Multi-terabyte hard drives coming in 2010

If we ever needed evidence for the booming market in hard drives with previously unthinkable volumes of storage, then look no further than TDK's upcoming jumbo HDDs.

According to the Register, a TDK presentation to financial analysts revealed, among other things, a new manufacturing process that will put 640GB on a single HDD platter.

Coming soon

As the 3.5-inch drives used in desktop PCs typically hold four or five platters, that suggests a whopping 3.2TB hard disk before long.

Looking at the likely timing, the presentation suggests the new manufacturing technology could put the giant drives in shops as early as February next year.

Careless Facebook use may cost you a job

Generally, stating the obvious is a very annoying habit of far too many people, however when it comes to commonsense and social networking it seems like the imperative to be sensible is well worth repeating.

The latest example of what not to do online comes from a Reuters report advising us all not to give away too much on FaceBook or Twitter in case prospective employers find out about it.

Dead dogs

It cites a PR specialist, pointing out FaceBook posts about, "colonoscopies, dead teeth pulled, dead dogs, flatulence, adult acne, marital breakups, battles with mental illnesses and drinking problems."

Going on to put that avalanche of banality in the context of someone looking for a new job, it concludes: "If this information can make friends cringe... imagine the impression it would make on a potential employer."

Drugs as well

Throw in examples of people posting photos of themselves smoking drugs and making racist and/or sexist jokes and you have a pretty bleak picture of an online confederacy of dunces who'd likely never get up most days, never mind find a job.

Our advice, for what it's worth - next time you're considering putting anything at all personal online, just don't; it's tedious for us to read and might just stop you from snaring that big fat contract.

ITV to rebrand its HD channel for Freeview HD

ITV will rebrand its high definition channel as ITV1 HD when it launches on Freeview HD at the end of this year.

Currently ITV HD only runs at certain times on the Freesat platform, via red button interactive services.

However, the arrival of Freeview HD at the end of the year in Granada, and the subsequent roll-out over Britain, will see the channel rebranded.

Familiarity

ITV said: "The simulcast service will exploit the power of the ITV1 brand, the familiarity of the audience with the architecture of the schedule as well as the fact that ITV invests 90 per cent of the ITV1 programme budget in the peak time schedule."

This appears to clear the way for any future HD channel additions from the independent broadcaster – who runs four channels and a timeshifted fifth in digital standard definition.

The broadcaster is beginning to ramp up its HD drama, and the 2010 World Cup next summer will be available in high definition.

Via WotSat

App Stores Are Not Democracies

Analysis: If handsets are becoming PCs, then why is the software distribution model so different?

I'm not sure we should be thinking of handsets as little PCs and trying to get a zillion applications running on them, but, OK, if we're going to run apps on our handsets, then what's the right model for distributing those apps? Apple has shown that the vertically-integrated hardware/software/services model has real legs, and other app stores from handset vendors, carriers, and OS developers are appearing. This of course leads to two key questions: do app stores concentrate too much power (even to the point of monopoly) in one place, and what's the best model for the app store itself -- handset vendor, carrier, OS developer, or perhaps something else altogether?

I have for some time argued that any given vendor should not be allowed to monopolize a "natural" interface in their products. Openness has traditionally been the case with PCs, where one is free to run whatever OS one wants (assuming one builds one's own PC or otherwise ignores the expense associated with a bundled OS that is not used), and equally free to run whatever applications one wants, whether self-developed or obtained from any (and I do mean any) source. The natural interfaces of the hardware and OS APIs encourage innovation and ultimately enable the offering of the greatest flexibility and value to the consumer. They also prevent too much power from being concentrated in the hands of any given player in the hardware/systems software/OS food chain, which could (and, in Microsoft's case, does) result in an effective monopoly. In other words, vendors, build what you want, but keep in mind that you're here first and foremost to serve a customer and optimize for the customer experience and to satisfy, at the lower possible cost, customer needs - and not just to make money via the artificial restraint of trade.

App stores run by a handset manufacturers, OS vendor, or carriers violate this ideal if the consumer is left with no other choice to obtain apps. So, as long as we have a competitive market in apps and app stores, all is well. In the case of the iPhone, however, we don't. Apple sells you the hardware, but you're bound to a single carrier and a single source of apps. Sure, there are tens of thousands of applications, but certain apps, like Google's, are just plain banned, while others of questionable (to say the least) value and taste get approved. Remember, this is the only place to get apps for your iPhone. Is there too much power concentrated here for the purpose of simply boosting profits at the expense of the customer? Um, duh, yeah. No question about it.

If you, dear user, want to play in this world and you do not find these restrictions objectionable, then go right ahead. But I think it's time for the regulators (do we still, by the way, have regulators? It seems they're really on the side of business, not the consumer who pays the bills. I mean, we bailed out a lot of very rich people on Wall Street, perhaps in the interest of saving jobs, but the bills we'll have to pay in the form of higher taxes and serious inflation make it look like the government really doesn't give a crap about mere workers and consumers anymore. But I digress.) to separate church and state, and make sure that natural interfaces remain open.

In the meantime, I think we need more app stores like the venerable Handango, that are independent of vendors. Competition, as is always the case, is the key to making sure we're getting the most, and the most for our money.

For more information about enterprise networking, go to NetworkWorld. Story copyright 2008 Network World Inc. All rights reserved.

