New MasterCard combines a fingerprint sensor with NFC

For awhile now, there's been a number of companies trying to simplify payments for everyone. Google did so with Wallet and, most recently, Apple announced it would be doing something similar with the soon-to-be-launched Apple Pay, among others. Not surprisingly, MasterCard's, synonymous with paying for stuff, is working on a product of its own. In partnership with Zwipe, a company that focuses on biometric tech, MasterCard has built a charge plate with a built-in fingerprint sensor and NFC, albeit for trial purposes. The Zwipe MasterCard, as it is currently known, is said to be extremely secure -- all data is stored directly on the card, rather than an outside database, for example.

Samsung revamps its lower-end Chromebook with faux leather

It's taken a while, but people finally seem to be embracing Chromebooks as the low-cost laptops that they were designed to be. Samsung's already earned our plaudits for this year's Chromebook 2, but what if you just don't have $400 to spend on a new piece of hardware? Never fear, for the company has also refreshed the lower-end model from 2012 with better specs, but the same $249.99 price-tag. The low cost doesn't mean that this new (old) Chromebook can't be stylish, however, as Samsung has coated the top lid in the same faux-leather backing that we've seen on plenty of the company's other gadgets.

Facebook now actively seeks password leaks to protect its users

Facebook knows that password leaks endanger its users, even if it's another website that's been hacked, because people tend to reuse their log-in credentials (remember that recent Dropbox issue?). That's why it has developed a process that actively monitors news of huge security breaches and scans "paste" sites like pastebin, which hackers typically use to distribute username and password dumps. Upon finding a collection of email addresses and passwords, the system uses an automated process to check them against the social network's user database. Facebook says that doesn't mean it has copies of people's passwords in plain text, though: it encrypts or hashes stolen passwords first before comparing them to similarly encrypted log-in details. In the event that the system does spot an exact log-in combination that's also used on Facebook, it walks the user through changing his password the next time he logs in.

Apple announces new iMac and Mac Mini

The most eye catching reveal was the new iMac with Retina Display. The display features a huge 5120 x 2880 resolution that packs in 14.7 million pixels, which Apple is referring to as '5K'.

If 4K just isn't enough for you, Apple hopes that the 5K resolution of the new iMac will tempt you instead. It means you can view and edit 4K video full size whilst leaving room on the display for tools and apps.

Launched 30 years after the first Mac, Apple has crammed some impressive components into the new iMac, with a choice of a 3.5Ghz Intel Core i5 or 4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM as standard and an AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics card to handle the ultra high resolution.

It's shipping today with a base price of $2499. Whilst this is still a high price tag, Apple hopes that people will look at the prices of 4K TVs and decide to go with the more versatile iMac.

The Mac Mini also got an outing today with some updated features and a new more wallet-friendly price.

It now comes with fourth generation Intel Core processors that excel at graphics performance. Wireless AC Wi-Fi and two Thunderbolt 2 ports are also included. The standard model features a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starting at a suggested retail price of $499, which is $100 cheaper than the previous version.

If you're after a more powerful machine, you can get one with a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive starting at a suggested retail price of $999

Like the new iMac, the Mac Mini starts shipping today.

These new products will be able to interact each other as well as the iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6 thanks to Apple's latest operating system, the mobile iOS 8 and OSX Yosemite, which Apple announced would be available today for absolutely free.

Getting Apple's devices to work seamlessly together has been a focus for Apple, such as using Airplay to stream media from an iPhone to an Apple TV without needing to connect to Wi-Fi, or sending and receiving texts or phonecalls from any Apple device.

Along with the announcement that OSX Yosemite will be launched today for free, the iOS 8.1 update will be available for free from October 20.

Apple iPad Mini 3 vs Apple iPad Mini 2: What's new?

We loved last year’s iPad mini, even going as far as to award it the prestigious 5-star seal of approval in our official review. So to say we’re excited about the 2014 update is an understatement.

But, what really sets the iPad mini 3 apart from its predecessor? Let’s compare the two and see what’s new.

