FA Cup 2011

iPad 2 reviews: the first verdicts are in

The iPad 2 launches in the US today

As you may well be aware, today is iPad 2 launch date in the US. Of course, we’re facing another fortnight’s wait here in the UK for the new Apple tablet to go on sale, so it’s fair to say we’re casting a jealous eye at our US colleagues right now.

So what are they saying so far about the iPad 2? Well, some selected outlets have been given the iPad 2 ahead of time, and the first full reviews have started appearing online. Here’s what they have to say about all the iPad 2’s key issues:

Size and weight:

TechCrunch: Overall, the device has a much more fluid design. Apple notes that the body now consists of two parts instead of the three that made up the iPad 1. This makes it feel even more solid, and even more like a natural object instead of a machine.

Engadget: from an industrial design standpoint, the iPad 2 just seriously raised the bar on sleek, sexy computer hardware. It looks and feels amazingly sleek when you hold it.

Power:

AllThingsD: I didn’t find the speed difference on iPad 2 to be dramatic, but it was noticeable. Apps launched and ran a bit quicker and the whole device felt very snappy.

Slashgear: iOS 4.3 whips along almost instantaneously on the new Apple A5 processor, with apps loading more swiftly, running more smoothly and the whole thing feeling incredibly responsive.

Cameras:

USA Today: You won’t confuse the cameras on the iPad 2 for a top-notch Canon or Nikon. Indoor pictures I snapped in low light were grainy. There is no flash. Still, the VGA-quality front-facing camera or the HD (up to 720p) rear camera are just fine for FaceTime.

TechCrunch: As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, the cameras on the device are not great. But it’s hard to imagine anyone using this as a point-and-shoot camera replacement.

Verdict:

Bloomberg: For anyone in the market for their first tablet, the discussion begins - and for the moment probably ends - with the iPad. For existing iPad users, the question is whether to upgrade. Unless you truly need the video capabilities, the answer is: Not really.

NYT: The shocker here is that the iPad 2 actually costs less than its comparably equipped Android rivals… [that] means that for the first time, your heart can succumb to the iPad mystique – without having to ignore the practical input from your brain

UK a nation of sat nav addicts: report

A new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering has labelled UK drivers as “dangerously dependent” on satellite navigation.

A combination of the spread of GPS tech into all kinds of devices and ever-more attractive prices has made some kind of digital navigation an almost essential part of our daily driving routine. But according to the Academy’s Dr Martyn Thomas, we could be in for a shock.

“The UK is already dangerously dependent on GPS,” Dr Thomas says. “GPS and other navigation systems are so useful and so cheap to build into equipment that we have become almost blindly reliant on the data they give us.”

“A significant failure of GPS could cause lots of services to fail at the same time, including many that are thought to be completely independent of each other.”

Bob Cockshott of the Digital Systems Knowledge Transfer Network, who helped launch the report, also raised the issue of a whole generation of road users that have learned to drive depending on sat navs, and who as a result cannot read maps.

He went on: “dependency on GPS is growing and jammers are getting easier to obtain. We expect this problem to become more severe.”

Apple's updated iOS 4.3 out now

Apple’s latest iOS 4.3 operating system, announced the other day at the iPad 2 launch, is now available to download for iPads, iPhones and iPod touches from iTunes.

The big addition that comes with version 4.3 is the ability to use your iPhone 4 as a personal hotspot to share the data connection. Up to five devices can piggyback on your Apple phone, though there’s a limit of three connecting by either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, while only a single device can tag up vias USB.

That aside, iOS 4.3 also brings the convenience of iTunes Home Sharing. With most iTunes users keeping their chief library on their Mac or PC, you can now access that library via Wi-Fi from any iDevice in range running iOS 4.3. Handy.

Then there’s AirPlay video streaming, which takes Apple’s streaming system to the next level. Now you can share videos wirelessly from the Photos app, plus the likes of iTunes previews and third-party content from the Apple TV system.

There’s plenty more besides, which helps explain why the download weighs in at just under 670MB.

