Apple's in-car infotainment system has been a long time coming. After it was announced at the company's annual WWDC conference in June last year, "iOS in the Car" flew under the radar, only to undergo a rebrand and launch publicly yesterday under a new moniker: CarPlay. Sharing part of its name with the company's AirPlay media streaming protocol, CarPlay combines all of the iPhone's most important features and mirrors them inside the car, allowing car owners to call, text, navigate and listen to music (and more) using touch or Siri-based voice inputs. The new in-car interface is compatible with new Ferrari, Mercedes and Volvo models unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show, and it's there we got the chance to test Apple's automotive assistant inside a suitably-equipped Ferrari FF coupe.Ferrari FF Apple CarPlay hands-on
View the Original article
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Hands-on with Apple's CarPlay: when Siri met Ferrari (video)
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Hands-on with Samsung's vastly improved Tizen OS
Samsung's device lineup may still be heavily dominated by Android, but change is in the air. Tizen, the open-source OS it jointly develops with Intel, powers the company's three new Gear wearables, and smartphones are coming later this year. We got the chance to play with Samsung's latest Tizen phone prototype, which runs a customized build (version 2.2.1) of the platform, allowing us to see what's changed since the last time we saw a Samsung developer handset. While there's still plenty of similarities between the prototype and what we've seen in the past, Samsung's worked to incorporate parts of its Android design language, particularly in the apps drawer, notification tray and homescreen widgets. Not only do they look better, each of the elements are more feature rich than before, offering users greater control over the device and making it feel like a complete platform. The company insists the platform isn't designed to replace Android, affirming that it forms part of its "multi-OS strategy," but given its recent wearable overhaul, we'll never say never. Check out the hands-on video below to see what a Samsung mobile future without Google could possibly look like.
Samsung Tizen prototype hands-on
View the Original article
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Hands-on with Valve's Steam Machine beta hardware
on Jan 6th 2014 5:05PM0
Valve wants a piece of your living room, and it's taking several approaches to make it happen, not the least of which are Steam Machines. Watching Valve's Steam Machines evolution from rumor to concept to hardware beta has been a fascinating process, and now that we've been allowed some hands-on time with one of these quasi-consoles, we're here to tell you what we think.Before we get started, first thing's first: the hardware beta Valve is currently running is just that, a beta. This means everything you're about to read is subject to change. Heck, we already know Valve is partnering with multiple manufacturers to produce various hardware configurations, so who can say what elements will stay the same and what will change?
That being said, we're going to try and give you an idea of what to expect based on what we've experienced.
The Box
Pictures of Valve's Steam Machine flooded the Internet when hardware beta participants received their shipments, and what we saw was pretty much what you'd expect: a big, black box. The front of the Steam Machine we tried featured a minimalist design with just two USB ports and a large, circular power button surrounded by a larger ring.
The center circle is a physical button, so in that sense the Steam Machine beta hardware felt a bit more old-school than some of our modern, touch-oriented technology. Once powered on, a thin, white ring lit up to indicate power. The thicker part of the ring that goes around the power button doesn't seem to be anything more than visual flair.
The system was well ventilated, with holes and slots for air flow on just about every face. This design choice also gave the Steam Machine a very appealing side view, since the illuminated text on the installed Nvidia graphics card peeked through the grill. The top of the Steam Machine could be easily removed – just one screw kept everything in place, and removing the cover was a simple lift and pull. Unlike today's consoles, the Steam Machine looked as though it was built to be upgraded, just like a PC. Removable graphics cards, memory and hard drives were all on display.While there will be many different Steam Machines with varying internal configurations, the one we experienced was likely the prototype for a higher-end model. Powered by an Intel i5 processor clocked at 3.20 GHz with 16GB RAM and an Nvidia Geforce GTX 780 with 3GB of graphics memory, the system might not be the fastest horse in the race, but it's no slouch, either. The only real oddity here was the use of an external WiFi antenna instead an internal one.
If looking inside wasn't an option, just looking at the rear panel should give you an idea of how much technology was shoved into this box. There were multiple video outputs, including HDMI and DVI, along with inputs for mouse and keyboard, ethernet, and USB. Suddenly an external WiFi antenna makes a lot of sense; maybe there just wasn't room inside.
With all of its components so densely packed together, it should be said that this particular Steam Machine was heavy. We didn't have a scale available to weigh the thing, but we'd say it rested somewhere between the weight of an original Xbox and a high-end home theater receiver. This was not something you would pick up and carry leisurely around your local Walmart or Best Buy. For better or worse, the weight did give the Steam Machine a sense of value – this didn't feel like a flimsy, plastic toy, it felt like a machine, ready to go to work.The same cannot yet be said of the controller.
