Unless you’ve had your head buried under an X Factor contestant for the past six months, you’ll have heard rumours of Apple’s tablet.

These mutterings are not new – we scrawled the concept pictured back in 2007 – but now, more details have emerged. Apple’s “Slate” will be like an iPod Touch on growth hormones, featuring a slim profile, familiar aesthetics and a finger-friendly multi-touch interface. It will also come with a pen for handwriting recognition.

Its 10in, 720p hi-def screen will be better for movies and web browsing, and will work well as an e-reader, taking the likes of Amazon’s Kindle head-on. We anticipate the iTunes Store to launch a Books section in January, from which the Slate will download novels via Wi-Fi or HSDPA.

iTunes will also offer subscriptions for news papers and in future, magazines, which will be sent direct to the Slate as soon as they hit digital shelves.

Source: Stuff.tv

The first mobile phone version of the popular web browser Firefox is “days away” from launch.

The browser, codenamed Fennec, will initially be available for Nokia’s N900 phone, followed by other handsets.

It is currently going through final testing and could be released before the end of the year, said Jay Sullivan at Mozilla, the group behind Firefox.

The open-source browser will be able to synchronise with the desktop version.

Apple is very restrictive. It doesn’t allow other browsers Jay Sullivan Mozilla

Software will mean that any web pages open in a user’s desktop browser will automatically open in the mobile version.

“At the end of the working day you can walk away from your computer and keep on going on your phone,” Mr Sullivan told the BBC.

“It encrypts all of the information and sends it back through the cloud between your desktop and mobile.”

He said that providing there were no “show stoppers”, the software could be available to download “within the year”.

Desktop success

The browser will be available to download from the Mozilla website and then offered in Nokia’s Ovi store, so that N900 owners can download the software.

The organisation is also developing versions for Microsoft’s Windows mobile and Google’s Android operating system.

Internet explorer is still the world’s most used desktop browser

However, he said that it would be some time before iPhone users would be able to use the browser.

“Apple is very restrictive.” he said. “As it’s a pretty closed platform we don’t see that happening soon.”

Apple only allows browsers based on its Webkit engine, which is used to power its Safari browser, to be loaded on to the iPhone. Firefox uses alternative technology.

When it launches, Fennec will compete with browsers such as Opera, which is the most popular mobile browser according to analytics firm Stats Counter.

Safari, which comes bundled with the iPhone, is the second most popular, whilst Nokia’s own browser is third.

The mobile version of Firefox will hope to follow the success of its desktop browser.

Stats Counter has reported that the latest version of the Firefox browser has overtaken Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) as the World’s most popular browser with 21.93% of the market, compared with IE7’s share of 21.2%.

However, other firms suggest IE still has the lead on Firefox, whilst most agree that the various versions of Explorer combined still dominate the web browser market.

App craze

Fennec has been in development for the last year and a half.

The new software has many of the features of the desktop version, such as tabbed browsing, and an address bar that doubles as a search box.

Opera is currently the most popular web mobile browser

However, the mobile version will also scale pages to fit the device and will support functions such as tapping the screen to zoom in on a page.

Mr Sullivan said it would also be the first mobile browser to have “add-ons”, small pieces of software that add functionality to the browser such as news readers or online games. They can also be used to customise the look and feel of the browser.

“Because it is a browser for a mobile device, the add-ons will be different,” said Mr Sullivan. “You’ll see ones that use geo-location and exploit how the device is tilted.”

The add-ons will add functionality to the phone that is currently offered by mobile apps.

These small specialist pieces of software have become increasingly popular.

For example, Apple now offer more than 100,000 apps in its store ranging from games and social networks to news readers and tools that allow people to use sites such as eBay or Amazon on the go.

Blackberry, Google, Nokia, Symbian and Microsoft all offer their own app stores.

However, he said that he did not think that the browser would completely replace these apps.

“They will co-exist,” he said.

