Nokia Lumia 900 review ~ Fourtriangle

The Nokia Lumia 900 is a good-looking phone that boasts a bright 4.3in screen that shows off  the software’s distinctive live tiles

Windows Phone powers the Nokia Lumia 900, which we first got our hands on back at CES in January 2012. Microsoft’s elegant and fresh-as-paint operating system hasn’t gained market share against Apple and Android yet, but it deserves to. The brand first featured it on last year’s Nokia Lumia 800 and this model is a bigger-screened (and blue hued) version.

Nokia is gradually making something of a comeback with its most recent phones, such as the Nokia Lumia 710 and the newer Nokia Lumia 610. The 900 is the latest in an increasingly strong lineup of Windows Phone 7 phones that includes the HTC Titan.

Nokia Lumia 900: Build

Nokia’s new phone has great build quality, from the individually milled speaker holes to the improved microUSB socket: the Lumia 800 had a flimsy plastic cover on the socket which was easy to damage. Here, the socket sits proud (and naked) on the top edge. This is a solid, handsome phone that feels good in the hand.

Nokia Lumia 900: Features

Nokia has a long history of cameraphones and this 8-megapixel snapper is quick and efficient. Like most phones, it can struggle in low light, though at least there’s a dual-LED flash. Unlike the Nokia Lumia 800, this one has a front-facing camera, too, so you can make video calls.

Nokia’s extras include handy apps like Nokia Drive, with free downloadable maps and no need to connect to data in order to use it as a satnav. Nokia Music is a series of tracks you can stream for free. Of course, there’s the thousands of other Windows Phone apps but there’s still a dearth compared to Android or iOS. Mind you, the ones it does have look spectacular.

Nokia Lumia 900: Screen

The big display looks great, with vivid colours and pin-sharp detail. It’s smooth and responsive. The size means it’s immersive enough to watch video on, for short bursts at least – though it can’t compete with giant screens like the 5.3in display on the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Nokia Lumia 900: Performance

Compared to phones like the HTC One X, which has a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, you’d expect the Lumia 900’s single-core 1.4GHz chip to lag. But everything canters along happily, whatever you’re doing. Microsoft only supports single-core chips, for now. Another Redmond restriction is the absence of a memory card slot, so the phone’s 16GB storage is all you get.

Nokia Lumia 900: Battery

A problem with the phone’s predecessor was that the battery would quit too soon. The extra space means the Lumia 900 has a big-capacity cell, which happily runs for more than a day without complaint – though it can’t match the Motorola Razr Maxx’s stamina. Nokia has maximised the battery by sealing it into the phone, like on the HTC One X.

Nokia Lumia 900: Verdict

The combination of hardware and software on the Nokia Lumia 900 is pretty winning. Microsoft’s OS is shown off to its best in this handsome and appealing handset, with a screen that looks tremendous.

Battery life is way above average, so though nightly charges are preferred, it won’t need a lunchtime top-up. Although it’s big and solid, it won’t feel too huge for most hands and the matte finish back feels good.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is a beautiful and accomplished handset which shows Windows Phone at its best.

Nokia Lumia 900 availability: Available now

Product name price: Nokia Lumia 900 price: £480

Source:http://www.t3.com/reviews/nokia-lumia-900-review

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release rumoured for August 30th ~ Fourtriangle

Further blurring the lines between smartphones and tablets, Samsung is rumoured to be preparing a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release for IFA 2012

Following the recent Samsung Galaxy S3 release, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumours have kicked into overdrive with latest reports suggesting Samsung's next oversized smartphone come tablet hybrid will be officially unveiled the day before IFA 2012.

Tipped to further stretch the boundaries of what can be classed as a smartphone, new reports have suggested the surprise success of 2011 will see Samsung increase the 5.3-inch form factor for the Galaxy Note follow on with new technologies to be brought in to give the handset’s expansive display a certain amount of flexibility.

Having previously been pencilled in for either a September of early October arrival, latest reports have suggested the Korean handset manufacturer will host another Mobile Unpacked event the day ahead of IFA 2012 with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date set to be announced on August 30th. The Berlin based show is set to run between August 31st and September 5th.

With the second-generation Galaxy Note set to steal the show, Samsung is expected to unveil a host of other mobile devices at the Unpacked event that is scheduled to kick off at 7pm.

