This SERIOUS iPhone 6S bug lets people view your photos & contacts
without unlocking your phone
Siri backstabs users with this security-dodging glitch.
Oh, Siri, how could you? After all we've been through together you just go and
betray our trust in this, the most intimate of ways.
A serious new iPhone 6S bug has emerged, allowing unwanted prying eyes to view
all of your photos and access all of your contacts without unlocking your phone.
The glitch, which utilises Siri's ability to search Twitter, lets
smartphone-targeting wronguns and suspicious spouses dodge your passcode and
Touch ID security measures to gain unauthorised access to your handset's
deepest, darkest secrets.
The issue, which is only a worry for iPhone 6S users thanks to its 3D Touch
utilising ways, affects all handsets running the new iOS 9.3.1 OS.
Facebook can now describe photos to blind people
So they don't miss out on your important updates
Facebook's new feature is quite a doozy - it's found a way to use artificial
intelligence to describe photos, so that blind and visually impaired people
won't miss out on a large part of their news feed.
It's called Automatic Alternative Text. As TechCrunch notes, to get the
benefit, you'll have to use a screen reader - i e, a piece of software that
identifies what's on your screen and reads it out using text-to-speech.
Without the feature, a screen reader would tell you who shared the photo, and
the accompanying text that the person added. But that's not much good, as
usually captions elaborate on the photo, rather than describing what it depicts.
Using the feature, the screen reader will say something like "image may contain
three people, smiling, outdoors".
Not the best description, admittedly, but it's still a huge step.
It uses object recognition based on neural networks (which are one type of
model for machine learning, i e artificial intelligence).
It will pick out images like cars, mountains, grass, foods, activities like
swimming and tennis, and apply descriptive words for appearance like smiling,
selfie, etc.
The feature is currently only available for the iOS app, on devices using
screen readers set to English, but we'd expect it to become more widely
available soon. We would also expect it to become significantly more advanced
before too long. Which is amazing, if a little scary.
Need a new e-reader? Amazon is set to launch a new flagship Kindle next week
Online retailer confirms 8th generation device is on the way.
A brand new Amazon Kindle is coming – and very soon.
The online retailer's CEO Jeff Bezos dropped the news on Twitter today that
Amazon will reveal the 8th generation Kindle next week.
Heads up readers – all-new, top of the line Kindle almost ready. 8th
generation. Details next week.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 4, 2016
This new device is, of course, eyed as a replacement for the popular Kindle
Voyage, which launched all the way back in October 2014.
Amazon Kindle has been a major force in the e-reader marketplace going on ten
years now – dating back to the first Kindle's launch in 2007.
Is the iPhone SE more fragile than the iPhone 6S? Tests show that it suffers
when 160 lbs of pressure is applied, 10 lbs less than the iPhone 6S.
Apple has probably only just got over #Bendgate from two years ago, and now
it's emerging that the iPhone SE is apparently weaker than the iPhone 6S.
While the iPhone SE won't bend in your pocket, SquareTrade has carried out a
series of stress tests that show it takes less weight to bend it out of shape.
The warranty provider discovered that the iPhone SE suffers when 160 lbs of
pressure is applied, 10 lbs less than the iPhone 6S and 20 lbs less than the
iPhone 6S Plus, when it was put through the same tests.
At 178 lbs, the iPhone SE reached the point of no return and "catastrophic
failure", even with its body being thicker than the 6S and 6S Plus.
And if you want Apple's most durable current model, SquareTrade found that to
be the 6S Plus.
Taliban-developed propaganda app is banned by Google
Because it promoted hate speech.
In a sign of how tech-savvy today's terrorist organisations have become, the
Taliban has made an Android app. But Google promptly banned it from its Google
Play store for promoting hate speech.
The app included official statements and videos from the terrorist group.
According to the Taliban, the app is now unavailable – just a few days after
launching on April 1 – because of "technical issues".
But according to BBC News, the app violated Google's policy that says Android
apps can't promote hate speech.
Google doesn't discuss issues with individual apps on its platform, but said in
a statement: "Our policies are designed to provide a great experience for users
and developers. That's why we remove apps from Google Play that violate these
policies."
A Taliban spokesperson told Bloomberg that the app "is part of our advanced
technological effort to make [a] more global audience".
They added that the app should reappear soon. Which may be wishful thinking.
Today's terrorists are increasingly using technology to spread their message.
ISIS has used social media extensively to promote its efforts, while the
Taliban now has a website in five languages as well as Twitter and Facebook
accounts.
Nokia phone may launch this year, but will it run Snake?
The early-noughties staple is making a comeback.
Nokia was one of the biggest names in mobile phones, but Apple and Google
caught it sleeping.
The Finnish firm eventually sold its phone-making arm to Microsoft in 2013, on
the condition that it wouldn't make any new handsets until 2016.
Now, a new model has leaked - though sadly, it looks modern rather than a
throwback to Nokia's early noughties heyday.
According to a source speaking to Android Authority, the Nokia A1 could launch
as soon as the middle of this year.
It's said to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with the Nokia Z Launcher on top -
this is a user interface that adapts to how you use your phone, and promotes
your most-used apps so they're easier to access.
So what other specs can we expect? It'll be nice and big, with a 5.5-inch
screen, though with only a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, it won't be the
most powerful handset around.
Sadly, it won't have interchangeable fascias.
You can now turn your Windows desktop into a virtual reality experience
Browsing through Windows 10 just got a LOT more interesting.
