lundi 30 septembre 2013
Server Donation Drive – Please help!
Morning all. Hope you’re all well. Recently we’ve struggled somewhat with the increasing amount of visitors on Coolsmartphone. After the issues last year we, thanks to your help, moved to a new co-lo provider with ample bandwidth and we’ve recently increased capacity, but the outage during our live iPhone coverage was also due to a lack of resources on our main web server.
The server we have now was purchased some time ago after we ran an earlier donation drive. It’s your server effectively, and was quite advanced at the time. It’s performed extremely well over the years but it’s time to move to a newer, faster and more powerful server.
I’m looking at a newer server which will have SSD drives, far more RAM and a faster CPU. It will last us for years and years to come. It will be bought out-right to keep running costs lower (no monthly rentals) but the initial cost is the bit we need some assistance with. We need to raise £699.
Asking for money is something I really don’t like doing, so we’ve got a couple of prizes to give away to two lucky random people who choose to donate. We’re going to give away a brand new pair of Skullcandy Navigator headphones and a new Acer Liquid E2.
Each night we’ll be updating our progress so you can see how close we are to our goal. You can donate whatever you’re comfortable with below and I really want to thank you in advance if you choose to help us.
Netflix gloats as broadcast television ratings continue to horrify
5:00 PM
Netflix’s share price ticked up 2% on Thursday as ratings for one of the most important days of the new television season came out. Wednesday is the second-most lucrative day for the television ad market after Thursday — and this week, most of the key Wednesday shows had their season debuts. The results were mostly dismal.
ABC’s anchor sitcom, The Middle, was down 17% from its season opener last year. The new ABC comedy Back in the Game is dead on arrival, posting the lowest debut number of any ABC sitcom since 2009. The critically praised country drama Nashville collapsed by 25%, CSI was down 16%. Revolution hit a series low, diving more than 50% from its debut last year. Alarmingly, Survivor dropped by more than 10% from last week’s episode, hitting another series low. Weirdly, the ancient Law and Order: SVU was the one show that surprised on the upside, climbing 28% from last year’s opening.
These shocking declines of between 15% to 50% in ratings come after the terrible weakness the broadcast networks showed in the autumn of 2012. Some industry observers thought that ratings declines were so steep last year that some stabilization was due in 2013. At the moment, this seems like a forlorn wish. Perhaps the most ominous emerging trend is that both new and old shows are showing substantial drop-offs in their second weeks, from Survivor to Sleepy Hollow.
All eyes are now on the main event: The crucially important Thursday evening ratings of tonight. In a few hours, the opening episodes of Parks and Recreation, Glee, The Michael J. Fox Show, The Big Bang Theory and Grey’s Anatomy will basically determine if raw panic is going to engulf the broadcast television business. After the weak Wednesday, the industry needs some good news.
The problem with Thursday is that many of these key shows are starting to look old and haggard: Glee, The Big Bang Theory and Grey’s Anatomy in particular have not aged well. The decision to put the Michael J. Fox Show into such a pivotal night seems like a weird gambit since he holds little appeal to anyone younger than 40 years.
Tomorrow morning we’ll see just how giddy the executives of Netflix and Hulu are going to be during the Friday happy hour.
Verizon accused of violating FCC rules by blocking Nexus 7 from its 4G LTE network
12:10 PM
Surprise, surprise: Verizon is being accused of ignoring the Federal Communications Commission’s rules on what it can do with its spectrum. Jeff Jarvis says that Verizon so far has refused to hook his unlocked Nexus 7 tablet up to its LTE network because the device is “not part of our lineup and can’t be activated.” As Jarvis notes, this seems to violate the regulations the FCC placed on Verizon when it first won the rights to operate on the 700MHz spectrum that it uses for much of its LTE network.
Some quick background: Way back in 2008, the FCC sold off several valuable chunks of spectrum on the 700MHz band and Verizon won the lion’s share of licenses for the so-called “C Block” of spectrum that just happened to be the most valuable in the entire auction. As part of the auction, the FCC slapped several open-access rules on the “C Block” that mandated Verizon allow any devices to connect to its LTE network and that barred it from blocking any applications on its users’ devices.
Jarvis notes that the FCC’s rules are written very clearly and leave little wiggle room for Verizon to not allow his Nexus 7 onto its network. What’s more, he says that the Nexus 7's LTE radios have been designed to run on Verizon’s 700MHz spectrum so there’s really no technical reason for the company to bar the device.
“So this is not a matter of anything Verizon cannot do,” he writes. “This is a matter of what Verizon will not do. And that is what makes this a violation of FCC regulations and Verizon’s assurances.”
For its part, Verizon has told AndroidCentral that the Nexus 7 is not yet “Verizon 4G LTE certified” and that it will let customers know when the device passes through certifications. Jarvis incredulously responds that the Nexus 7 was launched almost two months ago and that he can’t believe Verizon is just now getting around to starting the certification process for it.
BREAKING -- iOS 7 download now available for all compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models
12:57 PM
Just as promised, Apple on Wednesday released the final version of its brand new iOS 7 operating system to the public. The new mobile software is available immediately for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad (third and fourth generations), iPad 2, iPad mini and iPod touch (fifth generation). We called iOS 7 a major renovation that for the most part lacked real innovation when we previewed the software back in June. In our full iOS 7 review earlier this week, however, we explained why that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
UPDATE: iOS 7.0.1 has already been released for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, according to 9to5Mac. The update fixes a Touch ID bug and users will be prompted to update as soon as they receive their new devices.
iOS 7 represents the biggest overhaul to Apple’s massively popular mobile operating system since it debuted in 2007, and now it’s finally available to the public. It also lays the groundwork for some real innovation in future iOS versions, and many will be waiting anxiously to be wowed by more than just a new design in iOS 8 next year.
Last year when Apple released iOS 6, more than 100 million people installed the update within its first week of availability. As such, patience will likely be a virtue since Apple’s servers will undoubtedly be hammered in the hours and days to come as people seek out the latest and greatest Apple has to offer.
Some key features in Apple’s new iOS 7 software include the redesigned Notification Center, the brand new Control Center that provides quick access to various apps and settings, a new app switcher interface, AirDrop file-sharing, iTunes Radio and of course a fresh new look that users seem to prefer by a wide margin over iOS’s old interface.
The brand new iOS 7 update can be installed over the air (OTA) by opening the Settings app on your device and tapping on General > Software Update and following the on-screen instructions. iOS 7 can also be downloaded shortly via iTunes, and it requires Apple’s newly released iTunes 11.1 update in order to install. iTunes 11 can be download from Apple’s website.
Be sure to check out our full review of iOS 7, which can be found here.
dimanche 29 septembre 2013
Zuckerberg: NSA scandal hurt users’ trust in Facebook
11:30 PM
The fallout from the National Security Agency surveillance scandal hasn’t just hurt trust between American tech companies and foreign governments — it’s also damaged the relationship between American tech companies and their own customers. Per Reuters, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said this week that revelations about the NSA’s vast data collection practices have made users less likely to trust Facebook and said that the government’s handling of the scandal has been woefully inept.
