TechRadar: All news feeds

Beware exploding fake Nintendos, UK warned

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:48:00 GMT

UK consumers could be at risk from counterfeit Nintendo DS handhelds, according to Her Majesty's Revenues & Customs.

Apparently the cheap knock-offs are flooding into the UK, with hundreds being seized by HMRC at airports and ports after they were bought from Asian websites for as little as £40.

Not content with getting something that only looks like a Nintendo, HMRC has warned that dodgy power adaptors are at risk of exploding – and probably taking your Super Paper Mario cart with it.

Xmas disappointment

Pamela Rogers, HMRC's head of intellectual property rights, said: "At best, these consoles would have led to disappointment on Christmas morning; at worst, they could have caused serious harm or injury.

"UK consumers must be vigilant when purchasing goods online. Buy from a reputable or regulated site and, if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website, research the site - check all the facts before you buy.

"Counterfeit goods also cause considerable damage to the UK economy by undermining genuine UK retailers and small businesses who are honest and abide by the rules."

ELSPA is investigating the fraud on behalf of Nintendo and managing director Mike Rwalins added: "As a responsible industry, we are extremely committed to ending the damaging counterfeit games market, which not only defrauds UK taxpayers with inferior products but in some cases actually puts children's lives at risk too.

"We are asking all concerned parents to be diligent - when a bargain seems too good to be true, it often is."

Gadgets less popular than pants, says CEA

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:24:00 GMT

The US Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today warned against expecting gadgets to drive a recovery in consumer confidence.

The trade association has just crunched the numbers from last week's Black Friday and this week's Cyber Monday sales, and the news isn't great.

Despite over half the people shopping last weekend purchasing some item of consumer electronics (only just less than the most popular purchase: clothing), CEA has revised its sales forecast for electronics sharply downward.

Flat as a pancake. But not as tasty.

Instead of Christmas sales seeing a 3.5% boost over the same period last year, CEA now envisages a meagre 0.1% increase.

Some sectors are doing worse still. CEA thinks that computer purchases will decline by 2 per cent and while mobile phones will see a modest increase, CEA believes that many consumers are holding off upgrading their handset while times are hard.

CEA says that some of the the slump is due to holiday shoppers opting for smaller, less expensive TVs and other products purchased at discount retailers.

"The severity and the speed of declines in these unprecedented times caught everyone off guard," said Jason Oxman, CEA's Senior Vice President. "Consumer sentiment is improving, but shopper unease this holiday season is creating challenges for all sectors of the economy, including consumer electronics."

Sharper Image returns with noisy rucksack

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:20:00 GMT

Sharper Image's gadget shops may have shut their doors for good after filing for bankruptcy but the wacky tech brand lives on.

The first offering from the revitalised company is the SoundBag, a 'top of the line' backpack with built-in flat panel speaker.

An adjustable shoulder strap stores your MP3 player and includes a 3.5mm mini-plug to link straight to the speaker, and a protective clear covering allowing access to controls.

However, the speaker is also detachable, with a built-in stand and aux input for use with other audio sources, such as a portable DVD players and notebooks. The speaker offers up to 10 hours playback from three AA batteries.

Transforming your music experience

Federico de Bellegarde, vice president of Licensing at Sharper Image, says "The SoundBag is designed to transform the listening experience for commuters and travellers."

Which we agree with, as long as by 'transform the listening experience' he means 'make a living hell for', as maladjusted teens find it even easier to foist their affection for tinny grime on fellow public transport users.

A further reason to jump for joy is that the speaker is made entirely from fabric, which apparently renders it "virtually undetectable within the SoundBag's sleek design".

Sounds like you'll just have to chuck the whole thing out the window, then.

The Sharper Image SoundBag retails for $99 (£67), comes in several colours and is now available at major retailers including Macy's, Dillard's and Navy Exchange Stores.

Microsoft targets Windows XP pirates

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:52:00 GMT

Microsoft today announced legal action around the world against online auctioneers who allegedly orchestrated international marketing schemes and sold counterfeit software.

At the centre of its lawsuits is the so-called Blue Edition of Windows XP, a counterfeit version of Microsoft's aging operating system on CD.

In the UK, Microsoft began seven civil cases for alleged trademark infringement against traders on various internet auction sites for selling "high quality counterfeit" Windows and Office software.

Hundreds of buyers duped

Microsoft reckons that these sellers may have sold over 900 individual counterfeits to an estimated value of over £69,000.

Similar legal proceedings - 63 in all - were launched in the US, Germany, France, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand, emphasizing the global nature of software piracy.

Despite the rampant sale of counterfeit and pirated software on internet auction sites, none of the actions Microsoft filed today have been brought against eBay or other auction sites.

