Opinion: Violent videogames protected by US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court has afforded videogames the same free speech protection as the First Amendment grants to literature and the movies, refusing to let California ban the sale of violent games to children.
For the most part, this was an expected victory. The surprising part is just how overwhelming it was, with five out of seven judges ultimately backing gaming. In short, games are now officially integrated into modern society, and longer have to fear being treated as a special case by the law. That's a hell of a jump from the 90s, when (usually inoffensive) games like Night Trap were officially being dragged over the coals and treated as if Satan himself was listed as the Executive Producer.
It's also notable just what the points of dissent actually were. One dissenting justice simply didn't believe the law under review, as proposed by California, violated the First Amendment and was therefore fine.
The other, Justice Thomas, objected on the grounds that... wait for it... children don't count as people, and the Puritan thought fathers should have absolute power over their children. "It would be absurd to suggest that such a society understood 'the freedom of speech' to include a right to speak to minors without going through the minors' parents," he wrote in his dissent, presumably by candlelight, somewhere in the 17th century, before classifying games along with "Vain Books, profane Ballads, and filthy Songs", as well as "fabulous Histories of Giants, the bombast Achievements of Knight Errantry, and the like." Good grief...
UK implications
As is often the case, what makes this an interesting legal battle from a UK perspective is how much of it revolves around the constitution, rather than whether or not the law itself would actually be a good idea.
After all, here the situation is usually reversed - the standard complaint is that it's too easy for a 13 year old to walk into a store and emerge with a copy of Grand Theft Auto. We're used to our games - along with movies - having age ratings, and to those ratings being backed up by the weight of the law. It works, largely because there's no stigma attached to the 18 rating in the same way as the dreaded Adults Only mark in the US.
At the same time, it's not hard to see why people are up in arms. We accept movies and games being rated by the BBFC (and in the case of games, PEGI) largely because of precedent.
Would there be outcry if books and similar were suddenly given the same treatment? Absolutely, and with good cause. Classification is far from censorship, but it's a slippery slope from one to the other, and any new step down that slope is best avoided.
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of legislation to protect children, the games industry might have ended up with a system like ours... which generally works, except for the occasional facepalm moment like the fuss over Manhunt 2... or one that evolved into the hyper-paranoid German system, where even games like Bulletstorm that get an equally enforced 18+ rating often end up hitting the shelves stripped of their blood and gore. Nobody wants that.
The free speech debate clearly isn't over. The Supreme Court has a way of stripping First Amendment protection from works it deems obscene - the Miller Test (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_test). Likewise, games will still suffer the standard prior restraint of having to worry about what shops will be willing to sell, regardless of what kids can buy.
Officially, though, it's a win. The playing field is even. Games have as much protection as any other entertainment, at least in the US, and where the US leads, the rest of the world tends to follow. That's a triumph worth savouring, even as we wait for the next big game that feels the need to put it to the test.
 |  |
Read More ...
Google faces fines over app refund row
Google has been fined Tw$1,000,000 (£21,620) by officials in Taipei after refusing to change its app return policy.
Taiwan has a stringent consumer protection law in place, specifying that customers must get a seven day cooling off period after buying any product online during which they can return it for a full refund.
Google, however, only gives customers fifteen minutes to return an app after buying and deciding they don't want it.
App-athy
On 8 June, the city government ruled that Apple, as well as Google, had contravened the law, but while Apple amended its rules in accordance with the law, Google has not.
And we can see why – giving people a week to use an app as much as they want and then return it for a full refund a week later is the equivalent of buying a dress, wearing it to a party then returning it to the shop the next day. Such behaviour could damage Android developers' profits, as well as Google's own.
Although refusing to comment on the situation, Google is reportedly sending US execs over to Taiwan to discuss the matter, but it faces similar subsequent fines if it doesn't change its ways by 1 July.
| |
Read More ...
Review: HP Compaq Presario CQ62-220SA
Manufacturing giant HP has its own entry-level Compaq Presario range, which offers home and business machines at unbelievably low prices. The Compaq Presario CQ62-220SA is a cheap and perfectly serviceable budget portable.
An Intel Celeron 900 processor provides basic performance, but good enough for browsing the web and running simple office applications such as word processors. However, if you think you'll need to run several applications at once, you'd be better off with the Acer Aspire 5741Z.
The HP Compaq Presario CQ62-220SA has simple integrated graphics to cut costs. Unfortunately, it scored low in our benchmark tests, proving good enough only for viewing your photos and playing standard-definition movies.
HD movies are unplayable, displaying more like a slideshow, while only the most basic games, such as Bejewelled, will run well.
Benchmarks
Battery life: 215 minutes
Mobilemark 2007: 210
3Dmark 2003: 1562
Standard storage
Most users will be satisfied with the 250GB of storage offered by the HP Compaq Presario CQ62-220SA, which offers enough room to store around 50,000 photos or MP3s. If you need to install a lot of software or have a large media collection, you'll be better served by the Acer Aspire 5741Z's 320GB hard drive.
Despite the boring black design, we were impressed by this laptop's build quality. The firm chassis proved resistant to knocks and scuff marks, and it's easily portable at 2.5kg, even if it is rather bulky.
The battery lasts 215 minutes between charges, which isn't great compared to its rivals in this price point, but isn't the worst either.