“Response to the NSA issues that have blown up are a big deal for the Internet as a global platform,” Zuckerberg said. “And some of the government statements I think have been profoundly unhelpful… ‘Oh, we only spy on non-Americans.’ Gee thanks… we’re trying to provide an international service, not get crushed in those places either.”
Much like Google and Microsoft, Zuckerberg wants the government to let his company be more transparent about what information it provides to the government and about how many requests it receives to cough up information on its users each year.
“From reading in the media, you couldn’t get a sense whether the number of requests that the government makes is closer to a thousand or closer to a 100 million,” he said. “I think the more transparency the government has, the better folks would feel.”
samedi 28 septembre 2013
iOS 7 – Send us your thoughts
It’s taking a while to download at the moment because everyone is trying to get the all-new version of iOS. Twitter has seen a number of tweets from people which basically can’t comprehend the fact that their iPhone has changed…
What happened to my iPhone? #IOS7
— Hunter Williams1?6? (@HunterWilliam34) September 18, 2013
We’ve already looked at the features and you can get a full run-down
Nexus 7 LTE now available in the UK
International Android fans rejoice! The Nexus 7 LTE is expanding its availability to several more countries starting today.
Google Play is now selling the mobile data-enabled Nexus 7 in Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Japan and Korea.
Pricing in the UK is at £299 for the 32GB model with shipping of 1-2 days.
We’re also seeing O2 in the UK follow up on its previous statements and offering the Nexus 7 LTE directly as well.
A dock for every device you own
Looking through the crowd funding site Kickstarter I think my prayers have been answered with the Everdock.
Well-made and nice-looking, universal docks that work with a variety of devices are hard to come by. The folks at FUZ Designs are hoping to solve that problem with EverDock.
The goal of EverDock is to provide a single docking solution that can work with any phone or tablet by providing a basic stand that can incorporate with any cord and connector of your choice.
The dock, which is made out of solid aluminium, has a channel underneath that can accommodate any plug, including standard MicroUSB, Apple Lightning or 30-pin and other similar multi-pin proprietary connectors from other manufacturers.
It takes advantage of micro-suction technology, meaning that the dock will stick to almost any surface and let you easily remove your phones or tablets without the dock moving.
If you choose to back the project on Kickstarter, you’ll have a variety of options. The cheapest way to get in will be with an “Early-bird Special” at $39 / £23 for a silver EverDock or $59 / £38 for a silver EverDock Duo (that holds two devices).
Upwards from there, you’ll find options for two and three packs of EverDocks and EverDock Duos in a variety of colour options as well.
AntTek Explorer Ex for Android makes file management a pleasure
Ever since I’ve had a mobile phone I’ve always wanted to play about with the file structure, even if it’s for something as menial as deleting some music from off a SD card. File manager apps are an essential part of life, if you’re on Android especially. As you can’t access most of the file system on iOS or Windows Phone.
During my time using Android I’ve used no end of file managers, most recently I’ve been using AntTek Explorer which has just had an update giving it a load of new features and a new look (several new looks actually).
As to why I use it over all of the others, well, the first line of the Play Store description sums it up.
The most intuitive, useful and simple, speedy File Manager
The latest update has tied together what used to be a complex selection of different plugins and made one seamless app.
The rather lengthy feature list is as follows:
? Drag and drop anywhere
? Seamlessly copy/move files from different panels or from local to server
Flexible layout customisation
? 6 different panels to select: Overview, temporary box, etc.,
? Contextual toolbar to easily drag and drop
? Optimise panels for both phone and tablet
? Collapsible panels
File browser
? Manage local file (SDCard)
? Manage system partition (if rooted)
? Streaming from remote file server for audio and video
? Access to unlimited cool/free themes
Root file manager
? Browse private partitions (i.e. /data, /system) as regular files on SDCard
? Delete system/stock/bloatware apps
? View system files
? Auto-remount partitions
Cloud explorer – cloud files as in your local
? Google Drive,
? SkyDrive,
? Dropbox
Network – seamlessly browsing files
? Samba/CIFS/Window shared/
? FTP/FTPs
Utilities
? Cool music player with full equalizer
? Storage detail information
? Nice home screen widgets & shortcuts
Build-in viewers
? Pictures viewer
? TIFF viewer
? Zip/Rar viewer
? APK viewer
? Source code viewer: support more than 13 programming languages (java, C, php, perl, etc.,)
Themes
? Dark/Light
? Pinky, Android, Wooden, etc.
Quick search
? Quick search all sd card
The app is free on the link below, it really ticks all of the boxes for me, network browsing, cloud file management, SD card support and root support too.
Play Store Link – AntTek Explorer Ex
vendredi 27 septembre 2013
Will a completely digital library really work?
A lot has been said about the digital library that has just opened up in Bexar County, San Antonio. There’s no real books and no encyclopedias. It’s more like an Apple store and is equipped with hundreds of 3M Cloud Library e-readers, 48 iMacs and 200 Nook e-readers for kids. The 3M Cloud Library app makes it all possible, and currently offers around 10,000 titles.
Inside the BiblioTech library there’s a play area for the kids, a research room and an internet cafe amongst other reading and conference rooms. Whilst I personally believe that kids in particular should continue to read vivid, colourful real books, there’s a lot to be said for allowing adults to loan books this way. The library has also opened in an area where around 75% of the population don’t have internet access. For the few local residents that do have an internet connection, users can check out books over the internet. Locals without an internet connection can come in and either read or choose a book in comfortable surroundings.
Now, I’m not totally sure what happens when the 600 3M e-readers are out on loan and people want to loan a book, but it’s a great idea for offering a wide range of books, even though it’s cost a pretty massive amount of money to do so.
Pictures thanks to MySanAntonio
Android / iOS BBM release date set for this weekend…
Blackberry were once a major player in the smartphone world.
Their devices allegedly played a major part in the orchestration of the London riots via the use of the secure Blackberry messenger platform and now users of iOS and Android can rejoice for finally BBM is coming to the rest of us lucky users.
In a press release (which can be viewed in full below) Blackberry have announced that BBM is set to be unleashed on the world this weekend, September 21st and 22nd.
Available as a free download from the Play store or iTunes, the BBM platform gives each individual user their own Blackberry PIN (a unique identifier) that enables other users to see if you are online, and to show when messages are delivered and read.
BBM will come with chat, groups and file sharing at launch with channels to follow.
The app will work with all versions of Android from 4.0 (ICS) upwards from 21st September and iOS 6.0 onwards from 22nd September. There is no word yet of an app for Windows Phone.
Instant mobile to mobile messaging with privacy and control you can count on, that lets you know that your message is read, is a free download for Android and iPhone customers.
