Samsung has confirmed it will launch a 4G LTE-enabled version of its Galaxy S4 Zoom smartphone-cum-camera.

The Frankenstein's monster-style device currently already boasts Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, but this new version will bring next-gen speeds into play.

The presence of 4G tech will make uploading photos, backing them up in the cloud and the process downloading photo sharing and editing apps a little faster.

Naturally, it'll also come in handy for the fully functioning Android 4.2 Jelly Bean smartphone stuck to the back of the camera lens.

Available for all

As yet, none of the UK's 4G networks have confirmed they'll sell the device, but Samsung has said it will work on six different bands, meaning EE, Vodafone and O2's networks will all be compatible.

The Galaxy S4 Zoom, which made headlines for its appearance rather than its specsheet, packs a 16-megapixel camera sensor with a 10x optical zoom and a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED 960 x 540 screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom LTE is available in mainland Europe now and will launch in the UK soon. Samsung is yet to confirm a price-point.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Those waiting to get their hands on the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Sony Xperia Zi may not have to wait long following their expected unveiling at IFA next week.

According to an alleged photo of Three UK's inventory the Galaxy Note 3 will be available from the network on September 16, while the new flagship Sony device will come a little more than a week later on the 24th.

The purported internal document was sent to Engadget by a tipster who claimed to work for the UK's fourth-placed mobile network.

With that in mind, it wouldn't be too much of a leap to suggest that the handsets will arrive with EE, Vodafone and O2 on those dates too.

No secret

Neither handset has officially been announced by the manufacturers yet, but they've also made little attempt to keep them a secret either.

The Galaxy Note 3 will all-but-certainly debut at Samsung's Unpacked event on the eve of the IFA tech show in Berlin on September 4.

Sony's new top dog, long known by its 'Honami' codename is also scheduled to state its case on that date before the show gets underway.

TechRadar will be out in force at IFA so stay tuned for all of the latest news as it breaks from the German capital.

• Excited for what IFA may hold? Here's what to expect from this year's Berlin tech extravaganza

Source : techradar[dot]com

It was reported yesterday that the iPhone 5S shells made not one, not two, but three video appearances in dazzling gold (or champagne) and graphite shells from different websites.

Not that we haven't seen enough leaks of the iPhone 5S but here are few more tidbits to keep you going until it actually releases.

The first video from TLDToday claims that the 5S has an increased battery area and the logic board screws have been re-positioned meaning it could possibly have a larger battery.

They also mentioned an "enlarged LED flash cutout" possibly for a dual-LED flash.

Videos two and three say ...

The second video from DetroitBORG shows off a comparison of the iPhone 5S shell and its cheaper counterpart the iPhone 5C, noting that the latter is a bit larger. The 5S also boasts thinner fonts possibly in preparation for iOS 7.

A graphite version of the 5S can be seen in the third vid from iCrackUriDevice, a rumor we reported on earlier as being a gunmetal gray.

It's nearing the end of the month meaning it's almost Sept. 10, the day Apple is supposedly unveiling all these new iPhones. Stick around and we'll keep you posted on the event.

Via 9to5mac

• iOS 7 is also rumored to release on Sept. 10.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The launch of BBM for Android and iPhone seems imminent, as BlackBerry briefly flipped the switch on the app's landing page today.

"BBM for Android and iPhone is here," declared the premature landing page, which was first spotted by the dedicated BlackBerry blog CrackBerry.

Not quite "here," on second thought. The company has since pulled the trigger-happy web page, reverting it back to the old "BBM is coming to Android and iPhone" template.

This temporary page shouldn't last long. BlackBerry has promised to deliver its cross-platform messenger "this summer," which means either after Labor Day in North America this weekend or at the very least, after Autumnal Equinox on Sept. 22.

Right now, it seems as if the only people able to experience BBM outside of BB10 owners are a select few BBM Android beta testers who are friends and family of employees.

Highway to the beta zone

Android owners aren't the only ones who get to be guinea pigs, as the new BlackBerry Beta Zone app lets BB10 owners test out apps before they're available for download by the public.

"Load your BlackBerry 10 Beta applications through our brand new native app," wrote the company in the description for the new BlackBerry Beta Zone app.

It looks like the launch of BB Beta Zone is meant to be, as the free download is still available via BlackBerry World for registered members of the BlackBerry Beta Zone.

New BB Beta Zone users can enroll in the program for a new account, testing out early app updates for Twitter, Facebook and the aforementioned BBM.

• Is cross-platform BBM a bad idea for BlackBerry?

Source : techradar[dot]com

Despite having an online recycling store for your Apple devices, rumors of Apple creating a retail trade-in program for its iPhones may have been confirmed.

CNBC claims that Apple is launching its trade-in program today at retail stores nationwide, with no word on a worldwide release just yet.

Officially called the "iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program," iPhone users can trade in their older models, like an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4S for a newer iPhone 5 in-store.

We noted earlier that the old phones will be shipped to Brightstar for recycling and 9to5mac has reported the same information adding that Apple is committed to American soil - rather than sending devices overseas for sales, products will be recycled in the U.S.

Apple's fine print

Of course, a few caveats remain with the program - trade-in credit is given as a gift card but the customer must use it at that time and only for an iPhone.

Additionally, they must leave the store with a new contract with the phone activated at time of purchase.

The price you'll get for your old phone will also vary.

Since numbers in the market are constantly changing, there's no telling what amount of money you can get with your iPhone 4S, however CNBC notes that there is a clear appeal with trade-in programs as you'll typically walk away with a bargain.

