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- Skype for iPad preview: the gold standard in video calling
- Huawei Vision packs high-end features in a Nexus S body
- iTunes Replay is coming soon: Your content, re-downloaded for free
- Motorola confirms Droid Bionic specs on MotoDev website
- Phones 4u lands the BlackBerry Bold 9900 starting 18th August
- BlackBerry Torch 9810 preview: RIM’s fixed everything but the problem
- Apple iCloud: how the pricing compares
- BlackBerry Torch 9860 preview: What the Storm 2 should have been
- Google+ Android app update stops irritating notifications
- Sony tablets teaser video: number four and still no specs!
| Skype for iPad preview: the gold standard in video calling Posted: 03 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT
Interface On the Mac and PC, Skype has gone through a considerable transformation in UI. Though the latest version has streamlined the design, recent versions have lead to confusion for the average user. Even I have found it difficult to remember the hidden chat window below a video call.
Skype for iPad builds on a simplified interface. The left column has quick links to your contacts, recent calls and history — exactly like the desktop version of the software. The right column offers and exploded view of your current selection or can be used to complete your call. Possibly the best aspect of the interface is the chat window. Simply click the chat button icon and a chat window will appear for typing messages without interrupting your current video call. Overall the interface is streamlined, unintuitive and arguably better than its desktop counterparts. Features
When clicking a contact you'll be presented with the same set of options as you would on the desktop client: video, call, chat and SMS. During a video call there are five options along the bottom of the screen. Starting from the left you'll see a notification icon which signal when you receive new messages from other users. Next is a chat icon which opens the pop-up chat window to type to the person you're currently in a video call with. The remaining three icons are strictly related to the video call. First is a video camera icon which allows you to turn your camera on/off, switch between front/rear cameras. Next is a microphone icon which allows you to mute the audio. Finally there's a phone icon for ending the call. Connectivity
Obviously the video quality depends on the Internet connection. However, voice quality remained pristine, even with a weak signal. If you've never tried a Skype voice call over 3G you'll be pleasantly surprised at the call quality. Compared to a standard mobile phone voice call over 3G, Skype delivers superior quality and clarity. Verdict Out Now | App Store | Free Related posts:
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| Huawei Vision packs high-end features in a Nexus S body Posted: 03 Aug 2011 07:56 AM PDT
In addition to the headline specs, the Huawei Vision features 512MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage. To separate the Vision from the herd, Huawei has include a custom 3D interface — possibly something similar to the latest version of HTC Sense. The smartphone measures just 9.9mm thick and should launch next month. If you're still not sold on the Huawei Vision, the phone comes pre-installed with 'Angry Birds', 'Asphalt 6: Adrenaline', 'Order & Chaos Online' and 'Guerrilla Bob HD'. Not a bad library of games to get you started, don't you think? September | Huawei | TBD Related posts:
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| iTunes Replay is coming soon: Your content, re-downloaded for free Posted: 03 Aug 2011 07:39 AM PDT
The first signs of iTunes Replay can be seen in iOS 5 which allows the re-downloading of previously purchased music with its iCloud icon. The Apple TV update this week expanded on that concept by allowing unlimited streaming of previously purchased TV shows. According to appadvice.com, Apple is currently working to secure the remaining rights to TV Shows and Movies which will allow the content to be re-downloaded. Reportedly, iTunes Replay eligible content will denoted with an arrow and will include purchases dating as far back as January 1, 2009. It remains unclear how desktops and iOS devices will incorporate the re-download feature. According to the source, Apple is currently pushing the necessary changes to its iTunes servers. Apple iTunes Replay: fact or fiction? Streaming previously purchased TV shows via Apple TV and the ability to re-download music in iOS 5 are strong indicators that it's coming, but in life as in tech, there's no guarantee. via AppAdvice Related posts:
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| Motorola confirms Droid Bionic specs on MotoDev website Posted: 03 Aug 2011 06:58 AM PDT
The Droid Bionic will ship with Android Gingerbread v2.3.4, the latest build offered by Google. Like the Motorola Atrix, the Droid Bionic will include the webtop app which transforms the smartphone to a laptop with an option dock. The display is 4.3-inches and qHD resolution (540 x 960 pixels) resulting in 240 dpi. Under the hood is a 1 GHz OMAP4430 dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. A VGA front-facing camera and 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash take care of the imaging and video. Last on the list is a HDMI-out port for connecting the Droid Bionic to your HDTV. So there you have it. Finally, after months of waiting Motorola has confirmed the rumors and leaks. The Droid Bionic has taken what seems like a lifetime to launch, in fact it still hasn’t launched, but we'll settle with confirmed specs for now. Will this super phone knock the Samsung Galaxy S II from the Android throne? Coming Soon | Motorola | TBD Related posts:
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| Phones 4u lands the BlackBerry Bold 9900 starting 18th August Posted: 03 Aug 2011 06:20 AM PDT
So how much is a ride on BlackBerry 7 OS with Liquid Graphics going to cost? The Bold 9900 will be available for free on a choice of networks with £35 a month plans. Of course you'll need to sign a contract to the land the deal, but that's a small price to pay for RIM's latest flagship. So let's hear it. Anyone chomping at the bit to run out and grab the BlackBerry Bold 9900? A Brushed stainless steel frame, NFC support, hardware QWERTY keyboard and a high-resolution display sound enticing. 18 August | Phones 4u | Free on £35/month contracts Related posts:
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| BlackBerry Torch 9810 preview: RIM’s fixed everything but the problem Posted: 03 Aug 2011 04:44 AM PDT We’ve given more attention to the BlackBerry Torch 9860 at RIM’s launch today, but alongside that touchscreen only phone is this, the brand new BlackBerry Torch 9810. It’s a successor to last year’s Torch hybrid phone, and comes packing a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen. We went hands on with it this morning: for our thoughts, read on!
Shall we get the good news out of the way first? The 3.2-inch screen has had a slight bump in resolution, which is a great relief. it’s up from the atrocious, grainy 480×320 to a slightly less poxy 640×480 display. It certainly looks a lot sharper, but in an age of qHD (960×540) smartphone displays, it’s still not enough. We can’t really fault the performance of the BlackBerry Torch 9810 either: its 1.2GHz CPU puts it back in the mix, and it feels nippy sliding around the (badly designed) home screens. RIM’s relied on providing just enough software features to satisfy your casual user, and the same is here too: the less discerning BlackBerry addict. The Facebook and Twitter feeds work well enough, and we still love how easy it is to start typing and launch anything from a Google search to a voice call straight from the home screen. The problem is, it’s still a mess of a phone, and ugly as sin. It’s still as fat as the original, and the buttons, while very responsive, are still sitting in a recess that’s ever so slightly tricky to get at. The back of the phone is still rocking that creepy ribbed condom texture too. In short, the designers phoned this phone in. We’ll have a full review of the BlackBerry Torch 9810 in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, check out our hands on photos right here. Related posts:
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| Apple iCloud: how the pricing compares Posted: 03 Aug 2011 04:13 AM PDT
But how does that stack up against what's already available? We'll be taking a look at eight competitors after the jump.
