PALIN MITENK BLOG

By Niall Firth

The bad review of the iPhone 4 has hit Apple's shares


Apple shares plunged by more than four percent yesterday after an influential guide gave the new iPhone 4 a poor review, wiping £6.5 billion off the firm's value.

The fall came after Consumer Reports, a US group similar to Which? in the UK, said it could not recommend the iPhone 4 after its tests confirmed concerns about signal loss when the device is held in a certain way.

The report was the latest blow to the iPhone 4, which has been plagued by complaints about poor reception. Many of the complaints involve a wraparound antenna whose signal strength is said to be affected if the device is touched in a certain way.

The review immediately led to speculation on the internet from bloggers and consumer websites that Apple was about to recall the iPhone 4.

Consumer Reports, which publishes guides on everything from cars to TVs, said that it had also tested other phones - including the iPhone 3GS - and found none had the signal-loss problems of the iPhone 4.

It added that AT&T , the exclusive mobile phone carrier for the iPhone 4 and whose network is often blamed for reception problems, was not necessarily the main culprit.

The review said: 'When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side—an easy thing, especially for lefties—the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal. Due to this problem, we can't recommend the iPhone 4.'

The iPhone 4 still achieved a respectably high score due to its impressive display, front-facing video camera and improved battery life but it did not make it onto Consumer Reports' influential list of recommended phones.

And the site' adds: 'Apple needs to come up with a permanent – and free – fix for the antenna problems before we can recommend the iPhone 4.'

It even suggested that the only way to get around the problem was to cover the bottom of the phone in duct tape. And the site suggests the older model, the iPhone 3G, is still the better buy.

Apple came in for more criticism for deleting comments on its user-support forums which discussed the negative review.

Apple, which has called the iPhone 4's June debut its most successful product launch ever, has not responded to the report or to the recall rumours.

The company has said all mobile phones suffer some signal loss when held in different ways, and suggested that a software glitch might have misled users by overstating signal strength.

Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst pointed to speculation that Consumer Reports' article might induce a recall.

Apple shares dipped below their 50-day moving average price of $256.26, sliding as much as 4.2 percent to $246.43.

Shares of Research in Motion, which makes the rival Blackberry, climbed 2.7 percent to $57.42.


Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the new iPhone in June


Google , whose Android operating system for smartphones is gaining traction on multiple devices, also rose, by more than 3 percent to $491.82.

Analysts said Apple needs to take quick action to avert any lasting damage to its reputation for quality products -an image honed by iconic gadgets such as the iPod and iPad - though they did not see sales being hurt for now.

'They need to provide an actual fix -- not a bumper fix -- so that the product performs as it should,' said Ashok Kumar at Rodman & Renshaw.

'Apple should have taken a higher road when addressing the design flaw, instead of taking the hard-line stance that they did.'

'This is not a Toyota problem, but it is a problem that Apple needs to address head-on," he said, referring to the Japanese automaker's global recalls of more than 10 million vehicles since late last year.

JP Morgan warned that reports of wireless reception problems on the smartphone may eventually affect demand.

'Consumer Reports is a well-respected product reviewer, and the report should turn up the heat on Apple," analyst Mark Moskowitz said in a client note.

'Concerns around iPhone 4 reception do not appear to be impacting demand, but we think there are risks when a well-respected product rating agency such as Consumer Reports issues an unfavourable report.

'We continue to expect a fix from Apple, whether the solution is software- or hardware-related.'

Apple has already been sued by iPhone customers in at least three complaints related to antenna problems.




source: dailymail

By Daniel Bates In New York

Red carpet, blue nappy: A toddller wearing the new Huggies product poses for the photographers in a promotional image


They are a fashion staple for the young and old alike.

But now even babies can wear the latest in jean fashion - thanks to 'denim' nappies.

The jean nappy has denim-style pockets at the side and the back along with the usual inner lining to stop unfortunate leakages.


Fashion nappy: A young boy models the new limited edition Huggies jean diaper


By combining fashion and practicality, manufacturer Huggies says parents only have to bother with one bottom layer for their children, instead of putting clothes over the nappies.

But the company runs the risk of foisting fashion on youngsters and making them scrutinise their appearance at an ever younger age.

It has also baffled many with its bizarre advertising campaign which shows onlookers going slack-jawed at the sight of a toddler clad in the denim diaper.

As the young boy walks through a street wearing nothing but the nappy and a white shirt, women peer over the sunglasses and a stunned man accidentally lets go of some balloons before the dubious slogan comes up on screen: 'The coolest you'll look pooping your pants'.

The jean nappies are modified disposable Huggies Little Movers and cost £8 for 29, in three different sizes.


