Apple's new iPods go under the microscope
We got our hands on the new iPod Classic and iPod Nano this week, and no matter what you think of Apple it's difficult to deny they are startlingly good looking.
However, they're not without their problems. Getting video onto them, for example, is a real pain. iTunes will refuse to convert files, leaving Apple to recommend it's Quicktime Pro application, which costs £20.
The much hyped Cover Flow feature, which lets you browse through the album art of your music as if you were flipping through a vinyl collection, is hampered by iTunes insistence that you sign-in to the online store in order to use the 'Get Album Art' tool. And to get an iTunes account you need to hand over your credit card details - regardless of whether you intend to purchase any music.
Meanwhile, Apple still ships them with the iconic, yet incredibly uncomfortable plastic ear buds. We think Apple should take a leaf out of Sony's book and start shipping decent, in-ear noise-reducing 'phones.
Of course, we're just highlighting the bad points here. You can read the full iPod Nano review for all the details - reviews of the iPod Classic and iPod Touch will follow soon.
Posted by Will Stapley on September 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Commodore just misses out on Microsoft fix
We've just reviewed the first Commodore system we've seen for several years, the high end XX. You can also see a video review here and admire its high quality paint job.
It's the fastest system we've seen so far but SLI performance still disappointed in many areas. We thought the problem lay with Nvidia's Vista drivers, however it turns out Microsoft is also part, if not all, of the problem.
The software giant has just released a patch to solve some of the problems associated with dual-GPU systems, claiming poor performance is because Vista "does not forward driver-render requests to the secondary GPU." We're currently testing with the new patch and hope to post results soon.
Until then you get the patch from Microsoft, here. Microsoft makes you jump through several hoops to get it; it will only email the patch rather than make it a freely available download.
Posted by Emil Larsen on July 26, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Intel Santa Rosa notebook review now live
Intel today launched its new Santa Rosa notebook platform and we've just posted our first review.
Zepto's Znote 6625WD is powered by a new Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor and has an 800MHz FSB. It also features Nvidia's latest Geforce 8600M GT mobile graphics with 512MB Ram.
In an effort to confuse matters, Intel is keeping the existing Centrino Duo branding for Santa Rosa notebooks, however business-oriented models will be labelled Centrino Pro.
We'll be posting a Toshiba Santa Rosa notebook soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
Read the Zepto Znote 6625WD review
Posted by Will Stapley on May 9, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Video review: 3M privacy filter
When 3M's privacy filter first arrived we made many, many jokes about it being designed to stop the colleague on the desk next to you seeing you peruse the less sanitised sections of Torrentspy.
It is an important product for those that deal in sensitive material though, providing you don't stick a piece of paper to the side of your laptop with your password written on it, as a PCW editor once saw on the train.
We had a 15.4in sheet in to test that fitted our 15.4in laptop perfectly. Other sizes are available for bigger or smaller monitors however the price is steep; £30 doesn't seem fair for a piece of plastic.
Horizontal viewing angles were effectively quelled but vertical ones weren't. The whole screen is dimmed and we became so frustrated with it after 15min usage that we didn't want to test it anymore.
Posted by Emil Larsen on May 2, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Adobe launches CS3... but it's not on the shelves just yet
Adobe today announced the latest version in its Creative Suite series - CS3 - but in the same breath has said it won't be available until next month.
Photoshop, the industry standard image editing application, has been given a complete makeover, while web design tools such as Dreamweaver and Flash have also been given the full CS3 treatment.
We've just posted our Photoshop CS3 review and will be bringing you Flash and Dreamweaver reviews very soon.
As we revealed in our CS3 beta review, it's the first Creative Suite available in Universal Binary format, which means it's optimised for old Macs as well as the new Intel-driven versions.
Although CS3's sky-high price tag (the entire CS3 suite will set you back a stonking £1,655.58) puts it out of the reach of all but design professionals, the enhancements should filter down into the next version of Photoshop Elements.
Posted by Will Stapley on March 27, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
3 X-Series Gold - a good service not to be recommended
When 3 launched its X-Series service, which gives you a range of internet and TV options on a mobile phone, we thought it looked pretty interesting - especially its tie-up with Sling Media's Slingbox
Having spent several weeks testing the Gold package, I found myself in that funny position of liking a service that I wouldn't recommend - yet. That sounds odd, because overall I was actually really impressed. But its cost holds me back. At £45 a month, I just don't think I need to access my home TV from anywhere (via the Slingbox) or watch TV streamed over the internet when I'm out and about.
