iPhone 4S review

The iPhone 4S caught many by surprise, with Apple expected to release the iPhone 5 - but instead we got an iPhone 4 with overhauled innards.

While the masses were initially disappointed, the iPhone 4S features a glut of top-end tech that is designed to put it on a par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 - but does it manage to do that?

The changes to the iPhone 4S are easy to document - the camera has been upgraded to 8MP (with an improved aperture ratio), the CPU is now the same dual-core A5 processor as seen in the iPad 2, and a seven time increase in graphical processing power.

The bottom of the phone is pretty standard, with the Apple connector and dual speakers which pump out the (actually quite decent) sound.

The left-hand side of the phone sees the rounded volume keys, with the top one of these also acting as the camera shutter button to make it easy to snap with the new iPhone. We've also got the silencer switch too, which has been slightly moved upwards from the previous iteration.

As we've mentioned, the iPhone 4S is almost identical in outward design to the iPhone 4, which might irk those that like to show that they've got the most up to date device from Apple when out and about with friends.

However, the flip side of this is that things like the plethora of iPhone 4 covers on the market at the moment will still fit.

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Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 review

With a price point that is neither overtly friendly on the wallet or aspirationally expensive, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 bridges the defined boundaries of the smartphone market, featuring a number of notable improvements over its predecessor whilst failing to match the collection of ground-breaking and genre defining specs as its Galaxy S3 branded sibling.

A well rounded, impressive little handset, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 plays host to a largely appealing 3.8-inch WVGA TFT capacitive touchscreen display with an 800 x 480p image resolution that is pleasant on the eye despite failing to set the device apart from a number of its upper-end competitors.

Slotting this display into an aesthetically pleasing, albeit largely plastic, design, the second-generation Galaxy Ace has slimmed down with a strong construction that makes the device as impressive in the hand as it is on the eye.

Coming for a general all-round overhaul, the Galaxy Ace 2 has been bumped to an 800MHz dual-core processor from a similar speed single-core offering whilst the handset's RAM offering has made the jump from 278MB to a far more respectable 768MB.

As fun as it is functional, the Ace 2 is far from bereft of redeeming qualities on an entertainment front as the handset sees Samsung pair a 5-megapixel rear-mounted camera with autofocus capabilities and integrated LED flash features.

LG Optimus 4X HD review

LG desperately needs a reboot at the sharp end of the smartphone market - can its slim quad-core offering, in the shape of the much-vaunted Optimus 4X HD, step up to the plate?

We got a few promises from LG in the form of offerings like last year's Optimus 3D – but that just felt a bit gimmicky. LG needs to pull something out of the bag if it wants to muscle in on an arena now dominated by Samsung, HTC, Sony and Motorola.

On paper the Optimus 4X HD appears to have it all. Thin and light, a True HD-IPS screen, all the connectivity options you could ever hope for, NFC, 8MP HD camera, Ice Cream Sandwich and a Quad-Core processor.

The beauty of no home button is that LG has made the screen a little bit longer (it uses the soft keys that Google much prefers but some manufacturers eschew). We did have issues occasionally when holding it with one hand as reaching down to the bottom of the screen with a thumb led to it feeling like we may drop it.

But there is a great decorative metal trim around the sides which we found gave us something to hold onto. And another warning – it is an absolute fingerprint magnet.

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HTC One S review

The HTC One S follows swiftly on the heels of the One X in HTC's new premium brand of Android 4.0-enabled handsets, bringing a svelte chassis, 7.8mm depth and a low-price of just £26 a month at launch - and only $149.99 in the US too.

First things first: the HTC One S is a cracking looking device. It's marketed this as the thinnest handset HTC has ever made. And you feel that when you take it out of the box. It's tall at about the same height as last year's HTC Sensation (with which it will draw a lot of comparisons) but a lot, lot sleeker.

First thing you notice is that huge black, glossy display on the front. Resolution wise, it keeps the Sensation's 4.3-inch display with a 540 x 960 resolution - qHD to you and me, meaning a pixel density of 256ppi.

Colours are easily as bright and vivid as the now almost year-old Samsung Galaxy S2 even though the Super AMOLED display lacks the 'Plus' bit that the latter handset boasts of - but don't think it's not got superb contrast ratios though.

In fact, if you put the phone down on a table and look at it from a couple of feet away, that screen looks even more incredible with hues just jumping out at you and finished off with the polish of the glass.




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iPad 2 vs iPad 3

The iPad 3's Higher Resolution Display

The first thing that stands out about the new iPad is the improved display, which features a resolution with four times the detail as the original iPad and the iPad 2. And not only will this be the first thing most notice about the new iPad, it will also be the first new feature adopted by developers. Expect some gorgeous apps and great games in the near future.

The enhanced display also means the iPad 3 will support 1080p video, which is a nice upgrade from the iPad 2's 720p video. This feature may take some time to be fully realized, as individual apps must be upgraded with the higher definition video, or in the case of Netflix and Hulu Plus, must be upgraded to support streaming the higher definition video.

iPad 3rd Gen Gaming

In addition to pretty apps and 1080p video, we'll also see games sporting graphics that will rival what we see on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Equipped with a new chipset that includes a quad-core graphics processor, the new iPad will also be able to dish out these graphics at an increased rate, so we won't just be looking at stunning graphics, we'll be living in amazing new worlds.

