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Techradar |
- ARM hopes to 'conquer the mobile PC market'
- Rumour: NGP to be called 'Sony PlayStation Vita'
- Sony releases official wireless PS3 headset
- Opinion: Free software is facing a monumental test
- Computex 2011: Asus unveils the Padfone and new 3D tablet
- Early View: Samsung Chromebook vs Acer Chromebook
- Quad-core tablet gaming: new Nvidia Kal-El demo
- WIN! A top-end PC power bundle
| ARM hopes to 'conquer the mobile PC market' Posted: 30 May 2011 07:44 AM PDT Mobile chip specialists ARM hope to make significant moves into the mobile PC market over the next five years, with the company's president hoping for 50 per cent of the market by 2015. Cambridge-based ARM is already rumoured to be looking to get its tech used in the next iteration of Apple's MacBook Air. Something that we expect to hear more about later this summer, when Apple is anticipated to announce a new refresh of its ultra-slim laptop range. ARM's president, Tudor Brown, told a gathering of reporters and industry execs at Computex this week that he hopes ARM will soon conquer the mobile PC market, looking to grow what is currently around a 10 per cent share to 50 per cent by 2015, by getting its mobile chips in more and more netbooks and ultraportable PCs. Takes Intel threat "very seriously" While Intel looks to make its own moves into the mobile market, ARM has also declared that it will take any plans that Intel may announce to make chips for its customers "very seriously" according to one senior ARM exec. "It's important that Intel makes a change in their business model. Intel has never done this before, so we have to take it very seriously," ARM's marketing executive VP Ian Drew told Reuters this week. ARM president Tudor Brown added: "Traditional PC chips only accounted for 6 percent of our whole PC chip shipments of 6 billion units last year." 
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| Rumour: NGP to be called 'Sony PlayStation Vita' Posted: 30 May 2011 05:41 AM PDT Sony is rumoured to be planning on calling its new handheld console – currently referred to as NGP (Next Generation Portable) – the Sony Vita. Of course, rumours run rife in the games industry in the week prior to E3, as speculation about the new tech and marketing plans to be revealed by Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo reaches fever pitch level. Vita, Veta or something else? The latest rumours that the new Sony handheld is to be called Vita are based on domain registrations for for PlayStationVita.com and PSVita.com which were made back on April 20 through NetNames. Joystiq also reports on a blog that had claimed to have a graphic showing the PS Vita, with the original blog post having since been removed. And a number of other gaming blogs, such as Ripten, are also claiming that Vita is the final name, citing (those old favourites) their own "unnamed trusted sources close to the matter"… Whatever the final name of Sony's new handheld turns out to be – and we'll know once and for all from Sony's E3 conference next Monday 6 June – new reports claim that NGP is being viewed internally at Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) as Sony's "future platform" following the most recent rumours that PS4 hardware was in development. A Sony spokesperson apparently informed Ripten that a recent reference to a "future platform" meant the NGP, which will see full reveal at E3. 
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| Sony releases official wireless PS3 headset Posted: 30 May 2011 05:15 AM PDT Sony has announced the release of the new official PlayStation 3 headset, over a week before the company is set to announce its plans for the coming year and beyond at E3 2011. It's a distinctively Sony style design, as you can see from the press shots of the new wireless gaming headset right here. Hear in-game audio clues Featuring 7.1 virtual surround sound, the new Sony wireless stereo headset lets you hear all those minor in-game audio clues clearly and, Sony points out, will work with many of the favourite PS3 franchises such as Killzone and Gran Turismo, all of which have been designed for surround sound audio. No UK release details or pricing has been announced as yet, but the official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset will be available for $99.99 (MSRP) in the US this September, so we expect it to arrive in the UK around the same time.
"Designed with comfort in mind for hours of gameplay, it's the perfect addition to your PlayStation experience," reads the announcement post on the US PlayStation blog. "Connecting the Wireless Stereo Headset with PS3 is made easy with the included USB Wireless Adapter. Precise volume controls and accessible microphone mute make it so you never have to interrupt gameplay to fumble for buttons. "You can easily stay informed about battery status, sound controls, etc. with on-screen headset status updates. On top of that, the Wireless Stereo Headset also offers the highest quality voice chat for crystal clear online conversations. The mic is retractable so you can put it away if you just want to listen to music or play a single player game." Expect (lots) more details on the latest PlayStation tech and Sony peripherals from E3 2011 in Los Angeles next week. Gamers are hoping that the PlayStation firm doesn't skimp on those features for the new NGP handheld, as rumours have suggested, as the firm needs a strong showing at this year's event. 
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| Opinion: Free software is facing a monumental test Posted: 30 May 2011 05:00 AM PDT The last visible supernova in the Milky Way galaxy was the 1604 explosion in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Despite Kepler's best efforts, this was before anyone had hardware powerful enough to study the event in detail and learn from it. As a result, scientists have spent years waiting patiently with their new bits of kit for the next explosion, which is due some time soon. It may not happen tomorrow, but the sheer number of stars in the local galaxy makes it inevitable. There are similar rare and inevitable events in the world of free software, one of which we're about to witness for the first time since anyone took an interest in such things. A vital open source project is about to run out of fuel and, possibly, explode. Thanks to Nokia's jump to Windows Phone 7, from the frying pan into the fire, its free software darling, the Qt toolkit, has been left living on vague promises and shell-shocked, hollow enthusiasm. Nokia has pledged some continued investment, bonuses for developers who stick with the platform and even a phone or two that might use it. But the truth is that Qt is deprecated, the project has stalled and its future is uncertain. It's an event long anticipated by the world of free software. This is important, because it's the Qt toolkit that drives the KDE desktop - one of the most popular and widely used desktops in the world of open source. And because Qt has always been a commercial product, KDE has always benefited from its exceptional documentation, stability and design - the kind of attributes that come from a well financed project. What now? The KDE team now has a choice. It can either choose to observe what happens to the toolkit and play along with whatever new leadership emerges, or it can take control of the source code itself and roll it into the core of the KDE project, something it has the complete freedom to do thanks to the LGPL licence used by Qt. Many people, myself included, have argued that KDE and Qt should really be the same anyway, and this might be the perfect opportunity to make it so. There's plenty of duplication, for example, where you find that KDE does the same thing as Qt, only slightly differently. But even that has changed with recent releases, as both teams have attempted to merge their best ideas into a single API. It's thanks to the LGPL that we have this choice. This is one of the most liberal free software licences a project can use, and it's meant that while Trolltech and Nokia have always sold expensive commercial licences to the toolkit, free software projects have been able to build their own and link to the library freely. Rebirth Were this a proprietary toolkit that the Finnish phone giant had decided to drop, there would be nothing left to save and this column would be arbitrary. Instead, like the elements thrown from a supernova, this is a rebirth of sorts for Qt. It can still be copied, forked and improved upon, with or without the support of its principle owner. Many of us who believe in the viability of open source software are keen to see exactly what happens and how things might change as a result. The main problem will be that, to some extent, Qt will still be developed commercially. This will create a conflict between the free software developers, who might want to take control over the API, and the traditionalists who are happy to use any new features and releases as they appear. Personally, I think this will lead to a fork for Qt, unless there's some sort of management buyout for the API itself. But a fork will help KDE to become a far more homogeneous and influential desktop if development continues, simply because it will be the whole package. All of this is happening at a crunchtime for the Linux desktop. Gnome 3.0 has released, the first major update for eight years, and it's trying to outmanoeuvre KDE in the innovation stakes after years of sober stability. KDE itself was just about getting usable again, and Ubuntu has thrown the cat among the pidgins with its new Unity shell for Gnome. The Nokia and Qt drama only helps to further highlight the jeopardy. In many ways, this is the monumental test of the viability of free software, and whether the Linux desktop has missed its chance, with nothing to do now except fade into greater obscurity. The Nokia/Qt event is likely to outshine any other news for the next few months, and when it finally fades, we'll hopefully be left with a new constellation. 
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| Computex 2011: Asus unveils the Padfone and new 3D tablet Posted: 30 May 2011 04:27 AM PDT Asus has unveiled its latest 'Padfone' hybrid mobile computing device at Computex 2011, a smartphone that also comes with a tablet for the user to dock into. Asus CEO Jonney Shih has unveiled a prototype of its new Padfone in Taipei this week, which features a combined 4.3-inch screen smartphone and a 10.1-inch tablet dock. Convergence in mobile devices Asus is still to settle on the final dimensions and tech spec for the Padfone before releasing it as a final retail product. The company's Computex press release informs that the Padfone "reveals exciting new possibilities for mobile computing and communication." The Asus announcement continues: "This convergent device combines a smartphone and a tablet computer into one symbiotic gadget that allows consumers to choose the screen size that best fits their activities while seamlessly sharing data and 3G internet access." In addition to the new Padfone device, Asus also revealed a number of other new products at Computer 2011, including "a 3D tablet, ultra-thin and light notebooks and netbooks, plus the world's first PC motion sensing controller and a sleek 27-inch All-in-One HD desktop." New 7-inch glasses-free 3D tablet Shih said of his company's Computex 2011 line-up that: "Breaking the rules and changing the status quo are the keys to our success, and we strive to offer customers an experience that surpasses their expectations." The other most interesting new product unveiled by Asus at this year's event in Taipei is the new Eee Pad MeMO 3D, "designed to be an alternative take on the 10" tablet that is fast becoming a standard size." The portrait-oriented new Eee Pad is the latest follow-up to Asus' recently released Eee Pad Transformer, and has a 7-inch multi-touch screen, a bundled Bluetooth headset and, most interestingly, "flipping the MeMO 3D into landscape turns it into a glasses-free 3D display that adds a new dimension to mobile entertainment." 
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| Early View: Samsung Chromebook vs Acer Chromebook Posted: 30 May 2011 03:00 AM PDT The Google Chromebook UK release date is 15 June, when the first units go on sale. Google intends Chromebooks to be a simpler way of browsing the web – the OS is essentially just the Google Chrome browser itself, with no desktop, taskbar or separate app browser. It's a completely cloud based computer and is dependent on being connected to the internet to work properly. The bonus of this is that your files are always updates as is the Chrome OS used on Chromebooks – the software will always be updated automatically. It's certainly a limited OS but, depending on what you use a laptop or a tablet for, it might be enough. However, a Chromebook is no workhorse - it's very much in the netbook category though, as you'll hear, the pricing is surprisingly high. You can check out our Hands on: Google Chromebook review that we did with one of Google's CR-48 prototype Chrome netbooks, but while we were able to test the operating system itself, it's a different machine than you'll buy on the market. When Chromebooks go on sale on 15 June, there will be two models, one from Acer and another from Samsung. We've taken a look at the basic specs of the two models, but we'll be following it up with full reviews of both of them soon. Chromebook display The Samsung Chromebook has a 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 display – the same as that in the CR-48 prototype Chromebook - while the Acer is more of a traditional netbook chassis, with an 11.6-inch widescreen HD display with a 1366 x 768 resolution. Chromebook processor Both the Samsung and Acer Chromebooks have Atom N570 1.66Ghz dual-core processors, an improvement on the CR-48 prototype processor which was an N455. We're hoping the new Pineview processors should help speed up the CPU and graphics in the Chromebook, both video and general performance wasn't the best in the prototype.
SAMSUNG: Its Chromebook has a larger screen than Acer's Chromebook connectivity Both Chromebooks have built in dual-band Wi-Fi and universally compatible 3G. Both Wi-Fi only and 3G/Wi-Fi versions of the Samsung Chromebook will be available. Chromebook pricing The Samsung Chromebook's price won't be cheap with a direct currency conversion suggesting the UK is paying significantly more for both the 3G ($499 in the US, which is around £305 in today's currency market) and Wi-Fi ($429, or £262) versions. The Wi-Fi version of the Acer is set to be set at the $349 mark, or £212 in the UK. To be honest, the latter is more like the pricing we were expecting for Chromebooks. Chromebook battery life Samsung says its Chromebook can be used for up to 8.5 hours continuously, while Acer claims 6 hours. Chrome has a very deep sleep mode and quick resume, so we're interested to know how long you can have it in standby. Like your tablet or phone, Samsung envisages your Chromebook will spend more time in sleep mode than completely off.
ACER: The Google Chromebook made by Acer is a smaller model, much more like a netbook that we're used to seeing Chromebook weight Both the Samsung and Acer Chromebooks are extremely lightweight at 1.48 and 1.45Kg respectively. Both are considerably lighter than the 1.72Kg CR-48. To put that in context, a (significantly more powerful) 13.3-inch MacBook weighs 2.1kg, an iPad 2 weighs 601g and an Acer Aspire One netbook weighs in at around 1.2kg. Chromebook storage As with the CR-48 prototype, the Samsung and Acer Chromebooks also come with a 16GB SSD on board. Surprised? Remember, Chrome OS is all about storing your files and data in the cloud. Chromebook specification Both have HD webcams as well as two USB 2.0 ports, 4-in-1 memory card slots and audio jacks. But it's in terms of display connectivity that the Chromebooks differ. While the Samsung model has a Mini-VGA port, the Acer's display out is an HDMI out. Chromebook Design While the Acer Chromebook is black, Samsung's Chromebook has a silver and white design - we're looking forward to bringing you full reviews of both models around launch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| Quad-core tablet gaming: new Nvidia Kal-El demo Posted: 30 May 2011 02:58 AM PDT Nvidia is set to wow the crowds at Computex 2011 this week, with the latest demos of its new mobile quad-core 'Kal-El' chip showing off the real-time dynamic lighting possibilities the tech will open up to mobile games and app developers. Kal-El (named after the young Superman) is the next-gen Tegra processor from Nvidia, which brings together four CPU cores with 12 GPU cores. Nvidia first previewed the quad-core Tegra 3 tech back at Mobile World Congress in February earlier this year. Kal-El powered mobile gaming The first demo from Nvidia is a game called Glowball, shown running on a Kal-El powered Android Honeycomb tablet. The game concept itself is fairly basic and generic – use the tablet's accelerometer to guide a glowing ball around an on-screen zone to hit trigger points and progress to the next level. But it's the graphical prowess of the demo that really impresses. After you have seen the lighting effects shown off in this Kal-El demo, then you may well begin to reconsider your desire to buy a Tegra 2 Android Honeycomb tablet over the next six month, and hang fire until you can get hold of a Kal-El powered tablet at a slightly later date. The Nvidia demo also allows the user to shut off two of the CPU cores, which immediately shows the user the difference in graphical power and capability of Kal-El when compared with current Tegra 2 tech. Kal-El will also allow support for 1440p video playback on tablets, which is considerably higher than most current HDTVs in our homes. Expect to see the first batch of Kal-El tablets later in 2011, with further news expected from Nvidia at Computex throughtout the forthcoming week. We also look forward to hearing more about games developers' initial thoughts and plans for mobile gaming making use of the speed-improvements that are on the way due to Kal-El. 
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| WIN! A top-end PC power bundle Posted: 30 May 2011 02:00 AM PDT TechRadar has teamed up with ADATA to provide you with some top-end kit for your PC to help your system make the leap to the next level. We've got four pieces of kit to give away, from super-fast solid state drives to cutting edge memory to make your set-up stand out. First up from ADATA is the 240GB S511 SSD, which uses the new generation SandForce SF-2200 series controller, with native support for the SATA 6Gb/s platform. The S511 offers the high-speed performance of solid state drives offering blinding transfer speeds at twice the rate of other units - so you could whizz a 5GB video file across in as little as 15 seconds. Next we have ADATA's 8GB XPG V2.0 Gaming memory, which uses TCT1 (Thermal Conductive Technology), to offer operational stability while maintaining crucial higher performance. While it keeps gamers at the sharp end, the XPG Gaming v2.0 Series is suitable for all users, delivering the stability and compatibility to free up your computer's power for successful navigation for any PC purpose.
We're also giving away ADATA's 750w HM Series PSU, which provides continuous power in a full range of wattages and includes high-quality 100% Japanese made capacitors. Better yet, the HM Series gives you next-gen performance with modularized cable management and a smart dual ball bearing tri-colour LED fan reduces fan axis resonance, resulting in high airflow cooling and constant system power updates ADATA HM Series power supplies deliver you high-efficient performance and ultimate reliability. Finally, we've got something to keep you going through any shocks to the system: ADATA's 750GB SH93 Ruggedised External HDD, the world's first waterproof and shock-resistant portable HDD. It's a heavily armoured piece of storage and designed especially for people with mobile and athletic lifestyles (you know, the ones who live in catalogues... but it will also work down the beach too). Wrapped in a rubberized enclosure that offers an innovative waterproof structure and all-protective Styrofoam on the inside, the Superior Series SH93 will shield all your valuable data (read: songs and pictures) from water and damage caused by drops, splashes or attacks from wizards. Plus the Superior Series SH93 range comes in vibrant colours and features a clean-cut design to 'exude a unique charm that appeals to the most active of us all'. To be in with a chance of winning, just click here to answer this simple question: How fast can the ADATA 240G S511 SSD transfer a 5GB file? a) 15 seconds Please note that competition is open to UK residents only. Under 16s must obtain parental consent to enter this competition and be able to demonstrate this to TechRadar's reasonable satisfaction. 
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PS3 headphones: Sony releases official new gaming peripheral
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