Surface Pro 4 may follow in Surface 3's fanless footsteps

Rumored specifications for Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 tablet are emerging ahead of the developer-centric BUILD 2015 conference this week, suggesting a powerful fanless tablet based on Intel's Broadwell processor.

Chinese publication 36KR reports that even though the design may be fanless, meaning the Surface Pro 4 would be whisper-quiet even under heavy loads, the tablet will still come with small holes for heat radiation and dissipation. The holes are said to not be as visible as those on the Surface Pro 3, which uses last year's Intel Haswell processor.

This also means that the Surface Pro 4 would be thinner than the Surface Pro 3 if these speculations are accurate, but the site says that the tablet won't be lighter. The device, like the Surface Pro 3, will use a 12-inch display with the same 2,160 x 1,440-pixel resolution.

Design continuity

Microsoft is said to be keeping the design and the battery on the Surface Pro 4 largely the same as on the Surface Pro 3. This isn't a bad thing for those who have already bought into the Surface ecosystem. It allows existing Surface Pro 3 desktop docks, Type Cover keyboard cases, and chargers to be reused on the Surface Pro 4.

The screen resolution, size and aspect ratio made the Surface Pro 3 a winner, and in Microsoft's most recent earnings call, the company said that Surface sales increased 44% year-over-year. Keeping the same screen makes sense as the Surface Pro 3 feels roomier than the 10.6-inch display on the prior generation Surface Pro 2. The aspect ratio also feels more natural when the Surface Pro 3 is used as a tablet.

Intel processor

What's still up in the air is the choice of Intel processor given the description of a fanless tablet. Currently, the only Intel CPUs on the market that can accommodate a fanless design is the more power-efficient Atom series processors - which Microsoft is using on the entry level Surface 3 - and the Core M series on the Apple MacBook and Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000series.

It's unclear if Microsoft will be able to relieve the heat generated by the more powerful Intel Broadwell processor, especially at the higher specification Core i7 level, to achieve a fanless design.

Battery life

All else being equal, the biggest upgrade to users looking to migrate from a Surface Pro 3 to a Surface Pro 4 would be battery life.

Intel claims that Broadwell draws up to 30% less power than last year's Haswell chips, and that users could expect to see about 1.5 hours additional runtime on a charge.

Coupled with a fanless design, or one with a smaller fan that draws less power, the Surface Pro 4 could keep users productive even longer. Battery life on the Surface Pro 3 is rated at nine hours.

With Windows, this means that the Surface Pro 4 could achieve a battery life that's competitive with Apple's iPad, but with more power, access to legacy Win32 programs and enterprise-grade software in a convertible Ultrabook form factor with the optional Type Cover.

TalkTalk's new unlimited SIM is the cheapest in the UK

Unlimited minutes, texts and data, it's the holy grail of phone contracts - and usually a rather pricey one - but not if you're a TalkTalk customer.

The broadband and TV provider has launched its new All-in SIM giving its customers unlimited everything for just £12 a month, on a 30 day rolling contract.

That's a fantastic sounding offer - but there are a few caveats. First up, it's not a 4G deal, so you'll have to make do with 3G data speeds. Tethering is also not supported, so you won't be able to tie your handset to a tablet or laptop and let them feed off your phone's internet.

Plus you have to be a TalkTalk broadband or TV customer to take advantage of the deal, you can't just pick up the All-in SIM with no other attachments to the company.

Still great value

TalkTalk promises 99% UK network coverage, as it currently uses Vodafone's network to deliver services to users, so you shouldn't struggle to find signal (unless you're in a Voda black spot).

If you're not fussed about 4G speeds then TalkTalk's All-in SIM is a great deal, as long as you don't mind signing up to another one of its services if you're not already a customer.

Apple could keep making 4-inch phones in 2015

With the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Apple finally embraced larger screen sizes and while the new handsets went down well it meant there were even fewer options for anyone who wants a smaller phone without sacrificing specs, beyond buying last year's iPhone 5S.

If you fit that profile you might be in luck, as G4Games spotted a report from Asia that Apple may be returning to the 4-inch form-factor in 2015. This rumour, which supposedly originates in Apple's Chinese supply chain, states that a 4-inch iPhone will be launched in the second half of 2015.

But it won't be a replacement for the new larger breed of phones that Apple has started building, instead it will sit alongside them, giving buyers a choice of sizes.

Premium or budget, that is the question

What's not clear, assuming the rumour is even true, is where this 4-inch phone will be positioned in Apple's line-up. Will it be placed alongside the iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 as a top end handset in a smaller size or will it be a cheaper alternative, perhaps replacing the iPhone 5C?

That remains to be seen, but for now anyone who was disappointed by the size of Apple's latest phones at least has some hope to cling to.

• The iPhone 7 could be in for some serious camera improvements.

More people are switching to iPhone than ever

Apple's iPhone shows no sign of slowing down as the company sold nearly 61.2 million of the devices in the last three months.

But perhaps the bit that makes Tim Cook and Co. smile a little more brightly is this: the company saw a higher rate of people switching to the iPhone than in previous phone cycles.

Tim Cook said as much in a statement: "We're seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we've experienced in previous cycles." He reiterated on the company's Q2 2015 earnings call that the firm is seeing a "higher rate of switchers," and said the company is "extremely excited about that."

He said the company wants "to keep inviting over as many switchers as we can."

The new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which are larger than previous models and have other improvements, and growth in territories like China both likely contributed to more users hopping to an iPhone. Apple sold more than 130 million iPhones in the last six months, and it's performing very well in emerging markets and with first-time buyers, Cook also noted.

The Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 launched after Apple's Q2 ended, so we'll see if Apple can maintain its switcher rate against these Android flagships.

Xiaomi Mi Band up for registrations, 1000 units to be sold at Re 1 [ The Xiaomi Mi Band is the cheapest wearable device in the market right now and costs only Rs. 999 ]

At the recent Xiaomi Mi4i launch, the Chinese smartphone maker surprised everyone by announcing the Mi Band in India. Well, the cheapest wearable in the market is now up for registrations. Xiaomi also announced a surprise — the company will put up the first 1000 units of the Mi Band for only Re 1. This will be done through a separate flash sale though.

The Xiaomi Mi Band is up for registrations right now and the first flash sale is scheduled for May 4, while the special Re 1 flash sale will be held at 2pm on May 5. The company also mentions that the units sold at Re 1 will be available for free delivery, but may not enjoy the same warranty conditions as regular Mi Band units

Unlike other products by Xiaomi, the Mi Band will not sell through its usual channels. Instead, the device will be available only on Mi.com and users will have to buy it through that website.

Apart from the Re 1 sale, the Mi Band will sell in India for Rs. 999, which is less than half of what its competitors cost.

UPDATE: Calling and Texting Nepal is Now Free for T-Mobile Customers

Update – Monday, April 27, 2015, 11:00 a.m. Pacific:  To aid those in the country or travelling to Nepal, T-Mobile has also added Nepal to its list of Simple Global countries this morning.  Now, T-Mobile Simple Choice customers with Simple Global will get data roaming fees in Nepal waived through May 16, and any data usage since Saturday, April 25 will be credited.

For Release:  Sunday, April 26, 2015
7:30 p.m. Pacific

In the wake of the devastating Nepalese earthquake, many T-Mobile customers are trying to stay in touch with their family and friends in Nepal.  T-Mobile is making this easier by waiving and crediting fees for all calls and text messages to and from Nepal from Saturday, April 25 through Saturday, May 16.  Calling and texting to and from Nepal without charges applies to all postpaid and prepaid customers of T-Mobile, MetroPCS, GoSmart Mobile and Walmart Family Mobile with international calling.

For those interested in helping immediately, T-Mobile customers can simply text-to-donate in support of the following charities’ Nepalese disaster relief efforts:

·         Save the Children – Text NEPAL to 20222 to donate $10 to Save the Children

·         UNICEF – Text NEPAL to 864233 to donate $10 to UNICEF

·         World Vision – Text NEPAL to 777444 to donate $10 to World Vision

Your donation will be charged to your T-Mobile phone bill, and 100% of this donation goes directly to the charity.

Our sympathies go out to those affected by this tragedy.
 

Ultra-thin Oppo R7 will be officially announced next month [this may] 2015 

Oppo today confirmed that its rumored R7 smartphone will be officially unveiled next month, in May, although it's not clear if the announcement date is May 20 (as previously reported).

It seems that the R7 is the successor to last year's Oppo R5, despite the fact that an R6 doesn't exist. It's said that the R7 will be thinner than the R5, which is a former record-breaking handset thanks to its ultra-slim 4.85mm profile. 

The Oppo R7 could feature a 4.7-inch 1080p display, fingerprint scanner, a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek MT6795 processor, a 20.7 MP rear camera, and a 2000 mAh battery. An Oppo R7 Plus (with a larger battery) might also be introduced at the same time with the regular R7. 

Since the R5 is available to buy from Oppo's global website, we assume the R7 will be launched internationally, too. An unlocked R5 currently costs $499, so the R7 might have a similar price. We'll let you know more about the new handset as soon as it's announced. Until then, check out some images that allegedly show the Oppo R7 (but keep in mind that the real device might look different):

Preliminary specifications :

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH	Announced	2015, April
	Status	Rumored. Exp. release 2015, Q2

BODY	Dimensions	4.85 mm thickness
	Weight	-
	SIM	Yes

DISPLAY	Type	AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	5.2 inches
	Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
		- Color OS 3.0

PLATFORM	OS	Android OS, v5.0 (Lollipop)
	Chipset	Mediatek MT6795
	CPU	Octa-core 2.2 GHz Cortex-A53
	GPU	PowerVR G6200

MEMORY	Card slot	No
	Internal	32 GB, 2 GB RAM

CAMERA	Primary	20.7 MP, 5376 x 3752 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
	Features	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR
	Video	1080p
	Secondary	5 MP

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	No

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
	Bluetooth	v4.0
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
	Radio	TBC
	USB	microUSB v2.0, USB Host

FEATURES	Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	Messaging	SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email
	Browser	HTML5
	Java	No
		- Fast battery charging: 75% in 30 min - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - MP4/WMV/H.264 player - MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+/FLAC player - Document viewer - Photo/video editor

BATTERY		Non-removable Li-Po 2000 mAh battery
	Stand-by
	Talk time

MISC	Colors	Various