Vodafone U.K. has today announced that its new 4G LTE network will be available in Liverpool, Glasgow, and Manchester by the end of this month. It’s been just seven weeks since the service took off, and Vodafone says that more than 100,000 people have already signed up to a new 4G plan.
Nexus 5 Outperforms Galaxy S4, Matches iPhone 5s In Leaked Graphics Benchmarks
When it comes to mobile gaming, the upcoming Google Nexus 5 could be one of the most impressive Android-powered smartphones to date. Leaked benchmarks that have surfaced online this week reveal the new device outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One in graphics performance, matching the new 64-bit iPhone 5s.
Sony’s New PlayStation App Will Let You Use Your Phone Or Tablet As A PS4 Display
At the Tokyo Games Show today, Sony unveiled its new PlayStation App for Android and iOS, which lets gamers access the PlayStation Network from their smartphone and tablet to interact with friends, see what others are playing, and remotely download games to your console.
The app will also turn your Android or iOS device into a second screen for selected PlayStation 4 titles.
Sony Announces PS Vita TV, A $95 Apple TV Competitor That Plays Games
At an event in Japan today, Sony unveiled the new PS Vita TV, a tiny set-top box that will sell for around $95 and look to compete with devices like the Apple TV. Not only will it let you stream content from services like Hulu and Sony’s own Video Unlimited service, but if you connect a DualShock 3 controller, it will also allow you to play PSP and PS Vita games on your TV.
Sony Reveals Three New Headphones In Its Midrange MDR-10 Line
The news from Sony this week was dominated by its stunning new iDevice-compatible QX lenses (and the blogger leaks that revealed the lenses before Sony wanted the lenses revealed).
But there’s also news from Sony’s audio corner; it’s evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but still exciting: Three new models have been added to the company’s midrange MDR-10 line of headphones, including one with what looks like class-busting noise-canceling abilities and another equipped with Bluetooth and NFC.
Sony QX Lens Cameras Are Perfect iPad Companions
At last, the Sony QX “lens cameras” are officially official. They’re a pair of regular compact cameras built-into lens-shaped bodies, and they’re made to pair with your smartphone, using it as both a viewfinder and a controller.
The lenses connect via Wi-Fi, and if you’re using an Android phone then they’ll pair with it using NFC.
The details follow:
New Sony Ad, Press Images For QX100 & QX10 Attachable Lenses Leaked [Video]
At an event in Berlin in just under two hours time, Sony will announce two attachable lenses that you’ll be able to stick onto the back of your smartphone to take better photos. They’re called the QX100 and the QX10, and you can see exactly what they’ll look like in the leaked press images above — and exactly how they’ll work in the leaked TV ad below.
Full Gallery Of Press Photos For Sony’s Cool-Looking “Lens Cameras”
With such a comprehensive leak now revealing the entire “lens camera” lineup in detail, it seems foolish to actually wait for an official launch to get all excited over the news of Sony’s totally left-field cellphone accessories. They’re actually standalone cameras, only the camera part is housed inside the lens, and they clip onto your smartphone, using it as the viewfinder and brain over a wireless connection.
Sony A3000, A NEX In SLR Clothing For Only $400
The second piece of Sony news today (along with the neat new NEX 5T) is the Alpha A3000, an SLR-style mirrorless camera for the crazy, crazy low price of $400. Take that, entry-level Canon Rebel bodies.
Sony NEX 5T, The First Mirrorless Camera With NFC
Good morning folks, and welcome to the latest episode of [_____] is the new [_____]. Today we’re taking a look at Sony’s brand new NEX–5T mirrorless camera, which proves that [Wi-Fi] is the new [large sensor]. Or that [NFC] is the new [Wi-Fi]. Or something.
The Sony MDR-X10 Headphones: Absolutely The Best Bass Bang for Your Buck [Review]
Anyone dismissing the Sony MDR-X10 headphones as simply yet another bombastic, over-the-top, celebrity-designed fashion statement for teenage bass junkies would be wrong. Easily forgiven, but wrong.
While most of those descriptive terms ring true — the big, lurid cans apparently received design input from none other than big, lurid entertainment personality Simon Cowell, and they’re definitely aimed toward the bass-obsessed — the X10s differ significantly from their brethren, and actually stand out prominently against an ocean of boom.
In other words, if you’re looking for bass-heavy headphones, this is your first stop; but even if you’re not, the X10s are so good they might win you over anyway.
24 Hour Music Videos Could Come To The Apple TV This Week Thanks To Vevo Deal
Earlier this month, we reported that Vevo, the popular music platform, was in talks with Apple to make its own Apple TV channel a reality. The channel would allow Apple TV owners to access Vevo’s 24-7 music programming, and would be monetized by ads.
Unfortunately, there were no other details, and you know what they say, “A rumor’s not a rumor that doesn’t die.” So let’s kill off this rumor by making it a reality: the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the Vevo app could launch on the Apple TV as early as this week.
Ashton Kutcher Hits Back At Steve Wozniak’s Bashing Of Jobs [Video]
Steve Wozniak has made his feelings about Ashton Kutcher’s Jobs movie pretty clear, but how does he really feel about the film? Kutcher believes Woz’s views could be swayed by the fact he’s being paid by another studio to support a different Steve Jobs movie, and because Jobs doesn’t place enough focus on Woz’s contribution to Apple.
Bloomberg: Samsung To Unveil ‘Wristwatch-Like Smartphone’ At Galaxy Note III Event
We first heard that Samsung may be planning to announce its new “Galaxy Gear” smartwatch at its September 4 Galaxy Note III event earlier this month, but the rumor just got even stronger after it was confirmed by Bloomberg’s reliable sources.
They claim that the South Korean electronics giant will unveil a “wristwatch-like smartphone” powered by Android that will go head-to-head with the new Sony SmartWatch 2, and a potentially competing product from Apple, one of Samsung’s biggest rivals.
Roku Tops Apple TV As Most Used Streaming Set-Top Box In U.S.
Apple TV manages to grab most of the spotlight for streaming set-top boxes, but when it comes time to actually view content, Americans are using Roku far more frequently than Apple’s little hobby.
A new study from Parks Associates found that while the Apple TV is used by 24% of U.S. consumers with a streaming video device, Roku has managed to best that with a 37% usage rate among households with such devices.
Sony ‘Lens Cameras’ Will Turn Your iPhone Into An RX100
This is pretty awesome: How do you fancy having a proper, optically-zooming lens on your iPhone? That’s what the Sony ‘Lens Camera’ will do for you. These leaked shots show one version of the new device, which is actually an entire camera that lacks a screen and controls. These are provided by your iPhone (or Android phone).
iPad Sales Slip In Q2 2013 As Android Tablets Increase Their Lead [Report]
For a long time after its launch, the iPad was by far the best-selling tablet on the market, and no matter how hard they tried, rival devices didn’t stand a chance of stealing its market share. But that’s all changed, according to the latest figures from IDC.
Android-powered slates saw a staggering 163% increase in the last year, and they’ve now overtaken the iPad and opened up a rather large gap in market share.
Apple And Samsung’s Smartphone Domination Summed Up In One Chart
Despite the cornucopia of different smartphones available to consumers, the battle for global smartphone domination comes down to just two companies: Samsung and Apple.
Samsung posted record results in Q2 and even though a new iPhone hasn’t been announced, Apple still managed to beat Wall Street’s iPhone sales estimates last quarter, leaving Nokia, HTC, LG, and all the other major OEMs with nothing but table scraps to feast on.
Source: Benedict Evans
Via: BGR
T-Mobile Eliminates Smartphone Down Payments In New Summer Deal
T-Mobile’s new summer smartphone promotion is a scorcher: The carrier has eliminated down payments entirely and dropped the price of all devices to $0. Even the latest handsets like the iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Sony Xperia Z are included in the hot new deal, which the company announced today.
But there is a catch.
Sony Planning 20.2MP Camera Attachment For Smartphones [Rumor]
Do you ever wish you had a better camera in your smartphone? Well, before you upgrade to a hideous Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, you might want to take a look at the blurry picture above. It’s an accessory that Sony is rumored to be working on that’ll help you take incredible pictures with your smartphone.
It’s not just a fancy clip-on lens; it’s actually a 20.2-megapixel Exmor RS camera with a Carl Zeiss lens that uses your smartphone’s display as its viewfinder.
Japan’s Largest Carrier Happy Without iPhone, Says Androids Are Just As Good
While the iPhone has been slowly making its way to carriers all over the world since its release in 2007, there are still a number of major operators that are yet to offer it. One of those is China Mobile, the world’s largest carrier with over 800 million subscribers; and another is DoCoMo, a Japanese carrier that serves almost half of the country’s mobile market.
But DoCoMo isn’t at all concerned, even though it’s losing customers to other carriers that do offer Apple’s device. A company executive has acknowledged that the iPhone is an “attractive” device, but points out that it also comes with some disadvantages, and insists that the latest Android-powered offerings are just as good.
Sony RX100 II Is Sensitive, Connected, Looking For Hook-Ups
Sony’s RX100 is a pretty great compact camera. And the new RX100 II should be even better. The update/sequel, announced today, adds a bunch of modern-day gizmos to the $750 compact camera.
iPhone 5 Branded ‘Slowest Smartphone’ By Which? Magazine, Galaxy S4 The Fastest
The iPhone 5 has been branded the “slowest smartphone” by Which? magazine after going up against its latest rivals in a group of tests that evaluate processing power and graphics capabilities. The Galaxy S4, Samsung’s latest Android-powered flagship, came out top in the tests, with a rating almost double that of the iPhone’s.
Sony Music Unlimited For iPhone Gets Offline Playback, 320 Kbps Streaming
Sony Music Unlimited for iPhone has been updated to offer offline playback and high quality 320 Kbps music streaming. These features were first introduced to the Android version of the app back in January, so it’s nice to finally see them on iOS with the version 1.3 update.
This 13-Pound Vintage Mac Laptop Was Killed By The Sony Walkman
You probably already know the Macintosh Portable, Apple’s first Mac laptop released for $7,300 in 1989, which looked and weighed about as much as a small suitcase full of dark matter. No joke: you could ship an entire crate of MacBook Airs inside of one.
But can you believe that there was an even bigger, more unwieldy Mac laptop that preceded it? It wasn’t an official Cupertino joint, to be sure, but meet the Walkmac: a 1987 modded Mac SE with a working LCD screen and a battery pack.