Blackberry Galaxay HD LWP beautiful live wallpaper optimized for Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 phones. Awesome thematic pictures, clock, compass, battery temperature and battery level indicator.
30 Mar 2015
HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8 comparison: new HTC One M9 is HTC's best ever smartphone - here's why you should upgrade from HTC One M8 to HTC One M9
The HTC One M9 has been announced at MWC 2015. As the first flagship of 2015 it is a big, big deal. And in our view at least it is a great .
HTC needs a winner right now, and we think it is the HTC One M9. Should you get an or wait for the HTC One M9 Hima? Read on and we will explain, based on our extensive testing of the HTC One M8, and our - the headline there may give away what we really feel. (For more, see .)
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: UK price and availability
The HTC One M8 is widely available in the UK. At launch, the HTC One M8 cost £550 on a SIM-free basis – but these days you can get it for less. And it is going to go down quickly when the HTC One M9 launches. Right now you can get a .
If you want an HTC One M8, shop around and you can find this great handset for as little as £400 - £450. The HTC One M9 finally arrived on 1 March 2015, at a lavish launch event. You can relive the excitement here: .
You'll be able to get your hands on the new HTC One M9 at the very end of the month: it will be released on 31st March. The firm hasn't announced a price but we expect it it will have a typical flagship price, which is currently around the £549 mark. We'll update this article when retailers reveal their prices. (See also: .)
So today your only choice is the HTC One M8. But hang around for a few weeks and you will have a choice of that phone for a very cheap price, or the HTC One M9, which will be widely available.
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: design and build
The HTC One M8 has a uni-body aluminium design. It measures 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4mm and weighs 160g. Relatively large for a 2014 flagship, it doesn't feel too large in the hand. Of all the Androids the HTC One M8 is the only one that feels like an iPhone-like premium smartphone. Ergonomic, but also sturdy. This is important because, as well as feeling like a device which has been carefully designed and put together, it doesn't feel overly delicate.
There is a case for the HTC One M8, but we doubt you would need it. From launch, the M8 itself is available in three different colours. The most popular is likely to be 'Metal Grey' but there's also 'Artic Silver' and 'Amber Gold'.
The HTC One M9 has been criticised for looking too similar to its predecessor. This seems harsh - as described above the HTC One M8 is beautiful. Why change?
It's made from a similar metal block to that of the M8 and uses the same curved shape and hairline finish while using angular features from the (the original HTC One). New features in the design include a scratch-resistant coating, machine drilled buttons, and a sapphire glass lens on the rear camera. The power button is now on the side instead of the top which we think is a much better place for it.
Colour options are similar but HTC has employed a new two-tone look with the back and sides getting contrasting adonisation. In our photos you can see the rear cover has a silver finish while the sides are gold. If this model doesn't float your boat then there will also be 'gold on gold' and 'gun metal grey on grey'.
The HTC One M9 is a very desirable smartphone when held in the hand. It fits nicely and like the M8, is one of the only phones on the market to compete with the iPhone on build quality. It screams of craftsmanship but the stepped design might not be to everyone's taste as at certain angles it looks like a case.
We were hoping for a thinner and lighter design and although the device is slightly lighter than its predecessor, it's marginally thicker. Overall it is an improvement on the HTC One M8, but only a marginal step forward. We wouldn't upgrade just for this. (See also: .)
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: display
HTC has given the One M8 a 5in display - that's actually a little on the small side in the current big beasts phablet market, but we found it a great size in a well-sized handset. The screen's resolution is a 'mere' Full HD (1920x1080). This gives a more than healthy pixel density of 441ppi. The HTC One's display is crisp, vibrant and looks stunning. We like the contrast ratio and viewing angles.
One thing we particularly like about the M8's screen is its silky gloss finish which, more than other phones, means your finger glides brilliantly across its surface. It's just another detail which makes this phone feel so premium. With the HTC One M9, HTC has decided to stick with a 5in screen for the M9 and has also kept the resolution at Full HD (1080 x 1920). As with the design, there's no upgrade here because there doesn't need to be (but that cheaper HTC One M8 is looking like a bargain right now).
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: specs and performance
The M8 runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. In this case the 801 quad-core chip has a slightly lower than average clock speed of 2.3GHz. And there is 'only' 2GB of memory. The HTC One M8 continues to offer outstanding performance, and around 24 hours of battery life with reasonable use.
Fast forrward ot the HTC One M9 and memory has been boosted by 50 percent to 3 GB and there's a new processor in the form of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 which is both octa-core and 64-bit. It comes with the Adreno 430 GPU. We'll test performance properly when we get to spend a lot of time with a final unit, but signs look promising based on our hands-on time. This is a very fast phone, and it should be faster and more future-proofed than is the HTC One M8. (Also see: what's the fastest smartphone 2015.)
Wireless setup remains strong with 11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, NFC and an . If you were hoping for any new features such as a fingerprint scanner or heart rate monitor then it's bad news.
Mysteriously, even before launch the HTC One M9 showed up in the Geekbench 3.0 database, a benchmark we use to compare smartphone- and tablet processing power. According to the database the HTC One M9 recorded 1232 points in the single-core component, and 3,587 points in multicore. If true, that would make the HTC One M9 faster than any smartphone we've ever reviewed. Whether you need a faster smartphone is another question, but expect good progress in this space.
If speed is your thing, the HTC One M9 is a worthy upgrade.
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: storage
The HTC One M8 comes with only 16GB onboard storage. You will need more storage than that, and you can add it: there is an SD card slot that allows you to mount an additional 128GB.
With the HTC One M9 you get 32GB of internal storage and an SD card slot capable of accepting up to 128 GB cards. Minor improvement here, then.
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: cameras
With its recent cameras HTC has eschewed the megapixels arms race. And that is probably a good thing. The HTC One M8 has a HTC UltraPixel Duo Camera including a 5Mp front camera with wide angle lens. There isn't as much detail in photos compared to the M8's rivals but because its pixels are bigger the phone is better suited to low-light situations. The dual-focus feature is interesting and fun. Sadly video quality is poor.
The HTC One M9 no longer has the Duo Camera setup consisting of two camera lenses. Instead, HTC has gone for a 20 Mp rear camera with the same dual-LED flash.
It can record video in 4K resolution and uses a 'dynamic exposure algorithm' to mimic the human eye. Despite the lack of a second depth sensor, we're told it can still produce similar effects to the Duo Camera. The front camera on the M9 is the rear camera from the M8 for selfies and although all of this seems promising HTC has asked us not to comment on photo or video quality as the handset we saw was pre-production and not running the final software.
To go with the new hardware is a software feature called One Gallery which we haven't been able to try out but will in theory bring all your photos together from the likes of Dropbox, Flickr, Google Drive and Facebook into one place.
It is difficult to be truly sure at this stage, but the hardware- and software improvements made in the HTC One M9 suggest that it will be a much better camera.
HTC One M9 Hima vs HTC One M8 smartphone comparison: software
The HTC One M8 runs Android KitKat. HTC's BlinkFeed feature is more in your face than a standard Android install, but remains beloved by some. Sense 6.0 brought with it some new features, including on-screen buttons, full-screen mode, and Motion Launch Gestures. There are other minor tweaks, but customisation has been improved with the ability to select different theme. In a similar way to other phones which use themes, a wallpaper is tied in with a particular colour which is then used throughout the software such as the settings menu. We haven't tried this out yet but you can also choose a different system font to create a very different look and feel.
As you would expect, the HTC One M9 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop which is the latest version. However, HTC doesn't leave it as is so puts its own skin or user interface over the top. The M9 introduces Sense 7.0 which has some new features.
