The FBI can remotely activate laptop and Android microphones with spyware

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="273" src="http://static.techspot.com/images2/news/bigimage/2013-08-02_14-42-03.png" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The Feds are taking advantage of techniques more typically associated with malicious hackers to collect information on suspects, leveraging tools that can bring the traditional wiretap up to speed with the always-connected digital age.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Federal agencies usually do not disclose information about these capabilities, but recent court documents and interviews with program insiders reveal new details about hacking tools commonly used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to deliver spyware to phones and computers, reports the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424127887323997004578641993388259674-lMyQjAxMTAzMDAwMTEwNDEyWj.html" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">When a ‘simple’ wiretap isn’t enough, the FBI will use spyware under court orders to combat individuals who ‘go dark’ through the use of new technology and online chat programs that implement encryption to obfuscate communications, according to people familiar with the FBI programs.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Some of the tools are developed internally at the FBI, while others are contracted and purchased from the private sector. The software allows the Bureau to remotely activate microphones on Android smartphones and laptops, according to one former U.S. official. Both the FBI and Google declined to comment to the WSJ.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The report states that the FBI has been developing hacking tools for more than ten years, and typically uses them in cases involving organized crime, child pornography, and counterterrorism. According to a U.S. official, they are not used when investigating hacking cases for fear of discovery and public disclosure by the hacker.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Amid rampant allegations of government overreach through <a href="http://techspot.com/tag/surveillance" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">digital surveillance programs</a>, news of the FBI using such tools is no surprise, but could be considered in a different league of snooping. Mark Eckenwiler, the Justice Department’s former primary authority on federal criminal surveillance law, says that a search warrant is required for every use of these tools, as well as to collect any data from a suspect’s computer or device.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53474-the-fbi-can-remotely-activate-laptop-and-android-microphones-with-spyware.html" target="_blank">Read More...</a></div></div>

The FBI can remotely activate laptop and Android microphones with spyware

The Feds are taking advantage of techniques more typically associated with malicious hackers to collect information on suspects, leveraging ...

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BBM beta for Android and iOS rolling out, worldwide release later this summer

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Blackberry has begun rolling out private beta versions of its soon-to-be cross platform BBM app. According to various reports, select users have begun receiving invites to test out the messaging application on iOS and Android. It appears only Beta Zone members and friends and family of employees have been invited at this point. Those who fall into these groups will find the app under Eligible Programs within Blackberry's BetaZone.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">“BlackBerry has begun internal testing of BBM on Android and iOS devices. We invited our employees to nominate friends and family to participate in a limited Android beta. Those slots are now full," a Blackberry spokesman told <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/08/01/blackberry-opens-up-private-beta-for-bbm-on-android-suggesting-a-full-release-is-just-around-the-corner/?awesm=tnw.to_a0aMU" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TNW</a>. Screeshots of BBM running on Android <a href="http://www.blackberryos.com/content/bbm-android-ios-betas-rolling-out-beta-zone-6453/" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">didn't take long to surface</a>, as shown below.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><img src="http://static.techspot.com/images2/news/bigimage/2013-08-02_15-53-55.png" style="max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The BBM app requires v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on Android and iOS 6 or higher on iPhone. Blackberry has previously stated that it would be releasing the cross platform BBM app before the end of the summer, and judging by the the message in the beta invites, the company will indeed be doing so. In a press release, Blackberry did note that there is still an approval process pending from Apple and Google before the final launch.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Although the move will certainly bring Blackberry technology to more devices, it does put what might be the company's best exclusive app out into the wild, which is something that may not bode well for Blackberry 10 hardware sales. It remains to be seen whether this is the right strategy for the troubled company.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53485-bbm-beta-for-android-and-ios-rolling-out-worldwide-release-later-this-summer.html" target="_blank">Read More...</a></div></div>

BBM beta for Android and iOS rolling out, worldwide release later this summer

Blackberry has begun rolling out private beta versions of its soon-to-be cross platform BBM app. According to various reports, select users ...

