Incase has released a 6 inch lightning cable. This length is perfect when using an iphone or ipod with a USB DAC or similar or where massive lengths are inconvenient. I quite like the blue colour too.
All posts by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
Nintendo to retire Wii Network Services
Whilst the Wii is old, is it old enough to retire? Nintendo has scheduled for closure on June 28th a number of services and has put out an End of Life notice to Japanese customers that reveals that a total of six channels will be put out to pasture, including News and Weather, as will the the ability for Wii Friends to exchange data over Wii Connect24. It’s not clear whether these terminations will apply globally, and in any case Nintendo explicitly says that other key services will continue for the time being, such as the Wii Shop Channel. Clearly a shift in focus is occurring.
Flexible Screens
It is no secret that Samsung has prototypes of flexible screens waiting to be manufactured into new devices. Well following a job advertisement by Apple, it seems Samsung are not alone.
The next big thing just might be around the corner.
HTC One – browser tip
WordPress on android just got a major update
Will Microsoft release Office for Android
Microsoft sure is doing its best to stay quiet regarding its launch plans for its Office for Android, but according to a leaked road map it wont appear until the end of 2014. Question is do we need office on android with Google Docs.
Also, Microsoft has no incentive to offer it on android, and it surely needs to focus on its own hardware and software solutions.
AppGratis app store removal saga continues
France will ask the European Commission for increased regulation following Apple’s decision to remove AppGratis from the App Store for violating its developer guidelines, Reuters reports.
During a visit to AppGratis publisher iMediapp, French junior minister for digital economy Fleur Pellerin called Apple’s decision “extremely brutal and unilateral….
“This behaviour is not worthy of a company of this size,” Pellerin said.
Somehow, I don’t think Apple are going to be too worried over this, but maybe it might change somethings slightly with how Apple regulate the app store at will.
Apple and Yahoo get cosy – Is Google on a short thread?
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and Yahoo (YHOO) “have been discussing how more of Yahoo’s services can play a prominent role on Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices,” including increased integration into Siri, Apple’s virtual personal assistant. The Journal’s sources also say that the companies are discussing “possible deals to get more content from Yahoo News and its other Web properties loaded onto Apple devices,” although no deal is imminent at this time. The Journal notes that some Apple executives, including senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, have been reluctant to drop Google entirely because its search results remain superior to those of its competitors.
There is also all the other Google services like YouTube and Maps that are superior to any other offering so I cannot see how Google could be removed without affecting sales of Apple’s own devices.
HTC One – The Final Verdict
Over the last few weeks I have reviewed, blogged and written everything and anything on the HTC One. To recap what I have written, look above at the Review tab, and then click on HTC One.
So this will be my last post on the HTC One, as I have murdered it to death. Not literally.
So what are my final views.
Style – its stunning. It’s the first phone I just can’t bear to put a case or screen protector on. I have 4 cases, but none last more than 1 hour on the phone. Normally, I have a collection of 20 plus cases per phone. It’s so beautifully made, that it makes you want to pick it up, hold it and admire it. It also makes every other phone seem inferior.
Sound – the stereo front speakers do make a difference and provide an enjoyable experience with all media, games and even sat nav instructions are loud but also very clear. The output via the headphones sounds good using the beats audio option.
Sense 5 – if you get this phone , don’t delete Sense 5 or remove Blinkfeed. Leave everything in its default state for at least a week to experience the setup HTC have provided. The fonts and graphics are grown up and don’t look cartoonish. The phone is not overloaded with excessive software or bloatware. Blinkfeed grows on you, and is IMO quite useful.
Camera – with this camera you will capture wonderful shots of people and your pets. Scenic shots are average, due to the lack of detail from the 4mp camera. The Zoe feature, and all the camera software works brilliantly. Video highlights, and sharing is a breeze. Also as the camera is 4mp the file sizes are small and don’t take a lot of space up. The camera has a knack of taking a photo first time perfectly every time. Capturing motion is phenomenal. It should be as it can take 8 photos a second at full quality. I also like the menu setup on the One, and find it quick and easy to jump between the options as required.
Experience – HTC have tried really hard to make the hardware and software work in unity. Once you spend time with the phone, it becomes a joy to use. Nothing is over complicated. It just works. Even the setup out of the box is simple. It’s an iPhone experience but better. An an example to its simplicity, you can listen to your music with beats on or off. No graphic equaliser complicating matters. Just beats on or off. You will leave beats on though.
Screen – awesome. Reading text is fantastic. And is everything else.
Battery life – after a few weeks it varies from reasonable to average dependent on how hard I push it. But I always make it from 6am to midnight. Just.
Memory – the HTC One includes an a decent set of apps as standard. Therefore despite my best efforts I only have added 64 apps, and 20 of those are games. That means less space is needed to achieve your probable setup. I have installed music, videos, feature films, photos and more and have 14gb still left. That has really surprised me. And as the camera photos are small file sizes, you can snap away happily.
Software – HTC have included some decent software, covering most aspects from business to pleasure. Even a flashlight app. But nothing bloatware. The phone includes a FM radio which many top devices now exclude. In fact the software, visuals and Sense 5 all work seamlessly together.
Conclusion – its a cracker of a phone. In a league of its own. And provides a very enjoyable user experience. At times, you forget its android! I could go on and on and on, but it truly just sells itself.
Samsung UK announces some extras for S4 owners
Samsung UK has started releasing some extra info regarding the S4.
– the S4 has a 25% increase in battery life over the S3 without adding weight to the phone
– an optimised version of Need for Speed Most Wanted will be available including a unique Porsche car (if I get an S4 its only due to this one game which is not yet compatible of the HTC One)
– a brand new Michelin Travel app will be made available free to S4 owners this summer
– the S4 will be available to purchase at 10am 27th April 2013
– the Samsung Hub will provide easy access to movies, games, music and more all in one place
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