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• HTC Vigor snapped with US network logo
• Apple denied in multi-touch trademark claim
• Shareholders lose faith in Kodak's future
• Shares in Kodak fall 25 per cent
• Delicious relaunches with link playlists
• In Depth: 10 years of Sky+ - the EPGs
• Opinion: Why you should buy a 3D PC monitor - and it's not for 3D
• YouTube to get scheduled video channels in 2012?
• Updated: Amazon Kindle Fire tablet rumours rounded up
• Amazon Tablet to be called Amazon Kindle Fire?
• Hitwise: Brits spend 25 minutes on Facebook at a time
• HTC Sensation XL could be new name for Runnymede
• Samsung Omnia W - Windows Phone 7.5 handset outed
• Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
• iPhone 5 Assistant app to be handset's biggest feature?
• Dead Sea Scrolls get new lease of life from Google
• 3D TV proves a success in recent survey
• Exclusive: Olympus: Why PEN is mightier than the Nikon 1
• Olympus comments on the Nikon 1
• In Depth: Are Android tablets actually selling?
• YouView outlines how user interface will work
• Apple Store UK staff told to cut October holiday
• Exclusive: INQ planning new phones for 2012
• Scotland, Wales, London seek own web suffixes
• Review: Panasonic TX-P42S30B

HTC Vigor snapped with US network logo Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:06 AM PDT The HTC Vigor has posed for another sneaky photoshoot, this time proudly displaying a Verizon logo that suggests it's not going to make the leap across the pond. Of course, we surmised as much from the name which is spelled incorrectly using American English. We'd take the Vigor as a preferable alternative to the other mooted name for the handset though – the HTC Rezound, which popped up in a Verizon inventory with the same model number as the Vigor. HTC's naming strategy is obviously reaching new barrel scraping lows; but at least that terrible hippity hoppity rap-napping street dancing break beating name suggests that the handset will come with Beats audio built in. Now on to the good stuff A shot of the handset's hardware screen reveals a 1.5GHz processor as part of the Vigor's innards, with 1GB of memory and a 4.3-inch display with 720p resolution. The cameras rock 2MP on the front and 8MP on the back, complete with dual LED flash. The HTC Vigor pictured is running Android 2.3.4 and Sense 3.5, although there's no guarantee that's what it will launch with – we imagine HTC will be gunning for the most up to date version of Android which, by the time the handset launches, could well be Ice Cream Sandwich. It's not a bad looking handset so we'd gladly welcome the HTC Vigor into the British fold on the proviso that HTC rename it HTC Igor - or at least shove a 'U' in there. HTC aren't saying anything, given that the handset is yet to be officially announced, but we won't be surprised to see this puppy landing Stateside only. brightcove : 1161542882001

Apple denied in multi-touch trademark claim Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:51 AM PDT Apple's attempt to trademark the term multi-touch has been denied by the United States Patent and Trademark office. The original filing to trademark the name was submitted by Apple on 9 January 2007 – the date the original iPhone launched but a ruling by the trademark trial and appeal board has insisted that the term cannot be claimed. "…we find that 'multi-touch' not only identifies the technology, but also describes how a user of the goods operates the device," explained a statement from the board. Familiar Multi-touch is now a familiar term to describe a touchscreen in which multiple points of contact can be interpreted. This has allowed pinching to zoom and multiple tap entry, features found on many tablets, phones and, of course, Apple's iPhone and iPad. So, Apple will not be claiming ownership of the term, which has now moved into common usage.

Shareholders lose faith in Kodak's future Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:39 AM PDT Shares in iconic photography and printing brand Eastman Kodak have fallen by 25 per cent amid the news that a £103 million loan for "general corporate purposes" has been taken out. Although Kodak was well known for its film photography technology for over 100 years, it has not made a profit since 2007. Overall, shares have fallen by 66 per cent this year alone. In 1997 shares in Kodak were valued at $90 (£57), but on Monday had fallen to just $1.74 (£1.20). Cash flow Recently, the company has spent millions of dollars investing money into the business, with the recent loan of $160 million (£103 million) said to be worrying investors. Speaking to Reuters, a spokesman from Kodak, Christopher Veronda, declined to comment on how much cash the company currently had, but pointed out that it had $957 million (£615 million) at the end of June. In a bid to keep up with current trends for digital, Kodak has expanded its printing market, but finds stiff competition from more established brands such as Canon and HP. A technology analyst for the Davies Murphy Group told the BBC that one possible lifeline for Kodak was the further sale of some of its patents. Having been in the business for a long time, the company has a rich heritage to trade from, selling around 10 per cent of its portfolio back in July.

Shares in Kodak fall 25 per cent Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:39 AM PDT Shares in iconic photography and printing brand Eastman Kodak have fallen by 25 per cent amid the news that a £103 million loan for "general corporate purposes" has been taken out. Although Kodak was well known for its film photography technology for over 100 years, it has not made a profit since 2007. Overall, shares have fallen by 66 per cent this year alone. In 1997 shares in Kodak were valued at $90 (£57), but on Monday had fallen to just $1.74 (£1.20). Cash flow Recently, the company has spent millions of dollars investing money into the business, with the recent loan of $160 million (£103 million) said to be worrying investors. Speaking to Reuters, a spokesman from Kodak, Christopher Veronda, declined to comment on how much cash the company currently had, but pointed out that it had $957 million (£615 million) at the end of June. In a bid to keep up with current trends for digital, Kodak has expanded its printing market, but finds stiff competition from more established brands such as Canon and HP. A technology analyst for the Davies Murphy Group told the BBC that one possible lifeline for Kodak was the further sale of some of its patents. Having been in the business for a long time, the company has a rich heritage to trade from, selling around 10 per cent of its portfolio back in July.

Delicious relaunches with link playlists Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:24 AM PDT One time internet darling Delicious has relaunched, bringing such delicacies as a new look and link 'stacks' to the bookmarking party. These stacks are basically playlists of links, inspired by YouTube playlists, which allow users to curate a ream of related links along a theme. In an interview with All Things D, Chad Hurley, YouTube co-founder and now co-owner of Delicious, explained, "Relating to YouTube terms, playlists were an under-appreciated feature of the site, and we saw an opportunity to introduce that concept in a broader sense against all media." Tiler Durden As well as the playlists feature, Delicious has a new look which uses tiles in a very Pinterest-esque way to feature popular stacks on the site's homepage. What hasn't changed, though, is the core function of the site. Delicious is retaining its logo and bookmarklet raison d'etre, but is now powered by a different infrastructure after vast recoding efforts. Hurley praises the internet's tireless content curating underdogs, saying that: "With YouTube – with the Internet in general – you have information overload. The people who don't necessarily get credit are the curators. We had the YouTube stars, but I always wanted to start a program called YouTube scouts. "At Facebook, they want as many signals in as possible, and that's great, but right now it's really noise. We're really looking for the signal. "It's great to have passive links to share information, and I'm a fan of what they're doing. I think people get burned out of actively participating. "That's what we did at YouTube in a way, a really open viewing and sharing experience, where we never asked users to sign in. At Delicious, we're trying to do that again here – people can get value without signing in." In December 2010, previous owner Yahoo announced that it would be canning Delicious, but Hurley and fellow YouTube founder Steve Chen bought the site in April of this year for an undisclosed sum.

