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iPhone 5 GSM and CDMA, Windows 8 Kinect, Optimus 3D release date: US Update
LG Optimus 3D UK release date pushed back, again?
Windows 8 to feature Kinect and facial recognition support?
Apple is now the world’s largest handset vendor by revenue, Nokia is number two
BlackBerry PlayBook launch beats Samsung Galaxy Tab and Motorola Xoom?
iPhone 5 will be CDMA and GSM friendly says Verizon CFO
Tech Business: Twitter for business, software piracy problems and the HTC Desire S
Smartphone screen tech explained: What’s in an acronym?
Electricpig’s BBQ extravaganza!
Everything you need to know about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

iPhone 5 GSM and CDMA, Windows 8 Kinect, Optimus 3D release date: US Update

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 05:15 PM PDT

As the week winds to a close the world of tech news never sleeps. In today's US Update we bring it to you fresh with the latest on the iPhone 5, we hop on over to leaked slides showing Kinect support in Windows 8 and even update the UK release date for the Optimus 3D. Ready to take the US Update for a spin?

The iPhone 5, scheduled for release this September, will be a true world phone — supporting both CDMA and GSM networks. Since the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 will share the same internals, the Qualcomm Gobi chip, they offer the capability of connecting to both GSM and CDMA networks. The BlackBerry PlayBook launch in North America was better than expected, beating both the launch of the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Can you believe it?

According to Strategy Analytics, Apple is now the world's largest vendor of mobile handsets by revenue. Apple recorded $11.9 billion in wholesale revenue for its iPhone division, based on the sale of 18.6 million phones. Nokia on the other hand dwarfed Apple in terms of device shipments as it grew one percent in the first quarter to 108.5 million. Windows 8 is getting a taste of Kinect support according to the latest leaked slides. Windows8Italia has posted details of Windows 8's sensors control panel which includes references to "Detect Human Presence".

Last in this morning is an update on the UK LG Optimus 3D release date. Clove now lists June 6th as the day they expect to receive their first stock. Previously at MWC we were told the Optimus 3D would arrive in May or possibly even late April. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That wraps up the latest and greatest in the world in tech news. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

LG Optimus 3D UK release date pushed back, again?

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 05:06 PM PDT

It seems as though odds are against a UK release of the LG Optimus 3D this May. While we know a handful of UK carriers will be picking up the sexy dual-core, 3D packing handset, the wait time to do so just got a bit longer. To put it simply, May is out and June is in.

UK retailer Clove is the bearer of bad news this morning following an update to their Optimus 3D pre-order page. The site now lists June 6th as the day they expect to receive their first stock. Previously at MWC we were told the Optimus 3D would arrive in May or possibly even late April. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

On a more positive note, the SIM-free price is no longer £515 like we originally expected, it's now down to £454.80 (including VAT).

June 6 | Clove | £454.80 (including VAT)

Windows 8 to feature Kinect and facial recognition support?

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 04:53 PM PDT

Microsoft hit a home run with Windows 7, especially if you had the unfortunate pleasure of using its predecessor, Windows Vista. Today reports are coming in suggesting Microsoft may parlay its Kinect technology into the upcoming OS and with it some tasty facial recognition features. Are you ready for Windows 8 to "detect human presence"?

Let's face it, webcams are in. If you're using a laptop or planning to buy one soon, odds are there's one onboard. Windows8Italia has posted details of Windows 8's sensors control panel which includes references to "Detect Human Presence". The details shouldn't come as a complete shock since earlier slides leaked in June suggested Kinect-like features for future webcam based sensors.

What makes today's news so interesting is in the way Microsoft plans to integrate the feature. Instead of logging in with your normal username and password, your webcam will activate as you approach your machine. Using Kinect-like facial detection, your computer will log you in — the same way Kinect logs you into Xbox Live on the Xbox 360.

There's also some slides which showcase 3D motion capture, but details on how that will be implemented into Windows 8 are a bit scarce at this time. For now, plan to do a lot less typing when logging into future Windows machines.

via winrumors

Apple is now the world’s largest handset vendor by revenue, Nokia is number two

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 04:40 PM PDT

Following yesterday's earnings call, the biggest news for Apple was not the record revenue or higher-than-expected earnings per share, it was actually news from Nokia. The Finish manufacturer recorded $9.4 billion in wholesale handset revenue, a full $2.5 billion less than Apple. According to research firm Strategy Analytics this makes Apple the world's largest vendor of mobile handsets by revenue.

