Why Apple is using IBM as a Trojan Horse to crack the enterprise market

Apple and IBM have announced that they will team up in what they call an "exclusive partnership" that marries the best of Apple's hardware with IBM's software and services expertise.

The move was welcomed by the stock markets with IBM's shares up by nearly 2% and Apple's gaining 1.72%. It also bears some similarities with a deal struck 33 years ago that saw Microsoft piggyback on IBM's PC platform to become the giant it is today.

Clearly, though, the two companies complement rather than compete with each other with very little, if any overlap. Broadly, Apple will use IBM as a medium to crack the elusive enterprise market while Big Blue will get privileged (but not exclusive) access to the iOS ecosystem.

Apple, for all its consumer clout, is still a minor player in the enterprise market where BlackBerry's domination is already ebbing away. With slowing growth, growing pressures on margins and increasing competition, it was only a matter of time before it looked elsewhere.

Add the slew of announcements by Google and Samsung for the enterprise stack and it is clear that something had to be done to prevent Android from owning that lucrative segment.

The CEOs of both companies taking a stroll (Credit: IBM/Flickr)

Good move for IBM

As for IBM, having shed its less profitable business units (like its entry-level server range sold to Lenovo), it has embarked on a number of bold moves, with a clear focus on big data, business analytics, cloud computing and mobility.

Its current CEO, Virginia Rometty, is tied to the financial roadmap set out by her predecessor, Sam Palmisano. He said that by 2015, IBM would deliver at least $20 a share with $70 billion returned to shareholders - and not reaching these expectations could have dire consequences.

The company will commit human and financial resources to deliver iOS-specific cloud services as well as create more than 100 industry-specific enterprise solutions exclusively for Apple's iOS devices (Big Blue usually supports Nokia Symbian, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone as well).

This will be done via its MobileFirst platform, one of what IBM calls one of a quarter of building bricks of enterprise mobile solutions, the other three being the apps themselves. They're made up of mobile service and support and are handled jointly by IBM and Apple as part of a packaged service offerings offered by IBM.

That said, Apple is unlikely to prevent IBM rivals, such as Oracle, Microsoft or SAP from developing similar solutions on iOS for the enterprise market.

In fact, it is likely to encourage them to come up with their own versions of MobileFirst as soon as possible to profit from the rise in interest in mobile enterprise solution generated by the announcement.

The winner? Apple.

Apple, it seems, will be the one benefitting the most from the partnership, with IBM doing the lion's share of the heavy-lifting.

The deal gives it access to an enterprise expertise that's second to none, and 100,000 IBM-backed industry and domain consultants and software developers will act as salespersons for its iPhones and iPads.

Setting up something similar would have cost Apple billions in terms of investment and taken years, not to mention the risks involved and a potential shareholder revolt.

A partnership with IBM is therefore safer, cheaper, faster and will allow Apple to learn more about businesses. Who knows, both may even merge to create the world's first trillion dollar company.

We wouldn't be surprised if, despite recently published comments, BlackBerry decided to side with the lesser of two evils and embrace Android, something it has already been doing by supporting native Android apps (or Oracle could buy it).

Apple and IBM will be holding their respective earnings calls over the next few days and it is likely that they will elaborate more on yesterday's announcement.

Rometty also said that the alliance wants to bring the same level of transformation to the way people work as Apple did in the consumer market.

For all the excitement that the partnership has generated, one would struggle to fathom the disappointment it would cause if both do not deliver on their promises.

Excellent Freesat app finally launches for Android devices

Freesat's fantastic mobile companion app has been out on iOS for a while, and today it's finally made its way onto the PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5Hb29nbGUgPC9hPlBsYXkgc3RvcmUuPC9wPjxwPlRoZSBuZXcgQW5kcm9pZCBhcHAgbm90IG9ubHkgYWxsb3dzIHlvdSB0byBicm93c2UgRnJlZXNhdCdzIFRWIGd1aWRlLCBidXQgYWxzbyB0cmFuc2Zvcm1zIHlvdXIgcGhvbmUgb3IgdGFibGV0IGludG8gYSBUViByZW1vdGUgY29udHJvbC48L3A+PHA+QXMgbG9uZyBhcyB5b3UndmUgZ290IG9uZSBvZiBIdW1heCdzIEZyZWV0aW1lLWVuYWJsZWQgRnJlZXNhdCBib3hlcywgeW91IGNhbiBwYWlyIHlvdXIgQW5kcm9pZCBkZXZpY2Ugd2l0aCB5b3VyIGJveCBhbmQgdXNlIGl0IHRvIGxhdW5jaCBjaGFubmVscyBhbmQgc2V0IHJlY29yZGluZ3MuPC9wPjxwPkFuZCBiZWNhdXNlIGl0IHdvcmtzIG92ZXIgdGhlIGludGVybmV0IHRvbywgeW91J2xsIGV2ZW4gYmUgYWJsZSB0byBhbHRlciBvciBzZXQgeW91ciByZWNvcmRpbmdzIGZyb20gYW55d2hlcmUgb24gdGhlIGdsb2JlLjwvcD48aDM+RG93bmxvYWQgdG9kYXk8L2gzPjx1bD48bGk+PHN0cm9uZz48YSBocmVmPSJodHRwOi8vaG9zdGluZ2tpdGEuY29tDSIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9mb2xsb3ciPkdvb2dsZSA8L2E+Play: Freesat app for Android