In fact, says Microsoft, "Certain internet auction platforms, like eBay, proactively cooperate in the fight against counterfeiters."

A billion mice. And most of them in the skip

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:14:00 GMT

Logitech made it's billionth mouse this week. And there was much rejoicing. 'It's rare in human history that a billionth of anything has been shipped by one company,' we were told. What about keyboards then? Last time I looked, every PC had one of each. If Logitech makes its billionth mouse before its billionth keyboard then we can only conclude one of two things. Either:

I'm not convinced either explanation is much cause for celebration. Most users typically spend less time in direct contact with their mouse than their keyboard and mice have far fewer moving parts. If they are all so poorly designed or shoddily built that we need to keep replacing them all the time, then something is very wrong.

There are only a billion or so PCs in use in the world. If Logitech had built reliable, cordless, optical four-button mice with scroll wheels from the start then we could all still be using our first mouse and carrying it forward to each new PC. Mouse technology hasn't really come up with much in the last five years. There should be no need to keep replacing the mouse.

Apart from to please all those Logitech sales execs hoping to hit the ten billion mark next year, to win that fortnight in Vegas.

10 must have gadgets this Christmas

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:59:00 GMT

Buying for the discerning tech-savvy type can sometimes be a challenging problem. So try these:

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Xbox 360 - £179.99

For the gaming guy there is only one console worth shelling out for this Christmas.

The Xbox 360 has had its prices slashed over the past few months, and it's now possible to buy the 60GB console with a choice of top class titles such as Gears of War 2, Fallout 3 or FIFA 09 for as little as £179.99.

That's £10 cheaper than the Wii, offers next generation graphics, fantastic online gaming and movie rentals through Xbox Live.

Buy it here

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iPod Touch - £200.63

If there's one mobile device everyone should own this Christmas, it's the fantastic iPhone, which offers the best mobile web, music and video experience on the market.

However, if the restrictive nature of the tie in with O2 makes this impossible, go for the iPod Touch instead.

The sexy music player features all the great entertainment, Wi-Fi and good looks of its telephone counterpart, but without the extortionate prices and exclusive tie-ins.

Buy it here

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Buffalo LinkStation Live - £129.99

If you are buying for a music and movies fan then the Buffalo LinkStation Live is the device he needs this Christmas.

The 640GB network storage device means he can keep all his media files in one place, accessible from PCs and streamers which can play movies and music from the built-in media server.

There's also a built in BitTorrent client which means downloading legal content from the web is easy, and you can download files quickly and efficiently.

Buy it here

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Sennheiser CX95 - £42.95

There's only one present for the music lover and it's the superb Sennheiser headphones.

They offer exceptional sound quality, and compete with earphones several hundred pounds superior in price, and are the perfect present for anyone who's attached to their iPod or MP3 player 24/7 but still uses the awful supplied buds.

Buy it here

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EZVision - £133.67

If the months of January to December are fraught with arguments over who gets the TV, then change things with the EZ Vision.

These glasses give the wearer a cinema-style experience, where video can be played from any mobile device.

They are comfortable, offer decent sound quality and are great for the sofa, plane or train alike. A great traveller's toy.

Buy it here

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Logitech Squeezebox Duet - £279.99

Another present for the music lover, the Squeezebox brings giant music collections streamed from PCs or NAS devices to the living room.

The Squeezebox needs to be plugged in to an existing system or stereo, and offers a remote control unit from which he can easily choose tracks from the comfort of the sofa.

Buy it here

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Sony Rolly - £239

If you're looking for a present which is pure indulgence rather than a day-to-day tool the Sony Rolly should be top of your list.

This 2GB egg-shaped MP3 player is controlled by rolling the Rolly across the table.

However, Rolly's party-piece is the encoding system which turns MP3s into dance routines, making it the coolest MP3 player on the market.

Buy it here

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Logitech Harmony One - £98.47

For the person who has every gadget possible all is not lost. The Harmony One is a universal remote for any device, meaning he can clear his living room of surplus controllers and change to one remote instead.

For those who have bad memories of universal remote controls, the Harmony One has a list of thousands of obscure devices on its database, so there's no fiddly programming required.

Buy it here

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TomTom Go 720 - £249.99

If there is one sat nav worth the money this Christmas it's still the TomTom Go 720.

The 720 offers some of the most reliable navigation on the market, concise mapping and real-time traffic data.

There is also speech recognition and 'text-to-speech' technology which means the 720 will have a go at reading out street and place names while you drive.

Buy it here

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Canon EOS 1000D - £3,28.99

For the photography lover the Canon 1000D offers one of the most affordable entries into the DSLR market.

Anyone with a passion for photography who hasn't yet upgraded to the DSLR can't fail to be impressed by the 1000D with its 10.1MP sensor, great quality noiseless images and 2.5-inch screen.

