What Mobile - November 2014.pdf

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November 2014 Clark White Publishing Ltd 8-10 Godson Street Islington, London N1 9GZ

Tel: 020 3122 0870 Email: [email protected] Website: www.whatmobile.net Twitter: @whatmobile Facebook: What Mobile Magazine

Apple shows no signs of softening Poor Google, it came so close. It looked like 2014 was going to be the year of Android – that

Next issue on sale 13 November

finally, after years of maybes and nearly theres, Google’s operating system would

EDITORIAL Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 7324 3502 Reporter: Saqib Shah Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 3122 068 Reporter: Callum Tennent Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 3122 068 Editorial Director: Ian White ART/PRODUCTION Art Editor: Andy Hemming Email: [email protected] Sub-editor: Andy Williams

take centre stage in the tech mainstream. We were premature, to say the least. With confidence, swagger and flourish, the Muhammad Ali of the smartphone world strolled back into the ring and made it unwaveringly clear that there’s still only one heavyweight champion. Apple’s iPhone is back. It’s enough to make invested Android fans tear their hair out, but

ADVERTISING Advertising Sales Manager Kimberley Glover [email protected] 020 3122 0871

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once again, Apple has proven that nobody can compare when it comes to both showmanship and sales; 10 million units shifted in the first week should tell you that. While all that attention was being lavished on the champ, there was some interesting action from the undercard, too. BlackBerry may have taken one hell of a beating, but it’ll take more than that to keep down the old veteran. The Passport is supposed to be the device to get BB back into the big time, or so it hopes. Truth is, it’s probably not so much a knockout blow as a much-needed clinch, but it could be enough to see BlackBerry steady its legs. It’s got a long old slog ahead of it to revive former glories.

The What Mobile team

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contents


Inside WIN one of four 27 top smartphones

24

32

36

40

06 First look Hand up if you want an Apple Watch?

42 When I’m 64... The future is 64-bit, but what does that mean?

08 International round-up Seismic shifts from across the world of mobiles

46 Beyond Facebook The 20 best social networking alternatives

12 Patently obvious Google Glass is transformed into a projector

50 Apps and games All the latest mobile downloads reviewed

16 Accessories Protect your new iPhone 6 with a new case

54 Mobile gaming PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS releases rounded up

24 iPhone 6 All you need to know about Apple’s finest

58 Buyer’s guide Over 100 devices rated

32 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Finally, a tablet that can replace your laptop

36 BlackBerry Passport It’s hip to be square, or so BlackBerry believes

60 Phone reviews

40 Motorola Moto G The best budget phone just got even better

in our comprehensive guide

89 Tablet reviews

4 www.whatmobile.net

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first look


About time: Apple unveils its watch

A

“new chapter in Apple’s story” – that’s how boss Tim Cook introduced the tech giant’s long-awaited wearable device, the Apple Watch. Being the first smartwatch that the company has launched is arguably enough to make it an historic device. But did the Apple Watch offer enough to overshadow the unveiling of the iPhone 6 in September? The answer is no. But it’s more complicated than that. The Apple Watch works alongside the iPhone (models 5 and upwards). That means Apple chose not to make it a standalone device, as Samsung did with its Gear S.

triple treat The Apple Watch shuns a round watch-face in favour of a rectangular display. It comes in two sizes and boasts three variations: the Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition (aluminium, stainless steel and 18-carat gold). A unique feature is its ‘digital crown’ – that’s the rotary wheel on the edge, to you and me. Turning this allows users to zoom in and out of the display and scroll through web pages or messages. Among its features are fitness and heart-rate tracking sensors, as well as apps such as maps, email, music, photos, calendar, Siri, dictation and messaging.

Watch operates alongside iPhones

Rotary wheel is for navigation

Device can track heart rate


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Design options – Watch comes in a range of sleek and sporty looks

first look

Four sensors – Movement detection allows for intelligent functions

“The Apple Watch is more of a general crowd pleaser than other smartwatch devices we’ve seen”

The Apple Watch can also store music and allows users to control the music on their iPhone or Mac via the wearable. Four sensors, or contact points, on the back of the device allow for intelligent functions. These include the screen turning on when it senses the user’s wrist, and the ability to use vibration to guide you while in the Maps app. Inside the watch is an Apple-designed S1 processor. Once the watch is in the shops, we will be able to compare it fully with Android Wear devices to see if Apple’s chip makes a difference to its operating speed.

Faceful of features Apple showed a demo of the Watch at its launch event, mainly to illustrate its notifications and interactive wallpapers. If a notification comes in, the watch vibrates using the built-in haptic sensor. The screen displays the notification once the user lifts their wrist. Apple also revealed the device’s ability to read messages and provide relevant replies and actions. More interesting, however, are the customisable replies and drawings you can send friends. These include emojis that can be enlarged and drawings of your heartbeat, as monitored by the heart-rate sensor.

Apple’s digital voice assistant is also on board and wearers can ask the voice-operated assistant, Siri, all the usual questions. Fitness is currently a major theme for Apple and this is also true of the Watch. You can take it to the track to monitor short training sessions via the new built-in Workout app, or use it to constantly monitor fitness via the aptly titled Fitness app. The Apple Watch will be released with six customisable leather straps, as well as an array of sports bands for fitness-centric use. All of these can be fastened using the magnets on the Watch. There is also a classic buckle or stainless steel link bracelet option. These design elements, in conjunction with the smaller size, make the Apple Watch more of a general crowd pleaser than other smartwatch devices we’ve seen. It looks as though Apple is also targeting women with the wearable – a neglected demographic up until now in smartwatch marketing. The Apple Watch will hit shelves early next year and will be priced at $349 in the US (£215). Prices for other territories have yet to be revealed.

Sporty straps are available Straps fasten using magnets Haptic sensor is built in

Maps vibrate to guide you

www.whatmobile.net 7

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international round-up


Around the world Google makes a big push into India with its affordable Android One programme; LG adds a stylus to its flagship G3; Huawei beats Apple to a super-strong sapphire screen; and Lava goes ‘selfie crazy’ with the Iris X5

Android One Google has revealed the first three handsets that will roll out as part of its affordable Android One programme, starting in India. The tech giant is partnering with local Indian manufacturers to produce a series of entry-level devices that come with the latest version of Android: KitKat 4.4. Android One forms part of a new strategy for Google that sees it targeting so-called emerging markets, such as India, in a bid to further push its operating system. Although cheap Android devices are already available in markets such as India, Google is promising to be more hands-on. Consequently, Android One handsets – like the new Karbonn Sparkle V Red – will benefit from regular updates. Comparing the $100 (£62) Karbonn Sparkle V Red to a standard entry-level Android smartphone, such as the slightly

pricier Motorola Moto E, shows that its specs aren’t radically different to the type of lowcost phones we’re used to in the West. The handset has the same 1GB of RAM as the Moto E, a 5-megapixel camera, and comes with Android KitKat 4.4 out of the box. It also has a good-sized 4.5-inch display with a 480 x 854-pixel resolution – although this is less than the Moto E’s impressive 540 x 960 pixels. Aside from the Karbonn Sparkle V Red, Google has also unveiled the Spice Dream Uno (£63) and the Micromax Canvas A1 (£65), which come with virtually identical specs. The Android One programme is thought to be the brainchild of Chennai-born Google exec Sundar Pichai, who first revealed plans for its rollout at his company’s I/O conference in June.

LG G3 Stylus LG has announced another handset as part of its core range of devices in 2014: the G3 Stylus. We’re used to seeing bigger-screened versions of top-of-therange devices being offered to accommodate a stylus. But as the original G3 has a larger-than-average 5.5-inch screen, LG has opted not to boost the size of the G3 Stylus. That means the new device gets the same wonderfully compact, slim-bezelled body. Despite the same screen size, though, the resolution has been cut. One of the G3’s main selling points – QHD resolution of 1,440 x 2,560 pixels – has been sacrificed in the name of cost. As such, you get a display with a meagre 540 x 960 pixels. On a handset with such a large screen, that’s a real worry. Just about every spec comes off worse when compared to the original G3. The processor has been reduced from 2.5GHz to 1.3GHz; there’s only 1GB of RAM compared to 3GB; and the front-facing camera is 1.3 megapixels instead of 2.1MP. LG has stuck with the G3’s 13MP rear-facing camera, though, which is hopefully as capable and clear as its original incarnation. But the stylus is the main selling point, and the handset will come preloaded with a suite of pen-optimised apps to make use of it. The LG G3 Stylus went on sale in markets including Brazil, east Asia, the Middle East and Africa in September. With any luck, it will make its way to these shores soon.


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international round-up


Huawei Ascend P7 Sapphire Looks like the Huawei Ascend P7 has beaten the Apple iPhone 6 in at least one department. The Chinese manufacturer has announced that it will release a limited number of Ascend P7 handsets with a scratch-proof sapphire screen. Sapphire is thought to be the world’s second hardest material after diamond. Apple had reportedly been planning to use it on its latest iPhone. The original Huawei Ascend P7 comes with a screen made of Gorilla Glass 3. The new Huawei Ascend P7 will be available in the company’s Chinese online store in a limited quantity. The first batch of Sapphire handsets launched in September, with a second batch to follow in November. If all goes to plan, the new Ascend P7 will be the first sapphire-screen handset from a Chinese manufacturer, although the rumour mill is rife with speculation that Huawei’s competitors Xiaomi and Vivo are also planning similar displays for their devices. It’s likely that the device will be sold in a one-off online flash sale, as is the custom in Asia. The practice has been extremely successful for the likes of Xiaomi. Aside from incorporating the new display, the Ascend P7 won’t undergo any further changes; we thought Huawei’s ‘group selfie’ phone was a solid handset, and the device comes with a 1080p resolution 5-inch display, as well as a 1.8GHz quad core-processor. Huawei has not revealed whether the Sapphire will be rolled out globally.

Lava Iris X5 Selfie phones are currently all the rage. Sony, Huawei and Nokia have all unveiled handsets with powerful front-facing cameras in recent months. Not to mention the fact that selfie devices with unique designs, such as the perfume bottle-shaped selfie camera from Sony, as featured in the October issue of What Mobile, are becoming increasingly popular. Indian smartphone makers have thus far resisted the trend. With the launch of the Lava Iris X5, however, India finally has its very own selfie smartphone at the kind of affordable price you’d expect from the region. The device, which was launched exclusively through Amazon India in September, comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an LED flash – perfect for low-light selfies. On the back of the device is a standard 8MP camera. The handset has a 5-inch display with 720 x 1,280 pixels, allowing users to view those images in HD. Inside the device is a 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB via a microSD card. All this is pretty low-end, compared to its surprisingly mid-range display. The Lava Iris X5 costs just £90, which makes it much cheaper compared to handsets released by Sony and Huawei. The £175 Nokia 735, which will also be debuting in the UK in October, should give it a run for its money, though – especially if Microsoft modifies the price to compete in emerging markets. For now, Lava has the upper hand and – in the words of company chairman Hari Om Rai – it has a shot at capitalising on that “selfie crazy generation” of young smartphone users.


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futurology

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Patently Obvious This month sees Google making its Glass eyewear into a projector – and thankfully less geeky-looking; passwords become passé as Apple tracks your walking stride-length as a security check; and Samsung adds a new twist in the shape of truly bendable tech

Behaviour-based security Apple

Subtler Google Glass Google

Passwords are easy to crack. It’s a simple fact of life, and it’s the reason why to log into your email you now need to remember a string of 22 letters, nine numbers, eight Russian Cyrillic characters, three punctuation marks and the Batman symbol. It doesn’t matter how complicated you make them – a computer will crack them. So how about a phone that can actually recognise you? That’s what Apple has in store. And we’re not just talking about a fingerprint scanner, although that was a fine start. This patent shows how an iPhone might learn to recognise your behaviour in order to block out thieves or intruders. We all have our everyday routines, be it checking Twitter on the train on the way to work or calling our partner after leaving the office. Your iPhone would be able to learn those patterns to better identify when someone else is in possession of it. It could even use the accelerometer to recognise when someone with a different stride length to you is walking with the phone.

If you asked the average person on the street what they find most off-putting about Google Glass, they’d most likely tell you the looks – both the design of these souped-up spectacles and the looks you will attract while wearing them. While decades of sci-fi may have convinced some that it would be super-cool to look like Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Geordi La Forge, what we really want is our wearable tech to look like regular old wearables. It’s the reason why the Motorola Moto 360 – a smartwatch that looks like a regular watch – has attracted fans. Perhaps aware of this, Google has filed a recent patent for a much more subtle-looking set of smart-specs. This theoretical edition of Google Glass would hide more of the technical components within the frame itself, rather than have them sitting on the outside. With the current trend for thick-rimmed glasses, these wouldn’t only be more subtle, but more fashionable than Glass’ current offering, too.

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Touch-sensitive rear panels for gaming Apple One of the key differences between Sony’s PS Vita handheld gaming console and the original PlayStation Portable was the inclusion of a rear touch panel. The first of its kind in mainstream gaming, the touch panel hasn’t had as much of an impact as it could have; with two analogue sticks on the Vita – as well as a wealth of other input methods – the feature just isn’t really needed. One device where such a technology could be of greater use is Apple’s iPad. Its massive screen has made it extremely popular for gaming, to the point where certain games are being released exclusively on it, bypassing the iPhone altogether. Despite that, though, it suffers a lack of versatility when it comes to input; for example, on-screen virtual joysticks don’t really work with, say, first-person shooters. Could touch-sensitive panels on the rear of the iPad help remedy that? Apple thinks so, and a new patent granted to it by the US Patent and Trademark Office shows just how it would be implemented. According to the patent, those panels could even be split into different sections to function more like buttons than trackpads. Either way, it’s a gamers’ dream, and something we’d love to see on any future Apple tablets.

Off the


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futurology


A truly flexible smartphone Samsung Earlier this year LG released the Flex. Its unique selling point was that it was a ‘flexible’ smartphone. In reality, what we got was a smartphone with a display permanently curved by a few degrees, which wouldn’t snap should you sit on it. ‘Flexible’, it was not. This patent from Samsung, however, seems to have taken the concept to a whole new level. Here, we see sketches of a device so flexible it can literally be folded in half. Not only that, but it holds a bend, meaning you could flex it into an arc shape and stand it up on your bedside table as an alarm clock. It could also be bent lengthways, meaning you could practically roll it into a tube. The device seems to be able to hold its bent form no matter where it is folded from, allowing for an intriguing array of possibilities for shapes and functions. Apps would be encouraged to make use of the possible exotic poses. Whether we ever see something this extreme produced is dubious, but the recent revelation of the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge – with its curved AMOLED display – has us more hopeful than we would have been a few months ago.

Hand-projected keyboard Google

Indoor location beacon technology Google

Google Glass smarteyewear has not quite taken off yet, and one reason for that might not just be about how daft it makes you look, but how silly it makes you sound; no-one wants to have to sit talking to themselves on the train or in a coffee shop just to send a tweet. But how can you type instead using Google Glass? Impossible, right? “No” is the answer offered forth by this patent, in which Google has looked into the possibilities of a projected keyboard. These aren’t strictly a new creation – head to your favourite online retailer and you could pick one up today. What is new is the idea of embedding one within Glass. It would work by projecting a keyboard from your Glass eyewear onto your open palm. From there you could use gestures and tap onto your own hand as a form of input. The patent shows a number pad projected, but there’s no reason why it couldn’t be used for letters too. In short, the technology turns your body into a touchscreen. Google could, in theory, have that same keyboard projected onto any flat surface for you to type on. All of a sudden, Glass doesn’t seem quite so limited.

With 4G connectivity and GPS coverage so comprehensive nowadays, it’s pretty much impossible to get lost outdoors – as long as you have your smartphone on you, that is. The irony is that we’re probably more likely now to get lost indoors. Shopping centres, museums, airports – any of these sprawling labyrinths and their innumerable attractions can be more difficult to navigate than a simple road. Google has recognised this first-world problem and is endeavouring to fix it. This patent, no doubt set to be the first of many, aims to improve location services while indoors. This is how Google envisages it could work: a survey of ‘magnetic data’ is taken throughout an indoor location. Magnetic data is emitted by any sort of electronic device; no special beacons or antennae are needed. This data is then uploaded to a central database, much like Google Maps. The mapped data is then sent to your mobile device as you approach it/walk through it. The result is drastically increased accuracy indoors. The patent depicts a user walking through an art gallery as an example. As the mobile device knows which painting it’s stood in front of, it can then offer up relevant information.

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Gadgets, Gifts and accessories

iPhone 6 cases The iPhone 6 is the sleekest version yet, so you’ll want to protect it with a brand new case

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What better place to start than Apple itself? Apple’s designs have always been its strong point, so you can count on an official case to complement the aesthetic perfectly. It’s available in both leather and silicone, as well as a wide range of colours.

For the same look on a smaller budget, Xqisit has a wide range of iPhone 6 cases that are fit to do the job. You’re given a choice of colours, materials and finishes, so there’s bound to be something for everybody.

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OtterBox has a wealth of experience creating rugged phone cases, and it first started its relationship with Apple in 2004 making wraps for the iPod, so it’s a name you can trust. Since then, it’s gone on to make what might be the most durable range of cases on the market.

Renowned British fashion giant Ted Baker hasn’t missed the opportunity to get on the iPhone 6 bandwagon. It’s released its own range of “women’s” iPhone 6 cases, if you’re into traditional gender distinctions. Do feel free to use one if you’re a man – they look lovely.

Another extremely rugged protector, Element Case features a back-plate made of aerospacegrade carbon fibre. It’s also got a lanyard loop and slots for credit cards. A soft inside lining will make sure your device stays scuff-free when protected, too.

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08 / EXOvault £61 EXOvault’s line of cases takes a different tack to most rugged cases. Conceptualised by professional designers and finished by hand, a case from EXOvault is as much a work of art as it is practical. If you’ve always been hesitant about covering up the gorgeous looks of your iPhone with a cheap case, then this considerably more luxurious offering is for you.

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30/09/2014 16:37


reviews

In case you hadn’t noticed the queues around the block, it’s that time of year when all other phones must play second fiddle to the latest iPhone launch. Read our seven-page special to find out what’s new

“Despite hardware upgrades, it’s the iPhone 6’s new features that set it apart” 24 / iPhone 6 & 6 Plus 32 / Microsoft Surface Pro 3 36 / BlackBerry Passport 40 / Motorola Moto G

How we review To show you where a device succeeds or fails, we grade each device in five key areas.

Design

Performance

Features

Usability

Final verdict

First we fully test the speed and power of each device. Next we find out how well the device functions in daily use.

Then we rate the style and quality of the overall design. What kind of unique features and add-ons does it have? A rating out of five, balancing cost versus performance

Editor’s choice Only the very best devices will win our What Mobile Editor’s Choice award.

editor’s choice

HHHHH


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30/09/2014 16:59

review


iPhone 6 and 6 Plus The hype machine rolled into town and queues once more snaked around the block to greet the annual iPhone jamboree. Apple’s served up twice the excitement with two new handsets Price: iPhone 6 from £539; iPhone 6 Plus from £619 Reviewer: Saqib Shah

W

e all knew it was coming and when it would launch. The queues started forming outside Apple stores in the US and UK long before its release, in anticipation of the most hyped device of the year. No other phone elicits the kind of cult fandom that the iPhone does, and this year was no exception. A lot of time has passed since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007. Apple, for its part, has done a great job of upgrading its flagship handset over the years, and Android and Windows Phone devices have often played catch up. Unlike previous years though, in 2014 we can safely say that there are a number of great smartphones that truly rival the new iPhone (see p28). But before we begin comparing devices, let’s take a look at what Apple’s updated.

4.7-inch iPhone 6 is bigger than the 5s

iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display

Performance

Design As usual, the pressure was on Apple to deliver something unique with the iPhone 6. That hasn’t happened, and it’s becoming ever-harder to pull a rabbit out of the hat in a smartphone market saturated with innovative tech manufacturers relentlessly releasing new handsets. Instead, the iPhone 6 launch event was all about offering greater variety and marked the first time Apple has revealed two new iPhones at once. Not to mention three editions of its new Apple Watch (see p6). The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display that’s 0.7 inches larger than the iPhone 5s. There will also be an even bigger model: the iPhone

6 Plus will sport a 5.5-inch display. The iPhone 6 has a resolution of 750 x 1,334 pixels, packing in 326 pixels per inch for a more than 720p Retina HD display. The iPhone 6 Plus has a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels, with 401 pixels per inch. That’s 1080p Full HD resolution. The handset is thinner than ever before – and the iPhone 5s was already the slimmest top-ofthe-range phone on the market. The iPhone 6 is just 6.9mm thick; the iPhone 6 Plus, 7.1mm. Both devices are available in three colours – white, gold and ‘space grey’ – as well as three internal storage options: 16GB, 64GB and 128GB. That’s something fans have clamoured for for ages, given the iPhone’s lack of expandable memory. Unfortunately, there’s still no microSD card slot here.

