When Ransom Olds developed the modern assembly line (a little history lesson to liven up your day), it sparked a revolution of process that we still employ. Ford went on to perfect it, and since the early 20th century, cars and much more have been produced in a near-seamless fashion, all thanks to a change in manufacturing.

I don't know why, but Google's Project Ara has me excited in a way I haven't felt about technology in a long time.

No, scratch that, I do know why. The up-swell in my gut and tingling in my toes must have been what industrialists felt when the first four-wheelers started rolling out off assembly lines; this could change the way we do things forever.

For me, Project Ara isn't so much about the hardware, though there is magic in mixing and matching your phone parts, than it is about revolutionizing the way we produce and access means of communication.

Modern machines

In discussing Project Ara with someone whose opinion on tech I trust, he played advocate for the pre-fab phone, "Why not just buy something that has all the pieces right there [points to his iPhone], and that works?"

His point was fair and it's not like Project Ara and other modular gadgets will do away with integrated, self-contained smartphones forever. That'll never happen.

But the fact that we are so close to having choice, real choice, when it comes to what parts constitute the things that live in our pockets is undeniable. And undeniably exciting.

Google isn't the first or only company working on modular phones, but it's certainly the most prominent. The Advanced Technology and Projects group spearheading the project is quite serious about making modular phones work, and addressed many of the questions surrounding the tech in a recent Time profile.

For the questions it couldn't answer, like how do all the parts keep from scattering when someone drops their Ara on the train, ATAP assured that it's at least considering all the variables real life, not just lab tests, throws a phone's way.

Democracy, now

Still, innumerable question marks remain as to how this will all work, including making the components on a large scale and at a reasonable price. Google is working with a 3D printing firm to develop a system to crank out customized Ara parts, but developing and producing are two very different things.

Perhaps even more pressing, as a Fierce Wireless column from October 2013 addressed, is whether people want modular phones to begin with. Consumers were taken with the Moto X's Moto Maker, but then they were only picking out case colors and accents. Do consumers, not just enthusiasts, actually want to take the time and take on the stress of choosing their phone's nuts and bolts?

I can't answer that question, but I think once Google has a working model, it should sway many minds either way.

At the heart of Ara is the issue that has influenced some major moves lately; how to reach the next billion-plus internet users. Just as Facebook spent a ridiculous amount of money to acquire WhatsApp, Google seems to be going whole-hog on a solution to reach people it hasn't already with cellular technology.

What's more, Ara is about opening hardware in the same way Android has opened software - put it in the hands of the many as opposed to the grip of a few.

The assembly line of Industrial tycoons was about wresting control and turning greater profits for those in charge. Google will be far from a passive and non-profiting owner of Project Ara, but if it can bring more choice to consumers and more opportunity to get in the game to developers who want to make phone components, I say more power to you.

Power play

Of course, it can't be ignored that Project Ara phones would only further expand Google's reach, slipping its fingers into corners of the world still untouched by the technology prevalent in developed countries.

Gaining more Android, Gmail, Google Now, Google+, Google-whatever users would only stand to benefit Mountain View and its advertising partners.

The company thrives on hyping new tech may be years away from public release. Whether it's genuine good-will and enthusiasm or a way to keep antsy investors satiated or both, the fact that a company as big as Google dares put its name and money on the line bodes well for the modular phone future.

There's much bemoaning the lack of "wow" in today's smartphones, but from where I stand, a new kind of wow is right around the corner.

Can Google succeed where other modular phone makers have failed? It stands a better chance than most, though the hurdles are undeniable. Pieces are waiting to be fit, but Google has fit squarer pegs into rounder holes before.

• Our Google Glass review is ready for your eyes right now

Source : techradar[dot]com

There was a time when BlackBerry was the phone maker of choice for those who wanted the best security the market could offer. Work in Washington or run a multinational corporation? Then have we got the QWERTY phone for you.

It's no secret BlackBerry is no longer what it once was, yet even as the Canadian company's fortunes continue to fall, a new host of firms have begun making "secure phones" to take Waterloo's place.

And these companies are already making smartphone security tighter than it's ever been before.

Boeing and GeeksPhone, two very different contenders that are offering strikingly similar products, are leading this ultra-secure charge. They even have similar names; GeeksPhone introduced the Blackphone in January, while its main rival is the Boeing Black.

Devices like these were once reserved for the rich and powerful, but now the conversation about security is louder than ever and consumers are bit by bit gaining super-secure smartphone access.

Security as a selling point

One need only look at Apple, arguably the industry's most prominent trendsetter, taking advanced security mainstream by adding a fingerprint sensor to the iPhone 5S. It's not exactly perfect, but it shows that smartphone security that goes beyond a simple passcode is a common concern.

And given the events of the past year or so - what with the NSA and other governments' spy agencies apparently checking your phone, hacking into your webcam and reading your diary - it's not hard to understand why the stakes seem higher than ever.

Just compare the language we used to describe the company Trustonic's efforts to make phones more secure back in 2012 with how the Blackphone was described this week.

Back then we wanted phones to be "as secure as your bank," now they need to compare to Fort Knox itself.

But can these new secure phones really help protect your personal info and private data from prying eyes?

The Boeing Black

In the black corner, we've got the Boeing Black. With a name like that and an introductory video with music like something out of a 007 flick, you've got to assume that this thing means business. And you'd be right - it will literally self-destruct if you try to tamper with it.

The Boeing Black is not winning any contests when it comes to specs, with a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 display and a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor. But what it lacks there it makes up for in security.

That's what we've been led to believe, at least. We can't really know, since Boeing wants its secure phone to be so secure that no one actually knows how secure it is.

Boeing has been working on the Black for three years, the aerospace company told Reuters, and it's already offering the phone to select government agencies and contractors.

