Microsoft to Release Xbox One with Another Big But

When the Xbox One was first revealed in May, Microsoft stated that users would be able to expand the system's internal hard drive with an external USB storage device. But, when it first releases it won't have this functionality because Microsoft are confused all the time.

Speaking during a live podcast recorded at PAX this weekend, Xbox Community Manager Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb said that, while the external storage feature is being worked on, "my understanding is that feature will not be there at launch because the team's working on other things. It's definitely on the list; I don't know when it will come in, though."

This will most likely result in most people waiting till next year before they buy the console because my guess is this will be one of many things for Microsoft to me up.

In comparison, according to Sony Head of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida, the PlayStation 4 will not support external USB storage for installed games, but PS4 users will be able to replace the 500GB internal hard drive in the system with expanded storage. (The Xbox One will not offer direct physical access to the internal hard drive for replacement.) Nintendo's Wii U supports external USB hard drives of up to 2TB in size.

One Touch Hero Unveiled

Alcatel's One Touch Scribe HD has been replaced with a newer sibling. The One Touch Hero.

The Android 4.2 smartphone upgrades to a 6-inch 1080p LCD screen, and gives a choice of optional cover accessories that enhance the pretty big display.

An E-Ink cover for example, lets owners read books without using the power-hungry main screen. There's also a wireless charging cover available and a MagicFlip cover for LED notifications. Even without those extra bits, the Hero is a hell of a lot more powerful than its Scribe HD predecessor. It carries a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, a sharper 13-megapixel rear camera, an improved 2-megapixel front shooter and either 8GB or 16GB of expandable storage.

For those interested, the One Touch Hero will be available in October in the "high-end" price band. According to stats, this wont be the best on the market as the galaxy S4 has a whopping 1.9Ghz processor but to get a truthful comparison we will have to wait till it comes out. However, it does look much nicer than the S4 and will probably gain sales because of that.

Pressy, "The Almighty Android Button"

Most famous Kickstarter campaigns all share some crazy high of raising outlandish sums of money to create some next gen android consoley shit and it takes months or years to get to the target. Well, Pressy still had a pretty high goal of $40,000 (£25,682) managed to get an outstanding $60,000 (£38,523) in one day alone.

Yes. They destroyed their goal by over £10,000 in one, single day.

So, why all the hype?  Pressy is an accessory that plugs into the 3.5mm headphone jack on your phone, giving you the ability to “perform your favourite and most common actions with a simple, intuitive physical button.” The free Pressy application that comes with it allows you to configure custom actions based on a variety of button press sequences. Using Pressy, you could launch your camera and take a picture with two short presses of the button, or call your mates with one short press and two long presses. If like me, you use headphones with your headphone port, fear not. The Pressy app can also be used with the in-line button on your headphones. So it also works as an app for use with headphones, wonderful.

      

All of the “early bird” Kickstarter deals for Pressy have already sold out, but you can still grab one for as little as a tenner. With so much funding, the Nimrod Back team should have no issues getting the product manufactured in the 4 month time-frame they have set for themselves.

The currently have 16,135 backers, £245,969 raised and 41 days to go! If you would like to back the project click here to get to the Kickstarter page

BlackBerry Prematurely Announce Multidevice BBM Release

Yes. BlackBerry have made the ultimate noob move. They successfully managed to state the release of the Android and iOS BBM apps before they become available.

There are 2 things to gain from this. First of all, this gives the impression they have successfully made either one or both of the apps and they will be released soon and a friendly reminder that BlackBerry are very bad at everything. Unless they are purposely building up hype but I don't think that's the case.

So yeah, just thought id let you know this happened. BYE!

JUST SO YOU KNOW: This was first discovered by CrackBerry

New Z1 Trailer Released by Xperia to Give us a Nice Peek

The Xperia Z1 hasn't really caught my eye but it seems that completely leaking your new device before you even launch it is the way firsts. In this treat from Sony, we get a teaser video for the device that shows off almost the entire phone.

