In Depth: 10 Linux commands for beginners
Most Linux distributions include attractive graphical interfaces, but you can do a lot more from the command line interface once you know your way around.
For tasks like controlling and monitoring the distro's underlying system, the command line remains indispensable.
Using it, it's easy to configure and control everything from basic system setup, including network and boot, to graphical apps such as MPlayer.
Here are some commands that will elevate you from a total newbie to an informed command line user.
1. Monitor bootup
When you run into problems such as your graphics card not being detected or your network card not working, the bootup messages listed by dmesg are invaluable for helping you home in on the problem.
At the very least, they'll help you ascertain whether your Linux distro recognises the device attached to your machine. You can then probe these devices further with commands such as lspci and lsusb, depending on the port they're connected to.
2. Monitor system processes
Linux treats everything as a process. While you can use the top command to determine which process (or app) is using the most system resources, the ps command gives you much more information and can be used to control processes with precision.
3. Manipulate file permissions
For security, file permissions in Linux are divided into Users, Groups and Others. You can control the permissions assigned to users under each of these categories using the chmod command.
The permissions enable you to read, write or execute a file. This is handy when you want to run a script to install a package that isn't executable by default for security reasons.
The command chmod +x will make the script executable on your system.
4. Understand commands
The most useful tool for command line newbies is the man command, which provides a basic introduction to the various commands to help you understand their functions, and teaches you how best to use them.
When in doubt about which command to use, use the apropos command to search the man page descriptions for the specified keyword.
5. Manipulate archives
Linux offers many compression and archiving options other than good old ZIP. You'll often encounter Linux packages with '.tar', '.tar.gz' and '.tar.bz2' extensions. Try tar for a regular, uncompressed archive, while using gzip and bunzip2 will give you two different types of compressed archive.
6. Search on the CLI
When you can't remember where a particular config file is stored, or just want to search for a file, you can use either find or locate to determine where it is. While find traverses any specified directory, locate uses its updated database. Some commands are installed in non-standard directories, so use the whereis command to determine their installation directory.
7. Terminate processes
Linux apps sometimes fail to respond. If this happens, use the kill command to terminate the process. This requires the app's process ID, so you must use the ps command first to find this. You can then use this with kill to terminate the app.
For example, ps aux | grep firefox will give you the process ID for the Firefox browser (something like 18104), and kill 18104 will terminate it.
8. Root privileges
You'll often encounter these in tutorials. Only the root user has privileges allowing them to modify the system by installing or removing apps, configuring the network interface and so on. When you want to install an app as a normal user, you can use the sudo command to briefly acquire root user privileges.
9. Redirect output
While not a command, output redirection is an important skill to master when working on the command line. The tools required are the pipe (or |), and . These redirect output (normally printed on your screen) somewhere else, such as a text file or another app.
For example, the command ls | less redirects the output of the ls command onto less. Similarly, you can use the command ls > directory.txt to write the output of the ls command onto the 'directory.txt' file.
The redirection operative is used to write to the end of file.
10. Recall commands
You can use history to rerun a command. Entering this without any switches displays the history list with line numbers. You can also perform an incremental search of the history list.
Use [Ctrl]+[R] to perform a reverse search, or [Ctrl]+[S] for a forward search. As you type the first few letters, the last command from the history list that matches your string will be displayed.
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In Depth: How to cut the cost of buying a Mac
The Apple Store on Regent Street is the perfect symbol of the company and its products: it's gorgeous, shiny, enticing and impossible to ignore. But being in London, it's also a really inconvenient place to buy a computer.
Luckily, there are many alternatives – Macs are available these days from a greater variety of outlets than ever before. So where should you shop, what should you choose, how can you buy safely and – perhaps the most topical issue here – is there any way to shave a few quid off that exquisitely typeset Apple Store price tag?
Wonder no more. We open the doors to the world of Mac retailing and invite you to browse…
Where to buy
Apple is unusual in selling its products every which way at once. You can buy a Mac direct from the online Apple Store; from one of the growing number of bricks-and-mortar Apple Stores around the country; from official 'Apple shops' within department stores, staffed by certified Apple Solutions Consultants; and from hundreds of independent Apple Authorised Resellers and Premium Resellers, variously selling online, on the high street or both.
The bigger independents buy direct from Apple, while others go through a network of distributors, listed here. What seems weird at first glance is that Apple is competing for your custom against its own dealers.
But according to Neil Saunders, Consulting Director at retail analysts Verdict Research, everyone seems to win. "Apple Stores are expensively fitted out and well staffed. They wouldn't make money outside big cities, so Apple couldn't attain the type of coverage it needs without an independent dealer network."
