Industry reponds to OFT Project Canvas ruling
The OFT's decision that Project Canvas does not constitute a merger has moved the IPTV project a step further on, and with battle lines already drawn the ruling has been greeted with a mixed bag of responses.
The BBC and BT – joint venture partners along with Talk Talk, Arqiva, Channel 4, ITV and Five – welcomed the decision, with both offering up a comment from Richard Halton.
"The Project Canvas partners welcome the decision from the OFT, which confirms our analysis and sets the scene for the final stage of the regulatory process," said Project Canvas director Richard Halton
"Project Canvas aims to create an open platform that delivers a connected future for free-to-air TV and a competitive market for internet connected TV services in the UK.
"The Project Canvas partners are committed to achieving that aim."
Humax
Humax has already been confirmed as a company that will look to manufacture Project Canvas approved set-top boxes and the company's Commercial Director Graham said:"The announcement today from the Office of Fair Trading regarding Project Canvas is great news for the digital television industry as a whole.
"Humax believes that this service will enable further growth in the digital TV market - giving the UK population a greater range of content, more choice over how they watch it and ultimately more control over their viewing.
"With the leading UK broadcasters behind Canvas it will generate good exposure and acceptance from consumers, in much the same way as on-demand services such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player.
"The value of the Project Canvas initiative will only grow and strengthen as even more content from strong brands is introduced.
"Providing a common standard is a positive step that will guarantee the viewer a quality service that is reflective of UK broadcasting standards, delivered on a platform with a trusted name.
"It will also guarantee a viewing experience that is consistent regardless of the hardware or device being used to access the content."
Virgin Media
However, TechRadar also spoke to Virgin Media, who have made it clear that they have reservations with the amount of control that Canvas wants over the user experience.
"As they stand, the Canvas proposals risk severely restricting competition and innovation in the UK's digital media landscape," a spokesperson for the company said.
TechRadar has also asked for comment from Sky and 3View.
More comments to follow
 |  |
Read More ...
OFT will not stand in the way of Project Canvas
The Office of Fair Trading has given the green light to Project Canvas – ruling that the joint IPTV venture headed up by the BBC does not fall under its jurisdiction as it does not constitute a merger.
The OFT has decided that the joint venture is significantly different from the Project Kangaroo venture which was sunk after the Competition Commission got involved.
On that occasion the Commission concluded that the aggregation of such important UK VOD content (from its parent companies) would be likely to lead to a loss of rivalry between the parties, amounting to a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of UK TV VOD content at the wholesale and retail levels.
The reason for the OFT's ruling on Canvas is that the joint venture (JV) partners, BT, BBC, Talk Talk, Arqiva, Channel 4, ITV and Five are not contributing "any video-on-demand content or other business to Canvas, and Canvas will have no role in aggregating, marketing or directly retailing any such television content."
No transfer of business
Sheldon Mills, OFT Director of Mergers said: "In the context of a start-up joint venture such as Project Canvas, the merger control provisions are designed to capture arrangements leading to the transfer of a pre-existing business.
"Our investigation has confirmed that the JV partners, including the BBC, do not intend to transfer an existing business into the JV. Therefore, regardless of the potential significance of Project Canvas JV for the future of internet connected television, the notified proposals do not give rise to a merger qualifying for substantive investigation by the OFT."
It is important to point out that it was the joint venture partners put the project forward for the OFT to look at ,and it was never likely that the collaboration be judged a merger.
Interestingly, a footnote suggests that the OFT is not ruling out further involvement, stating "This decision does not preclude the application of other provisions of Competition law and other relevant legislation."
So, with another obstacle removed, it is looking increasingly likely that we will see the first Project Canvas devices hitting out living rooms by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011.
But, before then, expect more opposition from Sky, Virgin Media and big electronics manufacturers.
| |
Read More ...
Hurt Locker producer in file-sharing 'moron' rant
Nicolas Chartier, the producer of Hurt Locker, has sparked a war of words with a cinemagoer, after his decision to sue BitTorrent users who downloaded the Oscar-winning film was criticised.
A reader of BoingBoing contacted the producer saying he disagreed with the move and, to his surprise, he got a rather rash reply.
In the email, which is printed on BoingBoing in full, Chartier said:
"If you think it's normal they take my work for free, I'm sure you will give away all your furniture and possessions and your family will do the same… I'm glad you're a moron who believes stealing is right.
"I hope your family and your kids end up in jail one day for stealing so maybe they can be taught the difference."
The rather sarcastic email continued: "Please do not download, rent, or pay for my movies, I actually like smart and more important HONEST people to watch my films."
Ouch.
Pirate points of view
To be fair, the Boing Boing reader did tell Chartier that he was "boycotting" his films because of "Voltage Pictures' intention to sue thousands of people".
We're suspecting, though, that we wasn't expecting that kind of candid response.
Hurt Locker was the winner of this year's Oscar for Best Picture. Since then, the movie has gone on to make $16 million in the US.
The film was reportedly pirated a massive six months before its release in the cinemas, something which Voltage Pictures is singling out as the reason for the movie's moderate revenue.
| |
Read More ...
In Depth: Top 10 best tablet PC iPad alternatives
Apple hasn't just rekindled interest in tablet devices, it has created the kind of hysteria that only Apple can.
There's no denying that the iPad is a beautifully crafted device that's a joy to use, but not everyone wants to buy into Apple's design and marketing hype.
With that in mind, we've rounded up 10 alternatives to the iPad to prove that Apples are not the only fruit.
10. Archos 9 PC Tablet
Archos has been making touch-screen media players for a very long time, so it comes as no surprise that the French technology company has also turned its hand to tablet devices.
The Archos 9 PC Tablet has an 8.9-inch, LED backlit display with a resolution of 1,024 x 600. However, that touch-screen is of the resistive type, rather than the capacitive goodness seen on the iPad.
With an Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of memory, a 60GB hard drive, there's a solid hardware spec behind it. But since the Archos 9 PC Tablet has to drive Windows 7, that hardware will have its work cut out for it.
On the plus side, you can simply drag and drop your files to the Archos 9 either wirelessly, or via the USB port. Also, being Windows based, you'll be able to load pretty much any codec you want, so there will be no need to convert your media files.
9. Dell Mini 5
Originally dubbed the Dell Streak, the Mini 5 looks to be Dell's first attempt to grab some of the iPad's market share. As the name suggests, it's going to be a far smaller device than the iPad, with a 5-inch capacitive touch-screen.
Like the latest breed of high-end smartphones, the Dell Mini 5 will be driven by Qualcomm's excellent 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and should be running the latest version of Google Android.
If the HTC Desire is anything to go by, that should make for snappy performance.
The Dell Mini 5 will feature both rear and front facing cameras, ensuring that video calling is on the agenda. Connectivity is likely to come in the form of both 3G and Wi-Fi, but other hardware specs are a little sketchy.
The Mini 5 is due to hit the streets in the next couple of months, but as always in tech, don't hold your breath.
8. Panasonic ToughBook CF-U1
If you're worried that the sleek lines and beautiful design of an iPad won't last long in your butter fingers, you need something a little more, well, rugged.
Panasonic specialises in mobile computers that can survive almost anything, and the CF-U1 tablet is no exception. This is a fully rugged device that can survive drowning, mud, dirt, dust, drops and pretty much any other abuse, accidental or intentional.
Inside you get an Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and a 16GB solid state hard drive. The 5.6-inch touch-screen is resistive, but then when you're using the device in the rain and the mud, a capacitive screen wouldn't be the best option.
A particularly nice touch is the hot swappable battery – the device houses two batteries, so when one dies it switches over to the second, allowing you to swap out the depleted cell. OK, so the CF-U1 isn't really an iPad rival, but it's so cool that it simply had to be included.
7. Archos 5 Internet Tablet
If it's a 5-inch tablet device that you want, but you can't wait for the Dell Mini 5, check out the Archos 5 Internet Tablet. Unlike that Archos 9, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet doesn't run Windows 7, instead sporting a mix of Archos' own OS and Google Android.