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Weekend Open Forum: Traitor, criminal, whistleblower, or hero - Classified leaks and their leakers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img height="326" src="http://static.techspot.com/images2/news/bigimage/2013-08-02_15-57-46.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://techspot.com/tag/bradley+manning" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bradley Manning</a> and <a href="http://techspot.com/tag/edward+snowden" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Edward Snowden</a> are infamous in some circles, famous in others. These two men put much more than their reputations on the line to disclose classified documents to the world, they knowingly imperiled their freedom and their lives.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">There is an undefined balance to be struck between transparency versus surveillance and privacy versus security that the United States and the international community are being forced to examine.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">We've listened to the conversations cropping up all around us, and particularly here in the related articles' comments; some say these men are guilty of treason, others hail them as heroes.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">What say you, readers? Are they traitors, criminals, whistleblowers, or heroes?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53486-weekend-open-forum-traitor-criminal-whistleblower-or-hero-classified-leaks-and-their-leakers.html" target="_blank">Read More...</a></div></div>

Weekend Open Forum: Traitor, criminal, whistleblower, or hero - Classified leaks and their leakers

Bradley Manning  and  Edward Snowden  are infamous in some circles, famous in others. These two men put much more than their reputations on ...

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Gigabyte Brix Mini PC Review

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="Gigabyte Brix Mini PC Review" height="374" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/gigabyte-brix-review.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Taking advantage of Ivy Bridge's efficient operation, Intel accompanied its third-generation Core processors with a new small form factor platform dubbed <a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/48941-intel-packs-core-i5-into-4-inch-pc-i3-models-available-q3-2012.html" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Next Unit of Computing (NUC)</a>, the initial wave of which were powered by Core i3 and i5 Ivy Bridge parts mounted to an ultra-compact 4x4" motherboard -- considerably smaller than even the Mini ITX standard.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Although we welcome SFF machines from industry heavyweights like Intel, the company's NUC products have been grossly overpriced, initially starting around $400 for a complete build based on the Core i3. Even today, a barebones version of the i3 NUC system <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856102001" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">still costs almost $300</a>, and that's without memory, storage, Wi-Fi and an operating system, which could easily add a couple hundred bucks.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_08S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Recognizing this issue, Intel introduced <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856102004" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">an option based on the 1.1GHz Celeron 847</a>, but that chip is awfully slow and at $180, the barebones box it comes inside still isn't a particularly good value. To date, we think it's safe to say that NUC is a cool idea that has been hamstrung by poor hardware choices and unattractive prices -- a trend that Gigabyte hopes to buck with its new NUC offerings.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Gigabyte's pint-sized "Brix" systems come in four different processor configurations, including the 1.8GHz Celeron 1037U, 1.9GHz Core i3-3227U, 1.8-2.7GHz Core i5-3337U and 2-3.1GHz Core i7-3537U. Those seem much more powerful than Intel's lineup and that's certainly enough to warrant our attention, but it's worth noting that Brix also offers more USB 3.0 ports and Wi-Fi out of the box.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Granted, while the Core i5-3337U-powered Brix system is faster than any of Intel's NUC options, it's also more expensive at $420 -- a sum that will increase well beyond $500 after you purchase memory, storage and an operating system. We're thinking 8GB of 1600MHz SO-DIMM RAM, a 128GB mSATA SSD and a copy of Windows 8 Professional seem like a proper fit, and they add another $330.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_01S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">With a total build cost in the realm of $750, it's easy to question the value of Gigabyte's new offering. Keep in mind, you could purchase a <a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/laptops/?search=CoreI5-3337U" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Core i5-3337U-based laptop</a> from Dell or Asus for under $600, which would provide a similar feature set, just in a mobile package instead of a tiny box. For additional perspective, the core parts of our <a href="http://www.techspot.com/guides/buying/page3.html" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">entry-level gaming desktop</a> cost about $600.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gigabyte BRIX in Detail</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">As mentioned, Brix systems come with four different processor options: a Celeron, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7. We have tested the $420 Core i5 version (XM11-3337), which is $100 less than the i7 model and $100 more than the i3. Externally, there isn't much to talk about, primarily because this computer measures just 4.5 x 4.24 x 1.18" (114.4 x 107.6 x 29.9mm).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">There is a USB 3.0 port in the bottom left corner that comprises the front panel connectivity, which is built into an aluminum shell that wraps around both sides and the rear.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_19S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The glossy black top cover features Gigabyte's name in the top left corner and in the opposite position, a chrome power button that glows blue when the system is active.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_13S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Most of the action is around back, including an HDMI output, Thunderbolt (DisplayPort), USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet and a power jack. There is also a Kensington lock slot to secure the system if, for instance, you're in an open office environment.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">With support for HDMI and DisplayPort, the Brix can power two displays simultaneously, increasing its viability for productivity purposes. The HDMI port only supports a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 on our Dell 30" display, while DisplayPort runs at the native 2560x1600 resolution.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_14S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">You'll find small air vents along the back and sides of the case, while four small rubber feet are screwed to the bottom panel, which can be removed to access the storage and memory areas.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_07S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_17T.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Once inside, you'll spot an 802.11n Wi-Fi Mini PCIe module preinstalled. Above that is the mSATA slot and there are also two SO-DIMM DDR3 slots.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_03S.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="" style="color: #05408f; outline: none;"><img border="0" src="http://static.techspot.com/articles-info/698/images/Image_06T.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The other side of the PCB includes the CPU, chipset (Intel HM77) and battery, though you never need to see this side of the board. With the SSD and RAM in place, we reinstalled the baseplate and begun installing Windows, which requires an external USB optical drive along with a bootable OS disc or (preferably) a bootable USB thumb drive with a copy of Windows on it.</div></div>

