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Techradar |
- Review: Buffalo LinkStation Pro LS-VL
- LightRadio to dramatically boost UK's mobile signal
- Piracy letter-sending firm ceases trading
- Anonymous takes revenge on security firm
- UK studio set to reveal new Sony NGP titles
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Play gets UK release date
- Samsung launches PL20 budget compact camera
- Pro gamers find 3D on 3DS a turn off
- Android 2.4 to replace 2.3, retain Gingerbread flavour?
- Carl Zeiss to make Micro Four Thirds lenses
- Carl Zeiss to make Micro Four Thirds lenses
- Is Sony's PlayStation Suite set to arrive on iOS and Windows?
- In Depth: Tablets: reviews, news, tips and tricks
- UK developer relaunching ZX Spectrum
- Last.fm does a Spotify, goes premium for mobile devices
- Review: Panasonic Lumix GH2
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Play en route to O2
- The future of search: Google will 'just know' says Schmidt
- In Depth: iOS 5: 12 things Apple needs to fix
- Nokia E7 starts shipping today
- Nokia E6 pictures surface just in time for MWC
- Hands on: Canon EOS 1100D review
- Updated: iPad 2 rumours: what you need to know
- Hands on: Canon EOS 600D review
- Buying Guide: Best antivirus 2011: 10 programs on test
| Review: Buffalo LinkStation Pro LS-VL Posted: 08 Feb 2011 01:09 AM PST  NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives are becoming the solution of choice for storing a wide range of digital media, including downloaded movies and TV, music, images and CD/DVD/Blu-ray rips. Speed, capacity and reliability are essential, and Buffalo's Linkstation Pro LS-VL has all three. This 'Multimedia Shared Network Storage BitTorrent Download Box', ships with a power supply, LAN cable and installation discs, and is available with built-in SATA hard drives in 1Tb, 1.5Tb and 2Tb sizes. Windows and Mac OSX compatible, the unit is simply plugged into any network Ethernet port or into the back of your wireless router, and instantly accessed from any networked device in your house. The device features maximum transfer speeds up to 76MBps courtesy of a 1.6GHz CPU. DNLA compatibility means it will talk to practically any other networked device (such as a Smart TV), and it has a web-based BitTorrent client feature, so it can download files while your PC sleeps. Noise, while audible, is not distracting. We Like Software provided includes WebAccess and an App for accessing from portable devices. Incorporates a USB port to attach devices such as printers and drives and for quick transfer of files from portable devices. NovaBACKUP, TurboPC and Time Machine software are provided for efficient file backup. We dislike Doesn't feature USB 3.0, which will increasingly become available on portable devices.Web-based management software can be a bit inscrutable at first. Related Links
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| LightRadio to dramatically boost UK's mobile signal Posted: 08 Feb 2011 01:08 AM PST  Alcatel-Lucent has come up with what it believes to be a major solution in the fight against poor mobile coverage: the lightRadio. The small, cube-shaped device is designed to complement (and possibly in the future, replace) the large, power-hungry and cumbersome masts that currently supply our mobile signal. Alcatel Lucent promises to 'radically shrink and simplify' these base stations, leading to a 50% reduction in power and allowing mobile networks to move the more fragile and vulnerable sections of the technology in-house. Low power future The lightRadio can be used anywhere with a power source, which Alcatel-Lucent claims could even be wind or solar energy, meaning rural communities with no coverage or broadband could see this technology finally enabling decent online speeds. The cube works by stripping down the masses of tech in the basestation and using only the main components to distribute the signal. It then communicates wirelessly with the host signal, enabling a more efficient manner of network maintenance. The lightRadio is also LTE-enabled, so should the 4G system come to prominence in the UK as it is internationally, the deployment of fast, post-50Mbps speeds to your mobile phone may be a little easier than previously thought. So far the international arm of Orange is the only known name in the UK to sign up, with Alain Maloberti,Senior Vice President, Network Architecture and Design of the company calling the technology 'exciting'. "Alcatel-Lucent's new vision and strategy of mobile broadband is quite exciting: the new wireless network architecture and innovative radio proposal willpotentially help us to achieve significant operating cost savings and be better prepared for future challenges," said Maloberti. "We look forward to work closely with Alcatel-Lucent to explore and test this new approach." 
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| Piracy letter-sending firm ceases trading Posted: 08 Feb 2011 12:45 AM PST  MediaCAT, the firm behind the threatening letters to those it believed were involved in online piracy, has ceased trading. The move comes following the resignation of the head of ACS: Law, Andrew Crossley, whose law practice sent the letters on its clients' behalf. MediaCAT has been strongly criticised for its strong-arm tactics in sending letters to people it believed were involved in downloading or uploading copyrighted material, demanding a fine or threatening a court case. Given in 27 of those ultimatums have resulted in appearances in court, and with a judgement expected on them soon, Crossley took the opportunity during a hearing to confirm the company had ceased trading and delivering his resignation. The revenue gained from the fines was split 65%/35% in favour of ACS:Law and MediaCAT, with the copyright holders perceived to have been infringed garnering the rest. However, The Pirate Party has announced it will be seeking legal action against MediaCAT and ACS: Law, after claiming that "hundreds of consumers who allege that letters received from firms alleging copyright infringement amount to harassment". Crossley said recently about the ordeal: "I have ceased my work... I have been subject to criminal attack. My e-mails have been hacked. I have had death threats and bomb threats." "It has caused immense hassle to me and my family." 
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| Anonymous takes revenge on security firm Posted: 08 Feb 2011 12:27 AM PST  Anonymous, the group behind the DDoS attacks to major websites in support of Wikileaks, have apparently hacked into the US security firm that claims to have identified its leaders. HBGary's CEO Aaron Barr was the subject of the attacks, which hacked his Twitter account and apparently released his address, social security number and mobile phone number. It gets a lot worse for the security firm, as Anonymous claims to have access to everything from all financial records to data drives, as well as offering a full torrent of all emails and gaining access to the main HBGary front page. We shall not fail, we shall not falter According to the Guardian, the online group put up the following phrase on the front page before it was removed and a placeholder used instead: "You're nothing compared to Anonymous. You have little to no security knowledge. Your business thrives off charging ridiculous prices for simple things like NMAPs, and you don't deserve praise or even recognition as security experts." "If you swing a sword of malice into Anonymous' innards, we will simply engulf it. You cannot break us, you cannot harm us, even though you have clearly tried." However, the terror doesn't stop there – Barr's iPad was also wiped in the attack, according to the online group. We can only hope he backed up his Angry Birds scores somewhere remote. 
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| UK studio set to reveal new Sony NGP titles Posted: 07 Feb 2011 09:37 AM PST  Leading UK games developer Rebellion has announced that it is set to reveal a mystery third person shooter game for Sony's forthcoming new Next Generation Portable handheld console soon. Oxford-based Rebellion has now developed its own internal Asura Engine, to a point at which it is happy to announce it will "fully support" Sony's next handheld gaming device. Asura has previously been used in PSP games such as Star Wars Battlefront, Alien vs Predator, Sniper Elite and Rogue Trooper. NGP to rock GCD 2011 Rebellion will be showing a new fully playable demo of a multiplayer third person shooter for NGP at the forthcoming Games Developers Conference in San Francisco at the end of the month. "The technology, design and art teams have worked incredibly well with Sony's newest device," said Rebellion co-founder Jason Kingsley. "We have managed to make our engine fully functional, and looking great on the hardware in double quick time. We'll be attending DICE and GDC to show what we have created and look for business partners." Rebellion's CTO and co-founder Chris Kingsley, added: "Our Asura technology has been architected from the outset to be transferable to new platforms. The ease in which we did this is a testament to the talent of our staff and the way we develop and manage our technology." TechRadar will be bringing you all the latest games development news in the run up to GCD 2011 over the coming weeks. 
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| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play gets UK release date Posted: 07 Feb 2011 09:19 AM PST  Orange has confirmed that it will be ranging the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play when it comes to the UK, simultaneously revealing the UK release date as April. Like O2, which announced its intentions towards the PSP phone earlier today, Orange tweeted a confirmation of the colourful network's plans to stock the handset. Conor Maples, PR manager at Orange, said on Twitter, "Yes we are due to take the Experia Play [sic] in April." Typographical error Slight spelling mistake aside, this means the Xperia Play has an almost clean-sweep of the UK networks. O2 and Vodafone have already said they'll be stocking the handset, and T-Mobile looks set to follow its Everything Everywhere stable-mate's lead. So will Three complete the big five? The network tells us there's no word on it yet but we'd surprised if the numerical network doesn't get in on the Xperia Play action soon. 
