TechRadar: Mobile computing news

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Everything starts with a new Lock screen, where the glossy image and clock have been replaced by a stark black screen with supposed improved gesture controls.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

Kindle Fire HD breaks into the workplace

Kane Fulton — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:24:00 GMT

A survey by analyst house Forrester Research has shown Amazon's Kindle Fire HD to be the third most popular 'bring your own device' tablet for use among information workers in the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany.

Used by 9% of 5,116 information workers surveyed between February and April, the tablet ranks behind Apple's iPad (53%), and the Samsung Galaxy (18%), which Forrester points out has gained market share largely through companies issuing them to employees.

In the UK, 5% of information workers were using the Kindle Fire HD at work on a weekly basis, fewer than the 15% recorded for the US and France.

In a company blog post, Forrester analyst JP Gownder says the Kindle Fire HD has turned out to be "something of a stealth competitor in the BYOD space".

Stealth competitor

"Amazon's third place finish is pretty impressive for a consumer-oriented tablet with strong origins in ebooks and media," Gownder writes.

He adds: "The tablet doesn't have quite as strong a presence in the UK, France, or Germany (and isn't yet available in Canada) but its position in the US is a leading indicator of work usage elsewhere."

Gownder writes that the trend is down to employees bringing the Kindle Fire HD into the workplace, as it isn't sold directly to enterprises.

It has a number of work-related features, however, such as support for ActiveSync, Skype, WebEx, virtual private network (VPN), 4G connectivity on some models, and a preloaded OfficeSuite app to view Microsoft Office documents.

Amazon also offers its own free online tool Whispercast to businesses, which enables IT departments to connect Kindles to corporate networks.

Gowdner told TRPro: "I think what it really shows is that personal tablets with decent functionality on the consumer side can augment one's work life -- for at least some workers. Other workers are going to want and need much more substantive tablet experiences."

He adds: "Amazon has a higher profile in the US than in some other markets (though it's becoming formidable around the world), including more legacy E-Ink eReader device sales in the US. But I think they will continue to expand into various markets."

Big Tent: Google: 'we have a clear incentive to protect your privacy'

Dan Grabham — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:02:00 GMT

Google's Eric Schmidt says the internet giant has "a clear business incentive" to protect your privacy. Speaking at Google's Big Tent UK event this week he was at pains to state why it's in Google's interests to respect data.

"We try to be as transparent as possible on what we do with people's data. From our perspective, we disclose what we are doing. So we basically made a broad statement of 'this is what we do with your data' – we did this about a year ago and it was widely covered.

"Anybody who cares about privacy would have read this and understood it and knew what we were doing. From our perspective we had disclosed what we were doing."

But Schmidt acknowledged the continuing concerns over Google's data use, before moving on to the reasons why he believes such concerns are unfounded.

"My interpretation is that there is concern that we might be misusing this data and we're not telling you [about it], which I assure you is not the case. We're very committed to telling you what we do. There appears to be a separate concern that we use the data at all, but that's how our systems work, that's how we are able to afford the data centres and the services that are free.

"So we're sort of caught between these rhetorical points. But I can assure you from a privacy perspective – if we were to violate your privacy in a way that was material we would lose you and we would not get you back."

"We would get sued to death"

And Schmidt says you should believe in Google's good intentions even if you don't like the company. "Independent of whether you like us, we have a clear business incentive to protect your privacy. Because if we violate it, we will lose you. Furthermore, if we do it, the Europeans and US will legislate against us, restrict our actions. So there are many reasons why you should think your privacy is protected.

"We say it, we do it, we suffer a penalty if we break it, we lose you as a customer, we will get regulated and we will get sued to death, because we get sued over everything. I think that's roughly how it's going to play out. If people are genuinely concerned, we need to fight for our privacy because it will get taken from us – not from Google, but from others who have other agendas."

Talking more generally about the concept of privacy – tackled in his new book – Schmidt said it was more important than ever that we all work to protect our own privacy.

"It's difficult to separate privacy and security. For example, everyone expects Google to respect the integrity of the data you give to Google. It would be a huge problem if your information is somehow leaked or given to Governments. That makes sense to me.

"I think you have a responsibility for judgement; the internet has retention. It's difficult to delete things. If you post things, they're unlikely to be deletable. This is a problem for parents. Schmidt cited the recent examples of 3D printed guns and ammunition being made as a reason why information online is so indelible. Referring to a specific US case he said: "This information is now all around the world and is essentially undeletable because it's in so many different places. People will die because of what this gentleman – and I call him that with derision – decided was a clever idea."

Schmidt is clearly forthright on the issue of privacy and says he has long thought about the implications of putting ever-increasing amounts of data online: "We need to fight for privacy now, or we're going to lose it," is his advice for us.

Amazon lights up Kindle Fire HD pre-orders for Australia

Nick Broughall — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:41:00 GMT

Amazon's plans for global domination continued today, with the online giant announcing its plans to ship the Kindle Fire HD tablet to an additional 170 countries, including Australia.

Both the 7-inch and the 8.9-inch versions of the HD tablet are currently available for pre-order, with the 7-inch version starting at $US214 and the 8.9-inch version starting at $US284.

The tablet will officially begin shipping to the additional regions on June 13. That's nine months after the tablet was originally announced in the US and eight months after it launched in the UK.

Apps, but no media

To accompany the tablet's international rollout, Amazon has also enabled its Android app store around the world today. While the app store is available on most Android devices, it is designed to truly work with the Fire range of tablets.

Despite the availability of apps and ebooks, one thing the Kindle Fire HD appears to be missing in its global rollout is entertainment content like music and videos, as well as the Amazon Prime streaming video service.

Given the difficulties companies like Apple and Google have had getting Australian rights to content, this isn't a surprise. But it's not clear if Amazon is working towards launching these features in the future, or if it is cutting its losses to try and get the device out to a global market.

BBC iPlayer for Android update brings support for 10-inch tablets

Chris Smith — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:10:00 GMT

The BBC has issued a new version of its iPlayer app for Android, enabling it to support 10-inch tablets for the first time.

Owners of the Google Nexus 10, and other larger slates had previously been redirected to the BBC website when attempting to use the BBC's catch-up portal.

The update, which is available to download from the Google Play Store today, means all devices from 7-10-inches will now be able to access the full range of TV and radio services.

The company has also promised support for larger slates, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is also forthcoming.

Design tweaks

Auntie has also tweaked the design for phones and 7-inch tablets in the new version.

The app offers live TV and on-demand television over Wi-Fi and 3G and also features the new BBC Media Player to enable better playback on Android devices.

Hisense's foray into mobile devices starts with new Sero 7 tablets

Luke Brown — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:18:00 GMT

On a humid, overcast, and rain-filled Thursday in New York City, Hisense looked to brighten the mood by introducing the Hisense Sero 7 tablets.

The company made a big splash at CES earlier this year with its massive 110-inch HDTV and its glasses-free 3D HDTV, but now Hisense is taking the necessary steps to enter the ever-crowding Android tablet marketplace.

Both of the 7-inch tablets are being produced as part of a new partnership between Hisense, Wal-mart and Nvidia, and will burst onto the scene this Friday with consumer-friendly pricing.

"The tablet market is complex and competitive," said Jonathan Frank, vice president of marketing at Hisense U.S.

"To win in this environment, you need something truly unique. Our Sero 7 tablets will win."

Sero-ious business

The Sero 7 LT (pronounced "light") will be available for $99 at more than 3,000 Walmarts across the U.S.

In addition to featuring a 7-inch screen with a 1024 x 600 resolution, the LT will be powered by Android 4.1: Jelly Bean and a 1.6GHz dual-core processor.

The 0.3MP front-facing camera and 4GB memory may not be that impressive, but there will be a microSD slot to boost the storage up to 32GB.

Both tablets will also include miniHDMI and microUSB ports, which will enable you to stream content directly to your television should you so choose.

As enticing as the LT may sound, for $149 Hisense is bringing the Sero 7 Pro to Wal-mart at exactly the same time, but with a host of upgrades.

The Sero 7 Pro will again be 7-inches, but will use a 1280 x 800 screen and Android 4.2: Jelly Bean, all powered a Nvidia 1.3GHz Tegra 3 processor.

The Pro also packs in two cameras (2MP front-facing, 5MP rear), 8GB memory (also expandable to 32GB with microSD), and a 10-hour battery to make sure you're able to get in as much gaming as possible.

The LT model also lacks the NFC and Bluetooth connectivity of the Pro, but for the price, both tablets appear to be poised to strike at the heart of the Android tablet competition.

Beneficial partnerships

Both of the Sero 7 tablets will launch with built-in applications centered around taking advantage of the new partnerships between the three manufacturers.

Each of the tablets will include apps for Wal-mart, Sam's Club, Vudu, Nook, Facebook, and Nvidia's Tegrazone.

That's in addition to the already robust Google Play store, which is home to thousands of apps readily compatible with the Sero 7 devices.

"At the end of the day, it's content that sells products," said John Lonergan, vice president of sales and marketing at Nvidia.

"[The Sero 7] is an end-to-end partnership with three leaders in the industry really bringing the strength of consumer, product, and technology insight into a fantastic product."

Hisense seems sure its first foray into the Android tablet world will be a positive one, and its built-in exclusive agreement with one of the largest retailers in the U.S. will certainly help.

However, we won't see how the Sero 7 series holds up against the Nexus 7 (with a possible new model coming this year) or the Kindle Fire HD until both models are actually available.

It's time to update your tablet apps. But before you buy one, read our list of the best free Android apps.

Updated: CTIA 2013: all the latest from this year's show

Alex Roth and Michelle Fitzsimmons — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:10:00 GMT

We're back in the desert sun of Las Vegas for a tech show, and no, not CES.

We're joining thousands of journalists, exhibitors and eager attendees in populating the Sands Expo & Convention Center for four days of seminars, press conferences, interview hunting and exhibit floor meandering for CTIA 2013, the annual industry tech show.

We hit up MobileCon (hosted by CTIA) in San Diego last year, and though a name reversal may be in order, CTIA 2013's got a more mobile and consumer focus than the Southern California show.

We don't expect a large number of product unveilings, though there's always the chance someone could decide to surprise the crowd.

Oh yeah, and Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Lopez are both here.

Here's all the latest coming out of CTIA 2013:

Digital Life by AT&T is just the beginning

Think "AT&T" and you jump to phones, wireless contracts and a blue-lined orb. But with Digital Life, it's home automation and security system, AT&T wants you to know there's much more to its services.

We sat down with Digital Life President Kevin Petersen for some insight into why AT&T wanted to get into the home security biz, how it differs from the competition, and what lays ahead for Life.

Read our interview with Petersen here

Exclusive: Still no HTC One for Verizon

We do love the HTC One, enough to give it five-stars. Still, a lot of consumers balked at lack of microSD storage.

Given that, minds reeled when images of the Japan and China's version of the One emerged sporting, you guessed it, a microSD slot. So when we met with HTC in Vegas, we had to say "what gives?" HTC answered straightaway.

We also prodded a bit about Verizon. Big Red isn't carrying the One, and doesn't seem to have any plans for it. HTC was more coy with this one, but we think our analysis is worth a read.

Read more: Why no HTC One on Verizon, microSD for US and UK? HTC explains

Jennifer Lopez launches Viva Movil with Verizon

Big Red's press conference was just about the most exciting thing to go down at CTIA, thanks in no small part to the star power lent by Jennifer Lopez.

Lopez is launching a mobile retail chain designed specifically towards Latinos called Viva Movil. Verizon is the exclusive wireless provider, though as no stake in the company.

What sets Viva apart from any another retailer? Try bilingual staff, kids play areas and a heavy helping of social media.

Read more about Viva Movil and how J. Lo is involved

Nokia still betting on Windows Phone 8

Nokia's Lumia line is all-in on WIndows Phone 8. What's more, its Verizon exclusive Lumia 928 was on the show floor, and we took the opportunity to check it out.

This is easily the skinniest Lumia we've seen yet, with less than a half-inch of thickness. It's also more subdued, available in just black and white.

It's a good looking device, if a bit slippery with its all plastic body. Verizon customers may actually be jealous of the metal Lumia 925, coming soon to T-Mobile.

Hands on: Lumia 928 review

Wal-mart isn't threatened by mobile

It's an issue that's been around for a while now: brick-and-mortar retailers face the threat of the online world. Now that people can buy their goods from Amazon, why drive to a physical location?

On the flip side, some consumers bemoan the sense that online shopping lacks the personal touch of in-store shopping.

Gibu Thomas, Wal-mart's head of mobile, said during CTIA's Day 2 keynote that smartphones can actually give consumers the one-on-one buying experience the company's founder, Sam Walton, envisioned when he founded what has turned into a mega-retail corporation.

