Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind iconic gaming franchises Super Mario and the Legend of Zelda, as well as being the brains behind the Nintendo Wii console, has been given the coveted BAFTA Fellowship award at the BAFTA Video Games Awards 2010. It is the highest accolade BAFTA bestows upon an individual.

"It is a great honour to receive this award here in London in front of so many fellow developers and industry professionals," he said.

"When I started my career at Nintendo there was no such thing as video game making at the company. My only wish was to make something to surprise or entertain many people. I was lucky enough to get the job making video games from the dawn of the industry.

"I am humbled because I cannot develop a video game by myself. Therefore I am receiving the award on behalf of everyone who has worked with me over the past 30 years, and I'd like to thank every single person for their hard work."

Miyamoto joins Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and Harold Pinter as one of the few recipients of the award. Miyamoto is also the first Japanese recipient of any industry to be awarded the Fellowship.

Drinks have been drunk, games have been celebrated and the BAFTA Video Games Awards 2010 have drawn to a close. Here's a list of all the winners for this year:

Action

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

Artistic Achievement

Flower
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/ThatGameCompany and SCE Santa Monica Studio

Family & Social

Wii Sports Resort
Katsuya Eguchi, Takayuki Shimamura, Yoshikazu Yamashita
Nintendo/Nintendo

Gameplay

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Handheld

LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
James Shepherd, Piers Jackson, Mark Green
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE Cambridge & xev Studio Europe

Multiplayer

Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell, Chet Faliszek, Tom Leonard
Valve/EA

Original Score

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Sports

FIFA 10
Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary Paterson
Electronic Arts/EA Canada

Story

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Strategy

Empire: Total War
Development Team
Sega/Creative Assembly

Use of Audio

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

Use of Online

FIFA 10
Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary Paterson
Electronic Arts/ EA Canada

BAFTA Ones To Watch Award in association with Dare to Be Digital

Shrunk!
Vykintas Kazdailis, Andrew Macdonald, Michael Cummings, Jacek Wernikowski, Stuart Kemp
(The Butterflyers)

GAME Award of 2009
(The only award to be voted for by the public)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Activision/Infinity Ward

Best Game

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

2009 was a stellar year for games, and just a quick look at this year's nominees for the Best Game at the BAFTA Video Game Awards will show you why. Assassin's Creed II, Batman: Arkham Asylum, FIFA 10, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves all deservedly get a nod.

Tech Digest crowned Uncharted 2: Among Thieves its Game of the Year for 2009, but what do you think deserves the title? Answers on a postcard. No wait, sorry; answers in the poll below, if you don't mind please.

The annual BAFTA Video Games Awards take place at the Park Lane Hilton in London tonight, and Tech Digest will have live coverage from the event, as well as a run down on all the winners and losers. Follow all the action on Twitter over at @techdigestnews.

Hosted by comedian Dara O'Briain, tonight sees gaming icon Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, receive the Academy Fellowship award. It's the highest honour BAFTA can bestow upon an individual, putting Miyamoto among such legends of film and literature as Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock and Harold Pinter.

Our coverage will kick off at around 6pm tonight, so check back then for the low down on tonight's festivities.

Here's a full list of tonight's awards and nominees:

Action

Assassin's Creed II
Sebastien Puel, Patrice Desilets
Ubisoft Entertainment Ltd/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development Team
Activision/Infinity Ward

inFAMOUS
Brian Fleming, Bruce Oberg, Chris Zimmerman
Sony Computer Entertainment/Sucker Punch Productions & SCE Foster City Studio

Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell, Chet Faliszek, Tom Leonard
Valve/EA

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

Artistic Achievement

Assassin's Creed II
Sebastien Puel, Patrice Desilets
Ubisoft Entertainment Ltd/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development team
Activision/Infinity Ward

Flower
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/ThatGameCompany and SCE Santa Monica Studio

Streetfighter IV
Yoshinori Ono
Capcom/Capcom

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Best Game

Assassin's Creed II
Sebastien Puel, Patrice Desilets
Ubisoft Entertainment Ltd/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development Team
Activision/Infinity Ward

FIFA 10
Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary Paterson
Electronic Arts/EA Canada

Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell, Chet Faliszek, Tom Leonard
Valve/EA

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Family & Social

The Beatles: Rock Band
Alex Rigopulos, Paul DeGooyer, Josh Randall
Electronic Arts/MTV Games/Apple Corp/Harmonix Music Systems

Buzz! Quiz World
David Amor, Andrew Eades, Lee Clare
Sony Computer Entertainment/Relentless Software & XDEV Studio Europe

EyePet
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE London Studio

Guitar Hero 5
Brian Bright, Paul Robinson, Allen Freese
Activision/Neversoft Entertainment/Vicarios Visions/Budcat

New Super Mario Bros Wii
Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, Hiroyuki Kimura
Nintendo/Nintendo

Wii Sports Resort
Katsuya Eguchi, Takayuki Shimamura, Yoshikazu Yamashita
Nintendo/Nintendo

Gameplay

Assassin's Creed II
Sebastien Puel, Patrice Desilets
Ubisoft Entertainment Ltd/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development Team
Activision/Infinity Ward

New Super Mario Bros Wii
Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, Hiroyuki Kimura
Nintendo/Nintendo

PixelJunk Shooter
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Q-Games & SCE Santa Monica Studio

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Handheld

Gran Turismo
Kazunori Yamauchi, Yuji Yasuhara, Hiroki Imanish
Sony Computer Entertainment/Polphony Digital Inc

LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
James Shepherd, Piers Jackson, Mark Green
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE Cambridge & xev Studio Europe

LocoRoco Midnight Carnival
Kenji Sakai, Saeka Horikoshi, Hiroya Matsugami
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE Japan Studio

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, Hiroyuki Kubota
Nintendo/Nintendo

Professor Layton and Pandora's Box
Akira Tago, Akihiro Hino, Tatsuya Shinkai
Nintendo/Nintendo

