The Week’s Headlines
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Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Apple adds Tesco as iPhone partner
Every retailer helps
It already sells milk, bread, booze, car insurance and furniture. Now supermarket behemoth Tesco is to add the Apple iPhone to its growing inventory. Tesco today confirmed a joint venture with O2, enabling the supermarket to introduce the iPhone 3G and 3GS into its retail operation "shortly". The handset will be sold through …
Apple wants life ban for clone maker
No sequel for Psystar
Apple is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Psystar ever again selling cloned Mac software or hardware. Apple won a recent injunction but wants this to be extended to cover Snow Leopard, because otherwise Psystar will not stop copying its intellectual property. The company is also seeking damages and attorney fees. It is …
Freesat to get BBC iPlayer on 7 December
Freeview HD spoiler?
Freesat, the free-to-air satellite TV service, has said BBC iPlayer support will be introduced on 7 December. That's just five days after the Freeview HD begins transmitting, and the Freesat iPlayer is arguably no more of a full launch that the terrestrial hi-def service is. What's coming on 7 December is the beta release, …
HP rolls out business-friendly smartphone
The iPaq is baq
We haven’t heard much about HP’s iPaq 'once PDA, now smartphone' range for a while, but now it’s back – as a “feature-rich...world phone”, whatever that means. HP's iPaq Glisten: for business types, mostly According to its technical specifications, the iPaq Glisten shimmers with 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity – that latter can …
MSI preps slim laptop with AMD Neo X2 chippery
Thin'n'light not an Intel-only game
MSI has rolled out a new member of its X family of skinny notebooks. This one has a AMD Neo X2 dual-core processor, proving that Intel won't have the thin'n'light laptop market all to itself. The X430 is based around a 13in, 1366 x 768 display - that's a 16:9 widescreen TV aspect ratio, hence the shorter-than-you-might-expect …
New York to beam disaster alerts to Xbox gamers
'Liberty City' to test emergency broadcasts via consoles
Evading terrorists and nuclear attacks on your Xbox 360 looks set to become a real-world challenge as well as a virtual one. New York State (NYS) has begun trialling use of the console as an emergency broadcast system for disasters. NYS’ Emergency Management Office (EMO) has opted to use the Xbox 360 as a test bed for console- …
Tivo to return to UK in 2010
Virgin Media tie-in
Virgin Media has announced impending plans to deliver Tivo to UK homes. Tivo, the original PVR service, will provide “middleware and user interface software” for co-branded Virgin Media next-generation set-top boxes due to arrive in Blighty at some point next year. Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media, said: “Our fibre-optic …
US Air Force orders 2200 Sony PS3s
Extending supercomputing Linux cluster
The US Air Force plans to buy a whopping 2200 PlayStation 3 games consoles which it will use to expand an existing PS3-based supercomputer. The current cluster of consoles contains 336 PS3s, each connected by their RJ45 ports to a common 24-port Gigabit Ethernet hub, Air Force online documentation states. The entire set-up …
Apple sues over knock-off power bricks
Imitation not flattery
Apple has sued a California company for alleging infringing a laptop AC-adapter patent granted to Cupertino in 2003. And they may have already won. Filed in federal court on Monday, the suit alleges that the California company, Media Solutions Holdings, infringes on Apple design patent entitled simply "Power adapter" which …
iRiver Story e-book reader
Review Best in class?
While the price and diversity of e-book readers is still some way off achieving the sort of critical mass that put an MP3 player in nearly pocket, the number of devices appearing on the market is increasing at a healthy rate. A good read? iRiver’s Story While not exactly a household name here in the UK, iRiver can usually …
Nokia E72 smartphone
Review BlackBerry liquidiser?