The result is a pretty decent user interface that's easy to navigate even for the non tech-head.
On the downside, the Archos 5 still uses a resistive screen, rather than a capacitive one, and although it's a good example of resistive technology, it simply can't compete with the slick function of the latest capacitive displays.
The screen is great for watching video though, and because it's an Archos, codec support is excellent, so you can watch XviD and even MKV content without conversion.
Although there's a decent browser built in and the facilities for email and document work, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet works better as a portable media player than a tablet computer.
6. X2 iTablet
Although many had assumed that Apple would name its tablet device the iTablet, Steve Jobs clearly had other ideas. Of course that left the door open for another manufacturer to produce an iTablet, and that's exactly what UK company, X2 did. The X2 iTablet sports either a 10.2-inch or 12.1-inch multi-touch screen, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 2GB of memory.
Again, the hefty, netbook style hardware configuration is necessary to run the Windows 7 operating system, although X2 does offer a Linux based alternative.
The netbook/PC nature of the iTablet means that you can play almost any file type, while also potentially running any Windows software. You also get a webcam, built-in Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and, wait for it, Flash support. On the downside, the iTablet is very thick – 35mm – and also pretty heavy at 1.18Kg.
5. Asus Eee Pad
When Asus created the Eee PC it revolutionised the mobile computing landscape, and essentially created a new class of device in the netbook.
It's therefore no surprise to hear that Asus will be hot on the heels of Apple with a tablet PC product. The Asus Eee Pad is set to be based on the Nvidia Tegra 2 platform, which will put an ARM processor in the driving seat.
It looks like 3G will be an integral part of the device to ensure that the user is always connected, while a touch-screen is a given.
There's no word on whether the Eee Pad will have a capacitive or resistive screen, but Asus has stated that the device is being designed to be "affordable" – whether that means that the screen will suffer as a cost cutting measure remains to be seen.
4. Dell Looking Glass
The Mini 5 isn't the only new tablet device that Dell has up its sleeve according to a report on Engadget [http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/21/dell-looking-glass-tablet-leaks-tegra-2-coming-your-way-in-nove/]. Like the Asus Eee Pad, the Dell Looking Glass will be based on Nvidia's Tegra 2 platform and should be running the latest version of Google Android.
The Looking Glass is set to be larger than the Mini 5, with a 7-inch 800 x 400 resolution, capacitive screen being the focal point. Further speculation suggests 4GB of RAM and an SDHC card for expanding the storage capacity.
There's also a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for video conferencing, which also pretty much confirms the built-in wireless capabilities of the device.
3. Archos 7 Home Tablet
Yes it's another Archos, but since the company has been producing touch-screen, tablet style devices for years, it comes as no surprise that it has the widest selection.
The Archos 7 Home Tablet is the latest device from Archos, and everything from its name to its design, to its feature set, shows that this device is being pitched as an iPad competitor.
The 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution screen is obviously smaller than the iPad, but then that makes the device itself less bulky. And unlike other Archos tablets, this one doesn't come with a hard disk option, so it's only 12mm thick.
Storage capacity ranges from 2GB to 8GB depending on which model you opt for, but there's a microSDHC card slot, so you can expand the storage by up to 32GB.
Getting files on and off the Archos 7 is a simple drag and drop affair, or you could just load up a microSDHC card and slap that into the device. You can even drag files across from any storage device on your network via a Wi-Fi link, which is a Godsend for anyone who's fed up of using iTunes.
In reality, the Archos 7 Home Tablet, with its Linux/Android OS and user interface is just a larger version of the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, but that extra screen size makes it one of the closest iPad rivals currently available.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad U1
For anyone who thinks that a tablet device, with no proper keyboard, is no more than a toy, Lenovo has the answer. The Lenovo IdeaPad U1 is dubbed a "Hybrid Notebook" because there's more to it than first meets the eye.
At first glance it looks like a pretty standard notebook, with an 11.6-inch display, full size keyboard and a touchpad – and in essence, that's exactly what it is.
However, that 11.6-inch screen can be detached from the rest of the machine, and can then be used as a self contained tablet device, powered by that old favourite, the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU.
So if you need a proper notebook to work on, but fancy a tablet for lounging around on the sofa while you surf the web and check your email, the IdeaPad U1 could be your dream come true.
Oh and in case you were wondering, the notebook part can still be hooked up to an external monitor and used while the tablet screen is undocked – very cool!
1. HP Slate/Hurricane
The HP Slate has been the subject of a huge amount of hype and rumour, despite the fact that few people outside HP and Microsoft ever got their paws on one.
Despite the Slate looking like the strongest contender to the iPad, the latest rumour is that HP has now scrapped the whole project. Well, scrapped is probably a bit strong…
However, considering HP's recent acquisition of Palm, there could be an even stronger contender in the making, in the shape of the Hurricane. Although HP hasn't officially confirmed the existence of the Hurricane, the prospect of a slick, well designed tablet device running Palm's WebOS is quite compelling.
And that's the key really, what could make the Hurricane a proper iPad rival isn't the hardware specs, or the features, or even the price – it's the implementation of a streamlined, lightweight and ultimately simple user interface.
| |
Read More ...
Audio trailblazer Fritz Sennheiser dies at 98
Professor Fritz Sennheiser, the founder of one of the most famous names in audio, has died at the age of 98.
Sennheiser, who founded the company that bore his name in the summer of 1945, passed away in the evening of 17 May.
Prof Dr Sennheiser, to give him his correct title, had a huge influence in the development of sound transmission, with his company's offerings considered among the best in the world.
He retired from am active management role in Sennheiser in 1982 to hand over to his son Jorg.
Humble beginnings
But it was Sennheiser's insistence that innovation was the key to success that represents him best.
"Our engineers have always been given a lot of freedom. They are allowed to give free rein to their creative ideas, no matter how crazy they might seem," he once said.
"Often, it is these very ideas that result in the best developments and the best products. Any reservations expressed by financial managers who first of all had an eye on profit were thus reliably dispersed.
"After all, a company doesn't only sell products but primarily sells ideas."
With this kind of thinking, Sennheiser leaves a lasting legacy of innovation and excellence.
| |
Read More ...
Review: LG 50PK990
Although big TVs are still lazily called plasmas by the mass media and Great British Public alike, LED is fast piling on the sales.
Key to that tech's success is its innate slimness, but the 50PK990 - LG's flagship plasma TV - seeks to regain some ground by squeezing a Freeview HD tuner into a superbly designed frame that's just 52mm deep.
There are few TVs this starkly simple; the screen surround is hidden behind the TV's glass, giving an all-in-one look that's tinged with blue on all sides.
Even the desktop stand shows invention; a transparent neck cleverly soaks-up the blue light around it, to stunning effect.
LG calls this the 'Infinia' design – the 50PK990 is part of the Korean company's new Infinia sub-brand, designed to signify that these are the high-end screens in its bulging collections of flat TVs for 2010 (over 50 at the last count).
Quite how LG's engineers have achieved such aesthetic opulence (which comes complete with touch-sensitive, yet invisible controls along the bottom of the screen) is unclear, because alongside that Freeview HD tuner is a host of extras and add-ons that serve to make this 50-inch plasma surely one of the most advanced around.
A full HD resolution is backed-up by four HDMI inputs, including one on a side panel that also stores two USB 2.0 slots.
On the rear is an Ethernet port that allows the LG 50PK990 to make use of your broadband home network on two fronts; DLNA networking to stream files from a PC, and LG's own Netcast TV portal, which for the moment includes access to YouTube, Accu Weather, and the Picasa photo storage site.
Place the TV some way from a broadband router and you've got a problem, so LG supplies a USB Wi-Fi dongle – hence that second USB port – though LG's concentration on convenience elsewhere should really mean a built-in Wi-Fi module.