From the retailers' point of view, "in some ways, Apple Stores aren't even competition. They're as much a branding tool as a sales tool: people will go in and look around, use the Genius Bar, but may buy elsewhere. The two are symbiotic."
Given this range of outlets, shopping around for your Mac could save you money – but probably not very much. Authorised Resellers may knock a few pounds off Apple Store prices, and can also sell you other kit at competitive prices.
As Computer Warehouse's Jonathan Cole points out, "We can pioneer new products – things you won't find at the Apple Store." (CW has just opened a new 15,000 sq ft store in West London.) Although you may find fractionally lower prices online, by choosing a local dealer you could get the benefit of trying before you buy and having someone on hand to answer questions. Either way, Mac resellers tend to be very knowledgeable and keen to help.
There are a couple of other ways to cut the cost of a new Mac. Business buyers can save a fortune by reclaiming the VAT and offsetting the purchase against tax. If you're not eligible, you may still qualify for a discount from Apple. Any student or teacher can get special pricing. That includes schoolkids.
The reductions aren't huge, but they're worth having: for example, a dual-core 27-inch iMac lists for £1,295, compared to the regular price of £1,378. Authorised Resellers can access these special rates and may even shave a bit more off for you.
To help you find the cash, Apple also offers financing options. For consumers, this spreads the payments, though you do pay interest. For businesses, flexible leasing knocks more off your tax bill and lets you upgrade your hardware – and indeed software – when necessary without spending big chunks of capital. Find out more here.
Your budget will stretch even further with clearance, refurb and second-user deals. If you can suppress your envy of marginally newer, shinier kit, the best time to shop for a Mac is just after Apple brings out new models. Wander down to John Lewis and you're quite likely to find the last of the old range with three-figure reductions.
Do check the specs against the incoming versions, which will offer more for the same original price, but at the bottom end of the range you could pay less than the current entry-level for a perfectly good machine. Anywhere that holds Macs in stock is similarly worth a raid, and online retailers also have clearance bins: www.cancomuk.com/clearance is a well-established example.
Slicing the Apple
Apple itself has a surprisingly little known online bargain basement. It's a treasure trove of cut-price kit, with some clearance items and many described as 'refurbished'. This usually means someone's bought a Mac, then changed their mind or found a problem and sent it back.
Industry insiders tell us these returns often have absolutely nothing wrong with them, and in any case they're fully tested and any faults fixed before they're resold. They're guaranteed for a full year and extendable up to three years via AppleCare. We could have had a 17-inch MacBook Pro for £1,659, £230 off the current price of £1,889.
Other sources of refurb Macs include www.2ndchancepc.co.uk, which has been in the business for a decade and is particularly good for older models at extremely low prices. We found a dual-core Power Mac G5, the immediate predecessor of the Mac Pro, for £468, and a G4 tower – ready to run both Mac OS X and legacy OS 9 (Classic) apps, which current Macs no longer support – at just £69.
Computer Warehouse has recently moved into this market with its 'Mac scrappage' scheme, which accepts Macs as trade-ins that will then be resold from £99. Then, of course, there's eBay. Search for 'mac' in the Computing category, or be more specific.
Alternatively, search the whole site to spot miscategorised machines that nobody else is bidding on. To gauge the going rate, tick 'Completed listings' under 'Show only' in the left-hand column and see what people have paid for recently sold systems. You'll find a wide variation, and catching a bargain often comes down to luck; don't be tempted to over-bid – there will always be more kit to come along.
Auctioneering
All the usual eBay tips apply, such as checking the seller's feedback, and you need to read the description very carefully: many used Macs are sold in non-working or damaged condition, or with different features or Mac OS versions than you might expect. Take your time and you'll find the right deal for you.
Besides deciding who to buy from, there's the thorny question of which Mac to pick. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in the late 1990s, he ridiculed the bewildering array of products and quickly whittled it down. Since then, it's crept back up. You can have a MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac or Mac Pro.
Within each range are several standard models, plus built-to-order options that add up to hundreds of possibilities. By comparing the prices of different configurations – easily done at http://store.apple.com/uk – you can suss out the best value.
For example, at the time of writing the cheapest Mac mini costs £510 (all prices include VAT). It's a great little machine, but its 160GB hard disk is small by today's standards. The next model up has 320GB, and also comes with a slightly faster processor and 4GB instead of 2GB of RAM, for £153 more.
Other options
That doesn't sound too bad – but consider the alternatives. You could start with the base model and plug in an external 500GB hard disk for around £70, giving you twice the storage and enabling you to use Mac OS X's Time Machine for backup.
If you need the extra RAM as well, you could buy 2GB from a reputable supplier such as Crucial for around £45 and fit it yourself. So, except for missing a small performance boost, you could have a more flexible system for £40 less.
