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PS3 import ban, iPad 2 predictions, Motorola webtop: US Update
Motorola will transform all smartphones into laptops with webtop application
Motorola Xoom has a need for speed: overclocked to 1.5 GHz
Nvidia Tegra Zone will harness the power of next-generation Android gaming
iPad 2 predictions: dual-core A9, FaceTime HD, more memory
LG handcuffs Sony PS3 imports in the UK and Europe
Best Android apps of the week
Three hours with the Nintendo 3DS [Photos]
Yes. This is a media centre. And so is this.
Wikipedia lies: the 7 greatest myths

PS3 import ban, iPad 2 predictions, Motorola webtop: US Update

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 06:11 PM PST

Wrapping up the morning in tech news is the US Update. We're coming hard this morning with the latest on the PS3 import ban affecting the UK and Europe, revealing our iPad 2 predictions, blowing the lid off Motorola's webtop announcement and more.

LG is looking to sink its teeth into Sony's PS3 sales this month as a civil court in Hague ruled in favor of the Korean outfit. Starting today all PS3 consoles imported to Europe and the UK will be sized by customs for at least 10 days. The iPad 2 will be announced in San Francisco in a few hours and we've wrapped up all the predictions. A dual-core A9 processor, new GPU and double the memory are the odds on favorites.

Nvidia has launched Tegra Zone, an app curator specializing in games which harness the power of the Tegra chipset. The app is free and the perfect addition to your Tegra 2 smartphone, this means Xoom, Atrix and Optimus 2X owners for now. Speaking of the Xoom, the folks at xda-developers have managed to overclock the world's first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet to 1.5 GHz. We've got your step-by-step instructions to take your tablet to the next level.

Last up this morning is news from Motorola on its webtop application. This is the app that turns the Motorola Atrix from a smartphone into a laptop with a Linux environment. All high-end Motorola smartphones will offer the feature in the second half of 2011 so watch out!

That wraps up the goods for this fine morning. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Motorola will transform all smartphones into laptops with webtop application

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 05:52 PM PST

It's official. The Motorola Atrix will not be the only kid on the block capable of transforming from a high-end smartphone to laptop via that ingenious docking station. In a press release this afternoon, Motorola confirmed that it's webtop application, the software which makes the magic happen, will be coming to its entire high-end smartphone portfolio in the second half of 2011.

At CES 2011 we had our first taste of the Motorola Atrix. Using the optional laptop dock, the smartphone transformed from a smartphone into a full-fledge laptop, offering a desktop-like experience. Many will argue that performance when using the laptop dock is more in line with a netbook than a laptop, but regardless the concept is incredible.

Today's announcement has huge implications and quite possibly shifts the direction of Motorola Mobility from here on out. Rather than limiting the potential of the dual-core and soon-to-be quad-core processors in the smartphone form factor, webtop brings a desktop Linux environment to the end user with the flick of a switch. If you have a USB hub for your mouse and keyboard and a HDMI cable, you can transform your TV into a quasi-desktop.

Other manufacturers took note as the Atrix won the award for Best of CES 2011. For now Motorola has webtop and its competitors will likely begin development of their own solutions. Based on Sense UI, HTC looks to be the most natural contender in the market. Will HTC be able to match webtop or has Motorola taken strides its competition can't catch? Sound off.

via PhoneScoop

Motorola Xoom has a need for speed: overclocked to 1.5 GHz

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

What better way to show off the new Tegra Zone content on your Motorola Xoom than to overclock to 1.5 GHz. If you live by xda-developers forum, you'd certainly be inclined to agree. Forum member coolbho3000 has accomplished this noble feat on his own Xoom with a few kernel modifications, making his tablet more powerful than the Tegra 2 3D.

We certainly would not advise everyone to attempt to overclock their Motorola Xoom, but for the adventurous minded please proceed. In order to partake you'll need to unlock your Xoom's bootloader and then root it. Doing so presents the risk of voiding support and possibly even your warranty, but such is the plight of the hardcore Android user.

If you follow the trusty guide, you'll have the choice of setting your processing speed at 1.0 GHz, 1.2 GHz, 1.4 GHz or 1.504 GHz. An updated version of SetCPU with support for the Xoom is included and coolbho3000 promises a tablet optimized interface is coming soon. If you have a version of SetCPU prior to version 2.1.1, it will not work for setting speeds on the Xoom.

