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Tuesday, November 5, 2013
iPhone 5S review
/The iPhone 5S: a phone that looks like the iPhone 5, but goes so much further under the hood. Is that going to be enough to impress the baying hoardes?
We've been here before: the iPhone 'S' conundrum. The new phone comes along, taking the shell of the previous model, adds some new bits and pieces, and then claims to be an entirely new phone.
Scores in depth
Which it is, of course. But also it isn't. Well, mostly is. To be sure, it's the kind of move that only Apple can pull off with any kind of conviction: the notion that it can take the same chassis, have a little tinker, throw in a new CPU, slightly better battery and camera, and call it an all-conquering device.
But then again, such is the clamour to know all about it, is that such a bad move? There are literally millions of people the world over who can't wait to see what the next handset from Apple will be, and there was no surprise with the iPhone 5S.
There are a few who question whether it's 'fair' to launch a phone and then append an 'S' to the same thing a year later - Apple's response would likely be that nobody is forcing you to buy the new hardware. And that's a fair point. Yes, this is a phone that bears far too many hallmarks of its predecessor. And yes, this is the third time Apple has done this.
It's also managed to try to pop it onto the market complete as one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G plans. You'll be looking at post £50 a month to get one without an upfront fee in the UK, and £549 will be the price if you want the low end model, pushing all the way up to over £700 for the 64GB variant.
But if it was such a bad business move, if the market wasn't willing to accept such a thing, then Apple would have folded as a smartphone brand years ago... or at least been lagging behind the competition.
That said, times are changing in the smartphone landscape. Where before Apple was able to just create the phone it wanted, and forget the competition in the knowledge that it wasn't going to have to worry about losing consumers to a competitor, now it's been forced to realise that there are at least four decent options for a consumer to think about if they want to get a rather good handset.
Apple is obviously aware of this change, be it the aluminium unibody of theHTC One, the new fight into low-light cameras or the need for a strong processor as a headline to shout about. And to be fair, it's addressed these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.
iPhone 5S unboxing, in association with O2 Guru
Be it the all-new Touch ID home button (which is excellent, more on that later), the huge jump in CPU power or the fact the camera has, once again, been improved no end, the new iPhone is clearly Apple's attempt at bringing as much as it can to the party without having to re-design the whole concept all over again.
There are many that think releasing the same design twice is cheeky, and there are others who realise that sometimes there's no need for change. It's easy to fall into the former camp, and while Apple will happily point out it's not forcing anyone to buy its phones, its acutely aware the competition is now scarily strong and it needed to bring its best to stay relevant.
10 tech terms everyone needs to know for 2014
/Information Technology (IT) is getting more pervasive and complicated every day. Although most of us experience IT in terms of personal computing devices (smartphones, tablets, or laptops), office productivity tools (word processors or spreadsheets), or infrastructure functionality (routers and servers), IT is steadily becoming more sophisticated and critical to everything we do.
At the Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) at Vanderbilt University, we conduct basic and applied research on the science and engineering of complex software-reliant IT systems to help industry, academia and ultimately, the general public.
The terms below suggest some of the key areas of technology development in the near future. Some of these may seem a bit more esoteric than others, but our future is clearly headed in these directions. To make intelligent decisions about our lives, our safety, our computers and more, here are the Ten Technical Terms Everyone Should Know for 2014.
1. Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) are an integrated set of hardware and software that controls physical things, which can involve humans or not. Classic examples of CPS’s include anti-lock brakes and automated mass-transit systems, like the subway. More sophisticated emerging CPS’s (such as driverless cars) are adaptive and intelligent, often solving problems as they occur in real time without direct human input. Among the hardest problems facing engineers is how robust and secure CPS’s should be to do what it is intended to do. More ‘robust and secure’ usually means more complex, expensive and apt to fail (ever had to reboot your car?), thus potentially costing time, money, lives or other unintended consequences.