Talking point: The nappy is light blue-coloured and appears to have pockets but is not made of denim


Dubious: The closing scene of the Huggies advert, which shows a box of the nappies costing £8 for 29


They are not actually denim but designed to look like jeans and are currently available in the US where they have been a huge success.

A Huggies spokesman said: 'Jeans have always been a Mommy fashion must-have, but now it's time for their little ones to steal the style.

'Denim has always been a summer style staple, and the Huggies Jeans Diapers are no exception - they are a unique, fun and stylish way to make your little one the coolest and cutest around.'

Jean nappies were first launched in Israel in 2007 and have been a success in more than 20 countries around the world including Russia, South Korea, Mexico and Singapore


'Chic': The child wearing the nappy is helped into a convertible, reinforcing the product's 'cool' image


Limited edition: The new nappy


On internet message boards and blogs opinion was divided over whether or not they were cute or damaging.

On Salon.com commentator Heather Havrilesky said ironically: 'It's about time someone recognized the need to turn innocent, joyful little babies into overstyled, self-conscious, world-weary old crones like the rest of us.'

However on YouTube, where the jean nappy advert has been a huge hit, others wrote: 'I love this commercial, it is so adorable', and 'Too funny. Awkward though'.

In the advert, the narrator says: 'My diaper's full. Full of chic. When it's number two, I look like number one. I poo in blue.'

Earlier this month there was fury when it emerged girls as young as three are being offered high heels by fashion stores despite growing concerns over the sexualisation of children.

The shoes have apparently become popular after the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes was seen wearing them aged three.

Suri Cruise has been pictured a number of times in public with heels and lipstick in what her mother claims is just a harmless dressing up game.

However, High Street chains have latched onto the trend and are trying to entice parents in this country to emulate the Cruises.

Shops including Asda, Next and GapKids have come under fire from parents on online forum by selling the footwear.



source: dailymail

By Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor

Whatever NEX: Sony's new 3D cameras are the next evolution in home entertainment


We've seen it bring the big screen to life and 3D televisions are already on the market, now, the latest product to use three-dimensional technology is a true holiday essential.

Cameras which take 3D photos that can be viewed in all their splendour on a special TV screen are hitting the market next month.

The products, by Sony, are part of the new craze for 3D in Hollywood movies, TV and game consoles.

They will allow users to feel as if they are standing right in front of a magnificent panorama - or can almost reach out and touch their loved ones, caught on film.

But such cutting-edge technology doesn't come cheap.

The compact cameras, the NEX-5 and NEX-3, will sell for around £550 and work as a normal stills camera as well as having a 3D setting.

The TVs needed for viewing the 3D photos cost thousands. Also needed are 3D active shutter glasses, which sell for £100 a pair.


But Sony technical expert, Paul Genge, believes they will capture


the public's imagination. He said that allowing people to take their own pictures in 3D has a more powerful emotional pull than the films created by Hollywood.

He said: 'All the big films like Avatar are very impressive, but you are still a bit detached from what you are seeing.

'But when you take a photograph yourself and the image you later see on the 3D-TV is as you saw it, it is a completely different experience.

'It is as if you can step into your own picture. For me, that is the real connection point with 3D.' The camera works by taking a series of images in quick succession, as it is swept across a panorama. These images are put together to make one still 3D photo.

The Sony 3D-TV sets which go with the cameras start with the 40in Bravia X803, at £1,800, and the 46in version at £2,200.


The 3D camera works by taking a series of pictures in rapid succession and stitching them together


Sony is not the first to offer 3DTV sets in the UK. The world's biggest electronics firm, Samsung, began selling its sets in April with a starting price of £1,200 for a 40in set. However, it remains to be seen whether the public will embrace the technology.

At the moment, there is little 3DTV content available. For instance, the World Cup in South Africa will be filmed in 3D but UK broadcasters will not be offering the content.

And there are health concerns. The key to 3D technology is the active shutter glasses that must be worn to view the TV or photos.

The high-speed shutters open and close alternately over each eye in sync with the changing image on the screen to create the illusion. This bombards the eyes and brain with a succession of flashing images

Samsung recently put out a health warning that might scare away some potential customers.

It suggested that pregnant women, the elderly, children and those suffering from serious medical conditions are among a wide range of people who could have adverse reactions such as confusion, nausea, convulsions, altered vision, lightheadedness and dizziness.


source: dailymail

By Liz Jones

Pride of place: The new Louis Vuitton store opened this week on New Bond Street


Friday morning and there’s an air of excitement hanging over one particular corner of New Bond Street. Above us tower three storeys dedicated entirely to the gold-embossed, fur-adorned, monogrammed, labeltastic world of Louis Vuitton.

