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Techradar |
- Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
- Rumour: Apple planning 3G iPod touch
- US ISPs to limit speeds of illegal downloaders
- Final NASA space shuttle mission blasts-off
- Google wants to learn about your TV habits
- Compact system cameras on the way from Fujifilm?
- Google+ eyes Facebook, Twitter integration
- Video: Camera buyer's guide
- Ironclad Blu-ray given wrong aspect ratio
- LG drops smartphone forecast for 2011
- In Depth: 10 tech facilities you can see from space
- Kenko-Tokina buys Cokin filters
- DSLR lens mount for iPhone released
- Sony to discontinue the MiniDisc Walkman
- Exclusive: Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables must be withdrawn
- In Depth: Is there a future for handheld 3D gaming?
- Review: The Hit List
- YouTube gets Cosmic Panda makeover
- Week in Tech: The social networking wars move up a gear
- Review: Silvio Rizzi Reeder 1.0
- Review: Blue Microphones Yeti Pro
- RIM crows about BlackBerry subscriber boost
- Google Maps gets offline download area feature
| Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar Posted: 09 Jul 2011 01:00 AM PDT The Optimus 3D is the first smartphone to launch with a "glasses-free" 3D display and we've reviewed it this week on TechRadar. The phone enables you to take still photos and record videos in full 3D, then play them back in 3D on the phone's 4.3-inch display. Also this week. we've brought you our initial verdict on Google's social networking offering, Google+, as well as reviewed the Nokia E6 and the webOS-toting HP TouchPad tablet. While 3D has yet to win the hearts and minds of the general public, the hot 3D products are still hitting the high street thick and fast. The latest wave of 3D products is coming in the form of glasses-free 3D mobile devices. LG's Optimus 3D is one of these very gadgets, and comes packing dual-core innards and the ability to not only show 3D pictures and videos but to capture them too, using a dual-sensor 3D camera. It's a very cool handset for anyone who's particularly taken by 3D, but poor battery life and a slightly out of date version of Android combine with a high asking price to place this phone just outside of our favourites list. Now that MySpace is officially dead as a social networking entity, Facebook has been left to rule the internet all on its own. However, as with all things internet-related, Google has plans of its own and the latest toy to come out of its box of tricks is Google+. It's a new social networking service designed to offer greater flexibility in the way you share information with friends, and to make it easier to chat with them. It's currently an invite-only service, and early reactions have been a mixed bag. Check out our hands-on review to see if we think you should sign up. While Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG dominate the headlines in the mobile phone world, did you know that Nokia is still out there making phones? It is, you know. Its latest E-Series business phone is the E6, which packs a full QWERTY keyboard, a touchscreen and runs the latest version of Symbian. The Nokia E6 is a well-built, very capable business phone with plenty of apps and features to suit business users. However, can we recommend you buy one of these over say, one of the latest BlackBerry smartphones? The truth is that we just can't, as the Nokia is let down by a small screen and a lack of all-round polish. Creative Aurvana In-Ear3 review If you're the sort who doesn't mind dropping £130 on a pair of earphones, the Aurvana In-Ear3 might just be for you. Sounding an order of magnitude better than the bundled earphones you get with most MP3 players and iPods, the stand-out feature on offer here is the excellent noise-isolation performance which eliminates 98 per cent of outside noise. The TouchPad has been one of the most anticipated tablets of the year. It hits the shelves next week in the UK, so how does it measure up to the magnificent offerings from Apple, Samsung and Asus?
This week's other reviews AV accessories Chassis Silverstone Fortress FT03 review Desktops NoFan SET A40 fanless bundle review Digital TV receivers Digital TV recorders Technomate TM-8000 HD Combo review Eminent EM7195 hdMedia DVB-T review
Disk drives (HDD & SSD) Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 External SSD review Graphics cards Zotac GTX 560 AMP! Edition review MSI N560GTX Twin Frozr II review Headphones Creative Aurvana In-Ear3 review Headsets Thermaltake eSports Shock One review
Headsets and headphones SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB review iPod accessories Keyboards iTablet Bluetooth Thumb Keyboard review Verbatim Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard review Mice Cooler Master CM Storm Sentinel Z3RO-G review Fellowes Health V Easy Gliding Palm Support review Xebec Tech M-touch Mouse review Microphones Blue Microphones Yeti Pro review Monitors
Processors AMD Phenom II X4 980 BE review Software Silvio Rizzi Reeder 1.0 review Potion Factory The Hit List review Hands ons Cameras Hands-on: Olympus PEN E-P3 review
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| Rumour: Apple planning 3G iPod touch Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:22 PM PDT Apple might be about to close the gap between the iPhone and the iPod touch by kitting-out a new version of the latter with 3G data connectivity, according to reports. Dutch website AppleSpot.nl is claiming, that like the iPad, the world-beating handheld music and games titan will get a data-only service whenever a new version is launched, likely to be later this year. So, rather than have a cellular connection to make phone calls, you could use services like Skype to make VoIP voice and video calls, connect to social networks and play games online. Just like the iPad A rough translation of the report says: "It will work just like the iPad; you get a 3G enabled simcard from your provider and put that in you iPod Touch. "Apple's choice of bringing 3G to the iPod Touch isn't all that weird, if it's true of course. Question remains how the providers will react to this, since the use of for example Skype will skyrocket." While this is still very much in the rumour stage, and we're currently taking it with the proverbial pinch of salt. However it would be an extremely logical step for Apple. The Wi-Fi only touch prevents it from being a truly mobile gadget as many of the apps and games, as well as the browser depend on wireless connectivity. Adding 3G to the touch's locker would bring it into line with the Sony PlayStation Vita, a major competitor in the handheld gaming market, while it would open the door for touch owners to use apps like Spotify on the go. 
