The Sony Xperia Go is designed to replace the Xperia Active as Sony's rugged, outdoorsy smartphone.
Aimed at the more niche sporty, active market, the Xperia Go ventures slightly off from the rest Sony's range, such as the Xperia S, Xperia U and Xperia Tipo.
Available now from O2 and Carphone Warehouse priced at £225 on PAYG and around £20 per month on 24 month contracts, the Xperia Go will be rubbing shoulders with the Motorola Defy Mini (around £160), Defy+ (around £225) and Samsung Galaxy Xcover Extreme (around £225) in the rugged phone market.
As a rugged handset it will come as no surprise that Sony has made the Xperia Go dust and water resistant. The Go carries the IP67 certificate, which means it can be submerged to a depth of up to 1m, in fresh water, for 30 minutes and still happily work.
Coated in a unique hard-plastic material, the handset feels slightly rough in the hand, but not uncomfortable, and the slender 9.8mm frame allows for a decent grip – further enhanced by the textured case, which we expect aids use in wet and muddy situations, especially if you've got gloves on.
We were pleased to see the Xperia Go was packing a dual-core 1GHz Cortex A9 processor, which will provide a decent amount of power, putting it on par with the more mainstream phones in the price range.
The dual-core chip, along with 512MB of RAM, means there's plenty of power to run the Android operating system, which unfortunately is only Gingerbread, although Sony claim that the Ice Cream Sandwich update is done and it's purely down to the networks, who need to push it out to their customers.
Frustration over the operating system aside, the dual-core processor makes mincemeat of Android, allowing us to happily zip through the five home screens on offer, pinch them to see an exploded view of all our widgets and jump in and out of applications without too much fuss.
The 3.5-inch touchscreen was smooth and responsive, as were the three touch buttons below, and although the Xperia Go sports a relatively lowly 320x480 resolution, Sony has stuffed in its Bravia engine technology – which does enhance the display, creating sharper and clearer graphics.
A really neat feature on the Xperia Go is the "wet finger tracking" Sony has implemented on the screen, allowing you to fully use the display even with wet hands.
Anyone who owns a touchscreen phone will know the pain of trying to do anything on it when caught in the rain – but the Xperia Go combats this perfectly and the technology really does work - paint us impressed.
Something to note however, wet finger tracking only works if your fingers or the screen are damp, it does not allow for use when submerged under water.
Seeing as the Sony Xperia Go is yet to get its Ice Cream Sandwich update, the stock Android keyboard is on offer here, which we find to be a little cramped, resulting in us hitting wrong keys a little too often.
Turning the Xperia Go to landscape does improve travel, but we prefer the Sony customised keyboard, which comes as part of the ICS upgrade, something we've witnessed on the Tipo and Xperia Miro.
As the Xperia Go is a water and dust resistant device, the 3.5mm headphone jack on the left and microUSB port on the right of the handset both sport covers to prevent any nastiness getting inside.
These covers were relatively easy to pop off, and plug back in, while providing what felt like a secure and tight fit, which didn't leave us worrying when we dropped the phone in a bowl of water.
As well as the two covered ports, there's a small, metal power/lock key on the top of the handset and a metal volume rocker switch on the right side – both easy to find and hit, even when we were holding the Xperia Go in one hand.
Round the back you'll find a 5MP camera with single LED flash and huge 16x digital zoom, which is capable of recording 720p video, which is certainly a nice touch, although we are expecting to see this as standard on more and more phones these day.
Sony claims than the Xperia Go can capture really good footage underwater, but you'll need to remember to hit record before submerging, as the touchscreen won't respond once it's in the deep.
The camera application offers up an good array of options for the price point, although the Orange San Diego offers more, and at a slightly lower cost.
The camera app, which also doubles are the video recorder, is simple to use and well laid out, with large icons giving a clear indication of what they do.
Auto-focus is at play here (but no tap to focus), and there's a second or two delay once the shutter is pressed while it settles, although this lapse reduced by turning it off.
The Sony Xperia Go also sports a front-facing camera, perfect for video calling or vanity checks, and you can also use it to take pictures and video if you so wish.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that Sony may have cut some corners with the Xperia Go, due to its "rugged" tag, but think again because on top of the 8GB of internal storage, there's also a microSD card slot hidden away behind the back plate.
Taking the back cover off isn't the easiest of tasks, and you need some nails to get it going, but considering this is a phone made for activities we're glad to see a solid and firm construction.
Once the back cover has been removed you're greeted with the striking blue innards of the Xperia Go, and access to the SIM card tray and microSD card slot.
The SIM card tray snugly fits into the blue chassis, creating a firm, and watertight, hold around your SIM.
The microSD card slot sports the same style cover as the headphone and microUSB ports on the outside of the Xperia Go, but it's easy to slide a card in and out of the gap.
There's no access to the Xperia Go's 1305mAh battery, as it's sealed away to avoid any water getting to it. This is a little smaller than the cheaper Miro and Tipo, and with a higher powered processor the Go may have trouble lasting all day if heavily used – keep an eye out for our full review for all the details on battery life.
Early Verdict
The Sony Xperia Go is an impressively styled and feature packed handset which should do well in the sports and outdoor market, but could very well appeal to those who love music festivals, or are clumsy in nature.
From our short hands on test, the Sony Xperia Go looks like it will give its rugged competition a jolly good run for their money, and we reckon than it could easily stand up in the main stream mobile market as well, with a decent user experience set to be further enhanced by the Ice Cream Sandwich update very soon.
One More Thing: Streaming is the new download in Sweden
News in Brief Music downloads? So last season.