Improved Features

Headlining the new features on the iPad mini 3 is something we were hoping would be included in the 2013 model, and that’s Touch ID. We’ve had Apple’s fingerprint scanning tech on two generations of the iPhone now and now it has finally made its way over to both the iPad mini 3 and the iPad Air 2. There is a slight visual change with the addition of the sensor, as the classic home button has been tweaked with a sapphire glass coating and aluminium ring.

Touch ID adds in a number of handy features, aside from using it to unlock your slate, with our favourite being able to use it instead of a password in updated apps like 1Password and Scanbot.

The iPad mini 3 will also ship with iOS 8.1 out of the box, Apple’s first major update to the operating system that has caused much controversy since its release last month. Along with notable bug fixes, iOS 8 brings iCloud Photo library to everyone, but it's still in beta.

In the camera department things look very similar to last year, there's still the 5-megapixel shooter on the back, 1.2-meg Facetime HD camera up front and it'll shoot 1080p video.

Screen tech

Both previous iterations of the iPad mini have come with 7.9-inch displays with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and the new version doesn’t change anything there. That means the iPad mini 3 boasts a resolution of 2048 x 1536, the same as the iPad mini 2 and the iPad Air.

It if it ain't broke, don't fix it

We’re yet to see a major redesign for the iPad mini, as this new model still sticks to the same blueprint as its predecessors. Actually, everything is the same - it weighs the same (331g) and has the same thickness (7.5mm), making it thicker than the full-size iPad Air 2.

Even though rumours seemed to suggest that Apple might be doing away with the rotation lock switch on the side, we’re happy to confirm that it is still sticking around.

Gold is also joining the colour options available for the iPad mini 3, giving you another choice if you’re not a fan of Space Grey or Silver. Or if you just want to match that new iPhone 6 you picked up last month.

Under the hood

Last year’s iPad mini 2 saw quite the jump from the original mini, taking the same internal specs from the iPad Air and squishing them into the much smaller form-factor. An A7 64-bit processor and 1GB RAM, along with the 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB of internal storage options were the order of the day, but what’s changed this time around? Well nothing really.

Apple didn't divulge all the specs for the iPad mini 3, in-fact they barely mentioned it at, but the Apple website confirms that the iPad Mini 3 has the same A7 chip with a 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprecessor as last year's iPad Mini.

Wi-Fi has been given a boost too, to the ac standard, which should speed up all those downloads.

Apple has seemingly decided that its small slate is about as good as it can be at the minute, as the changes we've seen here are few and far between. Touch ID is nice, but is it enough to make the masses upgrade? We'll have to wait and see.

You can pick up an iPad mini 3 from £319 for 16GB, £399 for 64GB and 128GB for £479. Add £100 extra if you want to upgrade to the model with 4G internet.

Apple iPad Air 2 review: Hands-on

But as Tim Cook said, how can you improve on what people were calling the best tablet on the market? It’s not like it can get much thinner or slimmer while preserving the screen size, right?

 

Read more: Apple iPad mini 3 review: Hands-on

Well, no. Wrong. The new iPad Air 2 is 18% thinner than before – almost to the point of it being worth risking it without a case, such is the impressive frame on offer here.

Well, if you're one of those that is only going to use this tablet at home, then the good news is it's the perfect thing for it.

The iPad Air 2 is very much the darling of the Apple ball, with the thinner frame dazzling in the hand, and the chamfered edges adding a new premium edge.

Read more: Apple iPad Air 2 vs Apple iPad Air: Should you upgrade?

Sure, there's not a lot different here, but what can Apple really do? The thinness and the weight of the tablet makes it very tactile indeed, and the new camera will (unfortunately) entice a new wave of users to start using the new iPad Air as a camera.

The really cool thing about using the iPad Air 2 is the screen is enhanced on a tech level - the amount of air in between each component has been reduced to zero, according to Apple at least.

The result is richer colours and fewer reflections - and at least comparing it to the iPad mini 3, which is essentially the iPad mini 2 rebadged, it's much easier to view web pages and whizz around on the Air 2.

