Apple iPad 3 Smart Cover to offer display and rear protection?

Ahead of the Apple iPad 3 release date announcement, claimed insider reports have suggested Apple will offer an all new iPad Smart Cover case

 

Just a day away from the official Apple iPad 3 release announcement, new reports have suggested Apple is to launch an all new iteration of the Smart Cover alongside its third-generation tablet.

Facebook Messenger arrives for Windows, Mac client coming soon

Facebook Messenger for Windows is now official, following its accidental launch late last year. The desktop client brings Chat, Ticker and Notifications and will assist your stealth Facebooking

Facebook has launched the stand-alone Messenger client for Windows PCs, allowing users to continue chatting, away from the Facebook.com browser site.

Nokia PureView cameras confirmed for Windows Phone

The PureView camera technology Nokia announced at MWC will feature in future Lumia handsets running Windows Phone, the company has confirmed

 

Nokia has confirmed that the sensational 41-megapixel, PureView camera technology unveiled at Mobile World Congress will be applied to the company's future Windows Phone-toting handsets.

Assassin's Creed 3: Release Date, Trailer & Rumours

Assassin's Creed 3 News: All the latest news, rumours and trailers surrounding the biggest Assassin's Creed from images to plot reveals...

Assassin's Creed 3 looks set to be the biggest yet in the series, not only is it the fifth time we see Desmond go up against the Templars but more importantly it introduces an entirely new Assassin and with it a brand new location to boot.

 

Assassin’s Creed News:

Assassin’s Creed 3 has officially been confirmed for the Nintendo Wii U, making it the first game to be confirmed for the next-generation console and also revealing that the Nintendo Wii U release date could well be before 2012.

Samsung Galaxy S2 Android 4.0 update coming March 15th?

Long the thing of mystery, Samsung has seemingly confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S2 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update will land March 15th

The eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S II Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update has leaked online once again ahead of the software’s official release later this year.

Samsung hints at Q3 7-inch Apple iPad Mini release

Ahead of the eagerly awaited iPad 3 release date, leaked Samsung documents have suggested Apple will launch a new 7.85-inch iPad Mini tablet

 

Just days ahead of the official iPad 3 release unveiling Samsung has seemingly confirmed recent reports Apple will launch a second, 7-inch tablet dubbed the iPad Mini later this year.

Android Key Lime Pie to follow ICS and Jelly Bean OS

With a steadily increasing array of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich handsets on offer, Google is rumoured to be working on Android Key Lime Pie

 

Ahead of the Android 5.0 Jelly Bean launch later this year, new reports have suggested the follow-on version of the Google branded OS will fall under the moniker of Android Key Lime Pie.

LG Optimus 3D Max review: Hands-on

The LG Optimus 3D Max is the brand's second handset to feature a glasses-free 3D screen, but this time it packs the brand new 3D Games Convertor

The LG Optimus 3D Max was previewed at the recent MWC show in Barcelona, alongside the LG Optimus 4X and the LG Optimus Vu, and while the maker has yet to confirm exactly which countries will be getting the handset, it's a fair bet that it will end up being the successor to the LG Optimus 3D in the UK. We went hands-on for a closer look...

April Galaxy S3 launch date denied by Samsung

The latest in a long line of Sasmung Galaxy S3 rumours, new reports have suggested that the Android 4.0 handset will land in April

Samsung has hit back at recent Samsung Galaxy S3 release date rumours denying reports the eagerly awaited flagship Android handset would launch in April.

Halo 4 in-game screen shots leak online ahead of launch

In a weekend filled with Microsoft leaks gaming fans have been offered their first tantalising insight into Halo 4 as new in-game screens hit the web

 

The first in-game Halo 4 screenshots have leaked online with the upcoming Xbox 360 title making an early appearance alongside a selection of other Microsoft bound releases.

BlackBerry PlayBook outsells Apple iPad 2

Ahead of this week's official iPad 3 release announcement Apple has seen its iPad 2 device outsold by the BlackBerry Playbook at a number of retailers

 

Despite disappointing sales to date and little public acclaim, Research in Motion has revealed that the BlackBerry PlayBook outsold the market leading iPad at a number of retailers last week.

