Vodafone to offer Samsung Galaxy S Android phone in UK
Samsung's new Galaxy S Android phone is coming to the UK with Vodafone, meaning a whole host new tech to play with.
The new Android phone is packing in the best of Samsung's hardware, with a 1GHz processor, a Super AMOLED screen giving pin sharp performance and HD video recording too - a first for Android.
The Galaxy S will also be running Android 2.1, making it capable of enjoying the latest upgrades to Google's OS.
It's got a huge 4-inch screen, a 5MP camera and 16GB of internal memory with a microSD card slot.
Chrome - on a mobile?
Intriguingly, Vodafone is stating that this phone comes with Google Chrome integrated as well, making it 'quick to load, so you can do things faster online.'
The phone is still stuck under the 'Coming Soon' label on the Vodafone website, so we're still not sure how much this Android beast is going to cost.
But with all the tech on board, we'd bet that this one will outperform the recently released Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 - it's going to be a battle royale (hopefully).
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David Cameron to kill the Digital Economy Act?
There's a new man at Number 10 Downing Street. His name is David Cameron. He is promising to make lots of changes to how the UK is run. One of which might well see the controversial Digital Economy Act scrapped.
And whether or not you are dyed-in-the-wool red or blue, if you like technology and you use the internet you are likely to be aware that the Digital Economy Act is a bit of a mess. To put it lightly.
In particular, Lord Mandelson's proposals for a 'three stikes' style measure to deal with persistent illegal filesharers drew a considerable amount of criticism from liberal commentators.
A Parliamentary 'stitch up'
The bill was passed through the Commons during the 'wash-up' period before the General Election - which in itself led a number of commentators to criticise the process in which it was seemingly rushed through Parliament without due consideration and debate.
The new Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, said at the time that the passing of the Digital Economy Act was a "stitch-up" between Labour and Conservative MPs and a "classic example of what's wrong with Westminster".
Clegg now has the necessary clout to make some changes and, ideally, repeal the entire Act.
The new government ('ConDem'?) is reportedly looking to scrap plans for ID cards and biometric passports, with speculation mounting that the Digital Economy Act could also be in for the chop.
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David Cameron to kill the Digital Economy Act?
There's a new man at Number 10 Downing Street. His name is David Cameron. He is promising to make lots of changes to how the UK is run. One of which might well see the controversial Digital Economy Act scrapped.
And whether or not you are died-in-the-wool red or blue, if you like technology and you use the internet you are likely to be aware that the Digital Economy Act is a bit of a mess. To put it lightly.
In particular, Lord Mandelson's proposals for a 'three stikes' style measure to deal with persistent illegal filesharers drew a considerable amount of criticism from liberal commentators.
A Parliamentary 'stitch up'
The bill was passed through the Commons during the 'wash-up' period before the General Election - which in itself led a number of commentators to criticise the process in which it was seemingly rushed through Parliament without due consideration and debate.
The new Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, said at the time that the passing of the Digital Economy Act was a "stitch-up" between Labour and Conservative MPs and a "classic example of what's wrong with Westminster".
Clegg now has the necessary clout to make some changes and, ideally, repeal the entire bill.
The new government ('ConDem'?) is reportedly looking to scrap plans for ID cards and biometric passports, with speculation mounting that the Digital Economy Act could also be in for the chop.
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Hands on: Sony NEX-5 review
Sony unveiled its latest camera to take on the might of the Micro Four Thirds crowd this week, the Sony NEX-5.
This compact camera comes complete with an interchangeable lens system, meaning that it offers DSLR-like functionality in a smaller chassis, essentially bringing the idea of high-end photographer to a much more consumer market.
PhotoRadar, from the same publishers of TechRadar, managed to get hands-on with the NEX-5 and were impressed with what they found.
When it comes to look and feel, the camera is built to last, with PhotoRadar noting: "Unlike the cheaper Sony NEX-3, the NEX-5 has a robust magnesium body that feels nicely weighted in the (smallish) hand.
"The shell's cool to the touch and the rubberised grip with raised bumps gives good purchase. For a camera that's small enough to be tossed in a bag or coat pocket, durability is important and the NEX-5 feels like it can deliver."
The only weak spot in the design seems to be the 3-inch tilting LCD which is doesn't tilt out sideways for vertical shooting.
The handling of the camera is impressive, with PhotoRadar explaining: "The one-touch-does-all approach means you don't have to fumble around trying to remember which button, switch or dial activates a setting – a single press and a spin of the wheel will get you there."
For those who like more manual control, though, this system could be seen as a tad sluggish.
As for how fast the camera runs, there seemed to be some delay in start-up speeds and the camera did take some time searching for the right ISO when in Aperture Priority mode.
One of the more interesting features of the NEX-5 seems to be its Sweep Panorama mode.
Found on Sony's latest compacts, the feature stitches together a number of images to create a vista. On the NEX-5 PhotoRadar found it to be "very entertaining" and said that "those familiar with the Sony system will feel right at home pointing the camera at the start point and moving it across the scene".
Although PhotoRadar were playing with a production model, the signs are there that the NEX-5 could be a winner.
"The basic NEX-5 kit seems to turn in a decent performance," the review explains.
"It's a well constructed bit of kit, exposures seem consistent and the kit lens and sensor deliver a good level of detail.
"Features such as the Sweep Panorama do 'put the fun back into photography' – and the results are really rather good.
"We've yet to really put the 'HDR' functionality through its paces, but again, results seemed consistent."
The Sony NEX-5 has a UK release date of 1 June. Pricing for the camera starts at £550.
For more information on the NEX-5 head over to PhotoRadar where they have an in-depth review, some picture comparison and a whole host of test shots.
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How new tech is empowering women in the developing world
A new survey of 35,000 people worldwide suggests that access to computers, the internet and communications devices such as mobile phones increases people's sense of happiness and wellbeing.
The latest research, carried out on behalf of BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT, claims that information technology has an "enabling and empowering role", that leads to increased "life satisfaction".
Access to communication tools was most valued, particularly amongst women in developing countries, and those struggling below the poverty line on low incomes or with limited access to educational opportunities.
Researcher Paul Flatters of Trajectory Partnership, which carried out the research on behalf of the BCS, noted that this was because women have a more central role in family and other social networks.
"Our hypothesis is that women in developing countries benefit more because they are more socially constrained in society," Flatters told the BBC.
"The next phase of our research is to test that."
Empowering the disempowered
"IT appears to empower the disempowered," adds the report. "In fact, much of the improvement in life satisfaction that arises from information technology flows to those who are less well-placed in society.