The Black runs a custom version of Android that Boeing told The Wall Street Journal it built from scratch. And it has dual SIMs, though Boeing won't say who manufactures the phone or what carriers it's compatible with.

It can even connect with biometric sensors and satellites, and attachments give it extra battery and even solar charging.

The company hasn't outright stated that the Boeing Black won't become widely available, but there's also no word of a commercial release date or pricing. Perhaps these questions aren't ready to be answered (which seems likely), or perhaps it's all part of the plan - shroud the Black in mystery, leaving would-be identity thieves and other nefarious types in the lurch.

Unfortunately, this also means consumers are left with a phone that may be harder to find than an America's Most Wanted suspect.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Playing iPhone creator Steve Jobs in a film doesn't qualify you to design actual smartphones yourself, but don't tell that to Ashton Kutcher and Lenovo.

The actor who "Punk'd" people in the early oughts teamed up with the tech company in 2013, and now he's helping it design a line of smartphones that will come out later in 2014, Lenovo has announced.

Lenovo Chief Marketing Officer David Roman dropped this unlikely news on Re/code, telling the site that Kutcher is actually the real deal.

"I know on one level, it sounds corny, but it is real," Roman said. "He not only sees himself as an engineer, but he is an engineer. If he sees a problem, he wants to solve it."

If you say so

Kutcher signed on as a product engineer with Lenovo in 2013, appearing in ads and helping the company develop and promote its Yoga Tablet line.

When it comes to the new Lenovo phones Kutcher will have a heavy hand in designing the user experience, Roman said.

The actor who played Kelso on That '70s Show may not have any design credentials, but in fact he has been involved in the tech world for a number of years, having invested in start-ups like Foursquare, Airbnb and Uber and co-founder the venture capital group A-Grade.

He even gave a rousing speech about social media and tech investments at CTIA 2013.

Does that mean he can help design a decent smartphone to follow up Lenovo's Vibe Z? For that we'll just have to wait and see.

• At least Kutcher isn't designing the iPhone 6 (as far as we know)

Source : techradar[dot]com

The new HTC One is the next big anticipated phone of 2014, and the price of the handset might have just been leaked online.

Mobile Fun is pricing the phone at £579.99 (around $968, AU$1080), however the validity of this pricing is unfounded beyond the claims of the site itself.

A spokesperson from Mobile Fun told TechRadar that the price had been confirmed by one of the site's suppliers who will be shipping the phone the moment it goes on sale.

Less than a month to go

Given the lack of any other source information, we'll remain cautious about this one for now.

The HTC One went on sale for about £500 when it launched last year, so this price is a little higher than expected although not ludicrous enough to be totally unbelievable.

Not long to go now, anyway. The new HTC One will be revealed on March 25.

• Everything else you need to know about the new HTC One right now

Source : techradar[dot]com

Not long ago, we reported that a number of iPhone 5S users were complaining of a "fade" issue with the iPhone 5S Touch ID scanner, causing it to forget your fingerprints over time.

Now a source "familiar with Apple's development plans" has said that the company is preparing to release a software update that could fix the problem.

The source, speaking to Appleinsider, said that Apple is aware of the problem experienced by early adopters of the 5S, and will release a free software update "relatively soon".

Give it the finger

It's unclear whether this will be part of iOS 7.1, which is expected to arrive mid-March, or its own standalone update.

Users who have experienced "fade" have temporary fixed the problem by reconfiguring their prints, however it's only taken weeks for the problem to appear again.

Touch ID: genuinely useful or a passing gimmick?

Source : techradar[dot]com

Sometimes we wonder if we had too much cheese before bedtime and we're dreaming of mad stuff such as Nokias running Android or Samsung making a smartwatch that isn't hideous and rubbish. But no! These aren't fromage-fuelled flights of fancy: they're real!

This week was all about Mobile World Congress, or MWC to its friends. It's where the great and the good of the mobile world come to strut their stuff, and that means it's possibly the most important trade show in the tech calendar.

Samsung was all over MWC, and while the Samsung Gear Fit wearable was pretty impressive the big news was the launch of the Galaxy S5. The launch wasn't a surprise, and neither was the phone: surprisingly, it turned out to lack any surprising new features.

It's the iPhone 5S to the Galaxy S4's iPhone 5, a device that "takes the DNA of [its predecessor] and improves on it in most areas," as Gareth Beavis reports. The gimmicks of the S4 are gone; this time "the phone has focused on what users might actually want." It doesn't reinvent the smartphone, but it has "a great camera, strong screen, impressive packaging, a waterproof casing and a blazingly fast engine pumping things along."

Making a splash

This year's trend appears to be waterproofing. The S5 won't be damaged by a dunk, and neither will Sony's rather nifty Xperia Z2. If you're thinking, "hang on! Didn't Sony release a flagship phone just a couple of months ago?" you're right - the Xperia Z1 has barely cut its first tooth.

"And yet here we are at MWC 2014 seeing the Xperia Z2, and it's a much better handset," Gareth says. If you thought the Z1 was pretty good, the Z2 is better still. The camera's better, the performance is fantastic and the screen's lovely.

Sony had another Z2 to show us too, the Xperia Z2 Tablet. Like its similarly named smartphone sibling, the Z2 tablet is a sequel, and once again there's more power, more RAM and a nicer screen. The speakers are better too. It's not going to set the world on fire, but that's because "Sony had already overachieved on that front in 2013." The Z2 is "a really great tablet."

Motorola had some nifty things to show us too. The firm formerly owned by Google had a "tigerish" MWC, Patrick Goss says: we "saw Moto variously hitting out at ugly wearable tech, announcing that a Motowatch was on the way, insisting that leaving Google was a good thing and laughing off questions of Motorola's demise.

