Has Play.com revealed the Apple iPad UK price?
Apple has decided to keep the UK pricing of the iPad under lock and key but that hasn't stopped one third-party retailer from possibly blurting out a price for the company's tablet computer.
Play.com has been listed on Google Products as selling the Apple iPad for the UK price of £499 for the 16GB version and a whopping £699 for the bigger 64GB version.
Dollars and sense
There is no word whether this is official pricing, but even if it is the e-tailer's guess-work (and let's be fair it is only swapping the dollars sign for pounds) it does point to the ballpark that Apple is looking in for pricing.
Just last week, the US found out it is to get the Apple iPad 3 April. Since then there has been no word on UK pricing or release date.
It does look like the US and UK will be getting the 3G version of the iPad simultaneously, however, with the press release indicating that both are to receive them at the end of April.
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Review: HTC Legend
After the success of the HTC Hero, the Taiwanese firm is back again with the first of its duo of Android 2.1 phones, the HTC Legend.
Featuring a full aluminium chassis and high-res OLED screen, as well as the latest version of Android from Google, HTC is clearly looking to jostle its way to the front of the best-selling phone queue with the HTC Legend and Desire.
The HTC Legend features a sumptuous unibody aluminium chassis - taking more than a few visual cues from the MacBook range, and refining the lines of the HTC Hero to produce a sleek and very aesthetically pleasing phone.
Despite being one of the first mobile phone releases of the year, the HTC Legend is likely to end 2010 as one of the best looking devices, with the silver aluminium frame sitting very well in the hand.
However, there is one slight problem with aluminium chassis - if you leave it in your pocket with keys or coins, it scratches up pretty easily. We're not overly looking forward to having to mention this when we return the review unit...
If you're one of those that like to put a phone in a protective pouch, then there's definitely a case (sorry) for doing so with the HTC Legend.
The 3.2-inch screen has been beefed up as well - while it's the same size and resolution (HVGA) as the one used on the HTC Hero, the bezel has been reduced to give the impression of a wider screen.
And the display itself is now an OLED, rather than LCD, screen. This not only gives incredible colour reproduction, but also displays stunning contrast ratio thanks to not needing a backlight (which also helps with the overall thickness of the phone).
After some reports of the Google Nexus One (also produced by HTC) performing poorly in direct sunlight, that's not the case with the HTC Legend.
As long as you don't have the screen brightness turned down to the lowest setting, it's perfectly easy to use the phone even in sunny climes.
The frame and display aren't the only aesthetic improvements either - the overall layout has been upgraded to make this phone stand out to those browsing prospective handsets in shops.
The trackball has been replaced with an optical trackpad, which looks kind of futuristic (and a little Terminator-like - we're glad it doesn't glow red...). This makes HTC Legend look a lot more refined, and also reduces the risk of the trackball failure, which is a common problem.
As reception enthusiasts will know, a metallic unibody design isn't the best for getting mobile signal, which is why HTC has crafted a little slide-out panel to get the battery and SIM card in to the unibody design.
A little rubberised segment sits behind the lip, and using a cute little hinge mechanism, the battery slides nicely into the phone, with the SIM and MicroSD cards following it in with a little click.
While we're loathe to constantly draw a comparison, this kind of attention to design is something we haven't seen from anyone bar Apple - we challenge you to not enjoy slotting the battery in this way rather than wedging it under the battery cover.
Every port on the HTC Legend is designed to add to the overall look of the phone, and this has been achieved well.
The headphone slot is flush to the chassis at the top of the phone, next to the power/lock button, and the phone speaker has been crafted with an appealing grill, which also houses a small LED light that gives notifications of new messages and low battery.
Another bit of good news - the HTC Legend finally comes with a miniUSB connection - bringing it in line with future EU regulations and meaning universal chargers will work with it too. It's the equivalent of using a Nokia charger in the 1990s... everybody had one... we think they grew in drawers.
The right-hand side of the phone is devoid of buttons (we would have liked to see a dedicated camera shutter here) and the lower part of the chassis is taken up with the rubberised section we mentioned earlier.
The left-hand side of the phone holds the up/down buttons, with nothing else in sight - sleek is the only real way to describe it.
The front of the phone is minimal too - the silver and black combo is nice, and the four buttons (Home, Menu, Back and Search) are crafted in shiny black plastic and melt into the chassis.
The optical trackpad (which is clickable, by the way) is the only other element on the front, and again, it still scares us with the Terminator style look to it.
But the main thing to say about the HTC Legend is that this phone sits nicely in the hand, and just looks sublime - we're sure it will be bought by a few people based on the looks alone.
In the box
HTC is as minimal as ever with the bits and pieces it's thrown in the box - there's a phone cable, a converter to turn it into a wall-plug charger and some simple headphones.
We're not fans of the latter, as they're quite basic for headphones - but they do also function as an adequate hands-free kit, which is good to see included in the box.
HTC has been low key in its packaging again, offering the HTC Legend in a small case rather than swathes of cardboard and packaging - we're fans, and not just for environmental reasons.
The Android 2.1 upgrade may have been seen already by our US cousins, but over here in the UK this is the first time we've seen this version of Google's OS.
And in a double hit of Android goodness, we're also getting the first look at HTC's upgraded Sense UI, which offers up a smorgasbord of extra functionality.
The HTC Legend 'only' has a 600MHz processor, but still manages to zip through a huge amount of tasks without any hint of slowdown. Apple, we hope you're reading and taking note.
For those uninitiated in the ways of HTC's Android/Windows Mobile interface, the main thing this offers is a large range of home screens and a large number of widgets to dump on them.
The Sense UI on the HTC Legend offers seven home screens to play with, and when you first turn on the phone a few are already installed - the large clock with location-based weather (worked out from your mobile phone signal) is the first one you'll see.
Exchange email is presented in an easy to read way, with a scrollable list of all your messages, and Friendstream is also plonked on another home screen.
Friendstream is new, as it allows you to log into Flickr, Facebook and Twitter and see all the updates in one long stream (you can guess where the name came from, we guess).
This is a new addition from HTC, and apes the idea from Motorola's MOTOBlur, although with Friendstream it feels a little easier to see all your friends in one place thanks to the customisation options.
'Favourites' is also included by default - this allows you to put your favourite buddies as little icons in a grid and assign an automatic function to them - if they're on Facebook and linked in to their contact profile (more on that later) then their profile picture will also update.
The home screen is more than just detailing which widgets are already present on it though - it's about customisation. Whether you are simply long-pressing on a widget and dragging it into a bin to remove it, or the fact that the screen will get cloudy if the weather is overcast - this UI just works.
We've long been evangelists of HTC's method of laying things out, and this new Sense UI takes things up a notch - HTC has clearly noted the success Apple has had with its products, and followed the same 'form is as important as function' ideology.
Another cool addition to the overlay is HTC Leap - pinch the screen in and all seven home screens will be displayed at once (this can also be achieved by pressing the home button twice).
It's little touches like this that will make those that don't know about Android coo over the phone - and if you want to make waves in terms of mobile sales, attracting those that don't know about your brand is key.
The HTC Legend also has a top notch capacitive screen, as we've mentioned before - the 3.2-inch display wasn't too small, and the capacitive sensitivity is amazing - easily as good as anything out there, if not better. It registers the slightest touch, and performs just how you'd expect a touchscreen to - pivotal when you're trying to impress your Mum with your new phone.
And lest we forget - this is all built on top of Android as well, which already has a pretty good interface as it is.
Elements like being able to pull the notifications tab down from the top of the screen to see message previews or interact with your music is awesome, and the menu is accessed by tapping a small button at the bottom - with applications and icons listed in an easy-to-view grid.
We're sure that this might not suit every mobile phone owner, as some prefer the simplicity of a menu with all the icons in one place - if that's you, then you should probably think about getting an iPhone.
But if you want to play with widgets and be able to customise your experience as much as possible, then Android, and more importantly the HTC Legend, should be your first port of call.
Part of the Android 2.0 upgrade was a stronger focus on social networking within the contacts menu - but HTC has been doing that for months now, and the HTC Legend is no different.
The main thing about the contacts menu with the HTC Legend is that we're seeing an integrated view - it doesn't add in your Twitter friends as well, but the upshot of that is you're not left with loads of contacts in your phonebook.
We would have perhaps preferred to see something like Motorola does with MOTOBlur, where you can choose to pop in your Twitter friends if you want to, but don't have to see all of them - it makes it easier to see their updates that way.
There are five different distinct contacts you can have in the phone book - those from the SIM, Google, on the phone, Exchange and from your Facebook list.
While we appreciate Google asking you to download your contacts from Gmail when you use the phone for the first time, we don't recommend you do unless you've spent some time organising them, as you'll end up with reams of single email address entries with no name.
There is an option to only see those names with phone numbers, but that's only apparent afterwards and the sheer number of entries might confuse some people.
But if you want to make use of the phonebook options from Google and Facebook, then prepare to spend a good amount of time with the phone - you'll need to first of all merge all your phone numbers, names and email addresses together online, and then once those are downloaded to the phone, link them to the relevant Facebook account.
