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Techradar |
- Sony PSP Phone performs poorly in benchmark video
- Buying Guide: Top 10 best 3D console games
- Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread update confirmed
- Exclusive: Sega Interview: Producer of 3D Virtua Tennis 4
- Intel chips moving to 450mm wafer size
- Review: Antec LanBoy Air
- Review: Asus Eee Top ET2010AGT
- Buying Guide: Top 10 best 3D PC games
- Angry Birds Android Piggy Bank system launched
- Review: Asus G53Jw
- Review: Bitfenix Survivor
- Updated: PSP Phone rumours: what you need to know
- Updated: Google Nexus S now available for pre-order on four networks
- Updated: iPad 2 rumours: what you need to know
- Updated: Android 2.3 release date: when will you get it?
- In Depth: 10 gadgets to look forward to in 2011
- Google overhauls Android Gmail app
- Apple iPad 2 case shows off rear camera and SD card slot
- LG backtracks on Android 2.3 upgrade for Optimus One
- Updated: 30 best iPhone games - paid apps
- Microsoft pays WP7 developers ahead of schedule
- Weird Tech: Tweeting dogs, grumpy wallets and frickin' laser beams
- Review: Corner-A PhotoStyler 4.6
- Review: HyperDock
| Sony PSP Phone performs poorly in benchmark video Posted: 10 Dec 2010 09:07 AM PST  The upcoming Sony PSP Phone has been put through its paces in a video and it looks like it is lagging somewhat behind the Google Nexus S when it comes to gaming power. According to Unwired View, the Nexus S was measuring a meaty 55.6fps when it was benchmarked using Qualcomm's Neocore app, but the Sony PSP Phone (also called the Zeus and Z1) only hits around 24.4 fps on average. Game over? As the Sony PSP phone should, given its (admittedly media-dubbed) name, be a gaming powerhouse the results in the video are a little disappointing. Hopefully Sony Ericsson isn't just using the Playstation brand, rather than its specs, for the handset. While this was a prototyped phone that was benchmarked, it has to be noted that the processor could change when the Sony PSP Phone makes its way to these shores. The current UK release date for the PSP Phone is pencilled in for sometime in March. That's if it is real. It certainly looks real but until we get our grubby mitts on it, it's still a bit of vapour ware. Check out the Engadget video to see the PSP Phone benchmark in action. 
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| Buying Guide: Top 10 best 3D console games Posted: 10 Dec 2010 08:37 AM PST While PC gaming has spearheaded the way in terms of pushing new tech developments in 3D gaming, 3D console gaming is sure to come of age in 2011, as more of us invest in new 3D TVs to play the latest PS3 and Xbox 360 games on. Sony, far more so than Microsoft, has been pushing 3D console gaming as the next big step forward. Yet recent multi-format titles such as the mighty Call of Duty: Black Ops shows that 3D gaming on Xbox 360 has not been totally sidelined by Microsoft, despite the company's PR messaging.
2011 is the year of 3D consoles "3D gaming has shown signs of life in 2010, but 2011 looks like it's going to be the year where it really kicks off," says Tim Ingham, editor of CVG. "Killzone 3 is looking particularly impressive in three dimensions, and Uncharted 3 offers immense promise. We're still waiting to hear if other major titles – such as Batman: Arkham City and Infamous 2 – will join them, but you can bet your bottom dollar publishers are saving up plenty of last-minute announcements of this ilk. "Elsewhere on PS3, you're going to see some 3D re-workings of classic titles such as ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus; both looked on as unfairly 'forgotten gems' by adoring fans - this makeover should help the duo – originally released on PS2 - finally get the credit they deserve." Console set to lead the 3D pack Yet it's not ALL about the PlayStation 3. Nintendo's 3DS is sure to also be the 'big news' in 3D gaming early next year, with a load classic SNES and N64 titles revamped in 3D, not least Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, and Ingham also notes that "Microsoft is a little quieter on the 3D front, but that doesn't mean Xboxers will miss out – with Crytek recently choosing the 360 to show off its stunning FPS Crysis 2, which will be popping out of screens and into living rooms in March." 3D gaming specialist, Andrew Oliver, from Leamington Spa-based Blitz Games agrees that "consoles will probably display 3D games better than PCs for the average consumer" because "it's easy to plug your PS3 or Xbox 360 into a 3DTV and get the 3D experience exactly as the developer intended it. "With PCs, while they're more powerful and can render higher resolutions and frame rates, it can be a bit awkward setting them up to work well with new 3DTVs, and you could be missing out on some of the experience that developers intend you to have." Leading PS3 developer on the 3D future As far as leading PS3 devs go, Dominic Matthews, Community Manager over at Ninja Theory told 3Dradar: "In November we released our 3D update for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, which enables gamers on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to play both the full game and the downloadable side-story, "Pigsy's Perfect 10", in 3D. "The update uses TriOviz for Games Technology to bring an even more immersive and encapsulating experience to both 2D and 3D TV owners. 3D TV owners can play in 3D by using their Stereo 3D Active Shutter Glasses, whereas 2D TV players can experience the 3D with the use of TriOviz INFICOLOR 3D Glasses. "Enslaved is set in a very dangerous post-apocalyptic world where nature has reclaimed the earth, making it beautiful but deadly. The bright colours and thriving life shown in Enslaved are in stark contrast to the scenes of brown and grey usually shown in post-apocalyptic worlds, and our 3D update gives gamers the opportunity to delve deeper into this unique world and it's cast of engaging characters." 3D is undeniably impressive Finally, before we get to that all-important top ten list, Andrew Kelly, Features Editor over at PSM3 magazine is also a big fan of 3D PS3 games such as WipEout HD, Crysis 2, Shadow of the Colossus HD and Ico HD. "And you won't believe how good 3D Blu-ray – now supported on PS3 – looks until you've seen one for yourself." Top ten top PS3 games out now and soon on console: 1.WipEout HD
2.Killzone 3
3.Motorstorm Apocalypse
4.Crysis 2
5.Gran Turismo 5
6.Shadow of the Colossus HD
7.Ico HD
8. Enslaved
9.Uncharted 3 3D
10.Virtua Tennis 4
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| Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread update confirmed Posted: 10 Dec 2010 08:31 AM PST  Samsung has used the medium of Twitter to confirm that its flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S, will indeed be getting an Android 2.3 Gingerbread update. Two tweets came from the official Samsung Mobile India Twitter account, which were sent in response to queries by two Galaxy S owners. Samsung originally told TechRadar: "In case a new version of Android operating system is publicly announced and released, Samsung will review the possibility of implementation of such new version to the existing Samsung products with Android operating system ("Update")." But now it's confirmed that the update will come, the only fly in the ointment could be a European launch delay - we're working on finding an answer on that for you. Android 2.3 incoming This double confirmation will excite Galaxy S owners as much as a double rainbow, given that there's decent new features in Android 2.3. Features include better use of the gaming technology inside, an improved keyboard and a decent of copy and paste. There's no UK release date for the Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread update, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we get a visit from the Google gingerbread man. 
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| Exclusive: Sega Interview: Producer of 3D Virtua Tennis 4 Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:53 AM PST We're massively excited about Sega's forthcoming Virtua Tennis 4, not least because it is the first in the mighty VT series from Sega that will make use of both 3D and Move motion control on the PlayStation 3. As such, we recently caught up with the game's producer, Mie Kumagai, who – since joining Sega back in 1993 – has been the creative force behind some of Sega's most successful and best loved video and arcade games.
Kumagai-san became Executive Producer on the new Virtua Tennis series 11 years ago, back in 1999, becoming the first female Executive Producer at SEGA. It is as the mastermind behind Virtua Tennis, Virtua Tennis 2, Virtua Tennis World Tour and Virtua Tennis 3 that Kumagai-san has won the hearts of gamers and Sega fans worldwide, creating what has become the world's best-selling and most critically acclaimed tennis series.
She is currently working on the fourth iteration of the highly successful series with Virtua Tennis 4 recently announced and due to be released in 2011, featuring both 3D gameplay AND PlayStation Move compatibility. We found out a little more about what's in store for one of our all-time favourite gaming franchises as it gets the 3D treatment. 3DRadar: Virtua Tennis is one of the greatest sports titles on next gen consoles – so how does 3D add to the experience? Mie Kumagai: 3D technology really helps us describe the depth and sense of distance that exists in tennis, which requires spatial recognition. So by recognizing the distance between ball and player and thinking strategically where to return the ball in the opponent's court to get a point, players can enjoy the realistic tennis experience by using their body with 3D technology.
3DR: Do you think marrying 3D with Move on the PS3 version of the game adds to the gameplay? And how? MK: 3D technology has been around for a while, but the reason why we are able to provide a fun and interactive experience in the 3D virtual space is because of the integration between 3D technology and Move. Users are not only simply playing in the virtual 3D space, but also making the various return shots by adjusting the angle of the racket surface. We believe even consumers who are not good at playing actual tennis can feel like the world's greatest tennis players by swinging a racket in 3D space.
