AMD launches 9-series motherboards, confirms Bulldozer timings
This morning at Computex 2011, AMD announced the launch of it's 9-series motherboards. But there was something missing - the advanced CPU component of its new platform.
We've got a slew of reviews of AMD's latest boards on their way, so hold tight for the first few very soon.
The real "key component" of the Scorpius platform, however, are those Zambezi, Bulldozer-based CPUs and they're still a way away from being released AMD confirmed today.
So the jury is out about whether we should be excited about this new chipset.
Especially when we haven't seen a new CPU architecture from AMD essentially since the Hammer architecture made its debut around 2003.
The waiting game
For a long time the buzz was the brand new Bulldozer CPUs would be unveiled here at this year's Computex. They are a bold new step in the way high-end processors are put together.
Sadly we found out before the show this wasn't the case. Sources in the industry speculated that we would in fact be waiting another three months for the new processors.
Yesterday that was confirmed by AMD to one of its partners and now today AMD has gone public with the fact that around ninety days from today we ought to see the first Zambezi CPUs hitting our 990 motherboards.
AMD is apparently moving directly to a B1 stepping of its architecture, one source told us on the show floor, though we don't know exactly what happened to the B0.
That though was quickly skipped over by Rick Bergman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AMD, at this morning's press conference.
Instead he was talking up the incoming high-end accelerated processing units (APUs) in the shape of the new A-series Llano and Trinity chips.
Unsurprisingly he also skipped over the fact that, without a CPU, manufacturers and experts all agree: the only interesting thing about the new AMD 9-series motherboards is the fact that for the first time you can natively run Nvidia SLI on its chipsets.
Though Nvidia cards don't currently operate at their fullest with AMD CPUs, we may still be waiting for the launch of the Zambezi CPU for that to be truly relevant too.
The Zambezi CPU, to give it its due, is AMD's first eight-core beastie on the desktop and should make a splash when it finally debuts.
Though actually they're not really cores as we know it. Each of the Bulldozer modules will be almost analogous to a dual-core CPU, so effectively this quad-module (can we coin 'quad-mod' now?) CPU will be almost equivalent to an eight-threaded CPU from Intel.
The Sandy Bridge Core i7 2600K should look ouit then. But then maybe that's why we're having to wait...
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AMD shows Trinity APU at Computex
In order to distract us all from the fact the first Bulldozer CPUs, the Zambezi chips, wont be arriving until late in the Summer, possibly September, AMD's General Manager, Rick Bergman showed off a brand new Trinity APU today at Computex 2011.
This new processor, like Zambezi, will be the first APU using the Bulldozer architecture and will also include a GPU core capable of running DirectX 11 paths.
It will be with us in 2012, leading Bergman to claim that it was already set deliver on its promise of releasing "the greatest APU" every year
These APUs though will only be using one or two Bulldozer modules, essentially rendering them dual or quad-core analogues.
Full octo-mod, eight-core analogues though should follow under the codename Komodo.
The still-unreleased, straight Zambezi Bulldozer CPUs are starting to look like a bit of a stopgap between the standard high-end, no processor graphics, CPUs and the complete switch over to fully Fusion parts.
AMD roadmaps from last year pointed to a total switch over to Fusion APUs across its lineup, and with today's showing of what looks to be a fully-formed Trinity APU, it looks to be the first of a new breed.
The interesting thing is whether - because of the integrated graphics in these APUs - they will require a brand new socket.
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UK Radioplayer listening figures revealed
The UK Radioplayer has got off to an "encouraging" start according to its Chairman.
Radioplayer launched back in March – bringing together BBC and commercial stations in one place – with the latest developments including a player building tool to encourage smaller commercial stations to get involved in the initiative.
Growing digital radio
Radioplayer had 5.7 million unique users in May 2011, with over 22.5 million listening sessions launched using the service across a wide range of 228 commercial and BBC stations.
"This is a really encouraging first set of figures," said Radioplayer chairman, Andrew Harrison.
"We look forward to building on this very positive foundation to create something that serves both industry and listeners alike," Mr Harrison said.
Radioplayer is trying to make the way in which Brits use the web to tune into their favourite stations as easy and user-friendly as possible.
Radioplayer MD, Michael Hill added: "Growing digital radio is a long game, but we now have two magic ingredients. A simple, consistent Radioplayer with millions of users, and an industry working collaboratively on its digital future."
Around 5.3 million Brits currently use the internet to tune into their favourite radio stations, according to latest figures from RAJAR.
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Web traffic set to hit a zettabyte by 2015
Cisco researchers claims that global web traffic will hit a zettabyte by 2015 – the equivalent of a trillion gigabytes.
Cisco made this incredible claim as part of its annual report on the state of the web.
The main traffic boost will be due to an additional three billion web users worldwide by 2015.
15 billion connected devices
This, in addition to an increasing array of smartphones and tablets hooking up to the internet, means that over 15 billion devices will be connected by 2015.
Interestingly, Cisco notes that in 2010, 97 per cent of web connections were from computers. This is estimated to drop to 87 per cent in 2015.
In terms of broadband speeds, Cisco claims that average global broadband speed will increase from 7Mbps in 2010 to 28Mbps in 2015.
Brits will get an average of 29Mbps by 2015, claims the report.
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Has Microsoft offered $19bn for Nokia's phone business?
Microsoft may have offered to take Nokia's ailing mobile phone business off its hands for $19 billion, if industry insider Eldar Murtazin has got his facts right.
He tweeted, "One small software company decided last week that they could spent 19 bln USD to buy a part of small phone vendor. Thats it."
When questioned over what two companies he was referring to, Murtazin clarified, "I think that's clear enough - MS and Nokia."
Corporate fun and games
As Nokia and Microsoft recently struck a billion-dollar deal over Windows Phone handsets, and given that Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is an ex-Microsoft exec, nobody is going to be paralysed with shock if the buy-out rumours end up being true.
Nobody but Nokia's PR team, perhaps; when Murtazin first floated the idea that Nokia would soon be talking to Microsoft about offloading its phone arm in mid-May, they dismissed the rumour, saying: "We have to say that Eldar's rumours are getting obviously less accurate with every passing moment." Zing!
Yesterday Nokia revised its financial forecast for the forthcoming quarter, causing its shares to drop to their lowest since 1998.
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Qualcomm demos dual-core mobile processors
Qualcomm has been showing off its latest dual-core mobile phone processing tech at Computex in Taipei this week.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors are already in many of the smartphones already on the market, including the Google Nexus One and the HTC Incredible.
Next up from Qualcomm are new dual-CPU chipsets that boost the mobile processor speed to 1.2 GHz and 1.5 GHz.
Qualcomm's snappily-titled MSM826,MSM8660 and QSD8672s should appear in a smartphone near you later this year, with a number of handset manufacturers already designing phones based around the processors.
Better gaming and video
In terms of what this means for the end user, the two cores and faster processing clout will generally mean better gaming and multimedia output on your smartphone.
Qualcomm's new chipsets also include a graphics processing unit (GPU) with 2D and 3D acceleration engines, 1080p video encoding and decoding capabilities and an integrated GPS.
"Qualcomm today announced the extension of Adobe Flash Player capabilities and full Web browsing to the mass market segment of Qualcomm-enabled smartphones," reads the company's Computex release.
"In addition, Qualcomm will enable high-definition (HD) video playback of Flash-based content on mid-tier and higher end Snapdragon-powered smartphones and tablets."
So better, faster, smoother games and video on our mobile phones, you say? It's hard to really argue with that logic…
Adobe partnership
"Qualcomm and Adobe have developed a lasting relationship driven by both sides' desire to bring an exceptional Web experience throughout all tiers of smart mobile devices," adds Rob Chandhok, president of Qualcomm Internet Services.
"Bringing Flash Player to the mass market segment of smartphones and HD video to higher end smartphones with Qualcomm's processors will expand the scope of possibilities on a mobile device."
Finally, Kouji Kodera, chief product officer at HTC, chips in with: "Software continues to be critical to the mobile user experience, and HTC is committed to bringing Flash content from the Internet to all types of devices, including smartphones and tablets."
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Motorola Atrix heads to T-Mobile
T-Mobile has announced that it is joining its Everything Everywhere label-mate Orange in offering the Motorola Atrix.
The network will be offering the super-charged smartphone for free on a £35.75 per month 24-month contract, which nets you 900 minutes, 500 texts and a 500MB data allowance to boot.
Up your monthly payment, however, and you can grab the 'Work and Play' kit, which includes the Motorola HD media dock with three USB ports and an HDMI port, plus a remote control, mouse and keyboard.
Work, play, work, play
The Work and Play kit will set you back £129 when bought separately, but you'll have to opt for the £40.85 (or above) monthly price plan for 24 months; this also bags you 1200 minutes, 500MB and 500 texts per month.
T-Mobile will also be selling the Lapdock that turns the Atrix into a full on laptop, complete with 11.6-inch screen and around eight hours of battery life, pegged at £399.
The handset certainly piqued our interest with its dual-core 1Ghz processor and we awarded it a healthy four-stars in our full TechRadar Motorola Atrix review.
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Review: Netgear DGND3700 N600 Dual-band Gigabit router
The Netgear DGND3700 is the big brother to the Netgear DGND3300 Dual Band router that we recently took a look at here on TechRadar
Describing itself as the ultimate DSL router, it appears to have a lot to live up to, but on the basis of just the specification and its full name - there's no less than nine words in there - it should do a good job.
It's a full ADSL2+ capable dual band 5/2.4GHz wireless gateway with Gigabit Ethernet, a WAN port and two USB sockets.
On offer is a raft of additional features such as NAS, a DLNA streaming media server, the ability to store multiple SSIDs with individual settings, alongside a guest network.
There's a 'more detail' statistics module and a refreshed content filtering section, plus a detailed repeater mode and the usual quality of service and UPnP features.
To help make adding systems as simple as possible there's also full WPS support.
We tested the wireless performance in various scenarios to see how the Netgear DGND3700 performed in typical real-world situations for both its 2.4GHz and 5GHZ modes.
