Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 hits the FCC

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 hits the FCC 

We've yet to hear more details about the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2's launch this quarter, but a recent FCC filing at least reveals that it might head to Verizon. According to the documents, a particular variant that goes by model number SM-P905V supports Big Red's LTE (4 and 13) bands. Since the 2014 refresh of the 10.1 Note Pro has also passed through the agency with Verizon LTE, the carrier might offer both sizes when the tablets hit the market. Based on the info we got from the gigantic tablet's CES debut, it'll have a WiFi version for those who have no need for mobile internet. Folks set on buying one with long-term evolution speeds, however, may want to cross their fingers for the behemoth to hit their preferred carriers.

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Windows 9 release date, news and rumors

Windows 9 release date, news and rumors

With Windows 8 and now Windows 8.1, Microsoft tried - not entirely successfully - to make tablets part of a continuum that goes from number-crunching workstations and high-end gaming rigs through all-in-one touchscreen media systems and thin-and light notebooks down to slender touch tablets.
The general consensus is that it still has a long way to go to produce a unified OS.
Despite rumours of an aggressive development and shipping schedule, there's no official word about what's in the next version of Windows, but there are plenty of rumours (many of them from Chinese enthusiast sites that claim to have leaked builds), plus more reliable information from job adverts for the Windows and Windows Phone teams. Could it be that we'll get Windows 8.2 first?
There are also patents, which may or may not be relevant, and some rare comments from developers on the Windows team. Here's what we've heard about Windows 9 and what we think is happening.

Windows Blue turned out to be Windows 8.1 rather than a completely new version of the Windows OS, which is what we'd expect Windows 9 to be.
There's certainly a new development cadence, where Microsoft puts out new releases of Windows, Windows RT and Windows Server every year, the way it already does for Windows Phone.
The next version of Windows is being referred to as Windows 9, though this may change. And a new codename has appeared - Threshold, possibly in refrence to moving across from our reliance on the desktop to a new world where the Start screen is at the heart of how we use Windows.
While still just a codename, Windows 9 was referenced by Microsoft in a job posting, spotted by MSFT Kitchen on 13 March 2013.
The ad, for a Bing Software Development Engineer, says that the team will be delivering products "in areas including Windows 9, IE11 services integration, touch friendly devices including iPad and more."

Windows 9 release date

Microsoft communications chief Frank Shaw said Microsoft wasn't ready to talk about how often Windows might come out when we spoke to him in January, but he agreed "you have certainly seen across a variety of our products a cadence that looks like that; Windows Phone is a good for example of that, our services are a good example of that".
We don't know if Windows 9 will be available as an upgrade from Windows 7 that you can buy as a standalone product or if you'll have to have Windows 8 to get the upgrade. But it may not be with us for a while yet - Windows business chief Tami Reller has talked about "multiple selling seasons" for Windows 8, meaning that we'll likely have several versions of it.
However, in January 2014 well-known Microsoft blogger Paul Thurrott said he believes the company plans to release Windows 9 (codenamed Threshold) in April 2015, less than three years after Windows 8.
The thinking appears to be that the Windows 8 name is now too tarnished and that - in contrast to Reller's comments above - Microsoft wishes to clear things out by releasing Windows 9 instead.
"Maturing and fixing the "Metro" design language used by Windows will be a major focus area of Threshold," Thurrott added. "It's not clear what changes are coming, but it's safe to assume that a windowed mode that works on the desktop is part of that."
We're expecting to hear more details on Windows 9 at Build 2014, Microsoft's annual developers' conference. It was expected to focus on Windows Phone and Xbox this year, but major Windows news would trump the lot.

Windows 9 to be cheaper, smaller, with more apps

In the last Microsoft earnings call CFO Peter Klein made it clear that Microsoft has got the message that Windows 8 tablets need to be cheaper; "we know that our growth depends on our ability to give customers the exciting hardware they want, at the price-points they demand."
Another revealing Microsoft job advert talks about having Windows Phone and Windows RT apps run on both Windows Phone and Windows - it's no secret that Microsoft wants to unify things in this area.
"Do you wish the code you write for Windows Store apps would just work on the Windows Phone and vice versa? If so, then this is the role for you! We are the team leading the charge to bring much of the WinRT API surface and the .NET Windows Store profile to the Phone."
That sounds like a longer term goal, given that the job advert was on the Microsoft Careers site at the beginning of February 2012, and it's being driven by the Windows Phone team, but it could give developers an incentive to write apps for the Windows Store and give Windows 9 users more to choose from. Scaling apps to fit different size screens would help here too.
Some reports have suggested that the Threshold update will see a full return of the Start menu and that Windows 8-style apps will be able to run on the desktop. We think both of these thingsa re unlikely.

Windows 9 power management

A recent Channel 9 video featuring Bruce Worthington, who leads the team working on Windows power management fundamentals, included some rather technical details about saving power in Windows and the improvement in Windows 8.
"If you look at the number of times we would wake up the CPU per second," he explained, "for Windows 7 you would typically see numbers on the order of one millisecond. We would literally be waking up the CPU a thousand times per second. If you look at Windows 8, on a clean system, we have numbers that are better than a hundred milliseconds. "
Now that Windows Phone 8 is based on the Windows Phone kernel, power management has to get better. "Now we're looking forward to the next release and we can get even farther - especially as we start interacting more and more with our phone brethren.
"They want us to be quiet for multiple seconds at a time. They even talk about minutes in some scenarios which is pretty far afield for us, to be thinking about minutes of being completely quiet. At least getting into the multi-second we're definitely ready to think about that."
Especially with Intel Haswell bringing Connected Standby to Core systems, not just low-power Atom tablets, saving power looks like a priority for Windows 9 (especially if it comes out at the same time as Intel's new chips.
"For the next release there's all kinds of things we've already identified that are going be quite challenging but at the same time the user is going to get a tremendous boost forward," Worthington promised.

