Microsoft Research Gesture Dome

The boffins at Microsoft Research have given us a glimpse into their crazy minds, and into what can be done by thinking outside the box, or inside it…

This cardboard dome houses an omnidirectional projector, and it displays a spectacular view of the cosmos. But that’s not the best part. The images can be manipulated by hand gestures in the air – just like Minority Report, and you don’t even need gloves!

You may recognise the origins of this technology as Microsoft Surface – the multi-touch coffee table that’s been full of promise but hasn’t made much of an impact in the real world.  I’m not sure whether this new dome has a practical application in a commercial or home setting, but I can see a ton of uses in the defence and space industries.

I don’t suppose it’ll be too long until this thing flips inside-out and we get a gesture controlled globe for Google Earth Bing Maps.

What uses can you think of for this thing? More pictures and videos below… Read more

Editorial: Apple’s Market Capitalisation

Market Capitalisation is a measure of the total worth of a company – simply the cost of a share, multiplied by the number of shares. Apple today finally overtook Microsoft as the world’s largest technology company, and the second-largest company in the US.

This is no mean feat, and it is to Apple’s credit that is has dominated the smartphone market and maintained its ‘cool’ image with a wide range of customers.

For some reason, there are still many Apple fans who see Microsoft as a big evil corporation, taking away their freedoms and stealing money. Apple is actually the bigger corporation, taking away a lot more freedom, and charging hugely extortionate prices… Read more

Is it a Pen? Is it a webcam? No… it’s a PC

These (hypothetical) pen-like devices actually fold out to reveal a display projector, keyboard projector and surface keyboard sensor that form an entire PC that literally can fit in your pocket.

The design by a Japanese company could soon be the future of personal computing. What do you think?

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All Sonic… No Boom

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has been developing the QSST – or Quiet Super-Sonic Transport – for six years. This luxury private jet could be the first civilian supersonic plane approved for over-land use, thanks to aerodynamics designed to muffle its sonic boom.

Developed under a $25-million contract from Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI), the 12-passenger (+3 crew) QSST would fly at between 47,000 and 57,000 feet with a range of 4,600 miles (approx Chicago to Rome). Designed to fly between Mach 1.6 and 1.8 (which are 1,056 and 1,188 mph), the two-engine gull-wing aircraft would leave a sonic wake that amounts to only one-hundredth of that of the Mach 2-capable Concorde… Read more

Review: Korg Kaoss Pad KP-3


Korg’s Kaoss Pad is a professional audio sampler, effects processor and MIDI controller. They are characterised by their lit touchpad,

The Kaoss Pad is used by a wide range of artists and DJs, including The Prodigy, Enter Shikari, Muse, Radiohead, Slipknot, The Mars Volta and Beardyman… Read more

Windows Browser Ballot


As a result of a series of lawsuits claiming that Microsoft is unfairly forcing its browser on users, by making Internet Explorer installed by default on all Windows systems, they are unveiling the Browser Ballot in March.

This is a small webpage that will pop up for all Windows 7 users in March, allowing them to choose a default web browser from a list of 11. The first six browsers are arranged randomly (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari) then the next seven are also random (Flock, FlashPeak, K-Meleon, Avant, Maxthon, Sleipnir & GreenBrowser).

Not only does this update let all users freely select a browser, but it also un-pins IE from the SuperBar (the Windows 7 replacement for Quick Launch).

You can view the browser ballot directly at: www.browserchoice.eu

Do you think this browser ballot is enough to give users adequate choice? Do you think it is fair for Microsoft to have to do this? Will the ballot suppress the critics? Leave a comment to tell us your views.

Review: HTC HD2

The HTC HD2 is the flagship Windows Phone, with some impressive specs. Launched in Europe in November 2009, it won’t reach the North America market until well into 2010. There’s a lot to boast about, and a few pitfalls to consider. But will the HD2 win you over? Read more

NEC CRV43 – 43-inches of sublime curvature

I’m not a great believer in big TVs or monitors, as they tend to be impractical, distracting or just pointless. However the 43 inches of curvature in the NEC CRV43 are simply sublime, and an impressive solution to a number of display problems.

