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Nokia ups the stakes for budget phones htc one mini 2

It’s the amazing M8’s little brother

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Holidaying abroad? We’ve got you covered! With summer in full swing, many of us will be looking to escape the unpredictable British weather with a holiday abroad. Everyone is partial to a bit of fun in the sun, but the last thing you want is the post-holiday blues when you return to a huge phone bill. After their toothbrush and passport, the thing most travellers can’t be without is their trusty smartphone. The moment you touch down in a foreign country, though, it can become a money-draining deadweight that’s crippled by high roaming charges. So, in this issue, we’ve included an in-depth guide to roaming, which explains all the possible charges you will be faced with abroad, as well as how to avoid racking up a costly phone bill. We’ve trawled network operators’ rates and included a list of the best messaging apps to help you cut SMS costs, too. If you’re looking for a new smartphone to take on your trip, look no further than the LG G3 (reviewed on page 26). This latest flagship, high-end device boasts incredible specs, including a solid camera with super-fast auto-focus and a sharp 1,440 x 2,560-pixel display, meaning you won’t miss a thing when using it to take and view your holiday snaps. Finally, our comprehensive mobile music feature will help you access the best music streaming services to soundtrack your summer. We’d like to add that in last month’s Apps and Games reviews, The Weather Channel was incorrectly listed as being a BlackBerry app when, in fact, the details listed were for the iOS version of the app. We apologise for any misunderstanding this may have caused. The What Mobile team

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what’s inside

contents 06 First look: Apple WWDC ‘14 10 reasons why the upcoming iOS 8 is better

August 2014 www.whatmobile.net

10 First look: E3 round-up Small screens score big at the gaming expo 12 Accessories A nod to the best mobile-friendly headphones

18 International round-up Samsung gets in a Tiz’ over its new devices 20 Patently obvious Solar-charging screens and muffin-top meters 22 Competition Grab yourself some freebie BeeWi headphones

Music on your mobile Get the most out of your portable disco

26 LG G3 Another flagship smartphone sails into battle 30 HTC One Mini 2 The One M8’s leaner little brother is born 32 Nokia Lumia 630 Can this affordable number match up to Moto? 34 BWC rugged phones These mobiles take some beating... or do they?

Avoiding bill shock Beware: roaming charges abroad bite

36 Amplicomms PowerTel M6100 A basic handset for smartphonephobes 37 Fitbit Flex This fitness wearable shreds the competition 38 Google Camera how-to Get snap happy with the updated Android app 48 Apps & gaming We round-up the best new releases 4 www.whatmobile.net

56 Buyer’s guide 108 devices rated and reviewed

WANTED envirofone.com

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first look

Apple WWDC ‘14

The Worldwide Developers Conference is where Apple shows off all its latest updates and innovations. Expectations were, as ever, high at WWDC ‘14. But unfortunately for us, the iPhone 6 still remains under wraps. We did get a look at iOS 8 though, giving us a glimpse of what to expect in the upcoming build of Apple’s operating system for mobile devices. It will soon be coming to an iPhone, iPod or iPad near you, so get acquainted below. Here are 10 changes we took away from the show.

More interactive notifications

Consider the following scenario. You’re engrossed in a game of Flappy Bird. Someone posts on your Facebook wall, sending that little black hood to partially drop down over your display. Such is your immersion within the game, you swipe away the notification and continue playing. Eight hours later, you’re browsing Facebook and realise you’ve forgotten all about that notification. And now your friend hates you (they’re super-irrational). That need never happen with iOS 8, where notifications become more interactive. In iOS 7, you would be limited to either dismissing or tapping that Facebook notification to be taken to the app. Now, in iOS 8 you can perform basic in-app functions without leaving your current app. For example, you could ‘like’ the post, or you could ‘comment’ on it from within the notification. Pretty handy, as multi-tasking is definitely something iOS 7 doesn’t excel at.

The keyboard Gets some attention

Speaking of things Android does better than iOS, the keyboard will be improved in iOS 8. Chances are, if you’re a dedicated iOS user, then you’re perfectly happy with the keyboard on iOS 7. And rightfully so – it’s as ergonomic and intuitive as a one-size-fits-all approach can be. But for those accustomed to using Android, or who flit between various

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devices and operating systems, its lack of customisation can be a pain. Apple is finally taking steps to remedy this, and it’s not doing things by halves. iOS 8 will officially support third-party keyboards. That’s a huge step. Swype, SwiftKey, maybe even Google Keyboard… all, and more, could soon be available on your iPhone. If you’re happy with the iOS keyboard, you should be excited too, as it’s also getting minor improvements. There’s predictive text options now, wherein you’re offered three options based on what you’ve begun to type, allowing you to select the correct choice. Similarly, autocorrect is smarter. It better learns from context and past mistakes; for example, if you begin typing “m...” in a work email, it won’t suggest that you go to the “movies” with your boss, but instead it should offer an autocorrect of “meeting”.

iMessage is now more than just blue SMS

iMessage is already the saviour of the chronic texter, having eliminated the cost of messaging (as long as your pals are also running iOS). Chances are, if your friends aren’t on iOS, you’re messaging them through WhatsApp instead. If that’s the case, this next feature may seem familiar. iMessage now allows you to send short voice clips from within the app, meaning you no longer have to open voice memo, record a clip and attach it. That message can then be played by the recipient in-app, too. If you’re on the receiving end of a message, you can simply lift your locked handset to your face and start talking to reply. You can also set those messages to self-destruct after a certain period of time, just like Snapchat. Group chat is receiving some much-needed features, too. There’s now an easier way of removing yourself from a group chat without resorting to incinerating your device and deleting your iTunes account, and you can mute particularly vocal conversations to get some respite, without hurting your friends’ feelings.

first look

You might actually use Spotlight

You know what Spotlight is, right? It used to be the left-most homescreen on your device? It’s that little search bar that reveals itself when you swipe your homescreen downwards on iOS 7? Basically, it allows you to search the contents of your iOS device, be it a message, email, app or song – and it largely goes ignored. You might well have a reason to use it following the upgrade to iOS 8. Spotlight is no longer limited to searching your device – think of it more as a text-based Siri. You can now look up apps in the App Store, directions, local movie times, and more. It saves you from unnecessarily diving into an app to access basic information.

Siri is a bit more useful, too

Shazam integration is the order of the day for Siri, meaning you can tag songs by simply asking your voice-activated assistant. What’s more, you can then purchase the song via an iTunes store link in the retrieved tag. You can also activate Siri by uttering, “Hey, Siri”, in an “OK, Google” manner. So you can now use it hands-free, as long as it’s in proximity.

more phone stuff through your Mac

‘Continuity’ is what Apple is naming the enhanced level of computer/handheld synchronicity allowed by iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, its latest Mac operating system. iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks already introduced the ability to send and receive iMessages on your Mac, and now you can do even more. If you get a call and your iPhone is in another room – or it’s nearby and you’re lazy – you can answer calls through your Mac. You can also make calls through it. SMS messages are now receivable in other iOS devices, too, not just ones with a SIM card in. Half-finished messages and emails on one platform can also be picked up and completed on another, and you can continue web browsing across devices.

‘Console quality’ graphics

‘Metal’ is the name of the new, iOS-exclusive graphics system set to arrive with iOS 8. Apple CEO Tim Cook promises it will deliver “console quality” gaming on handheld devices. It’s a big promise, sure, but it’s also a very exciting one.

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It’s easier for families to stay connected

But not in the way you think. Never mind texts and calls, you can now keep connected with your family via ‘Family Sharing’. This means up to six people can share certain content over their various iTunes accounts; for example, a calendar can ensure your teenage kids don’t double-book family dinner night. Or if your kids are a little younger and happen to have access to your bank details for in-app purchases, you can now receive push notifications when they wish to make a purchase. You can then deny or allow the transaction in real time.

It’s healthier for you

Health and fitness is all the rage in the mobile market right now. There’s an abundance of wearables, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 even comes with a builtin – albeit not terribly accurate – heart-rate monitor. In fact, iOS itself has come with Nike+ integration for a while. Apple has upped its game this time though, with the HealthKit app. Its a nice way of unifying the various fitness trackers on your phone, not to mention any Fitbit or Jawbone-style wearables you may own. It’s even teaming up with Nike and the Mayo Clinic to provide health-related services.

Entering card details isn’t so painful

Undoubtedly one of the biggest pains of online shopping is having to sit there and type out your card number and all of its various little details every time you visit somewhere new – and it grows ever-more inconvenient when you have to do it on a fiddly mobile keyboard. Apple has found a way to circumvent this via your device’s camera. If you use Safari, iOS’s default web browser, it will now recognise when a page is asking for payment details when you do your shopping in iOS 8. It will then allow you to simply scan your credit or debit card by training the camera on it. All the details then magically appear in the corresponding input fields.

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first look

Mobile gaming at E3 2014

The annual E3 gaming expo is usually dominated by console and PC games developers and manufacturers. This time things were slightly different and the big boys found themselves making room for the little guys – that is, the smaller screens of mobile devices

obile gaming made a huge bow at E3 2014. Among the small-screen developers at the show was Gameloft, creator of the hugely popular Asphalt series of racing games – it previewed the next iteration in the franchise here – and massively multiplayer online game developer Snail Games, which aims to pave the way for high-end role-playing games on tablets and smartphones, with the release of Heroes of Gaia. Elsewhere, console-to-mobile games spin-offs continued apace, with EA showcasing the follow-up to its critically acclaimed Hitman GO, in the form of the action-driven Hitman Sniper, as well as unveiling a table-top board game of The Witcher. One mobile game that we’ve devoted a lot of coverage to online, at whatmobile.net, is Godfire: Rise of Prometheus. And rightly so, as this new iOS title boasts some of the best graphics for a small screen that we’ve ever seen – mainly due to its use of the Unreal Engine. The game itself plays out like a cross

between God of War and Ryse: Son of Rome – another indication of the trend towards console-style, action-driven games in the mobile sector. Further evidence of the variety of titles hitting smartphones and slates was provided by several strategy games, among them World of Tanks Blitz – a spin-off of the popular PC game World of Tanks – and Capcom’s RPG Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. The aforementioned Gameloft unveiled a series of blockbuster titles. Outrageously good graphics were witnessed across the board on titles such as the fast-paced first-person shooter Modern Combat 5: Blackout, and on everyone’s favourite high-speed racing game Asphalt, which returns in the form of a mission-based spin-off, Asphalt Overdrive. This year really marked the arrival of mobile gaming at E3. With the industry set to grow significantly over the coming years – some analysts put its revenues at about £17 billion worldwide by 2016 – there’s an exciting future ahead for gaming on mobiles.

Top 3 mobile games at E3

Asphalt Overdrive 10 www.whatmobile.net

Godfire: Rise of Prometheus

Hitman Sniper

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Gadgets, Gifts and accessories

‘Phones for phones Here, we bend your ear with the latest foldable, portable and mobile-friendly head gear

BeeWi BBH300

£100 The BeeWi BBH300 is about as portable and mobile as you could expect a pair of over-ear headphones to be. Not only are they foldable, with a wonderfully compact docking station for charging, but they’re also totally wireless. To add to the slick, futuristic look, you have touch-sensitive commands on the outer surface of the earphones to control playback, volume and calls. You can even connect the docking station to your old hi-fi to stream music from your connected smartphone or Bluetooth MP3 player.

Beats by Dre Solo2

£169 Love them or loathe them, Beats headphones aren’t going away any time soon. As much a fashion item as a piece of audio tech, the Solo2 is the first revamp of the brand’s most popular model. It’s compact while still retaining a comfortable over-ear design, and the price isn’t half bad either.

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Gadgets, Gifts and accessories

Denon AH-D600

£179 Denon is the biggest audio brand you may never have heard of. The Japanese company has been making equipment for over 100 years, and the AH-D600 is high on of its list of achievements. Not only do you get a superb, top-of-the-range over-ear audio experience, but there’s also an accompanying app for iOS and Android with full EQ customisation.

Denon AH-W150 Wireless Fitness

£75 At the sporty end of the Denon range sits the AH-W150 – an in-ear headphone that is both wireless and completely water resistant. It’s the ultimate earphone for the serious swimmer, and a seriously useful piece of kit for any exercise enthusiast (that water resistance equates to sweat resistance, too). They can last for seven hours on a single charge. That’s one serious workout.

Bose QuietComfort 20 £229 The first in-ear headphones from Bose include a range of controls, including a slider switch to turn noise cancelling on and off, a separate inline remote and microphone control function that can be used to answer calls, as well as a rechargeable battery.

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07 06

Bowers & Wilkins P3 £170 With a sleek and compact, foldable design, these headphones offer great sound with minimum disruption, as well as a comfortable fit. They also come in a range of colours including red, blue, black and white, with an aluminium finish and changeable memory foam ear cushions.

V-Moda XS £110 These large on-ear headphones look rugged and tough. They can, however, be easily folded into an accompanying carry case. The XS includes a cloth-covered, Kevlarreinforced, 4.5-foot headphone cable with separate inline remote and microphone controls. Additionally, the metal shields on each earpiece are interchangeable and can be engraved to order.

Creative Hitz WP380 £90 Connecting your Bluetooth-enabled devices has never been easier with the WP380. The headphones come with built-in Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC technology, allowing you to easily pair them with your smartphone. All this would be useless if they didn’t sound as great as they do.

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international round-up

Global update Samsung unveils its first Tizen OS phone, Oppo gets flashy in China and Micromax becomes the first Indian manufacturer to release a Windows Phone device

Samsung Z In a bold move to promote its Tizen operating system – already used in its Gear range of wearables – Samsung has unveiled its first Tizen-based smartphone. The specs on the Samsung Z, as it is known, are far from average. The handset comes with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen, powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core processor and a 2,600mAh battery. It also comes with a built-in fingerprint sensor, which Samsung first introduced in its Galaxy S5 flagship. The device has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera, and it also supports 2D and 3D graphics. At the Z’s unveiling in Russia, where the device is set to launch later this year, Samsung touted Tizen as a platform not just for phones, but also for a range of connected devices, from home appliances to door locks and watches, to communicate with one another in the future. Samsung showed off a line of Tizen-powered devices ranging from TizenAndroid cameras to a prototype smart television that connects to online content using Tizen. Fans of Samsung’s Android devices shouldn’t worry too much though. Although the Korean manufacturer has grand plans for its new OS – which it predicts could account for as much as 15% of its yearly mobile shipments – it claims Android will still be its main platform.

Oppo N1 Mini/Find 7 Although it is relatively unknown in the West, Chinese manufacturer Oppo has been releasing solid mid-to-high-end devices in its domestic market for a while now. The latest version of its flagship N1 smartphone is part of the current trend for smartphones that pack powerful front-facing cameras (see the Huawei Ascend P7, reviewed in July’s What Mobile). The only difference here is that the N1 contains just the one 13-megapixel camera, but it can be rotated to face the front. As a compact version of a high-end device, the N1 Mini also boasts solid specs, including a 5-inch, 1,280 x 720-pixel HD IPS display, a 1.6GHz quad-core

18 www.whatmobile.net

Snapdragon 400 processor and 4G LTE connectivity. It also weighs just 150g. That camera has an integrated 1/3.2” Sony IMX214 stacked sensor, 6-element lens, f/2.0 aperture and LED flash. If you’re impressed by the camera tech on the N1 Mini, make sure to also check out Oppo’s other high-end smartphone: the Find 7. Upon its release, it set the internet ablaze with talk of its 13-megapixel camera that can take 50-megapixel images. It does this by taking multiple shots of the same image and piecing the four best ones together. By combining four 13-megapixel images, you have your 50-megapixel image. It also supports 4K video.

international round-up

Xolo Q1200

Docomo Portable SIM

Turning our attention to India, Xolo is an ambitious manufacturer to look out for. There is currently talk that the company is developing the world’s lightest smartphone, which will reportedly weigh less than 100g. Meanwhile, the firm’s latest mid-range device, the Q1200, has hit the market. Although its specs are nothing to get too excited about – a 5-inch, 1,280 x 720-pixel HD IPS display, 1.3GHz quadcore processor, Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system, 8-megapixel rearcamera and 2-megapixel front-facing snapper – its design is decidedly better. The handset boasts a unibody metallic design and looks similar to the iPhone 5s, but bigger. It also has a range of software features including gesture control to browse pictures, change videos and switch music tracks.

Japanese wireless company Docomo has unveiled the prototype of what it calls the world’s first SIM-based authentication device, named Portable SIM. The device, which is roughly the size of a credit card and about half as thick as an iPhone, incorporates three major components: a SIM card, Bluetooth and NFC. Placing the unit next to a smartphone, or waving it over the device, transfers a user’s identity via Bluetooth, eliminating the need to insert a physical SIM. Portable SIM also stores multiple login credentials for a range of accounts – everything from Google to Amazon – allowing users to forego the process of entering user IDs and passwords each time they want to use a new smartphone or tablet. As consumers own an increasing number of devices, Docomo claims the advantage of having a Portable SIM will be the ease with which users can switch between personal and shared devices. The company believes it will be especially useful for families and business users. The current prototype, manufactured by Sharp, is likely to undergo considerable design changes before it is made available for consumers. Docomo envisions scaling it down into a wearable device, like a bracelet, that may some day be used as an all-in-one wireless authentication device and digital wallet.

Micromax Canvas Win W121/W092 With the release of the Canvas Win W121 and W092, Micromax has become the first Indian smartphone maker to launch Windows Phone devices. As is usually the case in emerging markets such as India, the two affordable smartphones are both entry-level handsets with the kind of specs you’d expect from smartphones in that price bracket. The 5-inch Canvas Win W121 is priced at Rs 9,500 (£93), and sports an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. The device includes 8GB of on-device storage, which can be upgraded to 32GB with memory cards. The Canvas Win W092 is the cheaper of the two, priced at Rs 6,500 (£63). It has the same specs, but a downgraded 5-megapixel camera on the front and a 0.3-megapixel snapper on the back. It is also dual-SIM, which is a draw in India. The release of these affordable handsets further confirm Microsoft’s strategy to make its Windows Phone platform more open. Earlier this year, the software giant announced that the ailing operating system would be free for manufacturers to use on devices with screens under 9 inches.

www.whatmobile.net 19

futurology

Patently Obvious You know HTC is on to a winner when the nifty Dot View Case for its flagship M8 is ‘adopted’ by Apple, but the fruity iPhone maker has a few tricks of its own in store, including a battery-charging screen and ‘smart’ earbuds – surely an improvement on its dire bundled ‘phones. Elsewhere, Jawbone is getting all jiggly with your muffin-top, while Samsung offers up one to watch

Solar panel touch-capacitive display Apple Battery life is a top-five complaint of any mobile phone user. It doesn’t matter which device you use, you could always do with more power. So what if your phone was capable of recharging through sunlight alone? Apple’s new patent, in all likelihood, doesn’t quite reach that utopian goal. But it could certainly make for an interesting supplement to battery life.

The patent details an incredibly thin, flexible solar array, which can be embedded behind a touch-capacitative display. Effectively, it would turn your iPhone’s screen into a solar panel. A self-recharging iPhone is an incredibly exciting prospect, and that’s without even getting into the potential the technology holds for smart wearables.

Body fat measurement using your existing device Jawbone Fitness apps and wearables are capable of tracking just about everything you need to lead a healthier lifestyle and get into better shape. One key measurement they lack, though, is body fat. But that’s fair enough, right? Wrong. Jawbone, one of the world’s leading fitness band manufacturers, says it can be done. Not only that, but it aims to do it using devices and wearables that you already own. In this patent, Jawbone explains how it would use a combination of your phone’s display, accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and GPS to tell you where to best place the device on your body. It then sends off a series of ‘impulses’ to act as a sort of vibrational sonar and measure the readings it receives. Put less eloquently, it’ll jiggle you and then measure the response.

20 www.whatmobile.net

futurology

Smart cover for iPad Apple What would you get if you combined the iPad’s Smart Cover with the HTC One M8’s Dot View Case? The answer is exactly what is detailed in this patent. A better answer might be ‘a giant Dot View Case’ though, as there seems to be very few original ideas here. It looks as if Apple was such a big fan of HTC’s work that it decided it would translate exceptionally well to the iPad. It’s not a bad line of thought though. We loved the Dot View Case when we got a chance to use it in our review of the One M8, so its features certainly wouldn’t go amiss on our best-reviewed tablet. The concept is largely the same: a series of ‘translucent or selectively transparent materials’ form a grid of dots on the front cover. This then allows notifications to be displayed through it. The patent also mentions that the same effect could be achieved with LEDs.

Smart earbuds Apple It’s surely no coincidence that a matter of days after confirming its acquisition of headphone manufacturer Beats by Dre, Apple has patented two bits of technology that could radically improve the generic, bundled earbuds that come with every iPhone, iPod and iPad. These two patents revolve around the concept of the earbuds knowing when they are no longer in your ears. The first details how, by using the accelerometer, capacitive touch sensors, ultrasonic sensors, acoustic sensors and touch sensors, the earbuds could determine when they have been removed from your ears so as to turn off the noise-cancelling function. As noise cancelling is a major drain on battery, this could come in more handy than you might think. The second patent uses the same technology to achieve the same goal, only this time it can pause music when your earbuds come out. That sounds to us like a feature that, once we have it, we’ll wonder how we went so long without.

Foldable tablet Samsung You know what’s better than owning a smartphone and a tablet? Owning a smartphone and a tablet in one device. That’s what Samsung is hoping anyway. This patent details a tablet that is twice hinged, separating it into equal thirds. As a result, you can fold it in on itself to create a device one-third of the size – or a rather large smartphone, if you will. We’re not convinced, but as is often the case with radically different technology such as this, it will all come down to execution. The rumours are that, in tablet form, the display is 8 or 9 inches diagonally. By our calculations, when folded into phone mode that would create a 5.1-inch display – the same size as that found on the Sony Xperia Z2. If Samsung can keep the thickness down, then it could have a winner on its hands, albeit a quirky one.

