Hands on: Acer Timeline X review
After details seeped out elsewhere last week, today saw the official unveiling of the Acer Timeline X. We popped along to see the new models at their launch in central London.
A 12-hour battery life is cited for the Timeline X, though this doesn't apply to the cheaper £599 models – you'll be paying a couple of hundred pounds more for that privilege.
Up to nine different variants will be launched by Acer, employing the Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, while different models also pack AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series graphics up to the HD 5650 with 1GB of onboard memory.
All have LED backlit displays, helped along by Intel display technology that conserves battery power.
These are touted as thin and light laptops. In reality they're not – 24mm is the cited thinnest model, but as a rule the range isn't exactly lightweight, between 1.4Kg and 2.4Kg. 3 to 4GB of RAM is standard, with a minimum of 250GB of storage.
This is the 14-inch model.
The headline models are the 13.3-inch 3820T, 14-inch 4820T and the 15.6-inch 8820T. An 11.6-inch model will also be available (baggsy that one), but Acer representatives admitted that model wouldn't be with us "until Q2" – that's June to the rest of us.
As you'd expect, the different variants of the Timeline X are also well stocked with ports.
In terms of looks, we have to say we were a little disappointed. Acer has tried with a lovely brushed aluminium finish, but when open the systems don't exactly scream beauty.
They do, however, seem to have a fine quality about them. The keyboard is a little spongy, but will only take a little while to get used to, while the trackpad and mouse buttons were pleasant to the touch. Side ports are incorporated well into the chassis, too.
For the record, the lowest power processor in the line is the Core i3 330M, going up to the Core i7 620M. All also have Windows 7 Home Premium and Dolby Home Theater v3 technology.
We also took a look at the larger 15.6-inch variant - that's shown in these images below:
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Review: Nokia E72
The Nokia E71 certainly hit the mark for its target business audience, so it's little surprise that its E72 successor reprises much of what was good about that QWERTY keyboard-packing Symbian S60 smartphone, while updating it with extra power and performance.
The E72 features a sleek business-like design, sporting a BlackBerry-style full QWERTY keyboard across its wide body. Some eye-catching chrome trim complements the classically understated bodywork that's aimed squarely at serious business users.
Smartphone technology may have moved on rapidly since the E71 first wowed us as a business tool, but it seems there's still strong demand for devices like the E72.
This E-series model operates on the non-touchscreen Symbian S60 3rd Edition (v3.2.3) platform, so there's no screen-tapping action here – its 2.36-inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) landscape-oriented TFT display is, in fact, similar to the E71's.
However Nokia has upgraded the processor under the bonnet to a 600MHz ARM processor, making its work-rate that much quicker.
The E72 has also introduced an optical trackpad within the navigation D-pad, so light finger action can initiate movement on the screen.
The camera has been enhanced from the E71's 3.2-megapixel shooter, with a 5-megapixel camera taking care of imaging.
HSDPA connectivity has been boosted to download speeds of up to 10.2Mbps (suitable network capability allowing) and HSUPA upload at up to 2Mbps. Wi-Fi is safely onboard, as is A-GPS satellite navigation which supports Nokia's latest Ovi Maps free turn-by-turn sat-nav software upgrade.
Nokia has beefed up the messaging experience on the E72, providing support for Nokia Messaging, where up to 10 regular email accounts can be handled in a user-friendly desktop-style push email environment.
Nokia's Chat software also provides instant messaging connectivity for multiple services simultaneously. Other software enhancements are dotted throughout, bringing the enterprise user experience up to date.
So does the Nokia E72 still have what it takes do the business?
The refined bodywork of the E72 feels solid and looks a treat. Its dimensions are similar to the Nokia E71 – at 114(h) x 58.3(w) x 10.1(d)mm it's slimline despite its broad keypad-packing requirements. At 128g it's no pocket-sagger either.
The 2.36-inch display isn't particularly spacious by smartphone standards, though it's adequately bright and clear. The landscape format is tuned to the needs of messaging and email displays well on screen (even if a little extra room wouldn't have gone amiss).
The QWERTY keypad has been slightly reconfigured from the earlier E71. The keys still have a pleasingly tactile, rounded feel and are well defined for speedy, accurate typing.
There are a couple more keys available, however, as the space bar has been reduced from four- to two-key width, giving a 39-button keypad.
Above the keyboard, Nokia has consolidated the control panel into a sleek brushed metal-look panel. The keys – including a regular Call/End and softkey configuration – are again responsive and the design well judged for handling.
As has become standard practice on E-series models, the E72 also has four one-touch physical buttons set up for certain applications and tasks.
The icon-labelled keys can be user-defined if you prefer, but out of the box they're set up for Home, Contacts, Calendar and Email.
A short press will take you to the assigned feature, although a longer press can activate additional common functions – a long press of the Home key, for example, displays open applications, while a press of the Contacts key creates a new contact.
Similarly, a long press of the Calendar button initiates a new calendar entry and the Email key fires up a new email.
What's new on the panel is the optical pad that's built into the navigation D-pad. You can use the D-pad in the normal way, but the navigation key is designed to make it quicker and easier to navigate web pages in the browser or scroll through lists.
It acts as a trackpad, small touches and the speed at which you move your finger are reflected in the speed of on-screen action.
In practice, the finger room isn't ideal for subtle tracking, particularly if you have larger fingers. It takes a little getting used to if you want to maximise its potential.
It's generally okay, but for small movements it's often easier just to press the ridged D-pad surround, as we found that sometimes we could overshoot with the trackpad – something that can prove tiresome in some instances where you slip and select the wrong option.
Elsewhere around the bodywork, the E72 has a 3.5mm earphone socket on top that allows standard headphones to be plugged in – a boon if you want to get the best audio quality possible when listening to the music player.
A thin-pin Nokia charger is included in-box, although there's a microUSB port that can also take care of powering up, if necessary.
Next to this is a hot-swappable MicroSD card slot; Nokia includes a 4GB MicroSD card in-box, with cards up to 32GB supported. This supplements its rather paltry 250MB of onboard storage.
Round the back the chrome battery cover is smart and shiny. The camera is perched above it, protruding slightly with an LED flash partnering the lens.
The Nokia S60 3rd Edition Service Pack 2 user interface is familiar stuff for Nokia smartphones, in this instance configured for the landscape format of the display.
The icon-based menu system is, of course, not as slick as the leading touchscreen user interfaces that have overtaken S60 but will be recognisable for most Nokia users.
It can be long-winded to locate and use some options, taking numerous clicks to find stuff like the navigation key or notification light options or certain settings.
However, it's generally straightforward enough to manage in most places, and you can click from page to page rapidly.
The home screen setup follows the E-Series convention by offering two alternative home screen views you can switch easily between – one marked as 'Business', the other as 'Personal' (though these labels can be changed).
Effectively, this allows users to set up their phone to have either work or downtime home screen shortcuts, features and information displayed, depending on when the user is operating the device.
For example, in Business mode, you may want calendar, notes and work email shown, whereas in personal home mode you may prefer music or other media apps to be displayed.
Either home screen is customisable; six shortcut icons ranged towards the top of the display can be changed in the menus to pretty much any function or app the phone is capable of using, or set up to access any one of the browser's bookmarks.
Additional status information and access panels down the screen – such as Wi-Fi, email, instant messaging, calendar and so on – can be customised too.
Transitions between menus are fairly prompt, and the E72 can support multiple open applications without appearing ponderous. It's worth checking occasionally via the Home button though and closing down unused apps to optimise the performance.
Any business-orientated phone has got to get the basics of voice calling right, and the Nokia E72 achieves a first rate performance on this score.
We found it reassuringly reliable in our tests, with excellent call clarity and audio delivery. Volume in the earpiece was sufficiently loud too, as was the ringer.
Tapping in new numbers was quick and easy; the number buttons are highlighted on the central part of the keyboard, so are swift to locate, even in low-light situations.
In standby mode, pressing the keys automatically brings up a number rather than the letter, so there's no fiddly button holding required if you're entering a new phone number.
The phonebook offers a number of options to set up details for contacts stored on the phone. As well as the usual personal and professional details, you can assign a location for the contact using the Maps function.
VoIP is supported on the E72 too, with a Vyke Mobile download offered in the service menu set-up menu.
Another useful calling feature is the facility to mute incoming call alerts simply by turning over the phone, a feature also found on Samsung phones like the Genio Slide. This option also works for sending alarms to snooze.
Nokia E72: Messaging
With its QWERTY keyboard, messaging is naturally high on the E72's priorities. As mentioned earlier, the QWERTY keypad is well crafted for fast messaging.
Email is well catered for, with an inclusive subscription to the Nokia Messaging service enabling users to manage up to 10 email accounts with an easy-to-operate and intuitive desktop-style email interface.
This provides familiar drop-down menu options for managing email in folders and searching for messages.
The set-up procedure is a breeze. The Nokia Messaging application has presets for several popular web-based email services, including Yahoo Mail, Google Mail, Hotmail, BT Internet and Nokia's own Ovi Mail service.
Simply tapping in your account address and password is sufficient to set up the service for push email. And if you have other accounts with your internet service provider or other web-based mail service, the E72 can automatically set that up in a similarly easy way.
