Magazine

LATEST SMARTPHONE, TABLET AND APP REVIEWS
ANDROID
ISSUE
05
ADVISOR
QUAD HD
LG G3
The best
smartphone
you can buy
THE BEST DEVICES

STILL TO COME
PLUS:
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Welcome...
W
e thought wed already seen the best of

what Android has to offer the smartphone
world in 2014. The Samsung Galaxy S5,
HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2 are outstanding
devices, but theres little to separate them.
Three important things happened this month in
the smartphone world: rst, LG announced the rst
Quad HD smartphone in its G3; second, previously
unknown startup OnePlus entered the arena with its
high-performance, low-cost One device; and third,
someone nally stole the best budget crown from
the Moto G youll never guess who.
The OnePlus One has specs to match 2014s
agship Androids, but costs around half the price.
We grab a hands-on with the OnePlus One on
page 78, and check out that gorgeous true-to-life
display from LG on page 40. As to who stole the
budget crown well, it was Motorola, of course. We
compare the Moto G and 89 Moto E on page 58.
Of course, were only at the end of May, and its
just possible that things will get even better still.
Read on for news of upcoming devices such as the
Google Nexus 8 (page 3), Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
(7), S5 Active (9), S5 Prime (14) and Galaxy K Zoom
(16), the Sony Xperia Z3 (19), and the HTC One M8
Prime (22) and Ace (24).
As always, we hope youve enjoyed this issue of
Android Advisor. Please send us your feedback via
Facebook (facebook.com/AndroidAdvisorUK) or
email us at marie_brewis@idg.co.uk.
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Coming soon:
Google Nexus 8
With Googles I/O conference scheduled for late June,
could we see a new Nexus tablet and new Android?
he Nexus 8 is set to be Googles next new

Android tablet. It will follow on from the Nexus
7, which is still one of the best tablets around,
and could be here within the next few months.
Release date
The Nexus 8 release date is somewhat up in
the air, with initial rumours citing an unnamed
Dublin-based Google employee and suggesting
the Nexus 8 would be announced in July, not at
Googles forthcoming I/O developer conference.
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The original Nexus 7 and the 2013 revision both

launched in July, so this would follow tradition.
However, rumours that the Nexus 8 will be unveiled at
Google I/O, which kicks off on 25 June, still abound.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the
tablet, which is part of Project Tango, could be
released ahead of the companys annual developer
conference, scheduled for the end of June.
We think Google I/O is the most likely time for the
device to be introduced, and this is fuelled further
by the inclusion of an unknown tablet shown on the
website for the event (pictured on previous page).
Price
The rumour mill has yet to spit out any information
on the Nexus 8s price. With the device expected
to be slightly larger than the Nexus 7, which sells
for 199, and to come with improved specications,
we wouldnt be surprised if there is a small price
increase, although Google will still be keen to

undercut its rivals. Google doesnt look to make
a prot on its hardware, rather the software and
content available through Google Play.
However, pricing will also be largely dependent on
the materials used to make the Nexus 8, and whether
it is metal or plastic for example is still unknown.
Specication
The same source who revealed the July release

date said Google will no longer produce a 7in tablet,
instead moving things up to 8in. This change would
mean the Nexus 8 will more closely rival devices
such as the iPad mini, LG G Pad 8.3 and Samsung
Google doesnt look to make a profit on

its hardware, rather the software and content
available through Google Play
Galaxy Note 8.0. The big question is who will
make the Nexus 8?
Digitimes originally reported that Google will
partner with Asus for the Nexus 8, having built both
versions of the Nexus 7. However, it now claims
Google has changed its mind and plumped for
HTC, which is a strange move, given its limited
experience with tablets.
Meanwhile, Google has also been tipped to be
partnering with LG on a Nexus tablet, although this
could well be the next version of the Nexus 10.
The Wall Street Journal claims the Nexus 8 will
be equipped with two back cameras, infrared depth
sensors and advanced software that can capture

precise three-dimensional images of objects.
Android Pit reports that the Nexus 8 will follow
Apples lead and feature a 64-bit processor. Its
rumoured that Google will ditch Qualcomm and its
reliable Snapdragon chips for Intels Mooreeld,
which is clocked at 2.33GHz and features a PowerVR
G6430 GPU.
Software
New Nexus devices are often launched alongside a
new version of Android. So, along with the Nexus 8
we could see a new version of KitKat, or a version
of Android that uses the next letter in the alphabet
L, and expected to be Lollipop.
Coming soon:
Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
Samsungs Galaxy S5 has been with us a few months
now, so wheres its little bro got to?
raditionally, Samsung unveils a compact

version of its agship device shortly after its
launch. If you like the look of the Samsung
Galaxy S5, but want something a bit smaller and more
budget-friendly, the Galaxy S5 mini could be just the
smartphone for you.
Release date
Theres no official
word from Samsung
on a Galaxy S5 mini
launch event or
release date, but
the smartphone
is rumoured to
be arriving in the
second quarter of
2014. This means
we should see it
before the end of
June possibly
at Samsungs
12 June Galaxy
Premiere event.
Price
Pricing information for the S5 mini is based on pure

speculation for now. The Galaxy S4 mini came in at
around 380 on a SIM-free basis, and we expect the
Galaxy S5 mini to follow suit. Our money is on 399.
The Galaxy S5 mini will feature

a 4.5in Super AMOLED screen with
a 720p resolution
Specication
More concrete details on this compact smartphones
spec have leaked. For example, SamMobile reports
that the Galaxy S5 mini will feature a 4.5in Super
AMOLED screen with a 720p resolution. Thats a
reasonable amount smaller than the 5.1in screen
found on the full-size Galaxy S5 and an improvement
on the quarter-HD resolution of the Galaxy S4 mini.
The Galaxy S5 mini will come with Android 4.4
KitKat and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon
processors. Which chip is unclear, but its likely to be
the Snapdragon 400, according to SamMobile.
Samsung is reportedly packing the Galaxy S5 mini
with 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, an 8Mp
rear camera, 2Mp front camera, an infrared transmitter
and a 2100mAh battery. Its a similar spec to that of
the Galaxy S4 mini, but the phone is tipped to come
with an IP67-certied dust- and waterproof design.
The S5 mini is unlikely to come with the S5s
ngerprint scanner and heart-rate monitor.
Coming soon:
Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
The S5 is already dust- and waterproof, but apparently
it still isnt rugged enough for some users
hen Samsung released the Galaxy S4 it

followed up the popular handset with four
slightly different versions that appealed
to a range of users. We had the S4 mini, a more
compact, less powerful handset that also came in at
a slightly cheaper price; we had the S4 Google Play
Edition, which ran a vanilla Android OS; there was
the S4 Zoom, which featured a 16Mp camera; and
then there was the S4 Active, a dustproof, waterproof,
rugged version of the standard Galaxy S4 designed
for those with an active lifestyle.
The Galaxy K Zoom has already been announced,

and there have been rumours of an S5 mini (see
previous article) and a new S5 Prime (see next article).
But we had assumed, given the Galaxy S5s dust- and
waterproong credentials, an Active version would
not be required. Isnt the Samsung Galaxy S5 already
a rugged smartphone?
We were wrong, it would appear, according to
several videos posted on YouTube by TK Tech News.
Release date
Samsungs Galaxy Premiere press event is
scheduled for 12 June in New York. We wouldnt
be surprised to see the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
make its appearance at this event, making it likely
that the S5 Active will be available to buy in the
UK by the end of June. After all, at last years
Premiere event we saw the appearance of the
S4 mini, Active and Zoom.
Price
Amazon lists the Samsung Galaxy S4 Actives RRP
as 580, although it is currently selling there for
285. By comparison, the standard S4 has an RRP
of 629, yet sells for 310. The S5, meanwhile, has
an RRP of 599 and sells for around 495. Following
this pattern, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active will
probably have an RRP around 550, and quickly be
discounted below 500.
Design
The only major differences between the Galaxy S4
and Galaxy S4 Active were its slightly sturdier (by
this we mean slightly chunkier, taller and heavier),
water- and dustproof body, lower camera resolution
(8Mp vs 13Mp) and underwater photography mode,

plus three plastic hardware buttons on its front.
From the videos we can see the Galaxy S5 Active
retains the Galaxy S4 Actives hardware buttons, plus
you can see S5-specic features such as the heartrate sensor. Once again, it looks a little larger than
the standard version, and features a metal (possibly
aluminium) chassis with hard rubberised corners to
protect against damage. The rubber waterproong
seal is deeper than that of the standard S5,
suggesting it will survive longer underwater.
Specications
As is seen in the video, the Samsung Galaxy S5
Active is running Android KitKat 4.4.2 and has the
model number SM-G870A. A device known as
the Samsung SM-G870 is listed in the GFXBench
results database, where it is said to be running a
2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with
Adreno 330 graphics, 1.8GB of RAM and 11GB of

storage (thatll be 16GB minus KitKat and Samsungs
additional software), which are in line with the
Samsung Galaxy S5 itself.
However, GFXBench suggests it has a 5.2in
(1920x1080) screen and a 15Mp rear camera (the
standard S5 has a 16Mp model). These are promising
specs, given that the previous S4 Active featured a
lower-quality LCD screen and its camera halved the
number of megapixels offered by the standard S4. TK
Tech News believes both to be AMOLED screens.
In the GFXBench T-Rex test the S5 Active scored
28fps, and it managed 12fps in Manhattan. These are
identical to our own results for the Samsung Galaxy
S5, which again suggests not much has changed on
the hardware front.
In the Geekbench 3 test, TK Tech News has shown
the Galaxy S5 Active scoring 952 points in the singlecore test, and 2,878 points in the multi-core test. This
is actually very slightly faster than our own benchmark
results for the Samsung Galaxy S5.
New features
Although the hardware specs remain largely the
same, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active does have
another feature in addition to the standard Galaxy
S5: an Activity Zone and dedicated Activity Key.
According to yet another video posted by TK Tech
News, the Activity Zone holds features exclusive to
the S5 Active, including a shortcut to S Health and
access to the phones compass, barometer, stopwatch
and torch features.
The Activity Key button itself can also be used to
snap a photo with a long press.
Coming soon:
Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime
A common complaint of the Galaxy S5 is its plastic build.
A metal-clad Prime version could x that
amsung is set to launch a Prime version of its

