Technically Funny

GOODBYE

2012-09-24T20:17:00.000+01:00

Since 2010 Technically Funny has gone from strength to strength. I first started this off as a Tumblr blog and pretty much just ranted about the gadgets I loved and hated as technology was my passion. Due to the overwhelming response and amazing amount of views, TechnicallyFunny.net was created last year and the content quadrupled in number with in-depth reviews, editorials, live blogs, video reviews and of course, breaking news from the world of technology and consumer electronics. Technically Funny was aiming at the big guns like Engadget and T3 but alas, those guys have teams of writers and photographers and here is where I must confess something.

I have created, coded and designed every inch of technicallyfunny.net myself. I have written every post that has been published. I have written every review and I have covered every live blog. I have created, formatted and published each post since the conception of the site. I also created and coded the Android and Web app for the site.

I set up the Youtube channel and filmed, arranged, edited and published the videos myself. I set up the Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and Pinterest pages and updated them myself. I did all these things when I wasn't working my day job. I did not have a team of writers or photographers. I did everything myself and gave the impression that the website had a team behind it and despite my attempts to assemble some awesome writers, understandably, no matter what I tried, no one wants to write for free and as the website only makes a few pennies from advertising, I couldn't pay anyone.

Unfortunately, a lot of things have changed and I no longer have the time to carry on updating and posting on Technically Funny. This started as a passion project and hobby and turned into something great which received literally a million views and I am immensely proud of. I did however, have some great friends help me out and special thanks go to Lily Holman who was the reason that TechnicallyFunny.net was born and whom also filmed at the Gadget Show Live, Karl Cunnane who created the awesome hand drawn graphic on our "About" page, Usman Yasin who guest posted a couple of times and my former boss Philip Worrall who let me work on the site even at my day job which is something I can no longer do. All these guys wanted nothing more but to see the website succeed.

I would like to thank all of you for your amazing support and for coming back to us time and time again to get your fix of gadget news. I love the readers of Technically Funny and sincerely appreciate every comment, email and suggestion you guys have sent me over the last year. Maybe one day Technically Funny will come back but for now, although I wish it could have been different, its time to officially say goodbye.

Thank You

Sikander Yasin

APPLE REVEAL iPHONE 5 TO BE RELEASED 21ST SEPTEMBER

2012-09-12T20:01:00.003+01:00

The new iPhone is finally official. Apple has named its sixth-generation smartphone the iPhone 5 and Phil Schiller has detailed its full set of features, specs, and release details. Measuring 7.6mm in thickness and 112 grams in weight, this is the thinnest and lightest iPhone that Apple has ever made, and is constructed "entirely" out of glass and aluminum. The new iPhone looks pretty much identical to all the leaks and mockups we've seen in the past few weeks — evidently Apple wasn't able to keep a lid on its most anticipated product, after all.

And yes, it has a 4-inch display! The new screen resolution is the oft-rumored 1136 x 640, meaning the display of the iPhone 4 and 4S has simply been elongated, both physically and in terms of pixel rows. To quote Phil, "you see, we're able to add a fifth row of icons." All of Apple's own software has been updated for the new resolution and screen size, while third-party apps will be letterboxed where necessary. Also in line with pre-launch rumors, the new iPhone's display features in-cell touchscreen technology, integrating the touch sensors right into the display itself. This should make for a thinner panel overall, though Apple also touts it as "the most accurate display in the industry."

There's also LTE connectivity, with a single chip, single radio, and what Apple describes as a "dynamic" antenna. Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T LTE flavors will all be supported by the iPhone 5. Apple rates this new handset's battery life at 8 hours of LTE web browsing.

A new 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a hybrid IR filter will be present on the iPhone 5, with a promise of improved low light performance and 40 percent faster photo capture. The sensor is backside-illuminated. Catching up with the competition, Apple is also adding in a new Panorama mode to its camera software. Much like with HTC's ImageSense, the new iPhone 5 camera will allow you to also take still photos while recording video, which maxes out at 1080p resolution.

So, no killer feature this year, but what do you guys think? you ready to to queue on launch day?

APPLE iPHONE 5 EVENT LIVEBLOG

2012-09-12T12:50:00.002+01:00

Dear readers. Its that time of year again where the world goes Apple nuts. Tonight Apple will reveal the new iPhone and whatever else they want to show off. As usual, We will be live blogging the event and bringing you the news as it happens. Now another thing that usually happens is that the servers crash due to Apple overload and there are slight delays in bringing you guys the gossip. We have a better Live blog client in place so if delays occur, we will get back up and running as fast as possible! So join us right here at 6pm BST and see what "magical" gadgetry Apple are going to slap us in the face with!

Apple iPhone 5 Event Live Blog

NOKIA REVEAL LUMIA 920 AND 820 SMARTPHONES

2012-09-06T19:26:00.000+01:00

Nokia has officially unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the Lumia 920. As expected, Nokia's new Lumia has received a bump in specs over the previous iteration, with a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core processor, a slightly larger 4.5-inch curved glass display with a 768 x 1280 resolution, a 2,000mAh battery, and the new Windows Phone 8 operating system. Nokia is calling its new display the "PureMotion HD+," and says that it's the "best smartphone display innovation" the company has ever made, with "better than HD resolution" and fast refresh rates — Nokia says it's the "brightest smartphone HD display ever," and also the "fastest LCD display ever shipped on a smartphone." Nokia is also touting the PureMotion HD+'s daylight viewing capabilities, and says that the phone's color tone and brightness automatically responds to sunlight.

Nokia says the new Lumia will come in "vibrant colors" (the yellow, red, white, grey, and black pictured above), and features a one-piece polycarbonate body. As expected, Nokia is also pulling a couple of tricks out of its sleeve: it's adding wireless charging for the Lumia 920, built on the Qi wireless power standard. Nokia is also incorporating its "PureView" camera technology, but just don't get too excited: we're looking at an 8.7 megapixel sensor in the 920, not the 41 megapixels in the PureView 808. Nokia says the 920 features a "floating lens" optical image stabilization system that allows for sharper photographs in low-light situations, a better app and camera interface, and 1080p video recording.

As expected, Nokia has also announced the Lumia 820, a mid-range Windows Phone 8 smartphone. The 820 is powered by the same 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 and 1GB of RAM as the flagship Lumia 920, but will arrive with a smaller 4.3-inch WVGA OLED display, only 8GB of internal storage, and an eight-megapixel rear camera. The 8GB internal storage can be expanded via Windows Phone 8's extended microSD functionality.

Both the Lumia 820 and the flagship 920 include Syanptics technology called Super Sensitive Touch that enables them to detect touch through gloves or fingernails in additional to traditional capacitive input. Nokia is introducing exchangeable covers for the Lumia 820, available in a range of hues, including yellow, cyan, purple, red, grey, white, and black. It'll also sell covers that enable NFC, as well as wireless charging through its new range of charging accessories or any Qi-compatible hardware. As the covers are removable, so is the 820's 1650mAh battery.

CEO Stephen Elop declined to give specific pricing or release dates, but he did say that Nokia would be entering "select markets" with "intense focus" in Q4 of 2012.