Gigabyte Brix Mini PC Review

Taking advantage of Ivy Bridge's efficient operation, Intel accompanied its third-generation Core processors with a new small form facto...

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Spec-by-spec: Here's how the Moto X stacks up to the competition

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Following a string of leaks and official teasers Motorola finally <strong><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53466-motorola-takes-customization-to-the-next-level-with-moto-x.html" target="_blank">unveiled the Moto X</a></strong> smartphone at an event in New York this afternoon. The device is not only the first to be developed under Google's stewardship since last year’s acquisition, it’s also the first smartphone to be assembled in the US, which aside from scoring them a few  political and PR points, allows the company to offer ‘built-to-order’ devices with minimal delay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Customization options cover quite a few cosmetic choices and your pick of either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. Specifically, Motorola will let you pick any combination between 18 backplate covers, a black or white front panel, and seven different colors for the side-mounted buttons and the ring around the rear camera lens. In all there are actually more than a thousand possible combinations to make something that’s uniquely yours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="" src="http://www.techspot.com/fileshost/newspics3/2013/screen%20shot%202013-08-01%20at%203.36.13%20pm.png" style="width: 98%;" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> In terms of specs Motorola isn’t going for the high-end crown. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing; rather, the company believes it can carve itself a market with a high-quality device that can do nearly everything the majority of people will want or need it to do, without getting caught in the specs race.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The tricky part is Motorola still wants the Moto X to compete in the big leagues at $199 on-contract. Detractors will be quick to point out that you are getting mid-range internals at high-end pricing, and with reason. But aside from the unprecedented level of customization, Motorola is hedging its bets on battery life (quoted at 24 hours of mixed usage), as well as signature features like always on voice controls and gesture recognition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Whether that amounts to a recipe for success or a missed opportunity -- specifically on the pricing front and lack of stock Android -- remains to be seen. For now, here’s how the Moto X stacks up next to the current crop of high end smartphones, as well as its spiritual counterparts in the mid range of the market.</div><h3> High end smartphones</h3><table border="1" bordercolor="#ffffff" cellpadding="4" id="article_table" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="background-color: #05408f; color: white;"><td>  </td><td><b>Moto X</b></td><td><b>Apple iPhone 5</b></td><td><b>HTC One</b></td><td><b>Samsung Galaxy S 4</b></td><td><b>Sony Xperia Z</b></td><td><b>Nokia Lumia 925</b></td></tr><tr><td><b>Price<br /> (on contract)</b></td><td> N/A ($200)</td><td><a href="http://store.apple.com/us/iphone" target="_blank">$650 ($200)</a></td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D6290885011&field-keywords=htc+one" target="_blank">$600 ($200)</a></td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Amobile%2Ck%3Asamsung+galaxy+s4&keywords=samsung+galaxy+s4&ie=UTF8&qid=1375304711" target="_blank">$650 ($200)</a></td><td><a href="https://explore.t-mobile.com/sony-xperia-z">$600 ($0*)</a></td><td><a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Nokia-Lumia-925" target="_blank">$528 ($0*)</a></td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Availability</b></td><td> 3Q 2013</td><td> Now</td><td> Now</td><td> Now</td><td> Now</td><td> Now</td></tr><tr><td><b>Metascore</b></td><td> N/A</td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/samsung-gt-i9300-galaxy-s-3.85133/" target="_blank" title="Samsung Galaxy S III GT-I9300 Reviews | Score: 88/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 88 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/htc-one.87473/" target="_blank" title="HTC One Reviews | Score: 89/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 89 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/samsung-gt-i9500-galaxy-s4.87718/" target="_blank" title="Samsung Galaxy S 4 GT-I9500 Reviews | Score: 88/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 88 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/sony-xperia-z.87301/" target="_blank" title="Sony Xperia Z Reviews | Score: 85/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 85 