Rumored Hugely Apple anticipated iPhone 5 pre-orders to begin September 12, international sales to begin early October

apparent iPhone 5 screen and design

According to a new report from Rene Ritchie of iMore, who has been correct in the past, Apple is set to begin pre-orders of the next-generation iPhone on Sept. 12, which is the same day the device is expected to be announced. The device is then expected to be released Sept. 21, as several publications reported (and subsequently confirmed each other) a few weeks ago. At the same event, Apple is expected to introduce its new 7.85-inch iPad Mini. It is believed to compete directly with Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. iMore further added in its report this morning that the international launch of the next iPhone will take place in early October, with Oct. 5 being the most likely day. Apple has been known to delay the launch of its devices internationally to ramp up sales. For example, the launch of the iPhone 4S internationally was two weeks after the U.S. launch.

The sixth-generation iPhone is pegged to include a longer 4-inch design and rock a 640-by-1,136 resolution, redesigned nano-SIM card slot, LTE connectivity, larger battery, NFC, and 9-pin connector. Apple is believed to update its entire iOS device lineup this fall to support the smaller connector, as several publications noted. You can check out our diagram from last night that showed all of the leaked sixth-generation iPhone’s parts laid out, adding a bit of context to what is expected to come. Furthermore, last week we showed you apps running at the 640-by-1,136 resolution in both portrait and landscape mode.

We think it may be difficult for Apple to process the mass amount of pre-orders during the day, especially after a huge event with new products hitting the store. Pre-orders have historically begun in the middle of the night. Even at that, Apple has had trouble keeping its servers up-and-running. Mid-evening sounds likely, if iMore’s report stands true. If history repeats itself, we are only a few weeks away from Apple sending out invites to a press event. We will keep you updated.

Source: Imore

Non-functioning next-gen iPhone prototypes/fakes surface in Bangkok?

Today though, we have a hands on with what appears to be a prototype finalized design casing of the iPhone, in a mall, somewhere in Bangkok, Thailand.




The pictures seem to confirm what we saw in the video, and after reaching out to the source (who is an ex staff member from a long time ago) he confirmed that the iPhone is not a working device, but a "non functional replica prototype" and in his own words, "pretty accurate too."

So we can fall back on what we already know, which is that the unibody case appears to be redesigned to feature an aluminum shell. The glass backing that appeared in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S is notably absent; instead, the entire exterior is a single piece. The casing appears to feature the rumored elongated design of the new iPhone, which is said to be around 4 inches in height. Additionally, a new docking port appears to be in place, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device similar to Apple's iPod line.

This certainly must be a first, the general public getting a look at what's to come. One has to wonder if this sort of thing would have happened if Steve Jobs were stilll head-honcho at Apple.



Source:neowin

Apple reportedly to unveil iPhone 5, iPad Mini on Sept. 12

Apple consumers could perhaps see the debut of both the new iPhone and an iPad Mini come September. Citing "sources who have proven accurate in the past," blog site iMore says that Apple will announce the two devices at a special event on Wednesday, September 12. The iPhone 5 itself would then go on sale 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This latest report follows a tidbit last week from French site App4Phone.fr (English translation), which pointed to a September 21 release date based on intel from Chinese manufacturing sources. The spacing itself jibes with last year's schedule when Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S on October 4 and then released it 10 days later. iMore's sources were apparently mum about a launch date for the iPad Mini, but the site says it could reach consumers on the same day, a logical assumption. The smaller iPad would reportedly be exactly like its 9.7-inch brother, but just on a 7-inch scale. Reports have surfaced about a new iPod Touch in the works, which could also be announced on September 12 as part of the upcoming lineup. A new iPod Nano may also be part of the mix. That promises a busy day launch day for Apple, but the company typically spruces up its iPhone announcement with updates to the iPod and other products. iMore's sources also passed along information already reported by others. The new iPhone would offer a 4-inch, 16:9 screen, while all new iOS devices would come with a smaller Dock connector. This report is still firmly in the rumor category. But a September release date for the next iPhone would make sense financially for Apple. Last year, the company launched the iPhone 4S in October. Demand for the new phone rewarded Apple with a gangbuster calendar fourth quarter. But the third quarter suffered as smartphone buyers held off purchases in anticipation of the new iPhone. Releasing a new phone in September ensures that Apple ends the calendar third quarter on a high note, with the expected heavy demand extending into the fourth quarter.

Mysterious Rumoured 10-inch BlackBerry PlayBook appears in Vietnam, Will it ever Launch?

The last we heard, all notions of a 10-inch PlayBook had been shelved, with rumors suggesting that RIM wanted to concentrate on its BB10 plans and next-gen smartphones instead. However, we've just received these images from Tinthe, showing off something that looks very much like the bigger BlackBerry slab. A handful of photos, comparing the tablet to the existing 7-incher and an iPad, were sent in by forum member quang3g, who appears to be involved in BlackBerry sales. Looks-wise, the hardware's largely unchanged, aside from the bigger footprint and a screen ratio that appears closer to the iPad competition, rather than the widescreen shape that arrived on RIM's first tablet. According to the brief teardown shot, there's a potent 7,250 mAh battery housed in the still-slim 10-inch frame, while it's worth noting that the tablet also includes a SIM holder and cellular radio -- though there's not enough meat here to discern whether it deals in 4G or 3G (HSPA+) radio waves. While we wait for the official word on the existence (or cancellation) of this flavor of PlayBook, you can take a skeptical sideways glance at several more pictures of the tablet at the source below.

HTC explains decision to skip Android 4.0 for Desire HD: we'd rather not wipe your data

HTC damaged a few spirits when it dropped the Desire HD from its Android 4.0 upgrade list. The company might feel your pain, but it claims to have a good reason for denying the update that it's been doling out elsewhere. There's no way to shoehorn a new version into the device like there was for the Desire's leap to Android 2.3, the company says. Fitting all that Ice Cream Sandwich into the Desire HD would require repartitioning the internal space, and repartitioning risks overwriting personal content; needless to say, the company isn't keen on explaining why it might nuke our family photos just so we can run Chrome. Even if that weren't an issue, a nebulous set of "other technical limitations" might not rub upgraders the right way. All of the explanations add up, although it's nonetheless easy to sympathize with Desire HD owners now stuck in Gingerbread land and are void access to updating to the official android 4.0 updates.

So if you own a Desire HD what are your thought and feelings will you be rooting your phone or be avoiding htc in the future let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Apple ordered to run Samsung "did not copy iPad" adverts

A UK judge has ordered Apple to publish announcements that Samsung did not copy the design of its iPad, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

It said the judge said one notice should remain on Apple's website for at least six months, while other adverts should be placed in various newspapers and magazines.

It follows the US company's failed attempt to block sales of the South Korean firm's Galaxy Tab tablets.

Apple and Samsung have not commented.