The keyboard is just as firm as the body, with slightly bevelled edges to distinguish between the keys. It's comfortable to use, but annoyingly has a row of shortcut buttons along the left edge which we kept hitting by mistake when we wanted the Ctrl or Shift keys. The touchpad is integrated into the palmrest, and is spacious and sensitive.
The 15.6-inch Super-TFT screen is reasonably colourful, although not as vibrant as the eMachines G627-202G25Mi's display. However, if you want to enjoy movies or music on your laptop, the integrated Altec Lansing speakers put out impressively strong sound considering the price.
If you have a wireless network at home, you can connect to the internet using 802.11n Wi-Fi. An alternative option is 10/100 Ethernet, which allows you to network by plugging the laptop directly into a modem. Other ports are standard, with three USB ports and VGA and HDMI connections available.
Verdict
If your needs extend only as far as browsing the web and your photo collection, the HP Compaq Presario CQ62-220SA is a cheap and cheerful laptop that does the job. It's well built and portable, with only a few dodgy niggles.
| |
Read More ...
Slinky Sony Vaio Z Series unveiled with media dock
Sony has revealed its latest Vaio laptop in the form of the Vaio Z Series; a 13.1-inch notebook complete with special media dock.
Every notebook and its USB cable is being lauded as super thin, super stylish and super light these days, and the Vaio Z Series is no exception.
But it actually is pretty slim with its 'full flat' body just 0.05mm thicker than the fattest point of a MacBook Air and weighs in at 1.2kg, which is about half the weight of the 15-inch MacBook Pro.
And styling… well, it's made from carbon fibre, that's got to count for something?
And now the actual tech…
What it lacks in eye-catching looks, it makes up for in grunt – what with its Intel Core i7 processor, DDR3 SDRAM and up to 256 SSD RAID storage plus built-in 3G connectivity on selected models.
The 13.1-inch high-res anti-reflective screen clocks up 1600x900 resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio, perfect for displaying all that HD video you're going to shoot with the, um, webcam.
There's also a rather snazzy-sounding optional extra in the form of the Power Media Dock. As well as offering extra USB, VGA and HDMI ports, the dock offers high speed Light Peak data transfer – that's the same thing that Apple is calling Thunderbolt, only Sony doesn't want you to call it that, we can't think why.
Shipping with Windows 7 Pro with service pack one, the Sony Vaio Z Series UK release date is scheduled for the end of July 2011, with pricing to be confirmed.
And now another laptop…
Also announced today is the Vaio Y Series, a tiny 11.6-inch notebook with an ergonomic touchpad, six hours of battery life (or so Sony reckons) and an HDMI-out for showing media content on a big-screen TV.
And if that wasn't enough, there's also the bright and perky Vaio E and C series to revere as well.
| |
Read More ...
Pentax launches orange version of WG-1
Pentax has announced an addition of a new shiny orange version of the PENTAX Optio WG-1 GPS waterproof digital compact camera range.
The Optio WG-1 has unique GPS functions such as the recording and storage of positioning log data during travelling and is waterproof, shockproof, coldproof, dustproof and crushproof.
The new Shiny Orange version was designed in response to demand from outdoor enthusiasts. Featuring a high-quality finish in brilliant-orange with an aluminium-alloy front panel, a gunmetal-grey rubber coating has also been applied to the edge of the camera body.
Along with its rugged characteristics, the WG-1 GPS has a 14 megapixel sensor, 5x wide-angle optical zoom lens, a 3 inch LCD screen, HD movie recording, macro shooting from 1cm and AF tracking.
The Shiny Orange Optio WG1-GPS will be available from the beginning of August 2011, with an RRP of £299.99. To find more information, visit the Pentax website.
| |
Read More ...
Sony Vaio E and C series laptops announced
Sony has taken the wraps off its latest laptop range, announcing updates to its Vaio E and Vaio C range.
Although not in the same league style wise as the Sony Z series, both the E and C range add some texture and colour respectively to the laptop market.
The Sony E Series consists of two screen sizes: 15.5-inch and 17.3-inch. The laptops have been given a textured finish - while we presumed this was so that you can find your laptop in a darkened room, Sony believes that the new texture makes the laptop easier to hold while on the go.
The Vaio E series has a number of features, including Blu-ray playback, a Quick Web button, HDMI output, Bluetooth 3.0 and a keyboard which has a separate numerical keyboard, so all you number crunchers out there can breathe a sigh of relief.
If you prefer colour over texture, then the Vaio C range is the one for you. The C series offers up laptops in 14-inch and 15.5-inch screen sizes and also gives you a choice of fashion colours.
Essentially this means colours so garish, that you need to fashion sunglasses to shield your eyes. If you want to be really trendy, like Shoreditch circa 1998, then you can also choose to have your laptops emblazoned with LEDs which will give your computer a 'glow' apparently.
Be warned, this glow may light up your life but it is no substitute for a real-life person.
If you opt for the larger size, then you can have a Blu-ray drive, there's also USB 3.0 on board and Bluetooth 3.0.
The laptops are also 3D capable – well, the HDMI port is, so you can play 3D Blu-rays through the laptop.
The new Vaio range UK release date is July, with the C series pricing from £599 and the E series from £469.
| |
Read More ...
Competition: WIN! One of three Chromebooks from Google
Last month at Google I/O Google unveiled the new Chromebooks from Acer and Samsung.
We've teamed up with the folks at Google to offer you the chance to win one of three Chromebooks from Google.
The new machine features Google's new browser-based Chrome OS – all your details and apps are stored in the cloud so you'll never be without your files or settings.
