Hands on: ST5000 and ST5500 camera review
Samsung's assault on the camera market concludes with the ST5500 and ST5000 range. Sporting the biggest OLED screen ever seen on a camera – a humongous 3.7 inches (ST5500 only) – Samsung has gone for both style and flashy functionality with these compacts.
As soon as you pick up the ST5500, there's no denying just how slim and light it is. There's a nice feel to the camera as well which comes from Samsung using a technique known as hydro-forming to create its cameras.
While it uses this in its TV range, the process allows Samsung to injection-mould the chassis creating an awesome design.
Also on board is a lens boasting a design inspired by the mirror-writings of Leonardo da Vinci – bizarre but it means that you don't see the number info of the lens until you turn the camera on.
Alongside some nice ergonomic touches – including a 7-degree slant on the bottom to help with self-shots and a slanted button for ease of use – the best thing about the ST5500 is the OLED screen.
You just want to gaze into the brightness of it for hours on end – it's that good. And things improve when you touch it. A swipe here deletes a photo a title there lets you scroll through pictures.
The ST5500 packs a 14.2-megapixel sensor and 7x optical zoom and also shoots 720p. The ST5000 hasn't got the OLED screen (it has a 3.5-inch LCD) but keeps the same imaging functionality.
Couple this with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and what you have is a fantastic pair of snappers.
Consider us ultra-impressed with Samsung's big-screen camera range. It's great to see a compact camera that looks good and also packs in the functionality. It's like Megan Fox with the brains of Carol Vorderman.
Expect to see the ST5500 and ST5000 land in the UK around March time. Pricing is still to be confirmed
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In pictures: Asus N950 e-reader
Pictures have surfaced of the Asus DR-950 touchscreen e-reader – with the Kindle-killer hoping to lure people in with a 9 inch, 1024x768 screen.
The e-reader has 2-4GB of storage, which equates to significantly more books than you could possibly read on a long-haul flight, and it is apparently a shade under 9mm thick.
It's black and white – but can cope with HTML and has a web browser – a major bonus for those who like a bit of surfing when they can't get into the latest Stephen King novel.
Intriguingly, it also offers text-to-speech and all the connectivity you could shake a wireless stick at.
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FX brings DVD-like extras to TV with True Blood
FXUK is trialling a new way to get people to watch the ad-breaks between its shows, by peppering the time with exclusive interviews and content.
The first show to get these special features will be True Blood: Season Two. Much like the extra content found on a Blu-ray or DVD, FXUK has got hold of some behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with director Alan Ball and a smattering of main cast members.
Seamless broadcast
The extra content will only be available in the first three episodes of the season, but it does seem as if FXUK has found a way to keep restless fingers away from the remote control while the adverts are on.
It's not made clear but we are guessing the extra content won't be at set times, so you'll never quite know when an interview will pop up instead of someone selling you car insurance.
"The aim is to offer a seamless broadcast experience for fans of True Blood so that viewing remains intact throughout the whole airing." says Cecilia Parker, General Manager of FXUK.
True Blood: Season 2 begins on FXUK in February. The channel is available on BSkyB, Virgin Media and Talk Talk.
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Samsung announces Android Galaxy Portal i5700 for the UK
Samsung has decided to launch its next iteration of an Android phone in the UK finally - under the guise of the Samsung Galaxy Portal i5700.
Many readers will recognise this phone as the Spica/Galaxy Lite, which was announced for other European markets in November 2009.
However, for reasons best known to Samsung, the phone was held back from the UK market until now, and will be re-branded as the Portal.
The phone is running the Android 1.5, one of the oldest versions of the OS at the moment, and has a capacitive 3.2-inch HVGA screen.
Like the phone we brought you news of a couple of months back, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack, advanced audio technology in the shape of DNSe 2.0 and an 800MHz processor.
Jet-a-like
In reality, it's similar to the Samsung Jet but with Android instead of the company's proprietary OS, which bodes well given the stellar sales of that phone.
This is the second Android phone from Samsung in the UK, with the original Galaxy i7500 only garnering mixed reviews when it launched last year, with battery issues plaguing the device, so Samsung will be looking to improve on that device quickly with this cheaper effort.
The Galaxy Portal was bizarrely released in the UK on T-Mobile on 12 January and in the shops on the 18 January, but Samsung has decided to wait until today to actually make the announcement.
T-Mobile will have the phone for one month (which means there must be only two and a half weeks of that deal left) starting at آ£18 per month with a free phone on an 18-month contract.
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In Depth: iPhone 4G rumour round-up
Apple doesn't just make tablets, you know. No! It makes phones, too!
We know the iPhone's on an annual upgrade cycle, so a new one is due by the summer - and that means it could be announced as early as next week.
Despite Apple's best efforts details of the next iPhone are beginning to leak, but what's coming and what's just wishful thinking? Let's find out.
The iPhone 4G will have a "magic arse"
Some call it "touch-sensitive casing"; we call it "magic arse" - a much better description, we're sure you'll agree. Either way, the big rumour is that Apple will bring Magic Mouse-style tech to the iPhone, enabling you to use the casing for things such as controlling games without putting your thumbs over the on-screen action.
MOUSE TO PHONE: It's the iPhone 4G! Of course it isn't - it's a Magic Mouse, but the same multi-touch tech could be coming to the iPhone's casing
The iPhone 4G will use Bing as its default search engine
It's no secret that relations between Apple and Google are becoming increasingly frosty, especially now that Google has entered the smartphone market. So will we see Bing as the iPhone's default? BusinessWeek says Apple and Microsoft are certainly talking about it, although "the discussions could still unravel and may not be concluded quickly."
The iPhone 4G will have an RFID antenna
Another rumour based on a real patent: Apple filed a patent showing an integrated RFID antenna, which would enable iPhone users to scan packages and dogs, to use their phones as Oyster cards or to pay for things with a quick swipe. Other patents included haptic feedback, which would enable you to "feel" on-screen keys, and fingerprint identification. Of the three, RFID is generating the most online noise.
The iPhone 4G will have more storage
This one's a no-brainer. We've gone from 8GB to 16GB to 32GB, and only a fool would bet against 64GB as this year's magic number. The flash memory chips certainly exist.
The iPhone 4G will have an OLED screen
A brighter, higher resolution screen was originally rumoured for the iPhone 3GS but didn't make it, so it's a shoo-in for the fourth generation iPhone - not least because rivals such as Google's Nexus One have OLED displays.
The iPhone 4G will have better battery life
OLED delivers better battery life, so this one's very, very likely indeed. Unless the 4G does have a magic, battery-draining touch-sensitive case, that is.