App Store: Freesat app for iOS

"When we launched the Freesat iOS App earlier this year, our focus was to deliver an experience that would be a game changer for free TV viewers and its popularity surpassed our expectations." said Scott, Managing Director of Freesat.

"Following feedback from some of the over 200,000 people who downloaded the Freesat app, we have worked hard to match that success with an app optimised for the Android market,"

If you're on Android or iOS and you have a Humax Freetime box, you should download this app pronto. Windows Phone users are advised to not hold their breath for a release any time soon.

• Read our review of Humax's Freetime box

Android might finally be getting Amazon Prime Instant Video

Amazon Prime Instant Video, the company's answer to Netflix, is available on just about every platform under the sun, from games consoles, to smart televisions, computers, set-top boxes, iPad's and Amazon's own Kindle Fire range of tablets. But so far Android devices have been left out.

That might be about to change, as PC Advisor reports that Amazon Marketing Director Russell Morris told them its arrival on Android was "imminent." Unfortunately he didn't say just how imminent and nor did he shed any light on whether it will be available for both smartphones and tablets.

Amazon itself hasn't officially confirmed that it's coming, but a comment from its marketing director seems pretty promising. It's good news too, as we'd wager there are quite a few Prime Instant Video subscribers who'd benefit from an Android app and quite a few other people who might now consider taking out a subscription.

• Amazon Fire TV will give people yet another way to enjoy its instant video service.

Microsoft to cut 18,000 jobs

Microsoft will cut approximately 18,000 jobs within the next eleven months, CEO Satya Nadella wrote in an announcement to staff.

This round of layoffs will be the largest in the company's history and the largest since former CEO Steve Ballmer cut 5,800 employees in 2009.

Roughly 12,500 employees brought on as a result of the Nokia acquisition, which occurred in April, will be let go. The deal added 25,000 employees to Microsoft's payroll. At the time of the acquisition, Microsoft said it would cut $600 million (about £350.8 million, AU$640 million) per year in costs.

How will this affect Xbox and Nokia products?

Although most of the cuts will be made within the Nokia division, approximately 5,500 jobs will also be cut across other lines of business, including marketing jobs in the Xbox unit, as well as marketing jobs in other divisions, according to Bloomberg sources.

The layoffs are unlikely to impact how consumers experience Xbox and Xbox products. Nadella has insisted Xbox will be a top priority for Microsoft under his tenure. Additionally, Microsoft devices head and former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said "there will be limited change" for the Xbox and Surface divisions.

The company-wide changes will dramatically affect Nokia products. In his July 17 memo announcing the cutbacks, Nadella said he is focused on integrating Nokia into the Microsoft business. As a result, select future Nokia X devices will be migrated from Android to the Windows Phone operating system.

This tactic allows Microsoft to continue to compete in the budget smartphone market and ensures that budget smartphones users are running on Microsoft's platform of choice.

Big changes to the enterprise

Nadella is also expected to make changes to the engineering organization, which will likely consolidate the roles of software testers and developers, as cloud building has made it easier for developers to test and fix issues autonomously.

Microsoft has more than 127,000 employees globally. The majority of employees who will be let go are expected to hear from Microsoft within the next six months, Nadella said in his memo.

As a result of the layoffs, Microsoft will have to pay $1.1 billion (about £640 million, AU$1.17 billion) to $1.6 billion (about £940 million, AU$1.71 billion) in severance and related benefits costs and related charges over the next four quarters.

Rumors of the impending layoffs began circulating earlier this week, shortly after Nadella outlined Microsoft's trajectory in an email to staff.

In the email, Nadella said he is focused on driving Internet of Things, mobility and cloud innovation.

• What does TechRadar think of the Nokia X?

