How much of a Twitter fan are you, no really, because if the answer is enough to want to pay £1.99 for an iPad app then you probably want to sit up and pay attention.

If however you are still reeling in shock over the mere thought of paying £1.99, then it's fair to say that this app probably isn't going to be for you and you should probably just stick to the perfectly able, and useful, official Twitter app for the iPad.

That out of the way, let us tell you what the hell Tweetbot is, and why you should consider it for the iPad and your Tweeting obsession.

Tweetbot for iPad

Platform

iOS 4.3

Price

£1.99

Where

iTunes

Created for the "heavy user" of Twitter, Tweetbot allows a level of customisation we haven't seen before in a Twitter app, bringing with it a number of nice features, along with a simple to use interface that will make you want to keep it open most of the time.

The very different layout is the first thing you'll notice. Designed to be used in portrait rather than landscape - we don't think the interface uses the landscape space the iPad provides to the best of its advantage - everything is clearly laid out with a strong focus on gestures to control what's happening. A triple tap on a tweet, for example, lets you reply instantly, while a swipe to the left lets you see the conversation quickly.

But it isn't just about making conversations easy. Understanding that too many followers can be somewhat noisy at the best of times, Tweetbot lets you have multiple Timelines, allowing you to switch into what we like to call "weekend mode" if you've taken the effort to create a special list of your favourite people - it's a really nice feature and one we can see many using.

That filtering out the nose goes one step further by allowing you to mute people if they are being too noisy, either for a day, a week, a month, or banish them forever.

It isn't just people you can mute, but hashtags and clients as well, allowing you to either block out tweets on a specific subject you aren't interested in, but all of a sudden those that you follow are, or to block tweets from a certain apps or service like Tumblr or Spotify, for example.

Better still, you can also search your timeline for specific tweets, with the Timeline shrinking as you type to reveal the streamlined results. Never again will you have to scroll back through your Timeline trying to find that tweet you remembered seeing a couple of hours before.

When you do use the service to read the tweets you want to read, it is all very simple and easy to use. Tweets automatically load in without you having to hit the refresh button and reading, replying and chatting to your followers works as you would expect.

Links are opened in Tweetbot's own very speedy browser rather than Apple's Safari on the iPad, and the app has Readability support build in as standard (accessed by a flick of a switch), making it even easier to read articles stripping out all the faff at the same time.

As you can imagine every link and tweet has the ability to be easily forwarded to email, Safari, Twitter or Read Later making this "super social".

Composing tweets is just as comprehensive. Location can be automatically added and removed if you are in a top-secret location, while the app auto suggests followers and hashtags as soon as you start typing. Adding pictures is just as easy.

There is room to improve though: for us, the landscape view isn't as well designed as it could have been. It's not that the app doesn't work, it's just that there is a lot of unneeded grey space compared to the more tightly designed portrait mode and we suspect that the iPhone app that precedes this iPad version has skewed the developers' thinking. 

That said, while Tweetbot might cost £1.99, the features are far superior to what the official Twitter for iPad app offers, making this the perfect choice for the "power user".

Tweeting doesn't get any easier than this. 

Tags: Apps iPad apps Twitter

APP OF THE DAY: Tweetbot review (iPad) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

HTC has dated when some of its current Android powered phones will be getting Google's latest version of Android: Ice Cream Sandwich.

The announcement comes via the company's official Facebook page and states that the roll out will begin at the end of March.

Android smartphones to be first in the queue to getting the Android 4.0 upgrade are the HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE, followed soon thereafter by the HTC Sensation XL.

"HTC has been working hard to get its Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades ready, and we’re excited to announce that our first round of ICS upgrades will roll out by the end of March for the HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE, followed soon thereafter by the HTC Sensation XL," says the phone maker.  

There is also hope for HTC EVO 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD owners, with the company confirming that although they won't be getting the ICS update in March, they will be getting the update at some point in 2012.

"In addition, we can confirm Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades will be coming later this year to the HTC EVO 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD. Stay tuned for more updates on Ice Cream Sandwich releases in the coming weeks," adds HTC.

We will keep you posted.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones HTC HTC Sensation HTC Sensation XE HTC Sensation XL HTC EVO 3D HTC Incredible S HTC Desire S HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich Android

HTC dates Ice Cream Sandwich update, Sensation models get it first originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000

After weeks of rumours Olympus has confirmed the launch of a new Micro Four Thirds camera: the Olympus OM-D.

And as you've come to expect, Pocket-lint has already had a play with the new model, letting us bring you some of the details first hand.

The new camera will sit above the current range of Pen models offering a retro-looking, but professional camera for those who want something a little more than your average compact system camera.

It will be available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 for £1149.99, the body only price is still to be confirmed.

Taking a leaf out of the Fujifilm X100 book, the new OM-D model has taken a decidedly retro, or as Olympus call it "classic" look, and harks back to the heady days of the Olympus OM SLR models. It comes complete with a leather finish and angular design made from magnesium alloy, that is both dust and splashproof.

The result is a beautiful looking camera that is bigger than the original film OM-1 but smaller than the company's Four Thirds model, the Olympus E-620. If either of those are alien to you, the new camera will sit on the palm of your hand, but is unlikely to fit in even a small bag. 

The OM-D (E-M5) comes in a silver or black body adding to that retro feel - we like the black better. Also adding to the retro feel is the sheer number of buttons and dials on the model - it seems the only thing missing is the original film advance lever. However, that hasn't stopped Olympus adding a 3-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen rear-panel monitor that can be tilted to assist when shooting from high and low angles.

As you can imagine, using OLED here makes a big difference over previous LCD screens found on the Pen range, and like OLED screens on phones, the inclusion on the OM-D offers a major improvement in quality and perceived quality of the image when viewing it in playback mode.

Sadly, we weren't allowed out of the blacked-out armoured truck in which we were shown the new camera to see how the screen fared in bright sunlight, but shooting and then viewing images back on the screen in the environment we were in looked pretty sharp.

Not that you need to care about that OLED screen. The biggest difference, aside from the new design, is that the camera will be the first Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera to have an electronic viewfinder (EVF) giving you a more traditional camera feel that sets it apart from the Pen models. That EVF is incredibly sharp (1440k-dot) allowing you to check manual adjustments to brightness and colour tones live and again, in our quick play, worked very well.

Looks are one thing, what about performance?

Olympus is pushing several core features here and sadly while we were able to get a feel for it in the hand, we weren't able really to test the camera's shooting capabilities. What we can talk about is some of the specs ahead of a more in-depth play we have planned for the next couple of weeks.

The new high-speed Live MOS Sensor on the OM-D comes with 16.1 megapixels, and allied to the TruePic VI image processing engine it offers noise-reduction capability and still-image shooting sensitivity as high as ISO 25600.

Olympus is also boasting the fastest auto-focus of any interchangeable lens camera (including all DSLRs) with a further refinement of the world-beating FAST AF (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) also found on the popular Pen series models.

Again, that's hard to test in the back of a truck, but even in the poor lighting it seemed to be quick.

According to Olympus the OM-D will include Fine Detail Processing technology, first seen on the E-5, which eliminates Moiré and pseudo-colours, while Real-Colour Technology is used to reproduce previously hard-to- render colours such as emerald green. The OM-D also offers a new “Key Line” filter to enhance edge lines, op make the photo look more like an illustration; two variations provide different-strength effects. Art Filter Bracketing allows you to generate multiple pictures with different filters from a single shot.

