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Top five reasons the Asus Padfone should be your next smartphone
Nvidia £60 wired 3D Vision glasses promise affordable 3D gaming for all
Samsung Series 9 laptop review: Curvaceous, but no MacBook Air
VIDEO: The BBC’s Tim Lovejoy talks tech (and tells us why iPad 3 should come with a built-in toaster…)
BlackBerry Curve Apollo spotted in video: looks super thin, replaces Curve 3G
Call of Duty Elite: Will you pay the online multiplayer tax?
iCloud, iOS 5 to be unveiled by Steve Jobs on Monday
Official: First Nokia Windows Phone due Q4 2011
Android smartphone market share falls, remains top U.S. smartphone OS
iPhone 5, Android making Microsoft money and the Sony NGP is doomed: Lunchtime Lowdown

Top five reasons the Asus Padfone should be your next smartphone

Posted: 31 May 2011 08:30 AM PDT

The Asus Padfone looks to be the future of smartphone-tablet hybrids. Like the Motorola Atrix 4G before it, the Padfone replaces two devices and at the same time transforms a consumption device (smartphone) into a productivity tool (tablet). Before you write the this off as just another tablet, have a look at the top five reasons the Padfone should be your next smartphone.

1. Two screens are better than one
Sure, 4.3-inches sounds great on a paper, but as anyone who has used a tablet knows — bigger is better. The seamless transition between the 4.3-inch smartphone to the 10.1-inch tablet dock on the Asus Padfone is a godsend. If you've ever carried a smartphone and tablet around imagine how nice it would be to dock the phone and have access to the same information on a significantly larger display.

Not only does the larger display make navigating the web easier, but it turns the Padfone into a creation device when paired with a Bluetooth keyboard. Adding a keyboard to the mix transforms this consumption device into a mobile office workhorse without breaking the bank.

2. Battery life is king
As much as I love a good product spec sheet, a smartphone lives and dies based on battery life. In the case of the Asus Padfone, the tablet dock houses its own battery which powers the 10.1-inch display while simultaneously charging the 4.3-inch smartphone. Not only do you get the benefit of the larger display, but you'll never have to worry about carrying your charger so long as you have the tablet dock.

3. Why pay extra for a tablet?
As a laptop user, justifying the price of a tablet is cause for concern. Entry-level netbooks offer similar and quite often better performance then even the fastest dual-core tablet. If you're like me and buy your smartphones SIM-free, the hefty cost of upgrading phones leaves little room for a £499 tablet in my gadget budget.

The Asus Padfone solves this problem. Once available, the smartphone-tablet hybrid will kill two birds with one stone and likely save me a considerable amount of money compared to two separate devices.

4. Two devices, one SIM card
One of my biggest gripes with current tablets is the need for a separate data plan or tethering add on. On one hand the 3G-enabled tablets add GPS capabilities not found on their WiFi counterparts, but the monthly fees and 2-year contracts are a considerable trade off. If you currently pay for data on your smartphone why should have have to pay again, on your tablet?

The Asus Padfone uses a single SIM, sharing the data plan between your smartphone and tablet with ease. Instead of two plans with two contracts, you have a single commitment which extends to both devices while offering nearly all the benefits of standalone units.

5. Android updates
Presently there's no guaranteed updates in the land of Android (although plans to change this are underway). One of the few promises Asus made at its Padfone announcement is that once available, the smartphone would ship with the latest build of Android. This type of guarantee is significant since the tablet dock rescales the smartphone interface. Quite simply, the shelf life of your devices is secure.

While some may argue the lack of Android Honeycomb on the tablet dock is an issue, consider this — Google is moving toward a unified smartphone-tablet OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. In addition, the overwhelming majority of Android apps are designed for its smartphones.

