Tag: Featured

By August 18, 2015 Read More →

Rumoured specs of the Surface Phone

surface-wp2-11-e1438158350548It seems that the oft rumoured Microsoft Surface Phone is known by the codename of project Project Juggernaut Alpha, which matches the previous leaks we heard a couple of years ago. If true we’re seeing a device that one day might be capable of  running Win32 apps, especially as the spec sheet described a rather powerful device housing a beautiful a 5.5-inch AMOLED display of 1440×2560 16:9 resolution and protected by Gorilla Glass 4. When it comes to its internals:

  • Intel Atom x3 (SoFIA) 64-bit processor
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 64 and 128GB of expandable storage
  • Surface Pen compatibility
  • USB Type-C
  • Wireless Charging
  • 1440×2560 16:9 AMOLED 5.5″ ClearBlack Gorilla Glass 4
  • Aluminum and Magnesium unibody
  • 21MP PureView Zeiss 6-lens primary camera
  • 8MP Zeiss Wide-Angle selfie camera
  • Windows 10 Mobile

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You can expect to see it is some shape or form in Q4 2015 or more likely Q1 2016.

Source: wmpoweruser

Posted in: News, Phones, Rumours
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By August 17, 2015 Read More →

Some EE Power bars recalled

power-bar_recall_16.9-1280x720Recently EE very kindy handed out free Power Bar chargers to their customers. EE has unfortunately identified a very small number of incidents where Power Bars have overheated, all of which relate to batch E1-06 (written as Model:E1-06 on the side of the device), and could pose a fire safety risk. They are therefore recalling batch E1-06 and request that customers stop using them and return their device to a local EE store at their earliest convenience. Power Bars from any other batch aren’t affected by this recall. EE intend to replace these chargers once we’ve completed our investigations.

EE has identified a very small number of incidents where Power Bars have overheated, all of which relate to batch E1-06 (written as Model:E1-06 on the side of the device), and could pose a fire safety risk.

We’re therefore recalling batch E1-06 and request that customers stop using them and return their device to a local EE store at their earliest convenience.

Power Bars from any other batch aren’t affected by this recall.

It’s our intention to replace these chargers once we’ve completed our investigations; we’ll be in touch once these have been concluded. We’re really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
What’s the issue with batch E1-06, and how do I identify my device?

We’ve identified a very small number of incidents where Power Bars have overheated, all of which relate to batch E1-06, and could pose a fire safety risk. EE Power Bars can be identified by a code found on the side of the device. For the recalled models this code will read ‘E1-06′ (see image below).

What should I do?

We’re requesting that customers stop using Power Bars from batch E1-06, and unplug them from handsets and the mains. They should return the Power Bar to a local EE store at their earliest convenience.

How do I get a replacement?

Customers returning batch E1-06 will be issued with a replacement once our investigations are concluded. The swap program has been temporarily suspended while we complete this recall process and restock.

How do I know the other batches are safe?

We’ve not seen any issues of overheating with other batches and they meet all safety standards. Here is some general advice on use of portable chargers.

For more information check over at EE.

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By August 17, 2015 Read More →

The Next Nexus in pictures

34X2EwFThe internet is rife with rumours about what is happening with the next Nexus incarnation. The most solid news is that there will be two Google-branded smartphones which will be made by LG and Huawei. These should be here in October or early November will ship with a new version of Android. @evleaks aka Evan Blass, one of the most reliable tipsters and all round good sod stated “Huawei Nexus sounds impressive so far: 5.7″ QHD w/ metal body, SD820 SoC, fingerprint reader. Ships Q4.” Similarly @onleaks touched on LG’s offering having a metal body, measuring approximately 147x73x8-9.8mm with a 5.2in screen, Front Facing Speakers,Fingerprint Sensor on the Back and USB Type-C.

An image slipped out this morning of the back of a phone carrying the Nexus branding. With the circular ring of Motorola and an interesting Nokia Lumia style camera housing. In addition this looks to be a plastic back with a dual LED flash. Some friendly folks on Reddit decided to do a little photo-shopping to clean up the image for a more handsome viewing experience below.