Smartwatch controlled via gestures Samsung Smartwatches are limited by their small screen space. More screen real estate means more possibilities for functions, icons and the like. So, what if your smartwatch didn’t need interaction with the screen to function? Allow us to introduce one of Samsung’s latest patents. It quite clearly shows a smartwatch designed to operate via a series of gestures. Or, at least, an array of commands can be activated via gesture, as opposed to touch or voice. Not only can this smartwatch identify general, sweeping movements via accelerometer, but it also has a sensor that can determine exactly what gesture you’re showing with your hands. For example, you might be clenching a fist with one hand and making a pinching pose with the other – different combinations allow for different functions. Just what those functions are we don’t know yet. The patent also portrays the watch as having a circular face like Motorola’s Moto 360 – a welcome departure from the ungainly, square Samsung Gear.

www.whatmobile.net 21

competition

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The BeeWi BBH300 headphones are, quite simply, some of the best we’ve ever used. Not only is the sleek design easy on the eye, but it’s practical too. The touch-sensitive sensors on the side of the earphones are a revelation, and the lack of wires only further enhances the sci-fi aesthetic. For your chance at winning a pair, answer this simple question:

In what year did Sony’s revolutionary Walkman device first go on sale? A) 1979 B) 1985 C) 1991 Email your entry (one only) to competitions@whatmobile.net The winner will be posted at: www.facebook.com/whatmobilemagazine

Sweating the small stuff: 1. The promoter of this competition is Clark White Publishing Ltd. 2. The competition is open to all UK residents aged 18 years or over, excluding employees of What Mobile, all participating companies, its agents or families and any company associated with this competition. 3. By entering, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules. 4. All entry instructions form a part of the terms and conditions. 5. Closing date: 5 August 2014. 6. Only one entry per email/IP address will be accepted. 7. The correct winning entry will be selected randomly by the administrator of the What Mobile Facebook page. The winner, who must be a UK resident, will be sent a pair of BeeWi BBH300 headphones. 8. No cash alternative or other device will be offered. 9. No correspondence will be entered into except that the name of the winner will be available upon written request.

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in this issue

re views

Just when we thought 2014 couldn’t get any better for spectacular smartphones, the LG G3 rolls into town. Elsewhere, HTC is back with a mini winner, and we round-up the best of the rest

LG G3

HTC One Mini 2

30 How we review

To show you where a phone or tablet succeeds or fails, we grade each device in five key areas.

Performance

First we fully test the speed and power of each device we review.

Usability

Next we find out how well the device functions in daily use.

Design

Then we rate the style and quality of the overall design.

Features

What kind of unique features and add-ons does it have?

Final verdict “The G3’s display delivers an exceptional level of sharpness that is simply unrivalled”

Nokia 630

“This is a beautiful compact with a design that justifies its price”

BWC Dual Review

“Gaming is where the Lumia excels over its “If you’re looking to purchase a rugged affordable rivals, due to its quad-core chip” smartphone, there’s never been a better time”

Amplicomms

“Long battery life is a major strength – the battery was 75% full after a fortnight” 24 Questions? Head to our online forum at forum.whatmobile.net

Fitbit Flex

“It offers an array of lifestyle analytics that are unrivalled by any other fitness band”

A rating out of five, balancing cost versus performance

Editor’s choice Only the very best devices will win our What Mobile Editor’s Choice award.

editor’s choice

HHHHH

HTC One (M8) Free Phone

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review

Four times as many pixels as 720p HD resolution 5.5-inch screen comes with a slim bezel Metal-look case doesn’t fool us – it’s just plastic

LG G3 Just when we thought all of the year’s best Android phones had been unveiled, the LG G3 goes into battle with the HTC, Samsung and Sony flagships. The choice gets ever harder... Price: £499 Reviewer: Callum Tennent

he first half of 2014 has been incredible for high-end smartphones. We’ve seen a fallen giant re-emerge in the form of HTC’s One M8, a typically strong effort from Samsung with its Galaxy S5, and a polished, noteworthy third-placed runner in the shape of the Sony Xperia Z2. Just one of those would ordinarily be enough to keep us content – but three of them in six months was like Christmas coming early. Perhaps we thought that, after such a wonderful return to form from HTC, there were no more surprises in store. Perhaps we imagined that no other manufacturer would bother to compete in a

year with such a strong line-up. Then we saw the LG G3, and we realised we were wrong about everything.

taken criticism on board, and managed to create the slickest, most polished, most usable device in its history.

Specs

Screen

The G3 is the most technologically advanced smartphone on the market today. It’s a wonderful piece of kit and rivals any device out there for sheer power, and for the gadgetry contained within its casing. As we see so often, though, it is the implementation that is more important than the technology itself. Fortunately, LG has learned from past mistakes,

Heads were initially turned with the announcement that the G3 would boast a ‘QHD’ display. QHD is short for ‘quad-HD’, meaning the G3’s display has four times as many pixels as a standard 720p HD screen: 1,440 x 2,560 of them. That’s a lot of pixels. Even 2014’s other flagships can only offer up 1080p Full HD displays, which have almost half the pixel count of the G3. It goes without saying, then, that the G3’s display

At a glance

Spec sheet OS Android 4.4 (KitKat) Processor 2.5GHz quad-core Screen 5.5 inches, 1,440 x 2,560 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB/32GB Micro SD compatible? Yes

26 www.whatmobile.net

Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2.1MP front-facing Video 2160p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm Weight 149g Battery 3,000mAh

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is outstanding. It delivers an exceptional level of sharpness that is simply unrivalled. For the most part though, the difference is barely noticeable. If you’re flicking around your home screens, composing an SMS or browsing Twitter, then you probably won’t notice much of a difference between QHD and the 1080p Full HD resolution of other top-end devices.

Here’s one we made earlier The LG G3 is highly customisable, in ways that many people wouldn’t expect from a handset running a user interface that’s been slapped on top of Google’s Android software. Here’s just a few of the ways that you can tweak your day-to-day experience.

Battery To ensure that such a massively advanced display doesn’t ruin battery life, LG has given the G3 a sizeable 3,000mAh battery. It claims the 20% extra power consumption brought on by the display is offset by a 20% larger-than-average battery. In our time using the device, we didn’t notice any accelerated drain. Still, some people might have preferred extra battery life over the pixel boost which, at times, is indistinguishable. The QHD is noticeable, however, when watching videos and playing games. Movies pop with a real crispness. It offers possibly the best cinematic experience on a mobile device, while in-game graphics are remarkably detailed in their rendering. Of course, both of these pursuits are greatly enhanced by the G3’s huge display. At 5.5 inches, it’s the largest of the current generation of flagships phones – 0.2 inches larger than the previous biggest, the Xperia Z2, and a whole 0.5 inches more than the One M8. There’s no way the G3 could achieve such a clear picture on such a large display without QHD technology behind it. In fact, despite being 10% larger than the One M8, it packs in almost 100 more pixels per inch, totalling an astonishing 534ppi, compared to 441ppi on the One M8.

There are hundreds of ways to customise the G3 to your liking

The G3 can suport whatever keyboard layout you want

The notification shade has customisable, re-organisable shortcuts

Pages of user settings will amuse the inveterate phone tinkerer

Design Perhaps the most impressive thing about that 5.5-inch display is just how small a body LG has crammed it into. It may be a phablet-sized screen, but the G3 is no phablet. To draw another comparison with the One M8, the G3 is actually 0.1mm shorter – despite a whole half an inch of extra display. It’s also 0.5mm thinner than the One M8, and it’s only 1.2mm wider than the Xperia Z2. The G3 would be worlds apart from the competition aesthetically, if it weren’t for one small, niggling factor. When we were first treated to preview images of the handset, we were so excited to see what looked like a handset finally ready to challenge the One M8 in terms of build quality. It looked as if another major handset had taken that extra step and crafted a brushed aluminium chassis, and it looked great. Unfortunately, it looked a little too good. The LG G3’s rear casing is simply plastic with a brushed

www.whatmobile.net 27

review

You’ll need huge hands to be able to operate this beast one-handed

metal look to it. Of course, as far as plastic handsets go, it’s about as attractive as you could conceive, but it feels like a cut corner, and you’ll notice the difference as soon as you pick it up. The larger screen could be problematic for some people as well. A grown man with large hands will be able to operate the G3 one-handed with a little dexterity, but it’ll be a stretch. Your average woman, or a young person, will almost certainly be forced to operate it two-handed. There is an option to enable one-handed operation to help with tasks like dialling or texting, but it’s rather limited.

Software One handily customisable feature is the pre-loaded keyboard. We type on our smartphones more than anything else, yet few manufacturers bother to make noticeable changes to the stock Android setup. Here, you can change the size of the G3’s typing area, choose the level and aggression of the autocorrect, and even choose what functions two shortcut buttons either side of the space bar perform. Dragging your thumb left or right across the space bar allows you to move the cursor without having to fiddle around in the main body text, and it even has swipe-to-type functionality, although it’s not particularly good. Despite these neat features, the LG keyboard is still a hard sell, as most seasoned Android users will already have an equally well-featured keyboard downloaded from the Google Play app store. LG has done an excellent job of not forcing its user interface upon the user. As the G3 uses softkeys, you can edit the order and number of home touch buttons too, so you’re not confined to a preset set-up.

Camera Unfortunately, this level of detail ends with the camera. For whatever reason, there’s next to no options for tinkering with the various settings of what is an excellent snapper. The lens is 13 megapixels, as we’ve seen on so

many high-end smartphones, but it is the laser autofocus that really stands out. Photos are taken quicker than the blink of an eye. You can programme in a trigger word to activate a timer such as “cheese” or “smile”. Or, if you’re taking a selfie, you can clench your free, open palm into a fist in view of the lens to initiate a countdown.

Features The knock-to-wake feature, wherein a locked screen can be activated via a quick double-tap, was a greatly appreciated feature on the One M8. LG has taken this idea one step further and implemented what it calls Knock Code. With the screen divided into four small sections, you can input a code of three or more taps that function as a password. You can even tap out this code on a locked, blank display and it will automatically unlock the device and take you to your home screen. It’s a great time saver, and works with unerring consistency. Smart Notice is another unique feature of the G3 that has the potential to greatly improve your daily use of it. As the name implies, it exists to issue important reminders, without you having to

Only minor detractions stop the LG G3 from being the perfect smartphone – but as there’s no such thing as a perfect smartphone just yet, the G3 is still a wonderful piece of kit. It has outstanding features, hardware and form to boot. If you’re looking for the best possible Android device on the market, you would be foolish not to seriously consider the G3. + Massive, glorious display + Quickest camera shutter speed around + The little things make LG’s UI a pleasure

28 www.whatmobile.net

– Could be a little too large for some – Nice plastic cover, but it’s still plastic – Is QHD a fair trade-off for battery life?

actually suggest them. For example, it will check the weather forecast every day to see if you need to take an umbrella or wrap up warm. If you miss a phone call and don’t acknowledge it, it will remind you to call the person back. It also monitors your calendar and schedule for important events to keep you informed, without you having to lift a finger. One of the most interesting features is Dual Window, which enables split-screen multitasking. The screen is dissected horizontally to allow for two apps to run simultaneously, one on top of the other. You can even adjust the size of each window. It’s a niche feature, granted, but you never know when you might need to use it – for example, if you want to reference a text message while composing an email.

Conclusion With the strength of smartphone competition today, it is conscientious additions like the above features that help distinguish technologically similar Android handset from another. The G3 looks the part, too, even if the plastic build isn’t exactly in keeping with its overall premium feel.

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Vote now to win one of four great smartphones provided by The What Mobile Awards 2014 are here. Tell us which products and services have impressed you most over the past 12 months and be in to win one of the world’s top smartphones. We’ve got an Apple iPhone 5s, HTC M8, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 to give away to say ‘thank you’ to five lucky voters.

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To vote now visit

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review

HTC One Mini 2 The HTC One M8 knocked our socks off a few months ago, so can this compact version impress as much as its big brother did? Price: £360 Reviewer: Saqib Shah

n the face of it, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC should be in the doldrums. Samsung has the sales, Apple boasts the enduring fanbase and the company has upstarts like Huawei to contend with. It’s no wonder HTC recently slipped out of the top 10 global smartphone sales chart. All this despite a spate of great devices. This year, the HTC One was awarded best smartphone of 2013 at Mobile World Congress, and we picked out its follow-up – the One M8 – as the greatest flagship of 2014 so far (at least until the LG G3 arrived this month – see review, page 26). So we’re pleased to see HTC pushing forward with new devices. Its latest is a compact version of the HTC One M8, the One Mini 2. Let’s hope it performs to expectations.

Unibody metallic design looks great Screen is bigger than the iPhone 5s

Design The design – like on its pricier sibling – is top-notch. The compact handset retains the One M8’s unibody metallic design, with just the horizontal rubber bands on the back disrupting its continuity. The handset also has a rather large bezel that contains dual front-facing speakers that deliver its superior ‘BoomSound’. At 4.5 inches, the display is still bigger than the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5s, but 0.5 inches smaller than the One M8. The back of the device is also slightly different to its larger predecessor, as it ditches the duo-lens, duo-sensor rear camera, instead opting for just the one 13-megapixel camera and a single LED flash on the back. There is also a decent 5-megapixel front-facing snapper inconspicuously housed in the upper bezel next to the upper speaker.

Additionally, the vibrant themes and wallpapers you can use to customise your home and lock screens further illuminate the premium-looking device, especially when the brightness is turned up. Overall, this is a beautiful compact with a design that justifies its price. We were left expecting the same premium features in the phone’s hardware. As we soon found out, to our disappointment, that wasn’t always the case.

Apps and software Let’s start with a positive. The One Mini 2 comes with some decent built-in apps that – unlike the clutter of tools on Windows Phone devices – are actually useful. Among them is Blinkfeed, a social network and news aggregator that sits on your home screen. It’s a good standalone service for news stories; just

spec sheet OS Android 4.4 (KitKat) Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 720 x 1,280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 137.4 x 64 x 10.6mm Weight 137g Battery 2,110mAh

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don’t cram it with too much information using its customisation options. For example, we synced it with our social networks alongside the news feeds and found that most of the info displayed was from our dense social network timelines. It left us wishing we had used it just for news updates, while sticking to standalone apps for social networking. Elsewhere, built-in productivity apps are welcome additions. These include the Polaris Office app – which can be used to open and view documents – and the Scribble notepad app. The latter is a playful improvement on other simplistic note-taking apps; we particularly liked the calendar options and colourful designs of the various notepads. There is also the Zoodles Kid Mode function, which helps parents to customise the device for children, who are increasingly using smartphones for educational features – as well as to play games, of course.

The camera on the HTC One Mini 2 offers a wealth of features – turn to page 38 for examples of photos taken with it

Camera

Performance The 1.2GHz quad-core processor is where things start to get a bit unpredictable. Not all general tasks run as smoothly as you’d expect. We tested app performance first and it was a mixed bag. Twitter, for example, took a few seconds to display images in the timeline or profile pics. Facebook had similar problems, with slight lag when loading web links, images and videos on our timelines, along with profile pics. Instagram, on the other hand, fared better, probably because it relies on one source of content: pictures. An image, video and GIF-heavy app like Tumblr, however, was a strain on the device’s relatively weak processor. The content on the app took too long to load and the GIFs themselves suffered from considerable lag and reduced frame rates during playback. Web browsing was decidedly better, with sites and pages loading quickly through both the in-built browser and Google Chrome. Bearing in mind the mixed performance of the

HTC One Mini 2, one area in which we thought it might suffer was gaming. Thankfully,we were proven wrong. We tested the powerful Real Racing 3 and frenetic zombie shooter Dead Trigger 2. Both ran smoothly and neither suffered from any noticeable lag. The same went for less demanding titles such as Jetpack Joyride and God of Light.

Screen The 720 x 1,280-pixel screen on the One Mini 2 is the same resolution as on the older Sony Xperia Z1 compact, and less than the similarly priced Huawei Ascend P7, which boasts an impressive 1,980 x 1,020-pixel resolution. Still, it is sufficient for viewing videos and looks crisp and detailed. It’s just that there is better out there for a similar price, so if you’re obsessed with image quality and video playback resolution, then you have other options.

The camera is one of the better features on the HTC One Mini 2. For the compact version of its flagship, HTC has done away with the Ultrapixel camera in favour of a standard 13-megapixel rear-snapper and a surprisingly powerful 5-megapixel frontfacing snapper. The camera comes with a host of clever functions that are hidden away under the settings icon to avoid on-screen clutter. For those who enjoy manually tweaking their images, you’ll find ISO, exposure and white balance tools, alongside HDR, night mode and panorama options. Additionally, like many modern handsets including the LG G3, there is a make-up option that can help you touch-up any blemishes or rough edges on your pics. Aside from all the gimmicky smartphones out there that offer 13-megapixel front-facing cameras – and Huawei’s Ascend P7, which offers an 8-megapixel panoramic lens for group selfies – the 5-megapixel snapper located on the front of the One Mini 2 is outstanding. The amount of detail came as a pleasant surprise, mainly because we’re used to the standard 2 megapixels on front-facing cameras. It made for a positive change, and should really be the default option on more devices – particularly considering the popularity of selfies.

Conclusion Your opinion of the HTC One Mini 2 will come down to what you mostly use your phone for; we’re heavy users of social networking apps, and it didn’t fare particularly well with these during our testing, mainly due to the sluggish chip. But if you can overlook its processor problems, the HTC One Mini 2 is a well-designed unit that can handle high-end games and web browsing, while offering a variety of useful features.

The HTC One Mini 2 will appeal to the design purists. Due to some cutbacks compared to the bigger One M8, this compact doesn’t achieve the latter’s all-round success. It may be first to arrive at this year’s mini flagship party, but with rumours of inbound compact versions of the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2, it may be leaving alone. + Inherits the One M8’s immaculate design + Solid camera + Useful built-in apps and software

– Processor struggles with general tasks – Better displays can be found on cheaper alternatives

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review

Nokia Lumia 630 The Lumia 630 is the latest entry-level handset from Nokia, but it faces stiff competition from other excellent ‘cheapies’ such as Motorola’s Moto range. Can it deliver? Price: £110 Reviewer: Saqib Shah

okia’s latest addition to its colourful Lumia range is a device with its sights firmly set on Motorola’s crown as the king of affordable handsets. The last time we saw an entry-level smartphone in the UK from the Finnish manufacturer was over a year ago, in the form of the Lumia 520. Since then, Nokia has released its cheaper Windows Phone handsets solely in Asia. But following the success of Motorola’s Moto G, and more recently, the Moto E, Nokia now wants a slice of the affordable phone pie. But can the 630 match the solid specs and superior performance of Motorola’s cheap champions?

Design

Software & Apps

The most noticeable design feature of the 630 is the fact that it has ditched the rigid corners associated with the Lumia range for a smoother, curved shape. At 4.5 inches, the 630’s display is 0.2 inches bigger than the Moto E. Its large top and bottom bezel make it feel significantly bigger in hand too. Still, it’s hardly an oversized phone and those wanting a larger device that is light – 8g lighter than the Moto E, to be precise – will be pleased by its dimensions. Despite a range of bright colour options, its matte plastic back cover unfortunately lets it down. It looks cheaper than the glossier Moto E.

In its ads and promotional clips, Nokia has touted the 630’s built-in apps, which include a music streaming service entitled MixRadio, a map service called Here, the Bing News reader and not one, but two messaging apps in the form of Skype and Line, among others. This is all well and good if you’re a fan of Windows-centric apps, otherwise they amount to little more than clutter in the device’s 8GB storage. Waiting for all the apps to install adds to the length of the set-up and activation process too. We tested out the Nokia MixRadio app, which at first seemed like a decent free music streaming service until you realise you only get a limited amount of skips and certain tracks are censored. We also noticed glaring

spec sheet OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 480 x 854 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 8GB Micro SD compatible? Yes, up to 128GB Camera 5MP rear-facing Video 720p, 30fps Connectivity 3G, wi-fi Dimensions 129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2mm Weight 134g Battery 1,830mAh

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errors while testing it out, such as wrong song titles for certain tracks. You can subscribe to MixRadio’s unlimited service for £3.99, but it’s not worth it when you compare it to other streaming services such as Spotify. Once activated, we would recommend turning the brightness on the 630 up to the highest of its three settings, otherwise the screen appears dim. Additionally, if you have the 8GB handset, make sure to uninstall any of the built-in apps you don’t intend to use, to free up storage for apps, games and images. For us, these included the unnecessary Bing News reader add-ons such as the Sports reader and Travel app, as well as the Line messaging app. The inclusion of two weather apps out of the box – Bing Weather and the Weather Channel – is also excessive, so choose the one you prefer and trash the other one to save valuable storage space.

per inch – the screen resolution on the Lumia 630 is better than most cheaper handsets, apart from the 256ppi Moto E, which boasts the sharpest display in its class. Although HD videos on the Lumia 630 look clear, they lack the crispness of the Moto E’s display, and don’t even come close to the displays found on midrange and high-end devices. As is usually the case with Windows Phone, however, third-party apps can be a problem. For example, after we stopped viewing a HD YouTube video on an imitation of the app – Google owns YouTube so you can figure out why an official Windows Phone app isn’t available – the service crashed and even forced the phone to restart when we tried to exit it via the Windows Live Tile home button.

Features

Performance In terms of performance speeds, we were impressed by the way apps ran on the 630. We tried out all the most popular social networking apps and found they performed even better than on the Moto E – which hardly broke a sweat when running them either. Facebook opens quickly, works smoothly and browsing through images and photo albums was particularly fast. The same goes for Twitter, which updated rapidly when we were quickly scrolling through our dense timeline. Instagram Beta worked slightly slower than the social apps, but it still performed well. Web browsing via the Internet Explorer app – which may irk Chrome users – suffers from slight lag due to longer loading times for web pages. But it’s still faster and more reliable than that of more expensive devices such as the Huawei Ascend P7 (reviewed in July’s What Mobile). Gaming is where the Lumia excels over its affordable rivals, due to the quad-core processor that runs the show. Most cheaper

Range of downloadable apps is limited

handsets still only offer single or dual-core processors – the Moto E’s 1.2GHz dual-core chip included. Although dual-core processors are fine for most browsing and app tasks – which is why they suffice for casual smartphone users – they cannot handle more demanding mobile gaming tasks. As such, the Lumia 630’s quad-core processor is much better for high-end gaming. Impressive titles such as Asphalt 8: Airborne look more polished due to the solid frame rate, and don’t suffer from niggling lag, like they would on other entry-level handsets, including the Moto E. At 480 x 854 pixels – equating to 218 pixels

The bright, smooth Windows Phone software looks good and ably handles most tasks, powered as it is by a quad-core chip. Camera functions and gaming work better than on similarly affordable phones, but a lack of downloadable apps counts against it.

+ Above-average snapper for an entry-level handset + Fast-performing apps + Quad-core processor good for mobile gaming

– Dull design – Unnecessary apps clog up storage – Lack of apps and games

The hardware features are a lot more attractive than its apps. Sound quality is loud enough to please music enthusiasts and audio only needs to be set halfway on the volume bar when listening through headphones. We also found the camera on the Lumia 630 to be better than on similar devices, despite a standard-issue 5-megapixel sensor. There is a decent amount of focus functions and interesting touch controls such as sliding up and down on the screen and left to right to zoom, instead of pinch controls. The only negative is the short pause every time you open the camera app, which is irritating when time is of the essence.