• Do you also have issues with your iPhone 5 headphone jack? Our Kate Solomon does and here's what she has to say.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Huawei today unveiled the Honor 3, the third generation of Honor devices, and it's both a slight upgrade and an important departure.

Specs-wise there's nothing surprising here: the Honor 3 comes packing a 4.7-inch 720p LCD display, Huawei's own 1.5GHz quad-core K3V2 processor, 13- and 1-megapixel cameras, Android 4.2.2: Jelly Bean, and memory to match its predecessor the Honor 2 with 2GB RAM and 8GB of storage.

But the Honor 3 is also Huawei's first "ruggedized" Honor device, joining the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S4 Active with an IP57 rating for resistance to dust and water.

That rating means it can be submerged in water up to 30 minutes at a meter's depth, and its highly sensitive touchscreen even recognizes input from wet hands.

Honor in the western world

Finally the Honor 3 also features an IR blaster like those on the Galaxy S4 and HTC One that lets it control TVs and the like.

The Honor 3 is on sale now for ¥1,888 ($309, £200, AU$346), and for now it's only in China.

Other Huawei phones, including the Huawei Honor, have reached the western world before.

TechRadar asked Huawei to clarify whether the Honor 3 will do the same, but so far we haven't heard back.

The MediaQM310

Huawei today also announced the MediaQM310, a set-top box with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip, Bluetooth and dual-band WiFi.

The box will stream content from the cloud and connect to China Network Television's online video services.

There's no pricing yet, but the MediaQM310 will release in China in September.

• Huawei has more than just the Honor 3 going on, and TechRadar got some face time this summer with its flagship Ascend P6!

Source : techradar[dot]com

Once again caught with its hand in the privacy cookie jar, a cash settlement over Sponsored Stories prompts Facebook to again make revisions to the social network's data use policies.

Facebook proposed new updates Thursday to two of its legal documents governing how the website collects and uses member data, and is giving its users a week to weigh in on the changes.

The updates are in response to a recent U.S. court settlement over complaints that more than half a million Facebook users' names and photos were used as part of sponsored advertisements without their permission.

That gaffe is expected to cost Mark Zuckerberg's social empire as much as $20 million (roughly £12.9m / AU$22m), which ultimately amounts to $15 (about £10 / AU$17) for each of the 614,000 users affected.

Privacy ch-ch-changes

Perhaps feeling the sting of legal justice, Facebook now proposes a number of changes to its Data Use Policy as well as the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities which governs how the social network can use your content.

In a Section-by-Section Summary of Updates posted to its website, Facebook makes it clear that users now "give us permission to use your name, profile picture, content, and information in connection with commercial, sponsored, or related content (such as a brand you like) served or enhanced by us."

The only exception to this appears to be users who have "selected a specific audience for your content or information," but Facebook is under no obligation to share such revenue with its members in any event.

The full list of proposed changes won't take effect for seven days, during which time Facebook users can offer their own colorful commentary on the revisions, suck it up and keep posting or choose to jump off of Zuck's gravy train altogether.

Check out the latest news on Verizon's HTC One!

Source : techradar[dot]com

My main beef with the iPhone 5's headphone jack placement can be summed up in two words: finger penis.

But we'll come back to that.

There's one thing you really need to be able to do with a phone and that is hold it. Doesn't matter how many wireless peripherals or voice-activated virtual assistants the thing comes with, you're still going to spend a lot of time with the handset in your paw.

When the iPhone was first announced, certain people said disparagingly, "Oh right, so it's what? An iPod that makes phone calls?". Well, yeah - except for me the most excellent thing about the iPhone (and, yeah, ok, smartphones in general) is that it's an iPod that can send text messages and go on Twitter.

I don't know about you, but if I'm walking somewhere, I'm listening to music on my phone. If I'm on the train, I'm listening to music on my phone. If I'm in bed and my neighbours are being raucous at 1.30am in the morning, I'm British so I'm not knocking on their door telling them to keep it down or I'll call the feds, I'm listening to music on my phone to help me reach Sleepy-time Central.

Bendable, opposable

So we're agreed: one of the great joys of a smartphone is being able to listen to whatever you feel like wherever you are while simultaneously texting whoever you fancy. Good. I'm glad we're all on the same page here.

That's why Apple went some way to completely ruining the iPhone when it moved the headphone jack to the bottom of the handset.

When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5 to the world, it made some passing reference to the fact that having the headphone jack on the bottom panel makes life better for people who keep their iPhones in their pockets because when you get your phone out of your pocket, it'll be the right way up.

Let's put aside the fact that it makes no difference whether your headphones are poking out of the top or the bottom of your handset when your phone is in your pocket and address the fact that not everyone keeps their phones in their pockets. Not everyone has pockets, Apple. Some of us have handbags.

And anyway, who cares about that one second of minor convenience? That warm fuzzy feeling you've provided is instantly destroyed as I awkwardly wind my fingers around the dirty great headphone connector that is now in my way.

Pocket monster

Let's talk about the butter-fingers-factor. This is an essential consideration when it comes to any piece of expensive technology that you use more than three times a day. The iPhone 5 is a even slippier customer than most.

Shiny glass and smooth aluminium chassis aside, because Apple elongated the body to accommodate the longer screen, the weighting is slightly off (I think 'they' call it 'top-heavy'). This leads to constant anxiety that you'll just give up on your grip for no apparent reason and watch as one of the most expensive things you own shatters on the floor.

Guess what doesn't make an already weirdly weighted, anxiety-laden drop-friendly handset any easier to get a grip on? If you answered "a dirty great wire sticking out of the exact bit of the phone you want to hold" then congratulations, you are correct.

