Review Archive

Results 1 to 25 of 65.

Sony PSP Go console - First Look
Can this improve on the current PSP? 30 June 2009 16:11 GMT

The Good
Screen is amazingly crisp, should give you longer battery life as no moving parts, Bluetooth

The Bad
UMD disks will no longer be useful, screen isn't touchscreen, still pretty large compared to Nintendo DS and DSi

Verdict
This smaller version of the PSP is as good as the original, but it still might not have what it takes to beat the Nintendo DS
Sony VAIO VGN-FW41 notebook
Top drawer multimedia machine? 30 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Bright and colourful screen, comfortable keyboard, distinctive style

The Bad
Quality could be better, office performance is a little underwhelming

Verdict
An impressive multimedia laptop that offers performance, comfort and style, but it could offer a slightly more sturdy design
LG 37LH7000 television
Media-savvy screen 30 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Digital media playback, colour, onscreen menus, Blu-ray detail

The Bad
On-board speakers; design of HDMI and USB inputs panel

Verdict
With a few exceptions this is a well thought-out and superb value LCD TV that’s versatile enough for any living room
BlackBerry Tour mobile phone - First Look
Is this a bigger smarter Curve or a mini Bold? 29 June 2009 20:38 GMT

The Good
3.5mm headphone jack, crisp screen, easy to use QWERTY keyboard, 3G

The Bad
No Wi-Fi, browser slow, no touchscreen

Verdict
RIM has created a handset that will throw you into a quandary, as it neither offers a "mini Bold" or a bigger more powerful Curve as you'll gain 3G, but lose Wi-Fi
Sony Ericsson C903 mobile phone
Does this 5MP phone impress? 29 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Good keypad, GPS, HSDPA

The Bad
Image quality not great, no 3.5mm jack, shutter button not very responsive

Verdict
A mixed handset that doesn't really live up to its Cyber-shot billing
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone
Fancy a spot of telly on the go? 29 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Lets you watch television on your iPhone/iPod touch - full control over your Slingbox

The Bad
No 3G streaming, iPhone/iPod touchscreen not widescreen, controls are basic

Verdict
Certainly worth considering if you want to stream content from your TV in the lounge to somewhere in the house or elsewhere on the globe
PC Tools iAntiVirus - Mac
Do you really need to protect yourself? 26 June 2009 16:00 GMT

The Good
Free, simple to use, works in the background

The Bad
Doesn't work on older Macs, only scans for Mac threats rather than PC ones as well

Verdict
With a zero cost, all you are paying for is your time to download and install
Anvil! The Story Of Anvil - DVD
Will this rock your world? 26 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Pretty much every aspect of it, really

The Bad
The whiff of Spinal Tap is inescapable

Verdict
Funny, moving, heartfelt and oddly touching, Anvil is essential viewing
Cuisinart Ice Cream Duo ice cream maker
Go on, you know you want one 26 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Simple, great recipe book, making two flavours at once is convenient

The Bad
It’s plasticy for the price and too bulky for occasional use

Verdict
It’s big and clunky but we can’t stay mad at a gadget that produces 2 litres of delicious ice cream in just 20 minutes
LG GC900 Viewty Smart mobile phone
Smart by name. Smart by nature? 25 June 2009 16:00 GMT

The Good
Good camera performance, good video, S-Class UI

The Bad
Possible lack of application support, no 3.5mm jack

Verdict
If you are in the market for a camera phone, be sure to check this one out
Sennheiser PXC 350 headphones
Noise cancelling brilliance? 25 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Great audio quality, noise cancelling excellent, folds to be more compact

The Bad
Price will be inhibitive for some

Verdict
Noise cancelling headphones that more than live up to the price tag. Great across a range of audio from iPhone to hi-fi to PC
Palm Pre mobile phone
Is Palm back in the game? 25 June 2009 9:23 GMT

The Good
Sleek and compact, superb touch UI, multitasking, excellent organisational skills

The Bad
Under-powered processor, short on software and storage, cut and paste is rubbish

Verdict
Watch out Apple! If Palm can ramp up its apps (and perhaps roll-out an OS update) the multi-talented Pre will poach users hunting for a smart, sexy iPhone alternative
HTC Hero mobile phone - First Look
Would Bonnie Tyler be proud? 24 June 2009 18:17 GMT