Windows 9 gestures and experiences

There are features we predicted for Windows 8 based on Microsoft patents and technologies we've seen demonstrated by Microsoft leaders like CTO Craig Mundie that didn't make it into the OS. There are features Microsoft plans for every version of Windows that get cut to ship on time; sometimes they reappear, sometimes they don't.
Kinect-based 3D gestures might be on the cards this time around, especially as we hear that some notebooks will soon get 3D cameras - although from other suppliers rather than Microsoft.
Using two cheap webcams rather than an expensive 3D camera could make gesture recognition hardware cheap enough for laptops and then you could wave at the screen from a distance.
And maybe Direct Experience will arrive in Windows 9. The patent explains this as a way of starting Windows to play media files in a special purpose operating system and there are improvements in Hyper-V for Windows Server 8 that Microsoft could use to make Windows 9 work better for this, like being able to move a virtual machine from one place to another while it's running.
Maybe that would even work with the next version of the Xbox - which will be based on the Windows kernel and is expected to ship in the autumn.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news and rumors

Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news and rumors

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has landed - and we loved it, as you'll see through our in-depth review. It's light, slim and powerful, and has the best screen we've seen on a smartphone.
But we know what you're like. You're already thinking about the Galaxy S5.
Luckily we're constantly trawling the web for all the latest on Samsung's next flagship phone, and we've pulled together everything we've found to give an overview of what you might be able to expect from the Galaxy S5.
But if you're one of those interneteers that likes to skim read things in the hope someone will go through all the rumors and create a video render with them all thrown in together, well, you're in luck.
In terms of the name we'd be surprised if Samsung was to deviate from the highly lucrative Galaxy S prefix which has seen the Korean firm squeeze every last drop of money out of the brand with numerous handset spin offs of its top products. Expect it to arrive as the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Samsung Galaxy S5 release date and price

All the big smartphone manufacturers are relatively entrenched in annual product cycles now, which means we can usually predict when they will launch their headlining products.
As far as the Samsung Galaxy S5 goes it's likely that we'll see the Korean firm take to the stage sometime in March 2014 with its fifth generation flagship smartphone. If the Galaxy S4 launch event is anything to go by expect it to be big, brash and rather confusing.
That said, there are rumors suggesting Samsung may actually bring the launch forward to February after the Galaxy S4 failed to sell as many as predicted, with one Samsung exec apparently spilling the beans that it will be launched at MWC 2014 - although we find that hard to believe.
In terms of price there's no point hoping that Samsung might offer the Galaxy S5 at a more competitive rate than its predecessors. It will be crammed full of new tech and thus will carry a price tag which will see it sit right at the top of pricing tree.
If it does bring an aluminium chassis, curved display and more, then we can see the price sky-rocketing. Time to start saving? You betcha.

Samsung Galaxy S5 to finally go all metal?

A lot of the early rumors appear to be focussing on the chassis of the Samsung Galaxy S5, with various sources claiming the S5 will be the handset where the Korean firm finally breaks is polycarbonate relationship in favour of a full metal jacket - although there are conflicting reports here.
Smartphones such as the iPhone 5S and HTC One have shown up the Galaxy S4 since launch in terms of design, offering a far superior look and feel and it's an area Samsung needs to work on with the Galaxy S5.
An "inside source" apparently confirmed to Android Geeks that the Galaxy S5 will arrive with a fully aluminium chassis and a new look dubbed "Design 3.0".
The aluminium frame rumor was given another hat tip by Korean site ETNews which reported that the Galaxy S5 would have an all-metal chassis.
Further fuel was then added to the all-metal fire when analysts claimed that Catcher Technology Co had taken an order to make the metal chassis for Samsung's Galaxy series.
However, Digitimes is reporting that its checks into the suppliers have shown no orders have been given for a metallic phone, with a carbon-fibre chassis an option. Samsung may go for a new coating though, one that brings diamond-like protection to the mix and ensuring the safety of your precious device.
Apparently, here's our first snap! Expect a lot more in the build up to the Galaxy S5 launch, but a photo claiming to show the metal frame of Samsung's next flagship phone gives us more hope that it may pass on plastic at last - although this is only the internal frame, which can be covered with all manner of materials.

If this image is the real deal it rules out a flexible Galaxy S5 though, and the frame could still be covered in polycarbonate - but ETNews also cites sources "confirming" the S5 will be metal.
We may even get the best of both worlds as another report suggests that Samsung is prepping two versions of the Galaxy S5 - one metal, one polycarbonate, which could also be carbon fibre. We reckon that's pretty unlikely, but could suggest the Korean firm is toying with both materials.
It's worth remembering that similar rumors surrounded the Galaxy S4 which still launched with a polycarbonate body, so we're not getting too excited.

Samsung Galaxy S5 64-bit CPU

There was a lot of buzz around the 64-bit A7 processor which Apple stuffed inside the iPhone 5S and it's been blowing up benchmark tests left right and centre, and it looks like Samsung wants a bit of the action.
There's no question that the Galaxy S5 will be a powerhouse of a phone, but it may struggle to match the likes of the iPhone 5S and even the Note 3 after a benchmark result showed an unnamed Samsung device coming in behind both.
The rumors have been thoroughly shoving back and forth over whether Samsung will be launching the S5 with a 64-bit processor, as an ARM executive spilled the beans on the South Korean brand picking up its fancy new chip for 2014.
The S5 looks like it could have a whacking 4GB of RAM as well to power all the new technology inside, taking better advantage of that 64-bit chip - although more recently there has been confusion over just how much RAM the Galaxy S5 will pack, with other reports suggesting 3GB or a crazy 8GB RAM chip will reside in the phone.
64-bit is certainly not set in stone and another leak has pointed towards Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip clocked at 2.5GHz alongside an Adreno 330 CPU.
Considering the Galaxy Note 3 has launched with a mighty 2.3GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM we'd expect the Galaxy S5 to at least match it, if not beat it.

Samsung Galaxy S5 screen

This is a tricky one - Samsung already has a display that's sharper than the human eye can detect, so why would it go any sharper?
The electronics brand seems to have ignored that question and will be possibly bringing the S5 with a 2K display - that's a dizzying 560ppi for screens as small as five inches.
It's not all about sharpness, as it could also lead to improved colour performance and refresh rate for slicker video and animations.
Given Samsung wants to go 4K for its 2015 smartphones, the halfway resolution makes sense for next year's devices.
In fact a resolution of 2560 x 1440 briefly popped up alongside the SM-G900S model number on a benchmark test, before the details were pulled, fuelling the Galaxy S5 fire further.
In terms of the screen tech for the Galaxy S5, Samsung has always stuck AMOLED panels on its flagship handsets, but there appears to be a little bit of confusion for the fifth generation device.
Rumors suggest that Samsung may move away from the AMOLED technology in favor of LCD panels in the Galaxy S5, with a view to save money on producing the handset.