Conclusion The Nokia Lumia 630 offers many positives. Its bright and smooth Windows Phone interface is eye-catching and performs most tasks well, given the affordable price. It beats its rivals – including the superior Moto E – in terms of app browsing, camera functions and gaming. Elsewhere, though, it is let down by some shortcomings that include a lack of popular apps and games, unnecessary built-in software and a rather dull design.

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review

BWC Smart and Tough range: Stealth V2 and RoughNeck 3G

When a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, a protective case won’t cut it. But will these two rufty-tufty, rugged phones take a licking and come up ticking? Price: £300/£110 Reviewer: Callum Tennent

ugged smartphones are a tough sell. A smartphone needs to be smart in both form and function. It needs to be able to perform all the functions of a pocket computer, and perform them well. Plus, it never hurts to look good. But a rugged phone needs to be one thing and one thing only: tough. It’s with that thought in mind that we arrive at BWC’s two latest Smart & Tough handsets. As far as handsets from the same range go, they couldn’t be more different – as we found when, as intrepid reviewers, we put them to the test to try and disprove their ‘ruggedness’.

Specs The first of the pair, the Stealth V2, is a fully functioning Android handset. It has a sizeable

4.2-inch display layered with ultra-durable Corning Gorilla Glass, with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM, and it even runs on the latest Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) software. It is, of course, also coated in thick, tough black plastic. On the other end of the spectrum sits the RoughNeck 3G. Despite its 3G capabilities it is, to all intents and purposes, a standard feature phone. It uses a physical keyboard and has a 2.4inch non-touch capacitive display. That screen has a paltry 240 x 320-pixel resolution, and the 1.2GHz dual-core processor sat behind it only produces 512MB RAM. It doesn’t run Android, either, so there’s no app functionality – what you see is what you get. They are two very different devices, clearly aimed at different crowds.

Durability If you’re after a rugged device, you’re going to have to choose between technical specs or toughness. At least, that’s what we thought, until we put the phones through their paces. Five minutes into roughing up the RoughNeck 3G, we were amazed to find we’d broken it. And not just a flesh wound, it was inoperable. After rolling over the handset on one of our office chairs, the display was broken. Peculiarly, the physical material of the screen was largely fine, with only a couple of tiny nicks. However, the display underneath was ruined, rendering the handset useless. The BWC website proclaims: “Drive a car over this phone – no problem, its tougher than that.” You’ll have to take our word for it when we say

Roughneck 3G

Stealth V2

OS BWC’s own Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage N/A Micro SD compatible? No Camera 2MP front-facing, 0.3MP rear-facing Video 640 x 480 pixels Connectivity 3G Dimensions 125 x 58 x 15mm Weight 130g Battery 1,700mAh

OS Android Jelly Bean 4.2 Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 854 x 480 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 1GB Micro SD compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 720p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 133 x 69 x 20mm Weight 230g Battery 2,800mAh

Screen is poor quality in every sense

Specs that live up to the ‘smartphone’ tag

Physical keypad is ideal for the fat-fingered

Screen pixel density better than a Galaxy S2

review

It is claimed the RoughNeck will take the weight of a car... but not an office chair, it seems

that this reviewer weighs substantially less than a car. As such, it is with a heavy heart – and a few chuckles of genuine bemusement – that we cannot recommend the RoughNeck 3G in any capacity. As a phone, it functions to the standards of a 15-year-old Nokia with 3G connectivity. This was supposed to be redeemed by exceptional ruggedness. Unfortunately, it utterly failed in that department. On the flip side, the Stealth V2 more than lived up to its billing.

Software & performance Not only did the Stealth V2 survive the infamous wheely desk-chair test, but it also performed to a surprisingly high standard as a smartphone. Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) may no longer be the latest version of the operating system, but it’s perfectly capable of running almost any app you would want to on your Android handset. The Stealth V2 probably won’t be receiving an upgrade to 4.4 (KitKat) any time soon, so it isn’t entirely future-proof, but for the time being, there’s nothing to worry about. Similarly, while the Stealth V2’s processor isn’t exactly top of the line, its four cores are powerful enough to run most apps to a good standard. It gets the most out of its 1GB of RAM by running stock Android without any fancy user interface layered on top of it, meaning more memory is kept free for other things.

Screen Its display isn’t too shabby either, with 245 pixels per inch, which is about midway between the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Samsung Galaxy S3. It could stand to be a little brighter, but the

Both phones are IP67 certified for water resistance up to two metres for half an hour

big draw here is that it’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. We learned the hard way what happens to rugged devices that don’t have it. The touch-capacitive display is responsive, even if you’re wearing gloves, which is pretty important for a handset designed for the outdoors. There’s also an old fashioned pair of answer/hang-up hard buttons beneath the display, too, for times when you receive a call but are unable to use the touchscreen comfortably.

Water resistance Both the Stealth V2 and the RoughNeck 3G are IP67 certified,. That means they’re fully waterproof to depths up to two metres, for as long as half an hour. A necessity in a rugged device, water resistance has been in the headlines of late due to premium devices such as the Sony Xperia Z2 and Samsung Galaxy S5 offering such a feature, meaning it’s no longer the preserve of rugged phones. To ensure both devices are watertight, their USB ports are covered by a chunky plastic flap. It may be a small niggle, but those plastic covers are almost impossible to remove with your bare hands. Of course, it’s good that they’re strong, but it makes plugging in to charge a pain. Similarly, while it’s great that both handsets have removable batteries, the fact that they are hidden behind a rear plate that requires a screwdriver or small coin to remove is an inconvenience. It’s a trade-off for the durability of the devices though. You shouldn’t need to remove those batteries very often, as both devices will run and run. We left the more power-thirsty of the two, the Stealth V2, switched on but untouched in the office, and it lasted a whole fortnight on a single charge.

Very impressive. Both devices are equipped with cameras as well, and the difference between the two is just as stark here as with the rest of the features. The 8-megapixel shooter on the Stealth V2 does a surprisingly good job. It won’t be winning you a spot at the National Gallery any time soon, but it holds up well. Conversely, the 2-megapixel camera on the RoughNeck 3G is as blurry and dull as you would expect, and viewing the images on such a poor screen doesn’t do it any favours.

Conclusion If you’re looking to purchase a rugged smartphone, there’s never been a better time, with technology rapidly advancing and good specs available at reasonable prices. The BWC Smart & Tough Stealth V2 is the perfect embodiment of this. It’s certainly tough enough, and will likely outperform the smartphone you owned four years ago. It’s the best we’ve seen in its class, and at £300 contract-free, the cost is not unreasonable either. As for the RoughNeck 3G, the less said the better. At least it comes with a two-year warranty for up to two free repairs.

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Amplicomms PowerTel M6100 This back to basics handset might appeal if smartphone technology terrifies you Price: £45 Reviewer: Callum Tennent

n the magazine this month, we’ve had a fantastic time getting to grips with the LG G3 (page 26) and HTC One Mini 2 (page 30) – both top, top smartphones packed to the brim with cutting-edge mobile technology and the latest innovations. It’s easy to forget why we have a mobile phone in the first place – to stay in contact with people on the go. For some people, smartphone functions just aren’t needed – and many find the technology baffling. This is where Amplicomms’ PowerTel M6100 comes in.

‘extra loud’ technology to ensure that both speaker and ringer volume are always comfortable for the hard of hearing. When not in silent mode, the handset will even speak the number that you have typed out loud, which is useful for visually impaired people. While never directly stated by Amplicomms, this handset is clearly aimed at elderly people. Beyond the ability to call and text, the only other feature the device offers is a rudimentary ‘Organizer’, which is comprised of a calendar, alarm, to-do list and stopwatch.

Design

Long battery life is a major strength though. Following a fortnight with the phone turned on, the battery was still roughly 75% full. It’s safe to say you won’t need to worry about being caught short of power when you most need to use the phone. Of course, there will be some for whom this is all they will ever want or need from a mobile phone. However, it has been 15 years since the mobile phone became widely used and five years since smartphones caught the public’s imagination. Surely, few people who require the use of a mobile phone would be so unfamiliar with the technology that they need something as basic as this. With so many accessibility features on modern smartphones, and the availability of specially designed handsets for people with physical limitations, it’s hard to see the use for the M6100 among disabled people, either.

Amplicomms specialises in accessible phones. You won’t find a massive HD display on this handset. A plentiful app store is nowhere to be seen. There’s not even a camera. Its most apparent feature is an oversized hard-button keypad. As ease of use is paramount, it sticks with a traditional numerical layout rather than the QWERTYstyle pad you might see on devices like those made by BlackBerry. Six other keys will be immediately familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone before – which is the point of this device. One more button is located on top of the handset, which activates what is really the M6100’s only special feature. If you hold the button down for two seconds, it triggers an SOS alarm.

SOS feature There are several functions you can assign to this button in case of an emergency: up to five private numbers can automatically be called one by one until someone answers; an SOS text message can be sent to a predetermined emergency contact; a manually recordable voice message can be sent to an emergency contact; and a good old fashioned, incredibly

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Battery

loud alarm can be triggered, which emits from the handset’s large, rear-facing speaker.

Volume Volume in general is one of the main selling points of the M6100. It features Amplicomms’

For the M6100’s target user – typically elderly or with visual or hearing impairment – this phone will prove more than satisfactory. But even compared to similar devices in this cheaper price bracket, it is hardly a standout device.

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Fitbit Flex Fitbit gives the competition a run for its money with arguably the best fitness wearable yet Price: £80 Reviewer: Callum Tennent

ore than 2.7 million pieces of wearable tech have already been sold worldwide this year, as their popularity soars. Of that number, almost 50% were made by Fitbit. After a month of wearing the Fitbit Flex, we can see why. The Flex is Fitbit’s leading product. As you might have gathered from the company’s name, it’s a fitness wearable – but the capabilities of the Flex aren’t limited to that. What it offers is an array of lifestyle analytics that are unrivalled by any other band on the market. The Flex is a band to suit all types. Yes, it does everything you’ve come to expect from a wearable such as monitoring your steps – with a full, hourby-hour visual breakdown – and tracking calories burned. But it takes things that bit further, offering a service that’s more tailored than other devices.

Calorie monitoring For example, knowing how many calories you’ve burned is all well and good. But without context, it’s just a number. With the Flex, you can set a target weight for yourself, and the app will let you know how your calories burned and consumed stack up for the day. It works with weight gain too, not just weight loss. Much like with the Jawbone UP24, you can choose your foods from a massive database to save time, and you can even add your own meals and their nutritional information to the app’s database. If you have regular favourite dishes – for example, a chicken mayo sandwich, can of Coca-Cola and a packet of crisps at lunch twice a week – you can save them together for easy one-touch entry. One criticism of this system is that the food listed in Fitbit’s database is extremely US-centric, but the company has promised more UK presets are on the way. You can also track your water intake with a simple slider, too. Water consumption is incredibly important for our general wellbeing, yet is so often overlooked in these fitness apps. A progress bar means you can easily stay on top of your hydration.

Design Such design simplicity features throughout the Flex’s accompanying Fitbit app. It’s easy on the eye and packed with intuitive design choices that

make frequent use a pleasure, not a chore. As you create an account to use it, you can also access a browser-based version of the app from your computer. That way, if you forget to log your diet for a day or two, you can hop onto the computer, where it’s quicker to input data. It then syncs with the app on your phone automatically. This synchronicity also means you can store all your data, as opposed to just being able to access the past 30 days, as with most of Flex’s rivals. The functions of the band itself are a lot more limited. It has a small display which, if you doubletap the band’s face, will reveal to you your progress towards your daily target of steps. It looks nice, but we’ve seen it before in both the Nike+ FuelBand SE and the Misfit Shine. It’s also a shame that, despite an LED display, the Flex is incapable of showing the time. That could be something to do with the fact that the ‘band’ isn’t physically a part of the Fitbit Flex. The Flex is actually a tiny, oblong plastic block that can be embedded within its accompanying plastic

strap (yes, it’s made of a texturised rubber just like every other fitness wearable out there). In order to charge it, you remove it from its wristband housing and insert it into a small cradle that can be plugged into a USB port.

Features One special feature the Flex does possess is a silent alarm. Just like the Jawbone UP24, you can set a time via the app and the Flex will begin vibrating to notify you. It can be used to track your sleep, which is fantastic, but its ability to function as a standard alarm for general notifications throughout the day is useful too. It also handily vibrates to tell you when you’ve reached your step goal for the day. This functionality comes at a price, though, with the Flex lasting just five days on a single charge if you’re lucky – a little shorter than we’ve grown accustomed to with some rival devices. Its bizarrely narrow selection of compatible Android devices is also a problem. But these shortcomings do not detract from what is an excellent device.

Minor niggles aside, the Fitbit Flex is possibly the best fitness wearable on the market. Its features are so diverse, and its app so beautiful and intuitive, that it can be tailored to just about anyone’s lifestyle. With interchangeable bands in a variety of colours, and a low price, the Flex is practically a must-buy.

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All the images used in this guide – including this one – were taken by us using the HTC One Mini 2, reviewed on page 30

e d i u g a r e m a C e l g o o G Tired of using the standard Android camera features on your device? Give the free Google Camera app a go with our handy guide to this super snapper

Getting started with Google Camera Features •

Stitch together panorama, wide angle and fish-eye photos

•

Lens Blur for SLR-like photos with shallow depth of field

•

Photo Sphere for immersive 360° views

•

Viewfinder shows whole image sensor for uncropped images (may result in a smaller viewfinder on some phones)

•

Updated user interface gets out of your way and is centred on an extra-large capture button

Requirements •

Works on Android phones and tablets running 4.4+ (KitKat). To check you device is up to date, go to your settings>about phone>system updates

•

The Photo Sphere and Panorama modes require a gyro sensor, which is not available on all entry-level handsets such as the Moto G

•

The Photo Sphere, Panorama and Lens Blur functions require at least 1GB of memory

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arlier this year, Google released a notable update to its stock camera app, with additional features previously only available on its Nexus devices. The dramatic redesign to the Google camera app has improved the interface for its existing functions such as regular photos, HDR shots and video recording, while also adding a brand new feature called Lens Blur. If you haven’t tested the app yourself – and are scratching your head as to what exactly a Lens Blur is – you may be wondering why you should bother downloading it, given that most new smartphones come with decent built-in camera apps anyway. Well, we’re here to show you the difference it can make to your photography. This guide will provide you with all the know-how you need to get the most out of the app. All the photos shown here were taken using the new HTC One Mini 2 (see review, page 30), and image quality may vary depending on your device.

Check those settings Once you’ve installed the Google Camera app, make sure to customise its image settings. You will probably want the photo and video quality at the highest setting your device can muster. Lowering the quality will save you space though, which is a good option if your device has limited storage. To access the settings menu, swipe in from the left of the screen to show the camera mode, and tap the heap icon in the bottom right-hand corner (in portrait mode). This will then take you to the separate settings interface. The image quality options are all located under ‘Resolution and quality’ at the top of the screen. Once there, you can change the back camera, front camera, video and Lens Blur settings. Now you’re ready to start snapping!

How to

Standard, HDR and Video When you open the Google Camera app, the main functions (Lens Blur, Camera and Video, in that order) will be available by swiping towards the centre from the left-hand side of the screen. A small settings button in the corner of the viewfinder expands when tapped to give you options to turn on grid lines, toggle HDR, toggle flash and switch to the front-facing camera. Before we get to the rather more complicated Lens Blur feature, let’s focus on the Camera and Video functions. When in Camera mode, the main option you will probably want to play around with is the HDR setting, which is only available when taking snaps from the rear camera. To be honest, there’s not a whole lot of difference using this mode. As a comparison, we’ve included two identical scenes – one taken in HDR mode and one

STANDARD

without – to show you the difference in detail. Tap to focus – which simply means tapping an area on the screen that you want to focus on – helps to center your subject. But if you really want to frame your image correctly, you’re better off using the grid options, accessed via the settings icon mentioned above. Use both of these options when you want to take more detailed shots of your environment. In keeping with the app’s minimal interface, Video mode doesn’t clutter the screen with information. The only notification that pops up when you select the Video option is a small phone icon with a circular arrow, informing you that it is also possible to shoot videos in landscape mode. Once again, simply tap the central camera icon to begin capturing your images and hit it again to stop.

HDR

LENS BLUR This is the newest, and hardest, feature to get to grips with. We would recommend playing around with the other functions first, so that you feel comfortable handling your device, as the Lens Blur tool requires precision movement to capture the perfect shot. Lens Blur is Google’s take on a background defocusing function, much like the Sony Defocus, HTC Ufocus and Samsung Selective Focus. Compared to most high-end devices, the Lens Blur tool feels a bit limited – mainly because Google hasn’t any specific camera hardware that it can customise its software around. Swipe in from the left on the Camera app and choose the Lens Blur option located at the top. The capture button at the bottom of the screen will now become a shutter icon. It is important that you place ORIGINAL your subject in the middle of the

frame, then simply tap the shutter icon. Next, you will be notified to move your device upwards, while keeping your subject in the centre. You have to do this slowly and in an arc, so that your subject doesn’t slip out of the frame. If you’re getting it wrong, the phone icon in the middle of the screen will turn into a warning sign and give you a short duration to recenter the shot. If you take too long, you will have to take the image again. If you get it right, however, a tick will appear in the centre of the screen. Finally, the image will be rendered. The time it takes varies depending on how high you’ve set the quality setting. You can refocus and defocus the image once it is rendered using an onscreen slider. Once you’re happy with the final shot, simply click the save button on the top left-hand BLURRED side of the screen.

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Welcome to the new mobile disco Your phone is more than just an iPod with an antenna – it’s a powerhouse that can transform how you listen to music, writes Callum Tennent

n 21 October 2001, Apple unveiled its first-ever portable MP3 player, the iPod. The next two years would see another two upgraded models, the 2G and 3G, though together they sold fewer than 1.5 million units worldwide. But by 2012, Apple had shifted over 350m iPods, amounting to 90% of all MP3 players ever sold. While this tiny device revolutionised the way people listen to and buy music, sales of iPods in 2014 are at their lowest since 2004. The reason for the decline? Another portable, music-playing device that made an ever bigger splash: Apple’s iPhone.

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Of course, it’s not just the iPhone that has driven a nail into the coffin of the standalone MP3 player. Samsung, Sony, Motorola and countless other smartphone makers have all combined to accelerate the obsolescence of the world’s previously most popular gadget. Who wants to take two devices with them when they leave the house? Smartphones can do everything your MP3 player could, and much more. The MP3 player in 2014 feels as passé as a handcrank phonograph.

Smartphone switch Since 75% of MP3 player users have made the switch to their smartphone, it makes sense that we should get the most out of it. Simply sticking some song files on your top-of-the-range smartphone is like buying a Bugatti and never taking it out of second gear. The first thing any music fan should do before they place a single track on their device is download a good equaliser. No matter how cheap your handset, or how unsophisticated your headphones, an equaliser can help level the playing field for you. On a great device, it can take things to the next level. Unfortunately for iPhone users, any EQ app you download will be limited to working with the song files you have stored on your device, meaning no compatibility with streaming services or video players such as YouTube. If you’re a regular user of the iPod app though, you should be set. The Equalizer+ app stands out from a limited range – not least because it’s free.

As for Android users, you’re spoilt for choice. There are countless EQ apps, all offering a similar service. The simply titled Equalizer app should do the trick for most people, although if you like the idea of a one-touch bass boost, then the Bass Booster app is ideal for bringing out the bottom end in the mix. If you’re on a Nokia-made Windows Phone, then you’ll already have the best option available to you, courtesy of the Nokia Audio app. Once you have your equaliser running, don’t be afraid to tinker with it. By adjusting a simple set of sliders – ranging in number from six to 12, depending on how complicated your EQ is – you can adjust the prominence of different frequencies in your music. The sliders on the left correspond to the bass, and the sliders on the right relate to the treble.

Genre busting Most equaliser apps will offer preset options, depending on the genre of music you’re listening to, such as rock, jazz, classical or hip-hop. While those may suffice, they’re awfully general categories. One generic ‘rock’ preset probably won’t do for someone who wants to listen to both the Allman Brothers Band and DevilDriver, so work out a custom set of sliders that’s right for you. Most EQ apps let you save and name your own sets, too.

“Since 75% of MP3 player users have made the switch to their smartphone, we should get the most out of it”

equaliser apps Equalizer+ One for the Apple aficionados Equalizer Even more tweakability for Android Bass Booster Sub-sonic fun on your smartphone

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Pocket boomboxes All the equalisers in the world won’t turn a tinny smartphone speaker into a booming woofer. If you want the best aural experience possible, without using any peripherals, then these are the phones for you.

1) Motorola Moto G: 87 decibels You might not have expected to see it at the top of this list, but the Moto G has the loudest speakers on the market by quite a distance. It’s also our favourite-ever cheap handset, so if you want the most boom for your buck, it’s the obvious choice.

expandable Storage One factor behind the smartphone slaying the MP3 player is its capacity for expandable storage. Almost every major Android handset on the market has a slot for a microSD card, allowing for the device’s storage to be massively increased. In the past eight years, we’ve progressed from a maximum microSD card size of 32GB to an enormous 128GB, courtesy of storage pioneers SanDisk. Only a few handsets are capable of supporting 128GB cards as yet, but expect it to become a commonplace feature sooner rather than later. When compared to the largest iPod storage available, which offers 160GB of storage and costs £200, a 128GB microSD card for £82 seems like the deal of the century.

streaming services

2) Samsung Galaxy S5: 81 decibels

Special Mention: HTC One M8

If you don’t have the ability to expand storage on your device – sorry iPhone users – or if you’ve got a music collection bigger than one microSD card can hold, there is an alternative: streaming services. There is a trade-off when using streaming apps, though. While you may not have to use up precious memory on storing countless songs on your handset, you’ll most likely have to spend money instead. Streaming songs uses data – at a rate of roughly one megabyte per minute. That means if your commute is 45 minutes long and you stream music for the duration every day, you’ll burn through your 1GB mobile data allowance. Every minute of music played after that could lead to a very unpleasant surprise come billing time. If you’re around a wi-fi connection though, this won’t be a problem. With that in mind, see the page opposite for some of the best streaming services on mobile.