Kinect officially the fastest selling gadget ever

Microsoft’s Kinect for the Xbox 360 just keeps going from strength to strength.

Last year we judged it our favourite gadget of 2010 in our big Christmas countdown, but if anything the Kinect has become even more popular in 2011.

Microsoft has announced its motion-sensing add-on has now sold more than 10 million units altogether – not bad for a gadget that only launched at the start of November! On top of that, upwards of 10 million standalone Kinect games have been shifted worldwide too.

And if that all sounds impressive, it certainly should, for the Kinect has just grabbed itself a Guinness World Record as the “Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device” of all time, specifically for the eight million units sold in the 60-day period until January 3.

“The sales figures here speak for themselves,” commented Guinness gaming editor Gaz Deaves. “According to independent research, no other consumer electronics device sold faster within a 60-day time span, which is an incredible achievement considering the strength of the sector.”

Logitech outs top-end Z906 surround speakers

Logitech’s trusty Z-5500 surround sound speakers have been around for quite a while now, and built a fairly loyal following, so we’ve got high hopes for their replacements – the just announced Z906 setup.

It’s certainly a step forward in the looks department, with a sleeker, more subtle design topped off by a new stackable control console. And rest assured, with a 500W RMS amplifier and a beefy 165W of bass, they’re not short on power either.

It’s not fussy about what it plays, either. With both digital and analogue inputs, you’re covered for just about any type of audio you can think of, be it movies, games or music. Logitech promises the on-board 5.1 digital decoding will deliver well separated and delicately balanced sound across the board.

Being the new top-of-the-range speaker system, you can’t expect too much of a bargain, but £329 still isn’t bad value for money if the Z906s are as capable as their predecessors. You’ll be able to find out for yourself when they go on sale later this month.

Facebook launches movie streaming trial

Facebook has launched a movie rental scheme in the US with Warner Bros that could end up with the latest blockbusters being available to watch directly on the social network.

A trial of the service has kicked off using The Dark Knight as a test, with the edgy Batman lark currently available for rent at a cost of 30 Facebook Credits – or around $3.

Once you’ve forked out your credits, you have 48 hours to watch the film in the Facebook browser. You don’t have to watch the film all in one go, Warner Bros tells us, and even if you log out your movie purchase will be there waiting for you when you return.

“Making our films available through Facebook is a natural extension of our digital distribution efforts,” the studio said in a statement. “It gives consumers a simple, convenient way to access and enjoy our films through the world’s largest social network.”

There’s no word on exactly how long the trial will last, or how long it will take for it to be extended beyond the US’ borders, but both parties assure us that they’ll be looking to expand the scheme in the future and add further titles. And assuming things go well, we don’t imagine it’ll be too long before other studios start knocking on Mark Zuckerberg’s door for a piece of the action.

iPad 2 demand even higher than the original

The iPad 2 may not be the massive leap forward a lot of people were hoping for, but that isn’t likely to affect demand for the new tablet once it goes on sale later this month.

In fact, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicts that initial demand is set to be even higher for the iPad’s second coming than it was for the original last year, and says the new slate will cross the million unit sales milestone faster than the 28 days it took the original.

The good news, however, is that Munster says higher demand isn’t likely to be partnered by longer queues, as more retail outlets will be carrying the iPad 2 on launch day than was the case a year ago.

Nonetheless, the lack of a lengthy pre-order window for the new slate should still see decent numbers hitting the pavements on launch day – set for Friday in the US, and a fortnight later here in the UK.

In terms of wow factor, the iPad 2’s biggest draw has to be its slimmer-than-ever profile, though Apple is also touting twice the raw processing power than before and graphics speeds up to nine times faster.

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 update resumes for Samsung devices

Microsoft is resuming its latest Windows Phone 7 software update to Samsung smartphones, which it had pulled in the wake of users reporting technical glitches.

 “Starting, we plan to resume rolling out the February update to Samsung phones,” Michael Stroh, a writer for Microsoft’s Windows team, wrote in a Feb. 23 posting on The Windows Phone Blog. “Meanwhile, we’re continuing to dispatch the update to other Windows Phone models. As has been the case, the software patch is being sent out on a rolling schedule.”