In fairness to HTC, it has spent a long time working out how to make Facebook integration as simple as possible - wherever someone has a phone number on their online profile, and that matches an entry on the phone, the HTC Legend will automatically merge them together.
And after that, it will make accurate suggestions based on email addresses too, so as you go through the phone linking up the profiles, you'll be able to simply press 'Link' to get the suggestions and tie the two together.
Where there is no email address listed, you'll have to do it manually, which takes some time, but when you've sorted out Google and Facebook then the integrated approach really comes to the fore - status updates, emails, text conversations, call history - even your friend's Facebook and Flickr photos are visible from the phonebook entry.
The Facebook link will also update the person's profile picture on the phone based on their online profile - which we mentioned earlier.
The list of friends is for some reason divided into two - we think it's those with emails and without, but it's annoying that we can just see our friends all in one easy-to-see list, alphabetically.
It would take a very long time to list all the features packed into the HTC Legend's phone book - but the Taiwanese firm has made it very, very easy to see everything from one contact in a variety of ways, something that has come from its heritage in Windows Mobile.
Call quality is also good on the HTC Legend - although we're not sure the design of the phone is right for pushing against your ear.
The fact the phone is made from aluminium means it has some fairly sharp edges - if you're ever trying to listen hard to someone, then it can be painful.
The speaker is loud and audible though, with a nice design as mentioned.
Call coverage is pretty good as well - the 3G signal is on a par with most. It's not going to offer you reception in places you've struggled with in the past, but it rarely dropped and we didn't have any instances of randomly dropped calls, which is always a plus.
The HTC Legend also supports smart dialling – bash the virtual numbers as if you were writing in predictive text, and the list of corresponding names comes up.
This feature is on a number of high-end smartphones, and we're surprised that more don't include it - it's actually now irritating when they don't.
In the phone book, we mentioned the sheer amount of options to connect with people - well, that's apparent as well with messaging too.
The HTC Legend offers (deep breath) the chance to interact over Exchange email, Webmail, SMS, MMS, Twitter and Facebook.
Well, less of the latter beyond seeing Facebook status updates, but the rest of it is offered natively within the phone.
We're a little annoyed Facebook messaging isn't offered from the phone itself without connecting to a web portal – it seems like an easy element to integrate, especially when Twitter is there already. The Motorola Dext, INQ Chat and Mini all manage it, so why not here?
Anyway, at least the rest of the messaging options work well – emailing is a dream. Your Google mail is set up when you activate the phone for the first time and you log into your Google account, so that's nice and easy.
And for others, be it Exchange or Webmail, the process is as simple as entering your username or email address and password, and the phone will automatically seek out the setting for you.
Texting is similarly easy – the best way of achieving it seems to be to go to the person's contact details in your phone book, as you can also see the message history with them, or start a new conversation.
Text conversations are threaded on the HTC Legend, which means that you can easily monitor correspondence without needing to flick backwards and forward through the inbox and sent box.
With each message a little icon of yourself and the person comes up with their picture (be it through Facebook or one you've added manually). This is another cool feature that adds to the overall slickness of the HTC Legend.
Twitter is also included thanks to the HTC's Peep - this gives instant access to elements like @replies, direct messages and favourite Tweeters - notifications of mentions and DMs to your account (which you set up when you turn on the phone) also appear in the notification bar.
And we've saved the best until last – the virtual keyboard. We don't know why HTC hasn't put together an Android phone with a physical set of keys to type away on, but with a touchscreen option this good, we don't really need one.
We've told you how good HTC's Android touch keyboard is before – in our opinion it was industry-leading.
But somehow the Taiwanese firm has managed to go one better with the HTC Legend – it's spectacular.
Put it this way – out of the box we managed to type out a whole text message without even spelling a word wrong or having to correct it.
Well, to be more precise – we spelled nearly EVERY word wrong, but no matter how far you deviate from the intended word, the prediction engine on the HTC Legend will put you right.
If you've ever shied away from a touchscreen because you hate texting on it – the HTC Legend is the phone to convert you, such is the power of the touchscreen keyboard.
The web browser is built on the same WebKit base as most other Android phones, but once again HTC has added its own little touches to the system on the HTC Legend to make it a different experience to other phones of its ilk.
The main interface is simple - web pages are presented as expanded options, allowing you to take a gander over the whole site without needing to zoom out to check things out.
Another thing we're pleased to see is the addition of pinch to zoom functionality, meaning expanding text is as easy as you could hope for.
And HTC has also included its own text reflow software in there too - for those that don't know what that means, you can basically keep zooming into text and the HTC Legend will keep resizing the text to make the words fit onto the screen.
This means you're not governed by the phone's choices of what you're supposed to be able to read - great news for those with slight sight deficiencies or the picky among us.
One slight downside - we've let iPhone users play with the HTC Legend (we know, sacrilege) and they've said the text resizing takes longer than on their phone - if this doesn't apply to you, we doubt you'll notice it.
And the speed of the internet browser on the HTC Legend is also definitely industry leading - we tried websites that are notoriously poor to view on the mobile web, and we were able to sprint through them - this phone is seriously adept at browsing the mobile web.
The screen - which as we mentioned is HVGA resolution - still renders web pages well and in good detail, meaning we never put the phone down to hit the full web browser instead on a PC.
Another high-end treat on the HTC Legend: Flash video is included by default, with both in-browser viewing and a full screen option available by double tapping on the screen.
The bad news - the Flash video on the phone is choppy and pretty unwatchable. It's not likely to be a deal-breaker for long, as Flash 10.1 is coming for mobile phones soon to the HTC Legend and this will likely fix the problem.
But at the moment, the Flash video might as well not be there - all it does is slow down websites we're trying to browse.
Other little web elements we like: the Legend will organise your bookmarks by visual thumbnails, which sit on the home screen - making them much easier to browse through.
It will also remember which sites you visit the most as well as grouping your history together nicely - the former makes it easy to add in your fave sites when you keep forgetting to do so when you're actually in them.
Cut and paste is also included by default, and it's easily the match of anything out there on the market today.
You're able to see the text in a little magnification pane, with little pins to drag to select the text you're after exactly. We're not experts in patent law - but this looks mightily similar to Apple's method unveiled last year.
This is a good thing - that system worked, and this one adds in the option to copy the text to a clipboard, search the web for the phrase, or share the site with others via social networking.
Android has always excelled at mobile web browsing - but HTC has just raised the game with the browser on the Legend.
If you're an HTC enthusiast (and we mean you own the phones, not that you've been kicked out of one too many shops for playing with them) then you'll know that the company has never been too strong on photography.
With the HTC Legend, the company has gone some way to remedying that problem, with a 5MP camera with LED flash, supported by a number of neat camera features.
This isn't a rival for Sony Ericsson's Satio or Vivaz - in fact it's not even in the same league.
But it does have some nice touches - for instance, while there's no dedicated camera key (boo) the main Terminator button (this is a phrase that will catch on, you watch) allows you to half press it to auto focus, meaning it functions like a 'proper' shutter button (yay).
The auto focus is pretty good too - the camera is able to focus on any point on the screen you wish, simply by tapping it - the HTC Legend will then automatically take the picture for you, which is a neat touch.
There's no dedicated macro mode for close up shots, but our tests showed that this is likely already integrated into the system, as we found it very easy to take pictures of nearby items.
The other elements, such as being able to use sliders to control colour saturation, white balance and contrast, all show that HTC has upped its game in terms of being able to take a better picture when you're out and about, and while the flash is a little stark, it's certainly an upgrade on the flash-less Hero.
MIXED SCENES: The HTC Legend managed to pick out levels of detail despite mixed lighting conditions
HALO EFFECT: We were surprised at the photo quality when shooting directly into very bright sunshine
DARKER IMAGE: The HTC Legend also handles distant objects without losing too much quality
BRIGHTER SCENES: The Legend is at its best shooting well-lit subjects
CLOSE UP ISSUES: Although the auto focus is good, the noise level increases dramatically with closer objects
FLASH IN THE PAN: The HTC Legend has a bright enough flash, but can't focus well in the darkness
Video recording isn't much to write home about though - but don't think that's a bad thing.
We'd much prefer a brand to spend time making a phone work well with the basic things like calling, texting or browsing the web - 30fps HD recording isn't necessary, and this smooth-ish VGA capture option on the HTC Legend is more than enough to take the video you want to share with your friends (in MP4 or H.263 formats).
The HTC range, and Android too, has never had media at its heart - although there are finally signs that things are starting to get better, and that's certainly true on the HTC Legend.
The music player sits apart from the video gallery, which for some reason is bundled under 'Photos'.
With the HTC Hero, we saw a distinct improvement in the music player - in the HTC Legend that improvement has continued.
We've mentioned before that the basic Android music interface, used on the likes of the LG Intouch Max GW620 (WHAT a snappy title) is just too bog standard - we want more than album, artist and title.
Thankfully, we've got it here: the HTC Legend music player offers up not only a full screen music player, but also the choice of artists, albums, tracks, playlists, genres and even purchased music from online services.