The first was a same-room configuration transferring a large file from the router to the laptop.
The second involved the laptop being place one brick-wall and a standard wooden floor away.
Finally we ran a distance test at 25m with a direct line of sight, to see how it coped with distance.
Same room average transfer speed
File copy – MB/s: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 12MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 24.5MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 9.9MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 19.3MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 12.4MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 17.5MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 17MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 18.9MB/s
One room away average transfer speed
File copy – MB/s: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 10.7MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 17.6MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 6.3MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 9.8MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 11.7MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 10.6MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 15.6MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 17MB/s
25m line-of-sight average transfer speed
File copy – MB/s: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 1.1MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 2.0MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 2.3MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 6.4MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 3.6MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 5.2MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 8.9MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 13.7MB/s
Netgear has slowly revamped its consumer units over the year. The latest addition is what we'd consider a somewhat unsightly lip to its front - so it does seamlessly blend in to an removable vertical stand but it seems at odds with the rest of the case.
What hasn't changed is Netgear's fast and easy-to-use to web-based interface. As we've commented on in the past, this remains a welcoming sight, although it does lack any of the flash touches that Netgear's competitors are now using, and is perhaps a sign it finally needs a refresh.
With WPS in place and a semi-automatic ADSL installation the Netgeat DGND3700 is certainly easy to get up and running.
It's primed to accept both 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections both at up to 300Mbps, indicating twin antennas for both frequency ranges.
Usefully, both can have up to four SSIDs assigned to them, with each having their own configuration. Alongside this, there's the option for a guest network, as well. We imagine this should be flexible enough for even small businesses.
Unlike the Netgear DGND3300, this unit sports four Gigabit Ethernet ports for full throughput. Up and running we were happily surprised by the 5GHz performance, while good at short range averaging 18.9MBs and peaking at 21MB/s.
Where the Netgear DGND3700 really came into its own was at distance, being multiple times faster than anything else we've tested.
What most impressed us was the standard 2.4GHz performance, where the Netgear DGND3700 simply romped away - so much so that we had to double check we had indeed turned off the 5GHz antenna.
Lastly, ADSL2+ connection speeds were as we'd expect, matching our standard router for download speed and providing a slightly improved upload speed of 1400Kbps over 1200Kbps.
We liked
This is one of the best-performing 2.4GHz routers we've ever seen: at short distance it manages to rival the 5GHz speeds of many routers.
Balancing this, the 5GHz speeds are equally good, also matching the best we've seen at short ranges but greatly outpacing them at distance.
We can certainly see ourselves using the media streaming and NAS features thanks to the twin USB ports, and the enhanced stats and logging features are also appreciated.
We disliked
We're not convinced on the new lip design. The interface also really needs something of a polish, as even Linksys units from a few years back look better but these are more quibbles.
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Updated: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
Our verdict on the best smartphone / best phones - constantly updated
We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?
If you've read our list of the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK.
And now, after a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we've just brought you our biggest update ever to this definitive chart.
The big surprise in the last update was the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc nabbing the top spot - the combo of Android 2.3 and a beautiful screen in a tightly packaged body saw it head straight to the top of the pile.
But now the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S2 has landed in the UK, we spent a frantic weekend trying out the myriad functions it's got packed into its teeny frame. So now we can finally give it a place in our top 20 ranking of our mobile phone recommendations.
If that still doesn't help, well, there's always our extensive mobile phone reviews pages as well.
And when you've decided what new phone to buy, why not cash in your old one with our phone recycling price comparison service?
Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in the UK.
20. Blackberry Bold 9780
The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is a worthy upgrade to RIM's flagship range from the Bold 9700. The new operating system is a significant improvement, making the phone more relevant to the wider market than anything that's come before.An improved screen and BlackBerry OS 6 make it feel more premium, and the chassis construction will please many too, along with an upgraded 5MP camera with flash that actually takes passable snaps.
The keyboard design has again been tinkered with, and we don't think it's to the benefit of BlackBerry stalwarts the world over, but it's still a great way to quickly chuck in some text.
Quick verdict
The Bold 9780 is the only member of the BlackBerry family on our list. Some might question the lack of the Torch on here, given its status as RIM's flagship model, but we felt the chunkier design, higher price and poor on-screen keyboard mean it's been overshadowed by its slimmer, slicker and more conventional brother.
19. LG Optimus 7
Windows Phone 7 made a big impact on our top 20 list back in November 2010, but now it's reduced to a single offering - and we're plumping for the LG Optimus 7.While it lacks the vivid screen of the Samsung Omnia 7 or the large display/kickstand combo of the HTC HD7, the Optimus 7 wins simply because it has a few more features on offer out of the box, including an awesome augmented reality browser that shows the weather when you point it at the sky. (Yes, we know you could look at it with your eyes. We mean it shows forecast weather).
The PlayTo DLNA service is ace too, making it a breeze to send content to your big screen TV, and the build quality isn't too shabby either.
The sleek packaging and slick operating system still bring a smile to our faces when using it - but Windows Phone 7 badly needs the big Mango update we're hoping to see in the next few months.
Quick verdict
If you follow the word of Stephen Fry and simply must check out Microsoft's new smartphone OS, this is the phone we'd recommend to do it on. The sweet swishing action will impress you, and the Live Tiles and Xbox integration are nice additions too. It's still far too simplistic to be a cutting-edge phone, but that will all change when the multi-tasking Mango update drops.
18. Samsung Galaxy Ace
The Samsung Galaxy Ace is an odd little phone when you first pick it up - plastic mesh back, lower-res touchscreen and a slight lag on the interface aren't what everyone is looking for in a smartphone.However, combined with Samsung's TouchWiz overlay and a sublime £15-£20 a month price, the Ace suddenly seems like a much more attractive package - with a tip-top 5MP camera on the back to boot.
It might not be the snappiest phone you'll ever use (we found it sometimes stumbled wandering from one home screen to the next) and it's only average for media, but for that price point it deserves to be one of the budget newbies on our list.
Quick verdict
Compared to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Ace looks lightweight - but then consider that you're getting access to a large amount of the Android Market, a microSD slot and an above-average camera, and the head to head comparison is suddenly looking a lot more even.
17. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Pro
Sony Ericsson's time in the doldrums might be coming to an end, and that turnaround was marked by the success of the Xperia Mini and its keyboarded sidekick, the Mini Pro.We loved its miniature dimensions - although we still don't understand how adding a keyboard only increased the depth by 1mm - and the reskinning of Sony Ericsson's overlay to fit a teeny screen was genius at times.
It's great for music playback while sitting secretly in a pocket - although it's never going to be a video-watching marvel - and the internet browser is unbelievably snappy for a 600MHz processor. Plus, it has a lower price tag than many handsets around it, at less than £200 on PAYG and running Android 2.1.
Quick verdict
The clever implementation of Android with customisable corner icons and a simple yet effective keyboard means it's very easy to use this phone, and even the internet is still a good experience for one of the world's smallest smartphones.
We can see a refresh for this line coming soon – hopefully with a little bit of a Gingerbread flavour about it - but for now, it's a cool choice if you're after a tidy package.
- Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini review
- Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro review
- Compare Xperia X10 Mini offers
- Compare Xperia X10 Mini Pro offers
16. Nokia N8
If you've been a Nokia fan for years, then you'll have noticed that the Finnish firm hasn't been competing at the sharp end of the game for a while now.It hoped to change all that with the N8, and on the hardware side it triumphed, at least: 12MP camera with Xenon flash, HD video recording, reams of internal storage and a high end media player, as well as the new Symbian^3 OS.
It's not an expensive device either. With it available on an 18-month deal at only £25 a month, we're getting back to the days when you could have a high-end smartphone and not be locked into a contract until you start drawing a pension. (Unless you're reading this and are 64 years old - those days are gone for you).
However, the user interface still needs a lot of work in our opinion - the new Symbian Anna update goes a long way to fixing the laggy issues and poor internet browser, but it still needs a few more updates to even think about rivalling the slickness of the Android brigade.
Quick verdict
This is hardware at the sharp end of many categories, which is sure to bring a smile to tech-lovers' hearts. It's a phone that polarises opinion though - some people prefer a snazzier user interface, which the Nokia N8 fails to deliver, even with the Anna update. Others love the power of Symbian^3, and can see past the slight lag in the ageing UI - and for them this phone is without compare.
15. HTC Wildfire
HTC might not have got budget phones right the first time round - remember the HTC Tattoo, forlornly stuck on Android 1.6? But the HTC Wildfire is a much bigger hit, essentially taking the HTC Desire and squishing it down and reducing the cost.We were impressed with the HVGA screen and dinky dimensions - while the camera was only passable, the presence of the flash helped things greatly.
Essentially, it's a decent Android smartphone for not much cash - although it's going to be usurped by the new HTC Wildfire S which is smaller, faster and, more importantly, cheaper.
Quick verdict
Friendly on the pocket and even nicer on the wallet, the HTC Wildfire is set for a big price drop now the Wildfire S has emerged, so if you're thinking of upgrading to this, you could be rewarded for your patience.
14. HTC Desire HD
The HTC Desire HD was a phone we were so excited about when it launched - the huge 4.3-inch screen, DLNA support in the new version of Sense - this was going to be the new favourite Android phone on the block.However, battery issues got in the way - many people reported that it lasted less than a day on a single charge when used under normal conditions, and the larger screen meant it was dubbed a 'male-oriented' phone.
Don't get us wrong, it's a cracking piece of kit: 8MP camera with flash, large screen with surround sound and connection to HD TVs is a decent lineup, even before we mention the excellent Sense UI on top, but after the launch of the Incredible S, it's inevitable that the Desire HD would drop significantly on the list.
Quick verdict
The Desire HD is a behemoth of a phone - powerful, hefty yet slim. However, with the 4-inch screen of the HTC Incredible S, the cooler design and same price point (plus updated Sense UI) we have to plump for that one instead if we're recommending a larger HTC phone.
