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No Zune For UK Until 2008
In a shocking admission, Microsoft
has said the much-hyped iPod-killer, Zune, will not ship in Europe for
12-months or possibly early 2008. This is quite a blow since the US release
date for the player is just two weeks away. In an interview with New Media Age
magazine, Microsoft media and entertainment alliance manager, Dene Schonknecht
said:
“The earliest date it will be in the
UK is towards the end of 2007. However, it could easily be 2008.”
The delay seems to be down 
to
trouble finding suitable music store partner, while others allege that Micosoft
has failed to come up with a decent launch strategy.
Whatever the actual reasons, this is
a blow to UK users that are already feeling second-class by Sony’s decision to
delay launch of the PS3 here until next March. No European launch is also a massive blow
to Microsoft’s hopes of denting the iPod’s death-grip on the music player and
download market.
Apple must be laughing all the way
to the bank.
news technology music zune ipod microsoft
Is The iPod Getting A Digital Camera?
Apple posted a new patent
application at the end of last week that indicates some pretty big changes
coming with the next generation of iPod. The patent features two main
components: one that will see the demise of the innovative and brilliant 'scroll
wheel' and one that indicates that new iPods could boast decent digital
cameras. 
The potential new device, which sports a screen almost as big as the entire
device, proposes a bezel control system where users would touch parts of frame
around the display. The tender states:
"An electronic device has a display
and has a touch sensitive bezel surrounding the display. Areas on the bezel are
designated for controls used to operate the electronic device. Visual guides
corresponding to the controls are displayed on the display adjacent the areas
of the bezel designated for the controls. Touch data is generated by the bezel
when a user touches an area of the bezel. The device determines which of the
controls has been selected based on which designated area is associated with
the touch data from the bezel. The device then initiates the determined
control. The device can have a sensor for determining the orientation of the
device. Based on the orientation, the device can alter the areas designated on
the bezel for the controls and can alter the location of the visual guides for
the display so that they match the altered areas on the bezel."
In addition, the folks over at ZD Net think that the artwork provided is ample evidence for an ‘iPodcam’, a large screen iPod with a good digital camera. However, it should be remembered that with Apple – and many other companies – just because they patent something doesn’t mean they’ll make it.
Apple has pulled some ‘smoke and mirrors’ effects
in the past: could this be just another one?
news technology ipod apple gadgets
Coming Soon: Surround Sound Beds
It looks like a wooden tank with
steps up into it. The bed is a sonic and social experiment into our perception
of 
sound and how we react to music that we can feel, as well as hear. Special
music and sounds have been created and each speaker can play separate tracks.
While I can’t see people getting much sleep in this, it’s not that weird a
concept.
We already have Internet-enabled fridges, voice-activated microwaves
and luxury beds with in-built home cinemas. Don’t be surprised if one of your
future beds comes with speakers, radio, CD player and iPod dock all discreetly
placed inside the headboard. More here. Find more photos at Gizmodo.
news technology bed home lifestyle design music
Sony Upgrades US cinemas
The system cranks out 8.8 million
pixels, a resolution four 
times higher than what you now get in most cinemas,
and a brightness rating of 18,000 Lumens. Most home cinema projectors offer up
between 1200 and 2000 Lumens.
The 4K projector – which had some
brightness issues – has just been given the thumbs-up by Hollywood advisory
panel and four movies studios have committed to releasing movies in a digital
format suitable for the 4K. Sony plans to roll out 100 per month at a cost of
around £60,000 per screen.
The big advantage of digital projectors – which many cinemas already use – include very sharp pictures and no chance of scratches since the films are in digital format. Each projector is hooked up to a computer server and player. More on the 4K here.
How will the PSP work with PS3?
There will be no support at launch
for streaming downloaded PSOne games from the PS3 to the PSP, nor will the PSP
be 
able to be used as a second wireless controller for the PS3. Sony has
committed to making these features available over time as upgrades but,
unsurprisingly, it has not committed to any firm dates.
In the future, PSP
owners will be able to download content over the Internet meaning they’ll be
able to access content on their PS3 from wherever they are, using broadband.
news technology software internet PS3 PSP
Sony Delays Blu-ray Player - Again
Oh dear. The problems for Sony keep
mounting as does the disappointment levels of consumers. The company has
announced another delay for its long-overdue standalone Blu-ray player, the
BDP-S1.
Originally due to ship in August, it
has now been pushed back to December 4th thanks to component
problems that 
may also end up hurting the November 17th launch of
the PS3. A message on the product page says “Targeted Availability: On or about
December 4, 2006”.
Sony said it is having trouble
getting all the components it needs. Ironically, the embarrassing problems
being suffered by the pioneer of Blu-ray technology are not being experienced
by Samsung or Panasonic, which have managed to launch their own Blu-ray
players.
news movies technology blu-ray sony
LG’s ‘Chocolate’ mini-projector
The projector uses LED lighting
technology to keep the unit small and in many ways it resembles the Toshiba FF1
which launched in the UK this summer. 
The big difference is the inclusion of a
HDMI port, which suggests this tiny model will be capable of displaying
high-definition content. If true, it’s a major achievement for such a small
device and sets a new standard in portable projection.
There’s not a lot of detail on this
unit yet, or when it will launch, but we’ll be monitoring any developments so
check back. More photos here.
news technology projector geek HD
Budget HD Projector From Epson
Epson is about to
release a new, high definition (HD) projector for the home with the not
unreasonable price tag of around £1,300. The EMP-TW700 uses 3LCD technology and
can display images with a resolution of 1280x720 and has a claimed contrast
level of 10000:1 which, if true, should make this a cracking performer.
The brightness rating of
1600 ANSI Lumens is also high and should make it suitable for use in rooms that
can’t be fully darkened. A 2.1x zoom lens means it will fit a broad range of
room sizes and there’s also some very 
handy vertical and horizontal lens shift controls
which will make placing it out of the way, even easier. It has HDMI and
component connections and will launch later this month.
news home cinema movies HD projector
First Mobile From Bang & Olufsen
The company that
has made ‘being different’ (and ‘expensive’) a credo, has just whipped together
its first phone with the help of Samsung.
The odd-looking
Serene – which has just launched in the US – is, it’s fair to say, different
from the mobile pack. It’s a clamshell, but not as we know it, since it’s
shaped like an axe blade and sports a 2.1in screen with a speaker on the back.
Just prop it up and flip the screen depending on whether you want to watch
something or talk to someone.
The small display
has a decent resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and there’s also a camera built into
the hinge. That said, it’s a low-res one, which is both unexpected and
disappointing from such a luxury, high-end brand. The numbers are arranged in a
circular pattern around an ‘intuitive’ scroll wheel. Now for the good bit, and
I hope your sitting down, because B&O thinks £550 is a fair asking price. Due out soon. More here.
news technology phone mobile gadgets
HD sparks botox rush
At today's Sony showcase of its latest high definition products, the company arranged a demo by make up artist Jane Bradley to highlight the differences in people's look when viewed in HD rather than standard definition.
Using identical twins as her models, she explained what HD will show up and how much more subtle make up needs to be to look natural. The secret, she said, was smooth skin. And, she quipped, HD would spark a botox rush. "Every actor, actress and singer is going to to get botox, even the men," she joked.
With football one of the most popular HD broadcasts, are we going to see a rush of premiership stars with big lips and smooth skin, we ask.
Sling Offers TV On Your Phone
As
long as you have a Slingbox and a Symbian phone – which is most of the phones
in Europe – you can now get your TV on it too.
Even better, the
SlingPlayer Mobile software will let you remotely control your personal video
recorder too, so that you can watch recorded programmes, ‘pause’ live TV and
set it to record future programmes.
“Symbian’s market
leading position drove our decision to work with them and deliver the Slingbox
experience to a large mobile customer base,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder
and CEO of Sling Media. "People love their living room TV programming and
simply want the ability to watch it on any device wherever they happen to be,
whether at work on their PC, around the home on their wireless laptop, or on
the go via their mobile phone. I've been using a beta version of the
SlingPlayer Mobile on a Symbian smartphone, and it's pure sweetness."
The software is due
out here in Q4.
news technology phone TV mobile
Sanyo creates smallest high-def LCD display
With everyone talking about massive LCD TVs, it’s refreshing to find
that some manufacturers are developing smaller ones. Sanyo Epson Imaging has
just unveiled the world’s smallest LCD display at 7.1in, capable of displaying
full high definition TV (HDTV) at a resolution of 1920x1080. This opens up a
whole new market for high-def content in the portable media player (PMP) and
portable DVD player market.
It features an advanced video engine called AME (Auto-Movie-Enhancement) 
and has been tailored specifically for mobile
devices to keep the power drain low. Equally astonishing was launch of a 2.6in display that supports high-def
also, at 1024x768.