Buy it here

Now read the top 5 mobiles to put on your Christmas list.

In Depth: 12 top tech treats to keep your kids happy at Xmas

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:24:00 GMT

Toys have changed irrevocably. Sure, the shelves are still lined with action figures, but kung-fu chopping action just can't compete with light, sound and a USB connection any more.

Board games are boring and as for that plastic sledge, leave it at the shop.

Give your web-obsessed child what they really want this Christmas: technology. Just remember the batteries, will you?

1. Ultimate Wall-E
£300, www.ebay.co.uk
There are so many Wall-E action figures in the world that they'll one day form a towering trash mountain, in a moment of high irony. Moreover, a simple action figure can't really capture the joy of Pixar's burbling, boxy robo-guy. A half-metre tall, remote control, talking, programmable robot pet, though? That's the stuff. This painfully expensive wee fella is capable of over a thousand action combinations, and can even be hooked up to an MP3 player – so you can have your music literally follow you around the house.

2. Star Wars: Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber
£35, www.play.com
The Clone Wars movie earlier this year may have been the final, damning proof that George Lucas doesn't care about grown-up Star Wars fans any more, but that doesn't stop the lightsaber from being the signature sci-fi weapon. This electronic build-your-own set isn't as high-grade as the all-singing, uber-geek FX models, but c'mon – you get to build it yourself, aping the weapon of your favoured Jedi or Sith fella.

3. Memory Stick Cars
From £10, www.iwantoneofthose.com
Auto-geek meets toy-geek meets tech-geek: a holy trio of nerdery in your pocket. There's no reason why a memory stick needs to be a dull, silver mini-monolith after all. You've a choice of a VW camper van or classic Beetle in various colours and capacities from Iwantoneofthose, while Play.com also has a Lamborghini model. Oh, and the headlights flash when they're transferring data, cutely.

4. Veho USB Microscope
£45, www.firebox.com
Whether for budding entomologists or just for gross-out fans who fancy inspecting fingernail clippings in horrifyingly close-up detail, this surprisingly powerful microscope brings old-skool school to your desktop. It's got a 20 to 200x zoom and can snap both photos and video.

5. Suck UK USB Mix Tape
£15, www.memorybits.co.uk
Usually, giving someone a 64Mb flash drive would be right up there with giving them a bowlful of dead earthworms for Christmas. In this case though, the restriction is deliberate – it means you can only store as much music on it as you could on a C60 cassette. You then pop the stick back into its faux-cassette casing, scribble a suitable fanziney tracklisting on the inlay, and you've got yourself a classic romantic mini-gift infused with modern tech values.

6. Transformers Music Label Soundwave
£60, www.xybertoys.com
The best/silliest Transformer – the one that turned into a cassette recorder – is rethought for 2008. Taciturn Decepticon Soundwave here retains his classic '80s look, but now transforms into a working MP3 player. Note you'll need a MicroSD card for music storage. Oh, and you can also pick up a pair of headphones that change into his loyal mini-servants Frenzy and Rumble.

7. MP3 Spy Camera Sunglasses
£80, www.geniegadgets.com
With a gigabyte of onboard memory and a 1 megapixel camera, this is hardly the high end of digital. That's not the point – the point is that they're a spy toy. You'll be rumbled if anyone peers too closely at your shades, but they're subtle enough to grab a few incriminating shots from afar.

8. Acer Aspire One
From £167, www.amazon.co.uk
A proper laptop for a baby price. The leading light of the second generation of Netbooks sports Intel's redoubtable Atom processor, so it's not the compromise these things used to be. The cheaper models come with Linux, but fork out a bit more or install Windows yourself and it's an instant portable web surfing machine.

9. Nintendo DSi
£150, www.gadget-asia.com
Geek cred doesn't get any more potent than imported Japanese tech. The latest revision of Ninty's ageing handheld is currently only available in the land of the rising sun, but you can ship one over easily enough if you've got the cash. The DSi is still a DS at heart, but throws in a built-in camera, SD card slot, online store and larger screens to keep it contemporary.

10. Meccano Spykee
£150, www.play.com
Vaguely similar to Ultimate Wall-E, with two key differences. Firstly, you build it yourself – and as it's compatible with standard Meccano parts, you can customise it loads. Secondly, it's controlled via Wi-Fi. And not just locally – log in remotely from any internet-connected PC and you can steer Spykee about the house, seeing what he's seeing like an ambulatory CCTV camera.

11. Radio Controlled Schweizer 300
£13, www.ebuyer.com
These RC micro-copters are bally everywhere these days, which means everyone's trying to undercut everyone else's prices. £13 really ain't bad for a licensed chopper with a 50m range.