"Those on lower incomes or with fewer educational qualifications appear to benefit more from access to IT than those on higher incomes or with higher educational backgrounds. This appears to be the case across the globe.
"The research indicates this relationship, but not the mechanism; this is an area for further study."
"Anything that increases the sense of personal control in our lives, such as IT, will reduce anxiety and stress and keep us mentally well," psychologist Donna Dawson told The Telegraph.
"Through giving us choices, allowing is access to information, and putting us in touch with others, IT can increase feelings of security, personal freedom and power, which together give us greater life satisfaction.
"This is especially true for women, who are usually at the hub of social communications in their families, societies and work. Social networking and gathering information online can help women to successfully juggle and manage all the different roles that fill their lives."
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How new tech is empowering women in the developing world
A new survey of 35,000 people worldwide suggests that access to computers, the internet and communications devices such as mobile phones increase's people's sense of happiness and wellbeing.
The latest research, carried out on behalf of BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT, claims that information technology has an "enabling and empowering role", that leads to increased "life satisfaction".
Access to communication tools was most valued, particularly amongst women in developing countries, and those struggling below the poverty line on low incomes or with limited access to educational opportunities.
Researcher Paul Flatters of Trajectory Partnership, which carried out the research on behalf of the BCS, noted that this was because women have a more central role in family and other social networks.
"Our hypothesis is that women in developing countries benefit more because they are more socially constrained in society," Flatters told the BBC.
"The next phase of our research is to test that."
Empowering the disempowered
"IT appears to empower the disempowered," adds the report. "In fact, much of the improvement in life satisfaction that arises from information technology flows to those who are less well-placed in society.
"Those on lower incomes or with fewer educational qualifications appear to benefit more from access to IT than those on higher incomes or with higher educational backgrounds. This appears to be the case across the globe.
"The research indicates this relationship, but not the mechanism; this is an area for further study."
"Anything that increases the sense of personal control in our lives, such as IT, will reduce anxiety and stress and keep us mentally well," psychologist Donna Dawson told The Telegraph.
"Through giving us choices, allowing is access to information, and putting us in touch with others, IT can increase feelings of security, personal freedom and power, which together give us greater life satisfaction.
"This is especially true for women, who are usually at the hub of social communications in their families, societies and work. Social networking and gathering information online can help women to successfully juggle and manage all the different roles that fill their lives."
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Student invents bubble helmet to beat pub noise
A new invention by a product design student in Scotland looks to cut out the background noise in public spaces, but there's one catch: you have to wear a massive plastic bubble as a helmet.
The social sphere has been created by Elaine McLuskey and was conceived when she was studying hearing impairments.
Her solution was to create a double-headed helmet, where two people could wear and interact, without the fear that background chatter would get in the way.
The only problem with this is that you look like an extra from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Luckily there are two designs and one of them is the much more friendly stationary version.
Actually, even this one is a little bit odd – a bit like two people looking into the barrel of a washing machine.
Eccentric appearance
"My research found that in some cases a person's environment can be more disabling than a hearing impairment and so, in some respects, we are all hearing impaired on a daily basis," said McLuskey about her motives.
"The obvious example is that frustrating situation of trying to catch up with a friend in a busy bar. You want to hear their news and have a proper chat, but you have to shout over the din of music, chatter and clinking glasses.
"I hope the very noticeable and eccentric appearance starts people talking about hearing impairments."
The social sphere and other design oddities will be going on show at Edinburgh Napier University's School of Arts and Creative Industries Degree Show, from 13-23 May.
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Google adds biking directions to free sat nav
Google has updated its mobile maps application to version 4.2 to now include directions for your bike too.
Sadly only for the US, you can select the bike icon when getting directions to get an optimal bicycling route for Android phones packing 1.6 or above (still not the Hero, sadly).
For a more scenic ride, you'll also see the bike layer on the map which shows dedicated bike-only trails (dark green), roads with bike lanes (light green), or roads that are good for biking but lack a dedicated lane (dashed green).
There's also a dedicated icon for the Navigation function too, so if you want to use your phone as a free sat nav then you won't have to go through the palaver of powering up Google Maps just to point your car at the shops.
Share and share alike
The options there are pretty simple - you either enter your destination by speech or typing it in, and also navigate to any of your contacts with geo-location data enabled.
You can also share the location with your friends, which is obviously very helpful if you're all trying to drive to some place to meet up - when you've chosen where you're off too, simply click to send the location via email or SMS.
There's also the option to share a snapshot of where you are in the same way, or use Latitude to broadcast the results to all those in your network - the Google world is your oyster.
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Sony releases water-resistant Metal Gear Solid-themed Walkman
Sony is set to release a limited editionwater-resistant wearable Walkman, with camo-branding to celebrate theforthcoming release of the new Metal Gear Solid game on PSP.
You can even wear it in the shower, according to Sony.Although why you would want to is of course a different matter entirely.
Walkman in the rain (man)
"Uniquely styled with adistinctive green camouflage finish, the all-in-one, wire-free MP3 player alsocomes pre-loaded with six music tracks from the game," Sony informs us.
"Designed fortoday’s active lifestyles, the Walkman W252 is the first wire-free MP3 playerfrom Sony that resists rain splashes or the sweat of a gruelling gym session. Afterexercising, just rinse under the tap – or even keep listening during a post-workoutshower.
The latest Sony Walkman has a 2GBcapacity and provides storage space for around 470 tunes. It also comes bundledwith the 13.5mm EX Series headphones, which are also camouflaged, in case youneed to hide your ears.
A three-minute charge gives enough powerfor 90 minutes listening time. And the full battery will give you 11 hours oflistening time.
Sony’s PSP has its critics, for sure, but the new MetalGear title from Hideo Kojima really is something pretty special. We are stillless than a quarter of the way through it and can happily report that it is adelightful handheld gaming experience.
The Special Edition SonyWalkman will be available from June 2010 from www.sony.co.uk.
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Review: Panasonic TX-P42G20
Panasonic gave its plasma TV range a timely boost last year with the introduction of new brightness-boosting, energy-saving, colour-enhancing NeoPDP technology.
A technology considered good enough, in fact, to port over to 2010, where it features in Panasonic's new S20 plasma series.
However, Panasonic isn't one to rest on its laurels. Indeed, to do so would be suicidal given the advances being made with LCD/LED technology by some of its rivals.
So given the critical and commercial success its NeoPDP screens achieved, it's no great surprise to find Panasonic revamping the technology for its higher-level 2010 screen ranges.
What is rather surprising, though, is just how much effort Panasonic seems to have invested into kicking NeoPDP up a gear.