TechRadar Phone Awards shortlist announced

We're just hours away from the first TechRadar Phone Awards, where a host of winners will be crowned on July 17 at an exclusive event in London, and to get you ready for the glitz and glamour we've announced the shortlist for the six categories.

Tonight we'll be celebrating the best budget phone, best budget tablet, best app, best innovation and of course the two big prizes: the best tablet and the best phone of the past 12 months.

Our expert panel of judges deliberated extensively on all six categories, narrowing contenders down to a series of shortlists and then performing the tricky business of actually deciding the winners.

The good news is that - after much discussion, tears, laughter and hard graft - we have picked our winners and all will be revealed on July 17.

Best phone

It's the award they all want to win - the prestigious TechRadar Best Phone Award. This award highlights the pinnacle of smartphone achievement from design and innovation to performance and usability.

Over the past 12 months we've seen manufacturers push the boundaries of our smartphones once again, producing some stunning devices and any one in our shortlist is a worthy winner.

• HTC One M8
• iPhone 5S
• LG G3
• OnePlus One
• Samsung Galaxy S5
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
• Sony Xperia Z2

Best tablet

Tablets huh. Just a few years ago tablet computers were nothing more than an extravagant slice of seriously geeky tech, but now they fill every home, boardroom and backpack from here to Hong Kong and back.

There are some many to choose from in terms of prize, screen size, operating system, brand and build - but there are a few which rise above the rest as truly standout slates and it's these select few which are honoured here.

• Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
• 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Maps
• Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
• Real Racing 3
• Sky Go/Sky+
• Spotify
• Swiftkey
• Uber

Best innovation

Best innovation is where we looked at the best the industry created, celebrating the achievements that make our phones, tablets and mobile life amazing.

• Android Wear by Google
• Boomsound by HTC
• Chromecast by Google
• Pureview by Nokia
• Snapdragon 801 by Qualcomm
• Touch ID by Apple

HTC One M8 wins TechRadar's Phone of the Year

The first TechRadar Phone Awards took place in the awesome Ticketmaster Offices in London tonight – complete with slide – and a packed room saw some of the biggest names being rewarded for their impressive efforts.

Poor attempts at humour from Phones and Tablets Editor Gareth Beavis and Editor in Chief Patrick Goss aside, a great time was had by all – especially the winners.

Innovation of the year

The first award went to Qualcomm for its excellent Snapdragon 801 System on a Chip. Here's what the judges had to say:

"The Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 System on a chip has changed the game in the mobile phone space, be it through power upgrades, better graphics or most importantly, more battery life for our phones."

Best app

This category speaks for itself: the app that either brought the best innovation, design, user experience or game-changing element to the mobile landscape - and it was Spotify which won the judge's hearts on the night.

Our judges said: "Spotify is fast becoming the de facto music service for any smartphone or tablet user, and the recent UI update has made things even cleaner and easier to use."

• Read our Spotify review

Best budget tablet

With so many affordable tablets available today this category looks beyond the spec and works out which slate offers the best value for money under £200 and our judges agreed that the Google Nexus 7 (2013) tops the bill.

"Pound for pound, the Nexus 7 brings stunning specs and follows on brilliantly from the original disruptive tablet that changed the budget market."

• Read our Google Nexus 7 review

Best budget phone

This category was really tough as the budget mobile market has exploded over the past 12 months with a vast array of excellent smartphones available for under £200.

After much deliberation our judges selected the Motorola Moto G as the worthy winner. Here's what they had to say:

"People are still wondering how the Moto G packs in so many great specs at a low price. The judges liked the fact it now comes in 4G and with a memory card slot, giving the users choice to get what they want."

• Read out Motorola Moto G review

Best tablet

Quite obviously this category celebrates the tablet that impressed the judges the most, taking into account style, power, price and build quality and this year it was the iPad Air from Apple which stole the show.

"The most unanimous award among the judges, the iPad Air is still streets ahead of its rivals, with an amazing design, slick functionality – and backed by one of the best app collections out there."

• Read our iPad Air review

Best phone

And finally, the big prize of the night went to the excellent HTC One M8, which fought off a fantastic array of handsets to be crowned as the best phone.

The judges looked for the handset they thought was most powerful, well-designed, impressive, and most importantly, offering a brilliant experience for the user.

The judges lauded it for having the 'best build quality', 'great design', 'packed with simple innovation', and just being a really, really good phone to have in your pocket.

• Read our HTC One M8 review

Have a peep at the alleged Nvidia Shield tablet

Nvidia already confirmed it's hard at work on a brand new gaming device, so it's no surprise that the rumor mill is spinning up.

