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- Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
- Teen charged with BlackBerry Messenger incitement
- Teen girl charged with BlackBerry Messenger incitement
- Review: Samsung SH100
- Facebook hits back over Google+ Games
- Review: Vodafone 555 Blue
- Updated: Sony A77 / A800 rumours: what you need to know
- Nokia brings NFC technology to London museum
- In Depth: Windows 8 gestures: what the Touch Mouse tells us
- Samsung Galaxy Xcover officially unveiled
- Samsung to launch 7-inch Galaxy Tab with AMOLED screen?
- In Depth: Intel Ultrabook: what you need to know
- Exclusive: Panasonic: Star Wars Blu-ray marks renaissance of format
- Twitter offers up new @reply feature
- C3PO not a big fan of 3D televisions
- Updated: Ice Cream Sandwich: everything you need to know
- Review: NuForce DAC9
- Android 4.0: what you need to know
- First Android Ice Cream Sandwich screenshots leaked?
- Week in Tech: The week that gadgets went AWOL
- Review: Moon 300D
- Review: Lavry DA11
- Panasonic announces major Star Wars link-up
| Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar Posted: 13 Aug 2011 01:00 AM PDT This week we've reviewed a huge variety of kit including BlackBerry's latest handset, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 - and, as you'll read, it's a cracker. We've also taken an in-depth look at the HTC Evo 3D, Samsung ST6500 as well as the brand new 11-inch MacBook Air. Apple's new baby replaces the low-end MacBook (well, we say low end, but it's still expensive) and features Intel's latest Core i5 processor. Read on and click through to read our best reviews this week. It's been a long time coming, has BlackBerry's touchscreen Bold handset. While the BlackBerry Torch offered both a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard, it wasn't perfect for keyboard aficionados; that annoying edging, the cramped keyboard… But with the launch of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, its first proper touch and type hybrid, RIM has finally cracked it. We can see this improved handset shipping by the bucketload, especially compared to the keyboard-less Torch 9860, as it ticks all the normal boxes and adds in a premium chassis to boot. That said, it's certainly not a perfect phone, with the browser in particular requiring a bit of a tweak. So read the full review to see if this phone is for you. As part of the Stylish range, the ST6500 is certainly an unusual looking camera. That's not to say it's unattractive, though, and for a digital compact camera at this price point, the ST6500 actually performs really well. The styling won't be to everyone's taste, but a lot of thought has gone into it. It provides excellent quality pictures that are rich in colour, sharp in focus and balanced in exposure. Headline features include a 16-megapixel CCD sensor and a 5x optical zoom, a decent ISO range from ISO 80 to ISO3200 at full resolution and a 3 inch touch-screen. Once a passing gimmick, 3D seems to be here to stay. HTC is heralding the move from the cinema screen to the handheld with the launch of the HTC Evo 3D, sacrificing svelte light-footedness for a dual-camera wielding chunk of a handset. HTC's first 3D phone is also its first Evo-branded handset to reach the UK's fair shores. A decent contender for the best 3D phone crown, then, but this can't quite make it to the top spot overall. The idea has potential, but it's not as good for overall smartphone use as the Samsung Galaxy S2. Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega review The Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Omega gaming headset is platform agnostic, which means it'll work with a PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360. With the PC and Mac, it acts as the system's soundcard and conducts all of the sound processing itself. However, when in console mode (there's a slide-switch on the front), the USB dongle acts as more of a conduit between the PS3 and Xbox 360's own sound systems, and the fantastic headset itself. 11-inch MacBook Air 2011 review The mid-2011 MacBook Air refresh sees the range move to Intel's new Sandy Bridge Core i-series processors. The backlit keyboard makes a welcome return, while the Mini DisplayPort has been replaced by a Thunderbolt port.
This week's other reviewsAmplifiers Classé CP-800 preamplifier review Audio systems AV accessories Technomate TM-2600 Super review Camera accessories CD players Shanling CD-T2000 CD/SACD player review Creek Evolution 2 CD player review Krell Cipher CD/SACD player review
Compact cameras Controllers Logitech Driving Force GT review Digital TV recorders Golden Media Unibox 9080 review Headsets Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Omega review
Hi-fi Accessories Cambridge Audio iD100 iPod/Pad dock review Laptop Apple 1.8GHz 11-inch MacBook Air (2011) review Media streaming devices Monitors Motherboards Asus RoG Crosshair V Formula review PC cases CoolerMaster HAF 932 Adanced review Printers
Software Andreas Hegenberg BetterSnapTool 1.2.3 review Speakers Quadral Aurum Altan VIII review Elipson Planet L loudspeaker review Storage
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| Teen charged with BlackBerry Messenger incitement Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:42 PM PDT An 18-year-old woman has been charged by police, accused of using the BlackBerry Messenger service to encourage others to participate in riots. The unnamed teenager, from Clacton in Essex, is alleged to have used the group messaging service to encourage her friends to go rioting in the town, as violence spread across the UK this week. She has now been formally charged, under the Serious Crime Act, of intentionally encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence, and will appear in court on September 1st. The police action comes following widespread condemnation of how social media and BlackBerry Messenger in particular, was used in the shocking spread of rioting in London and other UK cities. This is the first case in which police have specified the use of BBM. Shut downEarlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron hinted that those found to have used the service to escalate the troubles could be banned from using IM services and social networks. "We are working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality," he said. Other MPs have suggested that the services be shut down during such disturbances, but we all know the chances of that happening are about as high as Nick Clegg winning the Man of the Year award. RIM has promised to assist the police in tracking down those who used BlackBerry Messenger in order to co-ordinate the riots and bring more people to the party. Ofcom reckons 37 per cent of the smartphone market in poor urban areas is accounted for by BlackBerrys. Link: Telegraph 
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| Teen girl charged with BlackBerry Messenger incitement Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:42 PM PDT An 18-year-old woman has been charged by police, accused of using the BlackBerry Messenger service to encourage others to participate in riots. The unnamed teenager, from Clacton in Essex, is alleged to have used the group messaging service to encourage her friends to go rioting in the town, as violence spread across the UK this week. She has now been formally charged, under the Serious Crime Act, of intentionally encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence, and will appear in court on September 1st. The police action comes following widespread condemnation of how social media and BlackBerry Messenger in particular, was used in the shocking spread of rioting in London and other UK cities. This is the first case in which police have specified the use of BBM. Shut downEarlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron hinted that those found to have used the service to escalate the troubles could be banned from using IM services and social networks. "We are working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality," he said. Other MPs have suggested that the services be shut down during such disturbances, but we all know the chances of that happening are about as high as Nick Clegg winning the Man of the Year award. RIM has promised to assist the police in tracking down those who used BlackBerry Messenger in order to co-ordinate the riots and bring more people to the party. Ofcom reckons 37 per cent of the smartphone market in poor urban areas is accounted for by BlackBerrys. Link: Telegraph 
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| Posted: 12 Aug 2011 10:06 AM PDT As part of the Cutting Edge range in Samsung's line-up, the SH100 shouldn't really be into looks. It should be all about the technology, but what Samsung has produced is a snazzy little unit stuffed with features. With an oversized lens barrel to hold the 5x optical zoom this gives a range of 26 – 130mm in 35mm terms. On the back is a 3-inch touch sensitive LCD screen with 320,000 dots (106,666 pixels) with all the features and modes accessed directly from it. Within the menu, there are four pages of things to do ranging from Smart Auto shooting mode, to Video, Email, Set-up menu, Photo Editor and Remote Viewfinder. Herein lies one of the problems with the SH100. All these modes are pretty impressive in their own right, but there's no semblance of order to them. If you want to use the Program mode, it's on the first page but if you want to use the Macro mode, it's on the third page. This well used mode comes after more obscure options such as Vignetting and All Share. The SH100 features Wi-Fi capability, The camera will upload automatically to Facebook, Photobucket or Picasa web albums, YouTube and the Samsung community website. It also features PC Back Up which will automatically detect a computer with Wi-Fi and will download the pictures you've taken from the camera straight onto the computer. We uploaded a picture from the camera to Facebook. A full resolution picture took less than a minute to get onto the site with minimal fuss at a low broadband connection speed. If a Wi-Fi connection requires a pass key, it will only let you use it once the key is entered. After that, the camera will remember it though.