Spotify - in the money
Digital music monsters - Spotify v. iTunes, round two: ding ding! In Spotify's native Sweden, music streaming is now accounts for 89% of digital music sales. Bad news for the download, which is down by 14%. Is it time for another format change already? Jeez. [MusicAlly] Noisy - Eagle-eyed Comic Con attendees spotted a Halo 4 branded Xbox 360 which apparently "makes its own sounds". Microsoft is currently making the sound of silence on the subject though so we can't tell you what that means, really. [Eurogamer] Peeping Major Tom - Red5's Spy Hawk remote controlled plane can stream video shot with the 5MP camera on its nose which sounds nifty but could take you one step closer to your first restraining order if you're not careful (and you have £245.95 to burn). Pre-order is open now. [Red5] Calm as still water - If you know your Starks from your Lannisters then you might want to check out the trailer for Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms, a free, browser-based MMORPG based on the titular television show. [PR] Cat-atonic - We're not really sure why these mood-controlled brain-wave reading oversized cat ears exist, but they do. Wonderfully, Necomimi's website seems to imply that brides-to-be might want to wear them on their big day. [Necomimi] Oh, two - O2's epic network outage yesterday may have allowed tagged crims to roam the streets after curfew because the electronic tags track them using O2 SIM cards. That's nearly as bad as us not being able to post a picture of our dinner on Twitter 'til we got home!! [Gizmodo UK] Apples and pears - There's nothing more exciting going on in technology right now than the categorisation of apps so brace yourself for BIG NEWS: the Apple App Store now has the Food and Drink category that we knew was coming. [9to5Mac] Monsters inc - Lady Gaga's Little Monsters social network is now out of beta and live for all. It is basically what you'd get if Pinterest, Reddit and Facebook had a baby. [Little Monsters] Eye browsing - You want to play eye-controlled Pong but you don't want to spend thousands of pounds? Well, how about a £40 system that you'll have to build yourself? Yes? Good. Now, can we get you anything else? Moon on a stick? [The Verge] Sizer Kose - Apparently people are buying bigger TVs from John Lewis than ever before. Sales of 46-inch TVs are up 103% since February this year. Could it have anything to do with this summer of sport we keep hearing about? [PR]
Greenpeace says Apple has 'significantly improved' clean energy policies
Still no clear path to coal-free future says environmental group
Long way to make iCloud clean, says Greenpeace
Apple has earned a little rest-bite from environmental lobbyists after Greenpeace praised the company for improving its clean energy efforts. In a new report entitled "A Clean Energy Road Map for Apple," the group says Apple has been re-scored following a significant improvement in its commitment to clean energy for its data centres. However, Greenpeace remains critical that the company has no clear path to ending its reliance on coal to power its cloud-storage solution, iCloud. On its blog, the campaigner says: "Despite a welcome commitment by Apple in May that its data centres will be coal-free and powered by 100% renewable energy, the analysis reveals that Apple still lacks a plan that outlines a realistic path to eliminate its reliance on coal to power its iCloud." The report is a result of a drive to 'clean up the cloud,' which calls on Apple, Microsoft and Amazon to move away from coal power for cloud services.
Veiled endorsement
The veiled endorsement comes following a week in which Apple has endured heavy criticism for backing out of a US government backed certification scheme for recyclable, green technology. Apple told the EPEAT organisation that its design direction was no longer consistent with its requirements and asked for certification to be withdrawn from 39 approved models. UPDATE: As we were writing this Apple has requested that its already-approved products be re-certified claiming that it made a mistake.
Samsung filings reveal Apple's efforts to remove banned devices from stores
iPhone maker pushed carriers, retailers in U.S. to drop Galaxy products
Apple attempts to get Samsung's banned products off the shelves at retail
Federal Court rulings may have temporally put the kibosh on Samsung's Android-based Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus, but that apparently wasn't enough for Apple, who is being accused of pressing retailers to remove the products from store shelves. According to one published report, two Samsung filings revealed Friday show exactly how far Apple was willing to go in an effort to squash continued sales of its competitor's banned products. Letters "to many carriers and retail companies that currently sell" the two products in question apparently notified them that "[a]t a minimum" they are required to "immediately remov[e] for sale the [banned product] from all physical and online venues under [their] direction or control." Samsung claims that Apple mailed the letters involving the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on June 28, while similar documents involving the Galaxy Nexus were mailed on July 3, before the injunction received a stay of execution.
Samsung speaks out
Samsung hasn't taken the move lying down, telling the court "they are permitted to sell their existing inventory, even without a stay." "Apple's menacing letters greatly overreach, incorrectly claiming that third-party retailers are subject to the prohibitions of the preliminary injunction, which they clearly are not," the Korean manufacturer added. Filings continue to fly back and forth in Federal Court between the two companies, so this battle is clearly not over quite yet.
Value of Facebook 'Likes' doubted in Beeb investigation
Large proportion of 'Likes' may be from fakers, says BBC report
Those millions of Likes on popular pages may not all be from real users
A new report from the BBC has warned that advertisers spending a fortune in an attempt to get their pages 'Liked' on Facebook may be wasting their time. A popular Facebook page is considered one of the best ways to reach customers in the social media era as it delivers information directly to the news feed on products users have expressed interested in. However, an investigation has found that those liking the pages aren't always every day consumers, but computer-controlled spam profiles that are liking thousands of pages at a time. That means companies advertising their page on Facebook in an attempt to win those all-important 'Likes', may not be getting the right amount of bang for their buck.
Facebook downplays the problem
The BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones put the theory to the test by setting up his advert for a bagel company targetted at the US and UK. Within days there were 3,000 likes from all over Asia. Facebook makes its money from these advertisers, so naturally has denied that this is a significant problem. The higher the Like count, the more it gets paid. The social network estimates that around 50 million of its 900m+ profiles may be fake. Via: BBC
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 announcement likely coming in August
News of a new Samsung Unpacked event has leaked
Word of a Samsung Unpacked event reaffirmed what the rumor mill predicted
There have been plenty of rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2's release date, with most pointing toward a September or October launch for the new tablet/smartphone hybrid. But there's been little word until now of an actual announcement for the device. Now sources claim that Samsung scheduled a Samsung Unpacked event during IFA 2012 on August 30, and it's rumored the successor to the Galaxy Note will be revealed then.
