64% of smartphone shoppers will buy more from their mobiles this Christmas, predicts IMRG

Summer must be over: the predictions about ‘A Mobile Christmas’ are starting to arrive. First out of the paddock is IMRG-eDigitalResearch, suggesting that more than half (64%) of smartphone shoppers who are planning to shop from their devices this Christmas are claiming that they will make more mobile purchases this year compared to 2012.

eDigitalResearch and IMRG found that 44% of smartphone owners have said that they will consider doing some of their Christmas shopping online, with over half of these (64%) planning to purchase more gifts and Christmas items from their device than they did during the festive period in 2012. The survey of 2,000 online consumers also found that almost all respondents (96%) will shop online this Christmas, with 48% purchasing at least half of their Christmas shopping on the internet.

The results highlight the need for retailers to ensure that all their touch points – no matter how many they operate – are accessible to everyone in order to maximise Christmas sales.

The survey also found that a quarter (25%) of consumers feel that their online shopping experience is ‘significantly better’ or ‘slightly better’ at Christmas time thanks to special deals and a bigger range of products on offer. Just 7% feel that it gets worse.

In comparison, almost half (42%) feel that their in-store experience deteriorates during the festive period with busy stores, queues and a limited number of staff to deal with requests some of the main reasons that people feel high street shopping at Christmas is worse than any other time of the year.

The quarterly eCSI study has been tracking people’s Christmas shopping habits since 2008 and has found that consumers are increasingly turning to the internet and their online devices for better deals and more choice as household budgets continue to be squeezed.

Derek Eccleston, Commercial Director at eDigitalResearch, says: “Back in 2010 just 35% of smartphone owners said that they would even consider doing Christmas shopping from their devices. This Christmas, retailers are likely to see more festive purchases through mobile sites and apps than ever before. As a result, retailers and brands need to ensure that they are ready for the usual Christmas shopping spree and provide a seamless shopping experience no matter what channel a consumer uses. The customer experience has to be right from the offset – from a simple, yet inviting homepage right through to fulfilling orders on time as promised and ensuring that gifts arrive in time for the big day”.

 

Andy Mulcahy, Editor at IMRG, adds: “It is little wonder that such a high percentage of people (64%) say they are planning to do more shopping through their phones this Christmas; we’ve seen sales through mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) grow rapidly over the past few years, accounting for 23% of online sales in Q2 of 2013 with site visits at 34%. To put in perspective the rate at which confidence in the channel has grown, three years ago at the start of 2010, sales through mobile devices stood at just 0.4% of online sales.”

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Android 4.2 updates, the PlayStation 4, Xbox Surface and much more

 

It’s been another epic week in gadgetry and gaming, and we wouldn’t blame you for struggling to keep up with it all. It’s just as well we’re here to do that for you: read on for our round-up of all the hottest stories of the week, here in the Gadget Digest.

Souped up smartphones

It’s been a busy week in all things Android. Google’s new version of its smartphone operating system, 4.2, is barely a week old, but it appears it’s already heading to the Samsung Galaxy S3 super phone. Not to be outdone, we started seeing the first signs that HTC’s incredible full HD phone, the HTC J Butterfly, is making the leap from Japan to the West.

Next-gen consoles

Microsoft’s got a new Xbox on the way, but it’s not what you think. It’s actually a tablet, according to sources, and it’ll run touchscreen games much like an iPad – but as we revealed in our feature, Microsoft’s no stranger to this form of handheld gaming. Meanwhile, we pulled together our wishlist of must-have features inside the Sony PS4: is there anything else you’d like to see?

Smart TV

Over on the smart TV front meanwhile, Google turned up the heat on Apple TV a little with the addition of movie and TV streaming on Google TV boxes in the UK. Virgin meanwhile took on its arch-rival Sky by releasing its TV Anywhere service for laptops, computers and iPhone and iPad. But as we found out, it has a few catches.

Games galore

While all the big tech for Christmas has already been announced, things are only just getting started on the gaming side of things. On mobile, Angry Birds Star Wars touched down and we checked out the bizarre Curiosity cube, which holds a life-changing prize for someone within. Over in console land, we also took a gander at Need For Speed: Most Wanted, and set loose our full review of Halo 4. Has it been worth the wait?