Away from this online frippery there's the serious business of picture quality, and it seems LG has made some progress.
Its TruBlack filter claims to achieve 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio – a high figure indeed – by preventing ambient light from entering the panel, while its 600Hz ability should prevent any blur, though high-end plasmas haven't suffered from that problem for yonks.
The icing on the cake is Bluetooth; forget the opportunity to send pictures from a phone – the chance to use wireless headphones is, we think, a genuinely good idea. Few big-screen TVs even have a standard headphones jack.
There's really only one feature lacking on the 50PK990, and that's 3D compatibility – for that, check out LG's 47-inch 47LX9900 or 55-inch 55LX9900, both full LED sets, which have an otherwise identical feature count.
Lastly, it's worth mentioning that the 50PK990 has two remote controls. One is a sleek, gloss black remote that contains over-sized buttons and the usual 'clickwheel' design for whizzing through menus.
It's actually too long; it's impossible to reach the top buttons with your thumb if you're holding it comfortably. Despite that, the remote is backlit – very useful given the 50PK990's suitability for a home cinema – and the buttons are clearly signposted, and soft to the touch.
More basic controls are available on a second remote. About half the size, it contains volume controls, channel hoppers, an input swapper and a few menu shortcuts.
Ever since the invention of high definition, we've been saying how crucial a truly big screen is if you're to appreciate the extra detail.
While that rings truer than ever, there's a flipside; anything watched in standard definition looks decidedly ropey on a screen as big as this. A live broadcast of the FA Cup Final on ITV looks soft in the extreme, despite plasma tech generally being much kinder to standard definition pictures than LCD panels.
Our advice is to avoid TVs over 32-inches in size that don't have Freeview HD tuners – and it's an absolute must at this size.
More concerning are some noticeably jagged edges around Wembley, and motion artefacts around players when we switched to ITV 1 HD, though we suspect that it's got more to do with ITV's compression technology than the 50PK990's shortcomings.
MKV support
The popularity of HD is soaring, so it's a plus to find a screen so competent with the new MKV digital media format. These HD video files can be scanned-through with ease and enjoy pin-sharp detail, though they can suffer from a little motion sickness.
Meanwhile, Blu-ray enjoys some giddying smooth motion and, therefore, a jot more detail. It's no sharper than a good LCD or LED TV, but the 50PK990 binds some meticulous close-up action with heaps more contrast than the rival flatscreen tech.
Our Blu-ray test disc Sherlock Holmes features many muted scenes, but the 50PK990 manages to pick-out enough details in the dark even with the brightness lowered.
That said, LG isn't at the end-game when it comes to contrast; it's got more work to do if it's to reach the heights of Panasonic's latest plasmas, but there's enough here to help bring out some vivid colours that help lift the action from the screen.
The THX Cinema preset, in particular, proves an excellent showcase for the 50PK990's skill with colour.
Motion handling
That TruBlack filter does make a difference – and leaves it ahead of rival LED sets – though equally important to the 50PK990's success is its ability with motion.
Frenetic sequences do involve a modicum of judder, but it's not a major issue; whereas LCD TVs need to engage a special 'film mode' to make the picture smooth and watchable – the side-effect being some fizzying around moving objects – no such troublesome tech is needed here.
Colour is one of the 50PK990's strong points overall, though again, all's not perfect. Skins tones, especially, can seem a touch too rosy, though there's enough delicate nuance to colour to help Blu-ray discs really sing.
Another leg-up on LCD is plasma's wide viewing angle; watch from off-centre and both colour and black areas of the picture hold their ground.
Benefits of plasma
Overall there's enough here to convince us that, picture-wise, you're more likely to find a truly high-end screen if you stick to plasma (the exceptions being some of Philips' expensive LED screens).
If ultimate picture quality is indeed your goal, we'd recommended checking out Panasonic's latest plasmas.
Conversely, LG has some temptingly lower-priced versions of the 50PK990 if price is more of an issue. Also available is a near-identical 60-inch version in LG's flagship PK990 plasma range, though it's worth seeking the cheaper PK790 and PK590 screens – the former drops TruBlack, and the fatter latter leaves out TruBlack and Net Cast.
Ignore the £2,000+ screens from Philips and Loewe and you'll almost never find speakers on a flatscreen TV that could be described as acceptable.
LG doesn't pull off any kind of coup in this area, with its two 10W speakers struggling to make sense of Blu-ray soundtracks.
There's scant distortion if you pump up the volume, but too little power to make high octane music seem credible.
Dialogue scenes from films – and speech-dominated broadcast channels – on the other hand, are wholly adequate and, compared to smaller screens, the 50PK990 does a sterling job with everyday speech-heavy TV channels. There is a Clear Voice II feature, though in practice it doesn't prove of much use.
Sound advice
So if you're upgrading from a smaller flatscreen TV (say, a 32-incher), you'll notice a touch more depth to sound on the 50PK990, but on the whole a separate sound system is recommended. And with TVs getting thinner by the month, that advice is likely to become a constant war cry in reviews of TV of all sizes.
But kudos goes to LG for making this advanced plasma a cinch to operate. In previous incarnations the user interface was simplicity defined, and although this screen's myriad features does clutter the system slightly, it's still one of the most streamlined and sensible around.
Picture wizard
A key success is Picture Wizard, which makes calibrating straightforward, though there's plenty more where that came from; alongside conducting – and saving – your own settings (and even a couple of slots for Imaging Science Foundation Expert modes, should you wish to enlist the help of a professional calibrator) from Picture Wizard, LG presents some innovative presets.
Alongside the usual games, sports and energy saving modes, there are two key picture settings – THX Cinema and THX Bright Room. The former is a fantastic time saver and shows a real attention to detail.
Screen burn?
The Freeview HD auto-tune screen creeps around the panel while it searches for channels, presumably to prevent screen burn. And although screen burn is a slight worry, in practice indented images (logos, graphics and on-screen menus) are only occasionally visible and shouldn't dissuade anyone from buying the 50PK990.
The eight-day EPG for Freeview HD is a tad basic, with schedules for only five channels over two hours presented on the screen, though there's also a Quick menu button that brings up a box containing a list of channels to scroll through.
Net Cast and DLNA networking are easier to set up than on most TVs, though neither are particularly impressive. Though the YouTube interface includes a quick and helpful search function, Net Cast needs more content (and an even sleeker interface) to compete with the likes of Viera Cast, while DLNA networking is beset by the problem of having to navigate through a PC's root file system to find the content you want, so it is messy to operate.
Ditto the content on USB sticks, though digital media files themselves are suavely dealt with. As well as being able to play umpteen file types (MOV, MP4, MPEG, WMV, DivX HD and WMV HD video, JPEG photos and MP3 music files), the files are quick to load and play, with irritating 'file not supported' pop-ups refreshingly rare. Now that's a nice change.
Freeview HD will take another 18 months to finish rolling out across the UK, so if you're in an area that can only receive standard definition Freeview channels at present (find out at www.freeview.co.uk), you'll still be able to receive the usual channels.
And though future proofing is never a bad idea, bear in mind that, for now, you'll pay a small premium to have a Freeview HD tuner (prices are bound to drop post-World Cup).
If Freeview HD isn't coming to your area until 2011, it may be worth hanging on for a few months while prices for 'must have' Freeview HD tuners settle down.
If you can't wait, LG's 50PK990 is, at times, a sensational attempt an a high-end all-rounder.
We liked:
Slim all-in-one designs are de rigueur, but no other brand has come up with a TV design as alluring as on the 50PK990. Despite its thin frame, the provision of Freeview HD channels, as well as almost as many ins and outs, and multimedia support, helps justify the high price.
So too does its fabulous user interface, which makes calibration a speedy task. It's worth doing, too, to achieve some sharp, blur-free and colourful pictures – though a hi-def diet is recommended at this size.
We disliked:
Whether you could call the 50PK990 good value at this high price is a moot point; most of those extra features aren't likely to sway a buying decision, though arguably the TruBlack filter is worth stumping up for if Blu-ray is your main goal – with Freeview HD likely to be the clincher.
