Google to demo Chrome OS today at 6pm
Google has confirmed that a press conference today is about Google Chrome OS – with the code expected to be open sourced.
Google's Chrome OS has attracted massive interest in the tech realm, and it was widely rumoured that this would be the week its source was shown to the world
That is now looking very likely, with Google confirming that a press conference that will be streamed across the web is about Chrome OS.
Update
"Google to offer an update on Google Chrome OS and provide at the work that has been done thus far, an overview of the technology, and launch plans for next year," confirmed Google.
"Speakers will include Sundar Pichai, Vice President of Product Management and Matthew Papakipos, Engineering Director for Google Chrome OS."
The webcast can be viewed at http://investor.shareholder.com/googpr/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=75092 at 6pm UK time.
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Casio unleashes world's thinnest ruggedised camera
Casio has done what some thought impossible and made a ruggedised camera which you wouldn't mind lugging around.
The Casio EX-G1 is the thinnest rugged camera on the market, offering both style and substance for those who want to take shots while in the danger zone.
The camera is able to withstand being dropped, as long as the fall is under seven foot, and is waterproof to a depth of three metres.
Decent battery
Size-wise the camera is just 19.9mm thick and it comes packing a 12.1MP sensor, 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD screen to view back your death-defying shots.
As well as being hard as nails, the camera has decent battery life too – offering up to 300 shots before it needs a recharge.
While internal memory is a measly 35.7MB, the camera does have the usual microSD card slot.
The Casio EX-G1 has a release date of later this month, will come in either red and black, and cost آ£279. Go to www.casio.co.uk for more details.
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Sony PlayStation Network will stay free
Sony has told TechRadar that the PlayStation Network is not moving to a paid-for model, with the basic service remaining free despite rumours to the contrary.
A slide from a presentation led some to question whether the PlayStation network was going to remain free.
The slide suggested that PS was a key advantage and would provide a 'new revenue stream from subscription'.
Currently, one of the big selling points behind the PS3 is the free networked games service – something that the Xbox does not offer.
New forms of content
A spokesperson from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe told TechRadar that, although new ways were being sought to offer premium services, the core offering would remain free.
"We're continually looking at offering new forms of premium content & services, that will further enhance consumers experiences & expectations of the PSN," said the spokesman
"However, the core offering will continue to remain free."
Hirai clarifies
The quotes echoed those of a statement by Kaz Hirai to clarify the slide.
"SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral and PlayStation Network," said the SCE boss.
"Especially in the online area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services."
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Virgin Media adds first 3D VOD content
Weeks after announcing its intention to host 3D content, Virgin Media has put the first 3D programmes up on its catch-up service.
The Queen in 3D and Derren Brown's 3D Magic Spectacular are now available in the Catch Up TV and TV Choice menus, although the 3D is the dated anaglyph type and not the more modern polarised version that Sky is launching in 2010 and Virgin is trialling.
"We're adding 3D content for the first time," a Virgin spokesperson told us before making highlights of Channel 4's 3D festival available on its on demand service.
Chuck it in
"We will also be making the 3D episode of Chuck, aired on Virgin1 in August, available in TV Choice," the spokesperson added. "We are also working on getting some additional content such as The Greatest Ever 3D Moments, which will be part of C4's festival, but it's not confirmed for our on demand service at the moment."
The content will be available until mid-December, though to view it in 3D you'll have to hot foot it down to either Sainsbury's or a Virgin Media shop to get hold of some 3D glasses.
Virgin Media, who recently launched an online searchable listings site to allow easy browsing of its 4,600+ hours of VOD content, also told us that a new search function on its EPG is being rolled-out. There are plans to further improve the on demand interface in 2010.
VOD Success
Virgin Media already has the BBC's iPlayer and supports HD streams, as well hosting the ITV Player and 4OD on-demand services.
The company recently reported that 55 per cent of its customers are regularly using its on demand services, making a record 66 million views each month on average. Use of BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media's platform accounts for about a third of all BBC iPlayer views.
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In Depth: 10 free Android apps you should download today
Android's paid app store launched in March 2009, but already it had gained a reputation for fun, quirky and innovative apps since the Market first became available five months previously.
The Market might not have as many apps as the iPhone's App Store, but in just over a year it has gained serious traction in the developer community.
Plus – it's available on a wealth of handsets, from a range of manufacturers, meaning you're not just tied to one handset which gets a slight refresh every 12 months.
With the inbuilt compass, GPS, a spot of 3G connectivity and a fast processor, most Android handsets are capable of wowing with the following 10 apps. Some of them may be novelty pieces that'll you'll only pull out to impress your friends with (they're still a hundred times more fun than "drinking" an iPint), most of these free Android apps are genuine lifesavers at the best of times.
1. Layar
Augmented reality's hottest title, Layar, uses the GPS, compass and camera to display information on your surroundings in real time. Either hold it in front of you, and see details on landmarks and points of interest, or search for something like 'pizza', and relevant locations will be displayed.
2. Metal Detector
And you thought the compass was only good for location-based functions. Using the little lump of magnet in your device, when pressed against metal (a set of keys, belt buckle or someone's hidden weapon) Metal Detector announces its detection with alarming results.
3. Google Sky Map
Nevermind if you live in a city and can't actually see stars, Google Sky Map will point them out on the screen using the GPS, accelerometer and compass. Planets, stars and constellations like you've never seen them before.
4. Tub Thumper
Use your Android's touchscreen to its full potential by pretending you're Mick Fleetwood with Tub Thumper. Tap drums in time to your favourite tracks, or make up your own songs on the acoustic and electronic skins.
5. Gmote
Download the Gmote app on your Android, install the Gmote Server on your Mac or PC, and hey presto, you can use your mobile as a remote control for your computer when watching movies or listening to music.
6. Movies by Flixster
Watch movie trailers, see movies that are on near you (using GPS, naturally) and read reviews, from the world's largest online movie network with Movies by Flixster.
7. BreadCrumbz
As the name suggests, drop little virtual breadcrumbs as you go about your business. Using the GPS, BreadCrumbz tracks your route, displaying pictures so you know exactly how to get to the location again, particularly useful if you're on foot. The one downside is that the little toast icon that appears in the update curtain makes us crave carbs like never before.
