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Opinion – The Rights And Wrongs Of Remakes
By GameInformer, published 31-05-2013
Remakes are risky business. Fans may say they want to see their favorite games get a new treatment, but developers need to be careful, because a remake is easy to do poorly. Keep too close to the original, and people complain that it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Go too far afield, and it doesn't deliver the nostalgic kick that people wanted in the first place. It's a fine line, but following a few simple rules can make it easier to walk. Whether a developer is creating an HD version or making more drastic changes, a remake needs to revolve around a single question: Would someone who liked the original want to play this? In essence, if you're going to re-release a game, it needs to appeal to the audience who made it popular in the first place. They're ...
Crytek's Ryse Confirmed For Xbox One, CryEngine 3 Already Running On System
By GameInformer, published 22-05-2013
Back in 2011, Crytek took the stage at Microsoft E3 press conference to tease a Kinect game titled Ryse (formerly Codename: Kingdoms). Then it disappeared. The official website for Ryse declares that the title is now exclusive to the Xbox One and that it is a controller-based experience, but enhanced by Kinect. Based on the countdown timer, we'll learn more at E3, likely as part of Microsoft's promised game-focused keynote address. This news comes in tandem with Crytek announcing it already has CryEngine 3 running on the Xbox One hardware and ready for licensing to other developers. Visit our Xbox One Headquarters for complete coverage of news from the reveal. The full CryEngine 3 press release is on page two. [Source: Crytek] [PageBreak] Frankfurt am Main (Germany) May 21,...
Killzone: Mercenary Preview — Blasting Helghast On The Vita Feels Good
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2013
Back in 2006 Guerilla Games released a top-down, isometric shooter on the PSP called Killzone: Liberation. The game received middling reviews, but proved the series had potential on handheld platforms. Now Guerilla Cambridge is developing Killzone: Mercenary for the PlayStation Vita, a full-fledged FPS that feels more like a true Killzone experience. During a pre-E3 event this week in Santa Monica, California, I got my hands on the game’s single- and multiplayer modes. Mercenary follows a gun-for-hire that pledges no allegiance to the valorous ISA or insidious Helghast. Players fight along both sides throughout the game’s campaign. The mission I took part in had me battling Helghast forces on an outpost nestled in a huge canyon. The scenario begins with the player creeping thr...
LG Optimus G Pro now available in the US
By GSMArena, published 05-10-2013
The LG Optimus G Pro hit store shelves Stateside today as scheduled. The flagship is available exclusively via AT&T and costs $200 with a two-year contract. LG Optimus G Pro for AT&T The LG Optimus G Pro is already available in South Korea and Europe, while its availability in Asia is yet to be announced. There is no information if this carrier exclusivity will eventually expire, but...
Nine Video Games Starring Celebrities
By GameInformer, published 05-04-2013
Snoop Dogg’s video game is strange. Way of the Dogg looks like a fighting game, but plays like Elite Beat Agents, and features Mr. Dogg in a prominent role. It also has two letter g’s in the title where one would have been sufficient – just like the rapper’s name. Games built around celebrities that are not based on movies are still somewhat rare. These are some of the games that have given it a shot in the past. Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City – Michael Jordan (pictured above) The weirdest thing about Chaos in the Windy City isn’t its plot of saving other all-star basketball players to attend a charity basketball game, or that Jordon has an endless supply of basketballs to fire at enemies. The weirdest thing about Chaos in the Windy City’...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/02/13
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2013
One of the popular topics of the week among the bloggers and reviewers was Injustice: Gods Among Us. If that doesn't interest you, there were certainly quite a few other interesting posts with some of the best ones featured here. Help support the Game Informer online community by reading and commenting on content provided by your fellow users. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 22 – April 28, 2013Number of User Blogs: 57Number of User Bloggers: 45Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: All In The Name Of ProgressMarco Polo shares an interesting perspective on advances in technology, the impact it is having on the video game industry, and what we might expect from the next generation of gaming consoles. The 3DS Is Totally Worth ItIf you still haven't purchased...
AT&T Grabs 5.5" LG Optimus G Pro Android Smartphone For $200
By HotHardware, published 05-02-2013
To date, Samsung's Galaxy Note phablet line has seen little competition in the U.S. market. But that's about to change. LG has just announced that its Optimus G Pro will ship Stateside, but only on AT&T. That's sure to hurts LG's chances at matching Galaxy Note sales, given that the Note and Note II have emerged on just about every U.S....
A Comedian And A Rocket Scientist Walk Into A Bar, And Try To Make A Video Game
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2013
Michael Swaim (you might recognize him from this video) is known on the Internet as the sarcastic Tsar of video content for Cracked.com. Very few of the things he says while on camera can be taken seriously, which is by design. It’s no surprise that when he plugged his own Kickstarter project on the most recent episode of his recurring web series, Does Not Compute, he had to clarify that MyTemple “is not a joke.” The game is one part RPG and one part workout tracker. The progress you log with your exercise is turned around into experience and skills to be used in an RPG. Swaim is writing the story and scenarios for the game, and his longtime friend Griffin Rowell is doing the behind-the-scenes programming work. Head here to check out the Kickstarter for MyTemple Sw...
Music Spotlight: Remember Me Composer Olivier Deriviere
By GameInformer, published 29-04-2013
Oliver Deriviere filters his formal classical background through a love of cutting edge electronic music. This is evidenced in his innovative score for Capcom's Remember Me, which digitally manipulates live orchestral recordings into a score that feels remarkably fresh. We spoke with Deriviere about his musical background, video game composition, and musical inspirations. Talk a little bit about your background with music? Were you musical as a child? My parents are great music lovers and they were always listening to a large variety of genres such as classical, folk, pop, world music and many more - country music included! At eight years old I was already listening to video game soundtracks and creating tapes full of computer music from the C64, Atari ST and Amiga. Tell...
Mother 3 Fan Translators Offer Their Work To Nintendo For Free
By GameInformer, published 20-04-2013
Mother 3, the Earthbound sequel that never made its way to the United States, was translated by fans. Those fans are now offering their translation to Nintendo for free. The translation was released in 2008, and it was completed over the course of many years by dedicated fans, lead by FUNimation translator Clyde Mandelin. To date, it has been the only way for non-Japanese speaking players to experience the sequel to Earthbound. If you're confused by the naming conventions of the game, the Earthbound series is called Mother in Japan. Mother was an NES title, Mother 2 was a Super Nintendo title that was renamed Earthbound for North America, and Mother 3 released for the Game Boy Advance. You can find out more about the translation on the project's blog. Mandelin is openly offering t...
StarCraft: Ghost Still In Development... Technically
By GameInformer, published 04-08-2013
In an interview with Blizzard Entertainment’s Matthew Burger, he revealed to PlayStation Magazine that StarCraft: Ghost is not cancelled, but on hold. StarCraft: Ghost was first announced in 2002, and there are a number of leaked screens floating around the internet. When asked if StarCraft: Ghost would ever see a release, Burger simply stated, “Maybe.” The hope for the release of the decade-old title is not lost and has been rekindled through the vague, mysterious words of Blizzard’s Matthew Burger. Until such time as StarCraft: Ghost is either canceled or released, fans of Blizzard's futuristic universe will have to content themselves with the excellent StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. For a little dose of nostalgia,...
Microsoft And Fox Come To Terms Over Killer Instinct Trademark
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2013
Hope springs eternal for fans of Rare’s classic over-the-top fighting game, Killer Instinct. It originally appeared in arcades in 1994, before making its way to the SNES and Game Boy a year later. For over a decade, fighting game enthusiasts have been clamoring for a return to Ultratech’s absurd Killer Instinct tournament. Just a few days ago, Fox and Microsoft signed a Trademark Coexistence Agreement, as discovered by intrepid NeoGAF user Rösti. These documents are used by two corporations that are comfortable with each other utilizing similar branding. Fox aired a short-lived crime drama back in 2005 with the same name, which caused problems for Microsoft when they attempted to renew the trademark for the video game in 2012. Given that the show has been off the air for ...
LG's 4.3 Lucid2 Smartphone Offering High-End Goods For Free On Verizon
By HotHardware, published 04-03-2013
At this point, entry-level Android phones are a dime a dozen. Or, if you play your cards right, free on a 2-year contract. For those uninteresting in paying $200+ for a superphone, LG has introduced the Lucid2. It's a VZW exclusive, and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks for free with a new two-year...
Kicking The Tires On The Ouya
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2013
The console isn't even out yet, but it's already been a wild ride for the Ouya. Since this Android based platform announced its Kickstarter campaign last July, more than 60,000 backers have contributed $8.6 million for an open platform that gives developers the autonomy to build what they want when they want. We recently sat down with CEO Julie Urhman, who showcased the console, controller, and slick user interface. The Console The diminutive chassis is less than the size of a softball, packing in a Nvidia Tegra 3, 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM A9 chip, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal flash memory. One modestly sized fan keeps all these pieces from overheating while operating at a quiet 20 decibels. The back of the unit features an HDMI port, USB and micro USB ports, an Ethernet port, an...
LG accuses Samsung Galaxy S4 of violating its eye-tracking patent
By GSMArena, published 19-03-2013
At the day of the Galaxy S4 event, LG officially announced its Smart Video feature for the Optimus G Pro, and later Samsung touted a similar Smart Pause feature for its flagship. As a result, LG says Samsung violates its eye-tracking patent with Smart Pause. The patent in question is applied for in 2009, but LG suspects its domestic rival of violating more patents dating as far back as...
[Update] Report: Pokémon DLG Takes A Page From Skylanders Playbook
By GameInformer, published 15-03-2013
[Update] A trailer for the physical toy-based Pokémon game has appeared on the developers' Japanese YouTube page. (Please visit the site to view this media) [via Destructoid] [Original Story] Disney thinks it can capture the magic of Skylanders and now Nintendo does too. The upcoming game Pokémon Scramble U reportedly works like Skylanders in that fans will be able to take real life toys and bring them into a game world. According to Serebii, a new line of Pokémon toys will launch on April 24, which is when Pokémon Rumble U hits store shelves. These toys use a Near Field Communication technology, similar to Skylanders, which will allow players to bring their toys into the game. The downloadable Wii U title is called Pokémon Scramble U in Japan,...
Report: Pokémon DLG Takes A Page From Skylanders Playbook
By GameInformer, published 13-03-2013
Disney thinks it can capture the magic of Skylanders and now Nintendo does too. The upcoming game Pokémon Scramble U reportedly works like Skylanders in that fans will be able to take real life toys and bring them into a game world. According to Serebii, a new line of Pokémon toys will launch on April 24, which is when Pokémon Rumble U hits store shelves. These toys use a Near Field Communication technology, similar to Skylanders, which will allow players to bring their toys into the game. The downloadable Wii U title is called Pokémon Scramble U in Japan, and will cost ¥1800 (around $19), while the individual figures cost ¥200 each (around $2). So far the game hasn't been announced for release outside of Japan, but we'll keep you posted. [Via...
Sega Wants Your Support To Bring Hatsune Miku To The West
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2013
Fans of diva vocaloids take note: Sega is gauging interest in a western release of Hatsune Miku Project Diva F on Facebook. For those not versed in bizarre Japanese phenomena, Hatsune Miku is a virtual pop star voiced by a synthetic voice (also known as a vocaloid). She's also the star of her own line of rhythm games, the latest of which – Hatsune Mika: Project Diva F – comes out today in Japan for the PlayStation 3. Sega is contemplating bringing the virtual star to North America and Europe, but is looking to gauge interest via its Facebook page – simply Like and Share the page to pledge your support. Just don't come crying to us when Miku becomes self-aware and takes over the world. For more on Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F, check out these import rev...
Games That Deserve Remakes
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
Games are the unfortunate victim of being a technology-focused medium. The games that defined our childhood show their age much faster than the movies we grew up with. It’s one of the reasons video game remakes are often worth getting excited about. They allow us to replay the games we love as we remember them, rather than how they actually are. It was easy to ignore the pixelated look and less-than-ideal frame-rate of Ocarina of Time when it released. Compared to what else was available, the game looked fantastic. Playing the updated version on the 3DS offered a version of the game that fell more in line with my memories, rather than reality. With the The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD remake on the horizon, it makes us consider what games were fantastic when they released, but now...
Here Are BioShock Infinite's Achievements
By GameInformer, published 02-02-2013
The list of Xbox 360 achievements for BioShock Infinite have appeared online, but gander at your own risk, because I hear there are spoilers. Tin Soldier (10 points) - Completed the game on Easy difficulty or above.Saw the Elephant (25 points) - Completed the game on Normal difficulty or above.Stone Cold Pinkerton (50 points) - Completed the game on Hard difficulty or above.Auld Lang Syne (75 points) - Completed the game on 1999 mode.Should Auld Acquaintance... (10 points) - Unlocked 1999 mode.Industrial Accident (5 points) - Killed 20 enemies with a Sky-Hook Execution.Aerial Assassin (5 points) - Killed 20 enemies with a Sky-Line Strike.A Real Pistol (5 points) - Killed 25 enemies with the Broadsider Pistol.Passionately Reciprocated (5 points) - Killed 150 enemies with the Founder Triple...
Skulls Of The Shogun Game Giveaway
By GameInformer, published 29-01-2013
We got our hands on a few copies of Micorsoft's recent DLG Skulls of the Shogun, and we're going to hand them out to a few lucky community members. The best part? You don't need to do anything hard to win. To be eligible, all you need to do is post in the comments below and explain what your favorite downloadable title has been this generation. Submit your comment, and tomorrow at noon we'll select the winners (and get in touch with them through our site).In case you're not familiar with Skulls Of The Shogun, check out the trailer below. If you don't win a copy you can always buy the game for 1200 Microsoft points ($14.99) when it releases tomorrow on XBLA, PC, and Windows Phones. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Replay – The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
By GameInformer, published 01-12-2013
During the sea change from 2D to 3D gaming, Nintendo set incredibly high bars with their two flagship series. Mario set the standard for 3D platforming with the stellar Super Mario 64, and Link transitioned into 3D with equal grace. Many gamers (including myself) consider Ocarina of Time to be one of the greatest games of all time, and with good reason. Almost fifteen years since its 1998 release, we decided it was time to take a look back at the classic. Watch below to see Andrew Reiner, Jeff Cork, Joe Juba, and myself wax nostalgic over this gem and its place in history. (Please visit the site to view this media) (Please visit the site to view this media) Check out more episodes at our Replay hub.
Welcome Back To Vice City
By GameInformer, published 29-11-2012
Rockstar Games released the debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 10th Anniversary, an enhanced version of the original game from 2002. The game is out December 6 for Android through Google Play and iOS for $4.99. In addition to high-resolution graphics, Rockstar says the 10th Anniversary contains "updated character models and lighting effects, new and more precise firing and targeting options, a fully customizable control layout and native support for Retina display devices." Below is the list of compatible devices: Apple iOS Devices: iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 4, 4S & 5, iPod touch 4th & 5th Generation Android Phones: Motorola Razr, Razr Maxx, Razr Maxx HD, Motorola Atrix, Motorola Photon, Motorola Droid Bionic, HTC Rezound, HTC One X, HTC One S, HTC Evo 3D, ...
2012 Holiday Buying Guide
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2012
The end of the year is rolling around, which means it’s time to start thinking about gifts. For the generous gamers, that means coming up with the perfect presents for your friends and family. For opportunistic gamers, that means scribbling out a list of gifts for others to buy you. We’re not here to judge; we just want to highlight the hottest gadgets, newest gizmos, and best games that 2012 has to offer. What you do with that information is up to you. Text by Ben Reeves & Jeff Marchiafava Nav: Under $30-$75 | $80-$200 | $200+ | Media Shelf Under $30 — Happy Holidays, here’s a thing Smart Art, $10.00-25.00 • monkeyminion.storenvy.com • Monkey Minion Press is a one-stop-shop for decorating your home in geeky style. The husband and wife team from...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #236
By GameInformer, published 17-11-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Off season bicycle and triathlon training (I need to learn to swim as I completely suck at it), Blackjacks Football (My nephew's team is heading to Minnesota State again. It is important to note, his team beat up on ex-GI writer Phil Kollar's home town in the process so double win), Vikings Football, Wolves Basketball Dislikes: When life gives you lemons and you are unable to make lemonade – it sucks, it really does, That Assassin's Creed III has one of the ...
Would You Vote For Any Of These Video Game Presidents?
By GameInformer, published 11-07-2012
Today America voted for its next President. Is it too late to change our vote to one of these five video game presidents? Which of these fictional Commander-in-Chiefs would you vote for? President Adam Benford from Resident Evil 6 Political History: President Benford, A.K.A. President Evil, is close friends with both Leon and Sherry; Sherry even refers to him as uncle. Benford helped recruited Leon as a U.S. Government Agent. In Resident Evil 6, he tried to do the right thing by telling the American people the truth about what happened in Raccoon City, but he ended up with a craving for human flesh and a fatal case of bullet through the brain. Controversy: Cannibalism. Can we really trust a president who eats human flesh? Solidus Snake from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Political H...
This Week's Review Round-Up
By GameInformer, published 11-01-2012
We covered a lot of ground in reviews this week, from the game about a Native American assassin to the one about a mech-piloting teenage president. Also, don't forget about Halo 4. Here are all of this week's reviews, big and small, in one convenient place. Halo 4"The magic formula is intact, but the new development team isn’t afraid to put its own signature features into play, assuring that Halo is on a path to growth instead of stagnation." — Matt Miller Assassin's Creed III"An overwhelming experience in its own right, Assassin’s Creed III is the crown jewel on an already excellent series, and it sets the mind reeling about the potential for where the story goes from here." — Matt Miller Assassin's Creed III: Liberation"D...
WWE '13 Review: The Champ Is Here
By GameInformer, published 30-10-2012
Two years ago, NBA 2K11 released to critical and commercial success. A primary reason for the acclaim was a mode that meticulously recreated key moments of Michael Jordan’s legendary NBA career. With WWE ‘13, THQ has produced a similar love letter to pro wrestling’s greatest era. Millions were entertained by the antics of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and D-Generation X in the late ‘90s, and this “attitude era” stands at center stage in this year’s entry. WWE ‘12 attempted to tell the stories of several wrestlers with its Road to Wrestlemania mode, but an annoying objective system and match structure brought the entire experience down. WWE ‘13’s Attitude Era mode rectifies the mistakes of its predecessor by making specific o...
Unfortunate Timing: RPGs Released Late In The PSP’s Life Cycle
By GameInformer, published 25-10-2012
The PSP has been winding down in North America over the last few years, and with the Vita on the market, publishers are hesitant to bring over games late in the portable’s life cycle – many of which are RPGs. As an RPG fan, I yearn for and wonder about these games. Maybe an opportunity will arise to bring them digitally to PSN for play on both the PSP and Vita, but until then, I’ve selected eight games that came late in the PSP’s lifespan. Sadly, we will probably always pine for these to release in English. Grand Knights History Japanese Release Date: September 1, 2011 The word “Vanillaware” is all fans need to hear. The developer is known for bringing us stunning 2D visuals in games like Odin Sphere, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and GrimGrimoire. Natur...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #234
By GameInformer, published 10-02-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Football, Baseball playoffs, My new Origin computer, Waiting for Assassin's Creed III and XCOM: Enemy Unknown To Come Out Dislikes: The NHL hockey lockout, The end of cycling season, Whenever the coffee is empty Current Favorite Games: Borderlands 2, Guild Wars 2, World of WarCraft: Mists of Pandaria, Castle Age HD, 10000000, Dishonored Andrew Reiner Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Borderlands 2's shift keys (loot! loot! loot!), Collec...
Wish List: Battlefield 4
By GameInformer, published 28-09-2012
How can DICE and Electronic Arts build off the success of Battlefield 3? We have a few suggestions. Quit Chasing Call of Duty We already get an explosive, over-the-top, linear Call of Duty campaign every year courtesy of Activision, so we don’t need another one from Electronic Arts. Instead of copying Treyarch and Infinity Ward beat for beat, DICE should embrace Battlefield’s core values – non-linear gameplay, open environments, and a healthy mix of infantry and vehicular battles – to create its next campaign. Successful games like Crysis and Borderlands prove gamers aren’t averse to sandbox shooters, and given DICE’s pedigree in creating natural battlefronts in multiplayer, I’m willing to bet the community would enthusiastically embrac...
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit Review
By GameInformer, published 25-09-2012
Hell Yeah is an enjoyable 2D sidescroller that waxes nostalgic about classic games just as much as it establishes its own identity as a “how-to” guide to murdering monsters in ridiculous ways. One look at this game in action brings about comparisons to Metroid or Castlevania. World navigation is reminiscent to these classic titles, allowing players to leap to hard-to-reach areas for secret collectibles, and backtrack with different powers to open up new zones. After spending a few hours in this world, that comparison doesn’t hold as much weight. Hell Yeah’s critical path is surprisingly linear and mostly free of exploration. Rather than letting the player figure out where to go, Arkedo Studio directs the gameplay flow, leaving most of the secrets and side missions ...
WWE '13 Offers A Promising Return To The Monday Night Wars
By GameInformer, published 20-09-2012
Fans of professional wrestling are likely familiar with the historic Monday Night Wars of the mid-to-late ‘90s. When Ted Turner used his billions to lure almost all of WWF’s top talent to WCW, it put Vince McMahon’s back against the wall. Though WWF’s Monday Night Raw lost to WCW’s Monday Nitro in Nielsen ratings for more than 80 straight weeks, McMahon eventually regained the lead with new stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and D-Generation X. Because of the period’s edgy material and more adult storylines, it became known as the Attitude Era. Pro wrestling was never more popular, and THQ hopes to recapture some of the era’s magic in the WWE ‘13 campaign. Taking place from Steve Austin’s rise in late 1997 to Wrestlemania XV...
What’s More Likely: Another 2D Castlevania Or 2D Metroid?
By GameInformer, published 19-09-2012
Nintendo’s Metroid and Konami’s Castlevania series both have slightly different takes on the same great formula. We’d love to see more 2D entries from either series, but which series will return to the genre first? Metroid? Metroidvania is a dumb name, but Nintendo pretty much invented the formula with its Metroid series. Super Metroid is still one of the best examples of how to do exploration and environmental puzzle solving. Its moody atmosphere, clever game design, and great music don’t hurt either. Check out our Super Replay of the game here. When Nintendo released Metroid Fusion for the GBA in 2002, and Metroid: Zero Mission two years later, it looked as if we were set for a long run of handheld 2D Metroids. It never happened. After the New Super Mario Bros....
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 21-08-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. New this week is a horror game set underground, a space-based strategy game for iOS, and an open-source console/controller. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some amazing new game ideas in recent months, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium is y...
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 14-08-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. New this week is a mobile port of a Nancy Drew title, an HD remake of a classic action flight sim, and a new platformer by Activision co-founder and Pitfall! creator, David Crane. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some amazing new game ideas in recent months, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about...
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit Exclaims Release
By GameInformer, published 08-11-2012
Are you as excited for this game to release as its own title is to exist? Then get ready for Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit's fall release. Sega's new Action/Platform DLG will be available for download on September 25 for PSN, September 26 on XBLA, and October 3 for PC. The game will set you back $14.99, otherwise known as 1200 Microsoft Points. Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit features thirteen guns, nine wheels to pimp out your slaughter machine, and over fifty masks to slay in style.We don't really know what those statistics mean, but they seem like statistics. Watch the trailer for a better sense of gameplay. (Please visit the site to view this media)
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 08-07-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. New this week is an LGBT gamer convention, traditional Japanese woodblock art based on retro franchises, and a game about ducks. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some amazing new game ideas in recent months, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium...
Moments: Birth By Sleep's Secret Ending
By GameInformer, published 17-07-2012
Unlike typical Kingdom Hearts secret endings, which only complicate the overall story, Birth by Sleep's wraps things up in a big, emotional, and incredibly nostalgic way. SPOILERS AHEAD.Birth by Sleep's ending(s) is an overall emotional experience. But what makes BBS's secret ending, called "Blank Points," especially effective and momentous is that it attempts to wrap up the otherwise hilariously convoluted overarching story of the Kingdom Hearts series by tugging at our heartstrings and appealing to our nostalgia.The particular moment we'd like to point out is when Ansem tells Aqua that there is a boy who may have the key to saving them all – and his name, as recited by most of the lovable (basically) dead characters in the series, is Sora. The next scene ...
Metal Gear Solid 4 Finally Gettting PS3 Trophies
By GameInformer, published 07-11-2012
Update: Konami confirmed trophies are coming to North America along with a new version of the game. More details will be announced later. --------------------------------- A report out of Japan mentions that 2008's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally getting Trophy support after all these years. According to a report from Japan's Famitsu Magazine, Trophies will be featured in a patch for existing users as well as included in a budget version of the game that will come out in August in Japan. No word yet whether this stuff applies to the U.S. [via Andriasang]
Review: LG 47LM660T Passive 3D TV
By DigitalVersus, published 07-02-2012
Today we're reviewing the 47" LG LM660T, a TV that's also available with 42" (42LM660T) and 55" (55LM660T) screen sizes. After testing the LM860V, it's time to haul the LG...
The Pillars of eSports
By GameInformer, published 29-06-2012
Last week, we discussed what the term eSports meant and made a case for why people might enjoy it. This week, we talk about the core games and franchises that make up the eSports scene. Just as traditional sports include different games like football, baseball, and hockey, eSports are comprised of many diverse games that are considered competitive. Titles like StarCraft II, Super Street Fighter IV, and DotA are dissimilar games that are played at the highest level. The developers of these titles spend countless hours carefully crafting and balancing the competitive experience for gamers. Often, developers make them free-to-play in an effort to draw in more people. They also make additions that cater specifically to the competitive audience. Making a game, thrusting it out to t...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 06/28/12
By GameInformer, published 28-06-2012
Striving to bring you only the best blogs, there aren't as many featured this week, but the ones that made the cut are certainly worth your time, including a few posts from the community's newest members. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: June 18 – June 24, 2012Number of User Blogs: 81Number of User Bloggers: 48Number of User Blogs Herded: 7 Community Events: Extra Life Gaming MarathonTEAM GIO is 33 members strong now and includes a few staff members, but is still seeking volunteers to contribute to this video game-related charity effort to benefit the Children's Miracle Network Hospital. Community Blogs: How Bargain Prices Make "Bad" Games EnticingFinalFantasy1026 theorizes how the less you pay for a game the more you're likely to enjoy it and for...
Why Should You Care About eSports?
By GameInformer, published 22-06-2012
What makes over eight million people tune in to live streams to watch other people play video games? Electronic Sports, better known as eSports, is an umbrella term for competitive video gaming. Competitive gaming has been growing in popularity for a while now, developing a large fan-base that is both loyal and rabid for more content. The millions of people who tune in to eSports events can’t be bored to tears, right? What makes them fun? At its heart, eSports are about competing against other people, just like football, baseball, or chess. The players might not be running around a field or attempting to set a world-record race time, but appearances can be deceiving. The games that become popular in eSports, like League of Legends, StarCraft 2, Counter-Strike, Soul Caliber V, etc. h...
Sequels That Nailed It
By GameInformer, published 22-06-2012
There are good games with good sequels, and then there are good games with phenomenal sequels. You know, the sequels that if you want to introduce your friend to the franchise, you will tell them that they can skip right to the second game. It's no easy task, but these are some of the most memorable cases of a sequel far outshining the original. Assassin’s Creed II – The original Assassin’s Creed feels like an experiment for the goals of the series. A test for the engine and how Assassin’s Creed should work, put out into the market to see what parts of the game were fun, and which ones weren’t. When it came time for Assassin’s Creed II, the team at Ubisoft took everyone’s feedback, axing the recurring missions and boring parts of the game, in ...
MLG's Pro Circuit Sets eSports Record
By GameInformer, published 14-06-2012
The 3-day broadcast of the Major League Gaming Spring Championship last weekend boasted 437,000 peak concurrent online viewers and more than 4.7 million unique online viewers, breaking the record for the largest North American eSports event.More than 20,000 people also showed up in-person to watch as competitors played League of Legends, StarCraft 2, and other games for almost $200,000 in prize money.VOD and rebroadcasts of the championship are available here at the Major League Gaming website.
LG Flatron IPS226V: Back in the Lab!
By DigitalVersus, published 06-04-2012
The LG IPS226V monitor has been one of our favourite five-star displays for the last two years. Plus, it doesn't break the bank, in spite of its excellent IPS screen...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/17/12
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2012
Today marks the day J.C. Padilla scored the highest video game score ever recorded, when back in 2003 he reached 2,181,619,994,299,256,480 points in Giga Wing 2 for the Dreamcast. If that doesn't excite you, perhaps one of these blogs by the community will. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: May 07 – May 13, 2012Number of User Blogs: 90Number of User Bloggers: 53Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: Weird Should Be A ComplimentDoctor Apozem talks about how weird shouldn't necessarily have negative connotations when referring to an atypical video game design and challenges us to seek these games out and give them a try. Cutting Corners – Tricks Of The TradeCommunity blogger xking595x examines techniques used by the developers in the construction of video g...
Tribes: Ascend Review: Tribes Jetpacks Its Way Back To Relevancy
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2012
Today’s young shooter fans may not realize the influence Tribes has had on games like Halo. The high-flying, vehicle driving, team-based antics of Tribe’s original outings have a lot to do with the Halo we’re familiar with today. The Tribes series has been on hiatus since the last game released in 2004, but with Tribes: Ascend, it’s back to reclaim its throne – or at least sit alongside other competing first-person online shooters. Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play game, which is surprising considering how rich an experience it is. I never found myself apologizing for the game or saying, “Oh well. It’s free, so I can’t complain,” because the game feels like a full retail release minus a single-player campaign. You can spend real money t...
SimCity Interview: Building On Classic Foundations
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2012
At the mere mention of SimCity, many gamers get nostalgic gleams in their eyes as they recall the hours spent building virtual metropolises. Considering how long the series has been dormant, some people thought that SimCity would remain relegated to the realm of nostalgia, but EA and Maxis revealed a new installment at this year's Game Developers Conference. We talked to lead producer Kip Katsarelis about this reboot of one of gaming's classic PC series. This interview originally appeared in issue #229 of the magazine. We now present this extended version for the first time outside of Game Informer Digital. It’s been nearly a decade since the last numbered SimCity title came out. Why resurrect the franchise now? What are the factors that make you feel the time is right?Has i...
Five Great Comic Book Games That Will Never Be Made
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2012
Plenty of great comic book characters have had their shot at digital entertainment, but the comic world is filled with an endless stream of great characters and shorelines. Why should gamers only ever get to play as the Batmans and Spider-Mans? We shuffled through our longboxes to uncover some great overlooked comic book gems that would make great games. PlanetaryWhy it would be awesome: Most secret organizations focus on ensuring national security or fighting global criminal organizations, but Planetary is an almost non-existent institute that tries to catalogue the world's secret history. Planetary’s members aren’t really superheroes, but they do have superhero-like powers. Dubbing themselves “Archaeologists of the Impossible,” this team of researchers often...
The Essential Xbox Live Arcade List
By GameInformer, published 21-04-2012
PlayStation 3, Wii, iOS, and multiplatform downloadable games have had their shot. Today is all about the Xbox 360.This week, we've outlined some of the best games across the life of the major console download services. With an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive survey of the essential titles on any given downloadable platform. You may recognize this feature from last year, which has now been updated with all the new great titles that have released since.Today, we’re tackling the first major console game download service that appeared. There are now over 480 games available on the Xbox Live Arcade service, an impressive collection that has been building since the c...
The Essential Multiplatform Downloadable Game List
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2012
Our essential multiplatform DLG list examines the games you can play no matter what console you play on. This week, we’re outlining some of the best games across the life of the major console download services. With an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive survey of the essential titles on any given downloadable platform. We've updated our list from last year, adding a whole new page of titles that have come out since we first published our selections. To read the newest additions, just click to the final page of this article. For this list, if you can purchase the game on some combination of PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and/or WiiWare, we’ve in...
The Essential PlayStation Network Game List
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2012
This week we return to the essential downloadable games of this generation, shining light on the newest titles that no gamer should miss. Last year we outlined some of the best games across the life of the major console download services, with an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits. This week we're taking an updated look at each platform, adding in all the great titles that came out since last year. We'll start with PlayStation Network. Launching almost two years after Microsoft rolled out its XBLA service, the PlayStation Network has had a lot of ground to cover in order catch up to its main rival. Thanks to developers like Jenova Chen and Hello Games, who have openly praised Sony's support for smaller studios...
Skullgirls Review: Fighting For Everyone
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2012
Consoles have been treated to a revival of the fighting genre ever since Street Fighter IV’s release in 2009, but no notable new entries have made their way to the downloadable arena. Reverge Labs is finally delivering this with Skullgirls, a game that feels more like a full-on fighting experience than a diluted downloadable wannabe. Creating a fighter that appeals to both casual and hardcore fans of the genre is no easy feat. To pull this off, a game has to be accessible enough to be immediately fun while deep enough to reward gamers who sink dozens of hours into learning minute elements of the battle system. By combining familiar inputs with an extensive training system, Skullgirls successfully courts both audiences. Most attacks are performed via Street Fighter-like dragon ...
Skullgirls Is Coming This Month
By GameInformer, published 04-02-2012
Reverge Labs' cartoony fighting game Skullgirls was due out back in 2011, but it got pushed back to a vague 2012 release window. Now we have a more accurate timeline for when we'll be able to download the game. Peter Bartholow, community manager at Reverge Labs, posted the info on NeoGAF. He said the game should be coming to Xbox Live worldwide on April 11, and that it will cost 1,200 Microsoft points. He added that while the dates are still being settled on for the PSN release, it should be available on the PlayStation 3 on April 10 for $14.99. Take a look at the game's story trailer to get acquainted with Skullgirls in the meantime.
Assassin’s Creed III: The Evolution of the Templar Order
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2012
If you’re a series newcomer interested in jumping into the fray with Assassin’s Creed III, a lapsed fan who missed one of the games, or a dedicated follower who just wants a refresher course, this article will catch you up on the era-spanning conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templars. [Note: This article contains spoilers for each of the Assassin’s Creed games and the extended fiction. If you wish to experience these reveals firsthand, I suggest skipping this article.] Getting To Know The TemplarsFounded historically in 1119, though said to be active in various forms since the 5th century BCE according to the Creed lore, the Order of the Knights Templar is a secret organization that strives to achieve the betterment of humanity by exercising contro...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #228
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Sonoma And Napa Wine Country Is Surprisingly Hilly and Beautiful When You Are Hammered On Wine, Chatting With People On Twitter About Why They Are Wrong And I Am Right (I Kid, By The Way), Cycling Dislikes: When I Was A Kid I Played This Ridiculously Hard Adventure Game On The Original Macintosh That Took Me Months To Defeat, And When I Finally Put In The Final Piece To The Final Puzzle All It Said Was Game Over And Restarted (Note: I Did Not Petition The Company To Redo The Ending), My S...
T-Mobile US getting new myTouch devices from...Huawei
By GSMArena, published 03-02-2012
The two devices are codenamed the U8680 and U8730, and other than running Gingerbread on WVGA screens (and one of them having a slide-out keyboard), nothing else is known in terms of specifications. You'll remember that HTC kicked off its own foray into the myTouch line back in 2009 with the rebranded HTC Magic, and LG also partook in the festivities with their LG Maxx Touch. Expect...
Nexuiz Review: Don’t Bother With This Sub-Par Shooter
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
I loved the glory days of fast-paced shooters like Unreal Tournament and Quake. Then again, I wasn’t playing them with gamepad controls or waiting 15 minutes for matchmaking. Nexuiz is a throwback to a beloved era of gaming, but the genre has moved on in so many ways that this lackluster attempt isn’t terribly necessary. Nexuiz’ content is extremely limited. So long as your preference of mode is for team deathmatch or capture-the-flag, it has you covered. Each of the nine maps is keyed to one of the two game types, and they only work well with a full complement of eight players. Since you can only play six-player games until the planned 1.1 patch drops, this is a problem. The maps themselves are decent enough examples of the kind of symmetrical, fixed weapon spawn design...
Gaming The Apple App Store
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2012
A list is a list, right? Not, apparently, when it comes to Apple's app store rankings of games. Shady practices have compromised the integrity of Apple's rankings, and the company's slow response so far is affecting consumers and developers alike. We talk to video game advertising expert Kevin Joyce from Liquid Advertising, delving into the questions of why Apple isn't doing more, and what the fallout might be for honest companies just trying to play by the rules. In an Opinion piece in the upcoming April issue of Game Informer (#228) Joyce, managing director at advertising agency Liquid, details some of the practices that developers use to push their games up the Apple app store ranking list – which is a crucial driving force for sales. These include using bots...
The Best-Selling HD Remasters At Retail
By GameInformer, published 17-02-2012
The God of War Collection remains the best-selling HD remaster to date. With the help of retail tracking firm NPD, we put together a top 10 list of best-selling HD remaster games released in the U.S. so far at retail. The list does not include download sales, however. Most HD remasters are now available digitally through PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Download-only titles like Resident Evil 4 HD and Beyond Good & Evil HD are absent from this list for that reason. Here is the list ranked by most units sold: God Of War I & II Collection (Nov. 2009) Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Nov. 2011) Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (Nov. 2011) The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (Sept. 2011) The Sly Collection (Nov. 2010) God of War: Origins Collection (Sept. 2011) Tomb Raider...
LG X3 revealed: quad-core Ice Cream Sandwich
By GSMArena, published 20-01-2012
Perhaps a taste of what we can expect at MWC next month, the X3 looks to be one of the early challengers to HTC in the quad-core market. The robust processor comes courtesy of the Tegra 3 chipset by Nvidia, and while the 720p screen measures in at a quite large 4.7 inches, it supposedly manages to retain a slim 9mm waistline. LG plans to stick in a 2000mAh battery to power it all. LG...
Shuttle's XH61 Barebones PC: So, So Small
By HotHardware, published 17-01-2012
Shuttle's become famous for their barebones PC options, and the company's newest box is as tiny as ever. The XH61 is a 3-litre PC for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, measuring just 7cm high. The Intel H61 Express chipset selected for this new product supports second-generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors for the LGA1155 socket with...
Microsoft Grabs Another License Partner In LG
By HotHardware, published 13-01-2012
Well, well -- Microsoft seems to be making more money these days from Android than their own mobile OS. As it turns out, Microsoft has good reason to demand royalties from Android, and so any major company selling Android devices is ripe to be plucked for cash. This week, Microsoft and LG hammered out a patent agreement that covers Android...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #226
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Even Though I Read It Three Months Ago Ready Player One Still Pops Into My Head Once A Week (READ IT), Winter Training, Waiting For Diablo III, Jazz At Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge, Breaking Bad, Jose Gonzalez, Mad Men, NFL Playoffs, Timberwolves Basketball, My New Darksiders Statue Dislikes: THQ's Stock Price (THQ Has Way Too Many Awesome Games To Be As Beat Up As They Are – Stop Making An MMORPG And Concentrate On The Games In The Works That Matter Like Darksiders II And South ...
Sony Brings Their Own 55-Inch HDTV To CES 2012, But It's An LCD
By HotHardware, published 01-10-2012
With both LG and Samsung introducing huge OLED TVs at CES 2012 this year, Sony just couldn't be left out. The company today announced that it has developed the next-generation self-emitting display, "Crystal LED Display," and presented a Full HD, 55-inch prototype model. Yep, that's another 55-inch television, but there's no OLED to be found...
Gamers, Start Your Engines! 6 Top Gaming Engines Face Off
By MaximumPC, published 22-12-2011
A brief look under the hood of the top engines driving today's PC games If this year's crop of rocky video game launches has taught us anything, it's that coding video games is hard. Sit through the 30 minute scroll that passes itself off as a credits screen these days and you'll see just how many moving parts go into making today's games. With gigabytes of art assets to create, pages of story to write, hours of dialogue and sound to record, a tangled web of complex behaviors to script, and, oh yeah, actual levels and gameplay to design, one thing is clear: making games isn't all fun and games. Yet despite the ever-increasing complexity, the creation process is more streamlined than ever. Why? Licensable game engines, tools, and middleware. From specular maps to dynamic shadows, high dynam...