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| Samsung launches PL20 budget compact camera Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:42 AM PST  Samsung has announced the Samsung PL20, its latest point-and-shoot camera. There's nothing particularly spectacular about the camera, unless you travel back in time to a couple of years ago when 720p HD video recording was headline news. Alongside HD video, the dinky digital camera also offers a 14MP sensor and 27mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom. Point, shoot, repeat The nervous photographer will be pleased to hear that the PL20 has digital image stabilisation (DIS) built-in, as well as rechargeable batteries. Although there's no mention of the screen on the rear of the device, we imagine there is one for fiddling about with Samsung's SmartAuto features, including themes and modes which can be matched to your scene and previewing effects like fish-eye. Available in red, silver, pink and black, the Samsung PL20's UK pricing is set at £99, with the UK release date set to be some time in March. 
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| Pro gamers find 3D on 3DS a turn off Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:31 AM PST  Pro Japanese gamers taking part in a Dead or Alive: Dimensions tournament this month preferred to play Nintendo 3DS with the 3D turned off. Edge reports that some of Japan's leading professional gamers are not that interested in 'visual depth' when it comes to quick-twitch game-winning response rates. Players await NGP version Players in the Dead or Alive: Dimensions tournament at Tecmo's Tokyo HQ reportedly "reached for the 3D slider early on, opting to forego the additional visual depth" while increasing the game's framerate to 60fps. "This preference, coupled with 3DS's awkwardly positioned D-pad, led some at the event to wonder whether a version for Sony's NGP would offer a better portable experience." If players choose to play with the 3D visuals on, then the game's frame-rate is reduced to 30 frames per second. Whether these reports will concern the majority of Nintendo's target audience for the 3DS – which has a UK release date of March 25 – remains to be seen. 
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| Android 2.4 to replace 2.3, retain Gingerbread flavour? Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:07 AM PST  Viewsonic has revealed Google's plans for Android 2.4, which involve keeping the Gingerbread name and effectively replacing Android 2.3. The American company has been spilling the Android beans because it says it will be the first to release an Android 2.4-toting device, in the form of the ViewPad 4 which should be out in April. The update will allow single-core handsets to work with Honeycomb apps which have been created for dual-core devices, mainly tablets. The rumour does level with news from last week which suggested that the next Android release would bring bits of Honeycomb to smartphones. Gingerbread, take two Gingerbread Android 2.3 handsets aren't exactly flooding the market at present, with the Google Nexus S currently the only one available. This new development could indicate that manufacturers are holding back for Gingerbread. Er, we mean the new Gingerbread, aka 2.4. Speaking to Pocket-Lint, a source from Viewsonic said, "This latest update to the ViewSonic Europe ViewPad range will position the device as one of the first multi-media handsets to be supported by Google's new operating system." The same source also said that he believes Ice Cream to be Android 3.1, which certainly makes it sound as though the two numerical ranges, 2.x and 3.x are sprouting off in their own directions. 
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| Carl Zeiss to make Micro Four Thirds lenses Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:02 AM PST  Manufacturers of Micro Four Thirds cameras were given a boost this week, with news that Carl Zeiss will begin producing lenses for the format. Currently the number of lenses that can be used on a MFT camera is limited through the use of an adapter, but Carl Zeiss has said its products will start supporting the system. The lens company currently manufacturers lenses for the likes of Sony and Leica. Life through a lens Carl Zeiss (the company, not the man who died in 1888) is not the only manufacturer who has said that it will start adopting the Micro Four Thirds format. Both Schneider Kreuznach and Japanese company Komamura will also start making lenses for the format. The Micro Four Thirds system was created by Olympus and Panasonic back in 2008, offering DLR-like functionality in a small-form camera body. 
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| Carl Zeiss to make Micro Four Thirds lenses Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:02 AM PST Manufacturers of Micro Four Thirds cameras were given a boost this week, with news that Carl Zeiss will begin producing lenses for the format. Currently the number of lenses that can be used on a MFT camera is limited through the use of an adapter, but Carl Zeiss has said its products will start supporting the system. The lens company currently manufacturers lenses for the likes of Sony and Leica. Life through a lens Carl Zeiss (the company, not the man who died in 1888) is not the only manufacturer who has said that it will start adopting the Micro Four Thirds format. Both Schneider Kreuznach and Japanese company Komamura will also start making lenses for the format. The Micro Four Thirds system was created by Olympus and Panasonic back in 2008, offering DLR-like functionality in a small-form camera body. 
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| Is Sony's PlayStation Suite set to arrive on iOS and Windows? Posted: 07 Feb 2011 07:18 AM PST  Sony's recent announcement of a forthcoming new handheld – codenamed 'Next Generation Portable' – was accompanied by a reveal of equally important news about a new download store for handhelds and mobiles, dubbed the PlayStation Suite. The PlayStation Suite will deliver both new and retro PlayStation games to Sony's new handheld console, as well as providing games for Google Android devices such as the forthcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. PlayStation on iPhone? What is potentially far more interesting (and wide-reaching) is the promise that we may see PlayStation Suite game downloads made available on Apple's iOS and PCs running Microsoft Windows, if recent comments from Sony boss Kaz Hirai are anything to go by. "There are a variety of operating systems, but we're focusing first on Android," the Sony Computer Entertainment boss said in a conference this month, as Eurogamer reports. "There's also Windows, iOS and so forth, but we don't have the resources to make it compatible with everything from the start." "We're not ruling out PSS even on products like Sony Internet TV Powered by Google [Google TV] if adoption rate increases, or if it will help push adoption greatly. We have a completely open stance with carriers and handset makers." NGP: a hardcore play Which begs the question: how would such a strategy work alongside full-priced games to satisfy the hardcore gamers on Sony's new NGP? One Britsoft veteran, who asked to remain anonymous, told TechRadar: "The one observation I would make is that if Sony adopt this strategy more widely to encompass all the major smartphone OS' then perhaps they will be devaluing their own portable gaming hardware. "This would therefore suggest that Sony (the corporate entity) might be looking for a closer/merged future between their portable gaming hardware and their Xperia phone line. Intrinsically, it makes sense as they would be creating a much greyer overlap between mobile and portable gaming. Clever." "NGP's a hardcore play by Sony," says Patrick Garratt, editor of news site VG247. "I think they're aiming for a high-priced machine with relatively low sales, with PS Suite taking care of the real mobile rush in the Android space. "I'd be very surprised if you didn't see an iOS version of Suite announced this year." The limitations of Sony making such a move – and developing iOS and Windows versions of the PlayStation Suite – are mainly commercial, not technical. "Regarding this latest story of the possibility of Sony's PlayStation Suite heading to Apple's iOS or Microsoft Windows, it is going to be commercial (and political) barriers that might prevent the PlayStation Suite launching on other platforms rather than technical limitations," argues UK games industry analyst Nick Gibson, Devs see sensible play from Sony Brian McNicoll at Dynamo Games (the company behind the mobile versions of Championship Manager) is one mobile gaming developer who thinks the move would make total sense for Sony. "In an age where everything is going digital download it makes complete sense for Sony to want to go down this avenue," McNicoll told TechRadar. "Mobile is now a key platform in gaming and if iOS in particular is going to be considered (and allowed by Apple) then the main issue that will be encountered for bringing older PS One games back will be the difference in controls. "If they can solve that there will be a lot of well-loved games that people will be able to download for their iPhone and iPad and it can only be a good thing for the mobile and tablet market, especially for the consumer." Stewart Hogart over at Chunk Games agrees that it is "great that there's a real willingness towards platform independence. It's good for developers and, though they might not realise it, good for gamers too. "It should always be about the games, not the platform. It's been on the tip of everyone's tongue for so long. Thought I'd be interested to see how the games might work on touch-screen only platforms." 