8. Chomp SMS
We may've just been extolling the virtues of Android against the iPhone, so why suggest Chomp SMS, an app that turns the text message interface into an iPhone replica? Granted, it's a cleaner look, but also uses an easier virtual keyboard than your Android can offer…and yes, it looks just like the iPhone's, how ever did you guess?
9. Barcode Scanner
Use the camera to scan a barcode on a DVD, book, CD or other product, and Barcode Scanner can find details online about the product, including the cheapest price online, reviews and even passages of text if it's a book.
10. Bonsai Blast
Free (decent) games are hard to come by on the Android platform, but Bonsai Blast proved so addictive we've finished it twice now. Essentially a new take on the puzzle format, it has 24 increasingly difficult levels which will ensure you miss your train stop at least once while playing it.
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Exclusive: BT Vision to embrace Freeview HD
On demand TV platform BT Vision has confirmed that the next generation of its V-box will be able to receive Freeview HD channels.
Speaking to TechRadar, BT's Head of Programming, Michael Barry, revealed that work is in progress, although no firm date has been announced.
"BT Vision are working on a Freeview HD compatible box," said Barry, "however, we don't currently have a date for launch."
Freeview HD broadcasts will begin rollout next month though only the Granada region and London will be able to receive channels before Christmas.
To receive HD channels consumers will need set-top boxes with DVB-T2 tuners, though none are expected to go on sale until the early in 2010.
Broadband customers
BT Vision is only available to BT Total Broadband customers and all of its video on demand content (which includes new and classic films, US TV box sets and kids TV) is delivered via broadband.
"High definition is challenging for us because of the bandwidth," Barry told us. "We're focused on blockbuster films and the key TV genres that really benefit from HD, such as wildlife programmes, which have to be downloaded over a few hours before they can be played.
"We are constantly looking at ways of improving compression of HD, but BT has begun its roll-out of a new fibre-optic network." One of the main reasons for the new network, Barry told us, is for delivering HD content. "Our next generation V-box is coming soon and will be able to handle HD," he said.
It's likely that dedicated Freeview HD set-top boxes will also feature broadband connectivity and full access to the BBC's iPlayer. Although BT Vision already includes a 'catch-up' service from the BBC, it doesn't have access to iPlayer.
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YouTube launches full-length TV show channel
YouTube has begun hosting full-length TV shows on the website, thanks to a partnership with Channel 4.
This means that shows like Father Ted and the IT Crowd are now free to watch, with more content being added to the site as we speak.
It had been rumoured for some time that Channel 4 was going to use YouTube as a hub for its shows. This doesn't mean that its on-demand channel 4oD is being neglected just that you can now access the service via YouTube.
Reaching new audiences
The Show channel on YouTube has now been filled with around 5,000 videos – this is a mixture of clips and full-length shows.
Other broadcasters who have signed up to add their content include: BBC Worldwide, Turner Broadcasting, ITN, Classic Media, FremantleMedia, North One, Al Jazeera.
There is some advertising to site through before you can view some of the shows, however, this seems to come in the form of a 30-second pre-roll ad.
"The YouTube community has always enjoyed the vibrant range of video on the site, from amateur make-up videos to professional TV highlights and everything in between," explained YouTube's Director of Video Partnerships, Patrick Walker.
"The Shows section of the site will make it easier for users to discover videos from the biggest names in British broadcasting, and help our content partners reach new audiences and generate new revenues."
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Hands on: Facebook on PlayStation 3 review
Sony announced only recently it was adding Facebook integration to the PS3 – a move which raised a few eyebrows, considering the length of time it's taken Microsoft to add Facebook to Xbox Live and the build-up the company has given the announcement.
With the two companies now going face to face with movie downloads, Facebook integration may seem like a minor thing but in the fast-paced online world where social-networking is king, users want to know what their friends are up to at all times.
So, has Sony been working behind the scenes day and night to create the ultimate Facebook app for the PS3? The answer is a definite no.
Account management
It's not 100 per cent clear when you have updated your PS3 with the 3.10 firmware where you actually go to set up Facebook on the PS3.
That's because Sony has hidden the icon in the Account Management section of the XMB.
Click here and the familiar Facebook logo will appear. Once this is done, you are asked if you want to share trophy information, share purchase information and share game event information.
As we didn't want everyone knowing how many tracks from SingStar are downloaded, the only bit of information we shared was Trophy Information.
Once this is done, it will ask you to add your Facebook account details: user name and password. Click OK and the update is completed.
Thankfully you only have to log these details in once, unless you want to change your settings that is.
Lack of support
Now, while we were expecting some sort of Facebook button to appear – like what happened with iPlayer – on the XMB there's nothing to get you on to the site quickly and efficiently.
Like before, you have to log into Facebook through the clumsy PS3 web browser, add your account details in again (unless you have done this before) and access the site that way. It's disappointing to say the least.
What Sony has done is improve the feel of the website within the browser but there is nothing here which will make you come back for more.
Instead of being Facebook on the PS3, it's your PS3 account on Facebook – a news feed of what you are up to, what trophies you have achieved and what you have been downloading from the store.
Quite why you would want everyone to know this is beyond us. While trophy checking against your mates is fine through the console all your non-gaming friends don't necessarily need to know that you have made 50 sniper kills in Modern Warfare 2. Or, er, that you have managed to gain a trophy for singing your heart out on SingStar.
Rushed release?
In all, the Facebook update from Sony feels rushed. It feels like after the announcement that Microsoft had added Facebook integration in a decent and rather inspired way, Sony felt compelled to follow suit even though the link-up is a rather minor one.
Although Sony promises this is just the start of what it is doing with Facebook it's a false one. We would rather the company had held off and created something that actually meant you can access Facebook in an easy way.
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UK games publishers applaud Queen's Speech
While many have been quick to criticise and deride the lack of specific information and targets in the recently announced Digital Economy Bill, it seems that the UK's games publishing community is amongst the first to wholeheartedly applaud the government's latest moves.