While the One M8 only boasts a moderate 75.2 decibels in loudspeaker output, it does have two key features going its way. First is the patented HTC ‘BoomSound’ technology, which allows for wonderfully rich, deep, stereo sound from its twin front-facing speakers. Secondly, it is the loudest handset when connected to headphones or auxiliary speakers by a mile. With a voltage of 1.28V, it’s more than four times as loud as the Sony Xperia Z2. In fact, with a loudspeaker output of just 71 decibels, the otherwise excellent Xperia Z2 is one for audiophiles to avoid.

If you do go the old fashioned route and stick some song files on your mobile, then there are a couple of things you should be paying attention to, namely file type and bit rate. Any modern MP3 player is capable of playing far more than just MP3s. There are dozens of different types of audio file – it just so happens that MP3s are one of the most effective ways of obtaining good quality sound in

The closest rival to the Moto G is Samsung’s pride and joy, the Galaxy S5. One of the best flagship devices on the market, a beastly loudspeaker is just one of many things that the Galaxy S5 excels at.

3) Nokia Lumia 525: 79 decibels One for Windows Phone fans, the Nokia Lumia 525 is the best of its kind. Not only is it louder than all of its WP rivals, it also has that fantastic built-in Nokia Audio equaliser.

iPhone 5s Despite the legacy of the iPod before it, the iPhone’s inability to house a microSD card hampers its capability as an MP3 player. There are 16, 32 and 64GB versions, which can hold roughly 1,600, 3,200 and 6,400 highquality MP3s respectively.

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Nokia Lumia 930 An excellent device for music in most respects, the Lumia 930 unfortunately comes in only one storage size, and doesn’t accept microSD expansion. At 32GB, you could store 3,200 high-quality MP3s, give or take.

Sound quality

HTC One M8 Like most flagship Android devices, the One M8 accepts microSD cards all the way up to 128GB. This means you could potentially have a combined total of 160GB in storage – or a rather excessive 16,300 highquality MP3s.

SanDisk microSD 128GB SanDisk is currently the only manufacturer of a 128GB microSD card on the market, although Samsung has one in the works. It’s the largest size available and can hold roughly 12,200 highquality MP3s.

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“While you may not have to use up precious memory while music streaming, you’ll most likely have to spend money”

a small file. You may well also have WAV, AAC or WMA files on your device without even realising. These are all fine as there’s very little difference between them – at least to the layman’s ear. What will make a difference, though, is their bit rate. Bit rate can make two MP3s of the same song sound completely different, so you want to make sure you get the one that’s right for you. Typically, the highest quality MP3 you will buy is 320kbps. If you’re the sort of person who listens to a lot of music on your mobile device, it’s a good idea to make sure your MP3s are this standard. But if you’re making your own MP3s from a CD, for example, a ‘variable’ bit rate is even better. It ensures you can hear as much range, depth and nuance in every track as possible. With both, it does, however, mean that a four-minute track will be, on average, around 10MB in size. A 64GB microSD card would be able to contain roughly 43 albums at that size, so you may not be able to fit in your entire library.

The next step down is 192kbps. It’s still high quality, but you won’t get the near-perfect level of detail that you would in a 320kbps file. It does mean that same four-minute tracks would instead be roughly 5.5MB in size. This means you could hold almost double the number of albums on your 64GB microSD. You would have to judge whether the drop in quality is worth the trade-off, or whether you’re too much of a perfectionist to compromise. At 128kbps, you will begin to hear a noticeable erosion in sound quality. Sure, a song will be listenable, but you won’t be doing it any justice. Still, if you’re not too fussy and are in desperate need of saving space on your device, then it’s fine. A four-minute track would be just 3.8MB – you could fit 17,200 of them on your 64GB microSD card.

Party streamers

1. Spotify iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry Free/£9.99 per month premium Spotify is undeniably the biggest name in music streaming. It has a library of over 20 million songs, with 20,000 new songs added daily. You can create playlists, queue songs, discover related artists, share tracks with your friends, and more. If you opt for the free version on mobile, you’re granted unlimited access to the entire library. With the free version, the catch is that you can’t select the specific song you want to hear – you have to listen to an album in shuffle mode. If you decide to pay up £9.99 per month, you get unfettered access, plus the ability to download songs for offline play.

2. Deezer iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry £9.99 per month Deezer is the young contender to Spotify’s throne. It trumps Spotify’s catalogue, with a humungous 30 million tracks to choose from. Not only that, but it also has tailored radio channels. There’s 30,000 of them, and each one plays tracks pertaining to a certain theme – anything from reggae to TV soundtracks to Bollywood love songs. Deezer’s one downside for mobile users is its cost. Unfortunately, its mobile app works on an all-or-nothing basis. While the desktop browser version is free, you have to pay the full ‘Premium+’ subscription fee for any mobile app usage – there’s no restricted free model to try. That £9.99 premium will buy you offline playback, though.

3. Rdio iOS, Android, Windows Phone £9.99 per month Rdio offers an altogether more social approach to music listening. How often do you sit around with your friends with music on? You might start with something you all enjoy, then move on to a similar artist that one of you likes, then someone else will chip in with another artist that they love that you might not have heard of – and it snowballs from there. Rdio aims to be the digital equivalent of that experience. As well as being able to follow your friends, you can also play their own personal ‘radio station’, which plays some of their favourite tracks of the moment. Over time, you’ll form your own personal radio station too, which will be made up of your favourite tracks and similar songs recommended to you by Rdio.

4. SoundCloud iOS, Android Free Every music streaming service will claim to help you discover new music, but if you really want to hear the latest remixes, unreleased tracks, mixtapes and special singles from major label and indie artists alike, SoundCloud is the clear choice. Something of a spiritual successor to fallen giant MySpace Music, what sets SoundCloud apart from the other apps in this list is that its content is so different. While it may not give you chart-topping albums or smash-hit singles, its enormous bank of material is incredibly deep and eclectic. It’s also the publishing platform of choice for countless small acts. The mobile app is entirely free and offers unlimited playback, no strings attached. Unfortunately, you can’t download tracks or mixes for offline use, though.

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AVOIDING BILL SHOCK WHEN GOing ABOARD You don’t have to be greeted by a huge mobile phone bill when you arrive home from your hols, writes Saqib Shah

eturning from a perfect summer break abroad, the last thing you want to find on your doormat is a huge mobile phone bill, but it happens all too easily. While we go on holiday to get away from our daily routines, we can’t seem to leave behind our smartphones. The minute we touch down in a foreign country, we’re prone to switching our handsets back on to check messages and map our way to the hotel – potentially incurring high network charges in the process. Despite the steady decline in domestic mobile calling rates in the UK, and the EU’s ongoing battle to eradicate roaming charges entirely, the spectre of foreign data rates and call prices continues to haunt us. As recently as June, two cases popped up in the tabloids of hapless holidaymakers who had unwittingly fallen victim to rampant roaming charges. One incident involved a teenager racking up a £3,000 phone bill using her mother’s mobile to access the internet. Another older man found a £1,500 bill waiting for him upon returning home from the States. Both cases show that it is no longer just call charges that you need to be wary of when travelling abroad. Now more than ever before, it is mobile data – which can be eaten up by web browsing and using apps, particularly when uploading pics and video streaming – that is behind the high bills.

HURRAH FOR THE EU Thankfully, the EU is breaking down the barriers of roaming charges, in conjunction with mobile network operators. In April, members of the European Parliament voted in favour of banning roaming charges from the end of 2015. The reforms came in the wake of a European Commission survey earlier this year that found 94% of Europeans were forced to restrict their use of mobile browsing due to the cost of roaming. This followed MEPs voting in 2013 to cap browsing costs at 45 cents (39p) per megabyte, compared with 70 cents (60p) the year before. The new law, however, still requires approval by individual EU states. Meanwhile, more immediate changes to roaming charges are being led

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by mobile network operators such as Three, which recently announced it is scrapping mobile roaming charges in five European countries. As part of the company’s Feel At Home service, it abolished roaming rates in France, Switzerland, Israel, Finland and Norway. This brings the total number of countries that Three’s service is available in to 16, and also includes the USA, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Macau, Australia, Italy, Austria, Hong Kong, Sweden, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland, where the service has been available since 2013. One can only hope that similar initiatives are introduced by UK mobile network operators, especially considering how much people tied to contracts pay per month, especially for high-end devices such as iPhones and Samsung Galaxy handsets.

THE CHARGING RACKETS Despite these initiatives, there are still many countries outside the EU where roaming charges can spring up unawares. All it takes is for you to switch on your phone, automatically connect to a local provider, and before you know it, you’re racking up charges. So what’s the solution? The first option available to travellers is a network add-on. Depending on whether you’re a pay-monthly or pay-as-you go customer, you can access various bolt-ons that can reduce your roaming charges (for a comprehensive list of the add-ons currently available to you, see opposite). When travelling abroad, keep in mind that wi-fi hotspots can be your smartphone’s best friend. Make sure you grab the wi-fi password from your hotel and save it to your phone. And try to stick to using free online messaging apps when in your room to avoid huge data costs (see our guide, page 46). If you can, make efforts to do the same when you’re out and about. If you’re lucky, the bar, pub or even restaurant you’re in could have a wireless signal you could use to keep in touch with friends and family back home. All you have to do is ask.

feature

Reduce your roaming charges with these network add-ons for calls and data The following list of mobile network add-ons can help you reduce roaming costs and cap your bill when travelling abroad. Just follow the tips we’ve provided below to get the most out of these money-saving bolt-ons

You’ll be charged the entire £2 if you make or send even a single call or text in a day, so if you’re planning on using your phone only a couple of times, you’d be better off paying EE’s standard European rates. This doesn’t include mobile internet, so unless you buy an add-on, you’ll be charged the standard EU roaming rate of 45p/MB. See EE’s roaming page for optional data bundles.

EU Only Orange Euro Traveller Availability: All contract customers Price: £5/month For £5.10/month, you get 200 mins at the reduced price of 18.3p/min (instead of 24.5p/min), plus 200 mins of received calls for free. Unlike other networks’ bundles, this one does not include data. O2 Travel Availability: All contract customers Price: £1.99/day The O2 Travel bolt-on costs £1.99/day (midnight to 11.59pm, UK time). This gives you 15MB of mobile data. It will automatically apply when you use your phone abroad, but you’ll only be charged on the days you use your phone. There’s no charge for receiving texts. For making and receiving calls, you’ll be charged a 50p connection fee. It’s then free to talk for up to 60 mins per call. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to try and ensure you make all your calls on one day, and talk for as long as you can each time (so you don’t rack up lots of 50p charges for 30-second calls). Pay-as-you-go customers don’t qualify for these calling rates, although they can get the 15MB data allowance for the same price. Vodafone EuroTraveller Availability: All contract customers Price: £2/day (to use your UK price plan) Until the end of August, Vodafone’s EuroTraveller deal costs £2/day (midnight to 11.59pm, local time) and lets you use your minutes, texts and mobile internet with the same freedom as in the UK. You’ll only be charged on the days you use your phone, and there’s no charge for receiving calls or texts. As you’ll be charged £2/day every time you use your phone, it’s a good idea to do get all your calls, texts and web surfing done in one day, or to limit it to just a few days of your trip, so you’re not charged every day. EE, Orange and T-Mobile Euro Talk and Text Unlimited Availability: All contract customers Price: £2/day EE, Orange and T-Mobile customers can make unlimited calls and texts to European numbers while abroad in Europe for a flat rate of £2/day. Once you’ve opted in, the add-on will apply automatically when you start using your phone in one of the applicable countries, which can be found on the EE website.

T-Mobile Euro 5 Talk & Text Booster Availability: All contract customers Price:£5/month For £5/month, you get a travel allowance of £7.50 (that is, 50% extra free) to use in the EU. You can choose how you want to use it, but it amounts to 31 minutes of calls made, or up to 107 minutes of calls received, or sending up to 94 texts. Unlike other bundles, this one does not include data.

outside the EU Vodafone Passport Availability: Pay-as-you-go customers only Price: Free If you’re travelling outside the EU, some countries are eligible for Vodafone Passport, including New Zealand and Australia. It’s free and calls cost a 75p connection charge, plus your standard home rate – so if you have inclusive minutes, it’s just 75p per call. There’s a 75p connection charge for receiving calls, then it’s free for the first 60 minutes, 20p/min thereafter. The plan does not offer discounted data rates. Just call 5555 from your mobile to opt in. Orange World Traveller Availability: Pay monthly users Price: £5/month This reduces the cost of calls by up to 30%, depending on the country you are visiting. For example, get the World Traveller add-on when you’re travelling in Australia and it costs £5.10/month to get a 30% reduction on your calls. The standard charge for a call in Australia is 85p/min, but with World Traveller, you’ll pay 60p/min. As the package costs £5.10/month, you’ll have to make at least 21 mins of calls per month to justify paying for the package. Any less than this and you’ll be better off paying the standard rate. Unlike other networks’ bundles, this one doesn’t include data.

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feature

The messaging apps that can save you money abroad The golden rule when using your mobile aboard is not to use a mobile network. Search for a free wi-fi signal in your hotel or resort, use your apps over wi-fi and you won’t be billed for extortionate data and SMS charges by your mobile carrier

Snapchat

With 300 million people using it each month, this simple messaging app is now the most popular in the world. WhatsApp is simple and easy to use, and chances are your friends and family already have it downloaded. It only allows you to send text messages, images and short voice messages, so you may want to look elsewhere if you’re after something more feature packed.

If you’re not aware of this popular, ephemeral messaging app, Snapchat’s main feature is the ability to share photos that expire within 10 seconds. A raft of recent updates include new features such as video and text chat.

Firechat FireChat for iOS is the only chat app that can be used without mobile phone reception. FireChat makes use of a feature Apple introduced in the latest version of its iOS mobile software, iOS 7, called multipeer connectivity. This feature allows phones to connect to one another directly using Bluetooth, peer-topeer wi-fi or traditional wi-fi as an alternative to the internet. If you’re using FireChat, its ‘nearby’ chat room lets you exchange messages with other users within 100 feet without sending data via your mobile network provider.

Line Although you might think that most other messaging apps have been made redundant by WhatsApp, Line actually offers more features. Users can send regular text messages, hold group chats, send photos/ videos, make voice/video calls between fellow users and even play games with friends via the app. The only problem is that Line is way more popular in Asia than the West. So, maybe it would be a good idea to convince your friends to download it before jetting off on holiday.

WhatsApp: 300 millon people a month can’t be wrong

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FireChat: chat for free – but only on Apple’s iOS

Skype Although it’s pretty unbeatable on desktops, Skype’s mobile app still leaves a lot to be desired and suffers from syncing issues. Nonetheless, if you don’t have access to an iPhone and Face Time, then it’s your best bet at making video calls. It also benefits from global popularity, so it should help if you want to contact users outside of the UK.

Viber Unlike Skype, Viber is a video and voice call app that was built for mobiles and consequently looks better and is more user-friendly on smartphones. The app’s text messaging feature, though, is less developed than its rivals’.

Facebook Messenger Recent updates and its new status as a standalone app makes Facebook Messenger a genuine contender. Apart from messaging your Facebook friends, you can now use it to send images and short video clips too. It is easily navigable from the Facebook app and is a convenient way to contact your friends.

Google Hangouts Hangouts are multi-person group video chats that initially began on Google+. They are quite unlike other video chat services, because they allow multiple users on the same call for free. The app’s text messaging features are basic though.

Snapchat: the 10-second wonder of instant pictures

Viber: video and voice calls in one app for your smartphone

contract roaming rates As a handy guide, we’ve collected together the pay-monthly roaming rates for UK mobile networks. The prices here are for calls made and received from the UK, along with texts and data. As is usually the case with network operators, there is small print: these rates apply to the UK and may differ when calling and texting other countries while abroad. EE/T-Mobile do not offer data abroad unless customers purchase travel boosters, so their data stats have been excluded.

Key to tables: Three

Ee O2

Vodafone

usa

Calls

£1.20 / £1.20

texts

24.5p / 7.1p

texts

8.1p

Calls Texts

£1.50 / £1.50

texts

40p

Calls

£1.50 / £1.25

Texts

40p

Data

£6/MB

Calls

£2 / £1.25

Texts

35p

Data

£6/MB

Calls

£1.65 / £1.30

Texts

35p

data

£3/MB*

turkey

£1.50 / £1.50

40p

texts

50p

Calls

£1.10 / 90p

Calls

£1.50 / £1.25

Texts

40p

Texts

40p

Data

£6/MB

Data

£6/MB

Calls

20p / FREE

Calls

£1.40 / 99p

Texts

35p

Data

10p/MB

Data

£3/MB

Calls

£1.35 / £1.00

Calls

24.5p / 7.1p

Texts

35p

Texts

8.1p

data

£3/MB*

data

45.9p/MB*

France / germany italy / spain

(make/receive)

Calls

£1.50 / £1.50

texts

40p

24p / 6p

Calls

£1.50 / £1.25

40p

Texts

40p

Data

46p/MB

Data

£6/MB

Calls

24.5p / 7.1p

Calls

£2 / £1.25

Texts

7.8p

Texts

35p

Data

45.8p/MB

Data

£6/MB

Calls

24.5p / 7.1p

Calls

£1.65 / £1.30

Texts

8.1p

Texts

35p

data

45.9p/MB*

data

£3/MB*

(make/receive)

australia

China Calls

(make/receive)

Calls

(make/receive)

Calls

£1.20 / £1.20

texts

(make/receive)

india

UAE

Calls

£1.50 / £1.50

40p

texts

40p

Calls

80p / 80p

Calls

£1.50 / £1.25

Texts

40p

Texts

40p

Data

£6/MB

Data

£6/MB

Calls

20p / FREE

Calls

£2 / £1.25

Texts

35p

Data

10p/MB

Data

£3/MB

Calls

80p / 75p

Calls

£1.65 / £1.30

Texts

35p

Texts

35p

data

£3/MB*

data

£3/MB*

(make/receive)

* (Up to 5MB and then £15 for every 5MB thereafter – applies to all countries)

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apps and games

Healthy and handy apps Feed your body and brain with this feast of incredibly useful smartphone downloads Reviewer: Saqib Shah and Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge £2.99 (iOS) An app that can actually make you feel better… now there’s a novel idea. But it’s exactly what 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge achieves. The app contains recipes for 120 delicious smoothies, each of which are designed with a specific area of your wellbeing in mind. On one day, you might make one that’s good for your complexion, on the next, perhaps one to relieve joint inflammation. You can even set shopping list reminders and alarms to remind you to get your daily fix. Try one every day for a month and see how much better you feel.

Boximize £2.99 (iOS)

Boldomatic

The chances are you’re one of two types of people: extremely organised, with a fondness for note-taking and filing; or extremely disorganised, with a complete disregard for planning. The beauty of Boximize is that it can help both types. It’s a note-taking app at heart, but to leave it at that would be selling it short. It doesn’t just offer a blank page, it offers fully customisable forms with preset fields, icons, colour-coding and more. It makes the organisational process a tonne more enjoyable (or a tonne less unenjoyable, depending on what sort of person you are).

Smart Document Scanner

Free (iOS and Android)

Free (Android)

Boldomatic is to text what Instagram is to photos. It’s a weird one, all right, and you’ll immediately know from looking at it whether or not it’s for you. Boldomatic is a social media network aimed at an allegedly more intellectual crowd. There’s no mindless blogging, no vacuous reposting of memes and image macros – just plain text on a plain background. Witticisms, philosophy and the like are encouraged, as Boldomatic fosters an environment of free thought.

Take a picture and turn it into a PDF file: sometimes the best ideas are the simplest, and they don’t come much simpler than Smart Document Scanner. It’s a lifesaver if you have lots of paper invoices or receipts, and a wealth of features make it more than just a camera with a file converter attached. It’s got optical character recognition to make photographed text searchable, automatic edge detection for neat documents, folder organisation, manual contrast and brightness settings, Google Drive sync, mass editing options and more.

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apps and games

Moaxis Free (Android)

GoodReader 4

Moaxis takes the power away from your smartphone. While it’s great to have such a powerful device at your disposal, sometimes being tethered to it can become more of a bane than a boon. With Moaxis, you can redistribute the power among almost every other connected device in your home. Through the app you can choose which notifications from your other services are channelled through it. In turn, it can then display them on your computer, tablet, smart TV and games console.

Slyde

£4.99 (iOS)

Free (iOS)

GoodReader 4 is the latest and greatest version of the ultimate all-in-one PDF app on iOS. The iPhone’s built-in PDF capabilities are limited at best, but GoodReader addresses that. You can now download, view, manage and attach monstrous PDFs – upwards of 100MB in size – with ease. You can hand-draw notes on files, PDF links are fully functional and you can even reorganise a document’s workflow. Not just ideal for business and scholastic use, it’s an ideal way to read entire novels on your handheld. A variety of Cloudbased storage programmes are supported, too.

In a marketplace with so many music streaming services, it’s impressive that Slyde has managed to find an original take on it. Slyde is completely free and allows you to discover a huge range of new music directly from the artists that produce it. Each ‘slyde’ contains tracks, images, articles and videos to give you the complete story on what you’re listening to. If you’ve not got enough storage on your iPhone for your favourite albums, but don’t have the money to pay for Spotify Premium, Slyde could fill a musical niche for you quite nicely.

Vocabulary.com £1.99 (iOS), £1.78 (Android) Apps for learning are usually drab, uninspiring affairs. But Vocabulary.com’s greatest success is making you enthusiastic to learn. The app has access to the world’s fastest dictionary, which it uses to quiz you on – you guessed it – your vocabulary. You’ll be a lexicon master in no time, thanks to a variety of word games, interesting explanations of the origins of words, and even rewards for bettering yourself.

Carousel

Waygo

Free (iOS and Android)

Carousel is Dropbox’s own cloud-based gallery service. With Dropbox already being one of the world’s most popular file-hosting services, it makes sense that users should have a nice, neat way of viewing all of the photos they have stored on it. Pleasingly enough, that’s exactly what Carousel delivers. What it does might not be that original, but it does it smoothly and simply enough to be a pleasure to use. Photos and videos are automatically uploaded to Dropbox through the app, and there’s one-touch sharing to send media to friends as well.

After a month of availability on iOS, Waygo has now arrived on Android. You might not recognise the name, but you’ll certainly recognise the app. Waygo attracted an enormous amount of hype upon its unveiling, as it boasts the quite remarkable capability to translate real-life foreign text on your handheld device. That is to say, if you’re visiting China and need to see which way it is to the train station, simply open Waygo, train your phone’s camera on the signpost, and watch as the image magically translates before your eyes.