Stable mates
At the bottom of Panasonic's plasma range can be found the X20 series, comprising the 37-inch TX-P37X20, the 42-inch TX-P42X20, and the 50-inch TX-P50X20.
Next up is the S20 series, which introduces NeoPDP technology - albeit last year's version. This comes in 42-inch, 46-inch and 50-inch sizes (the TX-P42S20, TX-P46S20 and TX-P50S20 respectively).
Then you get to the G20 series, with the 42-inch model we've just reviewed being joined by the 46-inch TX-P46G20, and 50-inch TX-P50G20.
At the top of the plasma pile, meanwhile, is the VT20 series, with 3D capability and Panasonic's new Infinite Black Pro technology.
There are 50-inch and 65-inch models available: the TX-P50VT20 and TX-P65VT20 respectively.
Really there doesn't seem to be any part of NeoPDP that hasn't been tinkered with for Panasonic's 42-inch P42G20.
The phosphors used in the plasma cells are apparently revamped; there's a new filter in the screen to boost contrast; there's a different, more efficient discharge gas within each plasma cell; and perhaps most remarkably of all, even the core structure of the plasma cells has been revisited. Blimey. Talk about going back to the drawing board.
Free HD
The other headline feature of the P42G20 is its carriage of not one but two free-to-air HD tuners: Freesat HD and Freeview HD. At first glance we guess this could look a bit gimmicky; why would you need both?
But actually, there are subtle differences in the channel line ups of each service, so the P42G20 is arguably just being a broadcast completist!
Let's not forget, either, that there are still huge swathes of the UK that can't yet receive Freeview HD broadcasts. So the P42G20 is sensibly hedging its HD broadcast bets by making sure its TV will cater for anyone, anywhere.
As with any TV with a Freesat or Freeview HD tuner, the P42G20's extensive suite of connections includes an Ethernet port for accessing future potential interactive services the two platforms might launch (did someone say 'BBC iPlayer'?).
But that's just the start of the stuff the Ethernet port can do. It's also able to pull in files from a DLNA-certified PC, or take you online to 'surf' Panasonic's ring-fenced VieraCast web service.
This service is one of the most elegantly presented and easy to navigate that we've come across - though we did find ourselves feeling a bit nonplussed about how little its content had changed from last year's models.
Web video
Which is to say the English content comprises just Daily Motion feeds, YouTube, the Picasa web photo album site, Bloomberg, some fairly bog-standard weather information, and Eurosport bulletins. Some sort of internet radio support would have been appreciated, or even a movie-streaming platform like the LoveFilm one now offered on Sony's latest online TVs.
We've actually seen movies streaming into Panasonic's new TVs at various European demos, in fact, so hopefully Panasonic is on the case with securing a film supply deal with one of the growing number of online film providers.
One extra online feature that's definitely coming is Skype. How do we know? Because one of the content boxes on the VieraCast home screen says so. So there you go.
Video playback
The P42G20 offers yet another source of multimedia fun and games courtesy of built-in SD and USB slots. As you might expect of an ambitious TV in 2010, these slots can be used to play JPEG photos, MP3 songs and AVCHD/DivX/MPEG2 video files directly onto the screen.
This is far from the sum total of the USB's talents, though. For in keeping with a growing number of TVs this year, it can be used to add an optional USB dongle that introduces Wi-Fi functionality. Even better, it can actually be used for recording programmes from the digital tuners to an external USB HDD drive.
We've long anticipated the day when TV USB ports would be able to send stuff out as well as take stuff in, and actually Panasonic is just one of a number of brands this year offering such functionality on their TVs.
It's a pity, then, that we found it seriously hard to actually test this handy new feature out, for the simple reason that we struggled to lay our hands on a USB HDD that was compatible with the TV's recording system.
Storage problems
No USB sticks did the trick (it turns out you need a minimum of 160GB for the feature to work). But nor, more surprisingly, did any of the fairly standard - if in some cases rather old - USB HDDs we had lying around the office.
A spot of research on Panasonic's websites revealed that rather startlingly, Panasonic only recommends a single series of USB HDDs as suitable, tried and tested partners for its USB recording system: Buffalo's new JustStore Desktop HD-EU2-UK series.
This apparent exclusivity might, we guess, be just some sort of cross-marketing tool between Panasonic and Buffalo. But if it is, it didn't alter the fact that we were reduced to actually buying one of the drives in question so we could check the P42G20's recordings out. Buffalo must be laughing all the way to the bank. Unlike us.
The good news is that the recordings when they're finally happening are excellent. The drive simply records the HD or standard def digital stream, in fact, so you'll be hard-pushed to detect any difference at all between an original broadcast and a Panasonic USB recording.
Also impressive is the fact that you can set the TV to buffer to USB what you're watching, giving you the option of an instant rewind if you're momentarily distracted for some reason.
Recording limitations
If you're having dreams of recording Top Gear onto USB HDD for later playback on a laptop somewhere, though, then we're afraid it's time to wake up and smell the coffee. For predictably, the TV 'bonds with' the USB HDD drive when you first set it up, so that content you record onto it can only be watched on the same TV.
Moving on to the P42G20's picture features, it's often struck us as a bit odd - and disappointing - that Panasonic doesn't allow people more set-up flexibility on its entry-level and mid-range plasmas.
So it's really nice to find the P42G20 introducing such fine-tuning niceties as adjustment of the cut-off and gain values for the red, green and blue picture components, and various gamma presets. These include an S-Curve setting to emphasise mid-brightness detail, plus the likely most widely used 2.2 default value.
The extra calibration flexibility of the P42G20 is doubtless a big reason why Panasonic has been able to bag - for what we believe is its first time - official endorsement from the independent Imaging Science Foundation (ISF). This means that the ISF feels the TV is flexible enough for one of its engineers to come round and calibrate it for you. Provided you're willing to pay them for the privilege, of course.
If that sounds like too much trouble - though actually, it's something we'd recommend you at least think about - then you might well find yourself headed for the P42G20's other 'celebrity' endorsement: the THX mode tucked away in the picture presets.
Especially since the extra quality of the P42G20 versus last year's equivalent G10 series really seems to have helped the THX calibrators find their stride, delivering a preset that we actually only tinkered with to a very small degree before declaring ourselves satisfied.
When we said at the end of the features section that we were satisfied with the Panasonic P42G20's pictures, we lied.
For actually, we were considerably more than satisfied. In fact, the P42G20's latest NeoPDP engine has at one fell swoop made it one of the most movie-friendly TVs we've ever seen - at least at the sensibly priced end of the market.
The most immediately obvious improvement over last year's NeoPDP models can be seen in the P42G20's colour palette.
