No iPad version of iOS BBM at launch, report says
SoftwareBlackBerry's upcoming BBM app for iOS won't be getting iPad support, with a BlackBerry exec apparently confirming that the app is the exclusive preserve of iPhone owners -- at least for now.
"At this point it is iOS and Android, and that's iOS phones running iOS 6 and higher," a BlackBerry exec reportedly told Trusted Reviews, allegedly going on to say, "For us right now the absolute focus is getting BBM onto smart phones." Continue reading...
Archos 80 xenon is a pure Android 3G tablet for £160
LaptopsProlific French bargain-basement filler Archos has a new 3G Android tablet out -- and in line with the rest of the company's low-cost devices, the Archos 80 xenon is cheap as frites.
The 80 xenon is an 8-inch slate with built-in 3G for surfing the Web on the go, and it'll set you back just £160. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 video is shakier than rivals in test
Mobile PhonesSamsung's Galaxy S4 is an undeniable powerhouse of a phone, boasting a Full HD screen, a wildly fast quad-core processor and a host of Samsung software. It has an excellent 13-megapixel camera too, but how does it cope with capturing video?
To find out, I've pitted it against the other smart phone top dogs, the iPhone 5, HTC One, Nokia Lumia 920, Sony Xperia Z and Galaxy S3 to see which is best for video. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 is first phone to win green TCO award
Mobile PhonesWhat's black and white and green all over? The Samsung Galaxy S4, which is the first smart phone to be handed a prestigious industry award for its sustainable credentials.
The S4 has been certified by TCO, a body that evaluates gadgets to see how socially-conscious, environmentally-friendly and economical a device is. Continue reading...
50 billionth iOS app downloaded, bloke wins £6,550 gift card
SoftwareLucky chap -- Brandon Ashmore, from the sleepy lakeside town of Mentor, Ohio, has just won $10,000 (£6,550) in Apple App Store credit after he downloaded the store's 50 billionth app.
The 50 people who downloaded apps after Brandon's milestone also bagged $500 (£330) gift vouchers. Continue reading...
Windows Phone overtakes BlackBerry, Android still rules
Mobile PhonesWindows Phone has overtaken BlackBerry in the smart phone hit parade. But as Windows Phone sales double, the latest figures reveal that Android still dominates.
BlackBerry's share of the smart phone market dropped by a third to 2.9 per cent, allowing Windows Phone to slide into third place after doubling sales from this time last year. The new lineup of BlackBerry 10 phones, beginning with the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10, has clearly yet to capture the public imagination; but perhaps that'll change with the budget-friendly BlackBerry Q5 landing this summer. Continue reading...
Google I/O roundup: S4, games, music, maps, chat and more
SoftwareThe three-hour keynote speech that opened Google's I/O developer conference last night was a sprawling epic, chock-full of new products and announcements from the Big G.
It's hard to get your head around all of the news, so here's a handy list of the most important stuff for the average tech fan, with links to CNET articles where you can find out loads more. Continue reading...
Google whistleblowers inform Parliament on UK tax situation
SoftwareWhistleblowers inside Google's UK arm have given confidential evidence to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which is investigating whether the search giant should be paying more tax here in Britain.
Margaret Hodge MP, the PAC's chairperson, grilled Google UK boss Matt Brittin this morning, saying she had evidence from whistleblowers that Google was making far more money in the UK than it was admitting, and thereby avoiding tax here. Continue reading...
Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 14 speakers are stylish but pricey 
Home CinemaIf you want your living room to ooze style from every angle and you don't care how much it costs, Bang & Olufsen's new set of surround sound home theatre speakers will be right up your alley.
The standard setup consists of four satellite speakers and a main sub-woofer which will set you back the cool price of £2,500. A five speaker setup will be a better choice, however, if you don't also already own one of B&O's speaker-equipped tellys -- that extra satellite brings the total to £2,800. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition is US-only, for now
Mobile PhonesBad news for Brits -- Google's raw-Android version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is launching only in the US.