You get access to the internet using the service, but it's been tailored for Skype (not SkypeOut though), Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo, eBay and via the Orb, you can access your home or work PC. The TV streams have been its big draw, and the quality when using the Slingbox was far superior to what you get when tuned into the internet TV streams.
But if you live outside of a main urban area, you'll likely find the regular lost 3G signal very frustrating if watching the TV. It really highlights just how many areas currently don't get a signal.
But I do think this is the future of mobile services. While we test and some sign up to these infant 3G add ons, given time we'll see better quality services. And you can't just dismiss the service with comments like 'I'd never watch TV on my mobile'. And to those who think they can, I'd ask how many of you uttered the words 'I'd never own a mobile phone....' in the past. Many of you, I'd suggest.
So while I made the rather contradictory statement of I wouldn't recommend the service yet, that's because for me the price puts me off. With more compelling offerings, I might be tempted - throw in a decent broadband connection for that £45 for instance and I'd start seeing why I need to watch TV on my phone and access my PC on the move.
Read a full review of 3's X-Series Gold package
Posted by Rob Jones on February 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Samsung travel guide for cameras
There is an interesting battle emerging in the convergence arena. Yes, it's that buzz word most of us have come to hate since 'convergence' usually means jack of all trades, master of none.
Mobile phones trying to become mp3 players/low resolution cameras have been around for a while now. The iPhone will add basic phone and camera functions to its pedigree in music playback to woo us and the final contender is the digital camera trying to do some of the same – act as decent music and video player (ok, so no phone functions… yet).
Samsung announced today it hopes to have 20 per cent of the UK camera market by 2009.
To do that it's gone wild trying to release as many new products as possible. In addition to the seven cameras it announced at the beginning of January it has since added the S1030, a cheaper 10megapixel camera than the S1050, the L74 Wide, which has a 28mm wide-angle lens for wide pics and the 10megapixel NV11.
Perhaps the most intriguing digital camera is the L77, which is one of the first true convergence products from the digital camera space. Depending on how you flip the screen it will act as a movie player, mp3 player or digital camera.
The movie mode is very average and has a mangled aspect ratio. The mp3 player is fine, except you have to use a 2.5mm headphone jack which, as any PDA owner will know, is about as useful as public transport on a snowy day in London.
It also features Samsung's new Tour Guide software that is a kind of mini-travel encyclopaedia for its digital cameras. The software currently indexes 2,600 cities across the world with travel, sight-seeing and historical information as well as a few pictures of major landmarks.
I think this is a good idea for travellers who run about snapping up their vacations but the software crashed when we tried it and a Samsung official subsequently whisked the device away.
Considering you can download pretty much all of Wikipedia minus images in a 1.4GB file, ideal for PDAs, it seems bizarre that Samsung is trying to start from scratch.
Here's a quick clip of the software (working):
Posted by Emil Larsen on February 8, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
PCW's PS3 first impressions
As if dealing with the biggest software launch in five years wasn't enough, a Playstation 3 landed on our desks yesterday.
So, even though some of us had been up since 4:30am and had a mountain of Vista stories to work through, we found the biggest TV in the office and had a little play on Sony's new baby.
Sony's PS3 UK-birth isn't due until March 23rd, but this is basically the retail unit you'll see in shops. It crashed once when playing Resistance: The Fall of Man (which looks rubbish anyway - think poor man's Gears of War) but the interface is very nice.
The game demos looked poor when compared with XBox360 games, but that should (should) change over time.
Posted by Emil Larsen on January 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Video review: Microsoft Windows Vista operating system
Microsoft's much hyped, and long anticipated, Windows Vista operating system is now available, and here we review some of the main new features.
Vista comes with a completely new look and is far more stable and secure than XP at launch. However, we'd advise people think carefully before upgrading. Using Microsoft's Window's Upgrade Advisor tool will tell you whether your hardware is up to scratch, and indicate potential problems with software programmes and peripherals you use.
It's then a case of deciding which version, and we think the Home Premium will suit most people. Basic is a little too, well, basic and at £250 for the upgrade and £325 for the full boxed version, Ultimate is likely to be out of the price range many are prepared to pay.
