How to sync multiple Google Calendars to your iPhone or iPad

Here's how to sync multiple Google Calendars with your iPhone and iPad, so they appear in the built-in iPhone or iPad calendar apps. It's not hard, but more difficult than it should be.

So, you have several different Google Calendars, but have only managed to sync the primary one with your iPhone and iPad. Not to worry. Though it’s not the most intuitive system, by following these instructions you’ll be up and running in no time.

Here’s how to get all of your Google calendars working on your iPhone  or iPad:

1. First, lets make sure your Calendar is properly synced, and the process is the same on both devices.
2. Go to Settings, then open Mail/Contacts/Calendars.
3. Next, select Add Account and Gmail.
4. If however, you have already added your Gmail account, then instead of Add Account, choose Gmail from the account list. From here, toggle the Calendar switch to On.
5. Otherwise, add your Google account information and a description of the calendar, and ensure that the Calendar option is switched on. Syncing will begin when you next open the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.

Next you must choose which calendars to sync:

1. To do this, you need to visit the following Google website: www.google.com/calendar/iphoneselect
2. Provided you’re signed into your Google account, on this page you’ll see a list of all your calendars, with a check box against them.
3. Tick the boxes of the calendars you want to sync with the iPhone and iPad, then click save.

Once again, open the Calendars app and wait for it to sync. That’s it, all your calendars should be ready and waiting for you.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/sync-multiple-google-calendars-on-iphone-or-ipad/

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Outdated apps may rain on Windows Phone 8′s parade

Microsoft has yet to release its software development kit for Windows Phone 8 despite the OS's impending launch, raising concerns that developers won't have time to update their apps.

On October 29, Microsoft will finally tell us everything there is to know about Windows Phone 8, its new mobile operating system. But surely we know everything already, right? After all, we’ve seen the software and all the major manufacturers have announced their hardware too.

Microsoft says it has kept some facts back about WP8 to help maintain anticipation, and revealing those will be part of the October event. Unfortunately, this secrecy has caused Microsoft to delay the release of its Software Development Kit, or SDK, presumably to help avoid thunder-stealing leaks; but the final version is expected to arrive at the end of this month.

However, the wait has angered many Windows Phone developers, as did a decision to allow certain developers limited access to the SDK in return for signing a non-disclosure agreement.

Angry developers without access to the right software could mean problems in the new Windows Phone Store, which will be a worry for anyone wanting to buy one of the new handsets. Windows Phone already lags behind Android and iPhone when it comes to quality apps. Should we be concerned by this delay?

Will app availability be a problem?

A delayed SDK means developers won’t be able to fine-tune, test, or add in additional features to get their apps ready for Windows Phone 8. They also can’t create new apps that take advantage of the new platform. The good news is Microsoft has said Windows Phone 7 apps will be compatible with Windows Phone 8, so every app that’s already in the store will still be available — they just won’t be optimized.

More good news is that those developers with early access are likely to be the big studios, as Microsoft will want to ensure high profile apps have been enhanced to show off the OS’s abilities. Don’t forget, Windows Phone 8 hardware has faster processors and higher resolution screens, so there’s plenty of scope to improve existing apps.

We asked Microsoft representatives if the lack of an SDK would be a problem. Predictably, we were assured that it’s all part of the plan:

“We’ve been quietly previewing the SDK with hundreds of top developers and on September 5 announced a broader SDK Preview Program for registered developers with apps in Marketplace. As usual we aren’t going to release the SDK to the general public until the full OS is revealed, but we feel this Preview Program delivers on the commitment we made in June and allows developers to test and update their apps for Windows Phone 8.”

Regardless of why Microsoft is being secretive, this delay brings us on to the bad news: older apps may not look all that great until they’ve been updated. It looks like some developers have been given the information needed to update, but not all of them. Remember the switch from a 320 x 480 pixel screen on an iPhone 3G/3GS to the iPhone 4’s Retina Display? While it won’t be quite that pronounced, this situation is very similar. The bottom line here is that yes, there will be apps, but most will not be enhanced for Windows Phone 8 in time for release.

There is one more thing to remember, and that’s the October 29 date isn’t the date Windows Phone 8 hardware goes on sale. Due to Microsoft holding back, manufacturers have stayed quiet on when phones will hit stores, with sometime in November being the only word.

Provided the SDK comes out on October 29, then developers will still have a few weeks to play with their apps before you get your hands on a WP8 phone. Let’s hope they work fast.

Microsoft has upgraded it developer portal, promising improvements in the app certification process and overall site performance. Another 13 countries have been added to this list too, bringing the total to 191, and more developers able to sing up means more apps for us.

Is all this normal?

Apple releases different versions of its iOS SDK between the date of its announcement and the date of final release. Not all the versions have every new feature, but they at least allow developers to start work on new apps, or update existing ones. For example, according to this chart, the first iOS 5 beta appeared on June 6 2011, and four subsequent beta versions were released before the final October street date. iOS 6 was similarly released a few months prior to the iPhone 5 going on sale.

Historically, Google has released its SDK a short while after it announces the new version of Android, with 4.1 Jelly Bean’s SDK coming out in July this year following Jelly Bean’s announcement at Google I/O.

The real star at the moment, surprisingly, is RIM (Research in Motion). Despite BlackBerry 10 not appearing until next year (current guestimates hint at March 2013), Beta versions of its SDK are already available to developers, and this week it began accepting app submissions too. It’s even offering an incentive to early bird devs, promising selected apps a prominent position in BlackBerry App World. It looks like it really is lovin’ its developers.

Microsoft’s approach is unorthodox, and does exactly the opposite of RIM’s, as it alienates developers and could potentially annoy buyers when the app selection is sparse. There’s still time to fix this, but Microsoft needs to start soon.

Will it all be OK come release day?

Maybe. Microsoft has dug itself a hole with the handling of Windows Phone 7. No one running a WP7 device will be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8, making the old OS and hardware completely obsolete. Developers want to turn their attention to the new version, but are being hampered by Microsoft’s desire to keep things “secret.” RIM is often ridiculed, but it knows how important it is to keep developers working on its platform.

The first thing any new Windows Phone 8 owner will do is check out the available apps in Microsoft’s Windows Phone app store. If the selection is poor, or the version available is for outdated hardware, that negative experience will spread — fast. Worse, experienced smartphone buyers are already used to Google Play and/or the iTunes App Store, which are full of good apps.

Microsoft needs Windows Phone 8 to have a more successful launch that Windows Phone 7, and is playing with fire by denying developers access to the WP8 SDK right now. Or, for all we know, the software has problems and isn’t finished, requiring last minute adjustments. If it’s the former, the reasoning is bizarre but not unforgivable provided the secrets are truly exciting; but if it’s the latter, then Microsoft has got bigger problems to worry about than a software developer kit.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/windows-phone-8-hampered-by-outdated-apps/

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Rumor: Samsung working on midrange Galaxy Premier smartphone

The Premiere is said to pack the same display size and resolution as the Galaxy Nexus (credit: unwiredview.com)

While the tech world is still reeling from Samsung's introduction of the Galaxy S3 Mini, reports surfaced on Friday claiming that yet another exciting new Galaxy phone is in the works at the Korean company.

Called the Galaxy Premier, the new device is rumored to lie somewhere between the Galaxy S3 and Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in tech and scope.

What's now being called the Galaxy Premier appears to have surfaced for the first time in late September, when a photo taken by an unknown device with the model number GT-i9260 appeared online.

At the time, the unknown device was assumed to be Samsung's Galaxy Nexus 2, but the Galaxy Premiere is more than a simple Nexus successor.

Origins of a rumor

The rumor about the Samsung Galaxy Premiere first appeared on German site Mobile Geeks, which may have caught wind of the device at the same event at which the S3 Mini was unveiled.

The exact origin of the Galaxy Premier rumor is unclear, though, and TechRadar reached out to Samsung for clarification, though the company hasn't yet responded.

Either way, the information that's currently available suggests that the Galaxy Premier may only be planned for European markets at this time.