2. Cloud Storage has become ubiquitous when talking about managing one’s growing cache of information, media and other data. The idea here is that your data is hosted by a third party, presumably secure and accessible anywhere you have an internet connection. The concept of a ‘cloud’ means many different resources connected together acting as one, thus increasing redundancy (and conceivably reliability) by creating many copies of data and storing it in many places. More copies in more places generate a potential security issue. If I store my file cabinet in your office, anyone with access to your office can get to my file cabinet. How good is your office door lock? Are you telling me the truth? Which files am I now comfortable storing in that file cabinet? These are the issues facing popular cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive and iCloud.
3. Industrial Internet is an emerging communication infrastructure that connects people, data, and machines to enable access and control of mechanical devices in unprecedented ways. The Industrial Internet leverages the power of Cloud Storage and Computing to connect machines embedded with sensors and sophisticated software to other machines (and end users) so we can extract data, make sense of it, and find meaning where it did not exist before. Machines—from jet engines to gas turbines to medical scanners—connected via the Industrial Internet have the analytical intelligence to self-diagnose and self-correct, so they can deliver the right information to the right people at the right time (and in real-time).
4. 3G / 4G / 5G – The G stands for Generation, thus typically the speed of data transmission over wireless networks increases with each generation. U.S. wireless providers are far into the process of converting their networks from 3G to 4G, as are the device makers (Apple's iPhone 5 was its first 4G smartphone). Recently two competing 4G platforms were in use by various wireless telecom companies. For many reasons, LTE (long-term evolution) won out over WiMAX for North American cellular phone markets in 2012, thus moving all of us closer to a common broadband platform for the world. You can expect to see 5G roll out within the next decade.
5. Advanced Manufacturing involves the integration of IT-based systems and processes in the creation of products (fit, form, and function) to high levels of quality and in compliance with industry-specific certification standards. Products are increasingly complex and users demand more performance and reliability from them. With complexity comes cost and time, thus in order to keep costs and manufacturing time economical, methods like rapid prototyping and computer modeling are essential. For example, GE Aviation is applying Advanced Manufacturing technologies to develop new types of ceramic that outperforms the most advanced metallic alloys within a gas turbine and jet engine environment. Paramount to advanced manufacturing is a highly skilled workforce operating in lean and continuous improvement cultures.
6. Big Data refers to the massive amounts of data collected over time that are hard to analyze and handle using conventional database management tools. Big Data analytics operate upon a wide range of datasets, from organized to seemingly random, including business transactions, e-mail messages, photos, surveillance videos, and cyber incident activity logs. Scientific data from sensors can reach mammoth proportions over time, and Big Data also includes text posted on the Web, such as blogs and social media. Big Data analytics has traditionally focused on offline processing (download the data and process it locally somewhere). However, advances in computing clouds, analytics, programs, and automation for cyber-physical systems are broadening the applicability of Big Data techniques for use using the conventional Internet and the emerging Industrial Internet.
7. Cybersecurity involves preventive methods to protect information and machines connected to networks from being compromised or attacked. As we migrate more of our personal and business data to cloud storage—and as cyber-physical systems connected via the Industrial Internet and next-generation wireless networks become more integrated and essential to our health, economy, society, and homeland defense—we need better methods and tools for identifying and neutralizing potential cyber threats, such as viruses and other malicious code, as well as human vulnerabilities, such as insider threats. A cybersecurity plan is critical when company information is highly sensitive, such as medical records, financial information and other personal information. Recent arguments have been made regarding the intentional access of private information in the name of cybersecurity and national security.
8. Augmented Reality is the interaction of superimposed graphics, audio and other enhancements over a real-world environment displayed in real-time. A key challenge in cyber-physical systems is that users often can’t see the cyber information they need in the real-world setting. For example, as construction workers walk around a site, they can’t see the 3D building plan for the project directly overlaid on the walls in front of them to determine if they are built as planned. Augmented reality technologies enable these workers to reduce costly mistakes by visualizing what they are building atop what actually exists in the physical world. Retailers are currently experimenting with augmented reality to get more customers into the stores by allowing shoppers to ‘see’ the clothes on them without having to actually try them on. Some of these apps are a bit gimmicky now, but have the potential to change how we shop, train for new skills, game, build, and make other important decisions.
