In Depth: Finding tomorrow's security elite
It's cold. And we're standing outside an unassuming but high security facility in Farnbrough. In the reception a camera swings round ominously to take our picture for a security pass that makes us look like a ghost.
This building belongs to aerospace, defence and security firm QinetiQ. But we're here to see ordinary people at work.
We move through an airy atrium towards a conference centre wing belonging to Boeing, called The Portal. This is where the Cyber Security Challenge is taking place.
BIG SCREEN: Boeing's Portal unit at QinetiQ's facility
The Cyber Security Challenge is a series of online games and competitions designed to test the security skills and brainpower of everyday people.
But why does the Challenge exist in the first place? "The UK has a skills shortage in cyber security," explains Judy Baker, the co-director of the Cyber Security Challenge. "And employers are telling us they're going to have more jobs [available] in that space."
"[The number of] people going into cyber security, they've halved. So if we're going to get the right level of talent… we need to tell people what these jobs are and excite and inspire them."
Anyone can apply, and last weekend saw the teams get together to take part in the QinetiQ Network Defence Competition. During this, four semi-final teams went up against QinetiQ's own cyber security professionals and secured test networks against a series of 'real life' live challenges posed by the company's team of penetration testers, network and security specialists.
This competition was the second of three rounds – the final competition takes place next weekend at Sophos' Labs in Abingdon. 25 competitors will go head to head there.
Hidden challenge
The organisers had 4,000 registrations for the competition, which opened last July with an online cipher task. This task cleverly involved a 'hidden' second phase to catch out those who didn't question their results enough. The first phase revealed a bitmap of a cartoon, but a closer look revealed a hidden binary code in the cartoon's border.
"One of the most essential skills is not to accept something at face value," says Jay Abbott, director of UK Threat & Vulnerability Management Practice at PWC. "You either question, or you don't question. Those that question found the second challenge."
"People range from a self-taught 16-year-old kid at school to a 27-year-old unemployed web designer from Birmingham. They're just people that have applied logical thinking to a problem which has taxed their brains."
The entrants were overwhelmingly male but Judy Baker said she couldn't answer why that was. Of the 4,000 entrants only 282 were already employed in the industry. 2,402 were employed elsewhere, with 1,282 students and 603 unemployed.
"A lot of people wanted to test their skills, while others just wanted to have fun, but that's good for us. [Many are] very interested in introductions to employers. There are a lot of people out there with talent but they're not necessarily meeting the employers [they] need. We're helping to tell people about the jobs and help them get on that first rung of the ladder."
The Cyber Security Challenge has received Government funding – all in all, the Government has pledged some £650m to heighten the UK's resilience against cybercrime.
Bringing out latent talent
"We've been mindful that the threat environment is starting to lift off," adds Alisdair Rogers, MD of QinetiQ's Security Business in the UK. "We all recognise that the more formal method of getting people into this space [into cyber security employment] just isn't meeting demand. You'll see an awful lot of what we're doing is mentoring… bringing out latent capability."
"We've got some extremely good people who understand technology, but they struggle to explain it to business people. [This is for people] moving up from the gaming environment to solving problems and meeting deadlines on a business level."
Rogers also talked about the need for people to come to security facilities and carry out face-to-face work as well as performing tasks remotely. "One of the reasons why we have to have this dynamic competition is that we need to [have people] that can interact socially, it's [not just] about the technology."
Although Sophos is involved and there is plenty of support from various other organisations, other big security names are conspicuous by their absence.
"What has disappointed me is how many security vendors have [got involved]. I'd have thought security companies would have been rushing to break the door down?" questioned Challenge founding director Stuart Room.
TEAM GLITCH: Winners of last weekend's competition
"When I look at this I'm surprised by some of the absences. We need more of the cyber security providers here. They should be delivering money [into this] so they can [benefit]. 12 months from now I can see all the major security vendors wanting to be a part of this."
The current sponsors are the "enlightened few", says Room. "They know for sure that we are facing really difficult challenges in this environment. The UK needs to beef up its resilience and we also know that to [do that] we've got to upskill the economy massively.
"I'm a 42-year-old bloke and I'm one of the youngest people in the cyber environment. We're not educating… and that means really hard work is required getting into the schools, colleges and universities. It's about someone getting the kids interested in cyber security professions."
Last weekend's leg of the challenge was won by Team Glitch – a team of upper sixth school pupils featuring Stuart Rennie, Lucy Robson and Yung-Yu Lang won Saturday's category for small networks. Team PEBKAC, a group of post graduates featuring Richard Hodgson, Alistair Senior and Tony Shannon won the medium networks category on Sunday.
Both teams will receive a prize pack of further training including potential internships with security vendor Sophos.
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Exclusive: Skype set to bring video calling to Apple iPad 2
Following a successful launch of its video-calling service for Apple's iPhone 4 and a number of new announcements at CES 2011 – including the launch of the new group video calling features for consumers and the acquisition of video-streaming specialists Qik – Skype is all set to support video on Apple's forthcoming iPad 2.Heather LeRoy, Skype's Senior Product Manager for iOS devices, commenting on the iPad 2 and speaking exclusively to TechRadar, informed us that the company hopes to add some major improvements to its iPad client in the near future.
"Skype on the iPad is currently the basic Skype iOS client, but we really hope to support the iPad in a much more thorough way in the future.
"And of course, if iPad 2 has cameras, then you bet we are going to be very interested in supporting video, because that is a company priority for us."
Video-calling on iPad 2
LeRoy was quick to stress that while she has no insider knowledge on Apple's plans to bring video-calling to the iPad 2 (or not, as the case may be), "we hope they do [add video] - it would be fantastic!
"Apple plays it close to its chest with all new product announcements – which is what makes them so mysterious and exciting! – so we don't yet have any concrete information."
Still, whatever the new features that arrive in the forthcoming Apple iPad 2 - whether the device gains that front-facing video cam or not - it is great to hear that Skype is planning on improving its support for iPad.
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Nintendo 3DS: retailers set to make £50 profit per device
UK retailers are reportedly buying Nintendo's forthcoming new 3DS console in at £173 per unit, which means that they are set to make at least a clear £50 profit per unit.The new 3DS is set to be marked-up by over 33 per cent by British stores and sold to Brits at around the £230 mark, according to reports over on GamesRadar.
'Base price' for supermarkets
One supermarket rep informed the site that the trade price of the new glasses-free 3DS was a 'base price' of £173.
TechRadar has contacted both Nintendo UK and a number of UK games retailers for further updates to this story.
In the meantime, Nintendo is said to be shipping just under a million 3DS units to Europe for the 25 March launch, while promising that there will be 10 games available on day one, with a total of 25 games due for the unspecified 'launch window'.
Games including Nintendogs, PES and Street Fighter should be ready for day-one, according to MCV.
The games industry trade magazine adds that Nintendo hopes to sell around 4.5-5 million 3DS handhelds during the new console's first year on the shelves.
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Apple patents multi-touchscreen mouse
Apple has patented a wireless mouse design with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that features a built-in touchscreen display.The design of Apple's futuristic peripheral is referred to, in rather obviously literal terms, as a "Computer Input Device Including a Display Device."
Multi-use mouse
The mouse's touchscreen display is said to be capable of multiple types of use, either as a simple info display or as a customisable touchscreen input device.
Alongside the touchscreen display on the futuristic Magic Mouse sites two physical buttons, much like a traditional mouse, and an optical track navigation system.
Apple launched its Magic Trackpad last summer, targeting graphic designers and those users that preferred a larger multitouch device to the standard mouse.
In its latest patent Apple hopes that the usability of a computer might be improved by future input devices which are 'more communicative' and more aesthetically pleasing to the user.
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Apple patents multi-touchscreen mouse
Apple has patented a wireless mouse design with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that features a built-in touchscreen display.The design of Apple's futuristic peripheral is referred to, in rather obviously literal terms, as a "Computer Input Device Including a Display Device."
Multi-use mouse
The mouse's touchscreen display is said to be capable of multiple types of use, either as a simple info display or as a customisable touchscreen input device.
Alongside the touchscreen display on the futuristic Magic Mouse sites two physical buttons, much like a traditional mouse, and an optical track navigation system.
Apple launched its Magic Trackpad last summer, targeting graphic designers and those users that preferred a larger multitouch device to the standard mouse.
In its latest patent Apple hopes that the usability of a computer might be improved by future input devices which are 'more communicative' and more aesthetically pleasing to the user.
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Logitech shows off its 'living room' mouse
Logitech has unveiled a £50 wireless mouse that it claims has been specially designed for your living room. If your first thought is that this is because it will match your curtains, or it's made out IKEA MDF you'd be wrong.
No, this is a mouse that has been designed to work on soft furnishings – like your sofa.
Easy navigation
"Today, Logitech unveiled the Logitech Wireless Mouse M515, delivering easy navigation from soft surfaces like your sofa, bed or a pillow," said the company's release.
"The Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 features a sealed bottom case that makes gliding on fabric easy and worry free, and a hand-detection sensor so the mouse is only active when you want it to be."
People are increasingly using their mouse on surfaces other than a mouse mat – which means that mice design is changing.
"A sealed bottom — so fabric fuzz won't collect in the sensor opening — gives you cursor control no matter what surface you're using your mouse on," explains Logitech's Actress to the Bishop.
"And the easy-gliding base makes mousing around on couches (and blankets, cushions, clothing, carpets, even desks) easy."
So if you're looking for a closed bottom to avoid getting fluff in your sensor – you only have to wait until the UK release date of April.
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Star Wars Blu-ray: UK release date and price announced
Star Wars is to finally be released on Blu-ray in 2011, with the entire sextet given the high-definition treatment for the first time in the home.Now purists will be a touch annoyed to hear that the original prints of the movies (no Greedo shooting Han etc) will not be the versions given the HD treatment.
