Motorola has seen an $80 million (£51 million) loss in the fourth quarter of 2011, with the blame placed squarely at the feet of poor device sales.

In the final quarter of 2011, Motorola only managed to shift 10.5 million mobile devices, of which 5.3 million were smartphones.

Coupled with the poor performance of its Xoom tablets, which only shifted 200,000 units in Q4 and 1 million for the year, it has left Motorola with a big hole in its bank balance.

This poor performance in the final 3 months of last year has seen Motorola post a yearly loss of $249 million (£158 million), a dramatic change from 2010 where is made a loss of $86 million (£54 million).

I need a hero…

Motorola’s plan for 2012 is to produce ‘hero’ devices, much like HTC, where it will focus on launching fewer handsets instead of saturating the market continuously with new devices with varying success rates.

Motorola Mobility is still waiting on the takeover by Google to go through, expected to close early this year. Google still requires clearance from several countries on the deal, including the US, China and Canada.

The hope is Google will be able to recover Motorola’s stake in the mobile phone and tablet computer markets, but with Google’s main reason for the purchase being to get hold of the numerous patents which Motorola Mobility holds, will its devices be cast aside?

From SoMobile

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/HXlvVutKZxc/story01.htm

It’s not going too well for Samsung over in the German courts, where the second of three patent suits it brought against Apple has been rejected.

The blow comes just a week after the courts kicked its first patent complaint to the kerb, with both complaints relating to the 3G UMTS wireless telecommunications standard.

The ruling may have come as a bit of a surprise to Samsung, as IP expert Florian Mueller notes that this second case looked fairly promising at the relevant hearings back in November 2011.

Portents

The hearing to decide the fate of the third patent is set for 2 March, so Samsung has a bit of time to pick itself back up and brush itself off before it heads back to court.

As well as technical shenanigans like 3G standards, Samsung is also suing Apple over a patent relating to how one enters smileys on a mobile device.

You know, the really important stuff.

From Reuters

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/1rKXzWTUGKE/story01.htm

Samsung has announced its latest batch of financials and it is good news all round for the company, with the Korean giant managing to reap in circa £2.9 billion in profit.

Proving how much of player it now is in the smartphone game, Samsung revealed that half of its profits came from its telecoms division, with the company’s smartphones and tablets mustering 2.64 trillion won (£1.4 billion) from October to December.

This was down to its sprawling Galaxy line-up which also contains the Galaxy Note – a handset Samsung is hoping will usher in a new category of the mobile market.

“We are actually generating new demand in the Note category,” explained Younghee Lee, a vice president in the company’s mobile division during the earnings call.

“That will be continued based on our hardware competitiveness with the addition of brand and user experience.”

TV watching

In all, Samsung’s profit was up 17 per cent for the year and its revenue rose 13 per cent.

When it comes to TVs, Samsung sold 206 million units which is a little lower than the 211 million predicted but it did manage to bring this side of the business into profit.

In 2011 the display division managed to make an operating profit of 570 billion won (£323 million), which is up from the 2000 billion won lost last year, said to be due to the influx of smart and 3D televisions.

At CES 2012, Samsung announced the arrival of big-screen OLED TVs and said that it would be bringing voice and gesture control to its television line-up this year.

As for the Samsung Galaxy S3 – it looks likely that we won’t see this phone for a while as it looks likely to be a no-show at MWC 2012.

Via Reuters

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/rsaiRjrWQek/story01.htm

Newly instated RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has revealed that despite the company’s woes BlackBerry won’t be sold and he is not looking to take the easy route out of the current situation – ie, bow down to Google and release BlackBerry-flavoured Android devices.

Speaking to Crackberry, Heins commented on rumours in the media on plans to break up or sell RIM, saying: “my true belief is that RIM has the strength and the assets that we can really succeed in this market”.

He notes there is renewed positive energy in RIM’s offices and it is proud of its integrated solution of hardware, software, services and network, but admits there will be a lot of change in terms of structure and software.

UK turning back on Blackberry

Challenging the philosophy of other manufactures who build devices to sit on Google’s Android operating system, Heins admits that RIM is not following this easy route and instead is doing things the hard way, but believes its the right path for Blackberry and its users.

However this may be too little too late for RIM, in the UK at least, as a BBC Newsbeat investigation suggests almost three quarters of Blackberry users want to change their handsets.