Is the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 Right for You?

Research In Motion's (RIM) brand new BlackBerry Curve 8520 is now on sale in the United States, through T-Mobile. The Curve 8520, RIM's third iteration of the Curve, falls directly in the middle of both RIM and T-Mobile's Curve product lines.

After T-Mobile initially released the Curve 8320 in September, 2007, it quickly became one of the carrier's best selling smartphones. More than a year later, T-Mobile was the first U.S. carrier to release RIM's second-generation Curve, the BlackBerry 8900. And today, the carrier is first to offer the next Curve, the BlackBerry 8520.

Tuesday, I attended RIM's Curve 8520 launch event in New York City, where the company showed off all kinds of up-and-coming wares along with the new device. I spent quite a bit of time with the new Curve and was able to mostly size it up.

Now, on to the Curve 8520 features and technical specifications, as well as my breakdown of why the new Curve could be a perfect fit for you--or not.

And if you're interested in additional BlackBerry devices, check out my takes on the BlackBerry Curve 8900 or Tour 9630.

How to Tell if the BlackBerry Curve 8520 is for You

First and foremost, are you a T-Mobile customer or are you considering switching to T-Mobile? If not, you'll want to pass on the new Curve 8520, since it's currently a T-Mobile exclusive. (Additional carriers, including Verizon Wireless, are expected to release the Curve 8530, dubbed "BlackBerry Aries," in the future, and AT&T will likely get its own 8520 variant.)

If switching your carrier to T-Mobile is a possibility, you'll want to make sure that T-Mobile provides adequate service in the areas where you live, work or spend most of your time.

The best way to determine if you reside or work in an area with strong T-Mobile coverage is to speak with a friend, colleague, neighbor, etc., who uses the carrier on a daily basis. Get general impressions of each carrier's coverage in your areas. Then check out the appropriate online coverage maps. And visit a T-Mobile retail location to speak with company representatives. In other words, do a bit of research.

If you find that T-Mobile coverage isn't up to snuff where you roam most often, you'll probably want to avoid the BlackBerry Curve 8520--at least for now.

Next up, some quick technical specifications from RIM:

• Quad-band GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850/900/1800/1900MHz)

• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)

• UMA support; T-Mobile HotSpot @Home Wi-Fi calling

• 2.0 MP camera with 5X digital zoom and video recording (No flash)

• 256MB Flash Memory

• High-resolution 320 X 240 pixel screen

• 1150 mAHr removable/rechargeable cryptographic Lithium cell battery (same as Curve 83xx family)

• DataViz Documents To Go

• Support for BlackBerry Media Sync (iTunes playlist sync)

• BlackBerry OS v4.6.1

• Expandable memory slot for up to 16GB of storage

• Support for the messaging capabilities of the BlackBerry platform, including push e-mail, popular instant messaging applications and premium phone features

The feature that really jumps out at me about the BlackBerry Curve 8520 is the brand new trackpad that replaced the traditional BlackBerry trackball found on the majority of RIM's newer devices. The Curve 8520 is the first BlackBerry to sport the trackpad, and I like it very much. It's not quite as sensitive as a BlackBerry trackball, so I bumped up the sensitivity settings, but it didn't take long before I felt like I'd been using it for years.

Next, Curve 8520 pricing. Make no mistake about it: This is a BlackBerry, and BlackBerrys are typically associated with business users. The Curve 8520 lives up to its BlackBerry name, offering RIM's tried-and-true messaging and security features, but this device is aimed at any entry-level smartphone audience, both enterprise and consumer. As such, it should be priced accordingly.

My take: Whoever sets T-Mobile's pricing on new devices needs a very long nap or something else restorative, because the company's introductory price of $129.99 with a new service plan is ridiculous. (The higher-end Curve 8900, which has a number of features left out of the new Curve, including a much better camera and flash, as well as both Wi-Fi and GPS, sells for only $20 more.)

Thankfully, Wal-Mart has stepped in and decided to sell the new Curve for a much more reasonable--and appropriate--price: $48.88 with a new two-year service contract. That's a great price for a new BlackBerry, and I suspect T-Mobile will soon be forced to drop its price to compete.

The Curve 8520 is also the first BlackBerry to feature dedicated media player controls. The device has three media-centric buttons on its top side: Play/Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward. These should be valuable to anyone who frequently uses a BlackBerry to listen to music via headphones or via stereo transmitters like RIM's BlackBerry Speakerphone Visor Mount. (Note: The Curve 8520 also has a standard, 3.5mm headset jack, so you can use your favorite headphones.)

T-Mobile's great HotSpot @Home Wi-Fi calling service is also available to Curve 8520 users, enabling them to make free Wi-Fi calls whenever they're at home. (Read about the pros and cons of dual-mode, "VoWi-Fi phones" like T-Mobile's BlackBerry Curve lineup.)

The new Curve is speedy; it packs the same 512MHz processor found in its elder-Curve-8900-brother. The Curve 83xx family features 312MHz processors.

Like all of RIM's devices since the Pearl Flip 8220, the Curve 8520 has a microUSB port for charging and syncing data.

It comes in two colors: Frost blue and black. And a variety of colorful skins are available for customization.

And the device ships with a 1GB microSD memory card.

Finally, my two minor gripes: the underwhelming two megapixel camera and the fact that the Curve 8520 doesn't come with any sort of case.

