This is the ‘Space Grey’ Apple iPad 5 in pictures

October 22^nd should herald the arrival of a new iPad or two from Apple, notably the iPad 5 and perhaps a second generation iPad Mini 2. We’ve seen a couple pictures of the former, though unfortunately quality hasn’t been all that great.

Serial Apple leaker Sonny Dickson has now laid Apple’s new tablet bare on his site, revealing all aspects of the design thanks to a large number of high quality pictures. Further to the full reveal of the design, the images also show off a new colour for the iPad: Space Grey.

Apple is thought to be adding Space Grey to the iPad range of colours after launching the iPhone 5S in the new colour recently. Sat side by side with a silver iPad 5 shell it’s clear to see that the finish is much darker and we have to say, we much prefer it to the traditional colour Apple has always gone with for the iPad.

Of course, the redesign is clearly given away in the pictures, so if you’re an ardent fan who loves the surprise and excitement that tends to surround an Apple launch, we’d suggest scrolling back up and heading on to another post. The iPad 5 will be thinner and much more squared around the edges and corners, mimicking the design of the iPad Mini down to a tee. As rumoured, there’s also dual stereo speakers hidden beneath micro-drilled holes along the bottom edge, flanking the lightning connector which sits in the middle.

Tech specs for the iPad 5 remain pretty unclear, though it’s thought that the key change will be the design and this refresh won’t be a radical one. Apple is expected to stick to the 9.7-inch Retina display and make minor adjustments to the front and rear cameras whilst also upgrading the processor – we’re expecting to see the new A7 chip used.

For an extensive look at the Space Grey iPad 5, hit up the source link at the bottom of this page for every image.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Apple to unveil iPad 5, iPad Mini 2 and more at October 22nd event

They’ve been in the rumour mill for the best part of the year but it’s looking very likely that the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 will both be officially unveiled at an event on October 22^nd.

The report comes from AllThingsD, a publication that has an impressive track record when it comes to predicting what Apple will launch next and the dates on which the launches will take place.

“People familiar with Apple’s plans tell AllThingsD that the company will hold its next invitation-only event on Tuesday October 22. The focal point of the gathering will the latest updates to the company’s iPad line, but new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks will likely get some stage time as well, I’m told.”

The date lines up with Apple’s annual tradition for refreshing its iPad lineup, although this year we’ll be making room for both a new iPad and a new iPad Mini. Both will feature new and more powerful processors and tweaked cameras, though the key upgrades lay in the design for the iPad 5 and the display for the iPad Mini 2.

The iPad 5 is expected to keep the same 9.7-inch Retina display along with many of the same core features, with the big difference being the design. Apple will switch to the slimmer and more squared design it introduced in the iPad Mini, which will finally bring its full-size iPad in line with the latest iPhone and iPod Touch, plus of course the iPad Mini in terms of the way they all look.

The iPad 5 alongside the iPad 4

For the second generation iPad Mini we’re expecting to see Apple upgrade the smaller 7.9-inch display to Retina display quality – a feature many were hoping would be present in the original but was lacking. This will put the Mini in contention with Google’s new Full HD Nexus 7, making it a very small and portable tablet yet with a super-sharp picture quality.

We’re also expecting to see Apple introduce new colour options for both iPads, just as it has done with the iPhone 5S recently. Slate will be replaced with the new ‘Space Gray’ colour and we’re also expecting to see a gold version added to the range, as with the iPhone 5S.

Debuted earlier in the year and since in beta testing, Apple’s latest desktop software, OS X ‘Mavericks’, is also expected to be officially launched to the public. Like the Mountain Lion an Lion updates which preceded it, the update will be available to download digitally from the Mac App Store on iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Minis and Mac Pros.

We’re confident that AllThingsD‘s predictions are close to, if not spot on, so if you’re an Apple fan then be sure to tune in on October 22^nd for all the news from Cupertino.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Panasonic to leave the Plasma TV market before March 2014

Since the introduction of thinner, brighter and much more power efficient LED televisions, the classic plasma has suffered in terms of sales for many companies. Whilst cinemaphiles know full well that plasma screens will offer deeper blacks and a better response to motion amongst other advantages, there’s no denying that LED technology has taken over.