13. Motorola Atrix
When Motorola announced the Atrix at CES 2011, we were blown away by the tech crammed into the tiny package. Dual core Tegra 2 1GHz processors, 1930mAh battery and qHD screen meant the Atrix was far and away the most powerful phone around.It garnered rave reviews from us thanks to the snappy processor speeds, the range of accessories that use the inbuilt WebOS (including an awesome LapDock that turns the phone into a fully-fledged netbook) and above average battery life, even in heavy usage scenarios.
The only reason the Motorola Atrix isn't higher up in the list is we're still yet to review the UK edition, and we want to make sure the experience is worthy of a place in our top 10 list - plus we need to know the final price to you, dear reader.
Quick verdict
Dual core phones are the talk of Mobonia at the moment (the land where handsets are conceived and developed) and the Motorola Atrix is leading the charge. It's not the sleekest handset out there at the moment, and in the dual core wars it's likely to be trumped by the likes of the LG Optimus 2X and Samsung Galaxy S2 in terms of looks.
But for the power business user, this is highly likely to be the only phone they need look at for a long while.
12. Samsung Galaxy S
The Samsung Galaxy S is one lucky phone indeed - it was in danger of sliding right down our top 20 list until a last minute Android 2.3 update booted it back up to the front of the pack (so last minute that we're still working on updating the review).We can confirm that some of the niggles that were appearing with the older version of the software are gone - the lagging on certain applications seems to have gone now, and while battery life is still not stellar, it's certainly improved - especially when it comes to offering a correct reading.
The Super AMOLED screen is still one of the best around for media, rivalling the likes of the iPhone 4 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, and while we can't fix the fact it doesn't have a flash, Flash VIDEO now works a lot better.
But its time as Samsung's top smartphone is now over - the Galaxy S2 has landed and, despite this model being a tenner a month cheaper, its new sequel is so much better you'd have to be really in need of a budget handset to make this your choice, hence its dramatic fall down the rankings.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S is everything that's good about the Wave, but with Android power to back it up. The Super AMOLED screen is awe-inspiring, and the 1GHz Hummingbird processor means the phone never misses a beat, even though it's not dual core.
This was Samsung's breakout smartphone, and while you feel its time at the top is drawing to a close, a price drop or two over the next few months will keep this phone alive and kicking for a while yet.
11. INQ Cloud Touch
When deciding on the top 20 best mobile phones in the world, it's sometimes tempting to only look at the super-skinny, action-packed expensive phones that promise you unlimited power and status just by owning them.But equally, those that serve a purpose and aren't hideously ugly deserve a mention too - and we're big fans of INQ's budget-friendly social networking range.
The INQ Cloud Touch is all about social networking, thanks to a deeper than ever integration with the Facebook application allowing users to simply see their favourite people's updates, check in places quickly and see new statuses without entering a new app.
It's also got a dedicated Spotify key, which is ace if you're a premium user and want direct access - plus the info key, which has details on alarms, expected battery life and connection control.
It's quirky in place of being attractive - and at £18 per month, or less than £200 for the handset, it warrants a solid place in our list.
Quick verdict
The INQ Cloud Touch is a phone that mixes it with the big boys admirably and costs a lot less - the lower powered processor might irk some, but we reckon the Facebook integration will win over more fans.
10. Orange San Francisco
Android is one of the big winners in our top 20 list, and the Orange San Francisco has emerged as the winner of the 'budget league', with a great build, slick operation and clear screen - all for under £80.It's 'only' got Android 2.1, but an upgrade is in the works, and despite that you still get a fast response from the capacitive screen and all the widgets and home screens you've come to expect from Android.
There are some trade-offs: don't buy this if you want to take quality pics or are an avid radio listener, for instance, but overall it's a super phone for the price.
Quick verdict
There was a time when the Orange San Francisco was the only decent budget phone on the market - but now that title is being challenged hard. Despite all that, it's testament to the clever price drops and ahead of the curve tech on board that it still remains our top budget smartphone buy.
8. LG Optimus 2X
The dual-core race is set to hot up, and LG has stolen a march on its Atrix-shaped rival in the UK by releasing the Optimus 2X.The new phone is certainly a slick player - we found the screen to be bright, the operation lightning fast at times and the HDMI mirroring a really neat feature.
If it wasn't for some odd 1080p recording issues and slightly juddery internet experience there's no doubt that the Optimus 2X would have been troubling the top of this chart - but you can forgive even those issues when you realise that it costs just £25 a month.
That's right. A mid-range price for a top end handset - we're really hoping this is a trend that continues.
Quick verdict
The idea of dual-core handsets is still better than the reality at the moment, as there still aren't many apps that can take advantage. That said, 1080p video recording and improved graphics performance are still winning features, and the LG Optimus 2X is all over these like a rabbit in a radish field.
7. HTC Desire
The HTC used to be the top dog, but with the new dual-core brigade marching in, despite a really cheap price tag attached to it these days, plus an Android 2.3 update in the offing, its time in the top five is now over.The hardware is still as solid as ever - the only niggles we have are a lack of internal storage (meaning apps that can't live on an SD card are at a premium) and suspect HD video recording.
Users have had some battery life problems with the phone, but that doesn't detract from a phone that simply WORKS - very few crashes, swift internet browsing, a quality on-screen keyboard and a decent design ethic to boot.
If you're after a budget phone and don't mind slightly older kit, then this could even be in second place for you.
Quick verdict
We will always have a soft spot for the HTC Desire - it's still a class apart from many other phones out there. Its combination of intuitive overlay and flawless operation showed the world that there was life beyond the iPhone - and it's still a decent piece of hardware to boot.
7. Google Nexus S
The first Android 2.3 phone to land on the market is also one of the first with NFC capabilities and a curved Super AMOLED screen from Samsung.It's a 'Pure Google' experience, which means no messing about waiting for networks to bring you the update; if Google likes it, you'll have it.
The price dropped just before launch to a palatable £430, and competes very well indeed with the iPhone 4 and others in the top phone game. However, with more Android 2.3 handsets landing seemingly every week, unless you're after a Google-only experience, its appeal becomes more limited.
The build quality might feel a little suspect at first, but it's robust enough and sits in the hand well, and that screen is just superb for the internet and media.
Quick verdict
A 'no frills' handset that delivers on the specs - affordable and practical for the developer and early adopter alike, plus offering a more unique design than others on the market. If and when NFC becomes more widespread in the UK, this will probably see a real surge in interest again too.
6. HTC Incredible S
HTC's ability to make large-screened phones on Android is seemingly never ending, with more emerging from the woodwork every week.With the HTC Sensation landing soon, and the HTC Desire S already available, there was some worry about this Android 2.2-toting handset becoming lost in the ether. But with a vacuum-packed design and large and bright 4-inch screen, it's quickly become a hot alternative to the Desire HD.
The 8MP camera with dual LED flash is a decent option, the interface snaps along nicely and the price is palatable - another top example of HTC Sense that will only improve when the Android 2.3 update lands.
Quick verdict
If you want a phone that stands out slightly from the rest, the Incredible S at its mid-range price point could be a goer for you. If you're someone that wants the latest and greatest HTC, though, we suggest holding fire until we bring you our full HTC Sensation review.
5. Apple iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 is certainly the most impressive iPhone ever, and a big step up from the iPhone 3GS. The flat body is only 9.3mm thick - 24 per cent thinner than the iPhone 3GS at its thickest. It feels great in the hand, and at the keynote Steve Jobs remarked, "Its closest kin is a beautiful old Leica camera."By far the most in-your-face feature of the iPhone 4 is 960x640 Retina Display. It's got 326 pixels per inch, and we're talking tiny pixels, only 78 micrometers wide.
The Retina Display, especially, is hands-down one of the clearest, most enjoyable screens we've seen on a handheld, and the sheer amount of technology packed into the device is surprising.
The 3G reception disappearing problem is gone now with newer builds (although Apple would never admit to it being a problem) and while we know that many will never condone the phone not being at the top of the list, we still have a problem with the price.
How can a phone that's approaching a year old not have a slide in cost? The HTC Desire, which was cheaper than the iPhone 4 already, is now only £15 per month - yet Apple's device still costs a premium on networks.
Quick verdict
If it wasn't for the reception issue, the iPhone 4 would have probably topped our charts long ago - well, perhaps if it had become a bit cheaper by now.
It's still a class-leading bit of kit, and with the iPhone 5 supposedly delayed until September, it's still worth taking a look at - but Apple die-hards will want to wait to see if the new model is a better proposition or not.
4. HTC Desire S
The Desire S has surprised us all with its popularity - decent price drops already have seen it become a valuable proposition and place it as a good HTC alternative to the dual-core power of the HTC Sensation.Excellent call quality, a decent camera, strong build and clever-as-ever social networking integration make this a class-leader once more, despite it no longer being the HTC top dog since the Sensation has landed.
Quick verdict
The HTC Desire S is a slick, compact and attractive handset that is a decent improvement on its predecessor with more compact lines and an improved Sense experience.
It may only have a 5MP camera, but it's got a budget-busting £20 price tag, so that means it's still going to have a decent customer uptake even though the HTC Sensation has arrived.
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3. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
When we talk about a Phoenix Phone, it will forever be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. A company that was making phones like the Xperia X10 on outdated software less than a year ago has brought out one of the world's thinnest and most attractive handsets, and it deserves its place in the top three.And it's earned that rank through sheer quality - the things we're impressed with on the Xperia Arc are almost too many to list.
From the beautiful Reality Display with Bravia Engine to the powerful-yet-simple 8.1MP camera with Exmor technology, this is one of the phones that people actually want to hold and play with when you show it off.
The new Sony Ericsson overlay has cool features like an 'exploded widgets' view, and the integration of YouTube searching for videos of songs currently playing is super cool too.
OK, it's not dual-core powered, but until we start seeing some applications that really start to challenge these smartphones, we're happy to recommend a phone that is slick under the finger, slim in the pocket, satisfying in the hand and kinder than many on the wallet to boot.
Quick verdict
The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all.
