Sponsored
Techradar |
- British 3D team get to work on Horrid Henry feature
- Dixons wishes for a 3D Christmas
- Japan's first 3D TV drama out soon
- Updated: PSP Phone rumours: what you need to know
- Review: Novatech nTablet
- Exclusive: Vodafone trialling new ways to improve coverage
- Review: Dell XPS 15
- Three next up to offer subsidised iPads
- Hands on: Libratone Beat review
- Review: Asus NX90JQ
- Review: Brother HL-4150CDN
- PSP Phone release date: 9 December?
- PSP Phone: 9 December release date leaked?
- France gets Europe's first 3D porn on demand
- Review: D-Link Boxee Box
- Twitter dampens news service rumours
- Tutorial: 10 ways to make old software run on Windows 7
- Updated: Android 3.0 rumours: what you need to know
- Updated: Android 2.3 rumours: what you need to know
- Google's Nexus S and Gingerbread shown off again
- Pure launches internet radio iPhone App
- In Depth: Ever wondered where your stuff is stored?
- Google finally adding age ratings to Android apps
- Tap! The iPhone and iPad magazine launches today
- Review: Roxio Creator 2011
| British 3D team get to work on Horrid Henry feature Posted: 25 Nov 2010 11:16 PM PST  The forthcoming feature film based on kids' favourite Horrid Henry is being given the 3D treatment by British 3D specialists Vision3, shooting in London now. Nick Moore's £4 million-budget film, stars Hollywood A-listers such as Angelica Houston and Richard E Grant, and is set to be shot over seven weeks in Twickenham Studios and at locations across London. Horridly funny Horrid Henry, for those not familiar, is based on Francesca Simon's much-loved storybook character, Vision3 stereographers are set to work closely with Vertigo Films and director Sam McCurdy, whose previous movie credits include Dog Soldiers and Streetdance 3D. Vision3's Matt Smith will be heading up the production work on the new movie, with Smith's previous credits including TT3D, a feature documentary profiling the world famous Isle of Man TT Motorcycle Race, in addition to working with Vision3 founder Chris Parks on the forthcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – both flicks are due at some point in 2011. Vision3 founder Chris Parks said of the latest 3D kids' blockbuster: "Working on a children's classic provides fantastic opportunities to do genuinely creative and fun 3D. "From a technical point of view our priority is to ensure both a smooth 3-D workflow and a comfortable and consistent viewing experience. "Keeping in mind Horrid Henry's comic strip origins we're intentionally using 3D card-boarding as a creative tool, working to bring some of the layered feeling of cartoons to life on the big screen." The 3D team will be using Element Technica's Quasar rig, and shooting on Reds supplied by Take2 Films. 
| ||
| Dixons wishes for a 3D Christmas Posted: 25 Nov 2010 11:57 AM PST  Tech retailer Dixons is hoping for a very merry 3D Christmas in 2010, to take the edge of what is looking like it could be a tough holiday season for the high street. Dixons Retail hopes that sales of 3D television sets to eager early adopters will boost its bottom line this Yule. Dixon's 3D hopes for 2011 What with the recent launch of Sky's own 3D TV service, the retailer hopes that sports and movie fans alike will want to buy into the first batch of 3D TVs on the market this holiday season. Dixons owns both the Currys and PC World chains and has recently claimed to have significantly reduced its pre-tax losses in the first half of its current financial year to £7.9 million (compared with £17.6 million a year ago at the same time). Dixon's chief exec John Browett said: "We have maintained our momentum in transforming the group and are performing ahead of the market." Dixons' sales in the first half of the year were drive by the purchases of new TVs to watch the Football World Cup in South Africa, in addition to a number of high profile tech launches such as the Apple iPad. A million 3D TV have been sold in Europe to date in 2010, which is around 5 per cent of the total 3D TV sales worldwide so far. Dixons and other retailers hope that number will double next year, with a total of 19 million 3D TV sets now forecast to be sold in Europe. Dixons boss Browett hopes that refits of its 250 stores and new launches of 25 megastores will help the group back to the black in 2011. 
| ||
| Japan's first 3D TV drama out soon Posted: 25 Nov 2010 08:37 AM PST  Japan's first 3D TV series is set to run from January 2011, a new year treat for those early adopters that have bought new 3D tellies for themselves over the holidays. Japan's first 3D drama series hopes to capitalise on healthy launch sales of new 3D TV technology through the country. The 3D drama series will be broadcast as part of Fuji Television Network's new 3D TV coverage and is set to star well-known Japanese actress Ayako Kawaharan. Tokyo Control The drama is a 10-episode airport-based story called 'Tokyo Control' and will also be made available in good, old-fashioned 2D for those Japanese viewers that have not yet made the leap to 3D TV. "3D will give us a more vigorous and realistic impact. I think (viewers) can feel like they are actually in there." said Ayako Kawahara. The drama is part of a partnership between 3D TV manufacturer Sonyand Fuji Television, Japan's largest network. Fuji will also be running a new regular 3D TV slot on Sundays as of January 2011, with the focus on sports, music and documentaries. Sky recently launched its 3D TV service in the UK, clearly hoping that 2011 is going to be the year for 3D in the home. 
| ||
| Updated: PSP Phone rumours: what you need to know Posted: 25 Nov 2010 08:27 AM PST  It's been rumoured for some time - Sony was blabbing on about a "seductive" PSP/Phone hybrid back in 2007 - but it's no longer a rumour: Sony has indeed locked a PSP Go and a smartphone in a dark room full of aphrodisiacs and Barry White CDs. The result is the Sony PlayStation Phone, or PSP Phone, an Android-powered device that's half PlayStation and half phone. Indeed, the CEO of Sony Ericsson mobile phones has responded to the PlayStation Phone rumours by saying that there is "no smoke without fire." So what do we know about it? The PSP Phone runs Android The Sony PlayStation Phone OS will be Android, most likely the Android 3.0 release. The PSP Phone specifications are pretty impressive According to Engadget, the PlayStation phone specifications include a 1GHz Qualcomm CPU, a 5 megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM and a 3.7" or 4.1" display with WVGA resolution or better. Rather than a QWERTY keyboard the PSP Phone slider reveals the familiar D-pad and buttons from the PSP Go together with a wide touch pad in the middle that supports multi-touch gestures. Unusually for a Sony device it's expandable via MicroSD cards rather than Sony's own Memory Sticks. The PSP Phone images may be fake Engadget is confident that the images it's published are the real thing - albeit images of a pre-production prototype - but Sony Europe is calling shenanigans. The PSP Phone interface hasn't been leaked yet Engadget's prototype is "still in prototyping mode", which means Sony hasn't yet applied its own skin to the Android operating system. It "is said to be rather buggy" too. PSP Phone release date A 2010 release date has been rumoured since we first heard that Sony might make a PlayStation phone, but given that we're already in November - and that Android 3.0 hasn't shipped yet - that's looking pretty unlikely. A 2011 release date is much more realistic. We'd have had it earlier if it weren't for a bad case of office politics, it seems. UPDATE: It's looking likely that the PSP Phone might make an appearance at Mobile World Congress in February 2011. UPDATE 2: Is the PSP Phone release date actually 9 December 2010? An invitation to a launch even in France has surfaced, with the invite showing the PlayStation buttons along with an icon of a phone. Of course, it could be a fake. PSP Phone games might be cheaper The rise of the iPhone and Android app stores mean phone users are used to paying pennies for games. Will Sony slash the price of its portable games, or will it try and persude punters to keep paying thirty quid for blockbuster titles? As Screen Digest's Ed Barton told us in August, "the average sales price of iPhone and other mobile games is much lower… does Sony want [the PlayStation brand] to rush headlong into a development environment where the consumer expects games priced at 59p to £5.99?" PSP Phone games will look like PSP and PSX games Engadget reports that Sony PlayStation phone "games will be graphically in the range of PSX or PSP games, meaning true 3D gaming is heading to Android." Such games will be in a PSP Phone-specific bit of the Android Market, although it's possible that the games might be made available for other Android devices in the future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 08:01 AM PST  Apple's iPad was the only tablet on store shelves for the bulk of the year, but now it faces genuine competition from the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Tab. However, most of the contenders we've seen have proved to be cheap imitations, such as the Elonex eTouch 1000ET and the Disgo Tablet 6000. British manufacturer Novatech is the latest company to release its own touch-based device, and first impressions of the Novatech nTablet are favourable. The body feels suitably sturdy, with none of the troublesome flex we saw in the Disgo. An aluminium back resists scratching when the tablet is laid flat and the screen is firm, proving resistive when vigorously prodded. We did notice a little flex along the left edge of the device when it's gripped, which unfortunately cheapens the build, but it's nothing major. Almost all of the tablets we've seen bear more than a passing resemblance to the iPad, and the Novatech nTablet is no exception. The same black border is in place, although the nTablet features a grey appendage on the right edge with three buttons. Bizarrely, this is the exact same design already used by the Viewsonic View Pad. At 890g, the Novatech nTablet is heavier than the iPad, Galaxy Tab and many of the other tablets we've seen lately. The difference is instantly noticeable when holding the nTablet one-handed, and our (admittedly weak) wrists caved in after just a few minutes. Holding the Novatech nTablet two-handed is more comfortable, thanks to that thick black border. The tablet never overheated, even after constant prolonged use, thanks to the vents on the top and bottom of the device. The Novatech nTablet is also quite chunky, with a thickness of 15mm. However, at least the back is flat unlike the curved rear of the iPad, which means the device won't rock when it's laid on a desk and prodded. The £350 asking price (£439 with Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed) is less than an iPad will set you back, and cheaper than the likes of the Galaxy Tab. The question is, does the nTablet provide as satisfying a user experience, or is it worth throwing down extra cash for Apple or Samsung's tablets? The Novatech nTablet's 10.1-inch capacitive screen is a definite highlight. With a 1,024 x 600-pixel resolution, it's perfectly crisp, which quickly becomes apparent when watching video or working on highly detailed spreadsheets. Contrast levels are excellent, with perfectly deep blacks, and it's a bright display too. Of course, it's also highly reflective, so using the Novatech nTablet outdoors or in a brightly lit room results in the swift onset of a migraine.