Moreover, Microsoft’s engineering teams have apparently “pinpointed and fixed problems” causing some Windows Phone 7 devices to stall in mid-update, Stroh wrote, adding: “We apologize again for the delay and continue looking for ways to improve the update process.”

Microsoft had originally described the update as a “smaller infrastructure update that will help future updates,” including one scheduled for the first two weeks of March that will add cut-and-paste and faster mobile-application loading.

“While it may not sound exciting, it’s important because it’s paving the way for all future goodie-related updates to your phone,” Stroh wrote in a Feb. 21 posting on the Windows Phone Blog.  

Within a day of the update’s rollout, however, users began reporting it stalled their smartphones.

The company’s Windows Phone 7 help forum sprouted with commenter threads about the issue, bearing titles like, “WP7 Stuck on Step 7 of 10, how long should this update take?” and “Update error with Optimus 7.” Samsung customers in particular seemed to be affected by the issue.

Microsoft then went into damage-control mode, claiming in a corporate blog posting that only 10 percent of users’ smartphones had stalled because of the new software. “Has the update process gone perfectly? No—but few large scale software updates ever do, and the engineering team here was prepared,” Stroh wrote in that Feb. 23 missive, also claiming that some “90 percent of people who’ve received an update notification have installed the new software patch successfully.”

He also claimed that, of the other 10 percent whose smartphones had stalled or outright bricked, “nearly half failed for two basic reasons—a bad Internet connection or insufficient computer storage space.”

Microsoft also suspended the update for Samsung smartphones while its engineers worked to fix the issue.

Windows Phone Update requires space on a PC to create a backup image of the user’s smartphone, in addition to downloading the update.

Microsoft is planning a series of updates to Windows Phone 7 for the second half of 2011, including multitasking, Twitter integration with the platform’s “People” Hub, and Office document sharing and storage via Windows Live Skydrive. Internet Explorer 9 will also be added to the platform at some point.

More Speculation on iPhone 5

With the Apple iPad 2 almost out into the market, the Apple iPhone 5 is the next big thing that is being anticipated. There are two things about the Apple iPhone 5 that is being turned into a hot rumor around the internet. Will the Apple iPhone 5 get its Anticipated summer launch? Will there be a White iPhone 5? Well, lets check out the latest rumors and news with regards to the Apple iPhone 5. The Apple iPad 2 started from a rumor, this Apple iPhone 5 may also come out true.

One of the biggest rumor about the iPhone 5 is that it will be having its released this summer on June 2011. This is going to be the same dates for the WWDC 2011. Its release date or Launch date might come out around these dates in the summer. Apple is planning to tap new customers, thus the Cheap Apple iPhone 5 rumor is born! There is a circulating rumor that we might be having a cheaper Apple iPhone 5 coming out soon.

Another feature that is expected on the iPhone 5 is the NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which is to allow the use of Phone interface to make payments for ads and products via RFID. MobileMe is also a very possible thing to happen on the Apple iPhone 5, which is also known as Apple’s cloud-based web service. And lastly, is the rumor of Apple releasing a White iPhone 5. There has never been a White iPhone 4. Will Apple be doing it on the iPhone 5?

Has Microsoft Left it Too Late? (Tablet News)

Tablets are all the rage right now, and with Android and Apple’s iOS already well represented, the one name you’d expect to be making serious moves into the slate arena would be Microsoft.

After all, there are already a good few tablets running Windows 7 – despite it being designed as a PC operating system – and Windows Phone 7 is enjoying modest success in the mobile phone market.

But sadly, Microsoft still appears to be as much as a year and a half away from making a proper entrance into tablet-land. News service Bloomberg reports that the very first version of Windows 8 will only be shown off for the first time in June, with beta testing pencilled in to start in September or so.

But from there it looks set to be a full year before the first tablet-friendly version of Windows is ready to roll, with Bloomberg’s sources quoting a “2012 back-to-school” timeframe for actual tablets appearing on shelves.

