GADGET UPDATE powered by Stuff: Microsoft Surface, Windows Phone 8 and more

Windows Phone 8 launch – all the highlights

Microsoft has given the world a peek at Windows Phone 8, which will launch in the autumn. On the user interface front, Windows 8 will sport a new Start screen (aka home screen). You’ll be able to tweak the size of any tile (small, medium and screen-spanning double-wide are the options), and there’ll be more colours. We love colours, so that’s alright in our book. Windows Phone 8 will run on the same kernel as Windows 8 and Windows RT (the desktop and tablet versions of the OS), which means essentially you’ll have one platform running across your computer, your tablet and your smartphone. That’ll mean apps and games that work on all Windows devices. Read more...

Smartphones – the best cheaper alternatives

High-end smartphones too rich for your blood? Never fear: there are thrifty alternatives for every major platform – and we've assembled them all. Check it out...

HTC acknowledges fix for One X Wi-Fi issue

HTC has acknowledged that a number of its flagship One X handsets suffer from Wi-Fi connectivity issues in which the Wi-Fi signal can be erratic. The culprit has been identified as a loose connection on the Wi-Fi antenna, and HTC has responded to Android Central by stating that it has "identified a fix that strengthens the area of the phone around the Wi-Fi antennae connection points". Read more...

Apple and HTC in race to put light field cameras in your smartphone

Light field cameras – which let you adjust the focus of photos after they've been taken – could soon be adapted to appear in HTC smartphones. According to DigiTimes, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute has set up an R&D team working on light field camera tech – and HTC has been in touch to find out if it's possible to fit light field cameras into smartphones. Read more...

LG takes on Siri with Quick Voice – in Korea

LG's Quick Voice has just been announced for Optimus handsets in Korea and we wouldn't be too surprised if a global rollout followed later in the year for the likes of the Optimus 4X HD. Quick Voice will use natural language processing to work out what you need your LG phone to do. Read more...

Facebook upgrades its facial recognition tech for better tagging

Facebook has just bought Face.com for a rumoured US$60m – so you don’t have to type quite so much when tagging your photos. The addition of Face.com's tech should help Facebook's advances into the mobile sphere, along with the recently purchased Instagram and its new stand-alone Camera app. Read more...

Microsoft Surface – need to know

Microsoft has announced a pair of shiny new Surface tablets – The Surface Windows RT and Surface Windows 8 Pro – to usher in a new touchable era of Windows 8 on the go, along with some potentially game-changing accessories. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Best iPhone apps this week

iOS headlines this week: Save your iPhone's battery! Delve into music history! And play the guitar like Slash! Check it out...