In brilliant news for tech fans, you can now turn your Windows desktop into a
virtual reality experience.
The company has introduced its new feature Virtual Desktop, which transforms
Windows 8.x or Windows 10 desktop through the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
Users can choose from a wide range of immersive backgrounds and also watch
movies in a huge theatre with the feature.
"You can browse the web, watch movies, Netflix or even play games on a giant
virtual screen," says developer Guy Godin.
Virtual Desktop can also be used on multiple monitors and is available for
£10.99/$14.99.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is adding a new advert blocking feature to its Edge
browser as part of its Anniversary Update this summer.
Snapchat's Chat 2.0 update is all about the lost art of conversation
New feature combines video, audio, GIFs & stickers.
Snapchat wants to become more than just a platform for sending the kind of
selfies you wouldn't want to fall into the wrong hands - and it's just revamped
its chat features to double underline those ambitions.
Chat 2.0 will change the way Snapchatters communicate by combining video,
audio, GIFs and stickers for the ultimate messaging experience.
The new system allows users to seamlessly switch between texting, audio notes
and video chatter. And if you still can't get your point across, the app has
introduced 200 new stickers that act like emoji.
With the arrival of stickers on the service, Snapchat's reported acquisition of
Bitstrips is starting to make sense.
"What we love most about the new Chat is how easily you can transition between
all these ways of communicating - just like you do in person," said the
Snapchat team in a blog post.
"When that's possible, you aren't texting, calling, or video chatting... you're
just talking. We've been working on this redesign for a while - we can't wait
to hear what you think!"
Chat 2.0 is the headline feature of Snapchat's new update, but the latest
version of the app also includes Auto-Advance Stories, which allows users to
trawl through the story content friends have uploaded on a continuous loop.
Dyson Pure Cool Link is the company's first connected gadget that cleans your
home's air
Things are getting smarter, & cleaner.
It's official, the connected home movement is gaining traction, and now
appliance giant Dyson has joined the smart tech shift.
While your vacuum cleaner isn't getting app support anytime soon, the company's
other big household devices, fans, are going online with the new Dyson Pure
Cool Link.
This isn't just a standard Dyson fan with added internet-friendly smartphones
thrown in though, oh no.
As well as cooling you down, this purifier fan actually cleans the air in your
home, ridding your abode of 99.95% of allergens and pollutants, such as mould,
pet fair, synthetic fibres and gasses - ahem.
Connecting up to the new Dyson Link app, the Pure Cool Link can be turned on
and off from your smartphone, with airflow power and scheduled on/off times
able to be controlled remotely.
That's not where the app skills end, though. It can also show how clean your
home's air is, offering real-time temperature and air quality statistics.
Launching today (March 31), the Dyson Pure Cool Link is available in two forms
- the £350 round desk purifier and the taller, freestanding tower purifier for
£450.
These old VHS tapes could make you thousands - how many do you have in the loft?
"What do you mean you gave The Legend of Hillbilly John to the charity shop?"
They may be collecting dust as we pop another Blu-ray into the player or
stream another boxset on Netflix, but our old VHS tapes could actually be a
goldmine.
The website LoveAntiques.com has commissioned a study to work out exactly how
much the most valuable tapes are.
Will Thomas, the site's managing director, said: "It's interesting to see how
certain VHS tapes have increased in value over the last 50 years or so."
Here are your top ten most valuable videos:
1.. Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (JVI) £1,500
2.. The Beast in Heat (JVI) £1,200
3.. Betrayed (Taboo) £1,100
4.. Celestine (GO) £1,100
5.. The Legend of Hillbilly John (Rainbow) £1,000
6.. Journey Into Beyond (Citycenta GO) £1,000
7.. Lemora, Lady Dracula (IFS) £900
8.. Don't Open the Window (Films of the 80s) £900
9.. Flesh Eaters (Knockout) £800
10.. Black Decameron (Intervision) £800
11..
Sadly, none of those are in Digital Spy's collection. An old SpiceWorld,
maybe? Or an Indiana Jones? They don't make the top 25, either.
The likes of Thomas and other antique collectors have even developed a new word
to describe the old technology such as VHS tapes now becoming collectables -
antech.
Thomas added: "We feel that these antech items – or antechs – will only become
more valuable investments to collectors as time goes on.
"It might sound strange that something like the VHS is defined as an antech,
but when they can command thousands of pounds on account of their rarity,
that's exactly what they are."
EE TV update lets you record television content to your mobile device
Save movies, football highlights & more.
Catch-up services like BBC iPlayer let users download select shows to view
offline, but how would you like to do that with any free broadcast content?
With EE TV's latest feature, you can - as soon as a programme has aired, you
can save it locally on your tablet or smartphone to consume on the move.
Recordings To Go imposes no content restrictions. You can use it to download
movies that have just aired or save the football highlights to your handset.
"We're continually looking at ways to offer new, exciting and innovative TV
features to our customers and now we've made EE TV truly mobile," said EE
director Simeon Bird.
"With Recordings To Go, we're giving users unique control over how and where
they choose to watch TV - whether that's on a train, bus, tube or even a plane".
The new feature is coming in as part of the EE TV app's latest update, which
also brings its Electronic Programme Guide in line with the set-top box layout.
Toshiba retreats from the consumer laptop market
Computing firm no longer making notebooks in Europe.
One of the oldest names in PC manufacturing is withdrawing from consumer
laptops.