The iPhone 4G will have a removable battery
We really don't see this one happening - Apple is removing removable batteries from its laptops - but that hasn't stopped endless predictions of an iPhone with swappable batteries. We think this one's a wish rather than a reliable prediction.
The iPhone 4G will have an LED flash and more megapixels
This is a common one on wish lists, but while phones do indeed have LED flashes for better low light photography we're not sure it's a deal-breaker: would you really consider a rival phone because it had a flash? A better camera and/or a flash would be nice, certainly, but the rubbish camera in the first few iPhones didn't exactly hurt sales. Nevertheless AppleInsider reckons that Apple has been hoovering up lots of Philips LED flash components - and by "lots" we mean "tens of millions" - while DigiTimes says Apple has also been shopping for 5 megapixel cameras.
The iPhone 4G will support 4G mobile phone networks
This one's been kicking around for a while, but we really don't see it happening. It's hard enough getting networks to deliver decent 3G coverage; 4G is a long way off yet.
BETTER COVERAGE? Will the next iPhone use 4G networks? Here's a clue. The purple areas show 3G coverage. The lime green bits with orange polka dots show 4G coverage
The iPhone 4G will have a front-facing camera
2008 will be the year of videophones! 2009 will be the year of videophones! No! 2010 will be the year of videophones!
A front-facing camera has been rumoured since the very first iPhone, but there's still no sign of it turning up. Apple has certainly patented a front-facing camera for the iPhone, but not for video chat: the patent applications show it acting as an input device. Nevertheless the rumour mill still reckons we'll see a twin-camera iPhone this year.
The iPhone 4G release date is June.
The iPhone 4G release date is May.
So says Challenges.fr, as reported by 9 to 5 Mac.
The iPhone 4G release date is April
So says a number of Korean sources, reports The Register.
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Sony Ericsson shows sales down 40%
Sony Ericsson has published its financial results for Q4 2009, and they don't make happy reading for fans of the Swedish-Japanese alliance.
The headline stats show a terrible year for the firm, with sales down from 24.2 million units shipped in Q4 2008 to 14.6 million in Q4 2009.
Average selling price also declined one Euro per handset, which obviously impacted over the vast numbers shipped.
The company also reported a net loss of €167 million for Q4 2009, which meant a full €836 million loss for 2009.
Corner up ahead?
However, there are signs the company is turning the corner, with Bert Nordberg, President, Sony Ericsson putting faith in the company's upcoming products:
"The refreshed portfolio, coupled with the business transformation programme has started to positively impact our financial results.
"We will continue to focus on returning the company to profitability by establishing Sony Ericsson as the communication entertainment brand based on an exciting portfolio of mid- and high-end products, such as our recently announced Android-based phone, the Xperia X10.
"2010 will still be challenging as the full benefit of cost improvements will not impact results until the second half of the year, however we are confident that our business is on the right track."
However, given that the company is also putting great stead in the likes of the Vivaz, a watered down version of the Satio with HD video recording, you have to hope that this phone won't suffer the same fate as the current flagship model.
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Breaking: Vodafone shifts 100,000th iPhone already
Vodafone has announced it has shifted 100,000 units of the Apple iPhone 3G and 3GS since launch in the UK.
The network said it sold 50,000 units of the Apple device in its first day on sale on 14 January, and in eight days has sold another 50,000.
"The demand from both consumer and business customers has been phenomenal. They want an outstanding phone on an outstanding network and we're delivering that," claimed Vodafone UKCEO Guy Laurence.
Hoping to be the best
O2 didn't release figures when it first launched the iPhone, but has been beset by problems with its network since the launch, something which Vodafone (unsurprisingly) claims won't happen with its customers:
"If people are going to deploy smart devices, and specifically the iPhone, it's really important that you have a network you can trust, a network that is reliable," said Vodafone's enterprise director Peter Kelly at a CBR event in London, according to the New Statesman.
"We continue to rollout and strengthen our network - more than one thousand new sites were rolled out in the UK last year, and we continue to invest tens and hundreds of millions of pounds in our network this year."
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Video: YouTube gets another video makeover
YouTube has announced it has redesigned its video page to be easier on the eye and quicker to use.
The main problem with YouTube's interface is that it sometimes feels cluttered. Google knows this and that is why it has thought 'new year, new look'.
"We're excited to unveil the first major example of our efforts to simplify and streamline the video page to offer the best possible watching experience," said YouTube in a blog.
"To check out this new look all you have to do is opt-in. To revert back to the old video page, use the opt-out link at the top of the new video page.
"We'll be making the opt-in more easily accessible soon, but we wanted to give our most passionate users a chance to experiment with it early."
Feature list
Our pick of the best new features are:
Streamlined look and functionality YouTube has decided to make video the star by making the page look "more subdued, stripped down and simple" – perfect for viewing The Greatest Freakout Ever.
Cleaned up actions bar Actions have now been grouped, so there's not much on show to avert your eye when watching a cat stuck in a laundry basket.
Simplified binary ratings Instead of rating videos out of five you can now simply Like or Don't like a video. Great then for rating the Grange Hill 'Just Say No' song as a Like!
New player sizing and video quality controls You can now view the video on a larger size, and when you chose that size the optimal quality is chosen automatically for you. Perfect for seeing the Clash Of The Titans trailer in HD and in a bigger, non-full-screen size
Search results within the page The search bar of YouTube is now on every page, so there's no need to flit back and fourth. The best thing is the search results will come up and the video will keep playing is small form.
Superb then for searching for 'comedy fall' and finding a genius video of bicycle japes.
To see the new features in action, point your browser to http://youtubeukblog.blogspot.com.
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BBC given go-ahead for Freeview HD copy-protection
The BBC has been granted provisional approval for the BBC to introduce copy protection for content on the Freeview HD platform.
With Freeview HD closing in on a commercial launch, focus has continued on what level of copy protection should be put in.
The BBC believes that having no copy protection provides a barrier for getting content on to a platform, and believes that content makers will not be prepared to go the extra mile for Freeview HD unless they feel their intellectual property is protected.
Essentially the fear is that with the content now available in glorious HD quality, people will not want to go out and buy DVDs and Blu-rays because it will be too easy to record and copy content either to physical media or to hard drives.
Provisonally approved
And Ofcom's decision is that the BBC will provisionally be allowed to compress the content and offer a decompression algorithm to equipment manufacturers.
The proviso given by Ofcom is that the BBC should "restrict the availability of programme listing information for HD TV services only to receivers that implement content management technology".