Through features found on the Wal-mart app like smart shopping lists and voice recognition, consumers can experience a smarter way to shop. The company is also developing a way to scan items as they wander the isles, and with a single scan can check out and pay before heading home.

There's real economic benefit for stores: Thomas said that in-store purchases influenced by mobile devices could eventually surpass the growth potential for e-commerce, reaching $700 billion.

Cars + 4G = ?

Connected cars are still in the early stages, but here at CTIA GM wanted to show was a vehicle with built-in 4G actually looks like.

The Cadillac ATS with AT&T 4G features here is only a prototype, but it gives a good look at to what high-speed connections mean for our rides.

Whether it's streaming videos to passengers or viewing what's going on outside your car thanks to streams sent from outside mounted cameras to your mobile device, the future of 4G and vehicles looks mighty bright.

Read about the Cadillac ATS with AT&T 4G

CTIA transforming into 'super show'

The opening day's key note speech had some interesting insights into the future of CTIA Wireless.

It was announced that CTIA is moving away from having two separate shows, and will merge them both into one super show that will be held in the fall.

Read more about the future of the CTIA Wireless show.

Cat B15 makes US stand

On the first day of CTIA (OK, it's not officially underway yet) we got to rub elbows with the Cat B15; a rugged, rubberized handset from the people behind Caterpillar.

Hands on: Cat B15 review

If Android 4.1, a dual-core processor and $349 without a contract don't appeal to you, then perhaps the fact it can survive a 5.9-foot drop and survive for 30 minutes in 3.2-feet of water may play to your gritty side.

Sit-down with Sprint

Pull up a seat. It's time to talk Sprint.

There's a lot going on with America's third place carrier, least of which are bids by two parties to purchase the company outright.

We plan to get to get a read on which way Sprint is leaning - Dish or Softbank, as epic a decision as Jacob or Edward - plus how the company plans to compete in the 4G LTE space when we have some one-on-one time with the company in the Vegas desert (OK, it will be an air-conditioned hotel, but you get the idea).

There's much more to come, but know we have it out to sniff what's up with Sprint.

This Digital Life

AT&T brought its home management and automation system, Digital Life, to life in 15 markets April 26, marking the first time the service is available for consumers.

The carrier plans to bring D.L. up to 50 markets by the end of the year, and we expect to hear a good amount about how these plans are progressing at CTIA.

Kevin Petersen, senior vice president at Digital Life, is giving a keynote speech during "Connections," a connected home conference within the larger CTIA umbrella. We also have some sit down time scheduled with Petersen during the conference, where we'll pick his brain on where Digital Life is going on how AT&T plans to take it there.

Though it's not a flashy new phone, as connected homes become a greater part of the digital conversation (just look at CES 2013), we envision many more companies jumping on the bandwagon and offering service's such as this. We'll look for insights on the march towards a more connected life at CTIA, so stay tuned for more.

Verizon wants us to save the date

What's this in our inbox? A save the date invite from Verizon for May 22?

"Join Verizon Wireless for a Special Announcement at CTIA," it read. Intriguing.

During MobileCon, Verizon reveled in it's 4G LTE dominance, and we wouldn't be surprised if the company took yet another opportunity to talk up just how many American's its high-speed network covers.

Another take is that we'll get word on a new product, with our hearts hoping it's Verizon's own version of the HTC One.

TechRadar will be there live, so tune in at 11 a.m. May 22 for more.

Deutsche Telekom talks T-Mobile

Thomas Kiessling, chief product and innovation officer at Deutsche Telekom - T-Mobile's parent company - is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech during CTIA 2013.

Kiessling's job description alone is reason enough to want to hear what the PhD has to say: According to his bio blurb on the CTIA website, Kiessling is in charge of Group-wide innovation strategy, product development and corporate R&D. He controls DT's product portfolio and defines the amorphous Group's product roadmap.

Inviting enough, but we expect Kiessling to give us a little taste of T-Mo-related news during his speech.

The carrier only recently completely re-invented itself, doing away with annual contracts and offering premium phones at up-front affordable prices. Handsets like the iPhone 5 recently landed on its door step, and more - such as the Galaxy S4 and HTC One - are on the horizon.

As if it wasn't busy enough, T-Mo is also pushing 4G LTE out a steady clip and plans to blanket 100 million U.S. customers by mid-year, so we expect Kiessling to have many topics to talk about.

Sprint, AT&T and U.S. Cellular spill on consumer goods

Based on our MobileCon experience, carriers are more keen on talking up the enterprise side of things than the consumer side, but that's only on surface.

Once they get chatting, carriers are quite willing to spill the goods on things that matter to the Average Joe.

We'll pin Sprint, AT&T and U.S. Cellular down to talk coverage, competition and upcoming devices at CTIA. In fact, Mary Dillon, president and CEO of U.S. Cellular, will be in the house, so we fully expect to get the low down on the smaller carrier's plans for growth. It intends to sell Samsung's S4, so you know this "little guy" has some big offerings.

We expect news from all of the above on how many Americans each is covering with 4G LTE, whether anyone is working on LTE Advanced, and insight into newly announced and still unrevealed devices.

Maybe we'll catch wind of the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6?

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVczr6XtwZs

Sony elaborates on contactless ecostyem

Sony, which made a splash at CES and MWC, is heading to Sin City for CTIA, but plans to show a slightly different side of its business than mobile phones specifically.

At the Sony booth, there will be plenty of near-field communications (NFC)/FeliCa enabled devices and products that fit into the lattice work of what it calles the "contactless ecosystem." FeliCa, by the way, is a contactless IC card that Sony developed for transactions that can be completed in approx. 0.1 seconds.

We'll see the company's NFC Dynamic Tag tech and the uses it has in both healthcare and wellness through a variety of OEM partner products.

We're anxious to see what Sony has in mind for this tech. Are we talking connected home, advanced transactions at various retail locations, improved healthcare and fitness, or a everything under the contactless sun?

Sony is sure to have plenty of answers.

American Express, Visa vent on NFC

Speaking of NFC, both Visa and American Express (through its Open proxy) will hit the Strip for some convention love, and we're gearing up to hear how we can knock down our credit card payments.

Just kidding.

With the States' preeminent credit card companies occupying a chunk of exhibit space at a mobile-focused show, we can only expect some NFC and other mobile commerce-related announcements and products to rear their head.

At MobileCon we got an earful from industry leaders in the mobile commerce space on challenges facing mobile wallets, but what solutions do traditional credit card companies have to offer for a world that is increasingly mobile?

How can we keep sensitive information secure while also bringing greater convenience to our lives, particularly as a growing number of mobile devices adopt NFC tech?

We expect to find out all at CTIA.

Is your phone App-solutely secure?

As more and more of our personal and professional lives gets tucked away onto phones, tablets and laptops, mobile security is an inescapable concern. So how secure would you say your phone is? Or that app you used to pay your friend back for lunch?

If we've gotten you a bit nervous, perhaps a trip to App-solutely Security: The State of Mobile Security, will make you feel better. Or maybe it won't. It all depends on the conclusions drawn at this half-day educational event. It kicks off at 1pm on May 20, with a cocktail reception to calm worried nerves to follow.

Qualcomm calms down while giving us an earful

Qualcomm and Vegas seem to go together like a bachelor party and bottle service - not well.

The chip maker had a press conference it would probably like to forget at CES 2013, and thankfully its CTIA presence will be more subdued....we think.

Mass production of its 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor is supposed to get underway in May, and we don't think Qualcomm will miss the chance to quack about its chips in Vegas. Perhaps we'll even catch a whiff of when the 800 will start making it out to phones and tablets, and which ones will house it.

During MWC 2013, the company spoke at length about how its chips can help solve 4G LTE fragmentation in the U.S. and Europe, and we expect much of that dialogue to carry over into CTIA as well.

We just hope we don't see Big Bird running around.

Enter the iZone

Apple is ever the host, never the guest. It either puts on an event, or doesn't show up at all. So while you'd never catch an official iPhone presence at a CTIA show, there's always a plethora of booths hawking the latest case or accessory for the MacBook, iPhone, iPad or whatever iThing is coming down the pipes.

This year, CTIA has officially acknowledged the abundance of Apple accessories in attendance by granting them their own section of the show. They'll all be corralled in the iZone, a 17,000 square foot shrine to some of the world's most popular mobile devices. CTIA already published a list of iZone denizens, which includes noted case maker Incase, maker of stylish phone and laptop skins DecalGirl, and screen protection mogul iShieldz, to name a few.

Obviously, these manufacturers aren't limiting themselves to just iPhone and iPad accessories. Maybe they'll already be selling straps for the rumored Apple iWatch?

The wonderful World of Tablets

Tablets have quickly become a common device for everyday life. They're a great way to read, game, browse the web or occasionally get some work done. But for as much as they already do for us, there are those that are looking ahead to see how tablets can do more, and remain secure while doing so.

The World of Tablets will take place on May 22 from 11:30am - 5:30pm. Host Open Path products has already published a laundry list of subjects it plans to broach. Here are the ones we find most intriguing:

Tablet strategies to increase productivity

Will that mean blocking games like The Walking Dead and Infinity Blade II? We hope not.

The rise of phablets

Can we address renaming/eliminating that awkward term?

Tablets and interactive television: The second screen revolution

SmartGlass and HBO GO are a match made in heaven, unless you'd like to actually concentrate on your show.

Consumer usage habits- What will they pay for?

A very good question, since being free and charging a mere ninety-nine cents can mean a huge difference in downloads. A lot of companies are still trying to crack this one.

Ashton Kutcher and J. Lo?

CTIA's suit and tie crowd may be surprised to learn that Ashton Kutcher, of "That 70's Show" fame, will be featured as a keynote speaker. Kutcher made waves in the early days of Twitter, beating CNN in a race to one million Twitter followers. More recently, he's taken on the meaty role of playing Apple founder Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic, not to be confused with the one Aaron Sorkin is currently writing.

So Kutcher is obviously a modern dude who loves tech, but what does he have to offer the CTIA crowd? Perhaps a cautionary tale about thinking before you tweet? Kutcher had an awkward moment in November of 2011 when he tweeted "How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste," unaware that a Penn State sex abuse scandal was breaking. Obviously, he's apologized, and has since handed the keys to his Twitter account over to his PR team. We wonder what the man would suggest for those without PR hacks to give our tweets a once over.

Jennifer Lopez is best known for her role in 'Selena,' as a judge on "American Idol" and for that Grammy dress, but Jenny from the Block is also the chairman and CEO of Nuyorican Productions Inc., a film and television company.

OK, that may still be too "Hollywood" for the subject matter of CTIA, but Ms. Lopez is participating in a panel on the growth of Latino mobile use. She'll be joined by Verizon COO and Executive VP Marni Walden as well as Brightstar chairman and CEO Marcelo Claure. We expect some fascinating insights and ideas about new innovations - and how those can be shared by more people - to come out of the discussion.

A three-day AppWeek

Love apps? Of course you do. So make a visit to the Mobile Apps Pavilion in the middle of the CTIA show floor. For three days it'll be home to specialty app designers and their products. While that's a few ticks short of a week, we'll let them get away with it. They're promising a place to sit down, kick up your feet and watch demos of new and upcoming apps on big screen televisions.

These aren't the typical apps you'll find on Google Play or iTunes, either. This is mobile software designed for internal use with government, medical, financial, entertainment and other industries. Pay a visit and you just might find the mobile designer your business needs, or get inspired for a new way to be productive on your device of choice.

Tutorial: How to control your home with your iPhone or iPad

Matthew Bolton — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Control your heating and lighting with iOS

Most iOS users will already be used to using their iPhone or iPad in just about any situation - to kill a bit of time with some games; to check the train schedule; to write a shopping list; to watch a video - you can do a huge amount with these tiny computers.

But what you can do with the device isn't just limited to things contained within its screen - you can control your home from it as well. Instead of getting up to hit the light switch, you can just grab your iPhone. To see what's on and change the channel, grab your iPad. Everything from the temperature to the curtains can be controlled with the right apps and accessories.

It's not just about giving commands, though. With wireless audio and video, and remote access to the files on your PC, you can use your iOS device to conduct your digital life like an orchestra. You can even monitor the security of your home when away (or just keep an eye on the baby).

If you think you use an iPhone for everything now, just wait until you're changing the colour of your mood lighting with it. Soon, you'll never have to leave your sofa again (with the exception of basic human needs).

The automated home

The idea of home automation has been around for years, with systems that let you control the level of lighting in your home, the temperature, what time the doors lock; systems that can open and close the curtains, turn appliances on and off and much more. In the past, these were only available through expensive installations, and controlling them was awkward, requiring elaborate remote controls or wall-mounted panels.