Toshiba has announced that it is no longer making commercial notebooks for the
European market and will instead focus on the business sector.
"Toshiba will concentrate on the B2B PC market globally by developing,
manufacturing, and selling its Tecra and Portege brands to the corporate
market," said Toshiba in a statement (via AnandTech).
The company will continue to offer consumer PCs in its native Japan, but its
focus in Europe and North America will be business from now on.
Toshiba is planning to sell off its remaining stock of commercial computers and
anyone who purchases one will receive full warranty cover.
Like many PC makers in the modern era, Toshiba has struggled to turn a profit
of late and has been linked with a merger involving Fujitsu and Vaio.
It's NOT A SELFIE if you don't take it yourself - Countdown's Dictionary Corner
has spoken
Man who posed with EgyptAir hijacker termed pic a "selfie"
When a British passenger on the hijacked EgyptAir plane decided to take the
"best selfie ever" with the hijacker yesterday, nobody could foresee the
debate it would spark.
Thankfully, the incident was resolved peacefully - but Ben Innes' photo has
since gone viral for a variety of reasons.
What's more, his branding of it as a "selfie" has led to confusion, since it
was clearly taken by a third perso
Ben Innes from #Aberdeen poses for a picture with #EgyptAir #MS181 hijacWwm
— Paul Smith (@Journo_Paul) March 29, 2016
So, is it actually a selfie?
Well, Countdown's Susie Dent, who is the ultimate authority on words – she's
Dictionary Corner, after all – has laid any doubts to rest.
Answering a question from a Twitter user asking to settle the definition of
the word, she responded: "Is this the question of whether a selfie has to be
taken by oneself? If so, the answer is YES."
@TobyonTV Hmm: is this the question of whether a selfie has to be taken by
oneself? If so, the answer is YES.
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) March 30, 2016
That's that settled then. A selfie has to be taken by oneself.
Sorry, Ben.
The incident earlier this week saw passenger Seif Eldin Mustafa threaten to
detonate an explosive vest - which later turned out to be a fake - on board the
flight.
He let women and children leave the aircraft when it landed in Cyprus, though
he kept Innes, three other passenger and four crew on board. Mustafa was
arrested after their relea
e
But why did Innes take the photo? He told The Sun: "I'm not sure why I did
it, I just threw caution to the wind while trying to stay cheerful in the face
of adversity.
"I figured if his bomb was real I'd nothing to lose anyway, so took a chance
to get a closer look at it. I got one of the cabin crew to translate for me and
asked him if I could do a selfie with him.
"He just shrugged, 'OK', so I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a
stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie e
Sky Kids app launches to keep the little ones happy & the big ones relaxed
Entertaining the family just got a whole lot easier.
Over the Easter break got a whole lot easier for berated parents across the
land, as Sky has just launched a new app especially for the wee ones.
As well as letting youngsters jump into their favourite channels, the Sky
Kids app will offer on-demand access to thousands of episodes of kids TV, from
the latest hits to timeless classics, all suitable for preschool to 9-year-old
age ranges.
It's not just about the content though. Sky's made its Kids app an all-round
fun experience, with personalised accounts and the introduction of new Sky
Buddies - animated characters that follow you through your full app experience.
As well as keeping the kids happy, the new app will put parents' minds at
ease too, with only age-appropriate content being pulled in when kids' accounts
are set up.
"We know that kids want to watch their favourite shows and favourite
channels, but they want to choose where and how," Lucy Murphy, Sky's Head of
Kids content, said in showing off the new service.
"It's an intensively personal experience. Whether you're a 3-year-old girl or
an 8-year-old boy, when you open up the Sky Kids app, it will feel like yours."
It's only going to get better, too, with Sky already talking about a number
of major updates and new features it's got in the pipeline.
"We are going to continue to add new features and functions over the coming
months, including the ability to download shows onto the device," Murphy said.
"We will also be adding new Buddies animations and customisation options.
There will be a bedtime timer too, so parents can set a time they want the
content to go off. It won't just shut off though, even the Sky Buddies will
start yawning to show it's time to turn it off."
Hitting app stores tomorrow, March 31, the Sky Kids app will play nice with
iPads and a number of Android tablets and is free to all Sky customers with a
Variety bundle or higher.
Sky & Aardman are bringing back Morph for Sky's first original kids production
Finally, our childhoods are here again!
It's time to break out the clay and Play-Doh - Morph is coming back to our
TV screens with the backing of Sky.
Marking the broadcaster's first steps into original children's programming,
everyone's favourite speechless piece of art material is being resurrected
after a number of years locked away alongside Pingu and Bagpuss in the dusty
toy chest of past classics.
The Morph revival marks Sky's latest step in its sizeable push into a broader
kids TV offering.
"Last year we expanded our service from over 700 episodes to more than 4,000
episodes of the best kids programming available," said Luke Bradley-Jones,
Brand Director of TV Products at Sky.
"We are moving into original children's productions, much in the way we have
drama and sport, to bring new, exclusive content to kids.
"We will be starting with new episodes of children's classic Morph later this
year."
Produced in partnership with Oscar-winning animation studio and Wallace and
Gromit creators Aardman, the new Morph episodes will be joined by a series of
live action shows, getting kids into creating their own content.
"We're not just making animated episodes of Morph, we'll also be creating a
series of live action shows with Aardman, showing kids not only how to make
their own figure, but how to animate it and make short videos," said Lucy
Murphy, Head of Kids content at Sky.
