled, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models, software companies have identified an increased need and opportunity to focus on improved customer experience. Doing so strengthens the role and contribution of services and support resources to grow revenues, reduce attrition, and enhance customer lifetime value. This is particularly relevant to players that have reached the point of maximum economies of scale and need to drive incremental EBITDA through differentiating products/services and enhancing customer support. Case study and conclusionEnterprise software: a case study in driving customer successAs enterprise software companies have faced the migration of software to the Cloud and SaaS delivery models, the following challenges have emerged:
These shifting market dynamics have driven an increased need for enhanced services and customer success and retention capabilities to drive profitability within the subscription model, deliver against increasing customer expectations, and grow recurring revenue within the account. Through our work with software companies around their Cloud-enabled transformation to SaaS models, we have identified four key imperatives that are very relevant and transferable to the rapidly changing merchant acquirer/processor space:
Applying software's customer success lessons to the payments ecosystemFollowing is an exploration of the four key customer success imperatives outlined above and the implications to merchant acquirers/processors: 1. Monetizing Additional Offerings: Merchant expectations are increasing. Products and services must be expanded to address omnichannel operations and to support and help drive merchant market success. Acquirers/processors need to explore additional revenue and value-add opportunities such as offering premium options, cross-selling additional offerings (proprietary or third party), and supporting/promoting any downstream services of its own or from key partners. To this end, acquirers/processors must take a broad view of offering portfolios (e.g., how far across the value chain) and proactively manage offer development (independently and/or with existing and new partnerships). Key considerations include defining offers and services to bundle with base service, how to price incremental offerings, and minimum acceptable margins to justify given acquisitions costs and churn/retention impact. 2. Embracing New Service Delivery Channels: Acquirers/processors should proactively manage customer service delivery cost and effectiveness, particularly as they move into an omnichannel environment. This may mean augmenting traditional phone and email support with new delivery channels, including self-service portals, online communities, and social customer relationship management (CRM). However, these new delivery channels are not without challenges. While self-support is a low-cost option, support sites and digital channels are still relatively nascent from a proof of concept point of view. B2B social CRM has become an attractive channel given its low cost and broad reach. However, it is still in its formative stages and there is not yet a comprehensive understanding of its effectiveness. People are still a significant driver of effectiveness and there is a danger in relying on business cases that focus too heavily on technical solutions. Companies need to embrace B2B digital support channels, but operate them fundamentally differently than consumer-oriented businesses, including managing them under the customer success umbrella rather than by the traditional marketing, website, or other stakeholder groups. Additionally, performance of these channels must be clearly measured, potentially including customer resolution rate, time to resolution, and customer satisfaction, much as they are in contact centers today. Lastly, online communities and forums should be actively monitored for potential customer-support and product-related issues, and leveraged as a valuable source of customer insight. A recent study by Edison Research showed that over 40% of customers that contact a company via social media expect a response within an hour and nearly 60% expect it within the business day. While the use of social channels are still evolving within the B2B space (and in some cases may not be directly replicable from the B2C world), carefully targeted and curated user communities have proven to be effective across a variety of dimensions (e.g. lowering call center costs, increased stickiness with users, lower churn levels, and lower education/training costs). In addition, the ROI and strategic value of different solutions will vary across the enterprise-to-SMB continuum. Therefore, there is risk in deploying a one-size-fits-all model. In summary, while digital channels and social CRM have tremendous potential to lower cost-to- serve and improve the customer experience, especially with SMB/middle market customers, a blend of legacy customer support strategies augmented by new digital tools carefully deployed over time (and on a segmented basis) is likely the optimal approach. 