The E72 is the latest in Nokia’s line of Qwerty handsets, beefing up the popular E71 with a slightly sleeker look, improved software and some interface tweaks. It’s very slim – only just over 1cm thick, 58.3mm wide, and 114 tall, weighing 128g. The 2.36in screen is only QVGA, though arguably on a unit this size, a higher …
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Tuesday, 24 November 2009
FanboisApple buyers howl over crocked iMacsA crack in the cult
Apple customers are howling over a pair of recurring flaws in the company's new iMac desktops. Some buyers say machines are arriving on doorsteps with a conspicuous crack in the lower left-hand corner of Apple's built-in display, while others howl that their freshly-shipped systems won't even turn on. Each flaw has spawned …
Combat games disrespect war laws, report claims
Virtual troops should play by the same rules real ones do
Videogames should respect the real-world rules governing wars, a report has concluded, following research into how many videogames break them. A study of 20 titles, including many from the Call of Duty and Tom Clancy series, carried out by Pro Juvenile – an organisation which aims to protect kids from unlimited videogame …
Emblaze demos Else handset
Not a smartphone, a 'mobile apps device', apparently
If you are bored of the same old smartphones, then an Israeli design firm claims to have designed a handset that offers something Else. Emblaze's Else runs on Linux The Else “mobile device” runs on Linux and has been hailed by Emblaze as a step away from “phone-centric” devices and a step towards “application-centric” multi …
First Nokia X-series phone priced up, release scheduled
Three days to go
The launch of Nokia’s first X-series handset is just days away, the Finnish phone giant has confirmed. Nokia's X6: out this Friday Unwrapped back in September, the X6 is the new range’s flagship model and will be available on 27 November – that’s this Friday, folks. The handset will cost an eye-watering £449 ($761/€496) if …
iPhone conquers half the (smartphone) world
But there's an Android approaching
Apple's iPhone now accounts for 50 per cent of worldwide smartphone usage, according to a new report. But off in the distance, there's an Android approaching. The latest traffic figures (PDF) from AdMob - the mobile ad-servicing shop recently acquired by Google - are less kind to Symbian and Palm. According to the report, …
Microsoft hit with lawsuit over Xbox memory card ban
'Unauthorised' accessory supplier gets legal
A UK-based manufacturer of Xbox 360 memory cards has begun legal action against Microsoft over the software giant's efforts to prevent so-called “unauthorised” memory cards being used with the console. Datel Design & Development, the manufacturer of Max Memory cards for the Xbox 360, yesterday filed a complaint with the San …
Sony Ericsson suspends Satio sales
Pulls phone over software glitches
Sony Ericsson has withdrawn its new 12Mp cameraphone, Satio, from sale after only a few weeks of UK availability. The company told Register Hardware today that “a small number of consumers have experienced software issues” with the phone over here. It isn't known if overseas buyers are experiencing the same problems. Sony …
Sony to publish James Patterson e-book reader
Digital thrills?
Are thrillers more up your alley than slushy Mills & Boon romances? If so, take a gander at the latest version of Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition: a tribute to author James Patterson. Sony's James Patterson Reader Pocket Edition Called, unsurprisingly, the James Patterson Reader Pocket Edition, the e-book viewer will come with …
SuperSpeed adaptor goes on sale
USB 3.0 for your laptop. Now.
Keen to leap into the SuperSpeed era? There may not be many USB 3.0 devices you can use, but at least you can now prep your notebook for the new bus standard. Accessory supplier Brando has begun selling an ExpressCard 34 add-in with a pair of SuperSpeed ports built in. Brando's ExpressCard USB 3.0 adaptor: get ready for …
Hitachi Ultrastar A7K2000 2TB HDD
Review The two-terabyte hard drive to have?
Back in August 2009, Hitachi announced that it was “shipping the industry’s first 2TB 7200rpm desktop hard disk drive” in the shape of the Deskstar 7K2000. Hitachi's Ultrastar A7K2000: better duration specs than the Deskstar That statement may have been accurate, depending on your definition of ‘shipping’, but we received a …
Samsung X520 notebook
Review Nine-hour battery life – hit or myth?