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Samsung's Galaxy S3 beats Apple's iPhone in Q3 sales

 

Samsung Galaxy S3's best-selling position is likely to be short-lived

South Korean electronics firm Samsung's Galaxy S3 has outsold Apple's iPhone 4S for the first time, becoming the world's best-selling smartphone, says research firm Strategy Analytics.

Samsung sold 18 million models, compared with Apple's 16.2 million sales, in the third quarter of 2012.

The Galaxy S3 "has proven wildly popular with consumers and operators," said Strategy Analytics' Neil Mawston.

However, Apple's new iPhone 5 is widely expected to reclaim the top sales spot.

Strong Galaxy smartphone sales helped Samsung report record profits in the three months to September. Net profit was 6.5tn won ($5.9bn; £3.7bn), up 91% from a year earlier.

But analysts say that one reason Samsung's phone was able to wrest the top sales spot from Apple's iPhone 4 was because many customers were waiting for the iPhone 5, which was launched during the third quarter.

The Apple iPhone 5 has already got off to a solid start and "we expect the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung's Galaxy S3 in the coming fourth quarter", said Neil Mawston.

"Apple should soon reclaim the title of the world's most popular smartphone model," he added.

Legal struggle

Samsung and its rival Apple have been locked in a series of ongoing legal battles over patent infringement claims in various countries.

In October, sales bans in the US on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone and its Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer were lifted, in a blow to Apple.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, a US court awarded Apple $1.05bn (£652m) in damages, after ruling several of its software and design technologies had been infringed by Samsung.

Samsung has challenged that verdict and called for a retrial.

Analysts say that given the tremendous growth potential of the sector, the two firms' legal battle is likely to continue.

iPhone 5 and iPad mini prototypes leaked

 

What could be the first sighting of both the iPhone 5 and iPad mini have appeared online, providing a first look at what appears to be a larger 4-inch iPhone, and a smaller, thinner iPad with a few design tweaks around the edges and an extra speaker for a better-sounding iPad.

While this isn’t the first time such a rumour has appeared online, it is reported (via gottabebemobile) that the photos of the new iPhone and iPad mini come from a trusted source from within the Apple supply chain.

Starting with the supposed iPhone 5, it appears that, true to rumours, the new iPhone will measure 4-inches, adding an extra half an inch to the current iPhone 4S model. The larger screen will be seen as an essential addition, in a market where smartphone screens are getting bigger.

Its main competitor the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a 4.8-inch screen by comparison.The engineering sample seen in photos reveals little else, but it does confirm that the camera will remain in the same place, in the top left hand corner of the device.

The iPad Mini sample reveals an orange model, that when placed on top of an existing iPad model, is clearly smaller. It also looks like Apple will as reported be using a smaller dock connector to charge the device.

A 7-inch model has been rumoured. The latest spied photos seem to indicate these rumours are true. The iPad mini will also be thinner, and have two speakers, instead of one.

The iPad mini is especially intriguing since it will be going up against the Google Nexus 7 – another 7-inch tablet with some decent specs, and pricing starting from just £160, rising to £199.

With tablets such as the nexus 7 around, pricing of the iPad mini will be more important than ever in a market where competitors are constantly trying to bite away at Apple. How much would you pay for an iPad mini?

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 tipped for October release, iPhone in its sights

 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 may have already hit the stores as competition to the iPhone, but don’t think Samsung is stopping there. Another stab at the iPhone will see Samsung launch a second Galaxy Note, with a flexible display, thinner design, quad-core processor, and a 12-megapixel camera to coincide with the launch of the iPhone 5, says a report.



And forget Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The new Samsung Galaxy Note successor will instead run the new Android Jelly Bean operating system, says an MK Business News report. 
 Samsung is already enjoying huge success with its Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone – the most -pre-ordered phone so far this year is being tipped as many peoples phone of the year.