While there are still doubts about whether the bill will survive a change in government, ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) has voiced its approval of the Digital Economy Bill, as outlined in this week's Queen's Speech, which it clearly sees to be a step in the right direction for gaming in the UK.
ELSPA is delighted
"We are delighted with the commitment made today by the UK Government to tackle the widespread problem of online copyright infringement and intellectual property theft, through more effective legal action and consumer education," said Mike Rawlinson, Director General of ELSPA.
"We also fully support the promise to invest in next generation wireless and mobile broadband technologies.
"We would encourage the Government to commit to these plans at the earliest possible stage to ensure that the UK is a world-leader when it comes to the digital economy."
Ratings a bonus
ELSPA is also very closely aligned with the new official age-ratings body PEGI, so it is little surprise that the organisation fully supports the move to make age-ratings compulsory for all boxed video games for those over 12 years, to protect children and to offer more information to parents on video game content.
"ELSPA believes the proposed UK adoption of the Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) classification system to be an important step in ensuring child safety when gaming. The video games industry offers its full support to the Government in this," reads ELSPA's statement.
No word as yet from ousted ratings body the BBFC on the latest developments in games age-ratings...
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Review: Toshiba XDE-600
The Toshiba XDE-600 is the second generation of DVD players to feature Toshibas' coveted upscaling technology that attempts to upscale your existing DVDs to 1080p, commonly known as XDE.
There's a big difference between DVD and Blu-ray's picture quality, but Toshiba's eXtended Detail Enhancement (XDE) technology aims to narrow this margin.
XDE garnered superb results on the first player to feature it, the XDE-500, by giving it the edge over most other budget upscalers on the market.
Can this cheaper follow-up, the XDE-600 version cut the mustard?
Features
Inevitably, the XDE-600's build quality is a lot more 'budget' than its predecessor. The light, hollow sounding casing is, sadly, all too common among players at this price. But Toshiba has at least given it a fashionable, gloss-black finish, accentuated by a distinctive grey slope at the bottom.
On the fascia you'll find a limited display panel and a USB port for playing back digital media. Connections include the all important HDMI output, which delivers 720p, 1080i or 1080p images to your TV. It'll even output NTSC discs at 1080/24p, but, as it's locked into Region 2 it's not much use (unless you get the deck chipped of course).
You can convert PAL to NTSC and activate 24Hz, but the results are unwatchable.
The XDE-600's media support is solid in that you can play DivX, XviD, MP3, WMA and JPEG files, although formats like DivX HD, WMV and MKV are a incompatible. Disc-wise, it spins most platters with the exception of DVD-RAM.
Wisely, Toshiba has included XDE as an optional rather than blanket application. There are three different settings: 'Sharp' mode that casts its discerning eye over the picture and sharpens up detail; 'Colour' mode, which refines the hues (blue and green in particular) to natural levels, and 'Contrast' mode that emphasises detail visibility during dark scenes.
Select either of these latter modes and 'Sharp' mode is automatically applied at the same time. As well as these show piece features, you get the complete range of DVD basics, such as a three stage zoom, slow-motion, frame advance and a speedy 10x scan mode.
The 'Enhanced Audio' mode adds a 3D effect to stereo sound.
Ease of use
We can't fault the setup menu, which features a common-sense structure, legible text and a responsive cursor, while the rest of the playback info (including the video bitrate) is clearly presented.
This is just as well, considering the minimal front panel display is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Controlling the deck with the remote is a breeze thanks to the spot-on button layout and labelling, and there's a dedicated button for toggling through the XDE modes, which makes comparison between them very easy.
Picture
The impact XDE makes on the picture is instant and dramatic. We fired up The Departed at 1080p, activated 'Sharp' mode and revelled in the extra clarity given to fine details such as clothing, walls and skin. They become crisper and more pronounced, as if someone has suddenly focused the lens properly.
Obviously, the effect doesn't come close to the intense clarity of a good Blu-ray picture, but the 'Sharp' function does provide that extra depth and punch missing from regular upscaled DVD pictures.
Edges also look tighter and cleaner and the processing works its magic without introducing hard white lines around objects, as do so many of the cheap, standard DVD decks currently available.
'Colour' mode also delivers impressive results. With a shot of a blue sky visible through an office window, the XDE-600 makes the hue more vibrant and utterly realistic, without impinging on the scene's darker colours. Likewise, in shots of police recruits training next to a green field, this mode finds the perfect saturation level for the grass, making it look natural without touching other parts of the picture.
But most impressive is the 'Contrast' mode, which emphasises shadows, while boosting the visibility of background objects during dark interior scenes. And, impressively, it does so without any detrimental side-effects. Turn it off and the detail gets swallowed up in the blackness.
On the downside, XDE can be a bit of a double-edged sword. Some viewers might not like the way it can gently emphasise noise in the picture, but without it pictures look average, due to the soft detail and limited black level. On the whole though, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Sound
Playing CDs through the analogue outputs results in smooth sound quality, which might not offer the same dynamic range and neutrality of a similarly priced CD player, but is still very enjoyable.
The quality of digitally-piped Dolby Digital and DTS tracks depends on the quality of your decoding equipment, but big action scenes sounded spectacular on our test system.
Value
Had this player not been equipped with XDE processing, we'd have been looking at a rather lacklustre performer, but this excellent technology really does boost picture quality above and beyond what you'd normally expect at this price.
And when you take the deck's other features, connections and ease-of-use into the equation, we have to concede that the XDE-600 is one of the best budget upscaling DVD decks on the market.
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In Depth: Internet Explorer 9: what you need to know
Microsoft showed Internet Explorer 9 for the first time yesterday at its Professional Developer Conference, but a technical preview won't be available before next year (perhaps at CES 2010 in January).
Instead, Windows Senior Vice President Steven Sinofsky demonstrated the latest test version, with the Trident rendering engine running on DirectX instead of GDI - to show that IE development is still going on, and making progress on performance and support for standards.
Like Ray Ozzie at an earlier keynote, he promised that Microsoft would "make Internet Explorer the best browser for Windows and the most world class browsing experience we can develop" but he said it would be delivered "in the most responsible way" to get "a good balance between the things we know we have to do and moving the whole notion of browsing forward".