Scribblenauts
Jeremiah Slaczka, Marius Fahlbusch
Warner Bros Interactive Entertainmnent/5th Cell

Multiplayer

Battlefield 1943
Patrick Liu, Gordon Van Dyke
Electronic Arts/Dice

The Beatles: Rock Band
Alex Rigopulos, Paul DeGooyer, Josh Randall
Electronic Arts/MTV Games/Apple Corp/Harmonix Music Systems

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development team
Activision/Infinity Ward

Halo 3 ODST
Development Team
Microsoft Game Studios/Microsoft

Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell, Chet Faliszek, Tom Leonard
Valve/EA

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

Original Score

Assassin's Creed II
Jesper Kyd
Ubisoft Entertainment Ltd/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development team
Activision/Infinity Ward

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
James Hannigan, Zsolt Marx, Campbell Askew
Electronic Arts/EA Bright Light

PixelJunk Shooter
Dom Beken, Alex Paterson
Sony Computer Entertainment/Q-Games and SCE Santa Monica Studio

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Sports

Colin McRae: DiRT 2
Matt Horsman, Clive Moody, Guy Pearce
Codemasters/Codemasters Studios

FIFA 10
Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary Paterson
Electronic Arts/EA Canada

Football Manager 2010
Development Team
Sega/Sports Interactive

Forza 3
Development Team
Microsoft/Turn 10

Wii Fit Plus
Shigeru Miyamoto, Tadashi Sugiyama, Hiroshi Matsunaga
Nintendo/Nintendo

Wii Sports Resort
Katsuya Eguchi, Takayuki Shimamura, Yoshikazu Yamashita
Nintendo/Nintendo

Story

Assassin's Creed II
Sebastien Puel, Patrice Desilets
Ubisoft Entertainment/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: The Director's Cut
Charles Cecil, Neil Richards, Tony Warringer
Ubisoft Entertainment/Revolution Software

Brutal Legend
Tim Schafer
Electronic Arts/Double Fine Productions

Dragon Age: Origins
Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, Mike Laidlaw
Electronic Arts/BioWare

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Strategy

Command and Conquer 3: Uprising
Development team
Electronic Arts/EA Los Angeles

Empire: Total War
Development Team
Sega/Creative Assembly

FIFA Manager 10
Gerald Köhler, Cord Westhoff, Bernhard Maiberg
EA Sports/Bright Future

Football Manager 2010
Development Team
Sega/Sports Interactive

Halo Wars
Development Team
Microsoft/Ensemble Studios

Plants vs Zombies
George Fan, Tod Semple, Rich Werner
Popcap Games/Popcap Games

Use of Audio

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Sefton Hill, David Hego, Nick Arundel
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development team
Activision/Infinity Ward

DJ Hero
Jamie Jackson, Dan Neil, Tim Riley
Activision/Freestyle Games

Flower
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/ThatGameCompany and SCE Santa Monica Studios

Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell, Chet Faliszek, Tom Leonard
Valve/EA

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

Use of Online

Battlefield 1943
Patrick Liu, Gordon Van Dyke
Electronic Arts/EA DICE

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Development Team
Activision/Infinity Ward

FIFA 10
Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary Paterson
Electronic Arts/ EA Canada

LIttleBigPlanet (PSP)
James Shepherd, Piers Jackson, Matt Porter
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE Cambridge & XEV Studio Europe

Singstar TakeThat
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/SCE London Studio

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Development Team
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog and SCE Foster City Studio

BAFTA Ones To Watch Award in association with Dare to Be Digital

Colour Coded
Murray Sinclair, Faye Wright, Liam Wong, Sean Donnelly, Nnanna Kama
(PixelPirates)
Quick as Thieves
William Wright, Michael Doig, Andrew Knight, Jamie MacKinnon, Lee Cresswell
(Gentleman of Fortune)
Shrunk!
Vykintas Kazdailis, Andrew Macdonald, Michael Cummings, Jacek Wernikowski, Stuart Kemp
(The Butterflyers)

GAME Award of 2009
(The only award to be voted for by the public)

Assassin's Creed II
Ubisoft Entertainment/Ubisoft Montreal

Batman Arkham Asylum
Eidos/Rocksteady Studios

The Beatles: Rockband
Electronic Arts/MTV Games/Apple Corp/ Harmonix Music Systems

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Activision/Infinity Ward

FIFA 10
Electronic Arts/EA Canada

GTA China Town Wars
Rockstar Games/Rockstar Leeds/Rockstar North

Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
Nintendo/Nintendo

Street Fighter IV
Capcom/Capcom

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog & SCE Foster City Studio

Wii Sports Resort
Nintendo/Nintendo

Apple's App Store gets it's first great fighting game this week in the shape of Street Fighter IV, as well as a handy guide to all the equestrian fun at this week's Cheltenham festivities. Check out the nominees here too for the BAFTA Video Games awards. Tech Digest will have live coverage from the BAFTA event on Friday evening, so be sure to check back to see who the winners turned out to be.

Check them out in the gallery below

St Patrick's Day always throws up the best craic of the year. Whether you're a bred-in-the-blood Irishman or a Plastic Paddy, here are the top five apps to get your iPhone in the mood for the Emerald Isle's festivities.

Just Cause 2 is one of the craziest open-world games we've seen here at Tech Digest. We caught up with lead designer Peter Johansson and asked his thoughts on how he feels the grappling hook-wielding explode-a-thon has turned out.

The original Just Cause came out relatively early in the life cycle of this latest set of games consoles. What lessons have you learnt since its release?

There were a lot of lessons to be learnt from the first game. The first game was essentially born from its engine, as was the whole company (Avalanche - Ed.) in fact. With the second game we have the luxury of having the engine already in place. Even though we knew we were going to change a lot of things we were confident that we could now focus on creating a game that took advantage of having such a big world to explore, filled with stuff for you to do, as well as a mission structure that takes advantage of that sense of scale. The first game was actually pretty linear, jumping from "story mission one" to "story mission two", but that didn't really work out as players just had only one really interesting spot in the game world at any one time. This time there's a greater sense of freedom, where you can think "lets head over there and create some chaos!". This time it's all up to you as a player.

