Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

US Update: Skype video for iPhone, Android 3.0, Geinimi Android Trojan
LG to unveil Android Honeycomb tablet at CES 2011?
Barnes & Noble now sells more digital than traditional books online
Geimini Android Trojan found in China
LG LW6500 Cinema 3D TV: flicker free 3D with affordable glasses
Skype video calling for iPhone hands on
Your new iPod nano: Five things you never knew
Best games of 2010
Best Android apps of 2010
Win a Sony Ericsson LiveView!

US Update: Skype video for iPhone, Android 3.0, Geinimi Android Trojan

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 07:00 PM PST

It's the end of the week and we've saved the best for last. In today's tech update, better known as the US Update, we go hands on with Skype for iPhone — now with video calling, we take a look at the new LG LW6500 Cinema 3D TV, uncover the Geinimi Android Trojan affecting China and more.

First up, Skype for iPhone now supports video calling over both WiFi and 3G. The latest version is the best yet and from our hands on time with the app we think it'll be a major hit. You can download the app free, but if you'd like to find out more before you take the plunge, head over to our review here.

LG has announced the LW6500 Cinema 3D TV. This is the world's first certified "flicker free" set and does not require the expensive shutter glasses seen on competing models. We'll have a chance to try the new set at CES 2011 next week.

Geinimi, a new Trojan affecting Android devices, has just emerged in China. This complex Trojan is being "grafted" onto repackaged versions of legitimate applications, primarily games, and distributed in third-party Chinese Android app markets.

Barnes & Noble is reporting that sales of e-books have topped traditional books in their online store. The Nook is also officially the company's best-selling product, like the Kindle is for Amazon. With 20 percent of the e-book market share, Barnes & Noble will make a huge push in 2011.

Last up this morning is news on an upcoming Android Honeycomb tablet from LG. The rumored 8.9 inch tablet will be unveiled at CES 2011 according to the Korea Times, but we'll just have to wait until next week to find out. For now we have been told that it will be a dual-core tablet and it runs Android 3.0. More to come next week.

That wraps up things this fine morning from the states. Thanks for spending your morning with us as we break the headlines fresh off the press from our side of the world. Until Monday, this is Nick saying over and out.

LG to unveil Android Honeycomb tablet at CES 2011?

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 06:00 PM PST

In addition to the world's first dual-core phone, the LG Optimus 2X, LG will be unveiling a new 8.9 inch Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet at CES 2011. According to the Korea Times, LG is looking to make push at the high-end Android market in 2011. Are you ready?

For the moment no pictures exist of the 8.9 inch LG Android Honeycomb tablet. We certainly know of several Tegra 2 dual-core tablets coming to CES 2011 and we know LG has the chops to deliver a dual-core Android smartphone. Based on this alone, we feel confident in LG introducing a dual-core Android tablet.

If the Korea Times is to be trusted and LG does introduce an Android tablet at CES 2011, what features do you hope to see? Let us know what LG needs to bring to the table to make your dream Android tablet.

via Korea Times | Android Police

Barnes & Noble now sells more digital than traditional books online

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 05:00 PM PST

The Barnes & Noble Nook has propelled the company's e-book sales to new highs. Sales of digital e-books now outpace traditional paperback and hardcover book sales online for B&N. With 20 percent of the e-book market share under its belt, Barnes and Noble is ready to take on Amazon in 2011.

Wondering how many digital e-books were downloaded by Nook users on Christmas Day? Just over one million e-books, according to Barnes and Noble. With an industry-wide decline in book sales combined with the company putting itself up for sale last summer, Barnes & Noble depends heavily on the success of its e-book store.

Much like Amazon and its Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook is now officially the company's best-selling product. However, neither company has gone into specifics as far as an exact figure, but we know that the sales number compare the devices to items within a category, rather than a category as a whole.

Industry analysts believe that Barnes & Noble has sold about two million Nooks to date. Meanwhile the Amazon Kindle, which launched back in 2007, has sold approximately six million devices. Assuming these estimates are accurate, the Barnes & Noble Nook is performing extremely well. The addition of the Nook Color and Android store should heat up the competition with the Kindle in early 2011.

For now, Barnes & Noble continues to operate 717 namesake stores in the United States. In the most recent quarter, ending on October 30th, retail location sales were more than five times greater than on its website.

How do you see the battle in the e-book market playing out in 2011? Will Amazon continue to maintain the lion's share or will the Barnes & Noble Nook look to increase their 20 percent share with the Nook Color?

Via Reuters

Geimini Android Trojan found in China

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 04:00 PM PST

Named based on its first known incarnation, Geinimi, is the first Android malware known to display botnet-like capabilities. Once the malware is installed on a user's phone, it has the potential to receive commands from a remote server that allow the owner of that server to control the phone. Quite simply, this is a serious concern for the Android community.

According to Lookout, when a host application containing Geinimi is launched on a user's phone, the Trojan runs in the background and collects significant information that can compromise a user's privacy. The specific information it collects includes location coordinates and unique identifiers for the device (IMEI) and SIM card (IMSI).

At five minute intervals, Geinimi attempts to connect to a remote server using one of ten embedded domain names. A subset of the domain names includes www.widifu.com, www.udaore.com, www.frijd.com, www.islpast.com and www.piajesj.com. If it connects, Geinimi transmits collected device information to the remote server.

Currently, Lookout has only seen Geinimi communicate with a live server and transmit data, but not a fully operational control server sending commands back to the Trojan. The only evidence of Geinimi remains in third-party Chinese app store and users must enable the installation of apps from "Unknown sources" — better known as sideloading. No applications from the official Google Android Market have been affected.

The current list of applications that have been repackaged with the Geinimi Trojan and posted in Chinese app stores include Monkey Jump 2, Sex Positions, President vs. Aliens, City Defense and Baseball Superstars 2010. Keep in mind that although the repackaged versions of these games distributed by third party app stores may be affected, the original versions in the Google Android Market have not been affected.

Now it's time to hear from you. What do you think about the Geinimi Trojan and the possibility of other Trojans affecting Android handsets. For now only users who sideload applications risk infection, but what if the Trojan finds its way into the official market?

via Lookout | Zomgitscj

LG LW6500 Cinema 3D TV: flicker free 3D with affordable glasses

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 02:00 PM PST

LG looks to be taking a page from MSI's playbook, with another big announcements before CES 2011 kicks off. This time the Korean manufacturer has announced the LGW6500 Cinema 3D TV, a flicker free 3D TV that does not require shutter glasses — saving money and also easier on your eyes. Ready to learn more?

LG began their CES 2011 assault with a range of 3D AV devices, followed up with the world's largest full LED 3D TV and now they are breaking ground with a new Cinema 3D TV, the LG LW6500. Unlike traditional 3D technology, LG's Cinema 3D TVs do not require shutter glasses, instead images are displayed on the LW6500 are entirely free of flicker. Certification from Intertek and TUV, two of the most respected certification bodies in the world, mean the LW6500 is the first 3D TV in the world to receive the "flicker free" designation.

You'll still need a pair of 3D glasses to use the LG LW6500, but the flicker-free image will make the 3D viewing more comfortable and "far less likely to induce eye fatigue". Weighing in at just 16 grams, the included 3D glasses have no electrical parts and never need to be recharged. Most importantly, the glasses are far less expensive compare to traditional shutter glasses so buying a dozen pairs for family and friends is not a life-changing investment.

Like all of LG's new line of TVs, the LG LW6500 uses Smart TV technology, bringing LG's library of apps and premium content to your living room from services such as HuluPlus, YouTube and others. Other key tidbits on the LW6500 include the TruMotion 200Hz processor, 2D to 3D conversion, DivX Plus/HD, DLNA,WiFi/DVR ready and HDMI 1.4. That stat sheet never seems to end with the LW6500, but one thing is for certain — we'll put the set through its paces at CES in a couple of weeks.

It looks like LG is ready to take on the home cinema market with a complete set of 3D audio visual gear and at least two stellar TVs. Anyone else considering making the switch to 3D now that there's finally a ground breaking product like the LW6500 that eliminates the outrageous price of 3D glasses?

Coming soon | LG | TBD

Skype video calling for iPhone hands on

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 12:12 PM PST

Earlier today we announced that Skype for iPhone now supports video calling over 3G and WiFi. Now that we've had a few hours of hands on time with the updated app, it's time to run through some of the details and our initial thoughts. Has Skype for iPhone just made FaceTime obsolete?

When you fire up Skype for iPhone after installing the update, you'll notice that your 'Online Contacts' now have a video icon to the right of their name, the same icon used for Apple's FaceTime. Clicking a contact brings up their status, the options to call/chat/sms and a new feature — 'video call'.

When you initiate a video call, it immediately enables your front-facing camera and begins the call. Switching between portrait and landscape mode works seamlessly. Up at the top, you'll see two options: camera and mute. You have the choice between using 'front camera', 'back camera', or 'no camera'. The transition between the cameras is instant and we had no problem using the mute feature.

Now for the important part — video quality. Since FaceTime is limited to WiFi video calling (at least for now), the only real direct competitor to Skype is Fring. After pulling the service from Fring's Add-Ons earlier this year, Skype took a considerable amount of time before rolling out their video calling feature. Without a doubt it was worth the wait. The quality of voice and video is superb.

Skype for iPhone allows use of the back camera, a feature we can't seem to activate on the Fring iPhone client (however, it works on our Android handsets). The audio quality you've grown to expect from Skype, still exists while using video — this is a key differentiator between Fring and Skype. Even with the introduction of Fring's DVQ (dynamic video quality), the quality of audio failed to impress even though image quality improved. Lastly, Skype is used by a tremendous amount of desktop and laptop users worldwide, using both Mac OS and Windows. This is Skype's blockbuster feature. It is also worth noting that you can share your desktop with an iPhone user, the same way you can share your desktop between standard Skype clients.

Overall, we're thoroughly impressed with Skype for iPhone. The audio quality remains top notch and the video quality is on par with FaceTime. Being able to Skype from your iPhone with video opens a whole new world of functionality to video calls. The bar has now been set, hopefully Apple will embrace the new competition and add 3G video calling to FaceTime in 2011. For now, Skype for iPhone is the video calling app to beat.

Out now | £free | Skype

Your new iPod nano: Five things you never knew

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 06:32 AM PST

The new iPod nano is almost the dinkiest of Apple’s iPod line (just edged out of the top spot by the teeny-weeny iPod Shuffle), it’s also the most wearable and useable, a little slice of the future that you can clip to your collar or slip into an iPod nano watch strap to give yourself a super-stylish addition to your outfit. We love our new iPod nano and think you’ll love yours too. Here’s five things you might not know about your new iPod nano…

1. You can make your new iPod nano into a nifty watch

If you want to use your new iPod nano as a watch, you’ll want to be able to see the clock face whenever you wake your device. Hop into Settings then Date & Time and set Time On Wake to on. Now whenever you want to wake your new iPod nano watch press the power button and you’ll see the clock first. Swipe right to see the menu.

2. Your new iPod nano has a nice white on black mode

The new iPod nano has a whole accessbility menu intended for people with visual problems but it can also come in handy for others who fancy a different look to menus and the clock. Head in to the Accessibility menu (its in Settings > General). It’ll give you a brighter white clock with blue hands too which can be easier to read at night.

3. Your new iPod nano will talk to you

Again in Accessibility, you can set Voiceover which will then get your new iPod nano to speak all the actions you take to you and read out song titles in the Music function. That’s handy if you don’t want to look down at the controls when you’re in the gym.

4. There’s a secret new iPod nano diagnostic mode…
To access the secret mode hidden in the software on your new iPod nano, you just need to hold down the sleep and volume buttons until the Apple logo appears. Holding down all three buttons activates Diagnostic Mode. You’ll see the message iTerm: iPod Display console and a series of menus including the codename for your new iPod nano ‘N20 Snowfox’. Restart your new iPod nano to return to the normal menu mode.

5. Turn your new iPod nano into a miniature hard drive

To activate the disk mode on your your new iPod nano press and hold the sleep and volume down key to reset your new ipod nano then press both volume keys to activate disk mode. When you want to return to normal, simply reset your new iPod nano.

Best games of 2010

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 04:00 AM PST

Best games of the year? Where do we start? As 2010 gets ready to draw its last breath we’ve cast our mind back to what has been an absolute corker of a year for gaming. On all fronts. From the colourful charms of Mario Galaxy 2 to the explosive military violence of Call of Duty: Black Ops, 2010 offered up something for everyone. Those are just two of the titles that make up the best games of 2010. Read on to discover the rest.

With so many top class titles having released over the year it’s been difficult to single out a select few, so we’ve rounded them all up for you in one place. In no particular order, we give you the best games of 2010. Which is your favourite?

Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption might look like Grand Theft Auto with horses, but this atmospheric Rockstar title deserves more credit than that. Everything about Red Dead Redemption oozes quality. Its world is its own, populated with a cast just as Oscar worthy, if not more so than any found in the GTA series. And in protagonist John Marston Rockstar has spawned yet another established memorable antihero.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
If you’re a fan of either previous two Assassin’s Creed titles you need this in your gaming collection. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed 2, where Ezio once again gets to assassinate unscrupulous fellows, this time with a merry band of fellow assassins in this stunning third part in the series. Brotherhood introduces for the first time in the series online multiplayer in a mode that has players track down targets to make them meet their predictably grisly end. Unless they get to you first.

Fallout: New Vegas
Given that Fallout 3 turned out to be the game of 2008, Fallout: New Vegas had some sizeable shoes to fill. Fill them it does. It’s vast open gameplay and Nevada world is a joy to explore and as involving as Fallout 3, with all the dark humour and smart gameplay as before. How you dress and react in the ‘post apocalyptic’ world affects almost everything around you in one of the games of the year.

F1 2010
The pole position worthy racer delivers incredibly addictive yet immersive gameplay in spades whilst providing a challenge sure to be keenly felt by F1 fans. F1 2010 might be a tad too complicated for deep for casual racers, but anyone looking for a really serious F1 racer need look no further than this F1 alternative to Gran Turismo 5.

BioShock 2
It might lack the surprise of the series first outing, but BioShock 2, for us, and we’re sure many of you remains head and shoulders above most first-person shooters around. The same production values have been carried over and given a 360-degree wash to churn out a sequel well worth making part of your console collection, as players get to play as one of the first ‘Big Daddies’ to be birthed in the dystopian underwater world of Rapture. It even has online play this time around, so there’s something for all types of BioShock fans.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2 arrived at a time when the Wii was severely bereft of top quality, real must-have titles. Super Mario 2 (at least temporarily) changed that. The first Mario Galaxy was a work of genius. The sequel, out of this world. Quite literally. With more than 200 different stars to collect, even more imaginative game worlds and even the appearance of series favourite Yoshi it was clear that Mario Galaxy 2 was no rushed sequel.

Heavy Rain
Every now and then we hear about the latest video game that promises to deliver a “compelling story”. Of all the games of 2010 murder mystery Heavy Rain for the PS3 was one of the few that truly delivered. If not entirely due to the script itself, then at least to the way it was dramatically told through each of the game’s controllable protagonists. Heavy Rain might play more like an interactive movie than a video game, but what an experience.

Alan Wake
Alan Wake isn’t the only severely delayed game in our best of 2010 list. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint. Developer Remedy Entertainment promised an enthralling storyline and chilling atmosphere. It duly delivered.

Halo: Reach
It’s narrative was hardly original, nor was its gameplay in execution but Halo: Reach, like most of the Halo series remains a fine example of what to deliver in a first-person shooter. Its perfect combination of action, set-pieces involving ground, air, interplanetary vehicles and cinematics make this prequel, set before the events of the Halo trilogy a deserved entry into our best games of 2010 list.

Dance Central
The moment dance games became just that. Dance Central has suddenly become the dancing game unto which all others will be judged as ruthlessly as an overenthusiastic Strictly Come Dancing Judge. Its sheer ease of play and superb motion sensing skills make alternative platform competitors look as sprightly as Anne Widdecombe’s dance routines. If you love dancing, or just want to have a laugh (oh, you will laugh) get this.

Gran Turismo 5
After five years in the making and just about as many delays Gran Turismo finally arrived last month. Despite a few minor scuffs on its paintwork Gran Turismo 5 is arguably the most racing simulator around. The amount of races, cars and tracks alone make it more than worth parking in your PS3. The fact it features some of the best handling around is a bonus.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
The biggest game launch of the year. Longtime fans of the series may not feel its single player campaign never quite reaches the heights of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but Black Ops, as promised delivers non-stop action throughout. A highly multiplayer mode, complete with new Wager matches and an overhauled levelling up system alone makes Black Ops one of the best games of 2010. You only need to log in to see how many others are playing online right now to see that.

Fable 3
There are many reasons why the Fable series is held in such high regard. Each as highly apparent as ever in this third outing that has you fighting to take over the kingship of Albion. Its campaign might be short at around six hours if you blaze through it, but its thoroughly well crafted, featuring the most entertaining cast you’ll ever come across in a video game. But its biggest achievement by far is the sense of responsibility bestowed upon players. Very few games will make you think about your actions and play on your guilty conscience the way Fable 3 does.

Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 delivers stunning visuals, an even better story, some handy weapons and improved gameplay in this stunning example of how to do gaming science fiction. For many, Mass Effect 2 is the game of the year.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
The world of Solid Snake might have been shrunken down to size in this much-awaited PSP appearance but Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is no quick port. Not at all. As promised by Hideo Kojima back in July 2009, Peace Walker is a “true” PSP sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and it shows in this highly absorbing espionageathon. Yes, we made that word up.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Better than God of War 3. Given the justifiable fanfare of previous titles, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow had a lot to live up to to convince Castlevania fans that a new 3D reboot would do the series justice. But when Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima announced he was among those at the helm fears were soon allayed. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is an awe-inspiring spectacle throughout, delivering huge scale levels to embarrass God of War’s level architects and gameplay old school enough in feel to satisfy even the most skeptical Castlevania fan.

Honourable mentions:
Kinect Sports
Dragon Quest IX
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
Lara Croft And The Guardian of Light
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Super Street Fighter 4
Final Fantasy 13
God of War 3
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Tatsunoku vs. Capcom: Ultimate All -Stars
Bayonetta

Best Android apps of 2010

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 02:34 AM PST

The best Android apps of the year have been tough to pick, especially since some much older apps have had massive updates during that time to help them keep up with the pack. But we’ve done it: here are 10 best Android apps 2010. Read on to find out what they are.

It’s important to note that we’ve only selected apps that launched this year on the platform for the first time: though we love apps like Evernote, Facebook and Spotify, they’ve been available for a lot longer. So a moments’ applause for these newcomers that managed to breakthrough.

Dropbox
Even if you don’t have an Android phone, you need Dropbox. This is the best Android app out there for accessing all your files on the go, in the cloud, without all the complication of VNC Desktop sharing doodah. You get 2GB free, and more if you refer others. Essential.

Check out our Best Android phone Top 5 now

Angry Birds
It’s hard to believe, but on iOS, Rovio’s bird flinging puzzle game is already over a year old. It only launched on Android multitouch supported phones this year however, and it did so with a killer USP: it’s free, and supported entirely by unobtrusive ads.

Swype
Swype is a revelatory app that completely changes the way you type on your phone. It takes some getting used to, but the results can be fantastic, and certainly if you’ve somehow landed an Android phone with a resistive screen against our advice, you need to get in on the finger dragging action and watch those algorithms speed up your Word Per Minute coutn considerably. It’s still in beta for the time being, but a full launch can’t be far off, and many Android phones come with it pre-installed.

Prey
Find My iPhone is a handy tool to have on your iOS device, letting you trigger the GPS and hunt it down if heaven forbid you should somehow lose it. Prey, an open source project that does the same for laptops, rolled out a free Android app at the start of the year, and it’s essential for peace of mind, though HTC Desire HD and Desire Z phones have this tech built in anyway, it’s worth noting. One of the best Android apps you should never have to use – hopefully.

Tasker
If you’re prepared to put some time and effort into Tasker, it’s one of the best Android apps out there for customisation. You can tweak profiles to your heart’s content, based on all sorts of scenario, from location and time to voice commands. You won’t believe some of the stuff the online community has come up with for it, and it can make your Android phone truly automated.

See the best Android games Top 5 here

Twitter
Twitter went back on its word in a big way this year launching its own official clients for mobiles, but when they’re based on Tweetie, and free, it’s hard to complain. Twitter for Android serves up your stream, messages, lists and whatnot, but the big deal is simply account syncing, so you can get mentions delivered to your Android phone’s notification bar, as soon as someone namedrops you.

Skype
Another late arrival to Android, Skype finally pushed out its official app in the Autumn, but it’s been worth the wait. Over Wi-Fi, the sound quality is unbelievably clear, and it works over 3G too. Chat is included, and it hooks up with your contacts list, so you can choose to dial out normally or thorugh Skype as you see fit. Super handy for when you’re on your travels.

Voice Search
Google put Android well and truly ahead of iPhone with voice activation this year. This free first party app lets you do all sorts just by speaking, including sending and dictating messages, changing music tracks, pulling up directions and Googling terms on the fly. So long as you don’t mind talking to yourself in public, you’re looking at the future right here. Android 2.2 and up.

RockPlayer Universal
Of all the Android manufacturers, only Samsung has seen fit to extend video format support much beyond Google’s barebones offering, so while everyone else sits on their thumbs, this is the best way to watch all your DivX AVIs and downloaded MKV files on the move. You’ll need a high end Android phone for the latter, but it’s free, and it’s better than your options on the iPhone right now too.

PSX4Droid
We’re going to say a large percentage of early Android adopters have at some point in their life dreamed of playing Final Fantasy VII, and other classic PlayStation games, on their phones. Ignoring the ethics of console emulation and ROMs, this app works wonders on powerful Android phones, and is one in the eye for any Android naysayers who say there aren’t good games to be had on the platform. How can you have an argument with Final Fantasy VII? You can’t.

Disagree with our Best Android apps of 2010 countdown? Let us know what we missed out in the comments below!

Win a Sony Ericsson LiveView!

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 02:12 AM PST

Want one last chance to win a Sony Ericsson LiveView? You’ve come to the right place. The pint sized gadget is a watch-sized micro display, which partners with an Android phone to put your messages, social networks and call alerts at your fingertips. You can wear it as a watch, clip it to your clothes, or attach it to your notepad to keep an eye on your social life while stuck in meetings.

We've got one last Sony Ericsson LiveView device left to give away. And all you have to do is answer the question below in the comments section! We'll pick one correct answer at random 24 hours later, and send them a Sony Ericsson LiveView.

If you want to make sure you have your hands on a Sony Ericsson LiveView you can buy one direct from Sony Ericsson instead, and receive a 20% saving with our discount code. Just type SELV1 at the checkout.. Hurry up, stocks are limited!

To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the following question (hint: You can find the answer here).

Which movie did we plan to see during our Sony Ericsson LiveView 10 second challenge?

Winner will be chosen on 25 December 2010, and details added here. Our usual terms and conditions apply.

Made for Life

Thursday, 30 December 2010