iPhone 3GS drops to budget price points
O2 has announced a new range of tariffs for the iPhone 3GS, offering a free phone from as little as £15.50 per month.
Admittedly, this deal comes with no data and only 100 minutes per month, but it still represents a new price low for the older phone.
Traditionally, an iPhone price drop coincides with a bid to clear stock ahead of a new model emerging - it's interesting this should happen when the iPhone 5 is set to be delayed.
Budget busters
The price drops have only affected the two cheapest two-year deals for O2 though, indicating that the bubbly network is perhaps simply trying to appeal to a new market.
Apple's iPhone prices have always been strictly regimented across networks in the past, so any kind of price drop is always likely to raise suspicions that something is afoot - especially given a source close to O2 has told TechRadar that the iPhone 3GS is the best-selling handset on the network.
We'll be contacting the other networks to see if they'll be following suit with the price drops - if everyone starts trying to drop the prices, you'd have to thinks Jobs is readying a new phone sooner rather than later.
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Google Chrome notebooks set for summer release
Google has plans to release its Chrome OS-running notebooks in summer 2011, if anonymous sources are to be believed.
The eponymous search engine has already started touting its CR-48 notebook prototype, which we weren't entirely convinced by due to its reliance on the internet browser and slight operational lag.
Google is hopefully taking some time to iron out these niggles, with Neowin reporting that the devices are set to be released for purchase in late June to early July 2011.
Another subscription?
The same sources told the technology news site that Google will yet again be trying a somewhat experimental distribution model.
Remember when it tried to sell the Google Nexus One direct to consumers and the whole scheme fell flat on its face?
Well, this time it's trying to sell the Chrome notebooks as part of a subscription model bundled with premium Gmail accounts.
The source said that Google is planning to sell the notebooks to users for around $10 to $20 (likely to convert to £10 to £20), with hardware upgrades as part of the package.
If you're not up for yet another subscription, it seems that Google will also be offering the notebooks as a standalone purchase, but is unlikely to sell them directly itself.
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Amazon elastic compute cloud snaps, takes down FourSquare
Amazon's EC2 service has suffered a major problem, taking a host of big name companies like Quora and FourSquare down with it.
Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is used as a platform by several major companies, and the company's outage has therefore created some major waves.
Quora, Hootsuite and FourSquare have all been affected, with Amazon confirming that a datacentre in North Virginia is the hub of the trouble.
Latencies
"We can confirm connectivity errors impacting EC2 instances and increased latencies impacting EBS volumes in multiple availability zones in the US-EAST-1 region. Increased error rates are affecting EBS CreateVolume API calls," said Amazon's statement. "We continue to work towards resolution."
Amazon's EC2 has been a big hit for the company, giving businesses the chance to elastically expand their companies with the demand.
This is a major boon to companies that grow rapidly, or who experience big spikes of traffic, but obviously reliability is therefore a key issue.
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Speed Week: Intel: 'We could easily have CPUs with hundreds of cores'
This article is brought to you in association with LG Optimus 2X
It's almost 40 years since Intel released its first CPU, the 4004, a ground-breaking processor that crammed all the computing power of ENIAC - the first general purpose computer - into a tiny silicon chip.
Of course, what was impressive in 1971 looks, well, rather less spectacular today. And now the Intel 4004 is most useful as an example of just how far CPU technology has come in recent years.
Take the clock rate, for instance: the 4004 ran at only 108KHz. In a mere eight years, the Intel 8088 (the power behind the first IBM PC) would run at 5MHz, something like a 50x speed boost. And a modern 3GHz CPU has a clock rate around 30,000 faster than the humble 4004.
And the increase in the transistor count, probably a more accurate indicator of CPU power, has been even more spectacular. The Intel 4004 contained a mere 2,300; the 8088 increased this to more than 29,000; and if we jump to a modern high-end Intel Xeon chip, then the transistor count is now more than 2 billion: a million times more than that first CPU.
WHERE IT BEGAN: Intel's first CPU, the 4004
The CPU world has generated plenty of other amazing statistics over the past few years, but of course this isn't just about the figures: what's more important are the technologies that they've made available.
Intelligent cameras with face recognition; spreadsheets with analytical powers that even governments couldn't achieve just a few years ago; cars that are beginning to be able to drive themselves; incredibly cheap and versatile tablets, and smartphones with more power than a 1970's mainframe are all becoming commonplace.
That's all great, but it does leave us with a couple of questions.
Can the CPU industry really maintain this level of performance increase?
And if so, what new technologies might it deliver in the next few years?
Moore's Law
In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore predicted that the number of transistors on a chip would double, every two years, an observation so accurate and important that it became known as "Moore's Law". And it's this rapidly increasing complexity and power that has driven the amazing gains in CPU performance that we've seen in recent years.
ON THE MONEY: In 1965 Gordon Moore predicted exponential growth in CPU power that would lead to "home computers", "automatic controls for automobiles" and "personal, portable communications equipment"
Can this continue? Antonio Gonzalez, director of Intel Labs Barcelona is confident, at least for the near term:
"The trend in CPU performance has been spectacular in all the key parameters: every year more power, more speed, transistors are smaller, energy consumption is down. There are always new challenges to be faced, but I'm sure the trend will continue. We are in good shape to keep evolving the technology for at least a decade, and perhaps much more."
It isn't going to be easy, however. Transistor sizes are already tiny, as Gonzalez explains: "Currently we're working to a 32nm process [structures that are 32 billionths of a metre in size], and this will be down to 22nm very soon. That's less than the size of the influenza virus, and 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of the human hair."
It's also approaching the size of an atom (around 0.1nm), though, and that's going to present us with a fundamental barrier before too long.
And Nandan Nayampally, director of product marketing at ARM, sees another problem. "Starting from around 40nm, the problem isn't really the transistors, it's the wire delay [the time it takes to send signals around the chip]. We are beginning to hit that limit, and it's a major issue for speed."
New approaches will be required to maintain the growth in CPU performance, then, and fortunately the industry is already working on a number of promising projects.
IBM has been researching 3D chip stacking, for instance, which sees CPU cores no longer placed next to each other, but stacked vertically. The cores can be linked by connections covering their entire surface, greatly improving transfer speeds, and they're more easily cooled so heat is less of an issue.
BUILDING UP: Stacking CPU cores on top of each other is a promising idea that could deliver significant speed increases
And Intel reports that it is investigating "the user of compound semiconductors (rather than silicon)... [which] show promise of greatly improving transistor performance while reducing power" (while many other researchers are looking at possible replacements for silicon).
Moore's law will be running into some rather fundamental roadblocks in the 2020s, then, but there are plenty of new technologies on the horizon, and these may enable it to continue for some time yet.
Multi-core
There's more to processor performance than simply packing transistors onto a die, of course, as John Moore, vice president of design and innovation at UK semiconductor trade association NMI, points out. "There's only so far we can go before heat density begins to cause problems", he says: that is, the more transistors on a chip, the hotter it gets, and that causes all kinds of reliability issues. "The days of the big, powerful single-core beasts are ending: the future is more about distributed processing; multi-core."
Intel's Antonio Gonzalez agrees. "We could use all these extra transistors to create a single big core," he says, "however, placing multiple cores on a single die delivers a much better solution in terms of performance and energy efficiency."
We've seen some of the results of this approach today, where even budget systems may come with quad-core CPUs, essentially delivering four processors for the price of one. But Gonzalez believes this is just the start.
Intel has already produced an 80-core "Teraflops Research Chip", he points out, and even this isn't an exceptional number: "We could easily have CPUs with hundreds of cores. There are still challenges to meet before this will be practical, but I'm optimistic that we are heading in the right direction, this is a very valuable trend."
HARDCORE: An Intel research project has already produced a chip with 80 cores - and we might see CPUs with hundreds more in the future
Not everyone is quite so enthusiastic about such high numbers of cores. Alex Katouzian, VP of product management at Qualcomm CDMA, comments: "Our systems can go up to at least four cores, 2.5GHz, and I'm sure we'll be able to push these up even more, but from a software perspective there's only so much extra performance this will buy. Because while some applications are truly multi-threaded - web browsing, gaming - most remain single-threaded. And so in the mobile space at least, there will quickly come a time when you stop adding more cores, and instead concentrate on power efficiency."