As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc's minor flaws thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display.
2. HTC Sensation
We know it's terribly geeky, but the battle between the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2 was one we were salivating over the thought of.Both are dual core powerhouses, both have cutting-edge software and both the brands behind them have been enjoying success with Android in recent times.
The HTC Sensation is a cracking piece of kit despite being behind the S2, with Sense 3.0 being a real joy to use.
The camera is decent enough, browsing and UI speeds are lightning fast and the overall build quality is sure to entice a number of users to pick up the Sensation and play with it in their local phone outlet.
Quick verdict
The HTC Desire was the phone that showed the world what HTC could do, and the Sensation is a big step change once more. The dual-core power really shows, and the HTC Watch service is one to, well, watch as bringing movie downloads to a phone on the go could be the next big thing.
It's not cheap at £35 a month, but if we woke up and found this on our bedside table we certainly wouldn't be disappointed.
1. Samsung Galaxy S2
Come on, it's hardly surprising that the first phone to get five stars in over a year from TechRadar is now at the top of our best mobile phone chart.What we love about the Samsung Galaxy S II is the sheer amount of stuff that's packed in under the chassis - but more important is the way Samsung has used all that tech to create a phone that just works near-flawlessly.
The dual-core 1.2GHz processor, the Super AMOLED plus screen and the excellent sonic performance of the media player all combine to make a real doozy of a mobile phone.
Recording in 1080p is a nice touch (given that it actually works most of the time) and the camera is more than enough to take great shots in a short space of time.
In short, be it internet browsing, navigation, photography, media, social networking or gaming - the Samsung Galaxy S2 is our pick of the bunch for all those functions in one phone.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is a phone we're excited to whip out in a pub and show off to our friends – it's the ultimate media mobile, the next generation in web browsing thanks to slick Flash integration, a very good replacement for a pocket camcorder and, goshdarnit, it makes calls pretty well too.
The Samsung Galaxy S II has not only set a new bar for smartphones in 2011; it's smashed the bar, recreated it in its own image and put it out of reach of the competition - although perhaps that will change when our HTC Sensation review comes around...
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Review: Updated: HTC Sensation
HTC has gone from being an unknown manufacturer for bigger brands to one spewing out leading Android smartphones. The Desire was a landmark phone in the fight against the iPhone, but now tech has moved up a level - can the HTC Sensation stay at the sharp end?
With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Motorola Atrix and (to a degree) the LG Optimus 2X, dual-core phones have become the darling of the tech enthusiast.
Our colleagues at T3.com grabbed some HTC Sensation video footage, so check out the phone in all its digital moving picture glory:
And HTC has recognised that in bringing out a phone that ticks all the boxes for the most sought-after tech, bringing an 8MP camera, 1080p video recording, a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm chipset and a qHD resolution 4.3-inch screen.
Coming in at £35 a month on a two year deal, or £500 SIM free, it's matching the cost of other high end smartphones at the moment - but given it's HTC's flagship device, we'd expect it costing a little more than the masses.
The design of the HTC Sensation is a little bit larger than its rivals, in that it comes in at 11.3mm thick - noticeably thicker than the likes of the Galaxy S2, but still feeling comfortable in the hand.
The screen is also a different animal to most of the 4.3-inch offerings out there - with the qHD (540x960) resolution display, the Sensation is a thinner offering while still allowing movies to be played in widescreen.
The phone itself is encased in toughened plastic and aluminium (which feels more like plastic) through the stripe in the centre - the whole back of the phones pulls away from the main device, with the antenna and suchlike pumped into the chassis rather than on the phone itself.
Getting the back of the phone off through the little catch at the bottom is much harder than it looks, with the fingers needed to prise it apart almost holding it in place at the same time - wiggling and shaking is needed to get to the battery and microSD card slot.
The power/lock button is placed on the top right hand side of the phone, and sits probably a little too close to the chassis to be easily pressed - although it's more of a minor annoyance than a deal breaker.
HTC is one of the few brands that's still keeping faith with the dedicated search key, (the likes of the Sony Ericsson Arc and Galaxy S2 have done away with it altogether) but the keys are touch sensitive like the HTC Desire S, and react instantly to a feathery fingering.
The headphone socket is at the top of the Sensation (rather than taking its design cues from the larger-screened phones like the Desire HD, which liked to plonk it at the bottom) but is probably a little close to the edge of the phone - getting a good grip when holding the phone to watch video can be a little hard.
HTC has long had a problem with screen visibility in direct sunlight, and it seems that issue has continued somewhat with the Sensation. It's definitely a step up, as at medium brightness you can make out what's on the screen, but compare it to the iPhone 4's Retina Display or the Super AMOLED Plus of the Galaxy S2 and it's miles behind. However, the resolution is definitely a step forward, and the sharpness of the text is impressive.
The HTC Sensation isn't in the same 'thin and super light' category of many of today's smartphones - it comes in at nearly 150g compared to the helium-esque devices on the market today - but it's a solid build quality and one you wouldn't panic about too much if you saw it plummeting towards a carpeted floor.
With the HTC Sensation we're given our first look at the new version of the Taiwanese brand's overlay to Android. Running Android 2.3.3, the Sensation is perfectly up to date with the most recent version of Google's OS, and the new Sense 3.0 iteration is the next step forward for a user interface.
The main thing most HTC fans will notice is the new 3D scrolling - flicking through the many home screens will now see each one rotating around a virtual cylinder, rather than bouncing left and right in a linear fashion.
The widgets will even expand inwards and outwards to add to the effect, and really works to show off the dual-core nature of the 1.2GHz processor under the hood.
In standard HTC style, the Sensation reacts instantly under the finger - we're not talking Nokia N8 levels of swiping and waiting here, the capacitive touchscreen leaps to do your bidding in nearly every scenario.
The lock screen has also been given a massive overhaul too - instead of dragging a bar upwards to open up the phone, you have a large ring to swipe upwards to get started.
But it's not just that - there are four application spaces to drop your favourite functions into, and you can drag these into the ring to jump into them instead of starting up in the home screen. This is brilliant for things like the camera (as there's no dedicated button) so you can start snapping as fast as you can.
It's not a perfect system though - we had a few instances where we couldn't get the ring to slide fully up with our touch, meaning we had to have multiple attempts to simply get into the phone.
The other annoyance is notifications - if you have a message or missed call, it shows in a big pop-up at the centre of the lock screen, which is cool. But you can't drag this into the ring to jump straight to the notification unless you have the phone or message application selected as one of your quick links - seems like a missed trick from HTC.
The drag-down notification bar, which is present throughout the phone and one of the key pieces of the Android OS, has been given another makeover by HTC compared to the likes of the Desire (although we've already seen the upgraded functionality on the Desire S).
This means you can drag it down to see emails, messages and application notifications, but also see a scrolling list of the most recently used applications in a sliding bar and access the music player controls if you've got some tunes playing.
However, there's also a little tab at the bottom to let you control oft-used elements of the phone - we're talking Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS etc all toggle-able with the touch of a check box. It's a little convoluted to get into (we prefer the Samsung TouchWiz version, where these controls are at the top of the drag down menu) but it's great to be able to activate Bluetooth without having to open Settings.
There's clearly been a great deal of effort made with the HTC Sense 3.0 user interface, and it shows - it's not as snappy as the Samsung Galaxy S2, but it's unflappable and we found very little slowdown throughout. If you're upgrading from another HTC Device, this is Sense on a whole new level.
You can access contacts on the HTC Sensation using the People app, or by just going straight into the phone app. Your most recently used contacts will be at the top, or there's the dialler underneath to search for someone using smart dialling (ie in the old T9 predictive text fashion).
There's a widget on one of the Home screens by default for accessing your favourite contacts, which comes in three forms and ports Facebook, Google or Twitter pictures across automatically.
Contact lists can be imported in several ways. The most obvious is your Google contacts, which Android adds when you sign into one of the Google apps. You can also add Twitter and Facebook contacts, as well as Exchange if you're a working girl.
As ever, this can mean multiple entries for people. We've always been impressed by HTC's ability to link together contacts, and that's present on the HTC Sensation - the auto-link icon comes up with a lot of suggestions.
However, we couldn't get the Twitter app to automatically add contacts, and then suddenly it decided to do so after a day - having already done the same thing with the onboard Twitter for HTC Sense, we now had reams of Twitter people polluting the phone and asking to be linked.
Linking contacts manually isn't too arduous, though – there's a link button at the top of every contact, and it's then just a matter of searching for the other entry and hitting Save.
The People app is presented as a list, with social networking status updates appearing beneath someone's name. You can sort by forename or surname, and you can also choose to display contacts from only some of your linked accounts if you want (for example, you could have Twitter and Google, but not Facebook).
You can also use the arrow at the top to quickly see your contacts from only one of your social networking accounts, or go back to seeing all contacts.
One really irritating problem, like the Twitter app above, is the contacts didn't automatically load from social networks, so we were forced to keep re-entering the details.
And even after having linked up a load of friends, the names wouldn't appear in the messaging section, so each message was from a random set of numbers. However, tap the number and the contact page would load. Odd.
What's crazier than that is after 24 hours the Sensation suddenly realised what was going on and managed to sort out the problem, complete with Facebook pictures a-plenty, and it's been fine since, so we won't mark it down too much for that.
Going into someone's contact entry presents you with lots of useful quick options for getting in touch with them. The initial screen displays their phone and messaging details, and you can tap on them to get in touch using your preferred method.
However, if you slide to the next tab at the bottom, you'll be able to see your text history with that contact, presented in a threaded view. You can send a new message from here.
The next tab does the same for emails, and the next shows you their recent social network status updates. There's also one to see their galleries from linked social network sites, and buried right at the end is your call history with them.
Plus Android has the awesome feature of any time you see a contact's picture you can tap it to get a quick list of all the ways to talk to them - really nice, and makes the whole phone experience seem much more integrated.
Adding a new contact sees you presented with the option of choosing to save to your cloud accounts or to the phone memory or SIM. After that, you've got all the usual options, including phone numbers, email addresses, IM usernames, postal addresses, birthday and more.