Where Olympus is really hoping to impress though is a new five-axis image stabilisation that now not only deals with yaw and pitch, but also horizontal and vertical shift as well as rotary motion.

That should come in handy when you are without a tripod, but also when shooting movies. The OM-D can record Full HD (1920 x 1080) in MOV format up to 29 minutes.

On the accessories front, the OM-D is compatible with all MFT Olympus lenses, which will be supplemented by two new lens options later in the year: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm 1:1.8 and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm 1:2.8 macro. There is also the battery grip, flash and adapte rings, to make a complete package.

First impressions of the Olympus OM-D are good. Although our time with the camera was brief, we can't help marvelling at its classic lines, whilst feeling rather reassured by it's modern innards.

We will be bringing you a full review in the near future, so stay tuned.

Tags: Cameras Micro Four Thirds Olympus 16 megapixels Olympus OM-D Photos Compact system cameras

Olympus OM-D (E-M5) pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:01:00 +0000

Nokia has announced that it will be making a white version of the Nokia Lumia 800 which will be going on sale at Phones 4 U in the UK in March and Pocket-lint was of course on hand to have a gander and snap a few shots ahead of the official release to the UK public.

The new version of the phone is identical to the black, cyan, and magenta versions of the Windows Phone 7 smartphone albeit with a glossy rather than matte shell.

That glossy shiny white look means that it will show up smudges a lot easier, but will also still sparkle when it catches the light - something the black, even the Lumia 800 Batman edition, fails to do.

Like the cyan, magenta and black Lumia 800s that are already available in the UK, the phone packs a 3.7-inch, WVGA 800x480 AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel camera boasting Carl Zeiss optics and a f2.2 aperture lens.

It is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor with 512MB of RAM, and it has 16GB of storage (and 25GB of SkyDrive storage). The white finish is a result of its smoothly crafted polycarbonate unibody.

To celebrate the launch of the white Lumia 800, there's a new White selection on Nokia’s music service, Mix Radio, featuring music from the likes of White Stripes and Barry White.

Available to pre-order from Phones 4u now, the Nokia Lumia 800 in white will be available on contracts starting from £20.50 a month. It will ship in March.

For American readers, although the Lumia 800 in UK only, the US only Nokia Lumia 900 is also expected to be available in white following a gaffe by Nokia on their Facebook page showing the new AT&T exclusive phone in white even though it hasn't been officially announced as yet. 

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Nokia Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone 7 Microsoft

White Nokia Lumia 800 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:03:00 +0000

While YouTube might boast the bigger audience, there is no denying that the videos on Vimeo are, how shall we put this, more crafted.

Vimeo has released its Windows Phone 7 app, something that Google's YouTube has still failed to do, offering a host of features and ways to catch up with the latest videos on the service on the go, but is it better than the website? We get downloading and uploading to find out.

Vimeo

Platform

Windows Phone 7

Price

Free

Where

Marketplace

Download the free app and you are instantly presented with a welcome page offering quick links to a host of goodies.

There is the facility to search the entire Vimeo catalogue, the ability to see "my videos", which videos you have ticked the "likes" button for, the ones you've opted to "watch later" and even "collections".

Swipe to the right and there's featured content, letting you instantly enjoy recommendations either from the Vimeo team, or by the most-viewed content on the video site.

Swipe again and you have the chance to explore via Vimeo's numerous categories. Whether your interests are in Art, Comedy, Experimental [oh errr] or Sports the Vimeo app has you covered.

Each video has all the details you would expect to see, the ability to set to watch later and like, as well as the chance to read and make comments. You can also share videos via email, social, and SMS.

Where the app gets a little more interesting than just another way to view the video site is that you are also able to upload video to Vimeo as well over 3G if you wish.

Opting to upload video fires up the camera's video functionality - although don't expect to get anything other than that. There are no focus controls, or effects, or the ability to upload videos you've previously captured - something of a missed opportunity.

If you're a fan of Vimeo then this app will serve you well, allowing you to quickly catch up on the wealth of videos on the site in a handy-to-eat app format. We would have liked more control over the upload feature and of the video functionality when you come to actually capture something, but at least Vimeo has included 3G support.

The Vimeo app for Windows Phone 7 is available now in the Marketplace.

Tags: Apps Windows Phone 7 apps Vimeo Video

APP OF THE DAY: Vimeo review (Windows Phone 7) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Star Wars fans, listen up, we've managed to use the Force to convince the powers that be to give us two tickets to an advance preview screening of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D at London's Empire, Leicester Square. 

Yep, that's right, thanks to Microsoft and the fact that Kinect Star Wars is coming in Spring 2012, two lucky winners will be able to see the new version of the film next Wednesday (8 February) two days ahead of the official UK box office opening.

All you have to do is follow us on Twitter (@pocketlint) and retweet this or any other story on the site with the hashtag #starwarskinect to be in with a chance of winning.

The competition will be ending this Sunday (5 February) so you've got to be quick. Tickets will be posted recorded delivery to the winner first thing Monday morning.

Just think, by this time next week you could have seen one of the must-see films of the year.

May the Force be with you!

UPDATE: This competition is now closed. 

Tags: Star Wars Home Cinema Competitions Microsoft Microsoft Kinect

Win Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace 3D preview tickets originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:06:00 +0000

The snow has caused havoc, but now the sun has come out. Quick, grab your camera and get shooting. The snow makes for some great photo opportunities, but also some tricky shooting experiences.

Here are five tips to help you take some great pictures whether you're just capturing the moment or trying to grab that perfect picture for your Christmas cards.

Exposure
Chances are your camera is going to get confused by the snow no end - you can use "snow" settings if your camera has one, else just notch up the exposure of the camera to compensate. +1 should do it. The result will be that you are overexposing the scene by one stop, admitting twice as much light into the photo and stopping everything from looking grey.

Contrast
Shooting a snow storm doesn't look that pretty because there is no contrasting colours - everything looks grey or white. Wait till the sky clears and now you've got a crystal blue sky to shoot against. If the sun is refusing to come out make sure your subjects are brightly dressed. Scarves are a great way of adding a dash of bright red or green into the picture.

Point of View
This goes for all pictures you take but think about getting down to the level of your subject. Shooting a snowman by lying on the floor will give you a sense that he is far bigger than he is. Likewise when it comes to shooting a snowball fight if you're photographing kids - get low. If you're feeling brave get them to throw snowballs at you just as you take the picture.

Light
All that reflective snow around means there will be plenty of light. Make sure you don't shoot into the sun. Keep the sun at right angles to your shot during morning and evening hours and at an acute angle from behind you when it's high in the sky for improved scene exposure. The best shots will also mostly be snapped either late in the day or first thing. The great thing about shooting early is that you'll get plenty of untouched natural shots if you've had a fresh bout of snow overnight.

Kit
If you're venturing out into the woods or city it sounds silly but wrap up warm. Take a blanket (for lying on) and make sure you've got a full charge in your battery. Batteries don't last as long when they are cold so you're likely to not get as many shoots out as you can on a baking hot, sunny day. The great thing about snow is that you can always build a tripod so at least that's one less thing to pack.