Device activations and fanboy antics aside, Apple is in the business of making money — something the company has done very well, particularly last quarter. Apple recorded $11.9 billion in wholesale revenue for its iPhone division, based on the sale of 18.6 million phones. Nokia on the other hand dwarfed Apple in terms of device shipments as it grew one percent in the first quarter to 108.5 million.

With Nokia's dozens of devices targeted across all demographics and continents, we'd expect a staggering number of devices shipped. The real question is how will Apple fare in the future? Strategy Analytics believes the number of phones sold running Android will overtake those running iOS by late 2011. For Nokia fans, the firm believes Nokia's partnership with Microsoft "could also be a threat". There you have it, Apple is safe for now, but they should enjoy it while it lasts because Android is hot on its heels.

via WSJ

BlackBerry PlayBook launch beats Samsung Galaxy Tab and Motorola Xoom?

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 04:25 PM PDT

Here's another notch RIM can put on its belt. According to 'The Economic Times', the BlackBerry PlayBook performed better on its opening day than both Samsung's Galaxy Tab and Motorola's Xoom. Granted, RIM doesn't look to have an iPad on its hands, but with an estimated 50,000 units sold on its first day, it appears many analysts underestimated the Canadian giant.

RIM has received quite a bit of backlash in the media following several unfavorable reviews of its entry into tablets, better known as the PlayBook. While the device certainly excels on paper, the software had room to grow, not to mention an over-dependence on a BlackBerry smartphone. Despite the limitations for non-BlackBerry owners, the PlayBook has been well received and bested both the original Android tablet (though we'd probably say a 7-inch Android smartphone) and Google's flagship Honeycomb slate — this is no small feat.

So how did RIM managed to sell 50,000 PlayBooks on its opening day? 25,000 units were pre-orders and retail sales accounted for at least 20,000 units, with some retail locations selling out within 24 hours. According to the firm, many of the 180 Best Buy locations selling the PlayBook were out of stock. As the rest of the world gears up for its own release of the PlayBook, it appears the sky is the limit. The UK release is still on track for a release this June, just in time for the Android app player — bringing thousands of Android apps to RIM's slate.

Anyone else reconsidering a PlayBook purchase given the strong reception in North America?

via readwriteweb

iPhone 5 will be CDMA and GSM friendly says Verizon CFO

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 04:11 PM PDT

Sometimes rumors pan out and this my friends, happens to be a perfect example. The upcoming iPhone 5 had been rumored to sport both CDMA and GSM radios for some time, but today we have confirmation from Verizon's CFO Fran Shammo. The fifth generation iPhone is a world phone in every sense of the word.

Fran Shammo has a track record of leaking the goods when it comes to Apple related announcements, at least as far as Verizon is concerned. Most recently, Shammo was sourced as saying his company would be delivering a CDMA iPad 2 — in case you were wondering he was spot on. Now onto the iPhone 5.

Since the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 will share the same internals, the Qualcomm Gobi chip, they offer the capability of connecting to both GSM and CDMA networks. Last we checked Apple was beginning iPhone 5 production this July, with shipments schedule for sometime in September. That's more than enough time to iron out any kinks dual radio support might entail, don't you think? Now if only Apple would shock us with 4G LTE support, then we'd really have something.

via 9to5Mac

Tech Business: Twitter for business, software piracy problems and the HTC Desire S

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 08:44 AM PDT

This week our sister site Bizgene has been looking at how you design a website not only from the business but also the legal persepective. You can follow them on Twitter or LinkedIn for more in-depth conversations about how to implement this stuff, but in the meantime, read on for everything else happening on the site this week.

The latest post gives you ten top tips for making sure your business website really delivers the goods. Also they address the news stories about Apple and privacy on the news and the wires today, plus a look at the new business phone from HTC. Their aim is to help businesses and the first thing they do about this is take any jargon out and shoot it. It's a plain English guide to business issues.

Is your email use appropriate?
One in three employees admit to sending "inappropriate" emails on the company's network. What can you do about it?

