iPad mini 3: What we want to see

Our review of the iPad mini 2, or to stick with Apple's naming strategy, the iPad mini with Retina Display, found it to be a really capable little device.

Somewhat surprisingly it shares most of the cutting edge technology of its bigger brother, the iPad Air, and finally adds the Retina display which it had been lacking so sorely.

But it's not perfect. It's still too expensive, has no Touch ID sensor and the base 16GB capacity is rapidly becoming too small for many users.

So far there's been little in the way of rumors about the iPad mini 3. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI claims that the iPad mini 3 will come out towards the end of the third quarter and that disappointingly it will have the same form factor as the iPad mini 2, which is thicker than the original iPad mini (athough only by 0.3mm).

In fact it doesn't sound like Kuo thinks the iPad mini 3 will be a big product for Apple at all, as he reckons it will be sold in limited quantities while the iPad mini 2 will remain on sale at a reduced price. This is one occasion where we hope the rumours are wrong, but thankfully that's all they are.

More positively he predicts that the iPad mini 3 will get upgraded to an A8 chip and come with an 8 megapixel camera (up from 5 megapixels on the iPad Mini 2) and Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner.

Adding credence to that last rumor, fragments of code from the Biometric Kit included in iOS 7.1 reference the iPad and there's also a couple of images of what is supposedly the iPad mini 3 doing the rounds.

The first is as blurry as early images often seem to be and it was anonymously sent to Nowhereelse.fr, so it's impossible to say how reliable the source is, but it appears to show a Touch ID fingerprint scanner built into the home button.

Though it's also worth noting that this is apparently a prototype of the device, so even if it is legitimate it's possible that Apple could ditch the scanner before it finalizes the hardware. It's safe to say then that all the current rumors are questionable at best and there's still so much that we've heard nothing about yet.

However we can take an educated guess that it will have the same 7.9 inch 1536 x 2048 display as the iPad mini 2 and that it will run iOS 8 on a new Apple A8 processor.

The second leaked shot is clearer and appeared on the web via AppleClub.tw with the posters claiming it not only shows the iPad Mini 3, but also the upcoming iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2.

The iPad Mini 3, Air 2 and iPhone 6? (credit: AppleClub)

It appears that the trio all have the TouchID ring we're now familiar with thanks to the iPhone 5S.

But with so little set in stone, what do we want to see in the next model?

• Read our in-depth iPad mini 2 review

Touch ID

You end up entering passwords just as much on an iPad as you do on an iPhone, so it's surprising that the newest iPads didn't get the same Touch ID fingerprint sensor as the iPhone 5S got.

We'd really like to see these included in the iPad mini 3, not least because they would allow multiuser interaction - just touch to switch to your personal iPad account. Of course Apple would also have to build multi user support into iOS first, and it's arguable they'd rather sell you two iPads instead but the few rumors that have emerged so far suggest Touch ID may in fact be in the works.

• What is Touch ID?

More storage in the base model

16GB of storage in the cheapest iPad used to sound like a lot but now it's really starting to look a bit stingy, with apps like GarageBand and iMovie going free, some iOS games starting to take up over a gigabyte of space and Retina screens making high resolution movies worth loading onto your iPad.

The steep price jumps for the higher capacity models look cynical, especially when flash memory itself is not expensive and Apple offers no way to add storage via card slots. Starting the new models at 32GB would be more reasonable.

Cheaper cellular option

Adding a cellular option to an iPad mini currently adds £100/$130/AU$150 to the price, and of course you have to pay for data on top of that.

Given that the only difference between the innards of a Wi-Fi only and a cellular iPad is the addition of some mass-produced radio circuitry, it would be nice to bring the additional cost premium down a bit so that more people would opt for the cellular option and be able to use their iPads on the move. This is especially true of the supremely portable mini.

Wireless charging

A bit of a pipe dream perhaps, but wireless charging technology already exists and is used by some phone and tablet manufacturers, such as in the Google Nexus 7.

Being able to place your device on a charging slab rather than having to plug it in might sound like only a small timesaver but just think about how many times over the life of a device you have to recharge it.

It also reduces the possibility of wear and tear or damage resulting from physically plugging cables in over and over again.