Although slating the new Morph episodes for the coming year, Sky has yet to
put a precise date on when the new series will drop.
Stop everything! WhatsApp just introduced bold, italics and strikethrough text
Messaging app becomes ever so slightly more Microsoft Word-like.
WhatsApp has almost as many text options as a word processor following its
latest update.
The Facebook-owned messaging service has just introduced bold, italics and
strikethrough text to punctuate your conversations.
To embolden text, place an asterisk on either side of the message. For
example, *bold*.
For italics, do the same thing with underscores instead of asterisks and
place tildes (those squiggly hyphens) on each side of the message for
strikethrough text.
It is also possible to combine these effects if you want to get really
creative. For instance, _*bolditalics*_ will make your message both bold and
italic, in case you hadn't already guessed.
Another new feature included in the update is Google Drive integration, which
allows users to share files stored on the cloud service.
The update should find its way to iOS and Android automatically, taking the
former to version 2.12.17 and the latter to version 2.12.535.
Uber charges drunk passenger £102 for £15 journey as driver takes 20-mile
detour
Taxi firm apologies and promises a refund.
A drunk passenger was given a rude awakening after falling asleep in the
back of an Uber taxi.
Following a boozy night out in London, Daniel Kaizen came to and found that
he had been billed £102.17 for a five-mile trip between Old Street and Wood
Green.
The 26-year-old was initially told the journey would cost £15. The
discrepancy was the result of a 20-mile detour the driver took as he napped.
Kaizen was alerted to the mix-up when he switched on his phone to give the
driver a star rating. He probably sobered up quickly when he saw that bill.
"I nearly spat out my tea laughing at the route," The Telegraph quotes him as
saying.
Fortunately for Kaizen, Uber has apologised for the gaffe and promised to
refund the difference within the next five days.
Is the iPhone SE Apple's worst-performing iPhone launch EVER?
It had the lowest adoption in its first weekend compared to other models.
After its first weekend, it looks like people haven't exactly taken to the
iPhone SE.
According to Localytics, the iPhone SE managed to take only 0.1% of the
iPhone market, as measured by device adoption. The new phone was unable to take
away the iPhone 5's share, the model it most closely resembles.
The report states that the iPhone SE had the lowest adoption in the first
weekend of its availability compared to the iPhone 5S and all the 6 models. In
2013, the iPhone 5S captured 0.9% of the market.
"Because the features are largely the same as the previous two years' models,
the SE doesn't exactly scream, 'Buy me now!' Consumers who want the smaller SE
phone may be waiting until their annual upgrade," Localytics explained.
Hopefully for Apple, it's a marathon, not a sprint when it comes to the
iPhone SE. Digital Spy outlined the eight reasons why you should get one.
iPhone SE review: First impressions of Apple's affordable new 4-inch phone
Apple's cheapest ever iPhone is a mixed bag.
Welcome to the future. Or is it the past? Hmm. Apple's new handset, the
iPhone SE is here and it's melding the cutting-edge with the ageing, giving the
4-inch form factor another go and an almost retired design a new lease of life.
It's Apple's most affordable new smartphone to date too, although with a £359
asking price for the 16GB model (£439 for the 64GB option), it's still not
exactly cheap.
The SE isn't just about being more affordable than its big brothers though.
Its charm, for many at least, is that it's not too big. Many still covet a
smaller screen size, especially when it's strapped to an uncompromising set of
specs. That's what, for the most part at least, the SE does. Styled like the
iPhone 5S, but with a number of iPhone 6S features, it pairs the best of the
past with the must have of the now. On first use, however, it doesn't quite
strike the right balance. Here's why:
iPhone SE design: Rehashing a classic doesn't quite work
No, you've not fallen back in time to 2013, this isn't the iPhone 5S -
although it is based around the exact same design. Apart from a couple of new
colour schemes - the SE comes in gold and pink (rose gold), as well as silver
and space grey hues - and a new type of metal, there's no design difference
between the old and the rehashed.
It's a classic design, but not one of Apple's finest. Not as
generation-defining as the glass backed iPhone 4, or as sleek as the iPhone 6.
It's solid and stylish, but it's not going to get heads turning if you pull it
out at a party.
It still lines up at 7.6mm thick, it still features that in-demand 4-inch
display and it still weighs near enough the same, up 1 gram to 113g. It still
feels a little boxy too. Most smartphones now feature smooth, flowing lines
that are comfortable to hold. The SE's firmly squared edges feel harsh and
uncomfortable in contrast. Most of all though, it feels tiny.
Having spent years jumping between phones 4.7-inches and up, switching back
to a 4-inch form is jarring - seriously, how did we ever live like this? If
you're yet to adopt a larger phone, it won't be an issue, but if you're
planning on dropping down from a larger Android handset, prepare for a shock.
iPhone SE screen: The phone's major drawback is its (other) looks
Design's not everything, but even if you're happy to splash out on a phone
that looks a couple of years old, you're still going to want a screen worthy of
2016 and our binge-watching ways, right? Sadly that's where, on first
impressions at least, the iPhone SE really falls short. Screen quality lets
Apple down here.
There's nothing wrong with the display's size - it nails that 4-inch form as
promised - it's just a shame that it's still playing at the lower end of the
current resolution spectrum. Picking the device up for the first time, the
screen looks recessed, the framing is massive, and the screen itself feels a
considerable way behind the glass overlay.
