iPhone 5 videos: All you need to know(videos only)

iPhone 5: Lightning explained

iPhone 5: Siri tested

iPhone 5: 10 things to do first

iPhone 5 iOS 6 features walkthrough

iPhone 5 review video

iPhone 5 4G tests

Apple iPhone 5 unboxing

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HTC 8X review

The Windows Phone 8X by HTC is its full name, but everyone’s going to be calling it the HTC 8X, so let’s do the same. This is one of the most handsome, tactile and pleasurable-to-hold phones you’ll come across. The glass screen has a gloss black frame, with the matte soft-touch case framing that. Since the case comes in various colours, including a purply blue, it looks pretty snazzy and feels very inviting to the touch. The UK version of the 8X will also be available in black and yellow, while the WP8 homepage will match the colour of the handset as default (although you can change the colour if you wish). The main competition comes from the Nokia Lumia 920 and 820, while the 8X is also joined by its Windows Phone 8 sibling - the HTC 8S.

HTC 8X: Build

This is HTC’s best constructed phone since the metal Legend phone. It feels solid and strong – there’s no creaking or flexing here. Partly that’s because the battery is sealed inside so there’s no back panel to pop off. The advantage is the battery can be bigger as there’s no internal frame which a removable battery would require.It also means the phone can be thinner. The result is sleek and small – it feels less hand-stretching than some 4.3-inch screened phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S2 or the monster-sized Samsung Galaxy S3, with it's 4.8-inch display. The edge where the polycarbonate frame joins the glass screen is pleasingly smooth, enough to make the phone into a worry stone that you can rotate satisfyingly through your fingers.
The only disappointment in the build is the power button which is so flush with the top edge it needs a firm press to activate it. Since there’s no physical home button on the screen, it’s the only way to turn it on unless you launch the camera with its physical button.

HTC 8X: Features

HTC phones always sound good, since the company got involved with Beats Audio -  with the likes of the HTC One X and HTC One S and HTC One V. This model also includes Beats tech on board and has an extra amplifier to boost the sonics while still keeping them clear and sharp. This extra audio boost works throughout the phone, whether you’re listening to music or watching video.And there’s a good 8MP camera with wide-open f/2.0 aperture so lots of light gets in. HTC prides itself on cameras that are ready to go quickly with minimal shutter lag. There’s also a front-facing camera which, thanks to its 2.1MP resolution, is capable of 1080p HD video, just like the one round the back. But there are few of the trademark HTC features seen on its Android phones. Windows Phone 8 is much more uniform than Android and the HTC Hub is less busy than it was on Windows Phone 7. This is a shame as HTC’s skill with phone software is exceptional.The HTC Hub is here as a tile that stretches the width of the screen, but it’s unbranded and merely shows the time and weather info. Touch it and you have access to more weather details – though none of the visual flourishes the company was known for, along with Stocks and News.The phone has NFC, the contactless data transfer system, though implementations of this on Windows Phone 8 are still pretty minimal.

HTC 8X: Screen

The 4.3in display has a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels, that’s 342 pixels per inch. No wonder it looks so good: it even beats the iPhone 5’s Retina Display (326ppi) and isn’t far off the Google Nexus 7 screen which is a full seven inches in size.It’s not AMOLED but is still bright and colourful. The live tiles that make up Windows Phone 8 gleam on this display, making this OS look inviting.Of course, it’s still so different from iOS or Android that many may find it too big a change to embrace, but the advantage of having more tiles on screen at once, thanks to different sizes, could be enough to tip the balance. If so, this phone’s screen certainly does it justice.

HTC 8X: Performance

Although the processor requirements for Windows Phone have become much more flexible with the new version of the software, manufacturers are limited by the choice of available processors. This one uses the Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon, the same dual-core 1.5GHz chip that features in the Nokia Lumia 920.In practice, this is more than enough to keep it all running along happily and without slowdowns or glitches. The touchscreen is responsive and butter-smooth, and the live tiles update endlessly.Another change to Windows Phone requirements means manufacturers can add a removable memory slot. But there isn’t one here, so you’re limited to the 32GB internal memory.

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Google Nexus 7 tablet review

Update: The Google Nexus 7 has been named Gadget of the Year at the annual T3 Gadget Awards, eating the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3, theiPhone 4S and the Sony PS Vita.  Be sure to check out the full list of T3 Gadget Awards 2012 winners...
The Google Nexus 7 by Asus is the world’s first 7-inch quadcore tablet to run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Unveiled at the Google I/O developer conference, the search engine giants worked with Asus to build a device that packs premium specs, but a not so premium £159 price tag.
As speculation continues to intensify around the possibility of Apple announcing an ‘iPad mini’, we find out if the cheap Android tablet can help Google gain ground on the Cupertino company and rain on the hotly anticipated Amazon Kindle Fire's parade. When you take the Nexus 7 out of the box, it looks and feels like a tablet you would not be ashamed to take out in public. Having successfully launched the Samsung Nexus smartphone range, Google has chosen well again for its foray into the tablet market by working with Asus which has made some of the best Android tablets on the market, notably theAsus Transformer Prime.

Google Nexus 7: Build

The black bezel display seems to be the standard for Android tablets these days, but Asus has given its surroundings a more aesthetically pleasing feel particularly the textured dimple-like back that sits snug in two hands making it ideal for prolonged use.
Weighing in at 340g, the Nexus 7 is lighter than the Amazon Kindle Fire (413g) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (345g). At 10.5mm thick it’s not the most slender, but this is barely noticeable in the grand scheme of the overall design of the Nexus 7.
Physical buttons-wise it is much the same as other Android tablets, with on/off button and volume rocker situated on the edge of the device and the micro USB charging and syncing port found at the bottom next to the headphone jack.

Google Nexus 7: Screen

If you’re expecting a new iPad 3-style Retina display quality in the screen department, then you’re going to be mildly disappointed.

While the 1280 x 800 HD display with 216 ppi might not put it in the same category in terms of clarity and vibrancy as the Apple tablet, it easily surpasses the 1024 x 600 resolutions sported by its closest 7-inch tablet rivals and proves excellent for watching movies and browsing.

There’s a corning glass coating to give the screen more durability and a magnetic layering which means the Nexus 7 has the capabilities to support SmartCover-style cases.

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Google Nexus-4 Review

The Google Nexus 4 by LG was launched alongside two other products, the Google Nexus 10 tablet and the Google Nexus 7 32GB 3G tablet marking the company''s biggest hardware launch yet.
Why now? With Apple having just released its Nexus 7 competitor, the iPad Mini, it seems as though Google is looking to take on the entire Apple ecosystem with a full range of products.
With Android Jelly Bean 4.2 on board in its purest form, the Nexus 4 is the flagship for Google’s latest OS. However with an unassuming design and sub-£300 price tag you may be wondering then how Google is going to accomplish this, well read on and you'll soon realise that it's what's underneath that counts just as much as what can be found subtly lurking on the surface.