If you also own a Samsung Galaxy S smart phone, the SH100 will link up to the phone using the Wi-Fi and allow you to remotely control the camera which is great for self portraits or group shots. It's also DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) enabled to allow you to view pictures on any HD television regardless of its manufacturer. The touchscreen can be used a bit like a smart phone and you have to wipe the pages to move from one to the next. We found that it's best to use the small stylus that comes in the box because the camera is more receptive to it than a finger press. Thanks to the touchscreen, the SH100 has four AF options, two of which are touch related. The standard modes are centre spot AF and Multi AF, while the touchscreen versions are One touch shooting and Smart touch AF, the latter of which locks onto a subject and keeps focus on them until the picture is taken or they leave the frame. The metal body of the SH100 is covered in a mottled paint that is textured, but not uncomfortable to hold. The camera has a minimalist design thanks to the touchscreen . The only issue we have with any part of the design is the location of the flash. It's positioned directly under the shutter release button and while this shouldn't pose too much of a problem, fingers could slip over the edge and cover it up. The rest of the buttons are nicely spaced around the camera at points that are easy to get to, but they're not all grouped together. We like the flush design of the power button with its slight indentation in the centre to identify it against the body.
There's a Menu button on the screen of the camera and while it's very responsive, it's easy to fly past the option you want to use, or enter a mode you don't want at all. With all that in mind, the camera is easy to use. Once we got our head around the mismatched options in the Home menu, we found it was easy to navigate. Initially, we lost our patience a couple of times with the main menu and entering into features we didn't want to use, but after a while we got used to it. While we were satisfied with how the Samsung SH100 recorded pictures, there were issues that we discovered. As is common with a small sensor and high resolution, we found noise getting into the picture at anything over ISO200 in everyday conditions. In controlled light, we found that the camera will show salt and pepper noise even at ISO80 but doesn't interfere with the picture too much. In fact, it's a running theme throughout the pictures until around ISO800 where colour noise starts to appear in shadow areas. Edge detail starts to break down at ISO1600 and at the highest ISO3200 setting, the pictures take on a slight cast and edge definition breaks down even more. On the plus side, we found the auto white balance works well in most situations, while the preset white balance options also showed a good performance. Metering and focusing are pretty accurate and the calibration of the touchscreen AF makes precision focusing easy. Fine details can be focused on when you use the provided pen. In complex lighting, we found that the Samsung does work well and it coped to provide a balanced exposure. The SH100 features three metering modes: Multi, Centre-Weighted and Spot. The Multi metering option divides the picture up into sections, analyses each section and selects and appropriate exposure from the results. Generally, the Multi metering works well, but if the scene contains a the ground sometime ends up underexposed. Centre-Weighted metering gives priority to the centre of the frame and less towards the edges which is good for centred subjects such as portraits as it will ignore more of the background. Spot metering takes an exposure reading from the centre of the frame and ignores the rest of the frame completely. We found that all the modes work well in real life situations.
The wide-angle lens of the SH100 doesn't suffer from any worse barrel distortion than other digital compact cameras in the same price range. However, we discovered elements of chromatic aberration on the pictures, but only along high contrasting edges. For an everyday compact camera, the pictures the SH100 produces are pleasing with rich colours and sharp subjects. Noise is a bit of an issue but nothing to worry about at lower ISO settings. If you need to go higher, try using flash first because the built-in flash works great for filling in darker subjects which may be backlit.
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ISO 3200 Click here to see a high res version Sensor: Lens: Memory: Viewfinder: LCD Screen: 3 inch TFT LCD touchscreen, 230,000 dots Video resolution: ISO range: Focus modes: Shutter speeds: Weight: Dimensions: Power supply: There's no denying that the features of the SH100 are interesting. Samsung have exploited the opportunity to use the feature for sharing, expanding it from the most popular Facebook and YouTube to include Picasa and Photobucket. Picture quality of the SH100 is good. We like the colours that are reproduced and the camera handles exposure well.
We likedWe love the exploitation of the Wi-Fi. Not just the expanded websites to upload to but also remote control use with a Galaxy phone and the DLNA compliance. As long as the touchscreen pen is used, the screen is very responsive. We dislikedDigital noise is an issue right down at the lowest setting, which is annoying, but unless it's viewed at full size, it's unlikely that it'll be noticed. VerdictWith prices starting at just over £100, the Samsung SH100 has plenty to offer. It's suitable for most users but people going travelling will find it especially useful thanks to the Wi-Fi capability. If you need a pocket camera to take on holiday or you're a social networker that needs immediate connection for your pictures, then this is the camera for you. 
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| Facebook hits back over Google+ Games Posted: 12 Aug 2011 09:59 AM PDT Facebook has revealed that it has bolstered its gaming service, after Google announced it has also begun offering games through its social network, Google+. Facebook has had massive success with the gaming part of the site. Companies such as Zynga has used Facebook to make their billions. At one point, Zynga's FarmVille was said to have more people on it than use Twitter. Google has also dabbled in in-browser gaming but it only announced the first lot of games to hit Google+ this week. These include Angry Birds and Zynga Poker. Let the games begin In a blog, which coincided with the Google+ Games launch, Facebook said: "When you're playing games, you'll now see a separate stream of your friends' game activity, scores and achievements in a ticker. "The best way to find new games is through friends, and now you'll have more opportunities to see what they're playing. "Maybe your best friend has started playing Sims; your roommate has a new high score on PacMan; or your mom and sister have taken up Words With Friends. Simply click on a story and you can start playing the game yourself." It also noted that it had added a bigger screen and you can now bookmark your favourite games to play later. These additions are more tweaks than major overhauls but the timing of them is significant. Facebook sees Google+ as a rival and it seems that with the search engine's games announcement one of the people. 
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| Posted: 12 Aug 2011 09:39 AM PDT With social network-'addicted' teens and a global Facebook population greater than that of the United States, bringing out an affordable PAYG Facebook-integrated feature phone should be a sure bet, in theory. But then we also know that there are lies, damned lies and statistics. So, is the Vodafone 555 Blue as sure a bet after all? Well, for a basic feature phone, the Vodafone 555 Blue is a pretty enough handset. With its silver-and-white matt plastic casing, it has only just enough weight behind it. It sits comfortably in the hand with its curved corners, and with a QWERTY keyboard it's very, very reminiscent of that other Facebook phone, the HTC ChaCha – without, it seems, any of the ChaCha's features. At only 12mm thick and rather light, the Vodafone 555 Blue will fit easily into teenage pockets. It's built to be cheap, yes, but the build itself is light and bright, and although there aren't too many features to crow about, it is at least nicely packaged.
Aimed at 16-25s who want a little social networking without monthly bills, the Vodafone 555 Blue is a pay-as-you-go handset fully integrated with Facebook, right down to the little blue logo key that, when pressed, will take you straight to your news feed. There's a 2MP camera on board for uploading pictures to the social network, a QWERTY keyboard, microSD slot and an earphone jack. Along with the physical keyboard, the phone is navigated by a series of five soft keys (including the navigation pad) located beneath the screen:
And the volume rocker on the left-hand side:
The camera is reached via a button integrated into the keyboard, which is handy for pulling up the feature quickly.
Speaking of the camera, despite only boasting 2MP, the Alcatel-constructed mobile phone comes with a single LED flash.
However, the Vodafone 555 Blue's screen measures a mere 2.4 inches and only 320 x 240 pixels, so the subsequent viewing of images isn't the highest quality ever. Plus, the connectivity of the Vodafone 555 Blue is a little poor, with only EDGE and 2G capabilities. Given the lack of contract-style data allowances, a little Wi-Fi wouldn't have gone amiss. Still, it's not a handset that was made to be top of the range, for app-lovers or for addicts of several social media sites. Indeed, it's simply to fulfil those basic Facebook overshare needs, plus a few calls and texts. Having been built on a Java-based system designed specifically for this handset, and packing only 200MHz processing power, the user experience of the Vodafone 555 Blue was never going to be particularly speedy. Setting up Facebook from the second you turn on the phone, you're prompted to log in to the network – or sign up for an account, if you're one of the seemingly few people who don't have one yet. Once you've made it to the home screen, the view is set up like a giant mobile Facebook app, making room for a few extras such as calls, texting, a browser and a music player. All of it, however, is in that familiar design you're already used to.
Predictably, with such a small amount of power behind it, the Vodafone 555 Blue is pretty slow to use. Navigation itself is fine, and there are even a couple of cool keyboard shortcuts, such as Alt+M to take you to the Music player. You can also head into the settings to add shortcuts of your own.