In Depth: Is Android Google's Achilles heel?
By TechRadar, published 18-12-2011
Patent wars and app store woesJust four years ago, the Open Handset Alliance, headed up by Google, released Android, the open source mobile operating system for smartphones (and later tablets).The first Google phone was the T-Mobile G1. Since then Android has enjoyed a meteoric rise, gaining popularity in the smartphone market much faster than even Apple's iOS did on its debut. However, that rapid increase in market share isn't the full story. There are big problems behind the scenes – problems that could turn Android into a poisoned chalice for Google. The cost of free First there are the patent wars, which may help its competitors squeeze Android off smartphones and tablets. Major companies like Microsoft, Oracle and Apple are claiming patent disputes against the manufacturers of devic...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 17-12-2011
This week we've a bumper selection of reviews for you, including Sony's new Alpha a65 SLT camera and a hands on review with LG's new Prada phone. For those looking to get started with photography, the Canon Powershot AS40 HS is a fantastic, fuss-free choice.And there's plenty more besides - read on to see all this week's reviews. Sony Alpha a65 reviewSony's online shop price for the A65 stands at £789 (body only) or £869 (with 18-55mm lens). This places the A65 in the same arena as mid-entry-level DSLRs like the Canon EOS 600D and Nikon D5100 – albeit at a higher price-point that's justified by its raft of high-end features. In essence, the A65 attracts largely the same points of praise and criticism as the more expensive A77, due to the fact that it shares much of the same technology ...
Updated: 50 best free Android apps
By TechRadar, published 15-12-2011
Best free Android apps: 1-25OK, so the Android Market is more akin to Lidl or Asda than the iPhone's enormous, indulgent Selfridges-at-Christmas time approach, but the open source nature of Google's OS means there are plenty of apps for Android to be found.Most of the good stuff on Android is free, thanks to the work of developers who do it for love alone. So here's our pick of the top free Android apps you should install.And you can find more great apps at Top 150 best Android apps. Also why not check out our video of the top 10 free Android games?brightcove : 9719988620011. SeesmicThere are many Twitter apps on Android - and Twitter itself shook up the scene with the launch of its own-brand app recently - but we're sticking with Seesmic. Offering support for multiple accounts, a home pag...
Funny Man Louis C.K. Drop Kicks DRM and Laughs All the Way to the Bank
By MaximumPC, published 14-12-2011
The comedy stylings of Louis C.K. isn't for everyone. For example, monks probably won't appreciate his vulgar language, and those British Royal Guards in England hardly laugh at anything. Screw them both, because not only is the guy hilarious (check him out on YouTube when you're not at work or around children), but he proved you can make a handsome profit on digital downloads without applying the shackles of DRM. "People of Earth (minus the ones who don't give a shit about this): it's been amazing to conduct this experiment with you. The experiment was: if I put out a brand new standup special at a drastically low price ($5) and make it as easy as possible to buy, download and enjoy, free of any restrictions, will everyone just go and steal it? Will they pay for it? And how much money can...
Updated: Top 10 best iPhone alternatives
By TechRadar, published 14-12-2011
The iPhone 4S has been a massive success, selling tens of millions of units all over the world, but it's not for everyone and there are some great iPhone alternatives.In particular, if you want something larger or smaller, or with a physical keyboard, Apple won't be able to help you. Similarly, if you want something more customisable or with widgets, you'll need to look elsewhere.There are plenty of other manufacturers producing some great devices, however, so you don't have to look far for some worthy iPhone alternatives. So here are our 10 favourites, in no particular order. Of course, these aren't the only phones on offer – keep your eye on our top 20 mobile phones list for more great options. 1. Samsung Galaxy S2 What we think: What can we say? Superfast dual core processor, superla...
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance revisions revealed
By GameSpot, published 13-12-2011
Spin-off drops stealth, shifts story to follow Metal Gear Solid 4; Platinum Games producer dismisses idea that Kojima Productions couldn't get the game done itself. After a lengthy stay on the back burner, Metal Gear Solid: Rising returned to the forefront this week as Konami reintroduced the title as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The big revelation about the spin-off to the Metal Gear Solid series was that it is now being developed by Vanquish and Bayonetta studio Platinum Games, but Konami has revealed that's far from the only change the project has undergone. We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Better, stronger, faster… But there's only so much we can do about the hair. The publisher has launched the game's official website, with ne...
Daily Roundup: 2011-12-14
By Bjorn3D, published 13-12-2011
CPUs, RAMs, Mobos Gallium3D LLVMpipe On The Sandy Bridge Extreme at Phoronix CyberPower Xplorer X6-9200 Gaming Notebook Review at Neoseeker ASUS Rampage III Extreme Black Edition X58 LGA1366 ATX Motherboard Review at Futurelooks Intel DX79SI Motherboard at Hardware Secrets Gigabyte G1.Assassi&
Daily Roundup: 2011-12-12
By Bjorn3D, published 12-12-2011
CPUs, RAMs, Mobos ASRock Z68 Extreme 7 Gen 3 LGA1155 ATX Motherboard Review at Futurelooks ASUS P9X79 Pro (Intel X79) Motherboard Review at Tweaktown EVGA Z68 FTW Motherboard Review at Legit Reviews Samsung NX200 Review at Tech-Reviews.co.uk G.Skill RipjawsZ PC3-19200 16GB Kit Re
Pro Gaming Comes Of Age
By GameInformer, published 12-07-2011
“A beer in one hand and shouting at the TV, I finally understand football,” declares StarCraft II design director Dustin Browder. The “Barcraft” phenomenon Browder is gushing about, where gamers take over a sports bar and put StarCraft II streams on the establishment’s high-def displays, has accelerated its spread across the United States since being covered in The Wall Street Journal. Valve gave away a million dollars to a Dota 2 team for winning a tournament of a game that isn’t even out yet. Riot Games announced a five million dollar total purse for the second season of League of Legends. Professional gaming is no longer some weird Korean activity, incomprehensible to Western audiences. The future of pro-level competitive gaming has finally arrived. ...
GTAIII: Anniversary Edition goes mobile December 15
By GameSpot, published 12-06-2011
Rockstar readying updated release of PS2 open-world crime game for Android and iOS platforms; $5 price point confirmed. The PlayStation 2's seminal Grand Theft Auto III turned 10 years old in October, and developer Rockstar celebrated the anniversary by confirming it would be bringing the open-world crime game to mobile platforms. Rockstar followed that up today with more specific details, confirming that Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition will be coming to Android and iOS on December 15 for $5. A picture of GTAIII's sociopathic protagonist Claude, appropriately enough on the Android. The mobile port of GTAIII isn't the only Rockstar recognition of the game's anniversary. The company is also peddling a $150 limited-edition Claude action...
MLG 2011 viewership surpasses 3.5 million
By GameSpot, published 12-06-2011
Pro gaming organization says average reach among 18-to-24-year-old males greater than Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, FX. The Major League Gaming organization handed out more than $1 million to competitors during its just-concluded 2011 season. And while that's certainly a significant chunk of change, the professional gaming circuit appears to have a viewership large enough to justify handing out that much in winnings. Halo: Reach offered the biggest prize package this season. Today, the MLG announced that more than 3.5 million people tuned in online or turned out in person to view the 2011 Pro Circuit season over its eight-month, six-event run. Those viewership figures are a record for the e-sports industry, the organization said. What's more, the MLG's r...
Review: Samsung SSD 830 256GB
By TechRadar, published 12-02-2011
OverviewSamsung has taken the unprecedented move with its Samsung SSD 830 256GB of using its own individually created firmware, DRAM and NAND. Does that give it the edge?Samsung has been overshadowed a bit by the likes of Corsair, OCZ and Kingston in the high performance SSD market. The latter companies opted for the Sandforce controller in their drives and have hit perpetually impressive sequential read/write performance levels with each new generation, which makes them the go-to guys for enthusiast storage.It's not like Samsung is a newcomer to the market though; far from it. Its OEM dealings with industry giant Apple contribute to a 26% market share in SSDs across consumer and OEM sectors. The Korean powerhouse was also heavily involved in the early days of the SSD, providing reference ...
Review: Samsung SSD 830 256GB
By TechRadar, published 12-02-2011
OverviewSamsung has taken the unprecedented move with its Samsung SSD 830 256GB of using its own individually created firmware, DRAM and NAND. Does that give it the edge?Samsung has been overshadowed a bit by the likes of Corsair, OCZ and Kingston in the high performance SSD market. The latter companies opted for the Sandforce controller in their drives and have hit perpetually impressive sequential read/write performance levels with each new generation, which makes them the go-to guys for enthusiast storage.It's not like Samsung is a newcomer to the market though; far from it. Its OEM dealings with industry giant Apple contribute to a 26% market share in SSDs across consumer and OEM sectors. The Korean powerhouse was also heavily involved in the early days of the SSD, providing reference ...
Review: Intel Core i7 2700K
By TechRadar, published 12-01-2011
OverviewThe vanilla Sandy Bridge lineup has a new chip in the Intel Core i7 2700K . As well as populating a new socket with the Sandy Bridge E Intel Core i7 3960X, it has seen fit to give us another brilliant processor, but what makes it different to the Intel Core i7 2600K?Short answer: not a lot.Not that long ago, things moved fast in the CPU industry. Between 2005 and 2010, we progressed from piffling little 100 million transistor single-core desktop CPUs to six-core, billion-trannie mofos capable of implausible feats of number crunching.During that period, the technology used to knock out computer chips has powered ahead, too. We've transitioned through 90nm, 65nm, 45nm and 32nm silicon, with 22nm CPUs just around the corner. Along the way, we've picked up all manner of fabulous new ch...
Review: Intel Core i7 2700K
By TechRadar, published 12-01-2011
OverviewThe vanilla Sandy Bridge lineup has a new chip in the Intel Core i7 2700K . As well as populating a new socket with the Sandy Bridge E Intel Core i7 3960X, it has seen fit to give us another brilliant processor, but what makes it different to the Intel Core i7 2600K?Short answer: not a lot.Not that long ago, things moved fast in the CPU industry. Between 2005 and 2010, we progressed from piffling little 100 million transistor single-core desktop CPUs to six-core, billion-trannie mofos capable of implausible feats of number crunching.During that period, the technology used to knock out computer chips has powered ahead, too. We've transitioned through 90nm, 65nm, 45nm and 32nm silicon, with 22nm CPUs just around the corner. Along the way, we've picked up all manner of fabulous new ch...
Review: Sony Tablet P
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
OverviewThis time last year - when the Tablet P wasn't even a twinkle in Sony's eye - we were weeping into a mound of rubbish iPad rip-offs, begging for sweet release from our tiresome lives. Every week we saw yet more rectangular lumps of plastic, fit only for use as door wedges. They ran outdated versions of Google's Android operating system, designed for the humble smartphone, so the blocky desktops and stretched-out apps looked truly horrendous.But just as we were headed to the bathtub with our toasters, two miraculous things happened. First, Google released Android Honeycomb - a slick, tablet-oriented version of its mobile operating system. And second, manufacturers started paying attention to the slew of negative reviews and actually started producing decent devices.The excellent Sam...
Scribblenauts franchise draws $100 million
By GameSpot, published 29-11-2011
5th Cell CEO Jeremiah Slaczka says indie studios have shot at posting "big numbers"; reveals a new iOS game is coming soon. Scribblenauts hit the Nintendo DS in late 2009, delivering a game that called upon a player's creativity to solve puzzles, and a sequel dropped last year. The first game sold more than 1 million units in less than six months, and 5th Cell CEO and creative director Jeremiah Slaczka has now revealed that the series has crossed a notable financial milestone. Doesn't matter who you are: A bazooka-wielding elephant is a $100 million idea. Speaking with Game Informer, Slaczka divulged that the Scribblenauts franchise has garnered the company close to $100 million to date in gross revenue. The statement came as Slaczka reacted to a que...
LG announces Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade line-up
By TechRadar, published 28-11-2011
LG has announced the full range of its smartphones that will get the tasty Ice Cream Sandwich update in 2012 alongside the LG Optimus 2X. It's basically just high-end smartphones that were launched this year, so we'll see Android 4.0 land on the LG Optimus Black, LG Optimus 3D and, in the US, the LG Optimus LTE. The company already announced that the LG Optimus 2X will be seeing Ice Cream Sandwich hit its innards when it was forced to clear up rumours to the contrary. More to come?Owners of LG's other handsets, don't despair. The company is still deliberating over other handsets in its range: "We are also continuing to evaluate the ICS OS to determine whether it is compatible with the functionality, features and performance of other LG smartphones to make the ICS OS available on as man...
LG announces Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade line-up
By TechRadar, published 28-11-2011
LG has announced the full range of its smartphones that will get the tasty Ice Cream Sandwich update in 2012 alongside the LG Optimus 2X. It's basically just high-end smartphones that were launched this year, so we'll see Android 4.0 land on the LG Optimus Black, LG Optimus 3D and, in the US, the LG Optimus LTE. The company already announced that the LG Optimus 2X will be seeing Ice Cream Sandwich hit its innards when it was forced to clear up rumours to the contrary. More to come?Owners of LG's other handsets, don't despair. The company is still deliberating over other handsets in its range: "We are also continuing to evaluate the ICS OS to determine whether it is compatible with the functionality, features and performance of other LG smartphones to make the ICS OS available on as man...
Explained: How Windows protects your PC
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
How Windows protects your PCYour Windows computer should, if you're sensible, already have formidable defences in the form of advanced anti-malware. However, we're now entering an age of cloud computing, filled with downloadable applets, at a time when we're also fighting an intense arms race against ever more ingenious malware writers. Because of this, your PC's defences have to handle code from many sources and still protect you from outside threats. How is this possible, and what ways have the bad guys already found to thwart these efforts? Most importantly, how can you be sure your computer only runs what you think it's running? Signing in Unlike applications purchased from trusted vendors, when you download applets or freeware made by individuals, there's no way the average user (or e...
Explained: How Windows protects your PC
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
How Windows protects your PCYour Windows computer should, if you're sensible, already have formidable defences in the form of advanced anti-malware. However, we're now entering an age of cloud computing, filled with downloadable applets, at a time when we're also fighting an intense arms race against ever more ingenious malware writers. Because of this, your PC's defences have to handle code from many sources and still protect you from outside threats. How is this possible, and what ways have the bad guys already found to thwart these efforts? Most importantly, how can you be sure your computer only runs what you think it's running? Signing in Unlike applications purchased from trusted vendors, when you download applets or freeware made by individuals, there's no way the average user (or e...
Explained: How Windows protects your PC
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
How Windows protects your PCYour Windows computer should, if you're sensible, already have formidable defences in the form of advanced anti-malware. However, we're now entering an age of cloud computing, filled with downloadable applets, at a time when we're also fighting an intense arms race against ever more ingenious malware writers. Because of this, your PC's defences have to handle code from many sources and still protect you from outside threats. How is this possible, and what ways have the bad guys already found to thwart these efforts? Most importantly, how can you be sure your computer only runs what you think it's running? Signing in Unlike applications purchased from trusted vendors, when you download applets or freeware made by individuals, there's no way the average user (or e...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By MaximumPC, published 25-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro. We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H review The Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a ...
European court rules that ISPs can't filter web content
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
The European Court of Justice has ruled that ISPs do not have the right to filter out copyright-infringed content from the web, marking a massive win for privacy evangelists and a huge loss for the movie and record industry.The ECJ stepped in after a Belgian court ruled that rights holders could enforce some sort of filtering system on local ISPs.This was in reference to a case between Sabam, an audio rights company, and Belgian ISP Scarlet – where Sabam wanted Scarlet to filter out P2P downloads from its service.The case has been on-going since 2004, so it has taken seven years for the ECJ to agree that for Scarlet to add a filtering system it would be detrimental to its service and cost too much.Filter freeAlthough it is not known how the ruling will affect the UK, the ECJ said about t...
LG Prada 3.0 UK release date 'early 2012'
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
LG and Prada have announced that they are to link up once again to bring a fashion focus to the smartphone market, with the LG Prada 3.0.The first LG Prada phone was released in 2007 and it seems that fashionistas can't get enough of the phone – so much that the company released another version in 2008, the Prada II.Three years and 12 fashion seasons later and LG and Prada have reunited to deliver the LG Prada 3.0.Premium handsetWhile the idea of a fashion phone may fill many with dread, the original LG Prada was one of the first touchscreens to come to market and at the time it was seen as the biggest rival to the iPhone.When it comes to the third iteration, hardly any details have been released – other than a teaser image which shows of some concept sketches.Looking closely we can se...
LG Prada 3.0 UK release date 'early 2012'
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
LG and Prada have announced that they are to link up once again to bring a fashion focus to the smartphone market, with the LG Prada 3.0.The first LG Prada phone was released in 2007 and it seems that fashionistas can't get enough of the phone – so much that the company released another version in 2008, the Prada II.Three years and 12 fashion seasons later and LG and Prada have reunited to deliver the LG Prada 3.0.Premium handsetWhile the idea of a fashion phone may fill many with dread, the original LG Prada was one of the first touchscreens to come to market and at the time it was seen as the biggest rival to the iPhone.When it comes to the third iteration, hardly any details have been released – other than a teaser image which shows of some concept sketches.Looking closely we can se...
Buying Guide: Best Christmas gifts for photographers
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Best Christmas gifts for photographers Photographers can be a fussy lot, so whether you're looking to put a smile on the face of a shooter you know, or perhaps you're just struggling for ideas to put on your own wishlist, take a look at this list of cool gifts that every camera afficianado will love. Some of these gifts will need to be ordered early for UK buyers as they're coming from the US, so make sure you bear that in mind. Since some of these gifts range in price from the bargain basement to re-mortgage territory, we've also included a handy guide as to how good you'll have to have been this year to be in with a chance of receiving each gift. Leica M9Price: £4800Web: www.leica-camera.comAh Leica, what else could be top of the cool photographers wishlist? Channel the early days of 19...
Buying Guide: Best Christmas gifts for photographers
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Best Christmas gifts for photographers Photographers can be a fussy lot, so whether you're looking to put a smile on the face of a shooter you know, or perhaps you're just struggling for ideas to put on your own wishlist, take a look at this list of cool gifts that every camera afficianado will love. Some of these gifts will need to be ordered early for UK buyers as they're coming from the US, so make sure you bear that in mind. Since some of these gifts range in price from the bargain basement to re-mortgage territory, we've also included a handy guide as to how good you'll have to have been this year to be in with a chance of receiving each gift. Leica M9Price: £4800Web: www.leica-camera.comAh Leica, what else could be top of the cool photographers wishlist? Channel the early days of 19...
Buying Guide: Best Christmas gifts for photographers
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Best Christmas gifts for photographers Photographers can be a fussy lot, so whether you're looking to put a smile on the face of a shooter you know, or perhaps you're just struggling for ideas to put on your own wishlist, take a look at this list of cool gifts that every camera afficianado will love. Some of these gifts will need to be ordered early for UK buyers as they're coming from the US, so make sure you bear that in mind. Since some of these gifts range in price from the bargain basement to re-mortgage territory, we've also included a handy guide as to how good you'll have to have been this year to be in with a chance of receiving each gift. Leica M9Price: £4800Web: www.leica-camera.comAh Leica, what else could be top of the cool photographers wishlist? Channel the early days of 19...
Review: Updated: Nikon S3100
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
FeaturesAnnounced in February 2011, the Coolpix S3100 is aimed at users who want a shirt-pocket-sized camera that makes life simple. So simple, that while there are 18 scene modes to choose from, the S3100 has an Auto Scene Selector mode, so even this decision can be left to the camera. Exposure control is limited to compensation (to +/-2 EV in 1/3EV steps) and there's no option to adjust the metering mode.With an equivalent focal length of 26-130mm, the S31000's lens has a versatile 5x zoom range, suited for general photography on days out and at social events etc.Nikon has given the S3100 four means of reducing image blur, the first of these is a high sensitivity setting, up to ISO 3200. In Auto mode (which gives the user the greatest level of control) the sensitivity may be set in the r...
Review: Updated: Nikon S3100
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
FeaturesAnnounced in February 2011, the Coolpix S3100 is aimed at users who want a shirt-pocket-sized camera that makes life simple. So simple, that while there are 18 scene modes to choose from, the S3100 has an Auto Scene Selector mode, so even this decision can be left to the camera. Exposure control is limited to compensation (to +/-2 EV in 1/3EV steps) and there's no option to adjust the metering mode.With an equivalent focal length of 26-130mm, the S31000's lens has a versatile 5x zoom range, suited for general photography on days out and at social events etc.Nikon has given the S3100 four means of reducing image blur, the first of these is a high sensitivity setting, up to ISO 3200. In Auto mode (which gives the user the greatest level of control) the sensitivity may be set in the r...
Microsoft acquires video indexer VideoSurf
By GameSpot, published 23-11-2011
Xbox 360 video discovery to get a boost with new media analytics technology; Kinect integration planned. The Xbox 360 is set to expand its media offerings substantially this holiday with a host of new providers bringing fresh content to the console. With a large influx of media on the way, Microsoft is looking to make content discovery a bit easier. VideoSurf technology may let users search for appearances of actors within film clips. Microsoft today announced that it has acquired video content discovery company VideoSurf. The company's back-end technology allows individual frames in videos to be seen and indexed, allowing for easier searching of a piece of the media's content. Along with Kinect integration, Microsoft hopes to improve the content dis...
Major League Gaming closes out 2011 season
By GameSpot, published 22-11-2011
Pro season concludes as Team Instinct wins $100,000 in Halo: Reach tourney, Team Quantic Vengeance leads Black Ops; FXOLeenock, Team SoloMid also victors. The Major League Gaming circuit descended upon Providence, Rhode Island, over the weekend to close out its 2011 season. And with $600,000 on the line, the professional gaming league handed out big purses to teams competing in Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Starcraft II, and League of Legends. Who said being good at Halo has no practical value? The biggest prize of the night went to Team Instinct, which split $100,000 for placing first in the Halo: Reach competition. Team Instinct is composed of Roy, Lunchbox, Pistola, and Ogre 2, and the victory marked Ogre 2's fifth national championship. S...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've reviewed the humungous HTC Sensation XL as well as the long awaited Amazon Kindle Fire. And it doesn't stop there - we've looked at the new Sony Alpha A77 DSLR, complete with an immense 24.3MP APS-C format CMOS sensor.We've also checked out the 11-inch Acer Zenbook UX21 too. Read on for all our reviews from what's been a bumper week on the site. HTC Sensation XL reviewThe HTC Sensation XL is the third in HTC's new Android range, and offers a larger screen than the original Sensation, but with a 1.5GHz single-core processor, 16GB of built-in memory, and Beats Audio (like the XE). However, despite the screen being larger it's actually a lot less sharp - what we've got here is a 480 x 800 display, compared to the 540 x 960 qHD screen in ...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've reviewed the humungous HTC Sensation XL as well as the long awaited Amazon Kindle Fire. And it doesn't stop there - we've looked at the new Sony Alpha A77 DSLR, complete with an immense 24.3MP APS-C format CMOS sensor.We've also checked out the 11-inch Acer Zenbook UX21 too. Read on for all our reviews from what's been a bumper week on the site. HTC Sensation XL reviewThe HTC Sensation XL is the third in HTC's new Android range, and offers a larger screen than the original Sensation, but with a 1.5GHz single-core processor, 16GB of built-in memory, and Beats Audio (like the XE). However, despite the screen being larger it's actually a lot less sharp - what we've got here is a 480 x 800 display, compared to the 540 x 960 qHD screen in ...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've reviewed the humungous HTC Sensation XL as well as the long awaited Amazon Kindle Fire. And it doesn't stop there - we've looked at the new Sony Alpha A77 DSLR, complete with an immense 24.3MP APS-C format CMOS sensor.We've also checked out the 11-inch Acer Zenbook UX21 too. Read on for all our reviews from what's been a bumper week on the site. HTC Sensation XL reviewThe HTC Sensation XL is the third in HTC's new Android range, and offers a larger screen than the original Sensation, but with a 1.5GHz single-core processor, 16GB of built-in memory, and Beats Audio (like the XE). However, despite the screen being larger it's actually a lot less sharp - what we've got here is a 480 x 800 display, compared to the 540 x 960 qHD screen in ...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 19-11-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've reviewed the humungous HTC Sensation XL as well as the long awaited Amazon Kindle Fire. And it doesn't stop there - we've looked at the new Sony Alpha A77 DSLR, complete with an immense 24.3MP APS-C format CMOS sensor.We've also checked out the 11-inch Acer Zenbook UX21 too. Read on for all our reviews from what's been a bumper week on the site. HTC Sensation XL reviewThe HTC Sensation XL is the third in HTC's new Android range, and offers a larger screen than the original Sensation, but with a 1.5GHz single-core processor, 16GB of built-in memory, and Beats Audio (like the XE). However, despite the screen being larger it's actually a lot less sharp - what we've got here is a 480 x 800 display, compared to the 540 x 960 qHD screen in ...
Nostalgia Meets New Tech In Battlefield 3's Strike At Karkand
By GameInformer, published 18-11-2011
DICE took four of the most loved maps from Battlefield 2, spruced them up with the Frostbite 2 engine, and is releasing them as Battlefield 3 DLC next month. This trailer for the Strike at Karkand add-on shows of the fast, chaotic action you can look forward to. Keen-eyed soldiers will spot new vehicles and weapons as well. (Please visit the site to view this media)If you picked up the Limited Edition of Battlefield 3, Strike at Karkand comes at no extra charge. Everyone else should set aside 1200 Microsoft points or $14.99.
Guerrilla cordoning off new Killzone - Report
By GameSpot, published 18-11-2011
Sony-owned studio said to be working on a follow-up for its PlayStation-exclusive sci-fi shooter franchise. Insomniac Games may be dropping Resistance after its third installment in that PlayStation 3-exclusive shooter franchise, but it appears as if Guerrilla Games will remain locked in to Killzone. Gamerzines reports today that the latest issue of Edge Magazine confirms Guerrilla Games has begun work on "a Killzone follow-up." Guerrilla's Killzone is basically universe-wide. The latest issue of Edge has yet to hit newsstands--though it is reportedly available to subscribers--and the magazine's online arm has confirmed an impending Guerrilla Games feature. According to Gamerzines, that feature reveals that most of the studio's staff has begun work o...
In Depth: Beyond silicon: the processor tech of 2035
By TechRadar, published 18-11-2011
Next-gen computing: Introduction Boffins and analysts regularly suggest that silicon's days are numbered. For various technical reasons that we'll explore, they consign silicon to the dustbin. We wanted to know if they were right to ring the knell. Assuming silicon chips really have evolved as far as they can, what's going to replace them? Will the 2035 processors be optical, biological or quantum in nature, or are neural networks set to rule the world?As we wrote this piece, we couldn't help smiling when the following story broke: IBM creates chip that mimics the human brain. This is SyNAPSE – a project that aims to create chips capable of 'cognitive computing', which means they instantly react and re-engineer themselves based on external stimuli and events. Two prototype chips have bee...
ASUS P9X79 Deluxe Motherboard
By jonnyGuru, published 18-11-2011
Designed to support second-generation Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition processors for the LGA2011 socket, Intel's Sandy Bridge Extreme X79 Express motherboards raise the standard for performance computers. ASUSTek, the largest of Intel's partners, is using this occasion to debut some impressive technology of their own: the ASUS P9X79 Deluxe motherboard. Standard are features such as SuperSpeed USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, Bluetooth 3.0, and PCI-Express 3.0 compatibility. Complete with quad-channel DDR3 2200MHz system memory support, ASUS enables SSD caching and RAM-disk opportunities for high-demand tasks. A fresh new UEFI BIOS allows risk-free USB flashback, while digital power regulators now control every voltage on the system. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the ASUS P9X79 Deluxe motherbo...
Patent issue delays Doom 3 code release
By TechReport, published 16-11-2011
We found out a couple weeks back that id Software is gearing up to release the Doom 3 source code. However, John Carmack's latest tweet about the subject reveals that a software patent issue has held up the release—and is forcing Carmack to re-write some of the code:The patent for "Carmack's reverse," a shadowing technique, happens to be owned by Creative (yes, the SoundBlaster folks). Back in 2004, id Software and Creative came to an agreement that allowed Carmack to use, uh, his technique in Doom 3 for ...Read more...
Uncharted 3 map pack going retro
By GameSpot, published 16-11-2011
Naughty Dog teases Flashback Map Pack #1, showing Uncharted 2-inspired arenas; Killzone 3 character skin pack now available. Thus far, Sony and Naughty Dog have only updated their highly regarded Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception with new multiplayer character skins. That continued with Sony's PlayStation Store update today, with Killzone 3 skins added into the mix. However, today's release also brought word on a more substantive addition to Uncharted 3: multiplayer maps. Has Uncharted 2's Ice Cave undergone a thawing? In a post to Sony's PlayStation Blog, Naughty Dog revealed that the first multiplayer map pack for Uncharted 3 will be titled Flashback Map Pack #1. Sony teased two of the maps that will be included in the add-on with images titled The Ca...
Tuesday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 15-11-2011
Eight is Enough Microsoft unveils product road map delivering on intelligent systems vision AnandTech reports Windows 8 streamlines Windows Updates Android Central: Barnes & Noble reveals Microsoft's patent strategy against its Android-powered devices Engadget: Ice Cream Sandwich source code released, sync pending go-ahead from AOSP VR-Zone on Sandy Bridge-E overclocking - safe voltage ranges, quad channel kits, thermal solutions, and LN2 temperatures AnandTech, Benchmark Reviews, Björn3D, Guru3D, [H]ard|OCP, Hardware Canucks, Hardware Heaven, Hardware Secrets, Hardware Spot, HCW, Hi Tech Legion, HotHardware, HT4U, LanOC Reviews, Legit Reviews, Madshrimps, Neoseeker, ocaholic, OCC, OC3D, Overclockers.com, PCPer, Technic3D, TechSpot, TweakTown, and X-bit labs review Cor...
Breaking in Sandy Bridge-E: Building A Kick-Ass Rig with Intel's New Chip
By MaximumPC, published 14-11-2011
Intel's new enthusiast platform is here. I'm going to put it through its paces with a quiet riot of a gaming rig. Intel has just released its new Sandy Bridge-E platform. With six- and eight-core processors, eight DIMM slots, and multiple PCIe 3.0 slots, it’s Nehalem’s true heir and the answer to complaints that Sandy Bridge, while awesome, just isn’t enthusiast enough. (Check out our official benchmarks here). The i7-2600K is a great part, but it’s only a quad-core, and there hasn’t been a six-core enthusiast CPU from Intel since the i7-990X, which is on a dead platform. I’ve gotten my hands on the Sandy Bridge-E flagship CPU: the Core i7-3960X, a $1,000, six-core beast at 3.3GHz. Oh, and a motherboard and cooler to go with it. I’ve rustled up a passel of RAM, a titanic GPU,...
Review: Sony KDL-55EX723
By TechRadar, published 14-11-2011
OverviewThe Sony KDL-55EX723 is an advanced attempt at a living room all-rounder, with a super-slim 41mm depth, online goodies galore and a 3D mode, though you will have to add the glasses yourself (Sony now sell them for as little as £60); think of it as a chance to upgrade to 3D in the future, and one reason why this is in Sony's 'Essential' Series of Bravia TVs. That slim depth is down to the employment of Edge LED backlighting, though there are clues as to why this behemoth sits atop Sony's Essential EX Series; it requires a USB dongle to link to a Wi-Fi home network, while the two-tone mirrored metallic/gloss black design doesn't hold a candle to pricier Sony sets. The biggest problem in terms of value, however, it this set's lack of 3D specs in the box. Sony's use of differently nam...
Shippin' Out Nov. 13-19: Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Super Mario 3D Land
By GameSpot, published 13-11-2011
Ezio and Mario bring the Italian flavor to new release shelves alongside Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Saints Row: The Third. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 may have come out last week, but that doesn't mean there aren't any more big multiplayer games or shooters on the way. Two Italians are back this week with Ezio in Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Mario in Super Mario 3D Land. Master Chief is set to deliver a big dose of nostalgia with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, as could Jurassic Park: The Game. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 introduces more fighters, and Saints Row: The Third will do something…ridiculous. Ezio wraps up his Assassin's Creed run this week. Assassin's Creed: Revelations marks the clos...
In Depth: Could technology make your brain redundant?
By TechRadar, published 11-12-2011
Could technology make your brain redundant?Back in June, Fujitsu's K Computer became the fastest supercomputer on Earth - so fast, in fact, that it outperforms the five next fastest supercomputers combined. It can process an astonishing eight quadrillion calculations a second (eight petaflops), and Fujitsu had hoped that by 2012 it would have cracked the 10-petaflop barrier. That would have been a significant achievement for several reasons. The first is that it shows just how quickly technology is progressing - as recently as 2006, scientists were getting excited about supercomputers cracking the one-petaflop barrier. The second is that some pundits believe 10 petaflops is the processing power of the human brain - so on that basis, the K Computer will outperform the human brain within mon...
Call of Duty: Elite subscribers to get extra month free
By GameSpot, published 11-11-2011
In light of rocky launch for stat-tracking social network, Activision automatically extending paying members' subscription terms by 30 days. Call of Duty: Elite, Activision's social network built around tracking statistics of the publisher's annual military shooter franchise, launched alongside Modern Warfare 3 on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the service has encountered a number of issues and continues to be down more often than not, but Activision is not turning a blind eye to the problem. Elite knows you killed that guy; you just likely can't see that it knows you killed that guy. The Elite website's status page was updated today with a note that all premium members will receive a 30 days extension on their year subscription in recompense for the rocky ...
Buying Guide: Best Freeview HD TV: the 10 best in the UK
By TechRadar, published 11-09-2011
Best Freeview HD TV: get free HD with your new TVThe arrival of DVB-T2 - or Freeview HD, as it's more commonly known - last year was a watershed moment.As well as bringing the first free-to-air HD TV channels available to all of us - eventually - the start of Freeview HD broadcasting also consigned a generation of flatpanel TVs to the dustbin.Cue a raft of cheap 'n' cheerful set top boxes rushed out ahead of the World Cup in 2010, though if you'd rather retain the all-in-one experience you'll be wanting a plasma or LCD TV with a built-in Freeview HD tuner.With universal coverage set for the end of this year, the process of weeding-out sets without Freeview HD tuners inside has begun - and we don't expect there will be a single non-Freeview HD TV left on sale by the end of this year. Here's...
Eric Schmidt: Android effort started before iPhone
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
Google excuctive chairman Eric Schmidt has subtley refuted the late Steve Jobs' claim that Android is a product 'stolen' from Apple.The former Google CEO, who has been a little more loose-lipped since leaving the CEO's chair, was responding to comments Jobs made to his official biographer before he passed away last month.Jobs had told Walter Isaacson that "Our lawsuit is saying, 'Google you f***ing ripped off the iPhone, wholesale ripped us off," speaking of writs Apple issued against leading Android handset manufacturers.The Apple co-founder had vowed to spend every penny Apple had in the bank in order to destory Android, saying he was willing to go "thermo-nuclear war" on the search giant.Google a great innovator However, speaking to reporters in South Korea, Schmidt has ...
Review: Pentax Q
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
OverviewNot to be outdone by other manufacturers rushing to release mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras such as the Nikon 1 J1 and the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1, Pentax has stepped into the fray with the Pentax Q, which is currently the smallest and lightest camera body that will accept interchangeable lenses.Designed completely from the ground-up, the Pentax Q sports a new lens mount and currently offers no support for legacy Pentax lenses. To create such a compact design, the image sensor is much smaller than those found on other interchangeable lens cameras - such as the Sony NEX-C3 - being a 1/2.3-inch 12MP, rear-illuminated CMOS type, similar to what you may find in many high-end compact cameras. This small sensor has a crop factor of 5.5x, so new lenses have been devised for the sys...
Review: Huawei Blaze
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
Overview, design and feelThe Huawei Blaze is known by several names, with Huawei calling the smartphone the U8510 in some regions and the IDEOS X3 in others.In the UK, it's called Huawei Blaze, with the Chinese manufacturer managing to sell it unlocked and unsubsidised for an aggressive cost of £99. There are compromises to get it down to that low price, though. The screen is a modest 3.2 inches in size, plus there's no flash attached to the Huawei Blaze's 3.2MP camera. But on the positive side, there's a front-facing second camera for video chat support, and you get Android 2.3.4 as your operating system, with Huawei generously enabling users to deactivate its user interface tweaks and run the phone as a relatively untouched Google device if they prefer. For a budget phone, the hardware ...
Kodak sells image sensor division
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
Kodak has sold its Image Sensor Solutions business to Platinum Equity for an undisclosed amount in a bid to raise cash for the firm. The deal has emerged a week after Kodak announced it was looking to raise $500m in additional financing, warning last week that it would need to raise significant funds by completing a multibillion-dollar patent sale to survive the next 12 months. Kodak is planning to generate $200m from "nonstrategic asset sales" this year, while shares in the company rose by 6% on Monday. Platinum Equity, which bought the sensor business, is a firm that specialises in buying up distressed assets, but has so far not commented on the sale. HistoryThe Image Sensor Solutions division helped to develop the first digital camera prototype and works across a number of indus...
LG Electronics unveils sweet CF3DAT Cinema 3D Projector
By SlashGear, published 11-08-2011
LG has unveiled a new projector that home theater fans will really like. The new projector is the big and powerful CF3DAT. This 3D cinema projector has the power to throw a 200-inch image and supports 2D and 3D content. The projector is very bright with 1250 ANSI lumens in 3D mode. That makes the [...]
Metal Gear Solid: Rising, Alan Wake news coming at 2011 VGAs
By GameSpot, published 11-03-2011
[UPDATE]: Microsoft confirms Alan Wake stand-alone XBLA project as Spike TV executive producer and host Geoff Keighley teases big reveals set for next month's Video Game Awards. Last year, the Spike TV Video Game Awards played host to a number of big game announcements, including reveals of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Prototype 2, Mass Effect 3, Insane, SSX (then titled SSX: Deadly Descents), and more. This year's show is just over a month away and a few morsels regarding forthcoming reveals have already been spilled. The VGAs should have info for those curious about Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Geoff Keighley, Spike TV executive producer and host, took to his Twitter feed earlier today to share a few details about some of the big reveals in store for ...
Google announces new 'freshness algorithm' for search
By TechRadar, published 11-03-2011
Google has again tweaked its search algorithm to bring users more recent and relevant results, the company announced on Thursday.The 'freshness algorithm' update, which Google says will affect over a third of all searches, will offer the newest results for recurring events like the Olympics (searches will yield 2012 results instead of 2008).It will also bring the latest posts from developing news stories and analyse web trends to bring you the results most prevalent to your search query.Incredibly fast-pacedIn a post on the company blog, Google's Amit Singhal says the update will bring a more instant flavour to search results about recent events."If I search for Olympics," he wrote. "I probably want information about next summer's upcoming Olympics, not the 1900 Summer Olympics...
The Game Boy: The Future Will Be Randomized
By MaximumPC, published 11-02-2011
I don't know if you've heard, but Minecraft is pretty great. Now, maybe (read: probably) I'm crazy, but building towers that scrape – nay, grievously paper cut – the sky and versions of Mt. Rushmore with the faces of Rush band members actually isn't my favorite part of the game. Truth be told, that award goes to the simple act of cracking open a fresh world and seeing the sights. Minecraft's random generator is a subtle master of “Ooooo, what's that over there?” and each unique world is a joy to explore. Towering, snowcapped mountains, glorious seaside vistas, winding cave mazes that feel thousands of years old (as opposed to seconds) – each one's a Costco bulk bag of block-shaped eye candy. Meanwhile, when most gamers hear “randomization,” they probably think “Diabl...
Updated: Top 20 best tablet PC iPad alternatives
By TechRadar, published 11-02-2011
Top 20 best tablet PC iPad alternativesHooray for 2011!The original iPad may have launched way back in the mists of early 2010, but it's only now that there is a plethora of genuine iPad alternatives to choose from.Nvidia's Tegra 2 CPU has been the driving force in a new generation of dual-core Android 3.0 tablets, while wildcard alternatives like the TouchPad and the PlayBook also sprung up running completely different operating systems.We now stand on the brink of the next-next generation of tablets. Nvidia's 'Kal-El' Tegra 3 platform will imminently cross the streams with Google's 'Ice Cream Sandwich' Android 4.0 OS and give birth to a raft of exciting new products - the first being the Motorola Xoom 2.Apple is of course putting the finishing touches to the iPad 3, and there's also a wh...
