HTC M8 / HTC One 2 !!!??!?!?!?

HTC One 2 M8 release date, rumours, specs and more :

The HTC One has become a smash hit winning numerous awards and proving that the company can go toe to toe with the Galaxy S5 and Apple's iPhone 5s

The HTC One 2 or the HTC M8 (if we're going by the codename) is set to be the next flagship smartphone from HTC replacing the award-winningHTC One. The upcoming feature smartphone isn't set to be launched until next year and will be looking to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the future Apple iPhone 6. Whilst little is known about HTC's next flagship smartphone there are rumours that can help us create a picture of what HTC will be looking to launch when it takes on the smartphone world next year. With the company already confirming earlier in the year that it would be focusing on reducing its range whilst building up its quality it goes without saying that the One 2 will be the pinnacle of what the company can achieve. Read on to see the latest rumours, leaks and our own opinion on what we think HTC will be including with the next-generation HTC One 2. HTC One 2 will have a 2014 release date So there we have it folks, the official HTC One 2 release date has been confirmed, thanks in full to a UK court Judge who has just banned the HTC One mini and the HTC One max for infringing Nokia-owned patents. Judge Arnold inadvertantly revealed the release date in his closing statement suggesting that whilst he won't ban the HTC One he sees no reason not to ban the other smartphones as HTC will 'shortly be launching a new flagship handset'. Whoops. Interestingly the HTC One max has been built using the same design language as the original HTC One which means that if the new HTC One is coming out shortly it's unlikely to feature a radical new design. That said MWC is just on the other side of Christmas and it has become the launching point for many of the big smartphone and tablet launches including theSony Xperia Z tablet as well as the Huawei Ascend P2. Lest we also forget that MWC 2012 saw the unveiling of the uber-powerful HTC One X so all in all keep MWC in the calendar. HTC One 2 will launch with Sense 6.0 So far this is the first bit of solid proof we've had that HTC is working on the next version of the HTC One. According to evleaks the company is working with a new flagship smartphone codenamed the HTC M8 (the HTC One was the 'M7') and that it would launch sporting a brand-new version of Sense, HTC's skinned UI. With HTC confirming that it would be bringing Android 4.4 KitKat to its current range of HTC One smartphones it seems logical to assume that HTC Sense 6.0 will in fact be running on the next version of Android. There's no word on how the UI would look but unless HTC is planning a huge design overhaul expect a more advanced and easier to use version of the current Sense which means improved BlinkFeed along with integration of Android's new features. This would mean you'll get the same improved Caller ID functionality which uses the Google Maps Business listings to find contact information if your phone doesn't recognise the number. HTC One 2 specs  This is something that we can almost certainly tick off from the start, specs wise there's no word on actual hardware but considering how much noise HTC has made about the UltraPixel camera on its current generation it would be a serious move by the company to not include its famed UltraPixel sensor. Photos have leaked via Unwired View which appear to show the new HTC M8 Blue Edition, whilst the most notable aspect of the images is that the M8 features a wraparound metal body what some may also have noticed is the extra circular hole above the camera. Some have postured that this could be space for a second camera, perhaps implying that it'll be able to take 3D images. Others have suggested that it's far more likely the extra hole will be a much-improved fingerprint scanner, in this instance designed for the first finger rather than the middle finger. Whilst Apple nailed the technology with its Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s we were far less impressed with HTC's implementation of the tech in the HTC One max. Hopefully HTC will have learnt some lessons this time around, the HTC One max offered a lot of features with its fingerprint scanner that the iPhone didn't, instead they need to perfect the hardware itself and then integrate it into the smartphone better in a way that feels far more natural.

Sorry :(

Sorry guys have not been blogging for a lot of time, i almost forgot i had a blog . So, keep tuning in for the latest news here at the gadget club. Peace V !!

Nexus 5 review

Google Nexus 5 review :

The Google Nexus 5 is the second Google phone made by LG and it could well be its last. Has LG gone out with a bang?

