Grand Theft Auto 5 (or Grand Theft Auto V, to give it its correct roman numeral-flavoured moniker) is unarguably the most anticipated game of the year. With front-page exclusives, multi-storey murals and millions of web clicks for the slenderest of cut-scene-encrusted trailers, Rockstar Games' September-set new sandbox for Xbox 360 and PS3 is the hottest of gaming properties.

Indeed, GTA V's delay from spring to autumn suddenly feels all the crueler now that spring is actually in the air and not just a word printed on a schedule. It's so close our joypad-calloused hands can almost touch it.

We say "almost" with a heavier heart than most, too, because T3 has had an up-close, behind-closed-doors live demo of its inner workings, the gameplay behind the cinematic trailers; our eyes have gorged on Los Santos's spectacularly detailed locales and multifaceted heist potential, yet said hands stayed firmly controller-less the whole time. "Almost."

GTA 5: Characters

Yet what we've seen has our mitts itching undeniably for a joypad or two, as Rockstar has rethought the mechanics of GTA more than the overly familiar, wise-cracking trailers suggest.

The new three-pronged structure has you jumping between Henry Hill-esque bank robber-turned-witness protection case Michael, car repo man Franklin and war-vet trailer-dweller Trevor with a push of a button, a character wheel jumping up at the bottom right.

This split-personality disorder doesn't just act as a quick way round when exploring the frankly intimidatingly sized city (three and half times the land mass of Red Dead Redemption, reads the post-show fact sheet). It's also used as a strategic device throughout missions, to, say, cover all vantage points or execute actions in different locations simultaneously.

In fact, there are three different types of switch options at play: auto, as some individual missions require completion by a certain character; cut-scene, in which you're prompted to change persona to advance the central plot; and free choice, where you can use any character you wish, dependent on personal taste. We're told there will be plenty of all three.

Interestingly, we notice the character wheel has four divisions, not three, the last one greyed out suggestively. Naturally, we ask why, and are told it's to do with multiplayer, which isn't being discussed.

We can but hypothesise that a co-op campaign with a mate helping you out in heists would be all kinds of ace. Like the second Kane & Lynch's Fragile Alliance multiplayer, but, y'know, good. Well, that's the dream.

GTA 5: Gameplay

In fact, we have a hunch co-operative heists are going to spawn a whole new genre of brag video on YouTube this year. We realise we keep saying heists a lot, and that's because GTA V has taken its predecessor's much-loved Three-Leaf Clover mission not just for its action set-pieces but much of its narrative.

Sure, there's loads of other stuff to do on your own, as ever. One side mission sees Michael outrun the paparazzi to rescue an A-lister from their prying zooms (was the $150 tip necessary, though? Doesn't she know who I am?).

There are even self-contained hunting and base jumping mini-games, among others, and we spied a Blazing Tattoos, ink fans. Yet the story is pushed forward by these bringing togethers of the three protagonists.

We're promised the full Reservoir Dogs routine: hiring goons by skill set (up to 12 a team), location scouting, escape planning, getaway car stealing and costume sourcing (bagsy the Ex Presidents masks), even Joe Cabot's ageing whiteboard.

Do you pick an all-round strong team, or select a talented weakling who can crack a safe but get offed in gun fire so you can make off with a heftier cut? In our mind we're planning a devilish Dark Knight-esque scheme of last-man standing, but Rockstar won't confirm if this will be possible. Go on, you know it makes sense.

Our interest is certainly piqued at this strategic, Football Manager-esque take on the crime underworld, the return of San Andreas' upgradeable stat system adding another layer of RPG-esque depth and mission ownership underneath the action (a brief foray into scuba-diving shipwrecks amid sharks explaining why you would ever max out "lung capacity"). But unsurprisingly it's action our eyeballs are given.

GTA 5: Combat

We're thrust straight into the heat of one particular heist, straight out of, er, Heat (the old "block the road with a big van and ram them with another big van" routine), weapons of choice some dust trucks, boiler suits and a set of horror-film masks. Apparently it's a "Blitz Play", not an actual "Heist" – they are differentiated in- game by the amount of planning required and the size of the payoff – but it looks like one.

Rather than played for japes as the cut-scenes suggest, though, the tension builds like a scene from Drive, all pulsing bass lines and light blurs, an atmospheric '80s-esque soundtrack rising and falling contextually. We can only guess how affecting it will be when you're not only controlling it, but have personally planned all aspects of the heist you're executing.

