Google have not only provided users with a comprehensive, elaborate and highly customizable interface that serves as a total contrast to iOS, but they’ve also permitted third-party manufacturers to bolt-on their own unique front end. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 has reinvented our expectations of what a mobile OS should look like, pushing a social and live interactive experience.

Where desktop operating systems such as Linux, Windows and OS X offered a fairly similar design and level usability, today’s mobile platforms for smartphones and tablets certainly do provide considerably more versatility and variety than their large screen cousins.

So in today’s tech poll we’re asking you: What do you believe is the best mobile OS on the market?

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This really is more recommended as a temporary, emergency charging measure for the obvious reason that providing power to the iPhone with the low battery, obviously reduces power from the other handsets. The ChargeBite is currently in the prototype phase and early backers can pre-order theirs for $20. It will be available in several colours. This all assumes that the project will reach its goal of raising $45,000 from donations and by the looks of things, that’ll be a tough tasks. So far they’ve raised just $460, with 45 days to go, I can’t help but wonder if the lack of iPhone 5 support is the primary reason interest hasn’t been higher.

The current generation of smartphones are very hard on their batteries and this accessory, while slightly gimmicky, is certainly a welcome and innovative concept. If all goes to plan, the ChargeBite could be available by June of 2013. Certainly this company could have considered a more universal and therefore more widely appreciated implementation of shared charging, such as a USB alternative for Android-based handsets. That may have been met with more interest, rather than an exclusive solution for a now outdated iOS device.

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The GPU is the new PowerVR SHX544MP3 and the most obviously significant feature is the phone’s 5-inch 1080p display with 441 PPI. Personally, I’m still not entirely sold on the new breed of phablet-sized smartphones, which stretch just beyond the comfort levels of the average human hand. I also think they look slightly absurd when stuck to the side of someone’s face. Time will tell if consumers can soon dictate to the industry about exactly what screen size is ideal for smartphone, for now though, the debate rages on.

The other noteworthy features include 2GB of RAM, 16 to 64GB of storage, MicroSD, 13MP rear camera and 2MP front camera, NFC and 4G LTE. The S4′s updated UI provides users with the ability to control certain on-screen functions by hovering a finger over them without having to actually make physical contact with the screen. Both cameras can be used at once and in my opinion, the device is starting to sound more like a Star Trek tricorder thanks to its range of new sensors for measuring temperature, humidity, an infrared function for remote control usage and the ability to pause and resume video when your eyes look away from the display.

An April release of the new Samsung Galaxy S4 is expected. Apple, the gauntlet has truly been thrown down. Let’s see what you’ve got next.

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The updated OS now provides you with the ability to search for TV shows and movies by actor or director. You can also locate which services and channels offer a specific movie by typing the name of it. You will be presented with a list of results that displays the services you are subscribed to and the ones you, aren’t along with their prices. This ‘search-centric’ approach is the primary element to the new Roku 3 experience. Users can expect the same 750+ channels of entertainment but now with the inclusion of Motion control for games like Angry Birds Space, which comes bundled for free.

The additional I/O features include Ethernet, USB and HDMI ports and built-in Wi-Fi. The stand out feature of this new device is its private listening mode, which allows the user to insert a set of headphones (or the provided headbuds) directly into the remote control. The audio on the television then mutes and plays only through the headphones, which is perfect for when other people in the room don’t want to listen to what your watching. Nifty.

The new Roku 3 is available for $100 now from the Roku website.

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This week, Google have me scratching my head even harder as they have taken another crack at their Chromebook concept, this time turning it into a premium ultrabook-style machine, designed to compete against Apple’s Macbook Air. The Chromebook Pixel is a luxurious and svelte machine with a 12.85-inch display at a rather non-standard resolution of 2560 x 1700. Furthermore, it’s a touchscreen with a pixel density of 239 per inch, 19 higher than the Macbook Pro with retina display.

It boasts a number of premium features like an LED-backlit keyboard, high-end glass trackpad and a ventilation system built into the hinge. The processor is a dual-core core i5 with 4GB of DDR3 memory and 32GB of internal flash storage. All the usual Google services are present and in easy reach including Gmail, Docs, YouTube, Google Maps and Search.

The controversial element that may make this machine a tough sell is its gargantuan price point. $1,299 will mean this machine appeals primarily to a fairly niche market. A Macbook Air or Pro seems like a far more attractive option when you consider that they both run full desktop operating systems and cost less money. The question really becomes whether or not consumers still see the cloud as a cheap compromise (which this machine clearly isn’t) or the future of computing. If the former is the case then Google may have to reconsider their approach to the Chromebook line.

Check out the promo video below for more:

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The Consumer group Choice, provided examples of the kinds of inexplicable premiums paid for Technology goods. It is important to note that although additional costs were often attributed to VAT, import taxes and  the considerable shipping fees involved with transporting physical computer products to Australia, the same arguments cannot be made of digitally distributed software such as those found on Apple’s App Store. Microsoft Office is 34% more expensive than average price internationally. PC games are on average, 232% more expensive in Oz when compared to America. Furthermore, purchases on iTunes are 73% higher. These price disparities also take into account the exchange rates from US to AUS, which are near parity at present.