Considering the pace Android is currently developing at, that’s surely an almost insurmountable head start, and you have to wonder if it’ll be too little, too late for the PC software giant

Nintendo Wii 3D Roumers

It’s fair to say the Nintendo Wii’s market share has taken a bit of a battering since both Microsoft and Sony introduced their motion-sensing console add-ons.

But it looks like Nintendo may have an interesting response lined up: it’s just shown off a demo of the Wii running games in 3D.

The demo – which formed part of Nintendo’s keynote at the GDC 2011 gaming expo in San Francisco this week – featured the console running a special version of Mario Kart Wii and connected to a glasses-free 3D TV.

In the demo the Wii nunchuck was used to control the 3D depth – like a virtual version of the slider on the new Nintendo 3DS handheld.

Nintendo says the demo was just that, and certainly mentioned no roadmap for bringing the tech into production. But given how the company has embraced 3D on the handheld Nintendo 3DS, we hardly imagine this was an exercise just for the sake of it.

Orignal iPad gets £100 off RRP

The newly launched iPad 2 is quite rightly getting all that attention, but those looking for a tablet bargain would do well not to write off the original iPad just yet.

That’s because Apple has sweetened the deal considerably by lopping off a full £100 from the iPad’s asking price across the board, taking what was already one of the most attractively priced tablets on the market and making it even more wallet-friendly.

With the £100 discount, the cheapest iPad now comes in at just £329 – that’s the 16GB Wi-Fi-only model, while the cheapest 3G version now comes in at £429.

And it’s not just new customers that get to enjoy the discount, either. Anyone who forked out for an iPad just before the price change can apply for a £100 refund, so long as it’s still within the 14-day returns window.

So which is the better bargain? An all-new iPad costing what the old one used to, or the original at a more aggressive price point? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

No White iPhone 4, but iPhone 5 White looks Promising

If you follow all things tech-related you will already have heard about the Apple iPad 2 unveiling yesterday and we’ve already regaled you with many articles about that including what it meant to see Apple CEO Steve Jobs stride on to the stage despite his current ill health. We also wanted to point out though, that the iPad 2 launch gives hope to those of you who really want to see a White iPhone 5.

Just some of our posts about the iPad 2 include a look at the new tablet war, a hands-on video and missing features but the one that may interest you most if you’ve been waiting for a White iPhone, was the post when we informed readers that the iPad 2 is going to be available from next week in both a black version and a white version, which you can see in the image below.

We recently told how there were rumors of a white iPhone 5, following the news that a Chinese electronics company would be supplying the touch panel component for a white iPhone. Now the fact that the iPad 2 is being released in white can only add to the chances of seeing a white iPhone 5. Apple has obviously managed to overcome the technical difficulties it had with the finish for the white iPhone 4, which although once announced, never actually materialized.


We’ve only just had one big Apple product launch and as ever our attentions are already turning towards the next one, which is likely to be the iPhone 5 due in June, so fingers crossed, if you’re still waiting for that white iPhone you could just be in luck. Have you been waiting for a white iPhone? Let us know with your comments.

No news on iOS 5

Apple just showed off the slick new iPad 2, and the iOS 4.3 software update, both of which will become available next Friday, Mar. 25.

But Apple did NOT show off iOS 5, the next major upgrade of iOS that's expected to launch sometime this summer.

It looks like there will have to be another preview event in a few weeks if the iPhone 5 and iOS 5 are going to ship by June or July.

Apple has given developers the spring to work on their apps for the new OS during the last three years, and it'd be strange if they didn't do that again this year.

There is also the possibility that iOS 5 just isn't ready yet, which could lead some credibility to the analyst report from last week that the iPhone 5 may not ship until September. But we have no idea if that's true or false.

4G: Ofcom promises fairness over 4G spectrum

Many people in the UK are keen to see 4G spectrum auctions take place so that the rollout of 4G networks can be launched. Whilst there are currently 3G networks that provide connection to consumers the demand for these networks has surged over recent years as a result of the number of mobile broadband users and smart phone owners increasing.

