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• Sony reveals new NEX-5N
• Sony introduces 24.3 megapixel NEX model
• Sony a65 entry level 'DSLT' revealed
• New Sony a77 'DSLT' announced
• Facebook introduces tag approval
• Reports: Apple iPhone 5 to be 'world phone'
• Hands on: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review
• Samsung: Kubrick invented tablets, not Apple
• Sony Tablet S - the new name for the S1 tablet?
• Gary Marshall: Cheap TouchPads show what's wrong with tablets
• Panasonic announces new Freeview HD PVRs
• Nintendo 3DS peripherals set to kickstart sales?
• Vodafone rolls out HTC Sensation Android 2.3.4 update
• Review: Sharp LC-40LE831D
• In Depth: How long before local storage is dead?
• Intel's next-generation Itanium chips detailed
• Updated: iOS 5: all the latest details
• Exclusive: NFC pairing coming to BlackBerry Messenger
• B&O Beovision 7 flagship goes 3D with integrated Blu-ray
• PlayStation Home to respawn as social games hub
• Windows 8 to provide native USB 3.0 support
• In Pictures: BlackBerry Curve 9360
• Samsung Series 7 Gamer notebook offers 3D and specs
• In Depth: Glasses-free 3D: when will it be in our homes?
• LG A530 3D laptop revealed

Sony reveals new NEX-5N Posted: 24 Aug 2011 01:13 AM PDT Sony has announced a new compact system camera to slot into its existing NEX line-up. The Sony NEX-5N features a 16.1 megapixel APS-C sensor. Made from light magnesium alloy, the NEX-5N is just 23.3mm at the slimmest point. The new camera also includes the same quick shutter lag as found on the new NEX-7. With a release time lag of just 0.02 seconds, it is the fastest in the world. An improved autofocus algorhythm doubles the readout speed from the image sensor and results in an AF that is significantly faster than the current NEX-5 model. World's highest ISO The 16.1 effective megapixel resolution is combined with a specially-optimised version of the powerful BIONZ image processing engine. ISO can be boosted to a maximum of 25,600, the highest among mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The NEX-5N is capable of shooting smooth AVCHD Full HD movies at 50p or 25p, while the ability to focus manually and P/A/S/M exposure modes have been included. For the first time in an E-mount camera, the NEX-5N features new Photo Creativity Touch interface. Background defocus, exposure, picture effect and other adjustments can be previewed, applied and combined via the LCD touch panel and control dial with easy to understand language. Creative effects There are now 11 modes and 15 effects, which include HDR Painting, Soft Focus, Miniature, Rich-Tone Monochrome and Soft High-key. 3D Sweep Panorama, Soft Skin, Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur modes are brought across from other NEX models. The rear 7.5cm (3 inch) Xtra Fine LCD screen can be angled up to 80 degrees or down to 45 degrees, while the TruBlack technology is designed to reduce on-screen reflections. The Sony NEX-5N will be available from September 2011. Pricing is yet to be confirmed. Related Stories Samsung ST90 review: TechRadar labs data Samsung PL170 review: TechRadar labs data New Sony a77 'DSLT' announced Sony a65 entry level 'DSLT' revealed Sony introduces 24.3 megapixel NEX model

Sony introduces 24.3 megapixel NEX model Posted: 24 Aug 2011 12:51 AM PDT Sony has announced a new compact system camera to slot into its NEX range. The NEX-7 features a 24.3 megapixel sensor and the world's fastest release time lag. The camera is styled from magnesium alloy, which also allows it to be lightweight. ISO is available between ISO 100 - 16,000, while ultra-quick response times mean that the shutter release lag is just 0.02 seconds - the fastest of any interchangeable lens digital camera in the world. Precise autofocus is enhanced by new Object Tracking to keep accurate focus lock on a selected target, even when it's moving in the frame. A new TRINAVI control features two control dials on the top of the camera which is complemented by a control wheel. The navigation button allows for quick flicking through various shooting modes which allows for custom adjustments. Electronic viewfinder The NEX- 7 is the world's first compact camera that features an XGA OLED TruFinder. The electronic viewfinder offers 100% frame coverage along with a wide field of view. On-screen grid lines and a level gauge can be displayed for accurate framing. On the rear of the camera is a 7.5cm (3 inch) Xtra Fine LCD that can be angled up to 90 degrees or 45 degrees down. Full HD movies can be recorded, with the option to use 50p or 25p frame rates. Object Tracking also allows for moving subjects to be tracked accurately. In video shooting, manual focus is now available along with P/A/S/M exposure modes. The NEX-7 is capable of capturing images at 10fps, the world's fastest burst shooting speed of any mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Creative modes 11 modes and 15 effects including HDR Painting, Soft Focus, Miniature and Rich-Tone Mono are now available. 3D Sweep Panorama, Soft Skin, Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur modes are brought over from previous NEX models. The world's first mount adapter with built-in Translucent Mirror technology, the LA-EA2 allows almost all of the A-mount lenses to work with phase-detection AF on the NEX-7. The Sony NEX-7 will be available from November 2011. Pricing is yet to be confirmed. Related Stories Samsung ST90 review: TechRadar labs data Samsung PL170 review: TechRadar labs data New Sony a77 'DSLT' announced Sony a65 entry level 'DSLT' revealed Sony reveals new NEX-5N

Sony a65 entry level 'DSLT' revealed Posted: 24 Aug 2011 12:05 AM PDT Sony has unveiled the new Alpha 65, a new top-end entry level translucent mirror camera with the same 24.3 megapixel sensor as the newly announced a77. Capable of shooting at 10fps at full resolution and with full-time phase-detection autofocus, the a65 is a step down from the a77, which is capable of shooting at 12fps. The a65 also features a 15 point autofocus with 3 cross sensors. Tracking Focus maintains accurate focus lock on a designated moving subject. A new electronic front shutter curtain cuts shutter lag down to 0.050, while a newly developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with 24.3 megapixel resolution is also on board. Quick shooting The latest revision of Sony's BIONZ image processing engine has been designed with speed. The ISO range of the a65 stretches from ISO 100-16,000. On the rear of the camera is the world's first XGA OLED Tru-Finder featuring an 2359k dot (XGA) resolution. The electronic viewfinder offers 100% frame coverage and a wide field of view. A choice of five display modes is available, while adjustments to exposure, white balance and other settings can be previewed in the viewfinder in real time. Fine focus tweaks are also available via a zoomed-in portion of the image. Smart Teleconverter displays an enlarged central portion of the image sensor, which allows 12 megapixel images to be captured with a digital zoom factor of 1.4x or 2x. The rear 7.5cm (3.0 inch) Xtra Fine LCD is also included, using TruBlack technology and offering high 921k dot resolution. Phase detection Quick AF Full HD video shooting is available on the camera, with phase detection maintaining accurate focus of moving subjects. Full HD Video can also be shoot at 50p (progressive) frame rates, a first for APS-C sensor cameras. 25p shooting is also available, while manual focusing and P/A/S/M exposure modes have been added. The Sony Alpha 65 will be available from October 2011. Pricing has yet to be confirmed. Related Stories Samsung ST90 review: TechRadar labs data Samsung PL170 review: TechRadar labs data New Sony a77 'DSLT' announced Sony introduces 24.3 megapixel NEX model Sony reveals new NEX-5N

New Sony a77 'DSLT' announced Posted: 23 Aug 2011 11:48 PM PDT Sony has introduced the long awaited successor to the a700, the a77. Boasting the world's fastest continuous AF shooting performance, the a77 is capable of capturing full resolution images at 12 frames per second with full-time phase-detection autofocus. A newly-developed 19 point autofocus system with 11 cross sensors is also included. Tracking Focus is designed to retain accurate focus lock on a moving subject, even if the subject is momentarily obscured. Release time of the camera is ultraquick, with a new electronic front shutter curtain the cuts lag time down to 0.050 seconds. The a77 features a newly-developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with a 24.3 effective megapixel resolution. The latest revision of Sony's BIONZ image processing engine is added and designed for speed. ISO's default range is ISO 100 - 16,000, but it is also expandable down to ISO 50. Electronic viewfinder The camera features the world's first XGA OLED Tru-Finder. Featuring a 2359k dot (XGA) resolution, the electronic viewfinder offers 100% frame coverage, providing a wide field of view. Sony claims it can even rival pro-grade optical viewfinders. Detailed shooting information can be displayed, while the adjusting of exposure, white balance and other settings are previewed at real time in the Tru-Finder. Fine focus tweaks can also be confirmed via a zoomed-in portion of the image. The Smart Teleconverter displays an enlarged central portion of the image sensor, which allows for 12 megapixel captures with a digital zoom factor of 1.4 or 2x. Stills and video can be composed and reviewed on the rear adjustable angle 7.5cm(3 inch) Xtra Fine 921k dot LCD TruBlack screen. The a77 also introduces the world's first 3-way adjustable screen that tilts and pivots. Capable of shooting full HD video, movies can be shot with quick AF. Because of the translucent mirror, phase detection maintains accurate focus, even of moving subjects. Full HD at 50p Full HD video is now supported at 50p (progressive) frame rates, a first for APS-C sensor cameras. Manual focusing and the ability to shoot in P/A/S/M exposure modes has also been added. The a77 features double control dials and a seperate top-mounted LCD data display. The body is constructed from magnesium alloy panels and key controls are sealed against the effects of dust and moisture. Sony a77 price The a77 will be available from October 2011. The a77 price will be around £1,150 body only, or £1,650 with the new 16-50mm lens. The new 16-50mm lens will be around £550 on its own, while the a77 battery grip will be priced around £270. Related Stories Samsung ST90 review: TechRadar labs data Samsung PL170 review: TechRadar labs data Sony a65 entry level 'DSLT' revealed Sony introduces 24.3 megapixel NEX model Sony reveals new NEX-5N