Citing “undisclosed industry sources,” recent reports via MK Business News suggested “Samsung is in the midst of developing a large-screen smartphone model with displays exceeding five inches.” The reports went on to name the device as the “Samsung Galaxy Note 2.”

Adding new fuel to the fire that is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill, Samsung has teased the upcoming device via the official Samsung Mobile Arabia Twitter feed. Sparking a new round of excitement, the Arabian arm of the Korean tech giant lumped the second-generation Note in with a selection of already confirmed devices tweeting: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 ? #Poll"

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Features

Whilst everything is still far from confirmed, the mooted Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is tipped to be the first handset to land boasting an unbreakable plane (UBP) display with the new, slimline screen acting “a precursor to the flexible display.” The oversized handset is said to be getting even bigger with the previous 5.3-inch screen being replaced by a new 5.5-inch model.

With the new streamlined screen allowing Samsung to shave precious millimetres from the handset’s form, it is expected the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will sport an all new form factor with Google’s newly confirmed Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system lining up alongside a possible S3 mimicking quad-core processor and a new 12 -megapixel camera giving the device some added grunt.

Samsung Galaxy Note Release Date

Again a long way from being confirmed, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill has suggested that the Korean manufacturer could use the S3 sibling to detract with the widely expected autumn Apple iPhone 5 release. As such, an early October Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date was originally banded around before the latest September arrival speculation took the limelight.

Were you impressed enough by the Samsung Galaxy Note to desire a sequel? If so what would you like to see feature in such a handset? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release

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MacBook Air 2012 review ~ Fourtriangle

The new Apple MacBook Air 2012 offers the latest PC tech, including third-gen Intel Core processing, Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 connectivity

Back in 2008, Apple made laptops cool again by unleashing the super-skinny MacBook Air.  The slimline beauty was made even thinner in 2010, and the 2012 version – which is on review here – is the latest iteration of that design.

Packing the latest Intel Core processing power, alongside nippy DDR3L RAM, SSD flash storage and ultrafast connectivity, the new MacBook Air 2012 - available as 11- and 13-inch versions -  has not only the looks but the power to once again dominate the ultraportable notebook market.

But this time around, it does face stiff competition at least. Apple seemingly kicked off a slimline laptop revolution with the MacBook Air, and if you haven't heard the word Ultrabook by now, you soon will have.

The shops are now packed with svelte laptops, with the likes of the Asus ZenBook UX31, the HP Envy 14 Spectre, the Dell XPS 13 and the Acer Aspire S3 wowing buyers with their impressive spec sheets and their skinny chassis.

But has the new MacBook Air still got enough about it to lead the pack? To find out we took the smaller ii-inch Air model for a spin.

MacBook Air: Build

While we welcome the new hardware inside the MacBook Air, we can't help but feel that the 2012 models are more evolution than revolution.

That's not to say that we don't love the Air's beautiful design – it's impossible not to. But, as this is the third time that Apple has wheeled out exactly the same chassis, we are slightly underwhelmed.

There's only so long the wow-factor can last and, two years down the line, the awe surrounding the MacBook Air has definitely diminished, especially when you consider the wealth of new design ideas hitting the Ultrabook market.

But, and it's a big but - the MacBook Air design and build is still one that the new Ultrabook brigade strive for. Sure, there are a lot of refreshing new ideas in the laptop arena, but more than a handful of Ultrabooks are clearly trying to emulate Apple's famous design.

Despite its age, it's easy to see why. At 300 x 192 x 17mm it's tiny. Even tinier when you consider the graded base which helps the Air hit a ridiculously lean 3mm at its thinnest point. The 11.6-inch model that we reviewed weighs just over 1kg as well, making it the ultimate portable PC (the 13-inch model weighs just 270g more).

The keyboard that we know and love from the MacBook family, with its isolated backlit keys, is back – alongside the brilliant track-pad which supports a plethora of multi-touch gestures.

MacBook Air: Features

In the face of the new Ultrabook competition Apple has responded with a major refresh of the MacBook Air’s hardware setup, offering the latest tech at a much more competitive price.

The biggest change is the addition of a third-generation Intel Core platform. The 11.6-inch model that we used for this review was running via a 1.7GHz dual-core i5 chip, which can run as fast as 2.6GHz using Intel’s Turbo Boost tech. On the 13-inch model it’s a 1.8GHz i5 CPU as standard; you can opt for an i7 processor on both versions for £130 more.