In Depth: 10 years of Sky+ - the EPGs Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:00 AM PDT Ten years ago, Sky decided that it was about time it brought a key new bit of kit to its satellite offering, and it could be suggested that the introduction of Sky+ was one of the most pivotal moments in the satellite giant's history. Sky had established itself as a major force in television through its football and film coverage, but the company was keen to appeal to more and more homes and the decision was taken to introduce its own version of a PVR to the UK. Now PVRs were nothing new, indeed a partnership with US company TiVo was ended shortly before Sky+ arrived, but as Britain was slowly educated on the way it could pause and rewind live television, set whole series to record at the touch of a button and not have to worry about changing discs or tapes, it became a phenomenon. Now, to Sky Plus something is a common saying, and the likes of Freeview and Freesat have both leaped on the humble + sign to denote their own PVR offerings. As TechRadar celebrates Brit Week, we are also looking back at a decade of Sky+ - and we will start with a look at the way the episode guide has evolved (very little) in the product's lifetime. The early years: 2001-2005 The launch version of the EPG was a simple blue offering, offering a route into the television grid, but with the addition of a personal planner where you could see what you had recorded. 2005 brought a minor change - with the colours getting a small refresh It's surprising just how little Sky had to tweak the UI; the company had introduced a major new technology to the mass market, and, largely got it just right. But big changes were afoot - and it was technology changes, rather than complaints, that prompted a move to a whole new look and feel. The HD years In May 2006, Sky began broadcasting in HD for the first time, but uptake was not quick enough to force a change of EPG, so we were stuck with the now ageing old look for just under another three years. Then in March 2009, Sky began to roll out the first major change to its Sky+ EPG since its launch, and it saw a complete overhaul. Finally, a mini TV was offered in the menu, and a middle ribbon for getting major options. For convenience the green button remained the planner shortcut and the push Anytime service was on the red button. Anytime+ After 9 years of very little change, we then got a second key change in as many years, as Sky finally rolled in their extended IPTV fed Anytime+ feature. The on-demand programming was given a whole new look, with a much more graphical offering to make it easier to work your way through the content.

Opinion: Why you should buy a 3D PC monitor - and it's not for 3D Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:50 AM PDT Why you should buy a 3D PC monitor What started out as a small whine - a barely audible fizzing whisper in the background - has now become an unmistakable rushing noise. Soon it will be a deafening roar. I speak of the air rapidly escaping from the 3D bubble, and by that I'm referring to stereoscopic 3D, not 3D graphics rendering. Of course, you wouldn't know it from the relentless onslaught of 3D-enabled products. Whether it's tablets with 3D cameras or smartphones with lenticular screens, the sheer momentum of 3D freight train will keep pushing new gadgets and devices down the product-release track for a while yet. But never mind bursting bubbles and runaway rail vehicles, the point is that the 3D revolution is over before it's really begun. By all accounts, sales of 3D-capable HDTVs are already on the wane. Meanwhile, even the marketing might of Hollywood can't convince punters that 3D movies are the next big thing. On the whole, 3D movies have tanked. Even when they do score, reports suggest movie-goers prefer the 2D version of 3D movies at a rate of two to one. Still, there's at least one unanticipated benefit for the PC platform in the form of improved LCD monitor image quality. All the 3D hype and hoopla might just have been worth it after all. Lack of progress The problem with PC monitors, you see, is a lack of technical progress and choice. Yes, really. The huge array of panels at your local PC store, all plastered with stickers proclaiming unimaginable feats of image rendering, is an illusion. Take a closer look and you'll soon discover that the LCD monitor market has largely concentrated around a very narrow set of specifications and technologies. Put simply, almost every remotely affordable monitor has a TN panel with a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. TN panels are the cheapest, but also offer the poorest results by every image quality metric save pixel response. Meanwhile, that 1080p native resolution may be plenty for £100 worth of 22-inch screen, but it's a lot less satisfactory extended to 24-inch and beyond. As it happens, the latest 3D-capable monitors don't address any of that. They too are almost exclusively 1080p TN screens in various sizes, but what they do deliver is 120Hz refresh rates - double that of a standard PC monitor. It makes an enormous difference. Find that hard to believe? I'm right with you. Bigging up high-Hz refresh rates is one of the more odious marketing strategies used to flog HDTVs, and the benefits of 200Hz over 100Hz are pretty marginal. Moreover, if you do the maths based on the pixel response of a modern PC monitor, increasing the refresh rate beyond the standard 60Hz seems futile. After all, if the full white-to-black response rate of most LCDs is roughly in the 15ms region, anything above 60Hz ought to be fairly redundant. The LCD panel simply won't be able to respond quickly enough. Then there's the debate over how many frames per second the human eye can truly perceive. Modern cinema remains at just 24 frames per second. It's true that projectors with triple-shutter blades are commonly used, resulting in 72 images per second, but the number of different images displayed per second remains 24, which is enough for fluid motion. A lovely thing It's all fascinating stuff, but what I can tell you with absolute certainty is that a 120Hz monitor is a lovely, lovely thing. Suddenly, everything you touch or tweak with the mouse pointer moves more smoothly. Your whole PC feels more responsive. It's an absolutely unmistakable effect, and once you've experienced it for the first time you won't want to go back. Let me be clear about this - I'm not talking about dancing around the virtual battlefield of a popular online game and appreciating the benefits in terms of improved hair-trigger responses. I'm talking about juggling windows on the desktop and scrolling web and document pages - routine stuff we all do every day. That's all very well, you might be thinking, but slightly smoother computing is no big deal. To which my response would be: try it before you knock it. I personally didn't expect the increase in desktop refresh from 60Hz to 120Hz to be perceptible, much less beneficial. In fact, if it wasn't necessary to run the desktop at 120Hz (rather than merely running certain applications at increased Hz) in order to test some of the latest 3D gubbins on the PC, I likely would not have noticed the difference. But it is, and I duly did. Now I need a new monitor.

YouTube to get scheduled video channels in 2012? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:26 AM PDT YouTube is set to launch a number of scheduled channels in 2012, with themes ranging from fashion to sports. While broadcasters the world over have been battling to offer on-demand television through an internet connection, according to The Wall Street Journal, YouTube is to flip reverse this trend and begin offering scheduled programmes. It is reported that YouTube is speaking to content providers about how they can fill 12 channels in total, with the video-streaming site willing to pay good money for shows. Google box According to some unnamed content owners, YouTube is looking to take on television broadcasters at their own game and is offering anything from a few hundred thousand dollars to millions for content and will make money on the shows through ad revenue. The power balance between broadcast and internet is definitely shifting at the moment. Just this week, it was announced that Netflix managed to secure a premium content deal with Dreamworks – considering it was up against HBO this is no mean feat. Amazon has also secured content from 20th Century Fox in the US, something the UK could benefit from in the future, given that LoveFilm is owned by Amazon and has a long-standing disagreement with the distributor where it will not allow its Blu-rays to be rented through the site. If YouTube does begin offering scheduled content then it could mark another shift away from traditional broadcast to the internet and give Google TV, which is set to launch in the UK in 2012, the hook that it needs to bridge the broadcast gap.

