Perhaps it's a knock on effect of the global rescession, but the latest report by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has found that TV viewing is at the highest it has been in 18 years.

Viewers watched an average of 3.75 hours of TV a day last year, the highest figure since 1992, according to IPA research.

As one would expect to find, the first and last quarters of the year, with less daylight and fewer people away on holiday, tended to show the highest television viewing figures.

Interestingly, the IPA revealed that only 8.2 % of UK households relied on an analogue signal to catch their favourite shows, showing that the digital switch-over is almost complete.

While ITV and GMTV gathered 19% of the total television audience in the last three months of 2009, likely thanks to the popularity of the X-Factor, BBC1 continued to achieve the highest share of all the terrestrial channels, at 21%. All five analogue channels continue to lose ground however, as multi-channel satellite options grow in prominence.

It's that time of year again, where we all rush off to Clinton's for a naff card, a syrupy teddy and a box of Quality Streets for our loved ones. Yep, Valentine's Day rears its sickly head once again, and, like it or lump it, it's here to stay.

But how best to show the extent of your love for that special, nerdy man-child in your life?

If your boyfriend is partial to a bit of tech or some geeky toys, you've come to the right place. Check out Tech Digest's Top Ten Geeky Valentine Presents: For Him. Wedding bells will be ringing in a matter of months with these nifty little gifts, we assure you.

Click the image below to get started

Apple have announced the launch of Aperture 3, the latest version of their popular photo editing and archiving software.

There are over 200 new features in the Aperture 3 program, including Brushes for touching up images and one-click photo effects with the Adjustment Presets tool.

Perhaps the best new addition is the ability to organise large numbers of photos through facial recognition and location aware features. Faces lets you view snapped faces across your entire collection and assign them a name, automatically tagging other similar entries, while Places lets you assign locations to your pics by dragging-and-dropping photos onto a map or by using location information from GPS enabled cameras, tracking devices or your iPhone photos.

Slideshows can weave together photos, text, audio and HD video, and can also be exported directly to an iPhone or iPod touch, so that you can take your favourite shots organised with Aperture 3 on the go with you.

"Millions of people love using iPhoto to organise, edit and share their digital photos," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Aperture 3 is designed for both professionals who edit and manage massive libraries of photos and iPhoto users who want to take their photos further with easy-to-use tools such as Brushes and Adjustment Presets."

Aperture 3 is available now, priced £169 for first-time users, or £79 for those upgrading from previous versions.

For more info, visit, www.apple.com/uk/aperture .

This latest model of Buffalo's LinkStation Mini sets itself apart from the host of other media server options vying for your money by offering a built in BitTorrent client to manage all your P2P file sharing.

Available in black or white and both 500GB and 1TB storage sizes, the LinkStation Mini also features support for DLNA sharing with transfer speeds capable of up to 40 Mbps. There is also a WebAccess portal, allowing users to access files stored on the LinkStation Mini via the web from anywhere in the world.

Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the LinkStation Mini keeps itself discrete not only by its size, but also by its lack of a noisy fan. It's able to do without this heat-reducing gear as Buffalo claim power consumption is 60% lower than on previous models.

Paul Hudson, Northern European sales director, Buffalo Technology, commented: "As the appetite for digital media continues to grow, consumers expect high-quality, high-definition content to replace traditional formats. The LinkStation Mini is an ideal way for people to store all their movies, music and photos; share it with friends and family and to use it in their homes on a computer, laptop or television."

The LinkStation Mini is available now, with prices starting at £179.99, going up to £249.99.

Here's a full list of specs:

· High-speed processor provides file transfer rates of up to 40MB/s with enhanced performance
· Control access with group and user level security
· Direct copy of multimedia files from attached USB devices
· Supports Apple Bonjour
· Supports Active Directory
· Supports UPS connectivity via USB port
· Supports RAID 0/1
· In-built Print Server
· Auto-Sensing 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet port
· Silent, with no internal fan
· In-built DLNA CERTIFIED™ Server
· In-Built BitTorrent™ Client
· Fully integrates with iTunes
· WebAccess allows you to store, share and access files from any web browser via PC, Mac or iPhone
· Memeo™ backup software

Take a quick look over at the UK Apple store and you'll see that it's down for maintenance.