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/nokia-lumia-925.90980/" target="_blank" title="Nokia Lumia 925 Reviews | Score: 83/100"><span class="pf_score pf_good"> 83 </span> </a></td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Review</b></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/tag/moto+x">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/review/579-apple-iphone-5/">Review</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/htc-one.87473/" target="_blank">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/review/664-samsung-galaxy-s4/" target="_blank">Review</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/sony-xperia-z.87301/">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/nokia-lumia-925.90980/">More info</a></td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>System chip</b></td><td> Motorola X8 (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro)</td><td> Apple A6</td><td> Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T</td><td> Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T</td><td> Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064</td><td> Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>CPU</b></td><td> 1.7GHz dual-core, Krait</td><td> 1.3GHz dual-core, Apple Swift</td><td> 1.7GHz quad-core, Krait 300</td><td> 1.9GHz quad-core, Krait 300</td><td> 1.5GHz quad-core, Krait</td><td> 1.5GHz dual-core, Krait</td></tr><tr><td><b>GPU</b></td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> PowerVR SGX543MP3</td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> Adreno 225</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Display</b></td><td> 4.7-inch<br /> AMOLED</td><td> 4-inch<br /> IPS LCD</td><td> 4.7-inch<br /> S-LCD 3</td><td> 5.0-inch<br /> Super AMLOED</td><td> 5.0-inch<br /> TFT</td><td> 4.5-inch<br /> AMOLED</td></tr><tr><td><b>Resolution<br /> (PPI)</b></td><td> 720 x 1280<br /> (316)</td><td> 640 x 1136<br /> (326)</td><td> 1080 x 1920<br /> (468)</td><td> 1080 x 1920<br /> (441)</td><td> 1080 x 1920<br /> (443)</td><td> 768 x 1280<br /> (334)</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>RAM</b></td><td> 2GB</td><td> 1GB</td><td> 2GB</td><td> 2GB</td><td> 2GB</td><td> 1GB</td></tr><tr><td><b>Front camera</b></td><td> 2MP</td><td> 1MP</td><td> 2.1MP</td><td> 2MP</td><td> 2.2MP</td><td> 1.2MP</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Rear camera</b></td><td> 10MP</td><td> 8MP</td><td> 4MP</td><td> 13MP</td><td> 13.1MP</td><td> 8.7MP</td></tr><tr><td><b>Storage</b></td><td> 16/32GB</td><td> 16/32/64GB</td><td> 32GB</td><td> 16/32/64GB</td><td> 16GB</td><td> 16GB</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>USB</b></td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td></tr><tr><td><b>microSD</b></td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>Cellular</b></td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Wireless</b></td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0</td></tr><tr><td><b>NFC</b></td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>Operating System</b></td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> iOS 6</td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> Windows Phone 8</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>App Marketplace</b></td><td> Google Play</td><td> iTunes</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Windows Marketplace</td></tr><tr><td><b>Weight</b></td><td> 130g</td><td> 112g</td><td> 143g</td><td> 130g</td><td> 146g</td><td> 139g</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Other</b></td><td> Always-on voice recognition / authentication, gesture controls</td><td> Airplay</td><td> HDMI out<br /> via microUSB</td><td> HDMI out<br /> via microUSB</td><td> HDMI out<br /> via microUSB, Water resistant</td><td>  </td></tr></tbody></table><h3> Mid range smartphones</h3><table border="1" bordercolor="#ffffff" cellpadding="4" id="article_table" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="background-color: #05408f; color: white;"><td>  </td><td><b>Moto X</b></td><td><b>Apple iPhone 4S</b></td><td><b>HTC One mini</b></td><td><b>Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini</b></td><td><b>Nexus 4</b></td><td><b>Nokia Lumia 625</b></td></tr><tr><td><b>Price<br /> (on contract)</b></td><td> N/A ($199)</td><td><a href="http://store.apple.com/us/buy/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone4s?product=IPHONE4S" target="_blank">$550 ($100)</a></td><td> N/A</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_asi_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asamsung+galaxy+s4+mini&keywords=samsung+galaxy+s4+mini&ie=UTF8&qid=1375305386" target="_blank">$500</a></td><td><a href="https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_16GB?id=nexus_4_16gb">$350</a> <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=Nexus-4" target="_blank">($0*)</a></td><td> N/A</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Availability</b></td><td> 