Two megapixel quality is not enough for this device. All of RIM's new devices--except the Curve 8520, of course--have 3.2 megapixel cameras, with features like autofocus. But that's not even the worst part. The Curve 8520 has no flash, let alone auto-focus functionality.

For a consumer-oriented device, the lack of a flash is significant, to say the least. The iPhone has been repeatedly blasted for its lack of a camera flash, but I suspect RIM justified its decision to leave out the Curve 8520 flash because of the iPhone. (Hey, if the iPhone doesn't have it, not ALL of our devices need it either, right?)

I asked RIM why it decided to forego the flash and was told it was to reduce manufacturing costs. That's understandable, and the $50 Wal-Mart price point sure is nice, but I still think the Curve 8520 should have a flash.

Finally, the Curve 8520, Storm and the Pearl Flip 82xx are the only current BlackBerry devices that don't come with any sort of case. I'm sure the decision not to include a holster, slip-case or skin is related to cost-cutting, as well, but it rubs me the wrong way, just the same.

There you have it, a quick breakdown of the brand new BlackBerry Curve 8520 from T-Mobile. Still looking for additional smartphone options? Check out "Forget iPhone 3G S: Eight Great New iPhone Alternatives."

Microsoft Boosts Windows 7 Graphics With Hardware

Microsoft is trying to improve the visuals in Windows 7 by working with hardware makers on a software interface that maximizes the use of graphics cards.

The OS will support a new API (application programming interface) called DirectX 11 that enables better gaming through more realistic graphics and faster playback of multimedia files. The software giant is working with top graphics chip makers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices on those features.

The DirectX 11 graphics drivers are designed to help Windows 7 effectively break up tasks over multiple cores to boost application and graphics performance. For example, Windows 7 will process video faster by unloading the task from the CPU to graphics processor cores.

Nvidia has been able to use DirectX compute capabilities in Windows 7 to accelerate tasks like manipulating images or playing DVDs via its graphics processing unit, said Ned Finkle, vice president of strategic marketing at Nvidia, in a video posted on Microsoft's Windows 7 Web site.

"Microsoft did a number of things within the operating system that allow us to take the computing horsepower we developed for visual computing and apply it to a range of tasks that have never been seen before," Finkle said.

Beyond simple multimedia tasks, AMD said DirectX 11 harnesses the massive parallel processing capabilities of GPUs to improve gaming on PCs, said Neal Robison, director of independent software vendor relations at AMD.

"We're going to see gaming at a whole new level of realism that you've never been able to experience before because it just hasn't been possible," Robison said.

He also said that Windows 7 could speed up conversion of video for playback on portable devices. Users will be able to drag and drop video from PCs to portable devices, with DirectX 11 enabling video conversion on the fly.

While Microsoft has built native DirectX 11 support in Windows 7, users will benefit only with capable hardware. AMD in June showed off a prototype DirectX 11 graphics processing unit, but is yet to formally announce a product.

In a blog entry posted Thursday,

AMD's Robin Maffeo, a Microsoft alliance manager, wrote "there are plans to make native DirectX 11 hardware from AMD in its ATI Radeon GPUs available when Windows 7 is released."

Current graphics cards and integrated graphics on chipsets carry support for DirectX 10 or 10.1.

The ability to break up tasks is an evolutionary step for Microsoft in developing operating systems, said Dan Olds, principal analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group. As users demand heavier graphics from PCs, it is in Microsoft's best interests to offer an operating system that breaks up tasks across multiple graphics cores and CPUs, he said.

"In order to be able to get performance from succeeding generations, you have to have a multicore-aware operating system," Olds said. Execution of tasks on a single core isn't highly efficient, which was a problem that plagued earlier operating systems, Olds said.

The DirectX 11 enhancements could also encourage more developers to build games for Windows 7 and help the company keep pace with competition.

One company competing with Microsoft is Apple, which has changed the basic architecture of its upcoming Mac OS X 10.6 OS, code-named Snow Leopard, to include new features that divvy up graphics and other tasks over multiple CPU and graphics cores. It builds in support for OpenCL, a set of programming tools to develop and manage parallel task execution.

Nvidia and AMD have said they would support DirectX 11 and OpenCL. Intel, which offers integrated graphics on chipsets, in June released updated graphics drivers for Windows 7, but it carried support for only DirectX 10.

Why Attack Twitter?

Twitter and Facebook were hit today with denial-of-service attacks that can knock a site offline, but don't steal information or cause permanent damage. The question is, why?

Both sites have lately become attractive targets for online crooks who try to trick users into installing malware on their PCs. Malicious tweets or Facebook messages might promise some great new video, but instead install fake security software. Kaspersky today posted about the most social engineering attacks used by the "Koobface" malware against Facebook and Twitter users.

But today's attacks against the sites are different. Denial-of-service attacks, or DoS, overwhelm a site or service with so much garbage data that it can't respond to normal requests. Your browser might ask a site to send the text, code and images used to display its Web page, but during a DoS attack the site is snowed under and can't respond. So you don't see anything.

These types of attacks are usually distributed attacks, or DDoS, meaning the flood of data comes from many different sources. Usually that means a botnet - a botnet controller can order every infected PC in the botnet to send garbage data to a particular site. When a given botnet might comprise tens or hundreds of thousands of bot-infected PCs, that ends up being more than enough garbage data to overwhelm many sites.