• iPad mini vs iPad mini 2

Pressure sensitive screen

The addition of the M7 motion co-processor to the iPad mini 2 was somewhat unexpected but will be handy as more apps start to make use of it.

Haptic or pressure sensitive screens already exist, and make for more accurate and flexible interaction with your device, especially for games, music or art apps where you want your finger to do more than just register a touch.

Apple might not think the technology is up to it yet, but this could be one to watch for the future. Current rumors have pointed more overtly to Apple picking up the technology with the view to doing a lot more with it, and, like the iPad Air 2, would allow for better reception of prods from your digits and even that much-fabled iStylus that could do everything but make the tea for you.

What does Google's hardware future look like? Don't ask Tony

Update: Cue the record scratches. It seems Fadell isn't in charge of Google's consumer hardware after all.

"The Information is 100% wrong!" Fadell tweeted following a report from the site that he is essentially the point man on Google's hardware roadmap. "I run Nest as a separate biz w/ its own mgmt & brand."

It's a short yet crisp denial refuting the report. We've asked Google for comment on Fadell's role at the company and will update this story when we hear back.

Even if Fadell isn't heading up Google's consumer hardware, it's hard to imagine he and the Nest team aren't having some influence on the devices Google has cooking. We expect to hear more about these influences at Google IO.

Original article below...

Google is a search and software titan first, hardware maker second. Sure, it's dabbled with phones, tablets and laptops (made in partnership with others, of course).

However, that is all apparently set to change as Google is turns its product-making prowess over to one man in particular.

According to the The Information, Nest CEO Tony Fadell has been appointed head of Google's consumer hardware division, meaning the man who most famously designed Apple's iPod is now in charge of Google's hardware development.

Currently Google only produces two products on its own, namely the Chromebook Pixel and Chromecast, but with Fadell's considerable hardware chops, that could soon change.

Nesting time

Nest famously made high-end thermostats and smoke detectors but thanks to a recent Dropcam acquisition, it may soon add security surveillance to its repertoire of smart home gadgets.

It's very likely Nest and Google are working on a connected home solution, bridging together appliances and devices just as Google has linked users' computers and smartphones through Chrome and Android.

Fadell, meanwhile, comes with the consumer product pedigree of being lead designer of the iPod, one of the world's most popular music playing devices. His success there and with Nest's sharp products seem to square him up nicely designing more Google goods.

Mixed medley

Google has been looking to help push along its hardware more directly, and the hand of Fadell may just be the ticket.

The company is rumored to announce its last line of Nexus devices this year as it moves to a more expansive Android Silver platform.

With the new program in place, Google will have its hand in more than one Nexus smartphone and tablet per ear. Instead it could oversee the production of several devices from multiple manufacturers.

Google has also developed Android Wear, a new platform for wearable devices and smartwatches to connect natively with smartphones. Add in Project Ara's ambitious goals to make modular mobile devices and Google's new hardware portfolio could become very fat within the next couple of years.

• Will Fadell and Google drop a hardware bombshell at Google I/O 2014?

Via The Verge

Mozilla may be working on a Chromecast-style streaming stick

Mozilla is reportedly plotting a Firefox OS-based streaming stick to rival the PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Hb29nbGUgPC9hPg==Chromecast device.

GigaOm brings a hands-on PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+dmlkZW8gPC9hPg==showing the as-yet-unannounced device in action. According to report the stick has no name, no release date and it's unclear which markets it will launch in.

According to the report, the streaming stick, in its current form, is capable of running PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QW5kcm9pZCA8L2E+and PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+aU9TIDwvYT4=apps will also allow developers to create apps that play nice with Windows Phone, the Amazon Fire platform.

As always with Mozilla, the focus will be on openness, the reporter who has been 'tracking the device' with Mozilla insiders for months said.

No restrictions

In response to the report a Mozilla spokesperson suggested the hardware may not be the company's doing, but that of a third-party using the open source software.

"Firefox OS is an open platform freely available for any company to build on top of without restriction. This means companies can experiment with different form factors that run Firefox OS," a spokesperson said.

Could Mozilla compete with the almighty Chromecast? Let us know your thoughts below.

• Amazon Fire Phone: 8 things you need to know

Via The Verge

Facebook offers up ad preferences, but you'll be watched more closely

Prefer to be in control of your own destiny? Facebook will soon hand some of the advertising reins over to users, even though advertisers will be watching what you're in to from afar.