As for whether you should upgrade an XP machine, it depends on the type of user you are. Novices, anyone with a single PC they rely on and hardcore gamers are probably better of holding back for a couple of months, while some driver support issues are finalised. But if you're an expert, or have more than one PC, then Vista is a worthwhile upgrade.
You can also read a more in-depth review of Windows Vista on PCW.
Posted by Rob Jones on January 30, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Video review: Fujifilm Finepix F31fd
The Fujifilm Finepix F31fd may look like a standard digital camera, but it comes with face detection that the maker claims will always keep the main person in any photo in focus and correctly exposed.
In our tests we were not just impressed by the feature, which you can see in action in the video review, but also the camera itself. There were a few niggles, such as it selecting noisier high ISO speeds in Auto mode even when the lighting was good, but even so we liked this £199 camera.
As well as the video, you can read more on the Fujifilm Finepix F31fd online.
Posted by Rob Jones on January 24, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Photoshop CS3 preview now live
Last month Adobe released a public beta of Photoshop CS3 - the latest instalment of the industry-standard image editing suite.
We've now given it a thorough going over and, keeping in mind it's not the finished article, are impressed with the advances made.
Find out our thoughts, including how to download and test the beta version for yourself, by reading the Photoshop CS3 preview now.
Posted by Will Stapley on January 4, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Full Nintendo Wii review now live
After posting a sneak preview back in October, we can now bring you our full, in-depth review of Ninendo's Wii console.
The graphics can't match what the Xbox 360 is capable of and we were left a little disappointed Nintendo hasn't sorted out the online channels (live news, weather reports etc.), but as a source of amusement it's hard to beat.
At £180 it's an absolute bargain, but if you haven't already got bought one, you'll be hard pushed to get a Wii in time for Christmas - although Amazon did, for a very brief moment, have some in stock this morning.
Read the full Nintendo Wii review and leave your comments below.
Posted by Will Stapley on December 19, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Video review: Ion USB Turntable
Transferring vinyl to your PC can be a real drag, as it means connecting your hi-fi to your computer, and they may live in different rooms.
Ion has come up with the USB Turntable, which plugs directly into you computer and along with the free software, digitises your old classics.
You can read a full review on Computeractive.
Posted by Rob Jones on November 15, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (32) | TrackBack
Video review: Intel QX6700 quad core processor
Intel has brought out its Kentsfield quad core processor - the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 CPU.
It's the fastest processor through our lab to date, and here we demonstrate just how much quicker it is compared to the previous generation, the dual core Core 2 Extreme X6800.
You can also read a full review online, and compare its test results to other CPUs.
Click To Play
Posted by Rob Jones on November 9, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Tesco software reviews now live
As revealed in the Test Bed earlier this month, Tesco is taking on the office software market with a range of low-cost applications.
We've now posted reviews of both Tesco Complete Office and Tesco Photo Restyle.
As expected, both are strikingly similar to Ability Office's applications, which is hardly surprising since Ability Office is developed by Formjet, the same company supplying Tesco with its software.
Pricing is extremely low, with the Photo Restyle package only £9.97 - considering the features you get, it's pretty good value for money.
Watch out for a review of Tesco Internet Security in the coming days...
Posted by Will Stapley on November 8, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
BenQ's DC X720 digicam: style over substance?
We spent last weekend playing with our review sample of BenQ's DC X720 - apparently the world's smallest 7megapixel digital camera.
The slick chassis certainly looks the business, but photo quality is far more important that a snazzy design and, sadly for BenQ, the DC X720 struggles.
Image noise is rampant, even when shooting in well lit conditions, and it has trouble keeping focus at the edges.
Its slim design will appeal to those who want a camera for nights out, but the similarly styled 6megapixel Nikon Coolpix S6 is now available for around the same price (£179) and capable of taking far better photos - and we very much doubt anyone would miss the extra megapixel.
Full review coming soon...
Posted by Will Stapley on November 6, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Intel QX6700 quad-core processor review
As you will have read below, Intel has lifted the lid on its new QX6700 quad-core processor (codenamed: Kentsfield) and we've now got one of the first reviews.
Although it will take some time for software developers to take advantage of all four cores, our benchmark tests show it's got plenty of potential.
But with the Core 2 Duo's overclocking capabilities, are you better off sticking with two cores and saving some money? Read our review to find out.
Later today we'll also be posting a review of Hi-Grade's quad-core PC and the Intel motherboard that supports it, so keep your eyes peeled.
