Factors That You Need To Take Into Consideration While Selecting Your Laptop
May 31, 2009
Are you planning to buy a laptop? Have you decided the configurations that you are going to choose? Choosing the right laptop with the right configurations can be one of the confusing if not challenging tasks. Today we have so many options right before us and all of them seem exciting. So we need to spend a considerable amount of time online to find all the options we have and learning about the latest features that we have today. Only when we know what is available we will be able to make well-informed decisions.
Icebar, the completely waterproof case for your Nano with speakers
May 29, 2009
We recently told you all about the Otterbox, a nifty little gadget for the iPod Nano which give the ultimate in protection for your much loved iPod, no matter what life can throw at it. Well we think that we have found an alternative that has another added advantage, not only will the Icebar keep your iPod Nano clean and dry but it will also allow your Nano to pump out the sounds from inside its protective little box via the integrated speakers.
The Icebar with its waterproof casing will protect all iPod Nano’s that are 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation from wind, rain, sand and complete immersion in water. So if you enjoy listening to your sounds on the beach, or in the shower or bath then the Icebar is the perfect solution. The sound quality is pretty good for such a small unit and there is a stand that will allow the iPod Nano with its Icebar cover to stand safely, and if you are using by the pool the Icebar also has a float that will attach to the unit by a lanyard to save losing it in the depths.
The Icebar has two neodymium speakers, a headphone input that is also completely waterproof, a rubber loop for hanging if used in the shower and a special sealed click dial membrane that allows for operation whilst your iPod Nano is safely encased in the Icebar. The outer casing is shatterproof so there should be protection from any accidental damage too.
The Icebar costs £39.99 which for an ordinary case for a Nano might be considered a bit on the pricey side. However because the Icebar has speakers then you can feel more satisfied with the price tag as you have a portable docking sound system included in the price.
EA Sports Active for Wii not for the couch potato
May 29, 2009
The latest must have for the energetic Wii user is the EA Sports Active, and boy when it says sports active, it really means sports active. No sitting on the settee pretending you are doing it as with some of the other Wii games. No this is a title most definitely for the ex-couch potato, fitness fanatic or masochist! If all three descriptions adequately fit you then you will certainly be over the moon with the punishing list of boxing, jogging, squats, rowing and curls all dictated by the on screen trainer (or bully) to get you dripping with sweat (or glowing if you are a lady!).
The game comes complete with a resistance band and a special nunchuck attachment that can be strapped to the leg, so that the EA Sports Active knows exactly if you have decided to take a crafty sit on the settee. None of the luxury of the Wii Fit where you can sit there pretending that you are participating waving the hand control in the air, the EA Sports Active has your card marked and knows if you decide to have a crafty rest.
Add to the fact that the EA Sports Active gives the user a punishing list of activities that is bound to make you lose weight or get toned just thinking about it, the EA Sports Active also acts like the Gestapo and give you a grilling about how much you indulge – only eating and drinking of course! The EA Sports Active will give you regular information on how many calories that you have burnt whilst exercising so that you can tell if you have earned the right for that pint of lager after your workout.
The EA Sports Active retails for about £45 quid so quite a bit cheaper than a years subs to your local gym, now if you can just get the energy to get the thing out of the box and get started!
Do you want to scribble on your iPhone or iPod Touch?
May 27, 2009
Phatware Corporation have just published a press release giving the exciting information that they have developed a special text editor App designed specifically for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players. This sophisticated technology will allow users to write directly onto their Apple smartphone or iPod screen in either portrait or landscape using their finger. The text editor will analyse and recognise all types of handwriting from print, mixed and cursive styles, and will provide a full editing suite including spell check, cut and paste etc. The Writepad will learn your writing style as you go but should you encounter any problems there is a full tutorial to help when using it.
It does take a little bit of playing with at first but you soon get the hang of it. For users with poor eyesight this is a godsend for sending quick emails, writing notes etc without the need for glasses. As you write directly on the screen in what ever handwriting style you please your messages will appear before your eyes without the need to use the keyboard – although you can mix and match should you prefer. At the moment the Writepad 1.8 Demo is a free App for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players so it is well worth downloading and having a play. We have all tried it today in the office and think it is great. . Phatware have a range of other Apps all based around the same theme for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players including WritePad Events, WritePad Notes and WritePad Affairs which are all currently priced at £1.79 each on the Apple iTunes App store.
OLED televisions the future? At 5k we think not!