A predictable course
Many Samsung aficiandos assumed that Samsung Galaxy Note 2 would be announced at the IFA 2012 conference in Berlin, where the original Galaxy Note was unveiled during the last Samsung Unpacked keynote the year before. Word of a new Samsung Unpacked event reaffirmed what the rumor mill predicted. An August announcement falls right in line with an October release, which was hinted at last month, or a September launch as reported by yet another source last month. A September launch would allow the Galaxy Note 2 to grab a foothold before the iPhone 5 can steal its thunder. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 was also inadvertantly revealed by a tweet from the Samsung Arabia account, which was promptly deleted. Other rumors indicate that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2's screen will be even larger than its predecessor's 5.3-inch screen, which was big enough to be considered something of a smartphone-tablet hybrid. The Galaxy Note 2's screen could be as large as 5.5 inches, pushing it even further into the category of miniature tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will also sport a more poweful quad-core processor, says the same source. Samsung Unpacked is where the device maker has previously made important announcements about flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy Tab 7.7, as well as the original Galaxy Note. A representative from Samsung US told TechRadar he hadn't heard anything about an event on August 30, but did not outright rule out the possibility.
Apple has 'listened to unhappy customers' and opted back into EPEAT
Apple has asked the US government-backed EPEAT group to re-certify its products, less than a week after opting out of the environmentally conscious scheme. The company says it made a mistake by ditching the certification, which rewards gadgets that are energy efficient and recyclable and wants the 39 approved products back on the records. Senior VP of Engineering Bob Mansfield wrote in a letter: "We've recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system. "I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT."
Heavy criticsm
Cupertino has suffered heavy criticism in the last few days after saying it no longer wanted its electronics to be subject to EPEAT approval, citing a "different design direction." This led to organisations in Apple's own San Francisco backyard, and environmental campaigners to favour a boycott of Apple computers. Regardless of Apple's reasoning, the company has realised which side its bread is buttered and has jumped back into bed with EPEAT before more damage is done.
Strange move
The move was initially considered extremely strange as Apple has been one of EPEAT's biggest supporter and was even involved in drawing up the requirements. Some observers felt that withdrawing its tech was down to the launch of the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display. EPEAT certification requires the electronic device in question to be easy ti disassemble for recycling purposes. The new MacBook Pro is practically impregnable.
This device could put all other smartphones to shame
A new HTC smartphone has been revealed via GLBenchmark, a well-known site for device benchmarking. The mystery device appears to be headed to Verizon to connect with the carrier's 4G LTE network. More importantly, it packs a full-HD 1080p display and a new quad-core Snapdragon CPU capable of speeds that have never been achieved by the existing S4.
What is the DLX?
According to the GLBenchmark report, the new HTC phone could carry the code name "DLX." Based on its model number HTC6435, though, it's likely to be a successor to the Verizon HTC Rezound model number HTC6425. The Rezound was one of the first HTC smartphones with an HD display, so a follow-up with a full 1080p screen would be appropriate. In fact, the HTC DLX (if that is its name) is equipped with a 1794x1080 display that - even if it includes space for on-screen buttons like other Android devices - could prove dazzling. Besides the impressive screen resolution, the HTC DLX is powered by a quad core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 chip with an Adreno 320 GPU, clocking in at 1.5 GHz, but this doesn't appear to be the standard S4 present in many other smartphones. One source speculates that the new HTC Verizon phone could even be equipped with the new S4 MSM8960T chip due to the considerable power it displayed in Benchmark tests. In the Egypt off-screen and pro off-screen tests, it scored well over 100 (121.1 and 110.5 FPS respectively), numbers that other phones can't come close to. The new HTC DLX for Verizon and possible Rezound successor runs Android 4.0.4, according to the benchmark reports, and along with the gorgeous screen and impressive quad-core processor, those are all the known details. Watch out for more updates on the mystery HTC Verizon phone as the companies prepare to reveal whatever it is.
Sponsored Prepare to be impressed with Nokia's latest Windows Phone
Live more, do more and be beautifully different with the Nokia Lumia 900
Today's smartphones are all the same, it seems. Big, black, faceless slabs of metal that offer an endless sea of icons.
Nokia's Lumia 900 goes beyond the glossy smartphone and takes you into a realm that lets you live and do more than you could possibly imagine with your pocket companion.
Whether it's browsing the web at blistering speeds or uploading photos to Facebook faster than the competition, the Lumia 900 offers the best of the smartphone world with a beautifully designed chassis that's sturdy enough to withstand the rigours of modern life.
Beautifully different
Using a one-piece polycarbonate body (available in black, cyan and white) the Nokia Lumia 900 exudes style at every turn. And thanks to an innovative manufacturing process, the chassis won't scratch and degrade over time – plus Gorilla Glass protects the screen from drops and bumps too.
The beautiful design doesn't end with the body of the Nokia Lumia 900 – switch on the stunning 4.3-inch AMOLED screen (with ClearBlack technology to make it easy to see your phone outdoors) and you can pin your favourite people and groups to the Start screen thanks to Live Tiles.
Forget about apps that wait for you to tap. With the Nokia Lumia there's less clicking in and out – the information comes to you. Pin apps to your Start screen and they're alive with animations and updates, bringing you the news headlines, the latest eBay bids or train times – whatever you need to know.
You'll see your friends' latest messages and news right there through the People Hub, with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all built in. Choose the person to contact, all from one central place. So you needn't worry about how you'll get in touch. Simple.
And with its suite of over 100,000 apps, the Windows Phone Marketplace can offer you most of the apps you're already using and more. Be it goal highlights from ESPN, battling zombies in BB App-ocalypse or giving your photos a creative edge, there's a wealth of content to choose from.
And you can download them in super-quick time too, with the super-fast HSDPA connection giving you access to some of the fastest speeds the networks have to offer.
Snap happy
To savour the moment, the 8MP camera with dual LED flash fitted snugly to the rear of the Lumia 900 will capture it perfectly no matter what the setting. And if you want to get chatting and see who's talking, the 1MP front-facing camera will always show your best side.
Take a photo in a touch and immediately tag the photo before you share to Facebook or Windows Live, thanks to our new face tagging feature. From pocket to picture to your social network in seconds.
The Nokia Lumia 900 is the phone for media too. Watching a movie on the 4.3" clear and large display offers a sparkling experience that won't have you squinting at a tiny screen to catch your daily dose of video action.
The pre-loaded Nokia Music app provides the perfect media mate for all your audio needs – want to listen to a selection of the latest tunes in your favourite genre? Nokia Mix Radio lets you pause and skip tracks as well as save them for offline listening – all for free and coupled with a well-stocked music store for access to new tracks.