Panasonic has always been highly regarded for its impressive plasma sets and has remained one of the few still making high-end TVs with this type of panel. However, both Reuters and Nikkei report that the company will be pulling out of the plasma TV market before March 2014 in an attempt to better its financial standing.

The company’s portfolio has shown LED TVs outnumbering plasma options considerably for a long time and now it looks as though plasma will leave the fray completely for Panasonic. Reports suggest that planned developments for new plasma TVs have been canned and that production at the famous Amagaskai plant has been ceased very recently.

With LED televisions being thinner and consuming far less power, not to mention offering a typically brighter and more colourful picture compared to plasma, it’s hardly a surprise to see Panasonic make the full switch. Unless you’re really into your home cinema tech you won’t be too aware of the differences between the two, so in terms of general retail there won’t be much change as far as the average consumer is concerned.

Panasonic announced earlier in the year that it would be exploring a number of paths for its business in the hope of improving profits, though it is yet to officially announce its reported departure from the plasma TV market, however.

Some 36,000 jobs have been cut across the company in the past year, though the company is expected to move employees from its plasma section to other areas of the business, despite losses associated with plasma TV manufacturing expected to total some $400 million for the company.

Source: Gadget Helpline

LG to be the first to launch smartphones with bendable, unbreakable screens

Korean gadget manufacturer LG is set to become the first company to mass-produce high quality flexible screens intended for a new wave of curved and bendable smartphones and other gadgets.

It’s been a long time coming, with the company previously showing off numerous prototypes and other ideas at tech shows over the past year or two, but today LG announced that it will soon start to make flexible 6-inch OLED displays on a big scale.

The screen itself will offer a picture quality much like we see in smartphones today and being an OLED type screen it will offer vivid colours but won’t be a big drain on battery life and remains very thin. LG says that by using special plastic substrates it can create a smartphone screen that has flexible properties, allowing its designers to create weird and wacky curved devices.

Recent rumours have suggested that the company will introduce its first ever curved smartphone next year, a device called the LG G Flex. The phone will likely run Android and will be the first from the company to feature the 6-inch curved display.

Whilst the screens can be bent and twisted, their main purpose will be to allow LG – and perhaps other manufacturers – to create phones with gentle curves to better suit the human face. After all, nobody really feels comfortable holding a rectangle with harsh edges against the side of their face for long.

Other manufacturers have also shown a keen interest in flexible displays in recent years, including LG’s main rivals Samsung and also Nokia. LG’s Korean rivals Samsung are thought to have their own flexible phone in the works, so we could end up seeing not one but two bowed smartphones in the very near future.

With curved TVs also set to become the next trend, could 2014 be the year for bendy gadgets? Let us know what you think.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Instagram to get Facebook like Advertising

Well, Instagram has long since been the place for Hipsters to photograph their food and is now a mainstream social networking site, but as with all big websites when success comes a knocking… adverts soon follow. And so today, Instagram has announced that they will start delivering ads to users across their social site.

Instagram announced the changes as “Growing Business” and stated that since its inception the company they now have a global community of over 150 Million people capturing and sharing the world’s moments.  This growth means many things, but as with all businesses it means that the Money can and needs to be made somehow.

Instagram has announced that they have “big ideas for the future” and to make these big ideas come true they would need to build the company into a sustainable business. This means paid advertising.

They state:

“In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States. Seeing photos and videos from brands you don’t follow will be new, so we’ll start slow. We’ll focus on delivering a small number of beautiful, high-quality photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already great members of the Instagram community. “

“Our aim is to make any advertisements you see feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favorite brands.”

Instagram have also said that they will aim to give users some control over what they see, so if you see an ad you don’t like, you’ll be able to hide it and provide feedback about what didn’t feel right. This will give users the ability to help improve the incoming system and keep Instagram a s the pretty place it was supposed to be.

Now this major change was not exactly unexpected as Instagram are owned by Mark Zuxckerberg’s Facebook who themselves are seeing a massive growth in profits from in site advertising, but nonetheless many users will be turned off by the news and maybe its time for another new upstart to take the Social networking limelight!

Adverts will be appearing on Instagram over the next couple of months.

Source: Instagram Blog

Source: Gadget Helpline

4.3.1 Jelly Bean update lands on new Nexus 7 Tablets from today!

Google has surprised the owners of the new Nexus 7 tablet with a cheeky Android 4.3.1 system update which has been rolling out on the latest 7 Tablet today globally. Users of the devices will start to get the Jelly Bean update on their devices from now onwards.