With iMacs, things get more complicated. The entry-level 21.5-inch model is a bargain at £969. If you want a higher specification, the next option doubles the hard disk space and adds a more powerful graphics card – but at £256 extra, you'd really have to want that graphics card. Once you consider this configuration, however, your eye may stray further to the third model, which offers identical features with a massive 27-inch screen (that's 50% bigger in area) for just £153 more. Considering you'd pay upwards of £500 for a 27-inch monitor of this quality, that's almost irresistible.
Then again, if you're into games the 256MB ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics may still not quite satisfy you. The top-end iMac ups this to a 512MB HD 4850, but again the price hike is a steep £256, partly because the processor is also upgraded to quad-core. If you don't need quad-core – and only a limited range of tasks will benefit, after all – that's frustrating.
But hang on: you're not limited to the preset models. By clicking the Select button, you can tweak the specs to create your own Mac. In this case you could pick the base 27-inch model and upgrade just the graphics card for £123. Not every item can be swapped, but it's well worth checking the options.
Build to order is also available from Authorised Resellers, who may add third-party components for you. The only downside is that you'll need to allow a week or two for your own personal Mac to arrive. Just think of it as an exercise in delayed gratification.
Know your rights
Wherever you buy from, consumer law is generally on your side. You can find detailed info at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk and www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice, but here's a quick summary of your rights. These apply when you buy as a consumer, not a business, from a commercial dealer.
Under the Sale of Goods Act and the various bits and bobs tacked onto it, anything you buy must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for its stated purpose. Your contract is with the supplier, not the manufacturer (though if you buy from Apple they're effectively the same), and you can only hold them to descriptions issued by them, not stuff you happened to read somewhere else.
The purpose the goods must be fit for is any purpose that was mentioned in the supplier's promotional bumf or that you mentioned when buying and they didn't say "No, it won't do that." It's well worth telling the seller what you plan to do with your new Mac, so this becomes part of the contract.
Perfectionism
If the goods are unfit for their purpose, not as described or unsatisfactory, you can and should 'reject' them and ask for a full refund. These days, 'unsatisfactory' is interpreted quite broadly. Macs are sold as objects of desire, so if yours arrives slightly dented or with a scratch over the Apple logo, that's unsatisfactory, even if it works fine.
If it doesn't work fine, and a quick call to the dealer's or Apple's helpline doesn't reveal a simple solution, reject it. Never, ever accept repairs to a new machine; send it back.
Refurbished or second-hand goods, by their nature, can be expected to have some small cosmetic flaws (though refurbs usually won't), but beyond that the same rules apply. If you see the goods before buying, you're deemed to have accepted any visible defects, along with anything mentioned in the description, so take care and have a good look.
You can't normally reject non-faulty goods just because you change your mind, but the relatively new Distance Selling Regulations (DSR) do give you this right when you buy without visiting the seller's premises, for example over the internet. You have seven days from delivery to cancel your order. Who then pays for the return of the goods is a grey area; to avoid any damage-intransit disputes it's best to invite the supplier to collect, but they can take the actual cost of this – not a made-up number – off your refund.
When you reject goods or cancel under DSR, the supplier can't legally impose any other charges, such as a 'restocking fee'. You must take care of the goods while they're in your possession, but you don't have to return the packaging in saleable condition; it's not unreasonable to open the box.
There's no obligation to check the goods before signing the courier's paperwork, though it's wise not to wait very long, since your DSR rights are ticking away.
You can still reject the goods up to six months later if you find a fault. After this time, it would be up to you to prove it was an 'inherent defect'. A report to that effect from an independent Mac repairer should suffice.
If you're buying for your business or from an individual, you still have the right to get what you pay for and not be cheated out of your money, but the lack of statutory assumptions in your favour can make disputes trickier to resolve. Partly for this reason, and also because of the slightly dodgy rules that apply for historical reasons to auctions, eBay and its favoured payment system, PayPal, operate their own safeguards for buyers, which you can read about here.
There's no such safety net when you buy a Mac from your sister-in-law's mate Jeff's friend, Dodgy Bob, and give him the cash in a pub, so our advice would be not to do that, despite his competitive prices.
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Freesat 'actively looking' at 3D
Freesat MD Emma Scott has expressed her excitement about the prospect of 3D on the platform, and said the platform is 'actively looking' at the possibilities for the technology.
An interesting interview on Join Freesat dealt with a range of topics including the current favourite 3D – and Scott was enthusiastic about the potential.
"3D is very exciting and it's something we are actively looking at," said Scott.
Freesat boxes are already capable of supporting the technology – although, as with all 3D broadcasts – a 3D enabled television set will be necessary to take advantage of any broadcast.
"We worked hard to make sure that the first generation of receivers were as future proofed as possible – so the great news is that all HD Freesat receivers would be 3D compatible – if you buy a new 3D TV and the specs of course!" added Scott.