Or perhaps you're more of a fan of live music? Nokia's got that covered with the dedicated Gig Finder –tell the Lumia 900 your favourite band and it will alert you when they tour near you, meaning you'll never miss that one-off gig in the tiny pub ever again.
Look around you
Don't worry about being lost with the Lumia 900 in your pocket – with Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive, which come free and fully-loaded, you'll be able to find the best club in any town, navigate your way with fantastically well-stocked maps and turn-by-turn directions or seek out the speediest way home on train, bus or tube with Nokia's new Transport app as well.
Or perhaps you've found your way but want a cheeky game on the go – with Xbox integration you can seek out those extra achievement points and update your avatar the way you want, and all from the comfort of your smartphone.
You can do all this and more without having to worry about constantly looking for a power point every few hours either: the high-capacity battery will keep you going all day long, despite the fact you'll be constantly using the vibrant screen, a cornucopia of creative apps and a gaming experience that's second to none.
Don't believe us? Check out what the people of Britain think of the new Nokia Lumia range when shown the power of Windows Phone – there's no challenge it can't face!
So there you have it: if you want to live more, do more and be beautifully different, the Nokia Lumia 900 is the phone for you.
Its fantastic screen, superb suite of apps and top-end gaming capabilities – coupled with the only OS that runs with Word, Excel and PowerPoint for working on the go– making it the phone that should be at the top of your list when thinking about your next handset.
Windows 8 full retail version not available, pros and cons
Could Microsoft ditch the full retail version of Windows 8?
Windows 8 might lose the full retail version, but could that be a good thing?
The most recent Windows 8 rumor suggests that Microsoft may forego a full retail option for its next OS. The rumor comes from Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley, co-hosts of the Windows Weekly show, who speculated that Microsoft may skip a full retail version of Windows 8 because there simply is no need for it. It's an interesting point to consider, since all Windows users already qualify for the Windows 8 Pro upgrade. Those who don't qualify are either building a PC from scratch or installing Windows 8 on a Mac, both of which are cases where the new System Builder edition is the preferred option. The System Builder edition is what has traditionally been referred to as an OEM edition with past versions of Windows. However, OEM editions were only supposed to be sold to system manufacturers or to customers along with hardware, making a full retail release necessary. With Windows 8, Microsoft plans to change that by making the System Builder edition available at retail, negating the need for an additional retail SKU.
Weighing Microsoft's options
The advantage of switching entirely to OEM editions at retail is that they typically cost less than their full retail counterparts. It also makes the decision much easier on customers as to which version of Windows 8 to buy. Do you already have Windows XP, Vista, or 7? Get the upgrade. Do you have any other computer you want to install Windows 8 on? Then System Builder edition is the way to go. There is also a downside, as OEM editions are often restricted to a single motherboard, meaning users will have to buy an additional version of Windows if they switched computers rather than being able to transfer the license. OEM editions in the past also lacked the 90-days of support Microsoft included in its full retail OS. Of course, if Microsoft is taking a full retail version off the table, there is always the possibility that the single system limitation and the lack of Microsoft support could change with the System Builder edition. If that proves to be the case, then it's a win-win for customers who get the version they need at a better price. The upgrade to Windows 8 Pro will be available to download as a special offer for $39.99 through January 31. It will also be available in DVD form, selling at retail for $69.99. There is no pricing yet for the Windows 8 System Builder edition, but if Microsoft keeps the price low and in line with OEM editions then customers may be pleasantly surprised.
So who's going to buy a Google Nexus 7 next week then? We certainly can't wait to see how much of a difference it makes to the tablet market, but while we wait to see, why not check out some of the other tasty treats we've been testing this week! Samsung Series 5 Chromebook review Overall, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook XE550C22 is a big leap forward for Chromebooks, and is easily the best Chromebook we've reviewed. Of course, the previous generation of Chromebook was rather disappointing, so that's not saying too much. On the one hand it's a forward thinking device, geared towards cloud services and apps. We feel that this is definitely the way technology is heading, but the tech isn't quite there yet. So in some respects, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is a bit ahead of its time. However, its limited tech, along with the absence of next-gen internet standards such as 4G and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, means that it could soon start feeling out of date. The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is a decent computer, and an improvement on its competitors, but it doesn't quite answer the Chromebook conundrum. Canon 650D review It may not have the pixel count of the Nikon D3200, but the Canon 650D is a very well-rounded DSLR with plenty of features for novices and enthusiasts. Image quality and high ISO performance is excellent. It's a worthwhile upgrade for anyone with a Canon 550D or a Canon 600D. Meanwhile, if you have an older 40D or 50D camera, you won't be disappointed if you 'downgrade' to a smaller Canon DSLR - although the specification of the Canon EOS 650D begs the question what we can expect to see when the Canon 60D and Canon 7D are replaced. However, it's worth remembering that that the 600D/Rebel T3i was priced at £679/$799 RRP body-only when it came out in April 2011, yet today it can be found for around £499/$579. It shouldn't be too long before the Canon EOS 650D street price becomes more palatable as well. Hands on: LG Optimus 4X HD review The LG Optimus 4X HD certainly has some neat tricks up its sleeve, with Nvidia's powerful 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor with 4-PLUS-1 technology, 1GB of RAM, 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) True HD IPS display, 16GB of internal memory and NFC technology. From our brief time with the phone so far, the Optimus 4X HD looks like a perfectly capable handset, with a style which will appeal to some people and enough power to guarantee its future for at least the next couple of years. We're not sure if it's quite as desirable as its quad-core rivals, and early hints of some slight lag do put a slight downer on a phone which boasts such powerful innards – we hope this will be ironed out before launch. Keep an eye out for our full LG Optimus 4X HD review, which will be available on the site soon. TomTom Via 135 review While TomTom should be applauded for trying to get voice recognition out there and in cars, the Via 135 doesn't feel like it's at a stage where it's ready for mass consumption just yet. There are moments where it works perfectly, but there are plenty of times where the sensitive microphone picks up background noise or the sat nav just fails to understand you. It's all too easy to resort to touch input, making other more affordable options look like better buys. Having used the TomTom Start 60, with its larger screen, we'd still rather spend our money there, especially given the European maps offered by that device. And this week's other reviews... Desktops Samsung Chromebox review Laptops Hands on: Toshiba Z930 Ultrabook review Toshiba Satellite P850-138 review Toshiba Qosmio X870 review HP Envy 4 Ultrabook review Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch review Media streaming Hands on: YouView review Mobile phones Hands on: Motorola MotoSmart review Hands on: Sony Xperia Tipo review Hands on: Sony Xperia Miro review Samsung Galaxy S Advance review Samsung Galaxy SIII (T-Mobile) review Nokia Lumia 900 review Monitors Samsung SyncMaster S27B750 review Network adaptors TP-Link TL-PA511KIT review D-Link DHP-501AV review Trendnet TPL-401E review Devolo dLAN 500 AVmini review Netgear XAVB5101 review Cisco Linksys PLSK400 review Operating systems Android 4.1: Jelly Bean review Printers Canon Selphy CP810 review Projectors Acer H5360 review BenQ W1060 review Epson EH-TW3200 review Epson EH-TW5900 review NEC V300W review Optoma HD23 review Viewsonic Pro6200 review Speakers Audyssey Audio Dock Air review Tablet accessories ION Audio iCade Core review Tablets Google Nexus 7 review Televisions Samsung UE46ES6800 review Panasonic TX-L47WT50B review Sony KDL-40HX753 review
Make your iOS and OS X devices work better together
Tutorial Discover how your Mac and iOS devices can play beautifully
Get your Mac working nicely with your iOS devices
One of Apple's many strengths is the way its devices integrate so well with each other. If you've not yet done so, now is the time to discover the myriad of ways in which your Mac can work with - and share with - your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Take advantage of the storage space on your hard drive to store media remotely, then stream it to your iPad or iPhone.