That doesn't mean canvas or SVG support, at least not at this stage. Although Microsoft is working on HTML 5 standards, Sinofsky said that's not necessarily the main focus for IE9: "There are emerging standards that are still incomplete and draft, and we want to be responsible about how we support that and don't generate a hype cycle across the board for things aren't there yet."
And while he showed IE's ACID 3 score going up from 20 in IE 6 to 32 for the test system and agreed "that's a test we need to do a better job on," the emphasis is on supporting standards like CSS and elements like selectors and rounded corners (using CSS3 border-radius) that web developers commonly use to build sites. He showed IE9 running CSS tests from the CSS3 info site and getting a rather better score.
Early days for IE9
After only three weeks of development (the time since Windows 7 shipped has been spent on planning), Sinofsky said the performance is already significantly better than IE8, showing results on the Sunspider JavaScript benchmark that are about five times better than IE8 (which was twice as fast as IE7).
It's also far closer to the JavaScript speed of the pre-release versions of Firefox, Chrome and WebKit. "This isn't just speed," Dean Hachamovitch, General Manager of the Internet Explorer team, told TechRadar. "This is speed with security, with compatibility. You can do anything fast if you do not have to be correct."
Sinofsky also pointed out that browser performance is about a lot more than JavaScript, showing a breakdown of the time taken by rendering, handling CSS and all the other things the browser does for the Excel web app and two popular news sites. Even on a script-heavy site, JavaScript took at most a third of the time needed to load the page. "By the time you get down to this kind of performance," said Sinofsky, "it's swamped by other subsystems".
IE9 GPU acceleration
IE9 will also get a big speedup from switching the Trident rendering engine from running on the now-elderly GDI to hardware-accelerated DirectX. "We have all this amazing new hardware," points out Hachamovitch. "There are graphics cards in notebooks that blow away what you could get on the desktop just a year ago. And what takes advantage of it? Nothing."
SMOOTHER AND FASTER: DirectX rendering makes animation and graphics move far faster and much more smoothly, plus text is much smoother and easier to read
Web designers don't have to take any changes to their code to get faster rendering with much lower CPU usage, and crisper text that animates smoothly (rendered by Direct2D and DirectWrite). Sinofsky showed a page built with the Bing API, loading maps from Bing as usual, but panning at 60 frames per second rather than the 7fps GDI managed.
Microsoft hasn't yet said whether this will only work on Windows 7 and Vista or on XP as well. "Look for more detail on this in the future," Hachamovitch told us, "but the short answer is that the better the hardware, the better the experience."
IE9 is the first browser to use DirectX, although Safari on Mac uses Quartz rendering. It's not just that hardware graphics acceleration hasn't been widespread enough to take advantage of before. "The biggest disadvantage of DirectX," says Hachamovitch, "is that it's really hard to get it right. As you saw today, there's a huge benefit but it takes a lot of work to get all of the details right – like how do controls like Flash work and what about printing?"
That means that while it makes sense for Microsoft, with the Windows-only IE, cross-platform browsers may not want to invest in development just for Windows, which could give IE9 a lead that's hard to match.
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Review: Toshiba 47ZV635D
Proudly heading up Toshiba's TV hierarchy is the ZV range, which represents the very best the brand has to offer. The 47ZV635D packs a full house of features, including the alluring Deep Lagoon finish – a graduated blue/grey edge around the bezel.
Features
Chief among its features is MetaBrain, Toshiba's umbrella term for a range of processing modes that includes Resolution+ detail/edge sharpening and Active Vision M200 HD Pro.
The latter achieves blur-free movement by adding frames in between the real ones to up the refresh rate (as well as polishing up every other aspect of the picture).
Meanwhile, Auto View analyses and adjusts the picture automatically depending on the ambient light conditions and the requirements of the material.
This clever picture function is joined by Dolby Volume, which regulates the incoming audio signal to eliminate nasty jumps in volume such as when the adverts cut in.
Ease of use
The new interface used on Toshiba's latest range is certainly more attractive than the previous system. But finding the setup menu in the first place is tricky, given that the button is hidden away at the bottom of the remote and oddly labelled with the DVD open/close icon.
But once you're in, it's a breeze to navigate, as options are sensibly grouped into their natural categories.
There's a wide range of picture adjustments on offer, too, including an Expert Mode that comes in handy when calibrating the colour levels.
Toshiba takes an 'if it ain't broke' approach to its remote, using the same basic layout as its previous zappers. Our only problem with it is the confusing cluster of keys at the bottom that gets lost in a mixture of TV and DVD player icons.
Picture
While the pictures are hardly jaw-dropping, there's nothing disastrously wrong with them, either. Of course, the Toshiba performs best with a crisp 1080p digital feed direct from a Blu-ray deck's HDMI output, which enables its prodigious detail handling talent to shine through.
The Blu-ray version of X-Men 2 looks scalpel sharp, particularly during close-ups of Nightcrawler's or Mystique's mutated faces. The screen resolution picks out gentle indentations and wrinkles in skin, as well as follicles and strands of hair.
It also tackles background scenery detail with entrancing clarity, resulting in a delightfully sharp and punchy picture across the board.
Colours are also well handled, especially strong tones such as Mystique's blue skin, but it also lends credibility to subtler human skin tones and imbues snow covered hills with just the right amount of blue.
The palette isn't quite as spectacular as the latest flagship sets from Philips and Sony, but the Toshiba still passes muster on vibrancy and dynamism.
Ironically, Resolution+, the mode designed to give standard-definition pictures a near-HD respray, is actually more useful when applied to an HD picture. It gives Blu-ray a boot up the backside, forcefully focusing textures and lending extra definition to shadows and outlines.
But on the downside you need a good Blu-ray transfer to get the best results, as it tends to emphasise any artefacts in the picture, particularly when it's cranked up to the highest setting. We tried it out with some Blu-ray test patterns and discovered that there's some ghosting along the edge of white lines.
The lesson learned is that Resolution+ can produce some stunning results when used sparingly and with the right material.
SD content looks decent enough; the combined effects of Active Vision M200 HD Pro and Resolution+ is a smooth and pronounced picture with convincing colour reproduction. The latter immediately injects extra detail and focus into DVDs and Freeview broadcasts, but it's hard to ignore the noise that permeates the picture, most notably whenever Resolution+ is turned on.