At the end of the day you can expect a Quadrant score of 3105 running at 1.5 GHz compared to 2226 stock. Also, Linpack for Android show 47 MFLOPS compared to 35 MFLOPS stock. If you decide to proceed, simply hit the link below and begin the process of pushing those two Cortex-A9s to the limit. Feel free to report back with your results. We'd be interested to see how overclocking treats the tablet in long-term testing.

via xda-developers

Nvidia Tegra Zone will harness the power of next-generation Android gaming

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 04:00 PM PST

Having a Tegra 2 Android device is nice, but being able to exploit that powerful dual-core chip can be problematic. Alas, Nvidia has delivered on its promise of Tegra Zone, an application and gaming curator of sorts which highlights content specifically designed for the Tegra 2.

While there are certainly over a hundred thousand apps in the Android Market, only a select few push the Tegra 2 processor to its limit. These select apps will be highlighted in Tegra Zone, making it downright simple to determine whether or not a developer has gone the extra mile to tailer high-resolution graphics for your device. Going the extra mile means increased geometry detail, higher resolution textures and complex shaders, lighting, and shadows

So why do we need Tegra Zone if we already have the Android Market? Unfortunately Google has taken a passive aggressive approach in curating their applications. While the web-based Market is certainly a start, we don't expect the Market to highlight apps which utilize specific chips. To fill this void, we have Tegra Zone.

As a portal to the world of dual-core Nvidia, a soon quad-core chips, we'll be happy to give it a spin on our LG Optimus 2X, Motorola Atrix 4G and soon the Droid Bionic. Besides the selection of Tegra processor-optimized games, Tegra Zone also offers game reviews, high-res screenshots, HD video trailers, gameplay videos and behind-the-scenes features.

Here's a list of the games currently available via Tegra Zone: Samurai II: Vengence, Dungeon Defenders: First Wave Deluxe HD, Galaxy on Fire 2 THD, Backbreaker THD, Fruit Ninja THD, Vendetta Online, Monster Madness, Hardwood Solitaire IV.

Out Now | Android Market | Free

iPad 2 predictions: dual-core A9, FaceTime HD, more memory

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 03:00 PM PST

It's time to lay it on the line and place your bets ladies and gentlemen. The Apple iPad 2 announcement will unfold over the next few hours, but in the mean time let's wrap up the latest developments. Odds on favorites include a new dual-core A9 processor, more memory and finally, two cameras. Here's the breakdown.

Faster processor, better GPU
In the months leading up to the iPad 2 announcement we've covered the tablet extensively. Breaking every rumor and leaked image imaginable, but as we wait on the cusp of Apple's event, it appears fact and fiction are finally parting ways. Based on our sources the most likely upgrade will be the processor and GPU, upgraded to a 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip with Imagination's SGX543 GPU architecture. The GPU enhancement alone should offer significant improvements in iPad gaming.

More RAM, more networks
Moving on to memory, we're likely to see RAM doubled from the 256MB to 512MB, the same amount of RAM offered in the iPhone 4. Internally the iPad 2 should include a multi-mode chip manufactured by Qualcomm which will allow both GSM and CDMA network support. Following the iPhone 4 release on Verizon Wireless in the US, the Cupertino camp is looking to expand their reach to CDMA networks worldwide.

Dual cameras, hello FaceTime
The last change we're likely to see on the iPad 2 is a front and rear-facing camera. The front camera would be used for FaceTime, possibly FaceTime HD and PhotoBooth, and the rear camera for high-quality video and image capture. In terms of quality, we can expect to see the same optics used on the iPhone 4, VGA upfront and 5-megapixel on the back.

No Retina display this time?
The unfortunate news we're hearing this morning is the display. According to allthingsd, "Retina display–yield rates on iPad-size retina displays simply aren't high enough yet". This means the iPad 2 will most likely keep the same 9.7-inch LED-backlit 1024 x 768 pixel display. A bit unfortunate and likely disappointing for would-be buyers. After Apple set the bar with the iPhone 4 display, it seems only fitting that they'd extend their leadership to the tablet space. Other unlikely possibilities for the iPad 2 include the option of black or white bezels, iOS 5.