Wanting to build on that, it appears Samsung is hoping to spoil Apple’s party by launching the new Galaxy Note in October – around the same Apple is believed to be launching its new iPhone.

So what can we expect from a Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Rumoured specs include an ‘unbreakable plane display,’ said to be a flexible display, thinner in design to make room for a better processor inside.

The report also mentions a display said to exceed the 5.3-inches of the current Galaxy Note, burring the line between tablet and smartphone, a longer battery life, and a quad-core processor just like the Samsung Galaxy S3. And of course that new Jelly Bean operating system from launch.

Samsung has yet to confirm the above, but would it be fair to call a device exceeding 5.3-inches competition to an iPhone 5? It sounds more like a mini tablet to us.

A (rumoured) leaked iPhone 5 blueprint recently hinted that Apple will go with a 4-inch display for its new smartphone. That’s still over an inch less than the Samsung Galaxy Note, and nearly an inch smaller than the Samsung Galaxy S3’s 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen.

Isn’t 5.3-inches plus just too big for a smartphone? What do you think?

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Samsung Galaxy S3 the fastest-selling phone of 2012, your move Apple

 

If smartphones were in a 100 metre sprint, the Samsung Galaxy S3 would be the pace-setting record-breaker way out in front. The Galaxy S3 Android smartphone has received the most pre-orders this year, making it the hottest phone of 2012. That would make it more popular than the likes of the new HTC One X and Nokia Lumia 900. The iPhone 5 will have some serious competition once it eventually arrives. 



The claim comes not from Samsung, but from phone retailer Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone. The exact numbers behind the record-breaking pre-orders are being kept secret for now, but the word is that “thousands” of Samsung Galaxy S3 phones were pre-ordered from Carphone Warehouse in just 24 hours, ready to pick up on 29th May.

Samsung Galaxy S3 launches with whopping 4.8-inch screen

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is “now officially the most popular Android device we’ve ever put on pre-order” Carphone Warehouse told Pocket-lint. Those that don’t pre-order will have to wait a day longer until the Galaxy S3 goes on general release on 30th May.

Ever since the turn of the year, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has been tipped as the phone to deliver Apple’s strongest competition yet. With the iPhone 5 rumoured to be announced later this year the smartphone battle is set to stir once again.

HTC’s blazing fast quad-core HTC One X was tipped as a contender, but on this evidence alone it looks like customers have given their vote to the Galaxy S3 as 2012’s must-have Android phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 comes running Android 4.04, and features a massive 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display, up to 64GB of storage, 8-megapixel camera and more features unique to the Samsung Galaxy S3, including ‘S-Voice’ – Samsung’s answer to the Apple’s Siri voice recognition software.

Have you pre-ordered the Samung Galaxy S3, or are you holding out for the Apple iPhone 5?

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Samsung Galaxy S3: Top 5 features you need to own!

 

thrThe eagerly-awaited Samsung Galaxy S3 Android phone has finally been unveiled. As rumours foretold, it has a massive 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display, fast quad-core processor, up to 64GB of internal memory, NFC and a host of exclusive features you won’t find anywhere else. Here we take a look at some of the features that make the Samsung Galaxy S3 the smartphone of 2012.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 will come running the latest Android 4.0.4 interface, and have a wealth of features. For a rundown of those click on the link below. Here we are looking at some of the unique features that separate the Galaxy S3 from the competition.

S-Talk

The iPhone 4S will not be the only handset this year to make the most of specially-developed voice recognition. In the Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung is introducing S Voice. The feature responds to every word you say, activating functions based on keywords, letting you take photos, set alarms and lots more. Just don’t mention Apple’s Siri.

Smart Stay

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has a unique sensor that detects when you are looking at its 4.8-inch display. As a result the Galaxy S3 only enters sleep mode when you’re not looking at it, preventing you from having to press the home button to wake it up again while reading long passages of text.

Smart Alert

Don’t you just hate when you’ve left your phone on the desk for a few minutes and return to not realise someone has been trying to get in touch? We all do. To combat this the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses Smart alert. It knows when you’ve been away from the device, vibrating to let you know you’ve missed any calls or messages. Smart thinking.