But while crooks can and do make a good deal of money with malware and fake security software, and use any number of tricks to get it on PCs, denial-of-service attacks don't install malware. They don't steal data that might be sold, and while DoS attackers have in the past used the assaults to demand a ransom from the victim sites, there's no word of such a request from either Facebook or Twitter. And large sites aren't usually the target for such (already uncommon) extortion attempts. So why are they happening?

Malware wants to quietly steal and make money, but DoS attacks are generally meant to hurt their target in a very public fashion. And one commentator, Randy Abrams of ESET, which makes antivirus software, guesses that Twitter in particular might have ticked off the bad guys by fighting back against malware attacks. He notes that Twitter has recently begun filtering URLs to block those used in malicious tweets, which might have hurt the crooks' bottom line.

But Abrams also writes that "there are still other ways thieves can make money and they make none at all if Twitter is down," and that the DDoS attacks might come from someone more interested in notoriety than immediate gain. A "look-at-me" idiot, or even someone who wants to advertise the power of their available-for-hire botnet.

We'll likely get more clues as to the why of these DDoS attacks, but right now it's mostly a guessing game. Check PC World's home page for further updates, as well as Twitter's status page. McAfee has also posted some commentary on the attacks, and says it's researching to find out more.

Send Anonymous Criticisms from NiceCritic.com

Problem: Your sister-in-law talks too much. Your co-worker has deadly coffee-breath. Your neighbor leaves his barking dog outside at all hours of the day and night.

Solution: Three quick shots of whiskey and one of those ring-the-bell-win-a-prize carnival mallets.

No, no, no, that's terrible! I'm kidding. Kidding! The solution is NiceCritic.com, a site that lets you send gentle but helpful criticisms anonymously.

All you do is pick a category (Appearance, Personal Hygiene, Office Behavior, etc.), choose a canned message from within that category, and then provide the person's name and e-mail address.

Presto! Your criticism gets delivered, the offender adjusts his or her behavior, and the world becomes a better place. All thanks to you.

Seriously, I think services like this are great for dealing with awkward situations in a harmless, non-confrontational way. And, yes, a NiceCritic message may cause hurt feelings, but I'd certainly want to know if my behavior or actions were bugging someone. (I'm really considerate that way. Modest, too!)

My only complaint is that you can't send a custom message--though I suppose there's a rationale behind that. NiceCritic's messages are polite and straightforward; yours might be, um, less so.

What do you think? Is NiceCritic the answer to a prayer, or should people step up and say what's on their minds? Speak yours in the comments.

Microsoft's Azure Moving out of Washington

Microsoft will soon move its Azure services off its data center in Washington, due to changes in the way such facilities are taxed in the state.

In a blog post earlier this week, the company informed early users of the Azure platform that they'll need to move their applications off the data center located in Quincy, Washington. Microsoft said it will soon offer users an automated tool that will help them migrate to its Southwest data center, most likely a reference to one in San Antonio, Texas.

"This change is in preparation for our migration out of the northwest region," the blog post reads. "Due to a change in local tax laws, we've decided to migrate Windows Azure applications out of our northwest data center prior to our commercial launch this November."

However, the company will continue to use the data center for other online services, a Microsoft spokesman said. He did not respond to a question about why Microsoft would pull the Azure services from the facility but still host others there.

The relevant tax issue began to unfold in late 2007 when Washington's attorney general wrote an opinion stating that data centers do not qualify as manufacturers, which in some areas of the state are exempt from paying taxes on new projects, including buildings and the equipment in them. Manufacturers in rural areas also get new employee business and occupation tax credits. Before that opinion was issued, some data center operators believed that they could be considered manufacturers and thus get those tax breaks.

After the attorney general's opinion made it clear that the data center operators would have to pay those taxes, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire drafted a bill that would have handed data center operators a discount on their taxes for equipment in the facilities, but the bill did not pass.

Politicians and residents in Washington regard the data centers with mixed feelings. Though hundreds of people may be employed to build the facilities, typically very few jobs are required to run and maintain them once they are built. "While the legislature considered several bills to extend favorable tax treatment to these centers, none passed due to concerns that the amount of tax that would be forgiven was very large compared to the few jobs that would be created," said Mike Gowrylow, a spokesman with the state's Department of Revenue.

Plus, tax incentives were not the only reason that companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo and Intuit built data centers in Washington. "There are a lot of other advantages here that I think outstrip the sales tax," he said. Hydro electricity is cheap and plentiful in the region, keeping operating costs for the data centers low. Land is also cheap, and people with high-tech skills are available from Seattle, which is near Quincy, he said.

Yahoo and Intuit did not reply to a request for comment about the tax situation in Washington.

An executive who used to run Microsoft's data center operations said these types of tax disputes will continue in the future. "You are essentially seeing the beginning of a cat and mouse game that will last for some time on a global basis," Mike Manos, senior vice president for Digital Realty Trust, wrote on his blog.

"States and governments are currently using their blunt, imprecise instruments of rule (regulations and taxes) to try and regulate something they do not yet understand but know they need to play a part of," he said.

He has worked on three data-center site selection programs and said that tax and regulation play a significant role in the decision process. "The reason is pure economics over the total lifetime of an installation," he wrote.