When browsing our photo collection or relaxing with a movie, we were impressed by what we saw. Images are colourful with realistic tones, and there was no hint of motion blur or other warning signs. The Novatech nTablet's screen is certainly large enough to comfortably watch full-length films, and beats squinting at a tiny phone screen when you need entertaining on those dreary commutes. However, the screen picks up fingerprints and scuff marks ridiculously easily, and requires regular cleaning. This is a bit of a problem considering it's a touchscreen, so there's no avoiding swiping your grimy fingers all over it. Although there are two tiny speakers built into the back of the Novatech nTablet, they're understandably weak. We'd recommend using some good-quality headphones. The Novatech nTablet has a built-in accelerometer that automatically re-aligns the desktop when you rotate the device. Sensitivity levels are perfect, shifting the display around only when needed as opposed to every time you accidentally tilt the nTablet. However, rotation takes a couple of seconds instead of the smooth, instant action we'd have liked. Three face buttons are lined up along the right edge. The power button is self-explanatory and also puts the Novatech nTablet into hibernation. However, the Back and Home buttons do nothing except switch the Wi-Fi on and off when using Windows 7. Apparently they will function as expected with Google Android installed on the nTablet, or so claims a leaflet that came with the device. The only other feature on the face of the device is a 1.3-mgeapixel webcam, which functions as expected during web chats. Quality is fine for a mobile device, certainly strong enough to wave to friends and family over Skype. On the edges you'll find a generous number of ports, including two USB 2.0 connections for attaching peripherals such as a keyboard, and a mini-VGA port that can be used to hook the Novatech nTablet up to a compatible monitor.
A microSD slot can be used to expand the 32GB of storage provided by the solid state drive. You can therefore have a maximum of 64GB of space, although a chunk of this is taken up by Windows, leaving you less room for your media. Networking is strong, with 802.11n Wi-Fi available for connecting to wireless networks and Bluetooth built in. There's a SIM-card slot on one edge but you'll need to provide your own card to make use of 3G networks. Although the Novatech nTablet also comes in an Android version, the model we tested only had Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed. Windows 7 may be more touch-friendly than previous versions of Microsoft's operating system, but it certainly doesn't do the job half as well as Android or the Apple's iOS.
Many of Windows' menu options are far too small to hit accurately, while simple actions such as minimising a document or browser window can take a couple of prods. We were never enraged by this usability issue, but it detracts from the user experience and makes you long for the slick interface of the iPad. However, at least we can't fault the Novatech nTablet's touchscreen for these issues, because it proved highly responsive at all times, whether we were playing games or browsing the web. Scrolling through eBooks or web pages is a smooth experience, and multi-touch is supported so you can zoom to your heart's content. The only issue we had was when we attempted to scroll left and right on some web pages, because the usual finger-flick simply selects a body of text instead. We had to use the scroll bar at the bottom of the window, which proved fiddly. Entering text is a fairly painless experience, since the Novatech nTablet's on-screen keyboard can be brought up at any time by flicking it from the edge of the desktop. If you encounter a text box in a web page simply tap on it and a keyboard icon will appear, and a swift prod of that will also bring up the keyboard. We found our every keystroke was recorded accurately, even when typing at speed, and the keys flash as you poke them to show you what you've hit. The only exception is when you type in passwords, which confused us for a moment – we thought the whole lot had frozen on us. However, you don't get any of the autocorrect options that the likes of the Google Android keyboard provides, and we still much prefer typing on a physical board. Novatech hasn't given Flash the two-fingered salute like Apple has, so the nTablet lets you stream video from the likes of BBC News, YouTube and 4OD. We had mixed results, unfortunately, with occasional pauses and glitches during playback of high-definition video that interrupted our viewing. It's bearable, but once again detracts from the overall experience. This stuttering is also a problem when running too many applications at once. The Intel Atom N455 processor does an admirable job of handling Windows 7, but crumples into a sweaty heap when you try anything resembling multi-tasking. Browsing the web while other programs chug away in the background is a stilted affair and not recommended. Thankfully we had no trouble running simple games such as Plants Vs Zombies, which worked well thanks to the Novatech nTablet's responsive touchscreen. However, the integrated graphics are limiting and you won't be able to run anything more complex. A battery life of 165 minutes is just about enough for the daily commute but we really expect a lot more from a portable device such as the nTablet. You'll have to pack the charger on trips and pray your chosen mode of transport has a mains socket, or you'll soon be carting around a very expensive paperweight.
In the run-up to Christmas we're seeing an increasing number of tablet devices burst on to the market, and in most cases they're let down by poor build quality and a lack of overall slickness. For this reason we approached Novatech's nTablet with caution, hoping we would see another Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab instead of an Elonex eTouch 1000ET. We liked The Novatech nTablet is solidly built for the most part, which is reassuring when you slip it into a bag or case. The screen is firm and responsive, and also sharp and vibrant which makes it perfect for watching movies or simply browsing your holiday snaps. Surfing the web on the Novatech nTablet is a relatively smooth experience with full multi-touch controls for zooming in and out. Flash is supported so you can stream video from the likes of YouTube. You also get a decent range of ports and features, including some good networking options and up to 64GB of storage. We disliked The Novatech nTablet unfortunately doesn't offer the same slick experience of the iPad, mostly thanks to the Windows 7 OS which is much clunkier on a touch screen device. Selecting menu options and even minimising windows can be a real trial. The Novatech nTablet is also chunkier and heavier than many of its brethren, making it uncomfortable to hold one-handed. The screen picks up smudges very quickly and is highly reflective, so outdoors use is limited. Performance is also limited, and any attempt at multitasking really grinds things to a halt. We had some issues streaming from sites such as BBC iPlayer, with the video occasionally stuttering. Finally, the very poor battery life means you'll have to charge the nTablet nightly and pack the charger on trips. Verdict Although the Novatech nTablet has a strong, responsive touch screen and a solid build, we can't recommend it over the likes of the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab. The overall experience just isn't as satisfying and the many little quirks quickly add up. If the asking price was less we'd say it's a good budget option but if you're splashing out this much on a tablet, you might as well add a little extra and treat yourself to something better. Related Links
| ||
| Exclusive: Vodafone trialling new ways to improve coverage Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:57 AM PST  Vodafone has told TechRadar that it is running a trial to determine whether it can extend network widely via its Sure Signal program. The Sure Signal femtocell can currently be bought by users to improve signal in their home, using internet data to create coverage in houses that have traditionally struggled to receive Vodafone reception. These require users to register each number to the femtocell to access the network, meaning if your next door neighbour owns one, you won't be able to benefit. However Jeni Mundy, Vodafone's CTO, told TechRadar that trials are underway to use the Sure Signal boxes on a wider scale, enabling venues such as hotels to expand coverage over a finite footprint. Do it like BT She told us that while there still isn't a date for the trials to end, if it is successful then it could be rolled out on a wider scale, in the same way BT offers Openzone Wi-Fi on users' HomeHubs through its FON program. Mundy also told TechRadar that the Sure Signal boxes may be updated in the future after some users have complained about the price of the units and the fact the signal can't penetrate parts of some older houses: "We're constantly working with our manufacturing partners [about issues such as these]; we were the first to bring such a device to market so we have a lot of influence. "Our roadmap [for the Sure Signal unit] is to listen to a lot of customers and feed it back to the manufacturing process." 