Even with TruBlack, the 50PK990 could do with a bit more contrast, while a screen this size is always going to show up inadequacies in broadcast TV – and on its full HD screen, regular Freeview channels underwhelm.
Verdict:
Big-screen plasmas are an increasingly rare breed, with only LG, Samsung and Panasonic devoted to the original flatscreen tech.
And while LG may be a jot behind its Japanese counterpart in terms of pure picture quality, the 50PK990 is deserving of its flagship status because of the way it combines some diverse features – such as USB playback, Net Cast, Bluetooth and Freeview HD – and delivers it with an ease of use that's not yet been matched by any other brand.
This review was written in conjunction with:
What Video & Hi-Def TV magazine
| |
Read More ...
Packard Bell EasyNote LM notebook priced and dated
Packard Bell has announced the availability of its EasyNote LM notebook, which it is saying offers "the greatest cinematic experience".
We thought that The Hottie and the Nottie was the greatest cinematic experience, but what do we know?
The EasyNote LM is packed with a AMD Phenom Quad-Core N900 processor, comes with a 16:9 Diamond View widescreen display and either a DVD or Blu-ray drive.
As this is a computer for cinemaphiles, there is also a HDMI slot on board, to plug the laptop straight into a TV set, and a nice and roomy 640GB hard drivce.
Starlight socialite
But it's not just movies that the EasyNote gets flirty with, it is also a dab hand at social networking.
Load the notebook up and there is one-click access to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.
When it comes to colours, there's something of a hyperbolic overload: you've got Cashmere Red (for energetic types), Silk Silver or Night Sky Black (for those who are chic) and Starlight White for those with "pure style".
Groan.
The EasyNote LM notebook has a summer UK release date, with prices starting from £499.
| |
Read More ...
New social network for children launches
A new social network aimed at training six to ten-year-old children how to effectively and safely use social networks has been launched in the US.
Togetherville is a social networking site for children to use, under the watchful gaze of their parents (or their friends' parents).
Safe, secure, fun
The project is the brainchild of Mandeep Singh Dhillon, who wanted to teach his son, Zoraver, how to share photos and more with relatives and friends online.
He didn't want to let his son loose on Facebook, however, so the result was to make a social network of his own. Which is where the original concept behind Togetherville was born.
Togetherville is for children to use with the help and guidance of their parents. The site has been in private beta for some months now and has now finally been opened to the wider public.
Togetherville lets children learn to navigate an online social network in what is described as "a semi-private environment." The kids can also play games, collaboratively work on art projects, share videos and choose pre-selected comments to make about their friends – the key being that all the content on the site has been vetted by responsible parents beforehand.
"We teach kids from a very early age, never let your identity be online, never let anyone know who you are, but we're teaching some bad things," Mr Dhillon told The New York Times. "Kids don't learn how to be accountable."
Vicky Rideout, a researcher from the Kaiser Family Foundation, is critical of the aims of the project, claiming that there is no data which suggests a demand from children under 10 for more access to online social networking.
"From the child's perspective, I'm not sure what the benefit is," said Rideout. "Kids will learn how to use technology and media when the time comes."
| |
Read More ...
Interview: Hotmail: We'll get the noise out of your inbox
When your users spend more time deleting messages than reading email on your webmail service, you know it's time to make email easier to deal with.
"The inbox has got out of control," Chris Jones, corporate vice president for Windows Live, told TechRadar. "Our approach is to take the common things people do and make them easier."
The changes coming to Hotmail this summer promise to unclutter your inbox, Jones claims. "It used to be if you had 19 unread messages, that was 19 mails from real people that you need to read. Today, it's 19 newsletters that you don't need to read, or it's reminders saying 'the meeting starts at ten'.
"If I look at my Hotmail, I have 64 unread messages but right at the front I have three mails from my contacts, three social updates, two packages that have been shipped to me and some upcoming birthdays in my social network. We make it easy to get from the 64 messages to the three messages you want."
The big issue isn't spam, although the Hotmail team spends a lot of time staying ahead of the spammers; it's real email that people mark as spam rather than dealing with.
"You visited a web site, you forgot not to check the box and now it's haunting your inbox. With the Sweep feature we don't just delete that message but we delete all messages from that sender – and we block future messages form that sender. We went ahead and got rid of that newsletter for you"
Why not just make it easier to unsubscribe? "People keep hitting delete over and over on the same newsletters. All the unsubscribe information is there but they don't use it."
And once the newsletters are gone? "Our job is to get the signal to noise ratio to be really high and get the noise out of your inbox so you can pay attention to the things that are the really interesting things in your inbox," says Jones.
"All email programs have always treated mail all the same. We recognise that email is different. Instead of users having to make rules to manage it for them, we make it easy to read. However photos are shared, we make them a slide show; however documents are attached, we make them easy to edit. Whatever link is attached, we make sure you're getting the value of the link."
What's filling the space?
When the Hotmail team looked at what was filling up their 50 petabytes of storage (which is growing at almost 2 petabytes a month) they found most of what takes up the space isn't the eight billion incoming messages.
95% of Hotmail's storage is attachments – 55% of that is photos and 15% is Office documents. "Email is the most popular way people share photos, the most popular way to collaborate on documents, the most popular way to share links," says Jones. "What's missing is tools to help people manage and connect with all the things they care about."
Those figures suggest that repeated rumours that email is dead are more like wishful thinking. "We certainly have a point of view on that," Jones says with a smile.
"Actually, email is becoming more and more important. People who use a social network are twice as likely to check their inbox. 20% of mail we get today is from our social network and that's growing. A lot of people now chat from their inbox. We think the challenge is that different things are coming into your inbox; you want to do different things and email has to evolve."
Email on the phone
Jones also points to the 25% growth Hotmail has seen in users viewing personal email on the phone. "Phones are now essential email devices; as people are buying smartphones they want the ability to take their inbox with them. They want all of it; not just your mail, you want to be able to call people and look up your calendar. Active Sync made that possible for us."
Jones calls the iPad both "an opportunity and a challenge" for Hotmail, because it doesn't support the Silverlight Hotmail uses for photo slideshows and document upload to SkyDrive. iPhone and iPad users want to use the native mail client, he says.
"What we'll do on the iPad is take the iPhone experience and make it work on iPad. We'll see a mobile experience really optimised for iPad. That will be the same on any touch phone, like Palm or Windows Phone 7."
Hotmail is the most popular webmail service worldwide; of the competition, Yahoo is flat, AOL is losing users steadily – and both Hotmail and Gmail are growing.
Having caught up on what Jones calls "basic features – we knew there were a couple of things we needed to add that are valuable to the customer that were causing people to pick other providers instead of us," he believes Hotmail is now ahead.
"We've got the same features as Gmail but with all the great filtering and the power of understanding the different senders. I think this update is the most significant we've ever done."
| |
Read More ...
Interview: Hotmail: We'll get the noise out of your inbox
When your users spend more time deleting messages than reading email on your webmail service, you know it's time to make email easier to deal with.
"The inbox has got out of control," Chris Jones, corporate vice president for Windows Live, told TechRadar. "Our approach is to take the common things people do and make them easier."
The changes coming to Hotmail this summer promise to unclutter your inbox, Jones claims. "It used to be if you had 19 unread messages, that was 19 mails from real people that you need to read. Today, it's 19 newsletters that you don't need to read, or it's reminders saying 'the meeting starts at ten'.
"If I look at my Hotmail, I have 64 unread messages but right at the front I have three mails from my contacts, three social updates, two packages that have been shipped to me and some upcoming birthdays in my social network. We make it easy to get from the 64 messages to the three messages you want."
The big issue isn't spam, although the Hotmail team spends a lot of time staying ahead of the spammers; it's real email that people mark as spam rather than dealing with.