Mobile phone makers are going to champing at the bit to get
hold of some of these, especially with mobile TV and video starting to take
off. More.
How serious a gamer are you?
We have covered the home cinema chair and now comes two chairs
built to take gaming to the next level. The £225 Raptor and the £350 Ultimate
Game Chair (UGC) have been designed specifically for gamers with serious addictions and deep pockets. Here’s a list of
features common to both:
* Ground Effects Lighting for action packed realism
* 3D Stereo Speakers for a immersive sound experience
* Headphone jacks to keep things quiet when you play
into the night
* Audio out jacks for maximising sound through home
theatres
* Smooth Reclining Action to provide the most
comfortable playing position
* Multiple Massage Settings in sync with gameplay for
unwinding after a hard days gaming
* A UGC patented 12-motor vibration system that
besides giving the most authentic shakes and rumbles, out-shakes a washing
machine cycle.
* Connections for external devices (such as steering
wheels and shooters)
* Pull-out compartment for easy storage of games and
accessories
* Beverage and remote control holder
The chairs are compatible with Xbox, Xbox Live, PS2, PSOnline, Sony PSX, Gamecube and PC/Mac USB 2.0. The UGC is pricier since it's a recliner that comes with in-built split joysticks that can be folded into the arms when not in use. Digital Sales is handling UK distribution and you can pre-order now for delivery before Christmas.
news games technology gadgets shopping home
Red iPod launches today
Apple, with the aid of Bono and Oprah Winfrey, are all set to launch a special red iPod nano today. The 4GB model, which can hold around 1,000 tracks, has been designed to help fight Aids in Africa. The new model will be part of Bono’s Project Red campaign and Apple has committed around 5% of each sale to go to the fund.
According
to Apple CEO, 
Steve Jobs: “Now customers can buy the best music player in the
world and do something to help the world at the same time. We’re honoured to
work with Bono, (RED) and this team to contribute to an incredibly important
initiative.”
Apple will also be selling special Product Red iTunes gift cards.
Bono said: “We’re
ecstatic that Apple is giving their customers the choice to buy a red iPod nano
and help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. It's wonderful to see this incredible level of commitment
from companies that are willing to lend their creativity in the fight against
AIDS in Africa, the greatest health crisis in 600 years.”
More here.
news technology music ipod apple life
Portable Atlus headphones from Sony
Not everyone likes tiny little earphones or the newer breed of noise cancelling in-ear earplugs. In fact, there are quite a few people that still think – and many are right – that full-sized headphones are the way to go for superior sound.
Sony’s
Atlus stereo headphones will no doubt appeal then. 
The new Atlus MDR-D777LP are good-looking full sized headphones but
they have also been designed for life on the go with collapsible earpieces.
They sport 80KHz driver units that are aligned parallel with the ear for a
‘more natural’ and wider sound field.
One clever touch is an Ambient Sound-In
Switch which allows you to hear outside noise, which is important if you use
them for commuting, cycling or running. These are due out in the coming month and will set you back around £75. More
news music audio hi-fi technology
Third high-def player launched
New Medium Enterprises (NME), creator
of a third high definition format to rival HD DVD and Blu-ray, has announced
its first player at the knockdown price of £95.
The astonishingly cheap player
uses NME’s HD VMD technology, which is based on red-laser technology and 
can
cram up to 40GB on a single disc. It is backwards compatible with DVDs and CDs
as well as the company’s own HD VMD discs and, most interestingly, the company
says it will also be able to play both Blu-ray and HD DVD content - as long as it is on HD VMD discs.
Sadly, there is no content for
the HD VMD format and NME has yet to sign any significant backers from the
consumer electronics industry. It is likely that the format – due to its very
low cost – will be popular in China, India and other Asian markets. Read the press release here.
Sony lines up first 50GB movies
Click arrives next week,
Black Hawk Down on November 14 and Talladega Nights on December 12. The only
other two 50GB offerings will be Kingdom of Heaven from 20th
Century Fox on November 14 and The Descent from Lionsgate in December.
Click
might not 
seem like the most obvious choice of movie to highlight high-def but
the movie is one of the first to be shot entirely in high-definition. Black
Hawk Down is the first movie to come with "Blu-Wizard" playlist
technology, to allow viewers to customise how they view the features.
news technology movies blu-ray
Creative Xmod to boost MP3 quality
Upscaling your audio is not something you come across
that often outside of hi-fi circles but Creative Labs has just announced a
solution that is promising that for millions of MP3 users.