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apps and games

Delight your digits The best of the month’s games, from freebies to a franchise that will set you back fourteen quid! Reviewer: Saqib Shah and Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

Cut the Rope 2 Free (Android) The smash hit mobile game series Cut the Rope has been downloaded more than 500 million times since its release. Now, the sequel to the original title has made it onto Android. This is more than a simple port of the playful puzzler, however, and includes additional fruit missions, an interactive map and new in-game power-ups, hints and customisations. What’s more, unlike its iOS counterpart, the Android version of Cut the Rope 2 is free!

JoyJoy £1.49 (iOS and Windows Phone), £1.17 (Android) This twin-stick shooter is a frenzied action title that sees shapes firing at each other across the screen. There are seven difficulty levels and configurations – you can turn off auto-fire aiming to slow things down a bit – and various challenges help mix things up. Essentially though, it’s all about the rapid-fire experience.

Kiwanuka

TwoDots

£1.49 (iOS)

Free (iOS)

A Lemmings-style puzzle game with the kind of unique visuals that are fast becoming the mainstay of iOS titles, Kiwanuka sees you guide a line of tiny villagers across massive glacier platforms. With its starry backgrounds and the group leader’s lightning staff, which is used to create bridges out of the ice structures, the imagery here is appropriately religious. Ultimately, the aim is to save the collective.

A simple yet addictive puzzle game with a nautical theme, TwoDots is the latest creative indie title to take the Apple app store by storm. With six million downloads under its belt in less than a month, the game is well on its way to becoming a global phenomenon, like Candy Crush Saga and Flappy Bird. TwoDots is the follow-up to Dots and is a minimal, connect-the-dots puzzler that allows players to challenge other gamers via Facebook.

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apps and games

Bounden £2.49 (iOS) This cleverly designed mobile game once again emphasises why iOS is the leader in innovative titles. Bounden aims to teach you and a partner how to dance, choreographed by the Dutch National Ballet. You and a partner place a thumb each on the screen and then have to turn the device in tandem to place markers on a rotating sphere. And while you’re trying to figure out your next move, you’ll also be twirling together in a (hopefully) perfect dance.

Thomas Was Alone

Dragon Quest VIII

£5.99 (iOS)

£13.99 (iOS and Android)

This BAFTA-winning puzzle platform game follows the adventures of a small red triangle named Thomas as he jumps his way through mysterious environments, collecting companions along the way. Alongside his new buddies – with whom he cannot communicate, but whose unique abilities he must rely on – Thomas must figure out who he is and how he got there. So, if you’ve always hankered after a puzzler with broad philosophical questions about identity, albeit fronted by a shape, then this is the game for you.

The price of this Japanese RPG betrays its successful origins, and may be what puts off gamers. Is it worth the price tag? Dragon Quest VII is widely regarded as the best in the series. If you have no clue about the franchise, then that insight may be of no use to you. It was launched on the PlayStation 2 10 years ago and remains the best-selling title in Japan for that console to this day. It features awesome anime-style art by Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama, the usual RPG turn-based encounters, a small cast of characters and a sword-and-sorcery storyline.

Bridge Constructor Medieval £1.49 (iOS, Android) The medieval follow-up to the original Bridge Constructor offers even more challenges to budding architects. The game gives you five materials from which you have to construct your bridges, across 40 levels, each with its own objectives. Challenges such as attacking enemy troops and siege engines should help you decide how solid or fragile your structure should be, or whether your emphasis will be on defence or mobility.

Panzer Tactics HD

Royal Revolt 2

£2.99 (iOS)

Free (Windows Phone)

Originally released way back in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, this epic World War II strategy game has been given a HD makeover for the iPad. You get the option of joining either the Soviets, Germans or Western Allies as the world around you teeters on the brink of war. With over 150 units across land sea and air combat, and 33 missions to complete – all based on real-world battles – this should satisfy even the craziest of war lords.

This sequel to the popular Windows Phone title is a medieval action-oriented strategy game with cartoon-like visuals. With few games on offer to Windows Phone, it’s a treat when something meatier comes along. Royal Revolt 2 puts players in charge of their own kingdom, which can be raided by other players. This is an action-packed multiplayer experience, with solid graphics to boot.

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reviewS mobile gaming

Nintendo 3DS A controversial SIM-style game arrives from Japan, and we return to the 80s for a coin-op classic Reviewer: Saqib Shah – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

Tomodachi Life £34.99 It’s unfortunate that one of the biggest releases for the 3DS this year has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding it, rather than the game itself. Tomodachi Life is a personalised life-simulation game that centres around Nintendo’s Mii-verse. A Mii is the avatar that Nintendo users create in order to access online content and interact with other users. For Tomodachi Life, existing Miis can be uploaded to the game’s universe or can be created using the 3DS’s camera, or via the in-game creation tools. Nintendo came under fire prior to the game’s release when it was revealed that Miis could only have same-sex relationships. The Japanese gaming giant eventually apologised for the issue, stating that it would create more plural relationship scenarios in the future. Returning to the gameplay, as more Miis are added to Tomodachi Life they start to build up their own individual characteristics, which in turn lead to strange and amusing scenarios as you try to satisfy their needs. Additionally, what separates Tomodachi Life from its biggest influence and rival – The Sims series of games – is the fact that the characters speak English. Consequently, it sounds even better to hear their funny interactions.

Inazuma Eleven Go: Shadow and Light £34.99 Based on the Inazuma Eleven manga – which has already spawned several video game tie-ins in its native Japan – this new football-themed RPG may appeal to footy fans looking for something a bit different. Although players new to the series may not get all the in-jokes and references to the previous titles, their experience should not be spoiled. Additionally, the European release of this Japan-centric franchise has also seen a lot of the narrative’s mythology stripped back in order to present a more user-friendly experience. Users take on the role of Arion Sherwind, a young football prodigy who joins his school’s club and must recruit fellow players to create the ultimate team. The RPG dynamics mean that this is more about using each character’s special abilities over continuous football gameplay. So, if you’re looking for a conventional sports title, you’re better off sticking to FIFA. Outside of the pitch-based battles, you must interact with a host of non-playable characters as you try to save your school’s football club from closure. Like Pokémon, the game comes in two variants – Shadow and Light – with little to separate the twin titles.

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reviewS mobile gaming

1,001 Spikes £4.49 (eShop) This 8-bit retro-style platformer is like an intense version of the console classic Pitfall, with a storyline reminiscent of Indiana Jones. But all that is irrelevant. What matters is that there are over 100 levels filled with dangerous traps and enemies, and the main character has 1,001 lives at his disposal. Don’t be put off by the simple graphics, however, as 1,001 Spikes is an extremely challenging game that will have you rage-quitting and coming back for more. With the number of levels available and the ability to unlock additional characters, it’s worth the money. Finally, it has so many inventive death traps that it will amuse and repulse you in equal measure.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 £15.99 Every big blockbuster movie gets its own tie-in video game these days. And they don’t come much bigger than How to Train Your Dragon 2. The sequel to last year’s world-conquering, family-friendly animation is destined to lay waste to the global box office much like the mythical beasts at its core. If you’re a fan, this title should provide plenty of fun-filled entertainment, long after the film has come and gone. Set on the fictional island of Berk, the game sees you choose your character and corresponding dragon and take to the skies in a series of races, tournaments and side games. Although the graphics leave a lot to be desired, exploring the open-world environment is fun and the ability to choose a host of familiar characters adds depth. Younger users will probably be most entertained by this title.

Double Dragon II: The Revenge £4.49 (eShop) Now for something for the older gamers. Originally released as a coinoperated arcade game in 1988, Double Dragon II: The Revenge is the sequel to the successful, side-scrolling beat-em-up Double Dragon. This port for the 3DS is actually based on the NES version of the game, which means it has the added advantage of a co-op mode, more missions and several difficulty settings to choose from. The concept and the graphics are pretty simple, but playing the online co-op mode with a friend can still offer a fun, retro gaming

experience if you hanker after the old school arcades. The limitations come in the form of the lack of enemies – in fact, they all pretty much look identical – and limited amount of movement, both of which could have been improved with this port. Still, the eighties soundtrack offers plenty of arcade-electro beats – if that’s your thing. Fans of the Double Dragon series, which spawned a number of sequels, an animated series and even a live-action film, should track this down for the nostalgia value alone.

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reviewS mobile gaming

PlayStation Vita Hello, Moto – here’s a great GP racer to get your adrenalin pulsing, plus a round-up of the rest Reviewer: Callum Tennent – for full reviews, check out WhatMobile.net

MotoGP 14 £29.99 The Ronseal of the sporting simulation world, MotoGP games always deliver as promised. Sure enough, MotoGP 14 is no different. You choose from 100 riders across five bike classes and take them out for a run on one of 18 tracks. A cut above its four-wheeled counterparts in the realism stakes, MotoGP 14 is as demanding or as lenient as you need it to be, thanks to a huge range of customisable assists. You can also tune your bike in an infinite number of ways so it rides just how you like. There’s a revamped career mode, which sees you racing from the bottom of the ladder right to the World Championship. You can even relive the highlights of 2013’s MotoGP season through the new ‘Real Events’ feature, and there’s online play, too.

The Swapper £11.99 For something a little more intellectual, The Swapper makes for a truly remarkable playing experience. You control a scientist sent to retrieve minerals from a distant planet and return them to a depleted and dystopian Earth. Learning from this strange new world, you and your colleagues create ‘the swapper’. This titular device allows you to clone yourself, up to four clones at a time. These clones then mimic your every movement, and you can even ‘swap’ yourself into one of their bodies. You need to use this tool to work your way around the Theseus research station and solve the various puzzles presented to you. It’s deep, dark, and available on Cross-Play, so with just one purchase you can also play it on your PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

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reviewS mobile gaming

PixelJunk Shooter: Ultimate £10.25 Asteroid was a great game upon its release in 1979. 35 years later, and it’s still a fantastic game… it just looks a little different to how you might remember it. PixelJunk Shooter: Ultimate is a twin-stick shooter that sees you piloting a little polygonal spaceship, zipping around and shooting things until they explode. It takes the solid foundations, which Asteroid laid so long ago, to fantastic new heights. The graphics are some of the brightest and smoothest on the Vita, and the amount of depth the PixelJunk team extract from the concept is impressive. There are plenty of levels to be explored and puzzles to be solved. It’s another title with Cross-Play, too, meaning one purchase rewards you with the PS3 and PS4 versions as well.

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse, Episode 2 £11.99 The past six months will have undoubtedly dragged for anybody who bought the first instalment of the latest Broken Sword adventure, but the conclusion to the tale is finally upon us. For the uninitiated, you are once again placed in the shoes of insurance investigator George Stobbard, who is on the scene of yet another murder in the French capital. Together with investigative journalist Nico Collard, the two work to unravel the mystery via old-school point-and-click explorative gameplay. It’s a crowd-funded effort by die-hard fans desperate to revive the franchise, so like-minded gamers can rest assured that it’s a faithful, if not stellar, addition to the Broken Sword universe. If you happen to have purchased this second episode as a bundle when the first part was released, then it will be free to you. Similarly, there is a discount for those looking to belatedly pick up both.

PlayStation Vita Pets £19.99 Remember Nintendogs? When it hit stores during the Nintendo DS’s launch, it became something of a cult phenomenon. PlayStation Vita Pets is Sony’s answer to that… only about nine years too late. Still, on the off-chance that you never had the opportunity to pick up its Nintendo-released spiritual predecessor and are just desperate for a virtual pet, PlayStation Vita Pets should tick all the relevant boxes. There’s actually a story to be found in this game, though – and it’s narrated by your dog. It’s not as awful as it sounds, and it definitely helps build the relationship between the user and their pet. There’s also touchscreen and voice command functionality, which makes exploring the virtual world and unravelling its mysteries with your digital canine a surprisingly fun experience.

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buyer’s guide

Operating systems explained One of the most important decisions to make when buying your phone is which operating system to choose. It is the main interface through which you control your device, so finding the right one is critical. We’ve gone in-depth with the top options to help you decide.

android Launched in 2008, Google Android is currently the world’s most popular smartphone OS, running on almost 70 per cent of devices. With its intuitive interface, customisable design and over one million apps, it makes a great choice for anyone that wants to get more from their phone. Android 4.4 KitKat is the latest version, but not all older handsets will receive it. 4.3 Jelly Bean, its predecessor, is still largely serviceable, and can be found on the majority of Android devices. With its excellent compatibility with Google services, such as Gmail and Google Docs, as well as its easy customisation and widespread availability on devices of all prices, Android is great for newcomers and experts alike, so it’s no surprise that it’s the current market leader.

Strengths

Weaknesses

• Infinitely customisable

• Updates can be slow to arrive • Some phones don’t get updated • Openness leaves vulnerability to viruses

• Wide choice of handsets • Huge selection of apps on offer

iOS Due to the huge success of the iPhone and iPad, Apple’s iOS operating system is perhaps the most recognisable mobile OS in the business. Thanks to its great design, fantastic usability and marketleading app store, it is a fantastic envisioning of how the mobile platform should operate. It is not without its flaws, however. Firstly, iOS is only available on Apple’s expensive iPhone and iPad range, making it far less accessible than its rivals. Secondly, Apple imposes fairly strict restrictions on how you can use and customise the OS, so it lacks the freedom of Android. Nevertheless, iOS is still one of the world’s most popular operating systems and with good reason. With its beautifully intuitive interface, great ease of use and an app store which offers a truly comprehensive selection of apps – over one million at the time of writing – it is hard to beat.

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Strengths

Weaknesses

• Beautifully intuitive design • No fragmentation of versions • Huge choice of available apps

• Limited customisation options • Can be difficult to migrate to and from • Hardware is expensive

buyer’s guide

Windows Phone As one of the more recent operating systems to be launched, Microsoft’s Windows Phone currently occupies a small section of the market. But with its unique design, great social networking features and easy usability, more people are starting to take notice. The key feature of Windows Phone is its intuitive interface. The screen is filled with large tiles for the phone’s apps, which display live updates for your contacts and social networks, among others, making it easy to keep up to date with a glance at your phone. With leading social networks such as Facebook and Twitter perfectly integrated, it’s also easy to post quick updates from a range of places in the OS. And with its bright and colourful design, accessible menus and handy apps, it is a wonderfully different operating system.

Strengths

Weaknesses

• Bright and eye-catching interface • Very easy to use • Great for social networking

• Limited choice of handsets • Not as polished as Android or iOS • Small, but growing, selection of apps

BlackBerry 10 The much-awaited BlackBerry 10 operating system saw RIM change its company name to BlackBerry. The new proprietary operating system only available on BlackBerry phones comes with some new bells and whistles that appeals to both its core business customers and the average consumer; these include Hub, a single inbox that collates messages, alerts, emails and social media, Balance which splits the device between a work profile and a personal one, the interactive video and photo app Storyteller and the newly revamped BlackBerry World app store. The new OS looks good, particularly compared with its predecessor. However, the OS has been said to be fairly uninspiring – everything that can be done on BB10 can also be done on other operating systems. Whilst BB10 devices are capable of running Android apps (to varying degrees of ability), the BlackBerry app store is barren.

Strengths

Weaknesses

• Buttonless interface is very versatile • Functionality for business & consumer • Unified comminications centre is useful

• Nothing particularly original on offer • Not an intuitive interface for beginners • Desperately lacking app store www.whatmobile.net 57

Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

guide

Buying a new phone or tablet can be exciting but with so many handsets to choose from it can also be confusing. Our easy-to-understand buying advice, covering all the major releases from the last 12 months, can help you find the right device.

Phone reviews

Tablet reviews

buyer’s guide reviews archive

Acer Liquid E2

Acer Liquid S1

Acer Liquid Z3

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £189.99 http://www.acer.co.uk

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £280 http://www.acer.co.uk

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £99 http://www.acer.co.uk

Stacked up against recent entries in the budget market, the Acer Liquid E2 is simply outdated. It’s a functional Android handset but the clunky, thick design makes it feel like you’re holding a toy and the software doesn’t have any standout features. Acer will have to seriously raise its game if it’s to be a contender in the phone market.

This isn’t the most compelling case for the Acer’s smartphone’s existence, with a battery that’s been beaten by smaller phones and performance that leaves something to be desired.

While the Z3’s tiny size has immediate benefits, you’ll soon tire of cramping your thumbs on too small a screen. Everywhere else its simply an underwhelming phone, even with the sub-£100 price tag. Even with the customisation options for different audiences, we’d recommend opting for a normal-sized phone over this fidgety gadget.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.2 GHz Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.5 GHz Screen 5.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS Android v4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Dual-core 1GHz Screen 3.5 inches Resolution 320 x 480 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing Video Yes Connectivity 3G

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 131 x 68 x 9.9mm Weight 140g Battery 2000 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 163 x 83 x 9.6mm Weight 195g Battery 2400 mAh

Dimensions 109 x 60 x 10.4mm Weight 120g Battery Li-Ion 1500 mAh

VERDICT: A dated, bulky phone saved by its

VERDICT: The Liquid S1 is underwhelming

VERDICT: It’s far too small to be used for

reasonable price.

and does not have many features.

most apps and is uncomfortable to hold.

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

editor’s choice

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Alcatel One Touch Idol X

Alcatel One Touch Idol X+

Apple iPhone 4S

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £300 www.alcatelonetouch.com/uk

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £TBC www.alcatelonetouch.com/uk

Reviewed: December 2011, price: £499 www.apple.com/uk

The One Touch X may be an obscure phone, but it’s price still makes it worth your consideration given the spec sheet, which includes a decent camera and colourful display. It still falls well short of the competition in terms of design and software, but this is a modest effort all the same.

We usually greet lesser-known brands with open arms, but never has one disappointed as much as Alcatel with its One Touch Idol X+. Despite decent specs, it’s the handsets flaws that hog the limelight. It’s outperformed by other handsets in its price bracket in just about every respect. It’s hard to envisage anyone patient enough to waste their time with it.

What does the iPhone 4S offer above the iPhone 4? An 8-Megapixel camera and improved images, alongside the Siri voice assistant. The dual-core processor is so powerful it’s at the heart of the iPad 2. And there’s also the option to get a 64GB version, making it ideal for anyone who has an iTunes library made up of high-quality lossless music files. If you crave storage and camera quality, this is a great iPhone.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.5GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 2.1 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Octa-core 2GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 2 MP front-facing

OS iOS 6 Processor 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Screen 3.5 inches Resolution 640 x 960 pixels Memory 512MB Storage 16,32 or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing

Dimensions 140.4 x 67.5 x 6.9mm Weight 130g Battery 2000 mAh battery

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 140.4 x 69.1 x 7.9mm Weight 130g Battery 2,500mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Size 115 x 59 x 9mm Weight 140g Battery 1,432mAh

VERDICT: An unambitious phone with a

VERDICT: With such great competition the

VERDICT: With its impressive upgrades, the

respectable spec sheet for the price.

One Touch Idol X+ simply looks irrelevant.

iPhone 4S is well worth its premium price.

Performance Features Usability Design

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

editor’s choice

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Apple iPhone 5c

Apple iPhone 5s

Archos 50 Oxygen

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £469 (16GB) £549 (32GB)

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £549 (16GB) £629 (32GB) £709 (64GB)

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £300 archos.com

If you need a splash of colour in your life and you’re already a massive fan of the iOS operating system, then the iPhone 5c is much the same as the previous iPhone 5. There’s a slightly upgraded front-facing camera and 4G will work on any UK network, but other than that you’re getting the exact same thing. The iPhone 5c is simply around for those of you who love great design without breaking the bank.

With fingerprint identity, 64-bit A7 64-bit chip delivers up to twice the perfomance of the iPhone 4 and 5c, many people will opt to pay the extra £80 or so over the 5c. They’ll also get an improved camera with 15 per cent larger sensor and improved low-light capabilies. The True Tone flash incorporates two flashes each matched to different light temperatures so flesh tones are more natural with flash pictures.

With its large, high-definition screen and powerful hardware, the Archos 50 Oxygen is a solid mid-priced smartphone. It’s great for movies with its five-inch screen and can run demanding games without crashing. 16GB of storage is rather generous too. There’s nothing unique here, but for £300 it’s worth a look.

OS iOS 7 Processor Dual-core 1.3GHz ARM V8 Screen 4 inches Resolution 1136 x 640 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB, 32GB or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core 1.5GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 5.3 MP front-facing Dimensions 143 x 70.5 x

OS iOS 7 Processor Dual-core 1.3GHz Screen 4 inches Resolution 640 x 1136 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 1080

Connectivity 4G Size 12.4 x 59.2 x 9 mm Weight 132g Battery 1,510 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm Weight 112g Battery 1,560 mAh

9.9mm Connectivity 3G Weight 130g Battery 2,300 mAh

VERDICT: It’s the most colourful iPhone to

VERDICT: The gold standard in user-friendly

date, but it’s identical to the iPhone 5.

smartphones, with a ton of power to boot.

VERDICT: A solid entry, but a lack of standout features sees it blend into the pack.

Performance Features Usability Design

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

Archos 50 Helium

Asus FonePad

Asus PadFone 2

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £199 archos.com

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £190 www.asus.com/uk

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £500 www.asus.com/uk

If the Moto G and Moto E are the gold standard of entry-level and low-cost smartphones, then the 50 Helium is certainly worthy of silver. It’s got a nice big screen as well as invaluable 4G capability. It won’t set the world alight, but it’s a standout in a market awasg with cheap, limited handsets.

The FonePad is a lot larger than most phones, so you’re unlikely to want to use it as your main phone. It does have a great battery life though, so it’s an ideal backup. The large screen makes watching movies ideal, although its resolution is unimpressive. The lack of a camera on a modern smartphone would mean this is definitely not your main smartphone.

The PadFone 2 offers two devices for around the price of one but you won’t be able to use the tablet independently of the phone. An ideal situation in which to use the PadFone 2 is if you want to use the same data allowance for both devices, and not shell out for a more expensive 3G-enabled tablet. This could almost be perfect if it had a better screen.

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP Video 1080p Connectivity 4G LTE

OS Android v4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Intel Atom 1.2GHz Screen 7 inches Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB or 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing, 1.2 MP front-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 145 x 71.5 x 8.95mm Weight 160g Battery 2,000mAh

VERDICT: A capable alternative to the market-leading Moto G.

Performance Features Usability Design

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Connectivity 3G Dimensions 196.4 x 120.1 x 10.4 mm Weight 340g Battery 4,270 mAh

OS Android v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Processor 1.5GHz quad-core Screen 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.7 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16, 32 or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 1.3 MP front-facing

Video 1080p Connectivity 3G Dimensions 137.9 x 68.9 x 9mm Weight 135g Battery 2,140 mAh

VERDICT: A large screen is great for films but a lack of camera is a let-down.