Direct call

Ever get halfway through a long, rambling text message only to figure it would be quicker to just call? The Samsung Galaxy S3 has proximity sensors inside that know when you want to talk. Next time you’re mid-way through a message, lift the phone to your ear and the Galaxy S3 will automatically dial your contact.

AllShare Cast

This is what we’re talking about. An AllShare Cast feature lets you share media wirelessly with your television.You can beam over videos, photos from your Galaxy S3-bound library and the latest smartphone games from Google Play using the Samsung Galaxy S3 as a controller. It’s like having a touchscreen video game home console.

What do you think, gadget fans? Which Samsung Galaxy S3 features are you most looking forward to getting your hands on?

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Samsung Galaxy S3 launches with whopping 4.8-inch screen

 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been officially unveiled in London to have a whopping 4.8-inch screen and powered by a quad-core processor set to deliver stunning performance in this Android smartphone. Read on to find out more about what is already being called ‘the smartphone of 2012’!

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is here and we can reveal that it comes with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display and depending on which model you plumb for will have between 16GB and 64GB of internal memory.

 

Powered by the Exynos 4 Quad processor, it offers incredible CPU and 3D performance while consuming much less power than previous chips. The Samsung Galaxy S3 itself weighs in at 133g and considering the step-up in screen size it’s only 16 per cent larger than its predecessor.

Running Android 4.0.4 you’ll find all the latest software on-board, as well as a host of cool features, such as S-Voice (don’t call it SIRI) and S-Beam, which allows for NFC and WiFi wireless data transfer. You’ll find a pretty standard 8-Megapixel camera on the back, with a 1.9MP front mounted camera suitable for video calls.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is set to come in two colours to start with, there will be the now standard marble white but it will be joined by a pebble blue, for those who are looking for something a little different.

If storage is your thing then you find that the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with 50GB of free storage online courtesy of Dropbox. This isn’t for the life of the phone, rather for the first two years, but which time you’re likely to be looking for an upgrade anyhow.

Pricing has yet to be announced but we can expect to see it ship later this month as the likes of O2 and Vodafone are already getting pretty excited about adding the phone to their rosters.

So, what do you think, is the Samsung Galaxy S3 the smartphone you’ve been waiting for? Does it live up to expectations? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below.

Samsung Galaxy S3 launches with whopping 4.8-inch screen

 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been officially unveiled in London to have a whopping 4.8-inch screen and powered by a quad-core processor set to deliver stunning performance in this Android smartphone. Read on to find out more about what is already being called ‘the smartphone of 2012’!

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is here and we can reveal that it comes with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display and depending on which model you plumb for will have between 16GB and 64GB of internal memory.

Powered by the Exynos 4 Quad processor, it offers incredible CPU and 3D performance while consuming much less power than previous chips. The Samsung Galaxy S3 itself weighs in at 133g and considering the step-up in screen size it’s only 16 per cent larger than its predecessor.

Running Android 4.0.4 you’ll find all the latest software on-board, as well as a host of cool features, such as S-Voice (don’t call it SIRI) and S-Beam, which allows for NFC and WiFi wireless data transfer. You’ll find a pretty standard 8-Megapixel camera on the back, with a 1.9MP front mounted camera suitable for video calls.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is set to come in two colours to start with, there will be the now standard marble white but it will be joined by a pebble blue, for those who are looking for something a little different.

If storage is your thing then you find that the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with 50GB of free storage online courtesy of Dropbox. This isn’t for the life of the phone, rather for the first two years, but which time you’re likely to be looking for an upgrade anyhow.

Pricing has yet to be announced but we can expect to see it ship later this month as the likes of O2 and Vodafone are already getting pretty excited about adding the phone to their rosters.

So, what do you think, is the Samsung Galaxy S3 the smartphone you’ve been waiting for? Does it live up to expectations? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below.

Samsung countdown teases Galaxy S3, plus pre-order at Amazon

 

Ahead of the potential May 3 Samsung Galaxy S3 launch, Samsung has teased big changes with a countdown timer and a cheeky anagram challenge, that pretty much confirms what we’ve already heard. Read on to find out all about the latest Samsung S3 sightings.