ALL IN ONE: Some CPUs are about pure performance. Qualcomm's Snapdragon aims to be a complete system, including a GPU, 3G/LTE modem wifi, GPS, Bluetooth, FM and more on one chip
John Moore also believes the move to multi-threaded applications is key. "The real challenge now isn't the hardware, as much as in creating the software that can take advantage of it. We have generations of software engineers that have been raised to think sequentially, and breaking a problem down into parallel threads instead - and then understanding how to test and debug that code - is no easy task."
However, Intel recognises these issues, says Gonzalez: "We're investigating new programming paradigms for the future," he points out, "as well as working on new tools that will help to parallelise these apps, much more easily than is possible right now."
But, crucially, multicore doesn't just mean adding more regular CPU cores to a die, as ARM's Nayampally points out. "ARM started this multi-processing push back in 2003", he said, "but these extra cores could be DSPs, a GPU, modem, GPS unit, whatever best suits your application."
And this approach, common in the mobile space, is now being taken up by Intel, says Gonzalez: "We're also looking to add more specialised components to the processor, like the GPU and multimedia support in the Sandy Bridge CPUs. This kind of integration cuts latencies, delivers a much better solution in terms of performance and energy efficiency, and delivers these benefits right now - even on single-threaded apps."
Future developments
So what new technologies will these future CPU improvements enable?
For the next few years it looks like business as usual. Transistors will continue to shrink; the number of cores will go up; and our desktops will increase in speed just as they always have.
Applications will become increasingly multi-threaded, and take advantage of other performance-boosting technologies, like GPU acceleration. And a strong focus on energy efficiency means that portable devices should see improvements in both CPU power and battery life.
After that, though, the availability and low price of fast, low-power CPUs will mean that they'll increasingly be used all around us, suggests Intel's Antonio Gonzalez: "In the near future we are going to see a much wider range of computing devices that we have today. There will be more powerful systems in our car, in the house, security systems, even simple robots that may help in domestic activities [that's cleaning the carpet, rather than preparing lunch, probably]. Just a host of devices that in some way analyse the environment around them and provide real world responses."
This isn't science fiction, either: it's happening now. So, for instance, accelerometer chips are being developed at the University of Southampton that will monitor how a section of track behaves when a train passes over it. It can then detect variations in response that might indicate a loss in structural integrity, and warn engineers before this becomes serious enough to cause an accident.
NEXT-GEN: A new generation of chips is being developed that will sense the world, and respond to it - for example, monitoring rail tracks and alerting engineers to imminent structural failure
The Royal Veterinary College is developing another accelerometer-based chip that, when attached to the leg of a horse, can analyse its gait pattern. Detecting small changes in these could help to quickly detect and rest injuries that might otherwise go unnoticed, at least initially, and the same technique may also be applicable to professional athletes.
Elsewhere, Qualcomm believes that our homes will become filled with new smart devices that will help us out in a host of interesting ways. And they won't be boring, static boxes: rather, just like your mobile, they'll have internet connectivity and you'll be able to customise them in a host of useful ways: "In many instances, consumers will be able to download applications to products such as home energy management systems, security systems and connected home products to add new features and functionalities," writes Qualcomm.
Intelligence everywhere
This extra intelligence will be everywhere, presenting all kinds of new opportunities. We may see alarm clocks that have the connectivity and intelligence to detect traffic problems, for instance, and know to wake you a little earlier. NEC is currently testing smart advertising billboards which can identify the age and gender of passers-by, and tailor its display to offer something appropriate to their demographic. And many similar ideas will see smart devices everywhere adapt their functions to suit our presence and needs.
Qualcomm's Alex Katouzian suggested that augmented reality technologies will also become more important. "You might see a sign on a bus, advertising a newly released record," he says. "You point your mobile at it, and a view a piece of concert footage for that artist, a video, or whatever." The system is smart enough to provide instant context to what you're viewing in many different situations.
LIFE-CHANGING: Future CPUs will power smart devices that will change our lives in a host of interesting ways
And this is just the start. The University of Washington has, since 2009, been producing contact lenses with built-in electronics, including a small heads up display. These are early days, but link this with a sufficiently powerful CPU, and, as Microsoft's Steve Clayton points out, there are all kinds of amazing possibilities:
Heads up displays of all types could be imagined. You could walk in to a room and instantly be reminded of everyone's name, their kids' birthdays and their latest status updates on Facebook or Twitter - all without them seeing what you see.
When navigating a strange city, you could be directed without ever having to look down at a map. As an article on TechNet notes, there are other uses such as assisting diabetic wearers keep tabs on blood-sugar levels without needing to pierce a finger.
Amazing. But again, not just science fiction - all these ideas have a basis in solid projects that have delivered very real results. There remains a long way to go, but as we've seen, there's also plenty of scope for CPU improvements to make these kind of things happen.
So while the huge growth in processor performance over the past few years has undoubtedly delivered a host of interesting new technologies, there are many more just around the corner, some that we can barely imagine.
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Mio unveils four new Spirit sat navs
Mio has unveiled four new sat navs for its Spirit range, with the 480, 485, 685 and 687 all claiming to meet every need of today's traveller.
The latest sat navs from Mio include the headlining 687 which has a choice of routes feature, AV-in port for connecting up a rear-view camera, voice entry and Bluetooth.
With the exception of the 480, the devices bring built in traffic information with no need for a subscription.
Model features
"All models are fitted with the practical 'Parking Assistance', 'Pedestrian Mode' functionality, 'IQ Routes', 'LearnMe Pro', '3D Junction Views' and 'Lane Guidance': a combination of features that make every journey easier, faster and more comfortable," adds Mio's release.
"The Spirit 480, 485, 685 and 687 combine state of the art features with quality navigation, ease of use and stylish design, creating a range that meets every need of today's traveller," says the company.
"The new range comes in two different screen sizes: the 4.3-inch Spirit 480 and 485 and the super-large 5-inch Spirit 685 and 687."
The devices have a UK release date of May and the pricing is as follows - 480: £79.99, 485: £89.99, 685: £99.99, 687: £149.99
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Carphone Warehouse opens Samsung Galaxy S2 pre-order
Carphone Warehouse has opened pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S2 and HTC Wildfire S.
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is the first handset to rock a 1.2GHz processor, so you can be guaranteed some pretty nippy operations – and the Super AMOLED screen is one of the best we've ever seen.
You can nab the Android 2.3 phone from Carphone Warehouse for free on a £35 a month contract, or pay £499.95 upfront.
Those impatiently awaiting the Samsung Galaxy S2 will probably want to head over to Carphone's arch nemesis Phones4U, though – the retailer has an exclusive early release date.
Wild things
The strapped-for-cash might prefer the HTC Wildfire S; still with Android 2.3, it offers smartphone-style functionality on a shoestring.
It might not have the headline grabbing specs, but the HTC Wildfire UK pricing is pretty impressive; it's yours for free on a £13.50 a month contract, although the retailer hasn't specified what else that nets you.
The other option is to shell out £349.95 for the handset on pay as you go.
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Review: Black Gold BGT3620
Recently we reviewed the PCTV nanoStick T2 – the UK's first external DVB-T/T2 tuner. Now comes the BGT3620 twin-tunered internal card from Black Gold Technology (BGT) which slots into a PCI Express x1 slot in a desktop PC.
Only fairly recent PCs offer such an interface but, then again, the decoding of HD channels is quite a punishing task that – as a minimum – requires a dual-core processor.
On the whole, we're impressed with BGT's design. The card is supplied with two mounting brackets that allow it to be fitted to half-or full-height slots. BGT even supplies the screwdriver.
There may not be a loopthrough aerial output, but a multi-pin socket accepts a variety of different SD analogue video inputs via a proprietary cable that's terminated with a series of connectors. With the right software, these will allow you to view (or record) composite, S-video and component sources.
Beautiful build
The BGT3620 is beautifully made. The tuners lie beneath a screened can; upstream of these are pairs of chips from Sony and NXP that demodulate the DVB-T, DVB-T2 and – as an added bonus – DVB-C (digital cable) signals, allow the streams (or digitised analogue video to be injected into the motherboard's PCIe bus.