Official: Kinect commercial SDK coming in 2012
By TechRadar, published 11-02-2011
The Microsoft Kinect software developers' kit will hit the commercial sector next year, the company has officially confirmedThe SDK will be made available to developers who wish to make and sell applications of the ground-making, motion-sensing technology, which is beginning to grow beyond the Xbox 360.In a blog post entitled "Feeling The Kinect Effect", Frank X. Shaw, the company's head of corporate communications, says that the launch will see more innovation and imagination.Confirming a story we first covered on Monday, Shaw wrote: "To further fuel innovation and imagination, we will offer a Kinect for Windows commercial program early next year. "We recognize the intense commercial interest in harnessing the capabilities of Kinect, and are working with a wide range of co...
MechWarrior Online stomping in 2012
By GameSpot, published 11-01-2011
Team-based mech simulation title to use free-to-play model; exclusively for PC. The last time PC gamers heard about a BattleTech title (specifically, the MechWarrior series) was back in 2009 when IP holders Smith & Tinker announced that Piranha Games was developing an all-new MechWarrior title for the Xbox 360 and PC. Fast forward to today, and Piranha Games has announced its game as MechWarrior Online. Tired of beach bullies kicking sand in your face? The MechWarrior Atlas program will change all that, guaranteed! According to the game site's FAQ section, MechWarrior Online will be solely for the PC and will be using a free-to-play model. The title will focus on team play and multiplayer, with class types like scout and assault along with various Batt...
A Suffering Hedgehog’s Life Flashes Before His Eyes
By GameInformer, published 31-10-2011
Sonic Generations aims to bridge the gap between old and new fans by revisiting stages throughout the series with both 2D and 3D gameplay. The result is a timeline that starts out strong and slowly deteriorates, serving as an apt history lesson for the struggling series. The quest begins with side-scrolling tributes to memorable Genesis-era stages as classic Sonic. These levels rekindled the magic of being a wide-eyed kid seeing Sonic’s world for the first time. Platforming is slightly tighter than in Sonic 4, which makes landing precise jumps easier. Tearing through loop de loops in Green Hill and bouncing across clouds in Sky Sanctuary are among my favorite Sonic moments, and they translate perfectly. Unfortunately, the good times fade when Sonic begins cruising through...
Review: Alcatel One Touch 990
By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011
Overview, design and feelSome phones are all about power; others affordability. Alcatel's One Touch 990 (or OT-990) falls firmly into the latter category, as you'd expect given the company's reputation as a purveyor of budget phones. So the question we're asking here isn't what exciting tech helps this rival Samsung's Galaxy S2, HTC's Sensation, Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc, or any of the other powerhouses in our 20 best mobile phones list.Rather we're concerned with whether it's money well spent. Especially when the world contains the likes of Orange's budget titan, the San Francisco. If you read our review of it, you'll know we lost our heart to that phone because of its amazing competence given its paltry cost. Other rivals worth bearing in mind are the INQ Cloud Touch, which excels at so...
Updated: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 28-10-2011
Best mobile phone: OverviewWhat's the best mobile phone? Our verdict on the best smartphone / best phones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?If you've read our list of the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our continually-updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK.The last update saw the Samsung Galaxy S2 nabbing the top spot - the combo of Android 2.3 and a beautiful screen in a tightly packaged body saw it head straight to the top of the pile.But now Apple has finally brought out another version of the iPhone (if you want a sneaky peek, you can read our iPhone 4S review) so ...
Xbox Singapore to host Halo 3 showdown
By GameSpot, published 28-10-2011
Winner of tournament to face off against MLG champion David "Walshy" Walsh. Get the full article at GameSpot "Xbox Singapore to host Halo 3 showdown" was posted by Jonathan Leo Toyad on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:35:42 -0700
Xbox Singapore to host Halo 3 showdown
By GameSpot, published 28-10-2011
Winner of tournament to face off against MLG champion David "Walshy" Walsh. Get the full article at GameSpot "Xbox Singapore to host Halo 3 showdown" was posted by Jonathan Leo Toyad on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:35:42 -0700
Bethesda appeal to halt Fallout Online development denied
By GameSpot, published 28-10-2011
Interplay's production of post-apocalyptic MMORPG can continue as injunction appeal is rejected. The legal wrangling between Bethesda Softworks and Interplay over the use of the Fallout license continues. The latest development comes in the form of good news for Fallout Online developer Interplay, as a court ruling has again fallen in its favor. The bottom hasn't fallen out for Fallout Online just yet. Bethesda filed a preliminary injunction against Interplay in December 2010, a filing which was denied last month. An injunction would have prevented Interplay from using story, setting, and characters from the Fallout universe. Bethesda appealed the decision, but a judge yesterday denied Bethesda's appeal. With the injunction request and subsequent appeal d...
Review: Toshiba 55WL863B
By TechRadar, published 27-10-2011
OverviewFor a couple of years now there's been an increasingly wide divide between Toshiba in Japan and Toshiba in the UK.For while Toshiba's Japan division has been blazing a high-end trail with its phenomenally powerful and entirely uncompromising CEVO TVs, Toshiba in the UK has been increasingly turning into a (very successful) budget brand. Today, though, Toshiba is finally trying to get back on higher ground with the 55WL863: its first UK TV to carry the brand's CEVO Engine.This powerful processing engine ushers in a number of potentially important picture features, including an advanced 2D to 3D conversion engine, a 3D version of Toshiba's long-respected Resolution+ system for boosting sharpness and detail, and a potentially very handy NetResolution+ system for improving the look of ...
LG Prada K2 surfaces through leaked images
By GSMArena, published 27-10-2011
If you thought the LG Prada range of handsets was dead, think again. A couple of leaked images prove that the LG Prada range will be out for another round and this time the beauty will be matched by an equally capable brain because this time it will be running Android. The LG Prada K2 is the third in LG Prada series of handsets, the first being the KE850 launched back in 2007 and the...
Future Tense: Apple Sauce
By MaximumPC, published 26-10-2011
(This was written before Steve Jobs died, and it was never intended to be disrespectful, only slyly satirical. Because of publishing schedules, it is only appearing now. I admired Jobs and I will sincerely miss his presence in the consumer electronics industry. His influence went far beyond his own company. He was a human catalyst accelerating the pace of computer evolution to warp speed.) 1984 was and still is a year forever tainted by George Orwell’s novel of the same name. Orwell, “Big Brother”, and even the year itself have become shorthand terms for totalitarianism or anything that even hints of it, whether it’s a security camera or a political philosophy you disagree with or Microsoft’s Windows validation software. “Orwellian” is a ...
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection delayed in Europe
By GameSpot, published 26-10-2011
[UPDATE]: North American players to receive compilation November 8, but European gamers will have to wait until February 2012 to slip back into Snake's skin. The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is going to miss its November release window in Europe, Konami confirmed today. The game is now set to be released in Europe on February 3, 2012, for the PS3 and Xbox 360, the publisher said. Some of the familiar faces currently being remastered. Included in the collection are the PS2 hits Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3; the PSP's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker; and the MSX origin titles Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Konami has said that Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, and Peace Walker have all been upgraded to 60-frame-per-second high-definition...
Updated: iPad 3 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 24-10-2011
iPad 3 rumoured release date and processorThe iPad 2 is out, and the rumour factory has already moved on: it's predicting iPad 3 specifications including chips, cameras and retina displays - with a little bit of help from mysterious, unnamed people who can't possibly be identified.How very convenient. So what's the word on the street about the next iPad?brightcove : 1065669898001iPad 3 release dateAlthough numerous sources such as Reuters reported that the new iPad 3 is due in the fourth quarter of 2011, the signs are it will be early in 2012. However, another rumour believes it could well be November.On 1 July, Digitimes reported that Taiwanese-based component suppliers were gearing up for production of iPad 3 and iPhone 5. In October 2011 it was later reported that production would certa...
Blizzard delves into Diablo lore
By GameSpot, published 23-10-2011
BlizzCon 2011: Studio offers its first panel aimed at illuminating the history of its action RPG franchise, detailing The Eternal Conflict, angels, and demons. Oddly enough, in BlizzCon's seven-year history, there has never been a panel devoted explicitly to the Diablo franchise's lore. That changed today, however, as Blizzard senior VP of story and franchise development Chris Metzen took the stage alongside Diablo III lead content designer Kevin Martens and senior world designer Leonard Boyarsky. Diablo III's heroes will face off against Belial and Azmodan. Metzen began the session with an apology of sorts for the substantial amount of tinkering that has been done to Diablo's lore in advance of the third game's release. He said that the franchise h...
Review: Nikon Coolpix P7100
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
OverviewThe Nikon Coolpix P7100 is the brand's new replacement for its flagship advanced compact camera - the Coolpix P7000 - and comes with a number of new and upgraded features over its predecessor, including some fresh controls, a high-resolution tilting LCD display and a revised user interface, to name a few.The Nikon Coolpix P7000 was originally launched just over a year ago in order to compete with Canon's revered PowerShot G-series, matching its main rival - the Canon PowerShot G12 - in terms of key specifications, full manual control and premium build quality. It also proved itself capable of producing beautiful images straight out of the camera. Where it fell short, however, was in its handling, delivering a sluggish shooting experience.The new model doesn't appear to have had muc...
Updated: Samsung Galaxy Nexus: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Galaxy Nexus: what you need to knowThe first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone has been announced and it's called the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.Want to know more about the handset? Here's everything we have so far. Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK release date The Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK release date is November, if an erroneous flyer from Japanese Network DoCoMo is to be believed. We definitely know it'll be available on Vodafone as the network has been in contact with TechRadar to confirm. We also know that it's coming to Threeand O2.Samsung Galaxy Nexus pricePhones4U is the first to offer up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK price, and, while we knew it would be sold at a premium, we didn't expect you'd be paying a whopping £46 per month to get the phone for free – though we're not currently sure how m...
Mystery DC Superhero Title, Lego Batman 2 Planned
By GameInformer, published 18-10-2011
Speaking to the L.A. Times, Warner Bros. Interactive president Martin Tremblay said the publisher plans to release a new LEGO Batman next year along with an unannounced title featuring a DC Comics superhero. Tremblay wouldn't divulge any additional details about either game. Additionally, Warner will also release a Hobbit movie tie-in game in 2012 before "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" from Peter Jackson hits theaters next December. LEGO Batman was first released in 2008 and has gone on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide.
Updated: 4G mobile broadband and LTE explained
By TechRadar, published 17-10-2011
4G mobile broadband and LTE explainedToday's 3G/UMTS networks were only launched in 2003, but plans are already well underway for replacement 4G mobile broadband technologies. Though we Brits might be waiting a little while yet - as you'll read - things aren't quite so sluggish stateside. In the US, Sprint was investing in the 802.16e WiMAX standard - promoted by Intel stateside - while Verizon has been rolling out a rival Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.However, it has now emerged that Sprint is also planning a 4G LTE network by late 2013 - seemingly admitting that it made the wrong choice with WiMax. LTE promises mobile internet connectivity speedier than your home broadband.And it's easy to get excited. 2011 has seen several companies unveil 4G mobile phones designed specifically for ...
Level-5 announces new titles on weekend press conference
By GameSpot, published 17-10-2011
Highlights include "cross media" Yokai Watch, Time Travelers for PSP and PS Vita, and Layton Brothers for iOS. During Level-5's world press conference on October 15, president Akihiro Hino announced a plethora of new titles, ranging from sequels to the soccer title Inazuma 11 for the Wii and DS, as well as new franchises. One of the new titles is Yokai Watch, an upcoming "cross media" title similar to the company's Danball Senki and Inazuma 11 franchise. One of the new games stars Professor Layton's son. Players control a kid who can see spirits and ghouls ("yokais" in Japanese) through his new watch. Accompanying him is a white ghost that acts as a guide. Players have to solve unusual problems caused by the invisible spirits by summoning other tamed...
Tutorial: How to speed up your wireless network
By TechRadar, published 16-10-2011
How to speed up your wireless networkWi-Fi is a great technology, but how you set up and use it can have a huge impact on its efficiency. If you're constantly waiting for web pages in general to load, then before you complain that your ISP isn't supplying that promised 24Mb/s connection, spare a thought for what happens when that signal hits the airwaves in your house. How it works To improve Wi-Fi performance, we first need to understand what it actually is. Wi-Fi is also called wireless local area networking or WLAN in the management console of your base station or broadband router, and it uses a group of frequencies clustered around 2.4GHz to transmit and receive data between computers. To ensure that data gets through, it uses a protocol called 802.11. If every network within range all...
In Depth: The death of money
By TechRadar, published 15-10-2011
The death of moneyEvery day, all over the world, currency is minted and printed in huge quantities. That currency gets jammed into pockets and organised in tills, folded inside wallets and stuffed into envelopes, paid into bank accounts and stored underneath mattresses. Money is all around us, and yet none of it actually exists. Our notes and coins and the numbers we see in our online bank accounts are mere IOUs - promises from people we'll never meet that we'll never redeem. Currency is just information, and if there's one thing computers are good at, it's dealing with information. Will the future of money be electronic? Google, Apple and a whole host of tech firms believe that the answer could be yes. By 2015, cash could be looking like an endangered species. Oyster-style smartcards will...
Review: Toshiba 47VL863B
By TechRadar, published 14-10-2011
Whatever issues you might have with passive 3D technology, the fact that it lets you watch 3D with flicker-free, cheap-as-chips glasses is a family-friendly boon. So, it's no surprise at all to find other brands buying in LG's passive 3D tech to use in their own 2011 TV ranges, and first up is Toshiba's fairly-priced 47VL863B, which is also passably easy on the eye with its slim bezel, trim rear and minimalist black finish. But it does feel rather flimsy.It's very well connected for the price; four HDMIs cater for your HD and 3D needs, while a LAN port will access stuff on a DLNA PC or Toshiba's new 'Places' online service. Twin USBs can either play back multimedia files or add Wi-Fi via an optional dongle. Toshiba's Places smart TV online service shows potential, but content is currently ...
World of Warcraft server blades up for charity auction
By GameSpot, published 13-10-2011
Blizzard opening up eBay listings for about 2,000 computer boards used to run massively popular MMOG, proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Hospital. Nostalgia's a powerful thing for many massively multiplayer online role-playing gamers, and those looking to hang on to their early World of Warcraft memories now have a new way to do so. Blizzard today announced plans to auction off around 2,000 server blades that were used to run its massively popular MMOG in the early days of its launch. World of Warcraft's server blade auction begins October 17. Net proceeds of the auctions will go to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which specializes in battling cancer and other serious diseases. Each server will come housed in a custom windowed case that be...
GTAIII turns 10, coming to mobile devices
By GameSpot, published 13-10-2011
The anniversary edition of Grand Theft Auto III arrives for phones and tablets this autumn, along with a Claude action figure. Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar has announced a mobile version of its influential, 10-year-old sandbox adventure game Grand Theft Auto III. The 10th anniversary edition handheld version will hit "select" Apple and Android devices this autumn; these include the iPad 2, iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S2, and Asus Iconia tablet. The commemorative Claude doll. The full list of compatible gadgets (see below) suggests a mobile game with relatively high hardware demands. Apple iOS devices older than the iPad 2 and the new iPhone (that is, with the Apple A5 chip) will not play it. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Liberty City...
PS Move shipments total 8.3 million
By GameSpot, published 10-12-2011
GDC Online 2011: Sony engineer recaps progress of Sony's motion controller, shows hypothetical Move-enabled Resistance 4 built on augmented reality technology. Who was there: Gabe Ahn, developer support engineer for Sony Computer Entertainment America, delivered a sponsored session intended to bring developers up to speed on the basics of the PlayStation Move. Sony vice president of Move-shilling Kevin Butler was not in attendance. What they talked about: Ahn started with a stats dump, saying the Move has shipped more than 8.3 million units worldwide. (In April, Sony touted a total of 8 million units shipped.) As for software, Ahn said more than 7 million Move games have shipped in North America alone. There will be more than 80 games available by the ...
Updated: Nexus Prime rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
Nexus Prime rumours: What you need to knowGoogle's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the Nexus Prime UK release date will be late October or early November 2011. On 11 October it was rumoured that the Nexus Prime UK re...
In Depth: Are PCs to blame for the financial mess we're in?
By TechRadar, published 10-08-2011
Are PCs to blame for the financial mess we're in?During 6 May 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average - the second oldest US market index and one of the most commonly used indices to reflect the state of the market as a whole - saw its biggest and fastest decline ever. By 2:42pm that day, the Dow had dropped 300 points since the start of trading that morning. By 2:47pm, a mere five minutes later, it had dropped by a further 600 points. Suddenly, hundreds of stocks had had their prices slashed to almost zero. The crash instantly wiped out almost $1trillion in stock value. Even major blue chip companies weren't safe from its effects: Accenture shares fell more than 90 per cent from $40 to $0.01. Even more amazingly, just 20 minutes later the market had bounced back up to almost the same level...
The 18 Best Web Shows You've Never Watched
By MaximumPC, published 10-06-2011
Raise your hand if you've heard of Epic Meal Time. Great. What about Leo Laporte's This Week in Tech? Excellent. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog? If most of you geeks aren't raising your hands by now, something's wrong. Is your YouTube broken? Thanks to the combined powers of the Internet, Webcams, and creativity, a world full of bored office workers now has access to some of the most interesting, funny, and downright weird video content at the mere click of a mouse. And when these popular videos all center on a specific theme, we call that a "show"—in some cases, a "channel," depending on who's hosting the videos. Get my drift? But here's the age-old problem: There's just too much content out there. If you aren't an Internet sleuth, there's a pretty good chance you're missing out on all ...
Updated: Hands on: Nikon V1 review
By TechRadar, published 10-06-2011
Overview Nikon announced the new J1 and V1 cameras amidst a flurry of excitement spawned from months, if not years, of rumours and mysterious "giant hands" appearing around the world. The Nikon J1 and V1 were finally revealed to a world with baited breath, featuring some pretty impressive specs in an extremely small body, along with a brand new "CX" format 10 million pixel sensor and new "1" mount, the company's first new mount since 1959. We spent some time with a pre-production sample of V1 to get the lowdown on Nikon's camera, which it describes as belonging to a whole new category, the "ACIL" or "Advanced compact with interchangeable lenses". Designed from the ground up, Nikon claims that, unlike other compact system cameras on the market, this i...
Review: LG 50PZ950T
By TechRadar, published 10-06-2011
OverviewLG has been so aggressive about promoting its new passive 3D TV technology this year that you'd be forgiven for thinking the brand no longer made any active 3D TVs. But actually, active 3D is still alive and well on the plasma side of LG's TV range, thanks to LG's belief that plasma screens aren't bright enough to work with the filter that has to go across the front of passive 3D TVs.The 50PZ950T we tested is LG's 50-inch flagship 3D plasma TV. This is reflected in its design, as it enjoys LG's very attractive Infinia/Razor Frame styling, complete with a single-layer finish over both its bezel and its screen. In fact, the glass top sheet extends fractionally beyond the TV's edges, which adds style from the front as well as exaggerating the TV's impressively slim profile (by plasma ...
Google Earth hits 1 billion landmark
By TechRadar, published 10-06-2011
Google is celebrating the billionth download of Google Earth, with the popular atlas tool reaching the target in its sixth year of existence. Google Earth is built on technology developed by Keyhole, which Google bought in 2004, and has proven to be a hugely popular product for the company. "Today, we've reached our own one billion mark: Google Earth has been downloaded more than one billion times since it was first introducedin 2005," blogged Brian McClendon, VP of Engineering, Google Earth and Maps."That's more than one billion downloads of the Google Earth desktop client, mobile apps and the Google Earth plug-in—all enabling you to explore the world in seconds, from Earth to Mars to the ocean floor."Google is celebrating with its www.OneWorldManyStories.com site, where...
LG's Optimus Slider Gets Affordable: $200 Off-Contract On Virgin Mobile
By HotHardware, published 10-03-2011
Who says that you need a post-paid contract in order to get a decent smartphone? A few years back, you did, but things have changed dramatically. Now, some smartphones are trickling down to pre-paid carriers, with yesterdays "greatest" on the post-paid side becoming today's "good enough" on the pre-paid side. LG's Optimus Slider is an Android-powered...
A Pairing Of Epic Proportions
By GameInformer, published 29-09-2011
The recent release of the Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection for PS3 has us experiencing two distinct emotions. We’re reveling in a high definition nostalgia trip with two amazing PS2 titles, but we’re also yearning for new information on Team Ico’s new upcoming adventure, The Last Guardian. Unfortunately, no new info emerged on the game at TGS 2011. Because we assume you’re as eager as we are for some Last Guardian coverage, we’re bringing you something you may have missed. Check out Annette Gonzalez’s preview on the game which was originally published in issue #211 of Game Informer. Designing The Boy And His Trico The current model of the Trico is meant to resemble a cat, which the team agreed to after scrapping previous iterations that ...
More pictures of the LG LU6200 leak, is it the LG Revolution 2?
By phoneArena, published 24-09-2011
Last Saturday we showed you pictures of an unannounced LG LU6200 phone that many are calling the LG Revolution 2; the phone is said to be preparing for an early October launch in Korea and U.S. availability has not been revealed...
Put On Your Dumb Mask: 4 Slipknot Tracks Coming To Rock Band 3
By GameInformer, published 23-09-2011
I haven’t listened to Slipknot since high school. Actually, I don’t know anyone who has. Despite my metal tastes evolving past the 37-member band, the nostalgic appeal of rocking “Wait and Bleed” in Rock Band 3 has me itching to dust off the faded black Maggot Corps t-shirt that’s been in my dresser since 2004. The DLC tracks include Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed,” “Left Behind,” Pulse of the Maggots,” and “Snuff.” Each track can be purchased individually for $1.99 on PSN, 160 MS points on XBLA, and 200 Wii points on Wii Shop channel. Or, you can get the whole pack for $6.99 on PSN, 560 MS points on XBLA, and 700 Wii points on Wii Shop channel. You can play pro guitar and pro bass mode on “Wait and Bleed&rdqu...
Updated: 40 best free iPhone games on the planet
By TechRadar, published 23-09-2011
Best free iPhone and iPod touch games: 1-20It's safe to say that Apple's given the gaming industry a square kick in the tender regions. Despite their bluster, dismissing Apple in every way possible, Sony and Nintendo are both clearly concerned by the meteoric rise of iPod touch and iPhone as handheld gaming devices. Although great games are the driving force behind the success of Apple gaming, low prices have also helped. Most 'premium' titles cost six quid or less, and many developers end up in a race to 59p, thereby providing games that'd cost 20 quid on a rival platform for the price of a Kit-Kat.But what if you've spent your last penny on your shiny Apple object of desire? Can you get great games for nothing at all, or is the 'free' section of the App Store full of the kind of games th...
Irrational Reveals Its Canceled RPG/RTS Dungeon Duel
By GameInformer, published 23-09-2011
In the days before BioShock, Irrational Games worked on an intriguing role-playing/real-time strategy hybrid titled Dungeon Duel. Today, on its official site, Irrational showed off some newly discovered concept art and design materials from the project.According to Irrational, Dungeon Duel was in development in 2002. The initial pitch document described the game like this: “Dungeon Duel combines fast-paced RTS strategy with the addictiveness of card game trading in a unique fantasy setting–a true RTS game built specifically with consoles and their controllers in mind.”While the game never made it to development, Irrational's technical director Chris Kline found some materials on the game in some old email attachments. If you want all the available information and ass...
Metal Gear Solid Becomes A Board Game
By GameInformer, published 22-09-2011
Do you love the Metal Gear Solid series but wish it came with more little plastic figurines and dice that your dog can eat? You're in luck. Today Konami announced a Metal Gear Solid version of the popular board game Risk. If your childhood was marred by multi-day Risk sessions with your family like mine was, you'll be happy to know that the MGS-themed Risk is based on a streamlined version of the game introduced in 2008 -- though we doubt that will stop your siblings from cheating every time you get up to use the bathroom. The board game will introduce a few interesting twists to the classic Risk formula, including the mobile battleship, Outer Haven, which can attack from new locations on the map, reducing the importance of traditional bottlenecks found in the game. Risk: M...
Nexus Prime rumours: What you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the signs are all pointing to an October or November launch for the next official Android flagship phone, made by Samsung, running the newest Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, which may or may ...
Nexus Prime: What you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the signs are all pointing to an October or November launch for the next official Android flagship phone, made by Samsung, running the newest Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, which may or may ...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Overview, design and feelIt's been a busy old year for Sony Ericsson. As it struggles to regain a foothold in the market it was once sucha major player in, it's been firing out more Android-based Xperia smartphones than long-lost relatives on an episode of Jeremy Kyle. And they're not half bad either.The Xperia Arc has been the flagship of 2011's bunch. Arriving in the spring, it became the skinny poster girl for the Swedish-Japanese hybrid, showing off its amazing screen presence with the help of the Sony Reality Display (the bit that reproduces colour on the screen and makes it look great) but in the Xperia Ray, Sony Ericsson has gone for a smaller model.Before we go any further, there is one point we have to make clear: this phone is small. And thin. Think smaller and thinner than you e...
Details on LG's Nexus Prime rival emerge
By TechRadar, published 21-09-2011
More detail has emerged on the forthcoming flagship LG LU6200 – the Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone that will be competing with the likes of the rumoured Google Nexus Prime from Samsung.LG are keen to put a troubled time in smartphones behind them, and they will hope that the LU6200 can be the handset that gets them back among the big guns, although it will no doubt have a snappier moniker by then. LG has put up a page in Korean with the full specs and we now know that it will sport a whopping 4.5 inch 1280x720 HD screen with IPS screen panel technology - the same seen in the iPhone 4's Retina Display. Gig of RAMUnder the hood, the LG handset will boast a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, an impressive 1840mAh battery and an Galaxy S2-matching 1GB of RAM. Internal storage is set at 4GB, altho...
LG LU6200 live shots emerge, we get to see its HD screen
By GSMArena, published 20-09-2011
It was only a few days ago when the first pictures of the LG LU6200 emerged, causing a stir in our geeky hearts. Today, we have live shots of the device for you and, finally, we get to see its HD screen in its full glory. The AH-IPS LCD display with HD (720 x 1280) resolution, featured in the upcoming LG flagship has already made quite a splash by winning a prestigious award. There is...
Blizzard talks World of Warcraft: Cataclysm 4.3
By GameSpot, published 19-09-2011
Game director Tom Chilton details what's next for Blizzard MMO game: transmogrification, new instances, new storage, and new legendary content. The massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft continues to welcome millions of subscribers to the virtual fantasy realm of Azeroth, and the development team at Blizzard is preparing to unveil its latest content update, the upcoming 4.3 patch for Cataclysm (the game's most recent retail expansion). Though no specific release date has been announced for it, the new patch will introduce six significant content additions: three new dungeon instances designed for five-character adventuring parties; a new high-end "raid" instance for groups of either 10 or 25 characters; a new type of item storage known as "void storage"; the option to ...
Street Fighter X Tekken to let players customize fighters
By GameSpot, published 16-09-2011
Producer Yoshinori Ono confirms new gem system will let players customize moves, timings for characters in crossover fighter. TOKYO--Fighting games have long allowed players to customise their favorite brawlers, but most of these have stuck to purely cosmetic changes such as costumes or accessories. Capcom's upcoming crossover fighter Street Fighter X Tekken is taking the customisation options one step further and will apparently let players change character moves and even timing. Everyone may still play as Ryu, but at least they're likely to play as different versions of Ryu. Street Fighter X Tekken producer Yoshinori Ono confirmed to GameSpot today that the gem system--which has been hinted at in previous weeks--will go further than simple costume ch...
LG LU6200 leaks - LTE, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and HD screen
By GSMArena, published 15-09-2011
We just stumbled upon some photos of a yet unannounced LG handset that might be the company's next flagship. The Android smartphone is supposedly called LG LU6200 and, unfortunately, will be a South Korea-exclusive at launch. Chances are that a global version of it will appear sooner, rather than later. The LG LU6200 will, reportedly, be the first LG handset to feature a 4.5" HD screen (1280 x...
Fading Shadows - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 14-09-2011
Genre: PuzzleDeveloper: IvolgamusRelease Date: February 2008PEGI: 7+Format: PSPFading Shadows, the latest offering from European developer Ivolgamus, is an addictive puzzle-platformer game exclusive to the PSPTM offering an entirely unique style of action-packed puzzle gameplay, stunning graphics and visual effects, a riveting and immersive storyline, plus a competitive wireless multiplayer game mode.Fading Shadows sees the player faced with the challenge of saving Erwyn, whose death, according to the millennia-old prophecy, will allow evil master Gardal to breach the gates of the Castle of Heaven, the supreme fortress built to protect the world from the forces of darkness. Erywn's soul has been enclosed in a protective orb by his clairvoyant sister, Aira, and the orb must now be safely gu...
File Host Suing Warner Bros For Copyright Fraud
By MaximumPC, published 13-09-2011
File hosting and sharing service, Hotfile was sued earlier this year by a consortium of copyright holders including Warner Bros, Disney, and Fox. The MPAA recently scored a victory when it was ruled that Hotfile has to divulge user details. Now Hotfile is firing back, accusing Warner of abusing the anti-piracy takedown tool built into the service. Back in 2009, Warner approached Hotfile about making is easier to have infringing material removed from the service. Hotfile complied and developed the Special Rightsholders Account (SRA). This system allowed rights-holders to manually remove content that they owned to copyrights to. Hotfile now alleges that Warner committed fraud and abuse by removing thousands of files they did not hold the rights to. In the counter-suit, Hotfile points to nume...
Qt transitioning to an open governance model by October 17th
By Thinkdigit, published 13-09-2011
Qt has been in the spotlight quite a bit recently as it has gone through a number of changes in just recent times.In 2008, Nokia acquired Trolltech and with it Qt. Nokia expanded the scope of Qt, making it possible to target not only Windows, Linux and Mac OSX like it used to, but also to create mobile applications for Symbian and MeeGo based phones using the same toolkit. Nokia also made Qt available under the LGPL license. They also introduced the new Qt Creator IDE, a [...] Read the entire article
LG Univa E510 embraces officialdom as LG Optimus Hub
By GSMArena, published 09-12-2011
Today in Italy LG announced the successor of its highly popular midrange droid Optimus One. Dubbed LG Optimus Hub, the new smartphone improves several key aspects of the hardware of its predecessor, while maintaining the attractive pricing. Costing a euro under ?200, the LG Optimus Hub comes with a 3.5" HVGA LCD, 800 MHz CPU and 512 MB. Its highlights also include a 5 megapixel camera, GPS,...
Review: Panasonic TX-L42E3B
By TechRadar, published 09-11-2011
Panasonic has got more serious about LCD technology this year than ever before, having shifted over to edge LED lighting. But it's also introduced a couple of 42-inch models that have the potential to threaten its own plasma market, which also start at 42-inches. Can the Panasonic TX-L42E3B LCD TV come close to the impressive standards set by its plasma siblings? There's nothing very original about it aesthetically, but its slender bezel and glossy finish are a step up from the brand's former affordable LCDs. Its connections are a bit of a downer, though; it only has three HDMIs when some rivals at this price level manage four. But worse is its limited multimedia support. There's no USB port, and the provided LAN port is merely there to support a built-in Freeview HD tuner; it doesn't enab...
Review: LG 42LV450U
By TechRadar, published 09-10-2011
The LG 42LV450U is a classy-looking, slender set that is equipped with edge LED lighting. It's nice to find, too, that there's a USB port available for playing back photo, music and video (including DivX HD) files from USB storage devices. But this is basically where the interesting specs end. There's no Freeview HD tuner, something LG has always been quick to introduce further down its TV range. There's no sign of any of LG's Smart TV online services, either. Indeed, there isn't even a LAN port to access the internet or files stored on DLNA PCs. Unfortunately for LG, these missed out features are going to crop up fairly regularly elsewhere on rival TVs at this price point... The 42LV450U does retain the impressively logical and well presented onscreen menus found further up LG's range. It...
LG denies layoffs in its mobile deivision, corrects quality problems with Apple iPad 2 panels
By phoneArena, published 09-10-2011
Korean based LG Electronics denied reports that surfaced Thursday that they were laying off 30% of the company's mobile division; at the same time, the company has corrected quality problems it was having in producing displays for the Apple iPad...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 09-10-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarHas the economy suddenly picked up? This week we got our hands on the fantastic 60-inch, 3D-capable and Smart TV-enabled UE60D8000 from Samsung, which doesn't come cheap at £4,300, and then the £1,000+ Asus MARS II Limited Edition graphics card landed on our desk.At the other end of the spectrum we were impressed with the Samsung PL120, which can be picked up for under £100 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro, which is both small in price and size.Read on for this week's most popular reviews on TechRadar.Samsung UE60D8000 reviewWhen Samsung gave us exclusive access to its brand new flagship LCD TV, we were excited. It's hard not to be excited by these new Samsungs - just look at them. There's almost no bezel at all, which means the picture goes ...
LG Univa E510 droid surfaces in a quick hands-on session
By GSMArena, published 09-09-2011
LG hasn't officially introduced the LG Univa E510, which is supposedly the Optimus Two, but the smartphone has surfaced yet again, starring in a quick hands-on. The hands-on confirms most of the specs of the Optimus One successor, including that it runs Android Gingerbread (v2.3.4). It's powered by a Qualcomm chipset with an 800MHz CPU, 512MB RAM and Adreno 200 graphics. Unfortunately the CPU...
Review: LG D2342P Cinema 3D Monitor
By TechRadar, published 09-09-2011
The LG D2342P 23-inch LED backlight display has an FPR (Film Pattern Retarder) filter, which means it can be used with low-cost, passive 3D glasses that appear flicker-free. This is important considering most PC monitors are used in environments with a high level of ambient light, usually from a multitude of different sources. What's more, the loss of 3D resolution characteristic of an FPR screen matters far less here than on a large screen TV, because it's harder to perceive. The screen looks much like any other widescreen PC monitor. It has a thin, glossy black bezel and is just 5.7cm deep (although it bulges at the rear). There are no speakers, but you do get a headphone jack. This PC Cinema 3D screen works rather well. Tron: Legacy is a challenging 3D Blu-ray, yet this LG does a grand ...
In Depth: Are glasses killing 3D TV?
By TechRadar, published 09-08-2011
Are glasses killing 3D TV?It's a debate that's sure to polarise, but are glasses killing-off 3D in the home?Research has found that 3D TV owners in the UK typically own just two pairs of glasses - 13 per cent don't own any - and see the high cost as a major barrier to buying more. In a survey of 3D TV owners in the UK, researched by Strategy Analytics, just over half agreed that they would buy more 3D glasses for family and friends if prices were lower. "The glasses issue is very real," says Jia Wu, a senior analyst at the firm. "Naturally enough, people would rather not have to wear them, but a majority of 3D TV viewers are prepared to put up with the inconvenience when the experience and entertainment value justify it."Having invested in a 3D TV, you'd have thought so, bu...
Buying Guide: Best PAYG phone - budget mobiles compared
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Best budget PAYG phonesWith the mobile marketplace teeming with a multitude of smartphones, one might wonder whether cheap pay and go phones still have a place in the mobile infrastructure.With massive innovation in both hardware and operating systems, phones now do a lot more than just let you talk and text, with phones like the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Apple iPhone 5 stealing headlines around the world these days.Sadly all this innovation isn't cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. So, is there such a thing as the 'best pay as you go phone on a budget'?Omio has provided a list of the top selling cheap phones at the moment, which we've taken to task to bring you the best PAYG phones around at the moment - so if you're looking to pick up a decent handset for not...
In Depth: Top 50 best Linux apps 2011
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Top 50 best Linux apps 2011For everyone at Linux Format magazine and most of its readers, computers and Linux are a passion. Linux is perfect: its open source nature and excellent shell make it the ultimate hobbyist's operating system. Fortunately, there's a huge number of top-class applications available as well: market leading packages for professional and consumer level media creation, tools for developers, systems administrators and students - as well as great games to help you procrastinate on a Friday. Here we introduce you to the 50 best apps for Linux. We didn't just want the 50 most popular, so we asked our readers on TuxRadar for their favourites in a bid to discover some little-known gems. The response was overwhelming. You introduced us to great programs that we'd never heard o...
Yahoo fires CEO Carol Bartz
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Yahoo has announced that CEO Carol Bartz has been 'removed by the Board from her role as chief executive officer'. Describing the ousting as a 'leadership reorganisation', Yahoo has appointed Timothy Morse as an interim CEO while the hunt is on for someone with the cojones to take the role on permanently. "On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Carol for her service to Yahoo! during a critical time of transition in the Company's history, and against a very challenging macro-economic backdrop," said Roy Bostock, chairman of the Yahoo board, in a statement. After the announcement was made, Yahoo's shares shot up over six per cent, which isn't going to do much for Bartz's confidence now that she's back on the job hunt. Telephone firingBartz announced her firing via an email to...
Review: BlackBerry Torch 9860
By TechRadar, published 09-06-2011
Overview and designIt's taken a ridiculously long time to come, but this is it. This is the one. After the clickable screen of the BlackBerry Storm 2 and the touchscreen-with-slide-out-keyboard shenanigans of the original BlackBerry Torch, RIM has finally released a proper touchscreen smartphone.No ands or buts – the BlackBerry Torch 9860 is a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, and that's it. Granted, the iPhone managed a similar-ish feat in 2007, but RIM's insistence in holding on to the designs that made it big in the first place have held it back from this moment.This 3.7-inch touchscreen the largest RIM has ever made, it's also the highest resolution, with a handy 480 x 800 pixels on display. Which is good, because you want the new BlackBerry OS 7 to look its best, don't you?Powering t...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro
By TechRadar, published 09-05-2011
Overview, design and feelSo, just as Sony Ericsson accompanied its X10 Mini with the X10 Mini Pro in 2010, this year's excellent new Xperia Mini is now accompanied by a heavier, sturdier model of the same size, the Xperia Mini Pro. The new smartphone also has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for those of you still stubbornly refusing to go 100% touchscreen. The internal hardware has been updated from last year's X10 Mini Pro, with three fairly big specification upgrades. The Xperia Mini Pro now features a larger 3-inch screen, a 1GHz processor powering the mobile phone, plus the up-to-date Android 2.3 operating system. There's a small price premium for the QWERTY keyboard. While the Xperia Mini is currently selling SIM-free for around the £200 mark, the Xperia Mini Pro is on offer from £240. ...
Explained: How to pay with your iPhone
By TechRadar, published 09-03-2011
Taking payments with your iPhoneYour mobile phone started out as just that, a phone. Then it was a phone and a crummy camera and Tetris player in one. As phones got more advanced - smarter, if you will - they've evolved to take over more and more functions that used to require their own devices. An iPhone can be an ereader, video camera, GPS navigation system, music player, games console… even a level to help you hang pictures straight. But has it ever bought you lunch? New technologies, apps and add-ons let smartphones both receive and make payments, and the next generation of phones in the coming years will go further than ever to letting your mobile replace your wallet. Taking cards on iPhone Cash transactions are getting rarer with debit and credit cards being accepted nearly anywher...
In Depth: Top 10 best gadgets at IFA 2011
By TechRadar, published 09-02-2011
Top 10 best gadgets at IFA 2011It's been a great year for gadgets at this year's Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin with all kinds of surprises - from internet-connected TVs to super-sized smartphones - in the exhibition halls. Here are just 10 of the best in show...1. Sony Android tabletsSony's long-rumoured rivals to the Apple iPad 2 finally made their debut at IFA 2011 - and they confounded as much as they surprised. The Sony Tablet P (£499) and Tablet S (£399), both include Nvidia Tegra 2 mobile processors running Android Honeycomb OS, front- and rear-facing cameras, a USB 2.0 port and an SD card slot.Just like the iPad 2, both tablets are available in Wi-Fi only and 3G models, but it's the clamshell Tablet P that really piques our interest. For the Sony Tablet P sports n...
