Techradar

Samsung refutes Galaxy Tab return claims
Review: Nokia C6-01
T-Mobile nabs LG Optimus Black
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British hacker admits stealing virtual poker chips from Facebook
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LG Optimus 3D coming to Vodafone
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Video: Epic's Duty Calls FPS war game spoof is marketing genius
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Gaming boosts Sony's profits, no thanks to TVs
iPad 2 apparently spotted at The Daily launch
Hands on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review

Samsung refutes Galaxy Tab return claims

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 02:48 PM PST

Samsung has issued a statement, hitting back at claims that 15 per cent of Galaxy Tab buyers are returning the tablet.

Clearly miffed by reports on Wednesday that almost a fifth of US buyers had asked for their money back, the Korean giant moved fast to clarify that the real figure was closer to 2 per cent.

The contrite statement says: "The return rate of the Galaxy Tab in the US as claimed by an North American market research firm is incorrect. According to Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business the return rate is below 2 percent."

"Quite small"

The reports, which emanated from a Wall Street firm were the second PR shocker for the Android running tablet in the last couple of weeks.

Samsung executive Lee Young-hee was embarrassingly misunderstood last month when he said that sales were "quite smooth." A translation of the conversation ended up saying they were "quite small." Ouch.

The revised 2 per cent figure quoted by Samsung would bring it directly in line with the return rates for the Apple iPad. If only the sales figures were equally similar...

Review: Nokia C6-01

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 10:48 AM PST

Overview and design

The Nokia C6-01 is the cheapest Symbian^3 handset to date - it's a definite update to the likes of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, and also comes with a relatively large amount of technology under the surface too considering its smaller dimensions.

Considering that the Nokia C6-01 is the cheapest of the Symbian^3 offerings from Nokia at £279 direct from Nokia or free on contract, the build quality appears and feels more akin to that of some of it's E-Series predecessors, while its price tag is nearer that of the old Nokia 5800.

The power button has been moved from the top of the device, as is usual on Nokia phones, to being combined with the Call End button. This could be initially confusing, but it improves the phones aesthetics.

The first thing you note visually is the metal outer build, with the chrome screen surround and metal rear casing providing a feel of quality. One thing that lets this down, however, is the stepped difference in width between the chrome front and metal rear casing, which makes it feel a little cobbled together and slightly uncomfortable in the hand.

Nokia c6-01

The Nokia C6-01 shares its processor with the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8, but has a slightly smaller 3.2-inch display, meaning that it's not quite as wide or tall.

Nokia c6-01

Despite that, it's the thickest of the Symbian^3 offerings at 13.9mm, and feels like the heaviest even though Nokia's specs disagree, stating 131g. The rounding of the rear cover does help to reduce the impact of this increased thickness, but the weight is something you just have to get used to.

If you compare the Nokia C6-01 (103.8 x 52.5 x 13.9mm, 131g) to other makes of smartphone, you will find that although it has a smaller profile than the Apple iPhone 4 (115 x 58.6 x 9.3mm, 137g), Samsung Galaxy S (122.4 x 64.2 x 9.9mm, 118g) and the HTC Desire HD (123 x 68 x 11.8mm, 164g) due to its smaller screen size, it is the thickest.

Nokia c6-01

Switching from physical size to memory capacity, the Nokia C6-01 is the first Symbian^3 device to have no internal mass storage, relying on 340MB of phone memory and a microSD card slot capable of supporting up to an additional 32GB, although the Nokia C6-01 provided with a 2GB card.

In some ways, this does seem a little miserly based on the current low price of microSD memory cards, but something is better than nothing. Insertion and removal of the memory card is easy, yet secure, requiring the removal of the battery compartment cover to provide access to the card slot located on the right side of the phone.

Access is further aided by sculpting around the card slot to support insertion/removal with larger fingers.

Nokia c6-01

The method of locking/un-locking the phone is the same as all other Nokia touch phones, utilising either a slider on the right-hand side of the phone or a soft button appearing after tapping the dormant display.

One positive in our opinion is that the Symbian^3 series of devices share the same GUI and software updates in most cases, providing a common feel to the range.

Interface

The interface seen on previous Symbian 60 Version 5 devices can be recognised in the Nokia C6-01's Symbian^3, which provides a familiar feel for existing Nokia users, although Android and Apple users may see this as old and out-dated.

The statement from Nokia has been that although the user interface appears similar to older devices, the new devices have greatly improved functionality beneath the surface.

Some of these improvements include three user configurable Home screens, long-press interaction, kinetic scrolling and improved swiping, and capacitive screens.

The relatively small screen size of the Nokia C6-01 is implemented very well – the difference only becomes apparent when it is viewed alongside a larger-screen device, such as the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8.

Even then the only real difference is a fractional reduction in icon and text size to fit the standard Symbian^3 interface to fit the smaller screen.

Nokia c6-01

One negative is that the reduced GUI does result in a slight reduction in the size of the on-screen keyboard, which could cause issues for the larger fingered.

Although we had no issues with the font size, any worries can be mitigated by the inclusion of Font Magnifier in the Tools folder although a one-off data connection is required to obtain a free lifetime licence. Once the licence is enabled, font size can be increased/reduced as required.

Although this application sits a few levels down in the phone folder structure, it is correctly located in the phone settings. However, we've no idea why this isn't automatically included in the software - something Nokia often seems unwilling to offer out of the box.

Nokia c6-01

Another improvement over Nokia's older S60v5 phones in Symbian^3 is that the Nokia C6-01 has three user-customisable Home screens which you can move between with either a sideways swipe on the screen or tapping the icons at the bottom of the display, which shows three spots to identify which Home screen you are currently on.

When you enter the main menu you will see the customisable folder structure that Nokia devices have incorporated for many years - some will like this, but many will see it as outdated and in need of an upgrade; it just depends on your perspective.

Nokia c6-01

One other nice feature of the Symbian^3 OS is the graphical Task Manager, which enables you to quickly switch between open apps or to close one or all apps depending on if you tap or long press the 'X' on an app view. This is all accessible with a long press of the Menu button.

Contacts and calling

Within the Contacts app, a number of subtle improvements have been made from the application offered on S60v5 devices.

Integration with the Social app enables you to link friends' details in the Contacts app with Twitter and Facebook accounts. You can use a profile picture from either service as the contact's image in the Contacts app, and you can navigate to the Social app directly from a contact entry. You're limited to one Twitter and one Facebook account per contact, which is a standard situation found on a number of handsets.

The integration and application are the same as that offered in the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8, which has been somewhat improved since the original release of these devices thanks to improved rendering and direct linking to the profiles.

The main disappointment is that the Social app opens as a separate app, reducing the feel of integration. This issue has been somewhat reduced in the latest update to the Social app, which provides Facebook and Twitter updates within the Contacts app, although the Social app needs to be running in the background with a constant data connection - it's certainly not in the same league as the likes of HTC's Sense platform.