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| In Depth: Tablets: reviews, news, tips and tricks Posted: 07 Feb 2011 07:12 AM PST  Our tablets round-up is constantly updated. 2011 is the year of tablets. Inspired by the success of the iPad we're about to see a host of new tablets arrive from manufacturers including BlackBerry, Asus, Motorola, Dell and others. And iOS is no longer the only tablet operating system in town. Android tablets, Windows tablets and WebOS tablets are looking to topple Apple from its throne. At TechRadar we're on top of the latest tablet releases, bringing you breaking news, in-depth tablet reviews and tips and tricks to help you get the most from your new purchase. Below you'll find links to our articles about the tablets you can buy in 2011. Acer Iconia 7 and 10 Acer has unveiled a triumvirate of new tablets, showcasing 7- and 10-inch Android tablets and a 10-inch Windows 7 tablet. Advent Vega The Vega sports a 10.1-inch capacitive 1024 x 600 touchscreen, and it's powered by Nvidia's 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, so there's some significant grunt in this one. It's fairly thin, too, at 14mm and it's not too heavy either. Apple iPad The one that kickstarted the tablet revolution. Apple iPad 2 With not long go before its expected unveiling the iPad 2 release date, specs and price are still closely guarded secrets, but that doesn't mean there aren't some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider. Asus Eee Pad Asus unveiled four tablet computers at this year's CES show: the Eee Pad Slider, the Eee Pad Transformer, the Eee Pad Memo and the Eee Slate EP121. BlackBerry PlayBook Running a brand new BlackBerry Tablet OS and powered along by a 1GHz Cortex-A9 dual core processor and 1GB of RAM, it's without doubt the most impressive iPad rival we've seen. It's so stonkingly awesome, in fact, that we'd say it's the first tablet that genuinely has a shot at knocking the iPad off its best-in-class pedestal. Yes, it's that good. Dell Streak 7 and Dell Streak 10 Good news for fans of the Dell Streak range: in addition to the 5-inch model there's a seven-inch Streak 7 and on the horizon, a 10.1" Dell Streak 10. ExoPC Slate The Windows ExoPC Slate has comparable storage to the iPad (32 or 64GB) but it also has a webcam, hardware-accelerated Flash (and Silverlight), handwriting recognition, fully accessible USB ports and an SD card slot – and of course it runs any Windows application you want. HP PalmPad There are two kinds of HP tablet: the consumer-oriented, webOS-based PalmPad, and the business-focused, Windows 7 HP Slate 500. HTC Tablet If anyone can make a real iPad rival it's HTC, and while the HTC Tablet and specs haven't been acknowledged by HTC, the rumour mill says it's real. Lenovo Ideapad U1/LePad Lenovo has announced that its LePad Android tablet device will be released in 2011, with the company showing the tablet off at CES Unveiled 2011. LG Optimus Pad Rumours suggest that LG will be bringing out a branded tablet, with a device called the Optimus Pad, and that it will likely match the specifications of the G-Slate - with a few extra surprises. Motorola Xoom The Motorola Xoom is the one of the most impressive tablets money can buy - but you'll need a lot of money to buy it. MSI WindPad It looks like the WindPad models we first saw last January weren't quite ready for prime time, because the WindPad specifications MSI is talking about now include Menlow and Tegra processors, Windows 7 and Android 3.0. Notion Ink Adam When it was first announced, the Notion Ink Adam tablet looked awfully like vapourware: a tablet that cost less than an iPad, delivered more horsepower than the average Android device and included an LCD screen that did a great impression of E-Ink sounded too good to be true. Panasonic Viera Tablet There's not just one Viera Tablet – there's three. Joining the 7-inch Viera Tablet is a 10-incher and a cute little 4-inch model that looks more like a phone than a tablet. All three Viera Tablets run Android 2.2 and are designed to partner the latest generation of Panasonic's Viera TVs. Samsung Galaxy Tab The Galaxy Tab was one of the all-time worst kept secrets in tech until it was finally unveiled at Berlin's IFA show back in September 2010, and as the first major Android tablet release, it holds a weight of responsibility on its shoulders. T-Mobile G-Slate T-Mobile and LG have unveiled their Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet which was teased at CES 2011 in video, the T-Mobile G-Slate - or the 'T-Mobile G-Slate with Google by LG', to give it its full name. Viewsonic Viewpad 7 When is a seven-inch tablet not a tablet? When it's strangely labelled a smartphone, like ViewSonic's ViewPad 7. Viewsonic Viewpad 10s The Viewpad 10s runs Android 2.2 with an interesting Tap UI overlay, presumably designed to circumnavigate the usual pitfalls of running a phone OS on a tablet. Best Android tablets If you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is the way to go: while Windows tablets are on the horizon, Android ones are here, they work and they've usually been tweaked to include finger-friendly interfaces too. Best iPad alternatives The iPad is currently the most obvious example of how tablets are going mainstream, but that's not to say that all tablets released from now on are guaranteed to be super awesome. So allow us to walk you through the best tablets currently on sale, along with the sexy tablets that are set to tickle your fingertips later in 2011. 
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| UK developer relaunching ZX Spectrum Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:48 AM PST  Sinclair's ZX Spectrum is set to be relaunched by UK developer Elite in 2012 to celebrate the classic gaming computer's 30th anniversary. Those gamers of a certain age will no doubt fondly remember the ZX Spectrum from the early-to-mid 1980s, with Elite set to cash in on the current popularity of retro gaming amongst this demographic. Wireless ZX Spectrum 2012 The Telegraph reports that the studio – who originally developed many of the best ZX Spectrum games – will soon release a wireless replica of Sir Clive's all-in-one keyboard gaming computer. Details beyond this are scarce, with speculation that the 'new' Spectrum may well work wirelessly with the Apple iPhone and other peripherals. Elite currently does a decent business re-developing a classic range of the Speccie's original smash hit games for smartphones. Would a new ZX Spectrum work? Would anybody actually buy it? Or is this a simple example of retro-irony gone insane? TechRadar has contacted Elite for further details on its plans to re-release the Spectrum. 
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| Last.fm does a Spotify, goes premium for mobile devices Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:24 AM PST  Last.fm has announced that it will no longer be available for free for the majority of mobile and streaming devices. The UK-based music outfit has decided to take the Spotify stance for mobile phones and entertainment devices and start charging a subscription for the app. Unless you use a Windows Phone 7 handset or an Xbox to stream the app, then you will have to sign up as a subscriber to continue using the service. This means that if you use Last.fm through a Sonos, Squeezebox, iOS and Android devices then you will have to start paying. Denon, Teufel and Roberts devices are also affected. Will cost a coffee "We're committed to building Last.fm into a bigger service that gives listeners the best music discovery experience anywhere while financially supporting and promoting the artists who make the music we love," said Matthew Hawn of Last.fm about the changes. "You'll see that this change brings us in line with other music services that already charge you to listen to music on mobile devices. "For the cost of a fancy coffee, a Last.fm monthly subscription allows you to listen to radio across all platforms, on all your devices, and without commercial interruptions." Scrobbling, music and event recommendations, social networking and community forums won't be affected with the subscription change, but Last.fm's main radio component will only be available on mobile devices to subscribers. Currently a subscription costs a not to shabby £3 a month, with listening to the service on a computer staying completely free. 
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| Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:21 AM PST  Panasonic has spent the last two and a half years pushing its Micro Four Thirds series as a credible alternative to the DSLR, and its models seem to have won over novices and hardened enthusiasts alike. Now, in its second generation of mirrorless cameras, the company claims to have improved on its original concept, with the benefit of user feedback from its debut offerings. The latest GH2 picks up where its GH1 predecessor left off. The GH1 was a significant model in that it was the first in the G-series to offer video recording, and it went beyond simply including the function as an aside to stills functionality. With full-HD resolution, a sound-dampened kit lens, continuous autofocusing and stereo recording as standard, it was clear that Panasonic's intentions were on the GH1 being as much about video recording as it was about still images. Yet, with Samsung, Ricoh and Sony all having launched competitors in the meantime, the company has sensibly not rested on its achievements but updated the GH1 with a handful of improvements to create a successor.
By incorporating touch-screen functionality, many options may be accessed through the screen, which include setting the focus point and releasing the shutter, as well as magnifying directly into an area of the user's choosing while manually focusing. This technology proves to be particularly helpful when shooting portraits, and is far more preferable to selecting a focus point manually, although if Face Detection is activated the camera generally has no trouble locking onto the subject anyway. The system only falters once a captured image has been magnified, as the screen's responsiveness tends to wane when zooming in and around the frame. Furthermore, some of the touch-sensitive controls are small and clearly designed to be operated with the supplied stylus than a larger finger, which isn't likely to please everyone. Direct access to key controls is something many photographers appreciate, and thankfully the GH2 squeezes in an awful lot on the back and top-plate of the GH2. Between these controls and the Q. Menu option there's little reason to venture into the main menus while shooting, although the downside of having so much functionality on such a small body is that it will necessarily result in small and fairly cramped controls.