Instead George 'the tinkerman' Lucas has decided his updated and restored version which came out in the late '90s will be the ones heading to Blu-ray.
Star Wars HD
According to Amazon UK, there will be three editions coming out of the Star Wars saga, these are simply: Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Star Wars: The Original Trilogy and Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy.
In our eyes Jar Jar Binks never existed so we know which version we will be buying.
The Blu-ray box sets have a UK release date of 30 September 2011 and will be priced at £89.99 for the whole kit and caboodle and £44.99 for the trilogy sets.
To go alongside the movies, there will be 30 hours of special features and a 'grow your own midichlorian' kit.
We may have made that last bit up.
What the Blu-ray won't come with is a guarantee that this will be the first and last edition released on format. This is because there is going to be the inevitable 3D launch on the horizon.
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Gary Marshall: After Schmidt, Google faces tough times
Eric Schmidt is a gift to journalists: there's something irresistible about the combination of "don't be evil" and a CEO whose public pronouncements have something of the Hannibal Lecter to them. But the news that he's stepping down as Google CEO doesn't just mean the search giant is scaling back the sinister; it means Google recognises it's in trouble.
Trouble is a funny word to use about a firm that dominates the internet and appears to be organising most of the world's money, but while Google is at the top of the tech heap the cracks are beginning to show.
There are three big problems facing Google. The first is that the quality of its search results appears to be deteriorating. The second is that social networking could bypass Google altogether. And the third is that regulators could do to Google what they did to Microsoft in the 1990s.
Bad search results are the most obvious problem. Content producers such as Demand Media dominate the results for pretty much anything: you might as well cut out the middleman, skip Google altogether and go directly to eHow.com. And when the results aren't full of eHow, they're full of spam - especially when you're looking for reviews of white goods or consumer electronics.
Green eggs and spam
If you're anything like me, you've stopped Googling for that kind of thing anyway: if you want product recommendations you'll ask your friends on Facebook, or the people in your Twitter stream.
Of all the threats to Google, that's the biggest: time spent asking people things on social networks is time we're not spending searching for things or clicking on Google Ads. Everything Google does is centred on search. What happens if we stop searching?
The third issue, and the one that probably explains the reshuffle, is that Google is facing the same sort of regulatory scrutiny that Microsoft faced in the 1990s. Dealing with politicians and investigators is likely to keep Eric Schmidt so busy he won't have time to focus on anything else.
And product focus is what Google really needs. Its social networking adventures to date have been disastrous, its search is under siege, and despite its many joys Android suffers at the hands of phone firms who don't care about updating their handsets. As Dan Frakes put it on Twitter: "Some parts of Google will get Larry Page CEO update; other parts are stuck with Schmidt, perhaps indefinitely."
If Larry Page can't fix those problems, then Google is likely to see history repeating - but this time with Google as the dinosaur, not the exciting young upstart.
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Palit offers up 3GB GTX 580 card
Palit has announced a double-memory size GTX 580 3GB card – pitching the high-end graphics card firmly at gamers. Boasting a startling 3072MB of GDDR5 memory, the Palit GTX 580 3GB brings 'rich, realistic and explosive HD gaming performance under maximum resolution setting'.
"Palit GTX 580 3GB is built for enthusiast gamers!" adds Palit, somewhat unnecessarily.
To the max
So if you are looking to crank Starcraft II up to maximum resolution (and the rest of your rig can cope – of course), this might be for you.
"Play with Palit GTX 580 3GB under maximum resolution, you will have a surreal experience that makes you hard to go back to anything less!" said the exclamation mark-loaded press release.
"Play StarCraft II with Palit GTX 580 3GB under maximum graphics setting, you can experience the excellent gaming performance!"
You had us at 3GB!!!111
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HIS unveils 6850 IceQ X series
HIS has unveiled its self-styled 'secret weapon' – the HIS 6850 IceQ X and IceQ X Turbo graphics cards. The latest cards from HIS are equipped with company's latest cooling tech, and boast high-quality components that include solid-state chokes and capacitors.
"The new HIS 6850 IceQ X Series is equipped with performance-leading cooling technology and silent configuration, allowing enthusiastic gamers to experience a totally new immersive gaming experience," said the company's release.
A load of hot air
"The new HIS IceQ X Series cards significantly control their temperature by expelling the hot air directly out from the central fan to cool down the GPU and graphics card," it added
"Both cards are equipped with the same 1GB GDDR 5 memory, with the IceQ Turbo version featuring a maximum core clock speed of 820MHz and a memory clock of 4,400MHz."
The AMD chipset that the cards are based on means that they also boast HD3D and Eyefinity for up to three monitors.
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LG Optimus Pad rumours: what you need to know
LG makes some great smartphones, so it's hardly a surprise to discover that it's joining the tablet party by manufacturing the G-Slate for T-Mobile.And now current rumours suggest it will also be bringing out a branded tablet, with a device called the Optimus Pad, and that it will likely match the specifications of the G-Slate - with a few extra surprises.
LG is keeping most of the details close to its chest but from what we've seen so far, it's shaping up very nicely indeed.
The Optimus Pad specifications and UK release date could be announced next month
CES came and went with only the barest hint of G-Slate specifications, so it's all eyes on Mobile World Congress 2011 for an expected February reveal of the Optimus Pad.
The Optimus Pad price could be around £250
As we reported on 20 January, there's been speculation that the Pad will be priced at around €299 (£250) - although that would be very cheap indeed for a device that matches the specs of the Motorola Xoom, which may retail for north of £600.
The LG Optimus Pad will likely have a 3D display
The GPSandCo website says LG accidentally told them the LG Optimus Pad specifications, which include an 8.9" display capable of glasses-free 3D, 3D recording, a Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, a USB port and an HDMI connector.
Pocket Lint reckons 3D is coming too, quoting LG director James Choi's promise that "you'll be very surprised shortly, of an actual working 3D device from LG. I'll leave it there before I say too much."
We hope the Optimus Pad really does have a 3D display, because the 3D hype is already building to the point where LG could say "here's a 2D tablet that cures cancer!" and everyone would hurl eggs at them.
The Optimus Pad and the G-Slate are probably the same device
The G-Slate LG teased us with at CES was a T-Mobile tablet, and we think it's likely that the Optimus Pad is the same device but with the 3D functionality built on top.
The Optimus Pad software is Android 3.0
If you were wondering why LG used videos to show off its G-Slate tablet instead of just letting people play with the device, the answer is software: the G-Slate software will be Android 3.0, aka Honeycomb, which wasn't finished in time for CES. So we wouldn't expect the Optimus Pad to be running an earlier version of Android.
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Kryten's Twitter fear after new Red Dwarf show's announced
Red Dwarf has been commissioned for a new series that will hit TV screens in 2012, but it seems Twitter and other social-networking sites may scupper plans to film the show in front of a live audience.Robert Llewellen, who plays Kryten in the show, is a massive advocate of Twitter but he fears the site will fuel spoilers and the like if the show is shot in front of a live audience.
On his blog, he raises the concern by saying: "The plan at the moment, and this could change, the plan is that we record the new series in front of an audience.
"Now, this is a complicated issue. The last time we recorded a show in front of an audience was in 1998. Anyone remember 1998?
"No YouTube, no Facebook, no Twitter, no broadband, no HD video cameras in mobile phones. Okay, a few people had e-mail. I had a crude web page already, but it really was basic."
Stopping spoilers
"So when the audience came in the producers would ask them politely not to reveal any spoilers 'on the world wide web' as we referred to it then. I'm sure some people did, but so few people would have seen anything it really didn't matter."
The last Red Dwarf show was aired in 1999. Dave resurrected the show in 2010 with a special double episode, which was shot without a live audience.
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Tutorial: How to make old programs work on Windows 7
Every new version of Windows breaks some existing applications, and Windows Vista and 7 are no exception. It's nobody's fault, but that doesn't help if you desperately need to use one particular application. You can always turn on compatibility mode, which tells a program it's running under Windows XP rather than 7, for example. But if that doesn't work – and it often doesn't – there are no other built-in options. If the program's author has no solutions, you may be tempted to abandon the problem application entirely.
There may be another possible solution though – the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT). This powerful utility provides many more options and tweaks than compatibility mode alone, so there's a better chance of making old programs run on your new PC.
It's easy to use, too, figuring out itself what the problems might be and how they can be fixed.
What's more, the ACT isn't only for ageing apps. You can also use it to tweak the latest programs to remove Windows irritations.
Are you tired of seeing a UAC prompt every time you load a trusted application, for instance? The Application Compatibility Toolkit can help you turn off the prompts for just a few programs, while keeping them for everything else. Again, it's all very easy to use.
Getting started
The Application Compatibility Toolkit is available for download on the Microsoft site (choose 'ApplicationCompatibilityTookit Setup.exe'). It's free, and unusually for this kind of Microsoft tool, it's only 12.2MB in size, so it shouldn't take long to download on the most lethargic of internet connections.
Run the downloaded file to begin the installation. There are no complex options to consider, so just accept all the default settings (except perhaps the installation location if you need to use some other drive or folder) and the program's various components will be installed in a few seconds.
With the ACT set up, think for a moment about any old programs that you run on your Vista or Windows 7 PC. Are there some that cause problems occasionally, or launch as normal but then misbehave from time to time? The ACT includes a tool called the Standard User Analyzer that will monitor that program, keep track of what it's doing, alert you to potential problems, and even apply the appropriate fixes for you.
To try this, click 'Start > All Programs > Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit > Developer and Tester Tools > Standard User Analyzer'. When the SUA appears, click 'Browse', then navigate to and select the executable file for your old application.
There's an option to add command-line parameters if the app needs them, but otherwise click 'Launch' to fire up the program. Click 'Yes' to confirm that it's OK for existing AppVerifier logs to be deleted, and unless you have reason to do otherwise, check 'Always delete the logs without asking me again in the future' to ensure you're not bothered by this question again.
