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New AMD Vision line: super charged ultra thin laptops incoming!
David Cameron takes over Number 10 website, before setting foot in Number 10
Sony NEX-5 first impressions
Boxee pay TV payment system revealed
Call of Duty: Black Ops secrets revealed
iPad WiFi problems: Apple confirms update
Vodafone data charges: no extra fees initially says network
iPad: David Hockney turns his into a sketchbook
Android 2.2 Froyo on Nexus One video spotted
Lunchtime lowdown: Natal UK release date revealed, Xbox 360 gaming spotted, Sony NEX-5 photos, Nokia N8 hands on

New AMD Vision line: super charged ultra thin laptops incoming!

Posted: 11 May 2010 10:00 PM PDT

A new AMD Vision line has been announced for 2010. AMD, arch rival chip maker to Intel, promises its new range of easy to understand silicon will make your next PC much more powerful, and while it’s revamping its desktop and large laptop processors, it’s the tweaks to its ultra thin notebook systems that’s got us most excited. Want a super slim that can still burn through HD Flash videos? Read on.

While AMD has struggled to match Intel for performance in recent years, we like what it’s been trying to do helping the less tech savvy understand what they’re buying. Its AMD Vision line offers an easy way to understand what each CPU gets you in real world terms (Casual web browsing and gaming, HD movie playback or video editing for instance), and now it’s been given a bump.

You can now get DirectX11 support for the latest game support, as well as the potential for up to seven hours of battery life in new mainstream laptops with AMD Vision systems inside, but it’s the new AMD Vision ultra thin platform that’s got us most excited.

Acer Aspire Timeline X hands on photos!

From now on, any super skinny portable laptop you see badged up with the AMD Vision logo will use either an AMD Athlon 2 Neo or Athlon 2 Neo Dual Core processor, and use either an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5400 or 4200 graphics card for powering through HD video, while still offering a battery life of up to eight hours. The platform also supports HDMI out, so you’ll be able to plug AMD Vision ultra thin laptops straight into your TV to act as a media centre.

The upshot for you? New ultra portable laptops to rival the Acer Aspire Timeline X, MSI X-Slim and MacBook Air for manila envelope convenience. We haven’t got the exact specs and pricing just yet, but AMD says HP, Acer and Lenovo will all be using the new AMD Vision platform for new models.

There’s also no word just yet on when we’ll be seeing the new AMD Vision line making its way into big brand models, but since it’s the 2010 AMD Vision line up, we have a sneaking suspicion it might just be this year. We can’t wait.

Out TBC | £TBC | AMD

David Cameron takes over Number 10 website, before setting foot in Number 10

Posted: 11 May 2010 12:36 PM PDT

David Cameron has yet to step over the threshold of 10 Downing Street, but already he’s made his mark on the prime ministerial website. Within seconds of his arrival at Buckingham Palace tonight, Britain’s new prime minister was announced online.

It wasn’t the only online novelty in Cameron’s appointment either. Within minutes of meeting the Queen, photos of David Cameron had appeared online, showing the world the result of his historic meeting even before his silver Jaguar had left the palace gates.

We’re told the work of the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition will begin tonight. Expect more changes to Britain’s governmental websites by the minute.

TBC | £TBC | Number 10

Sony NEX-5 first impressions

Posted: 11 May 2010 09:43 AM PDT

We’ve been playing with the Sony NEX-5 camera all day, testing out the lightweight shooter’s lenses and new features. Want to know if it can dislodge the Olympus E-P1 from it place in our manbag? Read on for our first thoughts.

You’ll be pleased to know that the Sony NEX-5 feels every bit as well built as it looks. Its metal casing is robust, and shockingly slim, especially in comparison to the chunky Panasonic G1/G2/G10 line of Micro Four Thirds shooters. Even with a long lens attached, it’s still a great deal easier to lug around on a trip than a DSLR.

We also take back what we said about the screen earlier: on the Sony NEX-5 model we tested, it’s phenomenally bright and crisp. The scroll wheel control used to navigate the on screen menus however hasn’t been brilliantly thought through: it’s all too easy to skip over a mode, and we hardly think it would have confused things a great deal to have a physical dial with the modes on the top of the camera.