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| US ISPs to limit speeds of illegal downloaders Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:37 PM PDT Internet service providers in the United States have outlined a warning system aimed at curbing illegal downloading. Major ISPs across the pond, like Comcast and AT&T, have joined forces with the key US music and movie industry bodies in order to clamp down on the rampant online piracy The planned 'Copyright Alert' notification system would send a warning each time a user downloads pirated material and would give each account holder six strikes against their name. After the sixth infringement, the ISP would consider introducing "mitigation measures" like slowing download speeds as a punishment. No shut off However, broadband providers would not shut off the user's account. nor would they pass over the names of offenders to the entertainment companies, who would then drag them through the courts. Internet users would also have the option to appeal if they think they have been singled out unfairly. The ISPs and content providers are planning to form a new group called the Center for Copyright Information in order to educate the online community about the new system. "Consumers have a right to know if their broadband account is being used for illegal online content theft, or if their own online activity infringes on copyright rules - inadvertently or otherwise - so that they can correct that activity," said James Assey of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. 
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| Final NASA space shuttle mission blasts-off Posted: 08 Jul 2011 12:57 PM PDT The space shuttle Atlantis blasted-off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida today, signalling the final launch of the NASA space program era. An estimated one million people gathered at the famous Cape Canaveral site to watch Atlantis blast-off at 11:26am, marking the end of an historic, three-decade long era of space flight. Atlantis entered orbit for the last time en-route to drop off supplies at the International Space Station before returning to Earth for 12 days and bringing to an end NASA's 135th and final shuttle mission. Weather conditions at Kennedy had threatened to delay the launch, but Atlantis was cleared for it's 33rd flight, the first being in 1985. Future of space travel? The future of NASA is very much in question as the space shuttle program comes to an end. The Agency no longer has government funding to continue sending missions into space. The future of space travel now rests with major corporations like Paypal founder Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. 
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| Google wants to learn about your TV habits Posted: 08 Jul 2011 09:48 AM PDT Google is teaming up with research company Kantar to measure TV and online activity in the UK, to better understand how media is consumed in the United Kingdom. The research sounds very similar to what the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board (BARB) is doing – although BARB is positioning itself as the official measurer of online TV content in the UK. Google is hoping to analyse 3,000 households (the panel is opt-in) and make the data available at some point. It is thought that this data will be used to find ways to bring the right sort of ad campaigns to each platform. Welcome new efforts According to Campaign magazine, Guy Phillipson, chief executive of the Internet Advertising Bureau, said about the study: "Between them, TV and online command 50 per cent of total media spend in the UK. "The Internet Advertising Bureau always welcomes new efforts to understand how consumers are using the internet and how online channels work in conjunction with other media." 
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| Compact system cameras on the way from Fujifilm? Posted: 08 Jul 2011 09:36 AM PDT It has been reported that Fujifilm will release one, possibly two, versions of a mirrorless compact system camera in the autumn along with a further two fixed lens compact cameras to add to their range. First up, Fuji are said to be developing a large sensor, either APS-C or a micro four-thirds size fixed lens hybrid camera that would sit alongside its current X100 but offer a 20x zoom lens. The second camera, aimed squarely at the premium compact market which currently includes the Canon G12 and Panasonic LX5, is likely to be fitted with a wide f/2 or f/2.8 aperture zoom lens. Both compact cameras are likely to share the retro stylings of the X100 but with a much cheaper price tag to appeal to the mass market. Micro four-thirds Finally, the new mirrorless system cameras are also said to be accompanied by a set of new Fujinon lenses. Likely to contain a micro four-thirds sensor, rather than the larger APS-C size found in the X100, the new camera would compete with Olympus and Panasonic micro four thirds offerings such as the newly announced Olympus PEN E-P3. Fujifilm's X100 premium compact has widely been reviewed as an excellent camera, but comes with an eye-watering £1,000 premium price tag to match. Fuji has recently stated in an interview with the news agency, Reuters, that they may re-enter the interchangeable lens camera market in a bid to take over from Nikon and Samsung to become third biggest camera manufacturer in the world. 