One third of employees would steal data
Another survey says one in three people on leaving your company would walk off with a copy of your customer list. How do you lock it down?

Is your business pirating software?
A lot are, they just don't realise it. In this article we have a look at what's going on and when you can start using hooky software without any clue you're doing it.

Businesses fear expense claims
Not only can they be dishonest for a minority, they take up computing and management time when you could be doing something more productive. So how do you avoid getting all your time sucked out of you?

You and Twitter: personal or corporate?
Loads of people find the social networks really useful for developing new customers and supporting existing ones – but people don't know whether to be businesslike, corporate or what. We have a look at a few options.

Smartphone screen tech explained: What’s in an acronym?

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 08:29 AM PDT

Hardware is no longer the only weapon in the smartphone wars, but it still counts for a great deal. Nowhere is this less true than with your blower’s screen: it’s the thing you’re going to be gazing at for upwards of hours per day for up to two whole years or more, so you better be sure it’s easy on the eye.

Phone peddlers have cottoned on to this in recent months, and crafted new tech and evocative branding around their flagship phones’ displays, and to the point of confusion. AMOLEDwhatnow? Rectum display did you say? We’ve put together a primer on all the different screen types and buzz words out there right now – join us as we cut through the hype and focus on the pixels, won’t you?

Retina Display

Apple’s name for the display on the iPhone 4 is sensationalist to say the least, but it’s still best in class almost a year after launch so we suppose we can cut it some slack. It’s actually a typical LCD screen like you see on most mobiles – the twist is the hyper sharp resolution. At 960×640 pixels spread over a 3.5-inch screen, no other smartphone screen comes close to matching its density of 326 pixels per inch – which is so sharp, Apple claims, that you can’t distinguish the individual pixels. The upshot for you is that pictures and text look super smooth, so you’ll never have to squint. Of course, 3.5-inches is actually rather small for a mobile touchscreen these days – sharpness isn’t everything, especially if you have big hands.

Super AMOLED Plus

AMOLED (Active-matrix organic light emitting diode) screens use a different technology to traditional LCD screens: the organic compounds used means the pixels on the display can be powered on individually, which both saves power and provides better contrast than traditional LCDs by showing deep black and bright white at the same time.

Samsung Galaxy S 2: Dual-core super powers explained

Super AMOLED Plus is Samsung’s catchy name for its newest generation of AMOLED displays (as found in the Samsung Galaxy S 2), which is thinner and brighter, and stuffs in 50 percent more sub-pixels within each pixel. That means that while resolution can be a regular 800×480, images can still appear sharper on screen. And they do! Samsung’s Super AMOLED touchscreens look gorgeous, and the Galaxy S 2′s display looks set to top them when it goes on sale next week – we’re just waiting to see whether visibility in direct sunlight, AMOLED’s traditional failing, has been improved.

Reality Display

Sony Ericsson countered Apple’s marketing with its own Reality Display for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, first announced at CES in January. It’s actually a typical 854×480 LCD touchscreen, with slightly improved viewing angles and reduced reflection, so you can actually see the screen in direct daylight.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc: Exmor R sensor gives you night vision

More impressive is the software aiding the screen. Separate to the screen itself is Sony Ericsson’s Mobile Bravia engine, which works to spruce up videos on the fly by reducing noise and improving sharpness. This isn’t a feature of the screen itself, but something that kicks in on images and videos – you can get a feel for how it works in the video below.

NOVA

LG is launching an assault of its own into the mobile screen tech market with the NOVA display on its upcoming LG Optimus Black Android phone. While Apple has focused on pixel density, LG is trying to beat everyone else on brightness: it says that it blasts out an unrivalled 700 nits, which should certainly make the display legible in sunlight. LG’s also claiming that it still manages to reduce power consumption by fifty percent compared to similarly sized LCD screens.

The problem is of course is that LG still hasn’t delivered the finished item: we’ve clapped eyes on a prototype of the Optimus Black, and it certainly seemed bright in the dimly lit confines of a tradeshow, but this is one to watch in the coming months.