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By August 16, 2015 Read More →

Olixar Pocketsize Selfie Stick with mirror Unboxing

vlcsnap-error318Our third selfie stick is again from Olixar, this time devised for the pocket with a simple mirror to assist in using the larger rear camera on your phone. Recently we have seen manufacturers increase the optics on the front facing camera to help create more tolerable pictures. Olixar have taken a very simple step to reverse the camera utilising an age old trick of a simple convex mirror mounted to the selfie stick. If you have been using mobile phones for a few years you might remember back in the day a phone had a small silver nubbin that would help the user take a self portrait instead of using the rubbishy VGA camera on the front, if you were lucky enough to have one. 

Taking this a step further is the true genius behind the Olixar Pocketsize Selfie Stick, as a small mirror about the same size as a larger postage stamp, gives the user a better illustration of what is happening as the screen would normally do if you were using a traditional selfie stick. The mirror is a piece of reflective plastic that, whilst being being subject to fingerprints, manages the job very well. Running the line of being a little on the small side once fully extended, the mirror is actually just right as any larger would increase the overall size of the stick and therefore the footprint required to store it.

The quality of this stick is not as high as that of the Olixar Selfie Smart Pole or the Olixar Ninja Katana Selfie Stick however the price is notably cheaper and thus the quality cannot remain. As illustrated in the video above, there is a notable bend in when the stick is fully extended and a phone is in place. This isn’t a deal breaker by any stretch, merely a consideration as the other sticks we have look at recently will endure much more day to day abuse than this, the little brother. In saying that, this is when the stick is fully extended, when in compact mode and being tossed around in a bag the Pocketsize will take a licking. Everything fits away and it becomes a sturdy lump.

This is yet another handy stick to have and maybe more of a consideration for those on the fence of selfie sticks. They have their moments and this little stick can help you test the waters, if only to throw in a back and forget about until a moment presents itself. You can purchase the Pocketsize selfie stick from Mobilefun for £7.49.

  • Capture the perfect selfie
  • No need to recharge!
  • Easy to use, no Bluetooth pairing required
  • Built-in button to capture an image in comfort
  • Built-in mirror to use your phone’s higher quality rear facing camera
  • Retractable mini pole for portability, small enough to fit in a handbag
  • Safety locks and shock absorbing material
  • Case compatible
  • Compatible with Android 3.0, iOS 4.0 or later

 

 

By August 11, 2015 Read More →

Panasonic Viera range gets some big additions #VieraVIPClub

Screenshot 2015-08-11 at 10.09.52This year at the giant tech show IFA in Berlin Panasonic are going to be announcing something a little special. Having spent some time restructuring their approach to televisions and making it all about picture quality Panasonic are going to be upping the ante and pushing to achieve that which we all desire from a television, best picture quality. 

Rather than fussing with developing new software for the panels, Panasonic are bringing in a couple of specialised solutions to enhance the television experience. The software side is going to become a great deal more interesting.

The first major addition is the inclusion of Freeview Play. This updated viewing platform is taking Freeview to the next level. Making TV content available after live play in the electronic programme guide. Providing a catchup service without having to access separate applications, Freeview Play collates content on the channels you want in the same place. There will be a big role out of Freeview Play in the near future and Panasonic will be ahead of the rest as the first manufacturer to incorporate the service into a television.

The second exciting development is the move to Mozilla for the interface of the television. Gone are the clunky app selections and possible incompatibilities. In  comes the fresh, new Firefox OS, designed specifically to simplify experience and become personalised to your exact needs with minimal fuss of knowledge.

Screenshot 2015-08-11 at 10.24.04

We will be covering the announcements live from Berlin so check back for news of Panasonic’s new screen they will be debuting along with a couple of other surprises. We will have hands on with Firefox OS on the TV alongside release dates and pricing.

Posted in: News, TV & Home Cinema
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By August 11, 2015 Read More →

And Google is now Alphabet

Screenshot 2015-08-11 at 11.12.32It comes as a bit of a shock this morning that Google is getting a bit of a reshuffle. Announcing this on the Google blog post today, Larry Page, the current CEO of Google, is declaring a full re-organisation of Google, bringing in Sundar Pichai as the new CEO of Google.