HTC largely does things its own way with BlinkFeed to the left of the main homescreen, a grid view recent apps menu and a vertically scrolling app menu. However, the stock dropdown notification bar is in use (with some HTC style added) and the good news is that you can customise which quick settings you want.
Talking of customisation, this is the main emphasis of Sense 7.0 so there's a new Themes app where you can download various user interface themes. However, you can edit details yourself such as icon styles and fonts. The software will also generate a theme for you based on a photo.
We've already mentioned HTC Connect and One Gallery in relation to audio and photo and another new feature is called HTC Home. It's another thing which we've not been able to test but it sounds great. The software is location aware so you can use a different lock- and homescreens depending on where you are.
For example, when at work you'll get icons for your email and calendar and these will automatically get replaced with a remote control app and Facebook when you get home. You can select what you want for each layout but suggestions will be made based on your habits. (See also: .)
The upgrade to Lollipop alone is a reason for me to want to upgrade the handset. But those HTC Sense developments are well worth having too.
iPhone 6S release date, price, specs and new features: When is the iPhone 6s coming out?
It's 2015 and although the and are still going strong it's time to look ahead to Apple's next flagship . Here's what we know about the iPhone 6S release date, price and specs in the UK. : .
iPhone 6S: The name and models
Following Apple's history with smartphones, the next iPhone will be an 'S' model. However, there's always the possibility it will put an end to this tradition so we may be in store for the this year – you just never know.
For the last two launches, has introduced two new iPhones. We currently have the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus and previously Apple launched the and . Will we get two models again this year? We think so but rumours are thin on the ground on the subject at the moment but it's early days so stay tuned as we'll be updating this article as new information becomes available. Read: .
iPhone 6s release date: When is the iPhone 6s coming out?
These days it relatively easy to predict when a new generation of a flagship smartphone will arrive. Most manufacturers announce a new model annually while some go for every six months.
Apple is one of the former and if we look at previous launches, it's highly likely that the iPhone 6S will be announced in September and will go on sale a week or two afterwards. Of course, if the launch event is towards the end of the month, the iPhone 6S release date could be early October.
Bear in mind that if there are two new iPhones announced this year, they may not go on sale on the same day.
iPhone 6S: Design and specs
With an 'S' model iPhone, most things tend to stay the same in terms of design and specs. Usually there are a few tweaks here and there but Apple will save major changes for the next full model number – ie the iPhone 7.
It seems likely then that the iPhone 6S will look the same as the current iPhone 6. It will use the same chassis and come in the same colour options. The weight might change though due to different components inside or a new sapphire glass.
An S model sticks with the same screen size so we're probably looking at 4.7in and if there is an iPhone 6S Plus then it should remain at 5.5in. Resolutions are also likely to stay the same although one rumour suggests the new iPhone will have a 5in display with a 400ppi and what about the rivalling concept below by Michael Shanks?
So what will change?
If the design of the iPhone 6S remains the same, then Apple will provide upgrades in the form of new hardware. There are various rumours floating around, the most obvious of which, is of a new processor. The iPhone 6S will come with an A9 chip and could also get an upgrade in the RAM department to 2 GB.
The Touch ID fingerprint scanner could be integrated into the display, according to one rumour, rather than sitting in the home button. We thought the cameras would almost certainly be upgraded, although we're not sure a rumoured 21Mp rear camera is probable and are now saying Apple will stick with 8Mp for the iPhone 6S.
More likely is a reversibly USB connector. We already have the Lightning connector which can be plugged in either way round so we'd put money on Apple doing it at the other end of the cable, too. Also highly possible, practically a given, is that the iPhone 6S will come pre-loaded with iOS 9 which will probably be detailed at Apple's which normally takes place in June.
Beware of the latest WhatsApp charging hoax - what you need to know
Update 7 November 2014: We're forever hearing about WhatsApp hoax messages - the very latest of which suggests the service will close down if you do not forward a chain message to 10 people. It is a hoax. WhatsApp is not about to close down.
Also see:
Regardless of what you hear, WhatsApp is free to use for the first year. Thereafter you must pay an annual fee of $0.99, which is around 69p. You will not be charged any more than this for using the service, and you don't need to do anything to make sure it keeps going. Trust us: WhatsApp is not short on users. Read:
Below you can read about yet another WhatsApp hoax that surfaced earlier this year.
Many WhatsApp users have suffered from a chain letter hoax this week, right on the tail of on 19 February and a major server outage on Saturday evening. This is the latest in that have plagued WhatsApp since its inception.
WhatsApp users have been receiving convoluted messages claiming to be from the app’s founder, “David D. Suretech.” (Brian Acton and Jan Koum are the actual founders of WhatsApp.) The spam claims that the company will soon charge 37 cents per message to any “inactive” users. The only way to avoid this, the hoax claims, is to pass the message along to ten other users, establishing yourself as an “active” user and therefore entitled to free service.
One version of the message reads: ”Hello, I. Am DAVID D. SURETECH founder of Whatsapp. this message is to inform all of our users that we have only 53million accounts available for new phones. Our servers have recently been very congested, so we asking for your help to solve this problem. We need our active users to forward this message to every single person in their contact list in order to confirm our active users that use WhatsApp. If you do not send this message to all your contacts to WhatsApp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all your contacts. The automatic update symbol on your SmartPhone Will appear with the transmission of this message. Your smartphone will be updated within 24 hours, and will feature a new design; a new color for the chat and the icon will change from green to azul. Whatsapp will begin to charge unless you are a frequent user. If you have at least 10 contacts send this sms and the logo will become red on your platform to indicate that you are an active user. Tomorrow, we wil begin to take messages for whatsapp for 0.37 cents. Forward this message to more than 9 people in your contact list and the what's app logo on your will turn blue meaning that you have Become a free user for life.”
According to the WhatsApp website, the app is free to use for the first year. After that milestone, users will be charged $0.99 (£0.59) on an annual basis.
WhatsApp has made no comment on this latest hoax. The official response to a similarly worded bit of spam in January was: “Please understand that this is a hoax and there is no truth to it.”
Pradeesh VS, General Manager at IT security company ESET Middle East, that there is no security issue and the best course of action is just to ignore or delete the message.
“The senders are just misusing,” he said. “As of now it does not harm any user.”
WhatsApp has experienced many similar chain-letter hoaxes since it started five years ago – a style that has been around since the dawn of the Internet.
This latest confusion comes right on the tail of Facebook's deal with WhatsApp, comprising of $4 billion (£2.4 billion) in cash and $12 billion (£7.18 billion) worth of Facebook shares. A major server outage came soon thereafter on Saturday evening.
“Sorry we [sic] currently experiencing server issues. We hope to be back up and recovered shortly,” the company . A couple hours later, it : “WhatsApp service has been restored. We are so sorry for the downtime…”
For the original story about a prior hoax, continue reading on the next page.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 comparison review: What's the difference?
Samsung announced the at MWC 2015 as expected but Sony decided not to launch the Xperia Z4 despite saying it was happy with a six month refresh cycle. That means the Xperia Z3 remains the firm's flagship phone but how does it compare to the new Galaxy S6? Find out in our Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 comparison review.
Since the Xperia Z3 is last year's flagship , it's a little unfair to compare these two handsets but they will have to compete in the market until its successor comes along so we're fine with it really. We will, of course, compare the two 2015 flagships from Samsung and Sony when the Xperia Z4 launches. Read next: Best new smartphones coming in 2015.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 review: Price
Arriving on 10 April, the Galaxy S6 has an official price of £599 from Samsung for the cheapest model. However, retailers like Unlocked Mobiles have it pegged slightly lower at £584. Either way it's a premium price tag.