It’s not all good news though. At $8000 it’s not exactly in league with a pair of normal 22-inchers, and the display is very thick (see photos after the jump), and an extremely unusual 32:10 aspect ratio. However for that size and money you get 200 nits of brightness (candelas per meter squared), 10,000:1 contrast, 0.02ms “Rapid Response,” covers 99.3% of the Adobe RGB color gamut, and packs at least one USB2.0 jack and DVI-D and HDMI 1.3 connectors.

The NEC CRV34 will be on sale in July for $7,999. Check out the tech specs and a link below…

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Everyone do the Google Wave

WaveLast week, Google unveiled its under-development Wave platform to an eager I/O audience. Google Wave is a Unified Communications Interface, designed to replace email as a collaborative tool. Think of combining google docs, email and instant messaging in one system, and you’re getting close.

Replacing email is a big claim. They point out that email was first used in 1965, predating the Internet itself, and has barely changed since the standards were codified around 1970. It is a one-to-many system that makes collaboration awkward, and branches of conversations can get lost and people can miss out parts. Some email applications (including gmail) artificially group emails into conversations, but this still relies on every individual messages being sent to everyone involved.

Wave changes that by focusing entirely on conversations, and working backwards from there. Through an email-style interface, you can view the conversations you are a part of, with each one showing as an single document, called a wave. Within a wave you can format text and embed images, videos and maps – much like the best online WYSIWYG editors. Read more

Windows 7 RC1

The Release Candidate (RC1) of Windows 7 has been around for a few weeks now, and we’ve been checking it out.

The RC1 (build 7100) has a few changes since the public beta (build 7000) from January, and is mostly tweaked and improved. Compared to other RC1 releases (especially Vista), this is an incredibly stable piece of software. It’s not quite perfect yet, so I wouldn’t recommend it to your Grandma for her first PC – but it should be absolutely fine for most users who want to try this exciting new OS out.

It’s still a lot more stable than Vista, a lot more intuitive, and seems to be a lot faster. XP still has a lot of advantages compared to both Windows 7 and Vista, but in terms of features and security, Win7 really looks like a worthwhile upgrade. Finally, people (like me) who refused to go to Vista can upgrade in confidence.

Let’s just hope that Microsoft have learned the lesson from the Vista launch, and let everyone use it from the start. A staggered initial business-only launch hurt consumer adoption, as people couldn’t even buy it if they wanted to! Also, they aren’t hyping up Win7 as the amazing next-big thing, which they did with Vista, then when it turned out to be “passable” or “adquate”, people were hurt and rejected the upgrade. Now they’re being reserved and honest, letting people figure it out for themselves.

RC1 will expire on June 1st 2010, whilst old Beta 1 installations will expire August 1st this year. Final release is expected any time in the 2nd half of this year – Microsoft say in time for Christmas shopping, and Paul Thurrot cites a precise date of October 1st.

In related news, the new branding for Windows 7 (right) was leaked out by Microsoft China during their RC1 launch event. Let us know what you think!

Check out Windows 7 RC1 for yourself here.

Windows 7 Beta

At CES last night, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the public beta for Windows 7.

MSDN, TechBeta and Technet subscribers can download the software now, whilst the rest of the public can get their hands on it on Friday 9th Jan (tomorrow) from microsoft.com/windows7

I’ve been using a pre-beta build of Windows 7 (build 6801)as my main PC for a month or so now. With the exception of a couple of drivers missing (which also don’t exist for 64-bit Vista), and the system bluescreening when I overclocked too much, there have been no problems. At all.

It has been a lot more stable than I’ve ever seen Vista, and appears to be just as fast as a ‘used’ installation of XP. Now imagine what the final build will be like!

