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HTC Doubleshot, PSN hacked, Nikon D5100: US Update
Qik video calling now Android and iOS cross-compatible
A sneak peak inside the Nikon D5100 [photos]
LG secures Cortex-A9 and A15 processors for smartphones and tablets
Sony: your PlayStation Network Account has been compromised
Android lands a new QWERTY slider: HTC Doubleshot
This is what happens when you throw an iPad out of a plane [video]
Sony’s tablets: how they stack up
What is one’s Twitter handle? Follow royal wedding guests online
Best Android apps of the week

HTC Doubleshot, PSN hacked, Nikon D5100: US Update

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:06 PM PDT

Rise and shine my gadget loving comrades, it's time for your daily US Update. Breaking cover this morning is an unannounced HTC smartphone running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and packing a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, say hello to the HTC Doubleshot. We've got the scoop on the PSN hack and what information has been compromised. We even take a look at a teardown of the new Nikon D5100. Ready? Let's go.

The good folks over at pocketnow.com have managed to uncover new details on the HTC Doubleshot. The phone will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and feature a WVGA display (dimensions are unknown for now). A hardware slide-out QWERTY keyboard sits beneath the display alongside a 1.2 GHz processor, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n and HSPA+ support.

Sony has confirmed its April 17 network breach has compromised nearly 77 million PSN accounts. Packed within the accounts is hoards of personal information, most importantly credit cards. LG has reached a licensing agreement for ARM's Cortex processors and Mali GPU families, including but not limited to the Cortex-A15 MPCore and Cortex-A9 MPCore.

The Nikon D5100 fits nicely between the D3100 and D7000. With a handsome feature set, articulating display and an EXPEED2 imagine processing engine, this 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor packing dSLR is a beauty. Ready to see what's inside? Popular Android video calling provider Qik has managed to extend the olive branch to iOS users, offering a new version of their Qik Video Connect software that is cross-compatible.

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

Qik video calling now Android and iOS cross-compatible

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:58 PM PDT

Sooner or later this was bound to happen. Popular Android video calling provider Qik has managed to extend the olive branch to iOS users, offering a new version of their Qik Video Connect software that is cross-compatible. Head on over to your respective App store to grab your copy of Qik Video Connect now.

There's much more to Qik Video Connect that simply the ability to complete a video call with your Android or iOS friends and family. One of the killer features is the ability to leave video voice mail, a feature which is currently free until June. Another aspect of Qik worth mentioning is the ability to share videos through Twitter, FaceBook, and YouTube. For those without a front-facing camera, don't fret, Qik will do just fine on your smartphone of choice.

Qik Video Connect is currently available for Android, iOS, Symbian, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Maemo.

Out Now | Qik | Free

A sneak peak inside the Nikon D5100 [photos]

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:45 PM PDT

Nikon's latest dSLR, the D5100, has only been available in the US for a little over a week, but that's not stopping the team at ifixit.com from doing a complete disassembly. If you wanted to see the nuts and bolts behind this entry-level dSLR, we hope you've worked up an appetite because we have a full serving of images.

The Nikon D5100 fits nicely between the D3100 and D7000. With a handsome feature set, articulating display and an EXPEED2 imagine processing engine, this 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor packing dSLR is a beauty. If you're hoping to do your own teardown on a D5100, the site advises that you'll need to remove "roughly 4 billion screws".

If that's not enough to deter your efforts, go ahead and give it a go. You'll need a set of tweezers, Phillips #00 screwdrivers, plastic opening tools and a soldering iron to make it happen.

Out Now | Nikon | 544 GBP

LG secures Cortex-A9 and A15 processors for smartphones and tablets

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:25 PM PDT

The days of using third party SoCs are coming to an end for LG. The company announced this morning it has reached a licensing agreement for ARM's Cortex processors and Mali GPU families, including but not limited to the Cortex-A15 MPCore and Cortex-A9 MPCore.

LG has officially stepped up their game. The company plans to load ARM processors across its range of devices: digital TV, set top boxes (STBs), mobile phones, smart grids and tablets. The latter of those devices has us a bit worried, seeing as Tegra 2 is the only Honeycomb certified chipset. As MobileTechWorld points out, using ARM processors in tablets puts LG in a similar situation as Samsung, who also uses its own SoCs.

via LG

Sony: your PlayStation Network Account has been compromised

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:11 PM PDT

By way of Sony's official Playstation Blog, the company confirmed its April 17 network breach has compromised nearly 77 million PSN accounts. Packed within the accounts is hoards of personal information, most importantly credit cards. As a courtesy, Sony is recommending we review our account statements and monitor our credit reports.