Updated: Amazon Kindle Fire tablet rumours rounded up Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:38 AM PDT Amazon Kindle Fire tablet: what you need to know If you're a Kindle owner, you'll know that the buying and ownership experience is the most Apple-y experience you can have without giving Steve Jobs all your money. The device is superb, and getting content onto it is effortless. Imagine if Amazon did the same thing not just with books, but with music, movies and apps too. Excited yet? We are, especially as there may be an Amazon Kindle tablet announcement tomorrow. Here's what we know about the Amazon tablet. Check out what TechRadar thinks will be found on the upcoming Amazon Kindle tablet, which looks as though it will be called the Kindle Fire. BrightCove : 1112214989001 MG Siegler of TechCrunch says he has played with a Design Verification Testing unit of the Amazon Kindle tablet. According to TechCrunch, and matching rumours we reported on previously, the Kindle tablet will feature a seven-inch, multi-touch screen and will be running Android. As of 27 September it looks as though the Kindle tablet will be called the Amazon Kindle Fire, according to TechCrunch. The Amazon Kindle Fire won't kill the Kindle Don't worry, Kindle fans. Amazon isn't going to dump the Kindle we already know and love. Speaking to Consumer Reports, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos said "we will always be very mindful that we will want a dedicated reading device." Bezos couldn't possibly comment on other product plans, but suggested that everybody should "stay tuned" for news of a Kindle tablet. There may be two Amazon Kindle tablets According to Boy Genius Report, Amazon isn't preparing one Kindle tablet: it's preparing two. The entry level tablet, codenamed Coyote, will be based on the Nvidia Tegra 2, while the more powerful model, Hollywood, will be based on the quad-core "Kal-el" processor, Nvidia's T30. The entry level tablet is likely to get a seven inch screen, with Hollywood getting something around the nine to ten inch mark. On 24 May 2011, we reported on new rumours that point to a 7-inch and 10-inch Amazon tablet, while on 24 August, Digitimes reported that a third touchscreen supplier had been recruited. Some sources predict an Amazon tablet could ship as many as 5 million units in the last quarter of 2011. The Amazon Kindle Fire software will be Android Something of a no-brainer, this: Amazon has already invested heavily in Android and runs its own Android app store. Amazon also has a cloud-based music player, and of course it knows a thing or two about eBooks. That said, the TechCrunch writer who got his hands on the test unit said that "Amazon has forked Android to build their own version for the Kindle. Simply put: it looks nothing like the Android you're used to seeing." Amazon Kindle Fire tablet display Digitimes reports that Amazon's Kindle tablet may get its screen from E Ink Holdings, and that the touch screens will use Fringe Field Switching (FFS) technology. FFS is like the IPS tech in Apple's notebook and iMac screens and delivers a very wide viewing angle. The E Ink bit is interesting: could Amazon be working on something that, unlike other tablets, isn't hopeless in direct sunlight? CONTINUING KINDLE: The old Kindle will still be sold even if there is a new Amazon tablet Amazon's hiring lots of tech staff Lab126 "engineers high-profile, portable, hand-held consumer electronics products,like the Kindle." It also happens to be part of Amazon's empire, and its current job adverts run to some eighteen pages of listings talking about things such as "leading-edge display designs for Kindle" and experience in "active matrix display operation". You may know active matrix displays by another name: TFT LCD (hat tip to Tap! columnist Ian Betteridge for spotting the ads). Amazon Kindle Fire price Amazon built its business by losing money - it didn't make a penny in profit for years and years - and we'll be amazed if the entry level Kindle isn't priced aggressively. That should in turn mean the current Kindle's heading for another price drop. UPDATE: On 8 August 2011, we reported that Amazon may be planning to sell the Amazon tablet at a loss to encourage sales, making its money back on apps, music and ebooks. That could give the iPad and competing Android tablets something to think about. UDPATE: The TechCrunch writer says that the Kindle tablet will be half the price of the entry level iPad, which puts the Kindle tablet price at £199. Amazon Kindle Fire release date Digitimes reports that Amazon has placed orders for lots and lots of tablets with notebook and tablet manufacturer Quanta and suggests that they could be shipping as soon as "the second half of 2011" to the tune of three quarters of a million units per month. That's a lot of tablets. UDPATE: Latest rumours suggest the Kindle tablet release date will be November 2011.

Amazon Tablet to be called Amazon Kindle Fire? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:30 AM PDT Amazon's forthcoming Android tablet will be called the Amazon Kindle Fire according to influential tech blog TechCrunch. With Amazon keen not to damage its Kindle ebook reader market, but keep hold of the positive brand that its device has garnered the decision has apparently been made on the final name. The Amazon Kindle Fire will be announced on Wednesday, and the suggestion is that it has a US launch date of the second week in November. UK release date If the model for the Kindle is followed in Britain, then we would not expect a Kindle Fire UK released date to be confirmed for a while, with the tablet arriving in 2012. The Amazon Kindle Fire specs are looking increasingly likely to be set at a 7-inch Android tablet with a UI that has been heavily adapted by Amazon. The Kindle Fire is likely to be subsidised by Amazon, with a lower price point likely to give it a fighting chance against not only the raft of Android tablet in the market but also Apple's dominant iPad 2. Amazon already has its own Android app market, which will be a cornerstone of its strategy, but it will be sales of media such as films and TV shows, as well as books, which will recoup the investment of the internet shopping giant. brightcove : 1112214989001

Hitwise: Brits spend 25 minutes on Facebook at a time Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:01 PM PDT The latest stats in from Experian Hitwise show that British internet users are spending an average of 25 minutes and 33 seconds on Facebook each time they log in. At least, that was the average over the course of August 2011 – and is a good 13 minutes under the amount of Facebooking time the Singaporeans get in. Singapore topped the chart of the eight countries analysed, with its Facebook users clocking up 38 minutes and 46 seconds a go. Culture club Next in line to the Facebook time-wasting crown is New Zealand, with 30 miunutes and 31 seconds, followed by Australia, the UK, the US, France, India and Brazil. Facebook, for its part, is hoping to increase the amount of time users spend on the network by bringing in more and more media options, including movie rentals and music service tie-ins. The company hasn't introduced these features out of the good of its heart, of course: the longer you spend on Facebook, the more ads you see. The more ads you see, the more money the company can rake in. Time-share Hitwise focused on the eight countries it currently operates in to formulate the chart. It also examined how much 'market share' social networks have in terms of each country's website visits and found that the UK's is the lowest of the bunch. Social networks and forums take just 12.2 per cent of the UK's online market share, compared to 18.9 per cent in Brazil, which topped the chart. Ankur Shah, CEO and co-founder of Experian-owned Techlightenment, said of the results: "Our research shows that the way individuals use social media can and does change according to cultural and personal backgrounds."

HTC Sensation XL could be new name for Runnymede Posted: 26 Sep 2011 09:26 AM PDT The HTC Runnymede codename has caused all manner of confusion in the UK, with reports that the handset could land as the HTC Sensation XL and not the HTC Bass, which is what was previously reported. This is according to PocketNow, which has it on good authority that the HTC Runnymede will be given the HTC Sensation XL moniker and will come in two Beats-inspired flavours. It seems that you will have a choice of headphones, when the HTC Sensation XL. You will be able to get the phone with either a pair of iBeats earbuds or over-the-ear Beats Solo headphones. Sensational If the HTC Runnymede does end up being named the HTC Sensation XL, then this will be the third time that the Sensation brand has been used. So far, we have had the HTC Sensation, and the more recent HTC Sensation XE. The HTC Sensation XL is set to have a 4.7-inch screen, (probably dual core) 1.5Ghz processor, 16GB internal memory, 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP Camera, as well as GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth. A probable HTC Sensation XL UK release date is October.

Samsung Omnia W - Windows Phone 7.5 handset outed Posted: 26 Sep 2011 09:12 AM PDT Samsung has announced the arrival of the Samsung Omnia W, the company's first smartphone based on the Windows Phone 7.5 - or, to give it its fruitier title, Mango. The device, which was leaked in a roadmap back in August, comes with a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display and 1.4GHz processor. The handset has front (VGA) and rear (5MP) cameras, 720p video recording and playback, Samsung Hub connectivity and Zune Player. Other Samsung Omnia W specs include: Bluetooth, GPS, 8GB internal memory, 512MB RAM, access to Marketplace, Microsoft Office hub and Windows Live SkyDrive. When it comes to the Samsung Omnia W price, the phone is on par with the likes of the HTC Radar, and will be available for around £350. The Samsung Omnia W UK release date is pegged for October, so you don't have long to wait for the device.

Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know Posted: 26 Sep 2011 08:27 AM PDT iPhone 5: rumoured release date iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast - indeed, it's become somewhat of a storm with the industry convinced that the new handset will make its debut in early October. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation. Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list: brightcove : 1027846751001 And if you're in a bit of a hurry, we've also got a handy iPhone 5 video detailing the latest rumours on release date, spec and more - so check if out for a quick fix of next-gen Apple fun: brightcove : 1161523880001 iPhone 5 release date It's September! On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. September 5 has been and gone, though, and there's still no sign of the new iPhone. It's the Autumn! On 6 May it was reported that Apple manufacturer Pegatron has reportedly been given a massive order by Jobs and co to produce 15 million handsets ready for the phone's autumn launch. It's September again! On 19 July Apple seemingly confirmed the presence of a new iPhone in the market by the end of Q3, leading to yet more suggestions that the iPhone 5 launch date will be in September. Price cuts of the iPhone 4 in August also hinted at an autumn release date for the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S. On 15 August Apple reportedly began pushing up the amount of orders for the handset. On 5 September, Japanese site Macotakara reported that the iPhone 5 had entered production. According to Macotakara, Foxconn and Pegatron have begun assembly on the new handset. Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer was asked during an earnings call why he was suggesting a 12 per cent drop in revenues for the Q3 financial period - a traditionally robust time thanks to the scores of people buying the latest iPhone. He said that there is "a lot going on in the fall with iOS 5 and iCloud" but added there will be a "future product transition that we will not talk about today". T3 says Apple is also hiring more staff for September, while it was also reported that US network AT&T slapped a holiday ban on staff for a possible launch. Some (now proved wrong) were even saying it could be 5 September. Still on for September! Rumours of a UK Apple Store holiday ban also emerged on 26 September. It was also reported that Telefonica, which owns the O2 network, is set to begin scaling back iPhone stock in advance of "the launch of a new smartphone". Another rumour in mid August said that Apple may delay the iPhone in order for it to get a faster A6 chip. Ah, perhaps October. On 5 September 2011, a screengrab of a supposed Best Buy memo surfaced, suggesting that the iPhone 5 could go on sale in the US on 21 October. October again! And on 14 September, the CEO of France Telecom, the parent company of Orange, got specific when commenting on the iPhone 5 release date, saying "If we believe what we have been told, the iPhone 5 will be released on 15 October." October's the favourite: On 21 September sources quoted by All Things Digital talked of an Apple event on 4 October ahead of a mid-October iPhone 5 release date. The iPhone 5 will debut alongside iOS 5 On 1 July, Digitimes reported that Taiwanese-based component suppliers were gearing up for production of iPad 3 and iPhone - adding weight to the theory that they will appear in September. Further evidence of an iPhone 5 launch date in October came on 12 September with reports claiming that the iOS 5 gold build will be sent to manufacturers in time for a mid-October launch. On 8 September, Digitimes wrote that Foxconn is now producing 150,000 units of the new iPhone per day. However, it may not all be plain sailing for Apple, with rumours that Samsung will seek a sales ban courtesy of an injunction - another piece of the increasingly mixed up lawsuit puzzle between the pair. iPhone 5: features and specifications Could there be a curved iPhone 5? The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers." This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget, which state the design will be a 'total rethink'. Chinese case manufacturers have been sent design briefings of the new iPhone 5 chassis and apparently feature a return to the olden days of iPhone design. But could iPhone 5 really have a curved back? We can't begin to tell you how sceptical we are over such a 'leak', given Apple's desperation to keep its forthcoming designs under wraps. iPhone 5 voice control Could the iPhone 5 have a new type of voice control? Know Your Mobile thinks so, Called Assistant, it could be used to play back music, send texts and make Facetime calls iPhone 5 will be iCloud-based 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. 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. Will iPhone 5 actually be an iPhone 4S? Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it's possible the new iPhone won't be a total refresh and we'll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5. An iPhone 4S looked more likely on 16 May 2011 after analyst Peter Misek wrote: "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support." However, earlier reports from China backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards. A rumour we covered on 7 March 2011 suggests that the new iPhone will do away with the glass back and opt instead for a metal back which will act as a new iPhone antenna. And an Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011 suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen. Rumours that we covered on 3 May 2011, suggest that there may even be two versions of the new iPhone: a 'standard' iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5 'pro'. Apparently, Apple is buying in components of differing quality, and those parts wouldn't be required for a single phone. A cheaper, smaller iPhone 5 - an iPhone nano A prototype version of a smaller iPhone is said to exist, built to ward off competition from cheap Android handsets. Rumours around an iPhone nano picked up again on 13 February when the Wall Street Journal claimed that the so-called 'iPhone nano' exists and may even be on sale later this year. On 23 August Reuters reported that two anonymous sources "with knowledge of the matter" confirmed to it that an 8GB flash drive for the iPhone 4 is being built by a Korean supplier - this could be the cheaper iPhone. A white iPhone 5 The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone. On 12 September 2011, a page which briefly popped up on Vodafone's site referenced the iPhone 5 in white as well as black. iPhone 5 will support 1080p HD It's fairly likely - given that the iPad 2 supports Full HD - that the new iPhone will do the same. iPhone 5 specs According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets - which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 - Apple's sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components. We'd expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump - more memory, faster processor, and more storage. The A5 dual-core ARM processor from the iPad 2 is extremely likely to be included. The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7" instead of 3.5". The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat. On 12 September 2011, a page briefly appeared on the Vodafone site referencing the iPhone 5 in 16GB and 32GB storage, and in white as well as black. On 20 September a bunch of internal iPhone 5 components were supposedly shown off. iPhone 5 screen In other rumours which surfaced on 15 February 2011, Digitimes is reporting on information supposedly leaked from component suppliers that claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market." On 22 March 2011, China Times also reported that the iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display. However on 29 August, Digitimes sourcesdisagreedwith this, saying it would be less than 4-inches. On 23 May, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in. The iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU - this could herald true 1080p output from the new device, according to our news story on 18 January. iPhone 5 digital wallet There's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, as Techeye.net notes, "Apple has looked into NFC before" so this might not be imminent. However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here. On 24 February 2011, we reported that an Apple patent has revealed an e-wallet icon on the iPhone homescreen. This adds credence to the rumour that iPhone 5 will feature NFC. However, on 14 March 2011, reports in The Independent cited sources from 'several of the largest mobile operators in the UK', who said that Apple told them not to expect NFC in the iPhone 5. So perhaps we'll have to wait for iPhone 6 for that. On 24 June it was reported that the Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone. Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers. LTE support At least one analyst thinks the iPhone 5 will support LTE, super-fast mobile broadband, in the US. That would make the iPhone 5G a 4G phone, which won't be confusing at all. LTE is certainly coming - AT&T plans to roll out its LTE service in 2011 - but an LTE iPhone has been rumoured for a while. USA Today floated the idea of an LTE iPhone on Verizon last year. According to PCWorld.com, there's a reference to 4G technology in the code of iOS 5, while carriers have been testing 4G-enabled iPhone prototypes and Apple has hired 4G network engineers to outfit one of its Apple Stores. iPhone 5 camera Speaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us." Other sources have also said that the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera. On 8 September 2011 photo taken by an iPhone appeared on Flickr, but the EXIF data revealed that the camera is superior to that on the iPhone 4. Could this be the first pic snapped by the iPhone 5 in the wild? iPhone 5 price If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag. iPhone 5 review TechRadar is renowned for it's detailed phone reviews where we look at every aspect of a handset, and we'll be bringing you a full, in-depth iPhone 5 review when we get our hands on one.

iPhone 5 Assistant app to be handset's biggest feature? Posted: 26 Sep 2011 08:15 AM PDT The iPhone 5 could feature some fairly minor hardware upgrades that make it capable of running the headline element – an Assistant app that you'll command using voice controls. The app is basically a mega-organiser, using all kinds of elements of the handset to keep you on track. According to 9to5Mac, it will use Nuance-powered speech-to-text software that we already know is in iOS 5 to allow you to make commands without ever touching the handset. Integrating with other apps will enable you to set up reminders and meetings that automatically go into your contacts' calendars, or find directions to a specific location without you having to physically open the Maps app and tap in your desired end point. Ruining pub quizzes forever It will also come with Wolfram Alpha integration, with the computational fact engine able to answer your trivia questions automatically – no more Googling at the pub quiz, you'll be able just to hold your phone out near the question master and enjoy your ill begotten answers. The Assistant details have been eked out by 9to5Mac using snippets of code and information from insider sources; the site also reports that older iterations of the iPhone won't be able to make use of Assistant as it'll require an A5 processor – something that the next iPhone has been heavily rumoured to have. The all-singing all-dancing Assistant certainly sounds feasible to us and, although it's software based, if it requires as-yet unannounced hardware like that A5 processor, we can see why Apple wouldn't have included it in the iOS 5 unveiling in June. With 4 October the most highly suspected launch date, we may have just a week to go until we know for sure. brightcove : 1027846751001