There's a short message: "We are busy updating the store for you and will be back shortly".

Could some new UK iPad details be on the way? Pricing, availability, network operators?

We'll be updating this page once we have some more details.

Update: Looks like the news is certain to be the release of Aperture 3, which is looking pretty smart itself anyway.

One of the most welcome surprises from the Apple iPad launch was its pricing. Where rumours had circulated that the iPad could cost upwards of $1,000, it was a relief when Jobs announced that an entry-level model would cost just $499 in the US.

However, circumstance may lead this low price tag to drop even further.

Bill Shope, Credit Suisse analyst, suggested after meeting with Apple executives that price cuts could be on the way should the iPad under-perform.

Shope said that "While it remains to be seen how much traction the iPad gets initially, management noted that it will remain nimble (pricing could change if the company is not attracting as many customers as anticipated)."

It may not have ticked every box for every tech fan, but could an even lower price tempt you into picking up an iPad? Let us know in the comments section below or via @techdigestnews.

Via: Wall Street Journal

Click here for all there is to know about Apple's iPad.

LG's latest handset, the LG Mini, aims to cram all the high-spec features of a smartphone into what they are claiming is the world's "smallest and slimmest" 3.2 inch touchscreen phone.

The LG Mini's sleek 3.2 inch, 16:9 screen extends all the way to the edge of the phone and is completely free of face buttons.

There's also some pretty nifty social networking tools on board, housed under LG's Social Network Connect umbrella. Facebook and Twitter feeds are automatically updated on the phone, while new news concerning your contacts is automatically displayed in the Social Address Book.

Alongside these networking apps, there is also a 5MP camera with auto-face detection, A-GPS location awareness, HDSPA at 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi.

"We developed the LG Mini in response to specific requests from actual consumers who were unhappy with current full touchscreen phones that are too bulky, too clunky and too expensive," said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "The easily pocketable LG Mini delivers great looks at a reasonable price, with the trendy features that people want."

The LG Mini will be hitting UK shops in April, with full specifications and pricing still to be confirmed.

Looking to "spread the love" this Valentine's Day, mobile communications provider Truphone will be offering free calls to 30 countries across the world on February 14th.

The 24 hour long promotion includes free landline calls to much of Europe, as well as free landline and mobile calls to the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.

"Valentine's Day is a key date when it's really important to be able to catch up with that special someone; especially if you don't want to end up in the doghouse!" said Karl Good, Director of Applications at Truphone. "We hope that Truphone can make it just that little bit easier for people. Once the application is downloaded onto your mobile, Truphone is simple to use, there are no hidden or start-up fees and people are constantly telling us they wish they had signed up earlier."

The Truphone app is available on the iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Nokia and Android devices.

For more info visit www.truphone.com.

It's been quite the day for Canon announcements; first the three new IXUS models, then the EOS 550D DSLR and now this, the PowerShot SX210 IS.

The sequel to the SX200 IS, the SX210 IS boosts its features up to a 14x zoom, 14.1 megapixel sensor and HD video recording at 720p and 30fps.

The 3 inch display from the SX200 model has been given the once over too, now far easier on the eye thanks to higher contrast and better viewing angles. There's also the DIGIC4 image processing, optical image stabilization and 28mm wide-angle lens inside too, which we first saw all on the SX200.

Smart settings can be set automatically to pick a suitable shutter speed, while up to 35 faces can be tracked and focussed by the facial recognition system.

SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards will all be compatible. There's also a HDMI port on the camera, and there's 2GB of cloud storage included for web archiving.

The PowerShot SX210 IS will be available from March 2010, and will cost £360.
For more info, visit www.canon.co.uk.

It's little more than 10 months since the release of the EOS 500D, but Canon have already outed a new improved model, the EOS 550D.

This DSLR features an 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800) and continuous shooting at 3.7fps. Those looing to shoot video with their DSLR will be happy to hear that the EOS 550D also features full HD video recording at 1080p with manual, selectable frame rate options.