Google has worked with their expert puzzle master to design a puzzle that should keep you busy for a while. If you're up to the challenge and are one of the first three to come up with the correct solution, you can win a new Chromebook!
Click here to enter the Google Chromebook competition
The Samsung Chromebook 5 series has a UK release date of 1 July, but you can pre-order it already - it's priced at £399 for the 3G version and £349 for the Wi-Fi only flavour.
Note that this is only available to UK residents and you have to be 18 years or older to enter. Please see the Official Rules.
| |
Read More ...
Acer Iconia Tab A500 gets the snip down to 16GB
Acer has unveiled a new version of its Iconia Tab A500, coming with 16GB of internal storage as opposed to the original model's 32GB.
It also comes with a shiny new price tag, available for £350 – that's undercutting the 16GB iPad 2 by £50.
The Iconia Tab A500 is an Android Honeycomb tablet, and the new iteration still comes with a 10.1-inch display, 1080p output, HDMI port and aluminium casing.
Bulky bear
With a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, it should still provide the solid 3.5 star performance that we evaluated on the 32GB model in our official TechRadar review.
Sadly, the tablet's bulky design, which we weren't very impressed with, will also be present and correct in the memory-light model.
But if you're after a bargain Android tablet that can still deliver the goods, the 16GB Acer Iconia Tab A500 could be a goer.
| |
Read More ...
In Depth: Will Windows, OS X and Android go 3D?
3D is everywhere. It's in the movies. It's in TVs. It's in gaming PCs. It's even rumoured to be coming to the iPad 3, although we're taking that particular rumour with a huge pinch of salt.
One place 3D doesn't appear, though, is in our desktop operating systems - or at least, it doesn't appear in operating systems yet. Could Windows 9 be Windows 3D?
Three kinds of 3D
In user interfaces, there are three kinds of 3D. There's 3D input, where sensors track an object - a mouse, or your hand - in three-dimensional space. There's simulated 3D output, where a two-dimensional display portrays a 3D environment: think Apple's Cover Flow, or Windows' Flip 3D, or Microsoft Photosynth. And there's real 3D output, where interface elements are displayed in three dimensions.
3D input is already here. 3D mice are used by architects, modellers and other professional types, and you'll find a 3D interface in millions of front rooms: Microsoft's Kinect, which can tell not only where you are and what you're wiggling, but how far from the sensor you're wiggling it.
ABOVE: 3D mice already exist: firms such as 3Dconnexion offer 3D mice for architects and other 3D specialists
It's clever and great for gaming, but it's also imprecise, tiring and needs an enormous amount of space to work effectively. Nevertheless, the newly published software development kit means Kinect is coming to Windows - although from what we've seen so far, it'll be a while before we're controlling Excel charts by waggling our fingers.
The 3D PC
3D PCs already exist - that's what Microsoft and Nvidia call their 3D technology for PC gaming - but will we ever see a 3D Windows? Phil Eisler is Nvidia's general manager of 3D Vision. "We believe that a 3D UI for Windows could work," he says.
"Windows already has different UI options including Basic and Aero Glass mode, which already uses some 3D effects and would be much better if the desktop was actually rendered in stereoscopic 3D. Icons could be organised in a volumetric way. I've seen designs based on an office, or blocks of a city, for example... the volumetric space of a 3D viewing system provides more space for organising icons, applications and other desktop elements to make it easier to work with. 3D has been used for years in data visualisation and so it can help with the understanding and retention of 3D graphs."
BASIC: Painting with Kinect is cute, but it's hardly Minority Report. It'll be a while before useful Kinect apps appear
One issue that may be preventing widespread use of 3D is the requirement for special glasses, and as Eisler points out, it'll be a while before that particular issue is addressed.
"The problem with glasses-free is that is has trade-offs in resolution and viewing angle that are generally not acceptable," he says."The resolution is typically half or less, and the viewing angle can be as narrow as 10 degrees.Therefore, glasses will be required for the foreseeable future to get full resolution and a wide viewing angle that is required for an application like an operating system UI."
Glasses are becoming more comfortable, but some people can't use them for very long. Manufacturers of 3DSes and 3D TVs alike warn us not to let under-sevens view 3D displays, and some adults may have issues too.
As Larry Benjamin, Chair of the Education Committee for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, explains: "Approximately 2-3% of the population can't see 3D because of early onset squint, or an eye problem that develops later in life - and you need good vision in both eyes to be able to see 3D."
UK charity The Eyecare Trust reckons that as many as 12% of people may find 3D uncomfortable because of uncorrected vision problems.
3D that isn't 3D
One solution that should work for everyone is pseudo-3D. The forthcoming Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich uses head-tracking to monitor the movement of your face, adjusting the on-screen image accordingly to give the illusion of looking around a three-dimensional object.
That's not the only kind of 3D Google's looking into. In 2010, it acquired BumpTop, whose software turned a traditional PC desktop into something more like a three-dimensional desk. It makes navigation and organisation much more natural, and it isn't hard to imagine it working on an Android tablet or Surface system - anything with a touch screen or the ability to recognise hand movements.
Apple is clearly thinking in similar ways. MacRumors uncovered an Apple patent, filed in 2007, for a "multidimensional desktop" where your desktop extends to the horizon - think Time Machine, but for the entire OS.
It's quite possible that Apple merely patented an idea it has no intention of implementing, but the level of detail in the supplied images suggests otherwise.