Nokia c6-01

Although this is an improvement, there is a way to go the reach the integration provided by the likes of the Vodafone 360 service.

Maps integration brings with it the ability to add two modes of address detail to each contact; Standard postal address and map location using 'Select from map' for quick directions from the Contacts app.

There is also a 'My Card' line at the top of the Contact list, which enables the user to set their personal details for quick sharing with others via Bluetooth, SMS message or e-mail.

Nokia c6-01

Another nice carry over from the S60v5 on the Nokia N97 is 'Favourite Contacts' which sit at the top of the contacts list for faster access. Another development deriving from a mix of the N97 and 5800 is the Contacts Home screen widget, which provides the user with a horizontal bar capable of supporting an scrollable list of contacts, while displaying four contacts at any one time.

The downside is that changing Home screens does not permit a change of Contacts bar contents so that the Home screens cannot be setup as Home contact and Work contact views.

One obvious change when transitioning from S60v5 Nokia devices to the new Symbian^3 range is the Call screen, which provides the user with alphanumeric contact selection alongside standard calling without the need to open the Contacts app. Additionally, the call log can be quickly accessed through a long press of the green Call button, providing access to missed calls and dialled numbers.

Nokia c6-01

A tap on the 'Options' soft button provides the user with a number of other useful features, including recent calls, your contacts list, speed dial, contact search, editing options (for pasting in a name or number) and call settings (which are the same as in the main Settings menu, but faster to access).

When it comes to making calls, the Nokia C6-01 shares its high-definition call capabilities with the rest of the Symbian^3 range. While testing the phone, no call or reception issues were encountered no matter where we were or who we were talking to.

The Nokia C6-01 supports MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA, AMR-NB, AMR-WB ringtone formats for when the call arrives.

Messaging

Messaging options on the Nokia C6-01 include standard text and multimedia along with push email and social networking over Twitter and Facebook using the Social app.

All of these methods have associated Home screen widgets that provide quick access to new messages however they arrive. One noticeable missing communication format is instant messaging (IM).

All we need now is for Nokia to catch up with the likes of Vodafone 360 or the Messaging app in BlackBerry OS 6 device such as the Bold 9780, which link the messaging methods together to enable the user to respond any way to any received communication.

Nokia c6-01

The Messaging app on the C6-01 already provides a chat-based view, but this is limited to text and multimedia messaging.

One of the most useful Home screen widgets is the Notifications app, which informs the user of new missed calls and received text and multimedia messages, but not emails.

As a result, the Home screen of the Nokia C6-01 for the communication savvy will contain the Favourite Contacts, Email, Social (Twitter and Facebook) and Notification widgets.

The main limitation is that a separate email widget is required per email account, meaning that for those with many accounts, one Home screen may be limited to emails alone - this is another point where the Nokia UI is miles behind the likes of the unified inboxes of the BlackBerry range or even a number of Android phones.

When it comes to the email app, you're presented with auto setup for Ovi Mail, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, BT Internet, Virgin Media, web-based mail services (supporting both POP3 and IMAP), along with Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Traveler.

Once the email app is set up, the QWERTY keyboard will become much more important.

Nokia c6-01

In our opinion, the first thing to do is the go to the Ovi Store and install Swype to provide a more comprehensive third-party landscape keyboard, which has been developed closely with Nokia - we don't know why it isn't included when Samsung and Motorola are easily adding it in to their new ranges.

Nokia c6-01

Internet

When it comes to the Internet app on the Nokia C6-01, there is no outward difference to previous Nokia touch device web browsers other than increased responsiveness and pinch-to-zoom functionality.

A quick visit to the web browser settings enables the user to decide if the app opens to a website or the bookmarks screen. We prefer bookmarks because the browser does not use any data on initial opening that way.

When on the bookmarks screen three soft icon buttons are available at the bottom of the screen above the Options and Exit buttons. The left-hand icon opens a bookmark creation screen, while the right-hand button shortcuts to the settings.

The most useful of the three is the middle button which provides quick access to web address and quick search entry, with the options for default search engine based on the country set during initial phone set up.

Nokia c6-01

As with other Symbian^3 devices, the browser supports full resolutions web imagery rather than limiting access to the mobile web. This does, however, increase the amount of data usage. Within the page set-up screen, there is the option to choose which content is loaded to reduce data usage providing the options of 'Text only', 'Images (no Flash)' or 'All'.

Some useful features once a web page is loaded are 'Homepage' (if set), 'Find keyword', 'Subscribe to feeds', 'Switch Windows' and 'Send.

Nokia c6-01

Another useful inclusion in the browser is an RSS feed reader, which provides a Home screen widget for every subscribed feed with a user configurable refresh period. The only negative is that this functionality requires the user to tap on the three bar menu button to see if 'Subsc. Feeds' is available to subscribe to the site's RSS feed - it's certainly not as intuitive as it could be.

Once subscribed, the feed can be accessed either through the three bar (menu) button while browsing, 'Options>Go to>Web feeds', or directly from a specific RSS widget on the Home screen.

Nokia c6-01

As a whole, we find the default web browser competent and prefer it to the third-party alternatives, although this can often be a case of personal preference.

For those that dislike the default browser, Opera offers Opera Mobile, which provides a shared favourites with its PC software, although in our opinion the once acclaimed dedicated QWERTY keyboard included feels more fiddly than the default alternative.

When we compared the speed of opening the TechRadar website the default browser repeatedly opened the site around 30 per cent faster than Opera's alternative.

Camera

Nokia c6-01

The Nokia C6-01 eight-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera makes for a very capable image and video capture device, exceeding the capabilities of many of its competitors, including both the Apple iPhone 4 and Samsung Galaxy S with their 5MP cameras.

When you enter the settings screens, you're welcomed with a plethora of configuration options including geo-tagging, face recognition and user-selectable self timer, colour tone, white balance, exposure, light sensitivity (ISO), contrast and sharpness.

Although you have all of these options, you will find that leaving default auto mode settings provides sufficient image quality in most cases.

Be aware, though, that geo-tagging, video stabilisation (video) and face recognition (camera) are not enabled by default. This options list is somewhat shorter than that available on the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8, but will suffice for most circumstances.

The following images were taken on the C6-01 and have had no modification post capture. All EXIF data is still intact.

Nokia c6-01

Click here for full-res version

AUTO AT MEDIUM RESOLUTION: If you want to take high quality images without taking too much space on the limited memory card then the default settings more than suffice

Nokia c6-01

Click here for full-res version

LANDSCAPE MODE AT HIGH RESOLUTION: Some may see the colours in this image as a little washed out, but they are honest, providing the true colours from the point of capture

Nokia c6-01

Click here for full-res version

LANDSCAPE MODE AT HIGH RESOLUTION AND MAXIMUM ZOOM: This picture was taken from the same position as the last one, but with maximum zoom showing a reasonable degree of digital zoom. This is a nice feature, although it only does what cropping the image would do afterwards to some degree

Nokia c6-01

Click here for full-res version

AUTO AT HIGH RESOLUTION: This image shows the level of contrast you can achieve with the phone in standard mode

Once you've taken your photographs, you can use the pre-installed Photo Editor to rotate, resize, crop, apply manual or automatic red eye reduction and tune (automatic or manual brightness, contrast, highlights, shadows, RGB, saturation, sharpness and denoise adjustment) along with adding filter effects (colour styles, arty styles and filter styles).

