The Nexus 5 is going to be the successor to last year's Nexus 4, and from what we know so far, it's going to be made by LG - just like the previous model.

We've seen numerous leaks of and about the device now - we even saw one from a Google promotional video for Android 4.4. KitKat - so we have a very rough idea of what he new Nexus 5 will be like.

If we go by the Nexus line's history, there are a few things we can gather in terms of what the device will feature, or not feature. To start, there typically isn't expandable memory in Nexus devices - whether we're talking tablets or smartphones.

It would be a safe bet to assume that the Nexus 5 won't have microSD support, so we're hoping that 32GB and 64GB options will be available.

Another thing - and this is pretty obvious - is that this upcoming smartphone will be the first to feature the latest version of Android: 4.4 KitKat.

Nexus 5 release date

The Nexus 5 may see a release date around November, much like its predecessor, the Nexus 4. Word is that the Google-powered LG smartphone will see an October announcement with a launch of a few weeks later.

Not surprisingly, we're seeing a lot of the phone getting leaked in the wild, too. Most recently, following an unusual trend of where devices are getting leaked, the Nexus 5 was spotted in a bar.

Moreover, a phone that looks very much like the coming Google phone was spotted at the FCC. The camera hold was as large as the module we've seen in leaked photos, so we suspect that the LG smartphone, labeled as model D820, is actually the Nexus 5.

Nexus 5 inspired by LG G2

Rumor has it that the new Nexus 5 is going to be heavily inspired by the LG G2, which is a good thing. While the hardware isn't as sexy as the HTC One, for example, it is by far the most powerful Android device so far this year.

In terms of specs and raw performance, the G2 is really incredible. Its high-resolution display is amazing, and it has great color and contrast.

The G2's benchmark performance is off the charts, and battery life doesn't seem to suffer at all as a result. We can only hope that the Nexus 5 does take all these elements from the G2, and place the power and volume buttons back where they belong - on the edges of the device.

Perhaps we can also expect that amazing 13MP camera, too, since it performed exceptionally well in most lighting conditions. Judging by the huge module on the back of the Nexus 5, however, we might be in for even more.

Nexus 5 processor and power

We've come to learn that the Nexus 5, which obviously isn't available yet, has destroyed the Samsung Galaxy S4 in benchmark tests.

This isn't a surprise if the Nexus device ends up taking its cues from the LG G2. In our review, the G2 did exceptionally well in benchmark testing.

Rumor is that the Nexus 5 will have a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with 3GB RAM. That's a lot of power and memory under the hood of a smartphone.

One thing we can be sure of is that the new Google phone will give other Android flagships a good run for their money.

Nexus 5 wireless charging

Perhaps it's a novelty for some of you, but wireless charging is very convenient. And it looks like the Nexus 5 will have this feature thanks to a little digging in Android 4.4 KitKat.

It's also more than safe to assume that if a device like the Nexus 5 were to have wireless charging, it will also have NFC.

What isn't clear is whether the charging device or dock is going to be sold as part of the package with the Nexus 5, or if it's going to be a separate accessory. Right now we'll hedge our bets and go with the latter.

Nexus 5 price

Right now it's anyone's guess whether the Nexus 5 will see the same pricing scheme as the Nexus 4. The newer model, if it turns out anything like the LG G2, will be a monster of a device in terms of specs.

Compared to the Nexus 4 the Nexus 5 is shaping up to be a smartphone in a completely new class. And with specs like that, it's hard to imagine that it will get the same pricing treatment that the Nexus 4 did with off-contract rates. Last year's model didn't even have LTE support!

We would expect the newer Google phone to hover around $499 - $699 off contract, and perhaps even higher if Google decides to offer a massive 64GB version.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Not even Ballmer can cry with these numbers. Windows Phone sales were the highest ever in the last three months, accounting for 9.2% of smartphones sold in Europe's five major markets.

That's just the average in Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, according to the numbers from consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel.

Microsoft's mobile operating system has already crossed a double digit sales share in France with 10.8%. In Great Britain it's a solid 12%, which is a head-turning 7% year-over-year increase.

"Windows Phone's latest wave of growth is being driven by Nokia's expansion into the low and mid range market with the Lumia 520 and 620 handsets," said Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar.

"These models are hitting the sweet spot with 16 to 24 year-olds and 35 to 49 year-olds, two key groups that look for a balance of price and functionality in their smartphone."

Windows Phone vs iOS vs Android sales

Microsoft is actually closing the gap between Windows Phone and iOS in some countries.

It's sales share in Germany, for example, is just one percentage point behind iOS.

Android still dominates smartphone sales throughout Europe, maintaining a 70.1% market share. But the report stated that its "dominant position is increasingly threatened" by Windows Phone and iOS growth.

"After years of increasing market share, Android has now reached a point where significant growth in developed markets is becoming harder to find," noted Sunnebo.

"Android's growth has been spearheaded by Samsung, but the manufacturer is now seeing its share of sales across the major European economies dip year on year as a sustained comeback from Sony, Nokia and LG begins to broaden the competitive landscape."