This follows a series of problems Blackberry experienced during 2011 including service outages and handsets which failed to match the standards of competing devices.

From Crackberry and BBC

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/a6EJoeuQz0Q/story01.htm

Amid much fanfare, streaming video giant Netflix has launched in the UK – and Amazon-owned LoveFilm immediately promised to undercut it by a pound.

There’s no doubt that streaming video is more affordable than ever, but is there anything worth watching – and if there is, do you have to huddle over your PC to watch it?

We’ve already posted a Hands on: Netflix UK review, but how does it compare to its rival?

LoveFilm vs Netflix: price

Netflix offers unlimited streaming for £5.99 per month, which has prompted LoveFilm to respond with a £4.99 streaming-only package. That package isn’t currently live on the LoveFilm site, however – or if it is, it’s incredibly well hidden – and there’s a catch: not all of LoveFilm’s content will be available to package deal subscribers. Of the 6,618 titles available to watch online, 1,004 are pay-per-view.

PPV: LoveFilm isn’t an all-you-can-watch offering: roughly one-sixth of its catalogue is pay-per-view

LoveFilm vs Netflix: devices

Both services are compatible with PCs, Macs, iPads, PS3s, Xbox 360s with Gold accounts, some Smart TVs and some Blu-Ray players, although LoveFilm only streams its pay-per-view content to PCs and Macs. Netflix is also compatible with the Apple TV, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Wii, and it has streaming apps for both iOS and Android.

LoveFilm vs Netflix: does it have Breaking Bad?

Netflix has the first two seasons of Breaking Bad ready for streaming, but LoveFilm’s only got it in its DVD rental catalogue, not its streaming one. That’s a rare content win for Netflix, though: while its TV selection is very good its selection of movies isn’t as up to date as LoveFilm’s.

BETTER SHOWS: We think Netflix is better for TV shows, but LoveFilm is better for movies

Lovefilm vs Netflix: movies

While LoveFilm’s movie catalogue contains a better selection of recent films than its rival, neither service is going to delight you if you’re after films fresh from the multiplexes: they’re more like half-stocked supermarket DVD sections, so for example LoveFilm has Source Code but not Limitless, Troll Hunter but not The Inbetweeners Movie (although it’s got that in its DVD rental catalogue), The Guard but not Due Date (that one’s DVD again), The Killing but not The Adjustment Bureau (yep, DVD-only) and so on – and Netflix doesn’t have any of them.

Maybe the supermarket analogy is the wrong one: it’s more like the DVD carousel you’ll find in a rural petrol station with three Chuck Norris movies, You’ve Got Mail and a copy of Elf.

Both sites are clearly suffering from a problem that’s plagued online video for years: the tech is there, but the studios aren’t hugely keen on providing their best, most up-to-date content for a cut of £5.99 per month. Luckily for the studios, nobody on the internet knows how to copy, convert or distribute dodgy copies of films.

PLENTY OF CHOICE: LoveFilm’s catalogue seems much broader than Netflix’s, especially when it comes to films

LoveFilm vs Netflix: quality

LoveFilm streams are 2Mbps if your connection’s up to the job, but Netflix can take advantage of faster broadband connections to deliver HD streaming where available. “Where available” is key: older content isn’t necessarily in HD, and can look pretty awful on a big-screen PC or TV. Netflix recommends at least a 3Mbps broadband connection for 720p HD, although we’d double that to be on the safe side. Both services will adjust the streaming on the fly to deliver the best picture possible.

GOOD QUALITY: LoveFilm might not offer true HD, but picture quality is still perfectly decent from across the room

NOT ALL HD: Just because Netflix can do HD video doesn’t mean all its films are HD. Swingers here certainly isn’t

LoveFilm vs Netflix: verdict

Both services are operating in what’s called the post-DVD window, so if you want a more up-to-date selection of movies than your local Tesco offers then neither service is for you. However, that doesn’t mean they’re without merit. They’re much cheaper and have a broader selection than satellite or cable TV movie channels, and Netflix in particular is very good for catching up on those TV box sets you kept meaning to buy but never got around to.

We suspect the best way to use the services is as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, pay-per-view services: for example, the combination of a Netflix or LoveFilm account and a couple of pay per view selections, iTunes rentals (or – gasp! – a real DVD, all round and shiny like movies used to be!) still works out cheaper than subscribing to a bunch of movie channels.