In addition, users can set up the phone to be used with corporate email, with Mail for Exchange and Lotus Notes Traveler support within the email configuration options.
The Nokia Messaging email set-up naturally handles attachments, with Quickoffice software onboard providing document viewing and editing.
The email look and feel is a cut above most non-touchscreen devices and delivers a decent user experience.
The E72 supports Nokia's Chat instant messaging application enabling users to simultaneously run IM sessions across different services in one application.
The Chat app allows you to sign on to Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and Ovi, with updates on the home screen, tabs to switch between services within the Chat application, and detailed options to manage accounts.
All neatly done and very user-friendly to negotiate.
Regular text messaging works comfortably and conventionally for an S60 device. It's a breeze to use, and adding extra files to convert texts to MMS messages is suitably hassle-free.
The keyboard is cleanly laid out, with the numeric keys arranged in the central part of the pad, and it doesn't feel cluttered.
As well as the usual shift, symbol and control buttons, there are useful one-touch keys that, for example, switch Bluetooth on or off and which also engage the LED flash on the back panel as a flashlight.
It really is a pleasure to use, with a fast action on the rounded keys making for swift and true text inputting.
Wi-Fi and HSPA connectivity provide high-speed data connectivity options when browsing at the home, office or when you're out and about.
The E72's browser is a fairly standard issue Nokia S60 affair, so you get none of the whizzy user interface tricks enjoyed on touchscreen smartphones such as the iPhone.
Flash Lite is supported, and pages render relatively promptly in mobile coverage and impressively quickly when connected to Wi-Fi.
The phone can utilise some keyboard-activated shortcut options, so you can zoom, bookmark, reload and so on with quick key presses.
However, the S60 browser user interface, with press-to-browse lists of options and histories, feels dated compared to top touchscreen smartphones and even some touch-operated feature phone browsers.
The optical navigation trackpad works effectively enough on webpages, although again, sometimes it's just as easy clicking the D-pad rim for precision aiming and firing at links.
Nokia has geared up the E72 for a spot of social networking too, with apps for Facebook, MySpace and YouTube pre-loaded which direct users to the respective online mobile sites.
With support too for Nokia's Ovi Files online service, the E72 can be used to view, download and send files that are stored on your home computer.
The Nokia E72 has a more powerful camera setup than its Nokia E71 predecessor, with a 5MP shooter on the back, equipped with an LED flash. There's no sliding cover gadgetry on this model, however – it rather juts out of the back.
A secondary video-calling camera sits inconspicuously on the front above the display, for anyone who wants a bit of face-to-face mobile chat.
Unusually for this grade of cameraphone there's no dedicated camera button on the side. The landscape oriented-screen is a probable reason, as most people will want to shoot in the same orientation as they hold the phone.
The optical navigation key takes shots once the camera has been booted up. It takes around four seconds from a softkey press to be ready for snapping action, which is a touch leisurely for our liking, but no deal-breaker in itself.
The E72 uses a familiar interface to other recent non-touch S60 phones, with a column of scrollable settings icons on the right of the viewfinder screen, and large autofocus frame in the middle.
Getting the autofocus system to lock onto exactly what you want is tricky using the navigation key trackpad.
It requires much more subtle handling than regular two-step autofocus (frame then snap) button pressing cameras. We found it hit and miss sometimes, particularly with our less than sensitive fingertip prodding, and you can end up taking simple point and shoot shots rather than nicely framed images.
The results from the camera can be pleasing, though the trickiness in controlling the autofocus can be frustrating for those used to more dependable Nokia cameraphones.
Nevertheless, colour rendition is rich and vivid, and detail is quite well handled for this class of device. Auto exposure control is dealt with competently too.
However, the flash is very limited, and you need to be close to get illumination – it's not particularly powerful and isn't a patch on the better xenon flashes some high-end cameraphones pack.
Overall, the E72 is capable of producing decent results, though it has its foibles that don't aid consistently satisfactory autofocus results.
A familiar set of camera settings options is available. These include a variety of scene modes for varying lighting and shooting conditions, with a close-up mode for macro shooting, plus landscape, portrait, night mode and suchlike.
White balance adjustments are available too, plus timer and multi-shot settings, and flash on/off/auto and red-eye reduction mode.
There's a reasonable panorama setting too that uses a sensor to help you stitch shots together for one continuous image.
Post shooting, images can be uploaded to a selection of image sharing online services, including Ovi, Vox and Flickr, and there are some editing tools for tweaking shots before posting, with effects and text options too.
SUNLIGHT: The five-megapixel camera on the Nokia E72 is capable of producing rich, vibrantly coloured images with a decent amount of detail
MIXED OUTDOORS: The camera is able to produce a good balance in tones and handle variations in light in an image pretty well
DETAIL: The autofocus system enables users to pick out details in subjects for crisper shots. Colours here are well defined with a nice balance and good contrast
AUTOFOCUS: Although the camera is capable of capturing reasonably good images, its autofocus system suffers from the limited control of focusing offered by the Navi key
LIGHT AND DARK: The camera can handle exposure well for light and dark portions of an image, with no impact on colour fidelity
SHADOW: A shot taken in shadow retains decent amounts of detail in the foreground while the strongly lit background isn't burnt
MOVING SUBJECT: The camera's auto-metering system does a decent job at capturing moving subjects when lighting conditions are favourable, though in poorer light sports mode can help with exposure
LANDSCAPE: The E72 can take reasonable long-range landscape shots too
FOCUS: The autofocus system does enable you to take interesting images by adjusting the element in focus, though it can be fiddly to get it right first time
FLASH: The E72's flash offers some illumination in dark conditions, but has limited effect and only at short range
Video capture performance is middle of the road on the E72; it can shoot at up to VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels) at 15 frames a second.
Although footage can look adequately bright and may be sufficient for casual online action, quality is limited and there is some slight hesitancy to playback.
Video playback is okay on the QVGA screen, and is smooth and bright, but the size and resolution of the screen limit the impact of video watching on this device.
As well as the media player, the E72 has the usual Nokia smartphone RealPlayer application onboard. Video file formats supported include MP4, AVC/H.264,WMV, RV, Flash Video and H.263/3GP.
Video clips can be shared online too, and the phone has Nokia's Video Centre application onboard for streaming and downloading content from the Ovi Store (some free, others paid for).
Although the E72 is geared up for serious business users, it's still capable of delivering a surprisingly powerful audio performance. The music player software is, again, standard issue S60 kit, so the user interface is functional rather than anything more elaborate.
Tracks are categorised in basic music player fashion, and playback is controlled in the usual way via the D-pad, with cover art presented on the screen if available. No surprises there, then.
As we mentioned, a 4GB MicroSD card is included in-box, providing a decent amount of storage to be getting on with.
Nokia supplies the E72 with a headset that present quite a lively soundscape with decent mid- and high-range presentation and solid bass. It's loud too – the buds come with optional silica surrounds for a snug noise-diminishing fit.
Usefully, the E72 has a 3.5mm standard headphone jack on the top, so any decent set of headphones can be whacked in for a further uplift in sound quality.
The loudspeaker is reasonable too for playback. All in all, not bad tune-playing for a business phone.
Should you wish to buy tunes online over the air, the Nokia E72 supports Nokia's Music Store service.
A separate Music Search function offers the option of hunting through music files using voice recognition to find a track, artist, album or playlist.
It worked surprisingly well for this sort of software, even if it wasn't always 100 per cent accurate.
An FM radio function is also built into the E72, playable with headphones attached as an antenna. Usefully it can download frequencies and details of local radio stations over the air as part of the regular set-up procedure. Alternatively, you can use auto or manual tuning if you prefer.
It's simple to set up and operate, and the sound quality is perfectly acceptable through the ear-gear supplied.
Another crucial factor for any business phone is battery staying power, and we were very impressed by the E72 on this score.
Despite its slimline profile, the Nokia E72 packs a hefty 1500mAh battery that Nokia estimates can deliver almost 6 hours of talktime or 576 hours of standby on 3G networks (in GSM-only coverage areas, the figures are 12.5 hours' talktime or 492 hours' standby).
We frequently managed a comfortable three days of normal usage before reaching for the charger, though, as usual how much you use such features as Wi-Fi and GPS will be reflected in individual battery life experiences.
Organiser
A comprehensive set of organiser tools and functionality is set up for the E72, emphasising its enterprise market appeal.
Its E-series calendar app offers plenty of functionality including the facility to create and receive meeting requests. Up to 1,000 contacts can be stored on the phone, dependent on memory availability, with multiple fields for storing detailed contact information.
Office tools include notes and active notes, clock, alarms, calculator and convertor functions, voice recorder and text to voice reader, plus a dictionary app that can read words to you and offer translations.
It also has an Adobe PDF document reader and a ZIP file manager.
In addition, a Quickoffice application provides a full suite of document reader functions for Word, Excel and PowerPoint file formats, plus the facility to edit and create documents.
The E72 also has a bunch of apps targeted at business users, including a business card/text scanner function and Psiloc's Wireless Presenter for wireless presentations to other suitably enabled Wi-Fi equipped devices.