The rest of the globe

Windows Phone's popularity surge hasn't caught on everywhere in the world.

In the U.S., for example, Microsoft's mobile OS only accounted for 3% of smartphone sales in the last three months ending in August. That's a year-over-year increase of just 0.4%.

Sales of Windows Phone devices actually declined to a 2.1% share in China, going 2.6% in the wrong direction. But that's because Android was the only mobile OS to see an increase in the country, taking 9.2% more of the pie for a 72.4% share.

Australia was more kind to Microsoft, registering a 6.5% sales share for Windows Phone, an increase of 2.8%, according to the Kantar numbers.

With Windows Phone and Blackberry in switched positions, the new No. 3 could make a move on Apple's sales share in a couple of countries in the coming months.

• Read our LG Optimus L9 review for a 4G budget phone with Android.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Those waiting on the edge of their seats for more HTC One Max news can celebrate today, as long as a completely unsubstantiated rumor of a slightly later HTC One Max release date is enough to satiate.

The latest comes from the Chinese site ePrice, which said late last week that the HTC One Max will launch on Oct. 17.

Previous rumors held that the HTC phablet would launch Oct. 15, so this report is not exactly blowing any minds.

Either way, it's thought that HTC will time the One Max to go out around the same time as Apple's new iPads - and ePrice said it will cost about the same as the Galaxy Note 3, which is rumored near $800 (about UK£550, AU$770).

HTC One Max rumors

The HTC One Max has been the subject of plenty of leaks and rumors.

The device's alleged fingerprint scanner got our attention early on, even before the iPhone 5S was confirmed to have one of its own.

Other HTC One Max rumors have described part of the phone's specs sheet, including Android 4.3, a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip, a 5.9-inch 1080p display, and 2GB of memory

And there have been plenty of pictures.

Pocketnow said on Friday that the HTC One Max recently went through TENAA, the Chinese equivalent of the U.S.'s Federal Communications Commission, another sign that it's coming soon.

• Want a fingerprint scanner now? Try the iPhone 5S - and read our review right here.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Verizon has the Lumia 928 and the older Lumia 822 up for grabs in its store, but another Windows Phone may be headed to Big Red.

Windows Phone Central claims the Lumia 929 will hit the checkmark carrier's shelves quite soon - Nov. 6 to be exact.

The 929 will supposedly sport a 20MP camera and 1080p 5-inch display costing you around $500 (about £309, AU$535) off-contract.

WPH notes that the 929 release date coincides with the massive Lumia 1520's own launch, a rumored first-time phablet from Nokia that seems to be headed for competitor AT&T in November.

And perhaps a tablet too?

A mysterious tablet may also join the Lumia 929 pretty soon.

An FCC filing shows that a Nokia device called the "RX-114" has been approved - and Engadget noticed the report features LTE bands which can be supported on various carriers, including Verizon.

The Lumia 2520 (formerly known as Sirius) has already made the rumor rounds as Nokia's first tablet and could be the device in question.

We'll find out more quite soon at Nokia's upcoming Oct. 22 Abu Dhabi event especially since a combo of six phones, tablets or whatever might just show up.

• Need to know what phones Verizon has to offer? Check out our list of the latest and greatest here!

Source : techradar[dot]com

Welcome to another game of Apple vs. Samsung, where two of the richest tech companies in the world - and their fans - fight pointless, petty battles and everyone, loses every time.

This time Samsung finds itself on the defensive as Apple fans accuse it of copying the gold iPhone 5S with its gold Galaxy S4.

Samsung revealed the gold Galaxy S4 to the world last week, but the phone was actually announced in the Middle East in late August and launched there before the iPhone 5S was even unveiled - and there lies only part of Samsung's argument.

In fact official the Samsung blog Samsung Tomorrow on Saturday published a non-comprehensive chronicle of its history with gold handsets, the first of which actually dates back to 2004.

All that glitters is at least colored gold

The SamsungMobileArabia Twitter handle sounded off last week about the gold Galaxy S4, pointing out that it went on sale in the UAE 2 days before the iPhone 5S was unveiled.

And according to the company's blog post, Samsung's first gold phones were the Anycall SCH-E470, SPH-E3200 and SPH-E3250 from 2004.

Since then it launched gold-colored phones (some even with real gold) in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013, including the Samsung Galaxy Golden flip phone this year. Not all were widely available (or available at all), but they existed nonetheless.

And the gold Galaxy S4 was launched in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar in September.

There's no indication that this battle will reach a court, since luckily even Apple and Samsung can't trademark a color (yet).

Normally that wouldn't stop fans from fighting the companies' petty battles for them in message boards and comments - but maybe we can put this one to bed, people?

• In the meantime Apple's ramping up production on the gold iPhone 5S due to high demand. Hm - maybe it's onto something after all.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Sony was the first of the big-name manufacturers to launch a new 2013 flagship smartphone back in March, with the Sony Xperia Z, a 5-inch model outwardly rather similar to its new Z1.