Just Cause 2 sort of feels a bit like Bionic Commando on crack!

(Laughs) Yes! It does get kind of insane sometimes. It's an interesting point as I'd never even heard of Bionic Commando before starting on Just Cause.

How do you come up with the crazy ideas that litter Just Cause 2? Some of it seems like pub-talk gaming wish-fulfilment, especially some of the tricks you can pull off with the grappling hook.

Personally, I've always dreamt of making a game with a grappling hook, so it's a dream-come-true for me. We work quite organically at Avalanche, as we feel that some of the best ideas come from each others ideas a lot of the time. We'll try out an idea, and then tweak it, or throw it away. It's hard to find a straight path to great ideas. Just Cause gives us a lot of freedom to play around with this stuff, and at the end of the day it's all about having fun.

Is it a big development team at Avalanche?

It's pretty big. We've had well over a hundred people working on it. Of course that depends on where in the cycle we were at, but yeah, a lot of people involved. There's an insane amount of features in there after all!

This is the first time also that you've developed a Just Cause game for the PS3. How has that worked out for you?

It's been pretty smooth actually. It's been really interesting. A lot of people ask us if it has been problematic, but no. Of course it's quite different. It's definitely very powerful. But you cant tell each version apart between the PS3 and Xbox 360, so I guess it's just down to what controller you prefer. They were developed in parallel, so they've followed each other pretty well.

There has been a bit of controversy with the PC version, as Just Cause 2 will not support Windows XP. How did you come to make that decision?

We support a lot features that just wouldn't be possible on DX 9, so I think that's the main reason for it. I personally wasn't involved in that decision. If you remember the first game was even ported to the Playstation 2. But we want to be at the forefront of the technology this time around, with just the current generation in mind. But yeah, I've seen the response we've got from some people over the decision!

The sandbox, open-world genre is getting quite busy again on this console generation. You've got Infamous and Prototype to name just two titles, and of course Grand Theft Auto IV. Some would argue that they perhaps haven't caught the imagination of gamers quite as strongly as on the last generation of consoles. Do you think gamers expectations have changed?

Of course gamers expectations are always going up, and things are moving really quickly now. That's definitely a challenge for us. It's a problem, as before a game is even released people are already looking for the next big thing. But in this genre in particular the successful examples have been really good at finding their own flavour and style. GTA does the city really well, you really feel like you're there, and then there is Crackdown that doesn't do a story at all and it's all about having fun in its playground. It was important to us to find our own identity. We really wanted to inject a good dose of fun into the genre, and go our own way. It's important if you're going to make it in this genre.

Just Cause 2 never takes itself too seriously, but what do you think of games like Heavy Rain and it's focus on photo realism and narrative?

I think there is a place for realism, but it depends. It's almost hard to define realism in games, as they are primarily played for fun, but that can still mean that it can be realistic in visual terms. But it's so hard to define. When people push to recreate the real world it always becomes more and more clear that it isn't real. If I tried to simulate picking up a glass in a game, it's not at all how it feels to do it in real life. It's a difficult thing to crack. I find it easier to get involved in a game if it doesnt try to hard to mimic real life.

Just Cause 2 is pretty bombastic. A lot of people have compared it to playing in a Michael Bay movie. Do you feel such comparisons are justified? Do you take much inspiration from other media?

I think we do yeah. It's inevitable I think that we absorb lots of ideas, even if we aren't conscious of it. I don't think we ever were like " lets take this from this" though. I suppose the main inspiration was from the original Just Cause because that had a lot of potential that wasn't quite realised.

With so much going on in Just Cause 2 nailing down the physics must have been a bit of a nightmare, finding a balance between having fun and believable vehicle handling and so on?

That's a good question, especially in relation to how we've been discussing approaches to realism in games. Some people may react and say "oh, that's not realistic", but the thing is the physics system behind all this is really advanced. We fine tune and tweak everything to make it accessible and fun, and work together in a playful way. It's a challenge. All the vehicles have their different handling styles and are more suitable to different situations. Different ground materials too; if it beings to rain it gets more difficult to handle for instance. There are lots of small details that ensure that emergent situations keep happening.

Is it difficult to program those scenes of emergent action?

It's difficult from a testing perspective, and even from a design perspective. At the start it's easy to think "Ooo, we've got so much freedom", and then after a while you decide to not look at it that way, and instead decide to give the player a set of tools and let them find their own way. We work with the advantages that that provides instead.

Do you find that limiting when games signpost what they want their players to do?

I think that works out alright. There are a lot of guys, myself included, at the office who play games that are completely scripted and that can be a great experience. But it's a different experience. They all have their own charm, their own story. But there is a lot of value to be had in playing a game and discussing it with your pal and realising you've both discovered something completely different to each other. That happens all the time with Just Cause 2.

Do you have any favourite moments from when you've been playing with Just Cause 2?

One thing I did actually quite recently. There's a car chase in the game, and, depending on where you drive, I'd got to a gas station, trying to deliver this guy to a drop-off point. And I had a rocket launcher and I was driving past the gas station, so I jumped up onto the roof of the car and shot the rocket launcher and blew up the gas station exactly as the bad guys passed through it. It was perfect and lucky timing! It exploded and collapsed right on top of them, I took them all out in one go!

Those sort of moments I suppose must give it an edge over scripted games, where you know that these events have been set up for you?

It's a large part of what makes Just Cause 2 different. There are all these features and mechanics that we want people to throw together, shake around and see what happens!

We've also seen the game displayed today in 3D. Where do you think the future lies for games in that respect?

I think it's probably going to take until the next generation of consoles before it becomes supported more. For it to become mainstream it's going to have to be supported straight out of the box; the players wont have to think about it, it'll just work without any hassle. For the moment it's still a bit sort of hardcore. It's been great fun for us to work on it this early.

