sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/Get%20rid%20of%20Google/feature_camera-470-75.jpgBest replacement apps for Android usersAndroid is an operating system built by Google but that doesn't mean that every app you use on your Android handset has to be the creation of those fine folks in California. There's a whole world of faster, sleeker, prettier apps, that don't store all your data just waiting for a download. Here's the complete solution to purging all of Google's in-built apps. MailK-9 Mail is probably the most well known alternative to Google's inbuilt Mail or Gmail apps. Although the interface can feel a little clunky on occasion (namely, every time you open the app up), the range of customisation options is comprehensive, and should let you tweak things to your heart's content. The full range of support for pretty much every mainstream email account is, of course, very welcome. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Get%20rid%20of%20Google/Feature_email-420-90.jpg AquaMail also deserves a mention as the honourable runner-up here. It's a little easier to set up, and also has a more powerful tablet interface, if you prefer to handle your electronic mail on a bigger fondleslab. The paid version is £3.00 (US$4.95, AU$4.95) if you want to unlock all the features, however. SMSA texting app should, in our opinion, be the simplest thing possible – and Hello SMS is about as stripped back as it gets. It claims to be "the first tabbed texting app", and while that's not strictly true, thanks to Google's own Hangouts app, Hello does provide a pretty neat SMS experience. The side tab lets you navigate through conversations, with good touches like adding a flag to show which country an unknown message has come from, or the initials of someone who's actually in your contacts. Messaging is as simple as you'd like it, with threaded conversations just as you'd expect, and a full range of notification customisation options. It even offers and iMessage-style feature (currently in beta), where texts to other hello SMS users are free. CalendarThe replacement that we have used for Google Calendar for a few years now is Agenda, which offers a radically different UI to most calendars. While a month, week or day view is offered, it's the grid-free agenda view (showing your next 10 or so upcoming events) that is most useful. Navigating round the app is simple, once you get the hang of swiping between different views, and even adding events is fairly easy (although multiple calendars could be handled better). The only real downside is the £1.49 (US$1.99, about AU$2.20) asking price. ClockGoogle's Clock app is fairly utilitarian – which, in fairness, is all you really need to get you out of bed in the morning. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Get%20rid%20of%20Google/feature_clock-420-90.jpg If, however, you want to wake up to a design that someone's really put the time and effort into, Timely is a good bet. The simple clock app is better designed than some cathedrals, and once you've got your head around the swipe-based navigation, it's also a fast way to set alarms. Best of all, it won't cost you a single shiny penny. CameraThe main reason to ditch Google's in-built Camera app is the lack of fine manual controls, with The Big G favouring a simplified UI. Camera FV-5 Lite is an excellent free alternative, which puts more advanced controls (exposure, ISO, and metering modes, in particular) onto the viewfinder, as well as a histogram. There's even more under the hood. A good exposure bracketing option can help you make good HDR images, which is often a major help given the small sensors on smartphones. The intervalometer enables timelapse photography, assuming you can bear to part with your smartphone for the duration of an entire sunrise. GalleryQuickPic is everything you want in a photo viewer: super-simple, fast navigation, options that get out of the way quickly when you want to full-screen a photo. It also has integration with all the major cloud services, so that you can pull all your photos into one place. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Get%20rid%20of%20Google/feature_gallery-420-90.jpg The tablet interface is just as good, and best of all, there's support for almost every image format going – including your entire collection of cat GIFs. ChromeChrome's in-built browser is fantastic if you're constantly hopping between desktop and mobile browsing, but its UI isn't the simplest, and there's always the nagging concern about Google recording your worst internet depravities. The most straightforward replacement for Chrome is Dolphin browser, a fast-and-light Android that trades Chrome's frills for some serious performance. There's also a gesture option, that lets you create a gesture to launch the browser from anywhere on your phone. LauncherProbably the most visual change you can make to an Android phone is to strip it of its default launcher (the program that 'makes' the homescreens and app drawer), and replace it with one of the many third-party options that litter the Play Store. The best of the lot is Nova, which offers a ton of features in its free version (and a positively overwhelming smorgasbord in the paid-for edition). You get control over icons, colour schemes, transition animations – pretty much anything, although Nova just about strikes the right balance between simplicity and customisation. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Get%20rid%20of%20Google/feature-nova-420-90.jpg Another standout option, however, is Apex Launcher, which offers nearly the same laundry list of options as Nova. On our test devices, we saw a tiny decrease in performance with Apex over Nova. Although that's arguably balanced out by Apex's superior tablet mode. Either way, both launchers offer a fairly major step up over Google's stock launcher. MapsGoogle's Maps app is hands-down the hardest to replace, because nothing comes close to offering the quality and quantity of mapping info that Google's got on tap. The closest competitior, Apple Maps, is only available on iOS. But if you insist on escaping Eric Schmidt's grasp, MapQuest is probably your best bet. The app itself is surprisingly good, with a simple UI and a good range of options – it's just the mapping data itself that lets it down, with inaccurate and outdated coverage a major problem. At least it's free. Best Android apps: the essential applications you need to download on to your Android device.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367596803/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367596803/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367596803/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367596803/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367596803/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7283aa/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/P1gn_cI1-yw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205/HandsOn/iPhone5HandsOn-23-470-75.jpgPeople using mobile services expect them to evolve as new technology becomes available: innovative features, additional services, improved performance – customers will demand all of these, and won't be happy if they have to wait six months to get them, especially when they see their friends' service providers offering the enhancements within weeks. Agility is the name of the game, and you need to structure your mobile delivery approach to be rapid, iterative and responsive to evolving needs. However, you must also think strategically, to ensure your agile delivery takes you in the right direction. While there can be a natural tension between agile and strategic thinking, the right approach can address this effectively. Moreover, you need more than just a team of iOS or Android developers. High-quality mobile services require a broad range of interconnected skills. Skills blendWhile app developers will play an important part in the delivery of your mobile services, they're one cog in a much larger system that encompasses technical and business skills – all of which are required to make mobile a success. You need expertise in strategy roadmap development, business process design, experience design, systems integration, agile development, and testing and release strategy. No one person will possess all these skills. This is why it's important that the respective individuals understand the others' roles and the implications on their own job. For example, an experience designer must create something that will load in a tolerable time – a mobile user will not want to wait 10 or 15 seconds for a page to appear. Moreover, the blend of skills required to deliver a great mobile service is rarely found within one organisation. It's therefore important to choose your delivery partner carefully, to complement your own in-house competencies and ensure no part of the overall mobile experience is left out. Mobile delivery approach High-quality mobile services begin their life as part of a high-level strategy: what does your organisation want to achieve, and how will mobile help it get there? This strategy then needs to be turned into a list of features – a service catalogue or product backlog, if you will. From here, you select which features to deliver first, bearing in mind the relative cost and time required for each. This is when you can set about building your four-tier engagement platform, delivering features iteratively to construct your mobile service offering. Each iteration should follow a typical agile delivery cycle, delivering a carefully defined set of functionality. Whether you deploy this after each iteration or bundle up a few features to release together depends on their importance and complexity. Following deployment, you'll want to test your mobile experience with real users, use your analytics to assess how it's being used, and feed this learning back into your service catalogue. This will help revisit your strategy and shape future iterations to meet continually changing customer needs. David Shepherd is IPL's Delivery Director and has been an integral part of successful complex mobile delivery programmes.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157767199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157767199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157767199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157767199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157767199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e71c12b/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/zX6v4eRU5ZM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Motorola/Moto%20X%202014/motorola-x-2014-apps-470-75.jpgMotorola might not be tied directly with Google anymore, but that isn't stop the company from creating its own stock Android version of the new Moto X. The Verge reports the smartphone maker is will release new version of the Moto X called the Pure Edition this September. This purported device will come unlocked with a version of Android KitKat devoid of Motorola's self made apps such as Moto Display's power saving features or Moto Assist, which dictates your text messages. The device will supposedly even be unbranded making it one of the stealthiest Android devices. As with Google Play devices users also expect to get software updates more quickly without having to wait for approval from carriers or manufacturers to tweak their packaged apps. Packaged dealOther than the repackaged operating system, the Pure Edition Moto X will likely be very similar to the original. The new Moto X features a 5.2 inch, 1080p Full HD screen, which is a step up from the 4.7-inch, 720 display of the original Moto X. Motorola latest flagship device has also been updated with a new metal frame and leather back options for users customizing their handset through the Moto Maker. Internally the smartphone packs a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor quad-core CPU with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The Moto X's cameras aren't much to write about, but users will be able to take good photos with the 13Mp rear camera and 2MP front snapper. Of course, the biggest selling point of the Moto X is its affordable $499 (£419.99, about AU$534), which makes the device a steal considering it uses the same processor