Google haven’t detailed the update on any official channels and as such a changes log has not been seen but the 4.3.1 Android Jelly bean update will be landing on all new Nexus 7 (2012) versions from no.

The 4.3.1 update has improvements in performance and stability for the Android OS plus some the addition of restricted profiles to “limit family members’ access to apps and content on your tablet or to secure a tablet in a kiosk setting”.

Currently the update is said to be landing on the LTE / 4G versions of the New Nexus 7 tablets and there is no word on if they are landing on the no LTE versions yet. We expect that the 4G will be rolled out first followed by a download for other Tablet types.

The Android Jelly Bean 4.3.1 is one of the last incremental updates that we should be seeing for the Jelly Bean version of the OS as our Exclusive pictures have revealed the incoming android 4.4 KitKat (formerly Key Lime Pie) software is well on its way, and is expected to be released at the end of the month.

Source: androidpolice.com

Source: Gadget Helpline

Cubify Cube 3D Printer on Sale Now at Currys and PC World

Currys and PC World have become the first UK retailers to sell the Cubify Cube 3D Printer, bringing one of the latest hot tech trends to the masses.

The desktop-friendly Cube 3D Printer will cost £1195 and allows home users of both PC and Apple Mac computers to print 25 free designs from approved Cubify Artists. These include chess pieces and other smaller items which emerge as 3D models produced by a plastic-loaded cartridge.

The cartridges do come at an extra cost of £52.80 each and are available in a range of 16 bright colours, with one colour contained per cartridge.

There are more complex patterns available to be downloaded at cost from the Cubify Marketplace and users can use Cubify Sculpt and Invent software to design their own pieces at an additional cost. Models can be printed up to 5.5″ cubed, meaning that users can turn 2D digital templates into physical 3D objects in the home.

3D models can be sent wirelessly to the printer but there is currently no software supported for mobile devices, though we hope this is something that can be introduced in the near future.

We have to admit, the Cubify Cube 3D Printer looks pretty fun, but will this pricey new gadget become fad or future?

We’ve seen some really impressive and practical uses of 3D printing since the technology was first announced and despite being fairly simplistic, the Cube should at least raise awareness of 3D printing on a consumer level and could hopefully lead the charge for making 3D printing an affordable pastime for the public.

www.cubify.com

Source: Gadget Helpline

Wii U Updated – Wii Titles Playable on GamePad & Screenshot Uploads

Nintendo has released an update for Wii U which allows owners to play their classic Wii titles on the current generation’s GamePad.

However, when we say it will play the Wii titles this really just means you can display the games you own on the controller’s 6.2inch screen but you will then need to pair with a traditional Wiimote (and nunchuck) to actually enjoy the games because they won’t be compatible with the GamePad’s own control features.

The promise of portable play is made a bit redundant by the fact you’ll have to carry around additional hardware and find a way to prop up your pad  just to get your game on with the smaller screen and this appears to be another slightly ill-thought out move by Nintendo, the company which continues to cause a lot of head scratching from its intended consumer base (let’s consider the recently announced 2DS handheld as an example.)

On the plus side, the update also brings Dolby surround sound and external USB keyboard compatibility to the Wii U with the ability to save passwords in the web browser, share screenshots by launching a browser when a game is in progress and also open .pdf files.

To get to-to-date following these steps:

CONNECTING TO WI-FI NETWORK:
(If you’re already connected, proceed to next instructions.)

From the Wii U GamePad with the Menu screen up select System Settings.

Move across with the Left analogue stick and select Internet.

Select the option for Connect to the Internet.

(The Wii U will begin searching for available Wi-Fi networks.)

With available networks found, scroll up or down to find and select your network name.
When prompted enter your password or Network/Wireless key as found on the router and tap OK.
(Wireless/Network keys are case sensitive, so bear this in mind when entering).

If the right network has been chosen and the password entered correctly the Wii U should successfully find the network and connect.

GETTING THE SYSTEM UPDATE:

From the Wii U Menu select System Settings.

The top right hand corner of your menu should tell you the current software version.

Scrolling down with the left analogue stick find System Update and press the A button.

Tap Update to begin the download
(Depending on performance quality of your Wi-Fi connection completion times can vary. You can follow progress in the Download Management section of the System Settings).

