iPhone 5 up for UK pre-order: Will you be buying?

 

Phone 5 up for UK pre-order: Will you be buying?

The iPhone 5 is on sale a week today, but if you really want to be sure of landing one on day one, you don’t need to queue – pre-orders on several UK networks have opened already. Will you be getting one?

While EE and O2 are all keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to iPhone 5 pricing, Three, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile UK have all put the iPhone 5 in all its flavours up for pre-order already.

Prices on contract at Orange and T-Mobile are almost identical, as you’d expect since they’re owned by the same company: the 16GB model starts at £109.99 on a £36 per month two year contract with 1GB of data.

Vodafone meanwhile has a slightly cheaper offer if you’re prepared to use less data on the go. You can get a 16GB iPhone 5 for £25 per month on a two year contract by paying £249 on contract. For the unlimited text and call package with 1GB of data though, you’re looking at £37 per month for £99 upfront.

Want one? You’d better act fast. Over in the US, pre-orders for the iPhone 5 have sold out in just a few short hours.

Will you be getting an iPhone 5? Is it Android all the way for you? Let’s hear where you stand in the comments.

Virtual Projected Keyboard

 

Virtual Projected Keyboard

The Celluon MAGIC CUBE Virtual Keyboard is a startling fresh alternative to using a standard keyboard and mouse with your mobile device or computer. The MAGIC CUBE projects a laser onto a flat opaque surface to provide you with a virtual keyboard. You can type on top of the surface of your desk and you can also use the MAGIC CUBE as a mouse. The MAGIC CUBE is powered by a Lithium-Polymer battery and comes with a mini-USB to USB cable for recharging it from your computer. It works with the iPad, iPhone 4, mobile devices running Android 2, 2.1, or 2.2 as well as any device that supports Bluetooth 2.0 or greater, such as a desktop or notebook computer

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Nexus 7 versus Apple iPad: what you need to know

 

Google’s Nexus 7 Android tablet has been getting high praise and rightly so. It has plenty of features, is well-built, and offers great value for money. It’s the worthy new iPad alternative many have been crying out for. But how do the two compare? Let’s take a look.

Look below, and you’ll see the two compared on some of the key criteria to consider when purchasing a tablet. Which would you go for?

Screen size and portability

A trend for smaller tablets is brewing. That’s where the Nexus 7 comes in. Its 7-inch screen offers slightly more portability than the new iPad, which at 9.7-inches across, just about errs on being portable. You could easily stuff either into a small bag. But for a lighter load, the Nexus 7 is much lighter than Apple’s new iPad. It weighs just 340 grams, compared to the new iPad’s 652 to 662 gram lumber.

Power

The Nexus 7 and new iPad are built for handling all that can be throw at them. That means games, apps, music, movies, web browsing, social networking. To get things ticking over smoothly, the Nexus 7 relies on a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, proven to deliver smooth performance throughout. The same can be said for Apple’s new iPad. It uses Apple’s dual-core A5X chip, also capable of loading web pages in seconds. Quad-core graphics make even the latest App Store games look their best.

Apps & games

The Google Play store doesn’t have quite the same library of apps and games as Apple’s App Store, but it’s getting there. Both stores will leave owners of either tablet spoilt for choice. Some of the best are even free. And increasingly, we’re seeing video game console developers bring games to tablets, raising the standard of tablet gaming on both tablets.

Photography and video

The Nexus 7 doesn’t have a rear-facing camera. Instead it makes do with a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera to be used for video calls. Google, and manufacturer Asus clearly believe such a feature to be unnecessary. Apple thinks otherwise. The new iPad gets a 5-megapixel camera suitable for taking photos users would happy share over Facebook and Twitter. It features autofocus, face detection, and full HD video recording. A VGA-quality FaceTime camera lets iPad users make video calls over apps, and for free to other compatible Apple gadgets. If photos and videos are important to you, the iPad is the way to go.

Storage

Out of the box, the Nexus 7 has a lot less storage than an iPad. It comes in 8GB and 16GB variants. An iPad on the other hand, is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB editions. The good news is that both tablets can take advantage of cloud storage – iCloud for the iPad and Google Drive for the Nexus 7, combined with the on board storage deliver all the storage owners of either tablet could ever need. But if we’re talking out of the box, the iPad has more storage.