And that brings us back to my original issue. It doesn't matter how how many impressive feats of knot disentanglement I pull off or how rarely I drop my phone, there is no getting away from the finger penis.

When you have headphones plugged into the iPhone 5 and you want to check a map or say something pithy about Miley Cyrus on Twitter, there is nowhere for your pinky to go.

On the iPhone 4, the phone could easily rest along the length of your littlest digit. Oh that was great - good times, guys, good times. Not only did it add stability and grip, it was comfortable and didn't look weird.

Now, your little finger is forced to stick awkwardly out towards you like, well, a finger penis.

So thanks for that, Apple. Thanks a lot.

• It looks like the iPhone 5S will continue with this shambolic design, but will the iPhone 5C follow suit? Check out the most cultured rumour round up here.

Source : techradar[dot]com

It's a rivalry almost as old as time itself - well ok maybe not, but the Android versus iOS debate is one which causes temperatures to rise and profanity to spout from the mouths of even the most innocent of five year olds.

We've booted up the TechRadar Street Fighter engine (patent pending) to see who comes out on top when we pit Google's Android against Apple's iOS.

Everyone has their favourite, who will you be rooting for in this clash of the titans?

Can the open source, customisable and general OS around town Android take the crown, or will the streamlined, content rich and rather exclusive iOS steal the show? Watch the video below to find out.

More QuickRadar

Has that got your blood boiling for some more instant action? Then check out more QuickRadar videos.

• Console vs PC gaming - which is better?
• Why would anyone buy BlackBerry?
• Oculus Rift - just another VR fantasy?

Source : techradar[dot]com

Archos is still going although it's not the household name it once was, but perhaps a new portfolio of products will help it claw back some customers.

First up is the Platinum tablet range with the pick of the bunch being the Archos 97b Platinum HD which features a quad-core processor, aluminium body, full HD display and Android 4.2.

Then there's the Archos 101xs2 (that name needs a bit of work) which once again packs a quad-core chip as well as front facing speakers and "unique" magnetic keyboard functionality.

Kids and gamers

For the kids there are a couple of new tablets, with 8 and 10-inch screens, going by the names 80 ChildPad and 101 ChildPad. These sport a chunkier build and a child friendly interface complete with parental controls.

Another market Archos is looking to target is tablet gamers with is GamePad 2 offering a mix of Android tablet and games console.

Archos also has three tablets lined up in its Xenon Range which all feature HD displays and 3G connectivity, and apparently they'll be cheaper than Samsung and Apple Wi-Fi tablets.

When it comes to smartphones the firm's new flagship model is the Archos 50 Oxygen, with a 5-inch full HD display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 16GB of internal storage, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and pure Android 4.2.

That doesn't sound to shabby on paper, but we'll reserve proper judgement until we get our hands on it.

Archos will be flaunting all its new products at IFA 2013 in Berlin next week and TechRadar will be there to bring you all the latest from the show.

Source : techradar[dot]com

If you had to describe larger-than-life Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, he of the Monkey Dance and "Developers! Developers! Developers!", in a single word it wouldn't be "retiring" - but he is, in news that we suspect surprised him as much as it surprised the rest of us. The official date hasn't been announced yet, but Steve Ballmer will step down within the next 12 months.

"I think you'd be hard pushed to find someone in the tech world who felt that Steve Ballmer was the best man to make Microsoft great again," says UK editor in chief Patrick Goss, but "Microsoft is still jam-packed with talent and innovators, it's cash-rich and one of the most trusted brands in the world."

Forbes famously dubbed him the world's worst CEO last year, but that's unfair: under Ballmer, Microsoft has made astonishing amounts of money. The consumer division may have taken a few knocks, but the enterprise division is enormously successful - as Mary Branscombe elaborates in a feature on Ballmer's triumphs.

Did he fall or was he pushed? The smart money's on the latter, with many analysts expecting Microsoft's next financial results to be horrific - largely due to disappointing sales of Windows 8, which Ben Stinson says should have been touch-only from day one, and disastrous sales of Windows RT. So who's next for the top job? Patrick Goss's list of potential candidates contains more than a few surprises.

4G is on the way

The other big news this week was that the UK's 4G networks, which are only currently available to one very tall woman in central London, will finally be rolled out to, ooh, at least seventeen people. Only kidding: 4G's about to go wheeeeee, because O2 and Vodafone have finally joined the 4G party.

As John McCann reports, it's not all good news: "O2 is initially launching its LTE service in just three cities to start with - London, Leeds and Bradford - while Vodafone is being even more conservative by starting its service off in the capital only."

Their rollouts aim to reach a whopping 13 cities each before the end of the year, which means they'll be quite far behind EE: it hit the 100-town, 60% of the population milestone this week. Also trailing is Three, which doesn't turn on its own 4G service until December. That might be worth waiting for, though: the network promises that it won't charge customers any extra for 4G mobile broadband. To find out which 4G network is best, check out our updated guide.

Nexus 7 nails it again

You can't use the new Nexus 7 on 4G yet - it's only shipping in 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi versions for the time being, although an LTE version is coming - but that's unlikely to stop it from selling squillions.

As Phil Lavelle reports in his Nexus 7 review, "this is one beautiful piece of equipment... Google has taken what made the original such a belter, corrected almost every niggle with it, bumped the price up ever so slightly yet also made the Nexus 7 feel so much more premium." It isn't perfect, but "if you're looking for a 7-inch tablet... there is no better alternative on the market right now."

Have you ever looked at Nintendo's 3DS and thought, "wouldn't it be great if it didn't fold, looked really odd and didn't have 3D"? Then have we got news for you: Nintendo's unveiled exactly that in the form of its new, cheap 2DS. As Matt Swider says, "like every Nintendo product launch in recent years, the 2DS is mired by some strange design choices... different, but no better than the old one."