A third socket is the gateway to another potentially useful feature – remote control – but this feature was not included in our 'OEM' package – it's down to resellers to decide what customers will get.
Sensibly, BGT does not supply drivers with the BGT3620. Instead, you have to download them from the BGT website – thereby ensuring that you're up to date come installation time.
These Microsoft WHQL-tested drivers are BDA-compliant, meaning that they should work with any Windows digital TV application. They're claimed to be compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7 – Microsoft's Media Center is also supported.
For digital TV duties, we used the excellent DVBViewer software. You have to decide between cable (though Virgin Media's channels are encrypted) and terrestrial – owing to that single input you can't connect both simultaneously.
Searching and use is very much dependent on the specific software that you're using. DVBViewer allows you to search a full band, or a specific channel or range. The entire UK UHF spectrum (channels 21-69) was searched in around three-and-a-half minutes.
The sting in the tail is that of HD performance on our quad core Yoyotech PC with powerful ATI graphics card. When HD channels were selected we were initially treated to random blocks of colour and squeaky blips of sound.
Updated drivers improved matters (we got a picture) but not the fact that the PC would lock up if we left the software tuned to an HD channel – either that, or subsequently selected SD channels were juddery.
Either way, the PC had to be restarted. The drivers are said to be compatible with the 64-bit Windows installed on our PC. We hope that BGT can fix this.
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Samsung unveils ultra-slim, 16MP ST93
Samsung has bolstered its slim-line ST range of compact cameras with the 16-megapixel ST93, the company has announced.
Key among the Samsung ST93's features is what Samsung claims is enhanced optical performance via the compact camera's Dual Image Stabilisation, which combines both digital and optical image stabilisation technology.
Samsung claims its Dual IS functionality provides clearer images in any environment and prevents distorted photos.
In addition, the Samsung ST93 features a 26mm 5x optical zoom lens, and a Smart Filter feature to apply different effects to your photos.
Other Samsung ST93 specs include 720p HD video recording capability and a new Magic Frame feature that Samsung claims enables users to create poster-quality visuals from a set of templates, including Wall Art, Retro Film, Ripple, Full Moon, Retro Record and Classic TV, you can create an innovative and unique-looking image every time.
The Samsung ST93 is available from June, priced £129.99.
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Review: G.Skill Ripjaws-X 4GB
When you're talking about memory, do you want low latency, high-speed or low voltage? Well, with G.Skill's latest P67-oriented kit, the Ripjaws-X 4GB, you get the lot. And all for a rather reasonable price too.
This 4GB Ripjaws-X kit is running with super-low CAS 7 latencies, the now-standard P67 1.50v power setup and nominally runs at 1,600MHz.
With the way things are these days that's probably about as much as you're going to be able to get out of it. Right?
Memory overclocking has changed a lot since the inception of the second generation Core CPUs from Intel. We calls them Sandy Bridge, but I'm sure the RAM manufacturers have far more choice names for this new setup.
Before this new setup, CPU overclocking was inexorably linked with how fast your RAM could go, meaning that if you wanted decent speeds from your RAM sticks with a decent CPU overclock you needed some tasty ol' RAM in there to cope.
Now it's all separate so as long as your memory runs as rated you can do whatever you like to the CPU and its multiplier without a worry. So no more overclocking memory then?
Well, not if G.Skill has anything to say about it. This kit runs nice and quick when you get it going at 1,600MHz, but we were able to push it right up to 2,133MHz stable. That's a huge overclock and for the £50 price tag that's amazing.
Especially considering Corsair's Dominator GT kit running at 2,133MHz is available for almost double that. The Ripjaws-X is an excellent Sandy Bridge kit and proves you can have your memory cake and nom it too.
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Exclusive: 1,000mph car has carbon footprint of 3.5 lactating cows
The Bloodhound SSC's attempt to shatter the world land speed record will apparently have the same carbon footprint as three and a half lactating cows, according to the projects engineering lead.
Interest has been high in the Bloodhound land speed record, with the team behind the famous Thrust SSC – which twice broke the record in 1997 – hoping that their efforts can inspire a new generation of engineers.
TechRadar took a look at the 1,000mph car's progress as part of Speed Week, in association with LG Optimus 2X, and found that one 10-mile Bloodhound run uses the same amount of energy required to light the Singapore Grand Prix night-event for 20 minutes.
"That sounds like we're burning an awful lot of fuel," said Bloodhound SSC's engineering lead, James Painter.
"But we're not doing that many runs in total, and as a complete project the calculations are that we are the equivalent of three and a half lactating cows, in terms of the amount of greenhouse gasses that we'll be releasing."
The project hopes to inspire, as well as hit the magic 1,000mph mark and break the land speed record.
"We're aiming to hit 1,000mph," concluded Painter. "But to be honest, if we hit 950 we'd be happy, as long as we hit all of our educational objectives as well.
"That side of things is just as important to us as breaking the record, because we want the next generation of kids to be inspired by Bloodhound SSC, rather than be intimidated by it."
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Talk Talk and Three named and shamed by Ofcom
Ofcom has released its list of most-complained about telecoms providers, revealing that TalkTalk and Three are the most complained about companies.
For landline and broadband services, the report examines BT Retail, BSkyB, TalkTalk Group and Virgin Media.
TalkTalk in particular came out of the report badly; from October 2010 to February 2011, 1.7 customers per 1,000 complained about its landline services, while 1.27 complained about their broadband; far more complaints than the other companies received.
However, it was a bad period for TalkTalk; the complaints peaked in November last year when it emerged that the company had been billing some customers for services that were already cancelled.
Not so talktalkative now
We're hoping that TalkTalk will respond to our request for a reaction, but so far the company has been tight-lipped on the matter.
Virgin Media takes the prize for being the least complained about provider on both the landline and broadband side.
Unsurprisingly, the company was a little more forthcoming than TalkTalk. Neil Berkett, CEO at Virgin Media, said: "Delivering outstanding customer service has been our highest priority and we're pleased to see Ofcom's report demonstrates our approach is generating the right results.
"However we are still on an ongoing journey; building an impeccable customer-centric organisation takes time and dedication and we're committed to making Virgin Media the only choice for customers looking for the best products, coupled with the best customer service of any digital entertainment provider in the UK."
On the mobile side, O2 customers proved the most contented, while Three received the most complaints; but it's worth noting that, as you can see from the graph below, all mobile phone networks received less than half a complaint per 1,000 customers.
Good work, mobile networks.
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Speed Week: The 1,000mph car that can outrun a bullet
This article is brought to you in association with LG Optimus 2X
It's difficult to imagine exactly how fast 1,000mph is.
But try this; if you were up in the stand at Wembley Stadium, and an object flew into the arena at 1,000mph before exiting at the other end, if you blinked at the wrong moment, in the 300 milliseconds it would take you to close and reopen your eyes, you would completely miss it.
The air is actually so dense at ground level that no supersonic jet fighter in the world is capable of flying as fast as 1,000mph in low altitude. If you were to fire a Magnum 357 handgun after an object travelling at this speed - 232mph faster than the speed of sound - the object would actually accelerate away from the speeding bullet.
The object we're talking about is Bloodhound SSC, the new super sonic car from the British team who back in 1997 twice broke the land speed record with the jet-powered Thrust SSC.
In the shadow of Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol, we visited the Bloodhound Technical Centre to find out more about the car, the tech inside it and the incredible record attempt to come.
The car
In October 1997, Thrust SSC became the first car to break the sound barrier, and achieved a record ground speed of 763mph. It increased the world land speed record by 130mph - a 20 per cent bump - the biggest step forward in land speed history.
In 2013, the same team intends to extend the record they set by a further 31 per cent all the way up to a barely-conceivable 1,000mph. So how is this going to be achieved?
The Bloodhound SSC car itself has to be seen up close to be fully appreciated.
It's 12.8 metres long, 2.8 metres tall, weighs nearly 6.5 tonnes when fully fuelled and has a turning circle of 120 metres.