Dead Sea Scrolls get new lease of life from Google Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:08 AM PDT The Dead Sea Scrolls have joined the growing roster of ageing texts made universally available on the internet thanks to Google. It's been just 2400 years since the Dead Sea Scrolls were written and already they're up online for the world to peruse on a site hosted by The Israel Museum. Now that's what we call speedy. The scrolls, which include the oldest known Biblical writings, have been reproduced in high resolution photos that are up to 1,200 megapixels strong. Great, Isaiah As well as being able to browse the Great Isaiah Scroll with English translations included in hover-over boxes, you can also search the text of all the scrolls via a text box, and results will show up in relevant Google web searches too. Penned between the third and first centuries BC and carefully hidden in a safe place that everyone accidentally forgot about for thousands of years between 68 BC and 1947, the scrolls have joined the 21st century and the internet. As well as the Dead Sea Scrolls, you can also browse some 17th and 18th century texts from the British Library and Darwin's personal annotated library thanks to Google.

3D TV proves a success in recent survey Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:04 AM PDT A survey conducted during last month's Disney D23 Expo has revealed that consumers are being won over by 3D TV technology. More than 500 visitors to the House of Mouse's annual event were quizzed about 3D TV – and 71 per cent of them who have seen it reckon it is 'dramatically better' than 2D TV. Furthermore, 27 per cent claimed the 3D experience was 'fabulous' and 50 per cent said 'I wish I had this in my home.' There was little negativity in the results either, with a whopping 99 per cent agreeing that 3DTV was 'somewhat better' than regular old flat-o-vision. Panasonic interest The survey does have to be taken with a pinch of salt, however, as it was conducted by independent pollster Frank N Magid Associates on behalf of Panasonic. Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Chief Technology Officer at Panasonic, said the results back up his company's belief that people will always respond favourably to 3DTV once they've seen it. "We've always said that, just as with HDTV, once consumers experience 3D TV they will want it. This survey proves it. We couldn't be happier with the results." The surveyors themselves believe the positivity towards 3DTV is something they've seen before: "Their feelings are very reminiscent of the public's response to HDTV in its early days." At the moment, Panasonic is solely focused on Active Shutter 3D technology. It'd be a shame for them if all the respondents were talking about cheaper Passive 3D TVs from LG and chums…

Exclusive: Olympus: Why PEN is mightier than the Nikon 1 Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:02 AM PDT Olympus has spoken out about the new Nikon 1 system, introduced last week as a rival to existing compact system cameras such as the PEN range of micro four thirds cameras. In an exclusive interview with TechRadar, Mark Thackara, national marketing manager, consumer products for Olympus UK spoke to us about market reaction to the new cameras. The Olympus PEN was one of the first compact system cameras to come to market, sharing the same micro four thirds system as the Panasonic G1 which was announced a few months previously. Since the launch of the first PEN back in 2009, the E-P1, several different versions of the PEN range have been launched, with the current line-up including the PEN E-P3, the PEN 'Lite' E-PL3 and the PEN 'Mini' E-PM1. Sensor sizes Nikon's N1 range introduces another sensor size to the market, smaller than both the APS-C sized sensors of Sony's NEX and Samsung's NX ranges. The big difficulty for the industry, according to Thackara, is going to be explaining to consumers the key differences. "The big challenge is to try and explain, without resorting to a slanging match, why there are now so many sensor sizes and pixel counts," he said. Thackara admits that it will be up to camera sellers to inform the buying public, "Much also rests with the big retailers in terms of selling the idea to the less informed buyer," he explained. "In Japan they have really embraced this and are reaching new audiences." Compact system cameras are much more popular in Japan than they are in the UK, with more than half of the top 20 best-selling cameras being mirrorless. Highest in that list is the Olympus PEN E-P3. Before Nikon launched its N1 range, the combined shares of Nikon and Canon had declined in Japan, with blame being attributed to a lack of a CSC model from either company. Here in the UK however, compact system cameras haven't taken off with quite so much gusto, as demonstrated by the fact that there are no compact systems in Amazon UK's top 40 best-selling cameras. Consumer choice For consumers that do want to invest in a mirrorless system, they now have the choice between Nikon, Samsung, Sony, Olympus and Pentax, which, according to Thackara is a good thing. "Choice for the consumer is good, and the [Nikon] camera itself has some new features which are a sign of what has been discussed about the potential of mirrorless for some time," he said. "I suspect we will see a lot more of that and many other performance benefits that mirrored cameras cannot match." Nikon has been keen to point out the small form factor of its V1 and N1, which it says is the direct result of using the smaller sensor. However, Thackara points out that the smallest pen, the PEN Mini appears to be smaller, while still using the same micro four thirds sensor of its bigger brothers. It is not size however that Thackara believes will be paramount to compact system success, but the quality of the system as a whole. "Our emphasis in the short term will be on the optics married to our established system and what they can deliver," he explained. Some critics were disappointed by the lack of a wide-apertured lens to sit in the Nikon 1 range, while Olympus recently launched a 45mm f/1.8 portrait lens. "There will be the usual debates about the various performance pros and cons relating to image quality, flexibility and so on, but my view is that it will be the overall system that is vital to success and battle lines are drawn," he continued. As for why consumers should be drawn to the PEN over the new Nikon system, Thackara says that both the maturity of the system and the range of lenses should be considered, "the balance of body size, lens and sensor size offers a better overall package," he explained.

Olympus comments on the Nikon 1 Posted: 26 Sep 2011 07:02 AM PDT Olympus has spoken out about the new Nikon 1 system, introduced last week as a rival to existing compact system cameras such as the PEN range of micro four thirds cameras. In an exclusive interview with TechRadar, Mark Thackara, national marketing manager, consumer products for Olympus UK spoke to us about market reaction to the new cameras. The Olympus PEN was one of the first compact system cameras to come to market, sharing the same micro four thirds system as the Panasonic G1 which was announced a few months previously. Since the launch of the first PEN back in 2009, the E-P1, several different versions of the PEN range have been launched, with the current line-up including the PEN E-P3, the PEN 'Lite' E-PL3 and the PEN 'Mini' E-PM1. Sensor sizes Nikon's N1 range introduces another sensor size to the market, smaller than both the APS-C sized sensors of Sony's NEX and Samsung's NX ranges. The big difficulty for the industry, according to Thackara, is going to be explaining to consumers the key differences. "The big challenge is to try and explain, without resorting to a slanging match, why there are now so many sensor sizes and pixel counts," he said. Thackara admits that it will be up to camera sellers to inform the buying public, "Much also rests with the big retailers in terms of selling the idea to the less informed buyer," he explained. "In Japan they have really embraced this and are reaching new audiences." Compact system cameras are much more popular in Japan than they are in the UK, with more than half of the top 20 best-selling cameras being mirrorless. Highest in that list is the Olympus PEN E-P3. Before Nikon launched its N1 range, the combined shares of Nikon and Canon had declined in Japan, with blame being attributed to a lack of a CSC model from either company. Here in the UK however, compact system cameras haven't taken off with quite so much gusto, as demonstrated by the fact that there are no compact systems in Amazon UK's top 40 best-selling cameras. Consumer choice For consumers that do want to invest in a mirrorless system, they now have the choice between Nikon, Samsung, Sony, Olympus and Pentax, which, according to Thackara is a good thing. "Choice for the consumer is good, and the [Nikon] camera itself has some new features which are a sign of what has been discussed about the potential of mirrorless for some time," he said. "I suspect we will see a lot more of that and many other performance benefits that mirrored cameras cannot match." Nikon has been keen to point out the small form factor of its V1 and N1, which it says is the direct result of using the smaller sensor. However, Thackara points out that the smallest pen, the PEN Mini appears to be smaller, while still using the same micro four thirds sensor of its bigger brothers. It is not size however that Thackara believes will be paramount to compact system success, but the quality of the system as a whole. "Our emphasis in the short term will be on the optics married to our established system and what they can deliver," he explained. Some critics were disappointed by the lack of a wide-apertured lens to sit in the Nikon 1 range, while Olympus recently launched a 45mm f/1.8 portrait lens. "There will be the usual debates about the various performance pros and cons relating to image quality, flexibility and so on, but my view is that it will be the overall system that is vital to success and battle lines are drawn," he continued. As for why consumers should be drawn to the PEN over the new Nikon system, Thackara says that both the maturity of the system and the range of lenses should be considered, "the balance of body size, lens and sensor size offers a better overall package," he explained.

