July, 2011

Amazon Cloud Player attacks iCloud with unlimited storage

July 7, 2011 10:44 am by Mic Wright

Categories: Apps & Software Tags: Amazon, Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon Cloud Player, Apple, Google, Google Music, iCloud

Amazon has taken aim at Apple’s iCloud and Google Music by adding unlimited music storage to its Amazon Cloud Player service. The deal will allow users to stash as many MP3s and AAC as they like in their virtual locker.

The deal, which Amazon says is for a limited time, applies to all new Cloud Drive storage plans from the lowest $20 for 20GB plan up. It means music files won’t be counted as part of the storage space. Even if customers don’t purchase a paid plan, any MP3s bought from Amazon can be uploaded for free.

While iCloud’s iTunes Match feature won’t upload files, its copy of a user’s music library will be limited to 25,000 songs while Google Music imposes a cap of 20,000. Amazon has also outed a Cloud Player iPad web app. Sadly, Amazon hasn’t revealed plans to bring Cloud Player and Cloud Drive to the UK yet.

Out now | From £free (US-only) | Amazon

iPhone 6: is Apple planning inductive charging?

July 7, 2011 10:25 am by Mic Wright

Categories: Mobile Phones Tags: Apple, inductive charging, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6, rumours

While there are plenty of iPhone 5 rumours to chew on, The Wall Street Journal – frequently pegged as a conduit for Apple controlled leaks – has moved on to the iPhone 6 already. Nestled near the end of a story on iPhone 5 speculation, it says Apple has a major revamp in store for the 2012 model.

The report claims: “People briefed on Apple’s plans said the company is planning a major iPhone revamp then, with one person saying the company has been experimenting with features such as a new way of charging the phone.” Here’s why that could make sense…

Read more

Sony S1 Android tablet video reveals PlayStation Suite smarts

July 7, 2011 10:01 am by Mic Wright

Categories: Computers & Accessories Tags: Android, Android Honeycomb, Google, PlayStation Suite, Sony S1, Sony S2

The Sony S1 and Sony S2 Android tablets have been teasing us for months. First Sony showed them off in a pair of pretty pictures back in April then we got a cool Sony Android tablet video teaser last month but still no proper specs. Now we’ve got another intriguing look at them but this time they’re out in the wild.

While the chatter is all in Italian, the first clip stills gives you a good look at the Sony S1 running the PlayStation Suite. In the second video, both the Sony S1 and the clamshell Sony S2 get handled. If you get past the language barrier and smudgy screens, it’s a nice tour of the hardware we can expect to see in September…

Read more

Facebook Skype video calling fights FaceTime and Google+

July 7, 2011 9:18 am by Mic Wright

Categories: Apps & Software Tags: Apple, Facebook, Facebook video calling, facetime, Google, Hangout, Skype

Facebook has teamed up with Skype to bring video calls to the social network. The move is part of a major redesign for Facebook Chat that also includes the much-requested addition of group text chat feature.

The Skype video chat deal gives Facebook a powerful weapon to fight Apple’s FaceTime and Hangout, the group video chat service baked into Google+. Read on for full details on the new service including promises that mobile and group video chats are on the way…

Read more

Orange Monte Carlo officially announced

July 6, 2011 4:50 pm by Joe Svetlik

Categories: Mobile Phones Tags: Android 2.3, monte carlo, orange, skate, zte

The ZTE Skate we told you about last week? It’s just become official, which is great news for anyone looking for a fantastic Android phone on a budget. It’s pretty much an HTC Desire for a fraction of the price.

If you’ve been following it you’ll be aware this is one of most hotly anticipated handsets of the year, so read on for more.

Read more

Apple iPad 2 Plus coming this year: do we need it?

July 6, 2011 3:41 pm by Nick Marshall

Categories: Gadgets Tags: Apple, Apple iPad 2, IBT, ipad 2, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs

The Apple iPad 2 remains atop the tablet food chain despite a seemingly endless supply of competition. As HP and RIM enter the race it seems as though appreciation for Apple’s slate grows stronger. Reports have surfaced suggesting Apple plans to ship five million units this month — a figure that dwarfs the competitions’ sales. Now we’re hearing word an updated iPad 2, dubbed the iPad 2 Plus, could be coming later this year. Does Apple need to update the iPad 2 so soon?

Read more

Microsoft wants £9 for every Samsung Android smartphone sold: are they crazy?

July 6, 2011 3:15 pm by Nick Marshall

Categories: Apps & Software Tags: Android, Microsoft, Samsung, Windows Phone 7

Microsoft has decided it will punish Samsung with a £9 royalty for each Android smartphone it sells. Samsung is reportedly trying to negotiate that fee down to £6 to preserve its relationship to produce Windows Phone handsets. With more than three million Galaxy S II smartphones sold in 55 days we might be looking at a major MS payday. Is £9 per handset a huge mistake by Microsoft?

Read more

Sony PSN Pass: will it axe the second-hand game market?

July 6, 2011 2:53 pm by Nick Marshall

Categories: Gaming Tags: Playstation 3, PSN Pass, resistance 3, SCEA, Sony

Hints of “PSN Pass” have been spotted on the German Resistance 3 bundle, leading to speculation that Sony will launch its new online initiative later this year. With a disclaimer that says, “PSN pass network features only available in countries that have PlayStation Store,” the service is all but confirmed. Will the PSN Pass kill off the second-hand game market for future PlayStation 3 titles?

Read more

July, 2011

Hot chat, right here!