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Zune Pass: unlimited downloads across Windows Phone 7, Xbox and PC
HTC Android tablet specs: Tegra 2 slate incoming?
Samsung Galaxy Tab: “Go deep” with full HD promo video
Best Android phone: Budget
HTC Desire Froyo update arrives on T-Mobile, but is it the German version?
Nokia N8: Release the shutter, wow your mates! Check out our pro photography tips
iPhone 4 Newton OS app: tinker with an Apple antique!
Fujifilm Finepix X100: DLSR smarts meets rangefinder looks
Best PS3 Move games
Lunchtime Lowdown: Facebook phone rumours, PlayStation Move details and games, and win a Nokia N8

Zune Pass: unlimited downloads across Windows Phone 7, Xbox and PC

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 04:04 PM PDT

Microsoft is readying itself for the launch of Windows Phone 7, and has announced improvements and additions to its Zune services. The Microsoft Zune service will be boosted across Windows Phone 7, PC, and Xbox 360 Live, adding a Zune Pass unlimited download service, plus Zune Marketplace and Zune software expansion.

The Zune Pass is the key announcement, which is an unlimited download subscription service that works across PCs and Windows Phone 7 devices, and gives streaming through an Xbox. For £8.99 per month you get unlimited music downloads, which are DRM free MP3s (at 256-320kbps), meaning you can play and load the tracks onto your iPod. You can also add friends to your Zune account, and copy their music over to your collection, and buy or rent movies and TV shows.

The decision to make downloads accessible to other devices is a major step forward, and files from iTunes and other music libraries are accessible to the Zune software. In terms of the Zune Pass video services (also synced), films can be rented (for up to 14 days, with 24 hours to finish watching once you've started), and then can be accessed through an Xbox, Windows Phone 7 device, or Windows PC.

It's an attractive proposition for those who're expecting to a) get a Windows Phone 7, and b) will be using that Windows Phone 7 device for streaming music. The Windows Phone 7 marketplace is in many ways a scaled-down replica of the Zune software for PC, and can be pinned to the home screen as one of Microsoft's interactive tiles, where it will display what's currently being listened to. Windows Phone 7 devices will also have playback controls on the home screen even when it's locked.

To use the Windows Phone 7 functions though, you don't have to have a Zune Pass subscription. the Zune marketplace will work on your Windows Phone 7, you just won't have unlimited downloads, but will still be able to preview 30 seconds of any track, and download tracks and albums individually.

The Xbox Zune Pass is streaming-based, the downside for dedicated Xbox users being that to use the Zune Pass streaming service you'll also need to have Xbox Live Gold membership, on top of the £8.99 per month for the Zune Pass.

The Xbox Zune Pass will launch with Kinect gesture and voice control compatibility. We saw a gesture control demo, which featured a simple interface, and swipe controls to access, play pause and stop music, along with scrolling through tracks and videos. The service will be launching on 10 November.

Out November 2010 | £8.99 per month | Zune

HTC Android tablet specs: Tegra 2 slate incoming?

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 08:01 AM PDT

Word of the HTC Android Gingerbread tablet that's been whispered about since late last year reached us last week with suggestions that i'll break cover in early 2011. Now the same gadget gossipmongers say the HTC Android tablet is being built by Asus-subsidiary (and owner of a great Transformers name) Pegatron. So what do the latest rumours suggest we'll get with the HTC Android tablet? Read on to feast on some tasty speculation about specs …

DigiTimes claims it's heard on good authority that Pegatron has picked up the contract to build the HTC Android tablet. It says the device will come packing a Tegra 2 processor, a 1280×720 resolution multitouch screen, a 32GB SSD and 2GB of memory along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

The HTC Android tablet will also reportedly come packing the Chrome Web App Store and the Android Market. We've also seen scads of rumours that HTC is building a Google Chrome OS tablet but there's no suggestion that this deal (if it's real) has anything to do with that mysterious device.

DigiTimes has a variable success rate when it comes to making predictions about new devices but we're pretty certain that the HTC Android tablet is on the cards and set for a 2011 debut. Quite why HTC would outsource the manufacturing isn’t clear but a grand unveiling at CES 2011 seems pretty likely.

Let us know: do you think HTC will be able to follow smartphones like the HTC Desire HD with an equally appealing HTC Android tablet? Hit the comments with the wish list of features you'd like to see.

Out TBC | £TBC | HTC (via DigiTimes)

Samsung Galaxy Tab: “Go deep” with full HD promo video

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 07:46 AM PDT

The shipping date for the Samsung Galaxy Tab draws ever nearer, ready for us all to start going a bit Dom Joly with our tablet/phone hybrids and shopping for clothes based on pocket size. We've already seen the 30 second trailer Samsung has already released, but now there's a full Samsung Galaxy Tab trailer floating around online.

This is a full trailer for the Samsung Galaxy Tab, which has some statements that at first glance sound somewhat odd, such as "Go deep" – which we met with a raised eyebrow, until it was followed by the sort-of explanatory info that the Samsung Galaxy Tab takes a MicroSD card of up to 32GB.

Watch the Samsung Galaxy Tab pocket demonstration and cringe too, as the back-packed chap strolls off with an expensive device hanging precariously off his low-slung jeans. There's also a provocative line, which states: "Enjoy Adobe Flash with reckless abandon" (with the abandon required to risk a crash at any moment?).

We like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and its strange size, but it worked much better when the Samsung executive pulled it smoothly from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, rather than awkwardly squeezing it into jeans, where it might as well scream 'steal me!', if it doesn't drop out first.

[via TheNextWeb]

Best Android phone: Budget

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 07:41 AM PDT

It’s best Android phone: budget edition Top 5 time! You already know how to check out the very best Android phone at any price and at any time using our Top 5 lists, but we thought that since it’s such an open field, we’d help whittle things down for you even more. Check out the very finest low price models in our Top 5 Best Android phone budget list, to the right of the full post.

Check over on the right hand side of the page and you’ll see our full top 5 Best Android phone budget shortlist. These are the best Google phones available right now with a value of under £200 on Pay As You Go, letting you in on the Android action for much less than the price of a HTC Desire or Samsung Galaxy S.

You can find out more about our Best Android phone: budget Top 5 candidates just by hitting Read More for the full reviews, or if you’re sold, jump through to our Mobile Deals page to check out the best prices and tariffs with a tap of the Buy It icon.

What do you make of our Best Android phone: budget Top 5? Are they your Top 5, or Bottom 5? Give us your thoughts on the best Android phone on a shoestring in the comments below.

HTC Desire Froyo update arrives on T-Mobile, but is it the German version?

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 07:14 AM PDT

Finally, after a long wait, some HTC Desire owners on T-Mobile are getting their Android Froyo update. The update will be rolling out to users over the coming weeks, and was released on Saturday. However, some users are reporting there's a glitch in the update, and some of the apps are appearing in German.

HTC Desire users have reported on T-Mobile forums that some of the apps on the update are in German, including Mobile TV and MyPhoneBook. The problem may be because T-Mobile has posted the German version to UK users by mistake, meaning those who got the update early may be working with a .de build of Froyo. It's another glitch in the Froyo rollout, which has caused problems for other networks too.

T-Mobile customers are some of the last to roll out HTC Desire Froyo updates, with O2 and Vodafone customers having received theirs, at least in part. These didn't go without a hitch though, with Vodafone sneaking some software onto HTC Desire devices, and the O2 update was rolled back only hours after it was released.

Are you on T-Mobile? Have you got your HTC Desire Froyo update yet? Is it in German? Let us know in the comments!

[via Hexus]

Nokia N8: Release the shutter, wow your mates! Check out our pro photography tips

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 07:02 AM PDT

The Nokia N8 isn’t any old smartphone. Inside that slinky metal shell is a whopping 12 megapixel camera, with smart software to make sure your photos send eyes spinning. We’re talking ultra-sharp focus, a mechanical shutter for blisteringly quick captures and clever face detection to make sure photos of buddies are flattering. Read on, and let the Nokia N8 release your inner paparazzi!

Register your interest in the Nokia N8 then read our guides below!

Nokia N8: How to shoot pro photographs in any scenario
We’ve all done it: taken photos in dim light, or directly into sunlight, and had our hearts sink at the result. Help is at hand with the Nokia N8. It’s fully tooled to make the most of even the most amateur snapping. But you can raise your game too, by following our full-length tutorial on taking pro-standard photos using the N8.

Nokia N8: Advanced guide to photo editing on the N8
The Nokia N8 has taken a great snap… but that’s just the beginning of your photographic journey. Come with us, and we’ll show you how that Symbian smartphone can squeeze even more from your photos. Indulge in our in-depth editing masterclass, and your buddies’ eyes will be bulging with envy in no time.

Nokia N8: Launch yourself as the next David Bailey with photo sharing
Now you’re capable of shooting great N8 photos, and editing them to perfection, it’s time share your skills with the world. The Nokia N8 comes with social networking smarts built in, so showing off your photos is as easy as tapping the screeen. Before long, you’ll be an online photographic sensation!

Want more? Join our Nokia N8 LIVE: Photography Q&A this Thursday at 2pm! Find the link on the Electricpig homepage.

iPhone 4 Newton OS app: tinker with an Apple antique!

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 06:32 AM PDT

If you have an iPhone 4 but secretly wish it was a little more retro, here's the solution: a Newton emulator for iOS! Clever developer Matthias Melcher has managed to port the Apple Newton software on to its great grandson and you can see it in action after the break…

The Newton OS app, dubbed Einstein, isn't likely to hit the Apple store anytime soon sadly. If you're desperate to get it on your iPhone 4, are willing to use the iPhone 4 jailbreak and know how to mess around with code, the source code is up for grabs. It's currently pretty slow but all the old Newton features are there, including the famous handwriting recognition.

Newton was given a nice hat-tip in the recent What Is iPad? ads and the developers of the iPhone 4 Newton OS app are planning to bring it to the iPad and iPod touch too. We can't wait to see it in action on the iPad in all its pixellated glory.

Out now | £free | Einstein (via TUAW)

Fujifilm Finepix X100: DLSR smarts meets rangefinder looks

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 06:02 AM PDT

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 is a weird but rather beautiful beast. After a raft of micro four thirds snappers like the Olympus PEN E-P2 and intriguing oddities like the Sony NEX-5, Fujifilm has managed to get us excited all over again with this hybrid. Read on for all the tantalising details…

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 combines a 12MP APS-C DSLR sensor with the looks of an old-school rangefinder. Unlike lots of the hybrid snappers we've seen recently, it's actually got an optical viewfinder. The clever part is that it'll overlay information onto the viewfinder so though you're getting the real image you'll also get data and controls on top of it.

It'll come packing a 23mm F/2 lens which Fujifilm says its made specially for the Fujifilm Finepix X100. It'll grab 720p video and offer continuous shooting at 5fps. Round the back you'll find a 2.8in LCD with an 800×600 resolution – that's very nearly the kind of pixel density that the iPhone 4 has been wowing us with.

With specs and looks that very nearly match the Leica X1, we'd expect the Fujifilm Finepix X100 to arrive with a fairly pocket-punishing price attached. Full details and availability aren't due to reach us until 2011 but we'll be keeping our eye on Fujifilm in the meantime.

Out early 2011 | £TBC | Fujifilm

Best PS3 Move games

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 04:46 AM PDT

Want the best PS3 Move games to justify splashing out for those new PlayStation Move controllers and an Eye camera? We’ve got them for you here. Check out the full list of our favourite motion friendly titles to the right of the full post.

PlayStation Move: Everything you need to know

Cast your eyes over to the right and you’ll see our current Top 5 Best PS3 Move games countdown in full. As always, we give you the option to read more about every title, or even just head through to Amazon to buy them with a single click.

Each entrant on our Top 5 Best PlayStation Move has been rated by our Electricpig games gurus: you won’t find any Start The Party!-esque clangers here. Naturally, we’ll be considering new PlayStation Move titles every time they’re launched, but we’ll also be giving time and thought to current games that get a PlayStation Move update (Like Heavy Rain). If they’re good enough to earn our attention, you’ll see them on in our Top 5 Best PS3 Move games list.

What do you make of our Top 5 Best PS3 Move games list? Is there anything we’ve missed? If so, share your PlayStation Move secrets in the comments below!

Lunchtime Lowdown: Facebook phone rumours, PlayStation Move details and games, and win a Nokia N8

Posted: 20 Sep 2010 04:29 AM PDT

We’ve had breaking gadget news and views all morning, so if you’re pressed for time, we’ve got the condensed edition for you right here, right now. See what you missed in the lunchtime lowdown, on the double!

First up, it’s been a busy morning in smartphones and tablets. On the software side of things, rumours broke out that an official Facebook phone is being prepped, and we got a glimpse of BlackBerry 6 on existing ‘Berries well ahead of schedule. On the hardware side of things, we stacked the HTC Desire HD up against the Dell Streak, and heard a curious rumour that the Samsung Galaxy Tab could run Chrome. Really?

Over in gaming meanwhile, the fallout from the PlayStation Move continued: Sony’s PS3 motion controller got torn down to reveal its smart innards, while we reviewed a new PSN game that supports it: Flight Control HD.

Finally, there’s a competition going on right now you’ll definitely want to check out: you can win a Nokia N8 through it and all you have to do is check yourself in on Foursquare.

Fancy a second plate still? Click through to the homepage and help yourself to even more!