Of course, the more simple method also works – just tap a number into the dialler and a 'Save to People' option appears.
Calling
Call quality on the HTC Sensation seems to be poorer than many other phones, which is even more perplexing when there seems to a be a separate noise reduction microphone on offer above the camera.
Even in slight wind we were asked if it was really gusty where we were, and in a bar environment we were practically inaudible.
The speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly usable for day to day calling - it's not ear-splitting at maximum volume, which might be irritating in a noisy car or conference environment, but for one on one use in a relatively quiet environment, it's fine.
We also like the fact that our friends' Twitter or Facebook status updates pop up when we phone them, as well as birthday notifications should we be close to forgetting. The only problem here is we spend so much time reading them updates we haven't got the phone to our ear - but that's more stupidity than HTC's fault.
The signal quality was excellent on the whole for the HTC Sensation, with up to 50% more signal reported in known weak spots. However, we're wondering if this is just the phone exaggerating what's on offer, as internet speeds didn't seem to corroborate the three bar signal strength we were apparently getting.
As mentioned in the Contacts section, messaging is heavily integrated into the Sense experience. You can get to email and text conversations with people through their contact entry in the People app, but there are dedicated email and messaging apps.
Messages is a fairly straightforward text app, showing you an overview of the different people you've been texting on the main screen, with a threaded conversation view on offer if you tap on one.
To write a new text, just tap in the field at the bottom to bring up the on-screen keyboard. We've always been mightily impressed when it comes to writing messages on HTC's Sense range, including the original Desire and the HTC Desire HD, which is partly down to the excellent autocorrect.
We've always been fans of the HTC keyboard, and we're glad that the same thing is back in full force on the Sensation - we found accuracy much higher than that on the Samsung Galaxy S2 for instance, where the full stop kept getting in the way.
In landscape mode, this problem did creep in though, thanks to the size and dimensions of the screen. Another oddity: the 'I' sometimes decided not to capitalise when typing, but then would do so when you go back to it.
Words still take as long as before to save to the dictionary - it's only a fraction of a second, but it's still an annoying pause.
As is often the case, you have the choice of a Gmail app or a more generic Email app. The Gmail one is just as easy to set up as ever; if you have your Google account details, it's automatically set up.
The Email app also proved easy, offering an Exchange option and a generic POP/IMAP option initially. To set your POP/IMAP, you generally just have to put in your email address and password and the phone will do all the configuring for you.
Both email apps are very good, though HTC's Mail app fits in with the aesthetics and UI of the Desire S's other app better. It offers several ways to view your messages, including options to view your email as a straight up inbox, or as conversations.
You can also view email just from your favourite contacts, and this tab also enables you to address an email to all of your favourites with one tap.
There's an unread-only view, and also a screen that enables you to view only emails with attachments.
Writing emails uses the same keyboard as the messaging, so it's easy to write emails of a good length without getting frustrated.
When it comes to social network messaging, HTC's Friend Stream does a good job of bringing Facebook and Twitter together, but it isn't quite the complete messaging solution. It's more suited to fairly passive users who like to read others' statuses, lacking the depth you can go into for both social networks.
Basically, public replies on Twitter and Facebook status comments are in, but direct messages, trending topics and any other wider information is out - you'll need to download the official applications for that, which we would recommend as they integrate very well throughout the phone.
The large 4.3-inch screen of the HTC Sensation, like the Desire HD and HD7 before it, is simply ace for browsing the web, easily as good as anything else in the Android range and even better because of the improved resolution.
The qHD resolution makes web pages look as crisp as anything else on the market at the moment, and the pictures and video all pops with slick ease.
That's right - thanks to Flash 10.3 integration and the dual-core processor chugging away in the background, the HTC Sensation is the best HTC device for internet, hands down (taking out the Flyer, of course, but even then it's only a question of size).
The Flash integration is sensational (we're sorry) as videos will stream without a judder and will instantly leap to full screen (once you've figured out the convoluted full screen option through long-pressing, that is) and it's really as simple as watching a video on your PC - iPlayer rocks, even though it doesn't have the option to download yet.
You can use also the dedicated mobile YouTube site, which uses HTML5 to work quickly and simply, so it's future proof too for standards going forward.
There are a number of other positives to the internet experience on the HTC Sensation - multiple windows with thumbnail scrolling through them mean various websites can be open at once.
It's odd that you're limited to just four windows though - and that's still in effect despite that limit being offering on the single-core offerings. Surely the Sensation can handle at least six open at once without destroying performance?
One think that Android (and HTC's Google portfolio especially) does well is text-wrapping; namely, zoom into whichever size you want on a column of text and the words will jumble around the screen and reformat to fill the display.
Sure, you can double tap to get closer to the text in the same vein as other smartphones, but the text wrapping puts you in control of the size... and you can go mightily close on the HTC range as no matter where you pinch and zoom to, the text stays all on screen.
Another winning feature from Android is the ability to share web pages to a variety of sources without having to break stride: if you're on a page that you think your buddies online will like then you can head into the 'Share Page' option and lob the link out via Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, SMS, Bluetooth - you name it, you can get it there via that method. Not carrier pigeon though. This is a mobile phone, you fool.
We've always been fans of the bookmarks, as when you enter this section you can either look at the ones you've saved (via thumbnail, nice) or see your most visited or history of pages you've been to - enabling you to choose bookmarks that you need without realising it.
With the Sense UI (this is a feature we've loved and is carried forward to Sense 3.0), users of the HTC Sensation can also subscribe to an RSS feed (if present on the page) by hitting the icon in the top left hand corner of the screen - it makes keeping up to date with the sites you love very easy.
Another plus we've always loved on the HTC Android range: the implementation of copy and paste. It's a little Apple-esque, as you long press on text and see a little magnification pane pop up.
From there you can drag two little pins to select the text you want - which bar the colour is almost precisely the same as Apple's offering.
Where the difference lies is in the pop up menu that appears after: you can copy the text, share it via the same options mentioned earlier or use it to search.
But not just search on Google, oh no. You can look for the phrase on Wikipedia, YouTube, Google Dictionary or even Google Translate - and that's an awesome option.
The internet experience on Android phones has always been a plus, and the sheer speed, functionality and slickness of the offering on the HTC Sensation means web browsing a really great experience, although we didn't experience the jaw-dropping, eye-popping speeds we did with other dual-core handsets.
The camera on the HTC Sensation is an 8MP effort with dual-LED flash and autofocus - pretty much ticking all the boxes on offer aside from a Xenon flash, but then again some comprimises have to be made to keep the width down.
The autofocus is a good feature though, and one we've seen from the likes of the Desire HD and Desire S in the past, where tapping the screen will alter the focus of the photo. This extends to exposure values as well, meaning that if you're trying snap something in a darker area, the Sensation will work out the optimum light levels needed.
The shutter speed is pretty nifty on the Sensation too, with the camera loading very quickly from the lock screen if you choose it as one of the 'ring options' we mentioned in the interface section, with photos taken in around three seconds after pulling the phone out of our pocket.
There are the usual plethora of shooting options on offer - from the pointless negative/grayscale/sepia range to more useful ISO, white balance and exposure sliders, the HTC Sensation is a camera phone that offers more than enough functionality to take some decent snaps.
The standard settings show a decent amount of contrast and a good level of sharpness for a well-lit shot
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With a bright background, the object being photographed quickly gets lost as the camera looks to focus on the clouds
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Forcing the camera to focus on the tower doesn't really seem to help the exposure, which is odd considering it's so adept at doing so for video recording
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The HTC Sensation doesn't have a macro mode, instead choosing to automatically work out the focal length, with some surprisingly good shots
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The VGA front facing camera is perfectly acceptable for self shots if you happen to meet a famous lion
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This is a standard photo in a darker corner of London
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But with the exposure turned up, you can see a signifcant difference in detail without much penalty on the shutter speed
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This poncey cocktail is shot in fairly dark conditions but still maintains a decent level of detail
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This shot was taken at speed using the quick unlock function - the Sensation does not appear to be adept at fast moving photos
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The Sensation is good at capturing changeable conditions, although the lighter section of the photo is quite over-exposed
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This photo is taken indoors with the auto focus turned on
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With the auto focus turned off, you can see the white balance is quite heavily skewed, showing how good the automatic mode is
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The dual LED flash is quite poor given its brightness - the throw of the light is minimal
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The HTC Sensation is capable of recording at full 1080p at a frame rate of 30 fps - check out our footage to see what you think of the quality:
The HTC Sensation is a phone that's clearly built for media, with the Taiwanese brand not only offering a range of applications to help make your media experience as good as it could be, but the addition of the on demand HTC Watch service for movies shows it's looking to plough a new revenue furrow.
We're upset that there's only 1GB of internal memory, but our sample came with a 4GB card and can be expanded all the way up to an additional 32GB if you're into that, so it's not the end of the world, although it pales compared to the 16GB internal memory of the Galaxy S2.
Music
Sonically, HTC has done well again with the Sensation - sure, it might not be market leading, but it's perfectly competent and works well within the phone.
The same system as before is in place, namely that you can slide your finger along the bottom of the screen to search through your media to find the song you want, plus hit that little search key to find what you're after.
HTC has also added another little treat, in the new arrow at the top of the screen - tap this and you can instantly stream to another DLNA-enabled device with ease. It takes a little while for the song to load, but overall it's cool functionality that actually works.
The audio is acceptable without being mind-blowing on the HTC Sensation - you can use custom equaliser or have virtual SRS enhancement to make the songs sound bassier or less tinny, but the range of customisation doesn't actually afford too much control.
The other annoying element is that you can't control the music player from the notifications bar, only pause the music - although you can tap the album art to get straight back into the music application.
One REALLY cool bit of functionality that shows HTC has design at the heart of the Sense UI: the lock screen music control widget lets you spin the album artwork around to let you choose between the picture or additional lock screen controls... and we love playing with things like that.