Samsung Galaxy S5 operating system

All previous headlining Galaxy S handsets have sported the Android operating system and we don't expect that to change with the Galaxy S5.
Google's latest version of its mobile platform, Android 4.4 KitKat, is launched in October 2013, so it's highly likely this will be the version of choice for the Galaxy S5 come March.
Of course it won't be the pure Android experience you get on the Galaxy S5, Samsung will slap its TouchWiz interface over the top and screenshots claiming to show the new version destined for the handset have appeared online.
There's a rumor that is throwing a spanner in the works though, suggesting that Samsung will offer the Galaxy S5 in both Android and its own-brand Tizen variants.
Now this sounds pretty unlikely so we're taking this with a large pinch of salt, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on.

Samsung Galaxy S5 design

As we've briefly mentioned already there's talk of a whole new design language for the Galaxy S5 which will hopefully see Samsung break away from the similar styling of the Galaxy S3 and S4.
Obviously a metal chassis would help in changing the design, but we want to know what the Galaxy S5 will actually look like.
A patent application unearthed by Patent Bolt might shed some light on this, with a couple of images cropping up showing a squarer Galaxy S5 design.
If the patents are real then Samsung may be about to finally ditch the physical home button which currently adorns all its handsets.
Samsung Galaxy S5 - LEAKBye bye physical home key (credit: Patent Bolt)
Anyone hoping for a curved or flexible Galaxy S5 - along the lines of the Galaxy Round and LG G Flex - will be disappointed to hear that Samsung is planning on keeping things flat for its fifth flagship iteration.

Samsung Galaxy 5S camera

The Galaxy S4 rocked up with a pretty decent 13MP camera on its rear, but rumors surrounding Galaxy S5 suggest it will take things a little further with a 16MP snapper.
That's still not as impressive as the 20.7MP Sony Xperia Z1 or 41MP Nokia Lumia 1020 - but do we really need cameras that powerful on our phones? You tell us!
The same report from the Electronic Times News also mentioned that the Galaxy S5 would sport the same optical image stabilisation (OIS) tech as the LG G2.
Samsung has announced a new CMOS image sensor dubbed ISOCELL which will almost certainly debut in the Galaxy S5, after the company told analysts the tech would be appearing in phones during 2014 and 2015.
The new sensor isolates individual pixels which minimises electrical crosstalk between them, which in turn leads to higher colour fidelity, for sharper, richer images.

Samsung Galaxy S5 finger print scanner

Anyone hoping that Samsung will follow in the footsteps of Apple and bring a fingerprint scanner to the Galaxy S5 could well be disappointed if certain rumors are to be believed.
That's after a Samsung official apparently told the Korean Times that the company is "not yet developing the technology" for its handsets. Boo.
All hope is not lost however, as the fingerprint rumor has reared its ugly head again, contradicting earlier reports with a fingerprint scanning firm claiming Samsung will be going big on the tech after all in 2014.
There were rumors of both Samsung buying a biometrics firm, which were instantly denied, and more recently it was mooted that the S5 would use retinal scanning to unlock the phone.
The eye scanning tech has been given more backing after a Samsung exec spoke to Bloomberg and said "Many people are fanatical about iris recognition technology. We are studying the possibility."
Unless someone comes out with a pretty nifty explanation of how this might work, we can't see it appearing next year. We're not holding our phone up to the eye just to open it up. We'd look insane.

So you're already thinking about the Galaxy S5. You're looking at the S4 and wondering: "Could Samsung have done better in some areas? Like make it FLY?"
Well, clearly you're insane if you're asking that, but your point is valid: there's always more than can be done to make the ultimate smartphone.
Word is that Samsung is already hard at work on the design of the new range of devices: simply codenamed 'Design 3.0' top level meetings have already begun in Seoul to make sure the new Galaxy range is more revolutionary.
So check out our run down of the rumors we've heard so far, and then once that's done, check out the results of us putting our thinking caps on and doing the work for the South Korean firm, divining the things that we simply must have on the Galaxy S5 to make it a success and beat the new HTC One:

A flexible design

Anyone using an HTC One will know that the reaction it inspires really is immense.
It's no exaggeration to say that more often than not, people will say: 'Wow, what's that?'. The sad fact is that we just don't get the same reaction from the S4, with most people just actually thinking it's the Galaxy S3.
One of its predecessor's main criticisms was that the use of plastic made it look and feel cheap (that even applies to the Galaxy S2 from a few years back – though not the Galaxy S, since few people took any real notice of the first iteration.)
When the S4 was announced, it didn't even need to be felt – people instantly criticised how cheap that all-plastic façade is going to feel.

Galaxy S5
Sure, it keeps the phone light (in fairness, the HTC One weighs a fair bit in the hand, by comparison) but Apple's managed to pull off glass and metal and lightness with the iPhone 5 so surely Samsung can manage the same. If only to annoy Apple even more.
The other ideal would be to utilise its flexible display technology - Youm - to bring some new techology to the new design. We're not talking a completely bendy phone (that would actually be rubbish right now) but how about the designs shown off at trade shows recently? That would be amazing.
The current news seems to be that at the very least things might move away from the boredom of plastic to a more aluminium design, thanks to the aforementioned 'Design 3.0' meetings. However, there may be a slight issue in that it's much harder to produce a high volume of metal-based phones, so fingers crossed that high level design meetup is going to solve that problem too.
This uncovered patent also hints at a phone redesign for the Galaxy S5, but the presence of a screw could either mean a unibody design, another rugged phone, or just a nonsense patent from 2012. It's probably the latter...

A sleeker system

One of the things we've always liked about Samsung is that it pushed the envelope in terms of what its phones could do. It added innovation, it did things nobody else did, and then it worked out how to package it in a way that made things simple and looked half decent.
In this respect, its nadir was the Samsung Galaxy S3. Yes, it felt too cheap, but it had tonnes of innovation under the hood (Smart Stay, for instance, wasn't a total waste of time).
The problem was it went overboard with the Galaxy S4. Smart Scroll, Smart Pause and more all added complexity to a system that was already close to the limit, so all those selling points became annoyances and were quickly turned off.
Samsung, you're great at one thing: making innovation usable. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 think about that and make sure that if you add in flexible screens or eye tracking technology to create auto-3D images, you do it in a way that genuinely adds something to our lives, not just innovation for the sake of it.
If you need to make some space, get rid of that front and back cameras dual-recording feature. Nobody is ever going to use that.