VERDICT: An almost perfect two-for-one device – if only it had a better screen.

Performance Features Usability Design

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

BlackBerry Q5

BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Z30

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £329.99 uk.blackberry.com

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £580 uk.blackberry.com

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £500 uk.blackberry.com

Despite £200 being knocked off the price of the Blackberry Q10, you don’t really feel that this is a bargain device. If you’re in need of a QWERTY device then Q5 may be one to consider. When compared against its competition this is woefully overpriced, especially considering a similar Nokia ASHA device will set back only £47. The build quality on the Q5 also leaves much to be desired, with a creaking plastic.

The Q10 will delight BlackBerry fans yearning for a ‘proper’ QWERTY keyboard, however its hefty price tag means it’s hard to recommend over rival, state-of-the-art devices from other manufacturers, which offer more tech at a lower price. The Q10 features a great keyboard, good battery life and a quality display, but falls down on the size of the screen, as well as a poor video and camera experience, plus the high cost.

Perhaps if BlackBerry had focused on its efforts on making a phone like this five years ago we would be looking at a very different picture now. As it stands, a barren app store, odd features and a monster price tag may kill what could have been a competitive device. It’s still surprisingly easy on the eyes though, and its display doesn’t look too bad either.

OS BlackBerry 10 Processor 1.2GHz dualcore Screen 3.1 inches Resolution 720 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS BlackBerry 10 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 Screen 3.1 inches Resolution 720 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS BlackBerry 10 Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8MP rear-racing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 120 x 66 x 10.8mm Weight 120g Battery 2,180 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4 mm Weight 139g Battery 2,100 mAh

VERDICT: The Q5 is a device for Blackberry

VERDICT: A good mix of old and new

QWERTY fanatics who can’t afford the Q10.

BlackBerry but at a (very) high price.

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Connectivity 4G Dimensions 140.7 x 72 x 9.4 Weight 170g Battery 2,880 mAh

VERDICT: Possibly the best BlackBerry yet, but that’s not saying an awful lot.

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

CAT B100

CAT B15

Doro Liberto 810

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £380 www.catphones.com

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £299 www.catphones.com

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £145 www.doro.co.uk

The CAT B100 withstands harsh conditions and jarring blows with a tough outer shell that absorbs the impact of falls, and impressive waterproofing. Beyond that, the phone lacks features games and apps - but chances are that’s not why you’re buying this phone. If you need a rugged handset to take adventuring, though, it’s more than tough enough.

While it will never be a mass market phone, the B15 most certainly has a place in the market for anyone who wants a device they can rely on, whatever the environment; aimed at builders and construction workers, this phone stood up to our strength and durability tests and has decent specs to boot. Its let downs include a cumbersome size and a weak camera and video capabilities.

The Liberto 810 has a comfortable design and a user interface that’s ideal for firsttime smartphone users and impaired customers. From there, things start to slip. The screen is buried into the handset, making it hard to accurately press smaller buttons, the camera software has some strange issues and we ran into a few bugs. It’s a starting point for Doro, but it’s hard to recommend it.

OS Nucleus 2.1 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 2.2 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 50MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3 MP rear-facing, QVGA front-facing Video QVGA

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, QVGA front-facing Video 720p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz Screen 3.9 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 500MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP Video 480p Connectivity 3G

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 122.94 x 55.88 x 7.6mm Weight 136g Battery 1,150 mAh

Connectivity 3G Size 125 x 69.5 x 14.95mm Weight 170g Battery 2,000 mAh

Dimensions 126 x 66 x 12.5mm Weight 132g Battery 1,500 mAh

VERDICT: Tough enough to take into a

VERDICT: A rugged phone for those who

VERDICT: Seniors may be demanding a

warzone, if a little light on actual function.

need to rely on it in any environment.

tailored smartphone, but this isn’t it.

Performance Features Usability Design

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

Doro PhoneEasy 506

Doro PhoneEasy 622

Doro PhoneEasy 715

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £45 www.doro.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £110 www.doro.co.uk

Reviewed: December 2012, price: £95 www.doro.co.uk

Not a phone for tech-addicts, the Doro PhoneEasy 506 is great for vulnerable or elderly people who need a foolproof device and may need reliable means to summon help or simply keep in touch. It features loud and clear ring tones and volume, call assistance SOS button and stays charged for three weeks or more. It won’t win any beauty contests, however, and has no data connectivity or basic camera.

The Doro PhoneEasy 622 could easily be considered a museum piece if you have the slightest understanding of modern mobile technologies. That said if you’re a complete novice or want a back-up phone, then this could be the ideal device. Battery life is exemplary and ring volume is a lot louder than you’ll see on modern smartphones, but the design looks dated and the camera is only capable of a two megapixel resolution.

Doro has pumped out yet another easy to use feature phone for those less tech savvy. Ostensibly for the elderly, it has a variety of emergency features built in. But, by the same token these devices are useful for anyone who just wants a simple phone with big buttons and a very good battery (a huge 12 hour talk time), and 533 hours on standby. The trade off is the high price, poor camera,and negligible storage.

OS Doro OS Processor N/A Screen 1.8 inches Resolution 128 x 160 pixels Memory N/A Storage N/A MicroSD Compatible? No Camera No Video N/A Connectivity 3G

OS Doro OS Processor N/A Screen 2.4 inches Resolution 320 x 240 pixels Memory N/A Storage N/A MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 2MP rear-facing Video 3gp Connectivity 3G

os Doro OS processor N/A screen 2.4 inches Resolution 320 x 240 pixels Memory N/A storage 256MB MicroSD Compatible? No camera 2MP rear-facing Video 3gp Connectivity 3G

Dimensions 125.5 x 51 x 15.5 mm Weight 81g Battery 800mAh

Dimensions 102 x 52 x 19 mm Weight 104g Battery 800mAh

size 100 x 50 x 17mm weight 103g Battery 800mAh

VERDICT: A well-made and thoughtfully

VERDICT: An affordable phone for

VERDICT: The PhoneEasy 622 has a lot to

vulnerable or elderly people to call for help.

offer for technophobes, but not for all of us.

designed phone ideal for non power users.

Performance Features Usability Design

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

Google Nexus 4

HTC Desire 500

HTC Desire 601

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £239 www.google.com/nexus/4/

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £199.99 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £244 www.htc.com/uk

It looks a bit dull and devoid of personality, plus storage is limited to 4GB... but that’s hardly the point. The Nexus 4 is a tight bit of kit designed to show off Google’s latest version of Android. With a terrific quad-core 1.5Ghz processor and 2GB of RAM - there is nothing out there that will stump this smartphone. The lack of 4G is a disappointment, but the phone is an absolute steal at just £239. One of the best Android handsets available.

The HTC Desire 500 is a respectable budget offering from the Taiwanese manufacturer but it’s been undercut by cheaper phones with better specifications. You’ll struggle with limited storage space but it earns points for a unique design.

4G at an affordable price is the Desire 601’s big claim (if you regard £240 as affordable). That’s not enough of a reason alone to buy it, though. 4G is currently not worth the premium, nor the price hike over a similarly specced 3G handset. The trademark HTC Beats audio still sounds great though, and its on-board photo editor is handy - if you can put up with the low-resolution screen.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.6 MP front-facing Video 720

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.4GHz dual-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, 0.3 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5Ghz quad-core Screen 4.7 inch Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 107 x 61 x 12mm Weight 100g Battery 2,100 mAh

Dimensions 131.8 x 66.9 x 9.9mm Weight 123g Battery 1,800 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 134.5 x 66.7 x 9.88mm Weight 130g Battery 2,100 mAH

VERDICT: Dull and devoid of personality, but

VERDICT: A solid phone with a price tag on

VERDICT: A decent phone, but the extra

high powered and super, super cheap.

the wrong side of that of the Moto G.

£100 is not justified by 4G capability alone.

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

editor’s choice

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HTC One

HTC One M8

HTC One Max

Reviewed: May 2013, price: £499 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: May 2014, price: £530 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £599 www.htc.com/uk

HTC has produced a top shelf phone here – one that is more than capable of taking on Sony, Apple and Samsung. It does most things right, but particular note has to go to the physical design and that screen. The camera is OK, the battery life average and it gets a bit hot.

The HTC One M8 is, in all probability, the best smartphone ever made. It both looks and performs better than almost everything else out there. Features like Blinkfeed and knock-to-wake are a joy to use. If Apple, Sony and Samsung weren’t paying attention before, they certainly are now.

The HTC One Max piggybacks the reputation of the HTC One, although nothing much has improved. The highquality display is present but HTC has failed to add processing power and the fingerprint sensor implementation is very disappointing.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB or 64GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UltraPixel rear-facing, 2.1 MP frontfacing

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UltraPixel rear-facing, 5 MP frontfacing

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Screen 5.9 inches Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UlatraPixel rear-facing, 2.1 MP frontfacing

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm Weight 143 g Battery 2,300mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm Weight 160g Battery 2,600 mAH

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.3mm Weight 217g Battery 3,300mAh

VERDICT: A well designed, top-tier

VERDICT: If you can afford it, buy it. There’s

VERDICT: The HTC One’s design is still a

performer to rival the very best.

no better handset on the market.

standout but there’s nothing new here.

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HTC One Mini

HTC One SV

HTC Windows 8S

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £300 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £315 www.htc.com/uk

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £239 www.htc.com/uk

The lite version of HTC’s flagship phone proves to be a big deal, with a high quality camera, great audio, fast processing speeds and a unique, refreshing take on Android 4.2. It’s only let down by its lack of internal memory and short battery life.

The HTC One SV is a great mid-range phone that borrows its styling from the company’s HTC One flagship. Other than an average camera and screen, the One SV performs very well for the price, is 4G and has a very respectable battery life.

The odd thing about this phone is that we actually rate it higher than its big brother, the 8X. It is a bit lighter, has a nicer body and fits much easier in the hand. It still has enough grunt under the hood to get all the same tasks done (although has a lower res screen), and its £160 quid cheaper. It doesn’t have a front facing camera (so no proper Skype-ing) and the App store remains limited...

OS Android OS 4.2. Jelly Bean Processor 1.4 GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1 GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 4 MP UltraPixel rearfacing, 1.6 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP rear-facing, 1.6 MP front-facing

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor 1GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP rear-facing Video 720p Connectivity 3G

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 132 x 63.2 x 9.3 mm Weight 122 g Battery 1,800 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 128 x 66.9 x 9.20 mm Weight 122 g Battery 1,800 mAh

Dimensions 120.5 x 63 x 10.3 mm Weight 113 g Battery 1,700mAh

VERDICT: A worthwhile alternative to the

VERDICT: A mid-range phone that looks,

VERDICT: The Windows Phone 8S may well

bigger model.

feels and often acts like a premium one.

be better than the 8X flagship model.

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Huawei Ascend G510

Huawei Ascend P2

Huawei Ascend P6

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £130 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £340 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £309.95 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

A somewhat sludgier Samsung Galaxy S2 for half the price and with a bigger screen, the Ascend G510 was the phone of 2011. More than enough for those who don’t have to have the latest thing, the Ascend will handle your casual web browsing, the odd game and photos well. It can feel a little slow however and doesn’t look like much; there are also cheaper phones out there which do much the same.

Huawei has delivered a reasonably cheap device given you’re receiving blazing fast 4G speeds when web browsing. There’s no microSD card slot and the processor had a little trouble whilst gaming and opening apps, but the camera optics were outstanding. The P2 is capable of recording video at a resolution of 1080p. For a phone of this price, that is incredibly impressive. All-in-all a great budget - mid-range device.

It suffers from poor software implementation and a slow-charging battery, but at least the P6 looks the part, with a slim design that makes it more attractive than many of its rivals. Elsewhere this is a capable mid-to-high-tier handset for anyone looking.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.5-inch Resolution 480 x 854 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 720p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5 GHz quadcore Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 1.3 MP front-facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5 GHz quadcore Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 8GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 5 MP front-facing

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 134 x 67 x 9.9 mm Weight 150g Battery 1,750mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 136.2 x 66.7 x 8.4mm Weight 122g Battery 2,420 mAh

Video 1080p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 132.7 x 65.5 x 6.2 mm Weight 120g Battery 2,000 mAh

VERDICT: A large budget smartphone which can run slow and doesn’t look like much.

VERDICT: The price speaks for itself, giving you one of the cheapest 4G devices today.

VERDICT: It trips up on software and battery but the slim look is appealing.

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Huawei Ascend P7

Huawei Ascend Y300

Kazam Thunder Q4.5

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £3695 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £119 www.huaweidevice.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £TBC www.kazam.mobi

The Ascend P7 feels like a missed opportunity. Huawei should have put their full weight into creating a top-level flagship handset. However, its underpowered processor is its only real flaw. It looks premium, and its front-facing camera is the best on the market. Its price could be a sticking point, but it’s by no means a bad device.

The Y300 isn’t going to blow you away when looking at the spec sheet, but if you’re considering dipping your toes into the smartphone world it could be the perfect purchase. At less than £70 on payas-you-go you’re getting a pretty fast and fluid device, which should be able to cope with most of the things you throw at it. The feature set is very basic and the camera’s low-light performance is dismal though.

The Thunder Q4.5 is a sure case of style over substance, but in the lower-cost end of the market you’d usually be lucky to get either. While the phone lacks standout features it won’t let you down when it comes to everyday smartphone functionality. If you’re in the market and want to try something new, you could certainly do an awful lot worse.

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.8GHz quad-core Screen 5 inches Resolution 1980 x 1020 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 13MP rear-facing, 8MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1 GHz dual-core Screen 4.0 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5 MP rear-facing, VGA front-facing Video 480p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 1.3GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 854 x 480 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 1.74GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2 MP front-facing Video 720p

Connectivity 4G LTE Dimensions 139.8 x 68.8 x 6.5mm Weight 124g Battery 2,500mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 124.5 x 63.8 x 11.2 mm Weight 130g Battery 1,730 mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 136 x 64.6 x 8.9 mm Weight 137g Battery 1,800 mAh

VERDICT: It’s not quite a market-leading flagship, but at least it looks the part.

VERDICT: If you’re dipping your toes into the smartphone world, this could be perfect.

VERDICT: It may be flawed, but at this price

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point you’d be hard pushed to beat it.

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LG G2

LG G Flex

LG Optimus L3 II

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £500 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £570 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £89.95 www.lg.com/uk

Despite its impressive performance, long-lasting battery and excellent screen, the G2 doesn’t quite hold up next to its competition. It doesn’t lag behind in any one area, but it doesn’t truly excel anywhere else either. It won’t give you any hassle aside from its heating issues but this isn’t a best-in-class phone, and that’s what a flagship from a company like this really should be.

The curved display may add very little, but with a state-of-the-art spec sheet and a fantastic display, the LG G Flex nails the basics of a high-end smartphone. However the £570 price and so-so camera make it difficult to recommend - at least when compared to its cheaper, better rivals. The Flex just isn’t the innovation LG believe it to be.

LG has seemingly gone barebones with the Optimus L3 II, and whilst that’s expected with a low to mid-range device, LG has taken out almost everything. The screen is an incredibly poor resolution which makes navigating Android Jelly Bean somewhat of a chore — although it’s a miracle is has Jelly Bean. The battery life is great and the device itself is small and lightweight, but it feels a little fragile.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 6 inches Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13 MP rear-facing, 2.1 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz ARM Cortex A5 Screen 3.2 inches Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 512 MB RAM Storage 4 GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 3.15 MP front-facing Video 480p

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 5.2 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB or 32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2.1MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm Weight 143g Battery 3,000 mAh

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 mm Weight 177g Battery 3,500 mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 102.6 x 61.1 x 11.9 mm Weight 107g Battery 1,540 mAh

VERDICT: The G2 is a powerhouse with a

VERDICT: A powerful phone held back by a

VERDICT: Great battery but there are better

great screen and impressive battery life.

steep price for an unnecessary gimmick.

phones on the market similarly priced.

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LG Optimus L5 II

Motorola Moto E

Motorola Moto G

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £129.99 www.lg.com/uk

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £90 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £135 www.motorola.co.uk

A disappointing processor lets down an otherwise decent mid-tier device. The option to personalise app icons is a nice touch and the 5MP megapixel camera does a good job. However, with other handsets available with similar features and a lower price tag, the L5 II isn’t doing anything to stand out from the crowd. The underwhelming design and lack of internal storage doesn’t help matters either.

Despite a lack of features and some gaming constraints due to its processor, the Moto E works well for most tasks. Its OS interface is as smooth as you will find on any highend device and it only lags behind those same handsets very slightly when it comes to aspps and web browsing. It’s so smooth and usable that even more experiences Android users should consider it.

The Moto G is a budget smartphone done right. It makes smart and sensible sacrifices to slash its price to a point that puts its rivals to shame. For people who don’t demand the highest specs and best camera from a phone, the Moto G’s easy-to-use system and fast speeds make it an ideal choice.

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1GHz Cortex A9 Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Storage 4GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Cameras 5 MP rear-facing, Video VGA Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.2GHz dual-core Screen 4.3 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB storage MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing Video 854 x 480 pixels Connectivity 3G

OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Processor 1.2GHz quad-core Screen 4.5 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 720p

Dimensions 117.5 x 62.2 x 9.2 mm Weight 103g Battery life 1,700 mAh

Dimensions 124.8 x 64.8 x 12.3mm Weight 142g Battery 1,980mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm Weight 143g Battery 2,070 mAh

VERDICT: An OK handset for the price, but a

VERDICT: Unrivalled at its price, the Moto E

VERDICT: The best option for customers on

slow processor undermines performance.

is near faultless. A joy to use.

a budget.

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Motorola Moto X

Motorola RAZR HD

Nokia 808 PureView

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £380 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £399 www.motorola.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2012, price: £485 www.nokia.com

The Moto X is a rock-solid handset with unique, helpful features. This is the best place to experience Google Now, making voice operation genuinely useful. MIx in a sleek design, great camera and long battery life and the £380 price tag is justified. If you can afford the extra £150 then it makes for a sterling upper-mid tier upgrade to the Motorola Moto G.

Starting to show signs of its Google led revival, the Motorola Razr HD has a stunning industrial design and 4G support, but is a victim of its delayed UK release (it came out in the US in September) meaning its specs are out of date, its screen is low resolution and its camera is poor. It doesn’t help that Motorola have priced it so high - otherwise this would be an excellent midrange phone.

With its staggering 41-Megapixel camera and unbeatable range of photography features, there’s no denying that Nokia’s 808 PureView is by far the world’s best cameraphone. It’s just a shame that its use of the antiquated Symbian Belle OS and its high price mark this beautiful handset out as an almost guaranteed sales failure. It has whet our appetite for Nokia’s forthcoming PureView Lumia Windows Phones, though.

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB/32GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 10MP rearfacing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Screen 4.7 inches Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? No Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Nokia Symbian Belle Processor 1.3GHz dual-core Screen 4 inches Resolution 360 x 640 pixels Memory 512MB Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 41MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing Video 1080p

Connectivity 4G Dimensions 129.3 x 65.3 x 10.4mm Weight 130g Battery 2,200 mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm, 146g Weight 146g Battery 2,530 mAh

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 124 x 60 x 14mm Weight 169g Battery 1,400 mAh

VERDICT: For those looking to step up from

VERDICT: A lovely design, but the internals

VERDICT: The camera is still a benchmark,

the budget tier: your search is over.

are six months out of date.

but its other specs have aged terribly.

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Nokia Asha 205

Nokia Asha 302

Nokia Asha 311

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £65 www.nokia.com

Reviewed:November 2012, price: £95 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: November 2012, price: £110 www.nokia.com

An interesting enough device that blurs the lines between a feature phone and a low end smartphone, the Asha 205 is let down by its very small on board memory and lack of connectivity options. It remains functional for a low end device, but definitely should not be considered a full blown replacement for a smartphone. Probably destined for third world and budget users.

While the Nokia Asha 302 won’t win any awards for originality or features, its great build quality, battery life and usability make it ideal for social networking. If you’re looking for a decent feature-phone for easy all-day typing, the Asha 302 could be right for you. And while you can pick up a good smartphone for around this price, the handy QWERTY keyboard is ideal if you’re frequently typing texts and emails.

The Asha 311 is a high-quality featurephone which packs style, usability and a decent screen. But you can buy a much better smartphone for less. With the excellent Huawei Ascend G300 and Vodafone Smart 2 available for less, the Asha 311 struggles slightly, as while it is a good feature-phone it is crippled by an unrealistically high price tag. Make sure to consider your needs before buying.

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor N/A Screen 2.4-inch Resolution 320 x 240 pixels Memory 16MB RAM Storage 10MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 2MP rear-facing Video VGA Connectivity 3G

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor 1GHz single-core Screen 2.4-inch Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 128MB RAM Storage 100MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3.2MP rear-facing Video 480p Connectivity 3G

OS Nokia Series 40 Processor 1GHz single-core Screen 2.4-inch Resolution 240 x 320 pixels Memory 128MB Storage 140MB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 3.2MP rear-facing Video 480p Connectivity 3G

Dimensions 116 x 61 x 14mm Weight 105g Battery 1,020 mAh

Dimensions 117 x 56 x 14mm Weight 99g Battery 1,430 mAh

Dimensions 106 x 52 x 13mm Weight 95g Battery 1,110 mAh

VERDICT: A pretty basic, functional feature

VERDICT: Great QWERTY usability and an

VERDICT: A satisfying feature-phone but

phone with a few extra goodies.

impressive battery life at a decent price.

the high price is a little bit unrealistic.

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Nokia Asha 503

Nokia Lumia 520

Nokia Lumia 620

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £70 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £99.95 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: March 2013, price: £230 www.nokia.com

Nokia’s Asha 503 is a brilliantly tiny handset that stays usable despite the smaller screen. If you want a dirt-cheap phone then you might be better off with a sub-£50 handset and its design is a little spiky. But anyone looking for a phone to keep them busy for five minutes on a bus will find plenty to love here.

A good budget offering from Nokia which is let down by its struggles to handle the tasks required of it. Cheaper than the 620 which nevertheless had less performance issues. The 520 packs a good camera and battery life, however there are both cheaper phones which perform better and more expensive phones which don’t.

Nokia’s newest entry level device, the 620 runs the same OS as its older siblings. With some good grunt under its hood and the addition of Nokia’s more useful apps like Music and Maps, the 620 is a good phone, despite occasional issues with handling the software. The camera lives up to the Lumia name taking crisp shots and the 620, in all, is a good entry level device - on a plan. The SIM free phone has a hefty price tag.