6 is the thinnest iPhone ever

401 pixels per inch on the 6 Plus

The new iPhone is more powerful than its predecessors. It uses Apple’s latest A8 chip, which results in 25% faster performance from the processor and 50% quicker graphics compared to the iPhone 5s. Metal, the new GPU housed inside the device – which we first got a glimpse of at the iOS 8 reveal in June – will provide the best-looking games you’ve ever seen on a mobile. Benchmarking tests analysing the new iPhone’s power and battery life found that both the new handsets beat their competitors; the iPhone 6 has a 13% increase in performance due to its new A8 chip, which also boosts GPU performance. What’s even more impressive is that the 1,810mAh battery is also reported to be a


24-31_iPhone 6_November14.indd 24

30/09/2014 13:13


review

Camera comparison Although its specs match those of its predecessor, the iPhone 6 camera is still far superior to the 5s. New features include faster autofocus, the ability to record Full HD 1080p video on the rear camera at 60fps, a faster f/2.2 aperture on the front FaceTime camera (meaning better selfies) and slo-mo video at up to 240fps, compared to 120fps on the 5s.

Side by side – The 6 (bottom) adds some much-needed screen real estate to the 5s (top)

step above almost all Android handsets currently available. This despite the fact that other devices carry larger batteries, proving once again that Apple’s hardware matches its hype.

Features The iPhone 6 is a feature-packed phone. Despite offering design and hardware upgrades, it’s the handset’s new features that really set it apart. Just like Apple has done elsewhere, it has tweaked the device by adding and improving essential functions. On top of the standard accelerometer, gyroscope and compass, the iPhone 6 has a barometer. This allows it to measure relative elevation. Naturally, this ties in with iOS 8’s health and fitness features, so that it can accurately track when you, say, climb a flight of stairs. As iPhone owners will already know, iMessage lets you send texts over wi-fi – no mobile network signal required. With iPhone 6, you can do the same with phone calls. In signal blackspots, the iPhone 6

will switch over to any connected wi-fi networks to make calls. Wi-fi speeds are also up to three times faster than the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 5s already has one of the best mobile cameras on the market. Apple is evidently aware of this, as it’s not actually made any huge changes to it on the iPhone 6. What is different is the sensor, which it claims to be “all-new”. The camera is still the 8-megapixel iSight model with 1.5µ pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture. Video recording is improved, too, with 60 frames per second and 1080p Full HD resolution recording available, compared to 30fps on the iPhone 5s. The slow-mo video has been upped from 120fps to 240fps. Pretty slow, in other words. There’s time-lapse photography and burst-shot selfies on offer, too. One thing the iPhone has been lacking is near field communication (NFC) payments. The mobile technology, which allows you to pay in a shop by tapping your phone at an NFC-enabled terminal, has been available on Android devices for a while,

How they stack up – At just 6.9mm in depth, the 6 (bottom) is the thinnest iPhone yet

but most people have yet to take advantage of it. Apple intends to change all that with its own mobile wallet, available for the first time on the iPhone 6, which comes with NFC capability. Entitled Apple Pay, it allows you to input your desired debit or credit card’s information into your iPhone, where it is stored securely encrypted. You can even use the camera to scan in those details and they’re added to your passbook. Now, when you’re at the checkout, you simply whip out your iPhone, select a payment card and then hold your requisite digit on the finger/ thumbprint scanner to enable payment. It’s slick, it’s effortless, and it’s not come a moment too soon. If you lose your mobile, you can use Find My iPhone to wipe the cards from the device, without having to call your bank to cancel them.

Conclusion With the inclusion of iOS 8 software and the release of two larger iPhones, Apple is spoiling us. It has beaten Android out the gates with its new operating system, which itself boasts plenty of new features, and has added two handsets to its line-up that look to match their hype with superior specs. If you’re an iPhone owner but are still unsure about whether the new Apple devices are for you, check out our guide to upgrading (see p30) and our round-up of all the best iPhone 6 deals currently available (see p31).



30/09/2014 13:13

review


Getting in line: we asked why do queuers camp overnight just to buy an iPhone?

Javad, 26, London

Akim, 30, Durham

Isabella, 28, London

“I took the last two days off work to come here. I’m going to keep one myself and then the second one I’m probably going to sell for profit. I’ll sell it here if I find someone, and if not, I will still sell it. Anyone will want to have this phone. “It is gorgeous, it’s thin and it’s quite big. I was in two minds about coming but it’s very nice. We’ve made a lot of friends, it’s a nice environment, we know everybody now and it’s been fun. My friend and I have been switching around to go for meals.”

“It will be the first time that I have had an iPhone. I waited because I just needed a phone, it was just practical. I was in London, I wanted the latest phone, I had the money, so I thought why not? “It has been interesting, you meet different people, different characters. I haven’t really slept, I tried to but the rain starting coming down. “It’s a cool phone, the marketing is good and I wanted to experience what it was like.”

“I’m queueing for a private client. It’s been alright – the last few hours have been a bit trying, people do get a bit pushy. “There was thunder and lightning and we all had to leg it into Citibank. When we returned, people were trying to queue jump. Luckily there was a guard assigned to each section and he recognised us. “The park looks mental – they have been putting people into pens.”

Zak, 22, London

Zak, 22, London

Shafiq, 39, London

“I’m feeling good because I’m one of the first people to get the phone. I haven’t opened it yet, so let’s see how it goes. “There are people who have been waiting for days. I didn’t have to because I reserved my place online. I spent hours researching it, found the reservation link and managed to reserve my place last Friday. “I wanted it because I’m a big iPhone fan. I got the 6; the 6 Plus is too big – more like a Samsung.”

“I came at midnight and I’ve been here for eight hours. They’ve told us we need to wait a couple more hours but it’s worth it for the new iPhone. “It’s great because it’s got new software. I need to see how it is when I get it in my hands but I’m very happy about it. That’s why I’ve been waiting eight hours. It was raining at night but we’re all waiting here for the phone.”

“It feels really exciting to get it first. I’ve been waiting for the new iPhone for a long time because it is a bigger one than previously. I went for the 6 because, before, I used the Samsung Galaxy S5 for the bigger screen but I’m a fan of Apple. “The big screen is fantastic; my contract was up about two months ago and I have waited for this phone.”



30/09/2014 13:13

WMA14


Vote now to win one of four great smartphones provided by The What Mobile Awards 2014 are here. Tell us which products and services have impressed you most over the past 12 months and be in to win one of the world’s top smartphones. We’ve got an Apple iPhone 5s, HTC M8, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 to give away to say ‘thank you’ to five lucky voters.

AWARDS CATEGORIES Best network

Customer service

Camera phone

Best Mvno

High-street retailer

Budget phone

Best online retailer

service and repair

specialist phone

Best accessory retailer

Readers’ Choice

Tablet

Recycling service

Accessories

Best manufacturer

insurance provider

Fitness wearables

smartphone

To voTe now visiT

WWW.WhATmObIlE.nET WMA14-ad.indd 21 24-31_iPhone 6_November14.indd 27

30/09/2014 11:41 30/09/2014 13:13


review

Comparison: iPhone 6

Apple iPhone 6

Nokia Lumia 930

HTC One M8

Samsung Galaxy S5

Processor

Dual-core Apple A8

2.2GHz quad-core

2.3GHz quad-core

2.5GHz quad-core

Storage

16GB, 64GB, 128GB

32GB

16GB, 32GB

16GB, 32GB

OS

iOS 8

Windows 8.1

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 4.4 KitKat

RAM

1GB

2GB

2GB

2GB

Screen size

4.7 inches

5 inches

5 inches

5.1 inches

Resolution

750 x 1,334 pixels

1,920 x 1,080 pixels

1,920 x 1,080 pixels

1,920 x 1,080 pixels

Camera

8MP, 1.2MP

20MP, 1.2MP

4MP UltraPixel, 5MP

16MP, 2MP

Price

From £539

£420

£530

£530

138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm

137 x 71 x 9.8mm

146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35mm

142 x 72.5 x 8.1mm

129g

167g

160g

145g

Dimensions Weight

Best processor The iPhone 6 comes with Apple’s improved A8 processor, which boosts speed, performance and battery life. It beat the competitors in benchmark tests, therefore it gets the thumbs up from us.

WINNER: iPhone 6

Best camera Although the iPhone 6 camera is definitely an upgrade from its predecessor, Microsoft wins out here as the Lumia 930 is definitely more powerful and continues the great functions we’ve come to expect from its flagship Lumia models.

winner: 930

Best value Although it costs over £100 more than the Lumia 930, it also beats it in terms of speed and usability – not to mention Apple’s superior app store. Apple’s competitively priced new device is worth a look for all consumers upgrading to a high-end smartphone.

WINNER: iPhone 6



30/09/2014 13:14


review

Comparison: iPhone 6 Plus

Apple iPhone 6

Sony Xperia Z2

LG G3

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Processor

Dual-core Apple A8

2.3GHz quad-core

2.5GHz quad-core

2.7GHz quad-core

Storage

16GB, 64GB, 128GB

16GB

16GB, 32GB

32GB

OS

iOS 8

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 4.4 KitKat

RAM

1GB

3GB

2GB

3GB

Screen size

5.5 inches

5.2 inches

5.5 inches

5.7 inches

Resolution

1,920 x 1,080 pixels

1,920 x 1,080 pixels

2,560 x 1,440 pixels

2,560 x 1,440 pixels

Camera

8MP, 1.2MP

20.7MP, 2.2MP

13MP, 2.1MP

16MP, 3.7MP

Price

From £619

£579

From £499

TBC (£550-600)

158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm

146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2mm

146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm

153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm

172g

163g

149g

176g

Dimensions Weight

Best processor It will probably be a close competition between the iPhone’s A8 and the Galaxy Note 4, which is the best in its Android class. However, we’ve yet to try out Android L, so for now we’ll give it to the iPhone 6 Plus.

WINNER: iPhone 6

Best camera The powerful camera on the Z2 is one of its best features. Not only will the 20.7-megapixel camera help you capture beautiful images, but it also boasts a range of practical and fun editing tools.

winner: Xperia z2

Best value The G3 is cheaper than the other large phones featured here and it matches them in almost every department. It might lose out slightly on speed but its price tag makes it an all-round winner.

WINNER: LGG3



30/09/2014 13:14

review


DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO UPGRADE TO THE 6TH FORM? iPhone 4s First things first, unless you’ve done it already, do not upgrade to iOS 8 if you own an iPhone 4s. It will slow down your iPhone substantially, in the same way that previous upgrades did to older iPhone handsets. With that in mind, we would recommend Apple fans make the jump to the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Not only do they offer more variety, but in the new phones, you also have a couple of genuinely powerful high-end handsets. The iPhone 4s wasn’t the biggest improvement on the 4 and it now seems particularly outdated. You’ll definitely notice a big difference when using the new iPhone’s A8 processor and improved camera. You’ll also be able to take advantage of iOS 8 – with its modified apps and new health features – on the best Apple device on the market. If you’re really strapped for cash but desperate for a temporary upgrade, then you should look into the 5c. We actually like its bright design, although it doesn’t have the premium metal aesthetic of the high-end iPhones; that way you can also utilise iOS 8. If you have the cash, however, and you’re intent on purchasing an iPhone, then go straight for the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

iPhone 5 / 5c The 5 and 5c are very similar in terms of hardware but different in terms of design. The latter will ultimately be your biggest concern if you’re thinking of upgrading. If it’s a larger phone you’re after, then you should skip the 5s, as it’s the same size. If you’re interested in the iPhone 6 – purely because it’s a fancy new iPhone, and who doesn’t find that appealing? – keep in mind that you can get iOS 8 on your 5 and 5c, meaning your user interface will be the same. You will also have access to the new Health app – but no barometer to track your movement – so you can use third-party fitness tracking apps to collect your data in one place. Your camera will also get an upgrade, in the form of a new time-lapse mode and super slo-mo video capture at 120 frames per second – two very useful additions for photography fans. Nonetheless, the iPhone 6 is undoubtedly faster than the 5 due to its new chipset. Its improved resolution also looks magnificent on the larger display. Combine that with its wealth of exclusive new features and you have a massive upgrade over the 5 and 5c.



30/09/2014 13:14


review

iPhone 5s The 64-bit A7 processor within the iPhone 5s makes it a formidable device. Don’t be put off by its small size, which is currently dwarfed by every high-end handset on the market; the 5s is a superior small smartphone. It will be tempting to upgrade to the iPhone 6 regardless, what with Apple Pay and its new health features, but the 5s can still compete with the best of them. Therefore, you shouldn’t worry too much if you’re still stuck on a long-term contract and tied down to your 5s for another few months. The upgraded A8 processor on the iPhone 6, and its Metal GPU, will certainly offer better gaming capabilities and faster speeds, but we’ll have to wait for developers to release new titles to truly test those functions. Also, the value of the NFC payments capability on the iPhone 6 is open to debate and its chances of success are questionable; after all, the tech has been around for a while on Android and consumers have pretty much ignored it. What it all boils down to is whether you want a larger device. Both the new iPhones are bigger than the 5s, and the 6 Plus is a whopping 1.5 inches larger. This time, Apple has caved under pressure and followed industry trends by launching a phablet-sized device. However, as consumer behaviour shows, that’s what the public wants. It also narrows the gap between a smartphone and a tablet, so if you have a 5s and an iPad, then an iPhone Plus could render them both redundant. However, with iOS 8 and one of the best app stores around – which, need we remind you, offers plenty of third-party fitness tracking apps – the iPhone 5s will serve you well for a while still. The 6 and 6 Plus are faster and offer better screen resolutions, but the 5s can still hold its own against rival Android and Windows Phone devices.

CONTRACT OR SIM-FREE? If you’ve decided to purchase the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, then your next step is to weigh up all the options available to you on contract via a mobile network operator. In terms of standalone prices, the two models start from £539 and £619 respectively for the 16GB versions. The next iPhone 6 model is a big jump up to 64GB, which costs £619, and £699 for the 128GB version. The iPhone 6 Plus on the other hand costs £699 for the 64GB version and £789 for 128GB. It’s a steep jump in terms of price, but remember that this amount of storage has never before been offered on an iPhone and, as usual, there’s no microSD card slot for expandable storage. However, most buyers will be seeking out a pay-monthly contract for an ongoing payment option. As is the norm for high-end handsets, all contracts will last for a minimum of 24 months and offer 4G data allowance. To save you from trawling through the options available online and on the high street, we went ahead and found the best deals for the 16GB iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (see right).

iPhone 6 Cheapest plan: EE 4G £20 per month, £380 upfront, 1GB data Best value: EE 4G £28 p/m, £310 upfront, 4GB data iPhone 6 Plus Cheapest plan: EE 4G £15 p/m, £480 upfront, 500MB data Best value: EE 4G £23 p/m, £480 upfront, 2GB data



30/09/2014 13:14


review

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Microsoft reckons its Surface Pro 3 can replace your laptop. It certainly has the software for it, but it needs to convince you to pay extra for the essential, but not included, keyboard Price: from £640 (plus £110 for Type Cover) Reviewer: Callum Tennent

Screen has a QHD resolution

Great trackpad but keyboard is spongy

Stylus is accurate – brilliant for drawing

Spec sheet OS Windows 8.1 Processor 1.5GHz Intel core i3/2.9GHz Intel core i5/3.7GHz Intel core i7 Screen 12 inches Resolution 2,160 x 1,440 pixels Memory 4GB/8GB RAM Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB/512GB

at a glance Micro SD compatible? Yes, up to 128GB Camera 5MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing Video 1080p Connectivity Wi-fi only Dimensions 292.1mm x 201.4mm x 9.1mm Weight 800g Battery 42Wh

speed 60

55

display

battery

5

60 45

50

15

10

30

45

15 60

60

40

45

35

45

15

15

20

25

30

5

5

/

4

5

/

3.5

5

/


32-35_Surface-Pro-3_November14.indd 32

30/09/2014 13:18


review

F

or a company like Microsoft, the rise of the tablet was bad news. Here was a business, one of the world’s biggest, that made its name dominating the home PC and laptop market. The explosion in popularity of Apple MacBooks was bad enough, but then tablets came along and stole even more casual PC users. It didn’t help that Microsoft’s first mobile operating system, Windows Phone, in 2010 came three years after the launch of the first iPhone. The company was doomed to play catch-up to Apple’s iOS and Android – and it is still doing so in many respects. Microsoft actually pioneered the tablet long before then-Apple boss Steve Jobs unleashed the iPad upon the world in 2010. Around the turn of the millennium Microsoft released the Tablet PC, but by modern standards it was a poor attempt. It ran an untouched version of Windows XP, meaning operating it with a stylus was tricky at best.

operating system Just as Windows Phone has evolved, so has Microsoft’s vision for its tablets. If you want an example of just how seriously Microsoft takes touchscreens, you need look no further than Windows 8. Lambasted by traditional desktop users for its clumsy interface, the whole OS was designed specifically for touch usage. The company, which had built its empire on desktops, had sacrificed its

Windows 8 – The tablet version of the software really is the same as the grown-up PC version

user base to advance its tablet cause. Windows 8 was designed to be the operating system that would unify the desktop and tablet experiences. It’s clear that Microsoft firmly believes tablets are the future, plugging the new Surface Pro 3 as the “tablet to replace the laptop”. Microsoft hopes you’ll ditch your laptop to buy one. That’s a mighty high ambition. We’ve never reviewed an Android tablet that has come close to matching all the many applications a PC can turn its hand to; the same is true even

of the latest iPad. But this is where Microsoft’s unification plan comes into play. The OS on the Surface Pro 3 is not Android, it’s not iOS – it’s fully fledged Windows. When it’s operating in ‘desktop mode’, it resembles just that: a desktop PC. You can use any program you would on your old tower computer or laptop, from Microsoft Word to Adobe Photoshop to Steam. Gaming is the same – if it’s compatible with Windows 8, then it’ll run. Then you also have the Live Tiles view that you

Stand, raise or fold One of the biggest areas of improvement for the Surface is its foldout kickstand, which can be set to any angle. It’s stiff enough to hold position, too, even when typing.



30/09/2014 13:18


review

normally get on Windows Phone tablets. It’s a simple interface geared towards touch, and from here you can run all the apps that you would on, say, your Nokia Lumia 930. The breadth and versatility of apps and programs is by far the biggest strength of the Surface Pro 3. Whether you’re out and about and need to perform some quick tasks, or are sat at your desk in full-on work mode, it can be tailored to your needs.

design The device has a fold-out stand built in, so you can sit it at any angle you choose. It’s suitably stiff, so it can be folded to any degree and remain rigid, even bending back on itself for a near-flat angle. The level of stiffness does feel a little unnatural, though, and the fact that two small tabs are the only part of it you can actually pull or push on when the stand is closed can make it a little tricky to unfold quickly. Overall, the form factor of the Surface Pro 3 is fantastic. It feels like a premium device, with a body that’s entirely matte silver metal and glass. At 800g, it’s far from dainty – and nearly twice as heavy as an iPad Air – but the weight adds to the premium feel. It’s also a consequence we’d accept for a quality build, any day of the week. Its vents are placed evenly around the edge of the top of the device for effective dispersion of heat, which is clever. Plenty of laptops and tablets suffer from poorly placed exhausts, meaning you can’t lay them flat

“Without the Type Cover, the Surface Pro 3 just doesn’t make sense – it is insane that you have to buy it as a separate accessory” on a bed without them overheating, or on your legs without scorching yourself. If you didn’t notice they were there at first, you certainly will once the device gets going. It’s a powerful machine, and it sounds like one too. The fans are noticeably loud when running demanding apps and programs, more so than any other tablet we’ve handled. If Microsoft wanted to make a tablet on par with a laptop, it’s certainly come up with the noise levels to match. It’s a good thing the fans are there, as the Surface Pro 3 is awfully quick to heat up when put under duress, even if you’re just watching a fiveminute YouTube video. Again, though, the noise and temperature is tolerable for a device this powerful.

processor There’s a wide number of specifications available to you when purchasing a Surface Pro 3, meaning you can choose between a fourth-generation Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor. With speeds of either 1.5GHz, 2.9GHz or a mammoth 3.3GHz, it’s capable of handling just about anything you could throw at it.