Here's a quick look at some of the features on board:

-18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
-DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
-Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
-Full HD Movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
-7.7cm (3.0") 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
-iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
-Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
-Exposure compensation +/-5 stops.
-Select maximum value for Auto ISO
-External Microphone socket
-Movie crop function

Kieran Magee, Director of Product Planning, Consumer Products, Canon Europe said that, "The EOS 550D redefines the entry level DSLR category, putting technologies and features previously the preserve of the professional into the hands of the consumer - allowing them to achieve outstanding results. With the EOS 550D, consumers are free to explore the limits of their own creative vision."

The EOS 550D will be available from the 24th February. For more info visit www.canon.co.uk.

Canon have just introduced details of three brand new IXUS range cameras.

First up, and top of the spec pile is the IXUS 210 (pictured). Available in four different colours, and featuring an 8.8cm touchscreen, the IXUS 210 aims to get the most out of its 14.1 megapixels by offering a range of hint and tips on-screen and easy-to-use smart shot modes. There's also a 5x ultra wide angle zoom lens and HDMI out, all for £349.00.

Next up is the IXUS 130. The thinnest IXUS to date (measuring in at just 17.8 mm at its thickest point) it also comes in four different colours. Very similar to the 210, it's also capable of 14.1 megapixel shots and HDMI out but has a slightly less powerful 4x zoom and smaller 6.9cm LCD screen. The 130 should set you back around £279.00.

Last of all is the IXUS 105. Sporting a respectable 12.1 megapixels, 4x zoom and 6.8cm screen, it will cost around the £189.00 mark.

All three models will be available from March.

For more details visit www.canon.co.uk .

The Motorola Devour has gotten itself where many men can only ever dream of; in a hot bath with Transformers star Megan Fox.

This Super Bowl commercial has got the tech world all hot and bothered. Not for the ad itself, which sees a sultry Fox snap a revealing pic of herself and spread it over social networks with disastrously funny results, but rather as it's the first sighting of the rumoured Devour itself.

It doesn't reveal much about the handset however; it looks like a simplified Milestone, with the advert focussing on its MotoBlur UI and its social networking capabilities.

No word yet on whether or not this will hit the UK, but given Motorola's hopes to expand their Android range, we'd say it's likely.

HTC's latest Android smartphone has been revealed. It's called the Incredible, and by the look of its specs, it seems pretty aptly named.

There's a massive 3.7 inch OLED display with WVGA resolution powered by a 1GHz snapdragon processor, and a 5MP camera with LED flash.

It's all wrapped up into HTC's great Sense UI, and while no UK release is yet avaialble, it looks set to hit the Verizon network in the US.

Similarities to the HTC Bravo seem quite noticeable. Is the Incredible the US version of the Bravo? We shouldn't have too long to wait; the Bravo is slated for a Spring release in the UK.

Via: Pocket Now

Play.com have just posted a listing for Google's Nexus One smartphone. SIM-free, Play are confident that the Android-powered phone will be shipping on 16th February.

The Nexus One uses Qualcomm's 1GHz Snapdragon chipset, sports a 3.7inch touch screen and runs Android 2.1. It has the latest versions of all Google's core apps, so you get an upgraded version of Google Earth which has a 3D style quality, Gmail, Google Voice and Google Maps. It also obviously has access to the ever growing Android app store and comes with voice recognition software which lets users speak emails and tweets.

Excited? Well hold on to your credit cards for just one second. Play are listing the Nexus One for £599.99. However, Google USA have been shipping the smartphone for a little while now for $580 complete with shipping costs and a UK adaptor. That converts to a mere £370.

Looks like Play are really cashing in on being the first to the UK market here, so keep that in mind before you part with your money.

Check Play's Google Nexus One listing here.

There's still a week to go until Mobile World Congress 2010, but LG's latest offering, the Arena Max, has just popped up on the web, photos, specs and all.

Expect to find a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood, a 3.5 inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi and a five megapixel camera.

While the OS on show here is difficult to identify, the "Arena Max" name suggests it is a similar offering to last years LG Arena, so this one too will likely be big on video playback.

More news on this one when it likely gets officially revealed at MWC.

Via: All About Phones

Taplulous' Tap Tap Revenge iPhone app proved a surprise success, taking on the rhythm gaming big-guns like Guitar Hero and Rock Band and beating them at their own game. Tap Tap Revenge proved wildly popular, and now Tapulous are looking to replicate that success with the new Riddim Ribbon game.