Photo: Steve Dye

Article originally published on 3 February 2009

Tags: Cameras Features snow

Five tips for photographing snow originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:02:00 +0000

A promotional video, starring Microsoft senior vice-president and Windows Phone product manager Joe Belfiore, has been leaked to the chaps at Pocketnow.com leaving them no choice but to tell us what the company supposedly has in store for Windows Phone 8.

The promotional video - supposedly aimed at Nokia employees to gee them up into an "awesome" frenzy for the next iteration of Windows Phone - has actually given us a fantastic insight, if true, into a host of new features we can expect in the next version of Windows Phone, the Windows Phone 8.

The new operating system update, to be dubbed Apollo, will supposedly see several hardware spec changes to the Microsoft mobile operating system.

Those changes include support for multicore processors (think Qualcomm S4), four new screen resolutions presumably for the bigger screen phones like the HTC Titan and Titan II, and the ability to expand a Windows Phone's memory via removable microSD.

Other specs will include NFC support for contactless payment, with Belfiore reported to be "placing specific emphasis on 8's push into contactless payments".

The "wallet experience," as Pocketnow says he calls it, will have the "capability to be carrier-branded and controlled, either by a secure element on the SIM card or utilising hardware in the phone itself. In addition, tap-to-share capabilities will reportedly work across multiple platforms, allowing desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones to all share content." 

The video also supposedly details that Windows Phone 8 will include many of the same coding features as Windows 8 with developers being able to use most of their code when porting an app from desktop to phone.

If that's the case that is likely to be a big draw for programmers who are already developing apps and features for Windows 8. Either way, it is going to help Microsoft convince developers that developing for its platforms is going to be considerably easier than it is currently.

That move to a more symbiotic relationship will also stretch towards a more dedicated companion application to align with what is already available via the Mac Windows Phone connector software, or for older Windows Mobile users; the return of ActiveSync.

"The Xbox Companion app, currently found on Windows Phones, will see a partner client on Windows 8. Skydrive support promises seamless sharing of data between devices; Belfiore gives the example of instantly having one's music collection available on a newly purchased Windows Phone, without the need for a PC sync," reports the site.  

Also improved, in the heavily detailed report by Pocketnow, is a reworking of the camera and photo elements of the operating system:

"Also mentioned is support for app-to-app communication, as well as a revamped Skype client that hooks directly into the OS, letting Skype calls behave almost identically to regular, non-VoIP telephony. The camera will now be based around so-called lens apps: Microsoft provides a basic camera interface that can either be skinned by OEMs or overlaid with viewfinders from third-parties. Belfiore gives the example of a lens app that combines burst mode with smile detection to capture a perfect portrait shot," says Pocketnow.com. 

Other elements include Windows Phone 8 actively attempting to give Wi-Fi connections precedence, going so far as to connect to carrier-owned WLANs automatically when in range.

Talking to other journalists in the industry, Pocket-lint has no reason to believe the video isn't legit. Sadly, Pocketnow hasn't posted the video for us to hear it from the horse's mouth.

Microsoft is expected to make an announcement on its future Windows Phone plans at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February. Pocket-lint will be in attendance at the show, to bring all the latest news, including any announcements from Microsoft, as it happens.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Microsoft Windows Phone 8 Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone 8 detailed by Joe Belfiore in leaked video originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Apple has released a new update, 10.7.3, to its Mac OS X Lion operating system on Wednesday.

The new 10.7.3 update is recommended for all OS X Lion users and includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac says Apple.

According to Cupertino, fixes include addressing issues when using smart cards to log into OS X, resolving issues authenticating with directory services, and addressing compatibility issues with Windows file sharing.

The update also adds Catalan, Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian language support.

The update also resolves a Wi-Fi connection issue when waking from sleep (something one of Pocket-lint's Mac was having problems with), and other too boring to mention bugs and issues.

The update also adds RAW support for a range of new cameras recently released including the new Compact System Camera offerings from Nikon.

The new cameras are the Canon PowerShot S100, the Nikon 1 J1, the Nikon 1 V1, Nikon COOLPIX P7100, Olympus PEN E-PL1s, Olympus PEN E-PL3, Olympus PEN E-PM1, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ150, Sony Alpha NEX-5N, Sony Alpha SLT-A65, and Sony Alpha SLT-A77.

The new update weighing in at a rather hefty 730.6MB is available via the software update option on your Mac.

Read

Tags: Software Mac software Mac OS X Apple Cameras

Mac OS X Lion 10.7.3 update released, fixes bugs, adds RAW support for new cameras originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Facebook has announced its IPO plans on Wednesday and with it open the doors for the first time for the general public to see how the social networking site works, and revealing some of the juicier stats it has been hiding up until now.

Those looking to invest will no doubt be interested to hear that Zuckerberg's company is looking for around $5bn of investment from the sale of shares which should still value the company at the incredibly high $100bn figure that has been floated around by those that are interested.

"Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission - to make the world more open and connected," says Mark Zuckerberg in the filing.

Still it didn't stop Facebook earning $3.7bn in revenue in 2011 up from $1.9bn in 2010 giving Facebook profits of $1bn in 2011 and meaning it has around $3.9bn in the bank according to the paperwork.

Zuckerberg, the company's 27-year-old CEO and Chairman, will retain the most stock (28.4 per cent) and in a similar stock deal to Google the biggest voting power as the stocks he owns are better than the stocks any individual can buy.

The filing also showed that Mark Zuckerberg currently earns $500,000 a year plus bonus, plus almost $700 spent on chartering planes for himself, friends, and family. That mammoth salary isn't set to last however. It has been suggested by him and agreed by the board that his salary in 2013 will drop to just a $1, presumably off the back of the massive amount of money (he will be worth around $28bn) that he will earn from the sale of shares in the IPO.

But it is the company's reliance on Zynga that is most surprising. Zynga accounts for a whopping 12 per cent of the company's revenue in 2011.

"In 2011, Zynga accounted for approximately 12% of our revenue, which amount was comprised of revenue derived from payments processing fees related to Zynga’s sales of virtual goods and from direct advertising purchased by Zynga. Additionally, Zynga’s apps generate a significant number of pages on which we display ads from other advertisers. If the use of Zynga games on our Platform declines, if Zynga launches games on or migrates games to competing platforms, or if we fail to maintain good relations with Zynga, we may lose Zynga as a significant Platform developer and our financial results may be adversely affected," says Facebook in the documents it has filed as part of the Initial Public Offering.

That's great news for Zynga, and possibly bad news for Facebook. What is clearer now though, is how many people are actively using the social network and how often.

According to the filing, there are now more than 845m monthly active users (MAU) of Facebook up 39 per cent on the December figures from 2010. Europe is the biggest Facebook user it seems with the country breaking being: 179 million MAU in the USA, 229m in Europe, 212m in Asia and 225m for the Rest of World.

That translates to 483 million people signing into the service every day, although Facebook is keen to point out that some of those might not be real unique people, but mobile apps autonomously checking in on their own, or even people with more than two Facebook accounts.

Still of those 845m, over half (425m) used Facebook mobile products and all 845m press that Like button or use Facebook Comments over 2.7bn times a day.

The stocks and therefore the chance to buy a piece of Facebook will go on sale later this year in June.

