The temperatures were rapidly approaching triple digits in New York City on Tuesday, but even blistering heat couldn't deter Microsoft from bringing its flagship video game franchise to its mobile devices.

Announced in June, Halo: Spartan Assault will mark the first entry on tablets and smartphones for the series when it launches on all compatible Windows 8 devices this July.

Though it will be arriving on PCs at some point in the future, Microsoft has been rather coy about a specific release date for the game, with the exception of revealing limited exclusivity at Verizon when the $6.99 ( UK£4.60, AUS $7.25) app launches later this month.

In anticipation of the title's impending availability, Microsoft invited a select group of attendees to its Halo Reinvented event, giving most of the guests their first look at Halo: Spartan Assault.

Perfect fit

To this point, the Halo franchise has largely been a console-only experience, so the jump to mobile came as a bit of a surprise to longtime fans and more casual players.

On the various Xbox consoles, Halo has been a proven seller, capable of moving copies and systems year after year, but the Windows 8 marketplace doesn't quite have the same reach.

Despite that lack of embedded audience, Microsoft's Surface and Windows Phone teams seem confident the app will appeal to plenty of players.

"There's a million things people buy a Surface to do," said Surface product manager Dan Laycock.

"For those that buy it for gaming, we think Halo is a perfect fit."

After a few minutes playing with the both versions of Spartan Assault, fit was all we could think of when using the Surface Pro.

The larger screen made it a bit easier to manage the touch-screen twin-stick shooter controls, and offered a better viewing area unobstructed by our hands.

Of course, those consumers who believe in a unified ecosystem, the Windows Phone version plays well enough (save for the tighter play space), and your progress can be saved to the cloud to be resumed on any device when you resume play.

Allied assault

Halo: Spartan Assault wouldn't have been possible without various Microsoft teams working in tandem to bring the incredibly popular franchise to the Windows brand.

343 Industries' franchise manager Kevin Grace was on hand at the event, and discussed a bit about how each team helped realize the completed version of Halo: Spartan Assault.

"The Windows Mobile and Surface teams proved invaluable, as we had to try and cram what Halo fans are used to on a big screen onto some little, bitty screens," Grace said.

Spartan Assault is definitely a different Halo than fans are used to, as its top-down perspective is a major change from the standard first-person view.

Still, Microsoft clearly believes the brand will do great things for its Windows mobile devices in spite of how different the overall experience is from the core title.

"We expect the fact that [Halo: Spartan Assault] is available exclusively on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 to benefit the platform," said Windows Phone product manager Greg Sullivan.

How easy the game is to pick up and play should bode well for its chances of success, but whether or not it can be the killer app that elevates the Surface or Windows Phone 8 to greater heights remains to be seen.

No matter what the result, 343 Industries has definitely reinvented Halo, but now it's in the consumers' hands to determine whether or not that's a good thing.

• Could Microsoft's Surface team be developing a new transparent smartwatch?

Apple allegedly will be delaying the rumored iPhone 5S due to unexpectedly low volume production of fingerprint recognition software and LCD driver chips.

Issues rose from the original AuthenTec designed hardware and software leading to reduced yield rates, a source told DigiTimes.

This led to a halt of production by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and packaging by Xintec, both companies that Apple outsources work to.

Chip production should have begun much earlier - late June to early July - but will now be slowed to the end of July.

Dude, where's my iPhone 5S

With assembly on hold, the purported iPhone 5S launch, which was supposed to happen in September 2013, will inevitably be held off to a later date.

This really comes as no surprise however, since there are reports of Apple delays every other week (or day).

• Speaking of those Apple delays...it seems the iPad mini 2 will also make a late appearence

Details of Sony's Xperia i1 "Honami" continue to trickle on to the internet this week as a possible specs sheet and new image appear on a Taiwanese site.

The site, ePrice, published the below image with some new details about the rumored Sony flagship, which is expected to release in Korea by the end of the year.

According to this report, Sony's "Honami" will indeed pack a 20-megapixel camera sensor, just like previous rumors claim.

In addition to that the new Xperia handset is said to sport a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip, Adreno 330 graphics, 2GB of memory, 16GB of storage, microSD, LTE and NFC support, a 5-inch full HD display, a 2-megapixel front camera, and a 3000 mAh battery.

