Did Apple steal the iPhone design from Samsung?

Thursday, 21 April 2011. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, iPhone, Smartphones, Business, Apple

Ive: Mwahaha! Check out this gadgey swag!

Apple have for a long time now been boasted as the pioneers of the superphone. Since 2007 we've watched as company after company have tried to recreate the big A's success with ever-so-slightly different variants of what's essentially just an iPhone. Along the way, Apple have taken various legal shots at the intellectual freeloaders, the most recent of which being Samsung for their "infringing [Galaxy] product line".

Well in an unexpected and quite frankly hilarious twist of events, it appears the two companies may have more plagiaristic history between them than we first expected. And no, Apple aren't going after Samsung's Series 9 for taking on the MacBook air, rather the following image surfaces online of a handset Samsung produced back in 2006 which challenges the iPhone's own originality all together.

Dell Inspiron Duo Hybrid Netbook/Tablet Goes on Sale

Monday, 29 November 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Upcoming Technologies

               Dell Inspiron DuoDell Inspiron Duo

Now here's another thing you never thought you'd see from Dell. Today marks the launched of the Inspiron Duo, a hybrid Netbook-come-Tablet desperate to find its way under a few christmas trees at just $545. In addition to it's 2GB of RAM and 1.5Ghz Atom Dual-core processor, the device benefits from up to 320GB of SATA glory making it one of the better equipped christmas netbooks on the market. The Inspiron Duo's real party peice comes from it's flippable 10.1-inch multi-touch display, which switches up it's full keyboard for one meaty tablet experience.

Obviously Dell didn't get the note from Apple saying moving-part storage in portables is dead, but then again with the rest of the hardware virtually the same for half the price of a baseline Air, you can't really complain. If the Inspiron Duo makes it onto your list to santa, you might want to link him up to Dell.com as you can grab one over there today.

Two More Reasons to Jailbreak Your Apple TV

Thursday, 18 November 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Video & Audio, Apple

Web browsing on the Apple TV

To us, the Apple TV has always come across a crippled product. Whether this is due the lack of content, features or in it's latest rendition, storage, Steveo's self-confessed hobby project has never really captured much attention as 'just another set-top box'. However, another iOS device means another iOS Jailbreak, and this time round Fire Core are bringing web surfing and Last.fm to the big A's second generation little black box.

Judging by their video demos, these big-screen mods look pretty slick, and we'd hope so too as this ain't free software folks! $49 is the asking price for first-gen aTVs, with second generation prices yet to be announced. Read on for the all important show-off vids.

Razer's Naga Epic MMO Gaming is Available to Pre-Order Today

Wednesday, 13 October 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Gaming

Naga Epic

We've always had a soft spot for crazy gaming mice, so you can imagine our excitement when we came across this satanic looking peripheral! The Naga Epic is Razer's latest and greatest attempt at crafting the perfect MMORPG pointer. With 17 customizable side buttons and 3 interchangable ergonomic grips, the Naga Epic takes center stage as the hottest multiplayer chunky mouse of this year.

Another awesome feature is the 'dual wired/wireless functionality', allowing users to plug up the wireless device and revert back to a wired mouse. This will prove particularly useful once you juice out it's 12-hour battery life. Let's face it, even if this thing does come with a wicked looking charger, how many Warcraft players do you know who'd be happy to hit that dreaded 'Esc' key, and wait for their gear to power up half way through a weekend WOW sesh? We're guessing not many.

 
But still, if you can bare rocking it wired once in a while, you can pre-order the Naga Epic today for €129.99.

Uh-oh! Palm Pre 2 Gets a Spyshot From Every Angle

Tuesday, 12 October 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Smartphones

Palm Pre 2

Yesterday, France's SFR jumped the gun and announced the Palm Pre 2 and WebOS 2.0. Tonight, MobiFrance have uploaded some exclusive spy-shots of the prematurely-outed device, which do indeed appear to be the real deal. The pictures show an even sleeker Pre, with a slightly different form to the ones already on the market. Yesterday's shenanigans revealed the handset will boast a 1Ghz processor, 512mb of RAM, and the next generation WebOS software - 2.0. So far, nothing too extraordinary has been thrown out there, something which has been serving facepalms to Pre fans left, right and center. Read on for the rest of the snaps.

SFR Announces Palm Pre 2 and WebOS 2.0

Monday, 11 October 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Smartphones

So incase you weren't already lactating for Smartphones after Microsoft's big Windows Phone 7 roll-out announcement, french telecoms company SFR have just prematurely outed the Palm Pre 2. The follow-up Web OS handset has a upgraded 1Ghz processor, 512MB of RAM and runs version 2.0 of Palm's WebOS mobile operating system.

That's pretty much all the deets in a nutshell, but mark our words, Palm won't be sitting in silence on it for much longer now.

Google Goggles Bring Visual Search to the iPhone

Tuesday, 05 October 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, iPhone, Upcoming Technologies, Smartphones, Google, Apple

Google Goggles for the iPhone

In December, Google introduced Goggles on the Android, allowing users to search the web using the phone's built-in camera. Well today the big G rolled out the same functionality for their Google Mobile iPhone app. To search with Goggles, simply tap the camera icon and take a picture of the item you wish to look up. The app will then scan the photo using it's image recogniton software and return what it thinks are the most accurate results.

Google has rather modestly stated that since this technology is still in it's infancy, the service works best at recognizing books, DVDs, landmarks, artwork and wine only. Having put this to the test, we've managed to successfully return the latter, alongside everything from obscure musical equipment to Spongebob Squarepants! Read on for some in-app snapshots and the G-unit's promo vid.