Since it's been on the market for six months or so the Sony Xperia Z3 had dropped in price from its original £499 which is already £100 cheaper. You can pick it up, at the time of writing for around £390 so that's a significant saving compared to the Galaxy S6.
Also see:
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 review: Design
The Galaxy S6 is still recognisable as a Samsung flagship phone but there are quite a few changes in the design. There's a new metal frame which looks similar to the and gone is the dreaded flimsy plastic rear cover in favour of a Gorilla Glass 4 panel.
Samsung has made the more slender phone here at 6.8 mm and 138 g compared to the Z3 which is 7.3 mm and 152 g.
Although the shape is quite different – Sony's Xperia Z3 is the trademark square – the combination of a metal frame and glass front and rear make these two phones pretty similar. While the Galaxy S6's camera sticks out and the phone has a physical home key, the Z3 has neither.
Neither has a removable battery due to the design and although the Galaxy S5 is waterproof, Samsung has dropped this feature on the Galaxy S6. As usual, you can reply on Sony to offer waterproofing.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 review: Hardware
Screen size remains the same on the Galaxy S6 at 5.1in which is marginally smaller than the Z3's 5.2in. However, the resolution has been upgraded to Quad HD (1440 x 2560) and Samsung still goes for its SuperAMOLED technology. It's also worth pointing out that there's a which has a dual edge display.
Sony's is a more traditional Full HD resolution and it uses its own Triluminos technology. There's nothing wrong with the display on the Xperia Z3 but Quad HD just looks stunning so the Galaxy S6 pips it here.
Inside the Galaxy S6 is Samsung's own Exynos 7420 octa-core processor (quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57), 3 GB of RAM and a Mali-T760 GPU. The firm ended up not going down the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 route.
The Xperia Z3 has a Snapdragon 801 which is 2.5 GHz quad-core and there's also 3 GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU. Both offer top-end performance but it's understandable that the newer Galaxy S6 is more of a powerhouse. The Xperia Z4 should challenge it more closely with a Snapdragon 810.
On storage, the two differ vastly with the Galaxy S6 available in 32-, 64- and 128 GB capacities but Samsung has dropped the microSD card which has always been there so you can't add any more. Sony just has 16- and 32 GB version of the Xperia Z3 and the latter is harder to come by. However, it does offer a microSD card slot so you can add up to 128 GB more.
Wireless is closely matched with dual-band 11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 with atpX, NFC and 4G LTE. However, Sony doesn't offer an IR blaster, heart rate monitor or fingerprint scanner, which are all features of the Galaxy S6. Samsung's phone also has Cat 6 4G LTE compared to Cat 4 so is theoretically twice as fast.
Sony fights back with exclusive features such as High Res audio support plus the addition of PS4 Remote Play so these may be of more use to you than some additional sensors.
Things are a close match when it comes to cameras as the Sony Xperia Z3 has a 20.7 Mp rear camera while the Galaxy S6 has a 16 Mp snapper. Both can shoot video in up to 4K resolution but it's worth noting that that Samsung offers optical image stabilisation and Sony offers up to ISO 12800. If you're interested in selfies then the Galaxy S6 has a higher resolution front camera a 5 Mp compared to 2.2 Mp.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 review: Software
You'll get Android 5.0 Lollipop with the latest TouchWiz user interface on the Galaxy S6 out of the box and we'd normally say it's a lot heavier than Sony's Xperia user interface but this edition is stripped back considerably. Samsung's phones now come with Microsoft apps pre-installed but the firm gives you the ability to remove apps you don't want.
It's quite refreshing and while the Xperia Z3 still ships with Android 4.4.4 KitKat, it's upgradable to 5.0 Lollipop. AS we mentioned earlier, Sony offers the advantage of software features like High Res audio and PS4 Remote Play.
There's no outright winner on software since it's really down to personal taste and which features you'll genuinely find useful. If you don't have a PlayStation then PS4 Remote Play is irrelevant, for example.
Spotify vs Google Music comparison review: What's the best music streaming service?
So you're a big music lover but all these streaming services are confusing. Here we take Spotify and Google Music and compare the differences between them including quality, what's on offer, features and apps. : .
Spotify is still the biggest player in the music streaming market but it doesn't mean it's your only choice. Google Music is certainly worth a look so read our comparison review to see which the best streaming service is.
Spotify vs Google Music: Price and subscriptions
The streaming model of Spotify differs from Google Music a fair amount. If you don't mind listening to the occasional advert, you can listen to music for free. On Google Music, you can only listen to the individual tracks or albums you have purchased – pricing is competitive with many albums under £5 and an album of the week for just 99p.
One thing both have in common is an unlimited ad-free streaming service. They're called Spotify Premium and Google Music All Access. You can trial each for a month without paying but afterwards you'll have to pay £9.99 per month.
Spotify vs Google Music: Features and service
The features on offer from Spotify and Google Music are very similar but there are a few small and potentially key differences.
Spotify vs Google Music: Apps
As you might expect, each service can be used on the web and on mobile via apps - iOS and Android for each plus Windows Phone and Blackberry for Spotify. However, Spotify has a desktop application which can be downloaded for PC or Mac. You can use all of these whether you pay a subscription or not but the Spotify app will only let you listen to music on shuffle if you're using the free service.
Spotify vs Google Music: Streaming quality
No matter which service you opt for, you'll get music streamed at a maximum of 320kbps which, unless you're an audiophile, it will satisfy. You will need to be on a monthly subscription to get the higher rate though.
Spotify vs Google Music: Quantity and new releases
In terms of content, Spotify has more than 20 million songs available to stream. The firm adds around 20,000 each day. Bear in mind that a chunk of these songs have never been listened to so although Google Music has slightly less, the sheer quantity isn't everything.
What you want from a streaming service is the most recent singles and albums available as soon as they are released. In general, you'll get that from both but there will occasionally be exceptions. For example, Coldplay has decided to not allow streaming of the latest album, Ghost Stories so only the singles are available.
Spotify vs Google Music: Offline and backup
A real plus point of Google Music is the ability to upload your existing music. You can backup and listen to up to 20,000 tracks which appear alongside you're streaming content as one happy library. You can easily download content for offline listening by pinning it within the app. Music purchased from the shop doesn't count towards that limit.
Spotify does allow offline listening but there are a couple of limitations – you can download up to 3,333 tracks to each device and stay offline for up to 30 days. Spotify offers a similar feature to Google Music in that you can play local files. There's a section for this in the desktop application but you can also sync these files with your mobile device to be played from within the app.
Spotify vs Google Music: Radio and recommendations
As you would expect from a modern streaming service, both Spotify and Google Music will learn what your taste is like to then recommend content. Both offer radio stations based on the music and artists you listen to. This is only available on Google Music if you pay monthly for All Access.
A free feature on Google Music is Instant Mixes which is similar to a radio station but essentially creates a playlist from your music based on favourite songs or artists. It shows you what's coming up next and you can skip forwards.
Spotify vs Google Music: Third-party devices
Spotify and Google Music are compatible with speaker systems and other gadgets like , , Apple TV (via AirPlay), , Smart TVs and more - compatibility varies. Spotify is more widely available in this way, however, in cases such as Spotify on Sonos, you'll need a Premium subscription.
: .
Spotify vs Google Music: Social
Spotify has much better integration with social networks. Not only can you post what you're listening to, you can see what you're friends are listening to without them posting something specifically. You can also follow artists so you know what they're listening to and make sure you don't miss new releases. Furthermore, you can keep track of your streaming habits with last.fm integration.