"You visited a web site, you forgot not to check the box and now it's haunting your inbox. With the Sweep feature we don't just delete that message but we delete all messages from that sender – and we block future messages form that sender. We went ahead and got rid of that newsletter for you"
Why not just make it easier to unsubscribe? "People keep hitting delete over and over on the same newsletters. All the unsubscribe information is there but they don't use it."
And once the newsletters are gone? "Our job is to get the signal to noise ratio to be really high and get the noise out of your inbox so you can pay attention to the things that are the really interesting things in your inbox," says Jones.
"All email programs have always treated mail all the same. We recognise that email is different. Instead of users having to make rules to manage it for them, we make it easy to read. However photos are shared, we make them a slide show; however documents are attached, we make them easy to edit. Whatever link is attached, we make sure you're getting the value of the link."
What's filling the space?
When the Hotmail team looked at what was filling up their 50 petabytes of storage (which is growing at almost 2 petabytes a month) they found most of what takes up the space isn't the eight billion incoming messages.
95% of Hotmail's storage is attachments – 55% of that is photos and 15% is Office documents. "Email is the most popular way people share photos, the most popular way to collaborate on documents, the most popular way to share links," says Jones. "What's missing is tools to help people manage and connect with all the things they care about."
Those figures suggest that repeated rumours that email is dead are more like wishful thinking. "We certainly have a point of view on that," Jones says with a smile.
"Actually, email is becoming more and more important. People who use a social network are twice as likely to check their inbox. 20% of mail we get today is from our social network and that's growing. A lot of people now chat from their inbox. We think the challenge is that different things are coming into your inbox; you want to do different things and email has to evolve."
Email on the phone
Jones also points to the 25% growth Hotmail has seen in users viewing personal email on the phone. "Phones are now essential email devices; as people are buying smartphones they want the ability to take their inbox with them. They want all of it; not just your mail, you want to be able to call people and look up your calendar. Active Sync made that possible for us."
Jones calls the iPad both "an opportunity and a challenge" for Hotmail, because it doesn't support the Silverlight Hotmail uses for photo slideshows and document upload to SkyDrive. iPhone and iPad users want to use the native mail client, he says.
"What we'll do on the iPad is take the iPhone experience and make it work on iPad. We'll see a mobile experience really optimised for iPad. That will be the same on any touch phone, like Palm or Windows Phone 7."
Hotmail is the most popular webmail service worldwide; of the competition, Yahoo is flat, AOL is losing users steadily – and both Hotmail and Gmail are growing.
Having caught up on what Jones calls "basic features – we knew there were a couple of things we needed to add that are valuable to the customer that were causing people to pick other providers instead of us," he believes Hotmail is now ahead.
"We've got the same features as Gmail but with all the great filtering and the power of understanding the different senders. I think this update is the most significant we've ever done."
| |
Read More ...
Facebook announces free-of-charge mobile service
Facebook has announced a slimmed-down version of its site which is accessible through mobile phones for no extra data charges.
Called o.facebook.com, the site is optimised for the mobile format, with a focus on speed, and will allow users to access all the key features found on the existing mobile version of the site.
There is one caveat: it is not available in the UK at the moment. However, it is coming out in 45 countries, with 50 mobile operators signed up, so it seems that it will only be a matter of time before it reaches British shores.
Discovering mobile internet
"When using the mobile internet, people around the world face two main challenges – sometimes the experience is too slow to be fun and the cost of data plans and understanding them can be daunting," explains Facebook about the release.
"We have designed 0.facebook.com to help solve these two barriers and we hope that even more people will discover the mobile internet with Facebook as a result."
Facebook does note that you will be charged if you leave the site to view photos and the like.
So, in short, it's a place where you will view your friend's updates, much like Twitter.
| |
Read More ...
Home Office reconsiders McKinnon extradition
The Home Office is set to reconsider the plans for the extradition of computer hacker Gary McKinnon to the US.
McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, has been awaiting extradition to face trial in a US court, where he could face up to 70 years in jail for hacking into US military and NASA computers.
Theresa May, or may not
The newly-appointed Home Secretary, Theresa May, is now considering the case, no doubt urged to do so by the acres of national print press coverage McKinnon's case has so far generated.
"The Home Secretary has received a letter from Gary McKinnon's legal team asking her to agree to an adjournment of the judicial review in light of further representations," the Home Office told PC Pro. "A response will be sent as soon as possible.
"What that means is that they are not asking for them to cancel the whole thing - it's an adjournment to halt the proceedings and see which way to proceed. They are considering that at the moment."
Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have already said that McKinnnon should face trial in the UK.
"We hope the new Liberal-Conservative Government will act upon their previous public statements that it would be unjust to extradite Mr McKinnon," his solicitor, Karen Todner, said.
| |
Read More ...
British Library digitising immense UK newspaper archive
The British Library is planning on scanning a whopping 40 million UK newspaper pages over the next ten years, as part of a new UK news archive initiative.
The library holds its immense newspaper archive in Colindale out in north west London, which includes over 52,000 newspapers from the last 300 years.
The project is to be funded by a private company called Brightsolid, the same company that owns Friends Reunited and Genes Reunited.
Pay for old news?
Once the newspaper content has been scanned, it will be made freely available at the British Library's branches at Colindale and St Pancras in London and at Boston Spa in Yorkshire.
Home web users will be charged for access by Brightsolid, which is clearly banking on making its millions back through selling the UK news archive back to Brits. Canny!
"Historic newspapers are an invaluable resource for historians, researchers, genealogists, students and many others, bringing past events and people to life," says Chief Exec the British Library, Dame Lynne Brindley.
"By making these pages fully searchable we will transform a research process which previously relied on scrolling through page after page of microfilm or print."
| |
Read More ...
Three will also offer HTC Wildfire in the UK
Three is the latest network to confirm that it will be carrying the HTC Wildfire, the lower spec mini version of the popular HTC Desire.
The HTC Wildfire has already been confirmed by T-Mobile and Virgin Media, and now Three has joined them.
The Wildfire offers a touchscreen Android smartphone with the lauded HTC Sense UI, but at a lower student-friendly price.
Nice fit
With social networking and data access central to the phone, Three was always a likely perfect fit with the phone, which has yet to be given a firm UK release date or price.
Sylvia Chind Head of Branded Devices said; "It's great to be adding the HTC Wildfire to our ever growing Android range.
"The HTC Wildfire brings together your communications platforms, making sure you never miss an update, message or tweet."
Strong 3G network needed
Chind continued: "When staying in touch on the move a strong 3G network like ours is necessary.
"Pairing this affordable Android phone with our network continues to give our customers great smartphone choices.
"We'll be announcing dates and pricing shortly."
| |
Read More ...
Review: Consonance LP6.1 turntable and T988 tonearm
The Consonance LP6.1/T988 is a radical piece of turntable design. In fact, rarely have we seen such a simple, skeletal approach to the ongoing challenge of mounting a platter, tonearm and motor.
The supplied T988 uni-pivot tonearm is, on the other hand, rather elaborate with a slim-line carbon- fibre main tube and fancy counterweight. Also unusual is the use of nylon filament as a drive belt, an approach derived from the use of fine silk on high-end turntables.
What's more, the novelty doesn't end there because Consonance has taken the unusual step of adding a foam mat to the acrylic platter. This combination marks the LP6.1 as one of the most distinctive designs at its price.
Good vibrations
One of the best established Chinese manufacturers, Consonance started way back in the post communist boom of the early nineties. Now it has a huge range of components and makes everything from CD players to horn speakers.
The LP6.1 is its least expensive turntable to date and a simpler design we have yet to see. The basis is a box-section aluminium T-bar that supports platter bearing and tonearm with an extra bar bolted on for the motor. This approach gives it tremendous stiffness, although all that exists to stop vibration travelling from the motor to both arm and platter is some damping in the metalwork, and you have to wonder if that is sufficient.
Mind you, Consonance has selected a Japanese DC motor for the job, which should ensure that extraneous resonance is kept to a minimum.