Facebook announced upcoming changes in how it determines what type of advertising it shows users. Users, meanwhile, will finally have a little more say it what ads are presented to them.

Instead of mining activity only from Facebook, advertisers will soon be able to tap into other websites and apps frequently used by members to provide "interest-based advertising" similar to what PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Hb29nbGUgPC9hPg==already does.

The new initiative will roll out to Facebook users in the United States over the next few weeks, and will then expand across the globe in the months to come.

What are your interests?

Even as Facebook expands its advertising reach, the social network has devised a peace offering for members in the form of ad preferences, which enable users more control over what type of ads they see.

Facebook offered the example of a consumer researching the purchase of a new television, which would then trigger interest-based advertising in the future for other electronics that could potentially complement such an acquisition.

Assuming the TV shopping was a one-time event, Facebook users could then remove electronics from their ad preferences, effectively turning off a potential faucet of similar product offerings to come.

Facebook members will also be able to opt out of the new ad targeting on the web using a Digital Advertising Alliance opt out, or the new controls being baked into the iOS and Android mobile apps.

• Who offers the best free antivirus software? We rounded them up for you.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S launch: as it happened

Samsung's got some surprises for us today in New York, so we've made sure that we're placed slap bang in the middle of the action. And we're be bringing you all the news as it breaks.

Well, we say surprises - we'll be more surprised if it's not the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, which has been heavily tipped to appear. But hopefully there will be a few other things too.

Check out our natty hub to give you all the information you need, and then stick around for some grade-A tech comedy*. We're hoping for a magician again.

What's this? We've got a long, in-depth hands on ALREADY? Yes, we really are spoiling you. Go forth and munch our hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab S review. Please.

20.00: It's all done. I'm off now people. If you stayed up in the UK to read this live blog, I appreciate it. Probably something of an anti-climax, but hey, at least you made it through.

Bye!

19.57: The product experience zones are open - but Ryan wouldn't tell us where they were. Instead he left riddles and maps. Not on purpose, but that's how it ended up.

Refreshments too. That's welcome. My legs hurt.

19.54: Knox is here as well. It has to be. That pesky Knox gets everywhere.

Prices are in! Vary by region; but for the US both sizes available in July, $499 for the 10.5-inch, and 8.4-inch is $399.

The new advert keeps pronouncing it as 'Ahm-led'. That's going to get annoying.

19.53: Fingerprint scanner is back as well - Private Mode is in as well, with multi-user ability to have different profiles linked to different digits. That's a pretty good idea, Samsung. Well done. Up to 8 people can have their own home screen.

19.52: Same super speedy downloading thanks to LTE and Wi-Fi combo is back again. That's good. On the very rare occasion you're in the position to use it, it's great.

19.50: Remote PC allows you to connect to others and your own PC from anywhere in the world. And CIsco's webex allows you to have video meetings on the go. Dammit. There's no escaping now.

19.47: Samsung is a 'pioneer in multitasking' in the mobile industry thanks to multi window. But you can mirror your S5 using the SideSync feature. Nick the assistant is back again... he's so alive and full of vibrancy. Not monosyllabic at all.

You can receive a call on the tablet - when you're charging your phone in the other room, watching a film in another. Call comes in? Want to transfer files? Wi-Fi Direct (presumably) allows it to happen seamlessly.

This would be amazing in a meeting if you want to mess around on your phone while looking like you're busy on a tablet. Although... you could just mess around on the tablet. That would be easier.

Oh, Nick's gone again!

19.46: Ryan is coming back. He's going to talk connectivity. Apparently this is the 'Next Big Thing'... the Galaxy S5 didn't have long in the sun, did it?

19.45 Also each of the tablets have their own BT keyboard to make them more efficient. Think Michael is wrapping up now. He's chatting about the screen now. He really loves it. Samsung should hire him.

19.44: 10.5-inch is 465g, and 8.4-inch is 294g. Available in Dazzling White and Titanium Bronze. Plus the Simple Cover and Book Cover snap onto the little dimples at the back.

19.43: Inspired by 'architectural design', whatever that means. Trimmed in gold to give 'aura of luxury'. It's the new standard in slimness according to Michael.