With the security van blown and goods commandeered, it's into a police stand-off. Michael has scarpered with the package, so the remaining two fight off the fuzz from in and around industrial estate architecture, environments exploding around them.

The use of the character-switch button becomes apparent immediately, the player skipping between their perspectives smoothly to first fend off and eventually corner enemies, effectively controlling both team-mates at once. The toggled-off character turns to AI support act when not controlled, hiding and firing in cover in self-preservation.

Noticeable firefight refinements show a wider field of vision when lining up a mark over your shoulder, a handy Max Payne 3-esque combat roll for evading an onslaught, and an even handier little 'X' appearing over the reticule to signify a dead enemy. Any clarification we can get in the heat of battle is gratefully received, thank you very much.

Just when we think the police may be taking control, the player switches to Michael, now miles away with a very good quality sniper scope in his possession, and takes out the remaining coppers. For a finishing touch, the old-reliable rocket launcher comes out to destroy the chopper overhead. It's a classic GTA moment re-imagined, and it's exhaustingly good entertainment, even as a viewer.

GTA 5: The World

Throughout our hour-long demo, Los Santos feels truly alive, whether you're paragliding above dirt tracks coursing with ATVs as adrenaline junkie Franklin, grabbing an abandoned speedboat, Far Cry 3-style, as Trevor after waking amidst a passed-out throng of familiar biker gang The Lost, or just being over-run by night-walking weirdos on Vinewood Boulevard. These feel like lives being lived; over-the-top, occasionally homicidal lives, but lives all the same.

Unusually, the entire city is available from the start, rather than held back for you to unlock, showing confidence in its confines, a want for it to be explored and enjoyed as a realistic space.

Similarly, your smartphone is again the natural hub of much of your non-action activity, but this too is ramped up. Your iFruit (ho ho) can now access the internet directly and take photos, popping up organically on-screen for a snap that can be shared on Rockstar's Social Club instantly as you would any real-life social-networking app (take that, PS4 Share button).

Sure, we're inevitably thrust back into "game" world with talk of "special abilities" that can be built up for each character, but even these have a touch of heightened reality about them.

War vet Trevor can dish out and take more damage than anyone (fair dues), speed demon Franklin can slow time when in cars for last-minute U-turns (makes sense), while Michael indulges in a familiar bit of a bullet time gunfire-dodging (because, well, he looks a lot like Max Payne).

While you expect depth from a developer who's made creating sprawling virtual cities its living, GTA 5 hints at more. Not just in sheer size, but in interaction, the random residents and oddballs that send you off on sub- mission tangents less scripted diversions, more part of the ebb and flow, each of the three-amigo protagonists' lives moving on dramatically while you're choosing to control another.

GTA 5: Verdict

Yet these are still just hints, small tasters of what Rockstar has under the hood, and all our strained peepers can garner in a 60-minute sitting. Hopefully in the coming months our hands will be able to join in the fun and we can judge whether the most anticipated game of the year is on its way to being the best. But our eyeballs say it's looking good.

Deep in Sony's bunker at E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, T3 spent a good few hours investigating the veritable might of the new PS4.

In a series of demos, we got to grips, quite literally, with the new DualShock 4 controller, the PlayStation Camera, the companion iOS and Android app, and a smattering of new titles such as DriveClub, Killzone Shadow Fall and Knack, plus a Play Room demo.

Sony PS4: Controller

The controller itself is sturdy and reassuringly weighty in the palm compared to the always-a-bit-light-for-us DualShock 3, which is interesting as the Xbox One has slimmed down just as Sony has homed in on heft. It's not bulky though, and its sleekness is married to an almost textured coating on both the base and dual sticks that helps grip.

Xbox One vs Sony PS4: Next-gen showdown

The dual sticks feel stiffer compared to the PS3's, and while this initially jars, we found with more exposure to them we actually preferred it for accuracy, though it takes some getting used to.

The triggers are now really very trigger-like indeed (although Killzone, rather bizarrely, still doesn't assign them as aim and fire) and their close placement to the shoulder buttons is a good design move that aids quick changes.

Sony PS4: Touch panel

The central touch panel is very responsive when navigating menus and a satisfying click acts as a surrogate Start button in its absence.