The latest development in the saga of the alleged Nvidia Shield tablet - a slate-shaped successor to the Nvidia Shield gaming handheld - is the PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+cGhvdG8gPC9hPg==you see below.

The image comes by way of Evleaks, which at this point requires no introduction as the source of countless legitimate leaks.

The alleged snapshot of the rumored tablet was accompanied by a brief caption that leaves no room for ambiguity: "NVIDIA Shield Tablet, 2014."

The alleged Nvidia Shield tablet, folks (credit: Evleaks)

One-stop slate

The Nvidia Shield tablet is thought to be an Android tablet running Nvidia's powerful Tegra K1 chip, with a focus on gaming and the ability to stream PC games from computers with recent Nvidia GPUs.

The original leak from May came in the form of a benchmark that pegged an unknown Nvidia tablet with a 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 display and the 2.1GHz quad-core Tegra K1.

More recently, Nvidia confirmed it has a new gaming device in the works, and sources said it would take on Valve's Steam Machines, like the Alienware Alpha, directly. That report may or may not have referred to the Shield tablet, but let's assume for the sake of speculation that it did.

This means a focus on gaming in the living room, and the Shield tablet's rumored specs seem to support that. Like the original Shield, the new tablet is rumored to be packing HDMI-out capabilities. However unlike the first Shield, the Shield tablet's controller will supposedly be sold separately.

Could the Nvidia Shield tablet be a one-stop slate for Android touch screen gaming, portable PC gaming, and living-room gaming with a controller in hand? Hopefully Nvidia breaks the silence soon and lets us know.

• Valve Steam Machines delayed till 2015

Kindle Unlimited looks a lot like Netflix for ebooks

Read a lot of ebooks? Amazon customers may soon have access to more than 600,000 titles for a monthly subscription fee, a deal that could be right up your alley.

GigaOM reported that Amazon may be planning to become the Netflix of ebooks as revealed by mistakenly leaked product pages advertising a new subscription service called Kindle Unlimited.

The pages in question were first spotted by publishers and readers on the Kindle Boards early Wednesday, although most of that evidence vanished from Amazon's website as quickly as it first appeared.

Thankfully, Google has come to the rescue, allowing those cached pages to be called up from the great beyond for further scrutiny ahead of Amazon officially launching the all-you-can-eat ebook subscription service.

Freedom to explore

One such screenshot touts "unlimited access to over 600,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks on any device for just $9.99 a month," which sounds a lot like what competing ebook subscription services Scribd and Oyster already offer. The price in straight conversions comes out to about £6 and AU$11.

For the moment, available Kindle Unlimited content appears to be flush with titles already available through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, which allows Amazon Prime subscribers who also own one of the company's tablets to "borrow" one ebook free each month.

Conspicuously absent from the test pages, however, are major publishers like Simon & Schuster or HarperCollins, both of whom already offer titles to Amazon's subscription-based competitors.

One web page entitled "KU Test," which is still live at the time of this writing, displays a total of 638,416 available ebook titles, plus another 7,351 Whispersync for Voice-enabled audiobooks, which could offer Amazon a competitive edge over rivals.

• Check out our review of Amazon's Fire TV while you're here!

Cool gadgets: The best tech you can buy in 2014

It's our mission at TechRadar to help you find the tech products that are best for you.

That's why we review the specific products we do, while offering a veritable smorgasbord of helpful buying guides and product round-ups to help you find the perfect play things and workplace wonders.

Whether it be an ideal camera phone for your mum or a kick-ass Blu-ray player to pair with your new TV, we've got the experts on hand to offer the very best buying advice on the internet.

Here you'll find a comprehensive repository of all that expert knowledge. With buying advice and specific product recommendations, look no further for your best chance of finding all the cool gadgets available today.

Phones and tablets

Best mobile phones

Which one should you buy?

We've played with nearly every device on the market and have found the ten best you can spend your money on. It needs to be good, after all, given it will reside in your pocket for the next two years. Our ranking of the best mobile phones available in the UK today celebrates the brilliance of the smartphone: we love handsets that add in functionality to enrich our lives in so many different ways. We also partially take into account the price of the phone too - meaning a low-price handset doesn't always need to have high-spec functions to be in our top 10.
Read: 10 best phones in the world today

Best Android phones

Comparing the best Google phones

There's one key way in which Android is massively different from its Apple-branded smartphone competition - the number of phones out there running Google's hot mobile OS. So here they are - the best Android phones money can buy today. For many, many different reasons. Read: Best Android phone 2014 - which one should you buy?

Best Windows Phones

Which Windows Phone 8 handset is for you?