Wii U System Update may take some time to complete.

Do not unplug or power off the Wii U console during the download or you’ll have to start it over.

When complete you’ll be able to enjoy all the new features and functional benefits for Wii U!

Source: Gadget Helpline

Eurogamer Expo 2013: Hands On with PS4 DualShock 4 Controller

The Gadget Helpline visited the Eurogamer Expo 2013 at Earls Court in London where we were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at the controllers for the future generation consoles coming our way in the latter part of the year. In this ‘hands on’ we give you our early verdict of the PS4 DualShock 4 Controller.

The DualShock 4 also doesn’t lose a lot of its shape but is a tad smoother and is a fair bit lighter than the DualShock 3. This comes as a surprise when first picking it up and like the Xbox One Wireless Controller, when at a glance the new PS4 pad doesn’t look a lot different from the preceding model. That is aside from the rather noticeable addition of the two-point touchpad which you’d think perhaps would add a few extra kg to the handset.

As far as the D-Pad, function and trigger buttons go all remain mostly unchanged since the PS3, with only the L1, L2, R1 and R2 triggers now having a more natural shape and feel. The thumb sticks have had a slight redesign, now with a rigged edge to improve grip and accuracy. As mentioned the touchpad is a new feature offering a new method of control, and this resembles the touch feature introduced to Sony gaming gadgets on the back side of the PS Vita.

New buttons for Options and Share now replace Select and Start and offer quick access to menus and social sharing of screenshots, videos and other content. The PS Button now shifts down below the PS4 controller’s own in-built mono-speaker.

Another major introduction is the LED light bar, found at the top of the controller. This light will change between four colours according to activity in the games, making for an interesting and unexpected addition. Like the touchpad, we’ll be interested to see if this is a new addition that is well received by players – especially after it was confirmed that the light will be an ‘always-on’ feature.

The DualShock 4 comes with the USB port once again handily at the bottom, easy to access but unhampering of playtime. This offers USB charging and there is access point for headphones.  Unseen is the Six-Axis sensor system which from within the controller offers motion control, and with the handset’s slight weight loss the feel is more natural than before.

We enjoyed using the PS4 DualShock 4 controller as it doesn’t really change much from the successful formula which we know and like. The few things that have changed (the trigger shapes, thumb sticks and weight) are a welcome evolution and the additional features of touchpad and light bar we approach with some apprehension but these are not obtrusive to the user experience.

Sony’s PlayStation 4 with DualShock 4 Controller is set for release in late November.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Google Nexus 5 specs revealed by leaked Android 4.4 KitKat code

We believe Google will be unveiling a new Nexus smartphone next month as part of the launch of a new version of Android; version 4.4 ‘KitKat’. So far the rumour mill has been filling up and now we have the most detailed leak to date which gives away many of the phone’s specifications.

A log file recorded by the device itself has landed in the hands of A log file recorded by the device itself has landed in the hands of Myce.com, who flicked through the 133 thousand lines of code diligently to pick out the juiciest bits of information. We’re going to go out on a limb and suggest that the log file came from a prototype phone which would be in the hands of an Android developer at Google, so the details are more than likely to be accurate.

According to the log file, the LG-made Nexus 5 will sport a 5-inch Full HD display – that’s 1,920 x 1,080 gloriously sharp pixels – alongside a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front facing snapper for video calls and selfies.

Some of these specs have of course been rumoured recently, though some more concrete confirmation is definitely welcome. It looks as though Google has kept LG in for manufacturing and the design will be quite similar to the Nexus 4, but slimmer and with more rounded sides at the top and bottom of the device. We were impressed with the display and processing power in the Nexus 4 and the purported upgrades for the Nexus 5 in both departments are both big and impressive, so we’re happy there.

We were however not so enamoured with the Nexus 4’s camera, so we’re hoping that the 8 megapixel sensor from the spec sheet isn’t identical to that of the previous Nexus phone. We’re hoping for a bigger aperture, larger sensor and perhaps some sort of image stabilisation.

The phone will of course be the first device to run Android 4.4; Google’s next major Android update which it has paired up with Nestle for to give the moniker ‘KitKat’, in keeping with its alphabetical and sweet-themed naming system for Android updates. Going by history, we can expect both the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 to launch in October.

Source: Gadget Helpline