This is the French luxury company’s brand spanking new store, oops, ‘maison’ (LV’s preferred terminology). Second only in size to its Paris flagship, and second to none when it comes to jaw-dropping, utterly OTT opulence.

The floor-to-ceiling glass windows are lined with monogrammed golden chainmail, creating a gilded cage, behind which one can glimpse the rare and exotic creatures within; luggage stacked almost higher than the eye can see, and mannequins sporting outfits that would cost more than most people’s monthly mortgage payments

As I joined the queue of 60 people — mostly women, mostly wearing ridiculous heels, some pushing state-of-the art prams housing over-accessorised infants — I couldn’t help but wonder: why aren’t all these people at work?

And if they’re on holiday, what on earth are they doing at a time when, as we’re constantly being told, the economy is on the verge of meltdown, waiting to enter a shop where even the most diminutive gift — a cardholder in the iconic monogrammed leather — will set you back a three-figure sum?

There was no rush as the doors opened: no fashionable woman these days can hurry anywhere, given the artworks on her feet. But we shuffled, old lady fashion, despite our Botoxed faces and aerobicised bodies, towards the latest, biggest, most expensive temple to taste — good or bad, you decide — this country has ever seen.

I felt like Alice stepping into Wonderland. Only I was stepping into the world of Louis Vuitton.

The refurbished store is nothing short of extraordinary: a bright hall of mirrors, designed by architect Peter Marino. While the company refuses to divulge exactly how much the revamp cost, industry experts have estimated that the final bill was between £30 and £50million. And you can see why.


Expensive taste: Louis Vuitton's picnic set costs a five-figure sum


The thick beige carpet underfoot was woven in a little Caribbean workshop owned by Marino, the silk wallpaper was lacquered on site with silver leaf, the ground floor shelves are plated with gold titanium, and where there is not silk, gold, silver, or titanium, there is French lacquer and wood.

Huge bunches of roses and peonies in delicate shades of pink, red and purple give off a heady fragrance that vies with the scent of leather and polish.

Across all three floors are ‘priceless’ artworks by achingly cool artists, such as Damien Hirst (he placed surgical instruments in a custom-made trunk), Japanese cartoonist Takashi Murakami (his contribution is a slightly terrifying, three-eyed, pink creature) and offbeat art duo Gilbert and George, whose mirrored self-portraits decorate the lower ground floor.

It is all of this that makes it a ‘maison’, apparently, as opposed to — well — a shop.

It is an homage to culture, you see. Not greed. On one side there is a wall of vintage trunks and cases, suspended on cables, like art. But for those interested in more contemporary luggage, there is a ‘bag bar’.

If you’ve never encountered a bag bar before — and frankly, who has? — think of it as being like one of those revolving sushi bars.

You perch on a stool but rather than seeing plates of salmon sashimi passing in front of you, there are heavily-logoed bits of Louis Vuitton luggage, like a fairground attraction for millionaires, or the ultimate Generation Game.

‘This is a happy store,’ said one of the black-clad, beautiful, young female sales assistants. ‘It is supposed to make you laugh.’

Laugh? I nearly cried when I inquired about the prices.

There are very few price tags, I soon learned, as these are vulgar, according to management. Strange how different people have different definitions of ‘vulgar’.

Personally I would have said that a fur bum bag, just one of the many items in questionable taste on display, was vulgar, but what would I know?

A whisky case, like a tiny trunk, made from crocodile skin, with separate compartments, containing a silver ice bucket and tongs, crystal tumblers, a crystal decanter with silver lid, (but no whisky) and two crystal ashtrays, was a snip at £41,000.


Travel in style: The 'maison' even sells an classic luggage set


‘Ashtrays? That’s not very modern,’ I said to the man who was standing over me imperiously, in case I were to break something or touch it with a human hand. ‘One could use them to house peanuts,’ he commented imperiously.

I asked if the crocodile skin used was organic or cruelty free, but by the raised eyebrows, I guess that treating our fellow creatures humanely is one little luxury too far.

Still, one had already been sold by 10.10am. To whom, I’ll never know. The maddeningly discreet staff refused to divulge.

Perhaps you need a picnic set, for £38,500? This is, of course, no ordinary picnic set. This is a picnic set that includes solid silver monogrammed cutlery, plates edged with silver leaf and embossed with the company logo, crystal glasses, and silver serving dishes.

The perfect complement? An LV embossed croquet set, and a custom made travel caviar set — with a double bowl (LV ice cubes not included), tiny plates, and a slide-out drawer to house the serving spoon and the individual caviar spoons, all in a crocodile skin case.

I didn’t dare ask the price of these last two, I felt that my black-clad hosts were getting a little irritated by my vulgarity in actually wanting to know what things on sale, in a shop, actually cost.

