Thursday, 28 November 2013

No handset is perfect, says survey

A new study highlights owners' experiences with their handsets and issues range from battery life to overheating to screen problems and a lack of expandable storage. — AFP picA new study highlights owners' experiences with their handsets and issues range from battery life to overheating to screen problems and a lack of expandable storage. — AFP pic

A new study highlights the biggest frustrations that owners have with the iPhone 5S, Samsung Galaxy SIV, Motorola Moto X and HTC One. The results are based on Fixya users’ experiences with their handsets and issues range from battery life to overheating to screen problems and a lack of expandable storage. To arrive at its conclusions, the community-based trouble-shooting company aggregated information from its 30 million users including their troubleshooting requests posted either via its product Q&A site or its iOS mobile app. 

As a result, the report makes a great buying guide for anyone considering a flagship phone purchase before the end of 2013. For the Samsung Galaxy SIV the biggest problems are overheating (25 per cent of troubleshooting requests) and battery life (20 per cent). However, that’s not surprising considering how powerful the phone’s processor is and the fact that unlike a number of premium handsets currently available, the SIV’s casing is predominantly plastic and therefore more prone to conducting, rather than insulating, heat.


Motorola Moto X users’ biggest gripe is storage (30 per cent). The device is only available with 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage and there’s no MicroSD slot for further expansion, meaning users either have to delete content or use cloud storage. Other gripes include display quality. At 720p rather than full HD, owners have also complained about text pixilation and colour saturation.


The iPhone 5S suffers from poor battery life (25 per cent), especially when running apps and using mapping and location services together. Users are also concerned about the device’s fingerprint sensing technology, with 25 per cent of requests pertaining to security issues surrounding biometric technology. Interestingly, some owners are less than impressed with the phone’s display size, especially when compared to the 4.5-inch (11.4cm) and 5-inch (12.7cm) screens that are quickly becoming the norm on flagship Android handsets.
HTC One users are disappointed mostly with the handset’s battery life (30 per cent) and by the fact that it can take upwards of five hours to recharge completely. The phone’s photo-taking abilities are also disappointing. Images taken during the day are over-saturated yet it appears to perform very well at night and in low light conditions.
The problems in full:
Top 5 Samsung Galaxy SIV Issues:
1.   Overheating - 25 per cent
2.   Battery Problems - 20 per cent
3.   Screen Issues - 20 per cent
4.   Phone & Text Issues - 15 per cent
5.   Other - 20 per cent
 Top 5 Moto X Issues:
1.   Storage Space - 30 per cent
2.   Screen Quality - 20 per cent
3.   Camera Quality - 20 per cent
4.   GPS Problems - 15 per cent
5.   Other -15 per cent
 Top 5 iPhone 5S Issues:
1.   Battery Problems - 25 per cent
2.   Fingerprint Password - 25 per cent
3.   Display Size - 15 per cent
4.   Apps Crashing - 15 per cent
5.   Other - 20 per cent
 Top 5 HTC One Issues:
1.   Battery Life - 30 per cent
2.   Audio Issues - 20 per cent
3.   Camera Quality - 20 per cent
4.   Blinkfeed Feature - 10 per cent


- AFP RELAXNEWS

Tamagotchi virtual pets to return to Europe, N. America

Tamagotchi virtual pets to return to Europe, N. America

TOKYO:  Tamagotchi, the egg-shaped virtual pet beloved of schoolchildren in the 1990s, is making a comeback and is set to hit the shelves of European shops in time for Christmas.

The tiny toy character, which owners have to nurture to maturity, was a worldwide smash the first time around, with maker Bandai selling 40 million units between 1996 and 1999.

Now a new, updated version, called Tamagotchi Friends, is scheduled for release in Europe next month and in North America some time in 2014.

"Tamagotchi" is a portmanteau of the Japanese word for egg (tamago) and the Japanised version of the English "watch", but it also denotes a certain eggy cuteness.

A spokesman for Bandai in Tokyo said the new version is primarily aimed at children aged 7-9, and allows players to raise up to 24 different creatures.

The character of the virtual pet is determined by the way in which it is looked after -- it needs to be fed, exercised, entertained and cared-for when it is sick.

Owners can also encourage their pets to form friendships with other virtual pets by bumping their egg with another.

"The new version of the Tamagotchi will be released in Europe, mainly in Britain, France and Spain in late December," said Bandai spokeswoman Tomomi Washizu. "It is scheduled to hit North America as early as June next year."

It will be sold at $19.99, Bandai said. -- AFP