IFA 2010: Hands on: Toshiba Satellite A665 3D laptop review
If 3D is going to take off in the UK, then it will the games industry which pioneers the technology in the home.There’s simple logic to it: if you are happy to play a fake guitar, sing into a fake microphone and wield a controller like it’s a tennis bat, then it is more than likely you won’t mind putting on a pair of plastic specs to play a game.Toshiba’s foray into 3D gaming is with the Satellite A665 3D laptop. The Satellite A665 comes bundled with a pair of Nvidia 3D Vision active shutter glasses, which means you can have out-of-the-box 3D playback.Nvidia has been pushing the merits of 3D gaming for a good while now, so this means there are a number of games on the market that utilise 3D. We had a go at Prince of Persia and there was a certain amount of immersion you got that is missing from the game when played in 2D.To power 3D content you need a fair amount of back-end chug and the A665 certainly has this in spades.Beneath the chassis is Intel’s powerful i7 processor. This is backed by up to 4GB DDR3 RAM and there’s also a 500GB hard drive on board which is fairly capacious for a portable computer.An 15.6-inch TruBriteHD display (running at 120 Hz) with LED backlighting makes sure that the 3D content you view sparkles.The A665 is not just about gaming, though. On board is a Blu-ray player which has been spec’d up to play 3D content. It also moonlights as a rewriteable drive.This will be a big draw for those looking to bring Blu-ray 3D into their home. The supplied HDMI connection means this will double as a 3D Blu-ray player. As long as you have a compatible 3D TV, then you are all ready.When it comes to other connectivity, the A665 houses 3 x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA / USB combo port with Sleep-and-Charge and a Multi-Card Reader.Internet connectivity comes in the form of WLAN, Gigabit Ethernet LAN and there is also good ol’ Bluetooth inside.The A665 has certainly been built with the 3D enthusiast in mind. The machine wants you to view as much 3D content on it as possible, which is why there is also a 2D-to-3D converter inside, which will add another dimension to movies and games in real time. It’s not perfect but it does fill the current content gap. Couple this with some meaty audio courtesy of Harman Kardon stereo speakers and Dolby Advanced Audio and this is one desirable piece of kit.The Satellite A665 is available now. And if you have already purchased one without all the added 3D goodness, then you can download a software update from www.toshiba.co.uk/computers.Related StoriesHP expands its Mini rangeIFA 2010: Samsung SF series is unveiledIFA 2010: New Samsung NF netbooks appear at IFAIFA 2010: Sony reveals first 3D Vaio laptopExclusive: Google: Chrome OS still focused on netbooks

HP announces Envy 14 Beats edition and Envy 17 with 3D
HP has announced improvements to its high-end HP Envy 14 and Envy 17 laptops, with the former getting a special ‘Beats’ edition and the latter gaining stereoscopic 3D support. The Envy range is HP’s luxury laptop choice, and the ‘enhanced features’ are designed to please the ‘discerning user’. “With these new technology and design enhancements, we offer customers a better computing and entertainment experience,” said Charl Snyman, Vice President and General Manager, HP Personal Systems Group, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “These new HP notebooks deliver breakthrough technology, power and advanced styling to satisfy the most discerning user.” Beats by Dr Dre ™ The HP Envy 14 Beats edition brings integrated Beats Audio with HP pushing its ‘exceptional’ design and optimised audio features and comes with a free pair of headphones. “This special edition notebook includes Beats Audio, a unique, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr Dre to provide the optimal sound experience the way the artist intended it when playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers,” explains HP’s release.Dr Dre wasn’t available for comment but we’re guessing he would have said the Beats Audio technology would: “Ding ding dong ring-gading ding ding dong, keep the headz ringin.” To enhance this premium sound experience, HP has included a set of Beats Solo Headphones from Monster with ControlTalk, with each HP Envy 14 Beats Edition.Envy 17The HP Envy 17 with 3D also has Beats Audio and HP’s Triple Bass Reflex subwoofer, but throws in (interestingly, ATI) 3D support and a pair of HP 3D Active Shutter glasses. “Included content allows customers to experience instant 3D gratification,” adds HP. “Select models include a 3-D movie trailer for the upcoming animated film Megamind from DreamWorks Animation.”The HP Envy 14 Beats Edition has a UK price of 1,339 and the The HP Envy 17 with 3D has a UK release date of October with a starting price of 1,559.Related StoriesIFA 2010: Samsung SF series is unveiledIFA 2010: New Samsung NF netbooks appear at IFAIFA 2010: Sony reveals first 3D Vaio laptopIFA 2010: Hands on: Toshiba Satellite A665 3D laptop reviewExclusive: Google: Chrome OS still focused on netbooks

Find the Cheapest Mobile Phone Deals
Apologies for the lack of posts and strange error messages over the last few weeks but we have now managed to come out of the other side of the issues causing this and the site should be better than ever! Regular readers will have probably noticed we have added a UK mobile phone deals comparison [...]We love mobile phonesFind the Cheapest Mobile Phone Deals

Google Earth Android App Adds Explore the Ocean Layer
Google Earth 1.1 for Android mobile phones now allows you to go deep under the World’s oceans via a new “Explore the Ocean” layer as well as the now standard on land options! We had already been looking under the sea using the desktop Google Earth version since Google’s partnership announcement with National Geographic last [...]We love mobile phonesGoogle Earth Android App Adds Explore the Ocean Layer

Hard Times Ahead for Nokia
Nokia said its second-quarter profit dropped 40 percent, as the embattled company continues to struggle in the fiercely-competitive smartphone sector, fueling speculation that its chief executive may soon lose his job.

iPhone 4 Avaiable on 12 Month Contract
Tesco Mobile offers 12 month mobile phone contracts.

Samsung Galaxy i5500 Europa: Due July, Carphone Warehouse Online Exclusive
The affordable Samsung Galaxy i5500 handset – first seen at CommunicAsia and due for release under the Corby/Genio banner – has been revealed by Carphone Warehouse as the Samsung Galaxy Europa, an exclusive to the retailer and due for a July release. Touted as ‘only available to order from our website’, the Galaxy Europa may [...]

HTC Hero Android 2.1 upgrade finally lands in UK
If you’ve got an HTC Hero, chances are you’ve been sitting on the side of the Android highway, watching glumly as all the new phones roar into the distance with their fancy Eclair updates while you’re stuck with the crummy Cupcake.But the wait is over, as HTC has finally managed to work out how to port Android 2.1 onto the Hero with Sense UI and it’s even managed it by June as previously promised (although only just).What does the update bring? A whole manner of magic if you’ve been stuck in the dark ages with the Hero: Google Maps Navigation, an overhauled Marketplace to make apps easier to find and a much faster camera.Better, better, betterThe keyboard is better, the camera has a zoom, Exchange support and built-in contact social networking is now supported (although it kind of already was) the Android 2.1 world is a better place.If you’re after the upgrade, you’ve probably been prompted to install it via your phone if not, then you can always head on over to HTC’s support page and do it yourself.It’s best to back up to a PC before you do the upgrade, as it will wipe all your data there are also applications available from the App Market (such as MyBackUp) that allow you to save valuable data. If you are performing an over the air update, remember to do so in a Wi-Fi area, lest you destroy your data allowance (and remember, the networks are cracking down on this now).

Oops! Nokia Pokes Fun at iPhone but the Jokes on Them
The new iPhone was released with a lot of fanfare (and some very long lines). It also immediately began to take a lot of flack because of many people reporting that holding the phone in certain ways reduced reception. Nokia decided to capitalise on the negative publicity that surrounded Apple due to this flaw, using it to their advantage to point out why their phones are better than the iPhone. They did so with a funny feature article on their official blog revealing all of the different ways that you can hold a Nokia phone without losing reception. This article poking…