Posted by Will Stapley on November 2, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Netgear's 200Mbit/sec claim falls short of the mark
We're in the process of testing Netgear's HDXB101 mains networking kit.
Although marketed as delivering throughput up to 200Mbits/sec, we weren't at all surprised to find actual throughput much lower.
Initial tests show it to average at around 25-30Mbits/sec - faster than most wireless connections, but way off Netgear's claim. When we plugged one of the units into a four-plug adaptor, throughput plummeted to around 5Mbits/sec.
Another issue we have is the physical design of the units. Due to their bulky nature, you're unlikely to be able to fit it alongside another plug on a dual-plug wall socket.
Despite its drawbacks, it's still one of the fastest mains networking devices we've seen. We'll be posting our full review in the next couple of days.
Posted by Will Stapley on October 12, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: RIM's polished Blackberry Pearl
Although previously aimed directly at the corporate market, RIM has decided to give its latest Blackberry a distinctly consumer look and feel.
The fact it's called the Pearl and not solely the 8100 indicates RIM's desire to push it's mobile towards those more familiar with the funky sounding Motorola Razr and LG Chocolate phones.
As you'll find out by reading the full review, we're extremely impressed with it and it's one of the very few products to review 5 out 5 across the board.
Posted by Will Stapley on October 4, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Latest reviews: Core 2 Duo PCs and Apple's iPod& Mac Mini
You can't fail to have noticed the impact Core 2 Duo has had on the PC market. Previously ignored by gamers, Intel has pulled out all the stops to kick AMD to the sidelines with its new processors.
If you're in the market for a new PC, why not check out the models in our Core 2 Duo group test? Ranging from £1,399 to £1,499, these PCs really pack a punch and all come complete with 19in TFT.
We've also just posted reviews of both the new iPod and Mac Mini from Apple - watch out for a review of the Nano in the next couple of days.
Posted by Will Stapley on September 27, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Video review: Panasonic Toughbook CF-74 drop test
Panasonic claims its Toughbook can withstand a rugged enviornment better than the average laptop.
We drop tested the laptop as per Panasonic's specs, which was that all parts would survive a drop of a disappointly low 30cm - the height of an A4 sheet of paper.
At first we thought all was fine, but further inspection after the video revealed there was a breakage.
Posted by Rob Jones on September 25, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Group test: HDCP compliant monitors
We've uploaded a group review of HDCP (high bandwidth digital content protection) compliant monitors. You'll need one of these new displays to watch protected high-definition video on your PC.
These aren't by any means the only monitors capable of displaying high definition content but we're sure that the movie industry will press hard for HDCP given the ease at which current DVD movies can be ripped and then distributed online.
We've reviewed five models, including ones from Dell, Samsung and Sony. You can view the group test here.
Posted by Marc Delehanty on September 22, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Wikipedia in your pocket
Webaroo has created a novel way of cheating at pub quizzes: carry the entire Wikipedia database around with you in your mobile device.
Fast fact fans will delight at being able to access articles on just about anything without having to connect to the internet.
Webaroo makes software which downloads large swathes of the web and enables you to surf without being connected to the web. You can't, obviously, interact with websites to book tickets or purchase things when using Webaroo but searching Wikipedia seems like a good use of this software.
The Wikipedia pack for Webaroo is 6GB in size (although you can break it down by category) and is just a recent snapshot of the constantly changing online encyclopedia. Webaroo is available as a free download.
Posted by Marc Delehanty on September 14, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Canon EOS 400D review now live
We've just posted our review of Canon's EOS 400D - successor to the incredibly popular 350D.
It faces some stiff competition from the Sony A100 and the forthcoming Nikon D80, but overall we're impressed with Canon's latest digital SLR.
Read the full Canon's EOS 400D review.
Posted by Will Stapley on September 8, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Latest reviews now live
Archos AV 700 TV
For anyone making trips to mainland Europe that wants a portable TV, Mp3 player and method of saving photos from a digital camera, the Archos AV 700 TV is a good choice
X-oom Podcast Studio 1.08
X-oom Podcast Studio is a good attempt at making podcasts easy, but it's too much of an all-rounder to impress.
Sumvision Yumi Pro 2GB
The Yumi Pro is a great value mp3 player and does just about everything, but the problem is it doesn't really doing anything particularly well.