A forum recently took place and some of the issues addressed included the fairness of the forthcoming spectrum, the digital divide, and strategies being used by the regulator. Officials have said that the auction of the 4G spectrum will be fair and that it will ensure that competition in the market is kept healthy.

The auction has experienced a number of delays, which have seen the auction being put off several times. However, it is now scheduled to take place towards the end of this year if there is no further interruption. It was supposed to take place in 2008 but legal challenges were posed by mobile network operators T-Mobile and O2.

Last year, after the government announced that the auction would be taking place towards the end of 2011, the minister for communications Ed Vaizey stated: “The past 20 years has seen a revolution in mobile technologies and devices that have transformed the way we communicate, learn and do business. We want the UK market to remain at the fore of delivering devices like the iPad and smartphones, but they need the networks to continue to improve and increase services.”

Super Mario in 3D

It’s already one of the most popular games in history, and now Nintendo has announced that the Super Mario Bros series is to get a fresh lick of 3D paint and vault its way onto the Nintendo 3DS.

The company made the welcome announcement as part of its keynote address at the Games Developer Conference in the US yesterday, saying Mario and co will be making their transition to 3D “later this year”.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that Mario had remained popular over the years “only because he has changed,” promising the franchise’s latest evolution would present gamers with a whole new experience.

The game will be an all-new title in full 3D, and is being put together by the Super Mario Galaxy team over in Tokyo.

With the 3DS set to launch this month here in the UK, we’re hoping to hear about many more exciting 3D titles to give the console even more appeal in the months to come.

Half of UK Population now on Facebook

New info shows that a full 50 per cent of the UK population is now on Facebook, but the world’s biggest social network isn’t intent on letting moss grow under its digital feet, promising the site would continue to tweak its look and feel on a regular basis.

Speaking at digital marketing event TFM&A, Facebook’s commercial director for the UK Stephen Haines reeled off an impressive set of stats illustrating the social network’s clout both in the marketplace and in the everyday population.

“The average Facebook user has 130 friends and the average time spent on Facebook is 28 minutes a day,” he revealed, before promising: “there have been eight iterations of the Facebook design over the last few years. It will look different in a year.”

The new Facebook Deals service, he revealed, has been a huge success, with the Alton Towers website having crashed from the extra traffic its involvement generated.

Aside from the promise that Facebook’s appearance would continue to evolve, Haynes also hinted at the intriguing prospect of branded stores appearing allowing users to buy goods online – surely the next stage for an ever-expanding service that now seems to offer just about everything else.

ios 4.3 Confirmed

Apple gave iOS users a glimpse at what to expect from its forthcoming iOS 4.3 update on Wednesday, when it previewed the mobile operating system at its iPad 2 launch event. iOS 4.3 promises improved Safari performance, wireless media streaming in the form of iTunes home sharing, AirPlay improvements, a Personal Hotspot option for the iPhone 4, and personal settings options for the iPad's side-switch.
Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iOS software, was on-hand to present the latest iteration to Apple's mobile operating system, focusing first on the improvements to Apple's mobile Safari app.

To increase JavaScript runtime speed, the company incorporated Mac OS X's Nitro JavaScript engine into the app; as a result, iOS runs JavaScript up to two times as fast as it had previously.

(Image Caption: iOS 4.3 adds support for Apple's FaceTime video chat app to the iPad.) Both iTunes home sharing and AirPlay also will get updates with iOS 4.3. iPad and iPhone users will be able to stream any music, movies, and television shows from an iTunes library on their computer straight to their device using a local Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, AirPlay support has opened up in iOS 4.3 to allow third-party apps and Websites to take advantage of full audio and video streaming using AirPlay.

Several device-specific improvements--changes to the iPad's side switch and the addition of Personal Hotspot for all iPhone 4 models--were also announced. As first seen in the 4.3 developer build, iPad users will now get to choose whether they'd like their device's side-switch to mute or orientation-lock the screen. Meanwhile, with iOS 4.3 all GSM-based iPhones will gain the Personal Hotspot feature, first introduced in the Verizon iPhone.