IFA 2011: LG Presents New 3D Monitors With and Without Glasses
By DigitalVersus, published 09-02-2011
Hot on the heels of the D2342, LG is expanding its range of 3D monitors with two passive 3D displays and one glasses-free 3D model: the D237IPS, DM2350D and D2000....
Sony Network Entertainment launches Sony Entertainment Network
By GameSpot, published 31-08-2011
Qriocity name gets phased out as Sony debuts new umbrella brand for PlayStation Network, Unlimited digital video and music services. Earlier this year, Sony folded the PlayStation Network into Sony Network Entertainment along with its Qriocity video and music on-demand services. Today, Sony Network Entertainment instituted a few name changes, grouping all three programs under the Sony Entertainment Network banner. That's right. Sony Network Entertainment unveiled the Sony Entertainment Network. As part of the rebranding, Sony is retiring the Qriocity brand. The subscription-based audio service will now be known as Music Unlimited, while Video on Demand powered by Qriocity has been dumped in favor of the more streamlined Video Unlimited. Both will conti...
Battlefield 3 dev on decision to leave civilians out
By GameSpot, published 31-08-2011
EA DICE executive producer admits to self-censorship, says team didn't want to take the blame for players indulging their dark sides. In 2009, Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 made headlines for its "No Russian" level, which allowed gun-toting players to walk through an airport casually gunning down helpless civilians. While Electronic Arts has made much of its aspirations to outdo the Call of Duty franchise with the DICE-developed Battlefield 3, that area of controversy is one the publisher is perfectly happy to let its rival own. This should make it considerably easier to win hearts and minds. Speaking with Rock Paper Shotgun, Battlefield 3 executive producer Patrick Bach said his studio is drawing the line at populating its modern-day fir...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 27-08-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week has been a bumper week for kit on TechRadar - it's hardly been a slow week for news, either.We've got the pocket 3D camcorder, the Sony Bloggie 3D, the Panasonic DMC-FZ48 with a super 24x lens. Also from Panasonic is the 65-inch Panasonic's TX-P65VT30.And then there's the updated Sony Xperia Mini - a diminutive Android handset, HTC Evo 3D plus much more besides.Sony Bloggie 3D reviewThe Sony Bloggie 3D MHS-FS3 certainly isn't cheap, but then this is a distinctly premium point-and-shoot video recorder. The obvious draw is simple, hassle-free 3D recording and playback, with an easy way to trim and upload the footage. But it's not just a one-trick, three-dimensional pony; there's a good range of 2D recording options too, including 1080p, so So...
In Depth: What will your TV look like in 2021?
By TechRadar, published 26-08-2011
What will your TV look like in a 2021?The latest LED-backlit models might have 'smart' features, BBC iPlayer apps and 3D, but that's only the beginning of the journey for the humble TV. Over the next decade the TV is set to become bigger, sleeker, greener - and even higher-def."Judging by the advances in the past decade, the next 10 years look set to offer consumers another collection of jaw-dropping developments," says Stephen Gater, CE Consumer Marketing Director at LG. "Whether it is large-scale OLED displays or glasses-free 3D; one thing is sure, home entertainment is set to get even more immersive and bring consumers closer to the action." Let's start with OLED.Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) TVsOLED: Deliciously slim, with jaw-droppingly good pictures (the inky b...
Buying Guide: 10 best iPhone photography apps
By TechRadar, published 26-08-2011
10 best iPhone photography appsApple's five-megapixel iPhone 4 can produce amazing results under a variety of conditions. When the shots are viewed side-by-side with some compact cameras they hold up very well, especially when you consider it's also a phone, personal computer and more besides. Having phones and tablets with built-in cameras has driven a boom in casual photography. An analysis of geotagged photos uploaded to the Flickr and Picasa websites by a chap called Eric Fischer showed that the most photographed place in New York was the area around the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue. It seems we Apple aficionados love to snap and share our photos with the world. With knowledge of basic photographic composition and the photographic apps we've picked, you can take greater control and crea...
Review: Updated: HTC Evo 3D
By TechRadar, published 24-08-2011
UPDATE: We've now re-reviewed this phone for the UK market, so check out our findings below.It seems like there are a bazillion Android phones on the market, which means any phone with a brand new feature seems like a colossal improvement. The latest of these big steps forward was the 'glasses-free' 3D screen on the LG Optimus 3D. Now splashing down is HTC's Evo 3D, with 3D features intended to be less alarming those on the Optimus 3D.We've got a cheeky little video of the HTC Evo 3D if you want to see the phone in action ahead of our full and in-depth review:In fact, at first glance, you might mistake the Evo 3D for any other slightly chunkier Android phone with a bright screen and HTC's Sense user interface. The problem is that the Android line-up has recently moved on to greener pasture...
Review: Toshiba Tecra R840-11E
By TechRadar, published 24-08-2011
Toshiba's Tecra range strikes a fine balance between consumer and business laptops. The Tecra R840-11E offers tons of business features and great performance in a light and slim body, but at a price that isn't out of grasp for the average consumer. The first of the business features is a built-in fingerprint scanner wedged between the mouse buttons. You can use this to log on to your laptop, which saves the hassle of remembering complex passwords. An ExpressCard slot allows you to add peripherals, such as graphics cards, TV Tuner cards and extra storage, while an eSATA port can be used to back up your files to an external hard drive. DisplayPort and VGA ports mean you can hook up an external monitor or projector. You can even connect wirelessly with compatible televisions. Your data will b...
Fractal Design's Define R3 mid-tower chassis
By TechReport, published 23-08-2011
When we reviewed the NZXT H2 back in June, the comment box was flooded with remarks about its doppelganger, the Fractal Design Define R3. Well, comment, and ye shall receive, for today we have a refreshed version of the Define R3 on the test bench.While not the newest face in the enclosure world, Fractal Design's genesis is only traceable back to 2007. At least in dog years, that makes the company old enough to pick up its own bar ...Read more...
Review: Sharp LC-40LE831D
By TechRadar, published 23-08-2011
Is Sharp's star on the rise? Hot on the heels of the news that Sharp could be about to get investment from Apple to become the supplier of iPhone and iPad screens, here's another fillip to the inventor of LCD TVs – a cracking 3D TV that's a polished performer with high-end sources, the LC-40LE831D. Hardly a major force in the UK flatscreen TV market, Japanese brand Sharp has a huge LCD business that's largely Asia-focused and has, in recent times, been concentrating on the budget end of the TV and consumer electronics markets elsewhere. That all changed last year when Sharp introduced Quattron – a new colour reproduction technology for flatscreen TVs that was long overdue. TV pictures are made up of individual pixels that mix elements from three sub-pixels – red, green and blue – t...
In Depth: How long before local storage is dead?
By TechRadar, published 23-08-2011
PCs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets - many computer users now routinely work on more than one device, and that's just one reason why there's a growing move to the cloud.Tying your emails, contacts, documents and more to a single system is just too inconvenient: it's far easier to, say, just log on to Gmail or Google Docs from each of your devices as necessary. There's no hassle, no synchronisation issues, no lost information or other problems - everything just works.And if you like the idea then Google's Chromebooks give you an opportunity to take cloud computing to a whole new level. Compact, lightweight and with a long battery life, they could be an appealing replacement for some laptops. And they store just about everything online - bookmarks, cookies, emails, documents, applications a...
In Depth: Glasses-free 3D: when will it be in our homes?
By TechRadar, published 23-08-2011
The race is on to bring glasses-free 3D to a high street near you. Using a variation of the displays seen on next-generation 3D mobiles like LG's Optimus 3D, so-called autostereoscopic (or auto-3D) screens promise to free us from the tyranny of bespectacled 3D forever. But with manufacturers still embroiled in rows over current Active Shutter and Passive 3D goggles, just how long will we have to wait - and will it be worth it in the end?The brand most likely to make auto-3D to commercial reality is Toshiba. It was the first to sell glasses-free 3D TVs to consumers, shipping screens into its home market last December. These GL (Glasses Less) models came in 12 and 20-inch screen sizes. Since then it has shown prototypes up to 65 inches at various technology expos and events around the world....
Cornell Develops Algorithm for Detecting Fake Online Reviews
By MaximumPC, published 22-08-2011
Before you run out and buy that toaster oven on sale based on a glowing user review or staying at a particular side street hotel because John Smith gave it a five-star writeup on some Web reviews site, consider for a moment that you could be reading a bogus account. Positive reviews are a hot commodity, and Cornell is working on a formula to automatically detect the fake ones. Before we dive into Cornell's custom algorithm, let's set things up. The New York Times ran an article about the "arms race of sorts" that exists as companies chase five-star reviews, and some are willing to pay for them. "I will pay for positive feedback on TripAdvisor," NYT quotes a post from the Digital Point forum. It's also easy to find individuals actively seeking out companies willing to pay for positive revie...
In Depth: Whatever happened to Wireless USB & HDMI?
By TechRadar, published 19-08-2011
A few years ago, we were promised that USB cables would be a thing of the past. And that our HD TVs would also connect to our Sky boxes and Blu-ray players wirelessly. So where are the wireless ultrawideband (UWB) technologies that were supposed to get rid of these cables? Picture the scene – it's CES 2007. The consortium of manufacturers that make up the USB Implementers Forum has a small but significant presence on the show floor, demoing cameras which download their pictures to your PC just by being placed in their presence. A printer starts spitting out high quality prints with no cables attached. In a side room below the Sands Convention Centre, Philips shows off TVs with Wireless HDMI adaptors. It's a triumph, winning praise from those who like to mount their screens on the wall, b...
The 25 Most Brutal Deaths in PC Gaming
By MaximumPC, published 18-08-2011
Just how gory do PC games get nowadays? Spoiler: Get your umbrella. There’s a great crop of titles in the PC gaming universe that are guaranteed to make you squirm—either through a combination of their bloody mayhem, the actual method you go about killing someone (or being killed yourself), or the creativity a game puts into your hands and the decision it forces you to make about another character’s life. Are all of the games on our list blood-spraying fountains of mayhem? Nope! But each and every death we’ve highlighted comes with its own special reasoning as to why it’s particularly brutal to watch. It goes without saying, but the videos we’re featuring are not for the squeamish! You’ve been warned. Hitman: Blood Money Any game that’s built around the idea of giving you ...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini
By TechRadar, published 18-08-2011
Before the arrival of Sony's Ericsson's new Xperia Mini, the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro were an odd little couple, launching in mid-2010 with Android 1.6 and a bespoke and heavily-customised user interface on top.They weren't amazingly powerful phones and their 2.55" screens were shockingly small - but Sony Ericsson did a good job of maximising the available space with its corner-based interface. The same system has returned in 2011's updates, albeit improved thanks to Sony Ericsson's developers having another year to fiddle with the interface and add more new layers of social integration. We've got some real-life footage of ACTUAL people using the phone - check it out if these grouped-together letters are too much:The new Xperia Mini is available SIM-free for just over the £200 mark, with...
LG rejected Android pole position insider reveals
By SlashGear, published 18-08-2011
LG, not HTC, was to be Google’s original partner on the first commercial Android smartphone, according to the latest industry rumors, with Android chief Andy Rubin being forced to turn to the then-little-known Taiwanese firm after LG backed out of the deal. Although negotiations had begun in early 2007 for hardware partners, a source tells [...]
Opinion: Did LG save Android before it began?
By TechRadar, published 18-08-2011
The name LG could have been as synonymous with Google's OS as HTC, according to an article on Android founder Andy Rubin.The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has published a look at the rise of the operating system - and the most interesting fact claimed is that LG backed out of a deal to be the primary partner for Android in 2007.HTC brought the first three Android phones to market and now enjoys a status as one of the world's largest smartphone makers, whereas LG is struggling to make waves in the same industry.It's an interesting point of conjecture - did LG lose out, or did Google and Android really win big by not having the Korean firm as a primary partner? I'd have to go with the latter - we've seen LG's propensity to make sub-par phones when it comes to user interfaces (S...
The Weirdest Celebrity-Based Video Games
By GameInformer, published 18-08-2011
Over the past couple months we've looked at the most unlikely movie and television show-based video games that have ever been attempted. This time we're traveling into the seedy world games based on celebrities, with a smattering of titles that will leave even the most jaded gamers scratching their heads. Revolution XFew bands were as popular with kids in the early '90s as Aerosmith, so a video game featuring their music doesn't sound like the worst idea in the world. The only problem? Developers hadn't cracked the rhythm game nut yet, so Aerosmith's arcade game, Revolution X, somehow ended up being an on-rails shooter set in a dystopian, Fahrenheit 451-style future. Revolution X tasks gamers with rescuing Aerosmith from a corrupt government that has outlawed musi...
Review: Belkin Share AV 3 Port
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
The number of network-capable gizmos under the average telly is rapidly expanding. If you're particularly flush, you might have a games console, an internet TV, a set-top box, a DVR, a media-centre PC, a NAS drive and a Blu-ray player. Most of these devices don't include Wi-Fi, so how are you meant to connect them? Enter Belkin's Share Powerline AV 3 Port. This network kit comprises two plugs, one of which includes three Ethernet ports. This means you can connect the first to your router, and the second to up to three devices (although Belkin has only included a pair of CAT5 cables). Unlike the Netgear AV+ 500, there's no pass-through on the plugs themselves, which means they'll have to take up a power socket each. They're good-looking adaptors though, and they'll complement an expensive h...
Toy Soldiers: Cold War - Xbox360 - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 16-08-2011
Insanity is half the battle! If you were a boy growing up in the '80s, you probably had an action figure or two out of the G.I. Joe line of toys. The incredibly patriotic 'Real American Heroes' were just about everywhere at the time. 20 years or so later, those kids are full-grown men and are now starring games with an oh-so nostalgic tone. Toy Soldiers was one of the best games of 2009, downloadable or not, and Signal Studios put in the extra effort of making its sequel, Toy Soldiers: Cold War, even better. Along with a different and completely bananas setting of a Cold War invasion of the capitalist world by the toy Soviet empire, there are a host of new features that make this one hell of a follow-up. For the uninitiated, Toy Soldiers is a tower defense game with a tw...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 13-08-2011
This week we've reviewed a huge variety of kit including BlackBerry's latest handset, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 - and, as you'll read, it's a cracker.We've also taken an in-depth look at the HTC Evo 3D, Samsung ST6500 as well as the brand new 11-inch MacBook Air. Apple's new baby replaces the low-end MacBook (well, we say low end, but it's still expensive) and features Intel's latest Core i5 processor. Read on and click through to read our best reviews this week. BlackBerry Bold 9900 reviewIt's been a long time coming, has BlackBerry's touchscreen Bold handset. While the BlackBerry Torch offered both a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard, it wasn't perfect for keyboard aficionados; that annoying edging, the cramped keyboard… But with the launch of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, its first proper to...
Kojima clarifies Metal Gear HD collection contents
By GameSpot, published 08-12-2011
Xbox 360 and PS3 compilation to feature Subsistence version of Metal Gear Solid 3, complete with emulated versions of original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2. At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Konami confirmed the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, saying the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 compilation would bundle together Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and last year's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Today, series creator Hideo Kojima revealed players will be getting even more for their money with the package. The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection will include more than previously thought. In a series of posts on his Twitter feed today, Kojima offered a bit of extra information on the bundle. Specifically, he confi...
Updated: Sony A77 / A800 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 08-12-2011
This article is continually updated with news and information regarding the Sony A77 / A800.The Sony A77 was one of the worst-kept secrets until a release date was finally confirmed in March. We can now expect a Sony A700 replacement by mid-summer, Sony says, and company officials have been divulging the Sony A77 specs at trade shows for some time now. So while we all wait for the official release date, we have created this one-stop shop for everything you want to know about the Sony A77, with spec wishlists from our head of testing, all the latest news and more.Sony A77 release dateUPDATE: On the 14 February 2011, Sony announced a 'mid-year' release date for the new camera as well as released an image showing a prototype of it's long-rumoured Alpha 700 replacement in a translucent skeleto...
Samsung to launch 7-inch Galaxy Tab with AMOLED screen?
By TechRadar, published 08-12-2011
Samsung could be set to launch a new variant to its Galaxy Tab range, rebooting the original device and adding in some next-gen screen tech too.The new device would have a 7-inch screen, but use the same style of AMOLED displays as seen in the Galaxy S, according to sources quoted by OLED-Display.We're very much talking about a rumoured device here, and the rumour seems based on the fact Samsung showed off 7-inch OLED display prototypes back in March, which seems a little speedy to have made it into a device already.Shut up, foolsSamsung has moved to distance itself from rumours it will be launching a glut of new devices imminently, which could preclude the new Galaxy Tab:"Some media have been reporting that Samsung is preparing to launch nine new smartphones and two new tablet devices. Wh...
Feature of the Week Super Roundup: 52 Awesome Sites, Add-ons and Apps
By MaximumPC, published 08-12-2011
Here at Maximum PC, we adhere to a few simple maxims: Make it faster! Be thorough. And keep things as simple as possible. Adhering to that philosophy, we'd like to present to you a mega-ultra-laser-shark mix and mash of features we've published these past couple of months, including some of our favorite websites, Windows Phone 7 aps, and Chrome and browser add-ons that you've been seeing grace the pages of our site recently. Because, after all, we wouldn't want you guys to have to dig around for all these yourselves. Remember. We keep it simple, just for you. Enjoy! Awesome Sites NASA The last Star Trek TV series was kind of terrible, and they cancelled Firefly before the series had a chance to really come into its own. Sure, Battlestar Galactica was great but now that it...
Review: BlackBerry Bold 9900
By TechRadar, published 08-10-2011
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 comes as something of a shock. You see, for years, BlackBerry has, in a sense, been catching up. That's not a dig at its parent company – it's practically royalty in push email and corporate handset circles. But it has been rare for RIM to lead the way. Cameras, internet browsing, HTML emails – all were included on RIM's phones years after they'd become standard fare on other handsets. For recent examples of decent phones that didn't really push the envelope all that far, just take a look at the Bold 9780 and 9700.But the Bold 9000 finally offers some cutting-edge tech, and in an attractive package to boot. Its 1.2GHz processor, high-spec touchscreen, brand new OS7 and HD video camera are all specs we never really expected a BlackBerry to have before the next m...
Two Gaming Technologies Explained: A White Paper Round-Up
By MaximumPC, published 08-09-2011
Gaming, as it always has been, is in a strong state of transformation at the moment. Major developers are focusing on creating 3D ready platforms, while others, like Nintendo and Microsoft, are trying to take us beyond controllers--actually developing games that require physical movement and in-game interactions. The brave new world of gaming will be an interesting one indeed, so we decided to take a look at two of the pioneering technologies that may change games forever: Microsoft's Kinect and autostereoscopy. You can check out our previous white paper round ups here and here! Microsoft Kinect Microsoft's unique input device for the Xbox has opened up some very intriguing possibilities. But how exactly does it work? Kinect is, perhaps, the most significant product Microsoft has de...
Review: Samsung ST30
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
At the time of the launch, Samsung claimed the ST30 was the world's smallest digital compact camera with a zoom, and it is actually smaller than a credit card. Inside the diminutive aluminium casing is a 10.1 megapixel CCD. The sensor is slightly smaller than many other digital compact cameras' at 1/3 inch which could cause problems with noise.The Samsung ST30 is aimed at the point and shooter who wants to shoot parties etc and wants a camera that's small and looks good in front of friends and family. The camera is full of auto settings so that you don't have to think about anything apart from what to point the tiny lens at.Because of the miniature size, the back of the camera is cluttered with buttons and the screen is slightly smaller than the standard size at 2.4 inches. The function bu...
Nikon Coolpix P500 review: TechRadar labs data
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
Our test of the Nikon Coolpix P500 is on the way, but in the mean time we would like to share the resolution chart images and the noise and dynamic range results.Resolution chartsIf you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 160 the Nikon Coolpix P500 is capable of resolving up to around 20 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files.Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:ISO 160, score: 20 (see full image)ISO 200, score: 20 (see full image)ISO 400, score: 18 (see full image)ISO 800, score: 16 (see full image)ISO 1600, score: 14 (see full image)ISO 3200, score: 14 (see full ima...
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V review: TechRadar labs data
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100VOur test of the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V is on the way, but in the mean time we would like to share the resolution chart images and the noise and dynamic range results.Resolution chartsAs part of our image quality testing for the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V, we've shot our resolution chartIf you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V is capable of resolving up to around 24 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG filesensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:ISO 100, score: 24(see full image)ISO 125, score: 24(see full image)ISO 160, score: 22(see full image)ISO 200, sc...
Sony Cybershot HX100V
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100VOur test of the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V is on the way, but in the mean time we would like to share the resolution chart images and the noise and dynamic range results.Resolution chartsAs part of our image quality testing for the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100V, we've shot our resolution chartIf you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 theSony Cybershot DSC-HX100V is capable of resolving up to around 24 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG filesensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:ISO 100, score: 24(see full image)ISO 125, score: 24(see full image)ISO 160, score: 22(see full image)ISO 200, sco...
Samsung DT7800 Freeview+ HD PVR announced
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
Samsung has announced the arrival of its new Freeview PVR – the BD-DT7800. The personal video recorder is one of the first by Samsung to be hooked up to its Smart Hub offering.The DT7800 has twin tuners, a 500GB built-in hard drive and it also offers the ability to edit TV programmes once you have recorded them, which means that you can trim them to length and cut out things like adverts.Because of its web functionality, the DT7800 can also act as a digital media server and there's also Samsung's All Share functionality on board as well as DLNA.3D conversionAs with many of Samsung's latest products, the company has added some 3D functionality in the form of a 2D to 3D converter – this is the same technology that can be found on Samsung's Smart TVs and latest Blu-ray range.To go alongsi...
Gears of War 3 devs working on new IP
By GameSpot, published 08-08-2011
Epic now hiring for gameplay programmers to join team working on Xbox 360-exclusive third-person shooter trilogy, original new project. While the rate of releases in the Halo franchise only accelerated after the original trilogy's 2007 conclusion, it appears as if Microsoft's other Xbox 360-exclusive shooter franchise will take a different approach once it finishes its first cycle of games. After Gears of War 3 is done, Epic will start the wheels turning on a new IP. According to an Epic Games job posting, the next project for the Gears of War 3 team isn't a fourth installment in the series, but an all-new intellectual property. The company is currently hiring gameplay programmers to join the developers finishing up Gears of War 3 to work on "a new una...
Kotick: "You'll Never See Me Acting Again"
By GameInformer, published 08-05-2011
It was surprising to hear that Activision CEO Bobby Kotick was in the film Moneyball (with Brad Pitt) as the owner of the Oakland As, and now Kotick has divulged how exactly he got the part. It turns out that Kotick and the movie's director, Bennett Miller, are friends, and Kotick was trying to get Miller to direct a video for Activision's Call of Duty Endownment, which helps find jobs for vets. Kotick told Reuters: We were having dinner and Bennett was talking about Moneyball and he asked me a little bit about an owner’s psychology and what an owner would be like. I started reading the script and I said, "I really think the words don’t capture how an owner would react to this part of the conversation." I also loved Michael Lewis’ book Moneyball. We wer...
Capcom embarks on Peanuts adventure
By GameSpot, published 08-03-2011
Publisher's social game brand to roll out a new iPhone and iPad title featuring the popular Peanuts comic strip characters; due in spring this year. Earlier this year, Capcom announced the expansion of its casual gaming arm with the launch of Beeline, a new publishing brand focused on microtransaction-driven games for smartphones. At the time, it was revealed that Beeline was working on eight titles planned for release by March 2012, but no further details were given. Now, it appears that Capcom is ready to divulge at least part of its plans, today announcing four of its upcoming Beeline titles. The Peanuts are coming to the iPhone, courtesy of Capcom. The first title will be based on a licensing agreement deal between the Japanese publisher and Pe...
Bevy of Batmen incentivize Arkham City preorders - Retail Radar
By GameSpot, published 08-02-2011
Free skins based on Batman Beyond, Batman: The Animated Series, Dark Knight Returns, and more available depending on which version of the game is ordered from which retailer. Batman-loving gamers pondering their preorder choices for the upcoming Arkham City have a conundrum on their hands worthy of The Riddler himself. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is rolling out the regular and collector's editions of the game with a slew of preorder incentives that vary by store and by country. Currently, the Animated Series Batman skin is only being offered by New Zealand's Mighty Ape. As compiled by the fansite ArkhamCity.co.uk, there are five currently revealed Batman skins being used as preorder incentives, most of them exclusive to certain retailers. ...
Review: Samsung RV511
By TechRadar, published 08-01-2011
Samsung's RV511-S01UK is a great all-round laptop. From its excellent keyboard to the dedicated graphics, there's a lot to recommend. One of Intel's previous-generation Core i3 processors is in charge and capably runs everything you throw at it, from word processors and web browsers to complex design software. An impressive 6GB of memory is tonboard and keeps everything running smoothly. If your studies involve heavy design and editing work – for instance, touching up photos and videos or constructing artistic masterpieces – the Samsung is a great choice, thanks to its basic dedicated Nvidia graphics card. Not only can you edit your media, you can also kick back and enjoy Full HD video or indulge in light gaming. Of course, you'll need a decent screen so you can comfortably work all ni...
Marvel Pinball heading to Vita, Wii U, 3DS, more
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: New platforms flip for Zen's pinball game by end of 2012, Vengeance and Virtue table collection due this year; preorder bonuses for X-Men: Destiny, Spider-Man Edge of Time detailed. Who was there: TQ Jefferson of the Marvel Interactive team was joined by Silicon Knight's Denis Dyack, Activision's Doug Heder, Beenox's Dee Brown, THQ's Jonathan McMullen, Capcom's Seth Killian, and Gazillion Entertainment's David Brevik. Ghost Rider is revving onto Marvel Pinball this year. What they talked about: Game-related announcements have been sparse at Comic-Con 2011, but Marvel had one of the biggest with its reveal of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. At the Marvel Interactive games panel today, the comics publisher had a couple of other minor reve...
Marvel Pinball heading to Vita, Wii U, 3DS, more
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: New platforms flip for Zen's pinball game by end of 2012, Vengeance and Virtue table collection due this year; preorder bonuses for X-Men: Destiny, Spider-Man: Edge of Time detailed. Who was there: TQ Jefferson of the Marvel Interactive team was joined by Silicon Knight's Denis Dyack, Activision's Doug Heder, Beenox's Dee Brown, THQ's Jonathan McMullen, Capcom's Seth Killian, and Gazillion Entertainment's David Brevik. Ghost Rider is revving onto Marvel Pinball this year. What they talked about: Game-related announcements have been sparse at Comic-Con 2011, but Marvel had one of the biggest with its reveal of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. At the Marvel Interactive games panel today, the comics publisher had a couple of other minor rev...
Buying Guide: 10 best 37-inch LCD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 22-07-2011
Our constantly updated list of all the best 37-inch TVs in the worldWhich is the best 37-inch TV?Making the decision to upgrade from a bulky old 28-inch CRT TV is almost too easy, but heading straight for a 42-inch plasma can seem a little daunting.And thus the 37" size has become one of the UK's most popular shapes; a lot more impressive than a 32-incher, yet not big enough to entirely dominate a living room. It's also often the maximum size for those of us who are forced, simply by the shape of our living room, to shove a TV in the corner.It's a size division that's as competitive as any, with the big brands weighing in with both LCD and plasma TV models. Despite its direct forerunners being some of the best-reviewed (and best-selling) TVs around, Panasonic's TX-P37X20 is the only plasma...
Disney Interactive appoints new Marvel gaming exec
By GameSpot, published 22-07-2011
Diablo, Hellgate developer Bill Roper named chief creative officer overseeing strategy and direction for company's comics-based games. Last year, Bill Roper left his position as chief creative officer at Cryptic Studios, creator of unlicensed superhero online games like City of Heroes and Champions Online. Now Roper's going to be dealing with the real deal, as Disney Interactive Studios today announced his appointment as chief creative officer for the publisher's Marvel Comics-based games. Bill Roper. Roper's new job calls on him to "be responsible for establishing the long-term strategy and the future creative direction and vision" for Marvel games that Disney Interactive publishes. Beyond that, he will need to spot prospective partners in the development...
Star Wars: The Old Republic gets a trilogy of releases
By GameSpot, published 21-07-2011
Online game to arrive in Collector's Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and Standard Edition packages with preorders receiving early access, in-game items; all downloadable versions exclusive to EA's Origin store. As Star Wars: The Old Republic nears its long-awaited release, the massively multiplayer online game is starting to hit some familiar prelaunch milestones. Today, that milestone is the rolling out of a preorder campaign and announcement of premium release bundles. The Collector's Edition features a Darth Malgus statue. The Old Republic will be available in standard and premium editions for both retail and downloadable stores. While the boxed copies of the game can be purchased from numerous retailers, both digital versions of The Old Republic w...
Updated: 10 best 32-inch LCD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 21-07-2011
Our constantly updated list of the best 32-inch TVs in the world.Which is the best 32-inch TV?Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK. But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k. There's only one certainty at this size - your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently. A typical circa £500 purchase will sport a Full HD screen, have at least three HDMI inputs, and some kind of 100Hz scanning, though the latter feature varies so much in ef...
LG DX2000: 3D Monitors Without Glasses On The Way
By DigitalVersus, published 14-07-2011
Are we about to see the end of 3D glasses? LG have taken a first step in this direction by announcing the arrival of the DX2000. LG are getting ready...
Bastille Day Shortbread
By TechReport, published 14-07-2011
The Starting Five 9 to 5 Mac reports new white MacBook and Mac mini launches imminent StorageReview reports Intel acknowledges problems with Intel SSD 320s VR-Zone reports LG unveils world's first glasses-free 3D monitor D2000 with eye-tracking technology Neowin reports Windows Vista SP1 support is over 9 to 5...
Cities XL 2012 incorporating in October
By GameSpot, published 14-07-2011
Focus Home Interactive's latest PC urban planning game to include more than 1,000 structures, 60 maps, mod-friendly features. Cities XL is back for another season of city-building simulation, as Focus Home Interactive today announced that Cities XL 2012 will arrive this October. Cities XL 2012 should be more XL than ever before. The second installment of the game developed under Focus Home Interactive, Cities XL 2012 will introduce a number of new features to the urban planning and development simulation. The publisher is emphasizing a new tutorial guide to help players get their cities started, and a more open approach to allow for modders to tweak the game to their liking. Players will also be able to erect more than 1,000 structures in their cities ...
Buying Guide: Best wireless router 2011: 8 reviewed
By TechRadar, published 13-07-2011
The wireless modem router your ISP provides could well be insufficient for your needs. Your wireless signal will weaken or disappear when you move your laptop into another room. If you have several wireless devices - PCs, phones, printers and so on - it may struggle to keep up with the amount of data going back and forth. The solution is to upgrade a a router that features Wireless N technology, which will enhance the speed of your wireless network, increase its range and allow you to connect more devices to it without it falling over when all systems are go. We're going to show you which of these routers offers the best performance, which is easiest to set up, and which has the most useful added features. Don't worry if your home is among the 20 per cent of UK households on a cable broadb...
9 Gadgets and Services That Deliver Sports Everywhere You Go
By MaximumPC, published 07-12-2011
Technological progress grows at different rates depending on the industry, and few industries have gained as much growth in the last several years as sports entertainment. With companies like ESPN leading the way in HD and then 3D television, the sports industry has pushed the rest of the entertainment business to improve and innovate. There are a variety of ways to watch, listen, and follow your sports team these days. Things are almost to the point where a simply having a cable TV service isn’t enough to really get the full experience. We’re going to take a look at a number of services and gadgets that will both enhance your sports viewing experience and provide more flexibility in how and where you watch your sports. Services Sports related services are a microcosm of the technolog...
EA acquires social game house Ohai - Report
By GameSpot, published 07-12-2011
Publisher said to have picked up Unicorn Parade shop for "low price" following bids from multiple companies. Last year, Electronic Arts acquired Angry Birds publisher Chillingo for $20 million, and the year before that, it picked up Playfish for as much as $400 million. Now, the publisher appears to be adding a new creature to its stable: unicorns. EA appears to have added unicorns to its stable. Venturebeat reports today that EA has purchased Unicorn Parade shop Ohai. Terms of the deal were not divulged, but the report states Ohai was sold for a "relatively low price." Kabam, Tencent, Perfect World, and Aeria Games also reportedly bid on the studio. Ohai was founded by Susan Wu in 2008, and it's now run by CEO Rex Ishibashi. The studio is located in San F...
LG Optimus Pro and Optimus Net go official, ?180/?200 respectively
By GSMArena, published 07-12-2011
From Italy (again!) comes more news on the LG Optimus Pro - namely, it's official - and it brought a friend along, the LG Optimus Net. There are specs for both phones along with prices and launch dates and...
LG's Latest 3D Display Tracks Your Eyeballs
By HotHardware, published 07-12-2011
We'll give you a moment to get over our thumbnail picture of some dude's eyeballs seemingly popping out of his skull. Like you, we're a little grossed out by it, and for some reason, can't stop staring at it. Thankfully, LG's upcoming DX2000 display with eye-tracking technology doesn't require your eyeballs to bulge out of your eye sockets...
LG Cinema 3D DX2000 display uses eye-tracking for glasses-free 3D
By SlashGear, published 07-12-2011
LG has outed its latest 3D monitor, the LG Cinema 3D DX2000, and like Toshiba’s recent Qosmio F750 3D notebook it uses eye-tracking to offer glasses-free 3D images and video no matter from what angle you’re looking at the screen. A webcam integrated into the bezel of the monitor tracks the viewer’s eye position and then [...]
Dream Machine 2011: How We Created the Best PC Ever
By MaximumPC, published 07-11-2011
Join us as we celebrate another year of Pure PC PowerIn an age of overly synthesized catchphrases ginned up by some suit to commercialize new soda pop or body spray, the term “pure PC power” was never intended to be marketing hype.Instead, it was conceived to describe our obsession with performance computers and it has withstood the test of time. Who would have known that 16 Dream Machines later, the pursuit of all-out computing power could still be viable?But that’s just what this year’s Dream Machine again proves: Despite pundits predicting the PC’s death many times over—speed still matters. For this year’s Dream Machine, we decided to build a rig that balances top-notch performance with the style and elegance of an exotic sports car. The overall package is well-behaved and...
Review: Canon PowerShot A800
By TechRadar, published 07-11-2011
For Canon, the PowerShot A800 is as basic as it gets. The A800 is Canon's entry-level compact camera, and as you'd expect for 60 quid, it's a no-frills affair. No-frills doesn't necessarily mean dumbed-down, however, and there's actually quite a lot to like about this device. Indeed, the specifications belie the bargain-bucket price and include a 10 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, Digic III processor and Smart Auto mode. In terms of shooting mode, you get Auto and Program mode, along with the ability to adjust exposure, flash, metering, ISO and other key settings. At this end of the market, Canon is competing against camera phones, so does the A800 offer enough to persuade punters not to put the money towards an iPhone instead?The PowerShot A800 replaces the PowerShot A495, but it's a m...
Buying Guide: Mac or iPad: which is right for you?
By TechRadar, published 07-11-2011
Back in 2008, Apple was getting a lot of flack for not launching a cheap netbook. With the recession starting to bite, netbook sales were booming, but Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, seemed unimpressed. "The market is just getting started – we'll see how it goes," he said in his characteristically enigmatic style. Then, after a long period of inactivity, Apple launched the iPad, and now nobody is talking about netbooks anymore. Tablets are the device du jour that everybody wants to own. This month AppleInsider.com reported on speculation that Apple will sell between 40 million and 45 million iPads in 2011. This staggering figure was revealed to analyst Brian White in meetings with component suppliers during a tech trip with Ticonderoga Securities to China and Taiwan.That's a lot of sales for a de...
Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax - Xbox360 - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 07-10-2011
Didn't I already play this through on the PSP? Y'know, I did. I played the exact same game on the PSP a while back. Well, it was slightly different; the main quest was the same, but the after-quests are all new… so while I might have been an arrow-toting princess (hope that's not taken out of context!) in both games, it was a different experience. And, at first, I didn't know if that was going to be a good or bad thing, but after playing it again, I'm left thinking, "Yeah, I've played this before. All of this. And even though I haven't played all of this before, I've played it before." Half-Minute Hero originally came out in late 2009 for PSP and was just quirky enough that I thoroughly enjoyed it but was left wanting more. In the origi...
Giveaway: LG Revolution!
By phoneArena, published 07-09-2011
Who wants to win an incredible LG Revolution for free? Those who answered yes - come this way, as we have a giveaway that might just get you the smartphone of your dreams...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 07-09-2011
The Optimus 3D is the first smartphone to launch with a "glasses-free" 3D display and we've reviewed it this week on TechRadar. The phone enables you to take still photos and record videos in full 3D, then play them back in 3D on the phone's 4.3-inch display. Also this week. we've brought you our initial verdict on Google's social networking offering, Google+, as well as reviewed the Nokia E6 and the webOS-toting HP TouchPad tablet. LG Optimus 3D review While 3D has yet to win the hearts and minds of the general public, the hot 3D products are still hitting the high street thick and fast. The latest wave of 3D products is coming in the form of glasses-free 3D mobile devices. LG's Optimus 3D is one of these very gadgets, and comes packing dual-core innards and the ability to not only show 3...
Sony still most valued brand in Asia
By GameSpot, published 07-07-2011
Recent survey states PlayStation creator still revered in region despite April outage. Sony has been knee-deep in problems this year, in part due to the recent PlayStation Network outage in April. But despite the company's $3.2 billion loss over the last fiscal year and over 100 million PlayStation user accounts compromised, the company is still ranked as the most valued brand in Asia. Japan's PSN service is now fully up and running. According to the recent Campaign 2011 Top 1000 Asia-Pacific Brands survey done by global market research firm TNS (reported on Wall Street Journal), the Asian market puts great value in the Japanese brand. This has helped Sony keep the top spot on the survey despite the presence of luxury brand items and Asia's growing ...
Torchlight sells 1 million
By GameSpot, published 07-07-2011
Runic Games' dungeon crawler hits new sales milestone across Xbox 360, Mac, and PC; sequel slated for arrival this September or October. Runic Games' Diablo-esque dungeon crawler Torchlight was released on the PC in October 2009 and earned a strong critical reception. Today, its developer made known just how commercially successful the game has been, announcing that Torchlight has gone platinum. Torchlight has been illuminated with platinum status. Runic Games sent word today that Torchlight has sold over 1 million units across all platforms, which includes the Xbox 360, PC, and Mac. The developer did not offer a platform breakdown of sales. Runic Games is currently crafting a sequel to Torchlight. Torchlight II was originally expected to arrive this...
Nokia releases updates for older Symbian handsets
By TechRadar, published 29-06-2011
Nokia has launched some software updates for handsets running Symbian 3.2 and Symbian 5.0, including an upgraded browser and Ovi Maps. Although Symbian^3 and its forthcoming Anna update are the most advanced of the Symbian crew, it's only available on newer phones like the Nokia N8; older phones are now getting a bit of update love. The Symbian update brings with it the Nokia browser v7.3 which is the same web browsing software that will be coming to the Anna update. This means faster browsing, international domain name support and compatibility with other scripts like Arabic and Chinese. What funAlso en route to the aging handsets is an updated Ovi Maps app; Symbian 3.2 handsets, like the Nokia E72, Nokia E5 and Nokia C5-00, will get indoor positioning via Wi-Fi and location-based recomme...
Nokia releases updates older Symbian handsets
By TechRadar, published 29-06-2011
Nokia has launched some software updates for handsets running Symbian 3.2 and Symbian 5.0, including an upgraded browser and Ovi Maps. Although Symbian^3 and its forthcoming Anna update are the most advanced of the Symbian crew, it's only available on newer phones like the Nokia N8; older phones are now getting a bit of update love. The Symbian update brings with it the Nokia browser v7.3 which is the same web browsing software that will be coming to the Anna update. This means faster browsing, international domain name support and compatibility with other scripts like Arabic and Chinese. What funAlso en route to the aging handsets is an updated Ovi Maps app; Symbian 3.2 handsets, like the Nokia E72, Nokia E5 and Nokia C5-00, will get indoor positioning via Wi-Fi and location-based recomme...