But when you dip into things that need a bit of extra juice – such as attempting to view a friend's photo album – things begin to slow to a frustrating pace. The trackpad is responsive enough, but might end up giving you RSI in your thumb from repeated scrolling, especially if you want to brave a little internet browsing in Opera Mini. There's one home screen, with a scrolling bar along the bottom for shortcuts to your most-used parts of Facebook (Messaging, News feed, Chat and so on).
For extra-speedy News feed navigation, just press the Facebook logo soft key. One irritating thing about the News feed itself is the fact that it's supposed to update over the air, but we never found that happened. Our Profiles? Absolutely fine, and would auto-update whenever we opened them, but not the News feed. We found that you hou had to manually update it – and wait forever while doing so. Not cool, and unlikely to go down well with the target market on account of everyone being used to things being instant. The menu page is customisable to a small extent, allowing you to choose which apps you want to see in its grid view. However, don't get too excited, as when we say 'apps', we mean… the calculator. Or the notes editor. Adventurous things, those.
For almost everyone who picks up the Vodafone 555 Blue (because, let's face it, to buy this phone you must already have a pretty severe love of Facebook) navigating around its system will be easy, as you're guided by the familiar. The softkeys and QWERTY keyboard aid in the ease of it all, and there's nothing here software-wise that's complex enough to get even less techy people in a spin. All in all, having borrowed a familiar interface, it looks cute and will easily attract hardcore but low-tech Facebook fans. The contacts book is one of the few impressive things about the Vodafone 555 Blue. With its deep Facebook integration, the contacts setup is reminiscent of an Android phone, merging both SIM and Facebook contacts into one lovely list. The contacts view is populated with friends' Facebook profile pictures, and reaching the actual profiles themselves from the contacts view is quick and easy.
The phone even managed to match up some SIM contacts to their Facebook profiles, despite the fact that they were listed under different names – which is something that even actual smartphones often have a problem with. If there are a few doubled contacts, however, simply manually 'merge to Facebook' and you're all set. Dipping into profiles from the contacts list, you're presented with the standard Facebook information – Info, Wall posts, Photos and Likes and interests.
For some reason, not all of a contact's information is held here, however, and opting to see the full profile will take you out of the app and into the Opera Mini browser, which breaks up the experience a little. Still, it's fairly great integration for such a standard phone. To call a contact, all you have to do is find their name and press the call softkey. There's also smart dialing – begin to type a contact's name and it will bring up their information, which is always handy.
There's a separate Favourites list for your most-contacted friends, plus a Phone list that separates out your purely SIM-held contacts, should you need them.
Although Facebook profile integration is still a factor in the phone list, it's nice to be able to see the contacts whose phone numbers you didn't get by pure accident of it happening to be included on their profile. Calling is fairly standard on the phone – connectivity is fine and the speaker emits a loud, clear sound. Shortcutting to your last-dialled numbers can be done by clicking the call key, and a voicemail tab is also included in the call log.
Messaging: the second place where Facebook integration comes out tops on the Vodafone 555 Blue. Messaging with this feature phone is awesome. From the innocuous little envelope shortcut on the home screen, you're taken to the universal Little Inbox of Wonder, with your SMS, MMS, Facebook messages and emails all in one place. We loved it, but wished there was a bigger screen to make the experience really great.
That aside, having all of these forms of messaging in one place is really useful, and it was even momentarily amusing to see SMS and email overlaid with the same style as Facebook messaging. The ease of being able to contact your entire Facebook family, as well as your SIM contacts, without dipping in and out of apps is something that we can see becoming a little addictive. And then there's the other messaging gem: the close proximity of Facebook Chat, the shortcut for which can sit on the scolling bar at the bottom of the home screen. But one tip: get rid of the 'Who's available' alert, otherwise you'll find it difficult to have a conversation with anyone at all.
With the physical QWERTY keyboard, typing is pretty swift on the Vodafone 555 Blue. And despite the lack of spacing between the keys, it didn't take us too long to get up to speed. There's a messaging shortcut to take you to the editor, with the option to write a new message sat at the top of the inbox. Again, as with everything else on the Vodafone 555 Blue, the phone's internet browsing capabilities are limited to what a very casual user might need. Connectivity is a bit rubbish, with just 2G, Bluetooth and no Wi-Fi. No Wi-Fi – on a Pay-and-Go phone! The HTC ChaCha has 3G, Wi-Fi and a USB port, so obviously the Vodafone 555 Blue was never intended for any sort of greatness in its market. The handset comes with an Opera Mini browser and there are several issues that hamper any decent usage: the processor, the 2.4-inch screen and the touchpad navigation. It takes an absolute age to load anything, and needless to say there are no Flash or video capabilities.
When you open the browser, however, links shared by your Facebook contacts are all rounded up and waiting for you to read, which is a nice little feature. On the screen the colours are bright, although imagery gets a little pixelated when you start to zoom in too far.
The internet capabilities of the Vodafone 555 Blue are very definitely aimed at light usage markets, and it's not about to set anything on fire. It copes fine with standard usage – maybe for someone who just wants to catch up on the news or Google something now and again, when they can tear themselves away from their Facebook feed. However, it's slow to load, and who can say if the target UK audience will have the patience to wait for it?
With the HTC ChaCha and INQ Cloud Touch both packing 5MP, the Vodafone 555 Blue is an instant letdown at 2MP. It does have a single LED flash – a small saving grace – but that doesn't stop photos looking grainy on the 320 x 240 pixel display. Any pictures you do upload to Facebook, then, are going to be rather blurry disappointments. Colours are decently true to life, if a little dull, and there are no editing tools to speak of. The camera itself has few modes: there's the Night mode and Video mode, and that's about it. You can change the brightness a little, but we couldn't see that it made any discernable difference to the photo quality. You can zoom, if you knock down the image quality, but what you gain in closeness to your subject you'll lose in clarity. The camera will automatically switch off if left unused for a few seconds, and can be reached via the keyboard shortcut key.
NO FLASH: Taken without a flash, this grainy image is lacking much detail, although the colours are accurate and some of the blue of the sky was captured.
DARK: Again taken without flash, the lights and colours that were so bright in person are barely picked up by the camera, with most of the subject staying in darkness.
NOISY: This picture, taken in direct sunlight, results in surprisingly realistic colours, but the shadows are quite intense, putting the rest of the image almost entirely in darkness. Again, the image is noisy and lacks overall detail.
Similarly to the stills camera mode, the video capabilities of the Vodafone 555 Blue are basic. Unfortunately, you can't upload videos to Facebook because even small files are too big, and you can't email them either. The inability to do this seems to defeat the point of a Facebook phone. Then again, it is a PAYG effort, so perhaps it shouldn't be that big of a surprise.
There are only three options to toggle with in video mode – the brightness levels, Night mode and microphone. There's not a single editing tool, so you're not going to be churning out crowd-pleasers with this one. For the Vodafone 555 Blue feature phone, media isn't a priority. Thoughtfully, Alcatel has thrown in a music player and FM radio, but other than that there's little going on.
The internal memory is a tiny 400MB, but a microSD slot has been provided for external memory of up to 16GB. The music player supports MP3 and WMA files that, with the additional memory from a microSD card, means that the Vodafone 555 Blue would be decent enough for a little listening on the go. You're provided with a pair of moulded plastic earphones that, although uncomfortable, do give a decent enough sound even into the top ranges of volume, but wouldn't do for any extended periods of listening. We tested them with the FM radio, which we found a little difficult to tune with the trackpad. It's also not possible to subtly follow a station's tuning when white noise starts creeping in.
The external speaker is surprisingly loud and gives a very balanced sound without too much bass. With the provided earphones the sound is somewhat muted and the bass distorts at the highest volumes (although these aren't too loud). With our own, more comfortable, earphones, the connection left a little to be desired – producing muffled sounds unless the connector was hanging half-in, half-out of the jack.
Transferring music to the Vodafone 555 Blue is a bit of a hassle, as you have to do so via Bluetooth rather than just plugging in. Once all devices are connected, start your computer's Bluetooth transferring software and pick the Vodafone 555 from the list of devices. Transferring large files can take a few minutes, but the downloaded files are immediately sieved through to the music player. This means that there's less to sort, but there's actually no way to sort through files with formats not immediately recognised.
There's no building of playlists, but you can set the songs to shuffle and the music player will keep playing in the background while you browse Facebook. But be warned: this is one of the few things the Vodafone 555 Blue can do that will actually have an adverse affect on your battery life. Battery life
The good news about the lack of features on the Vodafone 555 Blue is that the battery life is pretty good; mainly because there's nothing in it that's heavy-usage enough to drain the resources. It has a standard Lithium-ion battery that's quoted as offering three hours of talktime and 324 hours of standby time, and we lasted a good couple of days without having to charge it.
