Gadget Magee

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Review – Phillips Picopix PPX 1430

Rating:

Price when reviewed - £200.

You’d think that a projector is a big device, well, it isn’t, the PicoPix 1430 can easily fit in the pocket. It’s perfect for a lot of people, including those who just like to show off their videos and images, plus it’s selling on the cheap for only £220. All you need is a decent white wall and a tri-pod to plot the PicoPix onto.

The PicoPix is capable of displaying images at 80 inches, though 40 – 50 inches is the norm. You can easily upload your images onto the projector, you can either use a USB flash drive to display images, or you can use an SD card, it’s up to you really.

Phillips has done a great job on the design. The Picopix is made from plastic, although it feels pretty solid to hold, and it’s pretty light at only 290g. You’ll find the main navigational set of buttons on the top of the device, the On/Off toggle can be found on right side of the projector.

The overall image quality was excellent, however, you’ll need to aim the projector at a suitable wall, or you can just use a white board. Underneath the projector you will find a tri-pod connector, there’s also an optional kickstand.

Conclusion

The Picopix is a great device, plus it looks and feels good. The image quality is fab, though the lack of WMV file format is a bit disappointing. Overall, it’s a decent device for those who like to show off, it’s relatively easy to use so anyone should be able to use it. The price is great, it’s a bargain for those who are watching their budget, anway, we like, so you should too.

View the original article here

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Spotify launching browser-based version as part of redesign

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Cha-cha-cha-cha-changes! Spotify will launch a browser-based version of its music streaming service, TechCrunch reports. Sources have told the site Spotify will completely overhaul its app, with the web-based version complementing or replacing the current desktop app. That would explain why Spotify hasn't updated its service over the last year.

The move to web is one part of a larger overhaul of the service, the sources claim, with the new Spotify focussing more on music discovery. You'll still be able to see what your friends listen to via Facebook, but you'll also have the option to follow the listening habits of 'influencers'. As long as they've got good taste, that's fine with me.

We could be in for a lower subscription price too. At the moment you can get it free with adverts, pay £4.99 a month for no ads, or £9.99 a month and get the mobile version chucked in, along with offline playlists. So what could this new tariff be? Less frequent adverts for £2.50 a month? Only the less annoying ads? Or would it just lower prices all round? It's anyone's guess at this stage.

Being browser-based would make a lot of sense though. Its main competitor, Rdio, is accessed through a browser, which means there's no faffing with downloads and installations. You could also log in on any of your friends' computers without asking if they've got Spotify, which would be a plus (or a pain for your pal, depending on your taste in music).

The only issue is whether a web-based Spotify could work as quickly as the desktop version. But with broadband speeds getting faster, and even nippier access on the way, hopefully this won't be an issue.

Would you like to see a web-based Spotify? What would you like this new tariff to be? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

Selling the Old iPhone Before the Upgraders Do

Apple

If you’re thinking about selling your iPhone so you can use the money to buy Apple’s new smartphone when it comes out, better act fast.

From now until Apple introduces the new iPhone, expected to be Sept. 12, consumers are likely to get the best prices online for their old phones, according to Anthony Scarsella, chief gadget officer for Gazelle, a Web site that buys old iPhones and other gadgets and resells them. If the market follows the pattern that greeted every other generation of Apple’s smartphone, consumers will try to unload their older iPhones in droves through sites like Gazelle, eBay and elsewhere after the new phone comes out, Mr. Scarsella said.

“Prices are going to go way down,” he said.

As of Tuesday, Gazelle was paying people $132 for the least expensive iPhone 4 in good condition, with eight gigabytes of storage and designed to run on the AT&T network. It was reselling that device for $271.99 on eBay. People, of course, can sell their old phones directly through eBay and Craigslist if they don’t mind the extra work.

One of the main downsides to selling an old iPhone now, weeks before the new one is expected to be announced is that you won’t have a cellphone in the interim. Mindful of this, Gazelle gives people 30 days to send in their gadgets after locking in a trade-in price.

View the original article here

iPhone 5 vs iPhone 4S in 3D concept video

How will the new iPhone 5 shape up compared to the iPhone 4S? Find out in this cool new concept video, which puts the two phones side-by-side and spins them every which way.

We've seen the inside and outside of the new iPhone as photos of components leak in dribs and drabs. But now they've been assembled in a video placing 3D models of the two phones side-by-side.

The good folks at 3D-desk.com, who create three-dimensional animated models for your perusal, drew on industry rumours, strategic logic -- and "a bit of wild guessing" -- to flesh out their hypothetical iPhone.

The video shows the difference in scale between the current model and the hotly anticipated new iPhone, including the new smaller dock connector and headphone jack moved to the bottom. Hit play below to see the two phones spinning in space without a care in the world:

Leaked photos reveal the new iPhone to be taller than the current model when you hold it normally, or wider when you turn it sideways to landscape orientation.