9. Agile Development Methods are a principled means of anticipating the need for flexibility in creating IT solutions. Agile software development focuses on keeping code simple, testing often, and delivering functional bits of the application as soon as they're ready. The goal of agile methods is to build upon small client-approved parts as the project progresses, as opposed to delivering one large integrated solution only at the end of the project. Now that agile methods are well-established throughout the commercial IT industry the challenge is toscale them up so they are suited in larger-scale mission-critical and life-critical environments, such as the Industrial Internet, automotive and avionics, space exploration, etc., that require balancing agility and discipline with large teams and long lifecycles.
10. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a web-based class environment aimed at large-scale global participation and open access via the Internet. MOOCs have been dubbed a potentially disruptive technology trend that poses many challenges for traditional higher education. They are particularly relevant to the discussion of the other Tech Terms presented above because it’s likely that future researchers and practitioners of these topics will received a significant portion of their education through MOOCs and associated digital learning methods and tools. I recently taught one of the first four MOOCs offered by Vanderbilt on “Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture for Concurrent and Networked Software,” to 30,000+ students from all over the U.S. and scores of other countries. My experiences—both pro and con—teaching a MOOC underscored the point that in the rapidly changing and globally competitive environment in which we live, learn, and work, we need to continue to clarify and refine the value of—and affordable access to—high quality education.
Douglas C. Schmidt is the Associate Chair of Computer Science and Engineering and Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. He works at ISIS at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Douglas C. Schmidt is the Associate Chair of Computer Science and Engineering and Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. He works at ISIS at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Patent wars: Tech giants sue Samsung and Google
/A group of tech giants known as the Rockstar Consortium is suing Google, Samsung, HTC and others over alleged mobile phone patent infringements.
Rockstar, jointly owned by Apple, Microsoft, Blackberry, Ericsson and Sony, is targeting manufacturers of phones that run the rival Google Android operating system.
Rockstar spent $4.5bn (£2.8bn) buying thousands of Nortel patents after the telecoms giant went bankrupt in 2009.
Google lost out in the bidding war.
The Rockstar lawsuit claims Google has infringed seven patents relating to the way internet search terms match up with relevant advertising.
DominanceThe move is just the latest in a number of mobile device patent cases being fought across the world, as technology behemoths fight for dominance of the lucrative smartphone, tablet and games console markets.
Google's Android has been doing particularly well, largely thanks to the success of Samsung's Galaxy range of smartphones.
Android devices accounted for 81.3% of smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2013, according to research firm Strategy Analytics, compared with 13.4% for Apple iOS and 4.1% for Windows Phone.
This week, Nokia, whose mobile devices division is being bought by Microsoft, won a patent victory over HTC that could see the Taiwanese company's HTC One smartphone being banned from import into the UK.
And earlier in October, Samsung offered to stop taking rivals to court over alleged patent infringements for a period of five years, after European Union authorities said the South Korean company's litigious actions were stifling competition.
Samsung faced a potential £11.3bn ($18.3bn) fine if found guilty of breaching European anti-trust laws.
Google's Motorola Mobility, which the search giant bought for $12.5bn, has also been accused of similar anti-competitive behaviour.
Samsung and Apple are currently slugging it out in the courts of more than 10 countries across Europe.
Cross-licensingBut some senior technology experts believes the legal conflict is bad for consumers.
In an interview with the BBC's Click programme to be broadcast on Saturday, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says: "There are good things I see on Samsung phones that I wish were in my iPhone; I wish Apple would use them, and could use them, and I don't know if Samsung would stop us.
"I wish everybody just did a lot of cross-licensing and sharing the good technology; all our products would be better, we'd go further.
"I do kind of wish they were more compatible."