• TechRadar analysis: Ballmer leaves Microsoft, but in what shape?

Source : techradar[dot]com

Three has announced that from today it's abolishing international roaming charges for its customers in seven countries - the first UK network to do so.

The service, which it's ingeniously called "feel at home", is available to Three customers travelling to the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Italy, Austria, Hong Kong, Sweden and Denmark, allowing you to use your UK price plan while visiting.

If you're on a pay monthly Three contact you'll be able to use your bundled allowance of minutes, texts and data when aboard, so as long as you don't exceed your limits it won't cost you a penny.

Those of you rocking unlimited plans will be subject to some restrictions when abroad, but with 3000 minutes, 5000 texts and 25GB of data to play with you shouldn't have to worry.

If you do end up going out of bundle Three says you'll be subject to reduced roaming charges of 20p/min for calls, 7p per text and 10p per MB for data.

Pay as you go customers require credit on their account to use their normal services and allowances aboard, with additional usage charged at the UK rate.

Random assortment

As for the random assortment of countries, Three has explained the reasoning behind the selection to TechRadar.

"Due to the falling data roaming wholesale rates in Europe the exposure of roaming onto other networks in these countries has been significantly reduced and therefore made an offer such as this possible," a spokesperson said.

"We have also introduced this offer in countries where we have a sister network."

There's no set up required either. Once your phone has picked up a local network in one of the qualifying countries you'll be good to go.

We've asked Three if more countries will be added to this offer in the future. We'll update this article as soon as we hear back.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Yahoo has today outed a new version of the Flickr for iPhone app, which allows users to preview how each filter will look within their shooting environment before they take the photo.

The updated app introduces the live filter previews feature, once popular with Instagram users before the Facebook-owned company canned it in an update last year.

Beyond that, the major update also gives snappers the opportunity to express their creativity beyond the range of stock filters, with additional effects like vignettes, bursts and focus shifts.

iPhone photographers can now also access a pretty varied array of editing tools allowing for crops, tilts, rotation and flips, while also adjusting colour levels, brightness, sharpness, white balance and more.

iOS 7-inspired

All in all, the new app is a pretty comprehensive shooting and editing package, completely free of charge. It also arrives as one of the fist major apps to boast a new, iOS 7-inspired design and user interface.

The new features make it possible for more advanced photographers to fine tune their snaps, while 'point-shoot-filter' iPhone wielders won't find the depth of options too obtrusive.

So far the updates are only for Flickr's iPhone app and as yet there's no word on when the Android app will catch up, but it's unlikely to be too long.

The company has launched a big redesign to its website and given all users 1TB of free space earlier this year, so this latest iOS app update is a sure sign the company has its sights set on the top again.

Can the former king of photography on the web regain its throne under the stewardship of Melissa Mayer's refocussed Yahoo? Give the app a try and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Source : techradar[dot]com

One of the more familiar faces at Google is leaving the company to join a Chinese phone maker.

Hugo Barra, vice president, Android Product Management at Google, is taking off to become Vice President at Xiaomi Global. Barra has become a fixture at Mountain View events, such as IO, and product unveilings, including introducing the new Nexus 7 and Android 4.3 last month.

"After nearly five and a half years at Google and almost three years as a member of the Android team...I have decided to start a new career chapter," Barra wrote on his Google+.

"In a few weeks, I'll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally...I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem."

Bye bye Barra

Google confirmed Barra's departure to AllThingsD before he took to Google+, with a company rep stating, "We'll miss him at Google and we're excited that he is staying within the Android ecosystem."

Google's attitude seems to be: Best of luck Barra, and thanks for staying in the family.

Barra is the most recent high-level Android exec to put in notice. Earlier this year, Andy Rubin, head of Android and developer of the system, stepped down to start "a new chapter" at Google.

As ATD postulated, Barra's exit so soon after Rubin could cause shakiness at Team Android. There's no word yet on a Barra replacement or how his responsibilities will be handled.

• BlackBerry is another company in flux, but it appears a new phone, the Z30, is in the offing.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The UK saw its first, belated, 4G network appear for use late last year thanks to EE, which managed to wangle approval from regulator Ofcom to launch an LTE service before the other main providers.

But soon, the likes of Three, Vodafone and O2 will also be ready to let us connect to new, high-speed 4G networks of their own, or, to put it another way, your mobile may soon give you quicker uploads, downloads and ping responses than your home broadband thanks to these new mobile networks.

The downside is that you're probably going to need a new phone to use this super-super-fast data connection, as many older mobiles don't have the necessary radios inside them to hook into the frequencies used by 4G systems.

Luckily for you, though, the mobile networks are falling over themselves to stock new 4G-ready phones and updated versions of popular current models, with some of the best handsets from the top makers supporting our new LTE bands.

And we've done the hard work for you, so sit back, relax and check out the best 4G phones compared.

Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S4 review

This year's Galaxy S series update was not without controversy. Its launch event was a bizarre music hall experience that some said was rather sexist, the phone's full of so much bloatware and additional Samsung software it's been complained about on TV, but none of these whinges have stopped the Galaxy S4 shipping in record numbers and making it the most popular Android phone around today.

The only model sold in the UK comes with a 4G-friendly radio inside it, so once you've got it, you've got the 4G power -- if your SIM and network allows it.

Huawei Ascend P1 LTE

Huawei Ascend P1 review

The massive Android budget phone scene hasn't yet embraced LTE, so unless you're prepared to pay big money there's not a huge amount of choice when it comes to 4G models as yet.