Samsung Galaxy Premiere specs

The Galaxy Premier carries specs that place it in the middle territory somewhere between the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Nexus, with Android 4.1: Jelly Bean and a 1.5GHz dual core processor.

The Premier is said to pack the same display size and resolution as the Galaxy Nexus, with a 4.6-inch 1280x720 Super AMOLED screen.

According to the reports, the Premier also features a 8-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC capabilities, and DLNA.

Hopefully, more concrete information about the Galaxy Premier appears soon.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumor-samsung-working-on-midrange-galaxy-premier-smartphone-1104118

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Huawei Y300 unveiled, is a dual-core JB droid for $250

The Huawei Y300 was showcased at a tech fair in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a couple of days ago. We were able to come across a couple of images and some specs of the upcoming smartphone.

The Huawei Y300 will be running Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 out of the box on a 4" display of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels). The smartphone will be powered by a dual-core processor, clocked at 1.2 GHz, 512 MB of RAM and will feature a 1730 mAh battery. All that will be packed into a shell weighing only 120 grams.

The device is said to launch in Brazil by the end of December narrowly missing out on the holiday shopping spree and should cost just $250.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_y300_leaks_is_a_dualcore_jb_droid_for_250-news-4939.php

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UK government also probing Huawei, says it currently has no security concerns

Following the House of Representatives damaging report, the UK has revealed it has also been examining Huawei amid security concerns.

The story following the House of Representatives report that Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to US national security continues, as international governments examine their involvement with the Chinese companies and look for their own evidence of security risks.

In the UK, it has been revealed that a parliamentary committee has also been examining Huawei’s presence in the country for a while, as it’s a major supplier of network equipment to British Telecom, Vodafone, O2 and most other network providers, plus it’s responsible for much of the infrastructure behind EE’s 4G network.

Should any discrepancies be identified, the continued rollout of both fiber and 4G broadband could be slowed or halted. Both projects, and the relationship with Huawei, are well established, and disruption would be costly. The report is due to be published at the end of the year.

Quite apart from the network disruptions, there’s a political aspect at work too, as Prime Minister David Cameron had a meeting with Huawei’s CEO Ren Zhengfei last month, where a £1.3 billion deal was reached. One of the first stages is for Huawei to move its UK workforce into a new 140,000 square foot office building in April next year.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson, Derek Smith, has been talking to the UK press about the government’s view on both Huawei and ZTE ahead of the final report, which is notably different to that of the US House of Representatives.

Cyber Security Evaluation Centre

Smith told TechRadar.com that “the Cabinet Office is confident that there are no security concerns,” and “comparisons with the US don’t hold up with what we’re doing here. We have a very strict evaluation process for products from any country, not just China, coming into the UK.”

He then referred to Huawei’s Cyber Security Evaluation Centre, which opened in 2010, where hardware and software are tested to, according to Huawei “ensure its ability to withstand growing cyber security threats.” The closest the blurb gets to admitting the centre is more about checking Huawei’s equipment is the admission that it’s there to “build mutual trust in the area of cyber security.”

A 2011 report covering the center’s opening from notorious scare-mongers The Daily Mail is far less subtle, starting with the headline “New cyber attack fears over the Chinese ‘Red Army Lab’ being used for BT tests.” The piece goes on to quote numerous security experts who warn against using Huawei’s services, plus it reveals that Huawei has an identical copy of BT’s computers and telecoms system back in its Shenzhen head office, so it can evaluate new hardware. Thankfully, the system isn’t connected to the UK network.

For now, it seems Huawei’s operations in the UK are safe, but things will take a turn for the serious — not to mention politically embarrassing — should the forthcoming report not back up the Cabinet Office’s statements, as Huawei is already sitting at the table with its slippers on in the UK, instead of only knocking on the door in the US.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/uk-government-examining-huawei-amid-security-concerns/

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Motorola RAZR i comes to UK both on and off contract

The Motorola RAZR i is now available in the UK for free on a contract courtesy of T-Mobile and Orange, while retailers such as Clove, Unlocked Mobiles and at Amazon offer it SIM free for around £340.

Orange is willing to give you the RAZR i for free on a two-year deal starting from £31 a month while T-Mobile is subsidizing its price down to nothing with its £26 a month two-year commitments.

If you want to sidestep the binding contracts you could opt for a SIM-free Motorola RAZR i from Amazon (with very limited stock) for £349.99, Clove for £342 and Unlocked Mobiles for £334.98.

The Motorola RAZR i has a single-core Intel Atom processor on tap, which is clocked at 2 GHz, a 4.3" Super AMOLED Advanced screen of qHD (540 x 960) resolution, an 8 MP snapper and runs on Android 4.0 ICS. There's an eye-catching Kevlar-covered back panel too.

If you haven't done so already, you should totally check out our Motorola RAZR i review by following this link.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_razr_i_comes_to_uk_both_on_and_off_contract-news-4938.php

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Has the first BB10 L-Series handset been leaked?

Is this the first, fully touchscreen BB10 device?

The first, fully touch-screen BlackBerry 10 device may just have been caught in the wild thanks to a cheeky Mexican video.

Spotted by the guys over at SlashGear, the video comes courtesy of holatelcel, and features a well suited chap running through some of the key features we witnessed in our recent hands on BlackBerry 10 review.

The handset itself, thought to belong to the new "L-Series" range, looks similar to the Dev Alpha B device we got our mitts on earlier this week, however the corners are more rounded, and the bezel above and below the screen may have shrunk a little.

It also seems to follow the design of the handset which we saw in a video a few weeks ago, which claimed to be an internal promo video for RIM.

Little is known

RIM has stayed pretty quiet on details of its BlackBerry 10 devices, telling us that it plans to launch two BB10 handsets in the first quarter of 2013.

The first will be a fully touchscreen device, which is expected fall into the "L-Series" category, and the second, sporting the firm's well known QWERTY keyboard, could be the first in a range called the "N-series".

We've contacted RIM about this video and we'll update this article once we hear back.

YouTube : http://player.vimeo.com/video/51254456
Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/has-the-first-bb10-l-series-handset-been-leaked-1104046

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Apple's Newsstand is one year old. Does it deserve a cake?

Newsstand is home to some interesting and exciting new titles.

Electronic books, magazines and newspapers have been the next big thing for as long as I can remember: I've squinted at them on Palms and Psions, PCs and Pocket PCs, and in every case the experience was pretty horrible.

E-reading couldn't even put words on screen in a nice way, let alone display something as complicated and wonderful as a magazine.

It turns out that to deliver a decent electronic reading experience, you need two things: a decent screen, and an easy way to get the content.

The Amazon Kindle cracked that, but while newspapers and magazines are available for Amazon's e-reader they're pale imitations of the real things; publishers have tried various other platforms from PDFs to enormous executable applications, but nothing really stuck.

Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that desktop computers, keyboards and mice don't lend themselves to magazine reading: you need something that enables you to swoop and swipe at the pages. You really need a tablet - and that tablet really needs to be part of an e-reading ecosystem that makes it really easy to find, buy and update your publications.

That's what Apple's tried with Newsstand. One year on, is it working?

I read the news today, oh joy

Like a whole heap of Newsstand magazines, TechRadar is published by a company called Future. As Future's Mike Goldsmith told InPublishing, there are two kinds of Newsstand magazines: there are digital replicas, which are essentially the printed title repackaged in a tappable, swipeable tablet format, and there are interactive editions, which can add panoramas, videos and other goodies. Which is better? Goldsmith asks. "the only logical response is 'both'."

I think he's right, for the time being at least. A lot of Newsstand magazines are digital replicas, and that's fine: the format works really well on a tablet, and I'd happily read my favourite mags that way. However in the longer term I think interactive editions are the way forward for many kinds of titles.

I'm old enough to remember the dark days of interactive CD-ROM magazines, and I'm in no hurry to resurrect those horrors, but when interactive elements are used wisely it breathes new life into magazines.

The digital editions of T3, Tap!* and new title Photography Week make great use of interactivity - they're somewhere between magazines and apps, taking the best bits of both to create something genuinely useful and exciting.

Titles don't need to be about tech to benefit, either. I love Car magazine for its great writing and extraordinary photography, but wouldn't it be great if I could look more closely at those landscapes, spin the cars around and hear those engines roar?

The technology isn't quite there yet - tablets are still awfully thick and heavy, although of course that'll change, and if you aren't on an iOS device you're locked out of the Newsstand party - but it's pretty close, and at last electronic magazines are genuinely desirable things in their own right rather than clunky imitations of their printed counterparts.

The most exciting thing of all, I think, is that Newsstand isn't just preaching to the converted: it's bringing in new readers. At a time when print publications are finding it harder and harder - supermarkets are taking over from newsagents in many areas, and they can't and won't stock everything - that's a rare bit of good news.

As Goldsmith says: "Future's research shows that 90% of its readers on Newsstand are new readers, whether it's digital replica or interactive edition, with only 20% being based in the UK. These are new audiences in new lands and with new needs."

* I write for Tap!, but that's not why I think it's great.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apples-newsstand-is-one-year-old-does-it-deserve-a-cake-1103911

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No, really this time, the iPad Mini is coming on October 23

This week, the iPad Mini is rumored to be launching on October 23, just a few days before Microsoft will fully reveal its Surface tablets.

Now it’s October 12, and no iPad Mini invitations have fallen on to expectant doormats, it’s safe to say the Bigfoot of the tech world still isn’t quite ready to make its debut, despite the last rumor on the subject. If indeed, it ever was.

Since then, there has been talk of the tablet entering production, experiencing problems, and of Apple ordering 10 million units. All this without anyone setting eyes on the thing.

Not to worry though, you can leave the disappointment of October 10 behind and concentrate instead on October 23, as according to AllThingsD’s sources — unnamed, naturally — that’s the real date for the iPad Mini’s unveiling. Apple usually likes to distribute invitations to events a week or so before they take place, so they could begin to appear next Tuesday, October 16.

As the world has done a solid job of promoting the iPad Mini for Apple over the last months (and no, the irony of this statement hasn’t been lost on me), the company will save its money and won’t be inviting the Foo Fighters to return, or even bothering to pop down to the Yerba Buena Center, as the event will be “an intimate affair held close to home.”

Let’s take a moment and say that the iPad Mini is real, and that it will be unveiled on October 23. This is about as close as Apple would dare get to Microsoft’s Windows 8 event, stopping short of erecting a marquee outside Pier 57 on the big day and launching it there.

Microsoft’s Surface tablets are expected to be one of the day’s major subjects, where we’ll finally get to know how much they’ll cost, all ready for a midnight launch. The furore caused by an iPad Mini announcement certainly wouldn’t assist in Microsoft’s quest for column inches or tablet sales.

Right, now you can go back to the iPad Mini being just a rumor. Until October 23. Possibly.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/no-really-the-ipad-mini-is-now-coming-on-october-23/

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Apple's Newstand is one year old. Does it deserve a cake?

Newsstand is home to some interesting and exciting new titles.

Electronic books, magazines and newspapers have been the next big thing for as long as I can remember: I've squinted at them on Palms and Psions, PCs and Pocket PCs, and in every case the experience was pretty horrible.

E-reading couldn't even put words on screen in a nice way, let alone display something as complicated and wonderful as a magazine.

It turns out that to deliver a decent electronic reading experience, you need two things: a decent screen, and an easy way to get the content.

The Amazon Kindle cracked that, but while newspapers and magazines are available for Amazon's e-reader they're pale imitations of the real things; publishers have tried various other platforms from PDFs to enormous executable applications, but nothing really stuck.

Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that desktop computers, keyboards and mice don't lend themselves to magazine reading: you need something that enables you to swoop and swipe at the pages. You really need a tablet - and that tablet really needs to be part of an e-reading ecosystem that makes it really easy to find, buy and update your publications.

That's what Apple's tried with Newsstand. One year on, is it working?

I read the news today, oh joy

As Future Publishing's Mike Goldsmith told InPublishing, there are two kinds of Newsstand magazines: there are digital replicas, which are essentially the printed title repackaged in a tappable, swipeable tablet format, and there are interactive editions, which can add panoramas, videos and other goodies. Which is better? Goldsmith asks. "the only logical response is 'both'."

I think he's right, for the time being at least. A lot of Newsstand magazines are digital replicas, and that's fine: the format works really well on a tablet, and I'd happily read my favourite mags that way. However in the longer term I think interactive editions are the way forward for many kinds of titles.

I'm old enough to remember the dark days of interactive CD-ROM magazines, and I'm in no hurry to resurrect those horrors, but when interactive elements are used wisely it breathes new life into magazines.

The digital editions of T3, Tap!* and new title Photography Week make great use of interactivity - they're somewhere between magazines and apps, taking the best bits of both to create something genuinely useful and exciting.

Titles don't need to be about tech to benefit, either. I love Car magazine for its great writing and extraordinary photography, but wouldn't it be great if I could look more closely at those landscapes, spin the cars around and hear those engines roar?

The technology isn't quite there yet - tablets are still awfully thick and heavy, although of course that'll change, and if you aren't on an iOS device you're locked out of the Newsstand party - but it's pretty close, and at last electronic magazines are genuinely desirable things in their own right rather than clunky imitations of their printed counterparts.

The most exciting thing of all, I think, is that Newsstand isn't just preaching to the converted: it's bringing in new readers. At a time when print publications are finding it harder and harder - supermarkets are taking over from newsagents in many areas, and they can't and won't stock everything - that's a rare bit of good news.

As Goldsmith says: "Future's research shows that 90% of its readers on Newsstand are new readers, whether it's digital replica or interactive edition, with only 20% being based in the UK. These are new audiences in new lands and with new needs."

* I write for Tap!, but that's not why I think it's great.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apples-newstand-is-one-year-old-does-it-deserve-a-cake-1103911

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The Txtr Beagle e-reader will cost just $13, but there’s a catch

A German startup named Txtr has announced the Beagle, an e-reader that will cost 10 euros, but as always, there's a catch.

Berlin-based startup Txtr has announced the Beagle, a brand-new e-reader that could cause a shake up in its market to rival that of the Amazon Kindle Fire’s effect on cheap tablets.

The headline is its projected cost, just 9.90 euros, or about $13. It’s difficult to imagine any piece of consumer electronics — decent consumer electronics — costing so little, and to bring the Beagle in at this price has indeed meant some compromises.

Txtr says the Beagle is the world’s smallest e-reader, measuring 5mm thick at its slimmest point — it has a Galaxy S2-style bump, which we’ll come back to in a moment — and it weighs 128 grams. The screen is a 5-inch E Ink display with an 800 x 600 pixel resolution, and there is 4GB of internal memory. So far, so good. It gets better too, as it supports both .pdf and .epub book formats, along with all others normally supported by a smartphone, according to Txtr’s website.

Here’s where things change, as the Beagle doesn’t have Wi-Fi, and instead uses Bluetooth to transfer books from a smartphone or Txtr’s own Android app. Because the Beagle doesn’t have an operating system of its own, it will rely on the accompanying smartphone app to do everything except turn the pages, right down to altering the font size. There’s also no built-in battery either, and that lump at the bottom of the device is for two AAA batteries.

Companion reader

At first this sounds like a big problem, but Txtr says that two decent cells will provide a year’s worth of reading time, based on the average person reading 12 to 15 books. This also means there’s no charger unit or cables needed, and fewer components inside the device too.

But does abandoning a rechargeable battery, Wi-Fi and ignoring new technology really mean an e-reader can be sold for so little? Sadly, the answer is no, as according to a report in De Spiegel, the Beagle is going to be something called a “companion reader,” and will be sold as an add-on with a new smartphone contract. This subsidized pricing model means the price shortfall will probably find its way into your monthly payments.

The device is still a prototype, and isn’t likely to launch anywhere except Germany this side of Christmas, plus Txtr doesn’t have the best track record with e-readers either, as a previous Kindle challenger failed to catch on. However, the Beagle’s bare minimum approach and stupidly low price are suitably different to anything else on the market, and the world does love a bargain. Are we looking at a future hit?

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/the-txtr-beagle-e-reader-will-cost-just-13-but-theres-a-catch/

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Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini release date: when will you get it?

Who wants a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini?

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini flaunts itself as the little brother of the big, powerful Galaxy S3 - which took the mobile market by storm this year.

Samsung is yet to give us an official Galaxy S3 Mini release date, but according to the Phones4U website, it will start shipping the smartphone from November 2.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini offers up a 4-inch, 480 x 800 Super AMOLED display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 8GB of internal storage, 5MP rear camera with flash, micro SD card slot and comes running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

We've been hunting down the UK networks and retailers to find out who's offering it, and at what price.

Phones4U - the high street retailer has got ahead of the pack and already has its pre-order page up for the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, with a range of tariffs from O2, Orange and Vodafone for you to select.

You can pick up a free Galaxy S3 Mini on contracts starting at £25 per month, and the first 350 customers to pre-order will also get a free Samsung S Pebble – a mini MP3 player which pairs with the phone.

Carphone Warehouse – there's nothing currently on the Carphone website, so we contacted the retailer to find out its plans, and a spokesperson has confirmed it will be stocking the Galaxy S3 Mini.

Vodafone – took to Twitter soon after Samsung's announcement to declare that it will indeed be selling the Galaxy S3 Mini – however all it said was that it's "coming soon", with no word on price.

O2 – while various O2 tariffs are listed on the Phones4U pre-order page, the bubbly network is yet to confirm whether if will be offering the Galaxy S3 Mini directly.

Orange – we've contacted Orange and asked if the Galaxy S3 Mini would be gracing its line-up, but we're still waiting on a response.

However thanks to Phones4U, we can be pretty sure the colour- or fruit-inspired network will offer the Galaxy S3 Mini to its customers.

T-Mobile – we're also waiting to hear back from T-Mobile on whether it will be stocking the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.

Three – the data-friendly network will probably complete the network line up and stock the Galaxy S3 Mini, although we're yet to hear anything official.

SIM-free – if you hate being tied down to a contact or forcibly linked with a network, then you may want to pick up the Galaxy S3 Mini SIM-free.

Online retailer Clove already has its pre-order page up, but it's asking for £298.60 for the handset, which seems a little on the steep side to us.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-mini-release-date-when-will-you-get-it-1103982

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UK carriers start taking Galaxy S III mini pre-orders

The Galaxy S III mini was announced just yesterday, but it’s already available for pre-order from three of Britain's major carriers.

This means that you can get the Samsung smartphone for free as long as you are willing to sign a two-year contract. The cheapest Vodafone contract that gets you a shinny new Galaxy S III mini for zilch costs £25/month. If Orange or O2 are your carrier of choice, you need £26/month or £27/month contract, respectively, to get a free mini.

There are cheaper plans, too, starting from £15.50/month, but you'll have to pay £199.99 to have the Samsung Galaxy S III mini on them. You can always opt for the SIM-free device, but it will set you back £300.

To sweeten up the deal, Phones 4U is throwing free Pebble MP3 players for the first 350 pre-orders.

The Samsung Galaxy S III mini is expected to start shipping in the beginning of November.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/the_galaxy_s_iii_mini_goes_on_preorder_in_uk_its_free_on_contract-news-4937.php

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Tech's top table is getting bigger all the time

It's been a busy few weeks for Jeff Bezos

The world of tech is hugely competitive and ridiculously fast-moving, and that's why we like it so much: today's hero can quickly become tomorrow's zero as something more interesting, elegant or exciting comes along.

That's definitely the case in the ultra-competitive smartphone market, where we've discovered the very best thing money can buy: it has "every kind of feature we could ask for and more, and [it] raises the bar once again in terms of what consumers should be expecting in terms of battery life, processor speed and media management." We'd recommend you buy one "without hesitation".