OFFICIAL: APPLE HOLDING PRESS EVENT SEPTEMBER 12TH

2012-09-04T17:38:00.000+01:00

The industry has been abuzz with rumors that Apple was planning a reveal of its next iPhone in mid-September, and now we know the truth. The company has just mailed out invitations to an event in San Francisco on September 12th at 10AM PT at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts — where Apple has historically launched new products. Technically Funny will be covering the event live, with minute-by-minute updates on everything and anything announced.
The next iPhone has been heavily rumored over the past several months, with multiple photos and videos of alleged iPhone 5 parts and casings in heavy rotation, as well as rather detailed information about new screen technology, radios, and other internal changes. Our editors even obtained a first-hand experience with one of the supposed case designs during the IFA trade show in Berlin, though it's impossible to know if what has been seen thus far is representative of what Apple will announce next Wednesday. Interestingly, based on the invite (you can see it in the image above), it looks like this device will in fact be called the "iPhone 5."
Apple is also rumored to be introducing an "iPad mini" this year — a smaller version of its tablet — but that announcement is expected to come in October at a separate event.
No matter what happens, Technically Funny will be bringing you the live blog from San Francisco on the 12th at 10AM PT, covering all the news as it happens — so tune in to our liveblog the day of the event so you don't miss a thing!

IFA 2012: SAMSUNG

2012-08-31T22:42:00.000+01:00

After Sonys new line up, Samsung were next to reveal their new wares and expectations were high as Samsung had been shouting about their press event for a couple of weeks before IFA started and speculation was rife that Samsung would reveal the successor to the tablet/smartphone hybrid, The Galaxy Note. We were also expecting some Windows Phone 8 goodness so did Samsung let their recent hammering in the court room hamper their efforts? Lets find out.

GALAXY NOTE II
After dominating IFA 2011 with its Galaxy Note introduction, Samsung hoped to repeat the feat with the Galaxy Note II. Now thinner and lighter, the new Note device comes with a redesigned S Pen stylus, a bevy of new software features layered atop Android 4.1, and an enlarged 5.5-inch display. Oh, and it now runs on a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor. The display resolution is very similar to the original Note, 1280 x 720 versus 1280 x 800 on the older model, and the technology employed is still Super AMOLED, though the Pentile subpixel arrangement has been tweaked a little. It's still not a perfect stripe of RGB pixels as you might get on LG's IPS displays or the laudable HTC One X, but it's somewhere closer to it than the standard Pentile.

An improvement, in any case. The physical design and materials, however, are a direct match to Samsung's Galaxy S III, which launched earlier this year. The Note II even uses the same 8-megapixel camera. The software interface looks identical to the GS III's, but for the S Pen-specific "Magic Wand" sub-homescreen and a selection of other stylus enhancements. NFC, a choice of two colors (Mountain White and Titanium Gray), and three storage options (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB) are other similarities to Samsung's flagship smartphone. 2GB of RAM will come standard on the Galaxy Note II.Unique to the new Galaxy Note is the battery, which does battle with Motorola's Droid RAZR Maxx for mightiest in the smartphone category by weighing in at 3100mAh. Then again, it's debatable that a 5.5-inch device can reasonably be considered a smartphone.

New software features include Air View, which allows you to hover your S Pen approximately 10mm above the surface of the screen and have the phone recognize and react to that by launching little previews of onscreen items (such as pictures inside an album, they're enlarged atop the album view rather than taking you to a new window). Screen Recorder sounds like a more useful addition, doing what its name suggests and recording your on-screen actions for posterity and sharing. The Pop-up Play feature of playing local video in a little window overlay, first seen on the Galaxy S III, has seen an upgrade: the video window can now be resized. On the camera side of things, Best Faces lets you create a composite image from multiple pictures, splicing the best-captured images of different people's faces in the frame, while the Photo Note feature can create handwritten notes on the back of pictures. For that extra touch of classy.

SERIES 5 & 7
We're still a couple of months away from Windows 8 being available, but we're starting to get a pretty good picture of what the first round of devices will look like running the new operating system. Samsung showed off the upcoming Series 5 and Series 7 Slates — both are tablet and dock combinations that let each device act as a light, thin tablet, and a full-fledged laptop all at once. We'd seen an early build of the Slate 5 back at Computex, and not that much has changed since then. Samsung says the Slate 7 is geared toward power users, and as you might guess, it outpaces the consumer-facing Slate 5 in a number of areas. First is display resolution, where the Slate 7's 1080p panel trumps that of the 1366x768 Slate 5. It also contains twice the amount of memory and storage you'll find in the Slate 5, offering 4GB RAM and a 128GB solid state drive. In a nice bit of Samsung synergy, each device comes with an S Pen, which can be used in Windows 8 to do anything your finger would normally do. There's also some Samsung-specific software, like Media Hub, which means if you buy a movie on your Galaxy S III you can also watch it on your Slate.

ATIV S
Samsung is the first manufacturer to officially announce a Windows Phone 8 device: the Ativ S. It has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and an 8-megapixel rear camera paired with a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. Microsoft announced the device on its Windows Phone blog just ahead of Samsung's unpacked event, noting that it's only 8.7mm thick, has 1GB of RAM, and comes in either 16GB or 32GB models, both of which come with a microSD slot for more storage. It's all powered by a 2300mAh battery. The body is made with brushed aluminum, the screen lies behind Gorilla Glass, and Samsung opted for a physical Windows button instead of a capacitive one — a decision that matches its latest Android devices. Unfortunately, while we have plenty of details on the device itself, we don't yet have new details on what Windows Phone 8 itself will bring beyond what we already know except, as Microsoft notes, that it "performs great." Samsung waited for quite a while before discussing the Ativ S during its Unpacked event. The company positioned the phone as part of a larger ecosystem, one that Samsung believes it is uniquely able to provide. It measures 137.2mm x 70.5mm x 8.7mm, a form factor Samsung calls a "chic hairline design."

ATIV TAB
Samsung also announced a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet at IFA — the product is officially named the Samsung Ativ Tab and compliments the more powerful Series 5 and 7 hybrid slates. In terms of specs, we've learned that the device will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM, with a mid-size 8,200mAh battery keeping everything going. Its 10.1-inch display will offer a resolution of 1366 x 768, and users will have a choice of either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. Alongside the standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, the Ativ Tab will provide connectivity through a USB 2.0 port and NFC. The unit as a whole weights in at 570g and measures 0.35 inches at its thickest point.

GALAXY CAMERA
What happens when you combine a pocket camera with an Android smartphone? Samsung's answer is the Galaxy Camera. Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on a massive 4.8-inch HD LCD display, the Galaxy Camera aims to take the best of Samsung's camera and phone departments and mix them up for something altogether unique. There's a 16-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor within what is otherwise an unmistakably camera-shaped body, equipped with a retractable lens that provides 21x optical zoom. On the inside, we can look forward to a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G wireless options, although disappointingly there's no SD card compatibility. If you want removable storage, you'll have to go for microSD cards. The Galaxy Camera will accept Micro SIM cards only. The display is described as using scLCD technology and has a 308ppi pixel density thanks to its 1280 x 720 resolution.

IFA 2012: SONY

2012-08-30T18:26:00.000+01:00

The annual IFA event took place in Berlin, Germany at the end of August and big tech companies used the event to introduce their new hardware to the world. The majority of new products on display were of the Windows 8 variety but Android was also a usual suspect and Sony were the first to show off their new shiny gadget range including a whole new series of Android mobile phones. Lets take a look at what Sony have in store for us this year.

