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• Review: Sony KDL-40NX713
• BT results show growth in DSL uptake
• WebOS tablet on show in Palm preview video
• Android Market web store goes live
• Google shows-off Honeycomb 3.0 OS for tablets
• Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination
• Yahoo responds to Windows Phone 7 data leak
• Murdoch: The Daily 'will make news financially viable again'
• Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers
• T-Mobile offering 'smoky violet' BlackBerry Curve 3G
• iPad-only newspaper The Daily launches
• Microsoft releases Chrome extension to support H.264 video
• Crysis 2 minimum requirements for PC surface
• Review: Asus Rampage III Gene
• Review: Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP!
• Vodafone will offer Xperia Arc and white BlackBerry Torch
• Nintendo boss says 3G 3DS is 'unlikely'
• Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations
• Nintendo president refuses to comment on Sony NGP
• Nokia MeeGo superphone on its way to MWC?
• In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo
• Ebook pricing investigation begins
• Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April

Review: Sony KDL-40NX713 Posted: 03 Feb 2011 01:02 AM PST Step up from Sony's mainstream EX TV range and you'll find the first of its 3D designer models. The NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. NX models come in a variety of sizes, from 32- to 55-inch; confusingly, there are no fewer than four 40-inch models (the NX803, 703, 503 and the 713 reviewed here) on offer. All you need to know is that this is the one to aim for, because it alone has Dynamic Edge LED backlighting (as opposed to regular edge LED) and MotionFlow 100 Pro processing. Anyone who's been shortlisting a new flatscreen recently will know that there's no shortage of LED TVs available, but not all are created equal. The LED iteration here is prefixed Dynamic because it offers a semblance of local dimming. Sony, rather inventively, says that it offers "GigaContrast" for the whitest whites and blackest blacks as a result. The 40NX713 is 3D-capable via an optional upgrade, which means that you'll also need to invest in the brand's TDG-BR100B Active Shutter glasses (a not inconsiderable £99 each) and the TMR-BR100 3D transmitter (around £50). The latter plugs into the rear of the TV. As befits the screen's networking nomenclature, Wi-Fi is built in. This is undoubtedly helpful if you don't have a wired connection to your viewing room. Connectivity is standard for a telly of this size. There's a Scart input (via adaptor) for your older kit (good news for those still using a VCR), plus four HDMIs (one of which is side mounted). It's worth noting that the rear inputs are side mounted into a slim recess, which rules out the most heavily insulated HDMI cables. There are also component and composite video jacks, stereo audio phonos and a D-Sub 15-pin PC input. Providing an outward-bound audio feed is a digital audio optical port. Other sundries include a USB port for local media playback, an Ethernet connector a headphone jack and an interface for a Conditional Access Module (CAM) for pay TV. Despite representing Sony's Networking range, the TVs media streaming feature rather flounders. It seems to recognise and stream only AVCHD files, although it will play MP3s across a network. Even better, it reads and displays cover art as well. Media file support from USB is better: the 40NX713 plays AVIs (with subtitle support) and MPEG4 files, but not, apparently, MKVs. Other niceties on the NX713 include a Picture Frame mode that can even read GPS location data. An insert graphic from Google maps pops up to reveal where snaps were taken. IPTV content is rapidly becoming a must-have feature on any respectable TV. The good news is that Sony offers a wide range of extra content via its Bravia Internet Video portal, as well as apps. From the set's XMB you can browse the BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, catch up on Sky News, or watch skateboarding kittens on YouTube and Daily Motion. There's also streaming video via LoveFilm and pay-per-view (PPV) movies from Sony's new Qriocity video streaming service. Need more? The BIV portal has a growing range of more esoteric, dedicated services including Blip TV, Ford Models, the Howcast network, Ustudio, Livestrong, Golf Link and Singing Fool. The NX713 also offers widgets (of a sort), a consequence of Sony's short-lived dalliance with Yahoo. Sony has now moved from this relationship, leaving this particular widget Gallery high and dry. Just as well, since they're slow to load and you can only run a handful before running out of memory. Compared to the extensive apps program run by Samsung, these are a non-responsive waste of time. Once the stand is assembled – a pleasingly swift job that involves a single screw into a cylindrical base bracket, upon which the TV sits snugly, with a second screw to anchor – navigating to the auto-tune setup menu is a doddle. It's at this point that you'll probably notice the set's only real oddity. The remote control has a single, solitary Power On/Off button on its rear. Quite why any remote zapper needs a secondary power button on its reverse side is a mystery. The XMB interface will be familiar to anyone who has purchased a Sony-branded vision product over the past few years. First seen on the PS3, it's now spread virus-like across the brand's products. This is all well and good, as it's easy to master. However it does become a tad confusing when you hook the TV up to a Sony Blu-ray player, AV receiver or PS3. It's often difficult to tell exactly what product's UI you're looking at. Beneath the hood, the screen is both simple and sophisticated. There are only three picture presets (Standard, Custom and Vivid). Yet dig into the setup menus and you'll find far more than the basics. There's a backlight Control slider, two flavours of adjustable noise reduction and variable MotionFlow options (Off, Smooth, Standard, Clear and Clear Plus), designed to prevent motion blur. It's worth noting that Sony rates power consumption as 142w when the screen is in Vivid mode, but only 97w when in the Standard setting. The set's programme listing is easy to navigate and features a live video window. The NX713 proves to be a demon on the test bench, acing trial after trial. Motion picture resolution is outstanding, and depending on the severity of MotionFlow picture processing selected, it's possible to preserve clarity right up to 1,080 lines. To hit these giddy heights, select either the Clear or Clear Plus modes (the latter robs the screen of some brightness). Despite this amazing detail retention, there are only slight predictive motion artefacts around moving objects, which in most cases will go unnoticed. Thankfully, it's not necessary to delve into the XMB to adjust the MotionFlow frame-rate settings, you can use the Option button on the remote; however, if you're using the screen with a Sony Blu-ray player you'll need to disable the CEC HDMI control, else the Option panel for the BD player will appear, rather than the one for the TV. One challenging test, featuring scrolling English and Japanese text, was brushed aside by the panel. At 100, 50 and 30 per cent luminance the moving characters remain perfectly legible with no smudging. This TV is also exceptionally smooth when it comes to pans. There's precious little cinematic judder, even with all the picture processing gubbins turned off; an artful sequence from Disney's Sleeping Beauty (Blu-ray) wherein Prince Charming canters behind a rocky outcrop, passes smoothly without incident or artefact. Engage MotionFlow and scrolling sequences are as smooth as can be, without so much of a smudge of halo artefacts. Another big surprise is just how good this set is when viewed off axis. Even at an extreme angle, there's no massive fall-off in colour or contrast. Indeed, the NX713 behaves much like an IPS (In Plane Switching) LCD screen. Naturally, the set has a Freeview HD tuner. This means subscription free high definition from BBC One HD, BBC HD, ITV 1 HD and C4HD is only ever a click away. While Freeview HD channels don't tend to stand comparison with Blu-ray, they are nonetheless free from the kind of macro-blocking and fuzz that makes standard Freeview look so rank. An HD transmission of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones is wonderfully detailed. On the debit side, the edge LED backlight is not particularly even, although there are plenty of worse examples on the market. Under most circumstances this flaw isn't particularly noticeable, but play a movie in letterbox format or catch a slow fade to black and you'll notice light pooling from the corners. The image presented here reveals just how uneven the backlight is, although taken with a slow shutter it does tend to emphasise the problem. Black levels and contrast, meanwhile, can be considered above average. So what's the 40NX713 like in 3D? The screen offers a couple of 3D adjustment controls. You can alter the brightness of the Active Shutter glasses, from Auto to High or Medium. There's also a depth adjustment tool, which has two plus or minus increments, either side of the default. Rather unhelpfully, when you elect to adjust this setting 50 per cent of the screen remains obscured by the menu, so you can't really see what you're doing. Unfortunately, none of the controls will help you dial crosstalk out of a 3D image. In the TV's default 3D setting, the church steeple at the beginning of Monsters vs Aliens has clear secondary spires. This image overlap can be fixed by adjusting for negative parallax using the Depth Adjustment tool, but then everything in zero or parallel parallax is thrown out of whack. Crosstalk remains an issue, regardless of how you tinker. On the sublime Blu-ray promotional edition of Avatar, double imaging effects are far less prevalent. They're there if you look for them, just not so intrusive. Of course, with precious little 3D content available, you might well be tempted to play with the set's real-time 2D to 3D converter. This takes any flat source, from over the air TV to discs and games, and dimensionalises it. The TV offers variable levels of simulated 3D depth, but even on the High setting you're unlikely to be impressed. Sony's 3D Active Shutter glasses are nicely designed and relatively comfortable (in an uncomfortable kind of way).Spectacle wearers will find them a tight fit, though. The 40NX713's audio performance is serviceable but thin, and stereo imaging is cramped, if not entirely monophonic. This is not surprising for such a slim TV design. Providing modest welly is a diminutive S-Force digital amplifier with a claimed 26w total output (this is derived from a 2 x 8w stereo output, plus a 10w subwoofer). Given that there's no real bass coming from the set, the term 'subwoofer' is a bit of a misnomer: it's more of a mid-bass plumper. For those that want to experiment, there is a selection of DSP modes: Cinema, Music, Live, Sports and Game. Ultimately, it's well worth augmenting the set with a separate sound solution when circumstances allow. Value When all's said and done, the 40NX713 is an outstanding flatscreen TV. Given that it's widely available for less than a grand, it can be considered rather good value for buyers seeking an above average 2D Full HD performer. In many ways, the 3D element appears to be an afterthought. Having to add an external sync transmitter seems awkward at best. With the best 3D content available, the set offers tangible depth, but the bugbear of crosstalk is always there if you look for it. You should regard the 3D component as a bit of fun, no more or less. The only significant negative in terms of picture performance is the uneven backlight, but then this has to be traded against the ultra-thin cosmetics. If it bothers you, perhaps you shouldn't be looking at edge-lit LED as a screen technology. Ultimately, we would rate the KDL-40NX713 as a great Full HD picture performer. Sony has an exhaustive range of flatscreen TVs, but you need to look up the range to find the best performers. It's here you'll find the KDL-NX713. What is really impressive about this screen is the clarity and the outstanding motion resolution of its images. This 40-incher offers first division picture processing. Pictures from Blu-ray are sensational and the HD channels offered by the Freeview HD are sharp and shiny. Across the board there's massive detail and precious few blurring artefacts. This makes the screen great for sport, video games and action movies. Sony is setting the standard in the IPTV content market. Its Bravia Internet Video portal has all the key attractions you'll want for bonus telly, while Qriocity and Lovefilm offer a wide range of premium PPV streaming movies. Oddly, where the set stumbles is with network support (ostensibly the raison d'etre for the range). Video file support across a LAN is poor, and is far from comprehensive even when you pull content from USB media. We liked The clarity of the 40NX713's HD images, and its superb moving picture resolution, blew us away. We were pleased with the extensive content offered through its proprietary Bravia Internet Video portal, as well as the integrated Wi-Fi and the stylish overall design We disliked The clumsy nature of the optional bolt-on 3D sync transmitter is bit of a shame, as are the crosstalk effects prevalent on 3D content. Inadequate file support across a network and the lack of MKV support from USB also let us down. Final verdict This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Related Links TVs@TechRadar - our new televisions channel TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee Related Stories Explained: How it works: the complete guide to HD Review: Sharp LC-37LE320 Review: AOC LE42K0D7D

