Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By November 11, 2013 Read More →

Android gaming update 11-11-13

Star-Wars-Tiny-Death-Star-Disney-MobileAnother week over and a collection of new entries on the Play store. What’s new and what’s reduced?

Star Wars: Tiny Death Star sees the player building up a Death Star with over 80 types of Star Wars themed residential and commercial floors to attract residents and commerce in their Death Star. Just like Sim Tower!

  • Earn credits to expand your Death Star, and build over 80 types of Star Wars themed residential and commercial floors like Rebo’s Karaoke and Cloud City Spa!
  • Attract over 30 unique species including Wookiees and Ewoks, and fulfill their dream jobs! Not everyone on the Death Star wants to be the Empire’s minion; some might just want to work at the local ice cream shop…
  • Below the hustle and bustle of the businesses above, build secretive, underground imperial levels to craft special supplies that will aide your Imperial troops in the fight against the Rebels.
  • As stealthy as your Death Star development may be, expect break-ins from Rebel spies such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and more! Capture them before they escape!
  • While running your Death Star, keep your eyes peeled for new scenes featuring many of your favorite characters like Han Solo, Chewie, Jabba the Hutt, and more.
Posted in: Apps & Games, News
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By November 11, 2013 Read More →

Sony’s new 3D headset now available

sony-hmz-t3w,U-V-404167-1Most are getting excited about the Oculus Rift and rightly so as they have recently announced Android compatibility. However, Sony has now made available the third generation of Sony’s HMZ headset line, following the HMZ-T1 (2011) and the HMZ-T2 (2012). The wireless head-mounted device provides two HD OLED screens generating a virtual 750 inch screen from 65 feet away, allowing users to enjoy 2D and 3D content with virtual 7.1 surround sound.
The device is lighter than the previous models, and provides flexible headbands, improved padding, and a tethered “battery box” providing around three hours on a single charge, dumping the required AC connection in the previous models. The device also supports MHL, meaning it can recharge a compatible smartphone or tablet while the device is transmitting video and audio over the same connection. Only costing mere $1000.

“The Sony HMZ-T3W portable 3D viewer keeps serious gamers in the game with speedy responses from its twin OLED screens and no annoying on-screen image lag,” reads Sony’s press release. “A one-touch button instantly boosts contrast and enhances shape details (game-mode), allowing gamers to relish the competitive edge in dimly-lit scenes where danger’s always lurking. Plus, there is no fumbling for the right keys in mid-game – the ergonomic visor-style headset gives an unobstructed ‘look-down’ view of your PC’s keyboard and mouse while you play.”

Posted in: News, Science & Technology
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By November 10, 2013 Read More →

HP Chromebook 11 price drop

hp_chromebook_11Just over a month after launch, HP’s newest Chromebook is already available to buy for less than £200 in the UK. The colourful, ARM-based notebook has had £30 slashed off its recommended retail price of £229 at a number of leading online retailers.

Powered by a Samsung Exynos chipset, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage, the device is also notable for using an IPS display to provide better colour reproduction and viewing angles – resolving the main issue that previous low-end devices have been criticised for.

Launched barely one month ago it’s a little surprising to see the device discounted already. Amazon have the device listed for just £199 – a saving of £30. Currys/PC World are matching this price indirectly, offering between £30 cash back on the purchase of this Chromebook, (and between £20-30 on all other Chromebooks) purchased between now and December 4th, 2013.

Using a Chromebook for the past two weeks I am certainly seeing the benefits of the low cost computers. Certainly some will scoff that they are not real computers however I am struggling to find something that I can not do on it.

Posted in: Laptops, News
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By November 8, 2013 Read More →

Google’s Android looks to be spreading faster than believed

mobile-makeover-android-dominanceAndroid fans already know that Google’s operating system quickly spread across the world, conquering everything in its path; however, this latest analysis suggests it spread even more quickly than we could have imagined as PhoneArena has recently pointed out. According to Horace Dediu, an Asymco analyst, it turns out that Android is the fastest growing technology product in history! The metric he used to determine this was a comparison of total adoption numbers across specific time-frames after an initial launch. Here are a few mobile stats to put it in perspective:

  • Symbian hit 450 million users in 44 quarters (11 years)
  • BlackBerry hit 225 million users in 43 quarters (about 11 years)
  • Windows Mobile hit 72 million in 30 quarters
  • Apple’s iOS hit 700 Million users in only 23 Quarters (almost 6 years)
  • Android hit 1 Billion users in only 20 quarters (5 years)

The pic above charts some other devices throughout the history of tech. It’s interesting to take a glance at the Android & iOS versus PC Sales. The huge spike is something the PC industry never had. Of course, it’s not a perfect apples to apples comparison, but it’s still worth noting. There’s one other thing worth noting in the infographic. Despite the massive acceleration of adoption, there are still quite a few people left in the world who still don’t have smartphones. In China we are only 34% into their total market, and even in the United States we are only a little over half way there.

