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Xbox 720, Galaxy S 2 version 2.0, Asus PC X101 release date: US Update
Razor-thin Asus PC X101 netbook specs and release date confirmed
Nokia N950: a N900 successor offered exclusively for developers
Faster Samsung Galaxy S 2 to battle the iPhone 5 this September?
Xbox 360 is only half way through its life cycle, where’s the Xbox 720?
Nokia Sea Ray: the first of many button-less Windows Phone Mango devices
HTC Evo 3D, iPhone 5 4G rumours, and the pop star behind the iPod: Lunchtime Lowdown
The Lawnmower Man to The Net: 10 techy films due a reboot
Nokia N5 leaks: Is Nokia deliberately not trying?
CoPilot Live Premium Android app drops to £15 for one week only

Xbox 720, Galaxy S 2 version 2.0, Asus PC X101 release date: US Update

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:45 AM PDT

Starting off your week with full serving of delicious tech news, it's time for your US update. We've got the latest on the Xbox 720, Windows Phone 7 Mango, an updated Galaxy S 2, the N900 successor and details on the Asus PC X101 netbooks.

There's been an interesting twist in the Windows Phone 7 Mango hardware guidelines. According to Eldar Murtazin, LG and HTC will be following in the button-less footsteps of the Nokia Sea Ray. Are you ready for a world of virtual on-screen controls?

Many have predicted the Xbox 360's successor, the Xbox 720, would be unveiled at E3 2013. According to Xbox EMEA video president Chris Lewis, the Xbox 360 is only half way through its life cycle. Will we ever see the Xbox 720?

This September it has been widely speculated we'll see the release of the iPhone 5 (4S). Samsung will reportedly challenge the fifth generation iPhone by releasing a beefed up version of the Galaxy S 2 with a 1.4 GHz processor.

Last week we saw the Nokia N9 carry on the MeeGo OS. Today we've learned the N900 will be replaced by the N950. Unfortunately this will be a developer only MeeGo device, but we've got the scoop on the specs.

Last up this morning is the Asus PC X101. The strikingly thin netbook will be released in July with your choice of MeeGo or Windows 7. Pricing is rumored to be $199 (£124) and $310-$350 (£194-£219) respectively. That wraps up your daily dose of tech news. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Razor-thin Asus PC X101 netbook specs and release date confirmed

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 08:45 AM PDT

Remember that MacBook Air inspired Asus netbook unveiled at Computex in May? According to DigiTimes, the Asus PC X101 will be available in July with the MeeGo and Windows 7 models priced at $199 (£124) and $310-$350 (£194-£219) respectively.

Under the hood of the Asus PC X101 is an Intel low-power Atom N435 1.33 GHZ single-core processor. While not the fastest chip on the block, the addition of a small SSD should make up for its shortcomings.

The Asus PC X101 will face stiff competition this year from Acer, Lenovo and Samsung. All of who have announced plans to launch Atom N435 MeeGo-based netbooks of their own. The second-hand market for 2010 MacBook Airs will also be a threat following the Sandy Bridge refresh.

Coming July | Acer | £124 – £219

Nokia N950: a N900 successor offered exclusively for developers

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Despite what you've heard the Nokia N9 is not the only MeeGo smartphone in town. Nokia has quietly unveiled the N950, but with it one small caveat — it will be a developer-only device. Though it's not destined for retail consumption, our inner N900 fanboy has us itching for a fix. Let's take a look at what's inside the Nokia N950, shall we?

At first glance the only difference between N9 and the N950 appears to be the addition of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Upon further inspection you'll notice the N950 features a 4-inch TFT display while the N9 packs a more vibrant 3.9-inch AMOLED set.

In terms of build quality the N950 is forged from anodized aluminum whereas the N9 is encased in unibody polycarbonate. In sheer megapixels, both the N9 and N950 use 8-megapixel cameras, but the N9 adds Carl Zeiss optics. Unlike the N9, the N950 lacks NFC support and features a smaller 1320 mAh battery.

Although the N950 is exclusive for developers, Nokia is accepting dev kit requests until July 31st. The requirement is that you must be a qualifying Nokia Developer Launchpad member who has published apps to Ovi Store, or has started to develop apps using Qt.

via Nokia

Faster Samsung Galaxy S 2 to battle the iPhone 5 this September?

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 07:30 AM PDT

We haven't been coy in showing our love for the Samsung Galaxy S 2. Since its arrival it quickly became our favorite Android smartphone, but today we've learned a faster, more powerful, Galaxy S 2 may be coming this September.

The purported Samsung Galaxy S 2 will feature a 1.4 GHz dual core processor (up from 1.2 GHz), 1GB of RAM and run Android Gingerbread 2.3.4. A late August or early September release would position the beefed up smartphone to compete directly with Apple's iPhone 5 (4S).