3. Proactively Managing Customer Success and Retention: Acquirers/processors must proactively manage customer experience and success over time, particularly as companies move towards "as-a-Service" models. This may be a new mindset versus waiting for a contract renewal or believing that "no news is good news." We see clients creating clear roles and accountability in account management and support—if not a dedicated "customer success management" function—to drive value, adoption of additional products/services, and, ultimately, enhanced retention. Acquirers/processors, both directly and with their partners, should a) proactively manage each customer touch point to ensure product usage/business success, b) identify new customer needs and new leads, and c) enable their "customer success" capability with enhanced CRM and other technologies. The idea is to strike a better balance between investments in customer acquisition and customer success/retention, and to take advantage of new technologies while not underestimating potential required changes to workflow and people management processes. 4. Rethinking Additional Services: Services has the potential to become an even more important part of the business model—beyond initial merchant setup and training—with an offering portfolio that can support a customer throughout the life cycle. This may require developing new offerings and skills sets internally as well as clear alignment with partners in the value chain (e.g., ISVs, VARs, and ISOs). New offerings may include packages designed to speed merchant on-boarding as well as enhanced training and content development and delivery to help drive volume and adoption, particularly with new technology-based offers and services (e.g., mobile, beacon, loyalty/analytics). Post-implementation and performance improvement services can be considered to help the merchant customers maximize solution value/ROI. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the service portfolio helps the customer achieve its desired business outcomes while transforming services to drive usage, adoption and higher perceptions of value creation. The customer success imperativeGiven the rapid changes in both capabilities and customer expectations, and pressures on traditional profit pools, the time is ripe for merchant acquirers/processors to establish a renewed focus on optimizing customer experience and support to drive growth and strengthen recurring revenue and ROI. "I think many acquirers suffer from far too high attrition and we all believe there is not much to solve for in this challenge. We spend more time winning customers than we do keeping those customers. … So looking after our customers, keeping every single customer longer, making it easier for them to do business with us, are all things that will drive growth within our business as opposed to just chasing after loads and loads of customers. … I think this change in philosophy is just the start, and it's making Elavon relevant, exciting, and helping us grow in the marketplace…." – Guy Harris, President of Elavon North America, August 2014 As highlighted by Guy Harris of Elavon above, key merchant acquirers/processors have already begun to recognize the opportunity to generate value by focused improvement in customer success. As merchant services become increasingly technology enabled/dependent and potentially move toward more "as-a-Service" models, the lessons we take from the software industry are very relevant and transferrable – but potentially even more challenging to execute in the complex and dynamic ecosystem of payments solutions and service providers. While next generation customer success models are still in the early stages of evolution, the potential to drive higher levels of performance has never been greater for companies that take a strategic approach to business model design and execution.
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| Microsoft releases new iPhone and iPad Office apps, Android incoming Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:10 AM PST  Microsoft has released new powered-up versions of its Office apps for iPhone and iPad, covering Word, Powerpoint and Excel, and a preview for the upcoming Android versions is starting imminently. Until now, the Microsoft Office apps available for iPhones were pretty weak, but Microsoft has updated them to offer the same sort of experience iPad users have enjoyed to date. This upgrade clearly slots in well with the introduction of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which give you a bit more screen space in which to navigate those super-exciting Excel spreadsheets. The iPad apps have been updated too, but the changes seem to be subtler. For Android fans...Android owners don't get left out, but you'll probably have a bit longer to wait. You can sign up for the Android Office app preview programme, but if you're not accepted you'll have to wait until the full launch in 2015. The Android version is designed to work with Android tablets rather than phones, requiring something with a 7-10.1-inch screen running Android KitKat. Have a Nexus 9? You're out of luck. iOS versions are much less picky, simply requiring iOS 7.0 or newer. These apps are free to use, and let you both create and edit documents. However, there are not-so-micro transactions built-in that let you sign up to an Office 365 subscription too. An Office 365 subscription starts at $6.99/£5.99 a month, and that gets you full desktop access on up to five computers. With 40 million copies of the iPad Office downloaded already, Microsoft is clearly hoping to leverage these free apps to bring a few people back into the Office fold. "Office applications are what people want to use to get things done" claims Microsoft corporate vice president John Case.  |