One of the most affordable 4G-ready Android models is the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE, an updated version of 2012's excellent Ascend P1. It features a 4.3-inch display running at 960 x 540 resolution, backed by an 8MP camera and 1.3MP front-facing chat cam.

It's an impressive performer, with Huawei only slightly meddling with Google's code. Only available on EE, from £31 a month.

iPhone 5

iPhone 5 review

If you want the amazingly popular iPhone 5 with the coveted 4G logo on it right now, the only way to get it is go to EE.

Due to the frequencies used by EE to provide its 4G network in the UK, the version of the phone it's selling won't work on the forthcoming LTE services from Vodafone and the rest, so if you buy it through EE you'd better be prepared to stick with the network for the duration of your contract.

As for the phone itself, the iPhone 5 isn't an enormous update over the previous models, but Apple doesn't need to change things to appeal to its eager fans. It's still the mobile phenomenon it always has been.

BlackBerry Z10

BlackBerry Z10 review

If you want something a little more avant garde, BlackBerry's new Z10 is also an early member of the UK's 4G phone club.

The first phone to run the company's new BB10 mobile OS, the Z10's software is a little quirky in places, but the powerful, feature-packed web browser and 4G connectivity makes it a decent contender for those after something fast and a little different.

Plus, with a relatively modest 4.2-inch display, it's one of the more pocketable modern smartphones and less of a slab than other big name models. Don't ignore it just because it's BlackBerry.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review

If you want the biggest AND fastest phone around, Samsung's high-end phone/tablet hybrid is the way to go. EE's offering the Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE on a range of contracts, while Vodafone's also selling the 4G-ready device on monthly contracts right now, which you'll be able to upgrade to an LTE speed connection later this year when Vodafone finally launches its 4G service.

The phone's a stunner, combining a 5.5-inch HD display with a quad-core processor running at 1.5GHz. And the S Pen stylus. And loads of Samsung software tools to play with. It's a portable activity centre for tech enthusiasts.

HTC One

HTC One review

This is HTC's best phone yet, and that's saying something. The HTC One is 4G-ready from the offset, so can be bought on any of the networks -- although only EE will let you use a 4G connection right now.

The HTC One earned rave reviews for its metallic chassis, superb low-light camera performance and the general smoothness of HTC's updated user interface, with the new HTC Sense social features also going down a storm. This phone and a 4G data connection would make most people very, very jealous indeed.

Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE

Samsung Galaxy S3 review

Samsung's 2012 flagship model has also been refreshed to feature 4G capabilities in the UK, with network EE offering last year's top-spec Android models on a range of 4G contracts -- starting at a very decent £36 a month.

For that you get a phone that's still extremely competitive, offering a quad-core processor, 4.8-inch 1280 x 720 display and a very capable 8MP camera, with the LTE version able to hit the theoretical 3G maximum download speed of 42Mbps and maxing out at a hard-to-comprehend (and unlikely to actually hit in the real world) 100Mbps on a clear 4G link.

Sony Xperia Z

Sony Xperia Z review

Sony's current highest-end Android model is the Xperia Z, which stuffs a lovely 5-inch display into a slim chassis, into which it's also somehow managed to include a quad-core chipset, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP camera.

It's one of the most impressive Android models around today, and is also ready for your next-gen mobile data connection thanks to featuring the required miniature internal coat hanger needed to pick up an LTE radio signal.

It operates on all known 4G bands, so you'll be free to switch providers and juggle SIMs at will once all the networks have their 4G service up and running.

Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 920 review

Nokia's latest Windows Phone 8 model has been doing some good work in convincing people to give Microsoft's mobile OS a fair go, with its nicely sized 4.5-inch 760 x 1280 display a good option for those not yet ready to accept something up nearer the 5-inch range.

The Lumia 920 also features dual cameras (8.7MP and 1.3MP), a whopping great 32GB of onboard storage space for your photos and media, plus support for all of the key UK 4G bands is in for future-proofed connectivity.

It's been beaten now by the Nokia Lumia 925 - so we'll be updating this list as and when we get to compare the two.

BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Q10 review

If you want traditional QWERTY BlackBerry hardware to accompany your futuristic 4G data speeds, there's only one choice -- the new Q10.

The phone looks like your usual old BB with its chunky keyboard and landscape display above, but comes with the updated BB10 OS for adding a bit more style to proceedings.

The phone also includes NFC support, for transferring mobile data rather more slowly over distances of a couple of centimetres, should that ever really become a thing people want to do.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Skype's users like it a lot, and when the Microsoft deal was announced in 2011 they had three key concerns.

One, that Microsoft would cut off support for non-Microsoft platforms; two, that Microsoft would shove it into every conceivable Microsoft product whether it fit or not; and three, that Microsoft would find some way to screw it up.

They needn't have worried. Rather than absorb Skype into its Borg-like embrace, Microsoft decided to keep Skype as a separate division - and that perhaps prevented Skype from doubling down on Windows to the exclusion of all other platforms.

In addition to Windows platforms there are clients for Macs and Linux, iOS, Android and BlackBerry, compatible home entertainment devices and phones and even the PlayStation Vita. Windows does appear to get the most attention, but other platforms are still being actively supported: the Mac client was updated in March and the Linux one in November, with the iOS app getting an update this month.

• Skype turns 10: how the video star changed communication forever

Skype's user numbers have grown from 170 million at the time of the acquisition to 300 million earlier this year. Windows Live Messenger, which Skype was bought to replace, had dropped from a peak of 300 million to around 100 million in 2011.

Did Microsoft pay too much?

Skype's users spend 2 billion minutes per day on the service, and according to research from market analysts TeleGeography, Skype usage is equivalent to one-third of all the world's telephone traffic. That research was prior to Skype's replacement of Windows Live Messenger earlier this year, so those numbers should be considerably higher now.

As for shoving it into Microsoft's own products, Skype was acquired to replace the aged and ailing Windows Live Messenger, and it's largely gone where you would expect: it connects with the Microsoft Lync enterprise messaging platform, is available in Outlook.com, is installed by default in Windows 8.1 and takes advantage of the Xbox One's Kinect camera - although you won't be able to Skype on the Xbox One unless you pay for an Xbox Live Gold account.

The big question is whether Microsoft overpaid, and the answer is simple: of course it did. $8.5 billion - 32 times Skype's operating profit - was much, much more than Skype was worth, with Steve Ballmer betting that Skype's long-term growth would justify paying what most analysts agreed was four times Skype's value. The numbers are improving - the Skype division's revenues (not profits) are up to $2 billion compared to Skype's $800 million in 2011, although the newer numbers also include Lync - but it'll be a while before Microsoft gets its money back.

However, the acquisition wasn't just about monetising Skype's users. Buying Skype was also a defensive move, designed to fend off competition from Google and Cisco in the enterprise markets, and to give Microsoft a key player in the mobile Voice over IP market - a market that's still very much in its infancy, and one where Microsoft has been taking baby steps.

The long term vision is for Microsoft to be the hub of your voice and video communications, no matter what device you happen to be using, and Skype is a crucial part of that.

What's next for Skype?

There may be a cloud on the horizon, however. In July, Steve Ballmer announced a major reorganisation: "we are rallying behind a single strategy as one company - not a collection of divisional strategies," he wrote.

Skype will become part of a new Applications Group alongside Office and Bing, and Skype president Tony Bates is off to take charge of developer relationships and evangelism. If Skype owes its current success to its arms-length relationship with Microsoft, then the One Microsoft policy could prove to be its undoing.

• Now read Skype turns 10: how the video star changed communication forever

Source : techradar[dot]com

IFA 2013 is less than a week away, so it's no surprise that talk of the now-confirmed Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch is heating up.

A new report from AmongTech, quoting sources at the Samsung Warehouse in Texas, brings us a load of new specs we might be seeing in a few days.

To start off, the 2.5-inch OLED display we'd heard about is reiterated here, apparently with a 320x320 resolution.

The watch will reportedly pack 10 hours of battery life, a dual core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.

Android Jelly Bean is said to be on board, although the exact version is not specified and we'd imagine it'll be fairly stripped-back, while an accelerometer and Bluetooth 4.0 are also set to feature.

One big thing that differs on these specs is the camera, which is now said to be 4 megapixels and capable of 720p capture - much better than the 2MP affair we've been hearing about.

Lee Young-hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business, recently confirmed that Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy Gear on September 4 at its Unpacked event in Berlin.

Note the date

We're also hearing that Samsung may be releasing the Galaxy Note 3 in Taiwan on September 27, three weeks after the big reveal.

This isn't hugely surprising as Samsung tends to release its devices soon after their announcement. Pre-orders are supposedly set to begin on September 16.

Young-hee also confirmed that we'll see the Note 3 on September 4. The device will touch down with a 5.9-inch OLED display, as revealed by Samsung's head of mobile, J.K. Shin.

• Everything we already know about the Samsung Galaxy Gear

Source : techradar[dot]com

Experiencing some weird iOS 7 behaviour today? You're not alone - a number of users of the iOS 7 beta are reporting that their phones have bricked completely, forcing them to step back to iOS 6.

Apple is currently refusing to say what's happening outright, but it seems to be a case of cracking down on non-developers who have installed iOS 7 via a developer friend's account.

A lot of people reporting the problem had beta 3 installed at the time and others with later versions don't seem to be experiencing the same problem, so it could just be the third iteration that's programmed to lock phones down.

Beta woes

However some developers have also come across the same outage. If you're a developer, you can fix the problem by logging onto your devaccount and upgrading to the iOS 7 beta 6.

The full version of iOS 7 is expected to live alongside the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on September 10.

Experiencing iOS 7 woes yourself? Let us know by sounding off in the comments below. We'll let you know as soon as we hear more.

• Everything you need to know about iOS 7

Source : techradar[dot]com

It's the day we've all been waiting for - August 29. The day O2 and Vodafone launch their 4G services in the UK to finally give some form of competition to EE, which has been going it alone since October last year.

It's not all good news though, as O2 is initially launching its LTE service in just three cities to start with - London, Leeds and Bradford - while Vodafone is being even more conservative by starting its service off in the capital only.

Both Vodafone and O2 have committed to bringing their 4G service to a total of 13 cities each before the year is out, but they are still going to be some way off EE which hit the 100 cities and towns milestone - and thus 60% population coverage - yesterday.

• Find out who has the best 4G offering in the UK

More speed, more money

As with EE anyone looking to jump onto O2's or Vodafone's 4G networks will have to stomach the premium cost the networks are attaching to the service, which claims to offer speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.

Of course we're still waiting for one more network to join the 4G brigade, and Three confirmed that it would be arriving even later to the party with its service launching in December this year.

Crucially however, Three won't be charging customers any extra for 4G which could well give it an advantage over the trio already peddling it.

If you're not lucky enough to be in one of the cities currently benefiting from 4G then just hold tight, as all four networks will continue to roll out the super fast network to more regions next year, with 98% of the country covered by the end of 2015 - although EE reckons it'll have this done by the end of 2014.

• Fancy a bit of 4G action? Here are our best 4G phones 2013

Source : techradar[dot]com

We've been so mesmerized by the impending train wreck that is BlackBerry lately that we'd almost forgotten it makes smartphones.

Thankfully, we have a reminder today in the form of a quick video claiming to show off the BlackBerry Z30 (you remember that, don't you?) as it's flipped, swiped and bandied about.

This seems to be a fully functioning version of the rumored BlackBerry 10 device. The user shows off its front and back, then activates the phone and takes us on a short tour of its UI.

A sticker on the rear tells of the device's evaluation unit status, and interestingly it reads "Property of Research In Motion Limited." RIM changed its name to BlackBerry in January, however it appears some properties, such as this website, still use the old RIM moniker.

RIM around the rosy

It feels like it's been awhile since we last heard about the Z30, though in reality the handset made another film appearance earlier this month (that video was subsequently pulled).

In that time, we've learned BlackBerry is open to the idea of being bought, among other "strategic alternatives" to survival. On Aug. 27, a report from the Wall Street Journal claimed BlackBerry could spin BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM, into a subsidiary.

It's before this backdrop that the Z30 could be released. The device is rumored to square up with a 5-inch AMOLED screen (larger than the Z10's 4.2-inch display), house a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 2GB of RAM. It may have 16GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera and run BlackBerry 10.2.

As you can see in the video and other leaks have attested to, the Z30 may have five rows of icons instead of the Z10's four.

When will we see the device? Only BlackBerry knows, but it has a lot on its plate right now, so we'll give it some time.

• BlackBerry, BlackBerry - why release a new phone running BB7?

Source : techradar[dot]com

The next-generation iPhone handset(s) may go on sale on 20 September, if reports suggesting T-Mobile employees in the U.S. have been denied time off during that weekend prove accurate.

The U.S.-based Tmo News website said the mobile network has blocked off September 20-22 (a Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as vacation-free times for its in-store employees.

With the iPhone 5S and perhaps the iPhone 5C scheduled to be announced on September 10, that prospective release date ten days later certainly plays into Apple's previous form in this area.

The company always seems holds iPhone releases on a Friday, for the same reason Hollywood movies come out on the same day - to cash in on weekend sales and then boast about the figures.

Plastic fantastic

Meanwhile, speaking of the iPhone 5C, Apple is shopping around for a top class plastics guy, presumably to oversee its less-premium range iOS devices.

According to the posting on the Apple jobs site, the company is looking to hire an "experienced plastic materials engineer" who can "lead the development of new plastic materials and processes."

The successful applicant will work on the iPhone / iPad materials team and have reponsibilities relating to the aesthetic and cosmetic qualities of the devices.

The company is widely expect to launch a more affordable, dare we say cheap, iPhone 5C with a plastic casing, as a means of tackling emerging emerging markets.

Judging by this jobs posting, it appears their work in that area will be a going concern with the company looking to perfect new materials for the lesser devices.

• Are you ready for the gold, sorry champagne, iPhone 5S? Apple is apparently preparing to broaden its available colour spectrum.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Three has got all official on its 4G plans, confirming that the network's roll-out will begin in December 2013.

If you already have a 4G handset and a Three SIM then 4G speeds won't cost you any extra - all you have to do is install a software update from the network to activate it.

Those on monthly plans with all you can eat data won't see any caps imposed on their data limits either, which sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

Money talks

London, Manchester and Birmingham will be the first cities to get the 4G network, with the switch on set to "accelerate" in January bringing 4G access to over 1.5 million customers in the new year.

By the end of 2014, Three intends to have 4G coverage in 50 cities across the UK, and nearly the whole country covered by the superfast connection by the end of the following year. This is thanks to the numerical networking managing to nab some of the 800MHz spectrum to deploy 4G speeds to the rural parts of the British Isles.

Three is a fairly slow horse in the 4G race though, with EE having launched its 4G network back in October 2012, and Vodafone and O2 following suit today.

• Time to ask the question: which is the best 4G network?

Source : techradar[dot]com

With IFA right around the corner, we've heard plenty from Samsung and LG. HTC, however, is keeping itself in the mix, if inadvertently, with a few reports today shedding light on its potential future plans.

Let's start with the hardware: ePrice (Google translated) claimed it picked up the HTC One Max (possibly a production model) destined for Chinese telecom company Unicom.

This is a dual-SIM variant, equipped with a removable metal rear casing, external memory card and built-in battery. Conspicuously gaping is a square hole under the camera lens, in the exact spot an earlier leak, also courtesy of ePrice, had same-said opening.

The initial report speculated the space was meant for a fingerprint scanner, and though we're no closer to confirmation, it seems the rumor is gaining some credibility.

ePrice also claimed it handled a Max running the beta of a software interface that included a fingerprint control function in a pull-down shortcut menu, and you can see a fingerprint icon in the image to the left.

Just about everything can be faked in this day and age, so treat the existence of the Max's fingerprint scanner like Big Foot: It may be out there, but we'll have to see it to believe it.

OS yes?

HTC's prints may be on more than a finger reader as the Wall Street Journal also reported the Taiwanese firm is developing its own mobile operating system.

The OS, "according to people familiar with the project," would be geared towards Chinese consumers, meaning we're unlikely to see it on phones outside that country.

HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang is supposedly closely overseeing the OS' development, and it's expected to launch before 2013 clocks out.

While it's not clear at this point what HTC's take on the mobile software system would look like, it is said to feature close integration with China-specific apps, such as Weibo, the Chinese-language microblogging site akin to Twitter.

Smartphones running the China-bound OS are reportedly out in the wild, including in the hands of Chinese officials. The government there has encouraged the development of domestic software systems, according the WSJ, to draw away from Western companies such as Google and Apple.

