Apple has revealed its new range of iMacs which promise to be 50% faster than previous incarnations.
This
is because Apple has opted to add PCle-based Flash storage to the
series, which can be be configured to a whopping 1TB or 3TB Fusion
Drive, depending on which iMac option you go for.
If you are
looking for an entry level iMac, then the 21.5-inch version comes
equipped with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and new Iris
Pro graphics.
If you want to splash the cash and go for the
higher end, then 21.5-inch model and both 27-inch models feature
quad-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 3.4 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce 700
series graphics with twice the video memory.
Port of call
All
iMacs come with 8GB memory as standard, as well as a 1TB hard drive,
but as always with Apple this can be expanded to 32GB of memory and a
3TB hard drive.
Ports-wise, you get two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports and you will obviously get OS X Mountain Lion as well.
When
it comes to new iMac pricing, the 21.5 inch range starts at £1,149
($1,299). The 27.5-inch iMac pricing begins at £1,599 ($1,999).
Cast your mind back to late 2008, when the first Android-powered
handset saw the light of day. Obama won his first Presidential election,
Apple launched its App Store (the iPhone had appeared the year before),
Google announced its own Chrome browser and we got our first look at
the company's new mobile OS on the T-Mobile G1.
The
Android of 2013 is a world away from that 2008 version, where the
Android Market was in its infancy, there were no native video playback
capabilities and the G1 had no multi-touch support. But Google is going
to have to keep innovating and improving its mobile OS to keep the
lion's share of the smartphone market.
We've taken a peek into
the future to consider what Android might look like in the year 2020.
With new Android monikers now appearing about once a year, its codename
should start with an "R" - Rhubarb Pie, Rocky Road or Rice Pudding,
perhaps? Or maybe even Rolos, given the tie-up deals Google is putting
in place these days?
Here are the four key features we think could play the biggest part in Android's ongoing evolution over the next seven years:
1. Maps in Android in 2020
Apple's
Maps app may not have set the world alight when it launched, but it's
here now (alongside Nokia's offering), and that means Google needs to up
its game to stay ahead. The 2013 Google Maps refresh brought with it a greater level of customisation based on your personal searches, and this will only increase in the future.
With
Google Now and Google Latitude tracking your every move, you'll see
directions to your favourite pub appear on-screen every Friday
lunchtime. If the pub in question has an Android-powered bar installed,
you might even find your tipple of choice waiting for you when you
arrive. As for all of the services hanging off Maps, Google is already hiring out the Street View cameras and enabling you to peek inside buildings - you can expect Android 2020 to offer better imagery of most public buildings, as well as tappable info as you move around.
There
might even be an option to enable Google to anonymously augment its
Street View data with the snaps you take on your phone to provide an
even more up-to-date view of the world.
2. Android messaging in 2020
Google has already made its intentions clear with the Hangouts upgrade
we got at I/O this year. With Facebook, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Snapchat,
Skype et al to battle against, there's no doubt we'll see Google push
further into the universal messaging game, covering SMS, email, instant
messaging and video calling with tools that are baked into Android.
You
won't have to have separate apps for each of these, as the UI will be
unified in a way that makes it easy to seamlessly slip between each
method of calling.
We might even get Google Voice in the UK by the time 2020 rolls around, though don't hold your breath. How far Google can go depends on the networks and its competitors in the field - it's already launched an ultra-fast internet service in the US, so telecoms could be next. And the company has been sniffing around unused wireless spectrum frequencies, too.
Don't
be surprised to see free 5G video calling and texting between Android
devices by 2020, with all of your conversations grouped by person rather
than platform, and archived and searchable in Gmail.
Eric Schmidt has already predicted
that every human will be online by 2020 (no doubt hoping that we'll all
have a Google+ page too), and the more people his company can help get
connected the better for Google's bottom line.
3. Android payments and security in 2020
Over
the next few years our phones will become even more important for
making payments, transferring money and verifying our identity
(everything from getting through the door at work to logging into
Facebook).
The Google Authenticator app of 2020 could work with
your device's NFC chip to automatically log you into Gmail when you sit
down at your laptop, for example, or pay for your flight when you step
on a plane. Apple has Passbook, and Google will want an equivalent in
place too. We've seen tattoos
and pills shown off as possible authentication triggers of the future,
and Android 2020 will play a big part in proving you are who you say you
are, whether it's at a coffee shop or Google I/O.