Granted, a September iPhone 5 (4S) release date is far from confirmed, but it remains an overwhelming favorite based on independent industry research. Samsung has proven it will update its hardware at a moment's notice to compete with Apple — look no further than the Galaxy Tab 10.1. A late inning substitution of an overclocked processor in the Galaxy S 2 would only be fitting.

The real question remains: will a faster Samsung Galaxy S 2 sway your iPhone 5 (4S) purchase? We'd imagine Samsung will be following these responses closely.

via PhoneArena

Xbox 360 is only half way through its life cycle, where’s the Xbox 720?

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

They say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Unfortunately it appears Microsoft may be holding that mantra too close to the hip. While speaking with MCV, Xbox EMEA video president Chris Lewis revealed the Xbox 360 is only half way through its life cycle. Where does this leave the Xbox 720?

At E3 this year Microsoft introduced a new console interface which would unify the design between Windows Phone, Windows 8 and Xbox. The addition of Bing search, subscription TV services and Kinect support were also great announcements, but the popular consensus going into the show was the Xbox 360's successor would debut at E3 2013.

There's been 50 million Xbox 360s sold worldwide since its release in November 2005. Over the past six year developers have milked the hardware far beyond our expectations. Though the architecture is shrinking, and with it the heat related problems, this does not compensate for the rather dated graphics card.

According to winrumors, Microsoft is so early on in the development stages of the Xbox 720 that the graphics hardware hasn't been fully decided and tested. A job listing from the Xbox Console Architecture team corroborates this claim. Is it possible that we may be looking at Xbox 720 launch in 2016?

via winrumors

Nokia Sea Ray: the first of many button-less Windows Phone Mango devices

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:16 AM PDT

Earlier today we told you Ovi Maps APIs would be supported by the Windows Phone 7 Mango update — now we have a new twist. Smartphone insider extraordinaire, Eldar Murtazin, has confirmed WP Mango design guidelines do not require front hardware buttons and "LG, HTC will have such phones."

Conflicting reports and rumors go hand in hand. We've seen Windows Phone Mango design guidelines list hardware button requirements. The Nokia Sea Ray leak suggested a different policy. Now we have new evidence from Eldar Murtazin in support of a button-less design.

The improvements included in the upcoming Mango update have been widely praised by Windows Phone enthusiasts. However, the possibility Samsung, LG and HTC may forgo hardware buttons in favor of a more streamlined design may not be as well received. On a tablet running Android Honeycomb virtual buttons work, but on a smartphone look no further than the accidental clicks of capacitive buttons.

Anyone in favor of Windows Phone 7 Mango button-less hardware?

via wmpoweruser

HTC Evo 3D, iPhone 5 4G rumours, and the pop star behind the iPod: Lunchtime Lowdown

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 05:11 AM PDT

The sun is finally out, which means it’s high time you stopped scoffing your sandwich over your desk, and headed outside instead. Before you do though, quickly catch up with all the news you’ve missed from this morning right here in the lunchtime lowdown.

Let’s talk mobile. On the Android side of things, HTC’s stereoscopic phone, the Evo 3D, is coming to the UK, while back with Nokia, we caught a glimpse of a new N5 Symbian phone, and more details of how Nokia Maps will work on Windows Phone.

Over in gaming meanwhile, it appears Zelda on the Nintendo 3DS offers all of the original N64′s versions features – even the bugs. A new report also suggests Xbox Live will soon offer free games with in game purchases.

Lastly, let’s talk Apple. We saw clues that an iPhone 5 with 4G connectivity might be coming this year, courtesy of LulzSec, while British songstress Sophie Ellis-Bextor claims she made the iPod. No, seriously.

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

The Lawnmower Man to The Net: 10 techy films due a reboot

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 04:35 AM PDT

They're remaking WarGames, the classic 80s thriller starring Matthew Broderick as a young hacker who nearly starts World War 3. And the even better news? It's to be directed by Seth Gordon, the man at the helm of arcade classic King of Kong.

But which other tech movies are due a refresh? We can think of a few…

1 The Wizard

Yes, it may have been one big advert for Nintendo (climaxing with the unveiling of the then much anticipated Super Mario Bros. 3), but for anyone who was young and a fan of video games in 1989, this Fred Savage movie was a stone cold classic. Obviously the games would need to be updated (replace the arcade machines with a 3DS), and the finale would have to be played on a Wii U (why didn't Nintendo unveil the new console this way rather than a boring presentation?). But the Power Glove stays. We're not budging on that.

2 The Lawnmower Man

Ah, virtual reality. Anyone who ever played a virtual reality coin-up will tell you, it was like moving very slowly and jerkily through a Lego world. But back in 1992 it was cutting edge stuff, so much so that the eight minutes of special effects took seven people eight months to complete, costing $500,000. Nowadays you could get better with Photoshop. An updated version would have to be in 3D, with a soundtrack by Pendulum, and a budget that shames the GDP of most first world countries.