Battery

Owners of either tablet can look forward to a long-lasting battery. The Nexus 7 offers 8-hours, compared to up to 10 hours on an iPad when watching video, or surfing the web. Those planning to use either device continually might want to knock an hour or two off, if playing games.

Price

At just £159 to £199 – the Nexus 7 is a bit of a bargain. Its array of features, a refined Android interface and high quality build make it the best affordable iPad alternative yet.

By contrast you’d have to pay a lot more for an iPad, which in today’s tablet market remains a premium purchase at Apple’s top dollar prices. New iPad prices start from £399 for a Wi-Fi only tablet with 16GB of built-in flash memory, rising to £659 for 64GB of storage.

Nexus 7, or new iPad? Have you decided yet

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Best Apple iPad yet: Everything you need to know

 

Apple has unveiled the next generation of iPad. It’s more powerful, has a better screen and an improved camera. But is it the upgrade Apple fans were dreaming of? Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the new iPad.

It really is called the new iPad

During Apple’s presentation we were waiting on tenterhooks to hear the name of the new iPad. As it turns out that is exactly what it’s called. Not the iPad HD, or iPad 3. Say hello to the new iPad.

High resolution Retina Display

The new iPad boasts a 9.7-inch 2048×1536 pixel Retina Display that Apple claims makes text look sharper than it does on a newspaper. Gaming should look a treat on it.

A powerful new chip and processor

To cope with the demands you’re going to push on your new iPad, Apple has developed a new AX5 dual-core CPU. With the Retina Display graphics power is key and to keep things nice and smooth an on-board quad-core GPU has been fitted. Overall, you’ll find a 4x speed boost over that of the iPad 2.

A better camera

The new iPad has a 5-megapixel camera featuring auto exposure, auto-focus and auto-face detection. The new iPad now also records video in full HD (1080p), and uses video stabilisation and noise reduction tech to deliver top-notch high quality video.

Battery life

Battery life will remain as impressive as ever. Apple promises a 10-hour battery life and nine hours while powering away over 3G.

4G LTE

The new iPad will be 4G LTE compatible in the US, and 3G ready world-wide. We don’t have 4G in the UK just yet, but trials are already taking place that could see 4G connectivity trickle throughout the UK later this year.

New iPad UK release date

It will go on sale in the UK from 16 March 2012, so there’s not long to wait. Those wanting a piece of the action can pre-order one from the Apple Store website right now. Prices start from £399.

What do you think? Are you impressed by the new iPad? Are there enough changes to warrant an upgrade? Let us know on the comments

Apple iPad 3 spied, bigger camera sensor, smoother design

By now there have been enough Apple iPad 3 rumours to pretty confirm that we will see the iPad 2 successor launched very soon. In fact, we could see the iPad 3 launched next month. What you are looking at is one of the first alleged photos of the iPad 3, with a rumoured 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a cleaner-looking design.

If rumours are to be believed (they are certainly hotting up) we will see Apple unveil the iPad 3 at a San Francisco event next month. In the run up to March many have speculated what form the next iPad will take. Design-wise, the iPad 3 won’t look very different at all.

One website claims to have received a photo of the tablet via its own, unnamed sources. (see above). The shot only shows the back, but it does reveal some information about the tablet. For one, the camera sensor looks to be larger than it is on the iPad 2. A larger sensor would appear to fit in with rumours of an 8-megapixel camera.

We can also see that the iPad 3 may have a cleaner design around the back. More tapered edges and just an Apple logo on the back are the most noticeable changes here. Should the photos hold true, this may be the first glimpse of the iPad 3
.
Apple has of course yet to confirm anything, and is typically keeping everything close to its chest until any official unveil takes place. Rumoured tweaks and additions include a HD Retina Display to rival IPS displays such as that on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, a quad-core processor and voice assistant Siri to enable tablet-based voice commands.

What do you think? Is the above shot a fake? It won’t be long now till we find out if so.

