While we go through our daily lives, we don‘t always have the time to read up about all the interesting things we necessarily want to. While consumer technology news never really stops, hopefully your workday does, and you can take a look at ten of our biggest articles in tech news in the last month, according to our readers.
This last month‘s top articles are an interesting spread indeed, with a couple of great in-depth reviews up there as well. Check out this month‘s countdown below.
10. Yes, this is the LG G4
LG has on Facebook made official what LG (probably) outed over the weekend: This is the LG G4. This marketing shot of a woman holding the G4 is the same as one used in that leaked G4 preview site, only from a different angle. We do learn one new thing, however: the leather is apparently “œvegetable-tanned.“
Read more here.
9. Chromebit turns your TV into a Chrome OS PC
Google and its PC OS has come along in leaps and bounds. The biggest challenge for Chrome OS is to get itself noticed. Google has partnered up with various PC manufacturers to push their Chrome OS (i.e. the ASUS Chromebook range ““ watch out for our upcoming review!).
Now though Google has taken it a step beyond the laptop and even their Chromecast product. Their latest HDMI dongle, called the Chromebit, will turn any TV with an HDMI jack into a full-fledged Chrome OS PC.
Read more here.
8. LG accidentally reveals Apple‘s plans for an 8K iMac
LG may have just completely jumped the gun and, without realising, revealed Apple‘s plans for their next generation iMac ““ or at least the display part of it.
The details around Apple‘s display plans were leaked in a press release by LG that details their new 8K display technology, which they are calling “œQuad-Ultra High Definition.“
Read more here.
7. Microsoft unveils “˜Project Spartan‘ browser
In the latest build of Windows 10 Technical Preview ““ which was seeded to developers today ““ Microsoft included a copy (the first public reveal) of its Internet Explorer replacement ““ a brand new browser under the working name “˜Project Spartan‘.
The new “˜Spartan‘ browser is an initiative from the Redmond firm to curb the years of flack the company suffered with the unpopular Internet Explorer. Spartan features a new UI as well as new ways to interact with the web.
Read more here.
6. Samsung Galaxy A5 review: pedal to the metal
There once was a time in smartphone history where the line in the sand was clearly drawn. On one side stood Apple, with a beautiful but limited operating system housed in a premium and stylish aluminium frame. On the other was Samsung, with a gaudy but incredibly flexible Android system stationed in enough plastic to make tupperware jealous.
Fast forward, and that axis still exists“¦ arguably. Yet how times have changed; as Apple slowly and carefully extends iOS‘ reach, Samsung have made the leap from plastic to metal; and what a fantastic leap that is. The Galaxy A5 is the second Samsung smartphone to stand on this precipice and reap the results.
Read more here.
5. WhatsApp will now let you make voice calls
Today, WhatsApp begins its first rollout of a highly-anticipated feature: in-app voice calling.
The new feature ““ dubbed, perhaps unsurprisingly, WhatsApp Calling ““ is a result of prior promises from WhatsApp executives (from February, last year) that in-app voice call functionality would soon arrive across all platforms. Android users are able ““ as of right now ““ to get a first taste of the new feature by updating to WhatsApp 2.12.19 directly from the WhatsApp website.
Read more here.
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Huawei Mate 7: Big boys collide
The Samsung Galaxy Note range started the phablet craze which has subsequently led to flagships also becoming larger and larger. Phablets has now become very large phones, with screen sizes around the 6-inch range.
Up until recently, no-one was able to challenge Samsung for phablet supremacy. In the last 12 months or so that has changed drastically, though. Huawei is the latest to try and take the Galaxy Note 4‘s crown as the phablet king, and on the surface it seems it has a very good chance. Can it surpass the achievements of the Note 4, though? Let‘s find out with a head to head comparison.
Read more here.
3. Xperia Z4 images leaked
In what‘s quickly becoming another day at the office for Sony, new images of the firm‘s upcoming flagship, the Xperia Z4, have been leaked. The images in question reveal the forthcoming smartphone‘s frame and home screen.
Judging from the images, the Xperia Z4 continues the design legacy from the prior Z3, and collates with the Xperia Z4 tablet‘s design language.
Read more here.
2. Apple releases iOS 8.3 with many improvements
The new iOS 8.3 update has a few firsts for Apple. Not only is it the biggest “œsmall“ update ever to be released but it is the first time that normal users could form part of the beta testing phase, which is usually reserved for software developers.
There has been a lot more info around the improvements because of this “œopen“ testing cycle, but now we can confirm that iOS 8.3 has been officially released and will be available to all users through the course of the day. Here is a breakdown of the new stuff“¦
Read more here.
1. Huawei Mate 7 Review: Big is beautiful again
Huawei is making a big push in SA and we are happy to see it. They strive to bring top-notch devices at more affordable prices ““ something Chinese firms are very good at doing. Huawei, Lenovo and Xaomi are all top 5 smartphone manufacturers in the world and the competition is fierce. You might notice that Huawei has dropped the “˜Ascend‘ name (previously this phone was called the Ascend Mate 7) ““ they are completely refining their branding and naming conventions.
Recently the Huawei Mate 7 has made its way into the South African market and we were lucky enough to review it for an extended period of time. I actually took it on a trip to Europe and exclusively used it as my daily driver for the two weeks, so it had a lot of work to do.
Read more here.
What are your thoughts on the news of the last month? Let us know in the comments below.
Follow Theunis on Twitter: @Theunis_BWB