Master Controller
Ever used a mouse with a trackball in it? That's what sliding your thumbs across the surface of Valve's controller felt like. The surface of each thumb ... pad? Thumb place? ... was a single, solid piece, but we could still feel a sense of sliding and spinning underneath the thumb, particularly when we gave a good, hard flick to any direction. There were tiny clicks for a bit of resistance, and listening to them also gave us an idea of how fast we were turning the wheel.
We played Hotline Miami and Portal with the controller, and found the experience lacking on both, though the issues were less obtrusive in Valve's signature puzzler. The lack of a physical stick means no resistance, and that takes some getting used to. We also noticed that for people with larger thumbs, there may be an issue of unintentionally sliding across the pad while reaching for the face buttons.
Thankfully, the controller can be remapped with ease because, interestingly, it doesn't register as a controller. When plugged in – the beta controller lacks an internal battery, so plugging in is required – Valve's controller registers as a mouse and keyboard. Keep that in mind, because it's going to be important in just a second.The controller can be used on machines other than those from Valve, and the Steam Machine, in turn, can receive input from other manufacturers' controllers. We were shown how a wireless Xbox 360 controller could connect to the Steam Machine as easily as it could to any modern PC, and indeed it functioned just as well, with no noticeable lag or issues. The 360 controller, however, did register as a controller.
Since the Steam Machine saw the 360 controller as a controller and the Steam controller as a mouse and keyboard, it was possible to more or less "confuse" a game. I was able to take control of Chell in Portal by using the Steam controller while someone else used the Xbox 360 controller. Unintended benefit? Something to be patched out? Material for trolls in the household? You decide.
Learning how to properly hold Valve's controller was another lesson that took some time. Both of the thumb pads can register depressions as button clicks, but there are also four face buttons (A,B,X,Y), a center face of four more buttons (these were currently not enabled), two shoulder bumpers, two triggers and two more buttons on the underside of the controller on the handles. These rear buttons required the biggest adjustment, as we couldn't wrap our fingers around the controller like we normally would, lest our fingers accidentally click one.PC-centric gamers may come to love the quick and painless configuration of Valve's controller, but right now, we'd be hard-pressed to say it's as or more accurate than the mouse and keyboard they already own. Console gamers eyeing a Steam Machine should likewise be aware that the controller, if it remains as is, will likely be different from any controller they've ever used before. Either audience has a learning curve ahead of them if they want to use the Steam controller, but at least it doesn't look like they'll be forced to use it if they don't want to.ShareTags: beta, hands-on, hardware, pc, preview, steam, steam-box, steam-controller, steam-machines, steamos, valve.fyre .fyre-comment-media-expanded{display:none!important}.fyre-notifier-container{display:none}.fyre .fyre-comment-divider>span.fyre-comment-reply-wrapper{top:18px}.fyre .fyre-comment-divider>a,.fyre .fyre-comment-divider>a:hover{top:20px} InfoDescriptionShow moreMSRPRelease DateGenreDeveloperPublisherRating View on Amazon.comBreaking News
Dead Rising 3's first DLC episode delayed, now coming Jan. 21More →Featured StoriesNow Playing: January 6-12, 2014Posted on Jan 6th 2014 7:15PM
Posted on Jan 6th 2014 5:05PM
Super abridged Joystiq news review of 2013Posted on Jan 5th 2014 10:30AM
EngadgetKindle for iOS updated with flashcards, notebook ...Equil JOT nabs Evernote integration for easy ...meMini's wearable camera gives you the gift of ...TUAWEvening news roundup for January 6, 2013 ...Cut the Rope 2 perfects the art of having in-app ...8 Time Machine excuses that don't make sense ...MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL downed by DDoS attack, Star ...The Stream Team: Heroics continue in World of ...DayZ destroys Hall's early sales expectations ...WoWThe WoW Insider Show LIVE! ...How to PvP ...WoW Moviewatch: Brief History of WoW ...AOL TechJoystiq© 2014 AOL Inc. All rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademarks | AOL A-Z HELP | About Our Ads | Advertise With Us
View the Original article
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Hands-on review: CES 2014: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
Hands on: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact reviewForGreat innardsVibrant screenAgainstHeftier designMore expensive than 'mini' phones Hands on: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact review Is the solution to the Z1 conundrum to make it smaller? By Gareth Beavis 7th Jan 2014 | 01:000 CommentsSony might be late to the 'mini phone' party, but it might have just taken the lead with this impressive phone.
The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is an odd phone for a number of reasons - but not many of them negative.
For starters, this isn't a handset that's meant to be based on the larger model but been stripped of functionality - with the Z1 Compact, there's pretty much the exact same internal make up as seen on the Sony Xperia Z1.
Consider that for a moment: that means you're getting the 20.7MP G Lens sensor, a Snapdragon 800 quad-core chipset, the same metallic surround and all the waterproofing you could want.