19.42: Back to the design: as thick as five credit cards and is thinner than many smartphones. SUPER. SLENDER, GUYS.

Google drops a tasty hint that Android 5.0 is coming soon

Google might have just dropped a big hint that Android 5.0 will be the version of its operating system, which we expect to see rear its head at Google I/O later this month - not 4.5.

The teaser came in the form of a tweet from Google regarding a new World Cup feature, which shows the system clock as 5:00. That sounds like we might be reading too far into things, but since Android 2.3 Google has used the clock as an indicator of whats its next OS will be.

And if you go check out the devices on the Google Play Store you'll see they all read 4:40 as the current time.

A leak from earlier this year indicated that Google is plotting to bring Android, Chrome and Search all closer together in 5.0.

As for the name, the new Android is currently going under the sweet moniker of Lollipop, but who knows which delicious treat will get its moment of fame?

• All the tasty details you PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5uZWVkIHRvIGtub3cgPC9hPg==about Android 5.0

Android 5 release date, news and rumors

Android 5 is going to be exciting, there's no doubt about that. Google saves the change to a new number for the big things, with both Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich making big alterations to the way we use our Android phones.

We thought it would have been Key Lime Pie that showed off the next level, but on 31 October 2013, Google officially revealed its next minor update, Android 4.4 KitKat, which now clears the road for Android 5.

The dessert-themed code name that we assume will begin with L is anyone's guess at this stage. Android 5.0 Lemon Cheesecake or Android 5.0 Lemon Meringue Pie, anyone? Though there's talk that it might be called Android Lollipop or even Android Moonshine, as it's apparently internally known.

It may not be called Android 5 though, with some rumors suggesting the next major iteration from Google's wheel house could arrive as Android 4.5. That would make sense as we've had 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 in recent years.

That said, it appears Google may have just dropped a hint as to the version number of the next iteration of Android. 5.0 is currently looking favorable after the time of "5.00" appeared on screenshots posted on Twitter by the search giant - a signal Google has used before.

Is Android 5.0 next in line? (credit: @Google)

As we wait on official news of that name, we're constantly combing the web to see what's going to be happening with this L-powered update, so check back to see what we've uncovered and the level of likelihood each rumor brings.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next major upgrade for Android, to follow on from Android 4.4
• When is it out? We're thinking mid-2014
• What will it cost? Nothing, it'll be a free upgrade

Android 5.0 release date

Until Android 4.4 was announced we had expected the Android 5.0 release date to be some time in October 2013. We instead saw Android 4.4 KitKat launch on 31 October, so now we're expecting to see Android 5.0 shown off in mid-2014, quite possibly at Google IO, Google's annual two-day developer conference in San Francisco.

That's a year on from when we had originally expected to see Android 5.0, which was at Google IO 2013, which took place from May 15 to May 17 2013.

Sundar Pichai, Google's new head of Android told Wired that 2013's IO was "not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system"," which makes us wonder when the new software will be coming.

Our take: Android updates are still coming too slowly for our liking, as while each 0.1-numbered upgrade is good, it's not enough to make us want the native experience.

We're expecting Google to make Android 5 rather special indeed, which means it can only wait a maximum of 6-7 months after KitKat was announced to show it off - so mid-2014 has to happen, in our opinion.

More recent reports of Android 4.5 being next in line may put a spanner in the major overhaul thinking, so we're not getting too carried away just yet. In any case Google I/O is set for June 25-26, so with any luck we should know just what Android Lollipop will be bringing to the table soon.

Android 5.0 phones

The first handset to run Android 5 will either be a Nexus phone or tablet, and given the timing of the announcement we think it might be the latter. The Google Nexus 5 launched Android 4.4 at the tail end of next year, and we reckon the Nexus 10 (2014) will appear soon - meaning a tablet launch for the new OS.

HTC looks like the front runner to bring this tablet to the market, so we're thinking that this could happen mid-2014, which puts it firmly on course to be made soon.

We're also hearing a lot of rumblings about a Nexus 8, a slate which will supposedly launch with Android 4.5, so maybe that's the device that Android Lollipop will make its debut on.

Will it be known as a Nexus though? The scheme is under threat from Android Silver, but it doesn't look like that's launching yet, so we reckon the Nexus name will be kept for at least the next round of devices.