The Xperia Z beat the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 to market, offering a quad-core processor, 1080p display, 13 megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM, and water and dust resistance. It was awesome. And still is, seeing as so little time has passed since it arrived.

But now there's a new Sony flagship for the autumn/winter season, in the large, glossy shape of the Xperia Z1. There's a more powerful processor inside, a higher-spec camera and a new metal chassis, but it's still recognisably related to the older Z, both in design terms and the software it runs.

It's a premium model too, with the Z1 currently being sold direct from Sony for a stonking great £599, the price you pay for a metallic, 5-inch machine, powered by what's generally agreed as being the fastest and most capable mobile processor available today. Given the Xperia Z's only seven months old and was no slouch, is there really a need for the Z1 upgrade so soon after?

As with the Xperia Z, the Z1's 5-inch screen displays at full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. The key upgrades here are hidden inside, with the Z1 powered by a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.2GHz and backed up by the same 2GB of working RAM as the Z, plus an upgraded aluminium chassis that rounds off the sharp edges of the Z in favour of a gentler, colder, metallic feel. The headline feature is the 20.7 megapixel camera sensor, on paper a vast upgrade over the 13MP unit inside the older Z.

As with the Xperia Z, the Z1 is certified to IP standards for dust and water resistance, so ought to be 100 per cent impervious to the more mundane threat of pocket fluff. Indeed, the phone's ports -- microSD, USB and micro-SIM -- are all hidden behind rubber stoppers, to keep water, dust and fluff at bay. The Z1's 3.5mm headphone jack is open to the elements on the top-left corner of the phone, so Sony's done a bit of useful work here to waterproof that and do away with the rubber stopper.

We thought the addition of a flap over the USB connector would be a textbook first-world problem causing frustration on a daily basis, but no. It pops out easily. It pops back in easily. It's a second and a half worth investing each day in return for a fully waterproof phone.

Holding the Sony Xperia Z1 is a treat to the senses too, as the Z1 features a full glass exterior as well as a smooth, featureless and button-free front. The back's so shiny you could mistake it for a display, albeit a broken display that's stuck showing the Sony logo in the middle.

Sony's designers have ensured that the Z1's plastic sides extend by a fraction of a millimetre over the phone's glassy rear. This acts as a shock absorber and means the glass should be protected from casual tosses onto hard surfaces - although we've scratched the back a little already. But that was probably from chucking it in the sea to check its water resistance, so we have only ourselves to blame.

It feels big and wide, although thanks to also being rather tall as well it manages to balance pretty nicely in the hand. It's also cool to the touch, with the aluminium sides giving your hand the odd chill when it's been out on a table for a while.

Sony's also stuck with its idea of putting the power button on the side of the phone a little above the middle, meaning it's easy to find and naturally appears where your fingers tend to sit when holding a phone of this size.

But being so slim and smooth has you worrying. Putting it in a pocket makes you stress that it's so slick it's surely only a matter of time before it somehow works itself up and out onto the floor. But that's not happened to us yet. We are probably just worrying too much. It encourages you to worry, as it's such a large lump of a phone you're always aware of its presence.

Thanks to the positioning of the power button it is just about possible to use the Xperia Z1 in one hand. It's not entirely comfortable to hold, though, as the angular slab design and glass back has you panicking that it's a very droppable item. Your fingers end up seeking out the docking port as the only gripping spot, as that's the only feature on the left-hand side of the Z1 that isn't completely smooth and flush.

The front... no, wait, this is the back. The back looks like the front. It's all glass and smooth, although we suspect it's not made from stuff as tough as that which covers the front, as a fair few tiny scratches have developed in a little over a week of use.

The right-hand edge features the microSIM card tray - which can be pulled out with a fingernail - power button, volume up/down toggle and the camera shutter button, the latter of which can be used to open up the camera by holding it down for a second or so.

The SIM tray is peculiar, housing an impossibly flimsy piece of plastic that's used to insert the SIM, which is so thin it's bordering on paper-like. If you're a regular SIM-swapper it'll be a nightmare, as this teeny holder is definitely one of the few weak spots in the Z1's design.

The left-hand side has the microSD slot and USB connectors, which sit above the docking station pins, while the bottom edge is all speaker grill. It's not the best place for a speaker as, what with this being such a huge phone, you often end up supporting it with a finger or thumb while using it - blocking or at least changing the level of the audio when simply adjusting your grip. Not a massive flaw, but a minor annoyance all the same.

The bottom of the display is allocated for Android's software buttons, which are presented here in standard Back, Home and the Recent Apps multitasking button. There's enough chin beneath the display to ensure these software buttons aren't too low down the Z1's body, again helping to make one-handed use a little easier. No mean feat when dealing with a 5-inch monster.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The state of the PC industry was summed up this week in an internal meeting at Microsoft, where it was revealed that the Nokia Lumia 520 is the biggest selling Windows device on the market at the moment.

