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Updated: Microsoft Build 2013: what to expect from this year's conference

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:30:00 GMT

The annual Microsoft Build developer's conference has a bit of Google IO glow surrounding it this year, thanks in no small part to the Windows 8 conundrum.

Is it a failure? Is it the beginning of a software revolution? What about apps? How many Surfaces have been sold? When will we see new devices? And what the heck is going on with Windows RT?

Microsoft has already given us more than a taste of what to expect between June 26 - June 28 in the form of Windows Blue news, but plenty of possible announcements on new devices, services and updates remain distinct possibilities.

We've gathered what we know about Build into one handy guide for you (right here, of course) plus added some well-informed hypotheses on what you can expect from the conference, taking place in the halls of San Francisco's Moscone Center late next month.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAU88qC-jw&feature=player_embedded

1. Welcome, Windows 8.1

This is the big, no brainer announcement as Microsoft has already confirmed Windows 8.1 will be released via public preview during Build.

We've heard plenty about this Windows 8 update, known until recently as Windows Blue, but Windows 8.1 still has plenty of mystery surrounding it.

Microsoft will officially release the update "later this year," providing "more options to businesses, and give consumers more options to work and play," but Build will be our first chance to see specifically what the Softies are planning for the Windows 8 refresh.

This isn't simply an operating system update: We'll see more for apps (more on that below), a likely Windows Phone 8 update, and some new stuff for Windows server.

Blue a.k.a Windows 8.1 a.k.a the free Windows 8 update could spell feast or famine for Microsoft's new take on the OS, so we'll keep a close eye on how well it functions and how well it's received, which may be a given if Microsoft decides to bring back the Start button.

2. Splitting up and coming together - apps, that is

Word is Microsoft is building some new, built-in Windows 8 apps as part of this whole Blue revamp, including ways to run apps side-by-side on devices home to smaller-sized screens. The hope is to do so without a massive internal work over, which if Microsoft can achieve would make for more expedient delivery to awaiting Windows 8 customers.

Blue will apparently bring something called "Snap Views" that will split a screen 50/50 between two apps, including across different monitors.

What does this mean for consumers? Easier operability and greater personal choice. A revamp of first-party apps is certainly something Microsoft fans would like to see, and we can't imagine the company letting Build slip by without a decent overhaul on the individual app front.

3. Smaller Windows 8 devices

There's a space Microsoft hasn't extended its Windows 8 reach to yet, but that could change before year's end.

That area is of course smaller devices, namely ones developed by the company's OEM partners and sized in the 7- to 8-inch range.

"As part of [new device offerings], we are also working closely with OEMs on a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows," former Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said during the company's April earnings call.

The timing seems right for Microsoft to introduce a tablet or hybrid meeting the smaller size requirements: In March, the company revised its display resolution requirements for OEMs down to 1024 x 769, meaning the producers are now free to play with daintier displays.

We've seen leaks for an 8-inch Acer device called the Iconia W3, which actually made a hasty appearance on Amazon before getting the hook. Asus seems to be on board with whittled-down Windows 8 products, and that's nothing to say about Microsoft's potential Surface Mini musings.

A May 15 DigiTimes report indicated Microsoft plans to launch an 8-inch Surface in June, followed by a 10.x-inch version as early as the third quarter of the year. Citing "supply chain makers," the sometimes spurious site noted the 8-inch Surface will feature Samsung-built touch panels and Nvidia processors.

Will we see an OEM-made 7- to 8-inch device burrow out of Build? We certainly think that, along with a smaller Surface, is certainly possible.

4. Windows Phone Store strategy 101

Let's be frank: Windows Phone lacks hard in the app department. At last count, the Windows Phone Store counted 145,000 apps - compare that to the bajillion-plus in the iOS and Android app stores, and Windows Phone is doing a fine job of holding up the rear.

Granted, the Store's app count is growing, and the Microsoft team is "talking to a lot of folks" about various apps, something the company told us in a March interview, all the while staying focused on developing a "vibrant, differentiated third ecosystem."

The big question for Microsoft is how to get that message to developers while simultaneously courting the big name apps that are embarrassingly hard to come by on the platform.

We were told during CTIA 2013 that there will be app platform discussion for Windows Phone 8 during Build by Senior Marketing Manager Greg Sullivan, with a focus on the "here and now" of the platform and not what's down the road.

Yes, Windows Phone 8 is a new platform, and every week the company seems to add at least one high-profile app (recently it was a full-fledged YouTube app) but if Microsoft wants its mobile OS to be around for the long term, it's got to figure out its app situation quick. Build seems like the place to lay all its apps on the line.

5. Xbox ties us all together

On May 21, Microsoft will introduce the world to a new generation of games, TV and entertainment through the Xbox 720, the long-awaited follow-up to the Xbox 360.

Microsoft has promised a multi-part introduction to the new Xbox, including some going-ons at E3 2013 and yet more at Gamescom 2013, but by the time Build rolls around, the new Xbox will be out of the bag in all its green-glow glory.

Developers will clamor to learn more about the console and how it fits into the larger Microsoft ecosystem. To be honest, we'll wonder the same things, and can't imagine Microsoft passing on the chance to talk about and introduce new features related to its flagship console.

Word in mid-May surfaced that Microsoft's updated Xbox 360 dashboard ties into the Xbox 720, and could help gamers transition to the new console. The new UI is said to have markings of Windows 8.1, as well. The public beta of the new dashboard may come in late June or early July - right around the time of Build.

While we don't know yet just what Microsoft has planned for the new Xbox, all signs point to not just a gaming console, but a completely different way to be entertained and connected. Build will build on the announcements of May 21 and E3, no pun intended.

Microsoft predicts record-breaking Xbox 360, Xbox One sales

Matt Swider — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:59:00 GMT

Reports of the Xbox 360's death are greatly exaggerated. Sure, Microsoft announced Xbox One this week, but the company is still hoping to sell a total of 100 million Xbox 360 consoles.

"We believe over the next five years we can break a 100 million unit installed base," said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's senior vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business to the Official Xbox Magazine.

These rough numbers would mean that Microsoft would have to sell another 23 million Xbox 360 systems, having last reported 77.2 million units sold worldwide in April.

"Half of those will probably come from replacements, but half will come from new buyers," he noted to the magazine.

Xbox 360 announcement at E3 2013

Microsoft is determined to keep the Xbox 360 and its massive power brick plugged into your home entertainment system.

To do that, the company, as previously reported, is promising a "huge" E3 announcement related to the current-generation console.

"You'll see the Xbox 360 continue to exist, even as we launch the next generation Xbox One," noted Mehdi.

It also doesn't hurt that Xbox One won't play Xbox 360 games, forcing gamers who have a library full of physical and digital Xbox 360 games to rely on the seven-year-old machine.

Next-generation sales predictions

At 100 million Xbox 360 units sold, Microsoft would quadruple the sales of the original Xbox.

Although analysts have predicted that console makers may have trouble reaching such numbers due to smartphone and tablet competition, Mehdi expects that growth to continue.

"Every generation, as you've probably heard, has grown approximately 30 percent," said Mehdi.

"So this generation is about 300 million units. Most industry experts think the next generation will get upwards of about 400 million units to potentially upwards of a billion units," he said, including Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U in that total.

Next-generation sales haven't begun yet, but the battle of Xbox One vs. PS4 has, and you can now read about the matchup.

Interview: Microsoft on WP8, Build 2013 and how it will win the cheap phone wars

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:26:00 GMT

Microsoft skipped out on making major announcements at this year's CTIA, but in a catacomb of meeting rooms beneath the main show floor, Senior Marketing Manager Greg Sullivan made sure the company and its Windows Phone 8 weren't forgotten.

Sullivan's energy about WP8 was palpable; he quickly pointed to IDC figures that show Windows Phone has overtaken BlackBerry for the third spot in the mobile OS race. It's still far beyond Android and iOS, but that did nothing to dampen Sullivan's spirits.

"There's still room to go to get to the top two, but it's one of the dimensions in momentum we're seeing around the platform," he said.

First things were first, however. With no big news at CTIA, we wanted to know why we should pay attention to the mobile operating system during Build 2013, Microsoft's major developer conference taking place in just over a month.

"There will be some talk about [Windows Phone 8] from an app platform standpoint," Sullivan said coyly, noting that Microsoft is taking a different approach to how it addresses updates and issues around the platform in general.

"We used to be in the business of telling you about the next version a year in advance. We're doing less of that, partly because what we have in the market today competes very, very favorably and we feel great about it. So we don't feel like we need to promise what's coming next year. Even to developers, we'll say, 'Let's focus on what we have today because it's one of the best out there.'"

Deep ties

Sullivan steered away from other specifics, but as the reveal of Windows 8.1 draws nearer, expectations are that an update known as Windows Phone Blue (or Windows Phone 8.1) is also on the horizon.

He explained that as the core of Windows is updated, the Windows Phone engineering team builds out the services that go along with their particular platform.

"[Windows Phone] can have lots of updates that don't necessarily relate to the core, but when that core gets updated, we'll take that, and we'll continue to be in alignment with them."

Those who followed this week's Xbox One announcement may have noticed the new console's UI reflects Microsoft's hallmark Metro design, and picked up that there's a kernel of Windows within the system's architecture.

Xbox of course isn't alone among Microsoft's products in having both. With a unified look and a shared core, Sullivan indicated there's more that can be done to mesh the company's products and services with one another.

"We had a group of designers that collaborate across the whole company that thought long and hard about what our point of view is and what are our principles around design. They relate to the interface that first showed up in Windows Phone but is now in Xbox and Windows Phone 8 and web services.

"So you're seeing this consistency on the user experience level, and you're seeing increasingly a compatibility across the app level and a leveraging of the tools and the code that developers can use to target the range of our platforms.

"We're tying our stuff together up and down the stack and across the elements that nobody else is able to, and that's going to be a competitive advantage more and more as we go along."

On the cheap

In the last few weeks, Nokia has debuted two new phones - the Lumia 925 and Lumia 928 - while putting the Lumia 521 up for sale directly on T-Mobile (it's been sold through HSN and Wal-mart already). The 521 is the U.S. variant of the globally available Lumia 520.

Numerically confusing names aside, with a rush of new phones, might Microsoft be concerned in tipping into over saturation? No, said Sullivan.

"We think it's the right approach. One of the things that gets people and the leading edge influencers that really know all the details about smartphone platforms excited about a platform is a steady and frequent cadence of new devices for that platform.

"We see that across the board. Apple is kind of unique there, I would argue, but certainly in the Android space, this kind of frequent delivery of new devices is one of the things that keeps the buzz and excitement around the platform. It's a benefit.

"Nokia has shown that its ability to offer a broad portfolio of devices with a lot of choice is a good thing for customers. And now, combined with our software and the consistency of the experience across that whole range, it's a really powerful selling point. There's a strong argument when we're trying to compete against these guys."

"These guys" in our conversation centered on Android specifically in the feature phone space, a market Microsoft wants to attack with devices like the Lumia 521, which sells for $129 (around UK£85, AU$133) at Wal-mart, $149.95 (around UK£99, AU$155.35) through HSN and now a $29.99 (around UK£19, AU$31.06) down payment at T-Mobile.

"One of the things that's a trend in the industry we're seeing is not just the high-end super phones that get a lot of attention," Sullivan said. "Roughly a third of smartphone purchases in the U.S. in the first quarter of this year were pre-paid. That's a significant increase from the previous year where it was about 21 percent. That dynamic has been true outside of the U.S. where the subsidized model is not as prevalent, but it's increasingly happening in the U.S."

Forty-eight percent of stateside phone owners have feature handsets, Sullivan said, a figure that has Microsoft licking its chops.

Smartphones shipments are expected to outstrip feature phones worldwide this year, according to predictions from display market research and consulting firm NPD DisplaySearch, but MS sees the non-smartphone sector as enough of a reason to pump out more non-high-end devices.

"Yes," Sullivan answered to a should-we-expect-other-cheap-phones question. "The way we think about it is we're not going to solely focus on that segment...but given that this is where a lot of the volume is, and this is a trend that's increasing in the U.S., which is of course a key market that leads from a perception stand point in mobile. Yeah, we'll have more."

Nokia - which Sullivan referred to as a "unique partner" due to its full commitment to the Windows Phone platform - lost out on the feature phone sales in the first quarter of 2013 thanks to cheap Android devices, according to figures from Forbes.

A dedicated push by Microsoft and the phone maker could turn the tables, however. According to a statement sent to TechRadar by Microsoft, Lumia 521 sales are similar to those of the Lumia 520 - "the fastest selling Windows Phone mid-tier device ever" - though we didn't receive any figures.

"There are so many sacrifices you have to make on an affordable Android phone relative to a $129 Windows Phone.

"Once we expand the reach of this kind of offering, it's so dramatically better. Frankly, I was pleased with how bad the experience on affordable Android phones [was], because ours is so great. If people are willing to settle for two-and-a-half-year old software that won't get updated, boy we have a real opportunity to show that they don't have to settle. We can raise people's expectations of what a $129 smartphone can do."

Xbox One will talk the talk, let a remote friend walk the walk

Matt Swider — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:03:00 GMT

More Xbox One news is schedule to be announced at E3, but some new features are reportedly being leaked ahead of the press conference, like Kinect's ability to talk and remote play.

The new Xbox One Kinect will be able to hold a two-way conversation, according to multiple anonymous sources who spoke to Polygon.