Do you think it will change the way you design games?

I think it will, by that time at least. I cant say that with Just Cause 2 there are many features that specifically harness 3D as it came in quite late into the development. But at that time for the next generation we will start to create experiences with 3D in mind as we know everyone will have a capable set up. I think it's going to happen, just the same as with motion-control stuff, and that's when it's going to start to get really interesting, mixing up the control schemes to see which part of the games really benefit from using all the new technology. One developers start learning how to really use motion controls that will be really interesting.

Lastly, how about DLC? It's in vogue right now. Any in the pipe-line for Just Cause 2?

Yeah, but unfortunately I cant talk about the details of it just yet, apart from the bonus you get for pre-ordering the game. It's premium DLC and you get some really cool stuff; I really like the hovercraft, driving from land to water and back to land, it's a really cool thing. But yeah we're going to have waves of it.

Great. Thanks for your time Peter.
Cool, thank you.

Just Cause 2 is released for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on 26th March. We'll have a full review leading up to the game's release, so keep checking back to Tech Digest's reviews page in the next few weeks.

Anyone old enough to have owned an Amiga 500 or Super Nintendo when they were first released will have fond memories of Channel 4's gaming show, GamesMaster.

The show was a mixture of gaming news and contestant-based challenges, set by the eponymous GamesMaster himself, a disembodied android-like head played by astronomer Sir Patrick Moore. Its popularity has not been replicated by any other gaming show since its initial run between 1991 to 1998, and was sorely missed when it was dropped.

As publishing house Future have now acquired the brand, including the renowned print publication of the same name, talks are said to be in motion to bring GamesMaster back to TV.

"We have ambitious plans for the future of this iconic gaming brand, kicking off with a major redesign of GamesMaster magazine in May," said GamesMaster associate publisher Emma Parkinson."We intend to develop GamesMaster across multiple platforms, updating the look and feel, while protecting its 19-year legacy and the immense respect it receives from gamers and the industry itself."

However, with the show's classic presenting duo of Dominick Diamond and GamesMaster Sir Patrick Moore all but ruled out of any comeback plans, who do you think should fill their shoes?

We've hand-picked some celebrity gamers we think could fill the role. Let us know what you think in the poll below.

Via: MCVUK

What do you get if you cross the team that brought us the excellent off-road racer Pure with about a zillion tonnes of TNT? That'd be Split/Second: Velocity, the latest driving game from Black Rock Studios.

Tech Digest recently got to have a quick sit down with some early code of the game. A mix between Burnout's high-octane racing and an adult-orientated, explosion-filled bout of Mario Kart, racers don't only compete with other drivers, but also with destructible tracks that can be triggered to topple down upon you and your opponents.

"Split/Second: Velocity elevates action racing to a new level by enabling players to strategically take out their opponents by dynamically altering the course in real time," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios.

So, by drifting tight and showing off some nifty manoeuvres to put Jenson Button to shame, you build a power meter which allows you to knock sky scrapers and fly-overs onto the track, totalling other drivers and changing the route of a race. But why are the lovingly-detailed tracks destructible you ask? Well, not just because it's a blast to play (no pun intended) but also because within the context of the game, you're a driver in a Death Race-style reality TV show. Explosions mean ratings, don't you know.

"We're creating huge memorable moments on par with the biggest blockbuster action films," said Nick Baynes, game director, Black Rock Studio. "Action racing has captured the imagination of video game fans worldwide and we're going to redefine that experience with Split/Second: Velocity."

It's a real clean HUD on display here too. Where some drivers get cluttered with onscreen overlays of lap times and speedometers, Split/Second: Velocity houses all the info you need in a discrete floating tickertape beneath your vehicle. Not only does it allow you to fully gorge yourself on the havoc you wreak, but also means you never have to take your eyes off the track to check lap times and positions.

It's still a long way from finished, but Split/Second: Velocity is definitely steering in the right direction. If the development team can tighten up the handling and polish off the assets, Black Rock Studios might have another winner on their hands, as well as a load of virtual car crashes on their consciences. Look out for this one on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC by the 21st of May.

Click below for a gallery of images from Split/Second Velocity's Downtown track.

This weeks lastest selection of apps for Apple's iPhone features a comprehensive premium F1 app, a space age take on Farmville with Astro Ranch and a bit of historical intrigue with the Wolf Hall e-book, which also features video commentary by David Starky.

Click the image below to get started

If you're one of the many a bit miffed that Apple wont be embracing Flash support nor multi-tasking in their upcoming iPad tablet, take a look at this video demo of the HP Slate by Alan Tam from Adobe Flash's product marketing team.

He shows the 10 inch iPad rival running a multi-tasking Windows 7 OS, as well as packing full support for Adobe's Flash software.

"With this slate product, you're getting a full web browsing experience in the palm of your hand," said Phil McKinney, the vice president and chief technology officer for HP's personal system group on the HP blog.

"No watered-down internet, no sacrifices," he continues, an obvious swipe at the reception given to Apple's Flash-lacking tablet.

"Chip and screen advancements have given us the ability to create a product that can hit a size, weight, battery life and price point that will make this product a mainstream offering," the HP rep concluded.

Apple may have the advantage by being the first to hit the market (no release date has yet been set for the HP Slate), but if the legions of non-plussed iPad followers are anything to go by, HP's Slate may yet be a real rival for the Cupertino crown.

Name: God of War III

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Platform: PS3

Price: £37.73 (Amazon)

God of War III opens with the kind of show-stopping sequence that most other games would happily end on. The mythic cliffs of Mount Olympus are depicted as a sweeping, war torn battlefield, with conflicts exploding across the craggy rock-face far into the distance. Colossal Titans scale the mountainside in what they hope will lead to a final face off with the Greek gods of lore, but are being pummelled by Zeus's lightning bolts, causing them to plummet into the clouds miles below. Zooming in close, the camera rushes along the Titan Gaia's back, revealing a lush, detailed forest and our anti-hero Kratos cleaving his way through hordes of foes. And then, in a moment of jaw dropping realisation, you find yourself seamlessly in control. The stunning preceding action was not a pre-rendered cut-scene, it is the actual interactive challenge you are about to face.