Galaxy smartphone. Its thought to be a higherspec handset with a brushed-metal nish.
Release date
Samsung has made no reference to the Galaxy
S5 Prime, yet the device is thought to be coming
in June perhaps at Samsungs 12 June Galaxy
Premiere event.
Price
Were speculating on the price, but with an improved
build and specications over the standard S5 youll
need deep pockets. Right now you can buy the
S5 SIM-free for around 495, and even when it
launched it was available some 50 below its 599
RRP. We expect the S5 Prime will cost closer to
600, with an RRP possibly around 650.
Specications
When we reviewed the Galaxy S5 we criticised its
plastic build and we werent the only ones to do
so. Rumoured to feature an aluminium chassis the
Galaxy S5 Prime could address this problem.
Leaked photos have surfaced online that show a
brushed-metal frame, but a similar perforated rear to
the standard S5.
LG has just unveiled its Quad HD G3, and Samsung
may well do the same for its S5 Prime albeit on a
smaller 5.2- rather than 5.5in screen.
Other possible hardware specs for the Galaxy
S5 Prime include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805
processor, an Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM.
These are all upgrades compared to the Samsung
Galaxy S5, which has a Snapdragon 801, Adreno
330 graphics and 2GB of RAM.
Its thought that the Galaxy S5 Prime will come
preloaded with Android 4.4.3 KitKat and, no doubt,
Samsungs TouchWiz user interface.
Based on the leaked photos, the Galaxy S5 Prime
will retain the ngerprint scanner and heart-rate
monitor of the standard S5. It also has a ap covering
the microUSB port, so it looks as though its also
dust- and waterproof.
Coming soon:
Samsung Galaxy K Zoom
A variant of the Samsung Galaxy S5 with a monster
20.7Mp camera is available to pre-order now
he Samsung Galaxy K Zoom is available to

pre-order now, and will ship on 29 May if
bought SIM-free through Samsung, or within
the second week of June when purchased on a
contract via the Carphone Warehouse.
Price
You can pre-order the K Zoom through the Carphone
Warehouse, with the handset available free with a
28 per month contract. Alternatively, a SIM-free
version costs 400 from Samsungs e-store.
Camera
Like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, the K Zoom is
hybrid device, melding an Android smartphone with
the bigger lens of a point-and-shoot camera. The
handset has a camera with a 10x optical zoom, using
a 20.7Mp backside-illuminated CMOS sensor for
better low-light photography.
Auto focus functions, lter settings and object
tracking are among the additional features built into
the device, along with a so-called Sele Alarm. The
Galaxy K also comes with a front-facing 2Mp camera.
In terms of video shooting, the phone can record at a
1920x1080 full-HD resolution at 60fps.
Design and specication

Outside of its camera functions, the Galaxy K Zoom
has a similar look to Samsungs agship S5, with the
same textured rear. The Galaxy K Zoom, however,
has a smaller display at 4.8in, with a resolution of
only 1280x720 pixels.
The phone doesnt have the ngerprint sensor
found in the S5, but it does feature the same Ultra
Power Saving Mode to help prolong battery life.
Inside the handset is a Samsung hexacore
chip that uses both 1.3GHz quad-core and 1.7GHz
dual-core processors. The phone has 2GB of RAM
and only 8GB of internal storage, but theres a
microSD slot for expansion.
As a hybrid device, the phone retains much of the
thickness of last years Galaxy S4 Zoom, bulging at
20.2mm. But the phone weighs 8g less at 200g.
Coming soon:
Sony Xperia Z3
Sony isnt one to hang around, and having only just
launched the Z2 its already thinking about the Z3
nlike Samsung, LG and HTC, Sony isnt one

to hang around a year to upgrade its agship
smartphone. In February last year we saw the
arrival of the Sony Xperia Z, which was replaced with
the Xperia Z1 in the September of that same year. Six
months later we saw the arrival of the Z2, unveiled at
Mobile World Congress in February and on sale in the
UK by March. So whats going to happen in August/
September 2014? Well give you three guesses.
Price
Lets have a look at how
much Sony has charged
in the UK for its previous
Xperia smartphones
to enable us to take a
realistic guess at what the
Sony Xperia Z3 will cost.
The rst Z-series
model, the Xperia Z, has
an RRP of 549 and now
sells for 277. Sony got
greedy with its successor,
the Xperia Z1, setting an
RRP of 599. That phone
now sells for 363. It must
Its not a lot to

go on, but this
could be the
Sony Xperia Z3s
metal frame
have learned from that handset, though, as the latest

in Sonys Z-series line-up, the Z2, went on sale with an
RRP of 559. The Z2 costs around 538 SIM-free.
So, what does this tell us? Sony knows it cant get
away with charging circa-600 for its agship Xperia
smartphone, but its not prepared to drop much lower
than 550, even several months after its launch and
its rival, the Samsung Galaxy S5, is now available SIMfree below 500. And lets not forget that by the time
August/September comes around, both the Galaxy S5
and HTC One M8 and the soon-to-be-released LG
G3 will cost much less still.
How much will the Sony Xperia Z3 cost in the UK,
then? Our guess: 550- to 575.
Design
Early rumours of the Sony Xperia Z3 stem from

photos leaked on Chinese website Mobile.it168, and
theres been no conrmation from Sony that they are
genuine. Regardless, lets look at what we can glean
about the Sony Xperia Z3 from the leaked photos.
The Sony Xperia Z3 is equipped with a metal
frame, which reportedly has a PVD coating that
creates an attractive mirror-like nish akin to that
of stainless steel. We suspect the Z3 will follow the
square-ish design of earlier Z-series handsets, but
this one will be both thinner and stronger than ever,
more resilient to accidental damage from bumps
and scrapes.
The Z3 will follow the square-ish design

of earlier Z-series handsets, but this one will
be thinner and stronger than ever
Specications
The website also reports that the Sony Xperia Z3
will be signicantly faster and more powerful than
its predecessor, packed with a 2.5GHz Qualcomm
Snapdragon 801 processor that uses the Krait 450
architecture, 3GB of RAM and Adreno 420 graphics.
As was the case with the Sony Xperia Z2, well see a
20.7Mp camera on the rear of the Sony Xperia Z3.
However, rather than follow in LG (with the G3)
and Samsung (with the Galaxy S5 Prime)s QuadHD footsteps, the website claims that Sony will
concentrate primarily on performance and stick
with a full-HD display.
Coming soon:
HTC One M8 Prime
Smartphone screens just arent big enough these days.
HTC is stretching to 5.5in with its One M8 Prime
he HTC One M8 Prime is HTCs replacement

for the HTC One Max: a large-screened phablet
with a beautiful display, intended to replace
both your phone and your tablet.
According to the internet rumour mill, fuelled
principally by generally credible HTC-watching sites
such as EVLeaks, HTCSoku and GSM Arena, the
HTC One M8 Prime will have a massive 5.5in display,
with a 2K full-HD resolution. Expect a super LCD3
capacitive touchscreen boasting 16M colours, with a
massive 534ppi pixel density.
On the design front
it will supposedly be
made of a combination
of aluminum and liquid
silicone. Matching the
Galaxy S5 and Xperia
Z2, it will also be dustand waterproof.
Performance is
also likely to be
immense: expect 3GB
of RAM to be paired
with Qualcomms
Snapdragon 805 or
810 CPU.
The HTC One M8 Prime is tipped to launch on

Android 4.4.3, although weve also seen Android 4.4.2
quoted. Given that the standard HTC One M8 runs
Android 4.4.2, this may be more likely. The device will
be the rst to come with HTCs Sense 6.5 interface.
We expect the HTC One M8 Prime to feature an
updated UltraPixel camera: the word is that the HTC
One M8s UltraPixel camera will be upgraded from
4- to 5Mp. Weve also read suggestions that the
secondary camera will be a 18Mp unit, although that
seems outlandish at this stage.
Other things to expect: the HTC One M8 Prime will
be a 4G-capable GSM, HSDPA, LTE handset that takes
a nano-SIM. It will feature Cat 6 LTE.
Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi will
of course be present, as well as NFC. Youll sync and
charge via USB 2.0. We expect the now-standard
16- and 32GB onboard storage avours, with a
microSDXC card slot able to take up to 128GB cards.
Expect Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
and barometer sensors, and a huge but nonremovable battery.
Release date
We expect the Prime to launch globally in the third
quarter of this year perhaps in October 2014 to
kick off the Christmas buying season, and to match
the launch of the HTC One Max.
Price
Theres no word on pricing, but we can make some
assumptions based on the cost of components and
the price of the HTC One Max when it launched.
Expect the HTC One M8 Prime to cost 550- to 600.
Coming soon:
HTC One M8 Ace
Weve seen bigger and better, now lets see cheaper.
The Ace is a plastic version of the M8 with similar specs
hotos of the HTC One M8 encased in a plastic

shell have been spotted online, rst at ifanr and
ePrice, and then new front and rear shots were
posted by evleaks. Could this be a cheaper, plastic
version of the HTC One M8?
Release date
According to ePrice, the HTC One M8 Ace is on
the verge of an official release. Following the
spectacular PR job HTC did with the One M8, the
HTC One mini 2 was conrmed via a press release,
so this really wouldnt surprise us. Indeed, according
to the website, the HTC One M8 Ace could go on
sale in June.
Price
Despite its 549 RRP, you can buy the HTC One M8
for around 520 SIM-free. Were still waiting for HTC
to conrm the official UK pricing of the HTC One mini
2, but we expect it to cost around 350 (you can still
buy the original HTC One mini SIM-free for 313).
The HTC One M8 Ace will fall somewhere in
the middle of these two devices, with the high-end
specs of the HTC One M8, but the 13Mp camera
of the HTC One mini 2 and a plastic rather than
90 percent metal chassis.
So how much will the HTC One M8 Ace cost if it

makes its way to the UK? Our guess: 400 to 450.
Hardware and performance

Both ePrice and ifanr are agreed that, just like the
HTC One M8, the HTC One M8 Ace will feature a
2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
and, we suspect, Adreno 330 graphics and 2GB of
RAM. We can therefore assume that performance
will be the same, which is to say very good.
The two sites are also agreed that the HTC One
M8 Ace will feature the same 5in full-HD screen as its
more expensive sibling.
However, the HTC One M8 will cut down on costs
rst by losing the One M8s 90 percent metal case,
and secondly by swapping its Duo Camera with the
13Mp model with BSI sensor and f/2.2 lens found on
the HTC One mini 2. Like the smaller HTC, the One
M8 Ace should be capable of full-HD video recording.
Coming soon:
Google Glass
Google Glass is causing a stir in the technology world,
but it is difficult for just anyone to get hold of a pair
oogle has announced that after previously

keeping a tight reign on Glass sales and
although the prototype product remains in
beta anyone can now buy a Google Glass headset,
in the US. So long as Google has stock it is on sale.
Google said it is still looking for early adopters, also
known as Explorers, while engineers continue to work
on the hardware and software and third parties add
to the ecosystem of apps. But that it is opening up

sales. For now, the Google Glass headset is available
for sale only in the US, where it costs $1,500, although
the team noted that they hope to make Glass more
widely available in the future.
Right now, UK purchasers will need to get a US
friend or relative to buy their headset, and then ship
it over. Its possible Google Glass headsets will now
appear on eBay, too. In the past when purchasers had
to be invited Google prevented such sales.
Glass is expected to come out of beta and be
officially available for sale sometime this year. Expect
the UK to be the next market targeted by Google.
What is Google Glass?