Sep 18, 2013
Waterloo, ON – BBM™ – the iconic mobile social network – will begin rolling out for Android™ and iPhone® customers around the world from September 21. Previously exclusive to BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) smartphones, BBM will be available as a free download in Google Play™ and the App StoreSM. Customers will be able to download BBM by visiting http://www.bbm.com/ from their smartphone browser.It’s immediate. BBM is always on so you are always connected. And because messages on BBM are typically delivered and read within seconds, it’s the closest thing to a live conversation.You trust it. BBM always tells you that messages are delivered and read. BBM conversations come alive on a private network you can count on.You control it. BBM allows you to choose your contacts and how you share your information. BBM uses a PIN so you don’t have to give anyone your phone number or email address.“BBM is a very engaging messaging service that is simple to use, easy to personalize and has an immediacy that is necessary for mobile communications,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry. “With more than a billion Android, iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones in the market, and no dominant mobile messaging platform, this is absolutely the right time to bring BBM to Android and iPhone customers.”
BBM for Android and iPhone features:
BBM Chat – Enjoy real, immediate conversations with friends on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Not only does BBM let you know that your message has been delivered and read, it also shows you that your friend is responding to the message.
More than chat – With BBM you can share files on your phone such as photos and voice notes, all in an instant.
Keep your group in the loop – Multi-person chats are a great way to invite contacts to chat together. BBM Groups lets you invite up to 30 friends to chat together, and go a step further than multi-chat by sharing photos and schedules. And, with Broadcast Message, you can send a message out to all your BBM contacts at once.
Post Updates and stay in the know – BBM lets you post a personal message, profile picture and your current status, and lets your contacts know instantly in Updates.
Your unique PIN – Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains your privacy, so you don’t have to give out your phone number or email address to a new or casual contact.
BBM will be available as a free download for Android smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean (Android 4.x) beginning at 7AM EDT on September 21. BBM for iPhones running iOS 6 and iOS 7 will become available for each market on the App Store schedule of 12:01 AM local time on September 22. For more information, or to download BBM for Android or iPhone, visit www.BBM.com.
BBM will continue to evolve quickly. Later this year, BBM Channels will provide a forum for active, real conversations between you and the people, brands, celebrities, artists, service providers, communities and more, that matter to you. By creating a Channel, individuals and brands can engage their friends and communities in conversations sparked by their thoughts, ideas and passions. Subscribing to a Channel will let you join conversations with people who share your interests. In addition, BBM Video calling and BBM Voice calling are planned for availability for Android and iPhone in a future version.
About BBM
BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers on BlackBerry alone, and the overwhelming majority use BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps. Messages on BBM are typically read within seconds, reflecting how truly engaged BBM customers are.
Bloom.fm gets a full Android app
Not heard of Bloom.fm ? Well, it’ll let you combine radio and music discovery in one big experience (I’m reading from the press release, sorry). There’s a catalogue of 22 million songs which you can preview or borrow if you want to hear more.
Borrow? Yes, borrow.
You simply find a song you like, download and borrow it. Like a digital library, you can then dip into your borrowed songs at any time or swap them out when you want a change. It’ll let you borrow 20 songs for just £1 a month. You can crank up the amount of music and features by paying a bit more per month.
Now. Now, my dear friend. Now there’s a full Android app too. It’ll let you do the whole borrowing thing (which you can try out for free), access those radio stations and it’ll play all the music you’ve already downloaded to your phone. It’s got some good ratings so far too.
Still confused? Well, have a looksie at the video explaining it all..
Jolla phone can now run Android apps and goes on 2nd pre-order in Finland
fter selling out their initial pre-order campaign Jolla, the company formed of departing Nokia staff in 2011, have announced a second pre-order run exclusively in their homeland Finland. If you’re in Finland now and want to order yours now you can by clicking here.
This move seems to be directly related to the sale of the Nokia smartphone division to Microsoft with the CEO of Jolla Tomi Pienimäki saying
“Due to extremely positive feedback and increased demand in the past weeks, we are offering another pre-order opportunity for our second production batch later this week through jolla.com. This will be targeted to Finnish customers who want to express their passion for the Finnish mobile industry”
The eponymous Jolla phone is due to be shipped by Christmas 2013 and has, on Monday 16th, had the ability to run Android apps confirmed. This is due to Jolla also squarely aiming their new operating system at device OEMs with the idea of licensing it to whoever wants to use the fledgling offering. It has apparently been tested on many current phones on the market. They say
Android applications run directly on Sailfish OS without any modifications. Users enjoying the unique gesture-based and modern Sailfish OS user experience will be able to take full advantage of the Android application ecosystem available through various app stores globally. Jolla will cooperate with leading global app stores to ensure users can seamlessly download Android apps just as they would do on any Android device.
Jolla has made a major breakthrough in Android hardware compatibility by developing Sailfish OS to run on common hardware produced for Android, particularly smartphones and tablets. Vendors interested to utilize Sailfish OS are now able to develop phones and tablets based on many different chipset and hardware configurations. This new level of compatibility will enable device vendors who use Sailfish OS to fully utilize the existing Android hardware ecosystem. Jolla believes that this breakthrough offers growth opportunities of significant scale for Sailfish OS globally, especially in China. “We believe Sailfish with Android compatibility is a highly relevant mobile operating system option for major mobile companies in Europe and in Asia. We are already in discussions with several major Asian vendors regarding this opportunity,”
Personally I have a healthy scepticism regarding this as the Android apps that run on Blackberry 10 didn’t exactly inspire James in our review of the Q10 here so I really hope this adaptation method produces a smoother user experience.
Are you excited by the prospect of a new OS on the smartphone scene?
Has the failure of the Ubuntu Edge reaching it’s crowd-funding target shown that it’s impossible to challenge Apple and Android?
Have you ordered the Jolla phone? Let us know in the comments field below.
Lumia 1520 – More shots appear
It’s a phablet Jim, but not as we know it. Yes, it’s a big phone / small tablet hybrid but no, it’s not powered by Android or iOS.
Someone doesn’t seem to be shy to wave this particular 6 incher around, and this time the shots are from the China Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center… basically the FCC for China. The device is expected to arrive just in time for the festive season and the 1520 is rumoured to have a Snapdragon 800 CPU, 32GB of storage, microSD, 3400 mAh battery and 1080p screen.
Other specs include a 20 megapixel camera which operates like the 1020, producing dual shot 16 megapixel and 5 megapixel photos.
Now forgive me for being picky here, but if we’re going to see Windows Phone-powered phablets and tablets, shouldn’t it be called something else? Windows Mobile perhaps? ;)
Source – CTECHCN
Lifeproof iPad Mini case – Review
Sometime ago I bought myself a shiny new retina display iPad, lovely I thought, that was until my wife saw it.
..I no longer have a retina iPad.
Then Apple released the iPad mini. Great, I thought, I’ll treat myself, plus it will be easy to pop in my bag for work. That was until my little boy saw it.
..I no longer have a iPad mini.