The OakLeaf Systems blog was one of the first to report on the Azure announcement, and the post includes some background on the tax issue.

Lenovo Sales Recover, but Still Under Pressure in Q2

Lenovo's PC sales began to recover in its latest fiscal quarter, but the world's fourth-biggest PC maker warned that the recession was not over as it posted a net loss Thursday.

Demand for PCs is still suffering in the West, and price competition has combined with rising component costs to pressure Lenovo's margins, executives said in a conference call.

"The operating environment continues to be challenging for PC makers," said Wong Wai Ming, Lenovo's CFO.

Lenovo reported sales of US$3.5 billion in its first fiscal quarter, ended June 30. The number was down 17.9 percent from a year earlier, even though PC shipments were up slightly over the same period.

Lenovo posted a quarterly net loss of $16 million, compared to a net profit of $110 million a year earlier.

The company has been hit by falling PC prices and rising costs for parts like LCD screens and memory, said company CEO Yang Yuanqing. Large enterprises in the U.S. and Western Europe are also continuing to delay new IT purchases, preventing recovery in the biggest market segment in those countries, Yang said.

Lenovo's quarterly sales figure was up about 25 percent from the previous three months, and its net loss was down substantially from $264 million in the previous quarter.

Lenovo this year began restructuring to enhance its focus on China and other rising economies. The company split its product groups into high- and low-end lines to separately target developed and emerging markets.

China is by far Lenovo's biggest market, but the company is also building a focus on India. Lenovo posted sequential sales growth of 23 percent in India, which is "still an underperforming market," Wong said.

Lenovo last month said it would triple its sales coverage in India to reach 300 cities this year.

While Lenovo released a series of netbooks to tap the growing demand for them in the last year, it does not expect that demand to continue rising, said Rory Read, chief operating officer for Lenovo.

The company has instead placed its hopes on a class of laptops powered by Intel's consumer ultra-low voltage (CULV) microprocessors. The laptops are ultra-thin, but bigger and more powerful than netbooks.

Read called CULV laptops "exciting," but said it was too early to speculate if demand for them could surpass demand for netbooks.

"We believe we're going to see significant growth in this segment," Read said.

Lenovo is open to merger and acquisition opportunities that align with its strategic goals, the executives said, declining to give details.

T-Mobile offering iPhone upgrade to UK big spenders

T-Mobile has started offering the iPhone in the UK, according to insiders at the firm's Merthyr call centre. V3.co.uk has been contacted by two separate sources, both claiming that T-Mobile was trialling limited stock of the iPhone 3G, having purchased a number of units from Germany, and would start offering UK customers an upgrade from 30 July.

Only a few select T-Mobile call centre operators have been authorised to give the upgrade and customers need to meet strict criteria to qualify, including being a heavy mobile user, the sources both said.

One of the sources sent us an email with an advisory note from T-Mobile labeled Action for All Advisors: T-Mobile UK's Churn Challenge, indicating that the iPhone deal is part of a strategy to stop customer churn.

The note states that T-Mobile wants to reduce churn from 27 to 20 per cent, which would still put the operator at several percentage points higher than O2; and that high value customers are leaving because of their desire for an iPhone.

To stop the customer churn, T-Mobile has decided to introduce special deals on the iPhone and the G2 Touch (aka HTC Hero), the note continues. This would be limited to eligible customers either on or willing to move to a Flext 2009 plan, who are lucky enough to get through to a member of the 'Save Desk' team based in Merthyr.

V3.co.uk contacted T-Mobile in the hope of getting a confirmation or denial on this information, but was given the standard "no comment" response.

So for any T-Mobile customers wanting to move onto an iPhone, the advice is to call T-Mobile, threaten to leave unless they give you the iPhone, and hope you've spent at least £1,000 on your mobile bills over the last two years.

If any V3.co.uk readers get anywhere with this, please get in touch and let us know. Though we wouldn't be surprised to hear that T-Mobile has pulled the offer now that the details have gone public, as demand could well outstrip supply if the iPhone handset was going to be thrown in for free for those customers already paying hefty mobile bills each month. Also Apple and O2 might want to put a stop to the offer, as their iPhone exclusivity deal is still supposed to be in place in the UK.

Sky to Broadcast 3D TV in 2010

Sky has hardly been coy about its prototyping of 3D broadcasts over its existing infrastructure but who would have predicted it would be ready to launch a service as soon as 2010?. Whether you could predict it or not, Sky is, seeing 3D - rightly or not - as the next logical progressing in broadcast technology after high definition, launching a 3D channel next year.

From Sky's end, no upgrades are needed to its existing broadcast network as its 3D broadcast technology works using existing Sky+HD boxes - discounting a likely software update. However, would-be viewers will need a 3D-capable TV of some description.

Sky plans to have a decent amount of content available in 3D a great deal of which will presumably need to be filmed proprietarily, given the lack of 'normal' TV available in 3D. According to Sky, the channel will offer "a broad selection of the best available 3D programming, which is expected to include movies, entertainment and sport."

Sky claims its TV network is the only one able to carry 3D. So while Freesat, Virgin Media and - eventually - Freeview may be catching up with Sky's lead in HD, it looks like the company is ready to place itself in another niche, well ahead of the curve.