Basic face
recognition is already available, but in the years to come it has the
potential to get much more accurate. It might even be joined by
fingerprint or retina scanning built into Android's camera app, or at
least part of the phone, now that Apple has shown that fingerprint
scanning is a viable option with its new Touch ID technology.
4. Android hardware in 2020
Hardware
innovations are going to play a big part in Android's roadmap. Besides
the obvious smaller, thinner, faster improvements for our phones, bendable screens
should be in place in the near future - the likes of Samsung have the
tech already in production, and Android will change to adapt itself
through scrolling rivers of news, status updates and other
notifications.
Ever-changing, ever-optimising displays will be
the order of the day, and the batteries and mobile processors of 2020
should be able to keep up. Google Glass has of course generated plenty of buzz this year, good and bad, as has the rumour of an Apple iWatch to compete with the Galaxy Gear.
It looks like the wearable tech revolution is about to take off, and by
the time 2020 rolls around this could mean miniature devices on our
glasses, wrists and clothing, ready to capture every moment and record
every movement.
You won't need to take photos any more, since
Google will simply pick out the best pictures from the unedited stream
of the day's events. Nor will you need to decide what to eat for dinner -
Android 2020 will know what you've been doing today (and what you're
probably doing tonight), and can pick out the most suitable foods for
you.
Android: the 2020 edition
The only certainty about Android's future is that it has a fight on its hands to stay competitive. Apple's new-look iOS 7 has given Google plenty to think about, not least with its tie-ins with Facebook, Twitter, Bing, Flickr and Vimeo.
Android's
continuing integration with Chrome and the desktop/laptop will make for
an interesting story too - they're both run by the same man, Sundar Pichai,
remember - and perhaps Google's biggest challenge will be to convince
us that we can trust it with more and more information about where we
are, who we communicate with and the way we live our lives.
Last we heard, Blizzard was still “actively working” on their DotA-like game which has been given the title, Blizzard All-Stars. The game is expected to feature characters and heroes from Blizzard’s franchises such as Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo, which should make it pretty interesting. However we have yet to hear anything about the release of the game but the good news is that if you were worried that Blizzard might have abandoned the title, fret not as a job listing found on Blizzard’s website has revealed that the company is currently looking for an eSports Director for the upcoming game. Unsurprisingly Blizzard is hoping to give their upcoming game the same amount of attention in the eSports arena like DotA 2, which might explain why the company is looking for someone to help manage it. Like we said there’s still no word on when the game will see a release, but hopefully once Blizzard finds themselves an eSports director, more will be revealed, although with BlizzCon 2013 coming up in November, here’s hoping that the company will share more news about the game’s progress then! Blizzard has been known to take their time with their games so we guess this is not a complete surprise. In the meantime who else is looking forward to the game?
We are here live at the Microsoft Surface event, and we cannot wait to bring you a blow-by-blow account of what has been released. More importantly, we do hope that we are able to spend some quality hands-on time with whatever device(s) that Microsoft has decided to announce to the masses, and you can expect the usual slew of snapshots to go along with what our wordsmith on the ground, Daniel Perez, will churn out. Let us keep our fingers crossed that whatever has been rumored will turn out to be true, and hopefully it will not be too harsh on the pockets as well. After all, times aren’t all that good despite what the economists tell you, is it? Will you be looking forward to replace your tablet with what Microsoft has on offer, or do you prefer to take the route that Apple has set before you?
The Microsoft Surface Pro 2
is a product that has been in development for 18 months, as the
company's corporate VP, Panos Panay, stated during its unveiling.
Therefore, it should bring quite a lot of innovation and improvements
over the previous Surface Pro tablet, right? Well, we can't be so sure
about that, and it will take about a month until we get to take it for a
test-drive. We can, however, share with you our thoughts on its
specifications and features.
Design
At a glance, not
a whole lot seems to have changed. Microsoft hasn't altered its design
formula, sticking to the edgy profile we remember from the first Surface
Pro tablet. But the tablet's first version was build well, and we hope
that its successor has followed suit. After all, it sports the same
"VaporMg" magnesium casing, known for its durability. The built-in
kickstand is definitely a stand-out feature, and on the Microsoft
Surface Pro 2, it can be set at two degree levels, depending on whether
the tablet is placed on a table, or on the user's lap.
All the
necessary ports, knobs, and outputs are positioned on the tablet's left
and right sides, the only exception being the power key located on top.
Among them is a full-sized USB port, which, thankfully, is USB 3.0
capable. That means all your USB 3.0 external hard drives or USB drives
will fly with this thing, reaching higher data transfer rates than what
USB 2.0 allows.