The Xmod is a tiny
little gadget that promises to upscale the quality of MP3 audio to “beyond CD
quality". MP3 audio is 
heavily compressed and generally uses a lot lower bit
rate than CD audio but Xmod is offering conversion to 24-bit audio (higher than
CD) which, if true, is sonic velvet.
Xmod uses the X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity audio technology
and acts as a bridge between your PC/Mac/notebook and speakers or headphones. Creative
claims that the Xmod can also turn movie soundtracks from your stereo speakers
into a virtual surround theatre. The claims are big for this little device but it’s
due out next month so the verdict won’t be long in coming. It will cost £60.
More here.
Philips revolutionising the home
For instance, the company is showing off AmBX, which can be built into
games and USB-enabled peripherals to immerse you further into a game. It can result in
special lighting effects, surround sounds, rumbling and even the movement of
air – all tied in tightly with what’s happening on screen.
LivingColors is a new form 
of home lighting that uses LED lighting to
allow you to choose from an infinite range of colours and intensities to create
moods in different rooms. Then there's the Wake-Up Light is designed to slowly increase
intensity, to match the rising of the sun, so that your body prepares to wake
up slowly over a 30-minute period. It arrives in France later this month and
the rest of Europe next year.
Finally, there is the uWand – a new way of accessing and managing content
and devices in the home, by waving what looks like a short magic wand. To find
out more and see more photos of what’s on the way, go here.
news home technology life games gadgets
Logitech’s £150 designer keyboard
It certainly looks the part, measuring just 19mm
thick, with its glossy black keys inset in a
thin brushed aluminium frame. 
The keyboard has been laser cut from a single,
semi-translucent piece of black Plexiglas and the minimalist looks are enhanced
by keys that stay blank until powered and their icons appear.
It’s Bluetooth-enabled and recharges itself so there’s no need for pesky wires and, if reaching for the mouse is just too much like hard work, it has a scrolling disc that allows you to navigate around your display. Due out next month. More details here.
news technology PC peripheral geek gadgets
My Book Pro Edition II solves storage problems
You can never have enough storage these days and with
more music and videos being downloaded and stored on PCs, it makes sense to
think ahead.
Western Digital has upgraded its My Book Pro, a small
external hard disk drive with 500GB of space, to the 1TB (terabyte) My Book Pro
Edition II. 
The casing has obviously gotten a bit bigger thanks to the two
internal 500GB drives but for 1TB of storage, you are still talking about a
very small device (26ins square).
This could be a real hit for that geek in your life
this Christmas. The drive supports RAID technology which means you can store
files across the whole 1TB or change the setting to RAID 1 so that half the drive
mirrors your data in real-time for extra security if one drive happens to fail.
It has three connectivity options: FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 and will cost around £300. Full details here.
news technology storage home shopping
JVC joins monster TV set
JVC has joined the growing ranks for TV makers showing off panels in
excess of 100ins.
The company this week showcased the world’s largest rear projection TV
(RPTV), with a massive screen size of 110ins. This is a high-definition set
supporting full resolution HD content at 1920 x 1080 resolution. 
It uses JVC’s
D-ILA technology to produce big bright images – generally brighter than regular
LCD panels.
The only problem – apart from finding a wall big and strong enough to
mount this on – is that rear-projection TV technology is losing the ‘big TV’
marketing and sales war. LCD and plasma TVs are the clear leaders in large,
flat TVs and even there, LCD looks likely to replace plasma in the coming years
as prices continue to fall and panel sizes increase.
World’s Largest Little Media Player
When it comes to portable media players (PMPs), Archos is top of the heap in terms of sheer versatility, features and quality. The new Archos 504 pushes the envelope of what’s possible in a very small portable device by being able to store up to 160GB of video, music and photos.
To put that massive storage 
space in context,
the 504 is capable of storing 4505 movies on its widescreen, 4.3in screen in
640 x 480 pixel resolution. Video formats supported include: MPEG-4, WMV2 and
protected WMV2, read MPEG-4 AAC/H.2643 (.MP4 QuickTime files), MPEG-24, and
VOB4 with optional software plug-ins.
More importantly, the 504 can be used to
record TV. With the ability to also store up to 80,000 songs and 1.6 million
photos, there is every chance that you will not need another media player for a
very long time.
The 504 is not cheap but worth every penny. Available in 80GB
and 160GB versions, they cost around £500 and £300 respectively. More
