Mobile World Congress 2013: Every new phone so far!

 

The 2013 Mobile World Congress is currently taking place in Barcelona and as usual, we’ve been gifted a generous helping of exciting new devices to look forward to this year.

All the usual challengers are present, with the likes of LG, ZTE, Asus and Nokia fighting for your attention – although cheeky Samsung is holding its own event on March 14th to announce the Galaxy S4, and has even tried to derail some of its opponents by handing out physical invitations during MWC 2013.

Scurrilous tactics aside, here are the best phones we’ve seen so far.

Nokia Lumia 720

Arguably the biggest announcement from Nokia during MWC 2013, the Lumia 720 slots into the company’s product line just below the 820, and removes the LTE connectivity seen in that particular model. Everything else is pretty impressive, particularly the 6.7 megapixel camera with a f1.9 Carl Zeiss lens. Removeable covers will appeal to fashion-conscious types – you can even obtain a cover which supports wireless charging.

LG Optimus G Pro

After making the popular Nexus 4 handset for Google, LG is on a roll – as this new phone clearly demonstrates. The Optimus G Pro has a gargantuan 5.5-inch 1080p screen, which might cause a bit of hand-strain but will be amazing for on-the-go movie viewing and gaming. Under the bonnet it features brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 technology, which contains a quad core chip running at a cool 1.7Ghz – that’s pretty damn fast in mobile terms. A 13-megapixel snapper and 32GB of storage round things off, making this a fearsome piece of consumer electronics. 2013 should be another bumper year for LG.

Nokia Lumia 520

Nokia is deadly serious about winning the low-cost smartphone sector, and has already impressed with the Lumia 620. The Lumia 520 is a similar proposition and has a 4-inch screen, a five-megapixel camera, dual core processor, 8GB of storage and comes in a range of appealing colours. While it’s not likely to trouble the quad core monsters at the other end of the spectrum, for an estimated price of £120, it should attract buyers on a budget.

ZTE Open

This dinky little blower clearly isn’t taking aim at the big boys, but the fact that it’s the first mobile phone to come with Mozilla’s Firefox mobile OS installed makes it a noteworthy challenger. Aimed at developing markets – which means it could end up here as a budget option – the ZTE Open is worth keeping an eye on, if only to see if the Firefox OS can really take on the likes of Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Asus Padfone Infinity

The idea of a tablet which also contains a phone isn’t new – Asus has been banging on about the concept for quite some time now – but the latest in the Padfone line is something of a head-turner. For starters, it’s using the Snapdragon 600 chipset which means that quad core power is in play. Secondly, both the phone and tablet are rocking pin-sharp HD screens, which means zero compromise, regardless of which configuration you’re using. With a retail price of around £800 it’s not a cheap purchase, but where else can you get a cutting edge phone and tablet for that kind money?

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Asus Transformer style tablets "not going to be pleasing to the user" says Apple

The Asus Transformer range, with its ability to transform into a laptop using a keyboard has got us all thinking about what the future holds for the tablet computer. However, such convergence is not for everyone. Apple CEO Tim Cook rubbished the idea that Apple will ever follow suit with an iPad/MacBook hybrid, saying: “those things are not going to be pleasing to the user.” 



Speaking at Apple’s earnings call, Cook compared blending the two forms together to pairing two incompatible kitchen appliances and expecting them to work.

“You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know those things are not going to be probably be pleasing to the user,” Cook said. “Anything can be forced to converge,” he said. “But the problem is that the products are about tradeoffs, you begin to make tradeoffs to the point that what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone.

That pretty much rules out any dual-function tablets in future, despite more and more such devices appearing at technology shows. Examples being the Asus Padfone and the Asus Transformer Prime and the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T.

The Padfone can be purchased separately or with a dock that transforms the device into a 10-inch tablet, blowing up the display to deliver more tablet-like functionality. The Transformer Pad TF300T meanwhile transforms the tablet into a laptop with more storage and battery life.

While the Apple iPad does benefit from a compatible keyboard dock currently stocked by Apple, the Apple keyboard dock is seen more as an accessory to the iPad than a device that adds extra functions previously not available to iPad owners. As a result there isn’t the “tradeoff’ that Cook speaks of.

What do you think? Should tablets remain tablets instead of trying to be laptops as well? Let us know what you think below.

Gadget Digest: Mass Effect 3 tips, GAME saved, Nokia Lumia 900 news, Asus Padfone pre-order and BlackBerry woes

 

It’s been a busy week in the world of tech news. And the gadget gods know we’ve been doing our best to bring it all straight to you. But because even we can’t see everything at once, here’s a selection of some of the best stories from the web that deserve catching up on, ready to set you up for the long weekend.