"We will continue to talk to broadcasters about opportunities in this area."
Of course, at the current time only Sky has indicated that it will invest in producing a 3D channel, with Sky 3D due to launch for consumers soon, but other broadcasters will be watching (progress, not the channel. Although they might do).
Freeview HD v Freesat
Scott also talked about the pressure from Freeview HD - which has effectively taken away one of the unique selling points of Freesat, free HD.
"Although it's not possible to dictate that broadcasters come onto Freesat, we will have as many HD channels as Freeview once 4HD joins," said Scott.
"More importantly, beyond that Freesat has the capacity for far more HD services than Freeview – and given you can already receive our services across the UK, we will always be in a better position strategically."
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Sky ups all broadband to 20Mbps
Sky has announced changes to its broadband packages which will see all customers getting 20Mbps lines, and a 'truly unlimited' package available for £7.50 a month from 1 June.
Sky's free offering will now be boosted up to 20Mbps – 'effectively as fast as their lines can go', but with a 2GB limit on data.
For those with Sky TV and Sky Talk, £7.50 a month will bring what Sky describes as its 'truly unlimited' offering.
"Sky maintains its commitment to being the only major ISP not to implement a 'fair-use' policy on its Unlimited service or 'traffic shape' speeds on any of its network products, giving its customers consistent, reliable broadband anytime of day," states Sky.
It should, of course, be pointed out that it's the potential for 20Mbps that is being offered, and the speed will very much depend on your location.
New products
Delia Bushell, Sky's Director of Broadband & Talk said: "Sky is transforming the broadband marketplace again, by providing Britain's best value up to 20Mb truly unlimited broadband service and the UK's only free, up to 20Mb service.
"With these new products, our customers have a very simple choice to make based on how much they use the internet, with peace of mind that they are getting a high quality, reliable service.
"Unlike some other ISPs, Sky promises not to slow down the speed customers enjoy on its network at peak."
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HTC passes up opportunity to buy Palm
HTC has apparently pulled out of any prospective deal to buy Palm, the company it used to produce phones for.
The Taiwanese firm was invited to make a bid for Palm, but after looking at the company's books has decided to decline, according to Reuters.
Citing a source with direct knowledge of the deal, any possibility of a bid was withdrawn as "There just weren't enough synergies to take the deal forward."
And that's a no from us too
Huawei, a company that has dabbled in mobile phone production recently but is better known for creating telecoms infrastructure equipment, has also passed up the chance to buy Palm, according to the same source.
Now Lenovo has been tipped as the most likely to purchase Palm, as it looks to capitalise on its fast market growth and expand into the US, where it has minimal presence compared to other markets.
Palm is rumoured to be available for around £780 million, although that figure could drop as companies look at the future assets of the brand before making a bid, with the development of the webOS the main jewel up for grabs.
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In Depth: Build the ultimate Wi-Fi boosting cantenna
You may have heard of the Pringle tube antenna, which was on the right tracks, but this is the science-perfect version.
From what we've read wireless networks use these things called radio waves, we can't see them but we have empirical evidence they exist. Using the brains of this chap, it seems a 100mm diameter can boost these waves to improve performance.
Using an N Connector positioned 44mm from the sealed end with a solid copper wire 31mm high for the antenna, the last piece is a cable to connect this to your system. This cable can be made from standard 5mm coaxial cabling, an N plug and RG58 Reverse Polarity SMA male connector - all easy to find online.
Importantly, you will need a compatible adaptor, this will have the standard SMA reverse polarity screw connection, pictured in step 6. Potentially, you could 'jack-in' to an adaptor's antenna wiring but that's a bit too in-depth for here.
What you will need
Chassis N socket
Clamp N plug
RG58 reverse polarity SMA male connector
5mm coax RG58 cable
2mm solid copper wire
100mm diameter can
Soldering iron
Drill
Ruler
Ideally a tripod
1. Let's take this lot of junk and turn it into a Wi-Fi boosting antenna.
2. The key part is the can. Our measurements are based on a 100mm diameter one. Ideally, it needs to have smooth sides. We found paint tins are the best solution. We're making do with a potato tin here just for demonstration purposes.
3. Effectively this works with any diameter can in the range of 90mm to 110mm, check out this online calculator for your own specifics.
To fit the N Connector a 15mm hole is required, with its centre 44mm from the sealed end.
4. For testing fix it with Blu-Tack, you can bolt it into place afterwards.
5. To pick up the signal, a receiving antenna is required, use a bit of solid copper from 30A mains wiring or a brass nail cut to 31mm in length. Solder this in place.