A nice touch in the effects menus is that you can cycle forward and backwards through the styles (effects) and show a live adjustable split image; top half original, bottom half preview of the style.

Along with these serious image modification options come a number of more fun editing options including clipart, face distortion, framing, drawing, stamping, bubble text and animation.

Nokia c6-01

Some will see the dual-LED flash as a limitation, when compared with Xenon flash devices, but this has provided Nokia with the opportunity to provide users with a flash light during video recording for low light videoing and torch functionality in normal use, where the LEDs are turned on/off with a prolonged slide of the lock/unlock slider - a really nice touch and well thought-out feature.

Video

Although some Nokia technical specs list the Nokia C6-01's video capture as VGA, a quick visit to the video settings identifies that it is actually capable of HD 720p video.

nokia c6-01

Other things to note are that video stabilisation and geo-tagging are provided in video capture mode along with the ability to manually set white balance, colour tone and set for low light or night recording, although these can all be left in auto mode.

Images and video taken on the Nokia C6-01 are good enough for just about any casual use, with the only limitations being the capacity of the users microSD card and the lack of physical zoom, which can be partially mitigated by image cropping since few users will need to blow their pictures up to sizes that would cause pixilation.

Disappointingly, unlike the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8, there is no pre-installed video editor on the Nokia C6-01. Our frustration is that there must have been a decision to remove this function, since the C6-01 is the first Symbian^3 device to not have one.

Media

The media capabilities of the Nokia C6-01 include the pre-installed Music Player, FM Radio, Picture Viewer and Video Viewer apps. These are accompanied by third-party web video applications including CNN, National Geographic, Movie Teasers, E! and YouTube.

Nokia c6-01

When it comes to the Music Player app, the first thing you need to do is install Ovi Player or Ovi Suite onto your PC to aid in managing your music and its transfer to your phone.

Nokia does provide the option to copy music files onto the device and then select 'Sync Library' in the music player to import the transferred files into the music library, but using the PC applications for the file transfers is much simpler and more reliable.

The formats supported on the Nokia C6-01 are MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA, AMR-NB, AMR-WB.

One thing that should be noted is that music management is still a long way behind that of Apple iTunes and Microsoft Zune, although a great deal of progress can be seen between S60v5 and Symbian^3 devices.

The main limitation you will note is the lack of 'Album Artist' information and the inability to hide files, such as MP3 ringtones, recordings and alarms, that you do not wish to appear in the music player.

Nokia c6-01

The FM Radio supports 87.5-108 MHz/76-90 MHz with RDS, relying on the headphone cables to act as the aerial. If you have around £45 burning a hole in your pocket you can purchase the Nokia Digital Radio Headset DAB and download the free supporting app via Software Update, although we have not tested this so cannot comment on its performance.

The Picture viewer app is well put together, although it has always seemed puzzling that videos are listed even though there is a separate video app -it's more of a gallery.

Within the app you can tag your images, and select to send single or multiple selected images via MMS or Bluetooth and direct link to the picture editor.

Nokia c6-01

The video player supports H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263 (CIF 25fps), Real Video 10 (QVGA 25fps), ON2 VP6 (VGA 25fps), Flash video (VGA 25fps) and works well with no pixilation or judder during playback.

Disappointingly, the pre-installed YouTube app merely acts as a bookmark to the website, although there is a downloadable version of the app, which works as a fully fledged mobile client instead. Again, Nokia, would it be so hard to have this installed out of the box?

The C6-01 is another Symbian^3 device capable of replacing your phone, basic camera (no physical zoom here, remember), music machine and portable video player.

Battery life and connectivity

The battery life on the Nokia C6-01 has impressed, managing over two days on its 1050mAh battery, without charge with reasonable use.

Nokia c6-01

From a connectivity point of view, the Nokia C6-01 provides the standard Bluetooth and USB options, but the USB comes with a bit of a special extra.

It shares the USB Master functionalities with the rest of the Symbian^3 range, which means that if you buy the right Nokia cable, you can connect any USB drive to the phone's micro-USB connector and the internal file manager will see it make it browseable directly from the phone.

Nokia c6-01

This enables the user to play videos and music straight from external USB drives and to perform quick transfers on and off the device.

The required Nokia Adapter Cable for USB OTG CA-157 cable is only provided with the Nokia N8, although the Nokia C6-01 is provided with a standard USB Nokia Connectivity Cable CA-179.

Another special from previous models is that video can be transmitted from the Nokia C6-01 via a headphone jack with the composite cable to a TV - as provided with the old Nokia N95 8GB.

Nokia c6-01

The Nokia C6-01 doesn't support HD like the N8, but you could still use the phone as a middle man to play videos from an external USB drive to a TV screen as long as you have red, white and yellow composite connections available.

As with the N8 and C7, you can also connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse as well to use the phone as a TV media player. The required Nokia Video-Out CA-75U Cable is not supplied with the Nokia C6-01, although it can be purchased directly from Nokia's Online Store for £25.

Maps and apps

As with most new Nokia offerings, the Nokia C6-01 is pre-installed with Ovi Maps providing users with free sat nav using the map data sourced from Navteq's vast global library. With this, you get free map and speed camera updates as well as application updates, too.

Best of all is that the map data is saved to your device, as long as you have a memory card installed, meaning that mobile reception is only required for traffic updates and to speed up initial GPS fix.

On top of this, Ovi Maps supports geolocational check-ins. The GPS performance is akin to the rest of the Symbian^3 range, which is a good thing – performance is very strong.

Nokia c6-01

Pre-installed on the device you will find various other apps.

Calendar features multiple, shareable calendar support with web back-up/editing. Here and Now is a web widget providing information on local restaurants and entertainment. There's also a multi-lingual dictionary, although a data connection is required to download additional languages.

Voice Recorder enables you to record sound and, if you like, you can use it as your ringtone. Notes is a basic text pad. We had hoped for Active Note, as seen on the Nokia N97, but it's missing here. Message Reader is a text to voice application that converts text messages to audio.

Calculator is a basic calculator app. We were disappointed that there is no slightly more scientific option. Quickoffice is purely a document viewer, although you can purchase the full Microsoft Office file editor app on the Ovi Store. One thing to note is that the paid version does not support predictive text, which is frustrating. Adobe PDF is a simple PDF Viewer.

Psiloc World Traveler is an overseas traveler's companion providing information on currency conversion, flight times, weather, travel plans and world clocks.

F-Secure is an anti-theft application that won't stop your phone being stolen, but will enable remote lock, remote wipe, remote locate and lock when SIM changed, with reports being sent to your selected phone number.