12. Wi-Fi Detecting T-Shirt
£23, www.dabs.com
Simultaneously the most and least cool thing in the world. Hidden wires and batteries power an on-chest LED Wi-Fi monitor, which updates every 30 seconds to display the signal strength of nearby networks. Don't blame us if you get beaten up for wearing this in public.

Now read our 15 great Christmas gifts for less than £30.

Logitech brings designer axe to Guitar Hero

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:07:00 GMT

Plastic is so last season when it comes to Guitar Hero peripherals. Well, it is if Logitech has anything to do with it.

The company has just announced the latest must-have Guitar Hero addition – a wooden Wireless Guitar Controller.

The axe features a whole host of authentic materials – including a wood neck, a rosewood fingerboard and metal frets. Unfortunately, it's strictly no-strings attached.

Speaking about the new peripheral, Charles Huang, Vice President Business Development for RedOctane, makers of Guitar Hero, said: "As the leading producer of peripheral devices, Logitech is delivering on its promise to provide high-quality, premium guitars for our number one franchise.

"With this new controller, Logitech is giving Guitar Hero fans the opportunity to unleash their inner rock stars in a new, authentic way."

Premiere Edition

Just like the guitar that you can get for Guitar Hero: World Tour, the accessory has a touch-sensitive slide bar, great for those tricky solos. And it's wireless too – impressively, it's range is up to 10 metres.

For those PlayStation 2 and 3 owners about to rock,The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller, Premiere Edition will be available on Amazon.co.uk for a suggested retail price of £149.99.

Samsung's 50-inch OLED TV to debut at CES?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:14:00 GMT

TechRadar is always excited by new and emerging technology, and our thoughts on OLED are no different.

The only problem we have with the flexible flat-panel tech is that screen sizes have been too small. That is, until now.

Samsung has announced that it may show off its 50-inch OLED TV at next year's Consumer Electronics Show in January.

While the telly is big in picture size, it's positively waif-like in build, utilising the super-skinny OLED technology.

Price problem

Just because the OLED TV may be getting an airing, however, doesn't mean that you will be able to have one for your living room any time soon.

Samsung is still very much dedicated to LCD technology, but the company is tentatively dipping its toes in next-gen waters.

Speaking about the flat-panel OLED, Samsung's Vice President of flat panel development, HS Kim, spoke to What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision magazine about the problems the company is facing when it comes to pricing its OLED TVs: "We can make larger displays, and we may demonstrate a larger OLED TV at the CES show in January, though we haven't decided yet.

"I'm sure that if we marketed such a set at 10 times the price of current LCD TVs, which is what it would be now, no-one would buy it."

Er, in these credit-crunching times, we think he's got a bit of a point. Still, there's no harm in dreaming.

Rumour: £65 4GB iPhone on way next year

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:55:00 GMT

Online rumours suggest that Apple is preparing a cheaper 4GB iPhone for launch in 2009 at the competitive $99 price point – around the £65 mark!

The Boy Genius Report cites an unnamed but "once proven source" that claims Apple is prepping the cheaper 4GB iPhone to be sold in Wal-Mart next year for $99 on a two-year contract.

Apple launched a 4GB iPhone in the States way back in the summer of 2007, but soon dropped it in favour of the 8GB version of the Jesus phone.

Right now, this is filed firmly under rumour, but it sounds like a feasible move to us, in these credit crunchy times of ours. For more on this, head over to the good ol' Boy Genius Report.

In Depth: Never mind the hype, is Digital IMAX any good?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:31:00 GMT

TechRadar was present at the launch of Digital IMAX in Europe, as Greenwich's Odeon cinema showed off the technology that is sweeping across the world's picture houses.

Digital IMAX is, as you may have gathered, a digital version of the already established IMAX technology, which is easier to implement and can be built in many existing cinemas.

Obviously, the hope is that the enhanced experience will bring a resurgence for cinemas as they battle against big screen televisions and high definition media like Blu-ray.

But is it any good?

IMAX Executive Vice President Larry O'Reilly introduced a show reel of some of the best IMAX material including trailers from past and present films, an animated 3D short and a few clips.

The digital films in the selection really shone – with the highlight being the widely circulated trailer for Watchmen – one of next year's most eagerly awaited movies.

The visuals are simply stunning – the big screen and the ratio draw you into the action, and although you could perhaps suggest that some of the detail around the outside is lost because you are forced to focus your attention on one part of the screen it works to draw you in.

Sounds like...

But it is the sound as much as anything that impresses. The IMAX sound system is hand assembled for each cinema with the speakers 'laser-positioned' in the hope that the sweet spot for the sound can be extended beyond the range of rival systems.