Nokia has also loaded up Psiloc's World Traveller application for real-time updates to weather, travel information, currency rates and so on in whichever cities you choose worldwide.
Connectivity
Connectivity on the E72 is first rate, with Wi-Fi (WLAN 802.11b/g) and HSPA (up to 10.2Mbps downloading and up to 2Mbps uploading rates, subject to network support).
A Wi-Fi wizard helps you set up connections from the home screen, prompting you to select from visible networks within range and passcodes.
It's reasonably straightforward to operate and use, and you can get automatic reconnection established when you go out of and then back in range again of the network.
The E72 is a tri-band WCDMA handset (900/1900/2100 MHz) or out of 3G coverage it can operate on quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), with EDGE and GPRS data connectivity.
Bluetooth 2.0 is onboard too, with A2DP stereo streaming support for headphones, speakers and so on. USB 2.0 connectivity is also included, with a microUSB port on the side of the phone and a cable supplied in-box.
Over the air syncing via ActiveSync is supported, while the E72 is also kitted out for local synchronisation using Nokia PC Suite or Ovi Suite.
MicroSD cards are supported, with a 4GB card supplied as standard. Cards up to 32GB can be used with the phone.
A Home Media application also enables users to stream and share content via home Wi-Fi networks with other suitably equipped media devices.
Other
Our review sample of the Nokia E72 came with Nokia Maps pre-installed, although an upgrade to the latest version of Ovi Maps – which includes free voice-guided sat nav as part of an improved package and user interface – is available to download free of charge.
The in-built A-GPS location finding technology worked extremely smoothly in our tests.
From start-up, it locked on to satellites and pin-pointed our position rapidly, keeping accurate track of our movements. A compass also provides positioning orientation to help you find your way around.
Maps for the UK and Ireland are pre-loaded on the supplied memory card, so map refreshes are seamless. We'd recommend users whose phones aren't already set up for Ovi Maps with satellite navigation to upgrade as soon as possible.
The user interface of the upgraded software is much more like an in-car sat nav setup, and more intuitive than Nokia's previous version of its mapping app.
Free sat nav is another useful bonus, plus you can get Lonely Planet and Michelin guides free over the air.
The enhanced GPS experience certainly adds more to Nokia's smartphone appeal.
Standard Nokia voice control software is complemented by a pre-loaded Vlingo voice-control application for messaging, emailing, texting and web browsing.
Additional apps include a search facility for scouring the phone's content or searching online, while two gaming applications are included too.
There have been huge changes in the smartphone world since the Nokia E71 first landed. But with the E72, Nokia has evolved and refreshed its messaging-heavy enterprise phone offering rather than coming up with something revolutionary.
The E72 is a sleek and attractively designed QWERTY keyboard-packing smartphone, with a tremendously solid feel to it.
It offers some neat upgrades to the spec of the E71, with a faster processor under the bonnet, and presents a powerful email and all-round messaging solution for corporate users.
Its QWERTY keyboard is a pleasure to use for this kind of device, accurate and responsive, while the messaging software onboard is easy to set up with an appealingly user-friendly interface.
Additional features, such as the camera and A-GPS functionality, have been toned up too, providing a decent amount of downtime consumer appeal.
The S60 3rd Edition platform's menu structure can, of course, be long-winded and the non-touchscreen user interface far from slick, but the familiarity of the typical Nokia smartphone system will no doubt appeal to some loyal Nokia buyers.
We liked
The QWERTY keyboard is tidily designed and nicely implemented for a great thumb-typing experience. It's well laid out, with a very responsive action that makes message writing a breeze.
A strong suite of messaging applications underpins the appeal of the E72 for the business user, as does a generous helping of enterprise-orientated applications and features. It also has fine connectivity options, including Wi-Fi and HSPA.
Excellent build quality and a stylish yet understated chrome-edged design give the E72 some added substance and visual appeal.
We welcomed the responsive A-GPS technology and upgraded Ovi Maps sat-nav software, which worked a treat on the E72.
In addition, the music player, while not overly sophisticated, puts in an admirable audio performance. A 4GB MicroSD card and decent earphones in-box, plus the phone's 3.5mm headphone socket, are also welcome.
We disliked
The E72's 2.36-inch display isn't the largest on a smartphone, and we'd have liked a touch more room.
We liked some elements of the optical navigation key trackpad control, although we felt it wasn't quite hitting the mark for ease of use and precision in some applications. We didn't like its use in camera mode, in particular.
As usual, getting to some settings in the S60 third Edition menu system can be convoluted, and it can take plenty of clicks to negotiate the numerous menu structures. Still, long-standing Nokia smartphone fans will find the phone's user interface very familiar.
The camera's image quality wasn't bad, but the camera results could have been improved with more robust autofocus control.
Verdict
The Nokia E72 delivers a measured upgrade to the E71, enhancing its capabilities and boosting performance all-round without radically altering the essential QWERTY-keyboard template.
It provides a powerful messaging package with a very usable keyboard, complemented with an assortment of solid smartphone functionality and business apps.
It may not have the glamour of an iPhone, but it has plenty of appeal for the enterprise user looking for a reliable messaging device.
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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and HTC Desire on sale from Virgin Media
Virgin Media has announced it is now selling the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and the HTC Desire from today - and it has them in stock too ahead of other networks.
Both existing and non-Virgin Media customers can phone up and order the phones from today - beating the likes of Vodafone, Orange and O2 to the punch.
The HTC Desire, as we brought you news of earlier this week, will be available for £30 per month on a two year deal, with a free phone.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is available on a similar contract, although it's £50 more than the HTC Desire on pay as you go, £449.99 compared to HTC's effort at £399.99.
Offers on offer
Existing Virgin Media customers also get a raft of extras from the firm, including free calls to other Virgin Mobiles, free calls from their home phones to Virgin Mobiles during their inclusive home phone inclusive periods, and either a £5 lower tariff for the same contract term or a shorter 18 month contract for the same monthly tariff.
Virgin Media is also offering its customers the BlackBerry Bold 9700 on an exclusive deal for one month, before opening it up to the wider public, as it seeks to expand its portfolio of cutting edge smartphones.
If you want to check out the phones yourself, head on over to Virgin Media's mobiles page to see what's on offer.
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Twitter changes its landing page
Twitter has tweaked its main landing page, giving live tweets, trending topics and selected tweeters more of a billing on the sign-in/sign-up page.
The sign-up page was only revamped last year, but the microblog is keen to show off the real-time functionality of its offering.
"Today, we're testing a new design that bubbles up more of the information flowing through Twitter," said Doug Bowman on the Twitter blog.
"This builds on a series of changes starting last year when we redesigned the homepage to make search and trending topics more visible and easily accessible to everyone."
"Not just status updates any more"
Bowman explained that the changes should show that Twitter is 'not just for status updates any more."
"It's a network where information is exchanged and consumed at a rapid clip every second of the day," he stated.
"With so much being shared, we know that there's something of value for everyone. People who internalise the value of Twitter understand the power of this simple medium.
"But it hasn't been easy to make that value transparent or obvious for curious folks coming to Twitter for the first time."
Twitter will monitor the effect of its changes, so this may not end up being the final home screen.
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Updated: HTC Legend vs HTC Desire vs Google Nexus One
The days when the T-Mobile G1 was the big cheese in the Android world are happily gone. Now, the Android OS is being used to create some truly industry leading handsets and HTC is behind some of the best.
But which is the one for you to spend your hard-earned on? The Hero-a-like Legend? The insanely powerful but stupidly monikered Desire? Or do you trust your mobile dollar in Google with the Nexus One?
The HTC Legend
What makes a phone good? Well, the easy answer is one that packs the most into the smallest frame - but Apple came along with the iPhone and changed that perception almost overnight.
No, apparently what's best is the combination of beautiful hardware and a slick user experience - so step forward the HTC Legend.
If you imagine an HTC Hero met an Apple Macbook Air one night in a bar, got along famously and ended up getting so drunk that they woke up shame-facedly together in the morning, this would be the result.
The HTC Legend is hewn from a single block of aluminium, giving it a polished and expensive look, in the Marmite-esque 'lip' chassis. Not only that, but the 3.2-inch screen is actually an OLED, which means colours are gloriously saturated and the blacks are wonderfully dark.
The HTC Sense UI is also in full force here, and while we could witter on about the social networking integration in the contacts menu or the improved camera UI, we just care about the fact we can pinch the home screen in to view all our open widgets in one glance (called Leap view).
We're also digging the ability to see all our friends' feeds in one place through Friend Stream - we know that it's an option on the HTC Desire as well, but it seems to suit the Legend a little more.
It's a smooth, sleek and ultimately satisfying to hold phone - and it's packing a fair whack of grunt under the hood as well.
Who's gonna buy the Legend? If you're the kind of person that values form as much as functionality (and for some reason don't want the iPhone) then you should definitely give the HTC Legend the once over.
Sure, it's not got the processing power of the Desire or the bells and whistles of Google's device, but it looks superb, handles better than most phones out there and what's more - it shouldn't break the bank when it appears.