In Depth: Are Android tablets actually selling? Posted: 26 Sep 2011 06:20 AM PDT You'd think Android tablets are the hottest gadgets on the planet right now, given the huge number of different models out there, all competing to be your next, non-essential, luxury item purchase. Samsung kicked off the battle last year with its 7-inch Galaxy Tab, followed in 2011 by a slew of 10.1-inch options starting with the Motorola Xoom. Indeed, there are now over 30 Android tablets on sale from different manufacturers, all offering different screens, memory sizes, Android versions and connectivity features. But there's a feeling that, despite the enthusiasm of the hardware makers, not many people are actually buying Android tablets. The most damning condemnation of Android's ability to sell tablets came from rival hardware maker Lenovo. Its European product director Andrew Barrow told the Guardian that Samsung may have only managed to sell 20,000 of the one million original 7-inch Galaxy Tabs. If that's true, the first Galaxy Tab has a good chance of being considered one of the most catastrophic flops the tech world has ever seen. And things don't look so rosy in the 10-inch area, either. Motorola's Xoom has also been aggressively discounted - and this from the tablet that had the kudos of being the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb unit and was waved around excitedly by Google team members at Honeycomb's launch. The basic Wi-Fi-only Xoom launched for an enormous £479 back in mid-April - you can now pick it up for £329 five months later. Now, Android tablets are bound to have a shorter shelf life due to the rampant competition among hardware manufacturers and the ever-increasing spec of rival machines, but even so. Sold more than 3.0 of them? In terms of hard sales stats for Android tablets, the best we have so far is courtesy of data supplied by analyst Kantar Wordpanel. In the UK, Kantar reports that Apple's iPad is unsurprisingly the dominant tablet, with nearly three-quarters of the entire market. The nearest Android competitor? Samsung's Galaxy tab series, with 5.9 per cent of UK tablet market share. Given that Kantar says 3.6 million tablet devices have been sold in the UK so far, that would put Samsung's Android tablets on 212,000 sales so far. Which is certainly better than Lenovo's doom-mongering scenario would suggest. In fact, for every bearish indicator, there are plenty of analysts that think Android can still overtake Apple in the long haul, thanks to the sheer strength and depth of the tablet team. Informa Telecoms & Media has the best forward-looking graphs for Android fans, claiming Apple will have the tablet market tied up until 2015, by which time the mass of Android devices will have drawn level, "eventually surpassing iPad sales in 2016". That dream scenario would see Apple's current 75 per cent stranglehold of the tablet market fall to 39 per cent, with Informa's crystal ball seeing the Android horde on 38 per cent of tablet devices. This rise to parity will come via cheaper Android machines, the enormous potential of an Amazon Kindle tablet and more advanced, high-end devices to keep the hardcore users happy. But is that really much of a victory? Apple's established a whopping great lead by selling a desirable product people love. Android, meanwhile, seems to be pinning its tablet hopes on a manufacturer taking a big enough loss on the hardware to hit the sweet spot with the masses. It's like killing an elephant by tapping it on the head with a million spoons. Indeed, the most recent data from IDC suggests that the initial enthusiasm for Android tablets is on the slide. In Q2 of this year, IDC claims Android's share of tablet sales actually fell, from having 34% of tablet sales in Q1 of 2011 to 26.8% in the second quarter, thanks to increased competition from RIM's PlayBook and ever-increasing public love of iPad. Again, for IDC, Android's future success or failure in the tablet world will come down to price. The release of "more price-competitive Android products" is required. No one's going to be making any money from selling Android tablets for quite some time. Android 4.0 the win So it appears Android needs to do two things in order to close the gap on iPad and actually stand a chance of achieving respectable tablet sales - create a software platform that more people aspire to own, and hope the hardware makers continue to offer ever more powerful tablets at more competitive prices. The forthcoming Ice Cream Sandwich update should help with both. It'll smooth out the Honeycomb experience giving us a more polished OS to covet, and will also be fully open source - unlike the Honeycomb OS - allowing makers of cheaper tabs to offer buyers the full, modern tablet experience. And as Google is being so generous in sorting out the software for free, we'd like to see the hardware makers start taking a few risks on the physical design of their Android tablets. Something that isn't a boring black slab might stand more of a chance of capturing the imagination of the overwhelmed potential tablet buyer.

YouView outlines how user interface will work Posted: 26 Sep 2011 05:34 AM PDT YouView has published its draft user interface and search policy for consultation with the industry – including which content gets placed where and how it will be presented to viewers. The IPTV solution, which includes seven major broadcast and telecommunications partners, is apparently still 'on track' for an early 2012 launch, and it is now beginning to get to the nitty gritty of UI and how content will be surfaced. "YouView today published its draft User Interface and Search Policy for consultation with industry, setting out how content will be presented to viewers in a way that makes it easy for them to discover," stated YouView. "The policy also details YouView's approach to allocating positions to video on demand content providers in the YouView User Interface." Fair prominence Obviously a key question will be how fairly the non-shareholder content providers are treated, something which YouView's policy is clear about. "The allocation of listing positions and UI positions and the configuration of search results will be undertaken without regard to whether the Content Provider is a YouView shareholder, insists the draft. "Where a YouView shareholder, who is also a Content Provider, is awarded a listing or a UI position, the basis for such award will be objectively justifiable, having regard to the principles of fairness, reasonableness and non-discrimination on which all UI positions will be awarded. "The ordering of search results will be objectively justifiable, having regard to the principles of fairness, reasonableness and non-discrimination." Glimpse into the UI In laying out how the UI works, there are some interesting nuggets of information that can be gleaned. First of all, the main menu will comprise a "carousel of menu items". It's clear that, as you would expect in an IPTV solution, Search will play a key role in the discovery of content, and this will be a primary tab. The next tab mentioned will be My View – which will be a list of recordings, scheduled recordings and reminders. A Guide tab will offer a 7 day electronic programme guide (EPG) and catch up for "each linear channel for approximately the past 7 days". An On Demand tab will, obviously, offer up access to on demand portal players and "aggregated lists of On Demand content displayed by YouView". ISP will provide information on the internet search provider, if the ISP is an affiliate ISP, otherwise this tab will be missing. Settings will offer actionable settings. Help will offer up user videos and local diagnostic tools. Apps will feature the applications that have been tailored for the YouView service. The on demand content will be provided in most popular, just in TV, A to Z TV and genres. Surfacing content In terms of channel allocation, the traditional linear TV grid is set by DMOL and not YouView which means that the order will be the same as on a Freeview EPG, but the IPTV on demand categories will have their own section. The prominence of these offerings will be set by three factors at launch: Public service broadcasters will be given 'appropriate prominence' as per Ofcom's instructions. That means BBC content, ITV Player, 4OD and Five's on demand will be the most prominent content Secondly, providers of existing TV VOD will be next up and ordered by popularity which could mean a prominent place for Sky should it get involved) Thirdly people who provide existing web or IP VOD services will be included – again ranked on popularity. After launch, the channels will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We await the launch with interest.