This may be handy for the target market and was great for us, too – until we cried thinking about all the cool features it could have had. Or how it could have been a smartphone. Connectivity
Connectivity-wise, as we've already mentioned, there's not much going on. 2G, EDGE and Bluetooth are all on board, but there's not a peep of Wi-Fi, no 3G and no USB port for computer connections. It's painful. When trying to pair the device with a computer using Bluetooth, we failed miserably.
Maps are easy to explain on the Vodafone 555 Blue: there aren't any. And as for apps, well, what are described as 'apps' are your bog-standard calculator, note editor and so on. They're not about to set anyone alight, and although there's the option of a couple of Java games (including Sims 3, which is pretty cool for this phone), they're just trials and you'll have to fork out for the full things. There are a couple of RSS news feeds, though, which is a plus. However, the feed simply gives you the headline paragraph and then the URL to open the rest in the browser, which then takes an age to open. As a result, there's no news-reading for the Vodafone 555 Blue owner without a signal. For anyone whose Gmail contacts differ from their Facebook contacts, there's also Palringo, for instant messaging. The calendar is nicely synced with Facebook, automatically adding in any contacts' birthdays, which is good given that they're not actually mentioned in the news feed itself. Of course, what you're paying for with this phone is essentially one giant app that's solely Facebook-oriented. The additional add-ons are pared down so that Facebook is the main focus. It is of course, well integrated, but that doesn't mean it can't make for something a little boring. Unless, of course, you're 13 years old and live on the site.
So, what do we have here? We have a feature phone. A cheap, cheerful, enjoys-dabbling-in-Facebook-without-commitment phone. Considering the price range and low-tech market it's aimed at, the core Facebook integration of the Vodafone 555 Blue and ease of use without commitment to contracts are big pluses in its favour. It's lightweight and easy on the eye, with quick and simple access to the minimum of features that a low-tech Facebook lover is likely to need. We liked
It has deep integration and some pretty sweet contacts and messaging features for such an otherwise poorly specced piece of equipment. For young people who want to keep in touch without getting too deep into the tech, or having the commitment of a contract, this will be perfect. For them, you imagine, always being just a small step away from their entire Facebook contacts list might be a pretty enticing thing. To be able to snap a quick pic and upload to Facebook on the go can just about be done with this phone. We disliked
However, we're talking about a generation who are used to getting what they want and getting it now – and here the slow connection speeds and dire horsepower of the Vodafone 555 Blue are likely to be a turn-off. You can't even get too deep into the Facebook experience itself, because watching videos and viewing photo albums are a total faff. Those looking for a smartphone with added Facebook integration will probably plump for the HTC ChaCha (the white phone in the picture above) instead. Verdict Perfect for those who want a nice-looking handset and minimal networking capabilities without any contract commitment - plus love to spend as much time as possible on Facebook. For those looking for a more media-based experience, however, you won't find it with the Vodafone 555 Blue. In today's smartphone-enlightened times, we're expecting more even for the price. Unless your three favourite things are Facebook, phoning and texting, you'll want more from your handset. 
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| Updated: Sony A77 / A800 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 12 Aug 2011 08:42 AM PDT This article is continually updated with news and information regarding the Sony A77 / A800. The Sony A77 was one of the worst-kept secrets until a release date was finally confirmed in March. We can now expect a Sony A700 replacement by mid-summer, Sony says, and company officials have been divulging the Sony A77 specs at trade shows for some time now. So while we all wait for the official release date, we have created this one-stop shop for everything you want to know about the Sony A77, with spec wishlists from our head of testing, all the latest news and more. Sony A77 release date UPDATE: On the 14 February 2011, Sony announced a 'mid-year' release date for the new camera as well as released an image showing a prototype of it's long-rumoured Alpha 700 replacement in a translucent skeleton casing. Thought to be called the Sony A77 to fall in line with last year's Sony A33 and A55 releases, the Alpha 700 replacement will feature translucent mirror technology, Sony said. Other Sony A800 / A77 specs include Full HD video recording and Sony's newly developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. The Sony Alpha 77 / Alpha 800 body will also feature a new battery grip and new flash, Sony said. The company did not confirm a Sony A77 price upon its release, nor did it reveal other specs such as how many megapixels the Sony A77 release will offer. It is thought, however, that the Alpha 700 replacement will feature an 18-megapixel sensor. A Sony spokesperson told us that recent reports that the Sony Alpha 77 release would boast a 25-megapixel sensor are untrue. The full Sony announcement, according to Google Translate, reads: "Adopted a semi-transparent mirror 'Translucent Mirror Technology' and the newly developed "Exmor" APS HD CMOS sensors will be installed in series A mid-mount machine concept model (skeleton model) on display. The intermediate unit, will be available later this year and 2011, it works fast and accurate auto focus at all times, full HD video and still there was always the focus (AVCHD) delivers picture. The standard zoom lens suitable for intermediate unit, the flash will exhibit together with vertical grip." UPDATE: On 7 April 2011, Sony Alpha Rumors said its sources claim the earthquake and tsunami in Japan will not delay the Sony announcement of a Sony A77 release date, which it expects in July of this year. UPDATE: On 12 August 2011, Sony Alpha Rumors has posted a video which apparently shows the a77. The video, which comes from a brand new account on YouTube is labelled simply as 'sony alpha A77 ?' and apparently shows the new advertising campaign for the upcoming camera. In the advert, the camera is shown resting on the sand at a beach and being dusted off before use by a photographer, suggesting that the camera will be at the very least dustproof, if not waterproof also. If the advert turns out to be genuine, we could see an announcement and release date very soon. Sony A77 specs
[Originally posted 13 January 2011] Sony has revealed a a replacement to the high-end Alpha 700 DSLR, which it will release this year, according to a press report. A spokesperson for Sony tells us the company has shown a prototype for what could be the Sony A800 at CES 2011 in Las Vegas, but adds that this is the same Sony Alpha 77 prototype shown at Photokina last autumn despite other press reports claiming it is a new mock-up and not the final design. The spokesperson also tells us that a Sony A77 release will use the translucent mirror technology introduced with last year's Sony Alpha 33 and Sony A55 cameras. The Sony Alpha 800 will also feature "an APS-C sensor, Exmor CMOS, HD video with AVCHD format, and be targeting the EOS 60D market segment," the spokesperson said. He added that reports that the Sony A700 replacement could boast 25 megapixels as well as high ISO settings in the hundreds of thousands, are untrue. The Sony spokesperson could not confirm a Sony A77 release date, but indications are that a Sony Alpha 700 replacement will come this year.
UPDATE - February 2011: the Sony A77 specs got a little clearer after Sony officials revealed at an event in Spain that all future Sony Alpha cameras will feature the company's translucent mirror technology, introduced last year with the Sony A55 and A33 cameras. UPDATE - March 2011: PhotoRadar's head of testing, Angela Nicholson, shares which 10 specs she would like to see on a Sony A77 release: - Translucent mirror technology to allow faster phase detection AF when using live view to compose images Keep in mind, as well, that a spokesperson from Sony has already told us: "The [Sony A700 replacement] mock-up shown at CES was the same one used for Photkina, which I stated at the time was not a final design. It will be Translucent Mirror, APS-C, Exmor CMOS, HD video with AVCHD format, and be targeting the Canon EOS 60D market segment." UPDATE – 4 March 2011: Sony Alpha Rumors has posted a French photographer's analysis of the layout of the Sony A77 body. Is he correct? Sony A77 rumours Sony Alpha users have been eagerly awaiting a replacement for the Sony A700 for at least a year. Announced in 2007, the A700 was - and still is - Sony's most convincing prosumer APS-C DSLR, and the closest thing to the fondly remembered Konica-Minolta semi-pro film SLRs of yesteryear. Three years on and the Sony faithful are feeling neglected. Three years, and two full-frame DSLRs (the Sony A900 and its near-clone, the Sony A850) plus a flurry of somewhat uninspiring entry-level and midrange Alpha-series models later, and the A700 is looking decidedly isolated. So will they or won't they? All indications now are that Sony will replace the Alpha 700. Prototypes were on display at Photokina last autumn and CES in January. And just recently a Sony spokesperson confirmed to PhotoRadar that there will be a replacement to the Sony A700, and the Sony Alpha 800 (of possibly the Sony A77) will use the translucent mirror technology like that introduced with the Sony Alpha 33 and Sony A55 (read our Sony A55 review) cameras last year. We expect some more leaks, and then an announcement in the early part of this year. But don't hold your breath. 2011 Sony A77 release date probability: 90% - but Sony might still surprise us. UPDATE – 6 May 2011: Photo Rumors has spotted the Sony A77 listed in Sony's latest consumer repair guide. While we've already known that a Sony A700 replacement is due for release this summer (see the post at the top of this page), what's significant about this is that until now there was still speculation as to whether the Sony A700 replacement would be called the Sony A800 or the Sony A77. This would appear to confirm we will see a Sony A77 release date before too long. 