The next generation of Samsung Galaxy smartphone is coming. The Samsung Galaxy S3 has also appeared on Amazon, confirming specs such as its 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display and 12-megapixel camera. 



The countdown timer appears at the URL www.tgeltaayehxnx.com. If our anagram skills serve us correctly that would spell out ‘the next galaxy’. The countdown timer however appears to count down not to the launch, but to the next step in a puzzle. It sounds as if each step in the puzzle will gradually reveal more details.

Meanwhile the Samsung Galaxy S3 has appeared on the German version of Amazon. The listing appears to confirm a price of €599 (£490) SIM-free. Also noted is a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display, 12-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, Android 4.0, and16GB internal memory that can be upped to 32GB.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Amazon listing does not feature an image of the phone. We’ll have to wait till May 3 to see what it looks like.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is tipped to be the year’s must-have phone ahead of even the HTC One X and possibly the next iPhone. Here’s hoping it can live up to the hype come launch. 


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Half of drivers use smartphone while driving

Are smartphones endangering our lives? A study has found that just under half of British drivers are flouting driving laws by using their smartphone behind the wheel. One in five even admit to checking email and browsing the web, while men are more likely to use their phones while driving than women.

Today’s smartphones are capable of more than ever, keeping us more connected than ever before. But are they transforming us into smartphone obsessives unable to tear ourselves away from them?



 

new figures from insurance company Direct Line indicate that 48 per cent of Brits are using their phones behind the wheel. According to the study four out of ten young drivers owned up to using hand-held phones compared to 30 per cent of older drivers.

Online connectivity and apps appear to be one of the main culprits responsible for bad driving habits. More than one in five young drivers go online, check email and use apps behind the wheel compared with under one in ten older drivers.

Meanwhile men (50 per cent) were more likely than women (47 per cent) to use their phone while driving. We all love using our smartphones, but it comes at a serious risk.
 “Use a phone while driving and you are taking a horrendous risk with your own life and the lives of others,” said Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of road safety charity Brake.

“Many drivers who wouldn’t dream of drink-driving are using phones while driving, oblivious that the effect on your reaction times can be similar. We’re urging people to drive smart, recognising that phone use at the wheel can and does destroy lives and that no call or text is ever that important.

“If you need to use your phone urgently, pull over somewhere safe first – it’s as simple as that.” Sounds pretty clear to us. Remember, if you must use your smartphone, at least invest in a Bluetooth hands-free kit to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. But only if you must. Drive safe, gadget fans

Joystick developed for smartphone gaming!

 

The latest touchscreen smartphones have proven to be excellent portable gaming devices, but the one thing they truly lack are proper gaming controls. However, one team of developers think they’ve cracked the ultimate gaming challenge with a 3-Axis analog joystick, read on to find out more.

Let’s face it, touchscreen controls can be rubbish for all but the most basic of games. To solve the problem a team at Keio University has come up with a 3-Axis analog joystick that pairs with the front-facing camera of your phone to transform it into a gaming handheld.

To make it work, the inventors have assembled an elastic device that features small markers that are detected by the front-facing camera, as of the team explains in this video . 


“By tracking how the markers move as the elastic device deforms, this system enables a variety of inputs. When you press the device the markers move further apart or they move horizontally or vertically, or they get skewed.”

By being able to move in different directions, the joystick allows freedom of movement, which in turn would give game developers the chance to add complex controls to games.

Fighting games such as Street Fighter that have been ported from console to mobile phone have traditionally been very poor. A joystick such as this would deliver a more authentic experience than is possible using touchscreen controls.

Another upside is being able to play without obstructing the screen with your fingers, also preventing the display to become oily. So you can ditch the screen wipes. Proper gaming controls on our smartphone? Yes please

Free mobile apps 'drain battery faster'

 

Free mobile apps which use third-party services to display advertising consume considerably more battery life, a new study suggests.