While the comprehensive home installation is still an option (and is still expensive) for giving you the most complete control, there are also now easier accessories that can give you many of the same options, but just need to be plugged in.

The crucial thing these days is that they're just about all app-connected - with the right download from the App Store, you can take total control of your house from your iPhone or iPad.

When it comes to lighting, one of the more outlandish options is the Philips Hue set. These LED lightbulbs just plug into regular light sockets, but are wirelessly controlled by a base station that connects to your iPhone or iPad, so you can make lighting changes from the accompanying app.

What makes the Hue different to other light-dimming systems is that you can change not just the brightness of the bulb, but also its colour. The app lets you customise colours, and if you have multiple Hue bulbs, they can be different colours - you can even tell them to match the various colours in a photograph, to set a scene.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Hue bulbs are quite expensive, so if you want a similar system for less, have a look at LightwaveRF's dimmable CFL bulbs. Like the Hue, they work in normal lighting fixtures and you control them from an iOS app. They don't change colour, but you can control their brightness (or turn them off) without having to install custom light switches.

If you don't want to buy expensive smart lightbulbs, installing custom light switches can be a great option. You basically replace your current light switch with one that can communicate wirelessly to a compatible base station, and you'll gain dimmable and remote control of any light that switch connects to. LightwaveRF sells switches that work with its base station, as do many other companies, including Control4 and the X10 range (uk-automation.co.uk).

I love lamp

If you use a lot of lamps in the home, you can use plug-based systems to control them. LightwaveRF makes plug sockets that can be controlled by your iOS device. Alternatively, the same company makes plug adapters for wireless control - plug your lamp into the adapter, which then plugs into the wall socket.

Belkin's WeMo range also offers this kind of adapter. They're more expensive than LightwaveRF for each unit, but don't require a base station to function (they connect directly to your iPhone), so might cost less up front. In either case, you can then control multiple lamps either independently, or together.

With most of these controller apps, it's then possible to group sets of lights together, so you can set 'scenes' or 'moods'; a 'movie' mood might have your main light off and some side lamps on dimly, for example. The Control4 system includes a Goodnight option, which will turn off all lights in the house in one tap.

Of course, these iOS-controlled plugs and plug adapters can be used for more than just lights. You could control a fan remotely, or turn off your computer or TV at the wall to save power. There's also a safety aspect - LightwaveRF touts the ability to immediately disable all the power sockets in a room if you're worried about a child playing with them, for example.

Control freakery

Controlling the heating is something else that's really useful to be able to do from your device - especially if you want to turn the heating on before you get home.

The Nest thermostat is a smart system that learns about how your home is heated and when you tend to feel cold, and adapts automatically, but it can also be controlled remotely from your iPhone (if you have more than one, you can control them independently too). Control4 also offers a wireless thermostat system, where multiple thermostats can be controlled independently if you have zoned heating.

If you want that kind of granular control without installing separated heating systems, though, there is a simpler option. LightwaveRF offers wirelessly controlled radiator valves that just replace the normal valves on your radiators. Each can be controlled individually, letting you create 'zoned' heating without having to have a full installation with multiple thermostats. You can then control the valves with your iPhone as well as the compatible wall-mounted control.

You can even use your iPhone to keep your house secure. This is at its most direct with Control4's lock system - its smart deadbolt and handles can be installed instead of a regular lock, and can be controlled either by using a good old-fashioned key, by entering a code on the buttons above the lock, or by using your iPhone. Just before bed you could make sure all the locks on your doors are set just by grabbing your iPhone and hitting the button in the app. Z-Wave also offers this type of lock.

Most of these systems will also let you set timers for many things, such as the lights, so you can set them to come on and turn off at certain times, perhaps to give the impression that you're in. This doesn't require any further hardware than what we've already described – you can just set this in the app. Some systems, such as Z-Wave, even let you open and close the curtains from your iPhone – and that can also be scheduled, so it appears that someone is in your home when you're on holiday.

Read on to discover how to control your home entertainment with your iOS device.

Control your home entertainment with iOS

Entertainment centre

There's no doubt that the iPhone and iPad make excellent media machines, playing music, films and TV shows from your device, or streamed in from elsewhere, but it's rare that you'd want to do all your TV watching from there. If you're like us, though, you'll still have your iPhone to hand, so why not make it useful by turning it into a remote control?

To make it a traditional remote, you'll need an accessory such as the Griffin Beacon or the VooMote Zapper. The Beacon is a little box that sits on your coffee table (or similar surface in front of your TV, set-top box, DVD player and so on) that acts as an infrared transmitter, just like a normal remote, but also connects to your Wi-Fi network. It's controlled by an accompanying app on your iPhone or iPad, which it communicates with wirelessly.

The VooMote Zapper is a little more direct, plugging into the 30-pin dock connector of your iOS device and acting directly as an infrared transmitter, with the touchscreen turning into a universal controller. This option has no setup to go through, but it also lacks the convenience of using the Beacon, which doesn't require that you plug anything into your device.

In both cases, a large library of controller settings for TVs, satellite and Freeview boxes, DVD and Blu-ray players and so on is built in, so you can generally just tell it what kind of TV you have and it'll start working.

Increasingly though, new set-top boxes and TV add-ons are designed to be plugged into your home network, giving a second option for how to control them. For many things, you don't even need to replicate the traditional remote, but can instead just control them directly over Wi-Fi.

The most obvious of these is the Apple TV, which can be controlled by Apple's Remote app for iPhone and iPad. It lets you navigate the menus with swipes, and also use a full keyboard when searching for titles. Apple's remote app is fairly simple in the grand scheme, though - many others give you a whole new interface on your device to interact with, while still controlling your entertainment centre.

The Xbox SmartGlass app, for example, gives you a kind of recreation of the Xbox interface on your device, letting you browse games options, films and videos, and more.

The likes of the Sky+, YouView, Virgin Media TV and View21 apps also give you a custom interface to get involved with. These apps will all show you a guide to what's on, letting you scroll around as you wish. If a show you want is on now, you can switch to that channel on your TV; if it's in the future you can choose to record, or perform other actions that you would on the remote. Some let you browse recorded shows to choose something to watch.

And it's not just about TV entertainment - the Griffin Beacon and VooMote Zapper could be used to control a hi-fi setup. There's also a Sonos app, which lets you control Sonos multi-room audio setups from the comfort of your iPad.

Wireless video

One of the pleasingly lazy little things about everything becoming wirelessly connected is that you no longer have to get out of your comfy seat to put a video on your TV. Instead of visiting the DVD player, you can just stream what you want to watch instead. And, of course, you can use your iOS device to do the streaming.

If you have an Apple TV, you can use AirPlay to send images from your iOS device to your TV from a multitude of video apps, as well as to show photo slideshows. This means you can sit back and send videos from Vimeo or YouTube to your big TV, watch inspiring TED talks, find something great on on-demand apps such as BBC iPlayer or HBO Go, watch your own home films, or watch films and TV shows you've bought from iTunes.

You can start streaming to your Apple TV by tapping on the AirPlay icon either next to the play controls in the video app, or by double-pressing the Home button, swiping left to right, and tapping the AirPlay icon there. (Not all video apps support AirPlay, so some might just display an error message on your TV, but those that do support will start playing on the TV.)

Most video apps will also take advantage of the extra space a widescreen TV offers over an iPad, so shows can play without black bars. Many apps will list AirPlay support in their app descriptions, so you'll know whether they'll work before you download them.

It's not just about streaming from your iPad though - you can also stream to it. You can do this from the internet with services such as Netflix and LOVEFiLM, but also from your computer.

If you have a lot of video stored on your PC or Mac, you can stream it to your iPhone or iPad using an app called Air Video. This not only lets you browse and play videos that are in formats supported by iOS, but it also lets you watch other video types, such as MKV, that the iPhone and iPad couldn't normally play. It does this by using your PC's powerful processor to convert them on the fly, meaning that it's great if you don't want to get involved in the complex world of video formats.

The icing on the big, chocolatey Air Video cake, though, is that it's also AirPlay-compatible, so you can use it to find a video on your computer and then stream to your big TV. The Apple TV can also mirror what your iPad's screen shows at almost any time, so you can use it to view websites on your TV, or even to play games on the big screen.

Some games are even designed for this, and will change their resolution to get the best out of a widescreen TV, or will show the main game on the TV while giving you a different view on the controller.

It's not just your TV that you can stream to using AirPlay. Reflector is an app for Macs and Windows PCs that lets you use your computer as an AirPlay target, just as you would your Apple TV. This means you can use your monitor to watch things in the same way you would on your TV, or you can play games on it.

Wireless audio

There are any number of ways to play music or radio on your iOS device, whether it's playing music stored on there or something streaming over the internet. However, the built-in speakers tend to be a little weedy.

Wireless speakers give a great sense of freedom, and mean you can send music from your little iPhone to a huge speaker, without ever moving from your beloved comfy sofa.

The easiest system to use is AirPlay, which was developed by Apple and works over Wi-Fi. AirPlay speakers in your home connect to your wireless router, and you can choose which should play the music - there's a little button next to the volume control that lets you see all the available options.

Bluetooth is a little less slick, because it requires a pairing process, but is another way to send music to a wireless speaker. For this, you just select Bluetooth speakers the same way you do AirPlay ones, so you could mix and match across your house if you so wish. Bluetooth speakers tend to be the cheaper options, but there are also some excellent high-end AirPlay speakers, as well as some budget versions, too.

AirPlay and Bluetooth are by far the most popular ways to send music wirelessly, but there are some custom options. For example, the Veho Mimi X3 uses a proprietary transmitter that attaches to your device's dock connector to send music to the speaker wirelessly.

Pure's Jongo range of multi-room speakers do it a little bit differently, using their own unique streaming method, accessed through an accompanying app. Like AirPlay, it works over Wi-Fi, so no extra accessories are needed, but it works differently to AirPlay. These options all tend to be more limiting than AirPlay or Bluetooth, but work well if you have the right setup for them.

Monitoring your home

Whether you're worried about the security of your home, or just want to keep an eye on the baby, there are some great gadgets that let you stay on top of what's happening from your iOS device.

Small cameras such as the BabyPing Baby Monitor have clever features such as motion and sound sensors, so they can alert you when the baby starts moving around or crying - you can get a notification on your iPhone or iPad, and can then use the accompanying app to watch a video feed of the baby to see if it's actually awake.

There are other cameras that aren't designed for this specific purpose in mind - the iZon Remote Room Monitor has a base that can be attached to any surface, with a camera unit that fixes to it magnetically, so it can be pointed in any direction. It's all wireless, so footage is recorded to the cloud, and you can watch it live or go back and get video from a previous day.

There are lots of other similar cameras, made by the likes of Philips and other companies, so you can find something that suits you. Though being wireless means they aren't all that cheap, they're still an easy way to monitor multiple parts of your home, if you choose to.

Many of the home automation systems, including LightwaveRF and Belkin WeMo, offer motion sensors as part of their home automation package, which can control lights, as you'd expect, but some of which can also send a notification to your iOS device. If you had a series of them set up around and outside the house, you could know exactly when someone walks past the one in the back garden, say. You may even discover a family of badgers share your garden.

Connecting to your PC

The idea of controlling your home from your iOS device is about making it more convenient to do everything you would do now, and that includes using your desktop or laptop computer - or rather, finding ways not to use it. There are lots of times when you might need to check a file that's stored on your hard drive, but you don't need to make a point of going to the computer to do it.

Apps such as FileBrowser let you look through your computer's storage and open files on your iPhone or iPad (provided they're in a format that iOS natively supports, or in some cases can be opened with a third-party app). Read documents, browse photos, listen to an audio file…

If you don't want to make changes, this can be really handy. (If you want to watch videos stored on your computer, you're often better off with Air Video, though.)

If you need to take control of your PC or Mac, you can do it to different degrees, depending on the app. Apps such as Air Mouse or Remote Mouse let you use your iOS device to navigate around the desktop - replacing the mouse. This can be useful if you have a small PC as part of your home theatre setup, as can Actions for iPad, which lets you create shortcut buttons for just about any PC action. With a bit of configuring, you could turn it effectively into a universal remote for an HTPC. Those both rely on you being able to see your PC's screen, though.

If you're elsewhere, then you can use a remote desktop app to control your PC or Mac, even see its screen. LogMeIn is one of the best, letting you access basic functions for free, but with more advanced options if you pay (including streaming high-res video).

Splashtop is another good option (though you need to pay a subscription to connect to your PC from outside your home network). It's really easy to set up and has a superb interface, including slick support of Multi-Touch gestures on both Macs and Windows 8 PCs.