3Q 2013</td><td> Now</td><td> August 2013</td><td> Now</td><td> Now</td><td> Q3 2013</td></tr><tr><td><b>Metascore</b></td><td> N/A</td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/apple-iphone-4s.81112/" target="_blank" title="Apple iPhone 4S Reviews | Score: 88/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 88 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/htc-one-mini.93090/" target="_blank" title="HTC One mini Reviews | Score: 85/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 85 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/samsung-gt-i9190-galaxy-s4-mini.91248/" target="_blank" title="Samsung GT-i9190 Galaxy S4 Mini Reviews | Score: 83/100"><span class="pf_score pf_good"> 83 </span> </a></td><td><a class="pf_widget_small " href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/google-lg-nexus-4.86543/" target="_blank" title="Google Nexus 4 Reviews | Score: 86/100"><span class="pf_score pf_excellent"> 86 </span> </a></td><td></td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Review</b></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/tag/moto+x">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/review/459-apple-iphone-4s/">Review</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/htc-one-mini.93090/">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/samsung-gt-i9190-galaxy-s4-mini.91248/">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/google-lg-nexus-4.86543/">More info</a></td><td><a href="http://www.techspot.com/products/smartphones/nokia-lumia-625.93151/">More info</a></td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>System chip</b></td><td> Motorola X8 (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro)</td><td> Apple A5</td><td> Snapdragon 400</td><td> Snapdragon 400 MSM8930</td><td> Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064</td><td> Snapdragon S4 </td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>CPU</b></td><td> 1.7GHz dual-core, Krait</td><td> 800 MHz dual-core, Cortex A9</td><td> 1.4GHz dual-core, Krait</td><td> 1.7GHz dual-core, Krait 300</td><td> 1.5GHz quad-core, Krait</td><td> 1.2GHz dual-core</td></tr><tr><td><b>GPU</b></td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> PowerVR SGX 543MP2</td><td> Adreno 305</td><td> Adreno 305</td><td> Adreno 320</td><td> ?</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Display</b></td><td> 4.7-inch<br /> AMOLED</td><td> 3.5-inch<br /> IPS LCD</td><td> 4.3-inch</td><td> 4.3-inch<br /> Super AMLOED</td><td> 4.7-inch<br /> TFT</td><td> 4.7-inch</td></tr><tr><td><b>Resolution<br /> (PPI)</b></td><td> 720 x 1280<br /> (316)</td><td> 640 x 960<br /> (326)</td><td> 720 x 1280<br /> (341)</td><td> 540 x 960<br /> (256)</td><td> 768 x 1280<br /> (318)</td><td> 480 x 800<br /> (201)</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>RAM</b></td><td> 2GB</td><td> 512MB</td><td> 1GB</td><td> 1.5GB</td><td> 2GB</td><td> 512MB</td></tr><tr><td><b>Front camera</b></td><td> 2MP</td><td> 0.3MP</td><td> 1.6MP</td><td> 1.9MP</td><td> 1.3MP</td><td> 0.3MP</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Rear camera</b></td><td> 10MP</td><td> 8MP</td><td> 4MP</td><td> 8MP</td><td> 8MP</td><td> 5MP</td></tr><tr><td><b>Storage</b></td><td> 16/32GB</td><td> 16GB</td><td> 16GB</td><td> 8GB</td><td> 16GB</td><td> 8GB</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>USB</b></td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td></tr><tr><td><b>microSD</b></td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>Cellular</b></td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ </td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td><td> HSPA+ </td><td> HSPA+ / LTE</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Wireless</b></td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td><td> Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0</td></tr><tr><td><b>NFC</b></td><td> Yes</td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> No</td><td> Yes</td><td> Yes</td></tr><tr height="2"><td bgcolor="#d2e3ee" colspan="7">  </td></tr><tr><td><b>Operating System</b></td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> iOS 6</td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> Android 4.2.2</td><td> Android 4.3</td><td> Windows Phone 8</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>App Marketplace</b></td><td> Google Play</td><td> iTunes</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Google Play</td><td> Windows Marketplace</td></tr><tr><td><b>Weight</b></td><td> 130g</td><td> 140g</td><td> 122g</td><td> 107g</td><td> 139g</td><td> 159g</td></tr><tr style="background-color: #edf4f8;"><td><b>Other</b></td><td> Always-on voice recognition / authentication, gesture controls</td><td> Airplay</td><td>  </td><td>  </td><td> HDMI out<br /> via microUSB, Wireless charging</td><td>     </td></tr></tbody></table></div>