3DR: What are the main experiences in the game that you feel will really show off the 3D aspect? MK: When players get to return shots from the opponent. Seeing the ball heading back to you from the depth of the tennis court makes you feel as if you can catch the ball by reaching out your hands. 3DR: For that minority that don't like to play in 3D – are they going to lose out on the experience in some way? MK: 3D technology doubles the fun of the game play experience. There might be some users who feel it's annoying to wear 3D glasses… but once they've played this game in 3D, I think they would realize what they've been missing. 3DR: Do you think your game will help TV manufacturers to promote and sell their new 3D TVs in 2011? MK: I definitely think it will. I'm sure our game will really bring out the features of 3D, and impress people with its interactivity. I would be very happy if VT4 will be used for demonstrations of 3D TVs. 
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| Intel chips moving to 450mm wafer size Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:49 AM PST  Intel has confirmed that it plans to move from 300mm to a 450 mm wafer size in 2013. The change is planned to happen at the company DX1 22nm plant, which is going to be built in Oregon, and made to handle both wafer sizes initially. The 450mm wafer size promises to be more cost efficient by reducing manufacturing costs and letting Intel produce greater quantities of chips that have lower yields (the amount of working chips produced). Going to a larger wafer size allows the company to satisfy the increased demand even with the lower yield that will be almost inevitable as it moves more to 22nm production. Wafer thin mint? There can be problems involved with increasing the number of silicon chips on a wafer, and the new 450 mm wafer could face these. Both increasing the wafer size and shrinking the process size could give some headaches. Intel is trusting that the lower manufacturing costs will more than compensate for this. To date Intel hasn't said whether other plants might be upgraded to support the bigger wafers in advance of its flagship DX1 plant. All that's certain is that it's coming soon. 
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| Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:45 AM PST  When Antec released the first LanBoy case a few years ago, it raised a few eyebrows, because the quality of the materials and the build quality weren't quite up to the standard of Antec's mainstream mega Sonata case. There was a very good reason for this: the market the LanBoy was aimed at, and a big clue is in the name. The LanBoy case was aimed at the people who like to take their desktop PC to LAN parties and was built to be as light as possible so it could carried around fairly easily. To this end, Antec even supplied a carrying harness for it. The latest incarnation of the LanBoy, the LanBoy Air is something different again and is quite unlike any other PC case around at the moment. Although the LanBoy carries on the family line of being mobile – a couple of folding handles are built into the top of it – it does weigh in at a hefty 9kg empty. Built mostly from steel, the first thing that strikes you when you clap eyes on the LanBoy Air is that there isn't a solid panel anywhere to be seen – every panel has a mesh insert and all are removable. Both side panels are split between three horizontal panels and one long vertical one. The vertical one covers the drive bays, so accessing the internals of the case has never been easier, especially because they're all held in place by thumbscrews. The modular design of the case not only lets you choose which one (or all) of the side panels you want mount fans to, but also how you want to orientate the drives (both 3.5 inch and 5.25 inch) in the drive bays. To keep the noise down from vibrating hard drives, the drive mounts have a feature Antec calls Air Mounts. Basically, the hard drive is attached to a mount that has a rubber cord running through it with a hook at either end, these hooks attach to the drive cage, leaving the drive to literally dangle in the air, a nice piece of design to keep drive noise to a minimum. When it comes to the number of fans already mounted in the case the LanBoy Air certainly lives up to its name, with five 120mm fans split between the front panel, side panel, and the rear panel. The two front ones come with step-less speed controls built in the front bezel, while the two in the side panel have two way Lo-High switches, which can't be accessed when the panel is closed. We liked The LanBoy Air's modular design is an interesting one and certainly makes it stand out in the sea of PC cases on the market. There's some very clever thinking gone into its design from the choice of fan mounts to the novel idea of being able to not only mount hard drives in three directions, but also being able to mount optical drives in two directions (although, quite frankly, it's hard to imagine why you would want to mount them so they're accessible from the side of the case). We disliked Although it comes with built in carrying handles, the LanBoy Air is not exactly a lightweight prospect to carry around once built, and the price tag is pretty heavy, too. Related Links
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| Review: Asus Eee Top ET2010AGT Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:38 AM PST  Touchscreens are the computing flavour of the moment. It's hard to argue otherwise given the success of the iPad and the tablet market that's quickly rising beside it. We don't necessarily think the Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Dell Streak are going to change the world, but they are out there, on the shelves. And so, now, is the Eee Top ET2010AGT all-in-one touchscreen PC. It makes sense that everyone would want a slice of the pie, from mobile manufacturers to proper PC makers such as Asus. Soon enough, your 40-inch TV and your washing machine will have multi-touch functionality. It's the game to be playing. Thing is, there are two kinds of touchscreen computer; those that work, and those that don't. You don't want to have to get up and wipe your fists all over your washing machine just to select the spin cycle. And Asus' latest Eee Top, while it's not a washing machine and it is a decent PC in it's own right, doesn't spell the end of the mouse just yet. We'll get to the precise reasons why in a little while, though for now let's say the execution is shaky, the form factor doesn't suit touch like the tablet does, and we're not entirely sure why the touch screen is there other than to tick a box. Oh, and it runs Windows 7. Ever tried to use Windows 7 with a touchscreen interface? Yeah. It's not up to much. Let's start with the ET2010AGT's panel. This isn't a capacitive touchscreen, or even a resistive one. It's optical sensor-based, using a pair located in the top corners of the slightly recessed screen to determine the position of your fingers. It's pretty effective; the sensors can locate and track two fingers for limited multi-touch support, and while it's possible to get it confused (try placing three fingers on the screen, or hovering your finger just above the monitor to register phantom clicks) you'll be able to take advantage of Windows 7's full (ie. limited) range of finger functions. The sensor system makes the Eee Top good for the kitchen in that you don't have to use sticky fingers; just grab any vaguely cylyndrical object and use it as a stylus. Heck, use a carrot. Go mad. The underlying guts of the ET2010AGT are based around an AMD architecture, and are pretty average for the price. You get a full 2GB RAM, which covers you for everything you're likely to tease out of the 1.6GHz AMD Athlon X2 processor. The full 64-bit version of Windows 7 deals with the operating system side of things, even though the low voltage processor would normally be associated with XP. Thankfully it keeps up with a modern OS just fine. There's a mid-range laptop graphics chipset (an ATI Mobility Radeon HD5470) to deal with games; don't expect miracles, just decent mid-range performance. This isn't a gaming machine, after all. If this machine had also sported a TV tuner and HDMI in – and the case has holes where such ports could plausibly go, and other models in the range sport the features – it would have been a complete package. It's easy to criticise the standard all-in-one PC design because you can't easily upgrade it or replace any components which might break. Even though that places this machine in the same category as laptop PCs and desktop devices such as the Apple iMac, the ET2010AGT is not as convenient as the former or as good as the latter. You can't carry it easily, and it's unlikely to have the same longevity of a modern OS X machine. So it's awkward. The addition of a touchscreen, sadly, seems like little more than a transparent gimmick, since poking around at a vertical computer monitor just isn't comfortable in standard use. For the occasional prod in a standing environment like a kitchen? Fine. We can see it working. For your desk? You'll use the mouse every time. There's a pretty major problem, too, or at least there was with our review model: you can do what you want with the touchscreen, as long as you don't want to touch the top centimeter of real estate. It doesn't work. Touches to that area don't register correctly, possibly due to the way the sensors are positioned within the case. This is is particularly frustrating because Asus chose exactly that area to host its drop-down quick launch menu and, more importantly, that's the zone that covers the top of a maximised window. Want to close or minimise something with your finger? Tough. The processor and chipset are just strong enough that using the ET2010AGT isn't a sluggish or sketchy experience, but there's not a lot of wiggle room. Expect to run older games such as Team Fortress 2 at medium settings without too much trouble; a netbook this ain't. The construction of the ET2010AGT isn't quite as sturdy as its decent processing power. The tinny speakers are really quite awful, the 1600 x 900 screen pretty low res and prone to fingerprint smears, and the included keyboard and mouse combo – small and cheap, to be frank – is just about adequate. We were impressed that the narrow keyboard fits easily into the gap at the bottom of the unit, if that counts for anything. The Eee Top ET2010AGT is machine that, at an average selling price of £500, is too expensive – even next to pricier competition. You'd look at the iMac, you'd look at one of the rather excellent HP all-in-one Touchsmart range, you'd look at a much more versatile laptop before you'd look at this. Yes, it's a lot cheaper than Dell's touch screen Inspiron One 23. But it's a lot less powerful, too. We liked This could be the perfect PC for certain situations. It's reasonably strong under the hood, it's not too noisy, and it's pretty versatile despite its restrictive form. At £500, we'd actually say it's a good choice for the bedroom, given that it's a space saving design with just enough nuts to get standard computing jobs done. We disliked Even if you're desperate for a touchscreen, there are better examples – the shaky implementation puts the ET2010AGT at the bottom of the pile. Even ignoring the touchscreen, its panel is probably too small, the speakers too tinny, and the processor too incapable of playing back 1080p HD to consider this as a proper media machine. Verdict A decent stab at an all-in one, but the design is so restrictive and the price so high that you're better off investing your money elsewhere. Related Links
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| Buying Guide: Top 10 best 3D PC games Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:37 AM PST 3D gaming on PC has moved on in strides over the last year, since the early promise of titles such as Batman: Arkham Asylum back in late 2009 Nvidia has been leading the 3D charge on PC, with loads of games now getting a 3D 'retro-fit' to work with Nvidia's 3D Vision tech. Providing you also have a decent new 120Hz monitor, that is!