What that means is that you will be able to record to your DVR but not then copy it to another device unless it supported the same copy protection technology.
Justified objective
"In view of the fuller submission provided by the BBC, Ofcom is currently minded to approve its request for a multiplex licence amendment subject to consultation responses, on the basis that in principle, content management is a justified objective which ensures that the broadest range of HD content is made available to citizens and consumers," said Ofcom's statement.
"Ofcom has considered alternative proposals for implementation put forward by the BBC and is minded to grant approval under the amended licence on the basis that the proposals are the least intrusive means of achieving effective copy management to deliver the benefits of a wider range of content to consumers."
Disagree? Then you should raise your complaint by April 5 when the final consultation ends and the decision is made final.
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China: internet accusations are groundless
China has launched a stinging attack on the US, after Hilary Clinton criticised the country for its apparent censoring of the internet.
Clinton, who is the US Secretary of State, spoke yesterday about China's web habits and called for restrictions it has put on the internet in the country to be lifted.
Respect the facts
China has responded with its Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ma Zhaoxu, calling Clinton's remarks as "information imperialism" and announced that the US should "respect the facts" and cease the "groundless accusations against China".
The response was reported by the Xinhau news agency, with Zhaoxu also commenting: "The US side had criticised China's policies on Internet administration, alluding that China restricts Internet freedom.
"We firmly oppose such words and deeds, which were against the facts and would harm the China-US relations."
After China's spat with Google, Clinton is worried that the country is "walling themselves off from the progress of the next century".
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Intel payment puts AMD figures in the black
AMD has posted a $1.18 billion (آ£727m) profit for the last quarter of 2009 – with Intel's blockbuster payment of $1.25 billion (آ£770) giving the company a huge year-on-year turnaround.
Intel paid out the whopping figure to bring an end to legal action over its tactics in keeping market dominance, and without that money AMD would have dropped back into the red for the quarter.
But even taking that into account, the report represents a huge turnaround year on year, the last quarter of 2008 saw a $1.4 billion loss (آ£863m).
Positive
It's a positive sign for AMD which has done superbly with its DirectX 11 cards – getting to market well ahead of its rival Nvidia, which has yet to start selling its own DX11 wares.
"AMD's quarter marks another milestone in our transformation and underscores our growing momentum," says AMD Chief Executive Dirk Meyer.
"We're pleased with our progress."
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In Depth: How to make your browser super-secure
What started as a hacking attack on Google began to have significant repercussions across the world last week, as French, German and Australian authorities recommended PC users avoid Internet Explorer until a critical security flaw was fixed.
Although a patch has now been issued, these security alerts are less clear about exactly what you should use instead, though, which might leave you with a question: which is the most secure browser? The answer, unfortunately, is none of them. Every browser has its share of security problems, and the worst offenders aren't always who you might think.
A Cenzic report on browser vulnerabilities last year, for instance, found Firefox responsible for 44 per cent, Safari 35 per cent, while IE trailed with only 15 per cent.
No browser can guarantee your security, then, but there are steps you can take to significantly cut your online risks. Here's what you need to know.
Upgrade your browser
The older your browser, the more security holes it's likely to have. If you're not using IE8 (or the latest version of your browser of choice), then upgrade right now for a little extra protection.
Your browsing safety will be compromised if you're still using Windows XP, though, as it won't support all the new security technologies Microsoft have introduced in recent years. If you're thinking about moving to Windows 7, then now would be a great time to do it: you'll be much safer online.
Check your browser settings
Take the time to explore your browser's Preferences dialog, and make sure that it's using the tightest acceptable security settings.
In IE, for example, click Tools > Internet Options > Security, and check the "Enable Protected Mode" option if you see it.
CHECK SETTINGS: Tightening up IE's security settings will block some malware
Adjust the slider to set the Internet zone security level to high, too. This can be very restrictive, but if you find it blocks a favourite site from working, then return to this dialog box, click Trusted Sites > Sites > Add, and it should return to normal.
Add antivirus layers
It's essential to have a regularly-updated antivirus tool. The new Avast Free Antivirus, say, monitors downloads, email attachments, instant messaging traffic, network connections and more to keep your PC safe.
DOWNLOAD THREATFIRE: Adding a behavioural antivirus tool like ThreatFire will ensure you detect and block more online dangers
An extra layer of protection can help, too. ThreatFire monitors your PC for malicious behaviour. It can run alongside most antivirus tools, and may detect malware that they miss.
Extend your browser
Browser plugins and extensions can make a real difference to your security.
For example, McAfee SiteAdvisor rates sites for spyware, spam and scams, displaying warning icons in your search engine links so it's easy to avoid most dangers.
BLOCK CONTENT: NoScript protects you from harm by blocking potentially dangerous content on all untrusted sites
And Firefox can be made significantly safer by having the free NoScript block scripts and other active content, and using Adblock Plus to block annoying ads.
PDF protection
Some add-ons introduce new vulnerabilities, though. Malicious PDFs are regularly used to infect PCs via flaws in Adobe Reader, yet you can protect yourself from many of these with a simple tweak: click Edit > Preferences > JavaScript, and clear the Enable Acrobat JavaScript box.
ACROBAT FIX: Most PDF files have no need to use JavaScript. Turn it off for an instant security boost
You may break some more advanced PDF files - animated slideshows, for instance - but most will work just as before, and you'll have blocked most PDF-related malware.
Standard user
Create a standard user account, rather than an administrator (in Vista, click Control Panel > User Accounts > Add or remove user accounts > Create a new account). Log in using this, if only for browsing, and Windows won't let you install programs or change system settings. You can bypass this by entering an administrator user name and password, but most malware will be unable to infect your PC.
Limit your rights
If a standard user account proves too inconvenient, and you're running XP, then a small Microsoft tool called DropMyRights might help. Use it to create a shortcut to run your browser, say, and DropMyRights will launch the program without any administrative rights. Again, it'll be harder for malware to infect you, but other programs will work as normal with no security hassles.
Update everything
It's vital that Windows is set up to install security patches just as soon they arrive, of course via Windows Update.
The operating system is just the start, though. What about your installed applications, utilities, plug-ins, components like Java? Any unpatched program could be vulnerable to an exploit.
PATCH YOUR APPS: Secunia PSI detected an alarming number of unpatched programs on our test PC
Make sure that any programs capable of going online to check for updates are allowed to do so. Then run Secunia Personal Software Inspector, which quickly scan your system, then detects and warns you about insecure, unpatched applications.
