Author: Paul Lamkin
RUMOUR: Slim PS3 to ship this month?
Taiwanese website UDN is reporting that Sony has signed deals with two manufacturers – Foxconn and Pentagon – with a view to a July release for the slim-line version of the PS3. That’s not July 2010, it’s July 2009 – as in this very month.
The report has been backed up by “a couple of credible reports” according to Engadget. However, UDN is also reporting that the slim will be the last of PS3 of this generation with a next-generation console based on Sony’s motion controller due in 2010.
This part of UDN’s report isn’t very likely though – it’s possible the rumour mill has been fuelled by some mistranslation. Sony demonstrated the motion controller at E3 on the PS3 and has made it clear the new controller is for the PS3.
If the slim rumours turn out to be true though and the rumours regarding possible PS3 price-cuts also come to fruition then the PS3 might finally become the popular console it is capable of being.
(via Engadget)
Palm Pre UK announcement next week
A briefing for the UK press has been arranged by Palm for next week – fuelling rumours that they will be announcing release details for the much anticipated Palm Pre smartphone.
The phone was released in the first week of June in the US but us poor old Brits have had to wait with baited breath for launch details. As of yet we’ve heard nothing.
But this could all be set to change on 7th July. Hopefully, Palm will not only provide a release date but they’ll also give us network and price information. Rumours have circulated that the Pre will be exclusive to O2, although Vodafone has also been touted as a possible carrier.
I’m going to stick my neck out and say it will be available on O2 with the same contracts available as with the iPhone 3GS. This is purely a guess though. Just a bit of fun. Don’t come complaining if I’m wrong.
(via T3)
Boffins to develop bullet-proof vests made of cement
Leeds University’s School of Civil Engineering has received a £100,000 grant to work on a bullet-proof vest that is made out of cement.
The vest uses ultra-strong cement mixed with recycled carbon fibres and could work out to be up to 90% cheaper to manufacture than the current alumina-based vests.
The British army has been widely criticised for not providing the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan enough armour and protection.
Dr Philip Purnell, who is leading the research team said: “Cement-based body armour would not only create a whole new market but it would also take some of the pressure off the demand for hi-spec alumina models so that people like soldiers, who really need this kit, can get it.”
I’m glad I’m not in the army. I wouldn’t fancy lugging a cement vest around in the desert.
(via The Yorkshire Evening Post)
The Pirate Bay's new owners plan to pay users to host content
In an effort to legitimise the Pirate Bay its new owner, Global Gaming Factory, plans to pay users to host content as part of mass peer-to-peer network.
“We’re a publicly listed company, so whatever we take over has to be legal,” said CEO of GGF, Hans Pandeya. “To be legal, you have to have content providers who are paid. That’s what we want.”
The new system could also see data transmitted for ISPs who are having trouble with the ever increasing traffic of the internet.
It was only yesterday it was announced that the Pirate Bay was being taken over. There has been widespread concern on the web that the takeover was the beginning of the end for the Pirate Bay. Today’s announcement will only fuel that concern. If GGF plan to pay hosts then it might not be long until they begin to charge for content as well.
(via gamesindustry.biz)
Denon announces the DBP-2010 Blu-ray player
Denon has announced the latest addition to their Blu-ray line-up: The DBP-2010.
I want to call it a high-end Blu-ray player but it isn’t really. Not compared to some of Denon’s other Blu-ray machines. Mind you, this one costs £599 and not £3,300 like the VD-A1UD.
That’s not to say that the DBP-2010 isn’t a good bit of kit because, a quick look at the spec, will show you that it is.
It has Profile 2.0 capability with built in BD-Live and Bonus View via the ethernet port. It can play multiple formats – pretty much any shiny circular disc you can imagine – and it has 10-bit video processing for both HD and SD viewing. It also offers upconversion and IP scaling up to 1080p.
Sound wise it features 7.1 analogue outputs with full decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. For music via CD it has a dedicated two-channel analogue audio output. The DBP-2010 also supports DivxHD and AVCHD playback from HD camcorders.
It’s out this month and, as mentioned, it’s going to set you back £599. You can get it in either black or silver. Interested? If so, check availability via Denon.