"The big hitter for PC that will be in 3D is Crysis 2," says Nvidia's UK PR manager Ben Berraondo, the man charged with promoting 3D PC gaming for the graphics specialist. "It looks incredible and will be a great follow on from other big titles that came out on the PC with full 3D Vision support – Call Of Duty: Black Ops and World Of Warcraft: Cataclysm." The 3D Devil's Advocate Yet there are those in the PC gaming community that still need to be fully convinced by the allure of 'proper' 3D gaming, one of whom is Dave James, reviews editor over on PC Format magazine, who told 3Dradar: "As much as the hardware manufacturers want you to believe the only way to properly experience 3D gaming is via a 120Hz 3D-capable monitor with either GPU manufacturer's 3D setup it's still not true. "Realistically 3D graphics engines have been fooling your eyes into believing in a three dimensional world for years, and even with this new 3D tech your eyes are still being fooled. "This is why the active shutter glasses and 120Hz screen combo still inevitably leads to eye-strain. Within the flat plane of your screen your eyes are constantly having to re-adjust their focus and with such a short focal range on a desktop PC your eyes will soon be overworked. "There is a bell-curve effect even with the best 3D hardware. To start with it's uncomfortable, then you get used to it and half an hour to an hour later and it becomes uncomfortable once more. "For casual gamers that's not going to be a huge problem, but as yet there's still no Peggle 3D… Play new 3D PC games on your TV That said, 3D continues to grow at a rapid pace and now that we see there is increasingly more 3D hardware out there, developers are really starting to show off just how amazing their games can look, according to Nvidia's Berraondo. "On the PC, NVIDIA 3D TV Play means you can play the newest PC titles on the latest 3D TVs at 720p and at well over 60FPS – the very best 3D experience for your home! Call of Duty: Black Ops literally comes to life and looks incredible. 3D is really hitting its stride in films, photos, and online content but I truly believe, just like when HD first launched, games are where we're seeing the biggest strides first. "Already being made in a 3D world helps obviously, but it also means the creative brains behind the titles have much more experience 'thinking' about 3D – where to place characters, vehicles, explosions, camera angles etc that all add to the effect. It means games are now more realistic. For example, in action games explosions actually have depth to them and placement while in racing games the extra depth gives you a much better sense of speed." Most new 3D-ready PC titles are now being properly designed from the ground up to work with new 3D displays, unlike many titles in the past, which had been given a quick (and often unsatisfactory) 'conversion' from 2D to 3D post-release. All of which means that many more PC gamers are now realising that the investment into 3D-ready monitors and 3D hardware and glasses from the likes of Nvidia is no longer simply a nice extra gimmick, but something that is unquestionably worth paying for to improve their gaming experience with the vast majority of new and major AAA-PC titles coming onto the market. With no further ado, here are the top ten best 3D PC games out now or due very soon for those gamer that have invested in a new 120-Hz monitor and 3D Vision kit from Nvidia of late. Top ten 3D PC games out now or out soon: 1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. Need for Speed: Shift
3. Batman Arkham Asylum
4. Battlefield Bad Company 2
5. Tomb Raider Underworld
6. Metro 2033 – The Last Refuge
7. Mafia 2
8. Just Cause 2
9. Lost Planet 2
10. Crysis 2
Yeah, we know that last one's not due till spring 2011, but still, this is surely one of the biggest PC titles on the radar right now, not to mention one of the games that is going to convince many 3D-naysayers that they may actually have been wrong about the value of 3D gaming on PC…. ---------- For the full list of these and all the many other 3D-capable games that work with Nvidia's 3D Vision kit, you can check out Nvidia's guide to 3D Vision gaming titles. 
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| Angry Birds Android Piggy Bank system launched Posted: 10 Dec 2010 07:00 AM PST  Rovio has announced an Angry Birds Bad Piggy Bank system is coming to Android, where you can choose whether to pay to get rid of the adverts on the app. Currently, Angry Birds for Android is free but it comes with banner advertising. Rovio at a press conference in Finland today confirmed the Bad Piggy Bank sytem would be coming in 2011 for Android users. Angry announcement The press conference was also meant to contain new information about the upcoming PC version of Angry Birds - according to The Next Web - but no UK release date was given. Instead there was confirmation that the game will be coming to Macs, PCs and consoles in the near future. It was also announced that there will be Angry Birds hoodies available for purchase soon to go alongside the plush toys and a cash cow being milked. We may have made that last one up. The timing of the press conference was pretty good considering the world will be celebrating Angry Birds Day tomorrow 11 December. If you are that way inclined there are a number of meet-ups taking place around the globe. The press conference also noted that Finland will be the first to get the Bad Piggy Bank service, in conjunction with mobile operator Elisa. Rovio was quick to eplain that Angry Birds has now managed 50 million downloads overall and 10 million downloads on Android. It seems that it's nothing but good news in the Rovio camp, but those birds are as grumpy as ever. 
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| Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:59 AM PST  Over the past twelve months we've seen a range of 3D-capable laptops released by some of world's biggest manufacturers. As well as the polarised screen technology of the Acer Aspire 5738DZG, the Nvidia 3D Vision based Toshiba Satellite A665-11Z and the ATI HD3D-powered HP Envy 17 3D, Asus was one of the first to get in on the act with the release of the Asus G51J at the start of the year – the world's first 3D laptop to use active shutter 3D glasses. The Taiwanese manufacturer has now stepped back into the 3D market with the uniquely eye-catching Asus G53Jw. Designed to combine the distinctive Stealth Bomber style of Asus' high-powered G73Jh gaming laptop and the 3D screen of the aforementioned G51J, the Asus G53Jw packs cutting-edge technology across the board. Aiming to deliver one of the most feature-packed specifications yet seen in the desktop replacement laptop market, while also providing high-powered gaming performance and 3D capabilities, the Asus G53Jw has the potential to be the world's greatest 3D laptop, but only if it learns from the flaws of previous 3D machines and fixes the most common faults we've seen many times before. Unfortunately, while the Asus G53Jw succeeds greatly in some areas, it falls flat in others, making it as much of a mixed bag as every other 3D laptop we've seen to date. With that said, however, there's no denying the stunning combination of both style and substance on offer and, while the Asus G53Jw is not quite the market-redefining gaming laptop we had hoped for, it is certainly one of the better 3D machines you can currently buy – albeit one with some notable flaws. The first thing that strikes you as you unpack the Asus G53Jw is its stunning design. As with the larger 17.3-inch Asus G73, the G53Jw's chassis has been inspired by the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Bomber and its aggressively sharp lines and matt finish create a truly unique, high-end look that you won't find anywhere outside of Asus' gaming range. Thanks to the matt finish, this also is not a laptop that's easy to scuff or scratch, adding resilience far too often missing from the many glossy machines found elsewhere in the market.
Continuing the Stealth-inspired look, huge exhausts on the rear of the Asus G53Jw's chassis are in place to keep the laptop feeling comfortably cool to the touch at all times. Air is drawn in through vents on the base of the chassis and is then blown over the powerful internal components and expelled away from you at the rear of the laptop as you work. The whole system works extremely well, with the fans running near silently at all times and keeping the Asus G53Jw cool and comfortable to work with on your lap for long periods of time. Despite being built around a 15.6-inch screen, rather than the more cinematic 17.3-inch panel seen on such rivals as the HP Envy 17 3D, the chunky dimensions of the Asus G53Jw's chassis make this one of the largest and heaviest 15.6-inch laptops we've seen. Weighing 3.8kg, this is not a laptop that you'll want to carry very far and it's far better suited to use at home on your desk. This limited mobility is further illustrated by the poor battery life. We were able to keep working for just 128 minutes with brightness set at 50 per cent, and this dropped yet further to just 98 minutes when we were watching a DVD. A benefit of the somewhat heavyweight chassis of the Asus G53Jw, however, is the extra space that it provides for the user interface. The large isolated-style, chiclet keyboard uses full-size keys to great effect and is a pleasure to work with.