But the Rockstar Consortium's legal action suggests such a rapprochement in the global patent wars is still a long way off.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Xbox One one-ups PS4 with support for CDs, DLNA streaming
/That means the system can play your entire library of audio CDs and stream files from a home network because it's CD and DLNA compatible, the company told The Penny Arcade Report.
These are two basic functions that the otherwise powerfulPS4 is unable to deliver, Sony admitted October 30.
While Xbox One disc drives are compatible with CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, the PlayStation 4 supports only the latter two options.
Xbox One MP3 semi-support
Disappointingly, Sony revealed that the thousands of MP3 music files out in the wild won't work with the PS4 either.
Xbox One, on the other hand, will be able to handle this common audio file type through a workaround that involves streaming from a Windows device.
Because the console is a Play To receiver, it can stream content from any Play To supported device.
So if you happen to have your MP3 library on a machine running Windows 7 up to Windows 8.1 or have a Windows Phone device, you're in luck.
Oh, by the way
Sony waited until the very last minute to admit some of the system's lowlights, while Microsoft made its most blunders during E3 and laterreversed many of its decisions.
Now may be the best timing to come out on top as most pre-orders for Day One consoles are already in place, which makes the delay of DriveClubbundled with PS4 all the more painful.
- Find out where to pre-order a Xbox One and reserve a PS4 in time.
Nikon set to launch vintage-inspired camera in rare video tease
/Over the last few days we've been treated to a gradual reveal.
At first no camera was visible, but the sound of a dial clicking, the words 'it's in my hands again' along with a tag of 'Pure Photography' suggested that the company might be about to launch a traditionally styled, full-frame digital camera, possibly based on the popular FM2.
In the latest video however, we get to see a bit more of what is universally believed to be called the Nikon Df. It looks like a digital SLR built along the lines of the FM2, complete with a shutter speed dial.
As video #5 ends with the tag 'Savour photography all over again 5 November, 2013' we can anticipate a big reveal early next week, probably at 11pm CST (5am GMT) if Nikon follows its usual pattern.
Rumours are rife that the Nikon Df could be a full-frame SLR, or possibly a mirrorless camera, with an electronic viewfinder set to rival the recently announced Sony Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R.
However, the latest video appears to an SLR complete with a pentaprism-bump indicating an optical viewfinder. Nikon has previously stated its commitment to optical viewfinders.
Hipster pleasing
Either way, the videos clearly shows a photographer looking through a viewfinder. He also appears to be setting the AF via navigation controls on the back of the camera and selecting shutter speed with the earlier dial mentioned earlier.
Following the trend of recent Nikon announcements we expect the sensor to have 24 or 36MP.
Watch this space.
Samsung's first flexible phone to arrive in shape of Galaxy Round this week?
/It's looking likely that Samsung will jump ahead of LG and announce its rumoured curved display smartphone this week.
We've known that it's been coming for some time, and now Korean media source Asiae is reporting that the handset will touch down this week and with the name of the Samsung Galaxy Round, offering a plastic (and therefore more durable) replacement for the glass display.
Just the other day, a mystery Samsung device showed up in benchmarking tests under the name of the SM-G910.
The Snapdragon 800 processor and Adreno 330 graphics chip of theSamsung Galaxy Note 3 were spotted on the bill. Meanwhile, previous speculation has suggested the handset will have a smaller 5.5-inch display.
Snap back to reality
Rumoured specs for the Galaxy Round are similar to those of the Galaxy Note 3, and there's no clue about pricing. In other words, it's still very much up in the air.
LG is also believed to be in the flexible phone race, with the G Flexrumoured to be appearing in November.
- So what did we think of Samsung's latest Phablet? Find out in our Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review
20 best mobile phones in the world today
/Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in the UK.
20. Huawei Ascend P6
Huawei is something of a dark horse in the mobile phone world at the moment, thanks to the fact that it's one of the largest manufacturers but nowhere near the minds of most consumers when thinking about their next smartphone.