as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. Android L may be the first update coming to the Moto Xhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367604413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367604413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367604413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367604413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367604413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e69c65f/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FYfU_1AUiC4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%208/Apple_Wi-Fi_calling-470-75.jpgThanks to this week's Apple media event, all eyes are now on carriers around the globe to deliver Wi-Fi calling, one of the much-hyped features of iOS 8 that remains a T-Mobile exclusive in the US for now. Light Reading today reported that second-placed US carrier AT&T is planning to follow T-Mobile's lead by offering Wi-Fi calling for smartphones, but plans to take its sweet old time actually getting around to it. During a speech at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference on Friday, AT&T President and CEO of Mobile and Business Solutions Ralph de la Vega explained why the carrier is in no rush to deliver such an alternative to traditional cellular voice calls. "We're very focused on making sure it's a great experience for customers, but we see it as a complement, not a replacement. We feel good about a great nationwide network with unlimited talk and text," de la Vega remarked. Magenta leads the wayWith the largest coast-to-coast Wi-Fi network among US wireless carriers, AT&T doesn't intend to roll out Wi-Fi calling until sometime next year, despite having just racked up a record number of iPhone 6 preorders today. Between the carrier's existing unlimited talk plans and an ongoing push towards voice-over-LTE (VoLTE), AT&T wants to make sure Wi-Fi calling will offer "a great customer experience with no dropped calls" before rolling out such a feature to its customers. That gives rival T-Mobile US a leg up for now, with this week's plans to provide Wi-Fi calling to customers as a temporary stopgap in areas where indoor coverage is weak or nonexistent on the carrier's burgeoning LTE network. In the US, T-Mobile is the only carrier to embrace Wi-Fi calling on the latest iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, a feature which has long been available on a variety of smartphones running Google's Android operating system. Get a peek at Apple Pay in our hands-on review!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367563253/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367563253/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367563253/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367563253/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367563253/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e698bb8/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/hK2xNNcWsr8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Apple%20Watch/First%20option/Apple%20Watch%20review%20(5)-470-75.JPGEven after getting our hands on with the Apple Watch we still have a lot of questions about Apple's first wearable. One of the biggest questions users might have is what happens when a thief get their hands on it? They won't just be absconding with your $349 (about £215, AU$383) smartwatch, it's also linked to your iTunes account and credit cards though Apple Pay. Cult of Mac claims users can rest easier because the Apple Watch will automatically lock whenever the user - or in this case, someone else takes off their watch. Supposedly the Apple Watch has sensors on its backside that will detect when it's not being worn and as a security measure locks down the payment options behind a passcode. Of course, it's possible the wearable thief could also crack your passcode, but there will likely be some sort of "Find my Apple Watch" security measure that allows users to remotely wipe their smartwatch. Secrets revealedApple may have given its first smartwatch a big introduction by even calling it the "one more thing" of the iPhone 6 keynote, but we're still learning much more about the Apple Watch every day. An Apple spokesperson revealed on September 10 users should expect to recharge their wearable every night. Here's our first impression on Apple's first phablet, the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plushttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e613985/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367526823/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e613985/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367526823/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e613985/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367526823/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e613985/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367526823/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e613985/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367526823/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e613985/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/QfT8bCeIz2k

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Laptops/Samsung/chromebook2/samsungchromebook2-1-470-75.jpgGoogle has made good on one of its Google IO 2014 promises and has ported over the first batch of Android apps to Chromebooks. Now users will be able to download Android apps such as Evernote save notes to the cloud. Duolingo has also been added to the Chrome App Store to help you learn foreign languages. Alternatively, teach children to read with Slight words, or use Vine to produce short vlogs and other video with a Chromebook's built-in webcam. The Google Chrome Team explained these four apps are just the beginning of its Project Runtime project first announced at Google IO. In the coming months users will see more Android apps come to Google's Chrome OS as the company continues working with smartphone software developers. Moving forward the Google Chrome Team also want's to hear what Android app you want to use on Chrome OS and users can submit their ideas here. Setting up shopGoogle Chromebooks have finally hit their stride. This year we saw the first line of cloud-based laptops equipped with more powerful and battery efficient chips like the Intel Core i3 chip inside the Acer C720 as well as the Acer Chromebook 13 rocking Nvidia's Tegra K1 processor. Now that computer manufacturers finally have the hardware locked down it seems like its time for the software to step up its game. In our own adventures reviewing the Dell Chromebook 11 and Acer C720P, we found Google's cloud platform was good for very little beyond using its first party web apps. Although Chrome has its own app store, its filled with adware posing as familiar game titles and there's a lack of powerful image editing apps. These newly added Android apps could help fill out Chrome OS's lack of software. What will be more interesting to see if apps catch on and it ends up taking over Chrome OS when Google originally set out to create platform of affordable laptops powered by the web. Here's the top 5 Chromebooks out there todayhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e60afba/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696932/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afba/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696932/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afba/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696932/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afba/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696932/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afba/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157696932/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afba/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IG-w_fMYtIM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/german_windows9_threshold_leak-470-75.jpgWhat better way to lead into the end of the week than with a full 20 images allegedly showing an in-progress version of Windows 9? These screenshots portray an "Enterprise Technical Preview" of Microsoft's next OS, code-named Windows Threshold, according to German sites ComputerBase and WinFuture. This preview will launch soon for enterprise users who use mainly desktop PCs, with a separate preview for consumers that will include phone and tablet users as well possibly coming in early 2015, sources told CNET. If these Windows 9 screenshots are legit, then they're clearly of an unfinished version of the OS (the presence of Internet Explorer 11 is proof enough of that), but there is still much to be gleaned. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/german_windows9_threshold_leak_wrongsize2-420-90.jpg Another worldThis is not the first glimpse we've had of what could eventually become Windows 9, but it is certainly the most extensive. From what we can see of the Start menu in this alleged version of Threshold, it appears to have undergone some changes. But more importantly these images show the ability to run the system's Modern-style apps in windowed mode in the desktop environment. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/german_windows9_threshold_leak_wrongsize-420-90.jpg Other new features glimpsed in the screenshots include a virtual desktops feature, a notification center and a feedback center for testers built right into the software. The Charms bar may still be cut out of Windows 9, and the version of the Windows Store app in this build supposedly contains code for a drop-down menu that includes some of the Charms bar's functionality. That's still up in the air though, according to CNET's sources. For now the Threshold development team is reportedly reviewing features to determine what will and won't be in the public Windows 9 preview. So take these screenshots with a side of salt and expect whatever Microsoft unveils (on September 30?) to look very different. Microsoft looks to be finished calling things 'Nokia' and 'Windows Phone'http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157696931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157696931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e60afbf/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/0MSgM_2DL4U

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/Sling%20TV/SlingTV_box-470-75.jpgThere's nothing like booting up your favorite hardware and finding a free software update available that adds new functionality, which owners of previous generation Sling hardware are receiving this week. EchoStar-owned Sling Media Inc. today announced availability of SlingTV, the company's next-generation hardware, which replaces the previous Slingbox 500 with new, more mobile-centric software. Priced at $299.99, SlingTV promises to enhance the living room experience, turning it into "Smarter TV" with the ability to access live or recorded pay television channels to anywhere in the world, direct to internet-connected smartphones, tablets or PCs. Thankfully, existing Slingbox 500 owners will also be able to join in the fun, thanks to a free software upgrade arriving this week, which will also be pushed upon initial configuration for users who have just purchased their hardware. Super Sling meAmong the SlingTV features first announced over the summer are a new on-screen TV main menu capable of being powered by the included SlingTV remote; users of the Slingplayer apps for iPhone or Android will also receive a software version of the remote with the next update sometime next week. The software also debuts a new Gallery View, a visual-based interface which Sling hopes will make it easier for users to find something to watch, complete with Rotten Tomatoes ratings for movies and the ability to filter by a number of different categories. Likewise, the new SlingTV Details View is geared toward sports fans looking for detailed game stats in real time, integrated Thuuz "excitement" ratings and movie or TV episode details for everyone else in your household. SlingTV is now available to purchase from Sling.com and long list of 16 online and brick-and-mortar retailers in the US, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, RadioShack and Costco Wholesale. Keep the hype in check with our hands-on review of Apple Watch!