NEW SMARTPHONE RANGE
The first thing Sony proudly showed off was their new range of Android powered smartphones. The Xperia range was released earlier in the year in the guise of the Xperia S, P and U. Now Sony are looking to replace them with the exception of the Xperia P staying on as the Mid ranger.

Xperia T
Leaked first as the Mint and LT30i, the Xperia T uses a 4.6-inch Mobile Bravia 2 touchscreen, running at a 1280x720 resolution. A 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor sits under the hood, flanked by 1GB of RAM. Camera tech is looking impressive, with a 13MP rear camera stealing the show, also capable of shooting full HD 1080p video. A front facing camera is also onboard, itself able to capture 720p footage. Plenty of connectivity is offered too, via 4G LTE (where available), One-Touch NFC, MHL, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It's also a PlayStation certified device, meaning you'll be able to download classic PlayStation gaming titles too.
Sadly no Jelly Bean here, with the Xperia T landing with Ice Cream Sandwich onboard, but Sony promise an upgrade shortly after launch. The successor to the Xperia S, the Xperia T will also feature as Bond, James Bond's smartphone in the upcoming Skyfall movie. As ever with Sony, no pricing has been revealed yet, but sources say you should be able to pick the Xperia T up next month in either Black, Silver or White shades.

Xperia V
The Sony Xperia V is a slightly smaller version of the Xperia T that shares a number of features with Sony's flagship smartphone.
The touch-screen present on the Xperia V is 4.3 inches , compared to 4.6 on the Xperia T, and features the same Mobile Bravia 2 technology. The resolution of the display is 1280*720p (HD) , which gives it a higher pixel-per-inch rating than the Sony Xperia T. It is powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon processor and has 1GB of RAM, which gives it identical power to the Xperia T. On-board memory comes in at 8GB which can be expanded by up to 32GB using microSD cards. One great feature of the V is its IP57 certification which means it both dust, scratch and water resistant to a depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. The same stunning 13 mega-pixel is also present on the smartphone meaning it can record full HD video. Other features include LTE support, NFC connectivity, MHL connectivity and Playstation certification. When the Xperia V launches later in the 4th quarter of 2012 it'll run on Android Ice Cream Sandwich and will be available in Black, Pink and White however, it is not expected to be released in the UK.

Xperia J
At the bottom of the line, the Xperia J will have a 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera. Another trait that betrays its low-end pedigree is the Xperia J's 1GHz CPU, and Sony suspiciously doesn't mention the phone's specific version of Android although it most likely will be a version of Ice Cream Sandwich.

Xperia Tablet S
Sony's first round of tablets, the Tablet S and Tablet P, were interesting ideas that weren't always well executed. But the company's back at it, announcing today at IFA the new Xperia Tablet S. The new device looks a lot like the Tablet S, particularly the folded-back-magazine aesthetic, but it's clear Sony took cues from what it — and its competitors — did right with all older tablets. The Xperia Tablet S is waterproof, and runs Android 4.0 on a Tegra 3 processor, but more than its pure power Sony's promoting some of the software on the device. The Tablet S was a nifty IR-capable universal remote control, and Sony's beefed up the functionality even more, adding support for macros so you can turn on a bunch of devices at once or easily tune to a certain channel with one press.

Sony's app also features a visual TV guide, which looks a lot like the Peel setup on some of the Galaxy Tabs we've seen. There are more software tweaks, too, like a "Guest Mode" that lets you quickly configure which apps and settings are available to a particular user — turning off the Play Store for your kid could be huge. Some of Sony's cross-platform services also come preloaded, like PlayMemories and the Reader app. Small Apps are basically the pop-up widgets we've seen on the Galaxy Note and others, which give you a quick pop-up with a notepad or calculator. In general, Android has been customized much like it is on Xperia phones – this is the first tablet with Xperia branding, and it fits into Sony's lineup nicely.

The accessories lineup for the Xperia Tablet S is where it could get really compelling. Sony's offering a $99.99 Cover with Keyboard case that is the absolute spitting image of the Microsoft Surface's Touch Cover — it's light and thin, with a full keyboard stamped into the inside. There's also a $99.99 docking stand, which raises the tablet up on a TV-like pedestal. Of course, the usual cadre is also here, a dock, charger, and keyboard-less stand.
The Xperia Tablet S will be out September 7th, and you can pre-order today. The device will come with 16, 32, or 64GB of storage, and will cost between $399 and $599.

VAIO DUO 11
Leaked earlier this week, Sony has just announced its VAIO Duo 11 hybrid Windows 8 tablet that features a full backlit keyboard tucked away on a sliding hinge (what Sony calls the "Surf Slider") — a somewhat different take on the portable PC than Microsoft's design for the Surface. It's got a pressure-sensitive digitizer with a choice of two pen tips for writing feel, an 11.6-inch 1920 x 1080 "OptiContrast" panel, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB or 256GB SSD stuffed into a shell that measures 17.85mm when collapsed and weighs 1.3 kilograms (about 2.9 pounds) — a little heavier than the Surface for Windows 8 Pro's 1.99 pounds.
Speaking of Windows 8 Pro, the Duo 11 is a Pro device, carrying an Intel Core i7, i5, or i3 processor depending on configuration — there's no Windows RT here and no sign that Sony is planning an RT variant (yet). Look for it to launch in late October, just in time to capture the first wave of Windows 8 retail launches.

ChatON BY SAMSUNG

2012-08-30T14:18:00.001+01:00

Nowadays, the majority of the worlds population have almost an infinite amount of connectivity options on the move and the traditional form of text messages and phone calls are evolving into video calling and instant messaging. RIM started the mobile instant messaging craze with Blackberry Messenger which went from a great business tool to a great teenage tool, with the majority of kids in the UK today wanting Blackberry's solely for Blackberry Messenger. As technology has advanced, more and more companies have tried their hand at their own BBM like service and the only one that has come relatively close is Whatsapp, an easy to use, cross platform instant messaging app which is a lot light on features. Samsung had their own answer to this via a little known app called ChatON.

This application enabled you to send instant text and media messages between other ChatON users. It had its gripes and wasn't a Whatsapp killer but now, Samsung have re-assessed and updated the app which has now truly turned it into a fantastic service which is pretty much a must have on any smart device. So whats so good about ChatON apart from the fact it comes courtesy of the mobile manufacturing behemoth? Lets take a look and see if it beats Apples iMessaging service too, cos you know, Apple V Samsung is pretty much the way it goes right?

THE APPLICATION

ChatON is an application in which its base function is to allow you to send instant text, events, image, sound and video messages to other ChatON users. Now, you can find a lot of apps like these on the Google Play and iOS App stores but Samsung have packed in more features that places ChatON in front of the pack. The Application is available to download on iOS, Android and Blackberry powered smartphones which offers that great feature of cross platform messaging so you're not stuck to only sending messages to friends or family that have the same phone as you. One of the greatest cosmetic changes are the animated messages that you can send which adds a whole new meaning to messages and some are just plain hilarious. The app itself is incredibly easy to use with colourful, bold and easy navigation through out and easy access to contacts and the ability to set up group chat. The app is available in 120 countries and supports 66 languages.

FEATURES

Samsung have been busy updating the app and making it more feature packed compared to its first outing. The following are some of the new additions you can find.

Enhanced Group Chat - The group chat function has added some cosmetic improvements and easier access to your buddies. You can also create groups so you can send a message to everyone at once rather than having to mark all the contacts you want in the group every single time.