Microsoft's 1080p camera is said to be able to scan a room and, if its facial recognition software picks up someone new, ask the person to identify themselves. In turn it will save that information to the console.

So far, this week's press conference was limited to a human player issuing simple commands like "Xbox, Game" or enabling Xbox One multitasking features with "Xbox, Snap Mode Internet Explorer."

Xbox One's ability to talk is being compared to iPhone Siri. Google also recently unveiled that its search engine will be able to carry a similar two-way conversations.

Of course, like Google's willingness to talk back, the new Kinect feature won't be ready for prime time right away. While it may be demoed at E3 2013, it is expected as a post-launch day patch.

TH; DP - Too Hard, Didn't Play

Remote play is the other Xbox One leak that apparently couldn't wait for E3 next month.

Xbox One's brand of remote play incorporates the Microsoft-owned Skype VoIP service so that players can ask a friend for help in a game, according to Polygon.

The voice chatting friend can accept and take over the gameplay, which is a perfect solution for those difficult moments in which you get stuck on "that one stupid section" of a game.

Sony's holiday-bound PS4 also has a similar remote play feature, allowing a friend to take over frustrating gameplay moments.

Of course, if you're really an expert, the PS4's DualShock 4 contains a handy Share button that can begin broadcasting gameplay out to the web, proving that you don't need remote play support after all.

Xbox One has a gameplay DVR, which should mimic this remote viewing capability.

While Microsoft has yet to officially comment on Xbox One's ability to talk back and remote play, expect to hear about these new features next month at E3 2013.

Read up on the Xbox One vs PS4 debate, as Microsoft and Sony are matching each other on remote play, but have different advantages when it comes to other features.

Are there more HTC One variants on the way?

Michael Rougeau — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:58:00 GMT

The HTC One could soon be released in a slew of new variations, according to reports this week.

Most recently we learned of a bigger HTC One that's rumored to have a large display between five and six inches, according to pocket-lint.com.

The site was tipped off to the larger HTC One variant by the ever reliable "people familiar with the matter."

The HTC Android flagship currently comes in at 4.7 inches, so a 5-incher would be quite an upgrade.

Bigger, but not better?

The larger HTC One will feature the same specs under the hood as the existing HTC One, the site said.

But its display could be more than a full inch bigger.

There's no word on a name or a possible launch date for the new phone, and HTC isn't likely to comment until it's ready to make an official announcement.

But that's not all

Pocket Lint suggests that the new, bigger HTC One will be better able to compete with its rival, Samsung's Galaxy S4.

But the Galaxy S4 is also rumored to be coming soon in multiple variations, including a more rugged "Active" version and a "Zoom" version with a superior camera.

The HTC One, too, was rumored this week to be coming in some new editions - specifically, a "Google Edition" and an HTC One mini.

Yes, just like the Galaxy S4 mini (sort of). There's no greater form of flattery than imitation, right?

Read about HTC's most hated phone, the HTC First.

iOS 7 leak reportedly paints picture of flat, monochromatic redesign

Lbrown — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:33:00 GMT

We first learned Apple was going to great lengths to give iOS 7 designer Jonathan Ive the time necessary to complete his overhaul of the operating system earlier this May.

The new iOS 7 is still believed to be on track for a debut at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference in June, and is expected to be used in the next iPhone later this year.

With WWDC 2013 just a few weeks away, it appears iOS 7 has found its way out into the wild, as sources have given loads of details on the "flat" redesign to 9to5Mac.

Longtime iPhone users may be in for a bit of a surprise, as the leak suggests iOS 7 will be a complete overhaul, and will replace the vibrant look and feel of the phone with a more minimalist, monochromatic approach.

Sleek and simple

The first major change indicated by the sources was a distinct lack of skeuomorphic style, as the fake textures and effects you're so used to seeing will be swapped out with a more basic design sense.

Everything starts with a new Lock screen, where the glossy image and clock have been replaced by a stark black screen with supposed improved gesture controls.

Even the security code pad has been altered, and instead of the familiar overlay, a new interface with round, black keys with white text has emerged.

As an added bonus, new panoramic wallpapers will be a part of the package, and will show different parts of an image on new pages.

Android users have been able to set such wallpapers for a long while, but this gives all those panorama photo takers on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 a place to display the widescreen memories they've captured.

By merely removing the false shadows and sheen of the standard Home screen, iOS 7 appears to be flatter, though this is part of Ive's concept to deliver an operating system that matches the physical form of the iPhone.

It will be almost immediately apparent just how different everything looks as base apps like Calendar, Camera, Game Center and Safari will be pared down quite a bit from their current incarnations.

App-solutely different

Apps won't only change in their outward appearance, as Ive has also spearheaded the revamp of the programs when opened as well.

Inside, apps like Mail and Messages will feature more uniform looks, with each individual app getting its own signature color highlights to emphasize the white background they will all reportedly share.

Weather will also see a similar re-working, but may also get some minor animated touches for different situations, be it rainy or sunny.

The various storefronts (iTunes, iBook and App) will all be re-washed in a brighter white, rather than the black they have become synonymous with, and Newstand is also believed to be dropping the wood grain, too.

iPhone users who frequently FaceTime should be glad to hear a separate button for the feature will be added, as it was for the iPad and iPod Touch.

Potent Notables

With all the other changes coming, it should be no surprise the Notification tab will also undergo significant retooling.

White text will again star on a dark grey and black pull-down menu, which will no longer feature the linen texture.

You can already get weather, stock and sports information, but Apple is also tweaking Notifications to also include local news, while some other widgets are still being tested.

Most importantly though, a new panel is expected to be included which will feature easy access to Airplane, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles.

Having those not buried under the Settings app should go a long way in making the iPhone even more intuitive for new and long-time users.

All of these major changes fall in line with rumors we've heard before, but we won't have long to wait for WWDC 2013 to see just how Jony Ive has revitalized iOS for a new generation of users.

You've read about iOS 7, but what about the iPhone 6?

Facebook and Google enter bidding war for Waze app

Jay McGregor — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:12:00 GMT

Travel app Waze has found itself at the centre of a bidding war between Google and Facebook, according to new information.

Waze, a community driven GPS social navigation app, is one of the main data suppliers for the rather-maligned Apple Maps. In January, it was reported that Apple and Waze were in takeover talks, with Apple putting $500m (about £330m, AUS $516m) on the table, which Waze rejected.

Then Facebook came in offering around $1bn (about £660m, AUS $1.03bn) - and now Google is said to making its own offer as well.

Clash of the Titans

Waze took the spotlight in the wake of Hurricane Sandy when government agencies contacted the company to ask its users which gas stations were running low on fuel.

Both Google and Facebook see Waze as a way to improve their own standings in the mobile arena.

Google will want to incorporate Waze's real-time traffic updates and social elements into its revamped Google Maps, whereas Facebook will see Waze's 40m users as a perfect advertising and mobile expansion opportunity.

Which will come out on top? The ball certainly seems to be in Waze's court, so stay tuned.

Nokia targets the One in second round of HTC patent pile on

JR Bookwalter — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:06:00 GMT

Amidst rumors marketing executives are making a mass exodus from HTC and a release delay of the First in the U.K., the Taiwanese company closes out the week with more legal trouble courtesy of Nokia.

AllThingsD reported Thursday that Nokia has followed up on a year-old patent infringement lawsuit filed against HTC with two new actions this week.

Between a second complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission and a new federal lawsuit in California, Nokia has added nine additional patents for a grand total of 50 infringement claims lobbed in HTC's direction.

HTC had little to say in response beyond its intentions to "consider all legal options to protect our rights."

HTC One ban?

Nokia accuses HTC of shifting any patent infringement blame onto its suppliers - a claim that's falling upon deaf ears.

"We began actions against HTC in 2012 to end the unauthorized use of our proprietary innovations and technologies," Nokia asserted.

"Since then, despite the German courts confirming infringements of Nokia patents in HTC products, HTC has shown no intention to end its practices. We have therefore taken these further steps to hold HTC accountable for its actions."

According to Foss Patents, Nokia's second ITC complaint appears to be aimed at a full U.S. import ban on the HTC One, which is listed as one of the devices implicated.

Six patents singled out in the most recent ITC complaint include delivery of new features, video encoding/decoding, radio frequency components and "app-specific permissions."

We found out some interesting news this week related to the One's microSD, or lack thereof.

Blip: Netflix to double original content as it enters 'Phase 2' shake-up

J McGregor — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:04:00 GMT

Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has revealed that he hopes to commission more original content for the fast growing streaming service in 2014, saying that the plan is to "double" it.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter Ted said that he'd irked some Hollywood execs by not conforming to the "traditional" Hollywood TV model, which he takes pride in.

Netflix has moved on from being just a dumping ground for old, worn out, TV shows and it's now looking to challenge original content providers like Hulu and Amazon. Sarandos added that he also wants to draw in some big names including Sofia Coppola, Warren Beatty and Jodie Foster.

More blips!

Meanwhile, let us reveal some of our amazing blips for you.

Blip: Google photo search learns to recognise sunsets

Jay McGregor — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:30:00 GMT

Google has announced a new feature on its search engine that will help you find your own pictures. So long as you've posted them to Google+, that is.

The new feature was posted up on Google's Inside Search blog yesterday and means users will be able to search for photos using terms like "Steve's birthday party".

And it's all thanks to Google's "computer vision and machine learning" which helps it recognise general concepts in your photos such as sunsets, food and flowers, the company claims. The improved functionality is ready to use now if you sign into your Google account.

More blips!

Our blips don't need any upgrades because they're already awesome.

Blip: Forza 5 confirms what your Xbox One games will look like

Hugh Langley — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:55:00 GMT

We love a good box here at TechRadar. And so we thought it was worth mentioning that Forza 5 is the first Xbox One game to be show off the box art we can expect for Microsoft's next generation of titles.

Xbox's Larry Hryb - aka Major Nelson - posted the artwork on his website, although it's also currently up on Amazon, where others have been spotting it.

As far as the design goes...well...you can see it for yourself above. It does, however, confirm that the box art seen this week on the Battlefield 4 site was legitimate (unless it was just a very lucky guess) which means that the site's PS4 box art may also be the real deal.

More blips!

Our blips are also looking pretty fine.

Updated: iPhone 6 release date, news and rumours

Dan Grabham — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:29:00 GMT

When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, the reaction was a bit muted: where previous phones were massive leaps forward, the iPhone 5 was a bit longer and a lot easier to scratch.

So what can we expect from the next iPhone, the iPhone 6 or 5S? Let's see what we can glean from the varying sources of the internet - some reliable, some not so much.

One thing is for sure, with the release of such super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game.

iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5S are two different phones

The rumour mill doesn't seem too sure whether the next iPhone is going to be the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6. Given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we'd bet on an iPhone 5S first and an iPhone 6 a while later.

However, in May 2013 Stuff reported it received a photo of the till system at a Vodafone UK store (which it has since removed along with the reference to Vodafone), with '4G iPhone 6' listed. Interesting.

It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich. He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL.

Could we see both an iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 this year? Some reports suggest a new 5S in the middle part of the year before a revamped iPhone 6 towards the end of the year or very early in 2014.

iPhone 6 release date

Many pundits predict a summer iPhone 6 release date. It's quite likely that Apple is moving to a two-phones-per-year upgrade cycle, but we'd bet on a springtime 5S model and a bigger, iPhone 6, update in the Autumn, probably September.

Digitimes reckons predicts a summertime reveal for Apple's next generation phones, which again fits with a WWDC unveiling. In May it became clear that US carrier Verizon introduced an iPhone 5 price cut of as much as $100 USD.

Reports in April also suggested that Foxconn has added as many as 10,000 assembly line workers per week to its Zhengzhou plant as it readies itself for the iPhone 6 release date.

But Jefferies analyst Peter Misek reckons we'll see an iPhone 5S first, with a June 2014 release for the iPhone 6. Citi's Glen Yeung also believes that we won't see an iPhone 6 or cheap iPhone until 2014.

iPhone 6 cases

Multiple rumours say Apple's working on plastic cases for its next iPhone, mixing plastic and metal in such a way that "the internal metal parts [are] able to be seen from outside through special design."

It's unclear whether such cases would be for the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, or if Apple is simply considering making cheaper iPhone 4s to sell when the iPhone 3GS reaches the end of its life.

Speaking in March 2013, a KGI analyst said it believed Apple would turn to manufacturer Pegatron to make up to 75 per cent of low cost iPhone products.

The iPhone 6 will finally do NFC

That's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek: it'll have a better battery too, he says. Many Android phones now boast NFC.

PayPal's chief information security officer, Michael Barrett said this during a recent keynote speech: "There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year," he said. "Not just one, multiple."

Could this be inside the iPhone 6?

See our video below on what Apple needs to do to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4

FutTv : 92l21W4GmvvId

The iPhone 6 will run iOS 7

Developers are seeing new iPhone model identifiers in their server logs: the device identifies itself as the iPhone 6,1 (the iPhone 5 is 5,1 or 5,2) running iOS 7, and its IP address is an Apple one.

We're expecting a September or October release date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll almost certainly see a reveal at WWDC in early June. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X".