Facebook introduces tag approval Posted: 23 Aug 2011 03:21 PM PDT Facebook has announced a large-scale overhaul of its privacy settings to give users more control over who sees the items posted to their profile. The changes, which will start appearing to users on Thursday, gives each post on your wall its own unique privacy setting, whether it was added by yourself or another user. The headline feature, of over a dozen adjustments, is the ability to approve photo and status tags before they appear on your profile or anywhere else on the site. Facebook says it was the most requested addition and will prevent embarrassing tags from friends appearing before you have the chance to veto. Location and more Also, when you update your own status or post a link or a photo you can choose exactly who you share each item with, be it friends, the public or a custom setting. Another improvement gives Facebook users the opportunity to tag a location on the full site as well as the smartphone apps. As well as the ability to approve or reject tags before they appear on your profile, you'll also have the opportunity to tag non-friends in photos and posts. The final top-line change is the new Profile View setting, which allows you to see, for the first time, your own page as your friends see it. The additions put more privacy controls right at your fingertips rather than having to trawl through the sea of account settings. Related Stories Twitter to attend government riots talks Twitter introduces User Galleries feature In Depth: How long before local storage is dead?

Reports: Apple iPhone 5 to be 'world phone' Posted: 23 Aug 2011 12:54 PM PDT Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5 is likely to be a world phone, meaning that it'll be a single build for both GSM and CDMA mobile standards. The long-rumoured revelation comes from an anonymous app developer who showed app logs to the TechCrunch website. The logs show a single, new Apple device that is being used by a small number of users to test apps. The device, which displays two mobile network codes (one CDMA, one GSM), is almost certainly the iPhone 5. Ideal travel companion In the UK and Europe, GSM is the dominant mobile standard, but in the United States, the split is almost even between GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile) and CDMA (Verizon, Sprint). If the new iPhone 5 turns out to be a one-size-fits-all device, it'll be a big help UK iPhone users who travel to the US and other CDMA-heavy countries and wish to switch to the other standard. Likewise a dual-mode handset would allow American visitors to Europe to effortlessly transition into their new settings without switching handsets. iOS-controlled The newest, CDMA version of the iPhone 4, built exclusively for the Verizon network in the United States, already boasts this global functionality although it isn't something that can be accessed by users. Of course, a dual-mode phone, distinguished through iOS 5, would save Apple the hassle of creating two devices. According to TechCrunch, the one caveat would be that this news would rule probably out a 4G iPhone, not that that's any concern of users this side of the pond. Related Stories Apple adds Japan quake warnings to iOS 5 Updated: iOS 5: all the latest details Samsung: Kubrick invented tablets, not Apple

Hands on: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review Posted: 23 Aug 2011 11:49 AM PDT We have to admit we're mightily surprised at what we've seen today from RIM - the BlackBerry Curve 9360 is arguably the most stylish and sleek yet from the Canadians. We've been clamouring for a more stylised model from RIM since the Torch 9810 and 9860 didn't really set our world alight, and while the Bold 9900 is certainly clean and crisp in design, it's not in the same league as other market leading smartphones. Which is why it's all the more impressive that a phone which will be available on pay as you go should be the most striking - but that's what we're presented with. The phone is an impressive 11mm thick and comes with the same keyboard as others in the Curve range, meaning more lozenge keys that sit separate from one another and will be an easy evolution for those that have owned the Curve 9300 or 8520. The phone still has the same optical trackpad as all the others in the range, which is necessary as unlike the Bold 9900 there's no touchscreen here to prod. The rear of the phone shoves a 5MP snapper next to a single LED flash, and while it can only record in VGA should be enough to nab decent enough footage for YouTube. We gave both a good testing, and found the pictures to be in keeping with the BlackBerry quality we've come to expect - a little washed out and lacking in sharpness, but adequate for quick snaps when you're out and about with your mates. The side of the phone has a helpful little camera button, which we're always pleased to see - it might not be much used as the trackpad is best for landscape shots, but it's an easy way to fire up the camera. Between the volume keys is also a customisable button that can be set to start up the media player or other functions - we think many will be keeping it as the music key, although we're sad to see the dedicated music controls have been sacrificed to preserve depth. However, the screen is certainly a step up from others in the Curve range, with an HVGA resolution on the 2.4-inch display good enough for 246dpi - not the sharpest on the market, but certainly among the best for a phone in this price bracket. BB OS 7 is in effect here, utterly destroying the word of RIM that said only high-power CPUs could run the new platform. The 800MHz offering is slick enough, and although we've yet to learn the amount of RAM packed in, is unlikely to be more than the Bold 9780 - owners of that model should feel hard done by in not getting access to the new OS. Anyway, BB OS 7 means the same swipable home screens for looking at rows of your application icons, grouped together in various arrangements to help you find those you're looking for. You can only seem to set the app drawer to show three rows or none - nothing in between, which may irritate some. When we picked up the Curve 9360 the first thing we wanted to do was try out the Webkit browser that's meant to be so much improved, as it was dire on the older Curves. Well, it's both good and bad news: the browser is a lot better, but it can be really slow indeed. Loading up the likes of TechRadar and BBC sites (the full version) saw the on-screen pointer freeze, pictures take a while to display and general sluggishness, even over Wi-Fi. However, this isn't the finished sample, so don't drop your head into your hands just yet - it could be a lot better in a month or two. And to bring things back to a more positive level - the messaging capabilities of the device are still as sparking as ever. We love the integration throughout BB OS 7, allowing you to easily flick between BBM, email and SMS at will, along with decent Facebook and Twitter integration. The keyboard is high quality, if a little compact compared to the Bold range - but that's nothing new. We were up to speed quickly, although one handed operation isn't the easiest thing to achieve in the world. BB OS 7 contacts are still here, and offer clever integration with FourSquare and BBM - although we're still annoyed we're not seeing the same levels of social networking matching as on Android phones, this is still a step in the right direction. Here's some more good news - the media section of the phone seems pretty impressive, even with the slightly lower-resolution screen. Flicking through music tracks was easy (although navigating with the optical trackpad was a bit hit and miss at times) and we could find our favourite track swiftly (if you're only into Moby, Black Eyed Peas or Sarah Mclachlan, apparently). Video looks good and loads quickly - we're sure you'll work out that this isn't a phone for the movie marathon-loving clientele, but it's more than acceptable for YouTube and some TV shows if you've got the eyesight to stand up to the squinting. The Social Feed is an impressive widget - it's certainly not new, but it's been tarted up for BB OS 7 and will be winning feature on the Curve 9360 in our opinion, as you can check out Twitter, Facebook, RSS and podcasts in one long list, or separate them out to view individually. More importantly, you can select only your favourites, which we haven't seen used since Samsung's 'Buddies Now' on the Galaxy S (although we're sure it's hidden somewhere on another phone - feel free to admonish us in the comments) - having a personalised stream is a really useful feature. And universal search is still a quality offering, and is now bolstered by voice recognition too - which is a bit of an 'And Me' feature in our book. It can hear things like 'text' and 'SMS' but ask it to navigate to TechRadar and it all goes a bit squiffy. Early Verdict Of course this the price is going to be the crucial thing here; if it's a tasty PAYG offering and £20 a month on contract, RIM is about to have a real big seller on its hands. Packing NFC under the hood means it's going to be more future proof than before, and the design is so sumptuous that we can guarantee that more than a few people thinking of leaving the BlackBerry platform will be convinced to stick with a Curve. The processor speed is a little bit of a worry in our eyes - how will the Curve 9360 keep up over time as it becomes more laden with apps? Will users find the internet too slow? We'll keep an eye out for all this and more in our full BlackBerry Curve 9360 review, so stay tuned to see what we think in the next month. Related Stories Updated: Vodafone and Three will stock BlackBerry Curve 9360 iPhone nano rumours resurface with talk of 8GB model In Pictures: BlackBerry Curve 9360 Exclusive: NFC pairing coming to BlackBerry Messenger Vodafone rolls out HTC Sensation Android 2.3.4 update