Read TechRadar's in-depth HTC Legend review
The HTC Desire
The TechRadar office is currently divided between those that want the HTC Legend, for all its Fancy Dan looks and svelte charm, and those that crave the raw power of the HTC Desire.
(We're keeping an eye on the situation, lest it break out into a dance number a la The Jets and The Sharks).
It would be wrong to say the Desire is an ugly device, as it comes in at less than 12mm thick, which means it's ultimately pocket-friendly.
And by Jingo, it's a powerful beast. Yes, it's 'only' running the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon processor (we say 'only' because it's about the tenth phone to do so), but there's more than just a decent chipset in action here.
The whole Sense UI has been optimised for the HTC Desire, and this means that it excels in two key areas beyond the Legend: multimedia and internet.
The screen is 4x the resolution of the Legend, which means a high-res display and a terrific device to watch video and view photos on.
There's an 8GB memory card in the box too in order to help you start stuffing content onto the device, and while it doesn't have the same standby time as the Legend, it does have a larger battery to help cope.
And the internet experience on the HTC Desire is phenomenal (we might have to rethink the battery claim, as we'll probably be on the internet all the time when using this device).
Somehow HTC appears to have optimised the browser in such a way that even over EDGE connectivity, heavy web pages load in seconds. The text reflow (which admittedly is the Legend as well) is a dream, allowing users to zoom into text as and when they like at the size they want.
In short, if you've got deep pockets or carry a bag with space for a phone with a 3.7-inch screen, there's very little reason not to pick up the HTC Desire.
Who's gonna buy the Desire? Trust us when we say that Technophiles are going to be all over this phone. Multi-touch, flash video, WVGA screen - it's the spec-enthusiast's dream. It might be a little bit pricier than some, but it will apparently come in at a lower cost than the Nexus One.
Read TechRadar's in-depth HTC Desire review
The Google Nexus One
Looking over the other two on trial here, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Google Nexus One doesn't really have a prayer against the might of HTC's own children.
But the Nexus One is a powerful beast in its own right - pulling in some of the same specs as the HTC Desire, but adding in some upgrades too.
Take for instance active noise cancellation. This means that when you're walking down the street and the traffic gets too noisy, the person on the other end of the phone won't notice almost at all - which is a pretty handy trick.
It's also got support for a dock as well - meaning you can pop your phone onto your desktop and play Bluetooth music in wonderful A2DP stereo sound too.
And while many are cooing over the Sense UI used on the HTC Legend and Desire, it's certainly not suited for all tastes, with the plethora of home screens looking a bit much at times.
The Nexus One also has the added weight of Google behind it - which device do you think will always get the next Android upgrades first? That's right - its own child.
The trackball and smooth touch sensitive keys are bound to appeal to another demographic, especially those that find the optical trackpad a very strange experience to use.
And the little touches, like living wallpaper, are present on the Nexus One - we're not sure it's automatically better than the HTC Desire, but it's certainly another option worth considering.
Who's gonna buy the Nexus One?
Those clued in to the way Google is working will probably favour a little bit of the Nexus One over the HTC Desire - simply because it's a native home overlay, making it much easier to code over the top of.
Yes, we don't have a UK release date or even UK pricing, but we're still fans of a trackball and smoother touch sensitive keys - so don't rule out the Nexus One just yet.
Read TechRadar's in-depth Google Nexus One review
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Hands on: Imerge XiVa Music Store review
Imerge announced the arrival of its XiVa music store this week, something it hopes will mark an 'evolution' of online music purchasing.
The store is in collaboration with 7digital. Essentially, through your Imerge machine you will be able to purchase content from the 7digital download store, which has been given a whole new user interface.
The store is currently only available on Imerge's flagship AV server, the MS1-HD and the company's MS1 and AS1 products.
Chatting to an Imerge spokesperson at the launch event, they explained that this was just the beginning of the service and it's possible that it will be rolled out to other Imerge products.
It also seems that there is even the potential that the store will be prepped for use on mobile phones at some point. This is because the UI is using Silverlight.
At the event in London, TechRadar managed to get hands-on with the store and were impressed with what we saw.
The UI is sleek and it's plain to see that it's been built with TVs in mind. This is the main draw for the XiVa store – it's meant for the living room. This is not sit-forward experience like iTunes on your PC or Mac, this is all controlled through your remote control and it's all the better for it.
The browsing on the store can be done in a number of ways. Through physically typing in the name of the track – involving cursor pointing and clicking – or visual searching through the myriad albums on offer.
We found that looking at the cover art while browsing was the best way, simply because the high-resolution images sparkled on the hi-def TV.
The amount of songs on the store is immense – we're assured it's around the 8 million mark, with more added to the database on a weekly basis.
What is also good is that there is a preview option for every track, so you can try before you buy. It's only 30 seconds but it's enough time to make your choice.
Once you have selected a track, it's a simple process to paying for it. At around 99p for a song, though, it's definitely not the cheapest music service we have tried.
The downloads come in the form of DRM free 320Kbps MP3. While this is certainly high quality. We would have expected FLAC to be available, especially for playback on something as high-end as the MS1-HD – and it's an audio option 7digital does offer – but this was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, this codec will be available at a later date.
The great thing about the music you buy is that it is not locked to your system. Because of something called a 'Skylocker', you can transfer the music to your iPod, or whichever device you wish. Once done, you will get all the metadata associated with the track.
The XiVa Music Store is a great additional feature to those who have spent thousands on their Imerge system. Available as an update this week, it's a genuinely decent piece of software which opens up the opportunities of music listening in the home.
Yes, there are others on the market – namely Kaleidescape – but the XiVa Music Store is definitely a contender.
There is a problem, though. This isn't enough to bring people to purchasing a MS1-HD – it's more a thank you to all those who have already got the devices in their home. The pieces of kit which have the store are expensive. Very expensive.
But, with promise that this store will be spread across to products that are in a price band which will entice everyday consumers – the XiVA musicm8 maybe? – it looks like Imerge could well have a winner on their hands.
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Acer uncovers new Timeline X thin and lights
Acer has announced the latest in its Timeline series of thin, light and power-frugal laptops with a UK release date of May.
The Timeline X (meaning 'excellent') promises up to 12 hours of battery life. We will need to get our hands on the laptop to be sure of that claim, but the machines do boast various power saving options including Acer's own PowerSmart and backlit LED panels boosted by Intel Display Power Savings (iDPS) guaranteeing the same image quality but using 30 per cent less power.
Prices start at £599 and there will be up to nine variants.
The original sell of the Timeline range was that the laptops were powerful while having that all-important lengthy battery life. Acer has supplanted the low-voltage processors in last year's range with variants of Intel's Core i3, i5 and i7 processors.
Graphics and sound are also pretty serious, with AMD's Mobility Radeon HD 5000 series graphics alongside Dolby Home Theater v3. Dimensions are also small (24mm thick) - but the weight isn't too low, between 1.8Kg and 2.4Kg. Sizes vary from 13.3 to 15.6-inch screens.
There will also be a 11.6-inch variant available at a later time, says Acer. That'll probably hit the streets in June.
The company also officially announced the Acer Aspire Ethos line, with two new models, the 8943G and 5943G. Both are designed for entertainment, with 5.1 surround, AMD Radeon 5000 series graphics and processors up to quad core Intel Core i7.
TechRadar will be getting its hands on the new laptops soon - so watch out for our review.
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Sky chief says Ofcom ruling will hurt UK sport
Sky's chief executive Jeremy Darroch has insisted that Ofcom's decision to set the pricing for the broadcaster's key sports channels will adversely impact on UK sport.
Sky had already issued a statement outlining its objection to Ofcom's rulings, but Darroch has now expressed how he believes the ruling will affect sport.
"I think Ofcom's decision is likely to hit British sport where it hurts," said Darroch.
"I think their actions are likely to drive down the value of TV sports channels and reduce competition in the marketplace."
Risk-free?
Darroch believes that there is now no need for rival broadcasters to even think about bidding against Sky when they can take the channels 'risk-free' through wholesale.
"Certainly, businesses that have so far shown little appetite to invest in sports I think will be less likely to do so if they can get access to Sky's channels at a risk free, knock down price governed by the regulator.
"And I think that risk is undermining the virtuous cycle that's been created in British sport over the last few years with sustained investment, much of it from broadcast TV rights, that's really flowed through at all levels and has had positive effects right through sports.
"That's one of the reasons why the sports governing bodies in particular I think are concerned about the decision - and with good reason."
Few would deny that Sky has had an almighty impact on sports such as football in this country, making the Premier League perhaps the most vibrant and envied on the planet.
But, the arguments are likely to rage as to whether the consumer will benefit from the inevitable lower prices, or if they will lose out should UK sport feel the pinch.
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Pixel Qi and OLPC team up to develop laptop screen tech
Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Foundation and the e-ink screen tech wizards at Pixel Qi Corporation have signed a permanent and royalty-free cross-licensing agreement which allows both organisations to share and use their laptop screen innovations in the future.
Pixel Qi has been developing some interesting dual-mode displays recently, which we've seen a glimpse of in devices such as Notion Ink's Adam tablet PC – which effectively lets you switch between e-ink (readable in full sunlight) and a traditional backlit LCD screen (for multimedia, video, web surfing and so on).