This is particularly noticeable if you're used to the greater breathing space afforded to the controls on a DSLR; with the possible exception of the mode dial it'd be hard to make any controls smaller without operation verging on awkward. Even turning the mode dial any way but cautiously can easily mean knocking the drive mode switch out of position. At this price, some may also expect a slightly sturdier construction than the GH2's plastic shell, although this does help to keep the weight down to just 392g without a lens mounted. The changes Panasonic has made since the GH1 was released are, on the whole, positive. With the command dial now on the rear of the body, the movie recording button has replaced the Q. menu button conveniently beneath the shutter release, and a customisable Fn button replacess the previous Film Mode option. This Fn button is in addition to the two other function buttons which can be assigned to one of 18 options, and complements three Custom Settings on the mode dial and a My Menu option. Together with an assortment of custom functions in the menu system, this level of personalisation comfortably equals that of the average mid-range DSLR.
Arguably the most significant upgrades that Panasonic has made concern the GH2's sensor and processor, particularly as many of the company's claims for the new model concern these. The 18.3MP Live MOS multi-aspect chip has more than 4 million more pixels than the GH1's sensor, which results in an effective resolution of 16.05MP over the same 17.3mm x 13mm area. As with the GH1, the 'multi-aspect' moniker refers to the camera maintaining the same angle of view with any chosen focal length, as different aspect ratios are selected. Given the increase in pixel count, the expansion of the camera's sensitivity range – now from ISO 160 to 12,800 – may concern some, although Panasonic claims that revisions to both the sensor and processing technology mean that the camera can nevertheless turn out images with less noise than the GH1. Specifically, changes to the architecture of the sensor are said to improve signal to noise ratio, while separate applications of noise reduction to chrominance and luminance noise allow for more effective noise reduction for different areas. Also, with three CPU's handling processing, Panasonic claims that its Venus Engine FHD boosts speed and performance in general. In good light the LCD screen displays its feed with clarity and plenty of detail, and maintains good stability even when longer focal lengths are used. The same is also true of the upgraded live-view finder, now a little wider and at 1.533million dots, which does an excellent job of displaying detail right up to the corners and edges, and with no unsightly artefacts common to many other electronic viewfinders. Understandably, as lighting conditions drop so does the performance of the two, but it's impressive how quickly the feed stabilises itself as the camera moves around a scene. Not only that, but even in darker shooting conditions the amount of noise visible on either device is surprisingly minimal. Next to the same images presented on a calibrated monitor, however, the LCD can be a little cold in its reproduction of colour; quite how significant this is is debatable, although it's perhaps worth remembering when selecting white balance options in camera.
Panasonic has also made some noise about the GH2's focusing capabilities, and put to the test it's hard not to be impressed. With the Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 optic fitted, the camera is able to swing from one end of its focusing scale to the other in a similar time to that of a comparable DSLR and optic. AF tracking is also available in conjunction with continuous focusing, and as on previous Lumix models it does an excellent job, staying with the target as it travels around until it moves towards the peripheries of the frame. During the test the only time the system was thrown off course was when shooting a white duck in a pond, as it became confused by the similar intensity and movement of surrounding reflections, but even here the system did brilliantly to keep track on most occasions. Thanks to its far-reaching AF-assist light, the system continues to shine in poor lighting conditions, although it's here where it shows its shortcomings too. If the focusing point has been selected the camera generally can get it right, and get it right fairly quickly too, although when left to its auto setting it either struggles to work out where it should focus, or alternatively, claims to be in focus when it clearly isn't. Whether it outclasses the performance of a DSLR in this area - as Panasonic claims - is debatable, but it can certainly hold its own in good light, and it does pretty well the rest of the time. Just that it can manage to compete with its DSLR peers is praiseworthy in itself, when you consider the physical disadvantage of its contrast-detect AF system. Movie recording is arguably what the GH2 is all about, and the system makes a positive impression. The GH2 records full HD footage at 1920x1080 at 60i/50i for NTSC and PAL systems respectively, while 720p footage is recorded and output at 60p/50p. For cinematic results straight out of the camera, a new Cinema Mode captures at 24fps, while stereo sound is recorded the camera's internal microphone as standard. A port for attaching external microphones is included, as is a HDMI output for transferring images and videos out of the camera. Viewing video footage on the camera's LCD screen - both while recording and in playback - is a pleasure, thanks in part to the clarity and contrast of the screen itself, but also to the smoothness of the video. Moving subjects, or the camera moving in relation to some subjects, does introduce a touch of smearing, but otherwise subjects are captured well and with plenty of detail.
Just how smoothly the camera captures video is only apparent when the footage is viewed on a larger display, where the quality of sound recording can likewise be appreciated. With the 14-140mm optic there's with no distracting whirring from the lens's focusing motor, although certain situations do benefit from changes to the sensitivity of the camera's microphone and the wind cut filter, to cut down on ambient noise. How the camera brings subjects into focus is likely to be a contentious issue. The priority is placed on speed rather than a gradual fluidity between focus on different areas, in contrast to Sony's SLT system, for example, whose cameras attempt to bring subjects into focus with a little more discretion. Of course, this is only really relevant when the camera is left to its own devices, and it's less of a problem if the subjects all fall within a certain range of distances. Videographers using the camera in any professional capacity are also more likely to give greater consideration to the right lens choice for their requirements, manual focusing and so on, which again makes this less of a concern. The relatively small sensor and comparatively poor availability of wide-aperture lenses does make it harder to isolate subjects in the way a full-frame camera can manage, although with a plethora of adapters now available for mounting many older objectives, this latter point too is surmountable. Finally, although three guide line options are selectable from the menu system, the omission of an electronic levelling function is a disappointment, particularly as the articulated LCD means that the camera is likely to be held in unorthodox positions. This is fast becoming a standard feature on DSLRs and high-end compacts, so hopefully it'll make an appearance on future Micro Four Thirds models too.
In averagely-lit conditions, raw images display no visible noise up until around ISO 800 where slight coloured patches begins to develop in shadow areas. Noise levels continue to rise steadily until ISO 6400 where dense chrominance noise begins to obscure details, and this becomes particularly heavy at the maximum sensitivity of 12,800. Despite this cast, images details are still visible, just obstructed rather than destructed. For such a densely populated sensor, it's remarkable that images are able to maintain such quality at these settings, although, predictably, any attempts at processing away this noise require that some detail be taken with it. In-camera JPEG processing does an excellent job of removing virtually all chroma noise from high-sensitivity images, though images lose a little of their bite because of this. Even so, the overall standard of JPEGs is above average, with fine details compromised to a lesser degree than perhaps expected. We found JPEGs also show pleasing and accurate colour, with the Standard Film mode providing a welcome boost in contrast over Raw files. The choice of black and white modes is also sure to please monochrome enthusiasts, particularly the Dynamic Black and White option which produces high-contrast, atmospheric images straight out of the camera. Exposures are balanced and consistent in a range of situations, and even when challenged with tricky scenarios the metering system can only be persuaded to slightly underexpose. The camera's auto white balance system can also be relied upon to provide consistent results in natural lighting, although some may find the more faithful results lacking a little of the punch of other cameras, where images are optimised a little to be more pleasing to the eye. Under tungsten lighting the camera does impressively well and records the scene as it appears, and even under a mixture of different sources the camera makes good judgements as to an agreeable balance. Only certain fluorescent sources seem to lead the camera's auto white balance astray, although in this respect the GH2 is hardly alone. The camera is available with the Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 lens as part of a kit option, and not only does it offer a capable focal range but it proves its worth as an all-purpose lens. Its detail resolution is excellent, particularly at the centre of the frame, and sharpness is maintained at slower shutter speeds thanks to the lens-based MEGA OIS image stabilisation system. At its telephoto extreme, the system produces sharp images at up to 1/25sec with ease, and even manages a few reasonably sharp results at 1/13sec. When the focal length conversion of the Micro Four Thirds system is taken into account, the represents an advantage of between three to four stops of usable shutter speed past the usual limits, which is on a par with comparable systems. Panasonic GH2 ISO performance - Raw files
ISO 160
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12,800 Panasonic GH2 ISO performance - JPEGs
ISO 160
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 12,800 As part of our review process we've implemented a new testing procedure. To test the Panasonic GH2 image quality, we shot our resolution chart, each with the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4-5.8 lens. If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 160 the GH2 is capable of resolving up to 26/27 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files. Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
JPEGs
ISO 160: 26
ISO 200: 26
ISO 400: 24
ISO 800: 22
ISO 1600: 22
ISO 3200: 20
ISO 6400: 16
ISO 12,800: 16 Raw Files
ISO 160: 28
ISO 200: 28
ISO 400: 26
ISO 800: 26
ISO 1600: 24
ISO 3200: 24
ISO 6400: 22
ISO 12,800: 20
1/160sec at f/5.6, ISO 160 (Click for full-res image)
1/1600sec at f/5.6, ISO 6400 (Click for full-res image)
1/2500sec at f/5.8, ISO 3200 (Click for full-res image)
1/25sec at f/7.1, ISO 160 - Nature Colour mode (Click for full-res image)
As with the GH1, the Panasonic GH2 price will no doubt discourage a few. Current Panasonic GH2 prices are a penny shy of £1100 with the 14-140mm lens, but a significant portion of that cost is accounted for by flexibility and video-optimisation of the optic. Becuase of this, the GH2 can be considered better value if both the video and stills functionality are required, rather than just the latter. A separate kit option with the 14-42mm lens can be found at £799.99, which makes it a little more attainable. That the GH2 can manage such image quality is impressive in itself, but combined with stellar video output and an excellent focusing system really elevates it to a different level. There seems to be little reason not to recommend it for high-quality macro and still-life work. Indeed, it could even be argued that the articulated LCD and the breadth of focusing functionality on offer even make it preferable to some DSLRs. Of course, DSLRs will continue to evolve alongside hybrid systems such as these, but if the Panasonic GH2 is a sign of things to come then we should all be looking forward to whatever happens next. With an abundance of functionality and superb image quality, the GH2 is one of the finest hybrid cameras that's we've seen yet. Features: 4/5 
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| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play en route to O2 Posted: 07 Feb 2011 05:33 AM PST By way of a tweet, O2 has confirmed that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will be coming to its bubbly network. Vodafone has also confirmed to TechRadar that it will be ranging the gaming handset in the UK. The handset was only officially confirmed over the weekend and is set to get its official debut at Mobile World Congress on 13 February. Play dot com We don't let silly things like official announcements get in the way though, having already had a sneaky bit of hands on fun with the Xperia Play. With a slide-out gaming pad it's not the slimmest handset in the world, but it does come with a 4-inch touchscreen and Android 2.3. Despite Vodafone and O2 both promising the handset to us Brits, we're still awaiting news of a UK release date and UK pricing - hopefully Sony Ericsson will reveal both on 13 February. 