Following setup, which requires a data connection, you will be prompted to upgrade to F-Secure's firewall and browser protection at around £30 per year with a 25 per cent discount. To be honest, we are not sure how necessary the paid service is.

One application notable in its absence is a converter, which has been present on all Nokia S60 phones for as long as we can remember.

Nokia c6-01

When you visit the Ovi Store, a whole world of other applications becomes available.
Swype, which provides an alternative text input method.

Nokia c6-01

Sports Tracker gives the sports enthusiast in you the ability to track your route, distance, speed, altitude and – if you're prepared to pay the £90 price tag – heart rate. Connect this with the Sports Tracker website and you've got a whole sports community and progress analysis tool.

Gravity is a paid-for application, but it's by far the best combined Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and G Reader app available.

Situations will automate changing your profiles based on time, day, GPS, Cell or Wi-Fi location, Bluetooth connection or calendar events.

One use for this is putting your phone into low power mode at night to preserve battery life. One negative is that a new profile is created for every situation, so your profiles screen will become very busy if you use this heavily.

Along with these applications, there is a plethora of other apps, games, themes, blogs and media, many of which are free.

Hands-on gallery

Nokia c6-01

Official gallery

Nokia c6-01

Verdict

Nokia c6-01

The Nokia C6-01's camera and video capabilities exceed those of the Apple iPhone 4 and Samsung Galaxy S, being equal on paper to the HTC Desire HD. Although the phone feels a little weighty for its size, it is lighter than the iPhone 4 and Desire HD.

From a usability point of view, it scores very highly as a result of its usage of the Symbian^3 OS and shared hardware with the likes of the pricier Nokia C7 and Nokia N8. As long as you don't mind a bulge in your pocket and are after a phone that provides a good mix of high end functionality and lower-end price, the Nokia C6-01 is for you.

You should remember, however, that if you want to use your phone as a media-playing device you will need to spend a little extra to upgrade from the 2GB microSD card provided.

We like

It's great that the GUI appearance and functionality is shared with all Symbian^3 devices and offers three user-customisable Home screens - this is the 'Marmite' feature that will either delight or put users off, as some think it still very dated and some love the familiarity.

We were impressed with the eight-megapixel camera and 720p video recording.

Having Ovi Maps pre-installed with maps and free app and map data upgrades is superb, and the quantity of applications available via the Ovi Store and third-party websites can really expand the phone's abilities.

We dislike

The C6-01 feels heavier than it should for the size and is thick when compared to its other dimensions.
The screensaver and call screens don't auto-rotate, which we found annoying. The lack of a pre-installed Converter app is a strange omission.

Really, it needs a larger memory card for camera, video and media use.

Verdict

The Symbian^3 debate is threatening to divide phone lovers the world over - is it a case of gadget snobbery from the Android/iPhone lovers, or is the UI simply too outdated to compete?

The Nokia C6-01 should be commended for a number of reasons - it manages to replicate the experience of the N8 in a much smaller and cheaper package with little difference.

For only £15-£20 a month, we can see those looking for a reliable touchscreen phone with decent battery life finding a lot to love with the C6-01 - and others will like the high end features, such as USB on the go.

However, it's not the sexiest device on the market at the moment, and in direct comparison, only the camera is superior to cheaper products.

Those not wanting to mess around on the internet or play games all day long will find a lot to love with the C6-01 - but if you're more agnostic, we suggest you try out some Android devices like the Orange San Francisco or the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Ace before committing.

Related Links

T-Mobile nabs LG Optimus Black

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 09:22 AM PST

The LG Optimus Black is set to make an appearance on T-Mobile in the UK.

The handset was anticipated in the first half of the year, but it looks like there's a chance that we could be in for a Q1 release.

Although there's no official UK release date for the LG Optimus Black, T-Mobile has listed the handset in its 'coming soon' section and interested parties can sign up for updates.

Phone fatale

We first saw the noir handset make an appearance at CES last month, and its slim frame and stunning looks certainly piqued our interest.

Rocking a 4-inch energy-efficient NOVA display, the super-skinny handset runs Android 2.2 and promises video-calling thanks to its 2MP front-facing camera.

An update to Android 2.3 is already on the cards for the handset, and although no UK pricing has been revealed, rumours have suggested a sub-£30 tariff price point.

Flying cars winging their way to the UK in 2012

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 09:10 AM PST

If you have ever dreamed of owning a flying car, then you may well be able to buy and fly one in the UK next year.

The Transition Roadable Aircraft, designed and manufactured by US company Terrafugia, is a road-worthy vehicle that has fold-out wings and is able to automatically convert into a fully-capable airplane in around 20 seconds.

transition1

Sci-fi dreams

It's the stuff of our childhood sci-fi dreams, for sure. Although, to be fair, Terrafugia's Transition Roadable Aircraft doesn't look as cool as our 10-year-old selves' imagineered in our heads.

Plus, it is going to cost Brits somewhere between £125,000 and £160,000, plus shipping costs, when we can finally purchase one at some point in the next year or two.

terrafuggia2

Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich says: "A lot of people said they never thought it would fly. But we have a vehicle right here, right now that drives and flies, and converts between the two in 20 seconds."

Terrafugia's flying car runs on bog-standard unleaded and the cockpit features touch-screen controls and a small cargo area to throw in the family's suitcases as you head off into the sunset.

Want one?

Terrafugia's VP of business development Richard Gersh informed TechRadar this week that: "Although we are accepting international orders via a refundable deposit forthe Transition, our primary focus is the US certification standards. As we get closer to production in late 2011, we will be reviewing foreign standards, including those in the UK."

Plus, before you put your deposit down, it might be worth checking that you have all the relevant pilot's licenses and certification from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

"The flying car should be considered an aircraft first and a car second, the aircraft would have to be registered either on the UK register or on another ICAO contracting state's register and have a Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the state of registry," a CAA rep informed TechRadar when we asked them about the law on flying cars earlier.

"The pilot would also have to a pilot's license and an annual medical as normal. I would imagine that the pilot would also have to have the appropriate driving license for this as well."

As Terrafugia's flying car is 650kg it would also be the responsibility of EASA to certify the aircraft. The current EASA code that covers an aircraft of this weight is CS VLA (up to 890 kg). The aircraft would need to be registered and have an EASA approval before it could fly legally.

So there you go? Got a spare £160,000 or so? Want a flying car? 2012 just became far more exciting…

Final batch of IPv4 addresses assigned, exhaustion sets in

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 09:06 AM PST

The last remaining IPv4 adresses have been handed out, marking the final death throes of the current internet protocol.

The final batches of Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) were allocated at a ceremony in Florida, with each of the five RIRs holding around 16 million addresses.

This may sound like a lot, but experts believe that these addresses will be used up within five years.

Addressing the issue

Now, before we all start worrying that the end of the internet is nigh, this has been predicted for a while and IPv6 is just around the corner.