Read

Tags: Online Facebook Social networking Biz Zynga

Facebook IPO plans released along with Zuckerberg's wages and details of how it earns its cash originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:04:00 +0000

On Monday, Sky announced that it would be bringing ITV's catch-up service, ITV Player, to its Anytime+ service on Sky boxes. And true to its word, the company has done just that. But what's it like? Pocket-lint has checked out the new offering...

If you thought that the deal would mean a flashy new interface for Sky, or massive amounts of branding for ITV across Sky's Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), think again.

ITV Player is currently buried in the Sky Anytime menu under the Channels section of Anytime+, next to other offerings from channels like Sky and Watch. Selecting the new ITV Player option in the menu gives you a list of ITV programmes in a same "All" list menu system Sky customers will be familiar with. And, our box hasn't even made any effort to "picture" feature the options.

Around 20 shows are currently listed with some of those offering the whole series - as with Cold Feet and Series 1, for example.

Select what you want, press record and the Sky Anytime+ service does what it always does - starts the download and then notifies you when it is ready to watch.

Not very sexy, but it does stay in-keeping with the current offering rather than introducing something new, and does mean you can now catch up on your favourite ITV shows in the future.

What will be interesting is if the BBC will be happy to opt for the same approach with the iPlayer when it launches in the next couple of months. It's been particularly protective over its brand identity in the past, so we're not so sure.

Tags: Home Cinema Sky ITV ITV Player Video on demand Sky Anytime Plus

ITV Player on Sky Anytime+ pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:16:46 +0000

The Star Wars films are back in the cinema once again, this time in glorious 3D, and what better way to enjoy and celebrate the fact than by embracing the merchandising machine and buying a stack of toys to let you enjoy the film beyond the cinema screen?

As you might expect toy companies are falling over themselves to embrace the Force. So, here are the best Star Wars toys to look forward to this year:

Scalextric Star Wars Death Star Attack and Scalextric Start Star Wars Battle of Endor

The two biggest toy brands of your childhood; Star Wars and Scalextric are joining forces in 2012 bring us the Micro Scalextric Star Wars Death Star Attack set that will cost £69.99 and the Scalextric Start Star Wars Battle of Endor which costs £99.99.

The first sees you and a mate trying to knock each other off the track in a split time trial race X-Wing versus Tie-Fighter, while the second features a bigger 1/32 scale track system racing as Luke Skywalker and the other as an Imperial Scout on the Speed Racers from Return of the Jedi.

RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2

The RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2 stands 26-inches (65cm) tall and is controlled in much the same way as a normal remote controlled car giving you an almost life-size, life-like R2-D2 for your home.

Coming out in Q3/Q4 this year (autumn/winter time), the RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2 is expected to retail for around £40 and should give you plenty of fun around your house. Blaze, the makers of the remote control droid, also say that other characters will be coming too. Sadly Princess Leia doesn't come in the box for dads.

R2-D2 phone safe

When we were kids our secret storage was an old shoe box that we had coloured in with some felt tip pens, but that's old hat, today's kids want something a little more high-tech.

In steps the R2-D2 safe that is unlocked by your iPhone, iPod touch or Android smartphone. Rather than using the latest cutting edge technology like Bluetooth, Wireless or NFC, the app works by sending a receiver a series of lights as if it was Morse code once you've docked the phone.

That also means that you can work it with Android handsets as the company behind the new gadget told Pocket-lint that there is an Android app coming as well. The lack of expensive technology means that the safe will cost just £19.99 when it comes out in the UK in June.

It isn't as big as a shoebox, but it should be big enough to store some of your favourite (small) trinkets.

Darth Vader bedside lamp

We've already seen Lego Yoda and Stormtrooper lamps, but have you seen the Darth Vader one with glowing lightsaber? Thought not.

Due out later this year the Dark Sith will be happy to take a break from doing no good to lighting your kids bedroom come bedtime.

There are two versions available - one with the lights shining out of his feet, the other from the lightsaber. Both should be on sale in the coming months.

Yoda Air Hedz by Bluw

Air Hedz are the heads of your favourite Star Wars characters in giant size filled with air that you can then wear on your head. If that sounds simple and stupid enough that's because that's exactly what it is (as you can see by the picture).

Costing £11.99 all you've got to do is slip them on your bonse and you're ready to look like a dork. Just don't expect to be able to easily walk through doors. Those not impressed by Yoda will be glad to hear you can get Stormtrooper hedz as well.

Han Solo in Carbonite Silicone Tray

For Star Wars fans who feel that their lives aren't quite complete, this could well be the answer. Not only can you recreate the scene from The Empire Strikes Back where everyone's favourite intergalactic smuggler is placed in suspended animation for delivery to Jabba the Hutt, but you can also produce some spectacular ice cubes for keeping yourself tipple cool and impressing your sci-fi savvy mates at the same time.

The tray comprises one large "Han", which is very roughly the same size as an old-school Star Wars figure, along with six miniature versions and costs £6.49. We recommend you try it with chocolate rather than ice though for better results.

Operation Star Wars R2-D2 Edition

Hasbro is releasing an R2-D2 version of the popular game Operation that sees you having to use your steady hand to get out bits of droid rather than the odd funny bone.

"The Rebel Alliance’s favourite astromech droid has developed all sorts of mechanical maladies, and it’s up to your skillful surgical hands to get the little guy feeling right again," reads the official statement. The new game costs around £20.

Multi Troop Transport Droid Carrier 

If you really want to go full out on the action toy front though you'll want the Multi Troop Transport Droid Carrier from Hasbro. In keeping with the dozens of other character action toys you can get, this is one mega set. 

For those that need a quick refresher, it is the Droid carrier from The Phantom Menace that is used in the attack on Naboo. For £150 you'll get the Star Wars Class III MTT Vehicle and 20 Droids to attack rebel scum with. Three AAA batteries ensure that it makes plenty of noise. It will be coming in Autumn.

Star Wars Darth Maul Double Bladed Lightsaber

We've seen plenty of Lightsabers in our time here at Pocket-lint, but this new offering from Hasbro is the one that Darth Maul uses in the Phantom Menace and can be split in two for full fighting effect allowing you to either fight with two lightsabers or just the one double bladed option. Unlike the one that is currently on the market, this version lights up giving you that extra realistic effect. Scary. 

Lego Star Wars Planets

The LEGO Star Wars Planets, priced at £9.99, are a series of planets from the Star Wars Universe that includes a model, display stand and name plaque all in a planet. There are three to collect with a further three designs coming in Autumn 2012. 

Nicely each one has the ability to be hung up making them perfect for the Christmas tree later this year. 

Lego X-wing Starfighter and TIE Fighter

Costing £99.98 for the pair, the two sets will allow you to recreate the famous sequence at the end of Star Wars after you've built the spaceships of course.

The 9493 X-wing Starfighter features wings that fold into attack position, proton torpedoes, retractable landing gear and opening cockpit and comes with Luke Skywalker, Jek Porkins, R2-D2 and R5-D8 minifigures.

The 9492 TIE Fighter is equipped with dual flick missiles and opening cockpit alongside a TIE fighter pilot, Imperial officer, Death Star trooper and R5-J2 droid minifigures. 

Star Wars Fighter Pods

Think the Lego minifigs that you can buy blind in a bag for a couple of quid and you'll get the idea. Here, instead of a Lego character to build, you get a plastic character from the six Star Wars movies that lives in a clear plastic Death Star like pod. There are over 100 Star Wars Fighter Pods to collect suggesting you could be here for some time. 