This makes sorting your tunes a much more pleasant experience than before - and the audio experience is also comparable to most other phones on the market as well.
We think Sony Ericsson still leads the way in terms of decent music phones, but there's nothing wrong with the sound on the HTC Legend.
There's no equaliser to play around with sound if you're having trouble with a tune and the speaker's not up to much - but for general use there's very little wrong with the HTC Legend.
The video player is also just fine for its purpose too - nothing over the top to blow your mind, but it performs all its tasks in a Ronseal-esque manner.
We tested a few video codecs on the phone - MP4, AVI and H.264 all worked fine with no judder. We're not sure about DivX, but early signs are that this isn't supported within the native Android player - we're sure the App Market can help out with that though.
Video on the 3.2-inch OLED screen is pretty nice - it's quite apparent this isn't a high-res WVGA screen, which we're becoming used to on high-end smartphones. Video looks fine, but lacks that extra pixel clarity.
The OLED does help matters though - the contrast ratios were lovely and the colours well represented.
But 3.2-inch screen isn't any good for things like watching full length movies - we weren't even that comfortable watching half hour videos.
Whether it's the thinner bezel or something else, we found ourselves pining for something larger - and the phone felt very tiddly in the palm for video.
The main other media elements lay with the FM radio and the YouTube application. The former is only OK - the sensitivity of the antenna (for which you have to connect the headphones) is pretty low, and couldn't find a few mainstream stations.
It also lacked RDS, which means you have to manually add the station names - which is irritating.
The YouTube application is cool though - not only do you have the option to watch videos in high quality over both Wi-Fi and 3G (although the latter is pretty slow) you can also rate, comment and share the video link all from the video itself - another example of the next-generation functionality Android is now offering.
It's difficult to know how to rate the HTC Legend in terms of applications - do we look at it as a standalone device, with a pretty well-stocked Android Market app portal, or do we compare it to the iPhone with its gargantuan App Store?
The thing to note is that while Android Market is around seven times smaller than the App Store, it's growing quickly and also offers more developer freedoms - this means more will start coding for the platform as time goes on.
But this is also about the applications on the HTC Legend already too - and these aren't insubstantial at all.
We've covered the excellent Peep app, but there are others on there from HTC and Google that just rock.
For instance, the version of Google Maps on the HTC Legend is awesome - you get all the best features that the likes of Symbian, Windows Mobile and iPhone users can only dream of.
For instance, you get access to Google Labs, which adds in elements like compass direction, measurements and terrain scaling as well - plus the addition of layers to give you Wikipedia and transport links on the map.
The GPS receiver is so fast on the HTC Legend as well, finding you in a matter of seconds when you're out and about - it even worked near windows too, and the maps loaded really quickly over 3G.
There's no Google Navigation for the UK sadly - but until Google sorts out whatever wranglings are going on behind the scenes, we wouldn't hold our breath for free turn-by-turn navigation on our Android phones.
The other cool application on the phone is the weather app - this is a favourite of HTC CEO Peter Chou, who loves showing off the fact that the weather widget will even cloud up the screen or speckle it with rain depending on the current conditions.
You can add in other cities and locations too, and the cool thing is you also get a four-day forecast as well - making it a really handy too.
There's a desk clock as well, which has a night mode for bedside viewing - without a dock this is a little pointless, but hey - it's a nice touch.
The clock also comes with a stopwatch and countdown timer as well - something so few phones manage to bring.
The Android 2.1 Market portal is slick too - the categories are clear and well defined, and the definition between free and paid-for apps shows the plethora of applications available for the HTC Legend.
Here we come to one of the downsides of the HTC Legend - the battery life isn't up to much.
Our take on smartphones is that they should be charged up every day, and the HTC Legend manages to last that long - but only just in most cases.
Put it this way - we tried to push it as hard as we could to see how long the battery would hold out for.
This meant from fully charged, we activated Bluetooth music playback, browsed the internet constantly, downloaded applications, streamed video, downloaded a 164MB file and played with Google Maps repeatedly to see how long the battery could hold out.
We also pushed the screen to full brightness with no time out, activated push email and set Twitter and Facebook to update as often as possible.
The HTC Legend managed to hold out for eight and a half hours before dying completely - which we suppose is average.
What is weird is that if you turn off the background apps - music, Bluetooth and so on - the HTC Legend still managed to drain completely in nine hours.
Under average use, this do-it-all phone will last a day, but it's certainly not industry-leading - the iPhone is probably just a little bit worse, and that's nowhere near a compliment.
But on the other hand, this is a phone that you want to keep playing with - you buy it based on that fact, and we challenge you to find a phone that you'll want to play with this much with a much longer battery life.
Other features
The HTC Legend comes with a few other neat features that we like - the calendar is brilliant for instance.
It synchronises with both your Google and Exchange calendars as soon as you tell it to, and any upcoming meetings will come up as notifications on the phone - with the alarm for this lowering dramatically in volume when you pick up the phone, recognising that you're probably with company and embarrassed.
Quick Office is also included in the package, giving easy access to Word, Excel and Powerpoint files - however, we couldn't see an option to edit these, so we'd imagine hardcore business users might want to download something a little more powerful.
A PDF viewer is also included in the menu as well, with an easy-to-use interface allowing you to quickly zoom in and out.
The HTC Legend might not have the organisational power of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 for instance, but we'd challenge the average worker not to have all his boxes ticked here.
Perhaps a hot-swappable microSD card would be nice (you have to open the battery cover to get to it, and this turns off the phone) but that's about all we can think of.
The connectivity options on the HTC Legend are the same as on any other Android phone - this means the usual suspects of Wi-Fi, 7.2Mbps HSPDA fast download speeds, Bluetooth and GPS.
Wi-Fi is a little suspect on the Legend - when in direct sight of the router, we still didn't have full signal, and there have been some anecdotal reports of Wi-Fi dropping out at times when moving further away.
Similarly Bluetooth was also pretty poor - listening to music over the A2DP stereo connection using Jabra Halo headphones was a very, very patchy affair.
This meant that audio constantly stopped and stuttered - it was listenable, but only just... we wouldn't recommend the HTC Legend as a Bluetooth headphones device to anyone.
GPS, as we mentioned just now, is pretty good though - it's capable of quickly locating you, even with trees or buildings around.
The a-GPS, used to give your weather location on the home screen, is less effective though - often taking time to refresh where you are, and therefore making the updated weather information hard to come by.
But the 3G signal was good and strong, with files downloading quickly and maintaining a couple of bars throughout long train journeys, which is always a good sign.
The PC Sync options were nice as well - you could either charge the phone, use it as a modem to access the internet, connect it as a mass storage device or use HTC Sync.
Sadly we were unable to back up our HTC Legend using the Sync option – whether it was because the phone hasn't been released to the public yet or something else, but it kept telling us it was disconnected.
The HTC Legend is the Taiwanese firm's latest effort at making a high-end smartphone - the sheer number of features and care taken with the interface should prove that.
We liked
Where do we start? The design is lovely - the unibody chassis is going to win a fair few fans, we bet.
The screen is clear and responsive; the Sense UI overlay adds a huge amount of functionality to the Android OS, and the 600MHz processor whips along.
The web browser is among the fastest out there, the touchscreen keyboard is industry-leading, and the ability to merge contacts and see elements like Facebook photos from your phonebook is superb.
Nearly every single aspect of the HTC Legend was either class-leading or rubbing shoulders with the leaders - it's so clear that a lot of thought has gone into its construction.
We disliked
However, there are a few niggles. We managed to crash the weather widget a couple of times, and the Friendstream application took a while to update at times.
The battery life is pushing right on the limits as well - we're not sure anyone will ever be able to use it up completely in day-to-day use, but it will irritate some people that the meter drains quicker than most.
The screen could be a little bigger, and pack a higher resolution too - but that's very much a subjective opinion, as many won't be upset about that.
Verdict
We had a really, really long think about the mark to give this phone, as it's so good in so many ways that we felt it deserved five stars.
But to give it that would mean recommending it over the iPhone - and while we believe it to be a better phone, it doesn't have the weight of the App Store behind it - and that's going to put a lot of people off.
If you're someone that doesn't really care massively about apps or gets irritated by a day-long battery life, we couldn't recommend this phone more.
And as a standalone device, we get a really strong feeling this is going to be our phone of the year - and if not, 2010 is going to be a really, really good year for smartphones.
The HTC Legend is not quite the phone to persuade the masses Android is finally an adequate iPhone replacement - but it's awfully, awfully close.
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In Depth: For and against DRM in games
The first game containing Ubisoft's massively controversial new digital rights system, which kicks players out of the game if they lose their internet connection for any reason, shipped last week.
Silent Hunter V is just the first of many planned titles to include this 'feature', though a recent revelation that it's already been cracked may throw a spanner in the works. Nonetheless, gamers hate it with righteous passion, while the publisher thinks it's safeguarding PC gaming. So who's right? Well, everyone.
For DRM in games
1. It makes publishers prepared to invest in the PC
Retail PC game sales are declining, bar massive exceptions such as World of Warcraft, Football Manager and The Sims, but there's too much disagreement and self-interest on both sides of the argument to have presented a sole indisputable reason for that.