BT results show growth in DSL uptake Posted: 03 Feb 2011 12:55 AM PST BT has announced it slatest financial results – and pointed to a significant uptake in broadband internet as a key reason for profits and cash flow that were up year on year. Revenue dropped for BT, a company that is investing heavily in fibre optic cabling in order to cope with the growing desire for superfast broadband. But it was DSL growth that was picked out by the company – with BT adding 188,000 net additions, its most in eight years, and claiming a 53 per cent market share. Ahead YOY "Profits and cash flow in the quarter were ahead of last year," said chief executive Ian Livingstone. "BT Retail had a good quarter with growth in business revenues and our highest share of DSL broadband net additions for eight years. "Openreach benefited from a stronger broadband market and growth in its copper line base. "BT Global Services is now expected to be cash flow positive this year, a year earlier than targeted. "These results show that we are making progress on a number of fronts. There is always more to do but our performance underpins our outlook for this year and the period to 2012/13." So, fibre may well be the future but for the time being copper wiring is still bringing in the bucks. Related Stories Flickr accidentally deletes user's 4,000 photos Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination

WebOS tablet on show in Palm preview video Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:54 PM PST A video hinting at the long-awaited HP Palm webOS tablet has poked out its head ahead of the rumoured launch next week. The brief nine second teaser posted on Palm's official YouTube channel shows very little but the sultry curves of a glossy device, with buttons on the rounded edges. Not exactly a lot to go on really is it? So how do we know that this is the HP PalmPad? Well, we don't, but we suspect it is, given that the HP "Think big, think small, think beyond" event is less than a week away on Wednesday 9th February. Perhaps on a big day for the possibilities of Android tablets and the huge iPad Daily announcement, HP and Palm just wanted to let us know it's still in the game. We'll find out next Wednesday. Related Stories In Depth: Android Honeycomb: 10 things you need to know