We actually really missed Start and Select to, well, start with (how do you pause?!), but the more time you spend with the touch panel, the more you realise what an increasingly exciting addition it is. Indeed, it's as at home replicating a touch screen as it is the movements of a PC trackpad.

On Killzone it brings up a secondary menu of attacks, while on Play Room it was used for everything from throwing things onto the screen to rubbing to interact with on-screen characters to moving on-screen paddles for air hockey. The bridge between smartphone games and the new raft of independent developers that PlayStation's busy pleasing is a very palpable one.

Sony PS4: 10 things you need to know

The motor rumble of the controller and speaker combine to generate some very impressive feedback, though not quite of the standard of the Xbox One's new joypad.

There's no rumble in the triggers here, but there is a real feeling of weight being moved around. At one point in the Play Room, AI bots fill the controller, and you can hear and feel them moving around inside the pad as you manipulate it. Alas, none of the demos used the new Share or Options button so we were unable to test their use.

Sony PS4: Camera

The PlayStation Camera is a bit of a micro-Kinect, following in the best tradition of EyeToy. Like Move, it reads the light bars on the rear of the DualShock 4s so that you can manipulate items on screen with it, but also reads your flailing arms to interact, too.

The resolution is decent if nothing too scary – it doesn't track your expression or engagement, but it can tell if you've covered your eyes (the crowd of AI bots on the demo hushed, before we pulled our hands away and they all cried in a really quite charming game of Peek-a-boo). It will also set your head on fire – virtually, at least – in that AR style that Reality Fighters and its Vita brethren did.

Sony PS4: App

Even more exciting was the PlayStation companion app, which will be available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets (in this case an Sony Xperia Z tab, obviously) as well as the PS Vita.

This is what the likes of Ubisoft are using in Watch Dogs and The Division as Sony's answer to SmartGlass, but here it was used to draw objects on a very simplified version of art package and literally 'throw' them on to the big screen. It's basic so far, but again, there's real potential there if they can expand the options.

The Play Room, a thoroughly enjoyable tech demo that's not confirmed for any official release, makes great use of the cam and we think Sony would be bonkers not to include as a getting-to-grips-with-the-hardware retail release. Maybe it could be packaged with the PlayStation Camera now Sony has confirmed that omitting that from the PS4 box was a way of keeping the costs down?

Sony PS4: Games

DriveClub is a decent racer with some nice features, although graphically we weren't as blown away as we expected (though the 'Pre-Alpha, 35% complete' sign should explain that). Handling is decent, with a focus on drifting with the shoulder buttons, but the system of Fame points is what is really interesting.

You race in clubs, but as you make your way round the track, independent challenges pop up with headshots of other drivers attached. You then have a variety of durations to better the random opponent – be it cornering, average speed or, yes, drifting – for extra goodies. It certainly keeps you interested, even if you've raced well ahead, and we can only imagine the online integration that will follow.

Sony PS4: Games we want to play right now

Knack is a rather basic combat brawler that has you smashing up scenery and growing your body, Katamari-style, before beating up a succession of bulky henchmen. Some twitchy camera angles aside, it's fun, though very much a 'first wave' title at first glance.

Finally, Killzone Shadow Fall looks rather gorgeous, although, in forests and detailed shrubbery, the particular level we played looked bugger all like typical Killzone.

The sheer number of combat options across triggers, d-pad and touch pad baffled us to the extent that we blew ourselves up twice with a grenade before we knew what was going on, but with persistence we actually killed some people and left intrigued by exactly where the extensive weaponry and drone assistance would take us.

Sony PS4: Verdict

While it's far too early to reach any genuine conclusions on the PS4, what with all games way off completion, few actually playable, the UI and Share features yet to be shown off and the full hardware setup hidden from view, the controller and the implementation of new technology bodes well.

The DualShock 4, for us, is an improvement on its predecessor, more comfy in hand and with a wealth of immersive bells and whistles to see it through years of innovation. The PlayStation Camera is clever and fun rather than intrusive and being removed from the console package to keep the price low makes financial sense, though this could stymy software development focusing on the new tech in the same way Xbox struggled with Kinect support.

First-party launch games at the moment seem decent rather than stunning, yet the potential, in terms of graphical output, is clear, and is already being exploited to a greater degree outside the PlayStation camp, while the nifty companion app hints at greater connectivity than we first suspected. We're eager to try out more.