Of course, if you use cloud storage heavily, you may not need to access your PC's drive. Services such as Dropbox, SugarSync, Box and others will copy your files to the cloud, where they can be accessed from anywhere, including your iPad, with an accompanying app. The Dropbox app, for example, lets you browse these files, save them to you iPad, and read or view any that iOS supports natively. Any files that aren't supported can be opened in a compatible app from the App Store.

Many apps also let you save documents to Dropbox, so you can then pick up those files from your PC. The cloud can also help in other little ways. For example, if you use Google Drive to create documents, you can access your files with the accompanying app, since everything is stored online anyway.

Chrome and Safari (among others) also offer cloud syncing of tabs, so if you left a website open on your PC or Mac, you can bring up on your iPhone.

AMD launches new mobile chips: will they be in your next laptop or tablet?

Dan Grabham — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:00 GMT

Under ever-increasing pressure from Intel, AMD has formally announced its yearly refresh of its mobile processors.

Known as APUs (Accelerated Processing Units), the hybrid GPU and CPU chips will be branded A4 and E2 at the value end of the market, and A6, A8 and A10 for performance laptops and what AMD calls 'ultra-thins'. These latter chips are – generally speaking - designed to go squarely against Intel's Core i3 and i5, while A4 and E2 will take on Celeron and Pentium in budget, mainstream laptops.

All are based on the same Jaguar cores as the AMD-powered next-gen consoles as well as the new Graphics Core Next (GCN) GPU architecture.

Behind the branding are three different hardware platforms; there is an ultra-low power quad-core platform for tablets and small touchscreen Windows 8 laptops codenamed Temash.

Best CPU: 10 top processors reviewed and rated

According to figures from AMD, Temash offers 5x the performance of the comparable chip from Intel's Atom (Clover Trail) platform. Speaking at a recent briefing attended by TechRadar, AMD's head of mobility Kevin Lensing talked up Temash.

"There's an opportunity to redefine the tablet a little bit, so you can redefine what people do on their slates. There's no other part that can do what you saw on this class of device. Compared to the [comparable Atom processor] you 200 per cent improvement in terms of performance per Watt in 3D Mark 11."

We've seen that silicon in several rather underpowered Windows 8 tablets so far such as the Asus Vivo Tab.

Mainstream and performance APUs

AMD's mainstream platform carries the Kabini codename and is said to be 25 per cent more efficient over the preceding generation of silicon, offering a cited 1.5 extra hours of battery life during 720p playback. "[This chip] brings quad-core to this market and completely outclasses Pentium. In fact, it's a clean kill over Pentium and it's going to dominate the open level of the notebook space."

In terms of specs, the Temash and Kabini clockspeeds range between 1.0-2.0 GHz with power consumption between 3.9 and 25W. The highest power Temash chip is 9W.

Further up the chain, the performance segment is known as Richland and, according to AMD, boasts productivity gains around 12 per cent and 40 per cent better graphics performance over the previous generations. "You want a high powered notebook to feel snappy," said Lansing. "And of course we're going to give you the best graphics, the best compute."

AMD believes it can still has a lot to offer in value and performance systems alike, but it also sees a lot of opportunity in tablets and convertibles as Windows 8 gradually takes bigger slice of the market.

Lensing laid down a challenge for Intel's upcoming Bay Trail Atom chips – "we've got plenty of headroom in Temash" also hinting he expects favourable comparisons with Haswell (Intel's next-gen Core processors) with the higher-end chips.

Focused on tablets and small notebooks

Lensing also claimed AMD was "uniquely positioned" to provide users with better tablet experiences because of its expertise in graphics. "We've got to make great devices. This is where our silicon is focused, on tablets and performance tablets and it's small form factor touch notebooks. There are lots of guys making silicon for smartphones and trying to pull it up in terms of performance, there are lots of guys making silicon for old client [PC] devices and trying to push it down into this space.

"We're focusing our dart right in that area, in the convergence space. We have optimised for the best performance per watt in the four to 14 watt category. You have to optimise for that space to win – you can't optimise for a desktop or notebook and win in this space. We're uniquely positioned here."

"The world has taught us that gaming is the number one revenue stream on iOS and that the world is sensitised to graphics on these devices. And of course graphics is where we shine. So you take the graphics expectation on these devices and the graphics [we do] on Windows and bring those two worlds together. Devices that enable you to get things done but also devices that have a great display and form factor. So you're not switching between three or four devices every day, it's [about] one device."

AMD also announced a technology known as DockPort. Similar to Intel's Thunderbolt in concept (in fact, Lansing said it was almost DisplayPort+), it enables USB, power and display over a single connection.

System on a Chip: what you need to know about SoCs

Another technology for tablets, called TurboDock, manages power when undocked but ratchets up performance when you dock the tablet. "We're very focused on giving you a full notebook experience in these devices. TurboDock keeps it nice and cool when it's in your hand, but when in a dock it ratchets up to the full notebook experience."

We'll have a review of AMD's new Kabini mainstream laptop platform very soon on TechRadar.

Updated: Surface Pro finally available in the UK tomorrow for £719

Dan Grabham — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:24:00 GMT

Microsoft previously confirmed that Surface Pro will be released in the UK tomorrow, but we now know where it will be stocked.

If you want to get hold of one tomorrow, Surface Pro will be available at John Lewis stores. The device will also be online at PCworld.co.uk and will also arrive in selected stores soon. Microsoft says the 20 people to buy a Surface Pro from John Lewis' Oxford Street store will get a free Office 365 One year subscription.

Buy the 64GB and 128GB Surface Pro from the Microsoft Store

Before an announcement last week, we only knew only that the Intel Core i5-toting tablet would launch in the UK - as well as 19 other countries - by the end of the month.

How much will it cost?

Recommended pricing is £719 for the 64GB version, and £799 for the 128 GB model - having spent some time using Surface Pro, we think the latter size makes a lot more sense. And, if you're willing to spend this much on something that isn't an Ultrabook, the extra £80 isn't too high an extra cost for double the storage.

Unfortunately the add-on covers aren't cheap, with the Type Cover costing a whopping £110 and the Touch Cover £99 - we'd wholeheartedly recommend the former over the latter.

Unlike the Surface RT, which runs a dumbed-down version of Windows for ARM devices known as Windows RT, the Surface Pro runs a fully functional Pro version of Windows 8.

Surface Pro is a full Windows PC that just so happens to be a pretty nifty tablet, too. We're big fans, although it is more than a little pricey.

Global Surface Pro launch

This month also sees the Surface Pro launch in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

But it won't stop there - in June, the Surface Pro will launch in Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Microsoft's UK Surface Product Manager Robert Epstein told TechRadar that the demand for Surface in the US was high, hence the delay in launching here: "That's why we're where we are today really, because of the success in the US. We're really pleased with how things are going.

"[Surface is] two different propositions. Surface RT is a tablet with PC characteristics, Surface Pro is a PC in a tablet form factor."

To be fair, the UK Surface Pro release delay is understandable considering what happened when the Surface Pro launched in the US.

Surface Pro will get the Windows 8.1 update coming later in the year, while a new Surface is also rumoured, too.

Updated: Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie release date, news and rumors

Paul Douglas — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:30:00 GMT

Android Key Lime Pie news

Google's showing no signs of slowing its pace of Android development, with Android 4.0 appearing on the Galaxy Nexus late in 2011, followed in July of 2012 by the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean release that arrived powering the super Nexus 7.

But, forward-looking, update-obsessed people that we are, we can't help but imagine how Google's going to maintain the pace of innovation in its next major release of its mobile OS, Android 5.0.

All we know so far is that Google's working away on the K release of Android, which it's developing under the dessert-related codename of Key Lime Pie. Regarding the version number, it's likely that the Key Lime Pie moniker will be given to Android 5.0. We thought we might find out on 29 October 2012 but as yet there is no official word from Google.

So now as we wait on official news of the Android 5.0 release date and features, we can start to pull together the Key Lime Pie rumours from around the web, with the first sighting of Android 5.0 on a benchmarking website, apparently running on a Sony smartphone. There has previously been speculation that Sony is in line to produce the next Nexus phone, which may lend some credence to this rumour.

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Android 5.0 release date

In December 2012 Google announced that its developer conference - Google IO - would take place from May 15 to May 17 2013, a month earlier than 2012's June dates. Given that Google announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at 2012's IO conference, it seemed reasonable to expect to see Android 5.0 at this year's event.

On 31 January, a Google IO showing of Android 5.0 looked more likely when screengrabs of a Qualcomm roadmap were leaked, showing Android 5.0 as breaking cover between April and June 2013.

But on 24 April 2013, we read that Key Lime Pie may not make its debut at Google IO after all. Apparently, "trusty internal sources" told a site called Gadgetronica that Google has decided to delay Android 5.0 for two to four months to give hardware makers the chance to properly roll out Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

At the time, we said to take this rumour with a pinch of salt, as even if Google decided not to ship the finished build of Android 5.0 until later in the year, that didn't preclude the company from talking up the new OS at what is, after all, a developer-focused conference.

However, the notion of Key Lime Pie being off the menu at Google IO raised itself again on 26 April when Android 4.3 surfaced in server logs over at Android Police. Those log entries supposedly came from Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 devices running an updated version of Jelly Bean - Android 4.3 - and apparently the IP addresses of those devices trace back to Google HQ. So might that point to a delayed Android 5.0 arrival?

And on 13 May, we got our (almost certain) confirmation that there would be no serving of Key Lime Pie at Google IO from Sundar Pichai, Google's new head of Android. Pichai told Wired that this year's IO is "not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system". Boo! "Both on Android and Chrome, we're going to focus this IO on all the kinds of things we're doing for developers so that they can write better things," he added.

So now we wait.

Google wasn't entirely quiet on Android 5 at its IO conference, though. As Android Authority spotted, during a session entitled 'Android Protips 3: Making Apps Work Like Magic' Android developer relations tech lead Reto Meier teased attendees with a slide showing an Android eating a piece of Key Lime Pie and later with a game where the options included Jelly Bean and Key Lime Pie.

Android 5.0 phones

Rumours of a new Nexus handset started trickling in during the third quarter of 2012, as we reported on 1 October 2012. There was speculation that this phone would be sporting Key Lime Pie, but sources who spoke to AndroidAndMe correctly claimed that the handset, which turned out to be the Google Nexus 4, would be running Android Jelly Bean.

While the Nexus 4 didn't appear with a helping of Key Lime Pie, speculation that we reported on 21 January 2013 suggested that the Motorola X Phone was the Android 5.0-toting handset that would be revealed at Google IO. According to a post on the DroidForums website, the phone will also feature a virtually bezel-free, edge-to-edge, 5-inch display. The Motorola X wasn't on show at IO but we're still expecting to see it break cover this year.

The same leaked Qualcomm documents cited above also made mention of a two new Snapdragon devices, one of which will be, unsurprisingly, a new Nexus phone.

That Nexus phone is most likely the Google Nexus 5. We weren't surprised that it was absent from Google IO, given that the Nexus 4 only went on sale at the end of 2012.

On Monday 18 March, supposed images of the Nexus 5 surfaced, with the handset apparently being manufactured by LG. If the accompanying specs, leaked along with the photo by the anonymous source, are true, then the Nexus 5 will feature a 5.2-inch, 1920 x 1080 OLED display, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 3GB of RAM.

While we warned that a sighting of the Nexus 5 at Google IO was unlikely, rumours that we wrote up on 19 April reckoned that there would be an Android 5.0-powered Nexus 4 launched at the event. Apparently, the revised handset would feature 4G capability and improved storage of 32GB. That rumour turned out to be incorrect as the only handset launched at IO was Google's take on the Galaxy S4, which is running Android 4.2.

Android 5.0 tablets

The original Nexus 7 tablet was unveiled at Google IO 2012, so we thought it possible that we'd see a refreshed Nexus 7 2 at Google IO 2013. The speculation earlier in the year was that Google would team up with Asus for this, as it did with the original Nexus 7. We expect an upgraded display on the new Nexus 7 tablet, while Digitimes is reporting that the 2nd generation Nexus 7 will have 3G service and and range in price from $149 to $199.

We're still waiting to see the Nexus 7 2 as, like the upgraded Nexus phone, this tablet was a now-show at IO.

Samsung's Android 5.0 upgrades

Although Samsung is yet to officially confirm its Android 5.0 schedule, a SamMobile source is claiming to know which phones and tablets will be getting the Key Lime Pie upgrade. According to the source, the devices set to receive the upgrade are the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1.

Android 5.0 features

For 24 hours, it seemed as though the first kinda, sorta confirmed feature for Android 5.0 was a Google Now widget, which briefly appeared in a screenshot on the company's support forum before being taken down. As it was so hurriedly pulled, many people assumed it was slated for the big five-o and accidentally revealed early.