Tablets based on Intel Core processors are
usually thick and heavy, or at least much thicker and heavier than their
Android or iOS counterparts. The Microsoft Surface Pro 2 is not an
exception, tipping the scales at 2 lbs (907 grams). Its thickness of
over half an inch isn't anything to write home about either, but that's
the sacrifice one has to make if they are to have a Core chip's power at
their disposal.
Display
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 with a 10.6-inch Full HD display
No
surprises here, guys. Microsoft has chosen to go with a 10.6-inch
ClearType touchscreen display for the Surface Pro 2. Its resolution
hasn't been upgraded, so the pixel count is still set at 1920 by 1080.
That results in a decent level of detail and a very clear image as a
whole, but we've seen better on competitor's products. On the bright
side of things, Microsoft has gone with a screen panel that has 46%
better color accuracy, and that's good to hear.
Interface
Windows
8.1 comes pre-loaded on the Microsoft Surface Pro 2, as expected. It
brings a better on-screen keyboard, new alignment features, allowing one
to have two or more windows opened side by side, Internet Explorer 11,
UI scaling at up to 200%, and more minor and major improvements. The
good old Start button has been brought back, for all who were bothered
by its absence.
Skype will be one of the apps
pre-installed onto the device. What's more is that anyone who chooses to
purchase a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablet will receive a year of free
international calls and access to Skype public Wi-Fi hotpsots. Neat!
Processor and Memory
Intel Core i5 goes inside the Surface Pro 2
The
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 is clearly meant to be used by
performance-demanding professionals, although all that horsepower should
be enough to run lots of heavy video games as well. Under its hood we
find a fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4200U "Haswell" processor,
clocked at 1.6 GHz, but capable of running at up to 2.6GHz thanks to
Intel's Turbo Boost tech. Intel HD Graphics 4400 is what handles the
eye-candy, delivering 50% better graphics performance when compared to
last year's Surface Pro. Furthermore, the user has at least 4GB of RAM
at their disposal, with 8 gigs available in pricier configurations. From
the looks of it, the tablet will fly, executing even heavy tasks with
ease. In fact, during the tablet's announcement, Microsoft demonstrated
its Surface Pro 2 handling an input stream of RAW 6K video data without
breaking a sweat. All in all, Microsoft is convincing us that the
Surface Pro 2 is faster than 95% of today's laptops.
The base
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 model will ship with 64GB of on-board storage,
and we're expecting about half of that to be available for apps and
storing files. For a Windows 8 machine, that's hardly enough space, so
it would be wise to go for at least a 128GB variant. Models with 256 and
512GB of SSD storage will be also available, but at a significantly
higher cost. Thankfully, the tablet comes with a microSD card slot for
storage expansion and 200GB of cloud space thanks to SkyDrive.
Camera and multimedia
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 gets upgraded speakers
We're
surprised to see that Microsoft hasn't done anything to the cameras
found on its new Surface Pro tablet. On the front and back of the
device, We find the same 0.9MP cams, capable of taking 720p videos. They
will get the job done for video conversations, but their still
photographs are likely to be underwhelming.
What has been
upgraded, on the other hand, is the set of stereo speakers found on the
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablet. They now feature tech by Dolby, which
will supposedly treat our ears to clearer, louder sound. We aren't
expecting anything groundbreaking, of course.
Battery life
The
first-gen Microsoft Surface Pro had a 5-hour battery life, which was a
bummer. The new model, however, can last 75% longer, so it should get
you through almost a full work day on a single charge. For those who
need extra power, a keyboard dock – the Power Cover, sold separately –
provides up to 150% extra juice with its built-in battery.
Expectations
And
that's the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 in a nutshell. It is shaping up as a
good device, but we wish its maker had more to impress us with. All, in
all, the Surface Pro 2 a tablet that's in many ways better than last
year's Surface Pro, but looking at it now, we can't help to think that
Microsoft should have some more spice to the Surface Pro's successor.
After all, Windows 8 tablets aren't exactly selling like there's no
tomorrow, and a stand-out member of the species would have been great
having in the game. Despite being developed by Microsoft itself, the
Surface Pro 2 might not be that hero, but then again, we could be wrong.
Guess we'll see in a few months once the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 is
out. It will be available for pre-order from Microsoft's online store
start tomorrow, September 24, starting at $899.
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 with a 10.6-inch Full HD display
Intel Core i5 goes inside the Surface Pro 2
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 gets upgraded speakers
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