• HTC needs to get its head on ASAP, so here are a few TechRadar suggestions on how it can do it.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Nokia has announced its latest addition to the feature phone market: the Nokia 515.

The Finnish phone giant knows that there's still plenty of life in the feature phone market and that's why it is still releasing handsets like the Nokia 515 - not everyone cares if their phone has the power to fling furious feathered fowl.

According to Simon Barker, Nokia's program manager, feature phones still make up one half of global handsets sold and Nokia is one of the few manufacturers still chipping away at that crowd.

This doesn't mean that the Nokia 515 is a throwaway device, though, as it is pushing the idea that the phone is one for the style conscious, even going as far as saying it will be a phone that you will be "proud to own."

Light weight

We're not sure how much pride you can take in something that offers just a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD display but it does look half decent and is definitely light - weighing in at just 102.7g and measuring a mere 114 x 48 x 11mm.

Given that it's a feature phone, there's not much to shout about in the way of additional extras. But there is a handy 5MP camera on board, which comes coupled with a voice-guided Self Portrait camera - this was first seen (heard) on the Nokia 301.

There will be a dual SIM variant available as well and the handset is 3.5G compatible. As for memory, there is only 256MB of on-board space, but a microSD card slot is a welcomed addition.

Battery life is decent too, with Nokia quoting up to 10.4hrs (but half that if you're using the 3G).

There's no word on a Nokia 515 release date for the UK or US, but it will be arriving in Russia, Germany, Switzerland and Poland as of next week, for a not-too shabby 115 Euros.

Check out the video below:

Source : techradar[dot]com

Google has slashed the price of its Nexus 4 handset, raising suspicions that it may be queuing up its rumoured successor the Nexus 5.

The healthy price cut sees the 16GB LG made Nexus 4 drop from £279 ($349, AU$399) to £199 ($249, AU$299), while the 8GB version is now £159 ($199, AU$249) - down from £239 ($299, AU$349).

Countries benefiting from the reduction of at least 25% are the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France Germany, Spain and Korea.

Now it's certainly not out of the question that this price drop could well signal the impending arrival of the new Nexus 5, with Google keen to clear out the last of its Nexus 4 stock before the new smartphone hits shelves.

New Nexus 5?

Originally it was thought the Moto X could be the next Nexus device, but clearly that isn't the case after it launched earlier this month.

While LG has apparently ruled itself out of the running as the manufacturer for the successor other reports suggest it's still in with a shout, plus there are rumours the now Google-owned Motorola may be the OEM of choice this time round.

Recent reports peg the Nexus 5 as sporting a screen somewhere in the region of 5-inches, a powerful quad-core processor and running a completely new version of Google's operating system: Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

In terms of a Nexus 5 release date we're still in the dark, but considering this price drop news we're hoping it'll be with us in time for Christmas.

• Is it still worth buying a Nexus 4? Check out our in-depth review

Source : techradar[dot]com

The large Samsung Galaxy Note 3 display almost made it to its expected Sept. 4 announcement without being leaked in high-resolution photos, but the phablet seems to be too big to contain.

The super-sized handset, which may not be for the small-of-hand, purportedly leaked in photos provided by electronics parts seller ETradeSupply.

The photos depict a standalone Galaxy Note 3 screen with an approximately 5.68-inch display when measured diagonally, according to the parts supplier's measurements.

That's even bigger than the already massive Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which released almost a year ago.

What specs are left to reveal?

The Galaxy Note 3 display could very well be 5.68 inches give or take a few tenths of an inch, given ETradeSupply's unofficial measurements of the leaked standalone screen.

Samsung may still have surprises in store for its phablet, with rumors that it will be able to shoot 4K video and contain 3GB of RAM to handle the memory-intense video capturing process.

Questions that remain include whether the company will stick with the often critized plastic house found in its other smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, and if this phone will indeed contain a Exynos 5 globally.

Take note of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launch date, as we should have all of the details about the phablet on Sept. 4.

• Read about the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which is schedule to be announced at the same time.

Source : techradar[dot]com

It seems HTC has yet to figure out how to stopper its many, many leaks, as three separate sources today provided insights into the Taiwanese company's upcoming plans.

First there's the HTC One Max, which rumor has it could drop by the end of the year.

The Chinese site RBMen published an alleged specs sheet for the One Max today, claiming that the phablet will launch with Android 4.3.

The HTC One Max specs sheet also alleges a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip, 5.9-inch 1080p display, 2GB of memory, and an Ultrapixel camera on the back (2.1 megapixels in front).

Pull my fingerprint scanner

Conspicuously absent from that list is the HTC One Max fingerprint scanner that was rumored earlier this month.

An alleged leaked photo of the One Max previously appeared to show a space on the back chassis where a fingerprint scanner would fit snugly, but no scanner is listed in the specs that leaked today.

Today's report is by no means confirmation that the One Max won't have a fingerprint scanner, and either way we may find out by IFA 2013 early next month.

Commenters on Android Community's story claimed that the Chinese-language specs sheet also illuminates external SD card support for the Max, but that could just be for the Chinese variant.

Blue clues

Elsewhere across the web new shots of a blue HTC One emerged, reportedly showing the HTC flagship's alternate hue both deconstructed and in the wild.

The shots come by way of Sina Weibo and Mobile01 (via Engadget).

The blue HTC One was rumored back in May, and again at the beginning of August, but so far has yet to pop up officially.

Whether it will ever pop up in the west is a mystery, but that day could well be approaching.

• Stay up to date on HTC One Max rumors and leaks at TechRadar

Source : techradar[dot]com