The recently launched Windows Phone 8.1 replicates the popular features of Android and iOS whilst combining the comfort of home computing with the convenience of mobile. We've looked at the Windows Phone devices on offer and picked out the best ones around to guarantee you get the best bang for your buck. Nokia still dominates the list but as a Microsoft entity, that's no surprise. Read: Best Windows Phone 2014

Best cheap phones

Testing all the best budget blowers!

With the mobile marketplace teeming with a multitude of highly priced smartphones, one might wonder whether cheap phones still have a place in the mobile infrastructure. With massive innovation in both hardware and operating systems, phones now do a lot more than just let you talk and text, with handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and iPhone 5S stealing headlines around the world these days. Sadly all this innovation isn't cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. So, is there such a thing as the 'best phone on a budget'?
Read: Best cheap smartphones 2014

Best phablets

They're big, bad mobile machines

Our hands might not be getting any bigger but our phones certainly are. As flagships like the LG G3 andOnePlus One creep up to 5.5 inches, phablets are starting to resemble small tablets, arguably filling the roles of both a smartphone and a slate. If you think that one device is better than two, or just have really big hands, then there is a growing selection of phones to suit and these are the ten best.
Read: 10 best phablets in the world

Best tablets

All the top tablets compared

Tablets are taking the world by storm. Just a few years ago they were an unknown for many people, but nowadays you've got more choice than you can shake a mildly agitated badger at. And with choice comes decisions - difficult decisions. Do you eschew Apple's high prices, join the Android brigade and find the best iPad alternative? Or jump on board Cupertino's lovetrain, and use one of the most popular tablets on the planet? We've made it easy for you and pulled together the top 10 tablets of the moment available. Read: 10 Best tablets 2014

Best cheap tablets

Spend a little, don't spend a lot

Tablets are fast replacing laptops as the must-have computing item, and the good news is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get one. While the iPads of this world will always be out of many people's budgets, there are plenty of tablets out there available at much lower prices. We wouldn't recommend spending less than £100 on one - you'd regret it - but here's a round-up of our favourite tablets under £250! Best cheap tablets: top budget options

Home Entertainment

TV Buying Guide 2014

Choose the right size, screen tech and price

There has never been a better time to buy a new TV. Gone are the days when 32-inch TVs weighed 16 tonnes and cost £1,500. These days you can pick up a 50-inch LCD TV for closer to £300. LCD panel technology has well and truly matured, and while brands like Sony and Panasonic push the boundaries of performance, you'll also find names like Toshiba doing very exciting things in the budget TV sector. The practical upshot of this is that no matter what you're after, how big you want to go or how large your budget is, there's a perfect TV out there for you. So which one is right for you, your family and your living space? In this buying guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about being a new TV.
Read: Buying Guide: best TVs 2014

Best 32-inch TVs

The perfect size for bedroom TVs or sets for smaller rooms

Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK. But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k on the best ones. There's only one certainty at this size – your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently. Read: 10 best 32-inch TVs in the world today

Best 40 and 42-inch TVs

The sweet spot for plasma TVs offers lots of bang for your buck

Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 40-42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. Read: 10 best 40 and 42-inch TVs

Best 46 and 47-inch TVs

Offering the pinnacle of performance, this is where it gets serious

There was a time when plasma screens reigned supreme in the 46-inch TV market. But in much the same way as a meteor strike killed off the dinosaurs, the second coming of the LCD TV is the invasive species that has done for plasma. We're still huge advocates of plasma on TechRadar, don't get us wrong, but the tech is dying out at this size. Old-school CCFL tech has been replaced by LED backlight scanning and technical wizardry to make LCD tech viable in large sizes. Read: 10 best 46 and 47-inch TVs

Best 50 and 55-inch TVs

Where the home cinema experience begins

The size where a home cinema turns from dream to reality, it's also at this 50-55-inch TV screen size that 3D starts to become immersive enough to convince and impress. This size, last year dominated by full HD models, is now being overrun by Ultra HD 4K models. While LED tech has gone a long way towards condemning plasma to a role on the outskirts of the TV industry, at 50-inches and above, plasma really comes into its own if you can find one. Most home cinema buffs still swear by plasma, with its cinematic colours and deep blacks making for a real movie-watcher's paradise. But 2014 sees the first batch of 50-inch LED-backlit panels off the production line, a development that further marginalises plasma technology at one of the sizes it previously dominated. If you're looking for a dream movie-watching experience, check out these home cinema beauties.
Read: 10 best 50-inch TVs