Well, provided you don't want to plummet to a depth of over a metre, and for no longer than 30 minutes, of course.
On top of that the same Bravia and TriLuminos technology has been wedged into the screen, which has been upgraded to include the same in plane switching (IPS) LCD technology as seen on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra.
This is a massive move, as anyone who's played with the Z1 and original Z will have noted that the screen can look washed out even when viewed head on, and even worse when you tilt the phone. As a result colours look amazing on the Z1 Compact, making it a real upgrade over its bigger brother in this respect.
Of course, there is that pesky notion of physics to deal with, meaning that the smaller phone will have to have a tinier screen - although it's still an iPhone-busting 4.3-inches on offer. It's sadly been dropped to 720p, which means a PPI of 340.... again, higher than that seen on the iPhone 5S.
It begins to bring the question of how Apple can charge so much for its flagship phone to the fore once more - while there isn't a final Sony Xperia Z1 Compact price, it's going to be up to three tiers below the iPhone 5S with arguably superior technology on board.
It's not as well designed as Apple's offering, or even the HTC One Mini, as although the metallic chassis is back from the Xperia Z1 (and feels better in the hand, as the compact dimensions of the Z1 Compact make it fit much more nicely in the hand) it still has an element of chunk about it, as the rounded metal gives the impression of higher heft.
It's not a terrible thing, and I like it more than the larger variant. The screen sharpness isn't a problem either - anyone that can tell the difference in the resolution when using the phones generally has eyes that should be certainly donated to science.
One of the other big changes is to introduce colour to the party, with the Z1 compact available in white, black, pink and yellow. The hue is embraced throughout the design, and is even pushed into the metal itself, making it feel much more premium than if you just shoved a third party cover on the top to create the same effect.
The battery may cause some problems again, despite Sony's cries of its excellent Stamina mode –the Xperia Z1 was all that long-lasting despite having one of the best chipsets on the market, and with a battery reduction to 2300mAh some users might experience battery drain a little ahead of what they might expect.
That's not really a fair assumption to make at this point though, as with Android 4.2 on board (yet to be confirmed for final release) things could have been tweaked and optimised a-plenty and therefore working a lot better even with a reduced power pack.
Beyond that, there's not very much that's different with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, as it works in precisely the same way as the Z1, which means the speed under the finger is insanely good, the web browsing is beyond what I'd have expected and the music service, with the Music Unlimited offering built right in, is something that should be more lauded than it is.
And as I mentioned, video really looks killer on the Z1 Compact thanks to that improved screen - I've become used to using the larger screened phones so everything seems a little more squashed down, but considering that the main target of the Xperia Z1 Compact is going to be the upgrader from an iPhone or another handset from two years ago, the screen size won't be that much of a miss.
You can tell Sony is looking to make its name as a the leader in changing over from one phone to another, as it's introducing the Sony Xperia Transfer Mobile - a service that will allow you to connect to another phone and in an instant see all your contacts, messages, calendar entries and media, and switching them across to your new handset.
This will be possible even with the iPhone, and while I've heard several murmurs of other manufacturers interested in the same thing, it looks like Sony has made the jump first.
The most impressive part of Xperia Transfer Mobile is that it will scan your old Android or iPhone and work out which apps are on there - and will match it to the current catalogue to allow you to port over.
This will be in the form of a list of links, but is really only useful to iPhone defectors, as if you've properly backed up your Android phone then Google will auto-download your apps anyway.
Early verdictI've seen the rise of the mini phone die and then become reborn again - what's interesting is that three years ago Sony Ericsson was really making waves in this area, with the likes of the Ray showing that a decent smartphone didn't need to cost the Earth, so it's odd to see that the company took so long to get back into this arena again.
But with very few compromises to talk about, there's definitely a different vibe going on here - the Compact isn't a Mini, if that makes any sense. Sony didn't want to go down the route of the Xperia Z1 Mini as that confers the notion that this phone is a diluted version of the original.
While it's not fair to say that, it's still very close to something like the HTC One Mini, which is only marked as different to this handset thanks to only having a dual-core set up.
But with the range of colours, the larger amount of technology and the fact it's waterproof, Sony may have entered the 'compact phone' market just at the right time - to the point where I'd worry about anyone wanting the Z1 any more.
See more mobile phonesRead more on this subject... Related news Sony Xperia Z1 Compact crams in flagship power with a lower price Sony Xperia Z1 Compact vs HTC One Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vs iPhone 5C Sony takes fitness technology to scary new levels with CoreRelated reviews Sony Xperia Z1 Compact review Epson Moverio BT-200 smart glasses review ASUS Transformer Book Duet review In Depth Sony Xperia Z1 Compact vs HTC One Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vs iPhone 5C Intel: we want to make all your devices smart LG promises innovation as it pushes a flood of new electronics Add your commentType your comment here.You need to log in or join to add comments.Hello, you are logged in as Not you, eh? Log out, log in as another user or joinBy submitting this form you agree to our Terms of Use and so are legally responsible for anything you submit. DO NOT submit anything which may violate the Terms of Use or another person\'s rights including copyrighted or offensive materials. 0 commentsAdd comment'Hands on reviews' are a journalist's first impressions of a piece of kit based on spending some time with it. It may be just a few moments, or a few hours. The important thing is we have been able to play with it ourselves and can give you some sense of what it's like to use, even if it's only an embryonic view. For more information, see TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee.
TechRadar PhonesOur guide to the best new mobile phones
Our picksiPhone 5CiPhone 5SiPhone 6Nexus 5Samsung Galaxy S3Galaxy S4Samsung Galaxy Note 3Sony Xperia ULG Optimus L3Optimus 4X HDSamsung Galaxy Ace 2Best Android appsBest iPhone appsTop phone dealsiPhone 5c dealsiPhone 5s dealsSamsung Galaxy S3 dealsSamsung Galaxy S4 dealsHTC One dealsGalaxy Note 2 dealsGalaxy Note 3 dealsSprint dealsVerizon dealsT-Mobile deals
Plus
Mobile phone reviewsBest phones (US)iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 Mobile phone reviewsRSSLatestTop ratedPreviewedHands on: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact reviewCES 2014 Is the solution to the Z1 conundrum to make it smaller?
Mobile phonesHands on: Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G reviewCES 2014 A big phone for big thumbs
Mobile phonesHands on: Lenovo Vibe Z reviewCES 2014 And you can't have it – neener neener!
Mobile phones Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 review 8 
Mobile phones LG G Flex review 8 
Mobile phones HTC One review Editor's Choice award 10 
Mobile phones Moto G review Great Value award 9 
Mobile phones iPhone 5S review Recommended award 9 
Mobile phones Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review Recommended award 9 
Mobile phones LG G2 review 9 
Mobile phonesHands on: Sony Xperia Z1 Compact reviewCES 2014 Is the solution to the Z1 conundrum to make it smaller?
Mobile phonesHands on: Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G reviewCES 2014 A big phone for big thumbs
Mobile phonesHands on: Lenovo Vibe Z reviewCES 2014 And you can't have it – neener neener!
Mobile phonesHands on: BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982 reviewThe Z10 gets suited and booted
Mobile phonesHands on: Nokia Lumia 1320 reviewA phablet for the masses? Really?
Mobile phonesBrowse our reviews by categoryAllAudio VisualCamerasComponentsComputingMobile phonesTabletsTelevisionsReviews guarantee AdvertisementAdvertisementRecommended in mobile phones iOS 6 Maps: what went wrong? 
Analysis Apple Maps was meant to be an improvement on Google Maps, but something went awry 50 Android Jelly Bean tips, tricks and hints 
In Depth Get the most out of your new Android phone or tablet with these tips Motorola Droid Razr HD review 
Motorola has sharpened its Razr, but can it cut through the competition? 9 best Android keyboard apps reviewed and rated 
Buying Guide You don't have to stick to the standard Android keyboard 
AdvertisementJoin us on FacebookBack to topMore from TechRadarXbox OneXbox One reviewPS4PS4 reviewTesco Hudl reviewiPhone 5CiPhone 5SiPad 4iPad AiriPad mini 2Samsung Galaxy S4 reviewPlayStation 4Cheap TVs4K TVUltra HDHTC OneNexus 5Windows 8 tablets Best UltrabookBest mobile phonesWindows 8.1Search the siteSearch term:ReviewsBrowse allMobile phonesTVsTabletsDigital camerasLaptopsBuyer's guidesMobile phonesTVsTabletsiPhone appsCamerasLaptopsVideosAll videosMobile phonesTVsTabletsCamerasLaptopsServicesAll newsFacebookTwitterYouTubeNewsletterRSSTechRadarAbout usContact usSitemapAccessibilitySelect regionUnited KingdomUnited StatesAustraliaTechRadar NetworkTap!PC FormatT3Mac FormatOfficial WindowsLinux FormatMacLifeMaxPCTop ▲Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.TechRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:TechnologyT3Mac|LifeGizmodo UKMore...EntertainmentCVGPC GamerGamesRadarTotal FilmMore...MusicClassic RockMusicRadarGuitaristMetal HammerMore...CreativeDigital Camera WorldMollie MakesPhotography WeekThe Simple ThingsMore...Sport & AutoBikeRadarCyclingnewsChopMTBTriRadarMore...About FutureJobsPRAdvertisingDigital FuturePrivacy PolicyCookies PolicyTerms & ConditionsSubscriptionsInvestor RelationsContact Future© Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
View the Original article