The screen will apparently measure 4 inches across and boast a resolution of 640x1,136 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio, meaning no more black bars when you watch movies and TV and allowing your video to make the most of the screen. The extra space on the screen is also enough for an extra row of icons on the home screen.

There's no guarantee this is what the new iPhone will look like, of course. In fact, the animated animators behind this video also speculate Apple could keep the screen the same, rather than forcing app developers to change the layout of apps.

If you're wondering what the new iPhone would look like if the screen stayed the same size and it just got thinner, check out this video:

What do you think of the look of the new iPhone? Are the expected changes smart thinking by Apple, or does the iPhone have other problems that haven't been addressed here? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.

$15 add opt-out for Kindle Fire HD

If you do decide to purchase the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, then you’ll be happy to learn that you can get rid of the lock screen advertisements, but you’ll have to pay $15 to do so. Well, it’s a great idea for Amazon to earn some extra buck, but there’s no word if the option will come to the UK, we suspect that it will.

A spokesperson for Amazon said: ”I wanted to let you know that with Kindle Fire HD there will be a special offers opt-out option for $15. We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out. We’re happy to offer customers the choice.”

Source

View the original article here

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

iPhone 5 will support 4G networks "around the world"

The iPhone 5 will work on LTE networks "around the world", the Wall Street Journal reports. That means if you use one, you'll be able to jump between high-speed networks as you trot around the globe. Though there is one rather massive caveat: it won't work on every network, according to the Journal's sources.

Drat.

Speculation has been rife that the new iPhone will be 4G after the latest iPad launched with LTE support in the US. Other manufacturers -- like Apple's arch-nemesis Samsung -- have launched mobiles that support LTE (commonly referred to as 4G), but locked to one region. So if you bought a Galaxy S3 in the US, you wouldn't be able to use an LTE network anywhere else in the world.

Apple won't be the first to come touting international LTE connectivity. The Nokia Lumia 920, announced this week, supports five bands of LTE. But it just isn't possible yet to make one phone equipped to work on all LTE networks across the world. We still haven't got one in the UK, for starters, though Everything Everywhere is expected to roll one out in the coming weeks.

The iPhone 5 will be announced on 12 September -- that's this Wednesday. Last week Apple sent out an invite for the event, with the shadow of the 12 making a 5, so it's a dead cert the handset will be unveiled. It's expected to pack a 4-inch screen, high-speed LTE access, and a faster processor.

Apple marketed the latest iPad as 4G, but had to climb down after people complained it only works on some LTE bands across the world. So hopefully Apple will be a bit clearer with the next iPhone.

Are you excited about the iPhone 5? What are you hoping for? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.

Coco Controller could be your new iPhone and S3 gaming pal

The Coco Controller could be the most attractive and reasonably priced way of leaving your slippery-fingered smart phone gaming woes behind -- if its Kickstarter is a success.

Created by Harvard drop-outs Connor Zwick and Colton Gyulay, the device aims to provide a console-based gaming experience for the price of a smart phone case.

The controller is designed to fit the current iPhone 4 and 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S3, the latest iPod touch, and (they reckon) the upcoming iPhone 5, so for the time being it looks like a promising enterprise. I mean, it's not like any previous Harvard drop-outs have done anything spectacularly successful in the tech industry is it?

Importantly, the Coco Controller avoids any annoying battery and circuitry issues by communicating and being powered via the audio jack, rather than Bluetooth. This will make it easier to use, more reliable, and hopefully save on weight.

The smart phone slots into the plastic casing, which houses a multi-axis directional pad, one analogue stick, four action buttons, and two trigger buttons. This familiar layout could be crucial in persuading gamers to try it.

The controller is already compatible with 35 iOS games, none of which are particularly well known at the moment (with the likes of Pure Fun Soccer and Warm Gun), but the guys are hoping for thousands more by the time Coco ships.

There are competitors for the Coco Controller to consider in its quest for world domination. Power A's Moga Controller, set to be released later this year, and the iControlPad are both bulkier, separate units that attach in a slightly clumsy manner to your beloved telephone. The Coco Controller is as cool as a coconut in comparison, with its sleek, uncompromising design niftily fitting around the phone as an all-encompassing gaming companion.

It's hard to comment without having the product to hand, but Coco could make the iPhone and S3 even fiercer competition in the handheld console market, snapping harder at the heels of giants such as Sony and Nintendo. All being well and the Coco could raise the casual profile of smart phone gaming to a more competitive level.

Thinking ahead, Milkshake Labs -- Coco's producers -- are hoping it will be used as a controller for big-screen gaming through AirPlay mirroring, as well as dual-screen gaming (pictured above), which will widen the appeal of the controller to not just commuter gamers, but also the casual home player too.

