UK iPad launch date confirmed

Apple has finally committed to an official release date for the iPad for international customers, meaning that UK fans will be able to get their hands on a localised device in just a few weeks.

The iPad will be landing in the UK and many other international destinations on May 28th. It is possible to head to Apple’s online store and pre-order the two versions of the iPad from today (May 10th), so keen fans can get their name on the waiting list of what is sure to be one of the most in-demand gadgets of 2010.

Sales of the iPad in the US have vastly exceeded the predictions of many observers, with over a million sold. The booming app market is also getting another boost and there are well over a thousand apps that have been crafted exclusively for the iPad.

The international release date of May 28th will not see the iPad arriving everywhere, as folks in places such as the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand will have to wait until an unspecified point in July before they get Apple’s slate computer.

What makes the iPad special is its Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity, depending on the model, coupled with its intuitive interface, vast software library and ability to operate as an eBook reader. Detractors have criticised it for its lack of Flash player support and its shunning of USB peripheral connectivity, which makes it a little less versatile than netbooks in this respect.

iPad Rival Revealed

The Gemini tablet PC from ICD is not going to arrive for a while yet, but on paper it has a specification that could see it wipe the floor with Apple’s new iPad.

The most obvious area of superiority is the display, which will be 11.2 inches across and capable of displaying full HD video, which is impressive considering its small size. This also suggests that the Tegra 2 processor that the Gemini houses is a capable powerhouse.

3G connectivity will be included as standard, which will allow for voice calls and data transfer. The Gemini will also have a forward facing 2 megapixel camera which can be used to chat via video link and there is an even more impressive 5 megapixel camera on the back for higher quality still shots.

Connectivity is rounded off with a GPS receiver, Wireless N capabilities and the latest Bluetooth. USB peripherals can be plugged in, which is a bonus. The basic onboard storage can be augmented with extra memory via an SD card.

The Gemini’s screen will use capacitive touch technology on the most expensive models, but a cheaper resistive version will be available, which will mean that multi-touch will only be accessible to some users.

Google’s Android OS is on board, which means that the Gemini will not only be competing with the iPad, but also with tablet PCs powered by Windows 7. The inclusion of Flash compatibility will be welcomed by many who have been put off the iPad by the lack of native support for this essential piece of software.

Bluetooth Umbrella – Will It Go Down A Storm?

I’m sure this will go down a storm. The bluetooth umbrella enables users to shelter from the rain and to use their handheld mobile but, alas, it’s only a prototype. While we don’t condone gambling, we strongly suggest placing a wager on some company getting hold of this and running with it. Hopefully, they’ll keep running and not look back.

The bluetooth headset is built into the handle of the umbrella so it won’t get wet (unless the umbrella’s crap, of course) although you will have to hold the umbrella up like a periscope. Just in case having your very own bluetooth umbrella isn’t enough it comes complete with an FM radio transmitter too.

Unfortunately, umbrellas just aren’t sexy or cool, and probably never will be so while the concept may have merit hidden away somewhere it’s fairly unlikely that it will be a popular product even when it does have an iPod dock and party speakers attached (that’s what happens to all gadget concepts eventually).

We nearly forgot to mention that, if it were to go into production, the bluetooth umbrella would also sport a touch screen display hidden away in the handle somehow. Either you have to have particularly dainty fingers or it would be the mother of all umbrella handles.

DS Homebrew Applications

With technological enlightenment has come a wave of modders and modifiers – people dedicated to improving our everyday technological experience or, perhaps more typically, creating useless yet extremely cool (the very definition of a gadget in some people’s eyes) additions to trusted and loved electronic equipment. They even mod Roomba’s to look like Pacman.

The Nintendo DS has a particularly active community of modders and homebrewers. A homebrew application is one that has been written by a hobbyist programmer, and not a commercial software producer. The applications on offer are quite staggering and, compared to mods, they require little intervention that might lead to the complete destruction of your DS unit or your fingers.