The Good
Full set of features, excellent user interface

The Bad
Slightly sluggish, and could do with more onboard storage

Verdict
The best Android handset to date, and a strong contender for the iPhone's crown
Creative Zen MX MP3 player
Can Creative’s media players still compete? 24 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Impressive range of media control and customisable features, decent audio and video performance, high storage capacities, SD card slot, excellent value for money

The Bad
Only supports proprietary video formats, design a little uninspiring

Verdict
Creative offers a hell of a lot for your money with the Zen MX, despite some minor foibles and a bit of a dated design
Amazon Kindle DX ebook
The future of print publication? 24 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Looks stunning, seamless shopping, more memory, big screen

The Bad
Sluggish interface, cheap joystick, basic formatting, awkwardly large

Verdict
Bigger? Yes. Better? Not really. More memory and better PDF handling are welcome but Kindle’s super-sized ebook reader might be too large for travellers and too small for anyone expecting a real digital newspaper
Mini Coyote GPS safety camera alert system
Do you feel the need for speed? 23 June 2009 18:01 GMT

The Good
Clear visual and audible warnings, accurate positioning, reports current speed and distance to target

The Bad
Bulky, unattractive design, limited array of features, extremely expensive

Verdict
Those in the market for a speed camera alert system will find this to be very capable, but for the price the Mini Coyote is nowhere near as practical as a standard GPS
Canon Pixma MP620 printer
An affordable all-in-one? 23 June 2009 15:19 GMT

The Good
Compact, plenty of connectivity options, card reader built-in, two paper trays

The Bad
Slightly red cast to photos

Verdict
Fairly cheap and extremely well specified all-in-one printer with great output quality. It's well designed and made with the added flexibility of separate ink tanks
LG 50PS7000 television
The first truly digital TV? 23 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Classy styling, connectivity galore, Bluetooth file transfer from phones, DivX HD playback from USB

The Bad
Freeview looks ropey, Blu-ray not razor-sharp, colour can be too ripe

Verdict
While not up there with the finest plasmas around when it comes to pictures, its digital media goodies and dependable audio make this 50-incher worth every penny
Apple iPhone 3GS mobile phone
The hottest phone this summer? 22 June 2009 14:46 GMT

The Good
App Store, user interface, simplicity, compass improves mapping

The Bad
Price, battery life, no FM radio

Verdict
It may offer one of the best experiences that mobile telephony has to offer, but there is still room for improvement
Grand Slam Tennis - Nintendo Wii
Fancy some Wiimbledon action? 22 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
Motion Plus control system, Nunchuk player control, fun in multiplayer

The Bad
Control isn't truly consistent, add-on is a bit on the expensive side, single player lacks any real reward

Verdict
Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but more responsive controls make this a decent show of what the Wii could do in the future
Acer Aspire 3810T notebook
The choice for portability? 22 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Outstanding battery life, slim and portable design, quality

The Bad
Lack of optical drive, keyboard won’t suit all tastes, slow

Verdict
Although not the perfect all-rounder - slightly let down by poor performance - the 3810T is a great laptop, offering good quality and a truly outstanding battery life
Bosch Rotak 34LI lawnmower
A cut above the rest? 19 June 2009 16:00 GMT

The Good
No cables, ultra quiet, cool styling, great results

The Bad
Dodgy grass collector, a bit bulky, expensive

Verdict
High quality cordless mower that’s easily as good as most plug-in models. The battery life and ease of use stands it out from the pack, but dig deep, it’s expensive
The Good The Bad The Weird - DVD
Western goes East 19 June 2009 12:00 GMT

The Good
It really is visually majestic

The Bad
It gets a bit saggy in the middle

Verdict
Dazzling, extravagant and wildly entertaining, any glaring flaws are swept under the carpet in a bewildering display of popcorn joyousness
Don King Boxing - Nintendo Wii
King of the ring? 19 June 2009 9:00 GMT

The Good
Good use of the Wii Balance Board, impressive narration of the story

The Bad
Imprecise controls and a feeling of being removed from the action

Verdict
Entertaining Boxing sim, but there's nothing that delivers the knockout punch
Olympus Pen E-P1 - First Look
Is retro the way to go? 18 June 2009 16:00 GMT

The Good
Image quality, simple to use, distinct design, 720p movie capture, fun to use

The Bad
No viewfinder, no flash, styling will deter some

Verdict
The Olympus E-P1 is a true hybrid, falling into the space between compact and DSLR. It is distinctly different in its offering and may, for some, be appealing as a result