It might be piracy, or it might be PC gamers' move to digital distribution channels such as Steam and a growing interest in indie games. It's a question that needs an answer badly, but at the same time, it almost doesn't matter.
What matters is that the big publishers look at the number of torrent leeches, blame piracy for the reduced bottom line and act accordingly. If employing silly DRM means they keep on investing in PC gaming rather than giving up on it, maybe it's worth the minor suffering of limited installs and one-off activations. What's unacceptable is when the DRM crosses the line into actively complicating playing the game.
2. It combats day-one piracy
There's piracy and then there's piracy. The bulk of a game's sales often occur in the first week of release. It's critical, to publishers' minds, that the only way to get hold of a game during this all-important period is from a shop (or a digital download service).
If you can snag it on release day without leaving your house, piracy becomes doubly appealing. Even worse - from a publisher point of view - games can be leaked from mastering plants or distributors ahead of release.
Along the same lines is the idiot habit of staggered US and European release dates. Gamers saving money doesn't even come into it then: it's about playing the thing as soon as possible. Stringent DRM, especially when it requires a server-side activation, can delay the inevitable ripping of a game for just long enough to safeguard those vital initial sales.
LESS DRM: 2K Games relaxed the DRM in Bioshock after fan complaint about the installation restrictions
3. Needing the disc in the drive is a thing of the past
In an age of terabyte hard drives and always-on internet connections, having to scrabble around in the plastic filth of your CD collection to find the right game disc whenever you want to play has become increasingly absurd.
It's also something that's very easily cracked with replacement exes available on easily-found sites. These are frequented by paying gamers at least as much, if not more than, piratical gamers, purely to remove the hassle (see also, disabling the hateful barrage of publisher and hardware corp logo videos that load at startup). The point being a disc-check is a ridiculously archaic form of DRM. Whatever else you want to say about Ubisoft's system, at least it's done away with that relic.
4. By making online a requirement, the games evolve
Ubisoft's approach to constant-connection DRM is a big mistake in a lot of ways, most especially because it's insulting and annoying to people who've legitimately bought the games shackled to it.
However, if it had gone about things in a slightly different way, it wouldn't feel like that. Its key error is to employ the internet as handcuffs rather than a spine - a restriction rather than improvement.
We don't grumble about MMOs like World of Warcraft requiring a login, nor do we about digital download systems such as Steam. In this case, Ubi is forcing the internet onto games that aren't intrinsically of the internet- being online adds nothing to Assassin's Creed 2, for instance.
But once we're at a point where games are created with the internet in mind from the very start, we'll reap the benefits. Look at EA's streaming browser version of Tiger Woods, which does away with installation, or the way Valve have just this week turned Portal into a real-time treasure hunt for details on the sequel. Give it time, and DRM might evolve into tiny marvels of rolling new content.
NEW ENDING: Valve's Portal now has a new ending, automatically inserted into the game to tease the upcoming sequel. No one complained about having to login to get that...
1. It prevents sharing and reselling games
Obviously, publishers would rather you didn't pass a game onto a mate when you're done with it, or worse still have the both of you be able to play it from just one disc. However, it's permitted on console - as is the resale market.
A few places will accept PC game trade-ins, but not ones that have been activated. Increasingly, we're also seeing PC games - most recently Mass Effect 2 - that bind major content, masquerading as DLC, to a single online account, rendering themselves close to worthless for trade-in.
Legitimate PC game purchasers are being punished unduly because of a perception that sharing is piracy. Even the good guys get this wrong - Valve's digital distribution Steam may be packed with useful internetty bonuses, but if you want to play a game you've bought on it over LAN with a mate in the same house, you're screwed. Gaming's best experiences are often shared experiences - it's insane to deny that to players.
2. Internet connections are not constant
This is why Ubisoft's latest approach to DRM is not simply draconian, but also contemptuous to its paying customers. Yes, in ten years we'll probably have constant instant connections wherever we go.
Right now, though, we have train tunnels, we have flaky ISPs and routers, we have Wi-Fi-ruining microwaves, we have soldiers and oil rig workers trying to play games whilst miles away from steady broadband, we have people taking their laptops on trips or waiting for broadband to be installed in their new homes…
There are endless situations in which people who've paid for Assassin's Creed 2, Silent Hunter V, The Settlers 7, RUSE et al won't be able to play the game they've laid out hard cash for. DRM will increasingly be about online authentication: this is inevitable. But the world's internet infrastructure simply isn't yet ready for what a constant-connection system demands.
CHANGING TIMES: Two weeks before its official release, Assassin's Creed 2 has had a patch which means you're no longer thrown back to the last checkpoint if you lose your web connection. Is this the first sign of a Ubi climb-down?
3. A torrented copy is not a lost sale
We'll often hear stats like 'x hundred thousand people torrented Modern Warfare 2', and we'll duly gasp and think 'goodness, piracy is killing PC gaming.'
Unfortunately, such figures are hugely misleading, as they're based on a presumption that every torrented copy of the game is one less copy bought from a store. Of course that's not true: most of the people pirating a game wouldn't have ever countenanced buying it in any situation. They're just not interested in the game enough to spend the money.
On the plus side, though, more people playing the game, regardless of circumstances, is more people talking about the game – which may in turn shift more legitimate copies.
BETTER ONLINE: For another game that makes online functionality into its backbone rather than a noose, look to the current Starcraft 2 beta. The new Battle.net multiplayer system turns the game lobby into an info-packed browser/downloader
4. DRM punishes customers, not pirates
This is the rub of it. Pirates will always out, no matter now hard publishers try to copy-protect their games. Indeed, on the day of writing this piece, word was circulating that Ubisoft's controversial new DRM system had been cracked out of Silent Hunter V - just one day after its release.
People who pirate games will find a way to circumvent the restrictions. People who legitimately pay for the games will have to suffer the restrictions. Or turn to piracy to avoid them.
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Xbox 360 to get a different look?
The Xbox 360 may well be in line for a makeover, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The games console has stayed pretty much the same since its launch, a few colour changes aside, but Ballmer has hinted that this may all be about to change.
In a speech on cloud computing, Ballmer noted that "various price points and options" could happen for the Xbox in the future.
"[At the moment] you get exactly the Xboxes that we build for you," explains Ballmer. "We may have more form factors in the future that are designed for various price points and options."
Xbox 360 slim-lined?
Changing the entire look of a console is not usually something Microsoft does. The company decided to keep the original Xbox look before killing it off completely.
Sony, on the other hand, slim-lined the PS2 and gave it a new lease of life – on which means that the console is still around today, complete with new games.
Sony also slim-lined the PS3 recently, adding more hard-drive space and making it a tad cheaper.
Microsoft has continued to amend the Xbox's storage space but not much more.
So, could we see a smaller version of the Xbox? One which radically changes the design? Speculation says yes but history, unfortunately, says no.
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Is a mouse in the way of PS3 motion controller?
A mouse could be enough to prevent Sony from christening its PlayStation motion controller the 'Arc', with reports that a Microsoft peripheral could prove a major hurdle in the naming process.
Although Sony's PlayStation 3 motion wand is coming closer to making its debut, it has yet to be given a name, but has been referred to as both Gem and, more frequently, Arc.
Eagle-eyed technophiles may well have already spotted that Arc is the name used by Microsoft for one of its lifestyle mice, and according to CVG this is causing trouble.
Big deal?
Of course, Sony has not committed to a title, so it's hardly an enormous problem, but the company may be wary that the Arc moniker is becoming more widespread.
PlayStation fans may be slightly more fearful that the problem could lead to them wielding a 'Gem' – which hardly fits with the hardcore's self opinion.
Sony has declined to comment on CVG 's story.
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Panasonic unveils Micro Four Thirds G2 camera
You wait ages for a Micro Four Thirds camera and two come at once. The second release from Panasonic this week, housing the company's Lumix G Micro System, is the DMC-G2.
Following up from the mightily successful G1, the G2 is a camera sporting 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor, the new Venus Engine HD II processor, double Live-View function, AVCHS Lite high definition movie recording, and a sparkly new iA (Intelligent Auto) mode.
The camera's LCD is a 3-inch touchscreen, like its stable mate the G10, and allows the user to release the shutter and use the autofocus with a single touch of the screen.
The LCD also offers a 100 per cent field of view, so exactly what you see is exactly what you shoot.
View finder
The Live View Finder function is another new feature which allows you to see what an image will look like settings-wise, without actually taking the image. This means you can tweak the settings until you get the right look for your image then shoot.
Users can shoot HD footage from the G2 as well, with various shooting codecs available, including AVCHD Lite, HD Motion JPEG, QVGA, VGA and WVGA.
Alongside Intelligent Auto, there are a number of scene modes to shoot in. These include: Portrait, Night Portrait, Scenery, Night Scenery, Close-up and Sunset.
The Panasonic DMC-G2 has a UK release date of June, with price still to be announced.