OS X 3D: Could OS X 10.8 be in 3D? Probably not, but Apple's patents show a 3D OS that looks awfully familiar
The Sun Microsystems-sponsored Project Looking Glass takes a similar approach on platforms including Linux and Windows.
Rather than display objects that look 3D, future displays could actually change their shape. We already have prototype screens that you can feel with your fingers, and Microsoft is taking that idea even further.
Late last year, Microsoft filed a patent application for what it calls a "light-induced shape-memory polymer display screen" that uses a light-sensitive polymer to change its physical shape. Your screen could "grow" a keyboard, or a gaming D-pad, or Braille lettering, or anything else developers fancy making. Don't get too excited, though: the patent is an idea rather than a working piece of technology, so - assuming it's even feasible - such screens are several years away.
3D PC: Sun Microsystems sponsors Project Looking Glass, a 3D overlay for Windows and Linux
To 3D or not 3D
You could argue that Microsoft's ill-fated Microsoft Bob (1995) was an attempt to make Windows more three-dimensional, and in the 1990s VRML promised a 3D internet. As you might have noticed, we aren't using Bob and the web is still 2D. Are things different now?
The hardware certainly is - 3D acceleration and technologies such as WebGL can deliver Doom in a browser - but 3D isn't just about technology: for it to become part of our operating systems it needs to address a specific need, and that means it needs to deliver something genuinely useful rather than the same old stuff with a 3D sheen.
So far, it hasn't done that. Gord Kurtenbach is Autodesk's director of research. "Many people believe that because in the real world we navigate 3D physical spaces with ease, 3D navigation should make navigation of 3D virtual spaces easy as well," he says.
"However, everything changes when the space is behind the piece of glass of the display monitor. Suddenly it becomes hard, like learning to fly an airplane using controls. So the old idea that your desktop will be easier to use if it's a 3D virtual space that you can navigate around hasn't really made things easier."
Will future operating systems embrace both 3D input and output? Nvidia's Eisler thinks so. "Gesture recognition systems such as Kinect are a natural extension of computer vision and seem like a very promising input mechanism for the future of computing," he says.
"They work very well with a stereoscopic 3D display system to create a more immersive and easier to use interface with your computer.Add voice recognition and a nice looking avatar and the computer may be able to replace the dog as man's best friend."
| |
Read More ...
Twitter for Newsrooms: tweeting gets media savvy
Twitter has revealed a new portal for journalists and newshounds called Twitter for Newsrooms.
The media section of the site breaks Twitter down to make it easier for journalists to use the micro-blog more productively.
It's split into four new categories: Report, Engage, Publish and Extra. From here you can check out the recommendations Twitter gives to those who want to use the site as a story source.
Tools of the trade
"We want to make our tools easier to use so you can focus on your job: finding sources, verifying facts, publishing stories, promoting your work and yourself – and doing all of it faster and faster all the time," said Twitter about the new site.
Twitter is already a handy tool for journalists, given the amount of breaking stories that appear on the site first and the rise of citizen journalism.
It's been an all-too-frequent occurrence to see unverified and untrue stories making Twitter's trending topics, so it is good to see Twitter offering a more formal approach to its media offerings.
For more information, get yourself over to http://media.twitter.com/newsrooms.
| |
Read More ...
Accused LulzSec hacker bailed but banned from the internet
Ryan Cleary, the teenager arrested last week under suspicion of involvement with the now-disbanded LulzSec, has been bailed on the condition that he stays offline.
As well as the internet ban, Cleary's internet-enabled gadgets have been confiscated, including his computer, iPhone and PlayStation 3.
Cleary denies the five charges against him, which include using DDoS attacks to take down various websites.
LulzSec, which has now called it a day, also denied that Cleary was involved in the collective at a high level, rather that his servers merely hosted some of its sites.
Worthwhile pursuits
His solicitor told reporters, "Ryan has last week at court been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of high functioning autism.
"He will now be provided with the professional support that he needs. His obvious intelligence can now be channelled into a worthwhile pursuit."
Without any web-connected doodahs to play with, Cleary won't be doing any hacking, gaming or surfing the web while awaiting trial at the end of August.
He will be wearing an electronic tag while on bail, however; there's got to be a bit on tinkering he can do with that...
| |
Read More ...
LG DM50D 3D monitor arrives
LG has announced the DM50D 3D monitor, using its Cinema 3D TV technology in a desk friendly form factor.
LG suggests that the size and weight of current 3D monitors and the lack of 3D content for PCs was limiting consumer interest in adding an extra dimension to their computing.
The LG DM50D is billed, a little inevitably, as the 'perfect platform for 3D gaming and movie watching'.
Consumer research
"Our consumer research showed that while interest in 3D monitors was high, there were certain misgivings about the cumbersome glasses, reported health concerns and lack of 3D content," said Si-hwan Park, vice president of the monitor division at LG's Home Entertainment Company.
"Through CINEMA 3D technology, the DM50D addresses all of these concerns, leaving users free to be completely immersed in the best quality 3D content and gaming on any monitor on the market today."
The passive display also comes with 'flicker free' certification, brightness that is apparently twice as high as other 3D monitors and a promise from LG that the combination of these two things could cut down on "3D sickness".
The LG DM50D UK release date is July, with other markets to follow.
| |
Read More ...
Review: Asus N53SV-SX303V
Asus is best known for its dinky Eee PC netbooks, but also produces some excellent multimedia laptops. The N53SV-SX303V packs in an impressive specification for the price, making it a strong desktop replacement choice.