Your problematic program should now launch. If you need to carry out a particular actions to cause it to misbehave, then do so. Otherwise, run the program as normal for a while. When you've finished, close it down and you can move to the next step.
Mitigations
As you were using your program, Microsoft's Application Verifier was running in the background, logging details of your app's activities. When the Standard User Analyzer detects that you've closed the program, it will load and analyse that log.
This could take a few moments, so be patient – just watch the 'Debug info' box for status updates. When it's finished, you'll see a 'Done' message and a prompt telling you that you can go to the other tabs to view issues detected by SUA.
The tabs referred to here are at the top of the SUA window, and they highlight potential problems across areas of the program: file accesses, Registry use, INI files and more. If all of these have a zero next to them, the SUA has found no problems and can't help.
If some tabs have detected errors, they'll be highlighted here ('Other Objects (4)', for example). You can click the tab to see more information, but don't expect it to explain much – the results are very technical.
More usefully, you can just ask the SUA to create and deploy mitigations – tweaks that Windows will apply to this executable in future, which may resolve any issues. It couldn't be much easier – simply click 'Mitigation > Apply Mitigation > Apply', and the SUA will tell Windows to apply the fixes to your program.
Don't worry, these are all behind the scenes tweaks – your program code isn't touched in any way. The program should now work better, so give it a try.
If the problems are fixed, great. If they're worse (unfortunately also possible), click 'Mitigation > Undo Mitigation' to remove the tweaks and the program will work just as well (or badly) as it did before.
The only problem with this approach is that the SUA will apply its tweaks to your current Registry only. If you have the same app on other PCs, they won't be affected, and if you reinstall Windows on this PC, then the mitigations will be lost.
To minimise any hassles, you can also click 'Mitigation > Export Mitigations as MSI', and the SUA will create a file to apply these tweaks. If you have a PC with the same app, or you need to reinstall the mitigations on this system, simply run the MSI file and they'll be applied for you automatically.
More fixes
The Application Compatibility Toolkit also includes the Compatibility Administrator – a utility that lets you apply a host of further fixes to your installed apps. These don't have to be applied to old programs – they can be useful in other situations, such as allowing selected, trusted applications to launch without the hassle of a UAC prompt.
Launch the program and right-click 'New Database' under 'Custom Databases', then click 'Create New > Application Fix'. Enter the name of the program to exclude from Windows UAC.
This should be a program that you trust, and that isn't exposed to security risks. It shouldn't work online, and it shouldn't be used to open files that you've downloaded or might be otherwise exploited. A tool that displays your CPU temperature would probably be fine, but one that opens PDF files really wouldn't.
Enter the name of the manufacturer, too, then click 'Browse', select the program's executable and click 'Next'.
The 'Compatibility Modes' screen provides a lengthy list of the possible compatibility mode options you can apply. Check 'RunAsInvoker', click 'Test run > OK' and watch what happens.
If the program doesn't launch or displays some kind of error, this trick isn't going to work. If the program fires up without a UAC prompt and works as normal, then the mitigation has been successful. Close the test app down, and switch back to the Compatibility Administrator.
Click 'Next' twice to see the final screen, which enables you to customise how Windows applies this mitigation. By default, this will work only with your current version of the program, but you can also tweak it to work with any executable of this name. For the moment though, click 'Finish' to accept the default settings.
With your new database highlighted, click 'File > Save as' to save it as something like 'UAC.sdb' in the 'C:\ root' folder for now. You can right-click the database and select 'Install' to install it.
There's also a more advanced command-line route that offers extra options. Click 'Start', type 'cmd', right-click the 'CMD.EXE' link and then select 'Run as administrator'. Next, at the command prompt, type sdbinst c:\uac.sdb (replacing the file name and path with whatever is appropriate for the database you've just created) and press [Enter].
You'll see a message telling you that the database has been installed, and that means the UAC fix has been applied. You should now be able to run your test program without UAC prompts.
Going further
Tweaking Windows to run one application without UAC isn't too impressive, but this is just the beginning. Now that you understand the basic principle, you can easily add other application fixes to the same database.
Use the 'Test run' button to confirm that they work when launched this way, and if they do, you can save them to the database and install this to apply your fixes to the Registry.
You can also apply many other fixes beyond the UAC tweak. The 'Compatibility Fixes' section of the 'Create New Application Fix' dialog lists a host of options. Does a game complain that you don't have a specific version of DirectX? Check 'ForceDXSetupSuccess' and the ACT will make the game think it has the version it wants. If the program really does need that version then it still won't work, but at least there's a chance.
If a program is looking in the wrong folder for a particular component or file, the 'CorrectFilePaths' fix can redirect it to the right place. If an app doesn't work with Windows Aero, using the 'DisableDWM' file will turn it off (temporarily).
If your program displays an annoying error message, but continues when you click 'OK', using the 'IgnoreMessageBox' fix can close the message box automatically.
There are plenty of other options, which you can read about by browsing the Help file (using 'Application Compatibility Toolkit > Phase 3: Testing and mitigating your compatibility issues > Known compatibility fixes'). Master them and you'll soon have most of your old apps – as well as the new ones – running at their very best.
Whether it's a critical application or an old game you want to play again, the march of progress doesn't mean you're cut off from the past.
So what do you do to make Windows XP programs work in Windows 7? And how do you make Windows 3.1 programs or DOS apps run in Windows 7?
Follow our tips to run old software on Windows 7 and you can get your retro kicks on your ultra-modern PC.
1. Download XP mode
Most Windows software retains its compatibility with Windows 7, with the main exceptions being drivers (which you'll want to upgrade anyway), installation programs (which have an annoying tendency to assume that any operating system they don't recognise is old) and 32-bit applications in a 64-bit OS.
If you have the Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate edition of Windows 7, you can download XP Mode – which is really Virtual PC – for free.
Otherwise, grab Virtual PC 2007 from the same place. For an alternative, try VMWare Server (free) or Workstation (£143), from www.vmware.com/products/server. You'll have to supply the copy of Windows yourself though, and install it from scratch.
2. Try out a compatibility mode
Short of emulation, your only option for old Windows programs is a compatibility mode. Right-click a program, choose 'Properties' and open the Compatibility tab. This rarely seems to work, but it's worth a shot.
Set the program to run in compatibility mode for any of the supported OSes, which range from Windows 95 to Windows Vista, along with their service packs. The other options on this screen, including 'Run in 256 colors' and 'Run in 640x480 screen resolution' do exactly what they sound like, but are rarely useful these days.
3. Set up a dual-boot
If your software doesn't run directly, you can set up a dual-boot system and install both operating systems. It's not just a case of running the setup routines, though – you'll need to install them in the right order, partition your drive and have devices that each version can use.
That modern soundcard driver won't work on a ten-year-old operating system, even if it works the other way round. See this page for a full guide to dual-booting almost every major combination.
4. Downgrade Windows 7
If you have a lot of old software that you need to get running, you can't simply switch into a compatibility mode to get 32-bit programs running in a 64-bit OS. They may work, but they may not.
If you get an error message when you try to run one, your only recourse is to step back yourself. Windows 7 comes with an installation disc for its 32-bit version. You lose out overall if you have more than 2GB of memory though, so don't downgrade on a whim.
5. Use older hardware
The nuclear option is to pick up old hardware and build a new PC. Look on Ebay and in second-hand markets, or ask friends and family if they have an old clunker they're willing to donate. You can pick them up dirt cheap, but a Windows 3.1-era PC is the perfect machine for Windows 3.1 and its games and applications.
It's worth taking the emulation route first, though. Virtual machines are happy to translate for these old operating systems, letting your existing soundcard and processor do the talking. They'll be slower, but on systems that old, there'll be no shortage of power.
6. Install DOSBox
DOSBox is a great tool, especially for old games. You can just run the executable, but it won't do much. While it doesn't actually sandbox itself from your files in the same way as a virtual machine, it doesn't give itself automatic access to them either.
7. Drag and drop
To run most games or applications in DOSBox, just drag the folder containing its files onto the 'DOSBox' icon. DOSBox treats this as a drive, with the folder as the root. If you run an installer, it can't break out of there to copy any files without permission.
8. Download DOG
For more complicated applications, especially involving CDs, it's worth downloading a shell. We recommend DOG, which you can get from the main DOSBox site. You create profiles for each application, along with their specific needs, then click their name to fire them up.
9. Use hotkeys
DOSBox has many useful hotkeys, but the main ones are [CTRL]+[F11] to slow down the emulation speed, and [CTRL]+[12] to increase it. Press [ALT]+[F12] to turn off any limiters. Avoid [Alt]+[Tab]bing out. You can do it, but it may causes problems with colours.
10. Edit a config file
For games that won't play ball, you can hand-tweak DOSBox's settings by editing a configuration file. This is a very complicated looking document, but it's nothing more than a list of options. Visit www.dosbox.com/wiki/Configuration to see the parameters available.
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Tutorial: How to make old programs work on Windows 7
Every new version of Windows breaks some existing applications, and Windows Vista and 7 are no exception. It's nobody's fault, but that doesn't help if you desperately need to use one particular application. You can always turn on compatibility mode, which tells a program it's running under Windows XP rather than 7, for example. But if that doesn't work – and it often doesn't – there are no other built-in options. If the program's author has no solutions, you may be tempted to abandon the problem application entirely.
There may be another possible solution though – the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT). This powerful utility provides many more options and tweaks than compatibility mode alone, so there's a better chance of making old programs run on your new PC.
It's easy to use, too, figuring out itself what the problems might be and how they can be fixed.
What's more, the ACT isn't only for ageing apps. You can also use it to tweak the latest programs to remove Windows irritations.