Each of Google’s core business (Search, Advertising, Maps, YouTube, and Android) will be called Google and the rest (Google Ventures, Google Capital, Google X, Life Sciences, and Calico, Google Fiber, Nest and others will become individual businesses with their own leaders reporting to a holding company called Alphabet — and that will become the company’s new name.

Larry will be taking up CEO duties of the newly formed umbrella company named Alphabet (http://abc.xyz)

What is Alphabet? Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main Internet products contained in Alphabet instead. What do we mean by far afield? Good examples are our health efforts: Life Sciences (that works on the glucose-sensing contact lens), and Calico (focused on longevity). Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related. Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence. In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed. We will rigorously handle capital allocation and work to make sure each business is executing well. We’ll also make sure we have a great CEO for each business, and we’ll determine their compensation. In addition, with this new structure we plan to implement segment reporting for our Q4 results, where Google financials will be provided separately than those for the rest of Alphabet businesses as a whole.

Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. Alphabet will also include our X lab, which incubates new efforts like Wing, our drone delivery effort. We are also stoked about growing our investment arms, Ventures and Capital, as part of this new structure.

Alphabet Inc. will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, with all of the same rights. Google will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet. Our two classes of shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq as GOOGL and GOOG.

For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google — the birth of Alphabet. We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search! We also like that it means alpha-bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for! I should add that we are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products–the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.

 

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By August 11, 2015 Read More →

Olixar Ninja Katana Selfie Stick Review

UnboxingOur second look at a selfie stick again comes from Olixar. This time around they have gone a more novel approach with a Ninja look and feel. Driving the craze into a more preposterous form and with all the right intentions.

Can the Olixar Selfie Katana Stick help assist my quest to the perfect selfie or will it prove to be a gimmick product that i just do not need?

The selfie phenomena has taken over the world, from celebrities to your gran everyone has gone selfie mad. Most mobile phone devices manufactured now are equipped with a half decent front facing camera for the selfie addicts worldwide. Up until now I have never used a selfie stick so this being my first experience of using one I can say it definitely say it has been memorable.

The selfie katana stick extends from 21cm to 67cm, and has an adjustable clamp to hold your phone in place, you can adjust the angle of the clamp easily with a screw. Once your phone is attached you simply connect the shutter remote cable into your 3.5mm jack and you are ready to shoot at the touch of the button. Assembly is easy although my phone has the power button on the side so beware not to clamp this as it will turn of your device. Using the katana stick was fun, my son thought I had a ninja sword when he first seen the stick and instantly took to walking about the house and garden taking selfies as well as using the rear camera.

I believe that the selfie stick may be more than just a gimmick product. People are trying to create original more creative ways to take a selfie and a selfie stick really does provide new heights to selfie photos.. The olixiar stick is a selfie stick with and added fun feature of looking like a ninja sword. I could see myself using this selfie stick in the future, I recently had a family party and left the katana stick sitting on the table with my phone attached. It was soon lifted by family members who took their selfies and had great fun posing for the camera. This gave the party a relaxed atmosphere as people where not hounded by a designated photographer to smile and say cheese. My mother who is a self confessed techno phob found herself asking people to take pictures with her.

I could imagine that an estate agent could find a selfie stick to be an essential tool for taking angled pictures of rooms to make even the most undesirable house more appealing.

The Olixar Katana Stick is well built and does exactly what it aims to do. With no batteries or pairing needed you are taking selfies in no time out of the box. I would definitely recommend this stick to anyone who has never owned a selfie stick. At £24.99 this may seem a bit pricey but you get what you pay for a no fuss great looking katana selfie stick.

You can purchase the Olixar Ninja Katana Selfie Stick from Mobilefun for £24.99 

  • Fun, Katana design
  • Capture the perfect selfie like a ninja
  • Built-in button to capture an image
  • No Bluetooth or charging required
  • Retractable pole for portability
  • Safety locks and shock absorbing material
  • Case compatible
  • Compatible with all smartphones
By August 5, 2015 Read More →

Creative launch pro gaming audio gear

LS_BlasterX_H5_Mood ShotCreative Technology Ltd today announced at Gamescom 2015 the Sound BlasterX Gaming Series, a new line of gaming audio peripherals designed for today’s generation of discerning gamers.