Posted in: News, Phones, Tablets
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By November 7, 2013 Read More →

HIS launch the R9 280X iPower IceQ X² Turbo Boost Clock 3GB

H280XQMT3G2M_ALL_400HIS – Hightech Information System Limited are in the process of launch a super new graphics card based on the R9 280X from AMD.

This card is a little different to the rest as it features the  IceQ X2 cooling system, this is designed especially to keep the noise to a minimum. The top heatsink is fairly insane, insuring the most complete coverage for cooling and for you over clockers out there the Voltage regulator module area has been enhanced in order to provide more overclocking potential.

Early word is that this card is terrific value for money, costing around £230 on some retail sites. We hope to have a test model at some point in the future.

Introducing HIS R9 280X iPower IceQ X² Turbo Boost Clock 3GB

iPower for More Voltage, IceQ X – Cooler & Quieter, Faster Turbo Clock, iTurbo and Long Lasting Design

Hightech Information System (HIS) today proudly announces the HIS R9 280X iPower IceQX2 Turbo Boost Clock 3GB GDDR5. The new card features iPower for more voltage, Boost Clock & Turbo for appealing performance, IceQX2 for cooler and quieter performance.
Armed with iPower design, the extra PWM phases provide the card with higher and more stable power output which leads to a better-than-expected overclocking. In comparison with 850MHz of the reference board, the core clock of the card has been by default set at 1000MHz.
With the latest technologies and features of R9 280X chipset, the card provides an all-round graphic experience to all users. The state-of-the-art IceQX2 coolers empower the card with the best cooling solution. The card is cooler than the reference design and is below 28dB during watching movies, surfing on internet and ordinary working. Even when graphic intensive gaming is being played, the card still remains at very quiet level.
The card comes with the innovative overclocking software iTurbo. With the user-friendly design, the user can control the temperature, speed and voltage of the card by very simple steps. The card is further strengthened by HIS Long Lasting Design which effectively prolongs the life span of the card. The special metal RIB provides extra strength to the PCBs to avoid warpage. Loaded with AMD’s latest technology, such as GCN, Apps Faster & Smoother, the card has revolutionary improvements on computing performance, gaming experience as well as power consumption!
The card currently retails for £239.99 and it is available in OCUK.

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Press Releases, Science & Technology
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By November 7, 2013 Read More →

GiffGaff to sell phones

Screenshot 2013-11-06 23.39.20GiffGaff, a low cost virtual network working off O2 masts, has announced they will start selling mobile phones alongside their sim only pay as you go deals. GiffGaff are offering a rather nice, varied selection of devices comprising of:

  • Samsung Galaxy Young
  • Samsung Galaxy Fame
  • Samsung Galaxy S3
  • Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
  • Samsung Galaxy S4
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  • Nokia 301
  • Nokia Lumia 520
  • Nokia Lumia 625
  • Nokia Lumia 925
  • Nokia Lumia 1020
  • Sony Xperia E
  • Sony Xperia M
  • Sony Xperia SP
  • Sony Xperia Z
  • Sony Xperia Z1
  • HTC One
  • BlackBerry Q10
  • LG G2
  • iPhone 4 refurb
  • iPhone 4S refurb

Interesting the selection of devices available was chosen by 5,300 customers who participated in a survey. Instead of offering a standard contract GiffGaff have shaken things up to offer the following purchase options:

  1. Members don’t need to buy a goodybag with their phone.
  2. You can pay for your phone upfront or monthly.
  3. You can split your monthly payments from 6 to 24 months.
  4. You can change or cancel your goodybag at anytime (as usual)
  5. You can change your monthly phone payments at anytime.
  6. Your phone will not be locked to giffgaff.

Working on a Peer to Peer lending option,  the practice of lending money to unrelated individuals, or “peers”, without going through a traditional financial intermediary such as a bank or other traditional financial institution GiffGaff hope to make the selection a good deal more enticing than the typical network set ups. Full pricing has not been released yet however they promise more information soon.

Posted in: News, Phones
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By November 7, 2013 Read More →

Mobile Tech Addicts Podcast 213: Just hangin’ out!

Podcast-Logo_thumb.jpgGareth and Matt are here with another UK update on the mobile front, this week with Phil Lain. On this week’s show there’s another first, we’re recording in front of a live audience and have some Q&A along the way. We’ll be using Hangouts On Air more in future too.