It has loads of nice features, and seems to be much more logical than Vista. All the changes are necessary and concise, rather than anything feeling like they changed it because they “could”. The new taskbar (which you can enable in 6801) took a small amount of getting used to, and can be slightly confusing if you don’t see the orange glow, or you can’t tell if a programs running, or you accidentally bring up the menu instead of the list of windows. But overall it’s a good feature.

I suggest that anyone who ever tries out new operating systems gets the Windows 7 beta. Your faith in humanity (and Microsoft) might just be restored…

Check out our (small) Windows 7 Image Gallery, or google for images.

EDIT: You can now download the beta version of Windows 7 here – choice of 32 or 64 bit. The server seems to be busy (and refusing requests), and there are only 2.5 million downloads available, so you might not be lucky!

EDIT: It’s gone! “Due to very heavy traffic we’re seeing as a result of interest in the Windows 7 Beta, we are adding some additional infrastructure support to the Microsoft.com properties before we post the public beta. We want to ensure customers have the best possible experience when downloading the beta, and we will be updating this page once the beta goes live. Stay tuned! We are excited that you are excited!”

EDIT: “Thanks for your interest in the Windows 7 Beta. The volume has been phenomenal — we’re in the process of adding more servers to handle the demand. We’re sorry for the delay and we’ll re-post the Beta as soon as we can ensure a quality download experience.”

EDIT: The links are still down (Saturday 4pm GMT) but the downloads are actually still available on the Microsoft servers. Click to download 32 Bit or 64 Bit Windows 7.

Review: TVonics DTR-Z500

The TVonics DTR-Z500 is a digital-terrestrial Personal Video Recorder (PVR) – basically a Sky+ or V+ box for recording free-to-air digital TV; also imaginateively known as Freeview+

It has several advantages over Sky+ and V+, since they both require a subscription to their services. According to TVonics, Sky+ installation costs up to £150, and there’s a minimum subscription of £16 per month. However, the Z500 works off terrestrial digital TV (not cable or satellite), which is free to receive and watch. The Z500 costs just under £200, so is instantly cheaper on paper, if you use it for more than a couple of months.

As for features, there’s another big difference – the Z500 has a 500GB hard drive for recording TV to, which works out to 250 hours of digital TV. This is massive in comparison to Sky+, which can only offer 40 hours. Other features are equally impressive – the Z500 can record two channels whilst watching a recording (or record one, and watch/record a second), pause and rewind live TV, and schedule recordings using the in-built Electronic Programming Guide (EPG)… Read more

Review: Oral-B Triumph

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The Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide, also known as the ProfessionalCare 9000, is cited as Oral-B’s most technologically advanced toothbrush. But it’s less of a brush, and more of a total dental healthcare system.

Just looking at what’s included is enough to make any dentist squirm for his job. As well as the brush unit, charger, brush container and travel case, there’s the SmartGuide wireless display. This wirelessly connects to your brush and relays a lot of useful information. It’s battery powered and sufficiently waterproof to live on the side of your sink.

The SmartGuide shows you how long to brush each quadrant of your mouth for to reach the recommended 2 minute total brushing time, and your brushing time is coutned on the screen. It also warns you if you’re brushing too hard (with a bright red triangle), tells you when to replace the head, and even has an icon to show which brushing mode you’re using. And when you’re not brushing, it’s a useful digital bathroom clock, which actually comes in handy when rushing to work and need to shorten your beauty regime… Read more

Review: BT Stratus 1500

BT Stratus 1500The BT Stratus 1500 is a very stylish cordless landline phone set, coming into the middle of the cordless market, between £40 and £90 for the various sets. The unit we tested was the standard single unit, with one handset and a base.

The 1500 has all the features we expect from these phones, such as a 100-number phonebook, polyphonic ringtones. It also features text messaging, and fairly good battery life. However it does lack a colour screen which other comparable devices do feature.

The handset features a white on black screen, and sunken buttons for a smooth streamlined finish. The Stratus’ functions include text-messaging, polyphonic ringtones and a 100 name and number phonebook.

The Stratus 1500 has a range of up to 300 metres outdoors and 50 metres indoors; and boasts battery life of up to 10 hours talktime and 100 hours standby time.