The all revealing video shows off the crazy ass 20MP camera with a Sony G lens and circular power button on the side. Another nice touch is the dedicated camera button. So any instagram hipsters and photo happy people should be pleased as these buttons have disappeared throughout the evolution of phones.

Looking at the design of the phone, it seems it has a glass back (this is often used to make your phone look and feel more expensive). Seeing as the phone is submerged in water at one point, it appears the Xperia Z1 will be just as waterproof as the Z model.

So you can see why I have turned a blind eye to this but the post felt necessary so there you go. The video is somewhere in this post if you want it.

Windows 8.1 is Ready. But.....

Yep, you guess it, it's a massive but! It will be unavailable to the average human being until October.

Only yesterday, Microsoft completed Windows 8.1 it has been seeded to manufacturers. But us less important must wait until October 18th. Strangely, MSDN and TechNet subscribers won’t get an early look in despite the face they ARE developers, but that's just how Microsoft rolls I guess.

The reason this matters to technological society is this means Microsoft get another shot at getting into the glorious tablet market as this will only be available for tablets. This also seems like Microsoft are slowing down the whole PC market thing as tablet's are supposedly taking over the pc (I personally disagree).

So yeah, that happens. Windows 8.1 in 2 months

Xbox ONE: First Thoughts

The Xbox's specs were briefly mentioned as an 8-Core CPU, 8GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, Blu-ray drive (FINALLY), Wi-Fi direct, USB 3.0 and 1080p wide camera. Basically the same as PS4 but with a camera. Microsoft had shown the Xbox and the controller straight away, the X(box) is just a box and the controller is another bog standard controller. 

First of all: NO!!

What I understand from the stream, is that the new features consist of an OS that makes use of Voice Control and gestures. I am not to keen on this as people like to talk freely and move there arms without wanting a response. They also talked about the Skype features and a new peek thingy which lets you do 2 things at once. STILL NOTHING ON GAMING

It also uses Explorer, Windows 8 and etc

They then went on to talk about their TV things. Basically, a freeview box. The problem is, I Smart TV can do all this and this doesn't work well when you have a subscription box.

The first piece of gaming news was that all games run on the cloud and it is constantly online. Does this mean I don't buy discs? or don't save games locally? I don't know. They also said that the Xbox Live still costs money and it will have 300,000 servers, so some good news.

They introduced an EA Sports guy with 2 watches but the stream broke. 

The last thing they did was show of Call of Duty: Ghosts first they showed a trailer and boasted their new engine along with a dog. When they said they will show gameplay, they showed another trailer, when that ended, the stream stopped. No goodbyes, No thank yous, NOTHING

Final Thoughts: If I want a TV I will buy one, a games console is not a TV, what did you actually change in terms of gameplay?, and what makes you think this is better than the PS4?

Please comment your thoughts below. Any pro Xbox comments will face my rage

I am severely disappointed in you Xbox

BBM For Android and Apple??

Hey Guys,

What are your thoughts on BlackBerry? Boring? Not innovative? Only good for BBM?

Well that will change soon..
Last week at BlackBerry Live, CEO Thorsten Heins announced that they will be making BBM available to download for Android and iOS devices. This basically means that BlackBerry is just turning BBM into a WhatsApp or Kik messenger service.

Heins tries to rectify his decision in saying that it is a "state of confidence" and “The BB10 platform is so strong and the response has been so good that the time is right for BBM to become an independent mobile messaging platform.”

The app will be free on both Android and iOS. Much like other messaging apps, it will be a standalone application. iOS 6 or Ice Cream Sandwich will be required.

To begin with, the app will only offer basic messaging and group features. But Heins promises that the rest of BBM will eventually make its way to the Android and iOS versions including screen sharing, BBM voice and the just-announced BBM channels.

Heins proudly stated "We are making the BBM platform more powerful than ever!" but he is obviously an idiot because people only buy BlackBerry's because of it's quick messaging and the BBM service. 

I will obviously downloading this app because it will support my argument in saying BlackBerry phones are pointless and only have the ability to browse and chat, making them an average instead of Smartphone. 

