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Why iCloud could shatter Spotify’s American dream
Bigger, faster, stronger: Meet the budget Android phones eating up the Pay As You Go market
Top three reasons not to sell your kidney for an Android tablet
TI OMAP 4470 1.8GHz multi-core processor unveiled: Dual-core is so last week
iShuttr iPhone 4 camera upgrade case in the works
Sony confirms June 3 and June 7 PlayStation Plus freebies: games, discounts, exclusives
Xbox Live Diamond edition, exclusive IPTV channels for Xbox 360 inbound!
Nintendo 3DS update arrives June 6, includes web browser and Nintendo eShop
When design goes bad: Is this the worst technology logo of all time?
New Tomb Raider video trailer: the bloody origin of Lara Croft

Why iCloud could shatter Spotify’s American dream

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 11:38 AM PDT

Spotify has long been the music streaming service of choice in the UK and most of Europe, but remains unavailable in the US. Rumour has it the Sweden-based company is plotting its invasion of America at some point later this year – but Apple may be about to stamp out any chance of widespread Stateside success. iCloud could kill Spotify before the latter even launches.

Okay, so we don’t know for certain what iCloud will be and how much El Jobs and co will charge us for it – that’ll presumably be revealed at WWDC on Monday – but lets assume for a minute that today’s LA Times story is correct: that iCloud will allow iTunes users to upload their music into the cloud, then play it from a web browser or any internet-connected Apple device. It’ll charge $25 (£17) a year for this, although there’ll be a free trial period. Warner, Sony, Universal and EMI are all on board.

Spotify is a different service, of course – more akin to a totally customisable radio station, in that you don’t have to actually own the music in order to stream it to your computer or phone. There’s a free version, but it’s unavailable on mobile devices, forces you to listen to (often infuriating) ads and limits you to 10 hours of music a month. What Spotify really wants is you to pay for the ad-free Spotify Unlimited (£4.99 a month or £59.88 a year), or the ad-free and mobile-enabled Spotify Premium (£9.99 a month or £119.88 a year).

Spotify’s US pricing could be different, of course, but assuming it’s broadly in line with the UK pricing you’re looking at Spotify Premium costing around $175 a year to iCloud’s $25. Sure, you get to listen to music you haven’t paid for yet, but it’s still a huge gulf in price.

And consider the brand. Americans love their Apple products – they are fiercely brand loyal. I live in New York City at the moment (home to no fewer than four Apple Stores) and even clued-up, ultra-hip Brooklynites who know Cults from The Cult haven’t heard of Spotify. But you can bet your arse (or ass) they’ll know all about iCloud by the middle of next week.

Spotify’s hesitance to launch in the US may be its downfall across the pond. If the service had been around for a year, been advertised and marketed and gushed over in the US mainstream media, then hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Americans would be paying for it already. But by the time it does eventually arrive, most tech-minded music lovers will be using iCloud.

Of course, there are places where iCloud probably won’t go: onto Android phones and BlackBerries, and non-iPad tablets. So Spotify still has a market in the US – it just may have had a much bigger one if it had launched last year. As a committed Spotify subscriber I’ll be watching Steve Jobs WWDC keynote on Monday with great interest.

Bigger, faster, stronger: Meet the budget Android phones eating up the Pay As You Go market

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 10:27 AM PDT

Want an app happy smartphone but don’t feel like signing your life away for the next 18-24 months? No problem: there’s a whole bunch of Pay As You Go Android phones heading your way in the near future. We take a look at them all here.

Vodafone Smart

The £70 Vodafone Smart is an Android 2.2 Froyo blower with a 2MP camera, 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and all the connectivity you’d expect find on a smartphone (HSDPA 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and A-GPS) plus Android Market and the usual preloaded apps like Google Maps, Gmail, Google Talk and Facebook. You’ll be able to design your own one-off cover online too, so you can safely say your Smart is completely unique. It’s listed as “Coming Soon” on the Voda site.

Alcatel OT-990

The O2-exclusive Alcatel OT-990 will hit the shops in August, rocking a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 5MP camera and Android 2.2 Froyo – upgradeable to 2.3 Gingerbread at some point later in 2011. As with the Smart there are swappable covers, and O2 is currently running a Facebook contest where you can vote for the cover it’s supplied with. It will cost under £100.

HTC ChaCha

Despite sounding like a pet name for someone’s genitalia, but the HTC ChaCha is no joke: it sports a full QWERTY keypad in addition to a 2.6-inch touchscreen – which should make it a popular choice with text maniacs and Twitter addicts. There’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 5MP camera with LED flash and autofocus too, but perhaps the most interesting feature is the dedicated Facebook button. It’s available now on contract, but the PAYG model should be out by the end of June.

