A week in tech: iPhone 5S latest rumours
Stuff the worlds best selling gadget magazine, fills us in on the hottest tech news from the week including the latest iPhone 5S rumours and the Samsung Galaxy Gear launch.
Apple to launch iPhone 5S on September 10
This week, Apple sent out press invitations to a September 10 event at its Cupertino campus.
The invite confirms reports of a September 10 product announcement, and from the phrase, This should brighten everyones day it seems all but certain that well get our first official look at the iPhone 5C, the cheaper, plastic-bodied iPhone model set to come in a wide range of colour finishes.
Its highly likely that the iPhone 5S a more powerful version of the iPhone 5 will also be shown off, so well get to see if the rumours of a gold iPhone are on the money. If true, itll be the first time Apple has ever launched more than one model of iPhone at a single event. They are expected to hit the shops on September 20.
Its official: the 5.7in phablet is here with a scorching 8-core processor, brand new S Pen andleather back.
The third annual update to the Note line, the Note 3 sits somewhere between a smartphone and a tablet, sporting the largest, sharpest display on a Note yet: a 5.7in AMOLED screen with full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution
That big screen is backed up by big specs: an Octo Core processor from Samsung clocked to 1.9GHz for the 3G version, and a four-core 2.3GHz processor for LTE phones (and, likely, some global markets). You also get a whopping 3GB of RAM; Impressive stuff from a hardware point of view.
Theres also support for 4G LTE data and high quality 24-bit audio, and options for 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD), plus a giant 3200mAh battery, the same found in the Galaxy Mega
The Galaxy Note 3 will be released on September 25, and although pricing and contract info has yet to be revealed, UK carriers EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have already announced that theyre carrying the phone. SIM-free shop Unlocked Mobiles, meanwhile, is offering the 32GB model in black or white for just shy of £600.
Wrist at the ready: the Samsung Galaxy Gear is go!
After a long wait and reams of speculation, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is here.
Samsung unveiled the smartwatch at its pre-IFA Unpacked event in Berlin, and its looking to wrap around your wrists with a packed spec sheet.
Running on a Samsung-modified version of Android, it features a 1.63in AMOLED screen with a 320×320 resolution. It links up with your mobile phone via low power Bluetooth Smart to stay connected, and can then provide you with a constant update of notifications for texts, emails, social media updates and incoming calls.
Theres no pricing available at the moment, but the Galaxy Gear will be launched in more than 140 countries around the world from 25 September.
The Honami is real: Sonys 20MP Xperia Z1 superphone launches
Sony has unveiled its latest flagship phone, the Xperia Z1, at the IFA tech show in Berlin.
Formerly leaked about a billion times under the codename Honami, the Xperia Z1 looks a lot like its predecessor, the Xperia Z, with an aluminium and glass build and a 5in display but under the hood its been given a substantial spec boost. A 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with Adreno 330 GPU provides the grunt, which coupled with the phones 2GB of RAM should keep Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean ticking along nicely. You also get 16GB of internal storage (expandable by up to 64GB via microSD) and a 3000mAh battery.
Round the front, the Xperia Z1 rocks a 5in 1080p screen with the same Triluminos and X-Reality tech found in the Xperia Z Ultra, wrapped up in a 170g frame that features new and improved IP55 and IP58 water- and dust-proofing. But the real news is the camera which features a whopping 1/2.3in 20.7MP Exmor RS CMOS sensor.
Available in the standard Xperia hues of black, white and purple, the Xperia Z1 will hit shelves in September, although exact pricing and release date info have yet to be revealed.
Meet the laser-guided beard trimmer
Philips has brought the worlds first laser-guided beard trimmer to IFA. The Beard Trimmer 9000′s pop-out laser casts a red line in perfect level with its cutting elements on to your face so that your Craig David beard will be sharp enough to score glass.
The dual-sided Beard Trimmer 9000 has 17 lock-in length setting in 0.2mm increments. With this device, you dont cut hair you engineer it.
But how are you to decide exactly how your perfectly pruned chops should look before you press the power button Thats where Grooming Guide comes in, Philips free AR iPad app that allows you to choose a facial hair style from a gallery of trendy model heads and apply the look to your own visage using the iPads front camera.