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Sky's 3D showcase coming to UK shopping centres
Sky is opening its first 3D TV experience at the Westfield shopping centre in West London on Friday – the first of many planned displays to showcase the company's forthcoming technology.
With Sky's 3D channel scheduled to launch in April for pubs, and come to homes by the end of 2010, Sky is keen to show off what consumers should expect from 3D TV.
Following a successful first 3D football match – Arsenal v Manchester United last month – Sky will hope that footage including Burberry's London Fashion Week Show, football, rugby, ballet and tennis will convince people to consider purchasing a 3D Ready television and subscribe to the satellite broadcaster.
"Over the next 12 months Sky expects to have over 100 3D shopping centre demos," explains Sky.
Already equipped
"Sky's existing Sky+HD boxes, which are in 2.1 million UK and Irish homes, are already equipped to receive Sky 3D, so these people will only need to upgrade their TV set," the company adds
"New 3D Ready TVs will be introduced over the coming months and later this year, as they begin to reach people's living rooms Sky 3D will launch with a range of movies, sport, documentaries, entertainment and arts content.
"Sky 3D is compatible with all 3D Ready TVs – both 'active' and 'passive' – coming to the UK and Ireland this year, including all models from Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.
"Every visitor to the stand will have the opportunity to register to win a competition to be one of the first people in the UK kitted out with a 3D TV, Sky+HD box and subscription to Sky's top channel and HD packs, ready for when the service launches."
So if you happen to be near the Westfield Centre and are interested in checking out 3D TV then you can pop in and see if for yourself.
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Review: Panasonic DMP-BD85
Panasonic is a superstar of the Blu-ray world. Year after year, its new players are greeted with the sort of unbridled enthusiasm usually reserved for Tom Cruise's red carpet walkabouts in Leicester Square. The reason for its techno-celebrity is simple: innovation. Profile 1.1, BD-Live, Blu-ray recording – you name it, Panasonic did it first, and over the years no-one has done more to push the format forward.
However, Panasonic's position has been under threat from deck's like LG's brilliant BD390, which offers built-in Wi-Fi, PC streaming, unrivalled digital media support and top-drawer performance at a consumer-friendly price.
Finding itself at the start of 2010 in the rare position of playing catch-up, Panasonic has hit back with the DMP-BD85. Equipped with a killer spec and more of the picture processing goodness that made its predecessors so successful, the BD85 might just be Panasonic's masterpiece – at least until it unleashes the 3D-capable DMP-BDT300 later this year…
Simple design
On the outside, the BD85 is an unremarkable sight. Touch sensitive keys, curves or a gloss black finish? A Panasonic buyer craves not these things, apparently. A blue light is the best you can hope for, but at least build quality is solid.
The outlook is much brighter on the back. Multi-channel analogue outputs offer receiver luddites a chance to enjoy hi-res Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks, and there's an Ethernet port for accessing BD-Live content, which is finally becoming worth bothering with.
There's also a USB input for attaching the BD85's supplied USB dongle – because one of the BD85's big new features is Wi-Fi support, bringing the web into your living room without Ethernet cables cluttering up the place.
Plugged into the back, the chunky dongle is unwieldy and could cause problems in your AV rack, but there's an extension lead if you're worried about that sort of thing.
Wireless connectivity throws up more goodies. The BD85 is DLNA certified and as a result you can pull music and photos from PCs on your home network, and the setup process is slick and hassle-free.
DivX HD playback has been added, too, popping up on the spec sheet alongside MP3 and JPEG. You can play these from USB sticks via the port on the front, which sits next to an SD card slot that accepts higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC cards. But because the BD85 doesn't come with BD Live memory built-in, you'll need to keep a card in the slot for any online activity.
Once running, the deck keeps things simple onscreen, and apart from some unnecessary submenus, it makes navigation a breeze.
But there's a sluggishness about the BD85 that you really shouldn't have to put up with these days. Entering the setup menu not only lost my place in the movie, but i also had to wait for the player to handshake with my receiver and TV again.
Beating heart
Once again, Panasonic's P4HD chipset is the beating heart of the BD85 and, in conjunction with PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, it delivers beautiful images.
With Inglourious Basterds the opening shots of the verdant French countryside are conveyed with such depth and richness that you can almost smell the grass, and after colonel Landa has charmed his way into the house, the fantastic contrast range sheds light on the painstaking detail of the rickety interior.
Elsewhere, the BD85 doesn't put a foot wrong – skin tones are faithful, strong hues blaze from the screen and the chaos of the cinema-set showdown is smoothly tracked. and the way it aces the Silicon Optix HQV tests without so much as a flicker or twitch is bordering on nonchalance.
On the audio side, there's a wealth of sound modes to play with, including Digital Tube sound simulator, which ups the warmth to make music sound like it's being played on a tube amplifier. The effect is pleasant, but I preferred the stereo untampered.
There's more new tech in the shape of an HDMI Jitter Purifier, which enhances the stability of bass performance when piping audio over the digital connection. Let the deck rip with a movie through the analogue outs and the results are equally electrifying – Basterds' brutal denouement is sharp, feisty and oozing with energy from every speaker.
All of which makes the DMP-BD85 a certified triumph. Okay, so it's not the prettiest deck ever designed, nor the fastest, but there's something still very special about this player, particularly when it comes to picture and sound performance.
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Firefox developer outlines plans to 'humanise' the internet
The Mozilla Foundation has outlined its long-term mission for developing the online web experience and user control of the internet over the next century, claiming that Firefox is just the start.
Mozilla Foundation head Mitchell Baker told the Register recently that the open source group's mission was "to build certain qualities into the human experience of the internet" and that while Firefox was "important for the immediate future" Mozilla has "barely started in user control."
According to executive director Mark Surman is leading a Mozilla project called Drumbeat, which uses a new set of independent programs in open-web technologies like HTML 5 "where students' work is rated and scored using a peer-rating system designed to go beyond the standard Microsoft or Cisco certifications."
Humanising technology
Surman outlined Drumbeat's objectives as follows: "Clearly, the goal is to get out to a new circle of people who care about the web already but who don't have a way to participate.
"We don't know what the market will be 100 years from now, but we do know that a dramatic increase in levels of ownership and participation in the web will be critical."
Surman wants to see university courses in HTML 5, Cascading Style Sheets and JavaScript and courses that promote Mozilla's Canvas.
"Hopefully over time that's something that starts to compete with and replace the Cisco academies and Microsoft engineers - more traditional teaching and training. We can use the power and ethics of the web for people to teach each other skills and get jobs," said the Mozilla web guru.
"It's not hard to get tens of thousands [involved] - they are knocking on the door now. And they are going to talk to their friends, neighbours, and colleagues, and that will help people who don't know the difference between Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Chrome," Surman said.
"They are the next layer of people who come in five to 10 years from now - and that's the next stage of the game."
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In Depth: Intel reveals its plans for the PC of 2020
Instead of cracking open your PC to add extra memory, how about plugging it into a docking station that also gives you a faster processor so you can run more demanding applications?
Once PCs switch over to internal optical connections based on silicon photonics instead of the copper wires that run around today's motherboards, "we'll have a new way to design that gets rid of the distance limit," says Sean Koehl, a technology evangelist in Intel Labs.
"You can move the memory. Take a very mobile device like a netbook and imagine a docking station that also gives it a connection to faster processing and more memory." That could help with cooling; your notebook could get more powerful without getting hotter.
Memory on your PC is going to get faster as well, he says. "Memory bandwidth is very important and we're working on 3D stacking; the signals are going a shorter distance, the circuits they're driving are much simpler and we get a clean signal compared to the noisy, distorted signal we have to deal with when we're making the connection across the motherboard today."
Koehl also expects stacking one memory call on top of another to need less power as well as improving the connections between memory chips. Put it all together, suggests Koehl, and you get memory that's ten times more efficient than today's DRAMs.
The future of software
Koehl spends his time thinking about what PCs will do in five to ten years' time to work out what Intel needs to design into chips to run them: "we need to understand the future of software so we understand what hardware to build; for example do we need to add more cache memory?"
Several of the projects he's interested in are about model-based computing. Sometimes that's actual models, as in the research Intel Labs in China is doing to create 3D objects from a series of digital photos; think Microsoft Photosynth running on your own PC, making 3D copies of real objects that you can use in virtual world.
It needs 25-30 photographs from a standard digital camera, rather than special equipment and you don't need to position the camera precisely or give the software details of how far away the camera was from the object; the system calculates all that.
Today it takes a trained 3D artist to make a good model; in the future Koehl suggests it's going to be as easy as writing a blog post.
STEP BY STEP: Take the photos and one day your PC will make the 3D model
The same process could make a realistic avatar of your head that can keep changing expression by tracking your actual face through your webcam. The software combines the 3D model it generates from the photos with generic models of faces (automatically derived from scanning thousands of photos, so the system learns, for instance, that mouths move but noses don't).
GO 3D: In the lab Intel can work out where the camera that took a photo was
Models could also help you drive more safely, or even let your PC drive your car: Intel is working with Neustar in China on a Larrabee-based in-car system that could identify pedestrians and other cars on the road.