Best 60-inch TVs and above

If you want the best, you'll need to pay the best

If you're feeling extravagant or want to furnish your big living room with a similarly big TV, 60 inches or more of television will certainly make a statement. There are some truly massive TVs available these days, withUltra HD-toting 84-inch screens such as the LG 84LM960V, Toshiba 84L9300, Sony KD-84X9005A and Samsung UE85S9ST. But for most of us, 65 inches of screen space is luxurious enough, while still being manageable. So what's the best 60-65-inch TV for you?
Read: 10 best 60-inch TVs in the world today

Best 4K Ultra HD TVs

The latest big thing in big screens

Everyone wants an Ultra HD 4K TV! Yes, okay, we all know there isn't much 4K source material to properly showcase the stunning picture quality, but Netflix has at least started to offer 4K content. There could also still be a 4K Blu-ray format later this year, and before you know it there'll be test transmissions and perhaps even a 4K TV channel from Sky or the BBC. It's all about future-proofing, though there's slightly more to it than that; some of the first batch of Ultra HD TVs pump out best-ever Blu-ray images, thanks to some wonderfully adept upscaling tech. The birth of 4K could also lead to the re-birth of 3D – it just looks so much better at this higher resolution. The big stumbling block – as always – is money, but already there are relative bargains to be had and, better still, some sumptuous designs stuffed with new innovations. The race for 3840x2160 pixels is on. Read: 10 best 4K TVs in the world today

Best Blu-ray players

From cheap BDPs to UHD players

When big and bulky Blu-ray players first appeared on the shelves nearly 10 years ago they were all about high definition. Back then, simply getting HD content into your HD-ready TV was the hottest ticket in town - and it came at a high price. Those first-gen players are buried in the distant past now, leaving us with super-slim machines with loading times in single figure seconds, 3D Blu-ray playback, 2D-to-3D conversion, apps, streaming to and from smartphones and tablets, home networking, and upscaling to Ultra HD 4K resolutions even before Ultra HD TVs are common. Here are 12 of the best Blu-ray players to help you make your buying decision! Read: 12 best Blu-ray players 2014

Netflix vs Amazon

Which movie streamer is best for you and yours?

The battle of the big American movie streaming services is getting serious: the Amazon-owned LoveFilm is no more, replaced by the new and heavily-promoted Amazon Prime Instant Video. Is Amazon UK finally taking streaming seriously? CanNetflix hold on to its crown as our favourite streaming service? Let's find out. Read: Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: which is best for you?

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PS4 vs Xbox One

Which next-gen console is best?

It's a little more even in the PS4 vs Xbox One debate now that E3 2014 has come and gone and we're seven months into the next-generation of video games. Sure, Sony's new console is ahead, pushing toward 8 million systems sold compared to Microsoft's 5 million "shipped to stores" number. But those are sales statistics. Read: PS4 vs Xbox One: which is best?

Cameras and photography

Camera Buying Guide 2014

The camera buying advice you need

When it comes to buying a camera, you're really spoiled for choice. The range is massive, stretching from cheap and cheerful compact models competing with your smartphone, right through to professional-spec SLRs that cost as much as a decent used car. In this jargon-free overview, we'll discuss the main types of camera out there, to help you make a wise buying decision. You don't want to pay top dollar for features you won't need, but you also don't want to be stuck with a frustratingly basic camera you'll soon outgrow. We're going to concentrate on three main types of camera in this overview – compact, compact system (or mirrorless) camera and SLR. Read: Buying Guide: Best camera 2014

SLR Buying Guide

Choose the best type of DSLR for your skills and needs

Ever since the arrival of the first commercially viable digital SLRs in the 1990s, there's been a steady stream of technological breakthroughs and new releases. Sales of digital SLRs remain robust, as it's this 'quality' end of the market that is most immune from the threat of ever-improving smartphones; however good smartphones are, if a pro wedding or sports photographer turned up wielding one, they'd get shown the door. There are SLR cameras suitable for every type of photographer, from novices to professionals, but which one is right for you? Read: Best SLR 2014

SLRs for beginners

Lost of options for the wannabe photographer

If you're a beginner or less experienced photographer who's keen to develop your skills, it's a great time to be buying an SLR – there's a wide choice of keenly priced cameras competing for your custom. Makers are eager to attract beginners in the hope of building loyalty, particularly as SLR users tend to upgrade their lenses eventually, or buy flashguns and other extras. Ideally, you want an SLR that is easy to use, but one that you won't quickly outgrow as your skills and confidence develop. Read: 10 best SLRs for beginners