As it happened, the following day, on 13 February 2013, the Google Now widget rolled out to Jelly Bean.

On 28 February 2013, we learned from Android Central that Google is working with the Linux 3.8 kernel, which gives rise to the notion that this kernel might make it into Android 5. One improvement that the 3.8 kernel brings is lowered RAM usage, which would mean a snappier phone with better multitasking.

Android Geeks reported that Google Babble would debut on Key Lime Pie. Babble was the code name for Google's cross-platform service and app with the aim of unifying its various chat services which include Talk, Hangout, Voice, Messenger, Chat for Google Drive and Chat on Google+.

Android Geeks' source also (correctly) said that Google Babble will be supported by devices running Android 2.3 and above, which makes sense given that Google will want as many people as possible on the platform.

A screenshot that we were sent from a Google employee on 8 April confirmed that not only was this unified chat service on the way, but that it was called Google Babel not Babble. The service was to come with a bunch of new emoticons and Google+ built-in so you can jump from Babel chat to hangout. A leaked Google memo on 10 April provided a few more juicy details including talk of a new UI and synced conversations between mobile and desktop.

On 10 May, we discovered that Babel would launch as Google Hangouts, and on 15 May we saw it come to life for devices running Android 2.3 and up. So much for it debuting on Key Lime Pie.

Following an 18 April tear-down of the Google Glass app MyGlass by Android Police, it now looks as though there may be an iOS Games Center-like service coming to Android 5.0.

Android Police found references in the code to functionality that doesn't exist in Glass, which suggests that developers accidentally shipped the full suite of Google Play Services with the Android application package.

The files in the package contained references to real-time and turn-based multiplayer, in-game chat, achievements, leaderboards, invitations and game lobbies.

So it seems that Google Games (or whatever it ends up being called) is real, and we may find out more about it - and whether it will ship with Key Lime Pie - during the Google I/O conference. As Android Police points out "It being including in a shipping product suggests that it's finished and freely floating around Google HQ."

Android 5.0 interface

While this is pure speculation, we're wondering whether Android 5.0 might bring with it a brighter interface, moving away from the Holo Dark theme that came with Android 4.0.

Google Now brought with it a clearer look with cleaner fonts, and screenshots of Google Play 4.0 show Google's app market taking on similar design cues. Is this a hint at a brighter, airier look for Key Lime Pie?

Our Android 5.0 wishlist

While we wait on more Key Lime Pie features to be revealed and scour the web for more Android 5.0 news, TechRadar writer Gary Cutlack has been thinking about what we want to see in Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. Hopefully the new mobile OS will feature some of these things...

1. Performance Profiles

It's bit of a fuss managing your mobile before bed time. Switching off the sound, turning off data, activating airplane mode and so on, so what Android 5.0 really needs is a simple way of managing performance, and therefore power use, automatically.

We've been given a taste of this with Blocking Mode in Samsung's Jelly Bean update on the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Note 2 but we'd like to see the functionality expanded.

Something like a Gaming mode for max power delivery, an Overnight low-power state for slumbering on minimal power and maybe a Reading mode for no bothersome data connections and a super-low backlight.

Some hardware makers put their own little automated tools in, such as the excellent Smart Actions found within Motorola's RAZR interface, but it'd be great to see Google give us a simple way to manage states.

Another little power strip style widget for phone performance profiles would be an easy way to do it.

2. Better multiple device support

Google already does quite a good job of supporting serious Android nerds who own several phones and tablets, but there are some holes in its coverage that are rather frustrating.

Take the Videos app which manages your film downloads through the Play Store. Start watching a film on one Android device and you're limited to resuming your film session on that same unit, making it impossible to switch from phone to tablet mid-film.

You can switch between phone and web site players to resume watching, but surely Google ought to understand its fans often have a couple of phones and tabs on the go and fix this for Android Key Lime Pie?

3. Enhanced social network support

Android doesn't really do much for social network users out of the box, with most of the fancy social widgets and features coming from the hardware makers through their own custom skins.

Sony integrates Facebook brilliantly in its phones, and even LG makes a great social network aggregator widget that incorporates Facebook and Twitter - so why are there no cool aggregator apps as part of the standard Android setup?

Yes, Google does a great job of pushing Google+, but, no offence, there are many other more widely used networks that ought to be a little better "baked in" to Android.

4. Line-drawing keyboard options

Another area where the manufacturers have taken a big leap ahead of Google is in integrating clever alternate text entry options in their keyboards. HTC and Sony both offer their own takes on the Swype style of line-drawing text input, which is a nice option to have for getting your words onto a telephone. Get it into Android 5.0 and give us the choice.

UPDATE: Google heard us and this feature appeared in Android 4.2.

5. A video chat app

How odd is it that Google's put a front-facing camera on the Nexus 7 and most hardware manufacturers do the same on their phones and tablets, yet most ship without any form of common video chat app?

You have to download Skype and hope it works, or find some other downloadable app solution. Why isn't there a Google Live See My Face Chat app of some sort as part of Android? Is it because we're too ugly? Is that what you're saying, Google?

6. Multi-select in the contacts

The Android contacts section is pretty useful, but it could be managed a little better. What if you have the idea of emailing or texting a handful of your friends? The way that's currently done is by emailing one, then adding the rest individually. Some sort of checkbox system that let users scroll through names and create a mailing list on the fly through the contacts listing in Android Key Lime Pie would make this much easier.

7. Cross-device SMS sync

If you're a constant SIM swapper with more than one phone on the go, chances are you've lost track of your text messages at some point. Google stores these on the phone rather than the SIM card, so it'd be nice if our texts could be either backed up to the SIM, the SD card, or beamed up to the magical invisible cloud of data, for easy and consistent access across multiple devices.

8. A "Never Update" option

This would annoy developers so is unlikely to happen, but it'd be nice if we could refuse app updates permanently in Android 5.0, just in case we'd rather stick with a current version of a tool than be forced to upgrade.

Sure, you can set apps to manual update and then just ignore the update prompt forever, but it'd be nice to know we can keep a favoured version of an app without accidentally updating it. Some of us are still using the beta Times app, for example, which has given free access for a year.

9. App preview/freebie codes

Something Apple's been doing for ages and ages is using a promo code system to distribute free or review versions of apps. It even makes doing little competitions to drum up publicity for apps much easier, so why's there no similar scheme for Android?

It might encourage developers to stop going down the ad-covered/freemium route if they could charge for an app but still give it away to friends and fans through a promo code system.

10. Final whinges and requests...

It's be nice to be able to sort the Settings screen by alphabetical order, too, or by most commonly used or personal preference, as Android's so packed with a huge list of options these days it's a big old list to scroll through and pick out what you need.

Plus could we have a percentage count for the battery in the Notifications bar for Android 5.0? Just so we know a bit more info than the vague emptying battery icon.

CTIA 2013: Nvidia Tegra 4i reappears at CTIA with 4G LTE-Advanced

Luke Brown — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:39:00 GMT

When it debuted at Mobile World Congress back in February, Nvidia's Tegra 4i mobile processor impressed with its ability to reach speeds of 100mbps.

Nvidia returned with the Tegra 4i at CTIA 2013, and somehow managed to boost those speeds even further without altering the structure or hardware of the chip.

Thanks in large part to its i500 LTE modem, Nvidia was able to update the chip's software to push the capabilities to Cat 4 150mbps.

Even though no marketed phones currently house the Tegra 4i chip, Nvidia demonstrated the full power of the processor while also making calls and streaming video over AT&T's LTE network.

Little chip, big power

At 40 percent of the size of a traditional LTE modem, the Tegra 4i packs a lot of punch into a diminutive chip.

Nvidia attributes this to the Deep Execution Processors design, which offers "fast, high performance" in a highly adaptable modem.

During the demo, Nvidia's Phoenix concept smartphone was also tested to show off the LTE-Advanced prowess with special emulation, as there are currently no such networks available.

Though the Tegra 4i will be compatible with LTE-Advanced, the chip has also been designed to be backwards compatible with earlier cellular networks.

This means you'll be able to use any Tegra 4i device on LTE Cat 3, 3G, and 2G whenever 4G isn't available, providing an incredible amount of flexibility for any phone housing the processor.

Qualcomm hasn't truly been challenged by another processor in the mobile space as of yet, and it will be interesting to see how the competition heats up as the cellular market expands.

How long it will be until the first true smartphone with Tegra 4i arrives remains to be seen, but the quicker it's certified, the sooner we'll get to use the impressive chip ourselves.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 set to be first Intel-powered Android slate

John McCann — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:40:00 GMT

Intel may be about to muscle its way into the Android tablet market as reports surface that the rumoured Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 will sport an Atom processor.

We've already seen a handful of Android smartphones pack Intel's tech under the hood, with the Orange San Diego and Motorola Razr i producing impressive performance from single-core Atom chips.

Once again it's a benchmark result spotted by the guys over at SamMobile that has piqued our interest, with the GLBenchmark site stating that both the GT-P5200 and GT-P5210 variants (that's Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G to you) will pack a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom Z2560 processor.

It's what's on the inside that counts

In terms of that 10.1-inch display the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 screen is claimed to have a resolution of 1280 x 800 - so no full HD offering, which is a disappointment - plus the results reveal it will come running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

If the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 - that's quite a mouthful - does go from fantasy to fiction than it will line up alongside the already announced Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, plus the rumoured Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 to complete a trio of new tablets for the Korean firm, and with sub-par specs you do really have to wonder how it will fare in the market.

Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY S4, Note 8.0 and Note II

Benchmark results can be easily forged though, so we're approaching this one with caution and we'd be surprised if Samsung moved away from the ARM based chips its used in all its previous mobile devices.

Updated: iPad 5 release date, news and rumors

Paul Douglas — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:30:00 GMT

The announcement of the iPad 4 during Apple's October 2012 event came as a surprise to many, but one expert was quick to predict that the company would release a thinner, lighter iPad 5 in early 2013.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI Securities, the fourth generation full-sized iPad (and the iPad mini, which was launched at the same event) might not be enough to fend off competitors. Kuo cited Microsoft's Surface tablet as posing a particular risk to Apple's dominance. Hey, don't laugh, Surface has grabbed 7.5 per cent of recent market share.

Shortly after the iPad 4 launch, Kuo wrote in a note to investors, reported by AppleInsider, that Apple may feel pressured to launch a 9.7-inch iPad 5 to cement its lead in the tablet business.

"Though the iPad mini is expected to be successful, we think launching the lighter, thinner 9.7-inch iPad as quickly as possible matters more for Apple strategically," Kuo wrote.

While the release date was incorrect, the idea of a thinner, lighter iPad has since been backed up by further rumours.

Check out our iPad 5 rumors video below:

FutTv : 4TA1GK7aZYfmM

iPad 5 release date

Digitimes reported on 19 November 2012 that the iPad 5 release date would be "around the middle of 2013", while on 24 December 2012, an "inside source" talking to Japanese site Macotakara, wrongly pegged the new iPad release date as March 2013.

That incorrect March release date was repeated by Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets on 12 January 2013 and by Gene Munster of investment bank Piper Jaffray on 15 February. White was citing supposed industry insiders at the CES expo in Las Vegas, while also writing in a note to investors that Apple is moving to a bi-annual iPad refresh schedule.

Munster, as reported by AppleInsider, reckoned: "The history of time between Apple product launch events suggests that the company will introduce something new in March or April. Over the past two years, the spring event has been iPad updates."

Also citing an April release, apparently knowledgeable sources revealed to iMore in March that the iPad 5 would be available in April. Given the date now, those sources might want to re-label themselves as "not at all knowledgeable".

On 25 January, iLounge editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz, claiming to have seen the new iPad 5, wrote that the fifth-gen iPad would not go on sale until October 2013. That sounds more likely to us. Horwitz also said that the iPad mini 2 would be launched in the same month.

Spring vs autumn

So it seems that observers are divided on whether we'll see the new iPad in spring or autumn, with pundits dashing around and lining up like a game of Runaround. On 22 February, analyst firm TrendForce opted for the autumn launch line, claiming that we'll see a completely overhauled iPad 5 in September 2013.

Just to throw an extra release date into the mix, accessory manufacturer MiniSuit reckons the new iPad will be released in June. Gizmorati also reckons the iPad 5 will be shown off in June - specifically on June 29, six years to the day from the launch of the original iPhone. Citing an "inside source from Apple", Gizmorati claimed on 19 March that an event, called 'Original Passion, New Ideas', will see the launch not just of the new iPad but also of the iPhone 5S. However, given that June 29 is a Saturday, we're filing this particular rumor in the 'Probably Total BS' file.