Top 5 dual-core smartphones of 2011

 

 

When the curtain closes on a gadget-filled year, 2011 will be remembered as the year that smartphones stepped up and delivered more power, better graphics and more features than inside Mary Poppins’ handbag.

With that in mind, in no particular order, we felt it was time to look back on some of the best dual-core smartphones of 2011. Here are our picks.

Apple iPhone 4S

OK, so it’s not quite the iPhone 5 that many Apple fans were hoping for, but it’s still quicker, and more feature filled than its predecessor. It comes with Apple’s dual-core A5 chip that Apple claims delivers twice the power and up to seven times faster graphics than the iPhone 4. Launching apps, games and browsing the web is noticeably quicker without having a drain on battery life. The addition of voice assistant Siri, a better eight-megapixel camera with 1080p high definition video recording and Apple’s iCloud cloud storage service makes the iPhone 4S a phone to beat.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is a high-class performer packing a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. That means everything boots up and runs quicker than they would on non-dual-core smartphones, even when running multiple apps. Meanwhile the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system makes the Nexus a pleasure to use. A new feature will even let you unlock the Galaxy Nexus by recognising your face. Like the iPhone 4S, it too records 1080p HD video.

Motorola Atrix

Shown-off at the start of the year, the Motorola Atrix may be forgotten by some, but this is one powerful smartphone that claimed to put the power of a PC in users pockets. It could be used with optional docks that enhanced its talents. It features a full Mozilla Firefox browser, Flash, and is adept at creating and editing documents on the go. Other features such as fingerprint recognition, faster web browsing and widgets made it one of the year’s best.

Samsung Galaxy SII

As feature sets go, the Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the smartphones of the year. On top of its dual-core processor, it features 16GB of memory built in, with capacity to upgrade to twice that. An eight-megapixel camera takes some great photos. If you’re not shy, a front-facing camera takes care of video calls. It also records full 1080p high definition, which look fantastic on the Galaxy S II’s 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display.

HTC Sensation XE

The HTC Sensation XE is a bit of an upgrade to the earlier released original Sensation, launched earlier in the year. It packs a punch, and features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and comes bundled with Beats Audio headphones that deliver some serious bass. Those looking for a top-notch phone perfect for browsing the web, watching videos and listening to music won’t find many better.

Apple iPad 3: What we’d like to see



Next year looks set to be a corker for tablets. In 2012 we could see the launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire in the UK, a new Microsoft tablet with WIndows 8 and of course, the Apple iPad 3. Join us after the break to find out the features we’d like to see on the Apple iPad 3.

Apple’s iPad 2 delivered on many of the upgrades fans wanted, but not quite all of them. Will the iPad 3 deliver? Here are a few things we’d like to see in the Apple iPad 3.

Retina display or equivalent 
Many believed that the Apple iPad 2 would be getting the patented best-in-class Retina Display that graced the iPhone 4. It didn’t. However Apple’s multi-touch capacitive screen is in need of an upgrade and a Retina Display or equivalent is a must.


A Better camera 
OK, so using the iPad 2 camera to take photos may draw glancing looks, but if it’s going to be there, it may as well be as spiffy as possible. Photo quality isn’t the best, especially at coping with indoor lighting. The iPad 2 does better with video. It can record in high definition at 720p, but we’d like to see the iPad 3 record in 1080p high definition – the same as the iPhone 4S. 




SD card slot 
Currently Apple mobile devices do not have an SD card slot. To get around this Apple stock a Camera Connection kit that lets users plug in an SD card reader and USB dongle. But if the Apple iPad 3 is to be the best standalone device it could be, there needs to be removable storage.

Apple A6 processor
Apple is said to be working on an A6 quad-core processor due for launch in Spring 2012. If ready in time, it would be a tremendous boost to the Apple iPad 3 and ensure that it would be more than a vanity upgrade. Webpages, applications and games will load much quicker, and really take the iPad 3 on par with laptops in terms of speed.

Siri voice integration 
This one looks a cert. Voice assistant Siri was one of the iPhone 4S’ flagship features, and we see no reason why Siri won’t appear on the Apple iPad 3. The iPad 3 has gained in popularity as a device to take to work, so the addition of Siri to create reminders, set alarms and organise one’s calendar sounds completely possible.