The supplied arm is rather a fancy, uni-pivot with a thin carbon-fibre wand that comes in both 228.6mm (nine-inch) and 304.8mm (12-inch) variants. You'll need to augment the turntable chassis to use the longer wand, but this is an interesting option for such an affordable turntable.
Traditionally, super lightweight, low-mass arms like this were only suitable for high compliance cartridges – which usually means moving magnets. The T988 (or 304.8mm T1288) is claimed to be compatible with a wide range of cartridges.
The LP6.1's platter is 25mm thick and has the bearing and centre spindle bonded-in, the latter is unusually long, while the bearing below it is shorter than average. The bearing sits in a brass journal which you lubricate with the supplied oil and once the platter is in place you need to fit the filament belt.
Being less elastic than rubber belts, this is a slightly tricky operation, especially if you try to start on the lower 45rpm channel on the pulley. Power for the 12-volt DC motor is produced by a wall wart supply and the on/off switch is at the back next to the power socket.
In the same area on the rear of the unit is a small screw that can be used to adjust speed. When combined with the supplied strobe disc and a 50Hz lamp, it's relatively easy to get this spot-on.
Arm and cartridge set-up is rather more of a fiddle, unipivots are difficult at the best of times because they don't sit still and, at least, you can bolt on the cartridge prior to fitting the wand, but the rest is a bit more fiddly. In particular, getting the bell-shaped counterweight in precisely the right position so that azimuth (the angle of the stylus in the groove when viewed end on) is correct requires the patience of a saint.
The bell shape was chosen to keep mass below the pivot point, but it's so much heavier than a cartridge that it needs to be rotated in tenths of a degree, or so it seems!
Steady hand
The T988 tonearm can be purchased separately for £650, which means that the turntable element itself is £545 and, while construction and finish are of a high standard, it's debatable whether it looks like great value.
The Japanese motor is undoubtedly a high-quality component, but construction is such that its vibrations can be heard through the speakers when the volume is turned up. The feet are rubber hemispheres, which will only keep out the highest frequencies, so the turntable needs to be kept well away from loudspeakers on a wall bracket, or stand with excellent isolation.
The arm is better value in engineering terms and, while tricky to set up, is operationally straightforward for the most part – you need a steady hand to collect it from disc centre because the finger lift is distinctly small.
The flying lead output sockets mean that separate interconnect is required to take the signal to your phono stage, but at least this gives the option to choose a cable.
Competing alternatives have to include the Michell Gyro SE, which can be had with a Rega RB300 for an extra £100 over the LP6.1 and is a rather more substantial proposition in all respects. The Rega arm may be more prosaic, but the presence of a suspended sub-chassis and Michell's enviable standard of engineering make this a very hard turntable to beat at anywhere near the price.
The T988 looks a bit more competitive, the closest rival we could find is the Hadcock GH242, which is steel rather than aluminium, stainless and carbon- fibre and costs £772. A Roksan Nima with aluminium arm tube and acrylic headshell is more affordable at £489, but a rare site outside of a Roksan Radius turntable.
We managed to set up a van den Hul DDT cartridge in the T988 tonearm without too much cussing and set it down in the groove of a beautiful jazz tune called Warm Canto by Mal Waldron, a piece the LP6.1 reproduced with considerable finesse. Eric Dolphy's clarinet reveals its gorgeous tone and you can hear all of the filigree detail that the drummer gets out of his cymbals. We chose this track because its sustained notes can reveal flutter, but none was to be found – the clarinet sounds pure and sweet.
We also compared the deck with CD to see how much tonal colouration it introduces to the end result, the answer is not very much. It's a little brighter, perhaps, but also rather more open and organic.
Importantly, there is none of the halo effect that you can get with acrylic platters – the foam mat clearly helps keep things clean in this respect. The flip side is that it sounds less dynamic than pure acrylic designs do and while you have the option of discarding the mat, we prefer the more focused sound with it on.
As the Dynavector 17D3 also happened to be available and is Consonance's cartridge of choice, it seemed churlish not to fit it. A process that was more than amply rewarded by superb timing combined with pinpoint imaging. While not as dynamic a result as was achieved with the Townshend Rock V, there is a degree of fluidity to the sound on this turntable that is beguiling.
It continues to be tonally on the money, while doing even more for vocals and instruments, John Coltrane's sax on Kind of Blue hasn't sounded this sweet for quite some time.
Hearts and minds
It would be interesting to try this arm in another turntable and compare which source (arm or turntable) is actually responsible for the overall results. We are, after all, a little concerned about the value of the latter part of the package, but it has to be said that the overall effect is very compelling.
It avoids the usual limitation of acrylic platter designs and has a presentation that engages the mind with its tonal clarity and the heart with its fine coherence. It has strong competition from the likes of The Funk Firm, Rega and Michell, among others, but should hold its own if equipped with a cartridge like the Dynavector.
Related Links
| |
Read More ...
iPhone beats toilet in 'greatest inventions' list
The Apple iPhone has been voted as one of the 10 greatest inventions ever, according to a poll of 4,000 UK consumers.
The list, compiled by Tesco Mobile, revealed what objects are of the most importance in our lives, with the wheel coming out on top.
This was followed by the aeroplane, light bulb, internet and PC in the top five.
The telephone and Penicillin nabbed sixth and seventh spot, while the Apple iPhone was in at number eight beating both the flushing toilet and combustion engine which landed at number nine and 10.
Technology was a big part of the list, with relatively new gadgets like the sat nav (46), mobile phones (22) and Sky+ (53) all getting a look in.
One of the more interesting fights on the list was at numbers 37 and 38, where scissors narrowly beat paper. Amasingly stone didn't even getting a look-in, so it looks like that childhood game we used to play has been lying to us all along.
Google and Facebook were also on the list but only managed a humbling 25 and 82 respectively.
Changed the face of the universe
"Whether it be something as small as a paper clip, to something which changed the face of the universe like the combustion engine, these amazing feats have all been recognised as truly great," said Lance Batchelor, Chief Executive Officer of Tesco Mobile.
"Some – like the washing machine and wheel – have made our lives easier, while wireless technology and the internet have changed the face of communication.
"Others like the remote control, hair-dryer and Hoover have all been created for convenience."
And as for the iPhone, being that it is available on a Tesco Mobile tariff, Batchelor had a thing to say about its inclusion, noting: "It's amazing to see how much the iPhone is valued, sitting alongside inventions such as Penicillin in people's perceptions and being declared a more important invention than miracle gadgets of their own time, such as the compass.
And, finally, the world's most shameful plug goes to Batchelor with the following line:
"No wonder the iPhone has been flying off the shelves at Tesco, as it allows us to have everything we need at our finger tips."
Tssk, tssk.
| |
Read More ...
NVidia's three-screen 3D gaming tech gets delayed
NVidia's monster 3D three-screen 3D Vision Surround gaming tech is set to hit a few delay snags, putting back the planned release to the end of June.
3D PC gaming fans with lots of money to spend on two new GTX 470 or GTX 480 cards from Nvidia (not to mention two or three new monitors!) are sure to be mildly miffed, although the delay really is only a matter of weeks. The NVIDIA Blog has more info.
Multi-monitor gaming
TechRadar has phoned ('reached out' as the parlance has it) NVidia for updates on the plans for the UK release of 3D Vision Surround, so stay tuned for updates as and when we hear back.
Alternatively, you could always splurge on ATI's Eyefinity SIX-monitor set up, if you really cannot wait for some multi-monitor gaming fun.
ATI has recently set up an an Eyefinity Experience Tool which explains the benefits of multi-monitor gaming pretty well. Head to ATI for more on that.
| |
Read More ...
Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus arriving on O2 in May
O2 will be offering the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus phones by the end of the month.
The eagerly awaited Palm phones have been given a UK release date of 28 May, with the company confirming the news in a brief release to TechRadar.