The order did not feature in Judge Colin Birss's judgement published on 9 July, but Bloomberg said the matter was discussed in the court following the verdict.

It said the notices must make reference to the court case and should be designed to "correct the damaging impression" that Samsung's tablets had aped the look of Apple's products.

"They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," said the judge at the time.

"They are not as cool. The overall impression produced is different."

However, the judge refused Samsung's request that Apple be forbidden from restating its claim that its design rights had been infringed.

Judge Birss said that the US firm was "entitled" to hold the opinion that his judgement was wrong.

So when will the patent wars between these two great companies end. Do you think Samsung is stealing apples ideas let us know by posting a comment.

Why Students Should Gain Entrepreneurship Experience Before Graduating

More and more students are realizing that they can’t pass their degree in for a job upon graduation anymore. The old promise made by our education system was that if you worked really hard in school, you would be almost guaranteed a job as a reward for your efforts. Furthermore, corporations used to hire most of their interns into full-time positions. Both of these promises have been broken due to economic constraints and global competition. Based on a recent report by my company, we found that employers expect students to have at least one internship, yet only half of them are bringing on new interns and few have hired them into full-time positions. The normal path to growing your career is non-existent. In today’s world, you can’t rely on anything or anyone to make you successful – you have to be accountable for your own career and create your own path.

Students are stressed out because there are few paid internships and it’s even hard to get unpaid ones. To me, the solution to this mess is clear: Students who can’t get internships should start a small business or a side project, both of which can act as an internship. If the business fails, they still learn something and have experience on their resume. If the business is successful, they don’t have to worry about getting a full-time job upon graduation. Instead of sending resumes, praying and begging your friends, you can do things your way. Years ago, it would be rare for a student to have entrepreneurship experience on their resume because the cost of starting a business was so high and because they didn’t have the resources or expertise to pull it off. Times
have changed!

Now, hundreds of colleges offer entrepreneurship courses and employers are starting to understand the importance of that type of education. In our research, we found that some employers are actually looking for students with entrepreneurship experience when hiring for entry-level positions. Why do you think? Well, it’s because students who have an entrepreneurial mindset are accountable for their own actions, aggressive and know how to execute. They also have the communication and sales skills that are necessary to be successful in business today. Smart companies fully understand that if they don’t innovate, they won’t exist in the future. By recruiting young entrepreneurs, they bring new perspectives and youthful ideas into the workplace.

When speaking to employers about this phenomenon, some of the top executives said that they would rather hire a student with entrepreneurship experience over a student that had five internships. Entrepreneurs naturally develop soft skills, such as communication skills and teamwork skills that employers are desperately looking for right now as they scout to find the next generation of leaders at their companies. If you’re a student right now, make it your mission to take your career into your own hands and start a project or small business, whether you’re selling clothes on eBay, selling products to fellow students or you come up with the next big Facebook idea. Employers don’t care if it succeeds or fails, just that you gave it a shot and learned something from it. If you want to graduate with a job, then you better brush up your entrepreneurship skills today – your future depends on it!

Android Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6 vs. Windows Phone 8

A quick comparison on all the new 3 major Operating systems being released this year by 3 big companys

(For the record, this is not a review. There will be no review until we have spent some quality time with the final versions of iOS 6, Android 4.1 and Windows Phone 8. This is, instead, a look at how these three stack up on paper in 12 key categories.)

Apps

iOS: 650,000 apps. 225,000 for iPad. Still tops as far as smartphone platforms go.

Android: Android is currently at 450,000 apps for Android. Most apps will run on tablets, but the number of tablet-optimised offerings is significantly lower than iOS (Google won’t give an official number, but a quick run-through Google Play makes the situation abundantly clear).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone currently has 100,000 apps available for download, which is considerably less than the other two. And since there’s no Windows 8 tablet yet, well…

 

Maps

iOS: Apple now has a maps service of its very own like Google and Microsoft. Not only does it deliver traffic updates, points of interest, and turn-by-turn navigation (which is well integrated throughout iOS 6), there are 3D maps which both look cool and might be helpful when lost in the middle of a crowded metropolis. But the lack of public transit directions hurts, even if they’re offering a third-party API solution. 

And iPhone users reared on Street View might sorely miss it; Apple hasn’t presented an equivalent.

Android: Google Maps in Jelly Bean will likely be unchanged from what Google showed off a few weeks ago at its dedicated maps event: 3D buildings, offline caching and Yelp integration will all be added to supplement the top notch combination of search, turn-by-turn navigation, and Street View. Plus, the search giant is going crazy with mapping the insides of notable locales—Compass Mode employs a phone’s gyroscope to give you 360-degree interior views—so expect to see more of that over time.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 7 was a showcase for Microsoft’s Bing maps, but the mobile navigation turf will belong to Nokia on Windows Phone 8. The good news is, that means terrific NAVTEQ maps, turn-by-turn navigation, 3D buildings, offline caching, and dynamic routing for public transit. There aren’t many bells and whistles here, though, for better or worse.

Browser Sync

iOS: iCloud Tabs are new in iOS 6, and unify your browsing across all of your iOS and OS X devices. It’s not a full cloud browser that offers the same tab view across all devices, but rather a list of tabs tucked behind an icon or sub-menu, along with your bookmarks.

 Android: The Chrome Beta on Android offers tab syncing with your desktop as well, but throws bookmark and search syncing in the bargain. And since there are more desktop Chrome users in the world than any other browser, a lot of people will be taking advantage of this feature.

Windows Phone: Browser sync is conspicuously absent from Windows Phone, which is odd considering it will run the same version of Internet Explorer that Windows 8 will in the WinRT environment. Then again, with Windows 8 and WP8 both not expected until this fall, there’s a lot of time for Microsoft to make this work. Fingers crossed.

 

Facebook Integration

iOS: Facebook is integrated throughout iOS 6, which means you can update your status and upload images from various apps (not to mention notification center), sync contacts, and have your Facebook events coordinate with your iOS Calendar. Plus a third-party API is on the way, so all apps can integrate Facebook into their wares.

Android: Android has always been good for Facebook sharing, and there’s no reason for that to change with Jelly Bean. You can share and upload from pretty much anywhere in the OS, or inside most Android apps. Plus you can pull Facebook data for your contacts already stored on your phone, or pull all your Facebook friends into your contacts.

Windows Phone: Facebook integration has always been one of Windows Phone’s selling points, as the platform seamlessly integrates features like status updates, images, Contacts, Chat, and Events into Microsoft’s own sections (People, Messaging, Calendar, etc). It’s as well-designed as Facebook integration can get.

Voice Commands

iOS: Siri wasn’t amazing in iOS 5, but it worked. In addition to being able to dictate texts and emails, schedule calendar events, and set timers, Siri in iOS 6 has much more promise, given its ability to pull data from even more sources (sports scores, movie times, dinner reservations), in more useful ways. Plus, Siri will be able to interface with car audio and navigation systems once iOS 6 goes live in the fall.

