One of the biggest things missing from last week’s Google I/O event was the expected next generation of Google Nexus devices, which did not make an appearance. With the original Google Nexus 7 tablet being announced the year prior at the same event, it was widely expected that Google would be releasing an updated device at the same time a year on.

However, just because Google didn’t show it off at the I/O event it doesn’t mean that the new tablet isn’t coming!.Reports are coming in from Digitimes that claims electronics manufacturer Elan Microelectronics (a Taiwanese supplier of integrated circuitry for touchscreen devices) has started shipping touchscreen circuit boards for the new Nexus 7 devices.

This reportedly is so that Google can have devices ready for a July release this summer!

There have been numerous amounts of new Nexus tablet rumours in recent months and the original Nexus 7 certainly does have room for a few improvements – no micro SD card slot, rear camera or HDMI out), as well as standard processor and screen improvements.

Many also think that the next iteration of the Android OS will also be released on the tablet, whether that’s Jelly Bean 4.3 or the long awaited Key Lime Pie OS.

Obviously there is no word from Google and other than a few leaks and rumours the next generation of Nexus tablets is still all just speculation, but hopefully we will see a new device in July to follow on from Google’s excellent Nexus 7.

A fresh update to the BBC iPlayer app for Android devices has finally brought in full compatibility with 10-inch tablet devices.

Until now, those using the iPlayer app on larger Android tablets such as the Asus Transformer Pad have been lumped with a shortcut to the iPlayer website rather than a native app. Smaller tablets like the Nexus 7 and smartphones have been able to enjoy a full-screen app experience, however.

The new update changes all that, bringing the BBC iPlayer app to Android tablets that feature larger displays, all the way up to 10.1-inches. This means that Beeb fans will now be able to score catch-up telly time on devices like the Nexus 10, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and others.

The BBC also says it has tweaked the app to improve performance on smaller tablets as well as smartphones, so if you’re an avid iPlayer user on any Android device it’s going to be worth updating the app via the Google Play Store.

With mobiles and tablets accounting for 30% of some 272 million iPlayer requests in March alone and tablets accounting for 200,000 more requests than smartphones, it’s about time the Beeb paid attention to tablets of all sizes!

If you’re unsure how to update an installed app then simply head into the Play Store, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select My Apps. Find iPlayer in the list and hit the update button – simple!

With Microsoft’s Xbox One console getting a full reveal this Tuesday it’s now time to take a look at some of the accessories that will be coming with the console, and today Turtle Beach revealed they are working with Microsoft to produce a range of gaming headsets for the incoming console.

Turtle Beach are renowned for their top notch gaming headsets for the Xbox and PlayStation consoles so it’s good news for gamers to see that MS are working closely with Turtle Beach to produce some top notch accessories for the Xbox One.

Turtle Beach will be one of the first companies to launch Microsoft-licensed gaming headsets for the Xbox One and the company have also said that they will be releasing information on their next-gen console headsets “in the coming weeks”.

The release of the Xbox One will see very little backwards compatibility between the Xbox 360 and the One, including games and accessories. The new Xbox One has abandoned the chat cable used currently in the Xbox 360 which means that older accessories from brands like Turtle Beach, Astro Gaming and others cannot be transferred to the new console.

Instead, the Xbox One features Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth connectivity, so there may be a new wireless way for the console and headsets to be connected.

The team up with Turtle Beach will be one of many agreements Microsoft will have to make as the company is reportedly looking to closely manage third-party accessories via a licensing program that would require manufacturers to adhere to strict guidelines in order to support the new platform.

In regard to the partnership, Branden Powell Director of Strategic Alliances Xbox Hardware Group said; “In Turtle Beach we have a partner that can help Microsoft deliver world class gaming audio experiences to our customers,” and that “Turtle Beach has consistently innovated in wireless, surround sound, and other features and we are looking forward to working with them.”

We love the current range of Turtle Beach headsets so we have high hopes for the next generation’s offerings.

After showing off some brand new gameplay footage at the Xbox One event earlier this week, EA Sports has confirmed that FIFA 14 will launch in North America on September 24^th and around the world on September 27^th.