Are you tired of seeing a UAC prompt every time you load a trusted application, for instance? The Application Compatibility Toolkit can help you turn off the prompts for just a few programs, while keeping them for everything else. Again, it's all very easy to use.
Getting started
The Application Compatibility Toolkit is available for download on the Microsoft site (choose 'ApplicationCompatibilityTookit Setup.exe'). It's free, and unusually for this kind of Microsoft tool, it's only 12.2MB in size, so it shouldn't take long to download on the most lethargic of internet connections.
Run the downloaded file to begin the installation. There are no complex options to consider, so just accept all the default settings (except perhaps the installation location if you need to use some other drive or folder) and the program's various components will be installed in a few seconds.
With the ACT set up, think for a moment about any old programs that you run on your Vista or Windows 7 PC. Are there some that cause problems occasionally, or launch as normal but then misbehave from time to time? The ACT includes a tool called the Standard User Analyzer that will monitor that program, keep track of what it's doing, alert you to potential problems, and even apply the appropriate fixes for you.
To try this, click 'Start > All Programs > Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit > Developer and Tester Tools > Standard User Analyzer'. When the SUA appears, click 'Browse', then navigate to and select the executable file for your old application.
There's an option to add command-line parameters if the app needs them, but otherwise click 'Launch' to fire up the program. Click 'Yes' to confirm that it's OK for existing AppVerifier logs to be deleted, and unless you have reason to do otherwise, check 'Always delete the logs without asking me again in the future' to ensure you're not bothered by this question again.
Your problematic program should now launch. If you need to carry out a particular actions to cause it to misbehave, then do so. Otherwise, run the program as normal for a while. When you've finished, close it down and you can move to the next step.
Mitigations
As you were using your program, Microsoft's Application Verifier was running in the background, logging details of your app's activities. When the Standard User Analyzer detects that you've closed the program, it will load and analyse that log.
This could take a few moments, so be patient – just watch the 'Debug info' box for status updates. When it's finished, you'll see a 'Done' message and a prompt telling you that you can go to the other tabs to view issues detected by SUA.
The tabs referred to here are at the top of the SUA window, and they highlight potential problems across areas of the program: file accesses, Registry use, INI files and more. If all of these have a zero next to them, the SUA has found no problems and can't help.
If some tabs have detected errors, they'll be highlighted here ('Other Objects (4)', for example). You can click the tab to see more information, but don't expect it to explain much – the results are very technical.
More usefully, you can just ask the SUA to create and deploy mitigations – tweaks that Windows will apply to this executable in future, which may resolve any issues. It couldn't be much easier – simply click 'Mitigation > Apply Mitigation > Apply', and the SUA will tell Windows to apply the fixes to your program.
Don't worry, these are all behind the scenes tweaks – your program code isn't touched in any way. The program should now work better, so give it a try.
If the problems are fixed, great. If they're worse (unfortunately also possible), click 'Mitigation > Undo Mitigation' to remove the tweaks and the program will work just as well (or badly) as it did before.
The only problem with this approach is that the SUA will apply its tweaks to your current Registry only. If you have the same app on other PCs, they won't be affected, and if you reinstall Windows on this PC, then the mitigations will be lost.
To minimise any hassles, you can also click 'Mitigation > Export Mitigations as MSI', and the SUA will create a file to apply these tweaks. If you have a PC with the same app, or you need to reinstall the mitigations on this system, simply run the MSI file and they'll be applied for you automatically.
More fixes
The Application Compatibility Toolkit also includes the Compatibility Administrator – a utility that lets you apply a host of further fixes to your installed apps. These don't have to be applied to old programs – they can be useful in other situations, such as allowing selected, trusted applications to launch without the hassle of a UAC prompt.
Launch the program and right-click 'New Database' under 'Custom Databases', then click 'Create New > Application Fix'. Enter the name of the program to exclude from Windows UAC.
This should be a program that you trust, and that isn't exposed to security risks. It shouldn't work online, and it shouldn't be used to open files that you've downloaded or might be otherwise exploited. A tool that displays your CPU temperature would probably be fine, but one that opens PDF files really wouldn't.
Enter the name of the manufacturer, too, then click 'Browse', select the program's executable and click 'Next'.
The 'Compatibility Modes' screen provides a lengthy list of the possible compatibility mode options you can apply. Check 'RunAsInvoker', click 'Test run > OK' and watch what happens.
If the program doesn't launch or displays some kind of error, this trick isn't going to work. If the program fires up without a UAC prompt and works as normal, then the mitigation has been successful. Close the test app down, and switch back to the Compatibility Administrator.
Click 'Next' twice to see the final screen, which enables you to customise how Windows applies this mitigation. By default, this will work only with your current version of the program, but you can also tweak it to work with any executable of this name. For the moment though, click 'Finish' to accept the default settings.
With your new database highlighted, click 'File > Save as' to save it as something like 'UAC.sdb' in the 'C:\ root' folder for now. You can right-click the database and select 'Install' to install it.
There's also a more advanced command-line route that offers extra options. Click 'Start', type 'cmd', right-click the 'CMD.EXE' link and then select 'Run as administrator'. Next, at the command prompt, type sdbinst c:\uac.sdb (replacing the file name and path with whatever is appropriate for the database you've just created) and press [Enter].
You'll see a message telling you that the database has been installed, and that means the UAC fix has been applied. You should now be able to run your test program without UAC prompts.
Going further
Tweaking Windows to run one application without UAC isn't too impressive, but this is just the beginning. Now that you understand the basic principle, you can easily add other application fixes to the same database.
Use the 'Test run' button to confirm that they work when launched this way, and if they do, you can save them to the database and install this to apply your fixes to the Registry.
You can also apply many other fixes beyond the UAC tweak. The 'Compatibility Fixes' section of the 'Create New Application Fix' dialog lists a host of options. Does a game complain that you don't have a specific version of DirectX? Check 'ForceDXSetupSuccess' and the ACT will make the game think it has the version it wants. If the program really does need that version then it still won't work, but at least there's a chance.
If a program is looking in the wrong folder for a particular component or file, the 'CorrectFilePaths' fix can redirect it to the right place. If an app doesn't work with Windows Aero, using the 'DisableDWM' file will turn it off (temporarily).
If your program displays an annoying error message, but continues when you click 'OK', using the 'IgnoreMessageBox' fix can close the message box automatically.
There are plenty of other options, which you can read about by browsing the Help file (using 'Application Compatibility Toolkit > Phase 3: Testing and mitigating your compatibility issues > Known compatibility fixes'). Master them and you'll soon have most of your old apps – as well as the new ones – running at their very best.
Whether it's a critical application or an old game you want to play again, the march of progress doesn't mean you're cut off from the past.
So what do you do to make Windows XP programs work in Windows 7? And how do you make Windows 3.1 programs or DOS apps run in Windows 7?
Follow our tips to run old software on Windows 7 and you can get your retro kicks on your ultra-modern PC.
1. Download XP mode
Most Windows software retains its compatibility with Windows 7, with the main exceptions being drivers (which you'll want to upgrade anyway), installation programs (which have an annoying tendency to assume that any operating system they don't recognise is old) and 32-bit applications in a 64-bit OS.
If you have the Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate edition of Windows 7, you can download XP Mode – which is really Virtual PC – for free.
Otherwise, grab Virtual PC 2007 from the same place. For an alternative, try VMWare Server (free) or Workstation (£143), from www.vmware.com/products/server. You'll have to supply the copy of Windows yourself though, and install it from scratch.
2. Try out a compatibility mode
Short of emulation, your only option for old Windows programs is a compatibility mode. Right-click a program, choose 'Properties' and open the Compatibility tab. This rarely seems to work, but it's worth a shot.
Set the program to run in compatibility mode for any of the supported OSes, which range from Windows 95 to Windows Vista, along with their service packs. The other options on this screen, including 'Run in 256 colors' and 'Run in 640x480 screen resolution' do exactly what they sound like, but are rarely useful these days.
3. Set up a dual-boot
If your software doesn't run directly, you can set up a dual-boot system and install both operating systems. It's not just a case of running the setup routines, though – you'll need to install them in the right order, partition your drive and have devices that each version can use.
That modern soundcard driver won't work on a ten-year-old operating system, even if it works the other way round. See this page for a full guide to dual-booting almost every major combination.
4. Downgrade Windows 7
If you have a lot of old software that you need to get running, you can't simply switch into a compatibility mode to get 32-bit programs running in a 64-bit OS. They may work, but they may not.
If you get an error message when you try to run one, your only recourse is to step back yourself. Windows 7 comes with an installation disc for its 32-bit version. You lose out overall if you have more than 2GB of memory though, so don't downgrade on a whim.
5. Use older hardware
The nuclear option is to pick up old hardware and build a new PC. Look on Ebay and in second-hand markets, or ask friends and family if they have an old clunker they're willing to donate. You can pick them up dirt cheap, but a Windows 3.1-era PC is the perfect machine for Windows 3.1 and its games and applications.
It's worth taking the emulation route first, though. Virtual machines are happy to translate for these old operating systems, letting your existing soundcard and processor do the talking. They'll be slower, but on systems that old, there'll be no shortage of power.
6. Install DOSBox
DOSBox is a great tool, especially for old games. You can just run the executable, but it won't do much. While it doesn't actually sandbox itself from your files in the same way as a virtual machine, it doesn't give itself automatic access to them either.
7. Drag and drop
To run most games or applications in DOSBox, just drag the folder containing its files onto the 'DOSBox' icon. DOSBox treats this as a drive, with the folder as the root. If you run an installer, it can't break out of there to copy any files without permission.
8. Download DOG
For more complicated applications, especially involving CDs, it's worth downloading a shell. We recommend DOG, which you can get from the main DOSBox site. You create profiles for each application, along with their specific needs, then click their name to fire them up.
