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Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro, Windows Phone 7, Galaxy Tab 10.1: US Update
Sony and police raid PS3 jailbreaker’s home
Samsung quantum dot displays: half the cost of AMOLED and last longer
Samsung Smart TVs stream live TV to Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S 2
Windows Phone 7 update bricks Samsung handsets
Everything you need to know about the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro
iPad 2 launch event, Gears of War 3 dated: Teatime Tech
iPad 2: Apple invite confirms 2 March date
Samsung Galaxy S 2 vs LG Optimus 3D
Gears of War 3: New release date revealed

Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro, Windows Phone 7, Galaxy Tab 10.1: US Update

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:11 PM PST

We're hours away from Apple's massive announcement where they'll unveil the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros, but that's only the start of today's tech news. In the this morning's US Update we deliver the scoop on Apple's big day, take a look at the Windows Phone 7 bricking Samsung handsets, check out Samsung's new SmartTV streaming service and more.

Think you know the scoop on the new MacBook Pros being announced later today? Think again. We break down the full specs of the new models in our Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro FAQ. The minor Windows Phone 7 update that was rolled out on Monday is causing a bit of trouble for some Samsung handsets. Depending on the bootloader version, you might be in for an unfortunate series of events.

The new Samsung D6000 and D7000 series Smart TVs are reportedly able to stream live TV to both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy S 2 smartphone. We've got details on this impressive alternative to AirPlay. In other Samsung news, the company has been able to demonstrate the world's first full color quantum dot display. This four-inch display is the future of TVs and mobiles and consumes less than a fifth of the power of LCDs.

Last up this morning we've got word that Sony has begun their anti-piracy raids. In cooperation with police, Sony raided the home of notorious hacker graf_chokolo this morning, seizing his console and accounts. The battle is officially on, mark that one point for Sony.

That wraps up the latest and greatest in this crazy world we call tech news. As always, I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Sony and police raid PS3 jailbreaker’s home

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 05:59 PM PST

The war between Sony and the PS3 hacking community continues. According to Crunchgear, notorious PS3 hacker graf_chokolo has been dealt the wrath of Sony's legal team. Police raided his home this morning in tandem with Sony, seizing his PS3 console and accounts. As Sony moves to the offensive, graf_chokolo is being used as an example of what risks may come with a PS3 hacking.

Over on grafchokolo.com, the words were very clear, "Guys, do not contact me anymore because SONY got me. They have all my stuff and accounts now, so be careful". According to the thread, graf-chokolo was able to upload all of the critical files related to his PS3 hacking despite the seizures. Even more surprising were the commentors, who showed more concern for the files than the well being of their comrade, but such is the trade.

Sony is taking the bull by the horns to combat piracy. Yesterday we uncovered the company's plans to release a new 300GB slim unhackable PS3 and today they began the raids. These raids were the result of their anti-piracy special forces unit. Sony looks to be taking the necessary steps, but is it actually working?

The sweet sound of success resonated within hours. Fellow PS3 hacker Mathieulh shut down ps3wiki and quit the scene after learning graf_chokolo's fait. We'll be monitoring Sony's anti-piracy campaign very closely over the coming weeks as we expect Sony to make serious headway.

via PS3Crunch

Samsung quantum dot displays: half the cost of AMOLED and last longer

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 05:14 PM PST

The future of Samsung displays will be centered around quantum dots. These semiconducting nanocrystals are illuminated by current or light and promise to be brighter, cheaper and more energy-efficient than either LCD or AMOLED displays.

Here's the scoop. Quantum dot displays consume less than a fifth of the power of LCDs and promise to be brighter and longer-lasting than OLEDs. This is a deadly combination before you even consider that they can be manufactured for less than half of what it costs to make either display today.

So how does it work? The full-color quantum dot display is controlled by an active matrix with each of its color quantum-dot pixels is turned on and off with a thin-film transistor. For now, there have been two prototypes created: glass and flexible plastic. The goal is to incorporate the technology in TVs, mobile phones, MP3 players and any other gadget with a display.

Samsung is not the only one planning to make use of quantum dot displays. LG has reportedly partnered with QD vision to develop their own sets. For now, Samsung has the edge since they are the first to demonstrate a full color display with quantum dots.

Before you start expecting to see quantum dot displays in next year's mobiles, Samsung has been very clear that the technology is still three years away from commercial roll out. The current dilemmas researchers face are related to extending the life of the displays and improving their power efficiency. Nevertheless, it never hurts to get a peak at the future and salivate over the possibilities, right?

via Technology Review

Samsung Smart TVs stream live TV to Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S 2

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 04:52 PM PST

Apple has Airplay and Samsung has their new Smart TV lineup. According to a report from Pocket-lint this afternoon, Smart TVs will be able to stream live TV to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy S 2. Let's see how the magic happens.