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:39 AM PST  With a name like Xtreme Performance System, you know just what you're getting from Dell's XPS range. The XPS series has been around a while now but the latest Dell XPS 15 incarnation is one of the best yet, boasting incredible power, some impressive features and a commendably solid build. It's natural to assume that the best laptops will strip your wallet bare, and for truly great performance you'd need to throw down a grand or more. However, the Dell XPS 15 has a specification including a speedy Intel Core i5 processor and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, yet the price is a mere £650. Most of the other mid-range Core i5 laptops we've seen lately, such as the Packard Bell TX86 and the Toshiba Satellite L650, are lacking a dedicated GPU. The closest we've seen with this sort of specification is the Medion Akoya P6625, which features an ATI graphics card. The Dell XPS 15 has a premium design, with a light metallic finish to the plastic lid and a darker brushed aluminium surface inside. This is definitely a laptop you'd be proud to show off in public.
The only quirk to the XPS 15's design is the rear end of the chassis, which sticks out an inch or so behind the display. The effect is a little strange, especially when the lid is closed. We also would have preferred a slightly slimmer model, because the 40mm thickness makes the XPS 15 a little bulky. Still, we found the chassis to be solid throughout with no weak points, which adds to the premium feel and makes the XPS 15 a good laptop for lugging around on long trips in backpacks and cases. Factor in the 2.8kg weight and 287-minute battery life and we had no concerns with carrying the XPS 15 around all day, even without the charger. We're suckers for a good backlit keyboard, and the XPS 15 didn't let us down. Not only do you get a pleasing glow from beneath the keys, but the typing action is firm and the keys are perfectly sized for touch-typing. However, the travel is a little shallow and spreadsheet fans will despair at the lack of a numeric keypad. The touchpad is just as usable thanks to its generous stretched area and two firm mouse buttons. The pad can easily be deactivated if required.
The Dell XPS 15 is built for play as well as work, and an essential part of any entertainment laptop is the screen. A widescreen 15.6-inch display is in place here and is definitely a highlight. Although the XPS 15's 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution is nothing special, and doesn't make the most of high-definition films, we found contrast levels were superb with truly black blacks. Colours are also realistically reproduced which brings photographs and video to life. The true widescreen aspect ratio is what we expect of mid- to high-end laptops these days, perfect not just for watching films, but for working on documents side-by-side also. The XPS 15's display is bright enough to make working late a more comfortable experience, but the reflective Super-TFT coating is a pain in bright conditions and means fiddling with your accounts or watching DVDs should be conducted indoors. The XPS 15 has some great features for a mid-range laptop, including 500GB of storage. Not only that, but the hard drive spins at 7,200 revolutions per minute (compared to the standard 5,400RPM), which makes a real difference when copying folders, opening applications and so on. We also enjoyed the XPS 15's HD webcam, which captures your mug in glorious 720p. Not so good for hosting a web chat when you're hungover or generally disheveled – we recommend dimming the lights first. Port lovers will rejoice to hear the XPS 15 has tons of them. USB 3.0 ports enable speedy communication with compatible devices, and an eSATA port is also at hand for even faster data exchange with external storage devices. The 9-in-1 memory card reader offers considerably more flexibility than the usual card readers we see. There's no VGA port on the XPS 15 for hooking up an external monitor, but you do get an HDMI socket and a rare DisplayPort also. Networking is similarly strong, with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet on board for the fastest possible wireless and wired connections.
For the XPS 15, Dell opted for an Intel Core i5 processor running at 2.53GHz, and the power it affords is truly staggering for a mid-range laptop. We witnessed no slowdown at all, even with several applications running at once, so you can comfortably browse the web while playing your MP3 collection and running applications such as virus scanners in the background. There are very few laptops at this price that can offer such strong performance, with the Packard Bell TX86 and the Toshiba Satellite L650 being two of the notable few. We were also impressed by the dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 420M graphics card, with 1GB of video memory. Most manufacturers would make do with integrated graphics, good enough for watching movies and little more. However, the XPS 15 allows you to play even the latest games thanks to its support for DirectX 11. You will need to turn down detail levels on some of the more demanding titles, or else suffer chugging frame rates during particularly fierce battles. However, it's great to have the option to play those games at this price. Another benefit of the XPS 15's graphical spec is Nvidia's Optimus technology, which basically switches between the dedicated GPU and the Intel integrated graphics depending on the applications you're running. The switch is performed automatically and can also be configured manually if desired. The result is extended battery life when you're not running graphically intensive titles on the XPS 15. As mentioned previously, we managed 287 minutes of life away from the mains, which is more than we'd expect from a laptop with this much power. If you wish to further extend battery life, there's a touch-sensitive button above the XPS 15's keyboard that opens the Windows Mobility Center, where you can change the display brightness, toggle wireless networking and more. Dell is also making a big deal of its built-in JBL speakers with Waves MaxxAudio technology, and after testing it out on the XPS 15 we can see why. Sound quality and maximum volume are highly impressive for a laptop, definitely much better than the tinny efforts we usually see (or rather hear). We still prefer dedicated speakers or headphones when listening to music, but they'll do very nicely in a pinch.
Dell's XPS 15 is a mid-range entertainment machine that has an impressive specification given the asking price. We'd have thought it too good to be true if it wasn't for Dell's excellent track record with laptops, and the XPS 15 certainly didn't disappoint. We liked Where to start? The chassis is one of the most solid we've seen at this price and, at under 3kg, can realistically be carried around in a bag quite comfortably. Dell has drilled tons of ports into the sides, including a 9-in-1 memory card reader, USB 3.0 and eSATA ports, and even a rare DisplayPort. Storage is fast and plentiful. Even better is the performance, which offers tremendous value for money. The XPS 15's Intel Core i5 processor is powerful enough to comfortably handle extensive multi-tasking, while the Nvidia graphics card can run the latest games. Battery life does not suffer as a result, mostly thanks to Nvidia's Optimus technology which shuts down the dedicated GPU when not in use. Sound and picture quality are also strong, thanks to the bright and colourful Super-TFT display and the built-in JBL speakers. Watching movies on the move has rarely been bettered at this price. We disliked Although the XPS 15's display is bright and vibrant, it isn't quite as sharp as we'd have liked. The surface is also highly reflective, a real annoyance when used outdoors. We did like the design of the XPS 15, but the chassis is a little bulky and that jutting rear end does look a little strange. Still, when you consider how well built this laptop is, it's a minor quibble. Verdict Anyone looking for a high-powered entertainment laptop but restrained by their budget will find the Dell XPS 15 a perfect companion. With excellent performance, strong build quality, a colourful display and surprisingly powerful audio, this mini machine can effortlessly keep the whole family amused. Related Links
| ||
| Three next up to offer subsidised iPads Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:29 AM PST  Three has announced that it too will be offering subsidised iPads, in a bids to let customers decide how to buy Apple's tablet. Predictably, Three isn't giving away a lot of details on the subject, such as the UK release date or UK pricing for the new iPad price plans, but it's interesting the network has beaten Vodafone and O2 to the punch. T-Mobile and Orange have already announced similar plans. "Three UK today announced it will offer new purchase options for iPad users, including more affordable prices when purchased with a data service plan, for iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G models in the coming months," reads the short release. Cheaper than the iPhone? Based on the price of the iPhone (which obviously needs extras like minutes and texts) it seems likely that the iPad will be offered for around £150-£200 on a two-year contract (including data). However, given Three is by far the cheapest network for iPad data (with £15 per month netting you 10GB of surfing on a rolling monthly deal) it may be even cheaper at launch - although expect all networks to offer a relatively similar plan in the same vein as the iPhone 4. 
| ||
| Hands on: Libratone Beat review Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:28 AM PST  The audio industry is a fickle market to enter, so for a new company to make waves it needs to have a product that's very special, or at least stands out. Libratone isn't a well-established name in the UK. The company is very young, and the only product it has in the audio market is the Libratone Beat. It's lucky, then, that this single standalone speaker makes one helluvah impression. The Libratone Beat only landed in the UK earlier this week, but TechRadar managed to get its hands on the device.