Another big name came out swinging at this year's MWC: Nokia, which unveiled its Nokia X range of smartphones. The phones run a forked version of Android, which is interesting when you remember that Nokia's currently being acquired by Microsoft.

The phones are pretty nice, but don't expect to see them in your local smartphone emporium: they're aimed at the same developing market where ultra-cheap Android phones are selling in huge numbers, and the use of Microsoft services such as Outlook, Bing and OneDrive means they might act as an on-ramp for Windows Phone.

Android agitations

"Microsoft could actually benefit from Nokia's experimentation with Android," says Max Slater-Robbins: "all profits… go to Microsoft without having to spend money on building the features Android has and Windows Phone lacks." In a world where "Microsoft's services are its future, having hardware that supports that is no bad thing."

Remember HTC, which used to set the Android agenda? These days it can't even seem to get its product names right. HTC Desire 816, anyone? The name's a shame, because "there's plenty we love about it", says Hugh Langley: it looks nice, the screen's sharp and it has dual Boomsound speakers "for those spontaneous disco emergencies."

Ah, but can it survive in space? We strapped James Rogerson to a space rocket to find out. No, not really - but we did ask him to find out how well smartphones could cope in orbit. The answer, it seems, is not very well: thanks to space monsters, radiation and extreme temperature, space isn't the best place for a smartphone. No, not even a Samsung Galaxy.

• Missed anything from MWC 2014? Read out roundup from the Barcelona show

Source : techradar[dot]com

All Three customers are now on a 4G tariff as the network's roll-out continues across the UK.

You shouldn't be paying any more money for the 4G connection but if you have a 4G-friendly phone and are in one of the 36 towns and cities that Three has hit the 4G 'go' switch on, then you should be browsing at 4G speeds.

Three says there should be 50 cities and over 200 towns rocking its brand of 4G by the end of 2014, with 98% of the UK covered by the end of 2015.

• In the market for a 4G phone? A whole host of them launched at MWC 2014

Source : techradar[dot]com

The phrase that brings dread at the start of a flight: "Please turn off all electronic devices during take-off and landing. Limited use is allowed during the flight."

That wasn't so bad when all you had to do was switch off your Gameboy for a bit (although the lack of saving RUINED Super Mario Land) but nowadays, in our smartphone-addicted times, it's akin to being imprisoned in the 1980s for umpteen hours.

It means flights are dead time, with no communication with the outside world, limited ability to work or play and during take-off and landing you were all but forced to read the in-flight magazine, which is a fate we wouldn't wish on anyone.

There were reasons for this, beyond perhaps the hope that passengers might resort to overpriced alcohol in desperation.

Take-off and landing are the most dangerous parts of a flight. If anything's going to go wrong it's likely to happen during your ascent or descent, so airline staff want you to pay attention to the safety information and not be distracted.

There were also concerns that electronic devices might interfere with radio frequencies used by the cockpits navigation and communication equipment or degrade the signal strength of landing systems.

The times they are a-changin'

But things are finally changing, as it turns out that electronics might not be such an issue after all. Some US airlines recently carried out a series of tests which showed that electronic devices don't actually affect a plane's systems and restrictions are being lessened as a result.

What does that mean for passengers? Well first of all you may soon be able to use phones, tablets, e-readers and other handheld devices during take-off and landing.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority has already allowed BA to make the change and other airlines might soon follow.

This means on British Airways flights you no longer have to turn electronics off before boarding or before the descent, instead simply switching them to aeroplane mode and they can stay on for the duration of the flight.

That applies to any handheld item that has a flight safe mode, though larger devices such as laptops can still only be used when the plane is cruising, which is more to do with keeping the seating area clear in the event of an accident.

The relaxation of restrictions also means less downtime as you'll actually be able to use your phone and tablet during take-off and landing, giving you an average of 30 minutes extra use on every flight.

It's a change which airlines seem to be happy about too. Madhu Unnikrishnan, a media relations manager for Virgin America, told us that "the FAA [previously] restricted the use of personal electronic devices (PED's) during take off and landing, and we complied with the rules. We are pleased that the agency has relaxed the rules to allow the use of PED's from gate to gate."

The fact that people are using personal electronics more and have more freedom to use them has also played into a rethink on in-flight entertainment.

For example Lufthansa has created a service which will stream movies, music and other content straight to passengers phones and tablets, removing the need to have screens built into planes and improving the quality of what you're watching - if you invest in a new smartphone or tablet with a decent screen, of course.

Wi-Fly

Even better, Wi-Fi is now available on some flights. For example BA offers it through its currently rather exclusive and limited OnAir service, keeping passengers connected to their world for the duration of a flight.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Android accounted for 81% of worldwide smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2013 and iOS mopped up most of the rest according to a study by IDC.

With that in mind it could be easy to think that Mozilla's new Firefox OS is doomed to fail; after all, how can it hope to compete with the sales figures of Apple and Google, especially when veterans like BlackBerry and big names like Microsoft's Windows Phone are struggling to make much of a dent in global sales?

But Firefox OS isn't just another smartphone operating system. It's fundamentally different in creation to any of the major players and Mozilla's tactics and aims are somewhat different too.

App freedom

The goal of Firefox OS is primarily to create a truly open ecosystem, one where all apps can run on other operating systems and on almost any hardware. In other words: do away with the walled gardens that we've all become so accustomed to on phones.

Other smartphone platforms require apps to be developed specifically for them, so if a developer wants to put an app on multiple device types then it has to be manually ported each time.

It also means that if a user ever abandons one operating system for another they won't be able to access their apps anymore. They'll have to find and buy them all again and that's if they're even available.