If your needs are demanding – for instance, you wish to run complex design software that would make most computers weep – the Asus is a great solution.
The Intel Core i5 Sandy Bridge processor can run several resource-hogging applications at once, backed up by 6GB of memory. Performance came very close to the Lenovo W520 and Toshiba Satellite L755-15R.
Even with all this power, multimedia software such as video editing suites would struggle without a dedicated graphics card on board. The Asus packs an Nvidia GPU, like the Lenovo and Acer. This can easily run any creative software and features Optimus technology, which shuts the GPU down when not in use to conserve battery power. The resulting five hours is an excellent result.
Benchmarks
Battery life: 307 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 290
3DMark 2003: 20,829
Despite having a 15.6-inch screen like most of the laptops here, the Asus is one of the bulkiest devices in the group. At a whopping 3kg, it's almost as heavy as the 17.3-inch HP Pavilion DV7-6002sa, so the Asus is best left on a desk at home, despite boasting a durable build and an excellent five hours of battery life.
Thankfully, that extra space is well used by the keyboard. The board is just as firm as the chassis and comfortable to type on for long sessions, with a dedicated numeric keypad for data entry. We also liked the smooth touchpad, which supports multi-touch gesturing.
Reasonable screen
The screen is reasonably bright and produces colourful images, like most of the displays here. It does the job if you're editing photos or video and you can hook up an external monitor or television via VGA or HDMI if you need a bigger screen.
When your creative juices dry up, you can kick back and enjoy a high-definition Blu-ray film. Movies sound surprisingly good, thanks to the Bang & Olufsen ICEpower speakers, which blast out music and explosions at an impressive volume. You can also play the latest games thanks to the dedicated graphics.
The 640GB hard drive provides plenty of space for all of your files and applications, and is only narrowly beaten by the HP's 750GB of storage.
Although lugging the N53SV-SX303V around with you isn't recommended due to the bulky and heavy chassis, it makes a great desktop replacement machine for the creative enthusiast. Tons of power and excellent dedicated graphics make short work of even the most demanding design suites.
| |
Read More ...
Google rolls out What Do You Love? for unified search
Google has snuck out a new service, dubbed What Do You Love?, which allows you to search for whatever you love across all of its various properties at once.
So, telling Google that we love hats brought us images of hats, hat patents, nearby hats, news about hats and a quick and easy option to set up Google Alerts about hats or to email someone about hats.
All this and more crammed onto one long dashboard-like page, with the various widgets changing order with every new search.
'Awesomely awesome'
You can then click the Gmail icon and Google will create a slightly twee email for you to send your friends, which comes with the subject line 'Hey this is awesomely awesome' and describes the service as a 'wonderful things dashboard'.
A wonderful things dashboard, perhaps – but it serves more as a tool for Google to point you in the direction of lesser-used products than just search.
What's strange is that Google hasn't made much of a fuss about the new service, which seems to be completely up and running at www.wdyl.com.
| |
Read More ...
Review: Toshiba Satellite Pro C660-15z
Toshiba's Satellite range, like Acer's Aspire series, covers the entire spectrum of laptops, from good-value portables to powerful media machines. The Satellite C660-15z is one of the cheapest Toshiba laptops you can currently buy and proves to offer great value with very few flaws.
Design is rather functional, but the plain black chassis is commendably solid. The lid is especially tough and can withstand some punishment, while the textured surfaces are resistant to dust and marks.
While this laptop isn't as slender as the Acer, it's a shade lighter at just 2.4kg. We got just over four hours of battery life from a single charge, making this one of the most portable machines in the group. If you need a laptop to carry around often, the Toshiba will do the job.
With an Intel Celeron processor and 2GB of memory on board, performance is near identical to the HP and better than the eMachines. You can browse the web and run all of your office applications, although trying to do too much at once will slow everything down.
If you have more demanding needs, such as running resource-hungry editing suites, you'd be better off with the Acer Aspire 5741z.
This is also true if you plan on playing with your media; for example, editing photos or watching high-definition (HD) movies. The Toshiba's basic integrated graphics are good only for browsing your holiday snaps and watching DVDs – any attempts to play HD films fail immediately.
Benchmarks
Battery life: 246 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 127
3DMark 2003: 1544
The 15.6-inch screen is reasonably sharp, bright and perfect for long sessions on the internet, while photos and movies are colourfully reproduced. Contrast levels are strong, but viewing angles are narrow with images darkening when you tilt the display.
Toshiba has made the most of the chassis space, filling it with a firm keyboard and a dedicated numeric keypad. We could happily type on this laptop all day, thanks to the smooth key action. The touchpad is a little squat, but just as responsive with two mouse buttons positioned beneath.
Limited ports
Ports are scant, with a mere two USB connections for attaching peripherals and a VGA port for hooking up monitors.
The 250GB hard drive provides enough storage space for thousands of pictures and MP3s, and is only narrowly beaten by the Acer. There's no integrated camera, so if you want to chat online you should consider the Acer or eMachines instead.
Verdict
Overall, the Satellite C660-15z provides great value for money. Although both performance and design are lacking compared to the Acer, this is a well-built, highly usable and effortlessly portable laptop.
| |
Read More ...
Opera 11.50 adds Speed Dial extensions to the mix
Opera has announced a couple of new additions to its browser this week, with the launch of Opera 11.50.