Google Nexus 5 review Love Incredible display Android KitKat That price tag Hate Average camera OK storage The Google Nexus 5 might just be the most obviously leaked smartphone since the iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy S4 and... now we think about it, most of the flagship smartphones this year. The difference between these is that actually we had no idea whether Google would replace the Nexus 4, and if it was going to, which company would build the replacement. Some said it would be Motorola, following the successful launch of the Moto Xin the US it seemed more than plausible that the recently acquired company would start doing its parent’s bidding and churning out a new brand of Google-shaped smartphones. But that wasn’t to be, instead LG would make one last stand before it passed on the mantle. Leaked by one of Google’s own employees at the Android 4.4 KitKat launch, the Nexus 5 quickly became one of the most talked about smartphones in the lead up to the festive season. Well now it’s here, with almost no fanfare (was any needed?) the Nexus-branded smartphone almost immediately sold out, of course the question is, is it worth your cash? Google Nexus 5: Size and build There’s no dodging this one, the Nexus 5's design is going to instil one of two emotions, the first is quiet approval and the second is complete apathy. In truth this is somewthing of an achievement over the Nexus 4 which was already pushing the boundaries of minimalist design with the glass back being the only ‘bling’ in sight. We like the design of the Nexus 5, it’s certainly understated but the moment you hand it to someone you’ll see their face change to one of respect, it feels solidly built and despite it being all plastic it’s not plastic in the way you’d dislike. The matte finish keeps it from slipping out of your hands and adds a premium touch . Specs-wise, we’re talking hugely minimal changes here, the Nexus 5 is 8.59mm thin, which may not seem like much compared to the Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5s but it still feels pretty slim. Weighing in at 130g this is a light phone, and you can feel it, despite all the real-estate you’ll have no problem holding it in one hand. Google Nexus 5: Features The Nexus 5 is the first smartphone to come sporting Android 4.4 KitKat which means you’ll get all the newly announced features including intelligent Caller ID and the new Google Hangouts SMS app. Most notable though is the overall design and although it may be subtle, KitKat is a move in the right direction. The translucent menu bar looks great and lets you appreciate the entire screen while small things like the removal of clutter from the apps menu means the whole system feels that little bit more polished. If we had one complaint it’s Google slow but unstoppable march towards integrating Google+ and its suite of other services into every aspect of what you do. A prime example of this is the new Hangouts app. Google proudly stated that it would now seamlessly integrate your SMS texts with your MMS messages and Google Hangouts. What it didn’t mention though is the interface is very much focused on forcing you to use Hangouts before anything else with Hangouts contacts listed first. Signing out of Hangouts is possible but it’s a pain to find and even when you have the interface still leans towards you activating it again. Thankfully Google itself has added in an easy way of getting out of this, you can just install your own SMS app, uninstall hangouts and set that as your default. Google Nexus 5: Screen The Nexus 5 comes with a 4.95-inch 1920x1080p display with, wait for it, 445ppi making it one of the highest resolution screens you can buy on a smartphone. Of course pixels are just one part of the story and we’re happy to report that the rest has been dealt the same magic touch by LG, it’s a stunning display with excellent colour reproduction and great response when playing games and video. The design of the phone absolutely contributes to the effect. The bezels on the side are minute and you could argue they’re pretty small on the top and the bottom as well which means that all your focus will be squarely centered on that fantastic display. Google Nexus 5: Camera Sadly all good things can’t last, and once again it’s the camera that lacks lustre. The Nexus 5 features an 8MP rear-facing camera that boasts optical image stabilsation and Google’s new HDR+ feature. According to Google, HDR+ takes more images than normal allowing for better balancing between contrast and brightness which, in theory, should mean better pictures in low light. In reality we didn’t notice much difference, certainly not a noticeable difference between the competition’s which were using standard HDR. It’s not that the images are bad, they’re certainly good enough for the digital world, it’s more that they suffer from a lot of noise, which makes blowing them up or printing them out a risky task. Google Nexus 5: Performance The Nexus 5 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, 2.26GHz quad-core processor along with 2GB RAM giving it almost identical specs to the LG G2. As in the case of the LG G2 this is also a seriously nippy phone with apps running smoothly, multi-tasking is without any lag and video playback is really smooth. The Nexus 5 comes in two variants, 16GB and 32GB and while in today’s world that’s not very much you do get Google Drive for cloud storage and of course Google Music which will upload your entire music library to the cloud for free. Google Nexus 5: Battery The Nexus 5 comes with a 2300mAh battery, significantly smaller than the LG G2’s 3000mAh and in truth it shows. Yes the screen is slightly smaller but honestly we would have expected something slightly bigger, of course as with anything there are compromises and sadly the battery life is one of them. It’s only slightly better than the iPhone 5s, with the Nexus 5 just about making it through to the late afternoon with continued but casual usage. If of course you’re only going to check it occasionally through the day and maybe watch some iPlayer in the mornings and evenings then you’ll maybe be able to squeeze a day out of it. Google Nexus 5: Verdict When we reviewed the Nexus 4 we praised LG for creating a smartphone that took a step back from being overly designed, instead letting it become a window for the main event, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. We’re happy to report that LG has once again taken the same approach and thanks to its stunning display and tiny bezel you’ll only be focused on one thing, Android 4.4 KitKat itself. Then of course there’s the price, at £299 for the 16GB and £339 for the 32GB versions the Nexus 5 is indeed slightly more expensive than the Nexus 4, but when you think about the step up, it really doesn’t seem that bad. Add to that the fact flagship smartphones are now costing in excess of £500 SIM-Free and Google has clearly lost none of its knack for business. Ok so the camera is good, not excellent, but we've already heard rumours that Google has admitted it’s not that great and can apparently be fixed with a software update - of course we’ll have to wait and see. Despite that this is without a doubt the best Nexus yet, it’s one of the best Android smartphones available and, in a rather odd twist, it’s probably the best phone LG has made. If we were them we’d be kicking ourselves. Google Nexus 5 release date: Out now Google Nexus 5 price: £299 (16GB), £339 (32GB)