The latest title in the long-standing footy franchise will launch on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, but not Wii U, because as we know, EA has snubbed the console as it will not run its new Ignite game engine.

FIFA 14 will also be coming to next-gen consoles the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, although with both yet to have official release dates, EA has shied away from saying when these versions will be out. Both consoles should be coming out in time for Christmas 2013 though, so we’re expecting FIFA 14 to be a launch title for both.

Pre-orders are now popping up at various retailers around the world, with the likes of GAME and ShopTo already offering deals here in the UK. ShopTo has priced the game at £34.95 and is throwing in 4 Ultimate Team Gold Packs. Pre-orders will come with 24 Ultimate Team Packs as standard, too, so you can build your own team with kits, stickers, players, stadiums and more before taking on the world online.

FIFA 14 features a number of improvements and new features that are said to make the game even more realistic and random – EA doesn’t want it getting stale on you half-way through next season. Pure Shot aims to give a much more realistic ball movement and offers many more different types of shot based on the player’s positioning and balance, which is an area also improved by something EA is calling ‘Real Ball Physics’.

Now that that most football league seasons are drawing to a close football fans will need something to quench their football thirst, so here’s a snippet of the latest FIFA 14 gameplay from the Xbox One launch.

With the BlackBerry 10.1 software update now successfully on the BlackBerry Q10 and rolling out to the Z10, the company has teased a new update which will arrive later this year – BlackBerry 10.2.

BlackBerry’s product manager Michael Clewley spoke to CrackBerry about the forthcoming update, which will arrive on the Z10 and Q10 later on this year. This is the first solid news we’ve had about 10.2, so naturally Clewley was secretive, but he did reveal some features.

For starters, emojis will be brought in to allow ‘Berry users to add colourful smilies and icons to texts, BBMs and emails. The Clock app will gain the ability to set multiple alarms, reminders can be set for a specific time and there will also be “level 1 notifications”. With this feature BlackBerry users can flag a message as ‘level 1’ so they appear on the recipient’s BlackBerry differently.

BlackBerry 10.2 will go out to developers for testing this June as an SDK, with a public release taking place sometime later in the year. We don’t know when 10.2 will drop but Mr Clewley assures it will be sometime this calendar year.

At present BlackBerry 10.1 is rolling out to the Z10, bringing a number of improvements and features including a HDR camera mode, configurable alerts and a number of other minor changes.

This week Microsoft finally revealed its next generation Xbox in an event in Seattle. The new Xbox is called the Xbox One and offers a compelling blend of game-playing acumen and media capabilities. Now that both console’s capabilities have been mostly revealed, let’s compare the two consoles and see which looks the best.

Hardware

The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are much more similar to one another than we saw with the PS3 and Xbox 360 last generation. This time around, both consoles use a similar AMD chipset, with an 8-core Jaguar CPU and an AMD GPU. The difference is that Sony has invested more in graphics, with a 1152 core GPU, while Microsoft opted for the same GPU with only 768 cores, resulting in 50% less raw horsepower.

Sony also takes the lead when we look at memory, with 8 GB of extremely high speed GDDR5 memory versus the cheaper and slower 8 GB of DDR3 used in the Xbox One. Microsoft has included 32 MB of embedded memory to make up for this shortcoming, but the simpler and stronger choice still seems to be the PS4.

One area that the Xbox One does lead is in heat and power usage, which should be lower overall thanks to its less powerful GPU and clever voltage and frequency throttling.

Neither console is backwards-compatible with the previous generation of games (due to the change in architecture from PowerPC to x86), but Sony has said it is looking into allowing that functionality through their streaming service, Gaikai.

Winner: PlayStation 4. Low-power and low heat for the Xbox One is nice, but that extra graphical grunt should make for more better looking and smoother running games on PS4. A little bit of backwards compatibility is nice too, even if it isn’t achieved in hardware.

Software

Microsoft has differentiated itself in the software side of the equation – while Sony seems to have gone for more of the same, Microsoft has made a big investment in TV and streaming video. Their Xbox One includes an extra HDMI in port, allowing the Xbox One to show cable or satellite TV. The Xbox One includes its own program guide and can control other devices via an IR remote. This functionality will only be available in the US initially, though.

