The LTE flavored Sony Xperia ion for AT&T's has finally left the land of Gingerbread. The handset's long overdue Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update is now available to download directly from Sony.
The update to Android 4.0 brings a number of features to the smartphone. They include tabbed browsing, offline reading, desktop mode, etc. Of course, users will also receive Sony's proprietary UI on top of Google's OS.
In case you are an owner of the said device, you can download the update over here.
The Google Play store hit 25 billion downloads this week. To celebrate, the online store is offering a bunch of 25-cent apps from some major developers throughout the week.
The Google Play store, home to more than 675,000 apps and games for Android-powered devices, hit 25 billion downloads this week, less than four years after opening for business.
To celebrate the milestone, discounts on a number of apps will be available over the next five days.
Anyone interested in picking up some cut-price software will have the chance to choose from a range of titles created by high-profile developers such as Gameloft, Electronic Arts, and Rovio. With an asking price of just 25 cents, Google Play is sure to see a spike in paid-for downloads in the coming days.
Google Play, called Android Market until earlier this year, is also offering special collections, such as “25 movies you must own, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and our 25 top selling magazines, all at special prices,” Google’s Jamie Rosenberg wrote in a blog post announcing the news.
Arch-rival Apple hit 25 billion downloads with its iOS App Store back in March, taking only slightly less time than Google Play in terms of how long the stores have been up and running. In fact, in terms of downloads and apps available (Google Play has 675,000 compared with iOS’s 700,000), Google Play and the iOS store are now pretty much neck and neck.
But there are now more Android devices in the hands of users than iOS-powered devices, so it surely won’t be long before Google Play surpasses its rival in terms of download numbers.
“Twenty-five billion is more than twice the distance, in miles, that the Voyager 1 spacecraft has travelled since its launch 35 years ago,” Rosenberg wrote on the official Android blog. “It’s the amount of time, in minutes, that have passed since some of our earliest ancestors began to set foot in Europe. And now, thanks to all of you, it’s a Google Play milestone. We look forward to the next 25 billion.”
iPhone 5 (left) vs iPhone 4S (Image credit: Mashable)
Following days of reports centred around misfiring Maps, scratched aluminium and leaking light, the iPhone 5's iSight camera is apparently next in line for a roasting.
Users on the AnandTech forums are reporting that a purple halo, haze or flare is appearing on photos taken with the 8-megapixel snapper, when a bright light source (natural or unnatural) is just out of shot.
According to multiple user submissions, the unwanted tint appears on screen when taking the shot, as well as on the subsequent photo itself.
Not all iPhone 5 owners are experiencing the problem, while one user's posted a video showing evidence of the issue when shooting video as well as stills.
Sapphire to blame?
Onw view is that the issue is caused by the new sapphire crystal lens cover.
However, CultOfMac points out that sapphire comes in a range of colours and thus the problem might be a result of light refracting through only the purple coloured lens covers.
Mashable also examined the claims with its own tests (including the photo that accompanies this story), which seems to confirm beyond reasonable doubt that the problem does indeed exist.
However, in certain circumstances it found the purple haze to be more evidence in photos taken on the iPhone 4S than on the iPhone 5.
Apple is well aware of the issue, according to one forum user who called tech support. That individual was allegedly told that the issue was widespread and under investigation.
TechRadar has reached out to Apple and will update this story should a response be forthcoming.
Ups and downs
Amid a litany of complaints that the aluminium coating can be chipped, scuffed and scratched too easily, Apple has also had to deal with accusations that the iPhone 5 leaks light from the top of the device.
Add those alleged design flaws to the continued furore surrounding the Maps app, and one could be forgiven for thinking that a black cloud hangs over the launch of Apple's sixth-generation smartphone.
Naturally, however, it's the most successful iPhone launch in the company's history with 5 million handsets sold during the first weekend.
If you're really missing Street View on your iPhone since you upgraded to iOS 6, you may be pleased to know that in a couple of weeks Google's Maps mobile Web app will include the feature.
When Apple launched Maps as part of iOS 6 recently, users were largely pleased with the look but disappointed with its usability – which is kind of important when it comes to finding your way somewhere. Stories surfaced of absurd inaccuracies, you know, cities in the sea, farms labeled as airports, that sort of thing.
Apple has said the more that people use its Maps app, the better it will get. Meanwhile, Google is reportedly working on a new Maps app for iOS, but it could be a couple of months before it sees the light of day. This has left many iPhone users who’ve upgraded to iOS 6 and who used Google’s Maps app on a regular basis scratching around for a solution.
Of course, alternatives are available, but the whole Maps mess may have left a few iOS 6 users wishing they’d held off upgrading until either Apple sorts Maps or Google releases its own Maps app.
However, there’s some good news for those who’ve switched to using Google’s Maps mobile Web app – Street View functionality, which gives users a ground-level view of the immediate area, should be on its way in a couple of weeks. Apple’s Maps app offers no such feature.
The information comes courtesy of New York Times’ columnist David Pogue who, in a piece about Apple’s Maps misstep, tells how he used the Cupertino company’s new app to guide him to a speaking engagement, explaining that while both the GPS navigation screen and spoken directions were clear, they took him to the wrong location. He was late for his talk.
Apple’s Maps “may be the most embarrassing, least usable piece of software Apple has ever unleashed,” Pogue wrote.
He laments the loss of Street View on his handset, but says that “in two weeks” Google will be including it as part of its Maps mobile Web app. His information comes directly from the Mountain View company, he said.
It was reported on Wednesday that in its forthcoming iOS Maps app, Google intends to combine Google Earth with Maps, though there’s no clear indication as to when it might be ready.
Too lazy to use a PlayStation 3 controller? Now thanks to an unheralded update, you can control the console's Netflix app via your phone.
An update recently hit the iOS and Android iterations of the Netflix app that seemed to simply offer stability improvements and boosts to the program’s overall functionality. That’s always welcome, but this particular update also included a new feature for the app that, for whatever reason, the developers at Netflix completely failed to mention: Specifically, this update allows users to control the PlayStation 3′s Netflix app from the comfort of their mobile phone of choice.
Here’s how it works: Assuming you have all the necessary hardware (a PlayStation 3, iOS or Android phone, and a wireless, Internet-enabled network), you simply start the Netflix app on your mobile phone as well as the PS3 version of the app, select a video on your phone, then choose whether you’d rather watch the program on your handheld or on the PlayStation 3. Obviously this only works as long as the two devices are connected by the same wireless network, but assuming you can manage that it’s quite simple to use your iPhone or Android device as a makeshift remote control.
More crucially, it’s also far more practical than using the PlayStation 3′s Netflix app as it was originally designed. Though the home console iterations of Netflix are functional and allow you to watch the service’s many streaming programs on your local HDTV, they lack truly robust search and account management functions. The iOS/Android app however, is far more akin to the PC/Mac version of Netflix and makes searching through the company’s thousands of movies and TV shows as simple as swiping your finger or tapping out a few characters to prompt a text search.
The video embedded at the bottom of this post comes courtesy of Engadget, and since the developers of the Netflix app made no mention of this new feature in any of the update’s official documentation, it is the first anyone heard of the extra functionality. As you can see in the clip, it’s very simple, and seems like the kind of thing Netflix would want to promote, so we really can’t come up with any solid reason why it was such a stealthy addition. So far we’ve heard no reports of instability in this new feature causing massive issues with people attempting to watch their favorite shows, so while we enjoy the newly communicative relationship between our phones and PlayStation 3s, we’ll have to continue wondering why Netflix never mentioned this aspect of the update.
An image purportedly of the HTC One X+ popped up Wednesday, giving for the first time a face to the device that's been making the rumor rounds.
There's not much to the image, which was posted on @evleaks Twitter page, other than a basic black bezel, though it does appear as hefty as reports have indicated it will be.
What's most noteworthy is T-Mobile's logo emblazoned front and center, indicating a definite carrer for this Tegra 3-packing "superphone."
"HTC One X+ for T-Mobile USA," evleaks wrote to accompany the photo, though that's the only suggestion of a country-specific carrier for the phone.
Though it's plain on the outside, for this device, it's what's on the inside that counts.
That "+" factor
If what we've heard about the One X+ so far is true, than HTC has a Twitter leak problem on its hands.
Earlier this month, another leaker posted specs for the device.
Thanks to those, we learned the X+'s internals don't include any old Nvidia Tegra 3, but rather a Tegra 3+ AP37 1.6GHz quad-core processor.
What's more, it'll have 1GB RAM and 32GB ROM, as is the case with the current One X, but unlike that phone, it should run the Android 4.1.1: Jelly Bean.
We're also looking at a 1,800mAh battery, making this device, if it indeed ever comes, a nice follow up to the well-received One X.
There may even be a free option to challenge Spotify (credit: Engadget)
Supposed new leaks from the latest Xbox 360 dashboard update beta and the Windows 8 music app have revealed potential pricing and cloud playlist details for Microsoft's Xbox Music service.
There's been little word of it since, though, and Microsoft has remained mum on the details, as those are likely still getting ironed out.
But now it seems as if Xbox Music could cost as much as $146 (UK£89,AU$141) for a year's subscription, if the leaked pricing info turns out to be accurate.
Pricing, cloud playlists, and other details
Microsoft required Xbox 360 dashboard update beta users to legally promise not reveal anything about the service to the media, but it appears someone didn't take that agreement seriously.
Images of the Xbox Music app on Xbox 360 were sent to Engadget, and they reveal that a year's subscription could cost $146 (UK£89,AU$141), while per-month subs looks to cost around $15 (UK£8.99,AU$14). Free 14-day trials will be offered as well.
The words "Save as a Playlist" underneath an icon resembling a cloud suggest something about cloud playlists as well, a smart addition considering the Xbox Music service will span the Xbox 360, Windows PCs and tablets, and Windows Phone devices.
Meanwhile, the Windows 8 Music app corroborates those rumored prices, which also happen to resemble the pricing structure for Microsoft's Zune music service. But will those be the only options?
Backing up the pricing info (Credit: SlashGear)
Xbox Music could challenge Spotify as well
A user of the gaming forum NeoGAF spotted another tidbit that reveals that Xbox Music could also offer an ad-supported free option, as reported by Slashgear.
This model would challenge Spotify for no-charge, ad-supported music-streaming dominance, and with so many Xbox 360s already plugged into living room speakers, Microsoft may be onto something here - if this rumor pans out, that is.
Either way, Xbox Music is sure to aid in Microsoft' ongoing quest to dominate living rooms with every form of entertainment, possibly including original TV-style Xbox programming in addition to music, internet, streaming video, and more.
Oh, and don't forget that the Xbox 360 still plays video games, as well.
A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment on the leak, simply remarking that Xbox Music will be Microsoft's "definitive music service" and promising to reveal more information as soon as it's available.
Apple's new iPhone 5 is a pretty piece of equipment. But these four videos show how to change all that in no time.
With each year’s release of a new iPhone, YouTube fills to the brim with videos of people (and companies) “testing” the durability of Apple’s handset. This year is no different. While so-called drop tests (like this one) can be useful for (clumsy) people looking to purchase a new handset, many such videos have slipped into the realm of absurdity. Beyond that, a surprising number of early adopters appear to have purchased an iPhone 5 with pure destruction in mind. Below, we’ve rounded up the four best, most preposterous ways to completely annihilate an iPhone 5. Enjoy.
The split between the two companies wasn't always meant to be though, according to sources close to the matter.
In fact, the latest reports found the departure of Google maps from iOS came down to a dispute over the inclusion of just one feature.
Voice-directed navigation
One of the key differences between the versions of Google's map app is the exclusivity of voice-directed turn-by-turn navigation on Android devices.
AllThingsD's sources claimed Apple wanted that feature included in an updated iOS version of the app, however Google wasn't about to give away one of its defining features for free.
These same sources said a deal between the two companies could not be reached once Apple found out Google wanted more say in the development of the iOS app.
Google also reportedly wanted to include Google Latitude, but Apple balked at the idea, purportedly shunning Google for wanting to gather so much user data.
That's a deal-breaker
Apple had been acquiring mapping companies before these negotiations with Google broke down, but only fast-tracked their own app once they realized a deal could not be reached.
One source close to the discussions told AllThingsD other factors were involved in the decision, but the lack of voice-navigation was the breaking point.
"There were a number of issues inflaming negotiations, but voice navigation was the biggest," the source said. "Ultimately, it was a deal-breaker."
Navigating a compromise
Despite Maps poor first impression, Apple still may have made out better than Google.
The loss of all those iPhone users previously using Google's app could end up being just as big a disappointment for Google.
It's estimated Google may have lost some 100 million users dependent on their maps with the upgrade to iOS 6.
While Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt did say the company wasn't working on an iOS 6 version of their map app, he did seem open to the idea of working with Apple.
"We want them to be our partner. We welcome that," Schmidt told investors earlier this week.