Dual-screen technologies
Pixel Qi's Mary Lou Jepson developed part of the new 3Qi screen tech while at OLPC, and she is one of the driving forces behind the development of the tech – responsible for this latest cross-licensing agreement on all future and current IP covering multi-mode screens between OLPC and Pixel Qi.
OLPC now has full license to all Pixel Qi "3qi" screen technology, including 70-plus patents in process and all current and future IP developed by Pixel Qi for multi-mode screens.
Pixel Qi in turn receives full license to the dual-mode (indoor and outdoor) display technology used in the OLPC XO.
Nicholas Negroponte notes : "We are not aware of any blanket technology license of this scale of current and future inventions by a commercial firm to a non-profit humanitarian effort and hope to set an example for other corporations to follow."
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Samsung planning Galaxy S Pro upgrade?
Samsung hasn't even got the plastic wrapper off its new Galaxy S 'super phone', and there are already rumours of a new model.
However, in true Sony Ericsson-style form, it's going to simply take the Galaxy S, a roll of sellotape and a QWERTY keyboard and hey presto! The Samsung Galaxy S Pro.
Admittedly this is from the Italian HD Blog, which states that the hardware would be very similar.
Slide out changes
In fact, almost identical - a 4-inch screen, 1GHz processor, Android 2.1 and a dedicated GPU - but the slide out keyboard underneath.
We would be amazed here at Castle TechRadar if was called the Samsung Galaxy S Pro, given that Sony Ericsson is using that naming strategy for the X10 Mini Pro and the Vivaz Pro.
But it seems that there will be something along these lines later this year, with a possible UK release date mooted for sometime this summer.
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Imperial College developing eye-controlled gaming
Students at London's Imperial College are developing a version of Atari's classic Pong that can be controlled by the blink of an eye.
The students, under the supervision of Dr Aldo Faisal, have used off-the-shelf components that track eye movement and enables a user to play the game hands-free, via some rather strange looking spectacles.
The ICL students constructed the spectacle-controller for US $37, connecting an infra-red sensor and a webcam to a pair of glasses to track the movement of a player's eye, then sending that data to synchronization software which translates it into paddle movement in Pong.
Potential applications
The potential application for this type of technology – both in terms of gaming and in terms of potential new interfaces for those suffering from serious medical conditions that limit their ability to move their hands – is clearly massive.
"We hope to eventually make the technology available online so anyone can have a go at creating new applications and games with it and we're optimistic about where this might lead," said Dr Faisal.
"We hope it could ultimately provide entertainment options for people who have very little movement. In the future, people might be able to blink to turn pages in an electronic book, or switch on their favourite song, with the roll of an eye."
The team is currently working on a new pair of specs that will track both eyes.
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Review: Fetch TV Smartbox 8000
The Fetch TV Smartbox 8000 160GB Freeview+ PVR packs numerous punches, including a networkable multi-media hub; Wi-Fi and wired internet; on-demand movies and TV.
It's very similar to BT Vision, only you don't need to subscribe to channel packages or be a BT broadband customer.
The ace up its sleeve, though, is the provision of the BBC iPlayer service.
The plasticky Smartbox tries to look more expensive than it is, without succeeding. The fascia takes its unobtrusiveness too far, as the only visual communication it offers is a grey LED that goes a paler shade of grey when the box is on. No handy channel numbers or record/playback indication.
The remote control leaves a lot to be desired, too. Tiny buttons and icons make navigating the onscreen menus a frustrating process.
Connectivity is better, though. All the main AV bases are covered, plus there are dual USBs and an Ethernet port. These act as conduits to a world of on-tap entertainment sourced either from your DLNA computer or via the web. And if you don't like wires you can use Wi-Fi.
Quick smart
Installing and setting-up the Smartbox is, annoying remote control aside, a fairly painless experience. I used the Ethernet to connect to my BT Home Hub and was soon able to establish an IP connection without any stress. Whilst not in the class of GUIs from the likes of LG and Panasonic, the overall layout and design of the menu system seems logical enough.
As a Freeview+ PVR the Smartbox does a good job. The EPG floats nicely on top of the broadcast show and can be formatted in several ways.
Recordings can be renamed and exported to USB. Playing back, the 100x quick scan mode makes a mockery of Sky's laboured 30x maximum.
Playing photo, music and movie files from external devices works okay but you can't copy files on to the hard drive.
Fetch TV makes a big deal of its Catch Up TV service, but I found the selection less than compelling. Free content includes a variety of podcasts (big deal) whilst pay TV ranges from 99p documentaries to movies at £3.49 (viewable for 24 hours in a seven-day window). Tragically, the HD selection currently comprises around only five (indifferent) titles.
The folder structure of the Catch Up part of the guide makes browsing a pain. BBC iPlayer replicates pretty much the online version but annoyingly lacks HD support. Image quality is acceptable but fast-forwarding can cause the box to crash (possibly also due to BT's lamentably low broadband bitrate in my area).
Overall, this is a very good Freeview+ box with decent media centre functionality. But worryingly for Fetch TV it has no monopoly on iPlayer and the rest of its Catch Up TV selection remains rather unenticing.
Related Links
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In Depth: How to automate common PC tasks
Owning a PC is supposed to save you time, at least in theory: the computer takes over the simple, repetitive tasks, leaving you to get on with more important matters. But in practice, it doesn't always work out that way.
Many PC users follow the same routine every day, running the same sequence of programs, issuing the same keystrokes and performing the same tedious maintenance tasks, step by laborious manual step. Sound familiar? Then you need a way to automate these processes, making your PC life a little easier.
A scripting language that's more powerful than batch files, yet remains simple and accessible to everyone, expert and novice alike. A free tool that can run programs and simulate keypresses and mouse clicks to take the manual hassles out of just about any tedious task, and all in simple EXE files that you can share with others – no bulky runtime environment required. You need AutoIt, one of the best free PC automation tools around.
Getting started
AutoIt scripts start life as simple text files with AU3 extensions, and the easiest way to build them is with the SciTE Script Editor that comes bundled with the package. It understands the AutoIt language, so if you type RU, for example, then it'll display the first AutoIt function that begins with those letters: Run, which is used to launch programs.
Press [Tab] and it'll enter that function for you, then add a parenthesis – Run( – and it'll display information on the function options, and how they should be used. (See the online documentation if you need more details.)
At first glance these functions can seem very complicated. The full syntax of the Run command, for instance, looks something like:
$PID = Run( "program" [, "workingdir" [, show_flag[, opt_flag ]]] )
You can specify the program you want to run, its working directory and its window type (hidden, maximised, minimised), as well as low-level details regarding your STDIN, STDERR and STDOUT streams, returning the process identifier as a result. Gulp.
Don't panic, though. Everything but the program name is totally optional, so in fact launching a program can be as simple as typing:
Run("Notepad.exe")
If the executable isn't in the current Windows path then you'll need to tell Windows exactly where to find it. That's easy, too – just type in the following for Office:
Run("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\Winword.exe")
It's actually really simple, then, although maybe not suitable for every occasion.
The Run command simply launches a program and moves on to the next line of your script, so if you've specified five programs in a row then they'll all launch almost simultaneously, which may not be what you want.
If you want to launch Notepad and then launch a back-up tool to save your work after Notepad has finished, you might use a sequence such as this:
RunWait("Notepad.exe")
Run("MyBackup.exe")
The RunWait function launches a process, then waits until that process has closed before continuing. This ensures that your chosen programs appear in sequence rather than all at once.
Automating CCleaner
Once you start having a go at this kind of scripting, all sorts of possibilities appear. If you've ever used the excellent hard drive cleanup tool CCleaner, for instance, then you'll know that you normally have to launch it manually, choose your options, click 'Run cleaner', confirm that you really want to delete files and so on. It's not all that difficult, but there are a few time-consuming processes involved.
However, if you launch CCleaner.exe with the /AUTO command-line switch by typing in Run("CCleaner.exe /AUTO") then the program simply runs with its current settings, without bothering you with any prompts or questions. It just beavers away on its own, doing its work invisibly in the background.
Once you know about that, you can construct another AutoIt script to take advantage of this handy feature:
RunWait("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox.exe")
Run("CCleaner.exe /AUTO")
Launch Firefox from this script, and every time you close the browser it'll automatically invoke CCleaner to clear your internet tracks. That's convenient, but we can go one better. Consider the following:
Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 2)
$DoForever=1
While $DoForever=1
WinWait("Firefox")
WinWaitClose("Firefox")
Run("CCleaner.exe/AUTO")
Wend
The WinWait command tells the script to pause until it finds a window with 'Firefox' in its title (WinTitleMatchMode in the first line defines how that search is performed). WinWaitClose pauses the script until that window is closed, then launches CCleaner.exe.
On hitting the Wend statement, it checks that the variable $DoForever is still 1, then loops back to the WinWait statement and pauses again until a Firefox window appears.
You could leave this script running all the time – once compiled it can consume as little as 2.5MB of RAM. It will detect when you've finished a Firefox session, then automatically run CCleaner to clean up, with no manual steps involved at all. (Use the AutoIt system tray icon to pause or close the script if you no longer need it.)