Samsung: Kubrick invented tablets, not Apple Posted: 23 Aug 2011 11:42 AM PDT The epic patent infringement battle between Apple and Samsung, has taken a bizarre twist with Sammy claiming that tablets like the iPad were actually the brainchild of film director Stanley Kubrick. Apple has argued for months that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 'blatantly copied' the iPad 2 and briefly had the rival device banned across Europe. However, Samsung will now tell the courts that because a similar tablet actually appeared in Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey (see below) it makes Apple's patent null and void. Samsung says Kubrick's future-thinking movie opens up the 'prior art' defense, which can be used to invalidate patents if the idea can be proved to have existed before the patent was issued. Astronauts The filing reads: "Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a true and correct copy of a still image taken from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." In a clip from that film lasting about one minute, two astronauts are eating and at the same time using personal tablet computers."As with the design claimed by the D'889 Patent, the tablet disclosed in the clip has an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, a flat back surface (which is evident because the tablets are lying flat on the table's surface), and a thin form factor." In the dock Effectively, Samsung is saying it is Apple who should be in the dock for stealing ideas because Stanley Kubrick thought of the iPad some forty years before Steve Jobs showed his tablet off to the world. The man who discovered Samsung's filing to the California court, Florian Mueller, doesn't hold out much hope for Samsung's claim, but you have to give the Koreans credit for this maneuver. Related Stories Apple adds Japan quake warnings to iOS 5 Updated: iOS 5: all the latest details Reports: Apple iPhone 5 to be 'world phone'

Sony Tablet S - the new name for the S1 tablet? Posted: 23 Aug 2011 10:30 AM PDT The official name of the Sony S1 tablet could be the Sony Tablet S if the latest rumours are proven right, with the release date slated for the first two weeks of September. The curly-screened slate will ship with Android 3.1, also according to Engadget's secret sources – so not quite "the latest version of Android" that Sony promised us earlier this year. However, the rumour mill indicates that the company will upgrade it to Ice Cream Sandwich as soon as that's available, so there's a little something to look forward to. Stablet Some new specifications have been unearthed too, with the front-mounted camera rocking 3MP and the rear-mounted snapper coming in at 5MP. On the accessories front, Sony is reportedly planning some that "are very similar to those for the iPad" – docks and keyboards and USB-peripherals seem certain, given that they show up in the slides sent to Engadget. All will be revealed, we suspect, at IFA 2011 – Sony's press conference is scheduled for 31 August and we'll be there to bring you the official word as it breaks. Given that actual, official-looking slides have been published, we'd say it's all looking pretty likely for the slate - Tablet S, though? Terrible name. Related Stories HP TouchPad UK price drop outed? Updated: HP TouchPad UK price drop to £89 confirmed at Dixons WebOS developers flocking to Windows Phone Gary Marshall: Cheap TouchPads show what's wrong with tablets

Gary Marshall: Cheap TouchPads show what's wrong with tablets Posted: 23 Aug 2011 10:01 AM PDT When the news broke about cut-price UK TouchPads yesterday afternoon, I came up with a cunning plan for people who hadn't already clambered aboard the tablet bandwagon: buy an HP TouchPad just now, and then get an iPad 3 or Android 4 tablet next year. I wasn't being sarky. At £400ish, TouchPads are a tough sell. At £90, they're a steal. Sure, they're not as nice as iPad 2s, and they don't have as many apps, and the reviews haven't been so good. But at £89, there's no competition: you can't even buy an Android-powered Etch-A-Sketch for that kind of money. Even ASDA's Arnova is a tenner more, while offering considerably less. This morning, PC World's online shop summed it up. Sorry, it said. We're out of TouchPads. Fancy a refurbished Advent Amico instead? I'd rather eat my own eyes. Can we learn anything from that? I think we can. If you're HP and you know it, clap your hands When you see knocked-down TouchPads alongside similarly priced tablets, it's clear that the gap between budget and mainstream is wider than the Grand Canyon: some budget devices have more in common with potatoes or bits of cardboard than they do with iPad 2s. If they were any good, people wouldn't be getting excited about cheap TouchPads - but they aren't, so people are. And if the HP TouchPad was good enough, people would have been going crazy about it before the price cut. It wasn't, and they weren't. The mistake HP made, and that others are making, is trying to compete with the iPad by copying it. If you try to do that, Apple wins: it has economies of scale, supplier agreements and a spark of genius that mean you'll always be second best, forced to cut corners Apple doesn't. And you can't massively undercut the iPad either, because it'll either cost you a fortune - as it's currently costing HP - or force you to make so many compromises that you end up with little more than a bit of paper with the word "tablet" written on it. The lesson from the TouchPad fire sale? You need to - yes! - think different. Different means Windows 8, gambling that there's a market for a full-PC experience on a tablet. Different means Asus Eee Pad Sliders and Transformers and whatever else ASUSTek's got cooking in its labs. Different means whatever Amazon's working on. We've seen $200 Nook e-readers hacked to become pretty impressive Android tablets; imagine what Amazon's well-resourced Android team could come up with. I've no idea which, if any, of those approaches will succeed - but at least some of them have a future. iPad-a-likes don't. Related Stories HP TouchPad UK price drop outed? Updated: HP TouchPad UK price drop to £89 confirmed at Dixons WebOS developers flocking to Windows Phone Sony Tablet S - the new name for the S1 tablet?

Panasonic announces new Freeview HD PVRs Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:28 AM PDT Panasonic has added two new Freeview HD PVRs to its line up, with the DMR-HW100 handed a UK release date of mid-September and the space saving DMR-PWT500 making its debut a month later. The DMR-HW100 is Panasonic's first Freeview HD+ hard-disk recorder – whilst the DMR-PWT500 brings all of the features of the DMP-BDT210 in a smaller form factor. As you may expect, Panasonic is not only talking about the HD, but also the players' 3D capabilities – as and when we see it arrive on Freeview. Converted? "Panasonic's DMR-HW100 and DMR-PWT500 are the first hard-disk only HD recorders of their kind to offer 2D HD recording, plus the future proof capability to record 3D HD when it becomes available on Freeview, and offering the capability to convert any 2D recording to 3D even when time shifting," states Panasonic. "Plus streaming – great for those who want to experience more 3D content on their 3D ready panel and glasses." One interesting feature of note is the capability to edit content – meaning that you can partially delete those half watched movies and documentaries clogging up your box. Talking of which, both boxes have 320GB hard drives – perhaps a little skimpy for HD recording – although Panasonic suggests that this equates to 79 hours of HD content. Related Stories Pioneer launches four new Blu-ray home cinema systems

Nintendo 3DS peripherals set to kickstart sales? Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:16 AM PDT Nintendo is looking into ways to improve the lacklustre sales of the Nintendo 3DS and believes a joystick peripheral may well be the key. This is according to the Dow Jones Newswires, which are reporting that shares in the company went up 8.4 per cent with news that the 3D handheld is to get its own trade show in Tokyo next month, where new products and games will be announced for the handheld. One of these new products is set to be a joystick add-on, which would bring dual joysticks to the 3DS and in turn a more hardcore gaming experience. Dual joysticks work on Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers and Nintendo is no doubt hoping that adding a joystick will entice more games companies into developing games for its handheld console. And given that the PSP Vita will come brandishing two joysticks, it is obviously something Nintendo is looking closely at. Regaining momentum Although Nintendo has decided not to comment on the rumours, French gaming site 01net has had it on good authority that a peripheral is being made and will be announced very soon. Nintendo has not hidden from the fact that the handheld hasn't been a success for the company. Recently an exec said that a lack of strong first-party titles meant that "momentum wasn't sustained" for the Nintendo 3DS. So, it is clear that something needs to be done. The release of a new peripheral, however, that gives the handheld more of a gaming punch would definitely be an interesting move. But potentially releasing something like this so soon after launch will raise questions around why Nintendo didn't incorporate dual joysticks into the original design of the 3DS. Still, with the PS Vita just around the corner, we wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo is planning something to reinvigorate interest and boost games for the Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 3DS trade show is set to take place on 13 September. Related Stories PlayStation Home to respawn as social games hub