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| Google+ eyes Facebook, Twitter integration Posted: 08 Jul 2011 08:32 AM PDT Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt has revealed his hopes for the company's new social networking service, Google+, saying that he'd welcome more interaction with Twitter and Facebook. Speaking to journalists at a media conference in Idaho, Schmidt admitted that he'd "love to have deeper integration with Twitter and Facebook." But attempts to get the two social networks on board haven't yet borne fruit with Facebook resisting Google's talks over importing Facebook friends. Twitterbook+ Twitter, too, hasn't been able to see eye-to-eye with Google and its big plans; the two companies' search deal recently ended without renewal as they couldn't agree terms. Schmidt quite rightly pointed out that it is too early to say how Google+ is doing but did big up video hang outs, which he said are very popular with younger users. But now that Facebook has launched its own Skype-powered video chat feature, Google+ may lose some users to Zuckerberg's bigger and better-established network. 
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| Posted: 08 Jul 2011 08:09 AM PDT If you are off to buy a camera this weekend, then you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice out there. Before you head off and buy the camera that is on offer at the moment, check out our quick-fire guide to choosing the right camera for you. Whether you're looking for a compact or a fully fledged DSLR, it's always a good idea to know what you want from a camera before you hit the shops. Lucky then, that our video buying guide explains all… 
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| Ironclad Blu-ray given wrong aspect ratio Posted: 08 Jul 2011 05:48 AM PDT A new Blu-ray release by Warner Bros has been hit with aspect ratio woes, with review copies of Ironclad sent in 16:9 format, rather than 2.35:1 that the film should be shown in. The Blu-ray's aspect ratio problem was picked up by Home Cinema Choice magazine, which has a history of pointing out incorrect aspect ratios. Back in May, another Warner Bros title was given the wrong aspect ratio. The Blu-ray in question was John Carpenter's The Ward, which was subsequently pulled from its original release date and will now be released in October; Mr Carpenter himself even tweeted about the situation. Cramp it up Home Cinema Choice has contacted Warner Bros about the situation but has yet to hear a reply. Anton van Beek, news editor of HCC, said about the 16:9 version of Ironclad: "While this may be a 'nicer fit' for a widescreen TV, it seriously compromises the look of the film, excising vital visual information and making everything look much more cramped." The Blu-ray version of Ironclad is to be released 11 July, which means that there's little-to-no time before the disc hits shop shelves for Warner Bros to rectify the situation. 
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| LG drops smartphone forecast for 2011 Posted: 08 Jul 2011 05:38 AM PDT LG has reined in its target smartphone sales targets for 2011, a seeming admission that it is struggling to carve out a niche in the growing market for high end phones. The manufacturer has cut its forecast from 30 million down to 24 million smartphone sales, including the likes of the LG Optimus 2X and the LG Optimus 3D. The company has also redressed its overall mobile phone targets, reckoning it will sell 114 million mobile phones, including feature phones and smartphones, rather than its original estimate of 150 million. Downward turn The revised estimates are based on the fact that LG sold almost 50 million mobile phones in the first half of the year, including more than 10 million smartphones. The second half of the year, which includes the annual orgy of consumption that is Christmas, is forecast to be slightly better than the first. "Our overall performance is gradually improving ... but it's difficult to give a precise prediction when our business will turn around due to a fast changing external market environment," said Park Jong-seok, head of LG's handset division. 
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| In Depth: 10 tech facilities you can see from space Posted: 08 Jul 2011 05:30 AM PDT We hear all about vast factories and data centres, but locating them on a map can be difficult. Here are ten of the largest technical facilities in the world – the largest supercomputer, the biggest assembly plant, the most impressive chip fabrication plant, all with a top-down Google Earth image for a quick view. 1. Foxconn Factory Campus Foxconn is a key manufacturer for Apple and other huge tech companies. In its massive 15-building campus in Shenzhen region of China, there are at least a million workers. The facility covers an area covering around three square kilometers.
2. Boeing Airplane Factory Boeing, the American airplane manufacturer, could not find enough space in the Seattle area back in 1967 to build the massive facility it wanted. So Boeing chose the small town of Everett, Washington. The site houses multiple buildings – one is the largest in the world in terms of volume, at 13,385,378 cubic meters – that build most of their iconic planes, including the new 787 Dreamliner.
3. Intel Assembly Test Center Located in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, this $1 billion factory, completed in 2010, is the largest chip assembly plant in the world. With about 4,000 workers and 500,000 square feetof space, the facility is one of seven fabs the chip-maker operates in the world. The plant uses FCBGA (Flip Chip Ball Grid Array) binding technology for mobile processors, a new technique that means flatter, more powerful chips.
4. Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK) The largest car-assembly plant in the UK, this massive factory covers about 3 square kilometers and houses a battery assembly plant for the Nissan Leaf electric car. The plant is close to Washington, Tyne and Wear and opened in 1986. The popular Nissan Juke is also assembled here.
5. Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant The largest solar power plant in the world, located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, theSarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant produces about 80 megawatts of power using 1.3 million panels that cover an area that's about one million meters square. The plant produces enough power to shut down a coal power plant that produces about 39,000 tons of carbon emissions per year.
6. @Tokyo Data Center Considered the largest data center in the world with about 1.4 million square feet of space, the @Tokyo Data Center looks like a Borg complex with a center hive and surrounding infrastructure. Built in 2000, the facility is a joint venture between the Tokyo Power Company and INTEC, an IT services company.
7. RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science This RIKEN facility in Hyogo, Japan houses the fastest supercomputer in the world, running at 10 petaflops (that's10 quadrillion calculations per second for those keeping track). The supercomputer is used for brain research, climate change studies, and advanced science research. The supercomputer, a K Computer built by Fujitsu Global, is not quite operational: it goes online next year.
8. Switch Communications Group Covering almost a half-million square feet, the Switch Communications Group data center in Las Vegas is one of the largest in the world. It's claim to fame is how much advanced technology they use: the compact design can house up to about 7,000 servers and operates at 2,000 watts per square foot. There are over 800 racks inside the facility, which has a second control office across town.
9. Moffett Federal Airfield If you can't see NASA's Moffett research facility from space, you are not looking in the right place. The massive facility, situated just south of the San Francisco bay, houses multiple research facilities, an airfield, a supercomputer center, and even several volleyball courts.
10. Cyberjaya Some call it a technology ghost town, but Cyberjaya is quite visible from space – and is still a vast technical center of some renown. Google operates a data center here, and the university is going strong. Still, much of the land remains underdeveloped and there are only about 10,000 residents.
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| Kenko-Tokina buys Cokin filters Posted: 08 Jul 2011 05:19 AM PDT Japanese firm Kenko-Tokina has announced it has bought the French filter manufacturer, Cokin SAS. Cokin is the world leader in Square filter systems for cameras, exporting around 90% of its production to more than 100 countries around the world. Kenko-Tokina was established in 1957 and has 10 factories and subsidiaries worldwide. It is especially known for its production of round filters, but it also manufactures other camera accessories including lenses under the Tokina brand. President of Kenko-Tokina, Toru Yamanaka, said "I have always been impressed with the creativity that Cokin filters and accessories offer. I admire and greatly respect the professionalism of this line of fine products which reflect the French ingenuity. We are very proud to add this filter manufacturer to our team." Independent Cokin will now be called COKIN France S.A.S.U and will remain independent with its own manufacturing, marketing and worldwide distribution network. Marc Heintz, director of Sales for COKIN France said, "Kenko brings to us a strong backing of finance and supply of raw materials, which will allow us to expand and bring new innovative products to the market once again." Cokin currently manufactures a range of products for its square filter system which includes standard, graduated and special effect filters made for a variety of different size cameras including compacts, DSLRs, medium format and camcorders. Cokin filters are made from CR-39 organic glass which allows them to be both lightweight and shock resistant. It is expected that with the new acquisition, both companies will expand their current services, increasing their presence in the photographic accessory market. 
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| DSLR lens mount for iPhone released Posted: 08 Jul 2011 04:57 AM PDT Photojojo has announced a lens mount for DSLR lenses that is compatible with the iPhone camera. The adaptor, which is part of an iPhone case, allows Canon EOS or Nikon SLR lenses to be mounted onto the iPhone. Several different types of lenses can be attached, including telephoto, wide-angle, macro and fixed length, which will only be able to be manually focused once fitted. Furthermore, only lenses with an aperture ring, such as old film camera lenses, will have the ability to adjust aperture when mounted to the iPhone. Photojojo also say that around 1 to 2 f-stops are expected to be lost when using the adaptor, so if you can't alter the aperture, expect to brighten up the images in post-production. Since the mount doesn't have a mirror inside as an SLR does, photos taken will be upside down and need to be rotated using an editing app. Compatible lenses The Nikon SLR mount works with all Nikon lenses using an F-mount adaptor, while the Canon SLR mount works only with EOS lenses using an EF-mount adaptor, meaning Canon EF-S or FD lenses won't work. The case, which is made from aluminium, comes with a special UV filter along with 2 loopholes at both ends to allow for a camera strap to be attached and the iPhone and lens hung around the neck. Photojojo sells a range of camera accessories, and already stocks an iPhone telephoto lens and iPhone video rig. The adaptor can be bought for either iPhone 4 or iPhone 3, priced at $249.00 (c. £156) and $190 (c. £119) respectively. Find out more at the Photojojo website. 
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| Sony to discontinue the MiniDisc Walkman Posted: 08 Jul 2011 04:24 AM PDT Sony is to stop shipping the MiniDisc Walkman in September. The demise of the MiniDisc Walkman all down to 'shrinking demand', although we feel fairly sure that demand for MiniDisc players has been shrinking rapidly for a good few years now. Launched in 1992, the MiniDisc was a pocket-sized alternative to the portable CD player, but with the advent of the MP3 player (read: iPod) they fell out of popular favour. Blame hipsters It's only the players that are being discontinued, however – apparently there's demand enough for Sony to keep making the MiniDiscs and stereos that can play them. We're surprised they're still going at all, to be honest. Sony's been having a bit of a spring clean of its portable audio range, ditching its iconic cassette playing Walkmans last year. CD Walkmans are getting a stay of execution though, with Sony planning to keep producing them alongside its MP3 playing range. Someone somewhere must be buying them, we just can't imagine who. 