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 review: 15-inch budget laptop with full-HD display offers decent gaming, quality build and five-hour battery life
Lenovo has given the Z50-70 some extra touches that lift it from the usual lowest- category, starting with a full-HD 1920 x 1080 display. (For more, see: .)
The IdeaPad Z50-70 is a 15.6-inch model with a fourth-generation Intel Core i3, and its discrete nVidia graphics processor will even enable you to play Windows games. We borrowed our test IdeaPad Z50-70 from .
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 review: build quality and design
The design aesthetic is upmarket and premium-looking, even if most of the silver on display is just painted plastic. But the top deck as well as the metallic trim that runs the laptop's circumference are made of real metal.
The back of the display lid has a satin silver finish that mimics aluminium, while the underside is black plastic with a fine-textile pattern imprinted. Three screws are all that stands between you and a large plate that covers the memory and hard disk, should you need access. The relatively large 41 Wh lithium-ion battery is removable, and helped this Lenovo turn in one of the longest runtimes of the six on test here.
Edges of the Z50-70 have been tapered down slightly – not enough to miss out on the chance to install a DVD±RW optical drive on the right, but enough to inspire Lenovo to fit the special space-saving ethernet port on the left side with a sprung-loaded flap.
There are two USB 2.0 ports, one on each side; as well as an extra v3 port on the left that joins HDMI and VGA video ports there. Hot air exhausts over an internal finned heatsink on this side, while power connection is through Lenovo's unique rectangular connector that resembles a USB plug in yellow.
Sunken below the deck level slightly, the keyboard is not quite the premium type for which Lenovo business notebooks are famed, but it's still a cut above those found on some low-cost laptops. It's a low-travel type with textured matt flat-top keys, each shaped with a bowed bottom to give the Lenovo trademark shield shape of key. A number keypad joins directly to the Qwerty on the right.
A roughly textured trackpad works well and includes natural two-finger scrolling direction as standard. Separate left and right click buttons sit below for unfussy clicking.
Economies have been made by fitting the cheapest specification Wi-Fi adaptor, single-band and single-stream only. But the main processor is a competent dual-core Intel Core i3-4210U, the ‘U' suffix reminding us that this chip was made expressly for ultraportable notebooks. Only 4 GB of memory is installed but easily upgraded if required, and the 1 TB hard disk is a generous amount of space for a model under £400. Also see: .
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 review: Lab report
With the same processor and hard disk as the Asus X751L, we see roughly the same middle-of-the-road results for processor, memory speed and system performance.
In Geekbench 3 is was a few points behind the latter, with 1735 and 3622 points respectively for single-core and multi-core modes, perhaps influenced by a slightly smaller complement of 1600 MHz memory. These numbers suggest this Lenovo's processor and memory combination have around 70 percent of the speed of the reference PC that scored 2500/5112 points.
PCMark 7 awarded this Lenovo 2222 points, while PCMark 8 recorded 1959 points (Home) and 2638 points (Work), which are competent results in line with the chipset and hard disk specification.
From this group of six, the IdeaPad Z50-39 is the only laptop fitted with a proper graphics adaptor capable of better performance than Intel's current best attempt in its dual-core mobile chips.
Don't set your Crysis to maximum detail just yet though. We measured a playable 33 fps in Batman: Arkham City at our lowest settings, but beware of a 4 fps minimum that may make even this setup less than smooth. Raising resolution and quality to 1366 x768 and Medium still let the game average 29 fps (3 fps minimum).
Turning to Tomb Raider 2013 though, the action picked up to 67 fps at 1280 x 720 (Low detail), and still maintained 36 fps at 1366 x 768 and Normal quality – and with a minimum framerate that didn't drop below 26 fps.
The large display appears sharp in the Windows interface, aided by the default 125 percent scaling applied which makes fonts appear a little less fuzzy. This is a very shiny screen though, and you will have to fight passed reflections to use it bright daylight conditions.
Its colour reproduction is rather poor, covering just 56 percent of the humble sRGB gamut in our tests, while its contrast ratio of 90:1 is lousy but typical for a cheap Windows laptop.
Battery life proved to be not too bad, stretching to nearly five hours (4 hour 58 min) in the looped-video over Wi-Fi endurance test. Also see: and .
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 review: Lab tests, benchmarks
Runtime: 4 hr 58 min
Contrast ratio: 90:1
Colour gamut sRGB: 56 %
Geekbench single: 1735
Geekbench multi: 3622
PC Mark 7: 2222
PCMark 8 Home: 1959
PCMark 8 Work: 2638
Batman: Arkham City 1280 x 720, Low: 33
Batman: Arkham City 1366 x 768, Med: 29
Tomb Raider 2013 1280 x 720, Low: 67
Tomb Raider 2013 1366 x 768, Normal: 36
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C comparison review: what's the difference between iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C?
We've spent lots of time with the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, both of which are excellent smartphones but with some significant differences. The iPhone 5S is Apple's flagship model, so it's got better specs and features than the iPhone 5C, but the iPhone 5C has a lower price tag and some rather bright colour options. Read on to explore the differences between Apple's two newest iPhones. See also: See also: .
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: UK price
If you're after an iPhone 5S, pricing starts at £549 in VAT in the UK for the 16GB model. The 36GB flavor will set you back £629 in VAT, and the 64GB iPhone 5S is a whopping £709 inc VAT.
The plastic-backed iPhone 5C comes in at a lower price, but still not as low as many had hoped and expected, starting at £429 inc VAT for the 8GB model. It's £469 inc VAT for the 16GB model, and £529 inc VAT for the 32GB model, so actually only £80 cheaper than the equivalent iPhone 5S models.
See also:
For comparison purposes, the now retired iPhone 5 used to cost as follows: 16GB = £529, 32GB = £599, and 64GB £699, so Apple's upped the price of its flagship. (See also: and .)
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: processor
Here's where things get really interesting. The iPhone 5S is the first 64-bit smartphone. It comes with an A7 chip with 64-bit architecture, which is also used in Apple's iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display. The processor runs at 1.3GHz, and is a dual-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM.
According to Apple, the A7 processor provides twice the CPU and graphics performance of its predecessor, the A6 chip, which is the processor you'll find in the iPhone 5C and also powered the iPhone 5. In fact, the iPhone 5C is basically just the iPhone 5 with a new coat (which we'll talk more about later), but thankfully the iPhone 5 was already fast for a premium smartphone.
The iPhone 5S also has what Apple calls an M7 motion coprocessor, a feature that the iPhone 5C lacks. The M7 chip takes advantage of the sensors in the iPhone – accelerometer, gyroscope and compass – and continuously measures data coming from them. This is good news for battery life, as it does all this without having to wake up the A7 processor, perfect if you use a fitness tracking app, for example.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: storage
Storage is another differentiator between the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5C comes in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB flavours, but the iPhone 5S starts from 16GB and goes all the way up to 64GB. (See also: .)
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: design, build, dimensions
Another key area of difference is the design. The iPhone 5C is a radical departure for Apple. It is primarily made of plastic - the last to come with a plastic shell was the 3GS. And it comes in a variety of colours, five of them in fact. There's no black model, which was a bit of a surprise, but Apple does offer white as well as bright and bold yellow, green, blue and pink options.
The iPhone 5S by contrast is more in keeping with the iPhone 5's tone. It comes in three metallic shades, including a gold effect.