Excellent colours
Hues across the spectrum look more accurate while also being more vibrant and dynamic, and the actual spread of that spectrum seems notably larger - not least because Panasonic has done a much better job of reining in plasma's tendency to push green hues too much when showing dark scenes.
It's immensely pleasing, too, to see that the exceptionally natural-looking colours on show with HD footage don't give way during standard def viewing to nearly as many colour errors as we noted with last year's G10 and lower Panasonic plasmas.
Standard definition pictures still initially looked a little softer than we'd like, it has to be said. But then we spotted a new Resolution Enhancer feature tucked away in one of the P42G20's sub-menus, and the mid setting of this turned out to do a very respectable job of sharpening standard definition up without making it look noisy.
There's no need to worry about any softness while watching HD, though. For while Blu-ray and Sky HD pictures look a little less aggressively gritty on the P42G20 than they do on some of the best LCD sets, they actually look much more natural for it, while still delivering oodles of the lovely fine detailing that makes HD so essential.
Excellent motion
Plasma doesn't suffer with the response time issues of LCD technology either, and so the blurring and softening of moving objects we often see with LCD screens is pretty much entirely absent on the P42G20, helping its sharpness stay constant.
The combination of 600Hz and Panasonic's Intelligent Frame Creation processing also ensures that camera pans look silky smooth, with practically none of the usual plasma judder.
All this and we haven't yet mentioned the P42G20's truly outstanding performance with dark scenes. It manages to produce a black colour that's almost devoid of the usual grey mist that affects all LCD TVs and even most plasma TVs to some extent, leaving dark scenes looking remarkably believable, rich and immersive.
Key to how good dark scenes look on the P42G20, too, is the fact that its NeoPDP technology means it doesn't have to dim the overall brightness level drastically to achieve a deep black colour, as happens with LCD TVs. This means that you can still see loads of subtle shading and shadowy details in the P42G20's darkest corners, rather than the hollow, flat look often found with LCD's darkest colours.
Brilliant contrast
Yet more good news evident during dark scenes finds the P42G20's backlight levels looking totally consistent from one corner of the screen to the other. There's no sign of the common LCD problem whereby some parts of the picture in dark scenes look unnaturally brighter than others.
Finally - and this is a major point for anyone with a big family or small living room - the P42G20's pictures don't lose contrast or colour when watched from even quite severe angles. Compare this with most LCD TVs, which lose significant contrast and brightness if watched from angles as little as 40 degrees off axis.
Really the only significant negative point we can raise about the P42G20's pictures is that they're not as aggressively bright as those of your average showboating LCD TV, and so might look a little flat in really bright living rooms. Otherwise, it's all good. Especially with HD movies.
There's no denying that the P42G20's sound is nowhere near as accomplished as its pictures. It's just average, no more, no less, with a slightly compressed mid range and lack of bass - both familiar flat TV complaints - being its biggest shortcomings.
Value
If you're a fan of films, then you should be seriously chuffed to find Panasonic bringing in so much film-friendly technology on such an affordable TV. Seriously, it feels like there's stuff going on here that would previously only have been found on Panasonic's megabucks professional plasma screens. Let's not forget, either, those unique twin HD tuners.
Ease of use
Panasonic's TV remote controls have long been paragons of simplicity and ergonomics, and for the most part, this hasn't changed with the P42G20 - despite its remote now having to accommodate far more multimedia functionality than used to be the case. Our only significant moan is that the main menu button has perhaps become a little too tucked away for comfort.
The P42G20's GUI, meanwhile, now looks a little dated compared with what the likes of Sony, Samsung and especially LG are doing. But it's deceptively simple for the most part, except for one or two slightly illogical sub-menu allocations.
If you walked around your local AV store looking at all the TVs on sale, it's quite possible - probable, even - that you would walk straight past the P42G20 without giving it a second glance. You'd likely be seduced, instead, by the glamour and crazy brightness levels of the latest LCD whizz kid.
But actually, it's the very qualities of the P42G20's pictures that stop it 'shining' in a bright shop environment that make it such a treat when it's installed in your living room.
For it understands that contrast is much more important than brightness; that colours are actually far better off being accurate than garish; and that over-sharpening pictures is really just a recipe for noisy disaster.
In other words, get a P42G20 home, and you'll find yourself with a TV that loves TV - especially films - as much as you do.
We liked:
You may have noticed by now that we're kind of into the P42G20's picture quality!
The advances in terms of contrast and colour introduced by the new NeoPDP technology are profound, serving up a picture that caters perfectly for the AV cognoscenti. Many people will be seriously attracted to its almost unlimited viewing angle, too.
Its multimedia talents are solid as well, and we appreciated its USB recording abilities - once we got them working.
We disliked:
Why Panasonic should insist in dressing such a grand TV as the P42G20 in such drab clothes is beyond us. The restrictive situation regarding compatible USB HDDs is annoying too, and we guess people with very bright rooms might find the P42G20's post-calibration pictures just a little lacking in brightness.
Verdict:
With the P42G20, Panasonic has effectively introduced the quality of last year's high-end models to a mid-range price point - and you can't ask for more than that. Plus, of course, it raises tantalising questions about just what Panasonic might be about to deliver with its flagship, 3D-capable VT20 models...
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In Depth: How to make phone calls on your iPad
Like any good tablet computer, the great wonder of the iPad is that, with the right apps, it can transform itself into pretty much anything you want.
But what if you want a phone? Even the version of the iPad that includes 3G can't actually make phone calls – its connection is just for internet data traffic – but, in fact, it's actually pretty easy to use an iPad to make phone calls. What's more, it's about to get a whole lot easier.
The key here, of course, is Voice over IP (VoIP), the generic term for voice calls made over an internet connection. The brand best associated with this in most people's minds is Skype, though there are lots of other systems aimed at consumers and enterprise alike.
Download the free Skype app onto your iPad, and you can use the iPad's built-in speaker and microphone to make calls right away; calls direct to other Skype users on PCs, Macs or other mobile devices are free, and you can make cheap calls to landline and mobile numbers by buying credit with Skype.
It's especially useful for international calls, where Skype's per-minute charges are usually substantially lower than traditional mobile or landline tariffs.
IPAD CALLING: Skype works fine on the iPad, though it hasn't yet been tweaked for the big screen
While the built-in mic and speaker are fine for calls at home, you might not enjoy bellowing into a slab of aluminium and glass, Dom Joly-style, when you're out and about, or appreciate having the audio from the other end of your conversation broadcast in your office from its speakers.
Happily, you can use a headset; we tried a few that were made for the iPhone –with a mic and clicker arrangement on the cable – and they all worked fine. (Some have reported success with a USB headset and Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit, but we haven't been able to confirm it.)