Nokia Lumia 900 pre-orders out of stock in the states

The Nokia Lumia 900 is Nokia’s next big thing and hits US stores this weekend. So it’s a good sign for Nokia then that its latest Windows-powered phone is already a sell-out across the ocean, WMPoweruser reports. We’re looking forward to the Nokia Lumia 900 landing in the UK. The white model, please.

GAME saved, thousands of jobs and stores now safe

Video game retail chain GAME has officially exited administration this week following a successful approach by Comet owners OpCapita. It means that over 300 stores and over 3,000 staff will be saved. Gamers will also find they can still earn rewards with their purchases, making their money go even further!

Asus Padfone tablet hybrid up for pre-order ahead of UK launch

The Asus Padfone is a 4.3-inch smartphone that, when docked mutates into a fully-fledged 10-inch tablet. It’s a clever little device that comes with Android 4.0 built-in, and a fast dual-core S4 chip. As anticipation for its UK launch builds, the Asus Padfone has gone up for pre-order. We can’t wait till it lands here on April 20th, when you’ll be able to get your hands on the Asus Padfone with or without its dock.

BlackBerry maker RIM beckons a new approach

BlackBerry looks set to change as we know it, by ditching its interest in appealing to the consumer market and instead focus on emerging markets. Challenges competing in a tough smartphone and tablet market dominated by Android and iOS, and internal struggles has proven the catalyst for change. In more mature markets the company will revert to what it knows best, selling to businesses and the corporate sector.

12 tips to make you better at Mass Effect 3

Finally, VG247’s Brenna Hiller has compiled a handy guide to help players become better at Mass Effect multiplayer. Mass Effect 3 currently sits at number 2 in the UK top ten gaming chart,

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Five iPad alternatives for non-Apple fans

Have just gone to the dark side with my first (and last) apple product here are some alternatives for the resistance……..

The new iPad from Apple went on sale last week. Got one? Good for you. But if you’re one of the many gadget fans thinking of laying down cash for a tablet without having to set foot in an Apple store, read on. Here are five non-Apple new iPad alternatives to check out now, or new ones worth waiting for.

Asus EeePad Transformer Prime

For around £450 (cheaper than a 16GB Wi-Fi & 4G new iPad) the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is a tablet that, with a keyboard dock can transform into a fully-functional laptop. It might not have a Retina Display (it has a 1280×800 pixel resolution) but it is the first Android tablet to have a quad-core processor. It’s very quick.

Of course if you want to wait a little longer, a new TF700 model will be available this summer with updated specs, a 1920×1200 resolution and the latest Android 4.0 operating system.

 See our Asus EeePad Transformer Prime review Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1-inch

Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 at MWC 2012 last month. Look online and you’ll be able to find one for around the £490 mark. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1-inch comes running with the latest Android 4.0 operating system, and a 1GHz dual-core processor, and is available as a 16GB or 32GB version. Samsung has released some capable tablets in the past, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1-inch is a worthy new iPad alternative.

Asus Padfone

The Asus Padfone isn’t in stores till April, but it could be worth waiting for. The full package includes a handset and a dock. Hear us out. Insert the phone into a detachable dock, and the Asus Padfone transforms into a 10.1-inch tablet with Android 4.0 and up to 64GB of storage. A price has yet to be confirmed, so be sure to keep a lookout when the Asus Padfone does arrive.

Motorola Xoom 2

The latest Motorola Xoom tablet is lighter and thinner than the previous model and has a 1.2GHz dual core processor. It might not be as sexy as the new iPad but with the Android operating system on board, you’ll have access to thousands of apps and games, and USB and HDMI connectivity to view full HD 1080p video. Check out our Motorola Xoom review

Sony Tablet S

If you really need your tablets to be as sexy as Apple’s try the Sony Tablet S. It’s a gorgeous 9.4-inch tablet with 1GB RAM and up to 32GB of storage and Android caked in. A built-in infra-red remote control will even control your other Sony products, acting like a Universal Remote. The Sony Tablet S even won a Best of Innovations award at CES 2012. That’s some serious kudos. Models start from just £229. Bargain. Check out our Sony Tablet S review

MWC 2012: Top 5 smartphones we love so far! by

 

MWC 2012: Top 5 smartphones we love so far!

The MWC 2012 mobile convention has brought us some cracking smartphone announcements and a first glimpse of the mobile tech we’ll soon be seeing in stores stores. There was so many great smartphones on show, that we couldn’t decide which excited us the most, so here are five of best.