The updated browser now comes with Speed Extensions, which are essentially in-browser apps to make your web surfing that little bit swifter.
Web apps made an appearance in Google Chrome so Opera isn't the first to use this type of browser app but it is hoping that its Speed Dial extensions will prove to be popular.
"We think Speed Dial extensions are a smarter way of getting to the content you want and need," said Opera about the new service.
Web app-reciation
The list of Speed Dial extensions Opera highlights isn't exactly going to set your mind on fire, but you can check stocks at a glance (with StockTwits), a Webdoc extension that allows you to create interactive web posts and the Hype Machine, which offers up tracks from various music blogs.
One of the more interesting is Read It Later – an extension that acts a bit like StumbleUpon, where it will give you random articles to read from your own archive of stories.
Aside from web apps, Opera has added password synchronisation, fixed thousands of bugs and spruced up its HTML5 functionality.
| |
Read More ...
Tutorial: 12 disc burning tips
You could be forgiven for thinking that CDs and DVDs are outmoded technologies. With flash memory getting cheaper and the cloud becoming ever more pervasive, storing data on circles of plastic-coated aluminium seems little better than chiselling ones and noughts on slabs of stone.
But it's not that simple. How will the cloud help if your PC won't boot? Is a thumb drive any use if you want to play a movie in your vintage DVD player?
Like it or not, CDs and DVD still have their place in the world. They're cheap, easy to make and can often work as a brilliant bridging mechanism between different devices and data formats.
Here are 12 disc burning tips to help you squeeze more data onto a disc, burn audio discs and more.
1. How to make a data disc
Windows' own data disc burning routines can be slow and frustrating, and don't always produce a disc that can be read by other devices. You're better off using a dedicated disc-burning program like CD BurnerXP or ImgBurn.
These make burning data to disc simpler, and avoid the need to cache the whole disc contents to a temporary folder in the process.
If you're using CD BurnerXP, launch the program and choose 'Data disc'. Browse to the files or folders you want to include and drag them onto the lower pane. Check the indicator to see how full your disc is. Click 'Burn' to write your files to disc.
In ImgBurn, choose 'Write files/folders to disc', then drag the files you want to burn into the left-hand pane. Click the 'Build' button and the program checks your compilation, offering corrections to make the disc compatible with most devices. It can also verify the data on the disc after burning it.
2. How to overburn a disc
Launch CD BurnerXP, insert the disc you want to write to, and add the files or folders you want to burn. If the data size exceeds that of the disc by only a small amount, click 'Burn' and then choose 'Overburn' when you're warned about the mismatch.
If the disc burns successfully, test it to see that all the files have been transferred. The smaller the overburn, the less likely you are to have problems.
3. How to burn a secure disc
The simplest way to encrypt files on a disc is to use TrueCrypt. Select 'Create volume | Create a file container | Standard TrueCrypt volume'. Choose 'Select file' and browse to where you want to store the container file. Enter a filename and save it. Provide your password and opt to format the volume.
You can mount it using TrueCrypt with your password, and use it to store sensitive files. Once you've added your files to this volume, burn the container file to disc using your disc-burning software.
4. How to make a bootable DOS disc
You might want to create a DOS boot disc if you have old games that only run under DOS. To do so, you need a PC with a floppy drive and a DOS boot disk, which you can download from www.bootdisk.com.
Use ImgBurn and choose 'Mode | Build'. Put your DOS boot floppy into the floppy disk drive. Choose 'Advanced | Bootable disc' and select 'Make image bootable'.
Choose 'Floppy Disc 1.44MB' as the emulation type and select your floppy drive under 'Extract boot image'. Add any other files you want to include. Insert your CD and click 'Burn'. Boot from this disc and it acts like the A: drive.
5. How to burn dual layer discs
Burning data to a dual-layer disc works in much the same way as creating a data disc, as long as you use a disc-burning program that supports dual-layer burning, and have a dual-layer capable disc and drive. However, if you want to create a video disc, you'll need to decide where the layer break comes, because there will be a slight pause here during playback.
In ImgBurn, choose 'Build mode' and add the DVD video files that you need for your project. Click the 'Burn' button and provide a volume label. ImgBurn shows some suggestions for the layer break position. Select one and click 'OK' to proceed.
6. How to burn an audio CDs
CDs that play in standard CD players need to be in Compact Disc Digital Audio format. Most music files are stored on a PC in compressed forms and need to be converted. Several programs are capable of doing this, including Windows Media Player, but CD BurnerXP provides a very simple interface.
Launch the program and choose 'Audio disc'. Click 'OK'. Browse to the audio files that you want to include in your disc and drag them into the lower pane in the order you want them to appear on the CD. Insert a CD and click 'Burn' to produce the final disc.
7. How to combine VOB files
DVDs recorded on camcorders or home DVD recorders save their contents in VOB, IFO and BUP files. The files with the extension VOB that contain the video, while the other types include disc information and backups.
You can play VOB files in VLC media player, but your files won't necessarily match up with chapters.
To get a full video, you may need to combine several VOB files. There's a simple program that will do this, called Join VOB Files Tool. Get it from here, then unzip the file and launch the executable.
Click 'Add VOB file' and browse to the files you want to join. Click 'Change file name' and supply the name and location for the joined up file, then click 'Join VOB files'.
8. How to burn a Blu-ray disc
To burn a Blu-ray disc, you'll need the disc itself and a drive capable of writing to it. ImgBurn supports Blu-ray recording. Launch it and choose Write Files/Folders to disc. For a data disc, add whatever files and folders you want to the 'Source' box.