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| Nokia brings NFC technology to London museum Posted: 12 Aug 2011 07:05 AM PDT Nokia is bringing brought Near Field Communication technology to life by giving London's museum visitors an easy way to learn more through their phones. Nokia is using its new NFC Hub service at the Museum of London to enable users to touch their phones to certain exhibits and instantly learn more information about the display. The tags around the museum will not only give information on exhibits but also allow users to directly interact with the location's social networks, download dedicated apps for their phone and get vouchers for the shops and cafes. It's not all direct information - things like booking tickets or app downloads offer redirects to the relevant website, but still offers an easy way for users to see how smartphones can be used in new ways. New interaction"NFC technology has the potential to change how we interact with our visitors. By simply touching tags located throughout both our venues, visitors can delve deeper into London's story in an immediate and engaging way, plus keep in touch with us by following the museum online," said Vicky Lee, Marketing Manager, Museum of London. It's interesting to note that Nokia has carefully removed any mention of its own NFC-enabled handsets in this release; given the only device using the tech is the N9, which is apparently not coming to the UK, we'd have to assume the Finns are planning to launch new NFC-packing phones soon. Either way, we're fans of this initiative - NFC has been talked about for a long time now, and beyond paying for a coffee we've been itching to see new uses for the tech. 
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| In Depth: Windows 8 gestures: what the Touch Mouse tells us Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:30 AM PDT Microsoft's new Touch Mouse is a lovely piece of design in its own right. It's a comfortable wireless mouse that's great for just about any size of hand, works on literally any surface thanks to the BlueTrack optical technology and gives you the best of a mouse and trackpad combined. But it's also a clue to the gestures we expect to see in Windows 8. In the three years that the Microsoft hardware team has been working on the Touch Mouse - they had a prototype a month before Apple announced its own multitouch mouse - they've worked closely with the Windows and Surface teams and it shows in how well the gestures work with the Windows 7 features like Aero Snap and Aero Peek. But when Microsoft UK showed us the mouse again this summer, they let slip that these are gestures we'll see again in Windows 8. Thumb swipesThe simplest, most useful gesture is the one you've never seen on a mouse or a trackpad before but you use it all the time on a touch screen; swiping sideways with your thumb to go forward or back. Use it to browse through a gallery or photos, to skip back a page in your Web browser or you navigate up and down through folders in Explorer. In the Windows 8 touch interface demos we've seen swiping gestures switching running applications when you start at the left edge of the screen,bringing up a settings panel when you swipe from the right and opening the Windows Phone-style menu when you swipe up from the bottom.
CONTROL: Changing the Touch Mouse properties But this could be a gesture you would use inside applications, like the Flicks that Windows 7 has, and it could work as well on a touchpad on a notebook as well as on a tablet touch screen. Mac OS X Lion MacBooks and Synaptics touchpads on recent Windows notebooks have a swipe gesture that takes you back and forward in a similar way, but it takes three fingers; swiping with your thumb feels much more natural. Arranging windows with two fingersUse two fingers on almost any touchpad these days (including Lion) and you scroll through the current window. You only need one finger to make that work with the Touch Mouse. Swipe down with two fingers here and you minimise the current window; swipe up again and you restore it to the original size. Swipe up a second time - or start by swiping up - and you maximise that window - swipe down again to shrink it back down. Lion has a pinch gesture for making a window full screen or restoring it, but that only works in Quick Look. Swipe two fingers left or right across the Touch Mouse and that snaps the current window to take up the left or right side of the screen with Aero Snap; it's like you're pushing the window to where you want it to go.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: The practice interface shows how simple the gestures are In the Windows 8 touch demos we've seen a tablet version of Snap that lets you split the screen into two different sized windows. That works on Windows 8 without a touchscreen, but involves holding one finger on the touchpad while you slide a second finger – kind of fiddly. If Windows 8 lets you two-finger swipe left and right in the desktop view for classic Aero Snap and in the tablet view for this split-screen view it would be almost as fluid as using a touchscreen. Control the desktop with three fingersSwipe down with three fingers (or four, it doesn't matter at this point) and you minimise all open windows and show the desktop – the Windows 7 Aero Peek feature you can also get by clicking at the end of the taskbar. Swipe up with three fingers and you get an Expose style set of thumbnails of all your open windows called Instant Viewer. We love this and we're hoping we get it in built in to Windows 8, as well as the endless swipe to switch tablet apps one at a time.
SHOW ME: Far better than the Windows task switcher, this is the Instant Viewer we want to see in Windows 8 Once you get into Instant Viewer, you can use one finger to move between the windows to pick the one you want and tap to select it; much faster than Alt Tab or Windows Tab. Combine the two and three-finger Touch Mouse gestures and you can move between windows so fluidly it feels a bit like mind control. Snow Leopard introduced a four-finger gesture that's similar; swipe down to open Expose, swipe up to get the desktop, swipe sideways to open the Application Switcher; then you can use two-finger scrolling to pick a window. More Windows 8 gesturesAll of this works brilliantly on the Touch Mouse because it has a sensitive multi-touch capacitive surface, like a trackpad wrapped around the mouse body. You can think of a lot more gestures than these; Microsoft didn't add more to stop the mouse getting confused about what you're trying to do, but coders will be able to make their own gestures when the Touch Mouse API comes out; students who enter the Innovation Contest at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in October get to try that out early. All of these gestures would work just as well on a multitouch trackpad on a Windows 8 notebook and we're hoping they'll be in the OS as standard. They would also work with a touchscreen that detected four touch points rather than just two; we don't know if that will be the spec for Windows 8 tablets but if it is, Microsoft could put much more powerful gestures on tablets than just swiping, tapping and pinching. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| Samsung Galaxy Xcover officially unveiled Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:14 AM PDT Samsung has finally announced the Galaxy Xcover, a ruggedised phone with IP67 protection against the elements. It's not really a surprise that Samsung is bringing this phone, given the leaks all over the internet in the last day or two and the success of the Motorola Defy. The Galaxy Xcover is likely to be a lot cheaper than Moto's challenger though, given the spec sheet shows some low-end choices. For instance we're looking at a 3.65-inch screen with a 3MP camera (albeit with flash included) and an 800MHz processor pumping away under the hood. Take that, MotoHowever, Android 2.3 is included on the phone out of the box, which is one in the eye for the Defy, despite it's slightly higher spec sheet. The Galaxy Xcover comes with full IP67 rating, which means its splash, dust and shockproof. There's also a 2GB microSD card in the box for media, helping to supplement the meagre 150MB internal memory. Samsung has predictably not given us a UK price for the Xcover, but has set the UK release date for 'later on this year' - so if you're planning an extreme Christmas perhaps you should consider this your next mobile purchase. 
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| Samsung to launch 7-inch Galaxy Tab with AMOLED screen? Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:08 AM PDT Samsung could be set to launch a new variant to its Galaxy Tab range, rebooting the original device and adding in some next-gen screen tech too. The new device would have a 7-inch screen, but use the same style of AMOLED displays as seen in the Galaxy S, according to sources quoted by OLED-Display. We're very much talking about a rumoured device here, and the rumour seems based on the fact Samsung showed off 7-inch OLED display prototypes back in March, which seems a little speedy to have made it into a device already. Shut up, foolsSamsung has moved to distance itself from rumours it will be launching a glut of new devices imminently, which could preclude the new Galaxy Tab: "Some media have been reporting that Samsung is preparing to launch nine new smartphones and two new tablet devices. While Samsung is continuously working on new devices for our customers, the details being cited are not accurate in this case. "We appreciate the interest in our upcoming mobile devices and will share more information once it's available." There's a spec sheet for the rumoured Galaxy Tab P62000 and everything - so let's indulge in a little rumour mongering before dubbing this Not Very Likely. Apparently we're looking at a Honeycomb device with a 7-inch Super AMOLED screen, with a resolution of 1024x600, including a 3MP camera (rear) and 2MP camer (front). It will have full 3G connectivity and the same 1.2GHz dual-core engine as the Galaxy S2, plus a similar 1GB of RAM... if only it were real.