There was much talk about subtle sounds being accurately represented, but as you can imagine it was the big booming noises that really shook things up – quite literally in fact as the bass vibrated through the chairs.

Lest you imagine that it is only digital films that are going to shine on the Digital IMAX, a song from the Rolling Stones concert was boomed out as well. And, if you'll excuse the cheese, even though Mick Jagger didn't get any satisfaction, those in the audience certainly did.

The third dimension

The 3D promotion was everything you would expect, the cheaper 3D glasses are okay and the picture sharp, although Dolby's rival 3D technology certainly gives it a run for its money.

As with most things 3D, there is that horrible tendency to try to focus on the wrong bit to force it flat which can be headache inducing, as can Madagascar 2's colours, but as your mind lets it go and it washes over you things improve.

There's a lot to be said for the implementation of next generation viewing in cinemas. It's not gone unnoticed that people are choosing to curl up in front of their plasma screens with the DVD rather than forking out on expensive cinema tickets.

Value added

But if the viewing experience is something that you cannot replicate at home then the few extra quid you will fork out on Digital IMAX films (and the adult weekend tickets will be priced at a not inconsiderable £11.50) begins to look a little more justifiable.

In truth it will be the likes of Watchmen, and of course James Cameron's long-awaited Avatar, that truly test if IMAX is the jolt that modern cinemas need.

As experiences go, however, it would take a pretty special bit of home cinema kit to even begin to approach the visceral viewing experience of the Digital IMAX.

Exclusive: Digital IMAX "can be cinema's silver bullet"

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:19:00 GMT

Digital IMAX will revolutionise cinema going and act as the silver bullet to take movies to a whole new level, according to the company's Executive Vice President Larry O'Reilly.

With Odeon cinemas launching Digital IMAX in Wimbledon and Greenwich cinemas from 5 December, the trial is widely expected to enhance the growing feeling that the big-screen, high-tech viewing experience can bring the cinema back to the forefront of our social calendars.

Digital IMAX was implemented to bring IMAX into the digital era, but the company has been overwhelmed by the positive response to the technology, with nearly half of people preferring the digital to the original experience and 98 per cent preferring it to traditional showings.

"Most importantly 66 per cent said that the IMAX would motivate them to go to the cinema rather than wait at home for the DVD," explains O'Reilly.

"Not only is this digital system unique and dynamic today, but our engineers are already working to improve the system for the future with software upgrades that will allow you to bring new or enhanced experiences to the theatre without having to change the hardware.

"Real time concerts and sporting events that will look like IMAX and IMAX 3D are not that far off at all."

Third dimension of film

Generally when people think of IMAX they think of three dimensional extravaganzas at limited venues dotted around Britain, but the advent of Digital IMAX should make that style of film much more widely available.

"Although 2D presentations are incredible, the system really shows off with Imax 3D," adds O'Reilly.

"Because we dramatically increase the field of view, the filmmaker has a much bigger stage to move the sets and characters resulting in a much more intimate form of 3D relative to other systems.

"Combined with increased light levels to build larger screens IMAX is able to create an experience like no other."

Uncanny valley - but big success

With the likes of Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg and, perhaps most famously, James Cameron all getting behind 3D, O'Reilly explains that it was an animated film that lit the blue touch paper in persuading the industry that IMAX was a potential money-maker.

"As Jeffrey Katzenberg has often quoted, the industry really woke up about the power of 3D based on the box office success of The Polar Express.

"Although only one per cent of screens showing the screen were IMAX they accounted for 25 per cent of the film's box office.

"Suddenly in Hollywood everyone thought that 3D was going to be the silver bullet to take the industry to a whole new level, but what they soon leaned was that, although audiences preferred the new experience, not every title will be a box office champion just because it's presented in 3D.

"On the other hand, a real tent pole blockbuster like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when you add the magic of IMAX 3D the box office results are incredible."

Get BBC iPlayer on PS3 with latest update

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:49:00 GMT

Finally, there is a PS3 version of the BBC iPlayer for those UK PlayStation gamers that were unable to access iPlayer on the multiple other platforms it's already been made available on.

Got a PS3? Then direct your browser to the BBC iPlayer homepage where you will be able to easily direct your eyes to the PS3 version of the superb telly viewer.

Now, in addition to other services that have brought your iPlayer to your TV (such as Virgin Media) you can catch up with those thousands of hours of TV you missed out on from the comfort of your sofa.

Or why don't you go out and do something less boring insteady?

In other iPlayer news, the BBC claims today that the service has seen over 298 million views to date.

Turn your iPod touch into a free phone

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:27:00 GMT

Want to make free phone calls to your fellow iPod touch owners? Now you can, courtesy of the recently announced Truphone for iPod touch.

"Make free calls to other iPod touch owners: no SIM, no contract, no money," reads Truphone's marketing blurb.