| Apple and IBM to offer enterprise support for business tools Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:09 AM PST  Apple and IBM will begin offering a new support service as part of the enterprise app development partnership the companies announced earlier in the year. The service, AppleCare for Enterprise, offers 24/7 IT support for all Apple hardware and operating systems. As part of the package, participating enterprises will be able to replace up to 10% of their fleet's iPad and iPhone devices at no additional cost if the hardware is lost or damaged. Apple says it can exchange devices within one business day. Participating businesses will be supplied with an account manager who will provide ongoing support for the organization's IT infrastructure and device deployments. Support will be provided via phone or email, and Apple claims support will be provided within one hour for top-priority issues (I assume this includes Chinese malware destroying all of your Apple devices). There is no immediate information on the plan's cost. Onsite coverage and troubleshootingUsers can also pay an additional fee to receive onsite service coverage for two or three years from the date of hardware purchases. An IBM technician will arrive within one business day of a requested service call, according to the AppleCare for Enterprises website. Support will be available at no extra charge for up to six in-house technical contacts. You can add more contacts for an additional fee. In addition to hardware and operating systems, businesses can use the service to troubleshoot Apple apps and personal accounts.  |
| Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:00 AM PST  Bluetooth is everywhere. The once-ubiquitous iPhone dock has almost vanished from bedside DAB radios and now Bluetooth is taking its place, enabling both iOS and Android smartphones to stream music and more around the kitchen or bedroom. Revo's stab at a Bluetooth DAB showcases an all-new look. Selling for around £149 at the time of review, the SuperSignal has a large anodised aluminium plate/speaker grille across its 10W speaker within a hand-made American walnut chassis. It's not just the mono speaker that marks out the Revo SuperSignal as a DAB radio for the bedroom. Digital alarm clock functionality is expansive; as well as once, daily, weekday and weekend settings, there's a dual alarm and both sleep and snooze features. The latter is a winner, with the SuperSignal going into snooze mode if any part of the aluminium front panel is touched while the alarm is sounding.
However, what really makes the SuperSignal great in the bedroom is its use of an OLED display. While most DAB radios use always-on LCD screens that even when dimmed can intrusively spray light around a pitch black bedroom, the SuperSignal's 93 x 47mm OLED panel achieves almost zero light spillage except for the time display. The SuperSignal's control mechanism consists of a small joystick and a 'select' button; it's quick, simple and easy to operate. So too is the volume control, a knob on the top that's hard to miss, a bit like the chunky 154 x 21 x 53mm remote control that weighs a whopping 185g and really isn't necessary.
Connectivity is good, too, with a headphones slot on the front and a set of left/right analogue audio inputs and a 3.5mm aux in. With tuners for DAB, DAB+ and FM with RDS, the SuperSignal adds not only Bluetooth streaming from smartphones and tablets, but Bluetooth with aptX tech. That means CD quality sound, though only if the source device is aptX-compatible (Sony, Samsung and HTC phones, plus all Windows phones).
The SuperSignal is chunky at 2.16kg and measuring 135 x 140 x 207mm, and it's really pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable for a bedside table.
However, the SuperSignal quickly gives us a reason to love its size; the 10W Class-D amplifier and BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) inside delivers pin-sharp, bass-heavy tunes with plenty of mid-range, and that's just via Bluetooth. Music on DAB is always warm and nuanced, while dialogue is clear, crisp and with plenty of treble detail. VerdictThe build quality is excellent, and so is the sound, though it's how Revo has addressed the needs of real people in real rooms that I like most. The touch-snooze feature, the volume dial and Bluetooth are all brilliantly convenient, though I reserve most praise for the use of an OLED screen that keeps the bedroom dark. The OLED screen uses some great-looking typography, too. Sound is the most important feature and the quality here is precise, warm and powerful. That said, a mono rather than stereo speaker is always a shame, though it does make sense on a bedside table. However, we're not convinced that Bluetooth – and aptX-compatible Bluetooth, at that – is wholly necessary in the bedroom, and the same goes for the giant-sized remote. The jury is out on that, but it certainly adds to the price. What the SuperSignal does lack – and what every DAB radio should have, especially if aimed at the bedside table – is a USB slot to help charge-up a smartphone or tablet. In the end, The Revo SuperSignal is a top class DAB radio going for a high price. The arrival of Bluetooth on a DAB radio finally sees the death of the complex 'smart' radio with web connectivity, and here that wireless streaming tech is well implemented and sounds better than ever. Sound quality is consistently excellent – the Revo SuperSignal is one of the best-sounding DAB radios around – while the almost unique use of an OLED screen gives it a nice high-end look and feel.  |