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/May%20on%204K/BD%204K/4K%20stand%20IFA-470-75.jpgThe future of 4K movie and TV shows became a little clearer at this year's IFA tech show, as the Ultra HD drought appeared to finally come to an end. Amazon's 4K Instant Video service, we're told, will land on Samsung and Sony TVs (and possibly other brands) in October, while European providers Maxdome, Wuaki.tv and CHILI all pledge to deliver 2160p Video on Demand of unspecified calibre. Content will increasingly be used to persuade buyers to invest in a new screen. Sony announced its Privilege Movies 4K promotion, which gives anyone who buys a 2014 4K Sony TV this autumn a 500GB hard drive player on which you can unlock five 4K movies from the Sony Pictures stable. This is from a choice of 10: the Amazing Spider-Man movies, Moneyball, Premium Rush, Total Recall, Salt, Ghostbusters, The Patriot, Battle: Los Angeles and Captain Philips. If you've already bought a screen, however, too bad. Samsung even renewed talk of its 500GB UHD Video Pack, first promised at the brand's spring dealer conference. A joint partnership with 20th Century Fox and Paramount, this drive will apparently boast 40 4K-encoded titles, including Star Trek Into Darkness and Life of Pi. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/televisions/May%20on%204K/BD%204K/Sony%20Privilege%20Movies%204K-420-90.jpg 4K Blu-ray is comingThe biggest content announcement though came from the Blu-ray Disc Association, which finally broke its long running silence about a long mooted 4K disc upgrade. The first Ultra HD Blu-ray players would be available by the end of 2015, it parped. Better late than never. Kazuhiko Kouno is Panasonic's Chief Engineer for Blu-ray development. He is responsible for the brand's most ambitious disc spinner to date, the astonishingly sophisticated DMP-BDT700, and has been instrumental in developing advanced colour signal processing for the format. He told me that he's currently clearing his metaphorical desk in Osaka to begin work on Panasonic's first 4K Blu-ray player. "The final framework specification is complete," he told me. "Our first player is scheduled for the end of 2015." The specification for UHD BD (no news yet on what it'll be called exactly) should be enough to make most 4K TV owners tremble with excitement. The best picture quality everThe discs will be encoded in HEVC and support up to 2160/60p – although the majority of movie releases will inevitably still be 2160/24p. Players will be largely (but apparently not entirely) compliant with the highly advanced ITU-R recommended BT.2020 standard for resolution, colour and frame rates. Ron Martin, VP of the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory Contents Solutions Centre, sits on the BDA panel. "We're very close to final technology packages, to go through the licensing and manufacturing start-up process," he told TechRadar. "The end of 2015 is a reasonable target for us to hit." Martin recognises time is now of the essence. "My fear is that package media will continue to disappear from the market," he says, "and the high quality that comes it will disappear with too." The ongoing incremental evolution of Ultra HD hasn't exactly helped BD 4K spec development, Martin admits: "We could include all kind of wild and crazy things on it - but we have to produce something that's transportable to the consumer at a price point that's reasonable, yet still maintains a high standard of technical excellence," he reasons. Pointedly, however, Martin has little doubt that Blu-ray 4K will offer better image quality than we'll see on a VoD stream from Netflix and rivals. "Streaming brings infrastructure baggage. Bandwidth is lacking. In order to compromise for that, you compromise with the picture quality. So why bother? In a next-generation Blu-ray environment we'll be looking at anywhere between 50-70Mbps off the drive. Going down to 15.6Mbps (as required by Netflix) just mandates compromise, and that's if you can get sustained 15Mbps. Even with good infrastructure that's hard to accomplish…" Find your next screen from our selection of the best 4K TVs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Apple-sept2014/screengrabs/applepay-addcard-26-470-75.jpgFor many businesses, Apple's announcement about its plans to bring near-field communication (NFC) to its iPhone 6 and 6+ is a game changer. Although other device manufacturers have adopted NFC, Apple has an uncanny ability to fuel widespread adoption of a particular technology and ensure it enters the mainstream. But the capabilities of NFC technology are so much more than just payment. At present NFC based phone payments are made by just 8% of smartphone users in the US according to eMarketer, so Apple's endorsement of the technology should fuel further adoption. The service, known as Apple Pay, will launch in the US next month, with developers able to build compatible apps using an API. For retailers, this development presents especially exciting potential - not only can the 80-plus percent of consumers who use their smartphones while shopping now pay for their purchases with a simple tap through Apple Wallet, saving time at the end of the shopping experience, but there is also future potential to interact more fully with the stores while doing the shopping via the Apple API. A paradigm shiftIf Apple opens NFC beyond payments, retailers will be able to provide an enhanced experience with much greater customer digital participation with store products. Shoppers will be able to access product photos, reviews, and video by tapping their devices on NFC enabled tags without having to download an app. In turn, retailers will be the recipients of valuable customer intent data from the physical store. Previously the only way to curate such an experience has been through the use of barcodes and QR codes that customers had to scan, which resulted in little adoption. The reason? Consumers don't want to download and update apps for every store they enter, or to provide personal details to use free Wi-Fi or sign up to an app, all of which create barriers to uptake. With NFC now a part of the new iPhones, customers will be more open to using the technology through their own personal device without the need for additional downloads. For the shopper the experience is much more immersive and enjoyable, as well as instant. Furthermore, touching and tapping via NFC is 12 times more engaging than scanning a barcode, according to Harvard Business Review. It's all about the dataThe other key benefit is actionable data for business. By curating an NFC enabled experience where consumers can tap to indicate which products they might be interested in, retailers finally have access to intent data in an offline setting and can target the consumer with offers to encourage them to purchase, similar to the benefits an offline wishlist provides. Over the next 12 months we'll see personalised location-based experiences taken to market. NFC and beacons, lead by Apple popularisation, will blur the lines of online and offline retail. A customer will be able to walk into stores, without the commitment of downloading or signing up to experience a more immersive experience, providing data on their own terms. This will undoubtedly lead to offers and pricing far more personal than today. Where Apple leads, others follow and it is likely that NFC adoption will grow and as a result see payment, big data, location and personalisation converge. Ollie Bath, Co-Founder and UK Managing Director, CloudTags, a leader in omnichannel experiences launched in 2012. Based in London, the services and technology company increases sales by providing clients with the ability to know more about their customers in-store. It offers omnichannel analytics that tell clients who their customers are prior to checkout, what they browsed and what they are most likely to buy in the future.