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| In Depth: Intel Ultrabook: what you need to know Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:58 AM PDT Intel has announced a massive $300m (£185m) fund to help develop Ultrabook hardware and software, and it's confident that Ultrabooks will make up 40% of the market by 2012. So what is an Ultrabook and why should you care? Let's find out. Ultrabooks are a bit like things you've already seenThe best way to think of an Ultrabook is a MacBook Air that isn't made by Apple, a netbook that isn't underpowered or a laptop that's been on a crash diet. Ultrabook designs we've seen so far look awfully Apple-y, with super-thin cases and aeroplane-friendly 11.6-inch displays. Ultrabook specs will not be low-endAlthough Ultrabooks are designed for maximum portability, we're told that they won't make the same compromises that netbooks did: the Ultrabook specifications should be akin to mainstream laptops, not cheap netbooks. The first models will ship with Sandy Bridge Core processors, followed by Ivy Bridge chips in 2012 and Haswell processors in 2013. The first Ultrabook to break cover, the Asus UX21, boasts SSD storage and USB 3.0 connectivity. There are three Ultrabook manufacturers so farLenovo, Asustek and Acer are the first firms to throw their hats into the Ultrabook ring, although we'd expect everybody else to join in if the sector proves popular. Ultrabook features will become more impressive over timeThat's where Intel's $300m fund comes in: the firm wants to create "a cycle of innovation and system capabilities". Whatever that means. Ultrabook specifications are heavy on battery life and portabilityHaswell chips promise to use half the power of current-generation processors, although even today's Core processors are more efficient than processors of old. Just ask Apple, whose Core-powered MacBook Air runs for ages. The Ultrabook price should eventually undercut AppleIntel's pushing hard for sub-$1,000 price tags, which just happens to be the price of a MacBook Air. However, it seems that Ultrabook manufacturers are finding that hard to achieve: DigiTimes reports that the Bill of Materials, the total cost of building an Ultrabook, will be more than $700 - and there are software licenses on top of that. Manufacturers are already demanding Intel cuts its prices or subsidises their efforts. Intel points out that as sales go up, prices will drop. We're taking that to mean that the typical Ultrabook price won't be sub-$1,000 for a while. The Ultrabook release date could be before ChristmasManufacturers are keen to sell some kit before Christmas, so Ultrabooks such as the Asus UX21 should turn up in late 2011 with Core i7 processors. The Asus Ultrabook price hasn't been announced yet, but we're expecting a September release date. 
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| Exclusive: Panasonic: Star Wars Blu-ray marks renaissance of format Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:45 AM PDT Panasonic's David Preece has insisted that the arrival of Star Wars on Blu-ray is a pivotal moment for the entire format, telling TechRadar that forging a partnership over the film was a big deal for the company. Panasonic will be offering the three original (and best) Star Wars Blu-rays with many of its key products, and Preece, who is in charge of the Blu-ray category in the UK is convinced the timing is perfect. "It is a seriously important moment," he told TechRadar. "Blu-ray is a fantastic format but the transition from DVD to Blu-ray has not been quite as dynamic as people would have hoped.
"This is an important part of allowing people to compare the differences between the two formats with one of the greatest film series. "This marks the renaissance of the Blu-ray format." Preece admits that Panasonic had to work hard to be involved in the Blu-ray package. "It's very meaningful," he said, "and we were very keen to be a partner. I went to tie up the deal and talk cash and actually found myself pitching against another serious contender!" 
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| Twitter offers up new @reply feature Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:21 AM PDT Twitter has made a small but significant change to the way you reply to people on the service, making this feature available straight from their profile page. It's always been a bit strange that you couldn't interact with someone when you visit their profile, but Twitter haven't actually made a song and a dance about adding it – there's been not official statement as of yet on the new feature. The feature means you can speak to someone that you don't follow in public, but you still can't direct message them unless they follow you back. New featuresInterestingly, it seems that this feature isn't available to companies' accounts. So, you can @reply straight to a member of TechRadar for instance, but not the @TechRadar account. The @reply change is one of a number of minor tweaks to the site. Earlier this week an image uploader button was introduced. With Facebook and Google+ integrating many Twitter-like features into their services by the day, it's likely that we will see this slow but steady evolution of Twitter continue. 
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| C3PO not a big fan of 3D televisions Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:14 AM PDT Star Wars' C3PO, actor Anthony Daniels, has admitted that he's not a big fan of 3D television, insisting he doesn't like things coming out of his TV. Although the British thespian is a fan of 3D when it's used in big theme park productions, he's unconvinced by its use in the home. "One of the projects I have just been involved in is Star Tours," he told a press conference launching the Star Wars saga on Blu-ray. "That is in a 60 seat flight simulator where people go on a voyage around the planet and everyone wears 3D glasses. "The effects are stunning and relevant and real – because you're apparently looking through a view port. Sitting room"I slightly have a problem with sitting in my own sitting room and being surprised by things coming into the room. I don't expect things to come out my television!" he continued. "I'm quite happy, in a luddite kind of way, to see things on a [2D] screen."
But Daniels is more of a fan than Star Wars' stunt co-ordinator Nick Gillard who said: "I hate 3D!" "I saw Avatar on non-3D and I thought it was pretty average." It will be interesting to see if either of them is rolled out for the launch of the Star Wars 3D Blu-rays in a couple of years' time! 
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| Updated: Ice Cream Sandwich: everything you need to know Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:48 AM PDT Google has dropped some interesting information about Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android at its Google I/O conference. We'll update this article with more information on the new Android as soon as we get it. It talked about the new OS during the Opening keynote speech of the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. Real Ice Cream Sandwiches aren't exactly prevalent in the UK - we have wafers - so if you want to see a real Ice Cream Sandwich, you'd better do some scrolling. As we reported from Google's keynote at Mobile World Congress, Google's mantra for the OS is "one OS everywhere" – it will be a single version of Android running across phones and tablets, unlike Android 3.0 Honeycomb that only runs on tablets. That's why it's a Sandwich y'see. Will Ice Cream Sandwich be Android 2.4 or Android 4.0? The new version may be called Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, although surely as a unifying OS bringing together Android 2.x and Android 3.0 Honeycomb, it would make more sense to be Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - the jury's out on that one. Ice Cream Sandwich release date The Ice Cream Sandwich UK release date is late 2011. Indeed, it looks like we'll get it on some new Android devices launching Q4 this year - so in time for Christmas. UPDATE: On 9 August 2011, we reported that the Ice Cream Sandwich release date could be this October, according to an anonymous source. Ice Cream Sandwich interface Ice Cream Sandwich will bring all the interface loveliness of Android 3.0 Honeycombto Android smartphones. Android phone users will get the updated app launcher, holographic user interface, interactive and new homescreen widgets plus the multi-tasking panel.
ANDROID 3.0: This interface magic will be coming to Android Ice Cream Sandwich On 12 August we saw a batch of leaked screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. Android Police and Roots Wiki seem to have come up with an odd cross-site team up to leak four pretty plausible screengrabs of the latest version of Google's mobile OS, which will likely be Android 4.0. Ice Cream Sandwich features Google says Ice Cream Sandwich is its "most ambitious release to date" and will incorporate all the best bits of Honeycomb, the Android tablet OS, and make them useable on smartphones too. But Ice Cream Sandwich is about more than just the user interface and it will bring all the new Android 3.1 features to phones. This new update means Android tablets will also be able to act as a USB hub and you'll be to hook up devices such as mice and keyboards and game controllers to tablets and smartphones. Google is also intending to make life easier for developers by releasing a new set of APIs that will help them to scale their apps across the various sizes of Android devices - Google acknowledges that it's important for developers to be able to design apps that will work across 3.5-inch smartphones up to 10.1-inch tablets. During the Google Google I/O keynote those on stage also showed off 3D headtracking using the front-mounted camera so you can figure out who is speaking and focus on them while on a video call. Face detection will be a key feature in the OS. Ice Cream Sandwich specification Google's Mike Claren said, "we want one OS that runs everywhere." Smartphone users will also get an expanded multitasking tool, including a system manager that handles your open resources for you so you won't run out of memory or be prompted to quit an application on the tablet. Android 3.1 also means you can expand the size of a scrollable home screen widget, while existing scrollable widgets can also be upgraded by devs with a couple of lines of code.