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| The future of search: Google will 'just know' says Schmidt Posted: 07 Feb 2011 04:51 AM PST  Google has hinted at the future of internet search, saying that in the future instead of typing in a search term, it will "just know". Speaking to the Telegraph at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Google's Executive Chairman and ex-CEO Eric Schmidt said that search will evolve to use human actions to inform results. "We still think of search as something you type. Perhaps a decade from now, you will think, well, that was interesting, I used to type but now it just knows," he said. Omnipotent Google "How does it know? Well, on mobiles we know where you are, down to the nearest foot. You've chosen to log in, with your permission, and it knows where you are and it can provide a personalised service," he continued. "Technically, with your permission, we know where you are, we know your history, we can do data extraction and look at what it tells us." "With your permission" being a recurring refrain, Google is obviously keen to make it clear that all this data mining is being done on the up and up. Pipe dream? While it's not exactly clear how your location, social interactions and behaviour could tell Google exactly what you want to search for at any given time, a kind of mind-reading service could be the way that Google is heading. Well, we say mind-reading, it would be more like informed guessing at what you might want or need, in much the same way that predictive text guesses at what you're typing based on your first couple of letters and things you've typed before. "In 50 years it is reasonable to assume in technology that all of these distinctions between computers and cloud [remote data storage] will have gone away. "There will be a ubiquitous computational capability that is just so free and so amazing that people will assume that it is an assistant. It knows who you are, it knows what you do, it makes suggestions, it intuits things for you," Schmidt added. While the intuitive system could conceivably work in many situations, it's unlikely that Google can do away with text input altogether; the human brain is too random and the internet too brilliantly vast. 
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| In Depth: iOS 5: 12 things Apple needs to fix Posted: 07 Feb 2011 04:30 AM PST  While flawed, AirPlay and AirPrint in iOS 4.2 showed Apple continues to innovate regarding features for its mobile operating system. However, with competing mobile systems rapidly evolving, Apple can't afford to sit still. And while it's great to see big new features arrive, there are plenty of other things we dearly hope Apple sees fit to fix for iOS 5. Here are the 12 fixes we most want to see… 1. Wireless sync They might be mobile, but iOS devices need wires to connect them to a computer whenever you want to sync newly bought apps and other media. An over-the-air option would be useful. Also, Apple encourages consumers to buy multiple devices, but cross-device data sync (for apps and games) is almost non-existent. 2. Notifications system The current iOS notifications system is intrusive and sub-optimal. Something more akin to the call bar would be more suitable for notifications, and Apple should take a cue from Boxcar and provide a single location for exploring recent notifications. 3. Configurable lock screen Most of the competition is making a big deal about the immediacy of information, and yet the iOS lock screen is a configurable photo, the time and the date. A few optional extras - new emails, social network notifications, missed calls, even the weather forecast - would make all the difference. 4. Single-app back-up Games for iOS are growing, and device capacity isn't keeping pace. If you suddenly need the space your latest 1GB blockbusters are hogging, you must delete them and their data. Apple should provide the means to optionally reinstate data when you reinstall an app - at least when doing so from iTunes. 5. Better folders Folders are fine, but they're limited and fiddly. Since Apple's happy with you scrolling panes in apps, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to store more apps in a folder, scrolling them vertically as necessary. 6. More multitasking options The multitasking bar and the few widgets accessible when you swipe it are handy, but we'd like more options: quick access to a brightness slider on iPad; single-tap toggle of airplane mode on all devices; and a 'quit all' option for running processes. Some kind of quick app-switching gesture would also be lovely (much like the one now confirmed removed from iOS 4.3, in fact).
MORE OPTIONS: The multitasking bar is useful, but it could offer power users fast access to far more settings 7. Superior data sharing There's something to be said for sandboxing apps (in it enhancing stability), but developers increasingly grumble that isolation stops data being easily shared, meaning small, focussed apps often balloon to deal with this shortcoming. Apple in part addressed this by enabling some apps to open certain file formats in specific other apps, but this is currently limited and limiting. 8. Installed apps list Everything was simple when you had 20 apps, but now you've hundreds installed, you forget what you've got available. We'd like to see an additional swipe past Spotlight that presents an alphabetical list of apps that can be filtered by typing characters (as opposed to a list gradually being populated as you type, which is only useful if you know what you're looking for). 9. Default apps toggle Sure, you can dump Apple's default apps into a folder, but you shouldn't have to. We get why Apple won't let you delete default apps (otherwise there'd be people freaking out when they 'lost' Safari), but power users should be able to at least hide them via options in the Settings app.
HIDE AWAY: You can bung default apps in a folder, but you should be able to hide them entirely 10. Editable dictionary and auto-correct To be fair, the iOS auto-correct is pretty smart and it's good for assisting typing on a virtual keyboard, but as blog Damn You, Auto Correct shows, it regularly messes up. If Apple enabled you to edit the dictionary and set custom auto-corrects, these problems would disappear. 11. App Store multitasking Apple wants you to buy apps, but, seemingly, only one at a time - and slowly. We're not sure why the App Store kicks you out to a home screen every time you download something, but we wish it wouldn't. 12. Guest mode We'll never see multiple user accounts on iOS devices. However, we hope Apple will soon provide some kind of 'guest' mode, so someone can mess about with a device without wrecking your settings (although the recently added restrictions options in the Settings app are a decent start). 
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| Nokia E7 starts shipping today Posted: 07 Feb 2011 03:40 AM PST  Nokia has announced that its long-awaited Nokia E7 business handset has finally started shipping. UK fans will have a little longer to wait, however, with the handset not yet available to buy on our fair isles. Having been revealed at Nokia World back in September, the handset has been a long time coming but will be heading to Vodafone, hopefully any day now. N8-alike The slim Symbian^3 handset looks a lot like an N8 (with a larger screen and a lower-spec camera), but hidden beneath the OLED touchscreen is a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Although no official UK release date has been given, UK pricing should be around £420 (€495). To whet your appetite while awaiting that UK release date, feel free to peruse our hands on Nokia E7 review at your leisure. 