Making the announcement via Twitter, RIM confirmed that in a selection of Canadian Best Buy and Future Shop chains, the to date lacklustre PlayBook outsold the Apple iPad 2 but failed to offer any more detailed breakdown of the sales figures.

“Yay! #BlackBerry #PlayBook was the #1 selling tablet at Future Shop (@FS_Deals) this week!” the company wrote via the official @BlackBerry Twitter feed.

The news comes just days after Apple issued an invite to a March 7th press event that is widely expected to see the Cupertino based company officially unveiled the Apple iPad 3.

Apple iPad 3 Rumours

Tipped for inclusion on the second-generation Apple tablet, the iPad 3 is expected to play host to a higher resolution screen, similar to the Retina display offering found on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

"The new display is capable of greater resolution than the current iPad, with more pixels on its screen than some high- definition televisions," an unnamed insider source announced recently. "The pixels are small enough to make the images look like printed material. Videos begin playing almost instantly because of the additional graphics processing."

Elsewhere recent iPad 3 rumours have suggested the iPad 2 replacement will feature a form factor 1mm thicker than its predecessor with the increased internal space to be filled with the new display, an A6 quad-core CPU and improved optics for the rear-mounted camera.

Apple iPad 3 price to remain the same as the iPad 2

With Apple to unveil the iPad 3 release on March 7th, new reports have suggested the third-generation tablet will land priced the same as the iPad 2

 

Ahead of the third-generation tablet's official unveiling later this week new reports have claimed to out the Apple iPad price information prior to the device's launch.

Apple wins Siri Advertising Standards Agency case

Apple has triumphed in an Advertising Standards Agency investigation that saw a number of complaints brought against the iPhone 4S' Siri features

 

Complaints of underperforming Siri functionality have been overthrown by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) as the demands of some British users of the voice commanded personal assistant were deemed to exceed those of the "average consumer" in the UK.

Samsung ships 2 million Galaxy Note handsets

Causing widespread confusion when it was first unveiled, new reports have revealed the 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note as shipped 2m units to date

 

Having officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 10.1 at MWC 2012 earlier this week, Samsung has revealed that the tablet’s smartphone predecessor has got off to a reassuring start with the original Samsung Galaxy Note shipping 2 million units to date.

A billion mobile subscribers in China; still below world average

Americans are still more obsessed with our mobile phones.

By the estimate of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the world's most populous nation now has more than a billion mobile phone subscribers.
Now, a billion mobile users is nothing to sneeze at, but the People's Republic has 1.3 billion people, which means a little more than three-quarters of its citizens have an active mobile phone. Interestingly, that's actually a few percentage points below the global average--nearly 80 percent of the worldwide population has a mobile phone, according to the latest estimates by Gartner and the Census Bureau, which track worldwide mobile subscriptions and population, respectively.

Dell UltraSharp U2412m review: Filled to the rim with value

The good: The Dell UltraSharp U2412m has great performance with excellent ergonomic support and a robust and easy-to-navigate OSD with tons of options for customization. It also has five USB ports, and it's currently available for about $350.
The bad: HDMI is missing from the connection options, and performance-wise, it's not quite there compared with high-end, pro-grade IPS panels, especially when it comes to viewing angles.
The bottom line: With thoughtful design, great performance, and plenty of OSD features, the Dell UltraSharp U2412 fills its value quotient to the brim.

Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet (8GB)

The good: The Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet (8GB) is an affordably priced full-featured tablet with a vibrant 7-inch touch screen, built-in Wi-Fi, 8GB of built-in storage, and a microSD expansion slot. In addition to a full slate of books and magazines, it offers more than a thousand apps through its integrated (and growing) Nook Store and is optimized for Netflix and Hulu Plus video playback. The built-in Web browser works well and offers Flash support.
The bad: There's no access to the full Android Market; no Bluetooth, GPS, or camera; no video rental (or purchase) option; and the 8GB of internal memory may be limiting to some people, but unlike with the Kindle Fire, you do have a memory expansion option.

OS X Desktop backgrounds gray after waking from sleep

The problem will likely need a software update to fix, but can be managed through a few workarounds.

A problem some Mac users have been experiencing with OS X Lion is an issue where their desktop backgrounds are showing as a bland gray color instead of the designated picture or pattern. This happens randomly after the systems have been woken from sleep, and when it occurs, the background will not change even if you manually try to reset it.