The script is easily customisable – just change 'Firefox' to Chrome to detect Chrome browser windows, say – and the principle could be applied to many other situations, essentially any time you want to run a program automatically when another one has finished.
Being able to launch programs is useful, but it's actually just the first step in automating your PC. The next comes in controlling those programs or Windows services to make them do what you need them to do, something that AutoIt can do by feeding them simulated keypresses with the Send function, as follows:
Run("Notepad.exe")
WinWaitActive("Untitled - Notepad")
Send("The time and date is {F5}")
Send("^p")
WinWaitActive("Print")
Send("!p")
Here we're launching Notepad and using WinWaitActive to wait until the Notepad window decides to appear. The script then sends the raw text 'the time and date is' before simulating pressing [F5] to display the current time and date.
Using the caret symbol in a Send function simulates pressing the [Ctrl] key, so sending ^p is equivalent to pressing [Ctrl]+[P]. (Beware: case often matters, so ^p and ^P rarely have the same effect. Use lowercase letters unless you're sure upper case is required.)
The next WinWaitActive function waits for the Print window to appear. Finally, using an exclamation mark simulates the [Alt] key, so sending !p has the same effect as pressing [Alt]+[P] – which clicks the Print button.
You can apply the same principles to automate any application. Launch Internet Explorer, for instance – Run("c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe") – then use Send ("!d") to simulate [Alt]+[D], selecting the address bar. Add a URL and the [Enter] key – Send ("www.google.com{enter}") and IE will access that site for you.
You can also automate some useful Windows keypresses. The '#' character represents the [Windows] key, for example, so you could use Send("#d") to simulate [Win]+[D], which would minimise all windows and display the desktop. Another thing you could do is lock your PC from a script with Send("#l").
The Send function also supports special codes for simulating many alternative keypresses, including [Tab], [Page Up], [Page Down], [Numlock Off], [Numlock On], [Printscreen] and a wide range of others (see the online documentation for the full list).
Macro recorder
Send is an extremely powerful function, then, that will let you automate just about any Windows or application task. But getting it to work manually can be tedious, especially for long sequences.
You'll have to take careful notes of each keypress you make, perhaps adding WinWaitActive or other statements to make sure your simulated keys go to the right place, and if you get it wrong then there's no telling what problems might follow.
Fortunately, there's a simple alternative: use AutoIt's SciTE script editor to record the necessary steps for us.
To try this, first open SciTE, click 'File | Save As' and give your file a name like First Macro.au3. Click 'Tools | Au3 Recorder' to launch the macro recorder.
If you don't see an Au3 Recorder menu option, make sure you've downloaded and installed the full version of SciTE from here.
Click 'Browse' and navigate to the program you'd like to automate. Pick something simple like Notepad.exe, MSPaint.exe or Calc.exe when you're getting started – these and many other Windows applets are generally in the \Windows\System32 folder.
Click the 'Record' button and Au3 Recorder will launch the application you specified, then begin recording your mouse movements, clicks and keypresses.
Complete whatever steps you want to try – clicking '2+2=' in Calc, for example – then click the 'Au3 Recorder' button again to stop recording. It will immediately pop up a script representing everything you've done: a Run command, Send functions for any keypresses, WinWaitActive statements; everything we've seen so far, and mouse movements, too.
Does it work, though? Try it: close the application you've been automating if you've not done so already, then switch back to SciTE and press [F5] to launch the script. You should see the program open and follow the sequence you've defined, in just a few seconds. It's all very straightforward and makes it much easier to start automating more complex Windows tasks.
Automated installs
The AutoIt commands we've looked at so far are very simple: run a program, send a keypress, wait for a window and so on. These aren't exceptions, either – the rest of the language is just as straightforward. If you needed to download a file within a script, for instance, you'd use a command like this:
InetGet("http://www.domain.com/folder/file.exe", "c:\downloads\file.exe")
This grabs a file from the remote URL, then copies it to the local path you specify. It even works with both FTP and HTTP servers.
The real value of AutoIt, though, comes when you begin to string these commands together. What if, for instance, you were to build a 'disaster recovery' script – something that you could use in case you suspected a malware infection?
If you wanted to download a free, on-demand antivirus scanner to protect your computer, you'd normally have to go online, browse to the manufacturer's website, follow the download link, locate the right version for your system and then download and install it.
With AutoIt, though, there's none of this hassle. You could use InetGet to download the latest version of a few antivirus tools – simply entering InetGet("http:// security.symantec.com/sscv6/Setup.exe","c:\setup.exe") would get you Norton Security Scanner, for instance.
A Run command will launch it, then you could use Send to simulate keypresses and step through the set-up wizard. That's easier – and probably quicker – than doing it all manually.
The excellent AutoClean script takes this idea even further by creating a tool that can be used to fix broken or infected PCs. It automates the download and launching of great tools such as CCleaner, RegSeeker, Defraggler, Vipre Rescue and more, as well as automatically uninstalling common junk, optimising Windows settings and so on. Download a copy and browse the source to see how it's all done.
That's it for the first part of the AutoIt tutorial, then. Next issue we'll take a look at automation that goes beyond keypresses, and explain how you can control key functions of Windows using just a few short and very simple AutoIt scripts.
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Tanya Byron wants review of mobile and online gaming
Leading British psychologist Dr Tanya Byron has called for a new review into online and mobile gaming, suggesting that the industry should have an accepted code of conduct in order to protect minors.
Byron carried out an intensive review of issues surrounding gaming and web-access for British children back in 2008 for the Labour government – which eventually lead to the BBFC being replaced with PEGI as the body responsible for age-ratings on games.
Progress review
As part of her progress report on her 2008 Byron Review, Byron now wants to see a new and independent report to look at how a possible code of conduct might be implemented in the flourishing online, mobile and casual gaming industries.
"It is important that families have up-to-date advice about new ways to engage in gaming," she said.
"All UK mobile phone networks offer a level of filtering which can be activated when the phone is purchased or later by phoning customer services.
"However, it is questionable whether parents are aware of this and take advantage of it. And if a child accesses the internet using wi-fi they by-pass any filtering which may be switched on at a network level.
"I recommend that the UKCCIS executive board commission the video games working group to examine and report back by September 2010 on whether a code of conduct supported by independent review for online and casual gaming is needed."
Check out Dr Byron's full progress report here.
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Review: Samsung BD-C6900
I subscribe to the theory that any disc player worth owning should have the demeanour of a battleship built by a Scottish shipyard. Rigidity foreshadows integrity, and tells me that a manufacturer takes the player as seriously as I take my media. So Samsung's debut 3D BD player, the BD-C6900, is a challenge.
Its almost impossibly slight frame (it's more kayak than cruiser) contradicts my world view, and teases me with a transparent lid and glimpses of my spinning discs. Yet I need to take it seriously.
This BD player is the first of an advanced 3D Blu-ray breed. So will it float my boat?
Samsung has been a quiet leader in the Blu-ray world. It launched arguably the first player, the BD-P1000, and it's been aggressively raising the stakes ever since. Coincidentally, if you own a BD-P1000, this new model shares the same remote control codes and you'll end up with mirrored actions if the two decks are berthed in the same room.
Okay, so we know it's compatible with next generation 3D Blu-ray discs. What else? Well, it exploits its Profile 2.0 internet connection to deliver extra IP content via Samsung's own Internet@TV portal, including BBC iPlayer, LOVEFiLM movie streaming, video clips on YouTube, picture browsing on Picasa and more.
The deck will naturally stream media from connected devices over a network. If you have a NAS (Networked Attached Storage), it will let you stream a selection and pull content from a PC.
The player is DLNA-compliant out of the box, but you also have the option to install All-Share management software on your PC to enhance functionality.
The player is at its happiest when playing extraneous media from a USB stick. File support is good, although the deck's incompatible with FLAC or MPEG4 AAC audio.
Using the BD-C6900 is a lot of fun. The full-screen GUI is sharp (literally and graphically), with chunky icons for content types. You can even theme the background screen with one of five 'skins'.
One practical complication of 3D Blu-ray is that the HDMI v1.4 output on the player needed to deliver control codes to a compatible 3D screen. If you route it via an older AV receiver with HDMI v1.3 inputs (to get at the lossless audio soundtracks on Blu-rays), you'll lose the control codes at best, thereby causing your TV to go into a strop.
So at first glance, to run hiccup-free 3D, you'll need to forgo lossless audio. To get around this, Samsung offers a full set of 7.1-channel analogue outputs on the back (fine if your amp has a matching set of inputs).
Backside connectivity includes an Ethernet port, although the player has integrated Wi-Fi. Getting on a network and online isn't much hassle.
Samsung currently has no plans to bundle in active Shutter 3D glasses, but these will be bundled with Samsung 3DTVs.
Another world
In use, the C6900 is pleasingly sprightly, thanks to a feature dubbed ultra Fast Play. It can get an image on screen from Blu-ray considerably quicker than last year's models.