It is the first in a relentless series of jaw dropping moments that make up God of War III's grand adventure. It's gaming on an unparalleled scale, and perhaps the defining PS3 moment thus far.

It's not that Kratos's monster slaying, deity defying adventure has drastically changed between the PS2 and this next-gen iteration. It's just that events now play out on a gargantuan stage. Kratos has been betrayed by the heavens innumerable times before, but whereas previous games have built to a climactic duel with a single god, your hit list this time reads like a "Who's Who" of Greek mythology, including Poseidon and Hades. Ultimately, Kratos is looking to indulge in a spot of patricide this time around in order to end his tragic saga once and for all, which is no mean feat when your father is the God of gods himself, Zeus.

Graphically, God of War III is unrivalled on consoles at the moment. From its epic battlefields down to the smallest undead grunt, the level of detail is incredibly high. Santa Monica Studios' art team deserve every accolade they are likely to pick up here, with some of the most fully realised and creative level design I've ever seen in a game. Texture sizes have apparently quadrupled since the last instalment, and paired with some lighting wizardry, the moody stages are really brought to life.

This extra layer of graphical sheen also means that God of War's signature levels of ultra-violence get a makeover too. I can say with some confidence that this is one of, if not the most violent game I've seen during this console cycle. Kratos's quick-time-event kills are more brutal than ever, and whether you're gutting a centaur or dicing a snake-hipped gorgon, you'll likely be shocked and thrilled in equal measure.

God of War's combat system has barely changed across each game, but that's no bad thing when it's as slick as what's on offer here. Kratos again has a menagerie of combos and grapples to dish out against his hapless foes, and long-time fans will likely be stringing together 100 hit flourishes straight off the bat. Kratos can now also use his chain-like blades to grapple from a distance, which is genuinely useful when taking on airborne nasties, as well using baddies as a battering-ram, which apart from a few early crowd-control moments is really merely just a giggle-raising cosmetic addition.

There are also a slew of new weapons to acquire across the course of his quest, including Apollo's Bow and Herme's fleet-footed Boots. Our personal favourite was the Cestus, a pair giant metallic gloves shaped like lions heads that were completely ferocious at close-quarters. God of War III bests its predecessors here by making each new weapon fun and useful in its own right; these aren't little distractions that you'll eventually tire of, reverting back to the standard Blades of Athena. You'll want to experiment with each new item, and will have to swap between each if your quest is to be a bloody success.

I'd say it's roughly a 70/30 split between combat and exploration in God of War III, in favour of the brawling. The few puzzles that litter the game are intricately woven into the stunning levels, and are some of the best the series have offered. One that clearly takes inspiration from the artist M.C Escher is particularly memorable, and visually captivating to boot. In fact, you'll often be so busy ogling the visuals that it's usually some time before the penny-dropping solution hits you with certain puzzles.

The cracks in the game's near-perfect execution are few, but worth mentioning considering the incredible level of polish exhibited elsewhere. God of War II's Icarus Wings return for some light platforming sections. Like all other assets in the game they look amazing, but the timing of their double-tapping glide-jump seemed a little inconsistent, resulting in some cheap deaths. Likewise, as the game is viewed nearly entirely from fixed camera angles, there are a few rare occasions where viewpoints result in "leap of faith" moments where a precision landing can be a little difficult to achieve. It would have been nice also to to see another dimension to Kratos's character other than the old gruff, angry-shtick; while his unrelenting quest for vengeance is portrayed as unsettlingly admirable, he's starting to sound a bit like a broken record by this game's conclusion.

But picking holes in God of War III is like noticing a smudge on a 20-storey diamond. Though the series has inspired many copycats (with Darksiders and Dante's Inferno worthy games in their own right), none come close to replicating the level of spectacle displayed here. A showboat on a sea of guts and gore, Kratos's intimidating shadow will loom far and wide long after God of War III's final curtain falls.

5/5

Related: Aliens Versus Predator - Xbox 360 review

Apple have just announced that the iPad will be hitting UK shores in late April. The news means that the iPad will miss its initial late-March launch date. Both Wi-Fi and 3G models will be available at this slightly delayed date.

If you're lucky enough to be an American reader however, you'll be able to pick up a Wi-Fi-only model from as early as April 3rd, providing you pre-order a the tablet from March 12th. The 3G enabled models will follow shortly afterwards in the month.

It's unusual for Apple to miss a release date (and the press release issued carefully skirts around admitting this delayed release). Still, at least it's only a few weeks later than expected, and if you were holding out for a 3G model in the first place, it probably wont make much difference anyway.

Apple's full press release follows:

Apple® today announced that its magical and revolutionary iPad will be
available in the US on Saturday, April 3, for Wi-Fi models and in late
April for Wi-Fi + 3G models. In addition, all models of iPad will be
available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain,
Switzerland and the UK in late April.

Beginning a week from today, on March 12, US customers can pre-order
both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple's online store
(www.apple.com) or reserve a Wi-Fi model to pick up on Saturday, April
3, at an Apple retail store.

"iPad is something completely new," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
"We're excited for customers to get their hands on this magical and
revolutionary product and connect with their apps and content in a
more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."

Starting at just $499, iPad lets users browse the web, read and send
email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play
games, read ebooks and much more. iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and
weighs just 1.5 pounds-thinner and lighter than any laptop or
netbook-and delivers battery life of up to 10 hours.*

iPad's revolutionary Multi-Touch™ interface makes surfing the web an
entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate
than on a computer. You can read and send email on iPad's large screen
and almost full-size "soft" keyboard or import photos from a Mac®, PC
or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share
them using iPad's elegant slideshows. iPad makes it easy to watch
movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD, or flip through the pages of
an ebook you downloaded from Apple's new iBookstore while listening to
your music collection.