The handset feels firm and comfortable; and although light, feels robust and worth holding. However other people who have tried our unit have complained that they have to grip the phone, due to it being quite thin, and that it is awkward to hold between ear and shoulder. The buttons are the silly type of U-cut in the faceplate, which means that only around half the button actually pushed in. They don’t have to be pushed in far, and the click and beep is useful to reassure that it has been pressed… Read more

Interactive Video Manipulation

Dan Goldman from Adobe’s Creative Technologies Research Lab has been working on some pretty amazing software that allows you interactively manipulate videos.

We’ve all seen basic face-tracking software in webcams, including ones that can paste objects on top of someones face. This takes that a lot of steps further, allowing you to assign text/graffiti to any object in a video and it applying throughout the video; being able to draw arrows that track people through a video; and drawing speech/thought balloons that stick to their source and don’t overlap with anything.

However, the best of these features is the dynamic selection of frames. You can video someone, then drag their face around to select a decent frame, or just to drag them around like a ragdoll. A more practical application is where you can get a perfect still image, by selecting the best frame for each individual person.

Check out the video to learn more:


Interactive Video Object Manipulation from Dan Goldman on Vimeo.

Microsoft Office 14

At PDC, Microsoft have also demoed Office 14, the successor to Office 2007, slated for release either in early 2009 or closer to the release of Windows 7.

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The key new features are due to its integration with the Windows Live Mesh, which shows Microsoft is really thinking about cross-device collaboration.

  • Several users can open the same document at the same time, without being locked out, and collaborate. You get a little notification saying someone else has changed this part of the document, and you can accept their change or communicate with them (email, IM, call).
  • There will be web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote,  similar to Google Docs
  • There will also be Mobile versions, which can also get in on the collaboration act
  • The gist of this is that several home/office PCs, web browsers and phones can all collaborate on the same document at the same time, receiving and providing real-time updates to/from each other. This is a big mashup of simultaenous editing, online storage, instant messaging and whiteboarding.
  • The Ribbon interface, which has proved popular in Word/Powerpoint/Excel etc is being ported to Visio and Project

This new version of office won’t be tied to Windows, nor Internet Explorer, nor Silverlight. It will work on Macs, Linux and the iPhone, in Firefox and Safari and across many other demographics.

Microsoft has said a technical preview of the Web-based Office apps will come later this year. Microsoft hasn’t explicitly said there will be a free version, though executives have said the apps will be part of Office Live, which has both free and subscription-based options.

We’ll provide more information as it comes!

Windows 7 Details

Microsoft have revealed masses of detail able Windows 7 at its Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in LA. This is a roundup of all the information we know so far, and projected release dates.

Key highlights are multi-touch, the new taskbar and fixed User Account Control… Read more

Windows Azure

Microsoft today unveiled Windows Azure – a new could-based Operating System and part of the new Azure cloud computing platform.

A previous quote from Microsoft Chairman Steve Ballmer made Azure sound unattractive, even before it had been officially announced:

“Just like Windows Server looked a lot like Windows but with new properties, new characteristics and new features, so will Windows Cloud look a lot like Windows Server.”

The Operating System is apparently just one component of the platform, which will eventually be fully rolled out alongside Windows 7. This will include geo replication, a network management model,an SOA model, and will also encompass Microsoft’s existing Live services, SQL services, and .NET services.

Read more

Incredible Photography

The art of photography has always been special, but there are still some images which are immortalised in film when captured exactly from the perfect angle.

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Drop.io: A Podcast with Chad Stoller

File Sharing is very binary – either you share a file online or you don’t.

Well not anymore! – enter Drop.io.

Drop.io allows consumers to create their own private online spaces where they can easily and privately share photos, videos, documents, and other types of media with others. By default, drops are “private” – consumers control how and with whom drops are shared. Drop.io never requires any type of account registration, and all drops can be password-protected and set to expire after a period of time. Drop.io provides multiple methods of sharing content – by uploading through the Web site, sending email or MMS messages to the drop email address, faxing assets in and out, or by calling the drop voicemail number to leave a voice notes.

