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• Apple announces Final Cut Pro X
• BBC World Service 'too valuable' to be cut
• New-look MeeGo OS shows-up on tablet
• UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines
• Hands on: Nokia E6 review
• Hands on: Nokia E6 review
• Hands on: Nokia E6 review
• Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview
• Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview
• Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview
• Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview
• Hands on: HTC Sensation review
• Hands on: HTC Sensation review
• Hands on: HTC Sensation review
• Hands on: HTC Sensation review
• Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
• Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
• Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
• Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
• Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
• Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know
• Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know
• Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know
• Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know
• Cisco kills Flip video camera line

Apple announces Final Cut Pro X Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:34 PM PDT Apple has announced and demonstrated Final Cut Pro X, the newest version of its professional video editing software, at the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas. The new iteration of the industry standard suite boasts a complete UI overhaul, with video operations chief Randy Ubillos promising an app completely re-written from the ground up, using Apple's Cocoa. Final Cut Pro X, which will land on the Mac App Store in June and cost from a very modest $299, will boast 64-bit support, meaning the software will now make use of more than 4GB of RAM on some Macs. Instant rendering There's also a host of new features including instant background rendering, to enable faster editing on the fly (borrowed from iMovie), and a magnetic timeline to ensure audio and video clips stay in sync. More features imported from iMovie include automatic detection of people in footage, and whether shots are close-up, medium or wide-angle. The 'Skimming' feature allows users to previews the content of a clip just by panning across it with the mouse. There's also 4K-resolution-independent video playback, automatic audio clean-up, a new feature called Smart Collections for organising clips and non-destructive colour balancing. Mac OS X core features Final Cut Pro OS X will now boast better performance thanks to the integration of some Mac OS X core features like Core Animation, Color, Soundtrack, Open CL and Grand Central Dispatch. On first glance, this looks like a cracking update from the always-impressive Apple video editing crew. We can't wait to get a proper look at this.

BBC World Service 'too valuable' to be cut Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:30 PM PDT The BBC World Service is too valuable to the UK's interests abroad for its budget to be cut, according to a government watchdog. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee says that the planned 16 per cent budget cut, which would see BBC cut at least five of its language services, should not go through. The Committee says that the World Service, which provides global broadcasts in a host of languages on satellite radio, online or through podcasts and mobile apps, gives the UK a vital diplomatic edge. "The value of the World Service in promoting the UK across the globe, by providing a widely-respected and trusted news service, far outweighs its relatively small cost," FASC chairman Richard Ottaway said. Soft power "The recent dramatic events in North Africa and the Middle East have shown the 'soft power' wielded through the World Service could bring even more benefits to the UK in the future than it has in the past." The government has been very forthright with its stance that the BBC must fall in-line with other publicly-funded bodies in doing its bit to reduce the UK's whopping deficit. It was also announced in January that the Beeb's online budget will shrink by 25 per cent, which will see 200 websites disappear from its portfolio. Trimming superfluous websites is one thing, but the cherished broadcasting institution that is the BBC World Service is another thing all together.

New-look MeeGo OS shows-up on tablet Posted: 12 Apr 2011 01:50 PM PDT Intel's operating system MeeGo appears to be alive and well after a new version of the software appeared up on an unbranded tablet at the Intel Developers Forum in Beijing. Most observers felt MeeGo, which is a mobile version of Linux, was dead in the water after Nokia abandoned the project to team with Microsoft and build Windows Phone 7 handsets. But Intel has seemingly turned its attentions to the the far east, showcasing an array of MeeGo tablets, based on the new Oak Trail processors, at the IDF Beijing 2011 show. Intel has been actively on the look-out for new partners since Nokia's defection and has today established a joint innovation centre with Tencent, one of China's largest internet firms. New look As you can see in the video below the latest iteration of MeeGo is a bit of a departure from the version we saw at MWC back in February. The unbranded tablet has a 10.1-inch screen, a 1.50GHx processor, 1GHz of RAM and a SSD with Intel reportedly looking for an OEM to bring it to market. Source: Netbook News

UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines Posted: 12 Apr 2011 12:28 PM PDT The quest to make Britain a high-speed internet powerhouse is set to reach a landmark figure this month, with the 250,000th super-fast line about to be installed. There are currently 236,000 lines in the UK, but broadband analysts Point Topic expect there to be at least a quarter of a million lines offering speeds of 25Mbps or higher by the end of April. The revolution has been led mostly by BT, with 136,000 lines and Virgin Media with 86,000, while the other 4,000 lines are comprised of smaller ISPs. Over 75,000 new lines have been installed since the turn of the year, says Point Topic. But while the figure suggests progress is being made in this area there'll be no popping of champagne corks yet as this only represents one per cent of the broadband market in Britain. Fast progress However, Point Topic expect the high-speed proliferation to take a more rapid turn, following the pattern of the upgrade from dial-up internet to the first broadband in the UK. He says: "We went on from about one per cent to reach over 13 million broadband lines within five years. Now we have over 19 million. "It's dangerous just to assume that history will repeat itself, but it's still a good pointer to what will happen to super-fast broadband in this decade." Related Stories Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London