"In the long term," hopes Koehl, "it could lead to automated cars that drive themselves safely – or at least pull over safely if you fall asleep at the wheel!"
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Review: Philips 47PFL9664H
Philips' 47PFL9664H is one of the top dogs of the Dutch manufacturer's LCD TV range.
Strip out the Cinema 21:9 and LED Pro models and it's actually the most highly-specced TV it offers, boasting a plethora of picture enhancing tech alongside Wi-Fi, web and media-streaming DLNA capabilities – not to mention the iconic Ambilight rear lighting system.
If you're looking for a smaller set with all the features listed about, check out our review of the 42PFL9664H, the smaller brother of this quite mammoth LCD TV.
Haul the 47in beast out of its box and you'll find it's a solidly built set that's easy on the eye. The narrow frame sports a fetching brushed metal finish and the TV is a slim 50mm in depth – not as achingly skinny as some edge-lit LED models, but very thin all the same – and running down the right-hand side is an array of touch-sensitive controls.
Perhaps as a result of this slimline profile, there are no connections located on either side panel, and everything is clustered at the back, including five HDMI inputs. There are also USB and Ethernet ports, the former for playing back media files and the latter for connecting the 47PFL9664H to your home network – although thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi you don't need to use an actual cable.
Internet on the TV
Philips' NetTV feature allows you to view a variety of pre-picked websites (including YouTube), or alternatively log into a full-on web browser – although the sloth-like pace and need to key in URLs via the remote control means it's not the smoothest experience.
The TV's networking talents also allow you to stream media content via DLNA. So if you have a PC or a Mac running some sort of UPnP client, you can plonk yourself down on the sofa and enjoy videos, photos and music stored on your computer. Would you want to listen to music through your TV's speakers?
Well, the 47PFL9664H comes with a surprisingly good set of them. Despite the TV's thinness, its speakers are capable of belting out a substantial slice of bass, backed up by clear treble.
As for images, the company has brought its full arsenal of enhancement technology to the table here (besides the LED backlighting): Perfect Pixel HD Engine for boosting sharpness and detail while reducing noise; Perfect Natural Motion to remove judder from pictures; and 200Hz Clear LCD to counter motion blur, keeping moving images looking sharp.
It all works together, along with the strong dynamic contrast, to serve up a mightily impressive picture. Black levels are strong, but not at the expense of vibrancy and brightness. Colours are beautifully vivid, with smooth, contour-free gradation from light to dark.
There's a huge amount of detail on show, too, particularly with HD sources, and there's built-in sharpness enhancement if you want to upscale SD material.
Motion is smooth and moving images remain clear (even for fast-paced games), although the effect 200Hz tech creates might not appeal to all viewers – it can make things look too smooth, and introduce an occasional shimmer around a moving object. You can tone down the processing, or turn it off completely, should you wish.
Top notch, top price
The 47PFL9664H's excellent picture performance, fine array of features and stylish, high-end design make it a very impressive LCD TV.
Its price tag will put a lot of people off, but if you're looking for a top-notch largescreen and have the money, then add this one to your list.
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Panasonic unveils touchscreen G10 camera
Panasonic has announced the arrival of the DMC-G10, a camera that uses the company's Micro Four Thirds technology.
The G10 is touted as the first Lumix G Micro System camera that has a touchscreen interface and brings with it 1280 x 720 HD movie recording.
The G10 uses a 12.1MP CMOS sensor and images are processed with the Venus Engine HD II image processing engine.
When it comes to viewing your images, there's a 3.0-inch large 460,000-dot high-resolution LCD which is said to offer up 100 per cent of the field of view and it also has touchscreen capabilities.
The Live View on show shoots at 60fps, so it should be smooth and ISO levels are said to be 'high'.
Dust brothers
To stop dust from entering the sensor, there's a Dust Reduction System on board and for those with 'shaky hand syndrome', an Optical Image Stabiliser is inside too.
The G10 not only shoots HD video but if you want to use intelligent auto while creating your movies, you can now do so. If only Panasonic didn't decide to record on the high-definition Motion JPEG, we would be much happier.
Panasonic has a winner on its hands with the Micro Four Thirds system. The G1 and GF1 are great cameras – if a tad expensive – and the G10 looks to likely to follow this trend.
The Panasonic DMC-G10 has a UK release date of June, with pricing still to be announced.
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York's 'The Shambles' wins UK Street View award
York's 'The Shambles' has won the Google Street View award for being Britain's most picturesque street.
The cobbled street of The Shambles in York, with its quaint and historic buildings that famously nearly touch each other at some points has long been a favourite on the Yorkshire tourist trail.
Stockbridge High Street in Hampshire was voted 'best foodie street' and Milson Street in Bath won 'best fashion street' in the Google poll.
Ian Addyman, who owns a shop on The Shambles, said: "There is a real feeling of community amongst shop owners and I think we all feel privileged to work in such a beautiful place. The shops here are all strikingly different and unique.
"Most people say that if you visit York, then at some point you will walk down The Shambles. It has been the backdrop for many a jigsaw, chocolate box and railway poster and once you visit you will see why."
Bath and Newcastle honoured
The Royal Crescent in Bath and Grey Street in Newcastle came second and third in the most picturesque street poll.
Over 11,000 people voted for their favourites after 51 streets were short-listed.
Google's Ed Parsons said: "The Google Street View Awards are aimed to celebrate the many fantastic streets that Britain has to offer, and the results reveal a diverse cultural landscape of food, fashion and beauty that puts the winning towns firmly on the map."
The winning streets will feature in Google's expanded Street View, with special guides to points of interest and particular retailers.
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Review: Cabasse iO2 5.1 System
In France, speaker brand Cabasse is celebrated for its avant-garde creations, but are we Brits ready for floating tweeters and balls that balance on rare-earth magnets? Let's see...
There's actually a good reason for the spherical design and concentric drive units of Cabasse's iO2 satellite speakers: the single point source audio that it produces provides an uncoloured and direct sound beam that suits home cinema particularly well.
Meanwhile, the powerful magnets mean super-fast and efficient drive units. And, I think you'll agree, the styling is magnifique!
HCC's test sample, from UK distributor Coherent Systems, featured a black pearl finish and light oak stands; traditional pearl speakers and darker wenge wood stands are also available, and you can mix the finishes to suit.
Cabasse has also managed to keep the price of its new iO2 line relatively low – well, low for a company that makes the flagship £108,000-per-pair La Sphere speaker – and with its uniquely flexible stand-, table-, wall- and ceiling-mount options, these curvaceous cabinets could suit almost any size room.
Spatially speaking
Spatially Coherent System (SCS) is the philosophy behind Cabasse's round speakers, and it all started with the legendary La Sphere. The tech has trickled down to the three-way Baltic system, and smaller two-way Eole 2. It's that latter solution that has been further refined and upgraded here in the iO2 package.
The result is a stylish array of five compact two-way satellites, able to deliver a remarkably spacious and punchy sound, with the more sizeable subwoofer providing a beefy low-end. It's a tonal balance that's attacking, rather than warm and mellow, which might not be to everyone's taste, but it's ideal for home cinema.
Throw in the fact that the clever magnetic mounting options allow you to fit the satellites just about anywhere and you have a very flexible proposition. The mounts are clever because they can either sit on a tabletop, or fix to the wall with a single screw. There's even an option from Cabasse for ceiling mounting.
Each plastic base cups the speaker in a strong magnet, so no further attachments need to be made and there's cable management for your speaker wire. The front pair look even more impressive, suspended in a very aerodynamic-looking chunk of wood. This stands on a wide base to avoid any chance of it toppling over.
The secret of their success lies in the spherical form factor and concentric coaxial layout of the drive units. There's no interference between mid and upper frequencies from the single point source, and if you get the positioning right, you can create a soundstage with good off-centre imaging.
Where floorstanding speakers tend to have a very definite sweet spot, the Cabasse sub/sat solution manages a tasty surround effect wherever you are inside the five-speaker array. This is also due to the kinetic characteristics of the satellites; the balls tilt and swivel in their cradles letting you find an angle that best fills the room.
I'm usually a grills-off kind of guy, but I'll make an exception in this case. Apart from wrecking the geometry, the floating tweeter arrangement behind the fabric dome looks incongruous suspended in front of the woofer on a steel rod. Aesthetics aside however, the design works.
With the incisive treble detail perfectly in line with the mid-range, you get a seamless delivery across the range with very little colouration. I found integration with the lower mid-bass and sub frequencies took a little longer to achieve.
As with all sub/sat solutions, it's a case of setting the subwoofer's crossover frequency at the point where the satellites hand over the lower frequencies, and with the iO2 system that's quite high – somewhere between 120Hz-160Hz. It varies with the volume, too, so the best advice is to listen in stereo mode first at your preferred volume while tweaking the frequency and level dials.
Once that's sounding smooth, to the point that you can't detect where the subwoofer is in the room with your eyes closed, then you can perform a 5.1 calibration test, ideally using a sound pressure level (SPL) meter. Cabasse recommends connecting the subwoofer via line level to the right-hand phono input and plugging it into its own mains socket rather than sharing a power block adapter.
The woofer itself, a glossy and downward-firing fellow, is a definite step up from the Santorin 21 supplied in the entry-level Eole 2 package. Again, it stands on its own plinth and is rear-ported, but has a more powerful 250W amplifier inside driving a larger 10in woofer. It reaches lower frequencies than the 21, too, and I found it had no problem driving a large cinema room. The trick here is tuning it to match the feisty satellite speakers.
On demand
With their 93dB sensitivity, the sats produce plenty of volume using a moderately powerful AV receiver like my Marantz SR6003, so these aren't demanding speakers. Starting in stereo mode with some classical music courtesy of Vivaldi, the 2.1 configuration shows how broad and open the iO2s can be – strings soar and percussion hits home with a chesty thump.
The trebly balance means you might want to adjust your tonal controls if you have a room with hardwood floors and a live-sounding acoustic, or you'll end up with your rock music sounding just a little too edgy.
The incisive top-end and punchy subwoofer combo definitely works better with big movie soundtracks, where the floating tweeters and intricate mid-range drivers do a fantastic job of picking out subtle surround effects and fine detail. It also brings clarity to the dialogue channel that is so important in a 5.1 setup.
With the Blu-ray pressing of District 9, for instance, all the lines are clearly delivered, despite the film's hectic documentary style. Meanwhile, the Santorin subwoofer generates plenty of deep-reaching low-end, so you don't miss out on any of the thunderous blasts from the hilariously powerful alien weapons.
On the downside, there is a danger of losing synergy between the upper and lower frequencies if the sub isn't perfectly matched and it's a fine balance.
Exploring hidden depths
The Cabasse iO2 system delivers a coherent soundfield packed with clarity, and is capable of bringing out the detail hidden in movie soundtracks.
The styling and build quality, too, is superb. But the bright, forward nature of its audio means that while I'd recommend this £4,100 setup heartily, you should get an audition first.
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Rumour: Sony set to reveal PS3 Arc's Nunchuk controller
Sony is rumoured to be launching a Nunchuck style add-on to its so-called 'Arc' motion control device for the PS3, with the possibility of a reveal at this week's Games Developer's Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
The latest PlayStation Arc rumours started, as many gaming tech scuttlebutt does, over on GAF, with a forum poster claiming to have seen recent "pictures" of "Wand/Nunchuk".
Big button on the Arc
The user, "ichinisan", says the add-on has an analog stick and X and O buttons and that the L1 and L2 shoulder buttons are underneath the D-Pad.
He also says that the wand contains "one very big button on top"; with Sony's trademark facebuttons of X, O, Triangle and Square added on; and a trigger marked "T".
If it is to be revealed, then we will no doubt hear lots more from Sony's GDC press event on Wednesday.
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Review: Onkyo TX-NR5007
When Onkyo launches a new top-of the-range receiver, you have got to take note. Not only is the brand famed for being the first out with new features, new innovations and new widgets, they are often launched on products at price points well below the competition.
The TX-NR5007 is the company's new flagship receiver; it's got loads of new toys and it's close to half the price of range-topping amps and receivers from the likes of Denon, Pioneer and Yamaha. It's business as usual from Onkyo and we love it.
What isn't usual in the TX-NR5007 is the sound. Gone is Onkyo's house sound that errs on the side of all-action hero with a side-order of bad-ass-bass. No bad thing if all you want to achieve is a home cinema adrenaline ride, of course, and in terms of bang for your buck, Onkyo has been scooping all the Oscars for a while.
But the TX-NR5007 is different. It's a grown-up receiver with neutral balance and spacious presentation, offering a wonderful sense of scale and precision with every movie. From Pixar fairytales to cult classics, this is Onkyo's best all-round performer to date – and that's before you come to its festival of features.
Top of that list is nine channels of amplification. Not only is this easily configurable as a powered multiroom system (eg 5.1 + 2 zones of stereo), it also allows bi-amping or bridging of main channels for better audio performance – and still has enough juice for a powered stereo zone.
However, the real magic of all those power channels is revealed when mated to the Onkyo's excellent Dolby Pro-Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX processing, as this AVR allows full 7.1 plus equal power for height or width channels. In fact, you can even set it up as 5.1 with both height AND width channels – something which I have done and can heartily recommend.
Of course, you lose the rear back channels, and sadly Onkyo has missed a trick on the TX-NR5007 by not offering full 7.1 plus height and width channels (ie 11.1). This could have been achieved with a line level pre-output for a small stereo power amp for those last two channels. One up for Denon's competing AVR 4810, which does just that.
Thankfully, the NR5007 is not just about the number of channels, it's about the number of bits as well – all 32 of them. Its main processing engine is a trio of TI Aureus 32bit DSP chipsets and there is a whole suite of Burr-Brown 196kHz/32bit DACs to turn the post-processed data streams for each channel into precision analogue sound.
The highest of high-tech continues on the video side, with Silicon Optix's Reon-VX engine and the excellent ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) video calibration for every input source.
In terms of processing, Onkyo has all the Dolby and DTS marques covered including Dolby Volume. It also sports the full Audyssey gamut with MultEQ auto set-up and room EQ, DSX, Dynamic Volume and Audyssey Dynamic EQ. The latter is a system for correcting the room EQ relative to the overall volume and the dynamic range of the material in real time. It gives me a headache just thinking about how complex the processing for that must be.
What won't give you a headache is the wonderful GUI, and intuitive ease of use, day-in and day-out. Onkyo has absolutely nailed the TX-NR5007's interface. It's bold, bright, informative, logical and, best of all, offers excellent text descriptions for every feature, function and setting. It's hands down the best GUI on any flagship receiver to date and pretty much consigns its own Yellow Pages-sized instructional manual to the recycling bin.
Phasers on stun
With the new Star Trek Blu-ray yet again called into action (if you don't own this yet, put the mag down and go and buy it), I put the Onkyo through its paces, and found that from the outset, this is a receiver that is supremely surefooted and blessed with a remarkably even balance.
The bass is deep and potent without being overbearing; the mid-range is wide open and richly detailed and the top-end is smooth and sophisticated. This is the sort of balance that will thrill without offending, no matter what the volume, so it seemed only right to give it a handful.
As Kirk (senior) steers his ship into an inevitable head-on collision in the opening sequence, the Onkyo lights up the room with a huge, immersive festival of sound and effects. Opting for 7.1 plus DLP IIz Height, the soundstage reaches intergalactic proportions and the sheer visceral impact will put a smile on any action movie fan's face. That is a true Onkyo character, but what separates the manly TX-NR5007 from the boys lower down the company's range is the subtlety and uncanny level of detailing.
Dialogue is so very natural with no forced sibilance or boom, and small ambient effects like the sheer scale of the hangers is rendered in the audio equivalent of 3D. Whack up the volume as planet Vulcan crumbles and you're rewarded with a sweeping increase in scale and dynamics. Explosions have real edgy impact and the falling rubble as the temple collapses is so believable my dog abandoned the sofa and hid in the bathroom.
With shouted dialogue over action, when the AVR is at full stretch, there is a little smearing and graininess at the very top of the scale. On lesser amps, it would not be as noticeable, but the 5007's normally liquid-honey top-end makes it stand out. It's not unusual for this to be caused by jitter in the HDMI data stream, so I suspect this very minor gripe will be source dependent.
Unlike its peers, Onkyo does not have a proprietary HDMI sync system to eliminate jitter in the connection between source and receiver. It relies instead on a standard phase-locked loop (PLL), which will reduce jitter but not eliminate it. The upshot, I reckon, is more jitter in the transfer than systems with holistic links such as DenonLink, Sony's HATS or Pioneer's PQLS.
Old dog, new tricks
For those who watch more than Blu-rays, the Onkyo has more tricks up its transistors. Using an off-air Sky feed in standard-def shows superb upscaling to 1080p. With good broadcast SD or DVD material, the 5007 puts a sharp edge and depth to the picture that makes most other AVRs look rather soft and two-dimensional.
Use the ISF calibration tools to tailor each input and you will be rewarded with an image that is vibrant and pans smoothly. And then there is the Onkyo's networking abilities which, in keeping with the fabulous user interface, is absolutely plug 'n' play.
It hooked up to my main PC iTunes library, WMV files on the wife's PC, MP3s on a Ethernet DLNA NAS drive, and even an old sound-server that was wirelessly connected to a remote access point on the same network. I'm pretty sure not one other receiver to date has found all those first off without the use of frequent power cycles, multiple reconnections, and very occasionally, a hammer. Even the vTuner web-radio access makes my Denon AVP-A1HD look slow.
Comparing the TX-NR5007 to its nearest rival, Denon's AVR-4810, you can only say that the performance of both is outstanding. So how does the Onkyo manage to be some £600 lighter on the wallet? The answer is more on the outside than the inside.
The Onkyo does not have Wi-Fi or a second remote for another zone like the Denon; its peripherals such as the set-up mic are rather more plasticky, and the overall build quality is not as beefy as one might like.
For instance, the clear plastic speaker terminals may look like WBTs, but they flex alarmingly given nine pairs of heavy speaker cables hanging out of the back.
All this, despite weighing around 6kg more than the AVR-4810. These omissions are far from essential when it comes to first-class home cinema, of course. None take anything away from the Onkyo's cracking performance and incredible flexibility as the beating heart of a home entertainment system.
The TX-NR5007 is potent, polished and powerful, with an amazing features list at a rather attractive price. And just think how many Blu-rays £600 could buy you...
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BBC promises to double click-through to rivals
The proposed web cuts in the recent BBC strategy review, which will involve the closure of around 200 websites, are not just an exercise in cost-cutting according to BBC's Digital Chief, Eric Huggers.
Speaking to the Guardian, Huggers argues that the BBC's mistake was in allowing its web presence to 'sprawl' which, he says, was, "a natural consequence of not being constrained by spectrum."
Huggers added: "We need to be more focused, and do it much better... we need to improve the quality level, and reprioritise on what we do best."
Double click-through to rivals
Huggers has identified around 400 "top-level domain" websites that will be closed or merged by 2012.
"We're not saying we're cutting niche parts," said Huggers. "What we're saying is that we want to focus BBC Online on doing less a lot better. The point about commercial rivals is an important one. We don't define our mission by simply meeting market failure but we do understand we need to leave greater space for others."
The BBC Online's new strategy also aims to double the number of times users click through to rivals' websites to 20m a month.
"Fundamentally, this strategy is not about hoarding traffic or duplicating what else is out there. It is about focusing on our strengths, and making BBC Online what it should be, part of the fabric of a wider web rather than all things to all men.
"I'm not saying we should retreat from digital, it's fundamentally about focusing on why we exist and that should define what we do. And I think we can do this more responsibly, and with less money. I think these proposals will put the service in better shape, which is why I proposed them."
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Virgin Media to get Film4 HD channel first
Virgin Media has announced that Film4 HD will launch first on its platform – with the cable giant also adding E4 HD to its burgeoning lineup of high definition channels.
With the launch of Freeview HD and satellite giant Sky's focus on high definition channels, Virgin Media appears keen to remind people that it is not being left behind.
The launch of Film4 HD will be a major boon to the platform, with the popular free movies channel making its HD debut in this summer.
Track record
Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "Channel 4 has a great track record in delivering innovative and compelling content and we're delighted to bring some of their very best films and most popular programmes to our customers in stunning HD.
"As more and more households become HD-ready, we're lining up content that makes the most of High Definition and are making HD available to all our of customers for no extra fee."
E4 HD and Film4 HD join Virgin Media's other HD channels - C4HD, BBC HD, ESPN HD, FX HD, MTVN HD, National Geographic HD, LIVING HD and the forthcoming Discovery HD and Eurosport HD channels, a total of 11.
Two exclusives
Film4 HD is the second HD channel exclusively available on Virgin Media – joining Living HD. Rival Sky currently offers 37 channels in HD and Freeview HD two, with a third on the way.
Sarah Rose, Head of VoD and Channel Development at, Channel 4, added, "We're really excited to be launching Film4 HD and showcasing some fantastic British films to millions of viewers in High Definition.
"There's a growing appetite for HD and our line up of C4HD, E4HD and, now, Film4HD provides a great choice of HD content for viewers."
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New sunlight-friendly replaceable laptop screens from Pixel Qi
Sun-friendly laptop screen specialist Pixel Qi is set to release its new replaceable notebook screens later this spring.
The company's Mary Lou Jepsen's announced on the Pixel Qi blog that there will be DIY kits for replacing your own laptop screen with the sunlight-friendly Pixel Qi screen.
OLPC experience
"One of the reasons I'm personally committed to doing this goes back to my One Laptop per Child experience and girls in a poor rural part of Nigeria who helped us test the early beta-laptop builds," notes Jepsen.
"In their school they had slanted desks bolted to benches with 4-5 kids per desk/bench combo. When any kid fidgeted or bumped all the laptops would fall on the concrete floors.
"The laptops were designed to be rugged and didn't break usually, but in this early build one of the cables to the touchpad/keyboard was 1mm too short and could become "unseated". This meant the keyboard and the touchpad would no longer work unless something was done.
Easy as changing a lightbulb
She adds that local "Ministers of Education had a tough time believing that these girls could fix the hardware… they would visit – to see it with their own eyes – and start thinking differently about maintenance of hardware. We kept preaching that ownership was the best way to assure maintenance."
So if you are worried about changing your laptop screen, the message from Pixel Qi is – don't be, if 11-year-old Nigerian girls can do it, so can you!
In fact, in Jepsen's own words: "It's only slightly more difficult than changing a lightbulb: it's basically 6 screws, pulling off a bezel, unconnecting the old screen and plugging this one in. That's it. It's a 5 minute operation."
Pixel Qi's screens are set to be a key component in Notion Ink's forthcoming Adam tablet PC/e-reader device, which is gaining a lot of interest as a potential competing device to Apple's iPad.
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Competition: WIN! A Google Nexus One phone
We've teamed up with mobile phone recycling price comparison website SellMyMobile.com to offer one lucky winner an unlocked Google Nexus One.
Slim, stylish and full-featured, the Nexus One is easily one of the best Android models we've used.
There are thousands of apps available, the touchscreen is smooth and fluid, and the 5-megapixel camera is a major upgrade from the early days of washed-out photos and choppy videos. Elements like the responsive touchscreen and Facebook contact imports are a real boon.
SellMyMobile.com is a mobile phone recycling price comparison website covering more UK phone recyclers than any other service in the UK.
An independent and impartial mobile phone recycling price comparison site, SellMyMobile.com works by comparing all of the UK's leading mobile phone buyers when a user types the handset they want to recycle into its search engine. By checking all UK buyers every day, the site is able to provide the most accurate and up-to-date results and prices for recycling UK mobile phones.
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Please note that this competition is only open to UK residents over 18 years of age and the winner's prize will not be sent out until the Nexus One becomes available in the UK.
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Google improves collaborative Microsoft Office functions
Google has bought productivity specialists DocVerse, enabling users to edit Microsoft Office documents collaboratively online.
Google's acquisition of DocVerse should prove to be a godsend to those working on joint projects where the team is using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to collaboratively create and edit their documents online.
Google Apps gets better
Google credited DocVerse's "small, nimble team of talented developers who share [Google's] vision."
The announcement was made via the Google Enterprise blog and via DocVerse's own site.
"Unfortunately, today, individuals are still forced to make a choice between those two worlds," reads the DocVerse post. "Google's acquisition of DocVerse represents a first step to solve these problems."
Google has put new sign-ups to DocVerse on hold for now until the company is "ready to share what's next."
Google Docs already lets users simultaneously edit Google-hosted word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation documents – so it is safe to assume that DocVerse's talent will be put towards improving that service, in addition to improving Google/MS Office functionality and compatibility.
One major step forward for the company in making Google Apps an essential tool for remote office workers and small businesses alike.
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4 in 5 believe internet access is a human right
A new survey of over 27,000 adults in 26 countries shows that the vast majority of people now think internet access should be considered a basic human right.
Nearly four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, according to the new BBC World Service survey. The survey follows recent concerns over the implementation of the UK government's Digital Economy Bill.
Finland and Estonia have already ruled that web access is a human right and the the UN is pushing for universal net access for all.
Right to communicate
"The right to communicate cannot be ignored," said Dr Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
"The internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created."
He said that governments must "regard the internet as basic infrastructure - just like roads, waste and water".
"We have entered the knowledge society and everyone must have access to participate."
Web users in South Korea and Nigeria were adamant that governments should not be involved in regulation of the internet. However, 55 per cent of Brits believe that there IS case for limited government regulation.
EU's Internet Freedom
The EU's recently adopted internet freedom provision states that any actions by member states that may affect citizen's access to the net "must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens" and that EU citizens are entitled to a "fair and impartial procedure" before being cut off.
The biggest concerns expressed by respondents in the BBC World Service survey were dangers of fraud, the ease of access to violent and explicit content and worries over privacy.
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Microsoft shows off seamless PC-Xbox-mobile X-platform game
Microsoft has been demonstrating a single game running across a Windows PC, a Windows phone and an Xbox 360, moving yet another step closer to achieving the 'Live Anywhere' vision that Bill Gates set out at E3 back in 2006.
Microsoft is set to really push the gaming capabilities of its new Windows Phone 7 Series, with Xbox and PC compatibility sure to be a massive selling point.
Cross-platform game development
Microsoft's Eric Rudder, speaking at TechEd Middle East, showed off a game developed in Visual Studio as a singular project with 90 per cent shared code that runs on Windows with a keyboard, a Windows Phone 7 Series phone with accelerometer and touch controls, and on the Xbox 360 with a gamepad.
The simple platform game is a clear indicator of Microsoft's longer term strategy in gaming – cross-platform development made as straightforward as possible for third party developers.
You can stop your gameplay at any point on any of the three devices and pick it up at a later date on any of the devices.
The Windows Phone 7 Series version of the game was shown off on a prototype ASUS device.
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