New LG TVs first with Freeview Playback

Need a TV with a built-in PVR? Don't want to pay for a Sky+ box? LG announced today that it's adding Freeview Playback functionality to its upcoming Time Machine LCD and plasma TV ranges.

LG's HD-Ready LT75 LCD series (available with 32-, 37- and 42-inch screens) will feature the system in October. As will the company's new PT85 plasma models (available in 42- and 50-inch sizes).

LG's LT75 HD-ready TV hosts a 160GB hard disk drive and Freeview Playback PVR technology

Freeview Playback vs Sky+

Freeview Playback brings standardised 'time shifting' to the digital terrestrial platform. Like Sky+ and TiVo before it, Freeview Playback technology relies on an integrated hard disk drive to constantly record the TV channel you're watching.

Thanks to this constant recording, Freeview Playback gives you the ability to pause live TV and rewind it.

The talents of Freeview Playback don't end there. Intelligent features supported under the Group 2 certification include 'schedule tracking' and 'auto-buffering'. These ensure that any changes in the TV schedule caused by breaking news or overrunning programmes do not cause recordings to be missed.

By the October launch, the Freeview Playback specification should also offer a comprehensive Series LInk or Season Pass option - this will enable you to auto-record every episode in a series. A TiVo-style programme recommendation feature is also promised.

Twin Freeview tuners

The LT75 LCDs and PT85 plasmas will feature twin Freeview tuners, so one channel can be recorded whilst watching another. Each TV will incorporate a 160 GB hard drive that can hold up to 80 hours of programmes.

"As consumer lifestyle becomes more and more hectic, our new range of Freeview Playback certified Time Machine TVs ensures that favourite programmes will never be missed," said James Atkins, marketing manager for LG brown goods.

"[Freeview Playback] allows you to fit TV around your life, whether you press record when you go out on the town, or pause a live game whilst getting a beer, you'll never have to miss a thing."

tech.co.uk

Wireless fitness tracker from Garmin

Fitness fans can keep track of their performance and download information wirelessly to a PC with Garmin's new Forerunner 50 sports watch.

The Garmin Forerunner 50 sports watch is able to record training information for runners, cyclists and walkers. It can interface with a heart rate monitor or foot pod to record speed and distance travelled, with data automatically stored in the device.

The Forerunner 50 system also comes with a wireless ANT USB stick that can be used with a PC to synchronise data from the Forerunner 50 watch automatically when it's in close proximity to the USB stick.

It can record up to 7 hours and 100 laps of detailed exercise data. Users can also pair the Forerunner 50 system with the Garmin Connect training site to log workouts and share information with teammates, coach or friends.

The Garmin Forerunner 50 sports watch can keep track of your training regime and help analyse performance

The Forerunner 50 is due for release in October. The package with a heart rate monitor included will cost £69, while the pack with a foot pod track will sell for £99. A Forerunner 50 with both heart rate monitor and foot pod will cost £119.

tech.co.uk

Nokia MOSH brings mobile social networking

Nokia is getting into social networking with the introduction of its own cross-platform social networking and content sharing site, MOSH.

Nokia's MOSH site has been developed for mobile phones and desktop PCs. It enables mobile users to upload games, applications, photos and videos, organise content and share it with other users.

MOSH users can browse through other accounts, bookmark files for viewing later and collect stuff to download to your mobile.

MOSH has been designed to give users a consistent experience whether they're using a desktop PC or mobile device. Nokia opened the Beta of MOSH yesterday. Would-be users can register at mosh.nokia.com, while there's also a .mobi mobile phone-optimised site created for MOSH users at mosh.nokia.mobi.

More details of how to test drive MOSH can be found at Intomobile .

Nokia has introduced the Beta of its MOSH social networking site that's designed for mobile phone and desktop cross-platform operation

Hot 1080p projectors land from InFocus

Don't play small, 'play big'. This is the catchy angle that InFocus is taking as it lines up two new full HD 1080p projectors for their UK debuts.

First, there's the InFocus Play Big IN82 (£2999). Armed with the latest DLP DarkChip3 technology, the IN82 full HD 1080p projector offers a native 4000:1 contrast ratio.

A video-optimised brightness of 1,500 ANSI lumens makes The IN82 nearly twice as bright as most other home theatre projectors. In fact, InFocus claims that this projector is bright enough to deliver film-standard, D65K colour accuracy in nearly any home cinema setup.