Vodafone rolls out HTC Sensation Android 2.3.4 update Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:13 AM PDT Vodafone UK has released a firmware update for the HTC Sensation taking the sensational red-flavoured handset up to Android 2.3.4. It's not a major release, fixing only a few performance issues; for example, it will optimise processor load to reduce overheating, and browser performance also gets a hike. The update also includes a number of unspecified stability and performance updates which should improve the phone's overall performance. Vodasation The update will only be available for anyone who bought an HTC Sensation on a Vodafone contract. You'll be able to install the update over the air by heading to the settings app and checking for system software updates in the About Phone menu. As always, we strongly advise you to back up your data before doing this if you don't want to be left bereft of those precious bytes and digital pieces. Related Stories Updated: Vodafone and Three will stock BlackBerry Curve 9360 iPhone nano rumours resurface with talk of 8GB model In Pictures: BlackBerry Curve 9360 Exclusive: NFC pairing coming to BlackBerry Messenger Hands on: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

Review: Sharp LC-40LE831D Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:10 AM PDT Is Sharp's star on the rise? Hot on the heels of the news that Sharp could be about to get investment from Apple to become the supplier of iPhone and iPad screens, here's another fillip to the inventor of LCD TVs – a cracking 3D TV that's a polished performer with high-end sources, the LC-40LE831D. Hardly a major force in the UK flatscreen TV market, Japanese brand Sharp has a huge LCD business that's largely Asia-focused and has, in recent times, been concentrating on the budget end of the TV and consumer electronics markets elsewhere. That all changed last year when Sharp introduced Quattron – a new colour reproduction technology for flatscreen TVs that was long overdue. TV pictures are made up of individual pixels that mix elements from three sub-pixels – red, green and blue – to produce colour. This RGB system has been in operation since the year dot in TVs, but Sharp changed all of that last year when it dropped a fourth sub-pixel – yellow – into the mix. Reviews for Sharp's first Quattron TV, the LC-46LE821E, were good. But now this 40-inch LCD TV, the LC-40LE831D, is 2011's attempt at combining Quattron with 3D. The LC-40LE831D uses active 3D tech (with a built-in transmitter) and is as fully featured as any on the market; Freeview HD, Full HD, DLNA networking and a stunning 34mm depth combine on this neatly designed package. As well as some touchy-feely controls on the TV set's lower reaches – effectively on top of some hidden stereo speakers – there's a nice 'V' design, too. It doesn't exactly recall Sharp's early reference-level (at that time) titanium Aquos LC-45GD1E LCD TVs from the mid-Noughties, but in sheer quality terms it's surprisingly close for such a low-cost TV, priced as it is at around £750. Elsewhere in Sharp's stable of LE831 second generation Quattron screens is the 46-inch Sharp LC-46LE831E, a 52-inch Sharp LC-52LE831E and a 60-inch Sharp LC-60LE831E. Proof, if any was needed, that the major LCD TV manufacturers think that 40-inch is the new 32-inch, in popularity terms. As well as being late to market with its 3D TVs, Sharp has also been one of the relatively few brands to swerve the idea of a connected TV portal. While its contemporaries have launched into the murky world of content deals, Sharp – along with Philips and Loewe – have chosen to rent a third-party smart TV interface to put its logo on. To be fair, Sharp's use of Net TV is re-branded slightly, but the resulting Aquos Net+ isn't a patch on similar services from Sony, Samsung or Panasonic. Its biggest problem is the lack of BBC iPlayer. Instead of genuinely engaging services we get Twitter, Cartoon Network VOD, TomTom, cinetrailer, Funspot, Daily Motion, YouTube and iConcerts (of niche appeal, but this archive live music service is actually rather great), as well as an open web browser. Not capable of playing Flash-based video, this browser is rudimentary in the extreme, and works only very slowly. Sharp promises that Skype video calling will soon appear on Aquos Net+, although a Skype Freetalk talk7190 camera will need to be bought separately. There's no sign of it yet. On pure picture quality, the LC-40LE831E is a serious screen. As well as a Full HD resolution – now utterly standard at this size – and that must-have Freeview HD tuner, this 40-inch telly sports Edge LED backlighting. It's a shame that Sharp has got rid of its high-end Full or Direct LED backlit LCD TVs, but we suppose these were considered too fat for the flatscreen TV market at present. We've seen that Edge LED (where light is fired across the back of the panel from the sides, instead of from clusters behind the panel) works wonders on some brands' sets if – and it's a big if – an uneven brightness, and light leakage, can be avoided. Brilliant Colour processing is Sharp's name for what its Quattron technology does to colour (improve it, naturally!) while the LC-40LE831E is fitted with a 200Hz mode that combines 100Hz with backlight scanning. Its suite of TV circuitry assured, the LC-40LE831D adds another dollop of versatility with a clutch of ins and outs. Since the set is so slim, the connections are somewhat shoe-horned into a side panel on the rear, although Sharp hasn't made the mistake that other TV brands have in supplying a nest of proprietary shrunken adaptors. Three USB ports are plenty; one is provided on the side panel, so is easy accessible for inserting a USB stick, even if the TV is mounted on a wall. The other two are strung across the bottom; one is meant for hooking up an external USB HDD, while the other is for inserting a Wi-Fi dongle that, surprisingly, is provided in the box. The Sharp LC-40LE831D TV also indulges in DLNA networking from a PC, but for those who'd rather have a sturdy connection, wired Ethernet LAN is also possible. That easy-to-reach panel also houses a Common Interface slot, headphone jack and – most unusually for TVs not made by Panasonic – an SD card slot, although in practice it's only for temporary AquosNet+ VOD downloads. Other connections include four HDMI inputs – all easy for wall mounters to tinker with – a lone Scart, component video, composite and a PC input. There are also some analogue phonos ins and an optical digital audio output. If that makes the Sharp LC-40LE831D a possible home cinema centrepiece, the inclusion of a RS-232 port take things a step further by enabling the TV screen to be controlled by a home automation/control system from the likes of Creston or AMX. A high-end option, for sure, but a welcome one. The LC-40LE831E also has eco-friendly ambitions that, not surprisingly, are born from that Quattron tech. Because the extra yellow pixel is lighter than the existing RGB array in each pixel, Sharp claims that more light is let through – so this panel can reach the same level of brightness while using less power. Now that's the kind of accidental innovation we like. Seems good value? Well, say that after this rocket: this 3D TV doesn't come with any 3D glasses, with Sharp's AN3DG20B rechargeable 3D glasses available separately for £69 each. Although reviews for Sharp Quattron TVs were good in 2011, there was a question mark over the new system's colour accuracy. That makes obvious sense; shaking-up a long-held system of colour reproduction was always going to bring a few criticisms in an industry with existing, and pretty fixed, TV image standards. To our mind, there's little doubt that the colours achieved by the Sharp LC-40LE831D during our test DVD Sucker Punch are indeed different to anything else we've seen on the market, but that's a good thing for a number of reasons. Firstly, the more vibrant, brighter and lighter colour palette gives games, in particular, a new vibrancy that you won't find this side of a scorch-yer-eyes out projector. Secondly, fine details are superbly rendered, even in dark areas of images. Some cosmic shots from the BBC's Wonders of the Universe, for instance, reveals some exquisitely detailed dark and light elements alongside each other in a wonderfully dynamic reproduction of the night sky. Sharp has actually made a couple of tweaks to Quattron in 2011, most tellingly including a new colour management system. Brightness is also surprisingly uniform for an Edge LED TV set, with no noticeable light leakage, although there can be a 'black hole' look to dark areas of images. What really blew us away about the Sharp LC-40LE831E, however, was the 3D TV images. Sharp claims that crosstalk has been reduced by a third, which isn't something we're going to quibble with; clean and precise, 3D is also comfy – so it is worth splashing out on those miserably 'not included' specs. Sporting 200Hz tech – utterly essential for a 3D screen – the LC-40LE831E also manages to sidestep motion blur. The panel is rated at 2ms, a tad faster than last year's Quattron TVs, and it shows during Sucker Punch's many battle sequences. With solid edges and fluid movement throughout, there was but a whiff of vertical resolution loss in an all-round cracking performance that makes this an ideal gaming TV screen. That 200Hz mode isn't a core reason for the lack of blur – we'd put that down to Sharp's advanced X-Gen panel – and the Film mode is also worth a swerve (it can make the picture look processed, with noticeable fizzing around moving objects). Our main criticism of the Sharp LC-40LE831D is that anything less than HD looks shoddy. It's less of a problem that on the 46-inch version, the LC-46LE821E, but it's still noticeable that SD images look broken and exposed; it's not just a problem with softness. Sound The slimmer a TV is, the weedier its sound, and that applies to the Sharp LC-40LE831D. The two 10W speakers in the underslung soundbar do a reasonable job with dialogue-heavy TV, but don't stand up to a movie soundtrack. Various audio presets are provided, such as 3D Movie, 3D Standard, Normal and 3D Hall, but none offer enough bass. It's better to use the optical audio connection to hive-off sound to a home cinema amplifier, or a chunkier, powerful soundbar more worthy of the name. Value In a nutshell, this Edge LED-LCD TV is a serious HD TV screen for AV enthusiasts on a budget. It doesn't have much in the way of online frippery, there's no iPhone app, and it has a user interface that's closer to Windows 98 than an iPhone, but despite all that it's much better value than most of its rivals. Why? Well, it has top-class 3D TV that's far easier to watch than rival LCD TV sets in its price band, a fabulous 2D performance, enticingly natural colours, unbeatable brightness, Freeview HD... shall we go on? Ease of use While the remote control is a touch crowded, it's easy to use and hold, although we'd like to see a free iPhone/Android app provided – as most brands now offer. This set's other digital talents are not in doubt; we managed to stream MKV and AVI files, among myriad other more obscure formats. That's in direct contrast to rivals that often struggle to meet their claims of comprehensive file support. Compatibility is open only for video, though, with just MP3 and JPEG files supported for music and photos. The Sharp LC-40LE831D's user interface as a whole is old fashioned, with little in the way of swish graphics. We also had some problems getting to know exactly which setting is accessed where; it appears to depend on which source is active. We have no argument about the sheer breadth and depth of picture adjustments that can be performed. Sub-pixel control and gamma adjustments can be tweaked, as can the hue and saturation. Calling up adjustments can interrupt what you're watching, which is a complaint we'd also level at the EPG. As it appears, the live TV channel ceases, although it offers much more at-a-glance information than most EPGs. We counted ten channels, with programme information provided over an impressive six hours. There are also various filters and other choices, but it all ends up looking like a spreadsheet. If you like to tweak a picture and be fully in control of a hugely adaptable, often brilliant panel, the Sharp LC-40LE831D is the TV set for you. If you'd gladly swap star picture quality for apps and icons, then opt for a more user-friendly set from Samsung, LG or Sony. We liked Tightly controlled brightness and decent contrast together help produce some startling pictures, with faultless 3D, pin-sharp HD detail and that Freeview HD tuner all helping out on the Sharp LC-40LE831D TV. Pausing and recording live TV is also a boon, as is the chance to play back a plethora of video files via USB and DLNA. The Wi-Fi dongle is also very welcome. We disliked What, no 3D glasses? Or smartphone app? It lacks it some areas, and nor do we like this LED TV's rather old fashioned Aquos Net+ connected TV user interface – it's simply not smart enough and at times resembles a spreadsheet. Standard definition lacks punch; this is a screen that's hungry only for high-definition TV and movie content. Final verdict An extraordinary 3D performance makes this Edge LED TV seriously good value, although it lacks 3D glasses in the box. A Wi-Fi USB dongle, extensive digital file support and giddy 2D help it make the cut, though a fussy user interface might put some users off this otherwise exceptionally talented TV. Related Stories LG to sing plasma's praises at IFA 2011 Review: Panasonic TX-P65VT30 B&O Beovision 7 flagship goes 3D with integrated Blu-ray