OS Nokia Asha platform Screen 240 x 320 pixels, 3 inches Memory 128MB RAM Storage 4GB, expandable to 32GB via microSD Camera 5 MP rear-facing Wireless WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports micro-USB, microSD Dimensions 102.6 x 60.6 x

Dimensions 119.9x64x9.9mm Weight 124g Screen IPS super sensitive 4” touch screen Resolution 800 x 480, 235 ppi Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core 1 GHz RAM 512MB Storage 8GB, 64GB external

Dimensions 115x61x11mm Weight 127g OS Windows Phone 8 Screen 3.8” 800x480 Processor Snapdragon S4 dual-core 1GHz RAM 512 MB Storage: 8GB (to 64GB via MicroSD) Cameras: 5MP main, 640x

12.7mm Weight 110.2g Battery Li-Ion 1,200 mAh

VERDICT: A good entry into the budget

market that offers more than the basics.

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Cameras 5 MP, auto focus, f/2.4 (same as Nokia Pureview 808) Video 720p (HD, 1280 x 720) Wireless WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports USB 2.0, MicroSD (CHECK), 3.5mm audio jack Battery life 1430 mAh, 9.6h (3G) - accurate

480p secondary. Video 720p at 30fps. Wireless: WiFi, Near Field Communication, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports: Micro-USB 2.0, data connector Battery life: 1300mAh

VERDICT: A good camera, battery and price

VERDICT: A great little budget device, but a

but the phone can struggle with tasks.

bit expensive.

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Nokia Lumia 625

Nokia Lumia 720

Nokia Lumia 820

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £180 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £299 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: March 2013, price: £380 www.nokia.com

The sizeable 4.7-inch screen saves the 625 from its disappointingly short battery life and lack of HD viewing. It’s plagued further by the Lumia range’s other issues like a limited app store, but fights back with a decent camera. As a result it stands as a viable budget-range phone.

A fairly solid mid-tier offering which suffered some setbacks at start up, the 720 features a Carl Zeiss lens and a slightly better looking screen and performing processor. Aside from this, the Lumia 720 isn’t wonderfully different from its lower priced siblings and showed signs of wear and tear after a week, although its camera lives up to the Lumia name. Microsoft’s app store is still fairly limited, however.

The 920’s pragmatic little brother, the 820 runs the same processor and RAM. It lacks some of the high end photography options but still takes good quality pictures and also runs Windows Phone 8. It has the full complement of Nokia apps like Music and Maps (although the Windows Store still struggles for quality in the app department). Battery can be disappointing, however, and some apps only work with WP8 devices.

OS Microsoft Windows Phone 8 Processor Dual-core 1.2 GHz Krait Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon Screen 480 x 800 pixels, 4.7 inches Memory 512 MB RAM Storage 8 GB expandable to 64GB via SD card

Dimensions 127.9 x 67.5 x 9mm Weight 128g Screen IPS ClearBlack 4.3” touchscreen Resolution 480 x 800, 217 ppi Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core 1 GHz RAM 512MB

Dimensions 123.8x68.5x9.9 mm OS Windows Phone 8 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, dualcore 1.5GHz Screen 4.3” AMOLED. Resolution 800h x 480 RAM 1GB Storage 8GB (MicroSD

Camera 5 MP, 2592x1936 pixels (rear facing) VGA (front facing) Video 1080p Connectivity Wifi, Bluetooth Ports Micro USB, micro SD Dimensions 133.3 x 72.3 x 9.2 mm Weight 159 g Battery Li-Ion 2000 mAh

Storage 8GB, 64GB external Cameras 6.7 MP, Carl Zeiss lens, auto focus Video 720p @30fps Wireless WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports USB 2.0, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack Battery life 2000 mAh, 13h (3G)

to 64GB) Camera: 8.0 MP, LED flash, auto focus Video: 1920x1080, 30fps Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports: 3.5mm audio jack, MicoSD, Micro-USB 2.0 Weight: 160g Battery: 1650 mAh

VERDICT: A decent budget smartphone with its fair share of shortcomings.

VERDICT: A fairly solid mid-tier device but

VERDICT: Arguably superior to the 920, a

not too different from lower priced siblings.

few niggles hold it back from greatness.

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Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia Lumia 1020

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £36p/m www.nokia.com

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £479 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £639.99 www.nokia.com

A fantastic looking phone with a great interface, grunt under the hood and the best camera phone in the business. A bit heavy and bulky, but outstanding design - a real eye catcher. Like all WP8 devices, the app store is a problem, but this deserves to do well.

With the Lumia 925 Nokia haven’t set out to reinvent the wheel, they’ve just built on their past achievements to put together a brilliant phone. A gorgeous slimmed-down design, high performance camera and responsive user interface all set this handset apart from the rest of the Lumia range and make it a top level device in the high-end smartphone market. One of the best out there.

The Lumia 1020 is an ideal smartphone for those of you who don’t care about apps and it’s perfect if you love to take great pictures. It might not be the slimmest device you can get your hands on but the 1020’s powerful camera is well worth the extra bulk.

OS: Windows Phone 8.0 Screen: 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ IPS LCD Resolution: 1280 x 768 Processor: 1.5 GHz Dual Core Snapdragon S4 RAM 1GB Storage 32GB Camera 8.7MP with PureView sensor

Dimensions 129 x 70.6 x 8.5 mm Display 768 x 1280 pixels, 4.5 inches (332 ppi) OS Windows Phone 8 CPU Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait GPU Adreno 225 Memory 1GB RAM

os Windows Phone 8 Display 4.5-inch AMOLED WXGA (1280 x 768 pixels), 2.5 D sculpted Corning Gorilla Glass 3, PureMotion HD+, ClearBlack, high brightness mode, sunlight readability, super sensitive touch, Nokia Glance Screen Battery 2000 mAh battery;

Input: Capacitive touchscreen Video: 720p or 1080p, 30fps Storage: 32GB Audio: Music player/FM radio Size: 130 x 70.8 x 10.7mm Weight: 185g Battery: 2000 mAh

Storage 16GB or 32GB (Vodafone only) Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA Camera 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, optical image stabilization, autofocus Battery Li-Ion 2000 mAh

wireless charging Processor 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Camera Rear: 41MP resolution: 7712 x 536; front: HD 1.2MP wide angle Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB upgradeable to 64GB; 7GB free SkyDrive cloud storage

VERDICT: An fantastic device technically, its

VERDICT: A fantastic camera, slick design

VERDICT: A top smartphone with an

success relies on Microsoft’s app store.

and great user interface make this top dog.

astounding camera – one of the best.

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Nokia Lumia 1320

Nokia Lumia 1520

Prestigio MultiPhone 5430

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £280 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £550 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: November 2013, price: £190 www.prestigio.com

The Lumia 925 and 1020 were large enough, and the lack of software taking advantage of the big display, unlike with the Samsung Galaxy Note, means those extra inches just leave you looking faintly ridiculous when answering a call. You’re better off spending your money on an Android phablet or Google’s Nexus 5.

Although the Nokia Lumia 1520 weighs in at a whopping £550 (SIM-free), it could cost you considerably more to purchase a standalone camera, camcorder, satnav, tablet and a laptop computer that can run Microsoft Office.

The Prestigio is a bland piece of kit that lacks any real highlights but the 5430 is undoubtedly a capable and efficient smartphone. Perhaps its best feature is that it gets the core experience right, if not groundbreakingly so. The very basics of what you expect from a smartphone in 2013 are here but there isn’t much else.

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Screen 6 inches Resolution 1,280 x 720 pixels Memory 1GB Storage 8GB (expandable via microSD) Camera 5MP rear, VGA front Video 1080p@30fps

OS Windows Phone 8 Processor Qualcomm 8 Snapdragon 2.2GHz Screen 6 inches, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 368PPI Memory 2GB RAM Storage 32GB (up to 64GB with microSD) Camera 20MP dual-LED flash (back), 1.2MP (front)

OS Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Processor Intel Atom 1.2GHz Screen 960 x 540 pixels, 4.3 inches Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB Camera 8MP rear-facing, 0.3 MP front-facing

Connectivity LTE Dimensions 164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8mm Weight 220g Battery 3,400 mAh

Video 1080p Ports Micro-USB, 3.5mm jack Dimensions 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7mm Weight 209g Battery 3,200mAh

Video 1080p@30fps Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 Ports Micro USB Dimensions 126 x 64.7 x 10mm Weight 140g Battery 2000 mAh LionBattery

VERDICT: A good phone, but the Nexus 5

VERDICT: A great all-in-one device that

VERDICT: Perfectly ordinary – but it’s

simply undercuts the competition too well.

mashes the best of Nokia together.

positioned as an everyday smartphone.

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Prestigio 4500 DUO

Samsung Ativ S

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2

Reviewed: June 2013, price: £179 www.prestigio.com

Reviewed: March 2013, price: £439.99 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £240 www.samsung.com/uk

The Prestigio fails to dazzle, offering nothing fresh, but it is a user friendly, well featured and well priced device that ticks all the right boxes for a smartphone. It offers a smooth Android experience in a classic design with a competitive price tag and could go up against the likes of Huawei or HTC’s budget brands. A solid offering from a lesser known brand.

Possibly the best looking Windows Phone 8 physically with a good display, and a very usable Windows Phone 8 device, the software is lazy, with a poor selection of apps and what apps there are, can appear less than appealing. However, the user interface is easy to use and the processor can handle whatever is required of it. The phone looks and feels good - it’s just a pity there’s not much to look at, app-wise.

In a year where Samsung crafted one of the world’s best smartphones with the Galaxy S III, it has also created a fantastic mid-level device with its affordably-priced Galaxy Ace 2. Offering a stunning screen, great usability and a strong set of features it packs all that the average smartphone buyer will need. And while it’s a shame that the latest version of Android isn’t installed, you still get unbeatable value or money.

OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 3.5-inch TFT Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 800MHz Memory 512MB Storage MicroSD Camera 5MP rear-facing Flash Yes Video Yes

Dimensions 137 x 70.5 x 8.7 mm OS Windows Phone 8 Screen 4.8-inch Super AMOLED Resolution 720 x 1280 Processor 1.5GHz dual-core GPU Adreno 255 RAM 1GB Storage 16/32GB

os Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 3.8-inch TFT Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 800MHz dual-core Memory 768MB Storage 4GB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing

Wireless 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 240 hours Talk time 4 hours Size 117 x 59 x 11mm Weight 120g

VERDICT: Nothing new but this is a user

expandable via micro SD Cameras Front 1.9MP camera, rear 8.0MP capable of 1080p HD video Wireless Wi-Fi Ports Micro USB, 3.5mm audio Battery life 2.300mAh

VERDICT: Great WP8 hardware, but the lack

friendly, well priced well featured device.

of apps means Nokia and HTC still rule.

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Flash LED Video 720p HD at 30fps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 670 hours Talk time 16 hours Size 118 x 62 x 11mm Weight 119g

VERDICT: In terms of sheer bang for your buck, this great phone is one of the best.

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Samsung Galaxy Ace 3

Samsung Galaxy Fame

Samsung Galaxy Mega

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £180 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £159 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £440 www.samsung.com/uk

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a good handset that’s been made irrelevant by cheaper competition. Whilst it packs a vibrant display and solid specs, similar phones sit well below the £180 benchmark set here. Samsung will have to rethink its pricing. If it weren’t for the Moto G’s release this would be an emphatic recommendation - unfortunately Samsung will have to settle for the silver medal.

Don’t look at Samsung for cheap smartphones, but the Fame offers a compact, modern Android experience for only marginally more than other brands. A wee phone which allows you to run your digital life with just your thumb, the Fame sports Android 4.1, a screen that’s just right for some and an attractive price point. Cons include a thick, stubby design, a low res screen and rival phones going cheaper.

With a 6.3-inch screen, the Galaxy Mega is on the verge of falling into phablet territory, but that doesn’t change the fact that said screen is hypnotically vibrant. As such, it’s a great video player and has room for a sizeable battery. Its resolution, however, is a minor issue and it doesn’t have enough internal storage to meet our needs. It will stick out like a sore thumb but you might just fall in love with it.

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Screen 4 inches Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB

OS Android 4.1 Screen 3.5-inch / 320x480 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Camera 5MP, VGA front Video Record / Playback Audio Music player / Stereo Bluetooth / 3.5mm jack Memory 4GB expandable via

OS Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.7 GHz Screen 720 x 1280 pixels, 6.3 inches Memory 2 GB RAM Storage 8GB – Micro SD up to 32GB

Camera 5MP Video 720p@30fps Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Dimensions 121.2 x 62.7 x 9.8mm Weight 115g Battery Li-Ion 1,500 mAh

micro SD card Battery 1300mAh

Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 1.9 MP front-facing Video 1080p@30fps Wireless WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports Micro USB, micro SD, IR blaster Dimensions 167.6 x 88 x 8 mm Weight 199g Battery Li-Ion 3200 mAh

VERDICT: Premium build quality and visuals

VERDICT: Not the cheapest out there but a

VERDICT: For better or worse it’s all about

at a good price - just not a great one.

compact device which has plenty of appeal.

the big, vibrant screen with this handset.

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editor’s choice

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Samsung Galaxy S2

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

£330 SIM-free www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: July 2012, price: £485 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £300 www.samsung.com/uk

The Galaxy S II is one of Samsung’s top-end smartphones and was your Phone of the Year 2011, according to reader votes for the What Mobile Awards. It offers blisteringly fast performance, a decent camera, strong battery life and a great screen. Alongside the newer Galaxy S III, it’s the biggest threat Apple has seen since the iPhone launched, and with good reason. Few phones offer such a good user experience.

Matching up to the mighty Galaxy S II was always going to be a tall order, but with the release of the Galaxy S III Samsung has clearly surpassed expectations. With its stunning design, amazing usability, highpowered performance and cutting-edge features, it measures up to the best of the competition and sets a new benchmark for its rivals. If you’re looking for one of the best smartphones you can buy, this is it.

Something of a misnomer, this is no relation to its bigger brother, the S III,despite the design similarities. The Mini is little more than a shrunk down Galaxy S II. If users want a budget Galaxy, they are better off pursuring that (former) flagship on a budget plan - this is extortionately expensive for what you get.

OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 4.3-inch SAMOLED+ Resolution 480 x 800 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 16/32GB, MicroSD Camera 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing

OS Android 4.0 ICS Screen 4.8-inch SAMOLED Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1.4GHz Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 16/32/64GB, MicroSD Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing

OS Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 Screen Super AMOLED Resolution 480 x 800 pixels 4.0 inches 233 PPI Storage 8 or 16 GB, up to 32 GB microSD expandable Camera rear 5MP autofocus, front 0.3MP Video 720P 30fps CPU NovaThor U8420 -1GHz

Flash Yes Video 1080p HD Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 710 hours Talk time 18 hours Size 125 x 66 x 9mm Weight 116g

Flash Yes Video 1080p HD Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 790 hours Talk time 21 hours Size 137 x 71 x 9mm Weight 133g

dual-core Memory 1GHz Ram GPU Mali-400/MP4 Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA Ports Micro-USB 3.5m jack Battery Li-Ion 1500 mAh Dimensions: 121.6 x 63 x9.9mm Weight 111.5g

VERDICT: An award-winning Android phone

VERDICT: A masterpiece of design and

VERDICT: A cheeky move by Samsung to

that effortlessly impresses across the board.

usability. This is the benchmark to beat.

pass this off as a premium device. It’s not.

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Sony Xperia Go

Sony Xperia L

Sony Xperia J

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £200 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £249 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £149 www.sonymobile.com

When we’ve tested semi-rugged phones before, they’ve often put function firmly over form. But Sony’s Xperia Go blends style and resilience to create a tough device that’s also great to look at. Its waterproof, dust-resistant design keeps it protected against the elements and it’s a fast and pleasingly usable device. And while the old Android 2.3 OS is a disappointment, this is still a good phone for busy outdoor use.

This device includes some higher end specs for a low cost handset as well as a snappy camera, a high quality screen and impressive battery life. However, the odd design choices are a distraction and the screen does suffer from lag issues. Lower cost devices like the Nokia 620 offer more at a cheaper price. Access to the Google Play store potentially gives it an edge over the 620, if that’s what you’re after.

The Xperia J is expensive for what you get - no small feat considering it costs £149. This is a severely stripped down version of its big brothers, the Xperia P, T and S. Its performance is poor, the camera and screen is poor. You’d do much better buying last gen’s flagship phones on a contract, rather than buying this weak cut price performer. Avoid.

os Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 3.5-inch TFT Resolution 320 x 480 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1GHz dual-core Memory 512MB Storage 8GB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB Camera 5MP rear-facing Flash LED

Dimensions 128.7x 65 x 9.7mm, 137g Display 4.3 inch, TFT capacitive touchscreen, 480x854 pixels, 228 ppi OS Android 4.1 CPU Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon dual core 1GHz GPU Adreno 305

Dimensions 120.5 x 63 x 10.28 mm OS Windows Phone 8 Screen 4.0-inch S-LCD Resolution 480x800 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1GHz dual-core GPU Adreno 305 RAM 512MB

Video 720p HD at 30fps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 520 hours Talk time 6 hours Size 111 x 60 x 10mm Weight 110g

Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB, microSD up to 32GB Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Camera 8MP, autofocus, LED flash Battery Up to 9 hours (3G) - accurate

Storage 4GB expandable via microSD Cameras 5MP rear, LED flash / 720p HD video Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.1, a-GPS and GLONASS Ports Micro USB, 3.5mm audio Battery life 1,700mAh

VERDICT: If you need a stylish and tough

VERDICT: Not a bad choice for gamers on a

VERDICT: A bit of a rip off for a low spec,

phone for outdoor use, there’s a lot to like.

budget, but for others there are better handsets.

poor performing phone.

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Sony Xperia P

Sony Xperia SP

Sony Xperia Z

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £290 www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk

Reviewed: July 2013, price: £290 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: April 2013, price: £499 www.sonymobile.com

The Xperia P works well on so many levels that it’s impossible to ignore. The unique style may not suit all tastes, but it shows a courage to stand out from the crowd that we wish we saw more often. And thanks to its impressive performance, beautiful LEDbacklit screen and excellent features, you get plenty of value for money too.

The Xperia SP has an excellent high definition screen, a fairly solid battery life and an interesting notification system involving a panel at the bottom of the phone which lights up with customisable colours when you get a message. However the phone’s not as powerful as last year’s flagships, is slightly bulky and there are rival phones to be had for less money, particularly if you’re not fussed about 4G.

Sony’s smartphone is a powerhouse in every way, let down only by some unusual design decisions. Water, dust and shock resistant, it’s giant screen size will come down to personal preference, as will its unusual design. Otherwise it has all of Sony’s bells and whistles, including some clever use of NFC with NFCs stereos, TVs and laptops.

os Android 2.3 Gingerbread Screen 4-inch TFT Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1GHz dual-core Memory 1GB Storage 16GB internal Camera 8MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing Flash LED

OS Android 4.1 Screen 4.6inch / 720x1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Camera 8MP, VGA front Video Record / Playback Audio Music player / Stereo Bluetooth / 3.5mm jack Memory 8GB expandable via

Dimensions 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm and 146g OS Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Screen 5 inch, Capacitive touchscreen,1080 x 1920 Processor Qualcomm Krait quad-core 1.5 GHz RAM 2GB RAM Storage 16GB, microSD (to 32GB)

Video 1080p HD at 30fps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0, HDMI Standby time 475 hours Talk time 6 hours Size 122 x 60 x 11mm Weight 120g

micro SD card Battery 2370mAh

Cameras Main 13.1 MP, 4128x3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash. Front - 2.2 MP, 1080p@30fps Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC enabled Ports MicroUSB v2.0, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack. Battery Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery

VERDICT: If you’re looking for a one-of-a-

VERDICT: If 4G LTE isn’t for you, the Xperia

VERDICT: A powerhouse phone, let down

kind phone, make sure to check it out.

SP isn’t quite the bargain it first seems.

only by some design niggles.

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editor’s choice

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Sony Xperia Z1

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Sony Xperia Z2

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £475 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £449 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: July 14, price: £579 www.sonymobile.com

It’s a little on the large side, but Sony’s latest handset is rock solid, with powerful hardware and a unique design. Fans of the company will be right at home with the software that stores movies, music and games you’ve bought across other platforms. Add in a great camera and you’ve got a phone that stops just short of best in class.

If you hate giant displays and don’t have the patience for Apple’s iOS and its restrictive App Store, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact your only choice, and a great one at that. Sony have done well to make a phone with the power to rival the mighty iPhone in an equally small package. In-built Sony-branded apps such as Walkman and PlayStation is an inherent plus, too. Fingers crossed for a KitKat 4.4 upgrade soon.

The Z2 matches its rivals’ power and usability. A lack of design innovation and similar specs might deter Z1 owners from upgrading, though, and the large size might not appeal to fans of smaller devices. That said, superior imagin and a powerful processor and CPU means it excels in the right places.

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2GHz Screen 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB expandable up to 64GB via micro SD Camera 20.7 MP rearfacing, 2 MP front-facing

OS Android 4.3 Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Screen 4.3-inch HD Triluminos Resolution 720 x 1,280 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 16GB, expandable to 64GB

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor 2.3GHz quad-core Screen 5.2 inches Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 16GB MicroSD Compatible? Yes Camera 20.7MP rear-facing, 2.2MP front-facing

Video 1080p Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports micro SD, microUSB Battery 3000 mAh Dimensions 144 x 74 x 8.5mm Weight 170g

Camera 20.7MP Exmor RS Video 720p Connectivity Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC Dimensions 127 x 64.9 x 9.5mm Weight 137g Battery 2,300 mAh

Video 720p Connectivity 4G Dimensions 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2mm Weight 163g Battery 3,200mAh

VERDICT: Software makes it great for Sony

VERDICT: The most powerful, best looking

VERDICT: An immaculate smartphone, if

fans, hardware makes it good for the rest

compact Android available. Simple.

only a small step up from its predecessor.

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Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Vodafone Smart 3

Vodafone Smart Mini

Reviewed: December 2013, price: £559 www.sonymobile.com

Reviewed: August 2013, price: £90 www.vodafone.co.uk

Reviewed: September 2013, price: £50 www.vodafone.co.uk

Sony’s phablet is a powerful and sleek piece of kit. The vivid, full HD display is the perfect place to watch movies and play games thanks to its gigantic size and incredible clarity. The camera leaves something to be desired, and it’s impossible to use with just one hand, but this is a fine choice for phablet fans looking for a new purchase.