Thanks to the slightly angled design of the Asus G53Jw, the keyboard slants ever so slightly towards you as you type, making it comfortable to place your hands on the palm rest and get to work. The board is also backlit and so is easy to work with in low light conditions. Our only minor complaint is that the keys feel a little spongy and we'd have preferred a sharper, more tactile amount of feedback. Unfortunately, while the large touchpad is just as comfortable to use as the keyboard, the Asus G53Jw's mouse buttons are far less usable. Despite their large size and comfortable matt finish, both buttons require an unusually firm amount of pressure to register, responding with a loud click when they're activated. Although this is not enough of a problem to render the keys unusable, it does make them slower to access than we'd have liked and causes unnecessary delays when working, as you pause to fully depress the buttons. Due to the large vents at the rear of the chassis, all ports on the Asus G53Jw are placed on the right and left-hand sides. While this of course makes them more accessible, it can lead to a slightly untidy appearance, with cables spewing from the sides of the laptop, rather than tucked away neatly at the rear. On the right-hand side is a Gigabit Ethernet port, for the fastest possible wired network connections, alongside an analogue VGA port and a digital HDMI port, for connecting the Asus G53Jw to a larger external monitor, projector or HDTV.
There are also two USB ports positioned near the front of the chassis, for connecting external peripherals, with one of the ports providing USB 3.0 compatibility for high-speed data transfers to external storage devices. This is a pleasing addition, since there's no eSATA port in place on the Asus G53Jw. The left-hand side of the Asus G53Jw is a more sparse affair, with just two USB ports – again placed near the front of the chassis for easy access – alongside the integrated, tray-loading Blu-ray optical drive. The only other extras to be found on the G53Jw are an 8-in-1 card reader at the front of the chassis, for sharing files with compatible external devices, such as your digital camera or camcorder, and a compact webcam above the screen for taking basic snapshots, recording live video and using with online video messaging software. Internal components are far more comprehensive, and make the Asus G53Jw one of the best-equipped laptops you can currently buy. You can get the G53Jw with a choice of dual or quad-core Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, and the model we tested was powered by a quad-core Core i7-740QM CPU running at 1.73GHz. Backed by a stunning 8GB of high-speed DDR3 memory, even the most demanding users won't be left wanting for speed. The same can be said for storage, with a capacious 640GB of hard disk storage in place. Graphics are equally capable, with a cutting-edge Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M graphics card and 1.5GB of dedicated, high-speed video memory in place. Providing full support for the Asus G53Jw's 3D graphics via Nvidia's 3D Vision technology, as well as supporting the latest DirectX 11 games, the Asus G53Jw is again set up to deliver the best possible performance for the price, and provide a certain degree of future-proofing for gamers and home workers alike. Obviously it is the 3D abilities of the Asus G53Jw that is the key selling point and, while Asus' previous 3D machine, the G51J utilised Nvidia's 3D Vision technology via an external USB 3D receiver, the Asus G53Jw has built the receiver into the chassis for easier and tidier usability. Activated and deactivated by a hotkey above the keyboard, the 3D Vision technology synchronises easily with the supplied 3D glasses for an immersive experience when viewing photos or videos and playing games. As with all Nvidia 3D Vision and ATI HD3D-based machines, the 3D effect is created through the use of active shutter glasses. This works by opening and closing the lens covering each eye in turn, in time with the refresh rate of the Asus G53Jw's screen. In this way, the screen shows each eye a different image faster than the naked eye can register and tricks your brain into seeing a three-dimensional image that does not exist. The result is extremely effective, with images leaping from the screen with an impressive illusion of depth.
The technology works particularly well when playing games and Nvidia has worked closely with a wide range of games developers to ensure a comprehensive array of high-quality titles can be played in full 3D. This includes such market-leading games as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Batman: Arkham Asylum, among others, and the extra depth that 3D Vision adds to these games makes them among the most immersive entertainment experiences we've seen to date. Unfortunately, however, the most common flaw of Nvidia's 3D Vision technology remains as present as ever when using the 3D features of the Asus G53Jw. Whenever we've tested previous 3D Vision-equipped machines such as the Toshiba Satellite A665-11Z and the Asus G51J, the active shutter glasses have the unfortunate downside of greatly reducing the brightness and impact of the laptop's screen when viewing 3D content. The same flaw is on display here, with images greatly lacking vibrancy when viewed through the 3D glasses. While we had always previously assumed this flaw was inherent to active shutter technology, the rival ATI HD3D technology seen on the HP Envy 17 3D uses active shutter glasses to far greater effect, without impacting on screen brightness, so it seems totally avoidable and unnecessary for this flaw to still be present on the Asus G53Jw. Nvidia has been aware of this situation for some time, however, and claims to be working to rectify the situation for future iterations. More disappointingly, the Asus G53Jw's 15.6-inch screen is not without its own inherent flaws. While the screen is suitably bright and vivid and its 1366 x 768-pixel resolution allows you to watch high-definition 720p videos in all their glory, the screen itself has one of the worst viewing angles we've seen on any laptop this year. Unless you view the screen straight on, with not even a degree of change in your angle, there are notable dark areas on all but the centre of the panel, leading to a consistently washed out and flawed image. While it could be argued that it is essential to view any 3D screen straight-on in order to get the most accurate 3D effect, that is no excuse to provide such a limited viewing angle, as most rival 3D laptops provide far better performance in this area.
Since most users will be working without wearing the 3D glasses for the majority of the time, this screen flaw makes the Asus G53Jw a little hard to recommend for long-term use, for work or play. Thankfully the balance is redressed somewhat by the excellent performance provided by the Asus G53Jw's cutting-edge components. The quad-core Intel Core i7 processor powers the most resource-consuming software with ease and ensures that light work is made of even complex multitasking. The 8GB of memory adds to this performance, as applications open and respond quickly and even the largest files can be quickly loaded into your software of choice. Graphics are just as capable, with Nvdia's DirectX 11-compatible GeForce GTX 460M graphics card running the latest games with aplomb. While you shouldn't expect quite the same level of power you'd find on such high-end rivals as the Alienware M17x, the Asus G53Jw is nevertheless a powerful and reliable gaming and multimedia machine, with more than enough power for running your home office, as well as gaming and editing and enjoying your photos and high-definition videos. With its odd combination of highs and lows, the Asus G53Jw sits in an awkward place in the current 3D laptop market. While its stunning performance, striking design and cutting-edge technology mean there's no denying that this is a unique and highly capable 3D multimedia machine, its somewhat limited usability and flawed screen mean it's not the top of the range world beater you sense it was intended to be. If you can live with its niggling flaws and you absolutely must have 3D capabilities, you'll find a level of power and style all too rare in the modern laptop market, but if you want the best multimedia powerhouse you can get for your money, and don't mind sacrificing the 3D screen, there are many better machines than the Asus G53Jw. We liked With its striking Stealth Bomber inspired chassis, the Asus G53Jw is one of the most differently designed laptops we've seen. And it's not style over substance either, because the large exhausts at the rear prove highly effective at keeping the laptop cool and comfortable to use. Powered by cutting-edge components, the Asus G53Jw delivers fantastic levels of performance for even the most demanding tasks. While its not the most powerful laptop we've seen, few people will feel shortchanged by the stunning levels of power on offer here. By building the Nvidia 3D Vision receiver into the chassis rather than using an external USB receiver, the Asus G53Jw is one of the easiest 3D laptops to set up and use on the move. And the 3D effect is truly startling, bringing photos, videos and games to vivid life. We disliked With its poor viewing angles, it can be very tricky to get an adequate view of the Asus G53Jw's 15.6-inch screen. While the panel delivers decent levels of brightness, colour and contrast, the screen is just too flawed in use to be truly effective. As with other Nvidia 3D Vision capable laptops, the active shutter glasses used by the Asus G53Jw render the already flawed screen even dimmer when viewing 3D content. This would be a problem on even the best screen, so here it only serves to increase the problem. While usability of the Asus G53Jw is generally good, the slightly spongy keyboard and overly firm mouse buttons make this laptop a little awkward to use at times. Thankfully the spacious keyboard and backlit keys compensate somewhat, but we recommend you try before you buy. Verdict Despite a few missteps along the way, the Asus G53Jw has enough notable strengths to make it a viable rival in the growing 3D laptop market. With its strong performance, striking Stealth Bomber design and comprehensive specification, you certainly get a lot for your money. However, the flawed screen and slightly limited usability prevent it from truly excelling and, if you can live without the 3D screen, there are plenty of far better rival multimedia and gaming laptops you could spend your money on. Related Links