Firefox OS handles apps more like the internet handles web pages. Rather than proprietary tools they're built using open web standards like HTML5 and JavaScript, so they can run on just about any computing device that has access to Firefox, meaning Android phones and PCs alike can make use.

In other words they're platform agnostic and as both Firefox OS and its apps have low hardware requirements you can access them on very affordable devices, designed to make the mobile web more open with minimal barriers to entry so the maximum amount of users can get involved.

It's a lofty goal, but if Firefox OS wasn't so ambitious and so different it would have little hope of attracting any attention at all in the congested smartphone market - although it's worth noting that this project is as much about offering something new to the developing markets as it is trying to break the smartphone stranglehold in the more mature areas.

Firefox OS is also about trust and community development. As a truly open source OS it's very transparent, allowing tech-savvy users to see how their personal data is handled, while both individuals and organisations are free to build on and modify Firefox OS to improve it and make it available for other platforms.

Adaptation

Firefox OS has another trick up its sleeve too and it's called adaptive app search. It's a search screen which is used both to find apps and documents that are already installed on your phone and web apps that you might be interested in, essentially combining a web search with a search of your phone storage.

Simply type a word out and it will bring back all the relevant results from both local and online content. Web apps can then be used immediately or downloaded to your phone and the results will even adapt to your location when relevant, ensuring you always get the best results possible.

This web-facing approach doesn't mean any phone running Firefox OS has no similarities to your Android or iPhone.

It still uses a lock screen, home screen and notifications bar and handsets which run Firefox OS come with a camera complete with style filters, a music player and FM radio.

On top of that there's the obvious suite of software: maps, the Firefox web browser, Firefox Marketplace for apps, an email app and built in integration with Facebook and Twitter to make users coming from other smartphones should feel right at home.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The All New HTC One is a foregone conclusion at this point, but that's not stopping leaks from spilling in the days leading up to its March 25 launch.

A user over at HardForum spent some one-on-one time and got a little handsy with a test version of the HTC One 2. The person's post seems to have been pulled, though not before a few sites got a hold of the info.

Despite a number of to-be-expected bugs - this was an early model - the leaker described the new HTC One as "faster than my Google Edition S4."

The front, 4MP camera is "incredible" and "really crisp. The phone sported a dual-rear camera, and the HardForum user described it as "amazing" even though they were unable to try it out.

The handset it also taller and thinner than the 2013 HTC One, too.

Source : techradar[dot]com

In the quest for searching for a new handset there are only a few handsets that actually stand out, but with their bright colours the chances are you've seen the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and Apple's iPhone 5C.

If after reading our full in depth reviews of both you're still struggling to work out which one of these 'cut down' handsets is right for you then you've come to the right place.

Here we give each of these handsets another run through and pit them against each other in order to answer that all important question: which handset it right for you?

Design

Both handsets follow a similar design DNA as their larger siblings, although that is slightly less pronounced on the iPhone 5C.

Its plastic chassis doesn't come with the same premium feel that is found on the iPhone 5S where the Xperia Z1 Compact still comes with the metallic and glass exterior that made the Xperia Z1 so stylish.

In terms of sheer size the iPhone 5C comes out smaller all round, the curved plastic back wrapping around makes it smooth and really comfortable. Measurements of 124.4 x 59.2 x 9mm and 132g means it sits very easily in one hand.

That's not to say that the Xperia Z1 Compact is uncomfortable, measuring a mere 127 x 64.9 x 9.5mm, so still very similar in size. The extra 5g in weight is also barely noticeable; it would take a lot to call the Z1 Compact heavy.

The biggest difference is the whole feel that you get when holding the handsets, something that is particularly noticeable when holding an Xperia Z1 Compact, where the iPhone 5C takes an "unapologetically plastic" approach that many have equated with cheap.

A glass and metal frame alludes to a high end device even when holding the lime green or pink options, although we'd struggle to say the effect isn't slightly muted .

This means that it fits into an office environment much better and will suit those that don't wish to look so conspicuous when out and about.

The colours of the iPhone 5C (white, pink, green, yellow and blue) help the Apple handset stand out a lot more, something that is vital in the evil world of playground politics or for those that really want to express themselves through their phone.

Elsewhere though the Xperia Z1 Compact trumps the iPhone 5C thanks to its IP58 certification. This means that it comes with enough waterproofing to survive being dropped in a puddle, a bath or even the kitchen sink (although we're never going to advise making calls whilst in the shower).

Covering of all the vital ports with the genius idea of leaving the headphone port exposed really gives the Xperia Z1 Compact something extra to shout about, as well as coming with the ability to take photos underwater with thanks to a dedicated camera button.

Camera

A dedicated camera button certainly hints that the camera isn't something that can be ignored on the Xperia Z1 Compact. Other clues might also have given it away; Sony crowing about the massive size (a whopping 20.7MP), the G Lens and Exmor sensor.

On top of that it should be clear that the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is gunning for the compact camera market, something that is abundantly clear within the naming strategy.

Apple hasn't left the iPhone 5C to suffer though, even if the 8MP sensor brought over from the iPhone 5 seems more than a little diminutive when stood in direct competition against the monstrous 20.7MP of the Sony.

Even the front sensor of the compact Xperia is much larger than that of the iPhone 5C, coming with a 2MP offering rather than the 1.2MP that comes with the Apple.

Sony has kept the same camera that graced the Xperia Z1 on the Compact and with it has also brought over the same revamped camera app.

This means that the AR Mode, varying filters, superior auto and Timeshift modes all make an appearance as well as Social Live which allows for live broadcasting over social media.

These modes will prove very handy when it comes to showing off your latest snaps to the likes of Flickr or Instagram.

Budding photographers won't be left disappointed with the iPhone 5C though; its stripped back camera app provides little in the way of customisation but there are still a few filters that can be applied.