Twitter directly from Flickr
Flickr has joined the Twitter revolution and now allows users to directly post pictures or videos into their Twitter streams.
They can either be uploaded directly using a dedicated email address or can they can be tweeted from Flickr using the ‘blog this’ function.
The tweets will show a special short Flic.kr URL and the user will have 116 characters left to tweet any additional info.
It’s about time Flickr got official with Twitter. Services such as Twittergram have demonstrated that linking from Flickr is an easy thing to do.
(via Flickr)
Mike Skinner's Glasto headphones – the Sony MDR-XB700s
If you went to Glastonbury last weekend, or even if you just soaked it up on TV with the Beeb, you may have been aware that Mike Skinner of The Streets made a crop-circle impression of his face on a field near the festival site.
In the image he is sporting a pair of headphones. The same headphone he wore whilst he was performing. The same pair of headphones he described had become “part of my soul” on Twitter.
So what headphones were they? Well, they were none other than the Sony MDR-XB700.
The XB700s have a powerful, ultra-low bass response and a driver unit that reproduces low frequencies accurately. The XB stands for ‘eXtra-Bass’ and these headphones are aimed at the bass-heavy music fan. That’s a lot of ‘bass’ in one paragraph but I think you get the picture.
Their manufactured from synthetic leather and the king-sized ear cushions reduce sound loss. The urethane cushion spreads pressure evenly, providing comfortable wear over extended listening periods. The XB700s have a frequency response of 3-28.000Hz and the driver unit is a 50mm dome type.
Keep checking back on TD and we’ll give these headphones the once over in the not too distant future.
Sony Centres will sell you the XB700s for £100 although you can get them a bit cheaper if you search around. £77.49 on Amazon for example.
MPs to investigate Britain's broadband speeds
The Digital Britain report, published earlier this month, proposed that all homes would have access to broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps by 2012.
Now for a country that has Virgin advertising up to 50Mb via their cable network and O2 advertising up to 20Mb on the existing phone-line network that doesn’t really sound very ambitious. It seems that some MPs may also be thinking just that.
So, MPs who work in the Commons Business and Enterprise Committee are to open an inquiry into broadband speeds in the UK. They will also look into whether the proposed 50p broadband tax is fair or not – the charge would be added monthly to anyone with a fixed telephone line.
Their concern is that by not aiming higher, the UK will fall behind the rest of the world in terms of broadband speeds. This handy chart courtesy of the BBC shows just how far we are behind already:
Even the French are beating us – sacre bleu. Also, South Korea has set a target of a minimum of 1Gbps for all homes. That kind of blows our target out of the water.
(via BBC)
Skype 3.0 for Windows Mobile released
Hey, I know it’s not the most monumental news story ever but for anyone who uses Windows Mobile any news regarding improvements will surely be welcomed with open arms.
Skype 3.0 for Windows Mobile allows users to send files such as spreadsheets, photos, MP3s and so on to other Skype users. It also has SMS functionality so users can avoid expensive roaming text charges, or even-more expensive charges to send texts to foreign numbers.
That’s it. Nothing else to see here. Move along people.
(via JKonTheRun)
O2 announces 3D interactive cinema experience
O2 has announced that they’ll be screening the world’s first interactive 3D game across Britain this summer. Asteroid Storm will played by an estimated 1million people in 20 selected Vue cinemas.
The elements of the game are fairly simple both in terms of plot and interactivity. Players will become crew on the Starship O2 and they need to steer the ship back on course. This will be done by waving their arms in the air in accordance with instructions from the Captain. 3D obstacles will race towards them in an effort to put them off.
The interactive experience uses floor projectors and was dreamt up by ZenithOptimedia. Creative work was done by VCCP and Agency Republic. The game will be accompanied by the first ever 3D movie tralier reel, by advertising guru Pearl & Dean.
The experience will be supported by a huge online campaign as well as interactive games, such as Wac-a-roid, that will feature in the foyers of the selected Vue cinemas.
Asteroid Storm is released on 10th July and it sounds like some great family fun. And you know what they say – a family that plays together stays together. I’m all for it.
(via Marketing Magazine)