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544308/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544308/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544308/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544308/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367544308/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c15/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/r46xPzhiwFU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Apple%20Pay/Hands%20on/Apple%20Pay%20Review%20(1)-470-75.JPGIn true form, Apple didn't announce anything wholly original during its keynote. What Apple does best is design it better and deploy it to the market in a way that brings it forward into the public consciousness. NFC technology isn't new and Apple is late to the table with payments. Google Wallet has been securely storing credit cards, debit cards, loyalty cards and offers for a while and Facebook is also close to acquiring a banking license in Europe . But so far, NFC technology has failed to take off in the US, and though its popularity scores better in some parts of Asia and Europe, it's about the application, not the tech itself. Apple Pay will force innovation from the financial establishment, encourage fintech innovators, motivate retailers and drive consumer awareness . The old guard are now paying attentionIf we are moving to a society of cashless payments, as we go around our daily lives with a phone or device on us at all times, was this a revolutionary moment? Perhaps not, but it was an important gear-change. This is a sector in dire need of innovation. Tim Cook's "entirely new payment process" laid bare the vulnerability of magnetic strips printed numbers on credit and debit cards, and there was a sense of mockery at the incumbents reliance on the physical, especially in the US, which is yet to adopt chip and PIN unlike Europe. If the financial sector may once have sniffed at the idea that Apple could be threat to their businesses, they're certainly paying attention now. The big banks and payments companies' senior executives were all over yesterday's event, and the biggest US banks are part of the Apple Pay service, representing 83% of total US payment volume. The service may be US-only for now, but Apple will be focused on the global roll-out. A tipping point in retailAn app store with no apps makes no sense, and it took the iPhone to move the smartphone market towards a de-facto standard that others followed. I expect payments, and Apple Watch, to do the same for NFC. Apple announced some retail partners – including Macy's and McDonald's – but other major retailers were notable for their absence. Some have already invested in their own mobile payments platforms, such as Walmart and Target in the US, in answer to Google's Wallet. From a practical perspective, there will have to be infrastructure changes with retailers to facilitate changes at purchase point, which just aren't there in the market right now. But now that Apple is here, consumer awareness will build, retailers will look at integration, and software developers will looking to capitalise in between. The introduction of Apple Pay shows how emerging technologies, such as developments in mobile payments and the introduction of wearables, will disrupt the financial services market. Don't underestimate the importance of consumer trustTrust in financial services companies, banks in particular, is low. People are tired of low value products and poor customer service. They are looking for a better offer from a brand that they trust - and innovative tech brands and have a captive audience. Millennials are more open to the idea of banking with a company that isn't a bank - they want instant, secure purchasing, with as few interactions as possible. A company like Apple carries with it a level of trust with this generation that expects. While this presents a challenge, banks should see Apple's foray into the payments space as an opportunity. They need to seize the moment and use Apple Pay as a way of perhaps understanding consumer spending habits, and using this knowledge to better help their customers. The financial sector can remain relevant, and re-cover lost ground by integrating new technologies to offer services that helps consumer everyday lives. It will be interesting to see the impact of the iCloud celebrity photo leak scandal, and its impact on trust in Apple's brand. This is new territory for them, and thus far they've escaped the data furore that has hit Facebook and Google in recent years. Its trust will go so far as its tech remains trustworthy, hence the re-assurances that credit card numbers wouldn't be stored and data wouldn't be passed on to other parties. Whether the existing banks, fintech innovators, or data companies will win out remains to be seen. Peter founded The BIO Agency in 2006, a pure-play digital strategic and creative agency focusing on innovation and delivering it. With 100 people it has grown to become one of the UK's most successful independent digital companies.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544307/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544307/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544307/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367544307/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367544307/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5b9c19/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/PG2hz33xwUM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Facebook/Facebook_DoNotLike-470-75.jpgFacebook is a nightmare for most large businesses. Employees routinely divulge sensitive company info and passwords are sometimes incredibly easy to hack. In between posts about new relationship milestones and pleas to support a doggy daycare charity, there are a few business posts - some useful and some that are indiscernible from spam. While you can post links to topics and generate page views for company info to a wide audience, you almost have to sacrifice your integrity to do so -- or at least your business privacy. These alternatives provide a few extra security precautions like two-factor authentication to make sure your corporate data doesn't fall into the wrong hands. They run only inside a company network (or on a secure cloud platform) for added security, provide tools for searching an entire library of employee docs and news, and encourage real productivity using work group portals over sharing pictures of the kids and an employee's last vacation. Plus, these tools pull data in from services like Box.net or outlook to make all of the company info available through one main portal - one that doesn't need much attention from the IT staff or outside Web programmers. 1. Jivehttp://www.jivesoftware.com/ Billed as the next iteration of the corporate Intranet, Jive focuses primarily on the great missing piece of the enterprise puzzle: employee communication. In basic terms, the app lets employees search for official company information, documents, and news. For example, human resources can set up a portal for employees to get all of the document they need for expense reports. Even more important than that, Jive is designed to help employees communicate on the data held in the repositories, posting comments and questions that look and function like a public Facebook post. One key feature is the ability to connect disprarate systems within a large company - for example, helping employees find Box.net documents posts on Outlook or Evernote, and even the company customer-relationship management system through one main collaboration platform. A bonus is that the employee directory is also easy to use and fast. 2. VMware SocialCasthttp://www.socialcast.com/ Offered by the same company that makes the most popular server virtualization tech, SocialCast has the most robust features for large enterprises. At its core, the app lets office workers collaborate on projects, hold "all hands" meetings, and even solicit opinions for employees in a confidential way. It's essentially a business app to foster more social and collaborative work between teams and departments. Yet, IT admins can still run regular reports on all discussions, documents, and posts to monitor for compliance. A data purge feature even helps with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Hosting options are quite varied - you can choose an on-premise option, hosting in the cloud, or even hosting at a secure facility in Europe. 3. Yammerhttps://www.yammer.com Yammer deserves credit for paving the way for "next gen" social networking for business. The private collaboration environment provides one of the best and easiest search functions - you can search for any topic or document and find it in fewer clicks. There are Yammer Groups that are focused more on a project goal or company objective than on a hierarchy. Employees with access rights to the group can then post questions and comments right alongside the top executives. An employee can even invite another to collaborate within a group. Like LinkedIn and Facebook, an employee can create a dossier of experience and skills, which is then searchable by other employees (including those running a project and needing that skillset). 