The iPhone 5S's dimensions are 123.8x58.6x7.6mm, and it weighs just 112g. By contrast the iPhone 5C measures 124.4x59.2x8.97mm and weighs 132g, so it's actually a bit bigger and heavier than the iPhone 5S, though the screen size of both is 4in.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: features
Aside from the processor and design, the biggest differences between the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C come down to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, only found on the iPhone 5S, and the better camera in the iPhone 5S.
As the name suggests, The Touch ID fingerprint sensor uses your fingerprint to identify you and give you access to the iPhone 5S. It's actually really easy to set up and use, hidden beneath the Home Button. Not only does it add an extra level of security, it can also be used to skip the need to enter a passcode. Plus, you can use the Touch ID to authorise purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store and Apple BookStore.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: battery
Both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have built-in, non-swappable lithium-ion batteries, and Apple says both of those batteries will give you the same amount of power. Apple says the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will last for up to 250 hours on standby, and 10 hours of talk time. Web surfing is 8 hours on 3G, and 10 hours on LTE and Wi-Fi. Apple claims 10 hours for video playback and 40 hours audio playback, for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.
Our battery tests for the iPhone 5S actually clocked over 11 hours in our looping video test, while the iPhone 5C lasted slightly less time at 10 hours and 19 minutes.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: cameras
Both the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C have two cameras, a front-facing FaceTime camera and a rear-facing camera known as an iSight camera. The specifications work out as follows.
The iPhone 5C iSight camera has and 8 megapixel sensor with ƒ/2.4 aperture and LED flash. It supports 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps with video stabilisation. There's a 3x zoom. The iPhone 5C's FaceTime Camera takes 1.2Mp photos at a resolution of 1280x960, and offers 720p HD video recording.
The iPhone 5S iSight camera has what Apple describes as a better 8Mp sensor, listing it as 8 megapixels with 1.5µ pixels. It has ƒ/2.2 aperture and a true-tone flash that uses two parts to improve the lighting. The video capabilities are the same, as listed, as is the FaceTime camera.
But the iPhone 5S takes things further than that, taking advantage of the A7 processor to perform auto white balance and auto exposure before you take a picture. The camera actually takes multiple images and analyses them in real time to see which is the sharpest. It also has auto image stabilization, which gives a sharper image, as well as a new Burst mode that takes photos at 10 frames per second until you let go of the shutter.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: display
The screen is another area in which the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S are eerily similar. Both have 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch displays, with a 1136x640-pixel resolution that makes for a pixel density of 326ppi. Expect 800:1 contrast ratio and 500 cd/m2 max brightness from both the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S.
iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C: software
Both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C run iOS 7, and are likely to get a free update to iOS 8 later this year. (See also: )
Angry Birds Go review: a free-to-play Mario Kart copy
Angry Birds Go is a fun new free game from Rovio. It's much like and sees old and new characters racing against each other to earn coins and win gems. Not only is it a totally new genre, but it's also the first free Angry Birds game on all mobile OSes - iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10.
There are two main tracks, Seedway and Rocky Road, and each offers five racing modes: standard race, against the clock, Fruit Splat (hit enough fruit before the finish line), head-to-head (vs) and Champion Chase, where you have to beat the bird three times to unlock that character.
And you will need to unlock them, since each bird gets 'tired' after five races and has to recover. At which point you can switch to another bird or pay 10 gems to 'revive' the one that's worn out. This is just one of many ways that Angry Birds Go will make money, since you can buy bags of gems from £1.99 to £70. Gems can then be used to buy coins within the game.
Coins are used to buy kart upgrades, and you'll need these not simply to remain competitive but also because races have ever-higher 'cc' requirements: you won't be able to enter certain races unless your kart meets the minimum rating.
You can buy some karts, too, with prices again ranging from £1.99 to a whopping £35 or more (see above). However, you can also buy real toy versions of the karts, called Telepods, which are recognised (and unlocked) when placed over your device’s camera.
Each character has a unique power-up which can be used once per race, with extra uses costing gems. Certain race types have coins to collect, while others don’t. Within each main course is a variety of different courses, some of which are in the air and others involving stunts.
To start a race, you catapult your kart when the countdown clock says ‘Go’, thereby adding a bit more fun and retaining a link back to the traditional games. You’ve a choice of tilt or tap to control your racer and although tilt is more fun, tapping offers more control.
How to watch US Netflix in the UK: get American Netflix content on your PC, Xbox, iPad and more
One of the most common complaints from Netflix customers here in Blighty is that we don't have access to the same amount of content that US-based users do – especially films. Competing streaming services such as, Amazon Prime Video, Sky's Sky Store and Now TV have swept up the rights to many films exclusive – including the whole of Warner Bros' new releases.
Netflix US also gets TV shows earlier than we do here in the UK. You can watch cult favourites such as Mad Men and American Horror Story on Netflix US – but not on NetFlix UK. Sometimes this is linked to content deals between US producers and UK TV channels that mean you can't see episodes until after they've debuted on UK – sometimes the reasoning behind this is unclear (like much of international content licensing). :
The oddity of licensing – coupled with that you essentially have an international subscription to Netflix rather than to Netflix UK – means what affects what you have access to is based on where you are, not where you signed up. This was brought home to me on a recent trip to the US. I opened my laptop in a hotel room in New York, logged onto Netflix and was greeted with a warm message welcoming me to the US and letting me know that things are different over there – though it mainly concentrated on ratings differences, which is good if you've got kids like me. A quick scroll down the homepage made what those changes were obvious – a heck of a lot of films that aren't available now I'm back in the UK. Bummer.
Well, kind of. It's very easy to get your hands on browser plugins that let you pretend you're in the US – which means you get the US Netflix content instead. This is officially naughty and almost certainly against , which says "You also agree not to: circumvent, remove, alter, deactivate, degrade or thwart any of the content protections in the Netflix service" – and could get you banned.
However, assuming you're comfortable with this, this is how you do it. It only works on PCs, Macs and Android Tablets – not with the iPad, iPhone, PS3 or TV sets or services. Read:
How to get American Netflix in the UK: Netflix's 'VPN ban'
Update: Recently, some Netflix users noticed difficulties getting the Netflix for Android app to work over VPNs and Domain Name System (DNS) services as we outline below. VPN provider TorGuard also reported receiving complaints about Netflix VPN blocking in December 2014. Internet rumour suggests that this may be the early stage of a planned all-out attack by Netflix to stop people viewing content in places for which Netflix doesn't own the rights. This is likely because the legitimate content licencees are complaining: if Sky has paid for the UK rights to a movie you are watching on Netflix, Sky isn't happy.
Contrary to the rumours, Netflix recently told Engadget that it has not changed the way it handles VPNs. Our sister title PC World asked the company for further clarification, but has heard nothing in return. We have had no problems using a VPN as outlined below to access US Netflix from the UK. Indeed, it seems unlikely that it could successfully block VPNs for any length of time. The nature of the tech is not to reveal that you are spoofing your IP, after all. So for now, the tutorials below should work fine. Do let us know in the comments below if you have any problems, however. - Matt Egan
How to get American Netflix in the UK: Hola unblocker plugin
Step One
First off you need to download the Hola unblocker browser plugin, which works with Chrome, Firefox or the Android OS. Here we've used Firefox.
Go to and click on Download. Install the plugin. If you're using Chrome, click on options (the three horizontal bars) then Extensions. In the Chrome web store, search for Hola Unblocker, and then click the Free button in the Extensions (NOT Apps) section of the results.
Step Two
Go to Netflix. Chance are, the plug-in will notice and either offer to switch you the US – or have done it automatically. Either way, you'll soon see a whole bunch of content that's technically off limits to those of us in the UK. If the connection doesn't work, click on the little icon at the top of your browser window and there should be an option to try another server.