Red Hot Lytro Light Field Camera 16GB

The good: The eye-catching, revolutionary Lytro Light Field Camera creates photos that you can refocus again and again--after you've shot them--opening up new creative possibilities.
The bad: The proprietary Lytro image file format can only be processed and edited with Lytro's so-far Mac-only software, and images must be shared on Lytro's site. Its LCD is poor for such an otherwise high-end device.
The bottom line: The Lytro Light Field Camera rethinks photography with its unique hardware and fascinating image output. But if you're not a gadget-loving, Mac-owning early adopter, steer clear until Lytro makes improvements.

SanDisk Extreme SSD review: Standard and affordable

The good: The 2.5-inch SATA 3-based SanDisk Extreme solid-state drive offers great performance and is affordable.
The bad: The SanDisk Extreme SSD doesn't come with accessories to help it fit in a desktop computer's 3.5-inch hard-drive bay, though it can be used in one.
The bottom line: With very good performance and even better pricing, the SanDisk Extreme makes a great replacement drive for a standard laptop or desktop computer.

Five top external drives that won't break the bank--or your back

When it comes to storage, you definitely don't want to risk getting stuck with a lemon.
That's because, unlike other commodities like a car, or a TV, when a storage device breaks down, chances are you lose a lot more than just the drive itself. It's a painful experience to see your invaluable data vanish. Take my word for it on this.

On the other hand, you also want your storage device to be easily accessible, especially on the go. There's not much use of your data when it always has to stay at home.

When it comes to storage, you definitely don't want to risk getting stuck with a lemon.

That said, compact and portable external hard drives are arguably the most popular form of storage. They offer lots of space, often more than what your laptop or ultrabook has, without being big or heavy. Avoiding a lemon doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, either. That's very good considering the storage market hasn't fully recovered from the recent flood in Thailand.

Mobile World Congress 2012 Wrap-up

The MWC 2012 that was held from February 27 to March 1 2012 with the theme – Redefining Mobile, kicked-off with announcements of smartphones that showcased some of the new features and amazing technologies from major mobile phone companies like Sony, LG, Samsung, and Nokia. We did a roundup of some of the major announcements made on Day One and Day Two of the Mobile World Congress 2012.
Day One actually kicked-off with a bang of new and high performance smartphones, while Day Two started with announcements of new tablets and more smartphones. There were more than 60,000 participants who came to experience the once-a-year event, who also got the opportunity to engage and connect with smartphones and tablet freaks.

Electronic signatures are certain to be a standard in the future of contracts. There are a vast amount of reasons to make the switch to electronic signature rather than signing by hand. And just like many other things handwritten in the world, handwritten signatures are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Why Switch to Electronic Signature

The reasons to switch to electronic signature technology, also known as an e-signature or e-sign, are virtually endless. There are numerous advantages, and minimal disadvantages, which is the cause of its increasing popularity, and its destiny to become the standard for signatures in the future.
Time is the most obvious reason. Time is valuable, and something most people lack. To sign a document on paper with a handwritten signature, the time involved generally seems longer than necessary. This can include travel time for both parties, courier time if the document is to be mailed or delivered, and the actual time it takes to sign documents if multiple forms are needed.

Concept phones we wish were real in 2012

Smartphone-lovers are a fortunate bunch right now; if the Apple iPhone 4 doesn't take your fancy, there's plenty of Android phone alternatives, and if neither of those options satisfy your mobile needs either, a slew of new Windows Phone 7 handsets might just win you over instead.
If you're still not inspired, there will no doubt be a slew of new handsets hitting shelves in the months after Mobile World Congress.
Despite this veritable barrage of all-doing, app-consuming devices, there are those who are already dreaming up how the next must-have mobile could take shape. From the creative minds of some of the industry's leading innovators, to the imaginations of design students, here's our pick of the concept phones we'd love to see created.

OnLive Desktop brings Microsoft Office to Android tablets

Android tablet owners in the UK will soon be able to access Windows 7, Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Internet Explorer, following the announcement of OnLive Desktop Plus

OnLive Desktop, the impressive app which brings streams a version of Windows 7 to tablets, has arrived on the Android Market in the US.
The subscription-based service allows users to remotely access a touch-enabled Windows 7 desktop, while adding Microsoft Office - Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Best Apps: iPhone, iPad and Android

The top apps for Apple's iPhone, iPad and Google's Android, continuously updated.