ZTE Skate

The 2.3 Gingerbread-packing ZTE Skate comes with a 4.3-inch screen, 5MP camera and a speedy (by PAYG standards) 800MHz processor. ZTE made the current budget Android phone king, the £99 Orange San Francisco (see our glowing review), so the company could be the one to pick up the Skate – although it may call it something else. This could be the phone to watch on the PAYG Android front, so we’ll keep an eye peeled for developments.

Top three reasons not to sell your kidney for an Android tablet

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 09:59 AM PDT

In light of the recent events in China where a 17 year-old boy reportedly sold his kidney to pay for an iPad 2, we thought it might be fun to entertain a similar proposal for an Android tablet. Let's be clear, as much as we love tech there's not a chance we'd condone this type of behavior. Here's your top five reasons not to sell your kidney for an Android tablet.

1. There's 60 new Android tablets arriving this year
Unlike the world of Apple where there's a single tablet, updated yearly, Android tablets are a dime a dozen. Literally, there's dozens of Android tablets being announced each month and if you're having a hard time choosing today — wait until the end of summer. Not only are there a seemingly endless number of tablets, but Android's greatest asset is pushing the hardware envelope, leading to cutting edge components in each revision. Android delivered the world's first dual-core smartphone and it'll likely deliver the first quad-core tablet.

2. Best pricing requires a contract
The complete tablet experience begins and ends with a mobile data connection. Using your smartphone as a mobile hotspot is nice, but GPS capability in the car transcends the tablet from novelty to necessity. Google, without a doubt, has the best free turn-by-turn navigation solution on the planet, Google Navigation. Unfortunately, without a GPS receiver and data connection, a WiFi-only Android tablet will fail to deliver the goods. This brings us to the dilemma — carrier contracts.

In order to land the best pricing on that 3G-enabled (soon to be 4G) Android tablet, you'll need to sign up with a contract. SIM-free pricing, while possible, is a tough sell considering competing netbooks and entry-level laptops offer better performance and smaller dents in your bank account. With dozens of Android tablets and a trend for cutting-edge hardware, a two-year commitment seems like an eternity in the world of mobile technology.

3. Resale value
If you're still not convinced handing over a kidney for an Android tablet is a bad investment consider this: the Motorola Xoom 32GB WiFi-only edition, released only a month before the iPad 2, is readily available for under $500 via Buy It Now auctions on eBay. Meanwhile the iPad 2 16GB WiFi edition sells, on average, for $550. The equally match 32GB iPad 2 sells for $650, used. Knowing there are an endless stream of Android tablets, likely packed with better features, faster processors and more memory, does not sit well. In the resale market this spells trouble. As much as we hate to praise Apple, the premium price its products command extends to a higher resale value. If a kidney is at stake I'd at least want a year of certainty my tablet was the best tablet available.

We've hope you enjoyed this insightful look into the world of Android tablets. As much as we've poked fun, the truth of the matter is Android tablets are leaders in hardware innovation. For that reasons alone, you can rest well knowing a manufacturer with something bigger and better is down the road. It's nice to have options, don't you think?

TI OMAP 4470 1.8GHz multi-core processor unveiled: Dual-core is so last week

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 09:10 AM PDT

The next wave of multi-core mobile processors destined to fill our smartphones and tablets is upon us. Texas Instruments, by way of a press release, introduced its new TI OMAP 4470 multi-core application processor this afternoon. Sporting two ARM Cortex-A9 MPcores running at a blistering 1.8GHz and two ARM Cortex-M3 cores, this beast of a chipset lays dual-core competitors to rest.

The Samsung Galaxy S 2 and HTC Sensation have just dipped their feet in the smartphone pool and already TI has come out the gate with the jaw-dropping OMAP 4470. In addition to the dual A9 and M3 cores, there's a PowerVR SGX544 graphics core with support for DirectX, OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 and OpenCL 1.1. What this boils down to in lay terms is this chipset is capable of supporting three HD displays, each up to QXGA resolution (2048×1536), and stereoscopic 3D.

We've heard rumblings the Nexus 3 could be a quad-core smartphone, produced either by Motorola or LG. If that holds true we wouldn't mind seeing the OMAP 4470 make its way into the third generation Nexus.

Coming 2011 | Texas Instruments | TBD

iShuttr iPhone 4 camera upgrade case in the works

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 08:29 AM PDT

The iPhone 4′s camera is pretty damn amazing (feast your retinas on our sample photos for proof), but as with any mobile phone snapper there’s lots of room for improvement. That’s where the iShuttr steps in: it’s a case that adds external controls and a powerful xenon flash.

So you get buttons for the shutter release and digital zoom, plus a flash that literally outshines the iPhone 4′s stock LED light – it’s powerful enough to illuminate subjects a lot further away than the LED’s 2-3 foot range.