Android Market web store goes live Posted: 02 Feb 2011 11:56 AM PST Google has finally launched an official Android Market web store to allow users to buy and install applications directly from the internet. Market.Android.com is already live, featuring the full-range of applications available from the Android Market on a well-designed new website. Android owners will be able to download apps from the web store directly to their phone. without connecting to their PC, just by signing into their Google account. "No wires, no synching with computers, none of that sort of nonsense," said Android engineering director for cloud computing Chris Yerga at the launch in San Francisco. "Everything just works seamlessly syncing between the two." On a par with iTunes The new store answers the prayers of many Android owners who have been hoping for an iTunes-like web presence for apps since the platform's launch. The new site features a page specific to each app, serving up screenshots, preview videos, user ratings and related apps. There's also familiar tabs like top paid, top free and featured on the new site which is sure to make the best Android apps more visible to those considering a switch to Google's platform. The timing of the launch might be due to the incoming threat from Amazon's planned foray into the app sector with an independent Android App Store. More Market movements Other updates include the long-overdue ditching of the one currency system. It will allow users to get a clearer impression of what they're paying for their apps, while offering developers to set different prices for different international markets. In-app purchases are also on their way to the platform, meaning that developers will be able to offer upgrades, products and services from within the application without leaving to conduct business via the web browser. The launch of the new web store came at the Android 3.0 Honeycomb press event in San Francisco this evening. Related Stories White iPhone 4 to surface in March? Updated: Android 2.2 release date: when will you get it? In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo Nokia MeeGo superphone on its way to MWC? Yahoo responds to Windows Phone 7 data leak

Google shows-off Honeycomb 3.0 OS for tablets Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:42 AM PST Google has thrown down the gauntlet to Apple's iPad today by lifting the lid on the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, fully optimised for tablet computers. The OS, first previewed on the Motorola XOOM tablet at CES last month, was unveiled in all its glory at today's event from Google HQ in San Francisco. Big changes from the smartphone OS include new 3D graphics, multi-tasking, video chat, slick animations and a completely new interface that rivals the usability of Apple's iOS. Multi-tasking and notifications Initially, the homescreen is dominated by your apps, but offers a multi-tasking tab that brings up all of your running applications in an easy to navigate menu on the left hand side of the the screen. There's also a neat-looking non-intrusive notifications system which brings them into the bottom right hand side of the screen allowing you to act on them at your convenience. Likewise, key settings like screen brightness, media controls and connectivity can be accessed easily at the bottom right hand corner. 3D graphics and animations Perhaps the most impressive aspect of today's presentation from San Francisco shows a complete revolution of the UI with some seriously attractive animations and 3D graphics. Navigating around the interface is greatly improved over the mobile OS, with a series of gorgeous transistions that really adds a slickness not seen on tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab running Android 2.2. On the homescreen you can flick through 'bubbled' widgets which present multiple stories, videos, emails or books without entering the application, giving easy access to your important information without entering the app. Android 3.0 also showcases the new RenderScript 3D graphics platform which was best showcased by a new 3D video wall in YouTube and an exquisite page turning animation in the Books that makes the slickness of Apple's iBooks look a little passe. You'll also be able to drag and drop into folders. Applications Google also announced the "Application fragment" functionality which will allow developers to present information in panes, just like in iPad applications like Twitter and BBC News. In the Gmail application you can now open messages to the right of the folder, while pushing older tabs out to the left. Google thinks that it will allow developers to make apps more intuitive. CNN also took to the stage to debut a new massively-impressive application tailored specifically to the Android 3.0 platform. Google also showcased a new video chat application to rival FaceTime. New Android Market Google also used the event to announce the arrival of a new Android Market webstore, likely unveiled to combat the threat of the forthcoming Amazon Android App Store. Market.Android.com is live now. It's also ditching the reliance on the US dollar as the main means of pricing apps. Applications will be priced differently in different markets. Support for in-App purchases is also on the way for developers. Related Stories The Daily for iPad to launch on 2 Feb In Depth: 10 memorable milestones in tablet history Android 3.0 for more than just tablets, says Google T-Mobile G-Slate - LG's Android 3.0 tablet announced T-Mobile G-Slate - LG's Android 3.0 tablet announced

Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination Posted: 02 Feb 2011 09:35 AM PST Julian Assange, the controversial creator of Wikileaks, has received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from a member of the Norwegian government. The Nobel nominations are usually a closely guarded secret but it seems that a parliament member in Norway let it slip that Assange has his vote for the prize that celebrates notable folk who have strived in some way to promote peace in the world. October announcement While one nomination doesn't guarantee anything – thousands of people have the right to offer up people for proposal – it's interesting to see a man who has had such backlash from governments the world over get a name check for the prestigious award. In the end it is up to just five people, chosen by the Norwegian Storting, who select the winner from a list of candidates that has to be submitted by the 1 February each year. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in October. If it is indeed Assange, then he won't be the first controversial character to gain the award. Just last year, Liu Xiaobo a Chinese dissident was given the prize for his struggle to bring democracy to China. Related Stories Flickr accidentally deletes user's 4,000 photos Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers BT results show growth in DSL uptake

Yahoo responds to Windows Phone 7 data leak Posted: 02 Feb 2011 09:20 AM PST Yahoo has released a statement in response to Microsoft's announcement that the Windows Phone 7 3G data leak issue is linked to Yahoo Mail accounts. Microsoft revealed that the mail account was the culprit, while simultaneously confirming that a fix is on its way. Predictably, Yahoo is not too happy about being fingered for the job and has pointed out that the issue prevails only on Microsoft's mobile platform. Windows-specific The statement reads, "Yahoo! Mail is widely available on tens of millions of mobile phones, including those running on Apple iOS, Android, Nokia Symbian, and RIM. "The issue on the Windows phones is specific to how Microsoft chose to implement IMAP for Yahoo! Mail and does not impact Yahoo! Mail on these other mobile devices. "Yahoo! has offered to provide Microsoft a near-term solution for the implementation they chose, and is encouraging Microsoft to change to a standard way of integrating with Yahoo! Mail, which would result in a permanent fix." Microsoft is making enemies at every turn, it seems, with multiple spats with Google also making the news this week. On the plus side, it could find itself a new friend in Nokia, which may or may not be looking to manufacture handsets for additional OS platforms. Related Stories White iPhone 4 to surface in March? Updated: Android 2.2 release date: when will you get it? In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo Nokia MeeGo superphone on its way to MWC? Android Market web store goes live

Murdoch: The Daily 'will make news financially viable again' Posted: 02 Feb 2011 08:50 AM PST The Daily, the first iPad-only newspaper, has been launched in the US today and marks a new era of profitability for news gathering, believes its creator Rupert Murdoch. Speaking at the launch of The Daily, Murdoch looked positively enthused about his iPad-only product and the opportunities it offers, saying: "The Daily is not a legacy brand. It's not moving from print to digital, so this means that we can take chances." Murdoch is currently targeting the projected 50 million Americans that are set to own tablets this year, and believes that this digital format will be prosperous for news media outlets. "We can and must make the era of news gathering financial viable again," Murdoch explained. "There's no paper, no multi-million dollar presses, no trucks – so we are passing these discounts on to the reader, by offering The Daily at just 14 cents a day." Re-imagining news As for the his first stab at a digital only newspaper, Murdoch believes that this is a saviour of journalism, saying: "The iPad demands that we completely re-imagine our craft. "The magic of newspapers and great blogs lie in their serendipity and surprise, and the deft hand of their editor. The Daily will be the model for how stories are told and consumed." But it won't just be iPad only, with Murdoch noting that it will eventually be ported on to other tablets, explaining: "As other tablets get established we will develop the technology to get on them. We expect to be on all major tablets. But we see this year and next year belonging to Apple." There's no current UK release date for The Daily but you can bet Murdoch has a British version of the pape in the works and will want to get this out before other publishers get hold of App Store subscriptions. Related Stories In Depth: Macworld Expo 2011: everything you missed Copyright infringed movies for sale on Apple App Store Apple blocks Sony Reader app for iOS Gary Marshall: Apple won't kill the Kindle app

Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers Posted: 02 Feb 2011 08:40 AM PST Apple has insisted that the iPad subscription service being launched with The Daily from News Corp. will be available for other publishers "very soon." Apple's vice president of internet service, Eddie Cue, was asked about the availability of the brand new subscription model and when it would be rolled out to other people who wanted to offer magazines and content for iPad. "It's available today on The Daily, said Cue. "An announcement will be made very soon for other publications. "We have a great relationship with publishers and thousands [of publications] are available already andsubscription is only going to help get more customers." Welcomed, eventually The news will be welcomed by many publishers, who are keen to have a more integrated subscription method that makes selling periodicals easier. With The Daily being a US only publication, it will be interesting to see if the model is opened up soon enough for someone other than News Corp. to get out a subscription service for the iPad first in the UK. In the meantime, The Daily is being given a major head start in getting subscribers, with other publishers facing a frustrating wait until they can launch their own rivals. Related Stories Flickr accidentally deletes user's 4,000 photos Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination BT results show growth in DSL uptake

T-Mobile offering 'smoky violet' BlackBerry Curve 3G Posted: 02 Feb 2011 08:22 AM PST T-Mobile has revealed that it will offer the BlackBerry Curve 3G in an exclusive colour – "smoky violet." In that strange eerie world or make-up and paint where colours can't simply be colours, smoky violet may mean something to somebody, but we'd describe it as "a bit silvery-purpley". "With its violet hue set to be the 'must-have' colour for Spring/Summer, this BlackBerry Curve 3G is perfect for fashionista socialites on the go who like to match their mobile with their accessories," explains T-Mobile while we continue to look bemused. Like a winged witch in the sultry twilight The exclusive colour of BlackBerry Curve 3G sports a 2MP camera, 3G support (duh) and all the email functionality you would expect in a BlackBerry. Oh and it's a bit purpley too. Did we mention that? Nicola Shenton, Head of Device Portfolio at Everything Everywhere, comments: "The BlackBerry Curve 3G is a great choice for anyone who wants to keep in touch without compromising on style." The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone is available on contract or to buy on pay as you go. Related Stories LG Optimus 3D confirmed for Mobile World Congress Augmented Reality 'to be a $1.5bn business by 2015' Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Vodafone will offer Xperia Arc and white BlackBerry Torch

iPad-only newspaper The Daily launches Posted: 02 Feb 2011 08:11 AM PST News Corp has finally launched its iPad newspaper, The Daily, at an event co-hosted with Apple in New York. Available via Apple's iTunes store, The Daily will initially be available only in the US and is to cost 99c a week – which should translate to 79p in the UK when it is launched. The Daily will cover news with interactive features and videos, and is set to take on Virgin's iPad publication, Project. Hinting at expansion beyond the iPad, Rupert Murdoch said at the event, "The iPad demands that we completely reimagine our craft. "Our target audience is the more than 15m Americans who are expected to own tablets over the next year." Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who has taken leave from Apple for health reasons, was absent from the event. In his place was Apple's Eddy Cue, vice president of Internet Services. Related Stories Google Art Project brings StreetView to museums

Microsoft releases Chrome extension to support H.264 video Posted: 02 Feb 2011 07:25 AM PST Microsoft has hit out at Google over its decision to drop support for the H.264 video format by making available a Chrome extension compatible with the format. The Windows Media Player HTML5 Extension for Chrome will allow anyone using Chrome on Windows 7 to play H.264 video. A blog post written by Claudio Caldato of Microsoft's Interoperability Strategy Team, says, "At Microsoft, we respect that Windows customers want the best experience of the web including the ability to enjoy the widest range of content available on the Internet in H.264 format." Classy The same subtle digs at Google pervade throughout the post, which concludes saying by praising H.264 as "an excellent and widely-used video format that serves the web very well today." The head of Internet Explorer, Dean Hachamovitch, also commented, "Our support for H.264 results from our views about a robust web and video ecosystem that provides a rich level of functionality, is the product of an open standards process like the W3C's HTML5 specification, and has been free from legal attacks. "Microsoft is agnostic and impartial about the actual underlying video format for HTML5 video as long as this freedom continues." Earlier this week we reported on another scrap between the two companies when Google claimed that Microsoft-owned search engine Bing was copying Google search results. The Google V Microsoft spat is certainly hotting up - and the gloves are coming off.

Crysis 2 minimum requirements for PC surface Posted: 02 Feb 2011 06:59 AM PST The eagerly awaited minimum requirements for Crysis 2 have been published, and the good news is that you won't be needing to sell you car to buy a gaming rig capable of playing it. The original Crysis came to define the high-end gaming PC – with gamers desperate to get the kind of computer that could play the game at its highest settings. So, inevitably, all eyes were on the specs for the sequel – which again is aiming to blow our minds with its graphics, but has also been tailored around consoles as well. Moderate And the minimum specs are relatively moderate: you'll need an Intel Core 2 Duo 2Ghx processor or AMD Athlon 64 x2 2Ghz or better for your processor, and a minimum of 2GB of RAM. The game will take up 9GB of your hard drive and the all important graphics requirements are an Nvidia 8800 GT 512MB RAM or better. You'll also need Windows (XP or higher), so OS X or Linux users (or those people with Windows 2000) may not be engaging in suit-enhanced first person combat. Of course, to play the game on maximum seconds then you'll need a rig the size of a horse that sounds like a Harrier taking off when you switch it on, and a graphics card the size of the complete Encyclopaedia Britannica – but you knew that right? Related Stories In Depth: The hidden places where Linux dominates Netgear CEO: Steve Jobs' death will open up Apple Intel recalls Sandy Bridge processor chipsets Intel recalls Sandy Bridge processor chipsets