The unit features a five-inch base, two three-inch midrange speakers and two one-inch tweeters. It's a good-looking system. The speaker stands tall at 47cm and weighs around 6.5kg. There's a massive handle situated on the back of the device, which makes moving the unit a whole lot easier. But carting the thing around isn't as easy as plugging your iPod or iPad into the device and streaming your music.
The Libratone Beat uses a proprietary wireless system for transporting your music from source to speaker. Simply plug the 30-pin dongle into your device and the unit does the rest. Libratone calls it FullRoom acoustic technology and, within seconds, we had audio filling the room we were in. With a maximum output of 100dB, the sounds that emanate from the speaker are meaty enough to use as a main system in your house. Voice was crisp and the tonal quality of the songs we were demoed was more than impressive.
Libratone is putting this down to the shape of the speaker. It's been created to be like a piece of Scandinavian furniture (read: trendy) and has been designed to be put pretty much anywhere in a room. Well, anywhere except the corner of the room, since this will muffle what is essentially 360-degree audio. This is something that makes sense, but given its Toblerone-like shape, there are certainly going to be a few people who will buy the device and park it snugly in the corner.
Speaking of snug, the chassis of the speaker has been given a luxury finish. You can get the Libratone Beat in wool and cashmere – which makes it one of the first speakers on the market you want to give a warm hug to. Despite the speaker being pushed for the Apple PMP market, you can also sync the device up to a PC or Mac. The mobile nature of the streaming tech means that your device can be anywhere up to 10 metres from the speaker system.
The Libratone Beat has a UK release date of early December, where it will be debuting on the Apple Online Store. If you don't fancy getting it on the web, it will be in Apple stores early 2011.
Pricing for the Libratone Beat begins at £549. If you want the speaker covered in cashmere, it'll set you back £599 instead. 
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:20 AM PST  Every company has its 'hero' products, such as Asus' NX90JQ. These hero laptops usually boast cutting edge design or power (or both), cost an enormous amount of money and – most importantly – boost the brand awareness of the company. Take Dell's Adamo XPS laptop and Sony's X-Series as examples, both of which happen offer class-leading portability. But with the NX90JQ, the Taiwanese electronics giant has gone a different route – in this case creating a multimedia monster targeted at those after a premium sounding product and who aren't bothered about the matching price tag. And at around £2,500 the price tag is a heavy one. But with the NX90JQ you do get bang for your hard-earned buck. There's the much touted Bang & Olufsen (B&O) speaker system, high-end components, an impressive features list and a gorgeous polished aluminium design. Some could correctly argue you can get this kind of performance elsewhere for less cash, and they'd be right. MSI's excellent GX660R offers a very similar experience, including dedicated speakers, while the Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G should also be considered. But neither offers quite the swagger or beauty of the Asus NX90JQ – even if the laptop fails to deliver in certain areas.
The first thing you'll notice about the Asus NX90JQ is the sheer size of the laptop. A lot of this is down to the 18.4-inch screen. The Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution offers a very detailed picture, but is lacking the brightness we'd expect of a multimedia centre, and colour vibrancy isn't fantastic as a result. Nevertheless Blu-ray movies – watched on the integrated Blu-ray optical drive – look fantastic on the NX90JQ's screen, which also makes the laptop suited to editing HD movies and photos. The two B&O speakers sitting either side of the screen are the main reason the laptop is so large. Positioned to offer the best audio experience, and combined with Asus' SonicMaster technology, sound quality is great. We tested a broad range of music genres – from classical to hip-hop – and were largely impressed by the quality and clarity of audio produced. Before we get too carried away, it's important to note that, as good as the NX90JQ is, it'll never replace a dedicated hi-fi system. We also compared the laptop with a set of £200 desktop speakers and found the latter outgunned the NX90JQ in most areas, especially stereo and bass. It's also important to note that there are other options with dedicated speaker systems, such as the HP Envy 14 Beats Edition and MSI GX660R, that offer a very similar experience sonically, but don't cost nearly as much, so it's important to consider your options before making a purchase. The combination of speakers and screen give the laptop a unique appearance that divided opinion at TechRadar. Some thought it looked great while others argued it gives the NX90JQ an unfortunate top-heavy appearance. However all agreed how good the polished aluminium finishes is. When closed, the NX90JQ looks more like a piece of art than a laptop, and the same goes when the machine is open thanks to the large polished aluminium palmrest, which sits completely unblemished. You'll quickly realise the reason the palmrest looks so great – apart from the material used – is the lack of a touchpad. This is because Asus has employed an innovative design that employs not one but two touch pads, each with left- and right-click buttons. Placed either side of the keyboard, they're supposed to be used in conjunction with Asus' Desktop Rotation software, which features special gestures but the company decided to leave out at the last minute. As a result you're left with two touchpads that nicely use up quite a bit of excess chassis space. Nevertheless, they support full multi-touch functionality, although aren't as intuitive as Apple's MacBook Pro system. The Asus NX90JQ's keyboard is large and comfortable to use, and if you want a laptop for regular typing you could do a lot worse. There's no dedicated number pad, however, which may put off those who regularly input data. The NX90JQ's plastic chassis is well put together and features a wealth of ports and connections. Down the left side you'll find the slot-loading Blu-ray optical drive as well as multi-card reader and a USB port. Down the right side of the laptop sit three more USB ports. Two boast USB 3.0 technology – for rapid data transfers to external devices – while one doubles as an eSATA port. There are also VGA and HDMI outs, as well as the Ethernet port and a digital TV tuner aerial port.
Considering the quality and power of components beneath the hoo,d we expected the NX90JQ to be exceptionally powerful, but it didn't quite match our expectations. Don't get us wrong. The quad-core Intel 1.73GHz Core i7-740QM, which overclocks itself automatically to 2.93GHz thanks to an Intel's Turbo Boost technology, is more than capable of running pretty much any commercially available program as smoothly as you'd like – thanks in part to the 6GB of memory on board. However, the laptop is outperformed by the Sony VAIO-VPCZ12V9E/X and also Asus' own G73JH. We don't know about you, but we'd expect the best power on the market for this price, regardless of if we were ever going to need or even use it, and the Asus NX90JQ doesn't deliver. The same can be said for graphical performance. The NX90JQ features a Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video memory, and again benchmark results were disappointing – and the MSI GX740 provides significantly more graphical performance at a fraction of the price. If you want to casually edit high-definition film and play the latest games without too many issues, the power is fine, but for the money we still expect more. The NX90JQ boasts two 640GB hard drives offering acres of storage for your multimedia files and folders, so those with hundreds of movies, songs and photos should be well catered for well into the future. As mentioned above, a Blu-ray drive is included for watching the latest films, but while you can't write to Blu-ray disks (another shame considering the price of the NX90JQ) you can to CDs and DVDs. 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet are on board, and are the current fastest networking technologies around. As you'd expect, portability isn't the NX90JQ's strong card. The 4.4kg the machine weighs is hernia-inducing, and the polished aluminium finish will quickly attract scratches and scuffs on the road. Contrastingly, however, the 210 minute battery life isn't bad at all considering the power of the components involved.