Lick Media Player

The Lick Media Player is essentially an iPod emulator. The touch screen displays a scroll wheel and navigation buttons and the controls are pretty much identical to the original iPod. Custom skins, shuffle mode, and the happy homebrew price tag make it a genuine alternative to the Apple mp3 playing personal audio device.

Win2DS

Win2DS is a really cool homebrew application that allows you to remotely view and control your desktop PC. What’s more it can also be used as a wireless gaming pad for pretty much any game you want to play.

DSOrganize

DSOrganize is probably the first homebrew application that most users will want, or indeed need. It’s almost an operating system for your DS. A calendar enables you to store important dates and times, and set reminders for those occasions you can’t forget. Address book lets you store multiple contact details for all your friends, family, and colleagues. The to-do list is, well, a to do list and scribble pad is a quick application that lets you doodle, write, and store the information. File browser, chat client, and even a homebrew application database are also included in DSOrganize.

The DS Homebrew community is a fervent one and enables owners of the incredibly popular Nintendo handheld system to quickly download and use applications that completely change and improve the functionality of the DS.

Pimp Your PMP

A PMP, or Portable Media Player, enables you to play all of your media while on the move. Video streaming, audio playback, and even TV recording offers portable media that is especially useful for those that lead hectic lives but still want to enjoy some of the finer things. The Archos line of PMPs represent some of the best that money can buy and now in their fifth generation, they are among the most advanced.

The 605 series features a 4.3” touch screen display offering 800 x 480 pixel definition. Depending on your own preference you can choose from a 4GB model with expandable SD memory slot, or a 30GB, 80GB, or 160GB model. By adding the DVR Station you can even record TV shows so that you can watch them back at a more convenient time.

The Archos 605 is also WiFi enabled so that you can connect directly to the Internet. As well as being able to stream content from your PC, using the ARCHOS Content Portal you can directly download music and video content or you can browse the Internet and share your content with friends and other devices.

Because Archos PMPs are now in their fifth generation of production, they do everything well. They support the greatest number of formats and include some unique features. As well as being able to view photographs and images you can edit them, add music, and create slideshows to share with others or transfer to another device. A huge collection of accessories and plug-ins can also be used to further extend the device’s functionality.

If you have particularly itchy feet and are constantly moving from one place to another then the Archos 605 GPS combines all of the above features with state of the art GPS software.

While the 4GB version does include SD memory, it also costs about £125. The 30GB model, which obviously offers a lot more on board storage, costs £160. You will need to fork out £200 or more for the 80GB and about £250 for the largest 160GB model. For the GPS model with 30GB of storage you should expect to pay £300.

Our advice if you want one of these is to really shop around because online prices can fluctuate ridiculously with a disparity of as much as £100 in the mid range categories, and more in the high end range.

A Solar Charger For Under £25 (Just)

There’s a surprising number of solar chargers on the market that can be used to charge your mp3 players and mobile phones. However, many are either essentially useless or prohibitively expensive. The Power Charger, available for £24.99 from iwantoneofthose.com, is compatible with every model of iPod as well as many different mobile phone models.

By leaving the Power Charger in the sun for 10 hours, it will completely charge the battery. A fully charged battery then offers six hours of life to an mp3 player, ten hours of standby to your mobile, or two hours of talk time. What’s more it can be re-used as many as 500 times.

Let’s face it, we’re not always blessed with ten hours of sun are we? On dull days with little or no sun, you can fill the battery charge with USB power giving you a convenient and sleek emergency charger.

The Power Charger is an excellent and ecological solution to your emergency power needs. While it won’t give you a full charge it should be able to provide ample power to tide you over, and it is essentially free power that you’re getting.

Find Lost Items Like The Parked Car And Your Grandma With The Loc8tor

Gadget theft is officially on the rise, so attention will naturally turn towards personal security items (our attention certainly will, anyway, for at least this post). While the loc8tor (I’m trying my best to avoid the flagrant attempt goad me into commenting on the use of text talk) isn’t specifically going to hep prevent your items from being stolen it will help you find them once it happens. It’ll even warn you when something goes astray – including children and, as per the Loc8tor website, a parked car!