9to5Mac spoke with several sources who said the new iOS 7 will be attractive to new iOS users but may alienate older iPhone addicts. Described as "very, very flat" by one source, another said the interface is without gloss and shine and is rather like Microsoft's Metro design language on Windows Phone.

iPhone 6 storage

We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff.

iPhone 6 home button

According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included" - more on that shortly. Mind you, it was mooted that Apple would dump the home button in time for iPhone 5, but it never happened.

iPhone 6 screen

The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display, would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.

Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display. The same report suggests that Apple will release multiple handsets throughout the year over and above the iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to us.

Patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.

Could the touch screen even be transparent? Emirates 24/7 sin't the first source we'd turn to for bone fide rumours about a new smartphone, but it claims that an ultra-sensitive transparent touchscreen will make it into iPhone 6. The site also believes the display will be made by Sharp, which wouldn't be so surprising. One thing's for sure - a potential wraparound screen is probably a pipedream.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes the new iPhone will have a bigger screen.

iPhone 6 processor

Not a huge surprise, this one: the current processor is a dual-core A6, and the next one will be a quad-core A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life.

Expect to see it in the 2013 iPad first, and expect to see an improved A6 processor, the A6X, in the iPhone 5S.

iPhone 6 camera

Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality.

An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices - extra flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. Interesting stuff.

iPhone 6 eye tracking

One thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the massive movement towards eye-tracking tech from other vendors, especially Samsung. It seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably from uMoove.

The new iPhone will have better 4G LTE

On its UK launch, just one UK network had 4G LTE: Everything Everywhere, which currently offers 4G on the 1800MHz band. In 2013, all the other big names will be coming on board, offering 4G in other frequency bands. International iPhones already work across different 4G bands to the UK, so you can expect the UK iPhone 6 (and possibly the iPhone 5S) to be more promiscuous than the iPhone 5.

By the time the iPhone 6 emerges, iOS devices should also have "nonclassified communication approval" status from the US FCC, which means they won't need to go through a lengthy approval process.

iPhone 6 Wi-Fi may be 802.11ac

Apple likes to lead Wi-Fi standards adoption - its Airport really helped make Wi-Fi mainstream - and there's a good chance we'll see ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi in Apple kit this year. It's faster than Lighting, and not very frightening.

iPhone 6 wireless charging

Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable.

The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones.

Review: Sony Xperia SP

Gareth Beavis — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:28:00 GMT

Introduction

The market for mid-level handsets is exploding, and manufacturers are hurrying to offer even more choice for those on a stricter budget, so the Xperia SP brings a mid-range price with a lot of technology borrowed from its bigger, Xperia Z, brother.

Sony has been busy since the split from Ericsson and has put out an ever-increasing number of Xperia models to try and capture customers at every conceivable price point and specs sheet. The latest is the Sony Xperia SP, a mid-level Android smartphone that sits below the flagship Xperia Z and above the budget Xperia E.

Sony is taking on lesser-known Android handsets such as the Acer Liquid E2, ZTE Blade 3 or LG Optimus G Pro with the Sony Xperia SP's £350/US$490 price point. But one look at the box is enough to tell you that the Japanese company still means business - even though this isn't the flag bearer for the Xperia line.

All of Sony's considerable tech expertise is being brought to bear on the Xperia SP. The packaging proudly bears the logos for Bravia Engine (screen), Exmor RS (camera) and PlayStation (gaming), all of which have found their way into the Sony Xperia SP's 131 x 67 x 10mm (5.14 x 2.64 x 0.39 inch) frame.

The phone itself is a step down from the 5-inch models that have dominated 2013's headlines. The 1280 x 720 pixel screen measures a pocket-friendly 4.6 inches, and the 10mm thin casing is blackened aluminium rather than the glass-slab Sony Xperia Z chassis.

Unfortunately, while other phones such as the HTC One have pushed the screen right to the edge of the case, there's still a noticeable bezel around the Sony Xperia SP's Gorilla Glass display.

Designers Jessie Zhao and Toshihide Umedan apparently started with a simple paper mockup when they began work on the Sony Xperia SP.

To us, it looks similar to last year's Sony Xperia S handset thanks in no small part to the transparent antenna running along the base of the handset.

It's functional as much as aesthetic, lighting up with notifications and incoming calls, as well as pulsating to music and getting stronger when you push up the volume.

While the curved frame is moulded aluminium, the removable back is a black speckled plastic polycarbonate that's smooth to touch and features the Xperia logo right in the centre. It's a more subdued design than the glittering back of the Google Nexus 4 and helps to give the Sony Xperia SP an air of premium quality beyond its price tag.

Our review unit came in black but there's also a choice of red or white to be had. However, the one rather obvious flaw with the build is that the back of the Sony Xperia SP does flex ever so slightly when pushed.

In keeping with Android Jelly Bean's soft key UI, there's no physical home key on the front of the Sony Xperia SP, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S4. The right-hand side of the phone is where you'll find all the physical buttons in the form of a volume rocker, power on/off switch and physical shutter button for the camera.

Forget, for a moment, the praise heaped on the camera-crafting skills of HTC or Samsung. Because the snappers that Sony has been loading onto its Xperia phones in the last couple of years have been some of the best in the market. Honestly, the Japanese company really knows its stuff when it comes to taking pictures.

The 8MP rear-facing camera on the Sony Xperia SP is understandably a few rungs below the Sony Xperia Z or the HTC One, but still manages to be an excellent substitute for an everyday compact camera. Sony uses the newly developed Exmor RS sensor to give the Sony Xperia SP some kick, and there's also a front-facing VGA lens for video chat and the occasional self portrait.

The removable back of the Sony Xperia SP reveals the microSD slot that enables you to swell the memory from the rather pathetic 8GB of native storage up to 32GB with a card. You'll need to as well, because only about 5.5GB of that is actually available to use.

The Sony Xperia SP uses the Android Jelly Bean OS, but Sony has overlaid this with its own TimeScape skin. It's being run by a dual-core 1.7GHz processor with 1GB of RAM and an Adreno 320 graphics chip.

There's obviously a lot of sparkling Japanese technology inside because, well, the Sony Xperia SP is a bit on the heavy side. Not too heavy that you'll worry about holding it to your ear for any length of time, but it doesn't have the lighter-than-it-looks reaction that the iPhone 5 and BlackBerry Z10 both enjoy.

Of course, there are different schools of thought when it comes to smartphone weight, and you might feel that the 155g (5.47oz) Sony Xperia SP actually feels better for having a bit of heft. The smaller chassis does mean the weight is more concentrated than on the larger 5-inch handsets.

Sony's Xperia SP doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to smartphone design. It's still a black, rectangular slab and the introduction of a translucent bar doesn't really change that, but it's really not a bad-looking handset. The smaller size means your fingers will curl protectively around it, and the all-black, unblemished front brings it into the BlackBerry Z10 realm of business dress.

Then there's always the price to consider. It's available SIM-free from Sony for £349/US$489.99, and UK customers can pick it up for free on a £21 monthly contract which, all things considered, is pretty damn reasonable.

Of course, you'll want to know how the thing performs - so read on, and be enlightened.

Interface

Like Samsung, Sony doesn't leave Android well enough alone. Using the Xperia SP will be easy for anyone familiar with Google's OS - but looking at it is completely different.

Everything from the font to the icons themselves has been changed thanks to Sony's own TimeScape skin.

Opinions differ on whether Sony's take on Android is a good thing, but we think it's a nice change. Although, a bit of clarification: the skin is actually called User Experience Platform (or UXP NXT) but has been shorthanded to TimeScape after a social networking tool that (until the arrival of the Sony Xperia Z and Socialife) came as part of the package.

The skinny white font is refined and the Sony own-brand widgets and icons have a mature look to them that will be refreshing after time spent with Samsung's colourful, Nintendo-like UI. You get plenty of opportunities to admire Sony's work as well, because there are a fair number of first-party media services that, if we're honest, you won't need. But more on that later.

Although it looks different, the layout of the interface on the Sony Xperia SP is still classic Android. You've got seven home screens to populate with apps and widgets, with four main apps anchored to the bottom of the screen either side of a shortcut to the grid view.

At any point, you can call down the notifications bar by swiping down from the top of the screen, enabling you to tinker with important functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or battery settings.

You can sit 16 apps on the 4 x 4 grid of each home page or alternatively group them into folders of four.

Larger widgets, such as Socialife, will take up more space, but the benefit is they can be arranged and customised according to your liking.

From the lock screen, you can access the Walkman and Camera shortcuts for playing music or taking a quick picture, and also swipe down to quickly check the notifications bar. Once you swipe upwards (or enter a pattern or passcode) you're into the interface proper.

We'll be honest: we expected the addition of Sony's skin to hamper the smoothness of navigating the Sony Xperia SP.

In actual fact, it was remarkably smooth - even on usual sticking points like exiting apps back to the home screen.

Much of the credit rests with Google's Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, which has been drastically improved when it comes to speed and smoothness.

It won't always be the case. After you've been using the Sony Xperia SP for a few months and you've loaded it with apps and software updates, you can certainly expect some lag. It happens with every phone in existence, so savour the buttery smoothness of those first few weeks before the 1GB RAM starts getting strained.

You can customise the home screens with a long-press on your desired space that will bring up the option to add in a widget or app shortcut and change the theme or wallpaper.

Either that, or pinch and draw your fingers together to zoom out. You'll then need to drag to your desired space and release. You can also change the wallpaper this way - either from the pre-selected Xperia choices or a third-party option from the Google Play store.

The three soft touch keys at the very bottom of the screen are your navigation tools. The Back, Home and Recent keys are a staple of Android and will stick with you through menus, apps, media and gaming.

At any point you can find your way back to the home screen or your last step with these keys, and you'll use them hundreds of times a day. Nice to see then that Sony has made them responsive and easy to hit in a hurry.

Because of the size of the Sony Xperia SP, you'll find you can mostly interact with the interface and the physical keys on the right side of the phone with just one hand.

If you swipe upwards from the base of the phone at any point in the OS, you'll be greeted with Google Now - one of Android Jelly Bean's big new additions. It enables you to enter a quick search, and to have relevant internet-based information such as weather or sports scores delivered to your handset.

We don't want to descend into the customary Android vs iOS debate here, but we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that Apple's UI is still easier to use if you're a complete newcomer to smartphone systems.

Your mum, gran or dog will find using the iPhone 5 easier than the Sony Xperia SP at first glance - but if you put some time in you'll see Android has matured into a rich, layered interface with minimal performance issues that offer excellent options for customisation.

Contacts and calling

Why do you want a smartphone? To make calls, of course. Like any new handset, the Sony Xperia SP will store hundreds of numbers, as well as email addresses, birthdays and nicknames.

The main phone app is anchored to the bottom of the home screen by default, and enables you to select your contact book as one of four main functions.

The others are the standard dial pad, favourites and groups. The contact book itself is in your app drawer and is very similar in appearance and function to the majority of smartphone address books already out there.

Names are listed alphabetically and you can quickly scroll through them by swiping up and down.

A large letter appears denoting where you are on the list as you scroll, which helps to narrow down search time through your expansive list of friends and family.

The white background and black text means you get good visibility even outside and in sunlight. If your mates have a Google+ profile then their picture is displayed next to their name.

There's no option to set your own picture for each contact but you can set individual ringtones and an individual colour for the transparent strip to flash when that person calls.

Alternatively, you can sync the Sony Xperia SP with your Facebook profile to get all the relevant contact information - including profile pictures - added to your address book.

Each contact card gives you the option to set multiple numbers and email addresses, as well as link contacts together. You can star them into a shortlist of favourites or add them to groups such as family and co-workers.

You can tap the magnifying glass to search for a contact, and the plus one icon to add a new contact.

It's really pretty intuitive and Sony hasn't done much to change the way it works, so you shouldn't have any problems populating the Sony Xperia SP with numbers to call.

Making calls themselves isn't a problem either. The Sony Xperia SP has a noticeable microphone in the bottom left-hand corner of the handset and the ear speaker is laid into a groove above the screen so call volume isn't a problem.

You can always adjust it with the volume rocker, although this is a little fiddly if you're holding the phone in your right hand, since you'll have to use your thumb to grip and change volume.

Tapping the phone icon brings up the dial pad by default. It takes up roughly half the screen and is the same black-on-white colour scheme as the address book, making it very easy to bring up and use quickly.

As you dial, the phone will automatically bring up matching numbers or equivalent letters, kind of like Google's instant search, in the main window. This acts as another way to find people rather than just going through the address book.

When you get a call yourself, the picture of the caller will be displayed front and centre with two large buttons for either accepting or ignoring. If there's no profile picture assigned, then a large silhouette fills the screen instead.

Quality isn't a problem and we're happy to report there weren't any dropped calls during our time with the Sony Xperia SP. Obviously, you're going to struggle in places with heavy ambient noise, such as beside a busy road or out on a windswept moor, but all in all the clarity of the call - both incoming and outgoing - is very good.

Messaging

Like virtually every other phone on the market, the Sony Xperia SP displays your messages in a running conversation, with different coloured bubbles for each person's messages.

If you've added one, then a profile picture is displayed next to each person's message. You can also tap this to bring up the information from their contact card and call them if necessary.

Start a message by tapping the pencil plus icon in the top-right hand corner and you'll bring up the same sort of message layout we're used to seeing on other phones. The Sony Xperia keyboard takes up the bottom half of the screen, while the main section shows your composition.