Image credit: Curventa and Siemens
The 900mm-diameter wheels weigh 100Kg each, and at maximum speed will be turning 167 times per second, while undergoing forces in excess of 50,000g - or 50,000 times the force of gravity.
Image credit: Curventa and Siemens
So how exactly is this car going to reach speeds of over 1,000mph? One of Bloodhound SSC's engineering leads, James Painter, explains:
"We've essentially got two main propulsion devices on board and three engines in total. There's a rocket which is a bespoke piece of kit which was developed for this specific purpose, and we've got an EJ200 jet engine which basically comes out the back of a Eurofighter Typhoon and those two together produce something in the order of 180 F1 engines worth of power - about 133,000 horse power.
"There's also a Cosworth F1 engine in the back of the car which we use to supply the rocket with fuel at a rate of 50Kg per second. So essentially we've got a Formula One engine as a fuel pump!"
COSWORTH: The F1 engine is used only to pump rocket fuel
Together, the jet engine and the rocket provide 45,000lbs of thrust, enough to propel the car from a standing start, up to 1,000mph - possibly beyond - and back to zero again in just 100 seconds. It will take the car just 40 seconds to reach 1,000Mph, burning 1.5 tonnes of fuel in the process.
One 10-mile run of Bloodhound uses the same amount of energy as required to light the Singapore Grand Prix night-event for 20 minutes.
EJ200: The jet engine comes from a Eurofighter Typhoon
"That sounds like we're burning an awful lot of fuel," quips Painter, "but we're not doing that many runs in total, and as a complete project the calculations are that we are the equivalent of three and a half lactating cows, in terms of the amount of greenhouse gasses that we'll be releasing."
Yes, that's three and a half lactating cows. At this point, it's unclear whether Bloodhound's project managers are considering euthanising three and a half lactating cows in order to offset the project's carbon footprint, but we reckon it might be worth a punt.
In terms of raw computing power, the most processor-intensive process during the design stage is in coming up with a stable aerodynamic shape for the car's bodywork. The team is using computational fluid dynamics - or CFD - to try to model the best aerodynamic shape to be stable both at low and supersonic speeds.
While most F1 teams use scaled-down wind tunnels to correlate their CFD computation models, the Bloodhound team has no such luxury and won't know exactly how effective their car is until they start testing at some point next year.
"We're into the detailed design at the moment," says Painter. "Now that we've got this stable shape, we can start doing more work on the internal packaging and the detailed design of all the systems in the car. So you take an F1 car that maybe does 210Mph at Monza on the straight, that's pretty much as fast as a Formula One car goes during a season. We've got a speed range that's almost five times that so trying to get a shape that wasn't just stable at lower speeds but also once you go past mach 1, is quite tricky.
"We don't want to generate too much downforce or you end up pushing the car down into the desert. Too little and the car would take off, so it's all about using CFD to get that stable aerodynamic shape."
It sounds easier than it is. The main problems facing the team in this area are calculating the physics involved with travelling at such high speeds.
The dynamic air pressure at 1,000mph is in the region of 12 tonnes per square metre, so the car has to be strong enough to withstand that load, while being light enough to reach those speeds in the first place.
One of the main reasons why it's taking such a long time to design Bloodhound is that the team is flying fairly close to the wind when it comes to what is and what isn't possible to achieve with current technology and the space available. Everything on the car is state of the art, including the propulsion systems, wheel designs, carbon fibre bodywork and the available locations.
In fact, the team's research suggests that while punching through the sound barrier is now relatively straight forward, the technology barrier is now their main nemesis.
"There are several limiting factors," says Painter. "The rocket we're using is up there with the best in the world, so in terms of the amount of thrust available, we're pretty much maxed out. What's more, as speed and acceleration increases, aerodynamic loads also increase, meaning the car has to be stronger and heavier, making speeds yet harder to achieve."
The team is then severely limited in terms of the amount of space they have to play with. The attempt will take place on a track already 10 miles long - there simply isn't any more space to be had, making higher speeds very tricky to reach.
The driver
Driving Bloodhound SSC will be Wing Commander Andy Green, Royal Air Force pilot and the man who drove Thrust SSC up to 763Mph back in 1997.
LEADERS: Project lead Richard Noble and Bloodhound SSC driver Wing Commander Andy Green pose at the car's launch
During acceleration he will experience forces in the region of 2.5G, and because his cockpit is reclined, this will result in a lot of blood rushing up into his head. When he deploys the air breaks after the measured mile is completed, the reverse will be true - blood will drain to his legs.
Only fighter pilots are trained to deal with these forces; any normal person would simply black out, which would be catastrophic were it to happen at high speed.
The air brakes are expected to be sufficient to slow the car down after the runs, but Bloodhound is equipped with dual parachutes - a main and a backup - which can be deployed if the air brakes fail.
The location
Almost as important as the design of the car is the choice of location for the record attempt itself. It needs to have a very hard, flat surface while still providing plenty of grip. It needs to be big enough for a 10 mile track to be plotted, and it needs to have as little cross wind as possible so as not to upset the aerodynamics of the car.
Bloodhound SSC will make its bid to reach 1,000mph at Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape region of South Africa. Its surface is so flat, the only deviation in elevation is down to the curvature of the Earth itself.
The team has secured exclusive access to the site, with the local government providing a lot of assistance in order to get the track ready, including clearing dangerous debris from the area.
The competition
The Bloodhound SSC team is not the only team aiming to break the world land speed record in the next few years. There are two teams from the USA and one from Australia currently building cars to do just that.
And you might think that a team aiming to build a car of this speed and size would have an enormous budget, but in actual fact the budget for the entire Bloodhound project is about the same as an F1 team would spend on one single race weekend.
Because of this, the team relies heavily on its principle sponsors, namely Intel and Siemens.
Rather than providing financial assistance, Intel is Bloodhound's Official IT Partner, and provides the Bloodhound engineers with computing equipment including servers and laptops.
Intel also provided the team with access to its supercomputing clusters at a time when they were struggling to make all of their CFD calculations. As a result of Intel's involvement in this side of things, it took those computations down from taking a working week to just a single day.
The Bloodhound SSC itself uses a total of eight Intel Atom CPUs to control the engine and in-car control systems, and an SSD for onboard data capture.
The record attempt
In order to prove that wind has nothing to do with the speed of the car, Bloodhound SSC must refuel and repeat it's 1000mph run in the opposite direction within a very short space of time. The speed will be measured by timing the car through two speed gates one mile apart. If all goes to plan, Bloodhound will cover that measured mile in just 3.4 seconds.
The team doesn't yet know exactly when this attempt will be made, but if testing goes to plan it will take place within the next 18 months. The testing phase begins later this year.
It's not all just about the prestige of hitting 1,000mph though. The team is putting a lot of work into educating school children in the UK, in order to get them interested in engineering.
"We're aiming to hit 1,000mph," concluded Painter. "But to be honest, if we hit 950 we'd be happy, as long as we hit all of our educational objectives as well. That side of things is just as important to us as breaking the record, because we want the next generation of kids to be inspired by Bloodhound SSC, rather than be intimidated by it."
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Review: Roccat Kulo
We're paying too much for gaming headsets. Anything over £50 in the studio headphone market gets you industry standard sound quality and comfort. Anything over £100 in the audio enthusiast market (think umlaut-heavy German manufacturers) buys you crystalline sound and luxurious comfort.
Anywhere between these two price points usually affords a set of acceptable cans offering decent sound quality and a functional mic.
Roccat's Kulo headset looks and feels cheap and flimsy. Worse, it's another graduate of the 'crown of thorns' school of headset comfort, cutting into your cranium and making your ears sweat against each speaker's faux leather exterior.
The volume control is a clumsy plastic lump. Oh, and the sound quality is great.
Hold on, what? It just doesn't fit with the package: excellent bass response, surprising clarity, from soft jazz and empty shells dropping to the floor to death metal and RPG fire, the Kulo has nuances beyond its sad, feeble physical form.
They seem derivative of Boses' QuietComfort noise cancelling cans, and while their much cheaper build produces a slight seashell effect, it does filter out a good deal of ambient noise.
It's a strange compromise of sound quality over comfort and gaming application. Given the length of time gamers wear their cans per session, comfort has to be a design priority. We'd expect more for £50.