Frustratingly, though the iPhone supports all Bluetooth headsets, Apple says that the iPad only supports the modern A2DP/AVRCP (and PAN) standards, and there are relatively few headsets that use these protocols.
NO GO: Most Bluetooth headsets don't use the modern A2DP protocols, so the iPad won't see them
There are other limitations, however. Though other services such as Fring do allow calls to be made over 3G – at the expense of some quality, in our experience – Skype only allows calls to be made over Wi-Fi at the moment, so even if you buy a 3G iPad, you'll be tethered to hotspots for calls. Skype aims to rectify that very soon.
What's more, you can't use Skype to make calls to the emergency services, and you will need to monitor how much data you're using if you opt for one of the capped iPad tariffs.
Perhaps most significantly, however, you can't receive calls to your SkypeIn number when the app's not running. The good news, though, is that the next version of the iPhone OS that powers the iPad,makes specific provision for the kind of background processes necessary for VoIP calls in this manner. Apple hasn't said when this will be ready for the iPad.
Only a fool would argue that an iPad is as convenient a device as an iPhone to carry around with your for calls, but it would be equally foolish to suggest that it simply can't be done. It can, and it'll only get easier as the platform improves.
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In Depth: How to replace your iPhone with an iPad
Like any good tablet computer, the great wonder of the iPad is that, with the right apps, it can transform itself into pretty much anything you want.
But what if you want a phone? Even the version of the iPad that includes 3G can't actually make phone calls – its connection is just for internet data traffic – but, in fact, it's actually pretty easy to use an iPad to make phone calls. What's more, it's about to get a whole lot easier.
The key here, of course, is Voice over IP (VoIP), the generic term for voice calls made over an internet connection. The brand best associated with this in most people's minds is Skype, though there are lots of other systems aimed at consumers and enterprise alike.
Download the free Skype app onto your iPad, and you can use the iPad's built-in speaker and microphone to make calls right away; calls direct to other Skype users on PCs, Macs or other mobile devices are free, and you can make cheap calls to landline and mobile numbers by buying credit with Skype.
It's especially useful for international calls, where Skype's per-minute charges are usually substantially lower than traditional mobile or landline tariffs.
IPAD CALLING: Skype works fine on the iPad, though it hasn't yet been tweaked for the big screen
While the built-in mic and speaker are fine for calls at home, you might not enjoy bellowing into a slab of aluminium and glass, Dom Joly-style, when you're out and about, or appreciate having the audio from the other end of your conversation broadcast in your office from its speakers.
Happily, you can use a headset; we tried a few that were made for the iPhone –with a mic and clicker arrangement on the cable – and they all worked fine. (Some have reported success with a USB headset and Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit, but we haven't been able to confirm it.)
Frustratingly, though the iPhone supports all Bluetooth headsets, Apple says that the iPad only supports the modern A2DP/AVRCP (and PAN) standards, and there are relatively few headsets that use these protocols.
NO GO: Most Bluetooth headsets don't use the modern A2DP protocols, so the iPad won't see them
There are other limitations, however. Though other services such as Fring do allow calls to be made over 3G – at the expense of some quality, in our experience – Skype only allows calls to be made over Wi-Fi at the moment, so even if you buy a 3G iPad, you'll be tethered to hotspots for calls. Skype aims to rectify that very soon.
What's more, you can't use Skype to make calls to the emergency services, and you will need to monitor how much data you're using if you opt for one of the capped iPad tariffs.
Perhaps most significantly, however, you can't receive calls to your SkypeIn number when the app's not running. The good news, though, is that the next version of the iPhone OS that powers the iPad,makes specific provision for the kind of background processes necessary for VoIP calls in this manner. Apple hasn't said when this will be ready for the iPad.
Only a fool would argue that an iPad is as convenient a device as an iPhone to carry around with your for calls, but it would be equally foolish to suggest that it simply can't be done. It can, and it'll only get easier as the platform improves.
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Intel: Smart TV revolution 'biggest since move to colour'
Intel has laid all its cards on the table and announced that the new series of 'smart TVs' will be as important to the evolution of televisions as colour was.
While the rest of the tech industry is currently pandering to the 'new' technology that is 3D, Intel CEO Paul Otellini is betting big on web-based tellies being the future of where our viewing is going.
Speaking at an investors' day, Otellini noted: "The TV revolution we're about to go through is the biggest change since the move to colour.
"The usage model is going to fundamentally shift with the new capabilities of the platform."
In short he was talking about Intel's Atom platform which is set to power these Smart TVs.
Atom powered
The chip which will be under the hood is the Atom processor CE4100 which will start populating set-top boxes and offer everything from widgets to web TV.
The chips are set to power a Linux-based OS and support Flash.
Intel is said to be in discussion with Sony to develop a Google TV platform, which may launch as soon as the summer.
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Review: LG 19LH2000
The LG 19LH200 is a soberly styled, no-frills LCD TV, which in its user friendliness and picture performance makes up for much of what it lacks in aesthetic panache (a groovy, blue standby LED aside) or extras on its features list.
The cabinet is rather lightweight and hollow-sounding, while the stand the screen sits on has the feel of something fated to snap.
The remote control is a decent size and sensibly laid out, though, and marries up seamlessly to the South Korean company's peerless operating system. There is a basic paper manual supplied with the set, but in the unlikely event of this failing to cover most bases, LG has put a more extensive version on a CD-ROM for further reference.
The connections roster is on the sparse side, with a single HDMI leading a line that also includes a pair of Scarts and an optical audio output. There is a USB port, but a 'Service Only' tag dashes hopes of multimedia capabilities.
Performance
Pictures are excellent for a TV of this size, with a sunny, well-saturated palette and a reasonable stab at black levels, although these are still some way short of convincing cinematic profundity.
Audio, as with most of the competition at this size, is somewhat coarse and lacking in oomph, but able to cope adequately with television broadcasts.
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Google hiring games boss
Fancy running the new games division at Google? If so, then you might want to apply for a new job with the company
That's right. Google is definitely looking at the games 'space' and, as this job posting, shows that the company is hiring a product management leader for Games.
Look Lively
Google has experimented with virtual game worlds before – most notably with Lively, which seems to have quietly disappeared back in 2008.
The company now wants somebody to develop Google's games commerce product strategy and to "build and manage the business with a cross-functional team."
Google has also recently hired gaming exec Mark DeLoura as "Developer Advocate" and has acquired Israeli game developer, LabPixies.
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AMD calls Vision line-up its 'strongest ever', HD across the range
AMD has introduced its new Vision platforms at a launch event in Cannes today. AMD has promised full top-to-bottom 1080p HD support, promising "at least two thirds" of the video performance of rivals at the same price point.