GAMing Even PC gaming is possible, although don’t expect to be maxing out the settings on Crysis 3. But Windows 8 games such as Hearthstone and Worms will run just fine. You can even play demanding titles like Diablo III or Titanfall – just don’t expect it to be a pleasant experience. Needless to say, any app you care to download from the Windows games store will fly. The most processor-hungry mobile-designed games have never looked, or played, better.

screen That’s not to say that the Surface Pro 3’s display is immaculate. Despite a quad-HD resolution of 2,160 x 1,440 pixels, when you spread it out over a 12-inch screen, you’re left with 216 pixels per inch. It looks great 99% of the time, but you might be slightly disappointed when watching video. It doesn’t hold up to the same standards as a highend laptop or the Retina display on Apple’s iPads. Handily, though, you’re not confined to watching videos via the tablet itself. There’s a mini display port for outputting video up to 4K in resolution, providing you have a monitor or television that can handle it. This makes watching movies you have downloaded to your tablet on the big screen a breeze.

keyboard

Best mobile gaming we’ve ever seen

Chip speeds of up to a huge 3.3GHz

As made clear by Microsoft though, the whole point of the Surface Pro 3 is that you don’t need any other bits of home electronics in your life. The Surface Pro 3 should be your work, creative and media hub. To help facilitate all this is the Surface Pro Type Cover. As the name suggests, this is a detachable keyboard and trackpad that can fold up to protect the tablet’s screen. It’s a wonderful idea, executed surprisingly well. The wafer-thin keyboard snaps onto the bottom of the Surface Pro 3 magnetically, so there’s no fiddling around with hard connections. Once attached, you can operate the Surface Pro 3 however you like, swapping back and forth between swiping, typing and using an on-screen mouse. One of the most important features of the Type



30/09/2014 13:18


Apps – Services such as Next Issue allow access to a full newsstand

Cover is that it can be elevated slightly where it connects to the Surface, and then magnetically stick to the bottom bezel. This provides you with a raised keyboard akin to a desktop keyboard. This might sound like a minor thing, but it goes a huge way to making you feel like you’re using a real laptop, particularly if you have the device on your lap. The trackpad is also brilliant – better than most integrated Windows laptop trackpads we’ve come across. The left and right click have a satisfying amount of feedback and travel, and it even supports multi-touch gestures. The same can’t be said of the keyboard, unfortunately. While Microsoft has done well to improve it over the version it released with the Surface Pro 2, the keys still have far too little travel, making them feel spongy. Expect many an unintended keystroke. Mechanical keyboard fans may well prefer to cut off their hands than use it, though it’s still a whole lot better than using an on-screen keyboard. It’s also great that it supports the full range of Microsoft shortcuts such as Ctrl+C, Alt+Tab and Ctrl+Alt+Del. The addition of the Type Cover allows the Surface Pro 3 to bridge the divide between tablet and laptop which, after all, is the cornerstone of Microsoft’s vision – without it the Surface Pro 3 just doesn’t make sense. Given this point, it is insane that you have to buy it as a separate accessory.

review

Video – You can output films, such as from Netflix, onto a large TV

Just to reiterate: the Surface Pro 3’s raison d’être is not packaged along with it. The Surface Pro 3 costs enough to begin with – ranging from £640 to £1,650 – so it’s bordering on insulting that Microsoft expects you to cough up a further £110 to get full functionality out of the thing. Not to mention the fact that £110 for a keyboard is an exorbitant amount of money.

stylus It’s not all bad news, though. The Surface Pen comes packaged with the device, and it’s just as impressive as the Type Cover. It’s a stylus in all but name, as Microsoft wants you to think of it more as a legitimate writing tool than a simple pointing stick. The Surface Pen is made of metal and has the right weight and size to make it feel like an actual pen. It also has a clickable top, which performs some neat functions. If the Surface Pro 3 is lying dormant on the table and you need to quickly take a note, you can simply pick up the Surface Pen and click the top button. This wakes your device and opens up the One Note app. Then, when you’re done note-taking/sketching/doodling, you can click it again and it’ll instantly save to your Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage account. When the Surface Pen combines with the One Note app, it offers one of the best experiences a tablet user can have. The Surface Pen is probably

the best stylus going, and with over 1,000 levels of pressure in its textured tip, ‘ink’ on the page changes in weight like your natural handwriting would. Combine that with the slight drag and resistance it offers on the screen and it almost feels like writing on paper. Almost.

conclusion There’s no denying that the Surface Pro 3 is a very well-featured device. From software to hardware, and even design, it is a wonderful piece of kit. For once, it’s nice to review a Microsoft device without having to mention the Windows operating system as a drawback. Yes, the app selection is still a little limited, but when you have the entire Windows desktop program catalogue available, who cares? It’s refreshing to have a tablet aspiring to be what we all hoped tablets would be when they burst onto the scene nearly five years ago. What’s most impressive of all is that the Surface Pro 3 barely falls short of these aspirations. For most people, this device could conceivably replace their laptop. If you’re big on gaming, editing or OS X, then you might find it a little wanting. But for the ‘casual’ user, this device is capable enough. If you already own both a decent laptop and a tablet, then you’ll probably be in no hurry to trade them both in for this one device. But shy of the audacious price and the baffling decision not to include the Surface Pro Type Cover, there’s little wrong with the Surface Pro 3.

Verdict The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 may well be the most advanced tablet we’ve yet seen, to the point where calling it a ‘tablet’ doesn’t really do it justice. Microsoft want it to replace your laptop and, for most casual users, there’s no real reason why it couldn’t. It can do it all – if you’ve got the large amount of money needed to buy one.

+ Premium build + Outstanding listt of features + Practically a laptop – Very, very expensive – Its key accessory costs extra – Loud and hot

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review


BlackBerry Passport BlackBerry hopes its latest device can help it to soar high again, but will the Passport’s odd design ground this flight of fancy before it’s even taken off? Price: £530 Reviewer: Saqib Shah

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he importance of the BlackBerry Passport cannot be downplayed. It comes at a tumultuous time for the Canadian manufacturer, which currently faces an uncertain future as its profits dwindle and its position in the smartphone market continues to decline. A year after the release of the underwhelming BlackBerry Z30, the Passport sees it treading new ground aesthetically, while also attempting to retain its core user base. The result is a premium device with a perfectly square display and the best specs ever seen on a BlackBerry handset. As usual, productivity features come first, but can the Passport appeal to users beyond the boardroom?

4.5 x 4.5-inch screen looks odd

Phone is about the size of a passport

Design The first thing that most onlookers will be struck by is the Passport’s square display and large dimensions – approximately the size of an actual passport. This makes it heavy and virtually impossible to navigate with one hand. Although BlackBerry envisions it for office use, we are still in the camp that believes a mobile phone should offer mobility. After all, productivity-oriented tablets are also available if you need something bigger than a mobile. The Passport’s square screen is 4.5 x 4.5 inches, making it 0.5 inches bigger than that of the iPhone 5s in both width and height. Underneath it you will find a classic and compact QWERTY keyboard. It might stand out from the crowd, but its form factor just looks odd – like a resizing exercise gone horribly wrong. However, if it’s a premium device you want, then the Passport delivers. Its stainless steel frame and matte black finish not only mean it

Great keyboard, as you would expect

Spec sheet OS BlackBerry 10.3 Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 1,440 x 1,440 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 32GB Micro SD compatible? Yes

at a glance Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 128 x 90.3 x 9.3mm Weight 194g Battery 3,450mAh

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BlackBerry Hub – Synching between devices here is better than anything offered on iOS or Android

review

appears in a widescreen format with large black blocks on the top and bottom cutting off the extra space. The likes of Twitter and Facebook, on the other hand, have been optimised for the handset and benefit from the larger display. As, too, does web browsing. The display also offers a stunning 453 pixels per inch. Apps inevitably perform well considering the premium specs BlackBerry brings to the table. These include a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera. The non-removable battery is extremely powerful and can last for up to 30 hours on a single charge. All of these specs are a first for BlackBerry and outdo every other device in its line-up.

Software looks professional, but combine that with its bulky dimensions and you have a durable device. The Passport looks tough; we wouldn’t be surprised if it survived the hands of even the clumsiest of users. Comparatively speaking, that sets it apart from some of its rivals; we certainly couldn’t say the same about the iPhone 6 Plus, especially in light of the recent ‘bendgate’ controversy, which saw Apple on the back foot for once, as consumers took to online forums and social media to deride its easily bendable phablet. At 194g, the Passport won’t appeal to fans of lightweight handsets. It is heavier than every major flagship smartphone on the market. Despite containing a classic physical keyboard, which is easy and perfectly satisfying to use, you have to resort to touch controls when entering symbols and numbers. Additionally, users must

also navigate the user interface using touch controls on the screen. However, you can also swipe up and down on the keyboard to scroll through web pages and selected apps. This may sound problematic on paper but it works relatively well on the device. Scrolling via the keyboard in particular is sensitive and easy to use. Once you get the hang of it, switching back and forth is not a hassle either.

The Passport’s defining – and divisive – factor is its display. Depending on how you use the handset, you’ll either love or hate it. Although it offers a solid resolution of 1,440 x 1,440 pixels, it is more useful for viewing documents than video. The latter, such as YouTube clips, suffer at the hands of the screen’s odd aspect ratio; video

The Passport comes with an updated operating system: BlackBerry 10.3. This finds the company playing catch-up with the likes of Apple, Google and Windows by introducing its own voice-operated BlackBerry Assistant – think of it as a simple Siri or casual Cortana – which is nonetheless a useful feature on a bigger device like the Passport. To its credit, the BlackBerry Passport manages to cram in a lot of information on its display – and it’s obsessed with notifications. The lock screen contains icons for email, events, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It also displays your most recent alert. The larger display means that despite this information overload, the screen avoids looking even remotely cluttered. The BlackBerry Hub is your one-stop shop for all your notifications. Simply swipe to the centre of the display from the right to access it. There, you will find your emails, BBM messages and social

BlackBerry Apps – Get access to Amazon’s apps for the first time on a BlackBerry device

BlackBerry Assistant – This voice-operated helper is a simpler take on the iPhone’s Siri

BlackBerry Hub – Notifications addicts will love the way it brings all your alerts together

screen & specs



30/09/2014 13:22

review

network notifications all arranged in a single timeline. For those looking for some order to the chaos, it also allows you to archive messages in custom folders, search through the timeline for specific entries and filter results according to the type of notification you wish to view. You can also preview the calendar and upcoming events by swiping down from the top of the screen when in the Hub. Think of it as a more comprehensive version of the iOS Notification Center. Taking that one step further, BlackBerry has also introduced a new standout feature called BlackBerry Blend, which allows you to access your notifications across devices and platforms. Blend is the bridge between your Blackberry, laptop, PC and tablet. Once installed on one or more of those systems, Blend lets you get BBM messages, texts, and emails on that device, while also allowing you to access files, calendars and contacts on that platform. Furthermore, it works across operating systems including Mac OS X, Windows, and Android and iOS tablets. Apple has aimed for this type of synchronicity on its own devices and Android users can achieve it via third-party apps such as PushBullet, but BlackBerry has outdone them both with the scale and breadth of Blend. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Passport is remembered for this feature alone. Aside from the innovative keyboard, the feature that casual users will appreciate most is the Amazon Appstore. Although the BlackBerry World store is still intact, users now have access to an additional 200,000 apps, thanks to the inclusion of Amazon’s app library. As a result, popular apps and games such as Pinterest, Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft have made it onto BlackBerry devices for the first time. The option to access two stores rather than one is definitely a plus, but even with their combined libraries, they still do not offer the staggering amount of content available on the Google Play store and iOS App Store, which boast around 1.3 million apps respectively.


Metallic frame feels premium

Business users will love its features

about its future. Design innovation often comes through risk-taking and learning from your mistakes. For now, however, we’ll take the conventional likes of the HTC One M8 and iPhone 6 over the Passport any day.

Conclusion Usability The BlackBerry Passport’s large width means it is impractical to use on the go. Unless you have huge fingers, you will have a hard time navigating its large frame single-handed. Add to that its other dimensions and you have a bulky device that is better suited to the boardroom or office desk than the commute to work. It’s as though BlackBerry forgot the definition of “mobile”. However, we must add that we did not have a great deal of time with the device, as it was launched so late in the month. We expect even ardent BlackBerry fans will be bemused by its appearance. But we must admit that once you begin using the device, it does grow on you – mainly due to its functionality. Perhaps when you overcome the initial learning (and handling) curve, you will never want to go back to rectangular phones again – it boils down to preference. If the risk pays off, BlackBerry could build upon the Passport to create a better device – and maybe even a square range – or, if it is indeed a hit, it may stick with and improve the device. Either way, we remain cautiously optimistic

If you can overlook its odd design, the BlackBerry Passport is a premium device by anyone’s standards. It has the best specs the manufacturer has ever delivered, and top-of-the-range materials make up its metallic aesthetic. We’re not the biggest fans of its operating system from a design perspective, but there’s so much on offer here, and the Passport handles each and every task so well, that even we were won over. The focus on productivity, on the other hand, is less progressive and more of a bid toward its core enterprise crowd, which was under threat, seeing as productivity apps and features are now available on Android devices and iPhones, not to mention superior tablets such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (see p32). While it could have potentially been great, when faced with the final product – a weirdly distorted device – the result is a little baffling. We agree that BlackBerry urgently needed a change or some sort of catalyst to make it relevant again, but the Passport won’t bring it the new fans it so desperately needs. It could, though, help retain business users that may have been swayed to consider rival products, meaning BlackBerry might live to fight another day.

Verdict If you’re a business user, BlackBerry has just delivered the phone of your dreams in terms of functionality. For everyone else, the Passport is far too impractical and productivity-oriented to use on a daily basis.

+ Premium build offers more durability + BB 10.3 spoils you with new features + Hybrid keyboard is truly innovative – Bulky dimensions – Odd square-shaped display – Hugely lacking in apps


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30/09/2014 13:22

Smart-H


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36-39_BlackBerry Passport_November14.indd 39 Smart-Health-ad_Oct14.indd 1

30/09/2014 13:22 11:39


review

Motorola Moto G Motorola’s second iteration of its best-selling smartphone continues to offer amazing value Price: £150 Reviewer: Saqib Shah

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t may seem confusing at first, but Motorola has refrained from renaming its entry-level bestseller for this updated and improved version. You might find it named elsewhere as the ‘Moto G (2nd gen)’ or the ‘Moto G2’. As William Shakespeare wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”; in the case of the Moto G, that could be modified to, “A device by any other name would perform as well”. The label doesn’t matter. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. And boy, does Motorola have another winner on its hands. There’s no 4G LTE capability here. So if it’s 4G you’re after, you’ll need to seek out the £130 4G variant, which is a different model to the one reviewed here, and which has the same specs as the first Moto G. The screen resolution, battery and processor on the latest model remain unchanged from the first Moto G. One of the most obvious upgrades is its size – 5 inches compared to 4.5 inches, in line with the trend towards bigger smartphones. There is also a beefed-up 8-megapixel rear camera on board. The new specs might not seem like a huge change on paper, but they make a visible difference when using the device.

Screen size has grown to 5 inches

Rear camera up from 5MP to 8MP

The lack of physical control buttons on the front of the Moto G make it harder to discern the top and bottom of the phone. We reviewed the white handset with its curved, bulging back; it looks rather bland, but fortunately there is the option to customise it with one of seven coloured back covers, as is usually the case with Moto handsets. Since the launch of its e-store in September, you can now purchase individual covers, priced at £11 each, directly from Motorola. Aside from the size, the Moto G remains largely the same. Three physical control buttons (lock and volume controls) can still be found on the right-hand side, and the back contains the larger 8-megapixel rear camera. Also on the rear is the small Motorola ‘M’ logo, which thankfully looks better than the logos of some rival brands. Placing the headphone port at the top of the device – and in the middle – isn’t easy on the eye, and only makes it that more visible, but it’s a small complaint. You won’t hear us moaning about the bezels, however, which have been slimmed down to fit in the larger display.

Performance As mentioned above, the 1.2GHz quad-core processor on the new Moto G is not an upgrade. It still handles general tasks well, though.

“The new specs might not seem like a huge change on paper, but they make a visible difference when using the device”

Spec sheet OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1,280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB, 16GB Micro SD compatible? Yes

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Camera – The 3-megapixel hike in resolution is a welcome upgrade

As was the case with the previous Moto G, its display is bright and the user interface extremely smooth for an entry-level handset. There might be cheaper devices out there, but they don’t perform this well or look this good. In regard to performance when running apps, Twitter opens quickly but switching between the image-heavy Discovery tab and our personal profile took a second longer to load. Facebook on the other hand was faster, and a breeze to browse through. The same can’t be said for web browsing via Google Chrome; web pages took a few seconds longer to fully load than apps. Still, it was hardly a long wait and it’s unlikely to be noticed by anyone coming to the Moto G having previously owned another entry-level handset. Next up, we tried some of the games available on the Google Play store. The powerful, open-world western shooter Six Guns ran smoothly after some initial lag affected the gameplay. We also loaded up the DC Comics beat-em-up Injustice, which had incredibly smooth gameplay. Both titles demand a lot from the processor, but ran well here, with very little lag and short loading times. We must also add that gaming on the larger 5-inch display certainly increases the visual impact. The 0.5-inch screen size jump makes a difference when doing anything visual on the Moto G such as video playback. However, as it’s not a mid-range or premium device, Motorola has not upgraded the Moto G to Full HD and it remains 720p resolution. This will certainly be a setback for those in

review

Detail – The improved camera makes for clearer, sharper images

possession of the first-gen handset but, believe us, the larger screen is worth the price of admission alone. YouTube videos load quickly over wi-fi and still look sharp on 720p. For the pixel purists looking for better resolutions, the only option is a pricier device, such as the £500 LG G3, with its 1,440 x 2,560-pixel QHD resolution. For its class, though, the Moto G still offers an unbeatable visual experience.

Features The camera functionality on the Moto G is as simple as they come on Android handsets. Naturally, the upgrade from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels leads to clearer, sharper images. Video recording remains unchanged, at 720p. The camera’s toolbar could have done with more of an update. The lack of options and simple touch controls (tap anywhere on the screen to shoot) are fine for no-nonsense users, but more camera modes would certainly have helped. Still, if it’s more tools you’re after, you can download third-party apps, such as Hyperlapse for time-lapse videos, and the Google Camera or Photo Sphere for more capture modes. The HDR and panorama modes are useful and add some options, at least. The ability to switch from auto-focus to manual focus (drag the square to the part of the screen you wish to focus on), and from 6-megapixel widescreen (16:9) to 8-megapixel standard (4:3) aspect ratio will also appeal to more confident users.

So, Motorola has taken a practical approach to upgrading the camera by simply beefing up its pixel count; after all, that’s what affects images directly. If it’s better editing tools you’re after, then spend some time getting acquainted with the photography apps on the Google Play store, some of which you may have to spend money on.

Conclusion Following the launch of the Moto E earlier this year, the original Moto G was no longer the cheapest device in Motorola’s line-up. And the Moto E has solid specs, so the Moto G required an upgrade to justify its higher price. Motorola got itself in a twist by releasing one too many devices when it launched the Moto G 4G recently to capitalise on the Moto G’s success, but it makes the launch of a secondgen Moto G all the more confusing. Can we really call a device ‘second-gen’ when it doesn’t even boast 4G technology? To its credit, Motorola has improved the specs that really matter. The larger display is a welcome addition and gives the phone a more premium look compared to its compact counterparts. The first-gen’s 5-megapixel camera also needed improving and, thankfully, Motorola held off from adding any pricey gimmicks such as a ‘selfie cam’. The Moto G is worth a look if you’re after an entry-level Android handset. The addition of 4G and perhaps a slightly faster processor would have been the icing on the cake.

Verdict Motorola’s unwillingness to change the name of the upgraded Moto G means this isn’t the type of upgrade we’re accustomed to. Still, the device benefits from a larger screen, and photography enthusiasts will be pleased to find a better camera on the back. The price is still affordable, but a lack of 4G connectivity is disappointing.

+ One of the best entry-level phones money can buy + Bigger size aids visuals + Improved camera

– Lack of 4G – Processor hasn’t been upgraded


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, r e d r a H better,


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faster, Stronger Apple was the first to equip smartphones with a 64-bit processor on its iPhone 5s. Now, 64-bit tech is on the rise among Android devices. Saqib Shah explains what 64-bit means for you

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midst the hustle and bustle of this year’s IFA expo in Berlin – which saw blockbuster launches from Samsung and major new phones from the likes of Nokia and Sony – two unique, new Android handsets went under the radar. The HTC Desire 820 and Lenovo Vibe Z2 are among a handful of Android devices to be the first to carry a powerful new 64-bit processor. The tech, which has been available to Apple fans since the release of the iPhone 5s, is thought to improve performance, speed and usability. So why aren’t Android device manufacturers making more of a song and dance about 64-bit handsets? The muted reception that greeted the Desire 820 and Vibe Z2 wasn’t about lousy promotion or marketing; Google, Android and processor makers such as Qualcomm have all played a part in the cautiously slow adoption of the tech. Also, launching the products in the cacophonous bubble of a blockbuster September, which saw the unveiling of the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4, helped relegate them to little more than a footnote. However, with analysts predicting that 64-bit processors will become an industry standard by 2016, it is likely that the Desire 820 and Vibe Z2 will one day be remembered as trailblazers for future Android devices. The two handsets join an exclusive club of Android smartphones that carry 64-bit chipsets. (For a comparative rundown of the specs of the current crop of 64-bit Android phones, see p44.)

Seeing double Firstly, let’s take a look at 64-bit smartphone technology and why it will grow in importance over the coming years. The tech relates to the amount of memory (RAM) a processor – a CPU in the case of a PC – can handle. The more RAM available to it, the faster it can perform general tasks. With a 32-bit chip, you limit the amount of RAM you can access to 4GB. The step up to a 64-bit processor brings with it a massive jump to a maximum of 16 exabytes (or 16 billion gigabytes). That’s a huge amount of memory. The 64-bit Android phenomenon is a new one. Up until 2013, only Apple products – such as the iPhone 5s and iPad Air – carried the supposedly superior processors.

Google wakes up As mentioned above, the main factor here is RAM, which aids the processor in performing general tasks quickly. In the case of a smartphone, this affects the speed at which it opens apps or how smoothly the user interface runs.

‘Analysts predict that by 2016 all smartphones will contain 64-bit processors and upgraded RAM’ www.whatmobile.net 43


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Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 – The 64-bit processor is said to boost Android devices’ power

In a league of their own Currently only three 64-bit Android devices have been unveiled; HTC is leading the charge with two mid-range phones and Lenovo is getting behind the tech with the Vibe Z2. The HTC Desire 510 was the first 64-bit Android device to hit the shelves in August. But aside from its historic status as a worldfirst, the Desire 510 is just another mid-tier handset. The phone comes with a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, 1GB of RAM, a low-res 4.7-inch display and 4G capability. Meanwhile, The HTC Desire 820 and Lenovo Vibe Z2 phones offer little more in terms of memory, with 2GB of RAM in both. The same applies to their other specs. The Desire 820 comes with a 5.5-inch 720p display, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a suitably trendy 8-megapixel selfie cam on the front. It also packs a 2,600mAh battery. The Lenovo Vibe Z2 is the better-looking device, mainly due to its metallic sheen and slightly smaller 5.2-inch screen – making for a better pixels-per-inch count on its similar 720p display. Dual SIM slots, 32GB of internal storage, a 3,000mAh battery and a 13-megapixel rear

camera with a backlit sensor round things out. Given the so-so specs, the phones risk being overshadowed by the company’s other high-profile product launches. The HTC One M8 Windows Phone edition, Lenovo Vibe X2 (unveiled alongside the Z2 at IFA), and the upcoming Lenovo flagship, the Vibe Z2 Pro, all have superior specs compared to their midrange counterparts. Although the devices may not appeal greatly at first glance, their potential will be put to the test when Android L – Google’s upgrade to its popular operating system – drops later this year. Tech insiders, hardware manufacturers and industry analysts are all predicting big things for 64-bit phones on Android L. The only concern is that the mid-range specs on these three phones may not unleash the full capability of Google’s updated OS. Although better flagship 64-bit Android devices will inevitably emerge, owners of the HTC Desire 510, 820 and Lenovo Vibe Z2 may be the first to harness the power of Android L. Not bad for a bunch of sub-£200 phones. Lenovo Vibe Z2 – Could be one of the first handsets to get the most out of Android L



30/09/2014 13:26


feature

Android takes a byte out of apple Apple was the first company to launch a 64-bit smartphone in the form of the iPhone 5s, in September 2013. Almost two years later, Android device makers and processor manufacturers have finally got the message and gone down the same route. Google and its partners have arrived fashionably late to the 64-bit party. Whether they will outshine Apple in the long run boils down to the different processors in Android and Apple devices, and how they work with the respective operating systems and specs of their handsets. Although Google and Apple may finally be on the same page as to future-proofing their new devices with the chips, their respective strategies have been wildly different. Apple started the trend by creating the A7 64-bit ARMv8-A for the iPhone 5s – the major difference being that Apple creates its processors in-house, whereas Android handsets are open to third-party chipsets from the likes of Qualcomm and Nvidia. This also means that we know a lot more about Android processors than Apple’s infamously secretive hardware. The companies also differ in the type of smartphones that carry the chip; it would be an unfavourable comparison pitting the top-end iPhone 5s against the mid-range HTC Desire 820.

Android is an open OS and often falls prey to the differing opinions of the individual parts makers, which goes a long way to explaining why it took so long to embrace 64-bit technology. In the face of a lack of compatibility with Android KitKat, it’s no wonder Android smartphone manufacturers didn’t push for the tech in the wake of the iPhone 5s – although Samsung was an early vocal advocate of 64-bit processors, it has yet to produce a 64-bit smartphone. The recently launched iPhone 6 continues Apple’s commitment to 64-bit tech. In it you will find the company’s new Apple A8 chipset, which analysts have termed a “64-bit beast”. As a result, the new iPhone is 25% faster and 50% more efficient, according to Apple. In the words of Apple’s senior vice president Phil Schiller, the A8 also boasts better “sustained performance”, which means it won’t overheat when carrying out demanding tasks over a long period. Android is no stranger to the power game either – high-end handsets such as the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 come packing robust quad-core 32-bit processors. Therefore, fans of Google’s OS have a lot to look forward to in the new year, when the rise of flagship Android machines with upgraded 64-bit processors is set to begin.

The initial scepticism from influential processor manufacturers such as Qualcomm was grounded in the lack of support for the tech within Google’s operating system. Google changed all that when it announced that its upcoming Android L OS had been tuned to work with 64-bit devices. Intel, which has been testing 64-bit chips with Android in its labs, says the tech brings with it performance benefits in graphics, data encryption and decryption, decompression and running large applications.

32-bit Android application in the market today.” Commentators have gone as far as to claim that the new 64-bit ARM v8 processors will bring smartphones even closer to delivering a desktop-class computer experience that can last even longer on a single charge. According to regulator Ofcom, consumers are thought to value battery life more than any other smartphone function. Therefore, 64-bit devices that boast powerful performance on top of robust battery life should be music to your ears.

Android architecture

Making history

It is difficult to discuss 64-bit processors without examining their architecture, though we appreciate that most people don’t want to be bogged down with tech jargon about transistors and reduced instruction set computing (RISC). Still with us? Good, we were afraid we’d lose you with the technobabble. One thing you should be aware of is that most contemporary 64-bit processors for Android devices will be built on the ARM AArch64 architecture. But we know what you’re really interested in is how this will improve performance. Simply put, the new ARM v8 architecture – coming soon to Android and already on the new iPhone 6 – will do two things: optimise performance and use less battery when carrying out general tasks. Processor maker Nvidia had the following to say about the new tech: “ARMv8 brings a host of improvements in power efficiency, as well as performance, that have a direct and significant impact on nearly every

Debuting 64-bit tech on mid-range phones is a cautiously optimistic strategy from HTC and Lenovo. Both smartphone makers have witnessed their fair share of success recently – HTC with its blockbuster One M8 and Lenovo from the entry-level dominance of Motorola, which the company owns. Their faith in 64-bit processors signals that they aren’t afraid to take risks in order to future-proof their devices. Although 64-bit tech has, in some ways, already proven itself to be the future standard for smartphone processors, new hardware improvements will rely on the experiments currently taking place. That’s where these two mid-range smartphones come in. Their exclusivity, however, will be shortlived, as analysts predict that by 2016 all smartphones will contain 64-bit processors and upgraded RAM. Consequently, the HTC Desire 820 and Lenovo Vibe Z2 may one day be viewed as touchstones in the move towards 64-bit Android functionality. Their specs may be forgettable, but their processor is here to stay.



30/09/2014 13:26


Facing up to life after Facebook If your social networking experience begins with Facebook and ends with Twitter, you’re missing out. Here’s our top 20 alternatives for your mobile. By Callum Tennent

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en years ago, sites like Friendster, Bebo and Friends Reunited reigned supreme in social networking. Today, they stand as grave testament to the ever-changing landscape of social media. Just like the technologies we use to access such services, social networks have had to adapt to the needs of their users; those that fail to do so face a sad fate, destined to decay into virtual ghost towns. Not even the biggest of them all, the monolithic Facebook, is safe; while

nothing is likely to come close to matching the latter-day dominance of Zuckerberg’s behemoth again, cracks have already begun to show. In the last three years, 25% of Facebook’s teenage population have left the site – and they have not been replaced. Growth of the service is at an all time low, too. Why? Because of the wealth of social networking options out there. Facebook has become the jack-of-all-trades and master of none. So, if Stockholm Syndrome has a tight hold of you, and you’re reluctant to leave the social site that holds you hostage, allow us to help. We’ve compiled a list of our top 20 alternative social networks. Some have user bases in the millions, some in the thousands, but the idea is to find one that better suits your interests. Maybe one or two will take your fancy. Who knows, you might never log in to Facebook again…

“There is a wealth of social networking options – Facebook has become the jack-of-all-trades and master of none”

Photography Instagram

The undisputed king of food pics, selfies and ugly pets, Instagram is one of the biggest social networks in the world – and with good reason. There are enough filters to make even the most cack-handed amateur photographer look like David Bailey. Hell, it can even make photographs of other people’s dinner look halfway decent.

Flickr

Recently acquired by Yahoo!, the Flickr mobile experience is now better than ever. A little more geared towards professionals than Instagram, Flickr will appeal to genuine amateur photographers. In-app retouching is a joy, as is the ability to see the full specs of the camera used by the photographer. You can check out other people’s albums and curate your own, and even follow some of the world’s best photographers.

Imgur

At the opposite end of the scale sits Imgur. Part image host, part forum, it’s a seemingly infinite image bank for everything from memes to gifs to selfies of people you’ll never meet. It gained popularity through its no-strings-attached format, but now has its own ranked commenting section, a random image mode and, yes, an image macro creator.


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feature

Music MySpace

Is there a greater tale of demise in the internet age than Myspace? The one-time king of social networking has recently been rebranded as a music network, as that’s one feature the original Myspace did better than sites such as Facebook. Not only can you listen to the latest tracks from your favourite artists, but you can also follow them, chat with them and communicate with other fans.

Rdio

Wouldn’t Facebook be better if instead of showing you baby photos from a girl you went to middle school with, it exposed you to new music from artists who sound like your favourite band? That’s the idea behind Rdio, and it’s excellent. You build up a personal radio station simply through listening to music you like, and your friends do the same. You can then follow your friends and hear the music they enjoy. Tracks are recommended to you, and the cycle continues.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is unique in that it encourages content creation just as much as it does content sharing. Not only can you listen to the latest mixtapes and unreleased singles from some seriously big names, but you can also upload your own stuff – mixes, remixes, original tracks, podcasts… anything, as long as it sounds good.

lifestyle Pinterest

Pinterest is your mum’s favourite social network. If she’s heard of it, that is. Rather than a written profile, you have a sort of virtual pinboard upon which you can pin anything interesting you see around the site such as a recipe, outfit or craft creation. Not only that, but you can take any image you find on the internet and turn it into a pin, too. Albums can be assembled and the pics therein tagged to make it easier for other Pinterest users to find the things you’ve created or pinned. Pinterest is rare in that it’s a social network that might actually teach you a thing or two, or get you motivated to get up and do something creative or crafty.

Hypebeast

If Pinterest is the stay-at-home mum of social media, Hypebeast is her twentysomething son who left their desolate satellite town for the big city. Part newsfeed, part forum, part store, entirely insane, Hypebeast catches a lot of flack for its total lack of self-awareness, but there’s no denying it’s always on the bleeding edge of urban culture. It’s a fantastic place to read and talk about everything from £1,000 sneakers to wall-hangings or the state of the Japanese design industry.



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feature

Sport Sportlobster

Sportlobster offers you all the fun of watching the big match in a busy pub, but with zero chance of having a pint spilled down you, being beaten up or getting wee on your shoes from a leaky urinal. The app allows you to not only chat with others watching the game/fight/test in a live match centre, but also within forums, and even via your own blog. There’s guest contributions from stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and George Groves, and every team from every major sport is featured. It’s a hell of a step up from reading Piers Morgan whining about Arsenal on Twitter.

Reddit

Reddit is the internet’s most popular content aggregator and while it may have subforums dedicated to every conceivable topic under the sun, sport is something it does extraordinarily well. The soccer, NFL, NBA, NHL and Formula 1 ‘sub-Reddits’ are among the busiest on the web; they are informative, inclusive and fun places for beginners and experts alike. It’s a top source for breaking news, as well as in-depth or irreverent discussion, and its system for up or down voting comments ensures the quality of conversation is always high. There’s also sub-Reddits for individual teams, so you don’t have to suffer alone.

Video games

Raptr

What happens when you combine Twitch with Twitter? Surprisingly, the result isn’t completely terrible. Rather, Raptr combines the best of both with a dash of oldschool videogame forum vibe. You can subscribe to your favourite gaming communities, watch live streams, chat about the big topics at hand, and even post your own clips.

humour

Duxter

Unlike most other entries on this list, Duxter follows the Facebook mould almost to a tee. The key difference, of course, is that the service is dedicated to gaming. You can use status updates to brag about your achievements, express thoughts on your latest purchase or find someone to game with.

9GAG

This is simple, dumb fun for the internet generation. Image macros, memes, GIFs – 9GAG has it all, and it’ll never fail to keep you occupied on a quick bus journey. Anyone can post, anyone can comment and there’s even a forum.

Cracked

Cracked is to blame for the rise to prominence of the

‘listicle’ – numerical, list-based articles with big, brazen headlines that now pervade even high-brow news sites. Cracked makes no apologies for that, either, mainly because it does it so much better than most. It’s probably the most acceptable form of ‘edutainment’ of all time, with hysterical articles that can teach you something at the same time as keeping you amused.



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feature

blogging LiveJournal

Remember what the internet was like before the turn of the millennium? We should hope not, because it was dreadful. That said, now that we’ve been blessed with access to the largest bank of information in human history, it can leave you pining for how simple it used to be. LiveJournal takes all the best bits of the old blogging communities and brings them into the 21st century.

FanFiction

Fan fiction is a bizarre universe, equal parts fascinating and baffling. But when you consider that EL James’ 50 Shades series began life as Twilight fan fiction, suddenly the medium looks a lot more credible. FanFiction.net and its corresponding app is the largest community of such writers on the internet. Between the top 20 intellectual properties alone are more than two million works of fan fiction, with countless others hosted too.

Tumblr

Much like Instagram, Tumblr is a phenomenon in and of itself, capable of going toe-to-toe with any other social network out there. In 2013, Yahoo! purchased the site for over $1.1 billion (£723m), and the site houses more than 92.1bn blog posts. Tumblr’s essence is so unique, it’s almost impossible to boil down. Despite its intangibility, it could perhaps be described as Twitter meets Pinterest.

Food and drink Zomato

Along with the rise of the internet has come the rise of the foodie. There’s no such thing as a hidden gem any more, nor can restaurants afford to charge high prices while offering sub-par food. If you have even a passing interest in dining out, Zomato could change your life. Learn about the eateries around you, follow your friends on their culinary adventures, and even subscribe to updates from renowned critics and gourmets.

Foodie

If you’re more of a budding chef than a restauranteur, then Foodie might be to your taste. It turns cooking into a social experience, and it’s a lot more accessible than traditional tome-like cooking books. Recipes are shared and rated by other users, so you know you’re not about to make something awful (if you know what you’re doing). There’s also recipes contributed from more than 20 published cooks.

Welovegoodfood

Welovegoodfood aims to focus on all that’s good in the culinary world. Critics can be harsh, and we’ve all had a bad meal before, so negativity is strictly forbidden; this app is only for sharing and discussing the best of the best. Take a snap of a great meal, share a recipe or tag a top restaurant. Talk with other users who are into the same cuisine as you or chat with other foodies around the world.



30/09/2014 15:24

apps and games


‘Lapse it up Getting Hyper-active with Instagram’s latest service, plus a new typewriter app from... Tom Hanks? Reviewers: Saqib Shah and Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

Hyperlapse Free (iOS) Instagram has been allowed to operate independently since its $1 billion (£629m) acquisition by Facebook in 2012. The fruits of its creative independence are now starting to emerge in the form of new apps that bear its name but take its popular approach to image-sharing even further. Aside from Bolt (see last month’s apps round-up), which rightly fell prey to “Snapchat clone” criticisms, Hyperlapse is the jewel in Instagram’s crown. The app allows users to speed up videos captured in-app. By using a device’s built-in camera gyroscope (which may not be available on low-end snappers), and removing any jolts within a frame, the result is a smoother picture overall. Once you have created your masterpiece, you can share it via Instagram or save it to your phone to share elsewhere. Hyperlapse provides a great way to speed up and miniaturise long-form videos. It also produces professional-looking content without the need for additional camera accessories. In short, it could turn out to be the visual app you end up using the most.

Hanx Writer Free (iOS) Hanx Writer is the first app from Tom Hanks. Yes, you read that right, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks is now in the business of making apps. Hanx Writer turns your iPad into an old-school typewriter, going so far as replicating the sounds of the antiquated device. Hit the keys and you’ll hear that familiar – depending on your age – clank-clank sound, and reach the end of a line and a ring will sound. Additionally, the app works with a Bluetooth keyboard, has a delete and auto-correct key and the ability to share the work you create. Hanx Writer is free on the App Store, though Mr Hanks has chosen to go down the route of in-app purchases, with optional fonts and sounds offered for a small price. Hanks himself had the following to say about his new venture: “I suppose some people who get the app may just be looking for a different sound, but really it’s for people searching for a more personalised experience when writing on an iPad.”


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30/09/2014 16:12


apps and games

OneStart

TechNo–Parental Control Photo Sphere

Free (Windows Phone)

99p (Android)

Free (iOS)

We like the way the Windows Phone live tile home screen shows interactive updates for the apps stored within it, but it offers little customisation. With OneStart, Windows Phone users can change a number of things about their home screen. A number of colour options are available for live tiles, which range from simple block colours to rainbowlike palettes. The blank tile options also allow you to place an image as your background.

This app is for parents who are looking to further secure (or control) their child’s smartphone or tablet. In extreme cases you can use the app to lock your child’s device until you decide to unlock it. If you just want to limit the amount of time your child spends on their device, TechNo lets you set a time limit on the lock. To get started, simply download the app to the desired device and sign up on TechNo’s website.

Until now, 360-degree images could not be captured using an iPhone. Google’s Photo Sphere just about beat Apple to the punch by bringing the technology to iOS devices for the first time, although the iPhone 6 has it built-in. If you don’t have Apple’s latest phone, then this is your best bet for wide-angle shots. Use the in-app camera to slowly track the environment you want to capture for a near-seamless panoramic shot.

BBM for Windows

Star Walk 2

Google News & Weather

Free (Windows Phone)

£1.99 (iOS)

Free (Android)

BlackBerry’s hallowed instant messaging app – with its user-friendly interface and useful functions – is now out of beta for Windows Phone devices. Contacts, chats and feeds are all available, as are group chats, which also include the ability to share images, voice memos and contacts. On this version you can also pin your favourite contacts to your start screen. BBM will have few competitors on the Windows Phone store, making this a solid addition for fans of instant messaging.

For all you stargazers out there, the second generation version of Star Walk improves upon what was already a great app. The app has added a clean interface in vibrant new colours, which will look great on a Retina display. It is also the first app to introduce 3D models of planetary nebulae. Star Walk 2 uses the gyroscope in your iPhone or iPad’s camera to find constellation maps – all you have to do is turn on the app and point it at the sky to begin your journey.

The convenient place to find all your news and weather updates, Google News and Weather is a major resource. With coverage from 65,000 publications and trending stories categorised by subject such as Top Stories, Technology and Sports, as well as 60 country-specific sections, this app will satisfy even the most restless media junky. You can sign in with your Google account details for a more customised experience, too. The addition of a weather forecast is a nice touch.



30/09/2014 16:12

apps and games


Shock and awe One of the all-time classics, BioShock, gets an iPhone port – plus the best of the rest rounded up Reviewers: Saqib Shah and Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

BioShock £10.49 (iOS) If you wanted an example of exactly how far mobile gaming has progressed, consider this: the original BioShock was first released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC nearly seven years ago. On the iOS here, we’re looking at a straight port of the seminal shooter. This is the full game, in all its untouched greatness. The graphics aren’t quite on the same level as its console sibling (this is still the iPhone we’re talking about, not a PS Vita), but that’s not what BioShock is about. The atmosphere is as tense and gripping as ever, and the plot will shake you with every twist and turn. It’s expensive, and there’s no denying that the gameplay suffers a little having been converted to touchscreen, but this is still one of the best games of a generation on your phone. That’s undeniably cool.

The King of Fighters ‘98 69p (Android & iOS) The King of Fighters is a staple of the beatem-up landscape. It’s a game as historically important to the genre as Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. If you haven’t heard of it before, well, The King of Fighters ‘98 on mobile probably isn’t for you. What you get is the pure, original KoF ‘98 experience. Developer SNK Playmore has essentially ripped the game straight from the arcade cabinet and slapped it inside your iOS or Android handset. It won’t teach you how to play it, and it won’t take mercy on you if you can’t work out how to. You don’t need to have had experience with the franchise before, but you’ll probably need to be a beat-em-up fan to enjoy it to its fullest. If that sounds like you, though, you’re in for a treat.



30/09/2014 16:12


apps and games

80 Days

Dragon Quest IV

£2.99 (iOS)

£10.49 (Android & iOS)

If you grew up attending school in Britain, then you’ll almost certainly be familiar with Jules Verne’s tale Around the World in Eighty Days, in which protagonist Phileas Fogg wagers £20,000 that he can circumnavigate the globe in the titular time frame. It’s a classic adventure, and one that you can now rewrite yourself. 80 Days puts you in the shoes of Fogg’s French valet, Passepartout. You’re tasked with pathfinding, fundraising, keeping Fogg alive and getting back to London before time expires. It’s an interactive ‘choose your own adventure’ of sorts, and it’s as enthralling as it is challenging.

It’s been 24 years since Dragon Quest IV’s initial release on the NES, so there’s a good chance you might not have played it. It has had numerous incarnations since, but the mobile platform is the logical conclusion. It hasn’t lost much in the transition either – the only really noticeable difference being that the game is now played in portrait, not landscape. Other than that, it’s still a quintessential, classic JRPG experience, with some nice new HD pixel art visuals. Random battles, turn-based combat and plenty of loot and exploration abound.

Bik - A Space Adventure

Rules!

£1.20 (Android), £1.49 (iOS)

£1.49 (iOS)

Retro is in vogue right now, and they don’t come much more retro than Bik. It’s delightfully old-fashioned – unwaveringly so – not just in terms of its 16bit visuals and mono synth soundtrack, but also its gameplay. Bik is classic point-and-click fare, and it makes no apologies for it. If you can’t work out what needs to be done on your own, then don’t expect any help. The result, as any older, wiser gamer will tell you, is a much more satisfying experience. It’s got a great story, too – one that you’ll be keen to see through to the finish if you can handle the gameplay.

Every few months an addictive puzzle title comes along that grabs every smartphone owner. Bejeweled Blitz was followed by Peggle, then Candy Crush Saga, then Threes! Now Rules! is the latest addition. In Rules! you’re presented with a 4 x 4 grid of cute, coloured animals, each assigned a number. For your first rule, you might be told to tap each one in descending numerical order within 20 seconds. Then a second rule comes in, like tap all the green ones. It continues in such a way up to a total of 10 rules. It’s just the right combination of quick, silly, cute and addictive to make it an instant smash hit.



30/09/2014 16:12

mobile gaming


Nintendo 3DS

Fifa’s footie favourite gets a nip and tuck, plus all the best – and oddest – titles from Japan Reviewer: Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

FIFA 15 £24.99 Another year, another FIFA title. It’s as great an annual certainty as the changing of the seasons, but football fans will still line up in their droves to pick up the latest edition. That’s not a jab at EA Sports, but a testament to how superb its footballing series is. It’s available on just about every platform there is, Nintendo 3DS included. Buyers should be warned, though – the 3DS version carries the ‘Legacy Edition’ disclaimer on the box. This means that the changes over FIFA 14 are purely aesthetic and clerical. Everything looks a little nicer, the kits are updated, and players are playing for their correct teams. Shy of that, this is the exact same game as last year. If you’re a die-hard fan, you likely won’t care, but there’s no denying that the 3DS isn’t the best platform to experience the game on. *not 3DS graphics – PS4 shown

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call £29.99 Do you like Final Fantasy? Do you like rhythm games? If your answer to either of those was “no” or “what’s that?” then the mealy-mouthed Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is almost certainly not for you. For the small sliver on the Venn diagram containing those who do enjoy both of those, though, we’ve got one heck of a treat for you. Curtain Call is the sequel to the surprisingly great Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, this time bringing you more than 120 iconic scores and 50 characters from every game in the Final Fantasy universe. These characters put on a stage show by recreating memorable battles from throughout the series in the form of a musical tap ‘em up. Think Dance Dance Revolution, but with buttons and a 3DS stylus. It sounds silly, and it is. It’s also pretty adorable and remarkably addictive.


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mobile gaming

Fantasy Life £29.99 With the sheer number of JRPGs that come out of the Far East, on the 3DS especially, it can be hard to keep up. There’s simply so many options to choose from, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Allow us to do so for you: Fantasy Life is really, really good. It’s Harvest Moon with swords. Or Secret of Mana with crafting. How you interpret it is up to you, and it can be as action-oriented as you want it to be. There’s a soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame, and an art style very reminiscent of Animal Crossing. It all combines to create a wonderfully open, yet tailored, RPG experience. You should jump on Fantasy Life.

Cooking Mama 5 £29.99 Speaking of Japan, they don’t come much more Japanese than Cooking Mama. A thoroughly quirky experience that somehow found relatively large success in the West on the original Nintendo Wii, it’s back for its fifth iteration in handheld 3D. If you’ve never been exposed to its oddness before, the concept is simple. You help ‘Mama’, a wide-eyed, happy-clappy chef, prepare a variety of dishes – everything from gingerbread cookies to sushi. To do so you have to perform adequately in a series of mini games, like peeling lettuce and chopping onions. They usually involve tapping and swiping with the stylus, or pressing buttons in order or rhythm. It’s clean, simple fun that knows no ages, and there’s even wi-fi multiplayer in this latest addition.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal World Duel Carnival £29.99 Yes, Yu-Gi-Oh is still going strong. Zexal is the suffix of the latest TV card-duelling TV series, so of course a video game tie-in was inevitable. Just as the Pokémon TV series was simply a means to a card game-selling end in the ‘90s, the same can be said of Yu-Gi-Oh. It can’t be denied that as far as collectible card games go, though, it’s a rather excellent one. The game now features a ludicrous 5,700+ cards to be collected and battled, all of which feature in the game. There’s 12 playable characters with their own unique stories, a free battle mode, and of course multiplayer – the real hook.



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mobile gaming


PlayStation Vita

Velocity 2X is the pick of the bunch this month, and you’ll love the Tim Burton-esque Don’t Starve Reviewer: Saqib Shah – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

Velocity 2X £12.99 This colourful 2D sci-fi shooter offers the best of both world; on the one hand, you can blast your way through space-set levels in a manner reminiscent of R-Type, or you can take to foot as the game’s female protagonist, which is where the Metroid influence can be felt. Definitely one for those into classic titles then. Unlike its predecessor, Velocity Ultra, the gameplay in Velocity 2X is more varied, but just as fast-paced and dazzlingly colourful. Despite the narrative continuing from Ultra,you needn’t have played the first game as the back-story is told in a series of flashbacks that bring you up to date. The sprawling levels will require you to check the map when on foot and a time limit – albeit generous – adds to the quick gameplay. Thankfully, Velocity 2X retains all the best features of the first game but adds even more detailed visuals, which you may not have time to admire as you rush through the levels. The use of lens flare in the graphics – mostly when there are exposures of light or large explosions – adds to the contemporary sci-fi feel and is no doubt indebted to the films of JJ Abrams.

Don’t Starve: Giant Edition £19.99 The PS Vita port of this comedy-horror survival SIM comes bundled with its Reign of Giants expansion pack. The gothic look of the main character and crudely drawn 2D characters are reminiscent of the animated films of Tim Burton, in particular Corpse Bride, but the survival aspect is more akin to the current trend in indie games, such as Rust and Day Z. Don’t Starve, on the other hand, is a smaller title with a comic tone that sees its gloomy protagonist wandering a barren environment trying to stay alive. The harsh world of Don’t Starve is populated with spiders, bats and bears, all looking for their next human meal. Your mission is to explore this world, collect items and build bigger and better tools, while trying to keep your hunger and sanity meters topped up at all times. Like other survival games, the main way to progress is to collect and craft; the better you get at this, the longer you’ll stay alive. The Reign of Giants DLC brings with it more playable characters, a changing seasonal environment, new creatures and giants.



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mobile gaming

Danganronpa 2 £19.99 The difficult task of translating Japanese hits for western audiences can often leave the games feeling incomplete or hard to navigate. Sometimes, however, a title comes along that is worthy of everyone’s attention. Danganronpa 2 is one such title. This murder mystery has cute manga-style graphics, but its narrative is very adult and definitely not for children, despite its array of colourful young characters. It sees a group of talented students relocating to a desert island, where they are challenged to commit murders and stand trial by a menacing antagonist. If you and your classmates can’t figure out who committed the crimes, the murderer is allowed to go free. Your job is to interact with your fellow students to find out the culprit. Needless to say, the game has some pretty dark themes.

Natural Doctrine £19.99 Simultaneously released for PS4, PS3 and PS Vita, this fantasy strategy game is more in-depth than some of the recent, more popular, entries in the genre. Firstly, this is a big game with plenty of customisation options to help players change the experience and adapt to survive. Furthermore, it’s exceptionally difficult – but not unbeatable. Chances are you’ll make it to the end if you’re a hardcore strategy gamer, but you’ll die a lot along the way. It’s no wonder Natural Doctrine has been called the “Dark Souls of tactical RPGs”. You can customise the characters in your team, including their weapons and skills. As the latter increases, you can completely change the way you tackle a level. Natural Doctrine is set in a world filled with forts and dungeons populated with demons and monsters. It uses a card-battling system, which allows you to choose an optimised team to take on your foes.

Frozen Synapse Tactics £19.99 A turn-based PC strategy game by developer Mode 7 that has now received a PS Vita port, Frozen Synapse Tactics will appeal to fans of Xcom: Enemy Unknown and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Players control a team of futuristic soldiers made up of different classes – from snipers to machine-gunners – as they take on opponents in procedurally generated environments. Additionally, players can create their own custom levels – and all the areas are fully destructible. The turn-based action sees players plotting paths and issuing orders to their squads as they try and predict the opposition’s tactics. The results, depending on your strategy, can include everything from explosive firefights to stealth combat. Gameplay options include a campaign mode and the decidedly more fun multiplayer death-match mode.



30/09/2014 16:53


Buyer’s guide

59

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Phone reviews

Buying a new device can be a difficult decision. Our comprehensive buyer’s guide is here to help you.

89

Tablet reviews

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buyer’s guide

Acer Liquid E2

Acer Liquid Z3

Alcatel One Touch Pop S3

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £189.99 http://www.acer.co.uk

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £99 http://www.acer.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2014, price: £80 www.alcatelonetouch.com/uk

Stacked up against recent entries in the budget market, the Acer Liquid E2 is simply outdated. It’s a functional Android handset but the clunky, thick design makes it feel like you’re holding a toy and the software doesn’t have any standout features. Acer will have to seriously raise its game if it’s to be a contender in the phone market.

While the Z3’s tiny size has immediate benefits, you’ll soon tire of cramping your thumbs on too small a screen. Everywhere else its simply an underwhelming phone, even with the sub-£100 price tag. Even with the customisation options for different audiences, we’d recommend opting for a normal-sized phone over this fidgety gadget.

The Alcatel One Touch POP S3 has its merits, especially taking into account the sub-£100 price of the device. The problem here is that by making room for 4G capability Alcatel has been forced to make cutbacks in crucial areas. However, if you are simply after the option to access faster web browsing and app speeds on the go, then the POP S3 offers you that at the cheapest price possible.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.2 GHz Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS Android v4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Dual-core 1GHz Screen 3.5 inches Resolution 320 x 480 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing Video Yes Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 1080p

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 131 x 68 x 9.9mm Weight 140g Battery 2000 mAh

Dimensions 109 x 60 x 10.4mm Weight 120g Battery Li-Ion 1500 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 123 x 64.4 x 9.9mm Weight 130g Battery 2,000mAh

VERDICT: A dated, bulky phone saved by its

VERDICT: It’s far too small to be used for

VERDICT: Cheap, sure, but its poor quality

reasonable price.

most apps and is uncomfortable to hold.

renders its 4G capability near pointless.

Performance Features Usability Design



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buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HHHHH

Alcatel One Touch Idol X+

Apple iPhone 5c

Apple iPhone 5s

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £TBC www.alcatelonetouch.com/uk

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £469 (16GB) £549 (32GB)

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £549 (16GB) £629 (32GB) £709 (64GB)

We usually greet lesser-known brands with open arms, but never has one disappointed as much as Alcatel with its One Touch Idol X+. Despite decent specs, it’s the handsets flaws that hog the limelight. It’s outperformed by other handsets in its price bracket in just about every respect. It’s hard to envisage anyone patient enough to waste their time with it.

If you need a splash of colour in your life and you’re already a massive fan of the iOS operating system, then the iPhone 5c is much the same as the previous iPhone 5. There’s a slightly upgraded front-facing camera and 4G will work on any UK network, but other than that you’re getting the exact same thing. The iPhone 5c is simply around for those of you who love great design without breaking the bank.

With fingerprint identity, 64-bit A7 64-bit chip delivers up to twice the perfomance of the iPhone 4 and 5c, many people will opt to pay the extra £80 or so over the 5c. They’ll also get an improved camera with 15 per cent larger sensor and improved low-light capabilies. The True Tone flash incorporates two flashes each matched to different light temperatures so flesh tones are more natural with flash pictures.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Octa-core 2GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 2 MP front-facing

OS iOS 7 Processor Dual-core 1.3GHz Screen 4 inches Resolution 640 x 1136 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 1080

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 140.4 x 69.1 x 7.9mm Weight 130g Battery 2,500mAh

Connectivity 4G Size 12.4 x 59.2 x 9 mm Weight 132g Battery 1,510 mAh

OS iOS 7 Processor Dual-core 1.3GHz ARM V8 Screen 4 inches Resolution 1136 x 640 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB, 32GB or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm Weight 112g Battery 1,560 mAh

VERDICT: With such great competition the

VERDICT: It’s the most colourful iPhone to

VERDICT: The gold standard in user-friendly

One Touch Idol X+ simply looks irrelevant.

date, but it’s identical to the iPhone 5.

smartphones, with a ton of power to boot.






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30/09/2014 12:33


editor’s choice

buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HHHHH

Apple iPhone 6

Apple iPhone 6 Plus

Archos 50 Oxygen

Reviewed: November 2014, price: £539

Reviewed: November 2014, price: £619

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £300 archos.com

Calling it ‘the best iPhone ever’ almost seems a little redundant. Of course it’s better - it’s more powerful, has a better camera, and NFC could soon become a huge deal. We’re not quite as keen on the aesthetics of it versus older iPhone designs, but it’s still got a wonderful premium build and a beautifully sharp display. The option for greatly expanded storage sizes shouldn’t be undervalued, either.

It’s the iPhone 6, but bigger. That’s the only difference, and it comes with all of the ups and downs that you would expect from a phablet. You’ll either love or hate the larger screen which, whilst still beautiful, is slightly less sharp than its little brother’s. Similarly it might be tough for smaller hands to hold. But then you do get to see more things on screen at once. It’s still a remarkable phone though, make no mistake.

With its large, high-definition screen and powerful hardware, the Archos 50 Oxygen is a solid mid-priced smartphone. It’s great for movies with its five-inch screen and can run demanding games without crashing. 16GB of storage is rather generous too. There’s nothing unique here, but for £300 it’s worth a look.

OS iOS8 Processor Apple A8 1.4GHz Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 1334 x 750 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB/64GB/128GB Micro SD compatible? No Camera 8 MP iSight rearfacing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS iOS8 Processor Apple A8 1.4GHz Screen 5.5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB/64GB/128GB Micro SD compatible? No Camera 8 MP iSight rearfacing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.5GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 5.3 MP front-facing Dimensions 143 x 70.5 x

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm Weight 129g Battery 1,810 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm Weight 172g Battery 1,810 mAh

9.9mm Connectivity 3G Weight 130g Battery 2,300 mAh

VERDICT: Bigger and better than ever, just

VERDICT: A bigger iPhone 6 - it’s really that

as you’d expect. The definitive iPhone.

simple. Prefer it or not, it’s great regardless.

VERDICT: A solid entry, but a lack of standout features sees it blend into the pack.





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30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

Archos 50 Helium

Asus FonePad

Asus PadFone 2

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £199 archos.com

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £190 www.asus.com/uk

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £500 www.asus.com/uk

If the Moto G and Moto E are the gold standard of entry-level and low-cost smartphones, then the 50 Helium is certainly worthy of silver. It’s got a nice big screen as well as invaluable 4G capability. It won’t set the world alight, but it’s a standout in a market awasg with cheap, limited handsets.

The FonePad is a lot larger than most phones, so you’re unlikely to want to use it as your main phone. It does have a great battery life though, so it’s an ideal backup. The large screen makes watching movies ideal, although its resolution is unimpressive. The lack of a camera on a modern smartphone would mean this is definitely not your main smartphone.

The PadFone 2 offers two devices for around the price of one but you won’t be able to use the tablet independently of the phone. An ideal situation in which to use the PadFone 2 is if you want to use the same data allowance for both devices, and not shell out for a more expensive 3G-enabled tablet. This could almost be perfect if it had a better screen.

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP Video 1080p Connectivity 4G LTE

OS Android v4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Intel Atom 1.2GHz Screen 7 inches Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB or 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 145 x 71.5 x 8.95mm Weight 160g Battery 2,000mAh

VERDICT: A capable alternative to the market-leading Moto G.




OS Android v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Processor 1.5GHz quad-core Screen 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.7 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16, 32 or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 1.3 MP front-facing

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 137.9 x 68.9 x 9mm Weight 135g Battery 2,140 mAh

VERDICT: A large screen is great for films but a lack of camera is a let-down.

VERDICT: An almost perfect two-for-one device – if only it had a better screen.





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30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

BlackBerry Q5

BlackBerry Z30

BWC Stealth V2

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £329.99 uk.blackberry.com

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £500 uk.blackberry.com

Reviewed: August 2014, price: £300 www.bwcdevices.com

Despite £200 being knocked off the price of the Blackberry Q10, you don’t really feel that this is a bargain device. If you’re in need of a QWERTY device then Q5 may be one to consider. When compared against its competition this is woefully overpriced, especially considering a similar Nokia ASHA device will set back only £47. The build quality on the Q5 also leaves much to be desired, with a creaking plastic.

Perhaps if BlackBerry had focused on its efforts on making a phone like this five years ago we would be looking at a very different picture now. As it stands, a barren app store, odd features and a monster price tag may kill what could have been a competitive device. It’s still surprisingly easy on the eyes though, and its display doesn’t look too bad either.

With good specs available at low prices there’s never been a better time to pick up a rugged smartphone (if that’s what you need). The Stealth V2 lives up to both the ‘rugged’ and ‘smart’ tags, with surprisingly capable insides. It also passed all of our stress tests, with countless drops, bashes and drownings failing to leave so much as a mark.

OS BlackBerry 10 Processor 1.2GHz dualcore Screen 3.1 inches Resolution 720 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS BlackBerry 10 Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-racing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 854 x 480 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 1GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 720p

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 120 x 66 x 10.8mm Weight 120g Battery 2,180 mAh

VERDICT: The Q5 is a device for Blackberry QWERTY fanatics who can’t afford the Q10.



Connectivity 4G Dimensions 140.7 x 72 x 9.4 Weight 170g Battery 2,880 mAh

VERDICT: Possibly the best BlackBerry yet,

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 133 x 69 x 20mm Weight 230g Battery 2,800mAh

VERDICT: As smart and tough as it promises.

but that’s not saying an awful lot.