Kaspersky: Cybercriminals Have Spent $250,000 Spreading TDSS Botnet
By MaximumPC, published 29-06-2011
The security gurus over at Kaspersky crunched some numbers and determined that cybercriminals are spending big bucks promoting the TDSS botnet, TDL-4. In just the first three months of 2011, TDL-4 has helped infect more than 4.5 million computers around the world, requiring an investment of around a quarter of a million dollars from cybercriminals, Kaspersky says. Kaspersky arrived at that figure based on the notion that malware writers pay third parties to spread their foul files. According to Kaspersky, partners are paid from $20 to $200 dollars for the installation of 1,000 malicious programs. "We don't doubt that the development of TDSS will continue," Kaspersky quotes the experts who carried out the investigation. "Malware and botnets connecting infected computers will cause much unpl...
BullGuard Fetches VB100 Award from Virus Bulletin
By MaximumPC, published 29-06-2011
Security software maker BullGuard on Tuesday dropped us a line to let us know its BullGuard Antivirus 10 software received a VB100 award from Virus Bulletin, an independent testing lab that we ourselves reference when reviewing AV software. Virus Bulletin's latest AV comparative focuses on performance in Windows Server 2008, giving BullGuard a score of 9 out of 10 based on fast scan times, no stability problems, and exceptional protection. BullGuard caught Virus Bulletin's entire collection of 'in-the-wild' and polymorphic viruses, 99 percent of trojans, and 99.78 percent of worms and bots. "Detection rates were uniformly excellent, with stunning coverage of the RAP sets, and the core certification sets were handled admirably too," said John Hawes, Technical Consultant and Test Team Direct...
3D gaming: what the future holds
By TechRadar, published 29-06-2011
Where next for stereoscopic 3D gaming? And, by extension, what is that first properly 3D game - that title that will be the benchmark for all the subsequent 3D games to follow - going to be like?These are vital, timely questions for hardcore gamers and games developers alike, as a familiar haze of cynical disinterestedness settles over the first batch of 3D games on PC and PlayStation 3.Indeed, a recent report claims that, despite the concerted push from the TV and display industry to leverage 3D as an added-value feature on your new telly or PC monitor, many users will still rarely watch or play with 3D content in future.Informa Telecoms & Media claims that, despite 3D soon set to become a default feature on our TVs and PC monitors, 3D TV will not be a mainstream success, with less than h...
Where It All Began: The 10 Original Software Companies
By MaximumPC, published 28-06-2011
In compiling a list of the world's oldest software companies, one comes face to face with an inevitable question. Namely, what is it? What the heck is this thing we call "software?" We searched the darkest corners of our brains and perused the online dictionaries for quickie text bytes and never really could come up with a single, all-purpose answer. Is it the overtly simplistic "Anything that is not hardware but is used with hardware" or the seemingly too limiting "The programs used to direct the operations of a computer?" How about this metaphysical beauty: "Unlike hardware, software can't be touched." Ouch. That makes our heads hurt. While it's easy to say that Windows or Office or even the wanton dismemberment of Dead Space 2 are obvious examples of software, where does one draw the li...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite scores at Game Critics Awards
By GameSpot, published 28-06-2011
Irrational's action adventure lands four trophies, including Best of Show; Battlefield 3, Sound Shapes, Elder Scrolls V nab two each; Bastion, Forza 4, PS Vita also honored. The votes are in for the Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2011 honors, and BioShock Infinite has won big. Irrational Games' agoraphobic-terrifying action adventure racked up an award for every category it was nominated in, including Best of Show, Best Original Game, Best PC Game, and Best Action/Adventure Game. BioShock Infinite flew away with top honors at the Game Critics Awards' Best of E3 2011. The 2K Games title's haul bested that of fellow quadruple nominee Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which was shut out completely. Coming in at two wins each were Battlefield 3 (Best Acti...
Build It: Convert Your Home Office Into the Ultimate Home Theatre
By MaximumPC, published 27-06-2011
Is it possible to convert a standard home office into a surround sound home theater with minimal fuss? I have an average-size spare bedroom that mostly functions as a home office and gaming room, and has been used primarily by me. Given the cramped quarters of San Francisco apartments, I set out to make the room less me-centric and more family-friendly by transforming this home office into a home office theater. The goal was to create a room suitable for three things: normal PC computing, big-screen surround sound movie viewing with no reconfiguration needed, and big-screen gaming. Ancillary goals were to make the room feel less like a cluttered man cave, and to avoid breaking the bank. For the most part, I think I got this one right. Ingredients Yamaha YSP-2200 Digital Sound Projector $...
Review: Samsung UE40D7000
By TechRadar, published 25-06-2011
Like its UE55D8000 sibling reviewed previously, the UE40D7000 is a mighty stylish TV, with a bezel that's so slender (barely a centimetre) that it's barely there at all. Moreover, the slimness is emphasised by the fact that most of the frame is transparent. The design is perhaps not quite as opulent as that of the D8000 series, with its more metallic finish, but many people might prefer the D7000's more subtle approach. The main remote control you get as standard is a pretty likeable affair, sporting a sensible layout and nice finish, although it's not as fashionable as the TV itself. The D7000's spec sheet quickly reveals a welcome surprise: apparently the set's features don't differ in any significant way from that of the D8000 series, and the only aspect that separates the two ranges is...
Game Changers: Using the PC to Change the World
By MaximumPC, published 24-06-2011
As PC enthusiasts we spend much of our lives finding new and exciting ways to work the technology we love into every facet of our lives. We pay our bills, play games, keep in touch with loved ones, and do business from our computers. They are our hobby, our obsession, our passion. As computer enthusiasts, we are not strangers to using our interest and knowledge of tech for the benefit of others. The Internet is filled with user-created and supported software that are available to all, regardless of financial need or experience level. Some of us provide education and guidance to others through forums and knowledge base sites. We donate our old or extra hardware to groups or individuals in need. Among us are the heroes who use a mouse and keyboard at work to fill invoices and write programs,...
Memorial To Gary Gygax Underway
By GameInformer, published 23-06-2011
If you've ever played a game with any RPG elements, you have Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax to thank for his part in coming up with role-playing rules as we know them today. Gygax passed away in 2008, but you can still pay your respects by making a pilgrimage to a memorial statue being erected in his hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Don't start your travel planning quite yet, though. According to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund, a motion to grant land for the statue in Donian Park was unanimously approved, but the memorial hasn't even been designed yet. However, it is likely to "include a castle turret with a bust on top and possibly have a dragon wrapped around the turret." Yeah, that sounds like an appropriate tribute to the father of RPGs. [via Slas...
Review: Sapphire Pure Platinum H67
By TechRadar, published 23-06-2011
The latest manufacturer to join the Sandy Bridge/ITX revolution is Sapphire, with its Pure Platinum H67 based around Intel's H67 chipset. When Intel was gazing into its crystal ball to get an idea of the impact its Sandy Bridge technology might make on the market, there's a fair chance it didn't see the second – or at least the third – coming of an old motherboard format back into the limelight. Since its inception back in 2001, every now and then the ITX motherboard format makes an appearance, with some brave manufacturer hoping that this will be the time the format takes off. But with the coming of Sandy Bridge, at last it seems the format's time to bask in the sun has arrived. With the tiny platform now being able to offer performance that previous generations of boards could only d...
Review: Sony KDL-40EX524
By TechRadar, published 22-06-2011
Sony was an early exponent of net-connected TV. While its rivals were fumbling through the adolescent stages of internet connectivity, the Japanese major already had a mature IPTV portal on the go in the shape of its BRAVIA Internet Video (BIV) service. So it's no surprise that its online service has evolved into an altogether different animal versus offerings from Samsung or LG. Sony's BIV proposition remains all about streaming video and audio services. Indeed that philosophy lies at the heart of its fresh-faced subscription music and VOD super service, Qriocity, which is now part of the BIV package. And this year we are seeing a big refresh in the way the brand presents its net-ertainment. The KDL-40EX524 is the first of the brand's new season screens to find its way onto the HCC test b...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
Grand Theft Auto V development 'well underway'
By GameSpot, published 20-06-2011
Sources close to Rockstar Games say latest installment in blockbuster franchise is already getting final touches; 2012 release "pretty likely." Saying that Rockstar Games is working on a new Grand Theft Auto game isn't exactly a bold prediction. However, sources close to the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary have confirmed to GameSpot that the next installment in the blockbuster series is "well under way" and is already having final touches such as minigames being applied to it. The sources said a 2012 release was "pretty likely," adding that the game's scale was vast. "It's the big one," they said. Development of the next GTA is "well under way." Unfortunately, the sources would not divulge any further details on the project, which is already the su...
How to Build a Kick-Ass Gaming Rig for Under $700
By MaximumPC, published 20-06-2011
Build A Gaming Machine That Will Satisfy Your Cravings Without Breaking the Bank The thought of a gaming PC might conjure up images of decadent excess—a full-course meal of awesome that moves from an SSD consumé to a filet of Core i7 990X to quad-SLI under glass. While that’s certainly a feast worth aspiring to, it’s by no means the only fare that will give your gaming needs sustenance. And, no, we’re not suggesting that you ruin your health with an empty-calorie diet of console. In fact, unlike some corners of the gaming world, where there’s a fixed menu of parts, the PC offers loads of options that scale from opulent to economical. Our budget gaming rig is all about instant gratification: a way for you to fill your gaming hunger with a state of the art, speedy machine, capabl...
Updated: 14 best Android tablets in the world
By TechRadar, published 20-06-2011
Our list of the best Android tablets in the world - regularly updatedIf you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is the way to go.There are other options out there; Windows 7 tablets are available, the BlackBerry PlayBook is on sale now and the HP TouchPad is coming soon. But Android 3.0 is currently the main OS rival to the iPad, and the products are creeping onto the shelves one by one.We've gone from zero Android tablets to stacks of the things in a very short space of time, and inevitably some are better than others.Some have ten-inch screens, others seven, and there are big differences in battery life, processing power and on-board RAM. So which tablets are the most tempting? Let's find out.1. Asus Eee Pad TransformerBest Android tablet for: replacing your net...
PsiXpda planning Psion 5mx-style QWERTY Android MID
By SlashGear, published 20-06-2011
PsiXpda, who you may remember channeled some classic Psion nostalgia for their UMPC in late 2009, is planning a second attempt on the companion device market with a design that sticks more faithfully to the fondly-remembered Series 5mx. Founder Paul Pinnock told Reghardware that, while the PsiXpda sold out its (admittedly tentative at just 2,000 units) [...]
Possible pics of Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo surface
By TechRadar, published 17-06-2011
Photos of what could be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo have been posted online, hinting at a dual-core Android handset. The pictures show a handset with a huge edge-to-edge (near enough) display and three physical buttons at the bottom of the screen – menu, home and back, presumably. Sony Ericsson trademarked the 'Xperia Duo' name along with the Xperia Arc, Neo and Play at the tail-end of last year. Real or fake?While this looks like a pretty legit photo – it's on a Sony Ericsson backboard, and the lower-case Duo name under the handset and the shadow on the Sony Ericsson logo are details that you wouldn't necessarily get on your average Photoshop job, we still have reservations.Check out the date, for instance – Tuesday 14 July? This year 14 July is a Thursday, so it's either referring...
Gary Marshall: Windows 8 tablets: boom or bust for Microsoft?
By TechRadar, published 17-06-2011
Microsoft has big plans for Windows 8. It's designed to scale from titchy tablets to supersized screens, and it promises to be all things to all men.I hope it delivers, because if Windows 8 is a dud then Microsoft's stuffed.Ed Bott has been tracking the market share numbers, and he's spotted something that should make Steve Ballmer - and Microsoft's shareholders - nervous: Microsoft's share of web browsing has dropped below 90%. Some of that's due to OS X, but most of it is down to iOS and Android.The figures are the canary in the Windows coal mine: mobile is beginning to eat the PC. The numbers aren't huge yet, but they're growing at an extraordinary rate: iPhone browsing share has gone from 0.53% to 1.23% in a year, and the iPad has gone from zero to nearly one percent. That means it's g...
Nintendo Store Update: Mega Man 5 jumps onto the Virtual Console
By GameSpot, published 16-06-2011
First Thursday update from House of Mario brings action platformer to Wii's nostalgic hub; 3DS eShop adds Game Boy version of Donkey Kong; WiiWare welcomes Snail Mail; DSiWare adds four. Get the full article at GameSpot "Nintendo Store Update: Mega Man 5 jumps onto the Virtual Console" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:21:35 -0700
Review: TomTom Go Live 825
By TechRadar, published 16-06-2011
Sat navs may be one of the most beneficial gadgets ever invented, but navigating your way through all the available options can be a nightmare. TomTom aims to simplify things by splitting its 2011 lineup into two distinct camps: 'non-connected' sat navs such as its Start 20 and Via Live 120 models and 'connected' sat navs such as the TomTom Go Live 825 Europe, part of the Go Live 800 series. 'Non-connected' sat navs eschew all the bells and whistles in favour of simplicity, which is great for casual drivers who only need to use a sat nav occasionally. Meanwhile the 'connected' ones give you all the bells and whistles and then put brass knobs on, making them ideal for 'professional' drivers who need to navigate congested roads and beyond.We've already reviewed a 'non-connected' sat nav in t...
Google reveals Instant Pages search
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Google has today announced a new Instant Pages search service, meaning web-pages selected from search results will no longer require time to load.Building on the Instant Search functionality, which shows real-time web results as you type your search query, Instant Pages will now load your chosen result immediately after clicking on the page.The service works by predicting which result a user will choose from the list and immediately starting to pre-load it as soon as the search results are calculated.Google will use your previous search history, 200 other algorithms, as well as its usual means of ranking searches through relevance to your query.Time-saverFollowing its unveiling at the Inside Search event in Mountain View, California, Google predicted that the new feature will save between ...
Review: Sharp LC-46LE831E
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Last year saw the debut of 3D TVs from major manufacturers, but one or two of the big brands lagged behind. Sharp, the biggest TV brand in Japan and maker of the LCD panels behind Sony Bravia TVs such as the KDL-40NX703 (to name but one of its customers), had an excuse for lateness; Quattron.Updated to work on its first 3D TV, the Sharp LC-60LE925E, late in 2010, the technology sees its second generation on this 46-inch LE831 series TV. For anyone who missed it, Quattron was a genuinely innovative attempt to take picture quality to the next stage. As the name just about suggests, Quattron is a four-colour system that adds yellow to the normal red, green and blue (RGB) mix in every pixel on a flat screen TV. Four-play over, the Sharp LC-46LE831E has more to tempt in a relatively high-end pa...
Gary Marshall: Why Facebook is the Windows of the internet
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
It seems that Facebook doesn't have as many friends as it would like: according to figures released yesterday, while the site is growing overall it's losing users in the US and the UK.Facebook has issued a carefully worded statement that casts doubt on the reliability of the figures, although the firm hasn't actually denied that it's losing users; it's "very happy with its growth". The figures could be the result of a seasonal drop.I don't think that's the case, though. Nothing lasts forever, and Facebook's explosive growth is no exception. I called it far too early - back in 2009, in fact- but social networks' growth depends on everybody adding friends. When everybody is online, there are no more friends to add.As I wrote previously: "Once you've added everybody you can think of, includin...
Kirby Mass Attack leads Nintendo release updates
By GameSpot, published 13-06-2011
Pink puffball's latest adventure hits September 19, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 out August 28. Nintendo's 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo presence was largely dominated by the unveiling of its newest console, the Wii U, and talk of its newest handheld, the 3DS. Of course, the company still has two viable platforms in the Wii and DS, and Nintendo has now offered a look at its upcoming lineup for those two platforms. And still the Kirbys come… Of particular note, Nintendo confirmed that Kirby Mass Attack for the DS will be available on September 19. Described as a side-scrolling real-time strategy game, Kirby Mass Attack superficially plays as a platformer. However, instead of running and jumping, players use the stylus to guide their troop ...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 06-11-2011
This week's top reviews start with an unexpected winner - the TomTom Start 20 packs in features while achieving an affordable price point. We've also looked at one of the most eagerly-awaited new compacts, the Canon IXUS 220 HS as well as a great new 37-inch 3D TV from Panasonic.Scroll down to browse through all of this week's reviews published on TechRadar. TomTom Start 20 reviewIf you own an Android phone, you most likely have access to Google's Navigation app. And providing your phone's GPS chip isn't awful, that means your phone can double as a decent sat nav device. There are also free sat nav apps available for the iPhone and iPad, and so it's not surprising that traditional sat nav manufacturers like TomTom are being given the squeeze. The TomTom Start 20 packs in the features while...
Review: HTC ChaCha
By TechRadar, published 06-10-2011
Let's get one thing straight: the HTC ChaCha is not the Facebook phone. It's not manufactured by Facebook. But let's get another thing straight, too: the HTC ChaCha is the Facebook experience. And it's even endorsed to a certain extent by the King of the network, Mark Zuckerberg, who gave a sermon about it at the phone's launch.HTC has taken its already winning Sense interface and remoulded it with a big blue 'F' at the centre - something the notoriously quiet Facebook founder went on record as saying he's "very happy" with and, in a nod to the future, how they "look forward to a lot more to come".Rocking the latest Android iteration, Gingerbread 2.3.3 and fully capable of a dance-off with some other 3G-capable Android devices, it's due to hit stores any day now, with a sim-free price tag ...
Opinion: Why the 3D revolution is a myth
By TechRadar, published 06-10-2011
Call me a cynic but I just don't buy into the so-called 3D revolution.Sure, I went and paid a quid extra to see Avatar in 3D just like most people.The problem with that movie though is that it's so fundamentally terrible that the 3D eye candy is the only reason to bother watching it at all - so it's not a good example.Watching Avatar is a bit like watching footage of a horrific natural disaster or an act of terrorism on the news – you're utterly horrified by what you're seeing and hearing, but you can't help staring at it anyway. Since it came out we've heard lots about how the 3D revolution has finally arrived, but really, the idea that there is some kind of revolution going on is a myth, a fabrication. Anyone remember the '3D revolution' of the 1980s? News came on Wednesday that the BB...
E3 2011: Activision Publishing CEO sounds off on Wii U, Vita, and Call of Duty: Elite
By GameSpot, published 06-10-2011
Q&A: Eric Hirshberg discusses the new console and portable, explains why Call of Duty won't fade like Guitar Hero; Sledgehammer Games' COD "action adventure" on hold. LOS ANGELES--At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendoall held major press events. So did two major third-party publishers: Ubisoftand Electronic Arts. However, the biggest third-party publisher, Activision, didn't stage a media event. It was the third year running the company didn't hold a traditional press briefing, although it did tease some games during a star-studded concert at E3 2010. The company did have a massive booth in the Los Angeles Convention Center's South Hall which loudly promoted Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Elite, Modern Warfare 3's controv...
Star Trek Game Beams In New Trailer
By GameInformer, published 06-08-2011
Set in the new movie universe of characters, the recently announced Star Trek game looks like nothing else the franchise has ever seen. There have been lots of Star Trek games over the years, but few that have managed to garner attention beyond the dedicated Trek fan community. Digital Extremes is looking to change that with its new Star Trek game, which pairs Kirk and Spock together in a cooperative action game set in the universe established in 2009's Abrams' directed film. The game will release to PS3, 360 and PC sometime in 2012, but Sony has a number of exclusives connected to the title, including a PlayStation Move Phaser peripheral, and stand-alone pre-release downloadable content, presumably a DLG in the vein of games like Dead Rising 2: Case Zero. “Most teaser trail...
Review: Elgato Tivizen
By TechRadar, published 06-07-2011
The Elgato Tivizen is a battery-powered mini digital TV tuner for the Mac and iOS devices. After downloading the Mac's EyeTV3 or the free iOS app, the Tivizen creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for you to join. You then open the app and let it search for DVB-T channels, before sitting back and enjoying your favourite shows. Tivizen lets you watch and record live TV, and use a now-and-next electronic programme guide (EPG). It's very similar to the equinux tizi, with only the software setting them apart. We think the Tivizen has a marginally superior iOS app as it gives full player and channel controls when watching in landscape mode. You can also pause, rewind and fast-forward live TV (which you can't on the tizi), as well as start a recording just by tapping the screen. This then displays an info bar...
Free Call of Duty: Elite benefits detailed
By GameSpot, published 06-04-2011
Activision offers explanation of what gamers can expect from free membership to upcoming online service; custom leaderboards, video uploads, and heatmaps available; mum on what paid subscription will offer. Earlier this week, Activision announced Call of Duty: Elite, a new online service from Beachhead that promises deep statistic tracking, access to downloadable content, social networking features, and a video series with "top Hollywood talent." Activision isn't ready to share what a paid subscription to Elite will offer. However, there was confusion surrounding what was to be offered free and what was contained in the premium subscription (believed to be around $8 a month). Today, Activision released an FAQ for Elite, which details the service at le...
Free Call of Duty: Elite benefits detailed
By GameSpot, published 06-04-2011
Activision offers explanation of what gamers can expect from free membership to upcoming online service; custom leaderboards, video uploads, and heat maps available; mum on what paid subscription will offer. Earlier this week, Activision announced Call of Duty: Elite, a new online service from Beachhead that promises deep statistic tracking, access to downloadable content, social networking features, and a video series with "top Hollywood talent." Activision isn't ready to share what a paid subscription to Elite will offer. However, there was confusion surrounding what was to be offered free and what was contained in the premium subscription (believed to be around $8 a month). Today, Activision released an FAQ for Elite, which details the service at l...
Fallout MMORPG future unclear, Interplay facing bankruptcy
By GameSpot, published 06-01-2011
After losing $1 million last year, publisher was left with $3,000 cash, $2.87 million in debt, and no credit; only seven developers on staff. For the past two-plus years, Interplay has waged an at-times intense legal battle with Bethesda Softworks to protect its right to publish Fallout Online. Last week, the former company issued an annual report that revealed a set of finances so dismal that the company may soon be facing bankruptcy, endangering the nascent massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Please Stand By. For the year ending December 31, 2010, Interplay's net loss was approximately $1.034 million on revenues of $1.380 million, bringing its working capital deficit to $2.877 million. Interplay also has no new sources of credit to address it...
See-Through Stunner: How to Build The Ultimate Acrylic PC
By MaximumPC, published 31-05-2011
When all of the walls of a system are transparent, where do you hide the cables? Answer: behind all the awesome insides Were there a Mount Everest of PC builds, the see-through PC would likely be it. The difficulties are great, and the possibilities for failure high, but there’s nothing that gets me more excited than the opportunity to crack my knuckles and customize the lighting and electrical setup of a transparent desktop system. The most fearsome part of this build is the acrylic case I’m using: There’s nowhere to hide any mistakes. Nor can I just stuff a mass of cables in some secluded area of the case and call it a day. Every bit of this build has to be focused on aesthetics, so I’m grabbing my toolbox and busting out a ton of different tricks to make sure this system can s...
Review: Canon PowerShot SX230 HS
By TechRadar, published 27-05-2011
Scanning the specifications for Canon's latest high-zoom travel compact, it certainly looks as if the new PowerShot SX230 HS leaves very little to be desired. Replacing the older SX210 IS, the SX230 HS offers an array of upgraded features that bring it bang up-to-date. One of the most notable changes is that the old model's 14.1mp sensor has been replaced with a brand new 12.1mp BSI-CMOS, which features Canon's latest back-illuminated design and promises higher light sensitivity and lower noise levels in images.The SX230 HS boasts the same big 14x optical zoom lens as its earlier incarnation, but adds Full HD (1080p) movie recording (compared to its predecessor's 720p offering), complete with stereo sound, as well as another of its headline features: built-in GPS.With such a comprehensive ...
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare rated for the PS3
By GameSpot, published 26-05-2011
Entertainment Software Ratings Board listing points at a Sony-published rerelease of 2001 original. In 2001, Infogrames released the action horror game Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare for the PlayStation One to mild reviews. The game was later released for a range of systems, including the PlayStation 2, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, and the PC. Alone in the Dark is seeing the light. Now, it appears the game is heading to yet another console. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has created a listing for Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare for the PlayStation 3. The ratings body revealed that Sony would be publishing the game, indicating it will likely be a downloadable title. The ESRB listing did not divulge any further details on the game, ot...
3 Key Mobile Technologies Explained
By MaximumPC, published 24-05-2011
In our last white paper roundup, we explained the technology behind three modern connectors. And while stuff like USB 3.0 and Light Peak is pretty exciting, we can't help but feel like technologies that speed up physical connections are a little behind the times. After all, isn't the future supposed to be wireless? In that spirit, our new batch of whitepapers explores the wild world of wireless technologies, including 4G, Near Field Communication, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. So keep reading, and educate yourself about this generation's wireless tech. 4G Wireless How the next generation of mobile technology boosts performance The statement “4G mobile technology has evolved beyond 3G” might score high on the “Duh” meter; but when we asked how this evolution manifested itself, we got differen...
2K taps Lineage creator for MMOG
By GameSpot, published 23-05-2011
Upcoming XLGames project to be based on one of the publisher's "top-selling" franchises, intended for Asian market. One of 2K Games' biggest franchises is heading to the world of massively multiplayer online games. The publisher today announced that it has struck a deal with XLGames to develop and publish a new MMOG for the Asian market based on one of 2K's "top selling franchises." A shot from XLGames' ArcheAge. XLGames was founded by Jake Song, original designer of the Korean MMOG hit Lineage. While the North American version of Song's massively successful online world is coming to an end next month, he has a pair of new projects in the pipeline. XLGames' first massively multiplayer online role-playing game ArcheAge has been going through closed beta test...
Tutorial: How to watch live TV on your iPad and iPhone
By TechRadar, published 22-05-2011
A quick search on the web will bring up startling figures about how much time we spend watching TV, and now you can add to that from just about anywhere in the world using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Doing so is wonderfully easy, but the variety of ways in which you can get live (or indeed catch-up) TV on your iOS device can be a bit bewildering at first, so we spent many hours trying out lots of the hardware and software you can use. Oh, all right, we watched lots of daytime TV - it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. We've focused on ways to watch or record live TV using your iOS device, but that's only part of the story - you may want to catch up on something you missed the previous night or enjoy some of the videos you've got stored on your home PC. Let's explain a couple o...
Gigabyte G1.Assassin Review
By MaximumPC, published 20-05-2011
The ultimate X58 motherboard? Gigabyte really went all out with the weapon-themed G1.Assassin board, but for folks who don’t know: It’s a motherboard, not a weapon. Repeat: not a weapon. And just in case someone thought you could somehow slap the magazine-shaped heatsink into your M4A1 and start rocking the happy switch, you can’t. Gigabyte says as much with a warning label on the end of the heatsink/magazine: “Heatsink: Not a weapon. Cannot be assembled as a weapon.” Big and bold, the X58 takes the kitchen sink approach to motherboards. One thing is for sure: The G1.Assassin might very well be the most stacked and packed X58 motherboard available today. Three factors lead us to this conclusion: The board follows the not-quite-homologated XL-ATX size and measures a whopping 13.5...
Hellgate: London reopening later this year
By GameSpot, published 20-05-2011
HanbitSoft confirms free-to-play version of shuttered Flagship MMO will return in 2011; beta scheduled for June 3-5. It's been well over two years since reports emerged that Korean game company HanbitSoft had taken over work on Flagship Studios' defunct online shooter role-playing game Hellgate: London. Today, HanbitSoft, along with partners T3 Entertainment and Redbana, confirmed that the full conversion of Hellgate: London to a free-to-play, microtransaction-supported massively multiplayer online game is approaching completion. The nice thing about gates is they close and they open. They close and they open. HanbitSoft and company expect to open up the retooled Hellgate: London for a brief closed-beta window between June 3 and 5. The team expects t...
Hellgate Returns, Beta Begins In June
By GameInformer, published 19-05-2011
Flagship Studios' dead MMO is coming back in free-to-play form to North America courtesy of Korean companies T3 Entertainment, Redbana, and HanbitSoft. A closed beta will run from June 3 to June 5 before a full launch later this year. Players interested in revisiting the world can stay on top of beta information at Hellgate's official site. Flagship originally released the post-apocalyptic MMO with Namco Bandai in fall 2007. The game's servers were shut down in early 2009. HanbitSoft first announced the acquisition of Hellgate in January 2010. Anyone play the original release? Are you going to give it another try? Any newcomers interested in giving it a try?
Review: OCZ Vertex 3 240GB
By TechRadar, published 19-05-2011
Memory controllers are the super-model components of the SSD world, and OCZ is dropping the fastest consumer SandForce SATA 6Gbps controller on the planet with this the OCZ Vertex 3 240GB.SSD's are now so numerous, it's hard to believe that the desktop digital drive in its current NAND-based state hasn't been around that long. That said the enterprise sector has had the pleasure of using SSD's in various guises for a lot longer and solid state storage technology itself has been around longer than you might imagine.You can actually trace its lineage back to the 1950's. The first of what most people would recognise as a modern SSD appeared in 1978 when StorageTek brought out its drive. With a capacity of just 90MB it cost a staggering $8,800 per MB which limited its use to industrial, milita...
Virgin Mobile's LG200 candybar phone makes messaging features it priority
By phoneArena, published 18-05-2011
With that, Virgin Mobile’s new LG200 candybar phone comes to mind as being the perfect solution for those customers – especially when it primarily focuses on messaging aspects and nothing more. Manufactured by LG...
Review: Samsung Galaxy Mini
By TechRadar, published 18-05-2011
Samsung is the only manufacturer that can get away with launching variants of one particular device in a series and pricing them to suit different budgets, as it did five years ago with the D500 and its variants the G600 and D900. Now the Koreans are doing it again with the Galaxy Series.The latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy range - topped by the five star Samsung Galaxy S2 (currently number one in our 20 best mobile phones ranking) - is the Galaxy Mini. Almost identical to the Galaxy Fit, it's slightly lighter and has a lower camera quality. It's clear that Samsung designed the Galaxy Mini to look and feel low-end and when it's up on the shelves on the high street, it will fit in well next to the likes of LG's Optimus One and Nokia's C3-05.This touchscreen phone is definitely affordab...
Updated: Top 20 best tablet PC iPad alternatives
By TechRadar, published 17-05-2011
This year is going to be the year of the touchscreen tablet, of that there can be no doubt.While tablet PCs have been around for yonks, only now are they becoming the desirable, usable and functional devices that we've always wanted them to be – and it's about time too.The iPad is currently the most obvious example of how tablets are going mainstream, but that's not to say that all tablets released from now on are guaranteed to be super awesome. Indeed there are some real stinkers out there – remember the Toshiba Folio 100?So allow us to walk you through the best tablets currently on sale, along with the sexy tablets that are set to tickle your fingertips later in 2011.Asus Eee Pad TransformerUK release date: Out nowSpecs: Android 3.0, Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, 10.1-inch capacitive...
Small Form Factor Face-Off! We Compare 5 Compact Contenders
By MaximumPC, published 16-05-2011
From the caliber of their parts to the breadth of their abilities to their unconventional shapes and sizes, today's small form factor PCs are a tasty treat for power users It has long been considered common wisdom that the smaller the size of a PC, the greater its compromises. Notebooks, no matter how fat, for example, will never touch the power of a desktop machine. The same held true for small form factor rigs. But is that still the case? To find out how today’s SFF rigs compare with their full-size desktop brethren, we tasked five top PC makers with sending us their best and brightest, and, well, smallest machines. We didn’t put any hard and fast limits on size or price. Instead, we wanted the vendors to go nuts with the definition of “small form factor rig.” As a result, what ...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 16-05-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? What other specs will it feature? Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.iPhone 5 release dateThe Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it's possible we'll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year's WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.This fits with Apple's established rhythm of iPhone releases, with new models appe...
TechRadar Phone Awards: Vote for the Best Phone Feature in the world
By TechRadar, published 14-05-2011
The TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 are in full swing with over 10,000 votes cast so far. One of the most popular categories people have voted in is the Best Phone Feature, which looks at the bits of a phone that have made all our lives that little bit easier, or at the very least better.From Wi-Fi hotspots to screen technology that's pixel perfect, by way of camera functionality to rival the best compact around, TechRadar takes a look at the phone features which have made the TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 longlist.And remember, those who vote have the chance to enter our competition and win one of many fantastic smartphones….LG Nova displayThe Nova display is LG's answer to OLED and can be found on the Optimus Black. LG is boasting that the display is uses up to 50 per cent less power than OM...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 14-05-2011
This week's top reviews include the Asus Eee Pad Transformer - one of the best tablets we've seen so far, running Android 3.0 Honeycomb. We've also reviewed the new HTC Wildfire S - a new breed Android handset that's available on budget tariffs. And then there's the simplicity of passive 3D with the LG 42LW550T. Below we've the details on all these top reviews as well as a full listing of all this week's reviews published across these pages. Asus Eee Pad Transformer review Finally, the Android tablet we've all been waiting for has arrived. While Android 3.0 has been knocking around for months now, viable, available-to-buy tablets have been rarer than a rare thing in a place that doesn't exist. The Transformer is an excellent touchscreen tablet that comes with its own battery-packing keyboa...
Konami sales, profits slip slightly for full year
By GameSpot, published 05-12-2011
Publisher cites "difficult business climate" for 2.9% fall in revenues and 1.6% dip in net income as Pro Evolution Soccer series nears 70 million sold. A critically acclaimed addition to the Metal Gear Solid series wasn't enough to boost Konami's bottom line, as the publisher today reported slight dips in both sales and profits for the year ended March 31. Pro Evo Soccer accounted for one in every three Konami game's sold last year. For the full year, Konami revenues totaled ¥258 billion ($3.2 billion), down 1.6 percent from the previous year's haul of ¥262.1 billion ($3.25 billion). The publisher's net profits were also down, as the company wound up ¥12.9 billion ($159.8 million) in the black, down 2.9 percent year-over-year from ¥...
Review: LG 42LW550T
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
LG's passive Cinema 3D technology has so far proved hit and miss. The 47LW550T impressed, while the 55LW650T disappointed, the 42-inch 42LW550T arrives with mixed expectations.It is also the latest combatant in the increasingly rancorous scuffle between active shutter and FPR (Film Patterned Retarder) 3D technology. The former presents two consecutive full HD images, one for each eye, that are cycled quickly and viewed through a pair of shuttering glasses causing your brain to combine them into a single, three-dimensional image. FPR, on the other hand, uses a polarising film on the front of a screen that creates a 3D image when observed with cheap, non-powered glasses. What's going to be particularly interesting about the 42LW550T is what difference if any the relative smallness of its scr...
Apple Likely Partnering, Not Purchasing Nuance
By SlashGear, published 05-11-2011
There has been all sorts of speculation around the web about whether Apple will shell out some of the pile of excess cash it has laying around and purchase Nuance. And last year, Steve Wozniak made a big flub and speculated that Apple would buy Nuance, later retracting his statement. But a move yesterday by Nuance to make an acquisition itself casts doubt on a purchase of the company by Apple. One of Nuance’s major strengths is in its speech recognition software, and the speculation has been that Apple may decide to buy the company in order to improve the speech recognition capability of iOS. Nuance’s acquisition of Equitrac, a print management firm, makes it look unlikely that Nuance is preparing to be purchased by anyone. Any deal they do with Apple will be a partnership, n...
Review: AVerMedia F200 HD HomeFree Duet
By TechRadar, published 05-11-2011
Available with terrestrial or satellite tuners, network tuners jack into your home network and stream channels to any PCs loaded with the included software or mobile devices with the necessary app installed. Elgato was one of the first vendors of such products but it no longer has this market to itself. The new kid on the block is the attractively styled HD HomeFree Duet from AVerMedia. Like Elgato's EyeTV Netstream DTT, this boasts a pair of digital terrestrial tuners – and so you could watch different programmes on two computers or record the same channel on both simultaneously. Despite the name, it's not HD at all – certainly not over here because the tuners only support DVB-T and don't cater for the DVB-T2 system that carries British HD TV channels. On board are an aerial input, a ...
SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – May 7, 2011
By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011
Once again, we attempt to bring you a roundup of the week’s tech news in under 6 minutes. The chaos of the Sony PlayStation Network breach continued into this past week. Apple unleashed an iOS update that addressed most of the location tracking concerns. Intel made their biggest announcement of the year with a new 22-nm 3D Tri-Gate transistor technology that really puts it ahead of the competition. Other major announcements came from the BlackBerry World conference as well as from a Samsung event. For the full list and video continue after the cut. Sony PlayStation Network Breach update and recap of the week’s developments: PlayStation Network and Qriocity back online from this week; Compensation detailed Sony Online Entertainment Offline During Hacker Inv...
In Depth: PC water cooling guide: all you need to know
By TechRadar, published 05-08-2011
Remember the heady days of the Pentium 4, when a single CPU could generate enough heat to keep you warm through winter? They were great for cutting down on household utility bills, but as soon as the weather started to improve, systems would fall over as the mercury rose. They were also slow, and their performance aged quickly. As a result, many of us looked to watercooling to bring down core temperatures. This in turn reduced noise and increased the useful lifespan of our components by just a few months through overclocking. To meet demand, early online component stores were stocked full of arcane heatsinks, boasting hand-milled plates and liquid cooling that looked like something ripped off the back of a refrigerator. The weirder, the better. A quick flick through the catalogue of any on...
iPad 2 Sold Out In China In Less Than Four Hours
By SlashGear, published 05-06-2011
The Apple iPad 2 had just launched in China early this morning and was sold out in less than four hours, according to the folks at M.I.C. Gadgets. Despite the copious iPad copy-cats you could probably find in the country’s electronics shops, the genuine iPad 2 still drew outrageous crowds. M.I.C. Gadgets took several photos of the launch at the Beijing Apple Store. There were hundreds of customers and scalpers alike, plus plenty of security personnel on hand to ensure no line cutting and no fights between customers and scalpers. Apparently the scalper presence is so commonplace over there a large yellow sign board was erected with the following message (translated by M.I.C. Gadgets): “This district forbids scalpers to sell stuff to customers… Behind the yellow board, ...
T-Mobile USA Q1 2011: Income dives as nearly 1m subscribers jump ship
By SlashGear, published 05-06-2011
T-Mobile USA has announced its Q1 2011 results, and the numbers don’t look great. Net customer losses hit 99,000 while revenue flatlined from Q1 2010 at $4.63bn; however, despite ARPU (average revenue per user) remaining steady at $46, overall income dived from $362m in Q1 2010 to $135m in Q1 2011. That contrasts sharply with Verizon and AT&T, both of whom had relatively strong first quarters. T-Mobile did see data revenue rise 20-percent compared to the same period a year ago, though that’s less than the 22.3- and 23.9-percent rise of Verizon and AT&T respectively. Part of the reason for T-Mobile’s declining income is that the cost of acquiring each customer rose, up $10 year-on-year to $310 per subscriber, which the carrier reckons was predominantly down to in...
Review: Cambridge Audio Minx S325?
By TechRadar, published 05-06-2011
At first glance, the Minx S325 looks no more remarkable than the speakers you get with an all-in-one home cinema system made by various Korean or Japanese mass market brands. But we need to look West rather than East in seeking a comparison: think Bose rather than Sony or LG and you get the idea.Midway between the S215 and S525 systems, Cambridge Audio reckons that the Minx S325 "completely rewrites the rulebook of what's possible from miniature speakers".Build quality bodes well, with extractable banana sockets and a high-gloss lacquer finish applied to dinky little cabinets that are engineered from acoustically damped thermo polymer and extruded aluminium. Peeling off the grilles reveals a surprise: instead of domes and tweeters there are perfectly flat discs with rubber surrounds. Each ...
Motorola rehashes old tech with XPRT and Titanium phones
By SlashGear, published 05-05-2011
Motorola has revealed a pair of “new” Android smartphones, though to be fair they’re more warmed up existing designs than anything else. The Motorola XPRT is a rebadged DROID Pro, with the same 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard pairing, along with Android 2.2 and World Phone connectivity. Meanwhile the Motorola Titanium replaces the i1, a ruggedized iDEN smartphone with similar specs to the XPRT but, bizarrely, Android 2.1 Eclair. Both have 5-megapixel cameras, Bluetooth and GPS, but the XPRT has WiFi b/g/n and the Titanium only b/g. There’s also push-to-talk and the usual Android apps; the Titanium’s real strength is its Military Specification 810G for dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature. ...