But before they clammed up entirely, I did discover that for those on a budget, there’s a shoe care kit, in a monogrammed bag, for £460. A veritable bargain!

A glass staircase runs throughout the building with constantly changing LED displays in the floor. When I decided to venture upstairs, the steps were blue.


Floor to ceiling: The London store is second only in size to its Paris flagship, and second to none when it comes to jaw-dropping, utterly OTT opulence


Lots of women were having problems with these stairs: the lights confused us, and made us even more unstable on our feet.

But upstairs is the altar to shoes, and I have two questions to beg here: why are shoe departments always up a flight of stairs, and why do shoes cost upwards of £800, and measure upwards of 6in high?

Also on the first floor was womenswear. But there were so many seasons of it on sale that I no longer knew what decade I was in: there was spring-summer, cruise, and pre-fall: lovely hot clothes mostly made out of fur (a biker jacket trimmed with the hideous stuff is £2,900), incongruous on such a hot summer’s day.

There is a trunk so that you can haul your loot to whatever far-flung time zone will be appropriate for your new clothes. I assume the people who shop here don’t worry about easyJet excess baggage fines. But I am slightly wrong.

I met lots of young women — late teens and early 20s — who have been saving every penny they have just to be able to shop here.

Eileen had come from Southend for the day. She is 18, works in a boutique, and has saved ‘for months’ for the limited edition ‘leopard’ scarf. She was nearly in tears because, by 10.20am, the turquoise version had sold out, despite its £600 tag.

I met Alicia, a hairdresser, who had flown here from Ireland (there were so many women from Ireland here for the first day): she is 22, and wants the ‘Artsy bag in olive, it’s about £860, that is a month’s wages but it is worth it’.

Why Louis Vuitton? Aren’t labels passé, too ostentatious in these difficult times? Her friend Shanel disagreed: ‘The recession is so over,’ she said, with a wave of her tanned hand.

But while Louis Vuitton wants you to know that people will happily pay 50 times more for the real McCoy instead of a fake, the brand got into trouble earlier this month with the Advertising Standards Authority for two advertisements depicting a craftsman using needle and thread; this was ‘misleading’, as most LV products are machine-produced.

Rather takes the gloss off, doesn’t it? And makes me feel a little sorry for the young women who buy into this myth.


Topping it is a tall order: The store has pulled out all the stops, including this scarf draped giraffe


Money, of course, does not equal taste. Would any sane person want a pair of gold biker shorts, for £580? I found all the military inspired fashion a bit obscene: shorts for £1,030, for example, when real soldiers are having to scrimp and save.

And finally I met Ridu, here in London from Mumbai via Dubai, who had just spent £400 on a pair of sunglasses.

‘Isn’t this a bit incongruous, when there are slums in Mumbai, and a global recession?’ She looked at me as though I were insane.

The world of Louis Vuitton is so seductive, so clever at luring you with its gloss of intellect, art and culture, you start to think that you are the shabby one for scurrying off to Primark, where there are, it has to be said, far bigger queues every day of the week.

The best bit of the whole store is downstairs, in the men’s department. With a sort of gentlemen’s club feel, the place is full of low tables, squishy sofas and lashings of leather.

Rather incongruously for a place devoted to conspicuous consumption there is an enormous artwork by English artist Michael Landy, best known for a performance piece that saw him destroying every one of his possessions.

His oeuvre here is a Heath Robinson affair made of a strange combination of antlers, teddy bears, a gonk and rusty tools. It includes a great big yawning bucket into which shoppers are invited to toss their exhausted credit cards.

The machine chews up the tiny oblongs of plastic that get so many of us into so much trouble, and spits them out.

My advice is to do just that first, and then explore the store and gape open-mouthed at the excess, at the life size giraffe in the window wearing scarves, at the caviar case, at the briefcase once owned by Princess Margaret (only the tacky royals are represented here) and then leave with a shudder, and without a backwards glance.


source: dailymail

By Emily Andrews

On the up: The Harmony bra, made by luxury brand Panache and on sale for £25, will be the first range to offer a KK cup


First came the K cup for those ladies needing a little extra support.

And now the KK bra is to be introduced on to the High Street to cope with women's increasing bust sizes.

The bras - which have been dubbed 'wind socks' because of their 20in cups - were previously only available from specialist retailers.

They would be too big even for glamour model Jordan, whose breasts peaked at 32FF before she had reduction surgery.

But they still wouldn't be large enough for 27-year-old Donna Jones, from Milton Keynes, who claims to have Britain's biggest breasts, sized 40M. Debenhams - whose 'fuller bust range', defined as a D cup and above, accounts for 60 per cent of its lingerie sales - is to stock the Harmony bra, made by luxury brand Panache.