Android: With Jelly Bean, speech recognition is about to get a big update. Google has always allowed for voice search and dictation across the entire OS, but now it taps into Knowledge Graph and a built-in speech recogniser that will be in future devices. Not only should Android voice recognition improve dramatically, but it will recognise voice input even while offline and, like Siri, can spit back Wolfram-like semantic search results (with or without your voice).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone also has voice commands, allowing you to place calls, send texts, search the web, and launch an app all from your device. It may not have the depth of Google and Apple’s efforts, but it’s there.

Mobile Payments

iOS: Surprise! The iPhone doesn’t have NFC, which means Apple doesn’t have much to offer in terms of mobile payments. But Passbook is Apple’s way in. When it’s up and running, it will collect tickets, rewards cards, debit/credit cards and more into a single app relies on both GPS and QR codes to work. It can also deliver updates and notifications for the items you have stored in Passbook (flight updates, expiring deals, etc). It’s clearly been designed with NFC payments in mind; we just have to wait a few months until Apple makes it official.

Android: For the time being, Google Wallet—which includes mobile payments, deals/rewards/offers, and more—remains unchanged. But it is a HUGE question mark for Google. Sprint is still the only official Google Wallet mobile partner (and even they’re rumored to be parting ways), MasterCard is the only card company on board, and the number of devices NFC is available on is limited. Google announced new NFC-based features today unrelated to payments; hopefully it’s enough to entice hardware partners to include the tech in future devices.

Windows Phone: With the arrival of Windows Phone 8 will come Wallet, which is Microsoft’s full-fledged attempt at, well, a digital wallet. You’ll be able to store credit/debit cards and rewards/loyalty cards, not to mention the ability to access deals. But what might set Windows Phone apart from Android and iOS is that it will make use of secure NFC elements stored on SIM cards, which will allow for more flexibility—and security—when it comes to the preferred standards of card companies and mobile carriers (Google Wallet has hit a wall because of resistance to its own built-in secure elements). Save for Apple strong-arming everyone into playing by its rules, this may be the most frictionless way for NFC-based payment technologies to succeed.

Video Chat

iOS: Apple has FaceTime, which can place calls over 3G or Wi-Fi, and works fairly well. But its also a pretty insular app that only works with other Apple devices.

Android: Android’s Gmail/Google Talk-based video chat system is a bit more universal, considering you can video chat with anybody who has Gmail on a Mac, PC, or Android phone. And yes, you can chat over 3G or Wi-Fi. But Google’s ace in the hole, surprisingly enough, might just be its Google+ app, which features Hangout support and will be available for both Android and, some day soon, iOS.

Windows Phone: Microsoft’s secret voice chat weapon is Skype, which is arguably the most universal standard of them all. There are already proper Skype apps for Macs, PCs, iOS, and Android—and Microsoft owns all of them.

Call Features

iOS: iOS 6 lets you decline a call with a canned SMS response; filter out calls annoying contacts, and includes a Do Not Disturb toggle, all of which will prove useful for power users.

Android: Android lets you compose a series of texts you can use as quick auto-replies when declining a call, and also lets you filter out calls from specific people, but it lacks the ability to enter into a Do Not Disturb mode.

Windows Phone: This is another weak point in Windows Phone, as there are no pre-composed texts you can fire off to people you don’t want to talk to, nor is there any sort of Do Not Disturb functionality. But there are advanced filtering and call block options for those people you’re trying to avoid.

Messaging

iOS: iMessage is a beta feature with a lot of promise, given its ability to trade messages between phones, tablets and laptops. But it’s hardly seamless, and barely reliable, and not exactly intuitive. There’s currently no real way to link a phone number and iCloud account of a contact and have texts and iMessages appear in a single thread. Nor do messages always arrive to all your connected devices. And there’s no way to instant message with non-Apple users. We have yet to see the final implementation of this cross-device integration, which probably won’t be settled until iOS 6 is officially out, but there’s definitely some work to be done in this regard.

Android: With WebOS all but dead, Android has the best native instant messaging platform hands down. Sure it doesn’t integrate with AIM or Facebook, but AIM has a foot in the grave anyways, and Gchat is every bit as ubiquitous as Facebook Chat. When you’re logged in to Gchat, messages always arrive on all connected devices reliably and quickly. That’s more than can be said for iMessages. Plus, Google Voice is well integrated throughout Android, which means text messages sent from your phone or laptop stay perfectly synced.

Windows Phone: The messaging effort on Windows Phone is solid and well considered, allowing you to seamlessly send texts, Facebook messages, and Skype messages to a given contact from a single window. No, there’s no Gchat or AIM, but that’s not particularly shocking, given the trend towards walled ecosystems with each platform.

Smarter Icons

iOS: When it comes to dynamic app icons, Apple is sorely lacking. Sure it has badges that let you know when there are new messages, emails, or notifications, but they don’t really tell you anything else.

One of the things we’d hoped for was that Apple would smarten up its app icons. Let them change to display information. Unfortunately, Apple is still stuck in the past on this one.

Android: Android doesn’t really do much with app icons either, and that doesn’t change with Jelly Bean. But since the App drawer is pushed into the secondary layer of Android, it doesn’t matter. Android employs widgets to take on the task of real-time updates, which allows for a fair amount of customization when it comes to getting your mail/weather/calendar updates from your home screen in a quick manner. They can sometimes be messy and unruly, but when properly implemented, are quite useful.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 8′s Live Tiles are the cream of the crop amongst smartphones. Not only can they display notifications and vital info (such as texts, mail, weather calendar events), but they arrange into a neatly-organized grid that is now bolstered by the ability to break tiles into three different sizes depending on how you want info displayed. Microsoft is way ahead of everyone else in this regard.

Media Streaming

iOS: iOS 6 has AirPlay, which has been one of the easier, more intuitive implementations of media streaming we’ve seen so far. You can push music from your computer or iOS device to AirPlay-approved speakers, AirPort Express routers, and Apple TV (which also accepts video and iOS device mirroring, and soon OS X mirroring). And if you’re streaming from a computer, you can push to multiple AirPlay devices. But like some of Apple’s other features (FaceTime, iMessage), AirPlay doesn’t really extend past the Apple product ecosystem. That said, you’ll find AirPlay baked into more and more devices with each passing month.

Android: With the introduction of the £200 Nexus Q, Google just provided its own streaming standard for Android-based devices. The hubs will be able to take audio and video streams, and spit them out to televisions and speakers (powered by the Q’s 25-watt amplifier). Plus you can link hubs together for more robust multi-zone streaming than what Apple offers. Think of it as Sonos for Android, complete with the modest sticker shock.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone will have SmartGlass to serve as its media streaming portal to the Xbox. Though built directly on top of DLNA streaming standards, the app simplfies and visualises the process of pushing content back and forth between the Xbox and Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 devices. Plus, SmartGlass can beam supplimentary content to your device while watching a TV show, such as Game of Thrones. Toss in the possibilities for gaming and support for Windows, Android, and iOs, and you have yourself a very intriguing streaming platform.

Does Google Have Any Social Skills at All?

Google revealed a lot at Google I/O: a shimmering tablet at a good price, a sci-fi home theater orb, seriously sophisticated search, and Jelly Beans. It also revealed an unsettling lack of human understanding.
We’ve had privacy concerns before, but could it be more? Could it be that Google just doesn’t get real people?
The keynote sounded one futuristic clarion call after another: Glass, the wearable computer; Google Now, a smartphone system that provides intricately tailored life information; the Nexus Q, a social media streamer; and a fancy new way to throw parties with Google+. But underneath each of these feats of technology you could see a hollow, lurching weirdness that makes you wonder: Who will use any of this stuff besides the actors in Google’s promo videos?
Everything new from Google is prima facie fantastic, and served with the best intentions. Google is a monolithic company, sure, but it’s filled with geniuses who want to make your life easier through technology. Nobody’s faulting their ambition, or questioning its motives. But we have to wonder: Are these new things meant for regular people, or the data-obsessed, grace-deficient Silicon Valley nerd vanguard? As much as we wish it weren’t so, the answer seems a whole hell of a lot like the latter. That the company responsible for Android is still building for robots. In each case, Google has balanced on golden fingers a product — clearly with a lot of time, thought, and money behind it — that just doesn’t seem to jibe with the way we, or at least me, actually live our lives. There isn’t any lack of effort or innovation here, but rather a gaping disconnect between the way data geeks and the rest of the “normal people” see the world.
Despite the face we’re not actually getting it, consider the Nexus Q. It’s a beautifully machined object, with pulsating lights, a face that’s both futuristic and friendly, and the ostensible goal of making it easier to listen to music and watch movies with friends. Who could oppose that? Only some sort of monster! But look at the way Google envisions us using it: you go to your friend’s house, bump her Q with your Nexus (reread that sentence a few times) for NFC access, then sit on the couch taking turns streaming media to the home theater. Uhhh.




This is a strange take on the decades-old practice of sitting around listening to and looking at things. Is it defeating the whole point? Q asks us to stare and contemplate software, to be ever conscious of our phones and tablets, and to pull ourselves out of enjoyment for the sake of interaction. Blech to all of that — don’t people just want to throw on a playlist or Pandora and have a drink? Injecting so many menus, no matter how gracefully designed and modern, between your friends and the things you like, seems downright antisocial. It’s doubtful will buy or use the Q because it just doesn’t sound like any fun unless you’re an Android engineer.
The same empathy vacuum threatens the rest of Google’s reveals. Glass is tremendously neat, in that it takes movie scenes and active imaginations common to all of us and makes them a real thing out of plastic and metal. First person videos are a genuinely cool idea. But Google thinks that we’re all ready to walk around wearing the things. Which, you know, we aren’t. Not everyone is a somewhat eccentric data maven billionaire, too rich and lost in a world of giant ideas to care how he looks walking around all day. Are you? This presents not just a leap in technology, but in culture.
For many of us, a computer that’s literally sitting on our face for every waking moment sounds really socially alienating. Say what you want about the punctures smartphones have delivered to everyday interaction, but at least those things go back to our purses and pockets when they’re not being used. But Glass is there to stay, becoming a part of your face, and turning you into a baby-scaring cyborg. Unless everyone in the world gets a pair and simultaneously agrees this is no longer weird, what functionality is worth being the guy with the robo-face? While we struggle to imagine Google Glasses reconciled with normal life, Google isn’t sweating it — normal life isn’t an issue. The question is, should we laud their futuristic boldness, or wince at uncomfortable expectations?



Google’s making similar declarations about the way our lives should be with its new software, too. In the grand scheme of things, especially when compared to Facebook, not that many people actually use Google+ (rightly or wrongly), and this week’s flagship addition — a new way to organise and share parties — makes it hard to believe that’ll change. The new Google+ will be just as earnest and kindly-intentioned as it’s ever been, designed to share moments and thoughts and insights with people you care about. If only it worked that way for the masses. Instead, Google+’s “party mode” is as painfully dorky as it sounds, and bizarrely opposed to the entire point of a party for the vast majority. Where’s the humanity in that?




Facebook’s event invites might be bare, but that’s fine — we just want to broadcast the information and get the word out. A means to an end (fun). We don’t want to spend time agonising over which GIF of a sparkler or peach cobbler to send to our uninhabited Google+ circles so that our guests can in turn upload photos of the jump off in real time, providing some bastardised function halfway between party and panopticon. We don’t need realtime visuals of a kegger or BBQ. Our social lives don’t need analytics. The people at our events should never be equaled or bested by the advanced software that got them there — but Google risks putting an internet Hangout on the same plane as celebrating an IRL hangout. We normals don’t want software that brings us into a circle around LCD screens as a party climaxes; we want to be around each other, right? Google should be making things that facilitate this, not some overwrought invite system more complex than actually planning a party. It’s enough to make you a little uncomfortable
Same deal with Google Now, which is incredible, but similarly wince-inducing. It’s probably the best mobile search ever seen — and sure beats the shirt off Siri — but what happens when that awe and lustre rubs off? Google told us Android’s search would be stellar because it would know everything about our lives — where we eat, where we live, where we work, constantly following our moves and tastes in order to provide intricate answers when we need them. But the whole deal presumes we’re comfortable being followed and memorised like that. To Google, it’s a non-grievance. Who would ever care? Why would you turn down a computer that knows the details of your personal life, and can predict the next one?
Google might be blinded by its own smarts. It’s an honest to god braintrust, filled with people who want to make the future. But here’s the thing about the future: it should make the way we live our lives better, not dictate the way we live our lives. It’s unintentional — the company truly thinks Google+ is super cool, whether you agree or not; maybe it is, to the engineers behind it. But for those of us who aren’t data-crazed boy geniuses, it’s a nerdy imposition when butted up against the likes of Facebook.
Precision and power shouldn’t supplant personality in the things we use, and if there’s an opportunity to get more information, we shouldn’t rush to say yes. But Google’s keen to say yes for us all: even if it makes us feel funny, or lonely. Even if it could have the opposite of the intended effect. The idol of technology and the marvels it could yield towers over us, wearing a computer on its face, letting a phone predict its lunch, and sitting in the corner of a party looking at pictures of other people having fun. Google’s making plenty of impressive things — but are they impressive things that everyone actually wants?
We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update with any responses.

Apple's iPhone 5 now set to include NFC-based mobile payment system

Apple's next-generation iPhone, expected to be launched this autumn, could include a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip, allowing users to easily buy products through their smartphone, according to a new report.


9to5Mac recently analysed a hardware code dump from two new iPhone 5 prototypes and found references to an integrated NFC chip and antenna. NFC is a wireless technology that has a range of only a few inches and is compatible with the countless ID card terminals around the world, allowing for contactless payments.


The new discovery follows Apple's unveiling earlier this month of an e-wallet app for iOS 6 called Passbook, which lets users store electronic versions of things like airline boarding passes, cinema tickets, shopping vouchers, and loyalty cards. Now, there is speculation that Apple will incorporate an NFC-enabled mobile payment system into Passbook.
The feature would set the stage for Apple to compete with Google Wallet and Microsoft's recently announced NFC wallet service for Windows Phone 8. Apple could integrate with an established mobile payment service such as that used by Barclays, or handle its own payments through the many credit cards already stored on iTunes, 9to5Mac pointed out.
Also, besides replacing the plastic credit card, NFC technology would allow iPhone owners to more quickly and easily share files from one iOS device to another.
Apple has reportedly been working on NFC integration for some time. Last year, in advance of the iPhone 4S launch, there were various rumours about the technology being included in Apple's smartphone, and just as many rumours that said it would not. When the iPhone 4S was unveiled in October, NFC was nowhere to be seen.
Some forward-thinking techies are already swiping their smartphone to pay for things, but mobile payments haven't really taken off with the masses yet. However, some 65 per cent of experts surveyed earlier this year said they think most people will fully adopt mobile payments by 2020, nearly eliminating the need for cash or credit cards.


Image credit: 9to5Mac

Windows Phone 8 Unveiled: Microsoft Modernizes It

It’s shaping up to be a huge week for Microsoft. On Monday, the company announced its Surface tablet platform at a hush-hush event in Los Angeles, and now the company has unveiled Windows Phone 8 Apollo at its Windows Phone Summit in San Francisco.

Microsoft announced eight specific platform updates for its upcoming mobile OS. We’ve already covered one of the most consumer-facing updates, the new Start Screen, but other changes include hardware-related features like multi-core processor and memory card support, a revamped Internet Explorer 10, shared native code between Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8, NFC support, a new Wallet hub, Nokia Maps, and Windows Phone 8 for business.

Many of these updates shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering all the leaks and reports that came out in February. Nor was today’s announcement a full-fledged reveal like Apple’s iOS 6 presentation at WWDC. Microsoft says it will unveil more end-user features in the summer. But in the meantime, these platform updates are significant, and Microsoft had a lot to say about them.

Here’s a deeper dive into what we can expect from Windows Phone 8.

Hardware updates

As suspected, Windows Phone 8 will support multi-core chips. It’s a move that will make Windows Phone more competitive with the iPhone and Android handsets, which have been able to check off multi-core support on their spec sheets for quite a while. When they launch, Windows Phone 8 devices will run on dual-core processors, specifically those from Qualcomm.

“The experience that people have had on a single-core will get much, much better as we move to dual-core,” Joe Belfiore, manager of the Windows Phone Program, said at the event.


Windows Phone 8 is written for its hardware improvements. Photo: Alexandra Chang/Wired
Windows Phone 8 will also support three screen resolutions (Windows Phone 7.5 supports just one). The new screen resolutions include WVGA at 800×480 pixels and a 15:9 aspect ratio; WXGA at 1280×769 and 15:9; and 720p at 1280×720 at 16:9.

Rounding out the hardware story, Windows Phone 8 will support microSD card expansion. Hardware manufacturers can include a microSD slot for users to easily transfer information from device to device. “What this enables is that an end user can add a MicroSD card months after they’ve bought a phone and transfer information from PC to phone, and phone to phone,” Belfiore said. “We didn’t want to deliver this feature until we could do it where it’s easy to use.”

Revamped Internet Explorer 10

Microsoft showed off a new Internet Explorer browser for Windows Phone 8. The new IE 10 features Smart Screen, an anti-phishing filter that uses data from Windows PCs to block malicious websites in real-time. Belfiore showed off how IE 10 can protect users who might fall victim to scam links sent via email.



IE 10 SunSpider scores compared to other browsers on mobile operating systems. Photo: Alexandra Chang/Wired
IE 10 also receives a JavaScript update — JavaScript is now four times faster than the browser in Windows PHone 7.5, according to the company. There’s also two times as much HTML5 support.

How does mobile IE 10 compare to other mobile browsers? According to recent SunSpider scores that measures a browser’s JavaScript execution performance, IE 10 performed the best.

Shared Native Code

Windows Phone 8 will share native C and C++ code with Windows 8, making it easier for developers to create apps for both platforms. It’s not something that consumers will immediately notice when they use the OS, but Microsoft hopes shared native code will lead to better, faster app development — and thus more quality apps in Windows Phone Marketplace.

“The biggest effect this will have is we’re going to see some freaking killer games this year,” Belfiore said.


Windows Phone 8 will share core native code with Windows 8. Photo: Alexandra Chang/Wired
At its developer summit, Microsoft continually hammered on how easy it will be for developers to port games from Windows 8 to Windows Phone 8, and vice versa. “Suddenly, with Windows Phone 8 with that shared core, taking an app from the PC to phone is very straightforward,” Belfiore said.

In essence, native code will enable developers to write high-performance code — which is why games are such a big deal — and drive hardware acceleration. “You’re going to see some beefy, powerful phones running some amazing games this year,” Belfiore said.

NFC sharing

As suspected, Windows Phone 8 devices will support NFC sharing. NFC isn’t a totally new technology, but it’s far from ubiquitous, so it’s interesting to see Microsoft pushing it forward. Belfiore demoed how NFC would work in a Lexus advertisement with an embedded tag — he used the April issue of Wired magazine, actually: With a simple tap of his phone on top of the advertisement, he transferred product information directly to his Windows Phone.

Also, sharing isn’t limited to just phones. The new Microsoft platform supports NFC between phones, laptops, slates, and PCs. And NFC also has an important role in the next platform update…

Wallet Experience

Windows Phone 8 will feature a new Wallet hub where users can store their credit and debit card information, third-party loyalty and membership cards, and coupons and deals. It’s not unlike Apple’s iOS 6 Passbook app. But Windows Phone Wallet experience will also support NFC tap-to-pay.


The Wallet Experience carries all of your financial, deal, and loyalty card information. Photo: Alexandra Chang/Wired
Yes, it’s like Google Wallet, but with one fundamental difference. All of your credit and debit card information will be stored in a secure SIM card, not in an on-device system. Google Wallet is built directly into a device, making it impossible to move your Wallet info from one device to the next, but Windows Phone has opted for a more transition-friendly option.