Where the Sony provides oodles of camera gizmos, Apple has taken it the other way.

Both just about border on providing too much or too little but it is to both of their credit as they both provide a unique experience with the Xperia Z1 Compact allowing you to explore to your heart's content and the iPhone 5C providing you with a really simple easy to use app.

In terms of performance there was always going to be a difference even if you don't subscribe to the 'more megapixels means better imagery' scenario.

In short, while the iPhone 5C provides a more-than-adequate mobile camera experience the Xperia Z1 Compact comes as one of the best handsets on the market for taking photos.

Screen

There are a few things that mark both the iPhone 5C and the Xperia Z1 Compact as smaller handsets.

For the Apple it is as simple as being an iPhone; (in)famous for smaller screens when the likes of the 5.2-inch LG G2 and 5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android handsets have really pushed the boundaries of what people expect on a mobile flagship.

On the Sony the smaller nature is highlighted with the name, you don't call something "Compact" and expect it to be huge.

Size-wise there is little to choose between the two. The Xperia Z1 Compact comes with a 4.3-inch screen making it marginally larger than the 4-inch iPhone 5C, as well as packing in a larger resolution.

While not full HD (that would have been wishful thinking) we're treated to a HD 720 x 1280 screen that gives a really respectable 342ppi.

On the Apple is a smaller 640 x 1136 resolution which gives the 5C a smaller 326ppi, although there is still a lot to be said about the iPhone's screen.

It comes 'Retina' branded meaning that Apple feel that any higher ppi is indistinguishable by the human eye at the intended use distance, and it is still razor sharp.

Neither screen lend themselves heavily to intense movie watching sessions whilst out and about, those are and will always be the preserve of the larger 'phablets' or even tablets.

Instead these screens are far more suited to light web browsing whilst on the train or for playing casual games such as Angry Birds or any of the Flappy Bird clones.

Again the Sony has a small trick up its sleeve in its ability to use the Xperia Z1 Compact with a pair of gloves on. Thanks to nifty screen technology the Z1 Compact recognises touches with a (rather annoying) circle on screen when the sensitivity is enhanced. It's only a small feature but it's one we can see being rather important when out in the cold.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Going modular may be even cheaper and more accessible than some imagined.

According to Google's Advanced Technology and Projects team, the folks behind Project Ara, speaking with Time, Google wants to get the first barebone version on its modular phone on the market for as little as $50 (about £29/AU$55).

This "grayphone" will consist of little more than a frame, screen and Wi-Fi radio, and it will be "designed to be sold at convenience stores." Users could then swap out and plug in parts as they like, which will presumably cost a price per piece.

Google hopes to put a consumer-ready version of Ara on sale in the first part of 2015.

More Ara

The Time report also revealed that Google plans to have some level of control over Ara hardware.

The platform supports three sizes of phone - mini, medium and jumbo (think phablet) - which will be determined by an aluminum endoskeleton. This component will be Google-branded.

The ambition is to do for hardware what Android and other platforms have done for software, Project Ara lead Paul Eremenko told Time. In other words, open manufacturing to innumerable developers as opposed to a handful of major names.

There's still a ways to go before a $50 phone hits the market, including getting down to that price point to begin with and convincing communications regulators in places like the US.

Still, Eremenko said he wants Project Ara to be "great, not profitable," so consumers may hold out hope that customizable phones are not far off on the horizon.

• Here's the hands on you've been waiting for - read our Galaxy S5 review!

Source : techradar[dot]com

Near Field Communication technology (NFC) has spread its way across the mobile landscape like a forest wildfire, yet how many of us actually use it, let alone use it to its full potential?

We all know how NFC works (if not, then here's all you need to know about NFC) although one of its greatest applications is still being hidden away and unused; Google's Android Beam.

In order to help you make the most out of your hardware here's our guide to what Android Beam is and, more importantly, how it works.

What is Android Beam?

Having been baked into every iteration of Google's mobile OS since Android 4.0 Ice Cream, Android Beam is an app designed to make the most of NFC and enables the sharing of just about anything whether it's a contact card, picture, web page or YouTube link.

How do I use it?

The first thing to check before we go any further is whether your handset supports NFC. This can be found within connectivity settings alongside Wi-Fi and mobile data.

Once this has been confirmed for both handsets it's as simple as touching the two devices together, bringing the NFC chips in close contact. Unfortunately, this isn't always as easy as it sounds when it comes to working out where the chip actually is, although we'd suggest that the chip is generally in the centre near the top.

The handset that you're hoping to send information from should pull the screen in slightly displaying the message "Touch to Beam".

Just tap the screen and you'll find the information popping up on the second handset, or a link to the Google Play store to find the relevant app.

What if my handset doesn't show Android Beam?

As Android Beam comes built into the Android OS there is no specific app for you to boot up. Instead just enable NFC on both handsets and press them together. Often handset manufacturers will allow you to turn NFC and Android Beam on and off individually.

If you find that Android Beam doesn't appear within the Android NFC settings you shouldn't fret. The HTC One is a prime example as there is no mention of Android Beam anywhere; however following the above steps will still bring up the "Tap to Beam" page that we mentioned earlier.

Owners of Samsung branded devices will also find sat alongside NFC the S-Beam app, which is largely the same thing, as you'll find out if you read on.

• If you're thinking of leaving though, why not find out whether you really need a MicroSD card in your phone?

What is S-Beam?

S-Beam is a Samsung specific app that builds onto features that are already included in Android Beam. It still connects via NFC although all data is sent via Wi-Fi Direct. This makes transfer speeds faster when sending files such as your latest holiday snap or video.

Working through S-Beam is done in the exact same way as Android Beam, pressing the NFC chips in each device together, but it initiates a faster and stronger connection than Bluetooth.