30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

CAT B100

CAT B15

Doro Liberto 810

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £380 www.catphones.com

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £299 www.catphones.com

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £145 www.doro.co.uk

The CAT B100 withstands harsh conditions and jarring blows with a tough outer shell that absorbs the impact of falls, and impressive waterproofing. Beyond that, the phone lacks features games and apps - but chances are that’s not why you’re buying this phone. If you need a rugged handset to take adventuring, though, it’s more than tough enough.

While it will never be a mass market phone, the B15 most certainly has a place in the market for anyone who wants a device they can rely on, whatever the environment; aimed at builders and construction workers, this phone stood up to our strength and durability tests and has decent specs to boot. Its let downs include a cumbersome size and a weak camera and video capabilities.

The Liberto 810 has a comfortable design and a user interface that’s ideal for firsttime smartphone users and impaired customers. From there, things start to slip. The screen is buried into the handset, making it hard to accurately press smaller buttons, the camera software has some strange issues and we ran into a few bugs. It’s a starting point for Doro, but it’s hard to recommend it.

OS Nucleus 2.1 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 2.2 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 50MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing, QVGA front-facing Video QVGA

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, QVGA front-facing Video 720p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz Screen 3.9 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 500MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP Video 480p Connectivity 3G

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 122.94 x 55.88 x 7.6mm Weight 136g Battery 1,150 mAh

Connectivity 3G Size 125 x 69.5 x 14.95mm Weight 170g Battery 2,000 mAh

Dimensions 126 x 66 x 12.5mm Weight 132g Battery 1,500 mAh

VERDICT: Tough enough to take into a

VERDICT: A rugged phone for those who

VERDICT: Seniors may be demanding a

warzone, if a little light on actual function.

need to rely on it in any environment.

tailored smartphone, but this isn’t it.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

Doro PhoneEasy 506

Doro PhoneEasy 622

EE Kestrel

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £45 www.doro.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £110 www.doro.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2014, price: £99 www.doro.co.uk

Not a phone for tech-addicts, the Doro PhoneEasy 506 is great for vulnerable or elderly people who need a foolproof device and may need reliable means to summon help or simply keep in touch. It features loud and clear ring tones and volume, call assistance SOS button and stays charged for three weeks or more. It won’t win any beauty contests, however, and has no data connectivity or basic camera.

The Doro PhoneEasy 622 could easily be considered a museum piece if you have the slightest understanding of modern mobile technologies. That said if you’re a complete novice or want a back-up phone, then this could be the ideal device. Battery life is exemplary and ring volume is a lot louder than you’ll see on modern smartphones, but the design looks dated and the camera is only capable of a two megapixel resolution.

The EE Kestrel is the best entry-level 4G handset on the market and this is in no small part due to Huawei. The manufacturer has built a solid handset that consumers will use beyond its 4G-LTE capability. Although, its weak resolution is a major flaw, it has plenty of other positive attributes including a smooth UI, the ability to handle a vast range of games and decent web and app browsing speeds.

OS Doro OS Processor N/A Screen 1.8 inches Resolution 128 x 160 pixels Memory N/A Storage N/A MicroSD Compatible? No Camera No Video N/A Connectivity 3G

OS Doro OS Processor N/A Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 320 x 240 pixels Memory N/A Storage N/A MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 2MP rear-facing Video 3gp Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1MP front-facing Video 1080p

Dimensions 125.5 x 51 x 15.5 mm Weight 81g Battery 800mAh

Dimensions 102 x 52 x 19 mm Weight 104g Battery 800mAh

Connectivity 4G, 3G Dimensions 131 x 65.3 x 7.85mm Weight 145g Battery 2,000mAh

VERDICT: A reliable handset that boasts

VERDICT: An affordable phone for

VERDICT: The PhoneEasy 622 has a lot to

vulnerable or elderly people to call for help.

offer for technophobes, but not for all of us.

good usability, if underwhelming specs.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

Google Nexus 4

HTC Desire 500

HTC Desire 601

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £239 www.google.com/nexus/4/

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £199.99 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £244 www.htc.com/uk

It looks a bit dull and devoid of personality, plus storage is limited to 4GB... but that’s hardly the point. The Nexus 4 is a tight bit of kit designed to show off Google’s latest version of Android. With a terrific quad-core 1.5Ghz processor and 2GB of RAM - there is nothing out there that will stump this smartphone. The lack of 4G is a disappointment, but the phone is an absolute steal at just £239. One of the best Android handsets available.

The HTC Desire 500 is a respectable budget offering from the Taiwanese manufacturer but it’s been undercut by cheaper phones with better specifications. You’ll struggle with limited storage space but it earns points for a unique design.

4G at an affordable price is the Desire 601’s big claim (if you regard £240 as affordable). That’s not enough of a reason alone to buy it, though. 4G is currently not worth the premium, nor the price hike over a similarly specced 3G handset. The trademark HTC Beats audio still sounds great though, and its on-board photo editor is handy - if you can put up with the low-resolution screen.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.6 MP front-facing Video 720

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.4GHz dual-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, 0.3 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5Ghz quad-core Screen 4.7 inch Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 107 x 61 x 12mm Weight 100g Battery 2,100 mAh

Dimensions 131.8 x 66.9 x 9.9mm Weight 123g Battery 1,800 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 134.5 x 66.7 x 9.88mm Weight 130g Battery 2,100 mAH

VERDICT: Dull and devoid of personality, but

VERDICT: A solid phone with a price tag on

VERDICT: A decent phone, but the extra

high powered and super, super cheap.

the wrong side of that of the Moto G.

£100 is not justified by 4G capability alone.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HTC Desire 816

HTC One M8

HTC One Max

Reviewed: October 2014, price: £300 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: May 2014, price: £530 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £599 www.htc.com/uk

In a market lacking a viable midrange phablet the HTC Desire 816 stands out. It might have its flaws, but for the price you can certainly look past them. If you can’t, then a midrange device probably isn’t for you. For the rest of us, there’s no better option for getting your hands on a jumbo screen on the cheap.

The HTC One M8 is, in all probability, the best smartphone ever made. It both looks and performs better than almost everything else out there. Features like Blinkfeed and knock-to-wake are a joy to use. If Apple, Sony and Samsung weren’t paying attention before, they certainly are now.

The HTC One Max piggybacks the reputation of the HTC One, although nothing much has improved. The highquality display is present but HTC has failed to add processing power and the fingerprint sensor implementation is very disappointing.

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.6GHz quad-core Screen 5.5 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 1.5GB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 13MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UltraPixel rear-facing, 5 MP frontfacing

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Screen 5.9 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UlatraPixel rear-facing, 2.1 MP frontfacing

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 156.6 x 78.7 x 7.9mm Weight 165g Battery 2,600mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm Weight 160g Battery 2,600 mAH


VERDICT: A triumphant, large addition to a

VERDICT: If you can afford it, buy it. There’s

VERDICT: The HTC One’s design is still a

fantastic 2014 product line for HTC.

no better Android handset on the market.

standout but there’s nothing new here.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

HTC One Mini

HTC One Mini 2

HTC Windows 8S

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £300 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: August 2014, price: £360 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £239 www.htc.com/uk

The lite version of HTC’s flagship phone proves to be a big deal, with a high quality camera, great audio, fast processing speeds and a unique, refreshing take on Android 4.2. It’s only let down by its lack of internal memory and short battery life.

Your opinion of the One Mini 2 will come down to what you mostly use your phone for. If you don’t put too much strain on its struggling processor then you should be fine. It’s got a magnificent pair of cameras, and that trademark HTC metal unibody build can’t be beat. Day-to-day users will be more than satisfied - hardcore techheads should stick with the One M8.

The odd thing about this phone is that we actually rate it higher than its big brother, the 8X. It is a bit lighter, has a nicer body and fits much easier in the hand. It still has enough grunt under the hood to get all the same tasks done (although has a lower res screen), and its £160 quid cheaper. It doesn’t have a front facing camera (so no proper Skype-ing) and the App store remains limited...

OS Android OS 4.2. Jelly Bean Processor 1.4 GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1 GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UltraPixel rearfacing, 1.6 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 720 x 1,280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP rear-facing Video 720p Connectivity 3G

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 132 x 63.2 x 9.3 mm Weight 122 g Battery 1,800 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 137.4 x 64 x 10.6mm Weight 137g Battery 2,110mAh

Dimensions 120.5 x 63 x 10.3 mm Weight 113 g Battery 1,700mAh

VERDICT: A worthwhile alternative to the

VERDICT: Powered to match its stature, but

VERDICT: The Windows Phone 8S may well

bigger model.

still a very polished, attractive device.

be better than the 8X flagship model.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

Huawei Ascend G510

Huawei Ascend P2

Huawei Ascend P6

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £130 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £340 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £309.95 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

A somewhat sludgier Samsung Galaxy S2 for half the price and with a bigger screen, the Ascend G510 was the phone of 2011. More than enough for those who don’t have to have the latest thing, the Ascend will handle your casual web browsing, the odd game and photos well. It can feel a little slow however and doesn’t look like much; there are also cheaper phones out there which do much the same.

Huawei has delivered a reasonably cheap device given you’re receiving blazing fast 4G speeds when web browsing. There’s no microSD card slot and the processor had a little trouble whilst gaming and opening apps, but the camera optics were outstanding. The P2 is capable of recording video at a resolution of 1080p. For a phone of this price, that is incredibly impressive. All-in-all a great budget - mid-range device.

It suffers from poor software implementation and a slow-charging battery, but at least the P6 looks the part, with a slim design that makes it more attractive than many of its rivals. Elsewhere this is a capable mid-to-high-tier handset for anyone looking.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.5-inch Resolution 480 x 854 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 720p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5 GHz quadcore Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 1.3 MP front-facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5 GHz quadcore Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 5 MP front-facing

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 134 x 67 x 9.9 mm Weight 150g Battery 1,750mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 136.2 x 66.7 x 8.4mm Weight 122g Battery 2,420 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 132.7 x 65.5 x 6.2 mm Weight 120g Battery 2,000 mAh

VERDICT: A large budget smartphone which can run slow and doesn’t look like much.

VERDICT: The price speaks for itself, giving you one of the cheapest 4G devices today.

VERDICT: It trips up on software and battery but the slim look is appealing.









30/09/2014 12:33


buyer’s guide

Huawei Ascend P7

Huawei Ascend Y300

Kazam Thunder Q4.5

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £3695 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £119 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £TBC www.kazam.mobi

The Ascend P7 feels like a missed opportunity. Huawei should have put their full weight into creating a top-level flagship handset. However, its underpowered processor is its only real flaw. It looks premium, and its front-facing camera is the best on the market. Its price could be a sticking point, but it’s by no means a bad device.

The Y300 isn’t going to blow you away when looking at the spec sheet, but if you’re considering dipping your toes into the smartphone world it could be the perfect purchase. At less than £70 on payas-you-go you’re getting a pretty fast and fluid device, which should be able to cope with most of the things you throw at it. The feature set is very basic and the camera’s low-light performance is dismal though.

The Thunder Q4.5 is a sure case of style over substance, but in the lower-cost end of the market you’d usually be lucky to get either. While the phone lacks standout features it won’t let you down when it comes to everyday smartphone functionality. If you’re in the market and want to try something new, you could certainly do an awful lot worse.

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.8GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1980 x 1020 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13MP rear-facing, 8MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1 GHz dual-core Screen 4.0 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 480p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.3GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 854 x 480 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 1.74GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2 MP front-facing Video 720p

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 139.8 x 68.8 x 6.5mm Weight 124g Battery 2,500mAh


Connectivity 3G Dimensions 136 x 64.6 x 8.9 mm Weight 137g Battery 1,800 mAh

VERDICT: It’s not quite a market-leading flagship, but at least it looks the part.

VERDICT: If you’re dipping your toes into the smartphone world, this could be perfect.

VERDICT: It may be flawed, but at this price






point you’d be hard pushed to beat it.




30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

LG G2

LG G3

LG G Flex

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £500 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: August 2014, price: £499 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £570 www.lg.com/uk

Despite its impressive performance, long-lasting battery and excellent screen, the G2 doesn’t quite hold up next to its competition. It doesn’t lag behind in any one area, but it doesn’t truly excel anywhere else either. It won’t give you any hassle aside from its heating issues but this isn’t a best-in-class phone, and that’s what a flagship from a company like this really should be.

Only minor detractions stop the LG G3 from being the perfect smartphone. That said, there’s no such thing as the perfect smartphone just yet, so the G3 is still a wonderful piece of kit. It has outstanding features, hardware, and form to boot. The best display around, a monstrous processor and a variety of little touches all make the G3 is a special smartphone.

The curved display may add very little, but with a state-of-the-art spec sheet and a fantastic display, the LG G Flex nails the basics of a high-end smartphone. However the £570 price and so-so camera make it difficult to recommend - at least when compared to its cheaper, better rivals. The Flex just isn’t the innovation LG believe it to be.

OS Android 4.4 (KitKat) Processor 2.5GHz quad-core Screen 5.5 inches Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2.1MP front-facing Video 2160p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 6 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 2.1 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 5.2 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2.1MP front-facing Video 1080p




VERDICT: The G2 is a powerhouse with a

VERDICT: Want the best? The G3 is

VERDICT: A powerful phone held back by a

great screen and impressive battery life.

absolutely deserving of your consideration.

steep price for an unnecessary gimmick.









30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

LG Optimus L5 II

Motorola Moto E

Motorola Moto G

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £129.99 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £90 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £135 www.motorola.co.uk

A disappointing processor lets down an otherwise decent mid-tier device. The option to personalise app icons is a nice touch and the 5MP megapixel camera does a good job. However, with other handsets available with similar features and a lower price tag, the L5 II isn’t doing anything to stand out from the crowd. The underwhelming design and lack of internal storage doesn’t help matters either.

Despite a lack of features and some gaming constraints due to its processor, the Moto E works well for most tasks. Its OS interface is as smooth as you will find on any highend device and it only lags behind those same handsets very slightly when it comes to aspps and web browsing. It’s so smooth and usable that even more experiences Android users should consider it.

The Moto G is a budget smartphone done right. It makes smart and sensible sacrifices to slash its price to a point that puts its rivals to shame. For people who don’t demand the highest specs and best camera from a phone, the Moto G’s easy-to-use system and fast speeds make it an ideal choice.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz Cortex A9 Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP rear-facing, Video VGA Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB storage MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing Video 854 x 480 pixels Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 117.5 x 62.2 x 9.2 mm Weight 103g Battery life 1,700 mAh

Dimensions 124.8 x 64.8 x 12.3mm Weight 142g Battery 1,980mAh


VERDICT: An OK handset for the price, but a

VERDICT: Unrivalled at its price, the Moto E

VERDICT: The best option for customers on

slow processor undermines performance.

is near faultless. A joy to use.

a budget.









30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

Motorola Moto X

Motorola RAZR HD

Nokia Asha 205

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £380 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £399 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £65 www.nokia.com

The Moto X is a rock-solid handset with unique, helpful features. This is the best place to experience Google Now, making voice operation genuinely useful. MIx in a sleek design, great camera and long battery life and the £380 price tag is justified. If you can afford the extra £150 then it makes for a sterling upper-mid tier upgrade to the Motorola Moto G.

Starting to show signs of its Google led revival, the Motorola Razr HD has a stunning industrial design and 4G support, but is a victim of its delayed UK release (it came out in the US in September) meaning its specs are out of date, its screen is low resolution and its camera is poor. It doesn’t help that Motorola have priced it so high - otherwise this would be an excellent midrange phone.

An interesting enough device that blurs the lines between a feature phone and a low end smartphone, the Asha 205 is let down by its very small on board memory and lack of connectivity options. It remains functional for a low end device, but definitely should not be considered a full blown replacement for a smartphone. Probably destined for third world and budget users.

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB/32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 10MP rearfacing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor N/A Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 320 x 240 pixels Memory 16MB RAM Storage 10MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 2MP rear-facing Video VGA Connectivity 3G


Connectivity 3G Dimensions 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm, 146g Weight 146g Battery 2,530 mAh

Dimensions 116 x 61 x 14mm Weight 105g Battery 1,020 mAh

VERDICT: For those looking to step up from

VERDICT: A lovely design, but the internals

VERDICT: A pretty basic, functional feature

the budget tier: your search is over.

are six months out of date.

phone with a few extra goodies.









30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

Nokia Asha 302

Nokia Asha 311

Nokia Asha 503

Reviewed:November 2012, price: £95 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: November 2012, price: £110 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £70 www.nokia.com

While the Nokia Asha 302 won’t win any awards for originality or features, its great build quality, battery life and usability make it ideal for social networking. If you’re looking for a decent feature-phone for easy all-day typing, the Asha 302 could be right for you. And while you can pick up a good smartphone for around this price, the handy QWERTY keyboard is ideal if you’re frequently typing texts and emails.

The Asha 311 is a high-quality featurephone which packs style, usability and a decent screen. But you can buy a much better smartphone for less. With the excellent Huawei Ascend G300 and Vodafone Smart 2 available for less, the Asha 311 struggles slightly, as while it is a good feature-phone it is crippled by an unrealistically high price tag. Make sure to consider your needs before buying.

Nokia’s Asha 503 is a brilliantly tiny handset that stays usable despite the smaller screen. If you want a dirt-cheap phone then you might be better off with a sub-£50 handset and its design is a little spiky. But anyone looking for a phone to keep them busy for five minutes on a bus will find plenty to love here.

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor 1GHz single-core Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 128MB RAM Storage 100MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3.2MP rear-facing Video 480p Connectivity 3G

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor 1GHz single-core Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 128MB Storage 140MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3.2MP rear-facing Video 480p Connectivity 3G

OS Nokia Asha platform 1.2 Processor N/A Screen 3 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 128MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing Video QVGA Connectivity 3G



Dimensions 102.6 x 60.6 x 12.7mm Weight 110.2g Battery 1,200 mAh

VERDICT: Great QWERTY usability and an

VERDICT: A satisfying feature-phone but

impressive battery life at a decent price.

the high price is a little bit unrealistic.

market that offers more than the basics.






VERDICT: A good entry into the budget




30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

Nokia Lumia 520

Nokia Lumia 625

Nokia Lumia 630

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £99.95 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £180 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: August 2014, price: £110 www.nokia.com

A good budget offering from Nokia which is let down by its struggles to handle the tasks required of it. Cheaper than the 620 which nevertheless had less performance issues. The 520 packs a good camera and battery life, however there are both cheaper phones which perform better and more expensive phones which don’t.

The sizeable 4.7-inch screen saves the 625 from its disappointingly short battery life and lack of HD viewing. It’s plagued further by the Lumia range’s other issues like a limited app store, but fights back with a decent camera. As a result it stands as a viable budget-range phone.

The Lumia 630 offers many positives. Its bright, smooth interface is eyecatching and capable, and it can perform most tasks well. It even beats its rival, the Moto E, in terms of apps browsing, gaming and photography. It is let down by some shortcomings though, such as a narrow selection of apps and unnecessary bloatware.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 800 x 480 Memory 512MB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP Video 720p Connectivity 3G

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512 MB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 1080p

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 480 x 854 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes, up to 128GB Camera 5MP rear-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 119.9 x 64 x 9.9mm Weight 124g Battery 1,430 mAh

VERDICT: A good camera, battery and price

Connectivity 4G-LTE Dimensions 133.3 x 72.3 x 9.2 mm Weight 159g Battery 2,000mAh


VERDICT: A decent budget smartphone with its fair share of shortcomings.

VERDICT: Looks good and performs well

but the phone can struggle with tasks.






enough to beat out some of its budget rivals




30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

Nokia Lumia 720

Nokia Lumia 820

Nokia Lumia 920

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £299 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: March 2013, price: £380 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £36p/m www.nokia.com

A fairly solid mid-tier offering which suffered some setbacks at start up, the 720 features a Carl Zeiss lens and a slightly better looking screen and performing processor. Aside from this, the Lumia 720 isn’t wonderfully different from its lower priced siblings and showed signs of wear and tear after a week, although its camera lives up to the Lumia name. Microsoft’s app store is still fairly limited, however.

The 920’s pragmatic little brother, the 820 runs the same processor and RAM. It lacks some of the high end photography options but still takes good quality pictures and also runs Windows Phone 8. It has the full complement of Nokia apps like Music and Maps (although the Windows Store still struggles for quality in the app department). Battery can be disappointing, however, and some apps only work with WP8 devices.