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| Nokia E6 pictures surface just in time for MWC Posted: 07 Feb 2011 03:08 AM PST  Photos of Nokia's as-yet unannounced Nokia E6-00 have made their way on to the internet, suggesting that the not-very-exciting handset may form the crux of the company's Mobile World Congress announcements. It's not setting our hearts aflame with excitement, looking very much like the Nokia E71 and most of the rest of the E-series candybar handsets. Specs relating to the business handset leaked last month, with a 640 x 480 VGA screen, Symbian^3 and HSPA on offer. Shattered touchscreen dreams? Rumours had also suggested the E6 would offer a nice big touchscreen. But, while the photos neither confirm nor deny the presence of a touchscreen on the QWERTY candybar, the screen size and masses of space dedicated to the navigational trackpad suggest it does not. We're not at all sure about the enormous band of wasted space under the QWERTY; could this be some kind of gestural input bar? Doubtful. If this is all Nokia has for us at Mobile World Congress, we're going to be seriously disappointed. Let's just hope the curtain comes up on that MeeGo superphone instead. 
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| Hands on: Canon EOS 1100D review Posted: 07 Feb 2011 03:00 AM PST  In look and feel the new Canon EOS 1100D sits halfway between the EOS 1000D that it replaces and the EOS 550D above it in the Canon SLR line-up. The 1100D's body surface has a smooth silky feel rather like the 1000D's and there are no textured coatings like the 550D's. Instead of the regular circular buttons of the 1000D, the 1100D has the crazy-paving style buttons of the 550 and they fit around the contours of the camera's body. Naturally, the EOS 1100D doesn't have quite the same durable feel as Canon's higher-end SLRs, but the sample I used didn't have any loose joints and there was no creaking or squeaking when I gripped the camera firmly. Canon 1100D specifications Obviously as budget SLR there's a limit to how much technology Canon can pack into the EOS 1100D, but it has enough to make it seem like a worthwhile replacement for the 1000D. The 2 million pixel boost in resolution is just enough to be interesting and the switch to a DIGIC 4 engine allows 14-bit processing, which should ensure better quality images. Read more on PhotoRadar: Hands on: Canon EOS 1100D review 
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| Updated: iPad 2 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 07 Feb 2011 02:31 AM PST  The internet loves Apple and it loves ill-founded speculation, so it's hardly surprising that iPad 2 rumours were flying before the first iPad even reached the UK. With only weeks to go before its expected unveiling the iPad 2 release date, specs and price are still closely guarded secrets, but that doesn't mean there aren't some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider. Reports suggest Apple is also expecting massive demand for the new device and has ordered six million units per month. Here's our pick of the latest iPad 2 rumours. UPDATE: iPad 2 has apparently been spotted. Reuters reports on a "source with knowledge of the device" who spotted the new iPad at the launch of News Corp's The Daily. iPad 2 specs: cameras and a gyroscope Gizmodo reckons that FaceTime support's a given, and that means a front-facing camera like the iPhone 4. BuzzBizzNews echoes the camera story, suggesting twin cameras. It also suggests that there'll be a three-axis gyroscope like there is in the iPhone 4. EETimes says Apple has been testing gyroscopes but decided not to put one in the original iPad. On 10 December 2010, images of a new iPad case appeared online, suggesting that the iPad 2 will feature a rear-facing camera. On 17 January 2011, we heard word of not only a rear camera, but a front one too... it seems more likely that FaceTime will be coming to the iPad 2 as well. iPad 2 specs: a USB port and SD card slot Rumours suggest that the iPad 2 will have a USB port, which BuzzBizzNews says will enable users to "upload movies, documents and photos". We're not convinced it's for that, because Apple is moving increasingly to wireless. The iPad prints wirelessly. The iPad streams media wirelessly. Why add USB? More likely, we think, is a MicroUSB port or adapter so the iPad meets new EU regulations on mobile device chargers. Images of a new iPad case have appeared online that seem to show space for an SD card slot. On 17 January 2011, we also reported on said SD clard slot - it would be a dramatic move for Apple to go with such expandable memory, but a clever one if true. iPad 2 specs: GSM and CDMA AllThingsDigital quotes analyst Brian Blair, who says that Apple may be readying a "world iPad" that uses both GSM and CDMA networks, enabling it to get online anywhere in the world. CDMA, incidentally, is the technology used by Verizon in the US. iPad 2 case: thinner and more like a MacBook Brian Blair also says: "the new iPad is thinner than the existing model and is essentially made from one piece of metal with no pins needed. We understand it requires a new type of manufacturing process as a result, similar to the company's unibody approach seen in MacBooks." iPad 2 specs: retina display Will the gorgeous screen from the iPhone 4 make its way to the iPad? The Apple Blog thinks so: "You can be sure that Apple's Retina Display, or something very close, will make its way to iPad". Then again, such a screen would massively increase the number of pixels, increasing the demands on both the iPad's processor and its battery, so a nine-inch Retina Display is a challenge. If Apple's solved it we'll see you down the Apple Store the second it goes on sale. iPad 2 specs: a seven-inch screen? All of Apple's rivals have plumped for 7-inch displays, which means their tablets are lighter than the iPad. Will Apple follow them into seven-inch territory? iLounge says prototypes exist, while earlier this year DigiTimes predicted not just a seven-inch iPad 2, but a 5.6-inch iPad 2. Apparently the smaller iPads would target ebooks while the current iPad would target multimedia entertainment, "sources stated". We're doubtful. Apple already does a mini-iPad with a retina display. It's the iPod touch. The idea of a smaller iPad 2 took another knock in November, when 9to5Mac reported that the iPad 2 adverts have already been shot - with current-generation iPads playing the role of iPad 2s. The iPad 2s will be digitally added nearer the time, and of course that's much harder to do if the iPad 2 is smaller than the iPads the actors are actually holding. iPad 2 specs: a faster processor KitGuru "has been hearing rumours from the Far East" that the iPad 2 will be a seven-inch job with a 2GHz processor and an HD video camera. It reckons the processor will be based on ARM's Cortex A9, the 1GHz dual-core processor that you'll find in the BlackBerry PlayBook. On 18 January, we also reported the iPad 2 will have a boosted dual core GPU, based on an upgraded graphical core from Apple. This will allow better pixel management, lending weight the theory that the iPad 2 will have a much higher-res screen. iPad 2 specs: more memory This is a no-brainer: the iPhone 4 has twice the memory of the iPad (512MB compared to 256MB), largely because the iPhone does multitasking. Since the iOS 4.2 release, iPads do multitasking too. 256MB already seems a little bit stingy. iPad 2 specs: no home button Boy Genius Report says a source has told it that Apple has employees testing iPads with no home buttons, but we're inclined to agree with ZDNet, which says "don't bet on it". iPad 2 features: Find My Friends On 13 January 2011 we reported that Apple seems to have a location-based tool called Find My Friends in the works for its iOS 4.3 iPhone and iPad update. The iPad 2 release date is probably in the Spring Rumours suggested that the iPad 2 would be rushed out in time for Christmas, but if that's Apple's plan they're being awfully last-minute about it. Early 2011 seems like a much better bet, and it fits with Apple's annual product cycle: the first iPad was announced in January and shipped in the spring. On 7 December we reported on rumours that Apple would be shipping iPad 2 units out to warehouses in February 2011. If that date is correct, it suggests an iPad 2 release date of some time around April. This has been corroborated by our report on 17 January, with the April UK release date backed up by 'insiders'. On 20 January 2011 we reported that the iPad 2 release date could be 9 February, after images leaked showing that date on the home screen (the original iPad launch promotional material had a 27 January 2010 date on the home screen - the date the first iPad launched). On 7 February 2011, Elton John, speaking on BBC Breakfast, said he is looking forward to buying an iPad 2 in April so he can make video calls using Skype. Did he just out the iPad 2 release date or has he been hearing the same rumours that we have? The iPad 2 price won't change much Unless there's a new seven-inch model we'll be amazed if the iPad 2 price is dramatically lower than the model it replaces: Apple isn't struggling to shift units and rivals are charging similar prices. Cheapo tablets do exist, but they're rubbish. 