Researchers used a special tool to monitor energy use by several apps on Android and Windows Mobile handsets. Findings suggested that in one case 75% of an app's energy consumption was spent on powering advertisements. Report author Abhinav Pathak said app makers must take energy optimisation more seriously. Free applications typically have built-in advertisements so developers can make money without having to charge for the initial app download.

Mr Pathak said that developers should perhaps think twice when utilising third-party advertising and analytics services in their app.

 

“Start Quote

It seeps up the energy”

End Quote Chris McClelland App developer

The research, produced by at team at Purdue University in Indiana, USA, looked at popular apps such as Angry Birds and Facebook. Due to restrictions built into Apple's mobile operating system, the team was unable to run tests on the iPhone. In the case of Angry Birds, research suggested that only 20% of the total energy consumption was used to actually play the game itself. Of the rest, 45% is used finding out your location with which it can serve targeted advertising.

'3G tail'

The tests were carried out by running the app over a 3G connection. The results noted that many apps leave connections open for up to 10 seconds after downloading information. In Angry Birds, that brief period - described by researchers as a "3G tail" - accounted for over a quarter of the app's total energy consumption.

Chris McClelland, director of Belfast-based app developer Ecliptic Labs, said he was not surprised by the findings.

"Advertising needs to connect to the server and send information about location," he explained .

"That just takes up so much battery. It seeps up the energy."

He said such practices were largely unavoidable if users wanted to enjoy free, ad-supported games and applications.

However, he said developers should give more consideration to energy consumption when building in new features.

Samsung Galaxy S3: is this the final design?

 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 will be launching later this year. Ahead of that much-anticipated launch an image has appeared online purporting to be the final design for the Samsung handset. And it’s got a bit of a makeover. Could this be our first look at the Samsung Galaxy S3? Let’s take a closer peek.

For those not keeping count, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is the successor to both the original Samsung Galaxy and the current Samsung Galaxy S2. Both have so far been a solid rival to Apple’s iPhone, and worthy Android alternative. So it’s understandable then that there are high hopes for the Samsung Galaxy S3. 


Samsung Galaxy S3 set to launch this April


The (allegedly) leaked picture above (via Visit Electronista ) shows what could be a first look at the device sporting a slimmer profile and a two-tone colour scheme. The device on the back looks to be completely flat, with no bumps where the camera sensor would be. The Samsung Galxy S3 could be Samsung’s slimmest phone to date.

Until Samsung officially launches the Samsung Galaxy the above still remains a rumour, but we have heard that the new Galaxy handset will be slimmer, so that is at least something we can take from this.

From what we’ve heard, the Samsung Galaxy S3 should be worth waiting for. Specs will include a 4.3-inch display, the latest Android 4.0 operating system, 1.5GHz quad-core processor and full HD video.

Such specs will put the Samsung Galaxy S3 in direct competition with the HTC One X – another quad-core Android phone out this April according to O2. Which will you be going for? Or are you waiting for Apple to release the iPhone 5?

Samsung Galaxy S3 set to launch in April?

 

A launch date for the Samsung Galaxy S3 has so far been elusive, but it looks like we won’t have to wait too long for one of 2012’s hottest Android phones. Rumours are pinpointing an April release for the speedy Android 4.0. If any phone can topple the iPhone 4S’ popularity, it’s the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Those reports stem from gadget blog ZDNet Korea. The blog suggests that Samsung will release the Galaxy S3 next month in a campaign geared around the London 2012 olympic games. That means we don’t have too long to wait.

The launch is especially important because like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is expected to become the number one Android phone on the market, considered by many to be the only real alternative to the Apple iPhone 4S.

Samsung has yet to confirm the specs, but if previous leaks are anything to go by, the Galaxy S3 is an impressive beast. Reports are claiming the latest Android 4.0 operating system, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, full HD 1080p shooting and a 4.8-inch display.

We had expected to see the Samsung Galaxy S3 at MWC 2012, but it was not to be. Instead Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy Beam – a smartphone with a built-in projector that will be in stores this July.

It sounds amazing, but it’s the Samsung Galaxy that Android will really be looking forward to. We’ll bring you more on this year’s must-have Android phone as we hear it. Roll on April.