There is still no sign of BBM on Windows Phone but no doubt, they just forgot about it. It is likely that the Windows OS will soon have an app.

Thanks for reading! Please let me know your thoughts and your opinions by commenting below. 

FUNNY GOOGLE GLASS PIC ALERT

Hey Guys,

As I said before, I never have enough time to post but.....


OMG FUNNY LOLS

Larry Page Confirms that Android Run's Google Glass

Hey Guys,

I have more beautiful Google Glass news!

So, recent interview, Google’s very own Larry Page has confirmed that Google Glass definitely runs the Android operating system. While it was widely assumed so, an almost obvious to me, no official confirmation has been made until now. While it is a modified version of Android, it is nice to showcase the immense flexibility of Google’s operating system and it’s diversity in cross-platform.
You might be thinking, what is the relevance of this? Well, integration with Glass and your Android powered smartphone or any other device would be incredibly easy and most likely recommended.

So everyone, does this confirmation make you guys any more excited for Google’s Glass’ impending release? If so share you point of view in the comments below!!

Google Glass Companion App, “MyGlass” Arrives in Google Play Store

Hey Guys,

Following the information on Google Glass I delivered a couple days ago, I have found out a companion app made by Google from the Google Play Store, MyGlass. The app will be used to configure and manage a Google Glass device. It should be pretty obvious that the app is of no use to anyone unless they have a Google Glass device, but Google makes that quite clear with their description:

If you don’t have Glass, then downloading this will be a waste of time. Sorry about that. But if you swipe the screenshots to the right you’ll see there’s a picture of a puppy in pajamas. So not a total waste of time after all.

So basically, a Google Glass app is in existence, Google can't spell pyjamas and PUPPIES IN PYJAMAS.

If you wish you can take a look at the puppy below!!

Google Glass, Stuff That I Forgot to Talk About

Hey Guys,

You may have heard of Google Glass before or you may not have. I for one had heard about it a while back but it seems I have forgotten to talk about it her. I apologise about that. As I have not told you anything about it I feel I should do so now.

Google Glass has not been released yet but they are "smart" glasses, so to speak, engineered by our future overlords, Google. This actually revolutionary product that look a lot like sun glasses but have very intelligent Android type features such as video recording, searching, video calling and many other commands.




The idea is that you have a small, partially transparent screen on the top corner of your glasses and line of view includes that corner. This means you can easily see your navigation route or viewing your calendar just by looking a little to the right. I mean, who doesn't want a virtual computer interface in the corner of your eye? To have more of an insight on what the interface looks and feels like be sure to click here!

Everything operates via voice command and brags it's convenience and mostly awesome. The glasses themselves look quite stylish and they claim to be strong and light. To find more information on what potential it has click right here!

Unfortunately, I've been too late to tell you about this for you to apply for a free pair :( But you can still get involved in the conversation with the hash-tag #ifihadglass, and if you would like to stay informed visit here regularly or fill in the form here!

Next iPhone Rumoured to Have 12MP Camera?

Hey Guys,

The iPhone 6 or 5S or whatever dull name they to call it, you can bet a next-gen model is coming, and I'm starting to find a few rumours of what we can expect inside it. According to a new report, it’s packing camera tech to take on the likes of HTC and Nokia with a 12-megapixel camera and some crazy-ass-low-light super powers.

A source at Wonderful Saigon Electrics, the Vietnamese branch of a Japanese company that supplies cameras for the iPhone, has revealed to the guys at Tinhte.vn that the next-gen iPhone will come packing an improved camera, upping the eight-megapixel sensor inside the iPhone 5 to a whopping 12-megapixels, just like the S4's 13MP camera.

If the source is right, other added imaging features too, such as improvement in HDR video recording, a feature that’s making its way to some of the higher end Android phones and greatly improves performance in shots of extreme brights and blacks.

The Vietnamese site has been spot on with information before as they posted a hands-on video of Apple’s new Earpods before they came out, and correctly predicted that the iPhone 5 would have an 8-megapixel camera too. Of course, it’s worth taking the rumour very lightly until Apple unveils the next iPhone, but I’ll do my best to keep you updated on all the news along the way!!

