iPhone UK launch: How much does it really cost to own one?

iphone-uk.jpgI’m not talking about the features here. I think anyone would agree that – lack of 3G notwithstanding – the features packed into an iPhone make it worth a few quid.

And with Steve Jobs announcing that they’re not even going to bother with the 4GB model over here but go straight to an 8GB model for £269 (only about £70 more than the US using the current exchange rate which is unusually generous for the UK as it’s essentially VAT plus a small premium for UK business costs).

Opinion: Why it's now COOL to be a GEEK

Jon_small_new.jpgJonathan Weinberg writes…

This is possibly the most important techno story I’ve seen all week, it’s officially ok to be geeky. A new list of the UK’s most coolest brands has been released and the top 10 contains SEVEN firms related to gadgets, gaming and the internet. So if that’s not a reason to embrace your virtual friends and give thanks I don’t know what is.

The iPod was only pipped into second place in the CoolBrands 2007 by James Bond’s favourite car, the Aston Martin, and you could argue there’s something geeky about being a fan of that motor. No longer is it nerdy to be geeky – because both are different…

Opinion: HMV need more than gimmicks to attract kids to "cyber store"

Jon_small_new.jpgQuick quiz now – do you still buy CDs on the high street? I rarely do these days, unless it’s an impulse buy in a sale as I browse, but then I don’t get much time to do that either like I used to. Let’s face it, we’re a cash rich, time poor society now and that means one thing – the Internet!

I’m not going to spit out the obvious downloading facts and figures that we all already know, digital music is big business and only a miniscule percentage of people reading this will never have bought or “found” a music track via the web…

Opinion: Why we should all smile as stars of CCTV

Jon_small_new.jpgYep, you’re right, that is an album by Hard-Fi but it’s a serious point, because a funny thing happened to me today – I went to the dentist! Nothing particular humorous in that, no you are right, but seriously I am telling the tooth! Ok, enough with the bad jokes already.

As I sat in the dentist chair, he said there was something he wanted to show me and quickly thrust it towards my mouth. I was a bit shocked but suddenly it all became clear – he’s had a techno-makeover in the surgery. And boy, what an exciting 10 minutes it was…

IFA 07: LG DVR Pause and Play TV and PC users

lg_lcd_dvr_range.jpgFor those of you into your pause and play TV, LG also had new 160GB DVRs with dual digital tuners on display. Each will naturally allow you to watch one program while recording another. They’ve got Freeview Playback Certification from the UK’s Digital TV group, so you can record subtitles and closed captions, in addition to video and audio, as well as intelligently schedule recording times in case a TV programme over-runs.