A cross between a racer and music mixing app, players use the iPhone's accelerometer to roll a ball down a sloping circuit to a soundtrack by the Black Eyed Peas. Hit an obstacle and the music track grinds to a halt, but take alternative routes and you get a brand new mix of the song.

The game's co-producer, will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas said, "I am so excited about this game. It makes you re-think the concept of playing a song. It makes you re-think the remix".

So far the game is set only to include three Black Eyed Peas songs: Boom Boom Pow, Meet Me Halfway, and I Got a Feeling. Remember though that Tapulous have a reputation for releasing new content for their iPhone games, so if the Black Eyed Peas aren't your cup of tea there's a good chance other artists may get thrown into the mix later on.

Via: Games Beat

UK fashion house Burberry are set to stream their latest Autumn/Winter collection showcase in 3D around the globe simultaneously, a global first.

Partnering with broadcaster Sky, custom private screening places will take place in major cities around the world, whereas the show itself will take place at The Chelsea College of Art in London at 4PM on 23 February 2010, during London Fashion Week .

The 3D screenings will take place at:

NEW YORK: 3D live streaming event at Skylight studios
PARIS: 3D live streaming event hosted with concept store, colette
DUBAI: 3D live streaming event at The Address
TOKYO :3D live streaming to La Fabrique for ''Burberry Night''
LOS ANGELES: 3D streaming event hosted by Tina Brown, editor of The Daily Beast (time delay due to time zone)

If you cant make it to one of the 3D events, you can catch all the catwalk action live in 2D at live.burberry.com , where users can also comment on the show with their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

There are a fair few tech companies piggy-backing off the hype surrounding the iPad with their own product launches, but this is both shameless and cheekily hilarious.

UK based X2 Computing are set to release their own touchscreen tablet, the iTablet. Sound familiar? Maybe because that was one of the names most often attached to Apple's tablet before its official iPad launch.

To be fair though, the X2 Computing Windows-based tablet does have some nice features sorely lacking from the iPad.

Most notable is the inclusion of a 1.3 mega pixel webcam, Flash support, HDMI-out, as well as three USB ports and a 250GB hard drive. They do come at the expense of portability however, as it's an inch and a half thick.

Available in 10.2-inch widescreen TFT or 12.1-inch widescreen XGA variants at a resolution of 1024x768, it's packing a 1.6GHz Intel processor and will be available in a range of colours.

Expect a near-definite name-change before this one hits shops in April, as there's no way Jobs didn't have the iTablet moniker sewn up long ago.

Via: Pocket Lint

Here's an interesting new feature from Guardian.co.uk. They've this week introduced their Zeitgeist page, a collage of popular content from their site organised by "social signals".

Each article to be featured on the Zeitgeist page is first judged by the websites linking to it, how often it has been posted on social networking sites, and the other pages that readers have visited before and after reaching the Guardian site. The stories that attract the most attention by midnight each day are then organised into colour-coded blocks as a visual guide to what the hottest trending stories are.

"This is an alternative way of exploring things on the Guardian site which are currently getting attention from our readers. Front pages and section fronts, curated by editors, are traditionally a great way of seeing what's important - in terms of news agenda, recency or big themes. Zeitgeist provides an alternative, emerging, community-curated view on what's currently interesting on our site," Meg Pickard and Dan Catt, who have been working on the project, told Journalism.co.uk.

The page is still in the early development stages, but it's looking promising already. Check it out here.

Sanyo's range of Xacti dual still and HD video camcorders got three new additions today in the shape of the VPC-GH1, VPC-CG100 and VPC-CG20 models.

The CG100 and CG20 models are pistol grip offerings, whilst the GH1 takes a more traditional horizontal stance. Each comes with a 5x zoom, while the Xacti GH1 and CG100 models push this up to a 12x double range zoom. Each also features a 2.7 inch TFT LCD tilting screen.

All three shoot 1080i video and take high res still shots (14 MP with the GH1 and CG100, 10 MP on the CG20) and can output to a TV through Mini HDMI.

SD cards can provide expandable storage memory, while a facial recognition system keeps your video's subjects in clear focus at all times.

More news on these movie-makers as we get them.