Rock Xtreme CTX Pro
Intel's new Core 2 Duo processor impresses but doesn’t over-awe in this Rock Extreme CTX Pro gaming notebook
Logitech MX Revolution
For serious mouse users, there aren't many devices that fit as well as the Logitech MX Revolution and have as many features
Posted by Will Stapley on September 4, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Latest reviews: £1,299 PC group test and more
Intempo iDS-02 iPod speaker system
On of the more unusual Ipod speaker systems currently on the market, this Intempo model is shaped like a bowling ball. It's no good for parties, but is fine for lounge and bedroom use.
Netac A200 portable media player
Not only is this a great value portable media player, but it also comes with an FM transmitter so you can listen to it on a nearby radio.
Acer Aspire 5652 notebook with Vodafone HSDPA
Thanks to its built-in HSDPA module, this Acer notebook can access the Internet at 1.8Mb, but it's not particularly small and the battery life is disappointing.
Group test: £1,299 PCs
In the market for a new PC? As our group test shows, for just under £1,300 you can pick up some powerful Vista-ready systems. We also show you how to safely install the Beta of Vista on your PC.
Posted by Will Stapley on August 18, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Shuttle Mini X 100HA Review
The X 100HA is a small form factor (SFF) PC which caught our eye in the labs this week. It's pretty unusual in that the case is much smaller than with regular SFF PCs. Does it measure up as a media PC?
Find out by reading our: full review of the Shuttle Mini X 100HA.
Also, myself and Will Stapley (PCW's Reviews Editor) have a chat about it in our weekly podcast: Shuttle Mini X 100HA podcast. If you haven't been listening to them, we've got an archive of our podcasts online.
Posted by Marc Delehanty on August 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
IBM Personal Computer Model 5150 - reviewed!
In 1981, PCW wrote a world exclusive review of the very first IBM PC.
Costing upwards of $1,265, it came with a minimum of 16KB Ram and an Intel 8088 4.77MHz processor.
As you can see in this original advert from the time, this price soon rocketed once you started adding luxuries such as a 10MB hard drive.
Our reviewer got it spot on when he concluded: "In a word, it's a knockout".
To celebrate its 25th birthday today, we've got an abridged version of this review. You can also take a closer look at the Model 5150 in our image gallery.
Have you got a working IBM Personal Computer Model 5150? Does it still work? Do you actually still use it? Leave your comments below...
Posted by Will Stapley on August 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Review & Podcast: Dell XPS M2010 Media Center notebook
Notebooks don't get much bigger than Dell's 20in XPS M2010. With a detachable keyboard, Media Center operating system and slick design, it's a real crowd pleaser.
Weighing over 8kg, it's not something you'd want to carry around for any length of time, while the £1,999 minimum price tag (our review model costs a fair bit more) will no doubt scare off many potential buyers.
To find out more, listen to our Product of the Week podcast and then read our full Dell XPS M2010 review.
Posted by Will Stapley on August 7, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
PCW Product of the Week podcast
Our latest Product of the Week podcast has just gone live.
We discuss Wired2Fire's latest gaming PC, the Pyro 64 FX. Instead of Intel's new Core 2 Duo processor, it uses an Athlon 4800+ from AMD.
Thanks to recent price cuts from AMD, Wired2Fire managed to shave £200 off the price, bringing it down to £1,699. It also comes with SLI graphics and an impressive array of peripherals for gamers.
Listen to the podcast, then review the full Wired2Fire Pyro 64 FX review.
Posted by Will Stapley on August 1, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The latest PC and notebook reviews
In case you missed them, here's run down of our latest PC and notebook reviews:
Sony Vaio TX3
Small, stylish, but also rather sluggish, the new TX3 from Sony is an expensive notebook for those on regularly the move.
Wired2Fire Pyro 64 FX
No, it's no a Core 2 Duo PC. Instead, Wired2Fire has stuck with AMD to produce this gaming system. Thanks to recent Athlon price drops, it's only £1,699 for the whole package.
Evesham Solar Plus
Looking for a Core 2 Duo PC but don't want to break the bank? Evesham manages to keep the price down to £1,399 with this system.
Rock Xtreme CTX T2700
With a 17in screen and Nvidia Geforce Go 7900 GTX graphics, this is a powerful desktop replacement for gamers.