9. Use hotkeys
DOSBox has many useful hotkeys, but the main ones are [CTRL]+[F11] to slow down the emulation speed, and [CTRL]+[12] to increase it. Press [ALT]+[F12] to turn off any limiters. Avoid [Alt]+[Tab]bing out. You can do it, but it may causes problems with colours.
10. Edit a config file
For games that won't play ball, you can hand-tweak DOSBox's settings by editing a configuration file. This is a very complicated looking document, but it's nothing more than a list of options. Visit www.dosbox.com/wiki/Configuration to see the parameters available.
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Weird Tech: Yes, it's the invisible tank!
What's white and invisible? That fridge! Boom! Boom! What's beige and invisible? That tank! Boom! Aaaargh! This week's weird tech has it all: tanks, scary robocopters, unhappy Segway owners and some cheery news about death.BAE systems is at it again: last week it was inventing the amazing Pirate Blinder, and this week it's invented the invisible tank. It's not really invisible, of course, but it gets pretty close: two video cameras check out the tank's surroundings, which are then passed to displays built into the tank's armour.
Researchers are also investigating ways to make tanks sweat. It's not as bizarre as it sounds: tanks emit lots of heat, which makes them awfully tempting targets for heat-seeking missiles. By capturing exhaust water and channelling it through armoured tiles, the tank could cool itself much like we do - and it could also pretend to be a cow.
We're not joking. Speaking to New Scientist, Hisham Awad explained that individual tiles could be switched on and off to depict simple shapes: "You can make it look like a Ford Focus, or you can have the shape of a cow."
SCOOTERS BOOTED
It's been a bad week for Segway users. First, a man was fined for riding one on the pavement in Barnsley; then, New Zealand police discovered that using their ones in public was illegal.
KINDA CAR: Legally speaking, Segways aren't scooters: they're cars
The problem is that while you and I might see Segways as overpriced idiot carriages or scooters for smart-arses, the law sees them as cars - which means driving them on the pavement is a major no-no.
Gadgets "more interesting than shoes" shocker
Letting children spend all day on the Daily Mail website rots their brains, the Daily Mail reports: according to child development expert Sue Palmer, "by encouraging [children] to live a virtual screen-based existence we are deadening their developmental drive and dumbing them down".
The Mail quotes a study that found 23 per cent of two-to-five-year-olds can make a call on mobile phones, one-quarter can navigate around websites and 17 per cent can post racist comments underneath Mail Online articles. We made that last one up.
SHOE THINGS: People who watched "how to tie your shoelaces" also watched "female sexual arousal". Humans are rubbish!
The study also found that 11 per cent of tots can't tie their own shoelaces, but we don't see the problem here: surely they can just Google for instructions?
It's RoboCop(ter)!
Another week, another instalment of Here Comes Skynet: now the robots are building things without human intervention. Daniel Mellinger and his team from the University of Pennsylvania have come up with a system where flying robots can build pretty much anything: simply come up with a design, leave the parts lying around and the robot helicopters will pick them up and stick them where they're supposed to go.
BITTY BUILDERS: These robo-copters can't really be builders: look! They turned up!
Are you scared yet? No? Then just read what Mashable had to say about the robo-copters: " Imagine if these mini copters were scaled up to 100 times their size, putting together skyscrapers, bridges, or the components of Skynet." Yeah! Imagine if they had claws, or guns, or A BIG SCARY FACE!
And Finally
Microsoft wants to help you when you're dead. Interaction designer Richard Banks is working on devices that can act as digital memorials, high-tech alternatives to shoeboxes full of faded photographs. The trick is to work out what's worth keeping - and what the grandchildren shouldn't get to see.
DIGITAL MEMORIES: Microsoft's Timecard is a kind of digital memorial, showing someone's photos in a timeline
As the BBC puts it, "In future, it may be that as we write our wills and maybe even burn our secret letters, we may have to also spend time cleaning out our online lives, ready to be put on show to those closest to us."
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Super AMOLED Plus screens to rival Retina Display
Samsung is making some big steps into improving the screens on its mobile phones, with some more information revealing the technology behind the panels.There's real buzz surrounding the next generation of Samsung handsets as the screens are set to be as pin-sharp as those seen on the iPhone 4 and iPod touch.
This is because Super AMOLED Plus will allow a screen quality over 300ppi. Currently the Retina Display shows content at 326ppi.
I can see clearly now
One of the first handsets to get the Super AMOLED will be the Samsung Galaxy S2, which is likely to be shown at Mobile World Congress 2011.
Samsung has been one of the largest suppliers of OLED screens to the mobile industry over the last 18 months, with its first Super AMOLED technology winning rave reviews in the likes of the first Galaxy S and Google Nexus S.
Super-clear screens seem to be the order of the day for new handsets. At CES 2011, Sony unveiled the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, which has been given a Super LCD screen. This rival technology uses an 854 x 480 resolution.
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Google NOT ruling out Chrome OS tablets
Google has moved to clarify its position on Chrome OS for tablets – with the company telling TechRadar that it is not ruling out its hardware partners adapting the operating system for touch-screens. Google has been consistent in its assertions that Chrome OS – at least in its first public incarnation – is designed for small laptops and netbooks.
However, although a recent conversation with TechRadar underlined this once more, the company is keen to clarify that it is not as simple as considering that its Android OS is for touchscreens (ie phones and tablets) and Chrome OS for netbooks and laptops.
Variety of form-factors
"Chrome OS has been designed from the outset to work across a variety of form factors, but for this initial release, we've decided to focus on the notebook/laptop form factor," a spokesperson told TechRadar.
"As you know, Samsung and Acer have already announced that they will be launching Chrome OS devices, and Google fully expects different partners to build different kinds of devices based on the Chrome platform."
The upshot is that, although the first slew of products will be sporting keyboards, Google is not ruling out the use of Chrome OS for tablets.
Growing emphasis
This stance is a fairly obvious one, given the growing emphasis on tablets in the PC market.
Last year's Christmas sales figures suggested that the likes of the iPad was cannibalising portable PC sales, and there was a deluge of Android tablets unveiled at CES this year.
On top of this, rival Microsoft is making a real effort with touch – as shown by the arrival of Windows Phone 7 last year and the announcement this year that Windows 8 would run on portable-friendly ARM chips rather than just the traditional X86 chipset.
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Review: Toshiba 32SL738
At first glance the Toshiba 32SL738 seems to make little sense. While it is edge LED backlight, it has an HD ready, rather than a full HD, resolution and no Freeview HD tuner.This latter omission is particularly striking, given that hi-def terrestrial tuners are now fairly routine fixtures on modern TVs.
The £500 price is cheap for any 32in LCD TV, though, let alone one with an LED backlight.These are proven to deliver better pictures than standard (CCFL) lamps and are usually found only on premium LCD TVs such as Samsung's 32C6000, which comes in at nearer £800.
So Toshiba's thinking with the 32SL738 suddenly becomes blindingly clear: it wants to grab headlines by delivering the cheapest 32in LED TV it can, even if that means stripping away a few key features.
If you want a 32in TV from Toshiba that does carry Freeview HD, take a look at either the 32SL753 or the CCFL-powered 32RV753. Other edge LED options come in the shape of the WL and VL series, but for these start at 40in and are considerably more expensive.
The 32SL738's use of edge LED lighting has to be its stand out feature, partly because you wouldn't expect to find it in play on a £500 32in set and partly because it enables a stylish, strikingly slender body.
The backlight also helps Toshiba rustle up a mighty claimed contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. As ever, this figure needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, given the impossibility of realising that amount of contrast in 'real world' conditions, but the figure is at least illustrative of the differences in how CCFL and edge LED technology work and suggests how much better the latter has the potential to be if it's done well.
Price-driven compromises are manifested in the lack of an Ethernet port and three HDMIs where Toshiba nearly always manages four. There is a multimedia-capable USB port, though, as well as a D-Sub port that enables the screen to double up as a PC monitor.
Heading into the onscreen menus uncovers a pretty extensive set of adjustments including a selection of picture presets as well as adjustments to backlight output and colour temperature, with the latter extending so far as give you control of the gain level of each of the red, green and blue colour components.
Even more surprising on such an aggressively priced – and apparently stripped down – TV is the stuff tucked away in its 'Advanced Video' menu. This includes noise reduction options, a multi-level colour transient Improvement circuit and an 'Adaptive Luma Control' option that adjusts the brightness and contrast based on analysis of the incoming image.
Other tweaks include the option to deactivate the default active backlight if you find its continual brightness adjustments distracting, the ability to limit or set to full the HDMI RGB range and a flexible colour management facility that enables you to manipulate the hue, saturation and brightness settings for all six of the main colour components (meaning cyan, magenta and yellow, on top of RGB).
Even the audio features menu has a couple of noteworthy features, including a lip-synch mode, a bass booster and a pseudo-surround sound processor.
The set includes a bit of picture processing too, in the form of Toshiba's Active Vision LCD. Potentially significantly, it has neither 100Hz processing for reducing motion judder and blur nor Resolution+ for upscaling standard-definition.
Hopefully, the fact that the 32SL738 only has to upscale standard-def to an HD ready rather than a full HD panel will mean that Resolution+ isn't missed all that much. There's no Freeview HD tuner or any built-in online capability, though, and you can't stream material from DLNA PCs.
The remote control feels cheap and plasticky and doesn't rest comfortably in your hand. The layout feels anti-intuitive, with the important buttons along the bottom of the remote falling to hand less readily than the larger but less important numerical buttons at the top. The main menu button is particularly awkward to reach, as well as being extremely tiny.
The onscreen menus, meanwhile, look dull and dated, filling your field of vision with lots of boring text and not doing anything to streamline your route to certain feature areas.
Two examples of this latter point are the lack of a direct means of accessing the TV's Media Player (for USB playback) and the hiding of an important Game Mode within an unhelpfully named Preferences menu (why not put it in with the other picture presets?).
The EPG is decently presented compared to the main menus, though it's slightly clumsily executed. Rather than the usual approach of leaving the channel you were watching playing while you browse the listings for other channels, instead it changes to whatever channel you select on the list, and then presents you with the next few hours of entertainment on that channel on the EPG.
This seems to run contrary to the idea that you use an EPG mostly to browse for a time slot or a specific programme rather than a channel. Plus, having to change channel every time you move to a different channel on the EPG really slows down browsing.
One final barrier to a straightforward relationship with the 32SL738 is its unhelpfully concise instructions manual.
The 32SL738's picture quality has its moments, but ultimately feels a bit average by edge LED standards.
It's at its best with bright, colourful footage, as most LCD TVs are. With such footage – animation Blu-rays, studio news footage, chatshows and so on – your eye is treated to some appealingly richly saturated colours, decent, if hardly explosive, levels of sharpness and clarity, notwithstanding a little motion blur with standard-def and a little judder with Blu-rays, thanks to the lack of any 100Hz processing.
The motion issues aren't as continually distracting as they are on many other high-value 32in TVs, though.
Other strong points include a solid degree of subtlety when showing colour blends and tricky tonal shifts, even with skin tones and respectable upscaling of standard-definition that leaves programmes from the Freeview tuner looking at least a little sharper without drawing undue attention to any MPEG noise they might contain.
Anyone averse to overt video processing might enjoy the very natural look to the 32SL738's pictures, though a good image engine might have reduced judder and enhanced sharpness.
From here on in, though, the news is mostly bad. The worst flaw is inconsistent backlighting. The sample used in this test betrayed two obvious patches during dark scenes where the light level on show was notably higher than elsewhere on the screen.
One portion along around a third of the top right edge was really extremely noticeable, to the extent that it suggested a possible fault with this particular sample, but then these sorts of problems have been common with Toshiba's recent edge LED TVs.
Another issue is the 32SL738's black levels. While the set is capable of deep black hues the dynamic backlight is very clumsy and overbearing, reacting slowly to extreme changes in content, then often too strongly.
The result is that you often get distracted, especially during movies, by shifts in overall brightness as the screen tries to figure out how best to adjust its images to the changing content it's showing.
The active backlight problems will likely tempt many people to turn the feature off. Yet if you do, the general black level response takes a discernible hit – unless you're fortunate enough to be able to run the screen in a darkened room, where the picture can still look good with a very reduced brightness/backlight level.
Further issues find the set's backlight consistency problems being exaggerated if you start to move sideways from directly opposite the screen, and some slightly uncomfortable colour balances using the TV's out of the box settings. Reds look rather forced, for instance, and skin tones can look unnatural. The set does provide the colour management tools to address these problems, however.
Sound
During even a half-hearted action sequence the 32SL738 sounds woefully underpowered, with no bass at all and a very cramped mid-range that doesn't even have enough breathing room to allow treble details to emerge with any clarity or ease. At times some sound effects and vocals go more or less entirely AWOL, due to the speakers' inability to cope with anything but the most basic audio mix.
Value
The 32SL738 is a very attractive edge LED TV on paper, but its performance is underwhelming and some significant feature compromises have been made.
Ultimately, the 32SL738's £500 tag looks fair, rather than remarkable.
The slim cabinet and glossy finish certainly don't look like they belong to such a cheap TV.
Signs of its budget nature start to appear with its connections, though, as we fail to turn up an Ethernet port and only find three HDMIs rather than our preferred four.
Not having an Ethernet immediately indicates, of course, that the 32SL738 doesn't have a Freeview HD tuner, and that it can't access DLNA PC content.
It does play JPEGs and music files from USB sticks though, and can double up as a PC monitor, so it's certainly not completely anti-multimedia.
Picture quality is a mixed bag. Light sequences look good once you've calibrated away a few colour imbalances, thanks to a strong brightness output and vivid colour saturations. But dark scenes are upset by twin issues of an inconsistent backlight and an over-aggressive, underwhelming dynamic backlight system.
Add to these hit-and-miss pictures a really very feeble audio performance, and you've got a set that isn't quite the edge LED blockbuster it might at first appear.
We liked
The 32SL738 is very nicely designed and has a fair amount of multimedia support for its price and its pictures are enjoyable when fed bright, breezy sources.
We disliked
Its operating system feels dated and perplexing in places and audio is below par, while dark scenes are troubled by backlight problems. The lack of online capability is mildly disappointing and the absence of a Freeview HD tuner is a big letdown.
Verdict
The 32SL738 looks good and is well connected, but the lack of a Freeview HD tuner feels like a trim too far and the backlight inconsistency is a worry.
Related Links
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Webmail in decline as mobile mail sky-rockets
Use of webmail is in decline, with mobile mail sky rocketing in the past year, according to the latest figures. ComScore's study of online behaviours in the US suggests a trend away from the internet for our mail, with a 6 per cent drop in usage year on year.
These figures include the likes of Gmail and Hotmail but not traditional email through programs like Outlook.
Phoning it in
The decline does not mean that we are consuming less email, however, with a staggering 36 per cent more people stating that they used their phones to access email in a month than last year.
"Digital communication has evolved rapidly in the last few years with an ever-increasing number of ways for Internet users to communicate with one another," said Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile.
"From PCs to mobile devices, whether its email, social media, IM or texting, consumers have many ways to communicate and can do so at any time and in any place.
"The decline in web-based email is a by-product of these shifting dynamics and the increasing availability of on-demand communication options."
The shift is apparently coming from the younger demographic, which suggests that this is a trend that may continue as our mobile phones continue to take over some of the functions that a PC has traditionally filled.
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Review: Toshiba 37RV753
The 37RV753 is the kind of screen most people now know Toshiba for. It's aggressively priced (at the time of writing you can pick it up for £399 at Tesco Direct with a Blu-ray player thrown in free of charge) and has the design aesthetic of a dressing table mirror. It's a quantum leap away from what the brand is now trying to achieve with its WL Jacob Jensen Design studio lineup.It is a commodity product through and through, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Viewed from the front, this RV series set doesn't disgrace itself in polite company, although some might think the glossy bezel is rather too chunky to be a la mode.
So what do you get on a 37RV753? Well, not LED backlighting for a start. This model uses a traditional CCFL backlight (hence its 290mm deep cabinet), it also lacks motion resolution improvers (Active Vision M100 and Film Stabilization). In short, it's a bare bones box that offers barely any groovy gubbins.
If you were to make a virtue out the 37RV753's Wispa-light features list it would be that it includes nothing to frighten even the terminally technophobic. The remote control is a rudimentary affair, with diddy buttons and a lightweight, throwaway feel. Naturally, it doubles up as a disc deck controller if you flip the toggle switch on the top.
The set does at least have a Freeview HD tuner, which sets it apart from the screens in the really cheap seats, though.
Backside connection options on the set will be adequate for most. There are three HDMI inputs (the third of which can work with a feed from a DVI source, via an adaptor), component video, a PC input with minijack audio, an Ethernet LAN port, and stereo phono and optical digital audio outputs.
There are also two Scarts for older standard-def kit and, interestingly, a phono output designed to feed a small active subwoofer. The two-channel stereo audio is filtered in the set with mid to low bass routed out to the sub, so you'll not get the same type of LFE feed as a .1 channel in a surround mix. Still, it will help the screen make a more rambunctious noise.
On the right hand side of the set are some addition ports. There's a fourth HDMI, a CI (Common Interface) slot for pay TV services, analogue AV inputs and two USB sockets. One of these is designated for media playback from a USB device while the other is for a Wi-Fi dongle.
Eco warriors will be pleased to see the manual power switch on the left side. There are also some basic hands-on controls.
Naturally, the player is compatible with the CEC interoperability standard, called RegzaLink. Rather infuriatingly for consumers, different companies have different interpretations of CEC, so you can never be clear if one will work with the other. For this audition, the 37RV753 enjoyed only partial interoperability with a Sony Blu-ray player.
The set is DLNA certified, which might lead you to believe it offers some meaningful level of multimedia file support. However, this is not the case; the 37RV753 fails miserably when it came to video streaming. While it can see NAS storage devices and PCs, it steadfastly refuses to play video test files including AVIs, MKVs, AVCHs... Apparently it works with MPEG files, but what would be the point of that?
Music however, seems more agreeable to this set; it will sing along to some MP3s without issue, although it can't display any cover art.
The start-up menu is pretty straightforward. There's an uneventful walk-through of country and location menus before it starts scanning for channels. It only takes a few minutes to populate the EPG.
Despite the provision of an Ethernet port on the rear of the set, there is no online content portal to explore. Toshiba has yet to announce a start date for its Toshiba Places IPTV offering and on this set you don't even get YouTube to pass the time with.
Toshiba has opted for a conservative user interface. Compared to the screaming graphics favoured by many of its competitors, the presentation is understated but intuitive. To save mucking about through numerous boxes, there's a Quick menu that groups everything you actually might need in a single box (Picture Mode and Size, Media Player etc).
Picture controls are versatile. There's a full range of parameter calibration on offer, along with Backlight Adjustment Pro and base colour management. It's unlikely that the target audience of this type of TV will want to get their hands dirty at this level, but it's a nice option to have.
The Native mode, which prevents overscanning, seems to be the best option for watching HD broadcasts and content.
It goes without saying that the best way to hook up any TV screen to a home network is with a wired connection. This may not always be possible, of course, and so you might feel a need to opt for a Wi-Fi dongle.
Alternatively, consider looking into Power Line, which uses the mains ring to carry network traffic to anywhere there's a power socket – it's often much more reliable than Wi-Fi and a two-pack Powerline system sells for around the same as a dedicated branded dongle.
Powering up the screen immediately brings one problem to light: a buzzing backlight. It oscillates depending on how the screen is set up. Bizarrely, when you select the retina-frying Dynamic setting the noise disappears; choose one of the other viewing modes and the screen begins to hum.
Increase the brightness to the mid-90s on the sliding scale provided and the noise abates, however dive into some of the other menus and it comes back immediately. It could well be that this is a sample fault; however the fact it turned up on this test-bench sounding like a demented contestant trying to answer a question on Family Fortunes is enough to earn several demerits.
The programme listing, meanwhile, is a generic Toshiba affair, and is wide and easy to navigate.
A cursory glance might suggest the picture quality from the 37RV753 is adequate, but you don't need too dig deep to uncover problems. The lack of any proprietary refresh modes cripples any ability to maintain high-definition clarity with motion (note that, according to the Toshiba website, the set has Active Vision 11, but the instruction manual says differently and the TV's performance corroborates this).
A horizontal scrolling monoscope test pattern gives a graphic representation of moving picture fidelity. As a still image, this test pattern is as sharp as you might hope, with 1,080 lines of fine detail clearly resolved.
However, as soon as the test pattern begins to scroll horizontally, the perceived onscreen definition sinks like a sumo wrestler in a Koi carp pond. If you can pick out more than 600 lines, you are being generous.
This inability to hold onto detail is why some HD programmes look inexplicably, sporadically soft; it's most noticeable on pictures from the Freeview HD channels; some shows (talking-head, studio based stuff) can look rather nice and crispy, however action sequences and sport have a 'now we're sharp, now we're soft' bleariness about them.
A test pattern with ever-decreasing fine line graticules developed by the Advanced PDP Development Centre confirms this lack of motion picture resolution: any fine detail beyond 600/650 lines evaporates as soon as it begins to move. The loss of fidelity worsens in scenes of low brightness.
A secondary test pattern, comprising of Japanese and English scrolling text, smudges badly when run at 30 per cent luminance.
On the plus side, colour fidelity is rather good. There is a tendency for CCFL-backlit screens to render reds as rather orangey, but that isn't the case here; roses are recognisably red. However, colour gradations are a little steppy, which suggests bit-depth limitations.
As always, you'll need to take care with sharpness when calibrating: anything over -20 on the calibration slider seems to be counter-productive.
Further up Toshiba's range ladder are TVs with Film Stabilization, a processing mode designed to eliminate cinematic judder. Unfortunately, this is absent on the 37RV753 – with predictable results. When Prince Charming canters behind a rocky outcrop on the remastered Blu-ray of Sleeping Beauty, the scrolling image resembles a flick book.
On the plus side, there is none of that ice-skating artificial smoothness so commonly associated with high frame-rate modes.
Like all CCFL-backlit screens, black levels suffer in low ambient lighting. What looks deep black in a hotly lit room, sheepishly becomes grey when the light level in the viewing room dips. Blacks are not ruinously grey, but there is some loss of visual snap.
It's worth noting that the panel itself is not overly kind to off-axis viewing. You only have to manoeuvre some 15° from square-on to see the colour drain from the faces of those onscreen.
Audio quality of the set is surprisingly good. The larger cabinet size of the RV enables some air to move around and (even without using the subwoofer output for extra bass) there's sufficient roundness for the 2x10W output to serve general viewing well.
A Dynamic bass Boost option (Off, Low, High) further stuffs the mid-band, causing it to get a little too plumy. To counter this, there's a Voice Enhancement tweak that adds a little more treble.
The set also offers Dolby Volume, a neat example of post processing which equalises discrepancies between channels and sources, so that you don't jump out of your skin when a scary movie you've been watching cuts to a commercial ad break. The screen also supports Audio Description on programming, with variable levels of sound mixing available.
Value
Ultimately, this bargain priced LCD performs much as you would expect it to. If you are looking for a reasonably priced screen, it might well do the job, although spending less on a TV (if it's your main set) may well prove to be a false economy.
While the audio performance is decent, a plethora of picture problems make this screen difficult to recommend. Throw in the buzzing CCFL backlight and an inadequate DLNA implementation and you end up with a screen only its maker could love.
The Toshiba 37RV753 is a mass-market telly aimed at the supermarket electricals shopper and is not intended to be a high performance purchase, but there are some fundamental flaws that deny it a recommendation. The buzzing backlight on this sample may be an isolated problem, but it might equally be indicative of what's in store for owners of this particular set. Its DLNA credentials are next to worthless and there are no IPTV niceties to compensate. Toshiba's new, immeasurably better WL line will yield greater satisfaction for anyone even slightly picky about pictures.
We liked
The surprisingly inoffensive audio performance, the Freeview HD tuner and the shopping-trolley price.
We disliked
The poor motion picture clarity, the intermittently buzzing CCFL backlight and hopeless video file support
Verdict
If you need a second set, perhaps for a room you rarely visit, then the 37RV753 might fit the bill, but you could do much better.
Related Links
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Review: Toshiba 37RV753
The 37RV753 is the kind of screen most people now know Toshiba for. It's aggressively priced (at the time of writing you can pick it up for £399 at Tesco Direct with a Blu-ray player thrown in free of charge) and has the design aesthetic of a dressing table mirror. It's a quantum leap away from what the brand is now trying to achieve with its WL Jacob Jensen Design studio lineup.It is a commodity product through and through, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Viewed from the front, this RV series set doesn't disgrace itself in polite company, although some might think the glossy bezel is rather too chunky to be a la mode.
So what do you get on a 37RV753? Well, not LED backlighting for a start. This model uses a traditional CCFL backlight (hence its 290mm deep cabinet), it also lacks motion resolution improvers (Active Vision M100 and Film Stabilization). In short, it's a bare bones box that offers barely any groovy gubbins.
If you were to make a virtue out the 37RV753's Wispa-light features list it would be that it includes nothing to frighten even the terminally technophobic. The remote control is a rudimentary affair, with diddy buttons and a lightweight, throwaway feel. Naturally, it doubles up as a disc deck controller if you flip the toggle switch on the top.
The set does at least have a Freeview HD tuner, which sets it apart from the screens in the really cheap seats, though.
Backside connection options on the set will be adequate for most. There are three HDMI inputs (the third of which can work with a feed from a DVI source, via an adaptor), component video, a PC input with minijack audio, an Ethernet LAN port, and stereo phono and optical digital audio outputs.
There are also two Scarts for older standard-def kit and, interestingly, a phono output designed to feed a small active subwoofer. The two-channel stereo audio is filtered in the set with mid to low bass routed out to the sub, so you'll not get the same type of LFE feed as a .1 channel in a surround mix. Still, it will help the screen make a more rambunctious noise.
On the right hand side of the set are some addition ports. There's a fourth HDMI, a CI (Common Interface) slot for pay TV services, analogue AV inputs and two USB sockets. One of these is designated for media playback from a USB device while the other is for a Wi-Fi dongle.
Eco warriors will be pleased to see the manual power switch on the left side. There are also some basic hands-on controls.
Naturally, the player is compatible with the CEC interoperability standard, called RegzaLink. Rather infuriatingly for consumers, different companies have different interpretations of CEC, so you can never be clear if one will work with the other. For this audition, the 37RV753 enjoyed only partial interoperability with a Sony Blu-ray player.
The set is DLNA certified, which might lead you to believe it offers some meaningful level of multimedia file support. However, this is not the case; the 37RV753 fails miserably when it came to video streaming. While it can see NAS storage devices and PCs, it steadfastly refuses to play video test files including AVIs, MKVs, AVCHs... Apparently it works with MPEG files, but what would be the point of that?
Music however, seems more agreeable to this set; it will sing along to some MP3s without issue, although it can't display any cover art.
The start-up menu is pretty straightforward. There's an uneventful walk-through of country and location menus before it starts scanning for channels. It only takes a few minutes to populate the EPG.
Despite the provision of an Ethernet port on the rear of the set, there is no online content portal to explore. Toshiba has yet to announce a start date for its Toshiba Places IPTV offering and on this set you don't even get YouTube to pass the time with.
Toshiba has opted for a conservative user interface. Compared to the screaming graphics favoured by many of its competitors, the presentation is understated but intuitive. To save mucking about through numerous boxes, there's a Quick menu that groups everything you actually might need in a single box (Picture Mode and Size, Media Player etc).
Picture controls are versatile. There's a full range of parameter calibration on offer, along with Backlight Adjustment Pro and base colour management. It's unlikely that the target audience of this type of TV will want to get their hands dirty at this level, but it's a nice option to have.
The Native mode, which prevents overscanning, seems to be the best option for watching HD broadcasts and content.
It goes without saying that the best way to hook up any TV screen to a home network is with a wired connection. This may not always be possible, of course, and so you might feel a need to opt for a Wi-Fi dongle.
Alternatively, consider looking into Power Line, which uses the mains ring to carry network traffic to anywhere there's a power socket – it's often much more reliable than Wi-Fi and a two-pack Powerline system sells for around the same as a dedicated branded dongle.
Powering up the screen immediately brings one problem to light: a buzzing backlight. It oscillates depending on how the screen is set up. Bizarrely, when you select the retina-frying Dynamic setting the noise disappears; choose one of the other viewing modes and the screen begins to hum.
Increase the brightness to the mid-90s on the sliding scale provided and the noise abates, however dive into some of the other menus and it comes back immediately. It could well be that this is a sample fault; however the fact it turned up on this test-bench sounding like a demented contestant trying to answer a question on Family Fortunes is enough to earn several demerits.
The programme listing, meanwhile, is a generic Toshiba affair, and is wide and easy to navigate.
A cursory glance might suggest the picture quality from the 37RV753 is adequate, but you don't need too dig deep to uncover problems. The lack of any proprietary refresh modes cripples any ability to maintain high-definition clarity with motion (note that, according to the Toshiba website, the set has Active Vision 11, but the instruction manual says differently and the TV's performance corroborates this).
A horizontal scrolling monoscope test pattern gives a graphic representation of moving picture fidelity. As a still image, this test pattern is as sharp as you might hope, with 1,080 lines of fine detail clearly resolved.
However, as soon as the test pattern begins to scroll horizontally, the perceived onscreen definition sinks like a sumo wrestler in a Koi carp pond. If you can pick out more than 600 lines, you are being generous.
This inability to hold onto detail is why some HD programmes look inexplicably, sporadically soft; it's most noticeable on pictures from the Freeview HD channels; some shows (talking-head, studio based stuff) can look rather nice and crispy, however action sequences and sport have a 'now we're sharp, now we're soft' bleariness about them.
A test pattern with ever-decreasing fine line graticules developed by the Advanced PDP Development Centre confirms this lack of motion picture resolution: any fine detail beyond 600/650 lines evaporates as soon as it begins to move. The loss of fidelity worsens in scenes of low brightness.
A secondary test pattern, comprising of Japanese and English scrolling text, smudges badly when run at 30 per cent luminance.
On the plus side, colour fidelity is rather good. There is a tendency for CCFL-backlit screens to render reds as rather orangey, but that isn't the case here; roses are recognisably red. However, colour gradations are a little steppy, which suggests bit-depth limitations.
As always, you'll need to take care with sharpness when calibrating: anything over -20 on the calibration slider seems to be counter-productive.
Further up Toshiba's range ladder are TVs with Film Stabilization, a processing mode designed to eliminate cinematic judder. Unfortunately, this is absent on the 37RV753 – with predictable results. When Prince Charming canters behind a rocky outcrop on the remastered Blu-ray of Sleeping Beauty, the scrolling image resembles a flick book.
On the plus side, there is none of that ice-skating artificial smoothness so commonly associated with high frame-rate modes.
Like all CCFL-backlit screens, black levels suffer in low ambient lighting. What looks deep black in a hotly lit room, sheepishly becomes grey when the light level in the viewing room dips. Blacks are not ruinously grey, but there is some loss of visual snap.
It's worth noting that the panel itself is not overly kind to off-axis viewing. You only have to manoeuvre some 15° from square-on to see the colour drain from the faces of those onscreen.
Audio quality of the set is surprisingly good. The larger cabinet size of the RV enables some air to move around and (even without using the subwoofer output for extra bass) there's sufficient roundness for the 2x10W output to serve general viewing well.
A Dynamic bass Boost option (Off, Low, High) further stuffs the mid-band, causing it to get a little too plumy. To counter this, there's a Voice Enhancement tweak that adds a little more treble.
The set also offers Dolby Volume, a neat example of post processing which equalises discrepancies between channels and sources, so that you don't jump out of your skin when a scary movie you've been watching cuts to a commercial ad break. The screen also supports Audio Description on programming, with variable levels of sound mixing available.
Value
Ultimately, this bargain priced LCD performs much as you would expect it to. If you are looking for a reasonably priced screen, it might well do the job, although spending less on a TV (if it's your main set) may well prove to be a false economy.
While the audio performance is decent, a plethora of picture problems make this screen difficult to recommend. Throw in the buzzing CCFL backlight and an inadequate DLNA implementation and you end up with a screen only its maker could love.
The Toshiba 37RV753 is a mass-market telly aimed at the supermarket electricals shopper and is not intended to be a high performance purchase, but there are some fundamental flaws that deny it a recommendation. The buzzing backlight on this sample may be an isolated problem, but it might equally be indicative of what's in store for owners of this particular set. Its DLNA credentials are next to worthless and there are no IPTV niceties to compensate. Toshiba's new, immeasurably better WL line will yield greater satisfaction for anyone even slightly picky about pictures.
We liked
The surprisingly inoffensive audio performance, the Freeview HD tuner and the shopping-trolley price.
We disliked
The poor motion picture clarity, the intermittently buzzing CCFL backlight and hopeless video file support
Verdict
If you need a second set, perhaps for a room you rarely visit, then the 37RV753 might fit the bill, but you could do much better.
Related Links
| |
Read More ...
Google Q4 earnings up 26 per cent
Google today announced whopping Q4 2010 profits just moments after Eric Schmidt told the world he's stepping aside for Larry Page to become CEO of the company.The company's earnings were up 26 per cent from the same period last year with bringing in $8.44 billion for a net income of $2.54 billion, with each of the 326 million shares earning $7.81.
CFO Patrick Pichette called the earnings "a phenomenal ending to a very good year."
Comparing the results to Apple's earnings during the same period will please Steve Jobs. Cupertino posted profits of $6 billion and revenue of $26.4 billion, up 71 per cent. Earnings-per-share were $6.43.
Down in the UK
In other news 52 per cent of all revenue come from oversees, while the $878million it brought in from the UK was two per cent down on last year's figure for Q4, from 12 per cent to 10.
Current CEO Eric Schmidt said: "Q4 marked a terrific end to a stellar year.
"Our strong performance has been driven by a rapidly growing digital economy, continuous product innovation that benefits both users and advertisers, and by the extraordinary momentum of our newer businesses, such as display and mobile.
"These results give us the optimism and confidence to invest heavily in future growth -- investments that will benefit our users, Google and the wider web."
Wages on the up
Another notable element to come out of the earnings call was the news that Google plans to raise its salaries by 10 per cent across the board in order to attract and keep Silicon Valley's finest talent.
Looking forward it seems that Google is will attempt to exploit the social search goldmine. Co-Founder Larry Brin says the company has only "unlocked one per cent" of what can be done in this area.
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Google Q4 earnings up 26 per cent
Google today announced whopping Q4 2010 profits just moments after Eric Schmidt told the world he's stepping aside for Larry Page to become CEO of the company.The company's earnings were up 26 per cent from the same period last year with bringing in $8.44 billion for a net income of $2.54 billion, with each of the 326 million shares earning $7.81.
CFO Patrick Pichette called the earnings "a phenomenal ending to a very good year."
Comparing the results to Apple's earnings during the same period will please Steve Jobs. Cupertino posted profits of $6 billion and revenue of $26.4 billion, up 71 per cent. Earnings-per-share were $6.43.
Down in the UK
In other news 52 per cent of all revenue come from oversees, while the $878million it brought in from the UK was two per cent down on last year's figure for Q4, from 12 per cent to 10.
Current CEO Eric Schmidt said: "Q4 marked a terrific end to a stellar year.
"Our strong performance has been driven by a rapidly growing digital economy, continuous product innovation that benefits both users and advertisers, and by the extraordinary momentum of our newer businesses, such as display and mobile.
"These results give us the optimism and confidence to invest heavily in future growth -- investments that will benefit our users, Google and the wider web."
Wages on the up
Another notable element to come out of the earnings call was the news that Google plans to raise its salaries by 10 per cent across the board in order to attract and keep Silicon Valley's finest talent.
Looking forward it seems that Google is will attempt to exploit the social search goldmine. Co-Founder Larry Brin says the company has only "unlocked one per cent" of what can be done in this area.
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Read More ...
Eric Schmidt steps down as Google CEO
Eric Schmidt today shocked the tech world by announcing that he is ending his 10-year stint as Google CEO.The long-time figurehead will hand over the reigns to co-founder Larry Page on April 4th, according to a post on the company's blog this evening.
The surprising news came as the company announced a massive $2.54 billion net income for the last quarter of 2010 and just days after old pal Steve Jobs also announced a leave of absence from Apple.
Simplifying management
Schmidt, who becomes "Executive Chairman" and will now be working on strategic aspects of the company, says the move will "simplify the management structure" which had become too complicated.
Speaking via the official blog Schmidt says: "When I joined Google in 2001 I never imagined—even in my wildest dreams—that we would get as far, as fast as we have today.
"Search has quite literally changed people's lives—increasing the collective sum of the world's knowledge and revolutionizing advertising in the process. And our emerging businesses—display, Android, YouTube and Chrome—are on fire. Of course, like any successful organization we've had our fair share of good luck, but the entire team—now over 24,000 Googlers globally—deserves most of the credit.
"And as our results today show, the outlook is bright. But as Google has grown, managing the business has become more complicated.
"So Larry, Sergey and I have been talking for a long time about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making—and over the holidays we decided now was the right moment to make some changes to the way we are structured.
"For the last 10 years, we have all been equally involved in making decisions. This triumvirate approach has real benefits in terms of shared wisdom, and we will continue to discuss the big decisions among the three of us.
"But we have also agreed to clarify our individual roles so there's clear responsibility and accountability at the top of the company."
Ready to lead
The new Executive Chairman says long-time colleague Larry Page is "ready to lead" the company onto bigger and better things as leader of "product development and technology strategy."
Sergey Brin will continue with the title of Co-Founder, working on new products.
What a couple of days it has been for the CEO's of two of the biggest tech companies in the world. We'll have more on Google's Q4 earnings shortly.
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Motorola: Xoom will have a premium price
Motorola has stated that it considers its forthcoming Xoom tablet a 'premium' product, and will likely have a price to reflect that.Online retailers have been offering the tablet for prices north of £700, and when quizzed at a recent round tablet, Andrew Moreley, VP International Marketing for Motorola didn't deny the price level:
"While we haven't announced the price, the Motorola Xoom is clearly a premium device with premium pieces inside.
Still successful
"This will show in the cost too - however, at the price level [it will be launched at] we believe it will be successful."
With the LG Optimus Pad, also running Android 3.0, rumoured to have a lower price despite similar specs and a 3D screen, Motorola better be putting some low margins on those premium pieces if it hopes to be a success in what will quickly become a convoluted tablet market.
If you're not too put off by the sky high price, but baulked at the fact that the Motorola Xoom has a non-working microSD slot - then good news everyone, that's likely to be fixed soon.
When asked about the omission by TechRadar, Motorola told us that it was a 'time to market issue' but should be patched and fixed in the near future.
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