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| Exclusive: Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables must be withdrawn Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:31 AM PDT HDMI Org has confirmed that manufacturers of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables have been told that their product is unlicensed and should not be sold. TechRadar brought you the news last week that it was rumoured that hundreds of thousands of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables are to be recalled because HDMI Org has deemed the cable system to be out of HDMI spec. The DisplayPort system is used primarily by Apple in its Mac range, but there's a number of other manufacturers who use the port - including Toshiba. HDMI Org has exclusively contacted TechRadar about the situation and confirmed that any cable that has a DP male connector on one end and an HDMI male connector is unlicensed and should not be on sale. Not allowed HDMI Org explained to TechRadar that there were a number of reasons for this. "The HDMI specification defines an HDMI cable as having only HDMI connectors on the ends. Anything else is not a licensed use of the specification and therefore, not allowed." It also noted: "All HDMI products undergo compliance testing as defined by the Compliance Testing Specification. "The CTS clearly defines necessary tests for all products defined in the HDMI Specification. Since this new cable product is undefined in the Specification, there are no tests associated with this product. It cannot be tested against the Specification." The news will be a massive blow to the many companies who are making these cables, but the HDMI does point out that those cables with a DisplayPort socket on one side and an HDMI female receptacle on the other (essentially a dongle) are okay. This is because a licensed HDMI lead can slot into them. No solution for the cable solution There may also be a glimmer of hope, in that HDMI Org does understand that there is a need for this type of cable: "We do recognise that there may be a market need for a cable solution rather than a dongle solution. However, at this time, there is no way to produce these cable products in a licensed manner." This will be little consolation, though, for the companies set to lose a lot of money from the HDMI Org's decision. 
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| In Depth: Is there a future for handheld 3D gaming? Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:30 AM PDT Following the recent release of Nintendo's auto-stereoscopic 3D ("glasses free") 3DS handheld earlier this spring, there has been a lot of discussion and debate amongst gamers and games developers about the future of interactive 3D entertainment in the palm of your hand. Sony is set to release its new PS Vita handheld in the UK early next year, although there has – to date – been no mention of any plans for 3D handheld content on the new portable PlayStation device. It's also fair to say that the commercial and critical response to the 3DS, to date, has been somewhat muted. Nintendo hopes that the recent launch of a 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and 3D versions of a number of other hardcore favourites such as Mario, Kid Icarus and Starfox slated for release later this year should help to drive sales of its new hardware.
NINTENDO 3DS: What's coming next for handheld gaming? "While Nintendo's shown a huge ability to innovate and remove themselves from the traditional "better hardware, better graphics" race, the 3DS sales have so far been a disappointment," says Adam Taylor, in-house analyst at gaming agency Adotomi.com, "[it suggests] that people's imagination have not been captured by 3D technology as they were by motion control. "Sony, opting for stronger hardware and a bigger, better screen with the new PS Vita, likely read the market correctly (before 3DS sales made it clear) and made the surer bet in the short-to-medium term to forego 3D technology in order to deliver what handheld players are probably looking for: a better traditional handheld gaming experience. The superior OLED screen is probably the most obvious evidence of this choice." Nintendo also recently revealed that forthcoming new Wii U console – slated for release later in 2012 – is also going to be fully 3D capable, although 3D content will not be the company's major focus around that console's launch. But it has led to speculation that there could well be some form of synchronisation of 3DS 3D gaming content and 3D gaming content on your TV via your Wii U console in the future. What about mobile? Back to the present day, Nintendo is set to face some serious competition in the glasses-free 3D gaming stakes from mobile phone companies over the coming year, with the likes of HTC and LG already announcing their plans for 3D mobiles and accompanying partnerships with leading mobile games developers to create 3D titles for these latest smartphones. LG is first off the starting blocks this month, having already announced a number of 3D mobile games from Gameloft for the new LG Optimus 3D - with Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile, going as far as announcing that "the era of dedicated handheld gaming platform is over." LG later retracted that release and removed that part of the CEO's statement, although the intention of the company when it comes to 3D mobile gaming is clear. "Today's smartphones have the horsepower to compete with the best portable gaming devices and LG Optimus 3D is our proof," read the CEO's re-jigged statement. "We think 3D is the natural next step in portable entertainment and LG is eager to throw its hat in the ring with the Optimus 3D and Gameloft's 'must-be-seen-to-be-believed' titles." Users can download 17 Gameloft S-3D games via the 3D Games icon on the LG Optimus 3D, with a decent smattering of titles on offer at launch, including Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, James Cameron's Avatar, Ultimate Spider Man: Total Mayhem, GT Racing: Motor Academy, Shrek Kart, Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus, Real Football 2011, Star Battalion, N.O.V.A. 2 and more.