The budget-friendly smartphone, according to Softpedia, is the most popular Windows device going, with its sales outgrowing that of any other Windows-based tablet, PC or laptop.

Although there were no official figures stated in the meeting, given the amount of advertising spend on Microsoft Surface and Windows 8, it is interesting to see a cheap phone surpass Microsoft's own hardware and software offerings – although the low cost will definitely have a factor towards the Lumia 520's popularity.

It will also give Microsoft some peace of mind that its buyout of Nokia should reap dividends for the company – a company that gave outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer the 'time of his life'.

More blips!

Here are more bliptastic blips that Nok all other news out of the park:

• Ctrl+alt+delete was a huge mistake, says Bill Gates
• Stay out of royalty-riddled minefields with YouTube's new music library
• Popular Science kills online comments because they're 'bad for science'

Source : techradar[dot]com

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have touched down with more LTE love than ever, but O2's 4G network was missing from the lineup of networks offer the super fast speeds on the new handsets from launch.

But that's now changed, with O2 customers able to hop onto 4G on their flashy new iPhones starting today.

But hold your horses. In order to enjoy the speedier speeds you'll need to update your carrier settings, which you can do by connecting the phone to Wi-Fi or iTunes.

Your iPhone will then be able to support the 800mhz band on which O2's 4G runs.

Double time

Needless to say, you'll also have to be in an area that's actually covered by O2's 4G. So that's London, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Sheffield and Nottingham.

Those of you in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool, Glasgow or Manchester can also expect to be covered by the end of the year.

• Still not sure which one's right for you? Go read our extensive reviews of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

Source : techradar[dot]com

A network in France has decided that the world needs to now a little more about Android 4.3 updates, which will be of most interest to those eyeing the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

French carrier SFR has published a table of when the updates will be landing in France, and corroborates information that's been leaking out from around the world when it comes to Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.3 updates - as well as some info on the HTC One as well.

With Android being far more open than iOS on the iPhone 5S, device updates have to go through a few levels of testing, from Google to OEMs, and then onto the networks. Being the final link in the chain, network update plans should be the most accurate.

SFR even goes so far as to confirm that the update should be pushed out OTA, with it also being available on Samsung's KIES software, for the Galaxy devices.

Unfortunately for those on the older Note 2 and Galaxy S3, details are a bit sketchier, although these updates will be pushed out before the year is out, with November being touted.

Canadian updates to follow suit

Galaxy devices in Canada should also be updated before the 2013 death knell is sounded, with MobileSyrup reporting that the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 will all be updated in one go this November.

There is, as yet , no official word about when the update will hit the Galaxy S4 Active, S4 Zoom or S4 Mini, if at all.

Amongst other things, the Android 4.3 update brings support for Bluetooth LE, required for compatibility with Samsung's smart watch, the Galaxy Gear.

Via IntoMobile and Phandroid

Source : techradar[dot]com

New details about the Nexus 5 have surfaced thanks to a leaked log file of Android 4.4 KitKat running on the device, where it's expected to make its debut.

The screenshots, leaked by Myce, show a bunch of new details about the 'Hammerhead', which is believed to be the Nexus 5's code name.

This includes information that the Nexus 5 will have a resolution of 1920 x 1080, but even more interesting is the suggestion that the phone will offer wireless charging.

It's a tasty, tasty future

There's even a cheeky reference to Key Lime Pie, which was set to be the name of the next update before Google shook hands with the chocolate maker.

The entire log file contains 1330 000 lines of code and has a build date of September 15, but as it contains some personal details we won't be seeing the whole lot posted.

According to Nestle, KitKat should be touching down in October. The Nexus 5, meanwhile, recently made an appearance in some rather impressive benchmark tests.

• Here's everything we know about Android 4.4 KitKat

Source : techradar[dot]com

The Huawei Ascend P6 represents the Chinese smartphone manufacturer's biggest attempt yet to join the Android elite. It boasts a level of design and a range of quietly innovative features that are in many ways worthy of Samsung, HTC, LG and Sony at their best.

Despite this, it's not quite in the same category as the absolute top-spec beasts such as the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4, and Sony Xperia Z. In fact, with its 4.7-inch 720p display and 8-megapixel camera it's closer in raw specs to the likes of the Google Nexus 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Infact the Huawei Ascend P2 features slightly better specs such as a 13MP rear camera, although it's body isn't as premium as the P6's.

Of course, with the phone set to be offered for around £25 per month on contract, the Ascend P6 will also be considerably cheaper than the current top crop. You might even call it an upper-mid range device.

But you get the feeling Huawei is taking a slightly different approach here. With some of its sleek hardware, software design cues and focus on style and functionality over willy-waving specs, the Huawei Ascend P6 appears to be following Apple's lead more than any of the aforementioned Android giants.

It's immediately clear the moment you take it out of its classy, compact white box. The super-slim, squared-off body, flat surfaces and metallic rim are pure iPhone 5 (though the colouring of our black model is closer to the iPhone 4S). It even comes with its own pre-packed 'bumper', but don't worry - we didn't notice any death-grip issues.

That's not to say that the Huawei Ascend P6 is a straight-ahead iPhone knock-off - its rounded bottom edge and subtly textured rear see off that charge.

Unlike the major devices listed above, then, the Huawei Ascend P6 doesn't have a distinctive design language to call its own, but that doesn't mean it isn't a pleasure to hold and to look at.

The handset's sleek design isn't just easy on the eye, either. At a shade under 6.2 mm thick, Huawei is claiming that this is the slimmest smartphone in the world. It's certainly a good 1.4 mm thinner than the iPhone 5 and a whopping 3.1 mm slimmer than the HTC One, which is the closest Android phone to this in terms of premium feel.

At 120g, the Huawei Ascend P6 is also a good 10 grams lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the Google Nexus 4.

All in all,the phone's lightness and slimness, allied to an extremely thin bezel, makes for a rare 4.7-inch smartphone that's viable to use one-handed - provided you have reasonably long flexible fingers, of course.

Going back to that 4.7-inch display, whilst it's 'only' a 720p model - which means it can't compete with 1080p big-hitters like the HTC One for sheer sharpness - it is one of the better examples of its kind.

Colour reproduction is excellent, and you can tweak the colour temperature within the settings menu if you're used to a warmer or cooler display.

There's even a Magic Touch feature that enables you to use the phone with your gloves on, which is a fantastic thing to have when you live in a generally chilly country like the UK.

This should really be in more smartphones by now, but so far it's only really Nokia (although the likes of Samsung and co. are getting on board slowly) that's adopted it with any enthusiasm. Well done Huawei.

In terms of external ports and buttons, Huawei has made some interesting decisions. The power button and volume rocker placement is pretty tradition, up high on the right hand side. In both look and ultra-clicky feel they reminded us of the Asus PadFone 2 equivalents, which is no bad thing.

The most notable thing on the controls front is the lack of physical or capacitive control keys. Rather, Huawei is one of the few third party manufacturers to follow Google's lead and opt for virtual buttons built into the UI (more on which in a moment).

The ports are even more unorthodox. You'll find the microUSB port situated on the top edge of the Ascend P6, which is unusual in itself. But the truly out-there element here is the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is situated right at the bottom of the left hand edge.

That would be odd enough, but then there's the bizarre metal nub-like cover that we initially mistook for a lanyard hook. Once removed, it turns out that it's a small drawing pin-shaped tool for accessing the Ascend P6's SIM and microSD trays.

It looks quite stylish when in place and serves its purpose well when out and in use, but what do you do with this tiny metal object when you're using the headphone socket? Lose it, we suspect.

Still, at least there is a microSD slot present to require such a tool. With a paltry 8GB of internal storage available here, additional memory is sorely needed. For music fans, gamers, and power users 8GB definitely won't be enough, so we're extremely glad that Huawei included a microSD slot - even if accessing it proves a little fiddly.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The Apple rumour mill never sleeps: while we were oohing and aahing at the iPhone 5S and 5C, rumourmongers had already turned their attention to the next event in the middle of October.

iPad 5s! Apple TVs! Fuel-cell powered sexbots! Maybe even an iWatch! Many and perhaps even most of the predictions will turn out to be bobbins, but how can you tell which bits of smoke have fire?

Allow us to help.

Consider the source

That's sometimes harder than it should be in these days of everyone reporting the same thing, often without attribution. But a bit of digging can usually find the source of a specific rumour - and if it turns out to be slideshows4pageviews.com or worse, Digitimes, then it's a good idea to take that one with a pinch of salt.

Conversely, if The Wall Street Journal quotes the usual "people familiar with the matter", then Tim Cook's been on the phone.

Is an event imminent?

The closer to a final release Apple gets, the leakier its supply chain becomes - so apparent spy shots of an iPad 5 taken three days before the iPad 5 event are probably real, whereas ones 'leaked' six months in advance are usually renders.

Is it a render?

Renders are like movie stars: unrealistically good-looking, disconnected from reality and made entirely in Photoshop. Drawing pretty things is relatively easy when you don't have to worry about how to build it or get all-day battery life out of it. The drawings might as well be robot unicorns.

Is the timescale realistic?

Let's say Apple hires an expert in fitness peripherals. Maybe it hires a whole team of them, and sixty watch experts, and opens a building called Jony's Secret iWatch Treehouse.

That doesn't mean you'll get an iWatch at the next Apple keynote. An iWatch, if it even exists, won't go from concept to keynote in six weeks: iPad prototypes were kicking about eight years before the device actually shipped.

See also: Apple patent applications, which Apple files whether it plans to make them or not.

Does the site know what words mean?

"Confirmed!" should mean that the news source has received confirmation of a story from an official or at least a credible source. It does not mean "man on internet thinks it's likely", even if - or especially if - that person is an industry analyst.

Are you getting deja vu?

In 2011, analyst Gene Munster said that Apple would release a TV. It didn't. He said it'd do it in 2012. It didn't. He said it again in 2013, and now his "conviction is high for a television in 2014." That's not predicting. That's guessing!

Is the rumour utterly ridiculous?

For our news editor Kate Solomon, the last straw was the iRing rumour, which typified the very worst of Apple rumour-mongering: it was "a five-year-old concept design dreamt up by someone who does not work for Apple, who has no connection to Apple, who, it is entirely possible, has never even seen an Apple product. But then - then - it was cemented by an analyst." Cemented by an analyst!

Has Samsung already done it?

We don't need to explain this one, do we?

Has Jim Dalrymple said "yup" or "nope"?

Jim Dalrymple of The Loop is famously well-informed about Apple and if he yups or nopes your favourite rumour, that's the end of it.

Then again...

One of the reasons we pay attention to Apple rumours is because sometimes, they're right. Earlier this year, TUAW.com took great delight in panning multiple Apple rumours that said Apple was working on a sapphire crystal capacitive fingerprint sensor for the iPhone 5S. Oops!

• An Apple product that actually exists: iPhone 5S reviewed

Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple is the type of company that loves to do things differently, but soon that could become illegal in Europe where phone chargers are concerned.

A committee within the European Union Parliament voted unanimously this week to create a law that requires all phone makers to use the same type of charger. Tablet chargers could be affected as well.

The internal market and consumer protection committee said the law will cut down on waste from unused chargers, but given Apple is one of the last phone makers not using micro-USB it's clear who would be most affected.

The proposal still needs to pass the European Council and be approved by Parliament before the law can be created, so it will still be some time before anything changes (if it ever does).

Lightning round

Apple introduced its much-hyped Lightning connector with the iPhone 5 in 2012, and it's become the standard for Apple devices since then.

The Lightning connector replaced the 30-pin plug that was in use on Apple products for nine years.

The Lightning connector is easy to use because it can be plugged in no matter which side is facing up. It also has a smaller footprint, and it charges devices and transfers data more quickly than the old connector.

But it made loads of old iPhone and iPod accessories incompatible with newer Apple devices, irritating plenty of Apple users.

A switch to the standard of micro-USB would likely anger Apple fans further, especially since micro-USB, while nearly universal at this point, is inferior to Lightning in most ways.

Apple has solved this problem in the past with adapters, but if the law goes into effect it could be forced to rethink its strategy.

• The non-standard charger hasn't stopped the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C from becoming Apple's most successful launch ever!

Source : techradar[dot]com

Unconvinced by the Samsung Galaxy Gear, but still want a wrist accoutrement to work in tandem with your smartphone? Well, Sony's SmartWatch 2 can now be strapped on in the UK and parts of Europe.

The Android-based device, announced in June this year, is now on sale for £149 (about US$240, AUS$258) with a rubber wristband or £169 (around US$272, AUS$292) with a fancy metal strap.

The release of the touchscreen device also sees the launch of a new accompanying smartphone app from the Google Play Store.

The SmartWatch 2 SW application, which is a free download, will enable the wearable accessory to play nice with other Android smartphones via Bluetooth.

Waiting for an iWatch

The launch of the SmartWatch 2, which is water resistant and brings NFC connectivity, gives users even more choice in an increasingly densely populated space in the tech world.

Since the arrival of the original, and largely unsuccessful SmartWatch, the Pebble Smartwatch has hit the market following a phenomenally successful Kickstarter campaign.

Earlier this month, Samsung really placed the four legged feline among the somewhat annoying flying rats by launching its Galaxy Gear. That device also went on sale this week.

However, the one most likely to shape the future of the sector, the rumoured Apple iWatch, is yet to make its presence known, with time running out for a pre-2014 launch.

You can check out Sony's latest offering in the YouTube clip below

Source : techradar[dot]com

The moment HTC One users have been waiting for is almost here: Android 4.3 updates for the Android flagship are finally going out.

But right now only the unlocked, international version of the HTC One is being updated to Android 4.3, and the carrier-specific updates won't be out as soon as we expected them.

HTC America President Jason Mackenzie said on Wednesday that the update would be out soon, but today he tweeted otherwise.

"Unlocked out! Carrier skus coming, but will slightly miss 9/30," he wrote.

Soon…soon!

Previous word was that the HTC One would receive its Android 4.3 update by the end of September, but the update has been delayed. By how much is uncertain.

On Wednesday HTC spokespeople said the HTC One's Android 4.3 update was being certified on U.S. networks and "in progress" in Europe and the U.K.

In addition, it seems the update may have begun rolling out on HTC's home turf in Taiwan as early as Tuesday.

The irony is it may not be long after that that Android 4.4: KitKat, the next major update, arrives on the scene, and HTC One owners will have something else to pine over.

Android 4.3: all the latest

Mackenzie said on Wednesday that Android 4.3 brings "the latest Sense" experience to the HTC One, so it seems the phone's UI is being updated.