The problem with my little boy having the mini was this I was terrified that he was going to damage it, let’s be honest here, 4year-old boys are not the most safest of user’s, I would be constantly hovering over him telling him to hold it “with two hands”.
Anyhoo here at Coolsmartphone we were contacted by Lifeproof. They wanted us to review their new iPad mini case, which they claim is ..
1. The thinnest, lightest all-protective case ever made
2. Totally sealed from dirt and dust.
3. Survives spills, splashes and full submersion.
4. Withstands unexpected drops and shocks
5. Complete access to all buttons, ports and features.
6. Full screen protection.
7. Maximum sound output and clarity.
8. Anti-reflective optical-glass camera lens
9. Removable shoulder strap.
Impressive specs! So I duly contacted Lifeproof and they sent me a case to try.
What’s In the Box
The packaging of the case is really nice. It has a good premium feel, but for the price of this case you would expect this (I’ll come on to this later).
Inside the box is the Lifeproof case itself, instructions, a cleaning cloth and a high quality Lifeproof branded shoulder strap. Yes, a shoulder strap.
Initial Impression
The Lifeproof case looks like its made of a clear plastic with a grey/white outer edge. It has closable ports for both the headphone socket and the lightening charging port.
When I first felt the clear plastic of both the front and rear panels it felt considerably “thick”. I had suspicions that the front one would effect the responsiveness of the touch screen.
Following the instructions, I snapped the case together without putting the iPad mini in, the case clipped together solidly with very satisfying “clicks”. I then carried out a “water leak test” what this basically meant was submerging the case in a bowl of water (with a cup holding it under) for 30 mins, which I duly did. After 30 mins of browsing Coolsmartphone.com I retrieved the case, dried off the outside and opened it up.
Result? Not a drop inside the case at all.
I then cleaned the iPad with Brasso Gadget Cleaner, which I picked up from the Gadget show earlier in the year, once fully cleaned I placed the iPad mini into the bottom half of the case and snapped the top into place.
In Use.
Now, you know how I said above that the clear plastic front panel felt thick and might effect the responsiveness of the touch screen? Not a bit, it worked perfectly, it felt as if I was using the iPad screen with nothing in between my finger and the screen.
At the bottom of the case there’s two “vents” that marry up to the speakers, and again these did not effect the sound quality of the iPad at all. Water doesn’t get in, but sound gets out, I can only sumise that Lifeproof have utilised some kind of magic.
All the buttons on the iPad were easily accessed and Lifeproof have included a clever rocker switch that activates the mute/rotation lock switch.
I don’t use my iPad mini to take photographs, and lets be honest it’s not really a top-notch camera, but I couldn’t see any issues with the few photographs that I have taken with the mini. There was no evidence of the case interfering with the iPads’ functions.
Holding the iPad in the case, does have a premium feel to it, but it comes at a cost, quite a high cost. The Lifeproof case is currently retailing for a £79.99, which is expensive in comparison to the other “full protection” cases on the market. The redeeming feature of the Lifeproof case is that it doesn’t add anything like the bulk of these other cases.
Despite telling my little boy numerous times about holding the iPad, it was me that dropped the thing, I dropped it from about chest height onto a hardwood floor, it landed right on the corner and flopped to the floor screen down, I then stood there wide eyed doing what everyone who has ever dropped there gadget..
Please, please, please don’t be cracked!!
I bent down and slowly turned it over ….. Nothing not a mark the device was perfect, scratch one up for the Lifeproof cases “Withstands unexpected drops and shocks”.
I didn’t fit the supplied shoulder strap, despite the strap being very good quality, it’s not something I would ever use on a iPad, I would have much preferred some kind of stand so that I could have stood the iPad up to watch a movie etc.
Well after a massive internal debate, I decided to go the full monty. I put my full trust in the Lifeproof case and dunked my iPad in a bowl of water. Sure, it wasn’t quite 30 minutes, in fact it was only long enough to take the included snapshots, but my little mini came through unscathed and bone dry, so scratch another on up for the Lifeproofs “survives spills, splashes and full submersion” claim.
Yes my iPad mini is submerged in a bowl of water playing Netflix!!
Pro’s
The case is well made, and appears to meet all the claims made by Lifeproof.
The case doesn’t add as much bulk as other full protection cases.
The touch screen works perfectly throught the screen protection.
The sound from the iPad is not muffled in any way.
Con’s
Price, at £79.99 this is very expensive case.
There is no stand to allow viewing of media etc.
When using the iPad outside I did get quite a bit of glare from the front screen.
In Conclusion.
Would I have ordered and paid for this case prior to this review? Erm .. no, not at that price. Would I now? I think I would yes. It just gives that peace of mind when handing over the iPad to the little ones, I will be sorry to see it go back.
You can grab the case from LifeProof.com.
jeudi 26 septembre 2013
Old-school cases for your iPhone
The best bit? I only charge £400 for the privilege. Boom.
Oh wait no. Sorry. This is meant to be an item about the new Rocketcases kit – retro gamer cases. They fit the iPhone 5s, 5, 4s and 4 and will make your handset look like something out of the ’80s. The G Boy and Controller cases protect your device from falls and scratches but won’t work with your NES unfortunately.
They do lots of other cases too, including ones that look like cassettes. Yes, cassettes… anyone remember those? You can still buy them on eBay. TDK D90 baby. Always the best.
OCKETCASES PROTECTS YOUR NEW IPHONE 5s WITH
RETRO GAMER CASESBest Selling Classic Gamer Cases for iPhone 5s, 5, 4s, & 4 -
Blow Your Friends Away with a Pocket Full of NostalgiaVancouver, BC, Canada, September 17, 2013 – Rocketcases www.rocketcases.com announced today the best-selling Retro Gamer case line for iPhone 5s, 5, 4 and 4s. Rocketcases gamer G Boy and Controller themed iPhone cases protect your iPhone from falls and scratches with hard silicon and plastic materials, while at the same time bringing back memories of old-school gaming fun.
Rock that Retro Gamer Nostalgia Everywhere You Go
The G Boy retro cases are made of silicone in black and white and the Controller cases are made of hard plastic with the original NES controller styling. These cases are packed full of nostalgia that give your iPhone a head-turning unique look. Available immediately with a street price of $14.95 and a suggested retail price of $19.95 from Rocketcases at www.rocketcases.com and select retailers, these iPhone cases will be an instant focus of attention and conversational piece wherever you go.
Bring Back Tetris, Mario Brothers, and Donkey Kong
“The original handheld is back for iPhone 4, 4s, 5 and 5s. Way before Angry Birds, school hallways were filled with the sounds of Tetris, Mario Bros, and Donkey Kong Land,” said Rocketcases CEO, Jim Sced. “Blow your friends away with a pocket full of nostalgia every time they see you rock this case. Duck hunt not included.”
For more info, Website: www.rocketcases.com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rocketcases, and Twitter: https://twitter.com/rocketcases.