Colours are impressive, but there's a little graining to text when compared
with QHD panelled phones. Even stretched across a paltry 4-inches, the 1136 x
640 pixel resolution feels a little lacking. When the screen looks older than
the hand-me-down design, you've got to question the true value of Apple's
supposed affordable phone. There's not even any 3D Touch skills to sweeten the
deal - boo.
iPhone SE features and performance: All the power, and classic Apple innards
The iPhone SE might be lacking in the screen stakes, but under the hood it's
right up there with the big boys. Powered by the same A9 processor as its
flagship sibling, it offers more grunt than any 4-inch phone, ever.
There's more power than you're realistically likely to need, but that's fine.
It just means the iOS 9.3 OS at its core is beautifully seamless and as
pleasingly smooth to use as ever. Here Apple's on to another winner, with new
features like the sleep-aiding Night Shift simply building on the best
smartphone OS going.
If you're an iPhone 5S owner and looking to upgrade, the SE's got a number of
features that its stylised sibling lacked, too. While a TouchID fingerprint
sensor makes another appearance, although it's the original unit slower than
that on the 6S, it's now paired with NFC connectivity options. Why should you
care? Well, that means the SE is now Apple Pay friendly, letting you ditch your
wallet to make inshore payments with your phone - nice.
iPhone SE camera: A true reason to upgrade?
The iPhone 5S's 8-meg camera wasn't bad. The iPhone SE's snapper though is
shaping up as something special, and a true reason to ditch your ageing iPhone
and upgrade. It features the same 12-megapixel iSight shooter as the iPhone 6S,
and that's one of the best cameras in the smartphone kingdom.
On first use, sample snaps were solid. Colours are bright and detailed and
content sharp. Focussing is speedy and the array of possible tweaks, filters
and effects vast. The trouble is, you could take the best photo in the world,
but when you've got to view them on this display - because, c'mon, who ever
actually transfers their snaps to the big screen, really? - it's hard to see
the benefit.
Up front the 1.2-megapixel FaceTime camera is perfectly satisfactory but
that's about it. Early shots we're pleasingly sharp but a little flat. It's got
nothing on the 6S's 5-megapixel offering - a shame considering its lower price
tag should make it more accessible to the selfie-loving yoots.
It's not just still images you can capture though. The iPhone SE is well up
on the 4K bandwagon and has even joined the iPhone 6S in boasting Live Photos
capture skills - y'know, those GIF-style moving snaps. Despite a couple of
grumbles, on first use, the iPhone SE's camera could be its standout feature.
First Impressions
On first use, the iPhone SE feels like a slightly confused device. It's a
perfectly acceptable phone, just one that never really wows. Yes, it's Apple's
cheapest phone yet, but it's still not going to be your wallet's best mate. For
the same price you can get a far better device, including the Samsung Galaxy
S6, but it won't pack Apple's logo, and that's the key.
It feels like a device purely for those intent on owning an iPhone, even if
they can't afford to plump for the headliner, or dislike the larger form
factors. There's nothing wrong with that though. It's making the joys of iOS
available to the wider masses, and the SE is making 4-inch phones acceptable
again, it's just a shame that it's not doing it with a bit more style.
8 iPhone SE features that will make you want one, from a pink body to Live
Photos
A serious smartphone without the serious price tag.
Roll up, roll up, there's a brand new iPhone in town and this one's bringing
an impressive array of features to the table without giving your wallet too
much of a beating - about time, right?
Having originally dropped at a dedicated launch event back in March 21, and
now available to buy, the iPhone SE lines up as a combination of iPhone
6S-introduced features wrapped in a reworking of the ageing iPhone 5S body.
It's Apple's attempt at upping its entry-level smartphone game, and there's
plenty to like, including this lot.
1. IT'S GOT A 4-INCH SCREEN
Oversized smartphones are all well and good, but there are many of us out
there who'd rather not have our skinny jeans straining at the seams when we try
to squeeze our portable blower into our pocket. Thankfully then, the iPhone SE
has returned to former Apple ground, dropping back to a 4-inch form factor.
Sure, this small-scale standing won't be for everyone, but if you find the
4.7-inch iPhone 6S too big and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus farcically
oversized, you're no longer cut out of the Apple ecosystem - huzzah.
2. IMAGE QUALITY IS TOP NOTCH
Cut-price smartphones have to cut significant corners, that's a given.
Thankfully though, Apple's been selective in the areas it's stripping back,
leaving its impeccable image quality well alone - cheers, guys.
Instead of scrapping the iPhone 6S's stunning 12-megapixel iSight snapper,
Apple has dragged the Samsung Galaxy S7-rivalling camera across to its new,
more affordable smartphone. The result is impressive visuals, even when the
lights have dropped.
3. IT'S CHEAPER THAN THE iPHONE 6S
Finally, Apple's launched a phone that's not going to cripple the ol' bank
balance. The iPhone SE is actually the company's most affordable new phone
ever, and lines up at almost £200 cheaper than the iPhone 6S, nice.
OK, so no, the iPhone SE isn't going to be your wallet's best friend, as with
a £359 asking price for the 16GB model, it's not exactly a budget handset. If
you're intent on owning an Apple handset and don't want to remortgage your
house, however, it's your best bet.