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Review: Asus GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II
You know how it goes: Nvidia releases a new GPU, everybody signs up to re-badge the reference design and throws it out at launch. Li'l while later, and for a bit of a premium, you'll find new spins of the card that have new coolers, higher clocks and sometimes a bit of extra graphics memory for giggles.
But you are nearly always paying that premium. I say nearly because the Asus GeForce GTX 560 Ti Direct CU II, as well as being a bit of a mouthful, is also bizarrely cheaper than a lot of the competition.
Unfortunately when the board is pushed to the 950MHz mark that the Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! sits at, it starts to become as flaky as Alicia Silverstone. It's nothing to do with the cooling, but I think this GPU, essentially a slightly re-worked GeForce GTX 460 processor, has gone as far as it can go.
We were unable to get at the voltage controls to pump a bit more juice into the chip to steady the ship. Asus' bundled SmartDoctor OC utility is far from our favourite, but with an Asus card it ought to offer access to the voltage. We couldn't even get it to recognise that our board had in fact come from Asus though, even if GPU-Z hapily proved it really was.
Despite all that, in performance terms though there really is precious little difference between a GeForce GTX 560 Ti running at 900MHz and one running at 950MHz.
Typically the Asus Direct CU II cooling array is quite magnificent. When idling away the temperature sits incredibly low, and the same goes for its loaded performance.
In essence then you're not really losing out opting for this cheaper, sub-£200 alternative. And it really is mighty cool.
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Exclusive: Sky still expects 3D to go mainstream
Sky's director of product development has told TechRadar that the company remains happy with the uptake in its 3D channel, and that it expects the technology to quickly move from niche to mass market.
Sky's backing of 3D has been a key factor in the adoption of the technology in the UK, with Sky 3D offering a made-to-measure channel for people with the right kit and the top level package from the satellite giant.
Director of product development Brian Lenz may have handed over the reigns of the 3D now that it has been successfully launched, but he told TechRadar that the company's satisfaction at attracting 70,000 viewers is based around the assumption that 3D will go mainstream.
Much bigger
"It's one thing to sit with something like 3D where we are going out and saying that we're happy with 70,000 subscribersin the first quarter, but that's because we believe that it will grow to a much bigger number for us.
"We tend to be a more mass market company which means we have to hit very high volumes with our products.
"Features for the sake of features are dangerous for us, if we're not clear on where the value will come through."
Trusted innovator
Lenz believes that Sky is "trusted" by the British public to bring the latest innovations to television.
"If it's going to be done in the living room than I like to think that Sky is trusted to do it well," added Lenz.
"We have innovated and historically we have done it well, although we don't get it 100 per cent right all the time we are willing to be bold and try new things.
"We just don't feel comfortable if we aren't trying to innovate."
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Apple iPod sales down 17 per cent
Apple's iPod music player sold 17 per cent fewer units than during the same period of 2010, the company revealed in its quarterly earnings call, this evening.
Within record-breaking second fiscal quarter results, which saw the company shift 18.65 million iPhones between January and March, came the news that the iPod had suffered a notable decline in sales.
Cupertino still reported solid sales of 9.02 million iPods – in various guises – which keeps the device way ahead of the pack, but the year-on-year comparison may worry the company somewhat.
The April 2010 report saw just a 1 per cent drop-off from 2009, with 10.89 million sales. However, the trend is downwards, and 17 per cent in this year's report is a much bigger fall, providing definite food for thought.
Why?
It could be that the iPhone's colossal sales tally has meant that users have less need for a standalone iPod touch or classic. If that's the case then Apple will be less troubled.
However, with a serious explosion of smartphone use over the last year or so, are people just using their Android or Windows Phone 7 devices as their primary multimedia devices?
Whatever the case, it's unlikely that Apple will stand by and watch part of its core business continue to dwindle.
Perhaps we can expect some blockbuster announcements at its annual music event in September to get the iPod back on track.
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Apple sells 18.65m iPhones in 2011
Apple has revealed it shipped an enormous 18.65m iPhones in the first three months of 2011, representing a 113 per cent improvement on this time last year.
The colossal tally is the highlight of the second fiscal quarter earnings report in which Cupertino boasted of a record net profit of $5.9 billion and income of $24.67 billion between January and the end of March.
Earnings for the quarter came in at $6.40 cents per share, with today's financial reports shattering the expectations of Wall Street.
In that period Apple also racked up 4.69 million iPad sales, undoubtedly carried by the iPad 2 launch last month, and 3.76m sales of Mac computers, which were up 28 per cent on the same quarter last year.
The only negative numbers were a 17 per cent fall in iPod sales, to 9.02 million, with iPhone sales perhaps hitting sales of the popular music player.
Firing on all cylinders
Apple CEO Steve Jobs was on hand to express his delight with the numbers, despite his continued absence from daily duties due to medical reasons.
"With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we're firing on all cylinders," he told investors.
"We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year."
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Amazon launches Kindle Library Lending service
Amazon has announced that users of its Kindle devices and smartphone apps will be able to 'borrow' ebooks from their local libraries.
Library Lending is a US-based offering which will let users check-out digital titles from 11,000 libraries across America, free of charge.
While this is a very cool way to incorporate libraries into the ebook revolution, cooler still is the fact that any annotations you make will be retained if you borrow the book again or buy it from the Kindle store.
Whispersync friendly
Amazon Kindle Director Jay Marine says: "We're doing a little something extra here," Marine continued. "Normally, making margin notes in library books is a big no-no.
"But we're extending our Whispersync technologyso that you can highlight and add margin notes to Kindle books you check out from your local library.
"Your notes will not show up when the next patron checks out the book. But if you check out the book again, or subsequently buy it, your notes will be there just as you left them, perfectly Whispersynced."
Multi-platform
The service, which will launch later this year, will be powered by OverDrive, who arranged a similar deal for Sony's fading Reader devices.
Library Lending will work across the entire range of Kindle apps, including iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, Windows Phone 7 as well as Macs and PCs.
While we applaud Amazon for this move, how about giving a little bit of love to the UK?
We had to wait forever for the Kindle to begin with, just like the MP3 store. We still don't have the Amazon Android Appstore and there doesn't appear to be any obvious plans to extend the library link-up beyond the US either.
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Samsung Galaxy S2 gets early UK release date
Phones4U has announced that it will be the first mobile retailer to offer the Samsung Galaxy S2.
The dual-core handset will hit Phones4U stores and online on 27 April, giving the retailer an exclusive headstart in selling the much-lauded handset.
If you're itching to get your mitts on the Samsung Galaxy S2 you can pre-order it on the Phones4U website now, and bag yourself a free 8GB memory card while you're at it.
Galactic
Russell Braterman, Marketing Director at Phones 4U is pretty excited, saying, "With its super-slim good looks and the latest Android 2.3 operating system, the Samsung Galaxy S2 is the next step in the evolution of mobile.
"We're really proud to be the first retailer to offer the Samsung Galaxy S2 to our customers. The original Samsung Galaxy S was hugely popular when it launched last year, and we're confident the Galaxy S II will be just as successful as its predecessor."
Phones 4U has also revealed its Samsung Galaxy S2 UK pricing: it's available for free on a £35/month contract with a choice of networks, or on pay as you go for £499.
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Samsung launches Flip-a-like underwater camcorder
Samsung has revealed its latest pocket-friendly camcorder, the W200, which captures full HD video and can be used underwater.
The W200 Pocket Cam is rocking a 5MP BSI CMOS sensor which should spell reduced noise on your flicks, and an F2.2 bright lens for superior low-light shoots.
It shoots in full HD and you can your amateur masterpiece back on the 2.3-inch LCD screen which offers a multitude of viewing angles.
Under the sea…
It's the underwater shooting mode that makes the W200 perfect for you holidays though, reckons Samsung, as it comes with anti-fog glass, anti-water drop coating for the lens and an Aqua Mode setting.
Like the popular but now sadly demised Flip camcorders, the W200 comes with a built-in USB arm.
With microSD storage and autofocus as standard, the W200 hits the UK's shelves in May, but there's no word yet on pricing.