Now for the verdict. Based on the new processor, GPU, RAM and dual-mode GSM/CDMA compatibility, how likely are you to make the switch to the second-generation iPad? Let us know whether you'll be lining up for the iPad 2 later this month when it is expected to be released.

via AllThingsD

LG handcuffs Sony PS3 imports in the UK and Europe

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

Inspired by one of AFI's 100 greatest movie quotes, LG has received its wish, "we don't need no stinkin' consoles". The Korean firm has waged war against Sony and its Playstation 3, insisting bans be placed to prevent import. Today, Playstation 3 consoles imported into the UK and Europe will be seized by customs for at least 10 days.

Blu-ray patents have become a sticky situation for Sony and LG these days. Following a civil court in Hague ruling in favor of LG over the disputes, tens of thousands of PS3s were seized in the Netherlands last week. For retailers in the region, this leaves them with only two to three weeks of inventory. Consider Sony typically imports 100,000 units per week and Houston, we have a problem.

Not all is lost for Sony. The company still has the right to submit an appeal to the European patents office to have the ban lifted. However, LG also has the option of extending the ban beyond 10 days. Meanwhile in the US, LG has taken action against Sony Bravia televisions and PS3 consoles, but a similar ban has not been enforced.

Let us know what you think about the import ban LG has imposed on Sony's PS3. How will this impact the reported unhackable PS3 in the works? Will Sony shift their gaming titles from disc to download-only to circumvent the legal dispute?

via Gameindustry.biz

Best Android apps of the week

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 10:04 AM PST

Is it time for some more best Android apps of the week, or is that just me? Time sure does fly when you're having fun. Speaking of time flying, can you believe we're already into March? Where has the year gone? The upside of all this chronological japery is that we've got more lovely Android downloads to sift through, and as usual we've highlighted the most worthy examples from the past seven days for your appreciation.

Because Google is now bang up to date, you can now download these apps from the swanky new online Android Market without even having to scoop up your handset. Let’s get started.

Alf for LOVEFiLM

99p

LOVEFiLM is brilliant. Not only does it allow us to keep up on the latest cinema and gaming releases, but it's almost entirely effort-free – all you have to do is post the disc back once you're done in the freepost packaging provided. We say 'almost' effort-free, because there is one element of the whole process that irks us – having to extract our behinds from the sofa to order more films using the PC.

Thankfully Alf for LOVEFiLM removes this one last niggle (there’s an official LOVEFiLM iPhone app for iOS users) as it grants complete control over your LOVEFiLM account from the comfort of your Android handset. You can add titles, check which films are being posted out and even browse recommended or relevant movies. The only thing it's not capable of is ordering more popcorn, but who knows what future updates will bring? (Clue: not the ability to magically order popcorn.)

Droidcraft

Approx £1.24

If you're a PC gamer then you won't need telling that Minecraft is a pretty big deal at the moment. This indie smash hit has gone from being a cult classic to a million-selling worldwide phenomenon, and its success is even being made into a documentary.

As is usually the case with such things, imitators have started to appear, with Droidcraft being Android's own little copycat. Although the game ditches the 3D viewpoint in favour of a more simplistic 2D view of the world, it retains a surprisingly large amount of the core gameplay. There's lots of collecting, creating things and walking around – all of which might seem a little pointless, but it doesn't take long for it to draw you in. Droidcraft isn't quite up to the lofty standards of the game it tries so hard to replicate, but it should keep you occupied until the real deal arrives on Android. In the meantime, it’s one of the best Android apps to tide you over until then.

Best Android apps of all time: Top 100

Call Your Folks!

Approx 62p

When was the last time you called your mother? Or your nan? Or your second cousin twice removed? It's a question that is worth asking, especially when the average mobile user is seemingly hell-bent on telling everyone what they had for dinner via Facebook but can't be bothered to chat with their nearest and dearest. Call Your Folks! is an app which attempts to rectify this sorrowful state of affairs by allowing you to set regular reminders to pick up the phone and ring blood relations.