What else would you like to see in the Apple iPad 3? Let us know in the comments section below

The best Apple iPhone 4S apps of 2011

 

 

Apple’s iPhone 4S is the latest Apple iPhone upgrade, bringing with it new features such as its voice assistant Siri, an eight-megapixel camera and 1080i video recording. Download apps and the iPhone 4S becomes even more fun. With that in mind we’ve picked out some of the best iPhone 4S apps of 2011.

Galaxy on Fire 2 HD Galaxy on Fire 2 HD is a souped up version of the iOS space shooter optimised for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Galaxy on Fire boasts over 10 explosion-filled hours of gameplay in a 3D universe spanning over 20 star systems. It’s a blast.

Instagram 
One of the good things about the iPhone upgrade is a better camera. With 8 megapixels to play with camera apps such as Instagram are given a new lease of life. Those rose-tinted Instagram photos look positively rosier.

Find My FriendsFind My Friends makes it easy to locate friends and family with your iPhone 4S. All you need to do is send a friend or family member a request to see their location and have them accept. A temporary sharing location can be activated on days visiting friends to let them know if you’ll make it on time, or to let them see that you’ve made it home safely.

iMovie 
iMovie has always been around, but if you own an Apple iPhone 4S, iMovie is even better by the 1080i video recording skills of the latest iPhone. As usual, owners can add sound effects, photos and trim the length of clips in just a few swipes of the finger, before sharing via YouTube.

Real Racing 2Real Racing 2 is one of the best racing games for iPhone 4S, if not the best. It features updated graphics especially for the iPhone 4S and over 10 hours of racing gameplay, 16-player online races and 15 locations to race in.

Modern CombatLike console versions, first-person games done correctly on mobile phones are good fun to play. Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is one of them. It can be played with more than one player over 13 missions full of memorable scenes of action. Multiplayer mode is played out by 12 players across six exclusive maps. As iPhone 4S games go this is a complete package.

Cards 
This brand new app lets iPhone 4S owners create and send greeting cards with personalised greetings, photos and text to paste to pre-made cards that can be ordered from the app. Cards can be sent to anywhere in the world. Simply place your order and enter your Apple ID password.

Infinity Blade 2The most highly-rated game on the iPhone finally gets a sequel. And guess what? It’s even better, with new environments, three new combat styles and the fun gameplay fans remember. A must-have game for the iPhone 4S.

Shazam 
Shazam isn’t a new app by any means by it’s still one of the most handy to have around. It’s a music discovery app that tells you the name of any piece of music playing in the vicinity, the artist and album.

My Xbox LIVE
The My Xbox LIVE app has finally reached iOS devices. If you own an Xbox 360 and regularly play games over Xbox LIVE, you need this app. It lets you view and customise your avatar, check your Xbox Achievements and those of your friends. You’ll can even send messages to those on your Xbox LIVE friend list.

Top 5 Apple accessories every Apple fan would love by

 

Whether you own an Apple iPhone 4S, an iPad 2 or a MacBook Pro there are plenty of accessories you can buy for each. What’s more, with Christmas just around the corner, you’ve just enough time to get them on your list for Santa. Check out the Top 5 Apple accessories every Apple fan would love!

From keyboard docks to earphones, we’ve selected five accessories for Apple gadgets any Apple fan would love to receive. Read on for our top five Apple accessory picks and potential stocking filler ideas for the Apple fan.

Apple iPad keyboard dock

If you’ve got an Apple iPad you’ll find typing on its screen takes some getting used to. Thankfully you can buy a keyboard attachment that docks onto the bottom of the iPad – keeping it upright while allowing you to type away. The official keyboard docks are very compact, are made from aluminium, and have low profile keys. It’s also small enough to pop in your bag with your iPad 2.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air

OK, so we’re using the term ‘accessory’ loosely here, but if you already own an iPhone or iPod Touch, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air is one of the best pieces of kit for getting the most from your iTunes music collection. It looks and sounds fantastic. The latest model features AirPlay, letting you stream music from any Apple computer to the Zeppelin Air to fill up the room with sound. 