Acer Aspire 9410
An impressive Core Duo notebook at a good price, but Core 2 Duo for notebooks is just round the corner.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 31, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Reviews: Media, multi-monitors and monster laptops
Mediaman HVX-3500
This nifty box turns any 3.5in hard drive into a high-definition media player. Sadly there's no form of networking (wired or wireless), instead it hooks up direct to your TV.
Matrox TH2Go
Like the idea of a 30in screen but can't afford the £1,500 asking price? Matrox's TH2Go lets you hook up three screens to a single PC - laptop or desktop.
£1,599 laptop group test
If you want the portability of a laptop but also demand the power of a desktop, check out our group test of the latest high-end notebooks.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 20, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: Intel's Core 2 Duo & Core 2 Extreme processors
Once you’ve gawped at Core 2 Duo and Extreme benchmark results, take a look at our full review of the two processors.
We’ll be posting more Core 2-related reviews throughout the day, inculding a Core 2 Extreme PC and a Core 2 Duo/Extreme motherboard, so watch this space.
Review: Core 2 Duo/Extreme review
Posted by Will Stapley on July 14, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: Sky+ Remote Record
There's nothing more frustrating than being delayed at work and, as a consequence, getting home late and missing your favourite TV show.
Actually, in the grand scheme of things the above scenario probably isn't the most frustrating thing that can happen to you, but it's still pretty annoying.
And now, thanks to new Remote Record service from Sky, it's a thing of the past for Sky+ subscribers.
As you'll find out by reading our review, Remote Record works by sending record requests from your mobile phone to your Sky+ or Sky+ HD box.
At present you can send requests via text message or by using the Sky by Mobile site, but Sky is in the process of offering Remote Record on its standard website - the advantage being you won't have to pay for text messaging or 3G/GPRS data charges.
Read our full Remote Record review then sign up for it via Sky's website.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
PCW Product of the Week podcast
Our latest PCW Product of the Week podcast is now live.
We discuss Sony's LocationFree TV streaming device and how it squares up against the stiff competition from Sling Media's Slingbox.
Listen to the podcast now and then read both the LocationFree and Slingbox reviews.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 10, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: Casio Exilim Z1000
We’ve just posted our review of Casio’s Exilim Z1000 digital camera.
Although we’re a little disappointed Casio has stoked up the megapixel war even further (this pocket digicam packs 10 million pixels), it’s still a decent camera and is capable of taking reasonably good photos.
Considering a single shot at the highest resolution is 4MB, the 8MB internal memory is next to useless. There’s also no SD card included so you’ll have to factor that into the price.
Read the full Casio Exilim Z1000 review.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 6, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sony's LocationFree no match for the impressive Slingbox
Our Sony LocationFree review is now live.
Similar in functionality to Sling Media's Slingbox, LocationFree lets you watch your home TV over the Internet.
When we heard both Sony and the lesser-known Sling Media were about to release rival devices, there was little doubt in our minds that Sony's vast resources and impressive history would quickly force the Slingbox out of the market.
Imagine our surprise when we discovered the Slingbox manages to beat LocationFree in a number of different areas.
Read our LocationFree review, then check out the Slingbox alternative.
Posted by Will Stapley on July 3, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Time for a monitor upgrade? Check out our latest reviews
If you TFT is looking a little long in the tooth or, even worse, you’re still burning your eyes out with a bulky CRT, we’ve reviewed a glut of decent monitors over the past week or so.
Here’s the cream of the crop:
Samsung Syncmaster 940MW
With built-in tuner, this 19in TFT is suitable for both work and play
HP LP2465
A 24in widescreen monitor with flexible ergonomics and good software support.
Viewsonic VP2330wb 23in TFT monitor
A decent 23in TFT with good specifications, but there are cheaper alternatives
Samsung Syncmaster 940BW
A low-cost and stylish 19in TFT for gamers and widescreen multimedia use
Fujitsu-Siemens Scenicview P24-1W
An impressive large format widescreen TFT monitor with built-in image scaling
Bamboo Monitor
A 15in TFT carved from bamboo
Posted by Will Stapley on June 29, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: Sanyo Xacti digital camcorder
If you want a light camcorder that is pretty easy to use and produces decent quality images (depending on your filming capabilites), it is worth checking our review of Sanyo' s latest Xacti.
Impressively, the VPC-C6E has a 6megapixel stills camera, better than many that we have seen attached to camcorders.
Video is not high definition, but still fine for most people, and you can get about an hour's footage on the supplied 1GB card.