Share media
If you're looking to share media over your local network, then iTunes' Home Sharing function is all you need: set it up in iTunes on your Mac via the Advanced menu (select Turn On Home Sharing), then tap Settings on your iOS device and select Music and Video, in turn, to switch on Home Sharing. Once set up, your Mac's media library will be available from both Music and Video apps. If you'd like to access your media from outside your home network, or want a slicker user interface, then Plex takes things further. It's perfect for sharing media between home computers and mobile devices. If you've stored media on a network-attached hard drive, and are sharing it via a DLNA server, use VLC Media Player on your Mac and MLPLayer Lite on your iOS device to get at your media.
Share files and more
One way to share content between your Mac and iOS device is with iCloud, but if you want more flexibility, consider the Dropbox app for the iPad or iPhone, which lets you easily share and sync data via your Dropbox folder.
If you'd rather transfer files over your Wi-Fi network rather than sync them via the cloud, install DropCopy on your Mac and DropCopy Lite on your iOS device. DropCopy allows up to three devices to share files via a 'hot spot' on the Mac's desktop or within the app - drag a file over here, pick your destination computer or device and it will transfer over. If you'd like to share clipboard content, your photo library and enjoy file previews for many common file types, upgrade to the full DropCopy app on your iPad or iPhone for £2.99. If you'd like to copy and paste between Mac and iOS, consider ClipTwin.
Sync files
Sometimes it's not really that convenient to synchronise all your files through a single folder, as is the case with Dropbox. If you'd like to sync files and folders without having to move them to a different location on your Mac, download and install SugarSync on your Mac and iOS device. You will get 5GB of online storage, which makes it as good for backing up, as well as file syncing and sharing - go to page 40 for more information.
Take remote control
Your iOS device lets you get away from your desk without losing touch with your Mac – just turn your iPhone or iPad into a virtual remote control, that emulates your Mac's mouse/trackpad and keyboard, and also provides you with a way of accessing your media. If you only want to emulate the mouse and keyboard from your iPhone, download and install the free Mobile Mouse server from http://mobilemouse.com on your Mac, then install Mobile Mouse Lite from the App Store on your iPhone or iPod touch.
Access your Mac remotely
You can go one step further and access your Mac from another room (or house) using your iOS device. Use your Mac's built-in remote sharing capabilities in conjunction with ConnectMyMac - you'll need to tick Remote Management in the Sharing System Preferences pane. Or you can opt for TeamViewer. This is free, and involves installing a server app on your Mac, then installing the iOS app on your device.
Get a second monitor...
How about utilising your iPad or iPhone as a secondary display for your Mac? If you have a smaller screen, Air Display (£6.99, App Store) gives you screen space to stash toolbars and smaller apps. Download and install the free Air Display Connect software for your Mac from http://avatron.com/apps/air-display, and you'll be able to extend your computer's display wirelessly over Wi-Fi, and utilise your iOS device's screen to interact directly with it too. Alternatively, transmit your iOS device's screen to your Mac with the help of Reflection - the full version costs $14.99, but you can get a 10-minute trial from www.reflectionapp.com, allowing you to beam your iPad or iPhone's screen to your Mac's desktop.
...and a portable scanner
The cameras on the iPhone 4GS and new iPad make great scanners. Use the built-in camera app, or opt for a scanning app like Doc Scan HD. This also lets you transfer your scan to your Mac via different methods, including Dropbox.
How to access Plex Media Server over the internet
1. The simple method After installing and configuring Plex Media Server on your Mac, select Preferences from the Plex menu bar icon. Select myPlex and sign into your account. Tick Publish server to myPlex and wait. When outside your home network, sign in on your iOS device. 2. Assign a static IP address If this doesn't work, open the Network system preferences, and set Configure IPv4 to Using DHCP with manual address. Enter an IP address into the IP Address field: the first three digits should be the same, but the fourth should be a unique number between 0 and 255. 3. Set up port forwarding Open your router's configuration utility and locate Port Forwarding. Create a new rule, entering 32400 into Port from and Port to, followed by your Mac's new static IP address in the IP Address box. Click Apply Settings, return to the myPlex tab and connect again.