This brings it dangerously into the sights of Ouya, the new Android-powered console now available to preorder. Having said that, Ouya's commitment to home gaming is likely to make it the couch potato's Android-powered console of choice.

The overriding question that's been brought about by these two likely lads is, why buy a dedicated handheld gaming console such as the 3DS or Vita when your phone -- plus Coco companion -- can be perfectly capable of offering much the same experience?

It could be a while until the Coco is nestled firmly in your pocket, however, as Milkshake is hoping to boost its current kickstarter fund from its current total of $17,000 to an ambitious $175,000 over the next 27 days. Best of luck to them -- you can contribute $57 (£36, including international shipping) and bag yourself a black or white version. There are several different options above that mark too.

Fed up with fiddly finger phone gaming? Let's hear some love for the Coco Controller in the comments box or on our Facebook page.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Kobo announce Kobo Arc, their first Android tablet

Kobo has officially announced the Kobo Arc, their first ever Android tablet, it’s clearly gunning for Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Specs include a 7- inch 1280×800 IPS display, a 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, plus there’s a 2- megapixel front facing camera for video chat and Skype calls.

The Arc sports Android Ice Cream Sandwich along with Kobo’s own Tapestries interface. There’s access both to the Kobo catalogue where you can download and purchase over 3 million books, and the Google Play Store with over 600,000 applications.

The Arc offers 10 hours of reading and up-to 2 weeks on standby. It comes in two versions – an 8GB model costing just £169, and the 16GB version costing £199.

They also announced to other e-readers, the Gio which will cost just £99, and the Kobo Mini with an ultra-cheap £60 price-tag. The Gio sports a 6- inch e-ink display and has 2GB of built-in storage, plus it’s weighs just 185g and measures in at only 10mm. The Kobo Mini is completely different, it has a smaller 5- inch screen and is available in an array of swappable colours. Both the Gio and Mini will go on sale from the 1st of October.

Source

View the original article here

Phone shops mislead customers over price hikes, says report

Mobile phone shops are misleading us about the possibility of our phone deals shooting up in price while the contract is still running. That's according to a report by Which? It found more than 80 per cent of shop staff failed to mention or even denied potential price hikes.

Quizzically punctuated consumer champions Which? sent mystery shoppers into phone shops like an army of ninjas sneaking into battle on behalf of mobile owners everywhere. They visited 39 outlets and asked staff if the price of the phone deal they were interested in would stay the same for the duration of the contract.

A whopping 82 per cent of those conversations saw staff give the undercover investigators the wrong information, failing to disclose that the advertised price could indeed rise during the length of the contract.

Many phone contracts contain clauses allowing the network to raise the tariff higher than the price agreed when you signed up. Such clauses are buried deep in the terms and conditions and are rarely spotted by customers.

Not only do mobile phone staff fail to highlight the offending clauses and potential price hikes, Which? reports the majority outright denied that a price rise could follow, even when asked directly.

Four out of five phone networks have raised prices on contracts in the past year. Customers who object are pointed to the Ts & Cs they signed, while those who wish to eject from their contracts are hit with early termination fees.

Such flim-flammery is worth £90m a year to the networks. I contacted them for a response, but at the time of writing, only O2 has responded. O2 says it has "reminded the teams in our stores that prices can always be subject to change", blaming shop staff rather than addressing the questionable practice of signing us to contracts that allow for potential price rises.

Those of us who have worked in shops know what the pressures to sell are like. Whether staff are deliberately misleading customers to make a sale or aren't trained properly by each network, I think the networks are acting in an underhand manner -- enough to prompt an Ofcom investigation, in fact. I mean, let's see how far we get if we all decide we want to pay a different amount each month than what was agreed at the start of the contract.

Have you been screwed over by your phone network? Have you ever worked in a phone shop? Are staff to blame or is it the networks that should be forced to change their ways? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.

HP SpectreOne desktop offers NFC, stylish looks but no touch

HP has taken the cover off a new addition to its all-in-one desktop range, named the SpectreOne. It's a Windows 8-running, 23.6-inch desktop PC that packs some stylish looks along with handy near-field communication (NFC) technology, although oddly it doesn't offer a touchscreen.

The 23.6-inch display boasts a resolution of 1,920x1,080-pixels for watching those high definition movies. The lack of a touchscreen on a new all-in-one though is an unusual omission, particularly as it will be running Windows 8.

Windows 8 is the latest version of Microsoft's operating system and has been designed almost entirely for touch-based navigation. I argued recently that Windows 8 may be able to kill the traditional laptop, as the standard keyboard and trackpad is no longer the easiest way to engage with your computer and the same is arguably true of non-touch desktops so we'll have to wait and see how Windows 8 fares on this new machine.