A fantastic looking phone with a great interface, grunt under the hood and the best camera phone in the business. A bit heavy and bulky, but outstanding design - a real eye catcher. Like all WP8 devices, the app store is a problem, but this deserves to do well.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 6.7MP front-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 720p

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 800 x 480 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera: 8.0MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video: 1080p

OS: Windows Phone 8.0 Processor: 1.5GHz dual-core Screen: 4.5 inches Resolution: 1280 x 768 Memory 1GB RAM Storage 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8.7MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video: 1080p

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 127.9 x 67.5 x 9mm Weight 128g Battery 2,000mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9mm Weight: 160g Battery: 1,650 mAh

VERDICT: A fairly solid mid-tier device but

VERDICT: Arguably superior to the 920, a

not too different from lower priced siblings.

few niggles hold it back from greatness.





Connectivity 4G Dimensions: 130 x 70.8 x 10.7mm Weight: 185g Battery: 2,000 mAh

VERDICT: An fantastic device technically, its success relies on Microsoft’s app store.





30/09/2014 12:34


buyer’s guide

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia Lumia 930

Nokia Lumia 1020

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £479 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: September 2014, price: £420 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £639.99 www.nokia.com

With the Lumia 925 Nokia haven’t set out to reinvent the wheel, they’ve just built on their past achievements to put together a brilliant phone. A gorgeous slimmed-down design, high performance camera and responsive user interface all set this handset apart from the rest of the Lumia range and make it a top level device in the high-end smartphone market. One of the best out there.

The plus side for those looking for something different is that Windows Phone has come along enough now that its mere presence on a handset isn’t enough to relegate it completely. The Lumia 930 is the flagship that the range has been crying out for for far too long now, and if you don’t mind having a relatively restricted ecosystem then you should have very few issues with it.

The Lumia 1020 is an ideal smartphone for those of you who don’t care about apps and it’s perfect if you love to take great pictures. It might not be the slimmest device you can get your hands on but the 1020’s powerful camera is well worth the extra bulk.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution: 1280 x 760 Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB/32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video: 1080p

OS Windows Phone 8.1 Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB Micro SD compatible? No Camera 20MP rear-facing, 1.2MP front-facing

os Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution: 1280 x 760 Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 41MP rear-facing, 1.2MP front-facing Video: 1080p

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 129 x 70.6 x 8.5 mm Weight: 139g Battery 2,000 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 137 x 71 x 9.8mm Weight 167g Battery 2,420mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4 mm Weight: 158g Battery 2,000 mAh battery

VERDICT: A fantastic camera, slick design

VERDICT: The closest to rivalling Android

VERDICT: A top smartphone with an

and great user interface make this top dog.

and iOS that Windows Phone has ever come.

astounding camera – one of the best.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Nokia Lumia 1320

Nokia Lumia 1520

Prestigio MultiPhone 5430

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £280 www.nokia.com


Reviewed: November 2013, price: £190 www.prestigio.com

The Lumia 925 and 1020 were large enough, and the lack of software taking advantage of the big display, unlike with the Samsung Galaxy Note, means those extra inches just leave you looking faintly ridiculous when answering a call. You’re better off spending your money on an Android phablet or Google’s Nexus 5.

Although the Nokia Lumia 1520 weighs in at a whopping £550 (SIM-free), it could cost you considerably more to purchase a standalone camera, camcorder, satnav, tablet and a laptop computer that can run Microsoft Office.

The Prestigio MultiPhone 5430 is a bland piece of kit that lacks any real highlights, but is undoubtedly a capable and efficient smartphone. Perhaps its best feature is that it gets the core experience right, if not groundbreakingly so. The very basics of what you expect from a smartphone in 2013 are here but there isn’t much else.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 6 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 1080p

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 6 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 20MP rear-facing, 1.2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Processor Intel Atom 1.2GHz Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing

Connectivity 4G-LTE Dimensions 164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8mm Weight 220g Battery 3,400 mAh

Connectivity 4G-LTE Dimensions 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7mm Weight 209g Battery 3,200 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 126 x 64.7 x 10mm Weight 140g Battery 2,000 mAh

VERDICT: A good phone, but the Nexus 5

VERDICT: A great all-in-one device that

VERDICT: Perfectly ordinary – but it’s

simply undercuts the competition too well.

mashes the best of Nokia together.

positioned as an everyday smartphone.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Prestigio 4500 DUO

Samsung Ativ S

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £179 www.prestigio.com

Reviewed: March 2013, price: £439.99 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £240 www.samsung.com/uk

The Prestigio fails to dazzle, offering nothing fresh, but it is a user friendly, well featured and well priced device that ticks all the right boxes for a smartphone. It offers a smooth Android experience in a classic design with a competitive price tag and could go up against the likes of Huawei or HTC’s budget brands. A solid offering from a lesser known brand.

Possibly the best looking Windows Phone 8 physically with a good display, and a very usable Windows Phone 8 device, the software is lazy, with a poor selection of apps and what apps there are, can appear less than appealing. However, the user interface is easy to use and the processor can handle whatever is required of it. The phone looks and feels good - it’s just a pity there’s not much to look at, app-wise.

In a year where Samsung crafted one of the world’s best smartphones with the Galaxy S III, it has also created a fantastic mid-level device with its affordably-priced Galaxy Ace 2. Offering a stunning screen, great usability and a strong set of features it packs all that the average smartphone buyer will need. And while it’s a shame that the latest version of Android isn’t installed, you still get unbeatable value or money.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.8-inch Resolution 720 x 1280 Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB/32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 8.0MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing Video 1080p

os Android 2.3 Gingerbread Processor 800MHz dual-core Screen 3.8-inch Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 768MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing Video 720p HD

OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 3.5 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 480p


VERDICT: Nothing new but this is a user

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 137 x 70.5 x 8.7 mm Weight 135g Battery 2,300 mAh

VERDICT: Great WP8 hardware, but the lack

friendly, well priced well featured device.

of apps means Nokia and HTC still rule.






VERDICT: In terms of sheer bang for your buck, this great phone is one of the best.





30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom

Samsung Galaxy Mega

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £180 www.samsung.com/uk



The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a good handset that’s been made irrelevant by cheaper competition. Whilst it packs a vibrant display and solid specs, similar phones sit well below the £180 benchmark set here. Samsung will have to rethink its pricing. If it weren’t for the Moto G’s release this would be an emphatic recommendation - unfortunately Samsung will have to settle for the silver medal.

We can see what Samsung set out to achieve with the Galaxy K zoom, and creating a solid Android smartphone with an optical zoom is no small feat. However, it looks like a dated digital camera at best - newer devices are much more compact. If you’re after a smartphone with a solid snapper, we’d advise you to seek out the LG G3 or Sony Xperia Z2 instead.

With a 6.3-inch screen, the Galaxy Mega falls into phablet territory, but that doesn’t change the fact that said screen is hypnotically vibrant. As such, it’s a great video player and has room for a sizeable battery. Its resolution, however, is a minor issue and it doesn’t have enough internal storage to meet our needs. It will stick out like a sore thumb but you might just fall in love with it.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 720p

OS Android 4.4 (KitKat) Processor Hexa-core: 1.3GHz quad-core + 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 4.8 inches Resolution 1,280 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 20.7MP rear-facing, 2MP front

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Screen 6.3 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.9 MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 121.2 x 62.7 x 9.8mm Weight 115g Battery 1,500 mAh


Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 167.6 x 88 x 8 mm Weight 199g Battery 3,200 mAh

VERDICT: Premium build quality and visuals

VERDICT: A decent smartphone and an

VERDICT: For better or worse it’s all about

at a good price - just not a great one.

excellent camera in a hideous body.

the big, vibrant screen with this handset.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2



Reviewed: August 2012, price: £150 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: December 2012, price: £409 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £649 www.samsung.com/uk

With its eye-catching design, decent performance and comfortable usability, the Galaxy Mini 2 is well worth a look for firsttime smartphone buyers on a budget. There are some incredibly high-quality rivals on the market, though, from brands such as HTC and Huawei, among others. So you might want to shop around and check out the competition before handing over your cash, as there are great deals to be had.

The size of Samsung’s Galaxy Note range is a hate it or love it prospect - is it too big to be a phone, or too small to be a tablet? Does a stylus have any place on a smartphone? Either way, it is a brilliant piece of technology, with a whopping great 16 hours of talk time. Its only main flaws are a dull screen and a poor camera - otherwise it comes down to personal preference. Definitely one to try out in store.

The Note 3 steps over the competition with its large, engulfing display and great battery life. But it’s the stylus that’s the star of the show here, with great integration that makes it an ideal Note-keeping device. This makes it ideal for business people on the move, although they’ll have to make sure they keep an eye on the easy-to-lose pen at all times.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.6GHz quad-core Screen 5.5 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16/32/64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 5.7 inches Resolution1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 16/32/64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP front-facing, 2MP rear-facing Video 4K

OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread Processor 800 MHz Cortex-A5 Screen 3.27 inches Resolution 320 x 480 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3.15MP rear-facing Video 480p


Connectivity 3G Dimensions 151 x 81 x 9 mm Weight 183g Battery 1,300 mAh

Dimensions 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm Weight 168g Battery 3,200 mAh

VERDICT: A good entry-level handset, but

VERDICT: The king of the big screen phone/

VERDICT: A fantastic portable business

there are plenty of better deals to be found.

tablets, you’ll either love it or hate it.

device with helpful, unique features.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HHHHH

Samsung Galaxy S2

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

£330 SIM-free www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: July 2012, price: £485 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £300 www.samsung.com/uk

The Galaxy S II is one of Samsung’s top-end smartphones and was your Phone of the Year 2011, according to reader votes for the What Mobile Awards. It offers blisteringly fast performance, a decent camera, strong battery life and a great screen. Alongside the newer Galaxy S III, it’s the biggest threat Apple has seen since the iPhone launched, and with good reason. Few phones offer such a good user experience.

Matching up to the mighty Galaxy S II was always going to be a tall order, but with the release of the Galaxy S III Samsung has clearly surpassed expectations. With its stunning design, amazing usability, highpowered performance and cutting-edge features, it measures up to the best of the competition and sets a new benchmark for its rivals. If you’re looking for one of the best smartphones you can buy, this is it.

Something of a misnomer, this is no relation to its bigger brother, the S III,despite the design similarities. The Mini is little more than a shrunk down Galaxy S II. If users want a budget Galaxy, they are better off pursuring that (former) flagship on a budget plan - this is extortionately expensive for what you get.

OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread Processor 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Screen 4.3-inch+ Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Processor 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Screen 4.8 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32/64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing,

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GHz RAM Storage 8/16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing Video 720p

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 125 x 66 x 9mm Weight 116g Battery 1,650 mAh

1.9MP front-facing Video 1080p Connectivity 4G LTE Size 137 x 71 x 9mm Weight 133g Battery 2,100 mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions: 121.6 x 63 x 9.9 mm Weight 111.5g Battery 1,500 mAh

VERDICT: An award-winning Android phone

VERDICT: A masterpiece of design and

VERDICT: A cheeky move by Samsung to

that effortlessly impresses across the board.

usability. This is the benchmark to beat.

pass this off as a premium device. It’s not.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Samsung Galaxy S5

Reviewed: July 2012, price: £550 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £400 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £530 www.samsung.com/uk

An impressive hardware offering with intriguing new software and camera features but these need to be perfected and integrated into the device as a whole before the S4 can really be called a knock out. While the phone’s processor seemed to struggle with games and the design is pretty similar to the S3, this is a solid offering from Samsung in the flagship race.

The Active S4 is ideal for people looking for a more protected smartphone, although it does make some sacrifices. Its design is too rugged for mainstream appeal and its display and camera aren’t great. But it’s a great hybrid for an underwater camera and is perfect for adventurous lifestyles.

The thing about Galaxy handsets is that their flaws are often matters of personal opinion. If you don’t mind the samey design, plasticky build and irksome user interface, then the Galaxy S5 could be the best smartphone going. It’s insanely powerful, has a blinding display and is even waterproof. If you care about substance over style then the Galaxy S5 is as good as it gets.

OS Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.9 GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 2.5GHz quad-core Screen 5.1 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16/32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 16MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean CPU 1.6 GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 16/32/64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 13MP front-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm Weight 130g Battery 2,600 mAh

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm Weight 151g Battery 2,600 mAh

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 142 mm x 72.5 mm x 8.1 mm Weight 145g Battery 2,800mAh

VERDICT: An impressive offering with

VERDICT: It may not be quite as good as its

VERDICT: Behind a cheap-looking build lies

interesting but not integrated new software.

big brother, but it certainly has its purpose.

the beastliest smartphone around.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Sony Xperia Go

Sony Xperia L

Sony Xperia J

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £200 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £249 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £149 www.sonymobile.com

When we’ve tested semi-rugged phones before, they’ve often put function firmly over form. But Sony’s Xperia Go blends style and resilience to create a tough device that’s also great to look at. Its waterproof, dust-resistant design keeps it protected against the elements and it’s a fast and pleasingly usable device. And while the old Android 2.3 OS is a disappointment, this is still a good phone for busy outdoor use.

This device includes some higher end specs for a low cost handset as well as a snappy camera, a high quality screen and impressive battery life. However, the odd design choices are a distraction and the screen does suffer from lag issues. Lower cost devices like the Nokia 620 offer more at a cheaper price. Access to the Google Play store potentially gives it an edge over the 620, if that’s what you’re after.

The Xperia J is expensive for what you get - no small feat considering it costs £149. This is a severely stripped down version of its big brothers, the Xperia P, T and S. Its performance is poor, the camera and screen is poor. You’d do much better buying last gen’s flagship phones on a contract, rather than buying this weak cut price performer. Avoid.

os Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 3.5-inch TFT Resolution 320 x 480 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1GHz dual-core Memory 512MB Storage 8GB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB Camera 5MP rear-facing Flash LED

Dimensions 128.7x 65 x 9.7mm, 137g Display 4.3 inch, TFT capacitive touchscreen, 480x854 pixels, 228 ppi OS Android 4.1 CPU Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon dual core 1GHz GPU Adreno 305

Dimensions 120.5 x 63 x 10.28 mm OS Windows Phone 8 Screen 4.0-inch S-LCD Resolution 480x800 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1GHz dual-core GPU Adreno 305 RAM 512MB

Video 720p HD at 30fps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 520 hours Talk time 6 hours Size 111 x 60 x 10mm Weight 110g

Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB, microSD up to 32GB Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Camera 8MP, autofocus, LED flash Battery Up to 9 hours (3G) - accurate

Storage 4GB expandable via microSD Cameras 5MP rear, LED flash / 720p HD video Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.1, a-GPS and GLONASS Ports Micro USB, 3.5mm audio Battery life 1,700mAh

VERDICT: If you need a stylish and tough

VERDICT: Not a bad choice for gamers on a

VERDICT: A bit of a rip off for a low spec,

phone for outdoor use, there’s a lot to like.

budget, but for others there are better handsets.

poor performing phone.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

Sony Xperia SP

Sony Xperia T3

Sony Xperia Z

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £290 www.sonymobile.com


Reviewed: April 2013, price: £499 www.sonymobile.com

The Xperia SP has an excellent high definition screen, a fairly solid battery life and an interesting notification system involving a panel at the bottom of the phone which lights up with customisable colours when you get a message. However the phone’s not as powerful as last year’s flagships, is slightly bulky and there are rival phones to be had for less money, particularly if you’re not fussed about 4G.

If it weren’t for the existence of the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra, released less than nine months prior, the T3 would be a solid recommendation. It’s a highly satisfactory smartphone with a premium build - but without anybody who would really need to buy it.

Sony’s smartphone is a powerhouse in every way, let down only by some unusual design decisions. Water, dust and shock resistant, it’s giant screen size will come down to personal preference, as will its unusual design. Otherwise it has all of Sony’s bells and whistles, including some clever use of NFC with NFCs stereos, TVs and laptops.

OS Android 4.1 Screen 4.6inch / 720x1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Camera 8MP, VGA front Video Record / Playback Audio Music player / Stereo Bluetooth / 3.5mm jack Memory 8GB expandable via

OS Android 4.4 Kit Kat Processor 1.4GHz quad-core Screen 5.3 inches Resolution 1,280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.1MP front-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm and 146g OS Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Screen 5 inch, Capacitive touchscreen,1080 x 1920 Processor Qualcomm Krait quad-core 1.5 GHz RAM 2GB RAM Storage 16GB, microSD (to 32GB)

micro SD card Battery 2370mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 150.7 x 77 x 7mm Weight 148g Battery 2,500mAh

Cameras Main 13.1 MP, 4128x3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash. Front - 2.2 MP, 1080p@30fps Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC enabled Ports MicroUSB v2.0, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack. Battery Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery

VERDICT: If 4G LTE isn’t for you, the Xperia

VERDICT: A solid effort makes it a viable

VERDICT: A powerhouse phone, let down

SP isn’t quite the bargain it first seems.

mid-range phablet choice.

only by some design niggles.









30/09/2014 12:35


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Sony Xperia Z1

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Sony Xperia Z2

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £475 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £449 www.sonymobile.com


It’s a little on the large side, but Sony’s latest handset is rock solid, with powerful hardware and a unique design. Fans of the company will be right at home with the software that stores movies, music and games you’ve bought across other platforms. Add in a great camera and you’ve got a phone that stops just short of best in class.

If you hate giant displays and don’t have the patience for Apple’s iOS and its restrictive App Store, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact your only choice, and a great one at that. Sony have done well to make a phone with the power to rival the mighty iPhone in an equally small package. In-built Sony-branded apps such as Walkman and PlayStation is an inherent plus, too. Fingers crossed for a KitKat 4.4 upgrade soon.

The Z2 matches its rivals’ power and usability. A lack of design innovation and similar specs might deter Z1 owners from upgrading, though, and the large size might not appeal to fans of smaller devices. That said, superior imagin and a powerful processor and CPU means it excels in the right places.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2GHz Screen 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB expandable up to 64GB via micro SD Camera 20.7 MP rearfacing, 2 MP front-facing

OS Android 4.3 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Screen 4.3-inch HD Triluminos Resolution 720 x 1,280 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 16GB, expandable to 64GB

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 5.2 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 20.7MP rear-facing, 2.2MP front-facing

Video 1080p Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports micro SD, microUSB Battery 3000 mAh Dimensions 144 x 74 x 8.5mm Weight 170g

Camera 20.7MP Exmor RS Video 720p Connectivity Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC Dimensions 127 x 64.9 x 9.5mm Weight 137g Battery 2,300 mAh


VERDICT: Software makes it great for Sony

VERDICT: The most powerful, best looking

VERDICT: An immaculate smartphone, if

fans, hardware makes it good for the rest

compact Android available. Simple.

only a small step up from its predecessor.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Vodafone Smart 3

Vodafone Smart Mini

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £559 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £90 www.vodafone.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £50 www.vodafone.co.uk

Sony’s phablet is a powerful and sleek piece of kit. The vivid, full HD display is the perfect place to watch movies and play games thanks to its gigantic size and incredible clarity. The camera leaves something to be desired, and it’s impossible to use with just one hand, but this is a fine choice for phablet fans looking for a new purchase.

While the Vodafone Smart 3 manages to offer a good 5-megapixel camera and Android Jelly Bean at a bargain price of just £90, its slow processor, appalling screen and poor build quality mean that that it’s unlikely to be a first choice even for budget handset shoppers. The screen is too reflective to use in direct sunlight and the low spec processor means the device is sluggish at the best of times.

The Smart Mini is almost as cheap as chips, and it shows. Whilst it’s not a bad device, it’s not a particularly good one either. The size is great and for the price you couldn’t go wrong — but you could also spend an extra tenner and get a whole lot more. The performance was very sluggish and the screen had dismal quality, but the battery just kept on lasting, going several days on a single charge — a rarity these days.

OS Android 4.2, upgradeable to Android 4.3 Processor 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Screen 1080 x 1920 pixels, 6.4 inches Memory 2GB Storage 16GB Camera 8 MP rear-facing,

Dimensions 123.2 x 64.4 x 10.9 mm Weight 136g Screen TFT capacitive touchscreen Processor 1 GHz Cortex-A9 RAM 512MB Storage 4GB, expandable up to 32GB Cameras 5 MP, autofocus,

Dimensions 115 x 62.3 x 12.2mm Weight 118 OS Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Screen 3.5-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 320 x 480 pixels, 165 ppi Processor 1 GHz RAM 512MB

2 MP front-facing Video 1080p@30fps Wireless Bluetooth 4.0, wi-fi, NFC Ports MicroSD, Micro-USB Dimensions 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5 mm Weight 212g Battery 3050 mAh

VERDICT: A powerful handset that’s great

LED flash Video Yes Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC Ports USB 2.0, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack Battery life Li-Ion 1700 mAh, 9h (3G) – accurate

Storage 4GB, micro SD slot Camera 2MP, 1600 x 1200 pixels Video VGA @ 30 fps Audio MP3, WMA, Battery 300h standby, 7h talktime (3G)

for viewing but poor for photo shooting.