That changed slightly with the launch of the Huawei Ascend P6, a super-super-slim Android device that costs less than £300, comes with a quad core processor and generally looks the business in smartphone terms.
Huawei has taken an alternative approach to its Android overlay by scrapping the menu section, leading to a dump of widgets and apps all in one easy set of screens.
It's got a rather nice display and lightning quick operation, and has certainly turned some heads in the smartphone world.
Quick verdict
The Huawei P6 isn't the kind of phone that's going to challenge at the sharp end of our ranking, but it is a phone worth considering if you want top-end features at a reasonable price.
It's got a lot going for it, and the customisable themes are impressive too - we suggest you hold it in your hand before dismissing it as the design is just almost inexplicably thin.
19. Nokia Lumia 820
The Nokia Lumia 820 sits nicely at the crossroads between value and power. While it doesn't have the processor, camera or larger screen of its big brother the Lumia 920, it does have microSD storage, removable covers and a more attractive price tag - multiple reasons why you should like it.
New to Windows Phone? This is an affordable option for you. Don't want a Full HD screen? The Super AMOLED option on this is battery-friendly but still rather good. Want a fun camera? Multiple lenses are your friend here.
This is a well constructed, colourful handset with some excellent technological features, and it's got a really palatable price point to boot. It's been overshadowed by others in the range, but that doesn't mean it isn't still a class act.
Quick verdict
OK, it's not the best Windows Phone device out there. Many have better specs, and others have lower price points.
But the Lumia 820 can take a knock, has a decent battery and more importantly: doesn't cost the earth each month on contract. A perfect device for those thinking about getting a mid-term smartphone before upgrading to something with a little more grunt in the future.
18. BlackBerry Z10
BlackBerry is (sort of) back - there's no doubt about that after the huge launch of the BlackBerry Z10 and it's BB10 operating system. The lateness of said launch caused some to question the relevance of the phones, but it's still a phone that ticks a lot of boxes.
The BlackBerry Z10's Peek function, interesting camera features and ability to offer you a work and life balance will appeal to a lot of people who struggle to carry around two handsets when the office won't let you bring the iPhone in.
The Z10 has a quality finish as well as a clever interface, and the expandable storage, removable battery and Adobe Flash support are all small wins for the Z10 and will help as it tries to stand out in a crowded market.
Add in the presence of BlackBerry 10.2 to supercharge the OS (to some extent - improving the Priority Hub is a nice move) and you can see it's not game over for BB just yet.
Quick verdict
The Z10 is a decent smartphone offering up a strong range of features and a fancy new operating system that may catch the eye of the technologically adventurous.
It does pretty much everything we'd expect from a high-end device and there are no major flaws to go running to the presses about. It's only the lack of any real cutting-edge features to mark it out that keeps it from going higher in our list, so if you're all about BlackBerry, then this phone won't disappoint.
Sure, things aren't going well at the Canadian firm, which is why the handset is so far down our list - but in a vacuum, we'd wager a few more people would choose BB10 thanks to its slick operation under the finger.
17. Sony Xperia SP
The Sony Xperia SP is a phone that's flown a little under the radar in recent months: a phone with a decent spec list that can be had for a fair few quid under £300.
One of the main draws is the camera, where the range of settings and the quality of the images it produces were well beyond what we would expect from a smartphone at this price.
It's become an indispensable tool of any modern handset, and Sony has concentrated its efforts to make sure this part of the Sony Xperia SP really punches above its weight.
There are other things we really dig on the SP too: the inclusion of a microSD slot is always welcome, and the Walkman app makes a mid-range handset really shine for the music lover.
It's also packing 4G connectivity for speedy data on the go, which again is really rather nice for the price - in short, it's a handset that outperforms its price tag.
Quick verdict
The excellent camera and range of connectivity that includes NFC and 4Ggo hand-in-hand with a great design and a screen size that will be just right for someone that doesn't want a high-end 5-inch monster.