About Rocketcases – Cases as Cool as they are Protective
You need to protect your iPhone from falls, scratches and its plain looking exterior. Rocketcases has the perfect cases for that. You want something unique and original that also gives you peace of mind if your prized possession were to accidentally slip from your fingers. That is exactly why Rocketcases was started. They wanted a case that was as cool as it was protective, so they set out to design the best. They’d never sell a case they wouldn’t use themselves. For more information, see www.rocketcases.com.
Job done. Ex-man, Stephen Elop, returns from Nokia with £15.9m in his back pocket
On February 11th 2011 Nokia jumped into bed with Microsoft and announced that Windows Phone would be the OS of choice going forward. Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop, a former head of the Microsoft business division, has been in the chair since 2010. However, a couple of weeks back Microsoft (in the wake of a possible Nokia Android handset) decided to purchase the Nokia mobile division. Today it has been announced that Stephen Elop will be paid a whopping £15.9m to return to his old company in an arrangement including 18 months base salary and a cash incentive. It’s a transfer fee that would make most premiership footballers proud.
Since the announcement in 2011 we’ve seen the Nokia market share dwindle and many Nokia staff have been laid off. Critics have called Elop a “Trojan Horse” and have seen the placement of a Microsoft staffer as part of a long-term plan to buy the company at a reduced price.
Microsoft will fund 70% of the payoff, and it’s been only three years since Elop was paid £3.9m to take charge at Nokia.
Dare I ask for your thoughts?
Where’s My Water? makes a comeback
There’s a few games that people really latch onto and generally become huge. Where’s My Water? is definitely one of them, and has kept my son (and wife) entertained for quite a bit. Now there’s a new version, cunningly named “Where’s My Water? 2?.
Oh and get this, it’s free. Not only that, but it’s available for iPhone, iPad, Android (we can’t find the listing just yet) and …. drum roll please…. Windows Phone 8.
The new version has new locations to play with, and you can dive into the Sewer, the Beach or the Soap Factory.. It’s a simple idea – you just need to guide the fresh water down and help out Swampy by cutting through the dirt.
Full introduction video below, and apologies to everyone downloading it for the game consuming all your lunch break for the next week ;)
Play 100+ levels and challenges with a brand new look in the Gator universe featuring Swampy, Allie,
Cranky, and Mystery Duck!Introducing ‘Challenge Modes’ to replay the levels in explosive new ways!
Dig as fast as you can and get as many duckies as possible in ‘Duck Rush’ levels!
‘Tri-ducking’ is now faster, better and more fun with boosts, such as Vacuum, Dropper, and Absorber!
Small fees may be required for these additional boosts.Connect through Facebook and see if you can beat your pals on the adventure! (only for iPhone and iPad)
Experience fun mechanics that are uniquely designed for each character!
Complete achievements and earn special themed duckies such as gladiator-duckie, astronaut-duckie, hula-duckie, and many more!
Stuck on a level? Use hints to help you solve the puzzles!
Acer Liquid S1 phablet – Initial Impressions
The current generation of Acer devices are pretty impressive, at the top of the pile is the “S” range, which is the flagship device range. The Liquid S1 phablet is a great big thing with a 5.7? screen and specs similar to the Galaxy Note II. I’ve had one for about two days now and here are my initial impressions. Starting of course with the good and bad points.
Good Points
Fairly lightweightLarge bright screenMicroSD slotRemovable 2400 mAh batterySome nice software tweaks added to stock AndroidDTS AudioSpeedy camera shutterBad Points
Quite plasticy buildQuite large for the screen sizeOnly 8 GB memory could be rather limitingDesign
The Acer Liquid S1 phablet has a design borrowed from the Liquid Z3 and the E2, with a curved side strip, curved earpiece and the capacitive buttons on the bottom bezel. Talking about the bezels they are quite big, which gives the Liquid S1 it’s rather large size.
Hardware
System: Android 4.2 Jelly BeanProcessor: 1.5 GHz / Quad Core / Media Tek MTK 6589GPU: PowerVR SGX 544MPMemory: Internal: 8 GB / RAM: 1 GB / Slot type: microSD / Max. slot capacity: 32 GBDisplay: 5.7? / TFT / Resolution: 1280 x 720 pixels / 256 ppiCamera: 8 Mpixels / Flash: LED / Video: 1080p HD / Front: 2 MpixelsNetwork: 3G: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz / GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHzMicroSIMDual SIM option availableWireless: Bluetooth: 3.0 / Wifi: IEEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/nConnection: Jack 3.5 mm / micro USBGPS: aGPSSensors: Accelerometer, E-compass, Gyro sensor, Proximity sensorBattery: 2400 mAhWeight: 195 gDimensions: 164 x 84 x 9 mmHighlights of the spec are the Quad Core CPU which really makes the S1 feel really rather quite speedy. The camera also seems quite capable and the sound quality is really quite good as well thanks to the DTS optimisations.
Out of the box after installing Play Store updates you are left with about 4.69 GB available.
Software
The Liquid S1 runs Android 4.2.2 so you get the whole lockscreen widgets to play with, plus Google Now and the latest Play Store Google Apps. Acer have included a few apps out of the box, they have added some settings to let you customise the lockscreen shortcuts and also possibly most interestingly you get something called “Float Shortcuts” which are a selection of mini apps that open up over the top of whatever app you’re currently using.
Initial Conclusion
The Acer Liquid S1 phablet is pretty impressive, I expected it to just be a big old slab of plastic that just happened to run Android 4.2 but what I found was that it was a nice sounding device with a handy camera and it was pretty speedy rushing through the UI. The software additions made the core Android system fairly functional with tweaks to the messaging app, the lockscreen, the camera and the launcher to make something I might just buy if I wanted a reasonably priced phablet.
There is also a Dual SIM option available from some retailers as well.
As this was just my initial impressions please let me know if you have any questions or things you want testing out and I’ll do my best to oblige.
Agora – A quad-core smartphone for £158
Good old Kogan, eh. Everyone loves them don’t they eh?
No, me either. However, l £149 + delivery (which is a rather chunky £9) means that you get yourself a 5? Agora. It’s got a quad-core 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 1280×720 IPS screen, 8 megapixel rear camera and runs Android 4.2.2.
Up front there’s a 2 megapixel camera and inside you also get Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, 4GB of internal memory, 2000mAh battery and a microSD card slot for more storage.
Now, Kogan actually import these things and they cut out all that tax and duty business. The Agora starts shipping on October 9th and for £158 it could be worth a gamble.
Droidcon kicks off next month
This October marks the return of Droidcon London. The Android developer conference is your chance to get down and dirty with the OS and to gain development skills from experts.
Gradleware, Evernote, Funky Android and I Fight Bears will be there and, during the two days, there’ll be stacks of conferences for you to enjoy and over 1000 developers to mingle with.
Tickets are £300 but you’ll have to be quick as they’re only available for another two weeks. The event will take place at the Business Design Centre in Islington and features workshops, a hackathon, sessions and a party or two. You can get the full lineup here. It kicks off on October 24th and runs until the 27th.
mercredi 25 septembre 2013
Kindle Fire HD – The winner is..