iPhone 5s Review

iPhone 5s review :

The Apple iPhone 5s is the Cupertino brand’s latest flagship, sporting Touch ID, a better camera and iOS 7. Is it worth an upgrade just yet?

iPhone 5s review Love Touch ID Improved camera and flash Wide LTE support Hate Price Battery life Launching 2013's most anticipated smartphone comes with its perils and pleasures. Simultaneously launching a second handset targeting a completely new demographic, for the first time in your company's history, is brave as it is hazardous. However, as we've come to expect from the most Marmite tech company in the world, if anyone can pull it off, it's Apple. Since the iPhone 5s and cheaper iPhone 5c were unveiled, we've spent every waking (and sometimes sleeping) minute putting the first iOS 7-out-of-the-box devices through their paces. The iPhone 5s is Apple’s most powerful phone to date and potentially the most game-changing iPhone it’s launched in six years. We say potentially as, for it to change the way we think about mobile, Apple's going to need a helping hand along the way. We'll come onto that. With big name rivals like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z to compete against, the new iPhone certainly has a lot of work to do… iPhone 5s: Features Unquestionably, the standout features of the iPhone 5s are its newest hardware inclusions and upgrades, namely Touch ID, the M7 motion co-processor, 64-bit architecture and the all-new iSight camera. These are not only what differentiate it from the previous iPhone 5, but justify its place as the flagship iPhone when compared to the iPhone 5c. Now, fingerprint scanning is a pretty boring subject and our only real day-to-day experience of using the technology is with those digit readers built into laptops – a slide-to-unlock affair that worked 60% of the time. So, when Apple bought AuthenTec, spawning rumours of similar technology being integrated into its devices, we weren’t exactly enamoured. However, Apple has done its age-old trick of turning a dull feature into something resembling sexy. Introduced to replace passcode authentication for unlocking the phone and making iTunes purchases, Touch ID is a joy to use. The sensor is built right into the Home button and registration of a thumb, finger or both – five digits can be registered – takes about a minute using a most-pleasing enrolment system. Once recorded, Touch ID has 360-degree, readability of registered digits, meaning it’ll unlock your phone no matter what way up you’re holding the handset. The key selling point, however, is the simplicity and speed of identification. Check out our iPhone 5s Touch ID demo walkthough video: You don’t have to use Touch ID, but after a few hours with it, the mere thought of entering a four-digit passcode to unlock the device seemed so passé. And this is so easy. For some – 36%, according to a McAfee study earlier in the year, including this reviewer and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer – Touch ID could be the first time security of any kind will be used to protect entry to their phone. It's all seamless, efficient and totally Apple. Apple is keen to point out that it doesn’t store fingerprint details in iCloud or any of its remote servers. It’s all contained within the hardware, meaning nobody can get at your data. Even the NSA. While this is great news for security, we can’t see Apple opening up Touch ID for third-party development anytime soon. So forget your dreams about online fingerprint banking (Barclays declined to comment on its plans) and real-life retail payments. We'd have also liked the option to open different apps with different digits. Maybe in the next iOS 7 upgrade. Next in the handful of hardware advancements is what could turn the iPhone 5s from an evolutionary upgrade to a revolutionary game changer. Like the GPU that bears the graphical strain from a computer's processor, the new M7 Coprocessor takes the weight of motion measurements - compass, accelerometer and gyroscope - away from the all-new A7 CPU. Apple claims this will provide a 6x power saving for (iOS 7-updated) apps that record motion - Nike+, Strava, Moves, etc - but this dedicated chip can also tell what state of movement you're in and will adjust the iPhone 5s accordingly. To test this, we used Apple Maps to plot an A to B route that required driving and walking. Upon reaching our destination, and exiting the car, the navigation switched from car to foot, taking us down one-way streets that wouldn't have been possible in a motor. If the Coprocessor is clever enough to know where you are and what you're doing (to an extent), it could pave the way for the next wave of apps and features. One example we were given was this: if your iPhone 5s is put in a gym locker while you pump iron, it knows that a) you're not using it b) there's no network coverage c) it's stationary. The iPhone could then power itself right down, switching off 3G/4G, the screen and so forth until the time it’s picked up again, where it would come back to life, ready to take that call from your PT asking why you sat in the sauna for two hours rather than making yourself sick doing burpees. With a whole