According to an HTC executive, the delay is down to issues with the component suppliers, fluctuating sales forecasts and the shortage of key parts such as the casing and camera. Even though HTC have high hopes for the HTC One, they had apparently failed to inform suppliers that they expected large sales volumes which has lead to the shortage of these components. They further explained that “HTC has had difficulty in acquiring the camera part as it is no longer a tier-one customer”

HTC Chief Marketing Officer, Benjamin Ho was keen to communicate that HTC were working “tirelessly with channel partners to fulfil as many orders as possible” HTC’s CEO, Peter Chou has previously promised to stand down from his role if the HTC One didn’t prove a firm favourite with customers, and provide that much needed sales injection.

Indeed many see this launch as a last ditch attempt for HTC to make a comeback and revitalise sales after they slumped by as much as 41% in the last quarter of 2012. However, missing the original release date will create added pressure for both HTC and the mobile phone operators, as the Galaxy S4 will be released in April and iPhone 5S is widely rumoured to launch quite soon after. Going almost head to head with two of the biggest smartphone releases of 2013  is clearly not a position that either HTC or the networks would have chosen.  The question is not if, but how much of an impact will this have on HTC One sales ?

HTC One delay increases sales pressure is a post from: GizmoBird

As you would expect before a big launch there is huge speculation around the features/specs of the new smartphone.

What’s everyone else saying?

The Mirror are claiming that the new S4 has Californian giant Apple very worried, particularly since Apple’s shares are now at an all year low. The Telegraph prematurely insists that, with the Galaxy S4, Samsung has already beaten apple to the punch and “stolen Apple’s crown”.

With all this hype it’s easy to get excited but let’s not forget what happened prior to the launch of the iPhone 4S. There was so many rumours and outlandish speculation in the media that fans generally felt quite disappointed when the device was in fact showcased for the first time.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Rumoured Specs

Let’s take a realistic look at the rumours that are in circulation and explore which of them are potentially feasible.

Camera

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 primary camera is said to be a 13MP and Google’s Photo sphere software. Found currently in the Nexus 4, Photo Sphere software enables the user to take panoramic photos. It does this by guiding the user to help take a series of photos which the software then stiches together seamlessly. It would be wiser for Google to keep this patented piece of innovation to themselves. It doesn’t really make sense why they would share this software with competitor Samsung, but then again stranger things have happened.

Samsung wallet

Samsung’s Wallet was showcased at the Mobile World Congress. The Samsung Wallet app is the equivalent of Apple’s Passbook. An interface for NFC (Near Field Communication), this app allows for easy payment where ever there is an NFC terminal while maintaining user account information. It is quite likely that the Galaxy S4 will come with this app preinstalled but, even if it doesn’t, we expect the app to be accessible to download soon for all NFC capable Samsung products including the Galaxy S3.

8 Core processor

A leak has revealed that the Galaxy S4 will have a quad core processor with multi-threading technology. This would basically mean that the Galaxy S4 would have 4 cores each made of two virtual cores, totalling eight processing ‘brains’.

This rumour could go either way really. Logically, there will be no benefit in having all that extra processing power in a handheld device. There has to come a point soon where Samsung stop making their phones more powerful every time they release a flagship handset. What is the point of having a mobile phone that is as powerful as a gaming PC when you can’t play PC games?

However, for many of us mobile phone processing power has become an egotistical notch that we like to have in our belts. We derive a sense satisfaction from the knowledge that our phone has more power (that we will never be able to use) than the next guys phone. It’s kind of like owning a Bugatti Veyron and living in central London. People do it and many of those who don’t wish they could. This might be enough of a reason for Samsung to make this super processor a feature of the Galaxy S4.

5 Inch Screen

A bigger 5 inch screen would make the Galaxy S4 a Phablet. A daring move that would almost certainly have a negative impact on the sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 (5.5 inch). Secondly, Phablets are a Marmite phenomenon; you either love them or think they make you look like Dom Jolly. Do Samsung really want cut off their nose to spite their face? It seems unlikely, yet the evidence that spurred this rumour was the leaked mobile phone cases by accessory maker mobilefun.co.uk. It’s a tough one but it seems more likely that the cases were faked as part of a publicity stunt by mobilefun.co.uk.

Eye tracking Software

The rumoured software will intelligently know whether the phone is being viewed at any given time and will use this information to keep the screen on during such times. It will also allegedly know where on the screen we are looking and auto scroll the page for us. This rumour has evolved from an over active imagination combining the (still glitchy) features of Samsung Smart TV’s with the ear detection feature of the Samsung Galaxy S3. It is quite likey that the phone will have retina detection which enables it to allow users to read for prolonged periods without the screen going off but it is not realistic for the feature to be so intuitive that it auto scrolls.

Samsung Galaxy S4 – The Specs We Can Expect is a post from: GizmoBird

Q. How many different SIM card size variants are there?

1. Two
2. Three
3. Four

A. You probably guessed that there are three different sizes of SIM card: Standard SIM, Micro SIM and Nano SIM? If that’s the case, then you are incorrect. There are in fact four size variations of SIM cards. The original SIM card, which was introduced in 1982, was 85.60 mm × 53.98 mm – the same size as a credit card. It wasn’t until 1989 before we got the second incarnation (the Mini SIM) which measures just 23mm x 12mm. It is this Mini SIM which most of us incorrectly think of as the original SIM card.

Have you ever wondered why the SIM cards of today always need to be pulled out from within a much larger credit card sized piece of plastic? It’s because all new SIM cards are required to be retrospectively compatible with the earliest devices. So even today’s newest SIM cards can be inserted into a mobile phone from the 80s provided of course it’s still connected to the surrounding plastic!

Q. How much do SIM cards cost?

1. Free
2. 80p
3. £6.00

A. It really depends on who is paying for the SIM card, but all of the answers above are correct. Consumers in the UK can get free SIMs from any network provider. However, the Providers themselves do not get the SIMs for free. They then have to arrange production of the SIM pack wallets, which can cost around £6 each. Each SIM pack contains a branded SIM card and some printed promotional material, all of which usually comes encased in a branded cardboard wallet. The print companies buy the blank, unbranded SIM cards from the Far East, paying anything between 1p to 80p per unit depending on quality and quantity ordered.

Q. What is the most valuable part of a SIM card?

1. Metal plate
2. Plastic card
3. Microchip

On a cost per micron basis the metal plate is the most valuable part of any SIM card because it is coated with a layer of gold. The gold coating is just 8 microns thick and each SIM contains more or less 1mg of gold depending on the area of the plate. On average, ten thousand SIMs would equate to 1Kg of gold.

Gold is used on the metal plate because of its conductive properties and resilience to wear. You can find the same gold plating inside your actual phone on a variety of metal connectors, including those that press against your SIM as well as on circuit boards in other electronics equipment.

Q. What information can be stored in your SIM card?

1. Text messages
2. Your contacts and network provider
3. Last dialled history

The answer is all of the above depending on what phone you have. Although these days many of us can use our mobile phone to control whether we save phone numbers to the actual SIM, we don’t get to control what else is stored on the card. Even if you store your contacts exclusively on the phone then your text messages, network provider and last dialled number can all still be determined via the SIM. This is why forensics teams can find SIMs to be very useful in solving crimes. If your SIM is registered (as it must be by law in the UK) authorities can also associate the SIM with an individual’s name and address via the cards International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

Q. For which of the following can a SIM card be used?

1. For frying an egg in a survival situation
2. Sterilizing a glass of water
3. For tracking people

I really hope you didn’t actually pick answers A or B because that would just be nuts. The answer was ‘C. SIM cards can be used for tracking people through a method known as triangulation. The idea is that if you can locate the mobile, you will locate its owner. Mobile phones signal nearby masts whenever they are used and also intermittently when not in use. When three masts are signalled at the same time, positioning software can perform a calculation to discover the geographical position between the three masts that the phone is located between.

The signal that is sent from the phone contains the SIMs IMSI number followed by the network code, and finally the phones own identification number (IMEI number). With this information from a registered SIM card, authorities can identify who owns the phone, where they are located, and what phone they are using. Once this information has been gathered, even if a user replaces the SIM card, the authorities can still trace the person based on the phones ID and they can then match that to the ID of the new SIM card.

A phone does not even need to be switched on to be tracked because phones send out an intermittent signal even if switched off. The only way to prevent the signal from being emitted is to remove the battery.

I suspect now that you have read five fascinating free SIM facts you will never look at a SIM card in the same way again. Should you feel inspired enough to start pushing your SIM card to the limits remember to back up your numbers first, and please let us know how you get on! If you know of any other amazing facts about SIMs please share them with us below in comments area.

Five Fascinating Free-SIMs Facts is a post from: GizmoBird

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Terms and Conditions is a post from: GizmoBird

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Legal is a post from: GizmoBird

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Privacy is a post from: GizmoBird

It has got to be said that big isn’t always necessarily better, and that the 5.5 inch display screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is not everyone’s cup of tea.  However, the super AMOLED screen does push the Note 2 into “phablet” territory, which could give it the edge for those who want the functionality of two devices but only one mobile phone contract.  Equally, the iPhone 5 is not quite as premium feel as its previous iterations, having replaced the backing Gorilla glass and steel sides with a lighter but more easily damaged aluminium casing. So in terms of design, they really are chalk and cheese. Although we suspect that Apple will still cling on to that “I want an iPhone” mass appeal, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has already clocked up a massive 5 million sales in as many months. 2 million of the super-size Smartphones were sold in the last month alone. Samsung revealed that it took its predecessor, the Galaxy Note, 5 months to achieve the same number, and they estimate that they will sell 20 million of these devices in the long term.

Samsung top Apple sales in Q3

In the meantime the Samsung Galaxy S3 has also been a runaway success. Compared to the iPhone 5, the larger 4.8 inch screen takes a little while to get used to. But once you do there’s no going back, and no denying that it greatly improves the internet user experience. Samsung for or the first time have surpassed Apples iPhone sales by selling 18 million units in Q3, just narrowly beating Apple’s 16.2 million sales to claim the title of best-selling Smartphone worldwide. Analysts comment that the reason Samsung out performed Apple against the iPhone 4 and 4S was because so many customers were holding out for the launch of the iPhone 5. According to Gartner, Samsung sold 55 million Smartphones in Q3, 10 million more units than they sold in Q2. Apple sold 23.6 million iPhones during the same period.

iPhone vs Galaxy Mobile Phone Contracts War

However iPhone 5 sales have already kicked off to a good start and projections are that Apples numbers could soar to over 49 million during the holiday period. So will Apple be re-crowned as the Smartphone King this Christmas? Only time will tell, but one things for sure the mobile phone contract business is a very lucrative one, and so far only Samsung look like a real contender.

iPhone 5 battles Galaxy S3 for Supremacy is a post from: GizmoBird

Operating system: iOS 6
Processor: Dual-core 1.2 GHz
Screen: 4 inch (640 x 1136 pixel resolution) LED-backlit IPS TFT, capacitive touchscreen
Camera: 8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash

[Show as slideshow]

Read the full Gizmobird iPhone 5 review here!

iPhone 5 Gallery is a post from: GizmoBird

Perhaps its outstanding feature is its secure login, something that will reassure anyone who has doubts over the security of cloud computing. It also syncs any file straight to the cloud storage server, which means any file stored via the app can be accessed via a PC, laptop, a tablet or even through another iPhone. This versatility alone makes this app worth considering, but there are other interesting features that make it useful.

You can upload any Microsoft Office file and share it with anyone who has access to same account with Egnyte, something that makes using a sophisticated cloud storage service every bit as functional as it would be when using a more traditional device. The app is easy to use, as you can upload any file that’s already stored in the cloud by visiting the specified page, while sharing and even making files available for offline access is just as simple. However, to access all those features and more, you have to sign in or register if you don’t have an Egnyte account.

How to use the Egnyte iPhone app for your cloud storage needs is a post from: GizmoBird

iPad Mini – Build

The iPad Mini is amazingly light and thin, and fits very snugly in one hand. But at the same time the edging is very evocative of the widely popular iPhone 3G, and it certainly feels sturdy enough to chuck in a handbag. The volume control and screen rotation buttons have been moved to the right hand side. The headphone socket has been moved to the top (it always made sense not to turn the device upside down in your pocket) and the stereo speakers and lightening connector are logically positioned on the bottom.

iPad Mini – Screen

The 7.9 inch screen certainly doesn’t disappoint. With its 1024 x 768 resolution and 162ppi, the images and text are crisp, and the colours are deep and intense. Identical to the iPad 2, this means that any apps will work without “letterboxing” around the screen.

iPad Mini – Camera

The rear facing 5 MP iSight camera, is what we’ve become accustomed to seeing on the larger iPad’s. Although its smaller size makes it much easier to take pictures or video than with the iPad (thankfully we can go back to taking photos with one hand) It’s just so much easier to handle!

iPad Mini – Performance and Battery

It doesn’t come with the A6X dual core powerhouse of its larger brother, but the A5 dual core is plenty good enough. The apps, games and websites rendered quickly and smoothly. It comes with 4G connectivity, and 5GHz WiFi means super-fast browsing. A very nice surprise, but it does explain the price somewhat. Apple is claiming the standard battery life is 10 hours, and that’s what we think they’ve delivered. Not bad considering that will include some 4G usage.

iPad Mini – Verdict

It’s too early to give a final verdict, but overall we were pretty impressed. We already had an inkling that the iPad Mini would provide a much better mobile experience than the larger iPad. Day to day manipulation and mobility is so much easier being that bit smaller and thinner, but with no reduction in quality. Apple has again created yet another premium device.

The only thing that raised a few eyebrows was the price. At £269 for the entry level model, it’s a whopping £100 more than the Google Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD. As we’re approaching Christmas, there’ll be plenty of customers clamouring for one, but there’ll still be a big gap in the market for Android – is that wise move from Apple? Due to be released 2^nd November – only time will tell.

Come back soon for a full iPad Mini review. In the meantime, check out our full in depth review of the iPhone 5

iPad Mini Review and Features is a post from: GizmoBird