The Big Play IN81 (£2499) dials down the wow factor a tad. This model boasts a DarkChip2 chipset, 3000:1 contrast ratio and has a video-optimised brightness level of 1,400 ANSI lumens.

The InFocus Big Play IN82 offers a compelling argument for skipping an HD TV

The ultimate in HD TV?

Both projectors, however, feature extra image enhancement courtesy of integrated Pixelworks DNX 10-bit video processing technology.

The Pixelworks magic consists of a number of techniques - noise reduction, standard and high definition video format motion adaptive deinterlacing, 10-bit color processing, advanced scaling, dynamic edge enhancement, and low-angle line smoothing technology.

The IN82 and IN81 also boast two HDMI 1.3 inputs, and ship with a 2 metre HDMI cable and M1-to-HDMI adapter. An optional anamorphic lens attachment, says InFocus, allows 2.35:1 movies to be shown in full 1920 x 1080 resolution. Nice.

For more information about the InFocus Play Big line, point your browser towards www.csesolutions.co.uk .

tech.co.uk

New iPhone ads appear

New adverts for the Apple iPhone have been posted on Apple's website, giving would-be iPhone users in Europe even more reasons to covet the device.

The ads, titled "Instead" and "Amazing" point out some of the reasons you might want to own an iPhone (as if any more persuasion was really necessary).

The two ads simply restate the elements that are in the iPhone - the "instead" ad suggests that rather than carrying an iPod and a phone, why not just carry an iPhone?

The "Amazing" ad lists some of the headline grabbing applications on the iPhone - from email to video and YouTube - whilst also pointing out that it's still a phone.

They're simple, straightforward and short but, sadly, still tell us nothing about when we can expect them in Europe...

tech.co.uk

BenQ shows off 10MP designer E1000 digicam

BenQ has added the sleek-looking BenQ E1000 to its Elegant range of digital cameras.

The BenQ E1000 features a 10-megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom and a 3-inch LCD screen. It has ISO1600 light sensitivity. And it includes 24 scene presets with unusual modes such as Oil Painting and Sketch, all crammed into a black finish housing.

The E1000 also includes Face Recognition technology that enables the camera to automatically detect up to nine people in a scene. It then optimises the camera's settings to capture them at their best.

The E1000 has two image stabilisation options. The first is an anti-shake key next to the shutter that enables you to access the camera's image stabilisation functions. The second is Super Anti-Shake, a feature that optimises the camera settings for shooting in low-light conditions with minimum blurring.

Anti-shake modes

The E1000 also sports two different anti-shake modes, one manual and one automatic. In the manual version, a button automatically controls the ISO settings and reduces the shutter speed when needed. In the automatic version, software settings on the camera's menus introduce a dynamic anti-shake mode that adjusts ISO and shutter speed instantly depending on the conditions.

The BenQ E1000 will go on sale in China later this month, with the rest of the world following after that. BenQ could not confirm a UK launch date at this stage.

Pioneer PDP-508XD

Price

£2,700.00

Spec

Click here for full specification

For

• Revolutionary black levels
• Excellent coolour fidelity
• Design

Against

• Not a Full HD resolution panel

Verdict

It's time to start believing the hype - Pioneer's latest-generation plasmas really do take image quality to a whole new level

When the wraps finally came off Pioneer's 8th-generation plasma screens, the world gasped. Even though still in prototype form, attendees at the 2007 CES in Las Vegas were stunned at the impenetrable black level and astounding vibrancy of its colours.

The images looked every bit as good as Toshiba's (then upcoming) SED tech. We weren't too surprised, though: we'd already had a sneak preview months before in Pioneer's R&D labs in Tokyo.

But would the power of these prototypes make it to production reality? In a nutshell, the answer is an emphatic 'yes'.

Interestingly, the 50-inch PDP 508XD does not use a 1920 x 1080 panel (these are coming later this year). Actual resolution is 1365 x 768, but if ever there was an argument that pixels alone do not make for a great picture, then this set is it.

What really sets this screen apart from ever other plasma we've ever seen is the unyielding solidity of its blacks.

Take, for instance, the opening space battle of Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith recorded in HD from Sky. The space backdrop to the action has never looked more convincingly, cinematically emphatically ebony than it does on the 508XD. Even Panasonic's best efforts can't match it. And there really is no overstating just what a dramatic impact this has on the dynamism of the picture you're watching.