SWEET: Google's inspiration for Android Ice Cream Sandwich [Image credit: Flickr/Blue Bunny] Ice Cream Sandwich requirements There's no word yet on minimum hardware requirements, though this will certainly have implications for upgrading existing handsets to the new OS. Speaking of which… Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades Google is introducing new guidelines in which it promises OS updates for the first 18 months for existing handsets. So Ice Cream will be coming to some of the more powerful handsets released during 2011. "Together we'll create guidelines for how quickly devices will get updated after new android platforms and for how long they'll continue to get updated.," said Google's Vic Gundotra at Google I/O. "New devices from these partners will receive the latest Android updates for 18 months after first launch, if the hardware allows it. We think this is really great news for users, we think it's excellent for developers and really great for the entire industry." The move is in response to accusations that Android is becoming too fragmented and it has announced an alliance of (US-only for now) networks and manufacturers who have vowed to provide more timely updates. No longer will you get left behind. Samsung UK has also told TechRadar that it is working to bring faster updates to users. "We saw a lot of comments saying 'I want my upgrade, when do I get my upgrade?'," says Hiroshi Lockheimer, director of engineering at Google. "There's no common expectation set of how this would work, so we can at least establish some form of expectation for the whole community - users and developers. "We certainly want this to be an international, global thing. We announced Vodafone;you can expect another wave of announcements around that." Ice Cream Sandwich is open source We also know that Google is intending to make Ice Cream Sandwich fully open source. It didn't do this with Android 3.0 Honeycomb in an attempt to make things more consistent. "It's more manageable to start small and get bigger," says Andy Rubin, senior vice president of Mobile at Google. "It's an open invitation; there's no reason not to have everybody in [The Open Handset Alliance] - but I want to hit the ground running, I don't want to take a lot of time on building a list of names." 
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| Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:30 AM PDT The NuForce DAC9 isn't the only DAC to include a headphone output, but it makes more of a point of it than most, and fair enough, adding as it does a dedicated volume control and both flavours of headphone jack, 6.3mm (quarter-inch) and 3.5mm. The latter, incidentally, also functions as an input, an optical digital input to be precise, in similar manner to some computer sound cards and portable audio devices. The total input count runs to six, with a further (TOSLINK) optical socket at the rear, alongside AES/ EBU, USB and three electrical S/PDIF sockets, two phono and one BNC; one of the phonos is effectively the same input at the BNC so you can only connect one or the other.
Selection between the inputs is achieved at the front of the unit by a touch-panel, which we found occasionally reluctant to accept commands. The remote control is less fussy and is invaluable in adjusting line-output volume, which changes in 0.5dB steps. From the front panel, it is necessary to touch and release for each step, waiting more than a second before the next step can be made. It's just as well that output level is adjustable, though, because at maximum output the DAC9 produces four volts, enough to overload the inputs of a few amplifiers we've seen. NuForce mentions in its promotional literature that neither sample-rate conversion nor negative feedback is used in the DAC9, which strikes us as a little perverse as the DAC chip (like all current examples of its breed) uses internal sample-rate conversion to implement digital filtering and the analogue circuits include op-amps, which are never used without feedback. They are all high-quality parts, as are the drivers for the balanced output and the analogue volume-control chip. The power supply employs a very large toroidal transformer. 96kHz digital sources are accepted at the USB input, which is upgradeable to even high sample rates by swapping an internal module. Sound qualityComments on this DAC varied between listeners, their reactions depending on personal priorities. It seems that if you value an ultra-clean, high-resolution sound this may not be the best option around, but it has very good drive and dynamics, and possibly the best timing. The listener who liked it least pointed to a degree of 'grunge' in its sound as his main reservation, but despite that there is still some good detail to be heard. Midrange is generally neutral, though we came to suspect that the comments about 'grunge' may actually reflect a small degree of subjective upper-midrange lift, which does seem to dirty the sound a little on many recordings. This is all quite minor stuff, though and while it's easy to be critical in comparisons like this we felt the sound over the longer term is more than acceptable. It would be unkind to close without commending the headphone output, which is particularly revealing and proved worthy of the finest cans we plugged in to it. 
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| Android 4.0: what you need to know Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:21 AM PDT We've had Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We've had Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Next up: Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Google's Android operating system. Although it's possible that Ice Cream Sandwich will be given a lower version number, such as Android 2.4, we think the scale of the upgrade makes it more than a mere point release - so our money's on Android 4.0. No matter what number Google gives it, the next version of Android brings new features, new hardware and new ways to play with your Android kit. Here's what you need to know. Android 4.0 release date Google says the Android 4.0 release date will be around Thanksgiving in the US, which means it should ship just in time for the all-important Christmas shopping binge this year. Android 4.0 phones Specs for what could be the Google Nexus 3 have surfaced courtesy of BGR, revealing a handset with a dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz OMAP 4460 or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 720p HD display, along with 1080p HD video capture through the 5MP rear-mounted camera. Huawei is also claiming that its forthcoming handset the Glory, while shipping with Android 2.2, will be upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich when the OS becomes available, according to PCMag.com. It's not yet known whether the Glory is headed to the UK, and if it does it's likely to be carrier-branded rather than come sporting the Huawei badge. Motorola's Xoom tablet successor is reportedly being tested – apparently offering up rather nifty specs that include a quad-core processor Nvidia processor and a much higher resolution screen alongside Android 4.0. The Android 4.0 OS will be a unified OS Say goodbye to Gingerbread for phones and Honeycomb for tablets. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be a single OS for both kinds of devices, with the user interface adapting to suit whichever form factor you throw at it. A unified codebase means developers will only need to code their apps once for them to work on Android 4.0 phones and Android 4.0 tablets, and Google will offer a whole bunch of new APIs that developers can use to code apps for every kind of Android 4.0 device. The Android 4.0 interface will look a lot like Honeycomb Not a huge surprise, this one: the rather whizzy new interface from Honeycomb will be making its way to Android 4.0 - although as with previous incarnations, device manufacturers and/or network operators can create their own customised UIs too. The Android 4.0 UI will enable you to adjust the size of home screen widgets to better suit your particular preferences. On 12 August we saw a batch of leaked screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. Android 4.0 specs include USB hosting The Android Open Accessory programme brings third-party devices into the Android fold, potentially enabling you to connect anything from an Xbox controller or USB mouse for Android games to a heart monitor for fitness apps. Accessories will initially connect via USB, with Bluetooth coming along shortly afterwards. Android 4.0 features include goodies for phone users Android 4.0 phone users will get an expanded multitasking tool and a system manager that ensures you don't run out of memory. Android 4.0 software will track your face Your Android 4.0 phone or tablet's camera will be doing some potentially nifty facial recognition, tracking the movement of your head and adjusting the on-screen image accordingly to create a pseudo-3D effect. Google has also demoed videoconferencing that uses the feature to focus the camera on the person you want to look at, which is fine unless you're staring at someone good-looking while talking to somebody who's been hit with the ugly stick. The Android 4.0 system requirements could be hefty Leaked details suggest that the Google Nexus 3, Google's reference handset, will have a 1.2 or 1.5GHz processor (although some of the more excited rumours predict a quad-core Kal-El processor), 1GB of RAM, a "monster-sized" display, 1080p video capture and an ultra-thin body. US customers get 4G mobile internet too. Android 4.0 hardware will be relatively future-proof Google has persuaded its manufacturing partners to agree that when they make new kit, it'll support the latest Android updates for at least eighteen months, and firms such as Samsung promise that they'll be dishing out upgrades much more quickly than before. The aim is to prevent embarrassing "where's my upgrade?" howls from existing and future Android customers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| First Android Ice Cream Sandwich screenshots leaked? Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:15 AM PDT It seems we're seeing the future, if leaked images of Google's new Ice Cream Sandwich Android iteration are anything to go by. Android Police and Roots Wiki seem to have come up with an odd cross-site team up to leak four pretty plausible screengrabs of the latest version of Google's mobile OS, which will likely be Android 4.0. Disappointingly it seems the new OS is currently quite similar to the old version in terms of user interface, with a tweaked menu system and slightly altered notifications bar the main differences. Slicker, quicker and beepierHowever, don't get too down-hearted just yet, as it's likely this IRK36B build (we know, catchy) is a long way from the finished product and there may be a lot more to come from the design team.
Credit: Roots Wiki Plus there are a lot more goodies on board, according to the leak, including a completely overhauled Gmail application, automatic panorama mode in the camera settings and Near Field Communication (NFC) will be built into the Google Shopper application to make beepy payments that much easier.