While the Vodafone Smart 3 manages to offer a good 5-megapixel camera and Android Jelly Bean at a bargain price of just £90, its slow processor, appalling screen and poor build quality mean that that it’s unlikely to be a first choice even for budget handset shoppers. The screen is too reflective to use in direct sunlight and the low spec processor means the device is sluggish at the best of times.

The Smart Mini is almost as cheap as chips, and it shows. Whilst it’s not a bad device, it’s not a particularly good one either. The size is great and for the price you couldn’t go wrong — but you could also spend an extra tenner and get a whole lot more. The performance was very sluggish and the screen had dismal quality, but the battery just kept on lasting, going several days on a single charge — a rarity these days.

OS Android 4.2, upgradeable to Android 4.3 Processor 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Screen 1080 x 1920 pixels, 6.4 inches Memory 2GB Storage 16GB Camera 8 MP rear-facing,

Dimensions 123.2 x 64.4 x 10.9 mm Weight 136g Screen TFT capacitive touchscreen Processor 1 GHz Cortex-A9 RAM 512MB Storage 4GB, expandable up to 32GB Cameras 5 MP, autofocus,

Dimensions 115 x 62.3 x 12.2mm Weight 118 OS Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Screen 3.5-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 320 x 480 pixels, 165 ppi Processor 1 GHz RAM 512MB

2 MP front-facing Video 1080p@30fps Wireless Bluetooth 4.0, wi-fi, NFC Ports MicroSD, Micro-USB Dimensions 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5 mm Weight 212g Battery 3050 mAh

VERDICT: A powerful handset that’s great

LED flash Video Yes Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC Ports USB 2.0, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack Battery life Li-Ion 1700 mAh, 9h (3G) – accurate

Storage 4GB, micro SD slot Camera 2MP, 1600 x 1200 pixels Video VGA @ 30 fps Audio MP3, WMA, Battery 300h standby, 7h talktime (3G)

for viewing but poor for photo shooting.

VERDICT: The price doesn’t alleviate issues of low screen quality and processing speed.

VERDICT: Extremely cheap which shows through the sluggish performance.

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Yezz Andy A5

ZTE Blade III

ZTE Blade V

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £207 www.sayyezz.com

Reviewed: May 2013, price: £69.99 www.ztedevices.co.uk

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £99.99 www.ztedevices.co.uk

Camera phone fans on a tight budget should definitely seek out the Andy A5 for its affordable price and high-quality camera. If taking photos is not that important to you then you’ll probably have seen the uninspired design and bland features a million times before.

It’s hard to argue with a smartphone that can compete with its betters, yet can be purchased for a fraction of the cost. Yes there are flaws and cutbacks to meet the price point, but this is an excellent entry level device for smartphone newbies and pragmatic users who don’t need the latest and greatest.

A fantastic price makes the ZTE Blade V easy to recommend for first-time buyers. Anyone hoping to get the most out of a smartphone’s apps and snaps should look elsewhere, but if you don’t want to worry about a phone for the kids being broken or stolen, then this is your guy.

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core 1.2GHz Screen 5 inches Resolution 540 x 960 pixels Memory 512MB RAM Camera 13MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Connectivity 3G, wi-fi Dimensions 144.1 x 73.5 x

Dimensions 123 x 63.5 x 10mm, 130g OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Screen TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors, 480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inches (233 PPI) Processor Qualcomm single core 1GHz

OS Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) Processor Snapdragon S4 Play Screen 480 x 800, 4 inches Memory 1GB RAM Storage 4GB Camera 5 MP Video Yes Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

8.6mm Weight 106g Battery 2,000mAh

RAM 512MB Storage 4GB internal, expandable to 32GB via MicroSD Camera 5MP Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1. Ports Micro USB, MicroSD, 3.5mm audio jack. Battery life 1600mAh

Ports microUSB, microSD Dimensions 126 x 64 x 10.9 mm Weight 130g Battery Li-Ion 1800 mAh

VERDICT: A great camera, but the rest struggles against more bullish counterparts.

VERDICT: A real surprise package -

VERDICT: A great prices makes this

excellent for the money.

worthwhile for first-time buyers.

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Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9” Acer Aspire P3

Advent Vega Tegra Note 7

Reviewed: May 2013, price: £229/259 www.amazon.co.uk

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £550 www.amazon.co.uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £140 www.nvidia.co.uk

A good looking e-reader with tablet capabilities, limited by Amazon’s annoying operating system and app eco-system, and an annoyingly slow browser. This device will doubtless be a commercial success, with its branding and ease of use, but for the more serious user there are much better tablets out there.

The P3 suffers from an identity crisis in trying to be both a tablet and a laptop. Its thick build makes it an uncomfortable, bulky slate while the specs fail to live up to some of its rivals. Still, it’s about as powerful as the current Windows 8 tablets get and available at a great price for this kind of device.

It’s a contender, alright. Aside from some clunky desing issues, the Advent Vega Tegra Note 7 is a powerful and punchy little machine. If you’re after a compact and affordable tablet its speed sets it aside from its rivals as a device that’s great for gaming, customising images and browsing the web.

Dimensions 240 x 164 x 8.8 mm OS Customized Android 4.0 Screen 8.9 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen Resolution 1920 x 1200, 254 ppi Processor TI OMAP 4470 dual-core 1.5 GHz

Processor Intel® Core™ i5-3339Y processor (1.5 GHz, 2.0 GHz with TurboBoost, 3 MB cache) Operating System Windows 8 Memory 4GB DDR3 Storage 120 GB SSD Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000

OS Android Jelly Bean 4.3 Processor Nvidia Tegra 4 Screen 7 inches Resolution 1,280 x 800 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Connectivity Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Dimensions 119 x 199 x 9.6mm

Cortex-A9 GPU PowerVR SGX544 RAM 1 GB RAM Storage 16 GB/32 GB Cameras front facing 1.3MP with 720p video Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band Ports USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jacks, Bluetooth

Screen Size 11.6” Screen Resolution 1366x768 Dimensions 295 x 190 x 10 mm Weight 790g

Weight 320g Battery 8 hours

VERDICT: A solid, functional tablet which is

VERDICT: Too thick to be a tablet but

VERDICT: Its speed sets it apart from its

limited by its Amazon associations.

available at a good price.

competition. A cheap and capable device.

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editor’s choice

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Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

Apple iPad Mini

Apple iPad 3

Reviewed: January 2014, price: £199-329 www.amazon.co.uk/kindle

Reviewed: December 2012, price: £269 www.apple.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2012, price: £399 www.apple.com/uk

The Kindle Fire HDX is around £100 more than the Fire but the improved screen and processor justifies the extra cost. The real human Help feature will be a boon to tablet newbies; experienced users will regard it as a gimmick. The HDX is a top-rate device – but if you’re not a regular Amazon customer you’re better off with a Nexus.

The iPad Mini represents Apple playing it safe, which is to say:, disappointing. This is little more than an iPad 2, with all its limitations - a low res screen and weak processor power - shrunk down to an odd 7.9-inch size. It is also overpriced, the Google Nexus 7 offers superior performance for £100 less. Despite its luxurious design, you really are paying for little more than 4G support, and Apple’s App Store. Average.

The new iPad boasts the highest-resolution display of any tablet, as well as an improved 5MP camera and better connectivity. Not to mention a high-powered new processor which makes it the most powerful iPad ever, too. Though some may resist the upgrade path, the unrivalled Retina display is a subtle but deeply appealing feature which will become more and more desirable. The new iPad is by far the best tablet around

OS iOS 6.0.1 Screen 7.9-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD Resolution 768 x 1024 pixels at 162 pixels per inch Input Capacitive touchscreen CPU Apple A5 1GHz dual core GPU PowerVR SGX543MP2 Memory 512MB Storage 16/32/64GB

OS iOS 5 Screen 9.7-inch TFT Resolution 1536 x 2048 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1GHz Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 16/32/64GB Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing

OS Amazon customised Android OS, v4.1.2 Processor Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz quad-core Screen 1902 x 1200 pixels, 7 inches Memory 2GB RAM Storage 16GB, 32GB, 64GB versions available Camera 8MP front-facing

Video 720HD Wireless Wi-fi (optional Vodafone 4G version) Ports microUSB Dimensions 131.8 x 66.9 x 9.9 mm Weight 302g

Camera 5MP rear facing, 1.2MP front facing Video 1920x1080 (1080P HD) at 30fps. Video stabilised Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Apple Lightning port (USB 2.0) Size 200 x 134.7 x 7.2mm Weight 308g

Flash No Video 1080p HD Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, proprietary Apple connector Standby time 720 hours Use time 9 hours Size 241 x 186 x 9mm Weight 662g

VERDICT: A significant update to the Fire

VERDICT: Little more than a shrunken iPad

VERDICT: There’s simply no contest - the

and ideal for Amazon users.

2 with 4G. Disappointing.

new iPad is the best tablet in the world.

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editor’s choice

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Apple iPad 4

Archos 79 Platinum

Archos 101 XS 2

Reviewed: January 2013, price: £399 www.apple.com/uk

Reviewed: April 2014, price: £150 www.archos.com

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £250 www.archos.com

A rather cheeky move by Apple to release the iPad 4 (or ‘iPad with Retina Display’) just months after the iPad 3. All it really adds is a new processor (the iPhone 5’s A6X) and Apple’s new lightning connector. However, this means it remains as the best tablet money can buy - and Apple’s App Store and its 300,000 dedicated tablet apps only make the proposition more enticing.

With so many budget tablets to choose from the Archos 79 Platinum has no features or unique selling points to attract the consumer in a saturated market. Its hardware is woefully underpowered, its features are bog standard and it is at least £10 too expensive. Its attractive looks are not enough to redeem it. The bottom line is that it should have never been conceived.

A couple of years ago, the 101 XS would have has us singing Archos’ praises, but by today’s standards its processing power and screen quality fall short. It might, though, find a home with users limited to spending £250 on a 10-inch tablet

OS iOS 6.0.1, Screen 9.7 inch LED Resolution 1536 x 2048 pixels at 264 ppi pixel density CPU Apple A6X, Dual-core GPU PowerVR SGX554MP4, Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16/32/64 GB storage Camera 5MP rear facing, 1.2MP front facing

OS Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Quad-core A9 1.6GHz Screen 7.85 inches Resolution 1,024 x 768 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB Camera 2MP rear-facing Connectivity Wi-fi, Bluetooth

OS Android 4.2.2 SCREEN 10.1-inch/1,280 x 800 pixels CAMERA 2MP rear, 2MP front VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack MEMORY 16GB expandable via microSD

Video 1080P HD at 30fps Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 Cellular 4G, 3G, 2G Ports Lightning Connector (USB2.0) and 3.5mm audio jack, Dimensions 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm Weight 662 g

VERDICT: The best tablet money can buy.

Performance Features Usability Design

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Dimensions 201 x 137 x 8mm Weight 366g Battery Lithium Polymer

DIMENSIONS 273 x 169 x 10.1mm (tablet), 273 x 169 x 5mm (keyboard) WEIGHT 636g (tablet), 200g (keyboard)

VERDICT: There is no reason you ever

VERDICT: A great price is let down by a

would, or should, buy it. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

poor screen and cheap build.

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editor’s choice

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Asus VivoPad

Google Nexus 7

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £399 www.asus.com

Reviewed: September 2012, price: £159 www.google.co.uk/nexus

The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T packs a beautiful screen and the keyboard dock is well thought out. But dated software and the threat of a Google Nexus 10 sequel make this a niche device. Do you really need a keyboard? The iPad mini begs to differ.

This delivers on the promise of a being a Windows 8 PC in tablet form, with access to powerful apps like Photoshop. Managing this on a 10-inch tablet is no small feat. That said, the Intel Atom processor keeps it from reaching its full potential, struggling with many of the things you would want to use a PC for. The lack of storage hinders it further.

Google’s Nexus 7 is a high-quality media consumption device built for gaming, watching videos, browsing the internet and catching up on TV shows that you’ve missed. What it isn’t is an Apple iPad, but at this price it doesn’t need to be. Google has picked what it wanted to do and done it very well - and all at a great price. This excellent device is sure to take tablets to a whole new audience of consumers.

OS Android 4.3 (via an overthe-air update) SCREEN 10.1-inch/2,560 x 1,600 pixels INPUT Capacitive touchscreen CAMERA 5MP rear, 1.2MP front VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm

OS Windows 8 Processor Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core Screen 10.1-inch (1366 x 768 pixels) IPS display Memory 2GB RAM Storage 64GB SSD Camera 8 MP rear-facing, 2 MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Screen 7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1.3GHz Cortex-A9 Memory 1GB Storage 8GB/16GB internal Camera 1.2MP front-facing Flash No

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T Reviewed: February 2014, price: £429 www.asus.com

jack MEMORY 32/64GB BATTERY Tablet 31Wh, dock 16Wh

Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports Micro HDMI, Micro SD, Micro USB Dimensions 262.5 x 171 x 9.7 mm Weight 580g Battery Li-Po 6,760 mAH

Video 720p HD Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Battery 10 hours use, 300 hours standby Size 199 x 120 x 10mm Weight 340g

VERDICT: A good attempt at making a PC

VERDICT: A fantastic device that delivers all

compete with the iPad Air or Nexus range

tablet, but too underpowered.

you’d want from a tablet, at a great price.

Performance Features Usability Design

VERDICT: It packs fast hardware but can’t

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editor’s choice

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Google Nexus 10

HP Slate 7

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

Reviewed: February 2013, price: £319 www.google.co.uk/nexus

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £125 www.hp.com

Reviewed: October 2013, price: £399 www.lenovo.com

Finally, the Android tablet everyone’s been waiting for - except Apple. This is a tablet that can go head to head with the best in the Apple iPad stable - it has a powerful processor, a Retina Display quality screen, the latest version of Android. Along with the Nexus 7, this is the best tablet Android users can buy. The only flaws are an uninspired body, and a dearth of tablet specific apps.

The steel frame makes the Slate 7 an impressive sight and its audio uses Beats technology to great effect. The fantastic price will help it to undercut some of its rivals, though the slow processor and low quality camera keep it from besting them elsewhere.

The IdeaPad might have a cheesy name but it excels in almost every other area, with a fun, quirky design, amazing performance that’s ideal for gaming and a slew of ports for accessibility. This comes at the price of the battery, which won’t make it through a full day of use, and it’s sometimes awkward to hold. But if its raw performance you’re looking for, this delivers.

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Dimensions 263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9 mm, 603g Screen 10-inches, Gorilla Glass 2, Resolution 2560 x 1600p Input Super PLS TFT capacitive touch-screen CPU Exynos 5, Dual-core ARM Cortex-A15

OS Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) Processor Dual-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A9 Screen 600 x 1024 pixels, 7.0 inches Memory 1 GB RAM Storage 8 GB expandable to 32GB via SD card Camera 3.15 MP, 2048x1536

OS Windows 8 Processor Intel Core i73689Y 1.5GHz Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 Screen 11.6-inches (1366x 768 pixels) IPS Memory 8GB DDR3 RAM Storage 256GB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi,

RAM 2 GB Cameras 5 MP (main), 1.9 MP (front) Wireless Wi-Fi, Bluetooth NFC Android Beam Storage 16 GB/32 GB Connectivity Micro USB, Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 9000 mAh

pixel (rear facing) VGA (front facing) Video 720p@30fps Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Ports Micro USB V2.0 Dimensions 197.1 x 116.1 x 10.7 mm Weight 372 g Battery non-removable, 5h

Bluetooth 4.0 Keyboard Full-sized QWERTY Ports USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 2x1 card reader, HDMI-out Dimensions 297.94 x 203.96 x 17 mm Weight 1.39 kg

VERDICT: The best Android tablet available,

VERDICT: Great audio and build, but corners

VERDICT: A fantastic device that offers you

slips behind the iPad 4 only due to apps.

have been cut to keep costs down.

all the power you could ask for in a hybrid.

Performance Features Usability Design

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Lenovo Miix 2

Microsoft Surface 2 Pro

Nokia Lumia 2520

Reviewed: July 2014, price: £255 www.microsoft.com/surface

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £720 www.microsoft.com/surface

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £399 www.nokia.com

With solid performance across the board, frequently usable built-in apps and compact size the Miix 2 is a small but surprisingly versatile slate. Despite the limitations that come with the Windows OS, it performs general tasks well and, for the price, won’t let you down. With 3G capability you can even connect to the internet on the move. Overall, it offers plenty of pleasant surprises to combat the weaknesses of its OS.

We can’t fault Microsoft’s ambition for the powerful Surface Pro 2 to become your all-in-one portable work and play device. It’s got a great display and solid hardware but a lack of dedicated apps, software compromises and stiff - cheapercompetition make it a tough sell.

The Windows-run Lumia 2520 is a decent first effort from Nokia - and it’s certainly one of the more attractive and solid pieces of tablet hardware on the market. It has a few issues with the weight and a lackluster camera but overall we have no trouble recommending this to Windows 8.1 and Lumia fans.

OS Windows 8.1 Processor 1.3GHz quad-core Screen 8 inches Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels Memory 2GB Storage 32GB MicroSD compatible? Yes Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing Video 1080p

OS Windows 8.1 SCREEN 10.6 inches/1,920x1,080 pixels INPUT Capacitive touchscreen CAMERA 720p-resolution front and rear VIDEO Record/playback AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack

OS Windows 8.1 SCREEN 10.1 inches, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 218PPI processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MEMORY 2GB CAMERA 6.7MP with Carl Zeiss lens AUDIO Music player/3.5mm jack

Connectivity 3G Dimensions 8.3 x 215.6 x 131mm Weight 350g Battery 4,730mAh

MEMORY 64GB/128GB/256GB/512GB, expandable BATTERY 48Wh

DIMENSIONS 168 x 267 x 8.9mm, 615g BATTERY 8120 mAh

VERDICT: A small but substantial Windows

VERDICT: Price holds back what is an

VERDICT: A rock solid first effort from Nokia

offering that still trails its Android rivals.

otherwise excellent work/play hybrid.

in this market with powerful specs.

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buyer’s guide reviews archive

editor’s choice

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 Reviewed: February 2014, price: £250 www.nokia.com

Reviewed: October 2012, price: £399 www.samsung.com/uk

Reviewed: May 2014, price: £649 www.samsung.com/uk

The Tab 3 Kids is surprisingly robust, with a solid camera, great battery, fantastic educational apps and software to suit kids. But the premium design doesn’t feel like it was meant to be enjoyed by young users and we’d suggest going with a company that specialises in the market rather than one that’s testing it out.

Arriving in the shadow of the third iPad, it’s to Samsung’s credit that the Galaxy Note 10.1 isn’t completely dwarfed by its rival. Combining a strong specification, unique usability and some excellent features, it is one of the best devices you can buy in the ever-growing tablet market. The problem is it is priced to target the iPad and while it is certainly a great tablet, it’s not quite good enough to rival Apple’s masterpiece device.

One of the biggest displays ever seen on a tablet - at no detriment to quality. Combine that with solid design and a super powerful processor to run loads of unique applications and the NotePRO 12.2 is arguably the best tablet on the market. It’s certainly the best Android slate, although it’s definitely priced as such.

OS Android 4.1 Processor Dual-core 1.2GHz Screen 600 x 1,024 pixels, 7 inches Memory 1GB RAM Storage 8GB/16GB, expandable up to 64GB Camera 3.15MP (back), 1.3MP (front)

os Android 4.0 ICS Screen 10.1-inch TFT Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels Input Capacitive touchscreen Processor 1.4GHz quad-core Memory 2GB Storage 16/32/64GB internal, MicroSD up to 64GB Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing

OS Android 4.4 KitKat Processor Octa-core (1.9GHz + 1.3GHz quad) Screen 12.2 inches Resolution 2,560 x 1,600 pixels Memory 3GB RAM Storage 32GB/64GB Camera 8MP rear/2MP front-facing

Video 720p@30fps Wireless WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 Ports micro-USB, microSD Dimensions 188 x 111.1 x 9.9mm Weight 306g Battery Li-Ion 4,000 mAh

Flash LED Video 720p HD at 30fps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 Standby time 1500 hours Use time 33 hours Size 258 x 175 x 9mm Weight 583g

Video 1,080p Full HD Connectivity Wi-fi only Dimensions 295.6 x 204 x 7.95mm Weight 750g Battery 9,500mAh

VERDICT: A little too premium for the

VERDICT: A fantastic tablet but it can’t

VERDICT: Big, beautiful, functional and

market it’s aimed at.

quite match up to the latest Apple iPad.

priced to match. Android’s finest.

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Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Tesco Hudl

Toshiba Excite Pure

Reviewed: June 2014, price: £399 www.sony.co.uk

Reviewed: March 2014, price: £119 www.tesco.com/direct/hudl

Reviewed: February 2014, price: £250 www.toshiba.co.uk

If looks could kill, Sony murdered the competition. Add to that a powerful processor and decent screen size and you have a great new addition to the high-end tablet market. Innovative features like dust and water resistance are impressive too, and manage to make up the expensive price tag.

No awards for specs or design, but we can recommend the Hudl as a family-oriented tablet. It lets you store pictures, browse the web and watch movies: It may not be groundbreaking, but its simplicity is its greatest strength. That, and its incredible £119 price. Those looking for anything more complicated should head elsewhere.

The Toshiba Excite Pure’s £250 price is attractive but its display is far too faded. It means apps and the like don’t look very good. It might appeal to families looking for a cheap way to keep the kids entertained but little else. Even so, the slow processor and useless apps force us to recommend you look elsewhere.

OS Android OS v4.4.2 (KitKat) Screen 10.1 inches Processor Quad-core 2.3 GHz Memory 3GB Storage 16GB, microSD up to 64GB Camera 8.1MP rear, 2.2MP front

OS Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core A9 Screen 7 inches Resolution 1,440 x 900 pixels Memory 1GB RAM Storage 16GB Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

OS Android v4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Nvidia Tegra 3 Memory 1GB Storage 16GB Screen 1280 x 800 pixels, 10.1 inches Video HD Audio Stereo Dimensions 261.6 x 177.8 x 10.2mm

Battery 6,000mAh Network Wi-fi connectivity, 4G LTE

Dimensions 128.8 x 192.8 x 9.85 mm Weight 370g Battery 9 hours

VERDICT: A good all-round tablet, with looks

VERDICT: Cheap as cheap can be, with

VERDICT: It’s got a cheap price tag but the

that set it apart from the rest of the flagships.

specs to match. It keeps things simple.

poor display and tech shows why.

Performance Features Usability Design

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30/05/2014 14:42