Ben Crompton News Archive 
Reviews from Ben Crompton
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Sky+ app for iOS and Android receives major updates, Series Link added
New Android design 17 November 2011 12:17 GMT TweetSky+ has announced a major update to its Android and iOS apps which bring some tasty new features into the remote TV mix. And amongst these will be the introduction of Series Link to both apps.
Series Link will allow users to remote record...
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Lomography launches three cameras in special Gold Edition
Plastic cameras get "dazzling finish" 17 November 2011 11:36 GMT TweetQuirky photography brand, Lomography, has announced a special update to 3 of its most popular plastic cameras in a Special GOLD Edition. Cameras included are The Fisheye, Diana F+ and the Diana Mini, all coming with gold chain and "dazzling finish".
Each...
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Lovefilm and Warner Bros. deal: More movies coming to Xbox, PS3 and PC
VoD choice expands 17 November 2011 10:32 GMT TweetAmazon has signed a film distribution deal with Warner Bros., meaning film content will be added for Lovefilm (now an Amazon company) subscribers - including more movies on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
The deal is described as a "multi-year,...
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Jedi squirrel lightsabre antics caught on video
Jabba the Nut? 17 November 2011 9:40 GMT TweetWe have long been the proponents of the theory that a lightsabre, introduced into pretty much any scenario, is a sure fire winner. And this video certainly proves the point... well, as far as the lightsabre/squirrel combo goes anyway.
Handing...
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Speedier 4G LTE iPhone incoming thanks to new Qualcomm chips
Improves power efficiency 17 November 2011 8:45 GMT TweetiPhone and iPads may finally be getting 4G LTE support thanks to Qualcomm and its new chips, which will make for a far more power efficient device and won't compromise Apple's iPhone design. It should also bring speed boosts in surfing and web downloads.
The...
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Nokia 900 turns up in developer video
High-end Lumia shown off 17 November 2011 7:25 GMT TweetThe rumoured Nokia Ace, which should become the Nokia Lumia 900, looks to have had a speculative confirmation by way of an advert, targeting developers and attempting entice them to the new Nokia hardware and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 OS.
The...
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HP Envy notebooks refreshed with new design and 3D tech
With 1080p Radiance screen 16 November 2011 13:06 GMT TweetHP has come out all guns blazing today (16 November) as it's not only produced HP Folio 13 Ultrabook with a super-duper battery life, but also launched some new Envy notebooks on an unsuspecting public.
The new HP Envy 15 and 17 notebooks are...
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Intel and MasterCard deal uses Ultrabooks to speed up payments
Tap to pay comes to the home 16 November 2011 11:41 GMT TweetIntel and MasterCard have joined forces in order to make a play for the online payment market, which is currently dominated by PayPal
The two companies are calling this a "multi-year collaboration" which effectively means that they are well...
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Siri cracked: Race begins for Android version before Apple blocks
Protocol deciphered 16 November 2011 10:38 GMT TweetApple's voice recognition system has been cracked by a group of French app developers named Applidium; in short, meaning the protocol used to transmit data from the iPhone 4S to Apple's servers could be used on any device - including Android devices.
Apple...
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HP Folio 13 UltraBook revealed: stylish with a hefty spec
Under a grand 16 November 2011 8:30 GMT TweetHP has come along with what looks to be a very competitive entry into the expanding Ultrabook market with its stylish, light-weight HP Folio 13.
The new formfactor of the Ultrabook tries to blend portability with power and this looks as though...
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Nokia Lumia 800 high-end big brother coming soon
BMW 7 Series of Lumia line 16 November 2011 7:48 GMT TweetOn a day that sees the Nokia Lumia 800 launch to expectant, and excited, Nokia fans, it's been reported that the head of Nokia France, Paul Amsellem, has let slip of a future higher-end Nokia Lumia handset.
Speaking with French paper, LesEchos,...
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Onavo Android app opens up full-fat features
Save a bundle on your mobile costs 15 November 2011 17:00 GMT TweetOnavo, the app that allows you to keep track of your data usage, has announced some new features to its Android offering which should make the whole business of cutting mobile costs that little bit easier.
Using crowd-sourced data, the Onavo...
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HTC quad-core tablet possible for early 2012
MWC announcement? 15 November 2011 9:06 GMT TweetReports have come out that HTC will be launching a powerful quad-core tablet early next year (2012), and if true, will hopefully use high-spec to entice customers to its wares.
The news comes out of Digitimes, who reports that along with the...
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Lenovo 10.1-inch quad-core tablet: 2011 launch with Ice Cream Sandwich
Ramping up the specs 15 November 2011 8:11 GMT TweetA smart-looking tablet has just emerged in the form of a Lenovo 10.1-inch power-house, which should be launching very soon with a scoop of the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system into the mix.
The report by Engadget highlights are variety of...
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BlackBerry London replaces Colt as first BBX handset
Launching Q3? 15 November 2011 7:22 GMT TweetA new handset has emerged from RIM that looks like it'll be the first BBX-based handset, Called the BlackBerry London it is said to be launching some time in the second half of 2012.
Earlier reports by the Verge stated that its sources said...
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Philips Xelsis Digital ID: A fingerprint away from the perfect cuppa
The CSI of coffee cuisine 14 November 2011 9:10 GMT TweetWaking up is always a bit of a chore, however one thing that can make the whole getting-up-and-facing-the-day routine a little less arduous is the morning cup of tea or coffee. Clearly you never want to rush the making of a cup of tea, however coffee...
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Retro Polaroid Z340: Instant prints with modern spec
Zinc paper tech 14 November 2011 8:16 GMT TweetThe Polaroid Z340 has just been announced, bringing a little bit of on-the-go printing into your life, as well as the convenience of the digital format.
The camera will come sporting some classic Polaroid styling, which we imagine is aimed...
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iPod nano first gen: Buy one get one free 5 years later
To be replaced with first-gen units 14 November 2011 7:32 GMT TweetApple has announced a recall on its first-gen iPod nano, asking customers to send the product back to them in exchange for a replacement model.
Five years after its initial launch, Apple iPod nanos sold between September 2005 and December 2006...
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APP OF THE DAY: Asteroids Gunner review (iPhone)
Old favourite revisited 12 November 2011 10:00 GMT TweetComputer games come and go, but some, it would appear, were meant to stick around; Atari's Asteroids is a game that fits the "classic" moniker very well indeed.
And now Atari's 1979 best seller, has been reinvented for the iPhone with the new...
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Revue axed: No more Google TV for Logitech
'Big mistake' 11 November 2011 9:33 GMT TweetLogitech has announced that it will be axing its Revue media hub for Google TV at an investor day; CEO Guerrino De Luca blaming both his own company and Google for the bad business mistake.
The Logitech Revue was launched Christmas 2010 and...
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Marshall FX iPhone-friendly cans launch with mic and remote
Apple certified duo 11 November 2011 8:37 GMT TweetMarshall has announced two new products in its headphone lineup, the FX Major on-ear headphones and the FX Minor in-ear, that claim to play nicely with your iDevice as they come with Apple certification.
They are both also equipped with volume...
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Facebook faces 20-year privacy monitoring over deceptive practices
FTC nears deal 11 November 2011 7:46 GMT TweetFacebook and the Federal Trade Commission are nearing a deal over Facebook's deceptive privacy practices; according to those briefed on the settlement, this could lead to a 20-year privacy audit.
A variety of conditions have been laid out by...
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Amazon to rival Apple's Siri with Kindle voice recognition tech
Startup bought on the quiet 10 November 2011 8:54 GMT TweetAmazon has been found to have purchased a startup called Yap, which could pave the way for it developing its own brand of voice recognition to rival the iPhone 4S Siri system.
Yap are the developers of an app called Yap Voicemail, which on...
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RIM's BBX mobiles to break from current BlackBerry form factor, will support BES
New screen res and ratio 10 November 2011 7:57 GMT TweetThe new set of smartphones that will be coming from RIM next year will be changing style, bringing PlayBook like resolution and screen ratio to its mobiles. Along with this change of direction in terms of styling, it's been confirmed that RIM will...
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Huawei MediaPad: mass power for the mass market
Dual-core for under £300 9 November 2011 13:11 GMT TweetHuawei has announced the Huawei MediaPad,which it hopes will bring a little bit of high-power processor shenanigans to the mass market.
Described as a "complete entertainment powerhouse" the Huawei MediaPad doesn't quite make budget status...
Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on Full frame camera in the flesh
Nikon D700 vs Nikon D800 New and improved?
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 demoed, Bridge 2.0 gives remote control Coming in February