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MWC 2011 awards, OCZ Vertex 3 Pro and Crysis 2 multiplayer demo: US Update
Attention HTC Desire owners: Android 2.3 Gingerbread update confirmed
Stream Netflix and Hulu with Plex Media Server app for Android
OCZ Vertex 3 Pro shatters SSD benchmarks
Crysis 2 multiplayer demo goes live March 1st
Spoiler alert: iPhone 4 wins best mobile device at MWC 2011
Best iPhone apps: app of the day – The Dark Knight
New MacBook Pro leak, Motorola Xoom UK price and the best of Mobile World Congress: Teatime Tech
Best iPad apps: app of the day – Jet Set Willy: ZX Spectrum HD
Archos 43 Android tablet review

MWC 2011 awards, OCZ Vertex 3 Pro and Crysis 2 multiplayer demo: US Update

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:00 PM PST

As the week winds to a close, we've got another jam-pack morning of tech news to dish. In today's US Update we reveal the winners of the MWC 2011 awards, shatter previous SSD benchmarks with the OCZ Vertex 3 Pro, reveal the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo release and so much more.

The iPhone 4 has walked away with the Mobile World Congress 2011 award for best mobile device and Apple didn't even show up to the convention. The Crytek UK team has confirmed that on March 1st, Crysis 2 multiplayer demo will go live on EA's website. Brush up on our review and find out the full details of the demo here first.

The upcoming OCZ Vertex 3 Pro has shattered all previous SSD benchmarks with 500 MBps read and write times. The gap between theoretical speeds and real world testing is finally coming to a close. The widely popular Plex Media Server app for Mac and PC is now available on Android. Using your Android smartphone as a client, you can access your entire media library on the go and even stream from dozens of sites such as Netflix, Hulu and Revision 3.

Last up this morning is a bit of good news for original HTC Desire, Desire HD and Desire Z owners. Cnet UK has confirmed that following the second quarter 2011 release of the Desire S, an Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will be rolled out to original Desire owners "within two months". Better late than never, right?

That wraps up the latest and greatest in tech news for this fine morning. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Attention HTC Desire owners: Android 2.3 Gingerbread update confirmed

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:21 PM PST

Legacy HTC Desire owners will get a taste of Android 2.3 Gingerbread in one or two months after the upcoming Desire S is released. That means that if you currently travel the mobile highway with a Desire, Desire HD or Desire Z, your future will certainly include the latest build.

There's no guarantees for software updates in this crazy mobile space we call Android. Fortunately, Cnet UK has been able to track down some concrete details — a rarity by today's standards. Rather than risk skewing the facts, let's go straight to the horse's mouth:

We did manage to get HTC’s man to say that the first Gingerbread update would be released within a month of the Desire S hitting shop shelves, but then he changed his mind and said it would probably occur within two months.

So let's lay out the possible roadmap. The HTC Desire S is scheduled to release in the second quarter of 2011. In the worst case scenario this means either late May or June, leaving the original Desire series in position for a late June or July Gingerbread update. Not as soon as we'd have liked, but still better late than never.

via Cnet UK

Stream Netflix and Hulu with Plex Media Server app for Android

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:02 PM PST

Previously limited to iOS devices, Plex Media Server for Android is now available from the Android Market for just $4.99. This media server solution brings together all of your downloaded movies, pictures and music to stream within your home — and now, your Android smartphone. Did we mention you can also access over a dozen online streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Revision3 and Vimeo?

Here's the scoop. First, you'll need either a Mac or PC running the Plex Media Server software. Priced to sell, this free piece of software works very similar to Boxee — combining all of the media on your computer with music and video plugins, allowing access to online streaming content. The entire interface is remote friendly and if you have a home theater PC or Mac Mini connected to your TV, this is a program you want in your arsenal.

So what if you want to take this content on the go? iOS devices, LG Netcast enabled HDTVs and now Android smartphones serve as "Plex clients", able to access either your Mac or PC Plex Media Server and stream content at will over WiFi or 3G. The end result is that you can take your media library and stream online content on the go, so long as you have your trusty smartphone in your pocket.

If you've been considering PlayOn, but want a much cheaper solution to deliver your digital goods — Plex Media Server for Android might just do the trick. If you decide to give it a go, feel free to let us know your thoughts

Out Now | Plex | $4.99

OCZ Vertex 3 Pro shatters SSD benchmarks

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 02:29 PM PST

The OCZ Vertex 3 solid state drive has set the bar for SSD performance with 500 MBps read and write throughput. Traditionally, theoretical speeds are a bit of a fairy tale — today that fairy tale becomes reality. Combined with a 6Gbps SATA controller, the Vertex 3 looks to be unstoppable.

In an exclusive first-look, our friends at Anandtech had a chance to put the OCZ Vertex 3 through its paces. For existing SSD owners out there, you'll be happy to note the Vertex 3 delivers the same performance of a fresh drive even after TRIM. Bottom line, the 500MBps read and write speeds are the real deal.