SoundMagic E10

Apple’s portable range of gadgets are well made, have some great features and are capable of delivering top-notch sound. But only if you’ve got a decent pair of earphones. The standard Apple earphones that come bundled do a job, but aren’t of the best quality. For fantastic-sounding earphones without the high cost check out the SoundMagic’s E10 earphones are the best in its class. They cost just £35 but to do the job of earphones up to three times the cost.

iPad Smart Cover

Got an Apple iPad 2? If so, these iPad Smart Covers are very good for protecting your tablet without the unnecessary bulk that usually comes with covers. A clever design neatly folds against the iPad 2 to protect its screen. The Smart cover even doubles up as a keyboard stand that folds into an upright position for comfortable typing.

Apple Magic Mouse

For Apple MacBooks and and the iMac Apple’s Magic Mouse is a wonderful accessory that uses the same multi-touch technology you’ll find in the iPhone. Apple’s Magic Mouse introduced the first range of multi-touch mouse that you don’t need to move to scroll through pages. It combines the same functionality of a two-button mouse without the buttons.

Got a favourite Apple accessory you’ve added to your Christmas list? Let us know about it in the Comments below.

Fifth iPhone expected to be launched by Apple

Fifth iPhone expected to be launched by Apple

 

The launch event is the first Tim Cook will host as outright boss of Apple

Apple is expected to launch the fifth version of its best-selling iPhone today.

Journalists have been invited to a "Let's talk iPhone" event at its California campus due to start at 10:00 PDT (18:00 BST).

Doubts surround how different the iPhone 5 will be to its predecessor though some do expect big changes.

The launch will be hosted by Tim Cook, now Apple's full time boss following Steve Jobs' retirement in August.

As ever with Apple launches, exact details of product features will not be known until the event. Expert opinion is divided with some expecting significant changes.

"We're expecting a flagship, high tier product to cement the iPhone's position as the must-have device," said Ben Wood, director of research at analysts CCS Insight.

INVADERCADE Space Invaders Apple iPad dock!

 

The Apple iPad has revolutionised the way many of us browse the web, read books and watch films around the home. Holding it can be a bit of a chore, however, which is where the fabulously retro iNVADERCADE comes in.

Despite the daft name, the iNVADERCADE is actually a pretty decent looking gadget, mimicking the Space Invaders arcade cabinet of the late 1970s. You won’t need an oversized living room to own one, either, as it’s actually designed to accommodate your Apple iPad, and use the Apple’s display for games or media playback.

Wooden iPad case anyone?

You won’t just benefit from having somewhere to prop your Apple iPad, either, as – just like the original arcade machines – the iNVADERCADE also features a proper joystick and a host of buttons to let you take advantage of games.

Along with playing Space Invaders, the cabinet also charges your Apple iPad, and is perfect for when you just want to chill out and listen to music or watch films (albeit in portrait mode!).

The iNVADERCADE is designed for use with the Apple iPad and Apple iPad 2, and will hit the shops later this year.

iDJ Live promises to mix up your iPad music

It seems like a different lifetime when DJs needed to take boxes of records around with them to mix music, with gadgets cropping up left, right and centre to take advantage of MP3 players. The latest mixing deck – the iDJ Live – is designed to work with your Apple iPad, and also offers a big onscreen app to go with it.

In addition to the iPad, the iDJ Live is compatible with the Apple iPhone and Apple iPod, although neither look quite as good as the iPad when it’s hooked up to the mixing deck.

You’ll find two ‘turntables’ – as with an old-style mixing deck – although they’re obviously just there for tweaking the speed your songs are running at, rather than actually playing vinyl. The iDJ Live also offers a mixer and crossfader, and there’s a proper stand for your Apple iPad.

On the iDJ Live, Numark – the company behind the gadget – claims “It’s so affordable and fun to use, iDJ Live is going to open up the world of DJing to entirely new audiences”.

Would you buy the iDJ Live? Or do you prefer using traditional mixing decks and vinyl? Leave a comment and let us know.