In Depth Our information should be given the same respect we have for ourselves
The goverment proposals to snoop on all communications are poorly thought out and technically unworkable
The UK government seems to want to actively debug its citizens, expanding its already copious powers to obtain communications data. Soon, as we go about our regular lives - a large proportion of which are now spent online - potential new legislation could be used to store the skeletons of our conversations, their causal interactions, their flippant remarks and their heartfelt confessions. Except, nearly all that context will be lost. Instead, it will be replaced by a stream of IP addresses, mobile phone numbers, email addresses and protocols, all ripening for a fishing expedition. As long as that expedition satisfies the principles of necessity and proportionality derived from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as defined in government guidelines. Look through my search history today, for example. I've searched for Mosh, Jailbreak, Noel Edmonds and the Yodok concentration camp. Throw 12 months of other searches into the pot, stir in some emails, IRC and a few MSN chats, and you've got a perfect recipe to find me guilty of almost anything. It's the kind of situation Philip K Dick wrote about. Or George Orwell. Not to mention Milan Kundera's The Joke. As I see it, regardless of the ethical implications, there are also two major technical problems with this legislation. The first is that this proposal is debugging of the most processor-intensive kind, and it's impractical for all but emergency situations. It's the kind of debugging a programmer will only use when things have gone very wrong, and for when the only way of discovering a fault is to run the application through a virtual CPU that logs every interaction for later analysis. This works, but it's far more effective if you either, a) get your code correct in the first place, or b) build the framework for your code in such a way that problem areas are easier to discover and easier to rectify. Reverse debugging of this nature slows your machine down to a snail's pace and generates vast quantities of output. If the government goes ahead with its scheme, it's going to be an impossible task for the ISP, or whoever collects this data, as they will struggle to manage yottabytes of data (this is an exaggeration today, but what about when the next generation starts using the internet?), all of which will need to be stored, backed up, indexed and cross-referenced. And the recent claims that there will be no single database is nonsense. The idea is to create a single portal to the data, wherever it may be stored.
The second major problem - and there are many more - is that any mildly technical person will be able to side-step the lidless eye of the government scrapers. Encryption, trojan networks and chits of code hidden under rocks in Hyde Park will all help people stay hidden if they wish to. As a result of this legislation, more people will want to stay hidden even when they've got nothing to hide. And the more people are hiding stuff, the more difficult it will become to sort the goodies from the baddies. Attempts to subvert these people might even push the legality of projects like Tor over the edge, turning the UK internet into a snooping web of deceit. It's more likely, I think, that we'll be given some time to get used to the idea, then any new legislation designed to tackle obfuscation technology like encryption or anonymous routing would be treated as an attempt to subvert existing legislation, rather than projects that have historically allowed people in police states and war to communicate freely. This treatment of technology by politicians, like it's some magic panacea, is wrong. Especially when they don't seem to understand the issues and the consequences of what they're dealing with.
Judicial process, not a political one
The 2010 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner, for instance, states that "public authorities as a whole submitted 552,550 requests for communications data", breaking this down with a terrible graph that shows 28 per cent was for traffic data while 65 per cent was for subscriber data. It then naively lists a series of case studies to show how well this publicity is working. And it does work, in those cases. Government policy is making the assumption that more data is going to equal more success, without any consideration for our sense of liberty or the technical challenges involved. After these proposals have been officially announced, I'm planning to see my MP in his mid-May surgery. The ethics, the technical difficulty and the redundancy of this level of intrusion have equal impact in my mind. I'm not asking for a return to the days of Dixon of Dock Green. I want a judicial process, not a political one. I want our data to only be shared when there's a genuine reason, and I want it to be treated with the same respect we should have for ourselves. We're still innocent until proven otherwise. Only then can the full focus and power of the law be bent towards stopping genuine criminal behaviour and taking legitimate advantage of the massive advances in communications technology.
Facebook automatically scans posts for illegal activity
If it catches you doing something you shouldn't, it'll call the cops
Software will flag up criminal activity
Facebook scans the posts and chat conversations of its users to check for criminal activity, a new report has revealed. The social network uses automated software to seek out inappropriate language in an attempt to snare sexual predators, Reuters reports. The article makes the example of a man in his 30s who arranged to meet a 13 year-old girl after middle school through Facebook chat. The software automatically flagged up the post to Facebook employees who alerted the police, who apprehended the man and took his computer. He denies charges.
Speedy response
Law enforcement agents have praised Facebook for the speed of their response. "There are companies out there that are doing a very good job, working within the confines of what they have available," said FBI agent Brooke Donahue. "There are companies out there that are more concerned about profitability."