Review: Toshiba NB520-108
By TechRadar, published 05-05-2011
Netbooks aren't usually regarded as multimedia machines, with their tiny speakers, compact screens and lack of power. However, Toshiba's NB520-108 aims to smash this trend by featuring designer speakers from audio experts harman/kardon, and the result is surprisingly good. The Toshiba goes for an understated design with a bevelled dark-brown lid and black interior. We found no flex in any part of the 1.3kg chassis, which thankfully isn't susceptible to picking up dirt or scuff marks. The chunky battery does add a bit of extra width, so this netbook is just as thick as the MSI Wind U160DX, but it still fits into bags without much trouble. Despite an initial scepticism, we were really impressed with this netbook's speakers, which produce a powerful and clear sound. Music sounds great, althou...
American Airlines planning in-flight streaming movies to your iPad this fall
By SlashGear, published 05-04-2011
American Airlines is readying pay-per-view video rentals that, rather than being shown on an in-seat monitor, will be streamed over WiFi to your iPad, iPhone or other gadget during the flight. The new system – which will be managed by Aircell, which already operates in-flight WiFi on select AA aircraft – will allow the airline to offer significantly more content than is currently available for in-flight entertainment, including movies and TV shows. Trials of the service will begin this week, on two Boeing 767-200 aircraft in transcontinental service, with customer testing early in the summer. Assuming the FAA approves, a full launch could take place this fall. The system uses three small antennas installed outside the aircraft, with content being streamed from a ground-base...
Intel Is Going To Announce Something Big Tomorrow—What Is It?
By MaximumPC, published 05-03-2011
There are rumors that Intel is prepped to make a big announcement this week. The EE Times reported that Intel, on Wednesday, “will be making its most significant technology announcement of the year. No further details will be provided in advance.” That got me searching for the current Intel rumors and tin hat foil theories. And because everyone likes the rumor guessing game, I’ve also added my own take. What’s my track record? Probably about as accurate as a coin flip. I once said it was unlikely that Apple would ever adopt x86 because it would lose control of the OS to piracy. I guess no one really wants to pirate OSX. However, I have predicted that Palm would eventually lose out to Windows CE despite Palm’s huge app support and Windows CE suckiness. With that said, ...
Brit Week: Molyneux: Minecraft is 'most impressive' game of last 10 years
By TechRadar, published 05-03-2011
To most gamers, Peter Molyneux needs little introduction. Not only is he a great British games designer, he is one of the gaming industry's most high-profile developers.Inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and awarded an OBE back in 2004, Peter was most recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards, in addition to receiving a BAFTA Fellowship at the 2011 British Academy Video Games Awards.So it's already been a great year for the man widely credited with inventing the god game genre with 1989's Populous, the second major title to come out of his first studio, Bullfrog Productions. That company was acquired by Electronic Arts in the 1990s, where Molyneux worked for a few years before founding Lionhead Studios in 1997 ...
Vodafone Taxis offer payment by phone
By SlashGear, published 05-03-2011
Cash-coy Vodafone UK users won’t have to worry about paying for taxis any more, as long as they can spot one of the carrier’s sponsored cars. A fleet of “hundreds” of Vodafone-branded cabs will take to London’s streets from today, offering not only in-car chargers for rejuicing your phone, but the ability to pay for the fare on your handset, just as long as you’re a Vodafone customer. If you’re interested, you’ll need to pre-register – by calling 0845 680 3409 in the UK – and then payments are made by SMS message. There are no fees involved, at least not for customers, though it’ll only work in Vodafone-branded cabs. The chargers are generic – we’re guessing microUSB, perhaps with an adapter for iPhones –...
How To Build a Compact 3D-Enabled HTPC For Less Than $1000
By MaximumPC, published 05-02-2011
We set out to build a Sandy Bridge box that takes up little space in our entertainment center and fulfills all our streaming needs Back in the August 2010 issue of Maximum PC I built a 3D HTPC that I was pretty damned happy with, but the times have changed. The CableCard quad tuner that was featured prominently in that machine is no longer needed, as I have joined the ranks of the Cable Cutter Movement™. So without the need for a CableCard, I wondered if I could build a rig with all the same capabilities but make it much, much smaller. Ingredients Case/PSU Silverstone Lascala LC12 w/120W PSU $180 www.silverstonetek.com Mobo Zotac H67-ITX WiFi $160 www.zotacusa.com CPU Intel Core i3-2100T $130 www.intel.com Cooler Si...
Tutorial: The complete guide to AirPlay
By TechRadar, published 05-01-2011
AirPlay was originally demoed by Steve Jobs during the announcement of the new Apple TV, but then its memory slipped away. Maybe it was the long wait for iOS 4.2 that dulled its impact, or perhaps it was the lack of AirPlay-compatible devices on the market. Either way, this is a technology to shout about. While streaming a video from your iPhone to your Apple TV (as shown by Steve) is great, there are many more uses for AirPlay, as you will find out here. This includes the ability to stream music to every room in your home without wires.Of course, as we mentioned before, there are few AirPlay devices on the market at the moment and they're likely to be fairly expensive when they do arrive, so we've looked at a number of AirPlay alternatives you might want to try out using some kit you may ...
Samsung UN55D8000 55-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED Smart TV
By SlashGear, published 30-04-2011
Ever since CES back in January, we’ve been hearing that 2011 will be “the year of 3D.” Happily, Samsung isn’t focusing entirely on the third-dimension with its new D8000 Series HDTVs: the 55-inch UN55D8000 also promises superlative 2D performance and Smart TV functionality including network streaming, all wrapped up in a wafer-thin bezel. Still, with a list price of $3,599.99, the D8000 will have to deliver in spades to justify the cost. Check out how this 3D behemoth copes in the full SlashGear review. Hardware At 55-inches, the UN55D8000 isn’t exactly going to blend into the background unless you live in an aircraft hanger. Still, Samsung has done some solid work producing one of the more attractively minimal designs we’ve seen to-date. The brushed st...
NVIDIA SLI multi-GPU coming to AMD Bulldozer motherboards
By SlashGear, published 29-04-2011
AMD may have its own Radeon graphics card range, but that doesn’t stop many gamers wanting to use NVIDIA’s GeForce cards in SLI configuration. Now, NVIDIA has announced that it is reintroducing SLI support for AMD motherboards, with ASUS, Gigabyte, ASRock and MSI all among the first wave of manufacturers who will be including the technology on their 990FX, 990X and 970 based ‘boards. One of the first to arrive will be ASUS’ Republic of Gamers Crosshair V Formula ‘board, which will allow for multi-GPU setups based on a several NVIDIA cards. NVIDIA claims that 93-percent of all multi-GPU systems rely on SLI, at least according to game distribution service Steam’s latest monthly stats, and so there’s obviously a market out there for AMD processor us...
Marvel Universe goes free-to-play
By GameSpot, published 29-04-2011
Gazillion Entertainment reveals Brian Michael Bendis as head game writer for massively multiplayer online game, dishes new details. At a recent press event, publisher Gazillion Entertainment revealed the head writer of its upcoming Marvel comics-inspired massively multiplayer game Marvel Universe. That writer: none other than Brian Michael Bendis, whose credits include the House of M, Secret Invasion, and Ultimate Spider-Man comics, among others. Bendis himself joined a panel that included Gazillion president and chief operating officer Dave Brevik; TQ Jefferson, Marvel vice president in charge of Marvel games; and Jeff Lind, studio director of Secret Identity, the internal division of Gazillion formed in late 2009 to develop the game. While the executives seemed in high spirits, they we...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 28-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get in the UK.And now, after a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we've just brought you our biggest update ever to this definitive chart.The big surprise was the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc nabbing top spot - the combo of Andro...
Flapping Toasters – Kinect, Meet 1989
By SlashGear, published 27-04-2011
Clever hackers put together an interactive piece of art that is reminiscent of the old Flying Toasters screensaver. The artists call it a kitschy “absurdist reconstruction of the classic screensaver Flying Toasters.” Become one with the winged toaster, flap your arms to flap the wings and tilt to flip your tiny silver box to roll away from danger. First off, this looks really fun. Secondly, they’re already talking about turning it into a game. This is an early look into something that’s going to be super fun. I’m already seeing a game where you fly around releasing toast mines and have to flap and dodge yours and your friends’. And each toaster is a different color so you can get up to four players in on the craziness. It’s a novel and ridiculous...
A lack of funding disconnects SETI
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
What if you were all dressed up and no place to go? Sadly, that’s the quandary the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is facing. With a severe shortage of funds for daily operation, SETI has been forced to shut down it’s $50 million listening post near Mount Lassen in California. And the timing couldn’t be worse, since astronomers recently found over 1200 new planets nearby, many in the so-called “habitable zone” where conditions are ideal to support life. “There is a huge irony,” said SETI Director Jill Tarter, “that a time when we discover so many planets to look at, we don’t have the operating funds to listen.” A luck of funds is nothing new for the eavesdropping outpost. SETI was originally government funded ...
LG licenses ARM processor technology for home and mobile market push
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
When it comes to the mobile market for tablets and smartphones, ARM is the biggest name on the block for mobile processors and GPUs. ARM has some competition from NVIDIA with the Tegra line, but ARM is certainly the more popular of the two. Intel has no significant presence in the Tablet and smartphone market thanks to the fact that its line of processors tend to consume too much power for lightweight portable devices. LG has announced that it is stepping up and licensing some of ARMs newest and most popular tech to help drive its strategy in the home and mobile product family. This is a big deal because the licensing of the tech means that LG is set to make a bigger push, bring more competition into the smartphone, and tablet market. LG will use the ARM hardware in its digital TV, set t...
LG unveils new 3D LCDs for computer users with no flicker
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
If you sit in front of a computer screen all day and at the end of the day you find that your eyes are tired it could be because of screen flicker. Computer screens flicker faster than you can really tell with your eyes, but that flicker is enough to make your eyes tired after as while. If you have ever seen a computer or TV on video with the flickering they do you know what I mean. LG has new computer screens that support 3D and are certified flicker free. Both of the new screens fall into the LG Cinema 3D Monitor line and are the D41P and the D42P. The flicker free certification was awarded to the monitors by TÜV and Intertek, which are two of Europe’s top safety certification agencies. The screens also have HDMI 1.4 ports, convert 2D to 3D and use the LG cinema 3D glasses that ...
MacBook Pro design overhaul tipped for next refresh
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
Apple’s gradual refinement of its MacBook Pro design has left the unibody aluminum notebooks little changed externally since late 2008, but according to fresh rumors there’s a big shake-up coming. MacRumors‘ sources apparently confirm that a new case design will debut at the next MacBook Pro revision, though the exact changes in aesthetic are still mysterious. Apple refreshed its flagship notebooks earlier this year, but with the exception of adding a Thunderbolt port the outward design remained the same. Instead, Intel’s 2011-series Sandy Bridge processors were slotted inside, making the new models the fastest yet. Some have suggested the next-gen machines will look more similar to the MacBook Air, a shift that could see them less amenable to user-upgrading. A...
Forget XOOM, sue your rivals instead analyst advises Motorola
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
Since you can’t beat ‘em, sue ‘em – that’s the advice from one analyst to Motorola Mobility, who calls the Motorola XOOM a failure, Honeycomb “dead on arrival” and the Android Market “a disaster.” Global Equities’ Trip Chowdry throws out a hugely-ranging estimate for the number of XOOM tablets sold – between 15,000 and 120,000, he reckons – and suggests that, Fortune reports, rather than attempt to compete with Apple and RIM, Motorola should aim to pick off its Android OEM counterparts with patent lawsuits. In fact, Chowdry even puts together a handy chart – shown above – suggesting which of its rivals Motorola should target with a “full attack.” HTC, Lenovo, Acer, Archos and ASUS are among th...
Apple Seeding iPhone ’4S’ Prototype With A5 Chip To Game Developers?
By SlashGear, published 22-04-2011
It is widely believed now that the iPhone 5 will be touching down this September, with recent evidence suggesting the device to be a GSM/CDMA world phone, and to run on the speedy A5 chip currently found in the iPad 2. But now, an additional source from 9to5 Mac further supports the A5 claim and also suggests some awesome gaming power to come with the iPhone 5. The source claims that an iPhone prototype dubbed ’4S’ sporting an A5 chip has been seeded to certain high level game developers. It is common for companies to hand out prototypes to developers early on to ensure that apps or games are optimized, take full advantage of the hardware capabilities, and ready by the launch of the device. The prototype appears to be a modified iPhone 4 with an A5 chip and still runs the sa...
Windows Phone: The Next Six Months
By SlashGear, published 21-04-2011
Today, Windows Phone 7 turned six. Six months, that is, counted from the October 21 2010 release of the first batch of Windows Phone handsets. It’s a big day for the platform, too; not only a retail milestone, but an early inking of the deal between Microsoft and Nokia which will see the Finnish phone giant bet its smartphone fortunes. So, where next for Windows Phone, and will Nokia’s input – and the “billions of dollars” Microsoft will be pushing its way – help it gain all-important market share? With no publicly released sales figures from Microsoft, it’s hard to know what sort of success – or failure – it’s building on for the six months moving forward. Still, it’s hard not to compare Windows Phone’s track record...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get.And now, thanks to a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we're bringing you our biggest update ever to our definitive chart.So what's changed? We've lost seven of the 20 from the previous ranking, the top ten has seen a hu...
Review: Sony KDL-32EX723
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
It's been a long wait – made longer by production delays caused by Japan's earthquake – but at last the first of Sony's eagerly anticipated 2011 Bravia TVs is here, and comes internet, 3D and full HD-ready.The 32-inch KDL-32EX723 is a great starting point for getting a handle on how Sony's 2011 TV range might shape up in the weeks and months to come, since it sits more or less in the middle in terms of cost. Priced at £750, it's the most affordable Sony TV this year to carry active 3D capability, and far more affordable than the Sony KDL-46NX713. Aside from its headline 3D talents, the 32EX723 features Sony's new, improved Bravia Internet video platform, a full internet browser (the first time we've seen this on a Sony TV), Motionflow XR 200 motion processing and the new X-Reality pic...
Speed Week: Intel: 'We could easily have CPUs with hundreds of cores'
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
This article is brought to you in association with LG Optimus 2XIt's almost 40 years since Intel released its first CPU, the 4004, a ground-breaking processor that crammed all the computing power of ENIAC - the first general purpose computer - into a tiny silicon chip.Of course, what was impressive in 1971 looks, well, rather less spectacular today. And now the Intel 4004 is most useful as an example of just how far CPU technology has come in recent years.Take the clock rate, for instance: the 4004 ran at only 108KHz. In a mere eight years, the Intel 8088 (the power behind the first IBM PC) would run at 5MHz, something like a 50x speed boost. And a modern 3GHz CPU has a clock rate around 30,000 faster than the humble 4004.And the increase in the transistor count, probably a more accurate i...
Speed Week: The 1,000mph car that can outrun a bullet
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
This article is brought to you in association with LG Optimus 2XIt's difficult to imagine exactly how fast 1,000mph is.But try this; if you were up in the stand at Wembley Stadium, and an object flew into the arena at 1,000mph before exiting at the other end, if you blinked at the wrong moment, in the 300 milliseconds it would take you to close and reopen your eyes, you would completely miss it.The air is actually so dense at ground level that no supersonic jet fighter in the world is capable of flying as fast as 1,000mph in low altitude. If you were to fire a Magnum 357 handgun after an object travelling at this speed - 232mph faster than the speed of sound - the object would actually accelerate away from the speeding bullet.The object we're talking about is Bloodhound SSC, the new super ...
iPhone / Samsung F700 / Prada Phone Rumors Debunked
By SlashGear, published 20-04-2011
The following image has been circulating the internet for the past few days, resulting in mass hysteria due to the fact that Apple is currently suing the pants off of Samsung for infringing on their copyrights. This image appears to show that the Samsung F700 was first shown at CEBIT 2006 and released in February of 2007. What whoever made the image didn’t take the time to do was check their facts and find that although Samsung may have spoken about advancing their cell phone plans previous to 2007, they only showed the F700 design for the first time February 8th, 2007. First, have a look at the following press release. It lets you know exactly when the F700 was released in early, but not early enough, 2007: Seoul, February 8th, 2007 – Samsung today announced a new addition to it...
Speed Week: How to build the ultimate speed PC
By TechRadar, published 20-04-2011
This article is brought to you in association with LG Optimus 2XWant to build the fastest PC ever? Want to know what the best graphics card is to go with the fastest processor? Come with us and we'll tell you how to put together the ultimate performance PC.Sometimes only the fastest will do and that is especially true with a performance gaming PC. The pinnacle of PC excellence is a machine with only the biggest, quickest and most powerful components known to man, all working in unison to make everything you do with your PC an absolute joy.But it's the part about them working together that is possibly one of the most important things to consider if you're looking to put together the fastest machine on the face of this earth. The one thing you absolutely cannot have is a bottleneck in your s...
20 best mobile phones ranking set for massive update
By TechRadar, published 18-04-2011
Here at TechRadar we're all about helping you pick the best technology for your pocket and our constantly updated 20 best mobile phones in the world today ranking is our easy way to impart that handset-centric knowledge to you.Mobile World Congress showered the world with a plethora of new handsets, and we've been painstakingly picking through them, fiddling with all the features, snapping them from every angle and bringing you our in-depth reviews on everything from the vacuum-packed HTC Incredible S to the budget Samsung Galaxy Ace.We've already reviewed 15 handsets to have emerged from the Barcelona event, with plenty more to come in the next few weeks - and now we have to fit them into our definitive guide to the best mobile phones.Changing of the guard?The quality of handsets has been...
Leaked HP slides suggest new future for music streaming
By TechRadar, published 18-04-2011
Rumours that Hewlett-Packard is planning to develop its own cloud-based music and movie offering are gathering a head of steam this week.The latest suggestions that HP is developing its own cloud-based entertainment service to take on the likes of Spotify, Apple iTunes and Amazon come from a leaked presentation published over on PreCentral.HP is said to be developing its new cloud locker service for its forthcoming webOS-powered TouchPad tablet.The ultimate cloud lockerThe leaked HP document references the HP Music Store and the HP Movie Store, with some interesting details on the music store also included.HP's TouchPad will allow users to sync and remotely store their own music, as well as using a clever algorithm, which will keep the music you listen to most often on your device, much li...
LG E700 Windows Phone 7 spec emerges
By TechRadar, published 18-04-2011
Details of an upcoming LG Windows Phone 7 handset have emerged, with a tantalising hint that the LG E700 could be the first handset to be released with the Mango software update on board.You wait all year for a Windows Phone 7 hardware leak and then two come along at once.But we're not complaining, given that the LG E700 offers some more interesting information than the HTC Mazaa we saw earlier today, including the possibility of a summer release.This leak doesn't come with any nice sharp pictures, but it does offer some lines of code taken from a GSM submission, offering a few revelations.What's in a name?The first is the product name, listed as the LG E700, although we're hoping for a snazzy Optimus style name for the retail release. Next up is screen display, specified as 480x800 – no...
Review: Zoostorm 3389
By TechRadar, published 17-04-2011
PC Nextday delivers cost-effective laptops via its Zoostorm range. The Zoostorm 3389-9426/A is a solid machine with some strong features, although it struggles to compete against some other laptops at this price point. The simple black design is attractive, with a mottled, fingerprint-proof lid and palm rests. It's a well-constructed chassis, despite a little flex around the DVD drive, and the 2.5kg weight almost matches the Acer Aspire 5552 and Toshiba Satellite Pro S500-15W. The 206 minute battery life is distinctly average though. The smooth and responsive touchpad proves usable, albeit a little too sensitive at times, and there are touch-sensitive controls that open Internet Explorer, toggle Wi-Fi on and off and mute audio. The keyboard is firmly mounted and the sharp travel aids typin...
Review: Zoostorm 3389
By TechRadar, published 17-04-2011
PC Nextday delivers cost-effective laptops via its Zoostorm range. The Zoostorm 3389-9426/A is a solid machine with some strong features, although it struggles to compete against some other laptops at this price point. The simple black design is attractive, with a mottled, fingerprint-proof lid and palm rests. It's a well-constructed chassis, despite a little flex around the DVD drive, and the 2.5kg weight almost matches the Acer Aspire 5552 and Toshiba Satellite Pro S500-15W. The 206 minute battery life is distinctly average though. The smooth and responsive touchpad proves usable, albeit a little too sensitive at times, and there are touch-sensitive controls that open Internet Explorer, toggle Wi-Fi on and off and mute audio. The keyboard is firmly mounted and the sharp travel aids typin...
Review: Zoostorm 3389
By TechRadar, published 17-04-2011
PC Nextday delivers cost-effective laptops via its Zoostorm range. The Zoostorm 3389-9426/A is a solid machine with some strong features, although it struggles to compete against some other laptops at this price point. The simple black design is attractive, with a mottled, fingerprint-proof lid and palm rests. It's a well-constructed chassis, despite a little flex around the DVD drive, and the 2.5kg weight almost matches the Acer Aspire 5552 and Toshiba Satellite Pro S500-15W. The 206 minute battery life is distinctly average though. The smooth and responsive touchpad proves usable, albeit a little too sensitive at times, and there are touch-sensitive controls that open Internet Explorer, toggle Wi-Fi on and off and mute audio. The keyboard is firmly mounted and the sharp travel aids typin...
In Depth: How smartphones and tablets are taking over
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
Two years from now, something remarkable will happen: there will be more smartphones in the world than PCs. Technology analysis firm Gartner predicts that by 2013, there will be 1.82 billion smartphones compared to 1.78 billion PCs - and that doesn't include tablets. Apple sold 14.8 million iPads in 2010, and Forrester Research says that in the US, 82 million people will own tablets by 2015. Tablets and smartphones have become incredibly powerful in a very short space of time, with gigahertz-class dual-core processors, decent amounts of RAM and high definition displays appearing in pocket-friendly forms. As the price of such small but powerful devices continues to fall and hardware firms continue to innovate, it's clear that mobile computing is going to be a very big deal for the foreseeab...
In Depth: How smartphones and tablets are taking over
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
Two years from now, something remarkable will happen: there will be more smartphones in the world than PCs. Technology analysis firm Gartner predicts that by 2013, there will be 1.82 billion smartphones compared to 1.78 billion PCs - and that doesn't include tablets. Apple sold 14.8 million iPads in 2010, and Forrester Research says that in the US, 82 million people will own tablets by 2015. Tablets and smartphones have become incredibly powerful in a very short space of time, with gigahertz-class dual-core processors, decent amounts of RAM and high definition displays appearing in pocket-friendly forms. As the price of such small but powerful devices continues to fall and hardware firms continue to innovate, it's clear that mobile computing is going to be a very big deal for the foreseeab...
In Depth: How smartphones and tablets are taking over
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
Two years from now, something remarkable will happen: there will be more smartphones in the world than PCs. Technology analysis firm Gartner predicts that by 2013, there will be 1.82 billion smartphones compared to 1.78 billion PCs - and that doesn't include tablets. Apple sold 14.8 million iPads in 2010, and Forrester Research says that in the US, 82 million people will own tablets by 2015. Tablets and smartphones have become incredibly powerful in a very short space of time, with gigahertz-class dual-core processors, decent amounts of RAM and high definition displays appearing in pocket-friendly forms. As the price of such small but powerful devices continues to fall and hardware firms continue to innovate, it's clear that mobile computing is going to be a very big deal for the foreseeab...
Review: Dell Adamo 13
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
When we first reviewed the Dell Adamo 13 back in 2009, we fell in love with its sleek design, but at £1649 it was priced a little too high. Now this highly desirable ultraportable has dropped massively in price to just £499, so even cash-strapped consumers can afford it. Without a doubt this is the best-looking laptop at this price point. Everything from the half-glossy lid to the matt-black interior exudes style and class. The build quality is superb too, with no hint of flex seen in any area of the sleek metal chassis. This is also one of the thinnest laptops we've seen and is practically half the size of the others here at just 20mm. The 1.8kg weight means you can comfortably carry it around all day, while the five hour battery life is perfect for extended travel. Low-voltage processo...
Review: Dell Adamo 13
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
When we first reviewed the Dell Adamo 13 back in 2009, we fell in love with its sleek design, but at £1649 it was priced a little too high. Now this highly desirable ultraportable has dropped massively in price to just £499, so even cash-strapped consumers can afford it. Without a doubt this is the best-looking laptop at this price point. Everything from the half-glossy lid to the matt-black interior exudes style and class. The build quality is superb too, with no hint of flex seen in any area of the sleek metal chassis. This is also one of the thinnest laptops we've seen and is practically half the size of the others here at just 20mm. The 1.8kg weight means you can comfortably carry it around all day, while the five hour battery life is perfect for extended travel. Low-voltage processo...
Review: Dell Adamo 13
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
When we first reviewed the Dell Adamo 13 back in 2009, we fell in love with its sleek design, but at £1649 it was priced a little too high. Now this highly desirable ultraportable has dropped massively in price to just £499, so even cash-strapped consumers can afford it. Without a doubt this is the best-looking laptop at this price point. Everything from the half-glossy lid to the matt-black interior exudes style and class. The build quality is superb too, with no hint of flex seen in any area of the sleek metal chassis. This is also one of the thinnest laptops we've seen and is practically half the size of the others here at just 20mm. The 1.8kg weight means you can comfortably carry it around all day, while the five hour battery life is perfect for extended travel. Low-voltage processo...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 16-04-2011
This week we've reviewed the awesome Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1V Android 3.0-toting iPad rival as well as the Sony VAIO S Series.Also check out our review of the amazing 50-inch Panasonic TX-P50GT30B 3D plasma as well as the Sony KDL-46NX713 2D LED set. We've also looked at the INQ Cloud Touch and we've also got hands on with the new Nokia X7. Top five reviews on TechRadarSamsung Galaxy Tab 10.1V reviewThere are two versions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. This is the original one, now a Vodafone-exclusive. It's got Android 3.0 onboard, while the standout hardware feature is the 8MP camera which, to be frank, blows the iPad's equivalent clean out of the water and into the realm of total inferiority. The tablet is powered by Nvidia's dual-core Tegra 2 chip, and is thus a pleasure to use. The drawback ...
Too Realistic For Its Own Good
By GameInformer, published 15-04-2011
Despite knowing the astronomical odds against winning anything substantial at a carnival’s ring toss or shooting gallery, I still find myself putting my dollars down on the counter with misguided optimism. How hard could it be to knock milk bottles off of a stand, or pop a balloon with a dart? Regardless of my high confidence levels, I rarely win the novelty sized gorilla or inflatable baseball bat. Instead, I usually walk away with less funnel cake money and lowered self-esteem. Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do makes me feel like just as big of a loser. Since this game is designed exclusively for Kinect, I was periodically treated to keepsake snapshots of myself failing. In the 20 minigames and attractions offered in this collection, victory is often dictated by dumb luck. You...
T-Mobile G2x Smartphone Available Online for $200
By MaximumPC, published 15-04-2011
T-Mobile, which some would argue sat on the success of the original G1 for a bit too long, has been building up an impressive army of capable Android devices as of late. One of the newest entries is the G2x built by LG. This spunky dual-core smartphone will be available in stores beginning April 20, 2011, but you can hop online right now and order one from T-Mobile for $200, provided you sign up for a 2-year service agreement. One of the best things about the G2x is it isn't saddled with a custom overlay, instead shipping with the stock version of Android 2.2 (Froyo) pre-installed, upgradeable to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). There's also Nvidia's Tegra 2 dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz, 8GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM, microSD card slot, 4-inch WVGA display, Full HD 1080p TV-out via...
Browser Extension of the Week: Ghostery
By MaximumPC, published 14-04-2011
Ever feel like somebody’s watching you? Good because they are. Without proper protection, your internet usage habits are left out in the open; vulnerable to anyone to exploit. By simply navigating to a page, mousing over a given pixel or clicking through an advertisement or other link, most computer users give data brokers, advertising companies and other nefarious types enough to information to work with to tailor ad content to your needs. Creepy. While we love the look and fit of a good tin foil hat as much as anyone else, Ghostery, our Browser Extension of the Week, is really the better choice for putting an end to all that unwanted tracking. After installing Ghostery, you’ll be asked to answer a few simple questions surrounding what you’d like the extension to do for you: Track t...
UN Treaty Would Recognize “Mother Earth’s” Rights
By SlashGear, published 14-04-2011
Bolivia, which has enacted its own “Law of the Rights of Mother Earth”, reflecting the beliefs of the indigenous people of that country, is seeking to bring those principles worldwide with a United Nations treaty. The treaty, in draft at this time, would give Mother Earth the same rights as humans, including rights to life, water and clean air, the right to repair livelihoods affected by human activities, and the right to be free from pollution. \ Bolivia’s domestic law gives bugs, trees and all other natural things in the South American country the same rights as humans as well. The president, Evo Morales, enacted the law in January, and the general structure of the UN treaty is meant to mirror the Bolivian law. Bolivia is rich in natural resources like natural gas and ...
Star Fox 64 3D out July 14 in Japan
By GameSpot, published 14-04-2011
Official website for upcoming flight combat game confirms mid-summer release; North American date still TBA. On Tuesday, Nintendo dated the 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for a June 19 debut in North America. Today, the Japanese game company dated another anticipated Nintendo 64 remake, but only for Japan. Fox goes 3D this summer in Japan. The Japanese official website for Star Fox 64 3D opened recently, displaying a July 14 release date for the flight combat game. Unfortunately, no additional information is available on the site, though nostalgic Star Fox music runs in the background. Currently, the game is slated for a vague "summer 2011" release for North America. Gamers eager to get their hands on Star Fox 64 3D might not have...
T-Mobile Press Event Invites Tease G2x and G-Slate
By SlashGear, published 13-04-2011
We’re the recipients of a press event invite that no less than tells us what’s going to be inside, both the T-Mobile G2x and the LG G-Slate. These are two devices that are sure to blast forth from the edifice of Android and fall directly into the homes of thousands and millions of homes across America, creating enjoyment for those who receive them. We’ve had looks at both devices in one way or another in the past, and here we’re sure to get yet another. Also inside this event will be a couple of musical groups, one of them called Dev and the Cataracs, the other by the name of DJ Chachi. Without a doubt this event is set to totally relax us in the sun with fine drinks and snacks, right? No way, man! We’re going to be scrambling with super authoritative skill ...
US Senate May Move to Enact Internet Sales Tax
By MaximumPC, published 04-12-2011
According to Cnet, one US Senator is preparing to introduce legislation that would radically alter online commerce. The bill would end the ability of Americans to buy goods from online retailers free from state sales tax. Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois is expected to present the bill shortly after the Easter recess. Under current law, if an online retailer does not have a physical presence in a state, buyers do not have to pay the sales tax at the time of purchase. Durbin contends this is an unfair advantage. "Why should out-of-state companies that sell their products online have an unfair advantage over Main Street bricks-and-mortar businesses?" Durbin said in February. The prospect of an internet sales tax is likely to rattle online retailers. It's not just the price competition,...
Garmin Unveils Forerunner 610, First Touchscreen GPS Sports Watch
By SlashGear, published 04-12-2011
Garmin today announced its first ever touchscreen GPS sports watch called the Forerunner 610. The new sports watch is sleek yet robust and weather-proof. The touchscreen can withstand rain and sweat, and can even be operated with gloves on. The announcement for the Forerunner 610 is in preparation for the upcoming world-class marathons in Boston and London. Watch the video demo after the cut. The Forerunner 610 features an easy to navigate interface with an overall design that has won it the Red Dot Design Award. The display is highly responsive, however, the interface is in grayscale to save on battery life. The watch has a Training Effects feature that shows you the impact of your fitness routines and it has a vibration motor to alert you of reaching target heart rate, pace, and distan...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 o...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 o...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 o...
Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 ...
Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 ...
Buying Guide: 10 best 42-inch HD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
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 ...
LG Display outs 47? transparent IPS LCD to take on Samsung [video]
By SlashGear, published 04-11-2011
The cat and mouse race between Samsung and LG continues, with LG Display looking to best Samsung’s 22-inch transparent LCD from just a couple of weeks back with a transparent screen of its own. The company is showing off a huge 47-inch IPS LCD panel which as well as being transparent is capable of Full HD resolution. As with Samsung’s panel, LG Display is targeting the screen technology at commercial implementations rather than something for your desk. The company reckons shopping malls and digital signage are the most likely uses, but we can’t quite lose our enthusiasm for LCD windows that can show us the headlines as well as the garden. No word on when LG Display’s IPS LCD screens might be on sale, nor even if they’re in mass-production like Samsung’...
Buying Guide: Best Sandy Bridge motherboard: 8 tested
By TechRadar, published 04-10-2011
Sandy Bridge processors certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons when Intel released them. Some of those metaphorical pigeons were their own loyal customers. Those who had bought a Socket 1156 platform must have felt like they had received a slap round the chops, as barely 12 months after releasing the splendid Lynnfield, Intel had produced a CPU family that redefined the standard for performance and price. Sandy Bridge's release is doubly harsh as the new processor uses a different socket, making for an expensive upgrade for anyone trying to stay up to date. It seems odd that Intel couldn't work the new architecture into a package that would fit the existing LGA 1156 socket. After all, the package size is identical, and even though the LGA 1155 socket has a different pin layout (it isn't...
Buying Guide: Best Sandy Bridge motherboard: 8 tested
By TechRadar, published 04-10-2011
Sandy Bridge processors certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons when Intel released them. Some of those metaphorical pigeons were their own loyal customers. Those who had bought a Socket 1156 platform must have felt like they had received a slap round the chops, as barely 12 months after releasing the splendid Lynnfield, Intel had produced a CPU family that redefined the standard for performance and price. Sandy Bridge's release is doubly harsh as the new processor uses a different socket, making for an expensive upgrade for anyone trying to stay up to date. It seems odd that Intel couldn't work the new architecture into a package that would fit the existing LGA 1156 socket. After all, the package size is identical, and even though the LGA 1155 socket has a different pin layout (it isn't...
Buying Guide: Best Sandy Bridge motherboard: 8 tested
By TechRadar, published 04-10-2011
Sandy Bridge processors certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons when Intel released them. Some of those metaphorical pigeons were their own loyal customers. Those who had bought a Socket 1156 platform must have felt like they had received a slap round the chops, as barely 12 months after releasing the splendid Lynnfield, Intel had produced a CPU family that redefined the standard for performance and price. Sandy Bridge's release is doubly harsh as the new processor uses a different socket, making for an expensive upgrade for anyone trying to stay up to date. It seems odd that Intel couldn't work the new architecture into a package that would fit the existing LGA 1156 socket. After all, the package size is identical, and even though the LGA 1155 socket has a different pin layout (it isn't...
SlashGear 101: What is Android?
By SlashGear, published 04-09-2011
Step into a cellphone store these past few years, and it’s hard to miss Android. From a surprise public announcement back in 2007, to occupying the smartphone top-spot today – depending on which analysts or researchers you talk to – Android has managed to carve itself a niche as the Apple iPhone’s key rival. Venture after the cut as Android gets the full SlashGear 101 treatment! Google does search, what are they doing on my phone? Google may be best known for its search engine – and its place as many people’s homepage – but the company has plenty of other side-projects going on. Android has grown to be one of the biggest, freely-available software for manufacturers to put on mobile phones, tablets, set-top boxes (such as for cable or satellite T...
BioShock Infinite "Name in the Game" competition announced
By GameSpot, published 04-09-2011
Irrational staging contest to use community member's moniker for a character, a business, or a building in forthcoming game. Irrational Games is giving its community members a chance to be a piece of BioShock history. Today, the Boston-based developer announced it is staging a "Name in the Game" competition that will allow one entrant's name to be included in BioShock Infinite as a character, business, or building. The studio did something similar in previous BioShock games with staff member's names in such locations as Sinclair Spirits and Robertson's Tabaccoria. Sinclair Spirits is an example of a location named after a real person in a BioShock game. Those wishing to put their names in the hat can do so at IrrationalGames.com from now until April...
Cutting the Cords
By SlashGear, published 04-05-2011
When I suggested to my ex-wife that I might rent a storage space to house some of the stuff I wanted to take with me, she voiced concern. “That’s how the hoarders always start out.” Neither of us watches the hoarder TV shows that have cropped up, but she’s seen enough Oprah to have an idea of how the problem begins. At first I started to protest. [Image credit: Eric] “I’m not talking about keeping every bit of trash I have lying around. I’m moving from a four bedroom house (and a 15-year relationship) to a single life in a smaller apartment. It only makes sense that I have more stuff than I can store.” My new apartment has plenty of closet space — for clothing, shoes, the natural accoutrements of a non-hoarder. There is not enough space for everything I own, especia...
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker clothing line inbound
By GameSpot, published 04-05-2011
Konami announces that "complete clothing collection" based on popular franchise's portable entry will be available in North America April 11. Get the full article at GameSpot "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker clothing line inbound" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:05:58 -0700
Toshiba Regza VL passive 3D TV announced
By TechRadar, published 04-05-2011
Toshiba has shown off its first 3D TV at the Toshiba World Forum in Rome this week, with the company deciding to use passive 3D for its mid-range televisions.The Regza VL series offer "sharp, vivid, lifelike 3D pictures with incredible depth and accuracy, with four pairs of polarised ReaID 3D glasses".More and more TV manufacturers are looking to polarised 3D for TV, with Toshiba following in the footsteps of LG and Philips.LED BacklightThe Regza VL series offers 42-inch and 47-inch televisions and comes with Edge LED backlighting.As the 3D is passive, the glasses are cheap – so Toshiba is bundling four pairs of RealD glasses into the package.The TV also comes with access to Toshiba Places, Resolution+ technology and has a built-in subwoofer.If you buy an external dongle, you can also ge...
Toshiba Regza VL passive 3D TV announced
By TechRadar, published 04-05-2011
Toshiba has shown off its first 3D TV at the Toshiba World Forum in Rome this week, with the company deciding to use passive 3D for its mid-range televisions.The Regza VL series offer "sharp, vivid, lifelike 3D pictures with incredible depth and accuracy, with four pairs of polarised ReaID 3D glasses".More and more TV manufacturers are looking to polarised 3D for TV, with Toshiba following in the footsteps of LG and Philips.LED BacklightThe Regza VL series offers 42-inch and 47-inch televisions and comes with Edge LED backlighting.As the 3D is passive, the glasses are cheap – so Toshiba is bundling four pairs of RealD glasses into the package.The TV also comes with access to Toshiba Places, Resolution+ technology and has a built-in subwoofer.If you buy an external dongle, you can also ge...
Toshiba Regza VL passive 3D TV announced
By TechRadar, published 04-05-2011
Toshiba has shown off its first 3D TV at the Toshiba World Forum in Rome this week, with the company deciding to use passive 3D for its mid-range televisions.The Regza VL series offer "sharp, vivid, lifelike 3D pictures with incredible depth and accuracy, with four pairs of polarised ReaID 3D glasses".More and more TV manufacturers are looking to polarised 3D for TV, with Toshiba following in the footsteps of LG and Philips.LED BacklightThe Regza VL series offers 42-inch and 47-inch televisions and comes with Edge LED backlighting.As the 3D is passive, the glasses are cheap – so Toshiba is bundling four pairs of RealD glasses into the package.The TV also comes with access to Toshiba Places, Resolution+ technology and has a built-in subwoofer.If you buy an external dongle, you can also ge...
Best Buy yanks ASUS Transformer iPad smack ad
By SlashGear, published 04-05-2011
Best Buy didn’t call out the iPad by name in their ASUS Eee Pad Transformer promotion earlier this week, but the intended identity of their “generic” comparison tablet wasn’t exactly well hidden. An iPad-style slate duct taped to a keyboard, the retailer was pushing ASUS’ battery-blessed keyboard dock for the Transformer. Now, though, it seems someone at Best Buy has lost their nerve, since the promo has been pulled. Previously found here, the “Like That. But Better” link now comes up with “page not found”. It’s unlikely that Apple itself complained, but with Best Buy one of the few places outside of Apple’s own stores to offer the iPad 2, it’s likely an exec somewhere decided upsetting the powerful company might not...