Trunk - Perhaps one of the most useful new additions, Trunk enables you to share content such as images and video and allow other users to leave comments. You can also share anything form your Trunk directly to sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Animated Messages - This one just lets you add a bit more of a personal touch with your messages. Basically, its a layered drawing tool where it starts recording what you do on your canvas as soon as you start. Once recording, you can add background images, sound, clip art and even draw on the canvas yourself. When you're done, the app will create an animation from all the stuff you added to the canvas while you were recording. A great and hilarious way of sending messages.

Anicon Support - Love using emoticons and smiley faces to express your mood? ChatON now supports animated emoticons so you can express to your hearts content.

Buddies Say - This feature allows you to comment on your friends profiles without having to start a private chat all the time.

Interaction Rank - This is like a mini game within ChatON which ranks your interactions with your friends enabling you to see who you talk to the most and least.

Remember, the above features are in addition to the usual function of instant messaging between friends and groups. This makes ChatON probably the most feature rich cross platform instant messaging client available right now.

VERDICT

After using the app for a few days, I didn't discover any crashes or lags and I didn't miss Whatsapp at all. The only problem is that not many people know about ChatON so you might be hard pressed to find contacts already using it but there is an invite function within the app that lets you send a message to your contacts with a link inviting them to install ChatON. The animated messaging was surprising the feature I used the most as you can really get creative with your messages to friends. Traditional Text Messaging has really taken a step back in recent times due to limitations of how much you can send in a text and also the high carrier and network costs involved if your sending a text abroad. ChatON and instant messaging fixes that issue as its free and you can talk to anyone in the world using the same app at no extra cost as all the messaging is sent via your data connection rather than cell radios. So, as well as getting feature rich instant messaging, you save money and as the app is great to use and has no issues in terms of stability or crashes, I would definitely recommend ChatON as a must have app for all iPhones, Blackberrys and Android devices.

NEIL ARMSTRONG DIES

2012-08-25T23:00:00.001+01:00

Multiple US news sources are reporting that legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong has died at age 82. As the spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar mission, he became the first human being to land on the moon and step on its surface — where, as he bounced down from the spacecraft's ladder, he famously said "that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." NBC News says that Armstrong died today, a few weeks after he received a heart-bypass surgery.
Armstrong carried a number of daring titles over his long career. Shortly after his 20th birthday, he became an officially qualified Naval Aviator, and flew dozens of missions in the Korean War. Following his service with the Navy, Armstrong earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. He continued his career as an aviator after graduation, becoming an experimental test pilot. In 1962, he was asked to join the NASA Astronaut Corps, and eventually flew space missions in the Gemini and Apollo programs.

On July 20th, 1969, Armstrong and astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin spent three hours on the moon's surface, where they collected rocks, planted a US flag, took photos, and even spoke to President Richard Nixon on the phone. Since the moon landing, the pictures and words from Armstrong and Aldrin have inspired future generations to take interest in science and space exploration.
Armstrong's moon mission was his last, and he later became the Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA in Washington, DC. Just a year later, he left to become a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati, where he lived with his wife Carol until his death.

As CBS reports, Armstrong's family says that "while we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves." "The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down on you," his family says, "think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

APPLE VS SAMSUNG - THE VERDICT IS IN...

2012-08-25T00:41:00.000+01:00

In a landmark ruling in the Apple vs. Samsung patent trial, the jury has just awarded damages to Apple for Samsung's violation of its various software,hardware design patents, and trade-dress dilution. For its various violations, Samsung must pay Apple $1,051,855,000 in damages, the jury determined. The damages, by device, are as follows:

$57 million for the Samsung Prevail
$44,792,974 for the Infused 4G
$53,123,612 for the Mesmerize
$3,350,256 for the Replenish
$954,060 for the Transform

The jury was tasked with reviewing each patent, assigning a cumulative dollar amount to over 700 patent-specific questions. The jury returned a verdict after just two days of deliberation.

Then, after, the jury determined that no monetary damages are owed to Samsung for its counter-suit claims. During the course of the trial, Samsung claimed that Apple had violated five different utility patents with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and others.

Throughout the trial, trade dress is a term that has come up a lot — effectively, the debate hinges on whether or not there's an important connection between Apple's designs and consumers' perceptions of the companies. Apple alleged that Samsung copied its designs, and thus intentionally confused customers, "diluting" the brand and its connection with customers. The jury had to decide both whether there was anything to infringe, and whether or not Samsung did so. After 21 hours and 37 minutes of deliberation, the jury shared its verdict on a number of questions.

Is the iPhone's trade dress protectable? Yes, but only the iPhone 3G.

Did Samsung dilute the iPhone's trade dress? The registered iPhone and unregistered iPhone were diluted, but only those. The Fascinate, Galaxy S, Galaxy S 4G, Showcase, Mesmerize, and Vibrant are all found to have diluted the trade dress.

As for the iPad and the unregistered iPhone, the jury found no dilution of the devices' trade dress.

On the question of inducement — in other words, did the Korean company force its US divisions to infringe — the jury ruled yes to all devices on '381, yes for all devices but the Replenish on '915, and yes for all devices but the Captivate, Continuum, Gem, Indulge, Nexus S 4G, Transform, and Vibrant on '163. The jury also ruled that Samsung willfully violated all three software patents — and failed to prove that any of them were invalid — which lead to the monetary damages.

In the other direction, the jury ruled that Apple didn't infringe the software patents that Samsung was claiming: '711, '893, '460, and '516. Apple didn't prove that the patents were invalid, but in this case, it didn't matter.

All told, it's a huge starting win for Apple in which they didnt win everything, but they won enough to make this an historic day. Samsung will most likely appeal but you can be guaranteed that the result of this trial will open up a whole new can of patent worms in the tech world.

WE'RE BACK!

2012-08-24T17:34:00.000+01:00

Its been over a month since our last post but Technically Funny is back and raring to go! We took a break due to the islamic month of ramadan and now that its over, we are ready to do what we do best. We would like to thank everyone that stuck with us and feel humbled with the kind messages from our awesome readers. So, with the cheesy stuff over, lets take a look at all the stuff that went on shall we?

APPLE VS SAMSUNG TRIAL

After all the injuctions and smack talk, Apple and Samsung finally went into a courtroom in August to settle the patent and trade dress dipsute once and for all. To cut a long story short, its all been a bit of a circus with both sides trying to one up each other in the most ridiculous ways. Trial judge Lucy Koh has been getting very impatient with the lawyers with the result of asking one of the Apple lawyers if they were "on crack" after they issued a list of 22 witnesses they had yet to introduce even though their arguement time was pretty much over. At the time of writing, the case has gone to the jury to sift through the mountain of evidence and reach a verdict. Before it went to the jury, the Judge recommended that both companies CEO's meet one last time to see if anything can be settled out of court and although this meeting apparently took place, no agreement could be reached so its now in the hands of the jury. We're following this with a close eye as the repurcussions of this case will reach far and wide. We'll update you as soon as we know!

APPLE iPHONE 5 SET FOR SEPTEMBER 12TH ANNOUNCEMENT

After loads of images and videos of the new iPhones casing and smaller dock connecter were leaked, sources now point to a September 12th event in which Apple will not only reveal the new iPhone but also the new iPad Mini.The iPhone reveal is more of a safe bet although alot of images have been surfacing online claiming to be components of the smaller iPad. Whether this is all true or not, it looks like we wont be waiting too long as September approaches. Apple announced the iPhone 4S in October last year so it looks like the company have set their yearly iPhone launches to quarter 4 to aim for Christmas sales. We've already seen iOS 6 and know what to expect but as to the hardware the new software is designed for, lets hope Apple pull out another "Magical" device.