If you have a video Blu-ray disc authored, you should have a folder labelled 'BDAV' or 'BDMV', and one labelled 'CERTIFICATE'. Browse for these and add them to your compilation.
Now select 'Options' on the right-hand side, then 'Data Type MODE1/2048'. For 'Filesystem' choose 'UDF', and for 'UDF revision' select '2.50'. Tick the box marked 'Recursive subdirectories'.
Now, on the 'Information' tab, click 'Calculate' to check you have enough space. Click 'Build' and provide a volume label when prompted.
9. How to create recovery files
Whenever you burn a data disc, you're likely to have some spare space. You could use this to store other files to ensure each disc is full up, or you could use it to better advantage by storing recovery files for the data that you've already put on your disc.
QuickPar is a data verification and recovery tool that lets you create recovery files from the originals. If anything goes missing, you can use these recovery files and what's left of the data to reconstruct the missing bits.
Launch QuickPar and click 'Add files'. Add all the files that you want included on your disc. Drag the 'Redundancy' slider until the data size matches your spare space. Click 'Create' to produce the PAR2 files. Once complete, return to your disc-burning program, add these PAR2 files and burn the disc.
10. How to restore from PAR2 files
Launch QuickPar and click 'Open'. Browse to one of the PAR2 files alongside the data that you copied from your damaged disc.
The software will detect any missing or damaged files and show them as it scans the data. As long as not too much data has been damaged, QuickPar can recover what's been lost. Click 'Repair' and wait for the program to restore the damaged files to their rightful place.
11. How to read damaged discs
If you find that a CD or DVD no longer reads properly and there are no visible fingerprints or scratches, you may be able to rescue some or most of the data using the free version of ISO Buster.
Insert your damaged disc and launch ISO Buster. Click 'Refresh' if it isn't detected. You'll see each session of recording on the disc. Choose 'File' and pick a session. Choose 'Extract session | Extract user data'. Provide a location to save this to disc. You can then open the image and restore intact files.
12. How to convert to ISO
Install ISO Recorder, which is available from here. Insert the disc you want to convert, right-click it in My Computer and choose 'Create image'.
In the resulting dialog, ensure the right drive is selected and browse to the location where you want to save the image file. Provide a filename. Click 'Next' and wait as the ISO image is generated. When it's complete, click 'Finish'. You can now browse to your ISO disc image file.
| |
Read More ...
Samsung-made Google Nexus Prime incoming?
Supposed details of the next Google Nexus handset have been leaked, suggesting that the handset could be a Samsung-made phone.
What we previously suspected would be called the Google Nexus 3 could in fact be dubbed the Google Nexus Prime, featuring a "Super AMOLED HD" display.
The presence of Super AMOLED anything makes it pretty clear that the manufacturing partner will be Samsung, which made the Google Nexus S, rather than LG as popular rumours speculated.
Mr Whippy
Speaking to BGR, sources confirmed that the processor will be an OMAP4460 affair, running Ice Cream Sandwich (possibly to be known as Android 4.0).
And that's not all; the source also suggested that there could be a whole host of "exclusive" Ice Cream Sandwich flagship devices made by each manufacturer, all released at around the same time.
And we wouldn't be much surprised if 'that time' turned out to be late August/early September, when we're anticipating seeing the iPhone 5 hit the shelves. Time to choose your side – it looks like Apple v Android is about to kick off for real.
| |
Read More ...
BT child abuse site blocker to be used by MPA
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is looking to the courts for an injunction to force BT to use its child abuse site blocking tool against a file-sharing website.
BT's Cleanfeed content blocking system was developed to block abusive content featuring children, using a list of bad sites provided by the Internet Watch Foundation.
It has only been used to stop BT users from accessing the specified abuse-related sites so far.
No to Newzbin
If granted, the injunction will force BT to blacklist Newzbin2, a news group that is known for providing its members with links to illegal film and music downloads.
"BT was chosen because it's the largest and already has the technology in place, through its Cleanfeed system, to block the site," a spokesperson for the MPA said.
"If this case is successful, we would hope that other ISPs would take note of the result."
The new action eerily echoes the secret plans being laid by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey and other copyright holders, which suggest election of an 'expert body' to rule on 'voluntary website blocking' where copyright infringement is suspected.
Meanwhile, BT doesn't have much to say on the matter: "We can confirm that we will be appearing in court, following an application for an injunction by members of the MPA. We have no further comment to make at this stage."
| |
Read More ...
Sony hacker takes up a job at Facebook
George Hotz, a hacker who managed to jailbreak the PS3, is now working for Facebook and it seems he will be helping the social network on its iOS app output.
This is according to SlashGear, which has figured out through various Facebook posts and a shout out in a developer podcast that GeoHot (to give him his hacking name) is now working under the tutelage of the social network.
As it hasn't been made official, it is not yet understood quite what Hotz is working on. It does look as if he will be helping out with iOS apps for the company, though.
Status update
It was revealed last week that Facebook was working on an iPad app and GeoHot has got some history with iOS, given that he was the creator of the limra1n exploit – which was the basis of the recent iOS 5 jailbreak.
In a Facebook update, Hotz pretty much confirmed he was a Facebook employee, stating that he had just come back from one of the company's hackathons.