Googles Project Glass is the next step in wearable
technology from smartwatches. In simple terms,
Google Glass is the technology behind a smart
pair of glasses. Right now only Google makes
Google Glass hardware, but in the future it expects
spectacles manufacturers to make the hardware

using Googles own software and third-party apps.
The current, Google-made glasses dont have
lenses, but instead feature a battery powered headsup display (HUD) that sits just above the right eye. You
simply glance upward to view whats on the display.
Its a bit like having your smartphone built into a pair
of glasses, and in the future prescription glasses
wearers will be able to add Google Glass to their bins.
Googles Project Glass was announced in 2012 as
a concept which many pigeon-holed as vapourware,
something that would never come to fruition. It
was given the unofficial name of Google Goggles.
However, Google has continued development and is
well on the way to launching the nal product.
We think technology should work for you to be

there when you need it and get out of your way when
you dont, said Google.
A group of us from Google X started Project
Glass to build this kind of technology, one that
helps you explore and share your world, putting
you back in the moment.
What can Google Glass do?

With the combination of the HUD, a camera,
microphone and GPS, Google Glass can carry out
various tasks much like a smartphone. To get a
list of options you say Ok Glass.
From here on you can use your voice to operate
Google Glass. For example, it can take a picture if
you say take a picture or send a message that you
dictate. It can also record video, provide information
via a Google search, give directions, translate your
voice and perform a Google Hangout video call.
Additionally, with Google Now, Google Glass can
provide information before you even attempt to
search for it. For example, it can provide details of a
ight. Developers are also creating apps for Google
Glass so theres plenty of potential for other functions.
Does it work with normal glasses?

The Explorer edition of Google Glass isnt
compatible with regular glasses. However, Google
has launched its range of prescription frames that

includes two twist-on sunglasess. Its called the
Titanium Collection and consists of four different
feather-light styles thin, bold, curve and split.
The prescription frames are priced at $225 on
top of the regular price of Google Glass.
Is there a Google Glass app?

Yes. Google has launched an app called MyGlass
to go with Google Glass. It requires Android 4.0.3
Ice Cream Sandwich or later. It can be used to
congure and manage Google Glass.
What colours of Google Glass are there?

Google Glass will be available in ve colours:
Charcoal, Tangerine, Shale, Cotton and Sky. In other
words, black, orange, grey, white and blue.
The future of apps

for smartglasses
Experts explore the future of apps for smartglasses, from
cooking and tness to apps for surgeons and engineers
here has certainly been a buzz surrounding

wearable tech in recent months, but most of
the spotlight has been taken by wrist-worn
smartwatch devices. However, the other type of
wearable tech thats emerging from companies
including Google and Sony is smartglasses
head-mounted displays that are generally controlled
using voice commands.
Smartglasses arent exactly mainstream yet.
Arguably the most famous of the bunch is Google
VELA

SONY
Glass, but the prototype is still available only in the

US and costs $1,500 (around 900).
Sonys venture into the smartglasses market is the
Sony SmartEyeglass, which is also still in prototype
form. Other notable smartglasses include the
ReconJet, Vuzix M100 and GlassUp.
With all these devices currently being tested
and improved, its not going to be long before we
begin seeing them released for businesses and
consumers to use, but what exactly are we going
to be using smartglasses for?
We spoke with three experts from app design
agencies already investigating smartglasses apps.
Will anyone actually use smartglasses?

Matt Pollitt, director at digital design agency 5K,
which is currently working on a sailing app for
smartglasses, suggests that the technology will
eventually be as popular and game-changing as

smartwatches, if not even more so.
Smartglasses will not just be a scaled-down
add-on to existing devices, but an augmentation
of a users primary sense, he tells us. It will open
up an entirely new market of wearable devices
and their corresponding apps, which we are
really excited about.
Right now, one of the major things holding
smartglasses back is the way they look, but Pollitt
has high hopes for the future. As with all mobile
technology, it will minaturise, become more discreet
and sophisticated, and therefore more popular,
he says. However, at the moment one of the main
barriers we feel as being currently prohibitive to
wide-scale adoption is the fact that the technology
is still so prominent on your face.
GOOGLE
GLASS
Unfortunately, no matter how cool tech-wise

some of these products are, when it comes to
wearing one for 10-16 waking hours of the day
I would feel like a complete wally, he adds, and
we have to agree. Once this barrier is removed,
with the introduction of smart contact lenses or some
other non-obtrusive way of having a HUD (head-up
display), we really think they will become something
people will use all the time.
Richard Goodrum, COO of Race Yourself, a
tness app designed for Google Glass, also believes
smartglasses will be popular in the long term.
Smartwatches have for now taken centre stage.
However, given that the technology is there and
No matter how cool some of these

products are, I would feel like a complete
wally wearing them
that so many companies are working on smartglass
technologies, I believe its only a matter of time.
We are likely to see smartglasses break into
industries rst, so I believe well see the technology
being used in areas such as engineering, surgery
and also in labs before it hits the high street, adds
James Deakin, technology director at service
design company Fjord. It is going to take time for
smartglasses, in their current form, to break down
social conventions and reach critical mass.
Currently smartglasses are little more than a
notication system for your smartphone, and until
we start to see real everyday benets for this type
RECON
JET
of technology, whether that be in a corporate setting

or for consumers, it is going to be hard for people to
understand the benets, Deakin explains.
What kinds of apps will smartglasses run?

If smartglasses do eventually take off, itll be
largely because of the apps that they can run.
After all, the hardware is nothing without the
software to make it useful.
There are many different types of apps that can
work well with smartglasses. So far, weve seen
everything from maps, games and photography apps
to tness, home automation and cooking apps.
Its an exciting time for smartglasses and their
apps, says Pollitt, adding that its a completely
different kind of app that needs to be built for
smartglasses, as they have parameters that are so
vastly different from any other device on the market.
Exploring new technologies that can change
the way people react with content is always a
fantastic thing, Pollitt continues. Only by taking
on these new challenges can you start to push the
boundaries of whats possible. Glasses and HUDs

are just another platform with specic environmental

and contextual considerations for delivering new and
exciting digital experiences.
Goodrum adds that itll be practical applications
that offer the end user real value thatll be successful
for smartglasses. For example, when I use Google
Glass, I particularly love the directions and cooking
apps, he explains. Its incredibly useful to be
hands-free during both activities and not having
to look down at my phone.
It is a little early to tell exactly which apps will be
successful and which will be complete failures.
Smartglasses arent accessible to all, so its hard to
predict how they will be used and what consumers
will demand from smartglasses, says Deakin.
We see sport and tness as a massive area,
Goodrum goes on to say. Both amateur and
VUSIX
M100
GLASSUP
professional athletes are huge fans of tness apps,

however the reality is that they can be dull and do
little to motivate. Were looking to change that in
a big way with visual real-time feedback.
The possibilities are vast, agrees Pollitt. There
are new avenues to explore with regards to a wholly
hands-free experience. Voice activation for example
and a truly barrier-free augmented reality with
seamless integration of real and virtual worlds leads
to hundreds of new possibilities.
We are building a digital tness platform across
mobile and wearables, says Goodrum as an example,
referring to the Race Yourself app. Our games and
challenges motivate racers to achieve their personal
best by allowing them to live-race a three-dimensional
avatar of themselves (previous run/cycle), their

friends, celebrities, or even esh eating zombies

pursuing at their target pace. Race Yourself will
provide you with real-time on-screen encouragement
during your exercise.
Meanwhile, Pollitts app, VELA, is designed for
sailing enthusiasts. Its a sailing tool that sits across
your tablet and the Recon Jet to provide a connected
ecosystem for the sailing community, both on and
off the water. The tablet experience allows you to
plan, share and sync your sailing activities, giving
you access to live information through the Recon Jet
glasses as you sail.
The reason we chose to use Recon Jet as the
smartglass platform is that it is designed for a specic
There are plenty of situations where

voice commands arent appropriate or are
even quite rude
use case sporting activities, Pollitt continues. The
glasses are designed to be used when performing a
specic task, so it doesnt interfere with general social
interaction and becomes a really focused experience,
augmenting existing aides.
Coupled with the fact that the Sony Xperia tablet
is waterproof, it seemed like a great marriage.
However, its important to note that the glasses are
not the whole story, he notes. They extend the
eco-system we are trying to evolve with the VELA
community as a whole, allowing them to attach
pictures they have taken to the adventures they go
No-one wants to sit next to the crazy guy

on the train ranting to himself and repeatedly
tapping the side of his head
on and giving updated weather and nautical
information in a way that lets them keep their hands
free and focused on the sailing.
There are limitations that come with smartglasses,
though, all of which can make developing apps for
the wearable technology particularly challenging.
The most obvious one is battery, says Goodrum.
For example, Google Glass can last up to one day
with careful usage, however the reality is that it can
drain much faster than this.
Pollitt thinks that the biggest challenge is how
people actually interact with smartglasses. Google
have chosen voice commands but there are plenty of
situations where this isnt appropriate or potentially
even quite rude. Cultural acceptance is key to wide
scale adoption of technology. No-one wants to have
to sit next to the crazy guy on the train ranting to
himself and repeatedly tapping the side of his head.
Weve only just become accustomed to people
talking on their phones using their microphoneequipped headphones, so its likely to take a long
time for us to feel comfortable around those talking
to their glasses.
I am hoping that other control methods can be
developed, such as non-obtrusive controls on your
wrist or in the palm of your hand, adds Pollitt.