With one in 30 people in the UK suffering some sort of sight impediment, it's easy to forget how the smartphone revolution could be passing them by. As tech fans, we've become a bit blasé about cutting edge features, always looking to next and more impressive thing, even before other features have emerged. This is true of all technology, but in the smartphone arena things have moved so quickly: the touchscreen, new user interfaces, mapping and powerful gaming are now the norm for a device that costs less than £160. The flipside of all this technological innovation is that some of the key elements are becoming less accessible to those with visual impairments. Tactile devices with large keys are only available in specialist shops these days, when a few years ago the popular Nokia keypad at least provided familiarity and stability. Switch that device for a slab of glossy touchscreen gadgetry and the issues the blind face become obvious, with no way of knowing what's being pressed or which of the myriad apps you're looking at. Maybe you're like us when it comes to the smartphone: feeling guilty for checking it too often, experiencing mild panic when you can't find it for a few seconds and getting antsy when you're denied its presence for any length of time. The level of reliance on the phone as an entertainment tool as much as a communicator was highlighted to us by ScreenReader, a new mobile app designed for those with sight loss. There is plenty of effort from the likes of Google and Apple to put the likes of screen readers and other accessibility features in their operating systems, but there's not many options for the less technically-minded smartphone user. To illustrate the need for the app, we spent a couple of hours at a restaurant that is designed to give customers the true experience of blindness during a meal. It's likely that most people will never have experienced such a thing – it's an eye-opening experience in more ways than one. As soon as we were enveloped by the inescapable darkness, our first instinct was to reach for our phone to use it as a torch. And when sitting there in the dark unable to interact with others due to the initial cacophony of noise from those entering, there was a constant impulse to fire up the internet browser or knock out a few seconds of Temple Run to pass the time before we could get some kind of other stimulation. The range of things inaccessible to those with visual impediment isn't necessarily something that would occur to a fully-sighted person. And that's why ScreenReader's new Georgie program is so impressive. Looking at it from a stark technological point of view it's easy to scoff at the project; large, basic buttons, voice recognition that is still a long way from being accurate and a relatively low range of functionality (contact management, text messaging and basic navigation) aren't exactly going to compete with location-based notifications or eye-tracking software. But only when deprived of your ocular senses do you realise the incredible power Georgie brings – the smartphone moves from being frustrating and inaccessible to an incredibly useful tool for those with sight problems. The user interface is the most impressive: sliding your finger over the screen triggers audio feedback to let you know which app is under your digit and a long-press enables it. It takes some getting used to, but that's from the perspective of someone that has become used to the intricacies of most mobile operating systems. A few minutes of touching and the layout becomes very predictable and stable. The functionality isn't as great as it could be just yet, but that's more to do with the limitations of modern technology. For instance, voice recognition isn't going to be any use beyond basic requests, and some feedback was erratic, which led to confusion as to how to reset and start again. But, as Screenreader co-founder Roger Wilson-Hinds told us, if you compare this to similar systems to open up gadgetry to the visually impaired from just five years ago, this is a huge step up in performance for a fraction of the price. The price is shocking at first: £149 for the standard app, plus £24.99 for each additional pack, which adds in visual recognition, audio feedback and travel upgrades. That's £225 before even buying an Android phone to run Georgie on. But similar systems from just two years ago cost many thousands of pounds, and didn't have anywhere near as many features; that's when you have to start wondering why such things aren't being developed at a faster rate by bigger brands. The service is being promoted on existing Samsung phones like the Samsung XCover and Galaxy Ace 2, picked specifically to be easy to use for blind users - although the option to shell out £500 for a Samsung Galaxy S3 is an option too. Glenn Tookey, CEO of Sight and Sound Technology, which is distributing the service and selling the necessary smartphones, pointed out that it wasn't just the cost of development that led to the price, it was the support system needed to help those using it. Add to that the relatively limited user base (in the UK there are roughly 360,000 registered blind people and almost 2 million people in the UK living with sight loss, which equates to 1 in 30) and the cost starts to make a lot more sense. That's not to say today's manufacturers aren't doing their bit: one participant told TechRadar he has been able to use his iPhone quite comprehensively thanks to the accessibility options on offer, with Siri and text-to-speech being particularly good. In fact, only online banking was a real issue for him, as the proximity sensor can disable the keypad when trying to hear what's on the screen – very impressive for a phone that has such an onus on aesthetics. And here's the reason to laud, rather than scold, the move towards the glossy, buttonless smartphone: while the tactility is much lower, the effort towards features that will really benefit the blind has ramped up massively. Almost everything Georgie can do (or needs to improve) is the subject of massive development by many big brands right now: speech recognition, turn by turn walking directions, augmented reality and item recognition are all in beta stages right now, but in three or four years time should become robust enough to bring a glut of top end features to the sight-impaired. The days when someone would have to spend £20,000 on a washing machine-sized device just to scan some text and have it read back are long gone – here's hoping the iPhone 7 or Samsung Galaxy S5 will be as popular among the blind as those with sight. And when they are, it will be thanks to the efforts of those like Screenreader for showing that the smartphone can be accessible to all.
Exclusive Low-cost device represents a key shift for tablets
Nexus 7 - features ARM designs
ARM executive Vincent Korstanje believes that the arrival of the 'amazing value' Google Nexus 7 will signal the start of a huge acceleration of the tablet market. Comparing the arrival of the $199/£159 tablet to the time when mobile phone operators began to offer phones for no additional fee with a contract, VP for Segment Marketing Korstanje told TechRadar that this was a game-changer. "I think it's very interesting when you look at the Nexus 7 platform that it's priced at £160," said Korstanje. "The thing that changed in the mobile phone market [that began its explosive growth] was when the operators started offering the phones for free.
Service history
"The price is being driven down because it's not really about hardware any more, it's about the services," he added. "It's not about making money on the devices it's about making money from the services. That's the thing that's changed in the market. "We've already got to 10 per cent penetration [of the US market] very fast and I think that this is going to accelerate that growth." ARM, as you would expect, have a vested interest in the Nexus 7's success given that the device carries Nvidia's Tegra 3 chipset, and therefore ARM's Cortex-A9 designs.
Korstanje: "I think it's a lovely device. It's very sturdy, it seems to be very high quality and it's amazing value."
But Korstanje is clearly a fan of the tablet, which TechRadar's Google Nexus 7 review suggested deserves its praise. "I think it's a lovely device. It's very sturdy, it seems to be very high quality and it's amazing value…It's fantastic," said Korstanje. "Services are changing the marketplace and it's us as consumers that benefit."
Updated New iPhone 5 news, specs, features and more
Page 1 of 2iPhone 5 news and rumours
Getting ready for the next wave of iPhone excitement
Although widely expected, there was no iPhone 5 in 2011 after all, though the company did announce the iPhone 4S.
So we'll surely see a total revision of the iPhone during 2012. We've gathered together all the latest iPhone 5 rumours to give us a reasonable picture of what Apple's latest handset might be like.
You'll find all the rumours below, but why not check out our iPhone 5 rumours video first?
Given the pattern of Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 release date to be mid to late 2012.
At Apple's WWDC 2012 event in early June we learnt a lot more about iOS 6, but there was no hardware (well, apart from new Macs). Check out the launch news as well as iOS 6: everything you need to know.
We reported in February that the new iPhone would be launched in October, falling into line with the same release schedule from last year.
It seems that Foxconn will again be manufacturing the handset. It'll put the Samsung Galaxy S3 "to shame" according to the CEO of Foxconn, Terry Gou - though he didn't say how.
However, a "Taiwan-based supply chain source" told DigiTimes in early May that Chinese firm Pegatron Technology has the iPhone 5 order ahead of a scheduled September launch.
According to the report Pegatron has also received orders for a 10-inch iPad, which is due to launch at the end of this year - which sounds equally spurious.