The other big thing that go me slightly excited, although for no reason, is the A8X processor included. I say for no reason simply because there's nothing right off the bat that really can make full use of it - but the demos we saw of real time video editing with really rather powerful effects certainly impressed.

Early verdict

The iPad Air 2 is the perfect tablet for those that have been holding on to an older device and are quietly hoping their loved one picks up on the subtle hints to buy them a new slate this Christmas.

Sure, it's not a massive upgrade on the original iPad Air, but for the swathes of people that didn't buy that model but fancy a new device, this is the perfect mix of longer battery and improved design in a class-leading tablet.

Apple iPad mini 3 review: Hands-on

Coming in at £319, it's the same price as last year's model, but where that was the iPad Air shrunken down into  more impressive frame, this time we've got, well, the same the iPad but with the ability to check it's your finger.

Read more: Apple iPad Air 2 review: Hands-on

That means no zero-gap screen, no improved A8X chip (the mini 3 is stuck on the old A7 that debuted last year) and while the new iOS 8.1 update brings time lapse and panorama to the mix, the slow motion video is gone due to the lack of grunt.

There are some upgrades here: you can now get it in gold and the shell is slightly refined with a chamfered edge along with an improved back.

But beyond that, there's very little on show here that makes it easy to see where the extra cash is coming from, especially when last year's model is now on sale for a lower price. The TouchID extra does allow you access to more secure apps, as well as paying for goods with your digit from the sofa, but beyond that it's hard to see who would want the new model when the cheaper one is out.

Early verdict

It's hard to work out the iPad mini 3. It's a good tablet only in the sense that the last model was very good indeed. But where that stunned by shrinking down the awesome bits of the iPad Air into a tiny frame, the iPad mini 3 is just a rebadged version that brings a fingerprint scanner into your life.

The full review of the tablet might reveal some hidden treasures, but for now it's hard to see who would want the iPad mini 3 when the older version still exists on the market.

Google Chromecast 2 is on the way

Looks like there's a new version of Google's Chromecast on the horizon.

 

A revised Chromecast model was submitted by Google to the FCC in the US, along with a request for confidentiality. The consequences of that are that we don't actually know how the new Chromecast will differ from the original.

The diagram does confirm, though, that the design remains the same.

"The technology that is the subject of the certification application is subject to intense competition from other manufacturers and service providers that are developing competing services and technology" says Google's request for privacy in its filing.

"Were Google’s competitors to become aware of the facts set forth in the above-referenced exhibits to the application, it could have an adverse impact on Google’s competitive standing and deprive Google of the marketplace benefit it otherwise would achieve by virtue of having the product available before other providers."

Google asked the FCC to not make public any external photos of its new Chromecast, along with internal photos, test setup photos and the user manual.

Looks like there's no 802.11ac 5GHz wifi which is disappointing - the FCC filing only mentions the testing of 2.4GHz 802.11n.

In an AMA on Reddit, a member of the Chromecast team said: "No plans for big announcement on this one. Mostly because it will have the same features as the original and most users won't notice a difference. Sorry--I can't say more about this topic."

So why all the secrecy?

Vodafone unveils its first 4G tablet

The Vodafone Smart Tab 4G is an eight-inch tablet that is essentially a slightly tweaked version of the 3G-only Vodafone Smart Tab 4 that hit shelves in June.

Along with 4G LTE support, the new tablet also comes with a new HD display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor. The 3G version of the tablet was powered by a MediaTek 1.2GHz quad-core processor.

The camera has also received an upgrade. The Smart Tab 4G sports a 5 megapixel camera – up from the 2 megapixel sensor found in the Smart Tab 4.

Other than that, it’s pretty much the same tablet as the one that launched in June – including Android 4.4 KitKat and the 4060mAh battery.

 

So how much will Vodafone’s 4G tablet set you back? If you want to buy the tablet, up front, it’ll set you back £125. That’s less than rival EE’s Eagle tablet (which sells for £209.99) and even Tesco’s newly announced Hudl 2 tablet.

It’s also available on monthly plans. For 1GB a month, you’ll be looking at £17 per month with a £29 downpayment. That’s the same as the 3G Smart Tab 4

British Gas sets its sights on home automation

Briti

Hive launched last year and the smart thermometer is now installed in more than 100,000 homes across the UK, according to British Gas. That gives it a significant lead over its other smart home rivals, such as Nest and Honeywell.

The company has now unveiled the second generation of its Active Home system, which it claims will take it beyond just measuring the temperature into the house towards full home automation.

According to Kassir Hussain, director of connected homes at British Gas, the second generation of the gadget will come with smart sensors that are able to detect which room people are in and when they leave the house.

 

“Infrared presence sensors and little keyfobs you put on your bag that tell you when people in and out are on our radar,” Hussain told Engadget.

However, he conceded that while the technology is there to increase the intelligence of device – such as knowing you’re five minutes away and putting the heating on – privacy issues mean it is too soon to take things to that extreme.

“We’re also looking at geolocation but we’re being very careful with that due to privacy issues. Knowing that you’ve stepped through the front door is a good first step, but whether we’ll go beyond that remains to be seen.”

Other features the company is testing out include detecting when a certain member of the family enters or leaves the home. It is also looking at tying it into security systems to detect when someone who doesn’t live there enters the property.

Hussain said that the company isn’t planning on adding 101 features to the gadget though. British Gas is instead focusing on working with other companies who specialise in other complementary areas.

“We don’t believe in closed ecosystems. Customers are going to want to choose a variety of different products, which could be from other manufacturers or they could be from us. The key for us is to create an open ecosystem and platform that allows people to collect the products they choose, not the ones we curate.”

That openness extends to Apple and Google’s own platforms. “We’re excited about Apple HomeKit and Google’s recent home automation announcements, and are actively looking into Bluetooth LE, ZigBee and Z-Wave standards to ensure we remain open,” Hussain added.

The second generation of Active Home is currently scheduled to launch next summer.

Google launches Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player

After Much rumouring, the next wave of Google's homegrown Nexus devices are here, plus a new Android TV box.

Google has officially launched the Nexus 6 smartphone, Nexus 9 tablet and the Nexus Player Android TV box.

The Nexus 6 by Motorola sports a 5.9-inch QHD display, quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 13MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and the choice of either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage.

Meanwhile the Nexus 9 rocks up with an 8.9-inch display, 64 bit Nvidia Tegra K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera and 1.6MP front snapper.

Both the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 run Google's latest operating system, dubbed Android Lollipop (or Android 5.0).

 

The Asus-made Nexus Player is a slightly different proposition, and it's the first device to arrive running the new Android TV platform.

Nexus Player provides a way of streaming movies, music and videos to your television as well as providing gaming functionality plus it's Google Cast Ready - allowing you to throw content from your Chromebook, tablet or phone direct to your TV screen.

In terms of when you can get your hands on both the Nexus 9 and Nexus Player will be available for pre-order from October 17 with an in store release date of November 3.

The Nexus 6 will go on pre-order later in October and is due to hit shops sometime in November. There's currently no word on price for any of the products

Biggest next-gen games coming up: MUST CHECK

It’s been almost a full year since the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hit the shelves, but it's only now that the game selection is really starting to catch up with their gargantuan sales figures. From survival horror to online, open world racer, there’s a lot to look forward to in the build up to the coming period. Every title here is set to hit both Microsoft and Sony’s latest consoles in the fourth quarter of this year. The following is far from an exhaustive list of what’s on offer for next-gen systems.

Shadow of Mordor

Set in the Lord of the Rings universe, Shadow of Mordor takes core movement and combat mechanics from the Assassin’s Creed and Batman: Arkham franchises and mixes in a gripping enemy hierarchy. Known as the Nemesis system, the feature pits players against an array of quarreling enemy captains, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
You’ll find yourself forming rivalries with specific, procedurally-generated characters while traversing the moody open world. The latter half of the game even lets you exert your influence over captains, making them fight for you and helping them to rise up to the rank of Warchief. This adds an extra dollop of strategy on top of what’s already a winning formula.
Not only does the game look great on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but the mix of new and old mechanics makes for an experience that’s both fresh and familiar at once. Mordor is also a far more interesting place to spend a few dozen hours than we could have expected.
Shadow of Mordor is out now for Xbox One and PS4.

Alien: Isolation

Creative Assembly is a studio known for its excellent, large-scale Total War strategy franchise, but Alien: Isolation proves that it's capable of producing a great, IP-driven horror game as well. From the moody atmosphere of the game’s Sevastopol station setting, to the excellent sound design and tiny details dotted around its rooms and corridors, the title is a love letter to Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece.
The game has players focusing on stealth, spending most of their time tracking, hiding and avoiding a single, invincible foe. The creature itself isn’t scripted, but features a complex AI, meaning that no two play-throughs will ever be quite the same.
The title is both visually stunning and nerve-shreddingly intense. Not for the faint hearted.
Alien: Isolation is out now for Xbox One and PS4.

Destiny

Destiny may have been out for over a month, but it's still one of the biggest titles to hit shelves in the latter part of 2014. While it may not quite live up to the next-gen hype that preceded its arrival, it’s still a great online, team-based shooter with an open world mentality.
The first-person-shooter mechanics are as precise and satisfying as you would expect from Bungie, the studio that spawned the Halo franchise. We recently took a detailed look at the game, finding that while the players can safety ignore the game's thread-bare storyline, its gameplay, loot drive and drop-in playability make it well worth a look.
One of the most compelling aspects of Destiny is how it’s set to evolve over the coming months and years. Bungie has already announced two content packs for the game, with the promise of more to come. It’s worth noting that major content additions won’t be free, meaning you’ll have to shell out some extra cash if you want to experience new missions into 2015 and beyond.
Destiny is out now for Xbox One and PS4.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity

Ubisoft’s pseudo-historical free running franchise went from strength to strength during the last console cycle, and the series’ first next-gen-only entry looks to evolve it in a number of key ways.
Not only is the title a significant visual upgrade over previous versions, but it also marks a return to the game’s stealth roots and throws co-operative play into the mix. Up to four players can work together to accomplish objectives, and the developer has made it clear that in Unity, direct combat is a last resort, only to be relied upon when more subtle approaches fail.
Conceptually speaking at least, the game’s 18th century Paris setting is also one of the strongest we’ve seen in an Assassin’s Creed game. The urban expanse is overflowing with iconic buildings and crowds of discontented citizens, making for a moody and engaging backdrop to the protagonists story.
Assassins Creed: Unity launches November 11 for Xbox One and PS4.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Though we’ll have to wait until 2015 for the next entry in the series, Halo: The Master Chief Collection should make that wait significantly more bearable. Developer 343 Industries has packed four full games (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4) onto a single disk, complete with each title’s separate multiplayer modes, accounting for more than 90 maps.
The second entry in the series is the only title to receive a full anniversary treatment, with the entire game (including six multiplayer maps), being completely re-made for the new release. All of the titles run at 1080p 60 fps resolution.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection launches November 11 for Xbox One.

GTA V

It speaks volumes of Rockstar’s latest title that its re-launch on the PS4 and Xbox One is one of the most anticipated releases of the 2014 holiday season – a full year after its debut on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
We gave the title a glowing review when it arrived in November 2013, and the next-gen release is set to improve on the original in a number of small but significant ways. The vast majority of the changes are aesthetic, with the remastered game featuring a new foliage system, additional wildlife and denser traffic on roads.
The next-gen port will also bring with it enhanced vehicle damage and better weather effects, and players will be able to transfer their GTA Online characters from the old version to the new, providing both systems are on the same manufacturer’s consoles (i.e. PS3 to PS4 and Xbox 360 to Xbox One).
GTA V launches November 18 for Xbox One and PS4.

The Crew

The Crew is a massively multiplayer racer that puts the entire United States on a disk. Well, we say entire, but in reality we’re looking at a shrunken down version of the country, with major cities positioned correctly, relative to each other, and the areas in-between being populated with roughly accurate scenery. Just because The Crew isn’t to scale certainly doesn’t mean it’s small, with it reportedly taking a full 90 minutes to cross the map.
The open world includes 15 famous cities, including Chicago, New York, Miami and Los Angeles, and tasks players with working together to accomplish goals. While playing the game, users will earn cash and gain experience, picking up equipment that has stats similar to what you’d find in an RPG. The developer hopes this will add a deeper and more nuanced sense of progression to the genre.
The Crew launches December 2 on Xbox One and PS4.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

While recent entries in the Call of Duty franchise may have stayed true to the tried and tested formula, Advanced Warfare promises to make significant changes.
Like previous entries in the series, the new title heads into the future, but unlike 2012’s Black Ops 2, Advanced Warfare looks to add some new ideas. Similar to the Crysis franchise, the title gives players control of an exoskeleton-equipped soldier, giving them the ability to cloak, sprint faster, jump higher and more. When it comes to multiplayer, this allows for a greater degree of verticality in maps and more significant variation in player classes.
There has also been a significant graphical upgrade, with the title being the first next-gen-only release in the series as of yet. Its appeal is no doubt helped by the casting of the excellent Kevin Spacey as the shadowy leader of Atlas Corporation – the fictional world’s largest private military corporation.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is released November 3 on Xbox One and PS4.

Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4 sees the franchise move to Kyrat – a violent Himalayan setting. It gives players a brand new open world to explore, with varied terrain, a charismatic villain, and a host of new wildlife including rhinos and rideable elephants.
Big additions this time around are the ability to play the game with a friend, as well as a new gyrocopter vehicle that lets players scout out the map from the skies. Once you’re done flying around, there’s even a wing suit that allows you return to solid ground in style.
Overall, Far Cry 4 doesn’t look to be a re-invention of the franchise, but rather an evolution that offers new features and provides a whole new world to explore.
Far Cry 4 will hit shelves November 18 for Xbox One and PS4.

The Evil Within

Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami’s new game may not have the same widespread appeal as some of the other titles in this list, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most compelling.
Alien: Isolation might provide some tense, unscripted frights, but The Evil Within is a pure, bloody survival horror that looks to keep players on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Like every great title in the genre, the game provides you with very limited ammo and pits you up against a variety of grotesque, nightmarish foes.
The Evil Within is out now for both Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen console

Review: BlackBerry Passport

Gizmag reviews BlackBerry's unusually-proportioned Passport (Image: Chris Wood/Gizmag)
Image Gallery (9 images)

BlackBerry’s latest smartphone is its most unusual and innovative release in years, but does it do enough to make it worth considering among a sea of worthwhile competition? The device certainly has its fair share of interesting features, and won’t have any trouble standing out from the crowd. Read on as we take a close look at the Passport.

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The Passport’s unusual design has garnered a lot of attention since it was quietly revealed back in July, and its sheer size combined with that unusual keyboard-to-display ratio is something that really hits you when you first take the smartphone out of its box. While its overall footprint isn’t radically different from other large-screened devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus, its squarer shape makes it feel much larger.
The handset feels solid in the hand, with the soft-touch back providing ample grip, and I was surprised at how comfortable it felt in my jean pocket. You’ll be a little more aware of the 196 g (0.43 lbs) device if you’re carrying it around in your jacket pocket, but I didn’t find its size or weight to be an issue during day-to-day use.
The thing to note here is that the Passport is a two-handed device. I was almost able to click out quick messages with one hand, but it’s not something I’d want to do regularly, and it's something you would struggle to do if you’ve got small hands. Instantly, this makes the handset a little less user friendly, but fear not – there is an upside to the design.

Interestingly, I wasn’t able to type any quicker on the Passport’s physical keyboard than I can on a touchscreen, due largely to the ability to quickly trace out words on software keyboards. But I was far more accurate on the BlackBerry handset’s physical keys than software alternatives.
Physical typing is augmented with a row of software keys for inputting numbers and symbols. You quickly get used to using a mix of physical and software keys, and the overall typing experience is, as you would expect from a BlackBerry, top notch. The device also performs well in another key area, offering clear and loud audio during calls.
The 4.5-inch panel has a resolution of 1,440 x 1,440, giving it 453 pixels per inch. While that’s not as high as some smartphones out there, it’s comparable to both the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5, and I never found myself wishing I was looking at a sharper screen. The display real estate you’re getting here is less expansive than phablets such as the Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus, but its aspect ratio means you’ll never find yourself having to flip the device into landscape mode to rearrange the content you can see.
To some extent, BlackBerry’s marketing spiel about the aspect ratio is right on the money, with the square screen working well for viewing documents and drawings, web browsing and using email. You can scroll through certain content, most notably web pages, by swiping up and down on the physical keyboard. Being able to keep your fingers out of the way while scrolling makes browsing on the Passport feel like a different experience to either a smartphone or tablet. It’s almost like using gestures to scroll through a web page on a laptop trackpad.
Though the display makes the Passport feel pretty unique, it does have its downsides. Trying to watch video on the square panel is an ordeal, with the aspect ratio of the content meaning that you’re actually getting a smaller image than you would on an iPhone 5s. As the device is targeted at business users, we don’t see this as a huge issue, but if you’re looking to pick up a handset for personal use, and have any desire to watch video content, you’d be much better off with a phablet.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Passport’s rear shooter, with the 13 MP camera taking some bright and detailed shots in a variety of lighting conditions. You can switch the aspect ratio between 1:1 (matching the device’s display) and more conventional 4:3 and 16:9 options. The camera here isn’t quite going to rival what you’ll find on a device like the LG G3, but it produces solid results.
It makes sense to have a solid rear camera, but, as a business device, a good front-facing camera for video calls is going to be at least as important. Unfortunately, the Passport falls flat here, offering a mediocre 2 MP shooter that produces blurry results with significant motion blur.

The Passport runs on BlackBerry OS 10.3, which pairs with a quad core Snapdragon 801 processor and 3 GB of RAM to provide a buttery smooth experience. The OS is capable, fluid and gesture based – you swipe up to minimize apps, down to open a quick settings menu, and right and left to get to the BlackBerry Hub and apps.
The Hub puts messaging front and center, aggregating alerts from various sources into a single feed that’s never more than a couple of swipes away. There’s a bit of an adjustment period if you’re switching from iOS or Android, but once you’re used to it, the BlackBerry OS 10.3 experience is very solid indeed.
The app selection in the BlackBerry World store is focused on productivity, and lacks most key apps you’ll find on other platforms. There is a silver lining here though, in that you can run Android apps via the pre-installed Amazon Appstore. Apps like Facebook, Spotify and Twitter are present, but the selection isn’t quite on par with that found in the Google Play or the iOS App Store. Most of the Android apps I installed ran smoothly, though one or two struggled with the Passport’s square display, cutting off UI buttons at the bottom of the screen.
Battery life is one area where the Passport really shines. The device can easily cope with a full day of moderate use, including web browsing, some light photography, emailing and general messaging. With display brightness set to auto, I was even able to rely on the handset for almost an entire second day of use.

So overall, can we recommend the BlackBerry Passport? The answer is yes, but with some significant caveats. We think it’s generally a good idea to get some physical hands-on time with a smartphone before making a purchase, but this is something that’s more important than ever with the Passport – you may well pick up the device and find that it’s simply too wide to be practical.
That said, if you can get past the out-there form factor and less expansive app selection, then the handset has a lot going for it. Its physical keyboard shows the company continuing to defy the industry trend, and offers an accurate and satisfying experience. While the square display might be poorly suited to viewing video content, it’s great for web browsing and messaging. Overall, we can’t say that the Passport is the right device for you, but we can say that it has enough interesting ideas to make it well worth a look.
The Passport is available now for US$600 off-contract.

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

Instead of announcing the next version of its iconic operating system in front of a massive crowd of thousands, Microsoft chose an intimate venue with 50 or so reporters to launch the new Windows, which it's calling Windows 10. The company looks at the new number (yes, it oddly skipped a number) as an indication of the direction it's taking with the OS; Microsoft says it'll be "the most comprehensive platform ever," featuring a full range of products that'll be placed under the Windows 10 umbrella as part of "one tailored experience." That means it will support everything from the "Internet of Things" to enterprise servers, taking advantage of responsive design. Microsoft's Joe Belfiore showed off an early beta version of the new Windows on stage, which looks very much like the leaked screenshots we saw not too long ago; Belfiore says that the company wanted to bring the familiarity of Windows 7 and combine it with the functionality of Windows 8.

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Microsoft Windows 10 hands-on

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The new Windows will look very familiar if you're used to either of the the last two versions, though Win8 users will notice that the Modern UI is nowhere to be seen at first (more on this later). Instead, the series of Live Tiles can be found in the Start Menu off to the right side, with the usual Win7-style set of pinned and frequent apps on the left side, along with web and app search underneath. Not only can the tiles be resized, but also the Start Menu can likewise be resized as well. Microsoft said you can even expand the menu to go beyond the boundaries of your monitor, so you can scroll to the left and right to see the entire lineup of apps and tiles.
It also comes with a refreshed taskbar that comes with a new "task view," which shows all of the apps that are running in each virtual desktop; your current desktop is primarily shown on the screen, but you'll see a few thumbnails down below that give you the option to switch between desktops (or add a new one, if you prefer). You can also snap up to four apps on the same screen in a quadrant layout. This is different from the standard ALT+TAB command, which brings up every running app from every desktop. Additionally, Windows 10 also gets a nice improvement to the command prompt: Now you can use keyboard shortcuts, as well as copy and paste. While Microsoft admits that this isn't exactly the most exciting news, there are plenty of die-hard Windows users who have been eagerly awaiting this feature for a long time.
So far, the native apps that Microsoft demoed, such as Mail and Calendar, show responsive design that adjusts your view as you resize them. The Mail app, for example, can stretch anywhere from a single-pane to triple-pane view, depending on how you view it; likewise, the Calendar app can show either a single day (if you've narrowed the app to a small vertical sliver) or a full week (for any larger view). These are just a couple instances of the design, which likely will be open to developers.

The Charms Bar is still there, though it may not look exactly the same when the final build comes out -- Microsoft says that the UI is still not final and it expects to change it between now and then -- and plenty of touch elements and gestures will be carried over from Windows 8. In the meantime, Microsoft isn't giving out any additional details on the touch mode, aside from the fact that with Win10, the company will make it possible for the OS to dynamically adjust the UI based on what mode you're using; if you're using a keyboard and mouse, your user interface will be slightly different than if you're going into touch mode. Oh, and about the Modern UI mode from Win8? Microsoft didn't want to place too much attention onto it today, but it did indicate that it shows up as a "large Start Menu" when you're in touch mode. (You'll also see a back button on the taskbar.) If you're using a keyboard and mouse, however, it appears that you'll enjoy the desktop experience instead.
The team only showed a few bits of Windows 10 today, but they'll continue to add more pieces to the puzzle over the course of the next year as Microsoft prepares for a late 2015 launch. For instance, we'll see more of the system at the company's Build conference next Spring. That said, Microsoft will be launching an Insider Program tomorrow, which is designed to give the initial Win10 experience (also known as the Technical Preview) to folks who have a deeper knowledge of the OS. Belfiore insists that the new Windows will give full functionality for everyone from beginners and novices to advanced users once it launches, however. But what's most important is the fact that Microsoft tried really hard to distance itself from Windows 8. Even skipping numeric order and opting for Windows 10 instead is a clear indication of this; perhaps Microsoft feels that the number 9 is guilty by association?

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Windows 10

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When it comes to Windows Phone, Microsoft is keeping pretty quiet about its plans, only mentioning that "it'll be a natural step forward in the evolution of the phone." Belfiore stated that the company wants to strike a blend between phones, tablets and larger devices. It'll also be interesting to see if Microsoft dubs the mobile OS Windows Phone 10, or if no distinction will be made.