HP will at least be bundling the SpectreOne with an oversized trackpad that looks almost identical to Apple's Magic Trackpad, as well as an Apple-esque keyboard. It's also sporting looks that are rather reminiscent of the iMac range, with an all-glass front and minimalist, grey metal casing and stand. It's certainly stylish and will no doubt appeal to anyone who's ever coveted an Apple computer.

The NFC technology on the SpectreOne has been dubbed TouchZone by HP. It allows you to automatically log in to the computer by swiping an NFC-enabled sticker -- attached, perhaps, to your phone -- over the sensor, apparently saving you precious seconds when you just can't wait to check your email.

Hopefully you can also gain access by typing in your password, in case you happen to have lost your mobile on a heavy night out. Although NFC has been around for a while, it hasn't really hit the mainstream yet in the UK so it's good to see it being put to a practical (if not a little redundant) use.

HP wasn't heavy on details about the internal specifications when talking to our American buddies over at CNET.com, but they mentioned the latest (read: Ivy Bridge) Intel processors as well as a 1GB Nvidia GeForce graphics card. Prices will start from £812 ($1,299) when it goes on sale in the US in November -- there's no word on a UK release date as of yet.

In addition to the SpectreOne, HP will also be flogging the Envy 20 and Envy 23, 20- and 23-inch all-in-ones that are basically existing models from its TouchSmart range that have been rebranded for the launch of Windows 8. They're less premium models than the SpectreOne so expect a lesser price tag.

What do you make to the SpectreOne? Is it an exciting addition to the Windows 8 portfolio or is the lack of a touch screen going to be a problem? Does NFC tickle your fancy at all? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.

Overcome the back to school blues with the Tefal Pro Express Autoclean GV8461

As the summer tapers off into the autumn, the looming task of back to school prep grows nearer and with it comes an abundance of washing for Mums and Dads up and down the country – from grass stains to jam to muddy hands, it all seems to find its way onto little one’s clothes.

Back to school

September is all about ironing as parents get the children ship shape and presentable for their return to school.

Cutting ironing time in half

Spending a lot of time on ironing is a thing of the past with a steam generator from Tefal – such as the Pro Express Autoclean GV8461.

And before you turn off and stop reading, yes we are talking about ironing! But how much do you really know about steam generators? Tefal have put together some top tips to help you power through your ironing –

Cost effective – It’s worth investing in a steam generator, by spending a little bit more you will enjoy better performance in the long term – a good steam generator will last for years to come, especially if it is equipped with anti-scale and autoclean features like those seen in the Tefal Pro Express Autoclean

Take the effort out of ironing – Steam generators offer higher pressure (the force at which the steam is delivered) and more steam than a standard iron. Choose a generator that offers minimum of 4 bars of pressure and 120 g/min steam output to ensure even stubborn creases are removed with ease

Alter your approach – Variable steam and temperature options are important for protecting garments. Delicate silks and heavier denims require different approaches. Being able to alter the iron’s temperature as well as the steam output is crucial for making sure all of your clothes get the best possible treatment

Cut down on maintenance – Choose a soleplate with auto-clean, which will destroy the fibres which stick and damage glideability, reducing the need for maintenance and increasing the lifespan of your generator

Long lasting – Choose a model which has an anti-scale collector to prevent limescale, this prolongs the life of your iron by preventing the regular build up of scale from water that will start to reduce the performance of your iron

Cut down your household bills – Look for an eco-mode on your steam generator, this will help you save energy while still providing high performance

Stay safe – For added safety, auto-off functions and protective covers are a must. A locking system also secures the iron to the base when carrying so that you can pick up the generator with ease and safety

With stubborn creases will be removed more easily with the Tefal Pro Express Autoclean GV8461. Glide through piles of ironing powerfully, with more professional results and boasting 6 bars of pressure and an extra 260g/min turbo steam, the GV8461 is hard to beat.

A steam generator is the ultimate investment for any home – the Pro Express Autoclean comes equipped with Tefal’s patented anti-scale technology, which allows the user to simply remove the regular build up of scale from water, which over time will reduce the performance of the iron, by merely emptying the handy scale collector under a tap.

The Tefal GV8461 steam generator is priced at £279.99 (RRP) and is available from Argos, Amazon, Curry’s and other major electrical retailers. For more information please visit www.tefal.co.uk

View the original article here

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Printing From Your iPhone, at a Price

Seldom do plug-and-play devices live up to the name. It’s usually more like, plug, fail, reread instructions, curse, hold for tech assistance, fail, curse more, Google until you find an answer, play, try to soothe frazzled nerves.

The xPrintServer from Lantronix may be the exception. Maybe.

The problem is: How to print from your iPad or iPhone. If you have purchased a printer with AirPrint capability, it should be easy to do this — that’s what it is made for.