Google Nexus 4: Size and build

First thing we noticed was just how un-noticeable the Nexus 4 actually is, in fact if you just glanced with the screen turned off it could stand in as any number of nameless Android smartphones.
Taker a closer inspection however and you begin to notice the more premium details which set this apart from the competition. The Corning Gorilla Glass 2 display is slightly curved at the edges letting the finger slide of the screen.
On the back you’ll find a glass panel protecting a dark shimmering dot matrix pattern not unlike the wallpaper found on the first Nexus with a metallic band running around the phone. While the glass on the back is supposed to be scratch resistant we soon found that it was not invulnerable to the odd car key.
Weighing in at 139g this isn’t a light smartphone however the Nexus 4 manages to distribute the weight in such a way that it adds to the sense that this is a smartphone that could survive day to day without instantly needing to buy a case (iPhone 5 we’re looking at you).

Google Nexus 4: Screen

The Nexus 4 sports a 4.7-inch 1280x768 display which we can confirm right now is brilliant. With 320 pixels per inch (the iPhone 5 is 326ppi) text is razor sharp while images are bright and vivid, even bright sunlight.
LG has followed the display philosophy that by going wider you prevent the issue of not being able to reach the top of the screen with your thumb. At first this stubby display felt odd to use but after a while we have to agree, our thumbs aren’t growing any time soon so it makes sense.
Video looks sharp and smooth with Play Movies offering up a huge selection of new releases and classics to rent.

Google Nexus 4: Camera

LG has included a much needed 8MP camera on the back of the Nexus 4, a sensor upgrade that was badly needed after the OK camera on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
What you get in return is a superb camera that copes with outdoor light extremely well however on the low light images we did find that grainy haze begin to appear quite quickly. With a strong flash this is easily compensated for however it does mean it’s by no means up to the standard we’ve seen on the iPhone 5 or the Nokia Lumia 920.
Features are basic but brilliantly accessible thanks to Android Jelly Bean; simply hold your finger anywhere on the screen while the camera is open and you’re presented with a simple easy-access menu of scenes and modes. Most notable of these is PhotoSphere the new 360-degree camera mode found on the Jelly Bean 4.2 update.
Taking panorama one step further PhotoSphere lets you take a single image and then, following the instructions, build up a 360-degree tile of images which the smartphone then stitches together. It works beautifully and while it requires some patience it’s a welcome addition to Android.

Google Nexus 4: Performance

By now you’re probably beginning to wonder where the catch is, and to be honest it isn’t found here. Under the hood there’s a blisteringly quick Quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor along with 2GB of RAM to help back up Google’s claim that this is the fastest Android smartphone available.
Well Google and LG can hold their heads high as it is an impressively quick phone. Menu navigation along with processor intensive tasks never feel like a struggle with games making full use of the power and the display.
Elsewhere in the internals you’ll find the standard fare of Bluetooth, WiFi and also NFC making sure that this is a smartphone that does not need wires.

Google Nexus 4: Battery

With the same size battery found in the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Nexus 4 should be able to manage a days usage without too much hassle.
Unfortunately this was not the case. While with standard usage (texts, browsing and the odd call) we were able to get through until mid-evening, intensive usage quickly downed much of the juice.
It’s not an uncommon problem with modern smartphones however it was alarming to note how quickly it dropped after just a few hours heavy usage.

Google Nexus 4: Verdict

As we mentioned in our initial hands-on review the Nexus 4 is a new type of smartphone which takes the physical device and treats it as a portal to the feature presentation; Android.
While the design is unassuming, turn the screen on and you’re instantly greeted with your own creation thanks to the customisation that Jelly Bean affords.
The fact that they’ve then given you a smartphone which has a specs sheet to rival the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3 for under £300 should only reinforce the fact that this is Google at its best, taking the best hardware and then offering it at a price that will have you head-scratching for days.

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6 ways to turn your USB pen drive into the ultimate powerhouse

Any external USB storage drive, be it a pen drive or a hard drive, is used primarily for that reason - storage. But then, you knew there was more to it than that, didn't you?

So let's find out today what else can be done with these tiny and innocuous looking pen drives. I can bet that some of these tricks will pleasantly surprise you.

1. Install a full-featured apps suite
Using a full-featured apps suite is one of the most common ways to get the most out of your USB pen drive. These suite of tools can help you run just about any software right from that small piece of hardware. They are basically a collection of portable versions of popular tools, organised in an impressive manner. The most popular among these is PortableApps. Another good one isWinPenPack. Try them out and use the one that fits your needs the most.

2. Use it as a bootable device
Using a CD/DVD to install an operating system is out of fashion, apart from being less convenient. Use your pen drive to create a bootable version of an OS you are likely to use each day. Heck, you could also use it to boot multiple operating systems. Interesting, no?

3. Use it to store data safely
Got a lot of pen drives lying around? Why not use some of them as an encrypted storage of confidential data. Most of the popular encryption tools, like TrueCrypt, offer a way to encrypt an external drive. If you want to store and use passwords from it, powerful password managers likeLastPass and KeePass offer portable versions to help you carry them around. The setup might take some time but could come in handy on a rainy day.

4. Use Windows To Go
Not many know that the Enterprise version of Windows 8 can be run completely off a USB pen drive. Of course the drive should be 32 GB or larger but then those aren't hard to come by these days. Here's a guide on how to set it up. This isn't useful to the everyday Windows user but I am sure many business owners would find it interesting and might just consider handing over their employees such Windows To Go enabled drives so that they could work in a familiar environment from any computer.

5. Use it to run Dropbox or Google Drive on other computers
You start working on someone else's, or may be a public computer and you realise that all your important files are on Dropbox (or Google Drive). And you've always hated their web versions. What do you do now? How about a thumb drive running the portable version of those tools? Dropbox portable should be available in the PortableApps suite or you could set it up separately. Google Drive portable can be used via SyncDocs.

6. Use it to create a rescue drive
Last but by no means the least is an option to make your pen drive the ultimate saviour. Most of the anti-virus and anti-spyware tools like AVG and BitDefender offer a way to create rescue CDs or drives for saving a PC that's non-functional and infected with malware. You may also consider using an all-in-one recovery tool like Ultimate Boot CD.

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Nokia Lumia 920 or HTC 8X: Which Windows Phone 8 device is better?

Thanksgiving, is it? I'll tell you what I'm thankful for: competition.

Because competition drives innovation. Innovation leads to improvement. Improvement begets happiness.

In the tech world, some companies do their most innovative work when their backs are against the wall - especially Microsoft. Last month, it took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the most polished edition yet of its beautiful, crystal-clear software for touch-screen phones.