SLRs for enthusiasts

You're not a pro but you still want a nice camera

While compact system (mirrorless) cameras have eaten into their market share to an extent, SLRs remain the weapon of choice for many enthusiast photographers. It's not hard to understand why; enthusiast-level SLRs offer near pro-levels of performance at an affordable price, are relatively to easy to use, and give access to a massive range of lenses and accessories. Indeed, some enthusiast SLRs rival pro-spec models, blurring the boundary between the two. Read: 10 best SLRs for enthusiasts

SLRs for professionals

The best photographers have the best cameras

As you'd expect from a camera costing the same as a decent used car, higher-end SLRs have myriad autofocus options, impressive ISO performance and often (but not always) fast continuous shooting. They tend to be built like tanks too, since they have to meet the demands of professional press, sports and adventure photographers, who are often working in demanding, deadline-driven environments. When it comes to choosing a top-end SLR, the biggest decision is whether to go for a full-blown pro model, such as theNikon D4S, or to save money by opting for a camera that also appeals to advanced enthusiasts and semi pros. Read: 10 best top-end SLR

Best compact cameras

Get the best mini snapper for your needs

There are hundreds of digital compact cameras on the market, with advanced, superzoom and rugged camera options all being available, which makes finding the right one quite tricky. The right choice, of course, depends on what you want from your compact digital camera. Maybe you're looking for a high-end compact camera to take the place of your SLR, or perhaps you want something more basic to get a few snaps on holiday. Whichever type you are looking for, we've pulled together a selection of what we believe are the best compact cameras on the market now.
Read: 38 best compact cameras 2014

Best high-end compact cameras

The best back-ups to an SLR

The downside of even the latest and greatest DSLR bodies and weighty collections of top-quality glass is that, when a fantastic photo opportunity presents itself, your kit is fast asleep in its gadget bag back at home. In contrast, compact cameras are small and slimline enough to fit into a spare pocket, the glove box of the car, or just about anywhere else. Weighing in at 200-400g (0.4-0.9lbs), these cameras are lighter than most DSLR lenses without a camera attached, but can they really deliver in terms of image quality and creativity? Read: 10 best high-end compact cameras

Best compact system cameras

Get the best CSC for your budget

DSLRs have long-held the title as the most versatile cameras on the market, capable of delivering the highest quality images, robust build quality and advanced functionality, not to mention speed. With compacts and bridge models providing a set of stepping stones up to the traditional DSLR, manufacturers noticed a gap in between that was waiting to be filled: the CSC (Compact System Camera) was born. Fast forward to today and we have an ever-increasing array of CSCs available with varying levels of functionality. Read: 28 best compact system cameras 2014

Gadgets and computing

Best sat navs

Find your way from A to B with minimum fuss

Could the car sat nav boast the shortest lifespan of any technology yet? Surely our GPS-supporting phones are more than capable of handling our daily car sat nav needs? Not so fast - there's still plenty of life left in dedicated devices. Apart from offering the kind of focus that is only available from a dedicated device, true sat navs offer proper mounting systems that aren't fiddly plastic nightmares and also pack voice options that entertain and inform. That's not to say that you should leave your phone at home. Phone apps are catching up quickly, and they don't cost the earth either. In fact, some of the most interesting projects are only on phones right now.
Read: Best sat navs 2014

Best laptops

The best mobile computers in all shapes and sizes

Choosing the right laptop is even more confusing than ever - so we're here to help with our regularly updated guide to the best laptops. The release of Windows 8.1 and its subsequent update has pulled the OS further towards the touch and tablet future. This, along with the performance boost the OS offers, is a boon for the vast array of laptop-tablet hybrids now flooding the market. Here's some expert buying advice and 30 product recommendations from Ultrabooks to gaming laptops. Read: Best Laptops 2014

Best laptops for students

Budget laptops for college or uni

Becoming a full-time student is expensive - all those student loans, tuition fees, and flights to Thailand to discover who you are don't come cheap. Regardless of the money you'll save in haircuts, times are tough, indeed. But choosing a decent portable PC to lug from lecture - to pub - to lecture halls and, hopefully, last the duration of your course is something we can help you with. So we've scoured our peerless laptop reviews to find 10 of the best laptops for students. Read: Best laptops for students

Best printers

Top inkjet and laser printers compared

In choosing the best printer your first decision is whether to go for a standard printer, or a multi-function device which includes a scanner and which can also work as a standalone copier. These aren't much larger than regular printers, but they're a whole lot more versatile, especially when you need to keep a copy of a letter, a bill or any other important document, so our first list includes the best inkjet printers and best multi-function devices. You should also think carefully about whether to invest in an inkjet or a laser. Lasers are usually associated with office environments, where they produce sharp, smudge-free printouts quickly, quietly and economically, but this can be just as useful at home or in a home office. Read: 16 best printers 2014

Best Spotify Connect systems

Control your music wirelessly with Spotify Connect

Spotify is gradually supplanting digital downloads as the dominant way that we listen to music, with 10 million subscribers and 40 million active users across 56 countries listening to its 30 million tracks. With Spotify adding more than 20,000 new songs daily, it's definitely time for Spotify Connect, a new badge for hi-fi gear that enables effortless control of music across a phone, tablet and speakers. Allowing music to be sent direct from the Spotify app to any of these systems, Spotify Connect is a streamer's dream. Read: Best Spotify Connect systems

Anything we've missed that you'd like to see? Let us know!