I Spy

The image itself, if legitimate, reveals some interesting things about the Honami's camera.

Specifically, the Sony G Lens branding is visible next to the camera and LED flash. G Lens is Sony's own camera lens glass brand.

The original report also claims that the new Sony flagship will support the BIONZ image processing engine. The engine is usually comprised of a separate sensor, but in this case it's more likely to be a software-only version called BIONZ for mobile, says Xperia Blog. A dedicated camera button is also rumored.

One more things about that image: it seems the Honami could come in white as well as black, the color seen in the previous alleged leak.

Following the Xperia Z

The Xperia i1 Honami will face some stiff competition in Nokia's Lumia 1020, with its 41-megapixel camera.

The phone is being considered a successor to Sony's Xperia Z, its current flagship, and the enlarged Xperia Z Ultra. It's also expected to be highly water-resistant.

Sony may lift the veil off the device at its Sept. 4 press event during IFA 2013 in Berlin.

• Here's why Sony's Xperia i1 Honami could be the next camera phone king.

The recent flurry of news and speculation regarding the forthcoming HTC One Mini seems like the calm before the storm compared to the last couple of days' goings on.

Just yesterday we saw purported leaked photos and specs, while a HTC blog post also alerted the world to little things that pack a big punch. Today we have a purported UK release date.

According to Twitter leakster Vizileaks, the diminutive version of the company's awesome flagship HTC One smartphone will go on sale in Blighty on August 9.

While not quite as prolific as the EVLeaks account, Vizileaks does have previous in this area. The account was the first to alert the world that the Nokia Lumia 1020 would be named as such.

Not that Mini

A UK release date of August 9 would allow HTC to meet the threat of the rival Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini - which is expected to go on sale in the next couple of weeks - head-on.

Monday's leaked spec sheet suggested the device will come packing a 4.3-inch display, making it 'Mini' only by very modern standards.

That screen is rumoured to pack a 720p resolution, while a 1.4GHz dual-core processor is said to be doing the work in the engine room.

It's also set to include the distinctive aluminium unibody and the innovate Ultrapixel camera, both of which helped the senior device become TechRadar's top-rated smartphone on the planet.

Android 4.3 is inevitably headed our way, but while the HTC One might have just been injected with Android 4.2.2, the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2 might have to hold out a bit longer before they see an update.

But don't worry, it's coming. At least that's what a so-claimed insider speaking to Temefy reckons, saying that the 4.3 Jelly Bean update is well underway. And right now the plan is for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 to leap over 4.2.2 to get there.

The report goes on to tell us that the next update for the two handsets will arrive in November or December this year, making it very likely that 4.3 is on the cards.

Delayed droid

Finally, we're told that the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 2 will all be upgradeable to the next major Android overhaul - ie 5.0 Key Lime Pie. However, the release across the devices will be somewhat staggered.

About a month ago we heard that Android 4.2.2 for these devices was to be delayed beyond its expected June/July release date, so we're hardly gobsmacked.

It's all just rumours right now but it does a fair amount of sense if 4.3 is imminent. After all, what's the point of getting 4.2.2 if the next best thing is just around the corner?

While many of us are still waiting for 4G to become available on our network, in our area or just get a bit cheaper, the UK's only carrier to currently offer the service has found that Britain is riding the wave of technology like never before.

TechRadar spoke to EE CEO, Olaf Swantee, to discuss just how switched on, engaged and excited the nation is when it comes to technology.

When asked if it was easy to get staff and the population as a whole energised about the 4G rollout Swantee explained: "It was amazing how quickly people were moving forward, it was really quite exciting, and they continue to do that."

Better than Germany

"The passion in Britain is just incredible, and when you compare that to other markets, for example Germany, it's harder over there," he said.

"In Germany you plan, it takes a long time, but when it motors it motors like a train.

"In the UK you have to kind of get the whole thing moving but then 'boof', everyone suddenly starts moving. That's good, and that's nice."

Infrastructure "unbelievably poor"

It hasn't exactly been plain sailing for the folks over at EE though, with Swantee revealing that the infrastructure they had to work with really wasn't up to much compared with other countries.

"In the UK the digital infrastructure - similar to others such as the airport, rail and energy infrastructures - is really quite poor.