Intel's third-generation core setup, codenamed Ivy Bridge, also gives you access to Intel HD Graphics 4000, meaning graphics that are twice as fast as the previous MacBook Air generation. There's also 4GB of 1600MHz DDR3L RAM on board and the overall result is a performance that is much more impressive than last time around.

However, if you're biggest desire with a MacBook is performance, you should consider one of the Pro models, which substitute portability for power. If you want an Apple notebook which boasts both incredible operation and desirability, you should take a look at the MacBook Pro with Retina display – although, be warned, it doesn't come cheap.

In terms of connectivity the new MacBook Air packs a couple of USB 3.0 ports – a nice update from the 2011 model – as well as a Thunderbolt port. There's no SD card reader on the 11-incher, although there is on the 13-inch machine. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack and an updated power adaptor.

MacBook Air: Screen

Unfortunately, the eye-boggling Retina display that amazes on the iPhone 4S, the new iPad 3 and now the MacBook Pro, hasn't found its way to the MacBook Air range yet.

Instead, we're looking at the same glossy LED-backlit display as before, with a 1,366 x 768 resolution (1,440 x 900 for the 13-inch model). Colours appear vibrant, especially with brightness turned up full-whack, and there are no signs of ghosting or blurriness when playing back HD content. The viewing angles are good, if not great.

MacBook Air: Performance

The latest-generation Intel Core power results in a vastly improved experience when using the 2012 MacBook Air. The lack of a discrete graphics processor means that you won’t be able to seamlessly play the latest games, quickly edit HD movies or anything else too demanding, but that’s not really what the Air is all about.

It’s a slimline machine that won't take up too much space in your bag that will be more than up to the task for anything you demand of it when you’re out and about. If you need to do a bit of work on the go, or quickly check something on the web, the instant-on feature will come in incredibly handy, and the 30-day standby life-span makes it a brilliant living-room machine.

As an entertainment hub it thrives with photos and HD movies looking great on its LED display. Storing your digital media may be a bit of a pain, however, with just 64GB of storage on the cheapest setup (£849). A higher price tag of £80 more gets you 128GB on the smaller model and you can go up to 512GB of storage for £640 extra, should money not be an issue.

This storage is of the SSD variety though – so it's lightening fast to access your files. The webcam has also been improved; it’s now a 720p HD one so your FaceTime calls should be clearer than ever.

MacBook Air: Battery

Apple is promising a battery life of five hours for the 11-inch model and seven hours on the 13-inch one. In our test, which involves looping HD video using Apple's QuickTime on full brightness, it lasted just under four hours, indicating that Apple’s promise for normal usage should be about right.

Charging the MacBook Air is a quick and easy affair using the relatively small power pack and the new MagSafe 2 power adaptor, which is thinner than the previous incumbent. If you want to use your old Mac powerpack, Apple will sell you an adaptor for £9.

MacBook Air: Verdict

In terms of performance and usability it's hard to fault the 2012 Apple MacBook Air. It may not have the sheer power of its MacBook Pro brethren, but it's hardly a slacker either with the third-generation Intel Core power making for a much slicker experience than last year's range.

Its slimline chassis and lightweight footprint mean that it is the perfect portable machine and, despite the Ultrabook onslaught, it is still the most desirable notebook available.

But we're not too sure just how much longer that desirability can last. Yes, it looks brilliant, is a pleasure to use, and it has a fantastic build quality. But these are all plus points that could be said of both the 2010 and 2010 MacBook Airs.

Ultimately, we think it's time that Apple shook up the laptop market again and we're desperately hoping that the 2013 Air refresh shows more signs of the unique innovation that has made the Cupertino-based company the biggest name in tech.

Until then, we'll enjoy using the new MacBook Air, albeit with a tinge of disappointment.

Apple MacBook Air availability: Available now

Apple MacBook Air price: From £849

Source:http://www.t3.com/reviews/macbook-air-2012-review

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Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Screenshots: Google OS in pics ~ Fourtriangle

1. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Google Now

Like Siri but for Android, Google Now brings a more sophisticated way of getting information you need both quickly and efficiently. Using your search and location history a series of 'cards' which look inspired by a similar design seen on the Palm Pre, will display information throughout the day to help you find out about the best bus route to get to work or the latest results for your favourite sports team.

2. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Google Now Unlock

Similar to the Camera Unlock introduced in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean users can now jump straight into new intelligent search engine Google Now from the Unlock screen.

3. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Project Butter

As ridiculous as the name sounds, Project Butter seeks to improve navigating around your smartphone or tablet, making vital changes under the hood which makes everything quicker and should deliver n improved touch response when you are scrolling through your apps for instance.

4. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Google Now

One of the ways you can access Google Now is by swiping up from the home button to access the intelligent information system that could very well blow Apple's Siri out of the water.

5. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Camera

The decision not to include a rear-facing camera on the Nexus 7 means the tablet misses out on a some nice new additions to the Camera app. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean smartphone snappers will however be able to benefit from being able to review photos straight from the camera application and swipe away photos you don't want to keep similar to the way you can dismiss applications using the Recent App feature still present from Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Source:http://www.t3.com/features/android-jelly-bean-screenshots

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The New Xbox Rumored To Be Coming In 2013 ~ Fourtriangle

Microsoft has always been a great competent to provide the best of gaming, since after the remarkable success of Xbox 360 and beating all the records for gaming stations out there now Microsoft finally planing to show something new. As we reported from IGN we got to know that the Microsoft states that their new gaming console that is the successor of Xbox 360 will come in the end of 2013, probably in October or November.

Now the good part is that IGN also stated that they have been reported by Microsoft that the new gaming console will be six times more powerful in gaming and graphics then the current Xbox 360. It surely sounds like a huge challenge for Wii and Playstation. Since by now Wii is taking the dominance in the new gaming by their new Wii station which has a tablet like remote and is now Times best gaming station out there.

Microsoft is about to put a great challenge to its rival companies, even who knows they might get the chance to beat the Playstation 4 as well. Currently the Xbox is using ATI graphic chips to give the best quality of the graphics. The new Xbox is rumored to have AMD Radeon HD 6670 offering support for DirectX 11 and will be coming with Multi display output with 3D and 1080p HD output as well.

Moreover it is also confirmed by Microsoft that the new Xbox will be able to record you movies, TV shows and this time your gaming sessions as well.

Surely the fans boys can’t wait to see the new generation Xbox!

Source:http://realitypod.com/2012/01/the-new-xbox-rumored-to-be-coming-in-2013/

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Instaglasses Brings A New Concept For Instagram Camera ~ Fourtriangle

Instagram is one of the leading app in the app markets. Over 50 Million combined downloads on iOS and Android shows the love of people with Instagram. A few days back, various concepts were rolling for an Instagram Camera. Just now, a new instagram camera concept has come in. The adorable Instagram camera glasses concept took the attention of all web users.

These physical glasses designed by Markus Gerkes takes the name of “Instaglasses” and take photography to next level. The brilliant glasses has buttons on the right side of the glasses to switch the filters. According to the concept, the changing of filter is fabulous and can be done whenever you like. To take photos, you can press a button and take snaps with a built in 5 mega pixel camera. After taking the picture you can either store it on cloud or put it on the on-board 2 GB storage. There is WiFi and WiFi plus 4G version also. But then its just a concept. We would really love to see such glasses in production soon.

Source:http://2leep.com/bar.php?url=http://2leep.com/news/885895/0/more/

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date, specs & price rumours ~ Fourtriangle

Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? No, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the next-gen ‘phablet’ by the Korean giant, expected to hit shelves later this year.

While most mobile phones have been shrunk to within an inch of their lives, others, particularly smartphones, are becoming bigger, wider and slimmer.

When it was released last year, the Galaxy Note changed the mobile landscape and took the 'is it a phone or tablet?' debate to new heights, with it's 5.3-inch screen causing confusion among industry heads and consumers alike.

Some referred to it as a slate, others said it was too small for a tablet status and should be marketed as a smartphone, while the rest simply didn't know what to make of it.

So what can we expect from the Note’s widely-anticipated successor and will it arrive to much fanfare or to further scrutiny? We’ve scoured the web for the latest news and rumours to find out…

Galaxy Note 2 release date

With news of a next-gen iPhone hogging headlines across the globe, rumour has it Samsung has pushed forward the Galaxy Note release date to September – it was first reported to launch in October – a move some believe was designed to take some heat off the launch of the new iPhone.