Those that don't like to take a gamble can, of course, cut corners by buying one of the many sets Hasbro is selling where you can see what you are going to get. Star Wars fans will be able to buy a 4-pack, 8-pack, 12-pack and even a mega 16-pack to guarantee a complete set.

Tags: Toys Star Wars Features

The Star Wars toys that let you play the movies originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Bored of your currently BlackBerry? Want something a little more iPhone or PlayBook looking? Then you might just be in luck if a new image of the next BlackBerry 10 superphone is real.

The render, which has turned up on BlackBerry site Crackberry.com claims it to be the UK flagship of the next generation of BlackBerry phones that are promised to be with us later in the year.

Dubbed the BlackBerry London, although it doesn't look anything like the previous "London" leaks that we've seen before, the new phone will supposedly be heading to the UK according to the report and be the "Ultimate Communication Device" for those still looking to keep it BB.

The London, which incidentally isn't to be mistaken with two other models, the "Laguna" and "Lisbon" that are in development for the US market targeting AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, will also feature "rich specification - hardware and software" according to the supposedly leaked presentation slide.

Other buzz words used on the slide next to the render include "content story" and "dramatic shift in UI experience" making us believe that this is more of a designer pitched wish list than perhaps a final hardware design that we will see in the shops come Christmas. This after all is only a graphic render of a phone rather than actual hardware.

Not surprisingly, the "ooh isn't it exciting" one-pager doesn't mention any specs, however that hasn't stopped Crackberry speculating that it will be coming with a 1.5GHz dual core processor either from Qualcomm or Texas Instruments. As a benchmark the PlayBook, the company's tablet, features a 1GHz processor.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones BlackBerry BlackBerry London RIM

BlackBerry 10 superphone image leaked originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:51:00 +0000

Are you a nosy parker? Do you like to get in on the action without actually having to hone your melee skills? Nikon believes its latest Coolpix superzoom offering will have you covered.

Ahead of a big photography tradeshow in Japan this month, the company has unveiled a stack of new compact cameras and, in particular, the Coolpix P510 and Coolpix L810 - two new superzoom models due out on 22 March.  

The new models, which will cost £400 and £230 respectively, replace the previous P500 and L120 models on the market.

The P510 will come with a whopping 42x optical NIKKOR zoom lens that reaches a powerful 1,000mm super-telephone focal length, down to a 24mm wide-angle. It packs a 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor and advanced lens-shift vibration reduction, as well as a tiltable 921K-dot LCD monitor.

Sporting Full HD (1080p) movie recording with stereo sound, the Coolpix P510 can record in slow or fast motion using speeds of up to 120 fps (VGA) and comes with a built-in HDMI connector that lets you connect the camera directly to a TV.

For those that forget where they take pictures, there is built-in GPS.

Other features include an Auto HDR mode, Easy Panorama, a 3D shooting mode, and high-speed continuous shooting, allowing you to shoot up to five full-resolution shots at 6 frames per second, or up to 30 full-resolution shots at 1 fps. The new model is also Eye-Fi X2 friendly.

The Coolpix P510 comes in three colours; black, red and dark grey.

Meanwhile, the 16-megapixel L810, successor to the Coolpix L120, will offer a 26x extreme wide-angle optical zoom lens and take on the Fujifilm FinePix HS30EX, launched in January for CES.

The NIKKOR 26x optical zoom lens offers an even wider angle (than that on the P510), starting at 22.5 and going up to 585mm in range.

"An innovative side control lever ensures smooth, steady zooming throughout the entire focal range whether filming or shooting still images, and Lens shift VR (vibration reduction) counters the effects of camera shake," claims Nikon.

It is powered by AA batteries, something that will be handy if you forget to take your charger, but also worth noting will raise the running costs if you like to snap a lot of pictures.

On the video front, you get 720p HD video recording, while other features include Nikon's Anti-blur tech that "counters the effects of camera shake", ISO up to 1600, Best shot selector (BSS) which selects the sharpest of up to ten sequential shots, and 3D shooting mode.

You will also get a built-in HDMI connector and compatibility with Eye-Fi X2 wireless cards.

The COOLPIX L810 comes in four colours: Black, red, blue and bronze.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix L810 Nikon Coolpix L120 Nikon Coolpix P500 Nikon Coolpix p510 16 megapixels

Nikon Coolpix P510 boasts 42x optical zoom, becomes nosy parker's new best friend originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:22:00 +0000

You are in a restaurant, the food is taking ages, and your kids are starting to go stir crazy. You have two choices. Start praying that the food will turn up any moment, or turn to your partner and start praying that they've brought the usual array of colouring pens, colouring pads, and anything else that seems to keep your little ones from wrecking the joint.

Failing that you could reach into your pocket grab your Windows Phone 7 smartphone and load up Bord.

Bord

Format

Windows Phone 7

Price

Free / 79p

Where

Marketplace

To say the app is simple would be an understatement. Bord and the free Bord Lite app simply turns your Windows Phone into a old school chalkboard, however it does it in such a pretty way that we just had to share it with you. 

Load up the app and you get to draw on the app's black or green chalkboard with six different chalks, choose the size of the chalk, and then rub it off with a sponge afterwards.

The difference between the two versions is that one lets you load your saved drawings with playback of drawing in the realtime or at various speeds. Either way there are no adverts to worry about to bamboozle your kids with, which is great.

Where Bord shows its cute side is that the chalk on the board acts in the same way as chalk on a real blackboard does. Keep going over the same spot and the colour you are using becomes more concentrated, while rubbing it out with the sponge won't get all of the chalk off first time.

There isn't much to the Bord app admittedly, but it has already saved our bacon at a couple of restaurants with our 4- and 5-year-old kids meaning for us it's well worth the 79p purchase price. 

Tags: Apps Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 7 apps Dad Video

APP OF THE DAY: Bord review (Windows Phone 7) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Apple has updated its AirPort Utility app on Mac OS X Lion. The new version brings with it an interface more in keeping with the AirPort Utility it rolled out on iOS recently, and dispenses with the usual-looking desktop software you might expect. 

The new app, which also comes with new firmware updates for your connected Apple AirPort base stations, will let you manage your network hub or hubs around your house or office in an easier, more graphical way.

"Use AirPort Utility to set up and manage your Wi-Fi network and AirPort base stations, including AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and Time Capsule. See a graphical overview of your Wi-Fi network and devices. Change base station and network settings, or manage advanced features such as security modes, wireless channels, and more." Says Apple in the automatic download notes.

The AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule Firmware Update 7.6.1 promises to fix an issue with wireless performance and provides support for remote access to an AirPort disk or a Time Capsule hard drive with an iCloud account. The firmware update is for all 802.11n AirPort Express, 802.11n AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule models.

You can download the new AirPort Utility app via the Apple website or via the Software Update feature in Mac OS X Lion, and then the Firmware updates if you need it via the new software.

Tags: Apple Mac software Networking

Apple updates Lion AirPort Utility, now more friendly originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Lego has revealed some more details on the Lord of the Rings Lego sets due in August at the London Toy Fair, and Pocket-lint was on hand to get the inside track.

Shown behind closed doors with a strict no photography policy, we sadly can't bring you any photos of the new sets, however we are able to bring you plenty of details describing them to the best of our ability on what you can expect.