4. Tibbrhttp://www.tibbr.com The idea of "going social" has a very different meaning in business. It's not about photos of pets or babies. Often, the goal is to make sure everyone in the office knows what is going on, who is doing what, and even which skills you have to help a project success. Tibbr excels at all of that. You can post events and see who can attend, create virtual workspaces, carry out office polls, and share documents without worrying about any security issues. The app is not like the public resume and collaborative environment of LinkedIn, either. It's intended to run as a self-contained private social net for business use only that can run on-premise on your own network to meet compliance regs or in the cloud (using tight security and without any public exposure). http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157675901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157675901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157675901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157675901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157675901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e5ada07/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/OmQrpHQD530

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%206%20Plus/New%20Folder/P1080856-470-75.JPGApple's finally done it and made bigger smartphone with NFC no less. The iPhone 6 is Apple's first ever 4.7-inch device playing catch up with Android devices. Apple's has even stepped into the phablets space by introducing the iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch screen. Of course screen size isn't the only thing Apple improved upon. The iPhone and iPhone 6 are some of thinnest devices yet measuring 6.9mm and 7.1mm thick, respectively. The Cupertino company also added significant improvements to the iSight camera (both front and back) with features such as burst selfies, phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilization. Apple promised pre-orders for its latest handset would begin on September 12 and multiple carriers followed suit, announcing the same release date. Here's where, when and for how much you can get the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Sprint Sprint is so excited about the "best iPhone ever" it has announced a new "iPhone for Life" program. The deal lets users get their mitts on an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus for a monthly $20 rate. Customers enrolled in the iPhone for Life program will effectively pay out $480 over the course of two-years and hand the device back over when their contract terminates. As an extra perk enrollees can also get an exclusive $50 monthly plan for unlimited talk, text and data service – a discounted package saving users about $10 a month. The only draw back to it is if the phone breaks, you buy it – and well you'll also never own the device. Alternatively, for users who would rather keep their device can also agree to a Finance or two-year agreement Contract deal. Financing a 16GB iPhone 6 will let users pay for the device in $30 installments spread across 24 months. Meanwhile, signing up for a two-year agreement lets has customers pay $199.99 upfront for the whole device saving them from nagging monthly device fees. VerizonBig Red will also open up pre-orders on the latest iPhones this Friday at the stroke of Midnight. The telecom giant will have the 16GB iPhone 6 in all three colors for $199 with a two-year contract. Of course customers could also get the device though Verizon's Edge program and pay $32.49 per month for two years. The plus-sized 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus with 16GB of storage on board will ring up for $299.99 with a two-year contract. The Verizon Edge deal for Apple's phablet is $37.49 split across 24 months. Verizon is also offering users a way to get an iPhone 6 by trading in their older iOS 8 handset according to Bloomberg. By bringing in an older iPhone model users will get a $200 gift card in return that they can then use with the purchase of a $199.99 16GB iPhone 6. It's not clear whether the offer applies to the other more expensive iPhone 6 models but TechRadar has sent Verizon an inquiry on the subject. AT&TNot to be left out AT&T also announced it would have the iPhone 6 pre-orders starting September 12 as well. But unlike Sprint and Verizon, the blue carrier has yet to divulge pricing details. AT&T is sure to release more information as we approach Friday. In the meantime TechRadar has contacted AT&T and will update this post when we hear back. T-MobileA little late to the ball, T-Mobile has yet to announce any details of how it will handle iPhone and iPhone 6 sales or even when pre-orders begin. Given the Uncarrier's track record of crazy shenanigans, T-Mo will probably have some enticing deals for the device along with the usual unsubsidized and installment pricing. AppleOf course users could always skip dealing with carriers all together and buy their device direct from Apple itself. On top of pre-orders starting this Friday, users can pick up the company's latest handsets in person at their local Apple Store starting on September 19 beginning at 8:00am (PST). At the Apple keynote yesterday, the Cupertino company noted the iPhone 6 would be available for $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for 64GB and $399 for 128GB. The larger iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299 for 16GB, $399 for 16GB and $499 for the largest 128GB edition. The Apple Watch is pretty nifty, but does it do too much? http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367414336/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367414336/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367414336/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367414336/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367414336/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e55e28f/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/x8KfNmIQvJ4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/IDF%202014/IMG_3607-470-75.jpgIf you read our earlier coverage of IDF 2014, you saw that Intel CEO Brian Krzanich predicted that there will be about 50 billion connected devices by the year 2020. The strangest part of the prediction? Not all of them will be made by major manufacturers. Some of them will be made by people like you and me - well, people like us with a little programming knowledge. Intel is prepared to meet Maker's demands by launching Edison, an all-in-one development board that is on the border of rivaling some full-scale systems. Makers faireThe mini computer, unveiled at CES in January, will pack a 22nm Intel Atom dual-core System-on-Chip (SoC) clocked at 500MHz as well as a 32-bit Intel Quark processor MCU at 100 MHz and come with 1GB LPDDR3 POP memory, 4GB eMMC Storage and support dual-band Broadcom 43340 802.11 a/b/g/n Wifi and Bluetooth 4.0. For all intents and purposes this is an x86 system. It should be able to run most Linux distributions quite comfortably and leave the maker with more than enough room on the chip for a fair bit of code. The code can either be uploaded via a device-to-device connection (read: USB) or download the aforementioned script from the cloud. Portables panel Edison was the primary focus of a panel Tuesday entitled "The Next Revolution in Computing: Edison, Wearable's [sic] and New Devices," lead by Mike Bell, vice president at Intel of the company's New Devices Group. Bell talked at length about how Intel is giving developers and makers more power than ever. The possibilities shown during the panel included a drone demo with person-tracking technology before shifting its focus to the company's latest wearable, the Mica. The Mica, along with the SMS Headphones and Basis Watch, represent Intel's growing interest in the wearable space. But just what, if anything, the company thinks of Apple's new Watch is anyone's guess. The Edison is available starting today and example projects can be found on Intel's website. Edison isn't the only cool device to come out of IDF2014! Read the rest of our coverage!