| Spotify's family package begins rollout, offers half-price subscriptions Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:48 AM PST  Spotify has kicked-off its new Family plan, which let you sign up to Spotify with your nearest and dearest at half-price. These new Family plans were announced on 20 October, having been rumoured as far back as 2012. Now they're finally available. While the main subscriber still pays the full whack £9.99/$9.99, any secondary family members can get on-board for half the cost. I got all my music lovers with meWith one extra person, you pay £14.99/$14.99, with two extra £19.99/$19.99, right the way up to signing-up yourself and five family members for £29.99/$29.99 a month. As the lead subscriber handles all the money business, there's no way for Spotify to restrict this to family members that we can see. It seems even 'Uncle Dave', your Dad's mechanic friend from University, may be able to get involved. To make a Spotify Family, you need to invite people already signed up to the free version of Spotify using a tool within the service's interface.  |
| OS X and iOS devices are being targeted by malicious new malware Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:46 AM PST  Malware potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of iPhones, iPads and Macs in China has been discovered by Silicon Valley-based security researchers Palo Alto Networks. Called WireLurker, it has been detected in Maiyadi, a Chinese third-party OS X app store. According to the researchers that discovered it, the shady strain of malware has infected 467 apps and is "heralding a new era in malware across Apple's desktop and mobile platforms". As its name suggests, WireLurker transfers itself from infected Macs to iOS devices connected to via USB. It goes on to install infected apps whether the mobile device is jailbroken or not by taking advantage of an iOS feature that lets enterprises circumvent Apple's App Store approval process to install company apps. After successfully infecting devices, WireLurker can then steal user data before sending it back to servers operated by online attackers, whose motives remain shrouded in mystery. Palo Alto said the malware was "the biggest in scale we have ever seen." While it appears to be targeting users in China right now, there's the potential for this to become a bigger threat. No entryApple has acknowleged WireLurker's existence in a statement to TechRadar. It said: "We are aware of malicious software available from a download site aimed at users in China, and we've blocked the identified apps to prevent them from launching. As always, we recommend that users download and install software from trusted sources." In September, OS X was one of several UNIX-based operating systems affected by the BASH (or 'Shellshock') security vulnerability, which let attackers remotely gain control of vulnerable systems. Apple moved quickly to address the issue by releasing a security patch for its Mavericks, OS X Lion and Mountain Lion operating systems.  |
| In Depth: Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: which is best for you? Posted: 06 Nov 2014 04:40 AM PST  IntroductionOwning stuff is so 20th Century: these days, the smart money gets spent on streaming. Why pay for shiny and expensive discs when you can stream almost everything ever made to every device you and your family own for a small monthly fee? That's what Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video offer, but there are big differences in the way they do things and in the stuff you can see. Let's discover which streaming service is best for you. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: priceThe standard Netflix UK service is £5.99 per month or £6.99 if you want high definition streaming (where available); if you've already signed up as a customer that £1 price increase has been delayed until 2016. If you want Ultra HD/4K streaming you'll need to pay a bit more: that's £8.99 per month. If you're a member of Amazon's Prime free-delivery club the Instant Video service is free - although the annual price of Prime has been hiked from £39 to £79 and gives you video whether you want it or not. If you want Amazon Prime Instant Video but don't want the other benefits of a Prime membership, the price is a flat £5.99 per month.
On the Xbox, users of Netflix or Amazon had to pay extra to use the apps as they were only available to paid-up Xbox Live Gold members. Microsoft has now dropped that requirement. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: devicesBoth services are available for PC and Mac, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, PS3 and PS4, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Wii U, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and the Kindle Fire family.
In addition, Amazon Prime Instant Video is available on LG, Sony and Samsung Smart TVs, Sony's Network Media Player and Home Cinema System, and Blu-Ray players from LG, Samsung and Sony. The previous lack of an Android phone app has been addressed, although it doesn't support Chromecast, and there's no Windows Phone app. As you'd expect, it works with Amazon's own Fire TV. Netflix is available on Android (including Chromecast) and Windows Phone, compatible LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung and Sony Blu-Ray players and Smart TVs, Apple TV and set-top boxes from Philips, Roku, WD and Virgin Media, as well as LG home theatre equipment. It's also coming to YouView boxes.
You'll find a full list of Netflix-capable devices here; the list for Amazon Instant Video is here. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: kidsBoth services have extensive libraries of kids' TV shows and movies including Disney and Pixar hits. Amazon also has an impressive collection of cartoons. Both services have parental controls that can prevent the little 'uns from streaming horror movies, and Netflix also enables you to create separate profiles for each user and make the kids' ones child-friendly.