6. For your adaptor to work with this it needs a SMA reverse polarity screw connection, which looks like this.
7. We need to make a custom SMA to N Plug cable. Expose 1cm of cable and 3mm of the core, tin this and solder it to the contact. Slide this into the shell, fold up the ground wire and crimp the sheath in place.
8. At the other end fix the N Plug. Instructions can be found here.
9. We're now ready to go, hook up the cantenna to your router or PC.
10. In testing the basic antenna hit high 60 percent scores, and adding the bumpy cantenna boosted scores to the low 80s, but lined with foil to emulate a smooth can it hit 90 percent power.
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Sony Ericsson, 3 and Spotify offering celeb 'musical journey'
Sony Ericsson has launched a new project with several musical artists to put together playlists for Spotify based on their recent travels.
The campaign is in association with 3 and Spotify, designed to show off the fact users of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and Vivaz can now get two months' free Spotify use when they pick up these phones.
Some very important artists have been put together for this campaign, ranging from The Stereophonics, Keane and Ellie Goulding to The Courteeners and Mumford & Sons.
OMG I (L) The Stereophonics
These playlists, (which we assume people will listen to because they are by FAMOUS PEOPLE rather than your mate Squiggle) have been created using inspiration from their travels - for instance, The Stereophonics created a playlist inspired by their tour bus travels from Newcastle to Glasgow.
While we can't help but feel this is just a way for three brands to create awareness for themselves by asking that bloke that wrote them songs to throw together a playlist, we're still interested to see what will be included by El Stere O'phonics.
We're thinking - Fog on the Tyne (Lindisfarne/ Gazza), Heaven is a place on Earth (Belinda Carlisle), By yon Bonnie Banks, (and for when the coach breaks down) (I would walk) 500 miles (The Pretenders).
By contrast, Keane's playlist is put together from musings drawn from constant night rail travel - we want to hear your suggestions on what they should be using below.
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Windows 7 sales buoy Microsoft
Windows 7 helped Microsoft to a 35 per cent jump in quarterly profit, but that wasn't enough to keep everybody happy, with shares in the company falling as the results were announced.
With Windows 7 both critically acclaimed and selling well, Microsoft was expected to benefit hugely from a resurgent tech industry.
And although a record third quarter revenue of $14.5 billion (Microsoft operates on a summer-to-summer financial year) was a 6% increase year on year, share prices fell with the news.
Growth engine
"Windows 7 continues to be a growth engine, but we also saw strong growth in other areas like Bing search, Xbox LIVE and our emerging cloud services," said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft.
"Our record third-quarter revenue along with continued rigor on cost management resulted in exceptional EPS growth."
Windows 7 demand put revenue for the operating system division up 28 per cent on January last year, with more than 10 per cent of PCs worldwide now running the latest OS.
"Business customers are beginning to refresh their desktops and the momentum of Windows 7 continues to be strong," said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer.
"We are also seeing tremendous interest in our market-leading cloud services for business."
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In Depth: TechRadar bargain hunt: tech deals of the week
It's that time of the week again to share some of the best deals around!
Check out these amazing finds and bag yourself a bargain.
Make sure you hurry though – some of these deals are so good the stock won't last for long.
Here are our 10 recommended bargains for this week.
1. Samsung F30 SD Flash Camcorder - £89.99 – www.amazon.co.uk
This handheld camera is usually £139.97, but you can save £49.98 with this deal from Amazon.co.uk. It comes with a 42x Intelli-zoom Schneider lens – letting you zoom in on shots without losing image quality. Until 31 May you also get a free accessory kit with this camcorder.
Buy the Samsung F30 SD Flash Camcorder
2. Harman Kardon HKTS-7 Home Cinema System - £249.99 - http://jblcaraudio.co.uk
On the hunt for some amazing speakers to add to your home cinema setup? If you are then make sure to check out this amazing offer - £250 has been knocked off this great speaker set from respected manufacturer Harman Kardon.
Buy the Harman Kardon HKTS-7 Home Cinema System
3. Samsung PS50C550B 50-inch Plasma TV - £595.74 – www.viking-direct.co.uk
If you're looking for a great TV to watch the World Cup on, then this massive HD ready TV could be for you. With built-in Freeview and plenty of connections to hook up your devices to all for under £600, this is an amazing deal. Even better - Viking Direct is offering your money back if England win the World Cup!
Buy the Samsung PS50C550B 50-inch Plasma TV
4. Nintendo Wii Console (Black) with Wii Sports Resort and Motion Plus Controller - £139.99 – www.amazon.co.uk
If you've been waiting to buy a Nintendo Wii then there has never been a better time to buy – Amazon has knocked £40 off its usual price with this deal. You can also get a selected game or controller for only £20 when you buy the console from the site.