Hands-on with the

Quad HD LG G3
It might be late to the party, but LGs G3 has made a
grand entrance with a stunning Quad HD screen
he LG G3 is the follow-up to our favourite

smartphone of last year, the LG G2.
At just 8.9mm the G3 is thinner than the
9.1mm G2 an impressive feat, given the extra tech
LG has squeezed in. At 75x146mm in size, however,
the G3 is a large phone. LG has done a great job in
reducing the bezel and squeezing in a 5.5in screen.
Nevertheless, we nd the Sony Xperia Z2 somewhat
unwieldy and the G3 is in the same category, even
if LG says the handsets oating ark shape makes it
easy to use the phone one-handed.
Its no surprise that the G3 has gained some weight

but not a great deal, at 149g up from 143g.
A big design shift is the move from a plastic- to a
metal nish, although this is just a skin and not real
metal as seen in the HTC One M8. This brushedmetal-effect case looks and feels nice, but were less
enamoured with the white version. The G3 is available
in black, white, gold, burgundy and violet.
As before, LG has placed the phones physical
buttons on the back next to the camera. We werent
sure about this when it was introduced on the G2, but
you quickly get used to it and it makes a lot of sense.
While some devices on the market are dust- and
waterproof, the G3 is not. LG didnt want to make the
device bigger and heavier to gain this feature.
Screen
The screen is the most important update to LGs
agship smartphone. Its the rst phone to offer a
Quad HD resolution full-HD is the standard.
Whereas the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia

Z2, HTC One M8 and other top-end smartphones
screens max out at 1080x1920, the LG G3 cranks
things up to a whopping 1440x2560. Its named Quad
HD because its four times the resolution of 720p.
The LG G3 has a 5.5in display (a little larger than
the G2s 5.2in), resulting in a massively high pixel
density of 534ppi. The previous record holder was
the original HTC One with 469ppi.
This display looks absolutely stunning when
compared to full-HD. LG says the display is
comparable to a high-quality photobook.
The only down side is the negative impact a large,
high-resolution screen might have on battery life.
LG ts a 3,000mAh removable battery and says its
countered excessive drain with adaptive framerates,
clocking and timing control, but we need to get the
G3 into our lab and run some tests to be sure.
Processor and RAM

There were rumours of an
Octa-core processor, but LG
has plumped for a Qualcomm
Snapdragon 801 chip, matching
rival handsets on this front. The
chip is clocked at 2.5GHz and
includes an Adreno 330 GPU.
The 32GB version of the LG G3
has 3GB of RAM, while the 16GB
model has 2GB. Unsurprisingly
performance is smooth and
nippy; well be able to provide
benchmarking results once weve
spent some more time with it.
A drawback of LGs last agship smartphone was a

lack of expandable storage, but the rm has xed this
problem with the G3, now providing a microSDXC slot
that can accept cards up to 128GB in capacity.
Connectivity
The G2 had strong connectivity options with
dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC and an IR
transmitter. It also supported 4G LTE, which the
G3 takes a step further with LTE-Advanced, plus
it supports the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi and wireless
charging. The G3 sticks with USB 2.0 because a 3.0
port is bigger and uglier, plus LG says consumers
dont use it much anyway.
Audio
The LG G2 pleased audiophiles as the rst
smartphone to support 24bit/192kHz playback.
LG has improved things on this front with a 1W

speaker and a boost amp. Our only quibble in this
department is that the speaker is rear-facing.
Cameras
The resolution of the G3s main camera is still 13Mp,
but a number of improvements have been made. For
starters, theres a dual-LED ash, which should come
in handy in low light situations.
More impressive is the inclusion of 4K-resolution
video recording. And while 4K isnt a new feature in
smartphones, the G3s Laser auto focus is. The G3
also includes optical image stabilisation technology to
keep shots shake-free, plus something called Touch
& Shoot, which removes unnecessary buttons so you
can concentrate on getting the right shot.
At the front is a 2Mp camera that LG refers to
as a Sele camera. It can shoot full-HD video and
automatically capture an image following a hand
gesture. The pixels are larger than those of the rear
camera, the angle has been optimised for seles and

the screen can be used as a makeshift ash.
Software
The LG G3 runs Android 4.4 KitKat and the rms

latest user interface and software features, including
KnockCode, which lets you wake and unlock
the device with a user-dened knocking pattern.
KnockON is here, too, able to wake or turn off the
screen with a double-tap.
New features include Smart Notice, which is
similar to Google Now. In essence the G3 will make
suggestions and offer tips based on the status of
The camera angle has been optimised

for selfies and the screen can be used as
a makeshift flash
the device, taking into account your location and
behaviour. For example, the G3 will ask if you want
to uninstall apps that havent been used in a while, if
you want to call back someone from whom you have
a missed call, and if you want to switch on Wi-Fi when
you arrive at the office.
A slim keyboard can be size-adjusted and supports
new gestures. It automatically adjusts the detection
area as you type and you can swipe the space key to
move around the cursor.
Overall the interface is simpler and cleaner. LG says
it has removed all unnecessary visual elements and
apps are colour-coded so you know where you are.
Its at and the colours used are mature, says LG.
LG G3 vs
Samsung Galaxy S5
The S5 has a huge fanbase, but is it actually the best
phone you can buy? We think not
ere at Android Advisor we are big fans of the

LG G2, naming it the best smartphone you
can buy and allowing it to sit undisturbed
at the top of our best smartphones chart for the
best part of a year. Its safe to say the G3 has a lot
to live up to. Meanwhile, Samsung has such a huge
worldwide following it could slap a Galaxy label on a
sausage and people would buy it. But does the tech
giant have anything to fear when its agship Galaxy
S5 goes head to head with the brand-new Quad HD
LG G3? We compare the specs to nd out.
Price and UK availability

Announced at MWC in February, Samsungs Galaxy
S5 has been available for a few months now and
is already available more than 100 below its 599
RRP SIM-free. The LG G3 was unveiled at the end of
May, and its unlikely to go onsale before the end of
June. LG hasnt yet conrmed UK pricing, but Clove
lists the G3 at 499. So, theres a difference of just
4 between S5 and G3, although we expect the
Galaxy S5 will come down still further in price by the
time the LG goes on sale.
SIM-free prices are less relevant when you buy
a smartphone on a contract, and its too early to
see what monthly charges UK mobile operators will
command. However, if you have the cash to buy the
Samsung Galaxy S5 or LG G3 upfront, you can save
yourself a considerable amount of money over the
life of your contract. Weve compared the best SIM-
only deals on page 85 to help you get the Samsung

Galaxy S5 or LG G3 at the best price.
Design and build

Both these handsets are plastic, yet LG has applied
a metal-effect skin to the G3s rear for a touch of
class, while Samsung has plumped for a perforated
texture that supposedly feels more natural and aids
grip in the hand. Neither are as nice in design as, for
example, the metal-clad HTC One M8, but both are
sufficiently stylish for high-end smartphones. The
rear covers on each phone are removable, allowing
you to access the also removable battery and
microSDXC slot.
The screen is a key difference between this
pair, and LG really knows what its doing in this
department. Its
managed to squeeze
a 5.5in screen into a
chassis barely larger
than that of the S5,
which has a smaller
5.1in screen. The
LG G3 measures
146.3x74.6x8.9mm,
whereas the
Samsung
Galaxy S5 is
142x72.5x8.1mm.
The LG G3 is
also only slightly
heavier, at 149g
versus the S5s
145g.
While buttons for power and volume are found on

the S5s sides, LG places them on the back of the
handset. This seems odd at rst, but you quickly get
used to it and KnockCode means you dont need
the power button to turn on and off the screen, you
just tap the G3s display. On the S5 youll also nd a
ngerprint sensor built into the Home button, plus a
heart-rate sensor.
Samsung has added IP67-certied dust- and water
protection to the S5, allowing it to be submersed
in water with no ill effects. You do need to be extra
careful that the rear cover and microUSB port cover
are securely in place, however.
Both handsets are available in black, white and
gold; the LG G3 will also come in burgundy red and
violet, while the S5 comes in electric blue.
Display
LG shows Samsung whos boss when it comes to
the display. Not only is the G3s screen larger than
that of the S5, at 5.5in versus 5.1in, and without the
handset size becoming unwieldy, the resolution
is also Quad- rather than full-HD. Indeed, the LG
G3 has a staggeringly high pixel density of 534ppi
against Samsungs 432ppi, making it the ultimate
phone on which to watch video, view photos and
play games. This really is a stunning screen.
The LG employs IPS panel technology, whereas
Samsung uses Super AMOLED. Both handsets have
very good viewing angles, with the Samsung offering
vivid colours that pop and very good contrast, and the
G3 majoring on a crystal-clear, true-to-life quality.
Samsungs screen also uses Smart stay software to
prevent the screen switching off when youre looking
at it, while the default Adapt display automatically

adjusts elements such as colour gamut, white tone
and contrast depending on the amount of available
light. We found the Samsung Galaxy S5s screen
is more easily readable outdoors than most, and
its simple to quickly alter the brightness setting in
the notication bar.
Hardware and performance

The LG G3 is available in 16- and 32GB models with
a slightly different spec. The 16GB model matches
the spec of the Samsung Galaxy S5, with a 2.5GHz
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM
and Adreno 330 graphics. The 32GB G3 has 3GB of
RAM. Samsungs S5 is reported to also be available
in a version that has 32GB of storage, while both
handsets employ support for microSDXC, allowing
you to add an extra 128GB of storage.
We havent been able
to run the LG G3 through
our usual benchmarks
just yet and in any
case remain wary of the
fact some manufacturers
employ benchmarkboosting software but
its performance should be
more or less in line with
that of the S5.
We measure
performance using
Geekbench 3.0,
SunSpider and GFXBench
3.0. In Geekbench the
Galaxy S5 scored 926 points in the single-core test,

falling behind the HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2,
but led the pack in the multi-core component with
2,869 points. In SunSpider the Galaxy S5 recorded
824ms, and in GFXBench we saw 28fps in T-Rex
and 12fps in Manhattan.
Audio
The G2 pleased audiophiles as the rst smartphone
to come with 24bit/192kHz audio playback, to which
LG has now added a 1W speaker with a boost amp
to improve sound quality. Unfortunately, the G3s
speaker is rear-facing.
The Galaxy S5 might not support high-res audio,
but sound quality is acceptable. Plus Samsung has
several software tricks up its sleeve when it comes
to audio, including SoundAlive EQ presets, Smart
volume (which keeps the volume consistent across
tracks), and Adapt sound (which tunes the EQ to the

performance of your headphones).
Cameras
Whereas the Samsung Galaxy S5 packs a 16Mp rearfacing camera, LG doesnt at rst appear to have
moved on from last years 13Mp snapper. In fact it
has made a few tweaks here.
Both Samsung and LG claim to have super-fast
autofocus capabilities that can take a photo in around
a quarter of a second faster than you can blink,
says LG. However, we found the S5s Camera app can
take a couple of seconds to launch, which can mean
you still miss that crucial shot.
Regardless, Samsung has once again tweaked the
software to offer a few extra bells and whistles. We
like the ability to alter the focus point after a photo

has been captured, for example.
Photos shot on the Samsung Galaxy S5 are
generally nice and sharp, and among the best weve
seen from a smartphone, although we did get a
few blurry shots. This is something LG hopes to
prevent with its advanced optical image stabilisation
and Touch & Shoot mode, but well be able to see
whether these are successful once weve spent some
more time with its camera.
The Galaxy S5 and LG G3 are both able to record
4K-resolution video using their rear cameras, while
full-HD video is available from the S5s 2Mp and G3s
2.1Mp front cameras. The G3s front camera is also
primed for seles, with larger pixels and an improved
angle, while the screen is able to act as a makeshift
ash and a hand gesture can trigger an auto timer.
Connectivity
Whether you choose the LG or Samsung, your
phone will come with the latest in connectivity tech.
That means 4G LTE (LTE Advanced with the G3),
Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC and dual-band 802.11ac
Wi-Fi. Samsung also species MIMO technology and
offers a unique Download Booster that combines
the power of 4G LTE and 802.11ac Wi-Fi to deliver
downloads at a theoretical max of 400Mb/s.
Software
Samsung and LG are known for cramming in a lot of
software into their smartphones, and not much has
changed in this regard with these two Android 4.4
KitKat smartphones.
LG has cleaned up its interface somewhat,
colour-coding apps and removing unnecessary
visual elements. It also includes such features as

KnockCode, with which you can create a custom
knocking pattern to wake and unlock the screen, and
Smart Notice, which is very much like Google Now,
suggesting you switch on Wi-Fi when you get to the
office or call back someone from whom you have a
missed call, for example. Theres also a new smart
keyboard with which you can adjust the size and use
gestures to type more quickly and with fewer errors.
Samsung, meanwhile, is often accused of being the
king of bloatware, but only Dropbox and Flipboard are
preloaded alongside its own and Googles apps. Plus,
while some features are decidedly gimmicky, others
can be very useful. To go alongside its heart-rate
monitor is the S Health app, for example. Samsung
has also cleaned up its interface, with round icons in
the notication bar and Settings menu. Its Magazine
interface offers a feed from news and social media to
the left of the main home screen, and Samsung has
also added to the S5 a PIN-controlled Kids mode and
a Private mode for storing personal content.
Battery life
Although the LG G3 has a larger-capacity 3,000mAh
battery than the Samsungs 2,800mAh cell, it also
has a larger, higher-resolution screen that you
can expect to quickly drain the battery. However,
LG claims it has tackled this issue on three fronts:
through adaptive framerates, adaptive clocking
and adaptive timing control. We wont know until
weve spent some more time with the G3 whether
LG has been able to sidestep the screen issue in
this manner, but we are pleased to nd the LG G3
supports wireless charging, and that its battery is
removable if you wanted, you could carry a spare.
Samsungs battery is also a removable component,
giving these two phones an advantage over the
competition. We found the Samsung Galaxy S5
would have around two thirds of its battery capacity
remaining at the end of a full working day, so should
last most users two days.
The S5 has an Ultra Power Saving mode, which
ekes out every bit of life (up to 24 hours) from the last
10 percent of juice by turning off all unneccessary
functions and using a greyscale display.
Verdict
Wed happily own either of these two similarly
specied smartphones, but with just a few pounds
between them the LG G3 looks to be the more
impressive device. Whereas the S5 offers a
ngerprint reader and heart-rate sensor, the G3
boasts a larger, signicantly higher-resolution display
that is simply beautiful, plus support for high-res
audio. Wed rather use media and play games on the
G3, which should be every bit as fast as the S5.
Best budget phone:

Moto G vs Moto E
The Moto G and Moto E are two of the very best budget
phones you can buy, but which should you choose?
ere at Android Advisor were massive fans of

the Motorola Moto G. Its not the fastest, nor
the most feature-packed smartphone you can
buy, but it does all the essentials and a lot more for
as little as 129 (8GB 2013 model). Its the best-value
smartphone weve ever seen and, accordingly, has
been topping our budget smartphones chart for a
while now.
Until yesterday, that is, when in stepped Motorola
with the even cheaper 89 Moto E, plus an upgraded
149 version of its Moto G with 4G and microSD
support. Now with a 60 difference
between the two, Motorola could well
have just stolen its own budget smartphone crown.

We compare the Motorola Moto G and Moto E spec
for spec to see which is the best budget smartphone.
Pricing and UK availability

The new 2014 Motorola Moto G should launch in the
UK by the end of May. Right now you can buy the
original Motorola Moto G from Amazon for 129 (8GB
model), but note that it lacks the 4G and microSD
support of the 2014 Motorola Moto G and, for the
sake of 20 and a few weeks wait it may be worth
biding your time. The 2014 Motorola Moto G will
launch at 149, while the new Motorola Moto E costs
a tiny 89 and will be available this week from all
major phone retailers.
Design and build

The Motorola Moto E looks very similar to the Moto
G, with the same curved rear cover and palmfriendly pebble-shaped design, although its bezel is
ever so slightly raised on either side of the screen,
compared with the Moto Gs edge-to-edge display.
Both Moto G and Moto E let you t interchangeable
rear coloured covers (available for around 9), and
feature a splashproof coating.
The Moto E is smaller and lighter than the Moto G,
yet chunkier thats not unexpected for a budget
smartphone. While the Moto G measures from 6to 11.6mm in depth, the E is a slightly fatter 6.2- to
12.3mm. You wont notice the difference in weight
the Moto G weighs in a whole gram heavier than the
142g Moto E, but its also half a centimetre taller, at
129.9mm versus the Moto Es 124.8mm.
Display
There is a good reason for the Motorola Moto Gs
extra length over the Moto E: the screen. Whereas
Motorola ts a 4.3in display to its Moto E, the Moto

G has a 4.5in panel. And heres where the marketing
talk might catch out some consumers: the Moto E
has a qHD panel, which sounds good, right? Not
really. If you think so then youre probably muddling
up Quarter-HD and Quad-HD. Indeed, at 540x960
pixels in resolution, the resulting pixel density
of 256ppi is lower than the Motorola Moto Gs
1280x720 HD, or 329ppi, panel. Both screens are
pretty decent, especially that of the Moto E given its
price, but with the larger, higher-resolution panel the
Motorola Moto G in the clear winner in this category.
Processor, graphics and performance

Dont be fooled by the fact both Motorola Moto
G and Moto E run 1GB of RAM and Qualcomm
Snapdragon chips clocked at 1.2GHz: there is a big
difference between the quad-core Snapdragon 400

used by the Moto G and the Moto Es dual-core
Snapdragon 402. Youll also see a difference in the
graphics oomph provided by the Moto Es Adreno
302 and Moto Gs Adreno 305.
All that said, in our time with the Motorola Moto E
we found switching between apps and home screens
fast and uid, with no lag. And while it might not be
as fast as the Motorola Moto G, we wouldnt really
expect either smartphone to be what we think of as
fast below 150.
We havent been able to run benchmarks on
the Moto E just yet, but we did run the 2013 Moto
G through our usual Geekbench, SunSpider and
GFXBench tests, and we expect to see similar
performance from the 2014 Motorola Moto G. In
Geekbench 3s single-core test we recorded 334
points, and 1,162 points in the multi-core test. In
SunSpider we saw 1504ms, putting it above handsets
such as the Google Nexus 4, Asus Padfone 2 and
Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. Lastly, in GFXBenchs Egypt
test the 2013 Motorola Moto G managed 27fps, which

is faster than that of, for example, the Huawei P6 and
HTC One X+.
Storage
Storage was once a sore point for the Motorola
Moto G, with just 8GB onboard. Now Motorola has
added support for microSDHC cards, you can add
up to 32GB plenty for all your apps and a pretty
decent media collection. With just 4GB onboard
storage is even more of a low point for the Moto E,
although this is standard for a budget smartphone.
Whats less standard is that it, too, has support for
microSDHC. Sorted! Just be sure to factor in the cost
of a microSDHC card when making your purchasing
decision: you will need one.
Cameras
Both Moto G and Moto E feature
5Mp rear cameras, which the
Moto G pairs with an LED ash
and 4x digital zoom. Neither is
going to replace your DSLR, but
weve seen some pretty decent
outdoor shots captured with the
Moto G, and both do the job
for more casual scenarios. Both
phones can capture 720p video
footage at 30fps.
If you ever use Skype or are
particularly fond of shooting seles,
its worth noting that only the Moto
G has a front-facing camera here
a 1.3Mp model.
Connectivity
The main difference in connectivity is support for
4G networks but only if you buy the 2014 Moto
G model, since the 2013 Moto G is restricted to 3G
connectivity. 4G can offer Wi-Fi-like speeds, but it
can cost extra (depending on your tariff), and its
not available everywhere. Both Moto G and Moto E
support Bluetooth 4, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and GPS.
Software
Both Motorolas run the latest version of Android, 4.4
KitKat, and will be upgraded when the next version
of Googles mobile OS is released. Both feature
a fairly plain implementation of Android, although
Motorola does stick in a few of its own apps.
The Moto E comes with existing Motorola apps
such as Motorola Migrate, Motorola Assist, the
rms camera software and an FM radio app. A new
app, which will initially be exclusive on the Moto E,
is Motorola Alert. This can let people know youve
arrived safely somewhere, you can use it to help meet
a friend and theres an emergency mode.
Battery life
Although the Motorola
Moto G has a slightly
larger-capacity battery
than the Moto E, at
2,070mAh versus
1,980mAh, it also has a
larger, higher-resolution
screen that will more
quickly drain the juice.
Motorola claims both
will last 24 hours with mixed usage. Well verify those

claims once weve had a chance to do some more
in-depth testing.
Verdict
Clearly the more expensive Motorola Moto G is
going to best the 89 Moto E on the hardware
front, but while the Motorola Moto G has the better
specication, the Moto Es hardware is sufficient that
it will be a great t for many users and especially
so when you consider that those in the market for
a budget smartphone dont expect to get ultimate
performance. The Motorola Moto E might not have
as good a screen or as much storage or processingand graphics power as the Moto G, nor its support
for 4G and microSD expansion. But it does do
everything most people will require, and at a
staggeringly good price. It truly looks to be the best
budget smartphone money can buy.
HTC One mini 2

vs HTC One M8
HTC One M8 too big? We see whether the more compact
mini 2 is as good a buy as its bigger brother
TC has unveiled its HTC One mini 2

smartphone, a 4.5in-screen smaller version
of its HTC One M8 agship Android phone.
Here we compare the HTC One mini 2 and HTC
One M8 spec for spec to nd out which is the HTC
smartphone for you.
Pricing and UK availability

HTCs One M8 is available now, and its price has
already fallen from its 549 RRP to around 523
SIM-free. Youll get it cheaper (relatively speaking

see best SIM-only deals on page 85) on a contract,
of course. The HTC One mini 2 will go on sale on
16 June at 498 SIM-free from Amazon (via HTC) or,
confusingly, Phones4U lists it at 359.
EE has the exclusive on the Amber Gold One
mini 2 in the UK, and will be accepting pre-orders
from 23 May on both this version and the Gunmetal
Grey mini 2. Itll be charging 29.99 per month.
Design and build

The agship HTC One M8 features a unibody
brushed-aluminium design. Its curved rear, rounded
corners, reassuring 160g weight and primarily
metal (90 percent) chassis make this feel like a true
premium smartphone in the hand. The HTC One
mini 2 is simply a more compact, lighter version of
the HTC One M8, with the same metal design.
Given its 5in screen you can expect the HTC

One M8 to be larger than the 4.5in-screen HTC One
mini 2. Indeed, its the best part of a centimetre taller
at 146.36mm versus the One mini 2s 137.43mm.
The more expensive Android is also wider, at 70.6mm
versus the One mini 2s 65.04mm, but thinner, at
9.35mm versus 10.6mm. The HTC One mini 2 is
signicantly lighter at 137g.
Both HTC One M8 and HTC One mini 2 will
be available in Gunmetal Grey, Glacial Silver
and Amber Gold.
Display
Theres just half an inch separating the screens on
these two HTC smartphones, but the One mini 2
also has a lower 720p
resolution in comparison
to the HTC One M8s fullHD panel. This results in a
difference in pixel density
of 115ppi, which sounds
like a lot but both the HTC
One mini 2s 326ppi and
the HTC One M8s 441ppi
are above that magical
number Apple quotes for
Retina-quality displays
indeed, at 326ppi the
HTC One mini 2 matches
the iPhone 5s.
While the HTC One
mini 2s screen is smaller
than that of the HTC One
M8, however, its really not
what we might consider small. At 4.5in its a very

decent size for watching lms, playing games and,
importantly, for smaller ngers to actually be able to
reach the furthest corner of the screen during onehanded use. Dare we mention the iPhone 5s again,
its also larger than Apples 4in panel.
Processor, graphics and performance

The HTC One M8, tted with a 2.3GHz quad-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 2GB
of RAM, posted some of the highest performance
scores weve ever seen from a smartphone.
Indeed, the HTC One M8 tops our charts in
Geekbench 2 with 4,171 points, and in the singlecore test of Geekbench 3 with 962 points. In the
same tests multi-core component it is beaten by the
Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z1, Z2 and Google
Nexus 5, posting 2,761 points. Also see: whats

the fastest smartphone 2014: processor, web and
graphics performance compared.
The HTC One M8 sits in third place below the
iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S4 mini in SunSpider,
at 583ms; in second place below the iPhone 5s in
GFXBenchs T-Rex benchmark, where it scored 30fps;
and in third place below the 5s and Sony Xperia Z2 in
GFXBench Manhattan, with 12fps.
So, the HTC One M8 is a staggeringly fast one
of the very fastest smartphones weve ever tested.
If the benchmarks can be believed, of course. In our
own subjective tests we judged the HTC One M8s
performance to be excellent, and the HTC Sense 6.0
interface seemed to cause no problems with lag.
The HTC One mini 2 is not going to be able to
compete with the HTC One M8 on the performance
front, but that doesnt mean itll be slow. Its 1.2GHz
quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip and 1GB
of RAM match the spec of the Motorola Moto G, which
remains one of the very best budget smartphones
you can buy.
Storage
Storage is identical for the two HTCs, with 16GB
onboard and the ability to add a microSDHC card up
to 128GB in capacity.
Cameras
HTC has taken a different tack with the cameras on
its two 2014 Android smartphones.
The larger HTC features two cameras at the rear,
and is known as a Duo Camera. One camera is used
to take standard shots, while the other captures depth
and lets you alter the focus even after images are
shot. The main camera is just 4Mp its the same
UltraPixel camera found in the HTC One M7, but can
shoot faster and capture sharper images but it has
larger pixels than its rivals, making it a decent camera
for use in low-light situations.
The HTC One mini 2, meanwhile, features a 13Mp

with a BSI sensor and f/2.2 lens, putting it more in line
with the best smartphones of last year. Like its bigger
brother, its capable of full-HD video recording.
Both HTC phones have a generous 5Mp frontfacing camera for seles and video chat.
Connectivity
The HTC One M8s Wi-Fi connectivity stretches to
the latest 802.11ac standard, and it includes support
for MHL and IR. Other than that, both support 4G,
NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, dual-band 802.11a/b/
g/n Wi-Fi, DLNA, GPS, Glonass and HTC Connect.
Sound
Just like its larger sibling, the HTC One mini 2 is
equipped with BoomSound technology, dual frontfacing speakers and the same amplier. HTC says
it, too, can deliver powerful, crisp and clear audio
that has never been more brilliant. The One mini
2 delivers rich tones from bass through to treble,
producing high-quality, immersive sound.
Software
Both HTC One M8 and HTC One mini 2 run the
latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat. HTC has also
applied its Sense 6.0 skin, which debuted with the
HTC One M8, to the One mini 2.
Key features of HTC Sense include BlinkFeed,
which aggregates social-media feeds in an attractive
tiled window on your home screen, and Zoe, which
lets you create and share videos captured on your
HTC with your friends and family.
Battery life
The HTC One M8 has the larger-capacity battery of

the two HTC phones, at 2,600mAh versus 2,100mAh
but it needs it, with a larger, higher-resolution
screen and faster processor.
In our real-world tests the HTC One M8 lasted
roughly 24 hours, and it has an Extreme Power
Saving mode that turns off all features save for phone
calls, texts, emails and the calendar and calculator
The One mini 2 delivers rich tones from bass

through to treble, producing high-quality,
immersive sound
apps, letting the M8 keep going for 30 hours once
the battery hits 10 percent capacity remaining. We
enabled it with 9 percent battery remaining and found
there was still some charge left a full 24 hours later.
The info we have suggests the HTC One mini 2
doesnt benet from the same Extreme Power Saving
mode. However, HTC claims the One mini 2 will last
up to 556 hours in standby, or 16.2 hours of talk time.
Verdict
The HTC One M8 either bests or matches the
HTC One mini 2 in every category we cover here.
And the difference in price isnt enough to make it
a good deal in comparison. For those really looking
to save some cash on an Android smartphone the
best deal will most likely come from the 149 2014
Motorola Moto G or 89 Moto E.
Review:
Huawei Ascend P7
Huaweis best smartphone is sleek and affordable,
but let down by software issues
VdMfRWP^\dY
he Ascend P7 is Huaweis latest agship

smartphone, and at rst glance looks a lot its
predecessor, the P6.
The main difference between the two is that the P7
has a larger screen 5in compared to the P6s 4.7in.
It retains the rounded edge at the bottom, with Gorilla
Glass 3 both the front and back. As before a brushed

aluminium frame runs around the edge.
For a phone with a large screen, its amazingly
light and easy to use. We like the spun metallic
nish on the rear, made from seven layers. This
effect goes outward, centred on the Huawei logo,
when light is reected in the right way. Beside the
black/blue model we tested, its available in white
and pink options. Unfortunately, the glass rear
cover has the same problem as Googles Nexus 4
its prone to scratches.
HD display
Like every other agship weve seen this year, the
Ascend P7 has a full-HD screen. This looks great
and has excellent viewing angles, although its
brightness needs setting at the top end of the scale
for comfortable viewing, especially when outdoors.
Inside is a 1.8GHz Kirin 910T quad-core processor

coupled with 2GB of memory. We found the P7 runs
smoother than the P6, but its not a completely silky
experience. The interface often juddered when we
pulled the notication bar down, and generally things
got a bit sticky when running several apps and tasks.
We also had issues such as the P7 refusing to open
Twitter by tapping the icon we could only access it
by way of recent apps for a good period of time.
The device is dual-SIM and one of the drawers
doubles up as a microSD card slot. You can either
have two SIM cards or just one with some extra
storage. Internal storage is an Android-standard 16GB.
Camera
The P7 has a 13Mp camera at the rear, with a
fourth-generation Sony sensor, and its a cracker.
Its capable of taking high-quality photos in bright
sunlight or indoors in candle light. You can double 2@5DA;5 25H;EAD ;EEG6
press the volume key to launch the camera and take

a photo from sleep, or switch it to a shutter button.
An 8Mp front camera has a ve-piece lens and
Huawei has coined the phrase groues (group
seles) for a group panorama taken with the front
camera. Its a central photo, then one either side after
turning the phone.
Huawei has loaded the Ascend P7 with Android
4.4.2 (KitKat), adding its Emotion UI on top. This skin
doesnt have an app menu, so the home screen is
similar to that of an Apple iPhone. It seems much
nippier than before, though, which was the main
downside to the P6 as a smartphone.
What we like about Emotion UI is the amount of
customisability on offer. There are lots of themes to
choose from and you can further tweak aspects to
personalise the software. These include home screen
panel transitions, icons and fonts.
Echoing the Samsung Galaxy S5, the P7 has an
ultra power-saving mode, supposedly to make the
phone last 24 hours on 10 percent charge. Just like
the S5, you get a black-and-white interface and basic
functions such as text and calls.
Most users will need to charge their P7 every night.
When we used it for emails, a few photos and social
networking, it was nearly empty by evening. On a
agship device such as this we expect more.
Verdict
Huawei has produced a stunning smartphone in the
Ascend P7, thats good value if priced as expected.
Theres some decent hardware on offer here,
particularly the camera, but the P7 is let down by
software performance issues.
Hands-on:
OnePlus One
This customisable Android phone has a great spec
and an even better price
he 64GB OnePlus One went on sale at the

end of May. With the ability to purchase the
smartphone through invitation only, and review
models incredibly scarce, whether or not to take the
plunge and buy a OnePlus One phone could be a
tricky decision. We managed to get a bit of one-onone time with the OnePlus One phone and reveal
our thoughts here.
Specications
The OnePlus One has captured the
worlds attention by matching
and in some cases besting the
specication of 2014 agship
Android smartphones including
the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC
One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2,
and at around half the price.
The OnePlus One runs
a Qualcomm Snapdragon
801 processor clocked
at 2.5GHz, Adreno 330
graphics and 3GB of
RAM. Other OnePlus
One specs include
a 5.5in full-HD
(1920x1080, 401ppi) IPS display, 16- or 64GB of

internal storage, plus support for 4G LTE, dual-band
802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. Theres a
13Mp camera on the rear, plus a 5Mp snapper at the
front. CyanogenMod 11S OS runs the show, while a
3,100mAh battery keeps it all going.
Design and build