Coming Soon | Asus | TBD

Nvidia £60 wired 3D Vision glasses promise affordable 3D gaming for all

Posted: 31 May 2011 07:00 AM PDT

The second biggest obstacle preventing the wide-spread adoption of 3D gaming, other than the actual displays, is without a doubt wireless 3D glasses. In a move to shift the 3D gaming paradigm, Nvidia has come up with a clever plan to make 3D gaming affordable by heading back to its corded roots. Wired 3D Vision glasses, priced at £60 ($99), will deliver the same award-winning 3D quality and provide low-cost access to more than 525 full-HD 3D games, Blu-ray 3D movies, and streaming 3D video.

Since launching way back in 2009, Nvidia 3D Vision has flown under the radar of most mainstream users. Today, Nvidia has lowered the cost of admission to just £60 ($99), a price point which it hopes will attract a new influx of gamers. Despite the need for a USB port to connect the wired 3D Vision glasses, the wired connection means there's no need for batteries or charging.

Each pair of wired 3D Vision glasses comes with a 10-foot USB 2.0 cable, making the ideal gaming accessory for a LAN party of iCafe gaming center. In addition to the cable, the glasses come with an optional computer lock in the event you leave your computer unattended. Nvidia's wired 3D Vision glasses go on sale in late-June via the company's online store and leading retailers. As you'd expect, you'll need one of the 65 compatible 3D Vision monitors, laptops or projectors to join in. Ready to take your PC gaming to the next dimension?

June | Nvidia | £60 ($99)

Samsung Series 9 laptop review: Curvaceous, but no MacBook Air

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:59 AM PDT

The Samsung Series 9 laptop turned heads at CES back in January. Here was an ultra portable that for the first time might match the second generation MacBook Air for looks, and even beat it in power. Has it lived up to those claims? Find out here in our full Samsung Series 9 laptop review.

Design and build

Aesthetically, the 13.3-inch Samsung Series 9 900X3A laptop is one of the finest Windows machines we’ve tested. Its beautiful tapering curves and smooth metal Duralumin material keep it looking slick and weighing nothing – a mere 1.31kg. Crucially, the top half feels as sturdy as the bottom: this is typically where PC makers cut corners, but there’s no flex to be had here.

Buy the Samsung Series 9 laptop now

That said, it’s not as beautiful as the second generation unibody MacBook Air. It doesn’t taper down to nothing in the same way, and the rubber feet give it extra girth as well. The Duralumin finish also attracts fingerprints like moths to a flame, so if it’s looks you’re after, Apple is still king.

Samsung has managed to squeeze in a few more ports however, via two clever pop down trays on the sides, which house HDMI and Ethernet connections via included adapters (better than nothing), two USB 3.0 ports and microSD. For most people, this will be a lot more handy than a MiniDisplay port which Apple prefers.

The keyboard and touchpad too are first in class. The Samsung Series 9 backlit QWERTY island keyboard keys bounce down with satisfaction, and there’s no give in the centre as sometimes happens. The right shift key also stretches across to the edge, which will please touch typists. The apparently seamless touchpad too is impressive for a Windows laptop, registering left and right clicks and touches correctly – until Microsoft catches up with Apple on the multi-touch front, this is the best you’ll get on this side of the fence.

As for the display, the 1366×768 display is bright enough, with viewing angles that are just wide enough to accommodate two people viewing a video – and even when they’re off, the colour jumbling isn’t as extreme as it is on cheap laptops so it’s not a concern.

Performance

The Samsung Series 9′s big advantage over the MacBook Air is its raw power: it’s packing a second generation Intel Core i5-2537M chip clocked at 1.4GHz, which is capable of ramping up to 2.3GHz. Paired with 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and 64-bit Windows 7, you’ve got a monster of an ultra-portable that encodes video at blinding speed and tearing through even recent games.

Of course, more of a problem there is that you don’t have a DVD drive with which to load said games and videos. You’ll have to use an external one – they’re not expensive, but it’s the hassle of carrying one that you’ll need to consider. For general work, Office, PowerPoints, reports and the like, it’s not something you’ll miss that often.