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Review: Nikon D5100
Nikon D5100 Review: Overview
Although there has been some overlap, digital SLR development has gone through some quite distinct phases.
Initially the battle was to produce affordable models, and once this was achieved manufacturers turned their attention to producing cameras with higher pixel counts. This was followed by a push in sensitivity levels and improved low-light performance.
During these development phases camera functionality has also expanded, with manufacturers capitalising upon the benefits of digital technology and introducing features such as live view, video and dynamic range optimisation systems. Now, there's a drive to make these increasingly complex and versatile SLRs easier to use, while at the same time helping photographers be more creative.
The Nikon D5100, which serves as the Nikon D5000 replacement, typifies this new era in DSLR evolution.
With its 16.2 million pixels, articulated 3in LCD screen, Special Effects and Scene modes, along with the more advanced PSAM exposure modes, on paper, at least, the Nikon D5100 seems to offer everything the aspiring photographer could wish for. Let's see.
Nikon D5100 Review: Features
As Nikon's D5000 replacement, the D5100 sits above the Nikon D3100 (read our Nikon D3100 review) and below the D7000 (read our Nikon D7000 review) in the vast lineup of Nikon DSLRs.
Yet the Nikon D5100 features the same 16.2-million-pixel CMOS sensor and EXPEED 2 processor as the Nikon D7000. This means raw images are saved as 14-bit files and users can expect similar quality results with the two cameras.
However, like the Nikon D5000 it replaces, the D5100's white balance and metering systems use information from a 420-pixel RGB sensor (the D7000 uses a 2,016 pixel RGB device) and its autofocus (AF) system has 11 points.
While it may not have the 39-points of the D7000's AF system, the D5100's Multi-CAM 1000 AF module performed well in the D5000 and Nikon D90 (which has not been discontinued; read our Nikon D90 review).
Like the D7000, the D5100's native sensitivity can be set from ISO 100 to 6400, and there are four expansion settings topping out at the equivalent of ISO 25,600 (Hi 2). On those rare occasions when this is not high enough, D5100 users can select the Night Vision Special Effect mode, which pushes the sensitivity to ISO 102, 400.
This value is only matched by top-end SLRs such as Nikon's full-frame D3S, however while the D3S can shoot in colour at ISO 102,400, the D5100 can only record monochrome images.
In manual exposure or shutter priority mode when the shutter speed is 1/250sec or faster, the D5100 can shoot continuously at a maximum rate of 4fps for around 100 highest quality JPEGs or 20 raw images or 12 simultaneous raw and JPEG files when a class 6 SD card such as a SanDisk Extreme III is installed.
While this is impressive for a camera of this level, keen action photographer may look enviously at the 6fps shooting offered by the D7000. It's also worth bearing in mind that it takes around 1 min 50 sec for the D5100 to write 100 Fine JPEGs to the SD card.
Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade that the Nikon D5100 makes on the D5000 is with the LCD, which goes from being a 2.7in 230,000 dot unit to a 3in 920,000 dot device. This matches the size and resolution of the D7000's screen and it should make a significant difference when using live view and focusing manually.
It was something of a disappointment that the D7000 doesn't have an articulated screen, but Nikon has not made this mistake with the Nikon D5100. Unlike the D5000, however, which had the articulation join at the bottom on the screen, the D5100's screen is hinged on the left. This makes the screen easier to use when the camera is on a tripod.
In addition to the Active D-Lighting (ADL) dynamic range optimisation system that we now expect with Nikon SLRs, the Nikon D5100 has an HDR (high dynamic range) mode. When this is selected the camera takes two exposures, one over and one under the 'correct' exposure and merges them automatically into a single image with more shadow and highlight detail than normal. It could prove useful in high contrast conditions if the effect is subtle and not overtly 'HDR'.
Although there's a lot packed into the D5100, including full HD (1080p) video and multiple exposure capability, Nikon seems proudest of its Effects modes. These allow the user to apply special effects (Night Vision, Color Sketch, Miniature, Selective Color, Silhouette, High Key and Low Key) to images as they are captured – rather than post capture as with the Nikon D3100 and D7000.
Furthermore, the impact of these effects can be seen on-screen when the camera is in live view mode. While these are fun and allow the user to create some interesting images, it's disappointing that its not possible to save raw files at the same time as the JPEGs when these effect options are selected.
Nikon D5100 Review: Build and handling
When gripping and squeezing the Nikon D5100 a little harder than strictly necessary it becomes clear that it is on the whole very well built, it feels nicely put together and designed to last.
The question mark is over the SD card port cover which, when closed still moves under a tapping finger. It's not a major point, but it doesn't quite match the high quality feel of the rest of the camera.
One knock-on effect of the success of compact system cameras appears to be that SLR manufacturers are making smaller cameras. Hence, at 128x97x79mm and weighing in at around 560g (with battery and card) the D5100 is approximately 10% smaller and lighter than the D5000 it replaces and the articulated screen is 17% thinner.
This and the larger LCD screen has meant that that Nikon has had to make a few changes to the D5000's control layout for the D5100. It would certainly be hard to find room for any additional buttons on the rear of the D5100 without seriously limiting space for the photographer's thumb.
Perhaps the most significant difference in the control layout between the two cameras is that the live view button found on the rear of the D5000 has gone and instead the D5100 has a sprung lever switch underneath the main mode dial.
This switch feels well made and the D5100 responds quickly to its use, but given that using live view means looking at the screen, it is debatable whether moving its activation control to the top-plate is the best solution. It's easy to mistake it for the camera's power switch.
Similarly, movie recording is now started and stopped by pressing the dedicated button, which is also on the camera's top-plate. Nikon would argue that there is logic to putting the shooting or recording buttons close together.
Also, as the D5100 has an articulated screen, users may find they more often view the camera from above than they would with a camera with a fixed screen and the top-plate controls are easier to locate when shooting in this way.
Although the screen provides a clear view of the image being composed and the magnified view has enough detail to facilitate manual focus, reflections are a n issue in bright sunlight. While it is still possible to compose the image accurately, and the shade of a hand will ensure enough detail is visible for manual focusing, it can sometimes be tricky to make out some of the smaller on-screen icons.
As the viewfinder offers just 95% coverage (standard for a camera of this level), there is scope for a few scope for a few surprises around the image frame.
On the plus side, however, even with the AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G kit lens the view is bright and clear enough to allow manual focusing – though in many instances it may be better to do this while looking at the magnified live view image.
When the Color Sketch or Miniature Special Effects modes are activated the screen the live view image becomes very jerky, presumably because of the demand on the D5100's processing power.
Nevertheless the effects are easy to use and generally work well, although a grainy monochrome mode might be preferable to the Color Sketch mode. It would also be nice to have control over the exposure or at least exposure compensation when these modes are selected.
Small niggles aside, the D5100 is easy to get to grips with and while there might not be direct control for aspects such as sensitivity, drive mode, white balance and metering, these and more can be accessed quickly via the Information Display.
Nikon D5100 Review: Performance
Chroma noise is much less of an issue in high sensitivity images than it is used to be and it's impressive just how little coloured speckling is visible in images captured with the D5100 in its highest ISO setting, ISO 25,600 (equivalent) when noise reduction is set to the default Normal value.
At 100% on screen (or at actual pixels in Photoshop), there is some fairly subtle false colouring visible, and there's an obvious speckled texture of luminance noise, but the images are still usable and many cases would make decent A3 prints.
As we would expect, images improve significantly when the sensitivity settings is kept below the expansions settings and while there is a dip in the level of detail resolved at ISO 6400, the results are still very respectable.
In the past Nikon's auto white balance (AWB) system has been accused of a little too accurate so that warm light is rendered neutral and some of the atmosphere of the scene is lost. The Nikon D5100's AWB system seems to fair a little better on this score, but there is a tendency for it to make scenes captured under hazy sunshine look a little too yellow.
This is especially noticeable with landscapes containing lush, green grass, but it is effectively countered by switching from the Standard Picture Control mode to Landscape mode as this boost green and blue.
Nikon has some of the best phases detection AF systems around and the D5100's doesn't disappoint. Paired with a Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED it proved up to the job of keeping pace with cars moving at 80mph on a race track.