The 47ZV635D's black levels also lack the dramatic depth needed to convey dark scenes with any conviction, and detail often goes missing while black objects merge.
Sound
The 47ZV635D's sound isn't bad, but it still falls some way short of the mark. The problem is the lack of low-end presence, even with the bass setting cranked up high and Dynamic Bass Boost activated.
But Dolby Volume does a great job of boosting the inherent dynamism of the sound and levelling out sudden changes in volume.
Value
The staggering amount of features on board means you get a lot for your money. Resolution+ is as brilliant as ever, but it's still not the answer to all the set's picture issues.
So the 47ZV635D misses out on those coveted five stars overall – a shame, as in every other respect it's a genuine triumph.
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IBM's latest supercomputer is cleverer than a cat
IBM is boasting that its latest supercomputer is significantly smarter than your average cat.
The computing giant has announced a software simulation of a mammalian cerebral cortex that it says is more complex than a cat's.
Which is quite a boast, really, seeing as cats have the ability to make humans feed them and stroke them and in return they get to lie around all day on a beanbag, occasionally having a little stretch or a nice yawn.
AI trouble brewing
If a computer were able to convince humans to let it do the same things as a cat convinces us to do, then we would certainly be in All Kinds Of Trouble!
Seriously though, IBM researchers presented a paper at the SC09 supercomputing conference claiming a major milestone in the development of cognitive computing - a brain simulator that boasts around 4.5 per cent the cerebral cortex capacity of a human brain.
This is no mere guesstimate, either. The new simulator runs on the Dawn Blue Gene /P supercomputer with 147,456 CPUs and 144TB of main memory and simulates the activity of 1.617 billion neurons connected in a network of 8.87 trillion synapses.
The sim is so accurate and so complex that it raises all kinds of thorny philosophical questions. For example, the researchers describe what they call the "BrainCam" as follows:
"When combined with the mammalian-scale models now possible... the flood of data can be overwhelming from a computational (for example, the total amount of data can be many terabytes) and human perspective (the visualization of the data can be too large or too detailed)."
Dave? Move away from the big red button.
Dave?
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Review: TVonics MDR-240
When we tested the TVonics MDR-250 in our April 2009 issue we declared it to be a little expensive but with enough features to raise it above the Freeview adapter crowd. This new model, the TVonics MDR-240 has seen a step down in numbering but has been developed to bring it in line with the government's recently issued required standards for Freeview boxes.
Chief among these – and topical considering recent events – is automatic retuning when required. In addition, users on the English and Welsh borders may find they're given the choice of the region from which they wish to receive signals.
Consuming a reasonable 3.9W in operation, outwardly, the MDR-240 looks pretty much the same as its predecessor.
Modulator not included
It's around a third smaller than the average paperback novel, with a mostly black casing (with exception of TVonics' logo) fronted by an IR window but no display to speak of (just power and standby indicators).
A UHF loopthrough on the rear means you can pipe the analogue TV signal to other equipment. However, TVonics has stopped short of including a modulator for watching digital channels on older TVs that may be short of Scarts.
Speaking of which, twin Scarts have been crammed into the rear panel; the TV Scart gives you a choice of outputting in composite, RGB or S-video and the second Scart can be connected to a VCR or DVD recorder for recording in composite quality only. There's also a hi-fi line output but no digital audio connectors.
The software is also very similar to that on the 250, with text clearly legible against a predominantly blue background and help pages provided for those who may get confused by jargon.
You can perform automatic or manual scans and the tuner proved adept at quickly pulling in channels from all multiplexes at our Central London location. Once located, these are displayed as a long list, although, once again, we find that TVonics has neglected to provide a favourites option in favour of letting you re-sort or hide channels in the main list.
The EPG displays eight days of data as a full-screen grid overlaid on the current channel with channels down the left and programmes to the right. You can scroll through information for nine channels at a time and skip back and forth in 24-hour chunks using the coloured buttons on the remote. You can also bring up full-screen programme synopses.
There's a nine-event timer for scheduling external recordings with once, daily and weekly repeat options, which can be set up manually or by selecting shows in the EPG.
The programme information banner goes further than most – letting you browse data including synopses for programmes on other channels in addition to the one you're tuned to for up to seven days in advance.
Other notable features include audio description and a screen saver mode for plasma displays. The tuner delivers decent-looking pictures overall, with little blockiness in evidence. Even creaky episodes of Murder, She Wrote looked good when viewed on a brand new 42in Panasonic plasma.
It's a shame there's no digital connection for home cinema systems but if your TV's speakers aren't the greatest, then the hi-fi line out proves a crisp enough alternative.
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PS3 gets Facebook as 3.10 upgrade arrives early
Sony's latest PlayStation 3 update, the PS3 3.10 firmware, has arrived early, bringing Facebook support to the console in the same week as the Xbox 360 social networking update.
Microsoft launched its attempt to capture social networkers' hearts with its embracing of Last.fm, Twitter and Facebook this week, as well as adding Zune movie downloads.
But not to be outdone, Sony has now launched its latest Facebook-loving update and shown off its own movie streaming service.
This is a key selling time for both console makers ahead of Christmas, so it's no surprise that both are keen to compete.
New features
The update appears to not be an automatic one – but you can request it and get the chance to update your status with just your thumbs.
And that's not the only change- users can now choose the colour of their PSN ID on the XMB and there have been some big changes to the PSN friends list.
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Review: Metronic Freesat Kit
The choice of Freesat hardware has expanded – albeit not by much – and availability is far more widespread. One of the newer entrants is Metronic's Sat HD 100, currently the UK's cheapest hi-def capable unit.
Now it's available from Maplin in a DIY package, with dish, LNB and everything else you'll need. Except for the TV, that is.
Build and connectivity
The receiver is well-made, roughly the same size as a box of Black Magic, and is powered by an external 12V DC power supply. It could thus be powered from a 12V vehicle battery – something that might be appreciated by caravanners.