Video and HTC Watch
Given HTC is putting so much effort into movies with the Watch offering, it's surprising that the video offering on the Sensation is irritatingly poor.
We say poor only because there is a) no dedicated video application, and b) when you open the video section in the Gallery you get a list of thumbnails and no labels for each video, so you have to either look at the details or open the file to see what it is.
Come on HTC, we've begged you to fix this so many times - please just do it.
The thumbnails load much faster than before thanks to the dual-core processor, but not as lightning fast as the Galaxy S2 it has to be said, or even the single core Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.
Video performance is perfectly respectable, although certainly not market leading. The sharpness of the picture is really, really nice, and we enjoyed a few TV shows in the right conditions because of it.
SRS is still offered, although Dolby Mobile has sadly not made it on board - it wasn't really necessary to have two audio modes on there. We also love how NOBODY at HTC has noticed that it's not 'enchancement' after two iterations of phones since the Desire HD.
Take the HTC Sensation into the light (we don't mean kill it), not even direct sunlight, and you'll have to instantly turn up the brightness as high as it will go, which really washes out the picture. Samsung and Apple are certainly well in the lead when it comes to media on your phone for this category.
The HTC Watch service looks like a winning offer for those that are locked into a two year contract with the phone, as the DRM means you can only play the files in HTC Devices (although that includes the Flyer if you have one).
The quality is great, but £9.99 for a film seems a lot to pay for not the most up to date titles - and renting for £3.49 feels rubbish when it's not yours to keep.
The selection of four old series of TV shows is disappointing too - but we're sure the collection will grow quickly in the future, and hopefully the cost will come down.
Over Wi-Fi the download speeds were pretty good for movies, and the ability to pay directly with your credit card is good too - it feels less like you can accidentally spend loads on watching films, especially if you're renting (although remember it used to be cheaper to rent videos from Blockbuster).
We've always been slightly confused by HTC phones when it comes to the battery life, as they seem to offer wildly different experiences depending on who is using them it seems.
The HTC Desire was fine for us when it came to lasting a day, but others found it would be dead by 7PM. The Desire HD was more universally panned for a poor battery, but still some chastised our verdict of it being unacceptable.
Well, it's going to happen again with the HTC Sensation, as the battery life, to us, seems woeful and not up to scratch. We're talking dead by 8PM with no push email, minimal Wi-Fi and about 30 mins of music and video at the most.
We've cycled it a few times to see if it can be improved, but the same things happens: it holds charge averagely well mostly, but then will get very warm and discharge at a rate of 10% per hour... which is a familiar scenario with the Desire HD.
We constantly kept the applications killed and the notifications to a minimum - but it seems only turning off the background synchronisation altogether helped the issue. And don't even think about hammering the camera in the middle of the day, or you'll be without a phone come the evening for sure.
That said, we're going to request another sample to test this out with, as it's probably the poorest experience we've had on an HTC device so far, so it's only fair we test to make sure it wasn't just a diff unit.
On the plus side, at least HTC has decided to break the 1500mAh barrier in terms of power unit: it's a whopping 20mAh more, although still miles and miles behind the power of the 1950mAh unit in the Motorola Atrix.
We've been so excited about the power of the HTC Sensation ever since we heard rumblings that the company was making a dual-core handset - and we've not been let down.
What's annoying though is we weren't blown away, and that's mostly because there was nothing wrong with the speed of Sense before on the likes of the Desire HD or the first Desire.
Sure, we get new fancy animations and 3D graphics, but it's not the step change that we saw from the Galaxy S to the Galaxy S2, which is a complement in a way to HTC.
We liked
This section of our HTC reviews is always well-stocked, and that's the case again here - we really like the HTC Sensation and it ticks all our boxes for the most part.
Be it the constantly impressive contact integration, the ability to download movies and books (although we need a wider selection for the former) and the sheer level of customisation means that the Sensation is a great phone for the general user.
The internet browsing speed is impressive over Wi-Fi, and the qHD screen is really impressive for video in the correct conditions.
The design is nice and stylish too, plus the power of the camera is clear to see for anyone that likes to dabble in a spot of Full HD video and share it on a larger screen.
We disliked
The big worry for the HTC Sensation is whether the battery life can hold up, and right now we don't think it can based on our review sample running out of juice by the evening without fail.
The screen quality is good, but not market-leading; if you're comparing it to something like the Samsung Galaxy S2's Super AMOLED Plus offering you'll notice a massive difference in quality at times.
The back cover to hot-swap the microSD card is very hard to get off, and the Sensation as a package is pretty chunky compared to the competition.
Verdict
Whether it's just that we're getting spoilt by the quality of the HTC range or that the brand simply can't innovate at the electric pace it managed when it made Android smartphones good enough for the masses, the HTC Sensation doesn't get our pulses racing like other models in its range have.
HTC Watch needs to a larger range of movies and TV shows before we can even begin to assess whether it's going to take off or not - and the price seems a little high at this early stage.
We love the Sense UI still, and the 'Unlock Ring' is a cool addition to the party - we still want the notifications to be more interactive, but overall it's still a neat idea.
The design of the phone is different and, in our eyes, pretty premium with the metallic feel and steel grill - the weight feels solid in the hand and the screen size is impressive and sharp.
It's still not one of HTC's best, but one we'd definitely recommend over a number of other phones in the marketplace and if you're an HTC fan or just looking to get one of the cutting-edge dual core devices, we suggest you seriously think about the HTC Sensation.
Thanks to Vodafone, which is initially exclusively stocking the HTC Sensation, for supplying our review unit.
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TechRadar Phone Awards: Phone Awards 2011: shortlist announced
Voting on the longlist for the TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 closed earlier this week. We've been hard at work totting up the votes and can now exclusively reveal the apps, games and phone innovations that have made the shortlist.
So far, we've had over 75,000 votes; the following shortlist represents the best of all things mobile and now you have the chance to choose what should win.
That's right, the shortlist is now open for you to cast your votes - and when you do, you'll be in with a chance of winning one of 13 fantastic smartphones. We have five Dell Venue Pros, five HTC Pro 7s, two Sony Ericsson Xperia arcs and one Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY up for grabs!
So check out the list below, choose your favourite and go over to the Phone Awards site to cast your vote. It only takes a few minutes and we will be revealing all the winners in July.
Good luck and get voting!
Readers' categories
Here are the list of nominations you voted through to the shortlist...Best Network
- O2
- Vodafone
- Orange
- T-Mobile
- Three
- Giffgaff
- Google Maps Navigation
- BBC iPlayer
- Spotify
- Swype
- iBooks
- Angry Birds
- Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
- Flight Control
- Cut The Rope!
- The SIMS 3
- iPhone 4 antenna-gate
- Apple launching the microSIM
- HTC Desire OS upgrade
- Symbian: is the end in sight?
- Nokia crashing HTC event with balloons
- HTC Sense
- Apple iPhone 4 Retina display
- Android personal hotspot
- Samsung Super AMOLED Plus
- Windows Phone 7 Live Tiles
- Apple iPhone 5
- Android Ice Cream
- HTC Sensation
- Nokia Windows Phone
- 4G
Judged categories
Here are the phones and tech the judges felt deserved to go into the shortlist...Phone of the year
- HTC Desire
- Apple iPhone 4
- Orange San Francisco
- Samsung Galaxy S2
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
- BlackBerry Bold 9780
- BlackBerry Torch
- HTC HD 7
- Nokia E72
- Apple iPhone 4
- Apple iPhone 4
- Orange San Francisco
- HTC Wildfire
- Nokia N8
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
- NFC
- Tegra 2 chip
- Xbox Live
- Android 2.3
- Swype
- Mophie Juice Pack Air 4
- AmpliTube iRig
- Vodafone Sure Signal
- Pure i-20
- Jawbone Jambox
- iOS
- Windows Phone 7
- Android
- BlackBerry OS
- Symbian
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Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro UK price unveiled
Sony Ericsson has opened pre-order on its physical-QWERTY-toting Android handset, the Xperia Pro, revealing its UK price as £349.99.
Perhaps you're having trouble picturing the Xperia Pro, in which case simply cast your mind back to February; it's Mobile World Congress, Sony Ericsson is officially unveiling its PlayStation Phone after months of leaks but look beyond, just there – behind the Xperia Play and to the left of the Xperia Neo – yep, that handset there. That's the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro.
It may have been months since its official unveiling, but the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro is on its way at last, making its way to the nation's claws in June.
Time goes by so slowly and time can do so much
The UK price of £349.99 puts the SIM-free Xperia Pro on a par with the likes of the Motorola Defy, Desire Z and older handsets like the Nokia N8 and Samsung Galaxy S.
It's a pretty good price for an Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) handset with a 3.7-inch touchscreen, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor and the Sony Bravia Graphics Engine.
There's no word from the networks yet about possible subsidised contract deals, although we'd guess they'll come in at around the £25 - £30 per month mark.
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25 essential Kindle tips and tricks
Amazon's third generation Kindle is an extraordinary bit of kit whose users genuinely love it - but the chances are you'd love it even more if you knew some of the better tricks it's got up its sleeve. From hidden games to reading books aloud, your Kindle is capable of all kinds of clever things. These are our favourites.
1. Get online
The Kindle has a web browser: from the home screen press Menu > Experimental > Launch Browser. It's slow and horrible compared to a desktop or tablet browser, but it's perfectly adequate for browsing news sites, Wikipedia, Amazon and so on.
IT'S THE PAPERNET: The Kindle's no tablet - yet - but its browser provides access to useful things such as your Google Reader account, webmail or this very website
2. Play Minesweeper or GoMoku
Amazon has hidden a copy of Minesweeper in your Kindle, and you can launch it by pressing Alt, Shift and M simultaneously. Use the arrow keys to navigate and the select button to mark a mine, and when you get fed up press G to play GoMoku, a version of Tic-Tac-Toe.
3. Get driving directions
If you bookmark maps.google.com/m/directions in your Kindle's web browser, you can use it to get travel directions if you ever get lost. This is particularly useful in the 3G model, which can get online anywhere there's a 3G mobile phone signal. Your Kindle can display Google Maps too, but the text-only version is faster to use.