Full Sanyo Xacti VPC-C6E review
Posted by Rob Jones on June 27, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sony LocationFree: First impressions
We've just started testing Sony's LocationFree - rival to the impressive Sling Media Slingbox that lets you watch your home TV over the Internet.
UPDATE: Our full review of LocationFree is now live.
Trying to get it to talk to our router wirelessly (something the Slingbox won't do without a wireless bridge) is proving to be a challenge, but it's working fine over a standard wired connection.
Annoyingly, we forgot LocationFree will only allow the software to be installed on one PC at a time - extra copies cost £19.99 each. So, with the software CD sitting in a laptop 20 miles from the office, we're unable to tell you how it performs over the Internet until tomorrow.
With the Slingbox this wouldn't have been an issue as you can download the software online for free as many times are you like.
Surely Sony must follow suit or change the product's name to from LocationFree to Location£19.99.
It's also interesting to note that Sony must either be in a very generous mood or, more likely, scared stiff of the competition posed by the cheaper Slingbox. We were originally told LocationFree would cost a staggering £350, but over on the official SonyStyle website you can now pick it up for £229 inc VAT - quite a saving.
It's still more expensive than the Slingbox (£179.99), but it does let you watch video streams on your Sony PSP.
We'll be posting our full review of LocationFree later this week. In the meantime, check out our Slingbox review and have a listen to our podcast.
Posted by Will Stapley on June 26, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Product of the week podcast
We talked about the anti-iPod noises that Sandisk has been making on the blog a few weeks ago.
Well, this week our product of the week podcast features Sandisk's own Sansa e260.
We've been playing around with the e260 for the last week so hopefully you'll find our insights useful.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Posted by Marc Delehanty on June 23, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sony's first digital SLR - Alpha 100 - reviewed
Sony has brought out its first digital SLR in its Alpha range, the a100, and sister site Computeractive was among the first titles to get an early look at the camera.
It uses lenses from Konica Minolta, which it now owns, and promises more will come out during the latter part of the year.
Computeractive has a first looks review of Sony’s Alpha 100 on its site, and while perhaps not ready to dethrone the big boys that dominate the entry level dSLR market – Nikon, Canon and Olympus – we think it’s an impressive debut with some neat touches.
Posted by Rob Jones on June 15, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Review: BT Broadband Talk VoIP service
Over the past few days we've been trying out BT Broadband Talk, the incumbents telco's voice over IP offering.
Although, as ever with BT, its pricing plan is a little confusing, the call clarity is excellent. We didn't experience any of the 'dead air' you can sometimes get with digital VoIP calls, when both parties stop talking and the silence makes it sound like you have lost the connection.
Calls to the UK are a little pricey, but its international rates are competitive. You can read more in our full review of BT Broadband Talk, but overall we were impressed by the quality of the service and optional router supplied with it.
Posted by Rob Jones on June 13, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Kiss DP-600 media streamer review
We’ve just posted our review of the Kiss DP-600.
Thanks to its HDMI port, it’s capable of streaming HD content from your PC to your HD Ready TV as well as play DVDs and Internet radio stations.
Although streaming standard DivX files over an 802.11g wireless network is just about possible, you’ll need to use the wired Ethernet connection when watching HD material.
Sadly there’s no built-in hard drive and the cooling can get a little noisy, but the DP-600 is a stylish and feature-rich media streamer from Kiss.
Read the full review of the Kiss DP-600.
Posted by Will Stapley on June 12, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Product of the Week podcast
Our latest Product of the Week podcast has just gone live. In it we discuss the merits of Nikon’s latest digicam the Coolpix S6.
With stylish and slim design, it’s a great camera for your summer holidays and is capable of taking quality photos.
Listen to the podcast and then read the full Nikon Coolpix S6 review.
Posted by Will Stapley on June 12, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Reviews: Large monitors from Fujitsu-Siemens and Viewsonic
Bigger is generally better and this can hardly be truer than for desktop monitors. We've taken a good look at the 24 inch Fujitsu-Siemens Scenicview P24-1W and Viewsonic's 23 inch VP2330wb.
Despite their uninspiring name codes, these widescreen monitors were
pretty good even if they cost more than most complete mid level PC systems.
The full reviews can be found here:
Fujitsu-Siemens P24-1W review
Viewsonic VP2330wb review
Posted by Marc Delehanty on June 8, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) |