Unfortunately, as a Microsoft product manager told me understatedly, "We have an awareness problem." Translation: Nobody is buying Windows phones. And since nobody's buying them, nobody's writing apps for them. And since nobody's writing apps - well, you can see where this is going.

Still, Microsoft isn't giving up. This month, Windows Phone 8 arrives aboard two fascinating new phones: the Nokia Lumia 920 ($100 with a new AT&T contract) and the HTC Windows Phone 8X ($200 from AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile). HTC 8X is available in India for Rs. 35,023 while Nokia Lumia 920 is yet to release in the country.

It's funny about Nokia and HTC; they, too, are fallen giants. Nokia was the world's largest cellphone maker for 14 years straight; not anymore. At the moment, it's in seventh place among smartphone makers. It has shed tens of thousands of employees. HTC is struggling, too, having sold 36 percent fewer smartphones this year than last.

How intriguing, then, that HTC and Nokia have each chosen Microsoft as its savior, and vice versa. Loser + loser = winner?

Yes, actually. The two new phones have a lot in common - for one thing, they're both awesome. For another, both have bigger, sharper screens than the iPhone's famous Retina screen. (The HTC and Nokia phones have 4.3- and 4.5-inch screens. That's 1,280 by 720 pixels, packed in 341 and 332 to the inch.)

Both have rounded backs and edges, which make them both exceptionally comfortable to hold. (The curve also makes it easy to pull them out of your pocket the right way.)

Both come in a choice of bright colors. Both phones have the same blazing fast processor. Both can get onto their respective carriers' 4G LTE data networks (meaning very fast Internet), in the cities where those are available.

And get this - both of these phones can also charge without being plugged in. That's right: magnetic charging is finally built right into phones. Come home at the end of the day, throw your keys in the bowl, set the phone down on the charging pad (a $50 option) - and a little chime tells you that it's happily charging, even though no cable is in sight.

It's pretty great. It will become even greater if this charging method (an industry standard called Qi, pronounced chee) catches on. Someday there may be charging surfaces at coffee shops, airports and hotel rooms. (Only the Verizon version of the HTC phone has this feature turned on - not the AT&T or T-Mobile versions.)

Both phones also have built-in NFC chips. These allow near-field communications, which means "this phone can do things when you tap it against another gadget." The promise is that you'll be able to tap on a cash-register terminal to pay for something; tap against an NFC-enabled bus shelter ad to download promotional goodies; tap two phones together to transfer a photo or address; and tap against a Bluetooth speaker to "pair" it with the phone.

In practice, there's more to it than that. Unfortunately, the tap only introduces the phones; Bluetooth or some other technology is needed to complete the connection. And Microsoft's coming tap-to-pay initiative is incompatible with the one Google has spent millions of dollars setting up at cash registers across the land. But we can always hope.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is the smaller of the two new phones, but even so, it dwarfs the iPhone - it's wider, taller, heavier and thicker. If you get the Verizon model, your Internet experience will be faster and better in more cities than on the Nokia phone, which is available only on AT&T.

The back panel is faintly textured, so you're less likely to drop this phone than you are the shiny-backed Nokia. But the buttons - power, volume, camera - are skinny and utterly flush with the phone's body; you practically need an ice pick to push them in.

There's another hardware concern, too: no memory-card slot. The basic $200 model has 16 gigabytes of storage, and that's all you'll ever have. (AT&T also sells a $100 model with an even sillier eight gigabytes.) What's an app phone with no room for apps, photos, music or videos?

The 8X's battery is sometimes gasping by the time you get home for dinner (it's rated at eight hours of talk time). And, of course, it's nonremovable.


In category after category, Nokia's Lumia 920 beats the HTC. In battery life (10 hours of talk time). In price ($100 versus $200). In storage (32 gigabytes versus 16). In Bluetooth version (3.1 versus 2.1). In screen sensitivity; in one mode, you can operate this touch screen even with gloves on.

The 920 also wins as a GPS unit. The Maps app in all Windows phones comes from Nokia (which owns Navteq, one of the Big Two in map data). And it is really good. It shows traffic, aerial photography, public transportation, the works. And it has none of the problems that plague Apple's Maps app. It even lets you download map data to your phone, so you can search and navigate when you're offline or don't want to rack up astronomical roaming fees.

The one thing the Maps app doesn't have is spoken navigation instructions. On its own phone, however, Nokia supplies an app called Nokia Drive, which adds spoken turn-by-turn directions - another win for the 920.

Both phones have very good cameras. The HTC's eight-megapixel camera offers better color when the light is good, but stumbles badly in low light. The Nokia's 8.7-megapixel model, on the other hand, does really well in low light without the flash.

You pay a price for all of the Nokia's advantages, however: this phone is a monster. It's huge - the same 4.9 inches tall as the HTC, but wider, thicker and much, much heavier. At 6.5 ounces, it weighs 46 percent more than the HTC, and 62 percent more than the iPhone. Drop this thing the wrong way, and you could break your toes.

If you can stand the size, the Nokia is the better phone. They're both terrific, though. (I didn't experience the spontaneous restarts that have been reported by some early adopters of both phones; Microsoft says it's investigating.) Both have state-of-the-art hardware, superb design and Microsoft's spectacular phone software. Yes, that's right. You thought Microsoft operating systems were derivative, uninspired, bloated, plagued by featuritis? Windows Phone will change your mind fast.

And yet. And yet.

Microsoft has seen this movie before. It enters the marketplace years after Apple has already taken the lead (see also: Zune), and despite doing excellent work, never manages to build an ecosystem fast enough to close the lead.

As great as it is, the Windows Phone world will let you down in two huge ways.

First, speech. These phones respond to basic commands - "Call," "Text," "Find" (on the Web), "Note" and "Open" (an app) - but crudely; they don't even recognize punctuation. Worse, you can't talk-to-type, as you can on Android and Apple phones. Dictation is a core feature on phones that have no keyboards. You can't just leave that out.

Second, apps. Microsoft says that its phone store now stocks 120,000 apps. That's great progress - but soooo many important apps are among the missing.

Microsoft and its partners are teetering on the edge. Excellence has been attained; now it's up to market forces. If the wind blows one way, they'll rack up a few percentage points of market share (now at 4 percent). If it blows the other way, though, Windows Phone will fade away. It will join the Zune, the Kin phone and other hardware efforts in the Great Gadget Graveyard of Too Little, Too Late.

© 2012, The New York Times News Service

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Top 5 smartphones around Rs. 10,000 mark

If you were planning to buy a smartphone under Rs. 10,000 a couple of years ago, then there were only a handful of options that were available. Moreover, those few handsets too were not really worthy of the tag 'smartphone'.
However, things have changed dramatically now. There are not only Indian brands that are trying to get affordable, feature-packed smartphones to the Indian masses but even companies such as Samsung, Sony and Nokia are trying to make sure that they address the needs of price sensitive consumers.