Whether you're a card-carrying member of Team Apple or staunchly entrenched with the Android Army, mobiles and tablets are only as good as the apps they run. But with hundreds of thousands of apps clamouring for your attention, where's a gadget lover to start? Lucky for you, T3's app afficionados are on hand with their best app choices from the App Store and Android Market, every month. Sorted.

No Sony quad-core smartphones till 2013?

In an interview Sony’s Stephen Sneeden has predicted that Sony may not embrace quad-core for some time after concerns about battery life

Sony may not release a single quad-core smartphone until as late as 2013, or at least that’s the prediction by Sony Mobile’s Product Marketing Manager Stephen Sneeden.

Talking to CNET during MWC 2012 the exec revealed that Sony was still unconvinced by the benefits with quad-core especially when battery life can be so heavily compromised.

Apple iPad 3 to launch as iPad HD, according to Griffin leaks

The expected Retina Display may see the iPad 3 officially Christened the iPad HD, while we've got more hints on the on-sale date for Apple's latest tablet

Case manufacturers have a mixed record when it comes to predicting the names and physical forms of upcoming Apple products, but if the latest batch prove accurate we could be preparing to welcome the iPad HD to the family on March 7th.

Three clarifies '4G' claims, while first LTE network hits London

A pair of interesting 4G developments have shed more light on when UK smartphone and tablet owners will have access to LTE download speeds

Mobile network Three UK has moved to clarify reports that it will be rolling out 4G mobile broadband speeds across the UK later this year.

Flipboard adds Cover Stories feature to iPad app

T3 Award-winning app Flipboard for iPad gets a new upgrade, which adds Cover Stories into the mix, bringing the stories most important to you, directly to the front page.

Flipboard for iPad has been granted a major update with the popular Cover Stories feature added into the mix.
The socially-themed digital magazine, which won the App of the Year Award at the T3 Gadget Awards 2011, gets the update months after it first appeared on the then newly-launched iPhone version of the app.
Cover Stories aims to collate the articles most relevant to you on the front page of the application, based on your past reading and viewing habits and previous social interaction.

Consultation on the ethics of the 'superbrain'

With certain brain stimulation treatments showing that it can actually improve our ability to learn a study is looking into the ethics surrounding 'superbrains'

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has started a public consultation looking into the positives and negatives ethically of using treatments such as brain stimulation for either military, medical or educational purposes.

 

Looking at both brain stimulation and also the technique of using our brains to control technology the consultation will be looking into the ethics surrounding these practices.

SkyBet pulls iPad 3 betting due to 'heavy bets'

 

SkyBet have revealed why they had to remove the iPad 3 book with confident technophiles laying down heavy figures, forcing the site to reconsider

SkyBet have spoken to TechRadar revealing why they had to close their iPad 3 launch book. According to the site it was down to the large number of three figure bets that instantly appeared.

The book had been set up to give people the chance to bet on what features the upcoming Apple iPad 3 would either come with or definitely not have.

ZTE PF100 review: Hands-on

Joining a slew of Android and Windows Phone smartphones, ZTE has also introduced a raft of new Google-powered tablet devices with the quad-core packing PF100 the pick of the bunch.

Aside from its Nvidia T30S 1.5GHz quad-core CPU making for a supremely speedy overall performance, the 10.1-inch (WVGA resolution) tablet runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and features an Icera 450 modem for HSPA connectivity, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1GB of RAM and a decent 16GB of internal storage.

Huawei Ascend D Quad review: Hands-on

Having given us the world’s thinnest smartphone by way of the P1 S, Huawei has announced the world’s most powerful smartphone with its quad-core processor packing Ascend D smartphone.

Hosting its own K3V2 chip processor technology, the speedy handset also comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a 4.5-inch 720p HD touchscreen which combined with Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound makes it ideal for consuming all your multimedia.

Fujitsu quad-core smartphone review: Hands-on

Fujitsu will be hoping to win over the smartphone crowd with its as yet unnamed quad-core offering that features a 13-megapixel camera.