Other nations will have to watch from the sidelines it seems, as Google has told CNET that the Google Edition version of the S4, which made its grand debut at Google's I/O conference last night, will be US-only at launch. Continue reading...
Microsoft Pro surfaces in Britain next week for £720
Mobile PhonesThe Microsoft Surface Pro lands in Britain next week, costing £720. The Windows 8 tablet is finally on sale from next Thursday, 23 May.
That's Microsoft's price for the 64GB version. A model with a roomier 128GB memory will set you back around £800. Continue reading...
Samsung changes mind, will look at storage on Galaxy S4
Mobile PhonesSamsung has backed down on the Galaxy S4's limited storage after the phone appeared on the BBC's Watchdog, saying it will try to squeeze its myriad features into a smaller space, freeing up more memory for apps.
The Beeb's consumer affairs show investigated the Android powerhouse's claims of 16GB of storage, after users complained the phone has only half of that available. Continue reading...
Android gaming powered up by Google Play game services
Mobile PhonesGoogle is powering up Android gaming with a bunch of cool new features, including leaderboards, easy multiplayer and achievement, collectively called Google Play game services.
Announced today at Google I/O, the software giant's developer conference, the new features will let Android game makers bake in the kind of social features iPhone gamers are used to with Game Center. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 'Google Edition' runs pure Android, out in June
Mobile PhonesIn a shock move, Google has revealed a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that's running pure Android, just like one of Google's own Nexus gadgets.
The officially confirmed device, which is yet to be officially named but was dubbed 'Google Edition' in an earlier rumour, is a dream device for many Android fans, as it offers the high-end hardware that Samsung brings to the table, but none of Samsung's apps. Continue reading...
BBM vs WhatsApp vs Viber: Top messaging apps compared
Mobile PhonesBlackBerry announced earlier this week at BlackBerry Live in Florida that it's finally bringing BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to Android phones and iPhones this summer.
It'll be going head to head with messaging apps WhatsApp and Viber, both of which offer very similar services. I've pitted all three against each other to see which should take pride of place on your phone. Continue reading...
Android hits 900 million activations, Google boasts
SoftwareAndroid has hit 900 million activations, a growth spurt that Google calls an "extraordinary achievement".
The Big G confirmed that nearly a billion devices running its robot-powered operating system had been powered up -- that's nearly one Android device for every seven humans on the planet. Continue reading...
Android 4.3 leaks as Google's possible next Android update
Mobile PhonesGoogle has revealed new features in the next update to its software for mobile phones and tablets, complete with a new-look Google Play store, music service, and new gaming centre.
Leaked information suggests the next generation of Android is 4.3, but that's not been officially confirmed. As spotted by the Verge, a search listing on Google's developer website mentions Android 4.3, but there was no mention of the update when Google took to the stage at I/O to unveil new Android features. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 sells 6 million, smashes S3 records
Mobile PhonesThe Samsung Galaxy S4 has sold more than 6 million phones, selling as many in five days as the S3 managed in three weeks.
Korean paper The Chosun Ilbo quotes an unnamed Samsung boss who claims the S4 shifted a whopping 4 million units in its first five days on sale. Continue reading...
PS4 'is really easy to program for', Killzone developer reveals
Games and GearKillzone developer Guerilla Games has spilled the beans on what it's like making games for the upcoming PlayStation 4, and even divulged some tech specs, including how much memory it used in the demo it showed off at the new console's launch.
"PS4 is really easy to program for!" the developer's lead tech Michael Valient revealed in a detailed presentation published on its website. "[The] GPU is really fast! GDDR5 bandwidth is awesome!" he enthuses. Continue reading...
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition with stock Android rumoured
Mobile PhonesFancy the Samsung Galaxy S4 but not keen on all the extra stuff Samsung puts in it? Rumours suggest there's a version with pure Android on its way.
The S4 is packed with Samsung apps, such as fitness-tracking S Health. But if you're not interested in the extras, Geek.com quotes sources at today's Google I/O event who claim an S4 Google Edition will be announced with just your basic stock Android software built in. Continue reading...
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