4. IT WILL HELP YOU FALL ASLEEP
No, not by being a boring, iterative update on an old design, but by running
iOS 9.3 direct from the box. As part of the iOS 9.3 update, Apple has
introduced Night Shift, a way of helping you drift into the land of nod without
having to discard your phone.
Cutting blue light levels, the pesky tech that gets your brain wired when
your body's tired, Night Shift automatically alters the colour balance, warmth
and brightness of your screen in the hours of darkness. 40 winks, here we come.
5. THERE'S NO PLASTIC IN SIGHT
Apple's last attempt at doing an 'entry level' iPhone, the iPhone 5C, was a
bit plastic fantastic. Sure, it looked pretty cool the day you took it out of
the box, but it aged terribly and cost far more than a plastic-clad phone ever
should.
In copying the ageing iPhone 5S design, Apple's helped keep the iPhone SE's
price down and moved to a solid, metal design. The SE might look a little dated
compared to the iPhone 6S, but it's still one of the better-looking mid-range
phones around.
6. THERE ARE PINK & GOLD MODELS
It's taken a while, but high-end hues are no longer limited to Apple's
flagship phone. The iPhone SE has not only ditched the garish vibrant tones of
the iPhone 5C, but it's traded up to adopt the same four colour options as its
flagship sibling.
Lining up alongside the tradition silver and space grey models are gold and
hugely popular rose gold (read pink) offerings.
7. APPLE PAY SUPPORT HAS LANDED
Given the SE's reduced price, you're going to have a bit of spare cash
knocking about your pockets after snapping one up. You should leave it just
there though, as Apple's new phone is taking you beyond the antiquated days of
cash with integrated Apple Pay support.
Inbuilt NFC means you can digitally recreate a copy of your bank card on the
4-inch device and then simply touch the phone to thousands of payment terminals
across the land to buy stuff. Cash, your days are numbered.
8. LIVE PHOTOS HELP YOU GET ANIMATED
It's not just image quality that the iPhone SE's got on its snap-happy side.
It's got a few bonus photo features thrown in for good measure too. As well as
a Retina flash to brighten up your selfies, Live Photos have made the cut.
Apple's answer to the humble GIF, Live Photos capture short video clips
either side of a still image, stitching everything together to create an
animated clip when you press on the snap. Introduced on the iPhone 6S, this is
the first time Live Photos have moved to a new device.
Updated: iPhone 7 release date, rumours, news, specs, price & everything you
need to know
Forget the iPhone 6S, that's old hat now, it's all about the iPhone 7.
It's official, the iPhone 7 release date is the next big event on the tech
calendar. With the year's leading Android phones now official and the Samsung
Galaxy S7 and LG G5 out, attention has turned to what Apple will do next, and
how it will back-up the brilliant iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.
There's plenty of iPhone 7 rumours already doing the rounds too, with the
upcoming handset being tipped as one of the most eagerly awaited devices in
recent times. Given the fickle, impatient nature of the tech industry, and our
insatiable need for something faster, thinner and with a new design, the iPhone
7 is expected to bring sweeping changes. Despite being set to host increased
storage and a new, dual-lens super zoom camera, it might not appease everyone
though, with claims it will ditch the headphone port rife - yes, really.
So, what exactly can we expect from the iPhone 7 release? Well, read on to
find out and bookmark this page as we'll continue to update it with all the
latest iPhone 7 rumours, leaks and announcements moving forward.
iPhone 7 release date: When can we expect it?
If you're putting off that overdue upgrade until the iPhone 7 drops, we've
some bad news for you; you've got one hell of a wait ahead. At least 6 more
long months, more than 180 sleeps of waiting as rival handsets - such as the
Galaxy S7 - tempt you along the way.
Although Apple is currently holding its iPhone 7 release date cards close to
its chest - and will likely continue to do so right up until the brink of
unveiling – the company's past smartphone launches can give us a sign of what's
to come moving forward.
Over the past five years – ever since the iPhone 4S, Apple has unveiled its
latest smartphone wares in early September, bringing the devices to retailers'
shelves just a few weeks later. There was no mention of it at March's iPhone SE
unveiling, so there's little reason not to expect the iPhone 7 to formally
enter the realms of reality in September 2016.
There have been claims from mooted supply chain sources that the iPhone 7
release date will be pushed forward to early summer, but we'd take these with a
pinch of salt for now. This might be pure conjecture, and one thing we know for
certain is that you're not going to have this device filling your pocket
anytime soon, sorry, folks.
iPhone 7 design: It's time for something new
The iPhone 7's design will inevitably be the phone's big talking point, after
all, tradition tells us it's time for something new, and who isn't excited
about that? The iPhone 6/iPhone 6S design is now in its second year, the
traditional cut-off point for past Apple efforts. With the next full step in
numerical announcements should come an all-new look and feel.
Just like the rounded iPhone 6 followed the boxy 5S, and the 4-inch 5 lined
up after the smaller 4S, the iPhone 7 will mark a new design direction for the
company that has time and again set the standard in smartphone aesthetics.
Sadly, what form this new look and feel will take is currently a mystery. Well,
mostly. Leaks have shown a device markedly similar to the 6S, albeit without
those ugly antenna lines.
Apple's also known to be working on curved and flexible phone designs –
leaked patents have told us so – but it is unclear if such a radical new form
factor will be bestowed on next year's phone or held off for future iterations.
It's also been mooted that the device could ape the likes of the Moto X Style
and Sony Xperia Z5 in boasting a water-resistant finish.