Argos to take another stab at tablets with 10.1-inch offering

High street retailer, and peddler of the laminated book of dreams, Argos, will make a second attempt on the tablet market this year with a 10.1-inch slate.

Like the ill-fated MyTablet which arrived towards the end of 2013, the new slate will be built by Bush although we were told by an Argos spokesperson at its Christmas in July event that various improvements have been made.

Those improvements include a tougher chassis and updated software - the 10.1-inch MyTablet runs Android 4.4 KitKat.

Two slates incoming

We were told the larger slate will come in around the £130 mark, while a smaller slate is also on the cards and is expected to set you back around £70-£80.

Argos launches its new catalogue on July 25, when more information on the new slates will be available.

Google Project Zero aims to stop the Heartbleed Bug from happening again

Google has a number of ongoing pet projects; from hot air balloons providing internet to driverless cars, the next thing on its agenda seems to be net security.

The search company announced it has put together a crack team of security engineers to help secure the web in a mission it has called Project Zero.

On the company's online security blog, Google explained the team will crackdown on "zero day" vulnerabilities, otherwise known as security loopholes inside services and software that hackers can easily exploit.

One the of the world's most famous and relatively recent zero day vulnerabilities was the Heartbleed bug. Ultimately Google does not want another leave another widespread vulnerability unchecked to affect the entire web world.

Worldwide web watchdogs

Project Zero won't just look out for flaws in Google's websites, services, or Android but the entire web. If the Project Zero crew discovers a vulnerability it promises to contact outside companies and organizations to quickly work with them to fix the issues for users.

"We're not placing any particular bounds on this project and will work to improve the security of any software depended upon by large numbers of people," Chris Evans, head of Chrome security at Google, said in a release.

For an extra element of transparency, Google also plans to document every bug it discovers in a public database once it's fixed. Concerned web browsers can view this bug report to see how long it took programmers to correct the exploit, discussions on the problem and other information making it essentially the Wikipedia of web vulnerabilities.

Google is also looking to hire security researchers who want to join the fight.

It's a headstrong effort by Google to take on the role of web security watchdog that should benefit everyone in the end. Now the question is how many companies will be comfortable working with the internet giant prodding around with their security protocols.

• The hacking utopia of Watch Dogs is real

Apple and IBM join forces to take over the workplace

Apple and IBM have partnered for a major initiative to bring more iOS devices and solutions to the workplace. And by more, we mean a lot.

The exclusive partnership centers around a new class of business apps that will infuse IBM's data and analytics prowess into the iPhone and iPad, turning Apple's consumer-centric tech into more enterprise-friendly tools, though that's not all.

As part of the deal, IBM will develop more than 100 industry-specific apps developed exclusively for Apple's mobile devices, including native applications.

Furthermore, IBM will provide cloud services optimized for iOS that includes device management, security, analytics and mobile integration, a new AppleCare for Enterprise service and support tailored specifically to enterprise.

IBM also plans to launch new packaged offerings for device activation, supply and management. It will sell iPhones and iPads equipped with industry-specific solutions to its global corporate customers.

Better together

IBM and Apple are historic rivals, but the two are ready to put aside the past and focus on building mobile solutions for big business.

"For the first time ever we're putting IBM's renowned big data analytics at iOS users' fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release. "This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver."

In an interview with Re/code, Cook noted that to provide the solutions Apple and IBM can come up with together on its own, Apple would have to start a new division.

"We're good at building a simple experience and in building devices," Cook told the site. "The kind of deep industry expertise you would need to really transform the enterprise isn't in our DNA. But it is in IBM's."

The partnership broadens IBM's MobileFirst initiative into MobileFirst for iOS Solutions. These "made-for-business apps" will focus on retail, healthcare, banking, travel and transportation, telecomm, insurance and more, and are due out beginning this year and into 2015.

The new AppleCare for Enterprise will provide IT departments and end users 24/7 support, while IBM will provide on-site service.

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