Androids out in force at Google IO 2012

Samsung's Android 5.0 upgrades

Although Samsung is yet to officially confirm its Android 5.0 schedule, a SamMobile source is claiming to know which phones and tablets will be getting the upgrade. According to the source, the devices set to receive the upgrade are the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1. Do note that this claim was made before Google announced Android 4.4, so if it was ever correct, it's probably a lot less correct now.

As you'd expect, the S4 will be getting an Android update, but to which version?

Android 5.0 features

Android Geeks reported that Google Babble would debut on Android 5.0. Babble was the code name for Google's cross-platform service and app with the aim of unifying its various chat services which include Talk, Hangout, Voice, Messenger, Chat for Google Drive and Chat on Google+.

A screenshot that we were sent from a Google employee on 8 April confirmed that not only was this unified chat service on the way, but that it was called Google Babel not Babble. On 10 May, we discovered that Babel would launch as Google Hangouts, and on 15 May we saw it come to life for devices running Android 2.3 and up. So much for it debuting on Android 5.

We've been fishing for info on Babel

A more recent idea is that Google's next version of Android will have more fitness smarts built in - and this is an idea we think has legs, if you'll pardon the sort-of pun.

Apple is set to go big in this area with the iWatch and iOS 8, and other brands, such as Samsung and LG, are making strides too.

The idea is future versions of Android will allow the software to harness "fitness data from sensors on your Android device."

These could be built into future Android phones and tablets, but it's also likely that the API will play nicely with Android-based smartwatches and even Google Glass.

It also looks like Android 5 may add support for 64-bit processors, as the Nexus 8 is rumored to have one and to be running the new version of Android. That in turn would allow for more than 4GB of RAM in devices, opening the floodgates to enormous increases in power.

Some have speculated that Android 5.0 will be actually Chrome OS, Google's high power operating system for its Chromebooks - that it would use Android for low- to mid-level handsets and put Chrome on the high end.

However, this makes little sense given the effort that would be needed for app integration, so like Microsoft and Windows Phone the mobile OS will very likely continue as is.

Android 5.0 interface

While little is known about the potential interface changes for the next iteration of Google's mobile platform, be it Android 5.0 or Android 4.5, a screenshot has appeared online claiming to reveal the upcoming version.

The screenshot shows new icons apparently destined for Android 4.5

There's a clear visual overhaul present in the screenshot, and according to the leak the new design is being referred to as "Moonshine" internally at Google.

We've also caught a glimpse of how the dialer might look in Android 4.5 / Android 5, courtesy of an image leaked by Google itself. It's not in for a radical redesign but if the image is to be believed then it will be going blue, rather than sticking with the current light gray colour.

Apple's enhanced iPad Smart Cover takes cues from HTC and Samsung

A patent for a new type of iPad Smart Cover from PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5BcHBsZSA8L2E+has been published, and some of the features detailed in the listing sound a little familiar.

The patent appeared at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and depicts a case which has a matrix of LEDs to signal various notifications as well as a cut-out section, allowing you to view a portion of the iPad's screen.

These plans differ vastly from Apple's current offering of iPad covers, which don't feature any electronic components or ability to view any of the screen when closed.

Taking a closer look at that matrix display we can't help but be reminded of the Dot View case that HTC launched alongside the One M8 earlier this year to alert users to particular notifications and weather updates.

In Apple's Smart Cover it appears a series of LEDs are built into it, rather than using the screen of the tablet, and are capable of displaying various snippets of information.

Samsung take note

That's not the only trick this iPad cover could have up its sleeve though, with a possible translucent panel giving you a peek at the screen below.

In the same way we've seen the Samsung S View and LG Quick Circle cases show a portion of specially tailored display, Apple's answer appears to do the same thing with information relocated to the smaller area.

While this all sounds rather copy-cat from Apple it's worth noting that this patent was originally filed in 2012, so it's certainly not a knee-jerk reaction from the Cupertino firm.

Will we ever see this smarter iPad Smart Cover hit the market? Well that's difficult to say, but we wouldn't be surprised is Apple decided to innovate in this area.

• What will the iPad Air 2 offer?