Otherwise though, Sony’s put a ton of effort into making the Sony NEX-5 easy to use for those crossing over from digital compact cameras for the first time, and they are by and large nice touches. There’s a shooting tips manual you can open on screen, as well as an iAuto mode, and a compact-ish Scene Selection option.

We particularly liked the easy focus slider in the iAuto mode. Instead of mucking around in manual modes, you can slide the background of a subject in and out of focus with the dial, giving you the shallow depth of field of a DSLR, without newcomers having to get bogged down in the settings (Though veterans can do that too). There’s also a HDR mode, which shoots under and over exposed shots and averages them out for scenes with lots of contrast: it gets a lot of detail in but we didn’t always prefer its output. Sony’s strangely decided to bury this option deep inside the settings, but it’s worth seeking out in certain situations.

Whatever mode you use, you’ll doubtless be impressed with the Sony NEX-5’s results. Images are strikingly crisp and vibrant, and shots in low light without a flash were frankly astounding with much less noise than we anticipated. Video looked polished and smooth as well, and there are no motor noises on the soundtrack or erratic auto focusing as on some Micro Four Thirds cameras. Here’s a short clip we took today:

We were a bit disappointed by how quickly both still and video modes ravaged the battery though, even without the flash. The Sony NEX-5 is an ideal holiday camera, sure, but you’d want to charge it up every night while away still.

The Sweep Panorama option on the Sony NEX-5 is an interesting addition, as it’s traditionally been a feature of Cyber-shot compacts rather than high end Alphas. It was last seen in Sony’s recent and excellent Cyber-shot HX5V, but on paper, it should be better here: it takes full resolution stills rather than a video with frames pieced together afterwards, and we were shown some astounding samples taken with it by professional photographers.

Sadly, it’s not quite so easy to emulate always. While it processes and stitches the picture together phenomenally quickly, it doesn’t appear to be as effective as the HX5V at joining all the snaps together: even still landscape scenes sometimes turn up disjointed. Other times though, it worked perfectly, so we suspect it may still prove a useful option to have.

We weren’t able to test the 3D panorama option however. It won’t be available at launch, but will be included with a free Sony NEX-5 firmware upgrade in July – beware though that you’ll need a 3D TV to play it back. We asked about the potential of 3D prints as Fujifilm offers, but a Sony spokesperson said this wasn’t an option right now as they’re saved as video clips.

Sony NEX-5 hands on photos galore

A quick word about the lenses. Sony’s selling three different specialised lenses for the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3 that do have auto focus: a pancake 16mm lens, an 18-55mm and and 18-200mm lens (Shipping later). We tried out and liked the results of the first two, and both will be sold individually with the body, or in combination with the body. From our testing, beginners would certainly do well to go with the 18-55mm lens first, as it has Optical Steady Shot technology to stop wobbles.

Finally, the accessories. The slot on top of the Sony NEX-5 is designed for a bunch of different peripherals, including an optical viewfinder and a microphone for better sound on video. Sony’s confirmed to us that the clip on flash will be free (Great news, and it even comes with a case that clips onto your strap so you won’t lose it ever) and comes included in the box.

Sadly though, you’ll have to pay quite a bit extra for the other add ons: around £130 for the viewfinder, and £150 for the lens mount adaptor (Which we’ve confirmed won’t allow for auto focus on existing Sony Alpha lenses).

Do we like the Sony NEX-5? Absolutely. It’s a potentially great bridge camera for beginners looking for convenience, just like the Olympus E-PL1. We don’t think the compact camera features are the reason for this though, but we’ll have a full Sony NEX-5 review for you closer to launch – which Sony says is around a month from now. Stay tuned and check it out up close once more in our photo gallery right here.

Out Summer | £from c.550 | Sony

Boxee pay TV payment system revealed

Posted: 11 May 2010 08:30 AM PDT

Boxee, the media hub maker, announced in January that it's gearing up to unleash Boxee pay TV as well as its Boxee Box. It promised it would arrive in the summer and with that just around the corner, it's just inked a deal with a payment system provider. Looks like a Boxee pay TV service really could be arriving soon…

Boxee has signed an agreement with Vindicia which makes the CashBox payment processing system. It can deal with currency exchanges and VAT which bodes well for a British Boxee pay TV roll out.

Using Cashbox to power the payment handling side of Boxee pay TV would also allow you to use credit cards, gift cards and PayPal to snaffle up shows. World of Warcraft maker Blizzard uses the system as does anti-virus software giant Symantec.

Boxee plans to turn itself into a payment platform allowing anyone to sell their show. It'll take 30% of the takings in an arrangement that could easily appeal to networks and studios that currently turn to iTunes.

We've already got Boxee squirrelled away on our Apple TV but can't wait to get our hands on a Boxee pay TV service. Let us know what you think of Boxee and whether you'd be tempted by a store.

Due TBC | £TBC | Boxee (via Crunchgear)

Call of Duty: Black Ops secrets revealed

Posted: 11 May 2010 07:30 AM PDT

Call of Duty: Black Ops was only announced last month and won't be with us until November. But some lucky folks in the US have already got their hands on the next Call of Duty game and revealed some of its secrets. Warning: some Call of Duty: Black Ops spoilers ahead.

USA Today got a sneak peek at Call of Duty: Black Ops and have revealed some its secrets. First up, the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane we saw in the Call of Duty: Black Ops trailer gets a starring role in the opening mission.

You'll guide a squad of soldiers past a convoy of Russians while stationed at high altitude in the Blackbird. While the choice of vehicle in Call of Duty: Black Ops is different, it’s apparently very reminiscent of the Modern Warfare 2 level featuring an AC-130 gunship.

The other Call of Duty: Black Ops level that USA Today was allowed to get their hands on is called WMD and set in 1968. It involves infiltrating a Soviet facility (another scene which was glimpsed in the Call of Duty: Black Ops trailer).

The report suggests the gameplay follows the lead provided by previous Call of Duty games but does reveal a new feature: ammo which can be changed on the fly. At one point in the level, you switch from standard arrows in a crossbow to explosive tips.

With levels already being shown off, we expect Activision and Treyarch to reveal a lot more about Call of Duty: Black Ops at E3 next month. What do you think of the first details?

Due November | from £34.99 | Call of Duty: Black Ops (via USA Today)

iPad WiFi problems: Apple confirms update

Posted: 11 May 2010 07:00 AM PDT

iPad WiFi problems have been reported ever since the Apple tablet emerged in the US. But if you've already got your hands on an iPad or snapped one up as part of the iPad UK preorders worry not, a fix is on the way. Apple has confirmed an update is coming and offered up some workarounds to help in the meantime…

In a support bulletin in April, Apple conceded some users have suffered iPad WiFi problems when using some dual-band WiFi routers: "Under certain conditions, iPad may not automatically rejoin a known WiFi network after restart or waking from sleep. This can occur with some third-party WiFi routers…"

On the Apple support site, the company offers up some solutions to common iPad WiFi problems including updating your WiFi router's firmware, using WPA or WPA 2 security rather than WEP and renewing the IP addresses in your iPad's WiFi settings.

Apple has now confirmed that it is working on an iPad update to deal with those iPad WiFi problems and others related to weak signals and unreliable network connections. It hasn't confirmed when the iPad update will arrive but hopefully it'll get here before iPad UK preorders start landing on May 28.

When the update to fix the iPad WiFi problems, it'll be available free from iTunes so you won't miss it. Let us know if you've had iPad WiFi problems or any other niggles with your new tablet. If you’re still waiting to decide if you want one, take a look at our iPad UK review.

Due TBC | £free | Apple

Vodafone data charges: no extra fees initially says network

Posted: 11 May 2010 06:30 AM PDT

Changes to Vodafone data charges caused concern among customers last week. Now Vodafone has clarified its position. It says it won't start charging customers who go over their 500MB data limit from June 1 for "a few months". Read on for Vodafone's explanation…

When we reported on Friday that alterations to Vodafone data charges were proving unpopular, lots of readers wrote to us to share their disquiet about the move. While iPhone and Nexus One owners who get 1GB of data were unaffected, people who plumped for phones like the HTC Desire were peeved.

Now Vodafone says it will not charge users who go over their data limit initially. It says: "In June we'll be introducing a free text service to tell our contract customers when they're approaching the upper limit of their data bundle."

Vodafone says this will affect very few of its customers: "As the vast majority of our mobile internet subscribers (more than 97 per cent) never reach the limit they will not be receiving the text alerts at all." It says it won't apply additional charges straight away.

Vodafone claims that less than 3 per cent of its customers will near their data limit. After sending several text alerts, Vodafone says they will "be advised to upgrade to another data plan to avoid incurring unnecessary additional charges."

If you're one of the affected customers, does the new statement on Vodafone data charges reassure you? Let us know in the comments.

Out now | £varies | Vodafone

iPad: David Hockney turns his into a sketchbook

Posted: 11 May 2010 06:00 AM PDT

iPad UK preorders only opened yesterday but artist David Hockney has already got his hands on one and he's using it to create art. Looks like he doesn't agree with Bill Gates that tablets need a stylus. In fact, he's a confirmed iPad fan. Read on for words which will gladden Steve Jobs's heart…

Speaking to the Evening Standard about his iPad, Hockney said: "The iPad is far more subtle, in fact it really is like a drawing pad. They will sell by the million. It will change the way we look at everything from reading newspapers to the drawing pad."

In fact, Hockney's love of the iPad is so extreme, it almost sounds like he's auditioning to takeover from Steve Jobs at the next keynote: "It can be anything you want it to be. This is the nearest we have got to seeing what I would call a universal machine."

Click the Evening Standard link below to take a look at some of the David Hockney iPad artworks. Do you think he's right to pitch the iPad as the future of art? If you've created your own masterpiece on the iPad or iPhone, email it to us. We may just put together a Tony-Hart-style gallery of iPad artwork.

Out now | from £429 | Apple (via Evening Standard via Gizmodo)

Android 2.2 Froyo on Nexus One video spotted

Posted: 11 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Android 2.2 has been caught on video. The clip by Adobe product evangelist Ryan Stewart showing off Flash 10.1 running on his Nexus One ends with a brief glimpse of the next Android OS. What clues can we spot about Android 2.2 Froyo?

Google and Adobe are working closely on Flash which is going to be baked into Android 2.2 and Google Chrome. Adobe has even given its employees free Nexus One handsets – that’s most likely where Stewart got his.

Watch the Android 2.2 video closely and you'll see a glimpse of his home screen at about the 6 minute 30 mark. The new Android homescreen shows an updated launcher, a new Android tutorial and an altered global search box.

Google is set to unveil Android 2.2 at Google I/O later this month and it emerged earlier this month that Android phones sporting the new OS have been browsing the web. Stewart's mostly likely one of them.

Take a look at Flash 10.1 in Android 2.2 and let us know what you think of it and what you can spot any more clues about the new Android OS. If you've got an Nexus One too, you're likely to be among the first to get hold of Android 2.2.

Due TBC | £free | Google (via Android And Me)

Lunchtime lowdown: Natal UK release date revealed, Xbox 360 gaming spotted, Sony NEX-5 photos, Nokia N8 hands on

Posted: 11 May 2010 04:30 AM PDT

It’s time to chow down but before you sink your teeth into your sandwich, why not cleanse your palette with a plate of the finest tech news. Read on for this morning’s best gadget morsels in the lunchtime lowdown…

There was big news in gaming with Microsoft revealing the Natal UK release date and a rummage around in LG’s Flickr account uncovering plans for Xbox 360 3D gaming.

Meanwhile Sony unveiled a stack of new cameras with the Sony NEX-5 standing out as the first Sony Alpha snapper to pack in HD video. We hunted it down and got some Sony NEX-5 hands on photos.

Fans of moving images were also in for treat with news of a Sony HD camcorder with interchangeable lenses. It’s a prototype now but Sony says it’s coming in the Autumn.

Elsewhere we listened to whispers that Apple will make MobileMe free and watched Orange and T-Mobile come together to form a new super-network, Everything Everywhere.

Over on laptops, we looked at how to stream your computer screen to a HDTV using Q-waves‘ clever kit. Find out more about Q-waves.

Still starving for more tech stories? Jump over to the homepage and help your eyes to all they can eat!

Check out our Android Invasion, starting with our first robot romance video below!