May 27, 2009
It seems a strange time to expect the general public to fork out £5,000 on an entertainment system however in a recent report in the Independent that is precisely what is predicted. The report states that Sony will launch an OLED television by the end of the year and the writer states that insider experts believe there will be a positive stampede by the public to get their hands on the new super skinny OLED or Organic Light Emitting Diode televisions.
The contrast between more recent technology and the latest OLED screens is reputed to be phenomenal with the slightly older LCD screens providing a contrast of 30,000 to 1 and the new OLED screens providing 1,000,000 – 1 ratio. This provides colours that have a depth that has never been experienced by the more conventional televisions and blacks that are true black and not the dark grey that the previous technology could provide.
The new HD OLED’s televisions are regarded as the next generation television sets and will be the more dominant product on the market by the time that the next Olympic games is held. As the products become more available it is likely that the price will reduce, and it is hoped that the new OLED technology will stimulate the public into buying televisions again which retailers are reporting have more recently slumped in sales due to the recession.
The new Sony OLED’s are reported to be only 21” visible screen so with such a hefty price tag, it remains to be seen if the report is correct that the general public will be beating the door down on Sony to purchase. Clearly the benefits are many with enhanced visuals, rich colours and superb picture quality, and of course not forgetting the super slim ‘panel’ style screen which is likely to fit into most homes without too much of a fight, but will we all go OLED mad!
Saving Money While buying New Gadgets
May 27, 2009
There are hundreds new gadgets launched everyday across the globe. All these gadgets promote themselves well and try to convince the consumers that they are must have items. Some of the latest gadgets are indeed really useful items and they will make our life easy. At times, some of the items are not that useful but they just gratify people who like to shop latest gadgets and gizmos. When we set out to buy new gadgets that are useful how do we save some money?
TomTom GO 940 Live Review
May 26, 2009
TomTom are a company who constantly raise the bar when they release a new satellite navigation system. Their brand is universally associated with GPS and sat nav and most people who want a new GPS system ask for TomTom. Their reputation is built on quality products, and with the GO 940 Live they hope once more to perpetuate their dominance as well as innovating and advancing the march of sat nav systems.
The GO 940 Live represents the high end of TomTom’s sat nav product range so we’re expecting spot on satellite navigation as well as the kinds of extras which will prove useful beyond basic path finding. The first thing to say about the GO 940 Live is that it’s a very pretty piece of kit in what can be an otherwise bland and uninspired market. It feels robust and well made and the 4.3 inch touch sensitive screen is bright enough for use in all light conditions without resulting in eye strain. The design is kept clutter free partly thanks to the touch screen but also to subtle placement of the power and reset button as well as the other gubbins like the speaker and the light detector, both of which hide at the side and back of the GO 940 Live, out of sight and mind. So overall the design of the GO 940 Live is one of its strong points and it will fit well into any modern car interior without overwhelming you with flashy colours or chrome.
Within the GO 940 Live lurks some interesting hardware that will help you find your way and much, much more. The 4GB of internal flash memory stores mapping for most European countries as well as the USA, Canada and Guam, and this exhaustive coverage should provide the latest road layouts of most of the civilised world, proving more than enough for most purposes. There’s even a MicroSD memory card slot into which you can add additional maps and other software as and when you need to, making the longevity and the expandability of the GO 940 Live’s capabilities a real selling point.
The range of GO products from TomTom has, as I’ve already said, been a seal for innovation, and the 940 introduces the LIVE services to the world. Basically there’s a SIM card installed in the GO 940 Live which uses Vodafone’s mobile telecommunications networks to stay constantly connected and offer a variety of services on the fly, downloadable by GPRS. This gives you access to a variety of applications like real time updates on safety camera locations, google search capabilities, access to petrol prices in your region so that you can get the best deal, and of course traffic information to keep journeys as smooth as possible. The GO 940 Live is a product designed for people who drive a lot as part of their work, and on top of the cost of the unit you’ll have to pay additional monthly charges for the LIVE service. If this is something you’ll seriously need to make the GO 940 Live worthwhile then great, but for those who don’t want a monthly commitment you’ll be glad to hear that this is an optional service and the GO 940 Live will still operate for satellite navigation without LIVE support.
Let’s get down to the meat of the GO 940 Live’s functionality, it’s navigation capabilities. We’ve already looked at the extensive mapping that’s included, but does it do the basic job it sets out to? Well thanks to the NavCore 8.2 software installed the interface for finding your way is attractive and functional, but the piece of software that will most interest frustrated drivers is TomTom’s IQ routes technology which has been a key feature of previous models. Rather than divining routes for you based on the speed limits and shortest distances between two points, the IQ software will make its calculations based on a number of factors like the time of day and the actual average speed for the roads which you’ll be using. This means that the GO 940 Live will intelligently guide you to your destination, avoiding trouble spots during the rush hour and thinking ahead for the smoothest route possible. From a critical point of view the IQ routes software, though useful, does slow down the overall time it takes for the GO 940 Live to calculate routes compared to previous TomTom sat nav systems, and whilst instant calculations aren’t everything they will certainly be important for people who often have to change their travel plans on the fly and won’t want the GO 940 Live lagging to catch up with them as they drive.