With smooth, curved edges and an eye-pleasing design, the 15.6in X520 slips into Samsung’s new X-series range. There are two other X-series models: the 11.6in X120 and 14in X420. The focus is on mobility here and, as such, all feature so-called CULV - Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage - processors and integrated graphics from Intel …
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Monday, 23 November 2009
Freeview HD - your questions answered
All you need to know
With the first Freeview HD transmissions scheduled to start on the 2 December in the London, Liverpool and Manchester areas, Register Hardware answers all your questions about the new telly technology. New Zealand's Freeview HD logo. What will Blighty' look like? What do I need to receive Freeview HD? You’ll need a TV or …
Chrysler dumps e-car plans
Leccy Tech Gone, but not forgotten?
Chrysler's e-car strategy has vanished down the plughole, taking with it any chance of us getting intimate with the Lotus Europa-based Dodge Circuit. Chrysler's ENVI arm is to close, ending hope of the Lotus Europa-based Dodge Circuit Things have been ominously quiet at Chrysler's ENVI e-car division for a while and now the …
Dell details smartphone spec
Mini 3i internals revealed
Dell has come clean on the full specifications of its Mini 3i smartphone, and it doesn't impress. Dell's Mini 3i: not the iPhone killer some had hoped for Dell announced earlier this month that its Mini 3i smartphone – which runs China Mobile’s Android-based oPhone platform - would launch in China towards the end of this …
E-book readers to stay pricey next year
Won't hit $100 for ages, says screen supplier
Holding out for a £100 e-book reader before snapping up one of these gadgets for yourself? You may get lucky this year, but don't expect prices to fall any further. Scott Liu, head of screen maker PVI - the Taiwanese firm that recently bought e-ink pioneer E Ink - forecast today that readers will not drop to hit the $100 (£61 …
Imation ships wirelessly-connected hard drive
USB 2.0 wireless
Imation has announced its external hard drive that connects by wireless USB to PCs and Macs is now shipping. The Pro WX Wireless USB hard drive comes in a 3.5in form-factor and holds up to 1.5TB of data. It is based on Imation's Apollo external hard drive platform fitted with a USB wireless facility that talks on a one-to-one …
Microsoft stands tall over Xbox Live lawsuit threat
'We're well within our rights,' claims software giant
The possibility of class-action lawsuit arising from the ban of roughly 1m gamers from Xbox Live doesn’t worry Microsoft, because the firm believes it is in the right. With a view to launching a class action lawsuit against the software giant, US law firm Abington IP last week published a webpage calling for anyone remotely …
Palm Pre update inbound
From WebOS 1.1.3 to 1.3.1
The Pre smartphone will be refreshed with an updated webOS “within the next few days”, manufacturer Palm has promised. A Pré update is due within days Customers of Telefonica – that’s O2 to you and me – in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Spain will be automatically updated from WebOS 1.1.3 to version 1.3.1 when within range of …
Pegatron smartbook uncloaked?
Early 2010 release possible
Following recent confirmation that Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron plans to launch a machine of its own early next year, a 10in fanless netbook sporting the firm’s logo has been spotted. Pegatron has confirmed plans to launch a smartbook in Q1 2010 Source: Shanzai Powered by an ARM processor and running the Ubuntu …
Wind turbines to power phone masts
ColdGreen calling?Forget mobile phone covers made of recycled plastic bottles or handsets powered by sunlight. If you really want to make a green phone call then move to California, where some phone masts will soon run on wind energy. Helix Wind's turbines capture wind using a helix shaped blades Wind turbine manufacturer Helix Wind has …
Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2
Review Windows 7 on a netbook - worth the wait?
Lenovo’s new IdeaPad S10-2 is an update of the S10e. The hardware is conventional netbook fare with a dual-core Atom processor and a 10.1in screen all dressed up in a smart chassis that makes it look like a baby ThinkPad. There have been a number of updates for this model, such as an increase in the frontside bus speed for the …
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Saturday, 21 November 2009
TomTom Start satnav
Review Made for map lovers, apparently...