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| Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:59 AM PST  BitFenix hasn't been around long – just over six months, in fact – but in that time has already managed to cause a stir with its first product, the mighty Colossus. Now it's released a second case, the smaller but equally well-formed Survivor. It comes in two versions: the lesser-featured Survivor Core and the case were looking at, the Survivor. The Colossus, as the name might suggest, was a full-on, full-tower case. The Survivor, on the other hand, is a midi tower, but one packed with the interesting design features that have quickly become synonymous with BitFenix. With its ruggedised finish and pop-up handle in the top, BitFenix has one eye firmly on the LAN party goers with the Survivor, but it's no lightweight, tipping the scales at 9kg when empty. BitFenix's Survivor certainly looks the part, with its matt black steel panels matched by the curved SoftTouch protection panels on the front and rear of the case. The internal structure also has a black finish, and the whole thing screams of high attention to build quality. The case comes with two 200mm BitFenix Spectre cooling fans already fitted; one in the top and one in front of the hard drive cage in the front of the case. These fans are lit by red LEDs, but if you get fed up with the glow, there's an on/off switch built into the I/O panel. This panel sits under a sliding door in the top of the case and contains two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, two audio ports and an eSATA port. So far so good, but one bone of contention for people buying the Survivor will be how you get into it. On first glance, it looks easy. Just undo the two thumbscrews and away you go. Nice idea, but unfortunately BitFenix wants to make you work a bit, so you have to get a screwdriver and undo the two small but deeply buried screws in each of the corner brackets, and take the whole bracket assembly off because they're made in one piece – if they were made in two pieces, it would be much friendlier. People who build their system and forget about them won't care about this, but it's annoying if you like to upgrade PC components on a regular basis. We liked As with the Colossus, the Survivor looks the business straight out of the box. The curved protection on the front and rear of the case is a nice touch, and the attention to detail in everything from the choice of ports in the top I/O panel to the drive bays that can be used for either conventional 3.5-inch drives or 2.5-inch SSDs is first rate. We disliked The only really annoying thing about the Survivor is how you get into the thing. Having to take off both parts of the rear curved protection is frustrating. Related Links
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| Updated: PSP Phone rumours: what you need to know Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:45 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 might actually be called the Sony Ericsson Z1 On 1 December 2010, Techblog.gr showed off a spy video of the PSP Phone in action and is claiming that it will actually be called the Sony Ericsson Z1. And on 6 December 2010, the PSP phone / Sony Ericsson Z1 was shown off again in another video. This time, the extending game pad was detailed. 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:
Well, 9 December has been and gone, and the above event didn't happen. Mobile World Congress is again looking like a likely place for the PSP Phone to appear. 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
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| Updated: Google Nexus S now available for pre-order on four networks Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:15 AM PST  The Carphone Warehouse has announced that pre-orders on four networks for the forthcoming Google Nexus S have now gone live. UPDATE: TechRadar spoke to The Carphone Warehouse, which confirmed a 'huge interest' in the device to us: "The Google Nexus S is a game-changer for Android so it's great to see so many networks getting behind it. We've seen huge interest in the phone over the last few days since pre-ordering began at The Carphone Warehouse," a spokesperson told Techradar. "We now have a great offering of Android handsets which will continue to grow in the New Year." The phone will be available to buy both on contract or PAYG/SIM free, with the former costing £35 per month for a free phone - O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange are supporting the phone, but Three is nowhere to be seen. However, while £35 per month does get you a plethora of minutes and unlimited texts, the most you can get data-wise is 750MB included. Go big for a gig To get over 1GB allowance, you'll need to sign up to a £50 a month deal, which seems a little extreme, and will hopefully be updated when the networks start offering it directly (if they ever do). SIM free the Google Nexus S will cost £549.95, with the PAYG curiously the same, but with a mandatory £10 top up - usually paying a network for the phone will get you a micro-discount at least. Still, there's not long to wait, as the Google Nexus S UK release date is set for 20 December - enough time to blackmail Santa (with those photos of him bothering that OTHER reindeer) into bringing you one. 
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| Updated: iPad 2 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 10 Dec 2010 04:22 AM PST  The internet loves Apple and it loves ill-founded speculation, so it's hardly surprising that iPad 2 rumours were flying before the first iPad even reached the UK. With only weeks to go before its expected unveiling the iPad 2 release date, specs and price are still closely guarded secrets, but that doesn't mean there aren't some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider. Here's our pick of the latest iPad 2G rumours. iPad 2 specs: cameras and a gyroscope Gizmodo reckons that FaceTime support's a given, and that means a front-facing camera like the iPhone 4. BuzzBizzNews echoes the camera story, suggesting twin cameras. It also suggests that there'll be a three-axis gyroscope like there is in the iPhone 4. EETimes says Apple has been testing gyroscopes but decided not to put one in the original iPad. On 10 December 2010, images of a new iPad case appeared online, suggesting that the iPad 2 will feature a rear-facing camera. iPad 2 specs: a USB port and SD card slot Rumours suggest that the iPad 2 will have a USB port, which BuzzBizzNews says will enable users to "upload movies, documents and photos". We're not convinced it's for that, because Apple is moving increasingly to wireless. The iPad prints wirelessly. The iPad streams media wirelessly. Why add USB? More likely, we think, is a MicroUSB port or adapter so the iPad meets new EU regulations on mobile device chargers. Images of a new iPad case have appeared online that seem to show space for an SD card slot. iPad 2 specs: GSM and CDMA AllThingsDigital quotes analyst Brian Blair, who says that Apple may be readying a "world iPad" that uses both GSM and CDMA networks, enabling it to get online anywhere in the world. CDMA, incidentally, is the technology used by Verizon in the US. iPad 2 case: thinner and more like a MacBook Brian Blair also says: "the new iPad is thinner than the existing model and is essentially made from one piece of metal with no pins needed. We understand it requires a new type of manufacturing process as a result, similar to the company's unibody approach seen in MacBooks." iPad 2 specs: retina display Will the gorgeous screen from the iPhone 4 make its way to the iPad? The Apple Blog thinks so: "You can be sure that Apple's Retina Display, or something very close, will make its way to iPad". Then again, such a screen would massively increase the number of pixels, increasing the demands on both the iPad's processor and its battery, so a nine-inch Retina Display is a challenge. If Apple's solved it we'll see you down the Apple Store the second it goes on sale. iPad 2 specs: a seven-inch screen? All of Apple's rivals have plumped for 7-inch displays, which means their tablets are lighter than the iPad. Will Apple follow them into seven-inch territory? iLounge says prototypes exist, while earlier this year DigiTimes predicted not just a seven-inch iPad 2, but a 5.6-inch iPad 2. Apparently the smaller iPads would target ebooks while the current iPad would target multimedia entertainment, "sources stated". We're doubtful. Apple already does a mini-iPad with a retina display. It's the iPod touch. The idea of a smaller iPad 2 took another knock in November, when 9to5Mac reported that the iPad 2 adverts have already been shot - with current-generation iPads playing the role of iPad 2s. The iPad 2s will be digitally added nearer the time, and of course that's much harder to do if the iPad 2 is smaller than the iPads the actors are actually holding. iPad 2 specs: a faster processor KitGuru "has been hearing rumours from the Far East" that the iPad 2 will be a seven-inch job with a 2GHz processor and an HD video camera. It reckons the processor will be based on ARM's Cortex A9, the 1GHz dual-core processor that you'll find in the BlackBerry PlayBook. iPad 2 specs: more memory This is a no-brainer: the iPhone 4 has twice the memory of the iPad (512MB compared to 256MB), largely because the iPhone does multitasking. Since the iOS 4.2 release, iPads do multitasking too. 256MB already seems a little bit stingy. The iPad 2 release date is probably in the Spring Rumours suggested that the iPad 2 would be rushed out in time for Christmas, but if that's Apple's plan they're being awfully last-minute about it. Early 2011 seems like a much better bet, and it fits with Apple's annual product cycle: the first iPad was announced in January and shipped in the spring. On 7 December we reported on rumours that Apple would be shipping iPad 2 units out to warehouses in February 2011. If that date is correct, it suggests an iPad 2 release date of some time around April. The iPad 2 price won't change much Unless there's a new seven-inch model we'll be amazed if the iPad 2 price is dramatically lower than the model it replaces: Apple isn't struggling to shift units and rivals are charging similar prices. Cheapo tablets do exist, but they're rubbish. 