Gaming content in this day and age encompasses immensely compelling graphics, expansive environments and incredibly detailed audio, akin to a full cinematic experience, delivered on multiple platforms, from mobile, to consoles and PCs. Famous for pioneering gaming audio on PCs and launching the multimedia revolution with the Sound Blaster line of sound cards, Creative continues to innovate and improve the gaming audio experience for today’s gamers. The Sound BlasterX line is committed to upgrading a user from “good enough” audio to the full cinematic experience that discerning gamers of today are looking for, wherever they are playing. The series is comprised of circumaural (over-the-ear) and in-ear headsets, and an external USB sound card with a built-in amplifier to provide gamers with a durable, complete, high-performance, high-definition gaming audio solution that is built to last.

Product_BlasterX_H5

Each product in the Sound BlasterX series is designed to deliver pristine aural performance and maximum comfort while levelling up a gamer’s overall experience by producing sound on par with today’s advanced graphics and game storytelling.

“Think about when you go to the movies – you go for the big screen, sometimes the 3D element, and cinematic sound. Movies wouldn’t be the same without perfectly timed sound effects, and that’s what many of today’s gamers are missing out on with their overall experience – the nuances that will determine win or lose – and they might not even realize it by settling for basic audio solutions. The graphics and storylines of today’s games are the best they have ever been and for audio details to match that requires something much more than basic motherboard audio or run-of-the-mill gaming headsets. With Sound BlasterX, we have a renewed focus on building gaming audio products that last and are designed to elevate gaming audio to complement the astounding graphics found in today’s games. We’re taking gaming from a desktop experience, to a cinematic experience. Once you hear the difference a BlasterX product makes in your games, there’s no going back to mediocre basic audio,” said Low Long Chye, General Manager of Audio at Creative.

Product_BlasterX_G5

The Sound BlasterX Gaming Series comprises of:

  • Sound BlasterX H7 – the ultimate HD 7.1 Surround USB circumaural gaming headset
  • Sound BlasterX H5 – the professional-grade analog circumaural gaming headset
  • Sound BlasterX P5 –  a miniature yet powerful high-performance in-ear gaming headset  
  • Sound BlasterX G5 – a 7.1 HD audio external sound card with built-in headphone amplifier

With this line of peripherals, Sound BlasterX offers a range of high-performance cross-platform gaming audio solutions for gamers – whether on PCs, mobile devices or consoles.

“As gamers, we’re extremely excited about the all new the Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming Series,” said Jason Bass, COO of compLexity Gaming. “When we tested the products, we were amazed by the performance, build quality, how comfortable they were, and most of all, their signature sound. In fact, the team felt that the headsets resembled studio monitors. The headsets delivered amazingly accurate audio and were so comfortable that we felt as if we were wearing nothing at all.”

 The gaming headsets are tuned to enhance the listening experience and not to overwhelm. The entire Sound BlasterX range allows gamers to experience an amazing level of detail while being immersed in the gaming experience for extended hours without listening fatigue. The Sound BlasterX series of products offer a best in class audio solution for gamers with different usage preferences. Audio quality and clarity, comfort and durability are important no matter what level gamers are gaming at and the Sound BlasterX series cater to both the pro and casual gamers.

Product_BlasterX_P5

The Sound BlasterX Gaming Series also comes with the BlasterX Acoustic Engine software for PC that allows gamers to customize their audio profile to the game genres that they are playing. It is designed to intelligently decrease distractions and enhance essential audio details in games, giving gamers an added advantage.

The recently launched Sound Blaster X7 with its companion E-MU XM7 professional speakers, offers an ultra high-end gaming audio solution that completes the Sound BlasterX Gaming Series. This biggest, baddest, boldest Sound Blaster delivers an astounding 24-bit/192kHz high resolution audiophile experience for the ultimate gamer.

More details of the Sound BlasterX H7 and Sound BlasterX H5, the Sound BlasterX P5, and the Sound BlasterX G5 will be announced in separate press releases.