We found it very hard to come to a conclusion about the Asus NX90JQ. On the one hand, it's a laptop with a uniquely gorgeous design, great audio, innovative usability – courtesy of the twin touchpads – and powerful performance. But there's a nagging feeling that, while the NX90JQ does its job well, the audio isn't that spectacular, the twin touchpad design – which does work – is a little pointless without the excluded Desktop Rotation software and the performance isn't all conquering. All these arguments are placed into even sharper relief when the price is chucked into the mix. It's important to note, however, that the above qualms may be of little consequence to those simply after something a little different and have the cash to splash. For the rest of us, however, better value for money (if that's what you're after) can be found elsewhere. The Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G or the HP Envy 14 Beats Edition (if you're after something a little more portable) are good starting points. We liked There's a lot we liked about the Asus NX90JQ. First and foremost, the design is killer, and the glorious polished aluminium finish is beautiful to behold. The sound quality produced by the B&O speakers is also impressive and some will really enjoy using the twin touchpad system – especially the left-handed. This is a very powerful machine that will carve its way through pretty much anything you care to throw at it. Add in the Blu-ray drive and considerable storage space and you're looking at a highly specified laptop. On-top of the above the NX90JQ boasts a wealth of features including a TV Tuner, USB 3.0 and cutting edge networking technologies. We disliked Firstly the cost, and ultimately it's hard to see how the NX90JQ offers value for money. Sound quality is good for a laptop, but equalled or bettered by a standard set of desktop speakers – which may be a better and cheaper option if you're looking to enhance your audio experience. Performance is good, but not all-conquering, and for those with serious multimedia interests, such as gamers and serious movie editors, there's more power on offer elsewhere for cheaper. For a multimedia machine, the screen brightness isn't quite up to scratch. Related Links
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 07:16 AM PST  It's surprising how cheap colour laser printers have become. The new Brother range starts at only £260, though this particular model is a little more expensive at £445. The Brother HL-4150CDN can be connected through USB or Ethernet, and can serve one to 10 users. It has built-in LCD screen, a 250-sheet tray with an option for an extra 500 sheets and a 50-sheet multipurpose media tray for envelopes, thin card and more. For sensitive documents, there's PIN-protected printing. Windows 7, Vista, XP and 2000 are supported out of the box, as is Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later, with Linux drivers available to download from http://solutions.brother.com. Duplex printing is catered for, and you can print PDF, TIFF and JPEG files from a compatible USB drive. The Brother HL-4150CDN promises up to 24 pages per minute, with the first page out in under 16 seconds. We found these figures a little optimistic. Our 20-page test document printed in around one minute and 10 seconds, with the first page ready in 22.3 seconds. With Duplex switched on, it printed in one minute and 35 seconds, which is slower than the claimed seven pages per minute, but far from sluggish. Our photo test card printed in 23.3 seconds. Print quality was pretty good for a laser printer of this price. Text printing was clear and vivid, with even the smallest point sizes perfectly readable. It could've been a little darker, but without comparing it side by side to a print-out from a more expensive laser printer, you're unlikely to find fault with the Brother HL-4150CDM. Colour documents also printed very well, with clear text, good contrast and very little banding. Colours were rich and accurate, and shading well realised. It was less capable when reproducing photographs. The images were a little grainy, the grayscale ramp very banded and colour reproduction was definitely over-dark. To be fair, photo printing is hardly the main reason for buying a colour laser printer, but it's worth bearing in mind if you print a lot of documents containing photos. A secure printing option keeps sensitive documents away from prying eyes. After entering a four-digit number on your computer, the print job is passed to the printer, but not actually printed until you enter the same code on the HL-4150CDN's screen. Very useful if your printer is networked and shared. As well as being inexpensive to buy, the Brother HL-4150CDN is reasonably cost-effective to run. Taking the higher-yield toner cartridges at the prices offered on Brother's website, the cost per page of a black and white print-out is 1.73 pence, and colour pages at 12.29 pence (both figures offered without the cost of the paper itself). Perhaps the colour cost is a little high, but it's bound to fall as the printer series achieves market penetration and net-discounted cartridges arrive.
The Brother HL-4150CDN has a decent range of features for a colour laser printer of this price. It can be networked with up to ten computers, connected through Ethernet or USB and it can print some documents from a compatible flash drive. It offers Duplex printing and a secure print feature too. We liked The secure printing feature is easy to use, and useful in a busy office. Print speeds are reasonable, even if they're a little behind the claimed figures, and text quality is very good. Colour documents print well, and the Duplex feature, which takes pages in pairs, is speedy and useful. We disliked There isn't a huge amount to dislike about the Brother HL-4150CDN, but its photo reproduction isn't as good as it might be. Colours are a little too strong, and images grainy overall – to be fair, though, photo printing is a laser printer's least important function. The 250-page tray is okay for home use, but if you want to network it in an office, best invest in the optional 500-sheet lower tray. Verdict The Brother HL-4150CDN is a very capable colour laser printer at a very good price. If you're looking for a decent-quality device for small office use that won't break the bank, look no further. It's as good as any budget colour laser printer for home use too, but make sure you have enough room for it. Laser printers aren't known for their small footprints, and this is no exception. Related Links
| ||
| PSP Phone release date: 9 December? Posted: 25 Nov 2010 06:56 AM PST  After much rumour and speculation on the PSP Phone, it looks like the handset could rear its head before Christmas. An invitation to a launch event in France has leaked on to the web, which points to a 9 December release date for the PSP Phone. How do we know it is the PSP Phone? Well, the invite is adorned with PlayStation button icons and another icon with a phone inside. 9 December release date Now, this could well be a fake but all the signs are pointing to an imminent release of a handset with PlayStation capabilities. This new December release date is earlier than we thought the device would launch, but with the launch of Android 2.3 Gingerbread – the OS the handset is said to be packing – just around the corner, it can't be ruled out. It wouldn't be unheard of, either, for a manufacturer to release a device before the festive season and miss all the new launch hype CES 2011 will bring. 
| ||
| PSP Phone: 9 December release date leaked? Posted: 25 Nov 2010 06:56 AM PST After much rumour and speculation on the PSP Phone, it looks like the handset could rear its head before Christmas. An invitation to a launch even in France has leaked on to the web, which points to a 9 December release date for the PSP Phone. How do we know it is the PSP Phone? Well, the invite is adorned with PlayStation button icons and another icon with a phone inside. 9 December release date Now, this could well be a fake but all the signs are pointing to an imminent release of a handset with PlayStation capabilities. This new December release date is earlier than we thought the device would launch, but with the launch of Android 2.3 Gingerbread – the OS the handset is said to be packing – just around the corner, it can't be ruled out. It wouldn't be unheard of, either, for a manufacturer to release a device before the festive season and miss all the new launch hype CES 2011 will bring. 
| ||
| France gets Europe's first 3D porn on demand Posted: 25 Nov 2010 06:18 AM PST France is the first country in Europe to get a 3D porn video on demand service, courtesy of Paris-based Marc Dorcel Television. Marc Dorcel is set to launch the first 3D adult entertainment subscription video-on-demand 'Regardless of whether 3D adult movies are a good idea, er, artistically, this service is certainly cutting-edge in that it's VOD," says deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice magazine, Mark Craven. "3DTV looks certain to head down that route. There isn't enough content to fill dedicated channels, and consumers aren't likely to sit and watch hour after hour of 3D anyway. "It's more of an event. Indeed, we expect eventual 3D offerings from the BBC (which probably won't be porn!) to be distributed via iPlayer, rather than a BBC 3D channel." 3D VoD porn heading to UK The French porn producers also plan to roll out 3D adult video-on-demand programming to other TV partners in France, as well as other countries across Europe.
Rest assured, we will be the first to bring you the news on when a 3D porn VoD service is set to arrive in the UK. Much as many strait-laced and prudish cultural and tech commentators may wish to deny it, adult entertainment and gaming are often cited with being two key forms of content that drive the uptake of new consumer technologies in the home. 3D TV smut factory Marc Dorcel TV first showed off its 3D adult entertainment offering at MipTV earlier in 2010. The programming content has been produced together with French firm 3DLized. The initial French-based service will give viewers access to over 60 exclusive 3D high definition porn videos on Channel 171 (that's the French platform Free, for any lonely travellers that might be holed up in Parisian hotels…). More videos are set to be added to the new 3D adult offering on a weekly basis, with categories including "nurses," "fetish," "girls only" and "porno chic." Marc Dorcel is perhaps best known as a producer of such modern hardcore classics as Citizen Shane and Casino – No Limit. 
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 05:07 AM PST  We'll tell you the truth – we were really looking forward to seeing the D-Link Boxee Box. A previous demo we'd seen was definitely favourable, while in terms of style and power we were looking forward to something that could better the recently-revamped Apple TV. Indeed, we were looking forward to something that could kick the Apple TV completely into touch – after all, D-Link's Boxee Box is hardly short on power, being boosted by the on-board Intel Atom CE4100, having gone away from the Nvidia Tegra 2-based box previewed almost a year ago. The Atom hardware is strikingly similar to the CE4150 that has been launched in Google TV devices to date, though that's where the similarity ends it seems. There's also 1GB of flash storage inside, as well as 1GB of RAM.
The other side of this box is the Boxee software – available on the PC for some time – has also been noted as a speedy and flexible interface, if not one that's exactly bug-free.