Netflix is the simpler, more user-friendly service and it’s the one compatible with the most devices, but LoveFilm has the better selection of content. We’d suggest trying both, and if they don’t have what you want then try again a few months down the line when all the content deals are in place. The technology’s here, but the content hasn’t quite caught up with it yet.

NETFLIX QUALITY: When the source material is good quality, Netflix’s picture quality gleams. It’s not Blu-Ray, but it’s not bad

——————————————————————————————————-

Liked this? Then check out 16 best TV streaming services

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Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/mOMQbxHUm8g/story01.htm

Nikon has explained the reason behind its decision to discontinue the D300s and D700, stating it is because of a Japanese law, and doesn’t affect global sales.

Speaking to TechRadar, a Nikon representative said, “The D300s and D700 have been discontinued in Japan as they no longer comply with Japan’s revised Electrical Appliance and Material Safety law.”

The law, which was initially brought in during 2008 is designed to prevent hazards and disturbances resulting from electrical appliances. It was revised in November 2011, which is the apparent reason for Nikon removing these products for sale in Japan.

Global

The rumour mill has been buzzing about impending Nikon releases for some time now, with many taking the official discontinuation as a sign that new DSLRs were imminent, however Nikon has assured that it is relevant to Japan only.

“This law does not affect the production and shipment of the products for sale outside of Japan,” said the representative.

Rumours have suggested that a new Nikon D800 camera could be unveiled as part of the upcoming CP+ show in Japan.

Other Nikon products have also been affected by the new law including batteries and wireless transmitters, while other companies have also had to make product changes to comply with the law.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/gCaqrMuyWfo/story01.htm

From hacked ad servers to malicious Facebook pages, the web is a dangerous place, and so it’s vital that you install good antivirus software to protect you from harm.

And this doesn’t have to mean paying a bulky annual subscription for the rest of your life, as there are plenty of free security tools which claim they have what it takes to keep you safe.

Do these tools really deliver on what they promise, though? To find out, we took ten popular packages and put them through a gruelling series of tests, measuring their speeds, assessing detection rates, and finding out exactly how their installation affected our test PC’s performance.

And if you sometimes feel that all free antivirus tools are more or less the same, then our results will prove a real surprise.

If you’re tired of antivirus packages slowing down your PC, for instance, then the good news is that some are really lightweight. But choose unwisely and you could find your boot times extended by 20 seconds, and Firefox launching up to 5 times more slowly than before.

Scan times are important, too. So you’ll probably want to know which of our test packages was the slowest, and which tool completed its tests 22 times more quickly.

And if you’re interested in accuracy and reliability then we’ve the detection rate scores you need, and some surprising reports of major reliability issues, including one package which refused to install updates, and another that proved unable to complete a single scan.

Which is the best free antivirus package, then? Read on to see just what we’ve uncovered.

How we tested

The test process started at installation: we checked the size of the installer, the time it took for the installation process to complete, and the hard drive footprint afterwards.

And after rebooting, we began looking for any performance impact on our trial PC. We measured this by checking our system boot time, Firefox and Outlook launch times; every figure was taken 8 times, the first three dropped (it’s normal for these to be slower) and the others averaged to produce a final result.

Our test environment contained malware grabbed from a variety of sources – newly infected URLs, malicious email attachments and more – and we next set our test programs to scanning these.

The results and scan times were recorded, but it’s not enough to do these just once: many antivirus tools now include intelligent optimisations, for example not checking files again unless they’ve changed, and these need to be assessed. So we scanned the same environment three times with each tool, just to look for any improvements.

And while these definitive figures were useful, we also had to consider the more complex issues which arise in any software review: the range of features, the interface, usability issues and any quirks or problems that we might have noticed.

These tests don’t cover everything, of course. In particular, we weren’t trying to test how antivirus packages protect against malicious websites, or brand new, previously undiscovered dangers. You can see our full test results in this PDF.

There’s still plenty of useful information here, though – read on to find the best free antivirus tool for you.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/FA2Bq0JGPZs/story01.htm

Google has hit back at those who think it is turning its back on its ‘don’t be evil’ mantra by explaining that its recent privacy changes are all about making things simple and more transparent.