After over a dozen tests and performance benchmarks a verdict was rendered:

Even writing incompressible data the Vertex 3 Pro is faster than current SandForce drives running full tilt. The performance gains we see here are generational, not a simple evolutionary improvement. SandForce has also successfully addressed the limited shortcomings of the original SF-1200 controller with regards to writing incompressible data.

2011 could be the year that SSDs finally go mainstream. New controllers from SandForce, Intel and Marvell due out this year should take performance to new heights. As an OCZ Vertex 2 owner myself, the Vertex 3 Pro has officially secured a spot on my list of "must have" gadgets of 2011. Anyone else onboard?

Coming Soon | OCZ | TBD

Crysis 2 multiplayer demo goes live March 1st

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:09 PM PST

PC gamers get a well deserved shot of adrenaline next month with the release of the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo. According to EA, the demo will be available starting March 1st and includes two maps, adrenaline game modes and hours of multiplayer action. Ready to get locked and loaded?

Long considered the benchmark for desktop PC GPUs, Crysis has become one of the most respected first-person shooters to date. Following in the footsteps of both Crysis and Crysis Warhead, the upcoming Crysis 2 multiplayer demo has some big shoes to fill.

The demo will pit online gamers in six vs. six matches, set to take place in war-ridden Manhattan. The first map, 'Skyline', focuses on rooftops and the interior of skyscrapers while the second, 'Pier 17', is an open environment with minimal cover.

Since the demo is only a taste of the full multiplayer action, Crytek UK has released some additional details on the official release. According to the studio, Crysis 2 multiplayer will feature six gameplay modes and 12 maps set across New York City. During the multiplayer campaign, players can earn up to 50 ranks and countless upgrades to their weapons and Nanosuit.

March 1 | EA | Free

Spoiler alert: iPhone 4 wins best mobile device at MWC 2011

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 12:37 PM PST

Every year at Mobile World Congress a group of judges sift through growing numbers of categories to determine the creme de la creme. This year, the award for best mobile device went to a traditionally absent manufacturer, Apple. That's right, the iPhone 4 won the award without even showing up.

At a convention dominated by Android smartphones and tablets, the impact Apple has left on the industry is strikingly clear. Whether we like it or not, Apple has shifted the paradigm for mobile handsets. Don't believe us? Just starting counting the number of slate-style smartphones being produced at a frantic pace.

Despite the seemingly endless number of faults (antennagate, glassgate), the iPhone 4 continues to sell faster than Apple can produce. 2011 will be the true test for Cupertino, overflowing with Gingerbread handsets powered by dual core processors and packed with more RAM than a desktop computer just eight years ago.

Judges’ comments:
Great screen, sharp design, fantastic materials, and phenomenal ecosystem for app developers. In a tight race, the iPhone 4 built on the success of its predecessors to set the pace for smart phones.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the other winners: “Best Mobile App” – Angry Birds; “App of the Year on Apple Platform” – Angry Birds; “App of the Year on the BlackBerry App World Platform” – BlackBerry Messenger; “App of the Year on the Android Platform” – Google Maps; “App of the Year on the Nokia Platform” – Zum Zum.

The front runner for MWC 2012 best mobile device, at least as far as we can tell, looks to be the Motorola Atrix. Bridging the gap between smartphone, netbook and home theater PC is a significant step, and possibly an omen for products to come. Based on what we've seen at MWC 2011 and CES 2011, which phones do you think have a chance of taking top honors in next year's award?

via GSMA

Best iPhone apps: app of the day – The Dark Knight

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:35 AM PST

This week’s almost entirely frivolous entry into our best iPhone apps library is Batman’s new home The Dark Knight app edition which couples the complete film with behind-the-scenes commentary and the ability to stream or download the entire film on your iPhone.

The Dark Knight app edition includes a lot of extra features which take the whole concept beyond the DVD and Blu-Ray extras we’re used to. There’s an art gallery with tonnes of images from the film and an interactive soundboard that’s fun but doesn’t have long term value really. For £5.99, this is one of the best iPhone apps we’ve seen to tie in with a big film and could point the way to a move app happy future for movie releases.

Out now | £5.99 | iTunes

New MacBook Pro leak, Motorola Xoom UK price and the best of Mobile World Congress: Teatime Tech

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:52 AM PST

That’s a wrap folks. Mobile World congress is over for another year – but we’ve got the best of the last day right here, as well as all this afternoon’s top stories in Teatime Tech.

First up, the world’s biggest phone show, Mobile World Congress, came to a close in Barcelona for another year. We were there, and we rounded up the best phones of the show for you, as well as five of the weirdest things we saw at the Fira.

Closer to home meanwhile, we set loose our review of the Archos 43 Android tablet, and asked you how much you’d be willing to pay for Moto’s Honeycomb slate, the Motorola Xoom.

Finally, could Intel’s latest ad be showing an unannounced new MacBook Pro with blazing fast Sandy Bridge inside? Here’s hoping!

Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself!

Best iPad apps: app of the day – Jet Set Willy: ZX Spectrum HD

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:00 AM PST

The latest in our best iPad apps is new App Store release, Jet Set Willy ZX Spectrum HD. Originally released in 1982 Jet Set Willy went on to become an 80s gaming phenomenon. Now it’s back to deliver some retro gaming charm on the Apple iPad.