Sky subscribers not enthralled by the prospect of having to buy yet another HD TV - not to mention paying the inevitable high subscription Sky will attach to 3D - aren't being left out. Some time next year the currently all-but-pointless Ethernet port on Sky boxes will be put to use with the addition of a video-on-demand service to Sky's devices as an extension of the existing, PC-based Sky Anytime service.

More details will be revealed nearer the launch of both services so for now, feel free to speculate away over the specifics.

Link:
Sky.

Nokia 'N97 Mini' Surfaces

Here's an odd one...

Following years of speculation that Apple would release a smaller version of the iPhone (then iPhone 3G, then iPhone 3GS), Nokia looks to have silently gone about making a smaller N97.


Dubbed the 'N97 Mini' by leaks, the shrunken smartphone looks virtually identical to its bigger brother except for the removal of the d-pad and sliding camera cover. Whether the primary specifications (3G, aGPS, WiFi, 5MP camera, 32GB native memory, microSD expansion slot) all translate remains to be seen.

What is beyond doubt is slicing something off those portly 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm (18.25 mm at the camera) dimensions and 150g weight would be appealing to pockets everywhere. Personally however, I'd say cutting off the keyboard on the original and adding a capacitive screen would be the more logical way to approach this.

Either way, Nokia security is barely any better than RIM's infamous sugar glass gates so expect a confirmation on the N97 Mini's existence or otherwise within the next few weeks...
Link:
via Engadget

Digital Photography Competition - August

So much for my prediction my prediction last month that we were in for a long, hot summer. I should have kept my mouth shut because since then it's done nothing but pour with rain here in England. It's raining hard right now in fact, with flood warnings posted for my area. It's not exactly ideal weather for photography, but we're not going to let a little bit of rain spoil our fun, are we? Of course not, so without further ado, let's get the August round of our monthly photography competition underway.

The Competition

In case you've been stranded on the Moon for the past 40 years and haven't seen our photography competition before, here's a quick recap of the details and the prizes on offer. Each month we provide a theme for your photographs and a closing date, and it is your task to go out and take photographs that match that theme, and then send them to us before the deadline. At the end of the month myself and the rest of the TR editorial team - most of whom are keen photographers - will study the entries and pick the winners based on our judgment. The best entries will be shown on the site at the end of the month.

There will be three prize winners each month, and thanks to our generous sponsors SanDisk and Panasonic we've got some fantastic products for you to win.

The Prizes
Panasonic has generously offered three fantastic prizes this month. For our top prize winner we've got something truly special; our highest-scoring camera of the last 12 months, winner of both our coveted Editor's Choice award and Best Compact Camera of the Year 2008, it's none other than the amazing DMC-LX3. A real photographer's camera, this beautiful and superbly-made compact has a 10.1-megapixel 1/1.63-inch sensor, an f/2.0 24mm wide-angle 2.5x zoom lens, and a three-inch 460k LCD monitor. Thanks to its amazing Leica lens and powerful Venus Engine IV processor the LX3 produces the kind of picture quality previously only available from digital SLRs, and has performance to match. I just wish I could enter this competition myself, because I wasn't kidding in my original review when I said that "The Panasonic LX3 is one of the very few digital cameras that I would consider buying for myself." The LX3 is currently selling for around £340.
Our first runner-up will receive the superb Lumix DMC-FX40, the latest in Panasonic's award-winning line of luxury ultra-compacts, and successor to the FX37. With a 12.1-megapixel sensor, a 5x zoom f/2.8 lens with a super-wide 25mm wide angle setting and a 2.5-inch 230k LCD monitor the FX40 has a tempting specification, but add 1280 x 720 movie recording with component HD output, and ultra-fast performance thanks to its dual-CPU Venus Engine processor and you have one of the most advanced compact cameras on the market. The FX40 is currently selling for around £250.
Our second runner up will receive another great new Panasonic camera, the waterproof and shockproof Lumix DMC-FT1, as featured in last week's group test. The FT1 is waterproof to a depth of three metres, shockproof enough to survive falls of up to 1.5 metres, and is completely dustproof, so it's safe in the sand. As well as being tough enough for any adventure, the FT1 is a high-performance compact camera that can hold its own in any company. Featuring the same 12.1-megapixels sensor and dual-CPU Venus Engine processor as the FX40, it also boasts a bright 2.7-inch 230k monitor and a 4.6x zoom lens with a 28mm wide-angle setting, ideal for all your holiday snaps. As well as this it can record HD movies at 1280 x 720 resolution with Dolby Digital Creator audio, recording in the high quality AVCHD Lite format. The FT1 is currently selling for around £260.

For more information about Panasonic cameras, visit the official website or call on 0844 844 3852.

As well as these great prizes from Panasonic, our top three entries will all also receive a superb two-gigabyte SanDisk Extreme III high speed memory card in the format of their choice, as well as a top-quality SanDisk Imagemate All-In-One USB 2.0 Card Reader. SanDisk memory cards come with a limited lifetime warranty, they are used and trusted by professional photographers all over the world and are renowned for their fantastic performance and reliability.

The Imagemate All-In-One USB 2.0 Reader is one of the fastest and most versatile memory card readers on the market, and an essential gadget for anyone who has to deal with multiple memory card formats. It handles every type of memory card currently available, including those used in mobile phones and PDAs. Supported formats include SD/SDHC, miniSD/SDHC, microSD/SDHC, MultiMediaCard, MMCplus, MMCmobile, RS-MMC, RS-MMC DV, Memory Stick/PRO/Duo/HG, xD Type M, M+ and H, and of course CompactFlash. It connects via USB 2.0 for high speed performance, transferring data at speeds of up to 34MB/s. A transfer button on the top of the reader launches your favourite photo downloader or editing program, and the metal stand is detachable for easy transportation.