But for those of us who hold on to printers long past their prime, there are limited options. One is to add a printing app. But those apps are generally tied to specific models, so good luck finding the right one. I don’t want to think about what happens when the printer upgrades its drivers.

The xPrintServer simplifies that. It’s a box, somewhat larger than a pack of cards, that attaches to your router and to your printer. Then, presto, you can print from your iPad or iPhone.

It was that simple for me except for one glitch — what printed out was black and white only. It turns out the problem was with the servers for Lantronix. The driver for my printer that was stored there had become outdated. When that happens, a call to tech support should have it fixed within a day, said the company. If your printer isn’t supported, it said, a call will get it added within “a few weeks.”

With the driver updated, everything printed as it should.

But xPrintServer does show some signs of fussiness. When I tried to connect to my wireless printer through the Wi-Fi router without the U.S.B. cable, it failed. But I could connect by the cable, let the network find the printer, then disconnect the cable, and it worked wirelessly.

The main drawback to the xPrintServer is the price: $100 compared with less than $5 for an app that does the same thing.

I would suggest the first thing you should do is see if you have an AirPrint compatible printer. Then check to see if there is an i-device app specifically for your printer. Then consider how much you value simplicity. If the answer is $100 worth, you might consider the xPrintServer.

View the original article here

Saturday, September 8, 2012

BlackBerry 10 touch and Qwerty phones will be 720p, RIM says

BlackBerry-maker RIM has revealed its new year's resolution -- which specifically involves the pixel-count of BlackBerry 10 smart phones that will be emerging at the start of next year.

In a blog post, the ailing firm has divulged the screen resolution of its first touch-only smart phone, as well as standardised screen resolutions for all BlackBerry 10 gadgets beyond that point.

The very first phone running the twice-delayed BlackBerry 10 software, rumoured to be the BlackBerry London, will have an impressively high 1,280x768 resolution -- the same number of pixels as the company's Dev Alpha device that was used to showcase the upcoming operating system earlier this year.

Phones sporting the businessman's choice BlackBerry Qwerty keyboard will have 720x720 displays, while touchscreen-only devices released after the first BlackBerry 10 phone will have 1,280x720 screens.

That means that the first touchscreen-only BlackBerry 10 phone will have a slightly higher resolution than any following gadgets. That might seem like an odd decision, but RIM is trying to make it easier for developers to build BlackBerry 10 apps, by not releasing a slew of phones with different resolutions, something that currently makes Android app development a bit tricky.

RIM even apologises for the higher resolution of the first device, saying that the introductory gadget "has been in the works for quite some time now with lots of supply chain management and manufacturing tooling to bring it to launch."

I'm happy to see that RIM at least has its priorities straight -- getting developers to make decent apps and games is absolutely necessary if BlackBerry 10 is going to compete with Android, iOS and Windows Phone 8 gadgets.

It'll also take great design and hardware of course, and even then the challenge of booting Apple and Google off the top spot may prove simply too massive.

Do you think BlackBerry 10 can possibly succeed? Or will RIM be forced to divide up the business, like a sad clown sharing out cake at a children's party? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

Friday, September 7, 2012

A Rugged Speaker for the Outdoors

The Philips ShoqBox is a rugged, portable speaker that syncs wirelessly with any smartphone or Bluetooth-enabled device.

In the world of portable speakers, simplicity is a big selling point. Their design has been streamlined by adding rechargeable internal batteries and removing cables in favor of streaming Bluetooth technology.

But in their quest to simplify speakers, electronics companies have started to overengineer the design. The $180 ShoqBox from Philips is the latest speaker that works hard to be simple.

At first glance, the compact ShoqBox is a great portable speaker that syncs wirelessly with any smartphone or Bluetooth-enabled device. Looking like a camping flashlight, it’s rugged and splash-proof, and comes with a carabiner to fasten to your backpack. It doesn’t have a lot of fancy features that would detract from its design, making it good for outdoor use.

But if you end up using it at home, the speaker’s simplicity turns into a disadvantage. The ShoqBox has a single mode button for most functions, including on/off, battery level and language options. This requires a lot of pushing on that single button, and listening to the appropriate tones or voice instructions to make sure you’ve picked the right option. (If you push the button at the wrong time, as I did when I accidentally chose the Portuguese-language option, there’s a reset hidden in the base of the speaker.)

But certain functions in a portable speaker really need their own command, like volume and track change. Fortunately, Philips added a recessed volume knob and a sensor that allows you to pause or skip songs with the swipe of a hand. This function works a little too well, as the music stopped and started whenever I reached for the volume knob. Here, an added button or two would have helped.

The sound from the ShoqBox is respectable, even though there is no option to enhance the bass or treble. For stereo sound, two ShoqBox speakers can be paired to your mobile device. The range is about 30 feet, so keep your mobile device nearby.