Are there any downsides?

One of the biggest problems with Android Beam is NFC and the location of the chips. Availability of NFC is no longer an issue given that it now comes on many of even the cheapest handsets but locating the chip in the first place can be a pain in the posterior.

In mobile phones the problem isn't so bad given there's limited space to choose from, but trying to locate the chip on a tablet can be more than a little tricky.

This can often be found with a quick search online, although you then have to find a way of putting the two chips together. In tests we found that while the NFC chips recognised each other's presence (with a small vibration) the sending handset occasionally didn't want to register Beam.

It is also probably worth pointing out, if not immediately obvious, that Android Beam does only work with Android phones. iPhone's don't even come with NFC on board, at least not yet., and Windows Phones don't want to know.

What does the future hold?

Since its inception Android Beam has grown to encompass sending files via Bluetooth. This works by instantly pairing devices and turning on Bluetooth, sending the file then disabling Bluetooth. You can then move the phones apart as they no longer rely upon NFC.

Just as S-Beam incorporates Wi-Fi Direct so could Android Beam, something that may find favour from the recent Google-Samsung patent licensing deal. This would enable even faster file transfer than Bluetooth.

At a stretch it's not too difficult to imagine Android Beam becoming part of the Internet of Things either, allowing you to tap your phone against an Android enabled refrigerator to share a shopping list or to a potential updated Chromecast dongle to enable Wi-Fi Direct streaming of content to a larger screen nearby.

While NFC hasn't quite caught on as a payment method, there's still a real desire to find cool ways to connect - here's hoping Android Beam keeps getting the development it deserves.

Source : techradar[dot]com

We haven't forgotten BlackBerry's brief and ill-fated foray into the tablet market, and apparently neither has the smartphone maker - but they won't launch a second attempt until they're damn good and ready.

Pocket-lint reported that BlackBerry appears to be in no particular rush to unleash another tablet device on unsuspecting consumers, with one executive claiming the company simply isn't ready yet.

BlackBerry's Vice-President of Global Product Management Francois Mahieu was in Barcelona this week for Mobile World Congress 2014, where he threw cold water on the idea of another PlayBook tablet right away.

"Would BlackBerry consider one day re-entering the tablet market? Yes. Will BlackBerry do it in the coming months? No," the executive told Pocket-lint.

'We're not ready'

The BlackBerry PlayBook launched nearly three years ago to mixed reviews and ultimately contributed to dragging down the company's fortunes as the unwanted tablets wound up being continually marked down to fire sale pricing.

Recovering from that folly is one of many challenges facing new BlackBerry Chief Executive Officer John Chen, but the onetime smartphone giant isn't completely closing the door on a potential sequel to its unloved tablet.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we have a meeting one day and I show you a tablet. We have equity in that space, but we're not ready. We need more time," Mahieu elaborated.

Judging from the way consumers largely turned their backs on the first PlayBook, BlackBerry's lackadaisical attitude toward the tablet market is probably a smart move, especially considering how many heavyweight names have already thrown their hats into that ring.

• Check out our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3!

Source : techradar[dot]com

There's revolution in the air. People and companies are tired of essentially being limited to a choice of just three smartphone operating systems. They're tired of the walled gardens of iOS and Windows Phone and they're wondering about the open-source-but-secretive development of Android.

This atmosphere has led to four new operating systems being built to challenge the status quo. There's Firefox OS, Ubuntu, Tizen and then now Sailfish OS, an operating system developed by a small team with big ambitions.

Sailfish OS might be reasonably new, but many of the ideas driving it aren't. It's an open source Linux based operating system but more specifically it was born from the ashes of Nokia's failed MeeGo OS, which was used on precisely one phone: the Nokia N9, before the Finnish phone-smiths pulled the plug.

• Hands on: Jolla Phone review

Some of the people behind MeeGo weren't ready to abandon it though, so they jumped ship, formed a new company called Jolla, raised an impressive £160 million and got to work on Sailfish OS, taking many of the ideas from MeeGo with them.

Not a button in sight

So why should you care about Sailfish OS? Well, it's largely open source for one thing, and not open source in the way Android is where most of the development is done behind closed doors, but truly open, allowing the public to see much of what Jolla is doing and use the code for their own purposes.

It also has a user interface that's quite different from any of the competition. It starts with the homescreen, which rather than showing static app icons instead gives you a window to all your open apps, and lets you switch between them or interact with them with a swipe, taking multitasking to a level not really seen on other phone OS's.

For example, if you have the phone app open on the homescreen a swipe one way will reveal the dialer and the opposite way will show you your contacts.

But each app icon also shows live information, so for example the music player might show what track is playing. In many ways it's a mix of BlackBerry 10's homescreen layout, Windows Phone 8's live tiles and Android's widgets all in one.

As you might have guessed from all that, it's also a very gesture based OS. You can access the app drawer with a swipe up from the homescreen, get back by swiping from one side to the other when in an app or close it down by sliding your digit from top to bottom.

You can also check your social network updates and other notifications without interrupting what you're doing by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, quickly access options that are relevant to the screen you're on by accessing the 'Pulley Menu' with a downwards swipe from the centre of the screen and wake the phone up from sleep by double tapping anywhere on the screen.

It's a system which cuts down on buttons and menus and gives you access to just about everything from any app or screen.

In fact there are no physical or virtual home, back, menu or search buttons. Being able to carry out different actions with just a swipe also makes it much easier to use one-handed than other mobile operating systems and could potentially help it stand out on larger handsets and tablets where two-handed use has been all but essential up to now.