Review: Asus Rampage III Gene Posted: 02 Feb 2011 06:20 AM PST Maximum power in a minimalist package. That's what the new Asus Rampage III Gene is all about. But is it even a sensible idea to force-feed enthusiast-class performance and features into a small-form factor motherboard? Quite possibly, yes. Micro-ATX motherboards aren't hugely smaller than the ATX standard. What's more, the greater level of feature integration in the latest processors means motherboards themselves are simpler and require fewer components. Affordable high-ender Ultimately, however, what really counts are the features and performance on offer, not size. The Asus Rampage III Gene sports Intel's top CPU socket and chipset combo in the LGA1366 and X58. That means support for Intel's Core i7 processors, including the mighty six-core Gulftown chip. You also get USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps and a pair of 16-lane PCI-e graphics ports for multi-GPU action. At £170, it's even relatively affordable for a high-end motherboard based on Intel's X58 chipset. The full-size Rampage III Extreme costs nearly £300. Full-sized enthusiast boards based on Intel's premium X58 chipset cost a lot of money. Consequently, board makers feel obliged to weigh them down with a ton of features. The Asus Rampage III Extreme, for example, packs no less than four 16-lane PCI Express ports. In theory, that enables quad-GPU graphics action. In practice, you're paying for a feature that you will literally never use. Cramming it in With that in mind, the Asus Rampage III Gene has the makings of a perfect performance motherboard. The micro- ATX form factor means frippery isn't an option. Instead, Asus has focussed on the features that matter. Instead of four PCI Express graphics ports, you get two of them and support for both multi- GPUs platforms: NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire. Asus has also managed to cram in a full set of six DDR3 memory slots and even makes sure they don't fight with the graphics port for space. That's an achievement that eludes many full ATX motherboards. Space around the CPU socket for heavy duty cooling is likewise ample and hardware buttons for power, reset and clear CMOS are all present. As for performance, you'll struggle to spot the difference between this motherboard and a full ATX equivalent. That's because there really isn't any. That includes overclocking which tops out at around 220MHz on the baseclock and includes an absolutely comprehensive array of BIOS options. In terms of speed, 220MHz on the baseclock is right up there with any high-end X58 chipset motherboard and more than enough to extract the most from any LGA1366 CPU. Related Links TechRadar's Review Guarantee Read more motherboard reviews Related Stories Review: Zotac H55-ITX WiFi Review: Sapphire IPC-AM3DD785G Review: MSI H55M-ED55 Buying Guide: 8 best micro ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards Review: Zotac IONITX-P-E

Review: Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:20 AM PST Nvidia's original GeForce GTX 580 is a lightening fast card, and is the fastest thing on single GPU legs right now. So an overclocked version, like this GTX 580 AMP! from Zotac is surely going to be a beast. Buying a pre-overclocked graphics card though is like buying a car with all the options. You might not see a major performance gain, but you're safe in the knowledge that, in its class, your card is probably the best. The flipside, of course, is that pre-overclocked cards play on this perceived value, and the performance gain is rarely in line with resultant price-hike percentage over stock. These are margin-making products for board partners, and offer flagship performance in-class that influences the way we feel about the rest of the company's line-up. This is no great conspiracy; it's intelligent brand-management and it's been going on for years. Besides, building a custom board-and-BIOS platform in which to plop a GPU takes time, effort, and ultimately money. When you're dealing with a GPU as complex and intricate as the GF110, you have to take time to balance tolerances and get this stuff right. The already blistering GF110 isn't noted for its overclocking headroom, and Zotac's GeForce GTX 580 AMP! offers noticeably – though not vastly – higher component-speeds than the stock GF110-based GTX 580. Up from 772MHz to 815MHz (a 5.57% gain) on the core and from 4008MHz to 4100MHz (a 2.3% gain) on the memory, to be precise. The cooler is the standard GTX 580 reference unit – which in itself is anything but standard, with its innovative vapour-chamber design. Price-wise, you're looking at 16% premium over the cheapest stock GTX 580 we can find, against considerably lower performance gains. So is it really worth the extra outlay over a stock card? The GF110 GPU at the heart of the stock GTX 580 is the performance behemoth that Fermi should've been all along. Not that Nvidia's flagship GeForce GTX 480 was any kind of slouch, but it wasn't the order-of-magnitude leap that we'd hoped for over the 2-series cards. The 580 came along and changed all that, delivering at last the blistering framerates that Fermi had promised. The headline difference between the 480 and 580 – both essentially based on the same GPU – lies in the Streaming Microprocessor count. Initial GPU yields, so the rumour goes, were too low to create a product-line that hit the 580's numbers. With tweaks to the manufacturing process, Nvidia has now achieved those yields, and as a result, the 580's GF110 offers 512 CUDA cores to the GTX 480's 480 cores. Transistor-level refinements also mean that the GTX 580 actually draws less power than the GTX 480. In addition, excellent heat-transference is provided by a vapour-chamber cooler, which vaporises and re-condenses internal cooling-fluids to cycle heat away from the GPU. The Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP! edition ships with the same, super-efficient cooler as a stock 580, which translates into lower in-rig temperatures and considerably quieter operation than the last few generations of Nvidia card. It's a pretty nifty arrangement of whirligigs. The only real difference between the stock and the Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP! then, is the BIOS-tinkering which results in improved core-clock and memory speeds. It runs faster, but not tangibly hotter or noisier. And as the GTX 580 also outsrips the AMD competition in performance terms, the Amp! Edition's only real competition is with the stock GTX 580. Let's see how they fare in games-performance terms. The framerate gains for the pre-overclocked memory (4100Mhz) and GPU (815Mhz) tally pretty well with the rise in component speeds over the stock GTX 580. What's interesting is that, despite the higher speeds, there's no appreciable rise in noise. Naturally the GPU and memory are generating more heat than the stock card, but the reference-design vapour-chamber cooler whisks away the extra heat with aplomb, and there's no audible difference between the Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP! and a vanilla GTX 580. DirectX 11 tessellation performance: DirectX 11 gaming performance: DirectX 10 gaming performance: So what's not to like? The GTX 580 AMP! edition is an improvement on the fastest single-GPU card around, offering nearly 6% faster speeds at standard mainstream resolutions over the stock GTX 580 in DX11 applications. Given quite how demanding Tessellation routines are on graphics hardware at this stage, that's a welcome rise. Whether you should opt for this pre-overclocked edition is another matter entirely. Is money no object? A few frames-per-second here and there are barely discernible to the naked eye. The mere fact of knowing the card is faster than the reference design improves one's view of the card in itself, but in all practicality, the difference is fairly minor. Let's put it into context. Ever play an RPG where you gain a 5% damage bonus to your attack? You can't really feel that kind of difference, can you? It's not like going from a weapon that kills in two attacks to a weapon that kills in a single blow. We like the fact that, without further overclocking, this card is basically the fastest single-GPU card on the planet. But the matter of price is a point of concern for those of us without money to burn. At around £470, it's a whole £70 pricier than a standard GTX 580. That's a 16% premium for 6% more performance. It's not quite that cut-and-dried of course, but for us, those numbers don't add up to a reasonable value proposition. To further complicate matters, Nvidia's own GTX 480 – which is still a powerful, though hotter-running, high-end DX11 card – has been dropping in price since the GTX 580's inception. Examples can be seen for £255 at the moment, which is a fraction of the GTX 580's cost, let alone the Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP!, for a card which offers around 15% less performance. To rationalise this, think in terms of the price differential. 45% less money for 15% less performance? Almost sounds like a bargain, right? We like the GTX 580 AMP! edition. It's really fast, and that's what we want to see. But at this price, it's just a bit too hard to recommend, when you can have nearly-as-good for close to half the price. We liked: The GTX580's already legendary performance is boosted by some BIOS tweakery that re-sets the core and memory clocks to run faster. This translates around 6% performance gains across a variety of games. And that crazy-heavy cooler really does the business. We disliked: The price. For the performance benefits, £470 is just too much of a premium. Final word: The fastest card money can buy. Though rather too much money, in our opinion. Related Links Read more graphics card reviews TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee

Vodafone will offer Xperia Arc and white BlackBerry Torch Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:13 AM PST Vodafone UK has announced that it will be offering the Sony Ericsson Arc and an exclusive white Blackberry Torch. Vodafone will offer the white Blackberry Torch from 10 February, with the phone hue an exclusive for the network. The Torch boasts the same specs as the black version – and will be available without extra cost for people who sign up for two-year £35 a month contracts. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Another exciting announcement for Vodafone is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, which will be available in the near future. Also new to the Vodafone handset line-up is the sleek, Android 2.3-powered Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, explained Vodafone. "The device, which was unveiled at the start of the year, packs an incredible amount of technology into its slim design and will be joining the Vodafone smartphone range in the near future." The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is expected to be similar in specs to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, although without the PSP Phone hardware additions. Earlier today, 3 announced that it will range the Arc from April so it would be no surprise at all if Vodafone's release date was around the same time. Related Stories LG Optimus 3D confirmed for Mobile World Congress Augmented Reality 'to be a $1.5bn business by 2015' Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April T-Mobile offering 'smoky violet' BlackBerry Curve 3G

Nintendo boss says 3G 3DS is 'unlikely' Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:13 AM PST Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that a 3G version of the Ninentdo 3DS is "unlikely" to become a "viable option". Stating that he couldn't deny that the company has looked into the 3G possibilities, Iwata explained that Nintendo is loathe to pile additional costs on to its accessible, family-friendly products. Iwata explained, "The need to ask our consumers to shoulder monthly payments is not a great match for the entertainment that we are dealing with." Money, money, money While he appreciates that some people are willing to pay extra for more functionality, Iwata explains that the company's real issue is whether or not the added cost would be worth the extra benefits to the majority of its customers, particularly given that the 3DS already has Wi-Fi connectivity. These benefits would likely include the ability to download games and movies on the go and enjoy multiplayer games across the data network – the Sony NGP is set to offer these capabilities over 3G and Wi-Fi. Despite this, the bottom line seems to be that while 3G data requires a subscription cost, Nintendo is going to steer clear: "As long as we need to ask our consumers to pay additional costs every month, it is unlikely to become one of our viable options." Related Stories Updated: Sony NGP: everything you need to know

Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations Posted: 02 Feb 2011 04:50 AM PST Google accused Bing of stealing its search algorithms this week, which has prompted a small war of words between the search giant and the, well, search not-so giant. It turns out that Google has been adding gobbledygook to its search engine that, when searched for, will come up with one result. The problem is that these Googlewhacks also appear on Bing, which has prompted Google to point the finger and brand Bing as an "incomplete, stale version - a cheap imitation" of Google. Ouch. Bing has responded with its own blog, which tries to dampen any talk of algorithm plagiarism, explaining: "The Bing engineering team has been working hard over the past couple of years to deliver the best search relevance and quality in the industry and for our users. This is our top priority every day. Share and share alike "We use over 1,000 different signals and features in our ranking algorithm. A small piece of that is clickstream data we get from some of our customers, who opt-in to sharing anonymous data as they navigate the web in order to help us improve the experience for all users." It is, apparently, this "small piece of that is clickstream data" that is causing queries like 'juegosdeben1ogrande' and 'delhipublicschool40 chdjob' to come up with the same search results. Bing said about the accusations: "It's a spy-novelesque stunt to generate extreme outliers in tail query ranking. "It was a creative tactic by a competitor, and we'll take it as a back-handed compliment. "But it doesn't accurately portray how we use opt-in customer data as one of many inputs to help improve our user experience." In the end, Google is taking the moral higher ground, saying: "To all the users out there looking for the most authentic, relevant search results, we encourage you to come directly to Google. "And to those who have asked what we want out of all this, the answer is simple: we'd like for this practice to stop." Related Stories Flickr accidentally deletes user's 4,000 photos Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination BT results show growth in DSL uptake

Nintendo president refuses to comment on Sony NGP Posted: 02 Feb 2011 04:38 AM PST Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata has insisted that he will not be lured into a war of words over the newly announced Sony NGP, after a joke about the iPad was used against him last year. Iwata's latest baby – the Nintendo 3DS – is due for launch this year, but some of the shine was taken off the launch by Sony's decision to announce its PSP2, or the Sony NGP, soon afterwards. Iwata declined to comment on the NGP, however, because he feels journalists took his quotes out of context a year ago when he compared the new iPad to a large iPod Touch. "You may feel that I should share at least my own personal impressions," he told investors."...my first impression [of the iPad] was somehow misinterpreted and spread as if the president of Nintendo had discredited iPad by calling it, 'merely a bigger version of iPod touch'." "That incident made me realise that I must refrain from sharing even very frank first impressions." A different audience? Iwata did explain that he feels that the market will not be restricted to one portable gaming device, and that he was focused on making the 3DS great rather than worrying about other products. "Nintendo has been and will continue to be a company that does not think in terms of how to compete with other companies' products," he said. "Our only focus has always been, 'What kind of new proposals from the company will be able to capture the attention of even those who are indifferent to video games?' and 'How can the company create entertainment which has the potential to be appreciated by people regardless of age and gender?'" Surprise! "In the end, the question we are always asking ourselves is, 'How can we surprise people in a positive way?'" he continued "In reality, however, our products are sold on the same shelves as other products. But how each one of these products is to be sold in the market is up to the consumers who will decide which product seems more appealing to them, so I do not think I should comment on any other companies' products. "The only thing I may be able to say here is that other companies are trying to appeal to consumers in quite a different way than we do. "I am hopeful that several such products with different proposals shall be offered to consumers and that, as a result, the entire handheld game market will flourish more." Sounds like a very sensible stance to us. Related Stories Nintendo backtracks on 3DS eShop launch date Sony PlayStation Move heading to PCs Sony reveals PSone game conversion process British gaming industry needs schools to step up, says report Can Sony remotely bork your PS3?

Nokia MeeGo superphone on its way to MWC? Posted: 02 Feb 2011 04:37 AM PST A bug report may have let the Nokia superphone out of the MeeGo bag, thanks to a list of hardware specifications gleaned from the document. The bug report references a 1.6GHz processor (Intel made, of course), a NFC chip, 480 x 854 pixel resolution screen and high-speed HSPA+ data. Chips relating to an accelerometer, compass, proximity sensor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS are also mentioned in the report. MeeGolithic We recently saw some fuzzy shots of a Nokia tablet running MeeGo, although we'd wager these specs come from a smartphone rather than a slate device. Given that it's been over six months since Nokia and Intel announced their partnership, it's a definite possibility that we'll see the fruits of Nokia's MeeGo labours announced at Mobile World Congress 2011. Let's hope we'll be seeing something – anything – vaguely exciting from Nokia in Barcelona; a glimpse of a MeeGo superphone would do quite nicely. Related Stories White iPhone 4 to surface in March? Updated: Android 2.2 release date: when will you get it? In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo Yahoo responds to Windows Phone 7 data leak Android Market web store goes live

In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo Posted: 02 Feb 2011 04:02 AM PST Pitting iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo doesn't seem like a fair fight. It's akin to putting a couple of our TechRadar writers in a boxing ring with the Klitschko brothers. With Apple's iPhone/iPod/iPad OS, Google's Android, plus the Symbian, Microsoft and Blackberry platforms, do we really need any more pretenders to the mobile OS throne? Yes - because 'competition drives innovation' (or so the saying goes). Android improvements will make iOS better and vice-versa. While lower-league operating systems will have to work harder to stand out, they'll help to ensure that the big two don't get complacent. And yes again - because beyond the smartphone battleground, the next big tech confrontation is about to be fought on tablet devices. It's not just a straight iPad vs Android face-off, either. HP is prepping a good-looking 'PalmPad' running WebOS, and Nokia is looking to show off its mobile expertise in a MeeGo-powered tablet. Let's see how the four mobile platforms compare. iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo: interface Few would disagree that the iOS is a brilliant smartphone OS. It's cleanly-designed, smooth, fluid, incredibly intuitive and jammed with clever features. What you get with iOS is a consistent look-and-feel, whether you're using an iPhone 4, 3GS, iPod touch or iPad. It's defined by multiple homescreens (with a distinctive grid of application icons) and responsive multi-touch controls. Android is easily the best alternative to iOS, albeit still a little rough-around-the-edges on smartphones. Version 3.0 (Honeycomb) for tablets gives us a glimpse into the future of the platform: 3D-effect graphics, an onscreen menu bar, improved virtual keyboard, multi-tasking and effortless Google integration. You can watch the preview video here. FLY-OUT: Note the 3D menus on the Google Nexus S, which runs a pure version of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Palm, meanwhile, has a wealth of experience in designing fast and lightweight operating systems. Its WebOS (now on version 2.0) is surprisingly nippy and feels better designed than Android 2.2/2.3. Apps are launched by tapping icons on the pull-out 'Launcher' screen. They subsequently run in what Palm calls 'cards', separate program windows that you can switch between with a deft flick of your finger. Then there's MeeGo… Considering the current state of the operating system battle, you might think that MeeGo's survival chances are akin to a pedalo ramming an oil tanker. On tablets, MeeGo looks promising. The traditional icon-based screens are supplemented by an attractive 'panel' view, which filters what you've seen and done into streams - photos you've taken, videos you've watched, web pages you've visited, social media updates and so on. We're impressed. iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo: customisation You can customise the wallpaper on an Android phone and rearrange/prioritise the onscreen app icons (including gathering them together in folders). But it's widgets that are arguably Android's greatest advantage, enabling you to highly customise the look-and-feel of your mobile with at-a-glance micro-apps. Of course, the app icons in Apple's iOS can also be shuffled around and combined into folders. But you still have to launch the weather app to see whether it's going to rain… ORGANISED: Apple's iOS 4 on the iPhone 4 added small UI tweaks, most notably app-grouping in folders In WebOS, you can choose what icons appear in the Launcher and swap out the wallpaper, but there are no folders for easy app-grouping. Widgets aren't a native feature of WebOS, although you could argue that its notification system makes them irrelevant. MeeGo, meanwhile, looks to have similar customisation options, including Android-style widgets. iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo: web browsing/email Web connectivity is key on any smartphone or tablet and Android, iOS and WebOS all support the WebKit rendering engine within their browsers, delivering a fluid and fast internet experience. Meego's support for WebKit is unconfirmed at this point. Unlike Android and WebOS, iOS has no support for Adobe Flash. That said, this doesn't always negatively impact your browsing experience - iOS users can still watch YouTube videos and stream shows via the BBC iPlayer. Instead, Apple has put its weight behind HTML5, which is also embraced by Android and WebOS. In terms of email juggling, both Android and iOS say 'yes' to unified inboxes, threaded email and Microsoft Exchange support (although Android has fewer security features). WebOS had a unified inbox from day one, ditto threaded emails and MS Exchange. iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo: performance and multi-tasking Palm's WebOS offered multi-tasking from launch. But if you bought the first Palm Pre, the 600MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor inside didn't allow you to make the most of it. Palm rectified that problem with the Pre 2 and its 1GHz CPU. Similarly, any WebOS-powered tablet should zip along. ON THE CARDS: WebOS offers excellent multi-tasking and app-switching using an innovative 'cards' system Android is the next best thing (with judicious use of a task-killer), followed by iOS. Apple has been criticised for not offering true multi-tasking. Instead, iOS 4 suspends apps in the background or offers limited functionality. You can run a radio app in the background or stay signed in to Skype. But it's a resource-saving approach compared to WebOS and Android. iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs Meego: app stores Apple blazed the trail as far as online software selling is concerned and iOS easily wins any 'who's got the most apps?' contest. Distimo ranks the iOS App Store top with over 314,000 free and paid apps; Android is second with over 135,000 apps; and Palm is way behind with just over 5,200. While Intel's AppUp Store has over 2,000 apps, most of these are for Windows XP/7 netbooks. RECOGNISE: MeeGo is still baking in the Intel/Nokia oven, but early shots show a familiar menu system While iOS wins out comfortably, there's a question over whether it's right just to compare raw numbers. Put it this way: there's a lot of rubbish available on the App Store. But you could argue (and we do) that Apple provides a better buying experience, easier store navigation, an effortless payment system and a rapidly expanding games library. The classic counter-argument is that iOS is a 'closed' and restricted environment compared to the 'open' (or 'anything goes') Google model. Anyone can build an app for Android and they don't have to jump through the hoops of an approval process to do so. Consequently, Android and WebOS can both install applications outside their official marketplaces. But the App Store still casts a significant shadow. Palm has recently revamped its App Catalog to appear more Apple-like, but the platform continues to suffer from a lack of developer support. The same problem awaits MeeGo and, in the short-term, this will make it difficult for it to gain momentum. It's a classic Catch 22 situation: developers don't want to produce apps for a small user base; but you need more apps to encourage more people to buy the hardware… iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo: updates Few would argue that Android has made the biggest strides forward since it first launched. It's easy to forget that the original 1.1 release didn't have features like video recording, turn-by-turn navigation, widgets, tethering or Wi-Fi hotspot functionality. But the pace of Android development has left the market fragmented - some devices run 1.6, others 2.1 or 2.2. New Android updates are often delayed for the majority of users. Not because Google is slow to release them, but because smartphone manufacturers have enhanced Google's software with their own UI tweaks and so need to recode and retest them. HTC customises Android with the Sense UI; Samsung modifies it with TouchWiz; while Motorola bakes in MotoBlur. Only the two Nexus devices have featured a pure version of Google's software. The next update, provisionally codenamed 'Ice Cream Sandwich', will probably take some of Honeycomb's features and squash them into the smartphone OS. SNEAK PEEK: Could this be the first glimpse of a Nokia tablet running MeeGo? Apple updates its iOS platform less frequently. But when it does, the availability of the new firmware becomes an event that ranks up there with a hardware launch. And speaking of hardware launches, expect four/five finger multi-touch in iOS 4.3, while a future iOS 5 in a future iPhone 5 could include: NFC mobile payments, improved notifications, wireless syncing and a 'close all apps' button… WebOS has seen 10 updates since its launch in June 2009 and original Pre and Pixi devices now run version 1.4.5. Version 2.0 debuted on the Pre 2 but is expected to be rolled out to older devices during 2011. HP has big plans for WebOS. We should know what they are in February. As for MeeGo, this intriguing blend of Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo is still waiting for a full commercial release. But the clock is ticking… In conclusion The battle for smartphone supremacy is bigger than iOS vs Android. The battle for tablet dominance is greater than iPad vs Android-powered Motorola Xoom. But just how many operating systems can the mobile market support? More importantly, how many operating systems will the gadget-buying public tolerate? PALMPAD: HP believes that WebOS is perfect for a tablet form factor The four-way ding-dong that is iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo is actually a six-way showdown. RIM's striking PlayBook device shows that the company is keen to give Blackberry addicts a bigger-screened option, while Microsoft's Windows 7 will be forced into tablet form factors whether we want it or not. The Windows Phone 7 OS would be a much better option. If the mobile market can only support three or four operating systems then some of the software here is doomed to fail. It's unlikely to be iOS or Android, and Microsoft will remain a big player. Similarly, RIM's success in the phone business suggests that it won't be driven out by a newcomer. So does that mean it's curtains for WebOS and Meego? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories White iPhone 4 to surface in March? Updated: Android 2.2 release date: when will you get it? Nokia MeeGo superphone on its way to MWC? Yahoo responds to Windows Phone 7 data leak Android Market web store goes live

Ebook pricing investigation begins Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:51 AM PST The Office of Fair Trading is investigating how ebooks are priced after receiving "a significant number of complaints". The complaints pertain to pricing arrangements between book publishers and retailers which could breach competition rules. Wary of its downloads going the way of the music industry, book publishers in the UK have tended to set their own pricing rather than allowing retailers to decide how much to charge for the digital download. You can't buy a second-hand ebook Retailers take a percentage of that price, but it means that pricing is stagnant throughout the ebook market with minimum pricing set relatively high. The OFT released a statement which said, "The OFT has opened an investigation into whether arrangements that certain publishers have put in place with some retailers for the sale of ebooks may breach competition rules. "The investigation is at an early stage and it should not be assumed that the parties involved have breached competition law." With the rise of the tablet making ebooks ever-more prolific, it's understandable for the publishing world to want to protect its products and profits. But, ultimately, if ebook pricing isn't competitive then it's the consumer who will lose out. Related Stories Amazon Kindle ebooks outselling paperbacks

Internet Explorer 9 growing fast, despite beta tag Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:40 AM PST Microsoft's internet Explorer 9 beta has been downloaded 23 million times, and now accounts for 0.5 per cent of all internet users worldwide, according to Net Applications. Although it is still in beta – IE9 has proven a hit for Microsoft as it looks to offer a 'more beautiful experience'. IE8 currently accounts for 34.17 per cent of users worldwide, but Microsoft is wary of its browser market share being eaten in to by the likes of Google's fast growing Chrome browser. Chrome 10 per cent Indeed, the same NetApplications report points to Chrome breaking the 10 per cent of the market barrier for the first time in January with a 0.72 per cent growth, although Internet Explorer 8 showed stronger growth in the same period (1.18 per cent). "We are pleased to see users continue to leverage Windows 7 capabilities together with IE9 for a more beautiful web experience,"blogged Roger Capriotti – director of Internet Explorer product marketing. "On Windows 7, Internet Explorer 9 already accounts for 1.82 per cent of users worldwide." Microsoft's delight at the latest figures is understandable, with IE9 being a key launch for the company as its browsers come under pressure. Of course, other analytics companies reports may tell a different story. StatCounter figures from early January suggested that Firefox had overtaken Internet Explorer in Europe. Related Stories Flickr accidentally deletes user's 4,000 photos Bing responds to Google's search-stealing accusations Apple: subscriptions for iPad available soon for publishers Wikileaks founder Assange gets Nobel Peace Prize nomination BT results show growth in DSL uptake

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:26 AM PST The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc will be winging its way to the UK this spring, with Three announcing it will be stocking the handset as of April. The Sony Ericsson Arc is powered by Moses a 1GHz processor, has Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and is a mere 8.7mm thick. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was one of the stars at CES 2011 mainly due to the fact that Sony seems to be packing other parts of its company into the device. Arc de triomphe For a start there is the Mobile Bravia engine – a scaled down version of what is in the company's TVs - which adds a touch of smoothness to video playback. Then there is the 8.1MP camera that has a digicam-poached Exmor R sensor. As it runs Android 2.3, the handset will also be compatible with the PlayStation Suite when it is released. Other specs include: a 4.2-inch capacitive touch screen with Reality Display, HDMI connectivity and HD Video Recording (720p/30fps) with Face Tracking. Three may have teased that it is bringing the handset to the UK, but there's still no word on tariffs or pricing - hopefully this will come at Mobile World Congress 2011. Related Stories LG Optimus 3D confirmed for Mobile World Congress Augmented Reality 'to be a $1.5bn business by 2015' Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Vodafone will offer Xperia Arc and white BlackBerry Torch T-Mobile offering 'smoky violet' BlackBerry Curve 3G

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:26 AM PST The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc will be winging its way to the UK this spring, with Three announcing it will be stocking the handset as of April. The Sony Ericsson Arc is powered by Moses a 1GHz processor, has Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and is a mere 8.7mm thick. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was one of the stars at CES 2011 mainly due to the fact that Sony seems to be packing other parts of its company into the device. Arc de triomphe For a start there is the Mobile Bravia engine – a scaled down version of what is in the company's TVs - which adds a touch of smoothness to video playback. Then there is the 8.1MP camera that has a digicam-poached Exmor R sensor. As it runs Android 2.3, the handset will also be compatible with the PlayStation Suite when it is released. Other specs include: a 4.2-inch capacitive touch screen with Reality Display, HDMI connectivity and HD Video Recording (720p/30fps) with Face Tracking. Three may have teased that it is bringing the handset to the UK, but there's still no word on tariffs or pricing - hopefully this will come at Mobile World Congress 2011. Related Stories LG Optimus 3D confirmed for Mobile World Congress Augmented Reality 'to be a $1.5bn business by 2015' Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK release date: April Vodafone will offer Xperia Arc and white BlackBerry Torch T-Mobile offering 'smoky violet' BlackBerry Curve 3G

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