View the original article here

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update caught on video

Read Full Review

A video showing what looks like a Samsung Galaxy S3 running the upcoming Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update has popped up online, offering a tempting glimpse at what S3 owners have to look forward to.

The Spanish-language video appears to come via Mexican Android blog androidmx.net. While my Spanish leaves a huge amount to be desired, the video appears to show a near-final version of Jelly Bean that's been mashed into TouchWiz, Samsung's custom Android skin.

Have a peek at the video below for yourself -- at 2:20 you can see the Android version detailed in the Settings menu, while at 3:24 you can get a look at the revamped notification bar.

Personally, I think the most interesting new Jelly Bean feature is Google Now, which uses the potency of Google's data-mangling algorithms to deliver relevant information to you, based on things like your location or search history. You can get a glimpse at this feature running on the Galaxy S3 at the 5:36 mark.

Although this may not be the final software that arrives on Galaxy S3 phones, it's heartening to see the update appears to run smoothly, taking full advantage of the S3's quad-core processor.

Galaxy S3 owners may not have long to wait before getting a glimpse at Jelly Bean -- recent rumours tip the much-anticipated update to arrive on 29 August, the same day Samsung's expected to lift the lid on a Galaxy Note sequel.

Samsung needs to make sure the Jelly Bean update arrives soon, or its flagship S3 could soon look behind the curve, at least in software terms.

Do you own an S3? Are you gasping for a fistful of Jelly Bean goodness? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Q&A: Posting Flickr Picture Links to Twitter

Is there an easy way to post links to pictures I upload to my Flickr page to my Twitter feed without having to cut and paste links?

Flickr has all sorts of photo-sharing options with other social-media services. To more easily share the photos you post on Flickr with your Twitter followers, log into your Flickr account settings page. In the Sharing & Extending area of your account page, go to the Twitter icon on the list and click the Connect link on the line next to it. Supply your Twitter name and password and agree to authorize Flickr and Twitter to communicate with each other.

In this same Sharing & Extending list, you can also link Flickr with your Facebook, Pinterest or Tumblr accounts, as well as with several popular blogging services. (If you ever want to break the link between Flickr and another site, return to your account page, click Edit next to the service you want to ditch and then click Remove Connection.)

Now, when you upload a new picture or photo set to Flickr from the Web, click on the Share menu on the page. In the menu, click the Twitter icon to post a special Flickr link to the image or album for your followers. (You can also hook up other social media accounts from the Share menu by selecting a service from the list and following the instructions on screen.)

If you use the Flickr app on your iPhone or Android phone to take and post photos on the go, select the Twitter option on the Upload screen to simultaneously send a link for your followers. Some third-party Flickr apps may also be able to post photo links to Twitter, too.

If you do not have a smartphone, you can also upload to Flickr and Twitter at the same time by way of a special e-mail address. Flickr has instructions for tweeting your photos by e-mail and more information on its other photo-sharing features on its site.

View the original article here

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean and Bond's blower in Phone News video

Prepare your brain for all the phone news it can handle -- from Jelly Bean to James Bond we're rounding up the week's mobile happenings, so click play on the video above to edify yourself.

All the week's major tech stories are covered, starting with hot-off-the-press reports that the Galaxy S3 is going to get an update to Android 4.1 this very month if you can believe it.

The update is reportedly in the final stages of testing, and will debut on 29 August, the same day that Samsung's set to unveil the Galaxy Note 2. Samsung made a total hash of updating the Galaxy S2 to Ice Cream Sandwich, so Galaxy owners will be hoping that the South Korean company can pull its socks up this time around.

Meanwhile what could be the iPhone 5's teeny tiny dock connector has been photographed, along with a bunch of internal components for Apple's new gadget, which is rumoured to have a 4-inch display and a taller frame. Imagine an Olympic baton that plays Kingdom Rush and you've got the basic idea.

There's been more information revealed regarding new Sony Xperia phones -- the Xperia TX and Xperia T are both reckoned to have 720p displays and 13-megapixel cameras, while the latter is pegged to make an appear in upcoming suit-a-thon James Bond flick Skyfall.

Finally we've reviewed a phone so bad it made my colleague Natasha say "there's no logical reason to inflict this phone on anyone." Which smart phone disaster should you steer well clear of? Find out at the end of the video.

Have you spotted any tasty mobile news? Is there a phone you're particularly looking forward to? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

4G won't interfere with nearby devices, Ofcom assures

Good news! Your data-guzzling 4G phone won't ruin your neighbour's podcast or leave them gasping for air on their living room floor. Ofcom has investigated whether 4G networks would interfere with other devices such as personal alarms and wireless mics, and found they won't cause problems.

Concerns arose because the frequency that allows phones to talk to base stations nestles close to the frequency reserved for short-range devices, such as personal alarms and headphones for those with hearing problems. Other devices broadcasting at 863MHz to 865MHz and higher that could be susceptible to interference include RFID tags and wireless microphones.