Battery life meanwhile is nothing spectacular – but that’s probably all you can expect from something thin, with a non removable battery. The Samsung Series 9 lasted for around four and a half hours of real world constant use with the brightness at max and internet on. Just playing video with the internet off and brightness down will get you to much closer to the quoted seven hour figure.

Verdict

The Samsung Series 9 is packing more power than any other Windows ultra portable, and it does so in an attractive looking shell. That said, the £1299 pricetag is something you need to give a long hard think about.

If size and reasonable (rather than maximum) power is your primary concern, the 11-inch MacBook Air will save you plenty of money at £867 – but won’t render video as quickly. If a modicum of power and connectivity is what you’re after, last year’s superb Toshiba Portege R700 will provide you with what you need for quite a bit less – with a DVD drive thrown in.

But if it’s sheer power you can sling in your backpack and not even notice it’s there, the Samsung Series 9 can’t be beat.

VIDEO: The BBC’s Tim Lovejoy talks tech (and tells us why iPad 3 should come with a built-in toaster…)

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:48 AM PDT

Electricpig caught up with Something For The Weekend’s Tim Lovejoy to chat about his vast collection of gadgets, why everything should come with a built-in toaster and holographic TV…

Hit Read More to watch the video now.

Tim Lovejoy spoke to Electricpig at Ford Start More Live. Click here to find out more on FaceBook.

BlackBerry Curve Apollo spotted in video: looks super thin, replaces Curve 3G

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:30 AM PDT

The next wave of BlackBerry smartphones is upon us. Captured this morning, the BlackBerry Curve Apollo (model: 9370) made its unofficial video debut, sporting a HVGA display, 5-megapixel camera and modest 800 MHz processor. Just like the Bold 9900 before it, the Curve Apollo looks to be razor-thin, a feature not too common in the BlackBerry blood line.

Unless you're fluent in Vietnamese the video below will not be much help in uncovering the specs of the BlackBerry Curve Apollo. We've covered the display, processor and camera, but we should note this is the 3G handset, with WiFi and a VGA-front facing camera. According to Unwired View, the Apollo Curve will sport a 9370 model number, followed by a CDMA-version dubbed the 9350 Sedona — likely headed to Verizon Wireless in the U.S.

Any BlackBerry Curve owners in attendance care to give their take on the Apollo? Sit back and enjoy the video and feel free to sound off.

via Tinhte

Call of Duty Elite: Will you pay the online multiplayer tax?

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:52 AM PDT

As the saying goes, you've got to pay to play. In a surprise move this morning Activision Blizzard Inc. revealed plans to launch a paid service dubbed Call of Duty Elite. The new service will launch in tandem with the November release of Modern Warfare 3 and looks to put our allegiance to the franchise to the ultimate test — our bank accounts. Will you pay the online multiplayer tax for Call of Duty Elite?

There's no denying Activision Blizzard Inc.'s ability to churn out unprecedented revenue from its monthly subscriptions to World of Warcraft. In a move which seems to mimic the MMO craze, Call of Duty Elite was born. The cost, while still unconfirmed, is rumored to be in the neighborhood of $7.99 (£4.84) per month — a price that matches a monthly Netflix subscription.

The $7.99 (£4.84) per month fee provides extra content not offered on game discs sold in stores, including downloadable map packs with new levels. In addition, there will be 'Call of Duty' player tools, reportedly modeled on those from stock-trading websites, to analyze your gaming performance for maps and weapons.

With Call of Duty: Black Ops riding high as the best-selling video game of 2010, Modern Warfare 3 looks destined to repeat. At E3 next month, Activision is expected to outline, in detail, Call of Duty Elite and most importantly – the cost. The question remains – will you pay to play?