Review: Panasonic TX-L32E30B
By TechRadar, published 04-04-2011
If you're in the market for a 32-inch TV but can't summon any interest in 3D or can't afford the exceptional TX-L32DT30B, then Panasonic has the TX-L32E30B with which to tempt you.This strips away the 3D stuff and a few other bits and bobs to deliver a much more affordable edge-lit TV without, hopefully, any sacrifice in picture quality.The TX-L32E30B shares the same IPS Alpha LCD panel as the TX-L32DT30B, which means that it can be watched from a wider angle than typical panels. The TX-L32E30B also goes a bundle on multimedia tools, offering everything from DLNA PC compatibility to USB/SD card file playback and access to Panasonic's new Viera Connect online platform. Add to this some unusually good build quality for a mid-priced 32-inch TV, and the TX-L32E30B certainly has plenty to shout...
Review: Technika 32-270
By TechRadar, published 04-04-2011
If you've never heard of Technika, you probably don't shop at Tesco. The supermarket giant has been championing the budget brand for years, sticking a few TVs on its shelves and selling (at the time of writing) no fewer than 27 Technika sets on its website.Among a large range can be found a 42-inch model, the 42-2030, with a Freeview HD tuner for just £399. The £299 32-inch 32-277, meanwhile, ditches the hi-def broadcasts but adds an integrated DVD player. Or perhaps you'd prefer to inject a little colour into your life with the 23-incg 23-231 series, which, for just £200, offers DVD drives, Freeview tuners and USB multimedia playback within blue, red, titanium or black bodies. Your fancy might, on the other hand, be tickled most by the 32-270 reviewed here, with its full HD 32-inch scr...
Buying Guide: Virgin Media Tivo vs Sky HD: which is best for you?
By TechRadar, published 04-04-2011
The battle between the UK's biggest Pay TV operators is heating up. Satellite broadcaster Sky, long time ruler of the subscription TV world, is now having to contend with the return of old nemesis Tivo, courtesy of rival Virgin Media. With it's smart recording functionality, jazzy interface and blended linear and VOD (Video on Demand) programming, Tivo is getting clued-up telly addicts in a lather. But how do the two TV titans actually compare?We've pitched Sky's top-end 1TB receiver against the Virgin Media Powered by Tivo (official moniker) box, rating each on a scale of 1 to 10 for Ease of Use, User Interface, Hi-def Content, 3D programming, Non linear TV Choice, Wow Factor and Price. Ease of UseWith its clean EPG and self explanatory genre tabs, Sky+ HD is a model of simplicity to use....
Review: Humax TV Portal
By TechRadar, published 04-03-2011
Pushed to receivers over the air or available from the Humax website (for USB transfer), TV Portal adds a degree of broadband-based functionality to Humax's Freeview HD boxes, starting with the HDR-Fox T2 PVR (at the time of writing, the HD-Fox T2 zapper was set to get TV Portal within weeks). Using this free upgrade requires getting your receiver online by hooking up its Ethernet port to your broadband connection or attaching a Humax W-LAN stick (£29 from Humax's web shop) via USB, which also allows for wireless media streaming from networked devices. If you're recording using either box, you can still use TV Portal regardless. The latest software also gives HDR-Fox T2 owners the ability to export recordings to remote storage via FTP (you'll need to transfer them back to directly connect...
Review: Dreambox DM800 HD SE
By TechRadar, published 04-03-2011
Just over two years ago, Dream Multimedia launched its DM800 HD – a hi-def receiver into which a 2.5-inch hard drive could be fitted, thereby turning it into a single-tuner PVR. We were reasonably impressed with the overall functionality of this compact unit, which occupied much the same volume as a large paperback. Running the popular Enigma2 firmware, its replacement capitalises on two years of technology progress. A key difference to its predecessor is that the processor has been upgraded from 300MHz to 400MHz, which should aid responsiveness. The OLED display has been upgraded to colour, and you now get a 'true' HDMI port instead of DVI. Appearance and connectivity In other respects, the two receivers are very similar. The DM800 HD SE is slightly larger than its predecessor (225mm x ...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 04-02-2011
This week's reviews include one of the hottest phones from this year's Mobile World Congress, the HTC Desire S. It's the follow-up to the best-selling HTC Desire, but can it top the highs of the handset it replaces? We've also fully reviewed Android 3.0, the tablet OS that hopes to conquer the supremacy of iOS as well as the incredibly quick six-core Intel Core i7 990X Extreme Edition. Top five reviews on TechRadarHTC Desire S review The Desire S is a great phone, but it feels like it doesn't live up to its grand name. We loved the original Desire so much. It was offering an experience comparable to the iPhone 4 three months before Apple's device was even announced.Android 3.0 reviewAndroid 3.0 is powerful and fast. It looks closer to what you'd expect in the modern computing age and not a...
Google’s Android anti-fragmentation push is vital
By SlashGear, published 04-01-2011
Reports earlier this week painted an ominous future for Google’s open-source strategy with Android, the company’s mobile device platform. Gone, insiders at OEMs and carriers suggested, was the eager-to-please ambition and flexibility of the early days, back when Google was desperate for market penetration and manufacturer support. Instead, they claimed, Android head Andy Rubin had become a harsh gatekeeper, doling out early access to new iterations of the OS only to those who’ll toe the Google line, attempting to trip handsets that used rival services, and doing it all under the banner of “non-fragmentation.” Open-source lovers wrung their hands; iOS addicts basked in a righteous glow. Android, so the arguments went, was supposed to be our open-source salvat...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
The PlayStation phone is the device equivalent of El Dorado, in that it's spent a long time as a golden fable to trot out when conversation slows. Now the fusion of gamepad and Android phone has emerged into the modern world in the form of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.It's a time when iPhones have permeated the globe, able to deliver tactile gaming on the go, and Nintendo's 3DS is making waves by bringing portable 3D fun to the masses.Even within the Sony stable, the Xperia Play has rivals to overcome. There's the NGP, successor to the PSP, on the horizon, which will arrive boasting more processing power than Deep Blue (well, apparently a quad-core chip and graphics processor).What's more, it must establish itself over a selection of fast and competent Android handsets, such as Sony Erics...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
The PlayStation phone is the device equivalent of El Dorado, in that it's spent a long time as a golden fable to trot out when conversation slows. Now the fusion of gamepad and Android phone has emerged into the modern world in the form of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.It's a time when iPhones have permeated the globe, able to deliver tactile gaming on the go, and Nintendo's 3DS is making waves by bringing portable 3D fun to the masses.Even within the Sony stable, the Xperia Play has rivals to overcome. There's the NGP, successor to the PSP, on the horizon, which will arrive boasting more processing power than Deep Blue (well, apparently a quad-core chip and graphics processor).What's more, it must establish itself over a selection of fast and competent Android handsets, such as Sony Erics...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
The PlayStation phone is the device equivalent of El Dorado, in that it's spent a long time as a golden fable to trot out when conversation slows. Now the fusion of gamepad and Android phone has emerged into the modern world in the form of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.It's a time when iPhones have permeated the globe, able to deliver tactile gaming on the go, and Nintendo's 3DS is making waves by bringing portable 3D fun to the masses.Even within the Sony stable, the Xperia Play has rivals to overcome. There's the NGP, successor to the PSP, on the horizon, which will arrive boasting more processing power than Deep Blue (well, apparently a quad-core chip and graphics processor).What's more, it must establish itself over a selection of fast and competent Android handsets, such as Sony Erics...
Review: Nokia E7
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If beauty were only screen deep, the Nokia E7 series would stand a good chance in a Miss Handset competition, even up against the likes of the iPhone 4, HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. This QWERTY keyboard phone boasts a four-inch capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED ClearBlack display and sleek brushed aluminium casing that feels great in the hand. It's just under 14mm thick, but fairly lightweight for its size and depth. A strong double-thumbed push to the tilt and slide mechanism will reveal the well-spaced, rubber-buttoned QWERTY pad. The hinge is a little stiff, but the solidity is appreciated. The weight is nicely balanced held portrait, landscape or with the keypad out, and the touchscreen isn't overpowered by unwieldy additional keys. The soft keys it does have are spare and n...
Review: Nokia E7
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If beauty were only screen deep, the Nokia E7 series would stand a good chance in a Miss Handset competition, even up against the likes of the iPhone 4, HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. This QWERTY keyboard phone boasts a four-inch capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED ClearBlack display and sleek brushed aluminium casing that feels great in the hand. It's just under 14mm thick, but fairly lightweight for its size and depth. A strong double-thumbed push to the tilt and slide mechanism will reveal the well-spaced, rubber-buttoned QWERTY pad. The hinge is a little stiff, but the solidity is appreciated. The weight is nicely balanced held portrait, landscape or with the keypad out, and the touchscreen isn't overpowered by unwieldy additional keys. The soft keys it does have are spare and n...
Review: Nokia E7
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If beauty were only screen deep, the Nokia E7 series would stand a good chance in a Miss Handset competition, even up against the likes of the iPhone 4, HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. This QWERTY keyboard phone boasts a four-inch capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED ClearBlack display and sleek brushed aluminium casing that feels great in the hand. It's just under 14mm thick, but fairly lightweight for its size and depth. A strong double-thumbed push to the tilt and slide mechanism will reveal the well-spaced, rubber-buttoned QWERTY pad. The hinge is a little stiff, but the solidity is appreciated. The weight is nicely balanced held portrait, landscape or with the keypad out, and the touchscreen isn't overpowered by unwieldy additional keys. The soft keys it does have are spare and n...
Buying Guide: 10 best 37-inch LCD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
Our constantly updated list of all the best 37-inch TVs in the worldWhich is the best 37-inch TV?Making the decision to upgrade from a bulky old 28-inch CRT TV is almost too easy, but heading straight for a 42-inch plasma can seem a little daunting.And thus the 37" size has become one of the UK's most popular shapes; a lot more impressive than a 32-incher, yet not big enough to entirely dominate a living room. It's also often the maximum size for those of us who are forced, simply by the shape of our living room, to shove a TV in the corner.It's a size division that's as competitive as any, with the big brands weighing in with both LCD and plasma TV models. Despite its direct forerunners being some of the best-reviewed (and best-selling) TVs around, Panasonic's TX-P37X20 is the only plasma...
LG Display livid over Samsung exec’s engineer expletive [Updated]
By SlashGear, published 04-01-2011
An unexpected slur by a Samsung exec on rivals LG Display could result in a legal case, after Kim Hyun-suk, vice president of Samsung’s digital media business, described LG’s engineers as “really stupid sh*ts” at a press conference earlier this week. Asked by journalists about LG’s Full HD claims for its latest 3D TV technology, the Korea Herald reports, Hyun-suk retorted “I heard that LG Display’s Kwon Young-soo said its TVs are full HD, I think his engineers are really stupid sh*ts. What a lame argument with no theoretical grounds. It’s just unreasonable.” Unsurprisingly, LG Display took offense at the expletive, and while the company initially planned to let the insult pass without comment, it later began preparing for legal action. &...
Samsung 22-inch transparent LCD displays hit production
By SlashGear, published 31-03-2011
Samsung has announced that it has begun mass-production of 22-inch transparent LCD displays, with two models – capable of either black & white or color images – in the first range to be offered. Rather than a traditional backlight, the 1680 x 1050 displays (which have 500:1 contrast ratios) use ambient light to illuminate them; Samsung has boosted transparency to 15-20% (over 5% in normal panels) so that sunlight is enough to make the picture visible. Inputs include HDMI and USB, and Samsung reckons that power consumption is down by 90-percent over traditional displays as well. Users can look straight through them, like glass, and while it envisages advertising and “interactive communication” uses initially, there are also some very appealing transparent noteb...
Google puts Android on lock-down: Non-fragmentation contracts, standardized ARM chips, more
By SlashGear, published 31-03-2011
Google’s approach to Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the version of its OS designed for tablets, has drawn criticism recently over the search giant’s refusal to release the source code to OEMs; now, it seems, that could be part of a push to reduce fragmentation. According to DigiTimes‘ sources, Google is considering “standardizing” not only the Honeycomb software but collaborating with ARM to standardize the chipsets Android 3.0 will run on. Meanwhile, BusinessWeek claims execs from multiple big name companies have confirmed that Google now insists on “non-fragmentation clauses” from partners hoping to have the earliest access to Android code, limiting the changes they can make to the UI, services and apps, and even which companies they can partner with. ...
LG claims market leadership in LCD monitors
By TechRadar, published 31-03-2011
LG has declared that it is now the world's market leader in LCD monitors, and indicated that it will now focus heavily on Cinema 3D monitors going forwardDisplaySearch figures suggest that the Korean giant has taken an 18 per cent share of the global market for LCD monitors.LG apparently provided 2.92 million of the 16.68 monitors sold around the world in 2010.Strong endorsement"This represents a strong endorsement of LG's drive to increase investment in R&D over the last 12 months," said Si-hwan Park, Vice President of the Monitor Division at LG's Home Entertainment Company."The reason for our success is simple: We've focused on listening to our customers and then innovating around those needs."To keep on growing our market share, we're going to be moving strongly into CINEMA 3D monitors ...
Kojima promoted to Konami VP
By GameSpot, published 30-03-2011
Metal Gear creator's latest promotion sees him join executive ranks of Japanese publisher's Digital Entertainment division. Konami has a number of wholly owned properties, but the only one to get its own category in the publisher's quarterly earnings reports is Metal Gear. Today, Konami announced that the creator of that series has been given a promotion. Hideo Kojima As part of a round of corporate appointments and promotions, Konami Digital Entertainment said it would be raising Hideo Kojima to the position of vice president, corporate officer, effective April 1. As it stands, Kojima's current title is "executive corporate officer director, Kojima Production," having been raised to that position in March 2009. Having begun his career at Konami in ...
Review: Exclusive: LG 47LW550T
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
LG is unique in the UK TV market by offering both active and passive 3D sets. The 47LW550T is one of the latter, dubbed Cinema 3D by the Korean brand to help confused consumers realise that it shares the same glasses technology that they've become used to at their local multiplex. The 47LW550T arrives on retailers' shelves against a backdrop of a bitter active versus passive argument between LG and its rival Samsung, with the latter at pains to point out that the former's Cinema 3D technology cannot display a full HD 3D image. And that's true, because the 47LW550T's screen-mounted polarising filter sends one half of the 1,920 x 1080 Blu-ray image to one eye and the other half to the other. It's what impact that has on picture quality that's important.First, though, some background info. Th...
Review: Exclusive: LG 47LW550T
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
LG is unique in the UK TV market by offering both active and passive 3D sets. The 47LW550T is one of the latter, dubbed Cinema 3D by the Korean brand to help confused consumers realise that it shares the same glasses technology that they've become used to at their local multiplex. The 47LW550T arrives on retailers' shelves against a backdrop of a bitter active versus passive argument between LG and its rival Samsung, with the latter at pains to point out that the former's Cinema 3D technology cannot display a full HD 3D image. And that's true, because the 47LW550T's screen-mounted polarising filter sends one half of the 1,920 x 1080 Blu-ray image to one eye and the other half to the other. It's what impact that has on picture quality that's important.First, though, some background info. Th...
Virgin Media TiVo service gets full BBC iPlayer app
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
The Virgin Media TiVo box has been given a key update, with the BBC iPlayer app coming out of beta and now apparently offering HD catch-up of Auntie's programmes. The iPlayer app is already on the boxes, but was a beta offering with several bugs which have, presumably, now been ironed out. The BBC catch-up service has proven to be phenomenally popular on Virgin Media, and the extension of a full app onto the Virgin Media TiVo box will be good news for many who have got their hands on the eagerly anticipated kit. Taking advantage"Taking advantage of the power to run dedicated 'connected' applications on the TiVo powered set-top box, a new BBC iPlayer app can be found in the growing 'Apps and Games' section and offers the full library of BBC iPlayer content, including catch-up shows in HD as...
Virgin Media TiVo service gets full BBC iPlayer app
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
The Virgin Media TiVo box has been given a key update, with the BBC iPlayer app coming out of beta and now apparently offering HD catch-up of Auntie's programmes. The iPlayer app is already on the boxes, but was a beta offering with several bugs which have, presumably, now been ironed out. The BBC catch-up service has proven to be phenomenally popular on Virgin Media, and the extension of a full app onto the Virgin Media TiVo box will be good news for many who have got their hands on the eagerly anticipated kit. Taking advantage"Taking advantage of the power to run dedicated 'connected' applications on the TiVo powered set-top box, a new BBC iPlayer app can be found in the growing 'Apps and Games' section and offers the full library of BBC iPlayer content, including catch-up shows in HD as...
How Tablets Can Connect the Disconnected
By SlashGear, published 29-03-2011
Many of us have heard stories about tablets being more accessible for those who have trouble dealing with PCs. Grandmothers, for example, who have never used a computer, get hold of an iPad and start tapping away like an old pro. What is it about tablets that make them so engaging, and make them so much more appealing than using a PC for some people? Let’s face it, PCs can be complicated. If you know nothing about using one, setting up a PC could be an insurmountable task. You have software to install, inexplicable error messages, antivirus notifications always popping up… For some people, especially older people, all they want to do is get email, see pictures of family, and maybe do a little shopping. Why do they need to install the Office Suite, or worry about defragmenting...
AMD Radeon HD 6790 tipped to bring mid-range battle to GeForce GTX 550 Ti
By SlashGear, published 29-03-2011
AMD may have got a spanking with NVIDIA’s GTX 590 – on paper at least – eclipsing their own Radeon HD 6990, but the company isn’t wasting time weeping and applying cooling balm. Instead it’s apparently readying the AMD Radeon HD 6790, according to NordicHardware, set to take on NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 550 Ti in the lucrative mid-range segment, with a Barts LE core based on the GPUs used in the Radeon HD 6800 series. According to the leak, the HD 6790 will have 10 stream units for a total of 800 processors, an 850MHz GPU frequency, 30 texture units and 32 ROPs, along with a 256-bit memory interface. It will have 1GB of GDDR5 memory and support up to 1.34 TFLOPs performance with a 33.6 Gtexel/s texture fillrate. That, as the chart below suggests, will slot ...
LG Smart TV Upgrader ST600 priced/dated; Plex support incoming
By SlashGear, published 29-03-2011
LG’s Smart TV Upgrader ST600 is apparently only weeks away from launch, with Amazon taking orders for the internet-enabled STB and suggesting a ship-date in two to five weeks time. Priced at $129.99, the ST600 will turn any TV – and it needn’t be an LG model – into a smart TV, complete with Netflix, VUDU and CinemaNow streaming, a browser, and LG TV Apps. However, there’s also Plex functionality in the pipeline as well. Plex – which is a media server app for PC or Mac – has confirmed that its system will be supported on the LG Smart TV under the name MediaLink. That will allow streaming of digital content (in addition to real-time transcoding) from a home media server to the ST600 (or, indeed, to your PC/Mac or a smartphone/tablet). According to...
3DS Impressions: Our Take On Nintendo's New Handheld
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2011
Announced last March, Nintendo’s 3DS has been highly anticipated by gamers the world over. Any new Nintendo handheld is big news; the company has dominated the category since the release of the original Game Boy in 1989. While competitors from Sega to Sony have tried to make a dent in Nintendo’s market share, all have failed. The 3DS, which is the successor to the most lucrative game system in history in the DS, is Nintendo’s hope for staying on top of the handheld mountain. The 3DS released in America on March 27, and while Nintendo hasn't announced how many units were purchased yet, the Japanese launch – in which the unit was virtually sold out across the country – points to a strong first day in America (though our unscientific research may s...
In Depth: New mobile phones 2011: the full rundown
By TechRadar, published 28-03-2011
The world of new mobile phones changes so fast that even we at TechRadar have a hard time keeping up, and we're the internet. Since we don't want anyone to miss the news about the newest mobile phone that might be ideal for them, we've put together this round up of our hands-on reviews. These aren't our full reviews, so won't have the same authoritative depth, but they're our early impressions of all these new mobiles after we've been able to spend some limited time with them.This page will be updated regularly as new mobile phones are announced, so you know it's always the best place to come for the all the upcoming mobile phone news you'll need.Samsung Wave 578NFC (near-field communications) is an area that the networks seem to be pushing more and more in new mobile phones, but we've mos...
In Depth: New mobile phones 2011: the full rundown
By TechRadar, published 28-03-2011
The world of new mobile phones changes so fast that even we at TechRadar have a hard time keeping up, and we're the internet. Since we don't want anyone to miss the news about the newest mobile phone that might be ideal for them, we've put together this round up of our hands-on reviews. These aren't our full reviews, so won't have the same authoritative depth, but they're our early impressions of all these new mobiles after we've been able to spend some limited time with them.This page will be updated regularly as new mobile phones are announced, so you know it's always the best place to come for the all the upcoming mobile phone news you'll need.Samsung Wave 578NFC (near-field communications) is an area that the networks seem to be pushing more and more in new mobile phones, but we've mos...
20 things we'd change about OpenOffice.org
By TechRadar, published 26-03-2011
OpenOffice.org is a huge lumbering beast. Don't get us wrong, we like it in principle and the practice is steadily getting better, but there's still room for improvement.Here are 20 things we'd change about it to make it better.01. Improve the loading speed This is almost a standing joke, but OpenOffice.org does take a while to load. It isn't a big issue when you're spending a fair amount of time on one document, but the delay is annoying when you just want to open an email attachment or make a quick change. 02. Learn to celebrate its differences An alternative program doesn't have to look like its competitors. For instance, Firefox is used as an alternative to Internet Explorer even though, or perhaps because, it doesn't look and feel like Microsoft's browser. OpenOffice.org could follow ...
Kodak Seeks $1B In Royalties From Apple, RIM
By SlashGear, published 25-03-2011
Kodak is seeking more than $1 billion in royalties from electronics giants Apple and RIM over a patent in digital camera technology the companies employ in the cameras of their mobile devices. The International Trade Commission is going to announce whether it will review an ITC judge’s earlier decision that ruled in favor of Apple and RIM and said that the companies did not violate patents. The patents in question deal with low resolution image previews. Kodak has already received close to $1 billion in a settlement from Korean tech companies LG and Samsung related to the same patent. The judge that ruled in the LG and Samsung case was a different ITC judge than the one from the Apple and RIM case. The ITC can’t enforce monetary damages, but it can block imports that infringe on U.S....
Nintendo 3DS Review
By SlashGear, published 25-03-2011
Nintendo has a reputation for kooky, eccentric products, and on that front the 3DS is no different. Upgrading the now-familiar clamshell console with a glasses-free 3D display, it promises a new breed of games, impromptu social gaming with StreetPass, and the instant allure of 3D photography and Augmented Reality. Still, while Nintendo has been busy getting its freak on, the mobile gaming market has become a whole lot more serious. Just about every gadget that wants a place in your pocket – your cellphone and PMP included – wants to take care of your gaming needs as well, and so the 3DS has more competition than ever before. Can the console deliver, or do its eccentricities count it out? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware Style-wise the 3DS is classic...
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Latest mobile phones 2011: hottest handsets reviewed
By TechRadar, published 25-03-2011
In the ever-changing mobile market, it can be hard to keep pace with the latest mobile phone trends. That's why we've put together this hub for our new mobile phone reviews: to give you the ideal jumping-on point for understanding the most current handsets around. We cover a plethora of brands, including Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm and Blackberry, and operating systems, such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, so you should find something that piques your interest here. In short, if you're seeking a new mobile phone, this is a great place to start.Nokia C2-01With the ink now dry on the contract between Nokia and Microsoft, the C2-01 is among the last of a dying breed: a Symbian OS-toting Nokia mobile. Oh, and it's sans touchscreen, too. Yes, for a new mobile phone, it's decidedly old-school. ...
Latest mobile phones 2011: hottest handsets reviewed
By TechRadar, published 25-03-2011
In the ever-changing mobile market, it can be hard to keep pace with the latest mobile phone trends. That's why we've put together this hub for our new mobile phone reviews: to give you the ideal jumping-on point for understanding the most current handsets around. We cover a plethora of brands, including Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm and Blackberry, and operating systems, such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, so you should find something that piques your interest here. In short, if you're seeking a new mobile phone, this is a great place to start.Nokia C2-01With the ink now dry on the contract between Nokia and Microsoft, the C2-01 is among the last of a dying breed: a Symbian OS-toting Nokia mobile. Oh, and it's sans touchscreen, too. Yes, for a new mobile phone, it's decidedly old-school. ...
Latest mobile phones 2011: hottest handsets reviewed
By TechRadar, published 25-03-2011
In the ever-changing mobile market, it can be hard to keep pace with the latest mobile phone trends. That's why we've put together this hub for our new mobile phone reviews: to give you the ideal jumping-on point for understanding the most current handsets around. We cover a plethora of brands, including Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm and Blackberry, and operating systems, such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, so you should find something that piques your interest here. In short, if you're seeking a new mobile phone, this is a great place to start.Nokia C2-01With the ink now dry on the contract between Nokia and Microsoft, the C2-01 is among the last of a dying breed: a Symbian OS-toting Nokia mobile. Oh, and it's sans touchscreen, too. Yes, for a new mobile phone, it's decidedly old-school. ...
Canon announces five new LCD projectors for mobile types
By SlashGear, published 24-03-2011
Say the name Canon and most of us will think about digital cameras before anything. Canon also has all sorts of other gear as well including a line of projectors that has just been expanded by five. Canon has added the new LV-8225, LV-7490, LV-7390, LV-7295 and LV-7290. The new projectors are value offerings that are intended to be taken on the go and moved around a lot. They all share many of the same features with auto setup that corrects the keystone and identifies the input in use with the press of a button. The lamp in the projector is good for up to 6,000 hours and the filter is good for 5,500 hours. The lens is a 1.2x zoom unit and has manual zoom and focus. The line are all quiet with 29dB of sound output in quiet mode. Connectivity includes computer, video, and audio connections ...
The Essential Multiplatform Downloadable Game List
By GameInformer, published 24-03-2011
In the first of our essential DLG lists, we examine 16 must-play games for your platform of choice. This week, we’re outlining some of the best games across the life of the major console download services. With an eye towards including the important early games on the service as well as the latest and greatest hits, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive survey of the essential titles on any given downloadable platform.To start us off, we thought we’d tackle the games that have shown up on multiple home consoles. If you can purchase the game on some combination of PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and/or WiiWare, we’ve included it on this list. In some cases, these games also appear as retail products, which we’ve noted where appropriate. If it only s...
Windows Phone 7 NoDo update: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 23-03-2011
Microsoft's so-called 'NoDo' Windows Phone 7 update was released this week, but just when will you be able to get copying and pasting on your Win Pho handset?Good news if you've got an unlocked handset and are reading this in the UK or Europe; you should be all set. Try connecting your handset to Zune (with a wire, we're afraid) and the update should be ready and waiting for you. O2 Windows Phone 7 updateO2 tells us that their Windows Phone 7 customers can expect the update to hit in early April – so O2 customers could be updated as soon as next weekend, if they're lucky. Vodafone Windows Phone 7 updateVodafone sent TechRadar the following statement regarding the update: "The updates for the Vodafone-ranged HTC 7 Trophy and LG Optimus 7 have been approved by Vodafone and will be distribu...
Windows Phone 7 NoDo update: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 23-03-2011
Microsoft's so-called 'NoDo' Windows Phone 7 update was released this week, but just when will you be able to get copying and pasting on your Win Pho handset?Good news if you've got an unlocked handset and are reading this in the UK or Europe; you should be all set. Try connecting your handset to Zune (with a wire, we're afraid) and the update should be ready and waiting for you. O2 Windows Phone 7 updateO2 tells us that their Windows Phone 7 customers can expect the update to hit in early April – so O2 customers could be updated as soon as next weekend, if they're lucky. Vodafone Windows Phone 7 updateVodafone sent TechRadar the following statement regarding the update: "The updates for the Vodafone-ranged HTC 7 Trophy and LG Optimus 7 have been approved by Vodafone and will be distribu...
Windows Phone 7 NoDo update: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 23-03-2011
Microsoft's so-called 'NoDo' Windows Phone 7 update was released this week, but just when will you be able to get copying and pasting on your Win Pho handset?Good news if you've got an unlocked handset and are reading this in the UK or Europe; you should be all set. Try connecting your handset to Zune (with a wire, we're afraid) and the update should be ready and waiting for you. O2 Windows Phone 7 updateO2 tells us that their Windows Phone 7 customers can expect the update to hit in early April – so O2 customers could be updated as soon as next weekend, if they're lucky. Vodafone Windows Phone 7 updateVodafone sent TechRadar the following statement regarding the update: "The updates for the Vodafone-ranged HTC 7 Trophy and LG Optimus 7 have been approved by Vodafone and will be distribu...
Updated: 10 best 32-inch LCD TVs in the world today
By TechRadar, published 23-03-2011
Our constantly updated list of the best 32-inch TVs in the world.Which is the best 32-inch TV?Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK. But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k. There's only one certainty at this size - your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently. A typical circa £500 purchase will sport a Full HD screen, have at least three HDMI inputs, and some kind of 100Hz scanning, though the latter feature varies so much in ef...
US court says 'no dice' to Google books deal
By TechRadar, published 23-03-2011
Google's plans for a digital super-library have been put on ice by the New York courts as a Judge has rejected a proposed settlement between Google and book publishers. The search giant's plan was to scan and digitise every book ever written, including rare and out of print titles. But the risk of authors not receiving payment for their re-published works became a contentious issue as some older works' copyright owners may be difficult to track down.In this scenario, Google would benefit financially from selling access to these 'orphaned' works without paying any royalties at all.MonopolyIn 2008 Google negotiated a deal with the Authors Guild and Association of American Publishers which would have seen the search giant paying out about £77m to the copyright owners of scanned books. Judge ...
Torchlight - Xbox360 - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 23-03-2011
Loot whoring now in analog mode. What happens when you leave one of the biggest game companies in the world and decide to make a game of your own? Well, for some, it turns out to be Hellgate: London, and ultimately, a flop. But in Runic Games' case, their 2009 game Torchlight was a hit. It had a lot going for it, from the Diablo meets Warcraft art style, to its perfect measure of the "carrot on a stick" character progression system. We now get an XBLA port and your only question should be, if you were a fan of the original, is "How's it looting?" [image1]Well, for the most part, they did a bang up job of bringing Torchlight to Xbox 360. Gone are the annoying click-click-click of mouse movement in favor of analog controls. This is by far the most dramatic imp...
The Ultimate Antivirus Guide: 10 Top Programs Reviewed
By MaximumPC, published 22-03-2011
Which AV product is up to the task of keeping your PC squeaky clean and immune to malware? In some ways, visiting cyberspace is kind of like entering a crowded subway car during the peak of flu season. You’re surrounded by all sorts of germs—in the form of trojans, spyware, viruses, rootkits, etc.—just looking for a vulnerable host to invade and feed on. Once you’re infected, these pests can wreak havoc on your system, swiping your personal information and passwords, annihilating your credit rating, and stealing your identity. To avoid a potentially virulent attack, you need to take precautions. Wouldn’t it be great if we could ward off both human and computer viruses in one (gooey) swoop? Smart computing habits—like never downloading unexpected email attachments—are your f...
Verizon 4G LTE plans for 2011 detailed: 59 more markets
By SlashGear, published 22-03-2011
Verizon had promised a rapid roll-out of LTE, and the carrier is doing its level best to deliver on that. A further 59 markets have been added to the roadmap, all tipped to get 4G service by the end of the year. That will take Verizon’s coverage to 147 US cities, promised on average 5-12 Mbps downloads and 2-5 Mbps uploads. As we saw in our HTC Thunderbolt review, those estimates aren’t over-ambitious either, and – as long as you have the power supply to back it up – right now Verizon’s LTE is perhaps the fastest way to get online when mobile. There’s a full list of the newly added markets in the press release below. Press Release: Verizon Wireless Brings 4G LTE To More Than 145 Markets By The End Of 2011 03/22/2011 BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Today, Verizo...
Samsung makes $15m mobile 3D tech investment
By SlashGear, published 22-03-2011
Samsung’s venture arm has invested $15m in a 3D specialist, seemingly part of an attempt to compete with LG’s Optimus 3D in the auto-stereoscopic segment. MasterImage 3D create glasses-free 3D LCD displays as well as 3D content-creation tools for mobile devices, and is responsible for the development of the cell-matrix parallax barrier which, the company claims, delivers “a higher quality 3D experience than striped and lenticular approaches.” Now, there’s no telling what Samsung expects to come of the investment, but with LG pushing out a glasses-free 3D smartphone and equipping the T-Mobile G-Slate with a 3D camera array, it seems likely it’s looking to develop a system of its own. MasterImage 3D is also apparently working on larger autostereoscopic...
Natsume Wrestling slams Virtual Console
By GameSpot, published 21-03-2011
Nintendo Store Update: New digital offerings from House of Mario include Super NES fighting game for nostalgic download space; WiiWare adds Arcade Essentials and demo for Dive: The Medes Island Secret; DSiWare welcomes Shapo, G.G. Series D-Tank. Get the full article at GameSpot "Natsume Wrestling slams Virtual Console" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:17:14 -0700
In Depth: Where next for speech recognition on the Mac?
By TechRadar, published 19-03-2011
Ten or so years ago we imagined the future would be all about holograms, virtual reality and voice control, but now, in 2011, we've not quite reached those lofty expectations. While 3D TV is slowly filtering into the mass market and augmented reality has begun to replace the chunky headsets seen on 90s gameshows, voice control really hasn't made the mark we were expecting it to. So what is it about voice recognition that has left more of us typing than talking? Voice recognition in a nutshell In order to fully understand the ins and outs of voice recognition we need to look at its main uses, of which there are three distinct categories. The first is voice control; simple spoken commands that can do anything from check for new mail to switch between applications. Voice control within Mac OS...
In Depth: Where next for speech recognition on the Mac?
By TechRadar, published 19-03-2011
Ten or so years ago we imagined the future would be all about holograms, virtual reality and voice control, but now, in 2011, we've not quite reached those lofty expectations. While 3D TV is slowly filtering into the mass market and augmented reality has begun to replace the chunky headsets seen on 90s gameshows, voice control really hasn't made the mark we were expecting it to. So what is it about voice recognition that has left more of us typing than talking? Voice recognition in a nutshell In order to fully understand the ins and outs of voice recognition we need to look at its main uses, of which there are three distinct categories. The first is voice control; simple spoken commands that can do anything from check for new mail to switch between applications. Voice control within Mac OS...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 19-03-2011
This week, Tesco announced that Android sales have overtaken iPhone sales on its network, while in other iPhone news, supposed leaked images of iPhone 5 cases popped up.And in the viewing world, Sky launched a new multiroom HD box and Google acquired a technology that should enable it to tidy up low quality video on YouTube. Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesTesco: Android has overtaken iPhoneTesco has revealed that the sale of Android phones on its network have surpassed Apple's iPhone for the first time.Tesco, a virtual mobile operator running on O2's network, says its customers indicate that Google's operating system is poised to grow even larger in 2011.In the pre-Christmas period the iPhone was outselling Android smartphones by a factor o...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 19-03-2011
This week, Tesco announced that Android sales have overtaken iPhone sales on its network, while in other iPhone news, supposed leaked images of iPhone 5 cases popped up.And in the viewing world, Sky launched a new multiroom HD box and Google acquired a technology that should enable it to tidy up low quality video on YouTube. Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesTesco: Android has overtaken iPhoneTesco has revealed that the sale of Android phones on its network have surpassed Apple's iPhone for the first time.Tesco, a virtual mobile operator running on O2's network, says its customers indicate that Google's operating system is poised to grow even larger in 2011.In the pre-Christmas period the iPhone was outselling Android smartphones by a factor o...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 19-03-2011
This week, Tesco announced that Android sales have overtaken iPhone sales on its network, while in other iPhone news, supposed leaked images of iPhone 5 cases popped up.And in the viewing world, Sky launched a new multiroom HD box and Google acquired a technology that should enable it to tidy up low quality video on YouTube. Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesTesco: Android has overtaken iPhoneTesco has revealed that the sale of Android phones on its network have surpassed Apple's iPhone for the first time.Tesco, a virtual mobile operator running on O2's network, says its customers indicate that Google's operating system is poised to grow even larger in 2011.In the pre-Christmas period the iPhone was outselling Android smartphones by a factor o...
iPhone takes top spot in US smartphone satisfaction stats
By SlashGear, published 18-03-2011
J.D. Power has released its latest batch of mobile phone rankings, and Apple grabs first place among smartphones ahead of HTC and Motorola. Interestingly, the researchers found that those who use social networking services – such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn – on their handsets were more satisfied overall; given how much regular checking can suck down juice, it’s useful that, among smartphone owners, battery longevity scores only 8-percent in overall satisfaction. Apple scored 795 out of 1,000, maintaining their pole position from last year’s satisfaction survey, while HTC and Motorola have switched positions, with 763 and 762 respectively. That’s a dip for all three from last year, where Apple scored 800, HTC scored 781 and Motorola scored 791, sugges...
Review: Viewsonic ViewPad 10s
By TechRadar, published 18-03-2011
There is a ludicrously thin 9.7-inch shadow over tablet releases at the moment. The iPad 2 has landed, and we judged it the best tablet yet. However, that doesn't stop the march of Apple's competitors.We first saw the ViewSonic ViewPad 10s at CES, and we were intrigued by the Tap UI it used to disguise Android. However, we also remember the pitiful excuse for modern electronics that is the ViewPad 10 (Note the lack of 's').Fortunately, the ViewPad 10s has much more in common with the Motorola Xoom than it does its own predecessor, packing in Nvidia's Tegra 2 system on a chip for power. It actually beats Moto's great tablet in one area: Flash is included for internet browsing.That means twin 1GHz ARM processor cores and powerful graphics capabilities, backed by 512MB of RAM, which should ke...
Review: Viewsonic ViewPad 10s
By TechRadar, published 18-03-2011
There is a ludicrously thin 9.7-inch shadow over tablet releases at the moment. The iPad 2 has landed, and we judged it the best tablet yet. However, that doesn't stop the march of Apple's competitors.We first saw the ViewSonic ViewPad 10s at CES, and we were intrigued by the Tap UI it used to disguise Android. However, we also remember the pitiful excuse for modern electronics that is the ViewPad 10 (Note the lack of 's').Fortunately, the ViewPad 10s has much more in common with the Motorola Xoom than it does its own predecessor, packing in Nvidia's Tegra 2 system on a chip for power. It actually beats Moto's great tablet in one area: Flash is included for internet browsing.That means twin 1GHz ARM processor cores and powerful graphics capabilities, backed by 512MB of RAM, which should ke...
Sirius XM Releases New iOS App Optimized For iPad
By SlashGear, published 17-03-2011
Sirius XM Radio today released an updated version of their Apple iOS app. Designed for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, the Sirius XM Internet Radio app, delivers over 120 Sirius XM channels of commercial-free music, sports, news, talk, and more. This new version is now optimized for the iPad and supports AirPlay streaming to iOS 4.3 devices. The new interface takes advantage of the larger screen size of the iPad, featuring a visually enhanced channel selection area. You can easily swipe through album art and access artist biographies. With devices running iOS 4.3 you can now easily push audio via AirPlay to an Apple TV or another external audio source. Other improvements include: * Listen to over 120 channels of SiriusXM Internet Radio and multi-task on the go, even while surfing t...
Apple secretly stockpiling new iPad 2 shipments?
By SlashGear, published 17-03-2011
Apple has reportedly tweaked its stock management systems and allowed its staff to tell a “little white lie” to customers regarding iPad 2 shipments, all in an attempt to minimize the “utter havoc” behind the scenes in the company’s stores. According to AppleInsider‘s source, Apple staff telling customers that there is no fresh iPad 2 stock on the premises may not, in fact, be telling the truth, as Apple is supposedly holding new inventory for sale the following day. The misleading comments about when new stock arrived is apparently to ”avert the wrath of customers” desperate for an iPad 2, and who might not take kindly to the suggestion that Apple staff won’t sell them something sitting on pallets in the back room. Previously Apple ...