AMD seems to be hoping that by bundling descrete graphics into the Vision platform that it will be able to undercut Intel systems on price.
The Vision branding is now split four ways and will be used across all AMD-powered laptops and desktops.
Four new platforms have been announced - Vision, Vision Premium, Vision Ultimate and Vision Black - the latter being for high-end gaming performance.
"[This is] the biggest announcement of [AMD] platforms that will be made available at one point in time...this will have a multiplier effect for our business," said Alberto Bozzo, AMD's Vice President and General Manager for Europe.
"Strong graphics is really at the core of this," added AMD's Chief Marketing Officer Nigel Dessau - pictured below.
"People are using HDMI more and more to connect PCs to screens. Vision is a single thought, a typical good, better best. So we focused on high definition, we focused on delivering a rich internet experience."
Dessau talked of making the experience of buying a PC simpler with Vision. "There are two types of users, the people who know about processors and then the processor unaware," he said. AMD estimates that just 25 million people worldwide fall into the first category, hence the company moving completely over to the simpler Vision branding.
"We're changing how we think about things in a PC. We used to say let's get the biggest engine and drive it as fast as we can."
"We have to think about how we merchandise them [PCs]. We need to make computers easier to use, we need to make them easier to buy."
AMD's newest Turion processors - along with its more powerful Phenom sibling - is to be used in the laptops and desktops.
Acer, HP, Lenovo and others have announced new kit featuring the tech. HP alone has 14 new AMD Vision products.
"We took the speeds and feeds out and focused more on the users," said Jean-Pierre Calvez of HP. We're talking about what people actually do with the computers, we're talking about creativity."
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AMD calls Vision line-up its 'strongest ever', HD across the range
AMD has introduced its new Vision platforms at a launch event in Cannes today. AMD has promised full top-to-bottom 1080p HD support, promising "at least two thirds" of the video performance of rivals at the same price point.
AMD seems to be hoping that by bundling descrete graphics into the Vision platform that it will be able to undercut Intel systems on price.
The Vision branding is now split four ways and will be used across all AMD-powered laptops and desktops.
Four new platforms have been announced - Vision, Vision Premium, Vision Ultimate and Vision Black - the latter being for high-end gaming performance.
"[This is] the biggest announcement of [AMD] platforms that will be made available at one point in time...this will have a multiplier effect for our business," said Alberto Bozzo, AMD's Vice President and General Manager for Europe.
"Strong graphics is really at the core of this," added AMD's Chief Marketing Officer Nigel Dessau - pictured below.
"People are using HDMI more and more to connect PCs to screens. Vision is a single thought, a typical good, better best. So we focused on high definition, we focused on delivering a rich internet experience."
Dessau talked of making the experience of buying a PC simpler with Vision. "There are two types of users, the people who know about processors and then the processor unaware," he said. AMD estimates that just 25 million people worldwide fall into the first category, hence the company moving completely over to the simpler Vision branding.
"We're changing how we think about things in a PC. We used to say let's get the biggest engine and drive it as fast as we can."
"We have to think about how we merchandise them [PCs]. We need to make computers easier to use, we need to make them easier to buy."
AMD's newest Turion processors - along with its more powerful Phenom sibling - is to be used in the laptops and desktops.
Acer, HP, Lenovo and others have announced new kit featuring the tech. HP alone has 14 new AMD Vision products.
"We took the speeds and feeds out and focused more on the users," said Jean-Pierre Calvez of HP. We're talking about what people actually do with the computers, we're talking about creativity."
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Review: Toshiba 19DV665DB
The Toshiba 19DV665DB gets off to a slightly shaky start with its unusual panel resolution.
While 1,440 x 900 are enough pixels for an HD Ready badge, the arrangement of them isn't strictly 'widescreen', coming in at something more like 16:10 as opposed to the conventional 16:9 format.
While this is of debatable significance on such a small set, the 19DV665DB does carry about it a whiff of the re-purposed computer monitor, rather than that of a thoroughbred television.
Built-in DVD
What it does have, though, is a built-in DVD drive, making it ideal for a bedroom, kitchen or spare room, as well as DivX playback for enjoying video downloaded from the internet.
The lightweight, flimsy construction won't turn many heads, but the surprisingly large remote control seems to belong to a higher, more heavily specified set, although a few of its many buttons are for the DVD functions.
The zapper works well with the menu architecture, although onscreen text is small and difficult to read from more than a few feet away.
Performance
Picture performance is acceptable, with a persuasive, brightly lit palette and a reasonable amount of detail, but blacks are predictably shallow and movement is occasionally rather jerky.
Audio, meanwhile, has little muscle and barely any bass.
However, the built-in DVD drive combined with the low price earn the set a value-conscious four stars.
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Apple iPad 'won't be mass market in the UK'
The iPad launches in the UK on the 28 May, with Apple already taking pre-order for its new slate device.
However, one British market research company is adamant that the iPad will not be a mass market computer in the UK.
Mike Stevens, Director of Simpson Carpenter's TMT team, ran research based on four qualitative groups of typical British consumers with iPads.
His verdict? It's unlikely to go mass market. At least not yet.
Niche groups and impulsive minorities
Stevens is Director of Telecoms Media and Technology at Simpson Carpenter. He concluded, following on from his qualitative market research into the use-value of the iPad for Brits:
"When the iPhone was launched, it revolutionised an existing category that people understood. The iPad is at the vanguard of a new category that sits between the computer and the phone - so it's not surprising that many consumers struggle to see how it could fit in their lives.
"Niche groups with specific emotional or functional needs love it; but right now there isn't a compelling incentive to get mainstream consumers to buy it. Of course this may change once they see how early adopters use it - but in our view the iPad will take longer to achieve the sales growth and wider market impact of the iPhone.
"Of course an impulsive minority will simply have to have it. For them, it's not about function, compatibility or improvement but about raw appeal, its sheer magic. Typical of these consumers was this response "It's just fantastic. I don't need it, but it's wonderful and I want it."
This research does have to be taken with a large pinch of salt, however, due to the amount of people who took part.
Saying that, research groups do have more of a push when it comes to giving their say than a tick-box survey because they have actually played with the device.
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The Apple iPad 'won't be mass market in the UK'
The iPad launches in the UK on the 28 May, with Apple already taking pre-order for its new slate device.
However, one British market research company is adamant that the iPad will not be a mass market computer in the UK.
Mike Stevens, Director of Simpson Carpenter's TMT team, ran research based on four qualitative groups of typical British consumers with iPads.