So in summary, the iPad 5 will be released in either March (wrong!), April (wrong again!), June, September or October. Surely there are sources out there willing to bet on May and July?

The early release dates mentioned above could have slipped due to a shortage of touch sensors for the iPad mini (the same sensors that are expected to be used in the next iPad) if you believe a Digitimes report of 7 March. Japanese firm Nishha - Apple's main supplier of the sensors - was reportedly boosting its output to meet demand but Digitime's sources reckoned the iPad mini 2 and iPad 5 could still be fighting over this component when they go into production, causing one of them to be delayed.

The Taiwanese site now reckons, as per a later report of 9 April 2013, that iPad 5 production will begin in the "July-August" period of this year, which will no doubt please those analysts who are predicting an autumn release.

On 20 May 2013, Digitimes reiterated that production of the iPad 5 will begin in July, this time adding that Apple will be able to roll out 2 million to 3 million units starting in September.

iPad 5 price

When Apple introduces a new product it's usually priced to match the one that it supersedes. So with this in mind, we're looking at US$499 (£399, AU$539) for the Wi-Fi-only 16GB iPad 5, US$599 (£479, AU$649) for the 32GB model, US$699 (£559, AU$759) for the 64GB and US$799 (£639, AU$869) for the 128GB iPad.

iPad 5 features and specifications

Apple gave the iPad 4 a new A6X processor system-on-a-chip, which it claims to be twice as fast as the previous iPad.

It also gained the new lightning connector and better LTE support. But that's all the new features iPad fans got with the fourth-gen tablet.

And considering the current iPad is the same weight, thickness and price point as its predecessor, it's very possible Apple is looking to produce a slimmed-down version.

On 14 December 2012, Macworld cited a report in Digitimes that claims that one way Apple will reduce the weight of the new iPad will be by using one LED light bar instead of the two that are found in the current iPad (and that were first introduced in the iPad 3). Macworld points out that this would also mean that the iPad 5 would consume less power and could therefore run on a smaller, thinner battery.

Another way that the new iPad may slim down is by reducing the size of the LED backlight. In an 11 April 2013 email to CNET, Paul Semenza, analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, wrote: "It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs."

And on a 17 April, Ming-Chi Kuo wrote a new note, summarised by MacRumors. In his note, Kuo wrote that he expected the new iPad to be 15% thinner and 25% lighter than the iPad 4, that weight reduction coming in part from a battery which is "25-30% smaller" and "15-20% thinner".

iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz claimed in January 2013 that the iPad 5 has virtually no left or right bezels in portrait mode, with just enough space above and below the display for the home button, sensors and front camera. The iPad case designs that subsequently leaked in February and April suggest that this claim could be correct.

On 20 May 2013, we again heard that the new iPad was on a diet, shedding up to 33 percent of the iPad 4's weight, according to a report from DigiTimes, which cited unnamed supply chain sources in Taiwan. The report repeated December 2012 claims that the iPad 5 will drop weight by using one LED light bar instead of two and added that the Retina display would use a thinner 0.2mm piece of glass (the iPad 4 uses 0.25mm glass). If correct, the new iPad would weigh in at under 500g.

iPad 5 display

Kuo expects Apple to pack "GF DITO" (or GF2) touchscreen technology into the speculative new iPad 5. GF2 is already used in the new iPad mini, which helps to make it 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than its bigger brother.

Those screens may make the move to a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio if Los Angeles industry analyst Paul Mueller is correct. "I have talked to at least three people close to Apple who say that there are new iPad prototypes that have a 16:9 aspect ratio," Mueller told The Examiner in September 2012. That change would ideal for watching movies but as it would make the iPad taller and narrower, holding it in portrait mode would be a little awkward.

But who will be producing the display for the new iPad? Not Samsung, reckons GottaBe Mobile, claiming that Apple is "actively moving away from Samsung for the next generation of mobile products." According to a rumour the site picked up from etnews, when Apple sent out a request to parts manufacturers for estimates, Samsung was not a recipient of the request. The same GottaBe Mobile report claims that Samsung is falling out of favour as manufacturer of the A7 processor, too.

DigiTimes reckons the iPad screens will be supplied by LG and Sharp.

iPad 5 processor

Brian White, who incorrectly pegged the iPad 5 launch as March 2013 and who reckons that there will now be a new iPad every six months, also wrote in his January 2013 note to investors that the iPad 5 would feature an improved A6X processor.

Patently Apple lent weight to the notion of Apple taking its processor manufacturing business away from its best buddy Samsung, citing a report published on 10 April 2013. According to the report: the "chasm between Samsung Electronics and Apple is expected to widen further as Apple has excluded its Korean rival from a project to develop A7 application processors due to be released in the first half of next year."

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons that the Apple/Samsung partnership has some life left, though. As picked up by MacRumors on 17 April, Kuo wrote that the iPad 4 would be powered by an A7X processor and that Apple would be staying with Samsung for this chip at least.

Other iPad 5 features

It's possible that the new iPad will feature a vibrating mode for message alerts and haptic feedback (within games, for example). This news comes courtesy of Patently Apple, which reported on March 21 that Apple has applied for a patent for "an audio codec with vibrator support". Click the image on the left to view full size.

Accessory maker Tactus reckons the rear-facing camera will be getting an upgrade, increasing resolution from 5MP to 8MP.

We're hearing a rather unlikely rumour from IB Times that the iPad 5 might come with a stylus. The rationale for this is that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 both come with a stylus and Apple is in competition with Samsung. Also, "many people" reckon the iPad needs a stylus for the iPad drawing apps, says the May 6 report, which forgets to mention that you can already buy third-party iPad styluses. Hmm. Needs more salt, this one.

iPad 5 case clues

It seems that case manufacturers believe that the iPad 5 will take its design cues from the iPad mini, being thinner than the current iPad, and with smaller side bezels, which fits with Horwitz's observations.

Accessory maker Minisuit supplied MacRumors with pictures of iPad 5 cases that it has created based on what it believes to be the correct iPad 5 dimensions. The cases are slightly smaller than the iPad 4 ones and feature a hole on the back for the supposedly relocated microphone.

And as we reported on 26 February 2013, another third party case manufacturer - this time Shenzhen Sinofly Electronic Company Limited - has also begun to produce iPad 5 cases with a form factor more in line with the iPad mini.

What may or may not be actual Apple iPad 5 cases appeared online on 10 April. If genuine, these cases also show that the iPad 5 will have thinner bezels, as well as retaining the home button and front-facing camera. And as the case is white, we can assume that the white edition of the iPad isn't going anywhere.

On 16 April 2013, supposed iPad 5 cases appeared again, this time at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. As posted on engadget, these third-party cases, apparently based on leaked specs, also suggest an upcoming iPad that'll be slimmer than the iPad 4 as well as featuring thinner, iPad mini-like left and right side bezels when in portrait mode.

Want to see the rear casing for the new iPad? Then you're in luck. On 22 April, accessory maker Tactus posted a photo to its blog, showing what it says is the rear shell for the iPad 5. It's not the most fascinating picture we've seen but it does suggest that the new tablet will retain the 9.7-inch screen size that was introduced with the original iPad. The blog post also claims that the iPad 5 will be 7.2mm thick, slimming down from the current-generation's 9.4mm.

iPad 5 wireless charging?

A patent first filed by Apple in September 2011 that AppleInsider discovered on 14 March 2013 reveals that Apple is looking into equipping its iPad Smart Covers with induction coils so that you'll be able to charge your iPad simply by closing the cover.

The patent, called "Integrated inductive charging in protective cover," talks of "an inductive power transmitter arranged to wirelessly pass power to a corresponding inductive power receiver unit disposed within the tablet device."

There are two ways this technology could work. One is that the cover is charged from the mains and it transfers this power to your iPad. The other, as theorised by Mark Hattersley at MacWorld, is that the cover "takes power wirelessly from a plugged-in iPad and stores it in an internal battery. It then sends it wirelessly in the other direction when you use the device."

iPad 5 accessories

The iPad 5 may launch with an official Apple gaming joypad if a report by Pocket Gamer is to be believed. According to the report, Apple held secret meetings with developers at GDC 2013, where it discussed the games that would support the controller at launch.

Should this device exist, it could also launch alongside the rumoured Apple iTV. As Pocket Gamer notes: "Given the opportunities a dedicated controller would provide in the living room, we'd expect it to be part of a large announcement also revealing Apple's wide TV strategy, including a direct assault on the console businesses of Sony and Microsoft."

iPad 5 mockups

Federico Ciccarese of CiccareseDesign has produced some renders for MacRumors showing how the new iPad might look, with its smaller bezel allowing a shrunken case with the same screen size as the current iPad.

The mockups were based on leaked images of a supposed iPad 5 shell which were posted to 9to5Mac on 28 January 2013.

Sky Sports app for iPad gets 20 replay angles for Champions League Final

Chris Smith — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:11:00 GMT

The Sky Sports app for iPad has received a rather fancy new update, ahead of this Saturday night's Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium.

Users of the app, which is free for Sky Sports subscribers, will be able to view goal replays from upto 20 angles on the second screen, while watching the game on their television sets.

As well as unprecedented access to footage shot by cameras all around the ground, iPad owners will also be able to control the speed of the replays and access the goal-line cameras.

The update, which is available now, effectively gives users the same level of control over replays as those who enjoy the odd game of FIFA Soccer on a gaming device.

Premier League next?

Those turning in on Sunday will be able to find this bonus coverage within the Champions League Event Centre section of the app.

David Gibbs, Director of Sky Sports Digital Media, said: "This is great news for the Sky Sports for iPad app, which keeps getting better and better.

"This is about putting the technology into the hands of the viewer and allowing them to recapture the big moments in the final. It's the first time we've offered this through our app and it's another example of our investment in the Sky Sports viewer's experience."

Sky is yet to confirm whether the update will also be part of its Premier League coverage next season, but that would be kinda nice wouldn't it?

iPad 5 rumored to be up to 33 percent lighter, in production by July

Matt Swider — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:29:00 GMT

The iPad 5 is going on a diet ahead of its production this summer, with the goal of shedding up to 33 percent of the iPad 4's weight, according to a report out of Taiwan today.

The lighter 5th generation tablet from Apple is slated for mass production in July, claims DigiTimes citing unnamed supply chain sources in Taiwan.

Apple is said to be able to achieve iPad 5's target weight while keeping the same 2,048 x 1,536 Retina display by using a thinner 0.2mm piece of glass and one LED light bar for backlighting.

The next full-sized iPad will also reflect its smaller and lighter iPad mini counterpart by narrowing its bezel around the display.

By comparison, the iPad 4 uses a 0.25mm glass substrate, two LED light bars, and plenty of bezel that can be chipped away.

iPad 5 rumors backed up

While DigiTimes sources haven't always been reliable, the 33 percent lighter figure and the summer production timetable are rumors that have been echoed for some time.

The report goes on to propose that once July production of the iPad 5 begins, Apple will be able to roll out 2 million to 3 million units starting in September.

With iPad 5 display panels said to be coming from a variety of manufacturers like LG, Samsung, and Sharp, the company shouldn't be in short supply of parts.

Interestingly, the new tablet's touch panel may change up the formula a bit with GF2 bonding that has one layer of glass and two layers of ITO film, instead of iPad 4's G/G bonding.

Consumers eager to own the new full-sized iPad - or see the iPad 4's price drop - should look out for an Apple event before the expected September iPad 5 release date.

Cupertino is busy. Keep up-to-date on the latest iPhone6 rumors with TechRadar's guide to Apple's next smartphone.

Asus Zenbook Infinity to debut with first Gorilla Glass 3 lid

Luke Brown — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:54:00 GMT

Asus will bring the all-new Zenbook Infinity Ultrabook to Computex 2013 in June, which the company claims will be slimmer and more durable than previous models.

In an effort to take form and function to the next level, Asus' Zenbook Infinity will be the first Ultrabook to feature a lid comprised entirely of Corning's Gorilla Glass 3.

The Gorilla Glass will be fused directly to the the aluminum frame, allowing Asus to cut the thickness of the Zenbook down 14 percent to a slender 15.5mm.

The area surrounding the keyboard will also be covered in Gorilla Glass 3, adding another layer of damage resistance previously unheard of in Ultrabooks.

Infinite strength

Gorilla Glass 3 offers three times the scratch resistance than the previous generation, and offers a 40 percent reduction in visible scratches.

Unfortunately, Asus didn't share much else in the way of specifics when it came to the Zenbook Infinity.

There's a chance the debut at Computex will tie in nicely with Intel's unveiling of the Haswell chips, and could feature the 4th generation Core processor.