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| Hands on: Canon EOS 600D review Posted: 07 Feb 2011 02:04 AM PST  With all the internet chatter anticipating upgrades to the EOS 1000D, EOS-1Ds Mark III and even the EOS 5D Mark II, Canon's announcement of the EOS 600D is likely to come as a surprise to many. By now you've probably read the Canon 600D price and specs, and you've still two months to digest it all before the Canon 600D release date in early April. Our pals on PhotoRadar have already had a play around with this latest Canon camera, which sits above the EOS 550D in the Canon family. Our full Canon 600D review is still to come, but in the meantime read PR's first impressions of Canon's new release for aspiring photographers... 600D first-look In keeping with recent Canon SLR introductions, the 600D has an 18 million-pixel sensor which is very similar to the ones in the EOS 550D, EOS 60D (read our Canon 60D review) and EOS 7D, but it's not identical.
Canon UK's David Parry wasn't able to tell me exactly what the difference is, but was prepared to speculate that there's something unique about the low-pass filter. The important thing is that we can expect the image quality to be of a similar standard to the EOS 7D's. As you'd expect, the Canon EOS 600D feels a little tougher than the Canon 1100D and has textured pads to help provide a bit more grip. According to David Parry, Canon will release the EOS 600D to provide a more advanced, feature-rich SLR for photographers who like the EOS 550D handling and design... Read more on PhotoRadar: Hands on: Canon EOS 600D review 
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| Buying Guide: Best antivirus 2011: 10 programs on test Posted: 07 Feb 2011 02:00 AM PST  Malware, hackers, spam, identity thieves and more – which antivirus package should you invest in to prevent them playing havoc with your life? We test 10 of the best antivirus apps available Antivirus isn't something you can get away without any more, and if you think you can't be infected, chances are there's a virus writer somewhere ready and willing to prove you wrong. You probably won't even know about it when it happens. In the old days, malware tended to make a big song and dance about its presence, but the rules have changed. Now written with an eye towards online crime and cold hard cash, the average virus has learned to stay low and spread via almost any vector. The wrong website. A lost USB stick. A Facebook message. You never know where they could strike, and even if you're up to speed on what they're doing now, sooner or later they'll find a new trick. For these antivirus reviews, we've taken 10 of the best programs around and put them through their paces, not just to see how good they are at stomping viruses, but how much of your valuable resources they soak up. We've all banished an antivirus tool for slowing things down or getting too obnoxious at some point – a modern tool should be expected to keep quiet until it has something important to say, and definitely not get in the way of the applications you're using or the games you want to play. Finally, while most of these versions are available as suites, it's primarily their antivirus capabilities that we're looking at here. Each offers multiple versions at different price points, typically a pure antivirus tool and an Internet Security Suite edition that bolts on a firewall and often parental controls. There's frequently a third edition too, focusing on features like backup and data security. The core engines are always the same, however, so don't feel you're missing out on anything if you don't need them.
Microsoft Security Essentials You need antivirus, but do you need to pay for antivirus? There are plenty of free tools out there to choose from, including variants of many packages reviewed here (although we're looking at the commercial editions in the interests of fairness, the actual scanning engines are usually similar, if not identical), but Microsoft's is one of the few that's entirely free. There are no upgrades on offer, no souped-up edition to try and upsell you to, and no irritating pop-ups to remind you that it's there. This makes it something of a stripped-down package – there's no firewall, not many options, no web filtering and no gaming mode. It has all the basics though, including scheduled scans and real-time threat detection, the ability to mark certain files as safe and automatic scanning of all files you download from the internet. On our test PC, it was by far the slowest antivirus package, taking 25 minutes for its first scan and 12 on a subsequent run, but clawed some time back when it came to reboots, barely affecting how long it took Windows to start up in the morning. It also had one of the lowest CPU utilisation scores on test, making it a good one to have running in the background. As far as actual scanning goes, we had no complaints. Like most of the tools on test, it was a clean sweep, picking up all the malware on the PC and not falling for any of the false positives. It may be a free tool, but Microsoft has a vested interest in keeping Windows virus-free. If all you want is a scanner and not any fancy features, it's more than up to the job of sitting in the background and protecting your PC, out of sight and out of mind. Rating: 4/5
Webroot Internet Security Complete Webroot performed reasonably well across the board. It missed one virus from our loadout, but that's only noticeable because the majority caught them all. Every package will have its blind spots – viruses that it didn't quite update in time to catch and the one that gets away – so a single miss is nothing to be ashamed of. It earned a perfect score on false positives however, and proved one of the least system-intensive programs of the lot – it adds barely 20 seconds extra on bootup, has a tiny average memory footprint, and a very respectable scan time and average CPU load. It was one of the slower programs in the test during the initial scan, but the time drops considerably on subsequent checks. There's a dedicated gaming mode, with the handy option to choose how long it stays on. Beyond that, there aren't many options to play with, and not much stood out. The Internet Security Complete Pack takes the standard set of antivirus and firewall features and bolts on some handy extras, including protecting your passwords, providing secure form-filling and hanging onto your credit card details. You also get some free web space, the amount depending on the version – 10GB in the Complete Edition, 2GB in Security Essentials – for file-sharing and backup, which is a handy throw-in, especially because it allows for automatic syncing. Put any files you need to keep into a special Magic Briefcase folder, and they'll be accessible on any PC that has Internet Security Complete on it. This should really be a free downloadable app though to beat DropBox and friends. Rating: 3/5
McAfee Internet Security 2011 The antivirus world's other heavy hitter doesn't put in quite as good a performance as this year's Norton, but still serves up a very respectable performance across the board. It suffered from the one of the longest boot-up times and the absolute highest CPU load during scans, but compensated by being by far the least memory-hungry program on test. You might not want to play games while it's running – and there's no gaming mode provided – but for most apps it'll be just fine. In other areas, Internet Security proved a mid-level package. Its initial scan took a lengthy 17 minutes, which dropped down to just four minutes on a subsequent runthrough – roughly the same as Norton. It caught 100 per cent of the malware on our test system without falling prey to any false positives, and on a purely aesthetic level, it features a much better interface that makes it easy to access exactly the features you want. As with all major internet security suites, a capable software firewall is built in, and can be activated and then generally ignored until it spots something you should know about. Bonus features on offer here include parental controls, file shredding, antispam and a gigabyte of free space (the Norton equivalent is only available in the 360 edition). The upgraded version, Total Protection, offers all these features, plus an encrypted vault to store files, home network defense and a more advanced version of McAfee's SiteAdvisor for spotting bad links. For most however, Internet Security will be all you need, and while it may not have come out the winner this year, it remains a strong performer.