3 The Net

Now everyone's being hacked, the original actually looks quite prescient. Sandra Bullock is a software engineer who has her identity stolen (she was obviously signed up to PlayStation Network), and has to get it back using the power of the internet. The plot would have to be adjusted though, as in these days of social networking and Flickr it's highly unlikely no one would know what Sandra Bullock looked like. Take your pick who she'd work for: Sony, Nintendo, NASA, Google, Codemasters, the CIA, all hacked.

4 Flight of the Navigator

A 12-year-old boy goes missing only to emerge eight years later not having aged. Nowadays it'd probably be renamed The Botox Craft, and the boy would sell his story to the Sunday supplements for a mint, but we won't go there. A 12-year-old going AWOL in 2003 only to wake up today would be bamboozled by Facebook, 12-megapixel camera phones, and most definitely planking.

5 Weird Science

Engineer your perfect woman? It may have sounded like the thing of science fiction in 1985, but nowadays things are a little less innocent, what with the internet opening up all kinds of sordid avenues for this kind of thing. It'd have to stay the PG side of things, say, creating a pretend girlfriend on Facebook. Yes, far more genteel.

6 Short Circuit

Why do robots like Johnny 5 still not exist? We've been promised them for years, and a Roomba or a Parrot A.R. Drone just wouldn’t have the same personality. No, today's remake would need something suitably militaristic to have the same effect. And hopefully not a white actor 'blacking up' to play Ben Jabituya. "Hey laser lips, your mother was a snowblower!"

7 Johnny Mnemonic

Keanu Reeves is carrying data in his head, and if he doesn't deliver it soon he'll die from it. Far fetched, we know, but with an all star cast including Ice-T, Dolph Lundgren and Henry Rollins, this had plenty of brawn, if not necessarily the brains. A suggestion: Keanu, instead of carrying the data in your head, a USB stick would do just as well.

8 Total Recall

Well Arnie needs something to do, now he's no longer Governator (though from recent headlines, he doesn't seem to have trouble finding things to fill his day). Oh, but it seems they're already remaking it, starring Colin Farrell. Look out for it next year.

9 The Matrix

It may make you feel old, but Neo and the gang came out 12 years ago, way back in 1999. But with hacking back on the agenda, it's due a refresh, with Neo easily passing for one of LulzSec or Anonymous. It's just we imagine the reality of hacking big companies' accounts involves slightly fewer slow motion gunfights. Possibly.

10 Star Wars

Though after seeing what George Lucas did with the prequels, maybe not.

Nokia N5 leaks: Is Nokia deliberately not trying?

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:35 AM PDT

Oh Nokia. Just when the N9 gave us hope that Nokia had turned over a new design leaf, some leaked photos of the Nokia N5 make us realise that it is business as usual over in Espoo.

The new phone is ugly as sin, leading us to suspect that Nokia might be doing this deliberately. Is it some kind of scam, like in The Producers?

The Nokia N5 will run Symbian Anna – the latest (last?) version of Nokia’s venerable mobile OS. The user interface has been given a bit of an overhaul and now resembles the Harmattan interface used on the N9′s MeeGo OS.

After the highs of the N9′s sleek design and buttonless case it is back down to Earth with a bump with the Nokia N5′s chunky case and bezel. The phone has a 3.2 inch touchscreen with Nokia’s familiar call, end and menu buttons underneath. The phone has a 5 megapixel camera around the back with and LED flash.

Disturbingly, the leaker suggests that the N5 could be followed by an N6 and even an N7 with slightly boosted specs. Hopefully this will be enough for Nokia to finally get this stuff out of its system. The N5 is intended to replace the lower-end Symbian smartphone on Nokia’s roster so this should at least see off the last of Symbian S60 Series 5, which is something.

TBC | £tbc | Nokia (source: GSM Arena)

CoPilot Live Premium Android app drops to £15 for one week only

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:17 AM PDT

Android owners who find that Google Maps’ navigation skills aren’t quite up to snuff have no choice but to shell out for an expensive commercial GPS app. CoPilot Premium is one such – usually retailing for about £30 on the Android Market.

As special offer, developer ALK Technologies is dropping the price to just £15. Grab it quick, though – this is valid for one week only.

From today & for the next week, the UK & Ireland version of ALK Technologies’ navigaton app CoPilot Premium is on sale on the Android Market for £14.99. The European maps version will set you back £29.99 for the next week, too. Once the offer is over the prices will jump back to £29.99 & £59.99 respectively.

CoPilot Premium offers 3D satellite navigation with maps that are stored on your device rather than downloaded over the air – meaning you don’t need to maintain a 3G link throughout your journey.

The app also features full trip planning and itinerary stops, voice navigation, geolocation trips (navigate to where a photo was taken) and thousands of points of interest. You can also get live traffic and weather reports and share details of your travels through the usual bevy of social networks.

ALK is working on an iOS version of the app, which is currently waiting for Apple App Store approval.

Available Now | £14.99 | Android Market