Despite the unit's lack of girth, image quality is very good. There's some serious silicon beneath the hood of this player and regular Blu-rays look blisteringly sharp. Fine detail is excellent and colour reproduction is without compromise.
When fed with a 3D Blu-ray, you're asked to accept the 3D setting (as if the player doesn't believe its owner really wants to watch movies wearing 3D spex). But stick with it and you'll be rewarded with fun dimensional images. I used it with Samsung's 40in 7000 series LED TV and was seriously impressed by the depth.
Audio is a more intriguing. The menu system allows you to output over HDMI either LPCM, the original movie soundtrack re-encoded to PCM, or as a bitstream (the so-called 'audiophile' mode).
I auditioned the player with two AVRs, Onkyo's TX-NR906 and Pioneer's Susano SC-LX90. While the player was happy to be partnered with the Onkyo, things didn't go so well with Pioneer. I found that the unit was unable to lock and stream a DTS-HD MA bitstream, causing the display to flicker wildly.
Similarly, when a Dolby TrueHD disc was played, the Pioneer ignored it, maintaining a dignified silence. It's difficult to know if it's either the Pioneer or the Samsung which needs a firmware update (until we know for sure, Pioneer AVR owners should tread carefully).
Converting to PCM within the player is one practical solution. Denon AVR owners should be fine, as Samsung's UK QA labs test compatibility with Denon AVRs.
Slim but serious
Samsung's BD-C6900 punches above its weight, and convincingly undermines my general philosophical love for over-engineered disc players. Despite its slimness, there's all the necessary hardware onboard for the 3D multiview Codec and picture processing engine.
Video quality is excellent, but the player is a little pedantic: I would argue for easier AV networking and more comprehensive file support. And while having analogue audio outputs is appreciated, twin HDMIs would be a more practical solution (provided sync between the two is kept) to maintain compatibility with HDmI v1.3 (and lower) AV receivers.
Still, it remains an attractive first round 3D player. It remains to be seen how others compare.
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Nintendo uses Google for Wii quiz game
Japanese developer Shift has recently announced its new Wii quiz title called And Kensaku.
Siliconera's translation of the official Nintendo of Japan site, reveals that the title is designed as a family game which features a simple quiz in which players guess which term has more hits on Google.
Popular search term wins
You can also choose popular search terms to make characters run faster in a race, or try to avoid choosing unpopular search terms in a good old game of hot potato.
The game has 10,000 search terms on the disc, and more can be downloaded through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
And Kensaku is due out in Japan on 29th April.
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Review: JVC Xiview LT-32WX50
JVC's Xiview LT-32WX50 knows how to get your attention. Take its price, for instance: at a cool £2,500, it's phenomenally expensive for a 32 inch LCD TV.
No surprise, then, that JVC is looking to shift it through custom install channels rather than normal high-street outlets.
Also striking is the 32WX50's finish: a rather fetching deep grey aluminium with an optional industrial-style table-top mount and detachable speaker bar.
Comfortably, the 32WX50's most stand-out feature, though, is its truly stunning slimness. At its thinnest point it's just 6.4mm deep. That makes it a whole 3 and a bit mm – count 'em! – thinner than last year's Sony 40EX1 groundbreaker. Even the bottom third only 'balloons' to 25mm – still markedly slimmer than Samsung's iconic B8000 LED series.
The screen's slimness aids its custom installation ambitions too. For a screen this thin could be much more easily incorporated than a standard LCD TV into wall, ceiling and shelf AV systems, or fitted using, say, picture frames, railings, interior suspension units, or mirrored chests.
Whether the 32WX50's incredible slimness is enough to justify the screen's mammoth price depends on how design-obsessed/well heeled you are. But I suspect that for most people, the 32WX50 will need to do more – so let's find out what features the slender chassis holds.
No tuner
Connections wise, the only findings are two HDMI inputs, a PC RGB input, RS-232 control support, and USB/SD multimedia options. There's no tuner input, because there's no tuner in the screen! It's merely a monitor – which is, of course, entirely acceptable in custom installation circles.
The 32WX50's pictures are driven by JVC's latest picture processing platform, the New DynaPix HD engine. This includes a 12bit Real Bit Driver that enables upconversion of lower bitrate signals such as 8bit HD broadcasts and DVD signals to 12bit Deep Colour signals, resulting in smoother colour gradation.
Also part of the new DynaPix HD engine is a Chromaticity Point Conversion Circuit, designed to compensate for colour bleed and colour drift caused by gaps between the source colour format and the LCD's own colour space.
DynaPix HD now incorporates Intelligent Clear Noise Reduction processing, too, which detects and reacts to picture noise in each of a picture's 16 frequency areas, as well as Intelligent Colour Management, which uses a newly-developed algorithm to emulate how people are drawn more to the colours of key objects than they are the colours of surrounding objects.
Next up is a new generation (version III) of JVC's Clear Motion Drive technology, delivering enhanced 100/120Hz processing as well as real-time, motion-estimated noise-reduction.
Another interesting ability of the 32WX50 is wide colour gamut coverage. The screen can tackle a full 100 per cent of the sRGB colour spectrum, and around 90 per cent of the Adobe RGB spectrum. This should let it reproduce digital photographs with unprecedented (in the TV world) colour accuracy. There's even a Photo Pro picture preset, designed for D-SLR stills.
Other presets include Game, Theatre, Dynamic, Standard, Monitor and even separate HD and standard-def CCTV options, plus digital signage and medical display settings for commercial applications.
As well as the aforementioned picture presets, you get six separate memory slots for storing your own settings. And among the vast quantity of things you can change are such niceties as the BY gain and BY/ RY angle of the hue setting; separate detail, horizontal and vertical sharpness adjustments; extensive backlight adjustment; colour matrix, temperature and space adjustments; white balance fine-tuning using 'Drive' and 'Cutoff' values for the red, green and blue colour elements; and comprehensive colour management. This latter tool lets you adjust the colour and hue of the red, green, cyan, and yellow components, as well as the hue and colour of skin.
The problem with combining the 32WX50's exceptional picture flexibility with a £2,500 price is that if the picture quality the screen delivers is less than perfect, it's going to feel disappointing. And sadly, the pictures are less than perfect.
Box of wax
Why? First, the picture isn't as sharp as I'd like, especially when it comes to standard-def viewing. Skin tones look slightly waxy, and there's sometimes quite pronounced motion blur, no matter what settings you use.
My other concern is with the black level response. On paper the quoted 4,000:1 native and 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios look okay. But in action, the screen's edge-LED lighting system causes distracting light pooling in each corner.
The 32WX50 also suffers with some grey clouding over dark scenes, hiding subtle shadow detailing.
Frustratingly, its failings stand in stark opposition to some startling strengths. For instance, the sheer range of colours the screen produces is, for my money, unprecedented on a 32in TV. With skin tones in regularly watched Blu-ray sequences I witnessed subtleties of tone in different parts of people's faces that I haven't seen before at the 32in level.
Similarly, subtle blends like auras around planets and stars, or the varied shades of red in a sunset sky, are delivered with extraordinary precision. This is striking with digital stills, where the detail, subtlety and accuracy of the 32WX50's colour rendition is simply exquisite. The exceptional subtlety with colours is also used to render colours with uncannily accurate tones.
Somehow this colour accuracy even extends to dark pictures, aside from the way deep blacks look rather grey. While the 32WX50 might not be the greatest screen at suppressing motion blur, it is very accomplished at keeping a lid on judder, leaving images from all sources looking fluid and smooth – but not unnaturally so. The viewing angle is wider than that of most LCD TVs too.
One last string to its bow is audio. For despite being as slim as the thickest part of the screen's slender form, the provided speaker bar kicks out much more clarity, volume, dynamism and soundstage size than most 32in LCD TV speaker systems.
There is much to admire about the 32WX50 – and I'm not just talking about its startling design. JVC has clearly poured its heart into making the 32WX50 a custom installer's dream, with no stone of set-up flexibility left unturned. And when its pictures are good, they're stellar.
That said, I'd hoped for almost flawless pictures for £2,500. Yet the 32WX50's backlight consistency and motion blur issues ensure that 'almost flawless' is certainly not where its pictures are at.
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Sky fuming at Ofcom pay TV decision
Sky has been left livid by Ofcom's ruling on pay TV, and will fight tooth and nail in the law courts to overturn what the call an 'unprecedented and unwarranted intervention'.
In a terse response to Ofcom's three decisions, Sky indicated that it would fight the media watchdog in court over its decision that it should set the wholesale prices for Sky Sports 1 and 2.
"There should be no doubt that Ofcom's actions represent an unprecedented and unwarranted intervention," said Sky's official statement.
Innovation and choice
"This is a marketplace where customers are well served with high levels of choice and innovation. Consumers will not benefit if regulators blunt incentives to invest and take risks," added a Sky spokesman .
"After three years of engagement with Ofcom, we now look forward to a judicial process which will apply impartial analysis and clear legal standards."
Ofcom's decision is best described as a sweetener, offering the potential for Sky to launch its Picnic pay-TV over the digital terrestrial television.
Picnic has been mothballed for two years and was proposed back in 2007 – and with the world of television moving steadily towards things like IPTV, the DTT option is certainly not as attractive as it was.