new data stream open to developers, it won't be long before a new breed of M7/iOS 7 apps appear in the App Store. What's more, if there's one emerging area that the M7 would supplement perfectly, it's wearable technology. iBand before Christmas, then? Another improvement that could pave the way for Apps 2.0, is the A7 CPU/64-bit architecture combo. On paper, Apple claims the power couple will deliver speed twice that of the A6 chip and vastly improved OpenGL ES 3.0-compatible graphics. At the time of writing, no 64-bit games or apps were available. The Infinity Blade demo we saw at the iPhone 5s/c launch admittedly looked outrageous in terms of graphical prowess but, while Apple says iOS 7 was built with 64-bit in mind, the spec bump won't be apparent until developers start taking advantage. However, Apple's in this for the long game and will soon have all its devices - iMacs, iPads, iPhones - and operating systems - Mac OS and iOS - all running under the same programming banner, which will no doubt please developers. Moreover, no one else is doing that. Apart from Samsung, who was quick to confirm its next raft of smartphones would be 64-bit. As another spec-war begins, we can report that the A7 chip has definitely made the Camera app a lot zippier on the iPhone 5s. Real-time previews, on-the-fly effects processing, slo-mo, autofocus (see more in iSight, below) are faster and free from lag or judder. For us, this app demonstrates the most noticeable speed improvement in the iPhone 5s's armory. iPhone 5s: Camera The other evident area of improvement over the iPhone 5 and differentiation between the 5c lies with the new iSight camera. Rather than upping the megapixel count, to match that of the Sony Xperia Z and Samsung Galaxy S4 and the staggering 41MP on the Nokia Lumia 1020, Apple has opted to increase the 8MP sensor by 15% and individual pixels to 1.5 microns. The aperture has also had a spec bump to f/2.2, increasing light sensitivity by 33%. While that's all well and good on paper, it's in the wild where these claims count. Mercifully, in Apple's case, the results are noticeable. We've already said how the A7-powered Camera app zips along like a greased squirrel, now we'll make a claim of our own and say that pictures taken with the iPhone 5s are the best we've ever seen on any iPhone to date. There's a new sense of depth to shots, especially with close-up subjects, while low-light photography now produces photos worth keeping. Another fresh string to the 5s bow is the upgraded flash, which Apple's marketing team has named 'True Tone'. Without getting geeky over gamut, the flash works out the intensity and colour temperature for the environment it's about to shoot in, resulting in brighter background definition and more natural colour tones in shots. It works. We're impressed. iPhone 5s camera test video: Other iPhone 5s-specific camera features include; auto image stabilisation (steady), 3x video zoom (bit blurry), 30fps panorama with varying light control (megabyte-y), burst mode at 10 photos per second (cheeky) and, best of all, slo-motion video capture, which is absolutely brilliant. It’s the iPhone 5s's Panorama moment and you can expect to see your social feeds filling up with quarter-speed 120fps 720p footage very shortly. The fact that the iPhone 5s can process it all on the fly is testament to the new A7 chip. Video quality is outstanding and, even if capturing your child's meteoric face-plant (we speak from experience), all emotional guilt is washed away as you become Spielberg for a second, seizing every last crunch in superb clarity and detail. Disclaimer: no children were harmed in the testing of this iPhone. Another vast improvement is with the front-facing FaceTime HD camera. An improved backside illumination sensor improves video calls in lower light and still shots look cleaner than ever. Video records in 720p. At the time of writing we couldn’t stream Slo-Mo video to an Apple TV from the iPhone 5s but were reassured that an update would fix that. iPhone 5s: Screen Swanking the same 4-inch, 1136x640 at 326ppi screen as its predecessor, and matching that of the 5c, the iPhone 5s display feels small in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S4 (5-inch), the HTC One (4.7-inch) and the Sony Xperia Z (5-inch). Screen quality is pin-sharp but, after watching films on bigger handsets, you really notice the drop in size. However, the Retina screen really shows off iOS 7’s brighter, more vivid UI. iPhone 5s: Size and build The iPhone 5s is basically a supercharged iPhone 5, so the weight, size and overall build are pretty much identical – 7.6mm deep, 123.8mm tall and 112g in bulk. That makes it slimmer than the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, but not quite as slender as the world’s slimmest smartphone – the Huawei Ascend P6, which measures in at 6.18mm. It’s still lightweight but feels reassuringly premium with its three colour variants - Gold, Silver and Space Grey – adding to the mix and differentiating it once more from the colour-coordinated 5c. The Gold finish may be too bling-y for some but if it suffers the same chamfered edge scuffing as its