Google Nexus 5 unveiled with Android 4.4 KitKat

 

he Google Nexus 5 is official after months of speculation and yes, it does come sporting Android 4.4 KitKat and flagship-class specs for a midrange-phone's price.

The Google Nexus 5 is now official having been unveiled via the Google Play Store. The latest LG-made Google phone is set to replace the Nexus 4 which had, until now, been the flagship Android smartphone made by the company.
The LG Nexus 5 features a similarly if not more minimal design compared to that of the Nexus 4, so much so that even the small design touch on the back of the Nexus 4 has been replaced by a matte black surface with the word 'nexus' in the middle.
Once again though LG and Google appear to have made a flagship smartphone that's in disguise as the specs are immpressively premium making it a serious contender for Apple's iPhone 5c.
Just 8.59mm thin the Nexus 5 is the slimmest Google phone to date making it thinner than the iPhone 5c though not as thin as say the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The Nexus 5 screen is certainly impressive on paper, a 5-inch Full-HD display sporting a massive 1920x1080p resolution with 445ppi making it significantly higher in resolution than the iPhone 5s and even the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablet.
The design also appears to feature a much smaller bezel than that found on the Nexus 4, instead the Nexus 5 has a design on the front which looks very similar to the LG G2.
If the design is a little too minimalist for you then you'll be able to kit your new phone out with some Nexus 5 cases available in four distinct colours.

Inside you'll find there's an impressive quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor along with 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage. Sadly no microSD support though which will surely come as a blow to the Android die-hards out there.
On the back there's an 8MP camera with the ability to shoot 1080p Full-HD video along with a 1.3MP front-facing camera for Google+ Hangout conversations and of course Skype.
Wireless charging comes as standard which means you won't have to buy an extra case whilst 4G connectivity is available, something that many criticised the Nexus 4 for not having.
Of course the first thing people will notice when they turn the device on however is the addition of Google's new operating system Android 4.4 KitKat.

KitKat comes with some key design changes which make the OS seem less intrusive on the screen, it should also allow more focus on that Full-HD display.
The Nexus 5 also comes with the new version of Google Now which first appeared on the Motorola Moto X allowing you to ask your smartphone to perform tasks even when the phone is locked.
Looking set to take on Apple's Siri, Google Now will be able to set alarms, answer questions and perform actions all without a physical prompt as the smartphone's mic will be able to recognise when it's being spoken to intelligently recognising that it's you and not someone else.
The Nexus 5 release date is today, you'll be able to buy the 16GB version in either Black or White for $349 whilst the 32GB version will set you back $399.

Top 5 apps for your new iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S was officially released in the UAE yesterday with a prices starting at AED 2749 at both Etisalat and du. If you managed to secure one, we’re sure that you’re looking for some apps that make use of the shiny new iOS 7 that comes with your new iPhone. We’re here to help and have put together a list of five apps that are awesome and deserve a slot on your springboard.

1) Tweetbot 3

The very popular Twitter client was recently updated to match the look of iOS 7 and we think that it’s the best twitter app for your iPhone. With a beautiful design, smooth operations and all the functionality that twitter has to offer, Tweetbot is a must for anyone that uses Twitter on their iPhone.

2) Flipboard 

The beautiful news aggregating service continues to be one of the best ways to browse for news. Flipboard recently added the option of creating your own “magazines” from different sources and then sharing them with your friends. The iOS 7 version integrates the swipes built into the new OS allowing you to navigate easily.

3) Podcasts 

Apple updated their PodCasts apps with the launch of iOS 7 giving it the same beautiful makeover as the OS. With support for syncing podcasts between your Mac and other iOS devices, Apple’s Podcasts continues to be one of the best apps for listening or watching podcasts.

4) Fantastical 

While most parts of iOS 7 are good, there are a few apps that we think could use improvement and the calendar is one of them. The very minimal design doesn’t show you a lot of what is up and coming. Thankfully you have Fantastical which, as the name suggests, is a fantastic app for Calendar junkies. The app is so good that we think Apple should have bought the company and used it as the stock calendar app for iOS 7.

5) ARGUS Motion and Fitness Tracker by Azumio


Your new iPhone 5S comes with an M7 processor that can track you daily steps, movements and runs. Why not take use of it? ARGUS has a good app that can not only track your steps but can also manage your food, sleep, hydration, weight and vitals. Just make sure your iPhone is in your pocket.
Have an app that you have found useful for your new iPhone 5S? Why not share it with us in the comments below.