Gadget Digest: Nokia 808 PureView 41-megapixel smartphone, iPad 3 next week, Assassin’s Creed 3 and more

 

With the MWC 2012 mobile convention having taken place, this week has been one of 2012’s most exciting gadget fans. Lots of new phones and tablets have been the order of the last seven days. Away from MWC 2012, things were just as exciting. Here’s one clue: iPad 3. Read on for a catchup of five stories that made this week.

 

Nokia began the week by unveiling the Nokia 808 PureView – a phone with a massive 41-megapixel sensor. Incredible.

 

Assassin’s Creed 3 American setting confirmed

Assassin’s Creed 3 is coming on October 30th. Before this week we knew little about. We can now confirm that it’ll be set during the American revolution. Excited yet?

 

Apple invites confirm new iPad launch

Ahead of a new product launch Apple loves sending out invites. Its latest is the biggest clue yet that next week we will see a new iPad. The invite reads: The invite reads “We have something you really have to see. And touch.”

 

Budget Apple iPad 2 set to launch

As well as the anticipated launch of the iPad 3 comes word that Apple may also launch a smaller, cheaper iPad. If true, Apple could have the tablet market sewn up, we reckon.

 

MWC 2012 story roundup

Don’t head out just yet. Here’s a roundup of all the MWC 2012 stories we covered this week. Hit the link for the low down on all the most important mobile announcements that took place this week.

LG Miracle Windows Phone with NFC exposed

An image of a new LG phone reported to be named the LG Miracle has surfaced, revealing a mid-entry Windows Phone to compete with Android and iOS devices. Rumoured specifications of the LG Miracle have also surfaced, showing the LG Miracle to have NFC technology, a decent processor and HD video recording

The LG Miracle was first spotted in leaked photos last December. Back then the name of the device was known the ‘Fantasy’. A name change later and we have the LG Miracle, and with leaked specs revealing the LG Miracle to have a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and a 4-inch NOVA display, Pocketnow reports.


NOVA displays promise to be better and brighter than some of the Super AMOLED displays we’re now seeing on the latest Android phones such as the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S Advance and even the Samsung Galaxy S3.

For storage we’re talking 8GB of built-in space for photos, movies, music and apps. Other leaked features include HSPA connectivity, front-facing VGA camera, and a five-megapixel rear camera capable of 720p HD shooting.

The LG Miracle is also being reported to feature an NFC chip that would let the LG Miracle exchange and share information with another NFC-enabled phone by tapping the two devices together.

NFC technology is still in its early days, currently being adopted by more manufacturers in the hope that we will use the technology more often as an alternative to Bluetooth sharing, and paying for small goods at shops by touching our phones on a sensor, sending a payment via a users phone bill.
Availability and a release date have yet to be revealed, but expect to hear more at the upcoming Mobile World Congress convention in Barcelona at the end of this month

Top 5 high-end camera smartphones for Christmas

    

Still on the lookout for the perfect Christmas tech gift? This week we’ve been honing our gadget senses to bring you some handy gift guides. This time we’re looking at the best smartphones with killer cameras on-board. We’ve picked out five of the best for taking photos. Amazing photos guaranteed. Right this way.
Megapixels aren’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to taking the best shots. Although they do help, we’ve gone for a broad spectrum of here, ranging from 12 to 8-megapixel camera phones from Nokia, Samsung, Apple and HTC. So even if you’re treating yourself, you’re likely to find one that’s right for you.

Samsung Galaxy SII

One of the latest and most advanced smartphones available. The Samsung Galaxy SII is adept at taking photos as it is everything else. An 8-megapixel camera with LED flash doesn’t skimp on the detail, even in low light conditions. A second two-megapixel front-facing camera lets you engage in video calls and take self-portraits. Video recording is also full 1080p high definition.
 


Nokia Lumia 800

The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first of two Nokia camera phones in our list. Nokia simply know how to make a great camera phone. The camera here is eight-megapixels. It comes with dual-LED flash, what Nokia likes to call exposure compensation and auto and manual white balance. Photos look great in almost all conditions, but as usual for Nokia phones, its the Carl Zeiss lens that gives photos a high quality sheen.