In Depth: How long before local storage is dead? Posted: 23 Aug 2011 08:30 AM PDT PCs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets - many computer users now routinely work on more than one device, and that's just one reason why there's a growing move to the cloud. Tying your emails, contacts, documents and more to a single system is just too inconvenient: it's far easier to, say, just log on to Gmail or Google Docs from each of your devices as necessary. There's no hassle, no synchronisation issues, no lost information or other problems - everything just works. And if you like the idea then Google's Chromebooks give you an opportunity to take cloud computing to a whole new level. Compact, lightweight and with a long battery life, they could be an appealing replacement for some laptops. And they store just about everything online - bookmarks, cookies, emails, documents, applications and more - so there's no need to worry about backup or sync problems, as all your latest files will be freely available from any web-enabled device. How far will this go? A Daily Telegraph report on a Microsoft cloud computing conference was emphatic. "In the future, Cloud Computing will be the only choice", the paper wrote, quoting futurologist Dr James Bellini as saying: ""If you go forward to the 2020s a successful enterprise will probably have no chief executive, no headquarters and no IT infrastructure". This goes far beyond businesses. Google's Vic Gundotra said in 2009 that native apps would become obsolete, and the web will become "the platform that matters", while Google vice president Sundar Pichai claimed that the cloud would be able to satisfy everyone's needs: "Every capability you want today, in the future it will be written as a web application". And some have even wondered if this means the end of local storage as we know it, with internet veteran Tristan Louis predicting that, as a result of the arrival of the cloud, much local storage is "going the way of the dodo and will be mostly gone from the tech land­scape by 2020". But is he right - is the cloud destined to rule all? Is it a temporary fad? Or will the cloud co-exist with local storage for the foreseeable future? We consulted some of the leading industry players to see what they thought. Rapid development If you're an experienced PC user then it's easy to dismiss the cloud, and laugh at the idea that anyone would be satisfied with only web applications. But, Google told us, there are many who disagree. "A Google-commissioned third-party survey (with Hall & Partners, 2011) found that 35% of users in an average company use only browser-based applications, and 40% of companies stated that they could feasibly switch all users to a combination of browser and virtualized apps." And this is only the beginning, Google explained, because the cloud means software can be developed and enhanced far more rapidly than in the past: "The cloud makes possible a tremendous pace of innovation - last year, we brought over 120 new features and applications to Google Apps. Cloud computing presents us with the opportunity to build a new generation of applications which deliver a much faster innovation cycle for IT and integrate information in a way which simply wasn't possible before." WEB OFFICE: Microsoft's Office 365 provides its apps in the cloud, so you always have the latest versions and they're available from anywhere Eduardo Alvarez, senior partner at global consulting firm Booz & Company, told FT.com that this rapid development offers many opportunities: "Animoto, a company that enables anyone to produce videos online, is a good example. In April 2008, after launching its Facebook application, Animoto was able to grow its user base from 5,000 to 750,000 in just three days, thanks to Amazon's cloud services. Companies that are agile enough to quickly leverage the cloud in strategically competitive ways will be the leaders of the future." Given the current state of the world economy, though, perhaps the biggest advantage of the cloud is also the simplest: it saves money. That's why former US Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Vivek Kundra put forward a "Cloud First" plan earlier this year, looking to migrate some 25% of Federal government IT spending - an astonishing $20 billion - to the cloud. It's not yet clear how much this will achieve (and given their record, government claims on computing are best treated with extreme scepticism), but even a small fraction of this cash will be enough to transform the marketplace, boosting the profile of cloud companies and enabling them to even better take on the rest of the industry. Of course while many business users will be happy to work in a cloud-based world, that's in part because their needs are very simple: Office, email, calendar-based apps, and so on. Others, though, require so much storage space that switching to the cloud isn't yet practical, as Paul Hudson, sales director of Buffalo Technology told us: "Recently there's been a trend towards purchasing Networked Attached Storage (NAS) devices for both consumer and SMB markets. These drives are just so affordable now - you can buy 1TB LinkStations from around £70, 2TB for little over £100 - and people need the space, mostly for downloadable content: videos, images, music, movies, more." And the trend isn't going away. "High definition will push it further, along with new products, like the TVs now appearing in Japan with USB ports for connecting drives. It's all going to generate more and more data requiring storage, and I don't see this changing in the foreseeable future." STAYING LOCAL: Local storage may not be disappearing just yet - increasing storage needs mean Buffalo is selling more NAS devices than ever Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (GST) expanded on this, telling us: "People don't like to throw things away, especially if it takes a long time to decide what's important and it's easy and cheap to store it. And so many PC users have a folder called "Old" on their drive, for example, which holds the data from their last system." Uploading all this data to the cloud is a problem, the company explained: "Networks tend to be asymmetric, and even if you have a 10MB uplink it would probably take weeks to push a terabyte upstream". And even once you've completed your first backup, there are still concerns. High-profile hacking attacks this year will do little to persuade the public that big business are likely to treat their data with the care it requires. Recent cloud outages at Office 365, Google and Amazon show that having your files in the cloud doesn't necessarily mean they'll be available when you need them. And of course you may not always be in a position to access the web, anyway. Paul Hudson told us: "I travel a lot and can't always access the internet, so instead I always carry a portable external drive". So how will the cloud affect the market for local storage? Hitachi GST gave us the most definitive prediction, explaining that across all its strategic meetings with industry partners, "there is a general belief that local storage will be as big or bigger than cloud storage in 8 to 10 years from now". A complementary approach So we have the cloud companies promising imminent victory, then, while the storage companies claim it's going to be business more or less as usual, for the next few years at least. No surprise there - but what's really going to happen? Perhaps the best clue comes in a July IDC report sponsored by IT giant EMC Corporation, "Extracting Value From Chaos". This revealed that the world's information is more than doubling every two years, with a staggering 1.8 zettabytes - 1.8 trillion gigabytes - forecasted to be created and replicated in 2011. Putting that into perspective, it's enough data to fill 57.5 billion 32GB iPads, or the equivalent of every person in the world having over 215 million high-resolution MRI scans every day. Sounds like a lot? By 2020, the report predicts, the amount of data generated across the world will further increase by a factor of 50. The report also notes that IT departments simply don't have the resources and staff to keep pace with this level of growth. And with the world economy in a bad way, this situation is only likely to get worse. One obvious conclusion from all this is that companies are going to seek whatever opportunities they can to better manage this flood of data while also reducing their IT costs, and that's going to result in plenty of new business for cloud companies. But it's not going to be a revolution, and the IDC report spells this out, estimating that even in 2015 only around 20% of the world's data will, at some point, be stored or processed in the cloud. And in the meantime, mobile devices won't necessarily be killing off local storage; if anything, they're creating new opportunities. Hitachi's G-Connect, for example, is a portable wireless storage device with 500GB capacity, which is designed for easy access via the iPad, iPhone and other mobile devices - bring it along on your holiday and there's no need to rely on slow internet connections; everything you need is right there with you. MORE STORAGE: Hitachi's new G-Connect is designed specifically to work with iPads and iPhones The G-Connect can run up to three HD wireless streams simultaneously, or act as a wireless access point for five users; plug it into a USB port and it works as a regular external drive (it's powered via USB, too); and the list price on release is $199, which suggests that we'll be seeing similar products under £100 quite soon. There is undoubtedly a move to the cloud, then, and with good reason - it's cheap, convenient, great for collaboration and many businesses. But that move isn't as dramatic as some of the hype would suggest. And while the local storage market will be affected, it's not going to be killed off - both the cloud and local storage will exist side-by-side for many years to come. Related Stories Twitter to attend government riots talks Twitter introduces User Galleries feature Facebook introduces tag approval