There will be seven sets in total ranging from £11.99 up to £99 and, as with previous sets from Lego, certain sets will come with certain characters from the trilogy of books and movies, ensuring that true fans will have to buy them all.

The cheapest entry-level offering will be Gandalf and Frodo on the hay cart from the opening scene from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The set will include the cart filled with junk, a horse, now with moveable back legs so you can set them to be prancing, and Gandalf and Frodo. Gandalf comes with a big grey hat, grey beard, and grey cloth cloak. There is no white Gandalf at the moment sadly. 

But to get Gollum, you'll have to get the Shelob Attacks set (£19.99) from The Two Towers. Gollum as you might expect is just as weedy in Lego as he is in the films, but he does come with a miniature Lego gold ring, while you'll have to spend 20 minutes, probably, building the spider itself.

Then there is the Weathertop mountain set with Aragon, Frodo, Sam Gamgee, Pippin and Merry as well as a couple of the Wraths on horseback.

The set where you will get the most characters from the Fellowship is the Battle for Helm's Deep.

The set will costs £99 will give you Gimli, Eldarion, Kings Theoden and Aragon as well as a clutch of Orcs to battle against.

There is also a Mines of Moria set (£69.99) including a sledgehammer wielding cave troll that is considerably larger than your average Minifig. Its footprint is a 12 Lego spaces rather than the Minifig's standard two. The scene is set in the tomb room that has the well in it from the films.

The full line up of sets are: Gandalf Arrives (£11.99), Shelob Attacks (£19.99), Mines of Moria (£69.99), Attack on Weathertop (£49.99), Battle for Helm's Deep (£99.99), Urukhai Army (£29.99), and Orc Forge (£39.99). 

Talking to a spokesman on the stand we've also been told that some of the sets will feature orcs carrying shields with the white hand of Saruman on them and that we can expect Hobbit sets to tie in with the movie when it hits cinemas at the end of this year.

We will keep you posted.

UPDATE: Lego has released two new shots of the new minifigs so you can see what the characters will look like. 

Tags: Toys Lego Lord of the Rings ToyFair2012

Lego Lord of the Rings detailed: One brick to rule them all (pictures) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Panasonic has updated its TZ range of digital cameras and Pocket-lint has already had a play at a secret location behind closed doors.

The new model, which will replace the Panasonic Lumix TZ20 will come with a number of improved features including a 20x optical zoom instead of the 16x optical zoom on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

But Panasonic haven't just slapped a bigger zoom on the camera, but according to them worked hard to offer up a number of improvements, some we've been able to test and witness and others sadly not.

Aside from the zoom functionality, The Panasonic Lumix TZ30, which will come with a 24mm ultra wide angle 20x optical zoom lens and 14.1 megapixel sensor, will feature .1 second Light Speed AF utilizing DSLR AF technology ensuring you get a lock on your subject faster than a F14 Tomcat fighter jet.

While lighting conditions weren't perfect in the darkened secret bunker we saw the cameras, it was good enough to impress, and we are sure that given some actual light the results would impress us even more.

But those dark lighting conditions did allow us to test out the new low light friendly sensor and the new Venus engine processor. Dubbed Intelligent NR and Multi-Process NR they are yet more technologies that help you take crisp shots in dim light.

But it's not just about locking on to your kids as they hurtle past you. Panasonic following smartphone offerings from the likes of Instagram has added a number of instant and post-editing effects to jazz up your photos, some of which you'll be happy to see, others probably not so much.

That includes iHDR Scene Mode, which is an auto HDR mode, and image effects likeToy Effect that tries its best to undo all that hard work by the engineers at Panasonic and make your pictures look like you've taken them with a toy camera.

There is also Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, High key, retro, Expressive, and Miniature Effect that can be applied to still or video footage. Video users also get the option to enhance the effect by increasing recording speed by 10x and the results do work.

If that wasn't enough you'll get a Panorama mode that works in a similar way to the Sony Panoramic Sweep feature on the Cybershot cameras. In fact it is virtually identical. Press down the shutter, sweep through the panorama you want to shoot and it does the rest of the work for you. No lining up the previous shot or manual imaging stitching required.

Packing GPS, you images will also be geotagged instantly with the camera sporting mapping software on board so you can see where you actually were when you took that stunning shot. Don't get too excited however as while it is comprehensive it isn't that pretty - certainly not what you are used to on your smartphone - which is a same.

You do get an interesting feature however that allows you to play back the photos along the map, although how this is vastly different from just looking at them in date order we aren't really sure as we didn't get to see it in action.

1,920x 1,080 50p Full HD AVCHD video recording and a stereo microphone complete the package.

In a second ode to smartphones that we really like, Panasonic will also allow you to charge the camera via a USB cable and your computer, rather than having to plug it into a charger in the wall. That means one less charger in the bag. We love it.

Other notes of interest include a 10 frames per second burst mode and a 3-inch touchscreen display in addition to the buttons so you can navigate all those new features.

The Panasonic Lumix will be available in a black, red, white and silver. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras 14 megapixels Panasonic Panasonic DMC-TZ20 Panasonic DMC-TZ30

Panasonic Lumix TZ30 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Panasonic has updated a number of its compact cameras for 2012. There are plenty of new models, and include the Panasonic FX80, LS6, FT20 and the company's tough camera - the DMC-FT4.

Leading the pack, however, are the Lumix TZ30 and Lumix TZ25...

The Panasonic TZ30

The TZ30 will come with a 24mm ultra wide angle 20x optical zoom lens and 14.1-megapixel sensor.

The new model will have a 0.1 second Light Speed auto focus utilizing DSLR AF technology and a number of features to help improve your photography on the fly.

They include iHDR Scene Mode, which is an auto HDR mode, creative control and creative retouch, with the latter basically being an image filter function similar to smartphone apps like Instagram and Toy Effect. It tries its best to undo all that hard work done by the engineers at Panasonic in order to make your pictures look like you've taken them with a toy camera. There are also Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, High Key, Retro, Expressive and Miniature Effect modes that can be applied to still or video footage. Video users also get the option to enhance effects further by increasing recording speed by up to 10x.

If that wasn't enough, you'll also get a Panorama mode that works in a similar way to the Sony Panoramic Sweep feature, while the TZ30 will also feature mapping software that lets you see where you have taken your shot. 1920 x 1080 50p Full HD AVCHD video recording and a stereo microphone complete the package.

In a second nod to the humble smartphone, Panasonic will allow you charge the camera via a USB cable and your computer, rather than having to plug it via a charger into the wall.

Other notes of interest include a 10 frames-per-second burst mode, 3-inch touchscreen display, and Panasonic's new Venus Engine.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ25

The Panasonic TZ25 offers similar specs to the TZ30, but comes with a 16x rather than 20x optical zoom 24mm ultra wide lens.

It also reduces the megapixel count from 14.1-megapixels to 12.1 and drops some of the "effects" available. You will, however, still be able to create 1920 x 1080 video (albeit at 50i).

The FX80

The FX80 will come with a f2.8 24mm ultra wide angle 5x optical lens, 12.1-megapixel sensor and 3-inch touchscreen display.

According to Panasonic, the "DMC-FX80 is a great choice for anyone looking for an upgrade to a camera phone's image taking, but with the same intuitive controls."