You know we like compeititons. We love to give stuff away to our dear readers. Just recently we ran a competition to give away a Kindle Fire HD. All we wanted to know was …
If you had to watch a single movie on loop for an entire day, what would it be?
One movie? On a loop? All day? It’d have to be a pretty good movie. Well, as usual with our competitions we had a huge amount of interest and thousands of entries. We learned that a LOT of you LOVE Grease, Forrest Gump and Dirty Dancing. Oh yes, nobody puts baby in the corner.
We also had the usual multiple entries from dedicated “compers” who use multiple accounts and email addresses from various members of the family. You clever monkeys, but sorry – it’s one entry only.
Our winner then, is Andrew Kelly. Huge congrats! He wanted to watch Back To The Future on a constant loop for a day. Your Kindle Fire HD is on the way.
If you didn’t win, don’t worry, we’ll have more competitions online very soon indeed!
Cheap refurbished Nexus 7 tablets on Play.com
Would you like a cheap Nexus 7?
No, we’re not talking about the new 2013 model. :)
If you want a cheap one, Play.com have some manufacturer refurbished 16GB and 32GB 1st gen Nexus 7s for £99 and £120. These are refurbished by ASUS and sold as “like new” with a full 12 month warrantee, so are quite a bargain.
The only catch is this is a “while stocks last” offer, so be quick now.
Go!
Links – Nexus 7 32GB 1st Gen – Nexus 7 16GB 1st gen
Three confirm iPhone 5s Pricing
Three have finally revealed to us the pricing for the new iPhone 5s. It comes on the day that the handset goes on sale across the country.
Three are the last of the networks here to announce their pricing. It’s perhaps because many are interested to see what they can offer and their free 4G offer and unlimited data includes tethering on certain deals. Buy an iPhone 5s on Three and you’ll know, come December, that you won’t be paying any extra for the 4G service.
iPhone 5s and 4s Pricing
Three today announced it will offer iPhone 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colourful iPhone yet, beginning Friday, September 20. iPhone 5s will be available starting at £99 and iPhone 5c will be available starting at £49 on a 24-month contract from Three stores, online at three.co.uk or by calling 0800 358 1799.
£99 upfront + £37/mo for 24 months£99 upfront +£39/mo for 24 months£99 upfront + £41/mo for 24 months£99 upfront + £42/mo for 24 months£99 upfront +£44/mo for 24 months£99 upfront + £46/mo for 24 months£99 upfront + £47/mo for 24 months£99 upfront +£49/mo for 24 months£99 upfront + £51/mo for 24 months£0 upfront + £27/mo for 24 months£99 upfront +£30/mo for 24 months£0 upfront + £33/mo for 24 months“We are very excited to announce that the much anticipated iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are now available on our network,” said Thomas Malleschitz, marketing director at Three. “iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, along with our commitment to provide 4G at no extra cost, means that our customers can look forward to an even better network experience. We will also continue to offer all-you-can-eat data, so customers can truly enjoy the full capabilities of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c without having to worry about exceeding their data allowance.”
Your thoughts? For me the £37 per month package with only £99 up-front is the best offer we’ve seen so far for the iPhone 5s 16GB model, and you get unlimited data, which has to be a huge bonus. No need to worry about your data use and no need to think about how much extra 4G will cost in December because it’s all included.
GetMeRated arrives on Android. Will probably appear in headlines soon
Now I’m going to try and sit on the fence during this particular article, but I can’t help it if a few comments pop out. Years ago, when the internet was black and white, there was a website called “Hot or Not”. It allowed users to upload pictures of themselves, then visitors voted on how “hot” you looked in the photo.
This worked well for 25 minutes, until people realised the not-so-secret recipe of getting a high “hot” score. It generally worked like this..
a) If you’re female, reveal lots of cleavage and / or wear as little as possible.
b) If you’re male, hit the gym and get a six-pack, then generally show off as much of this and / or your muscles as possible.
Anyway, fast-forward to September 2013 and meet GetMeRated, a website where people can add their heavily-filtered “selfies” and either get lots of abuse or lots of almost perverted followers eager to … “chaaaaaattt”. Yes, you can chat. Believe me, in the course of writing this I’ve found that girls of 13 or younger are posting risque photos of themselves and lots of “blokes” seem to be very eager to chat to them. Honestly, it’s a recipe for disaster, and one picture that a 14 year-old girl has posted (of her legs) has already received a number of “recommendations” since I’ve written this last paragraph. Oh yes, the alarms are going right off.
So, if you want to dive into a world of “held above the head” selfie photos, explicit and unedited “recommendations”, pretty close-to-the-bone photos, no restriction on ages, a chat system and an easy way to get lots of un-ending criticism of your looks, dive in.
This girl has, and the poor dear seems to have hurt her lips in the process. Look. Every photo. She’s got her lips stuck. This can only get worse…
Wait.. she’s getting lots of negative comments! What can she do to possibly get out of this situation? Oh wait, I know..
DING! DING! DING!! Top rated member, instantly.
Oh look. Lots of comments from “men of similar age (honest, none of them faked the date of birth)” saying how nice she looks and how they’d like to “meet up” and / or do various other “activities”. Oh dear. She’s not replied to some of them.. uh-oh… what’s going to happen now?
Ahh.. that.
It’s now available on Android and was already available on iPhone and Windows Phone. That, my friends, is how to write an un-biased review. Boom.
Nexus 4 out of stock as more Nexus 5 pictures appear
The US Google Play Store is now reporting that both the 8GB and 16GB versions of the Nexus 4 is out of stock. The UK site, however, is still showing stock of the 16GB version so grab one quick.
Does this mean the Nexus 5 is getting close ? Well, it’s traditionally announced in October with a November release, so it’s definitely looking that way.
Following on from our previous posts, now even more rumoured Nexus 5 pictures have surfaced.
From the above snap it looks like the device is sporting a large camera sensor, up in the top left corner.
We get a front still of the boot animation — which looks oddly like the Google Play edition animation.
The back plate looks to have a soft touch material and is rather blocky with curved top and bottom edges, plus a Nexus logo running vertically along the back.
Naturally there is an LG logo at the bottom under a “Not For Sale” etching.
This particular handset looks much more final and finished than the earlier pictures from the FCC, but as we all know things can change drastically during pre-production and prototype stages. ..
Source 9 to 5 Google
mardi 24 septembre 2013
Vodafone reveal iPhone 5s pricing. Spoiler – You need to save.
Let’s face it, the super-cheap iPhone 5c failed to really materialise. Sure, it’s here, but is it super-cheap? No. What you’re left with is (effectively) an iPhone 5 with a bit of colour or, if you’re loaded, the all-new iPhone 5s.
Today Vodafone have revealed their prices for the latter and, with their shiny new 4G network and Sky Sports or Spotify Premium packages, they’re keen to get you on-board.
Now, I’ll do some preparation before you read these iPhone 5s prices. They’re going to be expensive. Very expensive. If you decide to go on a two year 4G plan and want 2GB of data to use (it’ll be 6GB per month if you sign up before the end of next month) then you’ll be paying £47 per month and, if you choose the top-of-the-range 64GB iPhone 5s, you’ll need to pay £229 up-front. That’s a two-year cost of £1357. I could buy a car for that! Unlimited texts and calls are included though, and you can choose to reduce that up-front cost by going for the slightly cheaper 32GB or 16GB model.
Switch to 3G-only and the two-year plans are .. well.. have a look for yourself below. For £42 per month you’ll get a measly 1GB of data and unlimited texts / calls. The iPhone 5s has an upfront cost of £79 for the 16GB model, £149 for the 32GB version and £229 for the 64GB version. That, my friends, means you’ll be paying a £1237 overall cost over two years.
If you’re sold on your 4G stuff and want to have the Sky Sports Mobile package or the Spotify Premium package then go for it, but you can get the iPhone 5s (16GB model) on 4G with EE for £46 per month and you get a whopping 10GB data allowance, plus you’re paying £49.99 up-front. Compare this to the Voda 4G plan where you pay a pound more per month (£47) and £79 for the iPhone 5s 16GB.. and you get 6GB for the duration of your contract if you sign up before the end of October, otherwise you get just 2GB.
Oh and to top it all, we originally thought that the EE iPhone 5s prices were expensive!
Let me know what you guys think, because I’m just scratching my head in amazement here.
Full details in the press release below.
It’s likely that both versions of iPhone will be popular, so any customers unable to get hold of an iPhone on day one will be able to order across all our channels (telesales, online and shops) and we’ll deliver it as soon as stock becomes available again.
iPhone 5s is a 4G-ready device, available from launch on Vodafone’s Ultrafast* 4G network – with a choice of either Sky Sports Mobile TV or Spotify Premium included, and we’ve set out the 4G plans below. Once online ordering of iPhone 5s goes live on Friday morning you’ll be able to find out more here http://www.vodafone.co.uk/iphone/pay-monthly-iphone/index.htm.
iPhone 5s will be available on both Vodafone Red 4G-ready and Vodafone Red 3G 24 month plans. We’re also offering both 4G-ready SIM Only plans (from £26) and 12 month plans.
Our 4G-ready plans come with a minimum of 6GB data (that’s the standard 2GB you get with Vodafone Red 4G-ready plus the ‘4GB bonus’ which is an extra 4GB per month for the duration of your contract for anyone who signs up before the end of October), unlimited calls and texts and a choice of either Sky Sports Mobile TV or Spotify Premium.
Upgrade early to Vodafone 4G
Customers with an iPhone 5, Samsung SIII or Galaxy Note II don’t have to worry if they’re not due for an upgrade yet. They can bring it back to one of our stores, even if their plan hasn’t ended. We’ll knock 75% off their remaining charges, let them upgrade early and start a new 4G plan. iPhone 5, Samsung SIII or Galaxy Note II customers can take advantage of the 4G Phone Promise until the end of the year (for more details see http://www.vodafone.co.uk/4g/vodafone-4g-promise/) .
Business
Business users will also be able to buy iPhone 5s on both 4G-ready and 3G plans. Those who want to enjoy Ultrafast* 4G and the ability to share their data allowance at no extra cost with Vodafone Red Business 4G-ready, will also receive an extra 4GB of data for the length of their contract as part of the 4GBonus.
As we’re sure you know, we’ve already launched 4G in London, will launch 4G in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield on 28 September and by the end of year will have extended that further to Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. By 2015 we’ll have reached 98% of the population with indoor 2G, 3G and 4G coverage.
Consumer 24 month Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans (including VAT)
12 month Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans (including VAT)
Consumer 24 month Vodafone Red plans (3G) (including VAT)
12 month Vodafone Red plans (3G) (including VAT)
Facebook for iOS updated following release of iOS 7
The release of iOS 7 saw a whole new visual style for Apples devices. This of course means that apps that previously fit in with the design styling now will need an update to fit in with the new styles.
One of the first third party apps to see an update is the official Facebook app which today sees a new release which has ”a new look designed with iOS 7 in mind.”
With Facebook 6.5, it’s now easier to navigate the app—you can quickly switch from News Feed to your friend requests, Messages or Notifications; just tap along the bottom of the screen. You can also tap the “More tab” on the bottom right to see options like your Timeline, groups, events and more. In addition, the app looks right at home within iOS 7 with new design elements including a translucent bar at the top of the app which will change dynamically as you scroll through different photos and posts.
The update will be available from the App store later today.
Nokia Lumia 1020 – Unboxing
A nice package arrived via DHL this morning, it contained a handset I have been VERY excited about getting hands on time with away from a promotional stand or dark room.
That is of course the Lumia 1020 complete with massive 41 megapixel camera!
Nokia also posted it in a very special design container which you can check out for yourself in the unboxing below
Having only just unboxed it for the first time, we will be bringing you much more coverage of this amazing new camera phone over the next few weeks.
However is there any questions and of you have about the 1020?
Please ask in the comments below and I will look to answer as many as possible in an update shortly.
Euro Taxi for Windows Phone helps you hail that cab
In the past hailing a cab was just a matter of putting your arm out, screaming “taxi”, joining a queue of people at a taxi rank or heaven forbid ringing a taxi company up. Nowadays you’re meant to use an app, like most things these days “there’s an app for that”.
Euro Taxi lets you book taxis around the world in a nice Windows Phone kind of way.
Book reliable flat-rate taxi and airport transfer from your phone in London, Paris, New York, Moscow, Madrid and a lot more cities. No need to call anyone. No need to negotiate the rate.
Simply provide your pickup location with date & time, your destination and select your exclusive ride (taxi, minibus or an executive car). You’ll save an average of 13% on airport transfers as its a flat rate service.
Our cancellation policy makes it safe for you to book with us as you can cancel the ride 2 hours before the pickup time. No charges, no questions asked!
Get flat rate taxis, minibuses and executive cars in London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Prague, Rome, Brussels, Stockholm, Madrid, Miami, New York and a lot more. Euro Taxi serves more than 70 global destinations at the moment and the destination list is growing rapidly.
The app is available for free at the link below. Watch out though as initial checking of the fares we know the prices of seem a little bit more expensive than they should be, I guess your paying for the app development an the privilege of not having to run around in the street.
Windows Phone Store Link – Euro Taxi
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Review
Tablets are becoming more and more popular these days with new features and different screen sizes allowing for all types of customer.
Small tablets are great for travelling and for taking to work, where as the larger ones can almost act as a laptop replacement for lots of people…
So how will this new 8 inch tablet from Samsung do?
Many thanks to our friends at Three who were kind enough to provide us with the Note 8.0 to review
So, onto the specs….