Custom colours

Sailfish OS also puts a lot of focus on visual customisation, allowing you to change the colour of the interface to match the colours of whatever background image you're using and the colour change is applied not just to the home screen but also to the apps themselves.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Super AMOLED and Super LCD are two of the best and most popular screen technologies currently in use on phones, and are the display tech of choice for two of the most popular Android phones around.

HTC for example, packed its One flagship with a Super LCD screen (in fact, it's one of the biggest customers of the tech by some way) while Samsung not only uses Super AMOLED, the company actually created it. But what's the difference between them? And which is better?

Super AMOLED

To understand Super AMOLED you first need to understand its origins. It started with OLED, which stands for 'organic light-emitting diode' and consists of a thin organic film with electrodes at either side. As soon as an electric current is applied to the film it emits light.

AMOLED is an 'active-matrix organic light-emitting diode'. It adds a layer of semiconducting film behind the OLED panel which allows it to more quickly activate each pixel. That increased speed makes it ideal for larger, higher definition displays with a lot of pixels. In fact it's as much as 1000 times faster than LCD.

AMOLED screens also tend to have great contrast, as the light on the screen comes from each individual pixel rather than a backlight; when it needs to create a black colour it simply dims or turns off the relevant pixels, for a true, deep black.

AMOLED screens also use a large colour gamut, so they can display a wide range of colours, but that can also cause images to look very vibrant or over-saturated.

Other advantages of AMOLED screens are that they have wide viewing angles and can even be made transparent or flexible, which makes them ideal for the curved handsets which are starting to hit the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Round.

An AMOLED touchscreen usually has an extra, touch sensitive layer on top of the screen, but with Super AMOLED Samsung has been able to integrate touch sensitivity into the screen itself.

The result of this is that not only is the screen thinner, lighter, more touch sensitive and less power-hungry, but without that extra layer it's also far less reflective than a typical AMOLED screen, making it easier to view in bright sunlight.

On the other hand Super AMOLED screens are quite susceptible to image burn in and sometimes use a PenTile matrix with fewer subpixels than their LCD companions, which can potentially lead to less sharp images or give the screen an unnatural colour tint.

Samsung obviously has a lot of faith in Super AMOLED, as the company uses it in its latest flagship (the Samsung Galaxy S5) as well as most other phones in the Galaxy S range, but it's also developed variations on the technology.

For example there's Super AMOLED Plus, which was used in the Samsung Galaxy S2 and has a standard RGB matrix rather than a PenTile matrix, meaning it has 50% more subpixels and therefore delivers clearer images, but it also degrades faster than a Super AMOLED display, which is why Samsung stopped using it in its flagships.

Then there's HD Super AMOLED, which is just a 720 x 1280 Super AMOLED display and Full HD Super AMOLED, which, you guessed it, is Full HD 1080 x 1920.

Super LCD

Just as AMOLED was the predecessor to Super AMOLED, LCD was the predecessor to Super LCD. Unlike an AMOLED display which lights each pixel individually, an LCD (or liquid crystal display) has a backlight, so the whole screen is lit to some extent, even supposedly black areas.

It uses liquid crystals which are manipulated via electrical charges to cover or not cover pixels as needed, thereby letting more or less light through, but it can never deliver true blacks as the backlight is always on.

In standard LCD displays there's an air gap between the outer glass and the display element, but with Super LCD that gap is removed, which has similar benefits to Super AMOLED.

Glare is reduced, making it more easily viewable when outside and in bright sunlight, plus the screen is also thinner and uses less power than standard LCD.

The power consumption of a Super LCD screen is particularly low when displaying lighter colours, which makes it ideal for web browsing for example as websites tend to have white backgrounds. The opposite is true with Super AMOLED, where blacks consume less power as the pixels don't have to be lit.

Things get a bit more complicated when you consider that there's also such a thing as Super LCD2 and Super LCD3, but really each numbered version is just an improvement on the last while working in much the same way.

Super LCD3 for example is brighter than Super LCD2, as well as having better viewing angles and a faster refresh rate to avoid blurring when watching videos.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung's going to let developers use the Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner in their own apps, which means you could be waving goodbye to your passwords for good.

The fingerprint-friendly Pass API was released as part of the S5's development kit, which also includes all the information devs need to create apps for the Gear 2 and Gear Fit.

The fingerprint scanner was already more useful than most, allowing you to control certain parts of the phone with your biometric data, and more apps being able to access the info will certainly attract consumers.

Pass out

"With Pass, you can provide reinforced security, since you can identify whether the current user actually is the authentic owner of the device," the document explains.

PayPal is the first to make use of the open API; its app lets you use your phone and fingerprint scanner combo to pay for things in participating stores.

Unlike Samsung, Apple's TouchID has stayed tightly guarded so you can only use it to unlock your iPhone 5S and authorise payments in Apple's own products like iBooks, iTunes and the App Store.

• What did we make of the new Samsung flagship? Read our hands on Samsung Galaxy S5 review to find out

Source : techradar[dot]com

Once in a while, a product pops up that reminds you just how remarkable digital technology can be. The Jabra Motion Bluetooth headset does just that.

It integrates such an impressive array of functionality into such a tiny device, you simply have to marvel at what's possible.

Put another way, it's that Star Trek thing - the Jabra Motion is Lieutenant Uhura's ear-dangling comms device productionised and available to buy.

That's not to say it's unique or even necessarily does its intended job well. Several outfits will do you a full-function Bluetooth headset.

Indeed, the critical point is that you can have a Bluetooth headset for as little as £10 – Amazon.co.uk will do you a Plantronics ML18 for just that. The most basic version of the Jabra Motion typically costs in excess of £60.

On paper, both that device and the Jabra Motion do the same basic job – allow you to connect to your mobile phone via Bluetooth for hands-free calls.

Question is, then, does the Jabra Motion's particular feature set and execution – its controls, its battery life, the quality of its noise cancellation – make it worth the price premium.