Yet it has all – or most – of the features of other Freesat HD units. The front panel lacks a display – all you get is a red LED to indicate standby – but there are tiny buttons for standby plus channel and volume up/down.
Menu access from here is impossible; such tasks require the handset. This is almost as long as the receiver front panel, and suffers from an fairly unintuitive button arrangement. The teletext button, for example, is sandwiched between mute and standby in the top row of buttons.
On the rear panel are separate Scart sockets for TV and VCR, both of which can deliver composite or S-video (the TV Scart does RGB too). Then there's HDMI, which is active at the same time as the Scart sockets. All modes from 576i to 1080i are supported.
Next to the HDMI port are USB and Ethernet ports. The first of these is provided for firmware upgrades and multimedia playback, while the second will in time allow the Sat HD 100 to access on-demand content like BBC iPlayer.
This is only a single-tuner unit, but a loopthrough output is provided for another receiver. No UHF connectivity is provided. You get a Dolby Digital-capable optical output but no analogue phono audio outputs.
The receiver is rather short of upgrade options. There's no CI slot and you won't be able to convert it into a PVR by plugging a hard drive into the USB port.
A key part of the kit is the Freesat-approved 47cm off set dish which, we're told, is made by Triax. With its grey perforated steel reflector, it's claimed to have performance equivalent to that of a Sky Zone 1 minidish and will thus give best results in the south of the UK. It works in conjunction with the supplied Technomate single-output LNB, for which a 0.2dB noise figure is claimed.
However, the LNB collar is a standard 40mm fit and so it could be replaced with a multiple-output type if you envisage installing more Freesat (or, for that matter, Sky) receivers around the house.
In keeping with the system's self-installation ideals, the package also includes a compass (for azimuth determination), 20m of co-ax, F-plugs and instructions. The latter are very basic; conspicuously absent is a table containing Astra 2x elevation, azimuth and LNB skew angles for major UK towns and cities. Still, you could always take up the accompanying flyer's offer of a professional installation.
Assembling the dish is fairly straightforward. Note that no rim tape is supplied with the reflector, the perforated edges of which are cardigan-snagging sharp.
The LNB boom bolts to the back of the reflector, courtesy of a handful of bolts. The az-el bracket is also attached to the boom, slots cut into the bracket enabling the assembly to be tilted forward and back until it's aimed at the satellite.
The bracket is stamped with an elevation scale, which – certainly in the case of the test sample – was barely visible. The LNB bracket attaches to the boom's front protrusion, which had started to rust courtesy of some unprofessional paintwork (unique to our dish, one hopes). The az-el bracket also loses its paint with surprising ease.
Another drawback is there's nothing to stop the nuts that secure the lower half of the holder to the upper half from dropping off . You're advised to attach the LNB to the dish before taking it up a ladder.
A wall bracket is supplied with the dish. However, it will clamp onto any existing pole (up to 50mm diameter) you may have. It's then a case of installing the LNB, attaching the 'F' plugs, running the cable from dish to receiver and aligning the dish.
The compass can help you to determine North, and from simple calculation you'll be able to determine where the dish should be pointed (there are no alignment tables, but such information is readily available on the internet).
From then on, a bit of tweaking will allow you to 'peak' the dish. Signal strength and quality meters are available in the receiver's 'manual scan' mode. From here, you can select one of the preset transponders as a 'target'. But they're not very helpful during initial signal-finding and will only register when the dish is reasonably well aligned.
Annoyingly, the manual scan mode exits automatically after a minute or so if no signal is present. Subsequently, we discovered a setting ('Menu Timeout', in the 'OSD Setting Menu') that enables you to increase this period to a more useful 10 minutes. It's a pity a basic strength meter isn't supplied.
The good news is that the dish is free of play and so easy to adjust. It's also remarkably stable once locked in position.
Once your dish is aligned you can choose the 'Freesat scan' mode. Enter your postcode and the receiver will hunt down all available signals. It asks for a postcode so that you get the correct regional variations – these can be changed later if need be with an 'edit customised channel' menu.
If new transponders come along you can edit existing ones (as opposed to adding new ones) in the manual scan menu.
Changeable parameters are symbol rate, standard (DVB-S or S2), modulation, frequency, polarity and FEC. Unfortunately, DiSEqC is not currently supported. The receiver is said to be compatible with version 1.1 of the standard, but the manual scan menu's LNB select option is 'greyed out'. We hope this will be fixed in future.
Other menus look after the audio and video outputs, and the organisation of channels. There are no fewer than 10 favourite channels lists, which are defined in the 'favorite edit' menu and can be cyclically accessed from the remotes 'fav' button. Channels can be PIN-locked.
The usual Freesat method of selecting channels is provided – you can choose from several 'genres' or a list of all channels. Oddly enough, there's currently no list for HD channels. Maybe this is because the choice is still embarrassingly small.
Talking of which, ITV HD is selected in the usual Freesat way. A 'red button' banner appears during standard-definition ITV reception, alerting you to its availability. A 'list' button shows all channels and they can be stepped through with a pair of up/down keys.
Digital teletext and subtitles are supported but once the latter is engaged you can't turn them off – the only solution here is to change to another channel, then back again. There's also a button for switching between radio and TV modes.
The standard seven-day Freesat EPG is supported, together with a simple eight-event recording timer. However, if the HD100 is in standby it won't 'wake up' when a scheduled timer event is about to start. Under such circumstances your recorder will capture nothing more exciting than a blank screen.
The USB multimedia playback facilities, which benefit from a 'file' shortcut key, are basic. Despite the single USB port, no fewer than four devices are listed for some odd reason. However, only the first ('A') is active. JPEG images, MP3 audio and MPEG video are supported, but that's it. DivX and MKV content, for example, is ignored.
A series of transport controls are provided for navigation purposes. These include cue and review buttons – which allow you to work through a MP3 file but only select the next or previous file in MPEG playback mode. JPEG playback isn't full-screen – you get a window containing the picture plus an information panel. However, full-screen images are possible if the JPEG slideshow mode is selected.
Performance
A full scan of Freesat channels is quick, completing in 90 seconds or so. Channel selection and menu access are similarly responsive. We're also impressed with the system's sensitivity.