Hands on: Nokia E6 review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:22 AM PDT Nokia's two flagship phones for the new Symbian^3 Anna update consisted of the X7 and the Nokia E6, with the latter packing a physical QWERTY keyboard combined with a touchscreen. The phone feels pretty standard for a Nokia E-series effort - rubberised, slightly raised keys that are quite easy to hit once you get used to the placement, and a large D-pad for navigating around the screen. This chrome ring is surrounded by the now-standard E-series options, including Calendar, Contacts and E-Mail, with all very easy to tap from whichever way you hold the phone. The new Symbian^3 Anna upgrade is present and correct here, offering up a more slick home screen motion under the thumb, with the screen 'optimised' for the thumb, with larger icons and single column widgets on the left-hand side. The 2.46-inch VGA screen on the Nokia E6 is actually pretty hi-res, coming in at over 300dpi... it's actually the same as the iPhone 4's Retina display, although in side by side comparisons the E6 looks considerably darker and a little less sharp. The outside of the phone has some neat touches - for instance, the rocker buttons have little LED lights underneath, and the lock switch doubles as a torch control if held down for long enough. The torch is nigh-on blinding, and the dual LED flash helps bring to life any snap in the dark. The camera shutter speed was fast enough in our early tests, and at 8MP more than you'd expect from a phone of this calibre. However, the upgrades to the OS still aren't enough to put the Nokia E6 up there with the competition - for instance, users still can only have fixed size widgets or deliberate rows of icons, meaning there's very little option for customisation. Another slight issue was the amount of time it took the E6 to open applications - we soon got used to the little spinning icon telling us that we had to wait. Hopefully this is just pre-release software, but as most smartphones are capable of instant application opening, it's become a slightly alien concept to us. The internet browser is much-improved though... it's still some way behind the competition, but it's at least faster. Pinch and zoom was horribly laggy whenever a website was still loading and there was no text reflow to speak of - but at least navigation was speedy when jumpy from site to site. The high res screen at least was decent enough for video - it was a fraction too small for an extended watching session, but if you're after a few quick clips you can't help but be impressed by what's on offer. Ovi Maps has been overhauled to include elements such as predictive search (to help work out what you're after before you complete the text entry) and more social networking features to help check in. We were unable to test this properly thanks to being indoors, but fear not: it will be in our full Nokia E6 review. Overall, we still feel this is another phone from the Nokia handbook of 'How to make phones that are a bit like the other phones we made but also a bit different'. It sadly skipped the chapter on 'How to make the phone as good as the competition', but depending on the price could still attract a lot of those that dislike BlackBerry phones but love a QWERTY keyboard. Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Hands on: Nokia E6 review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:22 AM PDT Nokia's two flagship phones for the new Symbian^3 Anna update consisted of the X7 and the Nokia E6, with the latter packing a physical QWERTY keyboard combined with a touchscreen. The phone feels pretty standard for a Nokia E-series effort - rubberised, slightly raised keys that are quite easy to hit once you get used to the placement, and a large D-pad for navigating around the screen. This chrome ring is surrounded by the now-standard E-series options, including Calendar, Contacts and E-Mail, with all very easy to tap from whichever way you hold the phone. The new Symbian^3 Anna upgrade is present and correct here, offering up a more slick home screen motion under the thumb, with the screen 'optimised' for the thumb, with larger icons and single column widgets on the left-hand side. The 2.46-inch VGA screen on the Nokia E6 is actually pretty hi-res, coming in at over 300dpi... it's actually the same as the iPhone 4's Retina display, although in side by side comparisons the E6 looks considerably darker and a little less sharp. The outside of the phone has some neat touches - for instance, the rocker buttons have little LED lights underneath, and the lock switch doubles as a torch control if held down for long enough. The torch is nigh-on blinding, and the dual LED flash helps bring to life any snap in the dark. The camera shutter speed was fast enough in our early tests, and at 8MP more than you'd expect from a phone of this calibre. However, the upgrades to the OS still aren't enough to put the Nokia E6 up there with the competition - for instance, users still can only have fixed size widgets or deliberate rows of icons, meaning there's very little option for customisation. Another slight issue was the amount of time it took the E6 to open applications - we soon got used to the little spinning icon telling us that we had to wait. Hopefully this is just pre-release software, but as most smartphones are capable of instant application opening, it's become a slightly alien concept to us. The internet browser is much-improved though... it's still some way behind the competition, but it's at least faster. Pinch and zoom was horribly laggy whenever a website was still loading and there was no text reflow to speak of - but at least navigation was speedy when jumpy from site to site. The high res screen at least was decent enough for video - it was a fraction too small for an extended watching session, but if you're after a few quick clips you can't help but be impressed by what's on offer. Ovi Maps has been overhauled to include elements such as predictive search (to help work out what you're after before you complete the text entry) and more social networking features to help check in. We were unable to test this properly thanks to being indoors, but fear not: it will be in our full Nokia E6 review. Overall, we still feel this is another phone from the Nokia handbook of 'How to make phones that are a bit like the other phones we made but also a bit different'. It sadly skipped the chapter on 'How to make the phone as good as the competition', but depending on the price could still attract a lot of those that dislike BlackBerry phones but love a QWERTY keyboard. Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Hands on: Nokia E6 review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:22 AM PDT Nokia's two flagship phones for the new Symbian^3 Anna update consisted of the X7 and the Nokia E6, with the latter packing a physical QWERTY keyboard combined with a touchscreen. The phone feels pretty standard for a Nokia E-series effort - rubberised, slightly raised keys that are quite easy to hit once you get used to the placement, and a large D-pad for navigating around the screen. This chrome ring is surrounded by the now-standard E-series options, including Calendar, Contacts and E-Mail, with all very easy to tap from whichever way you hold the phone. The new Symbian^3 Anna upgrade is present and correct here, offering up a more slick home screen motion under the thumb, with the screen 'optimised' for the thumb, with larger icons and single column widgets on the left-hand side. The 2.46-inch VGA screen on the Nokia E6 is actually pretty hi-res, coming in at over 300dpi... it's actually the same as the iPhone 4's Retina display, although in side by side comparisons the E6 looks considerably darker and a little less sharp. The outside of the phone has some neat touches - for instance, the rocker buttons have little LED lights underneath, and the lock switch doubles as a torch control if held down for long enough. The torch is nigh-on blinding, and the dual LED flash helps bring to life any snap in the dark. The camera shutter speed was fast enough in our early tests, and at 8MP more than you'd expect from a phone of this calibre. However, the upgrades to the OS still aren't enough to put the Nokia E6 up there with the competition - for instance, users still can only have fixed size widgets or deliberate rows of icons, meaning there's very little option for customisation. Another slight issue was the amount of time it took the E6 to open applications - we soon got used to the little spinning icon telling us that we had to wait. Hopefully this is just pre-release software, but as most smartphones are capable of instant application opening, it's become a slightly alien concept to us. The internet browser is much-improved though... it's still some way behind the competition, but it's at least faster. Pinch and zoom was horribly laggy whenever a website was still loading and there was no text reflow to speak of - but at least navigation was speedy when jumpy from site to site. The high res screen at least was decent enough for video - it was a fraction too small for an extended watching session, but if you're after a few quick clips you can't help but be impressed by what's on offer. Ovi Maps has been overhauled to include elements such as predictive search (to help work out what you're after before you complete the text entry) and more social networking features to help check in. We were unable to test this properly thanks to being indoors, but fear not: it will be in our full Nokia E6 review. Overall, we still feel this is another phone from the Nokia handbook of 'How to make phones that are a bit like the other phones we made but also a bit different'. It sadly skipped the chapter on 'How to make the phone as good as the competition', but depending on the price could still attract a lot of those that dislike BlackBerry phones but love a QWERTY keyboard. Related Stories Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:25 AM PDT Well, this was unexpected. Just a month after the launch of IE 9, Microsoft has shown off a very early preview of what Internet Explorer 10 is to look like. The developer preview is ready for devs to take a look at and marks the first step in Microsoft delivering HTML5 support. In a blog post, Microsoft said of the browser: "We built IE9 from the ground up for HTML5 and for Windows to deliver the most native HTML5 experience and the best Web experience on Windows. "IE10 continues on IE9's path, directly using what Windows provides and avoiding abstractions, layers, and libraries that slow down your site and your experience." Start engaging Microsoft is only three weeks into development so it is interesting that it has chosen to show off the browser to devs so early but, in its own words, "we want to start engaging the development community now." "IE10 continues several patterns from IE9. In addition to the Platform Preview available for developers to download at www.ietestdrive.com, we have posted new test drives and over 500 new tests we've submitted to the standards bodies," said Microsoft. "IE's approach to emerging standards results in less churn and more progress for developers. IE10 builds on full hardware acceleration and continues our focus on site-ready Web-standards. This combination enables developers to deliver the best performance for their customers on Windows while using the same, web-standard markup across browsers." Microsoft is currently showing the browser off at MIX 2011, so we'll keep you posted about more Microsoft goodness throughout the week. For now, though, check out the video by Channel 9 that shows of IE10. Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines

Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:25 AM PDT Well, this was unexpected. Just a month after the launch of IE 9, Microsoft has shown off a very early preview of what Internet Explorer 10 is to look like. The developer preview is ready for devs to take a look at and marks the first step in Microsoft delivering HTML5 support. In a blog post, Microsoft said of the browser: "We built IE9 from the ground up for HTML5 and for Windows to deliver the most native HTML5 experience and the best Web experience on Windows. "IE10 continues on IE9's path, directly using what Windows provides and avoiding abstractions, layers, and libraries that slow down your site and your experience." Start engaging Microsoft is only three weeks into development so it is interesting that it has chosen to show off the browser to devs so early but, in its own words, "we want to start engaging the development community now." "IE10 continues several patterns from IE9. In addition to the Platform Preview available for developers to download at www.ietestdrive.com, we have posted new test drives and over 500 new tests we've submitted to the standards bodies," said Microsoft. "IE's approach to emerging standards results in less churn and more progress for developers. IE10 builds on full hardware acceleration and continues our focus on site-ready Web-standards. This combination enables developers to deliver the best performance for their customers on Windows while using the same, web-standard markup across browsers." Microsoft is currently showing the browser off at MIX 2011, so we'll keep you posted about more Microsoft goodness throughout the week. For now, though, check out the video by Channel 9 that shows of IE10. Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines

Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:25 AM PDT Well, this was unexpected. Just a month after the launch of IE 9, Microsoft has shown off a very early preview of what Internet Explorer 10 is to look like. The developer preview is ready for devs to take a look at and marks the first step in Microsoft delivering HTML5 support. In a blog post, Microsoft said of the browser: "We built IE9 from the ground up for HTML5 and for Windows to deliver the most native HTML5 experience and the best Web experience on Windows. "IE10 continues on IE9's path, directly using what Windows provides and avoiding abstractions, layers, and libraries that slow down your site and your experience." Start engaging Microsoft is only three weeks into development so it is interesting that it has chosen to show off the browser to devs so early but, in its own words, "we want to start engaging the development community now." "IE10 continues several patterns from IE9. In addition to the Platform Preview available for developers to download at www.ietestdrive.com, we have posted new test drives and over 500 new tests we've submitted to the standards bodies," said Microsoft. "IE's approach to emerging standards results in less churn and more progress for developers. IE10 builds on full hardware acceleration and continues our focus on site-ready Web-standards. This combination enables developers to deliver the best performance for their customers on Windows while using the same, web-standard markup across browsers." Microsoft is currently showing the browser off at MIX 2011, so we'll keep you posted about more Microsoft goodness throughout the week. For now, though, check out the video by Channel 9 that shows of IE10. Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines

Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:25 AM PDT Well, this was unexpected. Just a month after the launch of IE 9, Microsoft has shown off a very early preview of what Internet Explorer 10 is to look like. The developer preview is ready for devs to take a look at and marks the first step in Microsoft delivering HTML5 support. In a blog post, Microsoft said of the browser: "We built IE9 from the ground up for HTML5 and for Windows to deliver the most native HTML5 experience and the best Web experience on Windows. "IE10 continues on IE9's path, directly using what Windows provides and avoiding abstractions, layers, and libraries that slow down your site and your experience." Start engaging Microsoft is only three weeks into development so it is interesting that it has chosen to show off the browser to devs so early but, in its own words, "we want to start engaging the development community now." "IE10 continues several patterns from IE9. In addition to the Platform Preview available for developers to download at www.ietestdrive.com, we have posted new test drives and over 500 new tests we've submitted to the standards bodies," said Microsoft. "IE's approach to emerging standards results in less churn and more progress for developers. IE10 builds on full hardware acceleration and continues our focus on site-ready Web-standards. This combination enables developers to deliver the best performance for their customers on Windows while using the same, web-standard markup across browsers." Microsoft is currently showing the browser off at MIX 2011, so we'll keep you posted about more Microsoft goodness throughout the week. For now, though, check out the video by Channel 9 that shows of IE10. Related Stories Microsoft Streetside cars hit London Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Internet Explorer 10 gets an early preview Microsoft Streetside cars hit London UK approaches 250,000 high-speed broadband lines