Sony PS4 release date: November 2013

The Samsung ATIV Q is the Korean giant's first dual-OS running laptop that will see you running Android and Windows 8 apps. It's the second PC in the ATIV line-up, following the Samsung ATIV and is hoping to take on the likes of the Sony VAIO Duo 13, ASUS Transformer Book Trio and Dell XPS Duo 12.

Samsung ATIV Q: Size and Build

Packing a 13.3-inch screen, the device weights 1.29kg, with a profile that measures 13.9mm thin. It's certainly on the lighter and thinner end of the scale and easily portable. As a convertible it can be used in four modes.

The first as a standard laptop, the second allows the screen to "float" above the keyboard, the third flips the screen to the back and the last as a fully touchscreen tablet. The CPU can be found in the hinge rather than underneath the keyboard. An interesting proposition and it certainly gives the laptop a sturdy feel.

Samsung ATIV Q: Features

The main boon of the ATIV Q is it's ability to run both Android and Windows. From the screen it's an easy one press from Windows to Android and vice-versa. There's full access to the Google Play Store and Android apps can be dragged and dropped on to the Windows display.

It's simple and intuitive to use and means that if you're an Android apps fan on tablet but a Windows 8 lover on PC, you get the best of both worlds. Samsung has also included it's much loved S Pen from the Samsung Galaxy Note range.

It'll work across both OSs and we're told comes with 1024 level sensitivity and also added in is an updated S Note app. The love-in with Samsung tablets continues with Samsung's new SideSync functionality that allows you drag and drop files, annotations and pictures from the ATIV Q to your tablet and phone, wirelessly.

Samsung ATIV Q: Screen

The 13.3-inch screen comes with a resolution of 3200 x 1800 and 275ppi. From our brief play with it, it's bright and apps across both OSs were pin sharp. The touchscreen using your digits was responsive and the addition of the S Pen is a bonus for those who like a good stylus.

Samsung Galaxy ATIV Q: Battery

Samsung quoted 12 hours on the Samsung ATIV Q, which is pretty standard and in line with Apple's offering of the MacBook Air but we'll be bringing you more on that once we've had a longer time to test in our full review.

Samsung Galaxy ATIV Q: Verdict

The fact that the Samsung Galaxy ATIV Q runs both Windows and Android is a great advantage and sets it apart from other Windows 8-only convertibles. One of Windows 8's big headaches is apps and the ATIV Q solves that problem by offering the 800,000 plus apps from Google Play and the ability to use them in the Windows OS.

It lacks some of the sex-appeal of the MacBook Air but it's certainly one of the sleekest and slimmest convertibles out there running Windows. We only had a brief play with the device and the signs are good, what we need now is a thorough test for a full verdict on whether this is the Windows 8 convertible to get your hands on.

Samsung's new mid-range flip smartphone, the Galaxy Folder, has dual display meaning the screen is visible on both sides of the lid.

Press images have leaked online showing the smartphone in full form just days after specs hit the Internet

The specs for this device are; a 3.7-inch Amold display with 800x480 res, Snapdragon 4001.7GHz dual-core chip, 2GB RAM, 1820mAh battery, LTE support, touchscreen and runs on Android 4.2.2.

The leaked press shots show new elements to the Galaxy Folder (SHV-E400K) with gold edging on the case and a camera key replacing the W2013's previously dual-sim button.

The design is not a new look for Samsung as they have previously released the SCH-W2013 in China, and the SCH-W999.

This clamshell design 4G Android smartphone will launch in the Korean markets.

According to GsmArena, the Galaxy Folder's official name is the Galaxy Golden.

It is unclear whether this new smartphone will launch anywhere else in the world.

Samsung has recently announced the ATIV Q dual device laptop with changeable screen allowing the usual position, the ability to 'float' above the keyboard and full flip capability to turn the laptop into a tablet

The HTC One Max emerged last month in a leaked document from O2 in the UK and according to Taiwanese site ePrice, images have now been posted online.

The 'Max' feature of the HTC One Max is rumoured to be the 5.9-inch 1080p display upgrade from HTC One's 4.7-inch screen (also in 1080p Full HD).

From the photo leaked online, the screen appears bigger with a lower speak grill and button placement.

According to ePrice, the official One Max will make an appearance at next month's IFA event in Berlin.

Also expected to launch at this year's event are the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Sony Honami.