The update is also expected to fix the HTC One's camera issues, improving performance in low light environments.

A battery percentage indicator during charging is also being added.

Android 4.3 brings a number of other improvements and new features as well, so check out TechRadar's full rundown for more.

• TechRadar rated the HTC One number one on its list of the best phones available now!

Source : techradar[dot]com

As a journalist, you're meant to stand by your convictions. But I'm about to do an amazingly blatant u-turn. Despite writing last week about how much I've been looking forward to getting my hands on an iPhone 5S, I've done the unthinkable in the eyes of many Cupertino disciples.

I've cancelled my pre-order. That's right. Who cares? Keep your 64GB of self-righteous goodness to yourself. I'm going large.

When it comes to people, the fact they come in all shapes and sizes is brilliant... and I've become rather entranced by a larger model myself. Her name? The Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

I may have cheated on you, Android, but I didn't get physical with the iPhone 5S. I promise. It was just lust. We never even got to touch. She was too elusive.

Flabby phablets

I've used the Note phablets before. I know they're not to everyone's taste. They're big. Very big. There's no getting away from that and I'll be the first to say I was sceptical.

Who on earth would want a device this size with a flashy stylus? Erm… That would be me now.

It's amazing how attitudes have changed. Ten years ago, mobile makers were on a mission to get as tiny as possible. The Nokia 3210 was considered small for its time (remember, size is relative. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...) but it got shrunk out by the Nokia 3310. And then the Nokia 8210 and 8310.

I'm only mentioning Nokia here because back then, there really was no serious competition. Motorola was in second place and its devices were hardly small. Ironically, Samsung was yet to launch. And when it did with the dual-screen A3001, it had a teeny size and novelty on its side. But that was it. It was rubbish.

Fast forward and so much has changed since the smartphone was 'invented' by Apple. I've actually sat with iPhone-preaching friends who've played with my Galaxy S4, and despite their hatred of Android (stolen product, thermonuclear, etc etc), they do tend to say the same thing each time: "Oh yeah, but I do love the size of the screen. I wish Apple would do this." Take Note, Tim Cook.

Maxed out clout

The question though is, where will it end? Looking at the specs, given what we now do with a phone or a phablet, the power is starting to max out. Add any more grunt and you probably wouldn't notice it.

But what about size? Sony prefers big too. It's launched the Ultra, and pretty soon HTC and LG will have joined the oversized smartphone party, crashing through the front door with a half drunk bottle of plonk and begging for acknowledgement.

Will these things keep on growing and growing until they can't get any bigger? Remember that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is eight inches and that too can make phone calls. You really would look like a prize turnip doing that, but it's an interesting thought.

I wasn't on board with the Note. The Note 2 only made me feel a little warmer. So why on earth should the Note 3 suddenly swing my head from the beauty of the iPhone 5S?

I can't really answer that... and that's why I love smartphones, the pure idiocy of fanboyism. Just know that if you see me clasping a Galaxy Note 10.1 to my head and shouting at it, you have my permission to call my mother. I'll need all the help I can get.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Nearly seven years after first showing off the iPhone to the world, a key Apple photo gallery patent has been invalided in Germany - and Cupertino has no one to blame but Steve Jobs himself.

Foss Patents reported Thursday that Germany's Bundespatentgericht Federal patent court sided with Samsung and Motorola Mobility by effectively invalidating the iPhone maker's famous "bounce-back effect" in that country.

The patent in question, EP2059868, is described as being used on a "portable electronic device for photo management" - or more specifically in this case, the iPhone's built-in Photos app.

As fate would have it, Apple's rivals were able to use the most incriminating piece of evidence they could possibly come up with: The ghost of Steve Jobs.

Grace period

Despite the late Apple CEO's insistence "boy, have we patented it!" during the original iPhone keynote in January 2007, it turns out a 12-month grace period Americans enjoy when filing for new inventions doesn't exist overseas.

While the keynote video in question cannot be used as prior art in a U.S. patent dispute, European courts are far more restrictive, making an inventor's own public demos fair game if they're dated before an application is filed.

The 2007 keynote demo featuring Jobs was shown in court Thursday, leaving the judge little choice but to temporarily invalidate the patent until Apple's legal team can come up with other ways to challenge Samsung and Motorola's claims.

It's important to note the invalidation isn't yet an official ruling - Samsung still has to come up with other prior art since the keynote video falls within Germany's six-month "Neuheitsschonfrist" (novelty grace period) that can be used to protect such public disclosures.

• Dig into our review of the new Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus!

Source : techradar[dot]com

The rumours were true: Beats Electronics is buying back all its shares from HTC for $265 million (around £165m / AU$284m).

The Dre-owned audio specialist still plans to work with HTC as a partner, but neither company is willing to explain why the official link-up failed to work out.

HTC bought up 50% of Beats' shares as well as a generous slice of cool-factor two years ago, announcing the partnership at a star-studded, Lady-Gaga-attended party in London town. Will.i.am was there too, of course, which just goes to show.