Intel's next-generation Itanium chips detailed Posted: 23 Aug 2011 08:27 AM PDT Intel has released more details on its next-generation high-performance and enterprise server Itanium chips, codenamed Poulson. A blog post by Intel's data center group general manager Pauline Nist sheds light on the new processors, which were revealed during the Hot Chips conference at Stanford University. The cores on the chip have been doubled to eight over its predecessor, codenamed Tukwila. A 32nm manufacturing process has been employed over Tukwila's 65nm process. In addition, the transistor count has been upped from a meagre 2.046 billion in Tukwila to 3.1 billion in Poulson. Pipeline dreams Three key area features were announced. Intel Instruction Reply technology uses a new pipeline architecture to capture errors in execution and correct them immediately. This is far faster than the current architecture, which completely refreshes the pipeline in the event of an error. Improved hyper-threading technology enables independent front and backend pipeline execution to improve multi-thread efficiency. Finally, new integer operations, expanded software prefetch and thread control mean that the Itanium architecture can "grow with future needs", according to Nist. Although it's unlikely that the new technology will make its way into the hands of consumers, Nist notes that features "often waterfall down to subsequent generations of Xeon CPU chips", which power non-consumer servers and workstations. Related Stories Windows 8 to provide native USB 3.0 support

Updated: iOS 5: all the latest details Posted: 23 Aug 2011 07:53 AM PDT We're expecting big things from Apple this year: the iPhone 5 will be with us at some point in 2011, and some rumours suggest we'll see the iPad 3 as early as this autumn. But in the meantime there's a new version of iOS, iOS 5 here and it's been revealed during tonight's WWDC 2011 keynote. iOS in numbers: 200 million iOS devices sold Read on for our list of all the new iOS 5 features but for a video rundown of what's new, check out our pal T3's video below: iOS 5 release date The iOS release date is Autumn 2011 - probably to coincide with the new iPhone. iOS 5 compatibility iOS 5 will work with iPhone 4 and 3GS (the latter is a surprise), iPad and iPad 2, and the iPod touch 3rd and 4th gen. We're also a little surprised to see it's going to be rolled out to the original iPad, but as it has the same hardware as the iPhone 4 we guess Apple doesn't have to cut it loose this time. iOS 5 goes PC-free Apple says it is "cutting the cable" with iOS 5 - just as well, as it claimed the iPad 2 was the first post-PC device earlier in the year. OS updates can be delivered over the air - you'll just received what's changed rather than the usual 600MB download - and devices can be activated without plugging them into iTunes. Ace. You can also now create and delete iOS calendars and mailboxes too, so you really can devolve your device from your PC or Mac. "You can activate on the device and you're ready to go," explained Apple's Scott Forstall. "Software updates are now over the air. So you no longer need to plug in to update your software. And they're now Delta updates. Instead of downloading the whole OS, you only download what's changed," he continued. "We said, why do people go back to a computer? Calendars, people create or delete them. You can do that now. Photo editing, you can do it on the devices. Even mail - you can create folders. "So if you want to cut the cord, you can." With iOS 5 and iCloud, you just enter your Apple ID and password, and iCloud will seamlessly integrate with your apps to automatically and wirelessly keep all of your mail, contacts, calendars, photos, apps, books, music and more, up-to-date across all your devices without ever having to connect to a computer. iOS 5 iMessage There's now a new messaging service - like text messaging or BlackBerry BBM - but between all iOS users. It's designed for those with iPads and iPod touches primarily, but is cross-device and integrates with the iPhone, too. The new application supports a multitude of features, including the ability to send pictures, videos or contacts, and also start a group message too. Real-time notifications mean you won't have to wait to see if someone is going to reply. This is a massive hit to RIM, which prides itself on BBM for BlackBerry. According to Apple, iMessage works both over Wi-Fi and 3G, and if you want to send a message all you have to do is tap the camera icon, pick a pic and you're away. iOS 5 Notification Center The new OS has a new system for Notifications. More than 100 billion Notifications have been pushed so far, says Apple, but the company acknowledges that they're annoying. So now there will be a Notification Center to aggregate all the Notifications - you can access it by swiping down from the top of the screen. It is not persistent, but looks a lot like Android. It's on the lock screen, as well. iOS 5 Newsstand Further to Apple's subscriptions model, you'll now be able to browse newspapers and magazines to download just as you can books and music. New issues you subscribe to are automatically downloaded. iOS 5 Twitter support Much rumoured beforehand, Apple has introduced Twitter natively into iOS 5, with a 'one click' option for applications to let you use Twitter functionality. All you'll need to do is sign in through the Settings menu and any app can request integration with your Twitter account, meaning no more constant signing in to every new application you download. It's also fully integrated with the Camera and Photo apps, for example. You can also tweet articles from Safari and locations from Maps. iOS 5 Safari A new reading mode has been introduced in Safari, which removes distraction and provides you with a single, scrolling story. Bye bye, ads! You can now also email the contents of the story as well as the link. There's also a Reading List option so you can save stuff to look at later. We bet Read It Later and Instapaper are well chuffed about that. There's also tabbed browsing and lightning-fast window switching. iOS 5 Reminders A reminders feature enables you to store Lists, assign reminders to any dates or even location-specific info. These sync across devices and with iCal. iOS 5 Camera There's now a camera button on the lock screen, while you can also use the volume button to take pictures - a great addition. Apple says its camera is one of the most commonly used pieces of hardware on photo-sharing sites like Flickr, and has updated the functionality accordingly. Photo editing software for easy cropping and enhancement has been added in to iOS 5, and pinching to zoom will zoom in on images when you're trying to take a pic. iOS 5 Mail The app now has new elements like draggable addresses so you can pop them across from To to Cc or Bcc. Flagging and full-searchable messages have been added in too, plus rich text formatting for easier interaction with your e-mails. A built in dictionary makes it easier to keep your spelling under control, and for the iPad: a split keyboard. Simply grabbing it with your thumbs and sliding upwards will split it in two, making it easier to tap out emails more speedily. iOS 5 Game Center Game Center now lets you browse and download games directly, as well as introducing Achievementpoints, There's also Friend Discovery. Gamer profiles have been updated to include photos as well, plus turn-based gaming is baked right into the application for more responsive gaming. Want to look back at our predictions? Read our previous iOS 5 rumours below: iOS 5.0 release date isn't until September... iOS has been around long enough for a pattern to emerge: a springtime reveal and then a summertime launch with the latest iPhone. Not this time, Techcrunch says: while iOS 5 is likely to be shown off at the WWDC event in June, the iOS 5.0 release date will probably be in September. ...or maybe April According to "trusted sources", a German blog claimed that iOS 5.0 would be released at an Apple event in April. Apple had better get a move on, then. iOS 5 now looks as though it's being tested in the wild. On 1 May 2011, 9to5 Mac said that it had received word from developers who found that their apps are being tested with iOS 5. And earlier, on 27 April 2011, a tweet from app developer Future Tap said "Just received the first iOS 5.0 crash report. MKUserLocationBreadCrumb sounds interesting." ...and iOS 5.0 might not be on the iPhone 5 There are two possibilities here: either Apple is ripping up its existing annual schedule and keeping the iPhone 5 back until the Autumn too, in which case the iPhone 5 will be an iOS 5.0 device, or Apple is sticking to its annual release and we'll see an iPhone 5.0 in the summer without iOS 5.0. Our money's on the former: the superbly well-connected Jim Dalrymple says this year's WWDC is a software show, not a hardware event. iOS 5.0 has automatic app downloads Automatic app updates appear to be coming to iOS devices in the iOS 5 update. The rumour was kickstarted by a screengrab from iTunes which says, "If your device has Automatic Download enabled for apps, your updates will download to your device without having to sync." iOS 5.0 specifications include better notifications iOS's notification system for SMSes, missed calls and app messages is rubbish, but Cult of Mac reports that good news is coming in iOS 5.0: Apple is "working on a new notification system for iOS and will be buying a small company to build its technology into the operating system" - likely candidates include App Remix, whose Boxcar does what iOS doesn't. NEW NOTIFICATIONS: Rumours suggest Apple's buying App Remix to boost iOS's notification system iOS 5.0 features include cloud music and photo sharing Amazon's already launched its cloud-based music service, but Apple's offering is more ambitious than a few gigs of server space: 9to5 Mac says there's a photo-based social service called Photo Stream in the Photos app and the much-rumoured, cloud-based iTunes service is likely to turn up alongside a revamped MobileMe. Could iOS 5.0 also include Spaces A patent filed by Apple suggests that iOS 5 will see 'Spaces' come to the iPad. The patent application shows a touchscreen device with Spaces controlled by multi-touch gestures, which hints at the gesture control that is only available to devs in iOS 4.3 becoming standard. iOS 5 removes UDID support It seems Apple is planning on removing UDID support from iOS 5 too - that's the Apple protocol iOS can use to track users. It seems app developers will have to track users themselves instead. iOS 5.0 features include beefed-up speech recognition iOS's voice recognition lags far behind Android's, but that might change with the release of iOS 5.0: according to analysts at Soleil Securities, " Apple's IOS 5.0 for the next-generation iPhone will likely feature deep voice control into the operating system and likely be demonstrated in June. We believe that Apple's partner for the underlying voice recognition technology is Nuance". SPEAK AND SPELL: Apple and Nuance are reportedly beefing up iOS's speech recognition features On 9 August 2011, screenshots surfaced showing the iOS 5 speech-to text feature. The feature requires users only to tap the microphone icon next to the on-screen spacebar, and speak aloud. Does iOS 5 point the way to an LTE handset? That's what PCMag seems to think anyway... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories Apple adds Japan quake warnings to iOS 5 Samsung: Kubrick invented tablets, not Apple Reports: Apple iPhone 5 to be 'world phone'