If you want to go back to the UK Netflix – for example, to watch BBC content that's not available in the US – just switch off Hola and reload the page. Voila.
How to get US Netflix on Xbox, PlayStation, Apple TV, iPad, Android and more
If you want to get US Netflix on your Xbox or PlayStation then you will need to fiddle with some DNS settings. If you head to the network settings of the console/device and manually configure the settings then you can enter a primary and secondary DNS (Domain Name Servers) numbers.
You can search the internet for these (they change fairly regularly) and has a good list which you can try. They are free but get easily clogged up and slow and occasionally send you to someone's own site rather than Netflix in an attempt to sell you VPN software or worse.
If you fail to get any of the free ones working, or don't like the sound of it, then you can use a paid for service called . It costs $4.99 Canadian dollars per month but there's a free trial so you can test it out before committing fully. The server numbers you need are 208.122.23.22 and 208.122.23.23.
Unblock Us is compatible with various devices including games consoles, media streamers, Android, iOS and more. The site has good on how to change your DNS settings on specific devices. If you encounter any problems try a simple reboot of your device which normally fixes things.
All 4 launches to replace Channel 4's 4oD: O2 customers get priority access
Channel 4 has announced that the popular 4oD catch-up and on-demand service will become 'All 4' on 30 March with O2 customers getting special priority access. : .
The broadcaster is calling All 4 its new digital home for all Channel 4 content which is essentially what the iPlayer is to BBC. The new brand identity will 'present all of Channel 4’s linear channels, digital content and services in one place, for the first time'.
David Abraham, chief executive of Channel 4, said: "Having been a pioneer of VoD services in the UK, we think the future of TV viewing lies not with either linear or on-demand, but a creative and visual integration of the two worlds, blending the strengths of both into a single brand."
All 4 offers content from the past, present and future - On Demand, Now and On Soon respectively. The most interesting is On Soon which will showcase new clips and promos of upcoming shows. Registered viewers will get an increasingly personalised experience with a 'bespoke set of content and related experiences for viewers'.
All 4 will launch first on PC, iPad and iPhone and at the same time replace the 4oD brand across all other platforms. Channel 4 said it makes all content fully mobile with catch-up items available for download.
"We believe All 4 will deliver the most advanced broadcaster response to changing viewer behavior in the digital age, and will help ensure that our content portfolio remains an important, valued part of viewers’ TV consumption for decades to come," added Abraham.
From launch, All 4 will premiere shows ahead of their TV debut including the new series of Made in Chelsea.
Channel 4 has confirmed that O2 customers will get priority access to shows enabling them to watch ten series on E4 and Channel 4 throughout 2015. This means an O2 Priority part of the app will give access 48 hours before shows including Peep Show, Fresh Meat and Made In Chelsea air.
Follow Chris Martin and @PCAdvisor on Twitter.
Windows 10 release date, price, features UK: The next version of Windows could launch sooner than expected, and without Internet Explorer
has not been a universal success. In many ways a necessary step not well executed, Windows 8's attempt to stitch together desktop and mobile has been way too radical to encourage new users. And as the longer life of existing and combines with the growth of and to continually slow PC sales, Window 8 has come to be seen as a dud. See also: and .
This means two things: a new and improved Windows in the fastest possible time and - oddly - a jump in numerals to Window 10.
Windows 10 will include phones and the Xbox One- in an app form. It will also include Cortana and a new web browser currently known as 'Spartan'. Spartan spells the end for Internet Explorer, although it may not completely disappear for a little while yet, according to the at MSDN.
"When we announced Project Spartan in January, we laid out a plan to use our new rendering engine to power both Project Spartan and Internet Explorer on Windows 10… However, today we’re announcing that on Windows 10, Project Spartan will host our new engine exclusively," says IEBlog. Internet Explorer will continue in its current form in Windows 8.1.
Windows 10 UK release date: When is Windows 10 coming out?
The latest build of Windows 10 is available to insider testers now. If you have a compatible Lumia Windows Phone you can even try out an early version of the mobile Windows 10. (See: and .
The final version could ship as soon as summer 2015, Microsoft has stated at its re-born WinHEC conference, currently under way in Shenzhen. Attendees were told that Windows 10 will roll out in 190 countries and 111 languages. Kevin Turner, Chief Operating Officer at Microsoft had said in late 2014: "By next late summer and early fall we'll be able to bring out this particular OS (operating system). That's the current plan of record," according to . This means Windows 10 could be slightly ahead of schedule, and the upgrade might be ready to go in July or August. There's no firm date, of course, and the schedule could still slip back to "fall 2015", so we'll have to wait and see.
Microsoft has also said that it will share more about "universal apps" at its annual Build conference in April. The Technical Preview licence runs until April 15 2015, so expect a more complete beta then.
The company will not announce a definite launch date, because it is committed to user testing and doesn't want to be beholden to a specific date as it was with Windows Vista.
Although Microsoft was present at CES, it scheduled a Windows 10 event in Redmond back in January in order to "talk about the next chapter of Windows 10". Terry Myerson, Joe Belfiore, Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella all presented.
Windows 10 UK price: How much will Windows 10 cost?
Windows 10 will be free to end users. At least it will be a free upgrade. Users of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Phone will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 on their devices, for free. This is guaranteed for the first year of the new OS's shelf life, but we would be surprised if it didn't remain free - depending on uptake.
It was also discovered that the Raspberry Pi 2 might be able to run Windows 10, and that it would be freely available to those customers.
Enterprise customers are not part of the deal, however. Jim Alkove, director of programme management, wrote in a :
"Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise are not included in the terms of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer we announced last week, given that active Software Assurance customers will continue to have rights to upgrade to Windows 10 enterprise offerings outside this offer, while also benefiting from the full flexibility to deploy Windows 10 using their existing management infrastructure."
When we started this article we said that we thought Windows 10 would be free to consumers, although not to OEMs who purchase licences to put on PCs and laptops they sell. Microsoft had previously declined to answer direct questions about how much Windows 10 will cost, particularly for people upgrading from Windows 7 or XP saying, "we want to talk about the overall product family [at this stage]". But now we know, as expected, that the Windows 10 upgrade will be free.
Previously had quoted "people close to the matter" and said Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for Windows 8.1 users, but suggested that Windows 7 users may have to pay only a small fee.The good news for Windows 8 refuseniks is that Windows 7 upgraders can do so for free.
Microsoft is hoping to make the upgrade as pain-free as possible for these users, with direct upgrades allowing settings and apps to remain in place. However, XP and Vista users must do a fresh installation if they want to use Windows 10. And they may have to pay.
Suffice to say that in the face of Apple giving away OS X, and declining PC sales, it was always unlikely that Microsoft would charge for Windows 10. Add in the fact that Windows 10 is aimed at smartphones and tablets just as much as desktop PCs and laptops and you can see that there really isn't much of a market for selling the upgrade.
What about Windows Phone 10?
Windows 10 will run on phones, tablets, laptops and PCs. It will not be called Windows Phone 10 on smartphones: just Windows 10. The Technical Preview was made available in early February. Also see: . and How to install Windows 10 on your phone
New features in Windows 10
Perhaps the biggest news about Windows 10 is that it will be - in Microsoft's words, "One product family, one platform, one store". For the desktop version of Windows 10, there will be no more 'duality', as Microsoft's Joe Belfiore put it. That means no more split personality between modern apps and the 'old' desktop.
Here are what we think are the best 10 new features in Windows 10, including Cortana, multiple desktops, a proper start menu and more.
Windows 10: why is it called Windows 10?