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| Updated: Android 2.3 release date: when will you get it? Posted: 10 Dec 2010 04:13 AM PST  Android 2.3 has been announced by Google, and now owners of smartphones such as the Nexus One and the HTC Desire are eagerly awaiting the update. There's very little news on when Android 2.3 will roll out at this early stage, although we do know that the first phone to go on sale with Android 2.3 is the successor to the Nexus One, the Google Nexus S. HTC Desire Android 2.3 update We've contacted HTC to find out when Android 2.3 will be coming to the HTC Desire (and the HTC Desire HD and the HTC Desire Z). HTC responded on 7 December to confirm that a number of its phones will be receiving Android 2.3. "We are excited about the OS update coming for Android, and while HTC will definitely have some phones running this OS, we do not have a specific timeframe for new phones or updates at this time. Please stay tuned for more details," said an HTC spokesperson. Still no official word on the Desire, but we have to wonder whether the smartphone star is included in "some phones". Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 update We've also contacted Samsung to ask about the Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 update. Samsung replied with the following statement: "In case a new version of Android operating system is publicly announced and released, Samsung will review the possibility of implementation of such new version to the existing Samsung products with Android operating system ("Update"). "Such a review will be based on various factors including, without limitation, the overall effect of such Update to Samsung products, the system requirements, the structural limitations, and the level of cooperation from the component suppliers and the software licensors. "If Samsung decides to make the Update available to the users after such consideration, Samsung will use its efforts to develop such Update, which may be released to the users upon successful completion of such development." In other words: we'll check it out and make a decision then. LG Optimus One and Optimus Chic Android 2.3 update At first it looked like this one wasn't going to happen. In a post on Facebook, LG said: "The Optimus line won't be getting the Gingerbread update because they have a 600MHz processor, and the minimum requirements for Gingerbread require 1 GHz processor. In other words: it's not possible to update the processor, unfortunately." However, on 10 December, LG changed its mind, saying: "LG will upgrade all Optimus One smartphones currently using the Froyo OS to the next version of the Android OS, Gingerbread. Details of the upgrade schedule will be announced locally in due course." Stay tuned. We'll bring you more release dates as we get them. 
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| In Depth: 10 gadgets to look forward to in 2011 Posted: 10 Dec 2010 04:07 AM PST  While many people are waiting until Christmas to receive some of 2010's best gadgets and technology, we're already looking forward to 2011. Around this time we always get more and more excited about the potential for each year to top the last. Of course, 2010 has been pretty damn good for gadget lovers, what with the tablet revolution and 3D, but we have faith next year can top it thanks to these great products. And this is still before all the CES 2011 announcements! Oh, it's going to be good… Here are the 10 gadgets we're looking forward to. 1. BlackBerry Playbook
BlackBerry maker RIM has seemed a bit lost for the last couple of years, unsure whether to persevere with the style that always served it well or embrace touchscreens wholly. That quandary continues on its phones, but there's no doubting the focus of the PlayBook tablet. A brand new operating system, an extremely powerful dual-core processor, all of the usual BlackBerry business features and, perhaps most importantly of all, a real focus on getting third-part developers involved. The PlayBook is already looking stylish, slick and easy to use. With a carefully crafted tablet operating system and advanced specs, we could be looking at some major competition for the iPad. 2. Nintendo 3DS
If 2010 wasn't all about tablets, it was all about 3D. We've seen a huge push on 3D TVs, but some people just aren't on board with having to wear the glasses. So while everyone else is battling the same problems Nintendo had when it released its first 3D console, the Virtual Boy, the 3DS is getting ready to bring a glasses-free third dimension (other than the regular, real-life one, obviously. As if simple, comfortable 3D gaming wasn't enough, Nintendo is making sure the 3DS doesn't suffer the same lack of third-party titles the Wii has had (and the N64 had, and the Gamecube, now that we mention it). Some of the biggest names in gaming are already on board, including Metal Gear Solid and two absolutely stunning looking Resident Evil games. 3. LG Star
Nvidia's powerful Tegra 2 chipset has finally found its way into a phone, and that's a profoundly good thing. The LG Star's processor not only has the potential to be power-sipping, but it leaves opposing mobile processors weeping softly at their inadequate performance. Early reported benchmarks put it an entire league ahead of the best-performing Android phone to date. Add to that the likely inclusion of the shiny new Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, an eight-megapixel video camera, 1080p video recording a four-inch screen and an HDMI out, and the Google Nexus S will be knocked of its throne as the king of Android before it's even got comfy. 4. iPad 2
Well, iPad 2 had to be here didn't it? It's not official yet, but the old 'smoke=fire' adage definitely applies when you've got the sheer volume of rumours we're currently hearing about an updated iPad. Some of the rumours are more likely than others, but we feel confident you can expect to see a camera and FaceTime support, a gyroscope to match the iPhone 4, a faster (or possibly dual-core) processor and probably a new, sleeker design. Considering just how good the current iPad is, we think there might a small amount of demand for the updated version. 5. Chrome OS netbooks
For those railing against the tablets and clinging onto their keyboards desperately, Google's promise of a range of Chrome OS laptops next year is welcome. Aside from offering an alternative to Windows and Mac OS X with a well-known brand name, it should push forward acceptance of instant-on operating systems and cloud services as standard practice for PCs. The Cr-48 prototype that's out now is a little bland, we'll grant you, but we're really looking forward to seeing what the big name manufacturers can do. 6. Motorola Android 3.0 tablet
Android's Andy Rubin showed off a Motorola-made tablet running an early build of Android 3.0 Honeycomb at the D:Dive into Mobile conference. And it really did look good. The email app he showed certainly appeared to take a few cues from the way Apple tweaked the iPhone OS to work on iPad - and we're glad it did. Tablets with the usability and style of iOS with the options and power of Android? Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? We'll see in 2011. 7. PSP Phone
[Image credit: xxmajstor] Considering that the iPhone is capable of games with graphics at the level of Infinity Blade, gamers must be drooling at the thought of adding buttons to what's already there. Apparently, someone at Sony finally had the same idea. The PSP Phone looks certain to be released soon, and may be named the Zeus Z1. While we're a little nervous about the possibility of twin trackpads instead of analogue sticks, Sony console fans and phone gamers alike will both be eager to get their hands on this. 8. New HP/Palm devices
The Palm Pre 2 was a bit disappointing. It featured fairly current internal specs, but the design and screen both seem a little behind the best of current smartphones. HP webOS, on the other hand, is brilliant. Its masterful and smooth handling of multitasking has the potential to knock everything else out of the park, it just needs the right hardware to bring it out. Jon Rubinstein has confirmed that several new devices are on the way, including a tablet. With HP taking over hardware duties, we suspect something pretty special could be on the horizon. 9. ElectroHub wireless charger
While we've seen wireless charging concepts before – specifically the Powermat – but ElectroHub has a slightly better way of doing things. Simply stick the ElectroHub battery replacements into your devices and they'll work with the mat. "Aha," you're probably thinking. "But my gadget has a non-replaceable battery." Well, then, you'll need some sort of case for making it work. A bit like the Powermat. But still, it's a better concept for getting your gadgets charged easily, and looks to be pretty reasonably priced, too. 10. iPhone 5
Finally, isn't every iPhone user looking forward to the iPhone 5? While the exact release date, specifications and even the form factor are still the subject of speculation (will we see spec bump, 3GS-style, or another full-on redesign?) and there are no hard facts, we've yet to see Apple disappoint with its iPhones. Antennagate aside, that is. 
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| Google overhauls Android Gmail app Posted: 10 Dec 2010 03:32 AM PST  Google has announced a couple of pretty big changes to its Gmail application for Android - but only for Android 2.2 users and above. The first is an improvement to the Priority inbox, whereby all Priority messages will be given their own special inbox view, regardless of whether they're read or not. You can also alter the notification settings for only these messages to vibrate or ring when they arrive - an important tool to separate the wheat from the spamchaff. Compose yourself Google has also tweaked the way you can compose messages in its Android application, with the main one being the ability to more easily switch between Reply, Reply All and Forward thanks to a new drop down menu. You can also choose which account you want to send the mail from if you've added in another account to send webmail from via Gmail.
And finally - inline message responses are now included too, which has been somewhat supported before but was a real effort to implement - now it's easy to just tap away and critique another person's message. See it in an instant The final bit of Google-ry we're bringing you is the news that Google Instant is now available for Android and iOS devices.
Simply heading to your local Google site will now offer you an option to activate Instant if you're running Android 2.2 and above or iOS4, with suggestions appearing when you begin to type in and search options automatically forming below. See all this, and more, over at the overly-chirpy Google Blog. 
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| Apple iPad 2 case shows off rear camera and SD card slot Posted: 10 Dec 2010 03:29 AM PST  Images of a new iPad case have appeared online, prompting much speculation that the Apple iPad 2 is set to get expandable memory and a rear camera. Apple fansite iLounge is reporting that Chinese manufacturer Shenzhen MacTop Electronics has shown off a new case that has space for a rear camera to poke out its head. Thanks for the memory A second case has also emerged that seems to show room for an SD card slot – this type of expandable memory would be welcomed but it's surprising if Apple has gone down this road. None of Apple's iPods or iPhones have ever been given such a slot - and are unlikely to in the future, if we're honest. Other marks on the case show off a new alignment for the iPad speaker and a pop-out door similar to what was found on the MacBook Air. All of these 'new' features can be firmly labelled as rumours. However if true, the images of the cases would add flames to the likelihood of an iPad 2 will be released in the near future, with the first quarter of 2011 still a major possibility. 
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| LG backtracks on Android 2.3 upgrade for Optimus One Posted: 10 Dec 2010 03:05 AM PST  LG's PR faux pas over a possible Android 2.3 update to the Optimus One has been mitigated by a new promise from the Korean firm. The electronics firm originally claimed that the Android 2.3 update wasn't coming for the budget phone, as it couldn't be run with a meagre 600MHz processor. Erm... no? But as that was swiftly confirmed as utter rubbish by developers and fans alike, LG has moved to change its mind completely and confirm the update now IS coming via its US site: "LG will upgrade all Optimus One smartphones currently using the Froyo OS to the next version of the Android OS, Gingerbread. Details of the upgrade schedule will be announced locally in due course. "We sincerely apologize for the confusion and misunderstanding that was caused regarding this issue." It takes some steely nerve to completely admit fault over something like this, but the fact it initially tried to pull the wool over its users eyes, wittingly or not, isn't likely to be forgotten anytime soon. 
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| Updated: 30 best iPhone games - paid apps Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:13 AM PST  There are now tens of thousands of games on the App Store, covering every genre. Huge studios battle it out with bedroom coders, providing iOS gamers with a mix of blockbuster titles and novel creations full of innovation and personality. Below we list our 20 favourite paid-for games for iPhone and iPod touch; if we've missed your top game, let us know what it is in the comments! Don't forget that universal apps also work natively on the iPad. 1. Angry Birds - £0.59
The moral of Angry Birds is that if you're a hungry pig, don't steal eggs from crazed birds with a death-wish, who also happen to own a massive catapult. If you're one of the 17 people who've not yet sampled this artillery classic, you fling angry birds at ramshackle structures, aiming to dispatch the pigs lurking within. Ingenious level design and varied bird 'powers' make this a classic iOS game. 2. Bit Pilot - £0.59
Avoid 'em ups are commonplace on the App Store, but none offer the polish, charm and addictive qualities of Bit Pilot. The aim of the game is simply to survive, avoiding asteroids and lasers, and grabbing sporadic shield power-ups. Lovely graphics and crunchy chip-tunes round off a first-class title. 3. Drop7 - £1.79, universal
The concept of this puzzle game is straightforward: drop numbered discs into a grid; when the number on a disc matches the amount of discs in its row or column, it explodes. Grey discs need an adjacent explosion before they reveal a number. Drop7 is brilliant and addictive, and it is to the iPhone what Tetris was to the original Game Boy. 4. Pix'N Love Rush - £0.59
Here's platform gaming for the low-attention-span generation. Doffing its hat to WarioWare, Pix'N Love Rush flings retro-platforming action at you at a blistering pace, switching between Mario-style horizontal scrolling, vertical levels, and static Bubble Bobble-oriented affairs. Dressed in Nintendo-style graphics, this is a frantic, exciting game that's an insane bargain at 59p. 5. Dark Nebula - Episode 2 - £1.19
Dark Nebula - Episode 2's developer undersells it as a 'labyrinth' game, but it's really a fast-paced top-down arcade game, albeit one with occasional puzzles and that seriously challenges your dexterity. You guide your orb through sci-fi installations, unlocking doors, defeating traps and battling foes. The aesthetics are wonderfully atmospheric, and the game offers a well-judged difficulty curve with new elements in each level. 6. Flight Control - £0.59
Firemint kick-started the path-drawing genre, and Flight Control remains the best game of its type. You guide aircraft to landing areas by drawing paths, taking care to avoid the single collision that ends the game. For extra challenge, try the navy level with a lazily rotating aircraft carrier and super-fast jets. 7. Orbital - £1.79
In Orbital, you fire orbs into the play-area; when an orb stops, it expands until it reaches an obstacle. An orb's number dictates how many times it must be hit by subsequent orbs until it explodes. Strategy therefore relies on you carefully picking your spot, aiming to create chain reactions and take out several orbs with one shot. Both beautiful and absorbing, Orbital is a textbook iPhone game. 8. Run! - £0.59
Canabalt and Mirror's Edge are glossier, but Run! combines the auto-running mechanic and swipe-based gestures of those more polished titles, and then adds falling meteors, evil wizards, UFOs, a shoulder-mounted bazooka, and the ability to karate-kick leaping sharks in the head—for 59p. It might look a little rough, but Run! is best-in-class by some margin. 9. Minigore - £0.59
If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise: it's infested with ravenous 'furries'! To survive, you merely have your wits, trusty weapons and the means of temporarily transforming into an unstoppable beast-like killing machine. Minigore is dual-stick Robotron-style action with modern cartoon graphics and a dollop of gore. It's also excellent. 10. geoDefense - £1.19
At the last count, there were about a million tower defence games for iOS. Most of them are slow and ugly; geoDefense is neither. Instead, it's a sleek, challenging, intense game, dropping you into a neon nightmare where creeps come thick and fast. 11. Real Racing - £2.99
Firemint never got the "there are no games with any depth on iOS" memo, and so they went ahead and created Real Racing. 48 cars, 12 tracks, five game modes with 76 events, multiplayer, several control methods, different cockpit views… like hell the iPhone isn't a 'proper' games console. 12. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - £5.99
Rockstar Games didn't get the memo either, so they went ahead and shoved a grubby, violent city full of gangland warfare into your iOS device. Matching the same game on PSP and DS, Chinatown Wars has you trying to survive turf wars, shoot-outs, high-speed chases and drug deals. But if it all gets a bit much, you can steal a taxi and earn a semi-honest living carting fares about Liberty City. 13, Zen Bound 2 - £1.79, universal
When you describe Zen Bound 2, it sounds rubbish. "You wrap rope around wooden sculptures." See? However, there's an oddly mesmerising, almost hypnotic quality to this game. Its tactile nature and fluid controls draw you in, and you soon rise to the challenge, trying to complete each level with the minimum amount of rope. 14. Squareball - £0.59
AAARRGGGHH! That's an exclamation you'll hear a lot of (from yourself) if you take on Squareball. This unforgiving mutant offspring of Pong, Breakout and a horizontally scrolling platform game is frustratingly tough, despite 'merely' tasking you with not hitting red blocks or flinging your 'square ball' into space. Soon, you realise the weak spot is in fact you, since the swipe-based controls are perfectly tuned - and by that point you'll be addicted. 15. LilRacerz Pro Rally - £1.19
Older gamers may remember Super Sprint in the arcades, Super Cars on the Amiga, or the original NES Micro Machines by Codemasters. LilRacerz Pro Rally is a top-down racer. And it's just as much fun as those classic titles (and for £1.19!), and boasts 34 tracks, ten unlockable cars, and four different environments. The controls are great - the cars drift but there's some weight to them - and the subtle 3D graphics are a nice touch. 16. Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge - £1.79
Yo-ho-ho! This be the classic game ye scurvy dogs have been waiting for! A classic point-and-click adventure from way back in 1991, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge has been dusted off, turned into a 'Special Edition' (new graphics and audio, hints system, updated controls), and fashioned into a thing o' beauty. Arrrrrrr! 17. Soosiz - £1.19
Boasting a gravity mechanic akin to Super Mario Galaxy but side-on gameplay closer to the Nintendo mascot's 2D adventures, Soosiz is a cracking platform game. You must search 66 levels over seven worlds to find your friends, battling foes and gravity along the way. 18. WestBang - £0.59
WestBang's tap-based gameplay mechanics go back to the dawn of videogames, in that it's ultimately a simple reaction test. Doors open, and you have to shoot bad guys (but only after they draw—after all, good guys play by the rules) and avoid dispatching innocents. It's reminiscent of Sega's classic Bank Panic, but offers better graphics and more characters, along with added fun and depth. 19. Parachute Panic HD - £1.19, universal
It's tough for the parachutists in Parachute Panic HD. They leap from planes towards boats that won't stay put, and hazards range from UFOs and deadly helicopters to sharks only too happy to eat anyone who's careless enough to fall into the sea. The swipe-based gameplay is compelling, the controls are intuitive, and the soundtrack is both charming and funny. 20. Azkend - £1.79
Azkend eschews the typical match-game grid; instead, you drag paths to match shapes housed in hexagonal spaces. Along the way, a story unfolds that reveals talismans and power-ups to help you clear boards. Faster and prettier than Bejeweled, Azkend is perhaps a little easy to complete, but it still offers many hours of entertainment. 21. Rat On A Skateboard - £0.59
The third outing for Donut Games mascot Ratty sees him ditching his uncool scooter and instead getting all 'gnarly' and 'rad' doing various skateboard tricks. Gameplay-wise, Rat On A Skateboard is ultimately another one-thumb survival game with a few twists, but its various modes and great character make it an essential purchase. 22. Pac-Man Championship Edition - £2.99
When Pac-Man creator Tōru Iwatani returned to his yellow hero in 2007, the result was the astonishing Pac-Man Championship Edition, which turned a tired (if still amusing) arcade game into a high-octane and brilliant Xbox Live Arcade title. The iPhone release retains the game's addictive qualities, but adds a ton of extra content. Here's hoping semi-sequel DX arrives on the iPhone, too. 23. Cut The Rope - £0.59
One of the few games to challenge the chart domination of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope proves to be prettier and better to play than Rovio's title. The aim is to get the candy into the maw of small green dude Om Nom. This is done by manipulating ropes, pulleys and other systems, combining action and puzzle-solving, but without the annoying randomness of Angry Birds. 24. Linkoidz - £0.59, universal
Linkoidz is reminiscent of cult classic Magical Drop, itself an 'evolution' of popular match game Puzzle Bobble. You destroy aliens by matching three of them, or their weight eventually crushes your guy's shield and he's devoured. The hook is that instead of switching aliens Bejeweled-style, you suck one into your gun and fire it back. Fast-paced and great-looking, this is a hugely enjoyable iOS action puzzler. 25. Super Mega Worm - £0.59, universal
Super Mega Worm brings to mind cult film Tremors and pixelated 1980s videogames as you 'become the worm', terrorising all on the surface, to rid the planet of polluting humans. The challenge is relatively slight, but the game's humour and Game Center support means you'll regularly come back to it - and it's a hell of a lot better than the similar but tedious Death Worm. 26. Castle Smasher - £0.59
Although it looks similar to a simplified and angular Angry Birds, Castle Smasher plays rather differently. The game's firing mechanism (for lobbing stones at castles) is more precise, and you also have to defend your catapult guys against attacking knights. Randomly generated levels provide limitless gameplay after you work through the well-judged challenge levels. 27. Osmos - £1.79
At once resembling intergalactic conflict and microscopic warfare, Osmos is one of the strangest and most beautiful iOS games. Your 'mote' is propelled by ejecting pieces of itself, and the aim is to absorb motes smaller than yours and avoid those that are larger. Varying level types and utterly gorgeous visuals and soundtracks make this one of the finest games on the platform. 28. Piyo Blocks 2 - £1.79
Bejeweled has spawned a number of clones, the best of which is Zoo Keeper on the Nintendo DS. Piyo Blocks 2 is very similar, offering a fast-paced match game with several modes, including time attack, target capture, and more. Essential if you're a fan of the genre. 29. Axe In Face - £0.59
If Plants vs Zombies and Flight Control were mashed into a sticky pulp and uploaded to the App Store, the result would be Axe In Face. This charming line-drawing/castle defence game has Red Beard desperately defending his daffodil field from other Vikings, mostly by chopping off their heads with his magical axe. Getting through the game won't take you terribly long, but you'll be hard pressed to get more fun from 59p. 30. Beyond Ynth - £1.79
Beyond Ynth is a puzzle-oriented platform game which tasks a bug with collecting gems to bring back light to his kingdom. Each level comprises a number of 'boxes' that must be entered and correctly rotated in order to proceed; grabbing gems requires some serious puzzle-solving abilities, and one wrong move often means death by lava, ice or fire. Mercifully, the latest Beyond Ynth update does away with the 'start the level for the 50th time' mechanic, enabling you to rewind progress past errors. Even so, it'll take you many hours to grab those gems.
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| Microsoft pays WP7 developers ahead of schedule Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:07 AM PST  Microsoft has announced changes to the development process for applications for its Windows Phone 7 platform. Developers that have created applications for the new phone OS since October will be paid in January, ahead of the previously announced February schedule. Admittedly, it's only the last week in January, but we're used to writing about delays when it comes to phones, so a win's a win. Month by month Todd Brix on the Windows Phone Developer Blog said: "After January 2011, developer payouts will be processed on a monthly basis for all combined sales of Windows Phone 6.x and Windows Phone 7 apps for those developers who meet the minimum payout threshold limits." Other changes include upgrades to allow ad-enabled apps using the XNA framework, which means it will be easier to put advertisements in more graphic-rich environments. The app registration process has also been streamlined, which Microsoft says is now yielding a two-day approval rate for 91 per cent of developers. 
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| Weird Tech: Tweeting dogs, grumpy wallets and frickin' laser beams Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:00 AM PST  This week, NASA announced the discovery of an arsenic-based life form that ingests poison, doesn't resemble any normal life form and could mean that alien life not only exists, but looks terrifying. But enough about Gillian McKeith – we've got Weird Tech to do! Wouldn't it be great if your wallet could tell you that you were broke? In the days of real cash money, that was easy, but it's a bit more complicated with credit and debit cards. MIT's Proverbial Wallets may be the solution: "Tactile feedback reflecting our personal balances and transactions helps us develop a subconscious financial sense that guides responsible decisions," MIT says. Translation? Your wallet buzzes when you're broke. We particularly like the designed dubbed Mother Bear: the hinge won't open if you've spent all your money. A new dimension in fashion Clothes can say a lot about you – looking out of the window, an awful lot of them appear to be saying "I've got too much money!" – and with the arrival of AR Tees you too can look interesting when you appear on a webcam. In the real world, the design looks like a graphic of a TV; on camera, the TV actually works. We're not entirely sure why you'd buy a £24 T-shirt and essentially stare at yourself wearing it for hours on end, but then we don't really "do" fashion. Maybe that's what WAGS do all day.
Frickin' laser beams! To America, where Northrop Grumman is developing really clever ways to deliver fiery death. Its 100-kilowatt solid-state laser can fire at full power for more than six hours, which is more than long enough to turn a tyrant into toast.
LIMP: Is it us, or is it a bit disappointing that fiery death rays don't look particularly scary? [Image credit: Northrop Grumman] It's not ready for battle yet – it's not exactly portable and real weapons need to work 24/7 – but it's getting close: last year the laser could only fire for five minutes. Is that a Sonic Screwdriver in your pocket or… Good news for Doctor Who fans: Bristol University professor Bruce Drinkwater is developing an ultrasonic wave generator that can assemble parts and separate diseased cells from healthy ones.
MAKING WAVES: Never mind making rubbish screwdrivers: why can't boffins clone Karen Gillan? [Image credit: BBC] Will it open doors, detect land mines, repel enemies and control the TARDIS? "The engineers are now figuring out how to spin the ultrasonic waves… to undo screws." Scientists! You're not going to impress Amy Pond with that! The dog that goes tweet We've saved the best till last: Engadget's great review of Mattel Puppy Tweets, a collar that enables your mutt to add to the waterfall of nonsense we know as Twitter. "Wouldn't it be fun if your pooch could get in on those antics?" Tim Stevens asks. "No, as it turns out, it isn't all that fun at all."
DOGGY STYLE: A dog tweets. What next? A cat that moos? A cow that quacks? 
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| Review: Corner-A PhotoStyler 4.6 Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:00 AM PST  PhotoStyler has come a long way since we reviewed version 2.2, early in 2010. The developer has responded to criticisms about the interface and unMac-like appearance. This new release is far more intuitive and user-friendly, though a couple of niggles remain. It's an easy-to-use app for manipulating and correcting digital pictures. You can apply filters, crop the image, correct its colours, remove noise or scratches, add a frame, skew the perspective and more. Most filters are user-adjustable, so you can, for example, set the strength of an unsharp mask or the size and style of your frame, and they can be chained to create an overall effect. If you want to make your photo look old, give it a sepia tone, make the edges ragged or add an overlay to create a fingerprint or a coffee stain. More than 50 preset filter groups are supplied, and you can save your own for use. A few minor problems keep it from greatness. The interface, although more Mac-like and intuitive than before, still has idiosyncrasies. Adding captions is a chore and when adding a texture from the library, some might not realise you need an Overlay filter first. But if you can get past these minor problems, it's ideal for those who want more photo manipulation options than iPhoto offers. Related Links
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| Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:00 AM PST  Mac users often criticise Windows, but Microsoft's operating system has plenty of interesting features that would work well on the Mac. It just so happens that HyperDock brings some of them to Mac OS X, bundling setup options into a handy System Preferences pane. HyperDock's features cover window management and Dock addons. Some window management features ape Aero Snap in a manner similar to Irradiated Software's Cinch – drag a window to the left or right screen edge to make it cover half the screen; drag a window to the top edge to make it full-screen. You can also drag a window to the bottom edge to make it cover the bottom half of the screen. In addition, HyperDock enables you to drag and resize windows from anywhere by holding modifier keys and moving the cursor. For the Dock, HyperDock mirrors Windows 7's thumbnail previews, providing overviews of open windows, which can be accessed by a click or closed directly from the preview. Safari, iCal and iTunes optionally display tabs, events and the current track, respectively. This is less useful than the window management features, since Dock Exposé does much the same thing at least as elegantly. But HyperDock also provides custom shortcuts for each Dock item; you can define actions (New Window, Exposé and others) and assign a keyboard/mouse combination of your choosing. In use, HyperDock is stable, and options and exclusions enable you to deactivate components you don't use. And for only a little more outlay than Cinch, it offers far better value. Related Links
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