There's a small paperclip key that enables you to attach an image or file to the message, as well as dedicated shortcuts at the bottom for attaching a file, picture, doodle or location marker. And, as ever, the Jelly Bean navigation keys remain at the bottom in case you want to exit to the home screen.

Each individual message can be starred, which then adds it to the collection in the Starred folder in the main inbox settings. If you're a serial texter then this is an excellent way to keep particularly cherished messages that would otherwise end up buried in your inbox.

Predictive texting is in place for both the main message input and selecting the addressee. Sony's skin extends to its own keyboard, which on first inspection looks small, but actually functions quite well.

It's a standard QWERTY layout, with an additional button in the bottom-left that calls up the symbols and numbers. Like most Android Jelly Bean handsets, the Sony Xperia SP has an alternative input method called Swype.

Rather than lift your finger away from the screen, you can move your digit across all the letters in the word in one motion, and the predictive text does the rest. It doesn't always work perfectly but, for the most part, it is pretty accurate.

There's also an impressive list of emoticons built into the Sony Xperia SP for you to add to your messages, if that's your thing.

If you need a bit more space, then turning the phone into landscape orientation will automatically stretch out the keys and give you a bit more room for typing.

Of course you don't just need to rely on SMS to message people, and the Sony Xperia SP will enable you to email to your heart's content. The standard Android client enables you to add multiple POP3, IMAP or Exchange Active Sync server accounts in one place, and comes pre-installed on the Sony Xperia SP.

Alternatively, each email service has their own dedicated app available from Google Play, which can then be synced up to deliver emails to you wherever you roam.

Internet

Sony has loaded the Xperia SP with dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and HSDPA at 42Mbps and HSUPA at 5.8Mbps. If you're out and about and need to tether another device, it can also be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Like other Android smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich and above, it arrives with a choice of two browsers pre-installed. One of these is the standard Android browser and the other is Google's recognisable Chrome browser, conditioned for mobile.

Essentially, these both work in the same way, both offering you the option of tabbed browsing, bookmarks and the option of viewing mobile versions of websites or their full-fledged desktop counterparts.

One of the benefits of using Chrome is that you can sync it with your desktop Google account and carry over the pages that you bookmarked and marked as favourites. By tapping the three dots in the top right-hand corner you can access options such as auto-fill forms and save passwords.

Next to the settings button is a small box with a number in it, which denotes the tabbed page you currently inhabit. If you tap this, Chrome zooms out and enables you to swipe between, or close, certain tabs.

This is great for multitasking - although it's not often you'll have legions of tabs open at any one time. If you do, you can expect the strain to show on the Sony Xperia SP's 1.7GHz processor. While browsing for the most part was very smooth, the speed fell away as we opened more tabs.

Unfortunately, skipping around a complex, image-heavy web page will result in a fair amount of empty grey space while you wait for the Sony Xperia SP to catch up. This is certainly tolerable for the most part when browsing on a Wi-Fi signal, but expect it to take a bit longer if you're surfing over 3G. There's also a second's delay when switching from portrait to landscape orientation.

Flash isn't enabled on the Sony Xperia SP, which doesn't surprise us. We don't rate this as much of a problem as the web shifts towards HTML 5. It can be annoying if you want to visit older sites that aren't supported, but it's something you'll just have to live with.

If your tastes run to some of the questionable materials available for viewing on the internet, then you'll be glad to know that both the stock Android browser and Google's Chrome have an Incognito mode.

This won't protect you from malware or eyes looking over your shoulder, but it will stop the offending website from being listed in your internet history or leaving cookies on your phone.

Alternatively, if you're proud of the sites you visit and want to boast about it, a quick tap of the Share option will enable you to post the page to a variety of social networks, including Facebook and Google+.

Chrome and Android's stock browser are the two options you're most likely to use, but there are plenty of others, such as Opera or Firefox, available to download from Google Play if you fancy a change.

Camera

We mentioned in the introduction that Sony's camera prowess should be well regarded, and the bundled 8MP rear-facing camera on the Sony Xperia SP is one of the phone's highlights, shooting at 3,264 x 2,448 pixels. It uses Sony's new Exmor RS sensor, which has shifted some of the circuitry behind each photodiode in the sensor to create a slimmer design.

The usual bells and whistles have been added including a scene selection mode, sweep panorama and the ability to add on-the-fly picture effects. The effects are pretty trivial, and will be bested by dedicated camera apps on Google Play, but it's nice to have some choice built in. You can select the likes of Fish-Eye, Kaleidoscope and Nostalgia, among others, to change your usual photo routine.

Other options include geo-tagging and a self timer, as well as the excellent Quick Launch option. This enables you to configure the Sony Xperia SP so that the physical shutter button acts as a launcher for the camera app.

So, if you want to quickly capture what's going on, you don't have to go through the business of unlocking the handset and navigating to the camera app. It was a feature Sony initially introduced back with the Sony Xperia S, and we're glad to see it remains in place here.

The front-facing VGA camera is sufficient, but little more than that. It'll allow for video calling but the image is a little on the grainy side and looked somewhat over-exposed to our eyes.

For the complete novice using the main camera, there's the illuminated Superior Auto setting, which selects optimal settings for 36 different types of scene to give you the best possible picture without the need to faff around with settings. Unfortunately, during our testing this was pretty hit and miss - the SP especially had trouble with motion blur.

Obviously the Sony Xperia SP can't compete with the top-tier of handsets, and a side-by-side comparison with the Ultrapixel-toting HTC One confirms this. But, taking into account its mid-level credentials and price tag, we feel the Sony Xperia SP is punching above its weight when it comes to the camera and can certainly stand in as a replacement for your regular compact.

Click here to see the full resolution image

These settings are a bit gimmicky, and while we don't think the Fish-Eye or Nostalgic settings impress, we quite liked the outcome of the Sketch setting. There are numerous other modes to play with on the Sony Xperia SP, and all your pictures can be edited with apps from the Google Play store.

Click here to see the full resolution image

The Panorama mode is included on most smartphones these days, and we were happy to see the stitching on the Sony Xperia SP was quite accurate - although there is still noticeable blurring of moving targets.

Click here to see the full resolution image

Video

The Sony Xperia SP's 8MP sensor can capture video in Full 1080p HD, even though the Sony Xperia SP's screen resolution is limited to 720p. The camera captures video at 30fps with video stabilisation built in.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqhBx1tRmOI

The quality and detail in videos shot during the day are both more than suitable for a phone at this price point, although the colours are a little too saturated. Even so, we were happy shooting video in daylight with the Sony Xperia SP.

Unfortunately, shooting video in low light isn't as accomplished, and you can see the grainy pixels reflected in the white surfaces in our sample video. Detail on nearby objects, such as the lamppost, is picked up on, but overall the result is a poor one.

Media

The media credentials of the Sony Xperia SP are bordering on the obsessive.

It's one area where Sony's influence can really be felt as the Japanese company tries to get you to accept its proprietary services instead of the existing delivery system put in place by Android.

It can feel a little like overcrowding, and we doubt that you're going to want to sign up to even more services with Sony when you've already got a Google Play account that can furnish you with all the media you could want.

Delivery systems aside, the actual method of using your media on the Sony Xperia SP is very good, thanks to the excellent Walkman and Movies apps. The Walkman app, in particular, looks gorgeous.

Music

You're greeted with a lavish dashboard that divides up your music into the usual channels: Artists, Albums, Tracks and Playlists.

Then there's also the option of linking Friends' playlists from Facebook and listening specifically to tracks imported from Sony's Music Unlimited store.

There's even a SensMe option that uses GraceNote to subdivide your music into emotional channels. If you're feeling relaxed, energetic or mellow, tap that channel to be greeted with the relevant music.

Once you've selected your track, the layout changes to display the album artwork in the middle of the screen with the name of the track, artist and album at the top.

What's impressive is that the entire colour scheme (including the transparent phone antenna) changes as you move through tracks with different artwork. It's a show for the eyes as well as the ears.

The usual options such as shuffle, repeat and skip are included, as is the option to explore the track in more detail using the internet. Tapping the cross symbol to the right of the track name brings up an array of options, including searching for lyrics on Google and searching for the music video on YouTube.

Sound quality itself is helped with Sony's ClearAudio+ technology that enhances the sound for more clarity. If that's too hands-off then you can also access an equaliser to change the playback yourself.

We found the audio clear and full of volume, albeit with a slight favouring of the treble over the bass - something that can be altered with the bass settings within the equaliser.

Sony's Music Unlimited service offers you yet another way to stream music at the fairly standard price of £10/US$10 a month.

It's worth considering if you don't already own a music subscription to Spotify or Napster, and it can be played on your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, PS3 or Sony Bravia TV.

Of much more use is the TrackID feature that comes pre-loaded on the Sony Xperia SP. It operates in exactly the same way as Shazam and enables you to tag songs you hear on the radio, TV or out and about. You're also given the option to instantly buy the song on Music Unlimited.

Videos

When it comes to videos, Sony takes a similar approach, but with a little less flourish than its musical counterpart.

Movies are grouped in large thumbnails that gives you a still of the film, and each is labelled with a title and runtime. There's also a brief synopsis listed underneath the title taken from the GraceNote online archive.

Video is subdivided into Movies and TV Shows, so you can keep Game of Thrones separate from Lord of the Rings.

And, similar to the musical offerings, Sony's Video Unlimited service will enable you to stream or buy films directly onto your device.

Sound and display modes can be altered during playback if you want to change the brightness or adjust the white balance.

There is also the option to switch the Mobile Bravia Engine 2 on or off, which enhances the contrast and clarity of the video.

One neat feature that comes in most Sony Xperia phones these days is the ability to throw your content wirelessly to a DLNA-compatible TVs or stereo.

Given that the Sony Xperia SP doesn't have any kind of HDMI connection, this is the best way of showing your photos or videos on a larger screen quickly and easily.

Sony started including the Throw function with the Sony Tablet S and has kept it in the Sony Xperia SP as another way to differentiate it from the rest of the budget Android army.

This being an Android smartphone, there's also the full range of media options available from Google's own stable.

Google Play movies offers all the same new films and TV shows as Sony's store and will enable you to either rent or buy using your Google credentials.

You'll also find Play Books and Play Magazines that take advantage of the recent expansion of the Google Play store. Other Android basics - such as the Movie Studio editing app and the FM radio - are also included.

Gallery

Pictures are arranged in a thumbnail collage separated by the date they were either captured, imported or downloaded.

A nice touch is that you can pinch the display to make the thumbnails either smaller or larger depending on how you want them displayed.

Alternatively, you can click the tab at the top of the screen to display by album.

The pre-loaded albums include Facebook pictures, camera shots, Picasa and PlayMemories and Globe - which shows your geotagged pictures on a 3D image of the planet.

Just like the Walkman app, Sony has included a SensMe option that enables you to quickly view your photos in a custom slide show.

The Sony Xperia SP will enable you to select your own theme and music and then jump through your pictures in a manner that's a lot more entertaining that just regular swiping.

Sony has obviously put a great deal of thought into the way its Xperia range handles media, and we're glad to see that even though the SP isn't a top-of-the-range model, most of the advanced features have made the cut.

Little touches such as the changing colour scheme and SensMe customisation make the Sony Xperia SP a real gem when it comes to viewing media.

Just be aware that you'll need to expand the 8GB internal memory considerably before importing too much media onto this phone.

Battery life and connectivity

Battery life

There's a Li-on 2,370 mAh battery tucked under the Sony Xperia SP's removable back and, as you might expect with the wide range of features available, it gives out pretty quickly under heavy usage.

Sony must have understood this, because it has included a Battery Stamina Mode that recognises when the display has been switched off (ergo, you're not actively using the phone) and switches off all the non-essential applications. When you hit the power button, it immediately fires everything back up again.

Similarly, Wi-Fi and mobile data traffic - the two biggest draws alongside the display - are disabled when the Stamina mode is engaged. You'll still get incoming calls and text messages but everything else gets put on standby.

This is a useful feature because it has to be said that the Sony Xperia SP does give up rather quickly during general usage, and you'll certainly need to charge it every night. Unfortunately it's the price we pay for walking around with mobile computers in our pockets all day long.

Connectivity

The only physical connectivity you'll find on the Sony Xperia SP is the micro USB/MHL port used for charging and syncing with a PC or external display, and the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the chassis.

One of the definite benefits of the Android operating system is the plug-and-play mentality of the connectivity. If you want to swap some music tracks or pictures between your PC and your phone, you can simply plug the Sony Xperia SP in and transfer between folders like any other device.

Bluetooth version 4.0 is included, as is Near-Field Communications (NFC), which immediately makes the Sony Xperia SP compatible with the vast majority of wireless speakers, headsets and game controllers out there.

Sony has plenty of first-party NFC accessories such as the Wireless SRS-BTV5 speaker and the Sony Xperia SmartTags NT2 that work simply by engaging the NFC and touching the Sony Xperia SP to each one. Its one-touch symbol is clearly displayed in the notifications panel on the top of the home screen and on a sticker on the back of the phone's case itself.

It can be used for streaming music or quickly sharing photos and files in a similar way to Android Beam. Of course, in order to get the full experience you're going to have to buy into the Sony ecosystem, so we'll leave that particular decision to you.

Telephony hasn't been left out, and the Sony Xperia SP comes with 4G support. For UK users, this is something that will become an important decision later in the year when the rest of the networks start rolling out 4G tariffs. US users can already benefit from an established choice of 4G plans.

All the connectivity options can be accessed in the Settings menu while some, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, can also be quickly accessed through the notifications bar at the top of the screen.

There's also a dashboard widget included that'll enable you to toggle various settings on or off straight from the home screen.

Maps and apps

Maps

The Sony Xperia SP arrives with Google Maps all ready to go - and this is pretty much the only navigation app you're going to need. It's pretty much the de facto maps app for both Android and iOS smartphones alike, and there are plenty of features to take advantage of.

Turn-by-turn navigation is built in and you can select whether you're driving, walking or taking public transport. As usual, you're given the option to view the map as a satellite image and you can select favourite places as well as see recommendations for pubs and restaurants nearby.

The Sony Xperia SP found its location very quickly when we went out for a stroll, and the general performance of the app was up to scratch when we wanted to zoom in or out.

It slowed down slightly if we had other processes - such as music playback - running at the same time, but ultimately coped as well as any other smartphone at this price point.

Apps

We're fairly certain you'll bypass the Sony Select app gateway and head straight for Google's own burgeoning app store.

Sony Select is a rather sorry affair, although it does factor in Facebook suggestions. Divided into apps, music and games, the interface doesn't look as polished as Google Play, and the selection of apps in itself is pretty minimal.

Google Play's simple interface is very easy to use and is separated into apps, games, movies, music, books and magazines.

Any app you download will automatically be installed and a shortcut generated on some available space on the home screen.

Widgets are also available to select from the Google Play store and will end up in your app drawer for selection later.

While Sony is usually one of the worst manufacturers for including pre-loaded bloatware apps on its phones, the Sony Xperia SP is noticeably free of them. That might be because of the limited 8GB storage, but whatever the reason, it's a blessing.

All you really get in terms of Sony home grown talent is Wisepilot for Sony Xperia - a navigation tool made rather obsolete by Google Maps - and the option to download PlayStation for Xperia.

This gives you access to a Sony-exclusive PlayStation Store for smartphone games. Unfortunately, better games can be found on Google Play and there doesn't appear to be any sign of PlayStation's vast gaming history. Why no Crash Bandicoot or Tomb Raider?

By far the most interesting app available is the Socialife app, which replaces TimeScape as Sony's own social network aggregator. Once you've selected your region and added your account details you can get Twitter and Facebook updates in one place. There's also the option to channel other nuggets of information, such as news headlines and sports scores, into the feed.

The best part of the app is easily the excellent widget that makes flipping through the most recent updates particularly easy. It's great to be able to do this directly from the home screen - but be mindful that the continued connection will drain the battery even quicker.

There's a built-in feature called Smart Sorting that learns your interests by what you click on and changes your news feed subtly to favour your choices.

This is a long shot from HTC's Blinkfeed, but if you can't be bothered to swap regularly between apps to check the latest goings on, then you might find this particularly useful.

Again, the biggest barrier to apps on the Sony Xperia SP is the limited storage options. Large games such as GTA III or The Dark Knight Rises can easily swallow a gigabyte of storage space, and unfortunately the Sony Xperia SP just doesn't have that much to offer.

Hands on gallery

Official gallery

Verdict

Throughout the entire review, we had to keep in mind that the Sony Xperia SP was a mid-level handset costing £350/US$490, which is a good deal less than the top-tier smartphones available today. The very simple reason for this is that it kept threatening to break out of that classification and asked to be judged as a premium device.

The Xperia SP is a very accomplished handset from Sony, and it's with a tinge of sadness that we acknowledge it will probably fail to get the attention it deserves. Brighter lights are shining in the smartphone world these days, and the fact is that last year's superstars such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 4S remain very solid, affordable handsets

If you don't fancy the 5-inch screen size touted by top smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z or HTC One, then the Sony Xperia SP is a very attractive alternative. There are plenty of people out there who are quite content to have a 4.6-inch device that doesn't require a hand like a baseball glove to keep hold of.

We liked

Top marks go to the Sony Xperia SP's camera. The range of settings and the quality of the images it produces were well beyond what we would expect from a smartphone at this price. It's become an indispensable tool of any modern smartphone, and Sony has concentrated its efforts to make sure this part of the Sony Xperia SP really punches above its weight.

Another positive inclusion is the addition of a microSD slot. It's pretty much a necessity really, and if Sony hadn't included one, it would have made this phone all-but-unpurchasable.

Lastly, we have to give a mention to the Walkman app. The way it looks is far more attractive than the standard Android music player found on other smartphones, and the interactive antenna is gimmicky but endearing. Music is a big part of Sony and the sheer amount of options available for organising, cataloguing and playing music shouldn't go unnoticed here.

We disliked

As we repeatedly mentioned, the 8GB of storage space on the Sony Xperia SP really hampers it. You'll only get 5.5GB of actual usable space, which will quickly fill up with some albums, a couple of movies and a handful of apps.

Luckily, a microSD card won't set you back very much these days, which is a good thing, since you'll need one here, but does preclude downloading massive games to really test the internals.

The battery life also leaves a lot to be desired. Sony appears to have taken note of this with its Stamina software, which goes some way towards addressing the problem. However, if you're going to be away from home or the office for a day, there's no getting around the fact you're going to need to bring a charger with you.

Despite Sony's attempt to dress the Xperia SP up with a good-looking interface, premium design and extra features, this is still a phone with a dual-core 1.7GHz processor.

At times, it shows. If anything, you'll forget this is a mid-level handset and try to overstretch it with tasks, resulting in a bit of lag when surfing the internet or using apps. What we will say, though, is that it handles Android Jelly Bean very well - moving around the OS is a real pleasure on this phone.

Final verdict

Despite noticeable shortcomings with storage space and occasional processor speed, we really came to like the Sony Xperia SP. It's a handset that so desperately wants to be able to sit at the grown-up table even though it's really only a mid-level device.

The excellent camera and range of connectivity that includes NFC and 4G go hand-in-hand with a great design and a screen size that will be just right for someone that doesn't want a high-end 5-inch monster.

If you're on a budget, we'd consider it ahead of last year's high-flyers, and it's certainly better than Sony's previous Xperia T model.

Heavy users will likely get frustrated with the moderate battery and mediocre processor. But if you want to save a bit of money and still own a smartphone that you can show off at parties or around the office, you could do a lot worse than picking up the Sony Xperia SP.

Kaspersky says firms lose track of BYOD data

Mark Say — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:21:00 GMT

Small and midsized companies often don't have a clear view of the data held by their employees on their mobile devices, according to research from IT security company Kaspersky Lab.

This comes despite a growing acceptance of the trend towards 'bring your own device' (BYOD) in the workplace.

Figures from the research show that 60% of SMBs have only a basic understanding of what company data is stored on employees' devices. They defined the 'basic understanding' themselves.

In addition, only 35% of IT managers admitted to having strict enough rules in place to provide an accurate overview of company information on personal devices.

This is despite the fact that about a third of small businesses and a third of midsized businesses are actively allowing more employees to use their own devices at work.

Weakness

A Kaspersky executive said this portrays a severe weakness for many SMBs.

"You only need to look at the statistics showing the number of devices lost or stolen each year to see why it is so important for SMBs to have an accurate overview of what company information employees have on personal devices," said David Emm, Senior Security Researcher, Kaspersky Lab.

"Only when clear BYOD rules are in place, can adequate steps be taken to build a robust security solution should a device be lost or stolen. To best protect data a policy should include file encryption, blocking access to the corporate network and, in the best case, wiping all data on the device."

Only 7% of small firms and 9% of midsized businesses said they prohibited BYOD.

The figures derive from research carried out for Kaspersky's Global IT Security Risks report by market research firm TNS Infrastest.

Review: Archos 80 Titanium

Jamie Carter — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:15:00 GMT

Introduction

With the iPad mini selling for a mighty £269 (US$329, AU$369) despite its small size, it was never going to be long until those responsible for 2012's slew of 10-inch iPad beaters turned their attentions to Apple's newest, smallest pad.

In truth the likes of Archos, Acer and Samsung were almost certainly working on 8-inch tablets well before Apple's launch of the iPad mini - and so-called 'phablet' phone-tablet hybrids aren't much smaller - but it's against the market leader that budget efforts such as the Archos 80 Titanium must be judged.

Announced and previewed way back in January at the CES 2013 trade show, this 8-inch tablet from Archos is just one of the brand's impressively large haul of new 8-to-10-inch tablets, all of which come sporting the Android operating system.

As the name suggests, the Archos 80 Titanium has a metallic back plate that's highly reminiscent of an iPad, as is its all-white bezel.

In fact, a brief glance at this tablet and you'll likely mistake it for an iPad 4, partly because it looks nothing like an iPad mini. The main differences are purely physical; the Archos 80 Titanium isn't as slim, it weighs much more, and the sides of the bezel - when held in portrait stance - are far wider than those on the iPad mini.

It's also well under half the price of the iPad mini, and we'd do well to remember that, despite the omissions on the Archos 80 Titanium.

That said, we must report that you won't find Bluetooth connectivity on this Wi-Fi-only model, while GPS is missing, too. Arguably the lack of Bluetooth is more of a worry, since it rules out pairing with a Bluetooth keyboard.

This makes the Archos 80 Titanium less attractive and credible as even an occasional laptop-killer for word processing.

We've noticed a trend recently of smaller tablets becoming popular as dashboard GPS systems in cars, which is something that the Archos 80 Titanium will have to excuse itself from, too.

That metallic back isn't all it's cracked up to be either. It feels very cold in the hand, which is important at this size since the 8-inch size of the tablet is primarily designed to be held in one hand.

It's not a problem that lasts for too long, though, with the Archos 80 Titanium getting pretty hot after 30 minutes or so of use.

However, we've related these niggles just to make you aware of the Archos 80 Titanium's limitations, and we're confident that for many users - particularly those who simply want a tablet around the house for browsing the web and perhaps some home networking for photos (it's particularly good at the latter) - will be delighted with the Archos 80 Titanium. After all, it's something of a bargain.

Speaking of which, the Archos 80 Titanium comes with either 8GB or 16GB or built-in storage, and is priced at £149.99 (US$169) for the smaller capacity model, putting it up against budget tablets such as the Acer Iconia A1 and Disgo 8400G, and considerably undercutting the 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.

Both the 8GB and 16GB versions of the Archos 80 Titanium contain a microSD card slot for either increasing that storage up to as much as 32GB or transferring music, photos and videos from a smartphone or computer.

The Archos 80 Titanium is one of four models in the Titanium family, and is joined by smaller brother the 7-inch Archos 70 Titanium and bigger brothers the 9.7-inch Archos 97 Titanium and 10.1-inch Archos 101 Titanium.

Other tablets in Archos's new range include the Archos GamePad and Archos ChildPad in the Themed series and the Archos 80 Platinum and brothers in the Elements series, of which the Titanium family are a part.

Features

Measuring 200 x 154 x 9.9mm (7.9 x 6 x 0.38 inches) and weighing 440g (0.97lbs) - compared to the iPad mini's 308g (0.68lbs) or the 213g (0.47lbs) of the Kindle Paperwhite - the Archos 80 Titanium is nevertheless well sized for its duties.

It is heavier to hold in one hand that we'd ideally like, but it's also got that physical presence and top quality, solid build that's very difficult to find in the budget tablet market. In fact, the Archos 80 Titanium is hugely impressive in this department, and it should last for yonks.

Still, nit-pickers will notice that while the iPad mini's bezel is but a few millimetres on its sides, it's 17mm (0.67 inches) on the Archos 80 Titanium. However, elsewhere the Archos 80 Titanium takes a hefty lead over its pricier rival with a plethora of ins and outs that really stretch its capabilities.

Probably the most significant is its microSDHC card slot, which is capable of taking a maximum 32GB card. Now that's a huge amount of extra storage, and it will only cost you an extra £15 ($20) or so.

There's one reason, right there, why some people are wanting to avoid Apple and its uber expensive pricing with lack of expansion, but there are other reasons, too.

Granted, the iPad mini can theoretically be attached to an HD TV, but it's a messy and expensive process compared to on the Archos 80 Titanium, which includes a standard mini HDMI output for such duties.

Both of those key connections are on the top of the Archos 80 Titanium when you hold it in portrait orientation, and they're accompanied by a headphones slot, a reset button, a micro USB slot (there's a cable in the box) and a DC input.

The latter means using the proprietary wall charger supplied in the box, which is a huge shame for travellers who have to stow yet another charger in their ever-increasing day sack. Still, that's also the case with the iPad mini, so we shouldn't be too harsh.

One thing we ought to mention is that despite the Archos 80 Titanium's sleek appearance, the machining of these ins and outs isn't the best; there are tiny gaps around housings and no attempt at covers or recessed designs.

On the left-hand side of the Archos 80 Titanium, still in portrait position, is a volume rocker and something we've not seen on an Android tablet before - a hard-button Home control.

Both are in hard, white plastic, and though the Home button did prove useful at times during our test, it's actually in completely the wrong position for right-handed users, who have to reach over to the other side of the tablet to engage it.

Worse, when the Archos 80 Titanium is in landscape orientation, it's on the bottom.

Where the Archos 80 Titanium compares well to the iPad mini and every other 8-inch tablet we've seen is on screen resolution. While the world waits for an iPad mini Retina or similar, that gadget's 1024 x 768 pixel resolution is standard on its rivals, too, but it's worth briefly considering the maths.

While many smartphones now boast 16:9 screens, even the iPhone 5, the Archos 80 Titanium and all of its rivals have remained with a 4:3 aspect ratio screen.

A capacitive multi-touch LED-backlit LCD screen type, its 4:3 shape isn't perhaps ideal for watching widescreen video, but it is hugely preferable for reading and web browsing, since neither medium has gone widescreen just yet.

The Archos 80 Titanium takes more points from the iPad mini with its processing power. Inside is an ARM Cortex A9 dual-core 1.6GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, which is significantly more powerful than Apple's effort. However, Acer's 8-inch, quad-core Iconia A1 tablet might put the Archos 80 Titanium in its place.

Interface and performance

The Archos 80 Titanium's touchscreen features a slight lag. By that we mean there's a drag of about half a centimetre before the screen catches up, though it doesn't make much difference to usability.

In fact, during our test we were able to launch several apps, have them running simultaneously, and still operate the browser and other functions.

Occasionally we had a freeze-up or an overly long delay, but these were few. As a simple web browsing device, the Archos 80 Titanium has just about enough processing power.

A standard Android 4.1 Jelly Bean experience rules on the Archos 80 Titanium, and though it may not be the very, very latest 4.2 specification, there's little difference in practice.

Here, Google Now is fully integrated - complete with microphone icon in the top-left of the screen - and other Google-made apps such as Gmail, YouTube and Maps are all part of the jigsaw.

Although it doesn't negatively affect usability at this small size, it could be argued that the low resolution of the screen is an issue.

Photos, videos, web pages and books look absolutely fine, though it is possible to see the grid-like pixel structure - and you don't have to look all that closely.

Like some Archos tablets before it, there are restrictions on how long the Archos 80 Titanium can stay awake. As a default it sleeps after barely a minute of inactivity, automatically pausing all downloads and other processes.

It's possible - even recommended - to alter this to 30 minutes, the maximum Archos permits, though it does all point towards the Archos 80 Titanium being built with one serious problem: poor battery longevity.

Battery life and benchmarks

In fact, if there is major worry about this otherwise good value tablet, it's battery life - or its lack of. By running the Nyan cat video from YouTube at full-screen, full brightness for one hour, we took the Archos 80 Titanium from a fully charged battery down to 64%.

We managed to use it on-and-off for almost a complete day on a single charge, though don't count on watching more than a few hours of video in one go.

On our oft-used benchmarks, the Archos 80 Titanium achieved an average of 1,794 on JavaScript benchmark tool SunSpider, while tests on Peacekeeper produced results of 332 for the Chrome browser and 540 for the native browser.

The Archos 80 Titanium earned an average of 11,505 on AnTuTu, which is slightly less than the 12-13,000 that most mid- sized tablets achieve.

Internet

When looking to play on the internet, the choice between the vanilla web browser and Chrome - which is already present on the Archos 80 Titanium as a default - must be made, which is a bit of a drag.

Surely they're from the same design house at Google? It's time the native Android web browser was put to bed, since its presence is unnecessary and potentially fragments and complicates matters.

Web browsing in our tests with both browsers was fast enough, with up to about six tabs dealt with speedily before things started to slow down.

The 4:3 aspect ratio works well for browsing and, in fact, so does the wider-than-the iPad mini bezel. Having something on each side of the Archos 80 Titanium to hold onto without disturbing the touchscreen is, we think, the way to go. Apple might have over-done the slim thing.

Media and apps

Media is where the Archos 80 Titanium behaves less like 'any Android gadget' and begins to deliver an Archos-centric experience.

Part of the Archos Media Center software suite, the Archos 80 Titanium includes both Archos Movies and Archos Music.

Movies

As a platform to play videos, Archos Movies is far superior to the vanilla Android experience, though still not the polished experience it could be.

File format support wasn't as wide as we had expected, with no support for MKV HD files, though tests with AVI, MP4, MOV, WMV and WMV HD files were all successful. The audio within sample AVC HD files we used wasn't supported, though.

There are three ways to watch natively 21:9 video in Archos Video - either as it comes, zoomed in slightly (both of these options put black bars top and bottom) or zoomed in full-screen, which cuts off the edges.

We also noticed that by touching the screen during video playback, only controls associated with the app itself were reachable, with the core Android controls in the bottom left-hand corner appearing only fleetingly, and unpredictably. That hard Home button therefore did prove very useful after all.

The quality of video playback, however, is mostly excellent. Contrast is good, colours are well saturated and HD detail is high, though we did notice a slight emptiness to black areas of the image, along with some blur during fast-moving sequences. The viewing angle was wider than we'd expected during our generally very enjoyable video test.

Music

The Archos Music app is also far better than the vanilla Android experience, although once again the file format support is only mildly impressive.

Lossless FLAC music files are supported, as are MP3 and M4A files, but little else. The presentation of cover art in a carousel, file lists and sorting by album, artist and many other divisions is dynamic and thoroughly impressive.

In both the Archos Music and Archos Video services we managed to stream from an iMac sporting UPnP software.

So it's a shame that both music and movies are hampered somewhat by poor sound. The Archos 80 Titanium's mono speaker, which is housed on the back panel near the bottom - beside a huge Archos logo, the model name, and an HDMI logo - is pretty ropey.

That problem remains with headphones attached, sadly, with thin, weedy and bass-less sound that lacks in the mid-range, too. Sadly, there's no way to change the parameters of audio.

Books

There is no native support on Android tablets for ebooks of any format, though there are myriad app choices on the Google Play Store, such as Ebook Reader or the dedicated Kindle or Kobo apps if you have an account or similarly-branded device.

However, even after we downloaded one of these, we tried emailing a DRM-free ePub file to a Gmail account, but couldn't get the Archos 80 Titanium to open it as an attachment - despite it now having the correct software/apps installed.

It wasn't quite the joined-up experience we'd hoped for, then, though it's likely a problem with Android, rather than Archos.

Apps and games

The Archos 80 Titanium offers full, unrestricted to Google Play, and it's also possible to load up apps from other sources. However, there are a few bonuses and pre-installed apps that Archos has curated.

As well as the likes of Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Google+, Streetview, Google Play Books / Magazines / Music / Movies and Google Calendar, Archos has also proved Archos Music, Archos Video, Archos File manager and Archos System Monitor.

However, the classiest extra is Mobile Systems' OfficeSuite 6, which is a collection of word processing and spreadsheet viewing applications.

Upon first launch, we were taken to a website, then linked to Google Play, where the latest version 7 downloaded for free.

It's nothing special - just a document reader and sharer - but it does come with Brief Me (a free social media dashboard), free news app News Republic and the World of Goo game, worth 65p ($0.99).

Either way, you'll need to upgrade to the Pro version for £9.65 (around $14.50) if you want to partake in some serious word processing and spreadsheet creation and editing.

For test purposes we downloaded Angry Birds and the massive CSR Racing. We found that gameplay was smooth, with no jitters, delays or freeze-ups.

One thing we did notice, though, was that when the Archos 80 Titanium was busy updating apps - something we set it to do without seeking permission first - the stability of the entire operating system was seriously threatened, with frequent app crashes and an inability to get online in Gmail and YouTube. It all returns to normal afterwards, but perhaps it's best not to permit auto-updates.

Camera and video

The camera is where the Archos 80 Titanium really lets itself down, although for a tablet clearly aimed at being used around the house, perhaps it's an area that Archos decided to cut out to achieve a truly rock- bottom price.

Still, it's about as basic as it gets. There's a front- facing camera, which is situated on the top-left when held in portrait orientation, is simple VGA quality and good enough for only the most basic of Skype calls. No problems there, but things aren't much better on the back.

Situated almost directly behind on the rear, the camera here is a mere 2MP quality, and produces pictures imbued with blockiness, softness and dull colours.

It's even worse for video; recording in the MP4 format, the Archos 80 Titanium manages just VGA quality - 640 x 320 pixels - at an astonishingly low nine frames per second, which means wobbly moving pictures.

There's also no flash onboard, which makes taking photographs indoors pointless for more reasons than low resolution. It's the final nail, though it's only likely to be annoying to younger users. After all, what grown man or woman takes pictures with a tablet?

Finally on photography, we do have to report that the Gallery function isn't too smart; despite uploading photos to a Google photo album and attempting to sync with the Archos 80 Titanium, it only downloaded the thumbnails, not the full photos.

Click here to see the full resolution image

Hands on gallery

Verdict

The main rival to the Archos 80 Titanium is the iPad mini, along with Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 - both of which sell for a great deal more.

That's some tough technical competition and if you look at the Titanium's price bracket it's got an equalling tricky challenge with the likes of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7 for company.

We liked

The hard button Home control on the Archos 80 Titanium's side is novel, the overall styling is quite some achievement, and its bountiful connectivity is excellent. It performs all of the core tasks of a tablet efficiently and the build quality is as good as anything on the market.

The mini HDMI-out connection is nice, as is the microSD card expansion slot, while the bundling of the OfficeSuite package and the custom-made Archos Music and Archos Video apps adds to the already scintillating value.

And the price? Well, £150 (US$170) is so low that we're not convinced the Archos 80 Titanium shouldn't be bought in multiples. It certainly earns an extra point on our overall score for its low price alone, especially considering its excellent build quality.

We disliked

Some will detest the 2MP camera and the lack of HD video recording on the tablet, while others will rue the lack of Bluetooth and GPS.

The white-only design won't appeal to all - in fact, it could even restrict the Archos 80 Titanium's mainstream chances and make it a child-centric tablet - and it's much heavier than an iPad mini.

A poor battery and even worse camera will hamper its attractiveness to anyone wanting a tablet on the move, as will the use of a proprietary power cable.

The use of the already past-it Android 4.1 spec might concern some, too, while the occasional freeze-ups and a lack of multitasking during downloads might also annoy.

Final verdict

There are problems, issues, and 'missing' features when you compare the Archos 80 Titanium to an iPad mini, but that costs twice as much.

Besides, despite its lack of GPS, Bluetooth and poor cameras, it does add flexible options like mini HDMI and micro USB connections.

And in many areas the Archos 80 Titanium out-performs its heftily- priced rival to the extent that anyone thinking of purchasing a small tablet should seriously consider whether spending more than this is really necessary.

And that is quite some achievement; bravo to Archos and its great-looking, awesome value 8-inch Titanium tablet.

Acer brings newest AMD platform to E1 and V5 notebooks

Jay McGregor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:14:00 GMT

Acer has revealed its new Aspire E1 notebook series, which comes with the new generation of AMD Mainstream APU, while also kicking off its refreshed Aspire V5 notebook series.

The Aspire V5 is available with AMD Elite Mobility and Elite Quad-core A-series accelerated processors. lt will be available in three sizes - 11.6-inch, 14-inch and 15.6-inch - and comes with or without touchscreen ability.

Selected models - the V5-452 - will include AMD Radeon HD8750 discrete graphics, and all come with a range of connectivity options including HDMI.

Choices, choices, choices

The Aspire E1 notebook, meanwhile, is available in 14-inch and 15.6-inch versions, and customers will have the option of either AMD quad-core A6 or A4 accelerated processors.

It's also amusingly available in either "piano black" or "clarinet black". Unfortunately, "lights-off black", "black-hole black" and "regular black" aren't available.

The V5 will be available at the end of May in some European countries while the E1 is available starting immediately. However the official UK release date and prices have not yet been announced for either, though Acer has promised them very soon.

Both are currently priced at €399 (about £340, US$515, AU$535) in other European countries.

Dell and Citrix share VDI push

Mark Say — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:22:00 GMT

Dell is tying its fortunes in the virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) market to Citrix with initiatives to support the latter's XenDesktop 7 under the DVS Enterprise banner.

It is launching three deployments to tie in its hardware with the management platform, saying that they can support mobile working and the use of cloud computing.

XenDesktop 7 provides a management platform for desktop PCs, hosted VDI and applications, and supports virtualised workloads based on Windows 8 and Microsoft Windows Server 2012.

Dell has built on its converged infrastructure platform – that combines servers, storage, networking, endpoint devices and management software – to automate the deployment of XenDesktop 7 though its Active System 800 infrastructure system.

It says this can help companies to speed up the deployment of VDI.

This is accompanied by an integrated storage solution that includes XenDesktop 7 and unified communications, along with local storage options.

Dell is also launching DVS Enterprise with NVIDIA GRID to support virtualised high end graphics.

Raising the bar

Steve Lalla, VP and General Manager, Cloud Client Computing at Dell, said: "We have been able to raise the bar not only in our virtualised desktops, but also in the functionalities that we bring to our data centre infrastructure solutions that give users an improved computing experience and help to bring down the cost and complexity of managing a desktop virtualisation environment."

Judge agrees that Apple was complicit in fixing price of e-books

J McGregor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18:00 GMT

In a rare pre-trial opinion, the presiding Judge has said that the prosecution will be able to prove that Apple colluded with publishers to artificially inflate the price of e-books in its iBookstore.

In an unusual move Judge Denise Cote has given her "tentative view" and agreed that Apple did indeed collude with publishers to fix the price of e-books, according to the evidence available to her.

The Judge said: "I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books, and that the circumstantial evidence in this case, including the terms of the agreements, will confirm that".

She was quick to note, however, that her opinion was not final and all the evidence had not been accounted for.

Shell-shocked

In a prepared statement, Apple's legal representatives remarked: "We strongly disagree with the court's preliminary statements about the case today.