This new IP ups the original 32-bit IPv4 addressing scheme to a much more malleable 128-bit number system.

To be fair, Vint Cerf, who came up with IPv4 wasn't to know that the web would be so popular that 4.3 billion addresses would be used us in such a timeframe.

There are some calling for the introduction of IPv6 to be speeded up, though, with this news highlighting just how close we are to running out of room on the web.

While many network providers are working hard on IPv6 adoption, Leslie Daigle, the Internet Society's Chief Internet Technology Officer, thinks more needs to be done, saying: "We hope the milestone announced today sparks other organisations to plan for and deploy IPv6 as part of a strategy to ensure they are connected to a growing future Internet that is as dynamic and vibrant as today's.

British hacker admits stealing virtual poker chips from Facebook

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 08:49 AM PST

British Facebooker Ashley Mitchell has pleaded guilty to stealing over 400 billion poker chips on Facebook.

The £7.4m-worth of chips were pinched by posing as an administrator on the Zynga game, which allowed Mitchell to log in and steal the chips.

He then laundered the swag using a number of other Facebook accounts and sold a number of the chips on before he was caught.

App security

Although the Zynga theft took place in 2009, it doesn't exactly fill us with confidence about the security of Facebook apps and games, especially as games like FarmVille are dealing in millions of dollars.

Facebook has recently had to contend with numerous privacy concerns and the fan page of its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, was hacked just weeks ago.

Review: Patriot Supersonic USB 3.0 64GB

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 08:41 AM PST

The Patriot Supersonic 64GB USB 3.0 flash drive is the latest addition to the growing list of new drives clamouring to make the most of USB 3.0's capacious amounts of bandwidth.

So, make the most of your unloved USB 3.0 ports and pick up some high-speed storage,

But as we've seen flash memory has its own foibles where it can work like lightning in one direction and then run like treacle uphill in another.

At 64GB this is already at the larger end of the current market, couple that with a USB 3.0 interface and this could be an exceptionally portable and exceptionally fast thumb-sized block of storage.

If you're willing to pay for it.

At this price range you could pick up an internal 64GB SSD or a portable HDD tens of times bigger, but obviously that's a choice you'll make based on your functional needs.

Flash storage really needs I/O testing alongside the usual raw sequential read/write speed tests. We use a combination of CrystalBenchMark 3.0 and real world tests to gain a picture of the drives all-round performance.

Sequential read/write performance

Patriot supersonic usb 3.0 64gb - benchmarks

Input/Output performance

Patriot supersonic usb 3.0 64gb - benchmarks

Real-world performance

Patriot supersonic usb 3.0 64gb - benchmarks

Initially our sceptical minds scoffed at the Patriot Supersonic 64GB USB 3.0 packaging with its USB 3.0 claims of 100MB/s reads and 70MB/s writes.

But as our own synthetic tests showed we actually recorded higher numbers than even the marketing claim's the drive can achieve. The drive topped 120MB/s on reads and a sequential 76MB/s for writes.

At this point things become a little more confusing as switching to random access showed an interesting change of fortunes.

While the read speeds remained high, upwards of 100MB/s, the write speed dropped entirely off. This behaviour also showed up in the access time test where read speeds were once again good at 0.818ms, but writes were at a spinning HDD time of 14.8ms.

The similar specification Kingston DT Ultimate USB 3.0 64GB flash drive, while scoring slightly slower on the reads, performed far better with writes in all cases bar the sequential test.

However when trying a real-world copy the Patriot Supersonic's speed returned to a more reasonable level, but was still a fraction of the Kingston.

Copying a folder of small files has the Patriot average 10.7MB/s and the Kingston DT Ultimate 27.6MB/s. The speed differential evaporates with large files where we scored the Patriot a good 61.5MB/s and the Kingston DT Ultimate at 55.3MB/s.

Build-wise the Patriot drive is second to none, we like the aluminium finish that feels rock-solid and should protect the drive from most day-to-day damage and it of course requires no drivers to install.

We liked:

The promise of the Patriot Supersonic USB 3.0 is there from the start. It offers genuinely fast reads both sequential and random access.

It also provides a high-quality metal chassis that does offer protection and gives it a substantial feel without unnecessarily adding to the size or weight.

We disliked:

The big letdown for the flash drive is the odd write performance.

Sequential speeds seem as good if not better than the Kingston DT Ultimate, however as soon as random access and small files are thrown into the mix all hell breaks loose and performance tanks, which is very off putting for such a premium product.

Final word:

Amazing high-speed reads are offset and ruined by slow writes, unless you're exclusively going to be dealing with large files that is.

Related Links

UK rollout of new Facebook picture viewer starts today

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 08:31 AM PST

Facebook has announced it is bringing its redesigned photo viewer to the UK, which updates one of the most laborious aspects of the site.

The Facebook Photo Viewer Product, to give it its proper name, is a complete overhaul of the social-network's photo service.

It allows users to open images inside the Facebook browser without opening a new page, accommodates large photo sizes and re-sizes the photo relative to the size of the browser window.

In short, Facebook has created a rival to Flickr but with a much larger user base.

Photo finish

The new update will also bring faster photo uploads and you will be able to Like, tag and comment within the photo viewer.

It's taken Facebook a good few months to sort out its new-fangled photo service for the UK.

The site originally announced the image improvements way back in October.

The update will be rolled out to the UK gradually, so don't worry if you are still having to deal with the frankly pants photo viewer of yore.

Xperia Play retail booth images leaked

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:59 AM PST

Images of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play gaming phone – formerly known as the 'PlayStation Phone' - have leaked online ahead of the official reveal at Mobile World Congress later this month.

TechRadar has already had some decent hands-on test time with the new Xperia Play and we expect to hear a lot more about Sony Ericsson's plans for the new gaming phone from MWC in Barcelona later this month.

Retail plans and adverts leaked

The Xperia Play, while still not being officially announced, has been thoroughly tested out and adverts for the device have already started leaking online.

These may or may not be planned leaks, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that we will find out how much the Xperia Play is going to cost and when we can get our hands on it in the very near future.

The retail pods contain the words "smart phone, smart gaming" on the side, alongside a T-Mobile logo.

We expect to see lots of these in Barcelona in two weeks time. For now, check out our detailed Xperia Play hands-on to get our first impressions on Sony Ericsson's latest attempt to marry grown-up gaming with a mobile phone.

Nokia E7 'coming soon' to Vodafone

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:51 AM PST

Vodafone has announced that it will be selling the Nokia E7 when it eventually reaches the UK.

The handset was unveiled at Nokia World in September 2010 and was expected to launch last year.

But we haven't seen hide nor hair of the E7 since then, with no UK release date forthcoming.

N8 with a QWERTY

The QWERTY-sliding Symbian^3 handset comes with an 8-megapixel camera, OLED screen and HDMI-out port.

Hopefully, Vodafone's announcement means that the E7 is finally on its way; UK pricing is anticipated to be around £500, but no doubt Vodafone will be offering tariff deals.