Sadly, at the end of our previous demo, the first warning sign appeared – the Boxee Box was to cost £199. This isn't exactly a surprise. After all, aside from the lack of storage, you basically have a netbook inside this lopped-off cube. However, the Apple TV is now at £99 and, while that's definitely worth the money over and above cheaper competitors, could the Boxee Box really soar so high that it justifies such a high price point? Firstly, it's worth noting that pretty much all of the Boxee Box's problems are software related. And it's bugs, rather than a fundamental problem with the interface. Indeed, like the Apple TV, navigating around the interface is slick and fast.
The hardware, for D-Link's part, is super and the design of the box itself is definitely different, with a sliced-off corner and glossy finish. We're fans, even if the style divided the office. It's definitely not that great if you have a narrow-shelved cabinet under your TV. The remote, for example, is superbly finished and the keyboard on the reverse, while certainly not a cure for all controller ills, is a competent way to enter short bursts of text such as search terms or passwords. Some have commented on how the remote lacks a trackpad, but we didn't find it a problem.
Connectivity is excellent – Ethernet (Wi-Fi is also included), HDMI, optical and composite audio plus two USB sockets and the power. There's also an SD card slot on the side, which you can load media from. Performance over Wi-Fi also didn't pose problems – in the main part we streamed from a Netgear ReadyNAS over a Linksys WAG160N.
The box contains plenty of (standard quality) cables including HDMI, though there are few instructions to help you other than a quick start guide.
The Boxee Box will stream from any hardware, whether it's a network-attached PC or Mac, or a NAS drive. 1080p playback posed no problem in the main – though on one clip we got really weird stuttering and on another we got poor vision/sound sync so we're not sure what that was about. XviD playback worked fine, as did other random files we loaded up.
Using various apps – which you can browse through – you can view content from a whole multitude of sources, from FHM to the BBC iPlayer and YouTube. In terms of things to watch, Boxee is one of the strongest media player offerings we've seen.
LoveFilm is promised in the UK, though it hasn't arrived yet. There are, however, some free films available though quality is questionable and anybody with under-18s in the house should go straight to the parental lock features because there's some stuff that young eyes should not be party to. Netflix is provided as the on-demand partner in the US. More content is needed, but there's enough to be getting on with – especially because of the access to iPlayer and 4OD. Things are linked up through a Boxee account to which you can attach your Twitter and Facebook accounts as well as link up other apps such as Flickr and other providers that need you to authorise them on the web. You can create an account on the device but you may prefer to do this on the web. The Boxee Box's great boons are the superb variety of codecs supported as well as the ability to play back Flash video without any issue – or so you'd think. In fact, we found some Flash content quite buggy. BBC iPlayer, for example, opens up the big-screen interface.
When you click on a programme, the standard desktop web page comes up before it goes fullscreen. Only we found that we couldn't get our unit to work properly with this – it just displayed the iPlayer web page and then wouldn't load the video.
This was especially disappointing since we'd seen it working perfectly in an earlier demo. It's one of the many real problems with the firmware, which Boxee has updated several times recently. Further updates are promised, but it feels like the box has been rushed out for the Christmas period and, at the moment, we'll just have to cope with the bugs. Web browsing on the device is also nothing short of a horrid experience. The WebKit-based browser with Flash support seems like a good idea in theory, but some multimedia intensive sites simply don't display, while moving the cursor around the screen is so slow it feels like your life is ebbing away. So poor.
The Flash support isn't quite there, though – some multimedia just doesn't display. Content from YouTube, on the other hand, does work well and loads up very quickly in the dedicated app.
We wanted so much to love this box and possibly could have justified the price point if it worked brilliantly and trumped the Apple TV for openness. As it is, you can buy better streamers than this for less than half the price – WD TV, for example. And while they might not promise such an overall experience, at least the stuff they can do actually works reasonably well.
The Boxee does, however, hold a lot of appeal for those of us who like to configure things just how we want them. You can set up streaming from network storage (though it might take you a little while to configure it).
We liked The hardware is great, as is the remote. The keyboard isn't an amazing experience, but it works when you need it to. The interface itself is also great to use in the main, though there are some unnecessary bits – if I put something in the search box and enter it, why do you then need to click again to search the web? But it's fast, responsive, and easy to navigate. The codec support is Grade A, as is the YouTube app, and the ability to play Flash content is welcome. The content in place is okay and not bad for a start, but we'd like to see a lot more – we're assured there will be more too. We disliked The software just isn't up to scratch as yet. It's a shame for D-Link that Boxee has updated the Boxee Box with new firmware since the demo which appears to be more glitchy than before. The software simply has so many foibles that it's hard to take stock and something that works one day simply might not the next. It's just very strange. Verdict However, the above is also a blessing, because it shows us what the Boxee Box really can be. When the bugs are ironed out and even more content is available, this will be the media streamer to beat – not least because the hardware is terrific. But it comes at a price. And that price is, very sadly, far too much – especially when you consider just how annoyed the software will make you. Related Links
| ||
| Twitter dampens news service rumours Posted: 25 Nov 2010 04:52 AM PST  Biz Stone, the co-founder of Google, has been thinking aloud about ways to expand Twitter and inadvertently started a rumour that a Twitter news site is imminent. Talking to Reuters television, Stone said that he always envisaged Twitter as a news outlet, explaining: "From the very beginning this has seemed almost as if it's a news wire coming from everywhere around the world. "I think a Twitter News Service would be something that would be very open and shared with many different news organisations around the world." Real speculation This Twitter news service is merely theoretical, but it did fuel speculation that one is in the works. Sean Garrett, who deals with communications at Twitter did quash the idea, though, on – you've guessed it – Twitter. He tweeted about Stone's remarks: "No plans for 'Twitter news network" and "@Stone pondered how news orgs could do this on their own (or together). Perhaps w/ direct access to Twitter data all hypothetical." So, no news about a Twitter news service – looks like we'll just have to keep using the site's 140 characters for telling everyone what we have had for breakfast. 
| ||
| Tutorial: 10 ways to make old software run on Windows 7 Posted: 25 Nov 2010 04:47 AM PST  Whether it's a critical application or an old game you want to play again, the march of progress doesn't mean you're cut off from the past. So what do you do to make Windows XP programs work in Windows 7? And how do you make Windows 3.1 programs or DOS apps run in Windows 7? Follow our tips to run old software on Windows 7 and you can get your retro kicks on your ultra-modern PC. 1. Download XP mode Most Windows software retains its compatibility with Windows 7, with the main exceptions being drivers (which you'll want to upgrade anyway), installation programs (which have an annoying tendency to assume that any operating system they don't recognise is old) and 32-bit applications in a 64-bit OS. If you have the Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate edition of Windows 7, you can download XP Mode – which is really Virtual PC – for free. Otherwise, grab Virtual PC 2007 from the same place. For an alternative, try VMWare Server (free) or Workstation (£143), from www.vmware.com/products/server. You'll have to supply the copy of Windows yourself though, and install it from scratch. 2. Try out a compatibility mode Short of emulation, your only option for old Windows programs is a compatibility mode. Right-click a program, choose 'Properties' and open the Compatibility tab. This rarely seems to work, but it's worth a shot. Set the program to run in compatibility mode for any of the supported OSes, which range from Windows 95 to Windows Vista, along with their service packs. The other options on this screen, including 'Run in 256 colors' and 'Run in 640x480 screen resolution' do exactly what they sound like, but are rarely useful these days. 3. Set up a dual-boot If your software doesn't run directly, you can set up a dual-boot system and install both operating systems. It's not just a case of running the setup routines, though – you'll need to install them in the right order, partition your drive and have devices that each version can use. That modern soundcard driver won't work on a ten-year-old operating system, even if it works the other way round. See this page for a full guide to dual-booting almost every major combination. 4. Downgrade Windows 7 If you have a lot of old software that you need to get running, you can't simply switch into a compatibility mode to get 32-bit programs running in a 64-bit OS. They may work, but they may not. If you get an error message when you try to run one, your only recourse is to step back yourself. Windows 7 comes with an installation disc for its 32-bit version. You lose out overall if you have more than 2GB of memory though, so don't downgrade on a whim. 5. Use older hardware The nuclear option is to pick up old hardware and build a new PC. Look on Ebay and in second-hand markets, or ask friends and family if they have an old clunker they're willing to donate. You can pick them up dirt cheap, but a Windows 3.1-era PC is the perfect machine for Windows 3.1 and its games and applications. It's worth taking the emulation route first, though. Virtual machines are happy to translate for these old operating systems, letting your existing soundcard and processor do the talking. They'll be slower, but on systems that old, there'll be no shortage of power. 6. Install DOSBox DOSBox is a great tool, especially for old games. You can just run the executable, but it won't do much. While it doesn't actually sandbox itself from your files in the same way as a virtual machine, it doesn't give itself automatic access to them either. 7. Drag and drop To run most games or applications in DOSBox, just drag the folder containing its files onto the 'DOSBox' icon. DOSBox treats this as a drive, with the folder as the root. If you run an installer, it can't break out of there to copy any files without permission. 8. Download DOG For more complicated applications, especially involving CDs, it's worth downloading a shell. We recommend DOG, which you can get from the main DOSBox site. You create profiles for each application, along with their specific needs, then click their name to fire them up. 9. Use hotkeys DOSBox has many useful hotkeys, but the main ones are [CTRL]+[F11] to slow down the emulation speed, and [CTRL]+[12] to increase it. Press [ALT]+[F12] to turn off any limiters. Avoid [Alt]+[Tab]bing out. You can do it, but it may causes problems with colours. 10. Edit a config file For games that won't play ball, you can hand-tweak DOSBox's settings by editing a configuration file. This is a very complicated looking document, but it's nothing more than a list of options. Visit www.dosbox.com/wiki/Configuration to see the parameters available. 