Google’s recent changes are big news for everyone who uses myriad Google products, as it has unified its rules and regulations so if you sign into one Google property, information about you from other Google services may be used by Google to push out relevant ads and the like to you.

Google changes

In a statement from the company, Google policy manager Betsy Masiello explained that the new regulations were nothing but a good thing for users.

“We’re making things simpler and we’re trying to be upfront about it. Period.

“You still have choice and control. You don’t need to log in to use many of our services, including Search, Maps and YouTube.”

The statement continued: “You can use as much or as little of Google as you want. For example, you can have a Google Account and choose to use Gmail, but not use Google+.

“Or you could keep your data separate with different accounts – for example, one for YouTube and another for Gmail.”

Google’s new policy settings are set to appear as of 1 March. But you can check just what Google thinks of you by going to the site’s ad preferences. For some reason, Google has this writer pegged as a 65-year-old woman…

Via Electronista

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/Wt_QkH0RyYo/story01.htm

Twitter can now take down a tweet in one country while leaving it available for the rest of the world to peruse at leisure.

“Censorship!” screamed the more excitable members of the media. “It’s SOCIAL SUICIDE!!1!”

But cool your jets and consider: over 250 million tweets are posted each day and much as I like to think that everyone on the internet is a decent sort of chap, I’ve been on YouTube so I know this isn’t true.

It doesn’t seem fair for Twitter to be drawn into huge legal battles that will cost the free service millions of pounds because some people have used it to do bad stuff. And by bad, we mean illegal because Twitter’s only taking down tweets that are actually illegal in a specific country.

To punish Twitter for what its users say is like making the whole class stay behind because whoever put a drawing pin on the teacher’s seat won’t own up.

What’s more, Twitter is a free service. None of us pay for it, and it’s struggling to make money as it is, so if this new granular process will save it from buckling under the weight of IP lawsuits and the like, then that’s a good thing.

So I’m all for Twitter being able to geographically remove tweets when they infringe on copyrights and break laws in some countries but not in others – and you can scream censorship all you like, but keeping the tweets available elsewhere, notifying users, explaining why and making it clear that a tweet has been removed doesn’t sound like straight up censorship to me.

Clarity

Perhaps Twitter’s mistake was in not making it clear exactly how and when tweets will be taken down.

I spoke with a representative of the company who explained that takedowns will only happen in reaction to valid legal process: “we won’t do anything proactively”.

That’s where Chilling Effects comes in – you can easily look through the cease and desist orders sent to Twitter, see what tweets they’re in reference to and specifically why it’s been requested that they be taken down. So if you’re concerned about this specific kind of “censorship” you need to look at the rights’ holders and their motives, not Twitter’s.

Twitter also confused the issue a little by saying, “[Some countries], for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content.”

It was fair to assume that pro-Nazi tweets are going to be removed in Germany and France because they’re legally banned, so how will Twitter police this? Short answer: it won’t. We asked if there was any automated filtering and received the following response:

“We will not do any proactive filtering or moderation of content. We will only respond, reactively, to a valid legal request.”

So that satirically pro-Nazi joke you’re about to make will, theoretically, be available in Germany until a legal request is made for it to be taken down.

Some companies may well be out to get you – but Twitter isn’t one of them. It has proven time and again to be on the side of free speech and on the side of its users.

Crying censorship may make life a bit more exciting and accusing Twitter of social suicide sure makes for a nice sibilant headline, but it’s just another storm in a teacup.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/ecdmfL1mmKg/story01.htm

A model number which has appeared on a Samsung website could be the new Samsung Galaxy S3.

The website, which allows users to download various manuals, software and drivers for a host of Samsung products, now displays model number GT-I9300 under the smart phones menu.

This follows a trend, with the original Galaxy S bearing model numbers using GT-I90xx and the Galaxy S2 using GT-I91xx.

The Galaxy S3 would be expected to use the GT-I92xx range, but the Galaxy Nexus uses GT-I9250, so it makes sense for the S3 to start with GT-I9300.

Ready for release?

So does this mean that the Galaxy S3 is actually ready for launch, with Samsung prepping its websites before the big day?

Well your guess is as good as ours, but it adds another twist in the ongoing saga of will-it, won’t-it be launched at MWC 2012.

The official line from Samsung is it’s still reviewing various options regarding when to launch the Galaxy S3, so we are going to have to sit patiently and wait. Darn.

From Pocket Now

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/dnQmjGrHWrM/story01.htm

Google has announced a significant new feature for Google Music – a link that allows you to download your entire music library from the service.

Although it is not yet available in the UK, Google Music has been live in the US since November (after a closed beta that began in May, offering users the opportunity to upload their entire music collections to its cloudy service, ready for playback on an Android portable device when a data connection is available.

Until now, though, it has been something of a one-way street – you could add music to the free service but there was no way to download music unless it was actually purchased from Google.

Now the search giant has introduced the Download My Library feature, making Google Music a more-than viable backup option.

Say it proud and say it cloud

Cloud backup services have been getting a hammering of late because of the MegaUpload furore, so the timing for a trusted – well, trusted if you don’t take into consideration the current dubious privacy shenanigans – company like Google to show the world that you can chuck your content into a cyberlocker without the fear that someone is going to lose the key.

There’s been no word on a Google Music UK release date, so at the moment we will have to look on with jealous eyes from afar.

Or cross our fingers that Apple will offer something similar with iCloud – a substantial amount of cloud space for free and not what it is offering at the moment – but that’s unlikely to happen.

Via Engadget

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/7r5S8a_2C58/story01.htm

Android Developers are being reminded by Google to shift their attention away from the Menu button and focus instead on the Action Bar.

The Menu button function is commonplace in pre-3.0 versions of Google’s Android operating system. It allows users to view options for a particular application by pressing the Menu button on their device.

With the introduction of Honeycomb (version 3.0) and now Ice Cream Sandwich (version 4.0) the function has become redundant as these operating systems remove the need for physical buttons.

All change please

This year we expect to see a new wave of devices running Ice Cream Sandwich, so developers need to make sure they update their apps to use the Action Bar.

Developers need to follow the new Android user experience as many Android devices are expected in 2012 to feature button free designs.

Apps will continue to work on the new software, with Google building an action overflow button which acts as the menu button.

The action overflow button will display on all applications which have not been updated to Android 3.0+, even if they do not require it.

Are you all for button free devices, or will you be pining for your menu, home and back buttons?

From Android Developers

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/c1xIunleeO4/story01.htm

We might all be flailing wildly at our laptops to open documents soon as at least two prototype Asus laptops exist that incorporate Microsoft Kinect sensors.

The Daily was lucky enough to snag some time with what a Microsoft insider confirmed were two official Microsoft prototypes running Windows 8.

The gesture control sensors sit where the webcam would normally be (in the centre of the panel above the screen), with what looked to The Daily like LEDs beneath the display.

The Daily Flail

Unfortunately the Murdoch-owned iPad newspaper didn’t manage to grab any pictures nor use the gesture control, but it does seem to confirm that we’ll see Kinect functionality baked into portable hardware at some point in the near future.

Kinect is already compatible with Windows, with the necessary hardware being released in February 2012 after developers were given access to the SDK late last year.

The motion-sensing peripherals have been a massive success for Microsoft on the Xbox 360, bagging well over 10 million sales and a T3 Gadget of the Year award to boot.

From The Daily via The Next Web

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/O2Nzch7boxI/story01.htm

The SMDV Flash Wave III is a wireless system for triggering flashguns and studio lights, as well as for tripping a camera’s shutter.

The system comprises a transmitter and receiver: for flash use the former sits on the camera’s hotshoe, while the latter either connects to studio lights or accepts a flashgun inside its built-in hotshoe.

For remote shooting, the receiver simply plugs into a camera’s remote port, leaving you free to operate the transmitter from wherever is necessary.

The system supports 16 channels, which are selectable via four small switches on the side of both units; these are painfully small and can only really be moved with the protrusion from the battery cover, as suggested. Both units have LEDs to indicate power and status, although once a flashgun is mounted on the receiver it obscures the power LCD.

The models promise a greater range than previous versions, and working on radio frequencies means that they don’t require line of sight to communicate. Indeed, the two work just as well through a series of walls and on different floors as they do when right next to each other.

The SMDV Flash Wave III’s receiver has a hotshoe on one side and a tripod thread on the other, meaning that it can be mounted securely when used in conjunction with a flash.

The size of the unit means that it can happily support a flashgun even without a tripod, although on some surfaces it can be easily knocked over – small rubber feet on the opposite side would be welcome for this reason.