Buy the Nintendo Wii Console (Black) with Wii Sports Resort and Motion Plus Controller
5. Technika Digital Camera Starter Kit - £2.49 - http://direct.tesco.com
This starter kit contains a mini tripod and pouch – perfect for your first digital camera. Usually sold for £9.97, it has now been reduced to £2.49 – but make sure you order one soon as the deal ends when the kit has sold out.
Buy the Technika Digital Camera Starter Kit
6. CnMemory 4GB USB Flash Drive - £6.89 - www.sendit.com
This is a great price for a reasonably high capacity USB flash drive. Whilst not the biggest out there, 4GB is plenty of space to carry around your important files and photographs in your pocket or bag.
Buy the CnMemory 4GB USB Flash Drive
7. LG E2250V 22-inch LED Monitor - £154.99 – www.ebuyer.com
This is a great price for a monitor with so many features including DVI and HDMI connections and a three year warranty. This monitor also boasts a high contrast ratio for excellent image quality.
Buy the LG E2250V 22-inch LED Monitor
8. Panasonic Viera 37-inch Full-HD Freeview LCD TV TX-L37U10B - £499 – www.very.co.uk
Save £250 on this 37 inch full high-definition TV. It features Panasonic's V Real Pro 3 engine to create rich, vibrant colours and provide flicker-free motion for smooth viewing of action movies, playing games and watching sport. Very.co.uk is also offering a full refund on TVs if England win the World Cup!
Buy the Panasonic Viera 37-inch Full-HD Freeview LCD TV TX-L37U10B
9. CoolIT Eco A.L.C. High-Performance CPU Watercooler - £55.99 - www.overclockers.co.uk
Water cooling your PC is a great way to keep you computer chilled without resorting to noisy fans. This system is easy to set up and is a great price if you're thinking of building a monster PC.
Buy the CoolIT Eco A.L.C. High-Performance CPU Watercooler
10. Intempo Digital RDI iPod Speaker Dock With Built In DAB - £89.99 – www.amazon.co.uk
Save 31 per cent with this deal from Amazon. Not only can you connect your iPod to play through the 30 watt speakers, you also get an integrated DAB radio as well – giving you near-CD quality radio broadcasts from a huge selection of radio stations.
Buy the Intempo Digital RDI iPod Speaker Dock With Built In DAB
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CVG's pick of the gaming week
Computer and Video Games has picked out its top five stories for the week just for TechRadar readers, and they include porn viruses, the release date for Nintendo's next handheld and a video of two player co-op on Mario Galaxy 2.
CVG's biggest scoop for the week came with the site rooting out that the Nintendo 3DS would be arriving a staggering six months ahead of expectations, with an October launch catapulting it onto a thousand Christmas lists.
"In my experience, you don't launch a product that early to Christmas unless you're confident in it - and going to spend a lot of money on it," an exec told the gaming site.
3D firmware
We covered that 3DS story here on TechRadar, along with the news that the PS3 firmware update 3.3 was upon us – greasing the path towards 3D support for games – but CVG's readers seemed less than enthusiastic with the potential of the technology.
It's only a month until the launch of the next Super Mario game – with Galaxy 2 arriving on 2 June, and you can watch Mario's new cloud power-up and the two player co-op in a slice of the action.
The fallout over Modern Warfare has been big news for weeks now, and news of even more defections from Infinity Ward to the EA-backed Respawn arrived along with the new gaming studio's mission statement to create "state-of-the-art gaming experiences for global audiences."
Last, and definitely least for some users, a virus that posted your internet history and made you pay to take it down arrived. Cost of keeping your porn history from your other half? £10.
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Samsung denies imminent release of Wave
The Samsung Wave phone, the first to use the Korean's Bada platform, will not be landing in the UK later this month.
Samsung has contacted TechRadar to rubbish claims by third party online retailers that they will be stocking the phone in the next few weeks.
A Samsung spokesperson said; "We are delighted to see so much excitement and interest in the Samsung Wave, which will be the first mobile handset released on Samsung's new open mobile platform, Samsung Bada."
Looking forward
"The Samsung Wave is not currently available for sale in the UK, but we look forward to its launch in June 2010, at which time details of tariffs and stockists will be released by our operator partners," they added.
The new phone also boasts some nice specs in the shape of HD video recording, DivX compatibility and a Super AMOLED screen.
So, looks like the UK release date has been pushed back to June - lets just hope that date doesn't head even further into summer so we can properly test that new screen in direct sunlight.
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Weird Tech: Don't mention the war
The reliable old internet joke of having Adolf Hitler get very annoyed about something could be about to end, thanks to legal action from the maker of the movie which spawned tens of thousands of vague attempts at humour.