predecessor, a lighter colour will conceal it better than the darker Silver and Space Gray. Aesthetically, however, we prefer how the 5c matches its case colour to the iOS 7 background. Apple is selling its own dyed leather iPhone 5s case in a multitude of shades for £35, which turns it into a 5c-looking device, but if we’re splashing out more bunce on the flagship model, we’d rather forgo the jacket and show it off. iPhone 5s: Performance While we continue to getting used to the new OS, using the iPhone 5s is a joy. Multi-tasking is quick, navigation is innate and it still feels slicker than Android orWindows Phone. Restoring backed up content from your old iPhone is a matter or time, rather than effort (about three hours until all apps were re-loaded – we have a lot), and if you’re used to iOS 6, you’ll pick up the new phones and start using them immediately without much fuss. We did experience a couple of glitches in Mail and the Camera app, which caused the iPhone 5s to crash – time will tell as to whether it’s a persisting problem. Phone calls are clear and we didn’t experience any call-dropping in our testing. Many apps will need updating asap, however – Google’s Gmail app still displays the old iOS 6 keyboard, for example. Sound quality is on par with the iPhone 5, but wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) seems to be a bit more stable than before - Personal Hotspot connected a lot quicker, too. The iPhone 5s is available in 16Gb, 32Gb and 64Gb versions iPhone 5s: iOS 7 Within the iPhone 5s and each new device shipping with iOS 7, you get Apple’s iWork apps - Pages, Numbers and Keynote – for free.   Swiping down on the homescreen now reveals the Search bar, while swiping apps up while in multi-tasking view will close apps. Swipe up on the homescreen and you’ll now be presented with a handy shortcut of features ranging from activating Aeroplane mode to adjusting brightness to turning on the torch. While there isn’t much in the way of iPhone 5s-specific iOS 7 features apart from those already mentioned, the new iPhones are clearly designed to compliment iOS 7 in terms of colour (the 5c) and the power (the 5s). iPhone 5s: 4G The iPhone 5s has a wider range of LTE bands that every UK provider should be able to support. We tested the 5s on EE’s 4G network and, like the iPhone 5, experienced blisteringly fast internet connections and downloads. Of course, your actual speeds will depend on a wide breadth of parameters, but you should hope to achieve uploads and download speeds in excess of 15/20Mbps. The pace of LTE really proves its worth when using FaceTime HD and streaming content. iPhone 5s: Battery Apple quotes ten hours talk time on 3G, 250-hours in standby, ten hours of internet use on 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi, with video playback running to 10 hours and audio stretching to 40 hours. In our real-world testing, we found the iPhone 5s mimics that of its predecessor – great in standby, draining when using 3G/4G and performing graphically intensive tasks. For example, we started the day (10.20am) with 82% of battery and after a 20-minute TomTom navigation, an hour’s worth of on/off slo-motion and regular video and photo capture, and a bit of web surfing, by 12.37pm we were down to 4% and in desperate need of a recharge.  As previously mentioned, app developers will need to take advantage of the new hardware to help reduce energy consumption. For now, it looks like you’ll need a portable battery pack in your pocket if you intend on hammering your new iPhone 5s all day. In terms of battery, there’s very little between top-tier smartphones like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 – you can pretty much expect a day’s use out of all of them, unless you're the most intensive of users iPhone 5s review Love Touch ID Improved camera and flash Wide LTE support Hate Price Battery life iPhone 5s: Verdict We kicked off this review by stating the 5s has the potential to be Apple’s most game-changing iPhone since inception. Apple is clearly looking to future-proof its handset while offering developers the opportunity to take advantages of its 64-bit architecture, A7 chip and M7 Coprocessor. Right now, you won’t really experience what this phone is capable of. Give it six months and we’d expect some truly groundbreaking apps to appear. But, as ever, you’re going to have to pay for the privilege now. Off contract and SIM-free, prices range from £549 for the 16Gb model to an eye-watering £709 for the 64GB version. Our first car was cheaper than that. At the time of writing, the cheapest monthly iPhone 5s deal we found was from EE; £26 for the 16GB and 32GB models, with an additional upfront handset cost of £260 and £350 respectively. This does, however, only come with 500MB of monthly 4G data. Not cheap. But then this is a statement of intent. It’s not only Apple’s flagship iPhone but it’s also the best phone the company has ever made. The camera is extraordinary. Touch ID is revolutionary. The iPhone 5s is a stunner today, but expect the real fun to come tomorrow. iPhone 5s release date: 20 September iPhone 5s price: £549 (16GB), £629 (32GB), £709 (64GB)

New device to the family

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch review: Hands-on

Is the latest member of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch really that smart? The Gadget Club was in Berlin at the launch for a closer look...

In 2013, the tech has gone into smartwatch mode. Sony was the first of the big players to hit us with a serious contender in the shape of the Sony Smartwatch 2. Meanwhile the Apple rumour mill has been working overtime kicking out tales of the Apple iWatch. At the same time we’ve seen attempts to muscle in on the wrist action from smaller players like the Italian-born I’m Watch and to top it all off there’s been a myriad of different Kickstarter concepts all vying to raise the funds to become a wrist-borne reality. Now Samsung has finally joined the battle with the new Samsung Galaxy Gear, a ‘companion device’ for the new Galaxy Note 3 and other Galaxy devices. In simple terms this new ‘smartwatch’ piggybacks your existing smartphone but puts a lot of the functions on your wrist where it’s arguable that you need them most. But it’s more than that, it also comes with some hardware and software smarts of its own that makes it more than just a satellite of the Android device in your pocket. It comes with 4GB of internal storage, 512MB RAM and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Design Let’s start with the looks. This is a good looking watch. It’s suitably techy so you get some welcome futurist gravitas but it’s also been designed with enough style to ensure it’s something you’d actually be happy to wear. That’s made all the easier by the fact the Gear will launch with six colour options: Jet Black, Mocha Gray, Wild Orange, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, and Lime Green. We only had the chance to wear it for a short period of time but it feels solid and robust on the wrist. The overall design is sleek and minimal and the user interface has a distinctly paired back appeal. But does it successfully bridge the gap between a mobile device and a fashion item? We’d argue it does. It’ll certainly turn some heads. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Size & build The Gear hasn’t made the mistake of some smart or fitness watches we’ve seen in recent years. At 36.8 x 56.6 x 11.1mm and weighing in at 78g it’s fairly chunky but it thankfully avoids the over-bulkiness of the Motorola Moto Actv. There is one major flaw in the build that we found instantly – the strap. It’s impossibly fiddly to get on, largely due to the clasp being loaded with the microphone and speaker that enables you to talk into your wrist during phone calls. We watched lots of people struggle with this while we were having our time to test. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Features First things first, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is a watch. Shocking but true. You can customise the way it looks and how it tells you the time with several face options and the choice of ten pre-loaded clock types. So far so good. But what makes it smart? It notifies users of incoming messages, such as calls, texts, emails and alerts, delivers a preview of those messages and creates the opportunity for users to accept or discreetly ignore those messages. When an incoming message requires more than a quick glance, users can simply pick up their Samsung Galaxy devices and a clever Smart Relay feature will instantly reveal the full content on the screen of that second device. Very nifty indeed. Another impressive feature is Memographer. The Gear comes loaded with a 1.9 megapixel camera on the outside of the wrist strap that lets you capture photos and video on the move with a single swipe down on the screen, followed by a tap. You can literally shoot from the wrist in seconds and while we only saw the photos on the small 1.6-inch screen so can’t attest for the quality, this is still a really intuitive way to capture fleeting moments. All of this content can be easily and instantly shared across the social networks of your choice. All this is good but what about the phone calls? The Gear lets you make and answer calls without touching your phone. With speaker and microphone positioned in the wrist strap as part of the clasp, the idea here is that you can lift your hand to your ear as if you were holding your phone and they’ll be in the perfect position to carry out your call. We’re yet to be convinced that this is really a desirable way to talk on the phone, it still looks and feels a little weird. While on the subject of voice, there’s plenty of vocal smarts in here too. Voice Memo lets you capture important thoughts or conversations on the move and these recordings can be saved automatically as text on your companion Galaxy devices.   Unsurprisingly there’s also S-Voice control. When we tried it out we had a 66 per cent hit rate in a pretty noisy environment which bodes well as this will surely be an important part of the overall user experience. Fitness applications were always going to be desirable in a smartwatch. The Galaxy Gear answers that question in two ways. It works like a Pedometer to track physical activity via enhanced, built-in sensor technology. This feature systematically and automatically monitors users so they can track key personal data such as calories burned, steps taken and distance covered. It also pairs via Bluetooth with existing apps on your phone with the key stats designed nicely to fit within the Gear’s display. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Screen The Galaxy Gear boasts a 1.6- inch super AMOLED display. It’s sharp and crisp enough for what this will be used for. Photos, although small, are still clear. Videos were a bit of a struggle to watch when the content had any level of detail but would be ample for previewing the odd rapid Instagram video or Vine. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Apps The Gear will run its own apps. At launch you’ll be able to make the most of Samsung’s own apps like ChatOn and also big hitters in the fitness world like MyFitness Pal and Runkeeper Pro. Samsung has also promised that more apps are on their way and this could really enhance the power of this as a useful tool.  Samsung Galaxy Gear: Battery Just like your smartphone, you’ll want the Gear to last day and Samsung happily claims it’ll survive a full 25 hours on a single charge. Which smartphones work with the Samsung Galaxy Gear? The new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 will both be compatible with the Gear. TheSamsung Galaxy S4 will be after a software upgrade and Galaxy S3 compatibility upgrades are pegged for October. Samsung Galaxy Gear: Verdict Smartwatches or ‘companion devices’ have to answer a few key questions. Do they look cool? The Samsung Galaxy Gear does. Is it comfortable to wear? Yes. Would I want to wear it everyday? Again, on first impressions, it’s a yes. But perhaps the toughest test is will it genuinely be useful? From what we’ve seen so far the Gear has enough tools to sway us. The camera is genuinely innovative and fun while the potential for more apps is an appetite whetter. As ever what will make or break it will be the price. Samsung Galaxy Gear release date: The Samsung Galaxy Gear will be launched with the Galaxy Note 3 in more than 140 countries around the world from September 25th, 2013. Samsung Galaxy Gear price:  TBC

Sony new phone

Sony Xperia Z1 unveiled :

Sony has shown off the new Sony Xperia Z1, the model that Sony hopes will better the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Nokia Lumia 1020

Sony has shown off the latest model in its Xperia smartphone range, the Sony Xperia Z1, at the IFA tech conference in Berlin. The Sony Xperia Z1 was unveiled by Sony boss Kazuo Hirai,  joins the range that includes the Sony Xperia Z and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. Sony are positioning the Sony Xperia Z1 up against the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Nokia Lumia 1020, but only time will tell how it will fare. The fully waterproof Sony Xperia Z1 boasts a 20.7-megapixel camera with an EXMOR R Cybershot sensor for low light conditions and a F2.0 wide angle 27mm Sony G lens. Users can also shoot and record video in HD. Users can also use the Sony Xperia Z1's TimeShift is an app to take pictures at 61fps and once users make their selection, they can use InfoEye app yp overlay information. Social Live live streams from the Z1 to Facebook. The phone has a 5-inch using BRAVIA tech.Under the hood, the phone packs a QualcommSnapdragon 800-series processor with 2GB of RAM. Sony Xperia Z1 can store all collected photos in the unlimited cloud storage area, PlayMemory Online. This service automatically organises users' photos for easy access. PlayMemory Online i now available in France, the UK, Germany, the USA, Canada, and Japan but Hirai says there are plans afoot to bring it to more regions. The Sony Xperia Z1 will see release in Europe this month.

iPhone 5s romour

Apple iPhone 5S release date, features, price and rumours :

The Apple iPhone 5S release date could be as soon as September 2013, with the phone tipped to feature a fingerprint scanner, NFC, Full HD and different colours 

 

When it comes to smartphones, the first few months of 2013 moved the proverbial goalposts.Android handsets flourished with Full HD screens, aluminium or glass unibodies and every feature under the sun.

Apple’s iPhone 5 has been on the scene for a while now but its thunder is in danger of being stolen by the Android Army.

The question we all want to know is what will Apple do next? With Cupertino updating the iPad 3 just months after releasing it, there are reports that aniPad Mini 2 or even an Apple TV could be on the way.

What we know for sure though, is that the company will want to reclaim its smartphone crown. So, T3 has gathered together everything we know about the rumoured iPhone 5S.

Apple iPhone 5S production shots and specs

News reported on 9 to 5 Mac shows what appears to be production shots and specs of the new iPhone 5S. The site says the specs and shots are unverified but "don’t seem out of the realm of possibility".

According to the leaked specs, the iPhone 5S include an NFC reader, a Fingerprint Reader, a 4-inch 1136 × 640 display and a new 12 megapixel backside camera with dual LED flash. The new handset also allegedly boasts 2GB of RAM, a quad-core SGX 554MP4 GPU, an A6 CPU and improved LTE. It also has a bigger battery than its predecessor.

The pictures on the site, it they are to be believed, show that the 5S has identical casing to the iPhone 5.

Apple iPhone 5S casing

A range of leaked images have poured onto the net showing brightly coloured devices reported to be the so-called iPhone Light. French website NoWhereElseposted the images that share similar physical traits to the iPod Nano.

Its exterior is said to be plastic polycarbonate and much more economical to build suggesting that Apple are aiming at a younger target market or at least consumers with less disposable income.

The devices come in blue, green, yellow, red and white yet Apple unsurprisingly has remained quiet on the subject with nothing being confirmed. Leaked schematics and blueprints also report that the Light is a bit thicker and wider than the iPhone 5.

With two types of chasis being leaked one could come to the conclusion that Apple might retain the same metal design for the iPhone 6 whilst the iPhone 5S will now come sporting this cheaper plastic body

Up until now, Apple hasn’t strayed from the white/black colour scheme for its phones but Topeka Capital Research analyst Brian White has said he believes that along with different colours, the iPhone 5S may arrive in different sizes.

This appears to be backed up by Japanese tech site Macotakara which also believes the iPhone 5S will have three extra colours added to the black or white standard.

If Apple launched three models, for example with 3.5-inch, 4-inch and 5-inch screens, it would allow the company to grab both premium and budget customers.

However, this could be more of a plan for the iPhone 6 with Apple surely looking to compete with the larger handsets out there like the Galaxy Note 2 and the Xperia Z Ultra. At the bare minimum, we’d expect to see a better camera (although don’t expect ultrapixels, HTC One-style) and a faster processor.

Apple iPhone 5S specs

When it comes to the specs of the next iPhone, at the very least we expect Apple to use the A6X chip currently found in the latest iPad. However, the latest rumours suggest Apple could be working on an A7 chip for the forthcoming iPad 5.

In years gone by, Apple has previously worked with Samsung to produce processors for it's iPhone range. But, given the recent legal tussels between the two companies, many speculate that Apple will want to distance itself from the Korean company. Some rumours have hinted at an Intel chip being included in the next iteration of the iPhone.

Some purported images of iPhone 5S prototypes appear to show a change in the hardware configuration that suggests Apple is moving things around to make space for a bigger battery or extra features such as NFC.

Apple famously decided to withhold NFC for the iPhone 5 and since both theSamsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4 have arrived toting the new connectivity, Apple may want to incorporate it this time around.

Recent reports from Taiwan and tech website NFC World indicate that manufacturer Chipbond has won a major contract to build components for the iPhone 5S - including NFC. What's more, other rumours suggest that Apple will go further and include a fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5S, adding in extra security.

In terms of storage, there is the strong possibility of Apple launching a new phone with 128GB storage – similar to the latest iPad upgrade.

Meanwhile Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told Business Insider that he believes the iPhone 5S will feature a “Super HD screen” along with a range of colours similar to the iPod Touch range. Considering all the top Android handsets feature Full HD displays, we reckon its unlikely Apple will launch the iPhone 5S with anything less than a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution.

Apple iPhone 5S camera

It’s well known that one of the key battlegrounds of smartphone warfare is the specifications of the on-board camera. The Sony Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 arrived sporting 13MP cameras while HTC upset the apple cart by including a 4MP “ultrapixel” camera into its HTC One handset.

Apple has consistently upped the camera specs in each of its models and its no stretch to think that the company will do the same for the iPhone 5S. According to iLounge, Cupertino isn’t planning to go down the HTC route and will instead launch the 5S with a 13MP camera – putting it in league with the Sony and Samsung handsets.

Of course, hardware is only half the story and if Apple can come up with some killer in-house apps to take advantage of the camera in new ways it will give them a good start on the competition.

Apple iPhone 5S pictures

A few interesting pictures have leaked out onto the web regarding the iPhone 5S. One of the first to emerge was the back of an unspecified type of iPhone that was leaked to Nowhereelse.fr.

There’s not much to go on here, but – as expected – the casing and design looks almost identical to the iPhone 5. Tellingly though, the serial numbers underneath the iPhone moniker aren’t listed.

While it would certainly fit with the design of the current iPhone it doesn't yet confirm whether the 5S will come in a range of colours - much like it did with the iPod Touch - or whether the company will simply stick to the black/white variants.

This second image (pictured at the start of this article) apparently shows stripped-down iPhone 5S casing next to a current iPhone 5 teardown image. The snap was initially uploaded to iPhone4Parts and looks very similar to Apple’s current design – except with a few screws lost along the way.

Apple iPhone 5S release date

Plenty of sources have weighed in with opinions on when the iPhone 5S and the overriding good news is that it appears to be sooner rather than later. For the most part, the majority of rumours hinged on late summer as the likely date for the new phone.

Business Insider recently came across reports that the new iPhone 5S will be enter production in June 2013. Manufacturers like Sharp, LG and JapanDisplay are said to be constructing displays for the new hanset and the actual device itself may arrive in "the Fall".

This would be in line with Apple's announcement at WWDC 2013 where the company unveiled its new mobile operating system iOS

Still, fingers crossed, eh?