"We look forward to presenting our evidence in open court and proving that Apple did not conspire to fix prices."

The emails that Judge Denise could be referring to is an email by exchange between James Murdoch, the then CEO of News Corp, and the late Steve Jobs. An email in which Jobs clearly discusses a pricing strategy.

The Judge's comments came at a pre-trial hearing yesterday and the case is expected to go to full trial on the 3rd June.

Blip: 3D printer saves a child's life

Hugh Langley — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:51:00 GMT

Fears about 3D printed guns might be at fever pitch, but one child named Kaiba Gionfriddo has just had his life saved by the same technology.

The infant was born with tracheobronchomalacia, a condition which gives weakened support for the trachea, and suffered from windpipe collapse on a daily basis. That is, until researchers at the University of Michigan managed to find a 3D printed solution.

The printed splint was tailored to the infant to hold the trachea in place, letting the bronchus build around it. Kaiba has been off ventilator support since, following a successful operation.

So there you go, technology can both give life and take it away.

More blips!

You don't have to print out our great blips - you can read them here.

Review: Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Amy Davies — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:42:00 GMT

Introduction

The travel camera segment of the compact camera market is continuing to do well against a general backdrop of declining sales. These cameras can offer significantly more than the average compact camera, especially in terms of zoom capability.

The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS - or Canon SX280 for short - replaces the Canon SX260. There are actually two versions of the same camera, the other being the Canon SX270 which features pretty much all of the same specifications, but lacks the inbuilt Wi-Fi and GPS of its slightly more expensive sibling.

A 12.1 million pixel high-sensitivity (HS) CMOS sensor is joined by the headline feature of a 20x optical zoom lens. Starting at an equivalent (in 35mm terms) of 25mm, the Canon SX280's lens is capable of reaching a fairly impressive 500mm.

ZoomPlus technology boosts that up to 40x, or 1000mm equivalent, and you can even push it further to 80x by combining ZoomPlus with the camera's digital teleconverter, giving a fairly staggering 2000mm reach. Image quality at the 80x equivalent length is likely to suffer, especially because it will be a crop of the full resolution image, but it might be handy occasionally.

At its widest point, the lens's maximum aperture is f/3.5, which although isn't particularly bright compared with some of the premium cameras currently on the market, is average for a camera with such a high zoom ratio.

One of the most interesting features of the Canon SX280 is that it is the first Canon camera, of any kind, to feature the latest Digic 6 processor. Canon often debuts the latest iteration of its processors in its compact cameras before distributing them among the rest of the range.

With an improved processor comes the promise of improved noise performance and video recording capabilities. As such, the Canon SX280 is capable of shooting at 60fps for ultra smooth movie footage.

Compared with Canon's range of IXUS cameras, the upper end of the PowerShot range generally features more advanced options, such as full manual control. The Canon SX280 includes a range of shooting modes, giving you the choice of fully automatic, semi-automatic modes (aperture priority and shutter priority) and fully manual modes. There's no capability for raw format shooting, though.

Along with advanced modes, there's also a range of different modes designed to appeal to beginners, including scene modes, digital filter effect modes and the interesting Hybrid Auto mode. This basically creates a short video clip before you shoot every photo, combining all the clips at the end of each day into a Movie Digest to accompany your shots.

The camera also uses the information it gathers from shooting the movie clip to determine the best settings to use for the still image.

Digital filters, now found on most cameras to appeal to the Instagram crowd, include Fish-eye Effect, Toy Camera Effect and the ubiquitous Miniature Effect.

The Canon SX280 joins the brand's ever expanding number of compact cameras with inbuilt Wi-Fi and GPS. The Wi-Fi functionality is designed to make sharing images quicker and easier. There's a free downloadable app for iOS and Android devices for sharing images between the camera and your smartphone or tablet. As yet, there's no remote control functionality, though.

GPS offers the opportunity to geotag your images with a location, as well as create a log of your journey.

Priced at £259.99 / AU$299.95 / US$329.99, the Canon SX280 HS has a few rivals, with probably the biggest competitor being the Panasonic TZ40, which also features a 20x optical zoom lens and inbuilt Wi-Fi and GPS.

The Nikon Coolpix S9500 is also a competitor, with a 22x optical zoom capability and GPS. Sony's recently announced Cyber-Shot HX50 is also a potential competitor, although this is significantly more expensive and features a 30x optical zoom.

Build quality and handling

For a compact camera packing an impressive 20x optical zoom, the Canon SX280 is impressively slim, and will easily slip into a jeans or coat pocket.

On the front of the camera is a small strip that acts as a finger grip, helping when shooting one-handed - but it looks a little odd, since it doesn't take up much space on the camera.

All of the camera's buttons are arranged along the right-hand side, making them easily accessible with your thumb. On top of the camera, the on/off switch can be found, alongside the shutter release and the zoom switch.

Since you're likely to be using the zoom mechanism fairly frequently, it's nice that this switch feels sturdy and not too flimsy. The zooming action itself is smooth and fluid, enabling you to get from the wide angle of the lens to the telephoto end with ease.

The zoom pauses as it reaches the 40x digital zoom area, making it easy to avoid accidental strays into digital if you don't want to use it. You'll need to release and re-zoom if you want to push the zoom up to the 80x limit, which is a nice touch.

On the back of the camera, at the top-right is a mode dial for quickly switching between the various modes on offer, such as fully automatic, semi-automatic (aperture priority and shutter priority) and fully manual. It's also here that you'll find scene mode, digital filters and the Hybrid Auto mode.

It's pretty useful having this dial, since it saves having to fiddle around in the main menu to get to the shooting mode you want to use. Unlike the Panasonic TZ40, there isn't room here for groups of custom settings, which is a bit of a shame.

There's also the traditional four-way navigational control pad, surrounded by a scrolling dial. This dial is used to set the aperture or shutter speed, depending on the mode that you're shooting in. If you're in fully manual mode, hitting the up directional key enables you to switch between the two. This button doubles up as the exposure compensation button when shooting in other modes.

Other functions accessed via the four-way pad include the focusing modes (macro, normal and manual), flash (on/off) and timer. Pressing the function button in the middle of the pad brings up a sort of quick menu that gives you easy access to commonly used settings, such as white balance, image ratio and sensitivity.

A more extensive menu can be accessed by pressing the dedicated Menu button, but you'll probably find you rarely need to use this.

By default, autofocusing is set to Face AiAF. This gives priority to faces, but can bring up problems if you're trying to focus and recompose on other kinds of subjects.

For the majority of shooting subjects, we'd recommend using Center Frame AF as it makes it easier to focus and recompose. It's a big shame that, unlike the Panasonic TZ40, you can't set different autofocus points yourself, since this would give more flexibility.

One oddity of the camera is that it doesn't show on the screen how different settings will affect the final image once you've changed a setting. For example, while shooting in aperture priority, if you set the exposure compensation to +2, while you are making that change, the screen shows how the resulting image will be exposed.

However, as soon as you exit the exposure compensation dialog box, the picture returns to normal. This can make it tricky to adequately assess the settings you need to use.

Using the Wi-Fi functions of the camera is fairly easy, if not without a few niggles. It is accessed while playing back images, since currently the only functionality is to share images between devices.

The up button on the four-way control pad is used to access Wi-Fi settings, and once you've already set up a device (such as a smartphone) with the camera it is remembered for quicker access.

You can also connect the camera to another Wi-Fi-enabled camera, computers and printers. Sadly there's no way to directly share images via social networking sites and email, like with Samsung's range of smart cameras, which is a shame.

Instead, to share an image while out and about you'd need to connect your phone to the camera, send the picture across, then reconnect your phone to a Wi-Fi/mobile data network and upload the pictures. It's a little bit of a cumbersome task, but it's a nice to have addition if you like that kind of thing.

The GPS functionality is switched on via the Function menu. You can choose to only embed GPS data to each image, or to do this and create a log of your travels. Switch the travel log off if you want to conserve battery, since this also works when the camera is switched off.

Performance

We continue to be impressed by Canon's range of both IXUS and PowerShot cameras, so we had high hopes for the Canon SX280, with its excellent zoom capabilities and number of appealing features.

Happily, we've not been disappointed by the image quality. Colours are bold and punchy, without being overly vibrant. Skies are represented well, as are bright whites. It also copes well with skin tones.

If we zoom into images at 100%, there is evidence of some image smoothing, even at lower sensitivities, but the camera puts in a very similar performance in this respect to what is perhaps its closest competitor, the Panasonic TZ40. Smoothing is not particularly noticeable at these lower ISOs at normal printing and web sizes, so for the average user it's nothing to worry about.

Similarly, closely examining images with areas of high contrast reveals a little purple fringing, which is not uncommon for compact cameras. It's fairly well controlled though, and not particularly noticeable when viewing images at normal sizes.

Although the maximum aperture of the Canon SX280's lens is f/3.5, you can still achieve some pleasing shallow depth of field effects, especially when shooting macro images. With these images, the out of focus areas are rendered very well, with an excellent drop-off in focus and attractive bokeh.

The automatic white balance system does a reasonable job in the majority of conditions to produce accurate colours. Sometimes, however, under artificial lighting the camera will err towards producing slightly warmer images than we would like. To combat this, you can either set a more appropriate white balance setting or create a custom white balance.

General purpose metering, known as evaluative metering, on Canon cameras also does a good job to produce balanced exposures in the majority of conditions. If the scene is particularly high contrast, then the camera does struggle a little, but you can switch to spot or partial metering to attempt to combat this. Alternatively, you can focus and recompose to make the camera take a reading from a different part of the scene.

As probably the standout feature of this camera, it's reasonable to expect a good performance from the optical zoom lens. Images shot at the furthest reach of the telephoto optic are good, with plenty of detail retained.

You can choose to shoot with image stabilisation activated - this is useful if you don't have access to a tripod or steady surface to rest the camera on. It does have a slight effect on the resulting final image quality though, especially when zoomed in at 100%, so it's something to bear in mind. Images shot handheld without image stabilisation are still relatively blur-free, especially in good light.

Happily, the Canon SX280's digital zoom is also a good performer. ZoomPlus boosts the capability up to 40x and manages to retain a good level of quality, and it certainly gives plenty of flexibility.

As you might expect, image quality drops when using the 80x zoom function, and since it's effectively a cropped image, you won't be able to make large prints from any images shot at this (equivalent) focal length. That said, having the ability to shoot at this distance is a nice feature to have, even if it probably won't get used all that often.

The new Digic 6 processor brings with it the promise of improved low light performance. Compared with its predecessor, the Canon SX260 HS, the Canon SX280 did put in a marginally better performance in our labs test for signal to noise ratio.

That said, at higher sensitivities, such as ISO 1600, the results were so close they were hardly separable.

At higher sensitivity settings, such as ISO 1600, the Canon SX280 puts in a good performance for a camera with a sensor this size (1/2.3-inch). Although noise is apparent at this point, it's not too bad, but it's worth pointing out that there is some loss of detail.

By the time you reach even higher sensitivities, such as ISO 3200, there's even more loss of detail and more noise. That said, at normal printing and web sizes, images are more than usable and are certainly better than not being able to get the shot at all.

On the whole, autofocusing speeds are very quick, enabling you to get the shot you need. While using macro focusing the camera sometimes takes a little longer to achieve focus, but it's rare for a false confirmation of focus to appear.

Digital filters included on the Canon SX280 vary from Toy Camera to Miniature and Super Vivid. While there's not the vast range that cameras such as the Olympus XZ-2 offers, it's still worth experimenting with what the camera has to offer.

The Canon SX280's screen is not a particularly high resolution device, and as already mentioned it's not a touchscreen. That said, it doesn't seem to suffer too badly from glare or reflections in all but the very brightest of sunlight, and offers a clear and bright view of the scene being photographed. Images played back appear crisp and vibrant.

Battery life when not using the GPS functionality is reasonable, putting in a few solid hours of shooting time, meaning if you're using it fairly lightly while on holiday it should be fine. It might be worth investing in a spare battery, though, if you think you might be a very heavy user.

Activating the GPS function does drain the battery significantly, and again, if you're hoping to use this while shooting on holiday, a second battery would be a good idea.

Noise and dynamic range

We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.

A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.

For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.

Here we compare the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS with the Samsung WB850, Canon PowerShot SX260 HS and Panasonic TZ40.

JPEG signal to noise ratio

As we can see from this graph, the Canon SX280's JPEG files show a relatively strong signal to noise ratio, with a greater signal to noise ratio than JPEGs from the Panasonic TZ40 at every sensitivity, and greater than the Canon SX260's images at every sensitivity but ISO 800 and ISO 3200. The Canon SX280's JPEGs show a stronger signal to noise ratio than the Samsung WB850's at ISO 100, but at ISO 200 and above the Samsung's images take the lead.

JPEG dynamic range

JPEG results for dynamic range are more impressive than those for signal to noise ratio, with the Canon SX280's images showing greater dynamic range than the Canon SX260 and Panasonic TZ40's at every sensitivity. They also contain greater dynamic range than the Samsung WB850's JPEGs at every sensitivity but ISO 100 and ISO 400, where the two produce very similar scores.

Image quality and resolution

As part of our image quality testing for the Canon SX280, we've shot our resolution chart.

If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 80 the Canon SX280 is capable of resolving up to around 20 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files.

For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.

Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:

JPEG

Full ISO 80 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.

ISO 80, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 100, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 200, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 400, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 800, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 1600, score: 16 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 3200, score: 12 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 6400, score: 12 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

Sample images

Click here to see the full resolution image

Colours are represented well straight from the Canon SX280, being bold and vibrant without being overly saturated.

Click here to see the full resolution image

Generally, evaluative metering does a good job of producing well balanced exposures.

Click here to see the full resolution image

The Canon SX280's lens offers a good wide angle of view, giving you plenty of flexibility when capturing different scenes.

Click here to see the full resolution image

With a 20x zoom range on offer, you have a variety of focal lengths to choose from, making this an extremely flexible proposition for travelling photographers.

Click here to see the full resolution image

You can choose to shoot in different aspect ratios. By default, the camera shoots at 4:3, but 1:1 is also available.

Click here to see the full resolution image

For a cinematic look, a shooting ratio of 16:9 is also available.

Click here to see the full resolution image

You might find yourself using some of the digital filters more often than others. Toy Camera was probably our favourite, giving a distinctive vignette and altering the colours of the images.

Click here to see the full resolution image

The 20x zoom capability of the Canon SX280 is its standout feature. Here this scene is shot at the fully wide angle end of the lens.

Click here to see the full resolution image

Here is the 20x optical zoom function at its fullest, which is probably more than enough for most scenarios.

Click here to see the full resolution image

However, should you want to push the camera even further, Zoom Plus enables you to increase this functionality up to 40x.

Click here to see the full resolution image

Even at the full 80x zoom, the Canon SX280 is capable of producing images that are useable at small sizes. This is essentially a crop of the higher resolution images, so large scale printing won't be possible.

Digital filters

Click here to see the full resolution image

Sensitivity and noise images

JPEG

Full ISO 80 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.

ISO 80 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 100 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 800 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 1600 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 3200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

ISO 6400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)

Verdict

Canon's SX280 is a very appealing proposition for anybody looking for a decent travel compact camera that offers lots of control over different settings, as well as a high zoom ratio and pocket-friendly proportions.

Continuing to impress with both its IXUS and PowerShot range, Canon has another camera in the SX280 that comfortably produces excellent images and is very easy to use.

Its pictures display a good range of colour and plenty of detail, and low light performance is admirable. Keeping the pixel count down to 12.1 million pixels may seem strange in this age where most companies are pushing 16-18 million pixel sensored devices, but we think this relatively low resolution helps with the low light and low noise performance.

That said, this camera is far from perfect, which is a shame. Firstly, there's no touchscreen, which while it arguably helps to keep the cost down, is something that Panasonic has included on its TZ40, which is available for not much more than the Canon SX280's current retail price.

You're also unable to shoot in raw format, or change the autofocus point. While the former point is not uncommon for compact cameras of its ilk, the latter seems like a strange decision for a camera that offers so much manual control elsewhere.

While it's nice to have inbuilt Wi-Fi, it could be much more usefully implemented than it is here. Several companies seem to be struggling with how best to integrate Wi-Fi into cameras, but Samsung seems to be the only company to offer truly useful functionality, such as the ability to upload to Facebook and the like directly from the camera itself.

It's also a shame that you can't remotely control the camera via the downloadable smartphone app, which is something that the Panasonic TZ40 does offer.

We liked

There's plenty to like about the Canon SX280, but its standout feature has to be its excellent 20x optical zoom range accompanied by the well-performing digital zoom capability. Image stabilisation also does an excellent job of keeping images blur-free and making it easy to compose images too.

We disliked

Sadly, there's also plenty to dislike about the Canon SX280. There's still no touchscreen on this range of cameras, and it seems more than a little odd that you can't change the autofocus point. We'd also like to see a slightly better implementation of the Wi-Fi functionality.

Final verdict

A 20x optical zoom offers a great amount of flexibility and matches the TZ40's ratio. It doesn't quite offer the extra-long reach of the Sony HX50, which has a 30x zoom capability, but it's worth noting that this camera is much cheaper than the Sony. Canon's digital zoom (Zoom Plus) is also excellent, offering that bit of extra flexibility if you need it.

Several manufacturers are including digital filters on their cameras, which no doubt appeals to the legions of smartphone photographers used to the likes of Instagram. While the Canon SX280 offers some interesting options, other manufacturers, including Olympus and Panasonic, seem to do this better. It would be great to see Canon including a way of keeping a "normal" version of a shot should you decide that a digital filter was a bad idea further along the line.

Hybrid Auto is a nice feature to use, and we can see it being particularly appealing for "event" photography, such as a family holiday, party or wedding. It's a shame that the Movie Digest function can't also be used with other functions, since it's a fun accompaniment to a day's worth of still shots.

What we have here is an excellent and well performing compact camera that offers lots of flexibility both to beginner users and those looking for something a little more advanced.

It would also be a good camera for anybody looking to learn a little more about photography, since you could start on the fully automatic settings and work your way through the manual options.

Updated: Google watch: release date, news and rumours

Dan Grabham — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:35:00 GMT

Fresh from creating Google Glass, could Google now be turning its attention to a Google watch? We've heard that watches from Microsoft and LG may also be forthcoming, while an Apple iWatch is also widely predicted.

Samsung has already confirmed it will be producing such a device.

So what about Google watch? Well here's everything we know so far.

Google watch design

A filing with the US Patent Office from early May 2013 showed a "smart-watch with user interface features" - it sounds pretty clear to us what that might mean.

The watch, displayed in the illustration you can see at the top of this page has two touchpads on either side of the display face.

The patent says that you'll be able to use these to "pinch, stretch and scroll on a platform with limited space available for user input." This could mean it will interact with Google Glass.

It's possible that the watch will rely on a Google Now-style use of information cards.

The watch has reportedly been seen in a number of Google offices.

Google watch to be Motorola-built?

We've also heard that the Google watch could be manufactured by Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility.

Anonymous tipsters contacted Android Authority and claimed the watch already exists in a physical form and has been seen in its Berlin, Manchester and Google's Mountain View offices.

Motorola already has an exercise watch available, the Motoactiv.

Watch out for the glass

The Motorola aspect is particularly interesting, though not all that surprising now that it's owned by Google – and that Motorola released its own smartwatch, the Motoactv, in 2011.

The same sources also state that the watch is "not a standalone device yet", claiming that it needs to be tethered to a smartphone to function properly. This part isn't so surprising given that Google Glass works much the same way.

Google Glass review roundup

Google watch name

As for the name of a Google watch, many are predicting that it could use the same name as Google Glass - in other words, it will be a Google Glass watch. We're not so sure about this, since we'd have thought it will be a totally separate and somewhat more consumer-orientated product than Google Glass is. (And yes, we know Google plans to sell Glass to the wider world too).

Rumours also continue to abound that Google will launch its own retail stores, although it will take some time to rival the all-conquering Apple Stores, of course.

The stores would enable consumers to get face-on with Google Glass as well as Android phones and, potentially, the Google watch.

BT seals £27.4m Staffordshire broadband deal

Kane Fulton — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:19:00 GMT

BT and the Staffordshire Broadband Project have inked a deal to provide fibre optic broadband to about 97% of the county's homes and businesses by spring 2013.

Backed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership, it should see 95% of businesses receive a download speed of at least 24Mbps, with the remaining properties to get a minimum of 2Mbps.

BT is contributing £12.47 million toward the scheme, while Staffordshire County Council is contributing £7.44 million, which has been matched by the government's Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) fund.

Staffordshire County Council said the network will be open to all communication providers on an equal basis to drive competition and keep prices down.

Green light

Mark Winnington, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said the signing of the contract gave the green light for BT's local network division Openreach to start work on the project.

He said: "We see this infrastructure as important as road or rail in providing the accessibility and opportunities for our residents and businesses. It will ensure we can compete with other areas of the UK and Europe. That is why we took the crucial decision to invest £7.44 million."

BDUK is the government agency overseeing a £530 million project to roll out high-= speed broadband to 90% of UK premises in rural areas by 2016, in addition to a minimum of 2Mbps to the remaining 10% in hard to reach areas.

As contract number 23 of 44, the Staffordshire-BT deal saw BDUK pass the government's halfway mark. BT, which has won all of its contracts so far, was left the sole remaining bidder for contracts in March when its only competitor Fujitsu withdrew from the procurement process.

Contracts it has won include providing fibre optic broadband to Herefordshire and Gloucestershire (in a deal worth a total of £56.6 million), West Sussex (£20 million), Durham (£24 million), and Cheshire (£27.4 million).

In Depth: The sensor-packed football that teaches you how to be a better player

Gareth Beavis — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:44:00 GMT

TechRadar spent some time with the new MiCoach SmartBall from Adidas – one of the first to draw data from your every kick.

The new MiCoach ball from Adidas looks like a spider accidentally exploded inside a normal ball. A small, round sensor in the middle of the sphere is held in place by a number of rods which press against the inner bladder of the ball.

"We have two sensors in there: an accelerometer and magnetometer, which can analyse the flight pattern of the ball, the speed, spin, bend, trajectory and football contact location," Christian DiBenedetto, Senior Innovation Director at Adidas told us.

"We used the same bladder as a normal ball, pumped it up to the same pressure, then suspend it on non-stretch loop of rubber and Kevlar. That suspension keeps the package in centre of the ball, so that even when the ball makes contact with something, that [sensor package] will never move from the centre of the ball."

The MiCoach Smartball comes with a dedicated app, which it communicates with wirelessly using Bluetooth 4.0 low energy. The set up is very simple: fire up the app, select the foot you're intending to kick with and then just wallop the ball as hard as you can, with the results of where and how fast you kicked the ball appearing in moments.

There's more to it than that though: with the app you can choose to focus on how you bent the ball, how much spin you put through it or even take on pro challenges, where users are tasked with mimicking kicks from professionals.

The data can all be saved to help you track your progress over time, as well as letting you share the information with a number of people on Twitter and Facebook who probably don't care.

When is it too much data?

Some people, when we described the technology, were in awe of the concept. However an equal amount were nonplussed, questioning why you'd want to know such things.

It's a good point: with sports brands looking to eke performance out of every single area of every game using wearable technology and sensors, when does it become overload? Why make a MiCoach ball at all?

"People want to see results," says DiBenedetto. "They especially want to see the results of a faster kick. Before they would kick the ball, and say it felt faster, but didn't know for sure; now they do.

"It's about giving feedback you would never otherwise get. Feedback of data that's actually really important [for improvement] and you can put it into your next kick."

That's where the set up comes into its own, as while you get lots of information on all the things you've just done, a huge portion of the app is dedicated to helping you translate that into real-world use.

Videos of professionals at key points in the leg swing show how to apply bend and swerve as well as improving power, meaning a child with nothing more than a ball and their father's iPad (that the cheeky mite swiped when he wasn't looking) can instantly improve dramatically.

And here's the good news: while DiBenedetto wouldn't be drawn on any specifics, he did confirm that the ball wouldn't cost the earth (and that the app would be free).

"[The MiCoach ball] is going to be affordable so everyone that wants to get better can do so, making sure it's within their reach."

Sadly we'll have to wait until 2014 to get see this technology in the shops, but it's definitely something that we can see brought down to the football pitch for a competitive practice session – a multiplayer game allows you to play against a friend to create the 'best kick'.

There will come a time when 'data apathy' in sports creeps in, but right now we're at the start of something impressive where things we could only guess at can be tracked and analysed – and in a way that's affordable enough for the average consumer too.

Could you kick this with boots weighing just 99g? Check out our exclusive look at the futuristic F50 concept from Adidas.

Blip: Samsung GT-i8805 could be world's first proper Tizen smartphone

John McCann — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:09:00 GMT

Samsung has already said it's committed to delivering handsets running Tizen this year and the GT-i8805 may be our first glimpse of this promise coming to fruition.

The folks over at Techtastic spotted a user agent profile which apparently reveals details about its first mainstream Tizen-toting smartphone - dubbed "Redwood" and carrying the moniker Samsung GT-i8805.

According to the profile the GT-i8805 will sport a 1280 x 720 display, an older ARM Cortex A9 processor and 4G connectivity. Other reports suggest Samsung will launch its first Tizen handset in August or September this year.

More blips!

While we wait for more Tizen news read some more great blips.

Xbox One embraces future with 3D and 4K, still needs internet to work

Hugh Langley — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:08:00 GMT

The Xbox One might look a little like a VCR from the 90s, but Microsoft promises that the console is future-proof enough for the next generation of the living room.

Microsoft director of programming Larry Hryb confirmed during a Yahoo chat session that Ultra HD and 3D will be supported on the new console. "Xbox One supports both 3D and 4K," he said.

Hryb didn't confirm whether this 4K support would be for games, or just photo and video like the PS4, although Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi also told Forbes that the Xbox One will support Blu-ray from launch with the possibility of games using the resolution down the line.

But that Internet connection thing ain't so great

While the console won't require an "always on" connection to function, it will need to connect to the internet every 24 hours, as confirmed by Microsoft vp Phil Harrison to Kotaku.

He said that the console "requires, at some point in the beginning and at various times through its on state, to connect to our cloud and to our internet," adding that the maximum time the console could go without connecting was about 24 hours.

We also know that Xbox One will not function without Kinect working, though Microsoft promises that privacy-concerned users will be able to switch Kinect's detectors off when not using the console.

See our initial impressions of the Xbox One here