3D MOBILE: No parterships with games developers have so far been announced by HTC for the Evo 3D "Here at Gameloft we've always had a philosophy of making games for the platforms people want to play them on," says Callum Rowley, Gameloft's UK PR manager. "With the emergence of the Nintendo 3DS and now various smartphones with glasses-free 3D capabilities such as the LG Optimus 3D, we're seeing 3D as one of those platforms. "For now we're focused on bringing existing titles into the S-3D realm, but this doesn't mean we won't look at developing bespoke titles in the near future which take full advantage of the benefits S-3D brings to the enjoyment of games. "As long as phone manufacturers continue to bring innovative ideas, such as 3D, to their devices Gameloft will continue to develop tailored games to bring a truly entertaining experience to the end user." So this first batch of stereoscopic 3D mobile gaming content from Gameloft is clearly an important toe-in-the-water for mobile games development, with many others in the mobile entertainment industry – the likes of Zynga, PopCap and EA Mobile – no doubt watching very closely, to ascertain the value of releasing 3D versions of their bigger mobile titles, or even developing brand new 3D IP purely for use on 3D-capable smartphones.
AVATAR ON LG: Avatar is one of several 3D partnerships that LG has formed to promote the Optimus 3D One challenge to marketing 3D mobile gaming is the fact that you really do need to see and play it to understand how it works. And then decide whether or not you like it and want to shell out for it. LG has recently employed London-based experiential marketing specialists HotCow in an attempt to get Optimus 3D mobiles into the hands of gamers, "because the thing that we have found, and all the research that we have done with this device, is that people don't actually believe it until they see it," says LG's UK PR manager Jerome Demare.
MARKETING CHALLENGE: It's hard to market 3D games on 2D posters and other materials While HTC has yet to announce any similar tie-ups with games developers, the company has recently announced news that it is to buy S3 Graphics, the US-based graphics-technology licensing company, for $300 million to boost its 3D graphics offerings in future. This follows further recent acquisitions of London-based mobile-platform company Saffron Digital for $48.5 million (£30.2 million) and HTC also making a $40 million investment in cloud gaming company OnLive. With that latter announcement, following the release of the HTC Evo 3D, obviously raising the question: "might we soon see 3D gaming content streamed directly to our mobile phones?" 3DS vs 3D tablets Still, despite these interesting first moves by the likes of Gameloft and LG, there are many in the 3D display industry that continue to cast aspersions on the long-term viability of 3D entertainment on mobile devices. "I think the simple reason is that 3D on a small screen is not very compelling," says Chris Chinnock, president of display industry analysts' Insight Media. "You have tight and narrow sweet spots and the depth volume is very small, so nothing has that much impact. This latter is a fundamental limitation of any handheld 3D display." This is perhaps where 7-inch and 10-inch 3D tablet-style displays may start to win out over the Nintendo 3DS and smaller 3D smartphone screens in the future. Interestingly, established games developers who have traditionally focused on console and PC gaming are also branching out into the 3D mobile and tablet gaming arena, as Blitz Games' CTO Andrew Oliver explains: "The potential for 3D on handheld devices is exciting. While the 3DS provides a great single-player no-glasses 3D experience, this would only be improved with a larger screen on a smart phone or tablet. "As well as the possibility for ultimately more advanced screen technology, these platforms also add the ability to view 3D movies and other content, either streamed or downloaded from a digital store, which will clearly be a big draw for a lot of consumers. As a lot of this content already exists I'd be surprised if we don't see a device-and-business-model combination that will enable this for the mainstream before too long." And there's the key. LG's team-up with Gameloft is a pointer towards what this type of "device-and-business-model" combination to deliver quality 3D content to your mobile might well look like in future. 3D gaming baby steps The ability to shoot your own 3D video and photos, or view other rudimentary 3D content on YouTube, with phones such as the LG Optimus 3D, is really little more than an interesting gimmick for most users. Yet when the market reaches that sweet-spot point where the average user is able to access quality AAA 3D games and movie content, easily and for a decent price, that is when 3D mobile games development will really start to take off.
MARIO IN 3D: Nintendo is rolling out 3D versions of its classics this year "The introduction of 3D onto mobile devices brings the potential of enhanced level of richness to the multimedia experience," according to Stephen Yap, analyst and group director at TNS Technology, publishers of the annual Mobile Life study. "The TNS Mobile Life study shows that gaming on mobile phones continues to increase - 55% of mobile phone owners in the UK are now playing games on their handsets. LG Optimus 3D and HTC EVO 3D are already at our door and operating on a common platform, presenting an opportunity for the increasingly talented developer community to break into 3D in a big way. However, the analyst still thinks that "the jury is still out on where exactly the sweet-spot for portable 3D gaming will reside… perhaps with the less-than-stellar take-up of 3DTV in mind, the gaming ecosystem is taking a cautious approach to the rollout of 3D gaming. "The lesson from 3DTV is that a "build it and they will come" approach may disappoint. Instead, with emerging technologies such as 3D and augmented reality the industry would be well served by first identifying consumer needs that the technology addresses, and marketing benefits, not technology itself." Adotomi's Adam Taylor is adamant that 3D gaming has a healthy future, but is adamant that "it lies on smartphones, not on dedicated gaming devices." Taylor argues that Nintendo and Sony can mitigate this threat: "Sony by delivering on a proper "PlayStation phone", and Nintendo either following a similar route and partnering with a handset maker, or – even better – publishing games for play across mobile phones, perhaps packaging its offer into some sort of "Nintendo app" in which its games could be purchased, played and stored, and through which the integrity of the Nintendo brand would be preserved." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:30 AM PDT Long thought to have been abandoned by its developer, The Hit List suddenly appeared on the Mac App Store early in June. When the app first entered its public preview, back in January 2009, it quickly became a favourite of many. Lightweight, intuitive, powerful and yet less complicated than some similar applications, it makes getting through your to-do list an elegant and enjoyable experience. Among the features that really put The Hit List on top is its tabbed view, which allows you to open individual lists, tags or folders in separate tabs. You can focus in even further by switching to Card View, which shows one item at a time; it's also great if you need to add notes to a task (including dropping in files and reference materials). As with many other task management apps, you get a quick entry window so you can add items from anywhere without needing to foreground the app. There's a clever timer if you need to track exactly how long you spend on a task or project. Tagging uses a quick text-based system (just append /tag after your task for a general tag, or @tag for location-based tags). And, best of all, The Hit List is full of handy keyboard shortcuts, making it easy to use for those who like to keep their digits in the loop at every step. In such a busy section of the app market, it's hard to stand out. We think The Hit List does just that. Its accompanying iPhone app is well designed, and the sync system, though a tad costly (around £12 per year) is quite brilliant. 