It too will offer "Creative Control mode" - a selection of artistic filter effects when recording images; Expressive, Retro, High Dynamic, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, High Key, Low Key, Miniature Effect, Toy Effect and Soft Focus. These filters can be applied even after images were shot with the Creative Retouch function.

The LS6

Panasonic’s new 14.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-LS6 will come with a 26mm wide angle, 5x optical zoom lens with f2.8 brightness and O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer). It will run on AA batteries.

The FT20

If you want tough then you have to look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT20 and the FT4.

The FT20 isn't as feature packed as the FT4 but still manages to pack a punch. Coming in an all metal casing, the camera is waterproof to 5m and freezeproof to -10 degrees C. It's also shockproof to 1.5m and with dustproof reliability.

On the camera side of things, it has a 16.1-megapixel sensor and 25mm ultra wide 4x optical zoom.

The DMC-FT20 records HD video in 1280 x 720 at 30p (NTSC), 25p (PAL) in MP4 format. It comes with a 2.7-inch Intelligent LCD screen.

The FT4

But if you really want to go tough you'll have to opt for the DMC-FT4, the follow up to the FT3. The new camera, which will be available in a range of colours, will be Panasonic's toughest camera yet as it's waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10 degrees C and, oh, dustproof too.

If it's not enough that it can withstand a jolly good beating, the DMC-FT4 also comes with a built-in GPS geotragging option with over a million place names pre-installed, a compass, altimeter and barometer so you can see exactly where you were when you took the picture. Camera wise, you get a 12.1-megapixel Hi-Speed CCD sensor and LSI Venus Engine, as well as a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR 4.6x optical zoom and Time Lapse feature (that looks pretty cool, as we found out with our hands-on).

All the new cameras will be out in the coming months. Panasonic has yet to detail pricing in the UK.

We will keep you posted.

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Panasonic 16 megapixels Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT4 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT20 12 megapixels 14 megapixels

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 leads second wave of new cameras in time for ski season originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Panasonic has announced a new update to its FT-3 tough camera adding a host of new features and we've already had a chance to have a quick play at a secret location behind closed doors.

While that means that we haven't been able to test the camera or take away shots, we can bring you some of the low down on the new features and report that if it takes pictures to the usual Panasonic Lumix standard adventurers should be in for a treat.

The new camera, which will be available in a range of colours will be Panasonic's toughest camera yet being waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10 degrees C and oh dustproof too.

If that wasn't enough to withstand you giving it a beating, the DMC-FT4 also comes with a built-in GPS geotragging option with over a million place names pre-installed, a compass, altimeter and barometer so you can see exactly where you were when you took the picture.

All that information is displayed on the screen at the time of you taking the picture if you want to be overloaded with data, and although we were locked away in a room we were still able to see a change of results standing on a chair or pointing the camera in a different direction. 

Clad in rubber and metal the camera also includes a rather small 2.7-inch display, but the AR Coating should ensure you can see it in sunny conditions.

That's the tough bit, what about the camera side of things? Well Panasonic haven't disappointed here either. First there is the 12.1-megapixel Hi-Speed CCD sensor and the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine, then there is the LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR 4.6x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 28-128mm).

For video you'll get 1920x1080 full HD recording functionality in AVCHD (h.264/MPEG-4).

But it isn't just the usual stats, Panasonic has also been creative elsewhere adding a time-lapse feature that should appeal to the Philip Bloom fans of this world.

With the Time Lapse Shot, once you set the start time, the interval and the number of picture to shoot, the camera can automatically snap consecutive images with you able to leave it on the side of the mountain or your window ledge if you aren't feeling so brave.

Those quick enough to wonder how the battery will last that long we will be pleased to hear Panasonic has thought about that too. Panasonic has made sure the FT4 is clever enough to turn off in between the shots to conserve power which is a really clever feature in our books.

Ultimately this combined with the waterproofing featuring means you'll be able to set up some great time lapse shots without the fear of damaging your camera if it starts to rain or snow.

Following Olympus's move with its "art effects" you also get a Miniature Effect mode that is basically just another name for the tilt shift effect that has become popular in recent years and panoramic mode to capture the full extend of those amazing vistas you are no doubt planning on seeing.

The new model will out shortly. Panasonic has yet to confirm a price. 

Tags: Cameras Digital cameras Panasonic Panasonic DMC-FT3 Panasonic DMC-FT4

Panasonic DMC-FT4 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Facebook is about to start the process of becoming a public listed company this week, with various online rumours valuing the site up to $100 billion.

The mega amount has spilt industry opinion and forced many to wonder whether a second dotcom bust is around the corner. Companies are being valued at ever-increasing numbers, out of touch with what they would probably be worth if they were traditional bricks and mortar businesses. Facebook, which is still a privately owned company, has been rumoured to be gearing up for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for some time, waiting for the right conditions in the market to cash in.

If Facebook was to achieve $100 billion market value, it would make rival Google's chart topping $1.9 billion IPO in 2004 look puny, and raise the organisation around $10 billion in cash to continue to take the fight to the search giant as they battle against each other in the social networking space.

Strangely though, although it doesn't have to report its accounts publicly, Facebook is reported to have had a turnover of around $1.6 billion in 2010. That's a far cry from Google's latest quarterly revenue over the last 90 days, which saw the company earn $10 billion.

So why so much?

There are a number of reasons why many believe Facebook is being valued as at much as it is. Firstly, the company has had a large amount of investment from venture capitalists and private investors and those parties are keen to see a return.

Then there is the notion that Facebook may actually have run out of cash and willing investors in order to continue at its current pace. Raising $10 billion will refill those coffers quickly, and above and beyond what they could get from more investment. It would also allow those that have got in early to release some of the cash they put in.

We've all seen the movie and how the first wave of cash from the VCs was just $500,000. So there's a pretty good return to possibly cash in on.

There is also a sense that if Zenga, a games platform that runs on Facebook, is worth $1 billion after its recent IPO, then $100 billion for the host site and social phenomenon seems reasonable. Of course, you might disagree with that entirely, but there is no doubting one fuels the other, especially in such a small ecosystem.

But Facebook also taps into the current currency de jour at the moment; people, and the power to reach them. Facebook has over 800 million users on the social network, all telling it how they spend their time, what they like, what music they perhaps listen to and plenty more in between. The notion here is that by knowing this, the potential for advertisers to target people specifically is huge. That's why Facebook is being valued at such a high price.

Bust time again?

There are many, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, that feel that the Facebook valuation is just too high:

"Facebook a brilliant achievement, but $75-$100bn? Would make Apple look really cheap," said Rupert Murdoch on Twitter, before going on to say that he was happy about the decisions he made with MySpace. "Nothing wrong with MySpace price. Just our totally screwing up every way. Agree Facebook revenues will zoom, but still Apple cheap."

The worry is that Facebook could burst the bubble once again if it fails to impress the market at the IPO or in the months following the offering. It was a fear that traders had in 2004 when we were talking about the value of Google. Whether the market and Facebook are able to justify the offering will have to be seen, but one thing is for certain, this is likely to be a big bang moment that we are unlikely to see again for another 10 years.

Grab your popcorn because either way it's going to make a great sequel for The Social Network.

Tags: Facebook Online Google Social networks

Facebook IPO could value site at $100 billion, but is it worth it? originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:46:45 +0000

Remember back to your first phone, the Nokia that you no doubt owned, and the game that you used to play over and over again? Yep that's right, for Windows Phone 7 users Nokia Snake from 1997 is back.

Simply called Snake '97 the 79p app in the Windows Phone Marketplace will let you relive some nostalgia of those halcyon days when mobile phones were just that.

"By carefully analysing the classic gameplay, timing and controls, this Snake '97 remake is one of the most accurate available," says Willem Middelkoop, the developer.

The beauty here is that instead of trying to jazz the game up for the new century, Middelkoop, has kept it simple and pure, instead boosting the charm value with the controls.

You see the game's interface is that of an old Nokia handset from 1997 with you having to press the number pad buttons to control the snake on the screen rather than something that looks like the Windows Phone 7 interface.

Pressing those buttons gives you haptic feedback, while the games sound effects have been lifted from an old handset too.

We have to say it is probably the closest thing you'll experience to the real deal on an old handset.

For those looking for a bit more, there are 11 difficult settings including the 9 original ones and two extra difficulty levels added.

Read

Tags: Apps Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 7 apps Nokia Gaming Video

Snake '97 pictures, video and hands-on originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:57:00 +0000

Lego has detailed its new range of Lego Marvel characters to Pocket-lint at this year's Toy Fair in London.

Shown behind closed doors with a strict no photography policy, we sadly can't bring you any pictures of the new sets, although we are able to bring you plenty of juicy details, describing them to the best of our abilities.

The new sets, due out at the beginning of April in time for the launch of the new The Avengers movie, will not only let you recreate scenes from the movie with your favourite Marvel characters, but also that you'll be able to pit Marvel against DC Comics characters for the first time (in Lego form).

That means Batman vs Iron Man. Wow.

But, while you try and get over the myriad of mega battles that becomes possible if you also snap up some of the DC-licensed Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman offerings, let us tell you a bit more about the Lego Marvel sets that you should get excited about.

The minifigs themselves are perfectly sculptured Lego versions of the comic book film adaptations and, unlike the Lego Batman sets already on sale, aren't a hybrid of styles. They're more specific to the latest flick than the Adam West/Michael Keaton/Christian Bale mish-mash of the rival franchise.

They also offer a wider variety of superhero characters. The new Lego Marvel sets include Iron Man (complete with lift-up face helmet to reveal Tony Stark and his goatee), Black Widow from S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor, Loki, Captain America and, best of all, the Incredible Hulk.

And, rather than just a general green minifig, the Hulk is considerably larger than the rest. Its footprint is a mighty 12 Lego spaces rather than a normal minifig's standard two. As the cartoon drawing shows above, he really is that much bigger than your standard Lego character.

Lego has told us there will be other baddies as well as Thor's brother Loki. We didn't have them to show as it would give the game away for the movie, but the smart money is on Thanos and/or The Skrulls.

In fact, the film's plot and reveals are so shrouded in secrecy that a Lego spokesman said to us that the company doesn't even know what happens. All it knows is that there will be certain characters involved in certain scenes with certain vehicles.

One of those scenes involves the Quinjet, a jet plane that the Avengers get about in. And that amazingly (and naturally) translates into the chance for you to build one out of Lego. Characters included with that specific set will be Black Widow, Loki (who is in the hold), Thor and Iron Man.

As with previous Lego tie-ins you will need to buy multiple sets to get the entire Avengers crew. Thankfully, Captain America comes on his own with his bike, but to get Hulk you will need to buy a different set. The "other" baddie that Lego wouldn't detail also comes with his own set.

Other sets include a scientist's lab to analyse Loki. However, neither we nor Lego know how that fits into the movie.

The new sets are expected to be available from 1 April - in time for the film that hits cinemas on the 28 April.

Tags: Toys Lego Marvel ToyFair2012 minifigs

Lego Marvel makes minifigs of The Avengers movie originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:43:00 +0000

A new tablet maker, Inspiration Works, is hoping to succeed where others have failed and make an Android tablet designed specifically for kids without leaving adults out in the cold.

Launching in the UK in July and coming in three sizes - 7-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch - the idea is that the Kurio Tablet will satisfy both children and adults without having to compromise the features for either. 

On the stats side of things the tablet will be powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (the prototype is running Gingerbread), 4GB of storage, and an SD card slot to expand that by a further 32GB. Importantly, the company says it will be Google approved, so you'll have access to the Android Market rather than having to rely on third-party options.

All three tablets will feature a capacitive touchscreen display with the 7-inch model sporting an 800 x 480 resolution, the 8-inch 800 x 600 and the 9-inch 940 x 600.

We weren't able to determine what processor the tablets use, or how much RAM they have, but HD video playback seemed to work just fine, with the company confirming there will be 1080p playback if connected to an external display, thanks to the included HDMI connector. You will also get a USB socket for connecting a camera or joystick.

Making sure you can video talk to your little one, the models will also come with cameras. The 8-inch and 9-inch tablets have a double camera offering: 0.3-megapixel front and 2-megapixel camera on the back, while the 7-inch model will have just a front facing 0.3-megapixel camera. Battery life is a promised 6 hours.

That's the adult bit. For the kids, the tablets will come with a dedicated app that parents can lock to make sure their kids only access the stuff they want them to.

Aimed at 4-15-year-olds, each kid will be able to have a customisable user interface and the company behind the Kurio tablet showed Pocket-lint future interface possibilities including Fireman Sam, Forever Friends and Moshi Monsters.

Working in a similar way to Zoodles - already available in the Android Market, and shipping on the HTC Flyer - parents will be able to manage up to eight children (shudder the thought), what apps they use and where they go on the web.

In a first, claims the company, there will be a whitelist as well as a blacklist, with parents able to block, at whim, anything they don't want their kids to see either via the URL directly or via the category, "nude", for example. It says that it will more than likely be actively blocking most sites, when in kids mode, so parents don't have to worry at all.

The company is hoping the success of the Kurio will be that it has a spilt personality rather than being just a tablet for kids. Something that can't be said for the LeapFrog LeapPad.

And yes, that child-proof rubberised case can be removed.

Other accessories planed include volume limiting headphones, cases, and a car headrest kit.

The Kurio tablets are expected to be available in July for £150, £180 and £200 respectively. 

Tags: Tablets Android Kurio ToyFair2012 Toys Ice Cream Sandwich

Kurio: The Android tablet for kids (pictures) originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Meccano is set to launch a new range of toys based on the popular Gears of War 3 games on the Xbox 360 aimed at 8-year-old kids.

In a move that will no doubt outrage Daily Mail readers and parents across our fair land, kids will be encouraged to play with Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad as they fight a desperate, last ditched attempt to save the remaining human inhabitants of the fictional planet Sera from a relentless and virtually unstoppable subterranean enemy known as the Locust Horde, but this time in "real life" rather than just on a TV screen.

The new range of toys, which are still being approved by Epic Games, will include the Armadillo APC (£24.99), the Centaur Tank (£34.99) and the King Raven helicopter (£39.99) from the three games. There are also plans for a massive diorama, however details for this are still sketchy.

As with all Meccano toys, kids and grown-ups will have to build the toys first before they can play with them. 

The new range is expected to be in shops in August. Sadly we weren't able to get a close up shots of the new models.

We will keep you posted.

Tags: Toys Gears of War 3 Gaming ToyFair2012 Meccano

Gears of War: The children's toy originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000