Husic went on to say that ”For some time consumers and businesses have been trying to work out why they are paying so much more, particularly for software, where if it’s downloaded there is no shipping or handling, or much of a labour cost.“

Source: Techspot.com

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The rumor mill is abuzz once again with speculation and supposed leaked details of yet another couple of upcoming Apple products. As you might have guessed it, the 2013 iPad and iPhone updates are right around the corner with several news sources claiming that the former will soon be endowed with a 128GB version. According to 9to5Mac, references from within iOS 6.1 and iTunes 11 suggest that Apple will double the maximum storage option available for the fourth generation 9.7-inch iPad from 64Gb to 128GB on both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + cellular additions.

Reports have suggested that the iPad 5 could be released as early as March or April and it seems inevitable that the iPhone will soon provide this same storage capacity in due course.

In related news, iLounge reports that Apple intends to unveil a new cheaper version of the iPhone with a plastic construction and similar design cues from the iPhone 5, iPod Touch and iPod Classic. It has been long rumored that Apple would introduce a lower cost iPhone handset in response to the enormous range of more affordable Android devices on the market. In recent weeks these rumors have begun to gather increased momentum.  The report states:

“From the front, the new iPhone looks almost identical to the iPhone 5—the same exact shape, with the same sensor, camera, and button arrangement. The 1136 x 640 screen isn’t a surprise, but will be a nice step up in specs for the lowest-cost iPhone. Rather than making the display flush with the enclosure, as it was in the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, the front glass sticks out a little, just as it does with the iPhone 5 and iPod touch. Despite the shift to plastic for the rest of the enclosure, our sources believe that Apple will continue to use Gorilla Glass for this model’s screen. 

Differences become more obvious when the new iPhone is turned on the side. The circular volume buttons of the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 will shift to elongated, pill-shaped designs closer to the iPod touch and iPhone 3G/3GS.”

As with all rumors and speculation such as these, they should really be taken with a pinch of salt, however both reports seem very plausible and more than likely going to come to pass soon. We will keep you informed as things unfold.

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Netbooks are dead! Or at least it would seem they are about to be, according to Digitimes. In 2007 Asus shook the industry by introducing super cheap and extremely portable mini laptops called the Eee PCs. It wasn’t too long before every manufacturer was churning out these low-cost and underpowered Windows computers and it seemed as if the market was stretched to breaking point with a fresh plethora of them cropping up almost every week. Fast-forward 5 years and Tablets and Ultrabooks (the premium version of a Netbook) have completely usurped them and established the post-PC era.

In 2011, Samsung, Dell and Toshiba all abandoned the Netbook product category and now the death knell for these intrepid little machines seems inevitable, with both Acer and Asus publicly announcing that they will no longer produce Netbooks in 2013. The Netbook has tanked largely because of a failure of manufacturers to extract sufficient revenue from their razor-thin profit margins. The devices were all about cost saving thanks to low-powered Intel Atom hardware and cheap build quality. When Apple’s iPad was introduced in 2010, Steve Jobs put it best when he said that Netbooks didn’t do any major computing task very well. He was referring to the Netbooks’ poor quality web browsing, multimedia, gaming and productivity experience. By contrast, Tablets excel in all of these areas.

Although Chromebooks continue to sell reasonably well, the Netbook seems destined to be a retired form factor.

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My personal YouTube rants have included such topics as my hatred of 3D, the perils of Facebook and social media addiction and Google’s controversial augmented reality headset known as Google Glass. Microsoft unveiled their new Surface RT and Pro Windows tablets and I bought an old iMac G4 for nostalgia purposes. I provided commentary and analysis on tons of consumer devices and computers and even had a skype interview with a gaming legend, Chris Jones, AKA Tex Murphy from Big Finish Games, as he discussed his plans for the next installment in the franchise.

The WWDC 2012 provided us with new a new look MacBook Pro with Retina display, which I was delighted to unbox and review, I also reviewed the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook. This year also brought us the game changing Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note 2 smartphones along with the iPad 4, iPad Mini and the rather disappointing iPhone 5. At the same time, Apple made a costly Faux-paus when the launched their own proprietary maps application.

To watch my full Technology review video, click on the YouTube video box above. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what your technology highlights were for this year and I can’t wait to get stuck into 2013 for more tech news, reviews and general ranting and raving that’s become an important part of my channel.

Thanks again for all of your support and be sure to subscribe to Lack78 for more Tech videos. Happy New Year!

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The system is not unlike LinkedIn’s ‘InMail’ service, which allows someone to communicate with a person outside of their network. However, given the ubiquity of Facebook in our everyday lives, questions remain over just how well a $1 fee will reduce potential spam. It is believed that the reason for the charge is to help minimise unwanted messages, however with an increased presence of advertising on Facebook, certain user targeted marketing materials could still seep through from marketers with big budgets, just like a regular email inbox. Furthermore, it’s my opinion that this could open the door to security and harassment concerns where cyber-stalking could rear its ugly head. I could foresee a potential paid email spam blocker being introduced to allow users to opt-out of such unsolicited messages.

At present, this service is only being test, so there is no official word as to whether it will be fully adopted, however it has been met with some mixed responses from Facebook users thus far. Let us know your thoughts on this service in the comments below.

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