Mo' power

We're not sure how the new Galaxy S5 will look when it comes to raw power, as Samsung has traditionally gone big - however, the octa-core phone that never really made it to many shores, and that was sad for the spec-fans.
Samsung has already developed a new 3GB RAM chip that could easily work in the lower-power phone design, so fingers crossed we see the next iteration with so much RAM we can't even begin to use it...and hey, maybe a more intelligent CPU that isn't all about power and works harder on doing the things we want.
The Moto X might be a little underpowered, but we like that there's a chip in there dedicated to just listening to your voice. That, Samsung.

Bigger battery

We always ask for these and the S4 has graced us with a larger power pack than the S3 – it's up from 2,100 to 2,600mAh. It's a fairly decent jump – but still likely to just give a day of moderate use thanks to that huge, sharp screen.
Just look at the HTC One – that has a 2,300mAh power pack yet struggles to exceed the 1,440mAh battery of the iPhone 5 in daily usage. The fact of the matter is that the OS has a huge part to play – so upping the mAh count doesn't necessarily mean a revolution in terms of endurance.

The Motorola RAZR Maxx has been out since last summer and manages to pack in a 3,300mAh battery, which genuinely puts the hours in.
Since Samsung is such a technologically advanced company, if it were to come up with something huge like a 4,000mAh pack that's slim to boot, it would nail the Android market (even more.) Come on boys – you have a year to do this.
Some sources have stated that Samsung might be moving to a unibody design, complete with a sealed in battery... this would be a bold move for the South Korean firm as it would be giving up one of its big advantages.
But with a wrapped in design comes the freedom to make even sleeker phones, and with the new move to unique battery shapes that can fill any nook or cranny, this could see an even bigger power pack on offer. Which would you prefer?

Stereo speakers

Again we're drawing a comparison with the HTC One here but that's to be expected; especially since said device will be its main Android competitor (along with the Sony Xperia Z, of course, which we mustn't forget.) But there is something unique here.
See, HTC has raised the bar here – the sound bar, that is. Some assumed it would be a gimmick, putting two speakers on the front of the phone and calling it BoomSound. But here's the thing: it does sound amazing. To the extent that we often leave calls ringing longer than we need to so that we can enjoy the ringtone.

The Galaxy S4 doesn't go for anything so lavish – offering a mere grill on the back with a small speaker we fully expect to be loud, yet tinny. Sure, there may be limited call for deep surround sound or anything as elaborate, but why scrimp on features when including so much in other areas?
We imagine Group Play will be Samsung's answer – but considering that requires other Galaxy owners, it's a bit of a faff.
Samsung could really pull something unique out the bag here – especially considering it's got a proven relationship with audio extradordinaires Bang and Olufsen. Even the iPhone 5 speaker is fairly decent – so come on Sammy.. finger out, please.

FM Radio

Odd one this, but the S4 is the first Galaxy device to not ship with an FM radio. It's a bit of an add-on that many don't use, but others (especially commuters) are very attached to their FM radio feature on their phones.
Samsung's already stated that it left the S4 FM radio out not through any technical issue, but because more people are now streaming their music through YouTube and online services. Which is true. Apps like TuneIn Radio do offer a great service.

The problem is that you're reliant on a good web connection for this – at the very least, 3G, and even then, there can be problems with buffering. The majority of journeys will pass through different signal strengths and types and this just means that you'll have to stop listening to the radio whether you want to or not.
Sure, we know that firm decisions lead to progress (look at Steve Jobs refusing to fit a floppy drive on the original iMac) but this just smacks of silliness since it would have made absolutely no difference to Samsung. We're even thinking of writing to our local MP about it.

Beam it up, Sammy

We'll lay this on the line before we start: this is one of our more fanciful wishes, given the technology (and desire from many consumers) is a long way away. But we'd love to see a projector built into the S5. Samsung managed it already with the Galaxy Beam last year, even though that was a bit of a niche device. But it makes perfect sense.
Forget AllShare (or maybe not 'forget' but at least run it alongside) and turn the S5 into something that everybody can enjoy. The problem is now that if you want to share your photos/videos etc, you either have to buy a dongle or have a Smart TV. It's very niche.

Galaxy S5
Apple has managed to do well with marketing its AirPlay so you can stream YouTube etc to Apple TV but again, you have to fork out for an Apple TV to do it, then turn the thing on, change your TV input source and so forth.
Wouldn't it be great if you could just stream everything using a projector to a wall? Obviously, there are issues with light interference, but we're sure Samsung could invent something that overcomes that problem.
And with those amazing stereo speakers we're lobbying for, it would also sort out the audio problem. Hey, it could even lead to more uptake of things like WatchON, with people buying movies and then streaming them straight to the wall when friends are round. There's an incentive for you there, Samsung.

Streamlined stores

Speaking of WatchON, this would be something we'd like to see sorted: a true partnership with

Google. Sure, we realise that hell is more likely to see temperatures drop below freezing before then, but the issue is that there is just too much choice.
We're all for freedom – but when you have both Google and Samsung trying to sell you songs, movies, books, apps and magazines at the same time, through competing apps, it gets a little tiring.
Galaxy S5
The app drawer is littered with more options than you can shake a stick at and for those who aren't completely au-fait with smartphone tech, it's a little confusing and intimidating.
Apple makes so much of the whole fact that it is just one company providing everything – the next best thing would be for Samsung to work out with Google a common strategy for sharing revenue here and at least streamlining it for the consumer.
We know it's not going to happen because Google won't want to favour Samsung – and also there is the matter of Samsung wanting to end its dependence on Google (hence the Tizen revolution we're not really expecting), but it's nice to dream of one, unified store.