From Asus to Nokia – we’ve picked out five smartphones from five different phone-makers, each offering something different. Take a look. You’re bound to find something you like.

Nokia 808 PureView

The Nokia 808 PureView is by far the most advanced camera phone we’ve ever seen, outgunning its own Nokia N8 as the company’s best camera phone. It uses Nokia’s own PureView technology to produce stunning photos filled with detail even when zoomed in. The Nokia 808 PureView also shoots full HD video with “CD-quality” sound.

Huawei Ascend D quad

Huawei claims that the Ascend D quad is the “world’s fastest” smartphone. It’s able to produce such blistering feats thanks to Huawei’s own K3V2 processor that runs at at 1.5GHz. The Huawei Ascend D quad can also boast a 4.5-inch display, the latest Android 4.0 operating system and some clever graphics processors. Games will look great on this thing. An 8 megapixel camera with full HD recording and Dolby audio technology round-up just a few of the reasons we love already love the Huawei Ascend D quad. Its name is not one of them.

HTC One X

The HTC One X takes our own title as one of the most gorgeous phones of MWC 2012. Underneath the polycarbonate chassis it’s even more impressive. At launch it will have the latest Android 4.0 operating system, a 4.7-inch screen with a Super LCD 2 display, 1.5GHz Tegra 3 processor and 32GB of storage. We’re also talking an 8-megapixel camera with full HD video shooting, and HD video chats.

Sony Xperia U

The Sony’s Xperia may not be the most powerful phone around, but we love the look of this midrange device that’ll soon be available in a range of colours. The Xperia U features a 3.5-inch display, 5-megapixel camera and recordS HD video. It may not come shipped with the latest Android operating system, but that update will come later this year.

Asus Padfone


There’s a lot more to the Asus Padfone than meets the eye. Sure, it’s a trendy looking bit of kit with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, dual core processor, 8-megapixel camera and up to 64GB of memory – but did you know that it can take on the form of a 10.1-inch tablet. It does this by docking into one of the many tablet attachments that you can purchase separately. Some even have a keyboard – letting you transform the Asus Padfone into a laptop.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer gets Android 3.2 Honeycomb update

We absolutely love the Asus Eee Pad Transformer – it’s well made, speedy and truly innovative – but the operating system is one area that lets it down slightly. It’s not bad, but it could definitely be improved. Thankfully, Asus is on the case, and the Eee Pad Transformer is set to get an update to Android 3.2 Honeycomb today.

Out of all the tablets we’ve seen in the past year, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer definitely features the most impressive hardware, with a keyboard that turns it effortlessly into a mini laptop. When you don’t fancy writing, or having the smallest and lightest computer is more important, just detach the screen and take it out on its own.

The software on the Eee Pad Transformer isn’t quite so good though. It’s occasionally unintuitive, and it still feels like Android is better suited to smartphones. Thankfully, there are lots of updates for Android, and Asus has been quicker than most to implement them.

The last update for the Eee Pad Transformer was released at the beginning of June, but you’ll now be able to download Android 3.2 Honeycomb for your tablet – proving just how quickly Asus work. Whether you’ll be able to download the latest version of Android irrespective of what area you live in – or whether updates are just starting today – remains to be seen.

Have you got an Eee Pad Transfomer? Let us know if you’ve managed to download the latest version of Android, and how you’re getting on with it

Asus Eee PC Transformer hands on

Ever since Apple launched the first iPad, other manufacturers have been playing catchup. The Eee PC Transformer is a unique rival from Asus, and in lots of ways this Android-based tablet is actually better than the Apple iPad 2. Read on for our first impressions.

Take the Eee PC Transformer out of its box, and the most obvious thing about it is the quality. Gone are the days when the Eee PC brand represented the low quality and cheap-as-chip end of the market, with an aluminium case and glass screen that can easily match the iPad 2 for quality.

The back of the Eee PC Transformer is plastic, granted, but textured material is robust, and hides scratches and scuffs a lot better than its shiny rival. It’s the design of the Transformer that’s the real star of the show, however, with an accompanying keyboard that turns this tablet into a mini laptop.
At the back of the keyboard, there’s a cradle for the tablet section of the Transformer. It looks a bit bulky in isolation, but slip the tablet into the cradle and it all falls in place perfectly, with a tough aluminium hinge and locking mechanism that smacks of quality.

The keyboard is excellent considering the compact size, with the palm rest and keyboard surround made out of metal, and a textured plastic back – just like the tablet itself. All-in-all, the design works perfectly – either as a stand-alone tablet, or as a compact laptop.