While the two won’t be in direct competition with each other (phablets are an acquired taste in today’s compact kit mad society), it will give Samsung the opportunity to flaunt the device ahead of the mooted next-gen iPhone’s launch.

As reported by T3 last month, the iPhone 5 is rumoured to land some time in either September or October, but enough about Apple’s next-gen blower.

This piece is all about Samsung (however, if you'd like to read more on the next iPhone, check out our iPhone 5 rumours roundup for all the latest gossip).

Bean there, done that!

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will reportedly come pre-installed on the second-generation Note. Aside from a seriously funky name, the new OS, coupled with the Note 2's bold and beautiful screen, will make the user experience all the more pleasant, particularly where gameplay is concerned.

The new and improved smooth-running operating system by Google means users are able to use features such as Google Now and Android beam on the upcoming hybrid device.

A half decent screen

While most devices are proud of their slender frames, Samsung’s Galaxy Note is curvy and proud. So proud, in fact, that it’s about to get a whole lot bigger – albeit, only by 0.2 inches (but that’s a lot in smartphone land).

Sources say the upcoming handset will sport a 5.5-inch super AMOLED screen – a small boost from its predecessor’s 5.3-inch display – but as a compromise, the screen will actually be less wide, as the handset itself is reported to don a slimmer form factor.

OK, so it may not be championing the larger-than-life gadgets movement (we take back our comment above about the original Note being curvy and proud) – all Samsung is doing is relocating some of the fat to other areas of the blower-cum-tablet – but the increased length will make, say, browsing the web or reading emails a tad easier.

Sus-spec-ted specs

- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

- New form factor

- 12-megapixel camera

- Quadcore processor

- 5.5-inch display (with 1680 x 1050 resolution)

- Super AMOLED display

A tweet mistake

While everyone more or less figured that Samsung will release a follow-up to its successful Galaxy Note phablet, it was never officially confirmed – well, not until an employee tweeted about it by ‘mistake’.

Last month, reports surfaced of a tweet sent by a Samsung Arabia employee, which more or less outted the upcoming device.

It read: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 #Poll."

As one would expect, the tweet was removed not long afterwards but it is the first clear indication given by Samsung that a second Note is in the works (we'd start saving if we were you).

While making mistakes is all part of the job, the idea that an employee accidentally let slip the existence of an important handset is pretty, well, unbelievable.

The launch of a new Note isn’t something Samsung would want to let slip (unless it wanted to, of course), so it may well be that this is purely a PR stunt designed to boost publicity around the device prior to its official launch. If that’s the case, we’re happy they did it.

Flexible display? Yeah right!

Of all the Galaxy Note 2 rumours that have surfaced around the web, the craziest one we’ve heard so far is that the device will land with a flexible display.

Yes, one of those horrible screens that you can turn and twist. This is according to Korean newspaper MK Business News, which wrote:

“South Korea’s Samsung Electronics will be releasing a flexible display-equipped successor model to the Galaxy Note in October so as to compete against Apple’s iPhone 5.”

While we understand that rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt, we’re not convinced that Samsung will release a flexible display for the Galaxy Note 2 – we’d expect a screen such as this to land on a more prominent device, like the Samsung Galaxy S4.

*Warning, the latter sentence is not a Galaxy S4 rumour, and should not be treated as such.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release-date-specs-and-price-rumours/screen

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Nexus 7 Tablet Revealed, Price and Launch Date ~ Fourtriangle

Google has confirmed prior to its developer conference in San Francisco that they will be releasing their new tablet which goes by the name Nexus 7.

The Nexus 7 weighs just 340 grams and so one can expect it to be very light. It will sport a 7-inch high definition display that can give 1280×800 pixel resolution which is also equivalent to 216 ppi. Moreover, its back-lit IPS display can be seen clearly when viewing it on different angles. You don’t have to worry about scratching the screen as its scratch proof thanks to the Corning glass on it. This slate can be considered a must have as it will be boasting the newest Android operating system which is Android 4.1 or Jelly Bean. The processor tasked to run its multitude of functions is a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor. By the way, it also has a 12 core CPU. For shooting videos and stills, there is a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera that comes very handy.

One can never go wrong with the Nexus 7 as it is said to have 10 good hours for reading and 8 superb hours of playing HD video on single charge. Of course this is all made possible by its 4,325 mAh battery.