If you are a Playstation Network user your usernames, addresses, email addresses, birthdates, account login/password, security questions (and answers), and credit card information on file may now be in the hands of hackers. As PCWorld points out, 77 million users is equivalent to approximately 25 percent of the total United States population.

How to take action: As Sony continues to disable its PlayStation Network and Qriocity services while it analyzes for other potential security issues, they recommend we keep an eye out for any suspicious email or postal mail scams. Also, watch your online banking for the respective credit cards you had on file with PSN and if possible, keep an eye on your credit report. If you were using your PSN username/password combination for any other online sites, go ahead and change those immediately.

via Sony Playstation Blog

Android lands a new QWERTY slider: HTC Doubleshot

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 05:51 PM PDT

Hardware keyboards on Android smartphones are hard to come by these days. The rumored HTC Doubleshot will help fill this void, complete with Google's latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a speedy 1.2 GHz processor. Much of the phone is a mystery for now, but we've confirmed at least one carrier will have the Doubleshot on tap this Summer.

According to Tmonews, T-mobile USA is signed on to deliver the Doubleshot by late July. The phone will be offered in two color choices and for now pricing information is unknown. If HTC hopes to compete in the summer smartphone race we'd imagine they'll want to price this aggressively.

Coming Soon | HTC | TBD

This is what happens when you throw an iPad out of a plane [video]

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 09:27 AM PDT

An iPad may not cope all that well in a blender, but in the right iPad sleeve, it can survive a trip at near terminal velocity out of an airborne vehicle. Don’t believe us? Watch it survive here in this video.

We’ve seen plenty of rugged tablet cases before, including ones you can chuck out of buildings or hit with an axe. But this is the first time we can recall seeing a slate tossed from the sky. It’s a plug for G-Form‘s new padded iPad cases, and while the testosterone of the presenter may not convince you of its merit, the fact that the screen is still working surely will. Watch:

Sony’s tablets: how they stack up

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:53 AM PDT

Sony announced two tablets this morning, the S1 and the S2, but how do they stack up against what's already available? They're not out until the autumn, so is Sony too late to the tablet party? And can these two really compete with the iPad 2? We've been weighing up the specs, read on to see our findings.

The Sony Tablet S1 and S2 will use 4G networks, meaning blazingly quick download speeds (though not for us in the UK, where 4G networks are still a way off). It puts them on a par with the Motorola Xoom and BlackBerry PlayBook, both of which also offer 4G connectivity, and one step ahead of the iPad 2.

The S1 and S2 also run Honeycomb version of Android, the first designed for tablets, so operation should be slicker than tabs running previous versions of Android, and completely glitch-free. The HTC Flyer (which comes with a stylus), Motorola Xoom, and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are what it'll be up against in the Honeycomb stakes, and that's some pretty stiff competition indeed.

The S1 has a 9.4-inch screen, which is only slightly smaller than the iPad 2′s but nearly an inch smaller than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1's, while the S2 has dual 5.5-inch displays, which is more intriguing. Sony says you'll be able to use both screens in conjunction (for example, playing a game on one with the controls on the lower, or presumably both mimicking two pages of a book). It's not unique in tablets, but it's the most promising stab at a dual screener so far, with previous efforts including the Kno Dual Screen, which sank without a trace.

So, how about content? Videos and music come courtesy of Sony's Qriocity service, bringing you films from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC, Paramount Pictures, Disney and Warner Bros, as well as over six million songs (for £9.99 a month) using its Music Unlimited service. We're dubious of subscriptions-based music services, especially since Spotify cut our music allowance in half, and with iTunes already so well-established, it's hard to see how the by then one-year-old Music Unlimited will compete.

You'll also be able to play PlayStation One titles on the S1 and S2 through the PlayStation Suite, though as we noted in our review of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the selection is pretty poor, with far better games (and emulators) available through Android Market. Ebooks are also available from the Sony Reader Store, which has a decent selection, if nowhere near as comprehensive as Amazon's.

It's early days yet for the Sony Tablet, with a lot of the specs still under wraps, but we'll bring you a full preview as soon as we get some hands-on time.