Apple Store UK staff told to cut October holiday Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:57 AM PDT Staff at Apple Stores in the UK have been told not to take any holiday in the first two weeks of October, prompting even more speculation that the iPhone 5 UK release date is imminent. According to The Register, staff in the UK have been told that early October is a no-no for holidays and that any holiday time booked will have to be cancelled. This backs up weeks of rumour mongering that the iPhone 5 is set for release next month. brightcove : 1027846751001 Nearly here Just last week, Al Gore – part of the Apple board – said that there will be two iPhones released in October and All Things Digital reckons someone close to the matter has told them that a press conference has been pencilled in for 4 October. While Apple store employees who had booked in an October break will be ruing the day Jobs created a pesky iPhone, the rest of us who are hungry for what Apple is launching next, it seems the time is near.

Exclusive: INQ planning new phones for 2012 Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:44 AM PDT INQ has told TechRadar that it's committed to releasing new handsets in the future, but the current Android patent wars have forced the company into a slight re-think. The company has already released the INQ Cloud Touch into the UK market, and this was supposed to be followed up by the INQ Cloud Q - but Frank Meehan, the recently departed CEO of INQ, said the company is still deciding whether to release the QWERTY-enabled device: "At this stage we're examining the sales of devices like HTC ChaCha has had - BlackBerry is still dominant in the QWERTY sector so we're still evaluating whether we launch the INQ Cloud Q." Patent problems Meehan also said the recent patent wars - which have seen Google purchase Motorola in a bid to beef up its patent portfolios - have had an effect on the company's strategy, along with what he calls 'hardware accelerating out of sight': "We hope to have more handsets over the next year, but there are very big patent wars in the market, with big battles to face which carry a high cost of engagement - watching it is fascinating. "The market will evolve quickly, but hardware is accelerating out of sight - in the future there will be no mobile market, just a screen; and what design can you really do when the device is essentially just a screen? "Patents have been a big issue - it's such a shame everyone is going into litigation over innovation. The legal issues cost a lot, so that's something we've got to evaluate. When we first started [producing Android phones] we weren't expecting such a strong level of patent issues - so now we're just watching and seeing what happens."

Scotland, Wales, London seek own web suffixes Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:32 AM PDT Not content with having its own government, its own flag and its own wonderful if occasionally unintelligible accent, Scotland soon hopes to have its own brand of web addresses using the suffix .scot. The Scottish Government is looking to communications minister Ed Vaizey to help it secure the not-for-profit Dot Scot Registry (DSR) which would allow Scottish sites to use .scot instead of .co.uk, .com, .org and so on. Alex Neil, the cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment, explains that, "DotSCOT will be a wonderful asset for establishing a distinctive online identity for many organisations and people who have been described as the worldwide family of Scots and want to demonstrate that identity online." Och aye the noo But it's not just Scotland that wants in on the domain name action - .cymru and .london are also likely to be put forward. The flurry of dotWhatever suggestions comes in advance of the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)'s three-month application window for new top level domains which kicks off in January 2012. Fears of national segregation causing a whole new era of web xenophobia aside, we're backing the .scot bid if only because it rhymes rather pleasingly – bagsy hotpotdotscot.