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%208/ios-8-release-date-470-75.jpgApple's iOS 8 will arrive on September 17, the company revealed during its iPhone 6 announcement. That's two days before the new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus launch, and it will of course come on those devices straight out of the box. But iOS 8 will also be compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5S, the iPad 2, third-gen iPad, fourth-gen iPad, iPad Air, and every iPad Mini, and the fifth-gen iPod Touch. The iOS update has a health-focused platforms called HealthKit, a new predictive keyboard, voice message capabilities in the Messages app, and more new features. The next stepThe new operating system has been in beta for months, ever since WWDC 2014, but iPhone and iPad owners will be able to get their mitts on it soon enough. iOS 8 is, obviously, the first refresh to Apple's mobile operating system since iOS 7, which itself was a major overhaul. The either iteration is much less severe, though, and maintains the overall aesthetic of iOS 7 while making significant changes to certain apps and features. iOS 8 ties in more than ever with OS X computers, with important improvements to iCloud functionality as well. One important new addition, the "Handoff" feature, lets users start a task on an iPhone and complete it on another Apple gadget, like a MacBook or iPad, or vice versa. And Apple's new predictive keyboard tech will supposedly learn the lingo you use with different people and adjust its suggestions accordingly. There are many more changes in iOS 8, but we'll have to get our hands on it before we give our full impressions. For now stay tuned to TechRadar for all your Apple news needs. Follow our iPhone 6 launch live blog here!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e4c6ebe/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/0bz3dcmZcGI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20history/iOS6_Passbook-470-75.jpg iPhone OS to iOS 7: the early yearsiOS is the smartphone platform that, some argue, started it all, and with iOS 8 arriving very soon, it's easy to forget where it all began. Although it was only 2007, the launch of the Apple iPhone and its nascent iPhone OS seems millennia ago. With that in mind, we decided to dig deeper and take a trip down a grid-based memory lane, so here's our look at the software side of Apple's mobile revolution. iPhone OShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iPhone%20OS%201/original-iphone-obsolete%20(gizmodo)-420-100.jpg You remember the iPhone right? Not the one with the Retina screen that's all the rage on public transport, but the one that started it all nearly six years ago. The mobile market has never looked the same since WWDC 2007. The leader at that time, BlackBerry, is now struggling, and nigh on every smartphone adorned with a massive touchscreen. Powering the first iPhone was Apple's iPhone OS, a touch-optimised version of OS X. With its black background and App grid, the iOS platform was pretty bland. However, it had multi-touch capabilities, and it carried a mobile-ised version of Safari, the precursor to the mobile versions of Chrome, IE and FireFox, albeit without Flash (something that has remained omitted to this day). These elements might have seemed small, but a great touch-based interface and strong web browser were killer features. iPhone OS 2http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iPhone%20OS%202/iphone%202.0%20(mydigitallife.info)-420-100.jpg The next major iteration of iOS came along with the iPhone 3G, the second version of the iPhone. Whilst there were some notable hardware upgrades, such as 3G support, people began to realise that the big difference was the software. The iPhone 2.0 software gave birth to the App Store, housing what has become the staple of the smartphone diet: apps. True third party apps could be created and distributed easily, with a whopping 500 applications at launch. Apps could even be downloaded directly to the iPhone, skipping iTunes if you wanted. For many users, the other major update to iPhone OS 2 was nothing to get excited about, but don't underestimate its importance. It pushed Apple's devices towards the business market as Microsoft Exchange came built in, alongside Cisco IPSec VPN and WPA2 Enterprise support, opening up a whole new revenue stream for the brand. iPhone OS 3http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iPhone%20OS%203/ios%203%20copy%20and%20paste-210-100.jpg Again, the next iteration of Apple's mobile OS was launched with a phone, the iPhone 3GS. Once more there were big features that now seem commonplace in both the mobile and iOS markets, such as landscape typing now available in third party apps. The first really big update came in the form of Spotlight, that search page to the far left of your home screens, allowing you to search through contacts, Mail and Calendar apps. The other major update was copy and paste, something that has been on desktops for as long as we can remember. (Apple, incidentally, was the company to bring it to the fore on the Lisa and Macintosh systems of the early 80s.) Text and even imagery could be copied across, and placed in the upgraded Messages app, meaning the iPhone finally packed MMS support. iOS 4http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iOS%204/ipad%203g-420-100.jpg Cue 2010 and a refresh of name. Unhappy with dominating just the mobile market, Apple spied the next big thing in the form of the tablet. With many writing it off as a large iPod, the iPad took the world by storm. Yes, the original shipped with iPhone OS 3.2, but it meant that iOS was no longer locked to small displays, making it across to the 9.7-inch screen. So what did iOS4 bring to the iPad, and the newly launched iPhone 4? Wallpapers would be the first thing to change: the dull bland black background was replaced, and customisable lock screen wallpapers arrived as well. iBooks made its first appearance, optimised to turn the iPad into an eReader. Video calling also popped over in the form of FaceTime, although limited only to Wi-Fi connections. The new decade did herald two other new features to iOS, and they were big features: multi-tasking and folders. A double tap of the home button allowed access to the strictly controlled multi-tasking bar along the bottom for easy switching between your apps, meaning navigating iOS became easier, and battery life got longer. Win win. A folder system was also implemented, and to this day many can't see its integration ever being beaten (although it's often copied). Dragging and dropping icons onto each other meant you could hide away system apps, and group your games together. We're sticklers for neatness, so we don't know where we'd be without folders. iPhone OS to iOS 7: iOS 5 onwardsiOS 5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iOS%205/iPhone%204s%20Siri%20Button-420-100.jpg iOS 5 made its debut on the iPhone 4S, as well as appearing on the iPad 2. Amongst updates came the ability to use the volume keys as a Camera shutter button, quick access to the camera from the lock screen by double tapping the home button, and a completely PC-free experience, so no longer would you be tied to iTunes with wires to update the OS. Safari also had an update to bring in Reader and tabbed browsing. The Notifications Centre made its first appearance, with Messages, App Updates, Calendar events and so on all now grouped together and accessible by dragging down from the top and the lock screen. iMessage was also introduced, in a bid to challenge BBM, which was still the dominant messaging platform at the time. Apple's offering, alongside third-party options such as WhatsApp, now rule the messaging ecosystem. Above all, iOS 5 will be remembered for one thing: Siri. Siri is synonymous with mobile voice assistants, and with every update becomes more and more useful. It allowed users to send messages, play songs or playlists, create reminders, and could even give a weather forecast. iOS 6 http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%20evolution/iOS%206/ios6-210-100.jpg Launched on the iPhone 5, and appearing on the iPad 3, iPad 4 and the iPad Mini, iOS 6 can be remembered for two words: Apple Maps. Yes, Apple Maps brought turn-by-turn navigation, and wiped Google Maps off iOS, but it was a disaster, mocked even by Motorola. Even Apple's attempt at a clock app landed it in hot water, after the Swiss Rail Network proved the design was too similar to its own. Other than Apple Maps, the big news from iOS 6 was Do Not Disturb, a mode that enabled you to silence calls and notifications, ideal for sleeping meetings, although even that hit problems when it refused to auto-disengage in early 2013. FaceTime finally became 3G enabled, Panoramas were added to the camera, and Apple's Passbook app popped up too, combining vouchers and tickets in a handy place. Safari's Reader update from iOS 5 also gained offline support, while Siri was announced for the iPad 3. iOS 7http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS7/Press/iOS7-Press-08-420-100.jpg iOS 7 is now almost one year old - hasn't time just flown by? It arrived with a cacaphony of new features and colourful updates, and included a radically overhauled interface, new Control Center, transparent animations and more. When iOS 7 landed on devices many people lost their minds, complaining about the lurid colour scheme and the new interface design - demanding Apple revert back to iOS 6 stylings. A year on though and those initial cries of angst have all but disappeared and iOS 7 has been accepted as a clean, fluid and refreshing update to the iPhone line. iOS 7 vs Android Jelly Bean vs Windows Phone 8 vs BlackBerry 10Lots of people were rightly angry about Apple ditching Google data, but beyond that mis-step there's a lot to like: a more useful Siri (App launching plus the recognition that a world exists outside of the USA), shared Photo Streams, handy Phone app controls such as 'send to voicemail', and major improvements to Mail, Safari, accessibility and the Camera app. However, with the new iOS 7 update we've been given the all-new interface, as well as new ways to control the phone and make sure that you don't have to worry about fumbling around in the dark for the torch. iOS 8http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%208/ios-8-release-date-420-90.jpg The latest update from Apple is iOS 8 and it's waiting in the wings to jump onto the new iPhone 6 (and possibly iPhone 6L) as well some of Apple's older devices You'll need an iPhone 4S or newer or an iPad 2 or newer to update to the latest software, plus the 5th generation iPod will also get a taste of iOS 8. So what are the big features you get with iOS 8? Apple is opening up its TouchID fingerprint scanner to developers, allowing them to include the security recognition in their apps - which will be great for banking and payment apps especially. The Health app is another major addition in iOS 8, as Apple looks to collate data from your various health and