Is it the iPhone 5? Nope! It's the Samsung Galaxy S3, which we've spent some more time living with to see how it compares to Apple's latest. As nice as the iPhone is, we still think the S3 is better - even though it "doesn't have the same wow factor" as its predecessor.

Something musical

There's a new king of the MP3 player market too, although it looks rather like the old king: yep, it's the new iPod touch, which started shipping this week.

As we explained in our hands on review, "the fifth-gen iPod touch is a big step forward. Its battery life and low cost of ownership (since it has no cellular contract) beat the iPhone, and it can do just as much, in a thinner, lighter package."

The late Steve Jobs was seen by many as the king of the technology industry, and our Gary Marshall makes a strong argument that Amazon's Jeff Bezos is his successor: "In a world of dull tech CEOs – ten points for anyone who can say three interesting things about Samsung's CEO; hell, ten points for anyone who knows his name without Googling it – Jeff Bezos stands out," he writes, arguing that "like Jobs, Bezos thinks big and plays for keeps."

Something bad

According to the US House Intelligence Committee, the Chinese mobile makers Huawei and ZTE are kings too: kings of EVIL! After an 11-month investigation, the Committee said that the companies are an espionage threat to western firms and governments, and accused them of bribery, corruption, discriminatory behaviour and copyright infringement.

As you might expect, the companies angrily denied the allegations - in Huawei's case, over 81 no doubt riveting pages - but the news sparked "dozens and dozens" of fresh complaints to the Committee, so the story isn't going away any time soon; meanwhile the Committee is urging US firms to buy kit from other companies and TechRadar news writer Matt Swider's pun generator is set to max: he describes the growing international consensus against Huawei as "The Coalition of the Un-Huaweilling." Zing!

Could we have a new king of small tablets this time next week? It's certainly looking that way as the world greets the imminent arrival of a new Apple product with the traditional rumour-mongering, leaked product images and wish lists. You know it's coming. We know it's coming.

Something small

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Pretty much the only thing we don't know is whether it'll be called the iPad mini, iPad Air, or Sharon - although it's unclear whether we'll see a 3G/4G version or, as The Guardian reports, just a Wi-Fi one to keep the small iPad distinct from its bigger sibling. Yet more allegedly leaked pictures are doing the rounds, showing the expected Lightning connector and a more squared-off case. Unless Apple really messes up or charges too much, it's clearly going to sell squillions.

Something bright

Are you planning to buy an iPad mini or similar device for your kids? Some experts say you shouldn't, and that "your gadgets will eat your children's brains and turn them into something even more horrible than George Osborne," Gary Marshall warns, agreeing that too much screen time and not enough exercise is unlikely to have a happy ending.

"As a geek parent I'm a paid-up member of the Gadgets Are Great club, and I think tech can be great for teenagers and tots alike," he says. "The trick, as with most things, is to get the balance right. If your kids are trying to pinch and zoom their picture books, you should probably give the screens a break."

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/techs-top-table-is-getting-bigger-all-the-time-1103910

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Probable next Nexus phone, LG E960 Mako camera samples leak

LG is pretty lax when it comes to keeping the LG E960, a.k.a. the Optimus G-based Nexus phone, under wraps. Images and details of the smartphone just cant stop leaking all over web. The latest info comes from Russian site Onliner (again) and shows two camera samples.

The camera is an 8MP shooter (the Optimus G has two versions, 8MP and 13MP) and according to the EXIF info has a 4.6mm focal length (but that's all the info there is, the aperture data is missing). Note that the software is not finished yet, so we can expect the image quality to improve.

LG E960 Mako camera samples

The LG E960 Nexus has also been confirmed to use the Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 chipset with four Krait cores and Adreno 320 graphics. What this leak didn’t confirm is the worrying rumor that the LG-made Nexus will have only 8GB of non-expandable on-board storage. Onliner is promising a review will be available tomorrow, so that will be settled soon.

In the mean time, you can hit the source link to check out a 360-degree spin on the phone.

Source (in Russian)

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/probable_next_nexus_phone_lg_e960_mako_camera_samples_leak-news-4936.php

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