Review: Panasonic TX-P42S30B Posted: 26 Sep 2011 04:32 AM PDT Overview It's fair to say that Panasonic has had a pretty good year, thanks predominantly to the critical and commercial success of its latest 3D plasma models. The Panasonic TV under scrutiny today, though, the TX-P42S30B, is not a 3D model. Nor does it enjoy the new slender design sported by many of Panasonic's latest 3D TVs, or Panasonic's latest NeoPlasma screen technology; it relies instead on 2010's NeoPDP system. So why should you care? Because the P42S30B is so affordable, for a start. Panasonic quotes a price of around £800, but a quick Internet search finds it going for as little as £500, which qualifies as a massive bargain for a new 42-inch plasma TV bearing the Panasonic name. Also, even Panasonic's 2010 plasma panel technology is still a cut above the quality of most rival plasma sets, and the P42S30 manages to retain Panasonic's Viera Connect online service despite its affordability. It delivers a full HD resolution too, which is actually rare in the 42-inch plasma world. Surprisingly the P42S30 is the only model in the S30 range; there are no other size options. So if you want a 50-inch Panasonic plasma set that doesn't have 3D, you'll have to step up to the TX-P50G30B (which adds Panasonic's contrast-boosting Infinite Black technology plus THX accreditation and USB recording), or down to the P50U30B (which doesn't have any contrast filters or multimedia/online playback options). The P42S30 does have, of course, a 3D 'cousin': the P42ST30, which benefits from Panasonic's latest NeoPlasma panel design. But if you're still reading this review, then presumably you haven't fallen under 3D's spell, and are instead interested in what sort of quality the P42S30 might serve up for so little money. Features As noted in the introduction, the P42S30 is no oil painting. Its bezel is chunky, and finished in the same gloss black colour that's so common nowadays. It also sticks out more round the back than your average flat TV. It is, however, extremely solidly built for a budget TV, complete with toughened glass over the screen. The P42S30's connections are respectable for its price point. HD video duties can be performed by three HDMIs (one down the side, two on the rear), while multimedia duties are performed via a LAN port and a couple of USB inputs. The set can be enabled for Wi-Fi too, if you cough up extra money for Panasonic's USB Wi-Fi adaptor. The USBs can play a pretty wide variety of file formats, including AVCHD, SD-Video, Motion JPEG (Lumix), MP4 (Xacti), DivXPlusHD, MKV, WMV, JPEG, MP3, AAC and WMA. The USBs do not support recording from the built-in Freeview HD tuner though, unllike the step-up G30 series. That's not the only multimedia shortcoming versus the G30 series either. For the P42S30 also can't stream files in from a DLNA-enabled PC via either its optional Wi-Fi or LAN connections. The network features are restricted to potential interactive services that might come up through the Freeview HD platform, and access to Panasonic's Viera Connect online system. One last point to add about the P42S30's connections is that those on the rear face straight out, which could cause people some problems if they want to wall-mount the set. Viera Connect At the time of writing, Panasonic's Viera Connect online system is rather off the pace for such services set by the likes of Samsung, Sony and LG. Its content level is pretty limited, built around what's currently just a handful of video services such as the BBC iPlayer, Eurosport and AceTrax. Also, while the Viera Connect interface is attractive, it's rather clunky compared with LG and Samsung's Smart Hub interface, and it's certainly not equipped to handle the really large amounts of content already starting to appear on some rival platforms. The good news is that Panasonic's currently uninspiring online service is on the verge of some major upgrades, thanks both to the opening of a new Marketplace where you can buy new apps, games and accessories, and the recent opening up of the Viera Connect platform to independent app developers. Specifications Looking into the core hardware technology inside the P42S30, its NeoPDP design means it doesn't benefit from the latest energy-saving, contrast-enhancing and brightness boosting features delivered by the extremely impressive new NeoPlasma panels. But experience of the NeoPDP design means that it should still enjoy good black levels by flat TV standards, as well as natural colours and practically no noise problems. The set still enjoys a claimed contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 too (versus 5,000,000:1 on the G30 range), as well as Panasonic's now pretty much standard '600Hz Sub-field drive' technology and 24p Smooth Film processing for enhanced Blu-ray playback. A search for features in the P42S30's onscreen menus doesn't really throw up anything particularly interesting. Unlike models higher up Panasonic's range, this set doesn't enjoy the endorsement of either THX or the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF), and so it doesn't bother going to town with such picture calibration aids as a full colour management system. This doesn't seem an unreasonable situation for a budget TV, though. For at the risk of generalising, someone spending as little as £500 on a TV is unlikely to want to spend as much again on paying a trained engineer to come and calibrate that TV professionally. The only features in the menus that are even worth mentioning, really, are three settings (off, mid and max) for Panasonic's Intelligent Frame Creation frame insertion processing, a Clear Cinema option that claims to improve the vertical resolution for movie images, Panasonic's Resolution Enhancer for improved sharpness with standard definition sources, and a couple of measures - a picture 'orbiter' and a white screen 'wipe' - designed to combat plasma's potential for image retention. Not that experience suggests anyone should suffer any real problems with this on a NeoPDP panel; it actually seems more of an issue on this year's high-brightness NeoPlasma sets. That said, it's always recommended that you don't leave things like richly colour channel logos onscreen for too long at a time in the first 100 hours or so of your new TV's life. Picture performance The plasma-based P42S30 arrives hot on the heels of a series of LCD TVs, with the result that the first thing that stands out about its pictures is that they're not very bright compared with those of its LCD counterparts. In fact, in a bright room set up they look positively dull using all but the Dynamic picture preset - and the dynamic one tends to exaggerate noise and throw up some strained colour tones, so it's not recommended that you use it. You can, of course, attempt to inject more brightness and vibrancy into images via the provided picture adjustment tools. But actually, once you've got Panasonic's TV set up to its best advantage where contrast, colour tones and picture noise levels are concerned, its picture really does look pretty muted compared with your average calibrated LCD TV. This could well be a significant problem for people who are looking for a TV to go into a bright environment, and it's also not likely to do the P42S30 any favours when it's sitting on a shop shelf alongside the latest ultra-bright LCD models. Yet it would be a mistake to assume from their lack of brightness and dynamism that the P42S30's pictures are in any way bad. In fact, turn down the lights a bit and you'll find that the P42S30's pictures are in many ways excellent. Two things in particular stand out: the set's contrast and motion clarity. Contrast So far as contrast is concerned, while the set's white reproduction is a little muted and tinged with yellow, its black level response is outstanding, combining effortlessly deep black colours with the sort of shadow detail subtlety that you just don't tend to see with TVs that favour the rival LCD format. This works wonders, in particular, when watching films, which tend to have more extreme contrast ranges - especially at the dark end of the spectrum - than typical TV fare. When it comes to motion, there's practically no motion blur at all. Plasma screens don't suffer with the same response time problems that cause so many LCD TVs - especially budget ones - to suffer with resolution loss over (and sometimes smearing behind) moving objects. Motion This isn't to say that the P42S30's motion handling is perfect; there's noticeable judder when watching 50Hz material, and occasionally you can detect a little fizzing noise over skin tones if they're passing across the screen at speed. But overall it's just a real treat to be able to see for a change moving objects looking sharp and clear on a cheap TV. Colours The P42S30 impresses to some extent, too, with its colours. As noted before, its tones and saturations don't exactly explode off the screen at you. But provided you avoid the bizarrely dark Normal preset (the Cinema setting is a much better starting point), tones across the board - including skin tones - tend to look exceptionally natural. There's a slight drop off in tonal accuracy when you shift down from HD to standard definition, but it's not a major issue. HD pictures look crisp and detailed too, despite the relative (versus LCD TVs) lack of brightness to emphasise the sharpness. Standard definition pictures look quite a bit softer, but in doing so they hide source noise quite well. Detail You can sharpen standard definition up using the Resolution booster tool Panasonic has introduced to many of its TVs this year. But if you try this feature, don't be tempted to use it on a high setting, for then it can start to make pictures look a bit fizzy and grainy. Another issue with standard definition is that, as mentioned briefly earlier, colour accuracy slides the further down the quality scale your sources slide. So while colours look very good when you're watching HD and still good when you're watching a high-quality DVD, tones of red and green in particular can start to look a bit weird by the time you're watching the most heavily compressed standard def Freeview broadcasts. Finishing up with more good news, though, one of plasma's key advantages over LCD remains the fact that you can watch it from almost any viewing angle without suffering the sort of contrast and colour loss you see with almost all LCD TVs. So the P42S30 is a potentially great option for large families where the last person to make it into the living room ends up having to watch from way off down the TV's sides. Sound, value and ease of use Sound quality The P42S30 doesn't sound quite as rich and rounded as we'd hoped given that it's not exactly the slimmest TV in town. The soundstage becomes a little brittle when there's a loud action scene going on, thanks for the most part to a rather 'poppy' sounding bass line and a lack of real treble extension. With normal TV fare, though, the set sounds just fine. Value At the £800 level quoted on Panasonic's website, the P42S30 only rates as average value. But once you're talking about the £500 or so mark available elsewhere on the Internet, it actually becomes outstanding value if its particular picture traits suit your circumstances and viewing habits. Ease of use While the remote control shipped with the P42S30 doesn't benefit from the rather attractive restyling found on Panasonic's high-end TVs this year, it's still mostly a perfectly functional device. Most key buttons fall easily to hand, and it supports control of DVDs and - shudder - VCRs too. The only significant issues with it are that the main menu button is relegated to a small button tucked unhelpfully in the top left corner right under the 'standby' button, while the button to access Viera Connect is actually labelled Viera Cast - the name given to last year's Panasonic online service. The onscreen menus on the P42S30 are hardly cutting edge in terms of their presentation - although Panasonic has at least introduced some basic graphics to accompany the white text this year. While they might not look very enticing, though, the P42S30's onscreen menus are pretty easy to find your way round for the most part, and are enhanced considerably by the presence of a new 'interactive onscreen instructions' system that tells you briefly but effectively what each function does when you highlight it in the TV's menus. Verdict Although it can be found selling surprisingly cheaply if you look around online, Panasonic's P42S30 doesn't exactly 'leap off the shelf' at you. Its design is old-fashioned and chunky, it uses plasma technology rather than the more fashionable LCD technology, and its pictures initially look pretty dull and lifeless - especially if you make the mistake of using the TV's strange Normal picture preset. Nor is it over-burdened with features. There's no 3D, there aren't as many picture adjustments as you get on higher-end Panasonic TVs, and there's no streaming from DLNA PCs. You do still get Panasonic's Viera Connect online platform though - even if this is at the time of writing rather short of content. Take a punt on the P42S30 despite its lack of overt glamour, though, and it's unlikely that you'll be disappointed. For in a normal domestic environment rather than a bright shop one, its pictures display some great characteristics, including an excellent black level response, some natural colours (with HD in particular), a wide viewing angle, and sharp motion handling. If your room is particularly bright you might find the P42S30's images a little too dull for comfort. And if you can you should certainly try and step up to one of Panasonic's NeoPlasma models if you can afford it, as these deliver a marked improvement to pictures. But overall, film fans in particular will likely be very impressed indeed with that the P42S30 has to offer for its money. We liked It's really refreshing to be able to watch pictures on a cheap TV that aren't affected by motion blur, and which contain really credible black levels - complete with an impressive amount of shadow detail. It's also great to be able to watch a flat TV from a significant angle without colours and contrast diminishing. Viera Connect shows potential too, and looks set to improve radically in the coming months. We disliked Pictures don't look as vibrant and bright as those from your average LCD rival TV. Also, the Viera Connect online system doesn't have enough content on it right now, and uses a rather long-winded interface. There's some occasional dotting noise over motion too, and a few more colour calibration options would have been helpful. Finally, the set's design is a bit bland and chunky. Final Verdict Unlike most of Panasonic's more high end plasma TVs this year, we can't quite bring ourselves to give the P42S30 an unqualified recommendation. For while its impressively natural, contrast-favouring pictures are ideally suited to people who love watching films, its lack of brightness and vibrancy relative to most LCD TVs could be a turn off for people with very bright rooms or who prefer dynamism and punch to black level depth and motion clarity.

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