AMAZON SET PRESS CONFERENCE FOR SEPTEMBER 6TH

We can't say we didn't see this coming, but we're certainly excited at the potential that Amazon's upcoming press event holds. The online mega-retailer is doing a press conference on Thursday September 6th, and while there's not a lot in the way of info for the California-based event, we're guessing the word "Kindle" might come up once or twice... What can we expect? A Fire sequel? Some illuminated e-ink readers? Time will tell -- but no matter what it is, you can bet we'll be there to cover it.

FACEBOOK UPDATE iOS APP, NOW SUPER FAST

There's no visual overhaul as it just did yesterday with Facebook Messages, but Facebook has now announced an update for its iOS app that promises some fairly big improvements of its own. According to the company, the app was "rebuilt from the ground up," and is now twice as fast as the previous version. That includes a faster opening of the app itself, smoother and faster scrolling, and photos that are said to load "instantly" -- changes that are largely due to a switch from the old HTML5 code to iOS' native programming language. Unfortunately, we're not able to test those claims ourselves just yet, but Facebook says that the update (version 5.0) will be available later today.

MICROSOFT CHANGE LOGO AFTER 25 YEARS

Remember that time Microsoft teased what most sane humans thought were new logos? That was right around two years ago, but the branding you see above is no mistake -- that's the new Microsoft logo, landing just months after Windows 8's new flag and merely weeks before the aforesaid operating system takes the planet by storm. Astoundingly, it has been a full quarter-century since Microsoft gave itself a new logo, and while we're sure pundits will jump all over it just because "dealing with change is hard," there's no doubt that the outfit's new face is bold in its simplicity. Care to learn more? There's a happy-go-lucky video waiting just below.

We'll be back with the usual news and reviews as usual so make sure you keep it locked to Technically Funny!

ALLEGED iPHONE 5 PICTURED IN FULL FORM

2012-07-30T10:10:00.000+01:00

We've heard quite a bit about the "iPhone 5" — or whatever it'll be called — and we've already seen a handful of photos and a video of the supposed next-generation Apple smartphone. Now we're getting a complete picture of the device thanks to Chinese supplier iLab Factory. What's different this time is that the phone is fully assembled in the shots offered by the site. There's nothing terribly surprising, and we'll remain skeptical until Apple reveals the next-generation iPhone, but with so many matching parts appearing from multiple sources it's difficult to discount the device as a fake. As a reminder, the phone pictured is consistent with reports suggesting that Apple's next iPhone will have a smaller, 19-pin dock connector, and a taller, larger screen.

FACEBOOK AND HTC SMARTPHONE COMING 2013

2012-07-26T13:36:00.000+01:00

We'd previously heard rumors that HTC and Facebook were working together on a new Android smartphone back in April, and now there's a second source: Bloomberg West. The news program's Twitter account posted that the rumored phone, which DigiTimes had said was going to be released in 2012, is now headed for a release in the middle of next year. Other than that, details are still slim — and of course there's no official word yet from either Facebook or HTC — but we'll keep you updated with any new information.

Update: Bloomberg has now posted more information on the matter, reporting that the new HTC and Facebook collaboration had indeed been intended for release this year, but that the project was pushed back to give HTC time to attend to other products. The report reiterates earlier rumors that Facebook is developing the operating system for the phone atop Google's Android platform. Bloomberg also goes on to state that several ex-Apple employees Facebook has hired recently are working on the native iPhone application we heard about last month, with an initial release potentially just a couple of months away.

APPLE ANNOUNCES MOUNTAIN LION RELEASE FOR WEDNESDAY

2012-07-25T11:52:00.000+01:00

As part of its quarterly earnings press release, Apple has confirmed that OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, the latest version of its desktop operating system, will be released via the Mac App Store tomorrow. Priced at $19.99, Mountain Lion brings a number of elements from iOS to the Mac with new features including Notification Center, expanded iCloud support, Reminders, a revamped Messages app, and more. Fellow tech site The Verge took an in-depth look at an early preview of OS X 10.8 back in February, and Apple has also detailed each of the 200+ new features you'll find inside the OS starting tomorrow. When the moment does finally arrive, you'll need to be running either Mac OS X Lion or the most recent version of Snow Leopard (10.6.8) to upgrade.

JELLY BEAN 4.1 COMING TO HTC ONE X AND S

2012-07-20T10:47:00.000+01:00

If you’ve been wondering whether or not the HTC One X and One S are getting updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, wonder no longer — the answer is yes, sometime. We just received the following statement from Jeff Gordon, HTC's Global Online Communications Manager:

“We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean.”

Up until now, HTC had been mum on the subject of Jelly Bean updates, and the news is doubtlessly welcomed by the legions of One series owners out there with brand new devices. Unfortunately, the company's omission of the One V from the list doesn't bode well for that device's prospects. Motorola, Samsung, LG — the ball is now in your court

OFCOM: UK CONSUMERS TEXT MORE, TALK LESS

2012-07-19T15:37:00.000+01:00

Smartphone ownership and usage is on the rise, and UK consumers are gravitating toward texting over both phone calls and face-to-face communication. According to Ofcom's annual report, the volume of mobile calls has dropped for the first time ever — albeit slightly, just a little over one percent. Teens and young adults are leading this trend, with 90 percent of those aged 16 to 24 texting on a daily basis and 73 percent using social networking sites. In comparison, only 67 percent of those in this age group make daily phone calls. It's official: we're becoming a world who wants to talk to Siri and text Sarah.

Ofcom's report also notes that as of early 2012, about 39 percent of adults own a smartphone, a rise of 12 percent since 2010. Carriers are also gaining momentum in the UK, with 49 percent of all mobile subscribers on contract, the highest number yet. Another interesting tidbit shows a marked increase in tablet ownership, rising from two percent in 2011 to 11 percent in 2012. The trend will likely increase with 17 percent of households reporting the intention to purchase one in the next year. While these tablets are primarily used as entertainment devices, 63 percent of owners check email and 46 percent access social networks.

O2 SAY SORRY, OFFER £10 VOUCHER

2012-07-19T09:04:00.000+01:00

Following the PR disaster of their network going down for a day last week, O2 have released plans to compensate their customers who were unlucky enough to suffer from their latest network outage. O2 say the problems stemmed from a network malfunction which prevented certain mobile numbers from registering properly which left users with no signal. So more extravagant reasons like an Anonymous hack or a solar flare were put to bed but O2 did stress continuously over the outage that it wasn't a result of the hack. For full details of what O2 are offering as an apology, a quote from their official blog is below.

"We have now identified all those customers directly affected (those whose devices could not connect on our system) and we and are giving them the equivalent of three days back for the disruption as a gesture of goodwill and to say sorry.

Pay Monthly customers will receive 10% off their July subscription which will be applied on their September bill, which is equivalent to 3 days back
Pay & Go customers will receive 10% extra on their first top-up in September
(These will be applied automatically - you don't need to do anything to activate them)

To thank all our customers for supporting us through an unprecedented and difficult period, we are also giving everyone on O2 a £10 O2 voucher to spend in store. This will be redeemable via the O2 Priority Moments app or online at www.o2.co.uk/priority. It will be available between 1^st and 30^th September to download through Priority Moments and use in store, with no minimum spend."