During the short briefing in San Francisco when Microsoft unveiled Windows 10, it made it clear that the next version would be very much unified across all types of devices with screen sizes from 4 inches to 80 inches. It confirmed that the next version of Windows Phone - after 8.1 - would be 10 and said, "This product, when you see the product in your fullness I think you'll agree with us that it's a more appropriate name."
When questioned about ARM-based Surface tablets, the answer was, "we're building the software to update vast majority of devices out there." However, it has now become clear that Surface tablets won't be upgradeable to Windows 10.
Microsoft's Terry Myerson summed it up with, "Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows, unlocking new experiences to give customers new ways to work, play and connect. This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead."
Windows 10: What's Bill Gates got to do with it?
The co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft has been working with the company on a project called Personal Agent, which is in essence an advanced personal assistant.
"One project I am working on with Microsoft is the Personal Agent which will remember everything and help you go back and find things and help you pick what things to pay attention to," he told Reddit. "The idea that you have to find applications and pick them and they each are trying to tell you what is new is just not the efficient model - the agent will help solve this. It will work across all your devices."
Below follows the rest of our original article containing all the rumours building up to the September 30th event:
A shows some interesting details about Windows 9, including the 'fact' that the Preview version is scheduled for release between "Q2-Q3 2015". This means the official launch is unlikely to be in April 2015 as previously thought. The Q2-Q3 window is huge, of course, and the Preview could therefore appear any time between April and September 2015. It's possible there will be Christmas 2015 launch to consumers and, given that everything never goes to plan with a new Windows launch, we wouldn't be surprised if you can't buy a new laptop, PC or tablet with Windows 9 until then.
The document has a section detailing 'update items' which include changes to the Metro UI (Microsoft still calls the modern UI Metro internally, apparently), Windows Defender, OneDrive and improved Windows activation. There's also a mention of Cortana, Windows Phone 8.1′s personal assistant, which could mean it's coming to Windows 9.
Windows 9 Technical Preview leaked
Ahead of the 30 September event, the Windows 9 Technical Preview has been leaked on . The build number is 9841, although the site in unsure whether this is the exact build of the public Technical Preview.
Plenty of information (which we've outlined below) has already been available about Windows 9 including the return of the Start Menu - although it combines the old style Windows 7 style with Windows 8 Starts Screen functionality. New information is that the feature will be resizable.
We've heard that the Charms bar (that bit which pops in from the right) would be gone from Windows 9. However, Winsupersite says that it's still present on touch-based systems but can only be accessed with touch, not a mouse pointer.
Task view (above and shown in one of the videos below) is used to switch between apps and is opened via a button on the taskbar. File Explorer, meanwhile, will open with a new Home view as the default, showing things like favourite folders, recent folders and recent files.
Windows 9 leaked videos
Before we even get to 30 September, videos supposedly showing Windows 9 have been leaked online. They show a unified Notification Center, demonstrate multi-desktop (Task view) and the start menu. Watch the videos below but bear in mind that things could change by the time the final version arrives.
Windows 9: No Charms bar
claims that in Windows 9, Microsoft will do away with the Charms bar – that menu which pops in from the right with buttons like search, share, start and settings. However, the site is talking about Windows 9 on the desktop as the feature will remain as it is on tablets - this matches up with the information from Winsupersite above.
If you're wondering what the new regime will be, Winbeta said: "One method that we heard about that stands out is having a button up near the window controls that once pressed, would reveal the Search, Share, Devices and Settings charms from the top of the window (there's no need for a Start Button for desktop users in the charms.)"
"Another idea Microsoft have been toying with is removing the Charms completely. While it's possible, we're not entirely sure how that would work," it added.
Windows 9: Start menu returns
As we explain below we are certain that the new Windows update known as 'Threshold' will grow up to be Windows 9. And we expect Windows 9 to launch at some stage in early 2015, probably April 2015. This week we have seen what its claimed are leaked screenshots of Windows 9. Just to confuse things, these shots are labelled 'Windows 8.1 Pro', but that is consistant with what we have been hearing about the Threshold build that will eventually become Windows 9.
Windows-watchers at and have shown off screenshots of the new Start menu in Windows 9. There's also a shot of the new Windows Store in Windows 9. Click the Windows 9 screenshots to view them at full size.
Windows 9 screenshots
Look to the lefthand side of the new Start menu in both Start menu shots and you can see a list of recently used apps and the option to select a list of 'All apps'. One interesting point to note is that 'All apps' appears to include both Desktop- and Metro apps. The key to Windows 9 is marrying up the two disparate elements of Windows 8 in a way that makes sense to consumers. This way Microsoft can satisfy both those users who miss the Start menu, and also make Metro apps more useful.
Microsoft hasn't lost its taste for uncomfortable compromise, however. Strong rumours suggest that the expanded Start menu will appear within a more 'Desktop' Start screen and in the Desktop for PC- and laptops users. But that the same, expanded, Start menu may take over the entire Start screen for tablets and other smaller touchscreen devices.
Now look over to the right for another symbol of the same movement. To the right of the apps list is an area with pinned Metro apps. So as now you can see from the Start screen live tiles for important apps such as weather, mail, news, and calendar. Just as now the new Windows 9 Start screen is customisable, it seems, but here you can also pin Desktop Windows software. On both sets of screenshots you can see icons for the Pictures and Documents folders, as well as what looks like a 'My PC' tile that gets you straight into the file system.
Windows Phone 9
Talking of Cortana, the document also mentions Windows Phone 9, which is tagged alongside Windows 9 for a Q2-Q3 Preview release. We're only just seeing new smartphones running- the first version to feature Cortana - but in a year's time Windows Phone 8 will be consigned to the history book. Let's just hope that existing hardware will be upgradeable and that owners don't end up in the same situation as Windows Phone 7 buyers did.
Windows 9
Based on Microsoft's Build 2014 developer conference, we've put together an - beyond even Windows 9.
Microsoft partners will be getting a pre-beta version of Windows Developer Preview 9 soon, we understand. Thus those partners will have seen the earliest version of Windows 9 before the Build conference this April.
We expect to see a single beta of Windows 9, which will likely appear in the summer of 2014. If everything goes perfectly it is possible that Microsoft will release a Release Candidate version at the end of August or the beginning of September 2014. That date could easily slip.
Once a RC is released, bugs will be collected and fixed for several months before the final code is released to manufacturers. On this basis, it makes sense to see a Preview version from April 2015 onwards. (See also: .)
Windows 9 features
We expect that Windows 9 will be 64-bit only, although we expected that for Windows 8 and we were wrong. A lot depends - as ever with Microsoft - on what OEMs want to build, and what Intel gives them with which to build.
One thing that Microsoft has to do is allow Windows Phone and Windows RT apps to run on both Windows Phone and Windows. Even Xbox apps should become cross compatible. You may also be able to pin Metro apps to the taskbar. Also expect to see Kinect-based 3D gestures to be enabled for laptops with 3D cameras - basically the ability to control your computer with gestures.
Microsoft's recent pronouncements suggest a full return of the Start menu and that Windows 8-style apps will be able to run on the desktop. Windows 9 will definitely be less traumatic a chance for desktop users.
One key - although less obvious - development is likely to be much improved power management. The rise of mobile devices has made battery life a key battle ground for Windows. Intel has done its part, massively improving power management with its latest generation of mobile processors. But the Windows software needs to keep pace, so expect Microsoft to make great claims for Windows 9's power management capabilities.
Visit Windows 7 Advisor and Windows 8 Advisor for more Windows advice. Or email our Helproom Editor for bespoke advice.