The App Store on iPad lets you wirelessly browse, buy and download new
apps from the world's largest app store. iPad includes 12 new
innovative apps designed especially for iPad and will run almost all
of the more than 150,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already
purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. Developers are already
creating exciting new apps designed for iPad that take advantage of
its Multi-Touch interface, large screen and high-quality graphics.

The new iBooks app for iPad includes Apple's new iBookstore, the best
way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile product. The iBookstore
will feature books from the New York Times Best Seller list from both
major and independent publishers, including Hachette Book Group,
HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group and
Simon & Schuster.

The iTunes® Store gives iPad users access to the world's most popular
online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 12 million
songs, over 55,000 TV episodes and over 8,500 films including over
2,500 in stunning high definition. All the apps and content you
download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will
be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you
connect with your computer.

Pricing & Availability

iPad will be available in Wi-Fi models on April 3 in the US for a
suggested retail price of $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB.
The Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available in late April for a suggested
retail price of $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB. iPad
will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
Apple's retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

iPad will be available in both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models in late
April in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain,
Switzerland and the UK. International pricing will be announced in
April. iPad will ship in additional countries later this year.

The iBooks app for iPad including Apple's iBookstore will be available
as a free download from the App Store in the US on April 3, with
additional countries added later this year.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors.
Actual results vary.

© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac
OS, Macintosh, Multi-Touch, iPhone, iPod touch, iTunes and Apple Store
are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be
trademarks of their respective owners.

Name: Camileo S20 (Toshiba)
Type: Ultra-compact camcorder
Specs:
Camera: 16 Megapixel CMOS image sensor, 4x digital zoom and digital image stabilsation at resolutions below 1080p
Recording media: 128MB built in memory, SD/SDHC Card (4GB provided)
Screen: 3" Colour LCD
Video Recording: HD (1080p): 1920 x 1080 (30fps) , HD (720p): 1280 x 720 (30fps), WVGA: 848 x 480 (60fps), VGA: 640 x 480 (30fps), QVGA: 320 x 240 (30fps)
Video Format: AVI
Still image quality:Ultra High: (16MP), JPEG Format
Connections: HDMI out (Mini), AV out, USB 2.0 (Mini)
Battery: Removable Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Price: Circa £150

Toshiba's Camileo S20 compact camcorder certainly looks the part. Available in 8 different colours including off white, blue, brown, orange, pink, red, silver, and black, it looks like the sort of camcorder Honda's ASIMO robot would capture his flicks with. Measuring just 106 x 59 x 17mm, it'll fit easily inside a jacket pocket and at 115 grams (not including the removable Lithium-ion rechargeable battery) it isn't too weighty either. A 3 inch LCD screen folds out so that the camcorder is used in a pistol-grip fashion, and while it may not be the most robust of pocket cameras, its smoothed edges certainly get full marks for looks.

A few hardware buttons fall down the back edge of the Camileo S20. A start/stop record control is at the top, with click-able zoom control directly underneath, along with a button to change the video capture quality and another to switch the camcorder's LED light source on or off. The S20's right side houses controls to switch between still and video capture modes and on the left sits the pre-record function that allows 3 seconds of footage prior to your hitting the record button to be stored. The Camileo S20 is comfortable in the hand, with each button responsive and well placed.

The back also has a hidden flap, underneath which lies a mini-HDMI connection, a mini-USB port and a 3.5mm Composite video out. It's a generous range of connections on a camera so svelte, and Toshiba have been equally generous in bundling in a mini tripod, an analogue AV cable and mini-to-full-sized HD cable converter too. Whatever your set up, you should have no problem outputting video to most TVs.

The Camileo S20 records video in AVI format. There are plenty of recording options and modes on offer ((HD (1080p): 1920 x 1080 (30fps) , HD (720p): 1280 x 720 (30fps), WVGA: 848 x 480 (60fps), VGA: 640 x 480 (30fps), QVGA: 320 x 240 (30fps)), including time lapse, image stabilisation at modes below full 1080p HD and slow-motion capture.

However, video quality isn't as great as we'd have liked considering the great start the camera gets off to. 1080p videos are nowhere near as sharp as you'd expect, which becomes very noticeable once outputting to a HD TV. Without a good light source images get very noisy, and while the LED illumination performs far better than you'd expect, it often isn't enough to clean up the images. While colour levels performed reasonably well even in low light, often the cameras auto-exposure would bail out on us, resulting in very dark images, and using the Night mode only sacrificed fidelity for a low boost in contrast levels. Likewise, the 16MP still images taken lacked the detail a dedicated still camera of the same quality could produce.

The camera's Macro switch for close up video fared much better. From a range of 20cm or less the S20 took sharp images, with the focus almost always finding the right subject. Like most compact camcorders, the built-in mic picked up a lot of extraneous environmental noise, but proved rather clear in more subdued situations. It's also worth noting that the camcorder only has 128MB of on-board memory, so you're going to have to purchase an SD or SDHC card if you plan on filming anything but the most trivial of movies with it.

We really liked the look of the Toshiba Camileo S20. It's sharp design and relatively full feature set looked to set it apart from the increasing pack of ultra-compact camcorders available. Sadly, its full HD recording just wasn't up to scratch, which means it has to drop a mark or two.

3/5

Related | JVC GC-FM1 ultra compact camcorder review

Tech Digest got to have a pretty extensive sit down with post-apocalyptic first-person shooter Metro 2033 this week. Read on for our initial impressions of what may prove to be the most atmospheric shooter of the year.

There will be many quick to compare Metro 2033 to Fallout 3, and while they share similar post-apocalyptic settings, this is a very different beast. Metro 2033 is a linear, scripted shooter, where jumps and scares are far higher on the agenda than exploration. That's not necessarily a bad thing at all considering the rich back story on offer here from Dmitry Glukhovsky's acclaimed, eponymous novel.