It's US only at the moment, but Amazon's offering lets you store 5GB for free (just like iCloud), 20GB for £12 a year, 50GB for £30, 100GB for £60, 200GB for £121, 500GB for £304, or 1000GB will cost you £609 a year. So, much cheaper than iCloud, though there are fewer storage options near the lower end. And let's not forget, music files don't eat into your allowance, for the time being anyway. It's still in Beta, and still US only, but for the meantime you can upload 20,000 tracks completely for free. But there is this little stipulation when you accept the offer: "Music Beta is free for a limited time. Music Beta is only for legally acquired music." That suggests to us some kind of monthly fee will be coming soon. The Premium offer is £9.99 a month, with unlimited music without ads, and offline listening to boot, so you can listen on the tube without needing an internet connection. Unlimited, meanwhile, is £4.99 a month, again with unlimited streaming and no ads. The best streaming option to date. Again, more of a streaming service than a way of accessing your music library from anywhere, but with over 15 million tracks to choose from, the formerly illegal service is sure to have plenty to keep you entertained. £5 a month (or £50 a year) gives you full streaming, then £10 a month (or £100 a year) adds the ability to listen offline on your mobile. Basic use is free to all users in the UK, US and Germany, so good news for us Brits. For ad-free listening, you can subscribe for £3 a month, or you can choose to make a one-off payment for one, three, six, or 12 months. The Premium offering gives you unlimited streaming of four million songs for £4.99 a month, including personal radio, playlists and sharing. Upgrade to the Premium Plus option, and you get offline listening on your phone for £9.99 a month, the same as Spotify. Only currently in Canada and Ireland, Psonar lets you stream songs for just a penny a go. You can send tracks to other people for a penny a track, too. It's an interesting idea, but we'll have to wait till it launches here next year to see if it can compete with all you can eat packages. Completely free, and cornered the market in music videos. Just type in an artist, and you're confronted with a mix right there and then, including live performances, B-sides, and more. It does require you to be online all the time, though. Related posts:
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| BlackBerry Torch 9860 preview: What the Storm 2 should have been Posted: 03 Aug 2011 03:39 AM PDT We’ve just go to grips with the BlackBerry Torch 9860 at RIM’s London press event – photos and first impressions, this way please!
Bad news for any BlackBerry Storm fans out there: to be honest, we’re not liking what we see. Don’t get us wrong: the 3.7-inch screen is perfectly responsive and bright, and BlackBerry 7 isn’t in the same league of awfulness as Symbian currently resides in. In our quick hands on time, it never slowed down, and pinch to zoom browsing was a lot smoother than on the 2010 BlackBerry Torch – thanks to that 1.2GHz processor, no doubt. But it’s just a bit bland: the plastic feels like a ‘Berry from 2008, and is a far cry from the sexy brushed metal of the upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9900 with QWERTY keyboard. And then there are the buttons below the screen: they’re nasty, lumpy plastic little things that make you wonder if the phone needs a blood test and a check up at the doctor. And do we really even need an optical trackpad anymore? When the first two touchscreen-only BlackBerry phones were launched, the media was quick to compare them both against the iPhone, but in truth, the slightly larger display of the BlackBerry Torch 9860 pitches against physically larger competition: the likes of the HTC Desire S and Samsung Galaxy S Android phones. And whichever way you cut it, software or hardware, it can’t match them. What’s so tragic about this is that RIM has clearly had this in the works for years. This exact phone leaked several times last Summer. When it was still too little too late. This is the phone the 2009 BlackBerry Storm 2 should have been. And while we’ll reserve full and proper judgement for a review later in the month, we’re not holding our breath. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is out on Vodafone this month, and will be available through Phones4U. Related posts:
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| Google+ Android app update stops irritating notifications Posted: 03 Aug 2011 03:06 AM PDT
Another handy change is that mentioned user names are now clickable so you can jump to the person’s profile page. The update also adds clickable links in huddles and vastly improved autocomplete. Sadly the Google+ iPhone app hasn’t benefited from a similar upgrade yet. Click through to see all the Google+ Android app updates detailed on video…
Out now | £free | Google Related posts:
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| Sony tablets teaser video: number four and still no specs! Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:46 AM PDT
Since the Sony Android tablets were first revealed in April, we’ve had a series of teaser videos starring a cute alabaster couple making their way through curious contraptions. Now we’re up to the forth and we’re still waiting for some real details on specs. All we know so far is that both will run Android Honeycomb and that the Sony S2 will have two 5.5in 1024×480 displays and a Tegra 2 processor while the Sony S1 will be a similarly specced 9.4in slate. You can see the latest Sony Android tablets teaser video, which Sony says is the penultimate episode, after the break. This time the characters move through a mechanism with marbles whizzing above them and bubbles floating around them to seemingly promote the tablets ability to fling videos and photos onto your HD TV. Watch it for yourself after the break and let us know if you can spot any more clues about what to expect from the Sony tablets…
Out September | £TBC | Sony/YouTube Related posts:
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