Given that it's now getting difficult for one to pick up the right smartphone, this gifting season we bring you the list of Top Five smartphone under the Rs. 10,000 price bracket that are currently available in the market.

1) Samsung Galaxy Music Duos
Samsung had started selling smartphones at the fag-end of December for Rs. 9,199 through its official store. However one can find it on some of the leading online retail websites for Rs. 8,990.

Samsung Galaxy Music Duos is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone that comes with 3.0-inch QVGA screen. Other features of this smartphone include 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage (expandable by another 32GB) and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It comes with 3-megapixel rear camera and a 1300mAh battery. It is available in two colour options Ceramic White and Splash Blue.

Samsung in October 2012 had announced Samsung Galaxy Music (single SIM version of this smartphone), but there's no word yet on when that'll be launched in India.

2) Sony Xperia tipo/ Sony Xperia tipo dual
Sony had launched Sony Xperia tipo and its dual SIM variant Sony Xperia tipo dual in September 2012. Sony Xperia tipo is now available at a street price of Rs. 8,990 and Xperia tipo dual for Rs. 9,990.

Sony Xperia tipo sports a 3.2-inch TFT display with 480x320 pixel resolution. It is powered by is 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and run on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Other features include 512MB of RAM, 2.5GB of internal storage (expandable up to 32 GB via microSD). There is a 3.2-megapixel autofocus rear camera on board.


3) Nokia Lumia 510
Nokia Lumia 510 is the cheapest Windows smartphone available in the market. It carries the price tag of Rs. 9,999 and comes with a 4-inch WVGA screen. It is powered by 800MHz Qualcomm processor along with 256MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. There is a 5-megapixel rear camera on board.

The only read drawback for this smartphone is that it runs on Windows Phone 7.5, and will get an upgrade only to Windows 7.8, which means no Windows 8 for this baby.

4) BlackBerry Curve 9220
Launched in April 2012, BlackBerry Curve 9220 is an interesting smartphone to look at especially if you want to connect with their BlackBerry Messenger Gang. Available for Rs. 10,990 this is slightly above our cut-off, but worth looking at nonetheless.

Some of the notable features of this smartphone includes 2.44-inch TFT Screen, 2-megapixel camera, 1450 mAhbattery, 512 MB internal memory (expandable up to 32 GB via microSD). BlackBerry Curve 9220 is powered by 800 MHz processor with 512MB of RAM.It runs on BlackBerry OS 7.1 but given that BlackBerry will soon be unveiling a brand new operating system BlackBerry 10 on January 30, this smartphone and all existing counterparts will likely become obsolete very soon.

5) Micromax A110 Superfone Canvas
If you are looking for an affordable big screen smartphone, then Micromax A110 Superfone Canvas 2 is an enticing option. It sports a 5-inch TFT capacitive touch screen IPS display and powered by a 1GHz processor. The other features of this smartphone are 2GB internal storage (expendable,by 32GB), 2000 mAh battery, 8-megapixel auto focus camera and a VGA front camera.The smartphone is available at a street price of Rs. 9,999 and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

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New iPhone to come in multiple colours and sizes

It's just the start of the year and the Apple rumour mills are churning pretty hard. Up until now we've heard that the company is testing the next iPhone and even iOS 7 along with plans to acquire social navigation app Waze that might give some 'direction' to Apple Maps.

MacRumours now reports that analysts believe the next iPhone may come in multiple colours and even different sizes. The blog mentions Brian White, Topeka Capital Markets analyst who has issued a report mentioning that Apple could offer the device in various colours. Apple has introduced the 5th generation iPod devices in a range of new colours and White is of the notion that this might spark Apple to follow the trend right up to the iPad.

Our checks indicate that the next iPhone will have more choices for customers. This entails an expansion in both the colour patterns and screen sizes with the next iPhone (i.e., likely called the iPhone 5S) that we currently believe will be launched in May/June with certain supply production starting in March/April.

Brian further thinks that the company will bring a new iPhone model with varying screen sizes that will help the benefit the company in terms of reach. He specifically mentions a smaller iPhone version that could allow Apple to target markets like China and open up opportunities in India. And of course, he believes that Apple could unveil a larger screen size compared to the recently updated 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5.

But White isn't the only analyst who believes so. His report seems to be in line with Jefferies analyst Peter Misek's research finding which states that the next iteration of the iPhone will feature a new super HD camera/screen, a better battery and NFC along with an IGZO screen for Retina+, 128GB storage, and coming in 6 to 8 colours.

MacRumours pointed out that Misek mentions many iPhone 6 prototypes doing the rounds, especially a 4.8-inch screen model that he finds interesting. According to him, the device has a Retina+ IGZO screen, a new A7 quad-core processor variant, a new design with no home button and even fully in-built gesture controls.

Misek even goes on to mention a budget iPhone offering at a $200-$250 price point on an "unsubsidised basis", but claims that the project has not yet been given the go-ahead.

But it doesn't end there, Misek's findings lead him to believe that Apple will be launching the fifth-generation iPad around June this year, with an IGZO display to counter thickness and weight. He also feels that the iPad mini is reportedly scheduled for an upgrade around the same time and may launch in multiple colours with Retina display.

Analyst reports are based on a limited number of findings and it's best not to infer too much. As far as larger screen sizes go, MacRumours notes that this may not happen soon considering the company just increased the size to 4-inch in its smartphone since its inception. And when it comes to Misek, he has had a mixed record in the past. But Apple loves to surprise us always and if any of this is true, we'd keep you updated with the details.

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Nokia Lumia 920 successor codenamed 'Catwalk' to be thinner, lighter: Report

The Nokia Lumia 920 is yet to make its debut on Indian shores. But while we're still waiting, here's something that might be interesting. Reports from The Verge suggest that the Lumia 920's successor will reportedly feature an aluminium exterior.  Furthermore, the site has learned that the Finnish handset manufacturer is also working on two new Lumia devices that will be a part of the new Lumia lineup to be revealed later this year.
Citing "sources familiar with Nokia's plans", the site states that Nokia is planning to switch over from the polycarbonate plastic casing to an aluminium body, thereby making the phone much thinner and lighter. If this happens, then it could compete with the likes of Apple's iPhone.  
The report states that we'll get to see the look on a new device codenamed Catwalk, that is a likely successor to the Lumia 920. It is expected to have hardware specifications similar to the company's current flagship device.
The device sporting the aluminium framework could be revealed not earlier than the Nokia World event that takes place around September. Since the Lumia 920 is yet to show up in many regions including India, it would be logical to reveal the successor later  in the year.
Nokia had first showcased its Lumia 920 alongside the Lumia 820 at an event in September last year.
The Lumia 920 comes with 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, wireless charging support and 2,000 mAh battery. Nokia Lumia 820 on the other hand is a mid-range Windows Phone 8 smartphone. It has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Clearblack display, 8GB of internal storage and a 8-megapixel rear camera.