Despite the small dish, we were able to hold onto reception for longer than expected during some heavy rainfall.
Picture and sound quality are excellent, the HD 100 proving more than a match for more expensive Freesat hardware. Detail levels are impressive, and the upscaling of standard-def to hi-def is handled well.
We appreciate the many picture tweaking options, although the three steps of Digital Noise Reduction adjustment are best described as 'subtle' in their effectiveness.
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Warner Bros swaps your DVDs for Blu-rays
Warner Bros has announced an online swap shop, which allows consumers to swap their old DVDs for brand-spanking news ones.
The initiative is to help boost the Blu-ray format and while it is only available in the US at the moment, it could well be a sign of things to come for the UK.
Called DVD2Blu, the website states: "Upgrade your Warner Bros. DVD titles for new industry-leading Blu-ray discs and unleash the power of your HDTV through the WBshop.com DVD2Blu program."
Going postal
Essentially you mail off your old DVDs (disc-only), pay $7.95 and within a few weeks you will get a Blu-ray copy through the post.
There is a bit of a catch: each time you mail a disc it will cost you $4.95 in postal charges, which brings the price to near that of a Blu-ray.
But if you do it in bulk, orders over $25 are shipped for free.
If you are US-based and fancy bathing your eyes in HD goodness then point your browser to www.dvd2blu.com.
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Microsoft's Project Natal gets a new rival
A new joint venture from Belgian specialists in 3D recognition software and 3D sensing tech could provide some much-needed competition to Microsoft's heavily hyped Project Natal when it launches next year.
The leading specialists in 3D recognition software at Softkinetic have partnered with inventors of a patented 3D-sensing tech at Optrima, with the lofty claim that they are now able to offer the most complete 3D depth-sensing imaging and gesture-recognition technology available.
Developer-friendly SDKs for the new iisu tech are already available now and also being offered to OEMs as an all-in-one product, which companies can easily incorporate into their own gaming and other consumer devices.
One of the first to take up the technology is Texas Instruments, with other 'big announcements' on the horizon according to the new company.
Big announcement due
Softkinetic-Optrima is set to port its 3D gesture recognition middleware "directly onto TI's intelligent digital signal processors" as well as providing "direct support for OptriCam, SKO's 3D imagers product, to TI-based development boards."
More interestingly Softkinetic's CEO Michel Tombroff has hinted about a major upcoming deal about which he could reveal no details as yet, but "was obviously brimming with enthusiasm for SKO's goal of getting affordable gesture recognition apps into homes across Europe and the US by the end of 2010."
Microsoft's Project Natal is due for release around the same time, later in 2010. We live in interesting times. Huzzah!
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MSI R5970-P2D2G gfx card claims 'best performance'
MSI has unveiled its flagship graphics card – with the R5970-P2D2G taking advantage of the latest AMD ATI technology and claiming to be the best performing product in the market.
Boasting ATI Eyefinity – which allows you to connect multiple monitors – MSI has also packed in its own technology to produce its finest card.
The company has even gone as far as to suggest that its two advanced 40nm GPUs, utilising 3200 stream processors, and 2GB 512-bit GDDR5 graphics memory, make it the 'best performing card on the planet today'.
Afterburner
Of course – the ATI tech means that this is built for Windows 7 and Direct X 11, and MSI's 'Afterburner' tech allows you to tweak and overclock to your heart's content.
"World renowned graphics card and mainboard brand and manufacturer, MSI, captured the hearts of powerful performance enthusiasts after unveiling its all-new R5800, R5700 series of graphics cards," said MSI's release.
"Now, MSI unveils its top model, the R5970-P2D2G graphics card, which not only equips two advanced 40nm GPUs, but also utilizes 3200 stream processors, and 2GB 512-bit GDDR5 graphics memory, making it the best performing card on the planet today!"
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California set to ban energy-sapping big TVs
The once-liberal state of California is set to ban the use of large, energy-sapping TVs in a move to cut the average carbon footprint of its citizens.
In a move which is sure to see outcry from freedom-loving Republicans in bars throughout the state, supporters of the scheme claim that it will save Cali residents over $8bn in 10 years in energy costs.
A stern TV decree
The California Energy Commission decrees that all new television sets up to 58 inches (147cm) must be more energy efficient by 2011, sapping up 33 per cent less energy than current models. This will then go up to 50 per cent more efficient by 2013.
Cali's Energy Commissioner Julia Levin said: "We have every confidence this industry will be able to meet the rule and then some... It will save consumers money, it will help protect public health and it will spark innovation."
Predictably, while environmental groups are welcoming the move, many other TV consumers and those in the TV industry are not so happy about it.
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Sony PlayStation UK video downloads: your questions answered
It's been a long time coming but Sony has finally launched its PlayStation Network video delivery service for Europe, which means France, Germany, Spain and the UK can now access a plethora of movies through their PlayStation 3.
With any new service you are going to want to get to grips with it fairly sharpish so here is TechRadar's all you need to know guide for accessing video downloads through your PS3.
Where do I go to purchase/rent movies on the PS3?
The whole service is accessed through the PlayStation Network under the Video Store section. Here you can search for movies by name, or can browse categories such as 'new releases', 'genres' and 'most popular downloads'.
How do I purchase a movie?
This is done in the same way as downloading a game/additional content from the PlayStation Network. Simply add money to your wallet and away you go?
How many titles are available?
At launch there are 800 titles available to download or rent. These range from new blockbusters about to hit the shelves (Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen) to older titles, such as The Godfather Trilogy.
Is it in HD?
Yes and no. The majority titles are available in HD but for rental only. If you wish to purchase a movie, then for the time-being high-definition content is not available.
Can I watch movies on my PSP?
Again, yes and no. If you purchase or rent a standard-def movie, then you can simply download it on to your PSP to watch on the go. However, if you rent a HD movie then you will not be able to watch it on the PSP as the file is not compatible.
Currently, Sony is not giving users a way to download HD movies to watch on both the PS3 and PSP.
How much will it cost?
This depends on the title. Although Sony is saying from آ£2.49 to rent and آ£6.49 to buy, this will be for back-catalogue titles. If you are looking for newer content, expect this price to rise to around آ£11.99 for purchase.