TomTom's Start is essentially the satnav specialist's new low-end model. Rather than say so, though, it's not pitching the product on price but for its simplicity. It's a device designed to get you from A to B and nothing more. TomTom's Start: cuts to the chase with a simple, straightforward UI But it's also being described …
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Friday, 20 November 2009
Apple cult leader emails outside world
11 words from the Messiah's Jesus phone
Apple cult leader Steve Jobs has communicated with the outside world. As revealed by Crunchgear, Jobs recently sent an 11-word email to a longtime Mac developer who had come groveling to the cult leader after being threatened by a band of Apple lawyers. John Devor is the CEO of The Little App Factory, a tiny shareware outfit …
Asus intros netbook with desktop CPU
Category killer?
Asus has once again extended it Eee PC netbook range, this time with a machine that not only includes Nvidia's Ion graphics but also a dual-core Atom processor - a desktop chip, to be precise. Asus' Eee 1201N: 'desktop replacement' netbook? Including Ion means the Eee PC 1201N can drive a 1366 x 768 resolution display, in …
Asus serves up Windows 7 Home Server box
Updated 2TB of on-board storage - add more using eSata
Asus has taken the wraps off a home server build out of an Atom processor and up to 2TB of internal storage. The Home Server TS Mini uses the 1.66GHz Atom N280 allied with 1-2GB of 800MHz DDR 2 memory to run Windows 7 Home Server. Asus' Home Server TS Mini: bionic nettop, basically On-board storage slots into a pair of 3. …
Humax Freeview HD set-top box to debut 'early 2010'
Ahead of the rest?
Just days after Register Hardware was told by telly chiefs that no Freeview HD kit will be available in the UK ahead of the service’s switch-on next month, manufacturer Humax has announced the impending launch of its first Freeview HD-compatible set-top box. Humax's Fox-HD-T2 is set up for Freeview HD As its name suggests, …
Lawyers pursue banned Xbox Live gamers
Anti-Microsoft class action in the offing?
Are you an Xbox 360 owner recently banned from Xbox Live? Has the ban left you feeling short changed? Perhaps you’ve experienced other console problems as a result of the ban? If you can answer 'yes' to any of these questions, then US law firm Abington IP wants to hear from you. The “intellectual property law and consumer …
PS3 to go 3D in 2010, says Sony
Specs at the ready
Sony has formally announced plans to bring true 3D gaming to the PlayStation 3. Five advantages of the PS3 over, presumably, the Xbox 360 Source: Kotaku In a presentation designed to outline the “five key advantages of PlayStation 3”, Sony stated: “All PS3 units will be firmware upgradeable to 3D.” The company also …
Skinny Acer notebook delivers six-day battery life
Just ask Windows 7
Acer appears to have found a solution to notebook users' battery life woes. Its Aspire Timeline 1810TZ apparently delivers a 10x improvement in runtime when compared to other thin'n'light laptops equipped with six-cell lithium-ion batteries. After five hours' usage at a day-long conference the other day, we thought we'd check …
Sony demos monster 3D TV
280in 'wall' made from 70 28in sets
What better way to prove your commitment to the 3D TV market than showing off a big, massive whopping 280in 3D-capable TV? That seems to Sony’s opinion, anyway. Can't see the video? Download Flash Player from Adobe.com The electronics giant this week displayed the monster screen at Japan’s annual International Broadcast …
Tesla Roadster used for videogame audio
Leccy Tech Electric engine fails to dampen screeching tyres
What are the real benefits of an electric car? Reduced CO2 emissions? Less dependency on oil? Quieter inner cities? Nope. The correct answer is actually cooler sound effects for videogames. Microsoft strapped mics to the Tesla for clearer tyres sounds in videogames That’s according to sound engineering boffins from …
HTC HD2 Windows Mobile smartphone
Review Big screen winner?