So.. what are your opinions on the camera? Still feel 8MP is enough? Or will you be going for the extra 1 MP with the S4? Share opinions in the comments below!!

Sony PS4 UK Price and Release Date Revealed. And It's Reasonably Priced!!

Prepare for some next-gen gaming, as a next-gen console will be coming later this year, the Sony PlayStation 4 is set to sell in October and according to a new report, you can get one for £300. Which is pretty awesome!!

View PS4 game trailers here

The Sun states that Sony will be launching its new console in October, which matches up with what Sony said when the console was announced last month, that it would be released before the end of the year. The launch price, however, looks to be a lot less than what Sony wanted for the PlayStation 3 when it first launched back in 2007 for a crazily priced £425. That’s a big drop, but it makes sense in a world where £99 Android consoles and the free to play businesses exist, threatening both Sony and Microsoft’s expensive consoles.

Although this is all speculation from The Sun, not the most reliable newspaper at the best of times, at this point all hints are proving it to be reliable info, and I'd be disheartened if I heard anything different later down the line. Sadly we still don’t know what the console will look like, as Sony is keeping quite about the design and some of the specifics, but we do know it’ll come with a revamped DualShock 4 with a new touch pad, stream down PlayStation games and let you brag to all your friends with that new Share function.

Will you be keeping October free in your spending calendar so you can get your hands on the PS4 or are you firmly holding out for the next-gen Xbox? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Google Translate Finally Gets Offline support on Android!

Hey Guys,

So I'm sure at some point in your lives, you have been abroad and struggled with the language. What is the solution?? A phrasebook may seem useful, but you won't seem fluent. And using for phone for Google Translate will incure major roaming fees, until now...

Google have sent out an update for their Google Translate app that allows you to translate languages OFFLINE!!!

As long as you own an Android phone with 2.3 or up, you can grab the updated app from Google Play and translate 50 different languages offline to your will. You’ll need to download the desired language pack first to use it without a connection, so plan ahead before you leave, and once you’ve got them saved to your phone, you won’t need to scramble around for a free Wi-Fi hotspot again just to ask a local where the IT cafe is, or the cheese shop.

Google says that the offline translation dictionary is slightly less comprehensive than any online result, but it should still prove useful and help you in a situation where you need to ask someone directions or try and have a conversation.

So, will you be using this useful feature, or do you have an iOS device? Share your opinions in the comments below!!

Galaxy S4 Up For Preorder

Hey Guys,

The Samsung Galaxy S4 doesn’t hit the shelves until the 26th April, but if you just can’t wait to get hold of the full HD, turbo-charged Android smartphone, there's some good news for you; it’s now up for pre-order with your network of choice.

Vodafone, EE and Three have all now made the Samsung Galaxy S4 available for pre-order, as have stores Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U, and you can predict that O2 won’t be far behind.

Each network are trying to give their own offers with it: EE is providing accessory packs worth £55 thrown in for pre-orderers, while Phones4U is offering up to £100 in Google Play vouchers for those who opt for a Samsung Galaxy S4 on EE 4G through the store. I would go for the Phones4U deal.

If you can cope without 4G super speeds (or you don’t yet live in an area with LTE coverage), the best deal so far is with Three, which is offering a free Samsung Galaxy S4 on a two year contract for £35 per month, with unlimited data, 500 minutes and 5,000 text messages. That offer is crazy!!

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is shaping up to be a true iPhone slayer, with a massive 1080p screen, quad-core processor and 13 megapixel camera, plus the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board!

What is your opinion on the best deal? Share your opinions in the comments below!

Digg to Create an Improved Google Reader Replacement

Hey Guys,

In hearing Google’s latest decision to drop the Google Reader, Digg has announced their efforts to replace it with another RSS reader of their own. In a recent outline released by Digg, they hint at what their new feed reader design goals will be. According to Digg there are four “key points” behind the basis of the

design: 

I created this picture with the Digg and RSS logo's
All myself!!