The games may not be quite as in depth as what we see on consoles, which can often dedicate 7 GB for a single game, but the ability to produce hardcore games grows with each new generation of the iPad.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus review

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the world's first phone to run Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich and comes with a plethora of top end tech, including a huge screen and now Android 4.1 too.

We're currently updating our review to reflect the improved functionality that Android Jelly Bean brings, but we've spent some time on video going over the key areas.

From Project Butter to improve smoothness of the UI to the increased power of the lockscreen, there's no doubt the new version of the OS is a step forward... so check out the way it looks in our quick walkthrough before we bring you our overhauled review.

On top of that, the specs include a fantastic Super AMOLED HD screen, Dual-Core 1.2GHz processor, HSDPA, 5MP camera and NFC support, to name a few.

The Nexus itself is fairly big. With dimensions of 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9mm, it's marginally bigger than Samsung's other flagship handset, the Galaxy S2. It's also a little bit heavier at 135g compared to the latter's 116g. Not that it feels larger although you can tell you are not using an iPhone 4S.

In fact, all you have on the front is the screen, front facing camera and the brightness sensor plus a cheeky little light beneath the screen that you don't even know exists until you get an email and it begins to pulsate.

The sides are fairly unremarkable with power/standby on the right, volume on the left along with three charging pins (for a dock accessory), nothing up top and the bottom housing the charge/sync socket and headphone jack.

The whole handset has a curved shape we last encountered on the Galaxy S but it's not too severe.

But the screen, when lit up, looks fantastic. Its 4.65-inches with a resolution of 720 x 1280, giving a ppi of 316. It really is super sharp. We would have expected nothing less with Samsung's mobile displays among the best out there but it's cracking for internet and video.

There is no doubt about it – this is a premium handset and is up there with the iPhone 4S and Nokia Lumia 800 in terms of marketing position.

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New iPad 3 review

The new iPad, the iPad 3, the new iPad 3… call it what you want, but it's a device that from the outside looks remarkably like the iPad 2 but with an overhaul on the innards.

The question most people ask us when it comes to the new iPad is: what's different from the old one?

Well, in this case it's pretty easy: there's a Retina Display that makes everything looks superbly crisp, an updated A5X processor bringing quad-core graphics and a 5MP camera on the rear with a VGA sensor on the front.

The design of the new iPad 3 isn't really anything different from the original duo from Apple's tablet range. Actually, while we're thinking about it, it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 – to the point you'd struggle to tell them apart when turned off.

Retina Display

Before we get onto all the normal insight over the frame of the new iPad, it's worth talking about the main feature: the Retina Display.

Apple has packed a huge amount more pixels into the 9.7-inch screen - 1536 x 2048 to be exact. However, despite the fact that the Cupertino brand makes a big thing about the 330 PPI density of the iPhone 4, we're looking at a screen that's technically a lot less sharp than its smartphone brethren - around 264PPI.

Apple has got around this fact by stating that the screen is meant to be held at 15 inches from the face, rather than the 10 inches the iPhone is supposed to from your eyes, and as such the sharpness is the same.

Given the fact the term 'Retina Display' really isn't a legally binding term, we don't care. What matters is the effect - and it's one of the most impressive we've seen on a tablet to date. If someone took an iPad, printed out a really hi-res image of an iOS system and stuck it on the front, we'd struggle to tell the difference - it's superb, and even squinting up close you'll be hard pushed to notice any pixelation.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Review

TechRadar rating

4.5

/5

FOR

• Excellent battery life
• Superb screen
• Quad core speed
• Top media management

AGAINST

• Subjective design
• S Voice not optimised

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is, according to Samsung anyway, 'inspired by nature – it sees, listens, responds, and allows you to share the greatest moments'.

With the latest version of Android, a whopping 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen and a whole suite of Apple-beating features, is the new Samsung Galaxy SIII the greatest phone ever?

Samsung has made a big deal about this new phone, not only choosing to launch it at a big and glitzy standalone event in London but also claiming nearly 10 million pre-orders before it's even launched.

The price is pretty palatable for a top-end phone – the likes of Three are already offering it for just £34 a month with oodles of minutes and data, which is already much, much cheaper than any iPhone would ever launch for.

While this is all a little hyperbolic, the nature theme is certainly present when you handle the phone for the first time.

Brushed polycarbonate – you've got a choice of 'Marble White' and 'Pebble Blue' – adorns the large device, which runs in with dimensions of 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm, despite still having to pack in a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen.

We'll lay it out right now: the plastic feeling of the Galaxy S3 won't appeal to all. It feels very lightweight (despite tipping the scales at 133g) in the hand, and some people will read this as feeling a little cheap.

However, it's exactly the same sensation as we found on the Galaxy S2, and given the silly numbers of sales that had, we think there's more than a market for a phone that you'll barely notice in your pocket most of the time.

But we'll be very clear on this - the Galaxy S3 is not a cheap-feeling phone. It's got a really solid Gorilla Glass 2 front, a well-packaged interior and a more robust battery cover. It's polycarbonate rather than bog-standard plastic, although we're not sure some people will like the more rounded nature of the design.

However, despite being made of similar material, there's no doubt that the One X feels more premium in the hand thanks to being a touch more weighty… there's something about something so large being so light that some will find disconcerting.

Credit : techradar.com