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BlackBerry touchscreen/QWERTY combo outed
RIM looks set to release a touchscreen and QWERTY combo phone into its BlackBerry family soon.
Codenamed Dakota, this new phone would have no trackball - instead, users would type text on the Bold-like QWERTY keyboard, and navigate through the interface with their fingers.
The idea of a BlackBerry that's half touchscreen, half physical keyboard is a pretty nice one - it would solve the riddle RIM's been struggling with since the release of the Storm, where it wants to get involved with touchscreen phones, but its legions of fans have grown up using a keyboard and don't want to switch.
Fluid focus
The new phone is also rumoured to have a liquid lens on the camera, developed by Philips and offers a number of improvements over fixed lenses in manufacturing and performance.
We've yet to hear any more on this device so far, so don't go expecting it to appear on UK shelves in the next few months.
But you have to feel sorry for the poor optical trackpad - merely months after finally usurping the trackball, its being made redundant already.
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BBC readying push into gaming
BBC is readying a big push into gaming, using properties like Dr Who and Top Gear to become a player in a massive growth market.
BBC Worldwide has appointed Robert Nashak, a former EA executive, as Executive Vice President of digital entertainment, the division that will run gaming.
MCV has quotes from BBC Worldwide CEO John Smith he outlines the strategy for the broadcaster.
Gaming of interest
"Gaming has always been an area of particular interest to BBC Worldwide, especially in recent months with the digital entertainment industry developing at such rapid speed," said Smith.
"Robert brings highly relevant knowledge and experience to help us expand our consumer demand led offering. We welcome him on board."
Which of course raises questions like, will there be a Top Gear MMO in which you are handed quests by The Hamster, race the Stig and indulge in school yard bullying of James May.
Or if Dr Who the videogame will be appearing soon.
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WinMo7 release date to be unveiled at MWC?
Microsoft looks set to confirm a release date for the fabled Windows Mobile 7, as well as a new look to the current iteration of the mobile OS.
Word from Digitimes, which quotes 'sources familiar with the matter', says that Microsoft will announce the release date of Windows Mobile 7 at Mobile World Congress, with September the likely month for it to be given to vendors to start working with.
Sadly, this means we probably won't be seeing WinMo 7 phones until 2011, which means another year of the current Windows Mobile 6 platform.
Windows Mobile 6.6
And it seems Microsoft has realised this too - which is why the aforementioned Windows Mobile 6.6 will also be unveiled at the event, which we imagine would be similar to 6.5 but will come with a more finger friendly UI, and probably allow support for capacitive screens as well.
We're going to be scurrying around every section of the floor during the event next month, so keep your eyes peeled for all the information when we get it.
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In Depth: Hands on: Firefox 3.6 review
There's a brand new Firefox in town: Firefox 3.6. It's not a huge update, but it does offer improved performance and stability together with some interesting new features.
One of the most important changes is improved support for HTML5, the next generation of the language in which the web is written.
That enables two particularly eye-catching things: the ability to watch streaming video without installing a plug-in, and support for the HTML5 File API, which means developers can use dragging and dropping between browser and desktop.
PLUG-IN HELP: Firefox will now tell you if plug-ins are out of date, reducing your potential exposure to some security threats.
With video, Mozilla's timing couldn't be better: YouTube and Vimeo have both announced HTML5 video players that dispense with the need for Adobe's Flash. Unfortunately neither player currently works with Firefox 3.6.
That's because of a schism in the HTML5 world, with Mozilla plumping for the open source Ogg Theora codec and other browsers supporting H.264 encoding instead. Google's Chrome supports both, but YouTube doesn't - and that, plus widespread H.264 support elsewhere, means that H.264 already looks like the winner in this particular format war.
What else is new? There's built-in support for Personas, which enables you to choose from tens of thousands of unpleasant browser themes. That's maybe a bit unfair on Windows, where Personas look pretty nifty, but on the Mac they're consistently hideous.
CHANGE YOUR LOOK: Personas - themes - are now built in, enabling you to preview new Personas with a single click. Some are more successful than others
More usefully there's support for the WOFF web font format, which enables print-style typography online. The browser now checks whether your plug-ins are out of date and warns you accordingly, which can help reduce the risk of browser-based exploits. And if you've got a laptop or tablet computer with an accelerometer in it you control the browser by tilting your PC.
If you're paying really close attention you'll also notice that when you open a new tab it appears next to the current one, not to the right of every other open tab. It might be a little change but it makes things much less confusing when you've got tens of tabs open at once.
How does it perform?
Last but not least there's performance, and this is the fastest Firefox yet. The JavaScript engine is faster than in Firefox 3.5. But while it's not as fast as Chrome you'd expect this: Google's various applications make heavy use of JavaScript, and the search giant has tuned its browser accordingly.
It is, however, closer to Chrome's performance than ever before. In the Sunspider benchmarks Firefox did the tests in an average of 1730ms, compared to 930ms for Chrome. That's more than four times faster than IE8, which wheezed through the same benchmarks in 8436ms.
JavaScript performance isn't the only thing that's been tweaked though. Before, every tab was given equal prominence, but now the tab in focus - the one you're currently looking at - gets the lion's share of system resources, which will make it render more quickly.
The browser also supports asynchronous scripts, which means web designers can essentially say "this script isn't that important; render the rest of the page first and then come back to it." Both changes should mean speedier real-world browsing.
Overall, then, this is a worthwhile upgrade. It's not revolutionary, but it delivers a host of improvements in speed, stability and support for emerging standards. It might not be pretty, but it's pretty damn good.
YEP, IT'S CHROME: While YouTube supports HTML5 - shown here - it doesn't support Firefox's chosen format, Ogg Theora
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Review: Acer Aspire 7736G-663G25Mn
The Acer Aspire 7736G-663G25Mn is a large, entry-level multimedia laptop that offers good everyday performance.
Usability is also excellent and, while it isn't the lightest machine, it also impresses on portability – offering 307 minutes of battery life.
The large 17.3-inch screen dominates proceedings. It isn't as sharp as the PC Nextday's LogiQ 89-2411, but colour reproduction is great, making it suited to watching films and editing photos. A shiny Super- TFT screen coating is included, but it suppresses reflections reasonably well.
Build quality is solid and, even though you're unlikely to carry this laptop around much, its durability is impressive. The screen lid features an attractive shiny-blue design, while the mottled-grey palmrest helps the laptop to stand out from the crowd.
The keyboard is firmly mounted into the chassis and there's very little flex evident. Acer's unique keyboard design, whereby the keys stand up independently from the chassis, is in evidence.