Also there may well be a mark-up for renting hi-def content. For instance, The Boat That Rocked costs آ£3.49 to rent in SD and آ£4.49 to rent in HD.
Do I have to wait to watch a movie?
No. Although a full download of a film can take up to a few hours, Sony is offering something called progressive downloads so within minutes you can watch the movie you have bought.
How long have I got until my rental runs out?
You will have 14 days to watch a movie, But once you press play, this drops to 48 hours. This is a similar system that iTunes and the like use.
Can I burn my purchased movies to disc?
No. Sony is only allowing purchased movies to be watched via the PS3 or downloaded on to the PSP. You will not be able to archive the movies you have on your PS3 to disc. Instead you will be able to build up a movie collection on your PS3's hard disk, which will be accessed via your XMB.
Is it better than the Xbox movie service?
Microsoft is counteracting the launch of the PS3 video download store with Zune, which allows 1080p streaming of movies instantly. And if you fancy it, you can watch films with your mates and have your avatars on the screen interacting with each other.
In other words, both companies have definitely laid down the gauntlet for watching movies via the web in the home. Let the battle commence!
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Sony struggles with soaring ebook demand
Sony is in the enviable position of struggling to keep up with the pre-orders and soaring demand for its ebook Reader this Christmas holiday season.
The company most recently launched a pink 'Mills and Boon' pocket edition of its popular ebook, which looks set to be one of the biggest Xmas pressie categories this year.
As the latest (and best) version of the device to date – the Sony Reader Daily Edition – becomes available for pre-order in the US this week at a price of $399 – the company is struggling to ensure that everybody that wants a Reader can get one in before Christmas.
Cuts it fine for Xmas
Sony has put the pre-order up on its US SonyStyle website hoping to ship it out to US customers from the 18 December. The Daily Edition features a 7-inch screen and full 3G connectivity for downloading books.
Sony spokesman Kyle Austin said the $399 Daily Edition, which is also ideally designed for newspaper viewing, would be delivered to its customers on a "first come, first serve basis."
"The number of people that signed up ... to be notified of the Daily's availability exceeded our expectations over the last few months and we expect high demand now that it's available."
No word as yet on a UK launch for the Sony Reader Daily Edition, but we can safely say that it is going to be 'some time' later in 2010.
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Sony PlayStation UK video download store launched
Sony officially announced the launch of its PlayStation Network video delivery service for Europe today, bringing 800 movies available to download for watching on the PS3 or PSP.
The line-up of films comes from the likes of 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Starz Media, Universal, and Warner Bros, so big movies like Star Trek, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Angels and Demons are ready and waiting for you to download them.
Movie time
While there are 800 movies today, a spokesperson for Sony explained to TechRadar at the launch of the service last night that content will be added on a weekly basis. We were told that additional movies may not be all new, but they will be films we know.
For the UK, there will be some exclusive content from Optimum Releasing, ContentFilm International and E1 Entertainment UK.
Entertainment gateway
"The launch of the PlayStation Network video delivery service extends our entertainment offering and provides consumers with another way to access their favourite movies, whether at home or on the go," explained Andrew House, President and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
"With the choice of content constantly expanding, including full games, bite-size downloadable 'minis' games, demos and now movies too, the PlayStation Network is the gateway to a world of entertainment."
Movies are available to rent or buy, in standard def and HD (rental only), from آ£2.49 (rental) and آ£6.49 (purchasing).
Go to www.playstation.com for more details.
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PDC 09: Silverlight 4 beta announced
Microsoft seems determined to give Adobe's all-conquering Flash framework a run for its money, with the unveiling at PDC of a Silverlight 4 beta.
Delegates at Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference were treated to a 're-imagining' of Facebook running in Silverlight 4 with almost instant photo slideshows, interactive windows and links to Office documents.
The new software platform will offer improved connections to peripherals such as printers and webcams and microphones - and, like Adobe's AIR, can be used to build applications running outside browsers.
At the speed of Silverlight
The new Silverlight is promised to start up faster than Silverlight 3, and will zip through heavyweight processing tasks twice as fast as its predecessor, according to Microsoft corporate vice president Scott Guthrie. During the demonstration, Guthrie highlighted IIS Smooth Streaming, a function to improve streaming video on an iPhone using Silverlight 4, and even showed Flash content running within Silverlight.
The new Silverlight will also play nicely with Twitter, allow users to edit and publish UGC, drag-and-drop files directly into the software and use HTML controls within the framework. Moving Silverlight out of the browser will enable it to challenge Adobe's AIR platform in the development of standalone desktop apps, where Microsoft especially hopes to lure business customers.
According to Guthrie, Silverlight technology is now deployed on 45 percent of the world's Internet devices, up from a third just a few months ago. Silverlight 4 is expected to be given a full release during the first half of 2010.
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PDC 09: First details of Internet Explorer 9
At the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, Windows President Steven Sinofsky claimed that Internet Explorer 9 will enjoy a serious performance boost, but held back from promising any launch date.
Microsoft has only been working on its next generation web browser for three weeks, said Sinofsky, who admitted that Microsoft has "a lot of work to do" in some areas - particularly speed in rendering JavaScript pages.
According to Microsoft figures, an early build of IE9 already scores four times as highly on the Acid3 benchmark for Web 2.0 applications.
Hare or tortoise?
The jump, from a rating of 8 with Internet Explorer 8 to 32 for Internet Explorer 9, sounds impressive - until you realise that the Firefox 3.6 beta for instance already scores a 92 points out of 100. IE9 scores much closer to other browsers (Chrome, Safari and Opera) on the SunSpider JavaScript test.
Internet Explorer 9 will rely heavily on PC hardware to deliver performance gains, said Sinofsky, thanks to a new rendering engine will move processing to the machine's graphics chip. It will be the first browser to use hardware acceleration to render all kinds of images, videos and text.
Other tweaks will include rounded edges on text boxes and support of HTML 5. With Sinofsky refusing to even hint at a release date, few expect IE 9 to appear significantly earlier than Microsoft's usual two-year browser roll-out - which would see a full release in early 2011.
UPDATE: Microsoft has also blogged on the IE9 development
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