According to the experts, the specifications offered by Nexus 7 are ideal for a variety of uses – watching movies, playing games, reading e-magazines, etc. In addition, one strong point of the tablet is that it runs on a pure version of Android which enables user all access to applications in the Google Play Store. This also makes it fully intertwined with Gmail and Google+.

Other features that are known to be embedded on the slate include near field communication (NFC), Google wallet and GPS.

Asus, a company known for its PC manufacturing prowess, is tasked to make the tablet. With respect to pricing, the 8GB model will retail for $199 while the 16GB variant goes for $249. The pricing for the 8GB version is expected to make a head-on competition with Amazon’s Kindle Fire as well as Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet. The slate will come with a $25 credit which can be use for purchasing apps in the Google Play Store. Pre-orders are already being accepted by Google with shipping expected to start in the next two to three weeks.

Source:http://2leep.com/bar.php?url=http://2leep.com/news/885519/0/more/

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Dell XPS 13 review ~ Fourtriangle

Ultrabooks took the forefront at this year’s CES and Dell, one of the industry’s top guns, unveiled the Dell XPS 13 to us all. It’s got some catching up to do – after all, the Asus Zenbook UX31 and Toshiba Satellite Z830 have impressed us for some months now.

Luckily it seems more than a match for its Ultra-competition and some remarkable design choices instantly set this apart from others we’ve seen. With Intel, as ever, providing the latest Sandy Bridge performance specs, this could be the Ultrabook to tip the balance. The Dell XPS 13 we've been looking at is a pre-build model, so the full retail version could potentially vary slightly, but we'll keep you posted on that.

Dell XPS 13: Features

The Dell XPS 13’s aluminium chassis is jaw-droppingly attractive. Outwardly, it’s a smaller, thinner version of the Dell XPS 15z and the Dell XPS 14z – no bad thing. A curving silver shell measuring 7mm at its thinnest point and a barely-there weight of 1.4 means holding the XPS 13 is akin to holding a tablet.

Once you lift the lid and peer inside, the craftsmanship of the device becomes apparent. Unlike the silver interiors of rivals like the Acer Aspire S3, the XPS 13 is a rubberised jet black and devoid of stickers or markings.

Because of the thinness of the chassis the backlit chicklet keyboard, like other Ultrabooks, has a shallow travel. But spacing of the keys is well proportioned, as is the slightly curving design of the keys themselves.

Dell XPS 13: Screen

We had to marvel at the engineering of the screen on the Dell XPS 13. There’s almost no bezel around the edge, so the 13.3-inch screen seems like it’s sitting in an 11-inch laptop. The whole screen is made with tough Gorilla Glass and the 1366 x 768 pixel resolution is good enough to enjoy 720p high-definition movies.

Dell XPS 13: Performance

When you’re done admiring the outside of the Dell XPS 13, you’ll find the interior components just as pleasing. Sporting a quad-core Intel Core i7-2637M CPU, you get lightning quick response times and can comfortably multitask between a range of programs and web pages.

The Sandy bridge chip runs with an integrated Intel graphics card with about 1.5GB given over to shared video memory. Movie and photo editing shouldn’t be a problem, but games will be beyond this machine.

Dell XPS 13: Battery

Battery life is a key feature of the Ultrabook platform and the 6-cell battery built into the XPS 13 isn’t accessible to the likes of you and me. But, Dell claims it will run comfortably up to 8 hours, giving you an entire day at the office without needing the mains.

Dell XPS 13: Verdict

While we've only been able to get our hands on a pre-build version so far, the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook matches jaw-dropping design with characteristically strong performance. Although we would have liked a little more connectivity, there’s very little to fault with this device.

It differentiates itself from the competition with a head-turning design and keeps up an impressive battery life. The Gorilla Glass display is given room to shine thanks to a minimal bezel and we felt we could use it as much for work as for kicking back with a high-definition movie.

We feel this is easily one of the strongest Ultrabooks in the current line-up and a spectacular piece of engineering from Dell. We'll bring you more info as soon as we've had the final retail model on our test bench, as well as a confirmed retail price.

• Dell XPS 13 availability: March 2012
• Dell XPS 13 price: £TBC (estimates suggest £899)

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iPhone 5 News: Release date, price & specs rumours ~ Fourtriangle

Update: Our iPhone 5 rumours post has grown to accomodate more gossip - which you'll find across all three pages - in addition to some amazing iPhone 5 concept images.