Nokia has been offering Lumia 920 in US for $450 without any contract, which is $100 less than Samsung's flagship device, the Galaxy S III and $200 less than Apple's iPhone 5. 

It was earlier rumoured that Nokia will be launching its Lumia 920 in India sometime in November 2012, but later pushed back the same to December. Of course it's January already and we're still waiting for the launch. As of now, there is no confirmation about the India pricing of this smartphone.

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Samsung set to widen smartphone gap with Apple in 2013: Research

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is expected to widen its lead over Apple Inc in global smartphone sales this year with 35 percent growth, helped by a broad product lineup, market researcher Strategy Analytics told Reuters on Friday.

Apple, returning the offensive, could roll out a smaller, cheaper "iPhone Mini" next year to grab market share by targeting demand from users of lower-end smartphones, Strategy Analytics said.

"We expect Samsung to slightly extend its lead over Apple this year because of its larger multitier product portfolio," Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, said in an e-mail interview with Reuters.

Global smartphone shipments will jump 27 percent to 875 million shipments this year, slowing from last year's torrid 41 percent pace as growth eased in many key markets such as North America, China, the developed economies of Asia, and Western Europe, Mawston said.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics is forecast to sell 290 million smartphones this year, up from a projected 215 million in 2012, the research firm said. Apple's smartphone sales are projected to reach 180 million this year, up 33 percent from last year, slightly trailing Samsung's 35 percent increase.

This will give Samsung a 33 percent share of the 2013 smartphone market, up from last year's estimated 31 percent, while Apple will hold 21 percent, versus last year's 20 percent.

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Apple, the world's most valuable technology company, and Samsung Electronics, the most valuable in Asia, have battled fiercely in the global mobile device market, which they dominate, although Samsung is also a supplier to Apple.

Samsung may launch the Galaxy S IV, a new version of its flagship smartphone, in April, and the Galaxy Note III phablet and a series of other new smartphones over the course of this year, media reports and analysts have said recently.

"Samsung plays in more segments and this should enable it to capture more volume than Apple (assuming Apple does not launch an 'iPhone Mini' this year)," Mawston said.

Brian J. White, a researcher at Topeka Capital Markets, on Wednesday raised the possibility that Apple may launch a smaller and lower-priced iPhone - the iPhone Mini - to further penetrate markets such as China and India.

White said in a report that he believed Apple will launch the next iPhone, the iPhone 5S, in May or June, and offer more options in screen sizes. This would eventually open up the possibility for the iPhone Mini, he said.

But Mawston said the iPhone Mini was not expected to hit the market until after this year.

"We think Apple will have to launch an 'iPhone Mini' at some point over the next three years to address the hundreds of millions of prepaid users worldwide that cannot afford the current iPhone," he said.

"The iPhone 5 is growing fast and profitably right now, so there is little incentive for Apple to launch an 'iPhone Mini' this year.

"We expect the iPhone Mini to be more likely next year, in 2014 when Apple will be forced to discover fresh growth streams," he said.

Samsung Electronics, once a laggard in the smartphone market, has quickly surpassed Apple as the world's largest smartphone maker.

Strong smartphone sales have helped to lift both the company's shares, which hit a record high of 1.584 million won on Thursday, and its earnings, with a record profit expected for a fifth quarter in a row in the latest October-to-December period. The results are expected to be announced early next week.

© Thomson Reuters 2012

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Jelly Bean now on over 10% Android devices, Gingerbread finally below 50%

Google has shared the monthly Android distribution data, and if you had money on Jelly Bean hitting the 10% mark, it's time to claim your share of the winnings.

As per data released on 3 January 2013, Jelly Bean now accounts for 10.2% of devices, with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.x) now present on an impressive 29.1% of the devices. Gingerbread (Android 2.x) is still going strong, but is finally below the 50% mark for the first time since reaching that milestone.

Android 2.2 and 2.1 together stay above the 10% mark, at a combined marketshare of 11.4%, down from 13% last month. With no upgrade path for most of these devices, the reduction is likely down to people finally ditching their old devices in favour of new ones.

While Jelly Bean hitting 10% mark may seem like good news, it's not all rosy if you look closer. With Jelly Bean having come to represent two different Android versions - Android 4.1 and Android 4.2 - there's further fragmentation, with Android 4.1 accounting for 9% of the devices, while Android 4.2 being present of 1.2%. In other words, hiding behind that over 10% figure for Jelly Bean is the fact, that only 1.2% of Android devices are running the latest Android version.

Contrast that with the iOS world, where barely a week after iOS 6 was released, over 50% of iOS devices worldwide were running the latest version of Apple's OS.

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HTC Droid DNA review

Over the past few years, smartphones have gradually gotten bigger and tablet computers have gotten smaller. So it should come as no surprise that devices in between are starting to emerge.

These Android devices, informally known as phablets, are better described as giant phones than baby tablets, as they can be used for phone calls. And for now, they aren't much bigger than regular phones.

The larger screens - measuring 5 inches or more diagonally make the devices slightly better for watching movies, reading books and consuming other media. They can also make the phones bulkier to carry - or so I thought.

I was pleasantly surprised when I took HTC Corp.'s new 5-inch Droid DNA phone out of the box. The DNA looks about the same size as my 4.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S III, one of the largest and most popular phones out there. I had to find a ruler to make sure I wasn't sent the wrong phone.

HTC succeeds by making the DNA taller rather than wider, which is important because the width is what spans your palm when you're holding it. Samsung Electronics Co.'s 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II feels too big in my hands - more on that later.

The DNA is, in fact, a tad narrower than the S III, not enough to be noticeable, while being less than two-tenths of an inch larger on its longer side. The DNA is slightly thicker and heavier than the S III, though.

I didn't believe I'd notice the small increase in screen size until I watched "Ice Age" on both the DNA and the S III side by side. But the difference is small. Although watching a movie on a DNA beats doing it on the older iPhone's 3.5-inch screen or even the 4 inches on the new iPhone 5, it isn't the same as watching it on a 7-inch or 10-inch tablet computer. Get a real tablet if size matters to you.

In most apps, I don't actually get more content with the bigger screen. Text and graphics in Gmail messages simply get slightly bigger on the DNA. Google's maps are larger, but that doesn't mean you see more surrounding area, just bigger parks and road names. Amazon's Kindle app squeezes in an extra word in a line here and there, but you lose those gains once you reach the next paragraph.

The exceptions I spotted
Google's Play Books app for reading e-books
The text appears about the same size on the DNA and the S III, meaning the app can fit a few more lines on the DNA device.