There’s more too: the case features a USB port at the bottom that allows you to transfer photos and charge the iPhone’s battery. And there’s a tripod mount to boot.

The iShuttr is just a patent pending concept at the moment, and its creators are looking for funding through Kickstarter to get it into production. If they succeed, they’re claiming the case will cost $69.99 a pop (about £48 at the time of writing).

iShuttr Kickstarter page (via Slashgear)

Sony confirms June 3 and June 7 PlayStation Plus freebies: games, discounts, exclusives

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 07:17 AM PDT

Attention all PlayStation Plus subscribers get ready for free games, discounts and new exclusives. Sony has come forward this afternoon via its PlayStation Blog to lay out the groundwork for a two phase push to restore its premium online gaming service above and beyond our wildest dreams. Let's recap the content arriving today.

EA Sports MMA Live full game trail will be free and exclusive to PlayStation Plus subscribers today along with the MAG Escalation Mission Pack and two free Themes: Ore Static and MotorStorm Apocalypse – Tyler Dynamic. In addition to the freebies, there will be discounts on games such as Smash Cars, Worms and Cubixx.

On June 7, in conjunction with the start of E3, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 will be free and exclusive. Free DLC will include Qore June Episode 37 – Single Episode, Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2011, and two free themes: Flamingo Fun Static and inFamous 2 Dynamic. Sony will also be offering three additional free games for a limited time: Comet Crash, Oddworld Abe's Exodus and Vector TD PlayStation minis.

For a full rundown on the all the goodies take a look at the official PlayStation Blog

Out Now | Sony | Free

Xbox Live Diamond edition, exclusive IPTV channels for Xbox 360 inbound!

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:44 AM PDT

Less than a week out from E3 and we're already hearing rumbling of big changes headed our way via Microsoft's Xbox 360 team. The gaming console is reportedly scheduled for a Xbox Live overhaul, one which includes a new classification level: Diamond. Along with the current perks of Xbox Live Gold, Diamond will add some exclusive IPTV services.

Xbox Live Diamond is scheduled to go live on November 15 and should be explained in detail as E3 kicks off next Tuesday. The service was codenamed Project Orapa, named after one of the world's largest diamond minds, and looks to bring some "exclusive TV channels on Xbox". There's no telling what other goodies will be included with Xbox Live Diamond, but expect a thorough rundown early next week as we cover the gaming convention.

via GamePlayToday

Nintendo 3DS update arrives June 6, includes web browser and Nintendo eShop

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:17 AM PDT

Alas North American Nintendo 3DS owners, the time has come for web browsing and downloads via Nintendo's eShop. By the evening of June 6th a free system update will be available over WiFi which includes the aforementioned upgrades plus a variety of new content including a giveaway of a classic NES game. Let's take a look at the full rundown of goodies headed our way next Monday.

On the cusp of WWDC and E3, Nintendo 3DS fans will have serious cause for celebration with Monday's update. The first enhancement will be the addition of a free web browser which is 3D-compatible for websites with 3D images. Also, the browser can be used during gameplay — simply pause your 3DS game, hit the home button and jump between the web browser and your game without losing its current state.

The launch of the Nintendo eShop is possibly the biggest news, providing access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D, Game Boy and Game Boy Color "Virtual Console" games in 2D and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare games. In addition to the games, there's also video game trailers, screen shots and product information for games.

When design goes bad: Is this the worst technology logo of all time?

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 03:04 AM PDT

Well come on, it's up there, surely. Have you seen any worse? Let us know in the comments section.

"We need a logo that says we can make computers work for the customer, so they know what to expect."

"How about a computer, with, 'We make computers work for you' below it?"

"I don't know, computers aren't that attractive, I'm not sure it'd look that great on a sign."

"Well how about just a mouse then?"

"Brilliant. Yes, so a mouse, with the slogan below. Perfect."

"What if I designed it so the mouse looked a bit like a penis?"

"Have a promotion."

Via Some E Cards

New Tomb Raider video trailer: the bloody origin of Lara Croft

Posted: 03 Jun 2011 03:02 AM PDT

Ahead of E3, here’s the first trailer for the Tomb Raider reboot. Jumping back to the beginning of her adventuring career, it finds a markedly less buxom Lara Croft onboard ship fiddling with what looks like an iPhone before almost drowning (shades of folk deliberately doing that to her in the original game) and ending up ship wrecked.

Though there’ll be more Tomb Raider news at E3, the game isn’t set to hit PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 until 2012 so it’s not surprising that the trailer is 100% CGI. Still, we’re excited to get our first look at the bloodied, broken beginnings. Jump in to see the trailer and tell us what you make of the new look Lara…