BT has publicly insisted that it is 'disappointed' by the ruling, although it stands to benefit hugely from Ofcom's decision.
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Asus readies iPad rivals for June announcement
Asus' much-rumoured iPad rivals are on the way, with the major Taiwanese netbook and laptop manufacturer getting ready to release a new range of tablet PCs in the coming months.
The news comes only days before Apple releases the iPad to eager early adopters and fans in the US.
Jonney Shih, Chairman of Asus, says Asus is planning to release "at least two" tablet PCs in the coming months, with rumours about the plans for an Eee-tablet having done the rounds for months now.
The smart money expects Asus to reveal its new tablet PC range at Computex in Taipei in June, where Asus unveiled the original Eee PC netbook back in 2007.
Between netbooks and smartphones
Shih told Forbes: "Netbooks are the best combination of personal computing and cloud computing.
"But between netbooks and smartphones and e-readers, we think there will be a space for something like a tablet or slate PC."
One of Asus' tablets will likely run Google Chrome, or its mobile operating system, Android. The other will likely be based around Microsoft's Windows platform.
"There will be an Apple camp [in tablets], but Asus always tries to address the open camps of Google and Microsoft," Shih added. "Content will play a very important role on tablets. The Google tablet will have a lot of media.
"Asus' culture originated from an engineering spirit with a focus on fundamentals and results," said Shih. "But a good engineer also has to master theory, architecture, innovation and aesthetics."
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BT 'disappointed' by Ofcom's TV ruling
BT has described Ofcom's ruling on Pay TV – which will force Sky to sell its two main sports channels to rivals at prices set by the watchdog – as 'disappointing, but a step in the right direction."
BT raised complaints against Sky's handling of premium content and the wholesale rates they charged their rivals for access to movies and the likes of Premiership football, and had a large part to play in Ofcom's decision to investigate.
However, the media giant believes that the media watchdog should not have ducked the issue over movies by referring it up to the Competition Commission, and should have been made to offer all of its sports at rates set by Ofcom.
"Today's decision from Ofcom is disappointing but a step in the right direction," said Gavin Patterson, Chief Executive Officer, BT Retail.
"We will at last be able to sell two premium sports channels. We aim to offer Sky Sports1 and 2 at lower prices than those which have been available.
"We hope to bring them to the market in time for the new Premiership football season but that will depend on Sky now complying with Ofcom's decision."
Criticism
"However, Ofcom should have gone much further than it did," added Patterson.
"They have dropped movie channels, which should have been included.
"They should have included all Sky Sports channels, not just two.
"The wholesale price for the two sports channels is higher than the regulator had previously suggested.
"Pubs and clubs should also have been offered some help as they have no option but to pay sky high prices.
"Ofcom has not set a regulated price for HD channels.
"Sky may appeal against this decision but Ofcom's remedy should be implemented without delay so that customers can benefit from lower prices."
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Analysts: '70% Chance' that Apple to build search engine
Apple is set to build its own search engine within the next five years, according to latest reports from analysts.
Respected Apple analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray is the latest to claim that Apple will build its own search engine.
"We believe Apple could utilize data unavailable to Google, data generated by the company's App Store, to create a mobile centric search engine, which would be a unique offering to Google's search engine," says the analyst.
Apple Search
The Piper Jaffray man added: "An iPhone specific search engine could be a difficult undertaking, but we feel Apple could make a minor acquisition of a search company that has built a web index, like a Cuil, and utilize the index as the base for building its own engine.
"We believe the odds of Apple developing a search engine in the next five years are 70 per cent. One hurdle for Apple in developing its own search engine would be generating enough advertiser interest to form a competitive marketplace; however, we believe the rationale for an Apple search product is to protect data rather than generate profit."
Munster goes on to claim that Apple will also develop its own maps offering, in order to offer full search and mapping functions on its mobile devices in the near future, because surrendering maps to Google (as it currently does on the iPhone) gives Google valuable location-based data on its customers.
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Ofcom decision shakes up Sky Sports, green-lights Picnic
Sky will be forced to offer its two key sports channels at prices set by Ofcom, but the watchdog washed its hands of Sky Movies.
It has also green-lighted the broadcaster's plans for 'Picnic' pay-TV on Freeview, following an investigation into pay television.
The argument over Sky's wholesale rates of its premium content has been raging for years, and Ofcom's investigation has become a huge focal point of the entire industry.
Ofcom published its phase three document on Pay TV and laid out its three rulings – stating that Sky must sell Sky Sports 1 and 2 to its rivals at prices set by the media watchdog but suggesting that the Competition Commission should investigate movie rights sales.
Having a Picnic
The blow was softened slightly by Ofcom allowing Sky's mothballed Picnic program – bringing subscription television to digital terrestrial television – a place in the spectrum if it abided by the rulings on sport and movies.
Plus, the company's high definition premium content has not been ruled on, meaning that Sky's top level HD content need not be offered to rivals at Ofcom-set prices.
"The pay TV sector has delivered substantial benefits to consumers since its emergence in the early 1990s," said Ofcom.
"More than 12 million consumers now pay to access a greater choice of content, at higher quality, and with a greater degree of control than has historically been available from free-to-air broadcasters.
"Sky has been at the forefront of this development and has delivered substantial benefits to millions of consumers in the UK."
Delivery
"Pay TV services have to date been delivered primarily via satellite and cable networks," it added.
"However, this investigation comes at a time of disruptive change in the way content is distributed.
"For example, digital terrestrial TV offers the scope for pay TV to be delivered via aerials, and new broadband networks could offer consumers an unprecedented choice of content, and the ability to access that content on demand.
"The ability to provide such services depends not just on technology, but on access to content that consumers want to watch.
"Live high-quality sports and recent Hollywood movies retain an enduring appeal for many consumers.
"Access to this content has driven the historical development of pay TV, and we believe that it will remain crucially important for the development of new platforms and new services."
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Journalists' Yahoo emails hacked in China and Taiwan
Following Google's announcement that it is moving its search services out of China due to censorship worries, Yahoo emails belonging to journalists in China and Taiwan have been hacked.
Some journalists in China and Taiwan were unable to access their accounts last week beginning on March 25.
US journalists affected
Kathleen McLaughlin, a freelance journalist in Beijing and Andrew Jacobs of the New York Times were both affected by the hack.
A number of human rights activists and journalists in China had similarly discovered their Gmail accounts had unknowingly been forwarded to unfamiliar addresses late in 2009 and earlier this year, causing Google to eventually decide to start to cut its ties with China.
Yahoo is yet to comment specifically on the email attacks, other than a spokesperson telling Reuters: "Yahoo! condemns all cyber attacks regardless of origin or purpose.
"We are committed to protecting user security and privacy and we take appropriate action in the event of any kind of breach."
Earlier this year Yahoo said it was "aligned" with Google's position.
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Google and eBay call for new online privacy law
US tech firms including Google and eBay are calling for a complete overhaul of online privacy laws in the US.
The group is claiming that the government has too much access to private online data.
Google, eBay and other companies have launched the Digital Due Process coalition, aiming to update the 1986 privacy act, which was passed before most of us had ever heard of the internet or the world wide web.
Is the ECPA out of date?
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986 needs updating, argues the coalition, so that police and government agencies would be required to have warrants before obtaining private e-mails and text messages.
"It is not surprising that a law written in 1986 didn't foresee the privacy protections we need some 25 years later," says Richard Salgado, Google's senior counsel for law enforcement and information security.
The coalition has declared that the ECPA is "a patchwork of confusing standards that have been interpreted inconsistently by the courts".
The coalition recommends that ISPs and mobile carriers should have greater rights before being forced to hand over customer's information to police and government agencies.
"The law needs to be clear that the same standard applies to email and documents stored with a service provider, while at the same time be flexible enough to meet law enforcement needs," said Jim Dempsey of the Center for Democracy and Technology.
You can read all about Google's stance on the updates it wants to see to the ECPA over on its blog and more about the proposal at the coalition website.
"In the coming months, we'll meet with lawmakers, law enforcement officials and others to help build support for modernizing the law," notes Google's Richard Salgado.
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Exclusive: Vodafone's HTC Desire UK release date revealed
Despite The Carphone Warehouse stealing a march by offering the HTC Desire on a Vodafone contract already, the red network has given TechRadar its official UK release date.
Customers can pick up the HTC Desire in stores from 8 April – before the anticipated release for later in the month.
Vodafone only yesterday announced it will be stocking the HTC Legend from 2 April, but it seems it can't even hold onto the Desire for a week after that.
High street high times
However, like the HTC Legend, there will be a slight wait if you pre-order, in this case until 13 April, so unless you're desperate to baggsie your own unit and have the patience of a saint, then you should probably hot-foot it into a store to pick one up on 8 April.
The HTC Desire, which has already begun shipping from T-Mobile and will be coming from Orange on 2 April, will be free on a £30 per month, two year deal, with 900 free minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB internet when bought online.
The pre-order page has gone live now over on Vodafone's dedicated page, so if you're in the mood for a Desire and want it specifically on 13 April (or have a contract with the network or something more likely), then head on over there now.
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