Clear Black Display (CBD)

Nokia got into the display game recently with CBD, its own augmented AMOLED screen for the Nokia E7 smartphone. The E7′s screen resolution isn’t the sharpest out there – 640×360 pixels stretched over four inches – but it is vivid, and produces some of the deepest blacks we’ve ever seen on a blower. Which, as the name suggests, is the point. The CBD technology itself works via a polarising layer that blocks light, so it boasts much better visibility out doors than most AMOLED phones.

Anything still unclear? What else would you like us to demystify? Sound off in the comments below!

Electricpig’s BBQ extravaganza!

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 07:07 AM PDT

The sun's out, and we've got two bank holiday weekends in a row – it can only mean one thing. BBQ season is upon us. We've got the best grills and accessories to make your day sizzle, from six burners that'll feed the whole of the royal wedding party, to portables for taking with you to get away from it all.

Outback Excelsior 6 Burner

Now this is the daddy. With two porcelain coated grills, one griddle plate, stainless steel burners, flavouriser bars, and two trays for keeping all your utensils on, it'll cover all your barbecuing needs. And the side burner means you can keep food warm when it's done but no one's ready to eat. Just one warning: you'll need a serious party to get the most of this. That or a serious man-sized appetite.

£649.99

Landman 43cm Kettle Charcoal

Smaller, more affordable, and generally more reasonable than the Excelsior, the Landman is an altogether more sensible charcoal offering, suitable for smaller gatherings. i.e. not an entire street party. It's easy to move around the garden thanks to the wheels, and there's a tray for collecting ash, keeping your patio spotless. Well, until someone spills something.

£29.95

Sahara Hooded 3 Burner

A roasting hood is ideal for spit roasting, and it has a window so you can keep an eye on proceedings, as well as a temperature gauge so you can cook to perfection. It's a three burner, so a halfway house between the Excelsior and the Landman, yet will still feed a fair few.

£299

Weber Smokey Joe Original

If you're going away this bank holiday, this is the option for you: it's small and portable, with a carry handle so you can lug it into the back of the car whenever you're ready to go camping, or just take it with you for a picnic. And the lid and bowl are fire- and rust-proof, meaning you can blaze away to your heart's content without worrying. Just careful you don't scare the sheep.

£49

BBQ Sword

Now you can make like Zorro and offer someone a sausage on what looks like a sword while wearing a mask. With one hand behind your back, naturally.

£14.99

Dog Tag Bottle Opener

Open bottles like a Vietnam vet, minus the nervous twitch. And it also fits in your wallet, should the party head towards the pub.

£1.99

ProQ temperature Probe

Because no BBQ's complete without a good probe. Put it in, and see your meat's thoroughly cooked by checking the temperature, banishing cool insides and food poisoning to the great bit dustbin in the sky.

£10.99

Hi Gear Kentucky Camping Chair

With a drinks holder for placing your can, and a carry case included, this is your throne for when your turn on the BBQ is done, and all you need do is sit back, relax, and crack open a cool one.

£27.90

Everything you need to know about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 06:00 AM PDT

A super-slim phone that belies its stuffed innards – the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc might be the world’s thinnest Android phone, but it still manages to pack in plenty, such as its nippy 1GHz processor, 8.1-megapixel camera and one of the sharpest displays found on any Android phone.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc: Bravia Engine superpowers to upgrade your videos
Because more of us are recording video on our handsets, the Xperia Arc uses noise-fighting technology to deliver better audio when recording, while the 8.1-megapixel camera guarantees some of the sharpest phone photos around.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc: The world’s thinnest Android phone up close
The Xperia Arc measure just 9mm at either end, and a mere 8.7mm in the middle. Hit the link above to read about the 8.1-megapixel camera, complete with Sony Ericsson’s Exmor R CMOS sensor produces top-quality noise-free pictures.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc: Android apps to give you X-ray vision
The 8.1-megapixel camera, complete with Exmor R CMOS sensor means the Xperia Arc can take great looking photos, even in low-light conditions. There are also plenty of Android apps you can download to get the most from it, arch as Layar and Google Goggles to transform the Xperia Arc into a helpful augmented tool.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc: Exmore R sensor gives you night vision!
Taking photos in dark conditions is ably handled by the Xperia Arc – its ultra-wide f/2.4 aperture captures more light than most other camera phones. The result is better pictures all-round.