While the pair work as well as expected, the one thing which may put some off is the lack of TTL metering support. For this, you would need an alternative set up such as some of the more recent PocketWizard models.

Verdict

Still, if you’re on a budget and you don’t require TTL compatibility, the SMDV Flash Wave III is a perfectly capable choice.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/3qENvJ8gsRk/story01.htm

The X-Rite Colormunki Display calibrates monitors and projectors, and comes complete with a friendly software package which contains step-by-step guides and video tutorials.

Ambient light is swiftly measured while display flare may also be taken into account, and the process takes under 10 minutes from start to finish.

The results appear accurate, and the various image samples allow quick before and after comparisons post-calibration. It’s not the cheapest or fastest device, but it’s ideal for those new to the process.

The X-Rite Colormunki Display is an inexpensive monitor calibration device, which promises advanced control with ease of use. Capable of profiling wide-gamut displays and even projectors, the package contains a colorimeter complete with a diffuser panel, together with software and a Quick Start Guide.

Following the latter enables even first time users to quickly get to grips with its operation, while the profiling process may be run in either Easy or Advanced modes, depending on the user’s skill level and desired control.

Once the software has been installed, an ambient light reading may be taken and calibration can begin. Everything is explained clearly and diagrams are provided, although video tutorials are also on hand should the user get stuck.

The software takes around two minutes to adjust the display’s luminance using a series of patches, before the remainder are displayed and measured over an additional five minutes. Approximate timings are given throughout the process, and once complete it’s possible to view before and after comparisons using a range of images.

The advanced controls enable you to measure flare from your display and to take this into account, along with white point specification and other options.

Overall, there’s very little not to like: the results appear accurate and no obvious colour biases can be observed, and reminders can be set up should the lighting conditions change or if a large period of time elapses between calibrations.

The only minor niggle is that although it works in much the same way as the i1 Display Pro device, it’s considerably slower (although around £50 cheaper too).

Verdict

Still, for the novice user performing occasional calibrations, it’s pretty much spot on, colour casts will be banished and all your future image adjustments accurate and worth while.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/GBoYNLvSIXs/story01.htm

BANGCRASHCREAK *coughcough* We’re free! 7 days in Mobile, TechRadar’s alternative and mostly fictitious look at the week’s events, has freed itself from its prison under the disused BenQ Siemens HQ and has returned to find the world is a wholly different place.

We won’t tell you how we came to be entombed in a coffin made entirely of Windows Mobile handsets – but let’s just say a certain unicorn was pretty unhappy with certain people ‘censoring his words on the beautiful BlackBerry Storm’.

When we last spoke, the Palm Pre was still a device that caused us to quiver with excitement, Nokia was still chucking out a new phone every day and Vodafone was happily chatting about DRM-free music. How things have changed eh?

So – we’ve had a quick look over the last week and we were shocked… no, flabbergasted by what we saw. OK, we weren’t that amazed, but it was enough for us to work out that perhaps some of the stories could be better served by extreme embellishment.

Oh nO2!

O2 though the worst was over when it finally apologised to the UK for accidentally leaking mobile phone numbers to any website that requested then while a user was browsing the net on their handset.

But it appears that the company has also leaked Jeff McNultyParson’s unfinished novel, where he describes his experiences as a fast food delivery man in a high class area of Hertfordshire.

Called ‘Where’s the beef?‘ the novel was meant to be an exploratory and defaming look at the way food couriers are treated by those with so much money they sometimes wake up laughing.

But when Jeff began receiving angry emails from horse fanciers the world over, Jeff has decided to scrap the project and will instead be suing O2 for ‘the billions of pounds he would have made had the book been kept secret’.

“I mean, it’s so obvious,” Jeff told TechRadar exclusively. “One minute I’m browsing an erotic horse-jumping website on my Palm Pre, and the next thing I know, my novel is all over the internet. It can’t be a coincidence.”

O2 has responded curtly to the news, saying simply “We have no idea that such a book exists. Although we did all go home on Thursday and leave the doors unlocked with wild geese running around. Sorry about that.”

Apple-powered RIM

We all know that Apple has more money than has ever existed, so it’s no surprise to find out that the firm has actually installed a robot it created at the head of RIM.

Thorsten Heins was described as a ‘little known company insider’ before being promoted to lead the new firm, but TechRadar has been sent blueprints proving he’s actually a cyborg created from the composite parts of ex-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.