WINDOWS 8 TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER 26TH

2012-07-18T21:56:00.000+01:00

Microsoft just announced the release date for the long-awaited Windows 8: consumers can get it on October 26th of this year —that's a Friday, for those marking their calendars. Steven Sinosfky made this announcement at Microsoft's annual sales meeting, and the Windows blog quickly shared the news. This launch date will apply to both upgrades or installs on a new PC. Microsoft's been hinting about October as a release date timeframe for months now, but now the countdown can truly begin in earnest.

UK JUDGE SAYS GALAXY TAB DOES NOT INFRINGE ON THE iPAD, DESIGN 'NOT AS COOL'

2012-07-10T14:38:00.000+01:00

A UK judge in the High Court of Justice's Chancery Division today ruled that Samsung's Galaxy Tab does not infringe upon the design of Apple's iPad because Samsung's tablet isn't well-designed enough to be confused with Apple's product. In the ruling, UK Judge Colin Biriss said that Galaxy Tab models "do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," concluding with the rather subjective claim that "they are not as cool." The court did find that there were major similarities in the design, noting that "the view from the front is really very striking. The Galaxy tablets are not identical to the Apple design but they are very, very similar in this respect." However, differences in the styling of the backs of the tablets and "the thinness of the Galaxy tablets" was apparently enough to overcome that front-facing similarity.

Regardless of the dig on Samsung's design sensibilities, the company has to be pleased with the ruling — according to Bloomberg, Samsung offered the following statement following its victory: "should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited." This victory is rather timely for Samsung — just last week, Apple won a preliminary injunction to prevent the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from being sold in the US. Overall, the UK courts haven't been quite as kind to Apple lately — the same UK High Court ruled last week that three of Apple's patent claims were invalid, bolstering HTC's defense against the company.

INTRODUCING GOOGLES NEXUS Q

2012-06-28T12:22:00.000+01:00

The Play Store may have spilled the beans ahead of schedule, but now Google has officially announced the Nexus Q, an audio and video streaming appliance for users at home. It's a cloud-oriented device, designed to pull media from the Google Play Store as well as YouTube. The Q delivers the media to your television or a set of external speakers — it features a 25-watt amplifier as well — and is powered by the same chipset as the Galaxy Nexus. It features ethernet, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity, and owners will be able to use their Android devices to control the streamer. Optical audio and micro-HDMI output are included, and the device also features banana-style connectors for connecting speakers.

Multiple Qs can be controlled from a given Android device, turning it into a multi-room solution, but the big selling point here is the social aspect. Different users can add music from their own Google Play music collection to the Q's queue, turning it into a clever option for parties or group events (Bowers & Wilkins offers similar collaborative functionality with its Air Zeppelin app for iOS). 32 LEDs ring the sphere-shaped device, and change color and rhythm depending on the music that's playing (the entire top of the device is a rotating volume control, while a capacitive touch sensor allows for quick and easy muting).

The same can be done with Play Store video content as well, with all media streaming from from the cloud and simply being controlled by a user's Android phone or tablet. Unfortunately the device appears to be limited to Google Play media at the moment, so fans of Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify may find the Q wanting. In connection with the Q, Google is also getting into the accessory game, selling a $399 pair of Triad speakers, and a pair of $49 speaker cables. The device is available for pre-order starting today for $299 directly from the Google Play Store — it's US-only for the moment — and will be shipping in July.

GOOGLE REVEAL ANDROID 4.1 JELLY BEAN

2012-06-28T12:10:00.000+01:00

The next major upgrade to Android will be version 4.1 Jelly Bean, it has been announced at Google I/O. Project Butter is the major new innovation in Android 4.1, focused on making the entire UI "fast, fluid and smooth." That includes triple buffering in the graphics pipeline, to ensure consistent frame rates with interface animations. Google's I/O demo showed two Galaxy Nexus devices side by side, one running Ice Cream Sandwich and the other on Jelly Bean, with the latter offering a significantly higher frame rate when navigating the Android UI.

Google Now is a big addition from the Android team, introducing a sort of self-aware quality to Android phones — automatically updating you on your favorite sports teams in real time, learning your commute route and checking traffic, and also providing public transit information when it senses you're close to a transport station. It seems to be a sort of personal assistant functionality, mixing in local location data for things like restaurants and trying to proactively anticipate the things that you'll want to search for before you.

Another significant new feature being introduced with Jelly Bean is Offline Voice Typing, no longer requiring a web connection to accept voice input. It's launching with US English first and will add other languages "soon." More linguistic news from Google: Arabic and Hebrew support has been improved, while 18 new languages are being added, including Persian.

Voice search has been much improved in Jelly Bean as well, with a very natural voice responding to your queries, with answers being returned "much faster." The onstage demo included the very challenging voice search query of "Show me pictures of pygmy marmosets," which the software returned perfect results for.

A small, but appreciable, improvement in homescreen management is the ability to move widgets around even with busy homescreens. Now, when you want to slide your widget around, icons will rearrange themselves automatically, or the widget itself will resize if you move it to a new homescreen.

The notifications tray is seeing a pretty major overhaul, too, with expanded Gmail notifications that include a richer preview of unread messages, while also giving you access to more options without needing to open the relevant app. You can +1 or share photos from Google+ without entering the application, just from the notifications tray. As Google describes it, Jelly Bean notifications are "actionable, they expand and collapse, and they're customizable."

Other additions include improvements to the camera and gallery applications, plus the introduction of app encryption — from Jelly Bean onwards, paid apps will be delivered with a device-specific key. Smart app updates will also be part of Android 4.1, so that you don't have to re-download the entire application for an incremental update.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will be distributed as an over-the-air update from mid-July to the Galaxy Nexus, the Motorola Xoom, and the Nexus S. No news on other ICS devices like the Galaxy S3 or HTC One X. Oh, and the first new device to run Jelly Bean? Why, it's the Nexus 7 tablet, of course. As a final surprise, Google announced that the Nexus 7 will be the first device to ship with Chrome as the default web browser.

GOOGLE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THE NEXUS 7 TABLET

2012-06-28T12:06:00.000+01:00

It's been leaked in full form since before I/O started, but only now is it official: the Nexus 7 tablet from Asus. Built for Google Play, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It has a 7-inch, 1280 x 800 HD display, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor with 12-core GPU, and 1GB RAM. There's also a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera and all the sensors you'd expect from a modern slate, including NFC (there is no 3G / 4G option). Google is touting nine hours of HD video playback and up to 300 hours of standby — although the product page quotes eight hours "of active use" on a 4325 mAh device — in a device that's 340 grams.

In case you had any doubt what Google thinks a 7-inch tablet is best for — and who it thinks its direct competitors are — the major push in the unveiling is media consumption. Music, movies, books, magazines, apps, and games. YouTube has been completely redesigned, and Google Maps has been optimized with new information overlays. Google on stage showed off Horn, a pretty stunning-looking 3D game, and Madfinger's zombie shooter Dead Trigger. Google says this is the first device that ships with Chrome as the standard browser.

The Nexus 7 starts at $199 for 8GB with $25 credit for Play Store (limited time only) — a 16GB model is available for $249. You can pre-order starting today from play.google.com with the tablet shipping mid-July. The UK pricing is £159 and £199, respectively, and also shipping around the same time.