Rumours surrounding the iPhone 5’s release date, potential specs and features, and price have fuelled reports that Apple is gearing up to launch its next-gen smartphone around summer time.

The handset, which is rumoured to be named the new iPhone, is reportedly under construction – and the rumour mill has been busy speculating about what we can expect to see from the device, if and when it lands.

While none of the below have been confirmed by Apple – the company is notoriously good at keeping secrets – we’ve rounded up all the speculation dished out by sources, experts & fanboys to get some clue on what to expect from the iPhone 5.

Apple iPhone 5: Release Date

Respected Japanese Apple blog Macotakara has allegedly received word from "Asian sources" who claim that Apple will launch the device in September or October 2012 which would fit with last year’s arrival of the iPhone 4S.

"According to Asian reliable source, next iPhone will be released in September or October, and this cycle seems to be kept for years," read a translated portion of the report.

If the article proves to be accurate, it would mean the company is returning to the 12-month launch cycles we saw for the first four versions of the beloved device.

Last year's October iPhone 4S launch was the only time Apple has verged from the summer cycle, making users wait 15 months instead of the usual 12 for a new handset.

While the iPhone 4S was more of an evolutionary upgrade, with a faster processor an improved camera and the addition of the Siri voice control app, the iPhone 5 is likely to bring a more revolutionary approach, perhaps with the addition of a 4G LTE internet and a larger screen size.

Apple iPhone 5: Price

The 16GB iPhone 4S lines up in retailers with a hefty £499 price tag. Prices continue up all the way to £699 for the 64GB edition.

Ahead of the iPhone 4S successor’s announcement, it is believed that the sixth-gen model will simply replace the iPhone 4s in terms of price points and range of models with any 128GB storage option likely to hit the £799 price mark.

Apple iPhone 5: Name

Following the March launch of the new iPad, eports have suggested that Apple is to cease the numbered naming convention of its pocket blowers and move the market leading iPhone range in line with its Mac offerings which see multiple product overhauls occur whilst maintaining the same base name.

“About two weeks ago we got a tip from a reliable source that Apple was going to call the iPhone 5 the new “iPhone,” according to Apple blog 9to5Mac.

 “That seemed a little nuts at the time but what a difference a Keynote makes. Apple chopped the suffix off if the iPad as part of a branding makeover that will likely expand.

The report added: “Just like iMac is not called iMac 1,2,3 it looks like Apple won’t be doing the numbering on iOS devices (though it never did with the iPod touch).”

Apple iPhone 5: Display

Update: Apple has reportedly begun manufacturing on its rumoured iPhone 5 handsets. Reports suggest Sony has been working on display components for the Californian company’s next-gen smartphone since February – and will ramp up production on the panels at the end of this month.

According to AppleInsider, the consumer electronics manufacturer is working in conjunction with other firms, such as Toshiba Mobile Display and LG Display Co, to roll out enough panels for the heavily rumoured device, expected to launch later this year.

Stone Wu, a senior analyst at IHS Displaybank, said: “Even for those companies that start mass production in May, they can only reach an average yield of 65 to 70 per cent at present.”

Although there has been no official word on the iPhone 5’s screen size, rumours suggest growing competition and market pressures will see Apple introduce a new plus 4-inch model.

These rumours have been backed up by a selection of industry analysts that have suggested Apple will be forced into the screen size overhaul as competition from rival handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, intensify.

Speaking with T3, industry specialist Daniel Ashdown from tech analysis company Juniper Research suggested Apple may opt for a larger screen for the iPhone 5.

He said: "It will be particularly interesting to see what the size of the display will be given that it has not changed thus far since the iPhone was launched with a 3.5-inch screen.

"Competitors have increased their devices to up to 4.3". We would be surprised if they [Apple] didn't break from tradition this time and increase the size of the next model."

Contrary to these claims, other reports have suggested Apple will retain its 3.5-inch iPhone display for future handsets as a larger screen could disturb the iOS platform’s offering of apps.

Apple iPhone 5: Specs

Update: The key reason for current users to upgrade to an iPhone 5 later this year will be a 'sleek unibody casing', according to an industry analyst.

In a note to investors, Brian J. White of Topeka Capital Markets reckons production will begin on a new 4-inch iPhone in June this year, following a recent visit to suppliers in Taiwan and China,AppleInsider reported.