On top of its NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.5 Ghz prowess, the 4.6-inch screen device is dust-proof and water-resistant and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Like the LG Optimus 4X HD, the Fujitsu smartphone will use Companion Core technology to preserve battery life. It comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor for, well, sensing your finger.

Samsung Galaxy S WiFi review: Hands-on

Having unveiled the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Beam projector phone, Samsung has rounded off its MWC 2012 offering with the Galaxy S Wi-Fi 4.2

Allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of Google’s Android operating system without the ability to make calls and the cost associated with the handset components, the latest Galaxy PMP touts, as its name suggests, a 4.2-inch WVGA touchscreen display.

Assassin's Creed 3 main character leaked

If this image is anything to go by it looks as though the next Assassin's Creed game will indeed be heading to Desmond's homeland, but with a twist..

Assassin's Creed 3 looks to be set during the American Revolution with the main star revealed to be weilding a mix of modern weaponry and a Native American tomahawk and bow.

Samsung flexible OLED displays to enter mass production

With the world waiting on the Samsung Galaxy S3 release, the Korean tech giant has announced it is to put its flexible OLED displays into production

 

Korean tech giant Samsung has revealed it is on target to meet plans to mass produce and launch devices featuring its repeatedly showcased flexible OLED displays with the first products to hit by the end of the year.

Speaking out on the company’s high-profile plans to introduce handset’s with the off-straight screens, Samsung’s Assistant President of Mobile Displays is reported to have announced that “flexible displays will be commercialized within a year.”

Autocorrected text message sees two American schools closed

Casting a shadow over the usually funny text autocorrect, two schools in the US were closed after a text accidentally included the word 'gunman'

 

A misspelled text message caused two American schools to be closed yesterday after a handset’s autocorrect features replaced the word ‘gunna’ with ‘gunman’.

Sparking a flurry of concern, the wayward text message forced two schools in West Hall, Georgia to be locked down by police whilst the suspected gunman threat was investigated.

COD: Modern Warfare 3 DLC to land for non Elite subscribers

Following a flurry of DLC releases for Call of Duty Elite subscribers, Activision has revealed it is to launch the first MW3 DLC for non subscribers

Publisher Activision has announced it is to make the first traditional Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 DLC pack available to Xbox touting non Call of Duty Elite Premium subscribers later this month.

Xbox 720 Rumours: Release date, specs, pictures and games

Discover the latest Xbox 720 rumours, including release date, specs, games and features, for all the latest on Microsoft's next-gen games console

 

Whilst the current Xbox 360 console is largely regarded to be just hitting its prime, impatient gaming fans are calling out for its replacement with a flurry of Xbox 720 rumours having circulated the web in past weeks, months and even years.

Although some of the Xbox 720 rumours doing the rounds are a little more speculative than others, as the Xbox 360 enters its seventh year of life, the eagerly awaited next-generation console edges ever closer to reality with a flurry of reports suggesting we could see the Xbox 720 release formally unveiled later this year.

Samsung Galaxy Beam Release Date and Price confirmed

Despite not hosting a press conference at MWC 2012, Samsung has opened the show with a key new announcement in the Samsung Galaxy Beam

 

Samsung has kicked MWC 2012 off in style officially unveiling the Samsung Galaxy Beam, a new Android handset that comes sporting an inbuilt projector.

Apple iPad 2 price drop in preparation for iPad 3 launch

Further adding to the rumour mill, a number of US retailers have slashed the price of the current iPad 2 device adding weight to a possible iPad 3 launch

 

With the Apple iPad 3 release date expected to be unveiled on March 7th, retailers including Radio Shack have begun slashing iPad 2 prices in the US.
Radio Shack has joined the likes of Best Buy in cutting the price by $50 despite denying that it has anything to do with a possible iPad 3 launch.
Following news earlier this month that American retailer Meijer had offered up one of the largest iPad 2 discounts since the device launched last March, cutting $70 (£44) from the 16GB Wi-Fi only offering, electronics chain Best Buy has got in on the action dropping its iPad 2 prices by $50 (£31.57).