"Described by Apple itself as the 'funnest' iPod ever, the iPod touch may now be the 'useful-est' too thanks to FREE software that effectively turns one into a mobile phone."

We like 'free'

Once the software has been installed, and with the addition of microphone adaptor (with Truphone's own mic to be made be available very soon) an iPod touch owner can make free worldwide calls to other iPod touch owners, to customers of Truphone's VoIP service and to users of Google Talk.

Truphone also promises us that the following features are coming soon:

Making and receiving calls to and from landlines (PSTN) at low cost (simply set yourself up with a Truphone account)
Instant messaging to Skype and MSN (free)
Calling to Skype users (free)
Calling to MSN users (free)
Check and set facilities for Twitter (free)
Check and set facilities for Facebook (free)

Check Truphone out for yourself now over at Apple's App Store - it works in exactly the same way as any other iPod touch application.

In Depth: Hands on: Live Mesh for the Mac review

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:39:00 GMT

If you need to synchronise files between multiple machines but don't fancy shelling out £58 per year for Apple's MobileMe, Microsoft has an alternative: Live Mesh. Currently in beta, the software gives you 5GB of online storage that you can use with multiple PCs, Macs and mobile phones.

First things first: Live Mesh is no MobileMe, for now at least. It doesn't do email. It doesn't sync contacts. It doesn't do anything with calendars. In its current version, all it offers is file synchronisation and remote operation of PCs – and the remote operation doesn't work on Macs.

Full Finder integration

To be fair, the file synchronisation is handled very well. Live Mesh integrates with the Finder, and when you choose to sync a folder with the service you get an additional Live Mesh panel when you open it. When the application is running, anything you put in the nominated folder(s) is automatically uploaded to Live Mesh; similarly, any Live Mesh folders you've chosen to synchronise with are automatically downloaded.

We tried to confuse it in a few ways – deleting our shared folder and force quitting the app mid-upload – but the software just picked up where it left off, re-downloading our shared folder in the first instance and starting the upload again in the second. We'd have preferred if the upload hadn't restarted from scratch – the file we killed was a 140MB video clip – but it's not a huge problem.

The software also enables you to share folders with specific people – all of whom need a Windows Live ID – and give them one of four roles: creator, owner, contributor or reader. The first role is automatically assigned to whoever creates a folder, while the remaining three options offer decreasing amounts of power. Owners can change or delete files and change other members' roles, contributors can change or delete files but can't change other peoples' permissions, and readers can only open and view files.

In addition to the desktop client, Live Mesh also offers a web-based interface that works fine in both Firefox and Safari. This gives you the same features as the desktop client and a Silverlight-powered Media View for image files, but for file or member management it's slower and clunkier than the Finder panel.

Mobile access

There's no iPhone app, although you can access files remotely from any web-enabled mobile at m.mesh.com. It's very basic, but it does enable you to view the contents of your folders and download them to your phone – provided the files are in supported formats. So in the case of an iPhone, that's yes for JPEGs and Microsoft Word .doc files, but no for RTF text documents.

So is it worth installing Live Mesh instead of MobileMe? If all you want is the ability to keep files synchronised across various PCs and Macs, then it's not a bad offering.

However, if you want to do more – such as synchronising contacts, calendars and bookmarks between Windows and OS X machines, or sharing photos in something more interesting than a desktop folder, MobileMe is still miles ahead. Live Mesh has the potential to be very interesting, but right now it's barely learnt to walk, let alone run.

Sky launches 'Sky Player for all'

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:39:00 GMT

Just last month, we announced that Sky was launching an online TV site that would work independently of its satellite service.

The service has now launched and it's called Sky Player TV. The website is an extension of the broadcaster's existing Sky Player online portal.

It is available to anybody in the UK and Ireland, regardless of whether you have a satellite dish or not.

To access Sky Player TV, non-Sky TV customers will have to purchase a monthly subscription to the broadcaster's Base Entertainment Pack, which offers access to The Disney Channel, British Eurosport, National Geographic Channel, Sky News and Sky Sports News.

For those who want to add more sport channels (Sky Sports 1-3 and Extra) these will be available for an additional cost.

Not only will the live channels be streamed, but once you sign up to the package, Sky Player's on-demand service will also be available.

Basic package

At the moment, only channels from the basic package will be available on Sky Player TV. The satellite provider has said more content will be available soon, with MTV One, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr to be added next month, and more channels promised for next year.

Speaking about the launch, Griff Parry, Director of On-demand, BSkyB, said: "We believe in giving customers the control and flexibility to access the best in live entertainment and on demand content to fit with their lifestyles. Sky Player TV gives customers access to enjoy up to nine different live channels from today with more coming in the new year".