Uncovered: This robot has been heading up Nokia’s design studio for 12 years thanks to Samsung

Several sources believe that the action is being taken ensure that RIM never manages to release its next-gen phones and instead keeps releasing the same phone with a different name for the next three years, insisting that “This one, NO, REALLY, this one is going to be a winner for us.”

To the past-mobile!

You’re probably bored of all the touchscreen smartphones on the market at the moment – but imagine if we still had rotary dials instead – playing Angry Birds would be a nightmare.

Well, here’s the past looking at the future (which we call today or yesterday, depending on when you read this) on Tomorrow’s World in 1979… including one of the world’s first wrong numbers on a mobile phone.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/ALxQnODOhFs/story01.htm

Another couple of juicy rumours about an impending new Canon 5D Mark III have appeared, this time emerging from the Facebook page of an accessories manufacturer.

On the Aquatech Facebook page, the company claimed that the new camera, which it referred to as the Canon 5D Mark III, featured 7.5 fps shooting and a 22 million pixel sensor.

Other names that have been mooted include the Canon 5D X or possibly the Canon 6D.

After several people asked to know the credentials of the new specs, Aquatech claimed that it had come directly from Canon.

Cashing on all the extra attention the Facebook page has been receiving, Aquatech has taken the opportunity to point out its range of products – it’s therefore worth taking any comments about specs with a pinch of salt.

Canon is notorious for keeping extremely quiet about upcoming models, indeed when we phoned to ask for comment they confirmed that they don’t discuss upcoming models.

CP+

Some are hoping that the camera will make its debut at the upcoming CP+ photography show in Japan, which the company told us nobody from Canon UK is attending.

It is also rumoured that Nikon will be announcing a new DSLR at the show, possibly a Nikon D800, so it would seem like a good time for Canon to unveil something.

Stay tuned for news of any new camera announcements, as and when they happen.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/O7iIiwWA2Dc/story01.htm

Jon Rubinstein, the former CEO of Palm and the man who spearheaded the development of the WebOS software, has left Hewlett-Packard.

Rubinstein joined HP when the company bought WebOS back in 2010 and has now completed his 12-24 month commitment to the company.

“I am going to take a well deserved break after four and a half years of developing webOS,” Rubinstein told AllThings D.

HP followed up with a statement of its own: “Jon has fulfilled his commitment and we wish him well.”

Pre-conceived ideas

After a term at Apple working on the iPod line, Rubinstein returned to prominence around the time Palm made a comeback with the Pre handset in 2008, which saw the debut of WebOS.

The Pre was not a success and the promising WebOS software failed to reach its potential under both Palm and HP’s leadership.

Following the TouchPad tablet fiasco, HP decided to release WebOS to the open source.

Via: AllThingsD

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/t43DgqhT9eY/story01.htm

Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent a lengthy email to staff in response to reports on the alleged unsafe and oppressive working conditions at its Chinese supplier factories

The New York Times article claimed Foxconn employees work excessive overtime where they “stand so long that their legs swell until they can hardly walk,” amid scores of other damaging allegations.

The report also quotes a former Foxconn boss as saying: “Apple never cared about anything other than increasing product quality and decreasing production cost. Workers’ welfare has nothing to do with their interests.”

Defined by values

Cook has hit back at the NYT’s report telling his “team” that the company cares about each employee in the supply line and that no company has striven to improve working conditions like Apple has.

He said in the lengthy email: “As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple’s values today, and I’d like to address this with you directly. We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain.

“Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that we don’t care is patently false and offensive to us. As you know better than anyone, accusations like these are contrary to our values. It’s not who we are.”

Workers rights

Cook claimed to be “outraged” by the allegations and said Apple has “raised the bar” for its partners by going deeper into the supply chain.

“We are focused on educating workers about their rights, so they are empowered to speak up when they see unsafe conditions or unfair treatment,” he continued. “As you know, more than a million people have been trained by our program.

“We will continue to dig deeper, and we will undoubtedly find more issues. What we will not do – and never have done – is stand still or turn a blind eye to problems in our supply chain. On this you have my word.”

Apple’s manufacturing methods in China have been called into question further this week as the company announced its highest single quarter revenue ever with record iPhone and iPad sales.