Microsoft’s approach is also an experience that carriers prefer. But don’t get too excited just yet, as the NFC tap-to-pay capabilities won’t be coming to the U.S. until next year. At launch, the capability will be limited to the France-based Orange carrier. U.S. Windows 8 consumers, however, will still be able to access the Wallet hub as their central location for cards, third-party services, and deals.

Goodbye Bing Maps, Hello Nokia Maps

Say goodbye to Bing Maps. Windows Phone 8 maps will run on Nokia’s mapping technology, built directly into the onboard Maps app. There’s not too much news on this front, but this development isn’t surprising considering Microsoft and Nokia’s close ties. Some key features include: Global NAVTEQ map data, offline map support, turn-by-turn directions, and map control for developers. 3D navigation didn’t make it.

Windows Phone 8 for Business

Microsoft has always had a strong hold on the enterprise market with Windows, and now it’s taking all of that work and pulling it together with a business-friendly Windows Phone platform. Windows Phone 8 will come with a complete security platform with Secure Boot and encryption (which is a derivative of Windows Bitlocker). It’ll make app distribution and deployment flexible for business, offering up a mechanism for private distribution and full-on onsite management.

Businesses will also be able to manage Windows Phone 8 devices through a software management system. And finally, Windows Phone 8 will run the Microsoft Office suite — though we have yet to see how it will look in that mobile form.

New Start Screen

Ah, the new Start Screen. “It’s the sexiest thing in Windows Phone 8,” Belfiore said. And this should definitely the case for more visually motivated users. As we wrote in our story about the Start Screen and current Windows Phone devices, the new Start Screen is the most visible end-user feature of Windows Phone 8 (at least that’s been announced so far).


Microsoft has taken its Live Tiles and made them more customizable, bringing a new small size to the experience.


The Windows Phone 8 Start Screen will take up the whole display and feature three sizes of Live Tiles. Photo: Alexandra Chang/Wired
“These live tiles are the heart and soul of the Windows Phone,” Belfiore said. “We know that our users really love their phones, and we think the biggest reason is because Live Tiles make the phones so special and so personal.”

Users will be able to choose between a small, medium and large size for their Live Tiles. And now the entire screen is available for Live Tile pinning — the arrow and empty space on the right-hand side have dissapeared. To that end, users can pin more on their Start Screen.

And of course, Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 are coming even closer together. As Microsoft said, they’re “better together.”

“The intent in our changing the Live Tiles support is not just to make Live Tiles more personal, but to give a more consistent experience between Windows 8 Live Tiles and Windows Phone 8 live tiles,” Belfiore said.

Keepin' it real fake: four SIMs, two memory card slots, one identity crisis

It takes quite a bit for a boogzs smartphone to turn our heads these days, but this specimen spotted by one of our readers in an Indian newspaper checked off just enough boxes to get us to take notice. As you can see, the company behind it has merged a fairly faithful iOS knock-off operating system with a device reminiscent of something from Samsung's Galaxy line, but it didn't stop there. You'll also get no less than four SIM card slots and two memory card slots, not to mention an antenna to pull down some free over-the-air TV channels. Specs otherwise remain a bit of a mystery, but those curious enough to find out more can take one home for just over $60.

[Thanks, Mahesh]

Xbox 720 document leak: giant hoax or Microsoft road map?

Xbox 720 to have Blu-ray drive, Kinect 2 and augmented reality glasses? A leaked document says it will – but can we trust it?

A page from the document that allegedly gives details of the Xbox 720

This always happens the year before an expected gaming hardware announcement. Prototype diagrams turn up online, developers give mysterious off-the-record interviews to news sites, screenshots of unannounced games leak on to forums. Speculation, rumour and gossip are rife, fuelled by a ravenous news culture and a fanbase of tech-savvy fantasists who know how to use photoshop.

Now that we're all fairly certain Microsoft and Sony will be announcing new games hardware next year, the speculation-mobile has cranked into fourth gear and the quality of the reference material is improving.

Hence, the arrival of a 56-page document, apparently written by internal Microsoft sources, outlining the future of Xbox. Posted on document sharing website Scribd, and leaked to gaming site Nukezilla, the report suggests that the Xbox 720 will launch in 2013 with a price point of $299 (£191). It will feature a built-in Blu-ray drive and a new Kinect 2 motion sensor complete with better voice recognition, improved HDRGB camera and four-player tracking. The launch of the machine will be followed a year later by the arrival of an augmented reaiity glasses technology named Fortaleza (similar to Google's AR headset concept).

The document goes into great depth about Microsoft's plans to dominate the living room entertainment space, offering video on demand, transmedia entertainment and other applications as well as gaming. It lists the company's key rivals as Apple, Google and OnLive – all producing TV and streaming content solutions. There is also pleny of material related to Microsoft's recently announced SmartGlass app, designed to allow cross-platform interaction between the Xbox console, smartphones and tablets.

There is "information", too, on the Xbox 720 tech specs. A slide refers to processing power 6x in excess of the current Xbox 360 – although there seems to be ambiguity over whether the CPU will be based on ARM or Intel processors.

So is this one of gaming's most elbaorate hoaxes? It certainly seems inconceivable that such an explicitly detailed and far-reaching document could leak from Microsoft – there's just too much important stuff in here. Furthermore, Microsoft has never refered to its next console as 720, and after losing the HD optical disc war to Sony, is highly unlikely to license the Blu-ray standard from its rival (although sticking with DVD is unfeasible, as is developing a proprietary format).

Furthermore, many of the possibilities the report discusses are well-known to industry watchers – there's little that couldn't be guessed at or plausibly imagined by anyone who's been keeping up to date with Microsoft's plans for its hardware.

But according to Joystiq, the doc dates back to summer 2010, way before Microsoft officially announced SmartGlass – and the offending literature has now been removed from Scribd by Covington and Burling, a law firm that has been used by Microsoft. There's also a clever pay-off at the end – a single slide headed with the phrase, "Additional questions to answer for Todd" – a reference, no doubt, to Xbox hardware guru Todd Holmdahl.

There's a possibility that, instead of representing an actual road map for the console, it is an early proposition written up by one Microsoft department to another, a means of clarifying messaging for the launch. Certainly it is filled with marketing vernacular and is structured in an authentic manner (ie, essentially stating the same things over and over again, but in differently headed sections).

Whoever made this has worked with tech marketers and knows how they conceive and structure product pitches. Whatever else, it is certainly a step on from the poorly photoshopped "prototype console" photos we're used to seeing. Assuming its a hoax, whoever write it has a lot of spare time on their hands.

Microsoft, of course, doesn't comment on rumour and/or speculation. However, you can see the document yourself by heading over to Spong and following the link at the end of this story.