While it provides a very fluid typing experience, it is likely that over time dust and dirt will collect under the keys. It may also eventually hinder the typing action, so regular and thorough cleaning will be necessary.
The large, multi-gesture touchpad makes navigating through and around the operating system and your applications very intuitive.
The Acer boasts good performance, courtesy of an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4096MB of memory. You'll have no issues concurrently running office applications, such as word processors and even more resource-intensive applications.
Integrated graphics
Despite being able to run programs such as photo editing software, an integrated graphics card ensures that this laptop isn't suited to resource-intensive 3D work and you'd do better to check out the MSI or Samsung if this is a priority for you.
The 320GB hard drive is fairly standard, and the Tri-Format DVD DL optical drive makes reading and writing DVDs simple.
Networking is suitably top-notch, with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet both present. The inclusion of four USB ports is the most generous here, and there's also VGA and HDMI-out ports for hooking up to analogue and digital external monitors. A modem rounds out the specifications.
We're huge fans of the Acer Aspire 7736G-663G25Mn and, while it isn't the most portable of machines (though its battery life of 307 minutes still impresses), it's a fantastic desktop replacement system.
Related Links
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Amazon MP3 store opens for UK Android users
Amazon's MP3 store for Android mobile phones has finally gone live in the UK, offering DRM-free downloads for your handset.
The new store, which was first mentioned when Android was first shown off in 2008, has been active in the US but has now opened in the UK too, which we brought you news of earlier this week.
The songs cost around 69p per track and mostly between آ£3 and آ£9 per album, which is darn sight cheaper than other outlets on the internet.
Dual outlets
The songs can be downloaded over both Wi-Fi and 3G, but the application doesn't have a dedicated media player, so you'll need to use the standard Android music player if you want to actually hear the tunes.
It seems there are two versions of the Amazon MP3 application: one that works on Android v1.5 (ie the HTC Magic, the Samsung Galaxy and the LG Intouch Max) and one that works with v1.6+, like the Motorola Milestone and the HTC Hero.
We're waiting to find out if there will be anything more coming from Amazon on this front, but we're glad the UK has finally caught up with the US, albeit nearly a year later.
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Review: Toshiba Satellite L450-136
Toshiba's Satellite range targets consumers with strong build quality and usability at affordable prices. The L450-136 offers impressive performance, mobility and software at a price that won't break the bank.
Although the 2.7kg chassis is quite heavy, it weighs marginally less than the Advent Roma 2000. This isn't a machine that you'll want to carry around on a daily basis, but its 193-minute battery life means you can work around the home or on the move when necessary.
The resilient build quality means this is a laptop that will ably take the knocks of family use. With a matt finish on all the plastics used throughout the chassis, scratches are kept to a minimum. The thick lid also provides ample protection for the 15.6-inch Super-TFT screen.
Impressive images
The screen itself provides strong images that match the Lenovo for quality. The 1366 x 768-pixel resolution ensures text appears sharp. Colour and contrast are strong, but black levels appear quite bright in tone, which leads to darker images sometimes appearing washed out.
Graphics performance is quite poor, despite using the same Intel GPU as the Advent Roma 2000 and Lenovo G550. Basic photo and video editing is possible and you can watch DVDs, but performance lags slightly if you try to run HD video or play the latest 3D games.
Home and office performance is equally strong, but inevitably fails to match the dual-core Lenovo. The Intel Celeron processor is a single-core chip, so basic home office software runs smoothly, with only resource-intensive multi-tasking slowing the processor to a crawl.
A real strength of this laptop is its comfortable usability. While the keyboard doesn't fill the width of the chassis, all the keys are large and responsive with a smooth typing action, although they respond quite loudly when typing at speed.
Where this machine stands out is its high-speed connectivity. 802.11n Wi-Fi provides the fastest possible wireless connections, so bear this in mind if you plan to regularly connect to the internet wirelessly. An HDMI port is in place for digital connections to an HDTV.
A VGA port, for use with older monitors and projectors, provides analogue connectivity. Market leading software for basic home office use and internet security is also included.
Although its large size restricts the L450 to the most basic mobility, excellent battery life, strong performance and great connectivity make it an excellent laptop for the home or office.
Just bear in mind the stronger graphics and dual-core power of the Lenovo G550 before buying.
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Weird Tech: Never joke about bombs...
What is the most humourless environment in the entire world right now? We'd say it's a toss-up between Iain Lee's living room on a Wednesday evening and any airport terminal across the globe, with the latter this week seeing a stunning case of extreme job-doing by UK airport security staff.
Silly man Paul Chambers made a joke on Twitter saying he would "blow up" Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport if his flight was delayed, which is admittedly a Category A Stupid offence - but the end result was quite something else.
DROP THE MAGAZINE, LADY: "...then I'm going to spend آ£4.75 on a rubbish baguette" [Image credit: Flickr]
Police arrested him under the terrorism act, confiscated his laptop, computer and iPhone, and he has been banned from the airport for life, all for Tweeting about bombs. How did they know? Will we all soon have to take print-outs of our last six months of Twitter activity with us to airports, to prove we haven't been planning an attack?
Red-handled Screwdriver of Death
Also in the world of over-zealous airport hell this week, a US passenger claimed his Xbox 360 was subjected to an extremely strict pre-flight check by airport officials, resulting in the insides of the console being left outside of the console in a little plastic bag.
SYSTEM ERROR:"Please get the angry American with the moustache to put me back together again"
According to The Consumerist, traveller Adam had been reassured it was safe to check in his Xbox 360 as a piece of hold luggage, only to discover his console was "broken now and they're telling me tough luck" upon his arrival at his destination. That'll teach him to be so protective about his Bayonetta save position.
"Lord protect this touchscreen from blemishes"
"It's the technology that is our daily working tool, and it's a technology we should bless," said London-based vicar the Reverend Canon David Parrott, shortly after giving a blessing to a symbolic pile of gadgets.
PRAISE BE UNTO JOBS: Similar religious scenes are witnessed during most Apple conferences [Image credit: Sang Tan, AP]
According to an AP report in USA Today, parishioners of the City-based church took out their mobile phones as Parrot recited his blessing, thanking today's modern technology for empowering us all to work harder, while on trains and even while in bed with the wife on a Sunday evening.
Thanks, technology. Thanks for allowing my phone to wake me up at 3.35am to inform me about Nigerian lottery wins.
New Lenor warm plastic odour
The only thing we had to worry about going in the washing machine in the olden days was a three shilling note or a stray tissue, leaving you either slightly poorer or with embarrassing white particles all over your favourite pair of grey slacks. But the miniaturisation of technology has led to a whole new era of danger - washed gadgetry.