Via: 9to5Mac

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/9gU0-qFwtpM/story01.htm

LG’s indisputably beautiful 55-inch OLED TV will arrive in the second half of this year, the Korean manufacturer has confirmed.

The pencil-thin Smart TV-enabled set wowed the masses of onlookers and indeed TechRadar at CES 2012 in Las Vegas earlier this month.

While LG had been coy about when the Cinema 3D telly would land in homes, reports this week suggested the company may be going into production in July.

Pressed for comment by TheVerge LG said that although “it’s really difficult to predict exactly when” that 55-inch beasts “will start rolling out sometime in the second half of 2012.”

Breakthrough

The arrival of LG’s 55-inch OLED TV at CES proved a breakthrough for the technology which has threatened to eventually eclipse LCD for the last few years.

Until CES, where Samsung also launched a living room-sized OLED display, the sets on offer had been far too small to be considered the number one viewing device in the home.

No news yet on how much LG intends to charge for this super-slim device, but one thing’s for sure; it’s not going to be cheap

In the meantime, check out our 55-inch LG OLED TV hands-on.

Via: TheVerge

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/p18Qix_O9os/story01.htm

LG’s indisputably beautiful 55-inch OLED TV will arrive in the second half of this year, the Korean manufacturer has confirmed.

The pencil-thin Smart TV-enabled set wowed the masses of onlookers and indeed TechRadar at CES 2012 in Las Vegas earlier this month.

While LG had been coy about when the Cinema 3D telly would land in homes, reports this week suggested the company may be going into production in July.

Pressed for comment by TheVerge LG said that although “it’s really difficult to predict exactly when” that 55-inch beasts “will start rolling out sometime in the second half of 2012.”

Breakthrough

The arrival of LG’s 55-inch OLED TV at CES proved a breakthrough for the technology which has threatened to eventually eclipse LCD for the last few years.

Until CES, where Samsung also launched a living room-sized OLED display, the sets on offer had been far too small to be considered the number one viewing device in the home.

No news yet on how much LG intends to charge for this super-slim device, but one thing’s for sure; it’s not going to be cheap

In the meantime, check out our 55-inch LG OLED TV hands-on.

Via: TheVerge

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/GuWeokmyq8I/story01.htm

Facebook’s long-awaited debut on the stock market could be underway as early as next week, as the company prepares to file IPO papers, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Initial Public Offering, which is unlikely to take place until the autumn, will value the social network at anywhere between $75bn and $100bn, says the report.

The company hopes to raise $10 billion in cash from the offering and could file papers underwritten by Morgan Stanley as early as Wednesday.

If Facebook gained a $100 billion valuation through the offering, it would see the company draw level with McDonald’s in terms of market worth, put it about halfway to overhauling Google.

In the works

A Facebook floatation would see the culmination of a long-awaited to journey towards the stock market.

If Facebook were to become a publicly traded entity, interested observers would glean more insight into the company’s income, earnings, performance and strategy in quarterly earnings reports.

It would also mean, for the first time, maverick CEO Mark Zuckerberg would have to answer to shareholders. Interesting times lie ahead, it seems.

Via: WSJ

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/M-PmgslH1nM/story01.htm

The massive 3300mAh battery inside the new Motorola Droid Razr Maxx gives users over 8 hours of continued 4G LTE web-surfing, smashing marks set by its competitors.

The Droid Razr Maxx was launched this week with a huge $299 premium on a two year contract with Verizon, leading many to question whether the extra battery power was worth an extra $100.

However, in benchmarking tests undertaken by Laptop Mag the Maxx destroyed all other 4G LTE phones on the market, which have traditionally suffered from web-surfing at the next gen speeds.

The magazine found that the Razr Maxx lasted for 8.25 hours of continuous web-surfing at 40 per cent brightness.

Double time

That’s almost twice as long as the original Droid Razr, which only mustered 4.45 hours using the same screen brightness and conditions.

The extra time corresponds almost exactly to the respective battery sizes – the only difference – between the two devices. That original Razr has a 1780mAh cell.

The Maxx’s nearest competitor was the Samsung Droid Charge, which lasted for 6.42 hours before it needed, well, a charge, while the Samsung Galaxy Nexus slumped to just 3.40 hours.

Via: Gizmodo, LaptopMag

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/XbugBh1W7mI/story01.htm