Apple iPad 3 Rumours: Release date, price, specs & features

Discover the latest Apple iPad 3 rumours, including release date, specs, price and features, for all the latest on Apple's next-gen tablet

 

Apple has sent out invites for a 'Special Event' which is set to take place on March 7th, widely expected to be official unveiling of the Apple iPad 3.
While the invite itself does not explicitly confirm that the third generation of the Apple tablet will definitely be shown off, the message accompanying it which reads, 'We have something you really want to see. And touch.' suggests this is not as cryptic as iconic Apple event invites have been in the past.
Looking back to the announcement of the Apple iPad 2, the second gen iPad was unveiled by the late Steve Jobs on March 2nd and hit UK stores March 25th suggesting that the iPad 3 UK launch could follow suit.

Apple nears half a trillion dollar valuation following iPad 3 invites

Apple closes in on $500 billion valuation with share prices rising 1.8 per cent following the arrival of the official iPad 3 announcement invites

 

Following the issuing of the official invites to the March 7th Apple iPad 3 release announcement, Apple has seen its stock prices soar as the Cupertino based company narrows in of a half a trillion dollar valuation.

Samsung Galaxy S3 specs leak with 4.8-inch 1080p display

The Samsung Galaxy S3 might have missed out on an MWC 2012 unveiling but the handset is still grabbing headlines as its specs leak online

 

Although not making an appearance at MWC 2012, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has threatened to steal the show as new Samsung Galaxy S3 specs leaking online.

Amidst the unveiling of a flurry of quad-core handsets and Samsung’s offering of the Galaxy Beam projector phone and the stylus touting Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has been a noticeable omission from the MWC line-up with new reports claiming to out the upcoming handset’s specification.

Angry Birds Space launch to hit Samsung Galaxy Note

Having confirmed the upcoming March 22nd Angry Birds Space release date, Rovio and Samsung have revealed the app will hit the Galaxy Note

Following Rovio’s recent confirmation of the upcoming Angry Birds Space release, Samsung has revealed the latest instalment to the bird flinging mega app will land exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Featuring the soon to be famous parody tagline “Houston… We have a slingshot,” Samsung has launched a Galaxy Note Angry Birds Space trailer with little information currently available around the next Angry Birds offering beyond its March 22nd release date.

Windows Phone App News: Skype Beta finally arrives

It's been a long time coming but Microsoft has finally launched Skype for Windows Phone. It's probably the best looking Skype app yet and the best is yet to come

After a seemingly illogical wait, Microsoft has launched the Skype client for Windows Phone devices, bringing an attractive Metro-based app with an innovative new feel and video calling over 3G and Wi-Fi.
The Beta launch arrives almost ten months after Microsoft purchased the company for a whopping $8.5bn and will come as a huge boost to expectant Windows Phone owners, and those waiting for the right time to jump on board.

41MP Nokia 808 PureView UK release date and price revealed

Debuting at MWC 2012, Nokia's new 41-megapixel camera touting smartphone the Nokia 808 PureView has been dated and priced for launch

 

Following the handset’s officially unveiling at MWC 2012 yesterday, Nokia’s new camera happy smartphone the Nokia 808 PureView has been made available for pre-order in the UK.

Capturing headlines for its staggering 41-megapixel camera inclusion, the 808 PureView was unveiled with no official word from Nokia regarding a release date or pricing information but has since hit online retailers ahead of launch in a matter of months.

Hottest tablet launches of MWC 2012

Whether it's the iPad 2 or even the iPad 3, we pick out the best tablets from MWC 2012 that hope to give Apple a run for its money this year
There was a time when Mobile World Congress was simply all about serving up the hottest new phones but then the iPad landed created a new product genre, and that changed everything. The Barcelona phone expo is fast becoming a catwalk for the latest and greatest slates, and once again its Android that is taking center stage.
As Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich prepares to spread across more devices in the coming year, we round up the best tablets unveiled at MWC 2012 so far.
Don't forget to bookmark our MWC 2012 page to read all the latest rumours, news, reviews and see video from this year's expo

Mobile World Congress 2012 – Day 1

The GSMA Mobile World Congress 2012 (MWC 2012) held in Barcelona, Spain, is one of the biggest technology trade shows, basically focused on showcasing new mobile phones (smartphones) powered with some of the latest technologies. The event began on 27 February, and Day One of MWC 2012 didn’t seem disappointing at all!
The event kicked-off with a bang of new and high performance smartphones. Of course, new smartphones with amazingly new multimedia features making quad-core processors phones stealing the show.
The predominant theme of the day were phones with more powerful quad-core processors, however, it continued to march on towards Google’s newly launched mobile OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. No doubt the popularity of Android smartphones is reaching new heights, but also is getting better in terms of hardware and software.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 confirmed at MWC 2012

Samsung expands its array of tablet offerings at MWC 2012 as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 enters the realms of reality with S-Pen stylus inclusion

 

Samsung has brought an end to weeks of rumours officially unveiling its latest touch and pen tablet at MWC 2012 in the form of the repeatedly leaked Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.