Jet Set Willy ZX Spectrum HD features all the classic gameplay of the original, with added portrait and landscape modes and an auto-save feature. Jet Set Willy: ZX Spectrum HD is no copycat alternate version, it’s the original, in iPad form. So if you’re a mobile gamer looking for something different to tingle your nostalgic side, you won’t do much better.

Out now | £1.19 | iTunes

Archos 43 Android tablet review

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:26 AM PST

Oh Archos 43 Android tablet. You came so close: if only you had a capacitive screen, everything would have been right with the world. Read on to find out how it misses the mark in our full Archos 43 Android tablet review.

Build

There's something charming about the plastic design

We’re really starting fall for Archos’ design ethos – sure, it’s plasticky, smeary and cheap, but there’s a certain charm about it, a je ne sais quoi, since it’s a French gadget. There’s something reassuringly solid about it, and contrary to just about every other gizmo of the last year, the sides are dead straight.

Buy the Archos 43 Android tablet now

On one side you’ll find the mini HDMI-out port, on the other the volume rocker and power/lock button, while the bottom curve houses the mini USB port and 3.5.mm audio at an angle – which is better than it being on the sides. We like the backplate the most though thanks to its cool metal finish, almost invisible camera sensor and the little kickstand that pops out.

Hooray for kickstands

The only annoying issue is the lack of physical Android buttons: instead, these are replicated at the bottom of the screen. They’re there most of the time, but not in certain apps (like the video player) which can be a bit of a pain. The loudspeaker also isn’t up to a great deal.

All in all though, the 130g Archos 43 Android tablet is definitely one of the finest looking low price PMPs we’ve seen in a long time.

See our Best Android tablet Top 5 now

Screen

At a glance, the Archos 43 Android tablet’s screen looks rather exceptional for the price you pay. It’s a crisp 854×480 panel which renders videos beautiful – and viewing angles aren’t too bad either. So what’s the catch?

The Archos 43 Android tablet’s screen is resistive.

The screen is sharp, even if colour reproduction isn't all that

That may sound like a minor issue, but it’s hard to understate how irritating this is. For those in need of a quick primer, resistive touchscreens are generally cheaper to produce than the capacitive displays used on most modern smartphones and expensive tablets. They’re very accurate with small pressure points, but the problem is, fingers aren’t small pressure points – they’re big broad ones.

Best Android apps of all time: Top 100

As a result, trying to swipe or type through anything on the Archos 43 Android tablet can sometimes be a maddening task. You’ll find yourself pulling out your headphones to tap something on the screen rather than use your fingers, and anyone who’s ever used pinch to zoom gestures on a touchscreen phone to zoom in and out of web pages, maps and pictures, will find it frustrating – no multitouch here amigo.

We can’t stress enough how much of a dealbreaker this is. It’s what makes the Archos 43 Android tablet only a decent Android PMP, rather than a true iPod touch toppler.

Android 2.2

Out of the box, our 16GB Archos 43 Android tablet (There’s also an 8GB option, and both have space for a microSD card) runs Android 2.2. The good news is that Archos has left it be for the most part, with a plain launcher, and the 1GHz CPU means performance is certainly respectable.

Android 2.2 is mostly untouched - a good thing

The bad news is that out of the box, you don’t get Google’s core Android apps, like Gmail, Google Maps, and most importantly Android Market. Instead, you’ll be left to forage for apps on the sparse shelves of Achos’ AppsLib store, or for install files online.

The native Android keyboard is also maddening because of the screen: we tried to install Swype to solve this problem (it works wonders on resistive screens), but didn’t have any luck.

But wait! Tinkerers – you can quite easily install the core Google apps on the Archos 43 Android tablet, you just need to find the right file online. We Google Maps was blindingly fast, and we even managed to install Flash from the Market and tune into the BBC iPlayer Android app. This absolutely isn’t for mum and dad, but it’s a nice bonus for Android hobbyists.

Media

This should come as no surprise, but the Archos 43 Android tablet is a cracking media player. It played all the high def MP4 and MKV files we threw at it without a stutter, and lossless FLAC files sounded fantastic. It opens night on everything.

We were also delighted to find that the video app on the Archos 43 Android tablet can stream clips from elsewhere over SMB and UPnP, just like its bigger brother, the Archos 101 Android tablet.

The Archos 43 excels at playing anything and everything

Oddly however, the Archos 43 Android tablet wouldn’t output to our TV, no matter what we tried: it’s a bit of a pity, as otherwise it almost would act as a portable Boxee Box. Don’t settle for one that doesn’t work: return it if needs be.

Verdict

It’s so frustrating that the Archos 43 Android tablet falls at the final hurdle. We don’t mind that its camera is appalling, the battery life is excellent, and even without core Google apps, there’s plenty you can do with it.

If only Archos could have come through with a capacitive screen, this would have been sitting high, high up on our best MP3 players and best Android tablet list.

Made for Life

Thursday, 17 February 2011