Category: Gadgets & Tech

Windows 8 on show, tablet-centric UI

No, it’s not Windows Phone 8. This is a first look at how Windows 8 might look on future Microsoft-powered tablet devices. Initial impressions are good, with a lot of the interface looking similar to the Windows Phone GUI. The tablet-optimised experience should run existing Windows 7 applications …

Where is Android’s iPod Touch?

Although I’ve been an Android user for nearly two years now I’ve had an iPod Touch for around six months and use it every day. I bought it mainly because I wanted a new gadget and thought it’d be a good way to try out iOS and get …

Looking for a Windows tablet or notebook ?

Meet the Acer Iconia Tab W500. It has a slight personality disorder and can be a Tablet or a notebook. It has an AMD C50 Dual-core 1GHz CPU, 10.1″ 1280×800 pixel WXGA screen, 2GB DDR3 RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and oh.. Windows 7. There’s also a 32GB SSD …

CyanogenMod… What’s all the fuss?

In the New Year, I decided to take a nose dive into custom ROMs for my Desire.  Oh we had been getting along just great for a while, but I realised I needed more… Wanted more.  It needed to be faster, and easier to use and not as …

The Smartphone Killed Flip

Flip, makers of the popular Mino camcorder, is to be axed by most recent owners, Cisco. What was the cause of Flip’s demise? The integration of high-quality video capture into smartphones. Unfortunately, it looks like more companies like Flip will see their demise, as our smartphones start to …

Zeemote Bluetooth Game Controller Review

I recently bought a Zeemote. It is a bluetooth game controller that has drivers available for Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows. Here are some pictures of the joystick. This joystick has been around for a while now, the manufacturers Zeemote originally bundled these with various Nokia …

Notsocoolsmartphones?

My 18 months contract with Orange for my HTC Hero expired last month and for the first time ever I’ve plumped for a 12 month SIM only deal. My Hero, great phone as it was, only lasted me 7 months before I caved in and bought a HTC …

Cheap calling abroad – an experiment

Let’s face it, going abroad is expensive if you use your phone. You can be careful, you can sign up to a network or package which allows a certain amount of data or calling when you’re abroad or… you could do it my way. If you’ve never heard …

Vodafone launches Webbox – Internet on any TV

No, it’s not just a keyboard. This is the Vodafone Webbox. It turns any TV into an intenet browser and is designed for customers in emerging markets. It’s a 14x25cm QWERTY keyboard with RCA connectors allowing connection to the majority of TV’s. Initially launching in South Africa it …

HP announce their entry to the tablet race.

HP (Rip Palm) have just announced a Tablet and 2 phones, the Pre 3 and veer. Probably the pick of the bunch is the Tablet, the very ipad looking device does have an impressive specification,including: 9.7″ screen 1.2GHz Dual core snapdragon Cpu “Twice as much memory as the …

Samsung fly SD cards in, from space

If you’ve found a paper plane with a Samsung logo on it, pick it up and have a closer look. On board should be an SD card and the projectspaceplanes.com web address. If you stick the Samsung memory card into your computer you’ll see lots of lovely messages …

SonyEricsson LiveView update now available

We did review of the SonyEricsson LiveView before Christmas, and it was not without its teething problems – especially around connections. Sony promised an early update, and true to their word they have now released it. The release promises much improved connections, improved compatibility with 3rd party phones, …

Three UK have Android tablets coming soon

Three’s coming soon section has recently been updated. Two tablets will be available from them in February. The Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Linx Commtiva N700. Both are Android 2.2 devices. No pricing is available for either yet, but you can register for updates. Three already offer the …

HTC all set for world domination. 2011 to be a big year

It's getting to that time of year again when we start looking ahead at how the next year will pan out. HTC seem to have decided that the best bet is to pretty much floor it. They're projected to shift 20 million devices in 2010 but, according to …

Got $50,000 Spare?, Buy A Ulysse Nardin Chairman

Nokia have their Vertu range, iPhone can be put in diamonds and gold but what does the Android fan with too much cash and an itch for bling decide to buy?. The answer is the Ulysse Nardin Chairman which will set you back a cool $50,000 (£34,600...

In video – Google Android on my HTC Touch Dual

Thanks to some rather nifty work by the guys at xda-developers.com I've just managed to do something rather special with my HTC Touch Dual. What is it? Well, I've got Google Android working on it. Sure, it's a little hit-and-miss right now and it took...

Another reason I love doing this site – Let your phone fly!

Sometimes I look around this site and think, "I love this. I really, really do". It's not an egotistical thing - I just love the community aspect and the interesting ideas and news that you guys find. We always try and "give back" with free money, cha...

Slingbox and SlingPlayer Mobile – The review

A few weeks back the guys at SlingMedia lent us a Slingbox and said... "Hey, would you like to review it? Try the SlingPlayer software on your Windows Mobile phone too." ..so we did, and boy it's good. This has to be one of the best gadgets we've …

European Satellite Radio coming soon?

Every now and then we like to bring you a slightly off-topic post which may interest you. Today I spotted this news item about old satellites being re-used for new in-car entertainment systems in Europe.Cast your mind back a few years. Remember when S...

Want a Smartphone? Eat me!