Hear what Chad Stoller has to say about how marketers’ should be using Drop.io externally as well as internally.

Link to Audio Podcast

Signup for this Podcast Series Read more

iPhone 3G

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Today saw the worldwide release of Apple’s new 3G iPhone. It didn’t seem possible for a gadget to get as much hype as the iPhone did when it was released last year, but the madness has continued for this second generation. We’ve had a play, checked out the features, and guaged international reaction to the new version of the ultimate gadget of ultimate destiny.

But the launch hasn’t gone smoothly. Any new iPhone needs to be activated using iTunes upon purchase, but the activation servers have been hammered and have actually been totally down for several hours now, resulting in customers being sent home with an non-activated iPhone, and unable to activate it when they get home. Some suppliers are also insisting hat iPhones are activated in-store (to prevent them being taken away and unlocked), but the activation failure means they won’t be able to take their new iPhones home after purchase.

The main difference in this second iteration of Apple’s flagship product is 3G communication, allowing significantly faster data transfer, enabling a decent web browsing experience anywhere with a 3G signal. The Americans haven’t been too bothered about 3G, since it hasn’t been fully rolled out across the pond; but here in the UK 3G is pretty much in every urban area. This has previously made the iPhone less attractive to UK customers than comparable 3G smartphones, but no longer.

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So what else is new? The rear casing is now shiny black smudge-magnet
plastic instead of aluminium, which is to prevent interference with the
radio antennas inside. Maps now has GPS support, backed up with online
data and geotagging for pictures you take. Microsoft Exchange is now
supported, but not for tasks, and it seems to totally override any
other form of contact list on the phone. There’s also a new Apps Store,
a centralised repository of iPhone applications. Other minor additions
include a contacts search, view more attachments and a thrilling new
scientific calculator!

Not everyone’s wishlists for the new iPhone have been realised. Key features such as video recording, MMS capability, voice dialling, copy & paste and SMS forwarding are all missing. The inbuilt camera still tops out at 2MP, Flash isn’t supported and predictive text can’t be disabled properly. The inbuilt accelerometer can flip the screen horizontally, but this doesn’t work for all applications, and the three most writing-intensive applications (notes, e-mail, and maps) won’t let you type in landscape, meaning you still have to use frustrating single-finger prodding rather than thumb-typing.

Overall, the new iPhone 3G is a definite improvement, and is certainly the snazziest phone on the market with the best user interface I’ve seen – but it still has all the same types of flaws and left-out features of the previous iteration and other Apple products. With all the glamour and hype, it is very easy to overlook these. If you must have the latest and best gadget, there is absolutely no alternative – this is an awesome piece of kit – but the serious business users should probably look elsewhere… at least until the inevitable 3rd party software irons out the kinks.

See Also: 10 Things the 3G iPhone is Still Missing (Washington Post), Apple, O2 UK

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Why Stick with Windows?

There have always been groups of people who rebel against the norm, who reject the status quo and choose to stand out. Bohemians, Hippies, Mods, punks… and now linux and mac users.

There is a growing number of people who have deserted Microsoft Windows in favour of macs and the likes of Fedora, Ubuntu and Debian. Some regard this group as an elite – true technical power users whose use these ‘better’ operating systems. Some regard them as connoisseurs, whose specific needs and tastes surpass the meagre capabilities of Windows. Some identify themselves as frustrated former Windows users, who have given up trying to make the mainstream work for them. And others treat them as snobs, who just want to be different.

I’m a Windows user, I always have been (since 3.11) and I use Windows all day every day, at home and everywhere I’ve worked. I currently use Windows XP SP2 as my OS of choice on all my desktop and laptop machines. Sure, I’ve tried Fedora, Ubuntu and a few other operating systems, but none of them have really cut it for me.

However, even though I wouldn’t dream of using anything other than Windows as a desktop operating system, there is a big difference in the world of servers. As a server admin, I use Linux on every web server I run, and I wouldn’t dream of using Windows.

With all these disadvantages, why do I still use Windows for my Desktop? One simple answer could be that I’m used to it. I’ve been using it since 3.11, through 95, 98 and 2000, to XP and (reluctantly) Vista… Read more

Hackable Coffee Maker


The Jura F90 is coffee maker with an Internet Connection Kit. This plugs into a PC, and allows an engineer to diagnose any problems and service the unit remotely.

Sounds great, until Craig Wright discovered that the coffee maker could be taken over by a remote attacker, who could alter settings or simply disable the machine (a DDoC?)

Craig offers some fun things to do with a hacked coffee machine:

  1. Change the preset coffee settings (make weak or strong coffee)
  2. Change the amount of water per cup (say 300ml for a short black) and make a puddle
  3. Break it by engineering settings that are not compatible (and making it require a service)

Not only that, but a hacker could even take control of Windows XP on the PC that the coffee maker is connected to. I think we’d need a coffee after that!

See his original post at Security Focus

Microsoft demonstrates Windows 7

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Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer demonstrated Windows 7 for the first (official) time at D6 got on stage at D6 – the All Things Digital conference.

The main ability of the OS is multi-touch, and a collaboration with the Microsoft Surface team has made that a reality.

Many have accused Windows Vista of being overcomplicated, overhyped and underperforming, with a large number of companies and retailers still deploying and selling Windows XP in favour of Vista. Windows 7 has a massive expectation to live up to, but there are still fears that it will consist entirely of marketing rhetoric and a slightly tweaked version of Vista.

The short demonstration of Windows 7 at D, running on a Dell Latitude XT tablet, shows multi-touch being the centre of operation, with a keyboard being used briefly and no mouse in sight. Microsoft claim that now they have the technical foundations of multi-touch in place, they will be reworking the user interface around it.

However, they are still working off the Vista codebase, as mentioned in this interview with Steven Sinofsky, the senior vice president for the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group at Microsoft:

“We’re very clear that drivers and software that work on Windows
Vista are going to work really well on Windows 7; in fact, they’ll work
the same. We’re going to not introduce additional compatibilities,
particularly in the driver model. Windows Vista was about improving
those things. We are going to build on the success and the strength of
the Windows Server 2008 kernel, and that has all of this work that
you’ve been talking about. The key there is that the kernel in Windows
Server 08 is an evolution of the kernel in Windows Vista, and then
Windows 7 will be a further evolution of that kernel as well.”

Do you think Windows 7 will live up to its potential? Would Microsoft have been better ditching Vista and starting again? Only time will tell, and they claim Windows 7 will be available 3 years after Vista (early 2010).

Video after the break…

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The Case of the Missing Xbox Server

In one US university, an Xbox games console had been loaded with Linux and used as a web server for Philosophy students. A couple of years later, the Unix Administrator received a support ticket to say the students’ websites weren’t accessible. On visiting the server room, he discovered the Xbox server had disappeared without a trace.

He took the issue to his manager, who was silent for a moment, then sheepishly revealed it was he who had removed the server. He assumed it was a normal Xbox, used for gaming by the technicians whenever it was quiet. So, with the school holidays approaching, he took it home for his son to play with.

The manager then drove home and retrieved the Xbox. The administrator got a labeling machine and plastered the words “This is actually a server” all across the console.

Another case solved! If you have any funny tech stories, or another mystery that you solved, leave a comment here.

Unique design & quality Sound

Theses days you are as likely to play your music on your PC as your are to get out a CD and play in on your audio equipment, yet if like me, you probably rely on the very average speakers provided when you first purchased your pc. If you haven”t thought of upgrading perhaps the SRS-DZ10 from Sony might change your mind.

The layout free 2.1 channel system consists of a subwoofer, two desktop satellite speakers and a compact desktop control unit with integrated headphone socket which is capable of a maximum 32W output. The speakers benefit from Sony”s sigma-type speaker driver, which promises a deep bass sound. Read more

Olympus SP-550 UZ

Olympus has announced the first wide 18x optical zoom with the launch of the Olympus SP-550 UZ. According to the specifications supplied the SP-550 UZ focal length spans 28mm-504mm (in 35mm camera equivalent terms).

The SP-550 UZ includes double protection against camera shake with Dual Image Stabilization. Even at high magnifications or when capturing fast-moving objects, this technology ensures results are significantly sharper.

The general specification of the 7.1 megapixel SP-550 UZ reveals a 2.5-inch LCD screen and 15fps, BrightCapture for improved low light photography, internal memory plus XD-Picture card slot and 25 picture modes. The camera runs of 4 AA batteries.

Also the rugged 7.1 megapixel MJU 770SW, designed for those with the slightly more active lifestyle… Read more

Samsung Music Store Announced

Samsung is poised to challenge the dominance of Apple in the digital music arena by taking the fight to them with the announcement of it”s own online digital music store, imaginatively named the Samsung Media Studio (SMS).

SMS provides access to 2.6 million licensed songs, including content from all major record labels and more than 40,000 independent labels. In addition to this new service Samsung have added to its MP3 player range with the launch of both the slim T3 and the wireless capable (Bluetooth) K9 that are now available on the high street.

Depending on your proclivity for digital music Samsung have provided users three options “” the first two falling under the “pay-as-you go” formula with single tracks available from 79p and albums from £7.99, although what really stands out is the “all you can eat” option for those with an insatiable appetite for digital music, with unlimited downloads for £14.99 a month. Read more

Kodak announces V1003

Kodak announced the launch of the V1003 it’s 10 megapixel digital camera, coming in at a snip under £200 (well £199.99 to be precise). The camera will be available on the UK high street from March 2007.

Like a list of ‘the usual suspects’ the V1003 features 3x optical zoom, 2.5in LCD and 30fps VGA and ISO setting of up to 1600, on camera panoramic photo stitching and 22 shooting modes. If you aren’t a whiz with Photoshop then the automated touch up technology called ‘Perfect Touch’ will be very useful as it can be used to improve image detail by adjusting the brightness in the darker areas of shots.

We will look to get our hands on this sooner rather than later to deliver you our verdict… and let you know if ‘size’ really does matter. Read more

PS3: 300,000 Units for UK Launch

Since Sony’s announcement that the long and eagerly anticipated PS3 is launching here in the UK on the 23rdMarch, the guys over at ThreeSpeech (semi-official PS3 blog) have been quick to do a little number crunching.

Based on how much of the UK accounts for European business they have confidently predicted that at the word “go” UK retailers will have around 300,000 units. In comparison using the same math this figure should equate to more than the combined number of Wii and 360 consoles that were initially shipped.

If you want to get your hands on one you will have to get that pre-order in sooner rather than later. What has yet to be confirmed is whether Sony is going to do the allocation as was the case with PS2 (i.e. you only get one if you have your official letter from Sony). Watch this space for more information. Read more

LG launches Prada Phone

LG has unveiled their completely touchscreen phone – the KE850, branded as The Prada Phone. This unique, sophisticated and elegant mobile phone has the first complete advanced touch interface on the market, and is set to be an early competitor to Apple’s iPhone.

LG and PRADA have worked closely together on every aspect of the product, from handset development to marketing combining the attention to detail and uncompromising quality of PRADA design with the trademark technological innovation of LG mobile. PRADA’s involvement extends beyond exterior aesthetics to the key elements of the user experience such as the advanced touch interface, ring tones, pre-loaded content, mobile phone accessories and the exclusive leather case, inspired by the classic Italian craftsmen tradition. Read more

Humax announces 40′ LCD TV

The LP40-TDR1 is the latest in the Humax range of HDTVs boasting a sleek new design, with integrated twin tuner digital television recorder and a massive 160GB hard disk drive.

Features include live pause and instant rewind; the ability to watch a channel or record at the same time as recording another programme as well as an 8-day Electronic Programme Guide. Read more