Metro 2033 throws you into the shoes of Artyom, a young man who has grown up on the wrong side of an apocalyptic event that has turned the world to ashes and rubble. His life has been spent scraping together an existence in Moscow's underground Metro station settlements, fending off mutant attacks from above. If that didn't sound grim enough, there's a gang of new mutants on the scene, known only as "Dark Ones" who use psychic powers to mess you up without even the courtesy to claw out your innards first.

Our Xbox 360 testing session let us try out the first few scene-setting missions. Many early sequences had us soaking up the atmosphere of Artyom's home station, Exhibition. Ukrainian developers 4A Games have obviously spent a lot of time making this world feel lived-in and natural, and there's a real sense of community in these underground tunnels, despite the bleak set-up. Kids weave in and out of shanty-style hovels, markets bustle with mercenaries looking to trade bullets (the game's currency) and every corner reveals an NPC with a well voice-acted story to tell. It all looks really great too, with moody lighting and a sense of foreboding written on each character's face.

A little further down the line and we're exploring one of the metro tunnels and fending off waves of rat-like mutants. Each gun (made to look like a "Frankenstein's monster" of salvaged parts) had a weighty punch appropriate to their strength, and the aggressive enemy AI definitely kept us on our toes. Ammunition is limited (perhaps a little too limited), giving a real survival-horror feel to proceedings. Your comrades put up a good fight too, and saved our sorry skins on more than one occasion. Getting pounced upon by the beasts sometimes throws up a little quick-time-event as you struggle to clamber away, but they feel well placed here, adding to the frenetic action rather than breaking the sense of immersion.

To traverse the hazardous tunnels, you've got a backpack full of gear to aid you, including a gas mask, lighter and map for navigation, and a hand crank for charging your headlamp. Donning the gas mask for too long in noxious areas sees the screen fog up, a really nice touch that obscures your view and adds to tension, as is the need to flick open the lighter to read your map in the dark corridors. There's no HUD here; everything is tactile and needs interacting with to be of any use to you, with the controller-trigger pumping charge crank being a good example. It all helps to immerse you in the desperate struggle for survival Artyom faces, but we couldn't help but feel that all these functions made the controls a little overly-busy at times.

The last area we saw brought us upon some human bandit foes, and required a bit of light stealth work. Tripwires and tin can alarm systems were set up to alert them to our presence, but just hiding in the shadows was enough to evade most of the baddies and allow us to deliver a silent throwing knife killing blow to our enemies. Stealth isn't looking to be too integral a part of the action, and that's probably a good thing, as we're pretty certain an enemy passed straight through us without detecting our presence at one point.

All in, Metro 2033 is looking to be a pretty enjoyable adventure. There doesn't seem to be anything revolutionary on the cards, but it's a solid shooter that just oozes atmosphere at every turn. It's literary background also looks to set it apart, and we're genuinely excited to see where the plot will eventually take us.

We'll have a full review of Metro 2033 in the next few weeks so keep an eye out in the days running up to its March 19th UK release.

There's been some strange goings on this week between publisher Activision and Modern Warfare developers Infinity Ward.

Following claims of "insubordination", Activision have terminated the contracts of Jason Ward and Vince Zampella, senior executives at Infinity Ward. The reasoning behind this remains sketchy, but there has even been speculation that the pair were forcibly removed from Infinity Ward HQ.

Activision cited "breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward" and said that "this matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation".

Tuesday then saw Activision announce that they would be creating a new unit to take over production of the franchise, taking Infinity Ward (whom Activision bought in 2003) out of the Modern Warfare picture altogether. Could this have something to do with rumours that the Modern Warfare games are set to go down the MMO route?

Either way, why would you kick out the brains behind the biggest entertainment launch in history, one that saw Modern Warfare 2 sell 1.8 million copies in its first week of sale in the UK alone? Well perhaps Activision feared that the Infinity Ward duo were beginning to splinter away from Activision rule, which may have eventually seen them take their talented team to pastures new.

They wouldn't be the first to depart from Activision either. Last month Guitar Hero's Dan Rosensweig left after helming the franchise for just about a year.

For the sake of those who work for Activision at least, lets hope the board have made the right move here, especially when you consider the bulk of their revenue comes from just three franchises, despite having a massive catalogue of titles.

Guitar Hero and Warcraft are two, and the third? Yep, Call of Duty/Modern Warfare.

Tech Digest got to have a hands-on go with Just Cause 2 today, the latest sandbox adventure from Swedish developers Avalanche. It's shaping up to be a bombastic romp, so read on for our initial impressions.

Our demo comprised of two of the opening missions and a quick run through the open world elements (which will be available in a demo later this week). The first thing you'll notice about Just Cause 2 is its absolutely breathtaking visuals. Character models are nice and detailed, if a little unspectacular, but boy; those vistas! The fictional island of Panau stretches over 400 square miles. Anywhere you can see you can visit and interact with, with minimal loading times. The first mission has you sky dive out over an icy enemy base, showing off the magnificent night-time visuals and endless draw distance, as well as the more varied environments present in the sequel. Deserts, ice-caped mountains, oceans and jungles can all be explored.

Our hero Rico Rodriguez once again has a parachute and grappling gun, which when used in tandem can help you cover great distances at a time, sling-shot style. The grappling hook is available at all times now, making Rico feel a little like a Latino Spiderman. The grappling hook can be used to reel you into vehicles, hang from aircraft, or even as a weapon (more on that in a little bit). It plays liberally with physics, but Just Cause 2 is all the better for it. Whereas Grand Theft Auto IV took its series in a slightly more sensible direction, Just Cause 2 is a balls-out explosion-fest. There's a real sense of freedom, with experimentation with the myriad ways to cause destruction offering as much fun as getting into the meaty, varied missions.

Rico was quite the showman in the first title, and he's even more daring this time around. Fancy surfing a flaming aircraft? No, problem, hit the stunt button and you can pick off baddies whilst doing it. We're told that there are roughly 450 vehicle variations on offer, each with their own carefully weighted physics and perks like mounted guns and armour. Damage modelling on vehicles is impressive too, with real time scrapes appearing on your motors, which in turn affect vehicle performance.

Combat is particularly outlandish; you have the usual array of machine guns and explosives, but the grappling hook is where the real fun lies. You're able to use it to hog tie your foes, string them up to lamposts, toss them over the edge of sky scrapers or tie them to a squadmate. If you're feeling particularly sadistic, you can even use the grappling hook to attach a baddie to a gas canister, set it alight, and watch your enemy be propelled into the distance.

Much of the environments can be blown up with Michael Bay style aplomb, which, while fun in its own right, is also an integral mechanic. Causing havoc is in effect its own sort of in-game currency, with "Chaos" being dished out for foiling the enemies, and used to unlock new missions.

We also got to see Just Cause 2 running in 3D, which PC users with an Nvidia 3D Vision set up will be able to enjoy at home. The sense of scale in Just Cause 2 greatly benefits from this extra dimension. Skydiving from a chopper and having the ground rush towards you and treetops fly past is so exhilarating in 3D that we forgot to open our parachute on more than one occasion. It's looking set to be the best way to experience Just Cause 2.

We were sceptical going into the preview session, but came away totally won over by Just Cause 2's exuberant attitude and "fun-before-realism" approach to the sandbox genre. We'd have loved more time with it and cant wait to get stuck into some review code.

Just Cause 2 is out on March 26th on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, and you can download the demo from Thursday. We'll have a full review up soon, as well as an interview with lead developer Peter Johansson, so keep those peepers peeled.

Name: Picsio GC-FM1 (JVC)
Type: Ultra-compact camcorder
Specs:
Camera: 8 Megapixel 1/3.2" CMOS image sensor, 4x digital zoom, digital image stabiliser
Recording media: SD/SDHC Card (not provided)
Screen: 2.0" Colour LCD
Video Recording: Mode 1080p: 1440 x 1080p / 30fps / 12Mbps, 16:9; 720p: 1280 x 720p / 60fps / 12Mbps, 16:9; VGA: 640 x 480 / 60fps / 4Mbps, 4:3; QVGA: 320 x 240p / 30fps / 0.7Mbps, 4:3
Video Format: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264: MOV, Audio: AAC
Still image quality:Mode 8M: 3264 x 2448, 4:3; 5M: 2592 x 1944, 4:3; 2M: 1600 x 1200, 4:3; 0.3M: 640 x 480, 4:3 (JPEG Format)
Connections: HDMI out (Mini), AV out, USB 2.0/1.1
Battery: Approx. 96 minutes
Price: £123.99 (Expansys)

JVC's Picsio GC-FM1 ultra compact camcorder has a problem on its hands. In the time it has taken to hit shelves, the GC-FM1 is now entering an increasingly cluttered market, with sterling pocket camcorders available from Kodak, Veho and Flip. It costs a pocket friendly £123.99, but is a lightweight price enough to see it fend off the heavy competition?

The GC-FM1 is very light (weighing around 95 grams) and nice and portable at 53.0mm x 97.0mm x 17.0mm. It's available in three pretty shades (black, blue and pink), but its chromed checker-board finish makes it look a bit like an ugly toy. Paired with the chrome edging which camouflages the exposed mini HDMI, AV out and USB connections, the GC-FM1 feels cheap in your hand, looking a little bit like those fake mobile phones you can pick up for your kids from market stalls.

The back houses all the hardware buttons and the 2-inch LCD screen for viewing video playback. The screen is clear and performs reasonably well, even in direct sunlight. However, the buttons on the back are really unresponsive. The record/select, still/video, delete, playback, and thumbnail buttons work fine, but the ring of buttons around the central trigger button hardly ever responded first time. Add to this some bizarre input command choices (pushing the "Previous" button twice in quick succession changes video quality), and you'll rarely get to whichever function you were after first time.

MPEG-4 and QuickTime MOV video files with H.264 compression can be recorded with the GC-FM1. Overall, video quality is rather good; video is sharp, the image stabiliser works well and movement noise is kept to a minimum, even at the highest resolution of 1,440 x 1,080 pixels at 30fps. The Macro Focus toggle is also pretty good, with sharp detail in the image, provided that the ambient lighting is decent. Audio records in stereo which is nice, and though the quality is a little lacklustre, it's no worse than that found in other similar ultra compact camcorders. Likewise, still 8 megapixel photos take well, though high contrast levels mean a little bit of desktop editing might be needed to get them looking just right.

Though the MPEG-4 and QuickTime MOV files can be easily tinkered with using any number of video editing suites, the bundled software leaves a lot to be desired. Just like the camera's hardware buttons, it can hardly be called intuitive, with many common functions either hidden by the poor UI or absent altogether, such as contrast and brightness adjustments. Uploading to YouTube is admittedly very easy however thanks to some very clear Wizards, and if publishing to the streaming site is your sort of thing, then the GC-FM1's software at least has you covered there.

Based purely on the quality of the video and images the JVC Picsio GC-FM1 produces, the camcorder would be able to stand proud against its rivals. However, shoddy build quality, poor software and infuriatingly fiddly hardware buttons drag this contender down significantly.

3/5

Buy the JVC GC-FM1 from Expansys

To celebrate 50 years of being on the goggle-box, Coronation Street is all set to get its own Wii game. There are few details on the title so far, other than that you can expect street-stars from past and present to all make an appearance. We've always hoped to pull a virtual pint or two with the Wii-mote down the Rovers Return, truth be told.

The news got the Shiny team thinking: what would be the best shows to get a bit of an interactive makeover on Nintendo's Wii?

Check out our gallery below for some truly inspired choices.

With Aston Villa and Manchester United gearing up to duke it out in the League Cup Final this weekend, Tech Digest have pulled together ten of the best football apps available on the iPhone.

Everything from World Cup 2010 fixture and score trackers to penalty shootouts feature here, so whether you're just looking for the latest transfer news or fancy a game of virtual kick-ups, there's sure to be something here for every footie nut.

Click the image below to get started