Whether the two companies can come to an agreement at this point seems unlikely, but it's still not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
TechRadar has reached out to both Google and Apple, and will update this story if and when they return requests for a comment.
Future Kindle Fires likely to be impacted by TI change of direction
Despite the explosive growth of wireless mobile devices, particularly smartphones and tablets, at least one longtime chipmaker looks to be shying away from that market.
Reuters reported that Dallas-based chipmaker Texas Instruments has started to expand its business beyond investments in mobile wireless, which currently includes powering Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet.
Amazon's latest Kindle Fire, the Kindle Fire HD, sports a TI OMAP 4470 processor.
In a webcast meeting with investors, Greg Delagi, TI's senior vice president for embedded processing, painted mobile as "less attractive" for the company moving forward, which analysts view as the beginning of the end of the company's smartphone and tablet ambitions.
Investor reaction
"TI made it very clear they no longer want to be in the business of proving application processors for smartphones or tablets," remarked Longbow Research analyst JoAnne Feeney to Reuters. "What remains uncertain is for how long they'll support customers."
For the time being, TI promises to continue supporting mobile application chip customers, but won't invest as heavily into its future roadmaps where tablets and smartphones are concerned.
Texas Instruments plans to instead focus its efforts on industrial clients, such as auto makers, where the company sees future growth for its embedded chip business.
Judging from the company's stock, the announcement on Tuesday made investors nervous, with a three percent decline over worries that TI's new direction would adversely affect their bottom line.
Two of the technology world's top executives are meeting in Seoul for a high-level meeting Thursday, according to the Korea Times.
Though those people could be just about anybody we read about daily, this pair happens to be Shin Jong-kyun, Samsung's president of mobile communications business, and Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google.
"I will meet Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt on Thursday in Seoul," Jong-kyun reportedly said earlier this week.
What the two will talk about Jong-kyun wouldn't divulge, however he revealed that strategic meetings with major U.S. carriers are also scheduled for next week.
While Samsung's mobile chief and the Google honcho could discuss just about anything Android related, they won't be stretching for conversation thanks to at least one common enemy: Apple.
Sharing slices
The two companies are intimately tied as many Samsung handsets run Google's Android operating system. Samsung, the paper wrote, is the "representative of Google's Android community" in a legal fray with Apple.
Apple was not only awarded nearly $1.05 billion (UK£665, AU$1.01) in damages from Samsung after a San Jose, Calif. jury ruled the latter violated several design and technology patents tied to iPhones and iPads, it recently requested that hundreds of millions more be added to the total sum, plus a sales ban on additional Samsung products.
From its end, Samsung has filed for a new trial, a move that could potentially reverse the damages ruling.
Google also has a legal dispute brewing with Apple, as Motorola Mobility, owned by the Mountain View, Calif. company, is seeking a U.S. sales ban on iPhone, iPad, and Mac computer imports.
The bad blood between Google and Apple is nothing new as have competed for operating system dominance for many years.
When asked about the meeting, a Google representative said the company had no comment.
TechRadar reached out to Samsung for comment and will update this story if and when details become available.
Many Xbox Music features will be ported from Zune Music, and based on the Xbox dashboard update for beta testers, the same applies to the cost of the service.
No surprise here: Microsoft’s leaked Xbox Music service pricing model is no different from every subscription music service out there. Unlimited streaming music on Xbox will cost £8.99 (about $14.50) per month, or you could elect for a slightly discounted upfront cost of £89.90 ($145.15) per year.
With the intention of letting select Xbox owners try out the new Windows 8 interface, Microsoft accidentally leaked the pricing model with the dashboard update, according to The Verge. From what could be determined based on photos taken of the interface, users will be offered a 14-day free trial (Spotify offers 30 days of its premium service for free, for the record) and it also looks like Microsoft will offer a free, ad-supported version of its music service. But in order to use Xbox Music on your console at all, beta testers are reporting that you’ll be required to own a subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold.
The pricing model is similar to Microsoft’s existing Zune Music Pass service, which currently charges $9.99 per month or $100 per year, and it’s likely that the U.S. subscription cost to Xbox Music will be structured similarly. Like Spotify, it could be a possibility for the service to offer additional tiered pricing models based on the amount of access that you’d like.
Microsoft is clearly looking to compete in the music streaming market, with Xbox Music replacing the Zune brand that’s soon to be canned. Xbox Music is essentially a big rebranding effort of an existing service that Microsoft hopes will reenergize its foray into music, a sector that the company has been falling behind compared to its competitors.
From what we know so far, our expectation is that many of the Zune Music Pass features will be ported to Xbox Music. Users will be able to access Xbox Music across multiple devices, including the Xbox, desktop PCs, smartphones, and tablets that are running the Windows 8 operating system, and the service even includes Zune Music’s “Smart DJ” function, which plays a mix of similar music based on the songs in your collection. It also appears that the ability to sync your playlists with other devices will make its way from Zune Music to Xbox Music.
Although the music streaming industry is crowded enough as is with just about every major tech company — Sony, Samsung, and Google all have streaming products, and you can’t discount popular services like Pandora, Rdio, Last.fm and Spotify. And it should be noted that none of these services have yet to debut a Windows 8 specific app, making Xbox Music the de facto music streaming service for Windows device owners once its launched.
The launch date of Xbox Music has yet to be announced by Microsoft.
While the handsets may look identical between networks, your choice of provider for the iPhone 5 can result in picking up (or losing) some very helpful perks, many of which seem to fall in the favor of Verizon.
Notably, Verizon allows iPhone 5 users on any data plan to use FaceTime over 4G LTE without an additional charge, which runs contrary to AT&T's own approach in that regard. Likewise, those without unlimited data plans can use the included Personal Hotspot function to create a wireless network for other devices as needed. It might suck your data plan dry, depending on use, but at least it's there in a pinch.
Verizon's 4G LTE performance
It's been a long time coming, but we finally have an iPhone that supports 4G LTE, leaving the sluggish 3G days in the past – or for those times when you're outside of the LTE coverage zone. Lucky for Verizon users in the U.S. that's a pretty slim area, at least compared to AT&T and Sprint.
We tested our iPhone 5 around the city of Chicago and had no trouble maintaining our LTE signal throughout – and notched very impressive speeds along the way. Using the Speedtest.Net app, we managed to ring up a top download speed of 32.07 Mbps on Verizon, while the top upload speed we saw was 15.29 Mbps.
That's the extreme; more commonly, we saw a download speed in the range of 23-28 Mbps and an upload rate of between 5 -10 Mbps. Occasionally, we notched slower results in testing (only when pinging a specific server, it seemed), but in average day-to-day use, the service didn't disappoint.