IMPORTANT - Please read the following page carefully

THIS MONTH'S THEME

The unseasonably appalling weather we're having here in England has suggested a subject that I think you'll all enjoy. The theme for August is THE POWER OF NATURE. As usual you are free to interpret this theme in any way you want, but do at least try to sort of vaguely follow it.

CLOSING DATE

Entries for this month's competition should arrive no later than AUGUST 31ST 2009.

ABOUT YOUR PHOTO

Simply send us ONE (and only one) photograph which you think best expresses the theme for the month. The photograph must be wholly your own work, and you must legally hold the copyright to it. Anyone caught stealing images from other sources will be loaded into a giant cannon and fired into the sun. They will also be disqualified and banned from entering future competitions.

Images must be submitted in JPEG format, they must be at least 600 pixels wide, and the total file size must be no larger than three megabytes. If your picture is too big it's better to reduce the image size than to increase the compression.

You can edit, improve, adjust or alter your photo in any way you like. Composite images made using an image editing program are acceptable, as long as they are made predominantly from photographs, and that all parts of the image are wholly your own work.

The images displayed on the results page are only 600 pixels wide, so it's a good idea to avoid adding wide frames or borders, and very wide panoramic or photo-stiched pictures seldom look good when reduced to fit the page. Please don't put time-stamps, watermarks or large signatures on the photo, although you may add contact and copyright information into the EXIF data for the image if you wish. Don't worry; we won't steal your work!

HOW TO ENTER

When you've got a nice picture ready to send, here's what you need to do:

• Save your picture in JPEG format.
• Make sure your picture is at least 600 pixels wide, but has a file size less than 3MB.
• Re-name the image file to your name with an underscore between first and second names, such as "Joe_Bloggs.jpg" for example.
• Start a new email to trphotocomp@googlemail.com
• Put the words Power of nature in the subject line of the email.
• In the body text of the email, put your postal address, what type of memory card you'd like to receive (SD, CompactFlash etc.), and a daytime contact telephone number. This is very important; you can't receive a prize if we don't know where to send it, and the company sending out the prizes needs the phone number so that they can contact you to arrange delivery. Don't worry, I despise telemarketers just as much as you do and I promise not to give them your number.
• If you could write a brief description of your photo, just 10-20 words or so, including what kind of camera and lens you used to take it, it would be appreciated, although this is not essential and your photo will not be marked down if you don't do this. It just makes the results page a bit more interesting.
• Add your competition photo as an attachment to your email and send it in.

Any questions?
If you want to discuss the competition, or have any questions about the rules or how to enter, follow the link below to the forum page, or feel free to ask questions in the comments section on the next page.

We reserve the right to publish a selection of the best entries in the competition results update a few days after the closing date, but all other rights remain with the photographer, and you have my word that we will not use your pictures for any other purpose without your written permission.

Links:
Panasonic cameras
SanDisk

Tesco Unveils 1st Unlimited Minutes Monthly Tariff

It had to happen eventually and it was unlikely to be Vodafone, O2, Orange or T-Mobile leading the charge...

Tesco Mobile has announced it will be launching the UK's first ever 'Unlimited' monthly tariff that allows subscribers to talk, text and surf as much as they want for just £30pm. The tariff will be a Sim only deal meaning no handset subsidies will be provided.

Yes, we'll drive straight into the first question on everyone's lips: what exactly does 'unlimited' mean in this case. Well, as you might expect, there is a fair use policy but with a ceiling at the equivalent of £500 worth of calls, texts and browsing per month it should be one that very few will ever reach.


"Ours is the only pay monthly deal that gives consumers truly unlimited calling and texting," said clearly chuffed Tesco CEO Lance Batchelor. "You don't have to choose if you're a chatterbox or a texter, you can use your mobile as much as you want without having to worry about the cost. We believe that this will change the way people use their mobile phones. The new tariff aims to give people a simple, guaranteed way to have unlimited calls, texts and browsing. It takes away the concern and uncertainty about your monthly bill as it's fixed at £30, meaning you can talk, text and browse freely."

Interestingly, Tesco has a virtual network running off the back of a licensing agreement with O2 so we'll be keeping a close eye on how the Spanish owned giant reacts to this move. After all, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Orange are unlikely to be perturbed by Tesco's move on its own, but should it spring either O2 itself or 3 into action then soon concerns about our remaining credit may become a thing of the past...

Link:
Tariff Homepage

Channel 4 HD Joining Virgin Media

Virgin Media's HD offering just get better and better. Following the addition of the HD BBC iPlayer - among others Channel 4 HD will soon be launching on Virgin.

Importantly, Channel 4 HD will - like BBC HD - be available to all HD subscribers, with no need to be on a specific package, unlike with other HD channels. The upshot is Virgin Media subscribers getting access to such bastions of quality broadcasting as Skins, Desperate Housewives and Shameless in high definition.

Annoyingly there's no mention of when 4HD will launch on Virgin Media. "Coming soon" is hardly specific but hopefully we're looking at weeks, not months - pre-Christmas seems a dead cert, at least.