Those profiles aren't password-protected, however, so there's nothing to stop the little ones logging in as you and watching The Human Centipede 2. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: TVNetflix has long had the edge over Amazon when it comes to TV: it snapped up the rights to stream Breaking Bad and it's commissioned critically acclaimed shows such as Orange Is The New Black and House of Cards. Amazon is getting into the commissioning game too - its drama Transparent has attracted rave reviews - but its TV catalogue isn't as impressive as Netflix's. Netflix often has more recent series than Amazon, so for example Netflix has 8 seasons of the US Office while Amazon's streaming ends with season 5.
That brings us to one of the things we really hate about Amazon's offering: Prime Instant Video sits alongside the non-Prime Instant Video service, which is video on demand and isn't included in your membership. It's very frustrating to see programmes in the listings without the blue Prime logo. The aforementioned US Office is a good example: if you want to see series after season 5, you'll need to pay £1.89 an episode for SD or £2.49 for HD. On balance, we think Netflix has the better selection of TV programmes - but that might be because we're more Breaking Bad than Vikings. We'd recommend searching both services for your favourites. It's important to know that both services regularly prune their catalogues, usually because the deals with the content owners have expired. Don't assume that a title that's there today will still be there in a few months' time. Movies, video quality and verdictNetflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: moviesIf you want the very latest blockbusters, neither service is for you: both Netflix and Amazon operate in the post-DVD window, which means they don't get the big movies until they've been sold in every possible market from in-flight movies to DVDs.
While things are improving in that respect you'll usually have to wait much longer for movies to appear on streaming services than on video on demand, and Amazon demonstrates that perfectly: many of the films we'd like to see are available on Amazon's pay-per-download Instant Video for around £4.49 for an HD rental, but they aren't available on Prime Instant Video. If you'd like to make sense of what's available where, Findable.TV is a big help. Kids' movies aside (where Netflix and Amazon are largely neck and neck) Amazon is generally better for mainstream movies than its rival. Netflix is very good for stand-up comedy, indie movies and documentaries. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: qualityBoth services promise up to 1080p HD streaming in their standard services, and they use adaptive streaming to adjust the bitrate according to network conditions and congestion. However, the quality you get depends on what particular device you're using. We mentioned the list of supported Netflix devices earlier, and it details the quality of the streaming - so for example Xbox 360 owners get 720p HD while Xbox One, PS3 and PS4 users get 1080p.
Amazon's streaming has improved considerably, probably due to the launch of the Fire TV: its service offers up to 1080p unless your device isn't HD compatible. However, there's a big difference between devices being capable of full HD and devices actually getting it.
We've previously found streaming on iOS to be seriously sub-par and that's still the case, with some content almost unwatchable, and if Amazon was really streaming episodes of Luther to our PS4 at 1080p it was doing a bloody awful job of it. We'd definitely recommend taking advantage of the free trial to see if Amazon's up to snuff on your device before signing up to Prime. Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: verdictAs a streaming service, Netflix is the clear winner here. The interface is great, device support is exceptional, streaming is good quality and rock-solid and it's a joy to use whether you're on a computer, a set-top box, an iPad or a games console. If it were a shop, it'd be John Lewis. Amazon is… Amazon. It isn't as desirable as its rival, it doesn't do things as elegantly and while there's plenty of good stuff you have to go looking for it. The lack of clear differentiation between Prime and non-Prime content is infuriating, and the automatic bundling of the video service into every Prime membership alongside a 60% price hike was hardly customer-friendly. If you already subscribe to Netflix but you're a member of Amazon Prime, you're paying for Amazon Prime Instant Video whether you want it or not. Ultimately, though, it comes down to whether the service has the things you want to watch on the devices you want to use. We're still not sold on Amazon on the iPad, but on other devices Amazon Prime Instant Video generally works well enough and it's generally better at getting (relatively) recent movies than Netflix is. Netflix is much better for TV, though, and we think it also has the edge when it comes to documentaries and stand-up comedy. That's where our tastes lie, so for us the Netflix catalogue is the stronger one. That, combined with the better service, means Netflix remains the streaming service to beat. Winner: Netflix |
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