Android 4.2.2 JellyBean8 inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution5 Megapixel CameraDC-HSDPA 42Mb/sLTE 100Mb/s1.6Ghz Quad-Core ProcessorBluetooth, WiFi & GPS16GB Storage with MicroSD slot for more4,330mAh BatteryLooking at the top there’s the light sensors to adjust the backlight and put the screen to sleep when holding to your ear. You also have the speaker and the front facing 1.9 megapixel camera.
Remember this CAN be used as a normal phone too…… should you ever want to be seen holding it to your head. We saw what this looks like back at MWC this year. It’s a bit big..
The front facing camera is good if you have a decent amount of light, if you are in a poorly lit area you will struggle for quality.
The screen is a nice 8 inch in size which many people will prefer over a larger tablet, I know I do.
The resolution is 1280 x 800 pixels and considering most of the apps are made for a mobile phone screen and stretched, the Note 8.0 can suffer with a poor screen experience with apps either normal size with massive boarders around the edge, or even worse stretched so you lose quality.
There are tablet apps out there, and quite a few but you really need to try hard to find them.
At the bottom part of the front you have a single physical home button used to always get back to the main menu, and you also have capacitative buttons for options and going back a screen.
On the back is the 5 megapixel camera which also records video in 720p HD quality with stereo sound.
Apart from the camera, the back just has some labels such as SAMSUNG, 4G and other bits such as IMEI and serial numbers…nothing exciting here
Let’s face it, when it comes to using a tablet camera expectations are not as high as you would have for a top end phone. These large-screen devices were never built to use the camera as a main selling point.
However it is nice to have a decent camera on board so below are a few examples taken directly from the Note 8.0. Something worth mentioning is there is NO LED flash here to help you, instead you need to rely 100% on natural light.
As you can see from the photos below, this does has a rather large impact on quality and colours are quite poor.
The bottom of the Note 8.0 has the microUSB port for charging and for data transfer to a computer.
The microphone on the bottom is used for voice calls and also to record audio when in video recording.
The bottom also has stereo speakers which when turned up to maximum are very loud but you also lose quality and it can sound very muffled.
At the top you have the 3.5mm headset port as now standard on most devices such as phones or tablets. There is no headset supplied in the box so you have to use your own, which is not a bad thing as so many devices still come with a cheap pair of headphones that spoil the experience.
The left side is nothing special along the sides with no buttons but towards the back cover there are two slots for cards.
The first near the top is for a MicroSD memory card, we got a 16GB card in the box which makes the total storage up to 32GB (minus any internal memory reserved for the operating system).
Near the bottom is a SIM card slot as the Note 8.0 takes a Micro SIM. This allows you to get online not only over WiFI but also via your mobile network which is really handy.
The Note 8.0 is also LTE enabled so supports Cat 3 LTE at 100Mbps plus for those of you without LTE coverage, you still get DC-HSDPA which supports up to 42Mbps.
On the right side is at the top the power button also used for putting the tablet into standby.
Then you have the volume up and down keys which quickly let you change the system volume as well as put the tablet into a vibrate mode if you need quick access to that. Oh and if you do use this for calls, it will also control the audio of calls.
Finally is the IR blaster which is mainly used to control TV using the built in ‘WatchON’ application, this turns your Note 8.0 into a large universal remove control if you ever wanted to use for that.
Final Thoughts
To be honest I still have very mixed feelings over the Note 8.0 and that is more down to software than the actual hardware.
There are many many Android tablets out there now, and some of them seem to act like a tablet such as the Sony Xperia Z Tablet which has a normally landscape orientation, more tablet specific apps and the whole experience just acts like a tablet.
With the Note 8.0 if feels like Samsung have taken their phone version of the OS and just put that on here instead, easily noticeable by including the Phone and Messages apps, you can even make normal phone calls over this!
The applications are also just phone apps stretched to fit the larger screen which at times just does not look great when compared to something like the Apple iPad Mini.
The iPad has tablet specific apps which make more use of the larger screen, where as this Android tablet just takes the phone to a whole new size.
Don’t get me wrong though, many people will love what the Note 8.0 has to offer.
The S-Pen is great for taking notes on the move, the battery is a very large 4,300mAh which will get you through the day with a lot of use and with it being 4G Ready, you will get even faster speeds on the move once 4G is rolled out.
However for a tablet experience, although it might cost a bit more, the iPad Mini or Xperia Z Tablet do make better options for a tablet experience and in my eyes the iPad Mini is still the gold standard for smaller tablet devices.
Or if you really do want to go down the Android route, check out the slightly smaller but overall better new version of the Nexus 7
In general to me anyway, the Note 8.0 felt like a really really big phone instead of a small tablet
As always though, the best thing to do is visit a store yourself and see what you think of the device personally.
Tablets are becoming more and more popular these days with new features and different screen sizes allowing for all types of customer. Small tablets are great for travelling and for taking to work, where as the larger ones can almost act as a laptop replacement for lots of people... So how will this new 8 inch tablet from Samsung do? Many thanks to our friends at Three who were kind enough to provide us with the Note 8.0 to review So, onto the specs.... Android 4.2.2 JellyBean 8 inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution 5 Megapixel Camera DC-HSDPA 42Mb/s LTE 100Mb/s 1.6Ghz Quad-Core Processor Bluetooth, WiFi & GPS 16GB Storage with MicroSD slot for more 4,330mAh Battery Looking at the top there's the light sensors to adjust the backlight and put the screen to sleep when holding to your ear. You also have the speaker and the front facing 1.9 megapixel camera. Remember this CAN be used as a normal phone too...... should you ever want to be seen holding it to your head. We saw what this looks like back at MWC this year. It's a bit big.. The front facing camera is good if you have a decent amount of light, if you are in a poorly lit area you will struggle for quality. The screen is a nice 8 inch in size which many people will prefer over a larger tablet, I know I do. The resolution is 1280 x 800 pixels and considering most of the apps are made for a mobile phone screen and stretched, the Note 8.0 can suffer with a poor screen experience with apps either normal size with massive boarders around the edge, or even worse stretched so you lose quality. There are tablet apps out there, and quite a few but you really need to try hard to find them. At the bottom part of the front you have a single physical home button used to always get back to the main menu, and you also have capacitative buttons for options and going back a screen. On the back is the 5 megapixel camera which also records video in 720p HD quality with stereo sound. Apart from the camera, the back just has some labels such as SAMSUNG, 4G and other bits such as IMEI and serial numbers...nothing exciting here Let's face it, when it comes to using a tablet camera expectations are not as high as you would have for a top end phone. These large-screen devices were never built to use the camera as a main selling point. However it is nice to have a decent camera on board so below are a few examples taken directly from the Note 8.0. Something worth mentioning is there is NO LED flash here to help you, instead you need to rely 100% on natural light. As you can see from the photos below, this does has a rather large impact on quality and colours are quite poor. The bottom of…Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – ReviewSamsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Review68Tries to be a great tablet, but is more of a stretched phone no one will use as a phone
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lundi 23 septembre 2013
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