Create Your Own Smartphone App With Infinite Monkeys – No Coding Knowledge Required

It would be great if we all had the time, skills, and patience to learn computer coding, especially since technology pervades so many areas of our life. But thankfully, there are applications and web developers out there who provide ways for the rest of us to produce apps with little or no coding skills.
Back in June, I reviewed one such web application called Buzztouch, which is designed to allow anyone to create their own smartphone application. Now a similar program has just been released called Infinite Monkeys, a web-based tool geared toward niche communities who want to share content on the iPhone and Android platforms. Infinite Monkeys is not as polished theme wise as Buzztouch, but unlike the latter, Infinite Monkeys, says the developers, “Is completely web-based, and works on any computer or tablet device. You never touch the source code and don’t have to know what it is or how it works.” There are several other differences that also might make Infinite Monkey more accessible to non-programmers than Buzztouch. But you’re free to explore both and see which fits your needs.

Web-based GUI

Infinite Monkeys’ web-based graphic user interface allows users to incorporate existing web content from social networking sites like Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and blogging sites.

These web-based apps of course don’t compare to more advanced apps like Angry Birds, but they are great for small niche communities and businesses, such as school associations, sports teams, churches, musicians and restaurants, who want to share content privately or publicly.

Infinite Monkeys provides three different app platform models, ranging from free to the pro level version of $499. But for many users, the free HTML 5 web-based, and ad-supported model should suffice.

Building An App

Infinite Monkey provides a seriously easy step-by-step process for creating a smartphone app in less than an hour; that is if you have an ample amount of content already posted on the web.

The great thing about using a web-based platform is that you can constantly add content and updates to your app via your blog site, YouTube channel, photo sharing site, etc.

The Infinite Monkey web application uses a familiar drag-and-drop process. You start off by giving your app a title, followed by choosing a privacy setting. You can make the app public, or private for closed community access which will prompt users to enter a password to view content.

You can of course customize the background image and splash screen, as well as the font colors for the title and other text.

Core Content

The core content of your app consists of primarily news and third-party feeds such as your blog site(s) and specific URLs.

Infinite Monkeys includes additional content models for music and books, food and beverages, events, sports, reference materials, and location services such as a map and directions.

With the click of a button you can easily preview your app at any point in the development process. The online app also includes an embedded short video tutorial for each of the three part steps and multifunction tools.

You have poor control over the content of your app, including links to streaming videos, live chatrooms, shared calendars for upcoming events, shopping links to recommended products, and tap–t0–call phone contact information.

Publishing App

The free version of Infinite Monkeys allows you to instantly post your HTML 5 version immediately to the web so that anyone with a web-enabled smartphone can access it through the assigned URL.

Since your app is ad-supported, Infinite Monkeys will host it for free on their server. While it is not nearly as polished as professional apps that you will find in say the iTunes App Store, it does provide a way for anyone to get their content into this space.

Why a 70 degree angle is the key to selling a MacBook

Apple knows the art of seduction. By positioning MacBook screens to perfect viewing angle in its stores, the company is subtlety seducing you into laying down a couple thousand dollars to take that sleek gadget home.

Before any Apple-Store lurking fanboys get their hands on a MacBook, Apple Store employees meticulously open each display computer to a 70 degree angle before the store opens, reports Forbes. Equipped with an iPhone app, the employees tilt each display screen to the best-possible viewing angle.

You might think that Apple positions all its notebook computers for aesthetic reasons. That’s partly true. The tables are uncluttered and the products are clean. But the main reason notebook computers screens are slightly angled is to encourage customers to adjust the screen to their ideal viewing angle—in other words, to touch the computer!, writes Forbes’ Carmine Gallo.

Using a precise screen angle is just one tactic Apple uses to make a sale. Apple Stores’ clean layout is designed to showcase its world-famous products. The company wants its popular device design to shine in front of a nondescript white and light-wood backdrop.

Gallo’s article mentions the differences between how Apple Stores and Best Buy display their merchandise. I’m reminded of the few misguided times I’ve purchased a PC laptop at a big-box store where the device was thoughtlessly displayed next to several other models. I had to hunt around for prices and specs while trying to open and close the laptop that was connected to a cumbersome security device. Often the laptop wasn’t turned on or connected to a power source, so I couldn’t even test it out.

Apple on the other hand, lays all the information you need out for you right in plain sight. There are no obtrusive security devices that get in the way of Apple’s design. And even Apple has its hands in Best Buy, creating a separate space from PC models that looks like a mini Apple store. The company emphasizes what Gallo calls the “multisensory experience” —  the way you can interact with Apple products in the store the same way you would in the real world.

It’s also no mistake that Apple lets you stand in a store for hours playing with its computers, iPads, and iPhones. The more you play around with its gadgets, the more you’ll fall in love and have to take one home with you, Apple hopes.

MacBook image via Flickr user Nelson Wu

Microsoft shows some Android love via Kinectimals game

Smartphone users are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing various applications, whether its apps to help us with our everyday lives or fun games, picking the ones that are worth the time and money downloading can be difficult, and the team on Phones Review try and keep our readers up to date with all the big releases. Today we can tell you that Microsoft shows some Android love by releasing the Kinectimals game.

Microsoft has been busy on the Android platform this week as earlier the company released the My Xbox Live application to Google Play, and now as an article over at the Android Community is reporting Microsoft has released its first Android game so far, titled Kinectimals. This fun little game has been available on both the iOS and Windows Phone 7 platforms for quite a while now, and it is now available to Android users.

The popular kids game available forAndroid smartphones and tablets works on both Android in standalone mode, and also as the Xbox 360 companion mode where users get the chance to unlock five new cubs. Your kids will love playing with the cute and cuddly animals on an Android device with many adults also giving the game the thumbs up as well.

The game is great for kids and animal lovers alike and allows you to have a virtual pet or two, and while Microsoft has been busy working on Windows 8  it is nice to see the company still find time to make some of their apps available to all the Android users out there. Only yesterday we told you about another popular application, Zombies, Run! finally landing on the Android, as more hugely popular titles are starting to find their way onto the platform.

Kinectimals is available via the Google Play Store and is priced at £1.93/$2.99. Will you be downloading Kinectimals?

Source: Google Play

Roundup of Retina MacBook Pro Reviews

With a number of media outlets having received Retina MacBook Pro review units on Monday after the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote and a few early hands-on reports having been published, more extensive reviews are now beginning to appear. To help summarize the overall response to the new machine, we've put together this roundup of some of the major reviews, along with some highlights from each of them.




The New York Times – David Pogue
If you could design your dream laptop, how would you describe it?

Superfast. Superthin. Superlight. Superlong battery life. Immense storage. Enough memory to keep lots of programs open at once. Stunning screen, comfortable keyboard, terrific sound. Fast start-up, rugged body, gorgeous looks.

And, of course, inexpensive.

The new Apple laptop that went on sale Monday hits an impressive number of those high notes in one radical swoop. As you might guess, the one it misses by the biggest margin is “inexpensive.”