Update: Asus put out its own press release on the Nexus 7, and there's a few details in there worth noting. Covering the front of the Nexus 7 is a layer of Corning FIT glass, while the display itself features Asus "TruVivid" technology. There's no details on what, if anything, that means in reality — but the Nexus 7 does have an IPS display with a 178-degree viewing angle. Asus also claims up to 9.5 hours of battery life; that's more than Google claims, so we'll have to wait until our review to see how it performs in reality. Lastly, there was a little more detail on the new "smart cover" — it's polymer with a matte texture, and will come in six different colors.

NINTENDO ANNOUNCES THE 3DS XL

2012-06-23T22:20:00.000+01:00

Nintendo is launching a new version of its 3DS handheld console, complete with screens that are 90% larger than those on the original model. The Nintendo 3DS XL will launch across Europe on 28 July.

The new version of the console will come in three new colour combinations – silver and black, red and black, and blue and black – and will be bundled with a 4GB SD card so buyers can immediately start downloading games from the Nintendo eShop.
However, the device will not ship with an AC adaptor in Japan or Europe – in its press release, Nintendo states that as most buyers will already own the original 3DS, an adaptor is being left out to allow for a lower retail price. An AC adaptor will be supplied with the console in North America.

The launch of the 3DS XL will be accompanied by the release of two games designed to exploit the larger screen sizes. New Art Academy is a follow-up to Nintendo's DS art game, which takes players through a series of lessons and projects. Freakyforms Deluxe Your Creations, Alive! is a pet game where you design and create your own creatures.
The new console was revealed on Thursday evening via the latest Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo's online news channel. The announcement also promised improved battery life for the device, despite its larger displays.
After a slow start, the 3DS console has sold almost 18m units since its launch in March 2011.
The device offers two displays, one of which features stereoscopic technology to provide a 3D effect without the need for glasses.

It also comes with a camera capable of capturing 3D photos and videos, as well as Wi-Fi internet access.
Nintendo has a policy of regularly updating its handheld consoles. The previous Nintendo DS device went through four major hardware iterations, ending with Nintendo DS XL in 2009.
This is set to be a vital year for the veteran video game manufacturer. The company reported its first ever annual loss last year, its accounts in the red to the sum of $500m.

However, this year sees, not only a re-designed 3DS, but also the winter launch of its Wii U console.

MASS EFFECT 3 WRAPS THINGS UP WITH EXTENDED ENDING THIS TUESDAY

2012-06-23T22:15:00.001+01:00

Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut DLC, which adds exposition to the game's highly controversial ending through a series of epilogues and cinematic sequences, will arrive on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this Tuesday, June 26. For European Shepards, the free update will be available on the PS3 on July 4.

The Extended Cut isn't a new ending for the game so much as it is a Director's Cut of sorts, which doesn't "fundamentally change the endings, but rather it expands on the meaning of the original endings, and reveals greater detail on the impact of player decisions," according to the BioWare Blog. Peep the video above for BioWare's potentially spoilersy discussion of the add-on with executive producer Casey Hudson and lead writer Mac Walters.

INTRODUCING WINDOWS PHONE 8

2012-06-23T22:08:00.000+01:00

Last week, Microsoft lifted the curtain to provide a preview of some of the software and hardware changes for its Windows Phone 8 operating system. NFC, dual- and quad-core support are all set, and Microsoft has shifted over to the NT kernel for Windows Phone 8 to make it even easier for developers to code for its mobile and desktop ecosystems. There's a new Wallet hub, deeper integration of Skype, and an updated Start Screen interface with support for small tiles. Despite the improvements and hardware support, Microsoft will not release this particular update to existing devices. Instead, the company plans to rollout a Windows Phone 7.8 update separately that will bring some of Windows Phone 8’s user interface changes to existing devices, but many of the other improvements will require new hardware.

After shipping an initial Windows Phone 7 release in November 2010 and a major 7.5 "Mango" update less than a year ago, Microsoft’s mobile efforts excel in some areas but also lack the big name app support and feature sets of its rivals iOS and Android. While Microsoft isn't discussing all of its Windows Phone 8 features today, it's clear the fundamental platform change will help the company achieve feature parity in some areas, greater support for a wide range of hardware, and ultimately attract new users to Windows Phone. Discover the first details about Windows Phone 8 right here.

WINDOWS CORE FOR WINDOWS PHONE 8
The biggest change in Windows Phone 8 is Microsoft's transition to the NT kernel and related operating system elements — defined as the Windows Core. Steve Ballmer and company have been hinting at the change for months, but Microsoft is detailing this fully today. Windows Phone 8 will share the same kernel, file system, media foundation, device drivers, and parts of the security model from Windows 8. While this might seem like overkill for a phone operating system, the core elements of the Windows NT architecture will allow Windows Phone 8 to support multi-core processors, device encryption, removable storage with microSD cards, and a whole host of improvements for IT pros and businesses.
Developers will also benefit from a shared Windows Core in Windows Phone 8. Rather than taking advantage of the .NET Compact Framework in Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone 8 moves to a Core CLR which will allow managed code to run in a manner identical to how it runs on desktop Windows, with improved performance benefits and shared components for developers to leverage across desktop and phone apps. Despite this change, all 100,000 existing Windows Phone apps will continue to run on Windows Phone 8. "We architected Windows Phone 8 in a way to drive full application compatibility so that every existing application will continue to run," says Microsoft's Larry Lieberman.

Developers will get access to new tools and an updated SDK later this summer that are based on Visual Studio 2012 — supporting apps for both Windows Phone and Windows Phone 8.
"Developers will be able to leverage one codebase to drive an application," says Lieberman. "They can use one code base to build applications that will run across Windows Phone and Windows 8 devices." The changes also mean that developers can use native C and C++ libraries, alongside SQLite and Direct X support. "This means is that it's going to be radically simpler for games studios to port their games to Windows Phone," explains Lieberman. "Developers will be able to build games for Windows and Windows Phone at the same time.

HARDWARE - MULTI-CORE PROCESSORS, THREE SCREEN RESOLUTIONS, NFC, AND FULL SD SUPPORT
With a shift to the shared NT kernel, Microsoft brings with it an array of support for multi-core processors and device drivers. "We have support for dual-core, quad-core, octo-core, in theory as many as 64-cores," says Lieberman, all as a direct result of the move to the Windows 8 Kernel. Although Microsoft isn't discussing hardware specifics and device announcements, the company is confirming there will be dual-core handsets initially. Those handsets will also support two new screen resolutions introduced in Windows Phone 8. Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, and HTC will all launch Windows Phone 8 hardware across 180 countries.
Windows Phone 8 will support three resolutions in total: WVGA, WXGA, and 720p. Discussing the various leaks about Windows Phone 8, Microsoft's Greg Sullivan confirmed to us that the company did have another resolution under consideration. "It was essentially 640 x 480 for a type of device that we're not gonna do." Microsoft dropped the idea primarily because of the disparity in aspect ratio and the impact on app developers. The three screen resolutions supported in Windows Phone 8 will have similar aspect ratios (two at 15:9 and one at 16:9) to ensure there's no separation in classes of applications. "A developer doesn't need to do anything to take advantage of the new screen resolutions," says Lieberman. "We will automatically scale all of the assets of the application appropriately." App developers will have the opportunity to optimize their apps with higher resolution imagery and additional assets, but they won't have to.