Colorware Introduce Their $300 iPad Grip

Monday, 04 October 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, iPad, Apple

Colorware unveil their $300 iPad grip

When it comes to the iPad's deciding features, nothing is perhaps more frequently overlooked than grip. Sure, the tablet's gorgeous glass and aluminium design gives it the drool-factor, but running the risk of shattering the 9.7-inch wonder-slate is enough to keep most cautious owners constantly on their toes.

Well now, a rather unlikely bunch have risen to the challenge keeping of the Apple of your i safe. Introducing Colorware's Grip for iPad. The U.S. made accessory is constructed out of aircraft grade aluminium to provide maximum security and protection, it is of course fully customizable as far as colour goes. The moulded metal handle does come across a bit unsightly from some angles, but the practicality of having such a good grip on the device more than makes up for any aesthetic discrepancies.

Turning a very blind eye to the price, you've got to be impressed by Colorware's first real hardware efforts. We can imagine seeing this take off hugely in the service sector, where many businesses have already realised the iPad's potential in the workplace. No more precariously balancing a £429 peice of glass to take orders, bill customers or give lectures.

Today in Apple Hax: Apple TV on the iPod Touch and Chromium OS on the iPad

Wednesday, 29 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, iPad, Google, Apple

iOS Small Talk

Heads up iOS fans, there's a hot new UI in the house! Infact theres two, neither of which incidentally are likely to come our way anytime soon but hey, it's fun to gawk.

The crime in question: Blowing apart Apple's mobile software and installing another juicy interface.
The accused: One @DHowett and one @Hexxeh
The verdict: Guilty. Oh yes...

RIM Introduces BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Computer

Monday, 27 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News

Blackberry Funbook

RIM have just mashed up the touchscreen scene by unveiling the PlayBook, a 7-inch, multi-touch BlackBerry tablet running a brand new homegrown OS. The device comes packed to the nines with ready features, and despite it's name, is being touted as "the first professional tablet" computer. Alongside the industry standard e-mail, web and media capabilities, the PlayBook shoots HD video via a 1080p camera on the back and does video calling via a second HD camera on the front. Read on for official specs and promotional video!

YouTuber Gets Hands-On With HP Slate Prototype: Boy Does It Suck

Thursday, 23 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News

A couple of hours ago John Gruber of Daring Fireball tweeted out a link to a curious YouTube video that he'd stumbled across. A user called x313xkillax appears to be showing off a prototype version of the HP Slate, of course running Windows 7. Although Gruber questioned the integrity of video, it does appear to be the real deal.

Okay, so the tablet is running a full desktop OS, doesn't take years to boot, and has Adobe Flash (...because it's a desktop OS). Excusing these these moderate novelties, is it just me, or does this thing suck?

I can feel a flaming brewing, read more of your own will...

Sony Playstation Are Recruiting Android Developers, PSP-Smartphone Looks More Likely

Monday, 20 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Gaming, Smartphones

PSP Android Phone?
 

Last month is was reported that Sony Ericsson were teaming up with Google to produce a PSP-go like smartphone running a whole new gaming platform - Android 3.0As we know, tip-offs and so-called 'trusted sources' are often stretched or fabricated, but today Sony's given us something to really get exited about. 

In a recent job posting for work inside the Playstation division, the company reveal they are looking for someone with "Experience in mobile development, specifically Android is a plus.", which straight up throws a ton of weight behind the Playstation-phone rumours. Obviously Sony wouldn't be employing people to build an on-line gaming experience for the Android unless Playstation had some kind of branded hardware to run the software. Whichever way you interpret it, this is looking good for PS-centric Android fans.

Facebook is NOT making a phone

Sunday, 19 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Smartphones, Social Media, Business

Facebook

So as soon as the rumours began, they have ended. Earlier today we reported that TechCrunch had got wind of a mystical Facebook phone being developed secretly by senior members of the company. Spokesperson Jaime Schoflin has just now debunked these claims, stating that:

"The story, which originated at TechCrunch, is not accurate. Facebook is not building a phone... it's just not what we do" 

So that's cleared that up then!. Read on for the full statement...

Is Facebook Making A Phone?

Sunday, 19 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Smartphones, Social Media, Business

Facebook Phone
A spokesperson from the company has since stepped up and denied Facebook are building a phone. Click for more.

Facebook is building a sub $50 phone, according to one report received by Michael Arrington at TechCrunch. The source indicates that two 'high level' employees at the company are secretly working to build a Facebook branded device, aimed at the more price-wise consumers.

The developers said to be in on the project are Joe Hewitt and Matthew Papakipos, both of whom would have their reasons for working on such a product. Between them they share a fair deal of experience in OS, UI and mobile development.
 
So, what do we know about this thing? Well, not a lot. If the tip-off is genuine we can expect deep integration of Facebook friends with mobile contacts and as Arrington points out, probably a low price. But has FB really got a place in today's overcrowded market?

Nokia Announce A Tri Of New Smartphones: The C6, C7 and E7

Tuesday, 14 September 2010. Posted in Consumer Electronics, News, Smartphones

Nokia E6Nokia C7Nokia E7

It's no secret that Nokia's been in big trouble lately, back in July the company revealed quarterly profits were down 40% year-on-year. Although the now former CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo blamed the drop primarily on price pressures and a tough economy, we haven't exactly been seeing breakthrough device line-ups for quite some time.

Well today Nokia are hoping to renovate their brand with the announcement of the C6, C7 and E7 smartphones.