Introducing the Sony Xperia M

We are now stocking the Sony Xperia M, and it’s a bit of  a looker, giving other similar handsets a run for their money. It features a soft touch plastic arced shell and meticulously crafted buttons.
The Xperia M boasts a compact body that makes it perfect for single-handed operation unlike some of it’s larger counterparts. It’s light weighing in at just 115g, and is also relatively thin at 9.3mm. In comparison it is a similar size to that of Apple’s iPhone 5, if not a little bit wider.

The Xperia M features no buttons on the front as Sony uses on-screen virtual buttons for Android navigation, and there’s a single stylish line-shaped LED notification light. All physical buttons are on the right side of the handset. There’s the signature Sony round metal power key, stylish and sleek. The volume rocker is also conveniently located on the side and its arc shape makes it easy to find and press. Finally, there’s a dedicated camera shutter key on the bottom.
The phone features a 4-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. It’s sharp enough to avoid any pixelization, and pixel density is also good at 245ppi.
Want to share pictures from last night’s party, or that great tune your friend is always asking about? With NFC-based one-touch functions (Near Field Communication), sharing your world has never been easier. All it takes is a simple click. No buttons, no wires, no confusion.
With Sony OmniBalance design, this slim NFC phone will thrive in the palm your hand. Paired with premium details that are held together with an innovative skeleton frame, you’ll discover a smartphone that is beautiful as well as magical.
Keep your phone updated and enjoy the latest features and optimal performance. Performing a software update is fast, easy and safe.

Is Facebook finally growing up?

Recently Facebook revealed a startling fact in its latest earnings announcement, it was seeing a “decrease in daily users, specifically among teens”. Suggesting although teenagers are still using Facebook, they're using it a lot less than they once did. This is especially surprising because teenagers usually point the way to the next big thing, particularly in new technology.

Young people are gradually moving over to messaging apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat, as their interest in Facebook begins to wane. Now that Facebook has nearly 1.2 billion monthly active users, everyone from their younger brothers to their grandparents can be found sharing cute animal photos and inspirational quotes. It is no surprise that teenagers are turned off by their parents using Facebook, it is no longer the place for uninhibited updates and messaging amongst friends if your mum can comment on your night out pictures. All teenagers rebellious fun now takes place elsewhere, on their mobiles.

Messaging app WhatsApp emerged in 2009 and by 2012 mobile operators are estimated to have lost up to $23bn in SMS revenue due to these apps. These apps host free instant messages through a phone's data connection, which these days is often unlimited. However, these apps are becoming a threat to established social networks too.

The most popular in the UK is WhatsApp which is on half the country's iPhones and has more than 350 million monthly active users globally. That makes it the biggest messaging app in the world by users, with even more active users than social media powerhouse Twitter, which counts 218 million.

We can put part of the success of these services down to the elder generation gate crashing the social media party. However, it is also a result of another thing these apps offer: private chatting with people you are actually friends with in real life. These apps promote dynamic real-time chatting with groups of real-life friends, real life because having their mobile number is required to begin the conversation. In an era where young people are accused of having virtual lives and friends, this is a way for them to reassert their privacy and shun corporate advertising.

How these apps will develop is still uncertain, some expect them to be bought out by the likes of Google. However, the main internet giants each have their own version of these messaging services, including Facebook, Apple and Google. Whether these services survive or thrive will depend on who can actually make money from them. We are a long way from any of these apps raking in the $2.1bn that Facebook pulled in in the last quarter. There is little doubt that these apps will continue to grow in popularity, probably at the expense of Facebook, and with many of the older generations joining, the chances are they’ll probably go out of fashion with the next generation of teenagers in search of the next big thing too!

Power Up!

The worst possible thing has happened. That's right, your phone just died, or in in other words you feel completely cut off from society. This is probably on par with losing your house keys or a flat tyre in terms of the feeling of panic that has just hit you.

Well here are some of our top tips on how to avoid this disaster and ruining your day.

Get Connected?

Well actually in this case you want to limit connectivity on your phone. There are numerous connections currently sucking the life out of your battery, many which you may not even be aware of.

There are a few which are not always necessary to have turned on, which can mostly be found in your settings. The big 3 which top the list are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and location based GPS.

Also if you are not too worried about data speeds, you can also disable your 3G/4G which is one of the main battery sucking culprits. 

But don't be alarmed, you can switch any of these functions back on whenever you need them!

If you are running really low on power and want to make the most of what's left you can switch your phone on to Airplane Mode which completely kills connectivity.

Screen Savers 

The screen of your phone takes an awful lot of battery power. As you know mobile phones seem to be getting bigger year by year, and so do their screens. Therefore it pays to adjust the brightness to a lower setting. You may even find that your handset has an automatic power saving setting which will adjust this for you. 

Good Vibrations 

Well in this case not so good. The vibration setting requires much more energy than your standard text and ringtones. You can either set your phone to Silent Mode, or turn the ringtones to the lowest volume. 

Multi-Tasking 

Most smartphones boast the ability to 'multi-task'. This is all well and good if you remember to quit your running apps, but if not you are burning valuable battery power. 

You should also think about switching your phone off for at least 30 seconds every couple of days to enable the battery to function to it's full capacity. 

Gaming

So this may seem an obvious point to make, but if you want a healthier battery you may have to consider cutting down on your gaming (sorry). Games use a whole host of your phone's resources, and will in return zap your battery life.

But it's not all doom and gloom! If you know that you (like us) are absolutely addicted to phones and gadgets and simply can't live without them, just carry a charger or charging device! Sorted. 

Do you ever wish your phone was waterproof?

Have you ever dropped your phone down the toilet, down the sink or got it excessively wet in the rain?

Well this could be a thing of the past, as scientists have recently discovered a way of waterproofing electronic components that means they can be immersed in water for days without being damaged.

Normally devices submerged in water would be instantaneously ruined, but using this new technique they claim devices can be left submerged in salt water for months without being harmed. By coating the components with a protective layer just a few atoms thick, it can become impervious to air or water.

Professor Samuel Graham at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who has led the research, said the film was stable in warm damp conditions and a number of liquids.

He said: “By creating such barriers films, we are able to extend lifetime and reliability of electronic devices.”

Electronic devices usually have films that are sprayed onto their components, protecting them from water vapour in the air and making them splash resistant. However, there has not been any way to make these completely waterproof, as tiny imperfections allow water to to get through. To protect devices like mobile phones and cameras from water, a separate case needs to be used.

Professor Graham, developed a techniques known as atomic layer deposition to create better barriers against water. By surrounding components with gaseous atoms from a metal like aluminium, they form a layer over the electronics which is then oxidised.

This oxide layer, which is only 10 nanometres thick – around 6,000 times thinner than the width of a human hair – is prevents water from getting to the sensitive electronics underneath.

It has proved so successful the Professor has submerged electronic sensors in water for 10 days after coating them in the atomic film.

This could mean that ordinary cameras and mobile phones can be used underwater without coming to any harm.

Not only that but it could also be a revelation for the clumsy and accident prone amongst us!