You can pick intervals ranging from a day to up to three months, and have multiple contacts stored at once. If you're the kind of person who is full of good intentions but rarely follows through on them, this could be the prod in the backside you require.

Hashable

Free

Business cards are so last century, dude! Hashable is an entirely new way of keeping track of contacts and people you've met or interacted with. This new app links in with the fully-blown Hashable website, and it even allows you to import contacts from your Twitter account and log FourSquare data to record interactions. If you're a busy business type with lots of introductions to make and a wallet that is practically bursting under the strain of all those pieces of card with people's details on, then give this paperless alternative a whirl.

Twitter 2.0 (UPDATE)

Free

When an app reaches the '2.0' stage you know big things are expected, and this update of the official Android Twitter application doesn't disappoint. The move from the cartoon-like blue aesthetic of the 1.0 app to 'serious white' is all but complete, and as a result the program feels cleaner and easier to use, with no needless clutter.

We're really digging the new column-style menu as well, and the way that contacts appear in a pop-up window whenever you start a word with the '@' symbol. Numerous other improvements and enhancements await, so if you've been neglecting Twitter in favour of TweetDeck recently, this might be the overhaul that wins you back.

Three hours with the Nintendo 3DS [Photos]

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:40 AM PST

The Nintendo 3DS isn’t on sale until the end of the month, but this week, we were able to get hands on with some final European hardware.

Nintendo hasn’t quite finished tweaking the software for UK press units however, and no final games were available yet, so we can’t bring you a full review for now. But what we were able to test thoroughly were the core apps and games that come preloaded on the Nintendo 3DS – they were bug free, and in fact the only missing feature we could see (games aside) was the web browser. Read on and we’ll show you what you can expect come launch day.

We spent three hours testing the Nintendo 3DS and mucking about in its settings and menus: for what’s included, just click through our walk through gallery for the photos and our thoughts.

Yes. This is a media centre. And so is this.

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:46 AM PST

Look closely. A little closer. Those glass trinkets aren’t new age vases – they’re fully fledged internet media streamers, that just so happen to be transparent. We’ve just spotted these see through wonders here at CeBIT in Hannover. They’re called the WiGO 1 and the WiGO 2: read on for all the details we could scrape together, and see the first photos. Boxee Box eat your heart out.

These two media streamers, the WiGO 1 and WiGO 2, have been made by Taiwanese manufacturer Wistron, and are nominated in the International Forum of Design product design awards 2011. The winners are being announced at CeBIT tonight, but frankly, we’re not interested if it isn’t these two beauties.

Unfortunately, a Wistron representative couldn’t be reached for further details: all we know about the WiGO 1 and WiGO 2 is what we’ve gleamed from the iF website: connecting “via HDMI cable to the TV…you can enjoy…relaxed multimedia on local drives and network devices or streaming content from the Internet.” So that’s a media streamer then. The WiGO 2’s rear sports an optical audio connection, ethernet port, USB socket and what look like speaker and line in/out connections. There’s also that HDMI connection.

The WiGO 1 meanwhile, is a mystery. We can make out an infra red receiver up top, which ties with the press images we’ve found showing it working with a similarly transulcent remote. Other than that though, we’re struggling to see where Wistron has hidden its connections. They must be underneath, which will mean it looks like a jellyfish when all its cables are attached.

Fingers crossed that these stunning set top boxes make it past the drawing board and onto shop shelves. Wistron’s own website is suspiciously lacking in any information on them though. In the meantime, check out the hands on photos right here in our gallery.

What do you make of these? Are they the slickest media streaming devices you’ve ever seen, or are they just a distraction from what you’re trying to watch? More to the point, are they giving the Boxee Box a run for its money in the weirdness stakes? Shout up with your comments below.

Wikipedia lies: the 7 greatest myths

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:46 AM PST

Seeing how far a fib can travel is a game as old as time, and now there’s Wikipedia to up the ante. In the 80s Stuart Maconie spread it around that Blockbusters host Bob Holness played sax on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street. It was taken as plain fact in many circles, and the man himself saw the funny side and said it was true in interviews, albeit with a cheeky smile.