This does fit in with a mooted August 7 launch date for the iPhone 5, as is currently being quoted by Know Your Mobile through an 'industry source', but we'll wait to see if that actually comes to pass.
iPhone 5 name
We reckon iPhone 5 is still the favourite for the name of the new iPhone, but it could follow the new iPad and end up being called, simply, the new iPhone. We really hope not. One thing is for sure, Apple has already filed a complaint over the ownership of the iPhone5.com URL.
iPhone 5 form factor
Unlike the iPhone 4S, the new iPhone will be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing as we saw with the iPhone 3G and, later, the iPhone 4.
Interestingly, someone who claimed to have seen a larger iPhone 5 prototype said in November 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new size and opted for the iPhone 4S. According to Business Insider, it was feared that a new size would create a two-tier iPhone ecosystem.
Beatweek also claimed in November 2011 that the 5-inch was scrapped "because Apple wouldn't be able to do it properly" this year. However, the Daily Mail (make of that what you will) then suggested that a four-inch version was likely and that Sony has already shipped top secret demo screens to Apple.
An iPhone 5 backplate leaked in early May - they were acquired by 9to5 Mac, but look like the combination of a lot of the other rumours we've heard about the shape and size of the new handset. These feature bigger speaker grills as well as a four inch screen and a two-tone back with brushed aluminum .
And there's a picture of the front been leaked too, with a lovely side-by-side comparison with the iPhone 4S for good measure, courtesy of KitGuru:
The two-tone back was also spotted in a video from eTrade Supply, which again showed the relocation of the headphone jack as well as a smaller connector and redesigned speaker grills.
A detailed video render of all the iPhone 5 rumoured/leaked images was also uploaded to YouTube in early June.
iPhone 5 specs
Based on the roadmap of mobile chip design specialist ARM (of which Apple is a licensee), we'll see a quad-core processor debut in the new iPhone 5 - probably called the Apple A6. We've seen other quad core handsets debut in 2012, so it's not too much of a stretch to say that the iPhone 5 will be the same.
We had expected some kind of help in terms of predicting the iPhone 5 CPU from the launch of the new iPad, but the announcement of a slightly tweaked A5X processor really didn't help things there.
According to a tip to 9to5Mac, the CPU will be the S5L8950X. Again this could be a derivative of the A5, but as 9to5Mac points out, Apple is probably working on a low-power 32nm version of the processor. As we could well have guessed, that processor will be manufactured by Samsung but designed by Apple itself.
The same report suggests 1GB of RAM, which seems right to us.
In terms of other specs aside from the screen (more on that below), rumours are persisting that the iPhone 5 may have a new dock connector. The leaked 9to5Mac iPhone 5 backplate has this smaller dock connector.
[Image credit: 9to5Mac]
TechCrunch reported in June that the sixth generation of iPhone will come with a 19-pin connector on its base, with Apple ditching the iconic 30-pin port which has graced previous iPhones, iPads and iPods.
Well, it had to happen sometime didn't it?
iPhone 5 will have 4G/LTE support
After the new iPad's launch brought 4G to an Apple device, it's widely expected that 4G will come to iPhone 5. And with many 4G handsets already announced in the US, it can't be long before the iPhone supports 4G technologies - even if we won't even have a UK spectrum auction until late this year or maybe early next.
Because of the 4G fuss over the new iPad in the UK, we'd expect this to be played down in any UK handset - or the UK might get a different version entirely of course.
Many sites have reported that Steve Jobs was working hard on the iPhone 5 project, which will apparently be a "radical redesign". We shall see... but the fact the iPhone 4S was so similar to the iPhone 4 suggests that Steve was working on something pretty special before
Check out this handy iPhone 5 video detailing the latest rumours on release date, spec and more - so check if out for a quick fix of next-gen Apple fun:
The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers."
According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with Apple's plans, Jobs "had worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death".
Various sources claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market."
On 23 May 2011, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in.
In March 2012, new reports suggested that the new iPhone 5 would come sporting a larger 4.6-inch retina display, while April rumours even suggested the next iPhone will use new touch technology.
Those of you who are keen Apple watchers will, however, know that he is wrong - the currently-available 3GS does not have the same resolution as the iPhone 4 and 4S.
Whatever, it seems Sony is involved with the display and it has been making the screen since February, ramping up production from May. A larger screen will also be welcomed by developers, as Mobilebloom points out.
Which retina is the best? We compare the high-res displays on Apple's new iPad, iPhone 4S and 2012 MacBook Pro up-close:
However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, as well as a host of other top smartphones, the time for NFC may finally be here.
On 24 June 2011 it was reported that the Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone. Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers.
The developer in question has not been named, but is working on a dedicated iOS app which includes NFC reading for mobile transactions. When questioned how confident he was on the information he had received his reply was "Enough to bet the app development on".
Sony makes the camera for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Speaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us."
Sources have also suggested the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera. Indeed, Sony announced in January 2012 that it had developed new back-illuminated stacked CMOS image sensors which are smaller in size. It's also been reported that the new iPhone will have an HD front-facing camera as well.
An interesting titbit via MirrorlessRumors is around a removable iPhone back panel that would include the camera lens has been spotted in a patent document. It seems to show that the device would work either by swapping the panel, or rotating the panel to change lenses.
iPhone 5 price
If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag.
It's pretty much nailed on that the new iPhone will cost around £500 for a 16GB / 32GB model (depending on the capacity Apple whacks in there) and unless the iPhone 5 comes with some truly next generation technology that pricing model should hold firm.
Apple has added a further two years onto its exclusivity deal for the Liquidmetal technology, which also includes future updates to the tech.
Liquidmetal is a metal alloy which is super strong and boasts a range of unique properties, apparently making it perfect for consumer products.
Apple has only used the technology once so far, and that was for the small SIM card tray ejector tool for the iPhone 3G. There are rumblings that iPhone 5 could sport a Liquidmetal chassis.
iPhone 5 review
TechRadar is renowned for its detailed phone reviews where we look at every aspect of a handset, and we'll be bringing you a full, in-depth iPhone 5 review when we get our hands on one.
As for the name, well it looks like it will be called iPhone 5. Apple has certainly been trying to protect the name iPhone 5 - and has even launched a claim over the iPhone5.com domain name.