"Palm today announces that the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus phones will be available in the UK on O2 from 28 May," said the statement.
"We are excited to bring Pre Plus and Pixi Plus to the market for O2 customers," said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer.
"With the choice of these two new Palm webOS phones, customers across the UK can stay connected, so they never miss a thing."
Upgrades
The Palm Pre Plus is a slightly upgraded, faster version of the original Palm Pre, while the Palm Pixi Plus brings WiFi functionality to the handset.
Palm's recent acquisition by HP means that these are some of the last handsets developed by the company before it joined with the computing giant.
UPDATE: O2 has sent through the UK price and contract details. The Pixi Plus will be available for nothing with a £30 two-year tariff with the Pre Plus available on a £35 two-year tariff.
For 18 month tariffs, the Palm Pixi Plus will be available for free with a £35 contract and Pre Plus on a £40 contract.
| |
Read More ...
Review: Creek Evolution 5350
If you've a long memory for matters audio, you'll surely remember early Creek amplifiers. They came in unpretentious black boxes, quite small and with basic features and specifications; and they didn't cost a lot – but they worked well and sounded lively and sold in healthy numbers. In many ways, they embodied the spirit of 1980's audio in what one might call the 'budget audiophile' sector.
To that extent, Creek hasn't changed tack one bit over the years. You could show the new Evolution 5350 model to anyone as a perfect example of just that term, substituting '2010' for '1980s'. Physically, however, its resemblance to its forebears is slight.
It's bigger all round, the front panel is thick brushed aluminium, there's a display instead of a row of push buttons and fit and finish are improved.
The previous 5350 (SE) was rated at 85 watts, but the new model manages 120 watts, which is quite a lot from a relatively slimline package like this. High power requires a substantial energy supply and, in particular, a very large transformer, and it's this that accounts for a good deal of the 5350 Evolution's weight.
The considerable heat associated with powerful amplifiers like this is, however, dissipated by a pair of enormous internal heatsinks.
Slimline powerhouse
Amplifier power has, on the whole, been creeping up over the years and while on the one hand 120 watts is only about 1dB more output (one or two steps on a typical electronic volume control) than 100 watts, it's an accumulation of little steps that has seen a rise from the 25 watts or so typical 25 years back. That's over 6dB, a far-from trivial difference!
In one way, this amp seems a little under-specified by modern standards and that's input provision. It has as standard, five line inputs (one can be converted to phono as an optional extra), with no front panel mini-jack or digital input or other such fripperies. Actually we rather like a front-panel input, but it's not the end of the world reaching over to the back once in a while, as we suspect not many people really need more than five inputs!
The output provision, however, is more in line with current thinking, including the individually switched speaker terminals. Creek has designed a new power stage for this amplifier, leaving behind the MOSFET output that was used in some previous models, but still using MOSFETs in the driver stage.
The output now uses bipolar transistors, in fact two pairs per channel to give better handling of high currents. And, as in quite a few modern integrated amps, each power amp channel is an independent board, while the preamp section occupies a third board.
Quite a few components are surface-mount types, but Creek has chosen through-hole ones for a few jobs, mostly capacitors and higher power resistors. The main power supply is also worthy of note, as it uses no less then 16 main smoothing capacitors. This is something that we've seen in previous Creek amplifiers and it's a smart idea, giving a lower total impedance than one or two large-value capacitors.
Input selection and volume control are electronic, with the volume steps being variable, 0.5dB over the top 18dB of range, then 1dB over most of the rest. As is often the case, that makes for a good few rotations of the volume knob to cover the range, but on the other hand it's very easy to advance in small increments. The dimmable display does a good job of telling you what's going on, with volume steps numbered (as they ought to be, but aren't always!).
Built like the proverbial
Build quality is very good across the board. The case is all steel, apart from the front panel and the knobs are solid metal too, which is a nice touch. The use of quite thick sheetmetal gives great rigidity and the top panel is not particularly resonant.
Input sockets are pretty basic commercial types (gold-plated though), while the output terminals are nice chunky ones. On the electronics side, there are some very good op-amps in evidence and one of the most highly regarded electronic volume control chips and it's hard to find any grounds at all for criticising value.
It's also worth mentioning the various forms of protection that Creek has built into this amp. Like many of its kind, it has sub-circuits that monitor output current and component temperature and shut down operation before any danger level is reached.
But the cunning addition here is a simple verbal display of what's up, so that you know immediately, if it's deliberately shut down and not just blown a fuse. You have to be pretty brutal to trigger the protection, mind you, as the circuit is intended to drive four-ohm speakers and as Mike Creek opined on the phone when we spoke to him about this amp, it pays to be realistic.
Rhythm and timing
Having the luxury of a long review period with this amp, we were able to try it under all sorts of circumstances, from the usual sessions with tried and trusted favourites to some rather critical listening to a newly made recording.
Of course, we did some swapping around so as to compare it with familiar references, amps that we've known for a while – but each time we regretted having to take it out of the system. That's not to say it was better than the references (some of them are very good indeed) but it's an easy amp to get attached to.
Most of all, that's because it has a really lively way with music, giving full rein to the energy the performers put into recording it. Most amps do that sort of thing, but this one really seems to excel at it, making the music that much more involving and simply delightful to listen to. This isn't just a question of the well known 'pace, rhythm and timing' aspects, but also requires good control to keep the speakers precisely in check, and keen dynamics too.
It's not unknown, however, for audio components to be lively, but still a bit lacking in some of the specifics, which can lead to frustration in the long term. No such danger here, we're happy to report.
OK, the bass doesn't quite have the 'slam' and definition that you hope to get from a monster monoblock power amp and the treble isn't quite as sweet as the finest valve amps may be able to offer, but the compromise is small and by the standards of competing amps we're not at all inclined to quibble.
In fact the combination of extension and tunefulness in the bass is very fine indeed, while the midrange and treble are really beautifully neutral.
Detail, too, is something a bit special for this class of amp. It's not so much the fact that it's there – it usually is, most of it anyway, with any decent amp – but it's the way it's effortlessly presented and at the same time integrated so that one isn't bludgeoned into paying it attention if one isn't in that kind of mood. It's just there when one wants it, like a beer in the fridge: take it or leave it.
We jest, but this kind of attribute really makes hi-fi a pleasure to own and use.
Wrapping up
It seems almost unnecessary to add at this point that the 5350 Evolution always feels at home in any style of music – even some pretty raw stuff we tried in the shape of a demo from a local band. It's happy playing loud and it gives no sense of frustrated energy when playing quietly.
It doesn't try to be something it's not and you won't mistake it for fancy exotica, but it's a fine honest-to-goodness integrated amp that does an admirable job.
Related Links
| |
Read More ...
FarmVille owners seal deal with Facebook
Zynga, the owners of FarmVille, have put rumours to rest that the game was leaving Facebook by signing up to a five year strategic partnership with the social-networking site.
The agreement shows that Facebook means business when it comes to social gaming and to strengthen its games arm further, the social networker will be expanding the use of the site's digital money, Facebook Credits.
Although it's not been established who gets what money in the Facebook Credits system, more Zynga games will be using credits in the following months.
There was a rumour that Zynga was looking to pull out completely of Facebook and it seemed that Facebook Credits was the sticking point, so it's no wonder this is a big part of the announcement.
Games pioneer
Speaking about the link-up, Mark Pincus, founder and chief executive officer at Zynga, said: "Facebook was a pioneer in opening their platform in 2007 and in just three years tens of millions of Facebook users play our games everyday, from FarmVille and Cafe World to Treasure Isle and Mafia Wars,"
"We are excited about Facebook's long-term commitment to social gaming and Zynga, and look forward to working with them and other platform providers to bring the best social gaming experience to users worldwide."
Last year, Facebook exclusively told TechRadar that FarmVille had more members than micro-blogging site Twitter.
| |
Read More ...