The Xbox One also runs three operating systems simultaneously – the Xbox OS for playing games, a Windows 8 kernel for apps like TV, Skype and Netflix, and a third connector OS for switching between these. That setup reportedly provides a near instantaneous switching experience, allowing you to multi-task by switching between tasks or even running both on screen at once.

The upgraded Kinect also is a big part of the X1, allowing voice and gesture commands to be used. Whilst Sony also has Move, it seems much less of a focus.

Both operating systems seem to offer similar in-game options, including the ability to play games as they’re downloading, instantly switch to a low power mode without losing game progress and share clips of cool gameplay moments. Sony seems to have gone further with this last point, allowing for friends to take over from you mid-game and also live stream your gameplay sessions.

Winner: Xbox One. While people that only play games will likely find more features on the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One is a more general media machine that should offer a lot more utility in the living room.

Hot Button Issues

A lot of online commentary has focused around three hot-button issues: how used games are handled, whether the console must be online, and whether indie developers can publish their own games.

The used game front is probably the most confusing. Initial reports from Microsoft indicate that they’re still formulating a solution, but they seem to be favouring removing the utility of used games by tying games to a single user account and requiring a fee for the game to be transferred elsewhere. Sony has said that they’ll allow used games by default but publishers may be able to block them.

It’s a little more clear for the always-online issue. Microsoft seems to have the wrong end of the stick here, with a Microsoft executive announcing that the console has to phone home once a day, but won’t kick you out of a game for a momentary connection loss. Sony has said that it won’t require an always-on connection at all.

Finally, indie developers have complained that thus far Microsoft hasn’t made any mention of how they’ll be able to contribute their games to the platform, whilst Sony has been very involved with the indie community to ensure that those games can be self-published on the PS4.

Winner: PlayStation 4.

Conclusion

Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 look like solid upgrades over the previous generation, which was kicked off nearly eight years ago. While the PlayStation 4 looks like a better pure games machine and the Xbox One looks like more of a better media centre option, both consoles should handle both sides of the coin competently.

If the hot-button issues don’t bother you then just decide based on the games, which we’ll see at E3 in three weeks. I’m leaning towards getting both personally, though if I had to choose I’d go with the PlayStation 4 – I’m planning on picking up a Samsung HomeSync to augment my Galaxy S4, so media playback is less of an issue!

Which way are you going to go? Let us know in the comments below!

Huawei’s super-sized Ascend Mate 6.1-inch smartphone is incoming for us folks in the UK and with its mammoth screen and great specs it’s also got a shockingly cheap price tag upon its release.

The 6.1-inch Android beast is looking set to land in the UK in July and pre-orders for the handset have just gone live on online smartphone store Expansys for the bargain price of just £335. This pricing is a serious drop if you compare it to some of its closest rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which sells SIM-free for well over £500.

Samsung’s own super screened phone, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3, will also go on sale in July, priced at over £100 more than the Ascend Mate at £460.

The Ascend Mate was originally launched to the world at the CES show in Las Vegas this January and it’s a bit of a beast. It has a quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and the Android 4.1 operating system to boot.

Whilst the screen is a huge 6.1 inches, the display has 1,280 x 720 pixels which works out at a density of 240 ppi, so it’s not at the Full HD level of displays we’ve seen recently from the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, but it’s still decent to look at.

The sheer size of the smartphone puts it in comparison to both Android phones and tablets but we can see the Huawei Ascend Mate finding a following somewhere just because of its size and low price.

There will be black and white versions available when the handset hits shops in July.

The powerful pocket computers we carry around called smartphones continue to evolve at an amazing rate. Bigger screens and more powerful processors mean that the tasks they can carry out are getting more complex all the time, so one of the most annoying things that can happen is to find that your battery has run out of juice just when you need it most.

Although improvements in battery technology are making devices lighter and batteries themselves hold charge for longer, the power demands of the devices themselves and the way we use them means it is always useful to know a few handy tips which help prolong battery life in-between charges.