Pricing revealed

Existing Sky customers will still be able to access Sky On-Demand as normal. Unfortunately, the live streaming of shows will only be available to Sky Multiroom or Sky Broadband Max customers.

If non-Sky subscribers sign up for Sky Player TV before the end of January 2009, the total monthly cost of the package will be £7.50. Normal pricing is double that, clocking in at £15.

Adding the sports channels will bump this up to £22 (normal price £26).

Piracy: Nintendo's new DSi already hacked

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:22:00 GMT

One major aspect of Nintendo's latest handheld refresh, the beauty that is the Nintendo DSi, was the attempt to crack down on software piracy.

It seems that enterprising hackers have already destroyed Nintendo's best laid plans, having already cracked the new DSi with an R4DS-like device doing the rounds in Japan.

Acekard is new R4DS

The Acekard 2i lets gamers play illegally downloadable DS titles on their smart new matte-black or matte-white DSi, by storing the necessary data on a MicroSD card.

So while Nintendo celebrates the demise of the R4 threat, another new one raises its ugly pirate-shaped head with DSi.

There really is no way around this, other than hardware and software manufacturers clubbing together to discourage renegade retailers (such as Amazon) from stocking and selling such devices.

New Google Android phone launches

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:14:00 GMT

Google's new mobile operating system, Android, is now available on a handset that isn't the G1.

Only available in Australia, the phone is called the Kogan Agora, and will be available in Q1 of next year – 29 January, to be exact.

Like the G1, the phone will feature a whole host of Google-based applications.

These include: Google Calendar, GMail, a Google search bar and instant access to Google Maps and YouTube.

UK shipping available

The phone will RRP in Australia for $299, and there will be a Pro version, costing $399.

Unlike the G1, the handsets won't have sliding features. Instead, the Agora has more of a BlackBerry candy bar look and utilises a 2.5-inch touchscreen.

Other features include 3G and Bluetooth. If you fancy the pro version, you will also get Wi-Fi, a 2MP camera and GPS.

UK users don't have to feel left out, either. The phones are available for international shipping, which will cost you around £150 for the Kogan Agora and £200 for the Kogan Agora Pro.

Odeon launches Europe's first digital IMAXs

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:57:00 GMT

Cinema chain, Odeon opens the door on two new IMAX auditoriums in Greenwich and Wimbledon today, both equipped with IMAX's new digital projection system.

TechRadar is on hand at the launch (and we will bring your our full impressions shortly) and we heartily applaud Odeon's new £1.5million investment, bringing Europe's first cinemas to feature IMAX's digital projection technology to London.

The IMAX auditoriums are open to the public from Friday, 5 December and are capable of showing both IMAX and IMAX 3D presentations, in which "guests will witness crystal-clear images at a level far above ordinary projection standard."

Puts you IN the movies

Odeon's press release adds that: "IMAX's customised auditorium geometry, which includes precise positioning and shape of the IMAX screen, maximises your field of view, creating the effect of putting the guest IN the film."

The cinema's are also equipped with a powerful new audio system that "delivers laser-aligned digital sound to envelop the audience… [with] Proportionate Point Source loudspeaker technology the audience will be able to pinpoint the exact location of a sound."

Odeon CEO, Rupert Gavin added: "Visiting the cinema should be an exciting experience and we continually strive to ensure that's the case for our audiences… with these new screens we are proud to offer a totally premium cinema experience that will truly wow film fans."

If you fancy seeing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, Monsters vs Aliens 3D, Under the Sea 3D or the opening film, Madagascar - Escape 2 Africa check www.odeon.co.uk.

Phil Harrison: kids won't buy discs

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:58:00 GMT

Phil Harrison has had a busy week this week, heading up Atari's winter press conference and announcing to the gaming world the strategy and the latest games on the way from the beleagured publisher.

While the Atari event was in many ways a lot more cautious and conservative than many had expected (with a nod to traditional retail channels and valiant attempts to appease the PC hardcore) Harrison told Edge that he is still convinced, "there's a generation of kids being born today and probably already alive who I'm pretty confident will never buy a physical media product."

Downloads killed the DVD star

Harrison added, warming to his regular theme: "They will never buy a DVD, they will never buy a CD, and they will never buy a game in a box."

Hardly a surprising or shocking statement, to those of us that gave up buying boxed product (be it games, movies or CDs) years ago, but still a wake-up call to an industry largely reliant on its revenue streams from physical media.

Harrison and Atari CEO David Gardner told Edge back in September that "within five years 90 per cent of our products will be online."

The Stig's identity in web's most-searched

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:42:00 GMT

Is it Damon Hill? Is it racing driver Perry McCarthy? Some even think it's Lewis Hamilton moonlighting.