Via AppleInsider

iPad Air 2 release date, news and rumors

The iPad Air 2, the obvious follow up to the iPad Air, is set to be an iterative update to the current best PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+dGFibGV0IDwvYT5vbiB0aGUgbWFya2V0IHJpZ2h0IG5vdy48L3A+PHA+V2hpbGUgaXRzIG5hbWUgaXMgbGlrZWx5IHRvIGJlIGluIHRoZSBpUGFkIEFpciAyIHJlZ2lvbiwgdGhpcyB3aWxsIGFjdHVhbGx5IGJlIEFwcGxlJ3Mgc2l4dGggZ2VuZXJhdGlvbiBmdWxsIHNpemUgKDkuNy1pbmNoKSA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmhvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij50YWJsZXQgPC9hPg==- and the Cupertino based firm will be looking to continue its domination at the top end of the market.

Many rival manufacturers have attempted to ape the iPad's success, but numerous PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QW5kcm9pZCA8L2E+and PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+V2luZG93cyA8L2E+devices have tried and failed to match the premium build quality, consumer lust and ultimately the sales figures that PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5BcHBsZSA8L2E+aGFzIGVuam95ZWQuPC9wPjxwPjxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHA6Ly9ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QXBwbGUgPC9hPmlzIGdvaW5nIHRvIGhhdmUgYSB0b3VnaCBqb2IgdG9wcGluZyB0aGUgaVBhZCBBaXIsIGFmdGVyIGl0IGdhaW5lZCBhIGNvdmV0ZWQgNSBzdGFyIFRlY2hSYWRhciByZXZpZXcgYW5kIGl0IGN1cnJlbnRseSBzaXRzIHByb3VkbHkgYXQgbnVtYmVyIDEgaW4gb3VyICJCZXN0IFRhYmxldHMgaW4gdGhlIFdvcmxkIiB0b3AgMTAuPC9wPjx1bD48bGk+UmVhZCBvdXIgaW4tZGVwdGggaVBhZCBBaXIgcmV2aWV3PC9saT48L3VsPjxwPlRoZXJlJ3MgdmVyeSBsaXR0bGUgb24gdGhlIG5ldyBpUGFkIHRvIHRlbGwgeW91IGFib3V0IHJpZ2h0IG5vdywgYnV0IHRoYXQgZG9lc24ndCBtZWFuIHdlIGNhbid0IHRha2UgYW4gZWR1Y2F0ZWQgZ3Vlc3MgYXQgd2hlbiB0aGUgbmV3IG1vZGVsIGlzIGNvbWluZyBhbmQgd2l0aCB0aGUgaGVscCBvZiB0aGUgcnVtb3VycyB3aGljaCBhcmUgc3RhcnRpbmcgdG8gY2lyY3VsYXRlIHdlIGNhbiBhbHNvIGV4cGxvcmUgd2hhdCBpdCBtYXkgb2ZmZXIuPC9wPjxwPlRoZSBsYXVuY2ggb2YgaU9TIDcuMSBjb250YWluZWQgc29tZSBtZW50aW9ucyBvZiB0d28gbmV3ZXIgbW9kZWxzIG9mIGlQYWRzLCBhY2NvcmRpbmcgdG8gOXRvNU1hYywgbm90aW5nIGlQYWQgNC4zIGFuZCA0LjYgbW9kZWxzLCB3aGljaCBjb3VsZCByZWZlcmVuY2UgdGhlIG5ldyBpUGFkIEFpciBhbmQgUEdFZ2FISmxaajBpYUhSMGNEb3ZMMmh2YzNScGJtZHJhWFJoTG1OdmJRMGlJSFJoY21kbGREMGlYMkpzWVc1cklpQnlaV3c5SW01dlptOXNiRzkzSWo1cFVHRmtJRTFwYm1rZ1BDOWhQZz09My48L3A+PGgzPkN1dCB0byB0aGUgY2hhc2U8L2gzPjx1bD48bGk+PHN0cm9uZz5XaGF0IGlzIGl0Pzwvc3Ryb25nPiBUaGUgc2VxdWVsIHRvIHRoZSBpUGFkIEFpcjwvbGk+PGxpPjxzdHJvbmc+V2hlbiBpcyBpdCBvdXQ/PC9zdHJvbmc+IFRoZSBjdXJyZW50IGJlc3QgZ3Vlc3MgaXMgYSBOb3ZlbWJlciAyMDE0IGxhdW5jaDwvbGk+PGxpPjxzdHJvbmc+V2hhdCB3aWxsIGl0IGNvc3Q/PC9zdHJvbmc+IFRoZSBpUGFkIEFpciAyIHdpbGwgbGlrZWx5IHN0YXJ0IGF0ICZwb3VuZDs0NzkgLyAkNTAwIC8gQVUkNjAwPC9saT48L3VsPjxoMz5pUGFkIEFpciAyIHJlbGVhc2UgZGF0ZTwvaDM+PHA+VGhlIGlQYWQgQWlyIDIgcmVsZWFzZSBkYXRlIGlzIGxpa2VseSB0byBiZSB0aGUgYmVnaW5uaW5nIG9mIE5vdmVtYmVyLCB3aXRoIHRoZSBsYXVuY2ggaGFwcGVuaW5nIGF0IHRoZSBzdGFydCBvZiB0aGUgbW9udGggb3IgdGhlIHdlZWsgYWZ0ZXIuPC9wPjxwPldoeSBOb3ZlbWJlcj8gV2VsbCB0aGF0J3Mgd2hlbiB0aGUgaVBhZCBBaXIgbWFkZSBhbiBhcHBlYXJhbmNlIGxhc3QgeWVhciwgYW5kIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHA6Ly9ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+QXBwbGUgPC9hPmRvZXMgbGlrZSB0byBzdGljayB0byBpdHMgYW5udWFsIHByb2R1Y2UgY3ljbGUgLSBpZiB5b3Ugb3Zlcmxvb2sgdGhlIHdob2xlIFBHRWdhSEpsWmowaWFIUjBjRG92TDJodmMzUnBibWRyYVhSaExtTnZiUTBpSUhSaGNtZGxkRDBpWDJKc1lXNXJJaUJ5Wld3OUltNXZabTlzYkc5M0lqNXBVR0ZrSURRZ1BDOWhQZz09dGhpbmcuPC9wPjxoMz5pUGFkIEFpciAyIHJ1bW9yczwvaDM+PHA+VGhlIGlQYWQgQWlyIDIgaXMgbm90IGdvaW5nIHRvIGRyb3AgaW4gY29zdCBpZiBBcHBsZSdzIHBhc3QgcGVyZm9ybWFuY2UgaXMgYW55dGhpbmcgdG8gZ28gYnksIGFuZCB3ZSBjYW4ndCBzZWUgdGhlIGRlc2lnbiBjaGFuZ2luZyB0aGF0IG11Y2ggZWl0aGVyIGdpdmVuIHRoZSByZWNlbnQgY2hhbmdlIGluIHRoZSBsYXJnZXIgaVBhZCdzIGNoYXNzaXMgbGFzdCB5ZWFyLjwvcD48cD5UaGVyZSBhcmUgc29tZSBhbmFseXN0IHJ1bW9ycyBidXp6aW5nIGFyb3VuZCBhbmQgS0dJIGFuYWx5c3QgTWluZy1DaGkgS3VvIGJlbGlldmVzIHRoYXQgdGhlIGlQYWQgQWlyIDIgd2lsbCBjb21lIHdpdGggYW4gPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5BcHBsZSA8L2E+A8 processor, as well as sporting an 8MP rear camera and inheriting Touch ID from the 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5S.