Hands on: HTC Sensation review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:59 AM PDT In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package. What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S. The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below. The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent of the Mozart, with the multiple section feel on the back. The whole rear actually detaches leaving only the battery and the screen together, with the antennas all plugged into the battery cover. The HTC Sensation weighs a shade under 150g, which is pretty hefty by today's standards given that a number of handsets push more towards the 110-120g level. It's also a little thicker at 11.3mm than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (at 8.7mm) and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc (at 8.5mm), but given the rounded edges, it's not much of a problem. The back houses an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording (thanks to the dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8260 chipset) and a pretty-darn-bright dual LED flash - and it's easy to hold the phone comfortably while taking a picture. But while the design is a little different, the new Sense 3.0 UI update is what consumers will be seeing day to day (coupled with Android 2.3.3), and there are a few big tweaks to help make it stand out from the likes of the HTC Desire S and Incredible S. HTC's VP of products and services Phil Blair says that this update sees "the most changes we've made to HTC Sense in one go" and it's mostly down to the dual-core capabilities. The first thing is the new lock screen - now it's interactive in more ways than before. For example, you can set four applications to launch instantly by simply dragging them down to the lock 'hoop' at the bottom. There are more interactive lock widgets as well, with the ability to have pictures floating around the screen that you can simply drag down to open, or a weather widget that jumps to the current conditions. HTC claims that browsing just got faster thanks to the dual-core processor, stating you can now browse the web, download email and listen to music without a 'hiccup'. It seems to hold up, although we noted that this early sample does have a few judders when navigating through the home screens or jumping in and out of applications. The home screens have been overhauled again, with the screens now rotating in a 3D view as you scroll through and an LG S-Class-style return to the first display when you get to the last in the series. It's a cool new overlay and will impress new users if they're used to the older Desire-style UI, and hopefully the slight judder we noticed in first use will have disappeared when it launches in the next month or so. Messaging is as simple as ever on the HTC Sensation, with the cool addition of threaded messaging in little conversation bubbles. Yes, essentially like the iPhone has been doing for years, but it's new to HTC. Another idea that HTC has 'paid homage' to is Swype, coming up with its own version of the text-drawing service. The option is buried pretty deeply within the menu, but once opened it's accurate enough to use day to day in our opinion. The web browser is noticeably faster than before, which is saying something as it was already up there with the best especially over Wi-Fi. Even Flash-rich websites seem to have minimal judder when scrolling around, making it much easier to zoom in and out of text (with the reflow functionality working as well as ever) making the words you're after very readable indeed. However, things like pinching in to look at the available windows currently open still took a lot of touching and prodding as the phone struggled to keep up - we're hoping this will be fixed for the final release. The software on the HTC Sensation we played with was clearly pre-release, as there were a number of times when the phone simply could not keep up, such as when scrolling through the albums and artists in the music player. However, the music player is back in full force, with widgets to help you keep tabs on your music as before: we're talking a simple pause button in the notifications bar and a full screen music widget to sit on whichever home screen you fancy. Video looked crystal clear on the screen, despite the handset packing Super-LCD rather than OLED technology. One annoyance is that the standard HTC method of navigating through your video collection without labels is still there - very irritating and something we're gagging for the Taiwanese firm to change. But the new HTC Watch service is pretty cool, and it's up and running already for users to simply download and watch films (as you can guess from its name). The early prices seem to suggest a raft of films to rent from only £1.99 and 99p, but then again that could be just a template price as HTC is still firmly in negotiations. More worryingly, and again likely to do with the pre-release software on offer here, is the Quadrant benchmark on the phone. We've noted some dual-core handsets running with results of over 2,000, but the HTC Sensation can't even beat the Nexus One with Android 2.2. We'll re-appraise this in our full HTC Sensation review (coming soon!), but it's a bit odd that it would be running so poorly on CPU score. Click here to see the full size results As HTC has promised that this is the phone with the most changes to the Sense UI yet (as it has been making use of the dual-core capabilities), we're looking forward to bringing you our full Sensation review as there are some features (like Wi-Fi printing) that we weren't able to test out properly. Nor did we notice apps opening 2x faster, which HTC was also bragging about, so we think there's a lot more digging needed here to help those wondering whether to go for the HTC Sensation, the Samsung Galaxy S2 or wait for the apparently-delayed iPhone 5. Related Stories iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Hands on: Nokia E6 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: Nokia E6 review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Hands on: HTC Sensation review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:59 AM PDT In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package. What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S. The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below. The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent of the Mozart, with the multiple section feel on the back. The whole rear actually detaches leaving only the battery and the screen together, with the antennas all plugged into the battery cover. The HTC Sensation weighs a shade under 150g, which is pretty hefty by today's standards given that a number of handsets push more towards the 110-120g level. It's also a little thicker at 11.3mm than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (at 8.7mm) and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc (at 8.5mm), but given the rounded edges, it's not much of a problem. The back houses an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording (thanks to the dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8260 chipset) and a pretty-darn-bright dual LED flash - and it's easy to hold the phone comfortably while taking a picture. But while the design is a little different, the new Sense 3.0 UI update is what consumers will be seeing day to day (coupled with Android 2.3.3), and there are a few big tweaks to help make it stand out from the likes of the HTC Desire S and Incredible S. HTC's VP of products and services Phil Blair says that this update sees "the most changes we've made to HTC Sense in one go" and it's mostly down to the dual-core capabilities. The first thing is the new lock screen - now it's interactive in more ways than before. For example, you can set four applications to launch instantly by simply dragging them down to the lock 'hoop' at the bottom. There are more interactive lock widgets as well, with the ability to have pictures floating around the screen that you can simply drag down to open, or a weather widget that jumps to the current conditions. HTC claims that browsing just got faster thanks to the dual-core processor, stating you can now browse the web, download email and listen to music without a 'hiccup'. It seems to hold up, although we noted that this early sample does have a few judders when navigating through the home screens or jumping in and out of applications. The home screens have been overhauled again, with the screens now rotating in a 3D view as you scroll through and an LG S-Class-style return to the first display when you get to the last in the series. It's a cool new overlay and will impress new users if they're used to the older Desire-style UI, and hopefully the slight judder we noticed in first use will have disappeared when it launches in the next month or so. Messaging is as simple as ever on the HTC Sensation, with the cool addition of threaded messaging in little conversation bubbles. Yes, essentially like the iPhone has been doing for years, but it's new to HTC. Another idea that HTC has 'paid homage' to is Swype, coming up with its own version of the text-drawing service. The option is buried pretty deeply within the menu, but once opened it's accurate enough to use day to day in our opinion. The web browser is noticeably faster than before, which is saying something as it was already up there with the best especially over Wi-Fi. Even Flash-rich websites seem to have minimal judder when scrolling around, making it much easier to zoom in and out of text (with the reflow functionality working as well as ever) making the words you're after very readable indeed. However, things like pinching in to look at the available windows currently open still took a lot of touching and prodding as the phone struggled to keep up - we're hoping this will be fixed for the final release. The software on the HTC Sensation we played with was clearly pre-release, as there were a number of times when the phone simply could not keep up, such as when scrolling through the albums and artists in the music player. However, the music player is back in full force, with widgets to help you keep tabs on your music as before: we're talking a simple pause button in the notifications bar and a full screen music widget to sit on whichever home screen you fancy. Video looked crystal clear on the screen, despite the handset packing Super-LCD rather than OLED technology. One annoyance is that the standard HTC method of navigating through your video collection without labels is still there - very irritating and something we're gagging for the Taiwanese firm to change. But the new HTC Watch service is pretty cool, and it's up and running already for users to simply download and watch films (as you can guess from its name). The early prices seem to suggest a raft of films to rent from only £1.99 and 99p, but then again that could be just a template price as HTC is still firmly in negotiations. More worryingly, and again likely to do with the pre-release software on offer here, is the Quadrant benchmark on the phone. We've noted some dual-core handsets running with results of over 2,000, but the HTC Sensation can't even beat the Nexus One with Android 2.2. We'll re-appraise this in our full HTC Sensation review (coming soon!), but it's a bit odd that it would be running so poorly on CPU score. Click here to see the full size results As HTC has promised that this is the phone with the most changes to the Sense UI yet (as it has been making use of the dual-core capabilities), we're looking forward to bringing you our full Sensation review as there are some features (like Wi-Fi printing) that we weren't able to test out properly. Nor did we notice apps opening 2x faster, which HTC was also bragging about, so we think there's a lot more digging needed here to help those wondering whether to go for the HTC Sensation, the Samsung Galaxy S2 or wait for the apparently-delayed iPhone 5. Related Stories Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Hands on: Nokia E6 review Related Stories Hands on: Nokia E6 review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Hands on: HTC Sensation review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:59 AM PDT In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package. What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S. The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below. The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent of the Mozart, with the multiple section feel on the back. The whole rear actually detaches leaving only the battery and the screen together, with the antennas all plugged into the battery cover. The HTC Sensation weighs a shade under 150g, which is pretty hefty by today's standards given that a number of handsets push more towards the 110-120g level. It's also a little thicker at 11.3mm than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (at 8.7mm) and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc (at 8.5mm), but given the rounded edges, it's not much of a problem. The back houses an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording (thanks to the dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8260 chipset) and a pretty-darn-bright dual LED flash - and it's easy to hold the phone comfortably while taking a picture. But while the design is a little different, the new Sense 3.0 UI update is what consumers will be seeing day to day (coupled with Android 2.3.3), and there are a few big tweaks to help make it stand out from the likes of the HTC Desire S and Incredible S. HTC's VP of products and services Phil Blair says that this update sees "the most changes we've made to HTC Sense in one go" and it's mostly down to the dual-core capabilities. The first thing is the new lock screen - now it's interactive in more ways than before. For example, you can set four applications to launch instantly by simply dragging them down to the lock 'hoop' at the bottom. There are more interactive lock widgets as well, with the ability to have pictures floating around the screen that you can simply drag down to open, or a weather widget that jumps to the current conditions. HTC claims that browsing just got faster thanks to the dual-core processor, stating you can now browse the web, download email and listen to music without a 'hiccup'. It seems to hold up, although we noted that this early sample does have a few judders when navigating through the home screens or jumping in and out of applications. The home screens have been overhauled again, with the screens now rotating in a 3D view as you scroll through and an LG S-Class-style return to the first display when you get to the last in the series. It's a cool new overlay and will impress new users if they're used to the older Desire-style UI, and hopefully the slight judder we noticed in first use will have disappeared when it launches in the next month or so. Messaging is as simple as ever on the HTC Sensation, with the cool addition of threaded messaging in little conversation bubbles. Yes, essentially like the iPhone has been doing for years, but it's new to HTC. Another idea that HTC has 'paid homage' to is Swype, coming up with its own version of the text-drawing service. The option is buried pretty deeply within the menu, but once opened it's accurate enough to use day to day in our opinion. The web browser is noticeably faster than before, which is saying something as it was already up there with the best especially over Wi-Fi. Even Flash-rich websites seem to have minimal judder when scrolling around, making it much easier to zoom in and out of text (with the reflow functionality working as well as ever) making the words you're after very readable indeed. However, things like pinching in to look at the available windows currently open still took a lot of touching and prodding as the phone struggled to keep up - we're hoping this will be fixed for the final release. The software on the HTC Sensation we played with was clearly pre-release, as there were a number of times when the phone simply could not keep up, such as when scrolling through the albums and artists in the music player. However, the music player is back in full force, with widgets to help you keep tabs on your music as before: we're talking a simple pause button in the notifications bar and a full screen music widget to sit on whichever home screen you fancy. Video looked crystal clear on the screen, despite the handset packing Super-LCD rather than OLED technology. One annoyance is that the standard HTC method of navigating through your video collection without labels is still there - very irritating and something we're gagging for the Taiwanese firm to change. But the new HTC Watch service is pretty cool, and it's up and running already for users to simply download and watch films (as you can guess from its name). The early prices seem to suggest a raft of films to rent from only £1.99 and 99p, but then again that could be just a template price as HTC is still firmly in negotiations. More worryingly, and again likely to do with the pre-release software on offer here, is the Quadrant benchmark on the phone. We've noted some dual-core handsets running with results of over 2,000, but the HTC Sensation can't even beat the Nexus One with Android 2.2. We'll re-appraise this in our full HTC Sensation review (coming soon!), but it's a bit odd that it would be running so poorly on CPU score. Click here to see the full size results As HTC has promised that this is the phone with the most changes to the Sense UI yet (as it has been making use of the dual-core capabilities), we're looking forward to bringing you our full Sensation review as there are some features (like Wi-Fi printing) that we weren't able to test out properly. Nor did we notice apps opening 2x faster, which HTC was also bragging about, so we think there's a lot more digging needed here to help those wondering whether to go for the HTC Sensation, the Samsung Galaxy S2 or wait for the apparently-delayed iPhone 5. Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Hands on: HTC Sensation review Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:59 AM PDT In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package. What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S. The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below. The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent of the Mozart, with the multiple section feel on the back. The whole rear actually detaches leaving only the battery and the screen together, with the antennas all plugged into the battery cover. The HTC Sensation weighs a shade under 150g, which is pretty hefty by today's standards given that a number of handsets push more towards the 110-120g level. It's also a little thicker at 11.3mm than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (at 8.7mm) and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc (at 8.5mm), but given the rounded edges, it's not much of a problem. The back houses an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording (thanks to the dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8260 chipset) and a pretty-darn-bright dual LED flash - and it's easy to hold the phone comfortably while taking a picture. But while the design is a little different, the new Sense 3.0 UI update is what consumers will be seeing day to day (coupled with Android 2.3.3), and there are a few big tweaks to help make it stand out from the likes of the HTC Desire S and Incredible S. HTC's VP of products and services Phil Blair says that this update sees "the most changes we've made to HTC Sense in one go" and it's mostly down to the dual-core capabilities. The first thing is the new lock screen - now it's interactive in more ways than before. For example, you can set four applications to launch instantly by simply dragging them down to the lock 'hoop' at the bottom. There are more interactive lock widgets as well, with the ability to have pictures floating around the screen that you can simply drag down to open, or a weather widget that jumps to the current conditions. HTC claims that browsing just got faster thanks to the dual-core processor, stating you can now browse the web, download email and listen to music without a 'hiccup'. It seems to hold up, although we noted that this early sample does have a few judders when navigating through the home screens or jumping in and out of applications. The home screens have been overhauled again, with the screens now rotating in a 3D view as you scroll through and an LG S-Class-style return to the first display when you get to the last in the series. It's a cool new overlay and will impress new users if they're used to the older Desire-style UI, and hopefully the slight judder we noticed in first use will have disappeared when it launches in the next month or so. Messaging is as simple as ever on the HTC Sensation, with the cool addition of threaded messaging in little conversation bubbles. Yes, essentially like the iPhone has been doing for years, but it's new to HTC. Another idea that HTC has 'paid homage' to is Swype, coming up with its own version of the text-drawing service. The option is buried pretty deeply within the menu, but once opened it's accurate enough to use day to day in our opinion. The web browser is noticeably faster than before, which is saying something as it was already up there with the best especially over Wi-Fi. Even Flash-rich websites seem to have minimal judder when scrolling around, making it much easier to zoom in and out of text (with the reflow functionality working as well as ever) making the words you're after very readable indeed. However, things like pinching in to look at the available windows currently open still took a lot of touching and prodding as the phone struggled to keep up - we're hoping this will be fixed for the final release. The software on the HTC Sensation we played with was clearly pre-release, as there were a number of times when the phone simply could not keep up, such as when scrolling through the albums and artists in the music player. However, the music player is back in full force, with widgets to help you keep tabs on your music as before: we're talking a simple pause button in the notifications bar and a full screen music widget to sit on whichever home screen you fancy. Video looked crystal clear on the screen, despite the handset packing Super-LCD rather than OLED technology. One annoyance is that the standard HTC method of navigating through your video collection without labels is still there - very irritating and something we're gagging for the Taiwanese firm to change. But the new HTC Watch service is pretty cool, and it's up and running already for users to simply download and watch films (as you can guess from its name). The early prices seem to suggest a raft of films to rent from only £1.99 and 99p, but then again that could be just a template price as HTC is still firmly in negotiations. More worryingly, and again likely to do with the pre-release software on offer here, is the Quadrant benchmark on the phone. We've noted some dual-core handsets running with results of over 2,000, but the HTC Sensation can't even beat the Nexus One with Android 2.2. We'll re-appraise this in our full HTC Sensation review (coming soon!), but it's a bit odd that it would be running so poorly on CPU score. Click here to see the full size results As HTC has promised that this is the phone with the most changes to the Sense UI yet (as it has been making use of the dual-core capabilities), we're looking forward to bringing you our full Sensation review as there are some features (like Wi-Fi printing) that we weren't able to test out properly. Nor did we notice apps opening 2x faster, which HTC was also bragging about, so we think there's a lot more digging needed here to help those wondering whether to go for the HTC Sensation, the Samsung Galaxy S2 or wait for the apparently-delayed iPhone 5. Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT Our constantly updated list of the top 10 best 40-inch and 42-inch LCD TVs in the world today Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the TV market, this size is also great value. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. That's truer than ever right now; the market is divided between brand new sets with built-in Freeview HD tuners, and those with standard digital tuners. Also read: 10 best sound bar systems for your HDTV Whether you need a Freeview HD tuner is a choice you'll have to make (and depends on where you live), though we expect them to become a default feature very soon. Nevertheless, if you're considering buying a TV without a Freeview HD tuner, demand a discount! Arguably the minimum size where Full HD makes most sense and where a Blu-ray player is a must, the 42-inch size hasn't lost its allure despite becoming affordable. Philips 42PFL9705 A tad small for 3D, but nothing touches this TV for image quality Alongside Philips' unique Ambilight mood-lighting feature, the 40PFL9705's cutting edge credentials include direct, – or 'full' – LED backlighting, connected TV status and 3D readiness. There's no Freeview HD – an alarming oversight on Philips' current range of TVs – but nothing in the 40-inch category touches the 40PFL9705 for sheer image quality. Read: Philips 42PFL9705 review Sony KDL-40EX503 Pics, price, Freeview HD and online video streaming make this LCD a force Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner adds decent picture quality, sets a new bar for online content, and is impressively easy to use for such a complex TV. Particularly excellent is the 40EX503's black level response, which achieves levels of profundity much deeper than anything Sony has managed before. It's good looking, too; a brushed aluminium panel running along the TV's bottom edge adds a touch of opulence to the otherwise straightforward glossy black rectangle. Strapped with MotionFlow 100Hz and Sony's Bravia Engine 3 system, this TV's most interesting feature is streaming from YouTube, blip.tv, DailyMotion and LoveFilm, but the bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition. Read: full Sony KDL-40EX503 full review Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 Sony's best TV to date matches Freeview HD to 200Hz scanning Sporting Sony's new Monolithic design and a Deep Black Panel, this TV features 200Hz processing, Bravia Engine 3 video processing, 24p True Cinema Blu-ray mode, Live Colour engine, Bravia Internet Video and Freeview HD. The 40HX703 also scores a palpable hit with the sharpness of its HD sources, which contain oodles of fine detail and enjoy a really crisp finish, but suffer no video noise. The crispness is further boosted by the impressive 200Hz processing, which keeps judder and motion blur to a minimum without generating hardly any unwanted processing side effects (provided, of course, you stick with the 'MotionFlow' system's Standard setting). Colours are superb, too, and the Bravia Engine upscales standard-definition sources unusually effectively. Read: full Sony KDL-40HX703 review Panasonic TX-P42GT20B Panasonic takes 3D plasma to a smaller level, and throws in 2D to 3D upscaling Just when it looked like LCD was about to bury its old rival once and for all, plasma proved it could show 3D pictures with much less ghosting noise, or crosstalk - but the only catch was size. Those with smaller rooms (and bank accounts) can now invest in 3DTV thanks to this, Panasonic's first 42-inch 3D plasma. Endorsed by THX and the ISF, this is another superb plasma that underlines the technology's current 3D advantage. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42GT20 review Philips 40PFL7605 Edge LED with added Ambilight & Net TV, but no Freeview HD Remarkably thin (it's just 42mm deep), but well built, this Philips has the usual classy touches - Ambilight, wireless streaming and Net TV - but no Freeview HD tuner. That's an oversight and bound to put some people off, which is a shame, because at its core this superlative set is all about picture performance. And as Edge LED-backlit TVs go, you won't find a much slimmer or more impressive TV. Read: full Philips 40PFL7605 review Sony KDL-40NX703 This Sony offers excellent black levels – and can be bought with a white bezel The 40NX703's colours and contrast reduce during off-axis viewing, the TV's front panel can reflect direct light a little heavily, and its HD pictures aren't quite as crisp as normal for Sony. But with some good standard-def upscaling and a passable if hardly earth-shattering audio, the 40NX703 remains a seriously attractive combination of form and function. Meanwhile, 'monolithic' TV styling and a single layer glass topsheet make for a simple and striking design. Read: Sony KDL-40NX703 review Sony KDL-40NX713 This networked TV aims to be all things to all viewers With Edge LED backlighting, Sony's NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Read: Sony KDL-40NX713 review Samsung UE40C8000 Samsung's gorgeous 40-inch skinny screen is an edge-lit LED delight This elegant edge LED-lit TV's skinniness is just one of its many attributes, with 3D capability, DLNA networking, USB recording and internet TV among the auxiliary features that complement its jaw-dropping looks. A transparent-edged, brushed titanium bezel and ultra-black screen contains Freeview HD and plenty more cutting-edge tech, though it's too small for 3D. Read: Samsung UE40C8000 review LG 42LE7900 This wafer-thin LED TV is a plum puchase LG's latest boundary-pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today. This set has every gadget you could possibly need and then a few more sprinkled on top for good measure. Most excitingly, it has Freeview HD brains built in, which means you won't need a digibox ever again. It also sports LG's NetCast web-browsing 'widgets', wireless capability for use with various media files or cord-free headphones and four HDMI inputs. It's also lit with LEDs, 100Hz scanning two USB inputs. Underwhelming black levels and occasionally substandard motion handling cost the set a fifth star and an unreserved recommendation; this is one for those who prefer style over technical finesse. Read: full LG 42LE7900 review Panasonic TX-P42VT20 Panasonic's most advanced 42-inch screen yet brings full HD 3D to the plasma party Panasonic's 'other' 42-inch 3D plasma is from the step-up VT20 Series. For the extra cash you'll get an extra speaker, a wireless adaptor and perhaps the brand's best-kept secret - Infinite Black Pro. It may look drab on the outside, but one of Panasonic's flagship screens uses plasma tech to display one of the best 2D and 3D performances around. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42VT20 review Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today

Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT Our constantly updated list of the top 10 best 40-inch and 42-inch LCD TVs in the world today Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the TV market, this size is also great value. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. That's truer than ever right now; the market is divided between brand new sets with built-in Freeview HD tuners, and those with standard digital tuners. Also read: 10 best sound bar systems for your HDTV Whether you need a Freeview HD tuner is a choice you'll have to make (and depends on where you live), though we expect them to become a default feature very soon. Nevertheless, if you're considering buying a TV without a Freeview HD tuner, demand a discount! Arguably the minimum size where Full HD makes most sense and where a Blu-ray player is a must, the 42-inch size hasn't lost its allure despite becoming affordable. Philips 42PFL9705 A tad small for 3D, but nothing touches this TV for image quality Alongside Philips' unique Ambilight mood-lighting feature, the 40PFL9705's cutting edge credentials include direct, – or 'full' – LED backlighting, connected TV status and 3D readiness. There's no Freeview HD – an alarming oversight on Philips' current range of TVs – but nothing in the 40-inch category touches the 40PFL9705 for sheer image quality. Read: Philips 42PFL9705 review Sony KDL-40EX503 Pics, price, Freeview HD and online video streaming make this LCD a force Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner adds decent picture quality, sets a new bar for online content, and is impressively easy to use for such a complex TV. Particularly excellent is the 40EX503's black level response, which achieves levels of profundity much deeper than anything Sony has managed before. It's good looking, too; a brushed aluminium panel running along the TV's bottom edge adds a touch of opulence to the otherwise straightforward glossy black rectangle. Strapped with MotionFlow 100Hz and Sony's Bravia Engine 3 system, this TV's most interesting feature is streaming from YouTube, blip.tv, DailyMotion and LoveFilm, but the bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition. Read: full Sony KDL-40EX503 full review Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 Sony's best TV to date matches Freeview HD to 200Hz scanning Sporting Sony's new Monolithic design and a Deep Black Panel, this TV features 200Hz processing, Bravia Engine 3 video processing, 24p True Cinema Blu-ray mode, Live Colour engine, Bravia Internet Video and Freeview HD. The 40HX703 also scores a palpable hit with the sharpness of its HD sources, which contain oodles of fine detail and enjoy a really crisp finish, but suffer no video noise. The crispness is further boosted by the impressive 200Hz processing, which keeps judder and motion blur to a minimum without generating hardly any unwanted processing side effects (provided, of course, you stick with the 'MotionFlow' system's Standard setting). Colours are superb, too, and the Bravia Engine upscales standard-definition sources unusually effectively. Read: full Sony KDL-40HX703 review Panasonic TX-P42GT20B Panasonic takes 3D plasma to a smaller level, and throws in 2D to 3D upscaling Just when it looked like LCD was about to bury its old rival once and for all, plasma proved it could show 3D pictures with much less ghosting noise, or crosstalk - but the only catch was size. Those with smaller rooms (and bank accounts) can now invest in 3DTV thanks to this, Panasonic's first 42-inch 3D plasma. Endorsed by THX and the ISF, this is another superb plasma that underlines the technology's current 3D advantage. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42GT20 review Philips 40PFL7605 Edge LED with added Ambilight & Net TV, but no Freeview HD Remarkably thin (it's just 42mm deep), but well built, this Philips has the usual classy touches - Ambilight, wireless streaming and Net TV - but no Freeview HD tuner. That's an oversight and bound to put some people off, which is a shame, because at its core this superlative set is all about picture performance. And as Edge LED-backlit TVs go, you won't find a much slimmer or more impressive TV. Read: full Philips 40PFL7605 review Sony KDL-40NX703 This Sony offers excellent black levels – and can be bought with a white bezel The 40NX703's colours and contrast reduce during off-axis viewing, the TV's front panel can reflect direct light a little heavily, and its HD pictures aren't quite as crisp as normal for Sony. But with some good standard-def upscaling and a passable if hardly earth-shattering audio, the 40NX703 remains a seriously attractive combination of form and function. Meanwhile, 'monolithic' TV styling and a single layer glass topsheet make for a simple and striking design. Read: Sony KDL-40NX703 review Sony KDL-40NX713 This networked TV aims to be all things to all viewers With Edge LED backlighting, Sony's NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Read: Sony KDL-40NX713 review Samsung UE40C8000 Samsung's gorgeous 40-inch skinny screen is an edge-lit LED delight This elegant edge LED-lit TV's skinniness is just one of its many attributes, with 3D capability, DLNA networking, USB recording and internet TV among the auxiliary features that complement its jaw-dropping looks. A transparent-edged, brushed titanium bezel and ultra-black screen contains Freeview HD and plenty more cutting-edge tech, though it's too small for 3D. Read: Samsung UE40C8000 review LG 42LE7900 This wafer-thin LED TV is a plum puchase LG's latest boundary-pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today. This set has every gadget you could possibly need and then a few more sprinkled on top for good measure. Most excitingly, it has Freeview HD brains built in, which means you won't need a digibox ever again. It also sports LG's NetCast web-browsing 'widgets', wireless capability for use with various media files or cord-free headphones and four HDMI inputs. It's also lit with LEDs, 100Hz scanning two USB inputs. Underwhelming black levels and occasionally substandard motion handling cost the set a fifth star and an unreserved recommendation; this is one for those who prefer style over technical finesse. Read: full LG 42LE7900 review Panasonic TX-P42VT20 Panasonic's most advanced 42-inch screen yet brings full HD 3D to the plasma party Panasonic's 'other' 42-inch 3D plasma is from the step-up VT20 Series. For the extra cash you'll get an extra speaker, a wireless adaptor and perhaps the brand's best-kept secret - Infinite Black Pro. It may look drab on the outside, but one of Panasonic's flagship screens uses plasma tech to display one of the best 2D and 3D performances around. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42VT20 review Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today

Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT Our constantly updated list of the top 10 best 40-inch and 42-inch LCD TVs in the world today Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the TV market, this size is also great value. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. That's truer than ever right now; the market is divided between brand new sets with built-in Freeview HD tuners, and those with standard digital tuners. Also read: 10 best sound bar systems for your HDTV Whether you need a Freeview HD tuner is a choice you'll have to make (and depends on where you live), though we expect them to become a default feature very soon. Nevertheless, if you're considering buying a TV without a Freeview HD tuner, demand a discount! Arguably the minimum size where Full HD makes most sense and where a Blu-ray player is a must, the 42-inch size hasn't lost its allure despite becoming affordable. Philips 42PFL9705 A tad small for 3D, but nothing touches this TV for image quality Alongside Philips' unique Ambilight mood-lighting feature, the 40PFL9705's cutting edge credentials include direct, – or 'full' – LED backlighting, connected TV status and 3D readiness. There's no Freeview HD – an alarming oversight on Philips' current range of TVs – but nothing in the 40-inch category touches the 40PFL9705 for sheer image quality. Read: Philips 42PFL9705 review Sony KDL-40EX503 Pics, price, Freeview HD and online video streaming make this LCD a force Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner adds decent picture quality, sets a new bar for online content, and is impressively easy to use for such a complex TV. Particularly excellent is the 40EX503's black level response, which achieves levels of profundity much deeper than anything Sony has managed before. It's good looking, too; a brushed aluminium panel running along the TV's bottom edge adds a touch of opulence to the otherwise straightforward glossy black rectangle. Strapped with MotionFlow 100Hz and Sony's Bravia Engine 3 system, this TV's most interesting feature is streaming from YouTube, blip.tv, DailyMotion and LoveFilm, but the bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition. Read: full Sony KDL-40EX503 full review Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 Sony's best TV to date matches Freeview HD to 200Hz scanning Sporting Sony's new Monolithic design and a Deep Black Panel, this TV features 200Hz processing, Bravia Engine 3 video processing, 24p True Cinema Blu-ray mode, Live Colour engine, Bravia Internet Video and Freeview HD. The 40HX703 also scores a palpable hit with the sharpness of its HD sources, which contain oodles of fine detail and enjoy a really crisp finish, but suffer no video noise. The crispness is further boosted by the impressive 200Hz processing, which keeps judder and motion blur to a minimum without generating hardly any unwanted processing side effects (provided, of course, you stick with the 'MotionFlow' system's Standard setting). Colours are superb, too, and the Bravia Engine upscales standard-definition sources unusually effectively. Read: full Sony KDL-40HX703 review Panasonic TX-P42GT20B Panasonic takes 3D plasma to a smaller level, and throws in 2D to 3D upscaling Just when it looked like LCD was about to bury its old rival once and for all, plasma proved it could show 3D pictures with much less ghosting noise, or crosstalk - but the only catch was size. Those with smaller rooms (and bank accounts) can now invest in 3DTV thanks to this, Panasonic's first 42-inch 3D plasma. Endorsed by THX and the ISF, this is another superb plasma that underlines the technology's current 3D advantage. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42GT20 review Philips 40PFL7605 Edge LED with added Ambilight & Net TV, but no Freeview HD Remarkably thin (it's just 42mm deep), but well built, this Philips has the usual classy touches - Ambilight, wireless streaming and Net TV - but no Freeview HD tuner. That's an oversight and bound to put some people off, which is a shame, because at its core this superlative set is all about picture performance. And as Edge LED-backlit TVs go, you won't find a much slimmer or more impressive TV. Read: full Philips 40PFL7605 review Sony KDL-40NX703 This Sony offers excellent black levels – and can be bought with a white bezel The 40NX703's colours and contrast reduce during off-axis viewing, the TV's front panel can reflect direct light a little heavily, and its HD pictures aren't quite as crisp as normal for Sony. But with some good standard-def upscaling and a passable if hardly earth-shattering audio, the 40NX703 remains a seriously attractive combination of form and function. Meanwhile, 'monolithic' TV styling and a single layer glass topsheet make for a simple and striking design. Read: Sony KDL-40NX703 review Sony KDL-40NX713 This networked TV aims to be all things to all viewers With Edge LED backlighting, Sony's NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Read: Sony KDL-40NX713 review Samsung UE40C8000 Samsung's gorgeous 40-inch skinny screen is an edge-lit LED delight This elegant edge LED-lit TV's skinniness is just one of its many attributes, with 3D capability, DLNA networking, USB recording and internet TV among the auxiliary features that complement its jaw-dropping looks. A transparent-edged, brushed titanium bezel and ultra-black screen contains Freeview HD and plenty more cutting-edge tech, though it's too small for 3D. Read: Samsung UE40C8000 review LG 42LE7900 This wafer-thin LED TV is a plum puchase LG's latest boundary-pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today. This set has every gadget you could possibly need and then a few more sprinkled on top for good measure. Most excitingly, it has Freeview HD brains built in, which means you won't need a digibox ever again. It also sports LG's NetCast web-browsing 'widgets', wireless capability for use with various media files or cord-free headphones and four HDMI inputs. It's also lit with LEDs, 100Hz scanning two USB inputs. Underwhelming black levels and occasionally substandard motion handling cost the set a fifth star and an unreserved recommendation; this is one for those who prefer style over technical finesse. Read: full LG 42LE7900 review Panasonic TX-P42VT20 Panasonic's most advanced 42-inch screen yet brings full HD 3D to the plasma party Panasonic's 'other' 42-inch 3D plasma is from the step-up VT20 Series. For the extra cash you'll get an extra speaker, a wireless adaptor and perhaps the brand's best-kept secret - Infinite Black Pro. It may look drab on the outside, but one of Panasonic's flagship screens uses plasma tech to display one of the best 2D and 3D performances around. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42VT20 review Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today

Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT Our constantly updated list of the top 10 best 40-inch and 42-inch LCD TVs in the world today Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the TV market, this size is also great value. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. That's truer than ever right now; the market is divided between brand new sets with built-in Freeview HD tuners, and those with standard digital tuners. Also read: 10 best sound bar systems for your HDTV Whether you need a Freeview HD tuner is a choice you'll have to make (and depends on where you live), though we expect them to become a default feature very soon. Nevertheless, if you're considering buying a TV without a Freeview HD tuner, demand a discount! Arguably the minimum size where Full HD makes most sense and where a Blu-ray player is a must, the 42-inch size hasn't lost its allure despite becoming affordable. Philips 42PFL9705 A tad small for 3D, but nothing touches this TV for image quality Alongside Philips' unique Ambilight mood-lighting feature, the 40PFL9705's cutting edge credentials include direct, – or 'full' – LED backlighting, connected TV status and 3D readiness. There's no Freeview HD – an alarming oversight on Philips' current range of TVs – but nothing in the 40-inch category touches the 40PFL9705 for sheer image quality. Read: Philips 42PFL9705 review Sony KDL-40EX503 Pics, price, Freeview HD and online video streaming make this LCD a force Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner adds decent picture quality, sets a new bar for online content, and is impressively easy to use for such a complex TV. Particularly excellent is the 40EX503's black level response, which achieves levels of profundity much deeper than anything Sony has managed before. It's good looking, too; a brushed aluminium panel running along the TV's bottom edge adds a touch of opulence to the otherwise straightforward glossy black rectangle. Strapped with MotionFlow 100Hz and Sony's Bravia Engine 3 system, this TV's most interesting feature is streaming from YouTube, blip.tv, DailyMotion and LoveFilm, but the bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition. Read: full Sony KDL-40EX503 full review Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 Sony's best TV to date matches Freeview HD to 200Hz scanning Sporting Sony's new Monolithic design and a Deep Black Panel, this TV features 200Hz processing, Bravia Engine 3 video processing, 24p True Cinema Blu-ray mode, Live Colour engine, Bravia Internet Video and Freeview HD. The 40HX703 also scores a palpable hit with the sharpness of its HD sources, which contain oodles of fine detail and enjoy a really crisp finish, but suffer no video noise. The crispness is further boosted by the impressive 200Hz processing, which keeps judder and motion blur to a minimum without generating hardly any unwanted processing side effects (provided, of course, you stick with the 'MotionFlow' system's Standard setting). Colours are superb, too, and the Bravia Engine upscales standard-definition sources unusually effectively. Read: full Sony KDL-40HX703 review Panasonic TX-P42GT20B Panasonic takes 3D plasma to a smaller level, and throws in 2D to 3D upscaling Just when it looked like LCD was about to bury its old rival once and for all, plasma proved it could show 3D pictures with much less ghosting noise, or crosstalk - but the only catch was size. Those with smaller rooms (and bank accounts) can now invest in 3DTV thanks to this, Panasonic's first 42-inch 3D plasma. Endorsed by THX and the ISF, this is another superb plasma that underlines the technology's current 3D advantage. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42GT20 review Philips 40PFL7605 Edge LED with added Ambilight & Net TV, but no Freeview HD Remarkably thin (it's just 42mm deep), but well built, this Philips has the usual classy touches - Ambilight, wireless streaming and Net TV - but no Freeview HD tuner. That's an oversight and bound to put some people off, which is a shame, because at its core this superlative set is all about picture performance. And as Edge LED-backlit TVs go, you won't find a much slimmer or more impressive TV. Read: full Philips 40PFL7605 review Sony KDL-40NX703 This Sony offers excellent black levels – and can be bought with a white bezel The 40NX703's colours and contrast reduce during off-axis viewing, the TV's front panel can reflect direct light a little heavily, and its HD pictures aren't quite as crisp as normal for Sony. But with some good standard-def upscaling and a passable if hardly earth-shattering audio, the 40NX703 remains a seriously attractive combination of form and function. Meanwhile, 'monolithic' TV styling and a single layer glass topsheet make for a simple and striking design. Read: Sony KDL-40NX703 review Sony KDL-40NX713 This networked TV aims to be all things to all viewers With Edge LED backlighting, Sony's NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Read: Sony KDL-40NX713 review Samsung UE40C8000 Samsung's gorgeous 40-inch skinny screen is an edge-lit LED delight This elegant edge LED-lit TV's skinniness is just one of its many attributes, with 3D capability, DLNA networking, USB recording and internet TV among the auxiliary features that complement its jaw-dropping looks. A transparent-edged, brushed titanium bezel and ultra-black screen contains Freeview HD and plenty more cutting-edge tech, though it's too small for 3D. Read: Samsung UE40C8000 review LG 42LE7900 This wafer-thin LED TV is a plum puchase LG's latest boundary-pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today. This set has every gadget you could possibly need and then a few more sprinkled on top for good measure. Most excitingly, it has Freeview HD brains built in, which means you won't need a digibox ever again. It also sports LG's NetCast web-browsing 'widgets', wireless capability for use with various media files or cord-free headphones and four HDMI inputs. It's also lit with LEDs, 100Hz scanning two USB inputs. Underwhelming black levels and occasionally substandard motion handling cost the set a fifth star and an unreserved recommendation; this is one for those who prefer style over technical finesse. Read: full LG 42LE7900 review Panasonic TX-P42VT20 Panasonic's most advanced 42-inch screen yet brings full HD 3D to the plasma party Panasonic's 'other' 42-inch 3D plasma is from the step-up VT20 Series. For the extra cash you'll get an extra speaker, a wireless adaptor and perhaps the brand's best-kept secret - Infinite Black Pro. It may look drab on the outside, but one of Panasonic's flagship screens uses plasma tech to display one of the best 2D and 3D performances around. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42VT20 review Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today

Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT Our constantly updated list of the top 10 best 40-inch and 42-inch LCD TVs in the world today Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best. Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room. As well as being the fastest growing sector of the TV market, this size is also great value. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices. That's truer than ever right now; the market is divided between brand new sets with built-in Freeview HD tuners, and those with standard digital tuners. Also read: 10 best sound bar systems for your HDTV Whether you need a Freeview HD tuner is a choice you'll have to make (and depends on where you live), though we expect them to become a default feature very soon. Nevertheless, if you're considering buying a TV without a Freeview HD tuner, demand a discount! Arguably the minimum size where Full HD makes most sense and where a Blu-ray player is a must, the 42-inch size hasn't lost its allure despite becoming affordable. Philips 42PFL9705 A tad small for 3D, but nothing touches this TV for image quality Alongside Philips' unique Ambilight mood-lighting feature, the 40PFL9705's cutting edge credentials include direct, – or 'full' – LED backlighting, connected TV status and 3D readiness. There's no Freeview HD – an alarming oversight on Philips' current range of TVs – but nothing in the 40-inch category touches the 40PFL9705 for sheer image quality. Read: Philips 42PFL9705 review Sony KDL-40EX503 Pics, price, Freeview HD and online video streaming make this LCD a force Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner adds decent picture quality, sets a new bar for online content, and is impressively easy to use for such a complex TV. Particularly excellent is the 40EX503's black level response, which achieves levels of profundity much deeper than anything Sony has managed before. It's good looking, too; a brushed aluminium panel running along the TV's bottom edge adds a touch of opulence to the otherwise straightforward glossy black rectangle. Strapped with MotionFlow 100Hz and Sony's Bravia Engine 3 system, this TV's most interesting feature is streaming from YouTube, blip.tv, DailyMotion and LoveFilm, but the bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition. Read: full Sony KDL-40EX503 full review Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 Sony's best TV to date matches Freeview HD to 200Hz scanning Sporting Sony's new Monolithic design and a Deep Black Panel, this TV features 200Hz processing, Bravia Engine 3 video processing, 24p True Cinema Blu-ray mode, Live Colour engine, Bravia Internet Video and Freeview HD. The 40HX703 also scores a palpable hit with the sharpness of its HD sources, which contain oodles of fine detail and enjoy a really crisp finish, but suffer no video noise. The crispness is further boosted by the impressive 200Hz processing, which keeps judder and motion blur to a minimum without generating hardly any unwanted processing side effects (provided, of course, you stick with the 'MotionFlow' system's Standard setting). Colours are superb, too, and the Bravia Engine upscales standard-definition sources unusually effectively. Read: full Sony KDL-40HX703 review Panasonic TX-P42GT20B Panasonic takes 3D plasma to a smaller level, and throws in 2D to 3D upscaling Just when it looked like LCD was about to bury its old rival once and for all, plasma proved it could show 3D pictures with much less ghosting noise, or crosstalk - but the only catch was size. Those with smaller rooms (and bank accounts) can now invest in 3DTV thanks to this, Panasonic's first 42-inch 3D plasma. Endorsed by THX and the ISF, this is another superb plasma that underlines the technology's current 3D advantage. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42GT20 review Philips 40PFL7605 Edge LED with added Ambilight & Net TV, but no Freeview HD Remarkably thin (it's just 42mm deep), but well built, this Philips has the usual classy touches - Ambilight, wireless streaming and Net TV - but no Freeview HD tuner. That's an oversight and bound to put some people off, which is a shame, because at its core this superlative set is all about picture performance. And as Edge LED-backlit TVs go, you won't find a much slimmer or more impressive TV. Read: full Philips 40PFL7605 review Sony KDL-40NX703 This Sony offers excellent black levels – and can be bought with a white bezel The 40NX703's colours and contrast reduce during off-axis viewing, the TV's front panel can reflect direct light a little heavily, and its HD pictures aren't quite as crisp as normal for Sony. But with some good standard-def upscaling and a passable if hardly earth-shattering audio, the 40NX703 remains a seriously attractive combination of form and function. Meanwhile, 'monolithic' TV styling and a single layer glass topsheet make for a simple and striking design. Read: Sony KDL-40NX703 review Sony KDL-40NX713 This networked TV aims to be all things to all viewers With Edge LED backlighting, Sony's NX Network sets combine advanced multimedia capability with premium picture performance and Sony's trademark Monolithic Design. This designer set is a top-flight picture performer and looks fabulous with Blu-ray. As a 3D proposition it has flaws, principally because you'll need to invest more cash to obtain the required accoutrements. But overall, the TV gets two thumbs up. Read: Sony KDL-40NX713 review Samsung UE40C8000 Samsung's gorgeous 40-inch skinny screen is an edge-lit LED delight This elegant edge LED-lit TV's skinniness is just one of its many attributes, with 3D capability, DLNA networking, USB recording and internet TV among the auxiliary features that complement its jaw-dropping looks. A transparent-edged, brushed titanium bezel and ultra-black screen contains Freeview HD and plenty more cutting-edge tech, though it's too small for 3D. Read: Samsung UE40C8000 review LG 42LE7900 This wafer-thin LED TV is a plum puchase LG's latest boundary-pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today. This set has every gadget you could possibly need and then a few more sprinkled on top for good measure. Most excitingly, it has Freeview HD brains built in, which means you won't need a digibox ever again. It also sports LG's NetCast web-browsing 'widgets', wireless capability for use with various media files or cord-free headphones and four HDMI inputs. It's also lit with LEDs, 100Hz scanning two USB inputs. Underwhelming black levels and occasionally substandard motion handling cost the set a fifth star and an unreserved recommendation; this is one for those who prefer style over technical finesse. Read: full LG 42LE7900 review Panasonic TX-P42VT20 Panasonic's most advanced 42-inch screen yet brings full HD 3D to the plasma party Panasonic's 'other' 42-inch 3D plasma is from the step-up VT20 Series. For the extra cash you'll get an extra speaker, a wireless adaptor and perhaps the brand's best-kept secret - Infinite Black Pro. It may look drab on the outside, but one of Panasonic's flagship screens uses plasma tech to display one of the best 2D and 3D performances around. Read: full Panasonic TX-P42VT20 review Related Stories Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today

Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:29 AM PDT UPDATE: Check out our Hands on: HTC Sensation review The HTC Sensation has been officially unveiled. The smartphone formerly known as the HTC Pyramid has finally broken cover: in the UK after weeks of rumours. We've already seen the leaked HTC Sensation pictures, so what else can we expect? HTC Sensation UK release date HTC sent out invites to a media event on 12 April at which the Sensation was expected to be the guest of honour. And sure enough, at the event, the Sensation was unveiled. The Sensation release date is set at May 2011, with Vodafone being the launch network. HTC Sensation UK price There's no news of a UK price just yet. Expect the usual range of options ranging from dirt-cheap on pricey contracts to really pricey if you go SIM-free. HTC Sensation specifications Full HTC Sensations specifications are below. Processor Qualcomm MSM 8260 1.2 GHz dual-core Platform Android 2.3 with HTC Sense Memory Internal phone storage: 1GB RAM: 768MB Dimensions (LxWxT) 126.1 65.4 11.3 mm 14.96 2.570 0.44 inches Weight 141 grams (5.22 ounces) with battery Display 4.3-inch touch SLCD screen with 540 x 960 resolution Gorilla glass Network HSPA/WCDMA Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz Upload speed of up 5.76 Mbps and download speed of up to 14.4 Mbps GPS Internal GPS antenna Sensors Gyro sensor G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Connectivity 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP for file transfer, A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, and PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g/n DLNA Micro-USB port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection Camera 8 rnegapixel colour camera with auto focus and dual LED flash 1080p HD video recording VGA front camera Audio supported formats Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr Video supported formats Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .3gp Stereo sound video recording Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1520 mAh Talking time: Up to 400 minutes for WCDMA and up to 495 minutes for GSM Standby time: Up to 400 hours for WCDMA and up to 350 hours for GSM Expansion slot microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) AC adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 2400 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A HTC Sensation software The Sensation is running Android 2.3, and HTC's Sense 3.0 overlay, which offers a new 3D overlay for browsing through the home screens, a new lock display that lets you drag apps to the bottom to open them instantly and new visual widgets. HTC Sensation photos We now have official product shots from HTC: HTC Sensation videos HTC has uploaded a video of its new handset to YouTube, which you can view below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Hands on: Nokia E6 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:29 AM PDT UPDATE: Check out our Hands on: HTC Sensation review The HTC Sensation has been officially unveiled. The smartphone formerly known as the HTC Pyramid has finally broken cover in the UK after weeks of rumours. We've already seen the leaked HTC Sensation pictures, so what else can we expect? HTC Sensation UK release date HTC sent out invites to a media event on 12 April at which the Sensation was expected to be the guest of honour. And sure enough, at the event, the Sensation was unveiled. The Sensation release date is set at May 2011, with Vodafone being the launch network. HTC Sensation UK price There's no news of a UK price just yet. Expect the usual range of options ranging from dirt-cheap on pricey contracts to really pricey if you go SIM-free. HTC Sensation specifications Full HTC Sensations specifications are below. Processor Qualcomm MSM 8260 1.2 GHz dual-core Platform Android 2.3 with HTC Sense Memory Internal phone storage: 1GB RAM: 768MB Dimensions (LxWxT) 126.1 65.4 11.3 mm 14.96 2.570 0.44 inches Weight 141 grams (5.22 ounces) with battery Display 4.3-inch touch SLCD screen with 540 x 960 resolution Gorilla glass Network HSPA/WCDMA Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz Upload speed of up 5.76 Mbps and download speed of up to 14.4 Mbps GPS Internal GPS antenna Sensors Gyro sensor G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Connectivity 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP for file transfer, A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, and PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g/n DLNA Micro-USB port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection Camera 8 rnegapixel colour camera with auto focus and dual LED flash 1080p HD video recording VGA front camera Audio supported formats Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr Video supported formats Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .3gp Stereo sound video recording Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1520 mAh Talking time: Up to 400 minutes for WCDMA and up to 495 minutes for GSM Standby time: Up to 400 hours for WCDMA and up to 350 hours for GSM Expansion slot microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) AC adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 2400 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A HTC Sensation software The Sensation is running Android 2.3, and HTC's Sense 3.0 overlay, which offers a new 3D overlay for browsing through the home screens, a new lock display that lets you drag apps to the bottom to open them instantly and new visual widgets. HTC Sensation photos We now have official product shots from HTC: HTC Sensation videos HTC has uploaded a video of its new handset to YouTube, which you can view below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Vodafone leak outs HTC Sensation UK launch Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Hands on: Nokia E6 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:29 AM PDT UPDATE: Check out our Hands on: HTC Sensation review The HTC Sensation has been officially unveiled. The smartphone formerly known as the HTC Pyramid has finally broken cover in the UK after weeks of rumours. We've already seen the leaked HTC Sensation pictures, so what else can we expect? HTC Sensation UK release date HTC sent out invites to a media event on 12 April at which the Sensation was expected to be the guest of honour. And sure enough, at the event, the Sensation was unveiled. The Sensation release date is set at May 2011, with Vodafone being the launch network. HTC Sensation UK price There's no news of a UK price just yet. Expect the usual range of options ranging from dirt-cheap on pricey contracts to really pricey if you go SIM-free. HTC Sensation specifications Full HTC Sensations specifications are below. Processor Qualcomm MSM 8260 1.2 GHz dual-core Platform Android 2.3 with HTC Sense Memory Internal phone storage: 1GB RAM: 768MB Dimensions (LxWxT) 126.1 65.4 11.3 mm 14.96 2.570 0.44 inches Weight 141 grams (5.22 ounces) with battery Display 4.3-inch touch SLCD screen with 540 x 960 resolution Gorilla glass Network HSPA/WCDMA Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz Upload speed of up 5.76 Mbps and download speed of up to 14.4 Mbps GPS Internal GPS antenna Sensors Gyro sensor G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Connectivity 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP for file transfer, A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, and PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g/n DLNA Micro-USB port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection Camera 8 rnegapixel colour camera with auto focus and dual LED flash 1080p HD video recording VGA front camera Audio supported formats Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr Video supported formats Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .3gp Stereo sound video recording Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1520 mAh Talking time: Up to 400 minutes for WCDMA and up to 495 minutes for GSM Standby time: Up to 400 hours for WCDMA and up to 350 hours for GSM Expansion slot microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) AC adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 2400 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A HTC Sensation software The Sensation is running Android 2.3, and HTC's Sense 3.0 overlay, which offers a new 3D overlay for browsing through the home screens, a new lock display that lets you drag apps to the bottom to open them instantly and new visual widgets. HTC Sensation photos We now have official product shots from HTC: HTC Sensation videos HTC has uploaded a video of its new handset to YouTube, which you can view below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Updated: HTC Sensation: what you need to know Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:29 AM PDT UPDATE: Check out our Hands on: HTC Sensation review The HTC Sensation has been officially unveiled. The smartphone formerly known as the HTC Pyramid has finally broken cover in the UK after weeks of rumours. We've already seen the leaked HTC Sensation pictures, so what else can we expect? HTC Sensation UK release date HTC sent out invites to a media event on 12 April at which the Sensation was expected to be the guest of honour. And sure enough, at the event, the Sensation was unveiled. The Sensation release date is set at May 2011, with Vodafone being the launch network. HTC Sensation UK price There's no news of a UK price just yet. Expect the usual range of options ranging from dirt-cheap on pricey contracts to really pricey if you go SIM-free. HTC Sensation specifications Full HTC Sensations specifications are below. Processor Qualcomm MSM 8260 1.2 GHz dual-core Platform Android 2.3 with HTC Sense Memory Internal phone storage: 1GB RAM: 768MB Dimensions (LxWxT) 126.1 65.4 11.3 mm 14.96 2.570 0.44 inches Weight 141 grams (5.22 ounces) with battery Display 4.3-inch touch SLCD screen with 540 x 960 resolution Gorilla glass Network HSPA/WCDMA Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz Upload speed of up 5.76 Mbps and download speed of up to 14.4 Mbps GPS Internal GPS antenna Sensors Gyro sensor G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Connectivity 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP for file transfer, A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, and PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g/n DLNA Micro-USB port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection Camera 8 rnegapixel colour camera with auto focus and dual LED flash 1080p HD video recording VGA front camera Audio supported formats Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr Video supported formats Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .3gp Stereo sound video recording Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1520 mAh Talking time: Up to 400 minutes for WCDMA and up to 495 minutes for GSM Standby time: Up to 400 hours for WCDMA and up to 350 hours for GSM Expansion slot microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) AC adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 2400 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A HTC Sensation software The Sensation is running Android 2.3, and HTC's Sense 3.0 overlay, which offers a new 3D overlay for browsing through the home screens, a new lock display that lets you drag apps to the bottom to open them instantly and new visual widgets. HTC Sensation photos We now have official product shots from HTC: HTC Sensation videos HTC has uploaded a video of its new handset to YouTube, which you can view below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review Related Stories Hands on: HTC Sensation review HTC Sensation unveiled with 1.2GHz dual-core power Updated: HTC Flyer UK release date: 9 May iPhone 5 to take over September iPod event? Hands on: Nokia X7 review

Cisco kills Flip video camera line Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:23 AM PDT The humble Flip video camera is no more, as Cisco has announced that it is closing the Flip business. It's part of Cisco's plan to pull out of all consumer business, sticking to its traditional stomping ground of the enterprise side of the market. Existing Flip owners will still have a certain level of customer support available, however, with Cisco promising to do so with a 'transition plan' that hasn't yet been outlined. Key targeted moves to network centricity John Chambers, Cisco chairman and CEO said of the changes, "We are making key, targeted moves as we align operations in support of our network-centric platform strategy. "As we move forward, our consumer efforts will focus on how we help our enterprise and service provider customers optimise and expand their offerings for consumers, and help ensure the network's ability to deliver on those offerings." We were a little puzzled when Cisco picked up the Flip business in a $590m deal back in 2009, but that was back in the days before HD video shooting smartphones were the norm and the dinky camera could do no wrong. Cisco said at the time that it was hoping to take its "consumer business to the next level". We're not sure that this is exactly what it had in mind. Related Stories Cisco kills Flip video camera line Related Stories Cisco kills Flip video camera line Cisco kills Flip video camera line Related Stories Cisco kills Flip video camera line Cisco kills Flip video camera line Cisco kills Flip video camera line

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