Credit: Android Police
Credit: Android Police Will it be the OS to unify tablets and phones finally? If so, we'd have to imagine this is nailed on to be Android 4.0, bringing the same experience to both categories of devices... otherwise it's just going to be boring old Android 2.4. 
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| Week in Tech: The week that gadgets went AWOL Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT If you're into tablets, smartphones or gaming then this week has been rather like a dream - and we don't mean one of those dreams involving your favourite celebrity, a leprechaun costume and a gallon of massage oil. One minute all kinds of technological delights were heading for UK shop shelves; the next, they'd vanished into the ether. U-turns have affected three top gadgets this week: Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, the Nokia N9 smartphone and Sony's PS Vita handheld. The reasons differ from device to device, but they all have one thing in common: you won't be able to get your hands on them for the foreseeable future. First up, there's the PS Vita. We've drooled over its specs, its unusual control scheme and it's hefty processing power, so we were gutted to discover that it's not going to reach the UK this year. We're sure Sony's gutted too: the PlayStation Vita's not going to make it to the US before 2012 either, so Sony's missing out on a lot of sales during the lucrative pre-Christmas shopping season. The timing's interesting, because Nintendo has just dramatically cut the price of its 3DS. Could Sony be worried that by comparison, the Vita might look too expensive? At least we'll get our hands on the PS Vita eventually. We're not so sure about Nokia's N9, the MeeGo-powered flagship phone that we've described as "beautiful", "innovative" and "different". Nokia concentrates on Windows PhoneNokia has now released a statement that appears to rule out a UK launch for the foreseeable future. "Although we are very delighted with the very positive reception that the Nokia N9 has received," Nokia says, "here in the UK there are no plans to offer the Nokia N9 at present". You might think that showing off your flagship phone to the UK media, getting nice reviews and then deciding you can't be bothered selling it after all is a weird business strategy, but Kate Solomon has a theory: "It's possible that, as key smartphone markets, the US and UK are missing out on the wildcard N9 so as not to sully focus on Nokia's upcoming range of Windows Phone 7 handsets. It seems a shame for us to miss out, though."
BYE BYE: And we never even properly said hello. Nokia's N9 We're also missing out on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which many people see as the closest rival to Apple's iPad 2. A court in Germany has granted Apple an injunction that bans sales of the Tab 10.1 across Europe, and the earliest Samsung will be able to get the ban lifted is in four weeks time. The ban is based on allegations of patent infringement, and it's part of an ongoing patent battle between Apple and other smartphone and tablet manufacturers. However, while stocks last it seems the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still on sale in the UK. Columnist Gary Marshall smells a rat. "What's interesting isn't the rights and wrongs of the arguments," he writes. "It's that Samsung wasn't warned about the case or given the right to reply. 'Apple says you suck!' the court has effectively said. 'I like them! Bring me the banhammer!'" The ban couldn't come at a worse time for Samsung, which was just getting its Tab marketing campaign off the ground, and if it loses significant sales then "that's likely to have an effect on the overall profitability of the Tab range". Marshall continues: "I don't know whether Apple's claims against Samsung have any merit, but I do worry about an intellectual property regime that can ban entire product lines on little more than a rival firm's say-so. That can't be right, can it?" Can it? Do let us know. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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| Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT There's seldom much about Moon products that stands out a mile externally – which is not to deny them their smart and individual appearance. The Moon 300D has a largely typical specification, with two coaxial and one optical S/PDIF inputs and a USB socket, while analogue output is available both balanced and unbalanced. Differences are more apparent inside the unit, where Moon has carefully separated analogue and digital parts of the equation. A digital circuit board, largely populated with surface-mounted components, receives the digital input, applies digital filtering and converts it to analogue, forwarding the output to an analogue board beneath. Here, components are all through-hole parts, remarkably few of them for a balanced-output circuit, with passive components evidently having been carefully selected for their specific application. The power supply is unusually generous too, with a large bank of smoothing capacitors. Most of the integrated circuits that look after functions like digital input reception and D-A conversion are familiar parts, including the USB input chip, which limits operation to 48kHz.
A footnote about this on Moon's website hints that the company doesn't much rate USB as a digital audio interface and suggests that the serious computer audiophile should use an aftermarket soundcard with S/PDIF output, a perfectly valid point. Sound qualityIt wasn't quite plain sailing for the 300D as far as our blind-listening panel was concerned: the odd note of criticism sneaked in, but the general tenor of comments was once again favourable. They were in agreement that treble is a little more present than bass – we're choosing words carefully here because different listeners expressed that in different ways. One found the treble clearer than most, well defined and more precise than the bass. Another thought the bass was fine but found the treble on the bright side, even (in one track) 'splashy'. This kind of difference of opinion is not uncommon in a case like this of subtle tonal imbalance and merely illustrates why no one product can provide all the answers. The trouble is, though, that even in a blind test like this such things can colour a listener's judgement. It's no surprise that the listener who disliked the treble found fault also with detail and imaging, but the others were much more complimentary about these aspects, especially detail. It's the kind of detail which doesn't rip a piece apart into its constituent strands, but allows the listener to hear what's going on at the top, in the middle and into the bass. The deepest bass is, perhaps, a little general here, with good extension but slightly less precision than some can muster. Dynamics were well liked too. Our large-scale orchestral track benefitted particularly from this, with quiet passages having a degree of definition and solidity to them that's not often heard. It's easy to overlook low-level performance of audio equipment, or take it for granted, but the 300D really does achieve quite an unusual level of performance with both detail and imaging consistent from loud to soft and back. With pace, rhythm and timing also good, though never over-emphasised, it's an easy DAC to like. 
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| Posted: 12 Aug 2011 02:30 AM PDT Lavry is a pro-audio company which shows little (if indeed any) sign of interest in the audiophile world, but that doesn't stop the audiophile world being interested in Lavry. The company's DA10 DAC became something of a cult success and the DA11 builds on that success by adding a couple more features. The most immediately useful of those for most Hi-Fi Choice readers, we suspect, will be the USB input. It's actually good for 96kHz sampling, though it may not work that way straight out of the box and Lavry's recommendations for computer set up are worth following. (Indeed, we'd recommend a little such care to any greater-than-48kHz USB set up.) The unit is remote-control compatible, though it doesn't come with one: again, Lavry provides instructions for setting up programmable remotes. And then there's the 'Playback Image Control', which allows for widening and narrowing, asymmetrically if desired, of stereo images. You get one each of the usual flavours of digital input, including AES/EBU on an XLR socket, while analogue is put out only on XLR connectors, but XLR-phono adaptors are provided and you can configure the output to drive these correctly, unbalanced.
Like other settings, including source and volume (adjustable in rather coarse steps), this is done from the front panel via centre-biased toggle switches, which frankly is an arcane process which we hated from start to finish. Internal circuitry uses familiar parts of good quality and a switch-mode power supply. Sound qualityA little bit like the Electrocompaniet PD1, this DAC is relatively undemonstrative, but still manages to pack a punch when it needs to. In fact, it can really be quite dramatic at climaxes, a characteristic which makes it a good match to highly dynamic classical music recordings.At the same time, it retains a believably solid sound and image when the music is quiet. Our listeners did feel, however, that a trace of detail was lost by the DA11. This seemed to be equally true in different styles of music and was also consistent across the USB and S/PDIF inputs. It's not a serious loss and didn't stop anyone enjoying the bigger picture, something this DAC is indeed good at preserving. All the same, the ability to hear a little deeper inside a mix could be useful and welcome now and then. Tonally the balance is excellent, with good extension at both ends of the spectrum and no sign of favouritism across the midrange. A remarkably clean treble will certainly endear this DAC to many listeners and it proved quite impossible to fluster it with even the busiest and brightest of recordings. General musical flow was specifically praised and its handling of dynamics on both short and long timescales is assured and lifelike. Lots to like, then, but the detail proved a minor, though persistent, niggle. The texture of a multi-layered piece of music is not as clear as one might wish and images seem to lose a little depth, a frequent companion to mild detail loss. 
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| Panasonic announces major Star Wars link-up Posted: 12 Aug 2011 02:26 AM PDT Panasonic has announced a major link up with the Star Wars brand, which will see the company giving away the original trilogy with selected Panasonic Blu-ray products. Bundling deals are nothing new in the UK, but the Star Wars Blu-ray release is one of the most eagerly awaiting for the format - and one which is set to finally catapult Blu-ray to the mainstream. Panasonic has had a long-standing deal with 20th Century Fox, when it comes to Blu-rays. The company was the first to bring Avatar to the UK on Blu-ray - offering the disc as an exclusive deal. |
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