Engadget – Tim Stevens
Is this the best Mac ever? You can't ignore the Air as an amazing piece of machinery, especially with the new, higher-powered Ivy Bridge processors and faster SSDs tucked inside its wedge profile. But, this new Pro is on another level of performance. With a quad-core processor and up to 16GB of RAM it's a proper beast -- a proper beast that you can throw in your messenger bag and carry around all day without spending all night complaining about an aching back.

That said, this is not exactly a small machine, heavy enough that those happy Air users who've been feeling tempted might want to take a swing by their closest Apple Store and lift one themselves. It's expensive, too.

The Verge – Ross Miller
If you’re in the market for a premium OS X laptop right now, it’s hard not to recommend the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. If, however, power isn’t your ultimate goal, may we suggest shaving a few pounds and specs for the MacBook Air. As for everything in between, those non-Retina “standard” MacBook Pros, well... the writing’s on the wall. And of course, it doesn’t hurt to be even a little bit patient and wait for more apps to push Retina-optimized updates — if you get the MacBook Pro with Retina display now, you’ll be waiting on the world to change.

Time – Harry McCracken
Even for those of us who are unlikely to spend more than two grand on a computer, or who prefer something more ultraportable than a 15″ model, the arrival of the Retina MacBook Pro is a meaningful moment in Mac history. It’s the most refined, advanced PC that Apple has produced to date. And it’s a safe bet that the ideas it exhibits will be reflected in future models from the company, including ones with smaller screens and smaller price tags. It’s both a great computer, and a preview of great computers to come.

CNET – Dan Ackerman
I've previously called the 15-inch MacBook Pro one of the most universally useful all-around laptops you can buy. This new version adds to that with HDMI, faster ports, and more portability. But it also subtracts from that with its exclusion of an optical drive and Ethernet port, plus its very high starting price. The Pro and Retina Pro are clearly two laptops designed for two different users, and with the exception of all-day commuters who need something closer to a MacBook Air or ultrabook, one of the two branches of the MacBook Pro family tree is still probably the most universally useful laptop you can buy.

(Image from CNET)

Carphone Warehouse offering free Galaxy Note on £21 contract for next seven days

The Samsung Galaxy Note is one of the surprise Android success stories of the past six months. And now British retailer the Carphone Warehouse is offering the device for free on a surprisingly reasonable £21 per month, 24-month service plan. In addition to a free Galaxy Note, the deal gets you 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB on T-Mobile UK, which is a pretty competitive package for the UK market. Carphone says the deal will be available to new customers online and in-store for the next seven days.

Although it's more than half a year old at this point, the Note still stands up alongside current high-end Android phones, with a 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos chip, a 1280x800 SuperAMOLED display and an 8MP camera. Better still, it's just been updated to the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. If you're unfamiliar with the Galaxy Note, be sure to check out our full review of Samsung's 5.3-inch stylus-toting beast.



Carphone Warehouse Smart Deal of the Week – Samsung Galaxy Note (£21 per month)

LONDON June 15, 2012— This week’s brand new super money saving “Smart Deal of the Week’ from Carphone Warehouse is the practical and fun Samsung Galaxy Note.

For the next seven days, the Samsung Galaxy Note will available for free to new customers* on T-Mobile for just £21 a month. This deal, exclusively available with Carphone Warehouse, will give users 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 750 MB of data per month.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has the ability to capture notes like a notepad, the large practical screen f a tablet and the communication features and mobility of a smartphone. The generous 5.3” screen is the first to include HD Super AMOLED technology, making it one of the highest quality displays on any phone, and combined with an 8 MP camera means your pictures will never look better. The S Pen and S Memo also let you record your ideas, notes and memos instantly.

The Carphone Warehouse Smart Deal of the Week is available in store, online at www.carphonewarehouse.com or by calling             0800 925 925      .

Microsoft to take on Apple with own Windows 8 tablet?

Tech titan is doing something highly unusual -- making its own device. And thereby taking on Apple directly, according to reports.

Microsoft will announce its own tablet next week at an event in Los Angeles, according to reports, taking a page from Apple's playbook.
If true, this is not the typical Microsoft business model; usually it leaves device announcements to device makers. The PC industry is the classic example of this.
And, so far, that has been the case for Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets. Companies like Acer and Asus demonstrated Windows 8 tablets and hybrids at Computex last week, for instance.
But a report at The Wrap and another at AllThingsD say Microsoft has other plans.
Microsoft reportedly concluded that it must have its own tablet and is involved in the hardware design too. The Wrap reported it is a "Microsoft-manufactured tablet," that would "put the company in direct competition with giant rival Apple."


Indeed, if true, it would. Apple designs both the software and hardware and therefore is able to achieve a level of quality control over a product that often eludes Microsoft and its hardware partners.
A Microsoft tablet has the potential to rankle Windows device makers, too. Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, Nokia and a long list of other PC makers are working on scores of Window 8 and Windows RT tablets and hybrids. Many are likely to debut when Microsoft release Windows 8 later this year.
Microsoft infamously canceled it Courier tablet project in 2010.
Microsoft declined to comment.

Facebook officially launches its App Center with access to 600 apps

Facebook addicts, rejoice! You favorite social network has finally launched its pre-announced App Center, complete with 600 apps that feature Facebook integration of some sort. We reported this morning that Facebook’s App Center appeared in its iOS app for one user, perhaps indicating a launch this evening. Just as we predicted, the time has come. Facebook is currently holding an app-themed event to go over features. The company said it would push the App Center heavily on the left-hand sidebar on both the desktop version and mobile version of the app. A page for the App Center should launch sometime this evening. It will also appear on mobile devices soon. The best thing about Facebook App Center is that it will give you personalized recommendations based on your interests. Check out a video demo!


Press release: Today we’re launching the App Center to make it easier to find apps you can enjoy with friends.

The App Center features mobile and web apps, such as Draw Something, Pinterest, and Nike+ GPS, and new apps including Jetpack Joyride, Ghosts of Mistwood, and Ghost Recon Commander.

Discover the best apps for you

The App Center gives you personalized recommendations, and lets you browse the apps your friends use. It only lists high-quality apps, based on feedback from people who use the app.

Install mobile apps

To make it easier to find social apps for mobile, the App Center is available in the Facebook iOS and Android apps, as well as Facebook.com.

You can send apps you find on your computer to your mobile device using the new “Send to Mobile” feature. If a mobile app requires a download, you’ll be sent to install it from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Easily preview apps

Every app in the App Center has screenshots and a detailed description, so you can learn more about it before installing it. It helps you control your privacy by showing the information an app needs and letting you choose who can see your activity on Facebook. If you decide you want to use an app, you can get started directly from the App Center.

Get started

The App Center will begin rolling out to people in the U.S. today, with more than 600 apps. It will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

Watch a screencast of the App Center.