To sum up, the GO 940 Live is a great sat nav system with some powerful software, and with Bluetooth built in it can even double as a hands free speaker for your phone or an mp3 player. Though it’s not perfect and to get the best from it you’ll need to pay monthly, it’s easy to recommend the GO 940 Live to regular drivers
What’s super sexy, super charged and super priced? The Jaguar XFR
May 24, 2009
There are not enough complimentary words available in the English language to fully describe the beauty of the Jaguar XFR. This car looks good both inside and out, it has the head turning appeal that will make anyone driving it feel like they are a film star or that there is an invisible sign on the roof that says ‘sex god driving this’. Jaguar has been accused of staying in a bit of a design bubble and that a lot of their stable of cars has not evolved over the last 20 years, well that is certainly not the case with the Jaguar XFR. This is a car that has definitely broken out of the previous Jaguar mould and is pulsating with ‘drive me’ appeal.
The Jaguar XFR offers effortless luxurious driving and oozes class with every small detail having been considered to show the quality of the car. Details such as the embossed ‘R’ that can be found on the soft black and red leather seats and the ‘Supercharged’ which has been stamped on the air vents of the bonnet. The car growls into life when the red pulsating button is pushed to start the engine and the rotary gear selector rises gently to allow for ease of operation. Once on the road the Jaguar XFR offers a choice of driving modes using Jaguars special Drive Control feature, there is Winter mode which enables safe controlled driving in icy or snowy conditions and Dynamic mode which allows for a more confident driver to really take control of ‘the beast’ in suitable driving conditions.
The Jaguar XFR is every bit the sports car wrapped up in a sophisticated luxurious saloon body, the supercharged 5.0L V8 engine and ZF 6 speed automatic transmission offers a top speed of 155 mph and goes 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Don’t expect to get many miles to the gallon as around town you are only going to get about 15 mpg at best. The price tag, as you might expect hits you in the bread basket at just short of £60,000 for this object of desire, but if price is no object then buy it, drive it and enjoy it, this is a car that makes you proud to be British!
Gaming news expected to be huge at E3 early June
May 24, 2009
The E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo takes place from June 2nd to June 4th at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, and is expected to be full of new gaming announcements and details of new games consoles. There is a huge buzz around this year’s event which is expected to be one of the best events ever and packed with much more industry news than usual.
As expected Microsoft will be exhibiting and there is much industry gossip that they will unveil their latest bit of kit ZuneX, whether the gossip is true or not we will just have to wait and see but if there is any element of truth then industry insiders are saying that it is expected to be a rival to the iPhone. Another exhibitor that is expected to unveil their latest gaming product is Konami, who also appears to be teasing gamers with hints of what is to come. There is much speculation that it will indeed be Metal Gear that is unveiled but we shall just have to wait and see.
Of course there is one noteable absence from the 2009 E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo, OnLive, the ‘cloud’ based gaming service accessed via a broadband connection. The team at OnLive do not see their product as a good fit for exhibition at E3, seeing the Expo as more of a retail orientated exhibition. OnLine may be staying away because they don’t see the need to exhibit, however some are staying away because, of all things, Swine-flu! Capcom the Japanese games developer are one such company, deciding that the threat of swine-flu is too much of a risk at the moment.
Of course those that do decide to attend the E3 Exhibition will give us all an idea of what will be the Christmas must have at the end of the year, what will we all be hunting for in the shops this year on Christmas Eve? We wonder if the current economic crisis is going to have an effect on the development of games and consoles. How are the manufacturers and developers going to entice us to buy; now we are all very much watching our purse strings? This is likely to be a great year for consumers because developers know that they are going to have to offer something so special to make us all part with our cash.
Hulu hoping to launch in the UK September
May 22, 2009
A new television streaming service from the States called Hulu is hoping to launch in the UK this September. Similar to the BBC iPlayer and ITV player the Hulu service will provide video playback of film, television programmes, film clips news etc. Hulu is hoping to launch in collaboration with the major UK players including BBC, ITV and Channel 4 providing repeats of big UK television programmes as well as up to 3,000 of content from the US.
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