| ||
| Updated: Android 3.0 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 25 Nov 2010 04:30 AM PST  While Android 2.3 rumours are starting to pile in, details about its successor Android 3.0 – Android Honeycomb – are also starting to emerge. Because it was previously expected that the next Android release would be Android 3.0, it's still unclear which features will make it into Gingerbread and which will be pushed back to Honeycomb. Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 tablets are rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. If true, this means that we'll see a whole bunch of tablets running Android 3.0 at CES 2011. Of course, these tablets could now be running Android 2.3. Android 3.0 release date Android 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011. Android 3.0 features and specifications As we reported earlier in July, a Russian podcast details how Android 3.0 will be restricted to high-end handsets (and tablets). The podcast explained that Android 3.0 phones will require at least a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 3.5-inch or larger displays. The feature list for Honeycomb is currently scant, but will include elements that don't make it into Android 2.3. Android 3.0 phones One of the first Android 3.0 phones could be the Samsung Galaxy S2 if another rumour is to be believed. The leaked details of the Galaxy S I9200 claim a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720. On 27 October 2010, reports appeared that Google is to release an Android 3.0 powered Nexus Two with Carphone Warehouse, although it now looks as though the next Nexus - code named the Nexus S - will be running Android 2.3. It's also possible that the PSP Phone will be running Android 3.0. Android 3.0 tablets Acer has announced 7- and 10-inch Android tablets which are slated for release in April 2011. This means they'll almost certainly be running Android 3.0. We'll bring you more Android 3.0 details as they emerge. 
| ||
| Updated: Android 2.3 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 25 Nov 2010 03:25 AM PST  While earlier rumours were suggesting that Gingerbread was the code name for Android 3.0, we now know that Gingerbread is Android 2.3, which makes Honeycomb Android 3.0. Android 4.0 is rumoured to be code named Ice Cream. Google CEO Eric Schmidt showed off a phone running Android 2.3 at the Web 2.0 summit on 15 November. Google had earlier hinted on 12 November that the Android 2.3 release date is close, tweeting a photo of a pile of Android gingerbread men, with the message "Our cafes are baking something sweet". Here's what we know so far about Android 2.3: Android 2.3 release date Schmidt confirmed that the Android 2.3 release date is a few weeks away, so we can expect it before the end of 2010. Android 2.3 specifications and features Confirmed Android 2.3 features include improved copy and paste and support for WebM video playback. The WebM Project confirmed that "WebM support in Android is expected in the Gingerbread release". WebM files are compressed with the VP8 video codec, which Google purchased and open-sourced earlier this year. Android 2.3 will also feature a new user interface. TechCrunch reported that "Google is focusing the bulk of its efforts on the user experience for the upcoming Gingerbread release." Phandroid went into more detail on the interface changes, noting cleaner, redesigned icons, more prominent carrier branding, and an increase in the use of the colour green. In the same post about the interface changes, Phandroid also mentions that Android 2.3 will support video chat. It has also been rumoured that Gingerbread will feature a music store in the Android Market and support for Google TV. Android 2.3 also features a new 'screen off' animation as you can see below.
Android 2.3 phones The first Android 2.3 phone is looking to be the Nexus One. In a recent tweet Alvaro Vasquez of the Open Handset Alliance said: "Prepare your Nexus One (Developer version) for Android OTA update 2.3 (Gingerbread) for the next few days:-D". [Translated from original language] The Android 2.3 phone that Schmidt showed off at the Web 2.0 summit is the successor to the Nexus One, rumoured to be called the Nexus S. It features an AMOLED screen and will support NFC tech which lets you pay for goods buy pressing your phone against a reader. UPDATE: On 25 November 2010 the Nexus S surfaced again. Spec-wise, it looks to be rocking a WVGA four inch screen, 720p video recording, and a (possibly dual-core) ArmV7 CPU. We'll bring you more on Android 2.3 as we get it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sponsored: Why Windows Phone 7 apps will blow your mind ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
| ||
| Google's Nexus S and Gingerbread shown off again Posted: 25 Nov 2010 03:19 AM PST That Google Nexus S phone, which we're anticipating making a lot of 'leaked appearances' in the next few weeks, has popped up again. This time there are a few more (admittedly rather blurry) photos of the Samsung-manufactured phone, as well as some screenshots, too. The interesting about is the possible specs, because some of them would be a little underpowered for a cutting-edge device. The headline stuff is as to be expected: WVGA four-inch screen, 720p video recording, and a (possibly dual-core) ArmV7 CPU. Where's all the storage? But it may also come with only 1GB of internal storage, which is much lower than the first Galaxy S, and only 328MB of RAM, though XDA Developers Forum, which showed off the device, posits that it could be 512MB. Super AMOLED 2, which offers improved performance and contrast ratios over the first Super AMOLED screen, could also be used, which would make the Nexus S a really rather decent handset.
And Gingerbread will be bringing some UI changes to the Android system too: new icons at the top and more angular menu screens are in effect, although the overall operation looks pretty much the same. It can't be too long until the Nexus S moves from 'unannounced' to... well... 'announced', so we'll be bringing you our Google Nexus S review and a UK release date as soon as humanly possible. If we can hire any cyborgs to do it faster, we'll do that too. 
| ||
| Pure launches internet radio iPhone App Posted: 25 Nov 2010 03:10 AM PST  Digital and connected radio specialists Pure has announced the launch of a new internet radio iPhone app to let users access its 'Lounge' online radio portal on the go. It is the first app of its kind from Pure and is sure to appeal to anybody with a desire to find and share some new online radio favourites to listen to either at home or on the bus to work. Let your ears lounge Pure's connected radio range already allows users to access its radio and media portal, the Lounge and the new app "enables iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users to listen to a world of internet radio, podcasts, listen again content and a library of unique and ambient PURE sounds, on the go." Pure's press release promises: "The Pure Lounge offers the user a world of local, national and global radio content ranging from American country to current events in Poland and from Gaelic football results to Austrian hip-hop. "Listen again content allows users to catch up with radio programmes that they've missed such as the latest episode of the Archers or Dave Pearce's dance anthems on BBC 6 Music. Podcasts available on the Lounge give users access to thousands of programmes available anytime whether its bedtime stories for the kids, DIY tips or highlights of a favourite breakfast show." The app promises iOS fans access to audio 'seamlessly' whether you are on a Wi-Fi connection or a 2G/3G connection while out and about, allowing users access to "the Lounge's powerful and simple to use search filters and find the content they want." You can search for radio stations using any combination of name, language, country, genre or audio quality to sift through the tens of thousands of stations on offer out there in the ether. You can grab Pure's new Lounge app from the iTunes store in the UK right now for £2.99. 
| ||
| In Depth: Ever wondered where your stuff is stored? Posted: 25 Nov 2010 02:45 AM PST  Ever think about where your stuff is stored? Perhaps you use Dropbox. Or Mobile Me. Or Gmail or Hotmail. Although the talk is always of storing things "in the cloud", everything still has to be kept on a physical drive somewhere. And that storage produces a lot of heat, takes a lot power and needs an awful lot of processor cores. And then there's redundancy – if one server or even a whole data centre was to go down, there's always a backup. So we went to Germany to visit some of Europe's largest data centres, owned by web host 1&1. The company is huge – especially in its home country – delivering five billion non-spam emails a month and having 11 million domain names on its books. The company has 9.44 million paid-for contracts and 26.6 million free accounts. Just over a million of its customers are in the UK. It all started with just one Windows desktop PC in Karlsruhe, Germany and now the company has over 70,000 servers at several different data centres in Europe and the US. All have used green electricity since 2008. The first of two data centres we visited was at Baden Airpark, an ominous property at a former air force base that remains a monument to the Cold War (albeit one that's now a sparsely populated business park).