His verdict? It's unlikely to go mass market. At least not yet.
Niche groups and impulsive minorities
Stevens is Director of Telecoms Media and Technology at Simpson Carpenter. He concluded, following on from his qualitative market research into the use-value of the iPad for Brits:
"When the iPhone was launched, it revolutionised an existing category that people understood. The iPad is at the vanguard of a new category that sits between the computer and the phone - so it's not surprising that many consumers struggle to see how it could fit in their lives.
"Niche groups with specific emotional or functional needs love it; but right now there isn't a compelling incentive to get mainstream consumers to buy it. Of course this may change once they see how early adopters use it - but in our view the iPad will take longer to achieve the sales growth and wider market impact of the iPhone.
"Of course an impulsive minority will simply have to have it. For them, it's not about function, compatibility or improvement but about raw appeal, its sheer magic. Typical of these consumers was this response "It's just fantastic. I don't need it, but it's wonderful and I want it."
This research does have to be taken with a large pinch of salt, however, due to the amount of people who took part.
Saying that, research groups do have more of a push when it comes to giving their say than a tick-box survey because they have actually played with the device.
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Hands on: Acer Aspire One 521 review
Acer launched its new Aspire One netbooks at an event yesterday and we were among the first in Europe to get a look at the Aspire One 521. The netbook is the first of what AMD hopes will be a long line of netbooks based on its silicon, enabling it to properly compete with Intel's Atom chips.
Sadly its biger brother, the Aspire One 721, wasn't at the event, so we weren't able to check that one out, too. These netbooks aren't based on the AMD Vision platform that we'll be hearing more about when it's launched later today.
As you can see, the netbook has the usual high quality finish we've come to expect from the Aspire One series. The lid is glossy, with stand-out shiny silver writing and an imprint finish.
The new netbooks come in two sizes, 10.1-inch and 11.6-inch (the latter is the Aspire One 721). Each has a slim and light low profile design and both have ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 graphics with analogue and HDMI display ports - here's the HDMI in use.
The keyboard is very good to type on, continuing the tradition of good-to-use keyboards from Acer. There's also reasonable spacing between the keys.
The touchpad is a little less user-friendly, but is pretty good compared to most netbooks on the market.
While Acer's talk was of HD graphics, the screen resolution isn't up to the job. You can get 1366 x 768 (WXGA) panel resolution on the Aspire One 721, but not on the lower end model which is 1024 x 600. Even so, it's hardly the HD netbook that we've been promised by both Acer and AMD.
Under the hood, the Aspire One 521 boasts a 1.2GHz AMD V105 single-core processor, 160GB hard drive and 1GB of memory. Without a more in-depth poke around, it was difficult to gague performance properly, especially since the netbook was running the nippy-on-anything Windows 7 Starter. The 11.6-inch Aspire One 721 boasts the 1.3GHz Athlon II Neo K325, so should have a bit more poke.
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Review: Panasonic DMR-EZ49V
Panasonic's latest VHS-equipped machine, the DMR-EZ49V, is a straight DVD recorder/VHS combi, which can be used to play or record onto both formats, as well as copy content from one onto the other internally.
Get past the dull, chunky design and you'll uncover the sort of array of features for which Panasonic is renowned.
The recorder section supports every type of recordable DVD, which means there'll be no head scratching when buying discs.
Disc recording includes standard XP, SP, LP and EP modes, as well as Flexible Mode that squeezes programmes into a given space. VHS recording gives you SP, LP and EP options.
Predictably there's only one Freeview tuner, which means you can't change channel while recording. With so many channels to choose from that's a real bind. And because it's not a Freeview+ recorder it also lacks Series Link, although admittedly this is not as useful a feature as normal without a hard disk on board – DVDs tend to fill up pretty quickly. But you can set recordings from the EPG or set the deck to record manually.
As for digital media support, the deck will play DivX, MP3 and JPEG files from USB sticks plugged into the front-mounted port, but there's no slot for an SD card or DV input for hooking up a camcorder.
Located on the back panel, the HDMI input offers upscaled Freeview, DVD or VHS pictures in 1080p, 1080i or 720p, while the Scart input supports RGB, S-video and composite video, as well as the EXT Link feature for making timer recordings from external digiboxes.
Finally, on the VHS side you get S-VHS Quasi Playback (SQPB) for playing S-VHS tapes in VHS quality, and Jet Rewind.
Ease of use
User-friendliness has always been a feature of Panasonic's recorders and once again the simple onscreen layout makes it a doddle to operate. However, there's little room on the EPG for the broadcast grid, and as a result, you can't read any of the programme names.
The single-channel portrait view makes things a bit clearer. Another annoyance is the programme info banner, which only displays now and next information. We also think the Setup menu should have been placed with the main Functions, not hidden away in a separate submenu.
Those things aside, the EZ49V is terrific. With a DVD-RAM disc you can partially delete, divide and combine titles/chapters as well as sequence your own video playlists.
It's all conducted using the excellent Direct Navigator and editing screens, which use moving thumbnails and tools for entering accurate start/stop points – the resulting edits are nigh-on seamless.
One of the most useful features is Auto Chapter Creation, which inserts chapter markers when it detects a gap in the audio; it worked brilliantly and enabled us to skip straight over the adverts.
Copying titles or playlists from VHS to DVD or vice versa couldn't be simpler. The deck brings up a straightforward menu screen that lets you enter details such as copy direction, recording modes, copy time etc, then does the rest for you. You can copy JPEGs from USB to DVD-RAM using this method.
All of these functions are controlled using the superb remote, which sports large, idiot-proof buttons and no-nonsense labelling.
Picture
The EZ49V does a fine job of playing DVD movies. In 1080p, edges are clean, detail is sharply resolved and movement is fluid. It also avoids such video nasties as block noise and banding.
Recordings made in XP and SP are up to Panasonic's usual high standards. Whether it's the eye-ball-burning décor of daytime TV studios, or the subtle hues of premium BBC dramas, the EZ49V captures it all on disc with the same accuracy and intensity as the original broadcast.
In LP and EP modes the results aren't as impressive, with greater amounts of block and mosquito noise sullying the pictures, but they are still watchable enough.
The EZ49V plays tapes with admirable stability, but the quality of VHS to DVD dubs depends on the state of the original. If you can put up with a bit of fuzz you'll be happy with the results.
Sound
VHS audio is obviously the weak link here, but the deck does its utmost to keep hiss to a minimum.
However, there are no problems whatsoever with DVD recordings (captured in stereo Dolby Digital) or movie playback through any of the audio outputs. However, the flat and muffled CD and MP3 playback is certainly not music to our ears.