It is on sale for £25 in the store's Oxford Street branch in London, and is available in black, white and nude.

Spokesman Ruth Attridge said: 'We have seen demand for larger bra sizes soar. More women are being measured and most tend to go up two cup sizes as they have been buying bras that are too small.

'Also in our city stores we've seen ladies with larger busts due to the popularity of cosmetic surgery. Often when they're measured they have a bigger cup size than they think due to the implants being measured by weight and not cup size.

'Many of our fitters have reported that ladies have been surprised at being bigger than they had asked their surgeons for. We also see many more teenagers with larger breasts, perhaps due to the pill or better nourishment.'

The most popular bra size in the UK is a 36D, up from a 34B ten years ago.

Dr Joanna Scurr, a lecturer in biomechanicsat Portsmouth University, said: 'I'm delighted we're seeing KK cups on the High Street, as so many women say they struggle to find a size big enough in the shops. Breasts are getting bigger but it's not just because we're getting heavier.

'We found an increase in the size of the average bosom, not just in women who are fat. We don't yet know the reason but it has certainly made women much more aware of the need for correct support.'

Previously, the largest bra size on the High Street was the K cup, which was introduced by Selfridges in March, and the J cup, stocked by Marks & Spencer from 2007


source: dailymail

By Sean Poulter

Discounts: Past season stock from brands such as Ted Baker (pictured) will be available at up to 70 per cent off at the eBay virtual outlet mall


It has all the fashion appeal of the high street - without the crowds, queues or unflattering changing room lighting.

Auction website eBay has launched a virtual outlet mall, offering savings of up to 70per cent on clothing brands.

Shoppers can sift through virtual rails of cut-price outfits and accessories from names including Kookai, House of Fraser, La Redoute and Ted Baker - all from the comfort of their own computers.

Other big brands, including Debenhams, are thought to be planning to sell off stock at clearance prices through the online mall.

The site once focused on individuals auctioning unwanted items from their homes, but the launch of eBay Fashion Outlet signals a move towards forming partnerships with bricks-and-mortar stores - and follows tie-ups with Tesco, Argos and Littlewoods.

Early deals to be found on the online clothes racks include a metallic embroidered tunic dress from Kookai, which is down by 66 per cent to just under £30. The same store has a zig-zag print dress with 60 per cent off, bringing it to £30.


The Kookai print zig zag dress, on which consumers can save 60% at the new eBay site

Black leather lace-up ankle boots from La Redoute are reduced by 49 per cent to £54, while a pair of black leather knee-high riding boots are half-price at £74.

Historically, it was thought it would be difficult to sell clothes online because shoppers would be reluctant to buy items they could not try on.
However, websites such as ASOS, which targets 16- to 34-year-olds with outfits and accessories styled on those worn by celebrities, have demonstrated that it is possible to make a success of online fashion trading.
Purchases from ASOS were up by 56 per cent this month compared to a year ago.

Sales in Britain increased by a quarter, while international sales have more than doubled against the same month last year.

The company is on track to launch websites in the U.S., France and Germany this year.

Some 17million shoppers visit eBay.co.uk every month, but the company published disappointing trading figures earlier this week and believes fashion will be key to future performance.

It hopes to sell more than £ 3billion of clothes and accessories around the world every year, and will take a commission from the price paid by shoppers.

Although eBay is best known for auctions, fixed-price item sales now represent more than half of transactions, after many buyers became bored with having to spend time monitoring items and upping their bids to beat off rival purchasers.


Richard Kanareck, communications director at eBay, said: 'We've launched the Fashion Outlet because shoppers tell us they want more of the eBay deals they love, but from high street brands, not just individuals and small businesses-It's complemented by some industry-leading technology, including innovative picture search.

'Shopping online is still a relatively new phenomenon, and as the UK's number one, we'll continue creating new ways for people to get what they want, at the best prices, in a way that they can trust, and for sellers to thrive, whether a business, brand or bedroom entrepreneur.'


source: dailymail

By Martin Lewis

Preen Satin Dress, £319: Matchesfashion.com, £780: Harvey Nichols, High Street hike = £461 = 145 per cent


We could be paying up to 70 per cent more for goods in store rather than on the internet, says pricerunner.co.uk, a shopping comparison website.

Now we've done our own research - and, as MARTIN LEWIS from moneysavingexpert. com reveals, the results will amaze you...

To run a store on the High Street, you have to have a building in a town centre, a shopfront, goods that are priced and labelled, and staff to sell them. But if you run a web store all you need is a warehouse, a phone and the internet.

That means overheads are much lower, particularly if you charge your customers the cost of delivery.

The web is great for items like CDs and books that are the same wherever you get them - a Dan Brown novel is a Dan Brown novel, whether you get it on the internet or in town.

There are some great electrical deals online, but most people want to see their 40in TV before they buy it. Get around this by visiting a store, but buying online afterwards.

The web is less competitive when it comes to clothes because these are things that people want to try on. But when shopping online you have more rights. If you buy a dress in store without trying it on and it doesn't fit, it is within the rights of a shop not to allow you a refund.

But under distance-selling regulations, if you order the same item online you are legally allowed to return it and get your money back within the first seven days.

The web is cheaper for virtually everything. Remember to use price-comparison sites to get the best deal.





































source: dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter

Can you Kangoo? Kim and Kourtney Kardashian put a spring in their step - before Kourtney decides to take a break from the bouncing


The tight outfits and flesh on show confirm the figures bouncing their way along Miami Beach are indeed, Kardashians.

But the bizarre pogo boots both Kim and Kourtney were wearing seemed at odds with the sisters’ usual glamorous attire.

The pair were indulging in the latest fitness craze pogo-jogging for their reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Followed closely by an ever-present camera crew, the siblings at first seemed unsteady on their feet as they donned the shoes – known as Kangoo Jumps.

The springy footwear was originally developed for joggers to reduce the impact stress on joints by up to 80 per cent.

As well as a fitness aid, they are also recommended by doctors for rehabilitation after surgery and for the prevention of injuries.


Up in the air! The sisters hold hands as they bounce off the ground


Newly-single Kim, who split recently from Reggie Bush donned black leggings and a white vest for the outing, while Kourtney, who gave birth to son Mason in December, wore fluorescent yellow shorts and a black vest.

The girls got into the spirit of things by linking arms and jumping on the spot for the cameras while bemused passer-bys looked on.


That's enough of that: The Kardashian sisters hang up their boots and call it a day

source: dailymail

By Nick Mcdermott

Sony said the glitch only appears to be affecting the original PlayStation 3 and not the new slimline version


Thousands of PlayStation 3 owners were yesterday warned to stop using their consoles after a glitch caused older models of the machine to stop working.

Electronics giant Sony said it was working hard to resolve the problem, which has left many British users unable to play their favourite titles or access the online gaming and shopping network.

Industry insiders say the errors are most likely caused by a calendar bug, which began affecting gamers yesterday, as the internal clock and calendar on the PS3 switched from February to March.

Many owners reported their console clock had reset itself to Dec 31, 1999 or Jan 1, 2000.

Players were also unable access the free online PlayStation Network, which allows them to experience online games, as well as chat to friends and family around the world and surf the web.

Other users complained that trophy and achievement data, which is built up as the player improves, had been corrupted or lost.

Sony warns that even if owners did not attempt to access the online network, data and saves may still be lost.

The problem is only believed to have affected the older PS3 models, but not the newest slim version that went on sale in September last year.

Those with older machine trying to access the PlayStation Newtork were presented with an error message that read: '8001050F – Hardware failure. Cannot update Firmware or connect to internet'.

The glitch comes as a blow to many hardcore gaming fans only days after the release of much-anticipated flim noir thriller Heavy Rain, which requires a download update before it can be played.

Sony yesterday said it was working 'flat out' to resolve the glitch.

In a statement, the Japanese firm said: 'We hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours. In the meantime, if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained trophies, and not being able to restore certain data.

'We believe we have identified that this problem is being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system.'

It is still unclear whether a 'patch' which will be released to resolve the issue, will reinstate or fix the loss of trophy data.

Sony is not the first company to deal with a Y2K-like bug years after 2000.

At the end of 2008, thousands of Microsoft's Zune media players unexpectedly crashed, due to a problem with their internal clock.


source: dailymail

Parlez-vous Anglais? Google says new software could provide instant translation during phone calls


A mobile phone that can act as an interpreter is being developed by Google.
The firm says its device will convert spoken words into another language almost instantly.

Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, said: 'We think speech-to-speech translation should be possible and work reasonably well in a few years' time.

'Clearly, for it to work smoothly, you need a combination of high-accuracy machine translation and high-accuracy voice recognition, and that's what we're working on.'

While early versions of Google's website translation software sometimes produced little more than gobbledegook, an ever-growing database has enabled it to achieve far greater accuracy.

So far it covers 52 of the world's estimated 6,000 languages, the latest being Haitian Creole.

Google admits speech will be an even tougher challenge than text but says a customer's phone would adapt to its user by 'learning' their style of talking.

'Everyone has a different voice, accent and pitch,' said Mr Och. 'But recognition should be effective with mobile phones because by nature they are personal to you.'

And as with automatic text translation, what may begin as a fairly primitive technique will, Google hopes, become more sophisticated with the help of millions of users around the world.


Babel Fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In Douglas Adams' book the fish was put into the ear to translate


However language experts believe the prospect of such technology supplanting the ability to speak a foreign tongue is a distant one.

David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University, said the problems of dealing with speed of speech and range of accents could prove insurmountable.

'No system at the moment can handle that properly,' he added.

In Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the Babel Fish was a small yellow creature capable of translating any language when placed in a person's ear.

It sparked a bloody war because everyone became able to understand what other people were saying.


source: dailymail

Aerodynamic: The Sno-Baller which resembles a giant ice cream scoop

For anyone in touch with their inner child, a fresh snowfall means just one thing - a snowball fight!

But in a game where enjoyment is everything, slush, ice and soggy gloves can all too easily hamper the fun.

Well, snowball devotees need fret no longer, for a solution is at hand - the Sno-Baller.

Surely proving once and for all that there are no limits to designers' ingenuity - or perhaps, to our laziness - this plastic contraption, which looks like a giant ice cream scoop, simply snaps together to compress a portion of snow.

Light, aerodynamic and geometrically perfect, these snowballs are designed to burst on contact, thus avoiding painful bruises.

What's more, the Sno-Baller is highly efficient - making up to 60 perfect snowballs every minute.

Which means you can have a substantial pile of powdery ammunition ready by the time the kids come home from school.

The Sno-Baller costs £10 and is available from snoballer.co.uk


source: dailymail

Revolution: Apple chief executive Officer Steve Jobs unveils the company's latest product - the iPad



- 'Magical and revolutionary product' bridges gap between laptop and mobiles

- Prices start at $499 (£308) in the US for a 16GB version with WiFi

- Powered by a 1GHz Apple A4 chip, and has 16GB to 64GB of flash storage

- New device is half an inch thick, with 9.7in display and weighs 1.5lb

- Ten hours of battery life if watched continuously and one month of standby charge

- WiFi version available worldwide in 60 days with 3G following a month later

- Apple could run into trademark problems with Fujitsu, who previously filed a claim to the name 'iPad'

Apple tonight unveiled the new generation device dubbed by some gadget aficionados as the 'Jesus Tablet' and named it the...iPad.

Details were revealed by company chief Steve Jobs amid astonishing frenzy at an event in San Francisco.

The name raised some eyebrows amid complaints it was not as impressive as the iSlate or iTablet, which many people had speculated would be chosen.


Groundbreaking: The device will have its own applications (music store, left) and will also have special apps from other companies including the New York Times (right). Jobs: 'We're very excited about this'


Apple may also run into some problems with Fujitsu Ltd., who filed a trademark application for the name 'iPad' in 2003, according to the Web site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Apple now has until February 28 to submit evidence to the Patent and Trademark Office that is it the rightful owner of the iPad name in the U.S. The company has already filed successful applications to hold the trademark in Canada, Europe and Hong Kong.

At first glance, the iPad with its touchscreen looks like a bigger and more square version of the iTouch and iPhone, which has sold millions around the globe.

Apple has presented the iPad - which will start retailing at $499 (£308) in the US - as filling a gap in the market between smartphones and netbooks, which are effectively small laptops.


The iPad will have a wi-fi connection to the internet, while some higher spec versions will also link to the web via the 3G mobile phone network.

This will allow users to download video, music, books and newspapers while on the go rather than being tied down to wi-fi internet hot spots in the home or town centres.

Mr Jobs demonstrated the device with images of newspapers and books.

The company believes that, in future, people will read their magazines and newspapers on an iPad screen rather than traditional newsprint.

The device will go head to head with electronic book devices such as Amazon's Kindle and similar products from Sony and British firm Interead.

Each device would be able to download and carry around a virtual library of thousands of books.

It was also announced that the New York Times had created a customised application for the iPad.

The size of the device means the publication appears very similar to the actual paper.


Price range: The basic iPad will be $499 with a top-of-the-range model with WiFi, 3G and 64GB retailing at $829


iBooks: The new app will allow users to browse an online bookshelf (left) and use the iPad as an eReader


Apple is also launching an iBooks service that is intended to do for the electronic downloading of books that iTunes did for music.

The convenience of music downloads is enjoyed by millions, however it also led to the virtual death of high street music stores.

Bricks and mortar book stores may have reason to fear the development.
It also has boasts office applications such as spreadsheets and a word processor for businessmen on the move.


The iPad connects to the internet via a wi-fi link to a home PC or the wi-fi hot spots found in town centres. A second higher spec version has the added benefit of connecting to the web via the mobile phone network.
There are three memory levels - 16gigabyte, 32gb or 64gb - under each of these two formats.

Users who want to connect to the web via the 3G mobile phone network will pay a monthly fee on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Reviews of the iPad have been vastly mixed. Some technology experts praised the innovation behind the product, with Rob Hearn from Pocketgamer.co.uk insisting: 'The iPad is a characteristically sexy bit of consumer electronics, and at $499 it's cheap enough to sell.'

However, others have highlighted the similarity between the iPad and its predecessor the iPhone.

Simon Osborne-Walker from Stuff Magazine labelled the product 'a bit disappointing' while Joshua Topolsky of Engadget.com said: 'It's a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once'

The San Francisco audience were treated with a quote from the August Wall Street Journal saying: 'Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.'

Mr Jobs said: 'We want to kick of 2010 by introducing a magical and revolutionary product.

'All of us use laptops and smartphones... the question has arisen; is there room for something in the middle.

'We've wondered for years as well. In order to create that category, they have to be far better at doing some key tasks... better than the laptop, better than the smartphone.

'We think we've got something that is better. And we call it the iPad.'


Hands on: Journalists get to try out some of the iPads (left) while Steve Jobs demonstrates the slimness of the half inch thick gadget (right)


Publishing phenomenon: Jobs on stage in front of an image of the iPad


Mr Jobs, who appeared in his trademark jeans and black turtleneck, demonstrated the device live on stage, browsing YouTube, Google maps, its built-in iTunes store and even played Disney's Pixar's animated film Up.

'It's so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smart phone,' he said.

The device is half an inch thick, making it thinner than any netbook, and weighs 1.5pounds(680g) while the screen is 9.7inches across the diagonal.

Mr Jobs said: 'We've been able to achieve 10 hours of battery life. I can take a flight from San Francisco to Tokyo and watch video the whole time. And it has over a month of standby time.'

The operation of the iPad is virtually identical to the iPhone and iTouch


Easy access: The type-pad is almost the same size as a traditional Qwerty keyboard


Mr Jobs said: 'We think we've got the goods. We think we've done it. Another thing we're excited about is that there's already 75m people who know how to use this because of how many iPhones and iPod touches we've shipped.

'It's very thin - you can change the homescreen to whatever you want. What this device does is extraordinary. You can browse the web with it. It's the best web experience you've ever had.'

In terms of software, the iPad has a built-in internet browser and iTunes store allowing the downloading of music, TV shows and blockbuster movies such as Star Trek or Up.

People will also be able to download any of the hundreds of applications developed for the iPhone and iTouch.

A number of 'shoot em up' computer games have been developed for the iPad which can be controlled through a multi-touch technology.

Thanks to the larger interface of the iPad, video games which were previously available on the iPhone will now come with extra features specifically designed for the iPad.

The EA game Need for Speed Shift, a game which sees the user undertake car races with fellow drivers, will come complete with on-screen pedals, a gear stick and a facility to allow the user to look behind him by touching the rear view mirror in its iPad version.


Users will be able to play a wide variety of video games on the iPad, including motoring games


There are also apps available for keen baseball players, who will be able to live out their love for the game on the screen


Jim Sloane, lead technology partner at business advisory firm Deloitte, said the iPad - and other upcoming tablet devices - could have a detrimental impact on the traditional eReader's market.

He said: 'The rise of the net tablet could impact other segments, such as growth of the nascent eReader market. For every million net tablets sold there could be a corresponding impact on eReaders.'

However, British eReader manufacturer Interead, who produces the Cool-er device, disagreed.

Neil Jones, chief executive of Interead, said: 'I have no doubt that the launch of Apple's new device will have a great impact on the technology industry.

'However, we don't believe it will bring about the demise of the 'traditional' eReader. Having a brand as strong as Apple's behind eReading can only be a good thing; it will raise the awareness and popularity of eReaders among consumers.'


iPad users will also be able to watch films on the device, which they can purchase from the iTunes store


The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), the global association of the mobile media industry, described the new Apple device as a milestone.

Chairman Andrew Bud said: 'The launch of the iPad tangibly demonstrates how mobile entertainment is rapidly evolving beyond the smartphone.

'This new format is a key milestone in positioning the mobile connected device at the centre of consumers' content experience.

Some 220million Apple iPods have been sold around the world to date, a staggering 73.8 per cent of all MP3 players. Twenty million of these are its iTouch media player.

The company has also sold an amazing 30million iPhones in just two years. There are more than 100,000 software applications for the phones, while consumers have made two billion downloads.

The company's iTunes music and video download store is the number one seller of music in the world. Some 8.5billion songs have been purchased via a staggering 100 million accounts.


source: dailymail