With Sky's exclusivity rights over 4HD now expired, it's possible that the channel could also make its way onto Freesat. Lest we forget, 4HD is one of the four HD channels coming to Freeview HD (when it's finally available) and it seems reasonable to think Channel 4 would want to reach as wide an audience as possible - adverts don't watch themselves.

Link:
Virgin Media.

Virgin Joins Tesco With Unlimited Minutes Tariff

That didn't take long...

Within 24 hours of Tesco announcing the UK's first unlimited monthly tariff (read: £30pm for £500pm worth of calls, SMS & data), T-Mobile virtual network Virgin Mobile has unveiled its own variation.

The 'Unlimited' monthly tariff (yes, it is that phrase again) takes a very different approach to Tesco's Sim only 30 day rolling contract. By contrast Virgin Mobile is offering a £65pm 18 month contract with subsidised premium Nokia N86 or Samsung Jet handsets (I'm famously not a fan of the latter) and 'unlimited' calls, SMS and data.

Naturally this is subject to a fair use clause but this much hated term actually translates to a generous 3,000 minutes, 3,000 texts and 3,000 Virgin mobile to Virgin mobile calls along with 1GB of data.

Yes, in all it's a big commitment and currently I also find a few details to be lacking. Namely: how big are the handset subsidies? Are any other models available? And when does this tariff launch? I'm going with 'free', 'not right now' and 'August'. I've lodged all three questions with Virgin so should favourable answers return and the side of your face is indented from your mobile phone use then this could very well be the tariff for you...

Update: I was close: The answers were: 'free', 'not right now' and 'right now'!

Link:
Virgin Mobile

Acer Outs Timeline 8000 Series

Acer has added another step to its timeline range. Sitting (numerically at least) above the 4000-series and 5000-series comes the 8000-series, targeted at both business users and general consumers alike.

Three display sizes are on offer - 13.3in, 14in and 15.6in - all with a 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution. Either Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Solo ULV CPUs are available, with up to 4GB or 8GB of DDR3 RAM depending on whether a 32bit or 64bit OS is installed. Storage options across the 8000 series range from either a 160GB to a 500GB hard drive or an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD with graphics are handled by either Intel's GMA 4500MHD integrated chip, or a dedicated ATI 4330 GPU.

Four USB ports on the 15.6in model and three on the 14in ad 13.3in, a memory card reader and Bluetooth are present. All of the 8000-series will come with Draft-N wireless and will eventually offer HSDPA connectivity as an upgrade. Each Timeline 8000-series laptop has a multi-touch touchpad.

The 8000-series also has some nifty battery features. A claimed eight hours of battery life is a good start and it's complemented by a 'smart' charger which will turn itself off when the cells are at 100 per cent capacity - reducing degradation.

UK-centric pricing isn't available yet, nor is a release date.

O2 Unites Fixed Line & Mobile Phone Numbers

While O2 3G coverage and reliability has come into question recently schemes such as O2 Money and now this show the network is still trying to innovate...

The telco has announced 'Fixed Number Anywhere', a new service designed to provide small businesses with a landline number that rings straight through to a mobile phone.


The theory is simple: tradition still suggests that having a landline number indicates a business is both established and local despite all its modern day inconveniences. Consequently a lot of time can be spent continually checking landline voicemail remotely from a mobile to see if any important messages have been left. To counter this Fixed Number Anywhere will allow subscribers to choose from a new number with a local geographical or free phone code. Up to five landline numbers can be linked to the same mobile handset - a sneaky way to convey size and also geographical reach. Up to 10 mobile phones can also be linked up to each landline number.

As for costs, O2 does not charge for calls made to a mobile via the Fixed Number Anywhere service, instead they will be charged to the caller at their standard rate for the fixed number dialled. Businesses bringing an existing BT 01 or 02 landline numbers to O2 and taking a new mobile connection will receive the service for free. Fixed prices are £10 per month for 01 and 02 landline numbers and £15pm for 0808 free phone numbers. Fixed Number Anywhere kicks off in August.

It's actually a rather smart idea. Though I'd concentrate on that 3G coverage and network stability first guys...

Link:
O2 UK

O2 shows interest in nabbing T-Mobile UK

O2's parent company Telefonica's European CEO has said the company is interested in picking up ailing network T-Mobile UK.

The third largest UK mobile operator, currently owned by Deutsche Telekom but widely reported to be up for sale, has been linked with mergers from Vodafone, O2 and Orange in the UK, but this is the first time actual interest has been declared.

In an interview with the Financial Times in Germany CEO Matthew Key says the company is looking at the possibility of a merger 'with interest'.

However, he also points out that such a deal would require the Office of Fair Trading to approve the deal, as assuming another 20-odd per cent of the market would turn any network into a clear leader (apart from Hutchinson-owned 3).

Move on

As the UK market is so competitive it's unlikely such a move would be blocked by the OFT, as many other countries, such as Spain, have fewer networks.

T-Mobile has been a strong supporter of Android in the UK, with the G1 and G2 Touch handsets (both by HTC) while O2 only has the forthcoming Samsung i7500 Galaxy on the books.

Such a merger would give it instant access to the new popular OS on the block, as well as giving it nearly half the market share in the UK.

Via Cellular News and FT Germany (translated)