Value
At £300 the DMR-EZ49V is far too expensive for a product that doesn't even feature a hard disk, and you could probably pick up a separate VCR and DVD recorder for a lot less money, but then you'd miss out on the space-saving convenience of having both in one box.
However, if you have the cash, then the Panasonic is certainly an impressive purchase. It packs features a-plenty, offers superb pictures and goes about its business with typical slickness.
A few things grate, such as the EPG, single tuner and frumpy looks, but on the whole it's a decent way of bridging the gap between new and old technology.
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iPhone HD found again - torn apart this time
Yet another purported fourth-generation Apple iPhone HD has been discovered and subsequently torn apart, this time by the Vietnamese website Taoviet.
The pictures look convincing, for sure, but it seems strange (to say the least) that Apple should somehow have lost or mislaid yet another fourth-gen iPhone prototype.
No doubt the story as to how that happened is going to end up being far more interesting than the pics of the device itself.
Apple-branded processor
Until that story is told, however, let's have a look at what Taoviet is reporting to be inside the new iPhone.
The Vietnamese site has what appears to be the 16GB model, in place of the XXGB placeholders on the backside stamp, very much like the one Gizmodo bought last month.
Apple iPhone 4G: Contains an Apple-branded processor (image courtesy of Taoviet)
Engadget notes that the pair of screws at the bottom of the device are gone, which is the main difference to the unit that Gizmodo had.
The teardown pictures of the device also show an Apple-branded processor, which won't come as a surprise to many after Apple announced its own processor in the iPad earlier this year.
The new iPhone announcement is likely to land on 7 June, when Steve Jobs takes to the stage at WWDC - we just think this year his 'one more thing' will be pretty dull compared to previous years...
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Review: Onkyo BD-SP807
The Onkyo BD-SP807 is one of the first Blu-ray players bestowed with the THX badge. It leaves the edge-cutting to the big boys and focuses on delivering pin-sharp pictures and scintillating sound.
Onkyo has used high quality components and boulder-like build quality. Its robust bodywork is topped off by an elegant, brushed black aluminium fascia that gracefully curls forward at the bottom. Buttons are minimal, while the display is large and easy to read.
Features
The BD-SP807 is a Profile 2.0 player, and as such can access BD Live web content through its Ethernet port, but Onkyo's single-minded desire to offer the best possible picture and sound quality leaves no room for the sort of Wi-Fi wizardry and PC streaming found on the latest players from Panasonic, LG and Sony.
Third party manufacturers such as Onkyo don't have the resources to invest in features like these, but the fact remains that you get a lot more for your money from the bigger brands.
Also missing is built-in memory for BD Live downloads, which Onkyo says was left out because of the constraints it would place on performance. This means that you'll need to fork out extra cash for a 1GB SD card, although on the plus side, you can also use it to play AVCHD, MP3 and JPEG files. The player will also play DivX HD from discs, which is a nice bonus.
You get all the core features you'd expect from a player whose main purpose is movie playback. For example, 1080/24p output is present as is DVD upscaling to 1080p, courtesy of Anchor Bay's superb ABT1030 chip, no less.
The Source Direct mode outputs video without any tampering, plus the deck can also fire HD audio bitstreams to your amp via HDMI, or decode and output them from the 7.1-channel analogue outputs.
Ease of use
The BD-SP807 has a pleasant onscreen design, with a setup menu that's split into Quick and Custom menus. Options for optimising the audio output and tweaking the all-important HDMI settings are easy to find and react instantly to remote commands.
A separate menu can be accessed during playback by pressing the Mode button. It enables you to fiddle with the colour, contrast, brightness, sharpness and gamma correction settings as the movie plays and stores the results in five memory positions. This is handy for making presets that account for different viewing conditions or the demands of different displays.
While the remote control's layout is sensible and well labelled, its flimsy and non-descript design is not what you'd expect to accompany such a pricey player.
Another area where the Onkyo falls short of the bigger brands is disc loading time. It takes just under two minutes to start Terminator Salvation, which is frustratingly slow in anyone's book – so if you're an impatient sort then we recommend looking at an LG or Samsung player.
Picture
The Onkyo more than compensates with its superb picture performance, and it's not hard to see why it gets the THX seal of approval. Their tests ensure that the player's deinterlacing, upscaling, colour accuracy, contrast and black/white reproduction are all up to scratch, and to our eyes it does a fantastic job in each of these areas.
With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the image is scalpel-sharp and bursting with bright, natural colours – or as natural as colours can look in a Michael Bay movie. The glinting silver bodywork of those CG robots looks tantalisingly clean, and the deck handles delicate shading with the subtlety you'd expect for the money.
But of course it's detail retrieval that really sells a Blu-ray player and that's here in spades. The Onkyo digs out the finest minutiae and textures, giving the picture satisfying depth, which is helped along by pure, untainted blacks and a wide contrast range.
It's a dab hand with DVDs too, dragging our copy of King Kong into the high-definition age with the same sharpness and freedom from artefacts that you expect from a dedicated high-end DVD player.
Sound
Here's where the Onkyo really distinguishes itself from the budget pack. The use of high-quality audio components and that sturdy, vibration-free bodywork result in remarkably sweet, detailed music playback and more importantly, breathtaking reproduction of HD movie soundtracks through the multi-channel analogue outputs.
Value
Anyone looking for a beautifully made player that offers excellent picture and sound quality will consider the BD-SP807 money well spent, despite it's relatively lofty price tag. That THX badge will be a major hook to home cinema die-hards, and even as a Blu-ray/DVD spinner it's a terrific proposition.
But others might find the Onkyo's lack of added extras, such as wireless support, network streaming and built-in memory a tad unreasonable at this price, particularly when you can pick up a player that has it all for around half the price of this deck.
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Rumour: Nintendo 3DS to feature 3D camera
Sharp has announced its latest 3D camera tech for mobile phones, netbooks and digital snappers, prompting rumours that the technology will be found in the Nintendo 3DS.
the 3D camera module is set to enter mass production later this year, which means we should see mobile phones with 3D-ready cameras in the near future.
Will the 3DS feature a 3D camera?
Sharp's 3D camera is also able to capture 720p video in 3D, so it is surely only a matter of time before we get mobile phones kitted out with full high def 3D video cams.
Interestingly, Nintendo's forthcoming 3DS handheld – set to be unveiled at E3 in June – is rumoured to also use Sharp's glasses-parallax barrier technology in its display.
Which begs the question, will the Nintendo 3DS also feature a 3D camera from Sharp?
TechRadar has put calls in with Nintendo and a number of other key players in this market to find out more. Stay tuned for updates.
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