What is one’s Twitter handle? Follow royal wedding guests online

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:25 AM PDT

What do Ben Fogle, Guy Ritchie and Elton John all have in common? Answer: they’re all on Twitter, and they’re all going to be sitting in Westminster Abbey on Friday morning for the royal wedding, which could make for some interesting first hand reporting if Nicholas Witchell’s cutting edge insight into all the hats on show isn’t doing it for you. O2′s blog has the full list of Twittering/blithering attendees, and has even compiled a handy list on Twitter so you can track them all with one click. Should one turn one’s phone off in the halls of power?

(Via O2 blog)

Best Android apps of the week

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:10 AM PDT

Ahoy there, shipmates! The best Android apps of the week are on the horizon, and we've got all hands on deck to ensure that our dearest readers receive their fair share of the bounty. This time around we've got intense FPS action, old-school emulation, a new-fangled 3D home screen replacement and even a way to share your treasured photos with others. What a loot!

As always, you'd do well to arm yourself with the trusty Barcode Scanner application, as this will allow you to seek your treasure with more accuracy and speed. Simply point your weapon (in this case, your mobile phone's camera) at the fancy-looking QR Codes below and shiver me timbers, you'll be stood right on the spot marked 'X' (or, more specifically, the corresponding page on the Android Market).

N.O.V.A 2 (Xperia Play exclusive)
£3

Already a firm favourite with iPhone owners, Gameloft's N.O.V.A. 2 may be a little too like Microsoft's Halo franchise for comfort, but that doesn't impinge on its ability to enthral and entertain. This is mobile first-person blasting at its finest, with eye-popping visuals and production values so polished you can practically see your reflection in them. To cap it all off, Xperia Play owners are getting what is arguably the definitive version of the game thanks to the phone's brilliant touch-sensitive twin pads, which offer an unprecedented degree of control and precision. Accusations of Halo plagiarism aside, N.O.V.A. 2 is an absolutely fantastic way to kick off this week's best Android app run-down.

PCE.emu
Approx £2.40

Developer Yongzh has long been the king of the hill when it comes to retro gaming emulation on Android, but he has a challenger in the shape of Robert Broglia. This feisty newcomer has already impressed with his free SNES emulator SNES9X EX, and he's now delivered the ultimate replication of NEC's PC Engine console (also known as the TG-16). Never released officially in the UK, this 8-bit powerhouse was popular enough in its native Japan to take on the dominant NES and beat Sega's 16-bit Mega Drive into third place. Needless to say, emulation is flawless, with perfect sound and smooth performance. It also comes with support for Bluetooth controllers built-in, so you can get an even more authentic ‘pad and buttons’ experience. It’s well worth your cash, and if you need convincing further then check out the absolutely insane Japanese advert for the PC Engine game ‘PC Kid’ (better known as ‘Bonk’ in the West) below.

Regina 3D Launcher
Free

If you were intrigued by the graphical finery of the SPB Shell 3D home screen replacement we featured a while back but refuse to hand out nearly ten pounds for the privilege of using it, you might want to give Regina 3D a spin. Although it's not as fully-featured as SPB Shell 3D, it offers some cool 3D transitions and a HTC-style 'flip clock' on the main home screen. Another massive plus is that it's being offered entirely free of charge, so you can get a feel for it without having to lay down serious dosh. Should you find yourself absolutely sick to the back teeth of your dull, lifeless home screens, Regina 3D might offer some salvation.

Robot Unicorn Attack
Approx. 60p

If the idea of controlling a galloping cybernetic unicorn through a technicolour fantasy landscape whilst '80s pop sensations Erasure play incessantly in the background sounds like your idea of the perfect video game, you may want to sit down before we impart the next piece of news: the Flash-based (and later iPhone) classic Robot Unicorn Attack has been ported to Android. Devilishly simple but impossible to put down, this is score-attack gaming at its finest. Let's be honest, any game with a metallic mythical horse in it is bound to make its way into anyone's best Android apps list.

Photo Movie Creator
£1.70 (Trial version available)

If you're anything like us, your Android phone's SD card will be crammed to bursting point with photos of landmarks, family members, koalas, friends and other worryingly random imagery. It's incredibly easy to be snap-happy when your mobile phone offers such a pain-free way of capturing pictures, but actually doing something with them is another matter altogether. Photo Movie Creator offers the solution – you can fuse together photos in a slideshow (complete with professional-looking transitions and a jaunty tune) and upload the finished article to Facebook, where your mates and relations can enjoy/berate your handiwork. It's largely effortless and gives you the chance to make those oft-ignored images spring to life.

Made for Life

Wednesday, 27 April 2011

Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast!

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