In order to make use of the live TV function you'll need to have one of the upcoming Samsung D7000 or D8000 series sets. Using the TVs second tuner, either your Galaxy Tab 10.1 or Galaxy S 2 will be able to access live TV content, wirelessly. For now, Samsung has not confirmed whether their new media players (Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and Galaxy S WiFi 4.0) will also be able to access the tuner.

The bottom line is that this solution is far different than Apple's Airplay and ultimately far similar to SlingBox. For now the details are scarce so we are not sure whether the live TV feature will be accessible remotely over 3G or just within close proximity of your Samsung Smart TV. In either case, this is a very interesting proposition and we now have one more reason to want that shiny new Galaxy Tab 10.1.

via Pocket-lint

Windows Phone 7 update bricks Samsung handsets

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 03:18 PM PST

The two most dreaded words muttered by smartphone owners are "bricked phone". Following Monday's Windows Phone 7 update, many reports flooded in that Samsung handsets were stuck in download mode or prompted with error c101002e after the update. As a result, Microsoft has suspended the update altogether.

The long-awaited copy and paste update for Microsoft Windows Phone 7 handsets was not included in Monday's update. Instead, this minor update proved to do more harm that good for some Samsung owners. According to Ars Technica, the problem manifests itself largely based on the firmware version of your handset. The Omnia 7, for instance, seems to install the update just fine on the newest versions but older versions fail.

Other reports suggest that the problem has to do with bugs in the Samsung bootloader. Phones with version 4.10.1.9 of the bootloader maybe not be able to switch to download mode, which coincidentally is used to recover from bad flashes. However, both newer and older versions of the bootloader seem to be unaffected.

Despite the current hiccup, the good news is that Windows Phone 7 updates are cumulative and the upcoming copy and paste update will include any and all features in Monday's minor update. Since Microsoft is well aware of the issue, we can expect quick action. Who knows, maybe the bricked Samsung handsets will motivate Microsoft into releasing the copy and paste update sooner than expected.

Anyone with a Samsung Windows Phone 7 device suffering from a bad update? Let us know in the comments below.

via Ars Technica

Everything you need to know about the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 02:38 PM PST

On February 24th Apple will unveil a new line of MacBook Pros, incorporating Sandy Bridge and dropping in price. We've covered the Light Peak/Thunderbolt port and even looked at the five features we all want. Let's do an official recap of the new line, starting with the price.

Price Drop
Word on the street is the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros will drop by $100, specifically the 13-inch will be $1099 instead of $1199. All new MBPs will use new processors, the 13-inch will use an i5 2410M processor (Sandy Bridge) and the 17-inch will come standard with an i7 Sandy Bridge (either 2630QM or 2635QM).

Light Peak / Thunderbolt
As we previously discussed, the new models will feature an Intel Thunderbolt/Light Peak port. This port uses copper technology which replaces the SCSI, SATA, USB, FireWire and PCI Express ports on a computer with 10 gigabits per second bi-directional data transfer. Intel will be demonstrating the technology at their own event tomorrow as well.

Larger trackpads, SDXC slot
BGR is reporting that all models will include new, larger trackpads. Inspired by the Magic Trackpad, navigating the new MBPs will be easier than ever. Storage capacity will also be upgraded thanks to new SDXC card slots which support cards in up to 2TB capacity. 2TB memory cards, seriously?

Faster memory, longer battery life
With the Sandy Bridge chipset comes faster memory. All new MacBook Pros will use 1333 MHZ DDR3 memory (up from 1066 MHz DDR3). With nVidia out of the equation, Intel graphics will pave the way for better battery life. The new line offers up to 10 hour battery life (up from 8 to 9 hrs).

FaceTime HD 720P
Remember that phenomenon known as FaceTime that never really took off to the extent Apple intended. Well expect the new MacBook Pros and next week's iPad 2 announcement to fill that void. MBPs will feature Facetime HD and ship with FaceTime version 1.0 with support for 720P video.

OS X 10.6.6
The last bit of dirt we've rounded up on the new MacBook Pros is that they'll ship with OS X 10.6.6. According to 9to5Mac OSX 10.6.7 will unify the existing and new MBPs. That pretty much wraps up all the rumors and confirmed specs of the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest coverage from Apple's announcement tomorrow. Anyone sold on the new specs?

via 9to5Mac

iPad 2 launch event, Gears of War 3 dated: Teatime Tech

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 09:54 AM PST

It’s the end of another day, so stop what you’re doing, grab your coat and our quick roundup of all the afternoon’s news here in your teatime tech.

There’s no avoiding the big story right now: Apple’s just confirmed an event will be taking place next Wednesday – and the invite seems to suggest an iPad 2 is a certainty. But what will be in the iPad 2? We don’t know yet, but the Electricpig team has made their guesses here.

Elsewhere, in gaming, Microsoft confirmed its revised launch date for the hotly anticipated Gears of War 3, while in mobile, we pitted the Samsung Galaxy S2 against the LG Optimus 3D. Which Android phone wins? See in our stat clash!