The 5.5in-screen OnePlus One feels pretty wide in
the hand, but its thin, light, beautiful and very similar
in design to a attened-out Nexus 5. Available in
black or white, a chrome trim runs around the edge
of the handset. A power button is found on the right
edge, and a volume rocker on the left. It weighs in at
162g, and measures 152.9x75.9x8.9mm.
The OnePlus Ones onscreen navigational buttons

are customisable within the Settings menu, and you
can even dene gestures such as a short tap on the
Home button or a double-tap on the screen.
The minute I picked up the OnePlus One, I really
liked what I saw: a thin, polycarbonate chassis; a
vibrant, almost edge-to-edge high-resolution display;
and a uid, customisable interface. Its a beautiful
device, and surprisingly light to hold, writes our
colleague Florence Ion.
Performance
Weve yet to get the OnePlus One into our lab for
in-depth testing, although we spotted no issues
with performance during our hands-on. Given
the hardware its running, there really shouldnt
be any bottlenecks.
The closest smartphone we have for comparison
is the Samsung Galaxy S5, which runs the same
processor clocked at the same speed, and the same
graphics. However, the S5 has less RAM, at only
2GB, and it runs a standard version of Android KitKat,
whereas the OnePlus One runs CyanogenMod 11S.
Not only could these differences allow for a variation
in performance, the fact some manufacturers are
thought to be running benchmark-boosting software
can skew results.
However, as a guide, in our benchmarks the
Samsung Galaxy S5 scored 926- and 2869 points
in Geekbench 3s single- and multi-core tests

respectively, 824ms in SunSpider and 28fps in
GFXBenchs T-Rex test.
Camera
Forget the fancy Duo Camera of the HTC One M8,
and the 20.7Mp monster of the Sony Xperia Z2.
OnePlus One offers a simple 13Mp Sony Exmor
IMX214 camera with a dual-LED ash and f/2.0
aperture thats both easy to use and takes great
shots. Its capable of 4K-resolution video, and
720p slow-motion at 120fps.
The Camera app has been tweaked from the
standard Android version, and here supports live
face recognition, which works remarkably well,
plus live lters. The ability to see how well lters
will work even before youve nished composing
your shot is a real boon.
Ion notes that, unlike the standard Android
Camera app, Cyanogens Camera app doesnt
require you to do that annoying swipe-up-andup-and-away motion to adjust camera settings.
If you like taking seles or video chatting,
the OnePlus Ones 5Mp front-facing
camera is ideal.
CyanogenMod 11S
The OnePlus
One doesnt run
Android 4.4 KitKat
as we know it.
CyanogenMod
11S is a custom
version of KitKat
that supports a great deal of personalisation and has

been tweaked to run optimally on the OnePlus Ones
hardware. Cyanogens ethos is that you should be
able to customise everything, and this proves out,
emphatically, with the OnePlus One, writes Ion.
Themes are one part of this, and the OnePlus
One has three available by default: Androids Holo,
Cyanogen OneMod and a custom icon pack. You
can even mix and match the best bits of the various
available themes. Rather than having to browse
Google Play to nd and download a theme you
like, you just ick a switch to apply it. Theme packs
include boot animations, fonts, icons, wallpapers, lock
screens and ringtones.
CyanogenMod 11S is notable for more than just its
ease of customisation, however. Theres also a secure
messaging feature and Privacy Guard, which helps
you manage what access apps have to your data. The
OnePlus One also features voice wake and search,
learning the sound of your voice so you can search,

track and explore even when its asleep.
How to buy the OnePlus One

When the 64GB Sandstone Black version goes
on sale at the end of May, purchases will be by
invitation only. By controlling the number of
handsets available on day one OnePlus One aims
to ensure all those with invites will actually be able
to get their hands on the device, avoiding the sort
of scenario in which thousands of people camp
outside phone shops to be one of the rst to
get their hands on a brand-new smartphone, but
ultimately go home empty-handed as stocks fail
to meet demand. Invitations will also become
easier to get hold of over time.
When the OnePlus One does go on sale it will be
available in 16GB Silk White and 64GB Sandstone
Black varieties. The 16GB model costs $299/269,
while the 64GB OnePlus One is only slightly more
expensive at $349/299. Thats less than half the
price of the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and
HTC One M8, without any compromises in its spec.
Initially, invitations to buy the OnePlus One

smartphone will be handed out through competitions,
OnePlus forums and friends who have already
purchased the phone. Each invite lasts 24 hours, after
which time it is returned to the sender, who has a
period of one- to two weeks in order to nd someone
who wants to take advantage.
Verdict
The OnePlus One phone is almost too good to be
true. Its specications are just as good as those of the
Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One
M8, yet it costs half the price. Our only concern is that
the invitation-only purchasing process will confuse
many would-be buyers, and the virtually unknown
startup company will have a very tough job on its
hands stealing market share from mega-brands Sony,
Samsung and HTC. That it runs CyanogenMod will
appeal to enthusiasts, but it could have the opposite
effect on the general buying public.
Best SIM-only deals:

mobile and data SIM deals
Monthly contracts let you take home a new phone for
free, but youll pay over the odds in the long run
onthly contracts are great, letting you take

home a high-end smartphone without
handing over any cash. But if you stop to
work out just how much you are paying over the
lifespan of the contract, youll nd you could save a
lot of money buying the phone upfront and getting
a SIM-only deal. Here we look at the best SIM-only
deals and best Data SIM deals on the market.
Take, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S5, which
right now is free from Vodafone on a 47/month two-
year contract. Over two years that will cost you 1,128,
more than twice the price of the Samsung Galaxy S5
itself (currently available for a little less than 500
at Amazon, depending on your colour choice). That
means youre paying over 600 for the free calls,
texts and data. You could be paying much less buying
the phone SIM-free and opting for a SIM-only deal.
Unlike smartphone contracts, which nowadays
typically stretch to 24 months, SIM-only deals are
much shorter. Most SIM-only deals come with
12-month contracts, but you can also get rolling
monthly contracts sometimes at the same price or
just a few pounds more expensive that are ideal for
visitors to the UK. And then there are pay-as-you-go
plans, so you can pay just for what you need when
you need it, although you can expect these to work
out more expensive.
The price you pay per month will largely depend
on how many minutes and texts and how much data
you require, plus whether you need 3G or 4G data,
and whether your SIM is to go in a tablet (in which

case youll need only data) or a smartphone (in which
case youll want minutes, texts and data). You should
note that most operators will not allow you to simply
take your SIM out of a smartphone and stick it in a
tablet in the same way that they frown upon tethering.
While 4G is much faster than 3G connectivity (you
can expect Wi-Fi-like speeds), 4G data also tends to
be more expensive than 3G data. Some, but not all,
operators are now charging the same amount for 3G
Just because your phone or tablet might

support 4G, it doesnt mean you have to take
advantage of that connectivity
and 4G data. However, just because your phone or
tablet might support 4G, it doesnt mean you have to
take advantage of that connectivity. For many of us in
the UK 4G is not yet available in the areas in which we
spend most of our time, such as at home or at work.
In such cases, it would be ridiculous to pay extra
for a service that you rarely get the chance to use,
especially if most of the time you will be within range
of a Wi-Fi hotspot. 4G is denitely one to consider for
the future, but perhaps not right now.
Tablet plans (Data SIMs)

As we mentioned earlier, you cant simply take the
SIM out of your phone and stick it in your tablet. You
need to get a SIM that uses a data-only plan.
How much data you need will very much depend
on the activities you intend to enjoy on your tablet,
plus whether you spend any of your time within range

of a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you want a SIM just to cover you
on the odd occasion that you use your tablet away
from home and need to continue to access your
email, you certainly dont need to pay out for a 4G
plan. The cheapest plan is this case is Virgin Medias
5 per month 500MB plan. But 500MB is a very small
amount of data, and we wouldnt recommend going
lower than 1GB. For 1GB then, Virgin charges 7 per
month, and Three 7.50 per month.
By far the best tablet data plans weve found are
from Three, especially for heavy internet users at
15 per month for 10GB of data. Vodafones 10GB 4G
plan, by comparison, costs 30 per month, while EE
charges 26 for 8GB of 4G data. With such a great
deal available from Three, moderate internet users
neednt look elsewhere: theyll pay around the same
amount per month for as little as 3GB of data.
Smartphone plans
Pinning down what is the best SIM-only smartphone
deal is far more difficult due to the great many
combinations of minutes, texts and data available.

However, most people will fall into one of the three
camps that well focus on here: those who simply
want to make the odd call or text, and use their PC
to go online; those who make calls and texts, go
online, check emails, use apps and perhaps watch
the odd video; and those who are permanently
glued to their smartphone. Or, to put that more
simply, light-, moderate- and heavy users.
Light use
Three offers some of the cheapest SIM-only deals
weve found. Its Essential Internet SIM 200 plan
offers 500MB of data, 200 minutes and 5,000 texts
for 6.90 per month, which is ideal if you are a very
light smartphone user.
Moderate use
And again, Three offers the best deal for moderate
smartphone user, with its 9.90 Essential Internet
SIM 600 plan offering 1GB of data, 600 minutes and
5,000 texts. Its worth looking to giffgaff if you need
fewer minutes and more data, however. Giffgaffs 12
Goodybag mixes 250 minutes with unlimited texts
and unlimited internet.
Heavy use
Giffgaffs 12 Goodybag could be all you need if
you dont make a lot of calls, but if you are one
of those who spends a lot of time doing a lot of
things on their smartphone, by far the best deal
we found for heavy users is from Virgin Mobile.
The VIP Tariff offers unlimited minutes, data and
texts for 15 per month.
Android Silver could

make Nexus history
We explain what is Android Silver and what it means
for Nexus smartphones and tablets
ndroid Silver is a bit like a stamp of approval

that tells consumers they are buying a
top-notch smartphone or tablet with pure
Google software.
Googles smartphones and tablets are all given
the Nexus branding, but Android Silver, which is
reportedly in the pipeline, could change all this. Its
not a replacement for the existing range as such, but
a set of standards that Google will outline much like
the way Intel denes what is an Ultrabook. It will mean
that if a smartphone or tablet meets the requirements,
it will be classed and sold as an Android Silver device.
Exactly what these standards or requirements

will be is unclear. A full-HD screen and a quad-core
processor could be minimum specs, for example. But
Android Silver devices will be premium phones and
tablets with top-end hardware and great build quality.
They are also likely to come with the latest version
of Android, a stock version such as a Google Play
edition, and fewer preinstalled apps.
Its also possible that Google will set a price
bracket for Android Silver devices.
Android Silver is a bit like a stamp

of approval that tells consumers theyve
got a great device
With the Nexus range, Google picks a
manufacturer to partner with for that specic device.
However, Android Silver will be open to any vendor.
As long as the device meets Googles requirements,
the device will be Android Silver-certied. This means
there will be multiple Nexus-like devices.
As well as getting the Android Silver badge,
partners making these devices will reportedly get
help from Google with development and marketing
costs, as well as making sure software updates are
delivered quickly creating a win-win situation for
Google, its partners and consumers.
Android Silver-branded devices are unlikely to
arrive this year. Right now were waiting on the launch
of several new Nexus devices, including the Nexus 8
on page 3. If Android Silver goes ahead we expect to
hear more about it next year.
Build your own phone

with Project Ara
Imagine being able to have exactly the phone spec
you need. Project Ara hopes to deliver this dream
ou may have heard the term modular

smartphone bandied around, but what
does it mean and what is Project Ara?
We explain what you need to know about
Googles modular smartphone.
Smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S5,
LG G3 and HTC One M8 are great, but wouldnt
it be cool if you could swap individual bits such
as the camera for a better one if you wanted?
Here we explain how Google Project
Ara could enable exactly that, and
how it could ip the industry
on its head.
Whats a modular
smartphone?
A modular smartphone
in its simplest form is
a handset that can be
easily upgraded by
swapping individual
components or
modules in a plugand-play style.
It can be likened
to upgrading a
PC with a new motherboard, processor or graphics

card out with the old, in with the new, one
component at a time.
Its a bit like Lego. You start with a barebones
shell, then add a processor, memory, battery,
camera and other modules to create a smartphone
thats perfect for you.
It could be the only phone you need to buy
because every time an updated part is available,
such as a new camera, you can buy that individual
part rather than a new device. It could also be
possible to opt for a larger battery instead of a
better camera, for example.
Project Ara is being developed by Advanced
Technologies and Products (ATAP), but there
are others such as Phonebloks.
In the case of Project Ara, the modules slide
in from the side and are held in place by
magnets. Instead of using unreliable
contacts, the device will use
wireless capacitive
interconnects.
There are three
different sizes of
module: small
square, big square
and rectangle.
At its rst
Project Ara
developer conference, Google conrmed that it

aims to release the device in January 2015.
The base piece, called the gray phone is set
to be priced at $50. Of course, the individual
modules will vary in price.
Its called the gray phone because its meant
to be drab gray to get people to customise it,
said Project Aras Paul Eremenko.
Challenges
You might be drooling on to your keyboard at the
thought of a device such as this, but there are
some down sides and plenty of hurdles. The way a
modular smartphone works means that its going to
be bigger and heavier than current smartphones.
By the time you buy the gray phone and all the
modules you want, its likely to end up being more
expensive than an equivalent pre-made smartphone.