Pricing and Availability

The Sound BlasterX gaming series is priced as follows:

  • Sound BlasterX H7 – GBP129.99
  • Sound BlasterX H5 – GBP99.99
  • Sound BlasterX P5 – GBP59.99
  • Sound BlasterX G5 – GBP119.99
By July 29, 2015 Read More →

The OnePlus 2 is here

op2The OnePlus One was a notable success and the logical sequel has just arrived. Whilst most probably are not aware of the launch, or even of the line as some mainstream media where not even aware of the OnePlus One in their articles, the OnePlus Two marks a handsome step towards reducing the price of a flagship phone and delivering what you need on the go. Due to be released on August 11 in two flavours, a £239 16GB version and £289 64GB top end model, the latest OnePlus phone have taken tips from LG and are pumping up the RAM for the highend variant from 3GB to 4GB. 

 The OnePlus 2 sports with an attractive 5.5-inch LCD display at 1080p and whilst not pushing screen tech buzz words like Retina 401 pixels is a respectable count even if it does forgo 4K. This is housed a body with a smaller bezel however it is a little fatter than before with dimensions on 74.9 x 151.8 x 9.85mm and it now weighs a heavier 175g instead of 162g. The OnePlus 2 runs Android, however more specifically, OxygenOS. An Android hybrid, rebuilt by OnePlus that features a lot of customised additions.

OnePlus 2 uses the admittedly problematic Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor backed by the Adreno 430 GPU running graphics processor, two nano SIM card slot, a bigger, non-removable battery and a better camera. A USB Type C port and charger that allows for reversible USB input and included cable. OnePlus have dropped the microSD card slot and this will be a big annoyance for those with the 16gb model eventually.

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Rob Kerr, mobiles expert at uSwitch.com, says:

“Its features rival today’s current flagship phones, so the OnePlus 2 is likely to be a threat to the current spate of top-tier mobiles.

 “It is even ahead of the game, by including features coming to the next generation of phones, such as the reversible USB Type-C port connector. 

 “At less than half the cost of Samsung’s flagship S6 handset, it’ll be looking to capture the mass market where decisions are based on price.

 “The company doesn’t have the massive marketing budgets of other manufacturers so, in effect, we’re really seeing the true cost of flagship phone, without everything in tow to sell it.

 “If other mobile makers were to adopt this tact, perhaps we’d see a truer reflection of what we should be spending on a new phone.”

 

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By July 27, 2015 Read More →

Inateck IPX8 Waterproof Case Unboxing

vlcsnap-2015-07-26-19h35m11s087Inateck have sent over a waterproof case to fit most devices. Here we have a look at this no frills approach to device care and a handy accessory if you are heading away to a beach somewhere or just to lounge by the pool. For £10.99 the Inateck Waterproof case does a lot however it won’t increase your chances with the opposite sex.

You can purchase one from Amazon, here.

Perfect Waterproof Companion for Your Phones 
Take your smartphones anywhere you like, go swimming, boating, rafting, diving and snorkeling without worrying about water damage.

Survive Your Devices Underwater
IPX8 waterproof pouch with secure swivel lock allows submerging your devices for at least 30 minutes.

Easy Access to Touch Screen
Designed with crystal clear film on both sides, texting, taking photo and recording videos just work the same as without using the case.

Universal Waterproof Pouch Design
Specifications: 17cm*10cm, fully compatible with devices up to 5.7″ screen displays and provide universal protection for keys, credit cards, ID cards, MP3 players, all iPhone, Samsung and other smartphones.

Compatible Models
Apple iPhone: iPhone 6 Plus/ 6/ 5s/ 5c/ 5/ 4s
Samsung Galaxy: Samsung Galaxy S6/ S6 Edge/ S5/ S4, Note 4/ 3/ 2 
Others: HTC One X, Nexus 4, Nokia Lumia 920/ 820 and so on

Please refer to the dimension of waterproof bag before you purchase it for your large screen smartphone with protective case together

Note: 
Lock the top to make sure the case is fully sealed.
Open the bag upside down in order to avoid water intrusion after using.

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