MAP HAPPY: Google Maps does work in the Kindle browser, but for directions on the move the mobile version is much faster
4. Email things to it
Each Kindle has a unique email address, and you can email compatible documents to your one by sending them to your Kindle. If you can't remember what it is, log into Amazon.co.uk and go to Your Account > Manage Your Kindle (or on your Kindle's home screen press Menu > Settings > Experimental). Amazon's site also enables you to create a list of approved emails: messages from addresses you haven't approved will be ignored.
5. Refresh the screen
From time to time your Kindle's screen may become corrupted. Not to worry: a swift Alt-G refreshes the display. If that doesn't work, sliding the power switch to the right and keeping it there until the screen goes completely blank turns your Kindle off completely.
6. Send the Web to your Kindle
If you sign up for the free Instapaper service and install the bookmarklet in your browser, you can send any web page to Instapaper so that you can read it later - and if you give Instapaper your Kindle's email address, you can automatically receive a daily digest of the articles. Download it over Wi-Fi, though: 3G downloads cost 20p per MB.
7. Don't pay for document emails
Your Kindle actually has two email addresses: username@kindle.com, and username@free.kindle.com. If you've got a 3G model and you're emailing documents to it, use the free.kindle.com address: Amazon won't try to deliver those messages via 3G, which would cost you money.
8. Read RSS feeds
Google Reader works in your Kindle browser. For best results log in, click on All Items and then press F to enter Full Screen mode. You can now move between articles by pressing J and K.
9. Check your email
If Google Reader and Google Maps work, then surely Google Mail works too? Yep - and so does Hotmail, and Facebook. In each case you'll need the mobile versions: mail.live.com/md for Hotmail/Windows Live Mail, m.facebook.com for Facebook and m.gmail.com for Google Mail.
10. Make your Kindle talk
If the publisher hasn't disabled it, you can get your Kindle to read your book aloud by pressing the Text menu button (the one with the upper and lower case letter A on it) and selecting Text-to-Speech: Turn On. Shift-Sym then starts and stops the reading feature and the space bar pauses and resumes.
11. Look up big words
Not sure what something means? Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to it and a dictionary definition pops up.
INSTANT LOOKUP: Simply move the cursor to a word you're unsure of and your Kindle will display the dictionary definition
12. Take a screenshot
Another easy keyboard shortcut: Alt-Shift-G takes a screenshot and stores it as a GIF file in the Documents folder.
13. Get numbers without pressing Sym
Pressing Alt plus any of the first row of letters gives you the numbers 1 to 9 and zero.
14. Use the secret image viewer
Using your PC, create a folder called "pictures" in the root folder and then create a subfolder within it. Stick some jpegs in there, unplug it and press Alt-Z from the home screen to rescan. You should now see the subfolder you created; click on it to launch the Image Viewer and browse images like it's 1864. Q and W zoom in and out, E resets the zoom, C returns to actual size and R rotates. F puts the viewer into full screen mode.
15. Boost the battery
Turn off Wi-Fi and especially 3G if you don't need them to boost battery life. E-ink runs forever on battery power: it's the wireless radio that really drains things.
16. Fast Forward
Pressing Alt and the right arrow fast-forwards through your book one chapter at a time.
17. Convert your documents
Kindles accept a range of file types - unprotected Word (Docx files are in the experimental category and may be flaky), PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP and MOBI files - but if you want your PDFs converted to native Kindle format so you can take advantage of text-to-speech, annotation and other handy things, email the PDF to your Kindle email address with Convert in the subject line.
18. Tell the time
If you press the Menu button while reading a document, the current time will appear in the centre of the status bar.
19. Use Calibre to save cash
The excellent - and free - Calibre ebook manager can automatically download news from sites or RSS feeds and turn them into an ebook that you can then transfer to your Kindle.
20. Play your music
Another one from the Experimental menu: MP3 playback. If you drag MP3s from your PC or Mac to your Kindle's Music folder, you can play them through the Kindle's little speaker. Volume controls are on the bottom edge of the device, Alt-Space starts and stops playback and Alt-F skips to the next file.
21. Add annotations and bookmarks
When you see something interesting, press Menu and then either Add a Bookmark or Add a Note or Highlight. The latter option then enables you to highlight a block of text with the arrow keys or to add an annotation by typing on the keyboard. In future, clicking on Menu and View Notes & Marks gives you a clickable list of your bookmarks, highlights and annotations.
22. Stop other KIndle users annoying you
Kindles can be social, and as you read a book they can display bits that other Kindle users have highlighted and commented on. If this drives you crazy, you can disable it in Home > Menu > Settings > Popular Highlights.
23. Get your Kindle to automatically turn the pages
Can't be bothered pressing the next page button? Trigger the text-to-speech function and then turn the volume down until you can't hear anything. Pages will now turn automatically... eventually.
24. Install it on everything
Kindle apps are available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, iPad, Windows Phone, Mac and PC and can follow you from device to device, so you can read something on your phone when you're on the bus and pick up where you left off when you pick up your Kindle and slump on the sofa.
SIMPLE SYNC: Amazon's Whispernet system can automatically sync between Kindles and Kindle apps, so you don't lose your place when you switch reading devices
25. Search Wikipedia
When you move the cursor to a word and the definition pops up, you can find out even more. Press the Return key to see full definitions, and if you need yet more use the right arrow to highlight Search Dictionary. Press right-arrow again and you can make your Kindle search itself, the Kindle store, Google or Wikipedia.
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Video: Video: Top 10 free iPhone apps
We're partying like it's the 1890s* here at TechRadar, rocking out with some moving pictures showcasing our top 10 free iPhone apps.
That's right; we've waded through the App Store to fish out the best of the best and then turned them into a video so you don't even need to scroll through the page or anything.
While you're probably familiar with the number one app, perhaps you're less well acquainted with TonePad, a graphical digital music toy, in at number nine, or alternative e-book app Stanza, our fourth greatest free iPhone app?
So peruse the video below at your leisure and, once you've stocked up on the top ten apps, head over to our top 40 best free iPhone apps rundown for a few more gems.
*invention of the moving image, you guys
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Future Sony handhelds to be 3D enabled?
Sony hasn't ruled out 3D for handheld gaming, with Mick Hocking, the director of Sony WorldWide Studios' 3D team, bigging up the technology for the small screen.
Speaking to Develop, Hocking explained that 3D for smaller screens was getting better.
"The amount of new 3D mobile devices at this year's CES show is evidence of that," he said.
"As small screen 3D improves we may be able to deliver these high quality 3D experiences on smaller screens."
It's unlikely, however, this will mean the Sony NGP (potentially now called Sony PlayStation Vita) is to get 3D capabilities, with Hocking noting: "Our focus at the moment is on delivering the highest quality 3D games viewing experiences, and currently this is best done on HD 3D TVs."
One of the best demonstrations of this seems to be Uncharted 3, which is in development at the moment.
"When Uncharted 3 launches it will show a new level in 3D gaming," said Hocking.
"Naughty Dog are obviously one of the world's top developers, and what they've done with Uncharted 3 in 3D will really convince people of our full-screen HD 3D solution... Genuinely, Uncharted 3 looks phenomenal in 3D."
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Updated: Asus Padfone: Android Ice Cream Sandwich and more
Asus CEO Jonney Shih unveiled a prototype of the company's new Padfone at Computex 2011 in Taipei this week with an Android-based 4.3-inch smartphone capable of turning itself into a tablet with a handy 10.1-inch touchscreen dock.
Although details are limited, we'd bet the new tablet/phone hybrid will be running Android Ice Cream Sandwich by the time it debuts in early 2012.
Talking with Asus, the company told TechRadar it was definitely going to be running "the latest version there is" of Android, so Ice Cream Sandwich would make complete sense - the OS will be designed to run across both traditional smartphones and tablets.
Asus says it's working with Google to get the operating system right, and is looking to get the ball rolling with the Padfone early next year. It sees the software as the main sticking point right now, "the hardware is not a limiting factor," we were told.
Asus is still to settle on the final dimensions and tech specs for the Padfone before releasing it as a final retail product, although we'd bet on it having an Nvidia Tegra processor - and perhaps the new Kal-El quad-core variant at that.
Asus has been making phones for years, but the devices have rarely seen the light of day in the UK. That's set to change with the Padfone though, a device which has got Asus so excited it just had to announce it right now anyway.
What we do know at the moment is that Asus won't be dropping its relationship with Garmin, so there will be a high-end GPS module onboard.
One thing's for sure, the screen/dock will have to be a smart piece of kit, as it's going to have to house a secondary battery as well as, potentially, extra storage.
Asus is also promising a seamless transition between displaying on the phone and on the tablet - that means no rebooting just to get into tablet mode.
In addition to the new Padfone, Asus also revealed a number of other new products at Computex 2011, including "a 3D tablet, ultra-thin and light notebooks and netbooks, plus the world's first PC motion sensing controller and a sleek 27-inch All-in-One HD desktop".
New 7-inch glasses-free 3D tablet
Asus CEO Jonney Shih said of his company's Computex 2011 line-up that: "Breaking the rules and changing the status quo are the keys to our success, and we strive to offer customers an experience that surpasses their expectations."
The other most interesting new product unveiled by Asus at this year's event in Taipei is the new Eee Pad MeMO 3D, "designed to be an alternative take on the 10-inch tablet that is fast becoming a standard size".
The portrait-oriented new Eee Pad is the latest follow-up to Asus' recently released Eee Pad Transformer, and has a 7-inch multi-touch screen, a bundled Bluetooth headset and, most interestingly, "flipping the MeMO 3D into landscape turns it into a glasses-free 3D display that adds a new dimension to mobile entertainment".
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Twitter Follow button for websites launched
Twitter has announced it has made it that little bit easier for websites to promote themselves on Twitter, with the launch of the Twitter Follow button.
According to the main bods at the micro-blogging service, the Twitter Follow button is one of the best ways for websites to "stay connected" with the audience.