Even with clever techniques, its possible there will
be connection issues between the modules.
Then theres the fact that not all module
combinations will provide a good experience. For
example, a low-power processor isnt going to cope
well with running a higher-resolution screen or topend camera.
Currently, a smartphones software is optimised
(or should be) to the hardware on which it runs. This
is a little different when your components can be
completely different to the next persons.
In some ways these problems already exist with
Android smartphones, and even little things such as
the use of different Bluetooth chipsets means thirdparty products work with only certain handsets.
Plus, theres no guarantee that there will ever be
new components released. In the past weve seen
laptops with interchangeable graphics cards yet,
despite promises to the contrary, no upgrades were
ever launched leaving users disappointed.
There are a lot of potential problems with modular
smartphones such as Project Ara, but if they can be
ironed out these device could cause a storm in the
industry and become the new norm Build-a-Bear
but with smartphones.
How to install WhatsApp

on a Wi-Fi-only tablet
How to install WhatsApp and bypass its phone number
verication system on an Android tablet
ccording to WhatsApp, you cant install and

use its instant-messaging service on a Wi-Fionly tablet. Yes, you can. Here we show you
how to use WhatsApp on an Android tablet with no
3G or 4G connectivity.
If youre browsing Google Play on a Wi-Fi-only
tablet WhatsApp wont be presented in the search
results because its not officially supported on
your device. To get around this you simply need to
download and install the WhatsApp APK le just
Google WhatsApp APK and youll nd loads of
download sites.
Before your Android tablet will allow you to install

the WhatsApp APK le youve just downloaded youll
need to enter your tablets Settings menu, scroll down
to and select Security, then enable Unknown sources
under Device Administration. You can go back and
disable this option once youve installed WhatsApp.
You should now be able to simply click on the

WhatsApp APK le-download notication in your
tablets notication bar, then click Install. Once the
app is installed press Open.
The next challenge is to bypass WhatsApps phone

verication system. Enter your usual phone number,
then click OK. You will receive a text message on your
phone, but it wont be detected on your tablet.
After ve minutes WhatsApp will report that SMS
verication has failed and you should try voice
verication. Tap Call me, then answer the call on your
smartphone to get the verication code you need.
You can now enter this code on your tablet and
get started using WhatsApp.
Note that WhatsApp will ask whether you want to
restore your message history from its backup, but this
didnt work for us presumably because none of that
data is stored on the tablet.
Using WhatsApp on a phone and a tablet

at the same time
The only real down side to this method of installing
WhatsApp on a Wi-Fi-only tablet is that as soon as
you verify your account on the tablet WhatsApp will
stop working on your smartphone. Thats because
a phone number can only ever be associated with
one WhatsApp account. This might not bother
you after all, you dont really need to view your

messages on both your phone and your tablet, and
you could simply verify the service on whichever
device youll have to hand that day.
However, you can get around this and use
WhatsApp on a phone and a tablet at the same time
by using a different mobile number. If you have a
second mobile number used for business then youre
laughing. You could also take advantage of the free
PAYG SIMs routinely offered by UK mobile operators,
although these will expire after a few months if
you dont use them, and as soon as someone else
registers that same number with WhatsApp youll
have to start over.
It doesnt matter which number you use for
verication, as long as it is a mobile (rather than
landline) number and that you have it to hand in
order to answer the call and get the code.
If you live in the US it has been suggested that you
can use a Google Voice number. We are unable to
verify this, since only members with full accounts can
receive calls using Google Voice, and that service
isnt available in the UK.
Another one for US readers is TextPlus, a free
Android app that lets you send and receive texts and
make phone calls on a tablet. Just send your phone
a text from the tablet to nd out what phone number
you need to enter into WhatsApp. Again, however, we
cant verify this one.
You could also try a service that creates a
disposable alias to your mobile number. There are
a few free versions out there, but the two Android
apps we tried created US numbers that werent
recognised by WhatsApp.
How to install Flash

on Android KitKat
KitKat broke our previous workaround for running
Adobe Flash on Android, but there is another way
dobe may have cut support for Flash in

Android Jelly Bean and beyond, but the great
many sites and services that continue to make
heavy use of the standard suggest its far from dead.
For those of us relying on an Android phone or tablet
as our main computer, and who still want to access
Flash content such as catch-up TV, online games and
video, its a real problem. Heres how to get around
the issue and add Flash to Android.
While web developers are slowly moving to

HTML5, we arent convinced that computing is truly
ready for a Flash-free world just yet. If you own a
tablet or smartphone running Android Jelly Bean or
KitKat, by now youll have noticed that many of the
things for which you wanted that tablet watching
catch-up TV and online video, casual gaming just
dont work. In many cases apps are available that
add the functionality, but do you really want to install
individual apps for every Flash site or service that
We want to continue doing what we

want, when we want, in our browser, and not
deal with the headache of switching apps
to find a solution that works
you use? Or turn on the desktop just to catch up with
EastEnders on iPlayer? Thats not very convenient.
We dont even want to think about the Flash
problem: we want to continue doing what we want,
when we want in our browser, and not deal with
the headache of switching between apps to nd a
solution that works. This stuff should be seamless.
The good news is that although Android doesnt
officially support Flash, its really easy to add it to
the OS. Here, we show you some simple tweaks to
enable ash on your device.
Add Flash to a KitKat phone or tablet

Open your Settings menu, scroll down to Security,
then enable the box to allow the installation of apps
from Unknown sources. Its worth remembering to
turn this off after youve followed our guide.
Next youll need the Flash installation le, which

comes courtesy of surviveland at xda-developers
forum. Google has blocked the download of the le
from its original path, however, so to save you from
reading through 50-odd pages of forum threads you
can download the Flash installer for Android KitKat
from tinyurl.com/kay5amu. Its offered as a Dropbox
download, so click to save it to your own Dropbox
folder or download it to your Android KitKat phone or
tablet. We chose the latter.
Drag down the notication bar at the top of the
screen and tap on the notication that the Flash
player le has been downloaded. In the window that
pops up click Install, then choose Done.
To enable Flash playback in Android KitKat youll
need the Dolphin browser free from Google Play.
Once downloaded and installed open its Settings
menu, ensure Dolphin Jetpack is enabled, then scroll
down to and select Web Content. In the next window
nd Flash Player and ensure it is set to Always On.
Flash will now run happily within the Dolphin
browser on your Android KitKat phone or tablet.
A quick x
A simpler way to add Flash to Android is to install
Puffin Browser. Puffin builds in support for Flash, so
all you need to do to add Flash to Android is install
the browser via Google Play.
You dont have to use Puffin as your primary
browser, but you may nd it quickly grows on you
not only is it fast, it also has some neat touches
such as a virtual trackpad and a gamepad, the latter
allowing you to map any keyboard function to its
onscreen controls.
There are some caveats, however. First, the Flash

support within the browser is only a 14-day trial, and if
you wish to continue using it youll need to buy the full
version of the app (1.83). More importantly, Puffins
servers are based in the US, which means some
content is restricted by UK websites.
BBC iPlayer is one such example, but other Flash
content such as Facebook videos played awlessly.
We strongly recommend taking advantage of the free
trial to see whether this will create problems with the
content you want to view.
Set any song as a

ringtone for your phone
Create custom ringtones for your Android
smartphone using a free app
etting a ringtone on your Android phone

is easy: you simply open Settings, Sound,
Ringtones and add one from the list. But what
if you want to choose an MP3 stored on your device
as the ringtone or, better still, edit that song so
you get just the catchy bit or chorus, not the rst
30 seconds, for your ringtone? Here well show you
how to edit an MP3 in Ringtone Maker (free), then
set it as your ringtone.
Loads of free audio editors are available for
Android. Here were using Ringtone Maker, free
from Big Bang, but you can use whichever takes
your fancy. Simply open the

Google Play store and search
for ringtone maker, then
choose an app
and select Install, Open.
Upon its launch Ringtone
Maker will display a list of
tracks stored on your device.
If you want to use an MP3
le youve purchased from
Google Music, AmazonMP3
or similar youll rst need to
download the le using a
desktop web browser, then
transfer it to the Music folder
on your Android smartphone.
Once youve selected a
track just tap on the green
arrow beside it and choose
Edit. The track will open in
the Editor, displayed on a waveform timeline.
Tap and drag the Start and End time sliders so the
section of the track you want to use is highlighted.
Conrm you have the right portion by pressing the
Play button below, and use the zoom in and -out
buttons to aid ne-tuning.
Once you are happy with your selection tap the
Save icon. You can choose to save the clipped
audio as a ringtone, alarm, notication or music. Hit
Ringtone, give it a name, then press Save. Ringtone
Maker will offer to make it your default ringtone, or go
to Settings, Sound, Ringtones and select it from there.
Get free money to spend

at Google Play
Not all Android apps and content are free, but there
are ways to increase your spending power
ree apps are nice, but sometimes great apps

cost money. Fortunately, Google has a nifty
program that gifts you various increments of
Google Play credit just for answering a few survey
questions from time to time, so you can easily rack up
cash to help you pay for those apps.
Download the app

Quite frankly, thats all you have to do. Download the
Google Opinion Rewards app from the Google Play
store. Its an app from Google Consumer Surveys, a
programme for companies and marketers to get a
better handle on their demographics.
Tell it what you think

Google Opinion Rewards will ask you a series of
demographics questions, such as what is your
political affiliation and whether you live in a city or
out in the sticks, before it gives you any surveys to
answer. This is to help determine which questions
are best catered to you.
The app says that all the surveys are anonymous,
but the app does need you to log into your Google
account in order to deposit the Play Store credit.
After answering those rst few questions, youll see
notications pop up from time to time to let you know
that a survey is ready for you. If you dont see any its
because none is available for your demographic.

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