One thing we do know about the iPhone 7 design, however, is that it will be
slimmer than its predecessor. Leaked Apple patents have suggested the phone
could be considerably slimmer than this year's model, with the iPhone 6S having
jumped from the 6's 6.9mm to a slightly plumped 7.1mm form factor. As such,
expect the next-gen model to dip back beneath that 7mm marker. It's even been
suggested the phone will line up a full millimetre slimmer than its
predecessor, while the protruding rear camera looks set to be flattened out and
those slightly ugly antenna lines dropped.
iPhone 7 specs: It might be time to buy new headphones
This iPhone-themed Atkins diet could come at an audio-enabling cost. Despite
the headphone market universally supporting a standard 3.5mm audio jack - you
know the one - Apple patents have shown the iPhone 7 could forge its own path
in audio connections. It has been suggested the iPhone 7 could ditch a physical
headphone port altogether, forcing people to adopt either Bluetooth-friendly or
Lightning connection cans. A petition has already started to stop this
happening, however. Instead, it has been claimed the phone will boast improved
internal speakers.
Evidence of the headphone jack removal was on show when Twitter tipster
@OnLeaks shared a photo (below) that purportedly depicted a protective case for
the handset. Yep, you guessed it - there was no space for a 3.5mm input in
sight.
A slimmer handset can add features though, and here increased storage
capacities are expected. With iPhone's having capped out at 128GB in recent
years, leaks have suggested a new, 256GB model will land for the deep of
pocket. Battery life shouldn't suffer either. Heck, it could even improve, with
Apple known to be working on contactless wireless charging to make re-juicing a
whole lot easier.
This isn't where the early iPhone 7 specs leaks have stopped, either. The
phone's new power supply has already made a premature appearance. As if the
Apple's current A9 chip didn't offer enough power, early leaks have claimed the
upcoming iPhone 7 will see the iPad maker move to a new, more powerful six-core
processor. As well as introducing added grunt, the new chip – presumably set to
be dubbed the A10, because that's how numbers work – the added cores should see
Apple better manage this power, further helping extend the phone's already
impressive battery life. Longterm partner won't be making the A10 though, with
TSMC having been given the nod. A new wireless connection standard LiFi - which
transmits data over a light-based spectrum - has also been tipped for inclusion.
Another potential change teased by Apple's busy patent filers, is the
addition of a virtual keyboard. An unlikely addition for next year's model -
this is probably one for a lot further down the roadmap, Apple is known to be
working on a way of digitally projecting a keyboard onto flat surfaces, letting
users type freely without a physical add-on - sounds handy, right?
iPhone 7 screen: It's time to move to Full HD
Like with the phone's design, it's time for Apple to up its screen efforts.
Although the iPhone 6S offers one of the brightest, most vibrant and colour
accurate displays on the market, its resolution is lacking by current standards.
The device's 4.7-inch screen boasts a 1334 x 750 pixel resolution. When the
likes of the LG G4 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ are now rocking 2560 x 1440
pixel, QHD panels, and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium has just landed as the
world's first phone with a 4K display, the Apple offering is starting to look
slightly grainy and dated.
While it's unlikely that Apple will jump straight to a QHD display - that
sort of numerical specs race baying is not the company's style - early
speculation has suggested the iPhone 6S Plus's 1080p, Full HD panel could be
scaled down for the smaller of Apple's two flagship phones.
A feature tipped to have been bestowed on the 6S before sadly missing the
cut, we'd be hugely surprised to see the iPhone 7 not running a Full HD, 3D
Touch-friendly panel.
iPhone 7 camera: Dual lens snapper to offer super zoom skills
In keeping with the phone's design and screen updates, expect the iPhone 7 to
be on the receiving end of a major camera update. Well, if you're happy to
plump for the larger handset option that is.
The iPhone 6S already features one of the best smartphone snappers in all the
land, and this 12-megapixel offering looks set to be given a dual-lens spit
polishing. While an improved megapixel count isn't guaranteed, the iPhone 7 has
been tipped to adopt a dual-lens construction.
What's the benefit? Well, according to leaked Apple patents, the move would
allow the next-gen iPhone to offer impressive zoom options without hampering
image quality. It will also enable split-focus skills which lets users choose
focus points after shots have been captured. It's been suggested this
second-lens snapper will be limited to the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus though.
The 12-megapixel sensor looks set to further tweaked too. Apple has a team of
800 engineers working on the phone snapper, with the camera to be made up of
more than 200 pieces. A few further software enhancements will be thrown into
the mix too. 4K video capture, a new addition on the 6S, is likely to be an
increased focus in late 2016, too as the next-gen imaging tech becomes more
prevalent.
iPhone 7 software: Siri wants to listen to everything
Given that the iOS 9 update has only just hit existing iPhones and iPads,
Apple's next software release is still a largely unknown entity. It's pretty
damn likely to be dubbed iOS 10 (or X) though, because, again, that's just how
numerical progression works.
While the ins-and-outs of the iPhone 7-bound software are unclear, a couple
of early rumours have started to float around.
One such report has tipped further Siri progression to be atop the features
hit list. According to unnamed insiders, it has been suggested that Siri will
soon gain the ability to transcribe your voicemails, converting them into text
form. Handy? Sure. Sinister that Siri's listening into your voicemails? You bet.
iPhone 7 price: Start saving now
As we're sure you can appreciate, there's no official word on the iPhone 7
price just yet, and there won't be anytime soon. Again though, just like the
company's launch patterns, Apple's past pricing structures offer a heavy hint
as to what's to come next time around.