But the glitz faded quickly and HTC sold Beats 25% of its shares back last year.

More than mobile

Beats has its sights set on more than just mobile phone audio, after all: its headphone range is much beloved by kids these days and it has its eye on music streaming with Daisy set to in the next few months.

HTC, meanwhile, could use the $265m cash injection after a rocky couple of years' financial results.

• It may have forgotten about Dre, but HTC still has the world's best phone on its books - check out our HTC One review

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 now Vodafone and O2 have launched their new high-speed 4G networks, 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.

• Already got a 4G-ready phone? Find out which is the best 4G network

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.

iPhone 5S

iPhone 5S review | Compare iPhone 5S deals

The iPhone 5S isn't as tricky as the iPhone 5 because, along with the iPhone 5C, it supports the most 4G bands of any smartphone currently on the market. This means it will happily play with any 4G network here in the UK.

It's not all plain sailing though, as O2 still needs to do some work to its 4G service before the iPhone 5S will work on its superfast network, although we're told this will be sorted "soon".

Meanwhile over at Vodafone and EE all is well with the 5S, and Three tell us Apple's latest flagship will also play nicely with its 4G when it's launched in December.

As for the phone itself, the iPhone 5S isn't an enormous update over the previous models, but Apple has managed to squeeze a faster A7 processor inside the chassis, along with an updated camera module and a nifty fingerprint scanner hidden under the home button.

HTC One

HTC One review | Compare HTC One deals

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 peddling the super fast connection.

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 S4

Samsung Galaxy S4 review | Compare Samsung Galaxy S4 deals

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.

It's not just good marketing either, the Galaxy S4 is an excellent handset in its own right and while it may be trumped by the HTC One it's still worth a look.

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 on EE, Vodafone and O2.

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia Lumia 925 review | Compare Nokia Lumia 925 deals

Nokia's latest Windows Phone 8 model isn't to be sniffed at just because it's not running iOS or Android, it's a decent handset with some great features and a premium build which goes hand in hand with the premium price you'll pay for 4G.

It's main attraction, and you may have spotted it in the TV adverts, is its 8.7MP camera which Nokia boasts produces the best low light pictures around - and we're inclined to agree.

The Windows Phone interface is slick and provides something very different from the Apple and Google offerings, plus support for all the key UK 4G bands means the Lumia 925 is future-proofed connectivity wise.

BlackBerry Z10

BlackBerry Z10 review | Compare Blackberry Z10 deals

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.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia Lumia 1020 review | Compare Nokia Lumia 1020 deals

The camera is the obvious winner here. While 41MP seems like overkill for a smartphone, it does have its benefits. Images are sharper at larger sizes, and the 5MP photos are crisper than you'd normally find on any other 5MP or even 8MP smartphone camera.

To top it off, battery life is pretty good on the Lumia 1020, so that should give you confidence when leaving home without a charger or battery pack.

You can pick the Lumia 1020 up from O2, Three, EE and Vodafone, with 4G supported on all networks which offer the superfast connection.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review | Compare Galaxy S4 Mini deals

If all these fancy smartphones are just too big for your dainty little hands then fear not, for 4G also comes in smaller packages and one of those is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini.

Borrowing the styling from its big brother the S4 Mini comes in at a cheaper price point but still packs a decent punch for a mid-range mobile.

A bright screen and capable camera make the S4 Mini an attractive proposition and its broad 4G prowess means its available from EE, O2 and Vodafone.

BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Q10 review | Compare Blackberry Q10 deals

If you want traditional QWERTY BlackBerry hardware to accompany your futuristic 4G data speeds, there's only one choice (well actually there's two now thanks to the BlackBerry Q5) -- the 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. Oh and it'll work on EE, O2 and Vodafone - phew.

iPhone 5C

iPhone 5C recview | Compare iPhone 5C deals

Like the 5S, the iPhone 5C provides the widest range of 4G band support out of any phone, so you won't have to worry about compatibility issues - that is unless you're on O2.

Grab the iPhone 5C on Vodafone and EE and you'll be enjoying 4G from the word go, but O2 is yet to get its 4G house in order for the new iPhones, lumping customers with a 3G connection for now - but a fix is "coming soon".

The iPhone 5C is a bit of an odd handset. It's plastic body, yet slick operation should see it compete with the likes of the One Mini and Galaxy S4 Mini, but it's premium price tag means it prices itself closer to the big brothers - both of which have more features. It does come in some bright colours though.

HTC One Mini

HTC One Mini review | Compare HTC One Mini deals

Another "mini" 4G handset to break into the ranks is the HTC One Mini, arriving on EE and O2 - but currently shunned by Vodafone.

Would we recommend the One Mini? Absolutely. We love the aluminium shell, the UltraPixel camera and BoomSound speakers.

You also get to play with the latest version of Android as well as all the cool apps like the Music Player, which show lyrics to songs as they're playing.

Source : techradar[dot]com