Whoever it is, the identity of Top Gear's infamous test driver, The Stig, is one of Ask.com's most-searched for questions – reaching number nine on the list.

But while the Top Gear riddle has a whole nation perplexed, there were far more important questions to be asked.

Questions, questions

Number one on the list was, quite worryingly, 'Am I pregnant?'. This was followed by 'What is the minimum wage?'.

In fact money worries feature throughout the list, with many asking, 'Where can I get a cheap loan?' and 'Where is the cheapest petrol in my area?'

Speaking about the search terms, Ask.com's European MD Cesar Mascaraque, pointed out the obvious by saying: "There are serious and not so serious matters dominating the answers our users are searching for."

Ask.com's top-10 questions for 2008 are as follows:

Is the PS3 or Wii more recession-proof?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:42:00 GMT

The games industry is posting record financial results for the last year, seemingly defying the economic downturn affecting most other industries as the credit crunch bites.

But what of the future? Can the games industry continue to cheat the recession? Will we see an industry play it safe with sequels and major movie licensed products taking precedence over new, original and innovative IP development?

Nobody knows, yet. But, as ever, there are always industry analysts willing to take a punt on what the future holds in store.

Boom times continue

Joe Public doesn't need an industry analyst to tell them the games industry is booming, mind. Pop into your local Gamestation, Game, Zavvi or HMV and you can see for yourself that for the games industry good times are still rolling.

Dorian Bloch of GfK Chart-Track told the Guardian this week that: "The UK market in particular is gearing up for a best-ever fourth quarter overall. At the end of the year, 2008 should be 30% up on sales over 2007 with 75.5m units of console software sold."

Analyst Piers Harding-Rolls claims that "the PS3 is most vulnerable to a downturn… consumers become more price-sensitive under these conditions and the PS3 is expensive, so they may delay their purchase or even buy a different console."

Wii casuals to stop buying?

Nick Gibson of Games Investor Consulting, disagrees, claiming: "I would say that Nintendo… would be the most susceptible" due to its reliance on the casual gaming consumer, who will stop buying games once they run out of extra cash to spend on what they view as a non-essential, luxury purchase.

MVC Publisher Stuart Dinsey notes that the funding issue for developers and publishers is the real concern over the next year. "If there are games developers or publishers out there that haven't been making money during the incredibly profitable period of the last two years, how on earth are they going to get through the next two years? Do they really think the banks will lend them money?"

"The result of all this economic turmoil is that there might be a propensity to go for the safer brands. The credit crunch could mean it's going to be more difficult for new intellectual property to break through."

YouTube embeds get search and widescreen

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:28:00 GMT

YouTube may have announced recently that it has switched to widescreen, but the website failed to roll-out this function to embedded videos – until now.

Now, every time you embed a YouTube video to your website, it will pop up in glorious 16:9.

Well, it is glorious if the original video has been shot this way, otherwise unsightly black borders appear – something that has riled many a YouTube user.

YouTube search

A new search function has also been added to embedded video. It's not hard to miss – the semi-transparent search bar sits at the top of an embedded video.

This means you don't have to point your browser to YouTube to search for more videos, but you can do it right there on your own website.

The new layouts are not retrospective, so don't expect the search function to appear on old embeds.

UK's biggest ever DVD piracy crackdown begins

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:01:00 GMT

A major crackdown in counterfeit DVDs has begun, following a successful campaign around London.

The raids in the capital have, according to Sky News, resulted in 39 arrests and the seizure of around 90,000 discs – 60,000 of the DVDs were found in just one property.

One room in the house was filled entirely with hardcore pornography – a dream from some, but a nightmare for legitimate distributors.

Big business

The police initiative is being backed up by some movie heavyweights. These include: the UK film industry, the Intellectual Property Office, London councils, London Trading Standards Association and the Metropolitan Police.

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) has also been helping the police with the campaign.

DVD piracy is big business in the UK, with around £200 million in revenue lining the pockets of criminals, resulting in £500 million in lost sales for the film companies.

Wi-Fi internet usage doubles in 2008

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:32:00 GMT

2008 was the year that consumers finally decided to finally ditch the cable, with Wi-Fi usage doubling in the year.

The figure comes from a report made by BT and is based on its BT Openzone and BT FON users.

BT also found that September was the busiest web month for the company, with browsers hitting around a million minutes a day.

Hitting 10 million

In fact, on one September day BT's wireless network was clocking in around 10 million minutes.

We did a quick (non scientific) check and found no celebrity sex tapes were released that month, so it is not known what caused the surge.

The news that Wi-Fi usage is flying comes after news in September that BT is no longer a partner in The Cloud – the European Wi-Fi hotspot provider. With this in mind, it will be next year's figures that are more pertinent.