Kuo's theories are looking increasingly believable, as according to sources speaking to ETNews the iPad Air 2 will have an A8 chip, which is expected to improve efficiency and increase battery life, and its main camera will be boosted from 5 to 8MP, while the front-facing snapper will be increased to 1.5MP.

However they went on to say that the design is going to be similar to that of the original iPad Air and its screen will stick at a resolution of 2048 x 1536.

We've also caught a glimpse of what might be the iPad Air 2's front panel and it appears that the display is integrated into the panel, which would allow it to be slimmer than the iPad Air, which has a separate display and panel.

A more comprehensive leak claiming to show off a prototype iPad Air 2 in pretty much all its glory has also hit the web, revealing subtle design changes rather than a total overhaul.

(credit: nowhereelse)

Something worth noting in this series of images is the fact the TouchID button from the iPhone 5S appears to be on the iPad Air 2, backing up Kuo's claim that the biometric tech will land on the slate.

A new button design may be on the cards (credit: nowhereelse)

Will the camera get a boost? (credit: nowhereelse)

A slim profile is pretty much nailed on (credit: nowhereelse)

That's all we have so far, but given there's a while until the launch of the new device, it makes sense there's very little information around right now - we'd recommend keeping an eye on the current model if you're after a new tablet.

That said, while we loved the new model, there's always room for improvement. Head over to page two to see what we'd love to see on the iPad Air 2.

Getting hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S

Samsung has launched what it reckons is its answer to the iPad Air: the super-slim Galaxy Tab S.

The company's latest slate was unveiled at a special launch event in New York and comes in both 10.5 and 8.4-inch variants, each packing an 8-core Exynos 5 CPU with 3GB RAM.

With a 2560 x 1600 display and measuring just 6.6mm in the waist, Samsung hopes it will give Apple something to think about when it hits stores in the coming days.

Check out our hands-on video below for a rundown of the key specs and features of the Galaxy Tab S, and stay tuned for our full review.

Facebook's Slingshot app arrives to take aim at Snapchat

Update: Well, that didn't take very long. Facebook has officially unveiled Slingshot, and it's setting its sights squarely at Snapchat.
"Photos and a la Snapchat - to other users, with the option to deface said media with text and drawing.

Sling like you're winning

Perhaps the only real difference is that Slingshot also includes a "react" button that allows users to return an instant snapshot reaction to the latest picture of your friend's lunch.
The app will be completely free when it arrives. The source does say, however, that Facebook may hold back the rollout if it comes up against any last-minute snags.
We dropped Facebook a line but it refused to comment on the story.

• While you're waiting for that, check out our 20 best World Cup apps

4oD's Android app is no longer an Inbetweener with 3G/4G streaming

Channel 4 has updated its 4oD app for Android to offer programme streaming over 3G and 4G mobile networks.
The update comes precisely two weeks after the broadcaster finally updated its
to accommodate mobile data streaming of live and on demand content.
Until very recently users of the application on both platforms were limited to streaming programming over Wi-Fi.
Users were, and still are, available to download programmes from the last 30 days for offline viewing, but the addition of mobile data streaming will enable those spur-of-the-moment viewing decisions.

Parity

The feature now gives 4oD parity with the BBC iPlayer and ITV player apps which also have the ability to stream over 3G and 4G
The updated app, which can now be downloaded from the
store, also brings access to 4Shorts, offering hundreds of classic clips from the archives along with a host of original shorts.
Users are, of course, advised to use Wi-Fi whenever possible so as not to drain their data allowance.

• Streaming on the go? Perhaps it's time for a Netflix subscription

Via Engadget

After smartphones, Amazon's next trick could be slimmer Kindles

With anticipation running high for this week's rumored Amazon smartphone unveiling, interest in all things Amazon is at its peak, making this a perfect time to see what's coming next.
BloombergBusinessweek has offered a glimpse into the top-secret lair where Amazon does most of the R&D work for new hardware such as Fire TV, not to mention a smartphone expected to be announced at a media event on Wednesday.
Known as "Lab126," the facilities are home to more than 1,600 employees, many who have been working there since Amazon founder Jeff Bezos set up the division to create the first Kindle e-book reader back in 2004.
Amazon's hardware gurus will reportedly return to the Kindle well for a new "remarkably thin" version of the Kindle Paperwhite codenamed "Ice Wine," with insiders also dishing on a Square-style credit card reader Amazon may use to shore up its payment business.

Science projects

The report from "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon" author Brad Stone doesn't offer details as to how Amazon plans to slim down the Kindle, instead offering a tantalizing peek into other devices spearheaded by the billionaire CEO.
According to loose-lipped employees, Amazon's rumored smartphone has been in gestation at Lab126 since 2009, along with other so-called "science projects" that include a device capable of projecting computer images onto any surface.
Said to be powered by a forked version of
to the company's Kindle Fire tablets, Amazon's smartphone will reportedly offer a 3D user interface that uses four infrared cameras to track the user's face and pupils as they're looking at the display.
Known internally as "Duke," the Amazon handset may wind up an AT&T exclusive at launch thanks to the carrier's Sponsored Data program, capable of offloading some or all mobile data expenses to a user's annual Amazon Prime subscription.

• Bask in the warm glow of our latest MacBook Air review!