 

PS4 sells 1-million units in 24-hours

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) over the weekend announced that the highly anticipated launch of the PlayStation 4 (PS4) console resulted in 1 million units sold during the first 24 hours after it became available on November 15, 2013 in the United States and Canada.
“PS4 was designed with an unwavering commitment to gamers, and we are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.
“Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29. We are extremely grateful for the passion of PlayStation fans and thank them for their continued support.”
While the PlayStation 4 launched in the US and Canada last week, the gaming console will only be made available in South Africa on 6 December 2013.
Mario Dos Santos, Chief Executive Officer of Ster Kinekor Entertainment, is confident that the unit will arrive in South Africa before Christmas. “South Africa will be releasing the PS4 prior to Christmas, we are planned to go on the 6th of December 2013 due to the logistics of getting the stock to our shores,” he said in August.
No price has been specified yet. “The price point, although not officially set due to the uncertainty around the Rand exchange rate, is currently planned at an RRP of R 6299 including VAT and it will not be beyond this for launch,” he added.
The PlayStation 3 was launched in South Africa on 22 March 2007, but released to the rest of the world in November of the previous year.

 

Samsung Galaxy Gear now compatible with Galaxy S4

Samsung Electronics South Africa today announced the local availability of Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) software upgrade for Galaxy S4 3G. Galaxy S4 customers will now be able to enjoy compatibility with Galaxy GEAR, the perfect companion device that makes mobile communication easier and more enjoyable.

“Extending Galaxy GEAR compatibility to more GALAXY devices reflects our deep commitment to deliver an enriched mobile experience to our consumers,” said Craige Fleischer, Director of Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics South Africa.
“This upgrade will also offer new improvements and optimisation capabilities and these enhancements will empower our users in their mobile lives and enable smart freedom with Galaxy Gear.”
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Galaxy GEAR will enable Galaxy S4 users to make and answer calls and view incoming alerts and notifications with just a glance. For a closer look at more important messages, users can simply pick up their master device and the Smart Relay feature instantly reveals the full content. Users can also find major social apps on Samsung Apps to maintain connections to their social networks via Galaxy GEAR.
With a 1.9 Megapixel camera, users can snap a visual memo by simply tapping GALAXY GEAR’s screen. Photos are then easily and automatically saved in the master device’s gallery. Users can enjoy a built-in Pedometer app and use Galaxy GEAR to control the music played on their master devices. Of course the device also functions like a watch, with the option to change the face with 10 different clock options and even more options available via Samsung Apps.
The update will be available for Galaxy S4 via KIES as the preferred method, FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) or users can visit their nearest Samsung Smart Care Service Centre where representatives can assist with the upgrade.
“We work closely with local operators before releasing operating system updates to ensure a positive user experience. Therefore, we would like to urge users of other Samsung handsets to be patient for more information on official launch dates for upgrades, which will be communicated as it becomes available. We would also like to caution users to be aware that rooting a device will impact the validity of the warranty,” concludes Fleischer.

Android 4.4.1 landing soon and fixes Nexus 5 camera

Android 4.4.1 landing soon and fixes Nexus 5 camera
The Nexus 5 from Google is quite an awesome device, however its camera isn’t the greatest. Even though the Nexus 5′s camera features a optical image stabilisation, taking shots from it are painfully slow and generally out-of-focus. Google is aware of this and as per The Verge, a new update scheduled to be released in the next few days fixes a lot of issues with the Nexus 5 camera. They’ve managed to get a hands-on experience with Android 4.4.1 and here is what they have to say:
Speed is a theme for the update, and the Nexus 5′s camera really does feel faster across the board. The app launches a full second quicker than it did before the update, meaning you’ll miss many fewer shots than before. There’s also a new progress indicator in HDR+ mode, which makes the process, longer by necessity, feel a lot more straightforward. It’s the first of what Burke says will be a series of interface changes, as Google tries to make Android cameras a little more controllable and obvious. Right now, nearly every setting is buried under layers of menus, and Burke says Google is working on undoing that.
Update: Google has started rolling out the 4.4.1 update- check your device to see if you have received the update.

iPad Mini Retina review

The new iPad Mini Retina is Apple's second-gen mini tablet, but has it got what it takes to top our list of the best tablets to buy?

The original iPad mini was a T3 favourite; small and lightweight enough to be truly portable, unified hardware and software to keep the battery going all day, and  running an OS with the most tablet-optimized apps. Hell, even without a Retina display, it won our tablet of the year award.
Then the iPad Air arrived – a smaller, more lightweight, faster 'full-size' iPad with an aesthetic design that took all the best bits from the Mini - we're looking at you, thin bezel.
But now we have a quicker, more powerful, super-resolution iPad Mini with Retina display at our fingertips. It’s up against some seriously high quality small tablets, including the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX, the new Google Nexus 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, to name a few. Are the improvements enough to keep the Mini ahead of the pack, and our number one all-round tablet?

iPad Mini Retina: Screen

Let's start with the upgrade that we've all been waiting for since the Mini was first introduced – Retina. What you now get on on the 7.9-inch display is a resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 326ppi, equating to a total pixel count of 3,145,728. That's as much as the iPad Air and just 25% less than the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro.