If you're on a budget, we'd consider it ahead of last year's high-flyers, and it's certainly better than a lot of other phones available at this hotly contested mid-range price point.
Heavy users could struggle with the moderate battery and mediocre processor, but if you want to save a bit of money and still own a smartphone that you can show off at parties or around the office, you could do a lot worse than picking up the Xperia SP.
16. Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Want the Samsung Galaxy S4 but are too worried about dropping it in the bath or flinging it into a sand dune? Well, you can either not do either of those things, or buy the Samsung Galaxy S4.
With a powerful IP67 water and dust proof case the Active is far more hardy than a lot of the top end devices currently on the market.
The only other handset which can match the rugged credentials of the S4 Active is the Sony Xperia Z, (and Z1 successor, of course) although those being covered in glass front and back makes them feel far more fragile.
While the 5-inch display may not sport the Super AMOLED technology of the S4, the full HD resolution still makes for an excellent visual experience which is only really bettered by its namesake and the HTC One.
Quick verdict
If you're in the market for a super powerful smartphone which you can take on extreme activities, swimming and in the bath then sure the Galaxy S4 Active is the best around, although that's a pretty limited market.
And hey, chuck it in a bucket of water and your mates will be seriously impressed (honest).
We've only got this phone so far down on the list as we don't think huge amounts of users will be desperate to add the heft to an S4 to make it a bit more life proof, and that isn't going to be something most people will worry about.
But if you want the security of a phone that can withstand a few knocks but doesn't scrimp on the specs or usability, then you could do a lot worse than checking out the S4 Active.
- Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review
- See the best Samsung Galaxy S4 Active deals here
15. Samsung Galaxy S3
With the Samsung Galaxy S4 (and friends) now launched, the S3 has predictably fallen down the rankings thanks to there being a better phone to recommend.But don't worry: the S3 is still a strong phone: it's got every kind of feature we could ask for and more, and raised the bar once again in terms of what consumers should be expecting in terms of battery life, processor speed and media management.Would we recommend you buy one if you're hankering for a spot of Samsung? Yes, but only if you're trying to save money, as the S4 is a much better version of this phone indeed.Price isn't the only reason the Samsung Galaxy S3 is worthy of consideration though. Smart Stay, Super AMOLED HD screen, up to 128GB storage, Music Hub, removable battery, quick camera; for the price, this phone still delivers in ways that many others on the market can't.The design didn't impress us as much as when we first laid eyes on the S2, but that's the only big issue we could find - and it's proven popular enough for MILLIONS of you to have bought it thus far, showing that it's still a cutting edge smartphone for some.It looks like Android 4.2 is being skipped for the all-singing 4.3 version (for Galaxy Gear smartwatch compatibility), there's still life in this once-leading phone - just make sure you check out the S4 or Note 3 first.Quick verdict
If you're after a decent slab of Samsung tech, the Galaxy S3 won't disappoint. It's fast, it's sleek and it still packs some interesting and useful technology.Samsung faced an almost impossible task in trying to create a worthy sequel to the Galaxy S2, and while it's not longer top dog, it's at least getting more palatable in terms of price - plus is nimble enough to take down a number of newer phones too.14. Nokia Lumia 925
What's better than a top Windows Phone 7 handset? A Windows Phone 8 one, and we've got no qualms about telling you this is the best high-end Windows Phone out there.Simplicity is the key here, the Lumia 925 does the basics well, from contact integration and calling, to web browsing and messaging. The camera is market-leading, and offers excellent performance from low-light to jumpy videos.The 8.7MP PureView camera on the back of the Lumia 925 is actually one of the best we've used, and for anyone looking to get a top end cameraphone: you need to seriously consider this Nokia, although the recent glut of handsets (Sony Xperia Z1, HTC One, LG G2 and iPhone 5S) have all stepped up their game significantly to offer strong camera experiences too.The 4.5-inch display is also a good'un, crisp and clear it makes watching movies, surfing the web or Facebook stalking an enjoyable experience, thanks to the PureMotion HD technology on offer.And you can even use it with gloves on... what more could you want? You're right: hologram messages. But they don't exist yet.Quick verdict