Here are some of the best tips to help you get the most out of your phone:

Background apps

Multi-tasking made for a great improvement in functionality over early models but having several apps running at the same time obviously uses up more battery power. By closing background apps that you are not using you can make quite a difference to power consumption in an easy way. For example, on an iPhone, double click the home button and then tap and hold an icon to reveal crosses – tap these to close each app.

Phone connection

Although it might sound strange to suggest turning your phone’s ‘phone’ off, it can be something people don’t think of. A smartphone is used for much more than making calls, so if you are using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections you can save power by turning the cellular data connection off. Use ‘airplane mode’ to do this easily.

Wi-Fi

When the Wi-Fi on your phone is enabled and not connected to a network your device will constantly be searching for something to connect to. This can be a major source of battery drain so if you are not using Wi-Fi to access your internet connection then turn it off.

Remember to consider all forms of internet connection you use – whether that’s a mobile internet service or a home broadband connection which you’re accessing via your phone. Firms like Virgin Media offer a range of these options alongside their TV and landline call packages so it may be worth evaluating what deals they can do for you.

Bluetooth

The same goes for Bluetooth connections because, although they generally consume less power than a Wi-Fi connection, it is still a power drain if you are not actively using it. Turn it off in the settings menu of your phone.

Location services

Built-in GPS revolutionised smartphone functionality and allowed us to use many sophisticated mapping, location and information services. However, they are another optional extra that can save power by being turned off when not needed.

Auto-brightness

Many devices have a light sensor that can adapt itself to the ambient light in the environment and alter screen brightness to save power- giving us a nice change with a power-saving tip that involves switching something on.

After recent reports that the HTC First, aka the ‘Facebook phone’, wouldn’t come to the UK after all, EE has confirmed that it is “holding off” stocking the phone on the advice of Facebook itself.

The social network launched the Facebook phone alongside Facebook home, a launcher app that transformed an ordinary Android phone into a Facebook-centric device. Made by HTC, the First runs the Facebook Home launcher on top of stock Android, just like a Nexus device. Reviews have been kind, but sales have not, and now it seems as though the First will be a US-only device.

EE was thought to be the only network in the UK stocking the device as an exclusive, and after reaching out to them for comment on the rumours, Pocket-Lint received the following statement;

“Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customisation features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision.”

“Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future.”

Sales of the HTC First in the US are said to be very poor, with the phone selling in low numbers on AT&T. Recent rumours have suggested that the network, which is the only one in the US stocking the new phone, has plans to pull it from sale.

It seems that Facebook is looking to focus on the Facebook Home launcher going forward, which is available on other more successful devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Of course, there is also a chance that Facebook will put a newer version of Facebook Home on the HTC First before bringing it to the UK.

We were recently wowed by a little gadget called Leap Motion which allows you to control your Windows 8 PC using motion gestures, but that could soon be shown up by Kinect 2.0 for the Xbox One. Microsoft has confirmed the games console accessory will also work with Windows PCs.

Revealed on Tuesday alongside the Xbox One, Kinect 2.0 – or ‘the new Kinect’, as Microsoft is calling it – is a big upgrade from the original accessory which was launched for Xbox 360. The technology has gone from tracking our limbs for fun family games to being a professional tool that can read your heartbeat through thin air.

At the Xbox One launch event in Seattle this Tuesday several Microsoft executives confirmed that the accessory would come to PC, just as the original Kinect did before it.

“We will bring this to PC,” said Kinect project manager Scott Evans to Shacknews, whilst Microsoft’s VP of interactive entertainment business Ben Kilgore told Polygon that Kinect 2.0 would come to Windows “at some point down the line.”

The new Kinect features upgraded internals including a Full HD 1080p camera with a much wider angle lens. Speech recognition is now much more natural and Kinect can process multiple voices at the same time. Accuracy is hugely improved, with Kinect now able to detect movement in your fingers and shoulders as well as weight shifting onto each leg. Thanks to IR sensing it’ll also work in the dark, and it can detect your heartbeat as you game.

It’s not yet clear whether Microsoft will repeat history by launching a separate Kinect accessory specifically for PC or whether the unit that comes bundled with the Xbox One will be cross-compatible, but we’ll hopefully find out more next month at E3 in Los Angeles.