Constantin Films, which backed and released the film 'Downfall' from which the famed bunker scene has been lifted ad infinitum, is issuing takedown orders to Google, requiring it to chop any videos which use chunks of its production.
According to the EFF, YouTube can easily use its Content ID system to identify and obliterate all clips, automatically.
YOUTUBE SIEGE: You've got to get the fonts right. They're only funny with the correct 'arthouse' font. [Image credit: Brad's Vid]
So if you've recently slaved over one in which Hitler gets annoyed about excessive import duty on his new iPad, prepare for an email from Google's Digital Millennium Copyright team.
Incidentally, the actual dialogue being spoken by Adolf revolves around him discovering the Russians are approaching Berlin quicker than expected - and Adolf is annoyed Eva hasn't had time to push the vacuum cleaner around and tidy up a bit beforehand. Just so you know.
Paul, AKA Paul
Poor old Paul Barrett thought he was onto a winner, thanks to a foolproof scheme of listing things on auction site eBay then using a second, marginally secret account to place bids on the items, therefore ramping up the prices - a process angry internet people call 'shill' bidding.
The master of disguise is reported to have created two accounts, one in the name of 'Shanconpaul' and another as 'Paulthebusman'. It's not hard to work out that there may be a common link between those two users.
WE'VE ALL DONE IT: Don't incriminate yourselves in the comments, but we've all at least considered it, right?
Claiming it was eBay's fault for letting him open up a second account didn't work, and Paul was found guilty - and could face fines up up to £5,000 on each of the 10 auctions he was found to have knowingly inflated.
£2.39 or DIE
It takes a lot to get us unsettled. Weird Tech prides itself on not batting an eyelid or gagging in the slightest in the face of the strongest 'material' the internet has to offer - and yet a current print advertisement for the St John Ambulance iPhone app managed to make us feel a little... uneasy.
LIFE-SAVER: Do you want everyone to die, you selfish fool?
The advert for the app shows a father and son at a bus stop, looking on helplessly as a random person lies on the ground, presumably in the process of dying. The ad then suggests that paying £2.39 for the St John Ambulance iPhone app and teaching yourself CPR could have saved the person's life.
Now, we're as cold and uncaring as the next passer-by who turns a blind eye and walks on, but isn't it just a bit gruesome telling people they're uncaring and evil unless they hand over £2.39?
"Slowly unwrap the old fruit"
Unsettling in a different way is the Nigella Lawson iPhone app, which launched this week for the voluptuous and full-figured price of £4.99.
Are there really people out there who need to pay a fiver to have a celebrity chef tell them it's nice to sprinkle a bit of chocolate on the top of a sponge occasionally without worrying about the calorific content?
TOPICAL CAPTION: Sophie Dahl's so rude she's only on Android
Apparently so, as Nigella's 'Quick Collection' app depressingly stormed to the top of the app charts.
Although there was one moment of happiness - it momentarily took the number one spot from arch cookery buffoon Jamie Oliver.
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YouTube celebrates fifth anniversary of first clip
YouTube is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the first video ever uploaded onto the site – which has since become the world's most popular propagator of videos online.
On 23 April, 2005, Jawed Karim – a founder of YouTube - uploaded 'me at the zoo' and sparked an internet sensation.
The 19 second clip was filmed at the San Diego zoo, and also features elephants and a very loud goat alongside a very nervous Karim.
Billion
Now, more than a billion videos are streamed each day by users globally, and the site is owned by Google.
Karim founded YouTube with Chad Hurley and Steve Chen and the video site had its first headquarters above restaurants in San Mateo in California.
The UK's localised version of the site appeared on 19 June 2007.
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Facebook's Rate the Debate draws just 2,000 users
Facebook's 'rate the debate dial' experiment drew just 2,000 people for the second leaders' debate, although a poll as the television event closed got 20,000 votes from users of the social networking site.
Although the much-hyped dial only managed what would seem to be a minimal audience through the debate, it did throw up some interesting data.
Again it was Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg that came out on top, not only picking up 48 per cent of the final vote, but also picking up the most positive feedback through his opening statement.
Brown highs
Bu it was Gordon Brown who picked up the biggest highs during the debate, with his answers on climate change, the pope and pensions enthusiastically received by users.
Faith and religion did not go down well with the Facebook audience at all, and Clegg's stance on terrorism gave him his low for the night.
Richard Allan, Director of European Public Policy at Facebook commented: "It's clear that the TV debates are an historic moment, but with 76 rules of engagement and broadcasters banned from showing the audience reaction, it's online where voters can express their opinion.
"Our dial test gave the power of opinion back to the public allowing them to say exactly if they liked what they are hearing in real time."
All the results from the dial-test are available for download as a spreadsheet from a dedicated page, located at http://apps.facebook.com/dialtest/export.php.