AVG Internet Security 2011 Still, install it and you could be forgiven for thinking it's still trying to upsell you on a later version, because it's more than a little eager to make sure you know everything it's doing. It adds a Gadget to the Windows Sidebar, its firewall is very noticeable, and it can feel like the smart kid at the front of the class going "Sir! Sir! I know, sir!" Still, it performs well enough for a pat on the head. In tests, it was easily the fastest of the tools here on first scan, and an excellent performer on subsequent scans. It demands fairly high CPU usage, but barely affected rebooting times at all. On the all-important virus test, it was a clean sweep for both actual malware and false-positives. The only real weaknesses are the Link Scanner, which protects you from malicious sites and sending out dodgy links via Facebook, but only in internet Explorer and Firefox, and it's not always clear exactly what its options will do for you – the Identity Protection component being particularly vague. AVG is a strong contender, although for personal use, it must be noted that if it's only the antivirus side of the package that you're interested in, you can still download it for free. (For professional/corporate use, you need to pay up for the full package.) The main things you miss out on if you opt for the free version are the firewall, anti-spam (which you probably won't use since it's clientside only), IM conversation scanning, and the Identity Protection component. Rating: 4/5
Norton Internet Security 2011 Like McAfee, Norton is one of the kings of the antivirus world and this latest version of its Internet Security suite doesn't let the side down at all. Where previous versions could be annoyingly 'in your face', the 2011 suite feels more quietly confident, from its new interface showing current trouble hotspots around the world to the easy-to-use tools it provides for scanning and cleaning. In tests, Norton's antivirus put on one of the best performances. It had no difficulty with the viruses we sent it to find and didn't fall for any of the false positives we set up for it. Norton has long had a reputation for being a heavy package, but this time out, it's a good lodger. A very long initial scan soon gave way to one of the fastest second scans, with a solid CPU and memory footprint. Bonus features on top of the core antivirus scanning in the Internet Security 2011 edition include parental controls, firewalling and tools for identity theft protection. The next level up, Norton 360, adds online backup/PC tuning, although nothing extra that you really need for online security. One complaint we do have, however, is that while Symantec offers a 30-day trial of Norton products, there's a bit of a catch – they're what the company calls 'opt-out demos'. In short, you have to give it your credit card number and if you don't actively cancel before the end of your trial period, you'll automatically be billed for a whole year's worth of protection. Hopefully this doesn't catch on with other companies, because it's not the friendliest way of road-testing alternative suites. Rating: 4/5
VIPRE Antivirus Premium VIPRE offers a few interesting features, one of which is its 'lifetime' subscription option. Unfortunately this costs £60, and isn't a great deal considering the all-home licence you get in the regular edition. Also, the 'lifetime' is that of your PC, not yourself. Since you're going to upgrade and almost certainly have more than one machine around, in most cases you're going to be better off with the regular yearly subscription, spread out between your computers. In tests, it proved to be a mid-range performer. It was one of the worst tools for slowing down boot-times, although not quite the slowest, and one of the slowest at actually scanning the drive after its first look around. Its CPU utilisation is reasonable though, and while there's no dedicated gaming mode, it never got in the way of actually playing games. It may take time to do its job, but you probably won't be inconvenienced while it does it in the background. Its performance against our test system was a clean sweep, catching all of the viruses put in front of it, and not falling for any of the false positives hiding among them. In testing, no major problems reared their heads at all, save that it can be very chatty – always keeping you in the loop, whether you have a reason to care or not. VIPRE Antivirus is available in two versions – Premium and regular. The main differences are that only the Premium edition features a firewall and intrusion prevention, with a few other features thrown in – notably ad blocking, web filtering. The antivirus component itself appear to be the same decent performer. Rating: 3/5
PC Tools Internet Security 2011 The first thing that stood out about PC Tools was that it had by far the biggest effect on our test machine's boot times, increasing them by a good half a minute. In three different tests, it spiked a 38-second boot time to a whopping 2:10, 1:49 and 1:40 – quite a difference. Luckily, that was the only major negative we encountered while using it. Its memory usage and CPU load were average, and its actual scanning was surprisingly fast. The first long initial scan took around half an hour, but dropped down to a mere 46 seconds for its follow-up run. As with most tools here, it caught everything that was waiting for it on the drive, and didn't clock up any false positives against its record while doing so. Its feature set is a strong one, with one of the more reactive firewalls we saw in these products immediately kicking in. Unlike many, there are a few handy shortcuts you can use, including telling it what kind of network you're on, and having the firewall settings auto-configured to match – very handy if you just want to get started. In a similar vein, a gaming mode is both present and automated, kicking in whenever you go into full-screen mode. Additional web security filters include spam filtering for Outlook and Thunderbird via toolbars, and plenty of online protection tools to watch out for any potentially dodgy websites and dangerous downloads. It's one of the cheaper antivirus solutions out there as well, at only £40 for a three-user license per year. It's a pity about that initial sloth, but there's little to complain about elsewhere in this strong internet security suite. Rating: 3/5
Kaspersky Pure Kaspersky currently offers three different security products, in escalating level of price: regular Kaspersky Antivirus, Kaspersky Internet Security and this one, Kaspersky Pure. Both Antivirus and Pure are excellent performers, and caught all the malware in our test sweep without falling prey to any traps. The regular Antivirus proved marginally faster, while soaking up equally marginal extra system resources, and is a little cheaper, but Pure offers a few extra toys to play with. Whichever version you look at, it's going to be an excellent product. Internet Security bolts on extra parental controls and tune-up utilities. Pure adds backup to the mix and beefs up the firewall component, with more emphasis on the security of your home network. The most interesting feature Kaspersky Internet Security/ Pure includes is the ability to run applications in a sandbox, without you having to go to the trouble of setting up dedicated virtual machines. Any app you have installed can be locked away in one, identified by a radioactive green glow around its window. A shared folder handles any data-swapping. You still shouldn't use this to test programs you know are dodgy – or run them at all – but it's a good extra to have when browsing the web or trying out new applications. Kaspersky's protection is a strong offering across the board, with a more informative control panel than most, but one that provides easy configuration options. It's a little more power for only small amount extra, but you won't be disappointed with the other editions if you don't need the extras. Rating: 4/5
BitDefender Total Security 2011 BitDefender Total Security is another very solid product, with no particular specialities that push it above the herd, but no major weaknesses either. It caught all the malware, it didn't fall for any traps, and it did it very effectively indeed, with quick scans and reasonable CPU and memory loads. It has a dedicated gaming mode for keeping resources under control, and is one of the few products that does a proper scan of your PC before even installing, just to make sure it's safe. The interface is somewhat unusual, initially looking like there aren't many features, before revealing that they're tucked away to help prioritise the ones that you actually use. Don't need laptop mode? Flick a switch and it'll never be shown again. Not a gamer? Say goodbye to the gaming mode. Alternatively, if you want everything up front, you can just as easily switch into a more advanced user mode mode with all the options. One excellent touch is that before you use the software, it offers to actually guide you through, with one tutorial for existing BitDefender users and another for complete newcomers. In terms of features, it's the standard loadout: firewall, parental controls, and a few extras for tuning up your PC and backing up files. The slightly cut down Internet Security 2011 edition loses the last couple of features, which is fine if you already have space to store your things, and costs slightly less. There's also a pure antivirus edition, which is one of the cheaper on the market. This misses out on the firewall and parental controls, but otherwise still offers everything you could need to stop malware in its tracks. Rating: 3/5
Titanium Internet Security 2011 Trend Micro's offering was by far the worst at picking up viruses in this year's test, failing to fix a dismal 23 per cent of the viruses planted on our test PC compared to most of the others' 100 per cent scores and Webroot's only slightly shaky 97.1. In its favour, it didn't throw up any false positives, but nor did any of the other tools. We might just have caught it on a bad day, but we can't say it was a great start for this package. It's a cloud-based virus scanner however, so new emerging threats should be protected against very quickly. In terms of raw performance, there's little to praise except for the fact that boot-up time after installing Trend was almost identical to before it, with a variance of just six seconds – the only other package even close to that was Microsoft itself, at 10 seconds. In scanning, it used fewer resources than most, but not dramatically so. It took over 10 minutes to complete its secondary scan, where most – although not all – of its competitors ripped right through our test rig. Still, it wasn't the slowest performer by any means, beating both VIPRE and Microsoft by a good couple of minutes. As far as extra features go, you get the standard firewall, a client-side spam blocker, plus some very handy extras: built in parental controls that both block kids from naughty sites and serve up reports, and a Data Theft Prevention tool that takes in your most important passwords and personal details and watches out for them slipping into the wrong hands. All good stuff, let down by its initial performance. Hopefully next year it'll be better prepared. Rating: 2/5 Best antivirus: verdictThe most surprising thing about this antivirus test is how little difference there is between most security suites at the moment. If you buy antivirus, you'll get that. Anything with 'Security' in the name is going to double that up with a firewall. All are incredibly easy to use, and the majority scored a clean sweep in our tests. That makes it harder to recommend individual packages, but the good news is that as long as you stick with the known names, you're unlikely to buy a dud. Whether it's a bonus feature you like, or simply added performance you crave, you can purchase in confidence. Just make sure you invest in one of them, because the criminals writing viruses will always have another trick up their sleeves… Editor's choice: Norton Internet Security 2011 It's a close fight, but Norton's excellent performance and revamped interface make it our pick of this year's crop. It's easy enough for anyone to use, but with lots of excellent bonus features to dip into if you need a bit more power. Unsurprisingly catching everything we threw at it, it's a security suite you can be completely comfortable using as your digital guard-dog. Performance award: Kaspersky Pure With excellent scanning and a grab bag of genuinely useful security extras, it's hard to fault Kaspersky's high-end suite. You can get slightly faster and more system-friendly tools if you want everything more automated, although Pure won't give you trouble, but this is the one to go with if you want to squeeze as much power out of your choice of protection as possible. Value award: Microsoft Security Essentials You can't get better value than free, and Microsoft Security Essentials is more than good enough - as long as you know what you're doing. You may miss a few of the extra features, and have to sort out your firewall separately, but it'll keep you safe from most of the threats you're likely to download without the obnoxious extras. No licenses, no adverts, just free protection. 
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The most immediate difference between the GH2 and the model it replaces is the articulated LCD screen, a feature inherited from the G2. While still at 3-inches in size and 460,000dot in resolution, the user is free to pivot the screen around a joint on its left hand side, turning it forward for self-portrait shots or against the camera to protect it while not in use. 
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