Sony PS Vita Facebook app removed for PlayStation Store

Following last week's Sony PS Vita UK release, the Facebook Vita application has been removed from the PlayStation Store due to a number of bugs

 

Just days after the Sony PS Vita went on sale in the UK; the console’s Facebook application has been pulled from the PlayStation Store.

Orange Santa Clara to be first Intel powered smartphone

Orange and Intel have joined forces to launch the first smartphone with Intel innards as the Orange Santa Clara is unveiled at Mobile World Congress

 

The first handset to land sporting an Intel CPU has been unveiled at MWC 2012 with the network branded Orange Santa Clara taking the honours.

Panasonic Eluga Power unveiled at MWC 2012

Following the recent unveiling of the Eluga, Panasonic is back on the smartphone scene outing the Panasonic Eluga Power at Mobile World Congress

 

Panasonic has expanded on last week’s smartphone unveiling confirming the upcoming release of a second device dubbed the Panasonic Eluga Power at MWC 2012.

iPhone 5 to see Apple ditch 30-pin dock connector?

The traditional 30-pin iDevice connector may be on the way out as Apple looks to save vital space to incorporate new features for the iPhone 5

Apple is considering casting aside the 30-pin connector for the iPhone 5 in order to make the device smaller and save space for new features like a 4G LTE radio, according to reports.

Sony Xperia Ion to launch in the UK summer 2012

Amid a pair of new Android releases at MWC, Sony Mobile says it will also bring the impressive Xperia Ion handset to the UK

While Sony outed two impressive looking Android phones in the Xperia P and the Xperia U on the eve of MWC 2012, we also learned the company will be bringing another one of its recently-announced devices to the UK.

HTC One X quad-core smartphone unveiled

HTC has gone back to basics by concentrating on three core handsets that sport Beats audio along with improved camera tech and slick designs

HTC has unveiled the One Series of mobile phones, comprising the flagship HTC One X, along with the brand's slimmest device to date - the HTC One S -  and the HTC One V, the design of which is based on the popular HTC Legend.

Sony Xperia P launched at MWC 2012

Sony has just unveiled the Sony Xperia P at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Sony has revealed the brand new addition to the Sony Xperia family - the Android-powered Sony Xperia P - at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona.

The latest mobile phone in the Sony smartphone range features a fetching aluminium unibody, a 4-inch reality display and an 8 megapixel camera using Sony's fast capture tech.

It joins the Sony Xperia S, launched back at CES in January, and the new Sony Xperia U in extending the product line-up carrying the single Sony brand.

Sony Xperia P Features

The Sony Xperia P screen boasts what Sony calls White Magic Display technology which aims to make the screen viewable even in the sunniest of conditions. Sony claims it's the smartest and brigtest display on the market.

The Sony Xperia P also works with a Motorola Atrix-style smart dock that makes it easy to connect to your TV and offers a laptop computing experience with the capacity to connect other peripherals including keyboard and mouse.

As with the Sony Xperia S the Xperia P is compatible with Sony Smart tags, giving us the power to open apps, change settings and launch services with a sinlge tap against customisable NFC tags.


Sony Xperia P UK Price and Availability

The Sony Xperia P will be available in three brushed aliminium finishes and will start shipping around May 2012. No Sony Xperia P UK price has been announced.

Huawei launches Ascend D quad core phone at MWC 2012

Huawei has launched a quad-core smartphone, the Huawei Ascend D quad, running Android 4.0 ICS Ice Cream Sandwich.

One of the first widely-anticipated quad-core phones, the Huawei Ascend D quad is powered by Huawei’s K3V2 quad-core 1.2GHz/1.5GHz processor, which the company claims is the fastest on the market.