fitness devices and apps to display in one unified location. This gives you an overview of your health, and saves you jumping between a number of apps to find out different things. You'll also be able to send and receive SMS messages from your iPad or Mac, as well as make and receive phone calls when they are linked to an iPhone. There's more too, including the addition of video and voice options to group messaging, interactive notifications, a new Quicktype (read: Swype rival) keyboard, location based lockscreen apps, plus updates to Siri and Spotlight. iOS 8 release date, news and featureshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e4dcc8a/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/pUiGVy8NEw8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/Twitter%20Mobile%20Ad-470-75.jpgThere have been rumors all year that Twitter is developing a way for users to buy things directly from tweets, and now the company has confirmed it. Twitter Head of Commerce Nathan Hubbard told Bloomberg that Twitter is testing the "buy" button now, and confirmed several other prior rumors. That includes the news that Twitter is working with e-commerce company Stripe to process payments, which was first reported way back in January. Stripe will save users' credit card info so they can make purchases with just a few clicks, Hubbard said. Celebrities and rock stars firstBloomberg says the Twitter "buy" button is being developed partially in response to pressure from investors, and partially to show that tweets can have a direct influence over users' buying decisions. They'll also use the button to test what kinds of tweets are most effective in getting people to buy things. However the feature won't roll out for everyone equally. Twitter will start by giving it to celebrities, musical artists, non-profits, and brands that are already influential, including possibly Pharrell and Burberry. "We want to be a bridge between a consumer wanting something and getting it," Hubbard said. "Conversations are happening every second on Twitter with artists and charities and consumers, and many of those conversations are leading to transactions already." The Twitter buy button is in testing now, and it's unknown when it will begin to roll out. What's the point of Twitter if it's just like Facebook?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576526/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576526/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576526/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576526/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157576526/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fc5/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/U_kJWJS9fWs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/laptops/HP/Pavilion%20Chromebook/HP%20Pavilion%2014%20Chromebook%2054%2048-470-75.jpgAfter weeks of teasing and leaks, HP and Microsoft's super affordable Chromebook killing Windows 8.1 laptop is finally here. Meet the HP Stream laptop. It's an affordable little machine sporting a 14-inch, 1,366 x 768 resolution display. Underneath the machine's plastic exterior lies an AMD AR Micro-6400T Quad APU that delivers both computing power and drives the graphics engine. The budget laptop is also equipped with 2GB of Memory and 32GB in SSD storage, which thankfully can be expanded though a MicroSD card slot. In a Google-like move, Microsoft is offering Stream laptop owners two years of free OneDrive storage amounting to an additional 100GB of online disk space. Throw in the speculated 6 hours and 30 minutes of battery life plus a one-month trial of Microsoft Office 365, and this seems like a Chromebook killing deal…except it's not. So much for a planhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/other/Onetimers/HP%20Stream-420-90.jpg The only problem with the HP Stream is it actually costs $300 (about £186, AU$322), which is proportionally steeper than the $200 (about £124, AU$215) price tag Microsoft COO Kevin Turner first posited at the Redmond company's Worldwide Partner Conference in July. Even with the higher price point the HP Stream is still a fair deal for any Windows laptop. However, there are more than a handful of Chromebooks users can get for less including the touchscreen equipped Acer C720P and the premium looking Samsung Chromebook 2. Last week at IFA 2014 even HP announced a new Chromebook competitor that comes in at the same price as the Stream. Called the Chromebook 14, this will be HP's second 14-inch Google cloud-powered laptop, except the internals have been upgraded to an Nvidia Tegra K1 processor with a purported nine-hour battery life. But before we get too down about the HP Stream's higher than expected price, we'll have to reserve our final judgment for our review. The Stream ships on September 24. The horizon is looking bright for Windows 9Via PC World http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e440fca/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576525/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fca/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576525/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fca/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576525/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fca/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157576525/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fca/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157576525/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e440fca/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FWftw4f8DtM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/Apple_iCloud_logo-470-75.jpgIt's looks like Apple is making good on its promises to ratchet up its iCloud security following a rash of leaked celebrity photos. Letem Světem Applem, a Czechoslovakian site, caught an Apple email alert asking to confirm if the user accessed iCloud from a new browser. The message seems to be a one-time confirmation that's sent whenever the user or someone else accesses the iCloud account from a new browser. As with Facebook login activity notifications users will either toss away these messages to their virtual recycling bin or report malicious behavior. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/other/Onetimers/iCloud-420-90.jpg The support message follows Cook's recent remarks noting that Apple would improve user awareness by sending out email alerts as well as smartphone notification. This latest message coincides with Apple's plans to roll out a new alert system within the next two weeks. What is it good for?Ultimately the new alerts won't prevent future hacking attempts but users will be notified much sooner. As the recent leak of celebrity photos revealed there is a major vulnerability in Apple's cloud service even if the hackers allegedly targeted celebrity accounts. The real problem is no one noticed or said anything until the mass of revealing photos was posted onto 4chan, Reddit and other internet communities. Now with this new early warning system users will be notified much sooner rather than never. The alerts also allows users to regain control of their accounts, hopefully stopping or tracing the individuals who are breaking in virtually. It'll be interesting to see if Apple has any new comments to share about the recent attack on iCloud at its iPhone 6 and, very likely, iWatch event tomorrow. Stay tuned to this space for more. Here's hoping iOS 8 will be a bit more securehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e436818/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157575276/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e436818/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157575276/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e436818/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157575276/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e436818/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157575276/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e436818/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157575276/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e436818/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/jHlQRGC3WQM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/facebook_instagram-580-75-470-75.jpgIt's hard to imagine that the original iPhone launched without support for third-party apps, and the iWatch reportedly won't have that problem. The Apple wearable is expected to debut at the same September 9 event during which the iPhone 6 will show its face, and when it does it will most likely already have support from major app makers. That's thanks to the fact that these important entities, including Facebook and others, have already been given access to the iWatch's software development kit, according to 9 to 5 Mac. The site spoke with two sources in the know who added that the iWatch will also have its own App Store. Ahead of the curveFor now the sources couldn't say whether this App Store will be a full-fledged app accessed from the iWatch itself, or simply a new section of the existing App Store. In any case it will be populated with apps from Facebook and other "high-profile social network and services companies" who already have iOS apps available. However these companies reportedly only gained access to the pre-release version of the iWatch SDK recently, so the apps we see on September 9 may only be early or unfinished versions, especially if the iWatch doesn't launch until 2015. As an aside this same report says Facebook is almost done with its iOS 8 app refresh, which means other developers likely are as well. The iWatch's battery could be a busthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367369901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367369901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367369901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367369901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367369901/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3b9260/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/cTCcHBoH0W4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-470-75.jpgAs promised Google is supporting its burgeoning Android Wear smartwatch platform with more updates. The search company announced the first update will bring offline GPS support and offline music playback to wearables running its smartwatch OS. Firstly smartwatches with built-in GPS sensors such as Sony's SmartWatch 3 will track your distance and speed when you go on a run. There's no official word whether GPS support include turn-by-turn direction or display a map that tracks your position, but it seems like one of the obvious uses for smartwatches. The first update will come in the next few months and it will also bring offline music playback letting users wireless stream songs stored on their smartwatch to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Google imagines both these new features will be useful for users who want to leave their smartphone during a run or