Microsoft will also officially support NFC directly within the Windows Phone operating system for the first time. Windows Phone 8 includes a new Wallet hub designed to support NFC payments and the ability to store credit card information, member cards, and frequent flier cards. "Google has the NFC payment part, Apple has the Passbook thing, we'll have both," says Sullivan. You can expect to see a variety of partnerships for NFC payments, including Chase bank, and Orange France. Microsoft is also showing off a way to surface deals in its Wallet hub, using Groupon to show a deal panel in the panorama of the hub itself. Additionally, there's a new feature called Tap + Send that takes advantage of Windows Phone 8's NFC hardware support. Similar to Android's Beam function, it allows you to bump a phone against another device to share content. Microsoft is integrating the tap feature into Windows 8 so content can be easily shared across the two operating systems.

Another big hardware change in Windows Phone 8 is full SD support, thanks again to the Windows 8 kernel. SD cards will act like removable external storage in Windows Phone 8, allowing users to transfer music, photos, video, and even install applications. Existing SD card support in Windows Phone 7 was always troublesome. Intended to be used only by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), only certain SD cards would work well enough to extend the storage system and the card could not be removed and used in another device. It was ugly and the majority of manufacturers opted to ditch micro SD slots on recent devices as a result. The new support will only be available to Windows Phone 8 devices, not existing Windows Phone 7 ones with SD slots.

WINDOWS PHONE 8 USER INTERFACE
The main Windows Phone 8 user interface change that Microsoft is showing right now is its improved Start Screen. "We're going to have three sizes of live tiles, small, medium, and large," says Sullivan, pointing out that the existing ones in Windows Phone 7 are medium and large versions. "The small tiles will enable us to fit more on the start screen, and to have things that don't require a lot of real estate to convey information." Inline with this change, Microsoft is also expanding the screen real-estate that you’re going to be able to place live tiles on. The trough along the right hand side of the Start Screen will now be filled with tiles. "It's going to fill up the whole screen," explains Sullivan.
Users will also get the ability to customize the size of every tile, so each one can now be small, medium, or large. Likewise, developers will now be able to create a custom large tile — something that was previously reserved for OEMs and Microsoft’s first party hubs in Windows Phone 7. Microsoft has updated its first-party apps to take advantage of the smaller tiles, and the company will automatically generate smaller tiles for third-party applications — providing developers with an option to create a custom version too. Although Microsoft isn’t discussing any further UI changes, the company is also showing off more color customization and personalization options for the new Start Screen in Windows Phone 8. Microsoft is also adopting Windows 8's Metro style logo for new Windows Phone 8 devices.

SKYPE AND VOIP INTEGRATION
We touched on Microsoft’s new Wallet NFC hub in Windows Phone 8, but the company has created other ways to extend existing hubs. "There's been discussion about native Skype integration," says Sullivan. "That's not really how I'd characterize this." Microsoft is building in the APIs and infrastructure to support generalized VoIP applications in Windows Phone 8, including Skype and others. "Skype largely will just be an application that you'll be able to download that will take advantage of the VoIP integration that we think will be industry leading," explains Sullivan. The integration means VoIP applications will become a full first-class app on Windows Phone 8 handsets, allowing them to integrate into the phone dialer, People Hub, and more. Sullivan believes the integration is so good that he jokes Apple should create its own FaceTime app on Windows Phone 8, "it'll actually be better integrated on Windows Phone than it is on the iPhone." The functionality is clearly a platform by itself, allowing app developers to plug into it in a seamless way. "Skype is fully gonna take advantage of that," says Sullivan, "but it'll still be an app you download."

Microsoft is also demonstrating its updated Internet Explorer 10 browser on Windows Phone 8. The new and improved browser borrows the same desktop code used in the Windows 8 Internet Explorer 10 variant, and brings with it some security-related improvements. Internet Explorer 10 mobile will include a phishing filter and Microsoft's SmartScreen URL reputation system — allowing Windows Phone 8 users to leverage the data used across millions of Windows systems to warn against malicious sites and phishing schemes. The company isn't revealing a whole lot more about its browser update for Windows Phone 8, although previous leaks suggest it might be preparing to leverage built-in server-side compression to reduce data usage.

Another big takeaway from the announcements is Microsoft’s work with Nokia. After announcing its partnership with the Finnish handset maker in early 2011, the pair have worked together on a range of Lumia handsets. Nokia is announcing today that it will be distributing a software update to enable internet tethering on its Lumia 710 and 800 handsets. That’s not the only announcement for today though. We knew Bing and Nokia’s Map technologies were slowly aligning, but Microsoft is taking that even further in Windows Phone 8. "Nokia Maps will now fuel the first party map experience on the device," explains Lieberman, "it will be available to third party developers as a control to add to their applications." The change will see Nokia’s NAVTEQ data fuel the mapping experience in Windows Phone 8 and "in a lot of other places too" for Microsoft’s services. Nokia Maps will bring support for offline maps and better global coverage of mapping data — something that Microsoft’s Bing Maps lacked previously. Microsoft isn’t saying exactly how the experience will be branded, but Lieberman says it’s "going to be very clear to users" that it’s fuelled by Nokia data.

RELEASE DATE?
So, when is Windows Phone 8 arriving? Much like Microsoft’s Surface tablet devices, the company isn’t disclosing availability dates just yet. "We’re saying fall for availability of new phones running Windows Phone 8," says Sullivan. Existing Windows Phone 7.x users will also receive the 7.8 update around that time, bringing UI updates and other undisclosed "core customer experiences." From our early discussions with Microsoft it appears Windows Phone 8 is still very much a work in progress at this stage, but the company is planning some type of program to seed developers with pre-release hardware — as its done in the past for Mango. The update feels like a promising one for potential Windows Phone candidates, but we get the feeling existing Windows Phone users might feel a little left out by the sweeping hardware changes that are coming. The company is clearly trying to address some changes in its phone operating system by appeasing existing users with an update, but it’s unclear at this stage exactly how much functionality Windows Phone 7.8 will gain from its 8.0 counterpart.

Nevertheless, Microsoft is taking a giant step towards a future where developers can write once and run everywhere (Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox) with some minor tweaks and changes. Such a step might open its phone platform to the quality apps it so badly needs and deserves. Although SDK and developer tools details are thin on the ground, it appears as though Microsoft has addressed some common complaints around application development for Windows Phone. Metro is about to get its biggest test yet with Windows 8 in a few months time. If Windows 8’s Metro style applications are a hit then that’s bound to benefit Windows Phone 8 too, as developers have an easier way to share common code across each platform. Alternatively there’s the possibility that app developers will stick to the x86 platform and continue to push desktop apps, avoiding Microsoft’s Metro world. It seems unlikely that developers would want to ignore an opportunity on millions of potential Windows 8 PCs and phones, but a number of them have ignored Windows Phone so far. Now it seems Microsoft is willing to partially ignore its existing user base of Windows Phone 7 users in its strive towards greater hardware support and features in Windows Phone 8. Microsoft’s vague details on Windows Phone 7.8 leave it as an unknown entity that could generate ill-feeling towards the company from recent, or even early Windows Phone adopters.

Whatever happens, there’s a lot more to Windows Phone 8 than Microsoft has unveiled. Whether that results in some feature improvements across the board, backported to Windows Phone 7.8, remains to be seen — but Microsoft will be hopeful that its small taster session will be enough to satisfy Windows Phone fans for now.