Hungry for more news still? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks.

iPad 2: Apple invite confirms 2 March date

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 08:16 AM PST

UPDATE: Invites to a UK Apple event have just hit our inboxes too, with exactly the same image as above. It looks like Apple will be simulcasting the iPad 2 announcement (if it in fact is an iPad 2 announcement). We’ll be there with bells on, so tune in at 6pm on 2 March, where we’ll (hopefully) be getting a look at the new iPad.

The iPad 2 is on its way, on the date that the rumour mill settled on. The invite is out of the bag, and Apple has invited folks along to an event next Wednesday, where it looks like it will be unveiling a new iPad. That’s not officially confirmed of course, but what else could that device be in the top right hand corner? Click through to take a closer look at the Apple invite, and see if you think that sneaky flash of a product shot is the iPad 2.

[via Engadget]

Samsung Galaxy S 2 vs LG Optimus 3D

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:20 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy S 2 has some fierce specs, but is it good enough to floor the next-gen tech in the LG Optimus 3D, or is a glasses-free 3D smartphone a gimmick too far? Read on for our head to head between the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the LG Optimus 3D.

Screen
This is where we’ll find the real difference between the LG Optimus 3D and Samsung Galaxy S 2. The LG Optimus 3D has, in case you hadn't worked it out already, a 3D glasses-free display. The Samsung Gaaxy S 2 on the other hand, comes rocking a super AMOLED plus screen.

The latter, we found, to be infinitely preferable. The 3D on the LG Optimus 3D looked great when we were playing games, but aside form this it had little in the way of appealing application: would you really want to watch a 3D film on a 4.3-inch screen?

The Samsung Galaxy S 2 on the other hand was super bright, and has the same sized screen as the LG Optimus 3D at 4.3-inches. It floored its predecessor, and blew us away with brilliant sharp colours and lovely crisp images.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S 2 hands on first impressions

Under the hood
If this is a battle between next-generation technologies, then the Samsung Galaxy S 2 sees the glasses free 3D put forward by the LG Optimus 3D, and raises it NFC tech. This is the same stuff that was packed into the Google Nexus S, which will let you pay for stuff and swipe your way in to places using just your smartphone. It’s not so practical now, but a number of places have committed to rolling it out, and Nokia was even predicting that TfL would be using it come 2012.

Also under the hood of the Samsung Galaxy S 2 is a super speedy dual core processor. It absolutely flew when we had a play with it, but the LG Optimus 3D can match that, packing as it does a 1GHz dual core processor. Batteries on these two come in at 1650mAh for the Galaxy S 2, which is slightly higher than the 1500mAh on the Optimus 3D. That doesn’t mean that the LG will have shorter battery life though, the difference here is minimal, and the respective power management in each of these beauties will be the decider.

Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S 2 has an 8MP camera with autofocus and LED flash, plus a front facing 2MP camera for video calls. The LG Optimus 3D has dual rear facing cameras, both 5MP, with autufocus and an LED flash.

The LG Optimus 3D can snap away in 3D, and while the Samsung Galaxy S 2 has more pixels for your pennies, that's no guarantee that it will produce better pictures. This battle won't be decided until the full reviews are in.

Take a look at our LG Optimus 3D hands on photos

Video recording and playback
The dual cameras on the LG Optimus 3D also mean that you can record 3D video. Video playback for 3D content is 720p, and it can push up to 1080p for 2D vids. The Samsung Galaxy S 2 has 1080p video recording and playback, but no 3D.

The LG Optimus 3D also an HDMI output, which the Galaxy S 2 doesn’t. This means you can hook the LG up to a 3D telly. When we saw the LG Optimus 3D, we said: "From what we saw today, the LG Optimus 3D is easily on par with the likes of the Sony Bloggie 3D and other, cheaper, 3D camcorders."

Verdict
The battle as to who’s the best could be decided by the success or failure of a number of features here. Does the Super AMOLED plus drain battery like there’s no tomorrow, or is it the glasses-free 3D screen that’s the power drain? Is the dual core processor enough to keep the LG speedy?

As it stands, the Samsung Galaxy S 2 is the best for our buck, but we’re not convinced by 3D, and seriously doubt whether we’ll see many more manufacturers following in LG’s footsteps.

Which is the best for your buck, the LG Optimus 3D or the Samsung Galaxy S 2? Shout out in the comments!

Gears of War 3: New release date revealed

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:59 AM PST

Gears of War 3 will be hitting the shops on 20 September this year. That’s a tad later than we’ve been promised in the past. When we say a tad later, we mean five months later. Microsoft and Epic Games slated the Gears of War 3 release for April this year in 2010. Don’t expect a PS3 version any time soon either: as we found out a while ago, that’s never going to happen.

Out 20 September 2011 | £TBC | Xbox

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Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

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