Outside of iOS 4.3, the iPad 2 has added several new system apps to its repertoire: Photo Booth, which offers a nine-effect video preview and finger-malleable effects and FaceTime, bringing full-screen video conferencing to the iPad. You can FaceTime between any applicable device--the iPhone 4, fourth-generation iPod touch, iPad 2, and any Mac with FaceTime installed.

iOS 4.3 will be available as a free download from iTunes for the iPad, the GSM iPhone, and the third- and fourth-generation iPod touch on March 11.

iPad 2 UK Release: Confirmed on Orange and T Mobile

Orange and T Mobile, aka, Everything Everywhere, have confirmed they will be carrying the iPad 2 in the UK, with the iPad 2 release set for 25 March.

Orange and T Mobile were the lead operators for the first iPad and T3 has strong reason to believe that it will offer the same subsidised price plan for iPad 2.

The news that Everything Everywhere will carry the iPad 2 was confirmed by a company spokesperson, just moments after Apple unveiled the iPad 2 at a packed media event in San Francisco.

The iPad 2, which will be available in both black and white colour options, will feature a number of the widely expected hardware additions.


iPad 2 Spec
Off the bat the front and rear facing cameras that were seemingly a given are now official with a rear-mounted camera with 720p HD video recording capabilities to be joined by a VGA front-mounted offering. Also widely expected, the new iPad will support Apple’s FaceTime video calling technology that through the front-facing camera will allow users to communicate face-to-face with other iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Mac owners

Giving the iPad 2 a hefty speed boost the second-generation Apple tablet will come equipped with the all new Apple A5 processor, a 1GHz dual-core processor that will after twice the CPU power and nine times faster graphics than the original iPad whilst not adding additional drain to the device’s 10 hour battery life.

iPad 2 UK Price
Although no details of network prices have yet been released, the iPad 2 UK prices for the device only are set to remain the same as the current iPad and it's highly likely that Everything Everywhere will follow the subsidised pricing model we saw for the iPad.

Launching complete with the newly announced iOS 4.3 that will see the return of the physical rotation lock button, the iPad 2 will attempt to emulate the market dominating success of its predecessor, a success that saw the original iPad control more than 90 percent of the tablet market and caused Steve Jobs to describe other brands tablets and 2011 as the “Year of the copycats.”

Steve Jobs Announces iPad 2

Apple announced the second generation iPad on Wednesday, March 2, but it won’t be available until Friday, March 25 (March 11 USA). Like most everything Apple sells, you can order online or pick one up at your local Apple Store, but with this launch you might need to do a little extra planning ahead of time.

Unlike the launch of the original iPad, Apple isn’t offering a pre-order option, or the ability to reserve units ahead of time for pick up at Apple Stores. Instead, you’ll be able to place orders online starting on March 25 (March 11 USA) — which also happens to be the same day you can go stand in line to buy one in person.

Apple already has a Web site set up and ready to go for customers that want to get in on some second generation iPad action as soon as possible, but there aren’t any options for early orders.

The Mac Observer’s checked with a few Apple Retail stores and found that they don’t know yet how early they can open and start selling iPads on the 11th. Since the launch is just over a week away, they should have schedule details soon.

Other retailers are still waiting to hear if they will have any iPad 2 inventory available for the launch.

Unless Apple changes its iPad 2 pre-order options in the next few days, there’s a good chance all early adopters will find themselves standing in line early next Friday morning.

The second generation iPad is thinner and lighter than the first generation model, includes a dual core A5 processor, built-in front and rear-facing digital cameras, support for capturing HD video, supports GSM and CDMA (USA) wireless data networks, includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, and is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities in either white or black starting at £429 (US$499).

Olympus Unvails New Tough Camera

If you like your tough gadgets, you’ll be pleased to hear Olympus has just announced a new rugged face at the head of its Tough range of compact cameras – the TG-810.

This hard-as-nails customer has all the usual tough gadget credentials – waterproofing to 10m, drop-resistant to heights of 2m and dust- and freeze-proofing – but adds a new level of endurance to the mix: it’s also crush-proof.