VERDICT: The price doesn’t alleviate issues of low screen quality and processing speed.

VERDICT: Extremely cheap which shows through the sluggish performance.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

Yezz Andy A5

ZTE Blade III

ZTE Blade V

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £207 www.sayyezz.com

Reviewed: May 2013, price: £69.99 www.ztedevices.co.uk

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £99.99 www.ztedevices.co.uk

Camera phone fans on a tight budget should definitely seek out the Andy A5 for its affordable price and high-quality camera. If taking photos is not that important to you then you’ll probably have seen the uninspired design and bland features a million times before.

It’s hard to argue with a smartphone that can compete with its betters, yet can be purchased for a fraction of the cost. Yes there are flaws and cutbacks to meet the price point, but this is an excellent entry level device for smartphone newbies and pragmatic users who don’t need the latest and greatest.

A fantastic price makes the ZTE Blade V easy to recommend for first-time buyers. Anyone hoping to get the most out of a smartphone’s apps and snaps should look elsewhere, but if you don’t want to worry about a phone for the kids being broken or stolen, then this is your guy.

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core 1.2GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Connectivity 3G, wi-fi Dimensions 144.1 x 73.5 x

Dimensions 123 x 63.5 x 10mm, 130g OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Screen TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors, 480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inches (233 PPI) Processor Qualcomm single core 1GHz

OS Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) Processor Snapdragon S4 Play Screen 480 x 800, 4 inches Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB Camera 5 MP Video Yes Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

8.6mm Weight 106g Battery 2,000mAh

RAM 512MB Storage 4GB internal, expandable to 32GB via MicroSD Camera 5MP Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1. Ports Micro USB, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack. Battery life 1600mAh

Ports microUSB, microSD Dimensions 126 x 64 x 10.9 mm Weight 130g Battery Li-Ion 1800 mAh

VERDICT: A great camera, but the rest struggles against more bullish counterparts.

VERDICT: A real surprise package -

VERDICT: A great prices makes this

excellent for the money.

worthwhile for first-time buyers.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9” Acer Aspire P3

Advent Vega Tegra Note 7

Reviewed: May 2013, price: £229/259 www.amazon.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £550 www.amazon.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £140 www.nvidia.co.uk

A good looking e-reader with tablet capabilities, limited by Amazon’s annoying operating system and app eco-system, and an annoyingly slow browser. This device will doubtless be a commercial success, with its branding and ease of use, but for the more serious user there are much better tablets out there.

The P3 suffers from an identity crisis in trying to be both a tablet and a laptop. Its thick build makes it an uncomfortable, bulky slate while the specs fail to live up to some of its rivals. Still, it’s about as powerful as the current Windows 8 tablets get and available at a great price for this kind of device.

It’s a contender, alright. Aside from some clunky desing issues, the Advent Vega Tegra Note 7 is a powerful and punchy little machine. If you’re after a compact and affordable tablet its speed sets it aside from its rivals as a device that’s great for gaming, customising images and browsing the web.

Dimensions 240 x 164 x 8.8 mm OS Customized Android 4.0 Screen 8.9 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen Resolution 1920 x 1200, 254 ppi Processor TI OMAP 4470 dual-core 1.5 GHz

Processor Intel® Core™ i5-3339Y processor (1.5 GHz, 2.0 GHz with TurboBoost, 3 MB cache) Operating System Windows 8 Memory 4GB DDR3 Storage 120 GB SSD Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000

OS Android Jelly Bean 4.3 Processor Nvidia Tegra 4 Screen 7 inches Resolution 1,280 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Connectivity Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Dimensions 119 x 199 x 9.6mm

Cortex-A9 GPU PowerVR SGX544 RAM 1 GB RAM Storage 16 GB/32 GB Cameras front facing 1.3MP with 720p video Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band Ports USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jacks, Bluetooth

Screen Size 11.6” Screen Resolution 1366x768 Dimensions 295 x 190 x 10 mm Weight 790g

Weight 320g Battery 8 hours

VERDICT: A solid, functional tablet which is

VERDICT: Too thick to be a tablet but

VERDICT: Its speed sets it apart from its

limited by its Amazon associations.

available at a good price.

competition. A cheap and capable device.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

Apple iPad Mini

Apple iPad 3

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £199-329 www.amazon.co.uk/kindle

Reviewed: December 2012, price: £269 www.apple.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2012, price: £399 www.apple.com/uk

The Kindle Fire HDX is around £100 more than the Fire but the improved screen and processor justifies the extra cost. The real human Help feature will be a boon to tablet newbies; experienced users will regard it as a gimmick. The HDX is a top-rate device – but if you’re not a regular Amazon customer you’re better off with a Nexus.

The iPad Mini represents Apple playing it safe, which is to say:, disappointing. This is little more than an iPad 2, with all its limitations - a low res screen and weak processor power - shrunk down to an odd 7.9-inch size. It is also overpriced, the Google Nexus 7 offers superior performance for £100 less. Despite its luxurious design, you really are paying for little more than 4G support, and Apple’s App Store. Average.

The new iPad boasts the highest-resolution display of any tablet, as well as an improved 5MP camera and better connectivity. Not to mention a high-powered new processor which makes it the most powerful iPad ever, too. Though some may resist the upgrade path, the unrivalled Retina display is a subtle but deeply appealing feature which will become more and more desirable. The new iPad is by far the best tablet around

OS Amazon customised Android OS, v4.1.2 Processor Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 1902 x 1200 pixels, 7 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB, 32GB, 64GB versions available Camera 8MP front-facing

OS iOS 6.0.1 Screen 7.9-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD Resolution 768 x 1024 pixels at 162 pixels per inch Input Capacitive touchscreen CPU Apple A5 1GHz dual core GPU PowerVR SGX543MP2 Memory 512MB Storage 16/32/64GB

OS iOS 5 Screen 9.7-inch TFT Resolution 1536 x 2048 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1GHz Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 16/32/64GB Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing

Video 720HD Wireless Wi-fi (optional Vodafone 4G version) Ports microUSB Dimensions 131.8 x 66.9 x 9.9 mm Weight 302g

Camera 5MP rear facing, 1.2MP front facing Video 1920x1080 (1080P HD) at 30fps. Video stabilised Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Apple Lightning port (USB 2.0) Size 200 x 134.7 x 7.2mm Weight 308g

Flash No Video 1080p HD Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, proprietary Apple connector Standby time 720 hours Use time 9 hours Size 241 x 186 x 9mm Weight 662g

VERDICT: A significant update to the Fire

VERDICT: Little more than a shrunken iPad

VERDICT: There’s simply no contest - the

and ideal for Amazon users.

2 with 4G. Disappointing.

new iPad is the best tablet in the world.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Apple iPad 4

Archos 79 Platinum

Archos 101 XS 2

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £399 www.apple.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £150 www.archos.com

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £250 www.archos.com

A rather cheeky move by Apple to release the iPad 4 (or ‘iPad with Retina Display’) just months after the iPad 3. All it really adds is a new processor (the iPhone 5’s A6X) and Apple’s new lightning connector. However, this means it remains as the best tablet money can buy - and Apple’s App Store and its 300,000 dedicated tablet apps only make the proposition more enticing.

With so many budget tablets to choose from the Archos 79 Platinum has no features or unique selling points to attract the consumer in a saturated market. Its hardware is woefully underpowered, its features are bog standard and it is at least £10 too expensive. Its attractive looks are not enough to redeem it. The bottom line is that it should have never been conceived.

A couple of years ago, the 101 XS would have has us singing Archos’ praises, but by today’s standards its processing power and screen quality fall short. It might, though, find a home with users limited to spending £250 on a 10-inch tablet

OS iOS 6.0.1, Screen 9.7 inch LED Resolution 1536 x 2048 pixels at 264 ppi pixel density CPU Apple A6X, Dual-core GPU PowerVR SGX554MP4, Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32/64 GB storage Camera 5MP rear facing, 1.2MP front facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core A9 1.6GHz Screen 7.85 inches Resolution 1,024 x 768 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB Camera 2MP rear-facing Connectivity Wi-fi, Bluetooth

OS Android 4.2.2 SCREEN 10.1-inch/1,280 x 800 pixels CAMERA 2MP rear, 2MP front VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack MEMORY 16GB expandable via microSD

Video 1080P HD at 30fps Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 Cellular 4G, 3G, 2G Ports Lightning Connector (USB2.0) and 3.5mm audio jack, Dimensions 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm Weight 662 g

VERDICT: The best tablet money can buy.



Dimensions 201 x 137 x 8mm Weight 366g Battery Lithium Polymer

DIMENSIONS 273 x 169 x 10.1mm (tablet), 273 x 169 x 5mm (keyboard) WEIGHT 636g (tablet), 200g (keyboard)

VERDICT: There is no reason you ever

VERDICT: A great price is let down by a

would, or should, buy it. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

poor screen and cheap build.




HHHHH HHHHH




30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T Reviewed: February 2014, price: £429 www.asus.com The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T packs a beautiful screen and the keyboard dock is well thought out. But dated software and the threat of a Google Nexus 10 sequel make this a niche device. Do you really need a keyboard? The iPad mini begs to differ. OS Android 4.3 (via an overthe-air update) SCREEN 10.1-inch/2,560 x 1,600 pixels INPUT Capacitive touchscreen CAMERA 5MP rear, 1.2MP front VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm

jack MEMORY 32/64GB BATTERY Tablet 31Wh, dock 16Wh

HHHHH

Google Nexus 7

Google Nexus 10

Reviewed: September 2012, price: £159 www.google.co.uk/nexus

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £319 www.google.co.uk/nexus

Google’s Nexus 7 is a high-quality media consumption device built for gaming, watching videos, browsing the internet and catching up on TV shows that you’ve missed. What it isn’t is an Apple iPad, but at this price it doesn’t need to be. Google has picked what it wanted to do and done it very well - and all at a great price. This excellent device is sure to take tablets to a whole new audience of consumers.

Finally, the Android tablet everyone’s been waiting for - except Apple. This is a tablet that can go head to head with the best in the Apple iPad stable - it has a powerful processor, a Retina Display quality screen, the latest version of Android. Along with the Nexus 7, this is the best tablet Android users can buy. The only flaws are an uninspired body, and a dearth of tablet specific apps.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Screen 7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1.3GHz Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 8GB/16GB internal Camera 1.2MP front-facing Flash No

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Dimensions 263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9 mm, 603g Screen 10-inches, Gorilla Glass 2, Resolution 2560 x 1600p Input Super PLS TFT capacitive touch-screen CPU Exynos 5, Dual-core ARM Cortex-A15

Video 720p HD Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Battery 10 hours use, 300 hours standby Size 199 x 120 x 10mm Weight 340g

RAM 2 GB Cameras 5 MP (main), 1.9 MP (front) Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth NFC Android Beam Storage 16 GB/32 GB Connectivity Micro USB, Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 9000 mAh

VERDICT: A fantastic device that delivers all

VERDICT: The best Android tablet available,

compete with the iPad Air or Nexus range

you’d want from a tablet, at a great price.

slips behind the iPad 4 only due to apps.




VERDICT: It packs fast hardware but can’t






30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HP Slate 7

Lenovo ThinkPad 8

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £125 www.hp.com

Reviewed: September 2014, price: £424 www.lenovo.com

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £399 www.lenovo.com

The steel frame makes the Slate 7 an impressive sight and its audio uses Beats technology to great effect. The fantastic price will help it to undercut some of its rivals, though the slow processor and low quality camera keep it from besting them elsewhere.

If you just want a device for general tasks then you can find better alternatives within Lenovo’s Yoga range of Android slates, and elsewhere. If you’re a fan of Windows and in search of a bulkier device that offers plenty of productivity tools, then the ThinkPad is an (almost) viable option.

The IdeaPad might have a cheesy name but it excels in almost every other area, with a fun, quirky design, amazing performance that’s ideal for gaming and a slew of ports for accessibility. This comes at the price of the battery, which won’t make it through a full day of use, and it’s sometimes awkward to hold. But if its raw performance you’re looking for, this delivers.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor Dual-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A9 Screen 600 x 1024 pixels, 7.0 inches Memory 1 GB RAM Storage 8 GB expandable to 32GB via SD card Camera 3.15 MP pixel rear facing, VGA front facing

OS Windows 8.1 Processor 2.4GHz quad-core Screen 8.3 inches Resolution 1,200 x 1,920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2.2MP front-facing

OS Windows 8 Processor Intel Core i73689Y 1.5GHz Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 Screen 11.6-inches (1366x 768 pixels) IPS Memory 8GB DDR3 RAM Storage 256GB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi,

Video 720p Dimensions 197.1 x 116.1 x 10.7 mm Weight 372 g Battery non-removable, 5h media time

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 8.83 x 5.2 x 0.35 inches Weight 439g

Bluetooth 4.0 Keyboard Full-sized QWERTY Ports USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 2x1 card reader, HDMI-out Dimensions 297.94 x 203.96 x 17 mm Weight 1.39 kg

VERDICT: Great audio and build, but corners

VERDICT: Even with so few Windows tablets

VERDICT: A fantastic device that offers you

have been cut to keep costs down.

available the ThinkPad still fails to stand out.

all the power you could ask for in a hybrid.









30/09/2014 12:36


buyer’s guide

Lenovo Miix 2

Microsoft Surface 2 Pro

Nokia Lumia 2520

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £255 www.microsoft.com/surface

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £720 www.microsoft.com/surface


With solid performance across the board, frequently usable built-in apps and compact size the Miix 2 is a small but surprisingly versatile slate. Despite the limitations that come with the Windows OS, it performs general tasks well and, for the price, won’t let you down. With 3G capability you can even connect to the internet on the move. Overall, it offers plenty of pleasant surprises to combat the weaknesses of its OS.

We can’t fault Microsoft’s ambition for the powerful Surface Pro 2 to become your all-in-one portable work and play device. It’s got a great display and solid hardware but a lack of dedicated apps, software compromises and stiff - cheapercompetition make it a tough sell.

The Windows-run Lumia 2520 is a decent first effort from Nokia - and it’s certainly one of the more attractive and solid pieces of tablet hardware on the market. It has a few issues with the weight and a lackluster camera but overall we have no trouble recommending this to Windows 8.1 and Lumia fans.

OS Windows 8.1 Processor 1.3GHz quad-core Screen 8 inches Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 32GB MicroSD compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Windows 8.1 SCREEN 10.6 inches/1,920x1,080 pixels INPUT Capacitive touchscreen CAMERA 720p-resolution front and rear VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack

OS Windows 8.1 SCREEN 10.1 inches, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 218PPI processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MEMORY 2GB CAMERA 6.7MP with Carl Zeiss lens AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 8.3 x 215.6 x 131mm Weight 350g Battery 4,730mAh

MEMORY 64GB/128GB/256GB/512GB, expandable BATTERY 48Wh

DIMENSIONS 168 x 267 x 8.9mm, 615g BATTERY 8120 mAh

VERDICT: A small but substantial Windows

VERDICT: Price holds back what is an

VERDICT: A rock solid first effort from Nokia

offering that still trails its Android rivals.

otherwise excellent work/play hybrid.

in this market with powerful specs.





HHHHH



HHHHH HHHHH



30/09/2014 12:37


buyer’s guide

editor’s choice

editor’s choice

HHHHH

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids Samsung Galaxy Tab S

HHHHH

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2



Reviewed: May 2014, price: £649 www.samsung.com/uk

The Tab 3 Kids is surprisingly robust, with a solid camera, great battery, fantastic educational apps and software to suit kids. But the premium design doesn’t feel like it was meant to be enjoyed by young users and we’d suggest going with a company that specialises in the market rather than one that’s testing it out.

While the Tab S may not be a radical departure from other Android tablets, it encompasses everything that is great about a top-notch Samsung product. It’s enough to rebuild the Korean giant’s brand image, and proof that the company can still surprise us with a fantastic all-round product.

One of the biggest displays ever seen on a tablet - at no detriment to quality. Combine that with solid design and a super powerful processor to run loads of unique applications and the NotePRO 12.2 is arguably the best tablet on the market. It’s certainly the best Android slate, although it’s definitely priced as such.

OS Android 4.1 Processor Dual-core 1.2GHz Screen 600 x 1,024 pixels, 7 inches Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB, expandable up to 64GB Camera 3.15MP (back), 1.3MP (front)

OS Android 4.4 Kit Kat Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 8.4 inches Resolution 2,560 x 1,600 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 16GB, 32GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2.1MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor Octa-core (1.9GHz + 1.3GHz quad) Screen 12.2 inches Resolution 2,560 x 1,600 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 32GB/64GB Camera 8MP rear/2MP front-facing

Video 720p@30fps Wireless WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports micro-USB, microSD Dimensions 188 x 111.1 x 9.9mm Weight 306g Battery Li-Ion 4,000 mAh

VERDICT: A little too premium for the market it’s aimed at.



HHHHH


Video 1,080p Full HD Connectivity Wi-fi only Dimensions 295.6 x 204 x 7.95mm Weight 750g Battery 9,500mAh

VERDICT: Simply put, it’s the best Android tablet on the market.

VERDICT: Big, beautiful, functional and




priced to match. Android’s finest.


HHHHH HHHHH www.whatmobile.net 95


30/09/2014 12:37


buyer’s guide

Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Tesco Hudl

Toshiba Excite Pure

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £399 www.sony.co.uk

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £119 www.tesco.com/direct/hudl

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £250 www.toshiba.co.uk

If looks could kill, Sony murdered the competition. Add to that a powerful processor and decent screen size and you have a great new addition to the high-end tablet market. Innovative features like dust and water resistance are impressive too, and manage to make up the expensive price tag.

No awards for specs or design, but we can recommend the Hudl as a family-oriented tablet. It lets you store pictures, browse the web and watch movies: It may not be groundbreaking, but its simplicity is its greatest strength. That, and its incredible £119 price. Those looking for anything more complicated should head elsewhere.

The Toshiba Excite Pure’s £250 price is attractive but its display is far too faded. It means apps and the like don’t look very good. It might appeal to families looking for a cheap way to keep the kids entertained but little else. Even so, the slow processor and useless apps force us to recommend you look elsewhere.

OS Android OS v4.4.2 (KitKat) Screen 10.1 inches Processor Quad-core 2.3 GHz Memory 3GB Storage 16GB, microSD up to 64GB Camera 8.1MP rear, 2.2MP front

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core A9 Screen 7 inches Resolution 1,440 x 900 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

OS Android v4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Nvidia Tegra 3 Memory 1GB Storage 16GB Screen 1280 x 800 pixels, 10.1 inches Video HD Audio Stereo Dimensions 261.6 x 177.8 x 10.2mm

Battery 6,000mAh Network Wi-fi connectivity, 4G LTE

Dimensions 128.8 x 192.8 x 9.85 mm Weight 370g Battery 9 hours

VERDICT: A good all-round tablet, with looks

VERDICT: Cheap as cheap can be, with

VERDICT: It’s got a cheap price tag but the

that set it apart from the rest of the flagships.

specs to match. It keeps things simple.

poor display and tech shows why.









30/09/2014 12:37


power to life

The amazing new accessories range, coming soon from

vote now The Carphone Warehouse's Geek Squad won last years What Mobile Award for Best Service & Repair. But how many of their customers buy them Jaffa Cakes because they’re so happy with the service? Strike a blow for the small guy and vote for us at www.whatmobileawards.co.uk

Untitled-7 1

30/09/2014 15:47


BlackBerry 9720 HTC Desire 310

Samsung Galaxy S5 Sony Xperia Z2

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

HTC M8 Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

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6 

5

2

3 

1

2 



1

Sony Xperia E

What’s hot and what’s not (October – November)

8

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 13 november Sony Xperia Z3

Amazon Fire Phone Samsung Galaxy Note 4

The biggest end of year releases

98_Next-Issue_November14.indd 90

30/09/2014 15:45


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free portable wireless charger and speaker with the Nokia Lumia 930*

from just

£19.99 a month

†

Choose your plan and order at

www.buymobiles.net/nokia930

Order up to 9pm weekdays for free next-day delivery! Call 0800 008 7272 • Open Mon to Fri 9am - 5:30pm *Subject to availability and acceptance on contract. Charger and speaker redeemed from Nokia. Full contract and delivery terms apply. † £199 upfront charge. Free phone from £30.99 a month. Prices accurate at press.

What Mobile - November 2014.pdf

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