Spec-by-spec: Here's how the Moto X stacks up to the competition

Following a string of leaks and official teasers Motorola finally unveiled the Moto X smartphone at an event in New York this afternoon. Th...

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DirectX 11.2 said to be a Windows 8.1 / Xbox One exclusive

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="334" src="http://static.techspot.com/images2/news/bigimage/2013-07-05-image-3.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 11.2 update, first shown off at the company’s Build conference last month, promises to deliver a host of new features and performance improvements in games and apps. But according to <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/160076-directx-11-2-will-be-a-windows-8-1-and-xbox-one-exclusive-microsoft-dangles-the-upgrade-carrot" style="color: #05408f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">reports</a>, the update is reportedly being limited to Windows 8.1 and next generation consoles like the Xbox One.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">This exclusivity isn’t something new, however, as Microsoft pulled a similar move when transitioning to DirectX 11.1 as that update requires the use of Windows 8. Before that, DirectX 10 was a Windows Vista exclusive which left Windows XP users high and dry.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Perhaps this is one of Microsoft’s ways to help nudge Windows XP, Vista and 7 users toward upgrading to Redmond’s latest but whether or not it’ll work remains to be seen. Such requirements really did little to lead to the commercial success of Vista or Windows 8 but this time around, the timing is a bit different. Xbox One is just around the corner and if a number of games use it, perhaps it could take root better.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">DirectX 11.2 brings with it a new key feature known as Direct3D tiled resources. Microsoft’s Antoine Leblond demonstrated the feature during Build which essentially lets developers easily use GPU and system RAM to store textures. This can be used to pull high resolution assets into a scene without overburdening the graphics card. For consumers, it could ultimately lead to an unprecedented amount of detail that won’t appear fuzzy or blurred when viewed close up.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53144-directx-112-said-to-be-a-windows-81-xbox-one-exclusive.html" target="_blank">Read More...</a></div></div>

DirectX 11.2 said to be a Windows 8.1 / Xbox One exclusive

Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 11.2 update, first shown off at the company’s Build conference last month, promises to deliver a host of new fe...

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Microsoft Research's actuated 3D display lets you touch virtual objects

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">There’s always something interesting cooking at Microsoft Research -- even if the technology doesn’t end up in commercial products. The latest involves a rather conventional LCD panel, but combined with force sensors and a robotic arm that moves it back and forwards, it can simulate the shape and weight of objects on screen.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">The technology was demonstrated in public for the first time during TechFest 2013. One of the demos consisted of three virtual 3D boxes, each with different weights and friction forces corresponding to their material: stone, wood, and sponge. Through the use of sensors this setup can simulate the appropriate resistance there is to a user's fingertip. If pressed against, the robotic arm pulls the screen back in a matching smooth movement, and if the user starts to retract it moves the screen back forward, all while graphics adjust to create the 3D effect.</div><div class="video-container" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 401.625px; position: relative;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5oDvHahiYuI?rel=0" style="height: 401.625px; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; outline: none; position: absolute; text-align: justify; top: 0px; width: 714px;" type="text/html" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">“Your finger is always aware of motion,” Michel Pahud, an engineer at the Natural Interaction Research group at Microsoft Research Redmond explains. “As your finger pushes on the touchscreen and the senses merge with stereo vision, if we do the convergence correctly and update the visuals constantly so that they correspond to your finger’s depth perception, this is enough for your brain to accept the virtual world as real.”</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Taking the experiment a step further, some of the participants where asked to identify objects by touch while blindfolded. Surprisingly, many people got the shapes right. The user only touches one point at a time, yet with sufficient haptic feedback as the finger moves, there is enough information to identify shapes.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;">Haptics are already common in devices such as smartphones, but Microsoft is bringing it to virtual reality. Among the possible applications researchers envision are gaming, 3D modeling, medical and educational.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.techspot.com/news/53143-microsoft-researchs-actuated-3d-display-lets-you-touch-virtual-objects.html" target="_blank">Read More...</a></div></div>

Microsoft Research's actuated 3D display lets you touch virtual objects

There’s always something interesting cooking at Microsoft Research -- even if the technology doesn’t end up in commercial products. The late...

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