HTC has just about the fullest range of Windows Mobile smart phones on the market at the moment with a wide variety of types and prices. The HD2 is at the apex of its range, offering arguably the most bang, but also demanding a considerable amount of bucks. It lines up as HTC's most complete package to date though, with a huge …
Ricoh CX2
Review Clever capture modes
It doesn’t seem five minutes since we looked at the CX1 – well, back in April actually – so it’s quite surprise to find that Ricoh has already launched its successor, the CX2. Again, this is a super-zoom compact seemingly aimed at the enthusiast or the DSLR user who occasionally wants to pack something simpler and smaller. That …
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Thursday, 19 November 2009
'Banned' Xbox Live consoles appearing on eBay
Cheap consoles without connectivity
Microsoft’s decision to ban gamers from Xbox Live as punishment for allegedly modifying their consoles has spurred many to simply sell their Xbox 360s through eBay, it has emerged. Earlier today, the number of Xbox 360s described as “banned” on eBay’s UK website was steadily growing, with prices for such machines ranging …
Modern Warfare 2 sets second sales record
Most sales over a five-day period, claims publisher
Videogame publisher Activison has claimed a second sales record for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, based on the game’s five-day global “sell-through” figure. The title has achieved five-day sell-through sales of $550m (£329m/€369m) across the globe, according to the publisher. This is a record, it claimed. Last week, …
Apple iPad to get OLED screen
But launch delayed as a consequence, claims mole
Apple's much anticipated iPad won't appear until the second half of 2010 - but at least the delayed model will come with a 9.7in OLED display rather than an LCD. So claims a mole within Taiwan's contract manufacturer community, according to a DigiTimes report. The OLED panel will be coming from LG, apparently. LG signed a $ …
California votes in HD TV power pruning law
Standby not good enough?
Legislators in California have voted to exterminate overly energy-hungry TVs, creating a law that insists the state’s tellies meet strict energy consumption standards. Set to come into force in 2011, the law will require TVs with screen sizes of 58in or less to consume 33 per cent less electricity than existing models do. For …
Casio casts ultra-slim 'freezeproof' compact
Tougher than old boots?
Blighty’s winter mornings can get rather cold, so if you insist on taking pictures of frozen flowers and iced-up lakes then at least Casio is here to help with a super-slim “freezeproof” compact camera. Casio's EX-G1: slim and well 'ard The Casio EX-G1 will apparently still snap stills in temperatures as low as -10°C, a …
Hi-tech Silly Putty reformed as gadget protector
Malleable orange goo absorbs impact
What is the best way to protect your laptop or smartphone? By covering them in bubble wrap? Or by restricting their use only to well-padded areas? No. A hi-tech Silly Putty is your best bet, according to manufacturer Tech21. D3O in its raw, stretchy form Tech21 last night launched its range of smartphone and laptop cases …
Japan claims latest long distance e-car record
Leccy Tech Sorry, Tesla!
A Japanese e-car has set a new world record for the longest distance travelled on a single charge, travelling the 345 miles from Tokyo to Osaka without pulling over to re-charge. Tateuchi drove his modified Mira from Tokyo to Osaka The distance trumps the 313 miles managed by a Tesla Roadster through a strip of Australia …
No Freeview HD kit in time for launch, warns telly exec
Full rollout timetable revealed
It's now clear that you'll need a new TV or set-top box (STB) to pick up Freeview HD. However, Register Hardware has learned that compatible kit won’t arrive in Blighty in time for the service’s debut early next month. Richard Lindsay-Davis, Director General of the Digital TV Group (DTG), has admitted to us that “at this stage …
IoSafe Solo disaster-proof drive
Review Fireproof and waterproof - we know, we tried it
The IoSafe Solo USB drive is a robust storage device that promises to protect precious data in the event of a fire or flood. It uses patented technology to surround the 3.5in Sata hard disk with both waterproof and fireproof barriers, as well as an innovative cooling mechanism. IoSafe's Solo: disc burning and soak tests take …
Sony Bravia KDL-46W5810 46in LCD TV
Review Setting the standard for Freesat tellies?
The W5810 range represents Sony’s first move into the Freesat market, allowing you to sample the delights of true HD broadcasting without coughing up any extra cash for a Blu-ray player or Sky HD subscription. Sony’s Bravia KDL-46W5810 – one of the company’s first Freesat tellies As the name implies, the KDL-46W5810 is the …
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