The guys at software shop Pocketland.net have a rather interesting new product on their books - it's a Marziphone! Yup, it's mobile and edible ! This is better than any Chocolate phone - 100 grams of pure marzipan from Lübeck marzipan maker J.G. Nied...

iTheater Glasses – TV without the TV!

I love Firebox.com - it's a great place for getting Christmas gifts. Right now they have these rather cool glasses that show your favourite film on miniture TFT screens. It's apparently like watching a 50" screen from a distance of 8.5ft and it comes ...

Live radio on your Windows Mobile

Here in the UK we've got a fairly unique setup with TV and radio. There's a huge amount of commercial TV and radio stations but, if you have a TV or radio you have to buy a TV / Radio licence. The money from this goes to fund …

Firefox 2 now available

The new version of Firefox is now available for preview here. Although not really relating to Windows Mobile, this is a web browser you should be aware of. Many may have seen Internet Explorer 7 and the various parts it "lifted" from earlier versions ...

Free Broadband for all Sky Customers

Whilst not really Windows Mobile news this needs covering as it signals a massive change in the way you connect to the internet. UK TV giants Sky are today launching free broadband for all 8 million Sky TV customers. All customers, regardless of packa...

The Slingbox comes to the UK

We've already mentioned the Slingbox a few times. It's simply a widget that sits on your TV and lets you control and watch your TV, PVR and DVD recorder from any internet connection. You can use your Windows Mobile device to connect in via WiFi or 3G ...

Sky TV begin streaming trials with MediaFLO

TV giants Sky are to trial the MediaFLO Technology from Qualcomm. They're going to be testing the FLOTM technology, which is a wireless multicasting technology allowing delivery of video services to mobile devices in the United Kingdom. This, along wi...

Mail2Web – Instant email for everyone!

We've all seen those people walking around with BlackBerry handsets haven't we ? Yes, we Smartphone / Pocket PC owners can now get "instant email" too, but it's just not as easy to setup is it? Well, thanks to the guys at Mail2Web Live it is now! Just...

TVGenius – Get reminded about your favourite TV shows

Philip Nowlan has messaged in about a UK based service called TVGenius it's a website you can access on your handset by browsing to www.tvgenius.co.uk/mobile.html then bang in your favourite TV show and it'll remind you when it comes on! Hoho! Just wh...

Even broader-band

Despite heavily misleading marketing campaigns from certain ISP's saying that "8Meg broadband is now available", it's not and it hasn't been. It will however be possible to get 8Mbit/s broadband from the end of this month providing your pretty close t...

3GSM – Orange 3G Glasses

Orange are at 3GSM with these video glasses. This pic, via TechDigest shows them in use around Barcelona. Although not that new it is interesting to see a mobile network promoting video to this extent, and we presume Orange intend feeding 3G video int...

BBC uses Smartphones to trial mobile TV

Neil Bird has just emailed me about BBC iMP. This is an application which is in development to offer UK viewers the chance to catch up on TV and radio programmes via their phones or PC's. Using peer to peer technology (like BitTorrent) it allows you t...

TV is changing – part 3

We previously did some stories on the evolution of TV here and here. Well, now it's going to go another stage further with the implementation of IPTV - a new way of pushing TV down your broadband line. Sure, we've already got something like this, but ...

Ebay buys Skype

A good day today for Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. They're bosses of Skype and first burst onto the scene coding Kazaa - the (still widely used) file sharing program which allows people to swap music and more. Although - hey - they're seeking to ...

TV is changing – part 2

I mentioned yesterday about the new Sky TV widget called the Sky Gnome. It's a fantastic idea, and welcomed, but it's the stepping stone onto something bigger. Wherther you've noticed or not, the way we're watching TV is changing by each passing day. ...

Evolution of Radio and TV

See this ? It's called a Sky Gnome. It's gonna be available soon and won't bump up the cost of your Sky TV. It runs on batteries and connects via wi-fi to your Sky box. It'll let you listen to the wide variety of radio stations available on …

In a terrible accident ? Why not take a photo and sell it ?

Following my blog post the other day, in which I mentioned how bizarre it seemed to take photos on camera-phones in the middle of emergencies, things have just gone one step further. New site Scoopt.co.uk encourages you to log in and sell your news-wo...

Windows Vista

A little off-topic, but worth mentioning this. The Microsoft code-named "Windows Longhorn", which is the next generation of Windows on your PC - has been given a name today. It'll be called "Windows Vista" and will start appearing as a Beta in a few d...

A solution to a night-time problem :)

Way back in the day I used to have a Nokia (yes, I know - I was young and inexperienced, I only have myself to blame) which was absolute pap in comparison to the C500 I have today. However, it did used to be able to turn itself …

BBC Launches PodCasting trial

I see that the BBC are doing a Podcasting trial featuring some of their own radio shows. Very promising. This comes on the back of news that BBC Radio 1 is being picked up and re-broadcast the following day on the US Sirius service. Looks like Podcast...

BT Livetime uses Windows Mobile Phones

BT are using Microsoft powered mobile phones for their BT UK Livetime trial. The trial, currently in London, allows users to get access to Sky news services, a music channel and 50 radio stations. BBC News states.. "BT has drawn up its own designs bec...