A survey by the presumably very, very bored people of Credent Technology has found (AKA "guessed") that 5,000 USB drives are put through the washing machines of dry-cleaning companies every year, leading to all sorts of complaints about possible losses of important data.
THE THIRD DEGREES: "Sorry, your laptop was in my skirt pocket."
This could actually get you in proper trouble - the Government's Information Commissioner's Office is introducing fines of up to آ£500,000 for losing people's personal data this year. This means you might find yourself in a very, very serious meeting with people too important to usually talk to you if you leave a memory stick in your trousers and then lose said trousers.
Sorry for leaving you on such a serious and factual note this week. Next week we'll end with a YouTube clip of someone falling off something, OK? Promise.
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Updated: 10 best mobile phones in the world today
TechRadar reveals the 10 best mobile phones available in the world today. This article is updated regularly.
Whichever way you look at it, the biggest technology story of the '00s was the rise to power of the mobile phone.
The mighty HDTV may have something to say about that, but the stats don't lie - nothing attracts google searches or inspires tweets on twitter like a new Apple iPhone or the latest HTC Android handset.
The future
And while the last decade started with the Nokia 3210 and its monophonic ringtone-composing stablemates, the '10s have already begun with news of the much-fabled Google phone – the Nexus One – as well as the promise of a new iPhone and a raft of Android-powered handsets and 3G netbooks.
The phone industry is now so humungous it's worth over $24bn in India alone. Some stats suggest that the global mobile industry will be worth $200bn by 2012 – that's $33 for every human being on the planet.
And what's driving this recession-beating performance? It's the technology, stupid!
So here we have our continually updated list of the 10 best mobile phones of the current crop, in reverse order, ending with what we consider to be the best mobile phone on the planet...
10. Nokia 5530 XpressMusic
While the Nokia N97 and 5800 XpressMusic phones are clambering over each other to gain attention at the more expensive range of the market, the 5530 offers something refreshingly different.
It offers a 2.9-inch touchscreen with a music-orientated interface and all for just آ£130. Probably the best budget touchscreen phone available today.
Read: Nokia 5530 XpressMusic review
If you like the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, you might also like:
| - Nokia 5800 XpressMusic - | - Nokia 5730 XpressMusic - | - Nokia X6 - |
See all Nokia 5730 XpressMusic deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
9. Motorola Milestone
Once a giant in the world of mobile phones, Motorola went quiet for quite a while. It made almost 10,000 people redundant in 2008 and the end looked in sight.
However, the end has not arrived, and Moto came back with a vengeance in 2009, firstly with the much-mooted Motorola DEXT phone and now with the Motorola Milestone (Droid).
We've got no qualms stating that this is our third favourite Android phone behind the HTC Hero and the Google Nexus One.
The slick interface, the QWERTY keyboard, the premium build quality - all these things go into making the Milestone a decent phone.
But it lets itself down at times by lacking any real differentiating features (apart from the cool phone portal) and that lip - well, the less said about it the better now.
Read: Motorola Milestone review
If you like the Motorola Milestone, you might also like:
| ----- Nokia N97 ----- | ---- Motorola DEXT ---- | -- Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 -- |
See all Motorola Milestone deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
8. LG BL40 Chocolate
Probably the most striking of all the phones on display here, the latest LG Chocolate is the world's first full-widescreen 21:9 phone.
The chassis is a combination of metal and glass, with vibrant red plastic at either end, with the top housing the 3.5mm headphone port and the power/lock key.
It's designed from the ground up to be a media phone, and indeed, watching movies is a pleasure, as is navigating large music collections.
Read: LG Chocolate BL40 review
If you like the LG BL40 Chocolate, you might also like:
| -- LG Chocolate BL20 -- | -- Samsung i8910 HD -- | -- Toshiba TG01 -- |
See all LG BL40 Chocolate deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
7. Google Nexus One
You'd have to have been hiding under a rock for the past month or two to not notice Google is making its own phone and it's finally here: the Nexus One.
Manufactured by HTC but sold by Google, the phone has had early adopters and the casual user alike interested in what it will be like, so read on to find out how the UK version fared in our hands.
A lot has been made of the screen, and it's probably a bit overhyped. Yes, at 3.7-inches it's a little large, but it's not the biggest: both the Toshiba TG01 and the HTC HD2 beat it comfortably.
We'll reserve judgement until our full and in-depth review, but we're quietly confident that when people ask 'which phone shall I get?' we'll be pointing a few in the direction of the Nexus One.
Read: Hands on: Google Nexus One review
If you like the Google Nexus One, you might also like:
| ---- HTC Tattoo ---- | ---- Apple iPhone 3GS ---- | ---- HTC Magic ---- |
See all Google Nexus One deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
6. Palm Pre
The Palm Pre was probably the most hyped phone of 2009. Hailed as the saviour of Palm, it initially promised to at least threaten the iPhone at the top of the touchscreen pile.
One thing's for sure, it's more suited for business users because of its slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
In fact, if you peek under the hood, you'll find a quick Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor, 8GB of internal memory, 802.11g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with A2DP stereo.
This is a capable mobile computer that supports multi-tasking, contact sync across multiple web services, and push email that could lead to swift adoption at companies both large and small, filling the void left by the popular Palm Treo from years ago.
In truth though, it's no iPhone-beater. But that's not in any way a criticism, more of a back-handed compliment to Apple in fact, because the Pre is still a seriously nice piece of kit.
Read: Palm Pre review
If you like the Palm Pre, you might also like:
| ------- Palm Pixi ------- | ----- BlackBerry Bold 2 ----- | ----- Nokia E72 ----- |
See all Palm Pre deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
5. Nokia N900
Not necessarily something we agree with, but Nokia is adamant this isn't a phone. Instead, it's saying that it's a small computer/slimmed-down netbook (depending on who you talk to) thanks to the new Maemo 5 operating system (OS), which is based on Linux.
Essentially, it's a unit with a 3G chip in it for voice and data with a similar form factor to a phone, so it's really just semantics what you want to call it.
As mentioned above, the N900 comes with the brand new new Maemo 5 operating system which is designed to offer powerful new options that we haven't seen on Symbian-powered devices before.
While Maemo has been seen on previous internet tablets from Nokia, this release is important as it makes the OS more finger friendly than ever before. It also allows a high level of customisation, a wider web browser and more location based services too.