The loc8tor is a light and sleek design, roughly the size of a credit card so will slot happily into most pockets. By attaching a radio tag to any device that you want to protect, the loc8tor will then be able to guide you to that device using both audio and visual clues; namely beeping and arrows.

Locating objects to within a couple of inches, it has a range of up to 122m, although that’s apparently only applicable for remote airplanes that you’ve lost up a tree (come now, we’re certain that’s happened to everybody).

All jokes (no matter how poor they may be) aside, the loc8tor is a genuinely useful piece of kit in certain circumstances. Some of us are simply more prone to losing or misplacing items and it would prove cheaper to invest the £50 it costs to protect two items than to replace, for example, your iPod and your iPhone.

Although, in all honesty, it would be cheaper to pay for around the clock protection provide by an elite squadron of SAS security than to replace an iPhone. And you’ve probably got more chance of finding one.

3 Lowers Mobile Broadband Modem Price To £49.99

Mobile broadband dongles offer an excellent method of connecting to the Internet and bring truly wireless networks to reality. 3 has made the prospect even more appealing by reducing the price of their Pay As You Go dongle from the original £99.99 to £49.99 – an impressive price reduction no matter how you cut it.

Pay As You Go customers buy add-ons that range from £10 to £25 and provide the user with a one month download allowance. £10 buys 1GB, £15 buys 3GB, and £25 buys 7GB. Considering the technology is still relatively new, the prices don’t look that unattractive to those that have a real need to be able to connect to the Internet while on the move.

Alternatively, Pay Monthly deals are available, which include the dongle free of charge. The standard Pay Monthly tariff costs £15 per month and offers a 3GB allowance. The monthly costs are actually identical to the Pay As You Go costs but you do get the dongle for free.

And I’m sure you’ll all be pleased to hear that even though the USB Modems aren’t the ugliest thing introduced, you can also buy skins to customise them – skins are currently offered at two for the price of one.

Samsung Soundbar HT-X810T Due For Release In May

Samsung will release its all in one Soundbar HT-X810T next month. First announced at CES 2008, the all in one wall mountable home theatre system is the perfect accompaniment to a wall mounted LCD TV. The Soundbar itself includes an upscaling DVD player that takes standard DVDs and essentially converts them for top notch HD viewing. A wirelessly operated sub woofer is also included to maximise your audio experience.

Despite being a single unit, the latest Soundbar will deliver an impressive 300W of 5.1 surround sound. Plus, it will deliver the depths of sound that only a dedicated sub can produce making your home theatre enjoyment even more enjoyable.

The DVD Player is an impressive piece of gadgetry goodness too. It upscales virtually any DVD, in a majority of formats (including DivX, WMA, WMV, and all the recordable formats) up to 1080p.

In terms of form and design, the HT-X810T is designed to sit neatly below 40-inch wall mounted televisions and larger so not exactly ideal for your 15 inch portable.

Alas, there’s no real indication of a price as yet, which makes me a little apprehensive but I guess if you have to ask then you probably can’t afford it, right?

Toshiba Portege G810 – More Touchscreen Goodness

You know the old saying – “touch screen phones are like buses, you wait years for one to come along and then a bucket load arrive at once.” The Portege G810 from Toshiba is certainly one of the best looking smartphones money can buy and when it’s released (expected release date is currently the second quarter of this year so any time soon) it will have an abundance of impressive features to boot.

The most recent announcement is that this little beauty will include the latest Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. Users will enjoy better security features, improved navigation, and increased time saving features thanks to the Windows platform.

Other features include an improved user interface as well as an impressive touch screen display. A 3MP camera and built-in GPS receiver make this an impressive all round handset ideal for business or personal users.

The Portege G810 is Toshiba’s first foray into HSUPA handsets. HSUPA provides handsets and users with improved data transmission speeds and is dubbed as being the saviour of multimedia handheld devices. Realistically, it does mean that handsets can offer a greater number of features and applications without the usual increase in manufacturing price and it will certainly offer improved speeds with a number of those individual applications.

All in all, Toshiba look like they’ve hit the nail on the head with their early HSUPA adventures.

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