Radio signals can leak into neighbouring bands, which is known as 'out of band' -- but Ofcom reckons 4G phones are designed in such a way as to avoid significant OOB leakage, and won't interfere with nearby devices on similar frequencies. Phones don't transmit continuously to conserve battery juice, and 4G mobiles are no exception. That minimises the amount of time 4G phones pump out radio signals that could interfere with other devices.

We're all looking forward to 4G, but it seems not everybody will get away without the new technology banjaxing their existing kit: it's feared 4G could affect millions of televisions, requiring them to be fitted with special filters.

Those using Digital Terrestrial Television or Freeview could be affected, with those living closest to transmitter towers expected to be the worst affected. But fear not, for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has set aside £180m to pay for a filter for anyone affected.

We're still some way off 4G in this country, although there have been successful trials. Ofcom will later this year auction off the spectrum to be used for 4G, with the first fruits of that feeding phones next year.

In the meantime, Ofcom has to decide whether to let Orange and T-Mobile -- which are part of one company, Everything Everywhere, since their merger in 2010 -- convert some of their existing 2G spectrum to 4G before the auction. That plan is understandably unpopular with rival networks.

When 4G does arrive, it'll provide us with faster mobile data while out and about. And the signals travel further, so it'll bring a decent Internet connection to areas ill-served by current 3G or broadband. Press play on our video below to see the impact of 4G in rural areas:

Are you excited about 4G? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Q&A: Sorting Accounts With Microsoft

Do I need to sign up for a Microsoft account or is it the same thing as the Windows Live login?

Microsoft is phasing out the Windows Live label on its online offerings. A Microsoft account is basically a new name for the old Windows Live ID e-mail address and password you need to log into certain services. The company is in the process of switching things over, so you may see the Windows Live tag hanging around on some pages.

If you already have a Windows Live ID for the Xbox game console, a Hotmail e-mail account, SkyDrive online storage or another Microsoft service, you can keep using it because you already have a Microsoft account. Microsoft accounts can also be used to sign into a computer running Windows 8, the new version of Windows due out this fall.

View the original article here

Monday, September 3, 2012

Windows Phone app downloads working again, says Microsoft

Windows Phone customers eager to update or download apps can breathe a great big sigh of relief -- Microsoft has fixed an issue that saw its apps borked for several days.

The problem, Microsoft said, was down to a glitch with the digital certificates used to 'sign' apps. While the bug only affected apps that had been recently added to the Marketplace or had recently issued new updates, Microsoft stopped publishing new apps entirely, as it toiled on a fix for the problem.

That fix has now been administered, smoothed onto the wounded app shop like a forest witch's healing poultice.

On its official blog Microsoft says, "It will take a day or two for the repair to fully deploy and newly-published apps to begin appearing in Marketplace again," with Ballmer and buddies going on to caution that once the fix has finished rolling out, Windows Phone customers don't need to do anything to start downloading new apps or updates again.

Oddly, the glitch only affected phones that had updated to Windows Phone 7.5, leaving more recent mobiles that came with version 7.5 already installed untouched by the bug.

Windows Phone was criticised when it launched for not having enough apps -- an understandable criticism when rival platforms Android and iOS were positively rolling in downloadable goodies. Writing on Microsoft's blog Mazhar Mohammed pegs the operating system as now playing host to over 100,000 apps.

I think it's still fair to say that Apple and Google's virtual shops boast a better app selection, but with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 looming large, Microsoft's Marketplace may enjoy an influx of new software bits and bobs.

Are you happy with the apps on Windows Phone? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

App Smart Extra: More Music-Teaching Apps

This week’s App Smart column was about simple music apps that are intended to help interest kids in music.

But there’re as many music-centric apps as you can imagine on Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms, and not all of them are directly about learning to play music, or identify or understand musical instruments.

Moog Music Inc.The Animoog app for the iPad.

For example, one way to get an older child interested in music may be to introduce them to the $10 Animoog app on iOS devices. It’s the official app for the celebrated Moog analog synthesizers that kicked off electronic music in the 1960s. It’s very sophisticated, with all sorts of controls over sound envelopes and other obscure-sounding parameters. But there are many presets and the incredible ear-bending sounds it can create, reminiscent of many a sci-fi sound track, will be sure to interest youngsters. A more advanced version for the iPad is $30.

YamahaThe Tenori-On app for the iPad.

There are also many apps based on the rhythmic melody-creating powers of the unusual Tenori-On digital instrument. They start with the official $20 Yahama app on iOS. It’s hugely powerful, it links to the Apple Game Center for multiple-user playing, and it’s so easy to produce catchy melodies that kids of all ages will love it. Alternatives like the free Tone Pad iOS app, or the free Android Melody app can be found all over the various app stores with a bit of searching.