"Especially is you compare them to somewhere like Switzerland, the difference is really quite unbelievable.

"In the UK people use more mobile stuff than in other markets, they are on the internet more than any other European market, they commute more and yet the digital infrastructure was way behind."

Better for Britain

However this meant EE had the space to innovate, unlike some other countries where the technology has already surpassed what we have in the UK,

"I think that in the UK, where the networks weren't as good compared to other markets, it was ideal to innovate with the network.

"If you start innovating with the networks in Korean or Japan it's harder because the network is actually pretty good.

"It's hard to innovate, but I'd say it's more fun and in the long run I think it's a more sustainable business model. If you are able to innovate and show differentiation many of your customers will stay with you."

Britain challenging the world

While the UK may be lagging behind in terms of its 4G service, Swantee believes it's getting to the point where it can start challenging global firms and push them to deliver the latest technology.

"We're working with the ecosystem to drive the latest technology. For the first time I've seen a mobile network operator who is pushing the boundaries of the other firms in the industry.

"We [EE] are pushing device manufacturers, asking where's your device at 150Mbps? We need CAT 4 devices. Qualcomm what are your plans? What are you doing, where is your chipset?

"The same with transmission suppliers, BT, Virgin and others. Microwave suppliers, where are you going beyond 1GB? We may need it in two years, one year, three years, I don't know, but we're working on it now."

So it seems that Britain is climbing its way to the top of the technology tree and if we all keep the passion that Swantee has described then, to borrow a phrase from one of EE's subsidiaries, the future's bright for tech in the UK.

The news that HP may make a return to the smartphone business is refusing to die down and we now have a render to cast our eyes over, although its origins are unclear.

HP hasn't exactly shied away from a potential return to the phone sphere, with the firm's CEO revealing it was working on a smartphone last year. That was followed by similar comments from another exec in February and a senior director earlier this month.

PhoneArena has now got hold of a render which claims to show HP's Android smartphone, but the tipster who passed it over didn't present any information on the device.

In terms of design the handset in the picture appears to borrow its shape from the iPhone 5, while the centralised notification light below the screen is reminiscent of the Nexus 4.

Dock me

No clues were given as to how the tipster came about the render, or how well connected they are so we're taking this leak with a sizable pinch of salt for now.

Another hint that HP is working on mobile solutions has come via a patent application picked up by Patently Apple, which documents an ultrabook with a dock for a mobile phone built into it.

This phone, however, is said to be powered by Windows and not Android allowing it to seamlessly integrate with the computer, suggesting HP may develop handsets to run on Windows Phone as well as Google's offering.

We'll have to wait and see if these ideas really do come to fruition, but we're intrigued as to what HP may be able to offer the already crowed mobile market.

Reports surrounding the next installment in the BlackBerry 10 ecosystem have been doing the rounds recently and the latest leak appears to spill the beans on pretty much every aspect of the BlackBerry A10.

Posted rather nonchalantly by a member of CrackBerry's forum the screengrab in question appears to have been taken from confidential documentation from within the Canadian firm - with the BlackBerry A10 details dated May 23 2013.

According to this particular leak, the A10 will rock up sporting the 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution and dual-core processor which previous reports have alluded to.

We do get a bit more information on both aspects with this latest revelation though, with the info suggesting the processor will be clocked at 1.7GHz and users will also be greeted with a quad-core GPU and 2GB of RAM.

More of the same

It also suggests BlackBerry will plump for OLED screen technology on the A10, although its touted 295ppi would be lower than both the Z10 and Q10 devices.

Other specs the leak supposedly reveals for the BlackBerry A10 include a rear 8MP camera with flash, front 2MP camera, 16GB of internal storage, microSD slot, micro USB and HDMI ports, NFC, DLNA, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and 4G connectivity - so pretty much identical to the two current top phones in BlackBerry's line up.

There's good news for battery fans however with the screenshot suggesting the BlackBerry A10 will pack a 2800mAh power pack into its frame, which will hopefully provide some decent battery life.

The BlackBerry A10 may also signal the next update for the BB10 operating system, with the listing claiming the handset will arrive with version 10.2 of the software - we're currently on 10.1.

We haven't seen any clear indication of when the BlackBerry A10 may touch down, but November has been bandied about so keep your eyes peeled.