An exact size wasn't given either, though it's probably safe to assume it will come in at a similar 13.3-inches like the Asus Zenbook Prime.

The Zenbook Infinity is expected to launch during Q3 2013, but more concrete details should become available in just a few weeks when Computex kicks off.

Check out our comprehensive guide to the best Ultrabooks to choose from for more on the Intel-powered laptops.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z finally lands in stores

Jay McGregor — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:30:00 GMT

After some to-ing and fro-ing as to whether it would be delayed or not Sony has announced that its water-resistant Xperia Z tablet is finally available across the globe.

The device comes in a standard Wi-Fi edition and Wi-Fi and 4G version. Pre-orders opened up in March, but now the tablet is available in stores and online.

The tablet carries a retail price of £399/$500 (around AUS $620) for the 16GB Wi-Fi, £449/$600 (around AUS $700) for the 32GB Wi-Fi and £499 (around $760/ AUS $775) for the 16GB 4G/LTE version in the UK.

Arise, Xperia

The tablet is essentially a beefed-up version of the Xperia Z smartphone, with some impressive specifications, including a 10.1-inch HD Reality Display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2 and a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5 Ghz processor with 2GB RAM.

There's also an 8 MP camera and NFC capability for easy pairing with a range of Sony devices, including headphones.

Plus, it's only 6.9mm thick and weighs just 495g, making it even more appealing as a bath time companion. You can check out TechRadar's hands-on review here.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 specs leak out

Hugh Langley — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:01:00 GMT

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8-inch hasn't been the best kept secret, and now we're able to glance on what appears to be a leak of the forthcoming slate.

The leaked photo and specs surfaced over on SamMobile, outlining that the tablet will come in 3G and Wi-Fi-only versions, ready to line up alongside the already announced Galaxy Tab 3 7.0.

If these are to be believed, we can expect the 8-inch screen to come hosting a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, with a 6.95mm bezel that makes it thinner than previous Samsung tablets.

Welcome to the family

There'll be a 5-megapixel snapper on the back, and a 1.3-megapixel one on the front. It's also stated that the tablet will be running on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Doing all the hard work, meanwhile, will reportedly be a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM, as well as a 4,550 mAh battery.

Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY S4, Note 8.0 and Note II

SamMobile also claims that we can expect to see the tablet by the end of the next month, which coincides with that we've previously heard. That said, we'd still take all this as rumour for now.

Tutorial: Make your laptop battery last longer in Windows 8

Alex Cox — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

Windows 8 is a perfect match for the new breed of touchscreen laptops thanks to its touch-friendly interface.

This means you'll be using your mobile device for longer than ever, and needing to charge it more frequently too.

Improvements in internal design and advances in technology mean modern mobile devices are blessed with batteries that can last the length of a working day and beyond in moderate use, but if you're still having to charge up more frequently than you'd like, Windows 8 has lots of settings and tools that can help make its power go further.

50 Windows 8 tips, tricks and secrets

These options are easy to set up and configure, and you'll see a big difference in how long your device lasts between charges.

Although we're using Windows 8 here, there are similar settings available in Windows 7, Vista and XP as well, so you can use these tips to extend the life of an older laptop battery too. Let's get started!

Step-by-step: Boost your battery life

1. Check your battery life

Windows 8 makes it easy to keep an eye on your battery, no matter which part of the OS you're using. The first place to look is the Lock screen, which displays your remaining charge along with the time and date. If you're using the Start screen, you can see the battery status by flicking the right-hand side of the screen to access the Charms bar. If you're on the desktop, you can see it in the Taskbar.

2. Adjust screen brightness

The screens of mobile devices use a lot of power, so one quick way to prolong the life of your battery is to turn the brightness level of the screen down. To do this, bring up the Charms bar and select the 'Settings' charm. Click or touch 'Screen' and a draggable bar appears, where you can quickly adjust the brightness of the screen. This is also handy if you're working in low light levels.

3. Adjust Center settings

Windows Mobility Center is designed to make it easy to change computer settings when travelling, and is a great tool for optimising Windows 8 devices. To get to it, type Mobility into the Start screen and select 'Settings'. Click on 'Windows Mobility Center' to open up the program. From here you can change a number of settings that will help prolong your device's battery life.

4. Mute the volume

It might not be the most obvious thing to do, but you can make a big difference to the battery life of your laptop or tablet if you lower - or, even better, completely mute - the volume of its speakers when you're not listening to music or watching a video. This means that precious battery power won't be used up powering the speaker and pumping out sounds when you don't need it to.

5. Change the power settings

The Windows Mobility Center lets you change your laptop's power settings quickly and easily. The default choices are 'Balanced', 'Power saver' and 'High performance'. 'Power saver' tweaks the settings for a longer battery life, but at a slight price when it comes to your device's performance. The 'Balanced' plan lowers performance only when you won't notice the difference.

6. Advanced power settings

You can tweak the power settings by going to the Start screen and typing in power. Select 'Settings' and then 'Choose a power plan'. Select the power plan you want to edit, then select 'Change plan settings'. You can then alter various settings, such as how long it takes for the screen to dim when not in use, or how long it takes for the laptop to go to sleep.

7. Create your own power plan

From the Power Options window you opened in step 6, you can also create a new power plan to suit your specific needs. Select 'Create a power plan' on the left-hand side of the window, then select a power plan to use as the basis of your new one. Give your new plan a name, then select 'Next'. Now you can adjust the settings to your liking. Once you've finished, click or tap 'Create'.

8. More advanced settings

You can access even more advanced power settings if you're confident drilling down further into Windows 8. From the Power Options window, click or tap 'Change plan settings' next to a plan, then select 'Change advanced power settings'. From here you can change settings that determine when to turn off your hard drive, how USB ports are used and much more.

9. Turn off wireless

If you're using your device away from a wireless network, you can turn Wi-Fi off to save your battery power - there's no point in having your laptop hunt for a network that isn't there. Bring up the Charms bar in Windows 8 by swiping from the right-hand side of the screen. Now click 'Settings', then 'Change PC settings'. Click or tap 'Wireless' and then change 'Wi-Fi' to 'Off'.

10. Enjoy a better battery life!

Now that you've followed these steps, you should see a noticeable improvement in your battery life. You don't need to do each step to see a benefit, and be sensible with them; having your Wi-Fi switched off is inconvenient when you want to go online, and a pitch-black screen will mean fewer charges, but will lead to eye strain. Find the right balance and you'll be happy.

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

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:45:00 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.

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.

In Depth: Best 27 iPad mini cases

Christian Hall — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:09:00 GMT

Best iPad mini case: 1-12

Apple's Smart Cover for the iPad mini is a recommended option to house your beloved iOS device, but when it comes to keeping it in good condition, you might want to look at a more comprehensive alternative.

The most popular cases come in the form of folios, which protect the front and back of your iPad and usually fold to create a stand, ideal for watching films or typing on.

Then there are the sleeves, which are perfect as carry cases. Rugged cases are for extreme use (or to keep your iPad mini safe in the hands of children), while rear shells are for keeping the back of your mini scratch-free.

Whatever your specific requirements, you'll find plenty of options to choose from here.

Folio cases - smart cases to protect both sides of your iPad mini

1. GEAR4 CoverStand

Price: $38

There's nothing particularly fancy about this case, but it's still a good all-rounder. The leather-plastic combo works well enough and the stand mechanism is suitably robust. It's basic and there's better quality around for this price, but we could easily live with the GEAR4 CoverStand as our iPad mini's main case.

Verdict: 3/5

2. iChic Gear Manhattan

Price: $30

The iChic Gear Manhattan is one of the finest folio/stand combos in this test. In landscape orientation the stand is very stable, aided by tucking the tongue of the case's clasp into its holder at the back. The iPad mini feels sturdy in the case at all times, and we really liked the neatly recessed leather, too.

Verdict: 4/5

3. QDOS Libris

Price: $45

We applaud QDOS for making a portrait case stand, something that makes this model really stand out. Open the case and on the inside panel there are two kickstand options for placing your iPad mini in either orientation. However, after a promising beginning, the rest of the case is fairly average in looks and quality.

Verdict: 3/5

4. Cygnett Enigma

Price: $40

This folio case touts itself as a flexi-folding effort, where the front cover folds like a piece of origami to become the stand. Thankfully, it's nowhere near as complicated as origami to construct; however, we failed to find it a reliable stand solution. A nice try, but it's not really robust enough. The Enigma comes in pink and blue, too.

Verdict: 2/5

5. GGMM Fit-M

Price: $24

The Fit-M seems like a backward step at first. It uses two suction cups to grip the cover to the iPad's screen - where are the magnets, we hear you cry? Well, this is a stronger solution, and the overall fit of this case is wonderful. Stylewise, we also admire the leather being raised off the plastic at the rear.

Verdict: 4/5

6. Tucano Ala Folio Case

Price: $49

The leather on this slimline case is super-grippy, but that's the only redeeming feature. The fit is quite cumbersome and really detracts from the good looks of your device. The cutaway holes for the rear features (camera, volume buttons and such) seem like afterthoughts, and the stand is wobbly.

Verdict: 1/5

7. Toffee Leather Slim Folio

Price: $62

A very similar design to the Incipio Lexington, but with an easier tongue/loop design to hold the case in its stand position. It's solid and stylish, but our model was a little suspect when it came to the glue and stitching in some areas. A reasonable enough general purpose folio case.

Verdict: 3/5

8. Germanmade g.2

Price: $106

This is by far the strangest iPad mini holder here - the g.2 encases your beloved iPad mini in a wooden surround. The fit is good and there's even space to store your iPhone underneath. However, it's pricey, bulky and too much of a niche design for most people - even if the customization options are second to none.

Verdict: 3/5

9. Incipio Lexington

Price: $35

The thick rubber housing of the Lexington Hard Shell Folio Case protects the mini, but never feels bulky. The rubberized leather that covers the case feels luxurious and it's one of the strongest stands we tried on test. Getting the tongue through the loop at the back, however, is more difficult than it should be.

Verdict: 4/5

10. Griffin Slim Folio

Price: $40

This Griffin case has some of the best quality (and best smelling) leather in this roundup. The Filofax-esque feel could appeal to business travellers and suchlike, but it will probably prove too cumbersome for most of us. It does have a loop to keep a stylus with the case, but unfortunately, the stand is a little weak for our liking.

Verdict: 3/5

11. Proporta Leather Style Case

Price: $34

Get this if you want a well-padded case that will allow you to stand it in landscape or portrait. It's all done through one stand too, making it much neater than the QDOS Libris. It operates on a simple swivel mechanism and we found it became our general purpose case of choice over time.

Verdict: 5/5

12. Knomo iPad Mini Folio

Price: $69

This case uses a raised bit of rubber to lock the folding cover behind it. It's positioned to give two different stand positions; a high one for watching films, and a shallow position for when you want to do some typing. Sadly however, there's no way of locking the cover, which makes it next to useless for protection.

Verdict: 2/5

Best iPad mini case: 13-27

13. Tucano Agenda Booklet Case

Price: $39

This case is a bit-old school in its notebook feel. The angled elastic ribbon that holds the cover shut is strong and easy to slide on and off. The inside cover has four storage pockets and comes with a padded cleaning cloth, but we're not fans of the corner straps that hold the mini in place.

Verdict: 3/5

14. Tucano Cornice Folio Case

Price: $56

This is the slightly more expensive version of the Ala case. The only real difference is the stand, which here is a more traditional three-folding version similar to Apple's Smart Cover. Thankfully, this provides much more stability, but we still can't warm to the other elements of the case.

Verdict: 2/5

15. Jison Case Quilted Leather

Price: $80

The diamond pattern effect here probably won't be to everyone's taste, but if it does tickle your fancy, then you could do much worse than this model. The iPad mini is held perfectly in the leatherbound shell (there's no rubber anywhere) and the magnetic clip stand is superb as well.

Verdict: 3/5

Sleeves - four carry cases to keep your iPad mini easily accessible

16. be.ez LA robe for iPad mini

Price: $23

The LA robe is fairly rigid for a soft sleeve, but that's no bad thing when it comes to protection. The iPad mini fits snugly into the top, although it's a bit of a struggle if you also have a Smart Cover on. At $23 though, we were hard pressed to find anything else as good as this for the price.

Verdict: 5/5

17. Outback iPad Sleeve

Price: $39

The Outback has a waxy exterior with a leather finish. It's both stylish and very thick, burying your iPad mini in plenty of soft padding on the inside. We also liked the decent clasp to hold your mini in place. As far as sleeves go, this one's a winner - it comes highly recommended.