Meanwhile if you’re serious about helping your child learn to read music, then there’s a long list of apps that are designed to help, from the free game-based Fun With Notes app on Android to the more serious Musical Notes–Learn To Read app which is $1 on iOS.

All it takes is a little use of your device’s app search powers, some testing with free or ad-supported versions of an app, and there’s a lot of great musical information to be found. Plus one thing’s for sure: Many of these apps are much more fun than fusty old music textbooks you may remember from school.

View the original article here

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Microsoft Surface could be as cheap as Nexus 7, reports tip

Read hands-on test

Microsoft's Surface tablet could be dirt cheap, if fresh rumours that claim the upcoming tablet will cost as little as the Google Nexus 7 prove true.

Engadget cites an "inside source" that was apparently present at Microsoft's recent TechReady15 conference, where the beans were supposedly spilled on how much the Surface would cost to buy.

The price was reportedly revealed to be $199, which is how much Google's magnificent 7-inch offering is priced in the US. Over here, the Nexus 7 costs a delightful £160 for the 8GB version -- a price that, if Microsoft could match it, would make its kickstand-sporting tablet nigh-on irresistible.

But is it remotely possible that Ballmer and co would release a tablet with such a low price tag? The Nexus 7 is so cheap that Google is hoping to make cash on things like movies, music and app downloads more than the devices themselves.

There's also value in flogging a tablet at low, low prices, even if you don't make any money back at first, because once customers are invested in your app store and signed up to all your services, they may be more likely to buy a follow-up gadget.

Microsoft's Surface tablet is bigger than the Nexus 7, which could mean it's more expensive to actually make, so there's potentially more to lose.

The Surface will run Windows RT (though there's also a Pro version if you're interested), meaning you'll only be able to install software through Microsoft's own app shop. It could make a chunk of change that way, but would it be enough to cover costs?

Microsoft has remained cagey on the pricing issue, saying only that the Surface is "expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel ultrabook-class PC".

While I'd love to see the Surface costing less than £200, I can't see Microsoft going for it. Were I a betting chap, I'd guess Microsoft would follow other tablet makers in pricing its wares to match the iPad, which could see the Surface costing about £400.

Would you pay that much for an unproven operating system though? Stick your thoughts on how much the Surface should cost in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

Google Play Android app market gets gift cards, wish lists

An Android phone is a gift that keeps on giving -- and soon you'll be able to send actual gifts to your Android-powered friends. Google is introducing gift cards -- and a wish list -- to Google Play to spend on Android apps, music, movies, ebooks and more.

The latest update for the Google Play store contains code and graphics to pay with a gift card. Android Police has screenshots, while Android Central reveals what the cards will look like on display next to the iTunes cards, scratchcards and chewing gum in your local shop.

The update also contains code for a wish list feature, which allows you to save apps to download later. That's handy for discovering apps, which I've always found clunky -- on every app store, including iTunes as well as Google Play. When you want an app to perform a specific task but don't know which one is best, the wishlist allows you to save a bunch of apps as a shortlist before downloading the best. Or you can share the list with friends and family, so they can buy them for you.

Google Play, formerly known as the Android Market, has been spruced up of late. The name change was the first step in a tune-up for the Android app emporium, making it more appealing to the masses who have come to Android.

I can't help but see the name change as a move away from the Android brand, which is beloved by early adopters but can be confusing for the man in the street, who will definitely have heard of Google but may not have made the connection with the Android name. It's telling that the front of the packaging for the Google gift cards doesn't include the word Android.

The de-Androidification of Android coincides with the launch of the Google Nexus 7 tablet, which is super-cheap to lure punters in, in the hope of making mad money in the long-term as new converts binge on -- you guessed it -- Android apps, music, movies, ebooks and more.

In the US, gift cards look set to come in denominations of $10 and $25. I wouldn't be surprised if Google simply switches the dollar sign for a pound sign, but there's no word yet on when they'll go on sale.

Are Google gift cards a good idea? And is the big G killing the Android brand in favour of plain old Google? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page -- and why not check out our guide to which is the best app store while you're at it.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Q&A: Returning E-Books for a Refund

Can you return a Kindle e-book after you buy it?

Amazon’s policy does allow you return a Kindle e-book for a refund after you purchase it. However, you do need to make the request within seven days of your original purchase.

To return a book within that seven-day window, go to the Manage Your Kindle page on Amazon’s site, log into your account, and click the Actions button next to the book you want to return. On the menu, select the “Return for refund” option.

While you can usually return e-books to Amazon for a refund, other digital goods purchased from the site are not typically eligible for return. These items include MP3 files, apps and videos. If you want a refund because you are having trouble downloading the files or have other technical issues with your purchase, Amazon’s digital content troubleshooting guides may help.

View the original article here

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