Coming Soon | via Wall Street Journal | TBD

iCloud, iOS 5 to be unveiled by Steve Jobs on Monday

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:52 AM PDT

BREAKING: Apple’s come right out and confirmed iCloud will be revealed next week at a keynote on Monday 6 June at the company’s WWDC conference in San Francisco. Steve Jobs will compere as iOS 5 for iPhone and iPad is also revealed, and more details on the next version of Mac OS X, Lion, will be announced too.

It’s good to know Steve Jobs is in fit enough condition to take to the stage on Monday at 6pm UK time, but most intriguing of all in the release Apple has put out is the description of iCloud merely as a “cloud services” offering. There’s no specific mention of the music streaming it’s expected to include: perhaps the whole of MobileMe will be folded into the name. Regardless, we’ll be covering the event as it happens, so stay tuned for all the details.

Official: First Nokia Windows Phone due Q4 2011

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:40 AM PDT

It’s official: at least one Nokia Windows Phone is coming this year, in the run up to Christmas. Read on for what we know so far about this elusive handset.

In a statement to journalists today, Nokia lowered its forecast for earnings from its devices and services business for the second quarter of the 2011 to “substantially” below its original €6.1bn (£5.3bn) minimum prediction. So it goes. But of more interest was one statement from Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop buried in the smallprint:

“Our teams are aligned, and we have increased confidence that we will ship our first Nokia product with Windows Phone in the fourth quarter 2011.”

Now we’ve heard Nokia execs say they’ve been targeting 2011 for the very first Nokia handset running a third party smartphone OS, but this is the most precise and bullish they’ve been about it yet. Nokia is betting the farm on Windows Phone, and you can bet it wants to get a piece of the pre-Christmas sales rush.

We also know that Nokia Windows Phone handsets will officially ship with the Windows Phone 7 Mango update preloaded, which adds third party multitasking and turn by turn navigation to the mix.

Last week, Reuters also reported from an unnamed source that Nokia has two Windows Phone handsets in the works, one with a touchscreen, and the other a “sleek” keyboard device.

Will you be getting a Nokia Windows Phone for Christmas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Out Q4 2011 | £TBC | Nokia

Android smartphone market share falls, remains top U.S. smartphone OS

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:22 AM PDT

For the first time in recent memory Android smartphone market share in the U.S. has declined, albeit a modest one percentage point — down from 37 to 36 percent. Meanwhile iOS fell from 27 to 26 percent, Windows Phone 7 hovered at one percent and Windows Mobile is still hanging on with nine percent. Wonder who walked away with the only increase?

BlackBerry OS. With an increase from 22 to 23 percent, RIM's smartphone OS became the only smartphone operating system to see an increase in U.S. market share between February and April 2011. Beyond the market share, the report also dives into the data usage of the respective smartphone users. Walking away with the most average data consumed per user per month was Android with 582MB, followed by iOS with 492MB, webOS with 448MB, Windows Phone with 317MB, Windows Mobile with 174MB and BlackBerry OS 127MB.

A win for market share and lowest data usage is a nice change of pace for RIM, following a lower than expected earnings report after lowering sales forecasts. Are we witnessing a suddden surge by our favorite Canadian manufacturer? Sound off.

via WMExperts

iPhone 5, Android making Microsoft money and the Sony NGP is doomed: Lunchtime Lowdown

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:20 AM PDT

It’s been another busy morning in tech, so let’s see what went down, shall we? Read on for it all in your lunchtime lowdown.

First up, let’s talk Computex. We’ve seen lots of tablet and laptop news of late, and that continued today with Intel‘s plans to badge up MacBook Air rivals as Ultrabooks.

Elsewhere, in mobile we got wind of the new reported specs for the iPhone 5, while on the Android side of things, Acer upgraded its Liquidmini smartphone to Gingerbread, and it turns out Microsoft is making quite a mint off Google’s mobile OS. No, really.

Finally, we’ve got a new competition live: you can win a super expensive printer just by telling us your tale of ink related woe. And in gaming, our columnist suspects that the PSP2 will fail, regardless of ony’s rumoured name branding.

Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks!