Alleged budget iPhone shows off polycarbonate body, brings back good memories

The rumor about that more affordable iPhone just keeps coming back, but this time we're finally seeing some sort of progress. Courtesy of case manufacturer Tactus, we're apparently looking at the upcoming budget iPhone's polycarbonate shell which was spotted at a factory that provides parts to Foxconn. It's the same story for the "iPad 5" case leak that Tactus published two days ago (the same day as our own scoop), so the company does seem to have a good contact for this kind of goodies -- and it is a very competitive market, after all.

Compared to the old polycarbonate iPhone 3G and 3GS, this mysterious shell appears to have a flat back instead of the old curved one, meaning it should reduce manufacturing complexity and therefore the cost as well. Another notable difference is that the old volume rocker is split into two, and then there's also the LED flash that was absent on the old polycarbonate iPhones. Tactus adds that this body is slightly taller, wider and thicker than the iPhone 4 and 4S, but what we do struggle to believe is that apparently the same factory is producing this shell in black and white as well as blue, red and yellow. A decoy, perhaps? Only time will tell.

Source: Tactus (budget iPhone leak), ("iPad 5" case leak)

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By: Unknown On 8:10 PM

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US budget has NASA planning to capture an asteroid, USAF reviving DSCOVR (video)

NASA Associate Administrator Statements on the Asteroid Initiative in the FY 2014 Budget Request

WASHINGTON -- The following are statements from the associate administrators of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, Science Mission Directorate and Space Technology Mission Directorate on the administration's budget request for the 2014 fiscal year.

From Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations William Gerstenmaier:

"The mission to find, capture and redirect an asteroid robotically, and then visit it with astronauts to study it and return samples takes advantage of expertise across all of NASA in an integrated approach to exploration. Along with the scientific research and technology demonstrations happening around the clock on the International Space Station that are teaching us how humans can live and work in space, this mission will give us valuable experience we need in deep space operations to send humans to more distant destinations in the solar system, including Mars. Through the balance of this fiscal year, we will work to define an affordable mission architecture. In Fiscal Year 2014, NASA will begin developing and testing prototype capture mechanisms and concepts for crew interactions with the asteroid."

From Associate Administrator for Science John Grunsfeld:

"The crucial first step in this endeavor is to enhance our ongoing efforts to identify and characterize near-Earth objects for scientific investigation and to find potentially hazardous asteroids and targets appropriate for capture. The capture mission will be a highly visible and significant collaboration of robotic and human exploration in translunar space."

From Associate Administrator for Space Technology Michael Gazarik:

"This mission accelerates our technology development activities in high-powered solar electric propulsion. The ambitious mission to rendezvous, capture and redirect a small asteroid to Earth-moon space could not be accomplished without solar electric propulsion technology. This technology also will support the commercial telecommunications and satellite industries, and is an essential step toward future NASA human and robotic exploration forays into deep space."

The NASA budget and supporting information are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/budget

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By: Unknown On 11:03 AM

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Huawei G510 heads to Vodafone UK, puts Jelly Bean on a budget

Big-screen mobile entertainment for everyone – Huawei's feature-packed Ascend G510 smartphone debuts

· Ascend G510 launches with Vodafone in the UK
· Huawei's first UK smartphone to feature the all-new Emotion UI

London, UK, April 11, 2013: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announces its big-screened entry-level Ascend G510 smartphone will be on sale with Vodafone UK from April 12. The launch of the Ascend G510 will be attended by a significant ATL marketing campaign, which brings to life the handset's 'Outstanding Features' and will run across print, digital and outdoor media.

Available from Vodafone UK from £13 per month on pay-monthly and £130 on pay as you go, the Ascend G510 combines unmatched functionality, form-factor and firepower in its class to deliver big-screen mobile entertainment for a new generation moving to smartphones and upgrading old technology.

It follows a series of Huawei smartphones combining great features and value in the low-to-mid tier, including the highly-successful and award-winning Ascend G300, a direct predecessor of the Ascend G510 with Vodafone UK.

Uncompromising

The Ascend G510's large 4.5-inch screen, combined with DTS surround sound, enables superior mobile video, gaming and web-browsing for a whole new audience. Its fast 1.2GHz dual-core processor and big 1750mAh battery provide power and longevity to support data-hungry applications and content, such as catch-up TV and gaming.

Huawei Device UK director of product management James Powell remarked: "Huawei is bringing new hardware and software innovation to this market; and not just to the high-end. For years, 'entry-level' smartphones have meant compromise – phones not powerful enough, with screens not big enough, to be able to truly deliver on the promise of the mobile internet.

"The Ascend G510 is the latest in a line of Huawei smartphones to challenge that, and our most powerful yet in the low-to-mid tier. It brings the very latest smartphone technology to the heart of the broad consumer mass market, delivering big-screen mobile entertainment without compromise."

Personalisation

Notably, the Ascend G510 is the first Huawei device to launch in the UK with Huawei's own intuitive and customisable Emotion UI, running over the Android 4.1 Jellybean operating system. The Emotion UI allows users to put all that their most important applications and content in one place on the home screen, and offers a wide choice of themes to personalise their Ascend G510 further.

Design of the Emotion UI is based on understanding of how consumers interact with their smartphones and what they expect from these interactions. It addresses a user's basic needs and tastes in ways that are smart and simple.

The Ascend G510 comes with a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash for capturing special and impromptu moments on the go. It also boasts a front-facing camera so you can unlock the handset at a glance with face-recognition. And you can share your experiences – your content and contacts – directly with friends via NFC, with compatible phones.

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By: Unknown On 10:23 AM

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Buying Guide: Best cheap tablets 2012: top budget options

The iPad 4 still rules the roost as the best 10-inch (technically 9.7-inch) tablet in the world, but with prices starting at £399 and rising all the way to £659, it's clearly priced in a bracket way above many people's budget.

Apple's sky-high prices mean those wanting a more affordable tablet experience will have to look elsewhere, although the iPad Mini has recently entered the fray at a lower price point.

Google's Android operating system now adorns a multitude of tablets, from those priced at the same lofty heights of Apple's offerings, to those that can be picked up for £100 at your local supermarket – although we'd advise against purchasing most of these, and instead check out the superior options below.

If you can't quite hack the lower offerings, and you've managed to scrape together enough money to indulge in a pricier tablet experience, then take a gander at the following:

For those of you who are still with us, well done. To reward you for your loyalty, here are some top tablets for under £300.

Price: from £269
OS: iOS 6
Review score: 4.5/5

Apple's former CEO Steve Jobs famously slammed small tablets a few years back, leading many to believe the Cupertino-based firm would never dabble in the budget end of the market, but here we are.

In terms of consistency in the tablet market Apple cannot be matched, as it now lays claim to the first two places in our top 10, with the iPad mini the jewel in an already glistening crown.

The slight downsides to the iPad mini are that it misses out on a Retina display and it pushes the upper end of the budget price bracket, but you can justify that price with its slick operation and premium build quality, letting you know you have a top piece of kit in your hand - as we said in our review "the iPad mini is the best iPad Apple has ever created."

Price: from £159
OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Review score: 4.5/5

With a quad-core processor, beefy 12-core GPU, 7-inch HD IPS display and being the first device to run Android Jelly Bean, the Google Nexus 7 is quite simply the best budget tablet out there.

The 16GB version is available for just £159, while the 32GB model will only set you back £199. It's quite possibly the bargain of the century.

There are a few shortcomings – such as no microSD card slot, meaning you're stuck with 32GB at most, and no rear camera – although these can be easily overlooked at this startlingly attractive price.

Price: from £159
OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Review score: 4.5/5

What's better than a modern tablet with a quad core processor? One that costs just £159. That's right: the power of the Kindle brand has mated with an HD screen and won't charge you the earth to own it.

Coming in at 16GB and 32GB flavours, the Kindle Fire HD is sure to be a big hit, bringing the simplicity of the e-book range to the tablet arena, with dedicated space to access your movies, games, apps and music too.

It's a little simplistic for some, but for others it's the perfect mix of curated content and easy to use interface - and despite the price, it's got a decent build quality too.

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By: Dilusha On 5:56 PM

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