The Nokia Lumia 925 is a worthy ambassador for Windows Phone 8 and probably a strong part of the reason Microsoft decided to acquire the Finnish handset division.It's not got the clout to take on the likes of the HTC One and Galaxy S4 just yet, but it's still a great choice if you're not sold on Android or iOS but don't want to give up a powerful phone.13. iPhone 5C
What's this? A new iPhone not making it into the top five? Wait... not even the top ten?Well, you can't really blame us. This isn't a new iPhone - it's last year's device in brand new package with more colours to choose from.There are more LTE bands to choose from too, which is important to UK buyers as it means it can give superfast speeds from all the networks.It's still a really rather good phone, with the Retina display still giving market-leading colour reproduction, a strong camera and the best App Store around.Quick verdict
We'll be honest: this is the place the iPhone 5 would have occupied since it's been usurped by the iPhone 5S.This is, in our eyes, essentially the same phone with a new skin. There will be loads of people looking to buy it simply because the iPhone now comes in pink or green, and to those we say: look at the Lumia range. Nokia's been doing the same thing for years and at a much, much cheaper price point.The iPhone 5C is the same as a every phone from Apple: too expensive for what it is, but if you're desperate for such a device from the Cupertino brand then this is still a strong handset to plump for.12. Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Many (including us, we admit) were not convinced when the originalSamsung Galaxy Note launched. Who on earth would want something so big to make their calls and surf the internet, even with a glorified stylus? Cue awkward silence.Millions of you, it would appear. The Galaxy Note sold by the bucketload, so how do you follow that up? With something better, of course - the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which has shifted 20 million units worldwide, and now is the elder statesman thanks to the new Galaxy Note 3 appearing.Still a strong and eye-catching device, the Galaxy Note 2 is well-connected, and thanks to that increased screen size (up to an eye-bulging 5.5-inches), is, among many things, a quality media player.Samsung has achieved something special here, because it has made the Galaxy Note 2 bigger than the original, but pulls it off so that you don't notice it too much and anyway, it's the features that make it so amazing.Air View, Multi-window, a dock that can turn it into a fully-fledged computer - it's all here, people..Quick verdict
As a phone, it's big, but once you get over that, if you can, it's great. As a PMP, it really does excel, and as a web communicator, it's only beaten by the Note 3.Ultimately, there's no getting away from the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a niche device. But it does almost everything it sets out to do perfectly, with grace, class and maximum functionality. With a lower price, it's still powerful enough to last for at least a year or two, so we have no qualms recommending it as a viable option for your next phone.11. Sony Xperia Z
The Sony Xperia Z is no longer the top dog for the Japanese firm since the Xperia Z1 has launched. But when it came out, the handset was definitely the most impressive the firm has launched either in its current guise or as Sony Ericsson.You can see the Sony influence throughout the handset as it oozes quality and build from the large screen, which fits close to the edges of the bezel, to the intelligent camera that allows you to snap some really premium photos without needing to fiddle about with the settings.And it's water and dust resistant too, which makes it excellent for general life business. There's a certain freedom that comes from knowing that the heart-stopping moment of your phone falling in a pint of beer is gone for good.It's also packing a microSD card slot in an nicely-thin chassis, for which we laud the phone even higher. Add to that the Bravia Engine 2, (which is as much as you need - the Z1's Triluminous technology doesn't really further the message much further forward.)It doesn't run the Snapdragon 800 processor, but it does have a good spec list and uses them well - a crisper video experience, a more powerful camera, being waterproof, expandable memory are all great elements.Quick verdict
While it doesn't quite pack the clout of the phones from HTC and Samsung, the Xperia Z is a phone that says Sony is definitely back at the sharp end of the smartphone game.It's a shame it hasn't dropped in price much since its successor appeared, but there's still a lot of decent tech in a phone that's not even a year old.
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