He says the sixth generation iPhone device will boast a look similar to the single sheet aluminium casings featured on recent iterations of the Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines.

He wrote: "In our view, this will be the most significant iPhone upgrade with a four-inch screen and a new, sleek look that we believe will require a Unibody case.


“This new, sleek look will be the most important reason that consumers decide to upgrade."

Meanwhile, despite the on-going legal battles between the two companies over repeated patent infringements, Samsung looks set to continue its role as a component supplier for Apple’s iDevices.

The Korean firm is reported to be providing the quad-core A6 chips to feature within the iPhone 5.

“Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor (AP) chips to be used in the next iPhone,” sources told KoreaTimes.

They added: “It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner.”

Meanwhile, further reports have suggested Apple is to shave millimetres off the form of its next-generation handset thanks to the introduction of a new streamlined Sony camera sensor.

Whilst handsets and tablets continue to ship with increasingly slim form factors, the lack of cut sized camera sensors has started to slow the possibilities of even slimmer devices.

Sony, however, has announced a new back-illuminated CMOS sensor tipped for inclusion within the Apple iPhone 5 that will allow for increasingly thin designs with improved functionality.

"This image sensor layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels onto chips containing the circuit section for signal processing, which is in place of supporting substrates for conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors," the component's description declared.

"This structure achieves further enhancement in image quality, superior functionalities and a more compact size that will lead to enhanced camera evolution.”

Apple iPhone 5: Design

Update: The next generation Apple iPhone 5 could appear longer and thinner, with a widescreen aspect ratio, reports suggest.

9to5Mac has received word from its sources that the company will launch the device with a 3.999-inch screen (diagonally) with a resolution of 640 x 1136, compared to the existing 640 x 960, 3.5-inch offering.

The width of the screen will remain the same, but the device would be longer, if the article is correct. This contradicts claims that the Californian firm will include a 4-inch screen on the rumoured device.


The Apple news site says it knows of two prototype iPhone 5 devices currently being tested, both of which sport the new screen size.

A key advantage of the new aspect ratio, which is close to 16:9, will be full-screen native video, but 9to5Mac reckons the company is planning to integrate an extra row of app icons on the homescreen, making five in total.

It'll also allow for "extended application user interfaces that offer views of more content," according to the report.

The site added that it also believes current plans will see a smaller, redesigned dock connector, which will eventually graduate to all iOS devices.

Other reports have claimed something similar.

Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that its 'in-the-know' contact believes the iPhone 5 will feature a “different form factor”, adopting a brand new design following the antennagate issues that resulted in signal problems with the iPhone 4.

Since then Engadget has spoken to multiple sources who claim that a complete redesign of the handset body is on the cards and that the device is already being tested by staff at Apple HQ.

Also on the cards for the iPhone 5 is an all-metal back, similar to that found on the original iPhone, reportedly in a bid to avoid the embarrassing antenna issues experienced on the iPhone 4.

The glass posterior of the iPhone 4 was also prone to unsightly cracks if treated roughly, and was rumoured to be the cause of the delay of the white model - a headache all round for Apple.

An Apple patent also points to the iPhone using smaller conductive nodes beneath the screen, allowing for the overall device to be slimmer.

Apple iPhone 5: Camera

New reports have suggested the iPhone 5 will land with a high-spec 3D snapper.

In fact, Cupertino-based Apple is also expected to include the hardware in all of its upcoming mobile devices, TrustedReviews reports.

In March, the Apple-dedicated site Patently Apple published details of what it claims to be of a patent registered by Apple. The patent outlines a 3D imaging camera that will reportedly allow users to make use of advanced micro lenses to add visual depth to extra-dimensional snaps.

A post on the site reads: “Apple has invented a killer 3D imaging camera that will apply to both still photography and video.

“The new cameras in development will utilize new depth-detection sensors such as LIDAR, RADAR and Laser that will create stereo disparity maps in creating 3D imagery.

“Additionally, the cameras will use advanced chrominance and luminance Sensors for superior color accuracy.”

We’re not sure what to make of a 3D camera, purely because we’ve played with them before and had mixed opinions.

But then again, this is Apple, so we could possibly see something remarkably new (and improved) than the lacklustre 3D kit found in, say, the Nintendo 3DS (please don’t shoot us!).

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/apple-iphone-5-news-release-date-price-specs-rumours/design-camera

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