Source: Jonathan Fildes - BBC Technology reporter

Has it been worth the wait?

The Nokia N97 was a long time coming to the mobile market. Announced way back in December 2008, it was a further six months till it saw the light of day in the UK. Skip another six months and it’s surprising then that we already have a new version of the handset – the smaller and aptly named Nokia N97 mini.

The N97 mini is a dinky little thing indeed. Measuring just 113 x 52.5 x 14.2mm, the phone snips a full 5mm off the length of the N97 and around 3mm off the width. When it comes to thickness it seems another 4mm have been lopped off.
The new size does make a significant difference to how the phone feels in the hand, compared to the N97. Where its bigger brother was a hulking thing that felt it had the power (and did) of a small laptop, the N97 mini is a lot more desirable looking for the everyday user.

Thankfully, the handset has the same sliding screen mechanism as the N97 which is a joy to use. Solid in the hand, it does take a fair push to get the screen to ‘flip up’ but considering this is something you will be doing on a daily basis, this is no bad thing. Once it’s fully open, the screen is tilted to a decent 40-degree angle, making it great for watching video or tending to your emails.

The QWERTY keyboard maybe smaller but it is still easy to use. There’s a great clicking action with each button which means that there’s not too many mistakes made when banging out texts at great speed.
Small but smart

Flip the screen back and the Nokia N97 mini changes swiftly into a touchscreen device. Surprisingly, the screen size isn’t much smaller than its bigger brother. At 3.2 inches the screen is fine for watching movies, and it even has the same resolution as the N97, at 640 × 480 resolution.

The mini moniker isn’t just because of the size of the device, but because a few features have been cut. On-board storage has been shrunk by a third to 8GB (this can be upped to 24GB with the help of a microSD card) and battery life is seemingly shorter too but not enough that you notice. Instead of nattering for 9.5 hours without a charge you are now looking at clocking in around 7 hours. Also missing is the FM radio and compass but this doesn’t mean the phone has completely lost its way.

The biggest difference in both models is the lack of a D-pad. This is something that the N97 had but as we didn’t use it that much anyway, it feels like there’s no big loss.
A touch difficult

What is still in place is the decent 5-megapixel camera and web browsing that’s super-speedy – even if it is a bit of a pain when it comes to zooming into pages.
The phones biggest let-down, though, is unfortunately its screen. Like the N97, Nokia has chosen to go resistive and as we’ve pointed out time and time again, resistive screens are dull, slow to respond and a bit of a pain to use. The N97’s mini is no different. You really have to push down to make the thing work, worryingly so. Flipping through the phone’s myriad options is a bit like wading through toffee.

And here’s the other problem. Even though Nokia has tweaked things with the OS, giving the handset the 2.0 N97 software (which is now also available for the N97) as it uses Symbian it’s not the most exciting thing to look at. Yes there are apps for Facebook and setting up an email account is a cinch but if you are a fan of Android-inspired loveliness then clicking through the N97 mini may feel like the interface has come from the Dark Ages.

But the N97 mini doesn’t set out to dazzle, it’s a practical handset for a practical person, it’s left the wow factor to the Nokia N900. If you’re a business user then it will delight with its ease of use. But if you’re a social-networking fiend looking for an app fix then stay well clear.

Source: T3 Magazine.

British gamers are among the first in Europe to get access to the PS3’s Video Delivery Service.

Along with Germany, Spain and France, UK PS3 users will be able to download feature films directly to their consoles for immediate enjoyment.

Films will be available for download as rentals or permanent purchases, with the option to download in standard definition or HD. Prices for download-to-own vids begin at £2.50.

Harry Potter, Angels & Demons, Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and The Dark Knight are among the movies teased in the promo trailer for the service.

It looks as though PS3 owners won’t have to wait long to watch their new purchases either. Sony is promising background downloads that you can begin watching soon after beginning the download process, meaning you won’t have to wait for the entire file to download.