1. Keep it simple, stupid
2. Make it fast (like, really fast)
3. Synchronize across devices
4. Make it easy to import from existing Google Reader accounts

Although I'm guessing that most RSS readers aim to be that way.

Digg says that Google Reader had room for meaningful improvement, despite doing a lot of things right. Its goal is to create a “clean and flexible” service which ”bends easily and intuitively to the needs of different users.”

Apparently, social services like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit, LinkedIn, and Hacker News will also be linked in to the reader platform. Which were not given any attention during Google Reader’s lifetime.

They say that they "don’t expect this to be a trivial undertaking. But we’re confident we can cook up a worthy successor." They also say that "In order to pull this off in such a small window, we’re going to need your help. We need your input on what you want to see in a reader. What problems should it solve for you? What’s useful? What isn’t? What do you wish it could do that it can’t today?"

To send them or input or if you would just like to know the latest news about it click here!! Or if you would like to see the original Digg Blog post click here!!

What do you think is necessary in an RSS reader? Already found an alternative? Please share you thoughts in the comments section below!!

Alternatives to Google Reader

Google has announced the closure of Google Reader and we need to find an alternative to read RSS feeds. After my research, I have narrowed down the top 3!!

Feedly!

Feedly is an RSS Reader for the Google Chrome browser, as well as, iOS and Android platforms. 

Much like Google Reader, Feedly allows you to sort your feeds, use keyboard shortcuts and share stories to friends via Facebook and Twitter. This also has an auto "mark as read" feature. Below will be a first look at Feedly in the form as a video. Carry on reading for more alternatives.

Pulse

Pulse is a picture based reader where the first thing you see is a picture from the post and a title. When reviewing it didnt work and you were unable to change the layout and I couldnt import my Google Reader data. Carry on reading to see the last alternative.

The Old Reader

The Old Reader is designed to look like the old Google Reader, this is perfect if you prefer the retro over the modern look. The only problem is, it doesn't yet have a mobile app, but they are working on it. Another major flaw is that since the announcement of Google Reader shutting down it no longer works properly, so my review of The Old Reader is actually a tutorial of how to export subscriptions on Google Reader found here.

Goodbye Google Reader :'(

I apologise for this blog being dormant over the past few weeks, I have been overloaded with school work.
But now it is the holidays, I can get on with posting here!!

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Hey Guys,

A sad moment on the interweb has happened, Google has announced the retirement of Google Reader and many other applications. But more importantly, the retirement of Google Reader.

I and many others will be sad to see it go. I use Google Reader almost constantly, it's where I get my technology news to talk to you about. Luckily, all hope is not lost as they are giving 3 months, until the 1st of July to find a new RSS reader. Google will let you export you feeds via Google Takeout so you can import them into an alternative reader. Click here to view alternatives to Google Reader.

Google will also be saying goodbye to:

• GUI Builder and five UiApp widgets, the GUI builder will be available until September
• CalDAV API, except this will be whitelisted
• Google Building Maker, also known as, Google Sketchup. Which is perfect for creating 3D models of houses
• Google Cloud Connect, which is a plugin that automatically backs up Microsoft Office files. Seeming a bit useless with the existence of Google Drive
• The Google Voice App for Blackberry
• Snapseed Desktop, but the iOS and Android Apps will still be avaliable

Many of these applications have been completely unused by me, but nevertheless, people will be missing them. Google state that "These changes are never easy. But by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on building great products that really help in their lives." And I agree!

For more information, visit the Google Blog to more information on this matter.

For help on exporting your subscriptions view the video below!

Google Play Gift Cards Now Available in the UK, Tesco and Morrisons Confirmed as Retail Partners

Hey Guys,

Google launched it's gift cards for its for the Play Store in US retailers just over six months ago, now they are finally arriving in the UK. You'll be able to pick them up in the same categories in the US - £10, £25 and £50. The confirmed retail outlets for the cards so far are Tesco and Morrisons supermarkets, but it would be surprising if that list didn't grow quite soon. As for online retailers, none have been spoken. There will be no restrictions on what type of content you can redeem them against, with books, movies, music, magazines and  apps are usable too.