There’s a whole lot of KitKat going on with a lot of attention being focused on the Google Nexus 5 and some worrying news for Google Nexus owners. Matt goes on a day trip to Heathrow Airport and doesn’t go anywhere and young Phil becomes the new kid on the block.

Featuring Gareth, Matt, and Phil

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Posted in: News, Podcast
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By November 6, 2013 Read More →

Will we see the Samsung Galaxy Note 13.3?

Samsung Galaxy Note 13.3No, this isn’t a duplicate post, Samsung is working on a 12.2-Inch Galaxy Note tablet. However, that is not the only giant Android tablet they are working on. Supposedly, Samsung is also developing a 13.3-inch Android tablet to launch later next year.

It looks like Samsung believes 2014 will be the year of the tablets. Not only are they throwing out a ton of new tablet devices, they have upped their estimated tablet sales projections to a whopping 42 million. Of course, this will be for all of their tablets which will range in size a great deal. If this newest rumour is true we will have a wide range if new Samsung tablets: 7-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch and 13-inch. We will know something more concrete in January at CES.

Posted in: Rumours, Tablets
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By November 6, 2013 Read More →

Google Hangouts expanded to Helpouts

helpouts_large_verge_medium_landscapeTonight, Matt and I will attempt out first Mobile Tech Addicts hangout, a chance to engage with you, the loyal reader and listener. Hangouts have really opened up a new age in VOIP / Video calling / conferencing. In addition to Hangouts there is also a new service Google are offering, Google Helpouts.

Google Helpouts it is already live and available on the desktop or Android platforms. Google Helpouts basically allows you to use Google Hangouts in a new way. The goal is to offer people a place to get help on a vast variety of topics using Google Hangouts. This could include topics from DIY repairs, to computer tech support, to cooking and much more. The possibilities are nearly endless.

Google Helpouts basically allows folks to help each other either for free or for a fee. What’s truly unique about this is that instead of getting a random person, you actually have the power to choose from whom you get help based upon a variety of factors like availability, qualifications, ratings, price, and reviews. Here’s a full quote below from Google’s blog on their new Helpouts service. You can also find out more in the video below.

Quote:

What if getting help for a computer glitch, a leaky pipe, or a homework problem was as easy as clicking a button? What if you could connect via real-time video to a music teacher or a yoga instructor from the comfort of your home? What if you could get someone knowledgeable to get you “unstuck” when you really need it?Today, we’re announcing Helpouts—a new way to get and give help over live video. Our goal is simple: help people help each other. We want to use the convenience and efficiency of the web to enable everyone, no matter where they are or what time it is, to easily connect with someone who can help.

Help might be a quick answer to a problem you’re having right now, like how to fix your garage door, or how to remove a computer virus; or it might be guidance completing a project, like building a deck. It might be learning a new skill, like how to speak conversational French or how to draw cartoons; or it might be general advice on how to improve your fitness or your writing (I could use this right now).

With Helpouts, you can choose who you get help from based on their qualifications, their availability, their price, their ratings and reviews. You can connect instantly or book in advance. You can get help from individuals or from brands you already know and trust, like Sephora, One Medical, Weight Watchers, Redbeacon (a Home Depot company), and Rosetta Stone. Once you’re in a Helpout, you can do more than just talk—you can share your computer screen, collaboratively edit a presentation, or record your Helpout. And if the experience doesn’t meet your expectations, we offer a full money back guarantee.

Today is just the beginning. We’re starting small and in a few categories. The number of people giving help on Helpouts and the type of help available will grow over time. Helpouts may not be suitable for every occasion, and it will take time to get used to interactions via real time video. We hope that the efficiency, convenience and global reach of Helpouts will make people’s lives easier in the long term.

We hope you’ll give Helpouts a try and give us your feedback through ratings and reviews, or talk to us on Google+, Twitter or Facebook. And if you’re interested in giving help on Helpouts yourself, let us know.

Posted in: Apps & Games, News
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By November 5, 2013 Read More →

Will we see the Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2?

Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2Rumours are surfacing on the net that Samsung is currently working on a Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2″ tablet which will launch in early 2014. The source of these rumours are that the device has already passed through the FCC. Here’s what we know about the specs…

Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2 specs:

  • 12.2-inch 2560 x 1600 display
  • 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
  • 8-megapixel camera
  • 2-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 32GB of storage
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and LTE support for the cellular version
  • S Pen Stylus

As the sizes of devices continue to trend upward, it makes you wonder at what point will a tablet become too big to be useful? On the other hand could it be that this is an edge to edge screen, loosing the bezel almost entirely?

bluetooth-sig-sm-p901

Posted in: News, Rumours, Tablets
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