Review: Triangle Trio
Triangle's Trio is also one of the largest – and the flashiest standmount speakers, with its curved cabinetwork, the multi-hued part-external horn-loaded tweeter that protrudes above the top panel, and the shiny flared front port.
The Trio is the smallest of three stereo pairs that make up Triangle's mid-market Genese range, designed to take some of features introduced in the upmarket Magellan models, make them available at lower cost and bridge the gap between the Magellans and the vinyl-covered budget Esprit EX models.
A generous-sized two-way standmount, based on a 160-millimetre bass/mid driver, this Trio has much in common with Triangle's more costly Magellan Duetto SW2.
While the deep front panel is high gloss black, the rest of the enclosure is attractively finished in a real wood veneer, stained to give a mahogany effect. The curved sides are fatter in the middle than at the front and back, so internal reflections are well distributed, standing wave focus is diluted and increasing stiffness.
The driver line-up consists of a 160mm bass/mid driver with a 118mm flared paper cone, a fixed 'bullet' pole-piece extension and a high excursion rubber roll surround. This crosses over to a horn-loaded titanium dome tweeter mounted high up and half out of the enclosure proper, thanks to a semi-circular rubber-covered bulge protruding from the top surface. A shiny grey moulded and flared port is mounted on the front below the main driver, while signals are fed via twin terminal pairs on the rear.
Sound quality
Although the reactions of different listeners varied somewhat, there was general criticism of a bright and rather brittle top end, as well as some lack of genuine bottom-end weight and welly. However, the bass proper attracted praise for its crispness and liveliness, delivering good pace and impetus, while the lower midband sounds appropriately warm and full.
The high and wide stereo soundstage was particularly effective when reproducing our choral extract, though image depth seemed rather limited.
The Trio delivers lively and entertaining dynamics with decent leading edge definition. The presence zone is just slightly laid back and manages to deliver good vocal detail without becoming aggressive.
Boxy effects are generally well-controlled, though a mild nasality is evident. Yet the top-end emphasis remains a consistent source of criticism: one listener complained that its innately brittle quality tended to harden up as the volume was increased and this was likely to become fatiguing over time.
The paradox of the Trio is that it costs half the price of Triangle's Magellan Duetto SW2 and measures significantly better, yet it doesn't come close on sound quality. It's by no means a bad loudspeaker, but neither is it a particularly exciting or interesting one and that bright top end remains a significant flaw.
Related Links
| |
Read More ...
Google praises Facebook's 'Like' button
Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt have praised Facebook's 'Like' button, explaining that it will help their search engine decide what kind of information people are interested in.
Speaking at the Google Zeitgeist conference, Google co-founder Page and CEO Schmidt both spoke about the rise of the 'Like' button, with the latter believing that this way of sharing content is a 'new phenomenon'.
"It will probably allow our search to become better," said Schmidt, "because we have more information from people on what matters and what does not matter.
"So…it's a nice improvement, and it looks to me like there's going to be a lot of these sort of ideas.
"It's a new phenomenon and it's a good one generally."
Page up
Page pointed out that Google already has Buzz tools that offer similar 'like' functionality, but also sees the move as a key one.
"I think it's an important area to get lots of feedback from people," said Page.
"In [Google] Buzz we have a 'Buzz this' button which is similar to [Facebook Like].
"I think people have been sharing stuff in lots of different way for a long time and that's clearly a really important signal for a lot of different things.
"I think we have done a pretty good job of harnessing that data so it's good that there is actually starting to be more and more of that data that's explicit from users and I think that's pretty useful in lots of things."
| |
Read More ...
Review: Roksan Kandy K2 TR5
Roksan's fine reputation has been built largely off the back of its fine turntables and electronics, though several interesting loudspeaker designs have also put in an occasional appearance.
The fine floorstanding Caspian FR-5 was very well received when it arrived in 2006 and the obvious question for this review is whether this Kandy K2 TR-5 can repeat the same trick.
The K2 Kandys are Roksan's recently introduced and least costly range of components, and while the official price of this TR-5 varies from £895 (high-gloss black) to £945 (the beautifully finished satin rosewood of our samples), substantial discounts are available if other Kandy K2 electronics are purchased at the same time. Besides those two options, the speaker is available in silver, maple and metallic black.
This small, two-way standmount uses a rear-port-loaded 130- millimetre bass/mid driver with a 100mm doped paper cone and a concave dust cover. The tweeter, unusually, is a ribbon device – a type of transducer where the 'voice coil' is replaced by a vertical 1x5-centimtere conductive strip (the ribbon) operating in a powerful magnetic field, so that the 'voice coil' and diaphragm are one and the same.
This ribbon diaphragm is well protected behind moulded strips and set down a shallow waveguide. These are mounted in a tough little double cavity enclosure using 15mm MDF panels with additional internal bracing.
Twin terminal pairs separately feed the individual drivers and their associated high-quality crossover components, which include air-core inductors and metallised polyester capacitors. The optional grill is retained by concealed magnets.
Audio Kandy
One of the difficulties of conducting blind tests on loudspeakers comes in trying to equalise perceived loudness between successive presentations. This is not a problem when all the speakers being reviewed deliver something close to a flat response, but it's very difficult when the tonal balance is uneven, as with this Roksan model.
One tends to use the presence band to try and set the level subjectively, but in this case the presence is rather restrained, while the upper mid is rather forward. Setting the level by the perceived presence level, therefore inevitably leads to some voice over-projection that can be quite seductive. Which probably explains why the TR-5 was received quite well by the listening panel.
Despite – and indeed probably partly because of – its departures from true neutrality, listeners found the sound lively, vigorous and "bouncy", albeit with some 'cupped hands' midband coloration. The imaging attracted particular praise, as did the top-end smoothness and sweetness.
While some listeners correctly identified and were critical of the balance imperfections, others seemed quite happy with the rather different presentation, appreciating the full-bodied character, the good sense of scale, and a decently wide dynamic range.
The TR-5 is not an easy speaker to sum up. It's unquestionably a very pretty little unit with top class cabinet work and the use of a ribbon tweeter adds a genuine touch of class. While some members of the panel welcomed its particular character, the lack of genuine neutrality remains an impediment to formal commendation.
Related Links
| |
Read More ...
Nike+ iPod heart rate monitor out soon
The new iPod heart rate monitor from Nike is set to be released on 1 June, just in time for your summer jogging schedule.
The latest bit of Nike+ iPod kit will let you view your heart beat as you pound through the park on your run, listening in to your favourite tunes as you jog.
Run like the wind
The kit will be out in the US tjhis summer, according to a long-time contributor on the Nike+ forums who writes:
"I have a US launch date for the Nike+ compatible heart rate monitor. It will officially launch on 1 June, 2010, although it may reach some retail outlets slightly sooner.
"It will reach Canadian markets in June and will launch internationally in summer 2010, exact date to be determined."
No word yet from Nike on plans for a UK launch, but we expect to hear more on that front soon.
| |
Read More ...
Larry Page: Your Android battery should last a day
If your Android phone's battery doesn't make it through the day, there's "something wrong", says Larry Page, co-founder of Google.
Speaking at Google's annual partner forum, Google Zeitgeist, Page said in response to an audience question about whether Google would address issues with Android's battery life, that he has found the battery life to be "pretty good."
After offering to personally debug the phone, Page went on to suggest that it's the apps that are causing the problem, which caused one TechRadar team member back at the offices to tweet: "'cell standby' and 'phone idle' seem to be the things that chow down on my battery."
"I have noticed there are a few people who have phones where there is software running in the background that just sort of exhausts the battery quickly. If you are not getting a day, there is something wrong."
"The primary consumer of the battery life on these phones is the transmit/receive circuit. So tuning that and obviously figuring out a way to not use too much of that extends your battery life," added Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
"And people bring in applications that are not particularly smart about that, which is what Larry is trying to get at."
Page jokingly offered fix to the problem himself: "We can give you a bigger battery probably. I'll see you afterwards."
| |
Read More ...
No comments:
Post a Comment