bike ride. After all, no one likes having a mobile device jumping around their pocket during a workout. Once users come back home the watch will re-sync, transferring your all your updated stats. What face is it?The second update Google has lined up will bring downloadable watch faces. These new designs won't just include different analog and digital clock faces, users will also be able to customize their watch's home screen with widgets like their calendar and fitness data. Soon enough users will also be able to download new developer-created watch faces from the Google Play store. Lastly Google promises it's working with manufacturers to create even more watch options on top of the dozen or so it helped introduce at IFA 2014. Supposedly these new wearables will feature different shapes, styles and sensors. Get a good look at the Moto 360 because you're chances of getting one are slimhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367360048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367360048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367360048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367360048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367360048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e312cc6/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2JOVJ1GK8Jw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Nokia/Lumia920/Hands_On/Nokia_Lumia_920_review_01-470-75.JPGIf you happen to be on the AT&T network with an older Nokia Lumia handset, the carrier has a bit of good news for you this week, with a software update that brings the latest and greatest features to two elder Windows Phone devices. AT&T announced yesterday the availability of Windows Phone 8.1 for Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920 smartphones, available as an over-the-air software update that delivers new features to some of the platform's most beloved models. The carrier was already first in line to roll out the most recent Windows Phone software back in July on newer devices such as the Nokia Lumia 1520, followed soon after by the Lumia 1020, Lumia 925 and Lumia 520. On Thursday, AT&T, Nokia and Microsoft enabled the update for Lumia 820 and Lumia 920, an on-device download that can be enabled from the Settings menu whenever the device is charged at least 50 percent. Welcome, CortanaOne of the most highly anticipated Windows Phone 8.1 features for Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 owners is certainly Cortana, Microsoft's personal virtual assistant capable of setting reminders, searching for information or reminding users about nearly anything. Windows Phone 8.1 also allows Lumia owners to customize their handset more than ever before, with multiple sizes, transparency and color options for pinning apps, music, people and more to the Start screen. Nokia Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 users will also enjoy a full complement of Xbox games, music and video, as well as the complete Windows experience, including OneDrive, Skype, Office and Bing. Last but certainly not least, Windows Phone 8.1 delivers a new Word Flow keyboard capable of integrating phrases, contacts and shape writing, all without the need to download and install a separate app. Check out the new Nokia Lumia 735 in our hands-on review!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e30902d/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367357918/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e30902d/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367357918/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e30902d/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367357918/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e30902d/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367357918/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e30902d/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367357918/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e30902d/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ly4lbEtTPpk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/Best%20cloud%20storage%20July%202013/icloud%201-470-75.jpgThe recent iCloud hack might have allegedly only targeted celebrities, but Apple is trying to reassure users that it is beefing up security for everyone. Apple CEO Tim Cook promised new push notifications and email alerts will be sent to users when someone tries to change their account password. At the same time every time users will also be notified whenever a new device access their iCloud account. The system should go live within the next two weeks. In top of informing users of any suspicious activity they will also be able to change their password or inform Apple of the problem. Apple hopes these new measures will prevent users from being blindsided by another phishing attack attempting to break into accounts to steal photos and data. Half measuresCook also did a bit of damage control noting that no Apple IDs or passwords were compromised in last weekend's embarrassing leak of private celebrity photos. Moving forward Cook said he believes informing users of security breaches will more effective against hacking attacks rather than a technological solution. "When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece," Cook said in his interview with The Wall Street Journal. "I think we have a responsibility to ratchet that up. That's not really an engineering thing." The Cupertino company also plans encourage more users to enable "two-factor authentication" when logging into their accounts. When turned on the security system asks for an extra bit of information - such as a four-digit texted to the user's cellphone number – to ensure the person trying to access iCloud is actually the account owner. Supposedly if the affected celebrities activated system it would have prevented the hackers from being able to force their way though by guessing iCloud passwords over and over again. Too little, too late it seems Hopefully the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 will come with new and better security featureshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e3063af/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157496586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3063af/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157496586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3063af/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157496586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3063af/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157496586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3063af/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157496586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e3063af/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/LkUYTQgqmrg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/ChromeOS/chromedesktopapps-hero-470-75.jpgGoogle has begun to roll out version 37 of Chrome OS, which introduces a handful of time-saving features. Highlighted in a company blog post, the most notable is the addition of multi sign-in support. Chrome previously required you to log out of one user account before logging into another, but you can now stay logged into several simultaneously allowing for faster switching. The feature has existed on Windows and OS X for some time and will prove especially useful if you share a Chrome OS device with family members or friends (or colleagues if in the workplace). Additionally, v.37.0.2062.119 (to give it its full title) now opens the Chrome OS Settings panel in a new Window, rather than a new browser tab, allowing you to move it around and make changes without losing view of a browser window's contents. Inside infoAlso introduced is a new App Info view in the Chrome launcher, and it's now possible to upload to Google Drive while using Chrome browser's Incognito mode. Finally, the update packs the usual bug fixes and security updates. Google pledged to roll out the updates over the next few days, so you should receive notification of an update in the status area when it's available for download. Interestingly, the update is being rolled out to all Chrome OS devices barring the Acer C7 Chromebook, Samsung Chromebook Series 5 and HP Pavillion Chromebook. We've contacted Google to find out when (or indeed if) they're in line to receive it. Why is Chrome OS looking like Android L?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367342219/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367342219/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367342219/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367342219/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367342219/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e2cc048/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/xZtAA3HVwCE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/D-Wave%202-470-75.jpgGoogle is a curious web search company with it's hand in everything from Android Wear smartwatches, robots and now quantum computing. Hartmut Neven, director of engineering from Google's Quantum Artificial Intelligence team, announced it is launching a hardware initiative to build new quantum computing processors using superconductors. As part of the new hardware initiative Google will be teaming up with John Martinis and a team of other UC Santa Barbara researchers. Together the two research groups will seek out to create new designs for better-optimized quantum computer and inference processors. The Quantum AI team also noted that Google will take big lessons from its continued collaboration with D-Wave. D-Wave has arguably been the poster child of quantum computing thus far, championing the new architecture despite its recent flop in a race with a regular PC. Fringe techOne the big perks of quantum computing is it can complete complex tasks much faster and efficiently than a regular PC. It's unlikely Google is researching quantum computing chips to launch its own line of PCs or become a competitor with Intel and AMD. For one thing the technology is still prohibitively expensive and experimental for it to exist anywhere else but a test lab for now - After all the quantum processor still needs to be kept at cryogenic temperatures with liquid nitrogen. Rather, quantum computing so far has proven to be more useful for things such voice recognition in Google Now and, potentially, artificial intelligence. Now that Google is getting involved this could be quantum computing's best bet for a real world application any time soon. Speaking of voice recognition have you met Siri or Cortana?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367242764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367242764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367242764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367242764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367242764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e1ddfe5/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/GbbNTJ35iiI