Read: Nokia N900 review
If you like the Nokia N900, you might also like:
| ------ HTC HD2 ------ | ----- Apple iPhone 3GS ----- | ------ T-Mobile G1 --- |
See all Nokia N900 deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
4. HTC HD2
The HTC HD2's enormous 4.3-inch touchscreen is hugely impressive. And the HD2 is the first Windows Phone to come packing the HTC Sense overlay interface, as well as a capacitive multi-touch screen.
It smashes past the iPhone in terms of raw processing speed and the ability to handle Flash video.
And it dwarfs the Hero with a more responsive screen and its Wi-Fi routing ability too, and is far better than anything Samsung, LG or Nokia have come up with so far.
Read: HTC HD2 review
If you like the HTC HD2, you might also like:
HTC Touch Diamond 2 ----- | ----- HTC Hero ----- | ----- Apple iPhone 3GS ---- |
See all HTC HD2 deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
3. BlackBerry Bold 9700
Featuring an improved processor and latest UI, the Bold 9700 certainly has the specs but can it stop the iPhone and Android onslaught?
Well it's certainly a very good device, building on everything we've come to expect from the Canadian firm.
It's a little bit squished in comparison to the older device, but we don't think that's too much of an issue given the well designed chassis.
The sheer speed of the Bold 2 9700 is to be commended, as it's clearly a big effort from RIM to get that up to speed, and although App World isn't working for us yet thanks (probably) to the T-Mobile, we're sure once that's up and running the Bold 2 9700 will be a very compelling business phone indeed.
Like the HD2, whether it's something the consumer will want/need, we don't know – it depends on the importance of easy to sync web mail we guess, as well as a stylish device to boot.
Read: BlackBerry Bold 9700 review
If you like the BlacKberry Bold 9700, you might also like:
| ----- BlackBerry Storm 2 ---- | ---- HTC HD2 ----- | ----- Palm Pre ---- |
See all HTC HD2 deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
What? What's this? The Apple iPhone in at number 2? That's right, folks – the iPhone has been beaten into second place.
There's no denying the quality of the iPhone, and really it could just as easily have come out on top. Still though, we'll get to that on the next page.
The iPhone 3GS is a stunning handset. It's faster than the iPhone 3G and also has a better camera, so if you're thinking of getting an iPhone for the first time, we reckon opting for the 3GS is a no-brainer, even if the 3G is slightly cheaper.
Read: Apple iPhone 3GS review
If you like the Apple iPhone, you might also like:
| -------- HTC Hero ------- | -------- Palm Pre -------- | ------- HTC HD2 ------- |
See all Apple iPhone 3GS deals:
16GB: All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
32GB: All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
1. HTC Hero
There's a reason why the HTC Hero has received so much praise this year – it's brilliant. End-of-year award ceremonies aplenty are naming the Hero as best gadget, best mobile phone and so on, and rightly so.
It's the most complete Android handset to date, and as such it's the only phone out there that can really claim to compete with the iPhone.
In truth, it's probably not better than the iPhone. But it's certainly no worse either, so we thought it only fair to give it the top spot – not least because of the huge potential that Android is bringing to the table.
The iPhone is no longer the out-and-out best touchscreen consumer phone on the market, and for that we can be grateful because competition brings with it innovation, which for us can only be a good thing.
Read: HTC Hero review
If you like the HTC Hero, you might also like:
| ---- HTC Tattoo ---- | ---- Apple iPhone 3GS ---- | ---- HTC Magic ---- |
See all HTC Hero deals:
All deals | Pay monthly | Pay as you Go | SIM free
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Prolonged gaming blamed for rickets rise
Too many hours spent playing videogames indoors is contributing to a rise in rickets, according to a new study by doctors.
Professor Simon Pearce and Dr Tim Cheetham of Newcastle University have written a paper in the British Medical Journal which warns of the rickets uptake – a disease which sufferers get when deficient in Vitamin D.
The study boils down to the fact that as more people play videogames indoors they don't get enough sunlight and this has meant the hospitals are now having to combat a disease that was last in the papers around the time Queen Victoria was on the throne.
Well, there are 20 new cases in Newcastle each year, which is apparently enough for doctors to be worried.
"Vitamin D levels in parts of the population are precarious," said Pearce about the findings.
"The average worker nowadays is in a call centre, not out in the field. People tend to stay at home rather than going outside to kick a ball around. They stay at home on computer games."
Smell a flower
TechRadar spoke to Tim Ingham, Editor of CVG, who is less than impressed with videogames being singled out as a cause of rickets, explaining to TechRadar: "What a cruel headline to unleash in the same week that Ubisoft's limb-flailing Just Dance becomes the UK's most popular game.
"It sounds like rubbish to me; I've put myself throughsome pretty heavy gaming sessions and the worst I've been left with is aching thumbs and a regretfully empty bag of Haribo.
"That said,it's good to take regular breaks from your PS3; go outside, smell a flower, talk to a girl, that sort of thing. It'll give you a fresh perspective on life. Same applies to miserly, game-hating, ignorant hacks."
So, throw away your poop-sock, go smell a flower but also still rock out on Guitar Hero. Everything in moderation, people.
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In Depth: 'There'll never be a ThinkPad without the red trackpoint nub'
Arimasa Naitoh, Lenovo's Vice-President of Development is affectionately known as the father of the ThinkPad.
He's also the inventor of the ThinkPad's ever-present red trackpoint nub – an input device that tends to polarise opinion - but one he rigorously defends.
When quizzed about it, he's extremely defensive: "Everything I make will have it," he declares. Key to the ThinkPad philosophy is the familiarity newer ThinkPads offer even for users of very old machines.
"We do not want the end user to relearn how to use the PC. They just need to focus on themselves. [We want a] ThinkPad to be transparent and the least stressful to use," Naitoh explains.
Naitoh joined IBM 31 years ago ("even before the PC was born... you can guess how old I am") and began building the team which, in 1987, was tasked with coming up with a portable PC. The result was the last 18 years of ThinkPad releases beginning in 1992.
More recently he has joined the higher ranks at Chinese manufacturer Lenovo, who bought IBM's PC division in 2005. As head of notebook development, he heads up Lenovo's Yamato Development Labs. At a recent presentation he explained to TechRadar some of the design principles behind the latest flagship ThinkPad, the 14-inch touchscreened T400S, which is based on a completely new ThinkPad platform.
Battery life and connectivity are ongoing problems for all laptop manufacturers. "How can we make people more effective?" asks Naitoh. "You [shouldn't] have to think about battery life. When you go to other places you need connectivity."
Naitoh says there have been three generations of ThinkPad, from 1992-99, 200-04 and then on.