It’ll happily withstand up to 100kg of weight on top of it, which is more than the weight of the average person.

It’s not just the case that’s designed for a bit of out-of-doors rough and tumble. Olympus has equipped the TG-810 with a glare-resistant 3in screen, a manometer – that’s a pressure sensor to you and me – as well as a tri-sensor GPS and electronic compass. Plus that 10m water-proofing is partnered by three underwater modes to really make a splash with your snaps.

Needless to say, more prosaic camera features are all well covered too. Among the key stats are a 14-megapixel sensor, 720p video shooting capability and a 5x optical zoom. There’s also Eye-Fi compatibility on board too.

The TG-810 will be available later this month, and will set you back £269.99.

Are Smartphones Soon to End?

You know that multi-talented smartphone powerhouse sitting in your pocket? Well, it may just be one of the last of its kind.

That’s the prediction from RIM’s UK boss Stephen Bates, who says the expansion of the tablet market and its more media-friendly form factor will push smartphones back towards being pure communication devices.

“Demand is being met by smartphones for now, but the form factor isn’t ideal,” Bates argued at a London seminar on the mobile industry’s future yesterday. “We’re going to see a change in behaviour; the tablet is going to come in as a media device and we’re going to see the smartphone drifting back to pure communications.”

However, if you’re getting pictures in your mind right now of your call-and-text-only mobiles of the nineties, fear not. Today, a “communications” device is far more than just that. And of course, being a company man Bates was quick to push BlackBerry as having unique appeal in that regard.

“These days, you hear a lot about apps but at BlackBerry we have a wider focus. We’re about delivering the ultimate communications platform, including social networking,” he said.

“We have more users of Twitter on BlackBerry than any other platform, and Facebook has told us that BlackBerry users are three times more interactive on Facebook than any other device users."

Samsung set to unveil 8.9in Galaxy Tab

Samsung looks set to launch a mid-sized 8.9in Galaxy Tab later this month after sending US journalists a cryptic invite to a special Mobile Unpacked event during the CTIA trade show in Florida.

Dominating the invite is a picture of a tablet, framing the words: “What’s your Tab life? 78910”. With the original Galaxy Tab sporting a 7in screen, and a larger 10.1in version having been launched at Mobile World Congress, that leaves only the “89” in the middle, which seems likely to be a reference to an 8.9in screen size.

And if there is any doubt, Samsung’s Facebook page surely clears it up by proclaiming: “Were you excited about the introduction of our Galaxy Tab 10.1 at 2011 Mobile World Congress? If so, we’ve got more surprises in store at our Unpacked event on 3/22!”

There were already widespread rumours that a mid-size Galaxy Tab was in the pipelines – in fact, back when the tablet was first announced mid-last year, Samsung said it would eventually be available in three size options.

Now it seems we only have three weeks to wait.

The Apple iPhone - soon to get a baby brother?

Rumours of a lower-priced iPhone have been knocking about for a couple of months now, but they now look set to go into overdrive thanks to a major hint dropped by Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook recently.

Speaking to industry analyst Toni Sacconaghi last week, Cook apparently revealed that Apple didn’t want its products to be “just for the rich”, and said the company was working hard to “figure out” the pay-as-you-go market.

“He also stated that Apple ‘understood price is big factor in the prepaid market’... and that Apple would look to ‘innovate’ and do ‘clever’ things in addressing that market,” Forbes reports Sacconaghi as saying.

It’s by no means a confirmation that a cheaper iPhone is in fact in the works, but Apple is normally so secretive about its product plans that when one of its top brass does make a public comment, it’s well worth paying attention to.

Cook’s comments come in the wake of reports by Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal last week claiming Apple is lining up a sub-$200 handset that will be available to consumers contract free. Dare we say the words “iPhone nano”?

Apple Press Conference only 1 Day away

With only one day remaining until the eagerly anticipated announcement of the iPad 2, we are wondering what people are wanting, or even expecting in the new device.