The contrast detection system available in live view mode is also good, only struggling to find sharp focus in fairly low light or when the subject is very close. That said, the subject tends to glide into sharp register rather than snapping into focus as it does with the phase detection system.
There's very little to say about the D5100's metering system apart from it works very well. Although the exposure compensation facility still comes in handy occasionally, in its Evaluative mode the system usually takes brighter or darker than average subjects in its stride. The camera's dynamic range is also good, so highlight and shadow detail isn't lost earlier than it should be.
All things considered, the D5100 is a very capable camera.
Nikon D5100 Review: Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Nikon D5100, we've shot our resolution chart with a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens mounted.
If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Nikon D5100 is capable of resolving up to around 26 (line widths per picture height x100) in its raw files and 24 (LWPPH x100)in its highest quality JPEG files.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
JPEG images
ISO 100 JPEG score: 24, full image
ISO 200 JPEG score: 24, full image
ISO 400 JPEG score: 24, full image
ISO 800 JPEG score: 24, full image
ISO 1600 JPEG score: 24, full image
ISO 3200 JPEG score: 22, full image
ISO 6400 JPEG score: 20, full image
Hi 0.3EV over ISO 6400 score: 20, full image
Hi 0.7EV over ISO 6400 score: 20, full image
Hi 1EV over ISO 6400 score: 20, full image
Hi 2EV over ISO 6400 score: 18, full image
Raw images
ISO 100 raw score: 26, full image
ISO 200 raw score: 26, full image
ISO 400 raw score: 26, full image
ISO 800 raw score: 24, full image
ISO 1600 raw score: 24, full image
ISO 3200 raw score: 22, full image
ISO 6400 raw score: 22, full image
Hi 0.3EV over ISO 6400 raw score: 20, full image
Hi 0.7EV over ISO 6400 raw score: 20, full image
Hi 1EV over ISO 6400 raw score: 20, full image
Hi 2EV over ISO 6400 raw score: 18/20, full image
Nikon D5100 Review: Specs
Sensor
16.2 million pixel 23.6x15.6mm CMOS device
Focal length conversion
1.5x
Memory
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Viewfinder
Pentamirror with 95% cover, 0.78x magnification and 17.9mm viewpoint
Video resolution
1920x1080 or pixels at 30, 25 or 24 fps, or 640x424 pixels at 30 or 25fps
ISO range
ISO 100-6400 expandable to ISO 25,600
Autofocus points
11
Max burst rate
4fps
LCD screen
3in 920,000 dots
Shutter speeds
30-1/4000sec in 1/3 or ½ Ev steps and bulb or time
Weight
560g with battery and card
Dimensions
128x97x79mm
Power supply
Li-ion EN-EL14 battery supplied
Nikon D5100 Review: Verdict
Nikon is aiming the D5100 at novice photographers who want to take their hobby more seriously and want a versatile camera that will enable them to take more creative images.
The Nikon D5100 is a great choice for these users, but it is also worthy of consideration by more experienced photographers as well. There's plenty of control available over the appearance of images and the 16.2Mp sensor is a higher performer in average low lighting conditions.
The only real downside for enthusiast photographers is that there are few direct controls over image parameters. However, most features such as the white balance, drive mode and sensitivity settings are just a couple of clicks away via the Information Display system.
We like
Having a high resolution articulated screen is also a bonus because it actively encourages shooting from unusual angles which makes for more interesting pictures. Those who rubbish the idea of such a device on a SLR should try using one for a few hours while taking macro or still life images.
We dislike
Although the Special Effects are fun, and some cases very effective, it's a shame that users don't have the opportunity to take some control over the exposure or record simultaneous raw files without the effects.
Verdict
Great for both enthusiasts and novices looking to take the next step forward, the Nikon D5100 offers a lot of versatility, opportunity for creativity and quality results.
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iPhones found to track users' every move
The Apple iPhone has been found to be saving details of the handset's location at all times, complete with latitude and longitude co-ordinates and timestamps.
As if that wasn't Big Brother enough, this secret file is copied to the users' computer every time the device is synced.
It seems that the data storage began after the iOS 4 software update, since when Apple has been logging where you've been and when.
Nanny state
The news has sparked privacy concerns because the data, once transferred to a computer, is fairly easy to access by anyone who gets their hands on the machine.
The two developers, Alasdair Allan andPete Warden, who discovered the secret iPhone tracking have started a site to visualise the data found on users' handsets.
They note that the other major issue is that Apple is "passively logging your location without your permission" and aren't even protecting the data once it is stored.
"At first we weren't sure how much data was there, but after we dug further and visualised the extracted data, it became clear that there was a scary amount of detail on our movements," they wrote on the site.
"It also because obvious that at least some other people knew about it but it wasn't being publicised."
Apple is yet to respond to the location data revelation.
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Latest Alienware range brings powerful M18X laptop
Dell has unveiled its latest Alienware laptops, with a refreshed M11X gaming netbook joined by the 18-inch M18X and the M14X.
The headliner is the M18X – very much a desktop replacement rather than something you'll be carrying around with you in daily life – which apparently "lays claim to the title of the most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe". A bold claim indeed.
The 18-incher will come with dual-graphics technology and an Intel Core i7 Extreme CPU, factory overclocked to a whopping 4GHz..
Pwn
"If you're a gamer, you're going to love our new family of laptops, which deliver on the features gamers care most about – uncompromised graphics performance, and lifelike 3D gaming," said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Alienware.
"We are committed to delivering the best gaming systems for enthusiasts everywhere and we take great pride in helping them 'pwn', no matter where they are in the world."
All of the laptops have HDMI 1.4 and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, the M14X also offers up Core i7 processor options while the M11X has been updated from its already impressive specs to offer up "second-generation Intel Core i processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M."
The prices start at over a grand and work their way up quickly as you pick off the best options. But this is unashamedly high-end gaming kit, so you wouldn't expect bargain basement prices anyway.
Alienware's highlights for each laptop are:
M18x:
· An 18.4-inch FHD WLED 1080p display for the best visuals possible
· Powerful Dual GPU options with the fastest graphics memory (GDDR5) on all graphics options
· Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics options, in Crossfire X and SLI, respectively
· New Intel "Huron River" Architecture with a new factory overclocked Intel Core i7 Extreme Quad Core processor up to 4GHz
· Upgradeable to up to 32GB 1333MHz memory
· HDMI/Display Port output & HDMI-in
· 3D output option 3D displays
M14x:
· 14-inch WLED HD (720p) display standard (1366x768) or optional 14-inch WLED HD+ (900p) display (1600x900)
· Second-generation overclockable Intel Core i7 CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
· Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with up to 3GB of VRAM
· NVIDIA Optimus technology to extend battery life
· Up to 8GB of 1600MHz extreme-performance system memory
· HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
· Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
M11x:
· An 11.6-inch WLED HD (720p) display (WXGA 1366x768)
· Second-generation overclockable Intel Core i CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
· Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M
· Up to 16GB of 1333MHz high-performance system memory
· HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
· Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
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Scientists find a way to teleport light
Scientists have succeeded in teleporting wave packets of light with complex quantum make-up from one place to another for the first time.
Teleportation, long the dream of many motion-sickness sufferers and commuters, may have taken one step closer to reality but don't go reaching for your Bermuda shorts and sunnies just yet.
The researchers, hailing from Australia and Japan, managed to teleport the light by destroying it in one place and recreating it in another, meaning that these wave packets were "dead" and "alive" all at once.
Which, let's be frank, sounds even worse than flying cattle class.
Schrödinger would be proud
Of course, our first question was: how do they know it's the same light? Those clever science types were one step ahead as always: each packet of light has its own complex quantum information, which they kept track of during the teleport.
Professor Elanor Huntington from the University of New South Wales, explained, "One of the ways that we encode digital information is by its phase, so what we've done is created a wave packet that's simultaneously a one and a zero in its phase.
"Superposition is exactly what underlies the power of things like quantum computers. You enable parallel processing because at the same time it's a one and a zero. The point is, we've managed to teleport it from A to B without the one and the zero getting confused."
Well, at least the one and the zero aren't confused.
Quantum computing
The new quantum leap has exciting implications for quantum computing in that high-speed, high-fidelity transmissions of large volumes of information could become possible.