The iPhone 6S is expensive. A lofty price tag is a staple feature of all
Apple handsets, so don't expect the iPhone 7 price to be anything but
wallet-stretchingly high.
iPhone 6S prices start at £539 for the 16GB model and we can't expect the
iPhone 7 to rock up any cheaper. You might want to start saving those pennies
now then.
9 things you wrongly thought Apple invented, from the touchscreen to tablets
What do you mean they didn't invent the iPod?
Apple celebrated it's 40th birthday on April 1st. And that means one thing -
it's time to deliver some serious birthday bumps. Having been founded in the
garage of Steve Jobs' parents on this day back in 1976, Apple has gone on to
become the biggest company in the world, the most valuable brand in history,
and the creator of some of the most iconic gadgets the world has ever seen.
It's not the omnipotent innovator many believe, though. Yes, Apple's behind
some of the best tech going, but it's definitely more of a marketing master
than an out-and-out innovator. Which is probably why all of these breakthroughs
are all-too-regularly mistakenly attributed to The Big A.
1. MP3 PLAYERS
The iPod catapulted Apple to stratospheric heights after a number of years in
the relative wilderness. It's a device that defined a generation and spawned
hundreds of copycat products, but it was anything but the original MP3 player.
People had ditched their Walkmans, Discmans and even minidisc players long
before the original iPod dropped in 2001. Heck, digital storage of portable
music had been around for years.
What Apple did was wrap it in a nicer, easier-to-use package and,
importantly, pair it with iTunes, a simple digital shop where you could
actually download music rather than having to go to the hassle of ripping all
of your CDs.
2. TABLET COMPUTERS
No, without Apple there probably wouldn't be a major tablet market right now.
But that doesn't mean they were the pioneer of devices that aren't quite a
smartphone, but aren't quite a laptop either. In fact Apple was pretty late to
the tablet party - about 20 years in fact, unless you count the Newton
"personal digital assistant".
Early tablets like the EO Personal Communicator were miles away from the
original iPad, with clunky monochrome displays and temperamental styluses. The
iPad might have reinvented an industry, but it didn't create the in-betweeny
form factor.
3. FINGERPRINT SCANNERS ON SMARTPHONES
Where Apple leads, the masses follow, right? Well, yes and no. Since
introducing its TouchID sensor on the iPhone 5S back in 2013, every new
smartphone worth its weight has added a security-improving fingerprint scanner.
They've landed on the front, back and sides of phones, been hidden within
buttons and are heading under screens. But Apple got there first, right? Wrong.
Smartphone biometrics had been around for years before Apple joined the fray.
Again though, Apple made the whole process a lot slicker and now even lets you
use nothing more than your finger to approve in-store purchases via Apple Pay.
4. THE MOUSE
It's true - before the days of the 1984 Apple Macintosh, computers were a
thing you needed a keyboard and a degree in coding to control. But while Apple
made the mouse popular, it didn't invent it.
Xerox – yes, the same one that makes your office photocopier – pioneered the
computer mouse three years earlier. Steve Jobs reportedly saw an early demo
while touring Xerox's offices and decided to pinch the idea, the scoundrel.
5. THE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
Like the mouse, Apple's early computers stood out for their, at the time,
stunning graphics that shunned endless lines of code for a more picture-heavy
user experience. But credit for the graphical user interface needs to be
dropped at Xerox's door once again.
The 1981 Xerox Star introduced the GUI to the general consumer. It wasn't
until three years later that the original Macintosh dropped and introduced
itself – literally – in graphically superior form.
6. TOUCHSCREEN PHONES
Would touchscreen phones have taken off without the iPhone? Yes, obviously.
It's a superior means of device control than the traditional button array, and
had already been around for some time when Apple entered the smartphone race.
While the original iPhone might have been the first touchscreen phone you
wanted to own, it certainly wasn't the first to hit retailers' shelves. It was
slicker though, not requiring you to force the display to recognise the
presence of a finger or two. Multitouch is another Apple biggie that wasn't
invented by Apple.
7. RETINA DISPLAYS
Touch isn't the only display tech that Apple's passed off as its own – its
easy-on-the-eye Retina panels were pinched too. Well, sort of. While it's true
Apple invented the Retina display, that's only because a 'Retina' panel is just
a marketing term for a higher resolution screen.
The iPhone 4 streaked ahead of the competition in terms of visual clarity
when it dropped, but these high-res panels had been floating around on larger
products for some time. Now, with the iPhone 6S still sporting a 1334 x 750
pixel Retina display, Apple's smartphones have gone from visual pioneers to
lagging behind the leaders.
8. VIDEO CALLING & FACETIME
FaceTime finally made video-calling acceptable to the masses when it was
introduced back in 2010, but it certainly wasn't the first video-calling
service. The ability to have digital face-to-face conversations – even on your
smartphone – had been around for a couple of years. FaceTime was just a
marketing-friendly name for a technology that had been around – and widely
ignored – for years. Sorry Skype, we know you got there first.
9. SMARTWATCHES
If you saw last year's Apple Watch unveiling, you'd be forgiven for thinking
Apple hadn't just invented the connected wearable, but all wristwear, ever,
too. Merging technologies developed by rivals in recent years, the Apple Watch
gave it all a bit of a polish to make nerd-wear widely acceptable.