The Twitter Follow button is achingly similar to the Facebook Like button, which is also on offer to websites.
Helping you discover
"More than 50 sites have added the Follow Button today, making it easy for you to discover the Twitter accounts of your favorite reporters, athletes, celebrities, and other personalities," said the Twitter blog.
"Using the Follow Button is as simple as a single click. You can also see the profile and latest Tweets of the account you want to follow by clicking the username next to the Button."
The button is easy to install on a site, as all it is a small piece of HTML code to embed – and if Twitter is right, it will help ramp up your follower count in no time.
Twitter is to take part in the D9 conference this week, where it is set to unveil its own photo-sharing service, while Google is using this week to launch its own social-sharing button to websites for Google +1.
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Apple WWDC 2011: what to expect
Apple's uncharacteristically detailed announcement hasn't just confirmed that next week's WWDC will be a Stevenote: it's also told us what he'll be talking about.
So what can we expect?
New hardware? Probably not
Apple doesn't usually tell us what Steve Jobs will introduce.
While it's nice to imagine a One More Thing where Jobs unveils a solar-powered iPad that can turn base metals into gold, the detail in the PR announcement suggests that Apple's trying to manage expectations here.
This one's about the software.
iCloud
The rumours were right: iCloud is Apple's new streaming service. Will it deliver some, all or none of the items on our wish list?
The music locker and music streaming appear to be a given, with Businessweek reporting that it will scan your iTunes library and let you access the same songs from any Apple device.
OS X Lion
We've been excited about this for ages: Lion promises to bring the best iPad ideas back to the Mac, with full-screen, autosaving apps, more multi-touch, a brand new version of Mail and file versioning.
Factor in AirDrop wireless sharing, Safari's new Reading List, the new Resume feature, Mission Control and Launchpad and you've got enough to keep Steve Jobs saying "boom" for days.
iOS 5
We're expecting a major upgrade of Apple's iPod, iPad and iPhone OS in the form of iOS 5, although we don't expect to get our hands on it before September. iCloud integration is a given, and it'll be interesting to see if the purported "deep voice control" makes an appearance.
Improved notifications should remove one of the more annoying things about iOS, and it's possible that Spaces and Widgets will make their merry way from OS X to iOS. Bad news for iPhone 3GS owners, though: that model's expected to drop off the iOS Happy List.
We're sure some of you are doing the Sad Mac Face at the apparent lack of hardware announcements, but if you take a step back and look at the combination of iCloud, iOS and OS X Lion you're looking at something really, really big.
After all, these are really major changes to Apple's desktop and mobile OSes that blur the line between Macs and iPod/Phone/Pad and connect everything to the cloud. And that's much more interesting than an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5.
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Tags: iOS, Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, mobile phones, mobile
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Acer Iconia M500 MeeGo-running tablet revealed
Acer has unveiled its MeeGo tablet offering over at Computex this week, with the 10-inch Acer Iconia M500 taking its first tentative steps into the world.
MeeGo 1.2, the fruits of a collaboration between Nokia and Intel (although the latter has now pretty much disowned the project) was unveiled at a developers conference last week.
Acer's MeeGo slate is a 10-inch tablet with a 1280 x 800 resolution display, with an Intel Atom processor, previously code-named Moorestown, under the hood.
The skinny
It's running a skinned up version of the OS, with live widgets of the most-used applications running on the homescreen, with a funny record-shaped 'Acer circle' acting as some kind of media-player-cum-multitasking centre, as far as we can tell.
There's definitely rear-mounted 5MP camera with flash and it looks as though there's a front-facing snapper too.
No word yet on Acer Iconia M500 UK release date or price, but Acer has said that the slate is, er, slated for release at the end of the year.
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Apple set to integrate Twitter into iOS 5?
Apple may be about to make it easier for users to upload images to Twitter in iOS 5 from within the operating system's menus.
It's another unusual move from Apple, which yesterday announced the topics for its WWDC keynote which include revealing the new iOS.
Multiple sources have apparently confirmed the Twitter integration to TechCrunch, saying that 'Send to Twitter' will be an option on photos just as 'Send to YouTube' is for videos in the iOS gallery.
Photokind
This ties in nicely with Twitter's plans to create its own photo hosting service, effectively sounding the death knell for sites like Twitpic and Yfrog.
If Apple's going to integrate Twitter into the photo gallery menu, we can't help but wonder if Facebook can be far behind.
Luckily, WWDC is just five days away – all will be revealed by Steve Jobs himself on Monday.
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Facebook 'unwilling' to do deal with Google
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has revealed that Google tried to partner with Facebook but was rebuffed in its attempts to strike a deal.
Speaking at the D9 section of the AllThingsD conference, Schmidt confirmed that a deal was investigated but refused to go into detail over what Google was trying to achieve:
"We tried very hard to partner with Facebook," he said, according to Reuters. "They were unwilling to do the deal."
"Three years ago I wrote memos talking about this general problem. I knew that I had to do something and I failed to do it. A CEO should take responsibility, I screwed up."
Let's all get social
Schmidt did reveal that Google is still attempting to become the 'alternative' to Facebook, believing that identity-based social features are one of the things he has 'admired' from the company rivalling Google for top dog on the internet.
According to TechCrunch Schmidt said that Google would be looking to add such things into its services, but as a way to add value rather than take on the Zucker-powered behemoth.
He also said that Google had recently re-signed a deal with Apple to continue using the company's mapping services on the iPad and iPhone for the foreseeable future, quashing rumours Apple is set to launch its own rival platform.
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Microsoft promises Windows 8 details tomorrow?
Microsoft appears to be readying a more in-depth look at its forthcoming Windows 8 platform at the Computex event in Taipei tomorrow.
According to Engadget, during Microsoft's Computex Keynote Steven Guggenheimer, corporate VP for the OEM division, said that the company will announce plans for the 'next version' of Windows.
Given the multiple claims and retractions around Windows 8 so far, we're loathe to say Ballmer's Bunch is going to show off screenshots or give a Windows 8 release date, but it seems the company is finally ready to talk to the world about the new platform.
Tablet time?
Earlier reports suggest that Microsoft will be showing off its new Windows 8 tablet platform, which may be limited to a single set of reference specifications, in a similar way to Windows Phone 7.
Windows 8 is set to be an evolution to the popular PC platform, featuring UI tweaks and mostly improving the speed of users's systems
However, given that Microsoft only recently came out and denied Ballmer's claims that Windows 8 even exists, we're intrigued to see what will be spoken about tomorrow at 10AM Taipei time (2AM to us Brits).
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eBay complains to Ofcom about mobile internet
eBay has issued a complaint to Ofcom about the UK's mobile broadband infrastructure, claiming that British companies are missing-out on big money.
The online auction site commissioned research, which it claims proves that 16 per-cent of the UK is still an "m-commerce not-spot".
In those rural areas, mobile spending is at least 20 per cent lower than the national average and eBay reckons its costing UK company's around £1.3 billion a year.
A 4G fix?
To that end eBay has taken its data to communications' governing body Ofcom in a bid to ensure that the forthcoming 4G roll-out serves the rural areas that are currently missing out.
"Mobile shopping represents a massive opportunity not just for retailers, but for the economy as a whole," said eBay UK retail director Angus McCarey.
"But our research shows that consumers and retailers are missing out as the cost and reliability of mobile broadband prevents shoppers from spending."
Ofcom is currently entertaining bids for the roll-out of a 4G LTE mobile broadband infrastructure, but is currently only demanding that 95 per cent of the UK be covered.
Rural broadband campaigners want to see that figure raised to 98 per cent and by the look of things, so does eBay.
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Nokia shares drop to lowest since 1998
Nokia's share price dropped a whopping 15 per cent on Tuesday and, as a result, is now at its lowest since 1998.
The shock tailspin came after the company was forced to realign its profit forecasts for the forthcoming quarter, admitting it may only break even between April and June 2011.
The crisis-hit Finns admitted that profits will be "substantially lower" than the 6 - 9 percent margin it had initally expected, due to faltering handset sales across the globe.
On top of that, Nokia has also decided it is no longer a good idea to make forecasts for the rest of the year, as fears grow that the company could even post a loss for the first time in over a decade.
Worse to come
Caroline Milanesi, of the Gartner research firm, told the Guardian that the company is probably yet to hit its lowest ebb.
"It's going to get worse before it gets better," she said. "The second quarter should be the worst – if it isn't then they have worse problems than we thought they did.
"In the third and fourth quarter this year there will be new products. If they can't get traction with those then it will be a big issue."
Nokia is now pinning is hopes of a revival on the WIndows Phone operating system and is set to start pumping out Microsoft-infused handsets at the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012.
Will it be too little too late?
Source: Guardian
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Report: Apple iCloud signs-up all major music labels
Apple has secured the rights to stream music from each of the four major record labels ahead of the launch of its iCloud service next week, according to reports.
Following today's surprise revelation from Apple that its music streaming service will arrive at WWDC, it appears that there'll be no restrictions on which artists users will be able to access.
With the Sony, Warner Bros and EMI deals already completed, Apple will ink an agreement with the last major label Universal later this week, according to the WSJ.
Record labels might control the right to the all-important recordings of songs, but there's one more big hurdle Steve Jobs and co. need to clear before next week's big launch.
Labels? Check. Publishers...
With the big-four labels seemingly in the bag, Apple's focus will be on agreeing deals with music publishers, which control the copyright to lyrics, tunes and melodies.
According to the WSJ report, talks with publishers aren't as advanced, leaving Apple facing a race against time to have everything completed in time for Steve Jobs' keynote on Monday.
Rumour killer
Apple took the unprecedented step of emailing the media today to announce what it'll be launching at the Worldwide Developers' Conference, almost a week before Jobs steps on stage.
As well as the iCloud streaming service, we'll get our first look at iOS 5 and the final version of Mac OS 10.7 Lion.
While there's always the hope that we'll see a surprise "One more thing" from Jobs, everything we've heard points to that not being a new iPhone.
Source: WSJ
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