Verdict: 4/5

18. GEAR4 NeO - iPad mini

Price: $30

Similar to the other two neoprene cases here, the GEAR4 NeO has a nice fit, but it's much softer than the material used for the be.ez LA robe. Frankly, the arced front - which is meant to allow getting the iPad in and out easier - is neither attractive nor ideal for protection if you drop it.

Verdict: 2/5

19. QuickSilver Blue Checks

Price: $23

Although this neoprene case is well-made overall, the zip around the top tended to touch the iPad as we closed it each time. This is annoying and could easily damage the corners of your device. You really have to shove the iPad mini into the case with gusto to have any chance of avoiding this.

Verdict: 2/5

Rugged cases - looking for the ultimate in iPad mini protection? Then take the rugged option

20. Griffin Survivor for iPad mini

Price: $59

If you get your iPad in and out of its case regularly, then the Survivor might not be for you - it's fiddly at best. When it comes to extreme protection, however, Griffin's case is hard to beat. Griffin is quoting it high, but if you shop around, you can pick it up for less than half that price, with a great color selection to choose from too.

Verdict: 4/5

21. Gumdrop Drop Tech Series

Price: $60

Don't be fooled by the Gumdrop's clichéd tire tread design; this rugged product is a fine heavy-duty case. The Griffin Survivor edges it in terms of features, but this case is much easier (and therefore quicker) to get your iPad mini into, and for a bulky concept, we think it's rather stylish, too.

Verdict: 4/5

22. Cygnett Workmate

Price: $40

You won't find many cases with rubber as thick as the Workmate's (it's actually made up of hard plastic and heavy rubber, interlaced for stronger protection). It works well as a heavy duty design, but, depending on your usage scenario, you might want the front covered, too.

Verdict: 3/5

23. Cygnett Armour

Price: $40

We're not a fan of claw grips on any iPad case, and the Armour case doesn't do enough to convince us otherwise. A shame, because the leather quality and thick padding makes this folio/rugged hybrid the ideal choice for those looking for a really tough case as well as a stand and a magnetic locking cover.

Verdict: 2/5

Shells - Keep the back of your iPad mini in tip-top condition

24. Incipio NGP

Price: $25

As you might expect from a hard shell, the Incipio NGP is made of semi-rigid rubber. It's very good quality and easy to apply, although getting your iPad mini out again isn't always as quite as simple as it should be. The harder shell design of the other Incipio model sorts that problem, though.

Verdict: 3/5

25. Cygnett FlexiGel

Price: $20

The cheapest rear shell here is just as good when it comes to quality as the others. We like the hole-punched area at the bottom to form a grill above the iPad mini's speaker. The rest of the cut-out sections to expose the mini's buttons are a little untidy, being all square cut, but it's still a great price.

Verdict: 3/5

26. Kensington Back Cover

Price: $20

Kensington's effort is almost identical to the Incipio NGP. There's also next to no difference in price, so ultimately, it really comes down to which color range you prefer. We like this "Eggplant" version, though for $5 less, the Cygnett is the more attractive option when it comes to semi-rigid rear shells.

Verdict: 3/5

27. Incipio Feather

Price: $35

The Incipio Feather is the only non-flexing rear shell in this test. The Feather series has been very popular on the iPhone because of its light, slimline design, and that design is carried through beautifully here. It's easy to apply and gives you the best access to your iPad mini's exterior controls.

Verdict: 4/5

Exclusive: Nvidia: Google is tearing ahead on gaming, Shield will reap the rewards

Hugh Langley — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:06:00 GMT

Nvidia's Shield has just been given an official pre-order date ahead of a June release, and we're really interested to see how the gaming market reacts to its arrival. As for Nvidia, it seems pretty confident that the growing power of Android's growing ecosystem will propel the handheld into the big time.

"The momentum is now on Google's side," Igor Stanek, head of Nvidia EMEA Tegra PR, told TechRadar in a discussion about where Mountain View stands right now on gaming in relation to competitors like Apple.

Talking about iOS's graphical power, he said, "They are still ok but you see that Tegra 4 is already faster, then we get the next-gen chip and the next-gen chip. Look at how fast Android devices are improving."

But it's more than just the power that will be key for Shield, according to Stanek. "It's not just the device itself but the ecosystem in which it exists," he said.

"Shield is different [from 3DS, PS Vita] - it's a part of an ecosystem, it's part of the Android ecosystem."

As for what the PS4 and new Xbox will offer gamers, Stanek didn't seem too worried. "I don't see consoles as a big issues for us," he said. "This is just my opinion, but I think this generation of consoles could be the last one."

SHIELD initiative

Google's devices have traditionally been behind iOS when it comes to getting apps and games, but the trend is shifting and Nvidia recognises the significance in this.

"The majority of games are now released at the same time for iOS and Android or with very little delay," said Stanek. "The install base on Android is so huge it wouldn't be clever from the developer's side to not support it."

As for those hoping for word of a UK release, there's nothing new to add, said Stanek. "Our plan is to see how it's going [in the US and Canada] and then we can expand to other regions."

Whether this refers to actual sales or critical reception, Stanek couldn't say, but we hope Nvidia will be able to tell us more very soon.

Updated: Best iPad mini case: 27 top covers for your iPad mini

Christian Hall — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:30:00 GMT

The most popular cases come in the form of folios, which protect the front and back of your iPad and usually fold to create a stand, ideal for watching films or typing on.

Folio cases - smart cases to protect both sides of your iPad mini

1. Gear 4 CoverStand

Price: £30
Website: gear4.com

Verdict: 3/5

2. iChic Gear Manhattan

Price: £24
Website: ichicgear.com

Verdict: 4/5

3. QDOS Libris

Price: £35
Website: qdossound.com

Verdict: 3/5

4. Cygnett Enigma

Price: £30
Website: uk.cygnett.com

Verdict: 2/5

5. GGMM Fit-M

Price: £25
Website: sympleuk.com

Verdict: 4/5

6. Tucano Ala Folio Case

Price: £22
Website: tucano.com

The leather on this slimline case is super-grippy, but that's the only redeeming feature. The fit is quite cumbersome and really detracts from the good looks of your device. The cutaway holes for the rear features (camera, volume buttons and such like) seem like afterthoughts, and the stand is wobbly.

Verdict: 1/5

7. Toffee Leather Slim Folio

Price: £55
Website: toffee.com.au

Verdict: 3/5

8. Germanmade g.2

Price: £60
Website: germanmadepunkt.de

This is by far the strangest iPad mini holder here - the g.2 encases your beloved iPad mini in a wooden surround. The fit is good and there's even space to store your iPhone underneath. However, it's bulky and too much of a niche design for most people - even if the customisation options are second to none.

Verdict: 3/5

9. Incipio Lexington

Price: £35
Website: incipio.com

The thick rubber housing of the Lexington Hard Shell Folio Case protects the mini, but never feels bulky. The rubberised leather that covers the case feels luxurious and it's one of the strongest stands we tried on test. Getting the tongue through the loop at the back, however, is more difficult than it should be.

Verdict: 4/5

10. Griffin Slim Folio

Price: £22
Website: griffintechnology.com

This Griffin case has some of the best quality (and best smelling) leather in this roundup. The Filofax-esque feel could appeal to business travellers and suchlike, but it will probably prove too bulky for most of us. It does have a loop to keep a stylus with the case, but unfortunately, the stand is a little weak for our liking.

Verdict: 3/5

11. Proporta Leather Style Case

Price: £25
Website: proporta.com

Verdict: 5/5

12. Knomo iPad Mini Folio

Price: £49
Website: knomobags.com

Verdict: 2/5

13. Tucano Agenda Booklet Case

Price: £20
Website: tucano.com

Verdict: 3/5

14. Tucano Cornice Folio Case

Price: £23
Website: tucano.com

Verdict: 2/5

15. Jison Case Quilted Leather

Price: £45
Website: sympleuk.com

Verdict: 3/5

Sleeves - four carry cases to keep your iPad mini easily accessible

16. be.ez LA robe for iPad mini

Price: £15
Website: be-ez.com

The LA robe is fairly rigid for a soft sleeve, but that's no bad thing when it comes to protection. The iPad mini fits snugly into the top, although it's a bit of a struggle if you also have a Smart Cover on. At £15 though, we were hard pressed to find anything else as good as this for the price.

Verdict: 5/5

17. Outback iPad Sleeve

Price: £25
Website: sfbags.com

The Outback has a waxy exterior with a leather finish. It's both stylish and very thick, burying your iPad mini in plenty of soft padding on the inside. We also liked the decent clasp to hold your mini in place. As far as sleeves go this one's a winner - it comes highly recommended.

Verdict: 4/5

18. Gear4 NeO - iPad mini

Price: £20
Website: gear4.com

Similar to the other two neoprene cases here, the Gear4 NeO has a nice fit, but it's much softer than the material used for the be.ez LA robe. Frankly, the arced front - which is meant to allow getting the iPad in and out easier - is neither attractive nor ideal for protection if you drop it.

Verdict: 2/5

19. QuickSilver Blue Checks

Price: £15
Website: proporta.co.uk

Verdict: 2/5

Rugged cases

Looking for the ultimate in iPad protection? Then take the rugged option

20. Griffin Survivor for iPad mini

Price: £23
Website: griffintechnology.com

If you get your iPad in and out of its case regularly, then the Survivor might not be for you - it's fiddly at best. When it comes to extreme protection, however, Griffin's case is hard to beat. Griffin are quoting it as high as £50, but if you shop around, you can pick it up for less than half that price.

Verdict: 4/5

21. Gumdrop Drop Tech Series

Price: £38
Website: gumdropcases.com

Don't be fooled by the Gumdrop's clichéd tyre tread design; this rugged product is a fine heavy-duty case. The Griffin Survivor edges it in terms of features, but this case is much easier (and therefore quicker) to get your iPad mini into, and for a bulky concept, we think it's rather stylish, too.

Verdict: 4/5

22. Cygnett Workmate

Price: £16
Website: uk.cygnett.com

Verdict: 3/5

23. Cygnett Armour

Price: £30
Website: uk.cygnett.com

We're not a fan of claw grips on any iPad case, and the Armour case doesn't do enough convince us otherwise. A shame, because the leather quality and thick padding makes this folio/rugged hybrid the ideal choice for those looking for a really tough case as well as a stand and a magnetic locking cover.

Verdict: 2/5

Shells - Keep the back of your iPad mini in tip top condition

24. Incipio NGP

Price: £20
Website: incipio.com

Verdict: 3/5

25. Cygnett FlexiGel

Price: £15
Website: uk.cygnett.com

The cheapest rear shell here is just as good when it comes to quality as the others. We like the hole-punched area at the bottom to form a grille above the iPad mini's speaker. The rest of the cut out sections to expose the mini's buttons are a little untidy, being all square cut, but it's still a great price.

Verdict: 3/5

26. Kensington Back Cover

Price: £20
Website: kensington.com

Kensington's effort is almost identical to the Incipio NGP. There's also next to no difference in price, so ultimately, it really comes down to which colour range you prefer. We like this teal version, though for £5 less, the Cygnett is the more attractive option when it comes to semi-rigid rear shells.

Verdict: 3/5

27. Incipio Feather

Price: £20
Website: incipio.com

Verdict: 4/5

AppTec makes MDM software free for up to 25 users

Kane Fulton — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:10:00 GMT

Mobile device management (MDM) start-up AppTec is releasing a free version of its new Mobile Enterprise Management (EMM) 2013 solution for small and midsized businesses.

Up to 25 users can take up the free version, which can be deployed in AppTec's cloud or as an on-premise virtual appliance. The latter has a multi-client architecture, with one version of the software installed for all users.

Other features of EMM, which supports iOS and Android, include blacklisting of applications, security encryption and the ability to wipe data on lost devices.

Devices can be managed through a web-based console, which features a self-service portal for users, a dashboard for first-level IT support and the ability to change policies through a drag and drop interface.

Sanjay Patel, CEO of AppTec distribution partner AiVirtualisation, told TRPro that EMM retails for £20 per user after the the 25 licences are used up.

Simplicity

"Companies driving BYOD adoption say cost and complexity are the main factors when choosing a mobile device management solution, so AppTec's simple and cost-effective product is a no brainer for SMBs," he said. "Its multi-tenancy architecture means IT is always in control of the solution too, which can help prevent downtime."

Patel said AppTec is bundling a 'bring your own device' security application by Winfrasoft with MME in the coming weeks, which provides pattern-based authentication.

"The brain is hardwired to remember patterns, like when people go to the cash point they see a PIN-code pattern, rather than a number," he says. "BYOD security is an issue, and patterns are practically unhackable, so we expect it to be a big push for us."

A recent survey by Spiceworks shows that SMBs trail on mobile device management adoption, despite strong awareness of the security risks posed by growing support for BYOD movements.