Wikipedia has provided a service by which fibbers of the highest order can perpetuate the most convincing, or far fetched untruths they can think of. That is, until a Wikipedia editor spots it or a newspaper mistakenly prints it. In honour of those who spend their time making stuff up for other people to find at an unspecified time in the future, we’ve gathered together the best lies perpetuated by Wikipedia, from reports that the Queen is dead, to sublimely ridiculous stories about hats made of shoes. Read on for fibs and giggles.

1. Football fans with hats made of shoes
Some members from the group B3ta were responsible for a remarkably wonky view of Cypriot footie fans. The source? This quote, about fans of the team AC Omonia: “A small but loyal group of fans are lovingly called “The Zany Ones” – they like to wear hats made from discarded shoes and have a song about a little potato.”

Somehow this fact made it into the football pages of the Mirror, where reporter David Anderson noted the headgear and nicknames given to AC Omonia's fans. How Anderson managed to slip this one in without a) questioning just how one might fashion a hat from discarded shoe, b) without the subs noticing, and c) missing out the funniest bit about the potato song we just don't know.

2. The composer of the Last of the Summer Wine theme tune also wrote hits for S Club 7
Ronnie Hazlehurst was a famous BBC TV Theme composer, and wrote the themes for Last of the Summer Wine, Yes Minister and Are You Being Served? When he died in 2008, a fib secreted into his Wikipedia page, which falsely stated that at the age of 72 he teamed up with Cathy Dennis to compose “Reach for the Stars” for S Club 7. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t actually hanging out with Cathy, writing songs for teenagers in crop tops at the age of 72, but it managed to make it into a worrying number of obituaries for Hazlehurst.

3. Approved employees of the Blood Authority may perform weddings
This one has managed to stick around, despite being entered by a member of the Blood Authority shoving it into the page whilst at the bar in order to win an argument in a pub, although how an argument like that started we can only begin to imagine. Nevertheless, it's survived. Take note: if you're looking for a shotgun wedding of an evening, it's probably wise to steer clear of bars near the blood bank.

4. Wanky Balls festival
The Independent newspaper got caught out by Wikipedia when it said that The Big Chill festival was previously known as the Wanky Balls festival. The paper stated casually that “The Big Chill was founded in 1994 as the Wanky Balls festival in North London. Unsurprisingly, it was never called the Wanky Balls festival, and this lie in fact originated with the Wikipedia page.

5. Vernon Kay and the Queen are dead
What do Vernon Kay and The Queen have in common? They've both been pronounced dead by Wikipedia. Vernon Kay was reported to have slipped off a yacht on the ocean off Greece, in some poor fool trying to bring his fantasies to life.
The Queen was reported dead on Wikipedia on 30 March 2005, completely erroneously. Needless to say the edit didn’t last long.

6. Sepp Blatter has a funny middle name
FIFA president Sepp Blatter was presented with the Order of the Companions of Oliver Reginald Tambo, an award which honours people from outside of South Africa who've worked towards improving perceptions of South Africa and promoted its interests and aspirations. Blatter was awarded the Order after the 2010 World Cup, although the Wikipedia citation read that it was awarded to one "Joseph Sepp Bellend Blatter".

7. John Seigenthaler and the Kennedy assassinations
Less funny than the rest, but all the more important is the story of John Seigenthaler, who struggled to clear his name after his Wikipedia entry was vandalised. Someone (without much of a sense of humour) edited his bio so that it read: “John Seigenthaler Sr. was the assistant to Attorney General Robert Kennedy in the early 1960’s. For a brief time, he was thought to have been directly involved in the Kennedy assassinations of both John, and his brother, Bobby. Nothing was ever proven.”

The bio was on Wikipedia for 132 days, and spread to other sites like Answers.com too. Seigenthaler still doesn’t know who wrote it, and has no way of finding out because of data protection laws. This means that he also can’t sue, since sites like Wikipedia and ISPs cannot be sued for what their users have written. You can read the whole of his story here.

Because of the coverage his story generated, his bio has continued to be a target. These latter edits are considerably more humourous than the original edit though, with the longest surviving (30 hrs 50 minutes) stating that “On November, 22nd, 1963, John Seigenthaler, Sr. killed and ate then-President John F. Kennedy.”

Have you ever read any glaring lies on Wikipedia? Shout out in the comments with your finds!