It must have been nice for him to go to something that was to do with hacking a big corporate company, without the fear that the internet thought police were just around the corner ready to nab him.
| |
Read More ...
Tutorial: How to fix Mac network and internet problems
Network problems can be a total pain. Thankfully internet problems on the Mac are rare, but you can easily sort them out with a few short steps.
Here's our guide to the most common Mac network and internet problems along with some suggested solutions.
"Why can't I connect my Mac to the internet"
Most connections work by your Mac connecting to a modem/router, which connects to the internet. Things could be wrong between your computer and the router, or the router and the internet. Check the lights on the router and look up what they mean – they could show you where things are wrong.
Network diagnostics may also help pinpoint the problem; open System Preferences > Network, click Assist me… then Diagnostics…
If your Mac can talk to the router, it'll appear in AirPort Utility (Apple routers), in Safari by typing its IP address into the Address bar to open the setup screen (for third-party models, find the IP address in System Preferences > Network > AirPort/ Ethernet), or in the setup software that some routers have.
If you're trying to connect by AirPort and this doesn't work, try plugging an Ethernet lead directly between your Mac and the router? Any luck? If so, it looks like the problem's with the AirPort network (is MAC address filtering enabled, for example?).
If your Mac's talking to the router and you've still got no connection, the problem's between the router and the internet. Many routers have a setup wizard (Apple's is in AirPort Utility; third-party ones will be in the setup screens in Safari); work through this.
"Why is my Wi-Fi network not appearing?"
The router's on and the relevant lights are lit – the signal doesn't go on forever, so move closer to the box and see if it shows up in your network list. If it doesn't, the network name, or SSID, may have been hidden.
If you've got an Apple router, this is called a Closed Network. If you know the exact network name and security type, choose Join Other Network… from the AirPort menu and type in the name. If not, plug an Ethernet lead between your Mac and the router to check the network name.
With Apple routers, open AirPort Utility and look in the Airport > Wireless tab, or if you have a third-party model, find the router IP address in System Preferences > Network > Ethernet. Type this into a web browser to open the settings screen.
"My internet connection is really slow!"
Is it slow on every computer in your house? If so, it could be to do with the network or internet connection as opposed to your Mac. Or could someone be hogging bandwidth? If it is only your Mac, is Software Update downloading in the background? Could something else be running?
Also, go to Safari > Reset Safari… and tick every box. Have you got loads of browser extensions running? In Safari, go to Preferences > Extensions and uninstall the lot and reinstall the vital ones one at a time.
How to troubleshoot intermittent Wi-Fi
The AirPort icon in your menu bar will show you the strength of the signal – if this is only one or two bars, the problem could be that it's too weak where you are. Move closer to the router and see if that helps – if so, think about moving your router or getting a repeater unit.
Other causes of the connection dropping randomly could be that there's interference on the Wi-Fi channel your router's using, perhaps from nearby devices – go into its setup and change it to another.
It's also worth looking at the lights on the router – when the connection drops, do the lights change? If so, there could be a fault with the router, so contact the manufacturer for help or request a new one from your ISP.
Quick tip
Want to connect to your Mac from a PC can't see it?
Open Sharing in System Preferences, tick File Sharing and click Options… Make sure Share files and folders using SMB (Windows) is ticked.
| |
Read More ...
HTC: No 3D TV? Then you won't want a 3D phone
With the HTC Evo 3D UK release date falling in July or August – just a month or so after the HTC Sensation hit our shelves – you'd be forgiven for thinking that HTC could be doing itself out of some high-end sales.
But that's not how HTC sees it, arguing that, although spec-wise the Sensation and Evo 3D are very similar beasts, what they offer is quite different.
Graham Wheeler, director of commercialization and product management at HTC, explained at a press briefing that TechRadar attended: "We see the Evo 3D as future-proofing and helping to drive the 3D market ahead.
"3D won't necessarily come to all products, but we do see more 3D products coming – we'll save future announcements for the future."
3D TV
When asked if HTC thought that the Evo 3D would steal some of the newly-released Sensation's potential sales, he answered:
"The Sensation is quite different – it feels smaller, more tactile; whereas the Evo 3D is a serious media phone. It's very much a camera-phone.
"But if you don't already have a 3D [television] screen in your home, you probably won't want one."
| |
Read More ...
CDs still dominant but digital music growing fast in UK
The Official Charts Company has revealed that CDs still account for some 80 per cent of the music market, although digital album sales have now reached 10 million.
Digital sales are clearly growing, with the likes of Adele's 21 head and shoulders above its peers in gaining 600,000 downloads.
According to the OCC figures, digital record sales in the UK have risen 4.2 per cent year on year.
60k a day
"These figures amount to 59,000 digital albums a day on average this year, compared to 42,000 in the first six months of 2010," said Martin Talbot, MD of the OCC.
"It's also true, however, that we should prepare for digital albums to co-exist with physical albums for some time to come.
"But with digital accounting for just 22% of all albums sold, CD continues to be the mass market favourite."
Digital plus physical is certainly becoming a major force throughout media, with 20th Century Fox telling TechRadar last week that Blu-ray plus a digital copy was the perfect combination for movie lovers.
There is, however, a fresh threat to CD and digital download arriving from the likes of music streaming companies like Spotify.
| |
Read More ...
Available Tags:Google , HP , Sony , Vaio , Acer , Android , Twitter , LG , 3D , Asus , Toshiba , Opera , Facebook , Mac , UK ,
No comments:
Post a Comment