It’s an exciting time for PlayStation owners, with the new firmware allowing Facebook integration and rumours of a forthcoming PS3-compatible version of Firefox from Mozilla.

Are you ready for downloadable films? Or would you still rather have a physical Blu-ray or DVD? Let us know in the comments.

(Via Stuff.tv)

MS software architect: Apps don’t make the phone

This sounds an awful lot like sour grapes to me: Ray Ozzie, Microsoft’s chief software engineer, told a Professional Developers’ Conference earlier this week that it wasn’t the apps that would make or break the smartphone platforms. Of course, that’s what most press and blog outlets seem to be focusing on (maybe because we all already know what the hardware is like — apps change every day if not every minute, and the hardware only changes occasionally), but Ozzie says customers won’t buy a phone for the apps. The biggest apps, he says, will eventually be available on every platform. To put it in as few words as possible, you’ll be able to tweet from everything in the future.

And he’s got part of a good point there: it’s true, the major functionality of “killer apps” will be available across platforms. But Ozzie forgets (or is just ignoring) that that’s already the case on desktops. While yes, you could claim that porting to the various smartphones is easier than porting to the various PC platforms, that doesn’t avoid the fact that I can tweet, IM, email, browse, edit photos and movies, and do whatever else I want on both platforms as well. And for some reason (ahem, the hardware and the way both software and hardware are designed), I’d rather do them on the Mac. People love their iPhones not just for the apps but for the way it fits in their hand, and how just plain slick it is.

That’s not to say that the smartphone platform war is over — no way, it’s only beginning, and we consumers will take innovative ideas wherever we can get them. But Ozzie saying the apps don’t count (and echoing his fellow Microsofters in trying to separate Apple from their software strategy) seems to mean that even he thinks he’s already lost that race — they certainly do play a large part in which platform consumers eventually choose.

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Nov 19th, 2009

If you’re tired of dropped calls and dead zones, and pondering the merits of turning in your iPhone for a DROID… hold on there, champ. AppleInsider says it’s received a copy of a report by OTR Global, claiming that Apple has signed contracts to produce a UMTS / CDMA hybrid iPhone to be released in the third quarter of 2010.

The hybrid handset, built around a dual-system chip from Qualcomm, would allow the iPhone to run on virtually any GSM/UTMS cellular network worldwide — and also on the CDMA2000 networks of US carriers like Verizon and Sprint. In particular, Verizon is cited in the report as the target carrier for the new devices.

The report states that Foxconn, the Taiwan-based sole-source provider of iPhone hardware at this time, will not build the new device. Instead, a subsidiary of Asustek known as Pegatron has been selected to kick off manufacturing. It’s also rumored that the hybrid device uses a 2.8″ screen, making the handset smaller than the current model which uses a 3.5″ display.

Photos of the smaller display were first featured on iLounge in June of 2008 (see photo at right), sparking widespread rumors at the time that an “iPhone nano” was on the way. Over a year later, neither the smaller iPhone nor a Verizon model are available. However, if the leaked report is any indication, 2010 could be yet another year of incredible growth for the iPhone economy.

Author: Steven Sande

The silent invasion of tinsel, eggnog, mince pies and baubles on our supermarket shelves is a sure sign that Christmas is once again upon us and for those of you who like to leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute we have compiled a list of the 5 must have tech gifts for your loved ones.

1) Apple iPhone 3GS

This phone may not have the best camera around but it makes up for this by having an excellent user-interface, video editing capabilities and what is simply the best portable media experience around. This may sound very average in the world of smart phones but then add to this the huge infrastructure that Apple have in place and this phone leaves the competition standing. The App store and iTunes list a vast number of songs, albums, movies and games that will keep anyone happy. Not forgetting the numerous applications that are available for the device which will certainly change to way you use your phone.