Exclusive: NFC pairing coming to BlackBerry Messenger Posted: 23 Aug 2011 07:16 AM PDT RIM is looking at using near field communication (NFC), the en vogue technology for smartphones, to help users add new BlackBerry Messenger friends. Speaking at the launch of the BlackBerry Curve 9360, which features NFC technology, RIM's VP for product for EMEA Rob Orr told TechRadar there was a 'good possibility' that NFC would be used for BBM connections in the future: "When you think about what NFC can offer, it's things like bringing accessories together – a simple tap to pair, a simple tap to connect on BBM; a number of really simple use cases where if we can perfect the technology, it becomes less prominent and we start talking about easy it is to connect to BBM or pair accessories." No reason why not "When you think about it the early use cases [for NFC] are pairing accessories, so there's no reason why you can't use it pair connectivity in applications. "It's all about making things simple; what we did with the original BBM was use barcode and camera technology for simpler connections – if we can leverage the inbuilt capabilities of the device to make the use case more simple, then we'll do it, absolutely." RIM is one of the bigger adopters of NFC with the BlackBerry Bold 9900 also packing the technology – and using it to control BBM connections would be a really smart use of the platform, as it certainly beats having to enter a really long PIN code instead. Related Stories Updated: Vodafone and Three will stock BlackBerry Curve 9360 iPhone nano rumours resurface with talk of 8GB model In Pictures: BlackBerry Curve 9360 Vodafone rolls out HTC Sensation Android 2.3.4 update Hands on: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

B&O Beovision 7 flagship goes 3D with integrated Blu-ray Posted: 23 Aug 2011 06:14 AM PDT Bang & Olufsen has taken the wraps off the BeoVision 7-55, a 3D version of its flagship set with a Blu-ray player integrated into the 55-inch display. Not only is the television active-shutter 3D ready, it also comes with its own motorised stand so you can elevate and swivel it to that sweet spot from the comfort of your sofa. The LCD screen features some LED backlighting technology, while an ultra-precise sensor measures ambient light and uses that information to optimise the screen image. Sound as a pound B&O hasn't just focused on super-sharp pictures, though – the BeoVision 7-55 includes the company's patented acoustic lens technology to adapt the sound to the room the TV is in. Although the BeoVision 7-55 joins a growing 3D line-up, Bang & Olufsen knows that the third dimension isn't necessarily the TV's raison d'etre. "3D functionality is in increasing demand right now where Hollywood as well as the gaming industry is starting to produce more material suited for 3D viewing," explained Ole Moltsen, B&O's senior product manager. "However, the quality of the 2D experience is just as important because it is still what our customers will use the most." Related Stories LG to sing plasma's praises at IFA 2011 Review: Panasonic TX-P65VT30 Review: Sharp LC-40LE831D

PlayStation Home to respawn as social games hub Posted: 23 Aug 2011 06:11 AM PDT PlayStation Home is set for a massive revamp which will turn the service into a social gaming hub. The virtual social-networking service was initially launched in 2008. Although it polarises gamers, it has been deemed a success with 23 million registered users for the site. With the redesign, the focus is set to be on the hardcore gamers who use it most, with group gaming to be at the core of Home. Sony is also going a little bit meta by offering up a points system for the amount of games you play within Home. Up level This game within a game structure is something Home director Jack Buser is hoping with reinvigorate the service. "This is a giant leap in the evolution of the platform," explained Buser to Venturebeat. "We are going to 'up level' games as the heart of PlayStation Home. This means that Home itself is going to become a game. The first things you see when you get into Home are games." PlayStation Home already plays hosts to hundreds of games but the redesign is to make sure that users can get to these games quicker. Things like logging in will also benefit from this new streamlined approach. Social gaming has been a massive success on Facebook and Sony will be hoping that some of that success rubs off with its new approach to Home. No doubt the PS3's new price is bound to help. Related Stories Nintendo 3DS peripherals set to kickstart sales?