The only other option for anyone lusting strongly after the Nokia E7 is to pre-order it from Nokia's Finnish website, which reckons it will be shipping in February.

Review: Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:42 AM PST

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is yet another innovative addition to the long-line of classic designs that the Microsoft Hardware group has blessed the world with over the years.

The Arc Touch Mouse attempts to take style and function to a new level in the modern mouse world by combining a wireless portable mouse with touch-sensitive features and the BlueTrack sense system.

The result is the Arc Touch. The name partly gives away its key design feature: a flexible rear section that doubles as the main wrist support and also folds flat turning the mouse off and leaving it perfect for carrying.

Beyond its physical design, the Arc Touch mouse uses an Apple Magic Mouse besting touch-sensitive wheel.

With built in haptic feedback this adds a sense of style beyond just its design through unobtrusive technology.

But the real question is it any good to mouse with?

Microsoft arc touch mouse

The centrepiece to the Microsoft Arc Mouse is its folding rear, beyond just being a fancy way to turn the mouse on or off, it provides a physical support to the rear of the mouse and offers an ergonomic grip.

Despite a potentially flimsy slim-build it's more than sturdy enough and offers a pleasant wrist rest in use.

Attached to that fancy switch is the main body of the Arc Touch Mouse, which is mostly the twin mouse buttons and that touch-sensitive scroll wheel.

In use it does make for comfortable mousing, though occasionally your fingers might fall short of the buttons and this can almost tip the mouse over. We know this is designed as a portable mouse but it's this type of flaw that means this is no gaming mouse.

It's not going to stay standing in any rigorous deathmatch situations.

The touch-sensitive wheel provides clever haptic-feedback, give it a flick to start scrolling with 'gravity' and the scroll plate actually vibrates in line with the speed of the scroll.

It's clever and works well, though it's questionable if this is actually better or more precise than a physical wheel.

The wireless transceiver is one of the smallest we've seen and magnetically sticks to the back of the mouse for transit. Finally the tracking is pretty impressive, the best we've seen in a wireless mouse with no sign of lag and it even wakes from rest as quickly.

We liked:

The action is very smooth and the tracking is excellent. It's certainly an eye catching design and eminently portable.

The wireless ability works excellently and is highly responsive.

We disliked:

Despite its beautiful design the Microsoft Arc Touch isn't perfect, making it lightweight and so more portable has its disadvantages.

It's certainly not going to be embraced by the gaming community, even those looking for something with more style than substance.

It also lacks side navigation buttons, which we've come to rely on.

Plus the price is horrendous, you can pick it up for almost half the original price but even so we've like to see a dedicated Li-ion rechargeable pack at this price.

Final word:

If you want to be flash this is a mouse you have to have, for others it's something to miss

Related Links

Plextor announces external USB 3.0 Blu-ray writer

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:06 AM PST

Plextor has announced its first external Blu-ray writer – with the PX-LB950UE boasting a 12x write speed and USB 3.0 technology.

The new drive is billed as a "high performance, portable gadget [which] offers uncompromising reliability and accuracy with the added extra of being super quiet".

Stylish

"The easy to use, stylish design makes it perfect for home or business users who need to back-up large quantities of data or want to enjoy the latest Blu-ray movies at home or away," added Plextor's release.

The drive comes bundled with LightScribe disc labelling technology, and software including PlexUtilities.

The drive has a UK release date of February with a price point of £179.

Review: Arctic Cooling K381 Keyboard

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:05 AM PST

The first keyboard produced by Arctic Cooling, the K381, manages to impress with its minimalist design and its mimicking of the made-famous-by-Apple chiclet key design.

At just over ten pounds it's also going to be hard to criticise on a cost basis.

No matter how you look at it the Arctic Cooling K381 keyboard has a lot going for it. If you're looking to add a keyboard to a new low-cost system, replace an existing broken keyboard or you just want a spare one hanging around it seems ideal.

With 111 keys - we counted them - and a full numeric keypad all contained in a slimline, lightweight and compact design it has everything you could possibly want in a budget keyboard.

If you're not already considering it then let's take a closer look at how well it performs and the build quality.

Arctic cooling k381 keyboard

The most striking feature of the Arctic Cooling K381 keyboard is the fact it's so compact, almost like they've simply taken a laptop keyboard and given it a case.

Another way of looking at it is that it's a cheap impersonation of the Apple keyboard but at a fraction of the price, with wires and not built quite so well.

Putting that to one side, borrowing the chiclet key style – used so widely now from Apple laptops through to Sony and Samsung models – that it's easy to overlook the keyboard's shortcomings, which is backed up well with the slim-line, minimalist design.

Let's not beat around the bush, build quality is at best average.

The plastic feels cheap, it's easy to flex the entire keyboard and the keys have a cheap 'click' to them. That's certainly not to say it's bad, the keys have a decent response and don't stick.

In use those keys also respond well, the chiclet actually provides more surface area for each key than a traditional key design, but this can take a little while to get use to.

The Arctic Cooling K381 also offers the usual twelve office keys that double as the function keys, along with volume controls and a sleep key.

There's no additional media controls but the numeric keypad and arrows keys are all full size.

Its wired USB connection is a lengthy 173cm. Encouragingly the key decals seem relatively hardy but it's hard to judge how long they may actually last.

Finally the main omission from the keyboard is any rear height adjustment, a solid bar is built into the back of the keyboard but there's no additional way to raise or lower it.

We liked:

The chiclet keys make for easy use and good typing, even under multiplayer-deathmatch pressure. This is backed up by the minimal design that takes up as little space as possible on your desk or in your LAN-party bag.

It's a full keyboard, which is always handy, though part of us would like to see just a basic keyboard without the numeric pad.

We disliked:

The build quality is the biggest disappointment or more likely worry.

It flexes easily when twisted and the lack of any additional height adjustment could be a real and literal pain for some people.

Final word:

A no-frills keyboard that provides style and good function but don't expect much else.

Related Links

Tweeting from Supreme Court gets the go ahead

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 07:05 AM PST

The UK Supreme Court has given the thumbs up to courtroom tweeting, releasing a number of guidelines on when and how the live updates should be used.

While you won't be able to whip out your phone and pithily update your followers from a courtroom involving witnesses or a jury, tweets from the Supreme Court are allowed.

The Supreme Court is an appeals court which deals with civil cases, including appeals in criminal cases, and rarely calls for confidentiality.

#objection

Twittering from the courtroom was first allowed in December, when the judge gave permission for journalists to tweet from the appeal of Wikileaks' Julian Assange.

The press release notes that "the Justices of the Supreme Court are content with legal teams, journalists and members of the public communicating to the outside word what is happening in the courtroom."

There are a few instances when you won't be able to live-tweet the action though; if there are reporting restrictions in place, and when reporting on the case risks influencing proceedings in another court.

Lord Phillips, President of the Supreme Court, comments: "The rapid development of communications technology brings with it both opportunities and challenges for the justice system.

"An undoubted benefit is that regular updates can be shared with many people outside the court, in real time, which can enhance public interest in the progress of a case and keep those who are interested better informed."

Bing UK announces in-search-engine casual games

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 06:31 AM PST

MSN UK has announced that it will be offering 'casual games in search' available directly from the Bing UK search engine.

The likes of Bejeweled 3, Plants Vs Zombies and old fave Solitaire are on the list of 46 free "casual" games available on Bing.

Bing spokesperson, Tamsin Todd commented, "Since Bing's inception, games have been a popular search term with our users.

Excited

"Allowing our users to get to their favourite games in quickest possible time, playing the games right through the search results page, we're excited to make these great casual games available on Bing," she added.

The search engine is hoping to wrest more market share from market giant Google, and the arrival of in search engine games will be an interesting test.

So, if you fancy some lunchtime Zuma's Revenge or Mahjongg then you just need to point yourself over to Bing UK.

LG Optimus 3D coming to Vodafone

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 04:50 AM PST

Vodafone has confirmed that it will be ranging the LG Optimus 3D when the handset makes its way to the UK.

The recently-announced smartphone is set to debut at Mobile World Congress 2011, with the promise of 3D sure to draw a crowd.

A spokesperson for Vodafone told ElectricPig, "It will come to Vodafone. As soon as it's launched, we will bring it to the UK."

Third dimension

The statement doesn't make it sound as though the network has struck a deal with LG just yet, but it does seem clear that Vodafone is desperate to get its hands on the Optimus 3D.

It's obviously quite excited about the handset's ability to record 3D using dual cameras, as are we.

With no word yet on UK pricing or a UK release date, hopefully more will be revealed at MWC.

Of course we'll be on the show floor elbowing our way through the crowds to bring you a hands on LG Optimus 3D review as well.

Virgin Media adds BlackBerry phones to PAYG line-up

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 04:28 AM PST

Virgin Media is now offering BlackBerry handsets on Pay As You Go, including the BlackBerry Torch 9800.

"Astonishing" BlackBerry sales on the Branson-owned network last year saw over 200,000 fruity phone sales making up a third of Virgin Media's contract shipments.

Available from today, the flexible Pay As You Go deals include the BlackBerry Curve 8520, BlackBerry Curve 3G, BlackBerry Pearl 3G, BlackBerry Bold 9780 and BlackBerry Torch 9800.

Data-hungry

The obvious issue with paying-as-you-go on any smartphone is that using data services could eat through your credit pretty darn quickly.

So the fact that Virgin is offering weekly (£2) and monthly (£5) passes for customers to use email, BlackBerry Messenger, apps and internet browsing is quite handy, leaving regular top-ups free for calls and texts.

Graeme Oxby, executive director of Mobile and Home Phone at Virgin Media said: "BlackBerry smartphones have become a firm favourite with Virgin Media families, demonstrating how our customers love the best in connectivity, be it at home or on the go.

"As the BlackBerry brand continues its growth as an extremely popular consumer device, we're committed to delivering new and affordable ways for customers to enjoy BlackBerry smartphones and services."

Microsoft delight at Facebook Messenger tie-up success

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 04:12 AM PST

Microsoft's tie up with Facebook has apparently been a roaring success, with the company claiming that 2.8 billion minutes of Facebook Chat is now coming through Messenger, and 75 million more customers are now able to take advantage of the service.

Microsoft had announced the 1.5 billion minute landmark back in November, after launching the service in August 2010, but the collaboration has continued to grow and is now closing in on 3 billion minutes a month.

The service has now been rolled out to more messenger clients – 75 million of them to be precise – and should now be available 'wherever Facebook is available'.

75 per cent

"The number of Messenger customers who have connected Messenger to Facebook has grown over 75% to nearly 18 million people," blogged Microsoft's Piero Sierra.

"The addition of these new connections has nearly doubled the number of chat sessions between Messenger and Facebook to about 440 million, powering more than 2.8 billion minutes of Facebook chat.

"We expect even more progress with the availability of Facebook chat from Messenger to the remaining countries we're releasing this feature to today."

YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace

Other Live services tie-ups from Microsoft – as it embraces the open world – include YouTube, LinkedIn and MySpace.

"We've been working to build partnerships with Messenger that help customers connect to their friends across their different social networks, added Sierra.

"The number of connections Messenger customers are making to LinkedIn has more than doubled since our last update. Meanwhile, MySpace and YouTube connections have grown nearly 50 per cent to remain among the top services among more than 75 great services that customers are connecting to Windows Live."

Facebook games make more money than traditional games

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 03:57 AM PST

Facebook games like FarmVille could be taking more cash than most traditional console games if estimations by gaming site IGN are to be believed.

The site slotted Facebook games like FarmVille into the top 10 games of 2010, taking both number of players and estimated money made into account.

Although Call of Duty: Black Ops retains its top spot, four Facebook games stormed the list, with CityVille and FarmVille taking the second and third spots, beating big hitters like Halo Reach and Red Dead Redemption quite comfortably.

Zynga's 'Ville franchise, the bane of our news feeds, has things quite nicely sewn up with FrontierVille also featuring in the top 10.

An element of guestimation

The numbers are slightly guestimated, based on research findings that 10 per cent of people who play Facebook games pay real money for in-game purchases, and that the average player who makes in-game purchases spends around $55 (£34).

Even so, the chart gives a good idea of how social gaming is raking in the cash and its small, repeated purchases are proving more lucrative than traditional high-box-price games.

Video: Epic's Duty Calls FPS war game spoof is marketing genius

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 03:29 AM PST

Epic Games has started a promotional campaign for its upcoming videogame Bulletstorm by putting the boot into the rather successful Call Of Duty franchise.

Epic has created a fully playable game that roundly mocks CoD, which is aptly called Duty Calls.

The game isn't the biggest ever, someone has uploaded themselves playing it and it clocks it at just under five minutes, put it is chock-full of parody for a franchise that takes itself way too seriously.

Hand of CoD

Call Of Duty has become an easy target of late, mainly because of its barmy plots that try to push the wargame genre to its limits.

Because of this, Epic's viral game could well have been subject to gamers' backlash.

Instead, the idea that Bulletstorm, when released, will 'put the fun back into gun' has been well received. And it also means you won't be able to hear an Eastern European voiceover in the same way again.

Bulletstorm is released on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 has a UK release date of 25 February.

Review: Iiyama ProLite E2472HD

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 03:05 AM PST

Not long ago, a 24-inch full-HD monitor for £180 would have been a conspicuous bargain. The new Iiyama ProLite E2472HD hits both targets and adds an LED backlight for good measure.

Unfortunately, PC monitor prices have been tumbling of late. 24 inches, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and even an LED backlight are no longer anything that special in a modern feature set. More to the point, the very same feature set can be had for less money from the likes of the BenQ V2410T.

In fact, BenQ goes one better with another model, the EW2420, by throwing in a VA panel for just under £160 through some, but not all, suppliers. In that context, it's hard to see how the Iiyama ProLite E2472HD can really compete.

Going by past experience, it's Twisted Nematic, or TN, LCD technology seems likely to hold it back. On the other hand, the latest TN panels are much improved.

Good for a TN…

Maybe the E2472HD has a chance after all? Out-of-the box impressions don't make things any better though. The engineering and construction are pretty rudimentary. Cheap plastics and a tilt-only stand are your lot.

Okay, the glossy bezel does lift the aesthetic a little. But this is clearly a budget screen.

Likewise, the HDMI, DVI and VGA video input are no more or less than you would expect from a monitor of this size and cost. In other words, the E2472HD screen will win or lose based on image quality. The good news is that the LED backlight is bright, clean and powerful. The panel is also fairly consistent given its TN underpinnings. Edge bleed, so often a problem for TN panels, is mercifully absent.

Black levels are another strong point. Granted, the best PVA panels give deeper blacks still, but the ProLite E2472HD's decent blacks combined with good viewing angles make for an above average movie watching experience. Then there's the excellent pixel response. Teamed with the powerful backlight, the result is a great gaming panel.

…but can't beat VA

Less impressive, however, is the colour accuracy. Whites and bright colours suffer from fairly severe compression, for example. Another problem is the greenish tinge to flesh tones. More generally, colours are simply not as vibrant, saturated and satisfying as those offered by IPS and VA panels.

The 24-inch screen diagonal and full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 pixel are probably the sweet spot right now in terms of size, price and image quality. The ProLite E2472HD adds an LED backlight and a decent set of input options for a solid all-round feature set and reasonable image quality.

So, while the ProLite E2472HD looks good in isolation, it struggles to compete with BenQ's EW2420, a screen that's cheaper but beats it by nearly every metric of image quality. Things are hotting up at this end of the market and this Iiyama monitor can't quite compete.

There's nothing conspicuously wrong with the E2472HD's TN panel or the visuals it produces, but even the LED backlight isn't enough when you consider that a superior VA monitor is available for less money.

Related Links

Review: Asus U53Jc Bamboo

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 03:00 AM PST

Adding to Asus' comprehensive range of high-end laptops, the U53Jc (£899 inc. VAT) is a powerhouse portable with a twist.

Finished with a bamboo exterior, it is one of the most uniquely designed machines you can buy, but proves to be far more than just a pretty face.

Chosen for its environmental credentials, the use of bamboo on the lid and palm rest is notable for the strength and organic look that it lends this laptop. With a finish resembling mahogany, it creates a luxurious style of its own – albeit one that is likely to divide opinion.

The remainder of the chassis' interior is finished in brushed aluminium, contrasting nicely with the bamboo veneer. As such, the black-plastic keyboard looks a little out of place, but it is a pleasure to type on, with its spacious design and firm keys responding well at all times.

Built around a 15.6-inch screen, this is one of the larger laptops in this group test and so is better suited to home use than travel. At 2.8kg, you can certainly carry it on shorter journeys, however, and the 271-minute battery life is a capable enough result for a laptop of this size.

Thanks to its larger dimensions, storage is comprehensive, with two hard drives paired up for a staggering 640GB of storage space. As with all the laptops here, cutting-edge wireless and fixed network connectivity is also in place, courtesy of 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet.

Asus u53jc bamboo

Cutting-edge components

Powered by a processor from Intel's Core i5 range, the Asus delivers fantastic performance. While slightly bettered by the Toshiba Satellite R630-141, software loads and runs impressively quickly. Graphics are slightly less capable, but there is still more than enough power for watching high-definition (HD) movies and editing your photos and videos.

The HP Envy 14 more than doubles the performance on offer here, however, so bear this in mind if you're a serious gamer. That's not to say the Asus is not a good choice for home entertainment, as the bright 15.6-inch screen proves sharp and vibrant. With its deep black levels providing a striking level of contrast, widescreen movies in particular look great.

One area that this laptop falls short of the others in this group is the software included as standard. There is no office or multimedia software and internet security is limited to a 60-day trial version; so factor the software you need into your budget. While you'll either love or hate the bamboo finish of the U53Jc, the power and components it delivers ensures this laptop provides great value for money. Only the limited software package lets it down, but this is still a unique and highly capable home machine.

Related Links

Gaming boosts Sony's profits, no thanks to TVs

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 02:49 AM PST

Sony has announced a slight dip in profits for October to December, with the TV sector to blame for the financial decline.

Sony reported a 5.9 per cent fall in operating profit to 137.5 billion yen (£1.3 billion) for the October-December period, but this did leave its full-year operating profit forecast at 200 billion yen, which will be a slight rise on what it made in 2009.

Sony had its gaming sector to thank for keeping its profit margins fairly stable.

The arrival of Gran Turismo 5 and other key games meant that operating income from this sector nearly doubled from the previous year – to 45.7 billion yen (£346m).

Predicted sales of the PS3 for the financial year are staying steady at 15 million, though, with 6.3 million PS3s sold in the quarter.

"The game business benefited from significant cost reductions of PlayStation 3 hardware and higher unit sales of PS3 software, which favourably impacted the change in segment operating results (excluding restructuring charges)," said Sony.

TV go home

It was a different story in the television sector, with sales of TVs in the full year looking to be 23 million units – down two million from the previous year.

Profits have been hit hard, too, because of strong competition driving prices down.

Sony's consumer, professional and devices division, which houses the TV business, was hit with a 47 per cent profit dip.

While this has means that annual revenue forecasts has had to be lowered by three per cent, the sales of TVs were actually up because they were cheap to buy.

iPad 2 apparently spotted at The Daily launch

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 02:41 AM PST

Reuters claims that a prototype of the next Apple iPad was spotted at the launch of News Corp's The Daily yesterday.

The unnamed eyewitness didn't manage to snap a picture of the iPad 2 but maintains that it had a front-facing camera at the top of the screen.

As Reuters illuminatingly adds, "A source with knowledge of the device confirmed its existence."

Good source, Reuters

Yes, in the same way as whether or not Monday will follow Sunday comes into question every week, the iPad 2's existence was very much in doubt until now.

The source goes on to tell the news outlet "that the final release model could have other features."

Well, stop the presses. We thought the front-facing camera would be the only upgrade Apple's been working on for the past year.

There you have it, folks. An iPad 2 may or may not have been at The Daily launch and will probably have some new features when it launches. Good to know.

Hands on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 02:35 AM PST

If you cast your minds back to the murky depth of Christmas, you'll recall TechRadar brought you word of two new phones on their way - the Sony Ericsson Anzu and Hallon.

The former has emerged as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, but the latter one was a mystery - only the fact it was a reboot of the Vivaz form factor was available as a clue to what it would be.

But you can rely on TechRadar to come up with the goods - and we've got you an early hands on Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review to take a look at.