Chris Hall News Archive 
Reviews from Chris Hall
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Google+: explored from the inside
FEATURE Living with the new social network 6 July 2011 10:59 GMT TweetGoogle+ is the latest kid on the social network block, hiding behind the semi-opaque doors of the beta tag. Many managed to slip past the velvet rope before the bouncers shut things down, and like the cool kids, we’ve been on the inside partying...
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APP OF THE DAY - Google+ (Android)
FEATURE Google social mobile 4 July 2011 18:00 GMT TweetSome years ago, people would say that if a company didn’t have a website, it basically didn’t exist. Nowadays you might apply the same logic to apps, especially when you are a new social network from the Mountain View giant that is Google.
That’s...
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Piaggio MP3 Yourban LT hands-on
HANDS-ON 3 wheels better than 2? 30 June 2011 15:01 GMT TweetIt wasn’t the informative briefing from Piaggio, or the video accompanying it, that made us realise the Yourban LT was ultra hip. It was the reaction of people when we stopped in Battersea Park.
“These three-wheel scooters are so...
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Sony Vaio Z hands-on
HANDS-ON Premium PC, premium price 29 June 2011 10:42 GMT TweetThe Sony Vaio Z (or Z21) has touched down, offering a premium 13-inch notebook to those with plenty of cash to spend. We got our hands on the new skinny PC to give you the low down.
Now before we get started, there is something important to...
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Archos 101 and 80 G9 tablets hands-on
HANDS-ON Cheap Honeycomb tablets fondled 28 June 2011 19:07 GMT TweetAs Archos unveiled their latest products in the UK, we managed to get our hands on the new G9 tablets, which come in 10- and 8-inch screen sizes. They represent exceptional value for money, being the cheapest Honeycomb tablets we’ve seen so far.
As...
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Neato XV-15 robot vacuum cleaner invasion begins
HANDS-ON And we've been living with it 24 June 2011 21:47 GMT TweetIt was with some apprehension that we opened our doors to Neato XV-15. Inviting a robot into your house as a domestic servant shouldn’t be taken lightly. We’ve all seen what happens when robots go bad, become self aware and throw aside...
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Tailor made: hands-on with PC World's laptop customising service
HANDS-ON We pimp our 'puter 22 June 2011 13:59 GMT TweetBespoke tailoring may be the preserve of the rich and famous, but thanks to Advent at Dixons Retail (Currys and PC World to you and me) you’ll be able to add the personal touch to your own notebook.
Adventcovers.com will let you design...
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ITV Player on Android hands-on
HANDS-ON We catch-up with Corrie 22 June 2011 11:31 GMT TweetITV Player has just landed on Android and we’ve been playing with it to see if it can add a little excitement to your mobile TV watching.
The app arrives on devices running on Android 2.2 and above, including Android 3 devices. Although...
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Nokia N9 NFC: Party time as well as payments
Simplifies Bluetooth pairing 21 June 2011 16:54 GMT TweetNFC is something of a technology in the wings. We’re repeatedly saying that NFC needs a purpose, an infrastructure to get it going, especially when it comes to mobile payments and so on.
NFC is incorporated into the new Nokia N9 and we...
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Nokia N9 hands-on
HANDS-ON First fumbles with the MeeGo handset 21 June 2011 16:12 GMT TweetNokia pulled the covers off their N9 handset this morning, stepping into the breach and brushing aside the spectre of Symbian with its new MeeGo operating system. We were on hand to have a play with the handset and although our time was limited, here...
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Mystery dual screen LG handset snapped, possibly Flip II
HANDS-ON Or LG Q? LG Optimus Slider? LG Maxx Q? 16 June 2011 9:58 GMT TweetThis T-Mo LG phone caught our eye because of the display between the keys which made us think “better look this one up, probably a US exclusive handset”. Exclusive indeed.
Nestling between the slide-out QWERTY keyboard is a secondary...
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Orange Barcelona hands-on
HANDS-ON Affordable Android BB challenger 15 June 2011 22:59 GMT TweetOrange enjoyed surprise success with the cheap ZTE-produced Orange San Francisco back in 2010 and they're looking to repeat the success with another Orange branded Android device. Bringing it home to Europe, the next device from Everything Everywhere...
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APP OF THE DAY: Swype 3.0 Beta review (Honeycomb)
Poking and stroking the Xoom 15 June 2011 18:00 GMT TweetThe Swype promo video was dramatic to say the least, if you haven’t yet watched it, head over here and take a peak, and remember it isn’t the trailer for the Hollywood blockbuster.
The Honeycomb keyboard is reasonable, but offers...
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HTC Salsa: Facebook features explored
FEATURE Getting social with HTC’s Facebook phone 7 June 2011 16:30 GMT TweetThe HTC Salsa is winging its way to stores near you, looking to bring a little more Facebook to your phone. We’ve been playing with the new mobile phone so we can detail all the Facebook features it offers, and how they differ from the regular...
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LG Optimus 2X revisited: a prime contender?
We take a look at the updated phone 6 June 2011 21:58 GMT TweetWe reviewed the LG Optimus 2X long before it hit the shelves, back in February. Since reviewing the device, LG have continued to update and we’ve been living with the phone once again to see if they’ve ironed out any of the oddities we...
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Music Beta by Google hands-on
HANDS-ON Streaming with Google Music 26 May 2011 13:28 GMT TweetAnyone who has used a Google product will know that they like to release software and services to the world long before for the beta tag is removed. Music Beta by Google is no exception and like many Google products, it begins life as an invitation...
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APP OF THE DAY: Plume for Twitter review (Android)
A comprehensive take on Twitter 25 May 2011 18:00 GMT TweetTwitter has changed the way a lot of people interact with each other. It’s a communication channel for friends, colleagues, companies and celebrities. Twitter lets you get a little closer to the things you care about, and tell everybody about...
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Android 3.1 features explored
FEATURE USB support amongst tweaks 24 May 2011 13:05 GMT TweetAnyone doubting the Xoom’s status as Google’s Honeycomb tablet of choice can think again following the arrival of Android 3.1 on the 10.1-inch tablet last week.
The update arrived OTA, prompting users to update, which we diligently...
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Dell XPS 15z ushers in style and affordability, we go hands-on
HANDS-ON New MacBook-alike PC 24 May 2011 10:02 GMT TweetThe latest XPS model from Dell is the Dell XPS 15z, teased last week in a short video which showed off some of its interesting design points.
Design is certainly the focus for the new XPS model, picking up on some of the design features that...
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APP OF THE DAY - Taptu (Android)
Feed me ... feeds 18 May 2011 18:00 GMT TweetDo you ever find yourself swamped with information? Too many sites and not enough time to read them all? Do you want to snack on the content of your favourite websites without having to actually visit them?
If this sounds like you, you’re...
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Magellan eXplorist range find their way to the UK
For a spot of geocaching 12 May 2011 19:13 GMT TweetMagellan hasn’t been seen in the UK for a couple of years and now mark their return with the launch of four new handheld GPS devices for outdoor activities.
Pitched at those engaging in outdoor endeavours, all the models in the eXplorist...
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Panasonic Lumix G3: new sensor, Full HD video, more compact
HANDS-ON And we've been all over it 12 May 2011 9:00 GMT TweetThe latest Micro Four Thirds camera to touch down is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, which effectively supplants the G2 launched around this time last year.
It continues to push Panasonic’s portfolio of compact system cameras, making some...
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Google Earth has a Honeycomb makeover
HANDS-ON We check out the new features 6 May 2011 12:01 GMT TweetGoogle has released a version of Google Earth for Android devices "to take full advantage of the large screens and powerful processors that this exciting new breed of tablets had to offer".
The update brings support for 3D building renderings,...
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Motorola Atrix: the ecosystem explored
HANDS-ON A reminder of what's on offer: docks, accessories, the lot 5 May 2011 22:38 GMT TweetIt was back at CES in Las Vegas in January that the Motorola Atrix was announced; it was April when we heard it was coming to Orange; it was yesterday that it went on sale.
Four months is a long time in the world of mobile phones so we thought...
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Griffin Threadless covers add class to your iDevice
HANDS-ON Unique designs to keep you on trend 4 May 2011 16:22 GMT TweetGriffin has teamed up with Threadless to bring you a range of funky limited edition iPhone and iPod touch covers.
Threadless is a company which takes an open source approach to t-shirt design. Threadless takes design submissions from its online...
Acer CloudMobile Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone set for MWC launch 4.3-inch award winner
Best iPhone utilities apps Resistance is futilities?
Samsung not worried by Apple iTV threat EXCLUSIVE: AV boss not concerned
HTC PlayStation certification devices coming 2012, time to get your Crash Bandicoot skills up to scratch EXCLUSIVE: Game on
Samsung Galaxy S III: Review of rumours, features, pictures and specs Thinner, faster, better
New HTC Ice Cream Sandwich device pictures leak Another one for the rumour pile...
Samsung O table is for the kitchen of the future Flexible hob
Nokia 700 Sleek and desirable Nokia
LG Miracle picture and details leak Update: More pictures from the wild
Google home entertainment device detailed WSJ solves device mystery
More leaked iPad 3 parts help form bigger picture - including Sharp Retina display iPad 3, in kit form
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) pictures and hands-on Up close with the ICS tablet
Tesla Model X SUV goes back to the future DeLorean lookalike announced
APP OF THE DAY: Tweetbot review (iPad) Should a Twitter app cost?
New Apple TV leaked in software update? iOS 5.1 says so
Panasonic Lumix GX1 review
The one?
Sony PlayStation Vita review
Curriculum Vita
Nokia Lumia 710 review
WP7 on a budget
GoPro HD Hero2 review
Amazing things come in small packages
HTC Explorer review
A phone for people who make calls
BlackBerry Torch 9810 review
Middle of the road
Sony Alpha A65 review
Affordable SLT. But is it a DSLR-beater?
BlackBerry Bold 9790 review
To boldly go where we've already been before
Fiat 500 TwinAir Plus review
Two-cylinder beast
Motorola MotoACTV review
Just add exercise
Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition review
Mini Xoom
BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 review
For the fast lane
Sennheiser IE80 review
Tune that bass
Kingston Wi-Drive review
Expand your storage
Huawei Ideos X3 review
Cheap but imperfect