Windows 8 to provide native USB 3.0 support Posted: 23 Aug 2011 05:59 AM PDT Microsoft has announced that its upcoming operating system, Windows 8, will feature native USB 3.0 support, something that has required separate drivers until this point. In a 'Building Windows 8' blog post, Dennis Flanagan, director of program management for the devices and networking group, detailed the company's efforts to make Windows 8 compatible with new superfast devices. Delivering a theoretical top transfer speed of 5Gbps, USB 3.0 has proved a challenge for Microsoft, and the company has gone back to the drawing board and created an entirely new software stack for the interface. To tackle the problem, Flanagan and his team created "virtual" USB 3.0 devices. From here, a custom tool, known as Zing, was used to validate drivers and run tests. Dastardly and MUTTley Given the huge number of different USB 3.0 devices (roughly 1,000 according to Flanagan), the team created the Microsoft USB Test Tool (MUTT) to simulate multiple devices from a single USB thumb drive. This solved the problem of devices' varying hardware, but according to Flanagan, "Just like humans, devices that appear very different on the outside are pretty similar on the inside." Related Stories Intel's next-generation Itanium chips detailed

In Pictures: BlackBerry Curve 9360 Posted: 23 Aug 2011 05:27 AM PDT BlackBerry fans are generally divided into two camps - those that prefer the top end Torch and Bold range, and those that love the cheaper Curve offerings. We've snatched some time with the new Curve 9360, and we're happy to report to those who like to pay less for their Berry-based phones that it looks stunning. Chassis-wise, it's slimmer, lighter and just feels so much nicer in the hand, and the HVGA resolution screen might lack the wow factor of the Bold 9900, but still looks decent. With BB OS 7 under the hood, users will notice a change in the way things operate from the Curve 8520, but it's a relatively similar experience to the Curve 9300 range, that's only just been rebooted in a range of colours. Much of an upgrade? Check out our gallery to below to see what you think, and keep it locked to TechRadar for our in-depth hands on BlackBerry Curve 9360 review - coming soon! Related Stories Updated: Vodafone and Three will stock BlackBerry Curve 9360 iPhone nano rumours resurface with talk of 8GB model Exclusive: NFC pairing coming to BlackBerry Messenger Vodafone rolls out HTC Sensation Android 2.3.4 update Hands on: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

Samsung Series 7 Gamer notebook offers 3D and specs Posted: 23 Aug 2011 05:22 AM PDT Samsung has unleashed a new gaming notebook, the Series 7 Gamer, for all your 3D gaming needs. As well as the 17.3-inch 3D Full HD display, the game-friendly notebook comes with a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and AMD Radeon HD graphics card with 2GB of GDDR5 graphic memory. The 8GB ExpressCache system offers what Samsung describes as "incredible gaming speeds". Free D Other features include a 2MP webcam, virtual 3D surround sound thanks to Dolby Home Theater v4 and a Blu-ray drive. The Series 7 Gamer will ship with Windows 7 Home Premium and a pair of active shutter 3D specs, plus ports galore – VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, headphone and microphone inputs, two USB 3.0 slots and two USB 2.0s for good measure. The notebook is not just for gaming, though; Samsung has seen fit to offer a number of preset modes, including Gaming mode, Balanced mode for every day use, Library mode for quiet times and Green mode to eke maximum battery life from the laptop. Modus operandi You'll be able to switch modes using the inventively named Mode Dial. "With the Series 7 Gamer we have delivered a notebook that can compete with a desktop PC, and that sets the benchmark for gaming notebooks," said Damian Cusick, General Manager, Computing, Samsung UK and Ireland. "The Series 7 is packed with features that specifically meet the demands of serious gamers, and with its four optimisation modes, can deliver optimum performance for a wide variety of different activities, at the turn of a dial." Boy, Samsung really is pleased with that dial. If you like the sound of the Samsung Series 7 Gamer notebook, you'll be overjoyed to hear that it is available from today with a UK price of £1,499. Related Stories LG A530 3D laptop revealed

In Depth: Glasses-free 3D: when will it be in our homes? Posted: 23 Aug 2011 05:15 AM PDT The race is on to bring glasses-free 3D to a high street near you. Using a variation of the displays seen on next-generation 3D mobiles like LG's Optimus 3D, so-called autostereoscopic (or auto-3D) screens promise to free us from the tyranny of bespectacled 3D forever. But with manufacturers still embroiled in rows over current Active Shutter and Passive 3D goggles, just how long will we have to wait - and will it be worth it in the end? The brand most likely to make auto-3D to commercial reality is Toshiba. It was the first to sell glasses-free 3D TVs to consumers, shipping screens into its home market last December. These GL (Glasses Less) models came in 12 and 20-inch screen sizes. Since then it has shown prototypes up to 65 inches at various technology expos and events around the world. DUE DATE: Every major TV brand wants to introduce glasses-free 3D at some point. The only question is when? The TV specialist behind the launch was Hideo Kezuka. He says the sets were the culmination of more than five years worth of research and development. Toshiba unveiled its first autostereoscopic product back in April 2005, but it wasn't a TV. It was actually a flatbed visual display. At the time boffins felt 3D could be used for commercial applications, games and even virtual menus. So how does auto-3D work? Auto-3D TVs are basically displays offering multiple depth views. Each eye sees a different depth, which creates the stereoscopic image. There are several techniques which make multi-view possible, but the two best known are parallax barrier (developed by Sharp and used on the Nintendo 3DS) and lenticular lenses (commonly used to create 3D prints). The former is the route mainstream auto-3D screens will go. A parallax barrier typically sits onto top of an LCD panel. It has slits which steer each eye to a different image. In a simple, single view parallax barrier display, the resolution of the original image is halved to create the stereoscopic picture. The technology works well for a single viewer in a fixed position. However, a multi-view parallax barrier significantly reduces resolution. "Basically, creating a wide viewing angle and generating multiple parallax views results in the loss of effective image resolution,' explains Hideo Kezuka. He says Toshiba's first 20in auto-3D set used a high-resolution panel to create an image resolution akin to a 720p TV, at "1280 x720 pixels per view." CHALLENGES TO FACE: Toshiba TV specialist Hideo Kezuka says the challenge with autostereoscopic TVs is to maintain resolution and viewing angle For large screen auto-3D, TV manufacturers will need to use 4K2K screens; these offer four times the resolution of today's Full HD 2D TVs. Of course, deriving nine parallax images from such a screen will drag down the subjective resolution of the screen to below Full HD. But it's not just about the panel. Toshiba also had to develop multi-parallax conversion LSIs able to dynamically interpolate nine layers of depth from the original source. This arithmetic task requires Herculean silicon. Enter Toshiba's CEVO Engine picture processing technology. Derived from the Cell Broadband processor which empowers the PS3, this seven-core processor brings unprecedented computing power to the TV market. With an integrated high-speed DRAM capable of handling 9.6 gigabits of data it holds the key to Toshiba's glasses free ambitions, easily being able to calculate the 8 or 9 views required for a large screen TV on the fly. While specifics are still under wraps, it's thought that the brand's next auto-3D panel will feature an active LCD layer which can be switched off for flat viewing, allowing viewers to see a 2k image upscaled to 4K. LENTICULAR 3D: One alternative to parallax barrier 3D TV is lenticular lenses, however they seem better suited for commercial displays Clearly for auto-3D TVs to take off, they need to offer image quality that at least approaches what we have now. However, we've seen scant evidence that auto-3D will be good enough to compete with existing 3D-with-glasses screens anytime soon. But the tech continues to have high profile support. 3D thought-leader James Cameron is confident that it will eventually change the face of entertainment: "Once we get past the last threshold, which is autostereoscopic displays, then I think 3D is going to be the way we watch all our media – in the movie theatres and at home," he says. Cameron predicts that auto-3D will become commonplace within "eight to ten years." When can you buy a glasses-free 3D TV? Although auto-3D prototypes seen to date have looked distinctly rough, breakthroughs happen quickly when there's a commercial imperative. Toshiba has pledged to launch a large auto-3D screen in Europe before the end of its current financial year. Other brands are in hot pursuit. This year's IFA 2011 tech expo (which runs in Berlin September 2-7) is likely to see a rash of competing announcements. Front runner amongst other brands is LG; the company has made it clear that it intends to take a lead in all things 3D. If you're looking to browse a choice of glasses-free TVs on your high-street, 2013-2014 seems as good a time frame as any to plan for. That gives you plenty of time to start saving. After all, at least one thing is certain: they're unlikely to be cheap.

LG A530 3D laptop revealed Posted: 23 Aug 2011 05:07 AM PDT LG has announced that it's adding a new 3D-capable laptop to its computing line-up, the LG A530. The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD 3D LCD screen and has a chassis that's been given a luxury metallic-look, according to LG. The A530 has been kitted out for all your stereoscopic 3D needs. This includes a 3D dual webcam and built-in 3D Space Software. This is LG's new integrated user interface where you can find all the 3D video, photos, games and movies for playback on the 3D laptop. The LCD screen on the A530 uses the same stereoscopic 3D technology that's found on LG's TV range. The Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology means that you get less flicker and images are brighter than when viewing 3D through active-shutter glasses. The screen is capable of Full HD 1920x1080 resolution and LG says that you can view 3D in Full HD, but as the glasses used aren't active shutter this is likely more a fix than actually watching true frame-by-frame Full HD 3D. Aside from the 3D technology, there is a second-generation Core i7 chip inside (up to 8GB), an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics card and a hard drive up to 750GB. The LG A530 UK release date is end of August, with pricing still to be announced. Related Stories Samsung Series 7 Gamer notebook offers 3D and specs

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