Features

Our review sample is the basic Jabra Motion. That means its a Bluetooth hands-free headset that will connect to any Bluetooth-enabled phone for voice calls.

It has physical controls for receiving and ending calls, audio volume and mute. The micrphone itseld is on a flip-boom which doubles as a power switch for the whole device.

Thanks to an extendable, swiveling ear piece, it's also adjustable for size and can be worn on both left and right ears.

Digital features start with motion and environment-sensitive noise canceling. It also sports voice control both natively and through certain handsets.

That means you have voice control of a number of the Jabra's own functions. But you can also use the full voice control of your handset through the headset. For example, you can access Apple's Siri voice control on iPhones with the headset.

The Jabra Motion also has a few other neat frills, such as using its motion sensor to automatically answer calls when you pick it up.

If this is the entry-level version, other variants add extras like a USB Bluetooth adapter to allow you to connect to PCs and support for Unified Communications (UC) which will be attractive to corporate users.

Performance

Call quality, that's surely one of the biggies for any Bluetooth headset and here the Jabra Motion scores pretty heavily.

Exactly what goes into the noise cancelling tech, we're not sure. But the end result is impressive suppression of car noise. If you didn't already know someone was calling you in-car and on the move with the Motion, you probably wouldn't guess.

And that was with our test car which is a relatively noise cabriolet with a fabric roof. That said, the audio quality for the receiver is a little thin. But if you don't want people to automatically know you're on the road, the Motion gets the job done.

As it happens, the sound quality for the Jabra Motion user is a little skinny, too. You don't notice this much in calls. But it is obvious if you try to listen to music through the ear piece.

Not that you'll likely want to use it as a single-ear wireless headphone. But it does reveal the fundamental quality of the audio of offer. And it's mediocre.

The other major element of the user experience is ease of use and that's a story of wins and losses for the Motion. The least satisfying aspect is physical fit.

The Jabra motion is adjustable and also configurable for both ears. But we found achieving a comfortable, stable fit tricky to achieve.

That's compounded if you wear glasses where the Motion and the arm of your glasses compete for space and stability atop your ear.

However, we're all different shapes and sizes so our advice here is clear. Try before you buy. The Motion isn't poorly designed, it's adjustable and it may fit you very nicely.

The rest of the usability package, however, is much more successful. Initial setup and syncing is a cinch, as is accepting and ending calls. Ditto volume adjustment and accessing additional features. It all works very smoothly indeed.

The voice control feature is an added boon and means you can have full access to your contacts on the move and hands-free. In our testing, there was no detectable loss of accuracy of Apple's Siri voice control when on the move and using the Motion as an interface.

Battery life is also good. Much will depend on usage. But Jabra claims seven hours talk time and that seems realistic.

The bottom line is that you want the device to last a day on a single charge and so long as you don't spend literally every moment on calls, we reckon you'll get just that.

Source : techradar[dot]com

The LG F70 is the Korean firm's first push into producing more affordable 4G handsets, something which many manufacturers are doing at MWC 2014.

LG hasn't announced the price of the F70, but the handset is confirmed to arrive in Europe in the coming months.

In terms of design the LG F70 takes cues from the flagship G2, although LG has decided against on screen navigation keys, instead choosing to stick a physical home button below the display, flanked by touch sensitive back and menu options.

The power/lock button is located on the right of the F70, while the volume switch is on the left and both are easy to hit.

The lightweight, plastic build of the F70 feels sturdy, although the rear cover offers little in the way of grip, so you'll need to make sure you've got a firm hold of the phone.

It is a little on the chunky side too, measuring in at 127.2 x 66.4 x 10mm, but the rounded edges means the F70 still sits nicely in the hand.

A 4.5-inch display dominates the front of the LG F70, although its 800 x 480 resolution is a little disappointing as I'm now starting to see 720p options arriving towards the bottom end of the market.

That said, text is still perfectly legible on the F70, but if you look closely you can see that it's a little on the grainy side.

The main selling point of the F70 however is it's 4G connectivity at a lower price point, although I was unable to test out just how quick it could access the web during my short time playing with the device.

I was pleased to find Android 4.4 KitKat installed on the F70, the latest flavour of Google's mobile platform, and LG has stuck its own interface over the top.

One of the features LG's overlay brings to the F70 is Knockcode, a security function which the Korean firm has put on its low-end L-series devices as well as top end products such as the G Pro 2 and G2 Mini.

Knockcode allows you to wake the screen and unlock the F70 by tapping out a pattern on the display of between two and eight knocks.

It 's a clever idea, but one which is a little hit and miss as the F70 didn't always register my taps, forcing me to repeat the pattern.

There's a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM inside the LG F70 and it keeps KitKat ticking over nicely with smooth performance and no lag experienced during my hands on.

Rather annoyingly though for a mid range handset it only comes with a tiny 4GB of internal storage. There is a microSD slot allowing you to build on this, but it's still a very low amount and I would have liked a minimum of 8GB.

The camera setup on the LG F70 isn't much to write home about either, with a pretty average 5MP lens on the rear and a VGA offering on the front.

That's fine for the occasional casual snap, but you won't be shooting beautiful vistas with the LG F70.

The rear cover of the F70 comes off, giving you access to the microSIM and microSD slots and also the removable 2440mAh battery.

That's a decent size and should keep the F70 going for a while, although you'll have to wait for our in-depth review to see just how well it performs.

Early verdict

The LG F70 has a mediocre range of specs, but its main focus is the 4G connectivity at a lower price.

If 4G isn't important to you then you may want to check out something like the Motorola Moto G, but for a hassle free handset with access to superfast data speeds the F70 isn't a bad shout.

Source : techradar[dot]com