The 26 best role playing games ever
Now read our controversial: 18 Worst Video games ever
26: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
has two primary playable factions with character customisation, quests full of Warhammer lore, characters of various races who are comprised of a number of archetypes, and career paths to specialise in a craft of some sort. See also Fifa 13 release date, features and screenshots
With an already established fan-base of the Games Workshop's tabletop game, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning provides its players with a dark and humorous experience that penalises unfair advantages between higher and lower level players in Realm vs Realm combat. Visit PS4 release date, specs and rumour round-up.
We especially enjoy capturing Victory Points in the Player vs Player gameplay which involves random PvP encounters, objective-based encounters, and other campaigns and scenarios. See also GTA 5 release date, features, maps and rumours.
25: Kingdom Hearts II
Square and Disney did more than merely prove that they could pump out a decent RPG. They gave life to a grand, genre-changing experience featuring classic tales, heroes and villains from our childhood.
Kingdom Hearts had a lot to live up to in its second act, and completely blew us away. Only a year had passed for Sora, Donald, and Goofy, but the worlds were bigger, the Keyblades were badder, and the entire scope of the battle between the Heartless, the Nobodys, and Organization XIII had grown to epic proportions.
All we can do now is wait for the magic to return in Kingdom Hearts III, but at the very least, we'll get to revisit the series in the PS2 remake of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories this winter.
24: Grandia
The story of a young adventurer named Justin featured incredible music, an epic story, unique characters brought to life with superb voice acting, and a combat system unlike any other before it.
This game's name was Grandia.
The world of Grandia was unlike anything gamers had seen before on the PlayStation, with large and colourful 3D cities and dungeons, filled with treasure, people, and monsters alike. While some RPGs had combat systems that would let you lazily hammer on a single button, Grandia refreshed the entire concept of turn-based battles by having every character and enemy attack each other at the same time.
What really drove the game was how you timed your magic and melee moves - in the best cases, you could pre-empt your foes entirely with nary a scratch on your party. When you made your way to so-called 'End of the World', Grandia's story reached a new height, and more surprise still laid in wait for eager adventurers.
NEXT PAGE: Skies of Arcadia and Planetscape Torment
- The must-have games for any role play fan
- Skies of Arcadia and Planetscape Torment
- Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
- Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
- Final Fantasy XII and Earthbound
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Xenogears
- Diablo II: Lord of Destruction and Fallout 3
- Our top three role playing games
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Galaxy S6 UK release date, price, specs: When is the Samsung Galaxy S6 coming out? Galaxy S6 launch details - Galaxy S6 images - new features in Galaxy S6 - pre-order now and get free accessory bundle. Best Samsung Galaxy S6 deals
Samsung Galaxy S6 release date, price and specs. Galaxy S6 display, processor and memory. Galaxy S6 price, Galaxy S6 release date, Galaxy S6 specification. Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S6 smartphone, which was unveiled yesterday at MWC 2015, including how to pre-order.
yesterday launched the Galaxy S6 smartphone, at a live event at MWC in Barcelona, Spain.
Here we reveal the Samsung Galaxy S6 UK release date, price and specs. And on the next page you can relive the rumours that spread around the web before the Galaxy S6 was confirmed, and see which came true.
Samsung Galaxy S6 video review
Samsung Galaxy S6 UK release date: When is the Samsung Galaxy S6 coming out?
The Samsung Galaxy S6 will be available from 10 April in 20 countries, with the phone launching in more countries thereafter. Vodafone has already confirmed it will be stocking the S6 and S6 Edge and is now taking preorders, and we expect all other major UK operators to do the same. Also see:
Samsung Galaxy S6 UK price: How much will the Samsung Galaxy S6 cost?
's official pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S6 starts at £599 for the 32GB version, and is also now accepting pre-orders at £599 for the 32GB version. It's available here in black, white or gold. Also see:
is also now taking preorders on the Samsung Galaxy S6, and is giving away a free bundle and operating a trade-in deal. Customers who pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S6 on a Vodafone Red L, XL, or XXL price plan will receive a free Samsung Wireless Charging Pad and phone case; those who opt for the Vodafone Red L price plan will also receive £5 off their monthly tariff when they trade in their old Samsung phone. Plans start at £43.50 per month with no upfront fee, or £26.50 per month with £199 paid upfront.
is offering pre-orders on the Samsung Galaxy S6 from £39.50 per month with £79.99 paid upfront. Preorder now and you'll get a free wireless charger.
is listing the Samsung Galaxy S6 from £36 per month. For that you get 1,000 minutes, 5,000 texts and an introductory offer of 2GB of data (usually 1GB).
's recommended plan for the Samsung Galaxy S6 costs £43.49 per month with £49.99 paid upfront. This deal gets you 4GB of 4G data, unlimited calls and texts, a free wireless charger and £20 off a case. The Samsung Galaxy S6 also features Wi-Fi calling when purchased through EE.
All other high-street stores and mobile operators will be taking pre-orders from 20 March, and customers who make pre-orders will get the new phone a day earlier than it hits the shops on 9 April.
Samsung Galaxy S6 specs: Samsung Galaxy S6 processor, memory, display, hardware, new features
With the Galaxy S6 Samsung has finally responded to plastic build quality criticism, and the Galaxy S6 looks great (and, also important, Samsung assures us that it won't bend!). It's built from metal and glass, with Gorilla Glass protecting both front and back, and features a gorgeous 5.1in Quad HD (2560x1440, 577ppi) Super AMOLED display - with the smaller screen, that's higher than that seen on the . It's also 20 percent brighter than the S5's screen at 600cd/m2, making it easier to see outside.
The super-thin Samsung Galaxy S6 is just 6.8mm thick (143.4x70.5x6.8mm) and weighs a tiny 138g. It will come in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, and Blue Topaz.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 also has wireless charging built in (supporting both PMA and WPC), meaning no more fumbling in the dark for power cables, although the trade-off is a non-removable 2550mAh battery. But you'll get enough power for four hours use in just 10 minutes of charging, and it'll charge from zero to 100 percent in half the time of the iPhone 6.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is powered by the company's own Exynos octa-core (2.5GHz quad + 2.1GHz quad) processor, a 14nm 64-bit chip that's apparently 30 percent more power efficient. It has two quad-core sets, one geared toward efficiency and the other performance. This is paired with 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM. It says the lag and stuttering is gone from TouchWiz, too.
Sadly, the new design means there is no longer support for microSD, and the S6 is not waterproof. But the all-new Galaxy comes in 32-, 64- and 128GB capacities.
The front camera is 5Mp, and boasts real-time HDR. The rear camera is still 16Mp, but has some significant improvements, including the Note 4's smart optical image stabilisation. It'll do a much better job in low-light, thanks to a f1.9 wide-angle lens, and it is always on in the background and ready to go the second (actually, 0.7 seconds) you need it. An IR sensor can automatically detect and adjust white balance.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 has a single speaker, but this 'power speaker' is apparently 1.5 times louder than the speaker on the S5. The fingerprint scanner has also been improved now a touch- rather than swipe-style scanner.
Connectivity includes 4G LTE (Cat 6), WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC and an IR blaster.
For business users the S6 is ultra-secure with Samsung Knox technology, offering defence-grade features for real-time protection from potential malicious attacks. The company also spoke about its new Google Wallet- and Apple Pay-rivalling Samsung Pay mobile-payments service, although for now that's of little interest to UK users.
Samsung Galaxy S6 case reviews
has shared with us its own hands-on video review of the official Samsung Galaxy S6 cases.
Next page: Read the rumours that spread across the web in the run-up to the Samsung Galaxy S6's official unveiling and see which came true.
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