3D screen

We've left this one to last as this probably sounds the most ridiculous – but it's worth giving it a moment's thought. See, screen resolutions have hit the ceiling now. Back when Nokia invented the 7650 with its tiny colour palette, we cooed.
When the 7210 came along with a square screen rocking 4096 hues, we gasped. And when the iPhone 4 launched with the famous Retina branding, it really was revolutionary.
But phones like the S4 and HTC One now have PPIs that destroy home flatscreen TVs. There isn't any point in making them sharper, because the eye can't discern any difference. We have, pretty much, reached a plateau.
3D's not taken off as well as it could have with TV's. Yeah, it's great to play with, but it's hardly making the waves that the HD revolution did. And it has been tried before with LG. Remember the Optimus 3D?
We only gave it 3.5 stars when it came out the best part of two years ago and there was a reason: glasses-free 3D just wasn't there. As we'd seen with the Nintendo 3DS, it tired the eyes very quickly, it had to be viewed at exactly the right angle and was pretty much just a fad.
Galaxy S5
Bearing in mind how much Samsung really wants to get one over on LG here (only recently, we looked at the intense competition between the two firms in Seoul), just think how much this could motivate Samsung to pull out a really decent solution.
There's a glimmer of hope here: Samsung has already patented the idea to use dual camera to track your eye direction, which would mean the 3D image would follow your eyes and would completely negate the need to keep your head in the 'sweet spot'.
App makers are more likely to make 3D apps for the Galaxy range because it is not an also-ran Android line but (at least some would say) the Android iteration to go for. And Samsung could sponsor these apps to get them in the Google Play store (or Samsung's own). Movies, the camera, games, even the OS, could be transformed with the right technique.
And there concludes our wish list. Sure, it's elaborate. And we'll be surprised if the less obvious points above make the final build of the S5. But there is no doubt that Samsung will already be hard at work on planning the S4's successor – and we'd love to see some really unique features introduced.
A year's a long time in mobile life. And we've seen just how much a company can go from HTC Hero to zero (OK, HTC wasn't quite at the lowest level – but don't ruin our analogy). HTC was the Android maker for a time and has been usurped by Samsung.
It may be on the up with the HTC One again – it certainly stands a chance – but the competition is fiercer than it's ever been. And it'll get uglier before it gets better. Samsung will need to work hard to keep its Android crown.

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Surface 3: what we want to see

Yes, it includes the death of Windows RT

With Surface 2 and Windows 8.1 RT, Microsoft has certainly addressed some of usability issues that plagued the original Surface RT models.

Based around an Nvidia Tegra 4 chip, the second generation Surface hardware is faster and has a superior battery life. It also boasts an improved 1080p HD display, redesigned kickstand and a competitive price tag that undercuts Apple's iPad. You can see how Surface and Surface 2 compare in Surface vs Surface 2.

So what will Microsoft do next? What might a Surface 3 device look like in 2014?

Surface 3: The Windows RT dilemma

There's arguably nothing wrong with the Surface hardware. We like it. The Surface 2 looks good and feels good. It's smartly, stylishly designed and the two-stage kickstand makes it easier to position the device comfortably for work. Although not including one of the iconic click-in keyboards as standard is frankly criminal.

A Surface 3 tablet should look fundamentally the same, albeit with a customary millimetre shaved off its magnesium alloy waistline and a few grams shifted from its chassis. Hardware isn't the problem. The problem is Windows RT.

With Dell recently dumping the 'Lite' Windows 8 OS citing poor sales of its XPS 10, any new Surface hardware could be held back by the limitations of the RT software, which restricts users to using 'Metro' apps. It's Windows, but not as consumers know or expect it.

Admittedly, Windows 8.1 has improved the usability of the OS, and Office RT is now included. Any future Windows 8.2 update should do even more to iron out the inconsistencies. The Windows Store also boasts more apps than a year ago - over 100,000 at the last count. By the time a Surface 3 line-up rolls out, there should be double that number.

But a stripped down version of an OS that many people already dislike isn't going to help Microsoft claw back the $900 million it has lost on Surface RT so far. At the moment, there's no clear benefit to running RT over the full version of Windows and so no clear benefit for investing in a non-Pro Surface tablet, Surface 3 or otherwise.

If Microsoft wants to be bold, Surface 3 needs to quietly dump Windows RT and eliminate customer confusion. The popularity of the Surface Pro model and the powerful potential of the new Surface Pro 2 point the way forward for a more successful, populist Surface 3.

Surface 3: Mini or Maxi?

If Microsoft does stubbornly stick with Windows RT (and it will), then perhaps a Surface 3 line-up will offer more hardware options.

Before the Surface 2 launch, there were strong rumours of a 'Surface Mini' with a 7.5-inch or 8-inch display, especially as Windows 8.1 now provides improved support for smaller tablets. This would range it against more compact slates such as the iPad mini and the Google Nexus 7, not to mention the Acer Iconia W3 and Toshiba Encore.

At the other end of the scale, we can imagine a bigger touchscreen model. There are rumours of Apple experimenting with 12- and 13-inch iPaddisplays and where Apple leads, the other manufacturers are sure to follow. With this in mind, perhaps fingerprint sensors might become standard issue too, after their iPhone 5S debut.

Or we might see an even larger device that takes its cue from Sony's VAIO Tap 20. Such a 'Surface Maxi' would move Surface into all-in-one desktop PC territory, although it would require ditching Windows RT in favour of the full-fat Windows 8 OS. A Surface Pro 2 XS or XL would be ideal.

Surface 3: Is there a smartwatch in the works?

With wearable tech all the rage, it must surely have occurred to Microsoft that the touchy-feely Surface brand could be extended into smartwatch territory. Like the Galaxy Gear, a 'Surface Watch' with a small screen and obligatory built-in fitness tech could be launched as a companion device for its Windows-powered tablets and smartphones.

Then there's Surface gaming to consider. Gamers have long hankered after a portable Xbox and devices such as the Razer Edge give us glimpses of how this idea could work. Yet Microsoft barely touched on the gaming potential of its Surface 2 hardware at launch, choosing instead to focus on productivity and business.

But with reports of Microsoft cloud-streaming Halo 4 to a low-end Windows PC and a Windows Phone, a future Surface 3 device could easily evolve into a portable games console.

Surface 3: The obvious answer

Surface 2 is affordable but limited by its Windows RT software; while the Surface Pro 2 has all the versatility of a Windows PC but, in tablet terms, costs way too much. Surely any Surface 3 machine needs to hit the sweet spot between the two - full Windows functionality at an affordable and competitive price point?

What would you like to see in a Surface 3 device? Leave your comments below.