HTC Sensation XL
This beast of a phone also has one of the best cameras found on an Android smartphone. Pixel-wise, the HTC Sensation XL has as eight-megapixel sensor with dual LED flash and a sensor for better performance in low-light conditions. Should you feel the need to capture video, the Sensation XL will shoot high definition video at 720p resolution. That’s not quite full high definition, but still near enough to look of a high standard.

Nokia N8
While not the most current phone on our list of snappers, the Nokia N8 still possess one of the finest cameras ever seen on a phone. Its 12-megapixel and Carl Zeiss lens takes photos that will even rival digital SLR cameras. Picture-wise, it really is that good. Other photo specs include autofocus, face recognition, a still image editor and the ability to geo-tag photos with the location they were taken. 



Apple iPhone 4S
One of the big improvements that came in this iPhone upgrade was a new 8-megapixel camera. Apple claims that each megapixel is engineered to collect more light. The result is more detail in shots, while a larger aperture makes photos look brighter, not washed-out like you see on some camera phones. There’s also ability to edit photos on-the-go by cropping, rotating, and removing red-eye. A HDR mode takes three photos at different exposures to create a single perfect shot. Apple’s iCloud service will also let you stream and share photos taken to other Apple devices including Macs and iPads.

Nokia Lumia 800 goes on sale!

 

Nokia Lumia 800 goes on sale!

 

Today the much-anticipated Nokia Lumia 800 finally goes on sale. Nokia’s latest, and very stylish handset has been the talk of the mobile phone world. It’s Nokia’s first ever Windows Phone after all, and today shoppers will finally see what the fuss is all about.

Landing on store shelves right now, the Nokia Lumia 800 will be available on all the major networks. That includes O2, T-Mobile, Three, Vodafone and Orange, so keep an eye out on the deal that suits you.

The Nokia Lumia 800 represents a new vision and direction for Nokia. Nokia is calling it the first true Windows Phone, certainly the first Nokia Windows Phone 7.5. In terms of style it looks a lot like it’s MeeGo device, the Nokia N9 but comes with a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen glass display, with ClearBlack technology to reduce reflections. What we like about this screen is the curve to the glass, so images almost pop out from the screen

 

The Nokia Lumia 800 will also be one of Nokia’s fastest. It has a 1.4 GHz processor, so applications and games will run quickly. Other specs of note are 16GB of internal storage to store thousands of songs, videos and photos. 



 

Nokia has high hopes for the Nokia Lumia 800, and wants everyone to know about it. From today visitors to MSN.com (and then Yahoo, and The Sun in the next few days) can relive memories of the Nokia gaming classic Snake by visiting the homepage and clicking on ‘Play the amazing snake’. Just make sure to return here after you do.

HTC Sensation XL goes all Beats Audio on us

HTC has announced the Sensation XL, the phone formerly known by its development codename – the HTC Runnymede. The new Android phone is aimed squarely at music fans.
The original Sensation had one of the larger screens around at 4.3 inches. The Sensation XL goes even further with a finger-stretching 4.7 inch whopper of a display – although the resolution remains the same at 800×480 pixels. Where the screen has been boosted, the CPU has had a bit of a downgrade – a single core 1.5GHz processor rather than the dual-core speeds of its sibling.

Is the HTC Ryhme better for music?

That may not matter too much as the phone in’t really aimed at the power user or hardcore gamer. Like an X-Factor hopeful, the Sensation XL is all about the music.
The XL comes with Beats Audio. Beats is a set of audio specs developed with Dr Dre’s audio equipment company. Beats Audio acts as an audio ‘boost’ to process the sound produced by your phone and improve sound quality. To help this, the SensationXL comes with a set of Beats Audio earbuds, which are a cut above the usual cheapo buds you get bundled with a mobile phone.
The Sensation XL comes with 16GB of internal storage that you can cram full of tunes and you can always slip in a microSD card of up to 32GB is you need more space. An 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash rounds things off – only 720p video, but it does come with an f/2.2 aperture that can take snaps faster than you can say “Forgot about Dre.”