He says that there was a stage when more powerful laptops were a secondary consideration. "I am doing [simple things], I don't need any more power." But now? "Absolute performance is required," he explains.
"Cooling technologies are a big challenge for us... performance within size and weight."
The new T400s uses 25 per cent less power than the previous T400 model, while the battery pack weighs 10 per cent less.
The new iteration is also 25 per cent thinner and carries 20 per cent less weight than the previous model, while the motherboard has a 38 per cent smaller footprint.
"In order to make it thin we needed to minimise gaps, but there should not [be potential for] any spot damage to the LCD," says Naitoh. Rubber dampers have been added to the site of the screen for this purpose. "We also have a magnesium cage under the LCD for protection. It's an additional layer."
It combines together with the carbon fibre frame and antennae behind the screen but packs 40 per cent less weight.
Naitoh also talked about the work that went into positioning the wireless antenna correctly, saying that in the previous T400 the antenna needed to be moved to protect it. "That's why in the T400 I moved the antenna to the left," he explains. "But the location of the antenna was not ideal [because of interference]. We reduced the LCD noise with our suppliers and we now have an ideal antenna location."
He adds the new position in the T400s gives 14 per cent better data throughput.
In reference to the move towards widescreen displays in laptops and how Lenovo was responding, Naitoh mentioned "We're moving to 16:9. 14.1-inch is a current form factor for 16:10, so the new 14-inch is 16:9. The industry is already moving [to 16:9] so we think we have to move."
Naitoh said that all Lenovo's notebooks will use the 16:9 format with the possible exception of the X300 ultraportable "which we are still thinking about".
The new ThinkPad also has some other clever design touches, such as the rain gutter and pipes underneath the keyboard, the float-mounted hard drive and the torture tests used to test them. This even goes down to the level of reviewing the kinds of glues and soldering needed to ensure durability and the amount of force needed to dock the notebook (half as much).
"You'll bump your laptop in your bag – that's the kind of thing we need to simulate," Naitoh explains. As for the keyboard, that's a matter of subtle change, but it certainly gives you some insight into just how detailed the design process actually is. "I had not changed the keyboard layout [previously], but I decided to change it now. The Escape and Delete keys are bigger and the Caps Lock has an LED."
Amusingly, Naitoh says that one of the biggest problems with laptop design is thinking about dust, adding that the new system boasts 35 per cent better airflow over the previous model.
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Review: Lenovo G550
While Lenovo is best known for its high-end ThinkPad laptops, it also offers a small range of high-quality entry level machines. The latest is the G550, a powerful, usable and portable system that vastly exceeds all expectations at this low price point.
This machine features a dual-core processor and performance notably betters most rivals around this price. Applications run quickly and multiple tasks can be performed simultaneously without slowing the system down.
Graphics performance is less impressive, but betters the similarly specified Advent Roma 2000 and Toshiba Satellite L450-136. There is ample power for general home use, as well as basic photo and video editing, but don't expect to play the latest games on this machine.
The fantastic 15.6-inch widescreen panel aids entertainment use. Stunning brightness, colour and contrast combine with deep black levels for truly vibrant images. The glossy Super-TFT coating is not overly reflective, making it easy to view in most lighting conditions.
Unlike the Advent and Toshiba, there is no HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV for a larger, high-definition (HD) digital picture. Analogue connectivity is provided by a VGA-out. Three USB ports let you add peripherals, with two on the chassis' left side and one on the right.
The 2.5kg chassis is relatively light and can be comfortably carried on short journeys. The outstanding 293-minute battery life also more than triples the mobility of the Advent and easily beats a lot of other rivals, making the G550 a fantastic travel partner.
The chassis design takes cues from Lenovo's IdeaPad range and resilient matt-black plastic is used throughout. Scratches and scuffs are unlikely to be an issue with this machine and it will be more than tough enough for the whole family to use or for a life on the move.
Excellent usability
Usability is excellent. The wide keyboard proves accurate at all times. The large keys have a slightly spongy typing action, but not enough to hinder use. A full numeric keypad on the board's right-hand side makes it quick and easy to input data.
The capacious 320GB hard drive doubles the capacity of the HP and Toshiba and will hold an entire family's files. This is one of the only laptops that has no card reader, however. Bear this in mind if you plan to upload photos from a digital camera.
With its impressive usability, power and mobility, the G550 ticks nearly all the boxes required of a family laptop. While its graphics performance falls far short of the HP Compaq 6735s, it more than compensates in all other areas, making it extremely easy to recommend.
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Review: HP Compaq 6735s
HP's Compaq range is aimed at corporate workers and combines sturdy build quality with strong usability. While the 6735s provides powerful graphics performance, it unfortunately falls short of its rivals in many other areas.
Rather than use the same integrated Intel graphics card as all the other machines around this price, HP has used a dedicated ATi chip. This more than doubles the power of its rivals and makes it a good choice for photo and video editing and even basic gaming.
Unfortunately, this is where the power ends, as the AMD processor and 2048MB of memory provide poor office performance. Word processing and internet browsing are possible, but the system immediately lags when running multiple applications simultaneously.
Tough chassis
Average mobility is provided by the 188-minute battery life but, as with the other three laptops, the 2.6kg chassis is large enough that you won't want to carry it for long. It is impressively tough, however, and more than resilient enough for regular home and travel use.
The keyboard is equally well made, with large keys and a comfortable typing action. We noticed no flex, even when typing quickly and firmly, and the board is not only responsive but the keys also move quietly at all times. Frequent typists are sure to like what's on offer here.
This machine comes pre-loaded with Windows Vista rather than Windows 7 – Microsoft's latest operating system. Vista is known for its poor quality, so you may want to factor an extra آ£63 into your budget to upgrade to Windows 7.
Although the 15.4-inch screen lacks the true widescreen aspect ratio, quality is impressive. Images are bright and sharp, with vibrant colours. Black levels aren't as deep as we would have liked, however, leading to darker images appearing slightly washed out.
Storage is capable yet unexceptional. The 160GB hard drive will suit basic use, but both the Lenovo and Advent double its capacity.
A 5-in-1 card reader is fitted at the front of the chassis for accessing data from compact flash storage cards. There is no HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV and it is also missing an integrated webcam which are now common at this price.
Software is also disappointingly lacking, with no tools included for home office use or internet security.
Ultimately, this is what flaws the 6735s. While it is well made with a vibrant screen, great graphics and strong usability, unless you really need the strong 3D power, you will get more for your money by choosing one of the other laptops here.
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