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YouTube rental store hits the US
YouTube's movie rental store has opened in the US following a trial in January – but with pricing still high, it may be some time before it becomes a mainstream rival to the likes of iTunes and Amazon.
Despite a trial of rentable Sundance film festival titles bringing in an estimated $11,000, the rental store is now available in the States, offering films like Reservoir Dogs and Bass Ackwards for rental.
However, with rental prices starting at a dollar and moving up to $4 for newer films, the service is already coming under fire.
Watching window
Rental periods are from 24 hours to 72, and there is a nice line in Bollywood and Manga television titles which may draw in a different crowd.
But when you can buy content for around the same price as the current rental fee, this isn't yet a store that UK consumers need to feel too jealous of.
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Linsar unveils £150 Freeview HD box
Linsar has launched a sub-£150 Freeview HD device – billing the FHD1 as 'the UK's first affordable T2 Freeview HD set top box'.
With a Bush Freeview HD box currently available for £100 in Argos, it's a claim that looks a little hard to justify, but it is a low-price option for free high definition channels.
Upscaling and Dolby
FHD1 can upscale to full 1080p HD and has Dolby Digital Plus sound, with Scart and RF aerial inputs, and HDMI, scart, digital optical and an RF loop as outputs.
An ethernet port is also provided 'for future software upgrades and connectivity features' and there's a USB port to access media.
So, not the cheapest, but available now, and more Linsar products are scheduled to arrive later in the year.
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Symbian^3 delayed until later in 2010
Nokia's profits might not have been the worst in the world, but things aren't looking so great for the future.
Symbian^3, the new upgrade to the creaking Symbian S60 system used on most Nokia smartphones and some from Samsung and Sony Ericsson (such as the Vivaz), was due to land in the next two months.
However, during its financial results, Nokia also announced that it will be delaying the Symbian^3 operating system until the third quarter, meaning it will lose further ground to the likes of Android and the iPhone.
Hurry it up Nokia!
There was no explicit reason for the release date slide, but given the average reviews Symbian touchscreen phones have been getting in the UK media, it's surely imperative the upgrade comes soon to compete with the front-running smartphone contenders.
Nokia's share price has apparently dropped after the news, combined with financial announcements, falling 14.5 per cent.
We're quite excited to see the Symbian overhaul, which looks likely to focus strongly on the UI – but we need to see a phone using it sooner rather than later.
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Symbian^3 delayed until later in 2010
Nokia's profits might not have been the worst in the world, but things aren't looking so great for the future.
Symbian^3, the new upgrade to the creaking Symbian S60 system used on most Nokia smartphones and some from Samsung and Sony Ericsson (such as the Vivaz), was due to land in the next two months.
However, during its financial results, Nokia also announced that it will be delaying the Symbian^3 operating system until the third quarter, meaning it will lose further ground to the likes of Android and the iPhone.
Hurry it up Nokia!
There was no explicit reason for the release date slide, but given the average reviews Symbian touchscreen phones have been getting in the UK media, it's surely imperative the upgrade comes soon to compete with the front-running smartphone contenders.
Nokia's share price has apparently dropped after the news, combined with financial announcements, falling 14.5 per cent.
We're quite excited to see the Symbian overhaul, which looks likely to focus strongly on the UI – but we need to see a phone using it sooner rather than later.
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See Android running on the iPhone
A clever little hacker has managed to probe around inside his iPhone enough to install both the iPhone OS and Android on there together.
This version of Android works pretty well on the phone, despite being only in 'Alpha' version according to the demonstrator.
It's also only running on the iPhone 2G, which is obviously the slowest iPhone out there, but it still functions pretty well, only slightly lagging at times.
All the tricks
You can search for Wi-Fi, make calls and listen to music, with some clever tweaks to compensate for the lack of dedicated keys (the volume buttons are called into action to function as the call/terminate keys).
If you've ever wanted to see what it would like to see the Google OS on Apple's device, then you can check out the video below; be warned there is about a minute of watching code load but after that it's just a straight ride into hideous mutant OS territory.
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See Android running on the iPhone
A clever little hacker has managed to probe around inside his iPhone enough to install both the iPhone OS and Android on there together.
This version of Android works pretty well on the phone, despite being only in 'Alpha' version according to the demonstrator.
It's also only running on the iPhone 2G, which is obviously the slowest iPhone out there, but it still functions pretty well, only slightly lagging at times.
All the tricks
You can search for Wi-Fi, make calls and listen to music, with some clever tweaks to compensate for the lack of dedicated keys (the volume buttons are called into action to function as the call/terminate keys).
If you've ever wanted to see what it would like to see the Google OS on Apple's device, then you can check out the video below; be warned there is about a minute of watching code load but after that it's just a straight ride into hideous mutant OS territory.
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