2) PlayStaion 3 Slim

The newly revised model of the console reduces the size of the new PlayStation by 32% when compared to its older brother.   The consumption of power has also been reduced by 34%. This product will certainly rank high on many wish lists this year especially with the imminent release of both COD: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassins Creed 2 this month. And with the arrival of other more family friendly titles such as; EyePet and various Singstar titles on this platform demand will be high. We must also mention the fact that it is the only console with a Blu-ray play on-board. Get one now before they go.

3) Wii Fit / Wii Fit Plus

Exercise has never been so much fun since Nintendo introduced the Wii to the world and since then we have seen the birth of the Wii Fit. This little board of exercising brilliance has been popping up in millions of homes around the globe. Wii Fit Plus brings a host of new features to the table that will undoubtedly be the stocking filler that Wii owners crave for.

4) Sony Reader e-Book

Bringing Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway into the 21st century this device enables you to take your book collection wherever you go. These devices are getting smaller all the time and are becoming hugely popular among tech fans and book readers alike. There are a number of similar devices on the market but the Sony Reader e-Book seems to be the most establish, although the Amazon Kindle is also a great buy.

5) Tom Tom GO 950 LIVE

One of the greatest things since sliced bread, the sat-nav has change the way we travel and undoubtedly saved the marriages of millions. Map reading and traffic jams are a thing of the past with this sleek little unit which features real time traffic updates and local fuel prices. There are hundreds of sat-nav units around from the likes of Garmin and Navman which are excellent but we feel that this Tom Tom is the cream of the crop.

If you think we have missed something or would just like to add to the list then feel free to leave a comment below.

By: Dave Caolo

Forbes bestowed a significant honor on Steve Jobs today, naming him their CEO of the Decade. Forbes outlines the incredible leaps in business, technology and industry Apple has made since Steve’s return. For anyone who might not remember, the 90’s were not kind to Apple and nearly everyone thought the company was finished.

Consider this incredible fact: Apple launched OS X and iTunes, opened the first two retail stores and introduced the first iPod … all in the same year (2001). Forbes also goes on to describe how Steve changed the film industry with Pixar, the music industry with the iTunes Store and the cell phone industry with the iPhone and the App Store.

He also kicked cancer’s ass.

CEO of the Decade - Steve Jobs

This is precisely why I’m excited about the prospect of a new piece of hardware from Apple. I won’t call it a tablet because that’s not what it will be. Apple didn’t invent the digital music player, the mobile phone or mass distribution of media. But, they did demonstrate how to do those things the right way, which no one else could come up with.

If there’s a new product coming, comparing it to contemporary tablets or netbooks is a huge mistake, because it won’t behave like any of them.

via Mac Daily News

Nintendo Wii

With rumours circulating that the Wii 2 is on its way in the third quarter of next year I ask the question, is it worth investing in an original Wii. From reading various articles about these rumours the new Wii is said to support resolutions upto 1080p as well as packing a Blu-ray drive, which will leave the Xbox 360 all alone as the only major console without a Blu-ray option.

According to Maxconsole.net there may also be a special discount for current Wii owners who want to get their hands on the latest fun box from the Nintendo factory when it is released, how much discount is on offer, well that remains to be seen. It may be that you get more money back from trading your console in or selling it.

In my case and I’m sure it is the same for many, getting a Wii is inevitable simply because I have my lady hinting constantly that she wants one for Christmas, with comments like “I used to love playing Mario Kart” and “I bet those consoles are great fun on Christmas day”, I know subtle right.

If I’m honest there is a small part of me that cannot wait to set the system up come Christmas day and jump all over my seating room knocking things over as I try to hit an ace at tennis or whist trying to knock my girlfriend out in the boxing ring (of course only in the virtual sense). As with everything these are just rumours and things may change but it seems the only question for me and those in a similar situation is do I get a white one or a black one?

For those of you who have a Wii do you still use it or has its novelty worn off? Can it really compete in the serious world of gaming?

Let me know what you think by posting a comment.