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iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors

iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have been announced. So what does that mean for the iPhone 6?
Well, we'll tell you. Or, at least, we'll tell you what we can glean from rumor and speculation - some reliable, some not so much.
iOS 7: Apple's new look for iPhone and iPad
Given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - so it was no surprise the 5S was first and so we're looking at the second half of 2014 for a new iPhone 6.
One thing is for sure, with potential refreshes of such super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z1 and HTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game.

iPhone 6 release date

The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014. It will follow the iPhone 5S which was released in September 2013.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek says that there will be a June 2014 release for the iPhone 6. We reckon it will be later than that, around a year after the 5S.
Interestingly, in May 2013 Stuff reported it received a photo of the till system at a Vodafone UK store (which it has since removed along with the reference to Vodafone), with '4G iPhone 6' listed.

iPhone 6 home button

According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included". It will surely include Apple's new Touch ID finger print tech though?

iPhone 6 screen

The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.
Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display.
The same report suggests that Apple will release multiple handsets throughout the year over and above the iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to us.
Patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
That said, there's still a small possibility of the iPhone 6 sporting a flexible wraparound display after more patents were uncovered, but we reckon that's more likely to feature on the iPhone 7 or 8 instead.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes the new iPhone will have a bigger screen. Different sizes also seem rather likely to us - the word on the street after WWDC 2013 was that there would be 4.7 and 5.7-inch versions.
More rumors in September 2013 pointed to a 6-inch display, with further talk of a phablet sized 6-inch iPhone claiming it might arrive as early as May 2014.
A couple of months later word of a 4.9-inch prototype iPhone 6 hit the web, and at the start of 2014 we heard that Apple will launch a 4.7-inch and a 5.7-inch iPhone 6 - just to keeping us all guessing.

iPhone 6 casing

It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich.
He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL (these look rather like the iPhone 5C variant though). However, as ZDNet rightly points out, different size variants aren't exactly easy to just magic out of thin air.
You can expect more premium metal to come your way with the iPhone 6 too, and Apple patents for liquidmetal 3D printing suggest there may be a new way to form the sultry chassis on the new iPhone.
Writing in early January 2014, MacRumours quotes a batch of liquidmetal patents reportedly filed by Apple employees.
That chassis could well be the thinnest yet - with word that Apple will slim down the svelte 7.6mm 5S body for the iPhone 6, and if leaked images of the phone's case are legit the handset may well be shockingly slender.

The iPhone 6 will finally do NFC

About time too. Well, that's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. Many Android phones now boast NFC and Apple appears to have been happy to be left behind here.

iPhone 6 storage

We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff.
See our video below on what Apple needs to do to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4

The iPhone 6 will run iOS 8

With iOS 7 heading out of the traps now, who's betting against the next iPhone coming with iOS 8?
We'd expect a September or October release date for iOS 8 in line with previous releases.

iPhone 6 processor

Not a huge surprise, this one: the next processor one will be a quad-core A8 or an evolved A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life.
Anyone hoping for some juicy Samsung technology hidden under the iPhone 6 body will be disappointed though, as reports suggest Apple is looking to push its Korean rival further out of the iPhone picture with its eighth-gen handset.
Apple is apparently cutting the amount of A8 processors it is having made by Samsung, although it hasn't severed ties completely just yet.

iPhone 6 camera

Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality. But that's not what everybody thinks.
The China Post, quoting a tip from the country's Nomura Security, claims that the next iPhone won't go for a 12 or 16-megapixel sensor, instead sticking to the existinh 8-megapixel unit. Expect optical image stabilisation and improved autofocus though. And maybe a better flash.
A patent confirms this, saying Apple's aim is to use "voice coil motor actuators" to move the lens around the optical axis.
An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices - extra flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. Interesting stuff.
Say Cheese to the iPhone 6Will the iPhone 6 be handy for pro photographers? [Image credit: Apple Insider]

iPhone 6 Sapphire crystals

GT Advanced Technologies provides crystal grow equipment and materials for consumer electronics, among other industries and has announced that it's signed a multi-year supply agreement with Apple to provide sapphire materials.
Sapphire has figured prominently in recent Apple products - the iPhone 5S' Touch ID fingerprint reader features a cut sapphire crystal cover and the iPhone 5 was the first to feature a sapphire crystal lens.So what will we see in the iPhone 6? Certainly the Touch ID fingerprint reader, but also other scratch-proof materials. GT says it will own and operate the machinery to produce this stuff at a new Apple plant in Arizona.

iPhone 6 eye tracking

One thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the massive movement towards eye-tracking tech from other vendors, especially Samsung. It seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably from uMoove.

iPhone 6 wireless charging

Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable.
The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones. Here are more details on the iPhone 6 wireless charging patent.
Meanwhile, a further Apple patent seems to imply that future iPhones will be able to adjust volume as you move them away from your ear.
And could the iPhone 6 really have 3D? It's unlikely, but the rumours keep on coming.

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Best tablet 2014: our top 10 ranking

Best tablet 2014: our top 10 ranking

What's the best tablet for 2014? Today's latest tablets compared and rated - constantly updated
Tablets are taking the world by storm. Just a few years ago they were an unknown for many people, but nowadays you've got more choice than you can shake a mildly agitated badger at.
And with choice comes decisions - difficult decisions. Do you eschew Apple's high prices, join the Android brigade and find the best iPad alternative? Or jump on board Apple's lovetrain, and use one of the most popular tablets on the planet?
We've put the new iPad mini 2 with Retina Display and LG G Pad 8.3 through our in-depth review process, so check out below to see where they land in the list.
The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX is incoming, so stay tuned for that - we've got high hopes for the internet retailers latest foray into affordable but high-powered tablets.
We've made it easy for you and pulled together the top 10 tablets of the moment available in the UK.
If none of the top 10 tablets here take your fancy then head on over to our tablet reviews pages, where you'll find in-depth reviews for many more models.
Let us know your thoughts on the top 10 (and whether you think we've got the order wrong) in the comment box below.

10. Tesco Hudl

What's this, a supermarket making a tablet? Whatever next, Argos making one too? Oh wait... that aside, the Hudl tablet is a super cheap, £119 Android tablet which puts other £100 slates to shame, and so it comes in at number 10 in our best tablet roundup.
Given its price the Hudl is very well-specced, sports a solid build and a pretty decent 7-inch display. Stock Android will please those who are not fans of the various interface overlays which exist, and the addition of a microSD slot is useful.
Of course the Hudl isn't going to blow you away with super slick operation, although the quad-core processor means there's a chunk of power under the hood. But the less said about the camera, the better.

Quick verdict

If you can stretch to £200, we'd still recommend the Google Nexus 7 as the best pound-for-pound tablet on the market. If you're looking at spending closer to half that, though, we can't see any compact tablet out there that tops the Hudl.
Read more in our Tesco Hudl review

9. iPad mini

Apple's former CEO Steve Jobs famously slammed small tablets a few years back, leading many to believe the Cupertino-based firm would never dabble in the budget end of the market, but here we are.
In terms of consistency in the tablet market Apple cannot be matched, as it now lays claim to the top two places in our top 10, although the iPad mini is no longer the jewel in an already glistening crown - it's already been usurped by the upgraded Google Nexus 7 and its successor.
Now we have all the Retina magic we'd hoped for on the new Mini edition, the old Mini isn't a bad device - we'd just recommend you heavily look at the newer model before you plump for this one.

Quick verdict

When it landed we dubbed the iPad mini "the best iPad Apple has ever created", and while the iPad Air now claims that title now, this pint sized slate is still an OK choice on a budget.
If the screen puts you off, fear not, for the iPad mini 2 with Retina display is now out - but at least it hasn't shoved the Mini off the list altogether.
Read more in our iPad mini review
Compare Apple iPad mini prices

8. Microsoft Surface Pro 2

*Ding, ding* Round 2. Microsoft's second generation Windows 8 slate is here, building on its predecessor and providing a well rounded tablet-come-laptop experience.
In terms of portability the Surface Pro 2 won't be winning any awards - it's big and it's heavy, but if you're looking for a powerful business tablet then the Pro 2 is one of the best (if not the best) around.
Microsoft has improved the Pro 2 in a numbers of ways from the original Surface Pro, with an updated Windows 8.1 OS, beefy Intel processor, improved battery life and two position kick-stand.

Quick verdict

The Surface Pro 2 doesn't offer the best natural tablet experience, but if you're looking for a device which bridges the gap between laptop and tablet then this is one of the best on the market.
With a handy QWERTY keyboard, large screen and Microsoft's Office suite it's an obvious business machine, but also offers something rather different to the iPad and Android slates.
It's expensive though, so be ready to fork out at least £700 for the basic version - plus you'll need a keyboard on top of that.
Read more in our Microsoft Surface Pro 2 review

7. Google Nexus 10

The 10.1 display is one of the biggest talking points on the Google Nexus 10. At 299 pixels per inch it's the highest resolution 10-inch tablet display on the planet - take that Apple, and your Retina screens.
If you're looking for something which is packing even more pixels you'll need to trade in screen size for the 7-inch, 323ppi Nexus 7.
It's a great performer too. Other than taking a while to process panoramic photos we never felt like it was struggling to keep up. It's fast and smooth whatever you throw at it.
Sure it may not be as stunning to look at, or as well built as an iPad, and the lack of expandable memory will irk some, but overall the Nexus 10 gives you a quality, big-screen Android experience which is not to be sniffed at.

Quick verdict

The Google Nexus 10 is easily one of the best Android tablets on the market and while it's not quite as fantastic value for money as the Nexus 7, it certainly gives Apple's high-priced iPad Air a run for its money.
For the price you're paying, you won't be disappointed. Be warned though, a new Nexus 10 is expected to arrive soon.
Read more in our Nexus 10 review

6. Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7

Leaner, meaner and more powerful than its predecessor, Amazon has stepped its game up with the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 as it looks to keep pace with the new Nexus 7.
On paper Amazon's latest 7-inch tablet is more than up to the job with a 2.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, full HD display, up to 64GB of storage and prices starting at £200.
In reality however it's not the complete offering the Nexus 7 is, with Amazon's heavily modified Fire OS 3.0 stripping out a lot of the functionality of Android and putting the retailer's services front and centre.

Verdict

For the customisation you give up, you gain simplicity and ease of use on the Kindle Fire HDX 7. We'd like to call this the sort of tablet you give to someone who is less than tech savvy, but those devices don't usually have such good hardware.
If you're a Prime subscriber, or heavily invested in Amazon's ecosystem, the Kindle Fire HDX 7 is a smart purchase. For those who want a little more functionality reach for a Nexus 7, or if you have deeper pockets check out the iPad mini 2.

5. LG G Pad 8.3

What's this? LG in at number two on our smartphone list and then top five for tablets? Could the brand be on a rebound?
Well, when you make an Android tablet with a design language like this one, perhaps it's time to quietly worry at Samsung. In place of plastic, it's got a lovely aluminium shell, and connectivity with other Android phones makes it a viable option for a wider range of users.
Some might question whether the Snapdragon 600 chip is too low-power for a tablet that costs nearly £270, but it allows for a sleeker design according to the Korean brand.

Quick verdict

We really liked the G Pad 8.3, and it was only lower down in our list thanks to a slightly higher battery drain than we were expecting - plus the overlay can take some getting used to.
But its the closest competitor to the iPad Mini out there, in terms of design, and it's a tablet we're not ashamed to pull out of a stylishly slim bag.

4. Sony Xperia Tablet Z

Sleek, powerful, iconic - these are all words used to describe the impressive tablet from Sony,
The brand has been plugging away in the mobile space for a few years, but now the combination of the Sony Xperia Z and Tablet Z show that the Japanese brand is bringing us devices that the public can finally really lust after.
And that's one of the things we liked about the Tablet Z: it's light, really light, yet looks premium too. Sony has surpassed expectation with this and delivered a tablet that wouldn't look out of place in a business class lounge or at the centre of a home entertainment network.
It's waterproof too - sure, you might not use that feature a whole lot, but it gives it an air of ruggedness that puts your mind at ease when manhandling something that costs so much.

Quick verdict

With a super slim chassis, impressive screen and whole glut of Sony extras on board, the Xperia Tablet Z is one of the finest pieces of kit we've seen in 2013.
Its quality abounds the moment you take it out your bag, and the speedy internals and impressive weight are enough for us to recommend it wholeheartedly.
It's no iPad Air, but it does get us very excited about what Sony might be planning for 2014 in terms of a sequel.

3. Google Nexus 7

The new Nexus 7 takes over from the original 7-inch effort from Google in 2012, and packs a 1.5Ghz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and comes with either 16GB or 32GB of storage
Offered up at just 260g, it's the perfect tablet for slinging in a bag and hurtling down to the local supermarket, or is equally adept at being a long-haul saviour, with reams of apps, a decent slug of battery life and that all-new high-res 7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 display with 323 ppi.
It's a little more expensive than the previous model was at launch, with prices set to begin at £199 for the 16GB option and £239 for the 32GB variant - and it's worth remembering that the OS takes a portion of that storage too, to allow for the newly-arrived Android 4.4 KitKat to thrive.
Plus there's a 4G option from the outset... no, wait, that's not coming to the UK for a while either, but at least it is appearing.
But it has some top end features, a low-risk update policy and is built in a way that makes it feel both premium and robust enough to chuck around the house. That's a good mix in our eyes.

Quick verdict

If you're considering a tablet now and are already dabbling in the Android ecosystem, we see no reason why shouldn't take the plunge with a Nexus 7.
If you haven't invested at all with Android, you're still in a good place to start. You could check out the iPad mini 2, which is advisable for those who have racked up a lot of App Store purchases, but it's not as affordable as the new Nexus 7.
The new iPad Mini has jumped into second spot by beating everything the new Nexus 7 has bar the price, but that's a tablet battle many expected. For the more sensible among you, looking for a decent tablet bargain, the new Nexus 7 is unbeatable.

2. iPad Mini 2 with Retina

Look at that - Apple's taken the top two spots in our tablet round up. You'll either love or hate that decision, but we can't deny that Apple has the best slates on the market right now.
The iPad Air is just ahead of the Mini 2, thanks to being more competitive on price and having a larger screen for all those iPad-friendly apps.
But this is far from a poor device. It's got reams of style from the aluminium back, a superfast A7 chip and that screen... well, it's what we should have had last year, but it still looks the business 12 months on.

Quick verdict

The iPad Mini 2 is actually slightly cannibalised by the change to the Air's design - the larger tablet is now encroaching on the 'portable tablet' space.
That said, the Mini 2 has as many pixels in a smaller space, leading to greater sharpness for text and pics - plus there's no loss in power or battery life, which is a marvel in itself.
If only it was a little cheaper, we'd have two five star tablets on the market at the moment - but even still, if you're looking for a brilliant tablet in the smaller category (and aren't too worried about cost, you wealthy little so-and-so) then the Mini 2 is without compare.

1. iPad Air

iPad Air - Best in class

We have a new player at number one! If you've already read our iPad Air review this will come as no surprise, as Apple's latest slate is the first tablet ever to gain a five star rating on TechRadar.
People scoffed when Apple launched the first iPad, but the sector has grown exponentially since the first generation device landed and with the Air the Cupertino firm has finally nailed the formula.
Impressive design coupled with a thinner, lighter chassis makes for a premium and quite frankly beautiful tablet, and Apple's powerful A7 and M7 chips under the hood means it chews through even the toughest tasks in next to no time.
Of course the price tag is still high, but it's comparable to the likes of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, finally making it a contender on an even playing field.... and with that in mind, there's no competition.

Quick verdict

"It's not just Apple's best tablet, it's the only tablet you should be considering if you're keen on a larger screen." That's what we said in the verdict of our in-depth iPad Air review. While the Xperia Tablet Z is a brilliant tablet, the Air just takes things to the next level.
If you want the best tablet on the market then look no further. The iPad Air has reclaimed top spot for Apple and it's going to take some beating.

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Why the PlayStation 5 could be the cheapest games console ever

Why the PlayStation 5 could be the cheapest games console ever

While 4K TVs, Steam Machines and cool car tech are all well and good, by far the most exciting thing to come out of CES this week is the launch of Sony's PlayStation Now.
It's not only an exciting new gaming service, but also a mesmerising hint at the destiny of the PlayStation brand and the future of gaming in general. This is the beginning of a cosmic shift in the paradigm of gaming, and it's happening right here, right now. Be excited.
In case you missed the announcement, PlayStation Now is at first-sight a simple game-streaming service that will initially enable both the PS4 and PS3 to stream PlayStation 3 games over the internet.
You'll be able to select a game and begin streaming it immediately, meaning absolutely no delay in getting the game up and running. Instantaneous PS3 gaming, no loading times at all. Awesome!

But there's more. Lots more.

Game streaming functionality will later arrive on the PS Vita and, far more excitingly, Bravia TVs. Yep, using a DualShock 3 pad, you'll be able to play full-blown PS3 games, in HD, on your big TV, without the need to own a PlayStation console. Incredible!
But wait. There's still more.
Eventually, PS Now will offer not only PS3 games, but PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games - not only on the PS3, PS4, PS Vita and Bravia TVs, but also on third-party TVs, smartphones and tablets as well. All without needing to own a games console. Wow.
Games will be available to rent on a one-off basis, with unlimited Netflix-style monthly PSN subscriptions a payment model Sony is likely to pursue aggressively.
That's right, the future of gaming lays entirely in software, services and super-fast internet connections and not in expensive black boxes.
PlayStation Now

What it means for gaming

Play any PlayStation game on any device with a screen. All you need is an internet connection. Amazing.
What this essentially means is that the days of paying $400 for PlayStation hardware are numbered. In fact, it's very possible that the PlayStation 5 (make no mistake, there will still be a PS5) will be a cheap-as-chips $50 set-top box that will do nothing other than stream content from the great PlayStation publishing cloud in the sky.
After all, who would pay excessive prices for a console that does nothing you can't do on your existing tech? Sony has never been able to make money from PlayStation hardware anyway, in fact it generally makes a loss. Woohoo cheap gaming for everyone!
Of course, this has long been mooted as a likely solution for gamers of the future. OnLive has already been streaming games for some time, and when Sony purchased Gaikai and it's game streaming technology in the summer of 2012, the writing was on the wall. But no one really knew what the plan was. Now we do.
So here we are, at the start of 2014 walking into a world where all Sony Bravia TVs could ship with a DualShock controller by default and offer access to every PlayStation game ever made. All you need is a robust connection, and that will certainly be the biggest obstacle to this tech becoming mainstream. That and the fact that PlayStation Now is initially only launching in a closed US trial with no worldwide launch date even hinted at. But it's coming...

The future of gaming

This news might miff some who've has just splurged a wad of cash on a PS4 or Xbox One, but don't worry - this cloud-based future is a way off yet. But it means the audience for games in the near future will be far, far bigger. It means graphics in games will no longer be bottlenecked by years-old console components.
It means more and better PlayStation games. Possibly even cheaper games as developers battle for your game-hours. The possibilities of this future really are endless and they're up for discussion right now. What's certain is that it's great news for gamers like you and me.
The games console is dead. Long live PlayStation.

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