Pulling up websites over LTE on Safari still showed a marked speed improvement at all times over what we'd experienced on the iPhone 4S, and even sending iMessages and emails had a previously unseen immediacy that caught us by surprise.
Much as Maps has taken flak for its myriad issues, at least the 3D models loaded pretty quickly for us over LTE (not so much on Wi-Fi, though). Call quality also proved quite good on the iPhone 5, with a clearer signal coming in from the other line than when using Verizon's 3G service on the iPhone 4S.
Verizon unlocks the iPhone 5
And as we surprisingly discovered this week, Verizon did not – and says it will not ever – lock the iPhone 5 hardware, meaning you can bounce to a competing network and use its service (not LTE, however) via a different SIM card, as well as use the phone overseas on other networks. What's unprecedented about this move is not that Verizon sold the phone unlocked, but that it seems intent on keeping it that way.
What's the downside to Verizon? Sadly, the iPhone 5 can't manage simultaneous voice and data use over LTE, which means no downloading emails or browsing the web while chatting up a pal over speakerphone. For heavy multitaskers, that could well be a deal-breaker. More casual users may not even notice it until the need pops up in a random future situation.
New Verizon customers must choose from a Share Everything plan, which combines data, voice, and text service, and also includes access to the Personal Hotspot feature. You'll pay $40 a month per device for access and then $40 more on top of that for 300MB of data, with scaling options reaching $50 for 1GB, $60 for 2GB, $70 for 4GB, and so on and so forth. All plans come with unlimited calls and texts.
Existing Verizon customers, meanwhile, can maintain their existing plans with one key exception. Unlimited plan holders who wish to retain their plan aren't eligible for a discount on the iPhone 5 hardware, so the trade-off is either keeping unlimited data at the full retail price of the phone ($650-850) or taking a limited plan and saving money on the phone, assuming you're eligible for an upgrade.
Verdict
In our initial days of using the iPhone 5 on Verizon's LTE network, we've come away pleased with the results, as it's been speedy and reliable in regular use. It's about on par with other Verizon LTE handsets we've tested in the same market, though for longtime Apple users, it's a late but appreciated revolution that dramatically enhances the iOS 6 experience.
Sony has brought the Xperia name to the tablet brand for the first time with the new and innovative Xperia Tablet S.
Featuring a cutting-edge processor, superb screen and the new level of Google's Android OS, the Tablet S is the device to fit your life.
Coming pre-loaded with a host of applications to enhance your world of entertainment (such as millions of tracks from Music Unlimited or a suite of movies from Video Unlimited) the Xperia Tablet S has something to offer no matter what the situation calls for – and you can even stream it to your BRAVIA TV with no fuss either.
The super slim design houses the latest Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core chip, meaning superb graphics for a great gaming experience – and delve further into the world of online gaming through the addition of the PlayStation Mobile app as well.
Want to easily share your tablet with friends and family but don't want them to have access to all your personal data? Guest Mode lets you create a specialised profile for others with complete control over which apps are accessible – and even customised wallpapers and icon layouts too.
The new album app lets you find your photos and videos more intelligently. It's easier than ever to find your favourite snap even in large libraries, with pinch-and-zoom providing a cool UI to get you closer to your pictures.
GPS tagged photos can be viewed on a map or the cool Globe View, which is great for travellers or just those that like a visual reminder of that fantastic holiday.
And with the upgraded DLNA on board, you can just 'throw' your content to the bigger screen by swiping it upwards and seeing it appear wirelessly on your TV.
From there it's a quick tap to share via social networks or upload them to cloud, meaning even if they're not in the room, your friends can still enjoy your special moments.
While some people still have reservations over tablets - choosing to never let them stray more than a few inches from the sofa to avoid damage - the Xperia Tablet S is the device that fits your lifestyle, as it even comes in a splash proof case to keep it safe even in a sudden shower of rain from the English summer.
The Sony Xperia Tablet S: the slate that fits around your lifestyle, adding gaming, music, video and fun wherever you go.
The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 showed up at MWC 2012 in February and slides in at the lower end of Samsung's range, but it's not the firm's bargain basement offering.
Replacing the original Samsung Galaxy Mini, the Galaxy Mini 2 can be picked up for around £150 ($200) SIM-free and you can get it for free on contract starting at just £10.50 per month.
As we've mentioned, the Galaxy Mini 2 isn't Samsung's entry level handset - that accolade goes to the Galaxy Y – which means it lines up against the likes of the Nokia Lumia 610, HTC Desire C and Sony Xperia U.
Pick up the Galaxy Mini 2 and you're met with that undeniably plastic finish which graces Samsung's whole range of smartphones from the quad-core Galaxy S3 flagship, all the way down to the likes of the Galaxy Ace 2 and Galaxy Y.
Not that we expect flashy, aluminium frames at this price point and the Galaxy Mini 2 is a solid little handset which nestles snugly into the hand, with the rounded rear complementing the curvature of the palm.
While it's easy to get your mitt round the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2, keeping it there is slightly more of a challenge as the smooth plastic offers little in the way of grip, and we came close on several occasions to dropping the handset during our review period.
The Galaxy Mini 2 may only weight 105g, but it has a solid build and we didn't experience any flexing of the chassis when we put it under pressure, so even if you were to let it slip out of your sweaty grasp, we reckon this little Samsung could take a few knocks.
Up top there's a 3.5mm headphone jack and the power/lock key is found at the top of the right side of the Galaxy Mini 2 – the position of choice for Samsung on all its smartphones these days.
On the left you'll find the volume rocker switch, which is easy to hit thanks to the petit 109.4 x 58.6 x 11.6 mm frame of the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2, allowing you to manipulate every last millimetre of the handset, even when held in one hand.
Below the volume switch there's also a microSD card slot, covered by a small but easy to open plastic door – allowing you to expand on the average 4GB of internal storage and thanks to the handy side-access, you can swap between cards without having to remove the battery or even the rear cover.
The bottom of the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 sports a centralised microUSB port and a pin hole for the microphone, while round the back there's a 3.15MP camera and a small, slightly raised speaker grill next to it.
There's no LED flash for snapping in low-light, nor is there a front facing camera for video calls and vanity checks.
What you do get on the front of the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 is a 3.27-inch TFT display with a 320 x 480 resolution – so an improvement on the 3.14-inch, 240 x 320 screen of the original Galaxy Mini.
Below the display there's the famous physical Samsung Galaxy home button, flanked by touch-sensitive menu and back keys – all of which we found to be suitably responsive to our various pokes and prods.
Switch the Galaxy Mini 2 on and the screen lights up to provide a decently bright and clear display, with text easy to read and colours relatively well represented – more than acceptable for a smartphone in this lower price bracket.
Flip the handset over and peel off the colourful yellow cover (black is also available), which is well connected to the rest of the frame but still easy to take off, and you'll notice that on the other side of it there's a black sticker which is actually the NFC pad.
It's good to see NFC making it ways into the cheaper handsets, with BlackBerry having led the way at the lower end of the market with this latest technology.
There's a removable 1,300mAh battery, which isn't huge, but with the small screen and 800MHz single-core processor on the Galaxy Mini 2, this isn't too much of an issue.
Pop the battery out and you'll then have access to the full-sized SIM card slot, no sign of micro- or nano-SIM support here.
The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 is a good looking, budget handset with a strong build quality and manageable size – and the bright colour option for the rear cover will probably resonate with fashion-conscious teens.
Samsung has issued a fix for Galaxy S3 phones vulnerable to code that could remotely wipe a device simply by clicking a link.
Here’s the scary version of the above headline: “One line of HTML code could remotely wipe your Samsung phone, and it could be hidden in the very next link you click.” Eeek! The idea that a small piece of code embedded in a website, QR code or even in an NFC transfer could cause that much damage is unsettling, and worse still, it’s absolutely true.
The all-powerful code was demonstrated at the Ekoparty security conference earlier this week, and was shown to affect many Samsung phones using the company’s TouchWiz user interface including the Galaxy S3. For those interested in seeing the so-called “dirty code” in action, this is the video you need to watch.
It works by forcing the phone to auto-dial a specific Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, or USSD, code to start the remote wipe process and in some cases, permanently disable the SIM card too. You may have used USSD codes before, for example to find your phone number or to add credit to some pay-as-you-go phones. Ravi Borganokar, the researcher who demonstrated the kill code, said the whole process could be over and done in just three seconds.
However, before you fearfully disable the data connection on your phone, Samsung has issued a statement to put your mind at rest: “We would like to assure our customers that the recent security issue concerning the Galaxy S3 has already been resolved through a software update. We recommend all Galaxy S3 customers to download the latest software update, which can be done quickly and easily via the over-the-air service.”
Is your Samsung phone vulnerable?
This is good news, and even better is that many S3 owners have found the patch has already been applied, and that European i9300 Galaxy S3s haven’t been as widely affected, and neither have all i747 AT&T S3s.
While Samsung only mentions the Galaxy S3, Slashgear.com reports that the exploit has been shown to work on the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Beam, the Galaxy Ace and the S Advance.
If you’re wondering whether your S3, or any TouchWiz Samsung device, is vulnerable to the attack, here’s a way to find out. Visit this safe website, created by Dylan Reeve, on your phone and if your device’s IMEI number is displayed, then your phone hasn’t been patched. If it doesn’t, then you’re safe.
Additionally, a poster on XDA-developers.com’s forums pointed to the Auto-reset Blocker app available through Google Play as an alternative fix while you’re waiting for the official one. Otherwise, it’s best to exercise good sense and not click on links to or from sources you don’t trust.
Ultimately though, it looks like the disaster has been — or at least, can be — averted, so make sure you check for any OTA updates as soon as possible. You never know, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean could be waiting too.
The update for Instagram on iOS 6 is here, and while it fixes the resolution issue, you'll notice one big feature missing: Live filters.
Those who have purchased the iPhone 5 may have already noticed that several apps that have not received their iOS 6 updates are often cut off in display, leave a large chunk of black blocks to fill in the shorter display of the iPhone 4. Instagram finally fixed this issue with its iOS 6 update, but that’s not the only thing users noticed. Sorely missing is the live filter feature, which allowed iPhoneographers to apply an overlay of their intended filter in live camera view before snapping a photo. If you’re one of the Instagrammers who frequent this functionality, tough luck. Instagram has updated its “known issues” section of the Help Center to reflect the following message:
“As of the current release (v3.1), Instagram does not support live filters on the iPhone 5. Going forward, live filters will be phased out as we work to improve the Instagram experience for all users.”
We’re not sure how exactly removing live filters is an improvement, considering this added functionality was one of the bigger focus of past Instagram updates for iOS. For fans of live filters, this will also prove to be a dilemma for whether or not they should update the app. On one hand, you can only avoid the update for so long, and the black bars that cut off on iPhone 5′s screen continues to be awkward without the update. On the other, updating means you might lose a feature you’ve come to use more commonly. Could you possibly stand to not see the world in Instagram filter after all?
Who knows, perhaps phasing out live filters is for the best. After all, my Android version of Instagram crashes often enough even without live filters so the company definitely has bigger issues at hand that might require the removal of this functionality overall — across all platforms — to make the app less buggy.
Google will reportedly combine Google Maps and Google Earth in its forthcoming app for Apple iPhones and iPads -- but you may have to wait a while to get it.
Apple iPhone users, rejoice! Google is building a new Google Maps app for iOS 6 that will reportedly combine the features of the old app with the whiz-bangery of Google Earth, according to a report from The New York Times. The only downside: It’s still a long way off.
Apparently, Apple blind-sided Google when it decided to drop Google Maps from iOS 6. The Verge and The New York Times report that, according to anonymous sources, Apple’s contract to use Google’s navigation app still had a year of life left when Cupertino told Mountain View that it would no longer need its mapping services. Because of this, Google had not yet begun to build out a new version of Google Maps — which is the reason the company does not have a new Google Maps pending with Apple now.
Apple’s reported decision to drop Google Maps is said to have come before Apple’s 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 11, when the company unveiled iOS 6 and its new Maps App. Google responded by holding its own Google Maps event ahead of WWDC, on June 6, which showcased some of its new 3D mapping technology — a feature that is expected to make its way into the new Google Maps.
The reason everyone cares so much about a new Google Maps is, of course, because Apple’s new Maps app is packed full of inaccuracies, strangely distorted landscapes, and lacks public transit information. Apple has already corrected some of these failings, and promises that it will get better over time.
In the end, this will all work itself out. And even now, it’s not that bad. Apple Maps, sub-par in some respects though it may be, works perfectly well for many users. In China, at least, it’s apparently far better than Google Maps ever was. The turn-by-turn navigation is quite useful. And 3D view — while entirely impractical for finding where you need to go — is at least fun to look at while bored. That’s something, right?
Mobile games developer Red Robot Labs welcomes their new Director of Content and Publishing John Davison. His history with the gaming industry bring a lot to the table for the start-up.
Mobile games developer Red Robot Labs focuses many of its games on location-specific elements, but with its latest hire, the company may be looking to relocate itself to the top of the gaming world. John Davison, a 20-year veteren of the video game industry, will call Red Robot Labs his new home as he settles into a role as the start-up’s Director and General Manager of Content and Publishing.
Davison’s most recent position prior to this announcement was Vice President of Programming for CBS Interactive Games, which left him as overseer of content for GameSpot and Metacritic. He had also served as editor for Ziff Davis’ network of tech and gaming sites. Essentially, if there is anyone that knows the gaming world, it’s John Davison.
Red Robot Labs, the team behind the well-received Life is Crime and Forever Drive–both available on iOS and Android–are happy to welcome Davison in from the world of covering gaming and into the world of making them. In a press release from the company, CEO Mike Ouye stated, “As a video game industry veteran with a proven entrepreneurial track record, John is the perfect addition to Red Robot as we aim to disrupt and innovate the mobile space for gamers.”
Davison is already staking his claim for what he plans to bring to Red Robot Labs and the gaming landscape as a whole. “There is a huge opportunity to build new products around the ways that gamers interact and discover content, and the team at Red Robot understands this better than any group I’ve ever come across. We want to empower gamers with technology designed specifically for them.”
Considering both Red Robot Labs’ and John Davison’s track records of innovation, creativity, and community, there’s a lot of promise in this partnership. Gamers everywhere should be on the lookout for whatever may come next from this team.
All play and no work working pretty well for Google Play
Over 25 billion apps have been downloaded from Google Play, and Google's so happy about it that it's offering some discounts to celebrate.
The Android app store currently plays host to 675,000 apps and games, according to Google, and some of these will be reduced down to 25 cents in the US store over the next few weeks.
Discounts will come to apps from Gameloft, EA, Rovio, runtastic and Full Fat, among others, and El Goog is also curating a few special collections too.
Twenty-five
These will include 25 movies you must own (or what?), 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and Google's top 25 selling magazines. See what they've done there? Because of the 25 billion downloads?
We're trying to find out if Google will be sharing the cut price love with the rest of the known Android-using world, but no word yet.
To round things off, here are some more 25 billion related facts courtesy of big G: "25 billion is more than twice the distance, in miles, that the Voyager 1 spacecraft has travelled since its launch 35 years ago" and "It's the amount of time, in minutes, that have passed since some of our earliest ancestors began to set foot in Europe."
The courtroom battle between Samsung and Apple continues as Apple seeks $707 million more and a Galaxy S3 ban while Samsung alleges juror misconduct.
The continuing saga of the Apple vs Samsung patent war is far from over. In the aftermath of the California trial which ended with a verdict awarding $1.05 billion to Apple, there have been various filings and motions from each of the combatants. It seems neither side was entirely satisfied with the jury’s verdict.
Apple wants more money
Apple filed a motion late on Friday, as reported by Reuters, asking for an additional $707 million on top of the $1.05 billion already awarded. It wants $400 million in damages for design infringement, $135 million for willful infringement of its utility patents, $121 million in supplemental damages, and $50 million of prejudgment interest on damages to see it through until December (we’re not sure where the extra $1 million comes in).
…and a sales ban
The Cupertino company is also seeking a court order for a permanent U.S. sales ban on all of Samsung’s infringing products. It wants the injunction to cover “any of the infringing products or any other product with a feature or features not more than colorably different from any of the infringing feature or features in any of the Infringing Products.”
Most likely it is hoping to extend the ban to cover Samsung’s Android flagship, the Galaxy S3.
But the judge may not grant any additional damage. Stanley M. Gibson, an experienced technology and IP trial lawyer at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, told us: “In terms of the Apple motions, the judge will have to look at those on a product by product basis and given the large verdict already it may be difficult to convince her to award enhanced damages… the more interesting and impactful part of the case will be whether she uses a permanent injunction and how the language of such an injunction is framed if one issues.”
Samsung wants a new trial
Samsung’s lawyers have also been hard at work filing for a mistrial due to juror misconduct. The allegations of juror misconduct focus on the jury foreman Velvin Hogan and his prior knowledge of patent law as a video recording patent holder. In an interview with CNET after the trial juror Manuel Ilagan said of Hogan, “He had experience. He owned patents himself…so he took us through his experience. After that it was easier.”
Hogan also appeared on Bloomberg TV and said of the jury, “Some were not sure of how prior art could either render a patent acceptable or whether it could invalidate it. What we did is we started talking about one… (I) laid it out for them.”
The jury should rely solely on evidence presented during the trial so Samsung will argue that Hogan could have affected the verdict because of his prior knowledge.
In addition to the juror misconduct claim Samsung is not happy about the time constraints applied by Judge Koh. It said, “The Court’s constraints on trial time, witnesses and exhibits were unprecedented for a patent case of this complexity and magnitude, and prevented Samsung from presenting a full and fair case in response to Apple’s many claims.”
Chances of success with this approach are not good for Samsung. According to Stanley M. Gibson, “An argument regarding juror misconduct will be hard to win. It also is not likely that the judge will reconsider her prior limitations on time and judges have wide discretion on these issues.”
The fight goes on
The two companies will meet again in the U.S. in a December hearing where Apple’s motion to get Samsung devices banned will be heard.
They are also engaged in various court battles around the world. Apple lost a case against Samsung and Motorola in Germany earlier this week that focused on its multi-touch patents. There was also a win for Samsung in Tokyo at the end of last month.
Anyone who thought the California verdict was decisive can think again because this one looks set to run on and on.
Texas Instruments is dropping from the system-on-chip for smartphones and tablets manufacturing and will give up on its OMAP lineup.
The company’s OMAP boards are less and less popular among mobile manufacturers – most of them bet on Qualcomm, while Samsung and Apple are developing their own solutions (Exynos, A6). The major disadvantage of the OMAP chipset is the lack of on-board 3G/4G modem.
That forces manufacturers who rely on OMAP chipsets to use additional radio chips, which increases battery consumption and production costs. Now you understand why smartphone manufacturers prefer Qualcomm’s complete solutions, rather than this expensive process.
TI says its focus will shift on “to a broader market including industrial clients like carmakers”, though it did not announce specifics and the investors were left wondering.
Anyway, TI will continue to support its current clients, but will significantly reduce efforts on developing new OMAP chipsets.
The news might come shocking for some, as the TI OMAP 5 was expected to be the first chipset with dual Cortex-A15 CPU, and now it's fate is uncertain. Nonetheless, TI OMAP's presence was barely felt on the market, so the company's exit won't create too much of a disturbance.
The new screen is a lovely thing, but its extra height isn't ideal for smaller hands
It seems that for many people, the iPhone 5 is a disappointment - so what's missing? We asked for your suggestions and scoured the online reviews, and the results are below: it's your ultimate iPhone 6 wish list.
iPhone 6: design
Many of you weren't sold on the iPhone 5's design. For some of you the taller screen was odd - it "looks strange at best," said nebulaoperator - and for others it simply wasn't big enough.
Lions87a reckons even 4.5 inches would be too little: "popular phones like the Galaxy S2 and S3 have shown that people are pretty happy nowadays to accept bigger than what the iPhone 5 is currently offering."
Writing in the Chicago Sun-Times, influential tech journalist Andy Ihnatko suggests that taller isn't necessarily better. "The benefit of bigger screens is almost entirely in their increased width, not their length," he writes. "A wider keyboard is easier to type on. Books, web pages, and emails will have wider margins and they'll be more comfortable to read."
John Gruber of Daring Fireball agrees that bigger isn't always better, but he's not a fan of wider, either: while he says that "navigating the full screen while holding the iPhone in one hand is worse," rivals' wider screens mean it "really is far more difficult to do anything on them one-handed, including typing."
iPhone 6: processor
No surprises here: we had plenty of people telling us that rival firms' processors have more cores. However, as Lions87a pointed out, "If the iPhone 5 or Nokia 920 can run their OS without any lag or delay, and delivers a flawless experience, and the Galaxy S3 does the same with a quad-core, then the number of cores, and the speed of the cores is irrelevant. The argument turns into 'which operating system is best?'"
Did someone say operating system?
iPhone 6: operating system
iOS has been around for a while, and for many it's getting stale. "I don't think anyone can deny that the
UI needs a refresh when you see widgets and live tiles on competitors' phones," says Vincennes, while Tubemonkey2000 says that "the current [UI] is so tired and old it makes it seem really basic, sort of like a kids' toy."
Our own Gareth Beavis agrees, arguing that "there are so many tweaks Apple could make to its OS to turn it into more of a powerhouse – icons that update with information, or extending the widgets in the notification bar beyond weather and stocks... Apple is taking things very slowly on this front."
iPhone 6: price
iPhones have never been cheap, but in a world of credible - and cheaper - competition they look pricier than ever. Or maybe it's because the iPhone's price has gone up. Saltire is "surprised no-one has mentioned the price increase for the 16GB model", while Gareth Beavis says that "we simply cannot see how a 16GB model can cost £529 / $199, but to double the memory will cost an extra £70/ $100 with no other changes to the design."
There's no doubt that you pay more for the materials, fit and finish of an iPhone than you do for, say, a plasticky Android handset, and not everyone thinks that's worth it.
"£529 for a phone that is no better than my six month old Android shows the arrogance of Apple," Alastairmack says, while Beavis points out that when you consider contracts, "it's far and away the most expensive in the shop, and most of the time you don't even get unlimited data."
iPhone 6: features
NFC has, possibly unfairly, been dubbed "Not For Commerce" (or more saltily, "No Effing Customers"), but for many it's the most obvious omission from the iPhone 5 - "not because of the technology itself," says Fmartins, "but to really give the critical mass contactless payments need. Plus, I would love to use the phone as my Oyster card."
For Fmartins, that would be good for everyone: while s/he isn't an iPhone fan, "it would have been nice seeing Apple push the envelope again so that I could benefit on [a] Lumia down the line." Gareth Beavis agrees. "It's not quite there yet in terms of market penetration for payments, but the world's largest network of accessories could definitely have made use of it for making ever cooler docks and cases," he says.
Other suggestions included more LTE bands, which we're sure we'll get next year when other UK 4G networks launch; expandable storage - not something we imagine Apple doing when it can flog you iTunes Match and/or get you to pay a small fortune for the 32GB model over the 16GB - and brighter, more saturated screens, although given the improvements to the iPhone 5's screen that one's largely a personal preference. Oh, and of course you'd like Apple to fix Maps too.
Maps has the potential to be a superb and very useful app, but it needs some work
iPhone 6: reception
No, not antennas - they seem fine this time - but the critical reception. As Lusky79 says, even without cock-ups such as Maps, any new iPhone is going to be disappointing: "Even if Apple had all the suggestions [here], it would still seem mediocre because the revolution was the original iPhone and the other, similar, smartphones that followed." As Nenslo put it: "What the iPhone really needs is Steve Jobs."
Anything else?
Hit the comments to add your wishes for the next iPhone.
Samsung has confirmed that it's resolved any issues surrounding the "killer code" which threatened to wipe some of its handsets.
We reported yesterday that several Samsung handsets including the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S Advance were vulnerable to a potentially malicious line of code, which would force handsets running the TouchWiz overlay to factory reset – deleting all content from the phones.
The Korean firm has been quick to address this threat and has now issued the following statement: "We would like to assure our customers that the recent security issue concerning the Galaxy S III has already been resolved through a software update.
"We recommend all Galaxy S3 customers to download the latest software update, which can be done quickly and easily via the Over-The-Air (OTA) service."
Check for latest software
To check for a software update on your Samsung device, hit settings and scroll to the bottom of the list and select 'About device' and then 'Software update'.
If no updates are available then you'll already have the latest version installed on your handset, so will be nicely protected from any naughty code – phew.
At a special event yesterday RIM unveiled the BlackBerry 10 beta 3 running on the company's new test device, the Dev Alpha B.
The UI look and feel of this latest BlackBerry 10 build is what RIM will be putting on its final BB10 devices in early 2013. And according to those, who've tried it, it really has the potential to grab people's attention.
Let's start with the new UI features. Starting with the new beta, to wake the device, you simply swipe from the bottom of the screen. Then, you are welcomed with the traditional batch of homescreen panels.
However, there's a twist. The first homescreen isn't really a homescreen in the sense that it holds widgets and app shortcuts. Rather, it houses the so called "Active Frames". You can have up to 8 of them and they represent currently running applications. Mind you, only four fit on one screen, so to view the other four, you'd have to scroll down.
RIM has done good job of backing in gestures in its OS.For example, you can jump straight to the homescreen from any app by swiping from the bottom up. Making the opposite swipe (top down) brings up the settings menu or another contextual menu, depending on the app you're in.
BlackBerry 10 SDK Beta 3 in action • Photos by TheVerge
What's really interesting is the new BlackBerry Hub. This is RIM's unified messaging service. It integrates all your email accounts, messages from social networks (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) and puts them in one place.
It's accessible by a sort of weird gesture - swipe up and to the right (think of it as a reversed L). Once you access it, you can see your notifications alongside the aforementioned emails and messages.
Back to the homescreens, swiping right of the Acitve Frames, reveals the classic list of App icons. They can be manually moved around and sorted to your liking. RIM has integrated an interesting feature allowing you to switch the device into personal or work mode when you swipe down from top of the screen when viewing the App icons screens.
Choosing Work mode allows you to launch an app in a secure mode. For example, a company might restrict copy and pasting in certain secured apps.
TheVerge was at the developer event, and made a user interface video of the latest BlackBerry 10 SDK Beta 3 build. Check it out below.
Judging from the footage, the latest build of BlackBerry 10 looks very promising. It's very fast and fluid, and packs a lot of interesting UI features that its competitors just currently lack.
As for the new device, it features a 4.2-inch display with RIM's standardized resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels. As TheVerge points out, its speaker grill, cameras, microphone and buttons really resemble the recently leaked BlackBerry 10 L Series phone.
What your take on RIM's progress with BlackBerry 10 so far?
Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM) is pretty bullish about the chances of its upcoming, and it hopes company-saving, operating system BlackBerry 10.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins took to the stage at the firm's Jam Americas event in San Jose California yesterday to declare that the delayed BB10 can topple Windows Phone 8 and claim third place in the mobile OS rankings.
Heins said: "We have a clear shot at being the number three platform on the market. We're not just another open platform on the market, we are BlackBerry."
I am SpartaBerry!
During Heins' keynote presentation yesterday, the BlackBerry boss revealed more new features for the BB10 platform, with the first devices running the new software due to arrive in January 2013.
Heins was quizzed on why RIM wasn't aiming for top spot in the mobile market, instead settling for third, to which he responded: "you climb a mountain step by step."
However could it all be too late for RIM, as Windows Phone 8 will have a couple of months' head start with devices expected to land in early November, and customers may not want to wait until after Christmas before upgrading their phone.
Ever since the iPhone 5 announcement, it's been a mystery what exactly makes the new A6 processor tick. We've already seen its impressive performance benchmarked, but now we get to take a closer look at the architecture itself.
A new microscopic examination of the chip not only shows the custom dual ARM cores side-by-side, but also lets us see the unique triple-GPU layout.
What does this mean? Simply put, Apple have invested in customizing their own chipset, which results in an optimized architecture capable of producing better results without having to rely on higher clock speeds.
This extra customization process in the face of off-the-shelf solutions like the Cortex-A15 shows some great innovation from the Cupertino-based tech giant.
Apple's controversial new iOS 6 Maps App could have had another year's gestation as its deal with Google Maps had at least another 12 months to run.
According to two sources, Apple decided to run with its own maps app quite some time before WWDC in June.
It seems the Cupertino crew weren't happy that Google's iOS Maps app was falling behind its Android equivalent, nor that Google wanted to add in more of its own products into the mapping mix.
Back and forth
The sources claim that rumours of the de-Googlification of iOS Maps spurred Google into action, working on a competing maps app of its own.
The Google made app is apparently still in development and won't hit handsets for several months at least.
Complaints about the native iOS 6 Maps have flooded in since the new software hit handsets last week, with spelling mistakes, error-ridden cartography and shoddy satellite imagery abounding.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has delivered his BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas keynote, where his enthusiasm for BlackBerry 10 was palpable
September 25 saw the beginning of the BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas conference, where CEO Thorsten Heins took to the stage to entertain and encourage 1,500 attending developers and partners.
He began by talking about what BlackBerry 10 would offer customers when it’s released, promising that productivity, reliability, security and multi-tasking would all be taken “to the next level.” Also on the list was a new keyboard with improved predictive text, and a completely new web browser he described as “killer.”
Rarely did Heins describe BlackBerry 10 as a smartphone operating system though, preferring to say that it’s a step forward in “mobile computing,” and emphasized its suitability for individual business users and enterprise clients.
This was particularly evident during the brief demonstration of BB10, where the calendar was shown off, as well as a feature named BlackBerry Balance, where the phone can be switched between personal and business accounts. Both sets of data are totally separate, right down to the security and access to the BlackBerry App World store.
Hub, Flow and Peek
Much was made of the BlackBerry Hub, Peek and BlackBerry Flow, which make up the basic user interface of BB10. The Hub collects all incoming information and notifications — which RIM says isn’t like a unified inbox at all, but everyone else will probably disagree — while Peek lets you swipe aside open apps to return to the Hub, then swipe in a new app to use.
Finally, a feature named Flow seemed to provide fluid movement through the Hub, but wasn’t expanded upon during the presentation.
Sadly, the demonstrations highlighted the Dev Alpha device’s inability to recognize touch gestures on more than one occasion, and while enthusiasm concerning BB10’s interface was high, it wasn’t quite as exciting in real life.
Time and again, the example of a “business man running through an airport” was trotted out, particularly to show the ease with which BB10 can be controlled using one hand and one thumb.
Also highlighted was RIM’s increasing interest in Asia and other emerging markets, from the prevalence of locations in India, Africa and the East on Heins’ tour map, to making a point of intelligent multi-language support in BBM, without the need to manually change keyboards mid-flow.
On track for early 2013 release
So when is it coming? For all Heins’ high-fives and gusto during the keynote, the story of BlackBerry 10’s release is still the same — early next year. He said everything is “on track” and that release is “a few short months away,” plus they are currently testing better devices too.
A degree of positivity regarding BB10’s impending release came from the news that next month, the hardware and software will be sent to carriers for testing, although in another interview RIM’s chief marketing officer warned that this process can take anywhere between six and twenty weeks. While this won’t be true of every network all over the world, it could see some releases delayed until March 2013 at the earliest. In the same interview, it was revealed that BlackBerry 10 will initially debut in America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.
Heins, like the rest of the tech world, knows what’s at stake with BlackBerry 10, calling it “our most important launch ever” and going on to share what sounds like a realistic expectation of how it will perform: “We have a clear shot at being the number three platform in the market” he said.
The 40-minute keynote finished with the news that the company’s user base has grown to 80 million subscribers, and that BBM has 60 million users worldwide. A new SDK will be released this week and app submissions will start on October 10. To show how RIM loves its developers, it serenaded them with a song. Yes, really.
According to a very positive Thorsten Heins, there’s “a new culture, new energy and a lot of fighting spirit at RIM,” and solely based on his upbeat BlackBerry Jam keynote performance, it’s becoming easier to believe him.