Needless to say, everything is pin-sharp, especially text and high-res images whose fine detail pops even when zooming in close. For instance, iBook and Kindle books are easier on the eyes and can now be viewed clearly at arm's length. Screen brightness seems the same but colours are unequivocally more vivid.
Video content isn't any smoother but blacks are deeper and a greater amount of detail can be picked out in moving HD content. Thumb rejection tech prevents wayward digits triggering screen commands. In short, the Retina Display delivers in every way we hoped. A triumph.

Features and performance

Hardware-wise, Apple has stuffed every flagship piece of tech from the bigger iPad Air into it's pint-sized brethren. The new 64-bit A7 chip and clever M7 motion co-processor are both present but, like the Air, Touch ID fingerprint recognition has been omitted – a shame considering how much we use it on the 5S.

The Mini can now be bought with 128GB storage, which blows most of the competition out of the water. You'll pay for it, though – almost $900.

In our testing, the new Mini is noticeably faster and slicker than its predecessor. The A7 chip is clearly working overtime to deliver a smooth experience, even if iOS 7 still seems a little sketchy at times.

The Mini crashed twice in our testing for no obvious reason. However, after an Apple update mid-way through our time with it, we had no repeat of the problem.

Apps that take advantage of the 64-bit architecture are arriving now. Playing around with them video-mixing app, vJay, we had two simultaneous video mixes going out live via Apple TV without any glitching. Impressive.
Graphics performance is also much improved with high-intensity games, such as Infinity Blade 3, making use of the OpenGL ES 3.0 platform and, in non geek-speak, producing some incredible lighting and shading effects, all of which look spectacular on the new Retina Display.
The M7 motion coprocessor is also getting some app love, making its potential clearer to see. The Day One app uses it to count, and add, steps to your daily journal, while Strava - yes you can get iPad mini attachments for your bicycle - uses it to reduce battery consumption when the GPS isn't needed - see more below.

The Mini is also the proud owner of a 4G upgrade for wider frequency compatibility. The dualband (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) N Wi-Fi  now has MIMO tech for supposedly more reliable and faster connectivity.

In practice, Wi-Fi seemed a little more robust but nothing to email home about. If you've got a decent 4G connection and contract, though, the speeds are outrageous. We were downloading data at almost 50Mbps at one point.

iPad Mini Retina: Camera

Optics-wise, the Mini now comes with the excellent FaceTime HD camera and dual mics - the same as the iPad Air and the original iPad Mini. Bragging 1.2MP photos, a ƒ/2.4 aperture and 720p HD video, the quality bump is clearer than the video itself. It's a shame the rear-mounted iSight Camera remains at five megapixels and ƒ/2.4 aperture, but the 1080p video still rocks.
We'd have preferred am iPhone 5S-style 8MP camera and slo-mo video functionality, but you can’t have everything.

There's nothing to seperate the camera on the new iPad Mini and the snapper on the Google Nexus 7, which has also stuck at 5MP.

Not that a rear camera is a huge selling point on a tablet for many, but it's worth noting that the new Amazon Kindle HDX 8.9 has an 8MP rear cam (although the 7-inch version only has a front-facing lens).

iPad Mini Retina: Size and build

The second-generation mini is almost identical in size and weight to its predecessor. It's still a great size for everyday use – especially long bouts of reading, commuting and typing with two hands - when used in portrait mode.
Chassis colours come in Space Grey and Silver. Add the official Smart Case - $69.99 - and things get less natural, but we'd choose that over risking scratching and chipping the chamfered edges any day.

iPad Mini Retina: Battery

Our major concern when hearing the iPad mini was going Retina was how the battery would cope. In terms of energy consumption, the Retina-packing iPad 3 really suffered in comparison to the non-Retina iPad 2.

But here, it's a different story. It seems the A7/M7 chip tag team is doing its job well – preserving juice when it needs to, using it efficiently when required.

We didn't get near the 10-hour wi-fi web surfing figure, or 9-hour 3/4G figure, but had music and video playing for almost seven hours before things went quiet. This was at 75% brightness and all wireless tech switched off, though. In standby mode, it lasts for days.

iPad Mini Retina: Verdict

At £319 for the 16GB, cellular-free, model, the iPad Mini Retina isn’t cheap, especially compared to its rivals. Things get almost MacBook-like at the top-end, with the 128GB/4G model setting you back £659.

But if, like us, the size and feel of the Mini is of most importance, it offers such a boost in performance and display quality, it's worth the upgrade. The Retina resolution feels like the missing piece of the Mini puzzle and keeps it at the top of our tablet table.

We thought the iPad Air was a stunning piece of technological invention; this just takes all of that goodness and puts it into a device that's more manageable in more real-life situations. We love it.