"[Being able to transfer data packets like this] is a necessary thing to do in order to build a proper quantum computer or a quantum communications device," said Professor Huntington.
Okay, so high-speed data transfer is not as exciting as teleporting a person from London to Sydney in the blink of an eye or the possibility of creating a half-man-half-fly creature, but it is still a pretty amazing achievement.
"There used to be two ways of doing teleportation and both had their limitations," said Professor Elanor Huntington from the University of New South Wales.
"One was quite fast, but had a limited probability of succeeding. The other way of doing it was quite slow, but had a very good probability of working.
"What we've done is managed to get it both fast and good quality."
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Review: Sony VAIO Z Series VPCZ13M9E
Following hot on the heels of its new VAIO S-Series ultraportable laptop, Sony has released another ridiculously slim and light portable that packs in plenty of power.
The VAIO VPCZ13M9E fits into Sony's top-range business ultraportable bracket, as reflected by the hefty price tag. However, you do get an awful lot in return for emptying your wallet.
Pulling the VAIO VPCZ13M9E from its box, we were immediately struck by how thin and light it is. While it isn't as slender as the elegant Samsung 9 Series, the 234 x 216 x 34mm dimensions means it'll slip easily into pretty much any bag.
And at 1.4kg it's only a fraction heavier than the Samsung 9 Series, and almost half a kilo lighter than the VAIO S-Series. Even small children could carry the VAIO VPCZ13M9E around all day – although trusting a child with something as expensive as this would be great folly.
That goes double since this laptop feels far from indestructible. The brushed aluminium chassis is durable enough, but the carbon fibre lid flexes under light pressure and we're not sure it would survive a drop or a sharp knock. If you're taking the VAIO VPCZ13M9E on the road, we'd recommend some kind of padded bag for protection.
We also have to concede that the Samsung 9 Series is the better looking of the two machines. While Samsung's laptop oozes class with its curved edges and ridiculously slender form, the VAIO VPCZ13M9E appears rather bland in comparison.
It's not that the all-black design isn't appealing. It's just that for this much money, we want a machine that we can pull out with pride, knowing that everyone around us will be drooling at the sight of it.
Usability is excellent, however, with a firm keyboard proving excellent for long typing sessions despite the compact chassis. Sony has used an isolation style design, popular in modern laptops. Each key sticks up through individual holes in the chassis, which separates them and also prevents crumbs and dust from dropping into the VAIO VPCZ13M9E's interior.
The keyboard is perfect for touch typing, and a subtle backlighting means you can work well into the night. We also liked the surprisingly spacious touchpad, which makes the most of its limited space. It's smooth and responsive, and supports multi-touch gesturing.
Above the keyboard, Sony has placed its standard VAIO, ASSIST and WEB buttons. VAIO is a portal to your media, while ASSIST helps you to diagnose any problems you might have, and recover the VAIO VPCZ13M9E to a working state. Finally, WEB starts up your internet browser.
Sony VAIO VPCZ13M9E review: Specifications
Since the VAIO VPCZ13M9E is designed to be used on the move, Sony has fitted an anti-glare panel for the 13.3-inch display. The screen can be comfortably used outdoors, with no reflections to hamper visibility.This lack of a glossy coating often results in washed-out or lifeless colour reproduction, but the VAIO VPCZ13M9E produces strong and colourful images. Contrast levels are excellent, and the 1600 x 900 resolution means your photos and movies look razor sharp.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to carry many movies, because the solid state drive offers a measly 128GB of storage space. It's a shame that storage is so tight when the Sony VAIO S-Series offers half a terabyte, although the Samsung 9 Series also settles for 128GB.
Still, the inclusion of a built-in DVD drive is excellent considering the VAIO VPCZ13M9E's small stature. We hate lugging external USB drives around, but here there's no need.
If security is an issue, there's a fingerprint scanner between the buttons of the touchpad. You can use this as an alternative to a password for logging into Windows and on compatible websites, so you won't have to remember a complex string of characters. Your personal files will remain safe – unless someone steals the VAIO VPCZ13M9E and hacks your pinkie off, of course.
Networking is strong, with 802.11n Wi-Fi giving you speedy access to wireless networks. You also get a Gigabit Ethernet port, so you can connect to the net using a good old-fashioned cable if needed, and Bluetooth 2.1 lets you swap files with compatible devices.
An HDMI port can be used to attach an external monitor or projector, which will come in handy if you plan on giving any presentations. An ExpressCard slot is also available for expanding the VAIO VPCZ13M9E's capabilities.
Sony VAIO VPCZ13M9E review: Performance
The whole point of ultraportables is that they deliver a good wallop of power in a compact, easily transportable form. Therefore, if one of these mini machines is plagued by weak performance or a rubbish battery, it's almost impossible to recommend.An Intel Core i5-460M running at 2.53GHz is the brains behind the VAIO VPCZ13M9E. For this price, we were strongly hoping for at least a Core i7, preferably based on Intel's latest Sandy Bridge technology, which we saw in the VAIO S-Series.
However, when we ran our benchmark tests, we were happy with the results. The VAIO VPCZ13M9E has a switch in the top left corner of the chassis that lets you choose between STAMINA or SPEED. SPEED gives you maximum throttle, while STAMINA eases back on performance in order to prolong battery life. Our results are below.
Battery Life:
Stamina: 364
Speed: 274
MobileMark 2007:
Stamina: 276
Speed: 278
3DMark 2003:
Stamina: 3532
Speed: 16270
Our tests showed that performance is more or less equal to the VAIO S-Series despite that laptop using an Intel Sandy Bridge CPU. The VAIO VPCZ13M9E won't be out of date any time soon, with more than enough grunt to run your applications simultaneously.
Surprisingly, there was almost no effect in MobileMark when we switched to STAMINA mode. The real hit came in graphical performance, which shrank massively.
On SPEED mode, you can comfortably edit media and play reasonably recent games, thanks to the dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 330M GPU. On STAMINA mode, the GPU is powered down and the CPU's integrated graphics is used instead, and you'll struggle to even watch HD video.
However, if you're travelling without access to a mains socket and simply browsing the web or working on some documents, it's well worth switching the VAIO VPCZ13M9E to STAMINA. We got 274 minutes of life on SPEED mode, a very reasonable effort. But on STAMINA this rose to a highly impressive six hours.
This beats the Samsung 9 Series and the VAIO S-Series hands down, both of which survived for precisely 288 minutes on battery power.
Sony VAIO VPCZ13M9E review: Verdict
Sony's VAIO VPCZ13M9E is a pricey ultraportable that has hit stores at the same time as the Samsung 9 Series and the Japanese giant's own VAIO S-Series. Competition is stiff, so can the Z-Series do enough to stand out amongst its less expensive brethren?
We liked
With a compact chassis and up to six hours of battery life, the VAIO VPCZ13M9E is a great machine for anyone who needs to stay productive on the go. The SPEED/STAMINA switch means you can prioritise between longevity and performance.
Keep the dial firmly locked on SPEED and you'll be rewarded with plenty of power, and a strong graphical showing from the dedicated Nvidia GPU.
Despite the reduced dimensions, the VAIO VPCZ13M9E is still highly usable. A firm isolation-style keyboard is great for touch typing, and is backlit for night sessions, while the touchpad is smooth, spacious and responsive.
The VAIO VPCZ13M9E's 13.3-inch anti-glare screen is still surprisingly vibrant, and you won't be hampered by annoying reflections when working in bright conditions. You also get a couple of decent extras, such as a fingerprint scanner.
We disliked
If you can get over the price, there's not a huge amount to dislike about the VAIO VPCZ13M9E. There are a couple of missed opportunities, however.
For one, we find it difficult to get truly excited over the plain black chassis. It lacks the sexiness of the Samsung 9 Series [942065] and the lid feels a little too weak for our liking.
We were also disappointed to see just 128GB of storage. If we're splashing out two grand on a laptop, the least we want is enough space to carry all of our media around with us.
Verdict
If you're a regular traveller who needs a highly portable laptop that has enough power to run all of your applications, the VAIO VPCZ13M9E is a great option. Providing you can afford it, that is.
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