The base was formerly occupied by French and Canadian air forces before it was finally closed in 1993, and the runway is now a small provincial airport, as demonstrated by the Ryanair planes flying in. The data centre building is a former engine workshop with huge two-foot thick metal doors. These house a giant airlock that you feel like you might never get out of. We climbed the stairs and entered one of the server rooms. The noise and heat hits you while the rows of strip lights flash on automatically. Each server is identified by its own QR code. There are occasional gaps or unconnected cables where servers need to be changed or repaired.
Believe it or not, this whole facility is unmanned and any maintenance requests flash up at 1&1's control centre in Karlsruhe. Each room also has comprehensive power management and cabinets dedicated to keeping the temperature constant.
The Airpark building has 2,000 square metres of floorspace with 30,000 servers. There's nothing else here apart from the racks and a roof full of cooling equipment. The noise from the coolers is the only indication from outside that something sensitive lies within.
There are a whole lotta cables, too.
The servers are mostly systems sourced from a local manufacturer, but there are some HP and Dell units in certain cabinets. One large cabinet hosts the entire of 1&1's GMX email system.
The second data centre we visit – Karlsruhe Brauerboulevard – is in a much more urban setting, and looks more like a standard office building – albeit with some fairly comprehensive cooling on the 1,000 square metre roof and 25,000 servers in the basement.
This setup cost £15 million and boasts 11 separate computer rooms with 660 racks. It uses 8MW of power – the city it's in consumes just 361MW as a whole.
Everything is built with redundancy in mind, so there are two complete cooling systems to remove the hot air. There are eight cold water sets and 61 air circulating coolers.
If the power should fail, massive battery rooms can power the servers for up to 20 minutes.
In reality, it takes mere seconds for the diesel engines on the roof to power up and take over. As it is, the engines look virtually unused – because they are. In fact, they've only come on-stream once, two years ago, and for a very "short period of time". Five of these massive 39 tonne units also sit atop the roof.
Again, there are redundant engines on standby and, should there be a major power problem for days on end, 1&1 has arrangements with diesel fuel suppliers as a contingency. The building also has early fire detection with gas extinguishing systems so that the servers are not harmed if a small fire is detected. The building also has incredible security. Not only are there 190 cameras, but access controls at all points and a man trap to gain access to the server rooms themselves. Before TechRadar visited, we had to provide our weight to 1&1 so we wouldn't get caught in the mantrap.
Soon, though, these data centres will be dwarfed by a new sibling. 1&1 is also building a data centre (see below) with space for over 100,000 servers at Hanau. Work started two years ago in a building that was a nuclear fuel factory to produce mixed oxide rods from enriched uranium and plutonium, but it never became operational. It'll be huge.
| ||
| Google finally adding age ratings to Android apps Posted: 25 Nov 2010 02:39 AM PST  Google has decided that it's time to step things up over on the Android Market, and is adding in age ratings to all applications. This will be a gradual launch, where all developers submitting new or updated applications will be asked to rate their wares as suitable for All, Pre-Teen, Teen or Mature. If developers fail to give a rating, then it will be classed as Mature, so the pressure is on to be accurate in the description. Drugs are bad, m'kaaaay? It's interesting to note that references to Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco should be only rated Teen, putting it in the same category as those that ask for locations. Luckily "illegal activity or content that is targeted at minors is not allowed in Android Market" isn't going to get through, so at least Android's not going to be the mobile phone equivalent of Gotham City' despicable underworld. However, chances are it's only going to discourage the children who have an overbearing sense of guilt forced upon them by their parents, as it's only a confirmation that the app applies to your age group that will get in the way. It's a far cry from Apple's militant age-rating scheme, where sometimes random things are deemed Adult were taken down without warning, and Apps like Playboy were allowed to stand. 
| ||
| Tap! The iPhone and iPad magazine launches today Posted: 25 Nov 2010 02:33 AM PST  Tap! The iPhone and iPad Magazine hits newsstands today, offering everything you need to know about iOS4. The magazine has been created by the makers of TechRadar and MacFormat, and is your one-stop shop for app information – offering a guiding light through the myriad applications available on the Apple App Store. Tap! that The first issue of Tap! The iPhone and iPad Magazine launches alongside the website www.tapmag.co.uk and you'll be able to easily spot the magazine on the shelves, since it's the one that's exactly the same size as an iPad. The price for Tap! Magazine is £5, and the makers of the mag want to know your opinions, so get onto Twitter and follow @tapmaguk and have your say using the hashtag #tap1. Pricing for the digital edition for the iPad and the iPhone app are to be announced, but it will be on sale shortly through Zinio. You can also subscribe to the magazine by going to www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/tap. 
| ||
| Posted: 25 Nov 2010 02:00 AM PST  Roxio's Creator 2011 sets itself a worthy collection of goals: to help us enhance, preserve, capture and share video content. A sceptic would claim they could do all of this with a rag-tag collection of freeware, but don't be too quick to judge. Creator 2011 has its faults and gimmicks, but it's still a huge collection of programs with brilliant features. Let's kick off with the main gimmick: Roxio has caught the 3D bug. With a few clicks and some computational heavy lifting, you can transform 2D family videos into 3D films. Don't expect Roxio's algorithms to make a wet weekend in a Wales look like Avatar, though. The net result of the 3D video processing system is simply a family film with an added dimension of fun. The same goes for photographs – with a little help, the otherwise mundane can be made almost magical. If you're more interested in features that are staunchly useful, look no further than Creator 2011's clever video rotation system. Smartphones make it easy to shoot in both landscape and portrait modes, but widescreen TVs are less forgiving and much more difficult to turn through 90 degrees. Roxio Creator 2011 enables you to solve this problem with a single click. Admittedly, such an effect is easy to achieve with other software, but all credit to Roxio for removing the need to pass project files through multiple programs before you're ready to burn or publish a movie. New to Creator 2011 is image stabilisation. Footage shot on your iPhone might look fine on a tiny screen, but show it on your 32-inch monitor and suddenly your videos will induce motion sickness. Unlike the 3D processing, which is applied to whole movies, stabilisation can be added selectively. During production and reviewing, just click and the effect will be added to a section of the movie timeline. It's not as good as holding the camera steady while filming, but it does work, making motion sickness-inducing movies watchable. As you can imagine, much of this post-camera work is very processor intensive. We tested the software on a PC with a Phenom II Black X4 and 4GB of RAM. Transforming a brief, standard- definition home movie from 2D into 3D cranked all four cores to the maximum occupancy, and kept them there for a long time. Happily, Creator 2011 supports ATI Stream and CUDA, so in these moments of demand your graphics card – should it support the standards – can pitch in and help with the maths. This feature was present in Creator 2010, but it's been refined and improved for the new version. Willing convert The other great improvement over the 2010 edition is the ability to transform your PC into a media server for access via the internet. The software makes the daunting process straightforward. Elsewhere, things are smaller. For instance, Roxio's Easy Video Copy and Convert utility has been improved. The idea is simple: select your source movie file, choose the device you'd like to play it on and leave the thorny business of converting between the two to the software. A long list of source formats is supported, including all the usual suspects – Xvid, IFO/ VOB, AVC (H.264) and AVHD. Destinations range from simple DVD discs through to Apple's portable devices, PSP, Xbox, PlayStation 3 and even the Zune. Again, the process can be accelerated with a little CUDA. All this leaves just one question unanswered: should you buy Creator 2011? If you own the 2010 incarnation, we'd say no. There's just not enough here to merit an upgrade from a piece of software that's still eminently capable. However, if your digital media library is booming and your collection of electronic players is growing, it's worth picking up. The ease with which the software makes any content watchable on any device is worth the money, and excellent help systems and swift sharing via Facebook and YouTube are the cherries on the cake. For the 2012 edition we'd ask for just one thing: that Roxio makes Creator's constituent applications load more quickly. Even on a nippy PC, they feel somewhat lethargic when working their magic. Related Links
|
Marc Dorcel: The first porn producer to bring 3D VoD to Europe
| You are subscribed to email updates from techradar To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment