11th February 2008 Archive

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Official: Brits will give up nookie for plasma TVs

Chastity belter

What would you do to get a 50in plasma HD TV? Overload the credit cards? Save up for a year? Rob a bank? Most Brits would give up sex for six months to get one. So claims retail giant Comet. A poll of 2000 people conducted on the chain's behalf, found that 47 per cent of males questioned would forgo their animal instincts for …

HD 11 Feb 02:02
What's the best handheld computer?

Q&A

Could you please advise as to your view on the best handheld computer with a workable keyboard and a decent-sized screen, yet one small enough to carry around, possibly in a jacket pocket?

Q&A 11 Feb 07:02
Sony Ericsson goes Windows Mobile with Xperia X1 'arc slider'

Mobile World Congress Taking on Nokia's Communicators

Sony Ericsson last night announced a new smartphone range. Dubbed Xperia, the series' flagship is the X1, featuring a Windows Mobile-based handset with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard and 3in, 800 x 480 display. Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1: arc slider Sony Ericsson calls the X1 an "arc slider" handset - the keyboard curves …

Phones 11 Feb 08:13
News Round-up Mobile World Congress - Complete Hardware Coverage

Mobile World Congress - the show formerly known as 3GSM - brought a bumper crop of handsets and hype to Barcelona. Here are all of Register Hardware's MWC 08 stories, brought together for your reading pleasure... Handsets • Alcatel unveils stack of sexy-but-budget phones • Samsung dolls out entry-level talker trio • Hands …

Phones 11 Feb 08:29
Sony Ericsson shows off horde of handsets

Mobile World Congress Bucketload of phones launched in Barcelona

Sony Ericsson has announced the Z770, a clamshell phone, supporting HSDPA data speeds, it's been designed offer easy access to online services. It can also be connected directly to a laptop (via USB cable) and can be used as a modem. The Z770 clamshell incorporates Bluetooth with A2DP stereo streaming. There's a two-megapixel …

Phones 11 Feb 09:17
Nokia unveils the N96 and N78

Mobile World Congress Hot, headline-grabbing handsets

The eagerly-awaited successor to the the popular N95 was at last unveiled in Barcelona this morning. Details of the N96 - the latest addition to Nokia's smartphone range - were leaked before the weekend, and they weren't far wrong. The dual-slide handset sports a 2.8in display, 16GB of internal memory that can be further …

Phones 11 Feb 10:50
Novatel Wireless Ovation MC950D USB HSUPA modem

Review Mobile broadband in stick form

Novatel Wireless pitches the Ovation MC950D as the world's smallest USB modem capable not only of making 7.2Mb/s HSDPA connections but also that 3G speed-boost technology's upload equivalent, HSUPA. The unit itself is a shiny black USB dongle a little larger than a USB Flash drive. Remove the obligatory end-cap and you not …

Networking and Wireless 11 Feb 11:02
Sony Ericsson unveils Cyber-shot and Walkman trio

Mobile World Congress Music or photos, your choice

Sony Ericsson has unveiled two additions to its Cyber-shot range: the C702 and C902. Each packs enough functions to keep the amateur snapper happy, but neither matches the new W980’s audio features. Sony Ericsson's C702 offers GPS photo tagging The 3.2-megapixel C702 allows for single-handed camera use, letting users both …

Phones 11 Feb 11:06
HTC Advantage gets a facelift

Mobile World Congress New and improved

Handset manufacturer HTC has redesigned its existing Advantage device, upping the storage capacity to 16GB, overhauling the keyboard’s responsiveness - it claimed - and updating the UMPC's software. The Advantage’s detachable keyboard now offers haptic feedback that, much like a similar feature on the recently updated U600, …

PCs 11 Feb 12:30
Nokia preps 'pedestrian's pal' navigator phone

Mobile World Congress Maps app updated too

Nokia today took its phone-as-navigation device strategy to the next level, announcing Nokia Maps 2.0 and a handset to go with it: the 6210 Navigator, successor to the 6110. Maps 2.0 builds on the previous version's ability to work with satellite data augmented by location information calculated from a handset's position …

Phones 11 Feb 12:43
Samsung takes touchphone fight to LG, Apple

Mobile World Congress Prada? Schmada

Samsung doesn't want to leave that iPhone-like phone look all to LG, now does it? You know, straight lines, round corners, chrome trim, shiny touchscreen. We've already seen the Armani handset and now we have the F480. Samsung's F480: part of its 'Style' range, no less This time round, the screen's a 2.8in, 240 x 320 job …

Phones 11 Feb 13:25
Motorola calls up handset three-some

Mobile World Congress A sexy slider now Wi-Fi-enabled and two basic ringers

Wi-Fi’s the word according to Motorola: the handset manufacturer has unveiled its web-enabled MOTO Z6w phone, alongside the twin-like W161 and W181 handsets. The MOTO Z6w slider provides 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, in addition to quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge cellular support. Its VoIP support, Motorola claims, means the phone’s …

Phones 11 Feb 13:41
Mobile World Congress Samsung shows Shine-y metal multimedia phone

Samsung's rumoured G810 - a phone the firm calls an 'infotainment' handset - has made its anticipated appearance at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona this week. Samsung's G810: infotainment fans, take note The stainless steel styled handset - shades of Shine here, we'd say - sports a 2.6in, 240 x 320 display on …

Phones 11 Feb 14:18
LG promises 'mind-reading' phone

Mobile World Congress Turn a dial, or... er... read your mind

LG has unveiled the multi-dial K700 to help you locate applications more easily and the K600 - which the Korean manufacturer claims can display buttons based on telepathy, sort of. The 3G HSDPA KF700 integrates three input methods: a 3in touchscreen display, an alpha-numeric keypad and short-cut dial, the latter of which is …

Phones 11 Feb 14:52
Pave your patio with... er, Game Boys

Whatever next?

Game Boy-shaped bricks are an odd concept. But if you firmly believe Nintendo's handheld gamer paved the way for modern portable consoles, then start ripping up your turf because you can now deck your garden pathway over in retro gaming chic. The Game Boy brick: batteries not required The Dutch brick-maker behind the …

Gadgets and Gizmos 11 Feb 14:59
Netflix falls in behind Blu-ray

Will discontinue HD DVD

Online video rental outfit Netflix has raised its colours in the Blu-ray camp by announcing it will stop buying new HD DVD discs and phase out existing stock by "about the end of the year". According to Reuters, Netflix has stocked both hi-def formats since they joined battle back in 2006, but says that recent announcements by …

HD 11 Feb 15:17
Apple sets its sights on video consoles

And it's looking for staff too...

Established console manufacturers might be quaking in their virtual boots, 'cause Apple has filed documents with the US Patent and Trademark Office that suggest it may be devloping a video games console. Although Apple’s application is very vague, it makes specific reference to various forms of handheld unit, including ones …

Mac 11 Feb 16:02
DLO cracks open egg-shaped iPhone speaker dock

Crack on some tunes

If the iPhone's the centre of your life - and let's face facts, it is for many - then thanks to this speaker system/docking station it can now be the centre of your party too. DLO's iPhone portable speaker system The speakers from Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO) look very like Sony's Rolly music player, but separate from …

Gadgets and Gizmos 11 Feb 20:21
Teen hacker re-unlocks Apple's iPhone

Gets firm with firmware

A teen hacker known for his deftness with iPhones has figured out how to unlock models running the latest firmware versions by cracking a protection that has frustrated hackers for weeks. The breakthrough by George Hotz, aka Geohot, means people who have bought a recent iPhone will once again be able to use it on the phone …

Phones 11 Feb 22:16