Facebook
The app shows a tad more on the DNA when placed on its side like a movie screen. Side by side, it could mean seeing a bit more of a photo on the DNA, but it's not enough to fit in an extra post from someone whining about a morning commute - you'd have to scroll down for more status updates like that. Strangely, I get less on the DNA when using Facebook with the phone held like a skyscraper. A black horizontal bar serves as a menu for settings and other tasks; on the S III, that menu button is built into the hardware and doesn't take up screen space.

Because the DNA's screen is only slightly bigger than the S III's, I can see why I'm not getting more content, just larger text, images and video. I figure I'd need the Note and its even larger screen to get all that. After all, on a tablet's 7-inch or 10-inch screen, I'm seeing much more, not just everything bigger.

But in my tests, everything just gets bigger on the Note compared with the S III. I'm seeing the same number of emails, the same coverage area for maps and the same amount of text for e-books. Think of it as moving a movie projector back so that the movie projects onto a larger area. You're not actually improving the quality or the size of the source material, the film. And if you move back far enough, what's shown on the screen starts to degrade.

I see that degradation watching "Ice Age." The video just isn't as sharp on the Note.

I soon discovered the reason: The S III and the Note both have the same number of pixels, those tiny dots that collectively form text and images on a screen. Both displays are 1,280 by 720 pixels, which translate to 306 pixels per inch on the S III and 267 on the Note II. So the Note simply stretches the same amount of display information onto a wider area. That's a shame, as it negates much of the benefits of a larger screen.

By contrast, the DNA's display is 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, or 440 pixels per inch. That's among the best out there. The iPhone 5, by contrast, is at 326 pixels per inch.

That said, both Samsung phones have richer colors than the DNA, thanks to a screen that uses organic light-emitting diodes, rather than a standard LCD. Although video on the DNA is sharper, color isn't as vivid as it is on the S III or the Note. Still, the DNA's screen trumps that of many other phones, and video looks great if you're not watching a movie next to a Samsung phone.

Available from Verizon Wireless for $200 with a two-year service agreement, the DNA also has a front-facing, videoconferencing camera that's among the best, at 2.1 megapixels. Its rear camera, for taking photos and video, matches the 8 megapixels that other major phones have. Sound comes out well thanks to the DNA's use of Dr. Dre's Beats Audio.

As for the Note, it has a fine-tip stylus that can be used to add a handwritten signature to an email, circle an important event on your calendar or doodle on a virtual notepad. The on-screen keyboard has an extra row for numerals, so you don't have to keep toggling between letters and numbers when writing messages or entering passwords. The Note is available from a variety of carriers starting at $300 with a two-year contract.

Both are decent phones, but not for their distinguishing feature - the size. The increase in size is barely noticeable on the DNA and annoying on the Note, which feels even bulkier with a built-in cover. It keeps bouncing in my pocket when I'm running, then feels as if it would slip out of my hands once I take it out. Checking voice mail feels awkward. The Note is also one-third heavier than the S III.

Here's a case of trying to be too much. A phone is a phone and shouldn't try to grow into a tablet. After all, you don't see too many people hold up an iPad to their ears to make phone calls, even though you could with Skype and other calling apps.

With the Note in particular, you get the annoyances of a tablet (something too big to easily carry around) and little of the benefits (fitting more content on the screen). Get the Note for the stylus, but not for the screen. Likewise, the DNA doesn't offer much in terms of screen size beyond other phones out there. Get the DNA for its sound quality or screen resolution, but not for the size of the display.

There are sure to be bigger phones to come, and I hope they will offer more than just content shown bigger. App developers may have to do their part by designing their programs for varying screen sizes. Both the DNA and the Note have good features that set them apart from rivals, but size isn't one of them.

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RIM launches BlackBerry 7.1

Research in Motion might be busy preparing for the big BlackBerry 10 launch by the end of this month but that has not deterred the company from launching a new Curve model in United States.
BlackBerry Curve 9315 is a QWERTY smartphone that runs on BlackBerry 7.1. This Curve device looks pretty much like the BlackBerry Curve 9220 launched in April 2012. It features a 2.44-inch 320x240 screen and an optical trackpad. BlackBerry Curve 9315 has 512MB of RAM and internal storage of 512MB as well, which can be expanded to up to 32GB via a microSD card. There is 3.2-megapixel rear camera with LED flash on board and 1,450mAh battery.

For connectivity, it supports Wi-Fi and 3G. This smartphone too supports FM radio and comes with a dedicated BBM key.

It will be available in US starting January 23, 2013 through T-Mobile for $49.99.

Pictures of BlackBerry Curve 9315 were leaked online in October 2012 and it was speculated that this smartphone will be available by October-November.

The launch timing of this BlackBerry smartphone does raise a few eyebrows, as the Canadian handset maker has not launched any new device for around six months. Additionally, a week after this smartphone hits the retail shelf RIM will be unveiling a brand new operating system and at least two new smartphones running on this operating system. Overall, the smartphone may start looking dated just days after it reaches consumers.

The only silver lining for BlackBerry Curve 9315 is its pricing, as it is the most affordable BlackBerry smartphone to be available for T-Mobile users. However, with BlackBerry 10 looming large on the horizon, that may not be adequate to make this smartphone click with the consumers.

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Sony Xperia Z pricing details leak

In the latest set of leaks with regard to the Sony Xperia Z (aka Sony Yuga C660X), Unwired View reports that the pricing details of the device have cropped up in an ad on a Thailand forum. The details reveal a Thai pricing of 19,990 Baht, which translates to about $660 or 500 euros or Rs.36,000 rupees.

The tech blog notes that while the current pricing is specific to Thailand, prices in other regions will vary depending on Sony's global pricing strategy. 

This is not the first time we've seen an expected pricing for the device. We reported earlier that the Xperia Z is scheduled to go on sale in China on January 15 for around 4,298 CNY ($690 or €520).  

The rumours surrounding the Xperia Z's existence, however, have been around for quite a while now. The first round began with a set of benchmark leaks, where Sony was rumoured to be working on a 5-inch device codenamed Odin or Yuga. Then came the device's specs while it was still named the Sony Yuga C660X. This was followed by the smartphone's name change to Sony Xperia Z and the fact that it will debut at CES this year.

Next set was a series of image leaks for the device in the form of press renders until it was finally spotted on Sony's official website confirming the device's existence for real.

Apart from this, the Sony C650X Odin was also seen alongside the Xperia Z and though it was earlier rumoured to be named as the Xperia X, the device is now expected to debut as the Xperia ZL, a slightly thicker, heavier, but smaller version of the Xperia Z.

To recap, the Xperia Z apparently sports a 5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) display at 440ppi with Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine and runs on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, which is expandable by another 128GB. 

Other features include a 12-megapixel rear camera (as opposed to the 16-megapixel mentioned earlier), Micro-USB as well as USB host mode, 802.11 a/b/g/n in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz modes, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE and NFC.

There are also rumours of another mid-range Android smartphone from Sony, the C5303 codenamed HuaShan. Mentioned a few days ago by the Xperia blog, the device apparently will be part of a C530X series, alongside the C5302 and C5306. Many countries, including China, could witness the launch of the device. Looks like we will have to wait it out until CES 2013.

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Purported press shot of Samsung Galaxy S IV leaked online

Samsung-focussed blog SamMobile has posted an image that the blog half-heartedly claims is a leaked press shot of the Samsung Galaxy S IV.
The blog says it has "received a huge tip from our insider at Samsung" who has sent them this image of "the next generation of the Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S IV". The blog goes on to state that it isn't 100% convinced about the image, but notes that the image of the device, which looks similar to the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Premier does not look like a fake.

While the blog did not receive any information about specifications or the expected release date, we have plenty of earlier rumours to fall back upon. The latest one claimed that the Samsung Galaxy IV may come with a S-pen stylus, as seen in the Galaxy Note series, as Samsung looks to merge the Galaxy and Note series to come up with a "mega-flagship".

Other reports have indicated that the Galaxy S IV will indeed come with a 4.99-inch Super AMOLED display with 1920x1080 resolution, giving it a pixel density of 441ppi. Additionally, murmurs are that the next Samsung Android flagship will run on Android Jelly Bean 4.2 and feature a 2GHz quad-core Exynos processor and an 8-core GPU, alongside 2GB RAM. It is likely to be equipped with a 13-megapixel camera rear auto-focus camera and, at 9.2mm, be slightly thicker than the Galaxy S III.

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BLUETOOTH STICKERS TRACK YOUR STUFF

Can't find the keys -- or the family dog? A new project can help track them and other easy-to-lose objects using Bluetooth-enabled buttons.
A group of Bluetooth gadget designers is looking to make Bluetooth "stickers" -- stiff devices about the size of a U.S. quarter -- that users can stick to their wallets, kids' shoes, pets' collars and other objects. The stickers are designed to communicate with a smartphone app, called Stick-N-Find, that has several settings to help people find their stuff.

ANALYSIS: Stickers Automate Everyday Phone Functions

The designers have a campaign at Indiegogo, a crowd-funding platform. With 42 days left before the end of their funding campaign, they've already raised more than the $70,000 they asked for. They have prototypes of both the Stick-N-Find stickers and the app and expect to send funders stickers in March 2013, according to the campaign page. Those interested in getting some Stick-N-Finds for themselves can visit Indiegogo to support the project and advance-order stickers.

The Stick-N-Find app's settings include a "radar" feature that shows how far away sticker-tagged objects are from the phone. The app isn't able to determine direction, however, so users will have to wander a bit, watching the screen to see if they're getting "warmer" or "colder" to the remote control, purse or pet they want to find.

Other settings automatically alert users when they're close to an object or when an object wanders away. The designers suggest users put Stick-N-Find stickers on their luggage during airplane trips, so that their phones will alert them when their bags come around on the carousel at baggage claim.

ANALYSIS: Sticker Turns iPhone Into Pricey Camera

The stickers work from about 100 feet (30 meters) away, according to the Stick-N-Find Indiegogo page. They use watch batteries that should last about a year with 30 minutes of use a day. They should work withn ewer Apple and Android smartphones and tablets that have Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth Low Energy, the designers say.

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PAPER USB DRIVE IS DISPOSABLE

Despite a lot of talk about society going paperless, paper is still around. Humans still hand out paper versions of business cards, birthday cards, invitations and resumes. Corporations still send direct mail and catalogs to consumers. Intellipaper is a project on Indiegogo that's looking to add a whole lot of info to that paper, without taking up more space.

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The developers have created a way to embed a silicon chip into regular paper to make a disposable paper USB drive. It can be inserted into any computer's USB port to share websites, personal information, images  or portfolios. The USB drive can be customized to fit any paper-based item you want, be it greeting cards, business cards or even wedding invites with registry info embedded for easy access. If fully funded on Indiegogo, the project could be a much cooler version of the QR code.

The project is currently seeking funding, but they hope to release a reader/writer device that will be able to create USB drives with whatever content a user wants and read pre-embedded paper. Depending on what tier a pledger chooses they could receive pre-embedded paper and a reader/writer.

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CONTACT LENSES COULD SEND TEXTS TO YOUR EYES

Belgian technologists just created curved liquid crystal display for contact lenses, a novel step toward having augmented reality literally right before our eyes. They've got an eye on displaying text messages this way.

Unlike previous developments in contact lens displays, University of Ghent researcher Jelle De Smet focused on creating a curved LCD that would be incorporated into a contact lens rather than embedding LED technology into one. This approach means De Smet and his colleagues at the Center of Microsystems Technology have a larger display area, according to the university.

Hack Yourself A Super Secret LCD Monitor

The group achieved their curved display by using extremely thin conductive polymer films that were integrated into a smooth spherical cell. Resembling an old-school calculator display, their first prototype can show basic patterns like a dollar sign that recalls cartoon characters thinking about money.

While onlookers could potentially see the symbols being displayed in someone else's contacts, the wearer would still have problems viewing them. As University of Washington's Babak Amir Parviz explained to me last year while describing his computerized contact lens development, humans have a mimimum focal distance for even seeing a single pixel.

The Belgian team seems to understand that limitation, indicating in a university press release that the initial applications for their liquid crystal-based contact lens display might be to help control light transmission in people with damaged irises or replace colored contacts, allowing wearers to change the color or pattern on the go. They also imagine these contacts working as adaptable sunglasses.

Here's a video from De Smet that shows the thin, curved display working in the lab:

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How To find your i-phone

If you've ever had your iPhone stolen, you have have erased it completely using Apple's "Find my iPhone." This feature, which can be accessed online or through another iOS device, allows you to remotely lock your missing device with a four-digit passcode. You can even go so far as to delete your personal data and restore your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac to its factory settings.

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Yesterday, Apple quietly released an update to the app that will show user's a road map to the exact location of a missing iPhone, iPad or iPod. When searching for the device's location on another iOS device, a tiny car icon will show up on the screen and when prompted, will provide directions to the lost device's whereabouts. The feature is only available on Apple device running iOS 6, so if you haven't already, bite the bullet and upgrade, if this kind of thing is important to you.

One would like to think this feature was added to serve as a memory jogger for those who may have left their phone somewhere and not as a tracker for a potential thief. Just be sure to have a cool head if you decide to hunt down your iPhone. It may be best to let the authorities handle it, or bring a big friend

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A four-legged U.S. military robot carrying 400 pounds of equipment

A four-legged U.S. military robot carrying 400 pounds of equipment has shown how it can play "follow the leader" in a manner similar to a trained mule or horse. Like an animal, it can also regain its feet after an accidental tumble in the woods.

The Legged Squad Support System (LS3) robot has evolved into a quieter beast compared to earlier four-legged "BigDog" or "AlphaDog" robots that sounded like runaway lawnmowers or chainsaw-armed Terminators. The latest LS3 version represents the U.S. military's best hope for a robotic helper that can carry combat loads across rough terrain for soldiers or Marines.

A new video by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency demonstrates how the robot obeys a verbal command by a human researcher: "LS3 follow tight."

TOP 5: New Military Robots

Several camera shots show the LS3 robot ambling after its human leader like an overlarge, clumsy puppy trying to keep up with an owner. At one point the robot takes a tumble and rolls almost comically down a slope before regaining its feet.

DARPA envisions the robot acting like a mobile recharging station for U.S. troops to recharge pounds of batteries used in radios and handheld mobile devices. The Marines have already experimented with  using renewable energy sources such as portable solar panels to replace some of the batteries they carry.

But the LS3 robot's greatest potential use comes from carrying some of the combat equipment that soldiers might normally have to carry themselves. The heavy burden of combat loads averaging close to 100 pounds per soldier has already taken a serious health toll on both active troops and returning veterans.

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SCIENCE FICTION DREAMS THAT CAME TRUE

As a longtime reader of science fiction, it's always interesting to see how the visions of writers eventually become real. Take Arthur C. Clarke's letter to Wireless World in 1945, which details the geostationary communications satellite network everyone uses today. The satellites are in what is called the "Clarke Orbit." And Isaac Asimov wrote frequently about humanoid robots, which are becoming more common in research labs -- although we have yet to see R. Daneel Olivaw from Asimov's Robot series.

So inspired by these writers and others, I decided to take a look at 2012 and the futuristic technologies that are materializing before our eyes.

ANALYSIS: Robot Prostitutes, the Future of Sex Tourism

Bionic Limbs

The term "cyborg" was coined in 1960 by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline, in an article they wrote for the journal Astronautics. Since then bionic limbs have been a trope in many pieces of fiction -– The Six Million Dollar Man of the 1970s, the Borg of the Star Trek franchise, and even Darth Vader. In 2012 for the first time, a paralyzed woman was able to control a robotic limb and feed herself directly with her brain. Continuing work with primates demonstrated that it's possible to make the brain-computer interface efficient enough to design more realistic movement into the limbs. The bionic limbs so far don't look anything like their fictional counterparts, as they are still connected via external electrodes to the skull. But that dream seems to be a lot closer than it was even a decade ago.

Quantum Teleportation and Communication

While it's not possible -- yet -- to "beam" an object around as in Star Trek, new records for zapping photons instantly from one place to another were set this year. Quantum teleportation has been done in the lab for some time, but the distances were on the order of a few yards. In 2012 the new record was 89 miles. In addition to teleporting, scientists built the first quantum Internet. It's only a beginning, but teleporting photons for miles would enable communications that can't be hacked or eavesdropped.

Genetic Disease Prevented

Genetic engineering for "better" humans is a theme that's appeared repeatedly ever since Aldous Huxley's Brave New World in 1931 -- although at that point nobody knew what DNA really was. Later, films such as Gattaca and novels such as Beggars in Spain explore the implications of widely available genetic alterations. In 2012, we saw a proof-of-concept for mitochondrial diseases. About one in 200 people are born with a disorder of the mitochondria, the energy factories of cells. For the first time scientists were able to transfer the nuclear DNA of one human egg cell to another. Two groups independently found a way to transplant nuclei between human egg cells, leaving behind the mitochondrial DNA, which is passed from mother to child. The finding means that mitochondrial disorders could be cured before a child is born. Such techniques won't cure something like Down's syndrome, which involves nuclear DNA. But it shows that some manipulation of the human genome is not only possible, but happening. 

ANALYSIS: Ray Bradbury's Visions

The Universal Translator

Most of the time when intrepid explorers in fiction meet aliens, they always seem to speak perfect English. Doctor Who's TARDIS generates a field that allows travelers to be understood, while the crew of the Enterprise never seem to need a dictionary. Kim Stanley Robonson's Mars Trilogy features one, but he didn't think it would appear until late in the 21st century (the novels were written in the 1990s). While they won't let you talk to aliens, in the last year several speech-to-speech translators have managed to reach real consumer devices -- and even one type that uses your own voice. Most of the apps require an internet connection, though some, such as Jibbigo, can store their dictionaries locally. (If they ever add Klingon I'm taking it to the next ComicCon).

Head-mounted Computer Glasses

Readers of Charles Stross' novel Accelerando would have eagerly anticipated Google Glasses -- the Internet giant's foray into augmented reality. In the novel, "venture altruist" Manfred Macx carries his data and his memories in a pair of glasses connected to the Internet. Google Glasses allow the wearer to access data, the Internet and capture life via a head-mounted digital camera. Memories will have to wait.

Private Space Flight

In many science fiction stories, space travel is private. In Ridley's Scott latest movie, Prometheus, the Weyland Corporation funds an expedition to follow a star map to the distant moon LV-223. In real life, Elon Musk's SpaceX launched the first of a dozen planned missions to the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule is designed to resupply the ISS, but Musk, who made his fortune as founder of PayPal, has bigger plans: a colony on Mars. Is 2013 going to be the year human spaceflight becomes an enterprise like railroads? We won't know that for a while, but SpaceX is a heck of a start.

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VIRTUAL TECH LETS YOU SWAP BODIES

Google Street View already offers virtual tours of Rome, Paris and London. But imagine if virtual travelers could feel the sun beating down on their faces as they toured the Colosseum? Or could feel the burn in their quads as they walked up the Eiffel Tower? Or could smell the old tapestries hanging in Westminster Abbey?

BLOG: Sinful Robot: XXX Virtual Reality

If Ikei Laboratory has anything to say about it, that soon may be no stretch of the imagination. A part of theTokyo Metropolitan University Graduate School of System Design, the lab is developing so-called "virtual body technology."

Revealed at the Digital Contents Expo 2012 in Tokyo, the system will engage all five senses and make users feel as if they're inhabiting another person's body, the designers say.

Ikei Laboratory's system includes a vibrating chair that leans back and forth, a 3-D monitor, headphones, a fan for odors and breezes and foot pedals that replicate the sensation of walking and running. How taste enters the picture remains unclear. Perhaps it's on the tip of their tongue?

PHOTOS: Sexiest Tech and Techiest Sex of 2012

"The chair will move to provide directional and vestibular sensations," Professor Yasushi Ikei said in a promo video. "The legs will move to create a sense of actually walking or running and a sense of moving in parallel or up and down, or to create a sensation as if the feet are touching the ground. Extremely large vibrations are felt when you are running, so it is possible to create vibrations from the shins to the knees. When you walk in the city there are various scents and breezes, and these are also recreated."

It will be the next best thing to going there.

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