But its not a fake, dull black: the pictures contain endless amounts of tonal and detail subtleties, ensuring that they look like natural, fully-integrated parts of the picture rather than gaping black holes ripped out of it (a phenomenon seen with many rival screens).

Don't imagine that the 508XD's black level is the only thing it's got going for it. Also stunning is the set's colour fidelity. It's a simple TV picture law that without a proper black level, a TV can't produce a truly natural colour palette. So by advancing the black level, it follows that the 508XD's colours should look richer, more dynamic and more believable. And so it proves.

From the lush digitised colours of Forza 2 on the Xbox 360 right down to the slightly subdued, naturalistic tones of EastEnders, the 508XD constantly gets colours looking exactly right. Even the rich reds of the Sky News channel actually look red, making all previous plasma attempts at showing them look, well, orange.

Pioneer claim an outrageous contrast ratio of 16000:1 - our Tech labs real-world test reveals it to be 1300:1 after calibration, which is blisteringly good.

Four elements aid this revolutionary black level: Pioneer's deeply encased 'waffle rib' plasma cell structure reduces the chance of light and colour seepage between neighbouring pixels; Ultra Black Crystal Layer wizardry increases the efficiency of the cells so that they charge and discharge at triple speed; a Direct Colour Filter soaks up ambient reflections from your room, allowing dark scenes to look much more punchy; finally its image processing engine responds differently to dark scenes than it does to bright ones.

You might also gain some extra black level benefit if you take advantage of the 508XD's facility for having its pictures optimised professionally by a qualified Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) engineer.

To reduce horizontal juddering, there's a 'Smooth' mode, but I felt that while it sharpened moving objects, it actually introduced too much stuttering for comfort.

With the Advance mode engaged during 1080/24p viewing, courtesy of Pioneer's BDP-LX70 Blu-ray player, the clarity and smoothness of the motion handling improves significantly.

Even though the screen has a native resolution of 1365 x 768, its HD images contain absolutely stunning amounts of fine detail information. During close-ups of Daniel Craig's face in Casino Royale Blu-ray, I felt strangely reassured to see tiny blemishes in his complexion that I'd never really noticed before.

Only some of this sharpness is down to sheer pixel-precise detail presentation, though. There's no doubt that this TV's extra subtlety with colour, extra clarity from 1080p/24fps handling, and extra contrast all also play a part in bringing even the tiniest image elements to life.

Yes, that's right: the set's three HDMI inputs are all capable of accepting 1080p in its 50Hz, 60Hz and 24fps incarnations. The 24fps compatibility is particularly significant in Pioneer's case, as it makes the screen able to take the 'source direct', 1080/24p feeds from the brand's BDP-LX70 Blu-ray player. What's more, the 508XD has a 72Hz 'Advance' PureCinema refresh mode designed to work with the player's 1080/24p mode.

The real deal

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It would be easy to dismiss Pioneer's hype over these new screens. But the reality is the brand really has reinvented plasma to a substantial degree. The set is darker, more dynamic than any previous Pioneer plasma and delivers a knock-out blow to comparably sized LCDs. It simply demands to be auditioned.

Home Cinema Choice

First 8cm Blu-ray discs for HD camcorder

After yesterday's launch of the world's first Blu-ray camcorders , we have the inevitable news of how much it's going to cost to create a home-video library of the new 8cm discs.

Mitsubishi was first off the block with a choice of either Blu-ray Disc Recordable (BD-R) or Blu-ray Disc Rewritable (BD-RE) formats. Both hold 7.5GB of data, which is enough for an hour of HD TV in the Hitachi camcorders.

Pricey at first

As expected, the new media are far from cheap - a single BD-R costs ¥2,500 (£10), while one BD-RE will sell for ¥3,500 (£14) when they arrive in the shops on 10 August.

Any worries about media degradation seem to have been addressed by Mitsubishi, which has added a hardened protective layer and used several other techniques to ensure longevity.

Of course, if HD DVD becomes the de-facto standard in future, disk durability won't matter when there's nothing to play them in.

Nokia N81: countdown to launch

The Nokia N81 8GB-packed music phone is likely to be one of the new multimedia phones introduced by Nokia at its London launch on 29 August.

The Nokia N81 hasn't been officially announced by Nokia yet. But a viral advertising campaign is underway which features what appears to be the N81 with a countdown timer onscreen counting down to 9am on 29 August. That's the time of Nokia's UK press launch (Tech.co.uk will of course be reporting from the launch).

The 29 August launch event, with an evening bash at the Ministry of Sound, has also fuelled speculation that Nokia may be about to announce a music download service to take on Apple's iTunes Store.

The Nokia N81 is rumoured to be an 8GB music phone, the successor to the Nokia N91 music mobile. According to previous reports , the Nokia N81 is expected to be a 3G HSDPA sliderphone featuring a 2-megapixel camera and secondary video call camera.

N-Gage gaming platform

It will feature extensive music player functionality, and is also thought to be one of the first wave of new Symbian S60 smartphones to feature Nokia's new N-Gage gaming platform.

The viral ad involves a moody black screen with moving shapes and swooping coloured spotlights moving around apparently randomly, occasionally forming the shape of a phone.

Information on how to make sense of the ad has been posted by Intomobile.com . By clicking a pause icon in the centre of the screen when the phone shape appears, you get broken images and sound coming onscreen. After dong this several times, eventually a message: "I'll be seeing you in the next episode" is revealed, followed by the countdown timer.

New Bluetooth tech makes it easy

Bluetooth Version 2.1 EDR gets approval, makes pairing easy

Phil Lattimore

03 Aug 2007 11:19

Bluetooth devices will become easier to pair with each other and use, now that the latest version of the wireless communication specification has been given the green light.

The latest version of the Bluetooth standard (Bluetooth Core Specification Version 2.1 EDR), approved by the Bluetooth SIG, will deliver a much easier and quicker process for pairing Bluetooth devices. Instead of many different (and often complicated) pairing procedures, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR will use a much simpler, more standardized approach to pairing implementation. This will include more straightforward menu options - using user-friendly language rather than tech-speak - and automatic pairing procedures for some devices, such as Bluetooth headsets.

The new Bluetooth 2.1 EDR standard can also support NFC (Near Field Communication) technology - similar to the Oyster Card technology used on the London Underground - so that devices could be paired simply by putting two devices close together.

Bluetooth 2.1 EDR will also deliver significant power-saving benefits to Bluetooth-enabled devices. The Bluetooth SIG claims current battery life could be increased by up to 5 times by the new technology.

The first devices featuring Bluetooth 2.1 EDR technology should be available early in 2008. You can view a video demo of Bluetooth 2.1 EDR devices here .

iPod is getting cheaper; new iPod nano due?

We've already told you about the Apple event next Tuesday ; new Apple Macs are on the way - and possibly also a new Apple iPod nano model...

Plenty of Apple iPod rumours have circulated in the past few months but this time they're giving us a bit more detail. Apple is reportedly developing a 2-inch-square flash-based Apple iPod that may be called the Apple iPod Touch. The device is going to play back video, and cost $299 and $399 (£147 and £196) for the 4GB and 8GB models, 9 to 5 Mac has reported.

The new Apple iPod Touch would essentially be an Apple iPhone minus the phone capabilities, which is what Apple is expected to announce at some point. A sixth-generation Apple iPod with a 16:9 widescreen and a touchscreen interface is also expected later this autumn.

The fifth-generation Apple iPod is getting cheaper ahead of the possible release of an updated model. Various online US retailers, including Amazon.com , have slashed Apple iPod 5.5G prices by around $20 (£9.84), applicable to both 30GB and 80GB versions.

Apple share price falls on rumours

Apple's shares fell nearly 7 per cent to $131.76 (£64.83) yesterday - the lowest close since early July - following speculation of production cuts of the Apple iPhone and Apple iPod, Reuters has reported. The rumours have subsequently turned out to be unsubstantiated, based on false reports of analyst research notes.

"There are occasional rumours on Apple, often unconfirmed. A lot of them end up being wrong or short-term," Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, told the news agency.

We'll bring you the latest from the Apple event, to be held at the firm's headquarters in Cupertino, CA, as it happens next Tuesday, 7 August.

Official: iPhone software update released

Apple has released the first software update for the iPhone . Version 1.0.1 of Apple's iPhone software has been made available at the same time as a raft of patches for Mac OS X.

The first Apple's iPhone software update is automatically available to iPhone users when they connect up their iPhone to iTunes via their PC or Mac. The iPhone patches are believed to mainly address security issues and fix software bugs. The patch addresses some Safari vulnerability issues, according to reports from early iPhone updaters, but version 1.0.1 doesn't activate any additional "hidden" iPhone applications that some iPhone users have speculated about .

According to a report on TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog), the software update wipes any unofficial iPhone modifications off the device. Other than that, there don't appear to be any major

Nvidia outselling AMD by over 50% on graphics

More bad news for AMD and its ATI graphics subsidiary. New figures from John Peddie Research indicate it has fallen well behind Nvidia for graphics market share. The latest statistics for the second quarter of 2007 give Nvidia 32.6 per cent of the PC graphics market with AMD/ATI languishing at 19.5 per cent. Exactly one year ago, those roles were reversed. AMD/ATI owned 26.7 per cent while Nvidia was back on 19.7 per cent.

That's an enormous turn around in just 12 months. For the record, Intel slipped slightly from 40.4% to 37.6 per cent during the same time period. However, it should be noted that Intel's graphics market share is exclusively in the low-margin integrated segment. Nvidia and AMD/ATI are the only serious players in the much more profitable discreet graphics market represented by add-in 3D cards.

Much of the explanation must lie with AMD's failure to launch its DirectX 10-compatible Radeon HD 2000 series on time. That allowed Nvidia to score a series of PR victories starting with the launch of the award winning GeForce 8800 series in November last year.

Making matters worse, when AMD finally managed to launch the Radeon HD 2000 family in May, it delivered disappointing performance. In the near future, it's unlikely the situation will improved. AMD is stuck with the HD 2000 until at least mid-2007 when its successor, codenamed R700, is due to appear.

According to several reports, AMD has chosen a radical modular design for R700. Unlike current graphics processors which are composed of a single silicon die or chip, it's thought R700 will be made from multiple dies.

On paper, this will allow AMD to add or remove dies and deliver a wide range of functionality and performance levels. Time will tell whether this novel approach will be enough to win back market share from Nvidia. The GeForce 8000 series continues to dominate the market

Mio shows off new GPS PDA phone

Mio Technology today announced the multi-function A501 device - a mobile phone, GPS handset, and Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA crammed into one device.

The sleek Mio A501 is a handy choice if you're off on your holidays as it combines smartphone features with satellite navigation and a fully functional PDA in one device, saving you to take lots of units with you.

The Mio A501 features a SiRFstar III GPS receiver for accurate positioning and an intuitive interface for route planning. Combined with Mio's own navigation software, you'll have access to thousands of points of interest, speed cameras and maps of 22 European countries.

Its PDA function uses quad-band GSM/GPRS with EDGE technology to transmit data. The transfer speed approaches 3G, providing better bandwidth experience for internet applications. The Mio A501 is powered by Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, and also offers push email. There's also a 2-megapixel camera and Bluetooth connectivity.

"The Mio A501 offers audiences the best in design, compactness and functionality" said Paul Notteboom, president of Mio Technology. "But the important factor with this product is that due to its price level, Mio Technology is opening up the GPS PDA phone market to the ordinary user."

The Mio A501 is available from a selection of online stores - including Mio Technology , Easy Devices , and Expansys - now, priced at £340.

Griffen iPod speakers for home and away

Two new iPod speaker systems have been released by iPod accessory maker Griffin - a smart-looking home system and a compact portable set-up.

The Griffin Amplifi 2.1 Tabletop Sound System is a neat-looking iPod home stereo speaker system that is designed to look like a high quality hi-fi amplifier. The Amplifi has two 2.75-inch speakers built into the cabinet, which has a wood-based construction. The Amplifi has an iPod dock on top that will adapt to any type of iPod. It also supports other MP3 players through a 3.5mm audio input jack. It also comes with a remote control.

The Griffin Journi Personal Mobile Sound System is a portable unit that has a self contained sturdy "Wrapstand" case that folds and converts into a stand for the speakers. The clever design incorporates stereo speakers, plus there's a magnetically attached remote control supplied in the case. As with the Amplifi, the Journi can hold any iPod model and works with any alternative audio source via a 3.5mm jack input.

The Amplifi and Journi are both released this month. The Amplifi costs £129.99 while the Journi is selling for £99.99.