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| YouTube gets Cosmic Panda makeover Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:27 AM PDT YouTube is getting a lick of experimental paint in a project named Cosmic Panda, which sees the video sharing site get a black and white look, like a panda. Or a zebra. Or a newspaper. The new look is in line with that revolutionary new black bar and cleaner aesthetic that Google is slowly rolling out across Gmail, Google+ and other Google services. Cosmic Panda not only gives YouTube a clean new look, it also offers updated editing tools for personalising your YouTube profile and allows you to keep watching a video while browsing other playlists if you happen to be using Chrome.
Nyan Cat would be proud "Woah man, it's like totally cosmic panda duuuude," is no doubt what your first reaction will be when you opt to try the site out in its new togs. It's not the first time that Google has named an update after the black and white cat foot – its Panda search engine update was rolled out in April in order to down-rank content farms and prioritise high calibre websites. And the twee onslaught coming out of Mountain View shows no sign of letting up, with YouTube's explanatory page referencing one of its most popular memes, telling you "what to expect when you follow the cosmic panda over the double rainbow." We'll have some of what they're smoking, please. 
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| Week in Tech: The social networking wars move up a gear Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:00 AM PDT Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg clearly thinks that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery: as he launched an important new Facebook service, he described Google's Facebook rival Google+ as "validation" of his vision. The future, Zuckerberg says, is social - and it seems that Google agrees with him. With some irony, Zuckerberg is currently the most popular Google+ member. Zuckerberg was showing off Facebook's new Skype integration, which is likely to be more popular than Google's similar but proprietary Hangout feature in Google+. For now users will be able to use video chat within Facebook, but before long the service will expand so that you can call your Facebook friends on the phone too. As Chris Smith reports: "If one of your Facebook friends is online and has their phone number listed, you'll be able to call their handset in the same way that you would initiate a text chat. Just like when using your regular Skype app, voice calls to mobile phones will be charged, but it is not yet clear whether members can use Facebook or Skype credit for the service." The Facebook-Skype deal isn't a surprise - our columnist Gary Marshall predicted such a deal back in May, arguing that "Integrating Skype with Facebook would be a win-win situation for Microsoft and Facebook alike, with the former gaining access to Facebook's massive user base and payment system and the latter getting a voice and video system without having to spend any money building it". Also, rumours of either a Skype deal or a Skype-a-like have been flying for years - but we are surprised it happened so quickly. It isn't the only new chat feature in Facebook, either: text chat has been beefed up too, so you can now chat with groups of people as well as with individuals. Nothing is forever The new features are designed to keep Facebook ahead of the pack as social networking continues its explosive growth. and the number of Like, Tweet, Follow and + buttons on web pages increases accordingly. As Zuckerberg explained, "The amount of stuff that is shared today is twice what it was a year ago. That kind of exponential growth is profound... if you look at how sharing is growing, then you can plot this out in the future. So, if this is what people are sharing now then what apps do we have to create to encompass this in the next few years." While Google and Facebook are using very similar weapons in the battle to be the social networking king, Twitter is taking a slightly different tack: in addition to facilitating angry internet mobs, the service appears to be positioning itself as the place to go when you want to talk to companies. The firm is changing the rules regarding direct messages, which can't be sent to accounts that don't follow you. In the future, it seems, you'll be able to DM companies even if those companies don't follow you back, turning Twitter into a kind of customer service channel. We very much doubt the rule changes will apply to individual users' accounts, though. Imagine the spam. For now, Facebook is miles ahead of its rivals, but that doesn't mean it'll stay there: just ask MySpace, the former social networking king, which has been sold to Justin Timberlake - the same Timberlake who played entrepreneur Sean Parker in the Mark Zuckerberg biopic The Social Network - for the equivalent of a few sweet wrappers and shiny beads: News Corp paid $580 million for it in 2005, but sold it last week for just $35 million. As reader Optimaximal points out, internet empires don't always last. "Once all the fickle userbase has moved on to 'the next big thing' (or you make a monumental PR screw-up that kills everything), all you're left with is a server farm and some obsolete user data." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| Review: Silvio Rizzi Reeder 1.0 Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:00 AM PDT Move over NetNewsWire – there's a new champ in town. Yes, that's how highly we regard Reeder, which has found its way to the Mac after cementing itself as a leading RSS reader for iPhone and iPad. Read TechRadar's Reeder for iPad review On entering your Google Reader details (required for the app – an account is free if you don't already have one), your feeds are displayed at the left of the three-pane interface. The second pane houses the current feed's articles list and the rightmost pane displays the current article. If you don't like the default setup, you can fiddle to your heart's content, amending sync frequency, font size, clickable toolbar icons, and a ton of single-key shortcuts to important actions. The shortcuts are important; they enable keyboard users to navigate Reeder with speed – useful when you consider how it places a firm emphasis on single-item focus, unlike NetNewsWire's tab-based approach. Trackpad users are also catered for, if you want to have swipes and pinches perform actions. If there's a negative side to Reeder, it's that the interface looks and feels a little alien. It still broadly follows Mac conventions, but more conservative Mac users might feel a little lost (and some holdovers from iOS-style design seem superfluous, such as the two-pane iPhone-like 'Minimized' mode). But such quirks aside, there's really nothing to dislike here: Reeder is efficient, dependable and offers great clarity in its presentation of articles. 
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| Review: Blue Microphones Yeti Pro Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:30 AM PDT There's no debate, really: the original Yeti, unleashed last year, is the best USB microphone going. We gave it a well-deserved five star review and since then it's dropped to an average price of under £100.For such an accomplished mic, that's frankly astonishing. The Blue Microphones Yeti Professional version doesn't actually mess with the formula at all. It has the same proprietary three capsule sensor with on-board gain control. It has the same quartet of operating modes, making it suitable for close-range, conferencing, stereo or mono recording. It carries the same old-school looks, this time with a matte black finish to the body. And it's equipped with the same two-way USB interface which features the same latency-free headphone/Mac output monitoring. It's still as compatible and straightforward as its older sibling where it counts. The big change that's been made in the transition from standard to professional is the addition of a stereo XLR jack, which means the Yeti Pro can be hooked up to any industry-standard mixing console and used as a standard condenser mic. This really solves the big deficiency of the original model; attempting to run a jack through its headphone monitoring port and hook it up to a desk was awkward at best. Here you run the included Stereo XLR to 2x XLR cable directly into two mono tracks, switch on phantom power, and you're done. But that luxury comes at a price. Shop around and you might find the Yeti Pro for £210, over twice the price of the original, which stings a bit for the addition of a single feature. Podcasters who have made the jump to a mixing desk will rejoice at the flexibility on offer: the consistency afforded by the ability to take the same mic you use in the studio out on the road is not to be sniffed at. But that XLR socket is going to be wasted on most of us. It's the one thing that was missing from the original; now all that's missing is a drop to a reasonable price. 
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| RIM crows about BlackBerry subscriber boost Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:26 AM PDT More than a million people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa have become Blackberry subscribers in the past three weeks, according to RIM. RIM broke the news on its official Twitter feed; a rare ray of sunshine on what has been widely described as a terrible period for the company. "BlackBerry continues momentum across EMEA with 1 Million+ new subscribers added in less than 3 weeks," read the tweet. Annus Horribilis The company has been watching market share slip, and a response to a high profile anonymous open letter did little to ease the sense that all was not well at RIM. That followed the announcement of a Q1 profit of £430 million – which fell short of the RIM's expectations. Another million subscribers across EMEA will therefore come as a major relief for the company as it embarks on a massive campaign to sell its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. 
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| Google Maps gets offline download area feature Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:05 AM PDT Google has added the capacity to download map areas, as it continues to roll out offline functionality across its range of services. Google is aware that we do not have internet access at all times when we are out and about, and the early criticisms of its Chromebooks has scathingly pointed out just how useless they are when offline. And with Android quickly becoming the most popular phone OS, the need for some offline functionality on certain services is clear. Maps is certainly something that could benefit from offline functionality – allowing people to download sections to local storage in their phones or netbooks so that being offline does not mean that you cannot explore an area. Explore "When you're visiting an unfamiliar location, Google Maps for mobile is great for getting an idea of how close you are to your destination, where streets and landmarks are in relation to each other, or just for getting "un-lost," blogged Google's Durfee. "But what if you don't have a data signal, or you're abroad and don't have a data plan? We say that if you use Google Maps for mobile, you'll never need to carry a paper map again. "The 'Download map area' lab in Google Maps 5.7 for Android is a step in making that statement true even when you're offline." The functionality is available now in Labs, with the base map tiles and landmarks downloadable but a connection is still needed for other functionality. The downloaded maps can apparently be managed in the Google Maps cache – allowing you to get rid of the areas you no longer need. 
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