Other specifications upgraded in the HTC One Max are a move to a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and a 3,200mAH battery.

HTC's current HTC One sports a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor and a 2,300mAh battery.

HTC are reportedly releasing the HTC One Mini this month which goes the opposite direction of the Max with a 4.3-inch display.

The One Max and One Mini are similar in design with dual speakers and a body thickness of 9.4mm, ePrice reports.

For road warriors, depending on your laptop means you depend on its battery. BatteryCare is a free utility that helps you keep your laptop battery topped off and ready to roll. It's more accurate than the typical battery meter, for starters, measuring battery discharge cycles instead of stored energy. BatteryCare's documentation and Web site offer a lot of information about how laptop batteries work as well as how to get the most out of your device's battery. It's fascinating, but we'll cut to the chase and simply note that there's a lot you can do to maximize your battery's life and performance, starting with downloading this freeware. We installed BatteryCare in a Netbook running 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium, but it's fully compatible with Windows 8, too.
BatteryCare's System Tray icon serves as its main access point when the program is running, which should be all the time, if you want to maintain a full charge. Hovering our cursor over the icon showed our battery's current charge level, our current power plan, and CPU and HDD temperatures; clicking it produced a menu accessing Power Settings, Power Plan, and general Settings, which let us configure Notifications, Usage Statistics, and power-saving options such as pausing Aero effects and other Windows features and services when running on battery power. Double-clicking the program's tray icon produced a more detailed display, showing Battery Status, Discharge Information, Discharge Cycles Progress, and even such details as Tension (Voltage) and Wear Level.
We mentioned BatteryCare's Web site, which offers FAQs about the program, a manual for users, and a lot of information about laptop batteries and how they work. Even though BatteryCare is very easy to use, we recommend visiting its Web site since it not only helps you set up BatteryCare but will help you get the most out of all your battery-powered devices. It explains everything from the myth of the memory effect in lithium-ion batteries, to whether you should remove the battery on laptops that stay tethered to AC power most of the time (The answer? Check out BatteryCare and see for yourself!).

Android is marching its way toward outright dominance in the smartphone operating system market.
During the second quarter of 2013, Android captured a record 80 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, research firm Strategy Analytics reported Thursday. Out of the 229.6 million smartphones that shipped during the period, 182.6 million of those were Android-based handsets. Apple's iOS came in second place with 13.6 percent market share on 31.2 million shipments. Windows Phone was able to nab 3.9 percent share on 8.9 million unit shipments."Competitive licensing costs, numerous hardware partners, and a large apps store continue to be among the main drivers of Android's success," Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said in a statement. "Apple iOS reached 14 percent global smartphone share in the quarter, its lowest level since Q2 2010."
Despite the decline for iOS, it was still a strong quarter for Apple, which saw shipments rise from 26 million in the second quarter of 2012. Android device shipments were 108.7 million in the second quarter of 2012. All told, just 156.5 million smartphones were shipped in the second quarter of 2012 -- 73 million less units than this year.
Strategy Analytics noted that Windows Phone is making some strides in the mobile space, but cautioned that the only way for Microsoft to nab serious market share is if the company charges less for software licensing, making its platform "more competitive to compete with Android in lower price-bands."

One of the few OS perks iPhone owners have still held over the heads of their Android compatriots is Apple's official -- and free -- app for locating and remote wiping a lost device.
After years of user complaints and shoddy third-party variants, Google has finally answered iOS's "Find My iPhone" feature with a locator of its own: the Android Device Manager.To be released later this month, the app will let Android users find and ring a misplaced or stolen device on a map in real time, as well as wipe its contents remotely. The feature will be available for users running Android 2.2 or later.
Google's solution to the increasing problem of device theft comes at a time when smartphone manufacturers have seen mounting pressure from authorities to add software-side features that could help curb what has been called a violent crime epidemic. Some initiatives, discussed at a meeting beatween lawmakers and tech giants like Apple and Samsung in June, have included the potential for a "kill switch," which would permanently brick a stolen device and make it worthless for resale.
But just how violent is smartphone theft -- which has picked up the unique law enforcement nickname of "Apple picking" -- becoming these days? Examples abound, including the killing of a 26-year-old Museum of Modern Art employee for his iPhone in the Bronx and the mugging of a Crown Heights, Brooklyn woman over hear Android device at gunpoint.