Author: Stuff writer

On tablets, Windows 10’s new Continuum feature makes snapping between tablet and desktop-centric modes a total breeze. But Continuum has an even bigger surprise on the smartphone side of Windows. Revealed today at the Build 2015 conference, Continuum for Phones allows compatible devices to function like a desktop PC when connected to an external monitor. You can even connect a keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth and have a nearly full PC experience on the go. Continuum for Phone leverages the benefits of Universal Windows 10 apps. Because all Windows 10-powered devices share a core codebase, from desktops to phones and…

Microsoft shocked the tech world with the January announcement of HoloLens, an augmented reality headset that projects holograms onto its lenses to mimic the sensation of them being real objects in your world. And now we’ve seen much, much more of it. At the Build 2015 conference yesterday, Microsoft wooed developers with a lengthy on-stage keynote demonstration of the hardware, which showed off much more functionality – including how Windows apps fit into your surroundings, and other more specialized uses of the technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AADEqLIALk In a mocked-up flat, we saw a man watching a video in a window that he…

Google’s Project Ara is awesome. It’s a smartphone that you can upgrade with different modules as you see fit, letting you upgrade your camera, increase the battery capacity, upgrade storage space and more. Unfortunately, it’s still quite a way off. Set to be trialled in Puerto Rico later this year, there’s still no word from Google on a final international release date. Nexpaq’s solution on the other hand, hopes to be in your hands in January 2016. Rather than designing its own modular phone, Nexpaq has created a smartphone case which is compatible with numerous modules – all of which…

BlackBerry, one-time leader of the smartphone market, has recently been going through some hard times. We’ve not heard much from the former giant of late, and it’s seemingly content to cling on to life by catering to a small, niche market. Even the unveiling of the BlackBerry Leap at MWC 2015 failed to make a significant impact on consumers – but there yet be some hope of the company rekindling its flame. You may recall that at MWC BlackBerry also teased us with what seemed to be a slider phone with a double-edged screen. And more recently a new set…

Your smartphone could get a whole lot tougher, thanks to the US Navy. It’s invented a new transparent material, called Spinel, that’s said to be more durable than glass. We say your smartphone could get tougher, but that’s not what the Navy had in mind when producing it. Spinel, the result of 10 years of research, was intended for camera lenses on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), face-mounted shields or even for windows on its laser weapons. But thanks to the way Spinel is made, it can be moulded into “virtually any shape”. So what is Spinel? Well, it’s technically a…

LG has officially announced its 2015 flagship phone, the G4. Given the amount of leaks and officially-released information about the phone we’ve seen in the run-up to its unveiling, it’s hardly the most bombshell-filled launch of the year, but there’s still plenty to get excited about. We’ve compiled the eight most important facts about the G4 here, so read on for the key details. 1. IT HAS A PIONEERING NEW 2K SCREEN LG has form with 2K screens: the G3 was one of the first smartphones to rock a Quad HD display. However, the G4’s 5.5in 2K screen is not…

The LG G4 is probably the single most leaked product in existence, a phone which isn’t officially launched until later today but which seems to have been a fully fledged ‘thing’ in our lives for several years now. And just in case there was any doubt left about its exact specifications, they leaked in full. Yesterday. According to usually reliable Twitter tipster Evan Blass, the handset will be slightly bigger than its predecessor, measuring 5.9x3x4in with a 5.5in screen that retains the G3’s 2K 2560 x 1440 resolution. Power is likely to come from a Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB of…

Following a couple of weeks of teases, Activision finally showed off Call of Duty: Black Ops III as promised (right in the middle of SA’s long weekend season, no less) – and this year’s entry in the annual first-person shooter juggernaut looks to introduce some significant changes. Key among them is certainly the ability the play the campaign cooperatively with up to four total players. For a series that has held on tight to its single-player narrative design for that portion of the experience, that’s a huge tweak. And not only that, but you can also pick a male or…

Turing Robotic Industries has just announced the Turing Phone, a smartphone that’s on a mission to stand out from the crowd. How does it do that? By being ultra secure and very, very strong. The Turing Phone has its own server-free encrypted communication system, which only works with other Turing Phones. It also has a fingerprint reader and a magnetic charging system, similar to the the Magsafe system found on some Apple devices. It’s supposedly machined from a material called ‘Liquidmorphium’, a zirconium, copper, aluminum, nickel and silver alloy that’s said to be stronger than steel or titanium, so rest…

With Apple Watch excitement about to hit a fever pitch with today’s release, Samsung has revealed that its next smartwatch will be its first to feature a rounded design – although it’s done so quietly. Rather than make a big splash with an event and lavish product shots, the company has instead teased images of the circular screen as part of an open call for developers to start working on apps for the device. Applicants will be able to get early access to the software development kit. The very small app images seen on Samsung’s teaser poster – from early…