Samsung video offers glimpse of Galaxy Tab 8.9
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Samsung has released a video showing a tantalising glimpse at its upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.The company has already announced that the tablet will be officially revealed at CTIA on 22 March, but we're yet to see a complete picture of it. The video shows off a little more than the last static teaser – not much more though, with most images still centring on that 3.5mm headphone jack. SizabezelWe can see a sizable bezel on the front panel of the tablet, a faint calendar widget and that's about it, although we'd be surprised if it didn't launch with Android 3.0.Of course, there's also a bunch of very enthusiastic and questionably-dressed people (who we're sure a real and not on Samsung's payroll) enthusing about their 'tab lives'.Careful Samsung, you're beginning to sound a lot like a...
Samsung video offers glimpse of Galaxy Tab 8.9
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Samsung has released a video showing a tantalising glimpse at its upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.The company has already announced that the tablet will be officially revealed at CTIA on 22 March, but we're yet to see a complete picture of it. The video shows off a little more than the last static teaser – not much more though, with most images still centring on that 3.5mm headphone jack. SizabezelWe can see a sizable bezel on the front panel of the tablet, a faint calendar widget and that's about it, although we'd be surprised if it didn't launch with Android 3.0.Of course, there's also a bunch of very enthusiastic and questionably-dressed people (who we're sure a real and not on Samsung's payroll) enthusing about their 'tab lives'.Careful Samsung, you're beginning to sound a lot like a...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".As of mid-February 20...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".As of mid-February 20...
The Cheapskate's Guide to Power Computing: 31 Ways to Save Money Without Sacrificing Performance
By MaximumPC, published 15-03-2011
Our guide shows you how to live a frugal, fast, and free PC existence Cheapskate. Some folks say it with a snarled upper lip and a curt, terse emphasis on the final syllable, like it’s some kind of awful, horrible moral failing. Puh-leeze. More often than not, cheapskates aren’t ripping off anyone. But the cable, satellite, software, and phone companies sure are. In a day and age when everyone is trying to upsell, premium-ize, and shake us down on a weekly basis—often under the guise of saving us money—we actually view cheapskatism as a sign of higher intelligence and reason. If approached the right way, of course. Cooling the Piggy PC's ceramic chassis was a little harder than we had anticipated. Over the next few pages, we’re going to show you how your PC can save you thousan...
Nintendo 3DS loading times significantly slower than DS
By SlashGear, published 15-03-2011
Usually, you would expect the latest and greatest version of a device to deliver faster loading times, but in the case of Nintendo’s 3DS, loading times are actually slower than the regular DS. The 3DS does offer glasses-free 3D video, but loading times for old DS games are not so great. GameSpot was able to get a 3DS when it was released in Japan on February 26th, and compared loading times on several different games with the DS Lite. According to GameSpot: “On average, the Nintendo 3DS took 35 percent longer than the Nintendo DS Lite to get to the in-game menu. Performance didn’t seem to suffer once we started to play the games, though. Frame rates seemed normal across all the games we played.” The Nintendo 3DS has significantly better internals than the original...
Buying Guide: Best TV for gaming: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 15-03-2011
Decide to buy the biggest flatscreen possible on which to play Call of Duty and you might end-up with low-fuzzy foregrounds and blurry battlefields. You'll get no cheat codes from us, but this handy guide to buying the best TV for gamers might help you skip forward a few levels in finding the ideal TV for you. Best TV for gaming: plasma, LCD or LED? Save for a sole OLED TV, the LG 15EL9500, bigger sizes of which are certainly the future for all gamers, there are two types of display - plasma and LCD/LED (the latter is simply a tweak to existing LCD tech by adding either Edge or Direct LED lights - all is explained in our article LED TV: what you need to know). We'll take it as read that LED backlighting as a genre adds better contrast to LCD models, and also tend to include other high-end ...
Sprint To Ship Kyocera Echo For $200 On Contract This Month
By HotHardware, published 15-03-2011
Earlier in the year, Sprint made quite a big deal about the first dual-screen Android smartphone. But the Kyocera Echo was quickly overshadowed by the Atrix 4G, Verizon's iPhone 4 and a slew of other devices from HP, Samsung, and LG. Now, the phone has one last chance to shine before becoming yesterday's news, as it is going on sale this week...
In Depth: Plasma TV: the comeback
By TechRadar, published 14-03-2011
When Pioneer announced two years ago that it was to stop making its Kuro plasma TVs, many thought it would bring the curtain down on plasma technology.Since then we've seen spruced-up LED-backlit LCD TVs not only takeover from basic LCD TVs as the fastest growing sector, but also sneaking-up on plasma tech in terms of picture quality.Against all the odds, the market for flat TVs is booming. Thought to be both at saturation point in Western economies and at the mercy of the global recession, the market for TVs grew by 15 per cent last year to 77.6 million units - with plasma TV panel shipments jumping from 14.8 to 19.1 million in the 12 months ending December 2010.Suddenly, there's a lot of fuss over phosphor, with steadily rising sales of the gas-driven panels hitting a record high in the ...
New Fez Footage Out Of PAX East
By GameInformer, published 13-03-2011
Reassuring followers that the game is indeed slated to release this year, new Fez footage was set free at PAX East this weekend. The much-anticipated game has garnered a significant amount of buzz since its debut, including nabbing an Excellence in Visual Art award at the 2008 Independent Games Festival. In development by indie studio Polytron, talent working on Fez have cut their teeth on titles such as Super HyperCube, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, and Aquaria. Take a look at the trippy new trailer below. (Please visit the site to view this media) Fez will launch on Xbox Live Arcade in an undisclosed window this year. [via GameSetWatch]
Apple Stocks Smarter Investment than Apple Products [SHOCKER]
By SlashGear, published 03-12-2011
A fabulously obsessed young man by the name of Kyle Conroy has a website out there on the internet that provides the world with an incalculably invaluable service: taking every single Apple product (or nearly every one) and pricing them out in terms of stock value. What this means is for each product (for example a G3 PowerBook from 1997) he finds the original price ($5700) and takes that amount of money in stock, having been purchased at that time, converting it to what that stock would be worth today ($330,563.) These numbers are contrasted sharply against a similar situation listed by the New York Times: a Hewlett-Packard laptop from 1997 would have run you $3,500. If you’d purchased that much HP stock instead, you’d now have a grand total of $4,560. Not so impressive! An...
Google Earth shows off royal wedding route in 3D
By TechRadar, published 03-11-2011
Google has unveiled that it is putting its Google Earth 3D imagery to interesting use, showing off what the upcoming royal wedding route looks like in pixel form.In what is a pretty decent advertisement for the work that has gone into replicating London in 3D, the folks at Google Earth has made a video of the route the wedding will take.Royal rumble"With this new 3D data covering the royal procession route, you can indulge yourself in a 'royals'-eye' view to see the same sights that William and Catherine will see," said Phil Verney, program manager, Google Earth and Maps, in a blog."This new 3D imagery isn't limited to the royal parade route. Thousands of buildings are available, so people from around the globe can digitally experience the beauty of London."And it's not just buildings but ...
Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011
By TechRadar, published 03-11-2011
Our best touchscreen phone article is constantly updated.Quite simply, touch screen technology is the innovation we now expect to see in some shape or form from every new smartphone that launches. Swapping a button-bashing existence for a softer sensing interface we can press, swipe, pinch and zoom, means we can now do a little bit more than simply stare into that pint-sized screen of ours.If the only QWERTY keyboard you want to see on a daily basis is the one nestled next to your office computer, here's our pick of the best touchscreen smartphones available right now in the UK.1. HTC Desire HDSporting a massive 4.3-inch Super LCD touch screen display, the HD has plenty of room for slick manoeuvre around HTC's overhauled Sense UI. Incorporating the same 480X800 WVGA resolution as the origi...
Sony PS3 European sales injunction lifted
By TechRadar, published 03-11-2011
Sony PlayStation 3 consoles are shipping to European retailers once again after an injunction, which saw 300,000 consoles held in EU customs, was finally lifted.Late last month LG had won a legal ruling preventing PS3s entering the EU as part of a long-running patent dispute with Sony over the Blu-ray technology in the console.Now Sony has emerged victorious from the latest round of legal sparring, the confiscated PS3s have been released and LG has been forced to pay €130,000 in costs over the whole episode.ShortagesWhile the ruling avoids the possibility of a PS3 drought on the continent, further delays would have definitely seen shortages of the Blu-ray packing console.Retailers are thought to have a 2-3 week supply of consoles in their locker at any one time and that's what saved them...
Sony PS3 European sales injunction lifted
By TechRadar, published 03-11-2011
Sony PlayStation 3 consoles are shipping to European retailers once again after an injunction, which saw 300,000 consoles held in EU customs, was finally lifted.Late last month LG had won a legal ruling preventing PS3s entering the EU as part of a long-running patent dispute with Sony over the Blu-ray technology in the console.Now Sony has emerged victorious from the latest round of legal sparring, the confiscated PS3s have been released and LG has been forced to pay €130,000 in costs over the whole episode.ShortagesWhile the ruling avoids the possibility of a PS3 drought on the continent, further delays would have definitely seen shortages of the Blu-ray packing console.Retailers are thought to have a 2-3 week supply of consoles in their locker at any one time and that's what saved them...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #216
By GameInformer, published 03-11-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Designing "Stuff," Cycling (Yes, I Have Started Even Watching It On Versus. I Have A Sickness), Sleep, Tigerblood, iPad 2, All The Awesome Games We Are Looking At For Future Covers (So Much Awesome For You To Learn About In The Future), Radiohead, John Legend, Trail Of Dead Dislikes: Deadlines That Could Kill A Normal Human, When The Site Doesn¹t Work Like It Is Supposed To (*** You To Hell, Internet), Eating In A "Temporary Kitchen" (Read Laundry Room) As My Ki...
Google to allow users to block sites from search results
By TechRadar, published 03-10-2011
Google has introduced a new tool allowing users to block unwanted web domains from their search results.So, if you can't stand a site that dominates the first Google page for your tech queries, you can tell Google not to feature that site in your search results any longer.Once you've clicked that link on the search page, you'll need to come back to the results page and chose whether you want to block it from future searches."We're adding this feature because we believe giving you control over the results you find will provide an even more personalised and enjoyable experience on Google," said company engineers in a blog post today.Personalised searchesOnce you've blocked a site you'll then be notified by your Google account and asked to confirm it. You'll also be able to manage the website...
Google to allow users to block sites from search results
By TechRadar, published 03-10-2011
Google has introduced a new tool allowing users to block unwanted web domains from their search results.So, if you can't stand a site that dominates the first Google page for your tech queries, you can tell Google not to feature that site in your search results any longer.Once you've clicked that link on the search page, you'll need to come back to the results page and chose whether you want to block it from future searches."We're adding this feature because we believe giving you control over the results you find will provide an even more personalised and enjoyable experience on Google," said company engineers in a blog post today.Personalised searchesOnce you've blocked a site you'll then be notified by your Google account and asked to confirm it. You'll also be able to manage the website...
Seized PS3s released in Europe
By GameSpot, published 03-10-2011
Dutch court rules in Sony's favor in LG patent dispute, allowing over 300,000 confiscated consoles to be distributed in the EU. Last month, Korean electronics company LG won a court order that had authorities seize all PlayStation 3s that were being imported into Europe. The move led to thousands of PS3s being confiscated by custom officials in the Netherlands, where Sony imports approximately 100,000 units of the console every week. The PS3 pipeline is once again flowing in Europe. Today, though, a Dutch court reversed the order, according to newspaper De Telegraaf. The court reportedly ruled that more than 300,000 confiscated PS3s be allowed back into the retail channel, and that LG pay €130,000 ($179,400) in court costs. The ruling is not the fi...
In Depth: Best Linux compression tool: 8 utilities tested
By TechRadar, published 03-05-2011
In the '80s and early '90s, compression was king. As you struggled to connect to a BBS (bulletin board system) with the latest Amiga utilities on, you dreamed of when things would be faster and not having to spend as long decompressing files as they took to download. Fast forward a few decades and the sheer size of the data files we juggle about is pretty boggling. Many have built in compression of some kind. Bandwidth isn't such an issue any more, and in some ways neither is disk space, but it would still be nice if there was a quick and convenient way of reclaiming a few GB here or there, or not having to wait so long when uploading email attachments. Compression technologies have moved on in the interim, but perhaps not as much as you may expect, because we're fighting against an expone...
Playing with faith
By GameSpot, published 03-05-2011
GDC 2011: Jenova Chen, John Romero, and Jason Rohrer share ideas for a game that's also a religion or a religion that's also a game. Who was there: Eric Zimmerman hosted the staple GDC competition, with reigning Game Design Challenge champion Jenova Chen (of Flower developer thatgamecompany) defending the title against John Romero (Doom, Daikatana) and Jason Rohrer (Passage, Inside a Star-Filled Sky). What they talked about: This year's Game Design Challenge was intended to play off the rise in popularity of social games. With social networks increasingly becoming intertwined with gaming, the goal this year was to elevate that tie to "humanity's oldest model for a social network," religion. The challenge Chen, Romero, and Rohrer faced was to design a game that is also in some way ...
Swery's 20/20 hindsight on Deadly Premonition
By GameSpot, published 03-04-2011
GDC 2011: Director of last year's surreal survival horror game condenses his design philosophy into seven key points. Who was there: AccessGames designer Hidetaka "Swery" Suehiro was on hand to discuss his approach to making games and how it resulted in last year's Xbox 360 survival horror game Deadly Premonition. Tad Horie, president of Katalyst Lab and translator for Deadly Premonition, was also present to help with translation and hosting. What they talked about: Swery opened the presentation with a rundown of his seven major points of game design: York's smoking habit may seem like a small detail, but Swery said it made a big difference. Point 1: Make gamers think about your game when they aren't playing it. Point 2: Make gamers actively "want" t...
Women In Gaming 2011 Award Winners Announced
By GameInformer, published 03-04-2011
GDC 2011 marks the third year of the Women in Gaming Awards, a reception hosted by Microsoft and the IGDA Women In Games special interest group that recognizes leading ladies in the gaming industry who have played key roles in development across all genres and platforms. The event held at the Great Room in the W Hotel in San Francisco this afternoon honored women in the following categories: Art, Audio, Business, Design, Engineering, Production, plus a special Rising Star Award. Check out the full list of nominees and winner bios. Art Category Nominees Lydia Choy, Senior Tech Artist at Double Fine Magdalena Dadela, Character Artist at Ubisoft Montreal Melanie Tremblay, Graphics Team Lead at Ubisoft Montreal Christine Phelan, Animator at Valve Software Tasha Harris, Animator at Double Fi...
Minecraft strikes gold at Indie Game Fest
By GameSpot, published 03-03-2011
GDC 2011: Mojang's sandbox game triumphs at Game Developers Conference-associated awards show; Bit.Trip Runner takes home Excellence in Visual Art. As is the case every year, the annual Game Developers Choice Awards were immediately preceded by the Independent Games Festival awards, which honor some of the most innovative smaller-scale titles created during the prior year. New IGF chairman Brandon Boyer took the stage to discuss the grand prize purse for the night--some $50,000. Anthony Carboni, host of Web series Bytejacker, served as the night's emcee and began with a round of jokes that drew mixed reactions. "I hope you enjoy tonight, because soon you'll all be subsidiaries of [FarmVille publisher] Zynga," he joked to widespread chuckles. "I hope you like farms." ...
Iwata Speaks About Industry Concerns
By GameInformer, published 03-03-2011
Aside from revealing a slew of news this morning pertaining to Nintendo’s upcoming 3DS, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata touched on several other topics, including his concerns for the future of the industry. His concerns are threefold. First, Iwata worries that as games become larger in scale and increasingly complicated, the option of perfecting a game is disappearing. In other words, craftsmanship is being lost. He made clear that this wasn’t a criticism of the talented people working on said games, but rather the circumstances under which they are forced to operate. Flexibility isn’t always an option, and small details are often overlooked in huge projects. Secondly, Iwata worries that game design is becoming too compartmentalized. Using his early years at HAL ...
Bill Cosby Introduces Self-Titled App
By SlashGear, published 03-03-2011
“To app, or not to app,” says Bill Cosby as he introduces his very own mobile app to the world via a hilarious YouTube clip. The comedic icon has taken it upon himself to reach out and deliver his humor to people in a new way in keeping with the times. The Bill Cosby app will be available for Apple iOS, Android, as well as the BlackBerry. Answering the question of where his app can be found, the comedian answers with, “You’ll find it on all things Apple, all things Android, and the berry of my people, the BlackBerry.” The app is meant to keep you connected with Mr. Cosby, giving you access to his videos, audio books, photos, concert schedules, and tweets. It also features live streaming events and OBKB Season One. The app is free to download. Relevant Ent...
Spielberg to make Wikileaks: The Movie?
By TechRadar, published 03-02-2011
DreamWorks could be starting work on a fictionalised Wikileaks movie directed by Steven Spielberg having bought the rights to two books about the organisation and its founder, Julian Assange. Steven Spielberg's production company, DreamWorks, has secured the screen rights to both WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy, written by two Guardian journalists, and Inside Wikileaks which was penned by one of Assange's former colleagues. Reports suggest that the film will be an "investigative thriller in the mould of All the President's Men", which would certainly be pacier than the drip drip drip of news regarding Assange and his flight from the law in recent weeks. Just make The Internet: The Movie and have doneDeadline Hollywood has pointed out a parallel between Dreamworks' book ac...
Spielberg to make Wikileaks: The Movie?
By TechRadar, published 03-02-2011
DreamWorks could be starting work on a fictionalised Wikileaks movie directed by Steven Spielberg having bought the rights to two books about the organisation and its founder, Julian Assange. Steven Spielberg's production company, DreamWorks, has secured the screen rights to both WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy, written by two Guardian journalists, and Inside Wikileaks which was penned by one of Assange's former colleagues. Reports suggest that the film will be an "investigative thriller in the mould of All the President's Men", which would certainly be pacier than the drip drip drip of news regarding Assange and his flight from the law in recent weeks. Just make The Internet: The Movie and have doneDeadline Hollywood has pointed out a parallel between Dreamworks' book ac...
International BBC iPlayer to cost around £6 a month
By TechRadar, published 03-02-2011
BBC director general Mark Thompson has revealed that the international version of the iPlayer will cost a snip under $10 (£6.14) when it is released this year.Although Thompson has repeatedly told the media that the iPlayer will soon be available outside of the UK, his latest speech at the FT Digital Media & Broadcasting conference in London is the first that he has talked price.BBC feeTo put the cost of the international iPlayer into context: currently the BBC's online offering costs the UKjust 67p per household (compared to £7.85 a month for TV).This means that those watching the iPlayer in, say, the US for a year will have to pay the equivalent of half what the UK pays in total for the television licence fee.The BBC already has massive international reach as a brand. Shows like Top Ge...
International BBC iPlayer to cost around £6 a month
By TechRadar, published 03-02-2011
BBC director general Mark Thompson has revealed that the international version of the iPlayer will cost a snip under $10 (£6.14) when it is released this year.Although Thompson has repeatedly told the media that the iPlayer will soon be available outside of the UK, his latest speech at the FT Digital Media & Broadcasting conference in London is the first that he has talked price.BBC feeTo put the cost of the international iPlayer into context: currently the BBC's online offering costs the UKjust 67p per household (compared to £7.85 a month for TV).This means that those watching the iPlayer in, say, the US for a year will have to pay the equivalent of half what the UK pays in total for the television licence fee.The BBC already has massive international reach as a brand. Shows like Top Ge...
Want to win the IGF in under 4 months? (Here's how)
By GameSpot, published 03-02-2011
GDC 2011: Indie developer Andy Schatz talks about the design process that led to the creation of his 2010 IGF Grand Prize winner, Monaco. Who was there: Andy Schatz, founder and owner of Pocketwatch Games. Monaco was the big winner at last year's IGF awards. What they talked about: Last year, the big winner at the Independent Games Festival was Monaco, a top-down, four-player cooperative stealth-action shooter. The game won not only the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, but also the Excellence in Design award. Its developer was Pocketwatch Games, an indie studio founded by Schatz in 2005. Since then, the studio has developed several titles, including Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa and Venture Arctic. Schatz himself was the only programmer, designer, an...
The 15 Most Important Women in Tech History
By MaximumPC, published 03-02-2011
Do a quick Google News search for "women in technology" and your results are sure to be bemoaning the lack of female bodies in the industry (or maybe just results for that White Town album). Last year both the NYT and the WSJ had articles related to the topic – and published within a few weeks of each other – with the WSJ’s title being “Addressing the Lack of Women Leading Tech Start-Ups” and the intro to the NYT piece setting the tone with: “It’s become a familiar lament: Where are the women in technology?” Likewise, the Wikipedia entry for "Women in Computing" focuses almost entirely on the decline of women in tech-related fields, the modern day fights against sexism in the industry, and has sections like "Attracting women in computer science" and "Gender theory an...
App Store no more generic than Windows, Apple tells Microsoft
By TechRadar, published 03-01-2011
Apple has hit back at Microsoft's bid to stop the company trademarking the term App Store, claiming that the term is no more generic than Windows.Obviously peeved at having to name its own portal the Windows Phone App Marketplace, Microsoft filed a petition in January opining that App Store is a generic term and should not be trademarked.Dismissing the claims, Apple says that if App Store, its name for the groundbreaking and phenomenally successful portal, is generic then so is the cherished Microsoft term Windows.Apple's argument is that if App Store is exactly the same as something like 'super market' then surely Windows are just part of a house? An architectural term that can be used at will...Genericness challengeIn a new filing to the Patent and Trademark Office, Apple wrote: "Having ...
MB&F HM3 ReBel timepiece channels bikers, James Dean, the filthy rich
By SlashGear, published 03-01-2011
We’re used to bizarre timepieces from MB&F, and while the company’s new HM3 ReBel – R for right (hand), B for Black (case) – timepiece may not rock the fey owl look, it’s still pretty darn unusual. The “rebels” in this case are those who want to wear their watch on the right wrist, rather than the left; they also have to be well-heeled, since only 18 of the HM3 ReBel pieces will be made. While you wouldn’t think it to look at it, under the black PVD is a white gold case, while the charcoal-coloured movement plates and bridges and the white gold clover-head screws are meant to be reminiscent of a studded biker jacket. Inside are 36 functional jewels and 304 components in an inverted mechanism, paired with two large-diameter, high-tech ce...
EA inks Mad Catz deal for Sims accessories
By GameSpot, published 03-01-2011
Publisher enters into non-exclusive deal with peripheral producer for PC and console items based on Maxis' popular franchise; The Sims Medieval due out March 22. In January, Epic Games and Mad Catz inked a deal that will bring Gears of War 3-themed accessories to retail when the game is released this fall. Now, the accessory maker has partnered with Electronic Arts for a similar deal. EA and Mad Catz: A match made in heaven? According to EA's announcement, the deal grants Mad Catz nonexclusive rights to produce and market a "wide range" of PC and console accessories based on the popular The Sims franchise. The announcement did not divulge what kind of accessories Mad Catz will produce for The Sims but did note that it plans to craft items for the Xbox...
Google gifts free Chrome notebooks to games developers
By TechRadar, published 03-01-2011
Google is courting the world's leading games designers this week, gifting free laptops to devs at the Games Developers' Conference in San Francisco.Google reps handed blue cards to developers at two sessions at this year's GDC event, which were then able to be exchanged for a Chrome OS laptop after the events.The annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) opened in San Francisco on Monday this week.Free laptops for developersThe game designers were given Cr-48, the bespoke laptop hardware that runs on Google's Chrome OS. Devs were also given Google stickers to decorate their new laptops (and to show off to colleagues the fact that they had bagged the best freebie at this year's GDC no doubt!).Google is clearly hoping that some of the world's best games creators will look to produce web applic...
Motorola: Webtop mode coming to all headline phones
By TechRadar, published 03-01-2011
Motorola's CEO has promised to bring the Webtop OS, the internal platform activated when the phone is plugged into a large-screen accessory, will be coming to all top-end devices in its range.The Motorola Atrix has both the laptop and media dock for connection to HDTVs on offer with the handset, and when connected a new OS (called Webtop) pops up on the screen.This platform offers a desktop-like experience with the phone's home screen in a separate window; essentially, it offers the best of both worlds.Copying the Atrix's tricksAnd while it's currently only available on the Motorola Atrix, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha has confirmed that it will be coming to all of Motorola's high-performance phones in the second half of 2011, according to Engadget.This means Motorola will have a tidy line in ac...
Panasonic Jungle - MMO handheld canned
By TechRadar, published 03-01-2011
Panasonic has decided to drop development of its handheld MMO console, the Jungle.Announced back in October, the Jungle was meant to be Panasonic trying once more to push into the lucrative gaming sector.However, the electronics giant has said that it is no longer part of its plans for 2011, explaining in a statement picked up by Reuters: "Panasonic decided to suspend further development due to changes in the market and in our own strategic direction."Maybe it took one look at the mindblowing technology inside the Sony NGP and the 3D-capable Nintendo 3DS and decided it couldn't quite compete.Jungle bungleMost who are savvy with goings on in the games world could have predicted that Panasonic wasn't on to a winner with the Jungle.Releasing a handheld in an already crowded marketplace which ...
Smart TV Primer: What's the Status of IETV?
By MaximumPC, published 03-01-2011
Is convergence ready for prime time? More than a decade after Windows 98 introduced us to WebTV, there are loud rumblings in the tech world about the resurgent interest in convergence. Remember convergence? It is the almost mythical integration of everything that’s good out there; television and the Internet, entertainment and interaction, video and live action, peanut butter and chocolate…okay, maybe not that last one. In short, convergence is everything that your Home Theater PC (HTPC) offers now. If you’re not willing (or able) to build or buy your own HTPC, and you must have Hulu on your HDTV, then consider IETV aka Smart TV. With the current crop of boob tubes hoping to wow and impress you in a way that 3D TV hasn’t yet, manufacturers are increasingly offering in-set options. ...
Sony PS3 European shipments seized in LG legal battle
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
Shipments of Sony PlayStation 3 consoles bound for Europe have been seized following a legal injunction won by LG, in the latest round of an acrimonious patent war.Tens of thousands of consoles were held in Holland last week, with customs officials under instruction to confiscate further arrivals sent to the continent.LG and Sony have been battling over the former's insistence that the the PS3 infringes on Blu-ray technology patented by LG. The Guardian reports that the situation is further complicated by a number of other patent disputes that the two companies are currently contesting with each other.FranticSony is frantically trying to get the ban lifted so that the 100,000 consoles a week sent to Europe can be distributed to retail outlets.A spokesman for Sony PlayStation told the newsp...
LG wins PS3 import ban in Europe
By GameSpot, published 28-02-2011
Continent's customs officials ordered to seize shipments of Sony's console as part of ongoing patent litigation with Korean electronics company. LG took the nuclear option earlier this month in its ongoing patent litigation with Sony, petitioning the US International Trade Commission to block PlayStation 3 and Bravia TV imports to the United States. While the result of that petition remains to be determined, LG has claimed victory in a similar complaint put before the US ITC's European counterpart. The PS3 may soon be hard to come by in Europe. The Guardian reports today that LG has won a preliminary injunction in its ongoing patent dispute with Sony, and customs officials have been ordered to seize all PS3 imports into the UK and continental Europe. The ...
Review: HTC 7 Pro
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
Windows Phone 7 has been with us since last October, where the first flurry of handsets came quickly with a trio from HTC, the HD7, HTC 7 Mozart and HTC 7 Trophy being joined by the Samsung Omnia 7 and LG Optimus 7.Since then, things have been a little quiet on the hardware front, with the Dell Venue Pro only just surfacing. However, we anticipate the arrival of an update to the Windows Phone software very soon, and of course Nokia's recent announcement that it is joining forces with Microsoft on the smartphone front has turned heads. Now we've a new piece of hardware to gawk at too, the HTC 7 Pro. This is the first Windows Phone 7 smartphone to have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and, as such, it is an obvious candidate for the businessperson. But if it's well designed and sleek enough, it m...
SlashGear Android App Released!
By SlashGear, published 28-02-2011
You’ve been asking for it, and we’re excited to announce that the SlashGear Android app is now available for download from the Android Market. A free download, the app offers all the latest news from the site, features, review and editorials, together with on-time analysis and streaming video. You can also save articles for later reading, or email them out. It’s a great way to catch up with our extensive reviews while on the move, or to watch our new SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video with Rue Liu. We’ve got plenty more planned for future updates of the app, including full commenting support, so please do let us know what you think! The Android app joins our existing SlashGear for iPhone and SlashGear for iPad apps, which also offer news, reviews, editorials and video...
Edge-to-edge display could be coming to iPhone 5
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
We love a good iPhone 5 rumour as much as the next tech site, but this latest is one we're not at all convinced about. A spurious photo of an iPhone 5 'digitizer' (front casing) has been unearthed by a Chinese reseller, suggesting that the next Apple handset will feature an edge-to-edge display. This would increase the screen size by eating into the bezel, without increasing the physical size of the handset. Rumour mongers Apple could very well be working on such a thing, but there's something a bit off about this image. Not only do some of the lines look wonky – how un-Apple – this image would be so easy to whip up in Photoshop and print out on acetate. One digital photo later and you've got yourself a ready-made Apple iPhone 5 rumour – and all the lovely traffic that such a thing c...
'Exciting PSP plans' set for Europe
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
Sony has hinted tantalisingly at special plans for the PSP in Europe this year, following a US price drop of the current PSP handheld in the States. Those lucky Yanks were also treated to some new software deals for the PSP, but Sony says it has nothing to say about UK pricing at present.It tempered this unfortunate yet predictable comment with a hint that there will be treats to come for European PSP fans. Setting up for a fallThe statement, sent to CVG, says, "We have nothing to say at this time regarding the price of PSP within the SCEE region. "PSP has been performing particularly well in Europe so far this year and we look forward to sharing some exciting plans that we have for PSP throughout the year."Well, there's Sony well and truly raising our hopes for the year; what will we get?...
Hardware Roundup
By HotHardware, published 27-02-2011
Video: Intel HD Graphics 3000 and Intel HD Graphics 2000 Review @ XbitLabs AMD Radeon HD 6950 1GB Performance Review @ [H} Motherboards and Chipsets: ECS A890GXM-A2 Motherboard Review @ OCC MSI XPower: an LGA1366 Mainboard from “Big Bang” Series for Gamers and Computer Enthusiasts @ XbitLabs Memory and Storage: Vertex 3 240GB @...
Leland Yee, Activision VP to debate game sales restrictions
By GameSpot, published 26-02-2011
State senator, publishing executive will discuss California law during Commonwealth Club forum on March 17. On November 2, lawyers on each side of a controversial California game law squared off in front of the US Supreme Court. The legislation in contention would make it a crime to sell games with content the state dubbed "ultraviolent" to minors and require such a game to have special packaging and warnings. Unlike the current voluntary age-restriction system implemented by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), the law--which received then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature in 2005 before being blocked by a judge--would fine retailers $1,000 per infraction. California State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). Next month, the measure-...
The Hidden Costs Of Gaming
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2011
Any gamer knows the cost of gaming goes far beyond the sticker price of the console. Before you know it you’re dropping bills on extra controllers, batteries, online subscription fees – the list goes on. With 3D gaming, motion controls, and downloadable content increasing in prevalence, the cost of gaming continues to rise steadily. How much will an ambitious gamer spend beyond the initial console purchase? We break down the costs for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. PlayStation 3Want to play games like Killzone 3 in 3D and blast through Helghast with Move? Play Uncharted 2 multiplayer online? Download movies and games to your hard drive? Watch Blu-rays in full HD? Here’s what it’ll cost: Console: PlayStation 3 (160 GB, includes DualShock 3, AV cable, U...
24 Caret Co-Founder Proposes Through His Own Creation
By GameInformer, published 23-02-2011
Creative gamers (and developers) utilizing video games as a means to propose marriage isn’t unheard of. That being said, Matt Gilgenbach went above and beyond modding a level to a preexisting game, instead crafting an entirely new co-op experience in order to properly propose to his girlfriend under the guise of playtesting. Called A Mobius Proposal, the co-op puzzle platformer was designed over three months in complete secrecy. The end goal was to fake a low battery message, which would reveal a hidden ring tucked away in the controller’s battery pack. Gilgenbach is the Co-founder of 24 Caret Games, an independent developer known for the 2009 IGF nominated game Retro/Grade. Check out his labor of love below. (Please visit the site to view this media) [via Joystiq]
Final Fantasy III Coming To iOS
By GameInformer, published 21-02-2011
According to a new official page, Final Fantasy III is following the example of Final Fantasy I & II by releasing on iOS...and you could be playing it soon. The third installment is basically the runt of the Final Fantasy litter. This isn't the Final Fantasy III you may have played on Super Nintendo (that one is actually Final Fantasy VI). This version never released in North America in its original form; most of us only got our hands on this game for the first time in 2006 with a DS remake.That raises an interesting question with the iOS version: Will it be more like the DS remake, or more like the enhanced sprite versions of FF I & II on iOS (pictured below)? I'm hoping for the latter, since I'd love to experience this game closer to the old-school vibe o...
Updated: HTC Flyer: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 21-02-2011
At Mobile World Congress HTC announced the HTC Flyer tablet. But the specs didn't blow us away - it's a 7-inch single-core device running an older version of Android instead of one of the dual-core larger options running Android 3.0.So what do we know about the new device? The HTC Flyer doesn't have Android 3.0HTC plumped for the earlier Gingerbread version of Android (2.3/2.4) rather than the Android 3.0 version a lot of the other tablets are using. It seems Honeycomb will arrive on the tablet imminently though. The HTC Flyer processor is 1.5GHzThe HTC Flyer packs a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor - surprising amidst the slew of dual core tablets being released at the moment. However, it is clocked high at 1.5GHz. There's also 1GB of RAM.The HTC Flyer has a 7-inch screenLike the Blac...
Updated: HTC Flyer: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 21-02-2011
At Mobile World Congress HTC announced the HTC Flyer tablet. But the specs didn't blow us away - it's a 7-inch single-core device running an older version of Android instead of one of the dual-core larger options running Android 3.0.So what do we know about the new device? The HTC Flyer doesn't have Android 3.0HTC plumped for the earlier Gingerbread version of Android (2.3/2.4) rather than the Android 3.0 version a lot of the other tablets are using. It seems Honeycomb will arrive on the tablet imminently though. The HTC Flyer processor is 1.5GHzThe HTC Flyer packs a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor - surprising amidst the slew of dual core tablets being released at the moment. However, it is clocked high at 1.5GHz. There's also 1GB of RAM.The HTC Flyer has a 7-inch screenLike the Blac...
Samsung outs five NX Series lenses: super-zoom, pancake & more
By SlashGear, published 21-02-2011
Samsung has announced a five-strong line up of new NX Series interchangeable lenses, doubling the options on offer for cameras like the NX Hybrid. Among the new array is a 18-200mm multi-purpose Long Zoom Lens and a 16mm F2.4 Ultra Wide Pancake, as well as a macro lens, portrait lens and a standard zoom. The 60mm Macro Lens packs optical image stablization – as on the 18-200mm and 16-80mm – together with a Super Sonic Actuator (SSA) for faster, quieter auto-focus. As for the 85mm F1.4 CSC portrait lens, that has full time manual focus. Finally, the 16-80mm Advanced Standard Zoom throws in OIS and Voice Coil Motor (VCM) autofocus. The five lenses will be released between May and December – see the table below for more details – with pricing tba. Press Release: Sam...
Nokia to rush out cheap Windows Phone handsets?
By TechRadar, published 21-02-2011
Nokia has said it will be manufacturing low-cost Windows Phone 7 handsets to allow the OS to reach a very low price point, very quickly. Speaking to a group of Finnish business journalists, Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop said that the ability to quickly bring a cheap handset to market was a key topic in its discussions with Microsoft. Windows Phone £7After convincing the software giant that it could reach "a very low price point", Elop reiterated the need for speed: "We have become convinced that we can [reach the low price point] very quickly."During its press conference at Mobile World Congress, Nokia said it hoped to have its first Windows Phone device on sale by the end of 2011 – but this latest revelation suggests an earlier release could be on the cards. Given Microsoft's stringent mini...
Huawei to bring mobile signal to the tube
By TechRadar, published 21-02-2011
The London Underground is set to get mobile phone signal from Huawei as the Chinese firm bids to install transmitters on the tube. It's all thanks to the Olympics, which sees London getting quite the lick of paint ready for the influx of international visitors for the games in 2012. The Sunday Times reported that the Chinese firm is offering to put in the phone network for free – free! – as a sign of solidarity from one Olympic nation to another. That's quite a gift, given that the network is estimated to cost £50m. HELLO? I'm on the undergroundThe paper also said that Vodafone and O2 have agreed to pay for installation work, with Huawei making its money from maintenance fees. Transport for London is sticking to its original statement, saying that talks are ongoing and that the implem...
Shippin' Out February 20-26: Killzone 3, Bulletstorm
By GameSpot, published 20-02-2011
New release slate led by Guerrilla Games' third Helghan title, People Can Fly's shooter; Knights Contract, de Blob 2 also out. Last week Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds led all new releases, but this week's focus replaces fighting with first-person shooting. Leading the pack this week is Killzone 3. Due out on Tuesday exclusively for the PlayStation 3, the title is the second Killzone title to debut on Sony's high definition console, following 2009's adored Killzone 2. Killzone 3 will be available in two versions, a standard $60 release and a $130 limited-edition package with a replica mask and helmet of the series' signature Helghast armies. While the headgear is the centerpiece of the extra goodies, the collector's edition will also include a 6.5-inch articulated cloak...
Review: Spendor SP2/3R2
By TechRadar, published 20-02-2011
Spendor arrived on the scene at the beginning of the 1970s, bringing a strong BBC heritage along with a number of interesting innovations that its competitors arguably didn't fully appreciate. One of the most significant among these was a radical approach to enclosure design. The theory goes as follows: building an exceptionally stiff structure might serve to reduce the amplitude (ie relative loudness) of cabinet vibrations, but it also increases the frequency at which they occur, so that the enclosure coloration tends to occur in the midband where human hearing is most sensitive. The alternative Spendor approach, originally inspired by the BBC's desire for accurate speech monitoring, is the 'thin wall' cabinet approach, backed by heavy damping pads, which pushes the cabinet wall vibration...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 19-02-2011
It's been mobile phone mayhem this week with a host of new smartphones being shown off at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.And even though Apple wasn't there to show off a new iPhone, that hasn't stopped more iPhone 5 rumours cropping up.Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesRumour: iPhone nano being developed by AppleApple could be developing a budget iPhone in order to ward off competition from Google Android handsets.A prototype version of a smaller, cheaper Apple handset than the iPhone 4 is said to exist, although this is no guarantee such an iPhone will ever make it to market.The mysterious little iPhone is apparently a third smaller than the iPhone 4, with no home button on the front of the handset, which certainly sits well wi...
Google Docs Update Supports New Formats Including Photoshop and AutoCAD Files
By SlashGear, published 19-02-2011
Google Docs continues to evolve into the ultimate online file managing service that lets you securely view all types of documents without having to download or open them locally. And today, Google announced an update to its Google Docs to support 12 new file formats. The 12 new file types are: • Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX) • Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 / 2010 (.PPTX) • Apple Pages (.PAGES) • Adobe Illustrator (.AI) • Adobe Photoshop (.PSD) • Autodesk AutoCad (.DXF) • Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG) • PostScript (.EPS, .PS) • TrueType (.TTF) • XML Paper Specification (.XPS) It used to be that if you sent a Photoshop or an AutoCAD file, that the person receiving it would need to have those respective software applications in order to open and view the file....
Update: Twitter suspends UberTwitter and twidroyd
By TechRadar, published 18-02-2011
Twitter has cut-off popular third-party portals UberTwitter and twidroyd, citing a host of policy violations and trademark infringements.The apps in question are, according to a statement on Friday, guilty of changing users tweets in order to make money and allowing direct messages of over 140 characters..Twitter decided to get public with the suspension after many users complained about being unable to log-in to their favourite clients.The statement reads: "Today we suspended several applications, including UberTwitter, twidroyd and UberCurrent, which have violated Twitter policies and trademarks in a variety of ways. "These violations include, but aren't limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content o...
